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!
Archive for the ‘british food’ CategoryBritishfinefoods in the TelegraphThursday, July 1st, 2010Food & Drink Expo for some great new Gourmet British Food ProducersTuesday, March 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 mealThursday, March 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 |