This week is Farmhouse Breakfast Week, returning for its 13th year between 22nd – 28th January 2012.

Farmhouse Breakfast Week is an annual campaign run by HGCA, aims to raise awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast and demonstrate the variety of breakfast foods available in the UK.

The theme for the 2012 campaign is “Shake Up Your Wake Up” – make small changes to your morning routine to make sure you have time for breakfast every day! People and businesses from all stages of the food chain have been taking part by holding events and promoting the importance of starting the day with a good wholesome breakfast.

The Shake Up Your Wake Up website has a whole load of useful information about why eating a good breakfast is important, along with lots of yummy recipes and ideas to liven up your breakfast.

More information

Farmhouse Breakfast Week - Shake up Your Wake up

The Hairy Bikers know their pies and their most recent publication “Perfect Pies“  is a comprehensive book with notes on ingredients and techniques that are great for beginners.

This is the definitive Pie Bible from the Kings of Pie, The Hairy Bikers. In their culinary homecoming, Si and Dave celebrate a dish close to their hearts.

This beautifully illustrated cookbook brings together the Great British classic in 150 brand-new recipes. Featuring an extraordinary range of pies – from the sweet and savoury, deep and small, and to the pies that are puddings.

Perfect Pies from the Hairy Bikers will inspire you to coo and share the mighty dish with the ones you love. With top tips on pastry, the failsafe methods, the secrets and the cheats, the boys will teach you how to choose the right type of pastry and filling for any occasion.

Learn the rules of pastry making and how to add the right pickles, relishes and sauces to make your pie an unforgettable dish. And of course, how to make the most of those little left over bits and turn them into delicious cheese straws, jam tarts and turnovers.

This is a heart-warming, delicious and nostalgic recipe book that can be enjoyed by families, friends and fans of the nation’s favourite dish.

Hairy Bikers Si and Dave are the nation’s favourite food heroes. Stars of BBC2′s MUMS KNOW BEST and FOOD TOUR OF BRITAIN, they represent all that is good-hearted, down-to-earth and loved about food.

Spend £200 to save a possible £1,564 on shop prices, just by growing your own crops, according to the  latest figures from the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners.

Figures compiled by the NSALG reveal allotment holders could save an annual £1200 off their shopping bills.

The news comes just months after consumer watchdog Which? found one-in-four people were growing more edible crops to cope with rocketing food and fuel prices.

Growing your own could save hundreds of pounds

The rising demand for plots has been triggered by enormous savings and health benefits of home grown veg. There are currently more than 100,000 people on waiting lists for plots.

Donna McDaid, NSALG’s National Secretary, said: “Keeping an allotment has become very popular as more people realise how satisfying it is to sow and grow fruit and veg, and the health benefits of working in the fresh air. It is hard work but worth the effort – especially when you can grow and eat home grown produce at the fraction of the supermarket price.

“But it’s not just about saving money it’s also about being conscious about the environment as imported food can contribute considerably to the carbon footprint.

“Waiting lists for plots are long and showing no sign of diminishing but people shouldn’t give up. Councils are duty bound to ‘consider’ allotments if six people request it and if there are more people, this adds weight to the request.”

Garden guru Paul Peacock, who is the self-sufficiency expert for The Edible Garden Show said: “Everyone is feeling the pinch and with news of the big six energy companies set to raise their fuel prices once again, some families are being forced to cut back on the basics like fresh fruit and veg so they can heat their homes.

“The NSALG’s findings come as no surprise to me. With the rapidly rising cost of food, grow-your-own enthusiasts are in the best position to provide healthy meals for their families without breaking the bank. You don’t have to have an allotment to save on your grocery bills.

“You’d be surprised how much you can save simply by growing a few tomatoes and potatoes in the back garden or herbs in a window box.”

Nik Westacott, West Dean foraging expert will be leading a wild food foray on the West Dean Estate on Thursday 20 October.

Nik Westacott - Chef and Foraging Expert

Foraging, especially for mushrooms, has long been a passion wild food expert and chef Nik Westacott.

“A lot of my colleagues wait for foragers to bring wild food finds to them but there is nothing better than being out and about seeking the ingredients myself, it helps to stop the plunder of wild food if people who know what they are looking for, gather it themselves.”

“Responsible harvesting of wild food and adherence to the Countryside Code is part and parcel of enjoying the countryside.

There’s nothing more frustrating than turning up at a favourite place to find it stripped bare and in West Dean, which is easily accessible to London, it’s becoming an all-too-common problem.

Written permission from landowners is essential for any gathering which is for more than personal use and, especially where pheasants and partridge are roaming, foragers must stick to public paths and not stray from them.

Our crazy summer has hastened the berry crops in the hedgerows and sloes are plentiful along with wild rosehips.

Wild Mushrooms

“It’s all down to rain now to really bring on the fungi. It’s still warm, although the nights are colder, so we should be in for a good mushrooming autumn.”

Nik will be leading a wild food foray on the West Dean Estate on Thursday 20 October.

Local food expert and writer Rosemary Moon will create a seasonal lunch to welcome foragers back after their hunting, before Nik cooks some of his favourite dishes with the proceeds of the morning and Rosemary and Nik share their combined knowledge of the foods of our local countryside with you.

This one-day food course is part of a year-round programme of food courses and food days which celebrate good food through a mix of talks, demos and feasting.

Wild fungi and the edible countryside food will take place at West Dean College, situated on the A286, six miles north of Chichester and six miles south of Midhurst.

Thursday 20 October,  9am – 5pm at a cost of Cost:  £107 per person.

BOOKING INFORMATION
To book a place on a short course please visit www.westdean.org.uk/college, e-mail bookingsoffice@westdean.org.uk  or call 0844 4994408

Gift vouchers for a short course can be purchased to the value of £10, £25, £50 or £100, and can be used for full or part payment of short course fees.

PLEASE NOTE!

Save 5% on all courses booked online
You will be entitled to a 10% discount on the full cost of your course booking if it is your first course at West Dean (telephone bookings only, excludes evening events).

For further information

Food hampers make thoughtful and useful gifts, offering your friends or family those little luxuries.

It is also a great way to send a special gift if you cannot be there in person.

Food hampers can range from around £25.00 to over £150, so there is always something for everybody.  A simple thank you bottle of wine and chocolates, hampers designed for those with special dietary needs or Christmas hampers stuffed full of goodies.

We have selected three suppliers who offer a very wide range to suit every taste and budget.

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Hampers from John Lewis

Hampers from Interflora

Hampers from House of Bath