WINTER 2020
MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOMO: Allergico talks to this icon of the vegan chocolate industry.
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TRUFFLE PIG: We talk to Lily Gaskell about why she decided to set up the award-winning company. PLUS: A small business tells us about how Covid has affected them, festive Drinks Cabinet inspiration and much more!
4. NOMO interview: We talk to the vegan chocolate company about their festive range. 8. Drinks Cabinet: Check out our recommendations for the best festive tipples! 22. Truffle Pig Interview: We catch up with company founder Lily Gaskell and ask her about all things vegan chocolate.
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26. Festive Recipes: Try out some of our favourite allergy-friendly seasonal recipes from across the internet. 30. Coffee On The Corner Interview: We talk to this small business about how Covid-19 has affected them.
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34. Puzzles and Games! Thanks & Acknowledgements: Allergico Magazine would like to thank NOMO chocolates, Truffle Pig Chocolate and Coffee On The Corner for giving up their time for an interview. In addition, we would also like to thank all those who helped check this magazine over to get it ready for publication!
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THE INFORMATION AND TIPS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.
CONTENTS
THE INFORMATION AND TIPS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.
WINTER 2020
Editor's Note HAPPY CHRISTMAS ALLERGICOS! Whether you’re waiting for Santa or taking part in a different virtual end-of-year celebration, one thing’s for sure and that’s after this year we certainly need a break. The world has been full of a lot of stress and grief for so many people so Christmas can’t come too early! Speaking of which, I’m proud to present to you our Christmas issue which we hope provides a little lightness in the current times. We’ve got plenty of delicious content in store, including interviews with NOMO and Truffle Pig, two amazing chocolate companies. As well as that, we’ll be talking to Coffee on the Corner, about how this café has been dealing with the Covid crisis. We’ll also be presenting our selection of the best drinks for you this festive season, with all the favourites and some surprises! So enjoy, stay safe and I’ll see you in 2021! Best Wishes,
Sophie Wallace Editor
Get in touch! Email: allergico.magazineandblog@ gmail.com
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Twitter: @AllergicoBlog Page 3
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WINTER 2020
Allergico talks to....
NOMO For over 20 years, NOMO and its parent company Kinnerton Confectionery have been creating high-quality vegan and free-from chocolates. From delicious dark chocolate to their newest nut-free nut chocolate, they’re not afraid to experiment to ensure their products are suitable for the biggest audience. We caught up with Assistant Brand Manager, Jacqueline Tyrrell to ask her all about the company’s festive plans and their exciting new range! Page 5
1.Why was NOMO set up? NOMO was created to offer allergen sufferers and vegans a range of products that are completely free from dairy, gluten, egg and nuts but also taste incredible. NOMO have spent years perfecting the recipe in order to make our firm belief that no one should have to miss out on the taste of great chocolate a reality. NOMO is for everyone, so no one has to miss out. 2.Why is allergy-friendly chocolate so important to NOMO? NOMO is owned and carefully made by Kinnerton Confectionery. We have been manufacturing great tasting Free From chocolate since 1999 (Nut Safe chocolates since 1999, Vegan and free from since 2005) and have built a reputation as a trusted and safe company that allergy and intolerance sufferers can rely on for uncompromisingly delicious chocolate. It’s important to us that as many people as possible should be able to enjoy great tasting chocolate. This ethos is at the heart of what we do and what we develop at our factory in Norfolk, UK.
3. What kinds of allergy-friendly chocolate do you have/how is it allergy-friendly? We currently have 5 delicious flavours of NOMO choc available- Creamy Choc, Dark, Caramel and Sea Salt, Fruit and Crunch and Hazelnot. All products are dairy, gluten, egg and nut free and are produced in Kinnerton’s pioneering nut free factory. Rice powder (dried rice syrup, rice starch, rice flour), cocoa mass, inulin, shea oil, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin) are used as alternative ingredients to those containing dairy, gluten and egg. 4. What kind of response have you had to your chocolate? Very positive responses – most people are surprised at how creamy the chocolate tastes when it does not contain dairy! We also get a lot of responses from allergy sufferers as well thanking us for creating chocolate that they can enjoy and feel safe eating – this is lovely to hear. 5. What’s your most popular variety? The Fruit & Crunch and the Caramel & Sea Salt bars are proving to be our most popular
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WINTER 2020 flavours. The Fruit & Crunch Bar also won a prestigious Great Taste award in 2019 which was fantastic. 6. Have you got any special products you’re bringing out for the Winter season? This Christmas, we are launching the NOMO Advent Calendar and a box of NOMO Caramel Filled Choc Drops. The delicious Christmas collection will of course be completely vegan and free from dairy, gluten, egg and nuts. The Advent Calendar is filled with a selection of 12 Caramel & Sea Salt Choc and 12 Creamy Choc drops, with a message enclosed under each individual door. For gooey caramel lovers, NOMO’s Caramel Choc Drops are made with creamy choc and filled with smooth vegan caramel. This Autumn we also launched our NOMO Caramel choc bar. Sainsbury’s launched the bar first in September, followed by Tesco, Waitrose and NOMO’s online store in mid-October. Made with a non-dairy alternative to milk chocolate with a vegan caramel-flavoured centre, it is completely vegan and free from dairy, gluten, egg and nuts. It is made from sustainably sourced, quality ingredients, ensuring that all chocolate lovers can enjoy a moment of pure indulgence.
7. Tell us more about the nut-free nut chocolate you’ve advertised recently? We launched the first ever Nut Free Hazelnot Crunch Choc Bar in April this year. This was made using our creamy choc recipe and it contains rice crispie pieces, cocoa nibs and a natural nut free flavour. It’s perfect for vegans and nut allergy sufferers as it has been carefully developed so that all chocolate lovers can enjoy the taste and texture of hazelnuts. Absolutely no nuts means that those with a nut allergy can feel reassured, especially the 78 per cent who said that they often avoid food that does not contain nuts because they fear it may do. 8. Where can people buy your chocolate? NOMO is available to buy in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Holland & Barrett and NOMO’s Online Store. 9. Do you have any good recipes for your chocolate? Yes, we have lots of yummy NOMO recipes that can be found on our website here https://nomochoc.com/recipes/
Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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Festive Drinks Edit
WINTER 2020
Our selection of the finest tipples for you this Christmas! CHEERS!
Photo credits: Sainsbury's, Tesco, Majestic Wines, Da Mhile Distillery, Three Tuns Brewery, The Whisky Exchange, Cloven Hoof Rum, Master of Malt, Kokoro Gin, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Morrisons
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Gin & Li Mermaid Gin - Isle of Wight Distillery Price: £36.70 from Master of Malt What it’s like: This gin is perfect for the festive season as it carries enough flavour from its traditional botanicals to be reliable, but the additions of grains of paradise and Rock Samphire make it a really interesting find. It’s refreshing enough to be served with water and ice, but it would work well with a Mediterranean Tonic too. The bottle is worth a mention too as it’s gorgeous and really adds to the theme. This is a premium gin, but worth every penny!
Kokoro Gin Price: £30 for 70cl from the company website What it's like: Kokoro’s London Dry Gin combines all the traditional botanicals with a magical secret ingredient: sansho berries. These elevate the juniper bitterness, whilst adding a refreshing peppery note to the palate. Whilst this is an unusual gin, it’s worth every penny of its hefty price tag as it has a freshness and richness that is very rare in a London Dry. We suggest you serve the gin with still water and ice, it does not need a tonic!
Page 10 Get in touch! Email: allergico.magazineandblog@gmail.com
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iqueurs
WINTER 2020
Chocolate & Coconut Liqueur - M&S Price: £12 in-store What it's like: If you’re missing Baileys and your nut-allergy means you can’t have their vegan option, this is perfect for you! Deliciously creamy and rich, it has a gentle coconut flavour that works really well with the chocolatey notes. Having tried a range of vegan cream liqueurs, this is an solid Allergico favourite! Another big plus is the price as for a vegan drink alternative this isn’t a bad option if you’re looking for indulgence which won’t break the bank.
Pallini Limoncello - Pallini Price: £19.95 from The Whiskey Exchange What it’s like: If like us you’ve been missing going on your holidays this year, look no further as this is Italy in a bottle. Whilst some Limoncello has a reputation for being a bit sickly, this isn’t as it combines the sharp sweetness of Amalfi lemons with just a little bit of added sugar to really allow the citrus to shine. This company is one of the oldest producers in Italy and it shows in the quality of the drink. We recommend you serve neat with ice. Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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Spotlight on....
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DA MHILE
WINTER 2020
Turn the page to find out all about this delicious Welsh drinks company!
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All of Da Mhile's delicious drinks are available from their website! Botanical Gin Price: from £6 for a miniature What it's like: If you think this sounds like another standard botanical dry gin, think again! A sip starts with a rush of floral and ever-so-slightly bitter notes, finished off by a fresh and cool flavour from the juniper and peppermint. This gin is truly something special and it's worth every penny of the price tag. We recommend serving this with a little water, ice and some peppermint leaves if you can get them. Seaweed Gin Price: from £6 for a miniature What it’s like: With seaweed’s recent surge in popularity thanks to Japanese cuisine, it seemed only right we included this delicious gin. This makes a truly distinctive G&T, perfect to pair with a Mediterranean tonic and some olives. The seaweed notes are subtle and not too intense which make for a thoroughly delicious and refreshing maritime-themed beverage. Oak-Aged Gin Price: from £6 for a miniature What it’s like: Having been aged in single-grain whisky barrels, this gin has a lovely golden colour and a subtle whisky notes. It’s the perfect gin to be sipped with ice and would make a unique festive gift. If that doesn’t convince you, maybe its 2019 Great Taste Award will, a truly deserving recipient of such an accolade.
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WINTER 2020 Sloe Gin Price: from £6 for a miniature What it’s like: Whilst most sloe gin is considered Autumnal, this one bucks the trend with its delicious Christmas-themed spice base which includes nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Lighter than the average sloe gin, this is a gorgeous tipple and the addition of blackberries is a stroke of genius on the part of the distillers. This is a great addition to the festive drinks cabinet and would make a lovely gift. Apple Brandy Price: from £6.50 for a miniature What it’s like: It’s fair to say no Christmas is complete without some form of Brandy, be it on the pudding or sipped in front of a fire. This apple variety belongs solidly in the latter category as it has a richness and depth of flavour that makes it a solid contender against its counterparts from the Calvados region itself. Drink this one neat with a little ice for a rich and fruity drink. Organic Rum Price: £38 per bottle What it’s like: When people say “name a nation that makes good rum” Wales is pretty much never on that list. However after tasting this delicious dark rum, we here at Allergico think it should be! With hints of raisin and vanilla, it is perfect either as a mixed drink or just sipped neat with ice. Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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Port & Fonseca Bin 27 Port
Price: £11.99 per bottle from Majestic Wine What it's like: This Port is a firm favourite of ours, it’s rich and full of berry flavours with a full and sweet palate. It’s perfect with more substantial desserts such as Christmas Pudding.
Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Port
Price: £20 per bottle from Tesco What it's like: This Port has layers of rich flavours and fine aromas having been matured in wood casks in the Douro Valley. A robust after-dinner drink.
Cockburn’s Fine Ruby Port
Taylor’s 10 Year Tawny Port
Price: £10 per bottle from Sainsbury’s
Price: £22 per bottle from Sainsbury’s
What it's like:
What it's like:
This lives up to Ruby Port’s reputation, it’s every bit as lively and full of red berry flavours as its type suggests. Price-wise this is a great option, especially if you’re new to Port and want to try it out without breaking the bank.
As with any Tawny Port, this is a complex beast, with delicate wood notes and the aroma of mature fruits. If you’re looking for something a bit different from your port this Christmas, we highly recommend you give this a try.
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Sherry WINTER 2020
Gonzales Tio Pepe Sherry
Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry
Price: £10 a bottle from Tesco
Price: £11 a bottle from Sainsbury’s
What it's like: This sherry is one of the driest varieties available in the UK and as such, works perfectly with ham, olives and savoury nibbles. Serve chilled.
Medium Dry Amontillado Sherry Price: £5.50 per bottle from Sainsbury’s What it's like: If an extra-dry sherry isn’t your thing, this is a perfect pick for you. Taste-wise it’s got mellow raisin and hazelnut notes and it is a beautiful rich amber colour. This is great with salted almonds or olives. Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
What it's like: This sherry is iconic, its distinctive blue bottle being a staple of drinks cabinets for years. It tastes really rich with a mellow sweetness. Pale Dry Fino Sherry Price: £5.75 per bottle from Sainsbury’s What it's like: This sherry boasts a fragrant aroma, light body and a savoury, yeasty flavour. As with most of its type, this pairs perfectly with iberico ham and tapas so it’s perfect for a festive buffet.
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Rum
Malibu White Rum with Coconut
Price: £18.95 per bottle from The Whisky Exchange
Price: £15.00 per bottle from Tesco
What it’s like: This is your classic white rum, with all its lightness and gentle molasses flavour to boot. Perfect as a mixer or on its own with ice.
What it’s like: The smooth and fresh taste of this rum, combined with its toasty coconut notes make it perfect for cocktails or even a boozy hot chocolate!
Diplomatico Mantuano Rum
Goslings Black Seal Rum
Price: £30 per bottle from Waitrose
Price: £24.45 per bottle from The Whisky Exchange
What it’s like: It’s fair to say there’s something special about this rum. With its rich dark caramel colour and a smooth, sweet fruitiness, it’s a rum like no other. This is absolutely a sipping rum, it would pair perfectly with a Christmas Pudding.
What it’s like: A firm favourite among the team, this is the perfect mixer, but it would also work well as a sipping rum. We’d recommend mixing it with a little lime cordial and ice or just go the whole hog and make a mojito!
WHITE DARK
Captain Morgan White Rum
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WINTER 2020
Cloven Hoof Dark Rum
OVERPROOF
SPICED
Price: £25.90 per bottle from Cloven Hoof’s website
What it’s like:
The Kraken Dark Rum Price: £20.00 per bottle from Sainsbury’s What it’s like:
They say the Devil’s in the detail and in this case that’s certainly true. Charred oak barrels and a range of delicious spices combine to make this a truly special dark rum. It’s great as either a mixer or on its own.
This rum is very bold and rich, with flavours of cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg complementing its smooth mouthfeel. If you’re looking to make a Dark N’ Stormy this Christmas, you can’t go far wrong if this is the rum you use.
Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
Cloven Hoof Over Hoof Rum
Price: £26.50 per bottle from Sainsbury’s
Price: £38.90 per bottle from Cloven Hoof’s website
What it’s like:
What it’s like:
On a list of Jamaica’s most famous exports, this is right next to Bob Marley. A very strong rum that we recommend mixing with Ginger Beer. One word of warning though, it’s 63% so use with caution.
With its delicious mix of spices and strong kick, this rum is truly something special. Plus it has serious clout being the first spiced rum to win a Gold Medal for taste at the Bartender Brand Awards 2019.
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Beer Greenwich Winter Spiced Porter
Guinness West Indies Porter
Price: £2.50 per bottle from Marks & Spencer
Price: £2 per bottle from Waitrose
What it’s like:
What it’s like:
This is the Porter for you if sweeter dark beer varieties aren’t your thing. It tastes deliciously rich with strong cinnamon and nutmeg notes.
This Porter is less well-known in the Guinness catalogue but it deserves to be talked about more. It’s got a lighter and spicier palate than the traditional brew.
Titanic Brewery Plum Porter
Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer
Price: £1.75 per bottle from Morrisons
Price: £1.75 per bottle from Sainsbury’s
What it’s like:
What it’s like:
As its name suggests, this is a sweeter beer making it perfect for the festive season. As well as tasting great, this beer has won a ton of well-deserved awards. We’d suggest drinking it with the Christmas pudding.
With its robust ginger kick, it’s a great drink, also it’s a gluten-free beer, which means everyone can enjoy it! This would be perfect to enjoy with some mince pies or a slice of Christmas cake.
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Spotlight on....
WINTER 2020
It's fair to say that this brewery has an interesting history. In 1642, King Charles 1st created a tax to fund the English Civil War as well as introducing alcohol licensing and one of the first recipients of a license was Three Tuns. Compared to the King, they fared considerably better and currently hold the accolade of the UK's oldest licensed brewery. All this history means one thing: the beer is something special. Amongst the myriad of varieties on offer, we’ve found the perfect beers for the festive season so read on and enjoy! Three Tuns Beers can be purchased from their website.
Three Tuns Stout Price: £25 for a 5L Keg or £30 for 12 500ml bottles
Three Tuns Old Scrooge Price: £36 for 12 500ml bottles
What it’s like:
What it’s like:
This Stout is delicious, rich and creamy with all the darker coffee notes expected with this beer variety, balanced with a lovely smoothness that makes it a great drink. We’d recommend this with a hearty winter stew or if you want to be more adventurous, why not use it in a rich seasonal dish?
The first time we tried this beer, we were blown away. You’re first met with a strong molasses hit and then you get the more fiery notes. Whilst at 6.5% this is their strongest beer, it’s worth every sip. This would work perfectly if you drank it with your Christmas pudding or mince pies. The perfect beer for Christmas.
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WINTER 2020
Allergico talks to....
TRUFFLE PIG Back in 2016, musician Lily Gaskell founded Truffle Pig as a response to the lack of vegan chocolates on the market. Since then, the company’s gone from strength to strength winning her a loyal fan-base and two FreeFrom Food Awards. Ahead of the busy Christmas period, we caught up with Lily and asked her about all things veganism, allergies and of course, CHOCOLATE! Page 23
2. Why is it important to you that it was a vegan chocolate company? It was never a question, I’ve been vegan for around 5 years and started Truffle Pig 3 years ago. Back then there wasn’t much good chocolate about for vegans and we were lucky that we rode the wave of a growing trend in veganism.
3. What role do you feel veganism can play in helping those with certain allergies?
1. Why did you set up Truffle Pig? I’ve done all sorts of jobs since leaving university as well as working as a Musician throughout. I was working part time in a café and as the resident vegan I got to help make cakes and develop menu items with the chef to cater to the growing vegans customers. I’ve always made Christmas present, mostly because I don’t want to contribute to mass consumerism but also mostly because its cheaper.. It’s also just a lovely way to show your family and friends how much you love them with something you’ve made yourself. I started trying to make truffles because it seemed easy. It wasn’t as they are very small and fiddly and I’m quite heavy handed.. After lots of messy attempts I had some friends ask if they could buy boxes as present so after that first Christmas I decided I would go all in with vegan chocolate and Truffle Pig was created!
Having won silver for the past two years at the free from food awards I’ve seen a real mix in vegan and non vegan business represented in the free from industry so whilst there is an element of similarity the majority of our customers are vegan with a smaller percentage dairy free. Veganism has highlighted the demand for free from products because there is still a misconception that if you are vegan you are also gluten free, soya free and everything else free. The need for clear vegan labelling is reassuring for those with allergies and with growing demand for vegan products it will only further highlight the need for more free from products.
4. What’s your favourite part of the chocolate creating process? I absolutely love tempering chocolate by hand. This was something I would watch chocolatiers do and never thought I would master it. They moved the chocolate about with such finesse, cooling it on a marble slab. I got a discount bit of worktop and tile scraper from a hardware store and practised and practised. It’s a skill I’ve learnt and I am proud to be an entirely self taught chocolatier, coming from a diy punk background, this was something that was really important to me.
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WINTER 2020 5. What kind of winter products are you creating?
8. If you could bring back any chocolate, which would it be?
This year we are bringing back some favourites from the last year including our ever popular Truffle Pig Pots which feature a huge helping of our hazelnut cream that goes into our buenos so people can have their very own vegan Christmas dessert!
I used to love poppets when we went to the cinema!
We are also doing our festive truffle box which includes Biscoff fudge, Rochers, and Bucks Fizz truffles. We are also doing selection boxes and a treat box that will have a selection of bars and truffles.
6. What’s your best-selling product? Other than cream eggs…at the moment it’s our Bueno bar and our new milk chocolate caramel crunch bar made using rice milk. Vegan versions of classic bars seem to be the most popular with our customers!
7. What are your future plans for the business?
9. Why is the company named Truffle Pig? Ian is the OG Truffle Pig. When I first started making truffles I wanted to see how they kept in different temperatures so I would keep them in Tupperware around the house; near a radiator, behind the sofa, in the bathroom, everywhere! Ian would sniff them out and eat them! Hence Truffle Pig!
10. What is the most unusual chocolate flavour you’ve made? That would be either beetroot or bacon. Not together, that would be even weirder! Check out Truffle Pig’s delicious chocolates at: www.trufflepigvegan.com
I’m guilty of being very in the moment. We plan month to month and for big holidays like Christmas but we very much focus on the next few months. I say we, I should mention that this year my partner, Ian, left his office 9-5 to pack all our orders and run the business with me. We still make everything from our home kitchen in Sheffield so our future plans involve moving in to bigger house with either a purpose build kitchen or separate space to run the business. As we upscale production with machinery and more space I’d like to stock more shops and grow our wholesale business.
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Check out our favourite Christmas recipes from across the internet!
Chocolate Chip Cookies Whether you’re leaving them out for Santa or enjoying them in front of the television, these vegan cookies are delicious and perfect for this time of year. Ingredients: (for 10 servings) ½ cup sugar (100 g) ¾ cup dark brown sugar (165 g), packed 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup refined coconut oil (120 g), melted ¼ cup non-dairy milk (60 mL) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ½ cups flour (185 g) ½ teaspoon baking soda 4 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate (115 g), chunks 4 oz vegan dark chocolate (115 g), chunks Method: 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt, and coconut oil until combined. 2. Whisk in non-dairy milk and vanilla, until all sugar has dissolved and the batter is smooth.
3. Sift in the flour and baking soda, then fold the mixture with a spatula, being careful not to overmix. 4. Fold in the chocolate chunks evenly. 5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. 6. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 7. Scoop the dough with an ice cream scoop onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Be sure to leave at least 2 inches of space between cookies and the edges of the pan so cookies can spread evenly. 8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies just begin to brown. 9. Cool completely then enjoy!
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WINTER 2020
Image and recipe credits: Rachel Gaewski at Tasty, Emily Angle, Michelle Berriedale-Johnson and Dame Mary Berry at BBC Food.
Filo Pastry Mince Pies These mince pies are a wonderful vegan twist on the classic festive favourite, plus the filo pastry adds a fancy touch to elevate them. Ingredients: 25g/1oz vegan spread or olive oil 150g/5½oz mincemeat (use one with lots of fruit) 125g/4½oz ripe or tinned pear, chopped 50g/1¾oz chopped satsumas 2 tsp cornflour 5 sheets filo pastry Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Brush the cups of a 12-cup bun tin with a little vegan spread or oil.
again. Cut the stack of filo into 12 pieces (a pizza wheel is good for this). Press a piece of filo into each cup of the bun tin. 4. Divide the mincemeat mixture equally between the pastry-lined cups. 5. Butter the remaining sheets of filo separately, and cut each piece into 6. Scrunch up the pieces and put one on top of each mince pie. The more crinkles, the better.
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and crisp. Remove 2. Mix the mincemeat with the pear, satsufrom the oven and allow to cool in the tin mas and cornflour in a bowl, stirring until for 5 minutes before transferring carefully the cornflour has dissolved. to a wire rack. These really are best eaten warm from the oven, as they tend to soften 3. Lay a sheet of filo on the work surface and when cool. But the pies can also be reheatbrush with melted spread or oil. Place aned for 5 minutes to crisp up again. other sheet of filo on top , and brush again. Place a third sheet of filo on top and brush Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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Gluten-Free Christmas Cake Alongside mince pies, Christmas cake is a seasonal classic which often people with allergies can’t enjoy. However this version is gluten-free and can be made egg-free and vegan! Ingredients: 100g/3½oz soya margarine (or whatever kind of butter you like) 1 large ripe banana 2 large lemons, finely grated rind and juice only 100g/3½oz soft prunes, stoned and halved 75g/3oz raisins 75g/3oz sultanas 75g/3oz currants 150g/5oz soft dried apricots, chopped in fairly large pieces 50g/2oz mixed peel 75g/2½oz walnuts, halved and 25g/¾oz hazelnuts, chopped OR 75g/3oz large pumpkin seeds and 25g/¾oz sunflower seeds 2 eggs (or 2 level tsp gluten-free baking powder to make an egg-free cake) 75g/2½oz coarse polenta and 75g/2½oz rice flour and 1 level tsp xanthan gum OR 150g gluten-free flour that already includes xanthan gum 2 heaped tsp ground nutmeg 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon 1 heaped tsp ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cloves 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
Method:
2. In a food processor beat the butter/margarine with the banana and the lemon juice and rind. Pour into a bowl. 3. Mix in the dried fruit and nuts or seeds. 4. Beat the eggs if you are using them. 5. Sieve which ever flours you are using with the baking powder (if you are substituting it for the eggs) and the spices. 6. Fold the eggs (if you are using them) into the fruit mixture alternately with the flours. Add some brandy if you like. 7. Line a 20cm/8in cake tin with greased greaseproof paper. Spoon the mixture in and level off the top. 8. Bake for about two hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. 9. Remove from the tin and cool on a rack. 10. Eat as it is or store to be iced for Christmas. You can also decorate this cake with whole nuts such as almonds.
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
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WINTER 2020
Mary Berry's Mulled Wine Where would Christmas be without a recipe from Dame Mary Berry herself? Alongside mince pies and mulled wine, her recipes have become a stalwart of the festive season. Speaking of mulled wine, here’s her take on the classic beverage. To make it vegan, make sure you get accordingly-labelled alcohol and if you’re not a wine fan, this would work great with cider too! Ingredients: 1 large orange 3 lemons 12 cloves 2 satsumas or clementines 2 x 750ml bottles red wine 2 cinnamon sticks 150g/5½oz caster sugar (optional) Brandy, to taste (optional)
sticks. Bring the mixture just to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, cover the pan with the lid, and continue to simmer for about 1 hour. Stir in the sugar gradually during cooking, until the mulled wine is sweetened to your liking (you may not need all of the sugar). 4. Strain the mulled wine and serve hot in cups.
Method: 1. Carefully peel the zest very thinly from the orange and lemons using a vegetable peeler. Squeeze out the juice and reserve. 2. Stick the cloves into the satsumas. 3. Pour the wine, 1.2 litres/2 pints of cold water, and the citrus peel and juices into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the clove-studded satsumas and cinnamon Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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WINTER 2020
Allergico talks to....
Coffee On The Corner When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, many businesses felt the effect of the lockdown on their sales, with small businesses being particularly affected. We spoke to Coffee On The Corner, a cafÊ in Kenilworth about how Covid and lockdown rules have affected them and what they’re doing to survive in these very challenging conditions. Page 31
where with 3, 4, 5 options to choose from, and normalise dietary requirements like that.
3. What allergy-friendly options do you have? We primarily serve homemade cakes and a few light lunches. We have at least three gluten free options for cake each day. We also have 2-3 vegan options.
4. What response have you had to the allergy-friendly options? 1. Why was Coffee On The Corner set up? Coffee On The Corner was set up by myself, my partner Sam and his Mother Penny last year. We all had dreams of owning our own businesses and working for ourselves. With our love for baking and coffee, we put our heads together and decided to go for it, leave our jobs and set up our own little shop.
2. Why is it important that there are allergy-friendly options on the menu? Between the 3 of us, we have struggled with some food intolerances including dairy and gluten. We know the struggle of going out to eat and being left with one suitable option or none at all. Also people are becoming a lot more aware of their dietary intolerances. More and more people are also choosing the vegan lifestyle. We wanted to be some-
We have had a great response to this and it's really made us see just how many people avoid certain allergens! Customers really like the fact that they have a few options to choose from. We have had wonderful feedback on many of our gluten free cakes.
5. What is the most popular item on the menu? One of our bestsellers is our Lemon & Blueberry cake which contains no gluten and no dairy! But you’d never know..
6. How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your business? I'm sure I can speak for all businesses when I say we have felt the brunt of Covid-19 but hopefully we are over the hill now. There have been worrying times particularly at the start/height of the pandemic. But now that people are getting out and about again, we are
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WINTER 2020 starting to see more positive effects on our business especially with the 'Eat Out 10. How can people continue to supTo Help Out' scheme back in August. port you and other small businesses
7. How does it feel being able to open again? It feels amazing to be open again and welcome back all our regular customers that we missed so much while we were closed! We really appreciate all those little things a bit more now.
8. Did you find the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August was good for your business? Absolutely. We have noticed trade increase by about a third on those days, which is amazing! We got a lot of new customers that have never tried us before, and hopefully they will return!
during this time?
Every little helps and I think people are really thinking twice about where they put their money into, even if it’s just £2 on a latte. Small independent businesses need all the support they can get during this time, and will benefit the most. We have really noticed customers making an effort to support local small businesses rather than the chains since the lockdown. Where to find Coffee On The Corner: 16 Warwick Road, Kenilworth CV8 1HE
9. As a small business, what has been the biggest challenge in terms of Covid-19? I would say the biggest challenge has been dealing with the uncertainty during the lockdown period. No one knew how long it would be for, and what kind of support to expect, for how long people would be fearful of going out to public places.. As a very new business, we had to count our blessings that we had a few months of trading before we were forced to close. I think the new measures will be around for some time, so we have to learn to adapt to a new way of life and carry on the best we can. Get in touch! Instagram: @allergico.magazineandblog Twitter: @allergicoblog
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PUZZLES AND GAMES Have a go at our fiendish winter-themed brainteasers and let us know how you do on social media, good luck!
Pigpen Cipher
Test your code-breaking skills by using the cipher to uncover the hidden message!
Think you’ve cracked our Pigpen Cipher? Check the answer below to see if you’re right! We hope you enjoyed this puzzle. See you in the Spring for a new one!
“Happy Christmas everyone, I hope you're all staying safe and well!”
ANSWER:
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Trivia Time Think you know your festive food and drink? Test your knowledge with our Christmas-themed trivia quiz! 1. How old is the world’s oldest surviving Christmas pudding? a) 88 years old b) 250 years old c) 121 years old 2. Before the turkey took its crown, what was the most popular roast animal at Christmas? a) Perch b) Goose c) Venison 3. Which country traditionally eats only fish dishes on Christmas eve? a) Poland b) Venezuela c) Montenegro 4. What is the German name for the festive tipple mulled wine? a) Gewürzwein b) Geschmackwein c) Glühwein 5. Which snack manufacturer released their controversial Brussels Sprouts crisps in 2018? a) Golden Wonder b) Walker’s c) Lays 6. If you were eating stollen in Germany, what would you be eating? a) marzipan fruit cake b) marzipan potatoes c) marzipan fruits ANSWERS: 1. C - It was a gift to a British Soldier during the Boer war. 2. B This is still a popular option today. 3. A) There are also 12 dishes as a reminder of the 12 Apostles. 4. C - It’s called that because of the temperature it’s heated to. 5. B - These have now become a UK festive staple. 6. A) It is similar to the UK’s Christmas cake.
WINTER 2020
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Thank you for reading....
....SEE YOU IN THE SPRING!
