NORFOLK CHEF WINS UK COELIAC ‘FOOD WITHOUT FEAR’ C Giorgio Locatelli, announced today, the winners of Coeliac UK’s gluten-free chef of the year competition during a special presentation at his award winning restaurant, Locanda Locatelli in London. The competition, launched earlier this year as part of Coeliac UK’s Food Without Fear campaign, aimed to raise awareness and highlight the need for increased provision of gluten-free menu options for the 1 in 100 people in the UK with coeliac disease. The standard of entry was extremely high and as such, it was decided that there should be joint winners. They are Vanessa Scott of Strattons Hotel in Norfolk and Christine Bailey, a chef trainer and journalist from Reading. Coeliac UK is the leading Charity for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. This year they are celebrating 40 years of supporting their Members. Coeliac disease is not an allergy; it is an auto-immune disease, which means that the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues. For people with coeliac disease this attack is triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with coeliac disease also react to oats. The only treatment for coeliac disease is a gluten-free diet. Vanessa Scott of Strattons Hotel, Norfolk said; “We believe that food should be fresh, tasty and wholesome as well as absolutely delicious. Care and thought has gone into the preparation of all our food and as well as the screening of fresh produce we use a great amount of wholefoods, organic wherever possible, additive and GM free. The kitchen is very proactive regarding guests dietary requirements especially as my daughter-in-law has celiac disease; I feel there is still an awful lot of failure to cater for specific diets such as gluten free and vegetarianism, part through ignorance and a lack of toleration for diners needs and preferences”. Giorgio Locatelli, leading chef and proprietor of award winning Locanda Locatelli, supported the recipe competition and judged the entries: “I was extremely impressed with the exceptionally high standard of recipes. Through the innovative use of gluten-free ingredients, a wide range of both sweet and savoury recipes can be created, which are not only tasty but also suitable for people with coeliac disease to eat. Congratulations to all the winners and I hope that more chefs will learn and understand the importance, and gain the aptitude, for providing tasty, interesting gluten-free options on their menus.” Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive of Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease, said: “We know that for people with coeliac disease, eating out on a gluten-free diet can be a miserable experience. Choice is often very limited and the risk of unknowingly eating gluten puts many off eating out altogether. If gluten is accidentally eaten, it can cause someone of the condition to become very unwell within a matter of hours. For people with coeliac disease, a gluten-free diet is not a fad but an absolute necessity to maintain good health.” Coeliac disease is not a food allergy; it is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. Damage to the gut lining occurs when gluten is eaten. There is no cure or medication for the condition; the only treatment is life-long adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. At least 1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease; so for the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, being careful about what they eat is an essential way of life. Without a gluten-free diet, the disease can lead to other conditions, such as malnutrition, osteoporosis, infertility problems and also can cause bowel cancer. END Contact: Hannah Scott, Marketing Manager Strattons Hotel 4 Ash Close Swaffham Norfolk PE37 7NH Tel 01760 723845 Fax 01760 720458 Email- enquiries@strattonshotel.com Visit- www.strattonshotel.com For further information, please contact: Kate Newman kate.newman@coeliac.org.uk Tel: 0208 3997478 / 07952071014 Notes to editors: • 1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease. • Members of Coeliac UK receive an annual Food and Drink Directory, which lists thousands of foods people with coeliac disease can eat. • Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including spelt), rye and barley; beer; obvious sources of gluten include breads, pastas, flours, cereals, cakes and biscuits. It is often used as an ingredient in many favourite foods such as fish fingers, sausages, gravies, sauces and soy sauce. People with coeliac disease can also be sensitive to oats. • The symptoms of coeliac disease range from mild to severe and can vary between individuals. Not everyone with coeliac disease experiences gut related symptoms; any area of the body can be affected. • Symptoms can include bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, wind, tiredness, anaemia, headaches, mouth ulcers, recurrent miscarriages, weight loss (but not in all cases), skin problems, depression, joint or bone pain and nerve problems. • Around 1000 newly diagnosed people are joining Coeliac UK every month. For further details on membership please call the helpline on 0870 444 8804 further information can be found at www.coeliac.org.uk Vanessa Scott, Strattons Hotel Gluten free Twice-baked Binham Blue & Potato soufflé butter to grease the moulds 100gms spinach, cleaned & finely chopped 100g rice flour 4 eggs, separated and extra egg white to create lightness 350g Binham Blue cheese* 450gms/1lb floury potatoes ½ tsp horseradish salt & black pepper 1 tsp raising agent Raising Agents Baking powder should not be used. This often contains wheat flour as a filler. There is no need to mix a gluten free baking powder beforehand, simply use the pure raising agents as required. We use this mix depending on the recipe; Bicarbonate of Soda, Sodium Bicarbonate This white powder releases carbon dioxide when it is mixed with an acid solution and warmed. These gas bubbles expand causing the mixture to rise. If there is no acidity in the mixture, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar should be added in equal quantities and well mixed in. Cream of Tartar This is a weak acid in powder form for activating bicarbonate of soda. 1) Preheat oven to 190°C 2) Butter 10 metal moulds or 8 glass ramekins 3) Cook and mash the potatoes with the 4 egg yolks, stir in half the cheese and all the flour. 4) Season to taste with salt & black pepper. Fold in the finely chopped spinach and horseradish. 5) Whisk egg whites until stiff, fold into the mixture. 6) Spoon the mixture into the moulds 7) Place in a bain marie and half fill with boiling water. 8) Bake 18-20 minutes until just set. Allow to cool and sink. Cover with cling film and store in fridge. 9) When ready to serve preheat oven to 200°C. Run a knife around the edges of the soufflés and turn out onto a baking dish. Crumble the remaining cheese with cream to make a paste & spoon over the soufflés and return to the oven for 10 minutes until crisp. Serve immediately with a mustard dressed green salad. *SUPPLIER Mrs Temples Farmhouse cheeses hand made from the milk of their own cows, fully traceable from grass meadows. A range of flavours and textures for the cheeseboard and cooking, including soft veined Binham Blue, crumbly Walsingham, Melton Mozarella, creamy Wighton and the flavoured Gouda type Warhans. 01328 820224 www.producedinnorfolk.com Wednesday 9th July 2008 Strattons wins Green Award at Catey Awards Les and Vanessa Scott of Strattons Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk, were presented last night with the Green Award, at the 25th Caterer and Hotelkeeper hospitality awards – The Cateys - the industry’s equivalent to the Oscars. The award, presented at a glittering silver anniversary ceremony held at the Grosvenor hotel in London, recognised the thorough dedication and hard work Strattons have given to the industry over the last 18 years. The evening was hosted by comic actor Rory Bremner, who stared in the locally filmed ITV series ‘Kingdom’ with Stephen Fry. Mr Bremner stayed at Strattons whilst filming last year. The ‘Green Award’, a new category this year, recognised the most mature, innovative and integrated approach to green policy and programmes within a hospitality business, large or small. Vanessa said; ‘We are absolutely thrilled, it’s a great achievement for our staff and customers who embrace the ethos and understand it’s not about sacrificing quality. We have been working closely with Alastair Sawdays, Considerate hoteliers, Business Link and Green Tourism Business scheme to encourage other businesses in the industry to effect green change.’ Strattons entry included a waste management initiative for water which is metered and monitored at the hotel. As well as installing water saving devices into existing 9 litre toilet cisterns, reducing water by 2 litres per flush, all new toilets fitted are 3 litre dual flush models, saving a further 4 litres per flush. Two underground tanks a re-commissioned Victorian 10,000 litre capacity tank and a new 1,100 litre model provide part of a rainwater harvesting facility. Diverting this water into storage for garden irrigation means that no mains water was used during 2007 or 2008 for plant, building and car valeting purposes. During 2007 over 60,000 litres of rainwater was collected by this means. Rainwater harvesting also takes place from roof water diverted into fourteen, 400 litre butts around the property. This specific grey water recycling along with water collected from the kitchens and restaurant supported the expansion of salad and vegetable production on site. In 2007 over £1000 worth of salad crops alone were grown in the organic veggie plot. A total 200,000 litres of water were recovered and reused during 2007 for vegetables and gardening, building, car washing and exterior washing of paintwork and glass, patios and pathways representing a 33% saving on the hotels water charges. Top-name chefs attending the special occasion included TV personalities Brian Turner, Anthony Worrall-Thompson and Gary Rhodes. Mark Lewis, editor of Caterer and Hotelkeeper said: “For the silver anniversary year, the Cateys produced a roster of winners to be proud of. More than a thousand of the great and good of hospitality gathered to recognise and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the industry”. Your household can really make a difference ..........by following the water wise tips below: Fitting a Save-a-flush (a bag of harmless crystals) in your toilet cistern can save up to 1 litre per flush. That’s a saving of nearly 2,000 litres per person per year. Installing a Hippo (designed to work in toilet cisterns with a 9 litre flush or greater) could save up to 5,000 litres per person per year. Have a refreshing shower instead of a bath - this can save over 300 litres of water a week. Be careful though - a power shower can use more water than a bath! Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth with the tap running wastes 6 litres per minute. Fix leaking taps. A dripping tap can waste up to 140 litres a week. When buying a new dishwasher, choose one that is energy efficient as this saves on water and electricity. Machines with an 'A' rating are most economical. Wait for a full load before using the washing machine - a full load uses less water than 2 half loads. Cool water in the fridge means you don't have to run the tap for ages to get a cold drink. Only fill the kettle with enough water for your needs, this will reduce your fuel bills too. Lag your pipes and leave your heating on a low setting when you are out to avoid bursts in cold weather. A water butt in your garden can collect rainwater that can be used used on your plants and lawn If you have a water meter, check for leaks by turning off the water and taking two readings several minutes apart. If the readings are different there may be a leak.