herefordtimes.

com/news THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 37

38 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011
Food, glorious local food
W
HEN it comes to the
environment, econ-
omy, jobs, tourism,
health or quality of life in
Herefordshire, much of it
depends on the county’s
famous local produce.
That is why a new sustain-
able food strategy has been
launched for Hereford-
shire. Called From Field to
Table and put together by
the Herefordshire Food
Partnership, the aim is to
make the most of the local
food supply chain to build
enterprise, protect our
landscape, promote tour-
ism and support the health
and wellbeing of citizens.
Herefordshire Council,
alongside the Duchy of
Cornwall, the Bulmer
Foundation and other part-
ners, has drawn up a range
of programmes to guaran-
tee that more locally-pro-
duced food appears on
menus and dinner plates
across Herefordshire.
Herefordshire is made for
good food. The lush, green
countryside, red fertile soil
and benign climate are a
winning combination for
high quality, fresh local
produce, which residents
and visitors can enjoy in
the county’s award-win-
ning butchers, greengro-
Above: With local produce in High Town are, from left,
Herefordshire Farmers’) Market Group chairman David Griffiths,
Herefordshire Food Partnership chairman Adrian Blackshaw, for-
mer NFU county chairman Dave Morgan and Peter Norton, from
the Bulmer Foundation.
cers, pubs, cafes, teashops,
bed and breakfasts and
restaurants.
Of course the county is
well known for flavour-
some Hereford beef but
increasingly too for its out-
door reared pork, bacon
and sausages and succulent
lamb. Herefordshire has
more orchards that any
other county in the UK and
leads the country on cider
production, as well as being
famous for its perry, real
ale and vineyards. And
don’t forget locally-made
cheeses, such as Little
Hereford and Monkland.
Last summer, the council
started a loyalty card
scheme – Shop Hereford –
to promote independent
shops and businesses. Its
success prompted a new
collaboration with the
retail sector and with pump
priming from the council,
the Trufflecard loyalty
scheme was launched.
herefordtimes.com/news
This year, the popular
Farmers’ Market in
Hereford will move from
being held twice a month,
to pitching up every
Saturday in High Town, as
well as being a monthly
attraction in Leominster
and Ross.
Throughout the summer,
the county will be celebrat-
ing the quality of food and
drink, with food festivals
and fairs in dozens of vil-
lages and towns.
The Herefordshire Food
Strategy is developing a
‘food pledge’ for organisa-
tions to sign up to, promot-
ing local producers within
and outside the county.
The strategy will also help
build qualifications and
training in the food sector,
support farm apprentice-
ships, develop care farming
and get more farms to sign
up to accreditation
schemes and manage the
visual impact on the land-
scape.
There will also be more
‘grow your own’ initiatives,
community gardens and
allotments and schemes
providing health food and
drink choices in public
places.
For a copy of the strategy,
visit herefordshire.gov.uk.
 herefordtimes.com/news
Home from home
F
OR the past
24 years
Glewstone
Court has been a
beacon of hospi-
tality and a gen-
uine family run
business, set in a
couple of acres of
beautiful grounds
serving the very
best of fresh, local
produce.
Surrounded by
fruit orchards just
three miles out of
Ross-On-Wye, The
Georgian restau-
rant is open every day for lunch,
noon to 2pm, and dinner from
7pm to last orders at 9.30pm.
There are roaring log fires in
the winter and Pimms in the gar-
den in the summer.
Glewstone has been a finalist in
the Flavours of Hereforshire
awards since its inception 12
years ago, and takes great pride
in sourcing the very finest local
produce.
Throughout the year it has won-
derful meats from Cornwall
Family butchers, and Sean
Greeves Jones of Hereford
Meats, delicious ice creams from
Just Rachel Desserts, and in the
summer asparagus from the
Chinn family at Cobrey Farm
and strawberries and raspberries
from the Snells at Windmill Hill.
With its eight comfortably fur-
nished bedrooms, Glewstone has
become a home away from home
for many of its guests and its
relaxed ambience and surround-
ings make it the perfect venue for
family get-togethers, large or
small.
There is a wonderful private
dining room for parties of up to
40.
Wedding days at Glewstone,
which is a licensed wedding
venue, are an incredibly special
occasion, with the in-house
events manager on hand
throughout the whole process
from the initial enquiry to the
day itself.
Christine and Bill, their family
and staff, look forward to offer-
ing you a warm welcome, real
food and traditional hospitality.
For more information, call 01989
770367, emailglewstone@aol.com
or visit glewstonecourt.com.
THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 39
From farm to table
E
VERYONE these days is concerned
about food miles and where their food
comes from but at Castle House,
Hereford’s boutique city hotel, this is not a
worry.
Much of the produce that appears on head
chef Claire Nicholls’ restaurant and bistro
menus originates from owner David Watkins’
nearby Ballingham Farm or from trusted
local producers.
Beef from Ballingham’s pedigree Herefords is
always a popular choice on Castle House’s
menus, as is the Herdwick and badger-faced
lamb which graze the farm’s old cider
orchards.
David’s son George explains: “All our herds
are reared using traditional 200-year-old
methods. Grazing on the lush Wye Valley
meadows and apple orchards ensures tender
meats with the inimitable taste of
Herefordshire.”
Claire Nicholls, herself from Herefordshire,
has worked at Castle House for more than
nine years. Her menus can be described as
contemporary British, with elements of what
Claire has discovered on her international
travels. Her monthly, seasonally-themed
evenings celebrating local produce are
extremely popular, as are the traditional
Sunday lunches and afternoon teas.
Since David Watkins bought Castle House
nearly five years ago, he has introduced the
Castle Bistro, added the Ballingham Garden
Suite and upgraded the Castle Restaurant.
His investment in the future of Castle House
continues with Number 25, a townhouse with
eight luxury guestrooms a few yards from the
hotel in Castle Street, which will open in May.
Castle House’s annual summer Food Fayre
will be in held in the hotel’s garden beside the
old moat on August 20. Visit castlehse.co.uk
for more about events or call 01432 356321.
40 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 herefordtimes.com/news

New Wye’s way with beer

craft
cider proves to be winner
takes W
YE Valley Brewery is a
family-run business dedi-
cated to brewing the best

its cask-conditioned beer possible

and championing pubs as impor-
tant parts of local communities.
time It has grown every year since it
began in 1985, and continues to
do so.
“In the last couple of years we

P
IPS Cider is the latest craft cider
producer in Herefordshire and
was founded in 2010. Based on the
family farm in the Golden Valley, Pips
Cider begins its life on 50-year-old trees
in a five-acre orchard.
After being picked carefully by hand
the apples are milled and pressed and
the resulting juice is naturally fer-
mented. This process takes several
months and allows the natural sugars
in the juice to be converted into alco-
hol.
Seven apple varieties of are blended
together during the manufacturing
process and it is this process which
defines the unique taste of Pips Cider.
After initial fermentation, Pips Cider
is slowly matured for several months
in order to develop its special flavour.
At the end of this process the juice is
filtered to give it its crystal clear
appearance, and then bottled ready for
sale to customers.
Pips cider is on sale in a number of
local outlets. For more details, visit
pipscider.com.
have installed a bottling facility
at the brewery, enabling us to
produce our bottle-conditioned
beers on site,” said a spokesman.
“We have also acquired two new
pubs – The Morgan in Great
Malvern and The Britannia in
Hereford – bringing our family of
popular community pubs to four.
“Down the years, our determi-
nation to constantly improve
means has helped us attract
awards both for our individual
ales and for our range as a whole.
“For instance, we recently won
the inaugural best drinks produc-
er 2010 in what has been
described as ‘the Oscars of the
food world' – the BBC Food and
Farming Awards.
“The BBC received a flood of
entries from drinks producers
throughout the country, so we
were thrilled to win.”
The judges were impressed by
Wye Valley’s commitment to
selecting local Herefordshire
hops and its dedication to quality
through traditional production
methods. In particular, they
praised the ‘morishness’ of its
beers.”
The brewery received its award
from TV presenter Oz Clarke and
has since featured in two editions
of the BBC Radio 4 Food
Programme which focussed on
the competition.
“We also recently scooped best
drinks producer at the 2010
Flavours of Herefordshire
awards, a scheme that celebrates
quality and excellence in food
and drink from our county.
“Our Herefordshire roots
remain extremely important to
us, so we were thrilled to receive
this award and recognition on
our home patch.
herefordtimes.com/news THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 41

P ro u d h e r i t a g e
of cidermaking

A
T Bulmers
they’re proud of
security to the grower.
In total we use over 150 Great year in store
for cider and perry
their Hereford- different type of cider
shire roots and the role apple varieties, includ-
the firm plays in the ing traditional
rural community. Herefordshire varieties
“We have 10,000 acres such as Brown Snout,

O
of cider apple orchards Ball’s Bittersweet and LIVER’S cider and showing up in more and
under our control Broxwood Foxwhelp. perry is preparing more pubs.
which provides us with “These enable us to for an exciting So as the early perry
over 100,000 tonnes of create our well known year. Last season's fruit pear blossom buds start
fruit per year,” said a brands such as is finishing fermenting to break, here’s to a wel-
spokesman. Strongbow, Bulmers and shows a lot of come sign of spring and
“The vast majority of Original and promise. the celebration with
these orchards are Woodpecker, the Not a vintage year, but friends of what we do do
within the County world’s oldest cider certainly better than the best in Herefordshire:
itself, and in total brand which was creat- previous three. great food and drink.
Bulmers accounts for ed in 1896. New bottle-conditioned
30 per cent of all the “We at Bulmers hope ciders and perries will be
apples grown in the you enjoy our drinks ready for release. Above: Tom
UK. More than 200 responsibly and feel as A single varietal Oliver receiv-
local growers have passionately as we do Moorcroft perry will ing The Arthur
orchards on 25-30 year about the people and hopefully live up to that Davies Cup
contracts ensuring we landscape that enables pear’s reputation. from Lord
get all the fruit we us to be the world’s Rum barrel matured Cameron of
need, while giving biggest cider maker.” Yarlington Mill varietal Dillington and
cider is ever popular. Arthur Davies
Meanwhile the real himself for his
Herefordshire draught fantastic cider
ciders and perries are and perry.
42 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 herefordtimes.com/news
 herefordtimes.com/news
T
HERE been a signifi-
cant split in direction
for anything kitchen
over the last couple of
years.
We’ve seen a return to the
more traditional and origi-
nal designs as well as the
introduction of colourful
kitchen utensils made of
the revolutionary new sili-
cone material.
Plain white porcelain
china is back in force. It
never goes out of fashion,
it’s cheap and easy to
replace, it’s dishwasher
proof and it makes food
look great. Why do you
think most restaurants use
it?
Porcelain china animal
jelly moulds are ever popu-
THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 111
Prepare to
lar for kids parties and
make interesting orna-
ments when not being used.
With more and more peo-
ple choosing to eat and
entertain at home there has
been a significant increase
impress
in the sale of traditional pie
dishes, farmhouse style
churn jugs, toast racks and
egg cups, according to Mike
Morgan, partner of Ross-on-
Wye based eBay mail order
business Country
Cookshop, which sends out
thousands of parcels to UK
customers and destinations
all over the world.
Anything that you can
buy for the kitchen is now
usually also available in a
colourful silicone variation
– baking moulds, cooking
utensils, pie funnels, bowls
and spatulas, not forgetting
reusable moulds for the cup
cakes fashion that seems to
have hit the country by
storm.
“Silicone has revolu-
tionised cooking,” said
Mike.
“Not only is it heatproof
and freezer-proof, it’s also
dishwasher-proof and won’t
absorb cooking flavours or
colours. Fantastic if you
love cooking with garlic or
other strong flavours. dishes and more are all reliables being made
Silicone egg rings make fry- available in colourful, again. So anyone who
ing an egg a joy.” robust melamine. has one of the old
For the outdoor living and Of course, there doesn't Lancashire peelers rusting
kids parties the revival of seems to be anything new away at the back of a draw-
melamine couldn’t have these days that we haven’t er somewhere will be  Country Cookshop's eBay
come at a better time. Cups, already seen before so it's delighted to hear that it’s Shop can be found at
plates, cutlery, serving great so see some of the old back in production again. countrycookshop.co.uk.
112 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 herefordtimes.com/news

Catch your breath with warm

welcomes down on the farm
A
S you approach Warren
Farm you are met with a
view that simply takes
your breath away.
You enter under an archway
into an 18th century courtyard
and you will instantly feel the
charm of this traditional work-
ing farm.
The land unfolds before you
into the parkland of the
National Trust’s Brockhamp-
ton Estate on the very top of
the Bromyard Downs.
Warren Farm was judged to
be Flavours of Herefordshire’s
tea room of the year 2010 and
when you walk into the farm-
house you understand why.
So much of what is grown on
the farm is then turned into
traditional farmhouse food for
you to enjoy.
The menu is simple but
it offers everything that
Herefordshire stands for in
flavour and quality.
While visiting the farm you
can explore the farmyard and
walk among the animals and
learn all about them in the
farm story room.
You may like to pre-arrange a
trailer ride or walk to explore
this 500 acre mixed farm and
spend some time with the
farmer to learn about the envi-
ronmental and practical sides
to farming.

Winning ways make

church the place to go

Above: BBC Wales filming for Village SOS in Cafe@All Saints in Hereford recently with Fiona Gray from Talgarth
Water Mill and Bill Sewell. 111117-1.

A
FORMER winner at the
Flavours of Hereford-
shire festival is helping
four women stand the heat of
the kitchen in a BBC documen-
tary.
Staff at Hereford-based
Cafe@All Saints have wel-
comed a crew from Village SOS
which is filming the woman
preparing to set up a cafe in
Talgarth.
Bill Sewell, cafe owner, said:
"It's about a regeneration pro-
ject in Talgarth where four
women are opening a cafe and
bakery. They have come to us
to get experience of working in
a live cafe.
"The BBC is following them
around for a number of months
when they are planning the set-
up of the cafe.
"It will be a proper cafe and
they will bake their own bread.
We had one of the women in and have lunch.”
working the baking shift, mak- The cafe has previously won
ing bread, pizzas and quiches. the tearoom of the year award
“Another one was working on at Flavours of Herefordshire.
the cooking shift helping make
soup and the dishes of the day
and we have also done some
barista training."
Cafe@All Saints is based in
the church and located at the
corner of Broad Street and
Eign Gate.
“It’s in a church that is still
functioning so it is pretty
unique. It works fantastically
well for both sides,” said Bill.
“It makes the church much
more part of the town and from
our point of view it’s a wonder-
ful place to have a cafe.
“The congregation is only a Above: The old mill at Talgarth,
tiny proportion of the cus- where a new cafe, part of a com-
tomers but when the priests munity regeneration project, will
are taking communion they benefit from the advice and exper-
will take the service and come tise of a Hereford award-winner.
herefordtimes.com/news THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 113
114 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 herefordtimes.com/news

Six of the best in

cookery lessons
W
ANT to learn how to
cook – or polish up on
your culinary skills?
Look no further. We have
details of six of the top-rated
cookery schools and courses
available right here in
Herefordshire and the sur-
rounding area.

Green Cuisine
Penrhos School of Food and
Health, Lyonshall,
Kington HR5 3LH
Tel: 01544 230 720
greencuisine.org

Cookaway Food Breaks

Caldicott Farm,
Broad Oak,
Herefordshire HR2 8QZ.
Tel: 01981 580249
enquiries@
cookawayfoodbreaks.co.uk

Cooking with Class

Victoria O’Neill
Pyon House, Canon Pyon
Herefordshire HR4 8PH
Tel: 01432-830122
cookingwithclass.co.uk

Shared Harvest breadmaking

course
Duncan and Gail Sayce,
Orchard Oak, Woolhope,
Herefordshire HR1 4RJ
Tel: 01989 740312 or 07880
744651
sharedharvest.co.uk

Rayeesa’s Indian Kitchen

Orchard Farmhouse,
Mordiford,
Herefordsdhire HR1 4EJ
Tel: 07570912922
enquiries@
rayeesasindiankitchen.com

Cooking with Caroline

Lower Buckton, Leintwardine,
Shropshire SY7 0JU
Tel/fax: 01547 540532 or 07960
273865
carolyn@lowerbuckton.co.uk
Above: Learning new skills can be very rewarding – and tasty.
 Also don’t miss out on the between October 22-23, where
Flavours of Herefordshire there will be tastings, talks and
Food Festival that takes place masterclasses to savour.

Young talent offers food lovers

a memorable dining experience
H
EREFORD College of
Technology's Cider
Orchard training
restaurant is open to mem-
bers of the public as well as
students and staff.
It serves morning coffee
and cakes, lunches (Tuesday
to Friday) and evening
meals (Wednesdays only).
The restaurant offers the
opportunity to experience
cuisine prepared and
cooked by some of the coun-
ty’s most promising young
chefs, many of whom have
participated in local
awards. They include this
year’s Flavours of
Herefordshire Young Chef
winner, Katie Lewis.
Having recently met the
well-known food celebs The
Hairy Bikers at the award
ceremony, Katie is keen to
follow in the steps of other
young chefs who now work
in some of the most estab-
lished and well-respected
restaurants in the county.
A mouthwatering range of
seasonal dishes using fresh
local produce are prepared
and served to the highest
standards, offering excep-
tional value for money.
Several theme nights are
usually held each year and
are extremely popular.
A visit to the Cider
Orchard is a fantastic way
not only to enjoy superb
food at very reasonable
prices but also to support
young chefs and your coun-
ty’s local suppliers.
For details and bookings,
visit hct.ac.uk/College/
restaurant, call 01432
365331 or email cideror-
chard@hct.ac.uk.
 herefordtimes.com/news THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 115

Feast on a year of events for all the family

T
HERE’S always some- 01531 640325 Neil Chambers of The Handmade
thing happening in Scotch Egg Company, Bishops
Herefordshire, what- July 8-10
Beer on the Wye Festival Frome, at last year’s Flavours of
ever time of year you decide Herefordshire Food Festival.
to visit. herefordcamra.org.uk
01684 892804 104225-7
Take your pick of food, lit-
erary, music and walking July 16-17
festivals, medieval re-enact- Much Marcle Steam
ments, art and crafts, farm- Rally
ing and countryside events. muchmarclesteamrally.com
And many of them, even if 01531 660464
not primarily related to
food, will have catering that July 29-31
emphasises local produce. Nozstock Music Festival
Here’s just a sample of in Bromyard
what’s on. nozstock.com
For the full picture, visit
visitherefordshire.co.uk. August 4-7
The Big Chill
at Eastnor Deer Park, h-art.org.uk RHS Apple Show at
bigchill.net 01432 260182 Hergest Croft, Kington,
May 26 - June 5 0207 009 3000 hergest.co.uk
Hay International Above: The Hairy Bikers – Simon King and David Myers – showing 01544 230160
Literature Festival September 2-4 October 1-2
off their recipes at last year’s Flavours of Herefordshire Food Broome Farm Cider Ross-on-Wye Walking
hayfestival.com Festival. 104225-13 October 22-23
Festival at Broome Farm, Festival
08709 901299 ross-on-wyewalkersare Flavours of
Ross-on-Wye
June 18-26 July 1-10 rosscider.com welcome.co.uk Herefordshire Food
June 19-26 Herefordshire Walking Ledbury Poetry Festival Festival
01989 567232
Shobdon Festival Festival poetry-festival.com October 15-16 visitherefordshire.co.uk
shobdonfestival.co.uk walkingfestival.com. 08454 581743 September 10 Cider Making Festival at
01568 708725. Kington Show the Cider Museum, November 11-13
June 24-26 July 2-3 kingtonshow.co.uk Hereford Hereford Contemporary
June 17-19 Dore Abbey Music Bromyard Gala, 01544 260602 cidermuseum.co.uk Art and Craft Fair at The
Three Counties Show Festival Countryside Show and 01432 354207 Courtyard, Hereford, h-
threecounties.co.uk doreabbey.co.uk Steam Rally September 10-18 craftfair.co.uk
01684 584900. 01594 530393 bromyardgala.org.uk H Art Week October 15 01432 260182
116 THE HEREFORD TIMES, Thursday, March 24, 2011 herefordtimes.com/news