Catering for Autumn and Events

Moving from salad to soup and from barbecue to stew, as the weather changes so do our ingredients. With root veg, mushrooms and game suddenly in abundance there’s a definite change in the aromas coming from the kitchen.

Autumn has arrived with hedges full of sloes and blackberries, and as the tractors finish their harvesting and baling, this season sends us in to the warmth of the kitchen ready for pickling and preserving.

While the preparation is definitely underway for another busy Christmas and New Year, the best autumn produce is now ready to be enjoyed – it’s not tinsel time just yet! In this lull before Christmas lots of our local bars & restaurants here in Newcastle are welcoming students – both as customers and as part-time staff. And as we settle back into our routines after the anticipation of some decent summer weather has passed it’s the perfect time to get together with friends and family around the table and share a meal.

Speaking of food, if you’re looking for some Autumnal recipes for home or seasonal favourites for your cafe or restaurant, we have a few suggestions that even the kids will enjoy!

• Autumn Coleslaw – Liven up some slices of meat with this Autumnal Salad
• Thai Pumpkin Soup – Take advantage of the seasonal favourite with some flavoursome soup
• Beef in Cider – Beef and Cider, what’s not to like here! An Autumn twist on a classic dish.
• Carrot and Walnut Muffins – You can’t have dinner without dessert and these muffins are just the treat!
• Roast Pheasant with Marmalade – and for the game lovers amongst us, a delicious pheasant dish.

It’s also British Food Fortnight from 19 September, with lots of events taking place nationally, so a great time to visit your local farmers’ market. Visit the What’s Happening Section on the Love British Food website for more info on events local to you.

This week Crosbys will be at the Universal Cookery & Food festival with our fantastic Chef7 van, to be part of what the organisers call ‘An annual food celebration of the seasons and the harvest’. Might see you there!