As I write this editorial soon after the budget has been announced it’s important to point out that supporting British farmers, and Field & Flower providing good value, is of real importance as we head into an expensive time of year. The order I go through below qualifies for £30 off with the code: CHRISTMAS30, bringing the box to under £140, which I think is really great value for the best meat you can buy, straight from our farmers.
The real benefit of our sous-vide products is time. Whilst the whole turkeys we sell cook quicker than your average turkey (because of great fat distribution), this sous-vide turkey cooks (or ‘finishes’ as it’s pre-cooked) in 25-30 minutes. Sous-vide makes everything succulent and tender, this technique is used in many top end restaurants.
We are closing in on half a million meals donated to FareShare South West, a charity we have strengthened our relationship with this Christmas by creating a Bone Broth from surplus turkey bones the fantastic SPRING broth company. If I’m a bit run down, I’ll keep this in the fridge but if not, it’ll be the base for my gravy. I decided to donate all profits to FareShare South West from this broth so please get behind it. We’ve moved this into our 'any four broths for £30’ offer.
Turkey isn’t for everyone - although whoever says turkey is dry and bland will not have tried a Field & Flower turkey, and it’s almost impossible to overcook a sous-vide turkey (you can hold me to that). A great alternative is a festive gammon. I love scoring the fat of our free-range gammons and glazing with a jar of our redcurrant jelly (I blame Nigella). These stand up as a secondary centrepiece and leftovers will see us through until Christmas. My 4 year old daughter, Edith, loves a ham sandwich - some foods are seemingly timeless!
This is a luxury but I can’t let the Belted Galloway beef pass me by this Christmas. Ed’s beef (which you can read about
here in HERD) is top drawer. I’ll freeze this and look forward to it for a roast dinner in early January, perhaps even New Year’s Eve if we decide to cook.
It has become a Christmas tradition for me and my daughter to make our pigs in blankets. The great thing about the DIY pigs is that you can get creative and we like to add honey and thyme to them - the mess is worth it.
A predictable pick, but stuffings are a favourite with the masses. The best way to cook these are not in the turkey, but in a lined baking tray flattening and fraying the edges to crisp them up.
Whilst I love cooking, without having to enlist help I want to make things just slightly easier this year, therefore I’ve added our spiced red cabbage. Our new vegetables come in a foil tray that can be cooked in and recycled.
I have just returned from Norway to see one of our land-based Salmon farms and feel very strongly about moving away from Scottish farmed salmon. This high welfare product will be lightly smoked and perfect for some Christmas entertaining.
My nan used to make amazing sausage rolls, and I have fond Christmas memories of eating them when visiting her at Christmas in Gloucestershire. We have worked with South Devon Chilli farm for a while to ensure we give our sausage rolls a little kick. I’m not sure what she would have made of adding chilli though!
A brilliant foundational cheese board with three characterful cheeses – I had to include a proper somerset cheddar with tang, a soft camembert made with creamy Cornish milk, and a gentle blue to tempt even the most blue-fearing of cheese people.
I’ve used my F&F order to do a little Christmas shopping here. I tried this product in August and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The lads at Black Bee honey just down the road from us have created this seasonal honey which is rich, creamy and marzipan-like in flavour. If I don’t crack it open it’ll be wrapped up and given to one of the foodies in my life.
Thanks for reading
James
