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Good afternoon everyone,
Just a quick one this week. Whilst we wait patiently for our supplier to pick the first of their forced rhubarb, an estimated three more weeks, we are making the most of what is peak right now in terms of citrus by candying and curding to our heart's content. We somehow managed to make almost the perfect amount of marmalade last year, in the region of 600 jars, the last of which was sold this week. The shelves will be empty for a couple of weeks before the marmalade marathon begins again in earnest. In the meantime we are candying as many Seville oranges as possible, its thick peel and pith making it the superior orange for such endeavors in our opinion. It is currently being used in the saffron teacakes, Grasmere gingerbread and custard cake but we are always thinking ahead to those seasonal buns which have a cross to bear... We will also be employing the Seville juice to make a tart curd this week, which will be used to sandwich together little shortbread biscuits for a weekend special. The last word on citrus this week is a heads up that the blood oranges are tasting very good so do grab a few for the fruit bowl.
Before we call it a day, a brief word on some new wines from a couple of producers relatively new to our shelves. From Leo Dirringer in Alsace, we have a pin bright, fruity fizz that is pure refreshment, Les Bulles, and Grain de Sable, an imprerssive dry Riesling, taut and mineral to start with becoming rich and opulemt with a bit of time in the glass. Simon Busser from Cahors describes his style as "traditional and non-technical". In other words he makes nourishing wines without additives that feel like they're doing you good. Printemps is a blend of Côt (the local name for Malbec) and Merlot, which majors in freshness and drinkability. Vieilles Vignes, from Simon's oldest vines, is all Côt, and aged longer for a deeper, darker expression. Good juice, as they say.
That's all for this week, thank you for reading and we hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday,
Kate and Hugo
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