It's top of the mayonnaise pops for Stokes

It's top of the mayonnaise pops for Stokes

Stokes Real Mayonnaise came top in a professional blind tasting against nine other popular brands including Hellman's. The tasting was undertaken by the Swedish weekly consumer magazine - IcaKuriren, known for its 'Which' like comparative studies. 

Sweden is a country famous for its top brands and uncompromising consumer taste - second best just won't do. Famous brands include: AstraZeneca, Electrolux, Ericsson, H&M, IKEA, Skype, Solvatten, Spotify - and of course Abba.

IcaKuriren described Stokes winning mayonnaise as having a good fresh egg taste; light to eat but firm in character; being round and well-balanced with a nice hint of olive oil.

It's always satisfying when others rave about one of the products we put every effort into, to make it taste utterly delicious.

It's the British free range eggs that make our Real Mayonnaise 'real', as we use more fresh pasteurised whole egg in our recipe that anyone we know (12%). And, for that luxurious finish, the extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil, from Kalamata and Crete, creates the final yummy experience.

Our EVOO is great EVOO

EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We are very proud of the fact that we only use Extra Virgin Koroneiki Olive Oil, which are primarily grown in Kalamata and Crete. They are very small olives, but give an intense green oil, high in Polyphenols, natural health giving antioxidants. They are very high in HDL’s (so called 'good' cholesterol) and low in LDL’s ('bad' cholesterol) and rich in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids.

The olive oil we use has a unique flavour and, although we use just  5% EVOO in our Mayonnaise, it's that combination that makes the difference. We have experimented with other EVOOs including less expensive options in the development of our mayonnaise, but it completely changed the flavour – it's instantly recognisable. So, no compromise – only the best, which is another of the unique elements of StokesReal Mayonnaise.

Rick Sheepshanks, founder of Stokes Sauces, said in an interview recently: "I am proud to be part of a great team of food lovers whose passion for 'great taste' I wholeheartedly share. Quality without compromise - well, it's easy to say and an absolute pleasure to deliver."

 

Simple, honest, delicious

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

Holiday Picnics and the World's Biggest Coffee Morning

We think of picnics as a very British thing, with families and friends gathered around to share sandwiches, chicken drumsticks and sausage rolls. 

Though its origins go way back to the turn of 17th / 18th Century France, where 'pique' referred to everyone bringing a little something to contribute and 'nique' a thing of little or no importance - well, we gave them 'Le Weekend' so it's a fair swap.

 

But our picnics are primarily family fun where Mum provides all the 'little somethings', each of which being of 'great importance'.

Perfect picnics

So, what do you bring and how can Stokes Sauces help - here's a few ideas. Firstly - you don't have to trudge miles over meadows to some distant river bank ... a picnic in the garden can be just as much fun.

Stokes egg mayonnaise sandwiches. Forget brown and healthy, use nice thick slices of a fresh white batch loaf. Boil the eggs so the whites are firm but the yolks are still soft and yellow. Cool, shell and cut into nice thick chunks. Fold a couple of big spoonfuls of Stokes Real Mayonnaise and a dollop of Stokes Tomato Ketchup.

I like it just like that but you can cut some cress into the mix as well. It's just yummy.

Coronation chicken boats. Shred or cut two cooked / cooled chick breasts into a large mixing bowl. Add three desert spoons of Stokes Coronation Sauce and half a 180g tub of Philadelphia cream cheese and fold to coat the chicken. Instant, smooth and oh so full of flavour. Pull the leaves off a baby gem lettuce to make the boats and spoon a good helping of Coronation Chicken into each.

Individual salad jars. This is a great use for empty washed Stokes Sauces jars. Mix a nice salad in a bowl - watercress, baby spinach, diced cucumber, chopped peach or mango (or both), cooked cooled conchiglie pasta shells, some tinned drained corn kernels, sliced chopped red pepper - whatever you want. Now pour over some extra virgin olive oil (to stop the ingredients sticking) and flavour with a generous glug of Stokes Raspberry and Balsamic Dressing. Stir and spoon into your jars then screw on the lid.

Lemon Syllabub. Now for an instant burst of lemon desert. In equal quantities, stir a jar of Stokes Lemon Curd into the same amount of whipped cream (again this is great fun served in Stokes jars). Spoon into portions and serve with some oh so buttery shortbread biscuits.

Stokes Lemon Curd is made with British free range eggs and is deliciously thick and creamy. Just spread it in toast and put a smile on everyone's face.

You'll have lots of family favourites yourself - why not share some of your own ideas with other Stokes Sauces customers on the blog or via Facebook LINK.

It's the World's Biggest Coffee Morning for MacMillan Cancer Support 

on 30th September. 

Find out more here and join in - so let's get baking.

Click on the image above to follow a lovely Mary Berry Victoria Sponge Sandwich recipe - no soggy bottoms there.

Stokes Blackcurrant Jam Muffins.

...or, just spread lavishly on cream scones - delicious.

2 eggs, 125ml vegetable oil, 250ml semi-skimmed milk, 200g golden caster sugar, 400g self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and a jar of Stokes Blackcurrant Jam to hand.

Heat the oven to 200c / 180c fan or gas 6. Line 2 muffin trays with paper muffin cases. Beat the eggs than add the oil and milk. Add the sugar and continue beating to a smooth batter. Sift in the flour and mix to a batter - lumps are good, so not too smooth. 

Now add 2 or 3 dessert spoons of our Blackcurrant Jam to create a swirl through the mix. Fill the cases two thirds and bake for 20-25 minutes. When they have risen, are firm to the touch and a skewer comes cleanly our when tested, they are good to go. Cool and enjoy.

Take a look at our full range of 'extra' jams by clicking the image or here. 

They are packed with real fruit, lots of it, and each jar oozes with natural colour and flavour.

 

How are you getting on with decorating those jars  ?

Get creative. Get the children to paint your empty Stokes jars this summer, take a picture and e-mail them to me HERE , and we'll send a money box lid to the best five each week across the Summer until 5th September 2016.

Post your creations on Facebook LINK

Time for a simple treat

After all that baking, preparing, painting and fund raising - it's time to put your feet up and enjoy an award-winning treat - add a generous helping of British smoked bacon to your Stokes Tomato Ketchup - oh yes, that's wonderful.

Simple, honest, delicious

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk

The BBQ - Family fun Made Better

 A great British Summer means a great family BBQ - whatever the weather.

The day starts at the local butcher who'll have a wonderful range of goodies to choose from - thick juicy burgers; old English bangers just bursting with flavour; free range chicken thighs (best pre-cooked indoors and finished on the coals); and perhaps a few slices of tender rump steak ... delicious. Whether you cook on coals or gas, the preparation, salads, chatter and chilled prosecco all add to the occasion. 

But soft, what sauce from yonder shapely bottle shines, it is the Curry Ketchup and Stokes is the sun.

Just add Stokes Sauces and believe in our promise of - FOOD MADE BETTER. These are the top five most popular sauces and relishes to turn your taste buds inside out with juicy delight at your BBQs this Summer:

Red Onion Marmalade;  Tomato Ketchup;  Real Mayonnaise. PLUS Curry Ketchup;  Burger Relish 

What's New - AND 20% off!

Stokes Burger Relish is a new and most welcome arrival into the Stokes family of deliciousness. It is a thick and rich blend of slightly sweet yet clean textures, balanced with a subtle chilli zing. Our red pepper, tomatoes and onion salsa will transform even the best butcher's burger to new and stylish culinary heights.

To celebrate Summer (whatever the weather) we are offering 20% off the Burger Relish orders you place before 31st July 2016.  Just click here to shop.

Meet the little ones

Stokes Sauces are essentially the product of Rick Sheepshanks and his dedicated team who love good honest food, made better with good honest relishes, sauces, marmalades and mayonnaise. Ingredients is King and the uncompromising recipe creation is Queen. 

Well this King, Queen, courtiers, and livestock create their secret components of culinary joy at Rendlesham Hall in Suffolk. The peace and quiet of the countryside is broken only by the eureka moment of another taste-busting idea from the team, or the bleat, moo, grunt of the family babies and their parents:

Look after the pennies

Last month we gave you some suggestions for getting the labels off Stokes jars - why, because when you have enjoyed their contents and ordered some more, the empty jars offer stylish opportunities to 'get creative'. Here are some ideas:

So, get creative. get the kids to paint your empty jars this summer, take a picture and e-mail them to me HERE , and we'll send a money box lid to the best five each week across the Summer until 5th September. 

What does the original Margherita Pizza and Stokes have in common?

It is popular opinion in Italy that in 1889, during a visit of Queen Margherita of Savoy to Naples, chef Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi created a pizza resembling the colours of the newly unified Italian flag, red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil). The tomatoes were grown on the hillsides between Naples and Pompeii and were chosen by Raffaele for their deep red colour and intense sweet juicy flavour.

Such plump tomatoes still ripen in the sunshine that drenches the hillsides of southern Italy and it is these we use in Stokes TomatoKetchup. Unlike most ketchups, we don't mill our tomatoes, but gently simmer them down to a smooth texture that keeps all of their rich natural Italian flavours... 

 

Simple, honest, delicious

 FOOD MADE BETTER 

www.stokessauces.co.uk