http://test.cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/ The Cornish Food Market Blog en Copyright 2015 2015-11-18T06:40:43+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/cornish-turkeys-geese-for-xmas/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/cornish-turkeys-geese-for-xmas/#When:06:40:43Z Time to order Cornish turkeys or geese from Devon in time for Christmas delivery. The turkeys and geese are now starting to get to their full size and putting on weight. As we mentioned last year the way they are produced means that whatever size you select you are getting a fully grown, fully flavoured bird - a 5kg turkey from Banbury's is the same age and maturity as an 10kg turkey, both will be six months old (three months older than a conventional supermarket bird) and have a superb flavour.  The same applies to our geese and ducks from Otter Valley in Devon - Ross Gardner and his family have established a reputation for the finest table birds in the South West. Rest assured that whether you choose a Cornish turkey or a Devonian goose or duck you'll be delighted with the result on Christmas day.  Prices for turkeys, geese and ducks have now been set for this year - please remember that the final weight of your bird will may vary slightly but should be within the weight range specified, and you will be charged the precise per kilo weight for the bird you receive. Please note that as usual we will be taking deposits for turkeys, geese and ducks (this happens automatically when you confirm your order and the deposit is deducted automatically from your final invoice at Christmas). Turkeys can be ordered up until 11pm on Thursday 17th December but geese and ducks must be ordered by 11pm on Wednesday 9th December. Christmas 2015-11-18T06:40:43+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/10-off-sirloin-steak-go-on-treat-yourself/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/10-off-sirloin-steak-go-on-treat-yourself/#When:15:42:01Z Sometimes nothing else will do… In a world where chefs, food writers, bloggers and critics are constantly looking for the next new thing - a new recipe, a new ingredient, a new food culture or fusion - it pays, every now and then to revisit old classics, to remind ourselves why they are classics in the first place. Steak is the perfect example - all manner of steaks have appeared to confuse the shopper in recent years - ribeye, hanger, New York strip to name but three. Whatever happened to good old fillet, sirloin and rump? Our favourite of the three has always been sirloin, named, not by a British king after a particularly fine roast but more prosaically from the French surlonge a shortening of sur la longe or 'above the loin'. Plenty of fat and plenty of flavour but more tender than rump, our sirloin steaks from Robert Trevarthen have been hung for at least 21 days and come from hand picked beef cattle grazing the lush pastures of Cornwall - they are also 10% off this week. We get asked how to cook steak more than any other cookery question here at cornishfoodmarket.co.uk HQ - the key is to get the pan hot - a rare steak still needs to be cooked on the outside - it's the heat that forms those delicious crispy caramelised bits. And if you are cooking a steak rare it pays to hold the steak vertically in the pan to sear the fat along the edge first - rare steak is great, undercooked fat not so nice. Offers 2015-10-20T15:42:01+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/perfect-combinations-chicken-lemon-garlic-rosemary/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/perfect-combinations-chicken-lemon-garlic-rosemary/#When:06:29:30Z Particular combinations of flavours - often three plus a main ingredient - always seem to work. From the French mirepoix of carrot, onion and celery - the basis of innumerable classic dishes - through the Italian soffritto or Spanish sofrito of tomatoes, onions and garlic, to the Cajun holy trinity of onion, celery and peppers, flavours work well in threes. Just made for each other... Particular combinations of flavours - often three plus a main ingredient - always seem to work. From the French mirepoix of carrot, onion and celery - the basis of innumerable classic dishes - through the Italian soffritto or Spanish sofrito of tomatoes, onions and garlic, to the Cajun holy trinity of onion, celery and peppers, flavours work well in threes. Our favourite combination at the moment, with chicken (10% off this week for a whole free range bird) is lemon, garlic and rosemary - the perfect mix of sweet, sour and pungent. Bash the rosemary, bash the garlic and roughly cut up the lemon; place with the chicken, either whole or quartered, slosh over a good glug of olive oil, season and whack into a hot oven until the chicken juices are running clear from the thickest part of the flesh (usually the breast). Serve with simple steamed greens and some good bread. like Vicky's Bordelais, to mop up the juices. Or try garlic, bay leaves and smoked paprika - the same treatment but reduce the oven temperature slightly so that the paprika doesn't burn and cook for a little longer. If you're feeding a family, or you have room in your freezer, why not try our Family Meat Box. A whole free range chicken, a joint of topside, gammon steaks, bacon and sausages all for under £40 - delicious, great value and supporting Cornish farms.  Recipes 2015-10-14T06:29:30+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/do-try-this-at-home/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/do-try-this-at-home/#When:06:39:02Z Strange weather at the moment - after the delightful blast of late summer sunshine over the last couple of weeks, we’ve probably seen the last of the barbecue weather for this year BUT the temperatures are still pretty mild even with a dampening mizzle like we’ve had in Cornwall for a few days now. The Poldark crew, who are back in the county filming series two at the moment, may now start to understand that Cornwall is not always bathed in glorious sun Hot Smoking Strange weather at the moment - after the delightful blast of late summer sunshine over the last couple of weeks, we've probably seen the last of the barbecue weather for this year BUT the temperatures are still pretty mild even with a dampening mizzle like we've had in Cornwall for a few days now. The Poldark crew, who are back in the county filming series two at the moment, may now start to understand that Cornwall is not always bathed in glorious sun; series two might be a little more authentic on the weather front, Aiden Turner may even be forced to keep his shirt on! Thinking about what to cook in this period between seasons can be difficult - salad days are over but it's not time to fetch the casserole pot just yet. That got us thinking at cornishfoodmarket.co.uk HQ about a subject in which we are becoming increasingly interested - home smoking. Rather than explain in words, there is a great demonstration on YouTube by River Cottage's Steven Lamb - just press the play button above and all will be revealed - don't worry about filleting mackerel though (however easy Steven makes it look) our mackerel fillets from Matthew Stevens are the perfect portions for smoking, and our big 500g pot of Cornish Sea Salt is the perfect curing agent - both are on offer at 10% off this week.   Recipes 2015-10-07T06:39:02+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/after-several-years-as-bridesmaid/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/after-several-years-as-bridesmaid/#When:06:46:15Z We are delighted that we have finally scooped an award which recognises our contribution to the Cornish economy and particularly our work with local producers. Great Cornish Food Awards We are delighted that we have finally scooped an award which recognises our contribution to the Cornish economy and particularly our work with local producers. Westcountry Fruit Sales - the parent company of cornishfoodmarket.co.uk - was honoured at the 2015 Great Cornish Food Awards at the Award Ceremony held at Trelissick House on the banks of the River Fal. The Award was presented by Ruth Huxley, Managing Director of Cornwall Food & Drink (centre right, above) to Roger Rossignol (right - our Group Sales and Marketing Manager) and Peter Lawrence (centre left - Manager of our Lizard Leaves and Canara Farm growing operations), the ceremony was compèred by Daphne Skinnard from Radio Cornwall (left). Winners were chosen across ten categories including best pub or bar, best restaurant, best producer...our award was for supply chain with the judges commenting that Westcountry is "A professional and forward-thinking business, ambitious to keep growing and moving in response to technological and market developments. The comprehensive nature of their offer enables them to outmarket national wholesalers locally. Cornwall needs businesses like this, with their service levels, investment capacity and buying power." You can read more about the Awards on our A Passion for Food website. In short, through our various trading operations, we offer routes into the retail and wholesale marketplace for numerous Cornish growers and manufacturers who might otherwise find it difficult to get their products distributed. We really are delighted with our Award but we would be nowhere without all of our loyal customers, so a big thank you to all of you for supporting us and enabling us to support local producers and well done to all the worthy winners - many of whom are friends and customers of Westcountry Fruit Sales. With best wishes from all the team at Westcountry Fruit Sales and cornishfoodmarket.co.uk. Out in the Community 2015-09-22T06:46:15+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/rainbow-bunched-carrots/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/rainbow-bunched-carrots/#When:06:53:37Z How we recognise and describe food changes over time - our forebears in the early Middle Ages ate a diet that was hugely limited compared with our own. How we recognise and describe food changes over time - our forebears in the early Middle Ages ate a diet that was hugely limited compared with our own. Carrots, which at the time were predominantly white, were not generally distinguished from parsnips; both vegetables were known in Anglo-Saxon as 'moru' or 'more', meaning 'edible root'. Back then they were cultivated for their leaves and seeds - only later were the sugar storing roots eaten. Purple and yellow carrots also existed centuries before the modern orange carrot emerged, hybridised, in the Netherlands of the 17th century as a celebration of that country's ruling house. Bizarrely carrots have a great flavour affinity with orange - for a changed from normal boiled carrots try simmering them in orange juice. Peel them and place as tightly pack as possible in a saucepan without a lid. Cover with orange juice to which a teaspoon full of honey and a generous knob of butter have been added - simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the orange juice, honey and butter have reduced and amalgamated into a delicious glaze. There are a number of herbs and/or spices that can be added - try thyme or coriander, parsley or ginger. Our rainbow bunched carrots cooked in this way are the perfect accompaniment (with mash and greens) to Trevarthen's Gammon Steaks - 10% off this week. NB - when you get the bunched rainbow carrots home they will keep better, and fit in the fridge, if you remove the tops - BUT don't throw the tops away. Remove the thicker stalks and use the leaves - substituting them for basil leaves in a classic pesto sauce, it sounds strange but is absolutely delicious. In season 2015-09-15T06:53:37+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/new-season-english-apples/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/new-season-english-apples/#When:07:01:50Z The first English apples are here… The first English apples are here... The first stanza of John Keats's greatest poem, his ode 'To Autumn', focuses on the bounty of the days shortly after the end of summer and includes the following three lines: "With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core..." Appropriate then that our special offers this week are all English or Cornish - this is the peak harvest time for much of our local produce with superb Cornish strawberries still bursting with late summer flavour even while the earliest of the Autumn fruits - Victoria plums and Discovery apples are ripening in the orchards. Discovery is, first and foremost, an eating apple - derived from the traditional Worcester Pearmain, sweet but acidic, crisp and refreshing - like most early apples they keep better in the fridge (if you can resist eating them as soon as they are delivered). In season 2015-09-08T07:01:50+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/lovely-cornish-lemon-sole/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/lovely-cornish-lemon-sole/#When:07:15:13Z Delicious lemon sole fillets, couldn’t be easier to cook… Delicious lemon sole fillets, couldn't be easier to cook... After a fairly intensive tart recipe last week - superb though it was - here's a quick and easy fish supper using Matthew Stevens's lemon sole fillets - on offer this week at 10% off. Place a knob of Trewithen butter in a large frying pan and heat until foaming. Throw in a few fennel seeds to release their flavour. Meanwhile season some plain flour with salt and pepper and use it to dredge the sole fillets on both sides. Add them to the pan, cook for a couple of minutes on each side then remove to a warm plate. Add another knob of butter, whisk in the juice of a large lemon, incorporating the fennel seeds as you go. Any residual flour in the pan should help to thicken the sauce slightly. Serve the sole with the sauce poured over, accompanied by new potatoes, steamed greens and - if you want to match the fennel - with a gratin of fennel bulb. Again very easy to make. Slice a large fennel bulb into 5mm slices and simmer gently in water until tender, place in a shallow dish, pour over a good glug of Trewithen double cream, sprinkle with a little cheese (Cornish Gouda, Davidstow Cheddar, Yarg - whatever Cornish cheese takes your fancy) and flash under a hot grill until brown and bubbling. Recipes 2015-09-01T07:15:13+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/fair-pricing-for-everyone-on-cornish-milk/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/fair-pricing-for-everyone-on-cornish-milk/#When:07:19:25Z So what is our policy on milk prices? There was a time, up until fairly recently, that we could compete pretty well with the supermarkets on milk pricing - alas that time is now gone! BUT - when you buy milk from us you can rest assured that we buy at a fair price from Trewithen Dairy (up near Lostwithiel) and they look after the twenty-five or so dairy farmers who supply them with top quality Cornish milk. Yes, we negotiate, but when it comes down to it they tell us the price of milk rather than us telling them. This sounds like common sense but the reality of much of the retail milk market in the UK in 2015 is that the large retail multiples (we all know who they are) can only sell a four pint bottle of milk for 89p because the farmers are being paid less than the cost of production. Without getting mired in argument and counter-argument, our view is very simple, Cornwall's dairy farmers are also custodians of the countryside; they work with a physical geography that is not suited to huge 'industrialized' herds of dairy cattle and they do a huge amount to add to the beauty, as well as the economy, of this County. This costs a little more but we're proud to support them through our close links with Trewithen - we hope you are proud to support them too.  Pricing 2015-08-18T07:19:25+00:00 https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/supplier-focus-camel-valley-vineyard/ https://cornishfoodmarket.co.uk/blog/article/supplier-focus-camel-valley-vineyard/#When:07:21:37Z An icon, 26 years in the making… It struck us this week that in around six years of occasional supplier focus emails we had overlooked a business that has, in just over a quarter of a century, grown from tiny roots (literally) to become one of Cornwall's most recognised and awarded food and drink brands. Started by Bob and Annie Lindo on what was a sheep farm on a valley side near the headwaters of the River Camel, Camel Valley Vineyard now produces wines that compete head-on with some of the most famous names in the world of wine. English winemaking's renaissance has been led by the Lindos and wine experts from Oz Clarke to Matthew Jukes have been vocal in their praise for the quality and consistency of still wines and sparklers coming from the Camel Valley estate. Among a host of awards, the greatest accolades are surely those won by the extraordinary 'Cornwall' Brut - named for the region of production like Champagne in a typically tongue-in-cheek anti-authoritarian manner - 'Cornwall' has matched and beaten the finest Champagnes in numerous wine competitions since it first won a Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge in 2005. It used to be the case that supporting English (and Cornish) wine meant compromising on quality - happily the wines produced at Camel Valley (and, for that matter, by our friends John and Kim Coulson at Polgoon) mean you can drink Cornish wine safe in the knowledge that you are drinking wine of a quality to match anything of equivalent price produced anywhere in the world.   Suppliers 2015-08-11T07:21:37+00:00