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28 November 2012

Taste of Christmas: 7th – 9th December 2012

Taste of Christmas 2012 takes place from 7th – 9th December at ExCeL London.
A selection of the capital's top restaurants will be serving up seasonal menus full of dishes designed to inspire. Between bites, some of the country's best chefs will be taking to the stage to help you finesse your light entertaining, refine that ambitious festive menu and prepare for the ultimate season of extravagance. Plus, over 200 producers will be on offer, displaying the ideal gift, essential ingredient or winter warmer in Taste's boutique market, then settle down to a fine wine, cheese or chocolate tasting.


Edible Ornamentals grow a huge variety of chillies which they make into sauces, salsa and relishes. Stand PR34

Morton’s Traditional Taste rear free range Norfolk Black and Bronze turkeys on their farm ready for the Christmas table. Stand PR38



Cotswold Gold produce a pure extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil grown and pressed on the farm which is used to make a range of herb, spice and truffle infused oils, dressings and drizzles. Stand PR29

David’s Chilli Oil make a richly aromatic and spicy oils inspired by oriental and asian cuisine. Stand PR19

You can also find more AFT producers at British Fine Foods who stock products from Great Glen Game – producers of wild venison charcuterie, The Artisan Smokehouse – a wide variety of smoked meats including beef and duck and Womersley Fruit & Herb Vinegars – amazing infused fruit vinegars. They can be found on stand PR01

For more information about the event visit: www.tasteofchristmas.com

27 November 2012

A turkey with taste from Morton's


For most people Christmas is probably the only time they will buy a whole turkey to take centre stage on the festive table.
Christmas comes but once a year, so why not invest a little more in making sure you have the best bird for the occasion. To get the best you really need to think about buying a turkey that has been reared in the most natural way as possible and also consider the breed – Bronze or Norfolk Black are unrivalled when it comes to taste and succulence.

All Morton's turkeys are free-range
We are proud to have Morton's Traditional Taste on The Artisan Food Trail. They rear their free range turkeys in Norfolk to the highest welfare standards – all birds are free range and have been grown slowly which develops into a true traditional taste to savour.





At Morton's you can be sure of a true tasting turkey this Christmas as they follow a quality code to guarantee that their turkeys do not disappoint.


A big bird too much?
Maybe you find a whole turkey a little on the large size if your family gathering is small, so Morton's have the perfect alternative – the Two Bird Roast – a part-boned free range chicken filled with duck breast and layered with chestnut, orange and thyme stuffing.

Place your order now!

If you wish to order your Christmas turkey from Morton's Traditional Taste then please visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here where you'll find more information and links taking you to their website where you can place an order online.

26 November 2012

Open a box of smoky delights


An exciting range of beautiful hampers are available from
The Artisan Smokehouse which have been carefully put together to meet all tastes and budgets. Choose from British, Italian, Vegetarian, Spicy, Award Winners, or Chef's Ingredients hampers, or why not spoil someone (or yourself) with the ultimate Luxury hamper. All products are beautifully presented in an elegant black presentation box and hand tied with ribbon.
Hamper prices start from as little as £17 and Spice & Herb gift packs from just £4.50, so giving a gift of the finest smoked produce couldn't be easier.

We can recommend the stunning Luxury Hamper which is guaranteed to impress the most committed food lover.
It contains a fantastic range of smoked and unsmoked foods including:

  • Smoked British beef
  • Smoked free-range duck breast
  • Hot and cold smoked salmon
  • Smoked Milano salami
  • Smoked Spianata Calabra salami
  • Smoked Suffolk garlic
  • Smoked Italian olive oil
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Smoked Stilton
  • Smoked Cheddar
  • Smoked goat's cheese
  • Membrillo (quince paste)
  • Artisan cheese biscuits
  • Smoked dried forest mushrooms,
  • Smoked coarse sea salt
  • Smoked paprika

Orders required in time for Christmas need to be placed by Tuesday 18th December (last delivery date will be Friday 21st December).

To find out more about The Artisan Smokehouse please visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here where you will find links to their website to place your order.

A sweet gift – Fudge Lovers hamper


Do you know someone who adores fudge? Want to get them something exciting and unique this Christmas? Then how about this amazing hamper from Fudge Kitchen which has lots of scrumptious treats and even some exclusive new products that will tantalise any fudge lovers taste buds. Presented in a beautiful deep green hamper box hand tied with luxurious gold ribbon – at a reasonable £40, this stunning gift will prove a festive hit well into the New Year.

The Fudge Lover Hamper contains the following items:

  • 3 piece Gourmet Christmas Selection
  • 230g Jar of Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce
  • 230g Jar of Classic Toffee Fudge Sauce
  • The Wooden Spoon Luxury Jam Gift Set containing flavours: Strawberry & Champagne, Gooseberry & Sloe Gin, Orange & Whisky and Apricot & Amaretto
  • Drinking Fudge Classic Selection box of 6 sachets including Winter Spice & Indulgent Irish Cream
  • Packet of marshmallows containing 6 portions

For more information about Fudge Kitchen visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here

22 November 2012

Quality meat from Yorkshire


You’re probably making plans on what to put on the Christmas table this year, so if you’re looking for some top quality poultry, meats and charcuterie, Paganum Produce offer a wide selection.
Buying couldn’t be simpler as everything is available online or if you prefer the old fashioned method of communication, the people at Paganum are more than happy to take your call.

Stars of the Christmas table


Herb Fed Bronze Turkey
"For a bird with taste" these free range bronze birds are fed on fresh herbs from Thirsk and feed produced in a local mill for a true Yorkshire bird with a difference, moist & full of real turkey flavour.

Yorkshire Rib of Beef
Paganum Yorkshire Dales beef is sourced from breeds that give superior eating qualities and includes Short Horn, Welsh Black, Highland and Belted Galloway. All beef production and suppliers farm using traditional methods by farmers who are committed to animal welfare, sustainable agriculture and conservation.

Yorkshire Lamb
The lambs sourced by Paganum are from the Yorkshire Dales. Blue Faced Leicester rams crossed with Swaledale ewes produce superior tasting lamb, with the guarantee of traditional farming methods.
The lambs are grazed on a mixture of rich lowland Dales pasture and the high moors, where clean air and limestone grassland contributes to the assurance of great tasting lamb. The lamb is matured slowly, producing more succulent tasting meat.

Charcuterie

The festive time would not be complete without a variety of cured meats.

Yorkshire Bresaola
Marinated and cured Yorkshire Beef, first marinated then cured and air dried to produce a fantastic Italian style Beef Bresaola, serve with oil & lemon.

Pickled Yorkshire Beef
Prime Yorkshire Beef wet cured or pickled to the traditional Wildman Family Recipe. 
1.5kg Pickled Joint ready to cook, slice and enjoy, proper old fashioned fayre.

Yorkshire Pancetta
Dry cured home reared Malhamdale Oxford & Sandy Black Pork. 
A fantastic 400g (approx) slab of our own Yorkshire Pancetta, special cure, dry aged and peppered.

Yorkshire Guanciale

Dry cured home reared Malhamdale Oxford & Sandy Black Pork Jowl (cheek). 
A fantastic 300g (approx) slab of our own Yorkshire Guanciale, cured with juniper, thyme and garlic, dry aged and peppered.

This is just a selection so remember to visit the Paganum Produce page here on The Artisan Food Trail to read out more about them and to find links to their website and contact information.

20 November 2012

Quality Street Food comes to Hitchin

There’s been something of a revolution going on when it comes to street food in the UK and a north Hertfordshire town is about to get its first taste when Hitchin Street Food Monthly launches on 1st December.

Say goodbye to dubious burgers and sad hotdogs as the food about to be served up will be from people who really care about what they make and sell, making sure customers experience the tastiest dishes made from the best ingredients.

There will be a variety of cuisines to choose from starting with Mexican street food specialists Cantina Carnitas who cook up some irresistible slow cooked meats and tasty treats, which we hear are spiced up with chillies from AFT producer, Capsicana Chilli Co.


Another AFT producer Cardona & Son will be making regular appearances over the coming months selling their amazing rare breed pork which is reared locally and naturally. The sausages are wonderfully meaty with a full flavour that you’d expect to have come from a pig that led a happy life.

For a great British tradition there will be fish and chips from Rock & Sole, South African street food from Now Now, some celtic flavour from the Irish Cake Company and to round off, some delicious cupcakes from Crumbly Wumbly.

Not only will there be great food but also a licensed bar and live acoustic music to keep the toes tapping.

Hitchin Street Food Monthly looks set to become a firm favourite on the calendar and will be held on the first Saturday of every month from 10am – 4pm, located by the riverside steps opposite St Mary’s church in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Although there is no website at the moment, it is possible to keep up-to-date with the latest goings on and new stallholders etc., by following Hitchin Street Food Monthly on Twitter here @HitchinStFood

19 November 2012

UPDATED!: BBC Good Food Show Winter: 28th November – 2nd December 2012

Join the UK's finest artisan producers and top celebrity chefs for a feast of winter food at the NEC, Birmingham. With live demonstrations, top tips, seasonal produce, there are a hundreds of ways to feed your culinary inspiration. And all in time for Christmas.

The Great British Bake Off team are back at the show this year with demos from Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry live in the Supertheatre.
Plus brand NEW for 2012, there will be the new The Great British Bake Off Stage. Watch celebrity chefs cooking up a storm in the 2,000 seater Supertheatre.  See the Hairy Bikers, James Martin, Gino D'Acampo and John Torode and Gregg Wallace and many more live in action.

The show will also be hosting the prestigious World Cheese Awards for the third year at BBC Good Food Show Winter plus brand new for this year, The World Cheese Awards Deli opens its doors for the first time.

The Producers' Village is one of our favourite areas of the show. Packed with small artisan producers who specialise in local and seasonal produce, every year it's full of delicious flavours and not to be missed.

      ++ NEWS FLASH! ++ NEWS FLASH! ++ NEWS FLASH! ++       


There will be a chance for visitors to grab a free sample of very special ice cream from Simply Ice Cream!
Samples of the new CocoCherryFudgetastic flavour will be handed out for all to enjoy.
Simply Ice Cream ran a competition in conjunction with LEC Refrigeration  for people to come up with a new flavour. The winning flavour was created with the help of Fudge Kitchen who made the very special fudge which features in the ice cream.


Amongst those producers will be some Artisan Food Trail members. Those that are already listed as taking part are:


Edible Ornamentals grow a huge variety of chillies which they make into sauces, salsa and relishes. Stand SLTBC

Fudge Kitchen hand make delicious creamy fudge in a wide range of tempting flavours. Stand H80

Womersley Fruit & Herb Vinegars make amazing fruit infused vinegars. Stand FLF60





Cotswold Gold produce a pure extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil grown and pressed on the farm which is used to make a range of herb, spice and truffle infused oils, dressings and drizzles. Stand FLF14

Davids’ Chilli Oil  makes a richly aromatic and spicy oils inspired by oriental and asian cuisine. Stand C66

Online deli, British Fine Foods who stock products from AFT producers; Great Glen Game – producers of wild venison charcuterie and The Artisan Smokehouse – a wide variety of smoked meats including beef and duck. They can be found on stand C40

For more information about the event see the website: www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com

13 November 2012

Just our cup of tea

Photo: © childsdesign

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To enjoy a good cup of tea it is important that it is infused with care so that the flavours are released from the leaves properly. Unlike a mug of ‘builder’s tea’, quality tea needs to be treated with a little more respect. So that you can enjoy all the Sri Lankan Single Estate Kandula teas, each one has its own brewing instructions.

Read full review



We are pleased to give The Kandula Tea Company ‘Artisan Food Trail Approved’ status for their teas and infusions.


For information about The Kandula Tea Company visit their page on The Artisan Food Trail here

5 November 2012

British Sausage Week: 5th – 11th November 2012


British Sausage Week is back and is being celebrated with stand-up star and comic genius, Al Murray’s ‘The Pub Landlord’. He has taken on the coveted crown of 'King of the Sizzle' when he tours the country during the week, rallying troops to stand up for British bangers.

Types of sausage
There are many regional sausages throughout the British Isles that use traditional recipes that go back many generations.
There's the long coiled Cumberland sausage which is meaty with a coarse, chunky texture and black pepper giving a spicy bite; The Lincolnshire sausage, an old fashioned favourite scented with sage; West Country ones with pork and apple and maybe a touch of cider and Oxford sausages that contain veal, as well as pork. These are just a few of the many varieties made and the list continues to grow as producers experiment with different flavour combinations.

With a national competition that will reveal the land’s finest bangers, a host of delicious new recipes to try out and plenty of opportunities to get involved, it will be impossible not to stand up and be counted.

Cooking
We can't resist a nicely cooked sausage. They should be cooked carefully over a medium heat so they cook slowly allowing the outside to gently caramelise so it becomes slightly sticky and the inside should be juicy.
Don't have the heat too high or the sausage will burst and definitely do not prick them, this will make all the tasty juices escape.

Where to find the best sausages
And of course we have the best of British sausages right here on
The Artisan Food Trail.
All the producers on our food trail that make the finest sausages using
meat from animals that have a led a healthy and happy life, so when you buy sausages make sure you choose British, local and bangers made with passion.

More often than not the animals are rare breeds too which means that these sausages have an unsurpassable flavour and texture. The sausage mix is skilfully blended with a variety of herbs and spices from the mild to the spicy to suit everyone’s preferences.

So whether you are making a hearty casserole, a Toad-in-the-Hole or just good old Bangers & Mash make sure you choose the best.

Samphire's Simple Sausages  Photos: © childsdesign
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Samphire
Samphire is an award winning smallholding in Norfolk rearing rare breed pigs and sheep. Ethical farming is at the heart of Samphire and they have been recognised by the RSPCA for their commitment to animal welfare.

 It’s not just their regulars who love their rare breed meat, Gary Rhodes said their sausages were the best he'd ever tasted

For more information visit Samphire on The Artisan Food Trail here

Capsicana Chilli Sausages  Photos: © Capsicana taken by childsdesign
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Capsicana Chilli Co
Capsicana has teamed up with a whole host of independent butchers across the the UK to bring you an absolutely delicious chilli sausage! They use a variety of authentic Mexican chillies to make their special chilli & spice blend and their selected butchers combine this with their fabulous sausage-making expertise and hey presto...  the best chilli sausages in the UK!!
Perfect for the BBQ, spicing up favourites like bangers & mash or making a Mexican style sausages and bean casserole.

Details of butchers using Capsicana’s chilli sausage blend 
available here 
For more information visit Capsicana Chilli Co 
on The Artisan Food Trail here

Paganum Produce
Yorkshire producer, Paganum’s selection of Premium Pork Sausages made in their traditional butchery to age old family recipes.


For more information visit Paganum Produce 
on The Artisan Food Trail here

1 November 2012

BBC Good Food Show London: 9th – 11th November 2012

The BBC Good Food Show, featuring The Wine Show returns to London's Olympia next month where visitors can watch their favourite TV programmes come to life – live in the brand new 600 seat Supertheatre.

There will be the opportunity to shop from the finest regional produce at the Producers' Village, dine at London's top eateries in the Restaurant Experience, stock up your wine rack at The Wine Show and much, much more.



Supertheatre
The Supertheatre features favourite chefs cooking delicious seasonal recipes live on stage, with entertainment from John Torode and Gregg Wallace to MasterChef: The Professionals with Michel Roux Jr and Monica Galetti. Also for the first time The Great British Bake Off will be taking to the stage on Friday and Saturday Kitchen on Saturday.

The Restaurant Experience
For those who appreciate fine cuisine and love dining out, The Restaurant Experience offers the chance to eat food  from a hand picked selection of London's top restaurants. Sample signature dishes from the capital's leading lights from an array of tantalising menus.

The Producers’ Village
Meet the producers at in the Producers' Village at the heart of the show. Packed with small speciality producers who specialise in local and seasonal produce and full of delicious flavours. It's the perfect place to go and find something different that you can't find on the high street and definitely not to be missed.
This is the place to find the very best artisan producers and speciality food retailers. Discover new flavours, meet the makers of your favourite produce, indulge in delicious hand-made delicacies and stock up on gifts, ingredients and goodies.

Amongst those producers will be some Artisan Food Trail members. Those that are already listed as taking part are:

Edible Ornamentals grow a huge variety of chillies which they make into sauces, salsa and relishes. Stand PV39

Fudge Kitchen hand make delicious creamy fudge in a wide range of tempting flavours. Stand PV22

Morton’s Traditional Taste rear free range Norfolk Black and Bronze turkeys on their farm ready for the Christmas table. Stand PV60
The Artisan Smokehouse based in Suffolk produce a range of smoked foods ranging from beef and duck to salmon, salamis, cheese, garlic, mushrooms and even spices. Stand GF12


Cotswold Gold produce a pure extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil grown and pressed on the farm which is used to make a range of herb, spice and truffle infused oils, dressings and drizzles. Stand PV23

David’s Chilli Oil makes a richly aromatic and spicy oils inspired by oriental and asian cuisine. Stand PV16


Online deli, British Fine Foods who stock products from AFT producers; Great Glen Game – producers of wild venison charcuterie, The Artisan Smokehouse – a wide variety of smoked meats including beef and duck and Womersley Fruit & Herb Vinegars – amazing infused fruit vinegars. They can be found on stand PV37.

For ore information about the event visit: www.bbcgoodfoodshowlondon.com