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Life starts all over again when it becomes crisp in the autumn. As the leaves begin to fall, and frosty mornings become the norm, we love plotting hearty recipes that guarantee to keep us warm and cozy during the damp and dreary winter months.
As cold and flu season hovers, it's important that we continue to nourish our bodies with the right foods in order to keep our immune systems in check. A nourishing all rounder, packed full of vitamins, minerals, collagen and keratins, bone broth helps boost our immune systems, improves gut health and aids in digestion. No wonder it’s one of the oldest remedies used to cure, sooth, and nurture the sick.
A quintessential summer treat, nothing quite beats the smell of freshly picked strawberries. And it’s no wonder why they smell so delicious – did you know they’re actually a member of the rose family? This succulent, fragrant fruit is as beautiful as it is flavourful.
Rich in vitamin C, Manganese and folic acid, strawberries are a good source of ellagic acid and contain antioxidant flavonoids linked to protecting the body against heart disease, stroke and cancers.
We tend to look forward to Wednesday’s in our kitchens, as it’s the day we receive our weekly delivery of fresh produce from our friend Seb at Seb’s Organics. We never quite know what ‘gems’ Seb will throw into the mix, as he’s acquired a bit of a reputation for surprising us with produce we haven’t ordered… we’re not complaining!
April brings with it a gorgeous selection of fruit and veg which adds plenty of colour to our plates – one of our favourites, rhubarb.
We’ve always been inspired by our surroundings and the people within it, and we take great pride in having the privilege of working directly with the farmers, butchers, producers etc. who make this beautiful county of Herefordshire what it is.
Continuing to evolve and challenge ourselves is something we encourage, and want to do more of in 2017, which has been the driving force behind recent experiments in our kitchens. As such, Chef Nicole has been busy tinkering away, developing a vegan menu for an upcoming event at The Bookshop, in partnership with Hereford Indie Food… Vegan Night.
We are now into the week of preparation and ensuring everything is ready for the festive weekend. A Large part for most, is serving up a big, hearty delicious meal for loved ones. Whether there are 2 or 20 of you, Turkey is a staple centre piece in many households.
Once considered a luxury, I still believe it should be treated this way; time and care must be taken to ensure plates are clean + your guests are happy. I have created a recipe to give it the love it deserves; forget a dry, slightly disappointing bird and welcome some extra flavours + techniques. Below you'll find a recipe for Sausage + Chestnut Stuffed Free Range Turkey Breast, Organic Parsnip Puree & Pickled Cranberries - Enjoy!
Recently I turned to my friend Debbie Lewis, a Hereford based Nutritional Therapist specialising in gut health, to share her knowledge on ginger and the importance of including it into our diets whenever possible. Health benefits aside, ginger is a delicious spice which makes the perfect addition to any festive recipe.
To get you in the Christmas spirit, this month Chef Nicole is sharing with us her Ginger Cake recipe. It's been a popular menu item at The Bookshop for a few weeks now, and will no doubt leave your family and friends licking their dessert plates clean.
Food has always been much more than just a means of nourishing the body. Food can take us on a journey, allowing us to explore new flavours that can provide us with an experience which heightens our senses and arouses our taste buds.
As we head into late autumn, with the festive season nearing, I’ve put together a simple way to spruce up your cheese board, using a fruit which is often forgotten – the modest quince.
Autumn calls for a celebration! A time to pay tribute to all of the hardworking farmers who have put in countless hours over the summer months to bring us this year’s harvest. Not only is it the most beautiful of seasons, it’s a great time of year for fruit and veg - one of my favourites being butternut squash.
Sweet and nutty in flavour, coming in various shapes and sizes, there is something comforting about butternut squash that seems to evoke autumn.
Often referred to, and used as a vegetable, butternut squash is actually a fruit belonging to the Cuburbita Moschata species along with other family members pumpkin, cucumber and courgette. A versatile ‘fruit’, butternut squash can be roasted, toasted, puréed for soups or mashed into casseroles, breads and muffins. It’s also a great source of vitamin A and C and offers a well-balanced source of complex carbohydrates.
The Salt Caramel + Hazelnut Brownie has been a Burger Shop staple since it made its debut on our menu. A definite crowd pleaser, I'm happy to share this naughty little recipe with you to be created (and eaten) in the comforts of your own home.
I’m always looking for new ways of incorporating exciting flavours to our menu, using as much of the seasonal ingredients we have at our doorstep. We’re spoilt for choice in Herefordshire when it comes to working directly with the producers growing and rearing delicious food.
When creating new dishes, sometimes making a small change to a traditional recipe can result in something truly amazing. This month we’re sharing our ‘green sauce’ recipe from Steak Night at The Bookshop. Traditionally an Argentinian steak condiment referred to as ‘Chimichurri’ we made a few adjustments due to seasonality and to add a British flare.
Cherries are one of my favourite summer fruits. Packed with a plethora of benefiting compounds that are essential for wellness, these sweet and tart ruby red treats are like Mother Nature’s candy.
Beginning at the end of May and finishing in early August, cherries have a relatively short season. With Herefordshire being home to some of the largest cherry orchards in England, I try to incorporate them into as many of our dishes as possible.
As it’s National Cherry Day on July 16th, I thought we would celebrate with a dessert that Chef Liam put together - Chocolate Mousse Cake topped with organic Herefordshire cherries, Neal's Yard crème fraîche and honeycomb.
Courgette flowers are a wonderful summer vegetable which, when cooked correctly, make a deliciously fresh seasonal dish.
Belonging to the squash family, courgette flowers can be a tricky vegetable to get your hands on. To guarantee courgette flowers I’d recommend growing your own, but you could get lucky whilst shopping at your local farmer’s market throughout the summer months.
Here at A Rule of Tum we source our courgette flowers from Carey Organics. Based on their farm in the heart of Herefordshire, Seb has been supplying us with fresh organic produce since we started out.
The Spring months of April and May bring with them a number of exciting ingredients to play with in our kitchens. One that often gets forgotten, and is readily available, the humble nettle.
Easily foraged, and high in iron, calcium, vitamin C and a plethora of other nutrients, nettles have been used for hundreds of years as a remedy for muscle and joint pain, eczema, arthritis, gout and anaemia. Health perks aside, nettles are a gift to anyone who favours cooking with local, seasonal and fresh ingredients.
We are very lucky at A Rule of Tum to have Farmer Tom Jones at our doorstep who supplies us with his selection of aged meats. His beef and lamb are simply next level.
What can I say, spring is the time of year where we’re able to make the most of this wonderful vegetable. I feel fairly classic is always the most rewarding.
Asparagus season is relatively brief, and the quality of Herefordshire asparagus in particular is absolutely brilliant!
Because asparagus deteriorates relatively quickly, I would recommend eating it the same day it’s been picked to ensure you're enjoying all of its delicious flavours and tenderness. Asparagus is truly the gateway to an abundance of fruits and vegetables to come.
Wild garlic is an amazing food for all to forage. You will find it abundantly in Herefordshire from early April in fields and woodlands. It’s a food that should be used at every opportunity in soups and salads, and is especially good when wilted down in heaps of butter with free-range poached eggs (a personal favourite).
In celebration of wild garlic season, I’ve put together a bangin' recipe, Merguez Spiced Lamb Wrap, that’s great for sharing whilst huddled around the dining room table. It’s simple, yet delicious and can be made well in advance for ease.
With forced rhubarb being in season, I love thinking of exciting and delicious ways to spruce up our menu. Whether it’s as a main ingredient in one of our savoury/sweet dishes, or as a garnish in one our cocktails, I really enjoy working with my team to come up with interesting ways of adding a little colour to our menu during the winter months.
Unlike traditional field-grown rhubarb which appears in farmers’ markets around April, forced rhubarb is grown in the dark, rocking yellowish leaves and can be found from January until the end of March. Forced rhubarb is much different from your standard English rhubarb, as it’s light pink in colour with a sweet, delicate flavour.
This month we turned to our Polish Head Chef, Paula in Burger Shop Worcester to educate us on her countries exciting, rich and hearty cuisine. Often underrated, polish food is perhaps not the most popular of choices, but certainly worth trying.
Polish cuisine is the result of a treasured lure of ancestral ingredients, meaning still to this day the average Pole carries shaman-like knowledge of ingredients and recipes passed down from previous generations. Root vegetables, wild mushrooms and breads are the obvious traditional staple fare of this Slavic influenced country