But lucky for us here in the UK Wimpy is celebrating their 70^th Anniversary!

That’s right 70 years of Wimpy. Let’s think about that for a moment, the first Wimpy opened way before 2 famous global fast food brands had even flipped their first burger!

No wonder it is a British institution, and one that delivers nostalgia in bucket loads. I

I think I can speak for anyone who was around in the 70’s (before those US brands had a real foothold in the UK), Wimpy was the only place to go for a great burger and that authentic diner experience.

Wimpy invited me to go a try one of the Wimpy Legends that they have rereleased as a retro reminder of just how good they are…and have always been.

I tried out The Original with chips, which especially a double cheeseburger (always a winner) upgraded with a classic style relish. Of course it was delicious, it also made my question why this ever left the menu in the first place. Sure, the double cheeseburger with Wimpy special sauce is special (see what I did there ), but it those little differences and the nostalgic reminder of food stops gone by that matter.

I just had to order myself 10 onion rings on the side, it’s one of my treats when I’m at a Wimpy…

Don’t judge…

If a double cheeseburger and a stack of oniony goodness wasn’t enough, there is something every Wimpy connoisseur, especially those whose inner child remembers begging for one at every visit…it is of course the legendary Brown Derby.

Now I have to admit in my (maybe sad?) old age I don’t really go for desserts. But as this is a special 70^TH occasion I thought why not.

So what did the young (and old) Michael think about this classic sweet?

NOSTALGIA! Yes, from the “fair ground” doughnut, to the ice cream just like from an ice cream van, and oh that chocolate sauce…sweet memories…

A big congratulations to Wimpy for delivering year after year for 70 years…may you have 70 more, as you deserve to be part of the British landscape so that future generations can experience that delicious, sweet nostalgia.

Have you been joining Wimpy in their 70th celebrations? Remember to let me know your favourites, new and old, in the comments below.

Michael Robinson

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The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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I have tried a lot of different brands of “fake” chicken, and if you have too you’ll know that some are better than others. So I was up for the taste test challenge when I received samples to try, especially as Tindle is made by chefs, served in restaurants, and now available in your kitchen!

Several versions are available nuggets, popcorn chicken, tenders, wings and burgers. That’s where I’m going to start…the burger.

There is a globally famous high street fried chicken brand, and I am a fan of their original chicken fillet burger. Recently they launched a vegan version, which I tried, and to be honest I wasn’t impressed.

So with that in mind, I thought I would recreate it using the Tindle burger. Simply done in a sesame bun with lettuce and mayo. This classic setting would give the burger it’s best chance of shinning through. My oh my it certainly did! Very tasty and a better attempt in my view than the colonel’s. In fact I have to say it’s the best fake chicken burger I’ve tried.

The nuggets were treated in a similar vein, bread crumb coated and always a fun hands-on way to eat. I could have just dipped them in barbeque sauce, but I thought what could be more fun than tacos! So I put them together with soft tacos, homemade salsa and guacamole, lettuce, cheese and got stuck in. They worked really well, crispy and even more “chickeny” flavour.

The products have a great texture and stayed moist, a trick that is hard to pull off. Flavourful and well worth searching out if you are looking for a meat replacement this chicken will satisfy both your taste buds and your food choices.

So give it a try, whether you eat real chicken or not these plant based protein rich products are a delicious alternative.

Find out more and buy them here Tindle

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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If, like me, you love Asian food, it’s great to find exciting brands that give you an easy way to enjoy those flavours in the comfort of your own home. As there are a few things to go through I’ll take it step by step as I munched my way through the box.

Crispy Nori Snacks

Like Nori? This is exactly what you would expect, albeit in a small bag which although intended for snacking (which is delicious), they are the perfect size to use in cooking. So either eat ‘em or use them in something like Dashi Stock. Very handy!

Seaweed Rice Crisps

Same Nori flavour as above, but backed with a layer of rice crisp. Perfect for more substantial snacking. My only complaint is that I wish it came in a bigger bag

Kimchi Ramen

An instant hot meal, but don’t think of a certain brand of noodles in a pot, this is a different league. The noodles are already thick and soft when you open them, the broth is spicy but not over powering and the Kimchi comes dry in a sachet. I was sceptical, but after making as per the instructions the Kimchi was perfect…I mean you try it and think “How did they do that?”, it really is that good.

Green Ice Tea

I must admit I don’t really drink Ice Tea. I know it’s popular and if you have tried this please tell me what you thought in the comments, but for me this was kinda nice just way too sweet.

Aloe Vera

Having tried other brands version of this drink I was looking forward to trying this, however I was pleasantly surprised. This isn’t bitter or chlorophyll-y like some, this was actually really tasty. I checked the label and there were no nasties bolstering the flavour, so this gets a big thumbs up.

Kimchi

Exactly what it says on the pack, good quality Kimchi. It’s not too hot or garlicy, just right for me and comes in a convenient snack pack. Again this is something I would not just snack on, but use in a dish too.

Korean Rolls

The kit comes with rice paper wraps, vermicelli rice noodles, marinade and dipping sauce, simply add the meat/veggies you want. These are similar to summer rolls but warm, I went for chicken with some fresh veggies and they were absolutely amazing, a bit of a restaurant vibe at home! Sure they are a little tricky to put together (especially if you over soak the wraps) but after the first couple you get you technique on pat. I couldn’t make or eat them fast enough, so will be buying these very soon.

Yuzu Jelly Tea

Ok the name doesn’t describe this well, as although they suggest you make tea with it, think of this as an exotic marmalade.

It is really, really delish. They also say to spread it on toast, but I am thinking this is going to go brilliantly with pork…and I am going to try that real soon.

Conclusion

Overall Kelly Loves is a solid brand. From the products I tried, and though not all were to my taste, everything was conveniently packaged and very good quality.

I have no problem recommending you try something from their range and you can check them out here:

www.kellyloves.com

So give them a go and remember to tell me in the comments what you would recommend from their range.

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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It’s the time of year when you might have a glut of tomatoes growing in the garden, or like me, noticed your local supermarket has a great offer on fantastic Italian San Marzano tomatoes, then it’s time for one thing and one thing only…try my easy tomato sauce recipe!

Bulk making sauce for the freezer is the best way to save that amazing flavour of summer and turn those tomatoes into a ready to go meal, and infinitely better than anything you can buy in a jar.

It is easy to do it just takes a bit of time now which is ultimately time you’ll save in the future.

Ingredients

• 1 Kilo (2 pounds) Fresh Tomatoes
• 1 Large Handful of Fresh Basil
• 1 Very good pinch of Sea Salt

Half the tomatoes and remove the central part that the stalk attached to, but don’t worry about remove the seeds or the skin. Dice them into rough small chunks and place in a large pan.

Chop or tear up the basil and get that in the pan too along with the salt.

Put on a low heat and after about 10 minutes you should see lots of liquid appear. This is what we want to reduce out of them. Give a good stir and continue cooking for about 1-1 ½ hours.

We want the sauce to have reduced by about 50%. At this point you can use a hand blender, but I prefer to use a spoon to smash up the bits of tomato. I feel it gives a more rustic, textured finish. Of course do what you need to get the consistency you like.

Now let that go completely cold before decanting into food bags or boxes. For reference about 200g/7oz is a healthy portion!

So next time you want pasta just soften some onion or garlic or both in olive oil and add you frozen sauce. The reason we don’t add these to the original sauce is you will get a much better, fresher flavour doing it this way, and it’s easily done in the time it takes to boil you pasta of choice.

Tell me how this worked out for you in the comments below, I’d love to hear!

Michael

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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This is how it was when I was approached by Pelagonia to try out their Aivar. If you have never heard of it (and I hadn’t), Aivar is a Macedonian treat made from roasted peppers and aubergine.

It’s sweet flavour and creamy texture is a perfect accompaniment to almost anything, cheeses, cold meats, pasta or just spread it on some good crusty bread.

I got two versions, the standard one and the hot one. The standard Aivar is going to be loved by everyone, its beautiful sweet, roast red pepper flavour is an instant hit. This is the one you will definitely find yourself using in your kitchen on a regular basis. I managed to get through the jar in a handful of days trying it ‘neat’ to having is with a Spanish Tapas style lunch to dinner with falafel. This is where it comes into its own, as it has a real Mediterranean feel to its flavour (and coming from South East Europe there’s no surprise there) it really suits itself to a mixed plate of food, enhancing everything…add a nice cold glass of white wine and you really can’t go wrong!

The hot version has a good hit of heat but not too much, the mild heat taking it more towards North Africa, Middle Eastern or even Mexican food. It still manages to keep its subtle flavours while delivering that spice which I love.

I highly recommend that you give Aivar a try, I guarantee it will become a kitchen favourite in your house.

To find out more and to see Pelagonia – The Macedonian Kitchen’s complete range follow this link www.pelagonia.co.uk/products

Remember to tell me in the comments below if you have fallen in love with Aivar!

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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All was revealed when to package arrived as this seasoning doesn’t just contain salt and pepper, it’s a spice and seasoning mix leaning heavily towards the Chinese sphere of cuisine. You can tell that the second you give it a smell, with its sweet aniseed pungency and nose tickling chilli note.

Giving it a quick taste straight out of the box those flavours mellow together and your left with a salty, spicy, umami taste in the mouth, coming together as a seasoning rather than a flavour. This is good as now we can confidently use it in a range of cuisines.

Now let’s get this straight out of the way, the Chinese link is underlined by the fact that this product contains MSG. I know a lot of people who don’t like the idea of MSG and some who swear they suffer from ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ and can’t tolerate the stuff.

There doesn’t seem to be any definitive evidence for intolerance to MSG, but if you are one of the people above, this product will not be for you.

For the rest of us get stuck in! I tried this on a few things but I found is really comes to life on meat, seafood.and for all your noodle dishes. I used it to enhance some packet ramen to which I added some leftover roast chicken and spring onion,,,delicious!

The final thing I tried it on was some lovely pork steaks and the seasoning suited it down to the ground.

It does give a really rounded seasoning and doesn’t come across overly Asian so it is a versatile product.

I also found that if you shake it around you can avoid the chilli flakes, cos you know sometimes even I don’t have to have food with heat.

I think this is going to be fantastic for barbeque season (pun intended!) as you can use this on pretty much anything.

Feeling that this used on BBQ’d chicken wings or aubergine if you’re veggie is going to be something special and simple to make.

Get yours over at https://kmcseasoning.co.uk/ and enhance your season!

Remember to tell me what you think of KMC Salt & Pepper Seasoning Mix in the comments below.

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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Of course I could have turned these ingredients into a Shepherd’s Pie (please nobody say ‘deconstructed’) but this is its easier and quicker to make cousin.

British cooking gets a bad rap for some reason, but let me tell you this meal is just as flavourful and moreish as anything the French or Italians can put on the table with same or similar ingredients. It’s all about going back to the old days when, yes, your ancestors did have rosemary, thyme, parsley and many more delicious herbs growing in their back gardens. Do you think they grew them for fun? No they grew them for flavour!

During WWII and the post war depression, rationing and the simple lack of most produce took its toll on our great nation’s expectation as to what should be on their plates. A tin of stewed mince and a tin of potatoes would have made this dish back then, and they would have been happy for it.

So let’s make it fresh and see just how good this stalwart of British cooking is.

Minced Beef and Potatoes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 500g x Minced Beef
• 500ml x Beef Stock
• 1 x Medium Onion
• 1 x Medium Carrot
• 1 x Handful Frozen Peas
• 1 x Sprig Fresh Rosemary (or a good pinch of dry)
• 1 x Sprig Fresh Thyme (or a good pinch of dry)
• 1 x Clove of Garlic
• 2 x Tablespoons Gravy Granules
• 360g x Potatoes (for 2 people)
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Vegetable Oil

Method

Firstly medium dice your onion and carrot and add to a saucepan with a good splash of oil and fry on a low heat until they have softened slightly and have a little colour.

Now add you minced beef and rub around the pan breaking it up so it looks ground, browning the meat.

Prepare your beef stock and taste then add to the pan. I use those convenient little pots which I feel give better flavour than a stock cube. Taste your stock before it goes in, is it really salty?

Add around half a teaspoon of salt depending on how salty your stock is and one of ground pepper along with your herbs and peeled garlic clove.

Now cook this on a low heat for an hour. Checking occasionally to and make sure it doesn’t dry out. About halfway through make up your gravy granules with enough hot water just to dissolve it and add to the pan.

Now is a good time to prep your potatoes and get ready in a pan. They should take around 15-20 minutes.

As your potatoes go on add your frozen peas to the mince. When the potatoes are done you’re ready to serve.

As you will see the mince transforms after cooking for an hour or more, the flavours meld into the rich sauce and the simple boiled potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to soak it all up…comfort indeed.

Do remember to tell me how this recipe worked out for you in the comments below.

Stay home and stay safe!

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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Roasting or barbequing an aubergine on a high heat until the skin crinkles up and goes black transforms the flesh into a smoky and sweet delight. This is an absolute must for this curry as we want these flavours to sing in our finished curry.

My version takes advantage of this vegetables love of oil (think of the classic Aubergine Parmigiana), as we are going to richen the dish with a really good quality rapeseed oil.

You’ll find this curry simple to make and so, so satisfying…

Ingredients

Serves 1 as a main or 2 as a side

• 1 x Large Aubergine
• 1 x Large Onion
• 2 x Regular Size Tomatoes
• 2 x Cloves of Garlic
• 1 x Thumbnail Size Piece of Ginger
• 1 x Piece of Cinnamon (about 1 inch/2.5cms)
• 1 x Cardamom Pod (Black if you can get it)
• 1 x Dried Kashmiri Chilly
• 2 x Teaspoons Curry Powder
• ½ x Teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 x Pinch of Garam Masala
• 1 x Pinch of Crushed Coriander Seeds
• 300ml x Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

In a hot oven (around 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4) place your aubergine on a baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes. Do keep an eye on it, you’ll know when it’s done as the skin will blacken and if you give it a squeeze you will feel it is completely soft inside. Once done place in a bowl and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel and chop in the bowl as we don’t want to lose any liquid.

Thinly slice the onion and add with the oil to a saucepan and on a low heat and slowly caramelise the onions until golden. TIP: To soften them without burning. put a lid on it.

When onions are ready add the grated or finely chopped garlic and ginger and soften them through letting the garlic catch a little colour.

While that’s happening grate or finely chop your tomatoes.

Add all of the spices (both powdered and hard) and stir for a minute or two until fragrant.

Now add the tomato and turn up the heat as we want the tomato to fry off a little to create the sauce, about 5 minutes. Be careful to watch it doesn’t stick at this stage.

When ready add the chopped aubergine and stir in. Lower the heat and let simmer until reduced to a thick consistency.

Our aubergine curry is now ready to serve. Or let cool and keep in the fridge, use within 24 hours.

So give it a go and remember to tell me what you think in the comments below.

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Schwartz, but all opinions are my own.

Interestingly they asked if I would do something a little different with their product and not just follow the recipe on the back of the pack. So what to do…

After thinking of some radical ways to use it (like rubbing it over a chicken and roasting it with no liquid), I decided to simply use the basic recipe and switch things up a bit.

As you know having lived in Spain for a couple of years I’m a big fan of Spanish cuisine so I wanted to use a bit of subtle Spanish flavour to add a new dimension to the Schwartz Chicken Casserole. I didn’t want to go the obvious route and sprinkle some Schwartz Smoked Paprika into the dish, which of course you could do, but I wanted to create a dish with a simple flavour change that wouldn’t overpower the product in hand.

So go out and get yourself a packet of Schwartz Chicken Casserole and give this recipe a try!

Schwartz Chicken Casserole Spanish Style

Ingredients:

• 4 x Chicken Thighs/Legs (or breast if you prefer)
• 2 x Onion
• 1 x Red Pepper
• 2-4 x Cloves of Garlic (Depending on your garlic love)
• 200ml x Dry Sherry
• Olive Oil
• 1 x Packet Schwartz Chicken Casserole

Method

Put you oven on a little early and roast the red pepper. We want to get it nice and soft and bring out the sweetness. When the skin starts going black remove from the oven and let cool.

While it’s cooling, dice you onion into a frying pan and gently soften in a little olive oil. Once the onions go translucent, grate or crush your garlic into the pan and let that cook along with the onions. TIP: Remember garlic smells harsh when raw and sweet when cooked, so use your nose!

When the onion and garlic is done remove from the pan into your casserole dish.

Now add a touch more olive oil into your frying pan and turn the heat up a bit. Add your chicken pieces and brown on all sides. While browning deseed, peel and dice you roasted pepper adding that to the casserole dish.

Once the chicken is nicely browned add to the other ingredients.

Now keep you frying pan on a low to medium heat and add you sherry. Swirl it around to pick up all the flavour left in the pan and then allow to boil in the pan for a minute or two.

Add this liquid to you casserole dish along with the packet of Schwartz Chicken Casserole made as per the instructions on the pack.

Place in your preheated oven to 180C (170C Fan or Gas Mark 4) and cook for 1 hour.

I served the dish with rice to keep in with that Spanish, more exotic feel.

The flavours worked extremely well, with the chicken casserole mix holding the dish together. The sweetness added by the roasted pepper and sherry really do add a delicious depth to this recipe.

So go on, give it a try! Schwartz Chicken Casserole is available HERE at Tesco

Remember to tell me how this recipe worked out for you in the comments below.

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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If you have been keeping up with Rick over the years (and you should have!), you will know he is passionate about France and its superb cuisine. I am a big fan of his style and always found his recipes to have real heart and are simple to follow and create in your own kitchen.

To prove this I saw him make a seafood gratin which looked absolutely delicious, so for the benefit of showing you that, yes you can make this at home, I followed the recipe only I halved the ingredients as I was only going to be serving two of us.

You will find a link to the recipe at the end of this post, I did have a couple of differences with Rick Stein’s Seafood Gratin, but in line with his instructions:

Instead of prawns I had some beautiful fresh langoustine. I blanched them for about 3 minutes in salted boiling water then removed them into ice cold water keeping the pan of liquor. After they had cooled I peeled them placing the shells into a pan along with a splash of oil and the roe from my scallops. I fried them for about 7-8 minutes to get the flavours going then added the stock along with half an onion and a good hit of salt and pepper.

I let that gently simmer down for about 40 minutes until it had reduced by about half. Once strained this became my stock for the recipe.

I then followed Rick’s instructions to the letter and my I have to say it was well worth it. This is a rich and warming dish which truly sings “comfort food” which each delicious mouthful.

I will be making Rick Stein’s Seafood Gratin again, you can use any seafood or (something I so want to try) why not replace the seafood with big chunks of ham and ham bone stock.

So don’t just watch cooking shows, get involved. Especially when you have a talent like Rick Stein showing you how.

Rick Stein’s Secret France is currently airing on BBC2, catch up on iPlayer. The accompanying book is available in store and online now.

Find the recipe HERE

Remember to tell me if you have tried a recipe from a TV shows which you have made again and again.

Michael Robinson

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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