BBQ Grilling - Skewered

Soak, thread, grill & enjoy

Soaking bite-sized pieced of meat, fish, vegetables and fruit adds flavours, sensations and textures of foodie joy, ready to thread onto wooden skewers, also soaked to stop them catching in the flames.

These tasty ideas make a great BBQ sharing platter:

Greek Salad Skewer

You don't have to grill it to enjoy it.

The basis of a mouthwatering Greek Salad is tomato, olives, feta cheese and cucumber with fresh oregano and a good drizzle of olive oil.

This 'skewered' version serves family and friends with a Greek Salad on a stick. Skewer the ingredients, scatter with oregano, drizzle with Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing, share and enjoy.

Sausage on a Stick

We tend to follow the norm by grilling sausages whole on the BBQ, but this is different - and fun.

Use 3 different types of butcher's sausages and cut them into mouth-size pieces.

Dip one type in a bowl of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup, another in our Original BBQ Sauce and the third in our Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup.

Now thread your skewers with Chipotle sausage, BBQ sausage and ketchup sausage, separated by pepper and onion and grill on a gentle heat to keep the sausages sweet and juicy and the flavours intact.

It's really very, very good.

Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

It's not all grass skirts, garlands and Mai Tai cocktails.

Chicken pieces and pineapple chunks work so well together, but we have to balance the sweetness of the fruit with something a little fiery that says 'grill me'.

Stokes Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce is the answer. You could simply brush the threaded skewers with this smoky BBQ sauce and its fiery chilly kick ...

Or, soak the chicken pieces in a marinade of the BBQ Sauce with the juice of 2 limes and olive oil (to thin the marinade a little).

Thread the skewers, grill and have a lovely evening.

Minted Lamb

Lamb loves mint, especially the sweet garden mint and gentle white wine vinegar of Stokes Mint Sauce.

Take mint sauce as a marinade a step further with olive oil (5 or 6 tbsp), Stokes Orange & Mango Dressing (4 tbsp) and our Mint Sauce ( 2 tsp + more to taste).

The taste combination flavours the oil, which in turn takes it all into the cubes of lamb. Thread the skewers with peppers, onion or both - courgette discs work well too.

Grill, share, enjoy.

Just add taste - spoon it, shake it, squeeze it !

Order your skewering flavours - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Souper Fish Friday - 
soups, chowders, blanquettes - wonderful options for glorious seafood - here.








Mustards & More - 
cutting the mustard with recipes, pairings and foodie fun - here.



 




Save & Enjoy - 
learn how to save 10% OFF Forest Holidays and share other tasty ideas - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Stylishly Mustard

Some though, 
just don't cut the mustard

Unless you know otherwise, there's no proven origin for the phrase to 'cut the mustard'.

In fact, the phrase (if heard at all these days) is more often in its negative ... he just 'couldn't cut the mustard'.

An unproven suggested origin is that it refers to the ability - or not - of farm labourers to cut the coarse, stringy stems of the mustard plant from which the seeds - whole, ground, bruised or cracked - are used to make this, the most widely recognised condiment ... mustard.

Whether used simply as a condiment on the side of the plate; blended with other sauces, such as mayonnaise and honey; or used as an ingredient to enhance a white or cheese sauce...

...Mustard is the 'must have' of all condiments

You can order you 'must haves' - here

Honey & Mustard Mayonnaise

This combination of ingredients is very special. It creates a deliciously sweet and spicy real mayonnaise made with wholegrain and Dijon mustards, honey and British free range whole eggs. For something really different try it on baked potato skins or in a bacon sandwich for a luxurious treat.

Mustard & Dill Sauce

If you haven't tried this, you've missed a real treat. It is a traditional gravadlax, a spooning sauce with a gentle mustard tang and strong dill flavour for the perfect addition to smoked salmon.

Fold a couple of teaspoons into a salmon fishcake mixture for added 'wow'. Stirred into a white sauce and poured over grilled or baked fish, it adds a whole new meaning to 'yummy'.

Classic English

This is our own special take on an old English classic. Our recipe and amazing ingredients create a smooth and strong mustard but without the 'burn' you get with some that forget mustard is there to add complimentary flavour to the meat. If you like mustard we're pretty sure you'll love this!

Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain

Made with cider vinegar, British dry cider, horseradish and a blend of yellow and black mustard seeds this mustard has everything. You'll find it is sophisticated, with delicious layers of texture and flavour.

Try coating cocktail sausages in a mixture of it and honey for a party hit; or revitalise cold cuts of ham with warming mustard flavours and tangy bursts of mustard seed heat.

Dijon

A strong, smooth mustard made with finely ground mustard seeds in the Dijon area of Burgundy, France. To be good enough to carry the Stokes badge of taste and quality, we have chosen a truly wonderful Dijon Mustard to add to our collection. It's great with cold meats and the perfect addition to a mature Cheddar cheese sandwich.

Mustard - the 'must have' of condiments

You can order you 'must haves' - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:






Souper Fish Friday - 
soups, chowders, blanquettes - wonderful options for glorious seafood - here.







BBQ Skewers - 
enjoy this unusual collection of sharing food, skewered deliciously - here.




 

Save & Enjoy - 
learn how to save 10% OFF Forest Holidays and share other tasty ideas - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Sharing - Holiday Discounts; Foodie Facts; & Video Fun

10% OFF for loving Stokes

Our friends at Forest Holidays have given Stokes Sauces customers a 10% saving at Forest Holidays. 

Escape to one of ten idyllic locations, choose from stunning cabins set deep in woodlands, on the edge of mighty lochs, or in bright forest meadows and make your holiday your own.

Take an uplifting break in the forest. Enjoy invigorating woodland walks as the forest awakens around you. 

When the lengthening days drop into dusk, head back to your cabin for a cosy meal; then the thrill of the hot tub in the night air.

Enter STOKES to save 10% - here - when you book and holiday by 31 December 2019. 

For more information - CLICK HERE

Don't miss the fun
on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Guests arriving at the reception after the wedding ceremony for David and Kerrieanne knew they were in for a fabulous afternoon the moment they saw Stokes Sauces on the tables. What a great idea - Fish & Chips with Stokes Tartare Sauce (yum) and Tomato Ketchup (yummier still). Congratulations to you both and thank you for sharing.

What an incredible looking salad - they certainly do things big and sunny in California. The Corner Plot created this plate of loveliness in their kitchens in Macclesfield. By adding their genius pairing with Stokes Mango & Orange Dressing, this has to be THE perfect salad. Thank you Stokes fans in Macclesfield.

Something simpler, but no less delicious is this plate of juicy plump prawns just waiting for their lucious aioli coat of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise. This was created by Cook & Capture and sent in by Instagram. Thank you so much for sharing.

More foodie thoughts for the week:

Souper Fish Friday - 
soups, chowders, blanquettes - wonderful options for glorious seafood - here.







BBQ Skewers - 
enjoy this unusual collection of sharing food, skewered deliciously - here.









Mustards & More - 
cutting the mustard with recipes, pairings and foodie fun - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

To Normandy and - the Galette

The Savoury Pancakes 
of North West France

The basic difference between a pancake and a savoury galette is that you use flour and milk for the former but water and buckwheat flour for the latter. That's what we are doing today.

This is a good basic recipe for 6 galettes.

You'll need:

• 300 g of buckwheat flour
• 750 ml of water
• 1 egg
• A pinch of salt

Here's how:

In a large bowl, mix the buckwheat flour, egg and a pinch of salt and beat in the water gradually until a smooth batter forms with no lumps.

Cover the batter and let it chill, resting in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Before using it, check it's consistency and if necessary, thin it out a little with a drop of water. Heat a lightly oiled pancake pan over a medium/high heat.

The first attempt often goes slightly wrong, so don't worry. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan, then tip and rotate the pan to spread batter as thinly as possible. If it is difficult to spread add a bit more water in the batter - up to 1/3 cup.

Brown the galette on both sides for about 1 or 2 minutes on each sides, store on a plate and repeat the process until you've used up the batter.

With Mushrooms

The basic galette lays a slice or two of ham onto the pancake with a fried egg in the middle with the sides rolled in to form a square containing your juicy filling.

Here's how:

Make a simple cheesy white sauce - roux (butter & flour), milk, Stokes Classic English Mustard (or our Dijon Mustard), a generous handful of grated Cheddar cheese and a hint of nutmeg. 

While that bubbles, fry sliced mushrooms in butter with a glug of Stokes Brown Sauce. 

Add strips of smoked ham, stir in the cheesy sauce and fold the mixture into the galettes.

With Black Pudding & Apples

This is powerfully delicious and if rolled and sliced makes a great starter or finger food for a party.

Here's how:

Peel, core and thinly slice a couple of apples and fry them in butter with 1 tbsp of Stokes Apple Sauce (this helps the caramelisation). Peel the puddings and add them to the pan with 2 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup, breaking everything down to form an apple-flavoured 'sausage filling'.

Lay 1 or 2 lettuce leaves on the galette, then spoon the black pudding mixture into the middle, rolling the galette tightly, sausage fashion, before slicing.

Caprese Style

Using a fried egg for the 'white' of the tricolour 'caprese', this is my personal favourite.

Here's how:

Peel half a dozen vine tomatoes (after the skins have split in boiling water and cooled enough to handle), slice and add them to a diced shallot and grated garlic clove, softening in foaming butter.

Add 2 or 3 tbsp of Stokes Bloody Mary Ketchup and reduce the tomato sauce for 5 minutes or so.

Spoon the mixture onto the galettes with a fried egg and spinach, then season with diced olives for a salty Mediterranean finish.

Galettes Made Better 

spoon it, shake it, squeeze it

Order your 'Galette Enhancers' - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:

The Humble Pea - 
celebrating National Pea Week with delicious Pea & Broad Bean recipes - here.




 


Our Taste Story - 
in his own tasty words, Rick tells us how it all began - here.
 
 





 
Video Fun - 
free range grilling, high seas dining and other sharing fun - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

The Great British - Pea

Peas & Broad Beans

Growers and devotees of the humble pea are celebrating Great British Pea Week: 8th to 14th of July.

Great news from great chefs about these juicy little things is that they see no problem in using frozen peas, even in the fanciest of recipes.

Just as there is always a jar of Stokes Mint Sauce in our fridge, there's always a bag of frozen peas in the freezer.

This beautiful looking salad cooks diced carrots in water, butter and lemon juice. When soft, drain and toss them with red onion, artichokes and broad beans, sweating in rapeseed oil with a few fresh thyme leaves.

Finally add the frozen peas and 2 tsp of our Mint Sauce until the peas de-frost. It's as lovely served warm as it is chilled and livened with a drizzle of Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing.

Pea & Broad Bean Hummus

Boil about 250 g each of frozen peas and podded broad beans for 5 minutes, drain and cool them. Blend them with 3 tbsp of Stokes Garlic Mayonnaise, the juice of half a lemon and 2 tsp of our Mint Sauce.

The extra virgin olive oil in our velvet smooth aioli should be sufficient to lighten the texture of the hummus and the garlic to flavour it. A little more olive oil should smooth it further if necessary.

Pop it in a serving bowl and dress it with a few retained, crushed peas and beans and a few leaves of mint.

Pea & Ham Frittata

Boil, cool and slice 3 or 4 waxy potatoes and set them aside. In a 22 cm ovenproof frying pan, soften 2 shallots in a little oil. To the onions, now add 200 g of ham (chopped) and 120 g of frozen peas.

Mix these together and as they start cooking, add 1 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard, your sliced potatoes and 120 g of grated Cheddar cheese, then cover everything with 9 beaten, seasoned eggs. Tilt the pan to cover the ingredients evenly and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.

When it is almost firm, put the pan under a medium high grill for up to 5 minutes until the top starts to brown and firm.

I like my frittata warm, not hot, with Stokes Tomato Ketchup - and it's a fun addition to a picnic basket to eat cold.

Sweet garden mint with 

just a hint of white wine vinegar

The finest ingredients, the finest tastes - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:

Savoury Galettes - 
to Normandy, for a foolproof Galette recipe and wonderful fillings - here.




 

Our 'Taste' Story - 
in his own tasty words, Rick tells us how it all began - here.


 







Video Fun - 
free range grilling, high seas dining and other sharing fun - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Tomatoes, tomatoes - and more tomatoes

The Secret to Stokes Tomato Ketchup
... tomatoes

In his own words, Rick (Stokes' founder, MD and Ketchup aficionado) tells us the story of Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup.

"I liked Ketchup so much that, similar to a smoker (but I'm not) who would not go out with only two cigarettes left, I would panic unless I had at least two bottles of Ketchup in my house. 

I didn’t have it on my cereal but most other things. I like Ketchup - a lot!  

In my late forties, bachelorhood was taken from me by my dear Annie and in due course, we had a little girl. Like many little ones, she would not eat her greens! 

This was a problem. How would I get her to eat her ‘Greens’? That Eureka moment - Tomato Ketchup, but there was a problem - she didn’t like that either. But I was not going to accept that.

I had been vaguely thinking about trying to make a ketchup - with more tomato and cleaner, more delicious ingredients - the Stokes Ketchup version of our first product - Mayonnaise.

Whilst still toying with this idea, I was asked out to lunch and was taken to a very posh restaurant in London. I ordered salad with chicken - oh, and some chips and further more had the audacity to ask for some Ketchup. 

It was not unusual to witness the waiter's eyes roll with a polite look of scorn - but this time - not so. To the contrary - he arrived with a salver, upon which sat a mini ladle and a bowl full to the brim with the most delicious Tomato Ketchup I had ever tasted. It knocked the spots off the brand I had in my (as for so many other) larder.

My mind was made up. Stokes would make a Tomato Ketchup just like this one. With my friend and colleague - Peter, a master of so many talents (not least food product development), we set about our massive task. 

Tomatoes originally came from Paraguay - so that seemed a good place to start - we tried tomatoes from everywhere, all over the world. But we found the best tasting tomatoes came from Italy - a bit more expensive for sure - but our mantra is always to be “Best in Class”. 

So, Italian it was. 

Experimenting over and over,  we developed our own unique spice mix. We tried all of our competitors products and kept going until we finally got it - the taste, the colour, the smell, the texture - and oh, did I mention that taste. 

We knew we were on to a winner. 

But there is only one Stokes Ketchup - still made to exactly the same recipe, using those same Italian tomatoes wrapped and ripened in the richly warm Mediterranean sunshine. 

And we use more than anyone else, simmering 200g into every 100g of ketchup. There are now six variants to discover. 

Our original Ketchup now out-sells all our other products and demand is still growing, as more people try it and convert to 'quality'.

And all this because a little girl wouldn’t eat her greens."

Thank you Rick.

Shake it, squeeze it, love it

 Order your 'Great Ketchup' hit - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:

Savoury Galettes - 
to Normandy, for a foolproof Galette recipe and wonderful fillings - here.







The Humble Pea - 
celebrating National Pea Week with delicious Pea & Broad Bean recipes - here.



 


Video Fun - 
free range grilling, high seas dining and other sharing fun - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Sharing Ideas - it's like sharing a meal

Don't miss the fun
on Facebook & Twitter

If you are travelling on DFDS Ferries this summer en route to Dover, Dunkirk, Dieppe and more, enjoy the on board dining as part of their award-winning services. You will (we hope) be pleased to know that you'll also be able to enjoy our award-winning sauces as this video shows.

We are delighted to have been invited to be part of the DFDS UK #FieldtoFerry campaign, launched (no pun intended) to promote the high standards of food served on board, food sourced from quality British suppliers like Stokes.

 Enjoy this video - here

It's 2 for the price of 1 in videos this week. Take a look at this meaty tweet as our kitchens turn these free range pork spare ribs into a BBQ delight with our Sweet & Sticky BBQ Sauce, additional maple syrup and the warming heart of horseradish. Yummy indeed.

Enjoy the sizzle - here

I particularly enjoyed this 'family photo' on Facebook this week as mum and dad took the kids for a stroll in the welcome sunshine at Rendlesham Hall - the home of great sauce.

What a fine looking breakfast that is. If you haven't tried it yet, prepare to be converted. Our Seville Orange Marmalade really does make breakfasts better.

More foodie thoughts for the week:

Savoury Galettes - 
to Normandy, for a foolproof Galette and wonderful fillings - here.







The Humble Pea - 
celebrating National Pea Week with delicious Pea & Broad Bean recipes - here.

 




Our Taste Story - 
in his own tasty words, Rick tells us how it all began - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150