If this article is to be believed pubs are now making more money from food than from drink. It seems customers are increasingly turning away from traditional local pubs in favour of gastropubs. Rising beer prices and more sophisticated pub menus appear to be behind the change. The average landlord now relies on food for 52% of their turnover. The figures come from the trade newspaper The Publican and make sobering reading for the traditional local pub which is increasingly under threat.

If this article is to be believed then dog owners in Australia will be able to take their pets out for dinner. A restaurant for dogs has recently opened in Sydney. Called Chew Chew it provides a variety of meals aimed at your canine companion. It features dishes such as beef steak with mushrooms, chicken wings, fish soup and lamb bones. Coffee is available for the dog owners and the dogs drinks are served with a sprinkling of dried liver treats. Products are also available to order online for those that live further away from the restaurant.

If you are on diet and find it hard to count calories when you eat out, then one restaurant chain has the answer. The Real Greek has become one of the first restaurant chains to start adding the calorie count to their menus. Whilst not everyone may want to know the amount of calories their food contains the move has so far proved popular with their customers and many of their low calorie options are proving to be more popular. Even bottles and glasses of wine have the calorie content listed.

This is cool, it’s a blow up pub which is available to purchase from Drinkstuff.com. It measures 26ft tall and 15ft wide and takes around ten minutes for four adults to set up. It holds around 50 people and costs £27,815. The inside features a tiled effect roof, a fireplace, brick stone wall and two chimney pots.

We went to The Montien thai restaurant in Sevenoaks last night. The restaurant is tucked away behind Bligh's car park and is easily missed. We chose set menu A for two people which includes prawn crackers, mixed starter of spring rolls, prawn toast, satay chicken and king prawns with dipping sauces. Followed by the main course of pork with ginger and spring onions, chicken with cashew nuts and stir fried beef. For dessert we chose a banana ice cream and mango sorbet which were really tasty. Coffee and tea is also included but it was little hot for that last night so we decided against it. In all the set menu of three courses with a glass of wine, coke and still water came to £43.00 for two people. Not bad at all and the service was great. Shame the restaurant was so empty when the food is so good, there were only two full tables last night. It also does a take away service but you need to collect, I can't help thinking they would be more popular if they offered a take away delivery service. Loved the food here its well worth a visit.

It seems that the 24th of May is National Escargot Day, a day to celebrate the humble snail. In order to celebrate Cafe Rouge are running a promotion called the giant snail hunt. Giant snails like the ones pictured will be hidden in 30 towns and cities on the 22nd of May. 20 oversized snails will be hidden with the snails being redeemed for prizes. Cafe Rouge are also celebrating the snail by eating more of them. For a limited period until the 30th of May there will be a variety of snail based dishes on offer at the restaurant so if you like snails you have a week to try them.

A British brewer has made what is thought to be the world’s most bitter beer. Peter Fowler who runs the Pitstop Brewery in Stove made the beer called The Hop after a friend challenged him to break the record. It registered 323 International Bittering Units (IBUs) beating the previous record of 200 which was held by the American beer Devil Dance Triple IPA. Mr Fowler is now waiting for the beer to be officially named the bitterest beer on the planet.

I love cheese so was interested to find out that a restaurant has opened in London that serves just cheese based dishes. The restaurant called L’Art Du Fromage has a range of nearly 100 different cheeses and serves dishes such as fondues, raclettes and cheese ice cream. It certainly looks interesting and it gets some quite good reviews, I think I might pay a visit next time I am in London.

Weightwatchers have recently signed a deal which will see them promoting McDonalds meals. Under the deal a range of healthy meals will include the Weightwatchers logo. Meals that are included in the range are Chicken McNuggets, the Filet-O-Fish and the Sweet Chilli Seared Chicken wrap. The deal is part of an attempt to cultivate a healthier image for McDonald’s and show that they do have a number of healthy meals available.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has called on the government to scrap its plans to raise beer taxes. The tax is due to increase 2% above inflation in the next Budget in March and has risen 20% since 2008. The BBPA says taxing beer at a lower rate could save as many as 7,500 jobs at a time when many in the pub industry are struggling. Figures from Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) show that 40 pubs a week are currently closing and at the height of the recession this was as many as 52 a week. Personally I can’t see the government bowing to pressure when it has such a huge hole in public spending but I feel they should recognise the importance of the local pub in the community and do more to help the struggling publican.

This article is interesting it suggests that microbreweries are becoming increasingly popular and in some cases more so than the big brands. The article highlights Ascot Ales which are brewed by Chris Gill and his wife. They currently produce around 12 barrels of ale a week when working at full capacity and supply 70 local pubs. Unlike larger breweries they do not add rice and maize to keep costs down, preferring to stick to premium ingredients. Neither do they pasteurise the beer. This obviously means that it doesn’t last quite as long but taking out this process means that none of the flavour is destroyed. it seems these microbreweries which have small output levels and minimal staff are enjoying rapid growth in a time when people are looking something more tasty and perhaps more local. In contrast many of the larger multi-national breweries are seeing their sales fall. It certainly seems to work for Ascot Ales, they are currently seeking a larger premises so that they can increase production.

A pub in Sheffield has won the Campaign for Real Ale’s national pub of the year for a second year running. The Kelham Island Tavern has been praised for the quality of its beer and attention to detail. The pub was brought in a derelict state by the current landlord in 2001 and since then has suffered flood damage which forced it to close. It appears the pub has bounced back and since it won the award for the first time in 2008 it has been attracting visitors from all over the country, so if you are in Sheffield it might be worth a visit.

According to this article it could soon be compulsory for drinks manufacturers to include health warnings on alcohol. Some drinks already carry health warnings under a voluntary code between the drinks industry and the government. However, only 15% of alcoholic drinks currently carry these warnings. The code was agreed in 2007 and it was thought that by the end of 2008 most drinks would display the warnings. Under the code drinks should include the number of units the drink contains, drinking guidelines of no more than three or four units a day for men and two or three for women, and the website address for the Drinkaware Trust. The government has launched a consultation of how to move forward with the issue but one idea is to introduce mandatory labelling.

In an effort to cut the amount of glass attacks in England and Wales the government has been looking into designs for safer pint glasses. Two new prototypes have recently been unveiled which it is hoped will help to reduce injuries. The first of the glasses called the Glass Plus has a clear plastic coating which is put inside the glass. The coating prevents the glass from breaking into shards when it is smashed and existing pint glasses can be treated with it. The second design called the Twin Wall is made from two thin walled glasses inside each other which are bonded together. Once again this stops the glass from shattering into small pieces. Both glasses are currently only prototypes and so are still being tested for safety. In a demonstration Glass Plus broke on the first attempt, but didn't shatter whilst it took four attempts to get a Twin Wall glass to break and when it did there were no shards of glass either. It is likely to be some time before either glass appears in a pub near you but it is estimated you might start seeing them in around a years time.

If this article is to be believed then you might be getting less beer for your money when you pop out for a pint. A study carried out by trading standards officers found that nine out of ten pints are sold short. In a test of 88 pints brought at bars and restaurants in Birmingham the average drink was three quarters of a fluid ounce short of the full glass, that’s about 12% short. Under the Weights and Measures Act of 1985 a pint of beer should be exactly a pint although froth can account for up to 5% of the pint as its considered an integral part of the beer.

A campaign has been launched by The British Beer and Pub Association and the Society of Independent Brewers to cut beer tax in an attempt to save the British pub. Currently around 50 pubs a week are closing as trading conditions become increasingly difficult. The campaign called “I’m backing the pub” calls on the government to cut the tax on beer reversing the increase which was imposed last January and scrapping plans to increase it in the next budget. With 80% of people in a recent survey saying the pub is an important part of their community it seems to me its time to do something to save those pubs that still remain.

According to this article two companies with rather different products are currently developing wines specifically for Asian food. Taylor and Shroff wines and Atul Kochhar have both developed wines that are matched to the food. Kochhar has worked with classic sauvignon blanc and merlot and developed them to complement complex curries. Taylor and Shroff on the other hand have created cherry, apricot and ginger wines that are designed to be drunk over ice. The Taylor and Shroff wines are currently available at around a dozen restaurants and Kochhar sells his wines at his restaurant in London and Southampton so they are not yet widely available. I will be interested to try both, I wonder how long it will be before they come to a restaurant near me.

It seems the recession is good news for the restaurant chain Taybarns which runs all you can eat restaurants. The chain offers a choice of food including fish and chips, carvery, pizza, pasta and Mexican all for a fixed price. Customers pay £5.99 during the day or £7.99 in the evening and can take a plate and help themselves to whatever they fancy as many times as want. The business model appears to working, whilst other restaurants are closing at a rate of a 100 a month Tayburns has seen a 3% increase in sales in the last six months and serves around 10,000 people a a week in their most popular branches. They are planning to open 30 new branches to take advantage in the growing popularity. I can see how the restaurant might appeal to cash strapped families who are struggling with the bills. It is certainly interesting to see that even during a recession it is possible to capitalise on certain markets.

If this article is to believed then jellyfish could soon be appearing on the menu at some restaurants. Carme Ruscalleda wants to add them to menu of her restaurant Sant Pol del Mar. Jellyfish are eaten in Japan and China but most Europeans seem reluctant to try it. It is, however, meant to have many health benefits such as improving the cardio vascular system and balancing blood pressure. Before she is allowed to serve the jellyfish she must first prove that the local variety is safe to eat. It seems she has eaten jellyfish many times with no ill effects and compares it to fresh squid. Would you fancy eating jellyfish?

I am frequently annoyed by people who can’t get through a train journey or a shopping trip without calling all their friends on their phone. I don’t mean the people that pick up a call when they are out, after all that’s the point of having a mobile phone, what annoys me is those people who can’t simply sit in silence and feel the need to call everyone in their phonebook. It seems I am not alone in finding this annoying, pub landlord Harry Walker has decided to ban the use of mobile phone in his pub. Instead customers who wish to use them will need to take their call outside. He has come to the decision because he says that it is anti-social and his customers prefer not to be disturbed with the constant ringing and people talking loudly on their phones when others are trying to enjoy a meal or a quiet drink. I can see his point.

According to this article there is an increasing demand for squirrel pie. Apparently a pest controller who has been supplying top chefs with grey squirrels is finding it difficult to meet demand. He has culled around 22,000 grey squirrels in the North East but now has plans to work with landowners in the south of England in order to maintain supplies of squirrels and meet the increasing demand for squirrel meat. It seems the squirrels are so popular that as soon as he kills them they are sold. I haven't tried squirrel pie but it sounds as though I might be missing out.

This article suggests that the amount of calories contained in food could soon be printed on menus of restaurants and takeaways. The idea is part of an initiative to try and encourage healthy eating and steer people away from the unhealthy option. Its quite a good idea for those who are following strict diets. Personally I eat out so rarely now that when I do I want something tasty and full of calories, I don't think seeing how many the food contained would change what I ordered.

It was my Dads birthday last night so we decided to book at a table at Villa Rosa in Egham. I have been a regular visitor to this restaurant for the past nine years and and am yet to have a bad experience. As always the food was cooked to perfection and the wine although a little on the expensive side was very good. At around £30 a head for a three course meal, including wine it also doesn't break the bank. As always the highlight of the evening has to be the dessert trolley. If you are planning on visiting Villa Rosa, I would recommend booking on a Friday and Saturday night because all the tables are usually taken, perhaps an indication of how good it is.

This is an interesting idea from a village pub in Norfolk. They are utilising produce grown in the local area by introducing a bartering system. Locals can barter something they have grown or killed for a beer or food in the pub. Some examples include taking a rabbit you have shot, some vegetables you have grown or eggs that your hens have laid. The idea helps to make the best of the available produce in the local area and allows the pub to feature fresh ingredients on its specials board. It make a lot more sense than sourcing items from suppliers who are miles away, although it must make it harder to plan a menu, never knowing what's going to arrive next.

This article suggests that customers are more likely to buy something when the price ends in 99. It is based on a study where French researchers demonstrated how lowering the price of a pizza from 8.00 euros to 7.99 euros boosted sale by 15%. The team of researchers studied more than 1,200 customers in a pizzeria. The menu included five pizzas alongside other meat and fish dishes. In the first week of the experiment the pizzas were all priced at 8.00 euros. In the second week the Pizza Valencia was dropped to 7.99 euros with the others remaining at the original price and in the last week all the pizzas were reduced to 7.99 euros. When the prices were identical 35% of customers opted for the Pizza Valencia but this increased to nearly half of customers when the price was dropped. In the final stage of the test there was no difference in sales between the five pizzas. Researchers also found that the 99 effect appears to work when customers are choosing between similar items and often pay less attention to the end of the price.

We arrived in St Lucia yesterday evening for a five day stay during which we are attending a friends wedding on Tuesday. I must say I was dreading the eight hour flight but it was better than I expected, perhaps because I managed to watch three movies on the way. We did, however, arrive very tired and so last night we just stopped for a bite to eat before heading off for an early night.

So far I am impressed with the hotel. We are staying at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort in Rodney Bay. On arrival we were greeted with a glass bucks fizz and the staff couldn't be any more helpful. Obviously I have the promised internet access, which is essential for keeping track of my various businesses whilst we are away. I will also post some pictures of the room shortly. We ate in the resorts Hi-Tide Restaurant last night and once again my first impressions were good. Rory had red snapper and I had a baby rack of lamb that came with a sweet potato mash. We are just about to head out for breakfast now, so more on this later, hopefully with some pictures of the island.

This remarkable likeness of Jesus was found on a bottle of cider. Apparently Michael Cartwright and his friends were amazed when they looked at the foil wrapper of the bottle and saw this "clear" image of Jesus. The bottle itself was thrown away but they did manage to capture this picture of the face. I can't see it myself and I can't help wondering how many pints of cider they had consumed before making the "miraculous" discovery. Maybe I will have a few beers, then take second look, I might see the light.