Cornish Food Market

Talking Turkey with our Cornish Turkey farmer, Banbury’s

November 03, 2011 in In season | 0 comments

Please tell us about who you are and what you produce…
Hello, I’m Richard Banbury and together with my family we have a mixed farm near the North Cornish coast between Padstow and Newquay. We produce milk, beef, vegetables, chickens and, most important of all as we get near Christmas, turkeys.

So tell us a bit more about the turkeys…
We hand rear traditional white and free range bronze turkeys, the whites live in light, airy and spacious barns and the bronzes spend the first couple of months inside and then are free-ranged outdoors.

And is there a difference in flavour…?
Most definitely there is a difference between our turkeys and a supermarket bird. Both whites and bronzes are allowed to grow for much longer than intensively reared birds and it’s the extra couple of months where they really develop that deep turkey flavour. But I’m sure you meant between white and bronze turkeys, yes there is a noticeable difference the bronze birds are more ‘gamey’ having had more exercise.

And what’s the best way to serve a Banbury’s turkey for Christmas…?
We would say in the traditional way as the centrepiece of a great Cornish family Christmas. Follow a good recipe that keeps the meat moist – people do tend to overcook their turkey – and let the bird rest covered with foil in a warm place for a good half hour before carving. Serve all the classic accompaniments and you’ll keep everyone happy on Christmas Day.

You’ll be able to order your Banbury’s Christmas Turkey from us from the end of this week, if you receive our newsletters, keep an eye on your inbox as we’ll be sending a special email telling you how you can reserve your Turkey, Goose or Duck in time for Christmas.