Our fish is always fresh so perfect for home freezing. Lots of you have already placed your order for extra fish this week to put in your freezer to last whilst we are closed.
We will need all your fish orders by 4pm this Wednesday, just so nobody is disappointed.
Our apple of the week is new season English Red Windsor, aromatic, sweet and similar in taste to a Cox apple with a hint more sharpness. You may know it by the name Sweet Lilibet, the marketing organisation behind this variety organised a UK-wide schools competition to come up with a new name and this was chosen. This is the name mostly used by the supermarkets.
We have added some delicious Blue Queen Plums.
And you’ll be pleased to know, also a lovely hand of bananas in both boxes.
Our cheese of the week is Crumbly Lancashire, Just like the Lancashire cheese we knew growing up, crumbly and fresh, a young zesty cheese, this bright white crumbly cheese has background yogurt notes and is ideal crumbled over salads or served with apple pie as they do in Lancashire. Approx 250g £5
Our “Fish of the Week”, this week is Sea Bream or
Gilthead bream. Named after the little gold bar on their forehead, with a metallic sheen and chunky profile, the gilthead bream is a beauty of a fish.
Gilthead bream are predatory coastal fish found in estuaries and bays, growing to lengths of 70cm, and can live for as long as 11 years. Interestingly, these fish start life as males and change sex at about three years of age. With dense, juicy white flesh, sea bream have a meaty texture, a clean taste and a delicate flavour. Great fried, grilled or steamed. We are including one of our popular flavoured butters just add to the pan towards the end of cooking. £11.50 for 2 fillets and flavoured butter you can choose from:-
Garlic, parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest
Parsley, Chilli, Lemon Juice & Zest
Parsley, chilli, garlic, curry powder, paprika
Our amazing Basil pesto never fails to liven up a meal, perfect with pasta, fish, or to liven up sandwiches. £5 per pot
There will be pies available from Tuesday lunchtime. We will let you know the fillings as soon as they arrive, we do know there will be a beef, chicken and Vegan option along with cheese and onion, but just like us Jo from Sett Valley Cafe likes to use seasonal and local produce where possible. She will see what is best on the day and this does mean you can’t always plan too far ahead.
Our favourite part of January is the arrival of the Seville oranges which make the best Marmalade. We shall be busy making our own marmalade over the next few weeks. It is only a very short season so you need to grab them while they are around. Did you know you can freeze them whole for up to a year. So stock up whilst you can. We have put together a bag including recipe, oranges and lemons you will just need to add sugar and jam jars. Enough to make approx 5 jars £5.00
Seville oranges are a bitter variety that are a cross between a pomelo and a mandarin, Seville oranges earned their name from Seville, Spain, where they were introduced from Asia during the 12th century and became a symbol for the city. There are more than 14,000 bitter orange trees that line the streets of Seville.
This history of marmalade is quite interesting with a few versions where it actually originated from.
In one story, Mary, Queen of Scots, suffered from seasickness. Her doctor concocted a sugary orange mixture to make her feel better and marmalade was born.
In this story, the name marmalade came from Marie est malade, which translates into Mary’s illness. Try saying Marie est malade three times fast, and you can see how it sounds like marmalade. While this tale is pretty interesting, most historians consider it a myth.
In another story from the 1700s, a Spanish ship was damaged and had to go to land. The ship was carrying Seville oranges, and the captain sold them off to a merchant whose wife made them into a jelly-like preserve (marmalade). Unfortunately, most historians consider that a myth, too.
A more accurate (and less interesting) account is that the word ‘marmalade’ comes from a Portuguese word for quince, or marmelo. Originally, marmalade was made from quince, which is a fruit that looks like a pear. This variety of marmalade was expensive, so eventually someone decided to use oranges, which were cheaper compared to quince. Even though the quince was replaced, the name marmalade stuck.
Recipes for jams and jellies that are marmalade-like date back to the 1500s. There’s a recipe that is fairly close to today’s marmalade in a cookbook from 1677, so it’s safe to assume marmalade has been around for quite a while.
We have to say nothing beats homemade marmalade, if you haven’t tried it please have a go you will be a convert.
Fancy entering a marmalade completion Check out the British marmalade awards, this prestigious competition has entries from all over the world. www.dalemain.com/competition-entry
We have exceptional pickling onions available this week. 500g will make 2 large jars.
We have a great recipe as well, just ask us to pop one in your order.
I know we don’t want to think about Christmas but these make perfect Christmas gifts. Homemade gifts are always a pleasure to receive. £2 per kg
Cheese of the week is Cricket St Thomas Capricorn goats cheese, beautifully balanced with a mild and nutty flavour, this multiple award winning team of cheesemakers use a process of ripening that creates an irresistible full flavour and creamy texture. A tasty alternative to cow’s milk cheeses, It is perfect for all cheese lovers and suitable for vegetarians. Try crumbled into salads, grilled over vegetables or add to your favourite toasty for the ultimate cheese-lovers treat. £3.20 100g
Wimberries/bilberries are here, very limited stock £10 per punnet (500g), available in the shop or to add to your order