Author: Lucy Contrino

It’s officially summertime and in honour of the sunshine season Pasta Evangelists reveals the one ingredient that truly captures the soul of the Italian summer: il pomodoro.  Plump, sun-ripened, and bursting with sweetness, tomatoes are so much more than the base of a sauce. They’re a symbol of Italian home cooking, passed down through generations. From Nonna’s slow-simmered ragù to the simplest sugo al pomodoro, the tomato is where good food begins. Roberta d’Elia, Head Chef at Pasta Evangelists, shares the top tips to consider when cooking with tomatoes, and provides perfect recipes that bring the taste of tomatoes to…

A successful student mentorship scheme between Birmingham City University (BCU) and residential property developer Court Collaboration will be extended to a second year, following a successful pilot. Five BCU built environment students took part in the initiative, gaining hands-on experience and insights into the industry while working on dissertation topics ranging from social housing repairs to cost assurance in construction. They worked with Court Collaboration, the developer behind One Eastside – a 155-metre residential tower currently under construction on James Watt Queensway, which will become Birmingham’s tallest building once complete. “This mentorship gave me invaluable exposure to the industry and…

Raise a glass to rosé season as GNH Bar & Terrace at the Great Northern Hotel partners with Ultimate Provence to bring a taste of the Côte d’Azur to the heart of King’s Cross. This summer takeover invites Londoners to sip, socialise and soak up the sun in style. Transformed into a chic Provençal escape, the terrace is awash with lush greenery, vibrant blooms and elegant seasonal styling to create the perfect golden hour hotspot. On the menu, chilled glasses of Ultimate Provence rosé are joined by two new cocktails: a Rosé Sangria laced with Martell VS, Ultimate Provence rosé, strawberry and basil;…

As the UK braces for another warm spell, a little-known cooling trick once popular with older generations is being tipped as a simple but effective way to stay safe in soaring temperatures. According to Neil McKenzie, mobility expert at Halton Stairlifts, one of the most overlooked methods is cooling the body’s pulse points – wrists, ankles, neck and behind the knees – with a damp flannel or chilled water bottle. “It’s something our grandparents swore by,” Neil explains. “Before air con or high-tech fans, they used what they had – and the science still stacks up. Cooling key pulse points helps regulate body…

With warmer months in full swing, British households are once again playing host to an all-too-familiar summer nuisance – flies circling the ceiling light. But according to Neil McKenzie, home expert at Halton Stairlifts, this behaviour isn’t random – and there are steps you can take to stop it. “Flies are drawn to light because of something called phototaxis – an instinctive pull toward bright light, which they confuse for the sun,” says McKenzie. “Once they’re near your bulb, they often circle endlessly because their vision can’t properly process artificial lighting. They quite literally don’t know how to get out.” But it’s…

Bold, sweet, savoury and totally unexpected, it shouldn’t work but it does – will you dare to try it? Immediate release Banana Tree, the award-winning Southeast Asian restaurant, is about to turn dessert as we know it on its head with the launch of a brand-new, boundary-breaking Soy Sauce Ice Cream. Landing on menus across all Banana Tree restaurants tomorrow (Wednesday 25th June), this limited-edition dish is set to spark serious debate, delight curious diners, and raise a few eyebrows along the way. At just £3.25, it’s the most adventurous scoop you’ll try this summer. This unexpected flavour fusion was…

With a heatwave in progress and overheating a significant issue in high-rise, high-density developments, Power On is urging developers to consider the merits of networked ground source heat pumps in not only providing low-carbon community heating and hot water but also providing effective cooling for buildings too. Networked ground source heat pumps (NGSHPs) extract naturally stored thermal energy from the ground, which is transferred to a discreet heat pump unit within each dwelling. Remarkably, NGSHPs are also able to provide environmentally friendly and extremely low-cost cooling systems. Neil Fitzsimons, Managing Director of Power On, explains: “With networked ground source heat pumps…

Leading Software as a Service (SaaS) business, Adventoris, is celebrating a major milestone for its B2B ecommerce solution, SwiftCloud, having processed over £2bn worth of orders for its clients across the globe. As well as achieving this impressive feat, Adventoris has welcomed a number of new clients on board, including Amathus Drinks Plc, a family-owned drinks importer, distributor and specialist retailer; CRP (Corrosion Resistant Products), a leading manufacturer and stockist of high-quality Fluoropolymer PTFE/PFA-lined piping and equipment; Laroma, a beauty and fragrance specialist; and Valley Industrial Products, a janitorial and maintenance product supplier. In addition, the firm has reported incredible…

As the RHS Chelsea Garden Show takes place in the coming weeks (20-24 May), many green-fingered Brits will be encouraged to spend more time in their garden and be inspired by the magnificent artwork during the show. In fact, Pinterest searches for “garden decor” have increased by 80% in the last month in the run up to the much anticipated event. While many Brits carefully nurture and grow fruit and veg from the comfort of their own garden, culinary experts from meal kit delivery service, HelloFresh, suggest that there might be more edible and delicious plants growing in your garden. Mimi Morley,…

New contracts and product range support growth and create new jobs with Business Wales backing South Wales-based Mallows Bottling has diversified into new territory with the launch of a 5-litre squash product line – a move already delivering an estimated £700,000 in incremental annual revenue. The Llantrisant business, co-founded by father-and-son team Andy and Rhys Mallows and supported by the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP), has secured significant new contracts for the line, which includes a range of single and double-strength squash flavours. The expansion has created three new jobs, added new capacity, and strengthened the business’s resilience in a competitive…