IN SEASON Love Local Food
Francine Lee, owner of Bumblee’s Preserves and PR Secretary for Taunton Farmers’ Market gives her verdict on autumn’s local produce.
What local produce should we be enjoying this autumn? We have an abundance of delights being harvested at this time of year, soſt fruits coming to their end and being replaced with orchard fruits, nuts & squashes. What could be better as the days draw in than a delicious apple crumble, made the way that Granny used to, or a hearty butternut soup with a huge freshly baked crusty roll?
3 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and cook the oxtail for 4-5 minutes until brown. Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole dish.
4 In the same frying pan, cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft then transfer to the casserole dish. Add the remaining ingredients except the squash or pumpkin and spinach.
5 Bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.
6 To prepare the gratin, grease a large ovenproof gratin dish. Arrange a layer of celeriac and potato slices with the garlic in the dish. Repeat until all the celeriac and potatoes are used up. Pour over the cream,
sprinkle over the cheese and bake for 40-45 minutes.
7 Forty minutes before the end of cooking add the squash or pumpkin. Return to the oven for the remainder of the cooking time. Remove the casserole and add the spinach,
8 Serve the stew with the gratin.
TIP: Any remaining stew tastes even better the following day. Remove from the fridge and heat slowly at the same oven temperature for about 1 hour until piping hot.
www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk
What are the biggest benefits to the customer when it comes to choosing local produce? Buying from the Taunton Farmers’ Market is an experience; it's not just a chore to be fulfilled. We're keen for people to really appreciate the fuel that they are putting into their bodies, and one of the best ways to do this is to know exactly where it has come from, bought from real people who put a lot of love, care, time and attention into the products on offer. You to meet the producers behind each stall, and they are the true experts, they really know their stuff. Tis means that customers know where their food comes from, how it's produced (without pesticides, not from a factory, free range & not caged etc.) and by whom. Our producers will give you tips on how to best prepare and cook your goodies & advise customers on what's good to eat each week, aſter all, they want you to love their products as much as they do. It's about a complete package, they
aren't buying just a bunch of carrots, jar of jam or pack of sausages, they’re also buying a product that has been lovingly produced by the person at the market, not just imported, packaged & stacked on a shelf.
How easy is it for FOODLOVERS to buy local produce in your area? Very easy, every Tursday all of our producers bring their wares into Taunton High Street, which is conveniently located, allowing easy access from the Park and Ride bus stops as well as
several car parks too. A number of our producers also attend additional markets within the area or offer local delivery and box schemes.
Isn’t buying local far more expensive than using supermarkets?
If we are talking expensive in terms of
how much cash we hand over, then no, I don't think so, I believe you will find the prices comparable to if not better than supermarket prices. But what I would really like to point out here are the other expenses of buying from larger stores rather than locally grown produce, food miles being the first
expense...is there any comparison between Sunday’s roast travelling a total of 30 miles, compared to your New Zealand lamb, potatoes grown in Ireland and vegetables shipped over from China? I also urge you to consider the benefits of eating seasonal produce that has been grown naturally without the use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides. Besides, a great deal of farmers’
produce is comparable with the large chains, from just-picked vine ripened tomatoes for £1.20 where a chain was selling for £1.80, delicious sausages with 85% meat for £3.20, local ready meals for two people for £6 (and they are FULL of meat or fish, not just wafer thin pieces and filled out with Veg or sauce) to punnets of freshly picked plums, strawberries and raspberries oſten beating the price of imported fruit in supermarkets.
Do you have any favourites when it comes to West Country produce? Oh lots! Strawberries ripened in the Somerset sun taste quite like no other; romanesco for its delicious nutty flavour & delightful colour, forest-raised beef for all the flavour that our county imparts in the meat, free range pork, for that all important crackling with your Sunday lunch; Somerset Cheddar, well because no one does cheddar better & finally the all-important apple that is the symbol of our county & makes the best drink, cider of course!
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