The Royal Norfolk Show - a foody extravaganza

Drove Orchards Apple Juices

Tasting

Snuggled between Breckland's Posh Pop - think: startling combinations such as Ginger and Chilli, or Sloe Lemonade, and the Old Fashioned Pudding Company, (Spotted Dick, Steak and Kidney Pudding) Drove Orchards was overjoyed to find ourselves in such highbrow epicurean company.

"Spotted Dick"

The Food Hall at the Royal Norfolk Show is also host to the following favourite local foodies... as well as many many more.  

Brays Cottage Perfect Pork Pies, and quite the most beautifully attired stand in the Food Hall.

Crush, nutty Norfolk Rapeseed Oil, Pesto and perhaps Hummus too...

Tim Kinnaird of Macarons and More beside a tower of his diaphanous Macarons... such tastebud explosions appear in lovely Breton-style Salted Butter Caramel and exotic Passion fruit and Chocolate

Cooling off with Breckland's ice-cold Ginger Beer with a Chilli kick... a fab bottle of pop!

...and other treats

...

For an alternative view on the Norfolk Show Food Hall, read Gary Dickenson's blogpost here: http://garydickenson.com/2011/07/the-not-norfolk-show/

News from the Orchards

The Summer Solstice, the longest day in near' upon us... and with the downpours lately, the Orchards are once again resplendent...  Why not come and visit us in Thornham, Pick Your Own or pick-up some of our Orchard produce...

Come Pick Your Own:
Strawberries.
Raspberries.
Red, White and Blackcurrants...

And find vegetables just picked from our Market Garden available in the Farm Shop:
New Potatoes
Artichokes
Beetroot
Courgettes
Lettuces
you may even find:
Cucumbers
Broad Beans

Look out too for the baby Swallows, in the rafters of the Farm Shop.

Drove Orchards, End of May, in the wake of the rain.

The Orchard

Bees, our artist pollinators

The Market Garden

Broad Beans

The Farm Shop

Summer Events

The sprawl of Summer spreads before us... And, so that you can prepare for those plentiful Sunlit picnics with a bottle or two of juice, please find here a list of the various local events Drove Orchards will be attending:

(if you miss these, fear not, our Farm Shop is open Summer long...)

Also, look out for us this weekend, with Bray's Cottage Pork Pies at City of Ale Festival, Norwich and the sparkling Fairyland Fair, Holt Hall... 

Monday 30th May - Bank Holiday - Wells Fair, The Buttlands, Wells-next-Sea.
Saturday 4th June - Creake Abbey Market
Wednesday and Thursday 29th-30th June - The Royal Norfolk Show
Saturday 2nd July - Creake Abbey Market
Saturday 16th July - The Norfolk Diet Norwich Farmers' Market at The Forum, Norwich
Saturday 6th August - Creake Abbey Market

...then, believe it or not, providing the rains come, the apples will be swelling on the trees, as August slips into September, we'll be picking and squeezing next season's juices.

We much look forward to seeing you at these Summer Events!

Spring Farmer's Market, Norwich.

 

Tastebuds flaring as the Spring Farmer's Market at The Forum in Norwich nears. Organised by The Norfolk Diet it promises to be a resplendent celebration of local food.  (Besides Drove Orchards, there will be eminent Tim Kinnaird and his cakes, Bray's Cottage perfect pies, Crush foods... and many others)  An opportunity to taste many Norfolk foods, to meet the producers and simply to spend a day luxuriating in the myriad local flavours... that, and was there rumour of free Brays Cottage pies for any willing placard-carriers? 

Come and join us at the Millenium Plain, The Forum, Norwich, this Saturday 14th May from 9am-3pm.

Creake Abbey Farmers' Market

The warm weather had the throngs thirsting at Creake Abbey last weekend and our Apple Juices were a sell-out.  Last week's favourites: Bramley, Cox's Orange Pippin, and the timeless Apple and Quince Juice.

This photo of our pretty stall was taken by Sophie Goodenough (@sophiegoodas), 

Norfolk photographer and designer.

Slow Food @ The Forum, Norwich

Slow Food Norwich is launching a Slow Food Market @ The Forum.  The first of its kind this will encompass a crowd of Norfolk Food Producers… united by the way they think and care about food.  

Why not come for a root around, to taste some local products and learn more about the notion of “Slow Food”.

To find out more about SLOW FOOD online, see our previous post, or go to SLOW FOOD.org.uk.