We are excited to have Amalfi lemons this week. Grown on the Italian Amalfi coast they are definitely the queen of lemons. These unusually large and fragrant fruit are grown on cliff-side terraces. Here, the groves have long played an important role in preventing landslips, and the harvest is done by hand. The lemons are heavy with juice, knobbly and pointed, with an intense fragrance and a balance of acidity; some like to eat them raw, like oranges. Because they’re unwaxed, Amalfi lemons are ideal for recipes which call for lemon zest or peel. These amazing lemons are harvested between March and July. They are perfect for making homemade Limoncello. £1.40 each

We couldn’t decide which soft cheese to offer this week so we have gone for two, we have Rosary goats cheese a delectable soft, fresh goat’s cheese it has a light and fluffy texture. Matured for a matter of days Rosary goats cheese is fresh and perfect for sandwiches or cheeseboard. It can also be used in pasta dishes, tarts and lots of other recipes and is suitable for vegetarians.
Montagnolo is our second cheese This is a very mild blue and creamy cheese from Germany, It is made with triple cream and has just a hint of blueness in its flavour. The cheese itself is intensely buttery with slight spicy undertones and a hint of salt. It has all of the creaminess of a ripe brie sitting alongside the delicate bite of a blue cheese.

This weeks fish is Icelandic Plaice

Plaice is a very popular fish in northern Europe, especially in Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the UK, which border its main fishing area in the North Sea. It’s also found in much smaller quantities in the neighbouring seas – the Baltic, the English Channel and the Irish Sea as well as around Iceland, but is not present anywhere else in the world.
It’s a flat fish, meaning that it spends most of its time on the sea bed. Its underneath side is white and its topside is brown with orange spots. Lying flat on the sea bed, it is well camouflaged. Plaice can live for 40 or more years and grow to a metre in length at which the weight would be five kilos or more. Luckily ours aren’t that big. 

Plaice is a delicate fish and only needs cooking simply, we like to dust the fillets in a little seasoned plain flour, then heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over a  medium/high heat. Add the fish, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until cooked through. 
One side of plaice has 2 fillets enough for 1 portion £8 per side

This cheese is made by a tiny family owned fromagerie Les Cateliers in Buchy, in the Seine-Maritime region in Normandy.

Neufchâtel is a soft, slightly crumbly, mold-ripened cheese made in the Neufachatel-en-Bray. One of the oldest kinds of cheese in France, its production is believed to date back to the 6th century. It looks similar to Camembert, with a dry, white, edible rind, but the taste is saltier and sharper. It has the aroma and taste of mushrooms. Unlike other soft-white-rinded cheeses, Neufchâtel has a grainy texture. It is most usually sold in heart shapes. It wasn’t originally heart shaped, however, the heart-shaped design wasn’t invented for St. Valentine’s Day, it did come about through love…During the Hundred Years’ War (1337 – 1453), the French dairymaids of Neufchatel naturally fell for their English occupiers.

Consequently they started to mould the cheese into a heart shape to give as gifts. It is typically matured for 8–10 weeks.  £6.25

Godminster heart shaped smooth and creamy organic cheese, this Vintage Bruton Beauty is a multi-award-winning cheddar covered in burgundy wax. The cheddar is made to a traditional 90-year-old recipe and matured for up to 12 months.  It has a rich depth of flavour with a wonderfully smooth texture. £8.50

It is always exciting in the shop when the first of the Yorkshire forced rhubarb arrives, Slender and bright pink, this elegant British speciality is ‘forced’ in the famously dark growing sheds of Yorkshire’s rhubarb triangle.

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is an out of season rhubarb that is first grown outside for a period of two years so that the exposure to frost toughens the roots. After initial exposure to the frost, the Rhubarb is lifted from the ground and placed into forcing sheds. Once in the darkened sheds, heat is applied causing the rhubarb to grow quickly in search of light.
The Rhubarb is harvested by candle light to maintain the tenderness of the shoots and ensure that growth continues. This growing process produces rhubarb that is sweeter and more delicately flavoured with an especially vivid red colour.
This really is the best of British produce.

We all have our favourite way of using Rhubarb, simply stewed, in a crumble (why not add our delicious crumble mix, you just need to add butter Fruit Crumble Mix – Village Greens, Charlesworth )

£6 for 500g

Our fish of the week is Scottish cod, sourced from the North East coast of Scotland. We collect fresh everyday from the market. 2 x 200g portions with our caper and chilli butter £15.50

This beautiful selection of winter tomatoes are perfect for adding to salads, their colour and shape make a very impressive tomato platter.

Mar Azul (Marazul) a delicious variety of tomato with delicate blue, purple and pink tones with a fruity flavour, juicy with a scent of plum and green tomato.

Black Plum tomatoes with a rich, smoky-sweet flavour, ideal for making tomato sauce, however they are juicy enough to be eaten fresh. These tomatoes are very sweet with a meaty texture with few seeds.

Marmande tomatoes – a ribbed tomato, fleshy and juicy. Slightly tart, but sweet and fragrant. They will arrive with a green-ting, don’t wait for them to turn completely red; Marmande tomatoes ripen from the inside out, so some will remain slightly green on the outside even at their ripest.