James Whetlor from Cabrito cooks at 1000 Mouths

Nancarrow Farm’s 1000 Mouth returns for 2019 with James Whetlor from Cabrito

Nancarrow Farm Presents 1000 Mouths

The working organic farm near Truro, Cornwall celebrates 20 years of organic farming with a weekend of feasts and festivities this October.

-Taking place on 4-6 October, the event is the follow up to Nancarrow’s first 1000 Mouths event held in 2017
- Guest chefs include Michelin star chef Paul Ainsworth, Tom Griffiths, Ben Tish and James Whetlor
-1,000 visitors will experience a nose-to-tail dining experience, prepared by the Nancarrow team alongside guest chefs
- The event will promote fellow sustainable food producers in Cornwall, and raise money for Cool Earth and Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Nancarrow’s 1000 Mouths event returns for 2019, shining a light on the region’s most progressive farmers and producers – in collaboration with a line-up of celebrated guest chefs. 1000 Mouths will raise money for Cool Earth and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Michelin star chef Paul Ainsworth will headline the event, and will be joined over the weekend by Tom Griffiths of Flank, London, Ben Tish – who is returning to the farm after much success with his latest book Moorish – and James Whetlor, founder of Cabrito.

Over the course of the weekend, the Nancarrow team and guest chefs will be feeding 1,000 visitors at a series of evening feasts and dinners held in the farm’s beautiful barns and buildings. The menus will provide a true nose-to-tail dining experience, celebrating the finest produce (and producers) from the South West – including The Cornish Mushroom Company, Padstow Kitchen Garden and Curgurrell Farm, alongside organic beef from one of Nancarrow’s Red Devon bullocks.

“We’re so thrilled to be celebrating 20 years of organic farming this year,” says Steve Chamberlain, partner at Nancarrow. “Farming in harmony with nature has never been more important, and we’re delighted to welcome some incredible producers who share this approach for a weekend of feasting.”

Daytime guests can enjoy a range of activities and traditional crafts, from leather making and wool spinning, to wild walks and apple juicing. Steve Lamb of River Cottage will host a series of talks and demos throughout the day, and there will be the opportunity to not only meet some of Cornwall’s newest and most innovative producers, but sample their food and drink too.

Jack Bristow, Nancarrow’s head chef, says: “Our 1000 Mouths event is an extension of our approach to food and farming, and we’re really excited to be welcoming some incredible like-minded chefs to the farm – it’s going to be an amazing weekend.”

Further details and early bird tickets will be released on 14th June, and will be available on the Nancarrow website: www.nancarrowfarm.co.uk

The Nancarrow family farm has been rearing traditional breed cattle and sheep, and rare breed pork, for nearly 250 years. 20 years ago, in 1999, the farm received organic status from the Soil Association, and today Nancarrow’s organic produce is reared, prepared, cured and consumed entirely on the farm where it is enjoyed by guests throughout the year.

Big Green Egg x River Cottage

Tom Grffiths, Flank London

Tom Griffiths, chef owner of Flank, London is cooking a masterclass event with Big Green Egg at River Cottage on 17 April. Serving up his modern take on British food - expect nose to tail dishes cooked over fire on the Big Green Egg. Tom is cooking with Big Green Egg chef Ross Anderson and River Cottage chef Andy Tyrell.

Book here.

Chocolate and pears at River Cottage

Scrumptious

This chocolate tart with grilled pears is too delicious not to share. Serve with pride and a spoonful of crème fraiche.

By Gelf Alderson, executive head chef of River Cottage

Serves 6-8

For the pastry:

75g coconut oil
55g golden syrup
75g ground linseeds
185g ground almonds
15g cocoa powder

Melt the coconut oil and golden syrup, add the dry ingredients mix thoroughly and press into 20 cm tart case, freeze until solid.

For the filling:

80ml olive oil room temperature
500g dark chocolate
200ml almond milk, room temperature
75ml Somerset cider brandy
A pinch of fine sea salt

Grilled pears:

4 firm pears such as conference or comice

Gently melt the chocolate in a bain marie over a sauce pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and cool slightly before adding the oil and almond milk, a pinch of salt and the brandy. Mix thoroughly and pour into the tart case. Re-fridgerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

When ready to serve, halve and core four pears. Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Cook the pears until lightly charred and tender but still holding their shape. Serve with ice cream or crème fraiche.

Roast carrots, beets, spring onion and redcurrants

Summer in a plate

Summer salad from Gelf Alderson, executive head chef at River Cottage

This is one of my favourite types of salad. Lots of summer flavours and vegetables with a surprising hit of tartness from the redcurrants.

Roast carrots, beets, spring onions and redcurrants

Serves 2

5 new season summer beets
5 small new season bunched carrots
2 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil
1 tsp nigella seeds
2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
70g redcurrants (blackcurrants or orange segments are excellent alternatives)
1 small bunch dill or fennel tops, picked
Salt and pepper
Candy beetroot, peeled and thinly sliced, to garnish

Start off by preparing your veg. Top and tail the beetroots, and then simmer until just tender.

Peel the carrots and slice length-ways. If they are really young then this isn't necessary.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Place the carrots on the baking tray and mix with the oil and seeds, and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

While the carrots are in the oven, peel and dice the beetroots. Once the carrots are cooked, remove from the oven, add the beetroots, mix and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven, place in a mixing bowl while hot, add the spring onions, redcurrants and fennel tops and season. 

Serve and garnish with the candy coloured beetroot to give the salad an extra hit of vibrant colour.

Gill Meller at Chelsea Flower Show

Credit Matt Austin

River Cottage partners with Kadai Firebowls® by Wilstone and launch new range at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Based on stand RHW617, Kadai will showcase their award-winning fire pit barbecues, exclusive show offers, live fire cooking demos and new products.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s right hand man and founding Head Chef of River Cottage, Gill Meller will be cooking breakfast on the Kadai Firebowl at 9.15am on press day, 21 May.

Gill’s cooking has always been deeply rooted in nature and represents the ethos that underpins River Cottage. Cooking on fire is one step closer to nature and has always been Gill’s passion. Gill says, “Cooking outdoors on fire gives me great practical and professional satisfaction. Stepping out of the kitchen to cook your own food is an adventure in technique and taste. Understanding the interplay of wood, fire and flame deepens your cooking experience, contributes to the final flavour and places you directly in the landscape in which the ingredients are gathered. Part of cooking on fire is to be aware of where you are in the landscape and I take my inspiration from that.”

Christo, Co-founder and Managing Director of Wilstone says “The Kadai Firebowls change the way that we enjoy outdoor living. Whether you are cooking for friends on the bowl or simply relaxing and enjoying the warmth of the fire these spectacular centrepieces are a must have addition to any size garden."

River Cottage launches creative courses

New creative courses launch at River Cottage with Devon based artists

Watercolour botanicals, modern calligraphy and willow weaving

There has never been a better time to get involved in the British craft industries, which continue to grow and flourish. Whether you're thinking about launching your own wedding stationery calligraphy business or you're looking to master a new skill or want to learn how to weave a willow animal in your free time, River Cottage’s new creative courses led by Devon based artists are the place to be inspired.

Watercolour Botanicals and Modern Calligraphy with Harriet de Winton
16 September, £145 per person
For more information about the course visit the River Cottage website here

Enjoy an introduction to watercolour botanicals and modern calligraphy taught by Devon based artist Harriet de Winton in the beautiful River Cottage gardens.

Finding inspiration in the flowers, herbs and vegetables in the River Cottage gardens and in the nature surrounding the farm, guests on this artist’s workshop will learn the fundamentals of watercolour as well as key steps to painting any plant or flower. During a busy morning of theory and practical guidance, they will paint a watercolour wreath choosing their favourite plants and flowers. Following a delicious River Cottage lunch, the afternoon will be spent with an introduction from Harriet to the modern calligraphy trend, learning basic techniques with a dip pen nib and ink. Once mastered, guests will try their hand copying a lower and upper-case alphabet, numbers and punctuation, progressing to joined up letters to make words and phrases. To finish, everyone will create a chosen phrase or quote in their own personal free style.

Harriet runs the de Winton Paper co, a hand painted stationery company. She has illustrated for numerous publications and teaches extensively. She is also a watercolour expert and teacher at Kirstie Allsopp’s Handmade Fairs. 

Willow Deer Workshop with Katherine Miles
9 October and 13 November, £145 per person
For more information about the course visit the River Cottage website here

Learn how to make a beautiful and eye-catching 3-foot willow deer for your home or garden with Devon-based willow artist, Katherine Miles.

Famed throughout the South West, Katharine’s life-sized willow animal sculptures are displayed in stately homes, private gardens and as interiors design pieces. Katharine will guide guests through the weaving process in this exiting and fun workshop.

The workshop is suitable for beginners with no prior knowledge of weaving. All materials will be supplied, including locally sourced willow, but it’s advised that guests bring along a pair of their favourite secateurs and to wear old and comfortable clothing.

Artisan Willow is run by Katherine Miles who lives in the moorland town of Moretonhampstead, Devon. She specialises in weaving willow animal sculptures and bee skeps for the home and garden. She is available for commissions and also sells her work on-line. 

The Day:

All courses at River Cottage start at the top of the hill where guests will be met and transported down to the farm by tractor and trailer. The morning starts with tea or coffee and freshly baked scones or pastries from the River Cottage kitchen, while saying hello to the course tutors and fellow pupils. The morning session starts and is focussed equally on theory and practical lessons. Food is always the focus at River Cottage, and a two-course lunch of local, seasonal fare including sourdough bread will reinvigorate before returning to class for the afternoon session. At the end of the day guests are taken back up the hill by the River Cottage tractor and trailer, along with the hard work from their class.

 About River Cottage:

All River Cottage courses take place in the award-winning Cookery School at River Cottage HQ. Set against the stunning rural backdrop of the Devon countryside, just a stone’s throw from the Jurassic Coast, HQ covers 65 acres of organic farmland and encompasses a thriving kitchen garden and smallholding. The cookery school is renowned for its approach to seasonality and sustainability while championing the best local producers: it’s a foodie hub where you can learn, cook, eat and be inspired.

Britain's Fat Fight

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's new programme 'Britain's Fat Fight' starts on Wednesday 25th.

Britain's Fat Fight

BBC One’s new three-part series, Britain’s Fat Fight with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, will see Hugh confronting one of the UK’s biggest health crises, by examining and exposing how consumers are being misled by packaging and portion sizes, and bombarded by junk food advertising. Through a series of stunts he takes on the food industry giants to push them to be more transparent about what's in our food, and takes his findings all the way to Number 10. As well as battling big businesses, Hugh tries to see if he can change the eating habits of a whole city by challenging the people of Newcastle to lose 100,000lbs in weight in a year.

Hugh says, "It’s been over a year in the making, and during that time I’ve learned so much about the challenging, complicated and often genuinely scary problem of obesity. I know it’s going to be hard to make change. But I also know it’s definitely possible. Above all, I’m sure we can do so much more, if we do it together.”

River Cottage Food Fair

River Cottage Food Fair, a food lover's dream weekend

Tom Kerridge, Nadine Levy Redzepi and Anna Jones lead the line-up for the River Cottage Food Fair, 26-27 May 2018

Some of the country’s leading chefs, cooks, food pioneers and cookery writers are joining Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall for a weekend of fun on the farm and food for thought at the River Cottage Food Fair on the late May bank holiday weekend.

A food lover’s dream weekend, the Food Fair is taking place at the idyllic River Cottage HQ, a 65-acre organic farm in Axminster, on the Dorset and Devon border. This hugely popular annual event is a treat for all the family to learn new culinary skills, meet the animals and be immersed in a weekend of cooking, growing, relaxing and (most importantly) eating. Held on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May, the Food Fair is a must-visit for food-lovers and gardeners, to enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of spring, surrounded by the rolling Devonshire hills, just a few miles from the Jurassic coast.

The Food Fair has a fantastic line-up of food talent, including Tom Kerridge, Anna Jones, Melissa Hemsley, Nadine Levy Redzepi, Alex Hely-Hutchinson, Guy and Geetie Singh-Watson and Gill Meller plus more names to be announced soon.

In the Food for Thought tent Hugh has curated a line-up of speakers, including writer and environmental activist George Monbiot, which promises to provide thought-provoking and possibly controversial, debate and discussion.

The Fair is packed full of activities from chef demos on the main stage and culinary masterclasses including wild cocktails and spicy suppers, cooking over fire with Gill Meller, artisan food stalls, craft workshops, talks and live music to garden and wild food tours with River Cottage foraging guru John Wright. There’s also a new BBQ area where chefs will be sharing their techniques for cooking meat, fish and vegetables over fire.

A team of River Cottage experts and friends will be on hand across the site to share culinary tips and gardening wisdom, throughout the weekend.

Children under the age of 16 go free and will be kept entertained with a huge choice of activities including pasta and pancake making masterclasses, giant bubbles, games, craft workshops, meet the animals’ area, face painting, skittles and hula hooping – to name but a few.

Tom Kerridge, chef patron of the 2 Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers in Marlow, will launch the Food Fair with a special feast on the Friday evening. Whilst at the Food Fair there will also be the chance to dine inside the iconic River Cottage farmhouse and enjoy a two-course menu for £20, featuring the very best seasonal and local ingredients. For those looking for food-on-the-go, there will be a range of street food stands as well as a fully licensed bar serving local ciders, beers, wines and seasonal cocktails under canvas.

Those keen to learn something new can book onto one of the popular masterclasses. Starting at £20 these include Bread & Butter from scratch in an hour, River Cottage Ravioli, Wild Cocktails and Outdoor Cookery, whilst children can learn new skills such as Fresh Pasta and Pancakes. 

For more information and to book event and masterclass tickets, please visit the website https://www.rivercottage.net/foodfair.

The River Cottage Festival will be at HQ on the weekend of 25-26 August and will feature a jam-packed programme of music, masterclass and festival fun. More information as the line-up is confirmed here.

-Ends-

For further press information, interviews or images, please contact Hannah Blake at
The Dining Room on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

River Cottage Food Fair
River Cottage HQ, Trinity Hill Road, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8TB
Saturday 26 May – Sunday 27 May 2018
10am-5pm 

Ticket prices:
- Adults: £12.50
- Children (under 16 years): FREE 

Parking:
- Free park and ride service included in the ticket price

About River Cottage:

River Cottage has been a household name in Britain since 1998, when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall first brought his hands-on, ethical food ethos to our TV screens.  Since then, the River Cottage books, TV series and Hugh’s hard-hitting campaigns have changed the eating habits of the nation, as well as improving the welfare of our farm animals and the sustainability of our fish.

River Cottage HQ, situated on the Devon-Dorset border, is a thriving organic smallholding. It’s also home to a cookery school and chefs' school, and the base for unique dining experiences and events including weddings and private parties. There are River Cottage Canteens in Axminster, Bristol and Winchester. These award-winning restaurants and delis manifest the River Cottage philosophy by using the very best seasonal ingredients from the surrounding area. Alongside fresh, seasonal fruit, veg and wild foods, the Canteen menus showcase fish and shellfish from West Country day boats and organic meat and dairy products from local farms.

www.rivercottage.net