Coffee – we like it a latte

Once upon a time it was all about tea. Now, don’t get us wrong, tea is still one of our favourite drinks as a nation. But, it has to be said, coffee is biting at its heels. Apparently coffee consumption has increased from 70 million cups a day in 2008 to 95 million a day in 2018. That’s quite a lot of lattes!

Here in the UK, the latte is our favourite kind of coffee – one in four of us would opt for one. Cappuccino is the next most popular, followed by flat white and the good old Americano. Rumour has it that American soldiers developed the Americano during the Second World War to make their espresso last longer – by adding extra hot water. Makes sense!

The same research showed that one in 10 of us admit to being coffee addicts – and even those who don’t go so far as to call themselves an addict say they need the hit to get the day going, with 42 per cent not feeling like the day has got started until they have their first cup of joe. Apparently many of us think we’re funnier and work harder when we’ve had a cup…not sure how true the first is, but maybe that’s because of our dazzling sense of humour with or without coffee.

The health benefits (or opposite) of coffee have frequently been discussed, with people often being warned not to over indulge for the good of their health. But the coffee bean is a natural item and it does include powerful antioxidants such as hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols, which have been linked to the prevention of cancer and other horrible diseases. There’s been academic research from the University of Nottingham which has shown that coffee can help to fight obesity and others have said it can protect against gallstones.

There’s even research to show a cup of coffee won’t keep you awake of a night, so you can enjoy one any time. Although don’t hold us to that – we didn’t do the research so don’t blame us if that 10pm espresso has you ready to start partying by 11pm. Maybe stick to the decaf just in case!

Apparently one in three UK households now owns a coffee pod or capsule machine, and many more of us rely on our cafetière. Of course good old instant has a role to play too when you’re in a hurry.

Here at Hunters we have a wide range of coffee products – from loose beans we can weigh out to some of our very favourite grinds. How about Taylor's  Java Jember or Grumpy Mule Velvety Peru ? We also love the Grumpy Mule Sumatra to kirk start the day.

If you’re popping into Hunters to buy a sandwich we also offer a cup of coffee to go – perfect for that afternoon boost ahead of a long walk, mooch round Helmsley’s shops or heading back to work!

Might just go put the kettle on…

Guess who is officially the Best Independent Retailer in the North?

We’re blushing a bit as we say it – but IT’S US!

Thank you so much to all of our wonderful customers who voted for us, we don’t know what to say!

But yes, here at Hunters of Helmsley we’re celebrating after being crowned the best independent retailer in the North following a public vote run by the Great British Food Awards 2019.

We beat off stiff competition from hundreds of other delis to be included on a shortlist of five retailers in the north, before eventually claiming the top spot.

There were 19 categories in total (nine for the independent retailer awards split across the country geographically). Our own region covered the North West, North East and Yorkshire so we’re even more honoured to have received this prestigious accolade with all the amazing competition across all those counties!

Staggeringly, more than 14,000 votes were cast in a number of reader-voted categories (thank you to everyone who took the time to do so), whilst celebrity favourites including the Hairy Bikers, Raymond Blanc and John Torode judged some of the other categories, such as best cheese, gin or baked goods. Nice work if you can get it!

The awards, which are in their sixth year, are run by Great British Food Magazine. Their lovely editor, Natasha Lovell-Smith, said: "Hunters of Helmsley is a Yorkshire institution and the finest food retailer in the North of England, according to Great British Food readers; 70% of the products available in store are sourced from within Yorkshire itself, so local sourcing is clearly a priority for the team. Famed for its excellent customer service and wide range of products, this is the place to go for local specialties, homemade preserves, fine wines, gift hampers and lots more."

So, we really are proud as (rum) punch. We feel passionate about good food and drink and supporting local producers and suppliers, so it is always wonderful to know that people enjoy what we offer. Thank you also to our wonderful team who always go out of their way to help customers find what they’re looking for – or discover a new favourite!

Think this deserves a glass of something fizzy! Cheers to you all!

Things heat up this National Curry Week

This week is the 21^st annual National Curry Week.

It’s no secret that in Britain we have a bit of a love affair with a good curry. It was the 1970s when curry houses started popping up in earnest around the country, but the first recorded curry recipe in English was in a cookery book all the way back in 1747. In fact, commercially produced curry powder first appeared in a shop in London in 1780.

The modern word curry comes from the Tamil ‘kari’ which is a spiced sauce served with rice. Everyone has their own personal favourites. The Tikka Masala apparently counts for one in seven curries eaten in the UK – but it’s not a traditional Indian curry at all, having thought to have been invented in Glasgow in 1971. Although in research two years ago which shocked the nation (OK, we may be exaggerating slightly….) the Korma actually beat the Tikka Masala, with one in five opting for the coconut cream-based curry as their favourite dish. Maybe it was just a blip that year. Madras, Jalfrezi and Vindaloo then typically follow as our favourite curry varieties.

For those who prefer things as hot as possible there’s the Chicken Naga, with plenty of Naga pepper seeds (855,000 on the Scoville Scale - 100 times hotter than jalapeño peppers). Or how about the ‘Flaming Fiery Phaal’ which includes the Naga but also the Scorpion pepper – a scary 1,500,000 on the Scoville Scale! You might need a few pints of milk or tubs of yoghurt to hand eating that one.

Although, admittedly understandably in that case, we may be nervous to try something new, apparently one in three of us always order the same thing when we have an Indian – we’re creatures of habit. But variety is the spice of life, so they say!

If you fancy spicing up your life a bit, at Hunters we have a wide range of curry sauces, spices and accompaniments, as well as some delicious ready to eat products. How about choosing from a selection of Rafis Spices all put together in York,maybe amazing Anila's handmade authentic sauces or  Yorkshire very own Aggrah range of sauces. All totally delicious and easy to combine with your favourite ingredients.

After all, a good curry is second to naan! (sorry….)

Buy local this British Food Fortnight – Yorkshire and proud!

It’s British Food Fortnight – two weeks dedicated to celebrating all that is wonderful about British food.

And it is wonderful, we’re so very lucky to have a wealth of amazing and talented farmers and producers within our shores. Not only that, we’re even more lucky here in Yorkshire, because we have a multitude of them on our very doorstep.

We’re very proud that here in Hunters at least 70 per cent of our products are sourced within the region. Why would we not when there’s so much delicious food and drink made here? We (as in Chris and Christine Garnett, the owners) both come from farming backgrounds and believe the quality of food and where/how it is produced is vital. It’s key to the Hunters’ philosophy that local farmers, producers and suppliers are supported and championed where we can.

We have formed very strong relationships with local suppliers: bread and cakes are made at the Malton Bakery just 15 miles away; cheeses come from nearby dairies such as Shepherd’s Purse; drinks from Ryedale Vineyard and local breweries including Cropton and Hambleton; and Johnsons of Thirsk and The Original Baker provide the delicious pastries and pork pies. The highest quality local meats are sourced from several local farms and cooked daily on the premises, ready for our amazingly deep-filled sandwiches (bring your appetite!)

Hunters even has its own range of products, all made locally, just outside York. The range includes condiments, sweet and savoury biscuits, pates and chocolates, all made with top quality ingredients – they have to be good to bear our name!

There really is so much amazing work being done across the region to produce the very best food and drink out there. We adore Lauden chocolates, made in Leeds – you won’t find a prettier chocolate, but they taste amazing with such intricate flavours. The delicious Rosebud Preserves are created in Masham and the popular Cartwright & Butler savoury and sweet  biscuits are made near Beverley

We have over 40 locally brewed bottled beers, cider made by the Monks at nearby Ampleforth Abbey, wine created at the Ryedale Vineyards and gin distilled just outside York.

Some of our other Yorkshire favourites include the most delicious gift chocolates made in Leeds by Lauden Chocolates. Flavoured chocolate bars from Choc  Affair in York, voted best chocolate brand in the UK 2019.

 

 We also love to encourage local organisations to work together. We approached local cider-makers Ampleforth Abbey and pie-maker Yorkshire Baker, to work together to create a brand new pie - Slow Roast Pork and Ampleforth Abbey Cider pie - which is available exclusively at Hunters. We did likewise with Sole gin producers SLOEmotion and Brymor Dairies, to create the world’s first Sloe Gin Ice Cream – delicious! 

British Food Fortnight is the ideal time to make a conscious effort to buy local. And we’re always happy to recommend some items which we know will quickly become firm favourites! 

Rice or roast

This next week marks the start of two foodie ‘awareness weeks’ (not that we think either of these things need awareness – they’re pretty well known!)

Launching on 18^th September, National Rice Week aims to highlight the nutritional benefits of rice, and ways to cook it. We have to say, rice can be an understated staple – you can get stuck doing the same old boiled rice as an accompaniment to bulk out a meal, rather than enjoying it in its own right. So maybe it’s a good thing to have a week celebrating rice and all the things you can do with it! Hot or cold, sweet or savoury – they’re all good…

How about using it to make some sushi? We have everything you need in store to create your own nigiri or maki rolls. Or why not try some sticky jasmine rice with a fresh thai green curry? Maybe it’s a good incentive to make your own instead of opting for a take away this weekend.

Risotto is always a winner – and we have the easiest, tastiest ready-to-go risottos going! Simply add water to the packs and simmer for 10-15 minutes for a quick, satisfying supper in no time! Choose from Mediterranean  vegetable and mushroom varieties.

As rice week comes to a close, British Roast Dinner Week kicks in on 24^th (of course it would have to start on a Sunday!). Who doesn’t love a roast dinner, but it has to be said they’re a lot of hard work. If you’re going to go to all that effort, you want to make sure it’s the best of the best. You can’t have roast beef without horseradish or mustard – we think Baytree's hot stuff horseradish  is perfect for the job. Roast lamb? Got to have some mint sauce. Tracklements do a lovely fresh mint jelly, or  a perfectly balanced traditional mint sauce. Just the thought makes your mouth water! Roast pork – bring on the apple sauce. We love Stokes brand brambly apple. And then we come to chicken or turkey. Of course, cranberry sauce is a well-established favourite, and we do a great variety. But we also do a

delicious, Hunters’ brand chilli jam which tastes amazing with poultry. Maybe not so much with gravy, but perfect for using up those leftovers with some delicious fresh bread and butter or a salad.

If whipping up a roast dinner is going to take more time than you have, why not pop in for one of our famous deep-filled roast beef sandwiches? We perfectly roast the beef on site, so it’s still slightly pink – the smell is enough to get your stomach rumbling! Served with your choice of accompaniments, choosing one of our best-sellers will definitely never leave you feeling hungry. In fact, you wouldn’t be alone if you could only manage half and had to share the rest with a lucky friend (or save it for later if you’re not feeling that generous).

So, whatever this week inspires you to eat, pop in to Hunters and let us help you make an ordinary meal extraordinary!

Six things you must do in Helmsley

The last couple of weeks of the school holidays are approaching – along with the last 2019 bank holiday where we’re likely to enjoy any kind of sunshine (although this is the UK, so stranger things have happened – it might well be sunnier on Christmas Day than August 26^th).

But although we’re never sure of the weather, one thing we are sure of – Helmsley is a great place to be this time of year. There’s so much to do, so much to see, and the surrounding countryside is spectacular – we’re in peak heather season, and nothing beats that magnificent purple as far as the eye can see.

So, if you fancy a trip to the town, what should you do? It’s a great place to base yourself if you love walking or cycling or going on leisurely drives (and there’s plenty of fantastic hotels and B&Bs to stay in to make your visit last a bit longer). But for things right in the centre of town to enjoy, we’d recommend:

1.      The Helmsley Walled Garden is stunning at this time of year, and a riot of colour. It’s a great place for a wander round and sitting and admiring the wonder of nature. There’s also a very special cafe tucked away within it, which serves amazing food and drink!

2.      Helmsley Castle is another great place to visit. Dating back over 900 years, you can see how the castle evolved over the centuries, from a mighty medieval fortress to a luxurious Tudor mansion, to a Civil War stronghold and a romantic Victorian ruin. A must-see for history fans – but fascinating regardless of your interests! And with plenty of open green space, it’s fantastic for a picnic or to let little ones run off some steam.

3.      A great experience for all is the Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool, which has just celebrated its 50^th birthday. Enjoy a cooling dip on a sunny day, or it’s just as amazing being in the warm pool while it’s raining! Make sure you book ahead of time, as it does get busy. Whilst you’re up at that end of town, there’s a playground next to the cricket ground if you’ve children to entertain – and even some fun outdoor gym equipment for the grown-ups!

4.      The award-winning National Centre for Birds of Prey in Duncombe Park is a brilliant experience. Make sure you time your visit to coincide with at least one flying display – Charlie and his team are super knowledgeable and you’ll get to see the birds do their thing!

5.      Make sure you don’t forget to just have a wander around the town. You’ll find dozens of unique and interesting shops, unlike anywhere else. It’s one of the reasons Helmsley won the Great British High Street’s Best Market Town award! It’s a great place to buy presents, or something a bit different for yourself or your home. There’s cafes, restaurants and pubs galore. You certainly won’t go hungry – from fish and chips and fine dining, to scones and cakes to authentic Italian bistros or Spanish tapas.

6.      And of course, last but certainly not least, make sure you call in at Hunters – Britain’s Best Small Shop! (we were officially given that title, we haven’t just made it up ourselves!) We can sort you out with a picnic to enjoy on your explorations, or some tasty Yorkshire treats to take home with you. Whatever your idea of good food, we’ll see you right!

For more information about what’s happening in Helmsley head to www.visithelmsley.co.uk . Hopefully see you soon! 

Exciting new gluten free range of pastries available for tasting!

We are delighted to announce that The Original Baker will be sampling their delicious new gluten free pies and quiche in store on Bank Holiday Monday 26th August.

And when we say delicious, we are not over-exaggerating! We would defy any gluten eater not to be impressed…

We are now stocking the newly launched all-butter pastry quiches and pies from The Original Baker in Malton so we thought it would be a great idea to let all our customers have a little try. We think these are going to be winners for those following a gluten free diet – and also those who aren’t!

Coeliac disease affects one in 100 people – however, only 30% of those who have the condition have been diagnosed which means there are currently nearly half a million people who aren’t yet aware they have it. Coeliac disease is a serious illness where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when gluten is eaten, causing damage to the lining of the gut and leaving the body unable to properly absorb nutrients from food.

It is not just those with Coeliac disease who enjoy gluten-free products, with research showing one in 10 people in the UK now avoid gluten in their diet.

The pies and quiches are sold individually wrapped to ensure they are safe for those who are unable to eat gluten. From the range, we’ll be sampling:

·        Smoked salmon & horseradish quiche

·        Sweet potato, pepper & chorizo quiche

·        Leek & bacon quiche

·        Slow-cooked beef & vegetable pie

·        Thai vegetable pie with a creamy coconut sauce

Is your mouth watering yet?! If not, they will be after you find out they come encased in an all butter pastry made with The Original Baker’s own handmade blend of gluten free flours to achieve the perfect texture, taste and appearance. No more card-boardy alternatives, at Hunters we’re all about the taste and these hit the spot.

So, what makes them so special? Cheryl Barrett from The Original Baker, told us: “We have built a separate facility for our gluten free range and are using brand new equipment – this is something we take very seriously. We’re members of the Coeliac Society and we regularly test our products. When we started on this journey, we thought we’d use gluten free flour we could buy in, but it quickly became apparent that none were up to the standard we wanted so we have created our own blend. It was important to us that it baked to an appetizing golden colour, and that it tasted light and buttery and had a delicate texture – we think we’ve achieved that! And we look forward to being at Hunters on 9^th August to share them with customers and visitors.”

As well as the gluten free range, The Original Baker will also be offering samples of its wider range including freshly baked warm hog roast sausage rolls; BBQ pulled pork sausage rolls; peppered steak and ale pie; Mediterranean vegetable roll with feta; and brie, tomato and basil quiche.

And that’s not all! On Saturday 10^th August from 11am we will also be running a tasting of a range of new sauces from Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge, including Chipotle Barbecue, Virgin Mary, Black Garlic and Gherkin Ketchups. All are handmade in the Lake District without any artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives and are gluten-free, nut-free and suitable for vegetarians.

So, we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the weekend to try out some new things which we’re sure are going to become to old favourites…

A picture of a modern picnic

The school holidays are here – bringing with them long, sunny days. Or at least that’s what we hope. The days will definitely seem even longer if they’re rainy!

Hopefully the summer will bring with it plenty of opportunities for picnics – nothing beats eating al fresco, setting up the picnic blanket at the seaside, in the park, or even in the garden.

But apparently, traditional picnic favourites are being replaced by more ’modern’ food choices. A new survey reveals that two-thirds of us have made a big effort to upgrade our picnic game in recent times, and more than a third admitted to getting competitive about their al fresco spreads. Oo-er.

In research conducted by Flora with 2,000 Brits, it seems jam sandwiches, hard boiled eggs and pork pies are out and hummus, sourdough bread and deli meats are in, all washed down with an artisan lemonade.

No more are we tucking into chicken drumsticks, quiche or cocktail sausages, it’s all about the olives and the rare roast beef.

Now, we like to think we’re a bit of an expert when it comes to picnics. And we think that’s a load of rubbish! Sourdough bread, deli meats, hummus and olives are delicious – and would be very welcome in any picnic we had. But so would quiche, sausage rolls, and hard boiled eggs – which seem to be all the rage in the current trend for high protein diets. You can’t beat a well made sandwich and a quality sausage roll or quiche – we’re not talking about soggy bread, dry pastry and stingy fillings here, we’re talking about the good stuff! Rare roast beef is always a winner – especially in one of our deep filled sandwiches with a touch of horseradish!

We have thousands of day trippers, local lunch grabbers, families, walkers, cyclists and bikers visit our shop every year, perusing our counters for the picnic lunch which grabs their fancy. Everyone’s tastes are different, but for most people their favourite sandwich or a pastry-based main, with maybe some salad sides and some ‘proper’ crisps, ticks all the boxes. Cheese and crackers is always a good one if you’re going for a fancier picnic with plates and cutlery! Finish off with a sweet treat (or maybe even start with one – you could always have an ice cream first. Our locally made Brymor ice creams are amazing!) and your choice of soft or hot drink (or even an alcoholic tipple if you’re not driving), and you’ve a picnic fit for a King or Queen.

The survey did show that whatever we’re eating, after food activities are still the same though in the main - 43 per cent take a football and a third a frisbee. A slightly more technologically-focused one in 10 take their laptop - presumably for catching up on a spot of work, and the same number take a drone.

So, whatever your favourite picnic treat, and wherever your favourite picnic spot – let’s hope the weather is kind this summer for lots of opportunities to get out there! 

What makes the perfect day? Good food, of course…

A study by Lottoland caught our eye, which asked 2,000 people in Britain what would constitute their perfect day. (Adults only – I dare say a kid’s day would have been entirely different and involved a lot more Peppa Pig, Xbox and Haribo)

It seems to keep us smiling, what we need is plenty of laughter, quality food and a good night’s sleep. Sign me up!

What is quite nice is that, actually, many of the things which feature, are very realistic and achievable. And we perhaps just need to make more time to do them, rather than spending hours flicking through our phones or staying late at work (which didn’t appear on the list…)

Of course, we knew good food would feature highly. Apparently a third would pick a full roast dinner to tuck into, while 28 per cent would choose a pizza – although we reckon there’s a few more exciting options we could think of! Enjoying the perfect steak or having a barbecue is a popular component of the perfect day. The smell of bacon cooking in the morning or doing a spot of baking also went down well. Drink too – a good cup of tea, and a drink with friends makes us smile according to the study.

Music also took a starring role for four out of 10 of us, with some of the songs to make us happiest including Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”, Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”.

Other things Brits love to do are binge on a boxset, have a family day out, watch a film (Dirty Dancing, Mrs Doubtfire, Star Wars or Love Actually), indulge in some retail therapy, pop to the pub and read a good book. Some were more active – spending time on a long walk in nature or going to the gym (although that was only 8 per cent), while others fancied spending the entire day in their PJs.

Slightly more bizarrely, one in 10 wanted to belt out a song in the shower (easily pleased) and one in three hoped to ‘find some money’. Well isn’t that everyone’s dream – although I’m guessing they mean more than a dropped penny.

We’d wake up at 8am and go to sleep at 11pm – 15 hours of free time and 9 hours of snoozing. Nice.

We love the fact this study shows that actually any day can be a perfect day. So, if you’re planning yours, why not pop along to Hunters and we’ll set you up with a feast fit for a King or Queen? After all good food and drink is definitely the key!

How to stop the kitchen fall outs

Picture the scene – an amazing smell is coming from the pan simmering on the hob, the table is set, the wine poured. Perfect. Except, according to new research, we’ve probably already started bickering with our loved one over everything from timings to meddling in the preparation.

The research from HelloFresh looked at the top reasons couples fall out in the kitchen. The most common bust ups are over what to eat – there’s nothing worse than one person fancying pasta and the other a roast dinner. The second most common row is around what time to eat – again, annoying if you’re an early diner and your partner prefers a late supper.

The third reason – which most of us can probably identify with – is leaving the kitchen looking like a bomb has hit it! Using every pan, spoon, knife and chopping board in the house is never going to go down well. Interfering in the other person’s cooking was fourth on the list – back seat chef-ing should be avoided. Fifth was pretty much giving up on cooking altogether and arguing over whether a takeaway was a better idea!

Other ‘boiling point’ topics included boring meals, ingredients loved by one and loathed by the other, washing up, spiciness, shopping, waste, repetition, failing to replace an item or hoarding too many, unhealthy foods and meal planning. With 25 argument-causing topics on the list there’s certainly lots of reasons to row! Some of the more bizarre included whether a meal was too healthy, and whether or not there’s enough sauce. Who knew!

Because of these rows, more than one in ten couples haven eaten separately, while a similar number have refused to cook for the other person or ordered a takeaway for themselves. 

That said, the research also showed how much we love to talk about food. Apparently, the average couple will talk about what to eat for their evening meal for at least 10 minutes a day (61 hours a year). Obviously here at Hunters you could probably multiply that by 10 – we love a good chat about food, anytime, anywhere!

But the research definitely shows that a lack of variety is at the centre of many of the disagreements – arguing about eating the same foods all the time and feeling bored with what’s on the plate. Apparently, of the seven evening meals most of us make every week, five will be the same – often including a roast, spaghetti bolognese and pizza.

One third of couples said they would like to be more adventurous with their food choices but blamed their partner for being stuck in their ways when it came to mealtimes. Although one in four also admitted they’re usually too tired at the end of a busy day to go too crazy trying out new recipes.

Well, we don’t think that trying out new things has to be complicated or difficult – we try and make it straightforward and delicious! So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, why not come and have a chat with us? We’ll help reinvigorate dinner (lunch and breakfast) time – and stop those rows in their tracks!

Give dad a fabulous Father’s Day

It’s long been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Here at Hunters we definitely agree that tasty treats or your dad’s favourite tipple is always going to go down well. Who doesn’t love to receive some goodies – and as they’re a present you’re not even expected to share!

But what delicacies to choose!

If your dad has a savoury tooth, we can guarantee he’d love some of our pies and pastries. What better than a hamper of baked goods to brighten up his day? Choose from sausage rolls with all manner of tasty flavourings – leek and apple or sweet chilli perhaps? For pies, how about pork pie with black pudding or our exclusive Slow Roast Pork and Ampleforth Abbey Cider pie? Yum.

A cheese board might also go down well – we have dozens of local and international cheeses to choose from, including some more unusual varieties. The Charcoal Cheese – black in colour – is surprisingly delicious! Get him a few of his favourites, along with some luxury crackers and one of our own brand chutneys, and he’ll be in heaven. We also have our own range of delicious pates which would go nicely – everything from Bison and Fried Onion to Venison with Cognac or Ostrich with Blueberries.

For a sweet toothed dad, you need to come upstairs to our first floor! You can hand pick him a box of very special Lauden chocolates, choosing his favourite flavours. The chocolates themselves are works of art, and the flavours are to die for – Lychee and Rose or Sour Cherry anyone? We have chocolates, fudges, toffees, sweets, gourmet marshmallows, biscuits and cakes galore – there’s bound to be something which would tickle his fancy!

If your papa has an intolerance or allergy we also have a size-able ‘free from’ range – no one should miss out this Father’s Day!

If dad likes a tipple, come check out our ground floor. Whiskey, gin, beers, ales, ciders, wines, lagers – from across the world, but also just down the road. We even have wine from a local vineyard, cider from the abbey just a couple of villages away, gin made outside York – Yorkshire really is an amazing place!

If you can’t pop into the shop, we also have products available to buy online – including our popular hampers, as well as some of our own brand favourites. If there’s something you have in mind which isn’t mentioned on our online shop just let us know and we’ll see what we can do!

Happy Father’s Day!

Helmsley – the perfect place for the perfect picnic

National Picnic Week takes place in June – one of our favourites! Surely everyone loves a good picnic – even if the Great British weather works against us, we don’t let it get us down!

We’re very lucky being based where we are, as we’re surrounded by a multitude of marvelous picnic spots. Duncombe Park is the obvious one right on our very doorstep. It’s a stunning location for a walk and a picnic, and there’s lots of fun exploring to be done! The National Centre for Birds of Prey is set within the grounds too, with plenty of picnic tables to sit at and enjoy a bite to eat while finding out more about some very special feathered friends. Maybe just don’t eat your sandwich while the flying displays are taking place…

Helmsley Castle is another great place to put your picnic blanket – enjoy hundreds of years of history and lots of green open spaces. It’s a fantastic place for kids to run off a bit of energy and learn something new! Helmsley Walled Garden is another wonderful place to sit back and enjoy fantastic surroundings – at different times of the year the flowers are a riot of colour, and it’s a place which can’t fail to make you smile.

Further afield (but not very much further) we have the famous Rievaulx Abbey to explore, and the spectacular Sutton Bank - offering the best views in Britain. What more could you want for a picnic spot? As Helmsley is set in the North York Moors National Park, there are walks and cycle routes aplenty – including the famous Cleveland Way, which starts in the town.

But, in fact, one of the most popular picnic spots can be spied from our windows! The steps of the statue in the centre of Helmsley’s Market Place are often full with bikers, walkers and shoppers enjoying a bite to eat in the sunshine. Bliss!

So, what should you take on your perfect picnic? Well, come to us, and we’ll help you create a picnic like no other! Our famous deep-filled sandwiches will keep you full up until dinner time and we have all your favourite fillings to choose from. Roast beef and horseradish is the clear front runner with our customers (the local beef is roasted by us on site) – but also very popular are honey roast ham with coleslaw and Wensleydale cheese and carrot relish.

If you don’t fancy a sandwich, how about choosing a pie or pastry? We have pork pies of all shapes and sizes and plenty of sausage rolls – some with a twist like sweet chilli or apple. Other delicious pastries include the Mediterranean roll or the brie, sun blushed tomato and basil quiche – definitely making your picnic one to look forward to.

We have deli salads you can choose from to create a meal fit for a king, the marvelously moreish Yorkshire Crisps, and cakes, biscuits, chocolates and confectionary galore. We can even set you up with some cheese, pate, crackers and chutneys – just bring plates and cutlery or it may get a bit messy!

Don’t forget something to drink. For soft drinks we have the refreshing Belvoir Elderflower Presse or Helmsley produced 3 Girls Orchard apple juice. Alternatively if you’re leaving the car choose from one of our local beers or wines.

So, whatever your perfect picnic, pick it up at Hunters. We’ll even throw in some advice on the best places to enjoy it – always ask the locals!

We’ve been shortlisted in Great British Food Awards – but we need your help to win it!

Anyone who knows us well will know we’re actually quite a modest bunch here at Hunters – so we don’t like to be seen to be blowing our own trumpet too much!

That said…sometimes you have to blow your trumpet because you have some fantastic news which needs sharing! And now is one of those times! As not only do we have great news, we also need to ask a teeny tiny favour.

We’re delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted in the prestigious Great British Food Awards 2019! Yay us! We’re one of six finalists in the Best Independent Retailer category for the North of England – against some very stiff competition.

These are the sixth annual Great British Food Awards and this is the fourth time we’ve been lucky enough to make the final. So, the judges have deemed us worthy of a shortlist nomination – and now we need your help because it’s all down to a public vote! If you’ve ever enjoyed shopping with us, we’d be eternally grateful if you could spare five minutes to pop to the website and give us a vote. There’s even a little incentive….prizes to be won!

Votes for the awards can be cast at www.greatbritishfoodmagazine.com/awards until 15th August 2019. Anyone voting is automatically entered into a prize draw to win one of over 30 fantastic foodie prizes, worth more than £7,000. There’s sparkling new pans, a River Cottage break for two, cookbooks, hampers, gadgets to help take your cooking to the next level – even the chance to win a greenhouse! There’s 19 categories in total to vote for (although you don’t have to do them all), including restaurants, food writers, cookbooks and TV personalities.

We are genuinely delighted to have been shortlisted in these fantastic awards again, which look to celebrate everything that is great about British food and drink. We never take for granted what we do, and we’re so grateful to our amazing team, our wonderful local suppliers and producers and of course all our lovely customers. Thank you all!

We’d love to bring the award home to Helmsley – maybe this is our year…

Foodie favourites from across the globe

What’s your favourite food?

Tough question, we think! Everyone’s an individual, and no doubt many of us would say something different. Or would we? An international YouGov study of more than 25,000 people in 24 countries show that actually there’s quite a lot of similarities.

Apparently, officially, Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world. As many of us may have chosen ourselves, it seems pizza and pasta are among the most popular dishes the world over, scoring an average of 84% across all the countries taking part in the research. (unsurprisingly it definitely came out most popular with the Italians themselves at 99%).

Chinese cuisine took second place with a popularity score of 78%. Although only 95% of Chinese people said they liked it, bizarrely. Japanese food followed with an average score of 71%.

Fourth and fifth were Thai food and French dining, with Spanish, American, Mexican, Indian and Turkish food making up the remainder of the top 10.

British cuisine came in 16^th – with an average score of 50%, proving particularly unpopular with other European countries, scoring around 25% from many. We quite like our own food – at 91% - and Singaporeans rated it the next highly at 76%.

Peruvian and Finnish food trailed the bottom of the 34 types of cuisine included in the research. But could that be because many have never tried them?

When it comes to us Brits and our favourite types of cuisine, Italian food came out the highest at 91%, followed by Chinese at 86%, Indian at 84%, Spanish at 80% and Mexican at 76%. Saudi Arabian food came bottom of our list with just 18%.

So, what does this tell us? Perhaps not a lot, without some extra data to look at what people have tried eating. In most UK towns, it’s certainly easier to get hold of a calzone than it is Karelian Pie (that’s a Finnish delicacy by the way).

But here at Hunters, we do love to try new things – and, if we enjoy them, we love to introduce them to our customers! Although much of our stock is Yorkshire born and bred (with such amazing produce on our doorstep, we’d be mad not to), we do have a healthy international section, where we love to bring in new things to try. Some current favourites include Ajvar, a roasted red pepper and chilli spread from Serbia, Rose Harissa, a middle eastern spice paste made with rose petals and  8 year aged Balsamic vinegar from Modena.

And if there’s ever a favourite you find – perhaps on your travels – we always love to hear about it, and we may even be able to track it down for you. We just love good food – wherever it comes from!

Hat’s off – it’s an egg-cellent edible Easter bonnet

We don’t like to do things by halves here at Hunters. If we’re going to do it, we go all out.

Which is why we’ve ended up with a stunning 1.7kg pure Belgian chocolate (edible) Easter bonnet! And it could be yours…

When we heard that Helmsley would be running an Easter Bonnet Trail around the town, we were keen to be involved. The trail runs from 8^th to 28^th April, with visitors having to match the bonnet to the business for the chance to win a prize. A fun activity for the school holidays, keep active, get some fresh air, visit some fantastic local businesses, and maybe stop for a little coffee and cake on the way round!

So, we decided to commission Scarborough-based confectioner Linda Jameson, the owner of Lindy Lou Creations and chocolatier at Ampleforth Plus, to design a very special Belgian chocolate bonnet to be used in our shop window – before being raffled off to one lucky winner, raising money for a local cause.

The 1.7kg creation is the size of a real Easter bonnet – and yes, you could wear it! (although if you have a hot head it could get pretty messy). Made from Belgian milk chocolate with hand crafted sugar Easter flowers it took over eight hours for the very talented Linda to create. She creates lots of wonderful confectionary for the shop and she can make anything we set her the challenge to have a go at!

Raffle tickets to win the chocolate Easter bonnet can be purchased from us and cost £1 each. A winner will be drawn at random on 29^th April, with all the funds raised going to the Helmsley Christmas Lights fund. So, everyone wins as you’ll be helping to make Helmsley an even more beautiful festive town for us all to enjoy when the time comes!

We love to get involved in the trails and events organised by the Helmsley in Business group, as it’s great to be able to offer something extra to visitors. If you want to take part in the Helmsley Easter Bonnet Trail you can pick up an entry form from us or from the wonderful Helmsley Traditional Sweet Shop just down the road. Match the pictures of the hats to the businesses and return it to any participating shop to be put into the prize draw for a special Helmsley goody bag!

Happy Easter one and all – hope to see you over the Easter holidays….

Make it an eggstra special Easter

Easter might be late this year (did you know the latest Easter Sunday can fall is 25^th April – so we’re not far off on 21^st), but that doesn’t mean we’re not already getting in the mood at Hunters! Chocolate, simnel cake, eggs, hot cross buns, treats – what’s not to love about Easter food? Especially if you’ve given something you love up for lent – indulging come Easter Sunday will taste all the better!

Finding something new to give as a gift, or a new little treat for you to try, can be difficult – but have no fear! We’ve got some great new finds this Spring, along with some old favourites we would never dare not stock (we know if you find an Easter treat you really like, you look forward to it every year!)

If you’re a fan of really dark chocolate, we have Montezumas Absolute black 100% cocoa solids – rich and amazing! Perfect for those avoiding dairy – along with their No Udder dairy free range of dark button and milk button eggs all retailing at £10.50. The perfect treat for someone who can’t, or chooses not to, have dairy in their diet. If you’re looking for a special grown up present, the Booja Booja dairy free Champagne truffles are amazing (they’ve won 13 awards) and come in a hand painted wooden egg. The egg is stunning and something you would keep for years (long after the truffles disappear – which won’t take long at all). 

Something very special for anyone who is mad about unicorns (that’s most of us then) is the nest of unicorn eggs, which come in a pack of six from James Chocolates. Holdsworth Chocolates’ popping candy egg with eight truffles is a grown up taste sensation (literally!) and we also have their super cute Ellie the egg bug (ladybird), Edward the egg hog (hedgehog) and Eggy egg and spoon (yes – you can eat the spoon!).

From Lindy Lou handmade chocolates in Scarborough, we have amazing frog, owl and caterpillar eggs, as well as a super cute mouse on a (chocolate) cheese wedge. They are all utterly adorable and sure to be a big hit with little ones. And big ones, to be fair.

We know Lindt is always popular so we have the usual selection of Lindt eggs and bunnies, which are always a sell out success.

So, whatever your particular Easter favourite (we won’t judge you if it’s cheese, pies….or gin), then why not pop in and stock up. It will be here before we know it!

Who ate all the pies? You can! Grab a pies of the action this British Pie Week

We know, we know, there’s a lot of these ‘weeks’ go on. International Hummous Day, Tuna Mayo Sandwich Week, International Carbonara Day (only one of those is made up!). But one of our FAVOURITE weeks is coming up, which we really don’t mind celebrating. It’s all about the pies!!

British Pie Week runs from 4th-10^th March and – as suggested by the name – celebrates everything we Brits love about a good pie.

Pies have been around for thousands of years. The Romans loved a pie – often using the pastry crust to keep the filling fresh, or as a baking dish. Although, then they threw away the crust! What a waste! But even before that, around 8,000 years ago, the Egyptians used a type of bread to encase their food in a pie-like way. In sixteenth century England, you may have cut into a pie to find a live animal emerge as a kind of theatre (we all know the nursery rhyme - four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie…)

Us Brits definitely have a special relationship with the pie. That’s why we wanted to treat Yorkshire pie lovers to a special tasting to mark the week – along with a s-bake-tacular special offer!

On Thursday 7^th March, The Original Baker, based in Malton, will be setting up outside the shop, and offering samples of some of its best-selling bakes. We will also be running a special offer, selling four individual Original Baker pies for £10.60, a 10% discount on the usual price. A fab dinner idea for the family – and everyone can pick their favourite, so there’s no arguments!

On offer at the tasting will be a selection of pastries including the Chicken Curry Pie, with seared chunks of chicken slow cooked in a special blend of herbs and spices; Camembert & Root Veg Pie, with tender root vegetables roasted in exotic spices, in a spicy tomato sauce with chunks of creamy, oozy Camembert cheese; and a traditional, comforting Slow Cooked Mince Beef & Onion Pie with an all butter shortcrust pastry base and light puff pasty lid. YUM!

We have to say – The Original Baker’s pies are some of the best in the country. We wouldn’t stock them otherwise! The all butter pastry combined with high quality fillings, made with fresh ingredients cooked on site – they’re real hand-made artisan pastries and they taste delicious. We’re lucky to have such talented bakers on our doorstep and it’s only right we shout about it!

Happy British Pie Week everyone!

Go nuts for the new creation from Bakehouse in the Barn

As our regular customers will know, last summer we launched a partnership with the wonderful Bakehouse in the Barn.

The very talented Sophie Smith (who many of you will recognise from Hunters) is the baker behind Bakehouse in the Barn and she’s been coming up with some amazing concoctions for us. The idea is that not only is it something you can buy from us ready-to-enjoy (Sophie works some magic!) but you can also take away the recipe to try it for yourself. Therefore we try not to make it too complicated – just utterly delicious!

So, bring on our latest baked treat…. drum roll please…. the Hunter Gatherer Granola Bar! (hope you appreciate the name!)

The Hunter Gatherer Bar is bursting with nuts, seeds and fruit to give a healthy energy boost in the dark winter months, and to curb sweet toothed cravings to help keep those New Year’s resolutions in check. We stock a range of ingredients for the bar from local Yorkshire producers and suppliers, including Yockenthwaite Farm and Quay Ingredients, both in Skipton, and Driffield-based Shepcote, so you can come stock up and then give it a try. It’s a great one to make with kids!

It’s another winning recipe from Sophie – so simple but so effective. The bars she makes to be sold in store are packed to the brim with a whopping 14 different types of nuts, seeds and fruit, but if you’re following the recipe you can adapt it to suit your own favourites. It’s a really satisfying sweet treat, but also includes lots of healthy ingredients - which is what you need at this time of year!

Hunter Gatherer Granola Bar

Ingredients:

300g oats

425g mixed nuts, seeds and fruit (this can include a variety to suit your own preferences, but ours includes: hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, flax, pumpkin seeds, poppy & sesame seeds, sour cherries, sultanas, raisins, dates, goji berries)

60g ground almonds

2 tsp ground cinnamon

100g soft brown sugar

190g honey*

190g butter*

Method:

·        Preheat the oven to 180°C.

·        Line a 20cm x 30cm baking tin with parchment.

·        In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.

·        Melt the butter and warm the honey together in a pan over a medium heat.

·        Pour the honey and butter over the dry ingredients, mix well.

·        Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

·        Bake for 18 minutes, until the top of the granola bar is golden brown.

·        Leave to cool in the tin. Slice once cool.

*for a vegan version, substitute the honey for ½ agave or date syrup ½ golden syrup and the butter for vegan spread.

January food goals

January tends to do odd things to our eating (and drinking) habits.

There’s Ginuary and Veganuary to contend with. Dry January if you fancy it (it’s a bit at odds with Ginuary though).

Even if you don’t subscribe to any official awareness ‘months’ or ‘weeks’ likelihood is you may have made a New Year’s Resolution. There’s something about January which makes you feel like you should be making a dramatic change and looking at a fresh start. Given the over indulgences of the Christmas period those changes often seem to link to food and drink, as we know we can’t carry on in the manner to which we’ve become accustomed. Apparently chocolate and a mince pie for breakfast is not a balanced meal, and nor is it socially acceptable to wash it down with a Bucks Fizz outside of Christmas week. Bah humbug.

According to a poll a couple of years ago, a third of resolutions made were to lose weight and a third were to eat more healthily. But sometimes the mind is more willing than the body. It can be a shock to the system going from 2000 calories by mid-morning to 1200 all day, and from the most exercise you get being a leisurely walk to the fridge to trying to hit the gym five times a week.

We’ve already passed what was dubbed Quitter’s Day – 11^th January (the second Friday in January)– which does seem a very short length of time! Less than one in 10 actually count themselves as having achieved their New Year’s Resolution, which leaves more than nine out of 10 of us feeling a bit of a failure.

The key to making it a success? Well most experts seem to say making sure your goals are manageable and not too generic/huge, having an action plan and taking baby steps to begin with, making it fun (as much as you can) and being kind to yourself if you slip up. Apparently, it takes 66 days to break a habit – so any bad habits formed over Christmas are going to take well into March to reset.

So, maybe you’ve set yourself a resolution to eat better, to try new foods, to give vegan cooking more of a go – whatever it might be, we’re here to help. As well as lots of tasty treats (everything in moderation!) we also have tonnes of fantastic ideas for cooking, for zinging up a salad or some veg, for healthy snacking – as well as some amazing soft drink and zero alcohol ‘booze’ to give you choices to help you achieve your goals.

Whatever your January food goals, it’s National Croissant Day on 30^th. Sure that’s something we can all get on board with! Pass the jam will you?