Recipe: Mussels with leeks and cider

Step aside, moules marinière, here’s a fantastic mussel dish that’s got its heart in the West Country! Far from simply swapping out wine for your favourite cider, this dish brings together mussels, leeks, mustard and smoked pancetta to create a truly inspired seafood main course. Speaking of cider, if you want to plant bareroot apple… Continue reading Recipe: Mussels with leeks and cider

Recipe: Rhubarb chutney

Early forced varieties of rhubarb are in season – and if you’ve seen any on the farmers’ market, it’s probably Timperley Early. If you can find yourself a bunch or two, this rhubarb chutney recipe expertly combines some outstanding (and possibly surprising!) flavours. Chopped apples, dates, apple cider vinegar, muscovado sugar, onions… and a medley… Continue reading Recipe: Rhubarb chutney

Recipe: duck & blackberry salad

Combining duck with asparagus, quail’s eggs and a rich jus makes this dish a particularly special affair. And blackberries add a certain British flavour to the salad, not only as fresh berries on the plate, but also cooked into the red wine jus. Mouthwatering! Ingredients (serves 2) Method Perfection on a plate! This recipe comes… Continue reading Recipe: duck & blackberry salad

A guide to fruit tree pollination

The science (and sometimes the snake-oil) can run deep when it comes to fruit tree pollination. You could read endless books and research studies on how to optimise your orchard with a diversity of cross-pollinators to achieve a bumper crop. For most growers, it’s actually pretty straightforward to get the right results. This guide should… Continue reading A guide to fruit tree pollination

Our favourite Christmas evergreens

  The Christmas Tree For some Christmas is not Christmas without a Christmas tree (real or fake) but when did it all start and why? A matter of Germanic fashion… The first use of Christmas trees as they’re known today dates back to the 1500s. Some claim the tree originated in Germany in the mid… Continue reading Our favourite Christmas evergreens

Freezing weather & bareroot plants

Most of the damage caused to bareroot plants in cold, freezing conditions is to the delicate roots themselves. The roots are fine, fibrous structures with a high water content: moving them, or even the slightest touch whilst frozen, can cause damage. Almost all of a shrub or a tree’s energy reserves are stored in the… Continue reading Freezing weather & bareroot plants

Cooking with Cider?

How about pheasant with caramelised apple and cider sauce!   Ingredients (to serve 2-4) 1 pheasant 1 tbsp flour 1 onion, sliced and chopped up finely 2 garlic cloves, chopped and sliced finely 1 bottle of your favourite cider – roughly 500ml Handful of thyme 3 bay leaves Dollop of cream (optional) Seasoning ½ tsp… Continue reading Cooking with Cider?

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