Friday 25 March 2022

Borscht

Borscht is an easy to make Eastern European dish - popular in Poland, Ukraine and Russia (plus other countries in that region).

Beetroot boiled (keeping at least some of the water in pan), add in tomato paste, onion, stock ingredients like seasoning, vodka, blend it all to whatever extent and then add dill, and a dollop of sour cream to serve. Can add in any number of different vegetables, like garlic, carrots, potatoes, celery, and things like white wine vinegar to add an edge, etc. But the classic Borscht is quite simple and focused on the beetroot.

Thursday 30 March 2017

Food markets, farms and producers in Cambridge and surrounds

Here's some key information for fresh, local food in the area. (updated list in FB group ‘Food in Cambridge’)

Farmers' markets in the Cambridge area:
Cambridge farmers' market - Sundays - 10-4pm.
Also during the week, at the same location, Cambridge Country Market, Carters/Harveys stall sell some local produce. 
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Ely farmers' market - fortnightly (2nd and 4th) Saturdays - 8.30-2pm.
Also 3 days a week, Thurs, Sat, Sun, at the same location, Ely market - 8.30am-3.30pm
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St Ives farmers' market - fortnightly (1st and 3rd) Saturdays - 8.30-2pm.
St.Ives regular market - Mon and Fri 
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Huntingdon Traditional market every Wednesday and Saturday - 8-4pm (farmers market at same location on Thursdays opens in May)
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St Neots farmers' market - fortnightly (2nd and 4th) Saturdays - 8-2pm. Normal market open on Thursdays - 9-4pm (fully open from April 15th)
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Newmarket farmers' market - Tuesdays and Saturdays - 9-3pm - May until October.
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Rolling farmers' markets on alternating Saturdays in Linton (fourth), Great Shelford (third), Impington (third), Littleport (first), Burwell (second).
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Country market on Wednesday morning in Great Shelford Memorial Hall.
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Country market on Friday mornings in Histon Methodist Church Hall.  
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Fowlmere farmers' market - second Sunday of month (excluding August)
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Ramsey farmers' market - fourth Saturday of month - 8-2pm.
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Stretham farmers’ market - three times a year (May, September and December) 

Fresh, local and organic produce: Daily Bread, Radmore farm shop, Darwin Nurseries and farm shop, Coton farm shop, Rectory farm shop (open during summer Maze season - nr Milton), Common Lane farm shop (Sawston), Prospect Trust at Snakehall farm shop (nr Reach), Anglesey farm shop (Lode), Burwash Manor farm shop (Barton), Sunclose farm shop (open during late spring to late summer season depending on crops - nr Milton), Gog Magog farm shop (nr Wandlebury), Knibbs butchers and farm shop (Bourn), Bushel Box farm shop (Willingham), Spinney Abbey farm shop (open Saturdays and by appointment - nr Wicken), Hackers Fruit fair (Dry Drayton), Longhorn farm shop (nr Westwick), Arrington Nurseries and farm shop (nr Wimpole), El Cafecito (Fowlmere), Hill Farm (Kneesworth), Bury Lane farm shop (Melbourne), Leech and sons (Melbourn), Maureen's farm shop (Somersham), Scotts farm shop (near Ely), G&Ms (Soham), La Hogue (nr Newmarket), Cam Valley orchards farm (open Thurs-Sat, late July-Feb - nr Royston), LA & E Munns and son (Chatteris), Johnsons of Old Hurst (Huntingdon), Depden farm shop (nr Bury St Edmunds), Franklins farm shop (nr Sandy), BGs country store and cafe (between Potton and Biggleswade), Woodview farm shop (between Gamlingay and Potton), Pells farm shop (nr Bedford), Willowbrook farm shop (nr Peterborough).

Fresh vegetable box delivery services: Waterland Organics at Willow Farm (Lode - they have volunteer days), Wild Country Organics and Cambridge Organic Food company.

Community Orchards - Trumpington CO, Midsummer Common CO, Histon and Impington CO, Milton Country Park CO, Cambourne CO, Harston CO, Little Downham CO.

Community farms - Cofarm (Coldhams common), Clay farm (Trumpington).

Delicatessens/specialist food stores: Cambridge Cheese Company (All Saints Passage), Fitzbillies (Trumpington street), Crosstown (Wheeler street), Pinch (Rose crescent), Frederic’s (Magdalene street), Stir bakery (Chesterton road), Maison Clement (Hills road), Maison Clement (Derby street), Cambridge oven (Hills road), Meadows deli (Eltisley Avenue), Dulcedo patisserie (Eddington), Arjuna (Mill Road), Limoncello (Mill Road), Culinaris (Mill Road), Fish butchery (Mill road), Urban Larder (Mill Road), Seoul Plaza (Mill Road), Cho Mee Supermarket (Mill Road), Saffron & Sage (Mill road), Eclipse bakery (Mill road), Harvest (Mill Road), Al Amin (Mill Road), The Old Norfolk street bakery (Norfolk street), Cambridge Food Collective (Clifton Road), Balzanos (Cherry Hinton Road), Derby Store (Derby Street), Nasreen Dar/Midan world foods (Histon Road), Shelford Delicatessen (Tues-Sat 9-4.30pm), Rappaports (Willingham), Didi's deli - Bulgarian food (Dry Drayton), Organic Health (Hauxton), Kitchen and bakery (Bourn), Green Weigh (Sawston), The refill shop of Ikigai (Huntingdon), Grain culture bake shop (Ely), Prospects trust unwrapped (Ely), Cherry Hill chocolates (Ely), Lemon tree deli (Ely), Nonna’s lab (Littleport), Roberto’s deli (St Neots).

Grocers: Hilarys (Mill Road), Parr’s (cart on some days on corner of Chapel street and Chesterton high street), Les Ward (Cottenham and Arbury Court), Al Noor (Arbury Road), Iqbro Halal grocers (Milton Road), Li Ming Oriental grocery (Mill Road), International Supermarket (Mill Road).

Fish vans: Wednesdays 7.30-2pm on Chesterton Road outside the Spar, Wednesdays outside Portland Arms, Saturdays at end of Grantchester street/Owlstone Road; Thursdays at end of Ferry Lane.
Fish stall: wet and smoked fish from Lowestoft in Cambridge market Wed-Sat.

Food vans: City buoys, Azahar, Bao van, Steak and Honour, Buffalo Joes, Jack’s Gelato, Kura Kura, Dough and Co, Bam Bam crepe, Buffalo Joes, Pizza Mondo, Meatless fast food, Warm and Toastie, Pig-Cassos, Pimp my fish, Churros bar, Road dogs, Sweet Ally scoops, The Wandering Yak, 400 degrees pizzeria, Kerief catering, Pull me Cheri, Chicken n’ tings, The Cook’s nest, Chaiwalla Cambridge, Nanna MEXICO, Questione Di Sapori, Sam’s Thai, Vonnie’s Balkan Express, Toast on cheese, Bon Crepe, La Levantina - Paella on the move, Waffle and co, Arepa’s station, Vietnam rice, La Latina Bustaurante, The Tin kitchen, Al Chile Mexican Street kitchen, The Mac Daddy, LingLing’s steam kitchen, La Biga Pizza, Pizza Passione, Rotisserol, Nanna Jude’s Bagel bar, Latin food on the go, Hanoi rice hat, Oreno.

Specialist food production: Chapel and Swan  smokery (Exning, Suffolk), Mood Foods limited producing Om bar raw chocolate (Fulbourn), Anisa chocolates, Jack's Gelatos, RSPB's Hope Farm rapeseed oil, Cambridge Chilli Farm (Broughton), Plumb’s Dairy (deliver to door), Hot Numbers (Shepreth), Cobs Bakery (owned by Fitzbillies), Dovecote Bakery (Jedburgh court), Glebe Farm oats and flour (King's Ripton), Tom's Cakes (Somerham), Prior Flour at Foster's Mill (Swaffham Prior), Quy Water lamb (Stow Cum Quy).

You'll also find scattered micro-producers, selling anything from potatoes, honey, flowers and eggs to jams, vegetables and seasonal fruit. They tend to advertise through small signs on the roadside or have an unmanned stall by the side of their house or farm. Including one on Sutton High Street, one on Histon Road approaching Cottenham, one on Oakington Road out of Histon, one on road out of Oakington towards Dry Drayton, one on Stretham road in Wicken, and Orchard Moorings in Horningsea. 

Food festivals:
Eat Cambridge - May-June (check exact dates for each year).
Cambridge food, garden and produce festival - September.
Cambridgeshire food and drink festival - Peterborough - June.

Please get in touch to add to or update this list.

Thursday 23 March 2017

Food groups on Facebook

For more food-related information, go to these Facebook groups:

Food in Cambridge and surrounds
Food in Brighton and surrounds
Food and drink in Manchester
Food and drink in London
Food and drink in East Anglia
Food and drink in Yorkshire
Food and drink in the UK
Food and drink across the world

Life is a gift - food and drink

Salad no.58



Mixed salad: green leaves and purple cabbage with blood orange balsamic vinegar
                     cauliflower mash
                     hot and smoky Kim Chi
                     chicken of the wood and garlic
                     rice with cider vinegar, olive oil and Lebanese spice mix

Thursday 1 September 2016

Chicken of the wood casserole

Fry up onions and chicken of the wood in olive oil.
Add some sage, boiled potatoes, marrow and carrots (and juices), a chopped up tomato, seasoning (including lavender salt).
Let it simmer for 10 minutes. A peasant's meal fit for a king!

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Salad no.843

Sliced radishes, baby tomatoes with thyme and sage mixed with a cucumber relish, shallot and mint relish. 

Thursday 31 March 2016

Yummy mix

Organic greek yoghurt mixed with crushed orange marmalade biscuits and marinated miniature figs (in white wine and rum)