Good food or bad food? A chance to find out more…

We’ve all thought about whether food is good or bad for us, and what healthy eating is about.

In three monthly talk and discussion sessions starting on Monday 21^st September, local writer Rob Elliott and his partner Sally Dean invite us to explore what we mean when we use these terms, and how we might improve our diet and our lives.

Rob Elliott is the author of “The Food Maze” and “How to eat like there’s no tomorrow”.

The sessions are being run by Ledbury Library Development Group (LLDG) in association with Ledbury Food Group.

The themes of the three sessions are as follows:

Unravelling the Food Maze – Rob and Sally review our search for honest food. You want to eat healthily but is butter good for you or bad for you? What does ‘free range’ really mean? What is a balanced diet? Is it just too confusing?

Taking control of our own Health – Rob and Sally explore the connection between food, health and well-being. They also consider the links between industrial food and the major health and environment issues of the 21st century.

“Being the change we want to see”: You are invited to think positively about the food you eat. Using the story of their own lives, Rob and Sally will suggest ways we can make informed changes in our lives and what we eat.

How can I take part?

The sessions take place on Monday 21^st September, Monday 19^th October and Monday 16^th November in the Panelled Room at the Master’s House (Ledbury Library), Ledbury from 7pm to 9pm. Light refreshments featuring local products will be provided.

Tickets for each session are £6 with a discount for LLDG members and Ledbury Food Group members on the night.

Tickets for each session are available to purchase from Ledbury Library 6 weeks before the session.

Parking (free from 6pm) is available in St Katherine’s Car Park, off Bye Street.

Please contact us at ask@ledburyfoodgroup.org if you need to know more.

July 14, 2015August 1, 2015

Thanks for helping us celebrate our local food, drink, music and poetry

After threatening rain, the sun came out and shone on this year’s Ledbury Celebration on Sunday 12^th July featuring over 30 food and drink stalls selling all kinds of local food and drink.

Did you try the good traditional local food that was on offer?

What did you think of the new twists this year with Polish style pierogi (pasties) and Columbian style empanadas, made using local ingredients?

Led Celeb 2015 Cake Heaven at Three Talents Cakery P1020667 — Cake Heaven at Three Talents Cakery

Did you discover scotch eggs (all kinds of flavours), jams, preserves, chutneys, freshly baked bread, delicious cakes, granny Tigg’s dressing, cherries, granola and, of course, very local ice cream?

Did you sample the medieval cake samples that the Ledbury Library Development Group were offering linking today’s event with the restoration of our 15^th century Master’s House? Did you pick up a recipe card?

Led Celeb 2015 Visitors enjoy an alfresco lunch P1020673 — Visitors enjoy an alfresco lunch

Did you have a “street food” lunch – once the rain had stopped?

What did you think about the fine range of local ciders and perrys, wines, beers, fruit drinks and even local gin on offer? Did you stay to enjoy these while listening to the fabulous range of local musical acts and poets joining in this event?

Did you explore the puppetry of the Fetch theatre – a lot of people really enjoyed this – and the mystery of the CowGirl Parlour?

Did you meet the Mayor of Ledbury, Councillor Annette Crowe when she visited the celebration?

Did you buy a ticket for the Food Group’s local food raffle? Gareth Morgan did and won with ticket 26!

Catherine Every, organiser of the event for the Ledbury Food Group, said, “We are very pleased that again the Ledbury Celebration with its blend of food, drink, music and poetry has brought pleasure to so many people. We thank everyone who helped make the event such a success.”

Phillippa Slinger for Ledbury Poetry Festival said, “The Festival is thrilled that we put on a stunning array of poets and musicians, from the irreverent and hilarious Johnny Fluffypunk, to the Baltic melodies of Flatworld, as well as local poets and musicians showing off their home grown talent. The variety and quality of the performers capped off a wonderful collaboration with the Ledbury Food Group”

This marvellous free event would not be possible without support from its sponsors who this year included Ledbury Town Council, Crowthers, Orme and Slade, Wilce’s, A.B.E., Pughs, Authentic Bread Company, Greendawn Accounting, Herefordshire Community Foundation, New Grove Trust, Tilley Printing, Rotary International, and the many volunteers who helped before, during and after the event.

Many thanks to all who helped and to all who attended this event this year. If you missed it, join us next year.

Please send us your comments on the event so that we can do even better next time to ask@ledburyfoodgroup.org

[Show slideshow]

Cake heaven at Three Talents Cakery

Flatworld entertains

Iryna's bread and pastries

Jo Brandt serving up

The view from Peter Cook's stall

Vincenza Alvear Villaruel with her empanadas

Visitors enjoy an alfresco lunch

Vivien brandt with her preserves

The Fetch Theatre Co puppetry

July 8, 2015October 6, 2015

Sunday 12 July – food, drink, music and poetry!

You are invited to the Ledbury Celebration of Food, Drink, Poetry and Music on Sunday in Bye Street Car Park and Orme and Slade Car Park, Ledbury. Over 30 local food and drink producers will be selling their wares and there will be a full programme of live music and poetry throughout the day. You will be able to buy food and drink, including local beer, ciders, wines and fruit juices, to eat and drink while enjoying the performances, and there will be plenty to choose from to take home to enjoy later. A full list is here.

Alongside the food, drink, poetry and music, the day is also being visited by two exciting attractions.

The Fetch is a touring theatre company producing a highly visual style of theatre incorporating puppetry and mask work. The Fetch dispels the myth that ‘puppetry is for kids’, producing work that engages with audiences of all ages.

CowGirl Parlour is a sound installation inside a caravan with live outdoor performances and a pop up ice cream parlour.

You’ll also be able to sit and enjoy tea, coffee and homemade biscuits from Ledbury Country Market. Ledbury Library Development Group will have a range of second hand cookery books as well as medieval culinary treats, Wykeham Gardens will have plants and cards on sale and Studiocrafts will have a craft activity table where children can explore their creative sides.

Catherine Every, who is leading the organisation of the day on behalf of Ledbury Food Group said, “The Ledbury Celebration is in its sixth year and is going from strength to strength because it’s a great day out with something for everyone.”

The Ledbury Celebration is jointly organised by Ledbury Food Group and Ledbury Poetry Festival to celebrate the last day of the Poetry Festival and Ledbury’s super local food and drink. The event is supported by local businesses and Ledbury Town Council – entry is free.

The Friday Beer Co - Ledbury Celebration 2014 — The Friday Beer Co – Ledbury Celebration 2014

June 14, 2015June 21, 2015

Strawberry Tea at The Shop at Bromsberrow on Saturday 20 June

June is the quintessentially English month of early summer, and all that that conjures up : blowsy roses heady with scent, clear blue skies dotted with fluffy white clouds, lazy days filled with sunshine and the delicious anticipation of biting into the first sun-ripened English strawberries. Maybe the weather hasn’t been quite living up to expectations this year, but you can still enjoy all the flavours of early summertime with a Strawberry Tea at The Shop at Bromsberrow next Saturday, June 20^th at 3.30pm.

In conjunction with Ledbury Food Group, The Shop, which has a large café area, is providing a tea consisting of freshly made scones, freshly whipped cream, strawberry jam and fresh strawberries with Fair Trade tea, herb tea or coffee. Other than the tea and coffee, everything is sourced within twenty miles of The Shop. In addition there will be a display by Ledbury Food Group, a strawberry display, the jam maker will be on hand to talk about her products and there will be a Strawberry Quiz.

The light-hearted quiz will be on all things strawberry-related (even sports questions!) with a prize (a punnet of strawberries!) for the winning team.

Tickets costing £5.00 per head (£3.00 for children) are available by phoning The Shop at Bromsberrow on 01531 650744 or e-mailing info@theshopatbromsberrow.co.uk

The Shop at Bromsberrow, HR8 1PG is situated five miles outside Ledbury – take the A417 towards Gloucester, turn right into Bromsberrow Heath and follow the signs for The Shop.

On the morning of Saturday 20^th June 10am – 12 noon there will be a car boot sale at The Shop. Why not make a day of it by coming to the car boot, eating lunch in the café, doing a self-guided walk before enjoying the Strawberry Tea.

[gview file=”https://www.ledburyfoodgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/150620-Strawberry-tea-at-Bromsberrow-poster.pdf”]

May 11, 2015May 29, 2015

Ledbury celebrates English wine week (23rd – 31st May)

The emergence and growth of quality boutique vineyards in the Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire reflects the national expansion of vineyards and the growing international success of English wines.

Within just a 30 mile radius of Ledbury we now have well over 25 vineyards, producing a fantastic range of wines; white, red, rose, & sparkling.

Simon Day, Award winning wine maker and producer of his new brand Sixteen Ridges explains:

“Growers in the UK are benefitting from over 40 years of experience from the viticultural pioneers of the 1960s and 1970s selecting the best grape varieties to grow in our climate, as well as siting vineyards in the best possible locations; south facing slopes, well protected from frost. Our Sixteen Ridges vineyard resides on a sheltered hillside. It forms a natural amphitheatre capturing sunlight and warmth. Our more recent planting at Redbank, along the Ledbury Wall Hills, is a perfect marriage of aspect, shelter and soil; the precise ingredients to go into quality wine grape production.

These days we are also successfully growing recognised grape varieties such Pinot Noir, alongside the less well known cool climate varieties that are gaining a reputation. Our Sixteen Ridges range of wines are predominantly Pinot Noir, and have rapidly engaged consumer interest. We find the majority of consumers feel comfortable with a recognised grape variety, and as such are more willing to try English, which will lead them onto some of the more unusual varieties.

UK Sparkling wine has really taken off in the last decade gaining an excellent reputation both in the UK and abroad. Our climate tends to suit traditional method sparkling, producing racy base wines that gain layers of complexity with ageing. Building experience and skill in the winery has helped to lift quality levels of English Wine to the point where they regularly out perform Champagnes in blind tastings and competitions.”

English Wine Week during 23^rd – 31^st May is a national campaign to raise awareness of English wine and to celebrate the UK’s growing international reputation.

Ledbury is playing host to a variety of events during the week, including an exclusive tasting evening at the Feathers Hotel, in conjunction with Simon Day of Haygrove Evolution. The hotel will host nine of the Three Counties vineyards, including Sixteen Ridges, Elgar wines from Lovells vineyard, The Three Choirs, The Lea, Coddington Vineyard, Broadfield Court, Frome Valley, Castle Brook and Sparchall.

Hay wines, Ledbury’s only independent wine merchant, will host wine and cheese tastings on 23^rd and 30^th May; The Nest, Ledbury’s new deli, restaurant and garden centre will be holding an English wine tasting on 31^st May; The Three Counties Cider Shop will be holding tastings of local wine, and its exclusive ice Cider, during the 10 day celebration.

Press release by Sixteen Ridges Vineyard and Haygrove Evolution

April 28, 2015May 29, 2015

Blossomtime means cider time!

The Big Apple: 3^rd & 4^th May 2015 Putley & Aylton.

Spring sunshine over the past week has brought on the blossom, the first haze of pink. This year promises to be a great year for blossom, and there will be plenty to enjoy around the orchards of Putley and Aylton this weekend. The start of spring coincides with the new season’s cider and perry, and 170 entries have been made to this year’s Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials. Judging will take place on Saturday, and by the time the public are admitted on Sunday to the Grand Cider Tasting at Putley Village Hall, this year’s winners will be known. Writer and broadcaster Pete Brown, specialist in ‘making people thirsty’ and author of World’s Best Cider, will present the prizes.

Artisan ciders and perries will be available to taste and buy on Sunday 2–6pm and Monday 12–5pm. A special collection of portraits of local cider and perry makers will be on view. The exhibition, ‘Our Common Bond’, brings together paintings by Jean Nowell, friend and mentor to many aspiring cider makers. Jean built up her enviable reputation as a cider and perry maker under the label ‘Lyne Down Cider and Perry’ which she started in the 1980s with her late husband Terry. She has encouraged many on their cider making journey, including some of the best known craft producers in the Ledbury area.

The first orchard walk will leave Putley Village Hall at 9.30am on Sunday. Ploughman’s lunches and home-made teas will be provided by Aylton Church, Tarrington Brownies, Putley Parish Hall and Putley WI.

For a full programme of events please go to www.bigapple.org.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigappleherefordshire

Twitter: @TheBigAppleHfd

March 12, 2015June 27, 2020

Rayeesa’s Pop Up Indian Kitchen at Handley Organics

On Wednesday 11 March the first pop up cookery course was held at Handley Organics. Rayeesa of Rayeesa’s Indian Kitchen in Mordiford gave 3 hours of instruction on cooking Indian veggie food using Handley Organic’s own organic veggies.

We cooked – and ate – chipatis, Meeti Dahl (lentils), rice, aloo mehti (potato with fenugreek leaf), mixed vegetable curry, and aubergine and tomato chutney. There were lots of tips along the way: the right way to cook onions, how to store spices for maximum freshness (in the freezer), not to fear ghee but use it sparingly for flavour (butter is no longer regarded as unhealthy and in any case ghee is the most healthy form of butter fat). We tried our hand with a dahl mathani – a masher that looks a bit like a wooden mallet with a long handle – and a chipati rolling pin.

We started at 6.30 p.m. and three hours later a very flavoursome and spicy meal was ready. A little hot for some? Caroline Handley was available throughout and nipped downstairs returning with yoghurt and coconut milk from her shop to compliment the meal.

There will be more pop up cookery evenings at Handleys. Rayeesa will be back and other chefs will be invited. Keep an eye on Handley’s facebook page or ask in the shop for details.

If you have not yet ventured upstairs in the mini emporium that Handley Organics has become, it is worth pointing out that the shop carries the largest range of spices in Ledbury. Purchased in bulk from an organic wholesaler, the prices are reasonable and Caroline says their turnover is very high so the spices are always fresh. Organic ghee is also available in the shop.

At the end of the evening Rayeesa’s Indian sauces – made from all fresh ingredients and sold frozen – were available to buy.

Mixed Veg Curry and Aubergine and Tomato Chutney