Cor Blimey, we're off to Borough

For decades Borough Market has been the stomping ground of both housewife and gormet, it is the mecca of all things gastronomic so understandably we are totally over excited to be taking up residence at Borough from 2nd December.

The market is on every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, serving a vast range of shoppers from students to Chefs.  Food programmes are often filmed there and for good reason, the selection of produce has to be seen to be believed - whether you fancy a few oysters, shucked and eaten on the hoof, fresh thai herbs or a bowl of porrige served hot Borough Market is the ultimate food location.

Borough Market will be open as usual every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the run up to Christmas and we will also be open on the following days after the Evening of Cheese event on Wednesday, 15 December.

Wednesday, 15 December - 4pm to 8pm - An Evening of Cheese
Thursday, 16 December - 11am to 5pm
Friday, 17 December - 12pm to 6pm
Saturday, 18 December - 8am to 5pm
Sunday, 19 December - 10am to 4pm
Monday, 20 December - 10am to 4pm
Tuesday, 21 December - 10am to 6pm
Wednesday, 22 December - 8am to 6pm
Thursday, 23 December - 8am to 6pm
Friday, 24 December - 8am to 2pm

For more information regarding Borough Market follow the link :  http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Creake Abbey Farmers' Market

Whilst an autumnal sun shone down on Drove Orchards, barely nine miles away at Creake Abbey the sky was shrouded by a perpetual raincloud.  Despite heavy rainbursts the market did go on, only dissuading those marketgoers of the fair-weather variety.  Drove apples were ever popular, ever fought over, even moreso… was it the dewlike tint of raindrops on apples, a spark of poetry to the marketgoers eyes?  Perhaps.  The just-picked Elstar were a raved-about favourite today, and I call upon anyone passing by the orchards in the next few days to plunge their teeth into this pale yellow unassuming apple, with the juiciness of a Jona Red and the full flavour of a Cox Orange Pippin, this Twentieth Century Dutch cross is not one to miss!

Otherwise the stall was a cornucopia of all things appley – apple and almond cake, apple bread (lush), toffee apples, mulled apple juice as well as the usual produce – not to mention an overbrimming basket of our exotically scented Quinces, provoking many remarks.

Forgot the camera.  But you can find us next at Creake Market on 4^th December, the very same weekend as the Deepdale Christmas Fayre – with Santa-esque efficiency we shall be attending both.

Seasonal Treats

We adore anything seasonal so were thrilled to find these Seasonal Guide tea towels from designer Stuart Gardiner, now available from the Drove Orchards farm shop.

Choose from 4 designs:

'Seasonal GuideTo Fruit & Vegetables Of Great Britain', Seasonal Guide To British Garden Flowers',

'Seasonal Guide To British Wild Foods' - a foraging guide to 70 edible wild fruits, herbs, flowers, leaves, nuts, seaweeds and fungi of the British Isles and finally .... 'Seasonal Guide To British Seafood' - an illustrated guide to 47 species of fish & seafood which includes a sustainability rating for each fish.

These fantastic tea towels are just £10 each, measure 76cm x 48cm  and made of 100% unbleached organic cotton. Designed, made and printed in the UK.

Contact our Farm Shop for further details 01485 525652

Toffee Apples

Look out for Drove’s very own Toffee Apples… Shanie has toffeed our favourite Cox’s Orange Pippin in a revival of the authentic toffee apple – a true eulogy to Halloween…  Pics to follow!

(available in Drove Farm Shop, at Creake Market and London Farmers' Markets...)

Fakenham Races 22nd October

On Friday the Drove Orchards truck was to be seen trundling ‘midst the tweeds at the Fakenham Races.  A chilly morn’ fast dissipated to bathe racegoers and Drove apples alike in glorious autumnal sunshine.  Racegoers were quick to assail the bounty spread before them, elbowing in to snatch up bags and choose their apples, at “eight for a pound”, a bargain. It seems the English love for the apple is awakening from a long, drowsy sleep: many were interested to discuss the varieties, others to sing about the long-lost apples of their childhood.  Punters were quick to pick their favourites, the plummy Spartan, a near indecent pink-white fragrant flesh beneath its purple skin, the nutty Russet, “you can near taste the tree it grew on”, marvelled Sarah, our prestigious neighbour in the Picnic barn, of Brays Cottage (yummy) Pork Pies.  We look forward to the next Races on 16^th November to spark up our mulled apple juice and wintry apple cake… BYO slug of whisky and the races will be a very jolly affair – forget not the hip flasks – until then!

Beautiful Brasicas

The first cold snap of the season has brought forward our crop of brasicas this week.  First to be picked were incredible curly kale and swiss chard, followed by cabbages, onions and for the first time this week SPROUTS!  Delicious in warm salads and with meats, sprouts are the nations favourite for a reason; they are so versatile, delicious when lightly cooked and above all, cheap.

 You can find a selection of our seasonal produce at our Farm Shop and at our London and Norfolk market stalls alongside such new, seasonal delights as warm spiced apple juice, homemade toffee apples, apple cake and new season pear juice.  Our Farm Shop in Thornham is choc-a-block with delicious apples of all varieties, pears and quinces (which are flying out for those eager to get quince jelly and sauces ready for Christmas) pumpkins and squashes as well as the usual local breads, free range eggs, and assorted yummy produce.

If you know of a cafe, deli, pub or restaurant that would like to sell our delicious juices please let us know via the website, or you can contact Olivia via our Farm Shop on 01485 525652 who will be delighted to help.

New London Market for Drove Orchards

We are delighted to have added another London market to our portfolio BROADWAY, E8.
 
Barrow boys have been welcoming shoppers to Broadway Market in Hackney since the 1890s, and we are thrilled to showcase Drove Orchards produce amongst such long established food heroes such as Fred Cooke who started selling jellied eels on Broadway Market in 1900.

Fred Cooke opened the restaurant 'Cooke' to feed the crowds thronging the street’s first market, it was a bawdy, drunken, vibrant street, the heart of an East London community that was to survive social turmoil and the bombs of two world wars.

Broadway Market is now described as the most successful community market in London and Fred Cooke’s grandson, Bob, is introducing a new generation to pie, mash, liquor - and jellied eels.

See the Broadway Market website for further information here: www.broadwaymarket.co.uk

Come and see us on Saturdays from 9am - 5pm