FFD November 2021

November 2021 Volume 22 Issue 9 gff.co.uk

Winter warm-up Prepare for the season ahead with our box-ticking recipe and more

IN THIS ISSUE Last-minute Christmas ideas Great Taste Golden Fork round-up Tre, Pol & Pen farm shop

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

CONTENTS 5

NEWS

10 SHOP TALK

‘Passion’ had become a clichéd marketing word. But now I feel like it was just misappropriated.

14 GREAT TASTE GOLDEN FORKS 25 CHEESEWIRE

By Michael Lane, editor

33 CHARCUTERIE 35 CATEGORY FOCUS: LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS IDEAS, AND STORECUPBOARD & INGREDIENTS 47 FOODSERVICE 48 SHELF TALK 54 DELI OF THE MONTH 61 EDITOR’S CHOICE FINE FOOD SHOW NORTH 67 GUILD TALK

Maybe it’s showing my age to say this, but I’m not sure I’ve ever felt a year move as quickly as 2021.

If 2020 was both chaotic and glacial, then this year has been a foot-to-the-floor race towards Christmas. Don’t panic, we’ve got a decent chunk of last-minute Christmas buying ideas (starting on page 35) in this issue.

FFD has just completed the latest stage of the mad dash across the calendar. We were not long back from our publisher’s trade event Fine Food Show North when putting this magazine to press, but the upside is we’ve been working in a very positive afterglow.

As I’ve said previously, the revival of trade shows has been much needed. You see old faces, meet new producers and re-realise why our corner of food is such a good place to work in.

The return of the Great Taste Golden Forks (full coverage starts

on page 14) was also part of the weekend’s events and that too was a sight for sore eyes – quite literally. I’ve been attending awards ceremonies for more than a decade and cannot say I’ve ever seen as many emotional recipients as I did on that evening.

Given the pace of business, the struggles of the last two years and the sheer amount of effort that goes into producing any kind of food and drink, it’s little wonder people feel like shedding tears. Is it relief? Is it joy? Is there even some frustration in there?

Before the pandemic, ‘passion’ had become a clichéd marketing word. In truth, I often dismissed it, too. But now I feel like it was just misappropriated. It has always been legitimately used by small-scale food producers and independent retailers. Last year, so many of you proved that big business (especially the supermarkets) had robbed

it from them – by standing up, showing what the word actually means and supplying the country with what it had been missing.

And from what I heard at the show, maintaining that spirit and determination has helped plenty continue to reap rewards in 2021.

Everyone in the industry is going to have to continue mustering it up too because things don’t look like they will get any easier. All sorts of cost pressures are coming (see page 6). That said, there is positivity around December (see page 5) and I have an inkling that Christmas could be yet another opportunity to showcase what the sector can do and get one over on the big boys.

Anybody who is reading this has achieved something since the pandemic began, not just the awardwinners.

We’ve all got to press pause for a minute and remember that – then keep going.

November 2021 Volume 22 Issue 9 gff.co.uk

EDITOR’S CHOICE Winter warm-up

Tom Dale, assistant editor

Prepare for the season ahead with our box-ticking recipe and more

Fine Food Show North

IN THIS ISSUE Last-minute Christmas ideas Great Taste Golden Fork round-up Tre, Pol & Pen farm shop

Cover image by Michael Lane

Our picks from

In this edition, we have not one, but ten great products that we’ve been enjoying.

Fresh from Fine Food Show North, these were our top picks of the new lines being showcased at the event, held annually at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate. From a curious and decadent

EDITORIAL

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Assistant editor: Tom Dale

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Editor: Michael Lane

Art director: Mark Windsor

Contributors: Nick Baines, Matt Lawrence, Patrick McGuigan, Jules Mercer, Lynda Searby

advertise@gff.co.uk

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Sales executives: Becky Haskett, Sam Coleman ADDRESS Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB United Kingdom

coconut curd, to a punchy vegan kimchi, this list is sure to contain at least one product to fill your shelves and tantilise your customers this Christmas and beyond. See the full list on page 61.

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200

Published by The Guild of Fine Food Ltd gff.co.uk

editorial@gff.co.uk

© The Guild of Fine Food Ltd

Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset

2021. Reproduction of whole or

part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is

Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £50 p.a. inclusive of post and packing.

prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are

not necessarily those of the editor

Turn to page 67 for news from the Guild

or publisher.

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

NEWS

Indie retailers confident in Christmas despite widespread logistical challenges

By Greg Pitcher

Fine food retailers are tackling several logistical challenges in the run-up to the critical Christmas trading period.

Many independent businesses spoke about the approaches they were taking to overcome well-publicised supply-chain and resourcing issues this festive season.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak last month insisted there would be “good provision of goods for everybody” this Christmas after former Tesco boss David Lewis was hired by the government to ease a spiralling logistics crisis. Shortages of lorry drivers and food production staff, as well as shipping bottlenecks, have led to gaps on shelves around the country, while finding staff for seasonal peaks is also tricky at the moment.

Daniel Williams, project manager at Cheshire-based Godfrey C Williams & Son, said logistics was the “biggest hurdle we face”.

Calls for change in shoplift law A Liberal Democrat peer has called for a change in legislation to reduce levels of shop theft.

Section 176 of the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 allows anyone accused of shop theft where the value of the goods is less than £200 to plead guilty by post – similar to a parking ticket offence.

However, Lord Navnit Dholakia has now submitted an amendment to the Police and Crime Bill that would seek the removal of this clause with immediate effect. He said that there has been an increase in retail theft in recent years, and that a greater deterrent would reduce this figure.

Short supply chains have led some independent retailers to have fewer concerns over the well-publicised turkey shortage

“I am worried that some orders may not arrive for the first couple of weeks of December – or even for Christmas at all,” he said.

“Some of our suppliers are facing shipping problems, particularly with items like wicker hamper baskets shipped from China.

“Glacé fruits and almond essence are both new shortages this week, and we haven’t been able to source certain Irish cheeses for months.”

Rob Copley, owner of West Yorkshire farm shop Farmer Copleys, said he had

heard of poultry shortages but was able to avoid these by dealing directly with a local farmer.

But he added: “The price of beef is going up as slaughterhouses are struggling for staff. We also asked an agency for 20 people to move pumpkins in October and they only sent us two.

“There will be big pressure on our staff over Christmas, we are squeezing everyone all the time.”

Shane Godwin, managing director of Kentbased Macknade, admitted

that “logistics are a worry”.

“A lot of seasonal stock is drip-feeding in rather than arriving en masse,” he said. “Our biggest risk is butchery. Small cuts like beef ribs are a challenge and that drives up price. Staffing has been an issue but is starting to settle down, we just have a few gaps left.

“It is difficult to say for sure if it will be a great Christmas but people are keen to make the most of this festive period. Our average spend is stronger than two years ago.”

Antonio Picciuto, owner of Buongiorno Italia in Hertfordshire, said: “Most of our suppliers have done well in keeping deliveries on time without any major hiccups. My frustration is with the couriers who deliver for our suppliers, as so much time has been wasted on tracking late parcels, and when the goods arrive they are often damaged or even completely unsaleable.”

Warning over fraudulent complaint scam An industry figure has urged food retailers to be vigilant after a number of outlets were targeted by apparently fraudulent demands for money.

The Craft Bakers Association issued an alert to its members warning them that the same mobile phone was being used to call outlets in different regions complaining of finding plastic in food purchased there to take away.

An online search for the phone in question revealed that a long list of businesses had received similar calls and claims for compensation.

The website Who Called Me records more than 3,500 searches for the number along with more

than 60 comments about calls from it.

These detail a number of scam attempts, including “a lengthy story” about how the caller’s granddaughter had cut her lip on something within baked goods and blood had “covered their motorhome”. Many people reported a claim for compensation.

Craft Bakers Association operations director Karen Dear, pictured, said the

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

body would consider calling in the police if the calls continued to affect members.

“We did this about six years ago,” she said.

“Our industry was being targeted by an individual emailing our members to say they had found a foreign object in their product. This was eventually tracked down to an elderly lady in Luton, she received a caution and the issue ceased.”

Independent retailers were put on high alert earlier this year when Dominic Watkins, head of retail, food and hospitality at legal services firm DWF, said COVID compliance was becoming “the new PPI” for certain law firms seeking to bring claims.

COUNTERING CHRISTMAS SUPPLY ISSUES ANTONIO PICCIUTO BUONGIORNO ITALIA

“We started our ordering much earlier and told suppliers to send all ambient stock immediately. This has caused us a storage problem, but we are managing. Our first panettone arrived mid-September and we have noticed that our clients are buying their favourites as soon as they are in.”

DANIEL WILLIAMS GODFREY C WILLIAMS & SON

“We’re sticking to last year’s strategy: Keep it local. Keep it British. We’ve stocked up on some great new Cheshire food & drink products for this Christmas. As a contingency plan, I’ve set aside three days across November and December to go on collecting runs for food and drink if needed.”

SHANE GODWIN MACKNADE FINE FOODS

“We’re moving things forward; our turkeys are online earlier for example as they are reared five minutes from our Faversham store.

There are definitely more challenges than usual this Christmas, we have to watch the market. There is some vulnerability as we make sure we have the right items at the right price.”

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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NEWS

CYBER CRIME

‘It’s on a knife edge’: warning on cumulative issues affecting fine food trade this winter

By Greg Pitcher

Independent food retail bosses have warned of a tough winter as economic pressures squeeze shops and consumers.

Leading figures laid out the harsh realities facing fine food purveyors with government pandemic support schemes petering out and operational costs increasing steadily.

The furlough scheme ended in late September, as did the initiative allowing firms to claim back statutory sick payments to employees off with COVID-19. Meanwhile, VAT repayments deferred during the first lockdown are now due for many, the Recovery Loan Scheme closes at the end of this year, and full business rates kick back in from early April.

Alongside this freezing of subsidies, retailers have been hit with rising costs for energy and fuel, while wages are also expected to go up over the winter.

Retailers have warned that rising costs will have to be passed on to the consumer

Shortages of lorry drivers and food production staff have led to higher prices for retailers, and customers are also feeling the pinch so have less cash in their pockets.

Georgie Mason, owner of Gonalston Farm Shop in the East Midlands, said it was going to be “a very, very difficult winter”.

“We can see another 25 per cent increase in the price of beef this year on top of the rise we’ve already had,” she said.

“Products aren’t coming

in from Northern Ireland as they used to and we have manufacturers without the people to make products, so only a third of an order turns up. It’s a nightmare.”

Mason pointed out that the National Living Wage, which must be paid to employees aged 23 and over, is expected to rise to £9.42 per hour in April. “We will have to put our prices up, there is not a lot we can do.

It is a double whammy as our costs are going up, but so are our customers’.”

Sangita Tryner, owner

of Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham, added that on top of the predicted legislative increases in pay, labour shortages were driving up wages.

“We are being squeezed,” she said. “We are staying healthy as a business but it is on a knife edge.

“Business rates are kicking back in, power costs are astronomical and there are pressures from staff asking for pay rises because they think jobs are ten-a-penny. So overheads are creeping up and there is only so much you can put on the price of a cup of coffee. I fear for some independents this winter – big time.”

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, urged ministers ahead of the autumn statement to maintain large discounts on business rates for shops. He said independents had more than £2 billion in debts after the pandemic.

IN BRIEF As part Smith of the Northern Walter Fine Irish government’s Foods has announced COVID recovery the closure of programme, residents three stores in the are eligibleThe to apply Midlands. butcher to receive a £100 chain revealed Spend Local prepaid over Christmas that card to spend in local its Denby Village, businesses across West Bromwich and Northern Ireland.

Coventry shops would nidirect.gov.uk stop trading, leaving it with 11 outlets – many of which are within Food and Drink garden centres.

Federation chief executive Ian Wright has warned that action Tracklements has needs to be taken to hired Ben Hallam curb the ‘terrifying’ rate for the role of of food inflation in the commercial manager, UK. Heincludes warned of a which return to 1970s identifying new levels market of inflation if action opportunities.

Hallam was joinsnot thetaken.

Wiltshirefdf.org.uk based condiment specialist after 11 years at dairy firm Yeo Valley.

In the Autumn Budget, the chancellor announced increase Health foodan retailer in the minimum wage Planet Organic has for overinto 22sthe to £9.50 moved hot per frommarket £8.91, foodhour delivery giving full-time and teamed up workers with a pay rise service of £1k a year. high-end

Co-op launches Amazon grocery delivery service

John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, Jeff Lawrie from J. Lawrie & Sons and broadcaster, Nigel Barden

Scottish kippers claim Great Taste Supreme Champion title After netting the Golden Fork from Scotland on three previous occasions, Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers – produced by Scottish 6

family smokehouse J. Lawrie & Sons – has landed Great Taste’s top award. Read the full story on page 14.

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

The Co-op has launched an Amazon-based ordering service in England after success with the system north of the border.

The supermarket’s Bournemouth-based customers can select groceries from their local store through the online retail behemoth’s website and mobile app.

Amazon Prime members are eligible for same-day delivery on orders over £40 subject to availability.

Co-op on Amazon was launched in Glasgow in September and is expected to be rolled out in Nottingham soon, followed by more UK cities.

Chris Conway, head of e-commerce at the

Co-op, said: “With convenience at the core of our approach, we are committed to finding new ways to expand access to our products and services, and are delighted to share our products on Amazon.

“Co-op on Amazon will offer shoppers a shopping experience with

ease, speed and choice of great value products conveniently.”

Olivier Girard, head of Amazon UK Grocery Marketplace, added: “Our partnership with Co-op is another way for us to provide our Amazon Prime customers with more choice, value and convenience to shop for their everyday groceries.

“The launch of Co-op on Amazon means Prime members in Bournemouth will be able to use Co-op on Amazon as part of the benefits, at no extra cost, wherever it is available.

Prime provides access to the best of Amazon, and we are looking forward to being able to expand the offering to more of the UK throughout the course of the year.”

T H E LOV E A F FA I R T H AT L E A D S TO B R E A K- U P S Don’t resist. Give in to the seductive chocolates of Venchi, Bodrato and Artisan du Chocolat. Guilt is temporary.

First in fine for 30 years: fine cheese, fine charcuterie, fine crackers, fine condiments, fine chocolates...

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

NEWS

New FRA research set to determine true value of British farm retail sector

By Tom Dale

A new research project is looking to quantify the impact that farm retail has on the UK’s economy, local communities and suppliers after the industry grew during the COVID pandemic.

The study – launched by the Farm Retail Association (FRA) in collaboration with Shropshire-based Harper Adams University – hopes to build a clearer picture of the sector with a view to developing it further.

It is estimated that there are currently more than 1,000 premises nationwide coming under the definition of ‘farm shop’, but the research will aim to clarify this figure and determine the wider impact of the stores.

Senior food retail & marketing lecturer at Harper Adams University Alastair Boot said

Bid to cut food ‘greenwashing’ In a bid to minimise ‘greenwashing’ the Environment Agency has launched a project to standardise the measurement of the environmental performance of the food & drink sector.

The project aims to simplify the measuring and reporting of key environmental performance areas to enable consumers to make easier decisions, and it hopes the scheme will incentivise companies towards greener processes and operations.

The Food & Drink Federation broadly welcomed the initiative, though warned that methodologies for measuring ecoperformance varied widely.

After a raft of new openings during COVID, the FRA is taking stock

there was evidence that consumers’ appetite for farm shops had grown during the pandemic, with retail patterns changing as shoppers tried to stay local.

“There is a need to build up a picture of the sector as a whole and its impact across the country – and this is where our research, commissioned

by the Farm Retail Association, will come in,” he said. “Once we develop that clearer understanding, it can be used to make the case for the nation’s existing farm shops, and to help develop the sector further.”

Rob Copley, chairman of the FRA, said: “This is the biggest research project that the FRA has

DOWN ON THE FARM Minskip Farm Shop was last month crowned Farm Shop of the Year in the Yorkshire Post’s Rural Awards.

Beating off stiff competition from Farmer Copleys and Blacker Hall Farm Shop, the retailer was “thrilled” to win, and co-owner Emma Mosey praised the team’s hard work. “They deserve all the success in the world. We’re buzzing,” she said. minskipfarmshop.com A spacious new courtyard bar has been added to Fordingbridge Farm Shop in Hampshire, with plans for an expanded menu and a host of special events and guest chefs.

The family-run farm shop opened in January

Benjamin & Emma Mosey

2021 and specialises in nose-to-tail butchery and local produce from the New Forest and Cranborne Chase. The new courtyard bar, with heated marquee and seating for 100 customers, offers a wide range of wines, beers and spirits along with a menu showcasing produce from the farm shop. fordingbridgefarmshop. co.uk

IN BRIEF

ever undertaken, and the results will fly the flag for our industry.

“We are encouraging all farm retailers to take part in this nationwide survey to get a clear picture of what our sector is worth to the economy and reflect the vital role our farm retailers play in communities.

“This will then help not only promote farm retailers but also support those businesses with planning applications and funding bids.”

The survey results are expected in Spring 2022.

FRA members should have been contacted with a link to the survey, and the organisation is urging any who have not yet received it to get in contact.

Non-member farm shop owners can complete the survey at harper-adams. onlinesurveys.ac.uk/farmretail-survey-2

Walter Smith In the year of Fine the brand’s Foods has40th ananniversary in the nounced the cloUK, Filippo Berio has sure ofrecord threesales stores posted for 2021Midlands. of more than in the £50m.

The butcher chain filippoberio.co.uk revealed over Christmas that The British Village, its Denby Independent Retail West Bromwich Association has and Coventry produced a series of free posters to inform shops would stop consumers about the trading, leaving recent contactless it with 11 outlets payment limit increase, advising that until – manythem of which terminals have been are within garden updated, the previous centres. £45 limit will still be in place.

Tracklements has bira.co.uk hired Ben Hallam for the role of commercial manager, With COVID cases on the rise again, eight which includes in ten adults think identifying new social distancing is market opporimportant – but only four in tenHallam actually do tunities. it, according to new joins the Wiltshireresearch by the Office based condiment for National Statistics.

The latest from farm shops across the country Farms to Fork is a new business built within a retirement village that is dedicated to being good for the environment and also striving to make a positive impact on the lives of families and the older population living in the area. They are also working with residents in a ‘Community Cultivation Project’, where local allotment societies donate home-grown fresh fruit and vegetables which are then sold to raise money for charity. farmstofork.co.uk/aboutthe-farmshop

When closure struck its café and a huge part of its revenue at the beginning of lockdown, the Coldharbour Farm Shop team, inspired by the major growth in brewing and distilling on their doorstep, decided to create a gin that was synonymous with the area.

‘Flaming Barrel’ Gin made a successful debut at the Ottery St Mary Food & Families Festival earlier this month. coldharbourfarmshop. co.uk

In association with

Fabulous Farm Shops fabulousfarmshops.co.uk

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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SHOP TALK IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

ED ARMSTRONG, co-owner, Ginger Butchers, Bakewell, Derbyshire

My brother, Tom, and I – The Ginger Butchers – are the fourth generation of butchers and farmers in the Armstrong family. We’ve been involved for as long as I can remember. As children, we used to stand at the sink and wash trays.

But it was in 2010, after we’d both finished studying, that we joined the business. We opened the Bakewell shop to provide an outlet for the native breed meat from our mixed livestock farm in Over Haddon. We have an onfarm bakehouse and butchery where our meat, sausages, pies, pasties and so on are produced.

Tom and I joined full of enthusiasm and ambition to grow the business, so when, in 2020, we were offered a farm shop and café in the Denby Pottery Village in Belper, we jumped at the chance. We opened in August 2020 and for the first few months, everything went well. We already had an established customer base in Belper from the farmers’ markets we had been doing for many years, plus the Pottery Village attracts people who are looking for quality products. We had a very busy Christmas period, but then, at the start of 2021, the country went back into lockdown. We stayed open, but with the rest of the outlets closed, business was quiet.

We soon found out that staffing a farm shop and a butcher wasn’t going to be easy as there is a shortage of retail butchers. It’s a specialist job and takes a while to train someone up, so I was in the Bakewell shop full-time. We are only a small business (15 staff) and we realised that in spreading ourselves too thin we were in danger of risking our entire business. Last month, we took the difficult decision to close our outlet at Denby to focus on our Bakewell shop and our growing events catering business.

The figures have vindicated this decision. At the end of last year, we extended the shop into the unit next door, which allowed us to install display freezers for our ready meals, gluten-free products and game. This also increased the number of display windows from one to three, as we are now occupying a corner unit. Since the extension, turnover has been up by 50%.

We are currently in the process of extending yet again and taking a further unit next door that enables us to have a separate deli counter in the shop and offer hot and cold ready-to-eat options.

Our foray into a second retail site was shortlived, but it opened our eyes to the potential that still hasn’t been explored in our Bakewell shop.

We might look at opening another shop in 18 years when our lads are old enough, but for now, we are sticking with what we’ve got.

Interview Lynda Searby Photography Matt Lawrence

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER I’M HAPPY TO let people think I know everything there is to know about food and drink. But the truth is I don’t.

I am very confident about knowing a lot.

Thanks to judging at various awards and mixing with specialists in nearly every walk of the food world, I have discussed and tasted things that, 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have believed. However, talking about the difference between kimchi and sauerkraut in the comfort of a judging room doesn’t mean I can recall it on tap.

And then there is the personal element. I just don’t eat kimchi (or sauerkraut). It doesn’t grace my kitchen table at home. Yes, I know the funky stuff is supposed to go with everything and that I will live forever if I eat four pots a week – even if it makes my insides like lava – but it just isn’t my thing.

If you’re anything like me, you will have two to three times the national average of half-open jars on the top shelf of your fridge. Jalapeno & raspberry pickle, weissbier & coriander mustard, and gold leaf jam. You know the stuff. Often individually delightful, but not for the end of a hard day when all you want is ham, egg & chips.

MODEL RETAILING Mr Deli, are you interested in this parsley wine I make in my garage? It’s selling really well at the farmers’ market.

I’d bet that everyone reading this is ‘winging it’ frequently. Imposter syndrome? It’s a way of life.

So, if it’s difficult to keep up with trends and you don’t know much about a certain product beyond what it tastes like, how the hell do you sell it to a customer? Who really knows what they’re talking about?

Can you talk knowledgeably about why brewers are using more Ekuanot than El Dorado hops right now? If beer is your thing, then yes, that is everyday reading for you. And you can explain those good-for-your-gut bacteria in

the dreaded kimchi if you’re into health foods or Korean cuisine. Maybe you like to offer Coulommiers instead of Petit Brie in autumn, because of those woody and mushroomy notes that only a committed turophile would know about. Perhaps you only take your water to 82°C in your café to preserve those fragile Taiwanese esters barely detectable by mere mortals. But can one person do (and know) all of this? I think not.

The world of cuisines and cooking is vast – and getting bigger. There is so much going on, I’ve got kaleidoscope eyes. I’d bet my Christmas profit that everyone reading this is ‘winging it’ frequently. Imposter syndrome? It’s a way of life.

So, I have a system when talking to customers. Aside from when I’m raving about cheese with sage-like authority, I try to be the next person in the queue. I put myself by the customer’s side – tasting with them rather than talking at them. Just have a few little nuggets of information or some factoid in your back pocket that will encourage them to explore this strange jar of wonder with you.

Otherwise, it’s just going to end up on the top shelf in your fridge.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

Erm. It comes in crates, not cases.

And people pay me £6 a bottle at the market, so I suppose I could sell it to you for the same…

Hmm. What’s the case size?

How much does it cost?

Actually, I’m not sure I’ve got any space for it on the shelves right now.

Oh, ok.

FFD says: Start-up producers can be a little naive about dealing with retailers but you shouldn’t dismiss them out of hand. While they may not understand margins, they’re likely to have bags of enthusiasm and the product itself could be ingenious. And if you can give them a bit of advice, then you might end up with an exclusive item in your shop. Engaging with the supply chain at this level is what being an independent retailer is all about.

editorial@gff.co.uk

With kind permission of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, Germany. PLAYMOBIL is a registered trademark of Geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG, for which also the displayed PLAYMOBIL toy figures are protected.

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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SHOP TALK WHAT’S TRENDING

CODE OF PRACTICE

NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing This month we take a look at... in-house production of cooked meats

Where retailers are cooking their own meats, it is essential the process has been checked so that the cooking time ensures the core temperature of the meats reaches at least 70°C for two minutes or equivalent (80°C for six seconds, 75°C for 30 seconds, 65°C for ten minutes, and 60°C for 45 minutes).

If cooling joints, Safer Food Better Business suggests the ham is placed in a watertight bag (food grade) and completely covered with clean, iced water.

Make sure the water is as cold as possible before adding the ice and stir from time to time.

Campden BRI has undertaken research on the cooling of large cured and uncured

The process can only be relied on if the method of cooking is consistent

Expert’s view INSIGHT 6’S LUCY KNIGHT EXPLAINS HOW THE ‘F’ WORD CAN HELP YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS Throughout their interaction with your business, customers will experience a host of feelings that influence how much they spend, how often they come back and whether they recommend it to their friends.

The importance of creating an emotional connection won’t come as a surprise. After all, we are all customers and have been for years.

We know how it feels to have a great – or dismal – experience and we know how this influences our purchase decisions. Quite simply, ‘good enough’ is not; when there is so much choice, why would we choose ‘meh’?

So, how can we deliver great experiences consistently? These are my top tips. l Start by taking time to consider how you want your customers to feel when they interact with your business. l Be specific. For example: ‘happy’ or ‘content’? The emotions are similar but may hold slightly different meaning. Give it some thought and clearly define the goals.

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

meats and suggest the cooling times in the table below. If using this method, the use of a data logger is advised.

The process can only be relied on if the same method of cooking, cooling and the size of the joint is consistent.

Uncured products Temperature Cooling times (hours) Down to 50°C 1 From 50°C to 6 12°C From 12°C to 1 5°C Total 8 Cured products Temperature Down to 50°C From 50°C to 12°C From 12°C to 5°C Total

Cooling times (hours) 1.25 7.5

1

Maximum (hours) 2.5 6 1.5 10

2

Maximum (hours) 3.25 7.5

1.25

1.75

10

12.5

The guide is available in PDF format and is free for Guild members. For non-members, it costs £250+VAT. To request a copy of the Code of Practice, or for further information, email support@gff.co.uk

l Be consistent. Make sure that you can articulate how you want your customers to feel and that you share that with the whole team. l Work on behaviours. When you are clear on how you want your customers to feel, work with your team to define the behaviours that will deliver the right experiences. l Measure. Just as you would measure financial performance it’s important to measure how your customers feel when they interact with your organisation. There are many ways you can do this, including customer surveys and mystery enquiries.

So, have a think about your business for a minute. What do your customers say, think and feel about your business? How does that influence your business performance?

The ‘F’ word is definitely not fluffy... it’s financial. Ignore customer feelings at your peril.

3

The heady mix of chai spices is being woven into the coffee landscape right now by a drink referred to as the ‘dirty chai’.

Essentially a double shot of espresso with chai spices and steamed milk, loose blends from producers like Chai By Mira are creating potent, peppery and fragrant long drinks with all types of milk. A more complex and grownup alternative to the pumpkin spice latte that unlike its gourd-based counterpart can be offered across all seasons.

1 Dirty Chai

2 Potato milk The Swedes appear to have an unreckonable strength when it comes to alternative milk brands and the Scandinavian plant-milk powerhouse has now turned its attention to milking potatoes. With roots in Sweden’s Lund University, DUG has launched a trio of creamy potato milks that are dairyand gluten-free as well as boasting perhaps the strongest sustainability credentials of any plant milk to date. The crop is twice as efficient as oats, uses 56 times less water than almonds, and has a 75% lower climate footprint than dairy milk.

3 Borek This filled flaky pastry is the cornerstone of Balkan snacks and has sustained anyone venturing to Eastern Europe and North Africa. But nestled in south London is a start-up that’s catapulted the filo wrapped food into Instagram dominance.

Mystic Borek has been selling a variety of creatively filled boreks from collection points around London since the lockdowns and is now opening a new kitchen, website and delivery system as well as pop-ups across the city. Prepare yourself for fillings of ‘nduja, soft sheep’s milk cheese and herbs, or slowcooked brisket, creamed leeks and ras el hanout.

THE

GUIDE TO G R A T E B R I TA I N

DU LL You might think the village of Dull in Perth and Kinross a rather uneventful place. Not so in October, when it celebrates its membership in the ‘League of Extraordinary Communities’ along with Boring in Oregon and Bland in New South Wales.

MOUSE HOLE Pronounced ‘Mowzle’, the inhabitants of this picturesque Cornish fishing village are fiercely proud of their history. Notable events include their heroic resistance to a Spanish raid in 1595, and to a second raid in 1832, from a particularly large cat.

LL ANFAIRPWLLGW YNGYLLGOGE RYCHW YRNDROBWLLLL AN T YSILIOGOGOGOCH This famous village on the Welsh island of Anglesey has the longest place name in Europe, and second longest in the world after New Zealand’s Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu. Rougly translated from Welsh, the village name means ‘Less is more’.

MATCHING T YE

The origin of Shitterton’s name is as unfortunate as you might suspect. Unscrupulous souvenir seekers repeatedly stole the hamlet’s sign, until the canny Shittertonians replaced it with an unfeasibly large boulder, which weighs over one a half tonnes, or a metric Shitterton.

WIT TS E ND

SCR ATCHY BOT TOM

The residents of Witts End in Milton Keynes have long debated whether they should change the name to something more appropriate. The suggested alternatives of Wirral Doomed, Endiss Nye and Abandonall Hope were all rejected for being too upbeat.

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

The opening scene from 1967’s ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ was filmed here, where an errant sheepdog drove a flock of sheep over a cliff edge.

The valley’s name is unrelated to anatomy, yet it is another instance of a dog going mad because of a Scratchy Bottom.

FRYU P Despite the name of this Yorkshire hamlet, there’s no proof that the area holds any connection with the greatest of morning traditions, the ‘Full English’. Attempts to find a link in 2008 yielded no evidence at all. Not a sausage.

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SHIT TE RTON

The implied dress code for this village in Essex is actually much more relaxed than you might expect. For those wanting to throw shapes at the local discotheque, you’ll feel much more at ease opting for smart-cazj.

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Smoke on the water Fourth-generation fish smokers and curers J. Lawrie & Sons have been preserving herring and other fish at their coastal base in the Scottish Highlands since 1945.

Now, standing as the last bastion of the once-thriving Mallaig kipper industry, the company has shone the light for the traditional speciality by claiming the Supreme Champion title this year.

Main picture by Richard Faulks, ceremony photography by Phil Taylor

THE HIGHLANDS-BASED COMPANY has seen its kippers regularly land Great Taste awards – with four 3-star and three 1-star awards under its belt for the smoked herring, and has even picked up the Golden Fork from Scotland on three occasions, in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – but it went one step further this time. Having already been awarded the Golden Fork for Scotland, the Mallaig smokehouse was called to the stage a second time to collect the Supreme Champion trophy.

Once the lifeblood of Mallaig – a small

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

port village in Lochaber – J. Lawrie & Sons is now the last remaining kipper yard producing the once-famous smoked herrings. And it was this history that Jeff Lawrie, great-grandson of the business’s founder Jaffy, referenced when picking up the Supreme Champion gong in an emotional moment at the Great Taste 2021 Golden Fork awards ceremony last month.

The success of Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers, said Lawrie, can be attributed to his father.

“This is my dad’s award,” he said, holding back tears. “He’s incredibly passionate about

the food he produces, always tinkering and changing things to try and make them better and live up to the traditions he’s inherited.”

The award was the last to be announced at the first in-person Great Taste Golden Fork reception since 2019, held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on Sunday 17th October.

“Carefully and artfully produced” using a 30ft brick kiln powered by the wind, the herrings are cured in sea salt and slowly smoked over whisky cask oak shavings.

“Juicy and tender, silky and sweet, Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers deliver the perfect balance of wood, smoke and fish,” said the judges.

The product fought off competition from 218 Great Taste 3-star award-winning products that were re-judged to find this year’s regional Golden Fork trophy winners.

The “plump and succulent” herrings, which are traditionally cured and cold smoked, impressed the judges at every stage of the blind-tasting process to earn Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers the biggest prize in food and drink.

In total, 14,113 entries to Great Taste 2021 were blind tasted by 355 judges over the course of 86 days at four venues, including Guild HQ in Gillingham, Dorset, and the Guild’s London home, No. 42 Southwark

>>

The product fought off competition from 218 Great Taste 3-star awardwinning products that were re-judged to find this year’s regional Golden Fork trophy winners.

Big winners celebrate at Golden Forks ceremony John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food with Jeff Lawrie from J. Lawrie & Sons

Street. Of these entries, 4,027 received 1-star awards and 1,138 were awarded 2-stars.

Just 218 products were deemed worthy of the highest 3-star award and were assessed again to determine which would win the coveted Golden Forks. jaffys.co.uk

J. Lawrie & Sons Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers

Simsom Pistachio and Honey Sesame Butter

Top, Jeff Lawrie is handed his Golden Fork from Scotland. Bottom, he is called upon for a second time as Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers are awarded the Great Taste 2021 Supreme Champion

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

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CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

U-turn on EU import paperwork is distorting market for UK makers

By Patrick McGuigan

The Government’s last-minute U-turn on new paperwork requirements for EU foods coming into the UK has been criticised by British cheesemakers.

In September, the Government scrapped plans to implement post-Brexit controls on EU agricultural foods coming into the UK, which were due to come into force on 1st October and 1st January 2022.

These included vet certificates for foods of animal origin and physical border checks, which would have seen European cheesemakers subject to the same requirements as British cheesemakers exporting to Europe. However, the

controls have now been pushed back for a second time for a further six to eight months.

“There’s no level playing field,” said Simon Spurrell, founder of the Cheshire Cheese Company and director at Stilton producer Hartington Creamery.

“European cheesemakers are exporting cheese to the UK without any of the hurdles we face going the other way.

Nothing has changed for them.”

The point was echoed by Food and Drink Federation chief executive Ian Wright. “The repeated failure to implement full UK border controls on EU imports since 1st January 2021 undermines trust and confidence among businesses – worse, it actually helps the UK’s competitors,” he said. “The

Simon Spurrell of the Cheshire Cheese Company says there is not a level playing field for exporters

asymmetric nature of border controls facing exports and imports distorts the market and places many UK producers at a disadvantage.”

The Cheshire Cheese Company has lost £250,000 worth of sales to the EU since Brexit because of increased bureaucracy and costs. Spurrell said that consignments now cost around £1,500 more than before Brexit, meaning they were no longer viable. But the cheesemaker is not pushing for EU makers to be subjected to the same requirements.

“Imposing the same regulations on them is just cutting off your nose to spite your face. I would much rather we all sat down and worked out a reduction in paperwork for everyone. It’s not tit for tat.”

Cumbrian cheesemaker Martin Gott has also seen exports in Europe crumble since Brexit, but like Spurrell does not want to see EU cheesemakers hamstrung in the same way.

“Is this supposed to be what taking back control looks like?” he asked. “I don’t begrudge small cheesemakers in Europe having access to the British market. Cheeses like mine wouldn’t exist without them.

They represent a vision of diversity, which is aspirational for British cheese.”

Award-winning cheesemonger Cheese Etc in Pangbourne has opened a new workshop and tasting room next door, which will be used for events, click-andcollect and packing for online sales.

Industry body Dairy UK has criticised the new trade deal between the UK and New Zealand, which it says will see cheaper, less sustainable dairy products, including cheese, flood the UK market and undermine British producers.

Berkswell Made at Ram Hall Farm in the West Midlands by the Fletcher family, Berkswell is a modern British classic. The raw sheep’s milk cheese is typically aged for four to eight months until it has a slightly grainy texture and sweet, tangy flavour, while some batches can be more savoury and brothy.

Wheat beer There’s a pleasing tropical fruit flavour to more mature Berkswell cheeses, which marries nicely with the banana and bubblegum notes found in German wheat beers. Schwarz & Weiss Dunkelweizen, made by the Krafty Braumeister in Suffolk, is a particularly good match. The dark wheat beer is made with roasted and oak-smoked barley malts and has a spicy, fruity and malty flavour that complements the hard cheese beautifully.

Pesto Berkswell can be a good British alternative to Pecorino or Parmesan. The Fletcher family uses their cheese to make pesto with a twist. They blitz toasted pine nuts, basil, garlic, spinach and cavolo nero with plenty of grated Berkswell in a food processor, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Perfect for pasta with more grated Berkswell to finish.

NEWS IN BRIEF

A raft of new cheese shops are opening, including second shops for Jericho in Oxfordshire, Provisions in Hackney and Hamm Tun Deli in Northamptonshire, plus first shops for Cheese on Sea in Hastings, Magdalen Cheese and Provisions in Exeter and Heritage Cheese In Dulwich.

THREE WAYS WITH...

North Wales cheesemaker Castell Gwyn has moved to new premises and is expanding production. Owner Jackie Weaver, who set up the company in 2018 and makes soft, flavoured cheeses, has built a new dairy in her garage in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, and invested in a new 500-litre vat with help from a £13,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales.

Quince jelly It’s often described as Britain’s answer to Manchego, but Berkswell has its own character with a grainier, fresher texture. So rather than membrillo, try quince jelly, which has a softer, more delicate set, and better matches the paste of the cheese. Rosebud Preserves Quince Jelly is hard to beat. The rubycoloured condiment is sweet, sharp and perfumed, picking up on fruity notes in the cheese.

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

The Courtyard Dairy prepares to do the double with expansion

BEHIND THE COUNTER TIPS OF THE TRADE Ian Allsop, Camlan, Snowdonia, Wales

By Patrick McGuigan

Award-winning Yorkshire cheesemonger The Courtyard Dairy has secured planning permission to more than double the size of its premises with a newly expanded museum, café, shop and cheese maturation cave.

Andy and Kathy Swinscoe, who set up the business in 2012 and moved to their current site on a former falconry centre in Austwick, near Settle, in 2017, plan to become the “epicentre of traditional farm-made British cheese” through the expansion, which will start in February and is due to be completed in September next year.

The new plans will see the current 150 sq m site extended with a new 200 sq m building with a large illuminated ‘cheese’ sign, containing a new museum, cafe and events space. The shop will also be extended into the space where the current museum is located, with offices above.

Underneath will be a 400

CHEESE IN PROFILE with Chaource What’s the story?

It’s a soft French cheese made from cows’ milk in the village of Chaource, in Champagne. Created by monks in the Middle Ages, this full-cream cows’ milk cheese evolved in the 18th century to fit in around the daily chores of the farmhouse. Chaource has Protected Designation of Origin status, which governs how and where the cheese is made.

Production today is mostly centred around the departments of Aube in the Champagne26

Andy Swinscoe wants to make his premises the “epicentre of British farmmade cheese”

sq m maturing cave, which will house cheese made by an on-site cheesemaker, based in a separate building next door.

This is currently occupied by sheep’s cheese producer Long Churn Cheese, run by Courtyard cheesemonger Sam Horton and his partner Rachael Turner. The cave will also be used to mature cheeses from other producers.

“COVID has taught us that

Ardenne region and Yonne in neighbouring Burgundy.

How is it made?

Historically cows’ milk was left to naturally coagulate into a lactic set curd, before being drained slowly – processes that didn’t require supervision and allowed the farmers’ wives (who typically made the cheese) to get on with other tasks. Today, production can be either

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

as much as mail order and restaurant wholesale are nice parts of the business, they’re not what we love doing,” said Andy Swinscoe. “We love having people through the door and talking to them about farmhouse cheese.

“We’d like it to be a location where anyone interested in cheese will visit at some point in their lives.” thecourtyarddairy.co.uk

artisanal or industrial and cheeses can be made from either raw or pasteurized milk.

The milk is heated to around 25-35°C and then rennet is added.

Coagulation takes 12 hours then the curds are transferred to perforated moulds to drain. Following salting and drying, the cheeses are matured for between two weeks and two months.

Appearance & texture: This cylindrical-shaped cheese has a soft-ripened, creamy, slightly chalky texture. The cheese is surrounded by a velvety rind covered predominantly by the white mould Penicillium Candidum. Younger cheeses have a fresh and slightly lactic flavour, while more mature Chaource is buttery with notes of

There are three parts to Camlan’s business in Dinas Mawddwy, within the Snowdonia National Park: a garden centre, café and farm shop. But co-owner Ian Allsop has a few clever tricks to tie them together and make sure the cheese counter stays busy.

“If you buy a plant you have to pay for it in the farm shop, so you have to go past the cheese counter,” he says. “I often hear customers saying, ‘Oh, you sell cheese too’.”

Clever lighting also helps attract people, he adds. “The counter is lit up at the back of the shop, so has a glow that pulls people in.”

Holidaymakers are an important part of the customer base with prepack wedges and individual whole cheeses the backbone of sales. Allsop also has a separate fridge by the entrance with the full range of Snowdonia waxed cheeses. “80% of our customers are tourists and they want cheeses that are easy to take home as gifts,” he says. “It’s amazing how sales increased when I put the Snowdonias at eye level by the door where there’s high footfall.”

Cheesemonger tip: Recommend this to your customers as an alternative to brie or camembert. To serve, leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

mushroom and a hazelnut finish. Chaource ripens from the outside in, so at room temperature, a runny, gooey layer will pull away from the firmer interior when you slice into it.

Chef’s recommendation: This soft cheese is excellent baked into macaroni or a potato gratin. You can also spread it on a baguette or just dig in with a spoon! Pair it with Champagne, an unoaked Chablis, or a red Burgundy.

Variations: 250g and 500g There are a number of ways you can study Level 1 & 2 Academy of Cheese courses; online as self-study eLearning, interactive virtual classes or traditional classes at a venue. academyofcheese.org

IT’S TEA TIME.

WITH EXTRA FLAVOUR. GRUYERE.COM

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

A very hard 18-month farmhouse cheese which has a distinct nuttiness in flavour and made with vegetarian rennet.

wwww.HAWKSHEADRELISH.COM

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

www.lyburnfarm.co.uk 01794 399982

CHEESEWIRE

news and views from the cheese counter

I do rely on intuition, but you also need consistency. The science is important.

Reading the room A COVID-induced burst of creativity helped grow The Old Cheese Room’s range – and its customer base Interview by Patrick McGuigan

NESTON PARK IN Wiltshire might be familiar to fans of BBC period dramas. The owners of the 5,000-acre estate, have turned the farm into a thriving set for TV shows, including Lark Rise to Candleford and Poldark.

Aidan Turner and his famous scythe are long gone on our visit, but there’s plenty of curd cutting happening at the Old Cheese Room, which operates from a converted byre on the estate. Here Hungarian cheesemaker Julianna Sedli and her partner Karim Niazy turn milk from the farm’s 270-strong herd of organic Jersey cows into the Reblochon-style Baronet, named after Neston Park’s owner and fourth baronet Sir James Fuller.

First set up in 2011, business was ticking along nicely until COVID forced the couple to find new customers, hastily updating their website to better sell to the public while also sparking a remarkable burst of creativity in the form of three new cheeses. Impressive stuff considering the couple had to home school their two young daughters at the same time.

The ashed, lactic cheese Lypiatt was an immediate hit and was soon joined by the semi-hard Bybrook and the soft, herb-rolled Culpepper. It’s testament to Sedli’s experience and skill (she previously worked for Capriole in the US and legendary cheesemaker Mary Holbrook) that the new cheeses were so successful so quickly, but she is keen to point out they were a joint effort with Niazy, who is an adept cheesemaker in his own right.

“He’s learned how to make cheese from me, but he brings his own approach,” explains

Sedli in her small office decorated with pictures drawn by the kids during lockdown.

“He is really methodical when it comes to studying pH levels, time and temperature to try to improve the cheeses. He’s made me a better cheesemaker.”

The late great Mary Holbrook had a different philosophy, using feel more than science to make cheeses, such as Cardo and Tymsboro, recalls Sedli, who worked with her for two years at Sleight Farm in Somerset.

“She had the confidence to not be so reliant on the numbers and the science, and to be guided by taste and touch. She had a pH meter but kept it under the bed in a case. I do rely on intuition, but you also need consistency. The science is important.”

Sedli and Niazy’s new product push was helped by customers at the regular farmers’ markets they attend, who are never shy at voicing their cheese opinions, says Niazy.

“I like the interaction at markets and the feedback is wonderful. If it’s too salty, I get to hear about it pretty quickly.”

Fortune also played its part in the new cheeses. Culpeper, for example, named after a 17th-century botanist, was born from an accident in the dairy when a batch of Lypiatt cheeses turned out to be too large.

“We had to cut them to size so they would mature properly, so hand-rolled the left-over curd into balls, which we ended up coating in herbs as an experiment,” explains Niazy.

They started with ‘herbes de Provence’, but after tasting and feedback from customers, switched to a mixture of English herbs, including rosemary, sage and parsley. The Fine Cheese Co was so impressed they listed the little cheeses almost immediately.

It just goes to show that a little drama can be good for business in more ways than one.

CROSS

SECTION

Bybrook

1 Bybrook is another new cheese that came

about via fortuitous accident. A batch of Baronet was stirred for too long, so the curd was scalded to a high temperature as an experiment. “The texture wasn’t right, but the flavour was good,” says Niazy.

“There was a nuttiness that we liked.”

3

2 Made in a similar way to the Italian cheese Asiago, the curd is cut small and scalded to around 48oC. The cheeses are made in 3.5kg wheels, which are dry salted and rubbed in oil. The small holes come from the addition of propionic bacteria to the milk.

The cheese is aged for around three months, initially at 14oC for a few days to encourage the holes to form, and then at a much lower temperature. The final cheese has a pliable, bouncy texture and a delicate, sweet and hazelnutty flavour.

theoldcheeseroom.com

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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CUT&DRIED

making more of British & Continental charcuterie

We’ve got a license to try something new.

There are so many flavours out there, and we can do what we like with them

Simon Hurrell & David Hill

A future rooted in tradition Chiltern Charcuterie’s new owners have swiftly set about expanding the range and experimenting with new flavours – with a focus on forward-thinking takes on British classics

By Tom Dale

HAVING BOUGHT THE business amid the pandemic, Chiltern Charcuterie’s new owners have already put their stamp on the range, expanding it and bringing it in line with coowner Simon Hurrell’s vision for the producer.

When FFD speaks to Hurrell, he is gearing up for Chiltern’s run of Christmas specials – including a mulled cider salami, mulled port salami, and a decadent-sounding sloe gin-soaked air-dried venison – and has not escaped the staffing crisis that has hit the fine food trade. “It’s about the worst time to be down on staff,” he says. “We’re on full production runs and slicing to keep up.”

When he and business partner David Hill first took over the business in August of last year, Hurrell planned on setting up, and then allowing the staff to run the operation.

However, due to the runaway success of the first six months of trading, at the start of 2021, he decided to quit his full-time corporate position at a nationwide pub chain.

Hurrell has a strong background in fine food. His career as a chef took him to some of the Capital’s most high-end restaurants and on private jets and yachts, and his subsequent role as head of buying at Harvey Nichols gave the charcutier retail purchasing experience. Having then moved away from fine food with his most recent position, he yearned for a return.

“I always knew I would come back to the artisan food world,” he says, “and then lockdown accelerated things.”

Two years prior, he and Hill had rented a small unit in Hertfordshire and set up a mad scientist’s meat curing operation. With Hill’s engineering expertise and Hurrell’s passion for food, along with some customised and adapted fridges from Argos, the pair set about making salamis and hams “as a bit of fun”. During the first COVID lockdown, having decided to produce more and sell it locally, a coincidental discovery in August 2020 set them on their current path.

“I knew John [Miller, Chiltern’s previous owner] and the business from my days as a buyer, and happened to see that it was for sale,” he says. “We gave him a call on Thursday and signed the following Monday.”

Since then, the pair has moved the operation into new premises, building curing chambers, and fermentation and packing rooms themselves, while helping the business thrive and doubling the size of its range.

Hurrell has a passion for traditional British flavours and local ingredients, as well as a chef’s understanding of flavour, and this can be seen in some of the latest additions. Beetroot and horseradish, Cornish seaweed and foraged nettle and wild garlic salamis are three that have proved popular.

He says that at markets, people will often ask if he has any Parma Ham or prosciutto.

“No,” he’ll tell them, “but we do make British charcuterie.”

“With DOPs and everything, the Continent seems quite restricted, but we’ve got a license to try something new. There are so many flavours out there, and we can do what we like with them. That’s pretty cool.”

It seems recipe development never stops at Chiltern Charcuterie, and the process is a diplomatic and collaborative one. Any member of staff is welcome to pitch their ideas, “from the salespeople to the potwash”, and Hurrell and the firm’s two producers hash out the ingredients and ratios with open minds as a trio. Although not always in agreement, there is one thing that can be relied upon. “If something’s good, we do end up consuming an obscene amount,” he says, “and then we all go home with a salt hangover.”

This democratic approach is how Hurrell plans to run the business. Any staff member who brings in a sales lead will get the same cut of commission, and he says: “As cheesy as it sounds, we want this to feel like a family business, and, for those who come to work here, for it to feel like a family.”

He is committed to remaining artisan, too. That’s not to say that he hasn’t drawn on lessons in logistics and planning from his time in the corporate world, but, he says, Chiltern will always make things by hand, with artisan methods, and is not looking for private equitystyle investment.

At the company’s new Berkhamsted home, the passion for the next chapter in the six-year-old business’s life is palpable. Hill and Hurrell enthuse about the future. There are plans to experiment with cheesemaking, turning an arm of the converted rearing shed into a creamery, and Hill even has dreams of pickling herrings, though Hurrell doesn’t share his zeal, citing the proximity of their landlord and the pungent odour of preserved fish.

Chiltern Charcuterie’s Christmas lines will be ready by November, and, until a distribution deal is struck, the full range is available online. chiltern-charcuterie.co.uk

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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Tel 01438 813444 November 2021 | Vol.22Email Issue 9info@garofalouk.com

Fine Food Digest - 230x315h - 20.4.21.indd 1

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20/04/2021 13:30

CHRISTMAS FOCUS

Shopping for the season… …or just seasonings If you’re still looking to order stock for the festive selling season, then look no further.

We’ve got plenty of Christmas items in this product roundup. For those retailers who have December sorted, it’s always a good time to upgrade your ingredients offer. Check out our summary of the new launches for storecupboards (from page 40).

Compiled by Lynda Searby

last-minute Christmas ideas The Singing Spice Company’s organic Indian spice blends offer a shortcut to recreating authentic Indian dishes at home.

A sustainable gift case containing all five blends - Curry Powder, Biryani Masala, Garam Masala, Masalan and Meat Masala - has an RRP of £22.99 (trade, £13.79) and will be joined by a Punjabi truck art-inspired spice tin range for Christmas. thesingingspicecompany. com

>>

Jiddler’s Tipple and

By The Horns have collaborated to launch a panettone stout. Hints of sweet pastry, candied citrus fruits, brandy, caramel and chocolate notes can be detected in this 7% ABV festive stout, which has been brewed with real vanilla and citrus to exude the flavours and aromas of traditional Italian Christmas cake. RRP £4.50 for 440ml; trade price £2.50. jiddlerstipple.com

Smoothness beyond its years

Burren Balsamics has introduced two new kits for Christmas. The Christmas Roasting Tin (RRP £13.50) combines four seasoning mixes and a recipe booklet. The Mulled Wine Kit (RRP £15) contains everything you need to make and serve two bottles of mulled wine: whole spices, dried orange slices and spiced sugar mixes, as well as a recipe booklet, muddler spoon and Irish coasters. burrenbalsamics.com

Paxton & Whitfield has introduced four new condiments for Christmas.

Spiced Apricot & Cranberry Chutney pairs with Stilton, territorials, Alpine and other hard cheeses; Beetroot & Horseradish Chutney complements blue and goats’ milk cheeses; Paxton’s Proper Pickle is a ploughman’s pickle; and Black Garlic Pickle (£5.00/110g) is recommended with Alpine cheeses and territorials. All have an RRP of £5. paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Barbara’s Kitchen has partnered with fellow Dorset producer Southbourne Ales to produce a chutney it describes as “the ideal Christmas gift for the man in your life”. Chilli Chutney & Dorset Ale pairs well with classic pub dishes, cheese and charcuterie. barbaras-kitchen.co.uk

Cateritaly has brought together three of its EPRONTO ragùs in gifting format for Christmas. The Italian style lamb, Bolognese and venison ragùs are handmade from fresh ingredients and locally sourced meat, providing a fast-food option that is authentic and healthy, says the Scottish producer. RRP £15. cateritaly.co.uk

Whisky connoisseurs and collectors will appreciate this gift of organic single malt Welsh whisky, produced as a limited edition, single cask batch, from Dà Mhìle Distillery in Ceredigion.

Maturation in a firstfill Tawney Port cask has given the whisky a “beautifully rounded palate and smoothness beyond its years”, says the distillery. Gifting formats include a 70cl bottle presentation box (RRP £99) and a 70cl gift pack containing two branded nosing glasses (RRP £110). . damhile.couk

Somerset producer As Raw As is offering home-compostable gift packs filled with festive chocolate shapes (RRP £6.95; trade price £4.36). Each bag contains 18 shapes made from three different varieties of dairy-free, organic, raw chocolate: Caramac, 65% Cacao and 78% Cacao. asrawas.com Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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last-minute Christmas ideas

>> Mrs Picklepot has three new ‘must-have’ accompaniments for enhancing cold cuts and cheeseboards. The producer’s Piccalilli is packed with cauliflower, gherkins and baby onions; Sticky Onion Pickle is a sweetened blend of onions cooked in Balsamic vinegar and oil; and Chilli Jam delivers sweet, jammy heat through chillies, red peppers and apple cider vinegar. mrspicklepot.co.uk

New to Snowdonia Cheese Company’s Christmas line-up for 2021 is Rock Star Vintage CaveAged Cheddar. This latest wax-wrapped addition completes its 18-month maturation in underground caves in a former slate mine. This gives the cheese a deep, rich flavour and dense, creamy texture.

Complex umami flavours and caramel notes lead to a long finish. RRP £4.50 for a 150g truckle. snowdoniacheese.co.uk

80Noir Ultra has created an advent calendar for lovers of its 79.3% cacao content chocolate. Housing 24 dark hot chocolate bars and a celebratory treat for the last day, the calendar has an RRP of £25. Suitable for drinking or eating, 80Noir Ultra is said to be rich in antioxidants and serotonin owing to its high cacao content.

80noirultra.com

Dorset’s What A Pickle! is offering three gift boxes this season. The Mini Triple (RRP £9.95) brings together cheeseboard accompaniments Red Onion Marmalade, Fig & Mustard Sauce and Chutney for Cheese; The Mini Chilli Duo (£6.50) is a twin set for chilli lovers, featuring Tomato Chilli Jam and Hot Chilli Jam; then there is the Gift Box (RRP £12.50), containing four of the producer’s original recipes. what-a-pickle.com

Stokes Sauces has boxed up some of its best sellers for Christmas gifting. The Joyous Jam Collection, The Magnificent Marmalade Collection and The Perfect With Cheese Collection have an RRP of £15 (for four jars), while in The Ultimate Ketchup Collection (RRP £12.95), a 300g bottle of the Suffolk producer’s flagship tomato ketchup is the centrepiece, flanked by four mini jars. stokessauces.co.uk

Fairfields Farm has gone traditional this Christmas with the launch of Roast Turkey & Stuffing Crisps.

Said to combine the flavours of succulent British turkey and sage & onion stuffing, the crisps are made from potatoes grown on the farm and are cooked in a factory that uses 100% renewable energy. RRP £0.80 for a 40g bag; £1.99 for a 150g bag. fairfieldsfarmcrisps.co.uk

Smith & Sinclair has translated gin cocktails into confectionery with its Gin Obsessed box (RRP £15). Edible tipples include Gin & Tonic with Lemon Sugar, Hibiscus & Negroni with Hibiscus Sugar, Elderflower Gin Spritz with Thyme Sugar and Cherry & Hibiscus Bramble with Cherry Sugar. smithandsinclair.com

Each ToyChoc box in PLAYin CHOC’s Festive Gift Set (RRP £15) contains two organic and natural chocolates, a festive card puzzle to build and a fun fact card. The zero-waste, plastic-free brand is pitched as a sustainable and ethical alternative to mainstream toy-chocolate options. playinchoc.com

Chococo’s chocolate Christmas Trees are said to be the perfect centrepiece for the Christmas table. With an RRP of £25 for 265g, the trees are hand decorated with a holly leaf design and have six chocolates nestling inside. There are two trees to choose from: the 45% Venezuela origin Milk Chocolate Tree containing Dorset Sea Salt Caramels, Spiced Rum and Gold chocolate gems with cocoa nibs & hazelnuts; or 67% Madagascar origin Dark Chocolate Tree with Spiced Rum, Chilli Caramels and Cashew Nut Butter gems inside. chococo.co.uk

For independent retailers looking for a third-party hamper service to offer their customers, Delicario’s 2021 line-up includes gourmet Christmas hampers for all palates, presented in wicker lined with linen printed with the Delicario logo.

The flagship Royal Hamper is the ultimate luxury gift. It presents 40 delicacies including Cuvée L’Élixir du Champagne Premier Cru from Damien-Buffet, Ascolana Tenera EVOO condiments, Balsamic vinegar pearls from Modena, sea salt from the Balearics, Leccino Olives antipasti, pâtés, creams and confits, Wagyu beef and chocolate truffles from Frederic Blondeel.

Delicario has also sourced new products to enhance its 2021 range. These include artisan panettone, architecture-inspired chocolate tiles, organic vegetable antipasti, closed cycle cured ham and handmade cheeses from Italy and Spain. delicario.com 36

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

Listed with Selfridges, Niederegger’s Mini Loaves Box (RRP £55) is an assortment of its finest marzipan flavours, including espresso, pineapple, rum, orange and pistachio.

Its German marzipan is made with Mediterranean almonds to a recipe that has remained unchanged since 1806. niederegger.de

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Bread Flour growth* Take full advantage of the growing bread baking market and stock up on our NEW Organic Seedhouse and Heritage Seeded Bread Flours. Seedhouse boasts a 5 seed mix including sunflower, pumpkin and poppy and makes delicious white seeded loaves. For a flavourful wholemeal seeded bread, Heritage is a blend of Spelt, Einkorn, Emmer and Wholemeal Bread Flour mixed with inclusions such as sunflower seeds and teff grain.

Contact us at sales@dovesfarm.co.uk and stock up now!

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

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01740 629 529 | info@craggsandco.co.uk | www.craggsandco.co.uk 38

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

last-minute Christmas ideas

>> For the first time this year, Morton’s Family Farm is rearing a limited number of Norfolk Bronze/ Black turkeys. These crossbreed birds are slower maturing and will have a slightly stronger and gamier flavour than Norfolk Bronze, which are considered the gold standard of turkeys.

Morton’s turkeys are reared for six months, during which time they roam freely. mortonsfarm.co.uk

Wirral-based Seasoned Pioneers has created several new gift collections for Christmas. Worldwide Salt (RRP £21.95) is an assortment of ten salts from around the globe, featuring Hawaiian Red Salt, Australian Murray River Salt and Fleur De Sel; while Summer BBQ (RRP £26.95) brings together ten spice blends, including Shawarma Spice, Mexican Adobo Rub and Harissa Spice and Chermoula. seasonedpioneers.com

Rich with fragrant almond

Rosebud Preserves of Masham and Two Dales Bakery of Reeth, in the adjoining dales of Wensleydale and Swaledale, have collaborated to create a true Yorkshire mince pie. Handmade all butter shortcrust pastry, using organic flour from Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire and free-range eggs from Wensleydale, is filled with Rosebud Preserves’ Almond & Orange Mincemeat. The pies are presented in an eight-piece grey gift box with an RRP of £9.95/400g. The pies can be ordered for delivery from 1st November from Rosebud Preserves. rosebudpreserves.co.uk Popcorn Shed’s Christmas-themed 400g tins are back in stock, with two new designs – Jingle Bell Pop and Season’s Greetings – in addition to the Merry Christmas tin.

The popcorn brand has also added two limitededition festive varieties to its 80g Shed line-up: Christmas Pudding (festively spiced caramel popcorn) and Cookies & Cream (white chocolate caramel popcorn with cookie crumb). popcornshed.com

The Pished Fish has launched a ‘three hero’ Christmas selection box, said to be “jam-packed with boozeinfused salmony joy”. With an RRP of £44.99, the recycled cardboard giftbox showcases the producer’s ability to pair slow-cured salmon with spirits and botanicals through three ‘flamboyantly flavoured” products: The Sozzled Santa (brandy, clementine zest, demerara sugar, salt, nutmeg & oak smoke), Erik The Red (Aquavit, beetroot, star anise, juniper & apple & alder smoke) and Classic (whisky, maple syrup & oak smoke).

The Pished Fish uses sushi-grade, Scottish-farmed salmon that is filleted and slow-cured with a blend of Dead Sea salt and demerara sugar, before being sliced sashimi-style. thepishedfish.com

These edible drink stirrers from Hollie’s Lollies are a novel stocking filler. There are nine varieties. Some, such as Irish Cream and Amaretto, are for hot drinks, whereas others, like Sloe Gin and Gin & Elderflower, are for cocktails. They dissolve like sugar and have an RRP of £5.95 (trade price £2.80). hollyslollies.co.uk

Modern Italian food label Crosta & Mollica has added Amaretti biscuits to its Christmas collection for 2021.

These quintessentially Italian festive almond treats are handmade in batches and baked until golden for a soft and delicate texture. They are available alongside the producer’s panettone range, which includes Apricot Panettone, Classic Pandoro and Chocolate Panettone.

Each panettone is slow proved for 40 hours to develop a rich flavour and light texture and then baked in a traditional tunnel oven. crostamollica.com

The Free From Bakehouse says it wants to reassure retailers that great-tasting gluten-free stollen does exist. Its own recipe features marzipan, nuts and Amaretto, and is available as a 400g sharing loaf or an 85g mini loaf, with respective RRPs of £11.50 and £3.

The Battersea bakery also supplies gluten-free, vegan Lebkuchen Cookies and Boozy Christmas Cake. thefreefrombakehouse. com

Christmas 2021 sees the return of Roots & Wings’ selection of organic Christmas puddings.

These include its Family Christmas Pudding (RRP £6.99), Ceramic Christmas Pudding (RRP £13.59) and Single Serve Christmas puddings (RRP £2.89). All are available with no gluten-containing ingredients. rootsandwingsorganic.com

A truly artisanal gift for chilli lovers, this gift pack from Deelicious contains three 190ml “jars of joy”: Habanero Chilli Jam, Classic Chilli Jam and Chipotle Chilli Jam. Dionne Darnell makes all of her jams by hand in her home kitchen in Dorset. RRP £14; trade price £9.50. deeliciouschillijam.com

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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storecupboard & ingredients Year-on-year bread flour sales growth of 84% (source: Kantar Worldpanel) has prompted Doves Farm to launch two new organic flours for making seeded breads. Heritage Seeded Bread Flour blends wholemeal, spelt, emmer, einkorn and seeds, while Seedhouse Bread Flour is a light flour packed with five seeds. Both varieties launch this month with RRPs of £2.69 for 1kg. dovesfarm.co.uk

Pico Sauces is dispelling the perception that Indian flavours can only be enjoyed as a traditional curry, with a range of condiments to bring the flavours of modern India into everyday eating. The five sauces – which include Naga Ghost Pepper Sauce, Konkan Mango Chilli Sauce and Punjabi Ketchup – can be added to anything from barbecue food to bacon butties. RRP £2.50; trade price £1.50. picosauces.com

>> The Wasabi Company is now offering its own-label range to the independent trade. This includes Japanese-inspired store cupboard ingredients such as Organic Soy Sauce (RRP £6.50 for 200ml), Sudachi Kombu Vegan Ponzu - a umami sauce that combines sudachi juice with kombu seaweed stock (RRP £9 for 300ml), and Wasabi Powder made from home-grown wasabi. RRP £4.50 for 23g. thewasabicompany.co.uk

Cornwall’s Artisan Vinegar Company has launched a range of vinegars made from 100% whole fruit or honey.

The raw ingredient is fermented into wine then into vinegar, which is barrel-matured, then drawn straight from the barrel. Choose from Raspberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, Cider, Mead and Damson & Sloe. Trade prices are £25 for 12 x 250ml bottles. artisanvinegar.co.uk

Using fresh produce at its freshest

Changing consumer habits as a result of the pandemic have prompted Olives Et Al to launch its bestselling ingredients and deli counter products in jars, providing a long shelf life, sealed container alternative to loose deli lines. The Simply Brilliant range features products such as Lilliput Capers, Nocellara Olives, Artichoke Hearts and HMJ Apple Cider Vinegar, with more lines arriving soon. olivesetal.co.uk

Side Oven Bakery has added three new bread mixes in biodegradable packaging to its organic home baking range.

The Organic White Cob, Organic Honey & Sunflower Bread and Organic Focaccia with Herbs & Sea mixes contain all you need to make an artisan loaf. RRP £3 for 500g; trade price £2.10. sideoven.com 40

Handpicked and sourced direct from the farmer, Mahbir’s Kashmiri Saffron is prized for its richly warm, clean flavour, generous stems and even appearance. The Coventry-based purveyor of teas, herbs and spices is offering Fine Food Digest readers a 12.5% discount (trade price £4 instead of £4.50) for every order of 20 retail packs. RRP £6.50 for 1g. mahbir.com

The Barbadillo family, a key player in the Spanish sherry trade, has devoted one of its bodegas in Sanlúcar to ageing and making vinegars that share the same pedigree as its nutty, salty Manzanilla sherry.

Available via Vinegar Shed in the UK, the vinegars are made using the traditional Criaderas y Soleras method to develop a yeast veil on top of each barrel.

RRP £12.50. vinegarshed.com

Pasta Plant promises to deliver the flavour and texture of traditional pasta, but without the carbs. Conceived by three Italian entrepreneurs, the pasta is made from organic legumes, roots, greens and seeds, for a high protein content.

There are two varieties: for people who are very active, Proactive packs 64g of protein per 100g, while Prosper contains a “powerhouse” of vitamins, minerals and omega 3. pastaplant.com

Raman Spice Garam Masala is a concoction of nine different spices, curated using traditional family recipes that have been around for generations, to enhance the flavour of everyday Indian cuisine. It can be used as a seasoning or ingredient and has an RRP of £3.95 for 50g. ramanspice.co.uk

South Devon Chilli Farm’s chilli-based portfolio has been treated to a packaging redesign.

Lines such as Aleppo Chilli Flakes, Dry Spice Rub and the Chilli Oil/ Vinegar Kit for making your own chilli oil or vinegar at home are all sporting the new livery. southdevonchillifarm.co.uk

Zeet has crushed organic olives with EVOO and sea salt to create two versatile tapenades. Made from Arbequina olives, Green Olive Paste can be used to dress pasta, fish or veggie dishes.

Organic Black Aragon Empeltre Olive Paste can be spread over a steak or used as a base for hors d’ouvres. RRP £3.30. basteandbray.co.uk

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

The Slow Vinegar Company has just launched its Winter Collection, which features Ginger, Sweet Winter Spice and Orange & Lemon. As the name suggests, the process for making these vinegars is slow: the fresh ingredients are fermented into wine, then after maturing, they are fermented back into vinegar, resulting in vinegars with complex flavours and versatile culinary uses. All flavours are available in 50ml and 200ml, with respective RRPs of £4 and £10; and trade prices of £2.50 and £6.25. theslowvinegar company.co.uk

Launched earlier this year, Ghee Apétit’s range of six ghee infusions – including 2-star-winning morel pâté and original ghee are all organic, grass-fed and made to an ancient Ayurvedic recipe.

Lactose and casein-free, the range has RRPs from £9.90. gheeappetit.co.uk

Importing Highest Quality Italian Products

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“The loveliest of pastas and the sauces are just divine. Will not buy anything else now.”

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Directly from Italy, Stocked & Distributed in the United Kingdom Fine Food Digest DEC 21.pdf

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Fish4Ever was founded on the idea of bringing organic values to sustainability in fish.

Rated a world beating 89% by Greenpeace, our Skipjack isn’t only the best option in ethical terms, it’s also the best for quality. That’s because our little island factory in the Azores only works from whole fish rather than frozen pre processed loins and we only add really good, natural and organic ingredients. Using named, locally owned and operated pole and lines boats this is tuna you can trust for taste and sustainability

www.fish4ever.co.uk sales@organico.co.uk // 01189 238760 Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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Welsh Rapeseed Oil Benefits include: Cold-pressed to protect and enhance the oil’s goodness and quality.

Rich in omega-3, vitamin E and with less than half the saturated fat of olive oil.

Pleasant aroma with a light nutty taste with no greasy aftertaste.

High smoking point makes it ideal for roasting, baking, pan-frying and stir-frying.

Good viscosity for cold dishes such as dressings and dips.

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PENTLAND HILLS GIN. It's sustainable It's refillable IT’S THE DOG’S. Pentland Hills Gin

www.pentlandhillsgin.com PH Gin A5 Leaflet 4pp.indd 1

19/02/2019 21:00 Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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Blackberry and Thyme Balsamic Vinegar & Christmas Pudding

BLACKBERRY & THYME PEARLS Great Taste 2021 , Blas na hÉireann 2021 Gold BLACK GARLIC Great Taste 2020 , Great British Food Awards 2021 Winner RASPBERRY Great Taste 2019 , GBF Awards 2021 Highly Commended, Blas na hÉireann 2019 Gold ARMAGH BRAMLEY APPLE Great Taste 2017 , GBF Awards 2021 Finalist

These sweet and savoury Paul & Pippa biscuits from Barcelona are just one of our new ranges of gourmet Spanish foods, drinks and gifts. All are in stock now; perfect for the festive season!

More Information, Products and Recipes on:

www.burrenbalsamics.com susie@burrenbalsamics.com @burrenbalsamics

Contact us for your copy of our Christmas Catalogue now!

01865 340055

info@delicioso.co.uk

Award Winning Bavarian Cheese

“The balance of flavours was great; salty, sweet and creamy” Judges, Great Taste Awards 2019

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www.elite-imports-limited.co.uk 44

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

storecupboard & ingredients Brindisa has taken on a 700g jarred beans and pulses range from Perelló.

The line-up includes Alargada White Beans, Castellana Lentils and Judion Butter Beans, as well as two types of chickpeas.

Lechoso are creamy large chickpeas that are best for making hummus or adding to stews and soups, while Pedrosillano Chickpeas have a rich nutty flavour that goes well with salads. brindisa.com

The Garlic Farm has moved four of its products from Italian sourced packaging to 30% recycled UK glassware. Rapeseed Oil with Garlic, Rapeseed Oil with Garlic and Chilli, Garlic, Rapeseed Oil and White Wine Vinaigrette and Honey, Mustard and Garlic Dressing are all available in the new bottles. Case price is £22.14 for the oils and £34.20 for the dressings. thegarlicfarm.co.uk

Retailers looking for a chilli brand with a story should check out Schoolyard Chillies, whose mission is to help end child labour and exploitation in Ghana.

This social enterprise provides farmers with affordable chilli seeds and a guaranteed route to market and reinvests its profits in education. Product lines include Chilli Herb Rub, Chilli Meat Rub and Chilli Sea Salt. schoolyardchillies.com

Who said pasta must be made in Italy? The Fresh Flour Company in South Devon is stonemilling local einkorn and emmer wheats to make its own rustic, nutty pasta.

The flours are mixed with Dartmoor water and Cornish sea salt to make a dough that is extruded through bronze dies and air dried. The range currently includes Fettuccine, Fusilli, Reginette and Casarecce. freshflour.co.uk

Tubby Tom’s has developed a trio of seasonings that promise to taste as bold as they look.

Space Dust is described as an “intergalactic blast-your-tastebuds-intospace kinda seasoning” for dusting chips and wedges; Gold Dust is a South Carolina golden BBQ glaze; and Pink Dragon Salt is a smoky takeaway style salt & pepper seasoning for fried rice and stir fry dishes. tubbytoms.com

West Yorkshire producer Aagrah Foods has added two new recipes to its range of tarka cooking bases. The Kashmiri Korma and Lahsen tarka bases are based on restaurant recipes and have an RRP of £2.95 for 270g. Lahsen Tarka originates from the Peshawar region of Pakistan and takes its name and flavour from pickled garlic, which packs a powerful punch with a sweet edge. aagrahfoods.com

Stefania Calugi has added a truffle twist to the classic Italian Cacio e Pepe combination.

Pecorino Cream with Pepper and Truffle can be used to dress pasta, gnocchi and rice and has an RRP of €10.50 for 100g. tartufi.it

This Chinese-Filipino version of a chilli oil from RoniB’s Kitchen is aromatic, garlicky and chunky, with medium heat. It can be teamed with dim sum, noodles, soups, pizza and pasta and has an RRP of £5.75 for a 190ml glass jar. ronibkitchen.co.uk

Seggiano says its new ‘semi-fresh’ range of single-estate organic herbs combines the “potency and aroma” of freshly picked herbs with the convenience and extended shelf life of a dried product. Freshly picked herbs are cured in Sicilian rock salt and EVOO to capture and preserve their essential aromatic essences and keep them moist.

Semi-fresh leafy green basil, coriander, dill, mint, parsley, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and a classic Italian Mix are available. The herbs can liven up soups, sauces, salads, bruschetta and baking, or season cooked vegetables, meat & fish. All the organic herbs are grown on the Bartolomeis family farm inland from the Amalfi coast.

RRP is £3.45 for a 18g jar; trade price £2.15. Each jar has a 14-month shelf life from production; once opened it should be stored in the fridge. seggiano.com

This Welsh Cask Vinegar was born out of the need to prevent the waste of Welsh beer with the closure of hospitality in March 2020.

When the pandemic hit the UK, Bluestone Brewing Co in North Pembrokeshire, in common with breweries across the UK, faced the prospect of wasting 3,500 litres of beer that had no market. Then Alex Jungmayr, director of the nearby In The Welsh Wind Distillery, came up with the idea of a Welsh cask vinegar.

With support and vinegar ‘mother’ from Orkney Craft Vinegar, the distillery transformed the beer into a beer malt vinegar. The team sourced oak casks from another Welsh whisky distillery to house the beer as the ‘mother’ worked its magic. This cask-aged vinegar is said to be softer and more complex on the palette than industrially produced vinegar, allowing uses in both cooking and cocktails. RRP £14.95; trade price £10.68. inthewelshwind.co.uk

Conchita’s Chipotle brings to life a 100-year-old Mexican chilli chipotle sauce recipe.

The sweet, hot and smoky concoction doubles up as a condiment for traditional tacos or breakfast eggs, and a marinade for chicken, meat, and fish. RRP £6. conchitaschipotle.com

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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Pasta, Pesto, Piatti Italiani & Focacceria

Pistachio Pesto

Slow-cooked Beef & Sausage Chianti Ragu

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Our Deli is located in the heart of Cheltenham town, a little Italian gem where you can find organic farm made products that we source from Italy, together with our freshly baked organic Italian bread, homemade pasta and sauces.

01242 830142 \ MYPASTALICIOUS@GMAIL.COM 46

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

09858 Maple Fine food digest advert_DR2.indd 2

21/04/2021 11:49

FOCUS ON

foodservice

INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT

FROM THE DELI KITCHEN SIMPLE RECIPES TO BOOST YOUR MARGINS

WINTER VEGETABLE, HARISSA & LEMON STEW This stew makes the most of the colder seasons’ produce with an uplifting kick of chilli and spice, and it’s a hearty plant-based menu option, too. Preserved lemons add a zingy depth to this dish, but use finely grated lemon rind if you prefer.

Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 50 mins

Ingredients: 1 onion, finely chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic

4tbsp harissa paste 1 swede, peeled and cut into cubes 4 carrots or parsnips, cut into 5cm chunks 1 bulb of fennel, quartered 550ml vegetable stock 125g pearl barley 6 preserved lemons, drained and halved chopped parsley, to serve 50g toasted pistachios (optional) Method: l In a large saucepan, fry the

onion in the olive oil until soft.

Add the garlic and harissa and cook for another few minutes until fragrant. l Add the swede cubes and barley, along with the fennel and stock. Simmer on a low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables and the pearl barley are cooked. l Stir the parsnips or carrots through for the final 15 minutes. l Scoop out the white pith of the lemons and stir again. l To serve, top with parsley and toasted pistachios.

Henley Bridge has launched a new range of liqueurs aimed at the foodservice sector.

Aimed at chocolatiers, chefs, bakers and mixologists, the new lines include Amaretto, Kirsch, Marc de Champagne, Saint James Rhum, Poire William, as well as raspberries and blackberries in corresponding liqueurs, cherries in kirsch, and more. hbingredients.co.uk

Michael Lane

Celebration Packaging has launched a new range of recyclable packaging products made from recycled PET plastic at trade show lunch! in September. The new range, which will soon be made from 100% postconsumer waste, comprises Premium Bowls and Diamond Bowls in a variety of sizes – available in transparent and black, and a range of domelidded cups. celebration.co.uk

Recipe by Jules Mercer for Fine Food Digest

Family-run Lake District dairy Winter Tarn Dairy has launched individual 10g foodservice portions of its award-winning small-batch salted and unsalted butter.

Launched last month, the new foil wrapped butter portions will be available in packs of 100 direct from the dairy or through several wholesalers. The dairy also offers 1kg catering blocks of its butter. wintertarndairy.com Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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SHELF TALK Wholesaler consolidates ambient and chilled in new warehouse move Capital, while massively consolidating into full vans, so benefiting both customers and the environment. Its proximity to the M25 also allows quick access to the rest of the country.”

Lisa Pearson, customer relations director, said the move was made in response to customer feedback, and that it will help the distributor serve the 584 new customers it has taken on during the COVID pandemic – 95% of which are independent retailers.

“Through reviews of our service, we uncovered a desire for more delivery options whether that be turnaround time, delivery day, or multiple deliveries a week across both ambient and chilled models,” said Pearson.

The move was part of Cotswold Fayre’s environmental strategy, positioning the distributor nearer to a significant number of its customers, reducing delivery mileage. Dave Truscott, commercial director, said: “Synergix’s own environmental credentials were a major part of our decision to move to them.

“More than 50% of deliveries will be made using Synergix’s vehicles, providing better control of the delivery experience and an increase in capacity, enabling the potential for multiple deliveries a week across both ambient and chilled categories.”

The move came as Cotswold Fayre reported that the distributor had delivered more than one million cases of ambient and chilled goods so far this year – a 54% increase on the same period in 2020 – and year-on-year growth of 45%. cotswold-fayre.co.uk

By Tom Dale

Fine food distributor Cotswold Fayre has combined its ambient and chilled ranges under one roof for the first time, consolidating the two channels that until now were operating independently.

Citing growth and environmental factors as reasons for the move, the wholesaler’s new warehouse in Iver, near Slough, has capacity for more than 6,000 pallet spaces, which will house the 1,340 new SKUs it has added to its portfolio since the start of the pandemic, and allow space for further expansion, said a spokesperson.

Cotswold Fayre worked with its previous ambient logistics partner Synergix on the move. CEO Paul Hargreaves said: “The location, with its proximity to London, will enable us to offer more deliveries into the

WHAT’S NEW Award-winning journalist and food broadcaster Dan Saladino has penned a tome to the world’s rarest food & drink.

Eating to Extinction explores the foods around the globe threatened with extinction, and examines what this means for both humanity and the future of the planet. vintage-books.co.uk Edinburgh’s Holyrood Distillery has just launched its Brewer’s Series of new make spirits – the clear, flavourful liquid which is formed long before single malt whisky develops. The range comprises Brewers X Distillers Yeast, Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt and Made By Edinburgh New Make Spirit. All have an RRP of £34.95. holyrooddistillery.co.uk Supplier of loose and individually portioned frozen foods Fieldfare last month launched its first-ever consumerfacing advertising campaign. The #ChooseLoose highlights that the brand can help consumers cut their food and plastic waste. field-fare.com

Paley Photography

Counter points Pickles & ferments

Fine food brand owner and distributor RH Amar, has launched an e-commerce platform, enabling its B2B customers to order products online for the first time.

The website offers the wholesaler’s full catalogue, and features live stock availability and pricing, customer order pads for quick ordering, and previous order history for easy repeat purchases. The secure site accepts credit card payments, as well as payment on account, and customers can order at any time. rhamaronline.com 48

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

Food writer and former deli owner Glynn Christian offers up some category-specific conversation starters to sharpen your sales technique.

• A pickle can mean any vegetable preserved in acid or salt with little or no sugar.

• A chutney is usually based on fruit and contains sugar.

• The US particularly enjoys sweet pickles.

•In the modern culinary style fresh fruit or vegetables are pickled by soaking in vinegar only for a short while.

• Ferments means vegetables preserved by lactic acid.

• Vegetables can be pickled without lactic fermentation in a 15% brine solution.

• Some vegetables need both salt and vinegar to

Make chutneys smooth and you have sauces, and ketchups control their unique microorganisms.

• Onions are pickled in hot vinegar; add vegetables and you get spreadable pickles; add fruit and sugar and you have chutneys. Make chutneys smooth and you have sauces, and ketchups.

This is an extract from Glynn Christian’s book Taste!, published by Grub Street

Cocoa Bean, Damask Rose Damask Rose Buds & Lemon Buds, Verbena Lemon Verbena, Lavender & Greek Mountain Tea

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The Nazani Tea family is here to work alongside you to ensure your clientele or guests experience the most exclusive and memorable infusions either in or out of the home.

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@nazanitea Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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SHELF TALK MEET THE PRODUCER

WHAT’S NEW Boasting half the carbon emissions of a mainstream milk chocolate bar, Ombar’s new range of oat milk chocolate is made with organic, British-grown oats in place of milk. Four flavours are available – Smooth & Creamy Original, Hazelnut, Fruit & Nut and Salted Caramel Truffle – and each 70g bar has an RRP of £2.50. ombar.com

Dionne ‘Dee’ Darnell had been making chilli jams for years before launching DEELICIOUS and taking her wares to food festivals in her home county of Dorset. Now, she is being stocked locally in independent retailers, and growing her range.

What were you doing before you launched Deelicious?

I had a few office jobs, starting at a debt collection agency, then a wine & spirits company – which was a very fun time, if a little hazy. My last proper job was as an operations manager for an oil company dealing with credit card fraud. Exciting stuff.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

After being made redundant while pregnant, I decided to take some time out to enjoy being a mum. I didn’t want to go back to an office job but needed something other than the parenting tasks after a while. Then, after lots of encouragement from friends and family, I booked my first food festival to dip my toe in the water of being an artisan food producer. I had always made chilli jams to give as Christmas presents or to take to BBQs, I just needed to get bigger pans to increase production. I used a little of my redundancy package to buy some equipment, but it was all very basic; just big pans and spoons and the stove at home.

Drinks brand OHMG has launched a range of still and sparkling waters that aim to reduce anxiety and aid relaxation, thanks to the addition of magnesium.

The range is made with water that has been infused with bioavailable magnesium, natural fruit flavours and extracts, and botanicals that are intended to help reduce anxiety, tiredness and fatigue. ohmgwater.com

What is the best thing about being a small business?

It’s all mine; the sense of achievement and pride when I get great feedback on a product, thinking, ‘I made that and people like it’.

I still do a little ‘whoop whoop’ when I get orders via my website, and I like seeing customers’ names that crop up regularly; it’s a confirmation I’m getting it right.

I still do a little ‘whoop whoop’ when I get orders. It’s a confirmation I’m getting it right.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned since starting the business?

Trust your gut; if something doesn’t work don’t be afraid to change it. I made a few stinky decisions early on, like repeatedly wasting money on expensive venue events, thinking more people equals more revenue.

It took a while for the reality to sink in.

What makes your chilli jams stand out from others on the market?

Heat and flavour. I love big, bold flavours and I have spent time carefully developing my three varieties to get the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. I also make all of my jams at home; this is always a talking point with customers. Supporting small artisan producers has become a huge movement and one that I hope continues long after we come out of these strange times.

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

…and the worst?

It’s all mine; it’s all on me. In the corporate world, there are lots of people to bounce ideas around, people have different talents and bring lots of experience. When it’s just me I have to wear lots of different hats, and some don’t fit. I’m very lucky my husband is an accountant so he keeps a tab on things and points out where I could make improvements. I am pretty stubborn though, so he has his work cut out.

What’s next for Deelicious?

During lockdown when things were quiet, I refreshed my labels and made some changes so I can get my products into some retail outlets. I’m starting with farm shops and village stores locally in Dorset but want to expand across the South West. I’ve also recently launched a range of spice rubs and I’m also tinkering in the kitchen with a new Freshly Ground Sponsor advert 2016 print ready.pdf product. Watch this space.

C

The Orkney Gin Company has released its latest spirit. Aatta is slow distilled over 24 hours with botanicals including citrus, juniper and vanilla. The London Dry gin has been years in the making and is set to become the Scottish distillery’s signature gin. orkneygincompany.com Founded just before the first COVID lockdown in 2020, premium London-based Korean tea brand be-oom has launched its extensive range of teas and tisanes to the UK market, including a large selection of specialist green and black teas. The brand also stocks floral teas such as plum flower and persimmon leaf, as well as a selection of high-end teaware. be-oom.com

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We are proud that our Velox Contact grills are in high demand. High speed cooking at reduced cost, without compromising product lines is not only necessary but possible.

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

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DELI OF THE MONTH It would not be fair to judge a farm shop’s new manager after only six weeks in the job, but the raft of small but impactful changes brought in by the new man at the helm of Cornish-focused store Tre, Pol & Pen – and his new team – has been winning over staff, suppliers and customers – and that's no mean feat...

Interview by Tom Dale

Kernow calling DESPITE ONLY JOINING the business six weeks before FFD’s visit to Cornish farm shop Tre, Pol & Pen, its operations manager Charlie Furnivall has overseen a raft of changes in all areas of the business, which have so far been pleasing both staff and customers.

These changes, Furnivall says, have been bringing the operation back in line with the owner’s original vision for the store, and highlighting the farm-to-fork offer that marks the retailer out.

The fledgeling farm shop opened just four years ago, after farmer David Watkins decided to diversify his agricultural business, and the architectural award-winning, sleek premises belies its infancy.

Initially managed by Watkins’ daughter

and son-in-law, the business fell into the hands of an internally promoted member of staff after 18 months, and the community driven, Cornish-focused ethos fell by the wayside.

The name – borrowed from a phrase in a 17th Century poem which supposedly can be used to describe people from and places in Cornwall – Tre, Pol & Pen means, in Cornish, “homestead, water, and hill”.

Fittingly, the site lies nestled on a hill, by an ancient spring on a farm, and reflects the direction in which new manager Furnivall is taking the business.

Since it was “relaunched” on 1st October, the farm shop has had its local roots reinvigorated. Cornish art and photography now decorate the walls of the café, a renewed

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: Lezant, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 9NN Turnover: £1-2m Average basket spend: £25 Floorspace: 300 m3 Gross margin – shop: 35-40% Charlie Furnivall and Leann Read

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

focus on Cornish products can be seen in the retail offer – ditching the more mainstream items that crept in during COVID, and increased messaging around the shop now makes more of the farm’s own produce sold on site, including beef from its herd of Ruby Red cattle, lamb, and sheepskin fleeces. The new manager has even had a rustic wooden sign installed outside the entrance pointing out the distance to the two nearest large towns, and then toward the farm with the caption, “OUR HERD 0.1m”.

“It’s really important for us to have that USP,” says Furnivall, “and it works on two levels.”

“Cornish people are very sentimental about their home county, and we get a lot of tourists as well, so getting that Cornish

MUST-STOCKS Landue sirloin steaks reared on the farm

message across is what they want to see.”

The one exception is the shop’s revamped wine offer. Previously the farm shop stocked only eight to ten varieties of strictly English wine. Starting at around £20, the range lacked everyday options for Tre Pol & Pen’s local clientele, so Furnivall reduced the number of homegrown lines, and upped the offer with 50 new international wines stylishly arranged in a purpose-built wine cave. This more cosmopolitan range is largely priced between £6 and £8 per bottle, though of course, the supplier is Cornish.

Provenance is a word that comes up repeatedly at Tre, Pol & Pen. In their messaging to customers on the back of menus in the café, on the murals on the walls, and in conversation with Furnivall and his retail (and ex-Waitrose) manager, Leann Read.

The pair has added and changed hundreds of lines – around half of the shop’s stock – to renew the Cornish credentials, and it is winning people over across the board.

“We’ve had some great feedback on the new ranges,” she says. “This going back to being Cornish has excited customers, suppliers and staff. I haven’t heard anything negative yet.”

One of the pair’s missions is to connect their customers with the producers found on Tre, Pol & Pen’s shelves. As well as making more of the farm-to-fork beef, and planning market-style ‘meet the producer’ events in the business’s ample outdoor space, the new managers are slowly adding small A4 signs introducing some of their favourite producers around the store.

The first was for Plymouth-based chocolatier Hobbs Chocolates. “We put in a big order when I first started that I thought would last at least a month,” says Furnivall.

“But we’ve already restocked three times. I can’t say if it’s the board, or just that they’re delicious, but it definitely helps to foster

those connections.”

One of Furnivall’s proudest catches has been the addition of a fresh fish chiller, stocked with sustainably caught seafood all landed from in-shore day boats in nearby Looe harbour. Each portion has the name of the boat that caught it printed on its label, and the sustainable credentials were even enough to tempt formerly vegan Furnivall away from five years of strict plant-based living. “I’m pescatarian now,” he laughs. “You just can’t get more ethical and traceable than that.”

Other changes that have been introduced since the relaunch are the streamlining of the retail area – delineating the various sections more clearly and making use of hanging signage to assist in the customer journey, the introduction of a cosier sofa seating area in the café aptly named ‘cosy corner’, the launch of pizza Fridays, and a revamp of the store’s loyalty system – introducing more weekly offers and permanently doubling the points earned per pound.

These, for Furnivall are all contributing to making the farm shop a hub for the local community.

Owner Watkins is well known in the area, and creating a space for locals to spend time was integral to his original vision for Tre, Pol & Pen. “It’s important for David and me to create a space where people feel they can come and drop in any time, for anything,” says Furnivall.

When he took over the reins, one of the first changes the new manager made was to return the café to being open seven days a week. “When they cut the days down to five, the local community were really upset. It just goes to show how important this place is to people.”

One thing the locals almost demand, Furnivall says, is a good butcher’s counter,

Nippers fresh Cornish fish Coombeshead bakery sourdough Hugo’s Cornish Granola Hugo’s Cornish Muesli Cornish Chilli co.

Jellyfish Gin Jacob Sheep Skins – from our own flock Made by Ma natural Cornish skincare Atlantic Brewery Azores Pale Ale

CONTINUED ON PAGE 57

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PLANT BASED OAK SMOKED ZALMON A B RA N D N E W P L A N T B A S E D A LT E R N AT I V E TO S M O K E D SA L M O N

LET’S CHANGE THE GAME 56

November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

For more information email info@manchestersmokehouse.co.uk

DELI OF THE MONTH and they don’t come much better. The farm’s own grass-fed beef and lamb is all hung and aged on-site by the shop’s team of three butchers. “Around here, the butchers have great relationships with their customers and a lot of them come in for that connection, and his experience.”

This also ticks other boxes for Furnivall: having the right people with the right knowledge on each section, and keeping things in-house.

Having employed 15 people in his six weeks with the business, this is evident.

Since the relaunch, the shop’s pastry chef has begun baking sweet pastries to stock in the shop and decadent-looking cakes for the café, the head chef has begun making his own charcuterie for use in the foodservice side of the operation, and bringing in Read’s two decades of retail expertise has elevated the shop’s offer.

These moves also help to cut food miles even further, which, for eco-focused Furnivall is not only important, but imperative to farm retail. “If you’re not looking at better ways to operate, to reduce

your waste and the environmental impact of what you do, you’re not really a farm retailer.

It’s in the farming mindset to act that way,” he says.

Tre, Pol & Pen has a large zero-waste hopper and eco-products section which is increasingly popular with customers, as well as being easier for staff, he says. The shop also employs a closed-loop system, whereby any short-dated lines in the seafood, butchery, or bakery sections are frozen before they reach their sell-by for use in foodservice, rather than being reduced or wasted.

It’s not only the climate that has the manager keeping one eye on the future.

He is set to use his experience in online, direct-to-consumer retail with Riverford and Eversfield to plan the launch of Tre, Pol & Pen’s online offer.

The scheme is set to be trialled in the local area this winter for customers’ Christmas orders, but a much larger, nationwide next-day delivery service is planned for the new year. Making use of owner Watkins’ unused warehouse space, the

operation is set to offer a high-end, locally focused grocery delivery service to tap into the nation’s increased desire for artisan produce – and convenience. While the finer details of the scheme are yet to be ironed out – along with the question of the scalability of the shop’s unique regional name – but Furnivall tells FFD to keep its eyes peeled in 2022.

Amid reports that staycations are to remain popular for the foreseeable future, Furnivall also plans to make use of the roughly two acres of unused space on the current plot to launch a campsite.

“The area has been a very popular holiday destination over the last couple of years, and staycationing looks like it’s here to stay.

With the shop and restaurant right here, it would be a great boon to our already-good summer trade.”

It’s obviously early days for the enthusiastic new manager, but if the first months of his tenure are anything to go by, this farm shop will be one to look out for in years to come. trepolandpen.co.uk

It’s important to create a space where people feel they can come and drop in any time, for anything

Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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November 2021 | Vol.22 Issue 9

FINE FOOD SHOW NORTH 2021

FINE FOOD SHOW NORTH 2021 The editorial team at Fine Food Digest sampled products from last month’s Fine Food Show North in Harrogate. Here they talk through their top picks.

EDITORS’

CHOICE

Best in show Snow Stone Gift Tin DARK WOODS COFFEE This is the complete package from the West Yorkshire roastery.

While the darker winter roast hits the mark, this product was chosen just as much for its packaging. Those distinctive colours continue to set Dark Woods apart in a sea of brown paper bags and extending that eye-catching branding to a gifting format is a great idea.

These should be an easy win for retailers catering to the hamper-buying masses in December. darkwoodscoffee.co.uk

Speculoos Luxury Ice Cream ENGLISH LAKES ICE CREAM With all of English Lakes’ creations, it’s the base ice cream that strikes you first.

You can actually taste the milk, and it’s creamy and so, so smooth. The on-trend flavour of speculoos (slightly gingerbready caramelised Belgian cookies) blends in seamlessly and this is one of those products that delivers exactly the flavour it says it will on the tub.

Given the name, you might have to sample it to customers to really drive sales but this has potential to be a cult hit on ice cream counters and in the freezer cabinets of independents. lakesicecream.com

Conchita’s Chipotle CONCHITA’S CHIPOTLE The FFD team loves a good hot sauce but this is not a blow-your-head-off kind of product. There’s chilli warmth in this Mexican condiment but it’s the marriage of this with smokiness and sweetness that really appeals, not to mention real depth and length to this flavour.

The rustic texture (there are whole chipotle chillies in there) may not appeal to everyone but it is part of the charm. It is, after all, an organic product and also passes the vegan and sustainability tests.

Perhaps the branding doesn’t quite convey all of the above, but retailers could easily demonstrate its versatility (and cross-sell) by using it in sandwiches or other café dishes. conchitaschipotle.com

Borsari Limoncello Panettone TENUTA MARMORELLE The editorial team had an idea that this panettone might be something special. Tenuta Marmorelle has a nose for sourcing Italian brilliance and this product has recently won a 3-star in Great Taste. Despite all that anticipation, this was still astounding.

The best panettones hit the textural sweet spot between fluffy, chewy and melting and there’s a perfectly pitched sweetness too. But the generous amount of limoncello cream added into this one elevates it beyond any panettone we had ever eaten before. It’s also very well-presented so we expect it to fly off the shelves everywhere it is stocked. tenutamarmorelle.com Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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FINE FOOD SHOW NORTH 2021 Gula Melaka Kaya MADAM CHANG’S KAYA We could’ve picked any of the kayas – curd-like Malaysian-style preserves – on show at Madam Chang’s stand. Given that the green Pandan variety had already won a 3-star in this year’s Great Taste, we went for the caramel-hued Gula Melaka, made with sugar derived from coconut flower nectar.

Super smooth and rich, it tastes like liquid birthday cake but somehow the sweetness stays the right side of cloying.

The packaging hits the mark and matches the impact of what’s inside the jar, too.

The only snag is the lack of ‘everyday’ potential for retailers. With 190g retailing for £9.90, it’s definitely a luxury item – but it will impress. madamchangs.co.uk

Anglesey Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur DERW COFFEE The editorial team were planning what cocktails could be created with this liqueur from the moment it passed their lips. That said, it is pretty impressive neat: smooth and rich with a nicely judged amount of sweetness. And, of course, it’s got proper coffee character to it.

The spirits and liqueur space is crammed already and there are more new launches all the time, but this one really has the chance to stand out. There aren’t many options for making independent coffee-flavoured cocktails, Derw’s branding is classy and the bottle is pitched very competitively (50cl retails for £27). derwcoffee.co.uk

Meredith Dairy Marinated Goat Cheese THE FINE CHEESE CO. How many products do you see in jars where the oil is purely functional?

Well, this cheese is an exception to the rule. Yes, this goats’ cheese is pleasingly dense and soft but its flavour is elevated by garlic, thyme, peppercorns and the olive oil that this all sits in.

Whether you’re pitching it as the ultimate salad topping or as the ideal accompaniment to fresh crusty bread, this is bound to be a winner in lots of delis. You can see why The Fine Cheese Co. thought it was worth bringing in from Australia – another testament to the company’s sourcing capabilities. finecheese.co.uk

The Best of Miller’s Gluten-Free Selection ARTISAN BISCUITS Like its sister business The Fine Cheese Co., Artisan Biscuits has a knack for presentation and developing very sellable products for retail, and this selection box is further proof.

The pastoral scenes on the box are appealing but this is balanced with practical information and photos of the products on the sides.

The selection inside works nicely – one sweet, two varieties for serving with cheese – and when it comes to texture and flavour everything delivers, all while being entirely gluten-free.

You could easily pitch this to a customer as a gift or just upsell it on the deli counter.

In summary, this is a box-ticking box. artisanbiscuits.co.uk

Truffled Salami CAPREOLUS FINE FOODS This latest creation from Dorset’s Capreolus demonstrates the clever balancing of flavours and attention to raw ingredients that has earned it so many awards over the years.

The first thing you notice about this salami is not the truffle but the natural flavour of the pork coming through. Then, as you chew, those truffle notes begin to arrive but they never overpower the meat or the cure.

Not everyone loves truffle but this product showcases how it can be used to enhance, rather than nuke the palate. capreolusfinefoods.co.uk

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Vegan Kimchi BELLE & HERBS FARM “Surely, all kimchi is vegan?” the editorial team said when sampling this take on the potent fermented Korean staple. But, it seems that most varieties usually contain some sort of fish sauce or seafood condiment to bolster them.

This certainly doesn’t lack umami or those funky fermented flavours that make this such a popular product with consumers. It is fresh and spicy with good crunch and with the chilli heat pitched at a level that will appeal to most, it’s a product for all, not just vegans. belleandherbs.farm

Dark Woods Coffee is a Yorkshire based coffee roaster, providing the very best retail and wholesale coffee to the independent trade, with equipment and hands-on barista training support.

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Conchita’s Chipotle WHAT THE GREAT TASTE JUDGES OF 2021 HAD TO SAY…

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Suppliers of High Quality Italian Food Products

A unique multi-purpose chipotle sauce “This dark brown chunky chipotle sauce has, of course, got a wonderful smoky aroma. It looks really juicy in the jar. On tasting, it is zippily acidic along with caramel notes but with a good level of smoky chilli.

It is not particularly hot but that makes is a definite fusion sauce we feel.

This is intriguing and different and for that we applaud it.

It would definitely be one to have on the shelf “ 2021 Great Taste Judges comment

www.conchitaschipotle.com |

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100% Organic & Grass Fed Cow Ghee An ancient Indian superfood which is also a gold standard cooking fat now launched by Ghee Appétit in Original and Infused variety adapted to the modern palate.It is an Organic and Grass-Fed product that is cooked on flame as per Ayurvedic recipe and is mostly free of lactose and casein. The range includes great taste award winning Original Ghee and Morel Paté Ghee; along with Turmeric, Roasted Garlic, Chilli, Cinnamon and Herbes De Provence. The RRPs start from £9.90 for 300ml.

Cook Nourish & Heal with Ghee!

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White House Distillery is HONEST, The situated on the banks of the SMALL river Wharfe, in the historic market town of Otley.

BATCH Our spirits are handcrafted

by Nick and his 250 L still SPIRITS Guido.

Each and every bottle is hand filled, labelled and sealed with Yorkshire pride and passion.

We’d love you to try them!

www.whitehousedistillery.com

DISTILLED IN OTLEY Award-Winning

QUALITY AT THE HEART Organic & Free Range

A uniquely comprehensive offering of Award Winning, Organic Charcuterie; Salamis and Air-dried Meats including Chorizo, Nduja, Droewors, Prosciutto, Pancetta, Bresaola, Smoked Juniper Mutton, Coppa & Lonza from our farm in the Scottish Borders.

018907 81328 info@peelham.co.uk

www.peelham.co.uk 2019 Great Taste 2-Star (Veal & Pork Salami with Star Anise), 2018 FINALIST British Cured Meat Awards (Nduja); 2017 WINNERS The Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards (Smoked Juniper Mutton) & RUNNER UP (Bresaola); 2017 RUNNERS-UP UK Paleo Awards (Beef Droewors); 2015 WINNERS e Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards (Red Wine Salami, Fennel Salami & Chorizo); Great Taste 1-Star (Prosciutto)

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding

Raspberry Pavlova

Double Jersey

Thunder & Lightning

Speculoos Biscoff

Sustainability • Integrity • Traceability • Taste Vol.22 Issue 9 | November 2021

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GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

THERE’S A RUMOUR flying around social media that the Tesla cars ferrying around the COP26 dignitaries in Scotland are being ‘fuelled up’ by electric charging stations powered by diesel generators. Think that through for a few seconds. Even if that is only a little bit true, there does seem to be a long list of double, even triple standards up in Glasgow.

And this might be the most

news from the guild of fine food understated thing I have ever written, but boy do we need something tangible, actionable, and real to come out of that fortnight – not just hot air.

We did our bit at Fine Food Show North in October, pulling together a panel in our theatre that included a distributor, a retailer and a producer. Chaired

by Michael Lane, editor of this mag, he challenged the group to explain what sustainability means and how we can all make a genuine difference. I sat in the audience.

An audience that was, worryingly, a little thin on the ground: I’m concerned that the independent and micro end of food & drink believe it is a problem for global businesses with global agendas and global budgets. Not true.

There was a lot of talk about having the will to change and to do something that could make a difference. I totally agree with that, but we all need some steer and practical guidance too. Having the ‘will’ to do something is one thing, having the know-how or direction

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

THIS YEAR I ATTENDED the Conservative Party Conference and also ran an exhibition stand there to promote the important work of the nation's small food retailers.

This was an opportunity to get meaningful insight into what delegates and MPs thought about our sector. I am pleased to report that there was positive recognition of what our sector had done for communities during COVID and significant value placed on the diversity of food provision. This is a great foundation for making the case that we must support essential businesses like these post-COVID. Food retailers connect very clearly with a key conference theme; “levelling up”. This has been a phrase used many times by the

Prime Minister, but what does it actually mean? There were many attempts to define the concept, but I think the most widely held view is that it means devolving power to communities, especially more deprived communities, and empowering them to make positive change. For businesses in these communities, positive change is delivered through support to invest, adapt and employ people on the right terms, but we need government’s help to do this.

The levelling up agenda is going to define the rest of this government’s term. The next election will be fought on the basis that the government has delivered enough positive change in communities, especially in the new Red Wall seats in the North and Midlands. We will shortly see the publication of a levelling up White Paper that we hope will put more flesh on the bones of the concept.

news from the guild of fine food

is just as important. We all want to run safe deli counters, but we need the practical advice of initiatives like Safer Food Better Business, or the Guild’s Deli Retailing Code of Practice to give you the tools to realise that ‘will’.

The ‘will’ is one thing, having the know-how or direction is just as important It’s got me thinking. What’s needed is a real-life how-to guide, with case studies, hints and tips and useful websites signposting further reading on this enormous and often overwhelming subject. We may be able to take inspiration from the B Corp agenda, but as a sector, we’re closer to being sustainable by our very nature. Yet again, we should be setting the trend for others in food & drink to follow.

But the upcoming Budget will be the government’s real test.

There are two key things that we believe the government needs to do to enable businesses to level up. Firstly, businesses need support to invest and adapt, this means doubling down on policies like the super deduction and capital investment allowances. It also means reforming the business rates system to incentivise investment instead of penalising it. Secondly, acknowledge the good-quality jobs delivered in our sector, where people have a contract and are offered genuinely flexible employment. It is not sustainable for good-quality employers to have to compete with gig economy employment models. The Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget on October 27th and you can see our analysis at acs.org.uk.

Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

Guild training resumes The Guild's revamped Retail Cheese training course celebrated a successful return in London last month, and was followed shortly after by a sold-out course in Harrogate, Yorkshire. If you missed out this time, email the team on bookings@gff.co.uk to join our mailing list and hear more about future training opportunities. Watch this space as 2022 dates will be announced soon.

Retailer promotion If you're already thinking about ways to boost trade in the usually quiet months of January and February next year, then register your interest in the Guild's Great Taste retailer promotion.

Each year, we offer retailers the opportunity to make the most of the Great Taste award-winning produce they stock with a full merchandising pack, including point-of-sale materials, Great Taste Books to give away, and a constructive guide to holding promotions.

If you'd like to be kept informed about the promotion, please email stephanie.harewinton@gff.co.uk

The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them?

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk

THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations director: Christabel Cairns

Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Membership, circulation & awards manager: Karen Price Operations manager: Claire Powell

gff.co.uk

Operations assistant: Meredith White Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Marketing & events assistant: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy

Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand

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Bring quality, value and exclusive artisan cheeses to your counter this Christmas with Clemency Hall and Rowcliffe.

Email christmas@rowcliffe.co.uk to receive our Christmas 2021 List.

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