The world is still in a weird place right now, certain things have started to re-open and a little sense of normality is just enough to whet your appetite (if you can stand an ice-cold beer in the freezing pub garden); you can almost taste the freedom that comes with the Prime Minister’s great unlocking of the other establishments whom are counting down the days.

So, to keep myself busy during the last few months, I’ve been trying a lot of new products which have made these last few months of lockdown a little brighter – from books, to Instagrammers, to new kitchen gadgets and everything in-between.

I wanted to start with two brand new cookbooks I’ve been reading, both of which are very different. The New York Times Cooking No Recipe Recipes cookbook (£18.37). For the UK reader who doesn’t have a subscription to the NYT, this book has been put together by Sam Sifton, an assistant managing editor of The New York Times and founding editor of NYT Cooking. His recipes are informal to the max and are essentially just a list of ingredients – with no measurements – and a vague guide of how to make a certain dish. Not your typical kind of cookbook, but one that will soon become your go-to bible - with dishes like Weeknight Fried Rice, Fettuccine with Minted Ricotta and Smothered Pork Chops with Onions and Sautéed Greens, it is one of the more unique cookbooks around, and screams for the reader the make their own notes on it and use up any leftovers they may have hanging around.

The second book is something a little more traditional. To Asia, with Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories from the Heart, by Hetty McKinnon (£18.39). There are some stonkingly (is that a word?) good recipes in here, such as Edamame Beans with Fried Curry Leaves, Springtime Rolls with Miso Kale Pesto and Tamarind Apple Crisp. The popularity of Asian food in this country is well known and it shows no sign of stopping, especially with a new book such as this on the market. It’s well worth getting and you’ll find yourself mesmerised by the photography, too. It’s just a stunning book, all-round.

I’ve also tried a rather interesting, yet fantastic kitchen gadget recently, too. The Tofu Press (£23.99) from Tofuture has become my new favourite kitchen tool. We all know how irritating it is to buy unpressed tofu from a shop and have to weigh it down with every cookbook you own, (including my two new additions from above) followed by a few pans, and then the pet cat. Well… thanks to do Tofuture, this Tofu Press stops all of that. Thankfully, it’s BPA Free, and is compact and easy to store (W14cm x D12cm x H7cm) and the outer tub can also be used as a container to marinade the pressed tofu.

It’s incredibly simple to use – put the tofu in, put the top layer on, strap it in with the rubber straps it comes with, and forget about it, for a little while. The gradual nature of the pressing will give your tofu the perfect texture and consistency for it to absorb gorgeous marinades or the beautiful flavours of the dish you are preparing. And it’s dishwasher safe, too!

Who hasn’t been spending all day and night during lockdown scrolling through some stunning foodie Instagram accounts? Yeah, don’t lie, we all have. So, I just want to give a shout out to a local business near me in north Manchester called Liv’s Cupcakes. Not only are her cupcakes, stuffed cookies, brownies, blondies and everything else she makes incredible, but her Instagram is just to die for. And… it’s a small local business, which is something we should all be supporting right now. She’s grown and grown during the last year, and it’s been a joy to go in every time I’ve had the chance. She also does nationwide delivery – so you have no excuse not to give Liv a try!

And while you’re scrolling through the wonders of Instagram, perhaps you should be listening to some podcasts. Singing superstar Jessie Ware and her mum Lennie have perfected the art of “come to my house, let’s eat and chat” podcasts. The Table Manners podcast is brilliant, and is so informal – which is the beauty of it - recent guests include BBC’s Jon Sopel, rapper Will.i.am and Fearne Cotton and is well worth a listen.

So - you’ve got your tofu pressing, your podcast on, and your Instagram scroll for the day done. Time to get stuck in to some new (and delicious) food and drink products that I have been loving this month.

Crosstown Doughnuts

Crosstown is a scratch bakery in London specialising in sourdough doughnuts, small batch ice cream, homemade cookies and specialty coffee. And this month I got to try a selection of their vegan range – and I’m confident in saying these are probably the best vegan doughnuts around.

What’s fascinating is that they started as a street food stall in 2014, but now have 23 sites across London, as well as online ordering, events, catering and wholesale segments. It’s a real British business success story.

In 2017 the brand launched a range of vegan sourdough doughnuts (various prices, Crosstown Doughnuts), made with alternative ingredients such as chia seeds, coconut butter and silken tofu, and were awarded Best Vegan Doughnuts by in 2018 and ‘The Best Doughnuts’ by Vegans of London in 2019.

I tried the Dark Chocolate Truffle, Tongan Vanilla Bean Glaze and Sri Lankan Cinnamon Sugar doughnuts, and I honestly can’t pick a favourite because they’re all just utterly amazing. I also love the fact that they don’t have “standard” flavours - there is nothing standard about Crosstown, at all.

Belvoir Farm

I am NOT the world’s biggest drinker, but I can appreciate good flavours when I come across them. And, thankfully, Belvoir Drinks (various prices, Belvoir Farm) have a lovely range of non-alcoholic cocktails that taste just like their alcoholic counterparts.

The alcohol-free Passionfruit Martini is made with real tropical fruit juices and Madagascan vanilla extract for a delicious exotic alternative to a classic passionfruit and vanilla cocktail; I have to confess, I basically drank the entire litre bottle in one sitting. It’s addictive, and it’s super smooth and I have zero regrets.

The Gin & Tonic drink is also great and really does taste just like the real thing – minus the hangover the next day.

There’s a great section on the company’s website which shows, in great detail, every ingredient they use and why they use it – it’s all natural; it really is the little things like that which make you appreciate a product more.

HECK

I have gone on about Heck products on many occasions and the latest additions to an already extensive vegan range are well worth shouting about. The Vegan Italia Burgers and Vegan Mince (various prices and in most standard Supermarkets) made their debuts on supermarket shelves in the last few days and I can highly recommend both of them.

The mince, like so many others on the market, is a pea-based mince. However, the difference with this one is that it is seasoned perfectly with tomato, salt, pepper and a touch of paprika to create a mince that holds its own in the pan and packs a big flavour punch.

The vegan Italia burgers are also very different to what’s already out there. There are a fava bean-based vegan burger with the flavours of tomato, vegan cheese, basil and garlic infused throughout. They stay firm in the pan and require little attention when cooking.

Heck know how to make fantastic vegan meat-substitutes, and these new additions prove that once again.

I also tried the limited edition Heck Chocolate Sausage before Easter. It was a limited edition product, and it sold out in a few days. I can see why – I want more, and would gladly break into the Heck factory to find the recipe to make my own.

Tempeh Meades

Until a few weeks ago, I had never eaten tempeh. In fact, I hardly knew what it was. But thanks to Tempeh Meades (250g, £4.50, Tempeh Meades) I’m now making this a regular item in the Cailler fridge.

For those who don’t know (or you’re where I was very recently), tempeh is a staple of Indonesian cuisine, made up of healthy low GI protein created by forming cooked soya beans into a block and adding a culture to initiate a fermentation process. The end product is a firm almost tofu-like block with a nutty taste.

The only word I can think of to describe this, is unique – utterly, utterly unique. It soaks up flavour better than almost anything else out there, and it, in fact, intensifies any flavour profiles you choose to add it to.

The company is based in Bristol, and they dispatch it, freshly made, every Wednesday, nationwide. You can freeze it for up to six months, or use it fresh within a few days. So, if you’re bored of tofu, then give this a try. It really is an avenue worth exploring.

White Claw

The last time I tried a product like was when I was head banging to Enter Sandman by Metallica at the bottom floor of the Krazy House in Liverpool (which is now gone, and I feel old). But times have changed, and White Claw, and their products are now far more sophisticated than what I used to enjoy as an 18 year old.

The new Mango flavour is made using sparkling water and triple distilled alcohol. The delicate tropical flavour makes it the perfect drink to welcome in the sunnier days, which are FINALLY coming.

Claw first arrived in the UK in the summer of 2020 with its core range; it has become an online and cultural phenomenon. And this new flavour is no exception. It launched in Tesco (£2.50) mid-February, alongside the rest of the range. It’s an easily-drinkable lovely little can, but has a certain sophistication that wouldn’t quite fit in with younger Adam’s social group.

Daddy Rack

I absolutely love the name of this whiskey. It made me laugh.

However, the product itself is no laughing matter – this is a seriously good bottle of whiskey (£35.95, Master of Malt). Made from an original recipe that nobody will ever find the details of, its a classic Tennessee whiskey that will delight first-time whiskey drinkers and connoisseurs alike.

It has a rather stunning light gold amber glow, and the second you taste it (with a splash of water to open the flavours), you’re hit with notes of maple, honey, light oak and caramelised banana – and I also got a hint of cinnamon and coconut, too.

I’ve never been a whiskey fan, but this has changed my mind. I could happily sit and have this over ice, while listening to the Daddy Rack Spotify playlist, which includes Alabama Song by The Doors, Life by the Drop by Stevie Ray Vaughan and many other whiskey-themed songs.

Mr Black

I can’t quite say enough about how fantastic Mr Black’s Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur (£29.99, Mr Black) is. I’ve been drinking it straight, with soya milk, and I’ve even baked it into a coffee cake.

Brewed from 100% speciality Arabica it is mixed with Australian vodka to make this utterly beautiful product that really is in another league.

The company was founded in 2013 by award-winning distiller Philip Moore and designer-turned-coffee-snob Tom Baker, and it has gone from strength-to-strength ever since. And the best part is actually revealed once you’ve finished the bottle – I won’t spoilt it, but it’s pretty epic and worth you pouring another glass if you already have one.

Quarterpast

Imagine you’re sitting on a beach in Israel – preferably Tel Aviv’s vast expanse of beach – and you’re drinking the world’s best iced coffee.

Now, this wonderful iced coffee is called Aroma Coffee, and there are literally thousands of articles online explaining the right and wrong ways to order it – because it’s that much of a delicacy.

For years, I’ve been trying to replicate it in this country and I have finally, FINALLY found something that comes as close as you possibly can to doing so.

Enter Quarterpast’s Iced Coffee Beverage Concentrate (£5.99, Quarterpast), you just add it to ice and water, or ice and milk, mix and drink - and it is truly epic.

It’s intense, smooth and utterly wonderful. Drinking this has become my new favourite thing and transports me back to the sandy beaches where I have spent many holidays drinking it.

Conker

I had a hard time picking a favourite between the Conker cold brew decaf and non-decaf (£36.43, Amazon), and surprisingly to me, the decaf wins hands down.

This liqueur range is made with Grade 1 forest grown speciality Ethiopian and Brazilian coffees, a touch of demerara sugar and distilled British wheat spirit. I remember seeing the Conker range in places such as TK Maxx and never being able to find it in major shops when it first launched in 2016. But now… it’s everywhere – and it deserves to be; if you want to try something a little different, then this range is definitely worth a try.

It manages to take just three ingredients and creates an award-winning product. That works just as well as it does in baking (it would make a cracking addition to a tiramisu) as it does in drinking.

Ramsbury Estate

For someone who said, right at the start of this, that they are not a big drinker, I’ve tried a lot of alcoholic products recently (thanks, Boris/lockdown), and this is another one to add to your list too. The Ramsbury Estate vodka (£33.50, Ramsbury Estates) from the wonderful countryside of Wiltshire.

You won’t get a more British vodka than this, as it’s made using Horatio wheat grown in Wiltshire; it’s one of those vodkas you drink and let settle on your palette, before throwing it back. It’s got a very smooth vanilla and caramel flavour which doesn’t carry the burn associated with “mass produced” vodkas.

What’s fantastic about this brand is that they also have their own oil press, where the by-products produced from making rapeseed oil is put back into the farm to feed the livestock – including a small herd of Aberdeen Angus, and South Devon cattle. You can actually buy single estate beef, honey, wild venison, and more from them. It’s a truly all-encompassing business, where each part feeds another and that gets them an extra gold star from us.

These Are The Products Our Food&Drink's Writer Has Been Obsessed With This Month

Crosstown Doughnuts

Belvoir Farm

HECK

Tempeh Meades

White Claw

Daddy Rack

Mr Black

Quarterpast

Conker

Ramsbury Estate

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