New River Cottage ketchups taste divine

THE River Cottage Kitchen & Store was born out of the Covid lockdowns when the world stopped going out. Hugh and chief executive Stewart Dodd had time to do some thinking, and what they realised was that there was a market for some of the many items which featured both at the cookery school and in the River Cottage television programmes.

“We created a wonderful range of yoghurts and also some River Cottage beers and ciders,” Hugh told me.

“We began looking to consolidate that, make everything organic and introduce some more products. One of the most significant of those is our River Cottage kombucha – a live drink made out of fermented tea or chamomile with natural flavourings from the garden and hedgerow.

“We’ve also got some amazing kefirs coming out with Hollis

Mead dairy in Dorset – it’s a fantastic yoghurt drink. And we’ve been making River Cottage sauerkraut.”

The Store also sells 19 River Cottage handbooks and a dozen or so of Hugh’s own cookbooks, as well as River Cottage merchandise including wool blankets, wooden chopping boards, t-shirts, aprons, reusable cups, and some additional products from sustainable suppliers including a variety of organic wines.

This weekend, River Cottage launches an exciting range of organic ketchups, in partnership with Nine Meals From Anarchy.

Three of these new organic ketchups – Beetroot, Squash and Tomato – will launch in Waitrose, RRP £3.50/250ml.

An introductory offer of £1 off will be available for a limited time only. Two further flavours – Mushroom and Rhubarb – will complete the full range of ketchups which will also be available to buy from River Cottage’s new Kitchen & Store as well as on ninemealsfromanarchy. co.uk.

The range is certified organic, vegan friendly, palm oil-free and gluten-free.

MATT AUSTIN