Deliciously Ella - Ella Mills Woodward and Plants By DE

[Yel]

Does anyone know what the beef is between her and Livia's kitchen? They used to be friends (Olivia, the LK founder, made Ella's wedding cake too), and Olivia has alluded to the fact they aren't friends anymore because of product copy-catting on Deliciously Ella's part, but it's all a bit vague. I saw that Olivia just replied to a question on her personal insta story about DE's new crumble launch - she said she was hurt that DE was producing similar products to her brand, and basically ripping off the crumble idea which was Olivia's trademark product when her brand started. What are people's thoughts on their respective products? I've personally tried both and I do like some of their stuff, but they do taste quite same-ish with a similar date-and-oat formula. I like DE's cashew ginger balls and nut butter cups and LK's nugglets are great imo, as are her Dunx cookies. But definitely catering to a v specific market that can afford this kind of price tag on a one-off snack regularly... it's definitely an occasional treat in my household. DE is coming out with frozen cookies too now, it seems. Interested to know how much those cost.

It's hard for someone to claim ownership of a crumble. Most of their sweet recipes are both the same base of oats and dates. These two didn't invent any of these recipes, they just had the money behind them to get them in supermarkets.

I sometimes buy the livia squares when on offer for £1 but it is a lot of wasted plastic. All they are is layer of dates and oats, dates and chocolate so easy to make yourself for a fraction of the price.

I tried the deliciously Ella potato cakes last weekend as they were on offer. They weren't nice at all, I assumed they were mostly lentil but no they'd managed to make a product that was 70% yummy potatoes not taste good. No way are they worth £3.

When the supermarkets were bare they were still full of deliciously Ella frozen stuff

 

[ellieeloise91]

I heard from someone who was at uni with her that she went to rehab a few times sent by her parents because she was so into drugs in Uni at St Andrews & that was her 'illness'

 

[purple-rain]

£3 for two little crumbles, they’re on the Tesco grocery site now. I do think some of the products are similar but I’d choose Livia’s Kitchen if I had too, although never realised she did a crumble thought it was all bars and balls

Yeah I hadn't realised either! But apparently she started the brand making and delivering homemade crumble from her parent's kitchen, before branching out into the million squares and nugglets, etc. LK have said they're rolling out more new products this year, and I wonder if packaged crumble was in the pipelines before the DE launch...

 

[Rosie878]

The burnt bread she’s just made on her stories looks terrible!

 

[Kim_laurie3]

I heard from someone who was at uni with her that she went to rehab a few times sent by her parents because she was so into drugs in Uni at St Andrews & that was her 'illness'

Guys, careful with the “rumors”... just saying.
And yeah, those balls are bad.

 

[lagirlx]

Guys, careful with the “rumors”... just saying.
And yeah, those balls are bad.

What do you mean?

 

[Debarkle]

Very good thread on Twitter:

 

[purple-rain]

Very good thread on Twitter:

Thanks for posting! A good, sensible thread. I agree that food is deeply political and I think brands like DE that have such a strong media presence do have the responsibility to represent this. I'm vegan myself, but I'll be the first to say that there's such a lack of perspective in the online vegan community (or bubble, more precisely) about the huge structural privilege that it is to have access not just to the resources/education to understand how to follow a vegan diet/lifestyle healthily, but also the food itself. I know it's become a popular refrain that 'beans and rice and potatoes are the cheapest foods on the planet!' Sure. But I'm also sure if people had to subsist on chickpeas or potatoes without expensive (imported) tahini and harissa and avocados etc etc. to dress them up in, I daresay a lot of us (myself included) will soon fall off the train. What they're really forgetting is that it's not just about eating plant-based but a particular quality of life they're pedalling while being vegan: the insta-worthy, glorified avo on toast, daily juices that can cost a paycheck to make, and so on. I like some of DE's recipes and I like her attempt to demystify plant-based eating, but as with most vegan bloggers, I have a huge issue with the complete lack of engagement with the socioeconomic asymmetries that afford this kind of lifestyle, the unchecked privilege, and the lack of any cultural contextualisation for the food they make. Most of these content creators rely heavily on soups and stews with strong Middle Eastern, Indian, Southeast Asian, etc. roots and there's barely ever any attempt to nod to that. These cultures have historically had these 'vegan' dishes for centuries, just without a glorified Euro-American instagram packaging. I know cultural contact and hybridity are just part and parcel of interacting in a globalised world, and I appreciate people engaging with different cuisines, but I wish they'd educate themselves and make an attempt to expose their audience to it as well. There was a good thread on Bon Appetit and the use of sumac a couple of days ago - not sure if I read it on GG or Tattle Life, but it's worth a read!

 

[bubbletea123]

HOLY tit.

The "Anonymous" hackers have just released a lot of info about Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, etc, including court papers. Apparently, in Epstein's little black book of names the names Shaun and Camilla Woodward are in it.... that is ELLA's parent's names. How the duck will she handle this???

 

[Pablomamma]

I’ve met this woman a few times. She’s up there as one of the top 5 twats I’ve ever encountered. Cold, nasty, humourless. I walked away wondering if she had a soul in her body. Her husband is a wet letttuce with a nose job. Her family has a private island. Her food is shite too.

 

[bubbletea123]

I wonder will anyone ask her about her parent's names being in Epstein's contact book?

 

[Becclo44]

God her food gets more boring each day. I love pasta dishes but she always manages to make them look sooooo boring.

Imagine how depressing it must be living in their house when you ask what’s for dinner and find out it’s the same old kale stir fried in coconut again.

 

[Yel]

I wonder will anyone ask her about her parent's names being in Epstein's contact book?

Not surprised seeing as she's very much part of the establishment. Just how many people wanted him dead so their links wouldn't be looked into

 

[georg]

I tried her chocolate and almond butter cups and find them too sweat. The taste is not amazing either...

 

[openbook1]

Now that Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested I wonder are Ella's parents quaking in their boots as they were in Epstein's contact book?

Also, I read this recently and had no idea but Ella's Dad came out as gay a number of years ago... https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/p...l-with-her-former-minister-father-coming-out/

 

[emm]

Now that Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested I wonder are Ella's parents quaking in their boots as they were in Epstein's contact book?

Also, I read this recently and had no idea but Ella's Dad came out as gay a number of years ago... https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/p...l-with-her-former-minister-father-coming-out/

This is shocking... yeh her dad famously walked across the House of Commons to join labour ( from the Tories ) during a debate about something pertaining to gay rights

 

[Yel]

This is shocking... yeh her dad famously walked across the House of Commons to join labour ( from the Tories ) during a debate about something pertaining to gay rights

Sadly it's not that shocking from a politician. Although to be fair to Ella's dad it was a lot more difficult back then to be himself.

I doubt Ella or the Sainsburys dynasty will ever say anything about the links to Jeffrey Epstein and they might not ever make the footnotes of any newspaper with all the friends and power they wield. Especially as she's married to Tessa Jowell's investment banker son with god knows what more protection and connections that gets.

 

[La_frenchie]

I’ve met this woman a few times. She’s up there as one of the top 5 twats I’ve ever encountered. Cold, nasty, humourless. I walked away wondering if she had a soul in her body. Her husband is a wet letttuce with a nose job. Her family has a private island. Her food is shite too.

I second that. My friend used to supply coffee for her cafes and said she was an hole.

 

[Mooms]

Just found this thread, I follow her on instagram and like her family content (only 20 so interested in stuff like that) but OMG I knew they must be doing alright as Matt’s mum was an MP but had no clue she’s in the Sainsburys bloodline!! Always such a shame when you realise just how these people got to where they are, just like Grace Beverley who makes out she’s self made but is also just a product of nepotism

 

[Hasanah123]

Her spelling is so bad