Food news

• Party starters: Jacob Kenedy’s Italian Christmas canapes – recipes

  03-12-2025 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Three Italian light bites to get you started on the big day: pinzimonio crudites, chilled prawns with boozy mayo, and a delicate frittata that you can stud with artichoke, radicchio or celeryI am evolving as a host, and coming to realise that those rich dishes that crown our festive tables shine brightest when surrounded by contrasting and lighter bites – before, around and after, rather than just on the day itself. I do enjoy angels and devils on horseback, devilled eggs, little sausages
  
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• ‘Best eaten with a hangover’: the best (and worst) supermarket Christmas crisps, tasted and rated

  05-12-2025 18:00 via theguardian.com
  ’Tis the season for novelty crisps – from the delicious to the downright deranged. Crisp-addict Ravinder Bhogal crunched through the lot to find the festive flavours worth snacking on• The best Christmas sandwiches in 2025Christmas is a time to concentrate on what really matters – snacks – and in my house, it’s crisps that get top billing. They are a party in a bag, ideal paired with a glass of something sparkling or a cocktail, and wonderful swiped through a d
  
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• Christmas mixers: Thomasina Miers’ recipes for fire cider and spiced cocktail syrup

  05-12-2025 17:00 via theguardian.com
  A spiced syrup to add festive aromas to a mezcal-laced take on the negroni and a spicy, tangy aromatic cider to match a whole host of mixersDespite being known for shaking a cocktail on Instagram now and again, very little will induce me to last-minute cocktailery if I am entertaining a serious number of guests. However, a good drinks recipe that you can prep in advance is a lovely thing to dazzle your friends with and to gift over Christmas. With or without alcohol, this pair look good and tast
  
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• Cocktail of the week: Humble Chicken’s yuzu vesper – recipe | The good mixer

  05-12-2025 14:00 via theguardian.com
  Gin and Japanese vodka combine with jasmine tea in a martini-style pre-mix that you could even gift at ChristmasStore this batch cocktail in a glass bottle in the fridge, so it’s ice-cold and ready to go whenever the need arises over the festive period; alternatively, bottle and gift it to a loved one or friend. It’s a citrussy, martini-style union of sake from Peckham, Japanese vodka and London dry gin.Aidan Monk, restaurant and beverage manager, Humble Chicken, London W1 Continue r
  
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• Helen Goh’s recipe for edible Christmas baubles | The sweet spot

  05-12-2025 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Chewy, marshmallow-coated Rice Krispie baubles that are as fun to make as they are to giftThese edible baubles make a joyful addition to the Christmas table or tree. Soft, chewy, marshmallow-coated Rice Krispies are studded with pistachios and cranberries, chocolate and ginger, or peppermint candy cane; they’re as fun to make as they are to eat, and they make a perfect little gift. To add a ribbon for hanging, cut small lengths of ribbon, then loop and knot the ends. Push the knotted end g
  
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• Pork imports banned as swine fever rips through Spain

  04-12-2025 17:34 via foodnavigator.com
  
  African swine fever is ripping through Spain, with the army deployed to contain the outbreak. Bans from the UK and China have caused supplies of certain pork products to dwindle on supermarket shelves.
  
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• What to drink on Christmas Day, from morning to night

  04-12-2025 14:00 via theguardian.com
  From morning drinks to nolo suggestions for the non-drinkers, and from stocking fillers to showstoppers and after-dinner portI make the same mistake every single year. And that mistake it this: I underprepare. “How is that possible, Hannah?” you may well be asking. “You’re a wine writer with presumably dozens of half-drunk bottles in your flat at any given time?” It’s because I spend Christmas with my parents, who live about two hours away by train, and there&
  
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• A gentle trade in edible gifts binds communities together

  04-12-2025 14:00 via theguardian.com
  From homemade puddings to neighbourly tipples, the quiet exchange of festive treats reveals a world of kindnessSign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastA guest at our restaurant recently told me about her mother’s seasonal side hustle, though no one would have dared call it that out loud: in the weeks before Christmas, she became a quiet merchant of puddings. The proper kind of pudding, too: all dense but not leaden, heavy with prunes and warm with careful spicing.As December crep
  
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• Chocolate tart and zabaglione: Angela Hartnett’s easy make-ahead Christmas desserts – recipes

  04-12-2025 12:00 via theguardian.com
  Two make-ahead Italian after-dinner treats: a rich chocolate and hazelnut tart, and a traditional boozy dessert that will send nonna to sleepWhen you’re the cook of the house, you spend quite enough time in the kitchen on Christmas Day as it is. And, after those time-consuming nibbles, the smoked salmon starter and the turkey-with-all-the-trimmings main event, the last thing you want is a pudding that demands even more hands-on time at the culinary coalface. For me, the main requirement of
  
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• CBD in food and drink: Inside the regulation holding it back

  04-12-2025 11:46 via foodnavigator.com
  
  CBD has a lot of market potential, especially in drinks. Yet novel food regulation from the EU is preventing it from reaching its full potential. Regulatory strictures on the ingredient show no sign of letting up.
  
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• What’s coming after stevia? 4 new sweeteners on the horizon

  04-12-2025 11:38 via foodnavigator.com
  
  Discover four innovative start-ups transforming sugar reduction—from natural sweeteners like yacon and coconut-based blends to cutting-edge enzyme technology and solutions without the aftertaste.
  
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• Why meat alternatives are landing with young people

  04-12-2025 10:37 via foodnavigator.com
  
  Younger consumers are often more attracted to meat alternatives than the population as a whole, according to a new report from Lumina Intelligence, commissioned exclusively for FoodNavigator. Why?
  
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• ‘A mandate for innovation’: R&D is back at the top of the agenda with UK sugar tax shake up

  04-12-2025 09:39 via beveragedaily.com
  
  The UK government has announced changes to its soda tax. Business are going back to the lab: reformulation and R&D is complex, but support is available.
  
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• ‘Delicious, glossy … beautiful hot and cold’: the best Christmas ham joints, tasted and rated

  03-12-2025 16:00 via theguardian.com
  Free-range and organic gammon is hard to find in supermarkets, so we’ve gone online for the best choices for your festive table• The best chocolate Advent calendars, tasted and ratedA generous ham on the table makes my Christmas every year. Whether you prefer green or smoked, free-range or organic, the humble ham is a cornerstone of the festive feast. If you can, go as large as possible, because bigger joints roll and tie more easily, and have a more even layer of fat that results in
  
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• How to turn excess nuts and seeds into a barnstoming festive pudding – recipe | Waste not

  03-12-2025 14:00 via theguardian.com
  Love ice-cream, don’t love Christmas pudding? This make-ahead semifreddo, jewelled with dried fruits, might just fit the bill …Last Christmas we visited my in-laws in Cape Town, where, at over 30C, a traditional Christmas pudding just didn’t feel quite right. But my mother-in-law and her friend created the most delicious feast: a South African braai (barbecue) followed by an incredible ice-cream Christmas pudding made by mashing vanilla ice-cream with a mix of tutti frutti, ca
  
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• The great Christmas taste test: I tried seven fast food offerings. Which will make me feel festive?

  03-12-2025 11:00 via theguardian.com
  From a cranberry katsu curry to a dozen thickly glazed doughnuts, the biggest chains are getting Christmassy. I found out which seasonal meals will leave you carolling and carousing – and which will leave you coldBy now, most major fast food outlets will have launched their festive special. There is no established framework for what “festive” means, and no recognised metrics of Christmassyness. It could be indicated by a lurid green/angry red colour in a place you’re not
  
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• Why water might be the biggest threat to the snack sector’s future

  02-12-2025 17:04 via bakeryandsnacks.com
  
  PepsiCo’s latest pep+ update centers on water and the message should make the whole snacks sector pay attention.
  
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• AI fast-tracks chocolate reformulation amid cocoa crisis

  02-12-2025 14:29 via foodnavigator.com
  
  AI start-up AKA Foods is helping confectionery makers cut cocoa content and speed up product development. Discover how its platform reduces innovation timelines from years to weeks.
  
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• Matcha under threat: A ‘victim of its own success’?

  02-12-2025 12:16 via foodnavigator.com
  
  At the moment, matcha is a sensation, its popularity skyrocketing in recent years. However, due to low-quality powders getting into the market, Mintel projects that this popularity may soon begin to decline.
  
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• The big 5: Confectionery flavours to watch in 2026

  02-12-2025 11:36 via confectionerynews.com
  
  Discover the top five confectionery flavour trends for 2026. From dessert-inspired indulgence to functional wellness, explore big opportunities for manufacturers in a global flavours market set to reach $28bn.
  
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• World-first barista milk without cows hits the market

  02-12-2025 08:16 via dairyreporter.com
  
  Discover New Milk, the first barista-style milk made without cows. Created by Remilk and Gad Dairy using precision fermentation, it delivers the taste and froth of real dairy—lactose-free, cholesterol-free, and eco-friendly.
  
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• Christmas main course made easy: Max Rocha’s braised turkey legs with colcannon – recipes

  02-12-2025 07:00 via theguardian.com
  Roast turkey breast is often dry and overcooked, so why not give everyone a leg instead and serve it with a traditional Irish potato-and-cabbage side?We often braise chicken and rabbit legs at Cafe Cecilia, because all the preparation and cooking can be done ahead of time, and it’s then just about heating them gently to serve. For Christmas, I often employ much the same process for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way to eat them. Serve with colcannon, although basmati rice, boiled
  
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• Nestlé reportedly planning coffee sale amid portfolio shake-up

  02-12-2025 06:29 via foodnavigator.com
  
  Nestlé is reportedly considering selling its premium coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee, working with Morgan Stanley to explore options. The move aligns with CEO Philipp Navratil’s strategy to streamline Nestlé’s portfolio. Learn more about the potential sale and its impact on the coffee market.
  
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• First-ever mycoprotein goes through novel food system successfully

  01-12-2025 13:31 via foodnavigator.com
  
  The Protein Brewery’s Fermotein becomes the first mycoprotein to receive a positive EFSA opinion under EU Novel Food rules, marking a major milestone for alternative proteins in Europe
  
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• Candy Kittens owner buys Unilever snack brand Graze

  01-12-2025 13:15 via confectionerynews.com
  
  Unilever sells Graze to Katjes International, moving the snack brand under Candy Kittens. Deal aims to revive Graze and boost healthy snacking growth.
  
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• Ravneet Gill and Mattie Taiano’s recipes for a Friendmas sharing menu

  01-12-2025 13:00 via theguardian.com
  The husband and wife team cook up a winter storm with lamb shoulder, dauphinoise and brown sugar meringues – just don’t ask them who’s doing the cleaning upWhen I first started seeing Mattie, there was a constant dinner party at his mum’s house,” recalls pastry chef Ravneet Gill. “There were loads of people there all the time, being fed with massive bowls of home-cooked food and a big block of parmesan.” There was an open-door policy, with pastas and roa
  
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• Chemical warnings issued on produce: What it means for manufacturers

  01-12-2025 11:14 via foodnavigator.com
  
  New research reveals that eating certain fruits and vegetables can significantly increase pesticide levels in the body. Discover which produce carries the highest residues, the health risks involved, and what this means for food manufacturers striving to rebuild consumer trust.
  
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• What F&B trends are on their way out in 2026?

  01-12-2025 10:49 via foodnavigator.com
  
  Matcha, keto, Dubai chocolate - these are just some of the big trends that have been taking the world of F&B by storm. But could their days be numbered?
  
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• 4 innovative ways to serve GLP-1 users - for today and tomorrow

  01-12-2025 10:10 via foodnavigator.com
  
  Discover four innovative ways food and beverage brands are catering to GLP-1 users — from slow-release nutrition to high-protein drinks and gut health solutions.
  
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• Christmas mains: Georgina Hayden’s pan-fried monkfish in a herby champagne butter – recipe

  01-12-2025 07:00 via theguardian.com
  A fishy festive centrepiece that’s ready in next to no time but still has pizzazzWhile I tend to stick pretty close to tradition when it comes to my Christmas Day side offerings, I can’t remember the last time I cooked a turkey or goose as the showstopper. You see, my family is mostly made up of pescatarians, so anything larger than a chicken or cockerel (my personal favourite) for the meat eaters is just excessive. So, alongside a lovingly cooked smaller bird, I also make something
  
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