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Food & drink A
few years ago, the Dartmouth Food Festival introduced a new initiative, whereby all the leftover food from the exhibitors was turned
into a delicious meal for anyone in the community to enjoy free of charge. Up to 60 people were fed from food that would otherwise have been thrown away. In the UK it’s estimated that we waste about 2kg of food per person per day, which is pretty shocking – and at Christmas the picture is even worse. So, what can we do to help reverse this trend. Well to start with, we can all buy less. Sounds simple,
but we all know how easy it is to succumb to those 2 for 1 offers (or increasingly 3 for 1) and be fooled into thinking that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the cupboards groaning with food. So perhaps just stop and think about how much food you really need to see you through the festive season. Before you start
thinking that this all sounds a bit dismal and un-festive then perhaps you could look at it in terms of buying a lesser amount of a better quality product. Talk to your local butcher about getting a smaller free range turkey or a prime rib of beef – Grove Meadows (see p39) and Pipers Farm are also worth checking out. Buy loose fruit and vegetables if you can, that way you can just buy what you need. Choose a box of hand-made artisan chocolates – far more delicious and much more of a treat than those huge tins and giant bars. Locally, Umber & Ecru and Hobbs Chocolates do the most amazing selections. Use Christmas as an excuse to seek out a new cheese – your local deli will be happy to give recommendations and perhaps a few tasters. And remember that the freezer is your friend – cooked meat, bread, cakes and even cheese can be frozen.
Think about buying your meat locally at Grove Meadows
Locally made exquisite chocolates by Umber & Ecru
Don’t bin those brussels Recipes and ideas for getting the most out of the amazing local produce we are surrounded by.
But perhaps the best and most exciting thing we can do
to reduce food wastage is to use our leftovers creatively. Let’s be honest, many of us probably enjoy the Boxing Day sandwich stuffed full of cold turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets and lashings of mayo much more than the actual Christmas dinner. So follow our tips for perking up those leftovers: Turkey/Ham • Make a Christmas pizza by scattering shredded turkey and perhaps some stuffing onto a ready-made pizza base (or a slightly stale baguette split in two) spread with cranberry sauce. You can even scatter on some leftover blue cheese.
• Throw diced ham and leftover peas into a creamy risotto for a simple supper. Brussels Sprouts • Fritters (see recipe on next page). • Slice raw sprouts finely and use to make a refreshing salad with natural yogurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic, mustard and a handful of chopped herbs.
• Use instead of basil to make a delicious pesto –whizz up cooked sprouts with any kind of nut, garlic and olive oil.
Cheese • Collect up all the little scraps to make potted cheese. • Stuff between 2 slices of bread with some kind of sauce for a fabulous toastie – Sharpham brie and cranberry sauce is our favourite but blue cheese and fig chutney is a winner too as is cheddar with South Devon Chilli Jam.
• Invite your friends around with their cheesy odds and ends for an impromptu fondue party.
Christmas pudding, mincemeat and panettone • Truffles – see our recipe on next page. • Mincemeat cookies are sure to go down a treat with a morning coffee.
• Panettone makes a delicious bread and butter pudding
And even if after all this you do have some food leftover consider donating some to your local food bank. Happy Christmas everyone.
Written by Helen Lloyd & Julie Graham • Coastal Kitchen Devon
www.coastalkitchendevon.com •
hello@coastalkitchendevon.com
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