The
Well Hung Meat Seasonal Collection
8th February 2007 South Devon based
online Organic Meat business, The Well Hung Meat Co have recently launched their
organic 'Winter Box'. The Winter Box is the latest addition to their 'Seasonal
Collection' and contains a selection of delicious cuts of organic meat designed
to best suit the time of year.
Graeme Roy, Managing Director of Well Hung Meat explains the concept behind the Seasonal Collection, “The idea is simply to offer four mouthwatering boxes of organic meat designed to bring out the best in each season. Seasonality in food is something of a hot topic at the moment, and consumers are becoming much more aware of what’s in season and when foods are at their best. This is thanks in part to the organic veg box schemes which encourage consumers to cook and eat seasonal vegetables.”
Many consumers will not think of meat as being a particularly seasonal food, but the seasonal element of meat is not necessarily the type of meat itself but the actual cuts that we like to eat and the way in which we cook them. Take a hot, sunny day in July and our thoughts turn to barbequed chicken, sizzling sausages and juicy burgers. Winter, however, conjures up images of slow-cooked stews, warming casseroles and hearty roast dinners.
“The demand for different cuts of meat varies dramatically throughout the year, explains Graeme, it starts in the Spring with the much anticipated early spring Lamb. Here on the South Devon Coast we are one of the first places in the country to enjoy the new season lamb. This is because of our warm, wet climate and the fact that the grass grows all year round. As we move into the Summer months, we see overwhelming demand for our burgers, sausages and barbequeing cuts and it is at this time of year that we launch our BBQ meat box. The demand for slow cooking and casseroling cuts begins with the first cold spells in Autumn and continues through to early Spring with cuts such as brisket and shin of beef being very popular.
Of course, we also have a number of seasonal feasts throughout the year with different types of meat taking centre stage. The traditional turkey or goose at Christmas time and ducks and lamb at Easter. Geese, as Graeme explains, are one of the few livestock animals that are still seasonal. Intensive agricultural practices have removed much of the seasonality from meat. Consumers demand turkeys all year round and even ducks, considered by most to be a seasonal game bird, are reared throughout the year.
“It’s really great to see consumers taking an interest in seasonality in food, says Graeme. “Long before the days of intensive agriculture and air-freighting, our ancestors had no choice but to eat seasonally and there is real pleasure in matching your food to the time of year. Everyone loves a barbeque in the Summer and, in Winter, nothing beats popping a stew on the hob first thing, going for a long walk and coming home to a house filled with the fantastic aromas of slow-cooked meat and root vegetables; a ready-meal as it should be!”
The latest installment of The Well Hung Seasonal Collection is the Winter Box. The contents of the box have been carefully chosen to bring out the best in the time of year with plenty of slow-cooking and casseroling cuts. The box also sees the welcome inclusion of some fantastic organic mutton. Often overlooked, mutton has seen something of a resurgence recently, thanks in part to the 'Mutton Renaissance' campaign lead by Prince Charles. Graeme is quick to point out its’ virtues, “Mutton has a wonderful deep flavour, the taste is stronger than lamb and it is superb cooked slowly. Try boiling mutton with a caper sauce or baking it slowly with tomatoes, olives and Moroccan spices.”
The Winter Box costs £75 including national delivery and is available to order at www.wellhungmeat.com or by calling 0845 230 3131. Order all 4 boxes from the Seasonal Collection and save £30.
About Well Hung Meat
Well Hung Meat specialise in home delivery of the finest award-winning, organic meat. Winner’s of five Soil Association Organic Food Awards and endorsed as one of Rick Stein’s Food Heroes, they source their meat from small, local organic farms in South Devon. The meat is hung in the traditional manner to ensure perfect tenderness and flavour.
Well Hung Meat deliver fresh, organic meat nationwide and have a wide selection of individual cuts and set boxes to choose from, including the carnivore’s version of the veggie box, ‘The Monthly Meat Box.’ Full online ordering is available at www.wellhungmeat.com
Contact: Vicki Sprague
vicki@wellhungmeat.com
0845 230 3131.
