Food & Drink

Food & Drink Blessed are the cheesemakers who

By Steve Keenan newsdesk@blackmorevale.net Britain’s champion cheesemakers are planning a post-covid comeback in 2021, with new cheeses and plans to throw open the doors of their Blackmore Vale cheese farm to visitors. Marcus Fergusson and Penny Nagle gained international recognition when their Renegade Monk cheese was crowned Supreme Champion at the 2020 Virtual Cheese Awards in July. But it came in the middle of a rollercoaster year. The couple had completed a new cheesemaking shed in February and getting the taste right in its new home was a struggle. Also, unlike cheddars which last for 12 months or more, Renegade Monk takes a month to mature – then has a shelf life of just eight weeks. So when two lockdowns decimated business in March and November, the couple ended up feeding hundreds of the cheeses to their Oxford and Sandy pigs. “In the first lockdown, we had 2,000 cheeses in storage. We reduced prices and we cut down on production but we still had 300 left over which went to the pigs,” said Marcus. “The award in July was a lifesaver because we had a new audience. We started making as much as we could, The Cheese Experience tours of Feltham’s Farm & Cheese facility are available from April 1, subject to covid-19. Dates will usually be midweek, with a Saturday subject to demand. There are three tour options, from one hour to a full threeand-a-half hours. All start at up to 600 cheeses a week. Then came the second lockdown, we had 1,500 cheeses on the shelves and our wholesalers weren’t ordering.” The couple stopped production in early November but thanks to a late Christmas flurry, managed to shift their last cheese on December 10. The pigs also had an early Christmas present. Now they are carefully planning for 2021, in what is a traditionally quiet time for cheese. “People don’t buy cheese in January, so we’ve never made cheese in December. We normally start again about now – but this year, we’ll wait a bit to find out what’s happening in lockdown.” 11am. From delivery of raw milk to moulding is explained, with the basics of cheese making from Marcus, a tour of the animals and organic veg systems and an option to buy cheese. The longer tours include cheese tastings and cheese goodie bags (worth £20), Meanwhile, a cheese visitor centre is being finished at home in Feltham’s Farm, Horsington, which is planned to host Cheese Experience tours from April. (See below.) There will be the chance to taste Renegade Monk, which is made from organic pasteurised cow’s milk from Gould’s Farm, just two fields away. As the cheese matures the set curd is also washed in Hop Drop pale ale from Stroud Brewery. “We are surrounded by some of the best cheddar makers, so there was no point in making a traditional cheese,” said Marcus, who began making cheese in 2016. “I am a lover of French cheese, the stinking, dirty cheese you get in markets. I wanted a with the full tour adding a ham, cheese tart and salad lunch with local ale, wine or cider. Prices range from £15 - £50 per person, with a maximum of four people in each group. Full PPE gear is provided. Fairtrade, organic Feltham’s Farm T shirts are on sale for

SAY CHEESE: Marcus Ferguson and Penny Nagle and, inset, their award-winning Renegade Monk

washed rind cheese, in beer. And then throw some blue in it. A blue washed rind hadn’t been done before.” Described as Britain’s strongest cheese, three Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe began ordering it after the award, and wholesalers now account for 70 per cent of national and international sales. The name of the cheese is a nod to nearby Templecombe, where Knights Templar monks once held court. A sister cheese, Rebel Nun, is also made, a much bluer and milder cheese, like a Rocquefort. The latest addition is La Fresca Margarita, described by Marcus as “a savoury icecream.” It’s a lemony, light Make a date in your diary to take tour of the dairy

36 cheese, best eaten in the first £20 (£15 if you buy any Cheese Experience tours). Blackmore Vale Magazine readers receive £5 off a tour if booked before April 1. Call 01963 370857 or email penny@felthamsfarm.com and quote Blackmore Vale, or book online at felthamsfarm.com.

Food & Drink are planning a comeback in 2021

week or two. This one is a joint project with Durslade Farm Shop at Hauser & Wirth and is only made to order. Now Marcus plans two more cheeses in 2021, including a hard variety – with a longer shelf life. They will be Alpine in style, said Marcus, influenced by the couple’s love of travelling round Europe. The burgeoning cheese empire is a far cry from their previous careers. Both studied history then Marcus got into music while Penny became a criminal barrister and moved into the field of music and copyright law. With the first of three children born, they moved to Somerset and bought 22-acre Feltham’s Farm with a vision of organically reviving the marsh meadows. They also wanted to be close to Horsington Primary School. “Cheese wasn’t on the horizon when we moved down here,” said Penny. “We had an idea of pigs –back then, it wasn’t about produce. We were trying to help the land and we planted trees first.” In fact, they planted 1,500 trees, built raised asparagus beds and added chickens, sheep and pigs. When Marcus was made redundant in 2015, they relied on their holiday cottage for income. “I thought of making wild garlic pesto. It was Penny who said: ‘How about cheese?’ She kept on at me so I did a one-day course at River Cottage, a mix of geekery and flair. I loved it.” He learned his craft at Bath Soft Cheese and began selling Renegade Monk at market and to a few farm shops. But for coronavirus, the business was strong and achieved organic status last February, which also opened the door to being included in Abel & Cole’s organic veg boxes and organic food shops. The operation is completely carbon neutral. Ground source heating and solar panels provide all the power the cheese shed and its four fridges need, with excess stored in large

Tesla batteries or sent to the National Grid. Supplies for around 20 farm shops locally are delivered by electric van. The veg they grow goes to Wincanton Wholefoods and all the whey, a bye product of the cheesemaking process, is fed to the pigs. To help cope with the workload, the couple have hired their first full-time employee, a cheesemaker from Shropshire, who starts in February. But Penny plays down their achievements since launch less than five years ago. In an interview with the excellent podcast series @Somersetstories.com, she

BIG CHEESE: Penny and Marcus with their awards and, inset below, their Rebel Nun cheese

said: “We are organic and independent. “We are such small fry, we are tiny babies in cheese. We are not competition for anyone.”

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New community food shop leading the

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net

A different and dignified community food shop in Sturminster Newton has fed some 470 hungry people, of which 225 are children in North Dorset since it opened just seven weeks ago. Struck with the number of people going hungry in the district, which was exacerbated during the first lockdown, Dorset Council and Sturminster Newton county councillor Carole Jones, together with the Blackmore Vale Surgery Group, launched The Vale Pantry. The initiative is part of Your Local Pantry, a national charity aimed at tackling food poverty. Pantry co-ordinator Carole said: “During this time it really hit home how people were struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table for the family. “Once the worst of the first phase of covid-19 was over, I worked closely with the Blackmore Vale Surgery Group to get the Pantry open and available to any family or person struggling to make ends meet.” The Vale Pantry is the first rural and only pantry in the South of England and opened on November 5 at 35a Market Place, Sturminster Newton. And since then it has served more than 4,000 people. Carole said: “Some of the stories we have heard have literally brought us to tears. “Food poverty is very real and often missed but living amongst us all. “People think that we are in a fairly well-heeled area, but the stories we have heard over the weeks have been heart-breaking. 38 “One young mum told us that following lockdown, when her partner lost his hours, they would go without breakfast and lunch just so that the children could eat. Another mum allowed herself one small meal a day – invariably an omelette, but when her son came home from university, through the pantry she was able to provide cooked meals for the both of them. “In the early days it was quite common for someone to break down in tears because they could take food home with them that they could afford and choose themselves. “It truly is the most heartwarming and wonderful project.” The Vale Pantry is a twist on the traditional food bank as members pay £4.50 to secure a regular, weekly shop including fresh and frozen food, the basic staples, fresh meat, fish and eggs plus tinned foods and cereal. Membership is open to individuals, couples and young families in North Dorset who might struggle to pay bills or run out of money before the end of the month. The Vale Pantry also works closely with the local food banks to help people before crisis hits or indeed, as they come out of crisis. Some 25 volunteers help on a regular basis, from collecting some foods, such as milk and household supplies, to organising the Fare Share food deliveries, rotating and sorting stock, working in the shop to taking cardboard to the dump. On New Year’s Eve, The Grosvenor Hotel in Shaftesbury donated a car full of food, which they were unable to use because of the latest coronavirus restrictions which meant they had to close that night. Carole said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our community wholeheartedly for the

FEEDING THE 4,000: The Vale Pantry has served a huge number of people in its first seven weeks, exposing a real need in the area support and generosity given since we opened the doors to The Vale Pantry. “Our community food shop is feeding around 470 people each week, of which some 225 are children. “Whilst we are based in Sturminster Newton, we serve anyone within the North Dorset area that needs help with food. “Our pantry is a place full of good quality food, but laughter and joy, indeed many of our members tell us their trip in to us is their highlight of the week. “None of this would be possible without the wonderful volunteers who help us and the community who give so generously –both companies, individuals and our lovely members who we have come to know, and finally, of course the Blackmore Vale Partnership Surgery Group, who have enabled this project to get off the ground. “We always desperately need

way in the battle to feed hungry children

FILLING A GAP: Sturminster Newton county councillor Carole Jones at The Vale Pantry

household goods, sanitary products and babies’ nappies, which we don’t get from Fare Share and all donations of these, foods and indeed money, would be most welcome and allow us to continue the work we do. We have been assured of our premises until Christmas 2021 by kind agreement of John Roman who owns the property, and it is our hope that we can be sustainable beyond that time. “All help gratefully received!” The Vale Pantry opens twice a week on Thursday evenings between 5pm and 8pm and on Saturday morning between 9am and noon. Anyone who needs help with food can apply online at: your-local-pantry.force.com/ s/membersign-up and choose Dorset The Vale in

Mum’s Kitchen...

the drop down box. If anyone needs help joining, Carole is available for support over the telephone. You can sign up as a member or as a volunteer at yourlocalpantry.co.uk/thevale The Vale Pantry is at 35a Market Place, Sturminster Newton DT10 1AR 07968 348481 thevalepantry@gmail.com

with Diana Holman

Cheese and Chorizo Pastry Puffs

These little pastries are delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients 225g/8oz puff pastry, either a block or ready-rolled 115g/4oz Spicy chorizo sausage, finely chopped 50g/2oz grated cheese. Any hard cheese can be used. Cheddar works well. 1 small egg, beaten Method Roll out pastry thinly, or unroll if ready-rolled. Using a 7.5cm/3in round cutter, cut out as many as possible, re-rolling the trimmings to make 16 in all. Preheat the oven to 230C/210 fan. Mix together cheese and chorizo. Place one of the pastry rounds in the palm of your hand, brush around the edges with beaten egg to help them to stick together, and place a little of the chorizo mixture across the centre. Using your other hand, pinch the edges of the pastry together to make a tiny pasty shape. Repeat the process to make 16. Line a baking sheet with nonstick paper and place the pastries on it. Brush them lightly with the beaten egg and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Food & Drink Cooking... with Mrs Simkins

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Keep out the winter chill with this utterly delicious soup: simple enough for every day, the cream, and a little garnish of fresh thyme or snipped chives, make it special enough for modest entertaining within your bubble or once restrictions lift. It’s economical too, if made with one of those big bargain boxes of ‘wonky’ mushrooms you can find in the supermarkets now. And it lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge and reheats beautifully!

Serves 4 2½ tablespoons oil 1 medium large onion, cut in small dice 1 plump garlic clove, finely chopped Around 650g mushrooms, sliced or chopped Freshly ground black and ground white pepper Generous pinch dried thyme 1 litre hot beef or vegetable stock 2 tablespoons medium sherry, optional Good grating of nutmeg 100-120ml double cream Fresh thyme or snipped chives for garnish, optional

Cook the onions slowly, over a low heat, in 2 tablespoons of the oil, adding the garlic towards the end. In a lidded pan, cook the mushrooms in the remaining ½ tables spoon of oil, slowly so they half fry, half steam. Once cooked, transfer the mushrooms to the food processor, tipping any juices into the onion pan. Add the pepper and thyme to the mushrooms and blitz in a food processor or blender. Add the blitzed mushrooms to the onion pan and stir to combine. Stir in the hot stock slowly followed by the sherry and nutmeg. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, but don’t boil. Stir in the cream, check for seasoning and heat until piping hot but not boiling. Garnish with a sprig or two of fresh thyme or snipped chives if you are feeling fancy. Tip When making any soup, remember the old adage: ‘a soup boiled is a soup spoiled!’ Check out Mrs Simkins’ website for more winter recipes: MrsSimkins.co.uk twitter.com/mrssimkinscooks

Welcome to ‘a ray of

By Karen Bate newsdesk@blackmorevale.net As you sit at position 3,094 in your online supermarket queue or stand in position 23 outside the supermarket in the cold rain, you may wonder if there is an alternative. Well, there is. A new ‘eco-destination’ farm shop has just opened at the North/South Cadbury junction of the A303 offering shoppers a “ray of sunshine in a bleak world”. Enter Teals and a new world of shopping awaits. Founders Ash and Nick Sinfield built Teals during lockdown and opened this lofty food hall before Christmas. It is a super-sustainable food market, boasting an abundance of local and responsibly sourced fresh produce whilst caring for the planet in an uplifting environment. As an alternative to larger and busier supermarkets, with sustainability at its heart, Teals ticks many of the boxes. A host of vibrant vegetables picked from verdant fields, responsibly sourced meat from livestock grazed on nearby hillsides, oven baked bread, delicious delicatessen favourites and specialist goodies from further afield are inviting and a cheesemonger is on hand to cut you the finest offerings. Delicious take-away food and gifts are also for sale and all under one roof. And as you browse, you can pour yourself a coffee as you shop, making for an enjoyable and safe experience. Ash said: “We think of Teals as the canvas on which to celebrate localness, where the producers and makers are the stars that add the colour. We take time to ensure there’s as much Somerset goodness as possible on our plates and in our food market and lifestyle store. We avoid mass food production that travels further and removes taste, instead joining the many brilliant farm shops around the country focusing their energies on finding local products that make the most of our tastebuds. “We have a fantastic in-house butcher and cheesemonger who offer a very personal service and we have daily fresh bread, cake and vegetable deliveries so the shelves are always well stocked with the basics. “We also have a milk machine that vends Jersey milk, and our customers love this service as the milk is coming in fresh from the farm each day and you can bring your own bottles to fill up or buy glass bottles in store that you bring

Food & Drink sunshine’ in a new world of shopping

ECO-DESTINATION: Nick and Ash Sinfield at Teals farm shop at South Cadbury

back on each visit. “Working with experts we admire and like, also means we can share their stories with our guests and build the very strong link between nourishing food and well-being, which is so relevant in the current climate.” Ash and Nick are steadfast in their commitment to sustainability. The shop and eatery is supersustainable, powered by renewable energy. The build itself used innovative techniques from local businesses and suppliers and the result is a highly energy efficient, attractive building, which blends seamlessly into the landscape and provides a shopping space which complies with new social distancing regulations. And by Easter there will be eight electric car charging points. Nick said: “It’s our mission to make a positive contribution to the region and this begins with the building itself. “We have invested in high quality solar panels and technology to meet their energy requirements and taken care to preserve wildlife corridors, re-used soil from foundations to create new habitats, planted hundreds of trees and sown metres of meadow as well as fields and grass.” The pair aim to minimise single use plastic, both in store and in their supply chain. The packaging they do use is almost all fully recyclable and Ash and Nick are early adopters of next generation materials. But it isn’t just what is used on the outside, the pair carefully choose their produce and work with carefully chosen farmers and suppliers, with strong ethics who care for the planet and are equally invested into what we put inside our bodies. Ash said: “We are lucky down here in the West Country as there is an abundance of tasty seasonal produce to fill our food market. Everywhere you look something is growing. “We especially try to seek out the people who grow their food that little bit more carefully, slowly and responsibly, often on a smaller scale. We love giving them a platform to celebrate their hard work, co-creating tales together.” Ash added: “This is a great alternative to shopping in the supermarkets during lockdown as customers can shop local and support smaller suppliers and the store offers a super safe environment with lots of space. “Talking to customers we have found that many people are having a tough time right now. Lockdown is really affecting people’s mental health, but the great news is that we can offer a lovely space for people to spend time and escape to. We are on a number of cycle routes so you can stop off for a coffee and cake or take away lunch enroute. “We are also welcoming lots of walkers and are seeing older customers who want a change of scene. The store is a warm and welcoming distraction for many in an otherwise locked down world.” Teals is the first low plastic, fuel-free stop on the route and is pending B Corp status. Pre-prepared “kitchen suppers” are available and the shop is open seven days a week. Visit the team and explore for yourself: 1 Orchard Lane, South Cadbury, BA22 7FS 01963 361755 Teals.co.uk 41