Season’s greetings from some top local producers

3:07pm Thursday 15th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Welcome, everyone, to my new cookery column! It's good to be back after a period of what must be eight or nine years, since I last wrote about the great and varied produce of Ryedale and district in this very journal, and what a time to start.

Exciting things are happening in Harome: summer seems to be upon us, the sun is shining, and the first of the Sand Hutton asparagus grown by Richard and Ronda Morritt has been delivered. The Morritts provide us with this absolutely amazing vegetable, which grows so well in the light and sandy soils of the Vale of York and particularly at Low Moor Farm, Sand Hutton.

Now with nine acres of carefully tended spears (next year, it will be 12), the demand for their trade has increased along with the volume of ours. Over the past eight years, we've been chopping, peeling, steaming and roasting this salt-loving marine plant, which adorns our menu in various guises, for example shallow-fried with York Ham, or bubble and squeak, or glistening spears with a local Lowna Dairy goat's cheese with lovely, pale pink spring lamb and, maybe, a dressing of garden lavender, Yorkshire meets Provence'.

Each spear is hand-cut with up to 15,000 spears a day cut at the height of the season. They are then washed, trimmed, graded and delivered. Ronda tends to be the delivery lady, with her big smile, pigtails and cleavage. This, in itself, seems to herald the start of the summer!

With this nice weather in mind and various game, county and food festivals happening at this time of year and, of course, those lucky enough to go to York Races, a great and relatively easy idea is to do a picnic. Picnics don't need a whole load of cooking. There's a local butcher I know very well in Helmsley Market Place, which can provide the normal, favoured items, local and British cheeses, home-cooked hams, pies and pickles. Even humble leftovers of Sunday roast gain instant status when eaten in the great outdoors. Cold roast chicken, pork, beef or lamb will do, just liven them up with a good dollop of homemade or high quality mayonnaise, mustard or pickle, then you'll have, with some good bread, the foundations for an al fresco' feast.

On Friday, May 23 at the aforementioned butchers in Helmsley, indeed our butchers, Pern's of Helmsley, will be doing a cheese tasting with local favourites from The Swaledale Cheese Company from the picturesque town of Richmond. The Reed family has made cheese for more than 20 years, making 14 varieties by hand from ancient recipes believed to have been introduced by the Cistercian Monks in the 11th century.

Unfortunately, they suffered a catastrophic blow when their water system burst and flooded the entire premises and ruined most of their stock. But one thing that no flood could wash away was their passion for making good cheese. Good luck with the relaunch Mandy and Louise! Please come along and taste their lovely products and help them get back into action.

So, finally, as each month progresses, I'll be encouraging you to shop and buy local, seasonal goods. The quality of the produce, which we have literally on our doorstep is incredible and it is important for the local community to showcase all that's good in the region. A lot of suppliers are featured in Black Pudding and Foie Gras' and I'm very proud to be associated with them, as it makes my job a lot easier having such wonderful food to prepare and cook with.

• Black Pudding & Foie Gras by Andrew Pern is available from The Star Inn Corner Shop, Harome, Pern's of Helmsley or via www.blackpuddingandfoiegras.co.uk and further information can be obtained by telephoning 01439 770397.

• Sand Hutton Asparagus is available direct from R & R Morritt, Low Moor Farm, Sand Hutton; Lowna Dairy goat's cheese is available direct from Lowna Dairy, Raywell, near Cottingham. And you can buy great lamb from Pern's of Helmsley, Market Place, Helmsley.