Good afternoon everybody,
Just a quick one this week. We are very happy to be working with a new fresh produce supplier. Shrub are based in East Sussex. Working with more than sixty small farms and market gardens they aim to revive the supply chains of old by focusing on seasonality, quality, regionality and soil health. This week’s produce will include heritage tomatoes from Nutbourne Nurseries (completely herbicide and pesticide free), yellow courgettes from a biodynamic market garden (Farmacy Farm), plus greengages and raspberries from Myatts in Kent. Mirabelle plums from Myatts will also feature in a shortcrust pastry pie on the pastry counter this weekend.
There's a distinctly autumnal feel to the rest of the pastry offering this week; Chelsea buns, damson financiers, and apple tart. Based on Anna Higham's recipe, our apple tart consists of a puff pastry base, a layer of apple butter, then topped with sliced apples. A brief word on the apple butter - almost an apple jam - in which whole fruits are boiled, put through a vegetable mill, then cooked low and slow with some brown sugar, resulting in a rich, smooth puree. Apple in excelsis.
Finally, Harriet's cheese highlights are as follows: Mature Sparkenhoe Red Leicester is "firm and crunchy with notes of tomato soup on the finish" and Riseley, which begins its life in Kate's home county of West Berkshire before being washed and matured in the Neal's Yard arches in Bermondsey. This week's batch is somewhat youthful so expect a nuttier, creamier profile.
That's all for now. Thank you for reading and we wish you a happy and restful bank holiday.
Hugo and Kate