The curious history of kitchen utensils and their changing forms makes for a book to savour

Tesco has announced a £25 million annual deal with beef and pork farmers, promising them better prices and longer contracts.

An upmarket online grocer, backed by the former boss of Asda, has secured funding to expand and help attract more "foodie" customers.

The French are known to like their beef, and they also like their wine. In the southern village of Lunel-Viel, in the Hérault department in southern France, some farmers have taken the next step and are feeding wine to their beef cattle on the principle that if French beef tastes good now, it can only improve with a bottle of Saint-Geniès des Mourgues.

In a week in which yet another stupid slimming fad outdid the last one and caught the attention of horrified dieticians, praise be to Karren Brady for being last week's still, small voice of calm in a ridiculous world. In an interview with Woman & Home magazine, the West Ham boss said that she doesn't really bother with staying thin and following fashion, and instead just has a life and wears things that suit her. "I've been to some very glamorous parties where there are some very beautiful – and very thin – people," she said, "But … they don't touch a canapé or have a drink."

From Saddleback pork to hot-smoked mackerel, cut out the middleman and get the finest foods delivered to your door...

Tesco has been accused of fuelling the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by selling beef from cattle reared on land stolen from the jungle. During a two-year investigation, Greenpeace found that canned beef from cows on illegally deforested pasture had found its way on to the shelves of the UK's biggest supermarket chain.

Tesco has been accused of fuelling the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by selling beef from cattle reared on land stolen from the jungle.

Serves 4

One bad pun aside, few country inns live up to this Devon delight

Serves 4

Serves 4-6