Cornwall's Clotted Cream Sales Soar as Visitors Flock to the Region

Cornwall's Trewithen Dairy is witnessing a 'remarkable' surge in clotted cream sales, which is great news for the dairy and farming industry in the county of Cornwall.

Despite July being one of the dampest in recent years, visitors are still flocking to the region. According to Visit Cornwall, over five million people visit the county every year during the annual summer holidays. 

This is a welcome boost and a veritable boon for the region's producers as the demand for food in the region skyrockets. 

At the heart of this lies a love for a traditional cream tea. Freshly baked scones adorned with jam and rich clotted cream are a must-have treat and at Trewithen Dairy sales are soaring.

During the peak summer months between May and September, Trewithen Dairy plans to produce an amazing 55.77 tonnes of their renowned clotted cream in various formats, including 56g, 114g, 200g, and 400g pots. 

This volume alone would equate to almost 100,000 cream teas with an estimated 10 million more cream teas expected to be consumed through Trewithen's business providing clotted cream into other retailers.

That's an enormous number of people consuming authentic Trewithen Dairy Cornish clotted cream that bears the all important and vital PDO stamp. This stands for Protected Designation of Origin and means that it is produced, processed and prepared in Cornwall using recognised methods or skills. It's genuine, delicious Cornish clotted cream made with milk from cows which are raised and grazed by farmers who are very passionate about their health and welfare. High quality, Cornish milk creates the very best tasting clotted cream.

One of Trewithen Dairy's partners, farmer Matt Rowe of Tredinnick Farm, plays a vital role in helping meet the demand. During the peak holiday season milk production at his farm increases by 20% with more milk sold in August and September than any other time of the year. 

Matt said: “Everybody loves a cream tea and its brilliant. We aim our profile to fit a 20% increase during the summer to cope with the demand in Cornwall. We try and maximise our returns so at this time of year we do produce more milk for the tourists.

“We're lucky to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world, with clotted cream made from cows all raised and grazed in Cornwall, a delicious reminder of our county.”

Francis Clarke, a director of Trewithen Dairy, said: “It's always lovely to see so many people coming to Cornwall for their holidays, and it's wonderful to know our clotted cream holds a very special place in the hearts of those who visit us. 

"Even after they return home, people want to enjoy the taste of Cornwall, and that's great news for our business and Cornwall's dairy farmers, who work hard to provide the finest milk for our cherished products.”

As the demand for clotted cream hits its peak, Trewithen Dairy is very proud to showcase the versatility of this indulgent treat. Beyond the classic cream tea, clotted cream enhances a wide range of summer recipes, from sweet to savoury. 

And as Cornwall continues to flourish as a top holiday destination, Trewithen Dairy's clotted cream will continue to provide a delicious reminder of a region that is loved by so many. And when the holiday season is over, Trewithen Dairy sales of clotted cream continue to remain robust through its online shop with people buying their cream teas online reminding them of sublime days in Cornwall, all year round.

Please check out the dairy here https://www.trewithendairy.co.uk.

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Summers Under the Tamarind Tree - Recipes & Memories from Pakistan

Summers Under the Tamarind Tree - Recipes & Memories from Pakistan - by Sumayya Usmani, published by White Lion Publishing.

In this new edition of her award-winning memoir-cookbook, Sumayya Usmani celebrates the varied, exciting and all-too-often  overlooked cuisine of her beautiful birthplace, honouring the heritage and traditions of her home country through over 100 family recipes and evocative food memories.

Said Sumayya: “When people think of Pakistan, they probably picture a simple land which is plagued by troubles. But having grown up in Karachi, my memories of my childhood in Pakistan are filled with exciting scents, sounds and rich flavours. Food is the spirit of Pakistani people and the cuisine has been hundreds of years in the making.

When I moved to the UK, I was struck by the fact that despite a large Pakistani diaspora, our cuisine has never found its individual voice. My patriotic spirit and passion for the food I grew up cooking and eating sowed the seeds for this book. 

"I hope that the flavour of my heritage comes through in each recipe I share. This book is for my mother, grandmothers and daughter – the women who have always inspired me – and for my homeland, which is full of passion, promise and authentic flavour.”

What do people say about the book?

“Sumayya's words bring to life the aromas of her exquisite recipes, as well as the story of a little-known culinary heritage. It's wonderful to discover the world of Pakistani food and andaza (sensory cooking) in this perfect cookbook.” OLIA HERCULES 

“This book is a treasure.  Charm, information and what Sumayya calls 'the flavour of my Pakistani heritage' permeates every single recipe.” MADHUR JAFFREY

“My favourite sort of cookbook: personal, beautiful and full of things I want to eat.” MEERA SODHA

 £20 hardback, published in September.

 

Bone Appetit! Aldi's sell-out doggy ice cream is back at just £2.99!

Back by popular demand, Aldi’s Doggy Ice Cream hits stores nationwide from today, 8th August. 

It's available in two delicious flavours of Pea & Vanilla and Carrot & Apple.

Dogs across the country will be training their owners to go fetch, as Aldi has announced the return of its sell-out Dog Ice Cream just in time for the expected warmer weather.

Last year, the popular treat sold out in record time with nearly 30 tubs every minute zooming out of the freezer when it launched in June 2022.. And now, Aldi's popular canine treat is back and will be sure to get tongues licking and tails wagging when it hits the shelves.

Priced at just £2.99 (pack of 4, 110ml each) your furry friends can get involved in the ice cream action with a choice of the two delicious flavours: Pea & Vanilla and Carrot & Apple. The Doggy Ice Cream is 100% plant based and boasts real fruit and vegetables to offer a nutritious snack whilst also keeping pets cool during the warm weather.

With summer finally here and searches of #dogicecream hitting 31.8M on TikTok alone, Aldi’s Doggy Ice Cream couldn't have returned at a better time!

Julie Ashfield, the MD of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Last year we became the first UK supermarket to launch a doggy-friendly ice cream, and it was a huge hit with our pet owners. We’re delighted to bring back a product that's both nutritious and cooling for dogs, just as the sunshine returns!”

Aldi’s Langham’s Doggy Ice Cream will be available in the freezer aisle and can be found in stores nationwide from today. Pet owners will need to run and fetch quickly though, because as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!

www.aldi.co.uk.

A Lidl bit of good news for tea lovers!

Lidl's revealed all its own-brand tea bags will become fully compostable, helping tea lovers across the whole  country make more sustainable shopping choices.

This means customers can enjoy their favourite cuppa knowing they'll be able to dispose of the tea bags in food or green waste bins. 

The transition to fully compostable tea bags is expected to divert up to 800 million per year from traditional waste bins, and subsequently, landfill.

The material - a special plant-based plastic, polylactic acid (PLA) - not only ensures the composability of the tea bags but also maintains the exceptional quality and flavour that Lidl customers expect. 

From its Deluxe Fairtrade Assam Tea (£1.09) to its Knightsbridge Gold Blend Tea (£1.19) or Knightsbridge Red Label Tea (£2.39) – the change will be made across all of Lidl GB’s own-brand tea range.

In line with its wider commitment to improving the recyclability of all its products, the move follows a recent announcement from Lidl to transition its milk range to clear tops. These combined efforts mean Lidl shoppers can savour every cup of tea knowing they’re helping cut the amount of single-use plastic that are destined for landfill.

Said Shyam Unarket, who is Head of Responsible Sourcing and Ethical Trade at Lidl GB “Those buying tea bags from Lidl are supporting our efforts to reduce single-use plastic going to landfill. We understand even a few relatively minor changes to our products can benefit our customers, whilst also helping us improve our impact on the planet, one cup at a time.”

Lidl’s new compostable tea bags will turn in store over the coming months, while existing stock gradually sells through. Today’s announcement comes as part of Lidl’s ongoing efforts to reduce its own-label plastic packaging by 40% by the end of 2025.

Other recent initiatives include becoming the first UK supermarket to incorporate Prevented Ocean Plastic™ into its water bottles and announcing plans to introduce new vacuum-packed, recyclable packaging across its beef mince range, resulting in a plastic reduction of almost two thirds (63%).

Tesco’s move to highlight marked down food bargains now expands to 300 stores

A move by Tesco to help customers find marked-down yellow sticker food items more easily has proved so popular Tesco has decided to expand to 300 stores all over the UK.

For the revamp the supermarket has made bold, new signage for its mark-down section in stores to help shoppers find food bargains and at the same time help reduce food waste.

The new signage which states, ‘reduced in price, just as nice’, is now up in just under 300 stores and plans are currently being discussed to roll it out even further across all Tesco branches.

The mark down areas feature a wide range of products from fresh produce like salads, meat, bread and sweet treats which are near to their expiry date, so they're ideal for tonight’s supper or for popping in the freezer for another day, to end of season as well as discontinued grocery and non-food products, also.

Tesco Group Quality, Technical and Sustainability Director Claire Lorains said: “At Tesco we have no time for food waste and we are doing everything we can to reduce this.

“Our customers are always on the lookout for great value food, and our rebranded ‘reduced in price, just as nice’ signage makes it easier than ever before to spot a short-dated and top-quality bargain.” 

The initial move last October was made after a survey revealed shoppers would pick up more yellow sticker food items if the marked down area where they are placed would look nicer.

Tesco’s Hatfield Extra store in Hertfordshire was the first to feature the revamp last October.

Hatfield store manager Ravi Aloysius said: “The new signage has had an immediate effect and we are seeing more people wishing to buy from our reductions area, particularly on fresh food, meaning there are far fewer items left at the end of an evening.” 

Tesco has already achieved a 45 per cent reduction in food waste across own operations since 2016/17. However, it knows there is still more to do despite just 0.35 per cent of food it handled, last year, ending up as waste.  

Tesco closely follows the food waste hierarchy to ensure that no food goes to landfill. Where possible surplus food is given to humans through Fareshare.  

Pizza-free cooking in pizza ovens from Witt?

Award-winning Scandinavian Witt’s Pizza Oven range has been impressing customers and publications like BBC Good Food, Ideal Home, and Independent since its launch earlier this year. 

With its stylish design and ultra-fast heating technology, the Etna Fermo Pizza Oven does more than render perfect pizzas. It does so much more, besides!

Geoff Johnson Sales Director and Pizza Guru at Witt UK & Ireland said: "The Etna Fermo Pizza Oven is fast heating and has a large cooking space meaning that not only can it produce perfect pizzas, it’s also great for roasting or searing meats, fish, vegetables as well as baking bread or delicious desserts.” 

“Firstly, I really recommend that you invest in a good quality cast-iron skillet, it can handle intense heat and will work perfectly for many dishes. But you should never food directly onto your pizza stone, or it could become saturated with meat fats and also smaller foods like vegetables need to be contained during the cooking process.”

Geoff’s favourite things to cook in a pizza oven other than pizzas?

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Butter 

“My go-to for roast chicken is always lemon, garlic and herb butter - spatchcocking is a great way to reduce cooking time, and it’ll fit on a cast-iron pan in your Witt pizza oven.” 

Focaccia 

“Using pizza dough, garlic, Rosemary, salt, pepper and plenty of olive oil, you will have delicious homemade Focaccia in 30 minutes.”

Vegetables

“Even delicate vegetables such as tender stem broccoli can be cooked in your pizza oven. Most vegetables will benefit from a light coating of oil, salt, and pepper before you add them to the hot skillet. Keep an eye on them and make sure to turn them regularly. They really don't take too long to cook.”

(EDITOR: I feel turkey (perhaps breasts or wings?) and Christmas dinner vegetables would cook up nicely in a Witt pizza oven.)

https://www.wittpizza.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witt-Etna-Fermo-Pizza-Rotating/dp/B0BJW8Q2PZ

Sharpham Cremet Cheese earns Top Rating in World's Largest Food and Drink Awards

Soft-cheese specialists, Devon's Sharpham Cheese, was recently awarded the heralded 3-stars in the Great Taste Awards, putting them in the top 2% of the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet. 

Revealed on Tuesday 1st August, their Cremet, handcrafted from goat's milk and cow's double cream, achieved 'exquisite' and 'extraordinary' in the judges' blind taste tests. Out of 14,195 entrants, only 248 received the coveted rating of 3-stars. 

The top rated products, which includes Sharpham Cremet, will now go on to be judged in the prestigious Great Taste Golden Forks awards. The Golden Forks and Supreme Champion will be announced at the ceremony and tasting on the 11th September.

Sharpham Cremet is a wonderful soft mould ripened cheese, made with goat's milk with added double cow's milk cream. There is nothing else like it produced in whole of the UK. 

Cremet has a creamy, mousse like texture when it's younger, but it deepens to a full, rich flavour with earthy undertones when it ripens.

This spectacular cheese, produced by the UKs  first B Corp cheesemakers, has already won a number of important and significant awards, including, Best Cheese Award and British Product of the Year, at the Great British Food Awards. 

The cheese category was judged by acclaimed chef Marcus Wareing who chose Sharpham Cremet as the winner. All winning products went on to be judged by a panel of tasters at Partridges. Partridges selected Cremet as the overall product of the year.

In 2023 alone, Cremet has also won a Gold Taste of the West Award, Gold at the Artisan Cheese Awards and Gold at Devon County Show.

Judges notes:

This is so rich and creamy, it feels ridiculously indulgent - but who doesn't need a bit of indulgence! This is a clever, expertly made soft cheese, in which you can really taste the goats cheese and the rich cream. The mould is minerally and flavourful, and the paste is so creamy that it melts in the mouth. One special aspect of this cheese is the peppery notes that come through right on the finish. This may be unique to this producer - congratulations on a very special cheese. 

This is a wonderful cheese. We loved the appearance - the enticing rind and pure white paste, the clean yet luscious creamy texture, the combination of dairy creaminess with the fresh lemon element from the goats cheese and the soft rind. Beautifully balanced and cleverly crafted.

A very well-constructed cheese. From the subtle hint of goat on the nose to the very well balanced length of flavour on the palate, it is really well done. Not a hint of ammonia to be found. The balance of goat and cow delivers an amazing creaminess. Silky smooth. Absolutely delicious. 

It's certainly an innovative and pleasing cheese. 

Said a 'delighted' Greg Parsons, who is co-owner of Sharpham Cheese: “Britain is renowned world-wide for producing some of the highest standard cheeses, so we're really very thrilled to see Cremet recognised as one of the nation's favourites."

He went on to add: "The awards are testament to the hard work that goes into our high quality products, from the farmers who supply our milk to the drivers who deliver it and everyone else in between. 

"Great Taste Awards are revered for their experienced and knowledgeable judges, so the award with such complimentary feedback is high praise indeed.”

Nicky Parsons, co-owner of Sharpham Cheese said: “Although originally created by Debbie Mumford, Peter Haworth and the cheese making team have not only continued the high quality standards but they've excelled to bring Sharpham their first ever Great Taste 3-stars.” 

This year, judging took place over 89 days in Dorset and London, with a panel of in excess of 500 judges putting the products to the test. The line-up saw food and drink products submitted from an extraordinary 109 different countries across the world. 

The Great Taste 3-star Sharpham Cremet costs £14.85 for 480g and is available from www.sharphamcheese.co.uk

That's Christmas: Over the next few months That's Christmas will com...

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Fridge for our conservatory

My wife and I are thinking of purchasing a fridge or a cooler unit for use in our conservatory.

Not a huge fridge, but a small to medium sized fridge that would be able to house snacks, some bottles of white and sparkling wine and also some cans and bottles of beer.

We are at the moment looking at several manufacturers and examining a number of buying options.

Should we go with Amazon, or Currys? Or perhaps check out several local high street retailers?

After all, we got a very good deal on a turntable free Sharp microwave/convection oven from a local family-owned business, so I think as trip into town over the next several days sounds like an excellent idea. 

If we go ahead with the purchase, I'll let you know how it goes.

(Image courtesy of tookapic from Pixabay)