Christmas Time on the Farm
Being the son of a farmer, growing up in the late 60′s and 70′s, Christmas was, and still remains a hugely busy time of year for me. My mother, (it was the domain of the farmer’s wife) reared and fattened turkeys, chickens and geese to sell at the farm gate for the festive period. It […]
The Glories of Highland Cattle
Highland Cattle. What are they? These shaggy coated long horned cattle thrive on the rough pasture and hillsides of their native Scotland. Probably the most handsome of all cattle breeds, they produce wonderfully flavoured beef with a marbling of fat, synonymous with many British breeds, which naturally bastes the meat whilst it cooks, enhancing the […]
Trinations Butchery Competition: Queenstown, New Zealand March 2013
The first ever butchers tri-nations competition has just been held in the glorious countryside around Queenstown New Zealand. The event involved teams from New Zealand, Australia and The United Kingdom. For the previous 2 years, it was just between the Southern Hemisphere countries, but we were grateful for the invitation this year and five members […]
The Great Horsemeat Scandal
What a crazy few weeks we have seen in the meat industry with horsemeat in manufactured products in supermarkets. No doubt this will have reached the institutions – schools, hospitals, canteens, nursing homes etc – as well. I am a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, an old established organisation, set up around 1000 […]
Sage and Lemon Veal Chops
We don’t always stock veal chops, but when we do, I always snaffle a couple, purely for quality control. They’re simple and quick to cook, and I really enjoy them with a little citrusy finish. Try this recipe. Sage and lemon veal chops Lots of garlicky butter, lemon juice and sage are delicious with a […]
Flying Food Trip to Edinburgh
I find Edinburgh to be a marvellous place to visit. It has history, it’s cosmopolitan, and is the home to some really great food places which are run by people who are passionate about their trades and crafts A recent trip there on a food fact finding mission confirmed this to me. Two of the […]
In Defence of Salt
Salt’s ability to preserve food was a foundation of civilization. It eliminated the dependence on the seasonal availability of food and it allowed travel over long distances. However, salt was difficult to obtain, and so it was a highly valued trade item. Many salt roads, such as the via Salaria in Italy, had been established […]
What makes a British sausage British?
Traditional British sausages used to be made in the winter months. Throughout the autumn, when the roots were plentiful, the pigs would be fed and fattened up until they were big and strong. As autumn moved into winter when the apples had fallen from the trees, and food was less plentiful, the time would come […]