Olive Magazine March 2017

The language we use to describe food can be tricky – and it’s something we consider very carefully here at Olive . Last year we banned words like ‘skinny’ or ‘clean’ and ‘guilt-free’ and it seems like the rest of the food world is now taking to a similarly balanced view of healthy eating. We want to celebrate food and drink in all its marvellous forms and not demonise any one food-group or cooking method. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – we’re all about the joy! But that’s not to say ruling out negative terminology makes it any easier to choose a wholesome, nutritious diet that satisfies both body and soul. There are so many new trends to try and ingredients to discover. This issue we’ve tried…

Why we all love tacos now, our new health-boosting smoothie recipe, and the very latest Danish designs for your home Every month, the Olive team spots a hot new trend emerging in restaurants across the UK, and translates it for you to cook at home. This time we can’t get enough tacos, so food director Janine Ratcliffe has made two versions of this classic Mexican peninsular snack. » TREND SPOT TACOS, TACOS, TACOS! Food writers have been pushing Mexican as a hot new trend for years, but anything more than nachos in cheese and guac or Tex-Mex-style fajitas hasn’t seemed to capture the imagination of the British public – until now. Mexican – specifically, tacos – has finally taken off and now’s the time to explore the taquerias opening up across the country. There…

At UNI in West London, tacos are bite-sized – served in crisp little taco shells. Try the salmon tartare with a miso dressing and masago (salmon roe); raw tuna with kimchi and guacamole or crab with lime, coriander and a spicy miso dressing. restaurantuni.com Wahaca is celebrating its 10th year with Taco Tuesdays – customers will receive their first plate of tacos for just £1. Try their signature pork pibil tacos, inspired by the Yucatán peninsula, with spicy achiote paste and habanero chillies. wahaca.co.uk Breddos opened its first permanent site in Clerkenwell last year. It serves 12cm corn tortilla tacos, tostadas and tlayudas (think Mexican pizzas) – the Baja fish with lime mayo, pico de gallo and cabbage is a star of Instagram. breddostacos.com Soho’s Corazón offers a range of tacos – our…

Frozen smoothie mixes are a great freezer standby when you’re trying to be more health-conscious but not ideal if you’re avoiding sugary fruit. These packs from Morrisons re-address the balance by adding lots of veg to the mix. I love the green mix (banana, kale and mango), and the orange mix (pineapple, papaya and carrot) makes a great base for a breakfast smoothie bowl. 500g/£2, morrisons.com Tropical smoothie bowl 10 MINUTES | SERVES 1 | EASY orange smoothie mix 80g coconut water 100ml banana ½, sliced kiwi fruit 1, peeled and sliced coconut shavings 1 tbsp lime ½ small mint leaves • Put the smoothie mix and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. • Pour into a bowl and arrange over the toppings. Squeeze over lime and add a few mint leaves to finish. PER SERVING 230 KCALS |…

The foodie letterbox revolution is well under way. Try artisan food and drink from the UK and beyond delivered straight to your door One Time Gin collaborates with distilleries to create unique gins, delivered monthly with a newspaper infused with gin news, products to spruce up your gin and tonic and ingredients to create bespoke cocktails. £42/month, onetimegin.co.uk The Cheese Shed The folk at The Cheese Shed have launched a flexible cheese subscription service, Culture, with the mission to share rare artisan West Country cheeses – with everything from ewes’ milk to blue and soft cheeses, there are plenty of surprises. From £17.99/400g, thecheeseshed.com Borough Olives Fresh olives delivered through your letterbox – that’s something we never thought we’d say! The team behind the Borough Market stall, Borough Olives, packs up three beautiful bags of…

Ever wondered what your favourite foodie has lurking in their storecupboard? We ask Alexandra Dudley, founder of Punch Foods, sustainable food blogger and soon-to-be-published cookbook author I am, as they say, a chocoholic. For me it has to be dark and I tend not to go below 70% unless it’s a praline or peanut M&M’s! I prefer to use good quality dark chocolate when cooking. I think Valrhona is the best but this one is a bit different. Fresh herbs A dish can be transformed with the addition of fresh herbs. I don’t think there’s a herb I don’t like. They can be enjoyed in less conventional ways too. I love basil on my fruit and yogurt in the morning and mint in stir-fries. Preserves from Newton and Pott The best on the market! My…