Archive for the ‘Ingredients’ Category
Recently I went to visit the Casson family who have been growing Original English Black Mitcham Peppermint on their Frith Farm in Hampshire for over 50 years.
For decades the mint farming industry in the UK was in decline due to the import of cheaper but less flavoursome varieties from America. However, in the 1970s Jim Casson re-propagated the Original English Black Mitcham Peppermint from plant stock that one of the old growers in Mitcham, Surrey had maintained in his own garden!
The Casson family now grow this rare variety over 100 acres, alongside other herbs such as sage, chamomile and lavender.
The essential oil that the Original English Black Mitcham Peppermint produces is distilled on the farm, and this is a key ingredient in ‘Duchy Originals from Waitrose’ Mint Duchy Thins chocolates. The essential oil gives the chocolates a truly British flavour.
The farm is run and operated by Jim Casson and his daughter Charlotte, who has been involved in the business since the age of 12 during her summer holidays.
Charlotte certainly knows her mint; on the visit she explained to me that Original English Black Mitcham Peppermint is renowned for its rarity and superior flavour, and the family are pretty certain that there is no one else growing this variety anywhere in the world.
The mint changes from a very dark green, almost black, colour to a lighter shade as it grows and reacts with sunlight. The crop is normally harvested in August but this year it was harvested in September due to wet weather. The oil extraction process takes around four hours, before it is transferred to barrels where it matures for four months.
It has taken Charlotte 10 years to learn what she knows now, but she assures me she has another 30 years to go before she completes her apprenticeships!
I am just glad to know that this spectacular variety of peppermint will continue to be grown by the Casson Family for generations to come; so that the chocolates we create at House of Dorchester will retain a delicious and truly British flavour.
Katherine.
I’m really excited as next week I will be visiting the farm where we source our Original Black Mitcham Mint peppermint oil which we use in the production of Duchy Thins for Waitrose. At House of Dorchester all of our recipes are free from artificial flavours, colours and hydrogenated fat, giving House of Dorchester chocolates a more natural and cleaner taste and this peppermint oil is the business. Ingredients are sourced locally where possible, like for example our peppermint which comes directly from the Cassons Family farm in Hampshire -
I will have lots more to tell you and some great photos when I return next week, oh and I should be smelling lovely too after a day surrounded by peppermint!
At the chocolate factory we have had some happy news for members of staff; Mark Litherland and his partner Jade have had a beautiful baby boy called Kash and Ashley War has announced his engagement to Sarah Downing – congratulations guys! Sadly, this week, we say goodbye to Dean who’s been in our customer services for over 7 years, he’s off to explore a new career and we wish him all the best.
Above, is a picture of a House of Dorchester display at Darts Farm in Devon. Darts Farm is a wonderful farm shop with an emphasis on food that is locally grown reared, baked or caught. They have an on-site master butcher, fishmonger, baker, deli, cider maker and restaurant and if you need any other reason to visit, they also have a fantastic display of our chocolates!
Katherine.
24Aug
We love this time of year here at HOD, as there is an abundance of British berries out in full. The season kicks off with British strawberries around May and raspberries and juicy gooseberries are perfectly in season as I write this!
British berries are a real summer time treat, whether used as part of an elaborate recipe or simply eaten with a fresh dollop of cream or dusting of icing sugar, they are just delicious. It is these flavours that inspired our 70% cocoa Dessert Chocolate Collection.
With Strawberry Cheesecake, mixed with real strawberry pieces, and Wild Berry Crumble, a sweet truffle whipped with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries – they provide a delicate taste of British summer.
I’ve been experimenting at home with the best ways to fuse our chocolates with the berries being picked and the best one so far has been crumbling a handful of Raspberry and Meringue Chunky Chocolate over Eton Mess – it was a very popular combination in my house! Click here for Delia’s simple Eton Mess recipe, if you want to try it out for yourself!
It’s not been all chocolate and meringue though at HOD. Our Chocolate Factory Manager Paul Barney and his wife Debbie, were hard at work raising £450 for Breast Cancer by taking part in the Bristol Sun Walk – which is a fantastic achievement – well done guys!
Katherine.
20Jul
