I am thrilled to re-publish the article about us in the Telegraph magazine, first published on the 5th June. We were photographed at the Real Food Festival in London by a great guy called Julian Lass who has the most amazing photos of his time in Africa. The only downside for me was when he asked me to duck out of view so he could just have a photo of Pam. Cheeky I thought,but on reflection, definitely the right call!
Britishfinefoods in the TelegraphJuly 1st, 2010Foodie gifts for Father’s DayJune 12th, 2010So you’ve remembered Mother’s Day, and you’ve tackled the tricky hurdle of St. Valentine’s Day. What’s the next big opportunity for emotional blackmail of the year? Well, the World Cup of course. But apart from that, Father’s Day is fast approaching on the 20th June. I had a birthday recently and had the usual conversation with family & friends about what present I would like. Given that I am happily married and safely housed, there is little I actually need. I am also told by female friends that buying for men is impossible. Clothing- no, it’s like being dressed by your mother. Sporting equipment- It’s a lovely gesture to buy us the latest bit of golf kit but if it’s our hobby, we’d rather choose the item ourself and tell you EXACTLY what we want. So, let me make it very easy. Never a truer phrase has been coined than “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. We like food, we dream of food, we even lay claim to an entire mode of cuisine in summer time with the barbecue being man territory. We are thrilled with the prospect that somebody has thought of the fundamental requirements for life (shelter, food, water), has realised that we are housed and unlikely to die of thirst, and has identified food as the one area where they can improve our quality of life. Living in the developed world, we are fortunate that we can access sustenance relatively easily. What we want, what we really want is tasty food and the odd glass of wine. So, speaking on behalf of men everywhere, when you want to treat us to a gift or spoil us rotten, please give us food- tasty stuff that we wouldn’t buy on our weekly run to the supermarket. Treat us to a board of cheeses we haven’t enjoyed before: http://www.britishfinefoods.com/cheese_shop/cheeseboards.phtml Enrich our lives with a selection of meaty treats: http://www.britishfinefoods.com/deli/charcuterie.phtml Or for other ideas, click here: http://www.britishfinefoods.com/occasions/fathers_day_june_20th.phtml Food Adventures in Boa Vista, Cape VerdeJune 11th, 2010So now the dust has settled, or more accurately the volcanic ash, Pam and I are back. We were delayed for three days due to the Icelandic volcano, but have now returned from our holiday in Boa Vista, one of the Cape Verde islands. I had never met anyone who had been to CapeVerde before so we were very excited by going. I knew they were roughly 5-600 miles off the coast of Senegal and belonged to the Portuguese, and that at one point Cape Verde had been an important trading hub for slavery, serving both Europe and America. However, I discovered that the prosperity of the islands was so dependent on the slave trade that, with its demise, the islands fell into such a state of decline that a famine ensued in the 19th century that claimed 40% of the population. So food, or lack thereof, has played a major part of the history of the islands. The best food story I was told concerns a shipwreck called the Santa Maria, which was shipwrecked on Boa Vista in the 60s. Apparently, after the master of the ship realised that there was no way to save the ship and in the knowledge that an insurance claim was forthcoming, donated the entire ship’s cargo to the local population. The cargo was fruit and vegetables on the way to Europe and consequently the locals were able to extensively plant the seeds thus giving Boa Vista a new melon industry. I have to say I had the best lobster and Tuna and I have had anywhere, and pleasingly the fishing fleets are kept deliberatelysmall to ensure the future stocks for the islands. I have attached a photo of a delicious local speciality called Cachupa- a rice based dish containing sweet potato, pumpkin and fish or chicken:
And here’s Pam showing the sun who’s boss!
WINNER- BEST FOOD MAIL ORDER SUPPLIER 2010April 12th, 2010We are thrilled that last week we received news that we had won the Best food mail order supplier 2010 as awarded by the independent website Gourmet Britain. Gourmet Britain is a completely independent website whose inspectors travel the country looking for the best food shops, restaurants and places to stay. Entry to the listings is purely on merit- with no money or freebies passing hands. We are particularly pleased because the mail order category on the website has over 400 entries. So we will be raising a glass or two over the next few days, and I would also like to thank those of you who voted for us. Sustainable fishing: I’m not a campaigner BUT….April 7th, 2010Nobu, the fashionable and award-winning restaurant chain founded by celebrated Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, is refusing to remove blue-finned tuna from its menu. Instead, it has decided to pop an asterisk on the menu telling customers that blue fin tuna is an endangered species, and asking them to choose something else. That’s all very well and good but the fact remains that in order to offer it on the menu, they must have it in stock. Can you imagine the uproar if a renowned meat restaurant had white tiger on the menu, advised customers not to buy it, but had a side hanging in the fridge? Anyway, I’m not a campaigner but I just wanted to stress that we will only ever stock fish that are caught in a sustainable way, or smoked fish that are fed on sustainable feed. And I would like to draw your attention to a great documentary film called “The End of the Line” which takes a long look at the fishing industry, its practices, and the ridiculous system of EU quotas. Country Living Spring FairMarch 31st, 2010For the last week, Pam and I have been preparing for the start of the show season. This will now see us attending food shows and food events every couple of weeks from now until Christmas. Next week I will publish a list of these events so that you can come and meet us, and more importantly, taste some of our fantastic products. It doesn’t seem five minutes since we put the cold counter away for Christmas, and so it was with some dread that we packed up and went to the Business Design Centre in Islington for the Country Living Spring Fair. To state the obvious any event organised by Country Living is bound to be slick and well organised, but it was a joy to attend with some fantastic stands there catering for all sorts of gifts. My personal favourite was a company selling outdoor swings inscribed with messages, the best of which was “swing and think happy thoughts” I take it this message is meant in the purest way and any double entendre is entirely unintentional! Anyway, with this being our first event of the year, it was great to be reminded of the reaction of the visitors to our smoked salmon and cheeses. Our range for this show was the following: Isle of Wight Blue Cheese- This very special blue cheese is made by Rich Hodgson in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Made with pasteurised Guerney cows’ milk, and is the creamiest blue I’ve ever had. Whatever you do, do not sit down with this cheese anywhere near a bottle of Montbazillac or Sauternes, or you may find yourself still there several hours later. We then had two soft cheeses for people to try as comparison: the exceptional Tunworth – an unpasteurised cows’ milk cheese made with tradional re.nnet which was Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards in 2006, and the lovely Goldilocks – a pasteurised cows’ milk cheese from Jersey milkmade with vegetarian rennet. Next, we had our bestseller, the legendary Lancashire bomb from Andrew Shorrock. This is the ultimate cheese on toast cheese, and is one of the inspirations behind the business. This was the first time we had tried Andrew’s newest innovation, the Lancashire Bomb with Worcestershire Sauce. It was fantastic and proved nearly as popular as the original so this will be on the site in the next few days too! The Lancashire bomb is proving so popular that we have created a cheese gift section on the site especially to accommodate your demand for it. Away from cheese, we also took the remarkable Really Garlicky & Cracked Black Pepper Bacon from Ramsay of Carluke. Not only does this make great bacon butties, but it is also a great cheat ingredient in a carbonara… Finally, we also had the ever popular Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon. Quite simply, this is the best hot smoked salmon I’ve ever tasted. With a firm yet moist texture, and a smoky flavour to drive the neighbourhood cats insane, this is one of those products that is so good it needs nothing added to it. Simply serve with a salad or scrambled eggs for a luxurious breakfast. I hope to meet you at one of the food shows we attend this year! Food & Drink Expo for some great new Gourmet British Food ProducersMarch 23rd, 2010Over the next three days the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham is hosting the Food & Drink Expo, the British Food industry’s biggest annual gathering of food producers. I have been up to Birmingham today to scout out some new products, and with every type of food retailer from corner shops to buyers from the supermarkets, there was a fairly impressive range of products to sample. There was a large presence from Thailand and Japan showcasing some beautiful looking seafood dishes, sushis, vinegars etc., which of course I had to sample. Equally, there was a very impressive turnout from our own regional food groups, whose purpose is to promote small businesses from their regions. As ever, I am particularly impressed with Taste of The West- the umbrella organisation for the West Country, and Heart Of England Fine Foods who service Warwickshire, Shropshire and the rest of the Midlands. They do a fabulous job, and I’m thrilled they exist to help small producers have better access to the speciality market. It is also a great opportunity to catch-up with some of our existing suppliers to see some of their innovations for the year ahead. As ever, I was delighted to see Tom Pyman with his stunning new range of terrines and tartlets, and extensions to his current range of exceptional pates. Similarly, Ramsay of Carluke were there, showcasing their wonderful bacon and sausages including their Ayrshire Back Bacon with Cracked Black Pepper and Garlic. Absolutely delicious! And, as ever, it was great to see the charismatic Jeremy Bowen from Paxton & Whitfield who can talk the hind legs off a donkey but who also has some fabulous cheeses from some of our best small producers (including one of my favourite new soft cheeses, Goldhill from Dorset) So, all in all, it was another productive day at the Food & Drink Expo and I can’t wait to get some of the new products on the site. In particular, keep an eye out for our new range of premium ready meals which are perfect for a cheating dinner party, or a simple supper at home. Why buying local produce is the key to a better mealMarch 18th, 2010“You had me at hello!” This line from the film Jerry Maguire is said by Renée Zellwegger to Tom Cruise to indicate that the rest of his speech about why he absolutely had to be with her was utterly superfluous. Bizarrely, this same thought crossed my mind today when I went into a fabulous fish shop at the Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales. Based on the quayside at Hove, I popped in following a meeting with a local cheesemonger. The guy behind the counter was fully kitted up in waders & waterproof boots, having come off the boat at 5 o’clock this morning. I told him I would like something I hadn’t tried before, and something that was caught locally. He pointed to the ugliest fish I’ve seen for quite some time and said “Tastes like monkfish, but half the price”. He then proceeded to tell me his favourite way of cooking it was in the oven with a little white wine, shallots and leeks. Frankly, he needn’t have bothered. I was sold. This rugged man dressed in rubber, along with the ugly fish, “had me at hello!” A definite first, and probably a last. The main reason why he had me at all was the fact that while he was gutting my supper, he was also the guy who caught it. There is no shorter route from field to fork than by buying it directly from the person who caught or reared or grew the produce in the first place, and to me this is vitally important. It means that you are buying the produce at its freshest and best. (Is there anything that tastes better than the blackberry you eat straight from the bush?) These artisans have forgotten more about their produce than you and I will ever learn. There is no way I would have chosen this fish in the supermarket: in fact there is no way this fish would be in the supermarket because it is too ugly. Without these people, much of this fabulous produce would be ignored, and we would all be forced through lack of choice to eat the same thing. Most importantly, they are educating us to the produce which is available to us. They are guardians of flavour, and vitally guardians of the methods of production that make the food taste the way it does. Above all else, this is the reason why we launched britishfinefoods. I want to be able to eat the best food our country has to offer. I want to see these magical producers, farmers, cheese makers properly rewarded for the quality they produce and the artisan methods they keep alive. I think the rural economy is vital to our little island, and should be supported. But on the other hand, I don’t want to pay a king’s ransom for the privilege, and really don’t want to spend a fortune on postage costs from different producers. So britishfinefoods exists to make these wonderful products available with the convenience and value of one delivery. Anyway, the fish I bought today is called a Gurnard, and is so ugly it was probably the inspiration behind the art of gurning. The reason for this post is that we are considering selling fresh fish selection boxes, and would be interested in your opinions. Please feel free to give me your thoughts in the comments box below.  Gurning Competition  Gurnard Fish- Ugly but tasty Keith Floyd- British Chef & LegendMarch 17th, 2010This is a piece I first created in September but have only recently discovered how to embed video…. Like every other foodie who watched Floyd in his pomp, I was saddened to hear of his recent death. Fortunately, he died after a fantastic sounding lunch of oysters and Morecambe Bay Shrimp, accompanied by his long- term partner and lashings of wine. I am further delighted that the Times reports his last words as being “I haven’t felt this good for ages”. A top man who always cared more about making the food the star of the show rather than himself, please find below a video to a classic scene where a grumpy French woman thinks his cooking is dreadful! (Not sure today’s celebrity chefs would permit this…)
There’s cheese ..and Then There’s Cheese!March 16th, 2010Yesterday was a big occasion for the Harper clan…our gorgeous niece Ella was christened on Mothering Sunday. In a lovely church service during which all the children in the congregation handed posies to all the ladies (including a clucking Pam!) Ella was baptised without uttering a single scream. (Did you know that they warm the water prior to the service so that the babies don’t get too much of a shock? ….Yet another aspect of life about which I have a lot to learn.) After the service we all went back to my brother and sister-in-law’s house for a fabulous lunch of beef bourguignon and a glass or two of the good stuff. One of my favourite aspects of a big family occasion like a Christening is that it brings together both sides of the family, often having not seen each other since the wedding. So yesterday it was great to see my sister-in-law’s family especially Emma’s mum who, upon tasting the cheese board we had provided, commented: “Well, there’s cheese….and then there’s cheese!” This was due to the fact that we had some of the best cheeses in the world on display: Montgomery Cheddar- a fabulous mature cheddar from Jamie Montgomery in Somerset. The king of cheddars, Montgomery’s is made by hand seven days a week to ensure the freshness of the milk and uses the same strains of starter culture first employed when the family started cheese making 70 years ago. It is also one of a small and exclusive list of British foods to be awarded Protection of Designated Origin (PDO) status. Tunworth- This outstanding unpasteurised cows’ milk cheese was the Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards in 2006. It is a stonking camembert style cheese that the French would be proud to call there own. Isle of Wight Blue- Do not sit down with this cheese on your own if you are hungry! This very special blue cheese is made by Rich Hodgson in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Made with pasteurised Guerney cows’ milk, and is the creamiest blue I’ve ever had. Whatever you do, do not sit down with this cheese anywhere near a bottle of Montbazillac or Sauternes, or you may find yourself still there several hours later. Colston Bassett Stilton- One of our true regional classics, Colston Bassett’s handmade Blue Stilton is strong in flavour yet remains smooth and creamy with distinctive blue veins which become more strongly defined as the cheese matures. Like Montgomery’s Cheddar, it is also one of a small and exclusive list of British foods to be awarded Protection of Designated Origin (PDO) status. For your enjoyment, I have attached a photo. For a look at the rest of our cheeseboards, please click here  British Cheeseboard for Ella's Christening . |
