What’s on the menu in the East Midlands

Next up in our series we look at the best of the East Midlands, plus the team at No.Thirty8, The Tower share their advice on food and drink amous for being the home of the prestigious Melton Mowbray pork pie, the East Midlands has many more tasty foods to boast about – everything from cheese to crisps, and sausages to sweet treats!

The area encompasses the six counties of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland. Foodie hotspots include Bakewell for the frangipane tart and pudding and Cropwell Bishop for award-winning Stilton.

The biggest name in crisps – Walkers – also calls the East Midlands home and its factory in Leicester is one of the largest in the world.

Let’s look at three of the most sought-after ingredients found in the region and how you can use them in your menu.

Bramley apples

Considered by many to be the best cooking apple, the large, green Bramley hails from Nottinghamshire. Although it’s now grown all over the UK, a significant amount of the crop still comes from the area.

Excellent in chutneys, fruit pies, cakes and, of course, as a sauce for roast pork, the recipe options are endless. Why not pair Bramleys with Lincolnshire sausages in a toad in the hole – simply peel, slice and add to the batter.

Lincolnshire sausages

We’re known for our quality sausages in the UK and the East Midlands doesn’t let us down. The Lincolnshire sausage offers a unique flavour and texture – spiked with sage and coarse cut for added meatiness.

The herby notes lend themselves well to creamy dishes – try sausage, Parmesan and mushroom tagliatelle – and chicken. Create a stuffing from the sausages and pack into a whole bird for a spin on a Sunday roast.

Cheese

There are so many high-quality East Midlands cheeses that we could make this whole article just about them. The rich soil is a perfect partner for dairy farming, which, in turn, makes high quality milk and cheese.

Some names to look out for are Red Leicester, Dambuster Cheddar, Stilton, Lincolnshire Poacher, Sage Derby, Shropshire Blue, Stichelton… Celebrate them on a cheeseboard but don’t miss the opportunity to use them elsewhere. Serve in burgers, mix into pasta or gnocchi dishes and create tempting rarebits.