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Newsletter Q4 2011

Inside story ~ Alastair Butler, farmer, Blythburgh Free Range Pork

‘My dad started farming pigs 35 years ago. Then, pigs were a good thing to start with if you didn’t have much money – the costs weren’t high as you didn’t need a lot of land and pigs weren’t expensive to buy.  Fifteen years ago, we started farming free-range.  There was only one other farm in the country doing it on a large scale.  At first, only half our pigs were free-range and they all went to Waitrose.  But it quickly became clear how much better the free-range pork tasted, and with some encouragement from our local butcher we decided to go entirely free-range.  It helped us to survive as a farm, by adding value to our meat at a time when pork prices were generally pretty poor.

‘Funnily enough, when we began to farm entirely free-range – supplying not just supermarkets but butchers too – we had to completely change the way we were rearing pigs.  This was because supermarkets and butchers had different requirements for their ‘free-range pork’: the supermarkets still needed it to be quite lean and to look good in a packet, whereas butchers wanted – and still do – more fat on their meat and were much more interested in what the whole carcass looked like, rather than just a bit of it. We stopped supplying Waitrose two years ago now.

‘When I see our pigs running around in little gangs on the farm it really does make me feel good about what we’re doing. You realise just why the meat tastes so much better than your average ‘outdoor bred’ pig.  Having all that space to play in, and the extra time to grow (generally, free-range pigs live for a third longer than outdoor bred) allows more flavour to be absorbed into the pork.  And the less stress the pigs are subjected to, the softer and more juicy their meat becomes.  'Outdoor bred' pigs are weaned at four weeks then go indoors for the rest of their lives, but our pigs live in one acre pens and have so much space to root around, foraging away in the light coastal soil.

‘ When it comes to knowing if a pig is ready, it’s all down to instinct.  I look for a long loin and a good bit of fat.  But it helps when you know your customers: some like more fat than others, and some pigs are better for bacon whilst others would produce some lovely joints.  My mum does a great roast.  Her tip for crackling is to put the oven up to maximum for the first half an hour of cooking: it’s like sealing a steak and it stops the crackling going flabby.  My favourite way of cooking pork is a hog roast.  So full of flavour and juicy too. Delicious.’ 

Visit Blythburgh Free Range Pork website to continue the story.

 

Secret Suffolk ~ The Queen’s Head, Hawkedon, Bury St.Edmunds

The claim to be one of Suffolk’s ‘few surviving proper country pubs’ may be pushing it a bit, but the Queen’s Head at Hawkedon certainly is a special sort of place and could provide a great blueprint for rural pubs across the county.  The fact that the building itself is a little-changed 15th century coaching inn is a bonus; as is the idyllic setting – off the beaten track in this very pretty village centred around a green in undulating countryside.

But crackling fire and timber-beams aside, where this pub really stands out is in its ‘extra-curricular’ activities.  To name a few: the pop-up restaurant night, the annual beer festival, the ‘Taste of Game’ nights, the hunt meets, the darts tournament, the regular wine-tasting and bridge nights, and the summer solstice party. But even better, the pub has twice-monthly car rallies. Twice a month!  The Vintage Sport Car club is held every first Saturday of the month and the Classic Car Club every third Monday.  Newcomers are embraced and even if you don’t bring a car, wandering around picking out your favourite with a pint in hand is a fine way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

And if it’s just a meal you’re after, there’s a lot to recommend.  Although the restaurant has slightly erratic opening hours (Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunches and suppers, Wednesday and Thursday suppers only), its commitment to local and seasonal produce is clear. Everything on the considered, inventive menu is home-made by head cook Julie Hirst and, impressively, much of the lamb, hogget and mutton on the menu comes from their own farm.  As further proof of this pub’s dynamism and commitment to the local community, it recently opened a small butcher’s shop on site selling meat from their own Rydale and Dexter herds, as well as local game and beef, pork and poultry from surrounding farms.

As you’d expect, regional beers feature strongly behind the bar: Adnams and Woodforde’s Wherry are always on tap, along with up to four more real ales, and there’s a great selection of scrumpy ciders and a country perry to boot.  No wonder the Queen’s Head has got such a strong local following.  Just keep it to yourselves if you can…

What to do in the area

Ickworth House and Gardens is a fine place for a long, after-lunch walk.

Or a visit Kentwell Hall - this moated Tudor pile has beautiful gardens, a rare breed farm and a great selection of places to have a cuppa.

Closer to home, St.Mary’s Church in Hawkedon itself is the only walled churchyard completely surrounded by a village green in Suffolk. Apparently!

 

For the kids ~ 'no punch' Punch

Your children will feel so sophisticated drinking their own version of mulled wine: it’s just perfect for dark winter afternoons in front of the fire.  Heat 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, 24 cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks, a pinch of nutmeg and the peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon in a pan.  Boil for five minutes then simmer for five minutes and strain into a large pan.  Add the juice of a lemon and 2 litres of grape juice, and mix together on a low heat.

 

Forage for it ~ Chickweed

Don’t overlook this common herb that, although abundant throughout the year, is at its best in late Autumn and very early spring.  Use scissors to gather the whole plant and mix with chopped apple to make a delicious winter salad.  It’s also lovely cooked in a warming soup – simply sauté an onion, add 1 peeled and cubed potato, 2 bunches of chickweed and 1.5 litres of stock.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes then season and blend.  Add a generous glug of cream and serve hot.  It’s yummy and is high in vitamins A and C to boot.

 

5 ways with ~ Chestnuts

Store freshly picked chestnuts in the fridge and remember, these nuts are easier to peel when cooked.  Cut crosses in the shells and par-cook by roasting or boiling for 15 mins (shop-bought vac-packed chestnuts are generally pre-cooked).

1. Chestnut-stuffed mushrooms. 

Make the stuffing first. Saute 2 onions in a frying pan. Remove the meat from 6 sausages and add; chuck in 200g breadcrumbs, 200g chopped chestnuts (from a can is fine) and some fresh thyme. Mix well. Place 6 large mushrooms in an oven dish. Put a knob of butter in each and put in a medium oven for 20 minutes. Remove then pile stuffing into mushrooms and return to the oven for 30 mins. 

2. Marrons Glaces.

Boil whole fresh chestnuts for a few minutes to make them easier to skin. Remove skins and return to pan for 20 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, put 500g granulated sugar in a pan with 250 ml water and dissolve. The drop chestnuts into hot sugar syrup. Simmer and cook gently for 30-45 mins. Remove chestnuts then coat them thickly with sugar and back in oven for a few minutes. When finished, squeeze a drop of lemon juice on each and dust with castor sugar.

3. Chestnut soup.

Boil 450g chestnuts in water for 20 minutes to remove skins. Then puree and add a little stock as needed. Meanwhile, saute 1 chopped onion then add 1 cup stock and the chestnut puree and simmer until it starts to thicken. Stir frequently. Add half a pint of milk and simmer, then add another half pint, stirring all the time. Season and add a pinch of nutmeg and cook for a further half hour.

4. Chestnut stuffing.

Saute 1 chopped onion then add 140g thickly sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Put into a bowl then stir in 50g butter, the juice of a lemon, 200g roughly crumbled cooked chestnuts (vac-packed is best), 25g parsley, 1 tbsp thyme, 6 rashes of streaky bacon (chopped), 140g white breadcrumbs and 2 eggs. When mixed together, stuff in the turkey’s neck or make into balls and bake for 30 minutes alongside turkey.

5. Roasted on an open fire…

Cut an ‘x’ into the shell of each chestnuts then place them in a long-handled frying-pan with a lid. Roast over the hot coals for approximately 20 mins, or until shells begin to open. Peel when cool. Sprinkle lightly with salt or, even better, with cinnamon.

 

Congratulations!

Well done to Gerald & Connie Gadd of Pinmill, winners of this quarter’s ‘Foodie Prize Draw’: a whole cheese truckle.  To enter yourself or a friend, simply register as a ‘foodie’ for free on our website.

 

Top 3 ~ Gifts for men

Index style chopping board set £45

This iconic-looking set by Joseph Joseph has four separate chopping boards, all neatly stored in a silver file. 

‘Oval Oak’ Wine carafe with oak ball stopper, £23

A classic, made stylish by the addition of this beautifully simple oak stopper.  (The only problem is that we're fast selling out of them!)

12” pizza cooking stone with wheel and slice, £15

For pizza aficionados everywhere. Stone heats evenly and absorbs moisture to make the perfect crispy crust. 

 

Taste Test ~ Local seasonal tipples

Panel of testers: Mulling over our selection of locally-produced seasonal drinks were tasters Harriet Bland (mother), Paul Block (estate maintenance), Toby Willis (surveyor) and Kevin Gill (retired).

Aspall’s Cuvee Chevallier, £10.95, 11% ABV

They say: ‘A double fermented cyder based on a family recipe. Perfect for a celebration.’  We say: ‘Very dry,’ ‘Not a very strong apple-y taste’, ‘Good cocktail mixer’, ‘Good gently fizz’, ‘Sharp, fresh taste though doesn’t taste like cider at all,’ ‘I’d have it with roast pork for Sunday lunch.’ 

Verdict: ***

New Hall Pinot Noir Chardonnay, £22.95, 10.5% ABV

They say: ‘A pink sparkling wine that’s dry yet smooth. Fresh and fruity with a ripe peachy undertone.’   We say: ‘Perfect after-church tipple to wash away the taste of communion wine’, ‘Very smooth,’ ‘Great alternative to champagne,’ ‘Quite fruity – not as dry as some champagnes,’ ‘Not quite as flavourful as I’d like.’

Verdict: ****

St. Peter’s Brewery, Winter Ale, £2.60, 3.25%

They say: ‘Ruby red strong ale with a superb balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness.’   We say: ‘Deep and hop-y flavour’, ‘Syrup-like and sweet’, ‘Mellow, not very bitter for an ale’, ‘Very warming, can imagine drinking it around a roaring fire’, ‘Good and robust but not overwhelming: a great ale for non-ale drinkers!’

Verdict: ****

Adnams Winter Spiced Liquor, £17.40, 28%

They say: ‘Exotic and warming with notes of cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and pepper. Serve as a digestive or add a dash to afternoon coffee.’   We say: ‘Delicious, love it,’ ‘Smells like moonshine, very strong’, ‘Lovely aroma’, ‘Spice and vanilla come through which give it a great Christmas taste’, ‘Really smooth, can imagine getting stuck into this on Christmas day’, ‘Very sweet but shall be buying some, it’s so drinkable.’ 

Verdict: *****

 

Don’t miss…!  

  • Our annual Festive Evening which is on 9th December at 6:30pm. With a tombola, live jazz, a local choir, lots of tastings and demos, shopping, mulled wine and mince pies, it’s a steal for £5 a ticket and this year all proceeds go to the charity Suffolk Family Carers.

  • Both the Kitchen Club and our Butchery Workshops (anyone spot Gerard recently on BBC2’s Great British Food Revival giving a demo on beef?) are as busy as ever and our Kitchen Club Vouchers can be brought on-line and make a great present for the dedicated foodie. Upcoming topics include puddings, food workshops and Mediterranean cooking, and if you buy three tickets at once you’ll get them at a discounted price of £16.50 each, which includes demo, drink on arrival and supper.

  • Other present ideas include our Suffolk Hampers that are packed with locally produced goodies – a real gourmet treat – or a signed copy of Suffolk food hero Thane Prince’s latest book ‘Ham, Pickles and Jam.’ She of ‘Aldeburgh Cookery School’ and Daily Telegraph fame will be in the Food Hall to do a signing on Saturday 26th November between 11am and 1pm so don’t miss her.

  • Lastly, please don’t forget to get your food orders in for Christmas. Gerard and the butchery team can accommodate all your meat needs, big or small, just give them plenty of notice by email or calling 01473 786613 as soon as possible. 

    P.S. In season now: Beetroot, celeriac, kale leeks, parsnips, peas, apples, chestnuts, goose, guinea fowl, rabbit, partridge, pheasant, crab, mackerel, scallops, mussels, brill.

 

 


Christmas

At the Suffolk Food Hall we serve classic British dishes with a contemporary twist from the finest of local ingredients. We cater for both large and small parties as we offer both lunch time meals and evening events. The menu we offer is perfect for a range of social occasions from client and staff entertaining to meals with family and friends.

Our Christmas menu is as follows

To start….

Game, vegetable and sherry broth
with our own artisan bread

Lowestoft smokey
Haddock flavoured with rosemary topped with Suffolk Rarebit

Slow roasted Oxtail celeriac ravioli

 Puy Lentil, Rocket and goats cheese salad

 

A bit in the middle

Turkey breast en croute
Our own stuffing, brussel sprouts, Broxtead potatoes and cranberry sauce

Beef pudding topped with fried kidney
Mash potato, seasonal greens, gravy and horseradish.

Baked cod with a herb crust
Vanilla, fennel and fondant Potatoes

Vegetable and nut stroganoff
with coconut rice

 

…and to finish

Spiced apple tart tatin
Cinnamon ice cream and red wine syrup

Christmas pudding
topped with brandy foam

Frozen chocolate mousse meringue
with passion fruit coulis

A selection of cheeses

2 courses costs £16.50 or you can get three courses for just £19.95.

We will be open on Thursday 16th December for small parties to have an evening meal.  A 50% deposit is required in order to secure your booking. To make a booking or for more information please contact Jo-Anne Wheatley on 01473 786 610 or via email