January 2010 Archives

Okay so it's not quite Avatar but the new Virtual Farmers' Market is an innovative way to source artisan producers.

It uses 3D games technology to allow you to stroll around over 45 market stalls to view and buy the sort of artisan produce you might find in a real-life farmers market such as Label Anglais chicken and Cornish Blue cheese.

There's also a 'meet the producer' element via a video stream where the producer gives a brief description of the goods, tells the story of how their food or drink has been produced, what ingredients have been used and where they have been sourced. 

Best of all, it's available 24/7 so you don't have to remember which day is market day.

They may not be contraband or overdue library books, but any licensees harbouring old Carlsberg fonts have until the end of March to hand them in and receive new ones without charge.

Carlsberg UK (CUK) has announced a Font Amnesty to encourage licensees to trade up to its Superhero font which was launched into the on-trade two years ago and is claimed to help create a creamier, tastier looking head and lead to less wastage of beer.

In fact CUK research indicates that pubs using the new fonts had nearly a 10% higher rate of sale than in those with Lowlines and T-Bar fonts.

"We are incredibly proud of our beer quality and want drinkers to enjoy a perfect pint of Carlsberg every time they order it," said David Scott, director of customer marketing. "So we are continuing to invest in the on-trade and quality by funding the font amnesty.

Stockists who want to replace their old Carlsberg font for free should call 0845 601 3432.

If you're one of the hundreds returning to work in the big smoke today after an enforced snow break then you may be in need of something warm and comforting at the end of your probably arduous journey.

Thank goodness then, that Heinz has chosen this very week to operate the It Has To Be Heinz Café at 3-10 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 where beans on toast will be served up today until 6pm and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7am to 3pm.

The café is right on trend with the recent phenomenon of pop-up restaurants and the popularity of comfort food and, even more important in these recession-blighted times, the dish costs merely a suggested 50p donation towards Capital FM's Help A London Child charity.