SHELF TALK

Preserves producer experiments with barrel-ageing festive chutney

By Tom Dale

Bristol-based Ginger Beard’s Preserves has been using barrel-aged beer in its Christmas chutney since it rst launched the product in 2015, but now the producer is taking things a step further.

The award-winning brand is barrel ageing 240g of its Fig & Sour Cherry Christmas Chutney in beer barrels from brewery Wiper and True which also provided the beer that went into making the festive chutney.

The preserve is now being aged for between two and four months, and the producer said it “expects the chutney to take on a range of complex avours from the oak barrel as well as a stronger boozy avour from the beer and wine which the barrel previously held.”

Founder and director of Ginger Beard’s Preserves Harry Calvert said that this was the rst time he had barrel aged chutney, and believes it to be the rst product of its kind in the UK.

“It’s been a dream of mine since we rst started making this chutney in 2015,” he said. “We have always been involved with the local beer scene, so it feels like a natural step forward.”

He said that a er initial tasting, the product had already begun taking on avour from the barrel. “There are hints of oak and red wine, as well as a proper boozy tone from the beer the barrel previously held.” It seems Calvert has caught the barrelageing bug as he now plans to make this an annual tradition, as well as barrel-ageing a wholegrain beer mustard in an old imperial stout barrel and a fermented hot sauce in a former sour beer cask. “It’s slow food, but we reckon that, going on the samples from the current chutney, the avour is going to be bonkers and it will be well worth the wait,” he said. The barrel-aged Christmas chutney is available to pre-order now, as is Ginger Beard’s usual Fig & Sour Cherry Christmas Chutney, and will be ready to ship on 12th November. The barrel-aged chutney will cost £3.29 per 284g pot wholesale and is available in cases of six. Calvert reports that around 30% of the expected 800 jars have already been sold.

gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW

Seasoned Pioneers has refreshed its gift box range with new box range with new packaging and branding. The branding. The collection of 19 collection of 19 lines includes lines includes the new Summer BBQ, Worldwide Worldwide Salt and Herbal Foot-spa variants. RRPs from £11.95 to £26.95.

seasonedpioneers.com

Ready-to-bake cookie dough brand Doughlicious has rebranded its Lite Bites has rebranded its Lite Bites range, creating Snackable Cookie Dough in six flavours, Cookie Dough in six flavours, including new Chocolate Peppermint. The refreshed Peppermint. The refreshed range is organic, gluten free and vegan. Pitched as a healthier sweet treat, they come in 56g resealable bags.

doughlicious.co.uk

Claiming to be the first-to-market alcoholic kombucha is Boozy Boocha. The vodkainfused probiotic drink is aimed at a new type of consumer: “the healthy hedonist”. The 4% ABV drink comes in two flavours – Cheeky Pineapple and Berry Mischievous.

boozyboocha.co.uk

A new English sparkling wine – Boco by House Coren – is unlike other – is unlike other British bubblies on the market as it is made using the Charmat method. Also known as the Italian method, it is distinguished from Champagnedistinguished from Champagnestyle wines as the final fizzinducing fermentation does not inducing fermentation does not happen in-bottle.

House Coren wanted to House Coren wanted to release a Charmat method wine as it believes the style wine as it believes the style showcases the “bright, fruity freshness” found in English grapes. It also offers a more affordable alternative to the traditional method sparkling wines already on the market.

The name for the wine was inspired by Old Sussex regional dialect, ‘boco’ derived from the French ‘beaucoup’ meaning ‘lots of/more.’ housecoren.co.uk

Paley Photography

Counter points Bread

Food writer and former deli owner Glynn Christian offers up some category-specific conversation starters to sharpen your sales technique.

• Bread made without a raising agent – unleavened – is one of our oldest foods.

• To leaven means to aerate dough or batter with yeast or a chemical, like baking soda.

• White bread is not ‘bad for you’ in a varied diet.

• Never cut a roll, English muffin, croissant or scones, but pull apart.

• Most grains contain no gluten and must be mixed with wheat flour to make a yeasted bread.

• Soda breads can be made with soft, low-gluten or gluten-free flours, and use baking soda and an acidic

Bread made without a raising agent – unleavened – is one of our oldest foods

liquid, which works from the moment they are mixed. Baking powder works with sweet/non-acidic liquids and does not work until in the heat of an oven.

• Do not add salt or sugar directly to fresh yeast as these inhibit it.

My magic magic ingredient

Candi’s Chutney Parsnip & Chilli Chutney

MARK KACARY

Managing director, The Norfolk Deli Managing director, The Norfolk Deli

We live and work in an amazing county where in the last decade there has been an where in the last decade there has been an explosion of artisan food production. 70% explosion of artisan food production. 70% of everything in our shop is sourced locally of everything in our shop is sourced locally in Norfolk.

One of our favourite products is Candice Robertson’s Candi’s Chutney. Having worked in catering for many years, Having worked in catering for many years, Candice used her training and skills to create a range of original chutneys. And create a range of original chutneys. And our personal pick is her Parsnip & Chilli chutney.

As with most chutneys, the temptation is to use these as an accompaniment to cheese or charcuterie, but we use it in cooking too. It is an excellent addition to the ingredients of a slightly more savoury flapjack. This is more than a typical ploughman’s or Branston, this is a chutney that offers something different. Mark gets his direct from Candi’s Chutney at candiscupboard.com

This is more than a typical ploughman’s or Branston, this is a chutney that o ers something di erent

New sauce producer hopes to bring the avours of Sri Lanka to the UK

A former refugee of the Sri Lankan civil war has created a range of curry pastes and sauces to reconnect with her homeland, and hopes to bring the lesser-known cuisine to the UK.

Komathy Cumarasamy Hawkins le the South Asian island nation in 1985 and moved to Germany before permanently settling in the UK. Since then, recreating the dishes prepared by her mother and aunts has given her a way to maintain a connection with her home nation.

Following a return to Sri Lanka – learning more about the native cuisine – and consulting more about the native cuisine – and consulting with chefs from there and with chefs from there and Britain, Cumarasamy Hawkins Britain, Cumarasamy Hawkins has developed a range of has developed a range of recipes o ering re ned, recipes o ering re ned, authentic avours from her authentic avours from her homeland.

She said: “The Sri Lankan She said: “The Sri Lankan food experience is underfood experience is underrepresented in the UK. The represented in the UK. The recipes are generally low in recipes are generally low in cholesterol, have recognised cholesterol, have recognised health bene ts and are veganhealth bene ts and are veganfriendly, which makes them friendly, which makes them perfect for today’s consumer. perfect for today’s consumer.

“For me, independent “For me, independent has been complicated by COVID. The Komathy’s Kitchen range comprises eight products – Hot, Medium and Mild Curry Pastes, Carrot Sauce with Cumin and Chilli, Beetroot Sauce with Tamarind & Chilli, Chilli Sauce, and the newly released Spicy Beetroot & Chilli Marinade and Rasam Paste, all have an RRP of £5 per jar (£3.40, trade). The founder is currently working on a range of Sri Lankan spices, recipe kits combining these spices and curry pastes, as well as a selection of spiced teas.

retailers are key to bringing this message to the widest audience possible as they have more discerning customers who are a receptive market for my range.”

She is now working with farms that employ war widows, the Palmyrah Institute to bring business to the under-developed North, as well as working with more established cashew nut producers, vanilla growers and cinnamon farmers, in a bid to ensure her home country bene ts from any success her business receives, although this has been complicated by COVID. The Komathy’s Kitchen range comprises eight products – Hot, Medium and Mild Curry Pastes, Carrot Sauce with Cumin and Chilli, Beetroot Sauce with Tamarind & Chilli, Chilli Sauce, and the newly released Spicy Beetroot & Chilli Marinade and Rasam Paste, all have an RRP of £5 per jar (£3.40, trade). The founder is currently working on a range of Sri Lankan spices, recipe kits combining these spices and curry pastes, as well as a selection of spiced teas.

komathyskitchen.co.uk komathyskitchen.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW

Premium crispbread brand Peter’s Yard has launched two new lines – Rosemary & Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers and Poppy Seed Sourdough Crackers (RRP £2.95). Both are certified vegan. The lines will be available in smaller cases of eight to allow retailers to trial the products.

petersyard.com

Premium crispbread brand Peter’s Yard has launched two new lines – Rosemary & Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers and Poppy Seed Sourdough Crackers (RRP £2.95). Both are certified vegan. The lines will be available in smaller cases of eight to allow retailers to trial the products.

petersyard.com

Launching for Christmas is Ahmad Tea’s luxury collection in collaboration with Royal luxury collection in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Beyond the Leaf. The range contains four blends – Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Garden Afternoon and Garden Afternoon and Elegant Earl Grey. RRP £7.99 for a 100g loose leaf £7.99 for a 100g loose leaf caddy or £11.99 for a 4x10 caddy or £11.99 for a 4x10 teabag selection caddy. teabag selection caddy.

ahmadtea.com

South Wales brewery Tiny Rebel has collaborated with So Let’s Talk – a mental and physical health charity with a focus on the hospitality sector – to create two new low-andno beers. 86 The Silence is a 2.5% pomegranate raddler and Speakeasy is a 0.5% hazy pale ale. Both come with an RRP of £2.30.

tinyrebel.co.uk

Premium low-sugar tonic brand Twelve Below has launched has launched a range of soft drinks aimed at consumers wanting to make healthier choices. Lime & Basil and Elderflower & Lemon are sweetened & Lemon are sweetened with agave syrup and with agave syrup and both flavours contain both flavours contain only 12 calories or 2.4g only 12 calories or 2.4g of natural sugar per of natural sugar per 100ml.

The producer has said that the new releases are suitable for use as a mixer in alcoholic or lowand-no drinks, or as a standalone beverage. The two new lines join two new lines join Twelve Below’s range of four premium lowsugar tonics and cost £18 for a case of 12x330ml case of 12x330ml bottles. twelvebelow.co.uk twelvebelow.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW

The Secret Garden Distillery

has given its Christmas Gin and gifting sets a refreshed look for this year’s festive season. The limited edition gin features a red tinted bottle and distinctive label made from 30% grass and is available now in 50cl (RRP £36.95), 20cl (£16.95) and seasonal 2x20cl gift packs (£29.95).

secretgardendistillery.co.uk

Isle of Wight-based

Mermaid Gin

has launched its first readyto-drink can – a blend of its award-winning gin paired with Indian light tonic. The drink comes in a printed, plastic-free, recyclable 250ml can, and has a 6% ABV and £2.90 RRP.

isleofwightdistillery.com

Cumbrian preserves maker

Hawkshead

Relish has turned up the heat on its range with the addition of Scotch Bonnet Sauce. The new line is made with fresh scotch bonnet peppers and tomatoes and has an RRP of £3.25 per 270g jar.

hawksheadrelish.com

Vie’s Jamaican Rum Cakes has launched three new cakes to celebrate Cumbria’s rum heritage. Demerara, Delish and Decadent are made using Belgrove Rum (Cartmel Spirit Company), Richardsons Whitehaven Spiced Rum, and Jefferson’s 1785 Extra Fine Dark Rum respectively. All three are Cumbrian brands. The cakes have RRPs of £13-£15 per 600g cake (also sold in 100g slices).

viesjamaicanrumcakes.co.uk

MEET THE PRODUCER

Victoria Cranfield is the founder and managing director of THE PROPER MARMALADE COMPANY – a small artisan producer specialising in traditional and non traditional marmalade which has picked up a raft of Great Taste awards over the years

What were you doing before you launched The Proper Marmalade Company?

I’ve had a winding career path, from antique dealer to lawyer to cook. Immediately prior to The Proper Marmalade Company, I had a small preserve business called Cranfields Foods, the Proper Marmalade Company morphed out of that.

Why did you decide to launch the brand?

The nutritional labelling requirement was coming into law and all the labels needed re-thinking. My daughter had long been a critic of my branding and as marmalade was our growth area it was a good time to experiment and see if she could come up with better. We came up with the concept; she ran with it and designed the brand. Sales went up four-fold almost overnight. Everything else dropped by the wayside so we could keep up with demand.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned since starting the business?

Other than the fact that daughters can be more perceptive than mothers, you need to listen to your customers. Some of my best ideas for flavours have come from them.

You have an expansive range with some interesting combinations – what inspires these creations?

I have always been a curious cook with a good taste memory. I’m fascinated by taste combinations. We make marmalades for other brands (provided the Proper Marmalade Company gets an attribution on the label), they will ask for specific flavours – that sends me down a rabbit hole of experimentation, which I love. I can taste Why is it important to you to use traditional methods the di erence when cooking in the production of your preserves? I want the marmalades to from fresh and be as close to the fruit as possible, recognised and want to be enjoyed by people who have made their own. The fruit proud of what has a greater liveliness when we produce cooked from fresh; I can taste the difference and want to be proud of what we produce.

What makes your preserves stand out from others on the market?

We only buy fresh fruit and make the marmalades properly. We prep the fruit and then we make the marmalade just as I used to at home. In saucepans you can be making 22 jars a time, only now we have six saucepans on the go in rotation.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

What is the best thing about being a small business?

You can manage your time, make decisions without committee, and move quickly.

…and the worst?

Paperwork and logistics when you have to rely on others, and having no-one to blame other than yourself when things go wrong.

What’s next for The Proper Marmalade Company?

I’m not sure, the pandemic has changed my thinking but I haven’t crystallised a plan as yet. Thankfully we have a busy cooking period up to Christmas. I’m sure a plan will have formed by then.

Freshly Ground Sponsor advert 2016 print ready.pdf 1 16/08/2016 10:37