Farm store secrets revealed in new book
Celebration of stunning charcuterie
THE BUTCHERY counter of Walter Smith Fine Foods farm store at Woodlands garden centre near Stapleton is a dazzling display of charcuterie at its brilliant best.
Alongside the expected cuts and joints and slices are colourful creations and innovative concoctions that look more like celebration cakes and desserts than protein filled savouries.
There are beef vol-au-vents, chilli bombs, ready-to-throwin-the-wok stir fries and award winning, Stiltontopped pork pies. It is truly a feast for the eyes.
Now, you can take away some of that inspiration in a new book published by Meze, The Leicestershire and Rutland Cook Book.
Straplined “A celebration of the amazing food and drink on our doorstep”, it features mouthwatering recipes and sumptuous photographs from some of the two counties’ finest restaurants, cafés, delicatessens, pubs, producers and suppliers.
In it, the Walter Smith team shares a recipe for chicken chasseur and gives expert tips on how to select and cook the perfect steak.
Assistant manager at Walter Smith Fine Foods at Woodlands, Billy Lunn, credited customers with being increasingly knowledgeable and interested in their food, possibly as a result of the many cookery programmes on TV.
And according to company director Robert Jones, dishes to go - such as chicken breasts with lemon, ginger and lime marinade - are increasingly popular with younger shoppers.
The award winning butchers has a 130-year history, starting in the Midlands and now with 15 stores as far afield as Somerset and Cheshire.
Almost all the products are made on-site, from speciality sausages to home-cured bacon and gourmet dishes to go
In 2014 it was also recognised as having the best butchery training scheme in the UK by the Meat Trades Council and one apprentice was named Britain’s young butcher of the year.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Cook Book published by Meze Publishing costs £14.95 from featured outlets, select county gift shops, book shops including Waterstones and online at www.amazon.co.uk.
It can be bought for a special introductory offer price of £9.99 from Walter Smith at Woodlands for a limited time while stocks last.