Hibiscus Lily jellies for juicy lamb

Photo: © childsdesign

***
Even the best grilled meat needs a good accompaniment either to enhance, counterbalance or complement it. Sweet, spicy and tangy flavours are always a welcome addition, particularly the jellies from Hibiscus Lily.

Read full article

We are pleased to award Hibiscus Lily our 'Artisan Food Trail Approved' status for 

their Pomegranate Jelly with Rose Petals and 

Hot Chilli Jam.

To find out more about Hibiscus Lily visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here.

AFT Introducing: Oakley Grange Farm

Photos: © Oakley Grange Farm

***
Oakley Grange Farm, in the heart of Leicestershire, is over 200 years old, and has been run by the Mee family for the past two generations. Richard and Inger took over the farm in 2001 and farm organically, raising beef cattle, pigs, sheep and laying hens alongside wheat, fruit and salad vegetables.

Their café is part of a busy working farm and boasts views over the countryside as well as into rural life. Tractors and animals alike can be
seen from the café windows and visitors can also benefit from their local
and farming expertise.

As much food as possible is either grown or reared on Oakley Grange Farm, and if not, they try to source from local suppliers. Everything is freshly prepared and served by Inger and the team in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

In the café, breakfast, afternoon tea, coffee and cake, is served as well as a wide range of hot lunches and sandwiches. The breakfast includes their own sausages, bacon and eggs along with roast tomatoes, mushrooms and toast made from the farm's home baked bread.

Organic beef, pork, lamb, eggs produced on the farm can be bought in their shop plus other carefully sourced  groceries including biscuits, preserves, pickles and chocolates.

To find out more about Oakley Grange Farm visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here

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.

Spring Time Frolics

As it's very nearly Easter we couldn't resist posting this video by Brigg's Shetland Lamb of their adorable lambs gambolling over the hillside.
The video was made last year of week old Shetland lambs playing at Benston, South Nesting, on the Shetland Islands.

To find out more about Briggs' Shetland Lamb visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here

Shetland Seaweed Lamb

Photo: © childsdesign

Widely considered to be ’The Jewel in the Crown’ of Shetland Lamb, Shetland Seaweed Lamb is really quite special.
We were lucky to be sent a sample from Briggs’ Shetland Lamb and were satisfied enough to give it our Artisan Food Trail Approved status.

Read full review

To find out more about Briggs' Shetland Lamb visit their page on 
The Artisan Food Trail here

Original and the Best: Briggs' Shetland Lamb

Richard Briggs is a Shetland Sheep breeder on Shetland and sells whole Shetland lamb PDO. This lamb with subtly different characteristics is available freshly butchered, chilled and packed suitable for home freezing. 18-month old hogget and mutton are also available in the same form.

All the lambs come from pure bred Shetland flocks raised on the isles. They are processed and packed for Richard by the local cooperative, Shetland Livestock Marketing Group.

Delivery direct to you door is available throughout Britain via Royal Mail’s Next Day Special Delivery Service. Briggs’ Shetland Lamb can also, by prior arrangement, deliver the boxes of meat personally in Shetland (Mainland) and to addresses in Eastern Scotland (near to the Aberdeen to Edinburgh Road connection).

Richard believes that the best flavour of Shetland lamb comes from animals that graze the natural Shetland plants and grasses. Consequently, Briggs’ Shetland Lamb is mainly available between September and December.

The Shetland breed of sheep is only half the size of many of the UK’s other breeds. With Shetland Lamb the butcher starts with just 8kg - 14kg compared to the 17kg - 22kg size that is normal for most of the breeds of lamb sold in the UK. Celebrity chefs and food writers have described Shetland lamb as very tender and sweet.

Because the croft at South Nesting, Shetland is mainly rough pasture, Richard produces what Shetlanders would call "park fed lamb".

Shetland Hill Lamb comes from the flock that live more extensively on the open hill at East Kame. (some Hill Lamb I source from neighbours)

Shetland Seaweed Lamb is the most celebrated version of Shetland lamb. The name has been formally adopted by Shetland Livestock Marketing Group to describe lamb from flocks that normally have access to sea shore and are hefted to graze amongst the ebb. These can supplied each autumn.

Healthier Meat
Richard tries to finish his Shetland lambs without the use of corn based feeds. This helps to ensure that the meat has a good balance of the essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6. Research has shown that meat from grazing animals contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 in a ratio of 1:2, which matches the proportion required in human nutrition. However, meat raised on corn based diets was found to have similar combined levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 but in the ratio of 1:6.

In other research, Shetland Lamb was found to have significantly higher levels of a derivative of Omega-6, Conjugated Linoleic Acid when compared to levels normally found in lamb. Conjugated Linoleic Acid has been found to be an agent that prevents the onset of cancer.

What is PDO?

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) – The distinctive red and yellow PDO symbol has been awarded to Shetland Lamb produced and slaughtered in Shetland in recognition of the subtly different characteristics of the meat. Other British products so honoured are Cornish Clotted Cream and Stilton Blue Cheese. Look out for the logo on the front of packaging. The EU Geographical Indicator symbol assures customers of the genuineness of the product’s origin.

Visit Briggs' Shetland Lamb on The Artisan Food Trail here

Choice Cuts: Paganum Produce

Paganum Produce is a small artisan butchery and charcuterie based at Church End Farm near Malham in the Yorkshire Dales.

With five generations of butchery, curing and farming experience supplying a traditional product range increasing a range of traditional meats, sausages, dry cured bacon and charcuterie with the benefit of an online shop and direct-to-door delivery.

The Name
“Paganum” is Latin for “Rural Tradition” and was chosen because rural tradition is something that they are passionate about. Traditional methods of farming for slower grown, happier animals. Traditional and rare breeds able to thrive in the outdoor life of the Yorkshire Dales. Traditional ways of hanging, preparing and cutting meat for a fuller flavour. And traditional standards of service where every customer counts.

History
The company is now headed by Chris Wildman and butchery runs deep in his family, the original butchers shop was opened in Bentham, Yorkshire in the mid 1800s by John Wildman (Great Great Grandfather), previously it existed as an on-farm butchery and following his death in 1894 the shop passed through a succession of Wildmans.

Provenance and Preparation
All meat and gourmet produce is fully traceable to family farms and small artisan firms in the Yorkshire Dales.

Sourcing locally means that all farmers and producers are known personally. They've all been chosen by Paganum for their commitment to animal welfare, sustainable agriculture and conservation.

All produce is British giving full confidence in that it's been produced here, not just packed here. They can absolutely guarantee that all fresh beef and lamb is fully traceable to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

Special cuts can be provided as well as advice on the best type of meat for a particular recipe and how to cook whichever joint you choose. It's all down to preparation, hanging and cutting. Beef is hung for a minimum of 21 days, to ensure maximum taste and tenderness.

Yorkshire Chorizo
Paganum is also home to the Yorkshire Chorizo, a fully cured sausage using British pork and made in Yorkshire, of course.

Visit Paganum Produce on The Artisan Food Trail here