Monday 31 October 2016

Remember, remember, great food in November


Is this your fridge ?

The typical fridge of a Stokes Sauces lover.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/category/shop

These are just some of my own essentials. Stokes Redcurrant Jelly adds an instant sweet depth to a gravy that's missing 'that little something'. Lurpak, usually unsalted but they didn't have any when I needed it. Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain Mustard - two spoonfuls in a thick creamy sauce with diced smoked ham and chopped leeks is fantastic over pasta.

Red Onion Marmalade is a must with cheese and pate suppers, as well as the delicious Fig Relish. Bloody Mary Ketchup and Stokes Real Mayonnaise are the ultimate treat on Fish 'n' Chips night.

The thick, smokiness and sweet molasses in Stokes Original BBQ Sauce added to a beef gravy flavoured further with Knor's bottled Beef Stock add intense rich, deep, smoky flavour to a gravy. Chop some roasted red peppers into it, let the flavours marry and drown you butcher's sausages in the pure joy of it.

 
Share Stokes' tasty secrets and introduce your friends.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-sauces/hoisin-sauceI was talking to my cousin David the other evening. They have just started using Stokes Sauces after I handed over a Bloody Mary Ketchup and Red Onion Marmalade instead of a bottle of wine the last time I visited.

What a winner - they don't just like it - they LOVE IT.

You too could make a difference to your friends' lives by indroducing them to Stokes' passion for quality and taste - and just in time for them to stock up for Christmas.

Go on, share your tasty secret and make their festive feasting taste better too.


http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-collections-and-gift-packs/the-stokes-cheese-gift-tubeChristmas Gifts that taste soooo good.

This is something really special that we have just produced. It makes a great stocking filler or something different to take to parties over the coming festive season.

For cheese lovers who want their cheese board to taste better still, this stylish tube contains three of our favourite relishes, which turn even the humblest cheeses into a platter of pure yumminess. Click here.

It contains one of each of: 

Chilli Jam - deliciously sweet with a vibrant finish that adds passion to stronger goat and Stilton cheeses.  
Fig Relish - this abundance of deep, sweet juicy fig is perfect with smoky cheeses and tangy cheddars. 
Red Onion Marmalade - the star performer. It's thick and luscious, with strong tangy depth that you'll want with everything.


http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-collections-and-gift-packs/the-stokes-cheese-gift-tube



What a food packed month November is.

It started with National Sandwich Week, followed by the buzz of Bonfire Bangers and we've Thanksgiving Turkey to look forward to as well.

Autumn has been replaced with the distinct chill of winter and the warming fuel of winter food now moves to the top of the shopping lists and menu planning.

It's time for root veg, slow cooked stews and thick tasty gravies and creamy mashed potatoes (try two teaspoons of our Creamed Horseradish in your mash :).

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/traditional-condiments/cider-and-horseradish-mustard
 

This week we hope to share some tasty tips to help the flavours flow and the taste buds tingle.

Stews are anything but bland. Cold cuts are far from boring. And soups are specs-steamingly delicious - for example:

Souper Lasagne

This basically transforms a bolognese into a delicious winter soup. Dice a medium sized onion and soften in a large pan (I like unsalted butter - but you choose) with a teaspoon of of thyme leaves; chopped leeks (a stem will do); shredded carrot (one again); two stalks of celery (chopped, but not too finely).

Add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (for heat and depth), two grated cloves of garlic and four good glugs of Stokes Award Winning Tomato Ketchup. When soft, add a 400g pack of lean ground beef, stir and brown with the veg. When the meat has browned, add a tin of chopped toms and the same empty tin of water and a beef stock cube or equivalent.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/category/ketchups-and-sauces

To a separate pan of boiling water add your favourite dry spaghetti, but first break it in half and half again - to shorter strings. Two minutes short of their cooking time, add sufficient pasta to the simmering sauce and as much of its cooking water necessary to take the combination to the consistency of a good thick soup.

Stir in two good spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and cook until the pasta has softened. To the side, grate some good, crumbly, vintage Cheddar cheese and mix with a  handful of Greek basil leaves. Season the soup (sometimes a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce help here). Serve with the cheese / basil mix and enjoy.

Let us know what you think.


Coronation Pumpkin Soup

I have just made a deliciously warming Pumpkin Soup - any squash will do. Peel it, scrape the pips out and cube it; then simmer in chicken of vegetable stock until soft. Blend with a hand blender adding butter, salt and pepper, two good spoons of Philadelphia cream cheese and a good spoon of Stokes Coronation Sauce.

The Coronation Sauce compliments the gentle taste, adding an umami to the overall taste where curry powder is often too powerful. To up the taste a little further, I whizzed some fresh mint leaves into the soup and the juice of half a lime - try it and let us know what you think.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-sauces/coronation-sauce


Where did you see Stokes ?

https://www.facebook.com/stokessaucesWhere did you last see a bottle or jar of Stokes Sauce - other than your larder. Of course, you will see it in Waitrose or on the shelves of a quality independent retailer, farm shop, butcher, delicatessen etc.

But, more and more pubs, wine bars and restaurants are improving the quality of their customer service (and taste!) by offering Stokes as the condiment of choice.

We want to see how far and wide Stokes Sauces travel and ask your help to visually track it. When you are out and about and see our distinctive jars or bottles - take a picture and share it on our Facebook ... use the picture here as the link to Stokes Facebook.


Adding Life to Cold Cuts

Whether it's leftover Thanksgiving Turkey or any cuts remaining from the Sunday Roast, here are a few ideas to tickle the taste buds this Autumn.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/category/relish-and-chutneys


We all know how to spoon Stokes' joy onto the side of a plate of cold ham, pork, beef or turkey, so here are a couple of tasty tips you may not have discovered yet:

Create a tasty salsa with our Burger Relish. Just dice some tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, red pepper and anything else you fancy then, into the bowl, mix with a couple of spoonfuls of Burger Relish for a sweet juicy salsa. Or, use Stokes Chilli Jam for a more fiery version.


To the leftover spuds and greens, mash them into a bubble & squeak , add two good dollops of Stokes Brown Sauce. Divide into proper handfuls rolled into portion-sized balls then squashed to patties. Now fry on both side until each is golden brown - perfect with any cold cut.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/special-sauces/sweet-chilli-sauce
Turn leftover pork into a stir fry - chop manges touts, sugersnap peas, baby corn spears, spring onions and stir fry in a light oil. Cube the pork and add it to the mix to warm right through.Then shake a few glugs (to taste) of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce and serve on a bed of noodles with a garnish of fresh coriander.



Winter Suppers

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/category/ketchups-and-saucesHot dogs, burgers, bacon butties, jacket potatoes and heart warming soup - all favourite winter suppers.

And they are all made better with a Catherine Wheel of sparkling taste buds, courtesy of Stokes Award Winning Tomato Ketchup on your hot dogs; or Brown Sauce on your bacon butties; a big yes to Stokes new Burger Relish on the burgers; add a twist with Bloody Mary Ketchup or Curry Ketchup mixed with Stokes Real Mayonnaise.





 

Simple,  honest,  delicious
 FOOD MADE BETTER 
01394 462150