Food & Drink notes

Loving spoonful; meet the maker; super bowl; curry in a hurry

Loving spoonful

Loving spoonful

Norwegian wood, isn't it good? Utensils from Ella's Kitchen Company (01588 673976/ www.ellaskitchencompany.com) are hand-crafted in Norway to designs copied from Katherina Saunders' Norwegian grandmother's cooking kit. The beautiful ladle costs £10 (plus p&p) and comes tipped with Norwegian blue oil paint to match the wooden whisk and pliers (£4 each), and set of three slender spoons (£6) also in the range

Meet the maker

Look What We Found! are 'almost-ready' meals that honour the farmers and producers of the raw materials. The new company's recipes showcase regional specialities with dishes including Shaun Richardson's citrus-braised Herdwick mutton. Find Look What We Found! in delis, fine food and farm shops for around £5 each, but not in the fridge. They have no preservatives, but crafty technology means the meals can live in the cupboard. 01207 288 769/ www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk

Super bowl

Sticking with the Scandinavian theme, these Margrethe mixing bowls are a classic of 1950s Danish design. A handle and a pouring lip makes all the difference, and the rubber rings around the bottom stop them sliding around as you whisk. From £6.95 for a 1.5 litre size, to £15.95 for the 4 litre bowl, from Cucina Direct 0870 420 4300

Curry in a hurry

If you cook Indian food only occasionally, the spice is never right. It's either out of date (having lurked in the cupboard for far too long) or non-existent. Yorkshire-based Kitchen Guru's spice and recipe packs for easy, freshly spiced and cooked Indian dishes are an ingenious idea. Each of the half dozen or so spices for a dish come measured out in individual pouches. That way they can be added to the cooking at different stages, building up layers of flavour. Choose from several ways with chicken - masala, korma and Madras - Goan pork, chickpea or cauliflower and potato curries. £1.99 a pack from www.kitchenguru.co.uk, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and posh farm shops