Peggy's Pick of the prooducts

Pub cook Peggy takes time off from her fags-and-gin fitness regime to cast a somewhat bloodshot eye over some of the latest food products on the market.

You know me, I'm not one for coarse language, but I have to say I'm bloody fed up with January already. OK, so it's always a quiet month, but this year everybody seems to be on a *@*%ing detox diet, pardon my French. Nothing but mineral water and salad. We haven't sold a slice of gateau since New Year's Eve. Never mind, they'll soon be back to normal. No one can resist my sponge puddings for long.

• Heinz Salsa​
  Heinz Foodservice: 0800 555557​

Isn't salsa a dance? All sultry moves and barely-constrained Latin passion? Or am I thinking of the Lambrusca? This salsa is made with a host of chunky vegetables including ripe and juicy tomatoes, chillies and peppers. It's a versatile ingredient and can be used as an accompaniment and as a base for cooked sauces - excellent for pizza sauces and chicken. Customers like something a bit more exotic these days, and a well-known brand is always a comfort when you're trying something new.

Dèlifrance reduced salt baguette​
Dèlifrance UK 0116 2571871​

Personally, I like a mouthful of something salty, but we're all supposed to be cutting back. Dèlifrance UK has developed a reduced salt baguette which complies with Food Standards Agency guidelines, reducing salt levels by 25 per cent compared to your bog-standard French stick. Just the thing for my afternoon baguette break.

Macphie Savoury Choice​
Macphie Customer Service hotline 0800 085 9800​

Cream sauces always go down well, don't they? Food ingredients manufacturer Macphie has launched a new unsweetened cream alternative called Savoury Choice. It is unsweetened and won't split during cooking, and just like dairy cream, Savoury Choice reduces to make smooth, creamy sauces. It is extremely versatile and provides an ideal base for making sauces, soups and dips. It also whips up to three times its original volume to make delicious mousses, terrines and quenelles.

Veetee Brown​
Basmati Rice. Veetee Foodservice: 0800 032 1673​

How do you grow rice on a hill? Wouldn't the water all run down to the bottom? Apparently not, because Veetee Foodservice's new brown basmati rice is grown and harvested in the foothills of the Himalayas, and I'm sure they know what they're doing. It's packed full of vitamin and minerals and is a great accompaniment to a range of healthy dishes. I'm thinking brown rice with mushroom and lentil salad as a vegetarian offering, and chicken jambalaya and rice, made with chicken, ham, sausage and tomato. It takes around 20 to 25 minutes to cook, and is simple to prepare either in a pan of boiling water or in a microwave. Not sure how it'll go in rice pudding, though.

Whitby premium fish cakes​
Whitby Seafoods 0800 731 6596​

We had a holiday in Whitby once. Very pretty but a bit on the chilly side. The fish and chips were lovely. Whitby Seafoods has launched a premium fish cake range, available exclusively through 3663. Made from tender chunky pieces of fish, Whitby Three Way Cook Premium Dusted Fish Cakes can be deep-fried, grilled or oven baked. They're available in smoked haddock & spring onion, cod & prosciutto and salmon, cod & roasted peppers - very classy - and come in 25 x 80g non split cases.

Kenwood XSD004 Double Mixed Spindle Mixer​
Kenwood Catering products 02392 476000​

I can remember when the most sophisticated soft drink we served around here was Tizer. With the new XSD004 Double Mixed Spindle Mixer we can manage coffees, milkshakes, cocktails and frappé-style drinks on the back bar. It also has a unique Coffee Crème Disk, thickens milk, cream or cold coffee, providing a creamier texture and increased volume. Variable speed gives excellent control over the liquid for a delicious, thick frappé, espresso and frappaccino, or creamy cocktails. Cheers!

If you've got a product you'd like Peggy to put through its paces, please email details, including a picture, to chosbbq@gurchoyvpna.pbz​.