Skirt steaks with red currant, shallot and port sauce
Skirt has traditionally been only used for slow cooked dishes, but with a little care this relatively inexpensive piece of beef makes the juiciest steak. I recently cooked it for a couple on holiday in Devon and they raved about it. Serve it with roasted potato wedges, and whatever green vegetable is in season. The redcurrant sauce worked really well with the meat. Onglot, which is very similar to skirt, can be cooked in the same way. I got my meat from Pipers Farm shop in Magdalen Road, where they will know exactly what you are...
I pretend it’s not happening until autumn is right on top of us. The unstoppable, overwhelming green tide of growth turns round and meekly disappears into the ground.
We get a fiery display as the leaves drain of green, going out in a blaze of glory. Let’s hope for more of the glowing light of September to give October that incandescent quality.
The wet, cold summer gave extraordinary growth to cool country plants, and things that need warmth suffered. Fewer insects - the cows never got besieged with flies - meant that all those insect-eating birds did not...
A course for newcomers to cookery and for those who want to learn more. The lesson, which will be very much a hands-on experience, will cover fundamental techniques such as: - basic cooking methods: grilling, baking and roasting - making pastry - cake making - shopping and planning to save time and money - how to make sure your food tastes great We will cook a simple and tasty tomato tart, some grilled fish or meat, and make a lovely cake-type dessert. And if there is anything you would like to try out we can discuss how we might include it. Cost - £65...
A celebration of Apple Day at the home of Quicke's Traditional cheese near Crediton was blessed with some sunny Autumnal weather. The sunshine bought out the crowds with visitors from all over Devon and beyond.
Many local food and drink producers were present and offering tastings and sales of some great local produce. Pebblebed Wines from Topsham were offering tastes of their beautiful dry but fruity white and rose wines, and Kennford Farm shop was selling its lovely meat products. Sandford Orchards tempted us with warming mulled cider using Barny Butterfield's secret...
Waitrose has announced a major partnership with the food charity FareShare, which will see even more of the supermarket’s surplus food go to help the most vulnerable members of local communities.
FareShare accredited charities will now be able to collect surplus food directly from their local Waitrose branches to help those most in need.
This national announcement builds on Waitrose’s existing partnership with London-based charity Esther Community Enterprises (ECE) who also take surplus food from Waitrose for donation within local communities.
A Devon Food Conference heard a call today for a move to sustainable agriculture if we are to feed the world over the next decades.
Colin Tudge, world renowned author of 'Feeding the World is Easy' and the mover behind the Campaign for Real Farming ( http://www.campaignforrealfarming.org/ ) was speaking at a meeting organised by the Anglican Diocese of Exeter. He claimed that agriculture was the most important activity people undertake and holds the key to tackling many of our current problems, from obesity to diabetes to famines. Critical to this is for agriculture to be...
Having enjoyed a mini-boom since the new John Lewis store opened just up the street, the Real Store and Cafe has announced it will be opening for late-night shopping until 8pm every Thursday from 18th October. Pop in early evening to pick up your groceries, or for those wishing to plan ahead, maybe a few Christmas gifts - local chutneys, jams, biscuits, coffees or cider will go down a treat. The fresh produce is looking decidedly autumnal with corn, leeks, bulb onions, shallots, beetroot and scrumptious squash all crying out to be transformed into a culinary feast.
After much excitement watching what was the old Debenhams building transform into the spectacular JL store, I was always going to be waiting at the front of the queue to experience the opening of Exeter's new fantastic addition. Just about everyone I know was informed that this was my intention, friends at work, on face book and at the gym (missing my usual body pump class, which I never miss!) As my dad waited in the queue at around 8.25am and 40 or so people in front of him, I dashed to Starbucks to fuel us with caffeine for the shopping extravaganza ahead. Only a few drops of rain...
Established by local churches and other organisations in Plymouth in 2010, the DCFA now has a working base in Exeter too – opening officially on 12th October 2012. This exciting community project collects good quality in-date food that would otherwise be incinerated or buried. It then re-distributes to local community groups and centres working with people affected by food poverty – because of unemployment, low wages, homelessness, welfare changes, etc..
Every year in the UK, 18 million tonnes of edible food end up in landfill. We often hear about food that gets wasted by...
Food writer and presenter Fiona Faulkner recently caught the attention of parents with the publication of her new book 25 Foods Kids Hate… and how to get them eating 24 (New Holland). Fiona’s recipes and ideas have since been featured on ITV – where she’s been described as ‘the Harry Potter of Vegetables’ – and has also cooked with the kids of numerous celebrity mums – including fashion designer Alice Temperley, who has her new fashion range at the soon to be opened John Lewis in Exeter, and TV presenter Sarah Beeney.
Fiona, who is based in the South West, describes herself as “...
