Good News, Good Produce.

As the promise of Apple Blossom soon to coat the trees helps us eke out these last grey days of February, the Farm Shop reopens and Vintage Home & Garden has a stunning new look... the good news is only topped by Drove Orchards' entry in the Good Produce Guide 2011.

We'll hopefully be stocking the indispensable foody guide in the Farm Shop, and if you haven't tried our Juice yet, pop over... Those restaurants and delis yet to get their hands on the stuff, worry not, get in touch now and I'll be out delivering Samples and Tasting Notes come March...

A Wassail Toast

The Wassail Cup is emptied, the Musicians and the Wassail Butler bid their farewells, the Orchards are illuminated in the glow of the bonfire's dying embers...

I have returned from a Wassail at Ragman's Lane Orchards in Gloucestershire.  A Wassail, literally "Be thou whole and healthy", is a celebration to awaken the orchards and invoke a bountiful harvest for the year to come.  In its name I propose a traditional Wassail Toast to the trees of Drove Orchards and all other orchards around the country.

Here's to thee, old Apple Tree,
Whence thou mayest bend,
And whence thou mayest blow,
And whence thou mayest bear apples enough.
Hats full, caps full, bushel-sacks full
And a little heap under the stairs.

WASSAIL!

Tasting Notes 2010-2011

As our tasting notes are nearly culminated, our juices are certainly all squeezed.... I thought to celebrate, I would share them with you all on the blog... enjoy! (Next step - come taste for yourselves...)

 

Discovery

Run Dry!

Cox Howgate Wonder

Sharp, but mellow juice, robust,with apple-blossom on the nose.  DRY

Norfolk Royal & Worcester Pearmain

This blend of Norfolk Royal's dryness with Worcester's sweetness and zest produces a mellow, refreshing juice.  MEDIUM DRY

Worcester Pearmain Peasgood Nonsuch

An early cooker, Peasgood is used to freshen up salads.  Cut here with the Worcester it gives a sparky taste of summer on the palate.  MEDIUM DRY

Katie Peasgood

Fresh; initially sweet, then the drier Peasgood comes though to give a sharp finish.  MEDIUM DRY

Bramley

Not yet tasted!

Bramley Howgate

Not yet tasted!

Bramley Cox

Queen Cox gives this juice a full-bodied sweetness, cut through by the sharp kick of Bramley apple. MEDIUM DRY

Greensleeves

Refreshing juice, with a hint of dryness. MEDIUM

Elstar

A sharp juice with attitude; the upfront depth of taste as distinct as that of biting into the Elstar apple.  MEDIUM

Cox Orange Pippin

Just like taking a bite into a Cox: crunch, flavour, body, bite!  MEDIUM

D’Arcy Spice

A mellow juice, with echoes of lime and apple blossom and a hint of spice.  MEDIUM

Autumn Blend

The blend of Bramley, Jona Red, Cox Orange Pippin, Russet and Crown Gold gives a mellow, well-rounded juice, resonating with the nutty flavour of Russet.  MEDIUM

Blenheim Orange

The mature palate won’t fail to recognise the musky flavour to this juice made from an old-fashioned English apple.  MEDIUM SWEET

Crown Gold

A slightly sweet juice brimming with Crown Gold freshness; and a citrus bite at the finish.  MEDIUM SWEET

Red Pippin

A sharp juice with citrus notes.  MEDIUM SWEET

Tree Ripened Cox

A well-rounded, sweet juice, ideal for youngsters.  SWEET

Egremont Russet

Oh so sweet!  This juice is 100% Russet and has the lovely nutty taste of the apple itself.  SWEET

Concorde Pear Juice

A light smooth juice; using Concorde avoids the cloying sweetness of some pear juices.  SWEET

Quince

A flamboyant and fragrant juice, brimming with the exotic scents of the Quince.  Refreshing, at once sweet and slightly dry – a sensational juice!  MEDIUM DRY

Slow Food

Drove Orchards is now a member of SLOW FOOD UK. 

Slow Food is an international grassroots movement, which originated in Italy over twenty years ago.  The movement champions the understanding of food, on both ethical and environmental levels.  It believes in sourcing food conscientiously, fairly supporting producers and eating sustainably. 

Edging the marshlands of the Norfolk Coast, Drove Orchards is a small, rural apple orchards, now over fifty years old.  We supply local restaurants, markets and customers, and are an active part of the local food community.

This Autumn, a bite into one of our just-picked Elstar, or melon-scented Spartan was enough to convince anyone of the importance of fresh, locally-grown food.  Likewise, we have squeezed twenty different varieties of apple juice on site in our orchards this year.  Besides bringing ancient English varieties such as Blenheim Orange and the East-Anglian D’Arcy Spice back into common parlance, we have also made a Quince and Apple Juice, with flavours so exotic you’d hardly think it was made in Norfolk, and a Concorde Pear juice that rivals the continental versions. 

We look forward to further exploring the possibilities of this marshy bit of Norfolk coast, and to taking on an active role in this movement, and thank you for supporting us and it.

www.slowfood.org.uk

Christmas @ Drove Orchards

Besides raving about our fantastically festive Quince Juice and warming shoppers’ souls at London’s Borough Market… the Elves at the Orchards have finished squeezing all the apples, (D’Arcy Spice is the scrumptious latest edition) and somehow found time to make a variety of JELLIES, JAMS, CHUTNEYS and COMPOTES, to wrap them up in Christmassy colours and even to pack them into HAMPERS….  Those of you that were hoping to see us at Fakenham Races this weekend will be sorry to hear it’s been cancelled.  But why not call in at the FARM SHOP instead. 

    ….for Christmas Hampers, Wintry Jellies, Seasonal Aprons and Tea-towels, Quince Juice, Apple Juice to heat up with wintry spices… all that, Christmas Trees, Cards, Puds and Holly Wreaths.  And there’s gorgeous Vintage Home and Garden next door, open again tomorrow at 9 o'clock sharp… Break for a tramp on the marshes and bowl of soup at the Yurt… avoid the city crowds… Christmas shopping never sounded so appealing.

Mulled Apple Juice

           For an appley variation on Mulled Wine.  Pour a bottle of sweet Drove Apple Juice into a pan.  Add a good slosh of water and a Drove Mulled Spice Bag.  Perk up with sliced orange and lemon or even chunks of quince and a handful of raisins.  Bring to just below the boil and simmer for twenty minutes, to allow the spices to infuse.   If need be, sweeten with honey.

Serve piping hot.

Quince Juice on Radio Norfolk

The flamboyant new label - it's Pink! - and the sensational floral flavours of our just pressed Quince and Apple Juice were so raved about at a snowy Creake Market this weekend, that even Radio Norfolk came to have a taste.  Mouths brimming with the pink stuff were broadcast live on the Radio, and a bottle was brought back to the studio for the eminent broadcaster Andy Archer.  We do hope he enjoyed it as much as the marketgoers did - our stock sold out swift as it touched their lips...  For those that missed out, do not panic - there is more to be found at the Farm Shop in Thornham, and at Fakenham Races next week.
Flamboyant Quince juice, the perfect christmassy treat.

(Our Quince Juice has also been tweeted about and is displayed in its full glory here.)