APPLES and the drinks we make from them have an ancient history, buried deep both in the wild fruit forests of Kazakhstan and in European myths and legends. There is something irresistible and indomitable about our mutual relationship. Here’s a story from Ukraine, via the American food website and newsletter Broken Palate. It is both…
IT may not seem a big deal, in the general scheme of devastated lives and shattered towns and cities, but the impact of the appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine stretches into many areas of life. Even food awards. This year’s 34th annual World Cheese Awards were due to take place in the war-torn country, and…
THERE was a time when the only spices in the average kitchen were nutmeg, pepper (usually white and finely ground) and possibly cinnamon. Names such as baharat, sumac or zaatar were, literally, foreign to the average British cook. Tastes and cooking knowledge have moved on hugely and nowadays, in part thanks to inventive and inspiring…
FORGET “Veganuary” – meet “Regenuary.” Well no, you probably don’t like either of these made-up words, and the idea that any given month or week or day should be designated to make us change the way we eat or drink or think. But beneath the tiresome ad-speak there is a serious message here, and it’s…
COMMUNITY groups and charities keen to plant or extend community orchards this spring can apply for help from Somerset-based Thatchers Cider. The Somerset cider-maker’s Community Orchard Project is being launched this month, with 250 apple trees to be donated to groups either undertaking new planting this year, or looking to extend a community orchard they…
THE ever-inventive Marcus Fergusson at Feltham’s Farm near Wincanton has produced an enticing addition to his range: a bloomy, white-rind organic cheese called Gert Lush, which came out just in time for Christmas and New Year cheeseboards. As any Somerset person knows, “Gert Lush” is a dialect phrase meaning “really lovely” (lovely as in attractive),…
THE Trethowan brothers, who make award-winning farmhouse Cheddar and Caerphilly at Hewish in north Somerset, have won the Best British Cheese award at this year’s World Cheese Awards, held at Oviedo in Spain, during the Asturias Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival. Overall, the Trethowans’ Gorwydd Caerphilly took seventh place. The World Champion was a soft…
SOMERSET cider-maker Thatchers, which has more than 500 acres of orchards and the largest and most diverse collection of apples used in cider making, is working with the University of Bristol on a project using DNA fingerprinting techniques to identify apple tree varieties. With many old and heritage varieties of apple trees beginning to disappear,…
THE 2021 World Cheese Awards, taking place in Oviedo, Spain, on Wednesday 3rd November, have received more than 4,000 entries from a record-breaking 45 countries. They include not only the great cheese-making nations, France, Spain, Italy, England and Switzerland, but also India, Guatemala, Japan, Colombia, Israel and Ukraine. The 33rd annual awards are taking place…
WEST Dorset artisan charcuterie producers Capreolus have once again received a list of two and three stars in this year’s Great Taste Awards, including the prestigious three stars for Wild Venison Chorizo and Dorset Soft Salami. David and Karen Richards, who have been creating delicious artisan charcuterie since 2009, also received three two-star awards for…