Filed under: British Isles , Vegetables , Recipes , Food Quest I had a need for green tomatoes for the stunningly marvelous idea of recreating an Austrian dessert dish - Griseknödel mit Grünen Paradeisern ( Semolina Dumplings with Green Tomato Compôte ). Of course I didn't realise that green tomatoes are next to bloody impossible to find in the UK.

Filed under: Juice , British Isles , Raves & Reviews , New Products I love the description on the front of the new seasonal Innocent Smoothie - "This smoothie is for spring, season of daffodils, frisky squirrels and slightly lower heating bills".

Filed under: British Isles , Cheese , New Products I received the sample of the perfume made from, and in promotion of, Stilton Cheese.

Filed under: Business , Australia , Trends I mentioned a few days ago the plan by UK supermarket Tescos to  introduce bio-degradable carrier bags across the country. In Australia a similar plan has failed to produce the environmental benefits hoped for.

Filed under: Wine , Eastern Europe , Food Oddities The monkeys at Budapest Zoo must be some of the happiest in captivity! Their feeding times are enlivened with a quantity of red wine each day; although there have been no instances of drunken brawls or other lewd behaviour.   They are fed 55 liters of red wine each year as a health measure to boost their red blood cell count. It is mixed in with their tea, so as not to be served in one hit. Sadly for the chimps, the wine is not of any great quality, just "simple table wine" according to the report.

Filed under: Tastings , British Isles , Farming , Stores & Shopping Waitrose is opening its farm, Leckford, for three days in June to the public. Over the 23rd to the 25th June you can visit the farm that provides the supermarket with its milk, fruit, mushrooms and other crops.

Filed under: Parties , British Isles , Lists In the UK at least the foodie equivalent of the Oscars - well that is how some view the Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards ; and who am I to argue? The winners of the 2006 competition have been announced. Established in 1970, the Glenfiddich Food & Drink Awards honour the very best writers and broadcasters who find inspiration at the bar, on the menu and on the wine list. The categories cover everything from authors to bar writers, food writers to television presenters, plus the Glenfiddich Independent Spirit Award and The Glenfiddich Trophy.

Filed under: Tastings , Wine , British Isles , Raves & Reviews , France Last week saw the UK's main wine trade event open and close in London. The International Wine and Spirits Fair is a mammoth show spread over three days show casing basically every wine you can possibly think of. Add special tutoured tastings, seminars, dinners, after show parties and the like and it is three days of bliss for the wine lover. You just have to be in the trade to get in.

Filed under: British Isles , Stores & Shopping , New Products Bamboo is now used to make tableware, wallpaper, flooring and lacquer-ware. A company in the UK has just begun importing the lacquer-ware, The dishes are coiled by hand and impregnated with 18 layers of natural, food-safe lacquer. They retail for £12.50 and up each. Vibrantly coloured and waterproof. They join Zak-Designs Bambu trays, chopping boards - which look particularily good - and kitchen utensils in one impressive and design-conscious range. Even the bamboo is organically grown.

Filed under: British Isles , Restaurants , On the Blogs Food related chat forums abound across the internet; so do we need another? Well the Culinary Hags seem to think so and they have a perfectly valid reason for launching their own.