Take Stock Christmas 2019 Issue 45

Take 

YOUR 

TAKE STOCK 

MAGAZINE 

Stock 

CHAMPIONING INDEPENDENT BRITISH CATERING • CHRISTMAS 2019

YOUR 

TAKE STOCK 

MAGAZINE 

CHAMPIONING INDEPENDENT BRITISH CATERING • CHRISTMAS 2019 

TAKE STOCK 

FROM THE EDITOR 

MERRY 

CHRISTMAS 

DOWNLOAD OUR APP 

The festive excitement is already 

bubbling away in the Take Stock office, as 

we all look forward to another Christmas. 

We know that you’ve been hard at work 

already and by now, all your menus will 

have been created and your plans firmly 

put in place. 

However, the chaos of Christmas can 

sometimes be overwhelming so it’s our 

aim to offer a helping hand - and that’s 

where this jam-packed issue comes in! 

With tips, advice and recipes to give a 

little extra sparkle to your festive plans, 

this issue will help you countdown to 

the big day - and guarantee all your 

hard work turns into healthy profits. 

2019 has been a very challenging year 

for the industry but that only seems to 

inspire you all to be even more creative, 

according to the talent on show in 

our FeedYourEyes competition. It gets 

bigger and better each year thanks to 

the array of chefs who post pictures of 

their delicious dishes. As a thank you, we 

collated all this year’s winners onto page 

60 for everyone to see their winning 

dishes once more. We look forward to 

your 2020 posts! 

We also want to thank all the chefs, 

mixologists and industry experts who 

have kindly contributed recipes and 

content throughout 2019 and helped 

us produce creative, insightful and 

informative features. 

Last, but by no means least, on behalf of 

the Take Stock team and Unitas, I want 

to wish you a very merry and prosperous 

Christmas and a happy and successful 

new year. 

Here’s to 2020! 

Tracy x 

FOLLOW US ON 

@TakeStockMag 

VISIT US ONLINE 

takestockmagazine.com 



Published by the fabl. 

Nesfield House, Broughton Hall 

Skipton BD23 3AE 

www.thefabl.com 

hello@takestockmagazine.com 

For advertising contact 

david.jackson@thefabl.com 

www.sugarandsyrup.com 

Editor-in-Chief 

Mags Walker 

Editor 

Tracy Johnson 

News and Features 

David Jackson 

Sarah Hardy 

Fiona Kyle 

Hollie Pickles 

Art Director 

Richard Smith 

Designer 

Mark Longson 

Online 

Martin Kersey 

Hollie Pickles 

Unitas Wholesale 

Les Mohammed 

Anita Oakhill 

3 takestockmagazine.com

Take Stock's 

24 

5 

Magical 

Mocktails P.21 

9 

Festive 

Sauces P.29 

Fast & 

Festive 

13 

P.45-47 

16 

Cheese 

to Please P.55 

19 

Feed Your 

Eyes 

P.60-61 

22 

New Year 

Cocktails P.69 

Days of 

Christmas 

6 

A Very Merry 

Roastie P.23 

10 

Super 

Stuffing P.31 

14 

A Festive 

Dram 

P.49-51 

17 

The Christmas 

Classics P.57 

20 

A Snacking 

Nation P.63-65 

23 

Waste Free 

Christmas P.71 

1 

3 

7 

11 

15 

18 

21 

24 

Calendar P.7 

Spice up your 

Christmas P.11-15 

Show-stopping 

Sides P.25 

Winter 

Warmers P.32-33 

We Grill 

P.52-53 

Get Christmas 

Ready P.59 

Time to 

Sparkle 

P.66-67 

Plan 

Ahead P.74 

2 

4 

8 

12 

What’s New P.8-9 

Booze Free 

Christmas P.17-19 


Sides P.27 

Time to 

Party! 

P.37-43 


4 5 

takestockmagazine.com

GIVE CONSUMERS A NEW 

CHOICE THIS CHRISTMAS 

1 

ST CLEMENT’S IS A PREMIUM ADULT SOFT 

DRINK INSPIRED BY THE TASTE OF CIDER. 

1 

NOV 

NATIONAL VEGAN 

DAY 

13- 

15 

NOV 

Calendar 

Nov-Dec 

THE EUROPEAN 

PIZZA & PASTA SHOW 

Olympia London 

28- 

NOV 

1 

DEC 

BBC GOOD FOOD 

SHOW 

Birmingham NEC 

2-3 

NOV 

3 

NOV 

THE FREE FROM 

SHOW WINTER 

Exhibition Centre 

Liverpool 

NEW YORK CITY 

MARATHON 

19- 

20 

NOV 

19- 

20 

NOV 

FOOD MATTERS LIVE 

ExCeL London 

RESTAURANT & BAR 

TECH LIVE 

ExCeL London 

7 

DEC 

22- 

30 

DEC 

THE GREAT 

CHRISTMAS 

PUDDING RACE 

Covent Garden, 

London 

HANUKKAH 

5 

NOV 

9- 

17 

NOV 

10 

NOV 

BONFIRE NIGHT 

BWIN GRAND SLAM 

OF DARTS 

Wolverhampton 

Civic Hall 

REMEMBRANCE 

SUNDAY 

19- 

20 

NOV 

19- 

20 

NOV 

20- 

23 

NOV 

RESTAURANT 

& TAKEAWAY 

INNOVATION EXPO 

ExCeL London 

RESTAURANT & BAR 

DESIGN SHOW 

ExCeL London 

HARWICH & 

PARKESTON WINTER 

ALE FESTIVAL 

Parkeston Railway 

Club, Essex 

24 

DEC 

25 

DEC 

26 

DEC 

CHRISTMAS EVE 

CHRISTMAS DAY 

BOXING DAY 

DON’T LET THE NON-DRINKING DESIGNATED 

DRIVERS MISS OUT THIS FESTIVE PERIOD. 

11- 

15 

NOV 

NATIONAL SCHOOL 

MEALS WEEK 

21- 

24 

NOV 

TASTE OF LONDON 

Tobacco Dock 

31 

DEC 

NEW YEAR’S EVE 


What’s 

New 

Christmas 2019 

2 

A Fruity 

Freeze 

Chaucer Foods has launched 

a new range of freeze-dried 

fruit for foodservice. 

The new freeze-dried strawberry, orange, raspberry, lime, pineapple and banana pieces, 

slices and granules, and strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, banana, mango, lime and 

orange powders are designed to meet current demand for healthy, natural ingredients. 

Light to handle, easy to store in ambient conditions and supplied in resealable packs, 

these are naturally long shelf life products that can be used as decoration, toppings, 

inclusions or ingredients in a wide range of foods. They’re great in smoothies, shakes, 

teas and infusions, frappes, hot chocolate, cocktails and mocktails too. 

Perfect Rise 

One in 10 people in the UK are now 

avoiding gluten - so Dr. Oetker 

Professional’s new Gluten Free Baking 

Powder is a must have. 

Offering the same performance as Dr. 

Oetker’s highly trusted standard baking 

powder, the gluten free variant gives a 

consistent rise to your cakes, scones, 

pastries and puddings, and can be 

added to plain flour as an alternative 

to self-raising. 

Available in 500g packs, use as a 

direct replacement to standard baking 

powder as stated in your recipes for 

perfect results. 

oetker-professional.co.uk 

Unitas Exclusives! 

Unitas and JJ Whitley have got together to bring you two 

fabulous spirits, exclusive to your Unitas supplier. 

White 


Diageo Reserve’s ultra-premium vodka, 

CÎROC, has announced the launch of 

limited-edition, CÎROC White Grape, 

ahead of the festive season. 

Distilled five times to ensure the 

highest quality and an opulent silkysmooth 

feel, the luxury French vodka 

is then infused with a distinctive blend 

of ripe white grapes and other natural 

flavours. The result is a rich taste 

experience with delicate floral notes 

and hints of crisp citrus, tropical fruit 

and honeydew on the palate. 

Presented in a striking ‘total gold look’ 

70cl bottle that will deliver exceptional 

stand-out both on shelves and back 

bar, CÎROC White Grape is easy to mix 

and lends itself perfectly to individual 

cocktails and group serves. The 

recommended hero serve, the Kir 

Royale by CÎROC, meets the demand 

for premium, sparkling festive 

drinks too. 

ciroc.com 

Light & 

Loaded 

Demand for healthier snacks grew by approximately 19% in 

the last year alone*, with consumers looking for lighter, more 

wholesome options. 

However, research also shows they won’t opt for the healthier 

alternative unless it delivers on taste and flavour. That’s why 

Golden Wonder have launched Light and Loaded, available in 

both Cheddar Cheese and Smoky Bacon flavours. The new 

‘All the Taste - Half the Fat’ range contains 50% less fat than 

comparable snack products but really delivers on that all 

important fully-flavoured taste. And being VAT-free, it’s also 

pretty healthy for the pocket! 

tayto.com 

Sources: *IRI Market Place + KantarWorldPanel | Total GB | Crisps & Snacks | £ Value | 52 w/e 

09-Sep-18. Market size inferred from a combination of Kantar Worldpanel and IRI data IRI, a 

retail and FMCG market intelligence company iriworldwide.com 

Strawberry Gin 

Strawberry picking was a favourite past 

time of the Whitley family and as such, 

has inspired this luscious J.J Whitley 

Strawberry Gin. 

Gentle sweet sophisticated notes of 

summer strawberries tune perfectly 

with classic notes of piney juniper, 

sweet citrus and earthy liquorice root, 

topped off with a rich full-bodied 

strawberry aroma, reminiscent of 

candied strawberries. 

This is a fantastically versatile gin that 

can be used all year round in G&Ts and 

cocktails as well as in serves that bring 

back the taste of summer. 

Vanilla Vodka 

J.J Whitley Vanilla Vodka is wonderfully 

contemporary addition to the family that 

delivers a delightful twist to a simple 

spirit and mixer or cocktail - such as 

the Espresso Martini. 

J.J Whitley Vanilla Vodka delivers a 

smooth, rich, subtle vanilla flavour with 

hints of white pepper spice. Perfect for 

drinking neat or mixing in long drinks 

and cocktails. 

Tiger Tiger 

Chinese New Year isn’t far away, so you need to think about how 

you’ll keep your thirsty customers happy. Fortunately, Heineken’s 

Blade beer system is at hand. 

Taking up minimal space and needing no cooling or piping, this self 

contained unit is easy to set up and maintain. And now you can use 

the system to serve Tiger Beer on draught. 

Talk to your beer supplier now, or check out: 

uk.blade.shop 

takestockmagazine.com 8 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

STOCK UP 

NOW FOR 

CHRISTMAS 

3 

Spice up 

your Christmas 

Why not think outside the box and offer 

something a little different on your festive 

menu this Christmas? Not only will it impress 

customers and inspire them to return post 

festivities, it may give you the opportunity 

to charge a premium price too. 

Unwrap our tantalising 

range this Christmas 

FOR A SEASONAL COOKING ADVENTURE 

A Brand of 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

Be adventurous 

Not all vegetarians and vegans want 

nut roast, so why not be adventurous 

and offer an alternative Christmas 

dish? “Chefs have such an amazing 

opportunity to be more creative now 

with the ever increasing vegan and 

vegetarian population,” said chef Anjula 

Devi. “One of the amazing main course 

dishes we offer as an alternative are our 

cauliflower koftas. We take our original 

recipe and incorporate cranberries and 

chestnuts into the recipe, then create 

a sauce full of Christmas spices like 

cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.” 

Be on-trend 

Caribbean cuisine and street food have 

taken off in the UK in the last couple 

of years and are rapidly growing in 

popularity. Dishes feature bold flavours, 

fresh ingredients, seasoning and spices 

like ginger, allspice, jerk mixes, cinnamon, 

and sage. Classics include jerk chicken, 

curried goat, fried plantain and rice ‘n’ 

peas. Rum is a natural accompaniment 

to Caribbean food and is predicted to 

be the ‘next big thing’ in spirit sales, 

together with Caribbean soft drinks 

favourites, Ting and Old Jamaica ginger 

beer, the leading ginger beer brand. 

Why not give your festive menu an 

on-trend Caribbean vibe by jazzing 

up your ham with Old Jamaica ginger 

beer (see recipe)? 

Turkey twists 

Everyone loves turkey at Christmas but 

there is nothing wrong with mixing up 

how you serve it. Give it an oriental 

flavour by adding star anise, cinnamon 

and ginger then baste with Kung Po 

Sauce for an unusual and different 

Christmas experience. And use glutinous 

(sticky) rice or jasmine rice for your 

stuffing as an alternative to the norm 

(see recipe). Alternatively try something 

completely different and serve turkey 

kebabs instead of a roast as suggested 

by chef Anjula Devi. 

This is something you can prepare in advance, so will help take the pressure off your 

busy kitchen. 

Serves 12 

INGREDIENTS 

2kg unsmoked gammon joint 

For the marinade 

3⁄4 tin Del Monte pineapple 

I jalapeño 

2 cans Old Jamaica regular ginger beer 

½ onion 

1 apple 

2 tsp jerk seasoning 

METHOD 

1. Blitz marinade together in a food 

processor 

2. Cover the joint in the marinade and 

allow to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours 

3. Put the joint and marinade in a 

saucepan and simmer in the marinade 

for 1 hour 15 mins. Leave to cool in liquid 

for 1 hour 

Old Jamaica Jerk Ham 

By Old Jamaica 

4. Remove the hard fat - it comes off easily 

using your fingers. Leave the layer of white 

fat and mark it with a crisscross pattern 

with a sharp knife 

For the glaze 

¼ tin Del Monte pineapple 

1 jalapeño 

2 tbsp honey 

2 dessert spoons hot mango chutney 

1 dessert spoon jerk seasoning 

METHOD 

1. Blitz all the ingredients in a food 

processor. Heat it gently and then cover 

the joint with it 

2. Cook at 180°C for 40 mins, re-apply the 

glaze halfway through 

3. Leave to cool then serve with other cold 

meats for a festive buffet or with egg and 

chips as a twist on the traditional 


Approx 

6 x 150ml 

servings in 

this carton 

Approx 

6 x 150ml 

servings in 

this carton 

Cheers to sparkling 

Christmas sales 

All you need for 

a fabulous festive 

period with our 

award-winning 

own brand 

Serves 6 

Kung Po Turkey 

with Oriental 

Stuffing 

By Wing Yip 

INGREDIENTS 

1 turkey (adjust spices according to size) 

2-3 sticks cinnamon 

6-8 star anise 

185ml jar Wing Yip Kung Po Sauce 

1-2 tsp five-spice powder 

For the stuffing 

228g glutinous rice (soaked for 4 hours) 

170ml vegetable stock 

85g chorizo or Chinese sausage, finely 

sliced 

28g dried sliced mushrooms, soaked 

& chopped 

1 tsp ginger juice from grated fresh ginger 

1 tbsp Wing Yip Shaohsing Style Wine 

1 tbsp Wing Yip Oyster or Mushroom Sauce 

2 tbsp peanut oil 

2 tbsp black rice vinegar 

1 tbsp Wing Yip Sesame Oil 

1 tbsp Wing Yip Light Soya Sauce 

METHOD 

1. Heat oil in a wok and fry the sausage and 

mushrooms. Season with light soy, oyster 

TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

sauce, ginger juice and black vinegar. Remove 

from the heat 

2. Drain rice and mix with cooked ingredients 

3. Spread loosely in a dry shallow dish and 

steam the rice dry (without any water added) 

over medium heat for 30 minutes or until the 

grains are translucent and chewy 

4. When rice is cooked, cool quickly and stuff 

neck cavity, pressing rice firmly into place and 

securing neck flap with a cocktail stick 

5. Rub body cavity of turkey with five-spice 

powder and season the skin with a little salt. 

Place star anise and cinnamon inside the body 

cavity and cook to instructions on packaging 

6. 30 minutes before turkey is ready, using 

a pastry brush, baste the whole turkey with a 

thick layer of kung po sauce 

7. Continue cooking for 30 minutes on 

170°C/180°C 

8. Remove from the oven and allow turkey to 

rest before serving 

NOTE: Cooked rice needs to be refrigerated so 

suggest any leftover stuffing be discarded and 

not re-heated. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 cauliflower 

3 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp Schwartz Medium Curry Powder 

1 tsp Schwartz Chilli Flakes 

75g dried apricots, roughly chopped 

25g flaked almonds, toasted 

50g pomegranate seeds 

100g tahini 

148.487mm repeat 

METHOD 

BEST BEFORE END 

cranberry 

juice drink 

from concentrate with 

sugar and sweetener 

1 litre 

Cranberry Juice Drink 

made with Cranberry Juice 

from Concentrate and with 

Sugar and Sweetener 

Ingredients 

Water, Cranberry Juice from Concentrate 

(13%), Sugar, Acidity Regulator: Citric 

Acid; Antioxidant: Ascorbic Acid; 

Flavouring, Sweetener: Sucralose. 

Nutrition Information 

Typical values per 100ml per 150ml 

serving 

Energy 84kJ 126kJ 

20kcal 30kcal 

Fat 0g 0g 

of which saturates 0g 0g 

Carbohydrate 4.9g 7.3g 

of which sugars 4.8g 7.2g 

Fibre 0g 0g 

Protein 0g 0g 

Salt 0g 0g 

This pack contains 

approximately 6 servings. 

Storage Instructions 

Store in a cool dry place. 

Best served chilled. 

Shake well before opening. 

Refrigerate after opening 

and use within 3 days. 

For Best Before End: See top of pack. 

1 litre 

cranberry 

juice drink 



cranberry 

juice drink 



1 litre 

Specially packed in Ireland for 

Independent Food Services Ltd, 

Doncaster, 

DN4 5RA 

1 litre 

Most of this carton is made 

from wood – a natural, 

renewable resource. 

Please squash and recycle. 

www.tetrapaksustainability.com 

5 013668 431920 

cranberry 

juice drink 



A vibrant centrepiece that delivers a feast for all the senses, it’s a tempting twist on the 

traditional roast and a perfect dish for vegans and vegetarians. 

Serves 4 

Christmas Roast Cauliflower 

By Schwartz 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C 

2. Remove the larger leaves from the 

cauliflower, and then immerse it completely 

in a large saucepan (or stockpot) filled with 

boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain 

3. Mix together the oil, curry powder, 

chillies and salt. Rub the cauliflower all over 

with the mixture and bake for 20 minutes 

4. Scatter the cauliflower with the almonds, 

pomegranate seeds, apricots, and drizzle 

with tahini. Serve immediately 

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Proof 

Number 

6 

CYAN 

Grid Ref: 

Tetra 1133 

MAG 

YELL 

877 

BLK 2767 

Client: 

Job Description: 

Job Number: 

Date: 

Mulrines 

Caterers Kitchen Cranberry Juice from 

Concentrate 1 LITRE carton 

31923 

12-08-2019 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

THE 

Holidays 

are 

Coming 

4 

Booze Free Christmas 

Drinking alcohol at Christmas isn’t for everyone. Whether a designated driver or choosing 

an alcohol-free lifestyle, making sure you have a varied range of soft drinks available to 

suit both children and adults is essential. 

+60% 

of consumers visited 

the on-trade during 

2018’s festive period * 

1 in 5 

of consumers are now tee-total ** 

increasing the importance 

of offering a range of soft 

drinks at Xmas 

No1 

soft drinks is the 

most consumed beverage 

in restaurants at Xmas 

time *** and No2 in pubs 

MAXIMISE SOFT DRINK SALE THIS XMAS AND STOCK UP 

ON YOUR CUSTOMERS FAVOURITE BRANDS 

*Source: Coffer Peach Business Tracker 2018 ** Source: ONS, May 2018 *** Source: CGA Christmas Report 2018 

©2019 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, DIET COKE, COCA-COLA ZERO, FANTA, SPRITE and THE CONTOUR BOTTLE are registered 

trade marks of The Coca-Cola Company. © 2019 European Refreshments. All rights reserved. APPLETISER is a registered trade mark of European Refreshments. 

What do consumers want 

At Christmas, consumers buying habits 

alter; customers are looking for great 

alcohol-free alternatives to the traditional 

festive wine and spirits. With this in mind, 

this Christmas your soft drinks should be: 

• Perfectly served - both at the bar and 

when part of a meal 

• Provide sharing opportunities - both 

when drinking straight or as a mixer 

• Include key brands of choice 

• Include premium options and 

something different 

50% 

of consumers like 

to see seasonal 

drinks offered 

Source: CGA Christmas Report 2018 

and Brand Track July 2018 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

BUILD YOUR SALES WITH 

FREE 

GLASSWARE 

WWW.SENSATIONALDRINKS.COM 

40% 

of consumers 

expect a wider 

range of drinks 

to choose from 

Think big 



Promoting and letting consumers know 

what ranges of soft drinks you have 

available is critical to making sales. 

According to research, 51% of consumers 

who tried new drinks last Christmas 

were influenced by promotions or 

advertisements, so make sure you have 

all the relevant POS material clearly 

displayed where customers can see it. 

Inspire your drinkers 

Christmas is a time for indulgence, so 

when customers go out and about 

enjoying the occasion, they want 

something special to sup. Customers 

want luxury products so the festivities 

present an opportunity to upsell and 

give them a better drinking experience 

than just the year-round standard ones. 

Dark fruits such as blackberries and 

blueberries are popular at Christmas, or 

why not add spice flavours to standard 

fruit juices to create a festive flavour? 

London Essence mixers have a range of 

flavours perfect to be served solo, while 

allowing operators to charge a premium 

price. Its spiced ginger beer and delicate 

ginger ale both suit festive flavours, while 

its their rhubarb and cardamom and 

elderberry and hibiscus-crafted sodas 

both make a refreshing and inspiring 

change to a standard fizzy drink. 

they look the same as a cocktail so the 

customer feels they are sharing the same 

experience, but without the booze. 

Serve for success 

You should give the same amount of 

care and attention to a non alcoholic 

drink as an alcoholic one. If your 

customers are impressed and interested 

by the look and serve of a drink then 

they are more likely to order it - and pay 

a premium price. It’s important to make 

sure your serve matches the experience 

you want your guests to have. Therefore, 

make sure you use the correct glassware 

so they look the same as alcholic drinks 

and use the best ingredients, mixers 

and garnishes so they taste delicious. 

Number one 

Diet Coke is the number one lights drink 

brand in Great Britain*. Last year Diet 

Coke NPD flavours contributed £20m 

and were bought by 3.6m households**. 

Therefore, to respond to what customers 

want at Christmas, stocking and selling 

Diet Coke is a must. This year there’s 

a Clementine flavour option - with 

Clementine the sixth most strongly 

associated flavour with Christmas 

after turkey, mince pies, cinnamon, 

cranberries and chocolate*** and a 

high purchase intent of 45% of the 

total population**. 

Adult specials 

Adult soft drinks such as J2O, Old 

Jamaica Ginger Beer, Appletiser and 

Shloer offer an alternative for those 

adults who want something different 

41% 

of consumers are 

more likely to 

experiment with 

different drinks 

to a coke, and allow you to charge 

a premium price. The Adult Special 

category is in growth and worth nearly 

£4m**** at Christmas, as its share 

doubles in December. Appletiser sales 

grew 40% in volume last year and at 

Christmas its value share grew by more 

than 20%, so make sure you have these 

drinks available - and use POS and 

staff to promote them and make the 

customer aware. 

Booze free 



For those who want the taste of beer 

or cider without the bad head, there 

are plenty of great tasting options. 

Beers like Heineken 0.0 and Peroni 

Libera are 0% and in the low category 

there are some cracking brews - 

Brewdog Nanny State, Erdinger 

Weizen Alkoholfrei and Low alcohol 

Old Speckled Hen to name but three. 

For cider drinkers, AG Barr’s new St. 

Clement's adult soft drinks are inspired 

by the taste of cider, with Apple & Pear 

and Raspberry & Blackcurrant satisfying 

demand for fruity flavours. 

With more adults choosing alcohol-free 

drinks, mocktails are still as popular as 

REGISTER TODAY 

and get free glassware at www.sensationaldrinks.com 

ever, and need to stand out on your bar 

this Christmas (see recipes). Not only 

do they make for a more exciting serve, 

*Available while stocks last. For full terms and conditions visit www.sensationaldrinks.com 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

5 

Magical Mocktails 

These mocktails from Britvic Sensational Drinks will impress 

customers and help make their drinking experience memorable. 

Lychee Spice 

The exotic lychee and spicy ginger beer 

combine to make the perfect evening 

drink. 

Serves 1 

INGREDIENTS 

20ml Teisseire Lychee Syrup 

160ml Britvic Ginger Beer 

Cubed ice 

Cucumber slices 

METHOD 

1. Fill a tumbler glass with cubed ice 

2. Add Teisseire Lychee and ginger beer 

3. Stir 

4. Garnish with cucumber slices 

Virgin Strawberry 

Mojito 

The Virgin Strawberry Mojito is made all 

the more refreshing with the addition of a 

sprig of mint and zesty tang of lime. 

Serves 1 

INGREDIENTS 

20ml Teisseire Mojito Syrup 

20ml Teisseire Strawberry Syrup 

40ml Britvic Soda Water 

1 lime, quartered 

4 strawberries 

8 mint leaves 

Ice, crushed 

METHOD 

1. Add lime, strawberries and syrups to a 

highball glass and muddle together 

2. Add mint and gently press with a 

spoon 

3. Add ice and top with soda water 

4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and lime 

wedge 

Purdey's No Sin Fizz 

A great non-alcoholic take on the Ramos 

Gin Fizz - both refreshing and exciting in 

equal measure. 

Serves 1 

INGREDIENTS 

10 dehydrated strawberries 

2 tbsp granulated sugar 

½ tbsp citric acid 

30ml Teisseire Strawberry Syrup 

30ml double cream 

1 egg white 

30ml lemon juice 

Purdey’s Edge to top 

Cubed ice 

METHOD 

1. Blend the strawberries with the sugar 

and citric acid. Blend to a fine powder 

2. Add the cream, egg white, lemon 

juice and syrup to a cocktail shaker and 

shake 

3. Separate the shaker and add the ice 

4. Shake once more until a heavy foam 

starts to form 

5. Single strain into a tall Collins glass 

and top with Purdey’s Edge 

6. Garnish with a dusting of strawberry 

sherbet powder 

Sources: *Nielsen Scan Track MAT & TY, week ending 18.10.17, **Diet Coke TURF Flavour Assessment UK, *** Kantar Worldpanel July 18, ****Nielsen Total Coverage inc. 

Discounters, 8 w/e 29/12/18, KWP, Total Stores, 8 w/e 30/12/18, sensationaldrinks.com/help-me-sell/drinks-recipes 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

6 

A helping hand 

A Very Merry 

Roastie 

Roasties have to be one of the favourite parts of a 

Christmas dinner, so the pressure is on for chefs to make 

them perfect - crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. 

With the kitchen at its busiest, this is 

a challenge for chefs! Therefore, Take 

Stock is here to help you serve first-class 

roasties - every time. 

Ask the experts 

Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes 

are the potato of choice, according to 

Mark Rigby, executive chef at Premier 

Foods, which should be peeled and 

cut into even chunks for cooking. “To 

achieve the crispy exterior, shake the pan 

well after part boiling and draining and 

place onto a tray of hot fat for roasting,” 

he adds. Good fats to use include beef 

dripping and goose fat, and for vegans 

and vegetarians; rapeseed oil does the 

job well. “As with any dish, seasoning 

is key to achieving a delicious flavour, 

simple herbs and spices including thyme, 

rosemary and salt and pepper are best. 

Try sprinkling some Oxo cubes over the 

potatoes too. Roast potatoes are best 

served in a side dish so as not to soak up 

the meat juices and avoid getting soggy.” 

Lamb Weston’s Crispy Roast Potatoes 

ensure operators can always deliver 

the perfect end product. For an extra 

luxurious feel - and to keep menus fresh 

- why not consider giving customers a 

classy addition and offer a side of Lamb 

Weston’s Pommes Duchesses? An elegant 

touch to any special meal, they are made 

from the finest mash for a taste fit for 

royalty - a classy potato treat with luxury 

appeal, and high value for money. Gluten 

free, easy to portion, uniform sizes, 

they’re perfect oven baked. Or try Lamb 

Weston’s Pommes Noisettes - lightly 

seasoned potato balls - as an alternative 

or addition to your classic roast potatoes. 

Rosemary Roasted 

Potatoes 

By Schwartz 

Serves 10 


Cooking time: 1 hour 

INGREDIENTS 

675g baby potatoes, halved 

1 tbsp olive oil 

2 tsp rosemary 

METHOD 

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place 

the potatoes in a large roasting tray 

and drizzle over the oil 

2. Sprinkle over the rosemary and toss 

the potatoes until evenly coated 

3. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes, 

tossing the potatoes in the tray halfway 

through 

Top tip: Make your Christmas spuds 

extra crispy by swapping the olive oil 

for 100g of duck or goose fat instead 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

SERVE UP THE BEST THIS 

CHRISTMAS 

WITH THE UK’S 

7 

#1 GLUTEN 

FREE GRAVY * 

Gluten Free accounts for almost half of total 

‘Free From’ sales with 13% of the UK population 

estimated to be avoiding gluten. 

Show-stopping 

Sides 

Yorkshire Puddings 

are always a hit with 

customers; try McDougalls 

& Bisto Mini Yorkshire 

Puddings, filled with turkey 

& cranberry sauce for 

a delicious twist on the 

classic dish. 

Every menu needs good 

sides - especially at 

Christmas. 

As well as serving the standard sprouts 

and child-friendly carrots, offering an 

array of sparkling sides is a crucial part 

of your Christmas offer and a great 

opportunity for you to increase sales 

in your outlet - and make the meal 

memorable for customers. “Offer a 

choice of meat and vegetarian mains 

on your menu with the inclusion of two 

or three sides, with any additional ones 

at an extra cost to encourage upsell on 

your dishes,” says Mark Rigby, executive 

chef at Premier Foods. “This year we’re 

seeing a resurgence of fresh, seasonal 

produce that are traditional at Christmas. 

Shout about the ingredients you have 

used in the dishes on your menu, 

describe the cooking method you have 

used and mention any complementary 

ingredients you have added.” 

Weave pickles into 

cabbage, cranberry 

& mincemeat for 

an on-trend feel 

Top trends this year 

• Salt baked celeriac 

• Honey & thyme roasted 

parsnips 

• Caramelised fennel & 

orange confit 

* This product does not contain allergenic ingredients which require declaration under EU regulation 1169/2011 (Annex II) . 

Source: Kadence International: Gravy U&A. June 2016 n+305 UK Chefs. Booker’s chosen retail price. Pricing available through November 30 2019. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

8 

Mini Yorkshire Puddings 

METHOD 

By Mark Rigby, executive chef at Premier 

Foods 

Serves 10 

1. Preheat oven to 230ºC 

2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and flour until 

smooth, then whisk in the milk and season 



3. Drizzle a little oil into a non-stick tartlet 

or petit four tin and place in the oven to 

INGREDIENTS 

70g McDougalls Plain Flour 

2 whole eggs 

100ml semi skimmed milk 

Sunflower oil 

200g turkey trimmings (cooked) 

100g cranberry sauce 

150ml Bisto Turkey Gravy 

(made as per instructions) 

Salt & pepper to season 

heat through 

4. Remove the hot tin from the oven and pour 

the batter evenly into it. Place back in the oven 

and bake for 20-25 minutes until the puddings 

have risen. Remove from the oven 

5. Fill puddings with turkey trimmings and 

cranberry sauce and serve hot with the gravy 

Bisto Spicy Braised 

Red Cabbage 

By Mark Rigby, executive chef at 

Premier Foods 

Serves 10 


Cooking time: 1 hour 

INGREDIENTS 

1kg red cabbage, sliced 

250g onion, sliced 

250g red apple, cored & diced with 

the skin on 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

200g sultanas 

2g mixed spice 

12g Bisto Vegetable Bouillon Paste 

250ml boiling water 

250ml red wine 

5 fresh sage leaves, chopped 

Black pepper for seasoning 

CRISPS AS 

THEY SHOULD 

TASTE 

Honey & Thyme 

Roasted Parsnips 

By Mark Rigby, executive chef at 

Premier Foods 

Serves 10 



INGREDIENTS 

750g parsnips, peeled, cored & chopped 

each one into 4 strips 

4 tbsp beef dripping (or vegetable oil 

if preferred) 

2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 

3 tbsp clear honey 

Salt & pepper 

METHOD 

1. Heat a pan with the dripping in a preheated 

190°C oven 

2. Remove the pan and place the parsnips in, 

stirring well 

3. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 

over the thyme 

4. Return to the oven and cook for 25 minutes 

5. Remove, pour over the honey and coat well 

6. Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes 

or until golden 

METHOD 

1. Place cabbage, onions, apples, 

garlic, sage, mixed spice and sultanas 

into an ovenproof dish or large pan, 

with a little pepper 

2. Make up the bouillon with the 

boiling water and then pour over the 

cabbage, with the red wine. Cover with 

a lid and braise for approximately 45 

minutes on the stove top or an hour in 

the oven at 170°C, stirring occasionally 

3. Serve hot with a Christmas dinner or 

serve cold along with sliced meats, such 

as turkey and ham 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

9 

Spiced Apple & 

Cranberry Chutney 

By Schwartz 

A delicious chutney of apples, 

cranberries, tomatoes, onions and 

dates, gently spiced with mustard 

seed and Allspice. Delicious served 

with ham or turkey. 


INGREDIENTS 

Festive Sauces 

900g Bramley apples, peeled & 

roughly chopped 

900g cranberries 

450g tomatoes, chopped 

450g onions, chopped 

100g stoned dates, finely chopped 

450g demerara sugar 

2 tsp sea salt 

¾ pint distilled malt vinegar 

2 tsp yellow mustard seeds 

2 tsp ground allspice 

METHOD 

1. Place all of the ingredients in a large 

stainless steel saucepan 

@KraftHeinzFSUK 

www.kraftheinzfoodservice.co.uk 

Sauces at Christmas help add the finishing 

touch to a festive feast. Expectations are high 

as customers want something new, while also 

tasting the traditional homely flavours that they 

love and expect. 

“Cooking a sauce from scratch can be a 

big time and cost pressure but striking a 

balance and having a ready-to-use base 

can ensure you don’t compromise on 

quality in a cost effective and time saving 

way,” says Mark Rigby, executive chef at 

Premier Foods. “Also, if you’re struggling 

with time pressures, stocks and gravies 

can be made well in advance and 

freeze well.” 

Must-have sauces 

• Spiced apple & cranberry chutney 

• Bread sauce 

• Apple sauce 

• Cumberland sauce 

• Cranberry sauce 

Glorious gravy 

From a rich turkey and chestnut gravy 

to a bold homemade one seasoned with 

plenty of garlic, pepper and onion salt, 

no festive feast is complete without it. 

For a really savoury gravy, try adding soy 

sauce and dried mushrooms, and for a 

gravy served with goose, a date, red wine 

and port gravy is perfect. Depending 

on the meat you serve it’s best to make 

a great base gravy first, which you can 

then tweak by adding meat juices or 

sauces, such as cranberry or horseradish, 

to suit your meat. Don’t forget to offer a 

vegetarian red wine gravy for those not 

eating meat. 

Make sure you have gluten free, 

vegetarian & dairy-free sauce options! 

2. Bring the mixture to the boil 

and simmer for 2 hours, stirring 

occasionally until the excess liquid has 

evaporated and the mixture is very 

thick 

3. Sterilise 6, 450g/1lb jars with 

vinegar-proof lids. Pour boiling water 

into the jars and then pour the water 

away. Place the empty jars in a hot oven 

for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from 

the oven 

4. Spoon the chutney into the jars, seal 

and store in a cool dark cupboard. This 

chutney will keep for up to 3 months. 

Once opened, store in the fridge 

Bisto 

makes the most of the 

ingredients you have used 

along the way. Add meat 

juices, deglaze your pans 

& roasting trays & season 

well (citrus notes, wines 

& spirits work deliciously 

well) to achieve the best 

possible flavour. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

10 

Super Stuffing 

Christmas stuffing should be over the top 

and explode with flavour. 

PACKAGED LAGER HAS GROWN +£27M IN THE PAST YEAR WITH 

VOLUME GROWING AHEAD OF DRAUGHT 

From traditional to a festive twist, make 

sure your stuffing ticks all the boxes of 

your customers’ needs and makes it 

memorable for them. 

What to serve 

• Sausage, sage & onion 

• Apricot & hazelnut 

• Hazelnut, pancetta & orange 

• Chestnut, bacon & cranberry 

• Red onion, lentil & sage 

How to serve 

• That’s a wrap - finish off your stuffing 

with a criss-crossed bacon wrap and 

secure with cocktail sticks for a side 

dish that gives pigs-in-blankets a run 

for its money. 

• Roll with it - give Yule log a whole 

new meaning by serving your 

seasonal chestnut sausage meat 

stuffing as a pretty cylindrical 

centrepiece. Wrap in bacon and 

serve in thick slices. 

• Go with the grain - often-overlooked, 

polenta is an economical ingredient. 

Its soft texture lends itself well to 

being cooked with cream. Once 

topped with bacon, herbs and 

Parmesan cheese, it makes an 

ideal alternative stuffing choice. 

• Make a cake - avoid tedious ball 

rolling and flatten your stuffing into 

a cake. It works with most stuffing 

recipes, but especially stuffing 

packed with chestnuts. Serve 

as wedges. 

Source: BBC Good Food 

Porcini Mushroom 

Marsala Stuffing 

By Cooks&Co 

Serves 4 

Preparation time: 45 minutes 


INGREDIENTS 

30g Cooks&Co Dried Porcini Mushrooms 

1 cup sweet marsala wine 

¼ tsp red-pepper flakes 

2 cups white diced sandwich bread 

Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper 

⅓ cup pitted prunes, chopped 

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 

½ cup fresh sage, chopped 

500g mixed fresh mushrooms 

6 tbsp unsalted butter 

1 onion, finely chopped 

290g Italian sweet sausages 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

½ cup chicken stock 

METHOD 

1. Bring wine to a simmer in a saucepan. 

Pour over the dried porcini in a bowl, cover, 

and let it stand for 1 hour (please note 

soaking time is not included in overall 

preparation time) 

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 

nonstick frying pan over a medium heat. Add 

sausages and cook, crumbling with a spoon, 

until browned, for about 8 minutes. Add the 

onion, and cook until softened, for about 5 

minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the 

sausage and onion to a bowl 

3. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and fresh 

mushrooms to the frying pan and cook 

until browned, between 8 and 10 minutes. 

Drain the dried porcini, reserving the liquid, 

and squeeze in paper towels to remove any 

excess liquid; coarsely chop the porcini. Add 

the dried porcini to the frying pan along 

with herbs, prunes, salt and pepper. Cook 

for 3 minutes 

4. Add the mushroom mixture to sausages. 

Strain the reserved marsala through a sieve 

lined with a paper towel. (The mushroomsausage 

mixture and Marsala can be 

refrigerated separately in airtight containers 

overnight) 

5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place bread 

on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the 

remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, red-pepper 

flakes, salt, and pepper. Bake until golden 

brown, for about 15 minutes 

6. Add the toasted bread mixture and 

reserved marsala to the mushroom-sausage 

mixture, and toss. Reserve 2 to 3 cups for 

stuffing the roast meat itself. Transfer the 

remaining stuffing to an 8-inch baking dish. 

Pour the stock over the top, and dot with the 

remaining 2 tablespoons of butter cut into 

small pieces. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 

minutes. Uncover, and bake until top is crisp, 

for about 25 minutes more 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

11 

What to serve 

• Transform a flat white by adding 

cinnamon and cardamom. 

• Why not offer a gingerbread or toffee 

nut latte? 

• A nutmeg and orange flavoured coffee 

works well as an after-dinner drink or 

a mid-morning pick-me-up. 

playing a massive part. So, alongside 

your usual popular brews like English 

Breakfast and Earl Grey have some 

festive flavours too. 

What to serve 

• Give green tea a festive twist with 

traditional mulling spices, a bay leaf, 

cranberry sauce and mixed berries. 

Why not put a twist on 

the traditional eggnog and 

make a gingerbread one? 

Non-alcoholic, so suitable 

for children or those not 

wanting to drink, it’s made 

with fresh ginger, cinnamon, 

cloves and spices. 

Top teas 

With over 165 million cups of tea drunk 

each day in the UK, it’s clear everyone 

loves a cuppa and with the spend per 

• Twinings London Chai transforms a 

black tea stage with spicy cinnamon 

and fragrant cardamom and a sweet 

rooibos encore. 

cup increasing and the consumption of 

wellness teas on the rise**, tea is back 

at the top. The reality of tea is changing 

with real dynamism and speciality teas 

• Spiced Christmas Tisane and the black 

tea Spiced Christmas Tea are two 

popular teas served at the famous 

Bettys Café Tea Rooms. 

A quick brew 

Taylors of Harrogate has launched 

Winter Warmers 

Oreo Hot 

Chocolate 

Popcorn Hot 

Chocolate 

its award-winning coffee bags 

perfect for operators looking for 

convenient, fuss-free quality coffee 

to serve during the busy festive 

A steaming hot drink on a cold, frosty day is one of life’s luxuries. It warms the hands, and the soul! 

However, making your tea terrific, your coffee captivating, and your hot chocolate heaven sent 

will not only impress customers, but allow you to upsell. 

Take Stock shares some inspiration to help you make your winter drinks menu creative 

INGREDIENTS 

4 tsp Instant Cadbury Hot 

Chocolate 

200ml hot water 

2-3 tbsp whipped cream 

2 standard Oreos (1 to crumble, 

1 to garnish) 

3 mini Oreos 

½ tbsp chocolate sauce 

INGREDIENTS 

3 tsp Cadbury Hot Chocolate 

200ml hot milk 

2-3 tbsp whipped cream 

1 fun-size Crunchie 

1 tbsp caramel/toffee sauce 

1 tbsp popcorn 

2 Cadbury Chocolate Fingers 

season. With time at the essence - 

customers wanting a quick coffee 

fix and operators serving a high 

customer turnover - Taylors coffee 

bags deliver all of the flavour of 

roast and ground coffee but they 

work just like a tea bag, brewing 

in just two minutes. The perfect 

solution this Christmas! 

and memorable… 

Hot stuff 

What to serve 

Cosy coffees 

Hot chocolate is a customer winner. 

However, alongside the traditional cup 

• Adding peppermint or salted 

caramel helps give ordinary hot 

There are four times as many coffee 

shops on UK high streets than there were 

Drinks to go! 

why not shake up your usual offering? 

chocolate an extra kick. 

• Topping with marshmallows, 

crushed hazelnuts, hazelnut spread 

or chocolate chips will help attract 

more sales and allow you to charge 

a premium price. 

• Serving a white hot chocolate is 

a nice twist on tradition and it looks 

so pretty! 

• Add a sweet treat to the mix - Oreo 

and popcorn are just two popular sides 

that will help pull in sales (see recipes) 

at the turn of the century* so it’s vital that 

you get your offering right. According to 

research from Allegra, latte is the most 

popular order, followed by cappuccino, 

Americano, the flat white and finally filter. 

Real negatives for customers are weak 

taste, lack of choice and coffee served 

too cold. Make sure you bear this in 

mind when serving a higher turnover 

of customers this Christmas. 

And why not spice up your coffee serves 

with a blend of seasonal treats? 

Make your drinks to go not just 

festive but environmentally 

friendly too! Vegware’s new 

polar bear Christmas jumper 

cups are eco-friendly double 

wall hot cups made from 

sustainably-sourced board 

and a plant-based lining. Fun, 

festive and environmentally 

friendly, they mean everyone 

can be merry this Christmas. 

and allow you to charge a premium. 

Sources: *Parliamentary papers, **nationalteaday.co.uk 



TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

12 

Bringing people and 

communities together 

Join us on our quest to improve community spirit, 

by hosting a Bisto Together lunch and invite 

your local community to join in. 

For more information on how you can get involved and receive free 

Bisto Gravy Granules to support your event, visit our website 

www.premierfoodservice.co.uk 

@PremierFoods_FS 

PremierFoods_FS 

@PremierFoodsFoodservice #BistoTogether 

Time to 

Party! 

Christmas is the perfect party food season. 

Canapés and finger food are a great way 

to offer a varied selection of flavours 

when hosting festive parties. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

“It’s important that canapés 

don’t lead you to struggle 

with other food orders so 

they must be cost effective, 

easy to produce and tasty 

- and memorable.” 

Mark Rigby, executive chef 

at Premier Foods 

What to do 

According to Premier Foods Christmas 

Party Guide, customers want simple, 

traditional party food dishes - this 

isn’t the time to try out something 

new! Easy eating is everything, so 

make sure the food is designed to 

be consumed in one bite and make 

dishes which use ingredients you 

already have as part of your existing 

Christmas menu. Tempt partygoers 

with an attractive food display and 

be sure to cater for those with 

intolerances and dietary requirements 

such as vegan and vegetarian. 

What to serve 

• Rosemary, cranberry & 

brie bruschetta 

Customers want 

simpler formats 

for ease of holding 

& eating 

• Cheese & pineapple sticks 

• Mini Yorkshire puddings with 

roast turkey, gravy & 

cranberry sauce 

• Turkey & cheese croquettes 

• Mini pizza 

• Blinis with goat’s cheese & 

cranberry sauce 

• Chilli & lime battered prawns 

• Sausage rolls with chutney 

The perfect number 

of dishes on a buffet 

would be 

6 savoury & 3 sweet 

Source: Premier Food Christmas Party Guide 

Get dipping! 

Potato dippers - ideal for dipping 

into a baked camembert topped with 

cranberries and caramelised walnuts for 

a luxurious sharing dish, or an indulgent 

vegetarian starter. 

Focaccia rosemary - served warm, it 

provides a wonderful addition to sharing 

platters, or sliced, sized and toasted as 

a canapé base for a variety of toppings. 

Ideal for dipping into olive oil or 

balsamic oil. 

French biscotte & toast - a 

great alternative to crackers 

or rolls, it’s perfect for dipping 

or serving alongside a selection 

of creamy cheeses or topping with 

pâté, hummus or smoked salmon 

and cream cheese. 

Don’t forget desserts! 

According to Premier Foods Christmas 

Party Guide, 70% of those people asked 

would like to see traditional, festive 

desserts on the menu, such as mince 

pies or Christmas pudding. You could 

also try: 

• Mini custard mince pies 

• Meringues with Baileys custard cream 

• Christmas pudding truffles 

• Trifle shots 

Sources: Premier Food Christmas Party Guide, Schwartz, 

Lamb Weston and Pan’Artisan 


Introducing 

NEW HEINZ 

SALAD DRESSINGS 

TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

NO ADDED 

PRESERVATIVES OR FLAVOURS 

garlic, cheese, herbs 

honey, mustard 

lemon, 

lemon zest, 

thyme 

red grapes 

garlic, tarragon, 

black pepper, 

dried bell pepper 

strawberries, 

blueberries, 

blackberries 

The new Heinz Salad Dressings are available in six core and innovative flavours. 

In an easy to squeeze 800ml bottle, Heinz Salad Dressings are packed full of flavour 

and are a great way to elevate your salads this Summer. 

Beetroot Blinis with 

Smoked Salmon 

By Premier Foods 

Makes 20 



INGREDIENTS 

½ whole cooked beetroot 

90g Greek yogurt 

50g whole egg 

1g sodium bicarbonate 

70g McDougalls Self-raising Flour 

For the topping 

100g cream cheese 

100g smoked salmon trimmings 

20 dill sprigs 

METHOD 

1. Place all the ingredients in a food blender 

and mix to a smooth batter 

2. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into a 

non-stick pan and brown gently on both 

sides, then place on a wire rack 

3. Spread each blini with a seasoned cream 

cheese and top with the salmon and dill. 

Serve cold 

@KraftHeinzFSUK 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

Makes 10 

Turkey & Cheese Croquettes 

By Premier Foods 

Vegan Gingerbread & 

Cranberry Doughnut 

By Schwartz 

Serves 6 



INGREDIENTS 

For the doughnut dough 

1 small sweet potato, peeled & grated 

1 apple, grated 

50g brown sugar 

¼ pint oil 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1 tsp cinnamon powder 

100g rice flour 

50g almond powder 

25g coconut flour 

50g tapioca starch 

1 tsp baking powder 

½ tsp bicarbonate soda 

½ tsp salt 

For the cranberry icing 

100g fresh cranberries 

4 tbsp water 

125g icing sugar 

1tbsp coconut butter 



INGREDIENTS 

For the filling 

200g Bisto Cheese Sauce, made 

as per instructions 

200g Comté Cheese, grated 

150g cooked turkey mince 


Pinch salt & pepper 

For the coating 

2 eggs, whisked 


100g fresh breadcrumbs 

METHOD 

1. Make up the cheese sauce and fold in 

cheese. Allow to melt into the sauce, then beat 

in the flour, adjust the seasoning, then cool 

2. Add the cooked mince and chill 

3. Mould the mix into 10 equal portions 

4. Dip each portion into the flour, egg, then 

breadcrumbs 

5. Deep fry at 180ºC until golden brown, 

then serve hot 

For the topping 

1 tbsp coconut, shredded 

METHOD 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C 

2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, 

apple, sugar, oil, ginger, cinnamon, rice flour, 

almond powder, coconut flour, tapioca starch, 

baking powder, baking soda and salt until you 

have a soft, smooth and moist dough 

3. Make balls of dough and place them onto a 

baking sheet covered with baking paper. Flatten 

the balls and make small holes in the centre. 

Bake for 25 minutes. Leave them to cool 

4. Place the cranberries and water in a small 

saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. 

Stir often, crushing the berries as they begin 

to soften, until the mixture reaches a jammy 

consistency, about 8-9 minutes. Set aside 

to cool 

5. Place the cranberries, icing sugar and coconut 

butter into the blender. Blend until smooth 

6. Place a wire rack on top of a sheet of baking 

paper, and then place doughnuts side by side 

on top of the wire rack, drizzle the cranberry 

glaze over then sprinkle with coconut and 

chopped cranberries 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

13 

Fast & Festive 

Christmas is busy enough without having to spend hours prepping 

and preparing a dessert. 

Here are some quick and easy desserts that will not only help free 

time up for you in the kitchen, but impress customers too. 

Christmas Pudding Baked Alaska 

By Macphie 

Christmas pudding is as traditional a festive dessert as you 

can get. This year, why not give it a twist by offering it as a 

sundae or baked Alaska? 

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS 

400g Macphie Panna Cotta 

1 small Christmas pudding 

100g raisins 

40g Salted Caramel OTT dessert sauce 

50g brandy 

200g Macphie Mallow 

METHOD 

1. Soak the raisins in brandy & leave for 1 hour 

2. Mix the raisins into the panna cotta and ripple with the 

OTT sauce, pour into individual moulds and freeze for 3 

hours 

3. Make a round base out of the Christmas pudding and top 

with a portion of panna cotta ice cream 

4. Pipe the mallow around the ice cream ensuring it is fully 

covered and then glaze with a torch (this can be done in 

advance and stored in the freezer until needed) 

45 takestockmagazine.com

THE UK’s 

No.1 CEREAL BRAND * 

TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

Weetabix Catering Pack B 48 x 2 

Weetabix 

Catering Pack A 6 x 48 

THE UK’s No.1 

SELLING MUESLI * 

Alpen 

Original 

Sachets 

30 x 50g 

Weetabix Catering Pack C 96 x 1 

THE UK’s 2nd BIGGEST 

HOT CEREAL BRAND * 

Lemon Cheesecake 

By Nestlé 

This refreshing sweet and citrusy 

no-bake lemon cheesecake recipe 

only takes 20 minutes to prepare 

and is made in three easy steps. 

Serves 10 

INGREDIENTS 

175g light digestive biscuits, 

crushed 

55g unsalted butter, melted 

397g can Carnation Condensed Milk 

300g cream cheese 

2 lemons, juice & zest 

6 tbsp lemon curd 

Extra lemon zest to serve (optional) 

20cm loose-bottomed cake tin 

METHOD 

Alpen Original 1.3kg 

Alpen Fruit & Nut With Chocolate Bar 

24 x 29g 

Alpen 

NAS 

Sachets 

30 x 41g 

Alpen Light Summer Fruits Bar 

24 x 19g 

Ready Brek 

Original 6 x 450g 

Alpen Light Salted Caramel Bar 

24 x 19g 

Serves 1 

INGREDIENTS 

½ small Christmas pudding 

100g Macphie Brandy Sauce 

2 balls vanilla ice cream 

150g Macphie Glen Delight 

Christmas Pudding Sundae 

By Macphie 

METHOD 

1. Break up the Christmas pudding and place 

in the bottom of the sundae glass 

2. Microwave for 20/30 seconds on high power 

3. Top with ice cream balls, then pour over the 

brandy sauce 

4. Finish with whipped Glen Delight 

1. Put the biscuits and butter into a 

bowl and mix together thoroughly. 

Press the mixture into the base of your 

tin. Chill for 10 minutes 

2. Pour the condensed milk into a large 

bowl. Add the cream cheese and lemon 

zest and whisk together. Mix in the 

lemon juice and pour into the tin. Chill 

for 2 hours 

3. To serve, take the cheesecake out 

of the tin and place onto a plate. Warm 

the lemon curd with 1tbsp water and 

then drizzle over the cheesecake. Finish 

with lemon zest and why not top with 

some raspberries? 

*Source: Nielsen 52 w/e 15/06/19 - Total Impulse. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

14 

A Festive 

Dram 

Whisky is synonymous with Christmas. To make 

sure you maximise your sales this Christmas and 

encourage your customer engagement, Take Stock 

spoke to Phil Huckle, UK brand ambassador Scotch 

whisky for Pernod Ricard about what’s happening 

in the world of whisky, and how you can make this 

festive season a memorable one for your outlet. 

Scotch whisky is once again very 

fashionable. Ever since blended whisky 

arrived on the scene in the late 1800s 

and started to spread like wildfire around 

the world, scotch has been only heading 

in one direction, with one or two dips 

in popularity around American 

prohibition, WW2 and the arrival 

of vodka on the scene. 

However, this magical spirit has always 

bounced back, thrived and innovated, 

and today is a true golden era. Growth 

is rampant in the emerging markets of 

Asia and South America, the choice for 

consumers is incredible with so many 

new brands and distilleries opening. 

The luxury end of the market is thriving 

and in many countries scotch is seen 

as the ultimate in sophistication, wealth 

and status. 

The UK market however is tricky. 

Consumers still have some perception 

problems with blended whisky, and 

single malt whisky while growing fast 

is still seen as complicated for many 

For an outlet that wants to really take 

advantage of the scotch renaissance 

and grow sales (especially to a younger 

under 30 crowd) then here are a few 

vital steps to follow: 


@Tyrrells 

What a superb 

range for food 

service 

Backbar 

This is your chance to shine, as this is the 

foundation to impress your customers. 

Scotch whisky is arguably the most 

diverse of spirits, so you should stock 

a number of alternatives. The product 

doesn’t spoil and your gross profit 

is strong, also having an impressive 

backbar is only going to help the 

perception of the venue. 

have incredible heritage so including 

this encourages your customers 

to purchase. 

• Simple things like whisky flights and 

whisky of the month are all tried and 

tested, and work. 

• Beer and whisky go well together 

so recommendations of pairings 

can enhance sales. 

TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

great for portion control 

resealable for freshness 

less waste! 

some tasty tubs 

you have there 

Edith 

What to stock 

Single malts - look for about 10 to 

start with. Have roughly half from 

Speyside because this is the most 

popular style - sweet, fruity and floral. 

Have a mix between the most popular 

single malts (Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet, 

Macallan, Balvenie, Aberlour) and several 

smaller distilleries. Also mix up the age 

statements from 10 year to the ceiling of 

what your customers can afford. Don’t 

forget to also vary the cask varieties with 

representatives of American, sherry and 

double casks. 

Smoky Islay - have several of these 

whiskies together with several interesting 

varieties from the Highland region. 

Providing a reasonable variety means 

you are appealing to more consumers 

and starting to become the bar to attract 

whisky lovers. 

Blended whisky - as 80-90% of the 

global market, two premium blends 

which dominate the global scene are 

Chivas Regal and Johnnie Walker. Both 

brands have a wide range, so my advice 

would be to stock them both. Then, 

depending on your establishment, 

you might want to have several entry 

level blends. For example, if you run a 

premium bar then Chivas 12 is a good 

entry point. 

Menus 

These are so important to sell whisky. 

Most bars just list what they stock, with 

the price, however I’d suggest you also: 

• Expand and include the tasting notes, 

its provenance and even a little of 

the history, as this makes a big 

difference. Brands like The Glenlivet 

• Cheese and chocolate make good 

pairings for whisky, so if you have a 

restaurant there is another option for 

the menu. 

• Starting a whisky club and offering 

tastings will get your customers 

trying whiskies they may not have 

tried before. 

Staff training 

Use your suppliers to train your staff. 

Your staff are your frontline sales people 

and not just the bar team. Floor staff are 

just as important. Start a sales incentive 

encouraging your team to upsell. 

Cocktails & mixed drinks 

Many customers don’t realise the 

mixability of this great spirit. Soda water, 

ginger ale, and ginger beer etc, all work 

well. The great classic cocktails like a 

whisky sour, blood and sand or a Rob 

Roy are all wonderful drinks. However, 

there are an infinite number of modern, 

contemporary cocktails which your 

staff can create or are available in 

cocktail books or online. Mixed drinks 

and cocktails will bring your younger 

customers into the category. 

The highball 

Soda water is back! It mixes very well 

with Scotch whisky, because it doesn’t 

mask the flavour of the whisky, carrying 

it instead. A really refreshing way of 

drinking whisky, soda water also doesn’t 

have any calories and this again appeals 

to the younger demographic. The scotch 

and soda highball is seeing rapid growth 

and a whole new generation of drinkers 

are discovering it. 

Use bottles rather than the gun and good 

quality ice, glass and whisky will make all 

the difference. This drink is popular again 

in America and over here the major 

drinks companies are starting to heavily 

promote it. I would start thinking of a 

highball menu now with the classic style 

and a few innovative twists. One of my 

favourites, as an example, is 50ml Chivas 

Mizunara, 10ml peach liqueur, soda water 

and lemon to garnish. Simple, delicious 

and refreshing. 

Ice or water 

Finally, should you serve with ice or 

water or neat if drinking straight? It 

depends on your mood and what you 

like. All are fine in my opinion, but then 

I’m not a devout purist. I think with a 

good quality single malt or blend, a little 

water is a recommended way of drinking 

it. The water opens up the whisky and 

releases more flavour. How much? 

Anything from a tiny drop to 2 parts 

whisky to 1 part water works quite well. 

Ice will make the whisky smoother to 

drink but you lose some of the flavour. 

Either way, however you drink your 

whisky this versatile spirit is well 

worth exploring. 

...Prompt precurement advised 


15 

Dalton Mello and Greg Rush 

Twelve is the only organic plant-based restaurant in Bournemouth, Dorset and the UK’s first organic bar 

to make cocktails with fresh cold-pressed juices. Opened in November 2018 by steak and seafood pros 

Dalton Mello and Greg Rush, the pair have stepped away from mainstream dining in favour of a niche 

business which is showing huge growth potential. We spoke to Dalton to find out more... 

What is your career history? 

Describe your menu... 

I was a restaurant supervisor at Gaucho and then private dining 

manager at Caprice Holdings. Greg worked for Hawksmoor 

before taking a restaurant manager job at Goodman Group’s 

Burger & Lobster. 

So how did Twelve come about? 

Part of our culture is that you’re fed while at work, and in our 

case, that meant eating a lot of red meat! While it was delicious 

and the best quality, over time we both began to feel tired and 

lethargic, so we decided to give our bodies a rest from it. It was 

a month that changed our lives in more ways than one! Those 

four weeks were a revelation – we felt great with so much 

energy, and so it inspired us to take it a step further and become 

vegetarian for a month. The health benefits were enormous 

and we made the decision to become vegan, and felt incredible! 

This dietary decision sparked our imaginations. We knew that 

there was demand for a venue where customers could come 

and enjoy fantastic food that also made them feel good. And, 

rather than go to a restaurant and scan the menu for the one 

or two vegan dishes, we decided to create a restaurant where 

everything is plant based. 

Twelve brings together plenty of classic dishes, all organic and 

vegan, under one roof. An Italian restaurant may offer a vegan 

option, as will an American-themed outlet, or a Mexican - here 

we provide all the classics, brasserie-style, all under one roof. 

The menu has a variety of dishes, including burgers, pub grub 

and pasta dishes. So many vegans used to love those flavours 

and miss them, so we try and recreate them as plant-based 

dishes, and they absolutely fly out. Fresh, organic and quality 

are the buzz words for Twelve, and we focus on sourcing 

British produce. 

Tell us about your organic bar... 

It’s the UK’s first 100% organic bar. We offer a huge choice of 

organic cold-pressed juices which are a big daytime seller, 

especially our most popular juice, Energy Rush, which is made 

of carrot, orange, ginger and Maca, a Peruvian root which offers 

several health benefits and boosts energy. Our cold-pressed 

juice bar offers a rainbow of choices with superfood ingredients 

to give you a health kick. 

What about alcohol? 

Tell us about Twelve... 

We spent a lot of time on market research and wanted to 

prove that vegan restaurants can be ‘slick’, as many outside 

London have a ‘homemade vibe’. Therefore, Twelve Eatery is 

a place where vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians, flexitarians, 

omnivores and meat eaters meet to try creative dishes in a 

good atmosphere with stylish interiors. We believe great 

food and good music should be enjoyed by everyone! 

What’s its aim? 

While the restaurant is vegan, we are very clear about the 

messaging around the menu: our approach is all about the 

customer experience and creating genuinely delicious food that 

just happens to be plant based. There are no obvious vegan cues 

and most of our customers don’t even make the connection 

that the menu is plant based. For us, it's all about organic and 

sustainability. We pride ourselves on being defined not by what’s 

missing but by what it is, and that’s genuinely delicious food. 

We use our organic juices to make cocktails, which are 

incredibly popular as the day turns into night. We use natural 

sweeteners, such as maple syrup and agave to ensure the 

cocktails are a healthy indulgence, especially as we add Maca 

and cold-pressed CBD products to boost their health credentials. 

Our cocktails are perfect for those wanting to indulge but 

without undoing their good work. It’s all about balance. The 

wines and beers we offer are organic and natural too. Some of 

our wines even contain no sulphur, which is perfect for avoiding 

a hangover. We also offer a range of organic spirits, liqueurs 

and great coffee too! 

Do you feel a responsibility for your 

customer’s health? 

In a way, yes. Running a restaurant that customers rely on for 

great flavour and a health boost is quite a responsibility. We 

recognise that people trust us to deliver healthy, nutritious 

ingredients and flavour-packed dishes. We pride ourselves on 

knowing our ingredients inside and out as our customers are 

relying on us to deliver what they need. 

Grill 

We 

Who is your customer base? 

Somewhat surprisingly, the vast majority are not vegan! Instead, 

80% of our customers are women, aged 30-45, looking to eat 

healthily. People are turning away from junk food and instead 

are opting for outlets that offer more wholesome, healthy 

options and we pride ourselves on producing the opposite 

of fast food. We take our time to create dishes that customers 

will love and remember. 

What’s your future vision for Twelve? 

Ideally, that it will eventually become the UK’s first national 

vegan chain. Twelve is just a restaurant that happens to be 

vegan. We want to take plant-based diet to a different level 

and help people understand that you can still enjoy pretty 

much everything in your lifestyle without giving anything up. 

Copy credit: Caterer Connections 



TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

16 

Cheese to Please 

Consumers are more likely to treat themselves, and others, with luxurious and indulgent 

food choices during the festive season. For those that lack a sweet tooth, an end of dinner 

Christmas cheeseboard is a much-anticipated treat! 

What to serve 

Cheese remains a yuletide favourite, 

so this is the time to be a little more 

adventurous and ditch ‘run of the mill’ 

Cheddar! The demand for continental 

and hot eating cheese has soared, so look 

at having a hot cheese option. Serve in a 

ceramic baking dish, or for the authentic 

look, the traditional wooden carton. 

Eurilait’s baking Camemberts are perfect 

examples of what's available and their 

range of topped Camemberts include 

Orange Blossom Honey and Thyme 

Glaze or Caramelised Red Onion Relish. 

Top choices 

• A rich & oozy classic French Epoisses 

• A full flavoured Brie de Meaux 

• A creamy, silky-smooth textured 

Pavé d'Affinois 

• Sweet & nutty flavoured Rutland Red 

• The lighter, palate-cleansing Soignon 

goat log 

Cheese & wine pairings 

• Full flavoured, soft ripened cheeses 

- Gewürztraminer, Chablis or Sauternes 

white wines and red Pinot Noir 

• Blue cheese - white Bordeaux and 

red Shiraz 

• Cheddar and British territorial aged 

cheeses - white Burgundy and red 

Cabernet Sauvignon 

• Strong cheese - full bodied reds 

• Mature cheese - sweet/dessert wines 

such as Sauternes and semi-sweet 

Rieslings 

• Why not wrap a wedge of 

Camembert in smoked streaky 

bacon and strips of buttered filo 

pastry, then bake until crisp? 

• Stilton is still the best cheese for 

Christmas - it takes six months 

to mature, so is a treat. 

And don’t forget the 

accompaniments! 

• Breadsticks 

• French baguette 

• Crunchy crackers 

• Chutneys & relishes 

• Figs & grapes 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

17 

The Christmas 

Classics 

* 

The bar is a busy place at Christmas. 

In between serving impressive cocktails, 

plenty of pints and enough Prosecco 

to make Santa tipsy, don’t forget the 

Christmas classics! 

We’re giving away £5,000! 

For a chance to win up to £1,000 every week, pick up the NESCAFÉ ® Original 

festive bundle and spread some Christmas coffee cheer! 

Our fantastic pack includes two 750g tins of NESCAFÉ ® Original – the 

nation’s favourite coffee ** and for a sweet treat with every cup, you’ll get 

a 1kg tin of Quality Street ® . 

Every pack purchased gives you a chance to win, so why not give your 

coffee break a special seasonal twist? Keep those festive fingers crossed 

and maybe Christmas will come early for you this year. 

To sign up visit nestleprofessional.co.uk/crackerpack 

*Ts&Cs apply. **Source: IRI MAT 52 w/e May 2019. ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. 

Hot Toddy - the combination of whisky, 

honey, lemon, cinnamon and cloves 

packs a punch that helps warm up 

your customers. 

Snowball - have a ball at Christmas with 

this fun drink! Everyone loves sipping a 

snowball, so make sure this retro cocktail 

of advocaat, lemonade, lime juice and 

plenty of ice takes pride of place on 

your bar. 

Eggnog - this spiced and spiked eggyolk-and-milk 

mixture is believed to have 

originated from early medieval Britain 

“posset” - a hot, milky, ale-like drink, and, 

despite it’s unusual taste, is still a firm 

favourite during the festive period. 

Whisky Mac - this old timers’ cocktail has 

been around since the 1860s and is made 

up of whisky and ginger wine. Built in a 

rocks glass over a few ice cubes it’s the 

perfect winter warmer. Garnish with a 

fresh slice of ginger. 

Baileys - the original Irish cream and 

the festive season go hand in hand. 

Traditionally served over ice, with an 

ABV of 17%, this indulgent dessert-like 

drink ticks the box for those customers 

at Christmas looking for a lower ABV 

cocktail, late afternoon and after 

dinner drink. 

Hot Buttered Rum - a drink whose 

flavour improves with age, it is made 

up of spiced rum, boiling water, butter 

and brown sugar, garnished with 

nutmeg and a cinnamon stick. The 

ultimate winter cocktail. 

Bucks Fizz - the simple and classic 

combination of orange juice and 

Champagne make it the perfect party 

drink, or a Christmas lunch aperitif. 

Sherry - no longer just a treat for Nan at 

Christmas, sherry has seen a renaissance 

with more drinkers (of all ages) showing 

a growing interest in the various styles, 

so make sure you stock up! 

Mulled Wine - nothing screams 

“Christmas” more than mulled wine! 

The alluring and comforting smell of 

mulled wine will help pull punters in. 

Great to serve at a party, or have a pot 

simmering on your bar. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

CREATE A DELICIOUS 

18 

TASTING GRAVY THIS 

CHRISTMAS WITH MAGGI ® 

To make the most of the busiest time 

of the year, prepare by spending time 

briefing staff and getting your premises 

up to standard before the festive 

revellers arrive. 

First impressions… 

Make sure your customers are wowed 

from the moment they step through the 

door - or even before! Your premises 

should be cleaned inside and out - 

everything from curtains and carpets to 

barware and cutlery should be spotless. 

Keep it going 

Once you’ve made a perfect first 

impression on your customer - keep it 

up! Make sure each new customer is 

greeted with a clean fresh table or bar 

and that the floor around where they’ll 

be sitting or standing is clean and tidy. 

Top toilets 

According to research by YouGov 97% 

of customers would not return to a 

restaurant if its bathrooms had poor 

hygiene levels which shows how critical 

it is to keep toilets clean and tidy. 

It is also worth changing the hand towel 

between sittings, making sure there is 

always plenty of toilet roll and that the 

soap dispenser is topped up. 

Get Christmas Ready 

Christmas is the busiest time of year for operators, so it’s important that every aspect 

of your establishment is ready for the extra customers the festive period brings. 

Little extras 

Make your establishment stand out 

with the little extra touches your guests 

will remember. Festive flowers warm 

the place up and nice toiletries in the 

bathroom can make all the difference. 

Hand out selection boxes or activity 

books and crayons to children who visit. 

Looking after your 

customers 

No matter how busy it gets over the 

Christmas period, there are some things 

you must get right. Make sure you and 

your team are looking after customers 

at all times. This includes: 

• Greeting every customer with a 

warm welcome. 

• Ask for feedback on your customers' 

meals - once while they’re eating and 

again while clearing away plates. 

• Tidy away empty plates and glasses. 

• Make sure menus and specials 

boards are kept up to date. 

• If someone asks for tap water, 

make sure they get it promptly. 

• Make sure customers have cutlery 

by the time their meal is served. 

• Check there is salt and pepper on 

every table. 

Christmas Day 

restaurant dining rates 

have increased by 

240% 

in the UK compared 

with 5 years ago 

Source: OpenTable 

MAGGI® GRAVIES; GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN, GOLDEN AND ORIGINAL 

Take the hassle out of making thick, glossy and flavourful gravies 

Trading over Christmas 

2018 was up by 

4.1% 

on 2017 in pubs 

& restaurants 

• Plan to make sure you don’t run 

out of any staples from fruit juice 

to ice cream. 

*Serving suggestion 

To find out more visit www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/maggi 

®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé SA 

Source: CGA 


YOUR 

TAKE STOCK 

MAGAZINE 

CHAMPIONING INDEPENDENT BRITISH CATERING • SEPT - OCT 2019 

19 

Champions 2019 

MAR-APR 

Alex Waldron @chefdealex 

Sous chef, Darwins at The George 

Hotel, Lichfield - Char-grilled sweet 

potato, sweet potato puree, pickled 

grapes, leeks, smoked paprika 

granola & grape jus 

Ryan Bolt @chefryanbolt 

Executive chef, The Bell Inn, 

Lowestoft - Deconstructed 

beef wellington 

Mason Wooltorton 

@chef_mason_wooltorton 

Head chef, The Ship Inn, South 

Walsham, Norfolk - Creme de 

menthe parfait, chocolate 

mousse, mint gel & chocolate tuile 

Feed Your Eyes 

Yet again, it has been a triumphant year of 

#FeedYourEyes entries posted on Twitter and Instagram. 

MAY-JUN 

Tim Stamp @stamp_tim 

Head chef, Dovecote Inn in Laxton, 

Nottinghamshire - Haddock 

mousse, saffron & pepper veil, 

beetroot pickled shallots 

Jack Witcher @jackanorywitch 

Chef, The Croft at Bourton-on-the- 

Water, Cheltenham - Lamb rack, 

kale & red wine sauce 

Terry Balme @terrybalme_chef 

Head chef, The Honingham Buck 

in Norwich, Norfolk - Cheesecake 

potted sorbet 

The quality and range of each dish created has dazzled and 

impressed us, so we would like to take this opportunity to say 

a huge thanks to everyone who has posted. 

As a special reward for all of our winners this year, we thought it 

would be a fitting tribute to show off their creativity once more! 

And thanks goes to our sponsors RH Amar, Premier Foods 

and Kerrymaid for their continued support. 

Here’s to a prosperous and creative Christmas! 

Please keep those entries coming in 2020! 

JUL-AUG 

Kirk Wade @chef_kirk_wade 

Head chef, Blacksmiths at 

Clayworth, Retford - Crab 

& tomato 

Mark Fice @m4rkf1ce 

Head chef, The Ship Inn in 

Ugborough, Plymouth - Pea, 

shallot & basil arancini roasted 

aubergine, goat's cheese & cider 

vinegar dressing 

Gary Heffer @chefheff88 

Head chef, Black Boys Hotel 

in Aylsham, Norfolk - Norfolk 

strawberry Eton mess pavlova 

with strawberry & mint sorbet 



JAN-FEB 

Sam Taylor @chefsamtaylor 

Head chef, The Village Maid in 

Lound, Suffolk - Monkfish scampi, 

charred baby corn, pak choi & 

wasabi mayo 

Danial Olive @chefdanolive 

Head chef, St Andrews Brewhouse, 

Norwich - Roasted half pigeon on 

sourdough toast with port & honey 

jus & pea shoots 

Rebecca Marshman 

@rebeccamrondeau 

Head pastry chef, Wimbledon 

Tennis Club, London - Rum-soaked 

pineapple with exotic fruit, salsa & 

coconut lime sorbet 

• Curry Nights • Spooky Shots • Barrels of Fun 

SEPT-OCT 

Jacob James Garwood 

@chefjakegarwood 

Head chef/director, Liberty 

in Wroxham, Norfolk - Scallops, 

orange, Pak Choi & marigold 

Rory Lovie @chefrorylovie 

Head chef, Bridgeview Station, 

Dundee - Smoked goosnargh 

duck breast, beetroot, & Angus 

Karaka Blackberries 

Kate-Marie Williams 

@cotswold_cook 

Trainee chef, The Croft Restaurant 

in Burton on the Water, Cotswolds - 

Classic Eton mess with strawberry 

yoghurt & honeydew melon 



TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

20 

A Snacking 

Nation 

According to research by NPD Group, out of home snacking increased by 11% in the past 

year, and with over 31%* of all sharing snacks being sold between October to Christmas, 

now is the time to stock up on snacks. 

Why snacks work at 


• Increased number of customers 

coming through your door. 

• A diverse age range of customers 

with different tastes. 

• Flexible and out of hours dining 

opportunities. 

• Food that fits in with customers 

drinking alcohol for longer periods. 

A new nut 

The humble bag of nuts has become a 

key player in the snacking sector. Gone 

are the days where offering just salted 

or roasted nuts was enough as, today, 

consumers are looking for healthy yet 

innovative products to snack on. Give 

customers plenty of choice when they 

visit and stock up on a range of different 

nuts and flavour combinations, from 

simple and salty to hot and spicy. Mr 

Filbert’s Moroccan Spiced Almonds are 

a good contender. Californian almonds, 

roasted to perfection and then tumbled 

in chipotle chillies, garlic, honey and cool 

mint, to produce a Moroccan harissa 

inspired hot snack. 

“Nuts enjoy a huge 

spike in sales at 

Christmas driven by 

consumers buying 

large bags to share 

with friends & family.” 

Adam Gibbons, business account 

manager at KP Snacks 


TAKE STOCK 

PLAN AHEAD 

FREE 

POS 

Growing 

faster than 

the market 

+16.8%* 

(vs+5.6%) 

NEW 

LOOK 

Large sharing 

Pringles 

increase 

27% 

at Christmas 

Crisps 

are one of the most 

impulsive & incremental 

food & drink categories 

Keep it healthy 

Christmas may be the season when 

it’s acceptable to be gluttonous, but 

not everyone wants to be the same 

size as Santa come the new year. 

Therefore, be mindful that some 

customers will be looking for tasty 

snacks that have some health benefits; 

and also take into account your vegan 

and vegetarian customers, plus, of 

course, younger customers. 

GB’s 

No.1 

Pork 

Snacks 

Brand ** 

Plant-based snacks such as nuts, seeds 

and pulses tick the healthy box, as do 

fruit and nut combinations. Tayto’s Pure 

Bite popped rice clusters, nut clusters 

and crunchy coconut clusters are free 

from dairy, gluten and preservatives 

and Golden Wonder’s Light and Loaded 

deliver all the taste but with half the fat 

in mainstream flavours. The KP Snacks 

range now has 29 products that are 

under 100 calories per pack, including 

POM-BEAR, Space Raiders and Skips. 

A beer pairing 

According to McCain Foodservice 

Solutions the benefits of operators 

getting their beer and snack matching 

offering right could potentially earn them 

a collective £8.1m in incremental sales. 

Under the name of Brew City, McCain 

has launched ‘Beermunch’ - a series of 

hot snacks developed to pair with craft 

lagers and ales - which would work very 

well during the festivities. Some of the 

pairings include: India Pale Ale with IPA 

fries, jalapeño slices coated in tempura 

batter served with brown ale, mac and 

cheese wrapped in a crispy IPA beer 

batter pairs with Irish stouts and dill 

pickle fries in a mustard coating provide 

a big flavour that works well with most 

craft and premium beers. 

Contact Neil Sturgess to place an order: 

neil.sturgess@tayto.com / 07918 733 220 

*Source: IRI Market Place + KantarWorldPanel | Total GB |Total Crisps & Snacks | £ Value | 52 w/e 02-Dec-18 vs. 52 w/e 03-Dec-17 

**Source: Kantar WorldPanel | Total GB | Pork and Mr Porky | Spend (£000) | 52 w/e 02-Dec-18 

A festive twist 

Offering honey roast peanuts help 

bring that festive feel to the bar, but 

why not also have something different 

and fun as an alternative bar snack this 

Christmas? Use cereal to make some 

tasty treats, such as Snowmen Treats 

and Red-Nosed Reindeers. 

*Source: Kantar Worldpanel 

• Christmas wouldn’t be the same • Offer indulgent snacks like 

without Twiglets, Mini Cheddars Sensations Streetmix & Sensations 

and Christmas Tree shaped 

Poppadoms and Oriental 

Tortilla chips - so get stocked up! Crackers. They tick 

the on-trend box for 

• Stock up on a variety of flavours 

global flavours & 

for your sharing bags. 

allow you to have a 

premium option. 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

21 

Time to 

Sparkle 

Take Stock shows you how 

to sparkle up your sparkle... 

The demand 

The rise and rise of on-trade sales of 

Prosecco is well documented. However, 

according to CGA research, 61% of 

people who drink Prosecco in pubs and 

bars also drink Champagne - so the 

opportunity to upscale is definitely there. 

To give you the greatest chance 

of getting your customer to treat 

themselves, it’s important that your 

Champagne range covers entry level 

to premium price points. You should 

also have the option of higher quality 

sparkling wines, so that, whatever the 

customers taste or budget, they can tap 

into the excitement - something that’s 

especially important to younger drinkers. 

Champagne 

With a wide range of offerings, ranging 

from real entry level up to the Grand 

Marques - it’s important to get this right. 

Look for a house Champagne that 

has consistent quality. Society of Vintners 

own brand Jules Feraud NV Brut is 

a former award winner and is also 

available in Rosé and Demi-Sec. Even 

more importantly for the hospitality 

market, it's available in half bottles, 

magnums and jeroboams too! 

Then add names that your customers 

recognise - Mumm, Moet, Bollinger, 

Veuve Cliquot, etc - but get around 

customers retail market familiarity 

by opting for specials from their 

respective ranges. 

Consider having a draught offering, 

enabling quick and simple by the 

glass sales. However, for that special 

occasion, nothing beats the theatre 

of a popping cork. 

Sparkling wine sales 

in the on-trade are 

up 50% 

year-on-year 

Source: UHY Hacker Young 

Australian sparkling wines at a variety 

of price points that not only look good, 

but also are exclusive to the on-trade, 

for example Conte di Campiano. 

And banish any Brexit blues by listing 

some of the fabulous - and awardwinning 

- sparkling wines being 

produced here in Britain. Look for 

names like Hambledon, Berry Bros 

& Rudd and Nyetimber, all of whom 

have beaten major French Champagne 

houses in blind tastings. 

Finally, make sure you include rosé 

derivatives as demand for pink drinks 

is very much in vogue at the moment. 

Glassware 

Presentation is an essential part of the 

theatre surrounding sparkling wine 

and Champagne. Whether you use 

traditional saucer glasses or modern 

flutes, it’s essential your glassware is 

polished and dry - thereby maximising 

the bubbles within. 

Presentation 

A special drink deserves special 

treatment. By all means have your 

sparkling wines and Champagnes in 

your wine list, but have a dedicated list 

too - both on and behind the bar and 

on a prominently sited blackboard. Run 

a sparkling wine and Champagne offer 

too. Offer a half bottle within a meal deal. 

This gives you an opportunity to up sell, 

and once your customer has started with 

a sparkler, there’s every probability they’ll 

want to continue the fun with another. 

Stock magnums. Offering maximum 

theatre these contain sufficient to fill 12 

glasses - perfect for larger groups and 

guaranteed to get people talking and 

feeling good. 

Use drink glitters and shimmers to create 

really festive looking cocktails. 

Make sure the fizz you sell is properly 

chilled and bubbly! If you’re left with 

a part finished bottle, either use a 

professional stopper, or use what’s left 

in any one of the many cocktails that 

have sparkling wine within. That way 

everyone gets their drink in the best 

possible condition. 

Sales of Champagne 

magnums have risen 

almost 

70% 

over the last 5 years 

Source: Comité Champagne 

Sparkling wines 

Special occasions deserve the very best - which is why Champagne 

and sparkling wine sales reach a peak during Christmas and New Year. 

This is great news for the on-trade, as it gives you an opportunity to 

boost your bottom line, and put a smile on your customers' faces. 

To maximise eye appeal - and 

profitability - it’s important to have wines 

with good presentation and style. Nua 

and Famiglia Pasqua Treviso from Society 

Vintners are excellent examples. 

Then look beyond and stock something 

a little bit different. There are some 

excellent French, Italian, Spanish and 



TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

22 

Get your new year party going with a range of sparkling 

wine and Champagne cocktails. Top suggestions are: 

CONTINUES TO 

DRIVE GROWTH IN TOTAL ALCOHOL 

French 75: Shake together 1 tbsp lemon 

juice, 1 tbsp sugar syrup and 50ml gin 

over ice. Pour into a flute and top with 

Champagne. Swirl gently and garnish 

with lemon zest. 

Mimosa: Pour 25ml fresh clementine 

juice and 50ml fresh orange juice into 

a flute. Top with 100ml Champagne 

and serve. 

Sgroppino: Put 2 tsp lemon sorbet into 

a champagne flute. Pour over 2 tsp 

vodka and top with Champagne. 

Total Spirits by Quality – This Year 

£4,625m 

+£229m 

£1,547m 

+£96m 

Most drinkers are willing to trade up 

Consumer’s appetite for premium brands remains strong 

60% of consumers are likely to pay extra for a better quality cocktail 

of consumers agree they are much more likely to try 

76% a cocktail if they’ve heard of the spirit brand included 

Why is there a growing interest in premium drinks? 

GROWING DESIRE FOR COCKTAILS 

• Cocktail bars and cocktails on menu cards in 

on-trade are growing 

QUALITY ABOVE QUANTITY 

• From night time to day time drinking 

(quality drinks, not quantity) 

• Increase in premium dining 

(with premium drinks) 

WELLBEING 

• Consumers want to consume 

less alcohol 

£545m 

+£107m 

+5% +7% +25% 

Aperitivo Sparkle: Put 3 cubes of ice 

into a large wine glass. Add 50ml Aperol 

or Campari followed by 25ml chilled 

sparkling water. Top up with Champagne. 

Do you know your 

Champagne bottles? 

Black Velvet: Half fill a Champagne Kir Royale: Pour 1tsp Crème de Cassis 

flute with Guinness or Porter. Top 

into a flute. Top with Champagne and 

with Champagne. 

garnish with a frozen blackberry. 

Name Number of bottles Number of glasses 

Piccolo 20cl 2 

Demi 37.5cl 3 

Standard bottle 75cl/1 bottle 6 

Magnum 2 12 

Jéroboam 4 24 

Réhoboam 6 36 

Methusaleh 8 48 

Balthazar 16 96 

Nebuchadnezzar 20 120 

Solomon 24 144 

Sovereign 35 210 

Primat 36 216 

Melchizedek 40 240 

Source: CGA OPMS P03 Data to 23.03.2019 


TAKE STOCK 

FEATURE 

23 

Waste 

Free 


Once the hustle and bustle 

of Christmas Day is over, 

what can you do with the 

tonne of turkey and mountain 

of veg you still have left? 

With the worry of waste being the hot 

topic at the moment, make the best 

out of your leftovers and improve your 

margins at the same time. 

What to do 

• Add dishes as a daily special. 

• Offer them during out of normal 

eating hours. 

• Include them in a 2FOR1 offer. 

What to serve 

From sandwiches to soups, curries to 

casseroles you could serve anything! 

Have a selection of traditional and 

quirky offerings to appeal to all tastes. 

• Pork makes a wonderful hog roast 

with stuffing, gravy and apple purée. 

Source: Jacob Garwood, head chef and owner, 

The Barsham Arms, East Barsham 

Cook safe 

Cooked turkey is fine to be stored in 

a sealed container in the fridge for up 

to four days. Remember to date the 

container. When reheating turkey meat 

for hot dishes, always ensure the meat 

is piping hot throughout. If reheating 

the turkey meat on its own, a safe way 

to do this is to lay the slices of cooked 

cold turkey in an oven proof dish and 

cover with gravy. Then cover the whole 

dish with a lid or foil and place in a hot 

oven, making sure the turkey is over 

82°C before serving. Alternatively, reheat 

in a microwave, using manufacturer's 

instructions. Cooked turkey should only 

be reheated once. 

Source: britishturkey.co.uk 

• Spicy turkey noodles 

• Fruity turkey tagine 

• Turkey, mash & sprout croquettes 

• Creamy turkey risotto 

• Curried parsnip soup 

• Potato skins with brie & truffle 

• Brussel sprouts, bacon & stilton pizza 

STOCK UP NOW 

Sandwich suggestions 

• Finely sliced gammon, Coleman’s 

mustard, baron bigod cheese and 

baby gem. 

• Beef with horseradish or honey 

mayonnaise. 


Stock up on Tropicana 

and maximise your juice sales 

with the No 1 selling juice 

in the UK 

Life in 

every 

drop 

SIGNATURE WINTER SERVE 

Southern Berry Sour 

POUR 50ML SOUTHERN COMFORT, 

100ML CRANBERRY JUICE, AND 50ML 

FEVER-TREE SICILIAN LEMONADE INTO 

A GLASS OVER ICE. ADD 6-7 CRANBERRIES 

AND GARNISH WITH A ROSEMARY SPRIG. 

STIR GENTLY AND SERVE. 

SOUTHERNCOMFORT.COM 

SOUTHERNCOMFORTUK #SPIRITOFNEWORLEANS 

DRINK RESPONSIBLY | 

Copyright © 2019 Southern Comfort. All rights reserved. Southern Comfort is a registered trademark.

24 

Burns Night 

25 Jan 

Chinese New Year 

25 Jan 

Valentine’s Day 

14 Feb 

Plan Ahead 

Planning ahead for the new year is critical to maximising the sales opportunities 

presented by key events on the calendar. 

Burns Night 

Chinese New Year 

Valentine’s Day 

Many people in Scotland and around the 

world hold a Burns supper to celebrate 

the life of Robert Burns. Next year, it falls 

on a Saturday. 

What to do 

• Offer a three-course meal complete 

with Scotch broth or smoked salmon 

to start, haggis served with neeps and 

tatties as the main dish, followed by 

the traditional dessert cranachan. 

• Stock up on whisky! Malts or blended 

will do, and how about offering a 

whisky or wine pairing with each 

course? Laphraoig 10-year-old whisky 

is perfect to accompany dessert. 

• Toasts and readings such as Selkirk 

Grace, the Address to a Haggis and 

Toast to the Haggis are an essential 

part of the supper. 

• Dress staff in traditional attire for the 

evening and encourage guests to do 

the same. Men tend to wear kilts but 

a tartan bow tie and Cummerband is 

acceptable. Ladies wear a full length 

fluted tartan skirt with matching tartan. 

A tartan sash or wrap over a dress is 

fine too. 

• A piper welcoming guests is the formal 

procedure for a Burns supper, or you 

could play traditional music instead. 

• For those who can’t make the evening, 

why not have haggis as a special on 

your Friday evening and Saturday 

lunchtime menu? You could even have 

a piper playing to make it extra special. 


Chinese is one of the nation’s favourite 

cuisines. With the celebrations falling on 

a Saturday next year, this is the perfect 

opportunity to make a weekend out of 

the event. 

What to do 

• Having a Chinese option on your 

menu will lure customers away from 

a takeaway. 

• Offer an early bird menu, 2FOR1 or 

an all you can eat buffet to attract 

customers. 

• Host a Chinese night, complete with 

food, decorations (red is the customary 

colour of Chinese New Year, along with 

gold or vibrant colours) and even a 

fireworks display to really welcome in 

the Chinese New Year. 

• Cater for all tastes by serving a mixture 

of dishes. Simple dishes like sweet 

and sour chicken and chow mein are 

popular choices, dim sum are delicious 

and more adventurous, stir-fries are 

quick and easy and a healthier option, 

and Cantonese-style roast duck is a 

firm favourite. 

• Stock up on Tiger and Tsingtao Beer 

for those who drink alcohol, 

and for those who don’t, tea is a must! 

The traditional options are Pu-Erh 

(black tea), Chrysanthemum tea, green 

tea and Oolong. 

• Offer doggie bags. Not only will it help 

to reduce your waste it will impress 

your customers. 

74 

A major opportunity for every venue. The 

romantic event falls on a Friday, so why 

not make a weekend out of it? 

What to do 

• Create a special two or three course 

Valentine’s menu for Friday and 

Saturday evening. 

• Have a lunchtime menu offer on the 

day itself and Saturday too. 

• An early-evening ‘quick dining’ menu 

will appeal to those couples short 

on time. 

• For smaller venues, little touches like 

heart-shaped cut sandwiches or love 

hearts on your coffee froth will help 

spread the love. 

• Host a singles night. They too want 

to celebrate with friends, or hopefully 

find love! 

• Stock up on Prosecco! 

• Offer wine by the glass, bottle and 

half bottle. 

• Serve special cocktails and 

mocktails for the occasion - visit 

takestockmagazine.com/recipe/ 

categories/cocktails 

• Complimentary gifts like flowers, 

chocolate or a glass of bubbly will 

impress the customer and leave a 

lasting memory. It will also encourage 

a future visit. 

• Keep your regular menu alongside the 

special one, so customers can choose 

and don’t feel like they are being 

charged extra for the event. 



www.premierfoodservice.co.uk

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Take Stock Christmas 2019 Issue 45

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