Gather sustainably

Published on November 28, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

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Unpacking the spoils from a recent trip to the parental homestead I was struck by just how much produce comes out of Mum Garcia-Macintyre’s Highland garden and kitchen: Everything from Wild Boar bacon and sausages to Jerusalem artichokes and marmalade. In fact, the farm to table philosophy is commonplace in Scotland and quite frankly, when frosty November delivers so much, why would you want a summer strawberry?

Not for bacon, Whitney pig and not yet for bacon, weaners. AKA Suckling Pig. In spite of some of my favourite London restaurants serving the latter, anything this small is surely too young. As the name suggests, said piglets are still feeding from their mum’s. And quite frankly, the difference in size between mother and and off-spring says it all. Spot the 3 day old bambino. #FarTooCute.

Curry night. Black Isle beef, beetroot and beer. Apple, (frozen) bramble & almond crumble. Recipe coming soon.

Netherton Farm (Mum’s) is also host to the local Community Garden, churning out Golden Ball turnips (as tasty as David Beckham), coriander seed, chillis and all the veg for Sunday’s roast. Breakfast courtesy of the hens, Whitney’s Wild Boar cross Tamworth off-spring (when grown!) and mum’s Spiced tomato relish.

Foraged elderberries for juice. Mum boils (poisonous otherwise apparently) and strains this “wonder berry” to have on hand for smoothies, veg juices, crumbles and just about anything she can get away with. Any wonder I’m now blogging wholesomely seductive tips?

Catch of the day. I even managed to bag some Golspie smoked salmon, netted in the traditional manner (definitely qualifies as Slow Food) from the Cromarty Firth in front of the house. Not part of mum’s ‘garden estate’ I hasten to add. This dense, smoky delicacy bares no relation to the slippery, insipid stuff from the supermarket. Served simply on Oliver’s Bakery rye with lemon and black pepper.

For more recipes and posts like this, type Netherton Farm into the Search box. See also Foraging for Scottish brambles & other things.

The jam co-operative

Published on March 7, 2013 | Posted by Clare Garcia

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I had an early induction on street food. Pioneering in nutrition, my mum would pitch up in a salubrious Black Isle (a peninsula on the Scottish Highlands) square every Saturday to sell home grown fruit and veg. Decent varieties of which were harder to come by without the use of the Inverness ferry (and a very long queue) in the, ahem, 1970s.

Not limited just to veggies, I’d help mum sell our home-made jams, chutneys, marmalades and spun wool (I kid you not) from the neighbour’s burger van. The rest of the week Pat would use said vehicle to supply highlanders with gourmet venison burgers; you see, we Scots don’t just eat deep fried Mars bars!

In those days street food was somewhat less en vogue; one well-heeled village resident promptly enlisted the local bobby to deal with the mobile people. I can only imagine the shame at Granny Mac’s charity lunches; wasn’t procreating with a Spanish drummer rogue enough? Mindful of his duties, our diligent PC promptly marched over to Mrs Garcia-Macintyre and with a broad Scottish accent, and a hint of a chuckle, demanded a passion fruit.

One area where Rebel Garcia and Matriarch Macintyre et al saw eye to eye though, was on the caliber of preserves we purveyed. With the help of a 1929 MAFF guide, mum’s marmalade at least, has never been cause for debate.

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food, HMSO Bulletin 21: Home Preservation of Fruit & Vegetables.

Mother Garcia’s cherished (and sous chef crayoned) 1970’s copy talked her through jamming, canning and bottling in preparation for the winter months; and a Wholesome Seduction child is born.

Mrs Garcia now serves her wares, along with Netherton Farm eggs (more free-range than I feel is entirely necessary) with Wild boar cross Tamworth sausages and bacon at B&B Netherton Farm.

My Home-made soda & tahini bread, Wild boar cross Tamworth sausages, Netherton Farm eggs and Mum’s chutney.

It’s getting a little late in the day but you should still be able to get your hands on Seville oranges for MAFF Marmalade next week.

Foraging for Scottish brambles and other things

Published on October 12, 2012 | Posted by Clare Garcia

Posted in: Uncategorized

What did our grandmothers do before UK supermarkets became an abundance of year round global crops? And what does seasonal really mean when we can freeze food? OK a summer fruit salad is probably best avoided in December, but frozen berries and purees mixed in recipes are surely just as good? In fact, compared with tasteless bananas picked while green for import, the freezer wins every time, in nutrients too.

Although our Netherton Farm bramble hunt proved disappointing, Mother Nature turned up other surprises that our grannies, and a 1929 MAFF guide, would never have allowed go to waste.

The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Food, HMSO Bulletin 21: Home Preservation of Fruit & Vegetables.

Mother Garcia’s cherished (and sous chef crayoned) 1970’s copy talked her through jamming, canning and bottling in preparation for the winter months; and a Wholesome Seduction child is born.

Netherton Farm Foraging Finds:

Elderberries, lots of.

The post elderflower berry is a nutritional powerhouse. Note: they’re poisonous unless cooked. They won’t kill you, but chances are you’ll vomit them back up before any of their goodness has been absorbed.

Good for: A syrup for coughs or on ice cream; in smoothies, juices or Elderberry & Apple Jelly (jam), or just on top of yoghurt.

Too late for elderflowers, the homemade champagne will sadly have to wait till next year.

Sloes & Rosehips

Good for: Hogmanay Sloe Gin. And Rose-hip syrup – the UK’s pre Ribena answer to Vitamin C.

Brambles & Acorns

Good for: Bramble bircher. And feeding pigs. Look no further than Spain’s famous Pata Negra Jamón.

A (rarely seen) Fairy Ring

Good for: Fairies. They live inside the mushroom circles.

Wild Boar cross Tamworth piglets

Not entirely wild but in fact, largely dependent on Mum Garcia for food, and affection it would seem. Surprisingly needy mammals, pigs.

Good for: Pork belly, smoked bacon, sausages, Pork Pies, Pigs Cheeks with Apple & Cider… It really is my favourite meat.

3 weeks old

For the love of God! Do I really love pork belly that much? Yep, afraid so.

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