Giant Pumpkins

Posted on 21/10/2010 by cwildman

This week has all been about pumpkins, a Giant Pumpkins from Class One in Skipton was carefully delivered to The Bull at Broughton for the photo below and then an interview for the next FreshExtra podcast with Michelin Star Chef Nigel Haworth from Northcote.  Pumpkin is one of Nigel’s favourite autumn ingredients and we discussed everything from soup to pairing pumpkin with turkey!  Nigel also recommends Pumpkin & Partridge, Pumpkin & Venison, roast pumpkin, caramelised pumpkin or even with fish infused with herbs and for Pumpkin Soup maybe something to spice up the flavour like Pumpkin & Ginger soup.

Nigel Haworth Pumpkin

Pumpkin will feature on menu’s up and down the country and on a few dinner tables in the home over the coming weeks, a fantastic seasonal veg, can anyone guess the weight of the giant pumpkin in the picture, just for fun…

Sunday the 31st is Halloween or all hallows eve and The Lister Arms in Malham will be repeating the successful Pumpkin Festival again on Sunday afternoon, Pumpkin Carving competition, bring along your contributions to be judged and win some great prizes, different categories for children, adults, chefs & local businesses.

Posted in Events, Food, Yorkshire Dales Food | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

How to make Cider – Naylor’s Community Cider Day

Posted on 11/10/2010 by cwildman

What a fantastic day we had in Crosshill’s on Saturday at Naylor’s Brewery & Beer Emporium. Apples from far and wide were brought in by everyone from a couple of kilos in a carrier bag to several hundred Kgs in the back of a van.

apples

12 massive sand bags were filled with the apples, it looked like a big ask at 10am with the small Heath Robinson scratting machine and 2 small old apple presses but we did it!

naylors beer emporium

Somewhere near 4000 kgs of apples were converted into over 400 gallons of fresh zingy apple juice and will now be left to the Naylor Brothers to work there brewing magic to ferment it and convert into a slightly sparkling medium cider of approx 6% abv.

apple scratting machine

Hopefully it should be ready by April and we can have a Community Cider Sunday to try it!

apple juice

How we did it:-

  • Scrump your apples! Scrumping is the collection or picking of apples sometime done surreptitiously at night! of course ours were all collected legally with permission!
  • Sort apples into buckets, removing rotten apples, leaves, twigs, slugs and the like and pass to the “Scratters”
  • pass all apples through the Heath Robinson Apple Scratter, this crushes and smashes the apples into pulp known as “pomace”
  • the pomace is then pressed to squeeze the apple juice out
  • collect this juice and strain into your fermenting vessel
  • add some yeast and allow to ferment for about a month
  • filter and bottle
  • leave for a couple of months  then drink!

apple scratter

Of course we had to have some refreshment whilst working which was in the form of Naylor’s own Craven Brown Ale

Naylors Craven Brown

and some Pork pies.

pork pies

A big thanks must go out to all those who donated apples, came along on the day, helped out scratting, sorting, pressing, pouring and even quaffing a few of Naylor’s finest ales and of course to the Naylor Brothers and organisers for putting on such a fantastic Community event, can’t way to try the fruit’s of our labour!

Naylor’s Brewery & Beer Emporium, Midland Mills, Station Road, Crosshills, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 7DT, Tel 01535-637451

Website http://www.naylorsbrewery.com/

Posted in Events, Foraging, Kitchen garden, Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Grape Harvest in Yorkshire – English Wine

Posted on 05/10/2010 by cwildman

On Saturday, I spent the day with the sun on my back, picking grapes amongst the vines on a south facing hillside in…. Yorkshire!   I really could have been anywhere in Europe harvesting the Ortega & Solaris grapes, well other than I had wellies on as it had been very wet the day before and the dew and damp hung heavy on the grass and the grapes!

Ryedale Vineyard

The day started with a 2 hour drive over to East Yorkshire, we were met with a brew and a chat about the days harvest and introduced to an eclectic mix of fellow volunteers, we swiftly moved on to the first pick a mile down the road at another vineyard aptly named “Paradise” and after a brief lesson with the secateurs we were left to fill the boxes with fantastic sweet, plump Solaris grapes.  To grow grapes this far North, (Ryedale Vineyard is the most northerly vineyard in England) does not require any special vines or land other than a disease resistant variety and a south facing slope with good drainage, which is the same the World over.

ryedale vineyard Solaris Grapes

After a only an hour  & a half, it was brew time with homemade cakes, a quick count of how we were doing so as to calculate when lunch would be served back at the lovely farmhouse.   We finished the patch of Solaris at Paradise Farm and headed back for a hearty lunch of stew, mash, roast potatoes, cabbage  and peas then apple crumble & custard.  Apples for the pud from the abundant trees around the vines.  Of course the meal was washed down with a glass of dry rose English Wine (should that be Yorkshire Wine?).

ryedale vineyard apples

Ryedale Vineyard offer the opportunity to volunteer for the grape harvest throughout October with the promise of plenty of Tea & Cakes and a good lunch with wine and the wonderful experience of the harvest.  A once in a lifetime experience, get in touch and go along and help, they do B&B so you can make a weekend of it.  Thanks to Slow Food North Yorkshire for the heads up about volunteering for grape picking.

You can listen to this episode of our podcast discussing vines, grapes & making  English wine with Vineyard owner Stuart Smith & Wine Consultant Simon Day on iTunes here or on the FreshExtra website here

Ryedale Vineyard, Farfield Farm, Westow, York, Y060 7LS Tel 01653 658507

Ryedale Vineyard Website http://www.ryedalevineyards.co.uk

Posted in wine, Yorkshire | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kavey Eats – Kavey & Pete Visit

Posted on 01/10/2010 by cwildman

London Based Food Blogger Kavey took a detour via The Yorkshire Dales on her way to The Lake District to call in at Church End Farm the home of Paganum to say hello!  We’ve been virtual friends through the medium of Twitter for a while and have exchanged foodie goodies, Yorkshire rape seed oil & Chorizo for Kavey’s delicious homemade chutney & jams but now got a chance to meet in person.  This was only a flying visit as they were meeting up with other families on a Lakes Holiday based on the shores of Windermere starting later in the day but made a break from the long journey from the outskirts of That London.

The family sheep expert (Son William) did manage to get in a brief farming lesson on Blue Faced Leicesters (BFL’s) – Swaledale’s and the resulting Mules  and Kavey did meet some of the friendly BFL’s below.

Kavey meets the sheep at Church End Farm

My hospitality was not at it’s best but we did manage to share a glass of Elderflower Cordial in the garden and a cup of Yorkshire Tea by the Aga before a quick tour of the farm!

Kavey & Pete

I love the Kavey Eats blog style and the refreshing Pete Drinks post’s, The Kavey Eats Blog is well worth a look and she does get invited to some fab events….

You can read more about Kavey & Pete’s visit to Paganum here.

The Kavey Eats Blog

Kavey on Twitter

Posted in blogs, Farm, Food, Yorkshire Dales Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Manchester Food & Drink Festival

Posted on 28/09/2010 by cwildman

Manchester Food & Drink Festival or if you like acronyms MFDF runs from the 1st to the 11th of October and going by the logo it must be good because it’s sponsored by a Pie Company, although reading through all the blurb no mention of pies on offer!

Manchester Food & Drink Festival

Forever Manchester Village Fete

On Sunday the 3rd of October from 11am to 5pm Albert Square will be transformed into the quintessential British “foodie” fete and will include, traditional fairground attractions, a hog roast, marble microbrewery ginger ice cream, Manchester Tarts and possible the best reason of all to go along you will be able to sample the elusive MANCHESTER EGG a pickled Scotch egg derivative! and something I’m desperate to try!   An Oktoberfest beer tent is also promised along with Bavarian bangers which don’t sound very Mancunian but probably still worth a try!

Forever Manchester Village Fete Website

Manchester Food & Drink Festival Website

Posted in Eating, Events, Food | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Campervan Man – Martin Dorey

Posted on 27/09/2010 by cwildman

It seems like an age ago now but during the summer the BBC filmed a new food series “One Man & his Campervan” all about the travel adventures of a VW Camper van (a Bay not a Splittie but a very nice van all the same) and the foodie explorations of the vans owner Martin Dorey, author of the Camper van Cookbook, surfer, father and all round interesting bloke!

Campervan Man Martin Dorey Gordale Scar Malham 2

The series & van (we’ll call the van Pootle 2 as not sure of its actual name) & Martin travel the length and breadth of our Island Nation seeking out & sampling all manner of foodie delights & cooking them up in the van on the trusty 2 ring gas stove.  This in fact was the basis for the original Campervan Cookbook, how to cook great meal’s for a family on a 2 ring stove, using local and even free foraged food whilst minimising the washing up and without blowing the budget!

Campervan Man Martin Dorey Gordale Scar Malham

Whilst in the Yorkshire Dales Martin stops overnight at Gordale Scar in Malhamdale and cooks up a fantastic meal including something from Paganum that we enjoyed alfresco washed down with stream chilled beer!  You will have to watch the 10 episode TV series on BBC2 starting Monday February the 7th on BBC2 at 6.30pm to find out more!
The Malham episode is on Thursday February the 10th.

One Man and His Campervan BBC2 6.30pm week nights…

  1. Episode 1 – 7/2/11 Devon
  2. Episode 2 – 8/2/11 New Forest
  3. Episode 3 – 9/2/11 Norfolk
  4. Episode 4 – 10/2/11 Yorkshire Dales, Malham
  5. Episode 5 – 11/2/11 Northumberland

In the meantime why not buy Martin’s brilliant Campervan Cookbook from Amazon here

Camper Van Cookbook

The Camper Van Cookbook: Life on 4 Wheels, Cooking on 2 Rings, Martin Dorey

Posted in Eating, Events, Food, Recipes, TV, Yorkshire Dales Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

British Food Fortnight – 18th September to 3rd October

Posted on 23/09/2010 by cwildman


British Food Fortnight

British Food Fortnight takes place this year from the 18th September to the 3rd of October.

“The event will celebrate the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces with promotions and tastings in shops, all-British menus in pubs and restaurants, food and cookery lessons in schools and glorious food festivals. Whether you are shopping in supermarkets or local shops, or eating in pubs or restaurants you will be able to enjoy the best of British food during the Fortnight.” Love British Food.

So what is your take on typical British Food? Sausages & Mash, Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas, Scotch Eggs, Cottage or Shepherd’s Pie, Chips & Gravy, Sunday Lunch  aka Roast Beef Dinner with Yorkshire Puddings, Bacon Buttie, Scones with Jam, Afternoon Tea, Cucumber Sandwiches, Marmalade on Toast, the Full English Breakfast perhaps?

If you do nothing else to celebrate British Food during these two weeks please “Buy British” just check the packet and make sure you are Buying British, some products that you would think are British are of EU origin but sound very British like “Wiltshire Cure Bacon” check the packet and “keep it local”!
Posted in Eating, Events, Food | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sloe Berries & Cheap Gin!

Posted on 17/09/2010 by cwildman

If you see some cheap gin on offer in the supermarket or off licence buy a bottle, drink a third (maybe a nice gin cocktail or classic G&T) then top up with wild sloe berries and sugar, replace the lid and leave somewhere cool, gently shake the bottle every few days to dissolve the sugar and you will have Super Sloe Gin in time for Xmas!

OK maybe not the best advice to drink a third of a bottle of gin but Sloes are the perfect accompaniment to the start of autumn.  Really you need to de-stalk, wash & freeze the sloes then defrost before you add them unless you want to spend ages pricking them individually with a pin!  the freezer trick works perfectly and is the solution to the old saying that “you shouldn’t pick sloes until after the first frost”!

You should find a bumper crop of these berries from the common hedgerow blackthorn bush now, challenge your friends to a Sloe Gin making competition and then sit back and wait for the ceremonial tasting between Christmas and New Year.

Sloe Berries - Blackthorn

To make 1 litre of sloe gin you will need:-

  • Approx 300g sloes
  • 80g sugar
  • 750ml gin

I try to find 4 small 250ml kilner bottles then split the ingredients between the four or make in a 1 litre bottle then decant and sieve through muslin when ready.

Posted in Foraging, Recipes, Wild Food, wine, Yorkshire Dales Food | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Naylor’s Brewery Cider Making Day – Oct 9th

Posted on 17/09/2010 by cwildman

Naylor’s Brewery in Crosshills is repeating it’s successful cider making day again this year, the event to be held on October the 9th gives the public the chance to make your own cider from your own apples!

We have a bumper crop of apples this year and I hope to be scrumping a few more from neighbours in the village to take down to Naylor’s family run brewery and have a go at washing, scratting and pressing my own apples  for the promise of approx 80% back in cider.  So what are you waiting for start collecting those apples and get down to Crosshills on October the 9th.

Stephen Naylor - Cider Making, Photo Telegraph & Argus

Stephen Naylor - Cider Making, Photo Telegraph & Argus

Posted in beer, Events, Food, Homegrown Vegetables | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

World Curry Festival – Leeds

Posted on 16/09/2010 by cwildman

The World Curry Festival comes to Millennium Square, Leeds from October the 1st to the 3rd.

World Curry Festival - Leeds

Highlights include Hardeep Singh Kohli to headline Comedy Night on Saturday October the 2nd.  The versatile performer has just completed a sell out season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is now bringing his acclaimed show  “The Nearly Naked Chef” to Leeds. Hardeep will be offering a unique mix of amusing anecdotes and cooking as part of his show on a specially constructed set.

Hardeep says: “I’m really looking forward to bringing my show to Leeds, especially as part of this wonderful Festival. The whole aim of The Nearly Naked Chef is to encourage as many people as possible to see how simple and enjoyable it can be to prepare a really good curry… and to have some fun along the way.”

Those lucky enough to see Hardeep will also be treated to a sumptuous curry buffet prepared by the World Curry Festival Restaurant as part of the entertaining evening in the luxury marquee. Tickets for the show including the meal are priced £20.

As well as Hardeep’s “Nearly Naked Chef”, the 3 day Festival will be transforming Millennium Square in Leeds City Centre with themed marquees, serving up culinary delights and demonstrations during the day.

As well as a bespoke cooking theatre for chefs and curry kings appearing at the event, the WCF will include a 100 seater restaurant, curry souk & street food, taster tents and curry-making classes for the enthusiast. Headlining in the cooking theatre will be Michelin and 5AA Rosette award winning chef Jean Christophe Novelli and internationally renowned Grand Chef Hemant Oberoi who is flying in from India for the occasion.

There will also be a spice and produce-packed exotic market place, a mouth-watering selection of food & drink available to browse and buy in the Chill Out Arena, as well as dance performances, street acts and live music on stage for a cultural assault of the sense. For those who like to be hands- on, the famous Focus on Food Cooking Bus will be part of the Festival where members of the public can enjoy a free cooking lesson in curry cuisine.

Backed by Change 4 Life, Yorkshire Forward, BusinessLink, Welcome to Yorkshire, Focus on Food, Marketing Leeds and Deliciously Yorkshire, organisers promise a fun & food packed weekend for everyone.

Hardeep’s Show is ticket only on Saturday October 2. Visit www.worldcurryfestival.com.

Posted in Eating, Events, Food | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment