Salt of the earth
Salt for a long time was one of the most important commodities available in the British Isles; we needed it for cheese-making, for the...
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rblackbur8
- Sep 13
- 3 min
The Simple Things
It all began last summer with me asking Ryan Wellock from Caterite if he could get hold of the best British tomatoes for me for a new...
20 views
rblackbur8
- Jul 25
- 5 min
Tales of the riverbank
On one occasion when I was still at primary school, my brothers and I were picked up from school by our dad, who told us he wanted to...
108 views
rblackbur8
- Jul 5
- 5 min
A marriage made on a plate
I’m a big believer in supporting local producers and suppliers and as you probably know by now it’s especially important, I source...
22 views
rblackbur8
- May 27
- 4 min
A taste of spring
‘Laid With Love’ poached egg, asparagus velouté and Allerdale goats cheese It was actually at the Cumbria Life awards a few years ago...
13 views
rblackbur8
- May 10
- 5 min
Much more than just a nursery
Few people know this, but Europe’s largest oyster nursery is located in Cumbria, on the southern tip of Walney Island. The site is...
78 views
rblackbur8
- Mar 24
- 4 min
Something a little spicy
As a chef who focuses on Cumbria and it’s food and heritage, the ingredients available to me at certain time of the year can be a little...
89 views
rblackbur8
- Feb 24
- 4 min
A pearl of wisdom
Mussels cooked with curry and mead: It’s fair to say that Cumbria and in particular Morecambe Bay to the south of the county is known for...
106 views
rblackbur8
- Feb 5
- 3 min
A little coastal controversy
A few years ago, my wife Gemma had a job working on Walney Island, this also happened to coincide with the beginning of my interest in...
166 views
rblackbur8
- Oct 30, 2021
- 4 min
Spreading the love with a little Winter Tarn butter
Butter is one of those things we tend to take for granted. In my opinion there’s nothing better than smothering farmhouse butter onto...
284 views
rblackbur8
- Oct 12, 2021
- 3 min
Have your cake and eat it
When researching Cumbrian dishes for the restaurant probably one of the most interesting was the bread course. I discovered that due to...
114 views
rblackbur8
- Sep 3, 2021
- 4 min
Nothing to do with gurning...
With 150 miles of coastline, Cumbria unsurprisingly has a famous history when it comes to shellfish. Cockles, oysters and most famously...
581 views
rblackbur8
- Aug 11, 2021
- 2 min
Countryfile shenanigans at Yew Tree Farm, Coniston
Yew Tree Farm, Coniston is set to appear in BBC’s flagship countryside show Countryfile on Sunday 15th August at 6.30pm. You might spot...
64 views
rblackbur8
- Jul 23, 2021
- 4 min
Pepperbread blues...
The British cheese industry was until relatively recently much maligned and more often than not its artisan producers were overlooked. In...
39 views
rblackbur8
- May 17, 2021
- 4 min
It's all in the mix - traditional Black Pudding
The one type of business that Cumbria seems to be blessed with more than anything else, is exceptional butchers. Wherever you’re located...
206 views
rblackbur8
- Feb 24, 2021
- 4 min
Sir Edgar Harrington and the Last Wolf...
I have a confession to make - I don’t like real ale; warm flat beer just isn’t for me. Not even the amount of stick I received in my...
108 views
rblackbur8
- Nov 30, 2020
- 5 min
Cumbrian born and bred...
Opening the Old Stamp House back in 2014 was one of the hardest and most challenging things I’ve done in my life, never mind career....
186 views
rblackbur8
- Sep 14, 2020
- 3 min
If it's good enough for James Bond it's good enough for me...
My recipe for potted shrimps with spiced cauliflower and apple veloute.
168 views