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The Big Apple Blossomtime in Putley

The parishes of the Marcle Ridge’s seasonal celebration of orchards, apples, cider and perry takes place on Sunday 30th April and Monday 1st May.

There’s lots of “appley” things for you to join in and celebrate the rather late this year coming of Spring.

Putley Blossom

It’s a special opportunity to enjoy the lovely countryside and orchards of the Marcle Ridge in Herefordshire, where local orchards are famous both for their cider fruit and their dessert and culinary fruit.

The events take place over two days around Putley Parish Hall, where you will find an array of traditional ciders and perries from Herefordshire and surrounding counties, together with some of the makers for you to meet, and, on Sunday only, at Court Farm Aylton, where you can spend time in the cruck barn and amongst the apple trees.

Blossomtime is not just for cider enthusiasts. Enjoy a walk through the orchards around Putley and Aylton, with or without a guide, then refresh yourselves with excellent homemade food. Plan your day to include one or two of our special events, including some at alternative nearby locations.

The full programme is available at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime-putley/.

Events centre – Putley Parish Hall – Putley Green – HR8 2QN – Car Parking.

 

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What is the future for Farming?

A FARMING PERSPECTIVE – WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

cattle grazing

Sustainable Ledbury invite you hear Patrick Wrixon give a presentation followed by discussion and questions on the challenges facing the farming industry on Monday 20th March at 7 p.m. at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

Patrick has farmed in Herefordshire for over 40 years. He has been involved with agricultural organisations Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF), and the NFU.

Join in the debate – or just listen!

No tickets are required but donations will be welcome to cover the costs of the meeting.  Organised by: –

Sustainable Ledbury

 

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And now… Six of the best soup recipes

Following from last month’s Ledbury Big Soup event, here are some soup recipes from our recipe wizard for you to try…

CARROT, PARSNIP AND LENTIL SOUP

Serves 4

50g. (2ozs.) Green lentils
100g. (4ozs.) Chorizo sausage or peppered salami
150g. (6ozs.) Each of carrots and parsnips
275g. (10ozs.) Onions
30ml. (2 tbsps.) Oil
5ml. (1 level tsp.) Ground cumin
1 litre (2 pints) vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
A few thyme sprigs
Salt and ground black pepper

Croutons to garnish if desired

  1. Cut the chorizo into cubes. Roughly chop the onions, carrots and parsnips.
  2. Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the chorizo or salami and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Add the onions to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until soft.  Add the carrots, cumin, parsnips and drained lentils and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Stir in the stock, bay leaves and thyme.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Cool slightly, remove the herbs and puree the soup in batches in a food processor or liquidiser.
  4. Return to the pan, bring back to the boil and correct the seasoning. Serve with the fried chorizo or salami, garnished with croutons.

CARROT, HONEY & GINGER SOUP

Serves 4

60g. (2 oz.) Butter
750g. (1½ lbs) carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
10cm. (4 inches) piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
Salt, black pepper
1 litre (1¾ pts.) Hot vegetable stock
1 tablespoon honey
1 bay leaf
125ml. (4 fl. Ozs.) Double cream
Chopped fresh parsley or coriander, to garnish

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the carrots, onion, garlic and ginger, sprinkle with ½ tsp. of salt, cover the pan and leave to sweat over a low heat for about 20 minutes, when the carrots should be thoroughly buttery, gingery and very soft.
  2. Pour over the hot stock, stir in the honey, the bay leaf and a pinch of pepper, and simmer until done, about 10 minutes.
  3. Fish out the bay leaf and discard. Put the soup in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth – you may have to do this in batches.  Push the soup through a sieve into the rinsed out saucepan.
  4. Thin the soup with more stock if necessary. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the cream and reheat gently until piping hot but not boiling.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into warmed soup bowls, then drop a spoonful of the remaining cream into the middle of each serving and swirl with the point of a knife.  A sprinkling of chopped green herbs completes this soup.

CREAM OF CELERIAC AND SPINACH SOUP

Serves 6

1 litre (1¾ pts.) Water
250mls. (8fl.ozs) dry white wine
1 leek, thickly sliced
500g. (1¼ lbs) celeriac, diced
200g. (7ozs) fresh spinach
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
25g. (1oz) pine nuts, to garnish

  1. Mix the water and wine in a jug. Place the leek, celeriac and spinach in a deep saucepan and pour the liquid over.  Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
  2. Pour the celeriac mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, in batches if necessary. Return to the clean pan and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Reheat gently.
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan (do not add any oil) and add the pine nuts. Roast until golden brown, stirring occasionally so that they do not stick.  Sprinkle them over the soup and serve.

CHEESY LEEK SOUP

Serves 6

700g (1½ lb) trimmed leeks
225g (8oz) onions
225 (8oz) cheese
50g (2oz) butter
15ml (1 level tbsp) plain flour
1.4 litres (2½ pts.) Turkey or chicken stock
142ml (5fl.oz.) Carton double cream
10ml (2 level tsp.) Grainy mustard
Salt & ground black pepper
Oven baked pesto croutons to accompany

  1. Roughly chop the leeks and finely chop the onions. Cut the cheese into small dice.
  2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 15min. or until soft. Add the leeks and cook for 15min. stirring from time to time.
  3. Add the flour and mix until smooth, stirring continuously, then add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 min.
  4. Reduce the heat until the soup is bubbling gently, then stir in the cream and mustard. Add the cheese in batches, allowing it to melt between each addition.    Season well with salt and black pepper and serve in warmed soup bowls.   Accompany with Oven-baked Pesto Croutons and garnish with stilton.

Oven baked Pesto Croutons – Cut four slices of day-old bread into 2.5cm (1in) cubes.   Toss the cubes in 45-60ml (3-4 level tbsp) ready-made pesto mixed with 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil.   Cook on a baking sheet at 200C/400F/Mark 6 for 10-15 min. until golden and crisp.   Store in an airtight container for up to two days

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Serves 4

15ml (1 tbsp.) Oil
30g. (1oz.) Butter
1kg. (2lbs) onions thinly sliced
25g (1 ½ tbsps.) Soft brown sugar
60ml (4 tbsps) plain flour
1.5 litres (3pts) beef stock
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 french bread stick
100g. (3 ½ oz) grated cheese

  1. Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onion and stir over a low heat for 1 minute.  Cover and cook for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the sugar and ½ tsp. of salt and increase the heat.  Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onion is golden brown.
  2. Gradually add the flour. Cook for 3 minutes over a medium heat, stirring.  Remove from the heat and gradually add the stock.
  3. Over a medium heat bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Partially cover the saucepan, lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste.
  4. Mix some oil with your garlic. Cut the bread into thick slices and toast both sides until lightly browned.  Brush on the oil and garlic and sprinkle with cheese.  Grill until melted and serve on the soup. 

PARSNIP IN A PEAR TREE – SPICY PARSNIP & PEAR 

Serves 4

800 mls. Vegetable stock
3 large parsnips (about 500g.) Peeled & chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 pear, peeled & diced
3 tbsps. Olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1cm. Piece ginger, chopped
1 tsp. Garam marsala
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Ground Coriander

To serve:

100mls. Whipping or double cream (buy when serving)

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.
  2. Add the garam marsala, cumin, coriander and ginger, then stir well and fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the parsnips and stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Add the pear and blend until smooth.
  4. To serve, add the cream and stir well. Serve with parsnip or beetroot crisps if desired.  Simply peel and slice very thinly into rounds, then pat dry.  Heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan (approximately 2cm. deep) until smoking, then fry the vegetable slices in small batches for 2 – 3 minutes each until golden.  Drain on kitchen paper, allow to cool, then serve in piles in the middle of the soup.

 

Happy Souping!

ahhH

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Full details of the 2022 Ledbury Big Soup now available  

Join us for Ledbury’s Celebration of Soup over the weekend of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November.

Sixteen local food venues in and around Ledbury are taking part on one or more days in this event organised by Ledbury Food Group to celebrate soup.

The event takes place at cafes, pubs, hotels, butchers and food shops in and around Ledbury.

There is lots of choice showing the ingenuity of our local food venues – check through the listing below for something to sample, savour and enjoy, whether you eat in, take away or take home. 

Our independent food shops have a wide range of local produce to take home to make your own special soup.

We celebrate the recently launched Herefordshire Food Charter which encourages us to eat good, locally produced food like soup as part of a sustainable diet.

Please remember too our local Ledbury Food Bank which is supporting local people in crisis in our community.  Find out how you can help at https://ledburyfoodbank.org/index.html#help

On Sunday the Ledbury Christmas lights event will be on all afternoon with a food and craft market, musical entertainment and Father Christmas.  The lights will be switched on at 5pm.  Check below for cafes serving their special soups on Sunday.

See below for full details of what soup specials are available, where and when –venues will also offer their normal menu.  A number offer vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.

The full listing of soup offerings – what, where and when?

Based on information provided by the participants. 

Ceci Paolo, 21 High Street

9.0-1730 SAT                   

Phone 01531 632976                  Take-aways – Call & Collect (Soup)

We will be serving a hot soup to our special recipe today.

Look around our store for ingredients for your own soup.  Peter Cooks Bread

Vegetarian

Corner House Cafe, 1 The Southend

10.00-16.00, SAT & SUN            

Phone 01531 635752                  Take-aways – Call & Collect

  • Vegetable Broth served with a Sub roll
  • Five bean, chunky vegetable and chorizo soup plus savoury cheese scone or a panini

Say you have come for the Big Soup and get 10% off your soup

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

The Feathers Hotel, 25 High Street

12.00-21.00 SAT & SUN             

Phone: 01531 635266      

  • Smoked ham, red lentil and autumn vegetable soup
  • Hereford Hop cheese and Ledbury Ale soup
  • Roasted parsnip and local pear soup with parsnip chips

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Handley Organics and Organic Cafe, 5 High Street

All day SAT            

Phone: 01531 631136                           Take-aways – Call & Collect

  • Lots of local produce and ingredients to make a tasty soup
  • We hope to be serving hot organic soup as well – check with us

Organic, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Janey’s, 15 The Homend

10.30 – 3.30 SAT & 13.00 – 16.00 SUN

Phone: 01531 248008                 Take-aways Call & Collect

  • Broccoli and Stilton soup with Fresh Crusty roll or Bread and freshly made Croutons.

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

MA & TA Jenkins, 29 The Homend

7.30 – 16.00 SAT

Phone: 01531 632537

  • Visit Ledbury’s Fruit and Veg shop for soup ingredients
  • We will have potatoes, swede, parsnips, carrots, onions, celery, leeks, squash, celeriac, courgettes, beetroot, shallots, fruit and so much more!

Vegetarian, Vegan 

The Ledberry, 36 The Homend

12.00 till finished SAT

Phone: 01531 632676                 Take-aways

  • Our special locally produced soup of the day – it changes daily!

Vegetarian, Gluten Free

Ledbury Rugby Football Club, Ross Road   

11.00 – 15.00 SUN             

Phone: 01531 631788                 Take-aways – Call & Collect

  • Cauliflower Cheese and Mustard soup served with Cheese Straws
  • Ledbury Rugby Pot Roast soup
  • Caire’s Carrot and Coriander soup

Coincides on Sunday with our junior and colts games

We may also be serving soup on Saturday

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Malthouse Café & Gallery, Church Lane

9.30- 16.00 SAT               

Phone: 01531 634443                 Take-aways Call & Collect

  • Smoked haddock chowder
  • Lamb and vegetable cawl
  • Curried cauliflower and sweet potato soup with peanut, coconut and coriander

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Matt’s Kitchin, Unit 3, Homend Shopping Mall, 32 The Homend

10.00 – 16.00 SAT

Phone: 01531 632418

  • Have you tried our chilled soups?
  • Take home our soup of the day

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

New Market House Café, 1 The Homend

10.00-16.00 SAT, 11.00-17.30 SUN      

Phone: 01531 635059                

  • Smoked haddock and shrimp Chowder served in a toasted sourdough bread

20% of price of each soup sold will be donated to Ledbury Food Bank

Vegetarian

Pot & Page, 8 New Street – plant based food cafe

10.00-14.00 SAT & 10.00 -14.00 SUN   

Phone: 01531 248743                 Take-aways

  • Miso soup –made from a mixture of lovely, varied and speciality ingredients.

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

10% of the price of all Big Soups sold will be donated to Ledbury Food Bank

Pot and Page are also hosting a warm hub on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons serving soup.

Scrumpy House @ Weston’s Cider, Much Marcle HR8 2NQ

12.00 – 16.00 SAT  

Phone: 01531 660626                 Take-aways – Call & Connect

  • Hereford Hop cheese and vintage cider soup with bread and butter
  • Fish soup made with cider brandy, rouille and croutons
  • Gently spiced Moroccan Chorba (Vegan)

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free options

Seven Stars, 11 The Homend

12.00 – 21.00 SAT & 12.00 – 20.00 SUN                   

Phone 01531 635800                 

  • Roasted Butternut squash and sweet potato soup with toasted seeds and crusty bread
  • Leek and Potato soup with croutons and crusty bread

 Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

The Nest Ledbury, Little Verzons Farm, Hereford Road, HR8 2PZ

11.45 -16.30 SAT & SUN  

Phone: 01531 670816                          Take-aways. 

  • Delicious Leek and Potato soup
  • Nourishing Tomato soup
  • Tasty Spicy Winter Vegetable soup

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

David T Waller and Sons, 71 The Homend

8.00 to 16.00 SAT            

Phone 01531 632739

  • Discover our special offering for the Big Soup
  • Meat ingredients for your home soup making

Bon appetite!

 

 

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AGM notice and Find out about Ledbury Food Bank and how you can help

We’ve invited Ledbury Food Bank to tell us about their significant role in alleviating food poverty in Ledbury and district following our short AGM on Monday 8th August at 6pm at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

Mark Lister, Chair Lead Team for Ledbury Food Bank has kindly agreed to join us to enable us all to gain greater knowledge of the operations and needs of the Food Bank’s work and to discuss how we might contribute or help. For example:

    • How does the Food Bank work?
    • When is it open?
    • Where does the food stocks come from?
    • Can/do local producers contribute or supply produce?
    • What are the items needed most?
    • How can I contribute food or money or my time?
    • How do I introduce someone who may be in need?
    • What has the new premises enabled – do you do more than distributing food stocks?

All are welcome!

AGM of Ledbury Food Group for the year 2021/22

Notice is given that this meeting will be held at 6pm on Monday 8th August at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury.

Agenda

    1. Apologies
    2. Report from the Secretary
    3. Report from the Treasurer
    4. Approval of Accounts for the period to 31st March 2022
    5. Election of a Committee for the year 2022 to 2023
    6. Election of Officials for the year 2022 to 2023 – Chair, Secretary, Treasurer
    7. Any other business

Please access the following documents in advance of this meeting by clicking below.

Agenda for AGM on Monday 8th August 2022 Secretary’s Report for the year 2021/22 Income & Expenditure 1 Apr 2021 to 31 Mar 2022

 

GJ Holliday
Secretary, Ledbury Food Group
01531 633637

 

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A Sizzling Ledbury Celebration!..Thanks

If you came to the Ledbury Celebration last Sunday (10th July) many thanks for coming and supporting the event – we were pleased to see you!

If you were not able to come this is what went on…

Alice from Tuston Market Garden
Local Farmer John Davenport displays his vegetables
Mayor and Palestinian Visitors
Rayeesa offers sauce tastings
Steady Trading at Ledbury Celebration
Taking the shade at the Celebration
Voices Unlimited give it all
Hay Charcuterie on their first visit to Ledbury
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The Ledbury Celebration celebrates the local food and drink of Herefordshire and its neighbouring counties with an added menu of music, poetry and our historic heritage.

Held in historic St Katherine’s, Ledbury, the event featured 20 local food and drink producers selling both street-food to enjoy on the spot and specialities to take home.  Trade was good thanks to the support of those who came to the event.

This intimate festival also featured local potters selling wares and “hands on”, Kid’s Kitchen where children could enjoy making a meal and several Sustainable stalls.

The entertainment “menu” included poets Dave Pitt, Emma Purshouse, and Leena Batchelor stirring the crowd with their passionate poetry, and Beth Calverley’s magical Poetry Machine creating intimate poems on demand.

The musical menu featured Ledbury Community Choir – Ledbury’s own massed voices, Keith Baldwin, guitarist and singer, The Ledbury Singers serenading in the heat, and the fiddle playing of Gruig.

A first for Ledbury, one-of-a-kind Voices Unlimited brought their unmistakable Wall of Sound” to the Performance Area setting alight what was already a hot afternoon.

Sustainable Ledbury’s Community Art Project, “The Tale of the Bird and the Tree”, reached its conclusion when the Bird took flight and soared over to join the Tree.

Special visitors to the event included the Mayor and Town Clerk of Ledbury, the Ledbury Carnival Court and a group of young people visiting from Palestine.

This event was assembled as a partnership between Ledbury Food Group, Ledbury Poetry, Ledbury Fringe and Ledbury Town Council, and featured the Town Council’s newly acquired gazebos.

Ledbury Food Group thanks the many volunteers who had made the event possible and the public for supporting the event. 

Please provide us with your feedback at ask@ledburyfoodgroup.org                                  

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Ledbury Celebration on 10th July – full programme available

The Ledbury Celebration on Sunday 10th July celebrates the local food and drink of Herefordshire and its neighbouring counties with an added menu of music, poetry and our historic heritage.


This year’s event brings an outdoor market to historic St Katherine’s, Ledbury next to the 15th century Master’s House, and just off the High Street. The event runs from 11am to 5pm with entertainment from midday.

Local produce will be on sale either to eat and drink “on the go” or to take home to savour in slower time.

Producers this year include:

• Case for Cooking
• Chock Shop
• Gun Dog Gin
• Hay Charcuterie
• Jus
• Kitchen Flowers
• Kontext Koffee
• Little Bento Box
• Little Marcle Organic Produce
• Miniyaki’s Japanese Street Food
• Myrtle’s Kitchen
• No Frickin Chicken
• Orchard Grove Preserves
• Rayeesa’s Indian Kitchen
• Seb’s Cider
• Tuston Market Garden
• Vicenta’s Empanadas
• Wykeham Gardens

In addition you will find:

• Sustainable Ledbury – find out about avoiding food waste
• Jayne Parry Ceramics
• Karen Tacey Ceramics
• CUP Ceramics – Pottery demonstrations
• Kid’s Kitchen – food activities for younger children
• Eat like your Ancestors

Ledbury Poetry Festival has lined up special “al fresco” poetic performances during the event featuring:

• Dave Pitt – “Now more than ever, our world needs the raw anger of poets like Dave. Importantly, we also need the laughs he brings”
• Emma Purshouse –“Her talent is in taking the most mundane situations and bringing them alive.”
• Leena Batchelor – Pixie Muse – “Calling herself a “poetic minstrel with living in her veins”, Leena writes passionately about everything that strikes her mind and heart”

Poetry performances at 12.45pm, 1.45pm and 2.45pm


And More…

Beth Calverley, will be present with her magical Poetry Machine. This is your chance to experience poetry, created in response to your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and discoveries.

And a feast of musical entertainment…

Performances hourly:

• Ledbury Community Choir – Ledbury’s own massed voices. Join in if you know the words (and the tune! At 12 noon.
• Keith Baldwin, guitarist and singer, frontman of the band Rubble, will entertain from 1.10pm.
• The Ledbury Singers will serenade you with their own smooth music style from 2pm.
• One-of-a-kind Voices Unlimited – rocking out their unmistakable “VU Wall of Sound” raises the tempo at 3pm.
• Gruig, a rip roaring foot stomping band from Gloucestershire bring their sing-along Irish songs, jigs and reels to get you dancing at 4pm.

A special event at 1pm – Ledbury’s Community Art Project, “The Tale of the Bird and the Tree”, will reach its conclusion when the Bird will take flight and soar over to join the Tree accompanied by music.

And you can visit Ledbury’s heritage sites, or book in for a session of poetry with Ledbury Poetry Festival on the last day of the festival.

This event is organised by Ledbury Food Group in partnership with Ledbury Poetry, Ledbury Fringe and Ledbury Town Council.