HARD to believe on an April day when the rain is lashing down, but summer isn’t far off – and what better way to celebrate in style on a hot sunny day than with an iced cocktail! That is the delicious idea of Crispin Shingler, a mixologist and former actor, who has brought the skills…
DORSET has the perfect climate and soil for growing vines – particularly to produce champagne-style sparkling wines. The success of a new local vineyard in the 2014 Judgement of Parsons Green underlines the growing importance of viticulture in the local food and drink industry. Langham Wine Estate, near Dorchester, took the top prize with its…
DORSET winemakers Langham Estates have won the Judgement of Parsons Green IV, a competition to find the best English sparkling wines. Langham’s winemaker Liam Idzikowski was thrilled with the success of their Classic Cuvee 2010: “We are absolutely delighted to have done so well in the Judgement of Parsons Green – not only because of…
A WILD mushroom pie has taken a Bournemouth man into the finals of the Badger Ales national pie competition, which will be judged at the Hall & Woodhouse pub-restaurant in Bath on Thursday 6th March. Russell Clarke beat nearly 700 entries to reach the finals. He won the first round of the vegetarian category, impressing…
WHEN customers ask for this cheese, they pronounce it one of two ways: “Oh-gleshield” or “Ogg-leshield”. I spoke with Jamie Montgomery, who makes this fine cheese in North Cadbury, Somerset and he says it’s Oh-gleshield. That’s settled, then. Jamie’s celebrated unpasteurised cheddar, Montgomery, uses milk from his Friesian herds, while Ogleshield is made from the…
WEST Country beef and lamb have been awarded protected status by the European Commission. Regional meat has been given Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status while another specialist regional product, Anglesey Sea Salt, has been given Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. The EU designations give the products similar protected status to 60 other UK foods,…
A monthly column by Justin Tunstall of Town Mill Cheesemonger, Lyme Regis FRANCIS is an outstanding Dorset cheese success story. Few cheeses win consecutive Best in Category gongs at the British Cheese Awards (our Oscars), yet Francis, a lovely washed-rind gem from Child Okeford has achieved this feat, scooping Best New British Cheese in 2012…
A new monthly column by Justin Tunstall of Town Mill Cheesemonger, Lyme Regis BEING a cheese judge brings mixed blessings. While it’s an honour and invariably stimulating to spend a day with one’s fellow judges, discussing the qualities of a selection of cheeses, not all of the cheeses submitted are up to snuff. Sometimes a…
EASY Bean, based on a farm in South Somerset, has launched a new “bean” inspired, gluten-free range this autumn. Company founder Christina Baskerville has added the new Chickpea Crispbreads to her pioneering range of one-pot meals which she launched six years ago. The Easy Bean mission is to produce tasty, healthy and convenient food that…
DAVID and Karen Richards, of Capreolus Fine Foods at Rampisham, have won the prestigious Champion Product Award in this year’s Taste of the West food and drink awards for their Guanciale, a Dorset version of an Italian classic. Chef and food-writer Mitch Tonks, who was the champion product judge, said: “This really shone out as…