Bad Food Britain

I've been reading the book of the title, by a lady called Joanna Blythman, and while she confirms everything I had always suspected and underlines the importance we should place on being able to cook from scratch, it still makes for uncomfortable reading.

Let me give you a few highlights (lowlights):

• 40% of food bought in Britain is never eaten.
• Britain eats more savoury snacks and crisps than the rest of Europe combined!
• Ditto for ready meals.
• By 2020 a third of all British adults will be obese, if current trends continue.
• Only 20% of viewers are encouraged to cook by TV food programmes.

Food for thought, if you'll forgive the pun.

A Warm Feeling

I've just had an email from one of the crazy Kamarianakis brothers - they're the boys behind Artemis Olive Oil, an organic, single estate olive oil that just might be the best in the world.

For those of you who don't know, to qualify as extra virgin, an oil has to have an oleic acid level of less than 0.8% - something to do with how well the oil is made. Treat it badly and you'll crush the pits and up goes the acidity. Work too slowly and the olives will begin to ferment and up goes the acidity.

The other thing that indicates quality is the level of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants and play a big part in the taste & smell of the oil. Anyway, the lower the acidity & the higher the polyphenols, the better the oil.

The brothers have just released the new harvest oil and it has an astonishing acidity level of <0.1% and a polyphenol count of 190 ppm (typical extra virgin has a level of 150 ppm) which means it is damn good stuff. They achieve this by being fanatical about what they are doing and only produce their oil in tiny quantities, just 1500 bottles this year. I managed to get hold of a few bottles of last years oil. It was delicious and worth every penny of the not inconsiderable amount I paid for it, but then the best things always are. The warm feeling? Oh, well it seems Tim & Chris like what I am trying to do over here and want to help out - here is the body of the email:

"Hey Tim;

Tim (my brother) & I have received so much help from friends and supporters over the past couple of years without which our venture would not have taken off. We feel very strongly about passing that kind of community spirit along where we can. We love your philosophy behind Just Cook, and would like to make a gift to your cooking school of a case of Artemis Olive Oil. We expect nothing in return for this other than the satisfaction of knowing we might have been one of many who helped you get your dream off the ground.

Kind regards

Chris"

That's one hell of a gift and I can't tell you how good it has made me feel about what I am trying to achieve. Thanks boys & keep on keeping on.

2nd February 2009

OK - I had a meeting planned in London but snow has stopped play, so I've got a bit of time to update the blog.

Where are we? Oh yes. Planning approved - an offer has been made, rejected and amended for the premises plus an additional unit next door. It is a cheeky offer, but there is a credit crunch on and I am hoping the current economic gloom may help my powers of persuasion.

Another meeting with the bank - better result this time, some money will be forthcoming. Not as much as I need, but definitely some. Haven't got it yet though, so having to curb shopaholic tendencies.

I have sent out my first bulk email - to all of 30 people, who I believe may be willing to talk to me about hosting a class or two. 5 have already responded so pretty encouraging, just hope they're good enough.

On that note, of capable hosts, there is a lady called Jenny Linford, who wrote The London Cookbook. I recently discovered that she lives locally to me, so thought she might be willing to provide her expertise. Except I didn't know how to get in touch. Anyway, I was at a networking event for the day job and I noticed that someone I knew was carrying her book around. I asked him why & he told me he knew her and wanted to get it signed. He then introduced me to Jenny's husband, who happened to be there. He & I had a chat, he gave me Jenny's contact details, I called, she answered, we meet on Wednesday. Synchronicity.

What else, what else? Oh yeah. The website for the shop has gone live with about 50 products on it - it's at http://www.just-cook.co.uk/ if you're interested in taking a look. It's not the main site for the business, that will be at just-cook.com, but for boring financial reasons (it is cheaper to use a template for the shop than to have a bespoke one designed) we have to exist with 2 domains for a while. Hope it doesn't seem too clunky.

Anyway, that is more or less what I have been up to in the last week or so - I'm off now to build a snowman!