Food & Drink

Granny’s flapjacks are the business!

by Mrs Simkins

A friend of mine’s Granny used to make amazing flapjacks. I like to crack on that I’m a bit of a flapjack whiz myself – but my own recipe is a really simple mix of just butter, golden syrup and oats.

Anyway, I said I’d try his Granny’s and I must say I take my hat off to her – these are just the business! They taste like those ‘home-made’ upmarket flapjacks you can buy in posh village shops – but much better, obviously! Thank you, Jon, your Granny is amazing!

The only change I made was to use butter rather than block margarine, but use that if you prefer (and make this a totally vegan sweet treat).

Traditional flapjacks

(Serves 12) 250g (9oz) salted butter 200g (7½ oz) sugar (golden granulated works well)

1 rounded tablespoon golden syrup ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 225g (8oz) flour 225g (8oz) rolled oats • Preheat oven to 160C (fan ovens) gas mark 3 or equivalent • You will need a greased 20cm (8 inch) square baking dish or brownie tin, the bottom lined with greaseproof paper cut to fit • Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and bicarbonate of soda until the sugar has lost its grittiness. Enford Farm Shop Durweston DT11 0QW Enford Farm Shop Durweston DT11 0QW • • • Cool slightly and sieve in the flour gradually, folding it in with a metal spoon. Next stir in the oats in batches. Press the mixture into the dish, smoothing it down well with the back of a wet tablespoon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until pale golden: don’t over-bake. Remove from the oven and leave to settle and firm up a bit for around 10 minutes. Mark into pieces while still warm. Store in an airtight tin when completely cold. Home reared and locally produced meats, game, deli, fruit, veg, free range eggs and lots more. Follow us on Facebook Home reared and locally produced meats, game, deli, fruit, veg, free range eggs and lots more. Follow us on Facebook Tips Jon’s Granny clearly had highly developed arm muscles, just like my own Nana, because this is quite a stiff mix. If you prefer, start mixing by hand and then finish off in a food processor with the normal blade attachment. This works for all our latest meat pack deals for all our latest meat pack deals brilliantly: grinding the oats slightly and producing a and what’s in fresh that week. and what’s in fresh that week. beautifully fine-textured flapjack. If the mix is a little too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water to loosen.

Fresh fish van in the car park BBQ packs also available.

Wednesdays 9.30am-2pm Half a pig approx £120. www.MrsSimkins.co.uk www.twitter.com/MrsSimkinsCooks

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Pesto – it’s as easy as A, B, C!

Broad beans and rocket are coming into season right now, and while I know broad beans aren’t considered at their best until later in the season, I can’t resist using new produce when it becomes available at the greengrocers! I call this recipe a pesto, but it could easily be considered a hummus, it’s incredibly versatile.

Rocket is a lovely peppery and slightly bitter leaf which boasts good levels of vitamins A, C, B2, folic acid, manganese, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc. While it is commonly thought of as a salad leaf, it is, in fact, a member of the cruciferous vegetable family including broccoli, cabbage and kale. As such it contains a similar selection of phytochemicals – beneficial plant chemicals – including glucosinolates, carotenes and quercetin. Bitter leaves have long been used as a starter to wake up the digestive system before main meals.

Broad beans are a family favourite and contain good levels of folate, Vitamin B1, manganese, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc. They are also a good source of fibre and protein, with about 5 grams of fibre and 7 grams of protein per 100g.

Broad bean and rocket pesto

(Makes a big batch – can be stored in the fridge/freezer) 300g broad beans (removed from their pods) 2 handfuls of rocket ½ bunch of basil ½ a lemon juiced 100g feta (or cashews to keep it vegan) 2 garlic cloves 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pinch of black pepper • Boil the broad beans for two to three minutes, depending on the size of the beans, then drain and set aside to cool. • Rinse and spin dry the rocket. • Once the broad beans have cooled add all the ingredients to a food processor. Pulse to help all the ingredients mix together, then blend to your desired consistency. If you are seeking a smoother consistency, you may need to add a little more oil.

Rebecca Vincent BSc (Hons) is a BANT registered nutritionist working in Wincanton (07515 019430); www.rebeccavincent nutrition.co.uk

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The spirit at the heart of Dorset...

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Wilfrid Shon tells the story of how a forgotten fair and a Bengal Tiger were part of the process of creating Shroton Fair Gin...

What was the inspiration behind starting your own Gin company?

I’ve always loved working behind the bar at weddings, in pubs & restaurants. I had imagined that at some point in the future I’d very much enjoy opening a brewery, vineyard, or distillery. What fun it would be to try out new recipes and add in quirky ingredients that you’ve chosen yourself, and watch a project grow from an idea into something tangible. However, in Summer 2020, I had a thought – why wait? Why not do it now? Once I realised this was a possibility, and not something reserved for later life, the thought of working for anybody else evaporated, and the search for a recipe began.

What has been the most challenging part of the journey?

The most challenging part of ‘the journey’ so far has also in fact been the most rewarding. This is the process of developing an abstract idea into a concrete brand and product, shaping the details that are within your control – not just to make the result simply ‘satisfactory’ but to create a Gin that you’d be delighted to purchase, receive, and drink yourself.

Have you lived in this area for long?

I was brought up in Dorset and spent five years in Yorkshire for undergraduate and postgraduate study. Once I’d had the initial idea of making a Gin, though, I felt it was time to come home, get to work and focus on making the concept of Shroton Fair Gin® a reality.

What are your ambitions for the company?

My motivation is to keep producing a delicious high-quality Gin and share it with as many people as possible. Rural Dorset is famed for its artisan craft producers and my objective is to expand this into the domain of spirits. I want my Gin to be exceptional.

Tell me a little about the choice of name. Was this your first choice?

Having been brought up in Shroton and educated in the area, I wanted to tie my product to the idyllic village where I was fortunate enough to spend my childhood. When conducting research into the village’s history, I was drawn to the story of Shroton Fair. This lost piece of Dorset heritage has all but vanished from collective memory, but I was amazed to discover that it had been a feature of local life for over 700 years. A local historian kindly helped me to find out more about the travelling menagerie that came to Shroton in 1767, bringing a Royal Bengal Tiger to our small Dorset village. I was excited by the idea that that the tiger’s stall would have been pitched almost exactly where the Shroton Cricket Club is now found. It took eight months of alchemy in our kitchen to create my unique recipe – but at the end of it Shroton Fair Gin® was born.

How would you sum up the unique taste of your gin in three words?

Warming, Piquant, Aromatic.

Other than gin, what is your favourite tipple?

On a hot summer’s day, I think it’s hard to beat a cool, crisp pint of lager (aside from my Gin of course!)

And most importantly (!), where and when can I buy a bottle?

We are open every Friday & Saturday 09:00-12:00 at Ash Farm Courtyard, Stourpaine, DT11 8PW. We offer 5cl or 70cl bottles of Zummit Dry ® for you to savour. Pop along and see where your local Gin is distilled!

“The Taste of the West and the London Spirits competitions are entered by hundreds of distilleries. “The former award – to find the best produce in South-West England, the latter – to assess the finest spirits across Europe, Asia & the Americas. “The judges for both competitions possess some of the most refined palates in the world, and I was delighted to win Gold & Bronze respectively. “No mean feat for a recipe concocted in a rural Dorset kitchen!” Wilfrid Shon

Head to Shrotonfairgin.co.uk to learn more about the story behind our award-winning, hand-crafted Dorset Gin.

hello@shrotonfairgin.co.uk