Chilli Sensations

Chilli, the Champion of Taste

Nothing sets the taste buds tingling like the promise of a little chilli heat in a meal. Whether it's a Korean curry, Thai delight, chilli con or sin carne, or a chilli chocolate mouse. Yes, Chilli and Dark Chocolate is a match made in heaven.

Chilli Chocolate Mouse

Melt 200g of dark chocolate in a bowl over a very gently simmering pan of water. When it has melted, stir in 2 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam (more if you like the heat) and 1 or 2 tsp of our Redcurrant Jelly. Taste it to make sure you have the right balance of heat from the chilli and sweetness from the jelly.

Set this aside to cool off a little whilst whipping 600ml of double cream to soft peaks. Now, carefully fold the chocolate into the the cream, spoon into glasses and chill. This makes 4 delicious cups of 'yum'.

Stokes Chilli Jam

Meet one of the stars of the Stokes portfolio and an absolute 'must have' in the store cupboard.

It's a deliciously sticky jam, bursting with sweet chilli peppers, red peppers and red chilli heat.

We literally spoon it onto and into anything that deserves a bit of chilli enlightenment.

Try it on cheese scones, spoon it into your chilli con carne or add a little power to a sheepish Shepherds Pie.

Winter Warmers from Sizzling Stokes

Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce

This is a wonderfully sweet, smoke flavoured chilli sauce. Rich with spicy tomato, sweetened with cane molasses and black treacle.

The chilli seeds release their punchy heat through the smoky finish.

It doesn't have to be summer to enjoy it pasted onto a hot, spicy souvlaki.

Stir a couple of spoonfuls into a pan of baked beans for sweet and intense smokiness with a hot spicy kick.

Chipotle Ketchup 

It brims full of real Italian tomatoes with a smoky, spicy kick!

Chipotle Chillies are Jalapenos left to ripen on the plant to a deep red, before being smoked dry, giving them their distinctive flavour.

Add it to chicken stock, ginger, a little Chinese 5 spice, Ramen Noodles and cooked chicken or pork meat for a delicious soup.

Stir it into a chilli con carne for a smoky difference, or add smokey heat to an onion gravy.

Chilli Ketchup

This does what it says on the proverbial tin.

It differs from those above by removing the smokiness, intensifying the tomatoes and adding red chillis and cayenne pepper for a mouth-tingling finish.

Use it to spice up Tasty Tacos by adding it to the onion, minced beef, garlic, tin of tomatoes and a little paprika.

Add it generously to the tomato base for this Chinese style bowl of vegetables and tofu slices.

Chilli Mayonnaise 

This is a beautiful mayonnaise made with fine rapeseed oil and British free range eggs to which we add jalapeno chillies, giving a subtle warmth through a rich and velvety mayonnaise.

These prawns just love the chilli dip - it makes a tasty change, even from our Bloody Mary Rose Sauce.

Make a potato salad sing with your supper.

Paste it onto the skin of chicken breasts before roasting them for a shiny crisp skin and subtle chilli finish.

Winter Warmers from Sizzling Stokes

Order your own little heatwave - here

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Curry Club - 
Saturday night is Curry Night. Whether it's 'Ping' curries made better or a Rogan Josh from scratch - here.







Tasty Tuna - 
From the tin to the table in minutes, these are all simple and delicious - here.


 


 

Creative Sharing - 
There's lots to see in the social sharing section of this week's Newsletter - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

15 Years and Counting

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

15 Years ... and Counting

The New Year saw the end of Stokes' fifteenth year making amazing ketchup, mayonnaise, relishes, jams and condiments. 

We grew a product range to be proud of; created and stuck rigidly to the mantra of Taste, Quality, Responsibility to create the best from the finest ingredients, with thought for others and the environment. We have lost loyal members of the team to retirement and gained new friends to help build on strength and commitment. It's been a busy 15 years as this video so cleverly summarises. 

Remember though, it's all about the taste. 

If we couldn't make it amazing - we wouldn't make it at all.

... Enjoy the video - HERE.

Now that's what I call a tasty tea, super supper or dred dish of food. Winter Warmers were the most popular collection of foodie thoughts being read in last week's Newsletter, as this tasty creation from our kitchens shows and reminds us.

If you missed it, you can catch up with the recipes - HERE.

Food can be an art form as this wonderful plate from our friends at Alchamy so beautifully illustrates. We, naturally, would say it is the generous layer of Stokes Chilli Jam that sets off the avocado green (once a chic bathroom suite!!!) and strawberry red. But, it takes a little more creativity that that.

Thank you Alchamy.

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Curry Club - 
Saturday night is Curry Night. Whether it's 'Ping' curries made better or a Rogan Josh from scratch - here.








Tasty Tuna - 
From the tin to the table in minutes, these are all simple and delicious - here.


 






Chilli Sensations - 
Chillis are used across the globe to add that something extra, turning 'ok' to 'wow' in an instant - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Winter Salads

Refreshingly Seasonal

Thank goodness we don't have to have another mouthful of turkey, turkey risotto, curry, turkey sandwich. Finished for another year.

Let's clear the way for simple, tasty lunch and supper.

So to our New Year of Newsletter taste-tickling foodie tips and recipes to enjoy and to share.

Gravadlax & Beetroot Relish

Stokes Mustard & Dill Sauce is an exceptional spooning sauce with a gentle mustard tang and strong dill flavour that turns smoked salmon into an instant Scandinavian Gravadlax.

Serve the salmon with a potato salad rolled generously in 2 or 3 tbsp of our Honey & Mustard Mayonnaise, a green leaf salad and a good dollop of Stokes Beetroot Relish on the side. The relish is packed with crisp refreshing shards of earthy beetroot, steeped in a deliciously syrupy red wine sauce and provides a sharper contrast to the sweeter mustard combinations in the dish.

Refreshingly - Stokes

FOOD MADE BETTER

Sweet Potato Salad

Warm slices of sweet potato, smooth avocado, tangy white Stilton - yum.

Peel and slice your sweet potatoes into discs about the thickness of two pound coins. Brush with Stokes Chilli Mayonnaise or our smoky Chipotle Ketchup then onto an oven tray to bake until crisp on the outside and soft in the middle.

Pop the cooked, warm sweet potato 'crisps' into a salad of peppery rocket, watercress and spinach leaves, with slices of avocado. A fabulous dressing for this is to whisk together 1 tsp of Stokes Dijon Mustard with 2 tbsp of our Real or Garlic Mayonnaise, a pinch of salt, squirt of honey and a little under 1 tbsp of cider vinegar. Adding a splash of prosecco gives it a fun twist.

Prawn & Chicory Salad

Chicory, or endives, in a salad add a clean crunch and distinctive gentle bitterness. Here, they crunch delightfully behind juicy plump prawns.

Use cooked, peeled prawns in a salad of chopped white and red chicory, fine slices of red onion, thinly sliced half moons of cucumber (the soft seeds removed) and slices of avocado.

For the dressing, whisk together 2 tsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard and 2 or 3 tbsp of olive oil or rapeseed oil with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Spoon this over the salad and finish with a twist of sumac (if you have it) for a pungent hit of lemon, or cayenne pepper for a chilli kick.

Herring & Beetroot Salad

This is a wonderful salad you'll want to make time and time again - we do.

Combine roughly equal amounts of the following in a large bowl: thick slices of delicious sweetly pickled rollmop herrings; drain, dry and add the onions the rollmops are usually rolled around; 1 or 2 crunchy Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced or diced; pre-cooked beetroot (not pickled) - sliced or diced into cubes.

Now the dressing: thoroughly mix together 3 tsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard, a similar amount of runny honey, 3 tbsp of our Real Mayonnaise and the same of 'Philly-styled' creamed cheese and a dash of cider vinegar (to taste).

You should have a sweet and sour tangy dressing with a smooth, creamy finish to fold into the herring and beetroot. Served with bread and butter or garlic bread - it's a winner.

Mayonnaise, Mustards & Winter Salads

Order your 'Winter Taste Essentials' - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Winter Warmers - 
Simple, tasty, weekday suppers that everyone can (and will) enjoy - here.








2020 Vision - 
Looking ahead based on a tasty start to the new Decade - here.

 






Sharing the Vision - 
Socially sharing your tasty titbits - and more - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Winter Warmers

Simple, Tasty, Suppers

Thank goodness we don't have to have another mouthful of turkey, turkey risotto, curry, turkey sandwich. Finished for another year.

Let's clear the way for simple, tasty suppers.

So to our New Year of Newsletter taste-tickling foodie tips and recipes to enjoy and share.

Beef Casserole

In a large ovenproof casserole, cook 2 chopped medium onions. Coat 1kg of cubed stewing steak in seasoned flour then, as the onions soften, add it in batches to the pan, stirring to lightly brown the meat.

Grate 2 garlic cloves into the pan with 3 roughly chopped carrots and 2 chopped sticks of celery. Pour a 500ml bottle of Doom Bar beer into the pan with sufficient beef stock to cover the combined contents.

Now, a few sprigs of thyme, 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce, 4 or 5 tbsp of our Tomato Ketchup and season. Simmer, lid on then into an oven pre-heated to 150°C/gas mark 2 for at least 3 hours (the longer the better).

Out of the oven and in with 4 or 5 peeled and cut potatoes, cover and simmer on a medium heat for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Check the seasoning and liquid levels along the way.

If you prefer not to add potatoes - don't. This is a wonderful meal to eat with a couple of spoonfuls of Stokes Creamed Horseradish Sauce stirred into beautifully buttery mashed potatoes.

Mac 'n' Cheese

A firm family favourite even as it is, but dressed up with smoky bacon, pulled pork, sun-dried tomatoes - whatever suits you -  it's even better still. Watch the video - HERE.

Fry 2 sliced rashers of smoky bacon whilst boiling 250g of macaroni pasta to the pack's instruction.

Make a roux with 40g of butter and the same of plain flour, then gradually add 1 pint of milk, bringing it to boil and then simmer to thicken. Stir in 250g of grated strong Cheddar cheese and 50g of blue cheese until they melt. Now add at least 1 tsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Mustard (personally, I like more - lots), the cooked bacon and the cooked, drained pasta.

Once mixed together well, pour the contents into a casserole dish, seasoning the top with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, finishing with more grated Cheddar.

But wait ... why don't you see how we finish it in this lovely video - HERE.

Chicken & Beer Casserole

Thigh joints suit this dish best, skin off but bone in, to maximise their juicy flavours.

Brown a thigh each in a large pan, then lift them out for a while. Add a little more oil to the pan to soften 2 nicely diced shallots. Stir 2 or 3 tbsp of flour into the juices with 2 tbsp of Stokes Cider & Horseradish Wholegrain Mustard.

Now gradually stir in 500ml of a beer such as Tribute or Proper Job (something delightfully Cornish), some fresh thyme, fresh tarragon and 2 chicken stock boullions for a richer stock. Chop and add 2 sticks of celery, 2 or 3 carrots and 2 good handfuls of halved baby or new waxy potatoes - and finally of course the chicken. Top the pot up to cover the chicken with chicken stock. Lid on now and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid, add 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce (for its rich Worcestershire sauce and Persian spices) and 2 tbsp of our Tomato Ketchup (because you can!). With the lid off, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to thicken the gravy until the carrots and potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked.

It's fresh, homely and a joy to share.

Fabulously Fishy

This beautiful cod loin is poached on top of a 'soup' of celery, fennel and tomatoes, softened in chicken stock.

Slice 3 or 4 sticks of celery on the diagonal to create slices similar to 1 or 2 bulbs of fennel sliced with the tougher core removed. Fry them gently in butter with 1 tsp of ground fennel seeds. Add 500ml of chicken stock, simmering the 'soup' to soften the vegetables. Quarter 4 or 5 plum tomatoes and cut off their skins, adding their plump flesh to the soup.

Stir 2 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup (to enhance the tomatoes) and 2 tbsp of our Chipotle Ketchup (to gently infuse a smoky heat) before popping the fish on top, with a lid on, for 6 or 7 minutes until it just starts to flake. Served with new season potatoes and a colourful scattering of peas - supper is served.

Did you know: Stokes Chipotle Ketchup brims full of real Italian tomatoes with a smoky, spicy kick! Chipotle Chillies are Jalapenos left to ripen on the plant to a deep red, before being smoked dry, giving them their distinctive flavour.

[TIP: If you want the chilli heat, but without the chipotle smokiness, use Stokes Chilli Ketchup instead.]

For more 'One Pot Wonders' 
from an earlier Newsletter - CLICK HERE.

Simply Tasty - Stokes

Order you 'Simply Tasty' - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Winter Salads - 
Supporting your NY resolutions, where less is deliciously more - here.








2020 Vision - 
Looking ahead based on a tasty start to the new Decade - here.


 





Sharing the Vision - 
Socially sharing your tasty titbits - and more - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

2020 Vision

Looking Ahead

The future is bright for little Roo, probably the luckiest Bennett's Wallaby there could be. Brought into the world by his rescued mother, who so sadly passed away, Roo needed round-the-clock hand-rearing care from Rick, living in his office, feeding on special milk imported from Australia.

As Roo grew in strength, getting ready to join the happy collection of other rescued wallabies, goats, chickens, geese, ducks, sheep, pigs, peacocks, cats and dogs in the ever-growing menagerie behind The Old Stables, Rendlesham, Rick continued to focus on Stokes' fine collection of ketchup, mayonnaise, relishes and condiments.

"Refining taste is a task that never stands still. Standing by the promise of quality, where the ingredients are the finest possible - no compromise - is an ongoing challenge. And delivering the ethos of responsibility - maximising recyclability and manufacturing 'zero to landfill' - is a personal and team passion needing careful planning, investment and unrivalled energy."

With so much new, exciting and above all - tasty - planned for 2020, it's wonderful to have such amazing core values and 'cor blimy' yumminess from which to build tomorrow's news.

Stokes has evolved from the instinctive drive to achieve ... FOOD MADE BETTER.

First came Stokes Tomato Ketchup - which now wins awards. This was quickly followed by our Real Mayonnaise - which now wins awards.

Then Pete said "...we need a Brown Sauce that's truly amazing" and - yes ... it too now wins awards.

 

The Future is - Tasty

FOOD MADE BETTER

Stokes Tomato Ketchup

So thick and full of natural flavour, our award-winning ketchup is packed with plump, sweet tomatoes that have ripened on the slopes in southern Italy.

Ripening in the Mediterranean sunshine guarantees a long growing season and continuity of quality and taste.

We gently simmer 200g of these beautiful tomatoes, reduced into every 100g of ketchup.

That's why our Award-Winning Tomato Ketchup is sumptuously thick as you shake it or squeeze it and tastes naturally of delicious tomatoes.

And now we have a squeezable version with 30 % LESS sugar.

Same taste, less waist.

Stokes Real Mayonnaise

We are so proud of our Mayonnaise, it really is very special.

We use only whole eggs from British free range Welfare Assured hens, into which very fine rapeseed oil is drizzled to create the product's core.

Then, to make this real mayonnaise stand out from the rest, extra virgin Cretan Koroneiki olive oil is added too.

There has to be salt in any mayo, but because we use only the finest, natural sea salt from the Dead Sea, we get all the flavour using far less.

Stokes Brown Sauce

Every time someone new discovers our exceptional Brown Sauce, they send us a photo, like this, to celebrate their new found joy.

Ours is a truly 'grown up' brown sauce. You can smell the exquisite difference the moment you twist off or flip open the lid and squeeze.

It is a lush sauce, rich with extra date puree, sweet with black treacle and heady with a unique blend of Persian spices.

Add it to a sausage casserole for flavour-bursting depth - simply delicious.

The Future is - Sooo Tasty

FOOD MADE BETTER

Order your '2020 Yumminess' - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Winter Salads - 
Supporting your NY resolutions, where less is deliciously more - here.








Winter Warmers - 
Simple, tasty, weekday suppers that everyone can (and will) enjoy - here.



 





Sharing the Vision - 
Socially sharing your tasty titbits - and more - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150

Sharing the Vision - 2020

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

Happy New Year

"Refining taste is a task that never stands still. Standing by the promise of quality, where the ingredients are the finest possible - no compromise - is an ongoing challenge. And delivering the ethos of responsibility - maximising recyclability and manufacturing 'zero to landfill' - is a personal and team passion needing careful planning and unrivalled energy.

With so much new, exciting and above all - tasty - planned for 2020, it's wonderful to have such amazing core values and 'cor blimy' yumminess from which to build tomorrow's news.

So to our New Year of Newsletter taste-tickling foodie tips and recipes to enjoy and share.

Best wishes all, Rick"

Thank you Rick. Let's start by sharing this beautiful kitchen basic - Mac'n'Cheese. But even basics can be 'amazing' with a twist of this or dash of that ...

... get the recipe - HERE, or watch the video - HERE.

It was certainly 'back to basics' for Phil, endorsed by @fryuppolice with this proper Boxing Day breakfast. Not much of a fast to break after the foodie phenomena of the previous day though.

I'm only jealous Phil.

Great choice of our Bloody Mary Ketchup by the way  - did you think about Stokes Brown Sauce too?!?

To 'red' or to 'brown' sauce - that is the eternal question Simon? What's not at question though is that it certainly has to be Stokes sauce - Tomato Ketchup, Bloody Mary, Chipotle Ketchup perhaps?

To learn more about our Award-Winning Ketchups from a previous Newsletter Article - CLICK HERE.

Shake it, squeeze it, love it

 Order your 'Great Ketchup' hit - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:

 


Winter Salads - 
Supporting your NY resolutions, where less is deliciously more - here.








Winter Warmers - 
Simple, tasty, weekday suppers that everyone can (and will) enjoy - here.




 



2020 Vision - 
Looking ahead based on a tasty start to the new Decade - here.

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

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150