Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

39 LAST WORDS The final word on fine food NIBS ETC ORIGINAL SEEDED CRACKERS All too often healthy crackers feel very ‘worthy’ and devoid of any foodie indulgence, but not so with these seeded crackers fromNibs Etc. Their almost malty flavour and crunchy, satisfying texture means that they taste like a real treat, especially so for lovers of seeded snacks as they lent a great nubbly mouthfeel as well as delicious flavour. I’mhappy to report that these are just as delicious with cheese as they are with sweet toppings – honey was an instant favourite – so they’re a great balanced snacking option. Bonus points for being made with upcycled apple pulp. nibsetc.com JULIENNE BRUNO SUPERSTRACCIA In all honesty, I can’t say that I’ve been particularly struck bymany vegan cheeses – they’re often too nutty or fermented-tasting, which in and of itself isn’t an issue, but don’t sit well when compared to a dairymilk cheese – so it was with trepidation that I tried Julienne Bruno’s Superstraccia, a plant-based take on straciatella (AKA one of my very favourite cheeses). My fears were unfounded, as this was perfectly creamy and salty, and paired beautifully with everything I served it with; indeed, it’s just as delicious on toast with a drizzle of honey as it is with pasta. juliennebruno.com OHMG PEACH & ROSEMARY & ASHWAGANDHA I’m a sucker for anything which offers up nutritional value while temptingmy tastebuds, so I was delighted to discover this summery tipple – deliciously refreshing and at once fruity and herbacious, it’s made evenmore special with its inclusion of ashwagandha, a herb which is purported to ease pain and inflammation, and to aid sleep. That together with the bioavailable magnesium also on the ingredients list meant that far frombeing a drink to avoid in the evening (sweet, fizzy drinks are oftenmy kryptonite post-5pm), I could enjoy this at any time of day. ohmgwater.com HOW TO CASH IN ON THE HOMEMADE PIZZA TREND PARTNER CONTENT THE INDEPENDENT SHOPPER that many of our guests have never tried before. What we can’t grow or farm for ourselves we also source from a selection of carefully chosen Kentish suppliers, and these producer relationships are enormously important to me. We cultivate these partnerships carefully as having that close relationship allows me to make sure the producer is as passionate as we are about the product and works to same level as we do. These relationships give you a new level of respect for the produce. You know the individuals, you understand the sheer work and effort they put in to producing high quality produce and you respect the owner’s hard work that has gone into it. It affects your attitude towards not wasting any part of it, and ensuring as much as possible can be creatively used. It’s a relationship that only benefits everyone involved and these kinds of relationships should always be fostered. I am head chef at The Ferry House – a 2AA Rosette restaurant and event venue with boutique rooms, set beside the estuary in Harty, Kent. The owners are third generation farmers and the restaurant itself is surrounded by their family farmland. This heritage is a foundation for a passion towards food provenance. We have a 1.5 acre Kitchen Garden, while locally grassed grazed beef comes from their family herd, along with their free range eggs. We also serve wild game such as pheasant and partridge from the family shoot on the Harty estate and forage the hedgerows and shoreline. Our food is ultra-seasonal, with a heavy focus on sustainability, reducing food waste and using every edible part of the produce creatively. We have a penchant for anything out of the ordinary and grow all kinds of weird and wonderful produce in the kitchen garden - I take a great deal of pride in being able to offer food To reduce produce wastage we carefully preserve seasonal produce, while also utilising what would normally be considered off cuts. We also have our own onsite butchery, so we can order whole animals from our suppliers and practice a ‘nose to nail’ ethos. Knowing our producers well and carefully selecting those relationships is also beneficial to the health of our guests and to the environment. I think everyone understands that eating healthily is important for the good our body. However, eating healthily is more than just eating more fruit and veg, it can also go hand in hand with making better food choices. Choosing higher welfare meats and knowing our food provenance often has environmental benefits which go hand in hand with health benefits. Knowing our producers well allows us serve produce cultivated in this way. Guests are much more aware of and interested in the food provenance of the establishments they choose to eat at. At The Ferry House we spend considerable time educating the team on our dishes and suppliers, including organising tours and tastings. By doing so the team can make recommendations and suggestions if desired, but moreover they can enrich the customer dining experience by bringing food provenance to the fore. James Pilcher, head chef at The Ferry House TRIED & TESTED T he Covid-19 pandemic brought with it many things, most challenging but some positive – one of which was the advent of the homemade pizza trend. That’s not to say that making pizza at home wasn’t a popular pastime pre-2020, but with everyone spending more time than ever at home and restaurants and even takeaways being shut for long periods of time, many consumers started to take the habit a bit more seriously. Whereas pre-pandemic a standard white bread flour was ideal for creating a pizza base, with a teaspoon of instant yeast and sugar added for a quick rise, in 2020 and beyond shoppers have realised the beauty of slow dough – using a sourdough starter instead of yeast, perhaps, and leaving the dough to prove in its own time. Indeed, not just prove but ferment for added flavour. Of course, quality makes all the difference, so a finely ground Italian 00 won out over conventional bread flour in some households. Tomatoes also had their turn in the spotlight. No longer just a cheap commodity, shoppers were experimenting with authentic tinned tomatoes with provenance – recognising that quality options, for example fromMutti’s range, offered a richer and naturally sweeter sauce. The same thing happened with cheese, with some consumers realising that smaller-scale, better quality cheeses –while often not as dry as mass-produced options –made all the difference in terms Everyone loves pizza, andwith the DIY pizza movement showing no signs of abating it’s time to make sure you’re giving your customers what they need to do it well of flavour and creamy texture. Plus, why not experiment with cheese as a topping, from rich and piquant Gorgonzola to smoked Scamorza or indulgent Burrata? Speaking of toppings, consumers’ minds are still overflowing with creative ideas – often inspired by masters of the art who showcase their skills on social media. New styles are filtering into the UK market, from the Detroit-style pizza (think a melted cheese-loaded focaccia with a crispy cheese crown) which can host any number of wacky flavours, to the NewYork- style: a super thin and crispy base. This is the joy of Italian food – often simple and always made with love, but by levelling up the ingredients you stock you canmake foodie fans for life. specialityfoodmagazine.com