Hot Dogs : Happy Days

A salute to the humble Hot Dog, celebrating National Hot Dog Day with a Great British Twist.

Every year on 15th July, food lovers unite to celebrate National Hot Dog Day, and what better excuse could there be to shine a spotlight on one of the world’s most satisfying comfort foods?

Our celebration of the great British banger,  gives the classic hot dog a distinctly British makeover. Why settle for an ordinary frankfurter when a juicy, flavour-packed British butcher’s sausage can take centre stage?Of course, every hot dog masterpiece deserves the perfect supporting cast. Are you a ketchup traditionalist? A mustard purist? A mayonnaise devotee?[Our Habanero HOT Sauce with juicy fried onions lights the blue touch paper on your Hot Dog. This is our hottest sauce yet, made with fiery, fermented Habanero chillis, it delivers a rich, intense depth with a subtle, but really clever,  fruity finish.]

Perhaps you’re partial to fiery chilli, sweet caramelised onions, tangy chutneys, crunchy pickles, or a combination so unique that only you could have invented it.

[Our Chilli Jam adds a  deliciously sticky jam-like chutney that’s bursting with flavour from sweet chilli and red peppers.]

The beauty of the hot dog is that there are no rules, only delicious possibilities.

The perfect hot dog isn’t just about what’s inside the bun, it’s about that first bite, where the snap of the sausage, the softness of the roll, and the explosion of flavours from your chosen toppings and sauces come together in perfect harmony.It’s messy, it’s indulgent, and it’s guaranteed to leave you reaching for another.

However you dress yours, one thing is certain, life’s simply better with a great sausage, a fresh roll, and a generous helping of your favourite Stokes Sauces.

[With Chilli Ketchup, a twist on the best – savour the rich, natural tomato taste, then feel the heat of the spices kicking in. Find this and other Ketchups and BBQ Sauces – HERE.]

Here’s to the hot dog. Proof that sometimes the simplest pleasures are the tastiest.

Britain’s Cheese Revolution

If you’d told someone thirty years ago that Britain would one day be giving the French sleepless nights over cheese, they’d have laughed so hard they’d have dropped their pork pie.

Today, Britain is quietly – and deliciously – experiencing a cheese renaissance that would make even the most dedicated Francophile pause before swaying to British cheese making skill.

Britain now produces more varieties of cheese than France. Whether or not the tally changes depending on who’s counting, one thing’s beyond dispute – the sheer diversity and quality of British cheese has never been greater.

The driving force behind this dairy revolution isn’t just a new generation of adventurous cheesemakers.

It’s also Britain’s farmers.Faced with the realities of modern agriculture and increasingly tight margins, many dairy farmers have discovered that selling milk alone is rather like owning a vineyard and only selling grape juice.

By transforming their milk into artisan cheeses, they’re adding value, creating sustainable businesses, and giving us all something infinitely more exciting to put on a cheeseboard.

The result?

An embarrassment of riches.

Take West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, still the grand old monarch of British cheese. Properly matured, it is complex, nutty and delightfully crumbly – a world away from the anonymous mass-produced blocks that have borrowed its name.

Then there’s the gloriously blue Stilton, the aristocrat of the cheeseboard. Creamy, rich and just pungent enough to remind you of its importance, without clearing the room.

If your tastes lean towards the softer side, Baron Bigod has become one of Britain’s great success stories. Made in Suffolk, this luxurious Brie-style cheese oozes sophistication and regularly convinces diners that Britain can rival France on its own creamy turf.[The latest moos from the dairy.]

Yorkshire contributes the wonderfully fresh Wensleydale, forever associated with Wallace & Gromit, but deserving recognition far beyond animated fame. Paired with cranberries or our glorious Fig Relish, it’s one of Britain’s most distinctive cheeses.

Cornwall offers Cornish Yarg, instantly known by its coat of nettle leaves. It is genius, a fresh, slightly citrusy cheese that has become a modern British classic.

Scotland enters the party with Crowdie. Wonderfully light, delicate and refreshingly different. While Wales proudly flies the flag with Perl Las, a creamy blue that has quietly amassed an international following.What makes this movement so appealing isn’t simply the taste. It’s the stories behind every wheel, truckle and wedge.

Every cheese has a wonderful tale to tell.

Many are made on small family farms where the same herd grazes the same pastures year after year. The cheesemaker knows every stage of the process, from the morning milking to the careful turning of maturing cheeses in cool ageing rooms.

It’s food with provenance, personality and passion.[The Crickmores are third generation dairy farmers and cheese producers at Fen Farm Dairy.]

For consumers, that’s a winning combination. Buying local cheese isn’t just supporting British farming, it’s investing in craftsmanship that has taken years, sometimes generations, to perfect.

Every purchase helps preserve rural communities, traditional skills and landscapes shaped by dairy farming.So next time someone suggests the French have cornered the market in fine cheese, simply smile, cut another generous slice of British artisan cheese, and let the evidence speak for itself.

After all, it’s difficult to argue with a mouth full of perfectly matured Cheddar.

Inspired by the art of perfect pairing, this collection balances rich flavours, sweetness and gentle heat to lift your cheese board to the next level.

This cheese collection contains the following Stokes products:

Stokes Fig Relish – A sweet fig relish with a slight tartness, brimming with dried figs (60%) and made with cider vinegar and molasses for a great complement to a stronger cheese.

Stokes Chilli Jam – A delicious sticky jam for cheese that is just oozing with flavour from the sweet chilli peppers and red peppers. Particularly good with mature cheddars and soft brie.

Stokes Red Onion Marmalade – A red onion relish made with sticky black treacle and rich balsamic vinegar. Fully flavoured with a delicious sweet sauce.

The perfect gift for the cheese lovers in your life.

Just £18 (+p&p) HERE.[A beautiful by-product of sustainable British farming.]

If you remember, I was treated to lunch out last Sunday and had three incredible tick-box moments.

1, It was lovely to share and chat around the table together;

2, we broke two weeks of salad, salad, and more salad with a fabulous ‘roast dinner’;

3, and … they served Stokes Sauces.

A much needed roast:Roasties, Yorkshire puds, vegetables and gravy. Not a lettuce leaf, cucumber, tomato in sight. Bliss!

And of course, served with condiments to complement the feast: Stokes Classic English Mustard and / or Creamed Horseradish – delicious.Lamb is always a firm favourite, served here with vegetables tossed in olive oil and our sweet garden Mint Sauce before spreading on a tin and roasting under the lamb.With Bramley apples and a dash of British dry cider in our Bramley Apple Sauce on offer … we’d better roast a shoulder of pork to go with it?!

Welcome to Stokes ‘Roast Dinner Bundle’:It has all the condiments you need for every Roast Dinner!

Contains one of each of the following:

Bramley Apple Sauce with Cider (240g) Made with Bramley apples & British dry cider

Mint Sauce (195g) A blend of sweet garden mint & white wine vinegar

Redcurrant Jelly (215g) Rich, smooth and bursting with fruit

Creamed Horseradish Sauce (220g) Made with horseradish root & single cream

Cranberry Sauce (260g) Crammed with cranberries this spoonable sauce has a richly intense flavour.

Extraordinary value at just £15 (plus p&p).

Amazing – £15 for all that sauce !