Aglio? Si O No ?

The Metro, the Caterer and the Times have all reported this week on the high profile campaign in Italy headed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s to ban garlic from Italian restaurants. Such is Mr Berlusconi’s aversion, he has even been known to issue breath fresheners to officials and electoral candidates and actually banned it from the 2001 G8 summit menu! Leading Italian Chef Antonello Colonna, is more sceptical, reporting that he had “put garlic into dishes at official dinners for Berlusconi without him realising ! The word Garlic (Latin; Allium sativum) has its orgins in Old English gārlēac, meaning, "spear leek". it has been used in Italian cooking since Roman times, when Pliny the Elder offered a list of its benefits in his Natural History. It can be used as seasoning or condiment, and the medicinal properties and benefits are widely known, as these sites bear out:
http://www.garlic.mistral.co.uk/ and http://www.garlicworld.co.uk/

Chewing bunches of parsley after consumption helps to reduce the after effects and leaving the garlic to soak in water for several hours BEFORE eating should maintain the taste but eliminate the odours.. but Belinda Welsman has gone one better. Her ‘snoggable garlic’ company which has been going for a number of years, produces a range of different flavoured garlics including smoked and hot chili, and uses a secret recipe to ensure the odours of the garlic are eliminated, "My garlic is famous for containing all the properties of fresh garlic but without the after smell" . I’ve actually bought some from the farmers market in Halesowen and very good it is too!

Are you 'Trendwatching' ?

I’ve added a link in the resources section on the right to the trendwatching.com site which scans the globe for emerging consumer trends. Read briefings, search the database, and book speakers for corporate events.

Next week is the 6th Annual International Smoothie Week . Check out the website for competitions, fruit facts, links for retailers and consumers, recipes and downloadable posters

According to Mintel in 2006 (you’ll need to go to Mintel via Athens and type in 'Smoothies' as your search, to view the whole report) , there has been a steady rise in sales of smoothies within the market for soft drinks which is indicative of the trend away from carbonates in favour of healthier, more natural alternatives.

Arena

I added a link in the Resources section yesterday to a networking organisation called Arena. Sounds like they run some interesting events. I'm wondering about setting up a corporate membership to the organisation, but I need to know who would be interested in such a membership. If you check out the 'benefits' section of the site and please give me a ring or email me to let know how valuable you believe corporate membership would be.

Cheers

English Wines - A joy or a Joke?

Despite winning a major award at the International Wine Challenge in London last month, Wine writer Malcolm Gluck and other experts were not impressed with this or indeed other English offerings at a recent tasting. Here's what the panel had to say. But, it appears that Malcolm Gluck has "long been the bane of English winemakers (see the full article here) Webmaster Bob Tarr asks us to remember that there will be good, mediocre and dreadful wines in any wine-producing country. In fact, I'm a week or so late with this posting I've just realised, as the 26th May-3rd June was "English Wine Week" ! However, the site is still there with lots of links to vineyards and independent wine merchants.

I for one think we should embrace our continuing and improving efforts and scoff the wine rather than scoff at it...

A Slice of Skoda

If, like me you've been wondering about the new Skoda Fabia ad and whether they really DID make a whole edible cake, the answer is kind of. It appears that no-one actually got to taste the finished product, as the studio lights rendered the car unfit for human consumption, although a couple of sections were kept for posterity. You can watch a video following the making process which includes a complete list of ingredients should you decide to make your own at home - (kind of Pimp my ride, and pimp that snack rolled into one!) - provided you have 180 eggs and 42 kilograms of chocolate you were wondering what to do with!