Did you know that, according to the CPRE, you could eat a different English apple variety every day for six years without trying the same one twice? Let’s see, 6 times 365… I make that 2190, ignoring the odd leap year!
If you would like to find out more about the incredible varieties of apples we grow in this country, have a look at the National Fruit Collection’s website at http://www.nationalfruitcollection.org.uk/index.php They list all the known varieties from A.D.W. Atkins to Zomer Delicious, complete with photographs where possible and detailed descriptions. Check how many you have eaten, or identify the mystery tree in your garden!
I wonder how many we grow in and around Ledbury – does anyone have any idea?
Thanks to Rachel Hicks for alerting me to today’s useful fact!
This year I am doing quite well on the old Christmas present front – which actually means I have bought things for the easy people in my life (daughters/sisters), have got some ideas for the less easy (mother-in-law) and am racking my brains for the tricky ones like sons & brothers-in-law!
But a quick foray into Ledbury today provided at least some of the answers in the shape of interesting books. So, if you are stuck for a gift, how about:
World’s Best Cider: Taste, Tradition & Terroir, from Somerset to Seattle by Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw
An entertainingly written guide to the very best cider in the world, beautifully illustrated with lots of photographs, including one of Once Upon a Tree’s Simon Day (with dog) and Tom from Oliver’s Cider & Perry. And if you go to the Three Counties Cider Shop in Ledbury you might just get a signed copy!
Made in Herefordshire by Jo Hilditch, Patrick Barrett and Simon Wild
A collection of delicious and inspiring recipes from local food producers all using our lovely Herefordshire produce. In her foreword, Jo says: “the spirit of cooperation, friendliness and open-minded adventure that our locals possess has made this book a joy to put together” and it shows, a real celebration of what Herefordshire has to offer.
And finally a book which, while not strictly “local” shares the values and ethos of the Ledbury Food Group, so I have included it here.
The Ethicurean Cookbook is as much a joy as eating at the eponymous restaurant at Wrington near Bristol, visit their website and see what I mean: http://www.theethicurean.com/ Subtitled Recipes, foods and spirituous liquors, from our bounteous walled garden in the several seasons of the year, the book sets out their unequivocal credentials: “British seasonality, ethical sourcing of ingredients and attention to the local environment are the foundations of our business”. What is such a delight is that their food is as delicious as their principles are admirable!
What have you found in the way of ‘local’ gifts?
A final word. You could buy all of these books from Amazon. But for not very much more you could have the pleasure of going into a local shop, discussing your purchase with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people, knowing that you are supporting the local economy. Which are you going to do?
Before you say anything, I know that Ludlow is 32.9 miles from Ledbury and therefore, if we are being strict about such things, out of our orbit. But the Ludlow Food Festival is such a celebration of local food, and such a great event, that I felt I had to share some of it with you! And of course, there are some producers from nearer home who exhibit there regularly, look at the photos and you may find some familiar faces…
Since its beginnings in 1994 the Festival has grown magnificently, with a second Spring event starting six years ago. When we went there on Saturday the main event in the castle was packed, with everyone enjoying sampling what was on offer (well, not everyone, see right) But what was also clear is that the whole town embraces this event, with shops, restaurants & cafes taking part and even non-food shops having food-themed displays in their windows. There were queues at all the butchers’ stands around the town, with people standing in line to taste their sausages and get a stamp – the famous sausage trail! There are workshops, demonstrations and talks, children’s cookery sessions, a secret dinner party and a secret restaurant which takes you on a walk to see the food that you are then going to eat – must remember to book next year!
So what new food did I discover? The Ludlow Nut Company have some very moreish nuts & fruits and their luxury muesli is equally tasty. They now sell tempting cake mixes – easy, quick & delicious. If you fancy a change from the usual crisps Scott Farms near Evesham won Best New Product at the Festival with their latest venture; sweet potato chips. Scarlet Angel (I liked their “decadence with a conscience” strap line!) were offering sauces with a wonderful bite; Lime, Ginger and Coriander was my favourite and I am looking forward to their Beetroot & Ginger Chutney too.
It was interesting to see just how many farms have diversified from their traditional produce – a sign of the times – offering a wide range of charcuterie, from salami to bresaola. The ones I tasted, from Wenlock Edge Farm, would not have been out of place in an Italian delicatessen – tasty, moist and showing both the quality of our local meat and the skill & imagination of farmers in these parts! Sadly I could not fight my way through the crowd thronging their stand to taste the pork, plum & ginger sausages – right up my street! Some farms have really diversified. A glorious array of scrumptious-looking cakes turned out to be the latest venture of Hodghurst Farm at Church Stretton – more about them next blog as they have a rather particular angle, as do Cradley-based Mulberry Tree Pies…
And finally, it was lovely to see people queueing up to taste Once Upon A Tree’s delicious drinks. The fact that it was quite hard to get a photo of the stand shows how popular they are! The same was true of Oliver’s Cider & Perry from Ocle Pychard and Wright’s Culinary Delights (see my earlier blog). I’m sure the same would have been true of well-established favourites Just Rachel Quality Desserts, Gregg’s Pit Cider & Perry and Whyle House Lamb who were at the Festival on Sunday. If anyone went to Ludlow on the Friday or Sunday, I would love to hear their thoughts, impressions and, best of all, discoveries!
Suddenly the fruit bushes were full of jewel-like redcurrants glowing like rubies in the bright sunshine! And I mean full, it has been a bumper harvest which has meant jam-making on days when it was really too hot to be near a stove. Some stored in the freezer for summer pudding to be eaten long after the memory of this wonderful hot weather has faded, some made into a spiced redcurrant jelly to go with lamb or pigeon breast (a friend was musing on just how good the pigeons who had eaten all her redcurrants would taste if only she could capture them!) There will be more to make into a sweet redcurrant and raspberry jam, and some we have simply eaten, spooning it on to yoghurt for breakfast, or sneaking spoonfuls from the bowl in the fridge. But the blackcurrants that don’t go into summer pudding or get poured over ice cream just have to be made into a traditional jam, thick, with a soft set and not too sweet. I could eat it by the spoonful….
Tomatoes too are finally starting to ripen, much later than last year because of the cold spring. Picking a handful of small plum tomatoes, a new variety to us called Lucciola, I couldn’t resist popping one in my mouth. Sweet, with a deep flavour and delicious, the skin not tough because they have ripened quickly. Perfect with home-grown basil, again aromatic and tasty because of the warm weather, some locally bought, if not manufactured, mozzarella (from Ceci Paolo, it’s worth it!) and olive oil smuggled home in our suitcases last year from Paxos. That will be perfect for tonight’s supper, along with a green salad of lettuce and our own broad beans, and some freshly pulled radishes, nicely hot and crunchy. Bliss!
If you are barbecuing during this hot spell – we have had to let the Aga go out as the dog was complaining he couldn’t sleep in the heat, so are using the ancient table-top barbecue we bought years ago for any roasting – then do consider this home grown charcoal. Is it just my imagination or is it not only easier to use, lighting quickly and smoking less, and gives a better heat, but also makes things taste better? Probably, but hey! We might as well cook our wonderful Herefordshire meat and vegetables over local charcoal while we wait for the scientific analysis of my claims.
The Wright family just can’t stop having ideas! It was son David who had the initial idea for their business, Wrights Culinary Delights, sparked by an interest in food and his travels to places like Morocco and Brittany. Here he found markets with piles of jewel-like spices, and interesting mixtures of herbs and spices to rub on to meat, or flavour sauces. Weary of life in front of a computer, David decided to take the plunge last November and, aided and abetted by his parents, Ian and Kate, he started selling their spices and salts at local markets.
What lured me into buying some of their products was the taste of the dip they were offering at the Malvern Farmers Market (tip for food sellers, greedy people like me cannot resist tasting your produce!) I tasted their Mexican Fiesta Dip, a nicely spicy combination mixed with natural yoghurt or cottage cheese – easy and delicious. Then I noticed that they had a variety of salts, including sea salt with seaweed, something I had been looking for. But on the way I saw a lime sea salt which smelt absolutely divine, perfect for fish, I thought, and an interesting one labelled “Bonfire”. This turned out to be a smoked salt with charcoal added, similar to the Hawaiian black lava salt that you see in expensive delis. These are ‘finishing salts’ that aim to add an extra taste dimension to your food. But what really grabbed my attention was a wild garlic salt that they have just started marketing, unlike many herb products it smelt fresh and vibrant – the next best thing to wild garlic itself!
The ingredients for all of these are sourced from around the world, but the family do buy their fresh herbs from a grower in Pershore, and dry them themselves – which probably accounts for their freshness and vibrancy. They also buy whole spices, not ground ones, and grind these as they use them – so none of that dustiness that you so often get with spices that have been hanging around for ages. Ian Wright has also created his own smokery in the garden so that they can smoke their own ingredients to just how they want them. Apparently the smoked black peppercorns are the perfect addition to fresh asparagus and butter!
But the ideas keep coming. When I visited them at their ‘spicery’ in Colwall I saw yet more new products, including a oak smoked salt that looked like demerara sugar and had a sweet, almost molasses aroma – watch out for that one! Inspired by trips to the USA the Wrights have developed some rubs which would complement the great meat we have around here: Smoked Hereford Apple and Worcester Spicy Cherry. And, hot off the press, they are now thinking about some barbecue chips with spices such as cinnamon or star anise in them that, when you cook over them, impart a subtle flavour to whatever you are cooking. Perfect for when summer finally arrives.
David of Wrights Culinary Delights
David is currently selling the products at a variety of farmers markets, see the list below, but you can also buy them at Handleys in Ledbury. Selling like this means they get to talk directly with their customers, allowing them to get a handle on which products people are coming back for and making it easier to judge their next step.They have recently started speaking to local chefs, so expect to see their products on restaurant & café tables or menus soon! Stepping up production and deciding on packaging and branding could be the next move, but they are not in a hurry, preferring to allow the business to grow organically and not to over-reach itself. Whatever their next step is, it seems that this family team will never run out of ideas and that many of them are likely to be delicious!
We will be there at the Ox Roast weekend on both Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June.
On the Community Day – Saturday 1st June – we will be at the Market House from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm. Do come along and have a chat.
On the Ox Roast Day – Sunday 2nd June – we have a great series of speakers lined up at the Feathers Hotel. Just drop in – there is no charge. Donations will be invited to Ledbury Ox Roast, with all proceeds to support the work of St Michael’s Hospice. Our speakers will be:
Talks Programme
11.30
Why Cattle Still Matter – Will Edwards. Herefordshire farmer Will Edwards is a founder member of the newly formed Pasture-Fed Livestock Association. Will is going to talk about why grazing cattle on pasture is great for the cattle, the ecosystem and the health of the consumer.
13.15
Animal, Vegetable or Mineral? – Bill Sewell. Bill Sewell creates and runs cafés, including Café@AllSaints in Hereford. His well-known recipe books mean that he is perhaps thought of first and foremost as a vegetarian. Bill will tell the story of the journey that he and his cafés have made from pure vegetarianism to incorporating meat.
14.30
A Slap of the Hand – Bill Laws. ‘In those days a slap of the hand and the deal was done’. It’s more than 20 years since author Bill Laws founded Herefordshire Lore, and this voluntary group has been busy ever since collecting and publishing people’s memories. Bill will be sharing stories about the people and the animals that passed through Hereford Cattle Market, including the world-famous pedigree bull sales.
15.45
All in a Day’s Walk – Jess Allen. Jess Allen lives in a yurt at Caplor Farm near Fownhope. Last year, in the long dark wet and increasingly muddy days of December, she decided that she would eat only what she could source within walking distance of her home. She will tell us about how she uses walking and moving and talking in rural landscapes to address issues of environmental, social or political concern, and the new word ‘Tracktivism’ that she has coined to describe her work.
Many thanks to all of our speakers and to The Feathers Hotel for use of their room.
We also have a two page article coming out in June’s Ledbury Focus magazine – which will be distributed at the end of May. Do check it out.
Changes are afoot at Roots, the cafe and farm shop on the Hereford Road just outside Ledbury. Their kitchen has recently been moved and modernised, but more importantly so has their menu! Some old favourites have stayed, but alongside the jacket potatoes and sandwiches are some interesting seasonal soups and specials. I particularly liked the sound of beetroot & orange soup, although cauliflower & gorgonzola served with a pickled pear relish also got the taste buds going. Both are served with their own Orchard Loaf – a light wholemeal made from locally ground organic flour with just a splash of their own apple juice……. Starting to feel hungry?!
Linzy Outtrim, the manager there, says that the new menu was definitely a team effort. Linzy came into the business three years ago “to water the plants” and just sort of stayed. Like others in the team she got interested and involved, learning new skills along the way. It is obvious talking to her and the others that all the staff there are passionate about fresh, local, seasonal produce and can’t help but get involved in all aspects of the business. They love the challenge of dealing with the occasional glut of fruit or vegetables that come from the organic farm over in Rushwick, keeping the buying in of non-seasonal produce to a minimum. Recognising that for a lot of food outlets the vegetarian option is often an afterthought, Roots has made a deliberate effort to turn that around. While they do offer meat (the menu I saw included a sausage & bean hotpot) vegetables are the stars. And with a choice of cauliflower & chickpea curry, roasted vegetables, homemade hummus and a delicious looking vegetarian quiche and selection of salads on offer, who is arguing?
So, with wonderful bread made by Tony Wetherall, cake classics such as coffee & walnut, lemon drizzle and Victoria sponge, good coffee and tea, local juices and much more, there really is something for everyone. Customers are currently being invited to make suggestions for the children’s menu that is being developed. The team are just brimming with new ideas. A craft group on a Tuesday morning invites people to bring along any project they are working on, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the company while you are being creative. More special events along the lines of the ‘make an Easter bunny finger puppet’ held in March are also planned. Cooking demonstrations – already happening over at Rushwick – are being devised; starting perhaps with some ‘how to’ basic cooking techniques. I liked the sound of their ‘Foodie Nights’ too – three or four course meals with a theme, such as the Apple Evening held last autumn with apples in every course.
And I haven’t even mentioned the shop! A good selection of local produce; fresh fruit and veg, chickens from Rushwick, Just Rachel’s ice cream – I could go on and on! Such a lot happening, and all served with such enthusiasm and passion for what they are doing. Don’t take my word for it, go along and see for yourselves, you will not be disappointed.
