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!