tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-282301112024-03-13T03:36:44.222+00:00New Tastes ... Tastes NewsGeneral musings from Tastes Delicatessen. News, events, new products...Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-64869080228638153872017-05-09T14:14:00.000+01:002017-05-09T14:14:09.225+01:00Anila’s Authentic Sauces makes two million meals as it celebrates 25th anniversaryOne of our favourite producers, whose wares we have stocked for more than a decade, is celebrating a big anniversary this year.
In the last quarter of a century, curry sauce queen Anila Vaghela has produced sauces used in more than two million meals by customers around the world.
The founder of Anila’s Authentic Sauces has served an amazing 2,168,000 meals through her range of eight curry saucesKaren (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-75540852911705555912017-03-12T10:27:00.002+00:002017-03-12T10:40:31.348+00:00Making Beer Bread
I don't post on here as often as I used to. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram seem easier ways of passing on short bursts of information. But for things which require more than a couple of photographs, I do still return to the blog.
Today's post really doesn't require more than a couple of photographs, it's an incredibly simple bread making kit and dedicating an illustrated recipe to it is most Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-12902394144964441752016-11-23T13:43:00.004+00:002016-11-23T14:01:36.272+00:00Walters TurkeysThis week I had the privilege of visiting the Walters family farm in Aldworth, West Berkshire. Tucked away down country lanes, atop the rolling hills of the Berkshire downs is Bower Farm. The land has been farmed by the Walters family for more than 100 years and produces cereal crops, sheep, cattle and the reason for my visit: turkey.
I was warmly welcomed by the lovely Kate Walters and taken Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-32303956240136725932016-11-10T19:00:00.000+00:002016-11-11T11:08:19.991+00:00Christmas is Coming
This time next week (17th November) the Christmas Lights will be illuminated on Eton High Street. The festivities commence with a carol service in Eton College Chapel at 6pm (entrance is by ticket only, available at Tastes Delicatessen, Eton Fudge Shop and the Manley Gallery). The service will be followed by a reindeer led procession through the historic high street to Jubilee Square where Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-64917763781231679472016-08-27T15:16:00.000+01:002016-09-10T18:07:04.284+01:00Buying canned pumpkin in the UK
I know it is far too early (and far too sunny) to mention Thanks Giving. But, I also know there are some customers getting a little concerned about their pumpkin pies already. Poor growing conditions in Illinois last year saw the pumpkin yield fall by 50%. Panic set in, with fears that there would be no Libby's Pumpkin for Thanks Giving. Fortunately everything turned out to be OK. There was Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-21436643589173952832016-08-23T21:39:00.003+01:002016-08-23T21:46:32.009+01:00Banana & Chocolate Bread & Peanut Butter Pudding
Last week the Funky Nut Company asked me to come up with a recipe for their peanut butter ebook. So I had a think about flavours that work well with peanut butter. Banana was my first choice. I do like a peanut butter banana sandwich: Take a banana. Slice in half, lengthways. Cover flat side with peanut butter. Sandwich back together and enjoy! Its not exactly a recipe though is it?
In the endKaren (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-20756796440125908722016-07-29T22:04:00.000+01:002016-08-23T22:21:59.606+01:00Still HereI'm not really blogging very much at the moment. I've noticed other blogs I read are updated less frequently than they used to be as well. It's not just me! And it's not that I have no news. Just that other media have my focus. At the end of last year I added Instagram to the social media tools I use. I now post there regularly, and to twitter, Facebook, flickr and tumblr. I quite like the Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-11573338967025557292016-06-12T21:06:00.001+01:002016-06-12T21:06:30.806+01:00Picnic Platters... the director's cutToday I made up 18 picnic platters for the members of the Charteris Day Centre to enjoy at the Eton Street Party, celebrating The Queen's 90th Birthday.
I also made a movie. Not exactly Spielberg standard, and the lighting is terrible (but approved by Environmental Health, so we're going with safety over style). Enjoy...
Pork Pies, Vegetable Quiche, Van Strien Cheese Palmiers, Three Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-78597251932747453602016-06-07T21:36:00.002+01:002016-06-07T21:38:52.675+01:00One of the Best Delis in Berkshire!
It turns out someone, or actually "someones", think Tastes Deli is the best deli in Berkshire! Unbeknownst to me people have been voting for us in this year's Muddy Stiletto Awards. Muddy Stilettos is the most successful and influential blog in Berkshire, Bucks & Oxon: the ‘urban guide to the countryside’ for
urbane, intelligent, cosmopolitan, fun-loving women in the
Shires. And Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-41801312305704786632016-04-06T13:41:00.000+01:002016-07-14T10:57:25.137+01:00Balinese Preserves
Last week I met with Heather from Awani, a hand made preserve producer based in Indonesia. We've been selling Awani's delicious products for a while, but Heather had some new lines for me to try, and some cute freebies for me to give away.
Since 2007 Awani have been creating delicious, artisan jams and marmalade from tropical fruit on the island of Bali. Their preserves showcase the abundanceKaren (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-80297907072000370702016-03-25T16:37:00.001+00:002016-06-07T21:36:59.892+01:00(Very) Good Friday
Fridays are always good.
But this Friday has been exceptional; a really enjoyable day in the deli.
And what exactly has made it so good? Well I think I've worked it out.
Its all the usual things that make this a great place to work, plus ...
It's sunny and everyone seems in holiday spirit. Even those not on holiday are appreciating the first glimpses of spring. There's a real sense of "we've Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-20207690151272017432016-03-11T17:23:00.000+00:002016-03-12T11:05:25.826+00:00Vietnamese Curry This week I've been experimenting with another of our new curry pastes. This time its Vietnamese.
I made a Chicken & Potato Curry using Red Chili Kitchen Vietnamese Curry Paste and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thao's recipe:
(Serves 4)
1kg chicken thighs
4 tbsp Red Chilli Kitchen Curry Paste
3 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes).
3 large carrots (peeled and cut into 4cm pieces)Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-58296825167488902912016-02-22T15:58:00.000+00:002016-03-10T15:48:07.077+00:00Easy ThaiCoconut Kitchen, the fabulous Thai restaurant/sauce producer, have added some new lines to their range. Last week, I sampled the new Easy Thai Red Curry paste. It was delicious. Smelt so amazing that I'd eaten it before I even thought about taking a photograph. So all I could put on twitter was:
Just tested a new Thai curry paste from @coconut1kitchen. If these clean
bowls are anything to go byKaren (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-40978672223659181722016-01-26T14:33:00.000+00:002016-03-03T14:41:05.769+00:00Happy New Year
Better late than never, I need to thank all our wonderful customers and superb producers for making 2015 our best year yet. We sold more than ever before (I know I say that every year!), took on some brilliant new products, and grew our online shop picking up new customers right across the UK. As always there is a little spring cleaning to do at the start of the year. With limited space here Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-78902287108594224212015-12-04T13:22:00.003+00:002015-12-04T13:34:09.560+00:00Talking Turkey (again)
I've talked before about what makes the Copas Turkeys superior, but some new research has added another angle, so I thought it was time for a re-cap!
1. Copas turkeys are easy to cook and don't dry out thanks to the way they are produced (mature birds with a natural layer of fat and hand plunked so as not to damage the skin means there is no need for basting and faffing). They even come with Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-38847900971608375682015-11-16T12:36:00.000+00:002015-11-16T12:36:00.916+00:00Christmas Light Switch OnIt feels as though Autumn is making way for Winter now, there is a definite chill in the air and at the end of last week the shop was too cold for short sleeved t-shirts. Just in time really, as the Eton Christmas Light Switch on is on Thursday (19th November). Carols in college chapel from 6pm (restricted space so tickets are required which you can get from shops on the high street, like Tastes Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-8457537640834075212015-11-15T12:19:00.000+00:002015-11-15T12:27:06.894+00:00Perfect Pasta
Yesterday Tastes Deli, in Eton, was visited by a lovely couple, stocking up on the spaghetti they brought from us a few weeks previously. It being the best spaghetti they'd found, of course. While they were here, they admitted to reading this blog. I wasn't sure there were any real people out there reading along. Very motivating for me! What better way to repay loyal readership Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-29278118331859960772015-10-31T14:38:00.000+00:002015-10-31T14:38:00.079+00:00National Honey WeekLast week, on facebook, I wrote a series of posts to celebrate National Honey Week. They received lots of positive feedback and knowing not everyone uses facebook, I've repeated all the posts here.
Honey facts from the British Beekeepers Association:
The honeybee is the only insect to produce food we eat.
Bees have been producing honey the same way for over one hundred and fifty million Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-73188352211075583052015-09-01T16:08:00.000+01:002015-09-01T16:08:00.200+01:00Cheese Wedding Cake Reveal!Most good weddings run late. Its a given really. But last summer I built cheese wedding cakes at many weddings that were running ahead of schedule. Usually because the period planned for drinks in the garden or photographs outside was curtailed due to inclement weather. I started increasing the contingency time I plan in for wedding cake creation!
So on an unseasonably warm day last November I Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-6398459131846972782015-08-20T19:06:00.000+01:002016-05-05T16:23:48.883+01:00History of 92Tastes Delicatessen may not occupy the most spectacular building in Eton, it might not even be in the top 20, but it is unique, and I certainly feel a responsibility as its caretaker. Since deciding to open my deli at 92 High Street, Eton, I have dipped in and out of researching the history of the building. Nine years on, I've decided it is about time I pulled together all the scrappy notes I'd Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-84717788908860309642015-08-03T20:03:00.000+01:002015-08-09T20:12:01.024+01:00Tapas
At Tastes Deli we sell lots of unusual and hard to find ingredients. I get to experience "The Delia Effect" first hand and see exciting trends emerging in what people are cooking and buying. Such as the sudden demand for pomegranate molasses, sumac and za'atar (thanks Yottam Ottolenghi) or marshmallow fluff (Hummingbird Bakery and their Whoopie Pies).
One of the most Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-19479321548466040302015-07-10T20:08:00.000+01:002015-08-09T20:08:52.182+01:00Motoring Advice
Today, I thought I would embrace the eclectic nature of working in a deli and provide some motoring advice! I have no skills whatsoever in this area, but that doesn't seem to matter and since the garage on Eton High Street closed locals have been asking me to recommend an alternative. I've never been able to help before. But I've had a revelation and have a very small snippet of advice to give.Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-52357171876098646722015-06-14T20:41:00.001+01:002015-06-14T21:02:12.423+01:00Pageantry
One of the bonuses of working in Eton is our proximity to some pretty special sites; Windsor Castle, the River Thames, Brocas Meadows to name but three. In turn this means that events like today's Magna Carta River Relay pass right by the end of the street, just a few yards from Tastes Deli. This morning the bridge and tow paths were packed with people despite the drizzle; all eagerly Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-63766097630687198202015-06-11T13:18:00.001+01:002015-06-13T20:44:51.677+01:00Ultra Local Produce
The most local product on sale at Tastes Delicatessen at the moment are the gooseberries. Grown in Tom's "secret garden" less than 50 metres from the shop. Yes metres, not miles!
Tom harvests the fruits every year and usually distributes them among his friends and family (and his trusted deep freeze). Last year he started to supply our shop as well; to give those who he doesn't know a chance Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28230111.post-17173096628075518172015-05-31T13:54:00.000+01:002015-06-11T22:07:37.842+01:00Infusion Society: Class of 2015Another academic year is almost over. I'm sure the school holidays didn't come around quite so quickly when I was at school!
With the end of the year imminent, it is the end of another round of Eton College Infusion Society Meetings. Once again a great group of enthusiastic final year pupils signed up for the society and met to discuss and enjoy infusions. Here are some of our best bits...
Karen (@ Tastes)http://www.blogger.com/profile/11985143116854547376noreply@blogger.com0