The faces of Fairtrade

It’s Fairtrade Fortnight from 26 February, a time to reflect on how you could do more to support growers, farmers and producers in developing countries.

The message for this year’s campaign is “come on in”, encouraging people to open their doors and minds to Fairtrade. Women produce 80% of the world’s food and Fairtrade acts to ensure female farmers get the same opportunities and rights as their male counterparts.

Ivania Calderón Peralta is a single mother of five and organic coffee farmer in Nicaragua who works for a cooperative that supplies beans to Café Direct. “Before, women didn’t have the freedom to participate in the decision-making processes,” she says. “Now, we have managerial responsibilities and different roles and, thanks to training funded by Faitrade, women can make progress.” The work of the foundation spans industries from food to fashion to technology. The first Fairtrade African Gold from Uganda launched in the UK last year and food products bearing the Fairtrade logo are being introduced all the time. 

Find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight at fairtrade.org.uk.

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Recipe: Fairtrade Fortnight - Chocolate fruit and nut slices

It's Fairtrade Fortnight (until 8 March) and The Simple Things is celebrating with a trio of delicious and ethically responsible chocolate-based recipes. We think you might want to join us...

Over the past 20 years, the FAIRTRADE mark has become the best known ethical label in the UK. The Fairtrade movement has generated significant economic benefits for farmers and workers around the world, from cocoa growers in Ghana to sugar farmers in Belize. In 2015, the Fairtrade Foundation wants to see more people choosing products that change lives - so that greater impact can be achieved over the next 20 years and beyond.  

70% of the world’s food is produced by 500 million smallholder farmers yet many of them can’t feed their families. And many farmers who are part of the Fairtrade system are still not selling all their produce as Fairtrade to work their way out of real poverty. For example, tea growers are selling less than 10% of total production as Fairtrade.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2015 turns the spotlight on the famers and workers who grow our favourite food, to share their compelling stories and remind everyone of the dramatic difference Fairtrade makes and why it is still needed. 

Focusing on three ingredients we couldn't live without - cocoa, tea and sugar - try one of three Fairtrade Fortnight recipes we'll be bringing you this week.

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Slices

250g shortcrust pastry
125g apricot jam
3 large free-range eggs
175g soft brown sugar
50g melted butter
75g plain flour
100g walnuts, chopped
100g semi-dried apricots, chopped
250g Raisin & Hazelnut chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 x 30cm cake tin.
2. Roll out the pastry to fill the base of the tin, and bake for 15 minutes. Leave to cool, and then spread over the jam.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, and fold in the melted butter, flour and walnuts.
4. Spread evenly over the pastry. Return to the oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
5. Scatter the apricots over the cake. Melt the chocolate and cover the cake. Cool before slicing.

Recipe: Fairtrade Fortnight - Farmhouse chocolate and banana bread

It's Fairtrade Fortnight (until 8 March) and The Simple Things is celebrating with a trio of delicious and ethically responsible chocolate-based recipes. We think you might want to join us...

Over the past 20 years, the FAIRTRADE mark has become the best known ethical label in the UK. The Fairtrade movement has generated significant economic benefits for farmers and workers around the world, from cocoa growers in Ghana to sugar farmers in Belize. In 2015, the Fairtrade Foundation wants to see more people choosing products that change lives - so that greater impact can be achieved over the next 20 years and beyond.  

70% of the world’s food is produced by 500 million smallholder farmers yet many of them can’t feed their families. And many farmers who are part of the Fairtrade system are still not selling all their produce as Fairtrade to work their way out of real poverty. For example, tea growers are selling less than 10% of total production as Fairtrade.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2015 turns the spotlight on the famers and workers who grow our favourite food, to share their compelling stories and remind everyone of the dramatic difference Fairtrade makes and why it is still needed. 

Focusing on three ingredients we couldn't live without - cocoa, tea and sugar - try one of three Fairtrade Fortnight recipes we'll be bringing you this week.

Farmhouse chocolate and banana bread

Makes 1 loaf

225g self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
100g butter at room temperature
175g caster sugar
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
2 very ripe bananas
3 tablespoons milk
100g dark (70% or 85% cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped into very small pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line a 23 x 13cm loaf tin.

2. Sift the flour and salt.

3. Cream the butter and sugar, for ease in a food processor. Add the eggs, bananas and milk and mix thoroughly. Next add the flour and salt, but stop mixing as soon as the ingredients come together.

4. Fold half of the chopped chocolate into the mixture. This must be done using a spoon – do not use a food processor for this.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle the rest of the chocolate on top of the mixture and push the pieces in slightly.

6. Bake in the centre of the oven for between 45 minutes and 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Tip:

When mixing the wet and dry ingredients, do not work the mixture too much as that will release the gluten in the flour and make for a heavier texture. For this reason, stop when the mixture has just come together.

Recipe: Fairtrade Fortnight - Tiramisu

It's Fairtrade Fortnight (until 8 March) and The Simple Things is celebrating with a trio of delicious and ethically responsible chocolate-based recipes. We think you might want to join us...

Over the past 20 years, the FAIRTRADE mark has become the best known ethical label in the UK. The Fairtrade movement has generated significant economic benefits for farmers and workers around the world, from cocoa growers in Ghana to sugar farmers in Belize. In 2015, the Fairtrade Foundation wants to see more people choosing products that change lives - so that greater impact can be achieved over the next 20 years and beyond.  

70% of the world’s food is produced by 500 million smallholder farmers yet many of them can’t feed their families. And many farmers who are part of the Fairtrade system are still not selling all their produce as Fairtrade to work their way out of real poverty. For example, tea growers are selling less than 10% of total production as Fairtrade.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2015 turns the spotlight on the famers and workers who grow our favourite food, to share their compelling stories and remind everyone of the dramatic difference Fairtrade makes and why it is still needed. 

Focusing on three ingredients we couldn't live without - cocoa, tea and sugar - try one of three Fairtrade Fortnight recipes we'll be bringing you this week.

Tiramisu

1 large free-range egg yolk
1 tbsp caster sugar
80g mascarpone cheese
40g whipping cream
4 sponge fingers, broken in half
60ml espresso coffee
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp Marsala
20g dark chocolate (85% cocoa)

1. Whisk the egg yolk and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone.

2. Add the cream, and whip everything together until soft peaks form.

3. Place a spoonful in two glasses. Mix the sugar with the espresso, and dip the sponge fingers in it. Arrange on top of the cream. Splash over the Marsala.

4. Top with remaining cream, and finish with grated chocolate.

5. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.