Speciality Food - October 2025

39 LAST WORDS The final word on fine food GOOD GUYS BAKEHOUSE GINGER CRISPY BISCUITS Healthier biscuits might sound like a misnomer, but with this new product Good Guys Bakehouse absolutely delivers. Their ginger flavour is full of warming punch, so it tastes just like you’re eating a traditional – and often calorie-laden – gingerbread biscuit, but thanks to their light texture you know you’re onto a good thing. Perfect for sofa grazing or enjoying with a cuppa. goodguysbakehouse.co.uk NIRVANA BUTTERCUP DDH PALE ALE Hop heads around the UK have long had a plethora of double dry hopped beers to relish, but up until now non-drinkers have been waiting for their turn at the bar. By adding hops twice during the beer- making process, the team at Nirvana have produced a heady beer with a strong taste and aroma – with just 0.5% ABV. With tropical and citrus notes, this beer is equal parts refreshing and satisfyingly flavour-packed. nirvanabrewery.com CORNISH SEA SALT EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING Give me prettymuch anything Everything Bagel- inspired and I’mbound to be a fan, but right now this seasoning tops the list. Perfectly balanced and supremely savoury, it adds notes of onion and garlic plus the aromatic warmth of nigella seeds to all sorts of dishes. I’ve been adding it to avocado and eggs, soup and dips, as it adds instant depth of flavour to anything and everything. cornishseasalt.co.uk THE INDEPENDENT SHOPPER daily with seasonal vegetables, micro herbs, and an array of edible flowers and wild plants. From golden courgette blossoms and vibrant nasturtiums to purple basil and ruby chard, the garden not only reduces food miles to zero but adds a distinctive signature to the presentation and flavour profile of every dish. Our garden is a living pantry. We grow for taste, colour, and sustainability – prioritising heritage A t Burleigh Court Hotel, fine dining isn’t just about exquisite flavours – it’s about a deep-rooted respect for the land, the seasons, and the vibrant community of growers and artisans that surround its historic Georgian country house. Home to a 2 AA Rosette-awarded restaurant, Burleigh Court is proud to champion a sustainable, hyper-local food philosophy. The kitchen team sources the majority of its ingredients from within a 45-minute radius of the hotel – working closely with nearby farms, producers, and foragers – while also growing a wide range of fresh produce on-site in its own kitchen garden. Our approach is grounded in integrity. Every ingredient we serve has a story and a purpose – whether it’s picked from our garden just hours before service or delivered by a local farmer we’ve known for years. Tucked away in the hotel’s lush grounds is a flourishing kitchen garden – an ever-evolving, chemical-free haven that supplies the restaurant DuncanWales, executive chef at Burleigh Court TRIED & TESTED and seasonal varieties that support biodiversity and elevate the plate. In addition to the kitchen garden, Burleigh Court is home to several beehives, lovingly maintained by the hotel’s very own beekeeping directors. These busy pollinators do more than just enrich the surrounding flora – they also provide a regular harvest of golden, floral honey that finds its way into the kitchen. Our honey is a reflection of the land itself. It’s a hyper-local product that enhances both sweet and savoury dishes in the restaurant, from glazes and vinaigrettes to desserts and breakfast offerings. Beyond the garden walls, the culinary team continues to draw on the Cotswolds’ rich agricultural landscape. Carefully selected partners within a 45-minute drive supply the restaurant with grass-fed meats and rare-breed lamb, organic vegetables from nearby farms, artisan cheeses and cultured butter, freshwater trout and game, wild mushrooms and foraged herbs. For example, we source pork from Quiggly Piggly in Uley, about a 20 minute drive away. These are free- range pigs that are out and about, happy and live outdoors; our venison is from Halls Country Game in Tetbury; and we source a number of locally- made cheeses from The Fine Cheese Company in Bath. ZUPPA SEASON It’s time for soups to shine, and quality and simplicity are key to enjoying themat their best I talian cuisine may be famed for its freshness and simplicity, but as the weather turns colder our collective thoughts turn to hearty, warming fare – and retailers have plenty to choose fromwhen they turn to their Italian stock this season, too. Soups and stews may seem thoroughly British, but there are plenty of options you can rustle up with simple Italian ingredients. Health-rich minestrone can be bolstered with all manner of seasonal vegetables, and meat (although not a necessity) can make it extra filling. Chicken soup, a favourite comfort food for poorly shoppers, can be replaced by ‘Italian penicillin’ – a rich soup full of goodness thanks to vegetables and great quality chicken stock. It’s made even heartier, as are many Italian soups, with the addition of pastina – small pasta shapes which make it truly a meal in a bowl. By now, we’re all familiar with orzo – the rice-shaped pastina – but stelline (mini stars), farfallini (mini bow ties) and acini de pepe (mini balls, similar to giant couscous) are also worth stocking up on to offer your customers some filling alternatives. In terms of the soup itself, the trick is to be led by seasonality and simplicity – most recipes can be adapted according to what’s in season. Onion and garlic are mainstays, but peas, courgettes and broad beans in summer followed by squash and root vegetables in autumn and winter keep local farmers happy and menus varied. Not all recipes require a varied stock of fresh vegetables, though – Pasta e Fagioli, a pasta and bean soup, champions the store cupboard, and good quality lentils also play a starring role. As ever when it comes to simplicity, quality and merchandising is crucial. With such a short ingredients list, buying the best really does make a tangible difference, so inspire your customers to level-up whenever you can. Stocking tinned legumes from the likes of Bold Bean Co and Biona alongside recipe cards is a smart move, and why not try grouping a range of suitable ingredients together in an Italian- inspired display to get appetites whirring? specialityfoodmagazine.com Sponsored by TALKING ITALIAN