Good news – next Tuesday is Pancake Day!

Traditionally, it’s called Shrove Tuesday (or Mardi Gras – literally, Fat Tuesday – if you’re in the carnival mood). And it’s the last day of indulgence before Lent.

But why pancakes? Well, to avoid wastage, households would use up all their sugar, butter, flour, milk and eggs. Pancakes are easily made from these ingredients and provide some final fuel before the fasting period. Eggs would not be eaten thereafter until Easter.

In Iceland, Pancake Day is called Sprengidagur or Bursting Day (which we think is fabulous name). The event is marked by eating salted meat and peas (admittedly less fabulous).

Pancake Day racing

Back in Blighty, pancake races are held in villages and towns across the land. The tradition is said to have originated when a housewife from Olney was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake.

The Olney Pancake Race has been held since 1445. Contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race to the finishing line, tossing the pancakes as they go. The winner is the first to cross the line having tossed the pancake a certain number of times.

Since 1950 the people of Olney have competed against a small town called Liberal in Kansas, USA. This event is now called the International Pancake Day Race. It all started when a magazine picture of the Olney women racing each other to the church fell into the hands of Liberal’s then President. He contacted the Vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in Olney, challenging their women to race against women of Liberal. The rest is history. And an awful lot of pancakes.

Loads of lemons

If you need a classic pancake day recipe, try Delia’s with sugar and lemon. There’s quite a few of us on the farm, but thankfully we’ve got plenty of lemon juice. (Not only for our organic lemonade, but it also gives us natural citric acid for our drinks.)

Just for fun, can you guess how many lemons we use every year? Pop your guesses in the comments box below.

If you’re doing anything special for pancake day, send your words and pictures to the usual address. And if you’re not, well, simply dig in and enjoy!

Here at Belvoir Fruit Farms we love nothing more than reading through the mail you send us; whether it’s telling us how much your son loves our organic ginger cordial, a delicious recipe featuring one of our cordials, or perhaps something slightly more obscure.

And this week it was the latter that caused a stir in the office. We could barely believe our eyes when we saw a full (yes, full) pack of playing cards had been placed inside a Belvoir bottle.

We wanted – no, make that needed – to know more! So we asked the sender of this fascinating photo, Phil, for an explanation.

Here’s the response we received.

Thanks, Phil!

This got us thinking. We wondered whether anyone else had a penchant for Belvoir packaging? Maybe you collect our labels or our limited edition glasses are part of your collection? Or perhaps you just love using our bottles as vases?

If this is the case, we’d love to hear from you. If you have photographs, then even better. And maybe you’ll be featuring in our next blog!

Monday is Burns Night. And with this annual event approaching rapidly, here on the farm we’re celebrating all that’s Scottish with a fabulous new competition.

Burns Night may have been held on a completely different date if merchants born in Ayrshire didn’t realise their mistake. The first Burns Supper was held in 1801 on what they thought was Burns’ birthday. It was two years later that they realised they’d got the wrong date and to this day the celebrations take place on the 25th of January.

And to make this Burns Night go off with a bang we’re offering top-notch prizes to five lucky winners. But like Burns’ poetry we’ll tease you and move on.

We’ve got our haggis, cock-a-leekie soup, tatties and neeps ready for the main supper and also a fine bottle of Scotch whisky to accompany proceedings. Perhaps, like us, you need a little something to take the edge off the whisky, so we suggest mixing our organic ginger cordial with a bit of water and whisky to provide a less overpowering version.

Each supper starts with a reading of Burns’ poem The Selkirk Grace:

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Burns’ poetry uses the Scottish language and dialect to comment on the wonderful Scottish landscape and people that inhabited it. Which neatly brings us on to this month’s competition. Because we’d like you to do the same.

The Competition

In true Burns style, we’d like you to compose a poem about your hometown or homeland – and if you can put it in your own dialect, even better!

Submit your poem in the comment box below.

Five lucky winners will each receive a gift pack of three bottles of our ginger cordial. We’ll announce the winners on the 22nd February along with some exciting news about new drinks for this summer.

So find your muse and grab a pen, and we look forward to reading your entries! (Terms and conditions are here.)

Oh the magic of snowfall!

Well, magical if you’re a kid and, instead of going to school, you’re hurtling down hills on a makeshift sled. Not so great if you’re stood on a station platform rueing the cancellation of your train home. Yes, we know that this white blanket over Britain can make many people jaded.

So here are five things you can do to make light of the coldest spell in 100 years.

1. Snow creates an opportunity to settle some scores with a good old fashioned snowball fight! If you’re stuck at work, you could call the competition and tell them you’ll meet them on the corner in twenty minutes – two rival advertising agencies in Manchester did.

2. Get creative in the snow. Many people are branching out from the traditional snowman to animals, sculptures and famous figures. What can you build? Send us your snaps!

3. Snow creates a wonderful magical wonderland that makes the world look altogether more vibrant. Here at Belvoir we’re looking at all the glorious images of this country in the snow.

4. The slushy aftermath of snow gives every form of news broadcast the chance to overuse the word ‘treacherous’. Create your own tally chart for the times it’s mentioned. Then compare and share with friends.

5. Check out the #UKSnow map and, if you use Twitter, tweet the snowfall in your area to contribute.

And after playing in the snow, we think there’s nothing better than defrosting in front of a roaring fire with a warm mug of Belvoir’s delicious Winter Berries Cordial, and dreaming of picnics in summer.

Right. As it’s now officially The Twelfth Day of Christmas, we must dash off and tuck the angel back in her box, pack away the decorations and finish off the last of the Christmas treats.

And on that note, Happy New Year everyone. Enjoy the snow as much as you can!

We love Christmas, but we know many people have become jaded by the seemingly endless Christmas shopping. If you lost your festive cheer during a depressing dash around the department store, we intend to bring it back. So with only a fortnight to go until the big day, we’ve compiled a list of 14 brilliant things to make this Christmas.

1. Mince Pies

No Christmas is complete without a tasty mince pie on Christmas Eve. And rather than buy a box from your local supermarket, why not get busy in the kitchen with this unbelievably easy mince pie recipe from The Beeb. Just remember to leave one spare for Father Christmas.

2. The Belvoir Christmas Corker

Bursting at the seams with flavour, this fruity twist on the traditional glass of champagne is a treat for all. This corker of a cocktail will help waken your senses and definitely boost your Christmas spirit.

10ml Belvoir’s Elderflower Cordial
4 Fresh raspberries
35ml Gin
25ml Lychee juice
5ml Lemon juice
Top with Champagne

Crush the raspberries in a shaker and add all other ingredients. Shake and strain into a high-ball glass and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh raspberries

3. The Blue Peter Advent Crown

You remember the Blue Peter Advent Crown, don’t you? The one with all the coat hangers. wrapped in tinsel. You watched Noakes, Purves and Singleton make it, but did you ever make it yourself? Well, this Christmas, opportunity knocks because full instructions can be found online!

4. Christmas Crackers

The first Christmas crackers didn’t crack. They were simply sweets, often with mottos or poems inside. Then, in 1860, Thomas Smith decided to add a little spark to these festive treats with a small strip of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) between two strips of thin card. Pulling both ends of the card creates friction and, finally, the crack.

Why not give your Christmas crackers a personal touch by making them yourself? Kits are available to buy online, or pop into your nearest craft store.

5. Paper Chains

If you can’t deck the hall with bows of holly, surely the next best thing is some homemade paper chains. Go loopy with endless streams of gummed coloured paper. We suggest a corner-to-corner arrangement (and a healthy dollop of Blu-tack).

6. Christmas Pud

It is a testament to Christmas indulgence that, after a massive roast dinner, we still find the space for Christmas pudding. If you want to make your own, why not follow Delia’s recipe? Alternatively, you could follow a 1945 recipe favoured by writer George Orwell.

7. Winter Berries Relish

Want to add the Christmas feast this year and wow your guests? Then try Belvoir’s Winter Berries Relish. Packed full with prunes, figs, apricots and orange this fruity relish will give added zest to your dish.

1 onion chopped
½ Red cabbage
1 tbs Fresh ginger, grated
50g Belvoir’s Winter Berries cordial
50g Ready soak prunes
50g Ready soak figs
50g Ready soak apricots
1 Glass white wine
Juice of 1 orange
100ml Chicken stock
1tbs Fresh thyme

1. Sweat off the onion in a little butter. Add the ginger followed by the white wine and Winter Berries cordial. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the remaining ingredients
2. Cook ½ a shredded red cabbage very slowly with 100g of Winter Berries cordial and 100g water for approx 1½ hours to give a perfect winter veg to accompany this dish

8. A Snowman

The question on everyone’s lips this Christmas (and every Christmas) is “Will we have a white Christmas?”. Here on the farm, we think it’s vital that when the weather outside is frightful and the first snowflakes begin to fall, to get your mitts on and build an outstanding snowman. We’ve found the best tips on how to make a brilliant snowman. It’s far more complicated than you think! And if you want to be a bit more original, why not take some inspiration from the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado.

9. Edible Christmas Tree Decorations

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol embodies everything we think of today as a traditional British Christmas. The Victorians were infatuated with the extravagance of Christmas. And one thing that we are delighted has stuck is edible Christmas decorations.

Thread popcorn on a piece of string or bake your own tree decorations. They make fantastic last minute presents for unexpected guests. And when the festive season is over, what’s better than tucking into your Christmas decorations?

Check out these gingerbread trees, cut out some gingerbread circles and add some fruit sweets to make your decorations that more colourful.

10. Origami Snowflakes

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without folding up some paper and cutting holes in it. Slightly addictive, origami snowflakes are the quickest and easiest way to keep the kids entertained. For origami snowflakes novices, find out how to make three beautifully different snowflakes.

11. A Donation

Because it’ll brighten up someone else’s Christmas too.

12. A Nativity Scene

If you’re feeling very crafty this Christmas, why not attempt to make your own nativity scene? If paper and glue aren’t your thing, try it with Lego. Or simply arrange your scene online and click ‘print’!

13. Belvoir’s Winter Spice

Dazzle your taste buds with this spicy festive treat. This scrumptiously fruity cocktail is perfect for the designated drivers at your party, though if you want to spice things up and appeal to everyone then why not add a drop of rum!

15ml Belvoir’s Winter Berries Cordial
35ml Pomegranate Juice
35ml Cranberry Juice
5ml Fresh Lime
All Spice

Pour all ingredients into a high-ball with cubed ice and garnish with mixed berries

14. A Christmas Playlist

Many spirits have passed through the mouth of The Pogues’ lead singer Shane MacGowan, but who’d have thought the spirit of Christmas would come from the man’s lips? When he sings the opening line of Fairytale of New York, many a humbug’s heart will melt.

Put all your favourite festive hits in one place, ready for a good-old-fashioned singalong on Christmas morning. Or if you’re using Spotify, you could just play someone else’s favourites.

As the final firework illuminates the night sky and the last embers on the bonfire burn out, our thoughts turn towards the next seasonal celebration – Christmas!

We love the Christmas period. There’s a real sense of magic in the air. And plenty of good food and drink on the table.

Belvoir Fruit Farms Winter Berries cordial is the perfect tipple at Yuletide with its fruity blend of elderberry, blackberry, orange, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. We’ve always considered it a delicious, alcohol-free alternative to mulled wine.

So when we heard that Delia Smith had used our beloved Winter Berries cordial in her Mulled ‘Wine’ For Drivers cocktail recipe (you can find it in her new book, Delia’s Happy Christmas) it’s safe to say we were thrilled.

When told about Delia’s seal of approval, Pev, our owner, said he was “Absolutely delighted. This year we have celebrated 25 years of making the country’s finest cordials and this endorsement from one of the most respected names in the industry is the icing on the cake.”

So what better way to celebrate this brilliant news than with a new competition?

Christmas dinner dreaming

Perhaps the best thing about Christmas is getting the family together for a big roast dinner. It’s just a shame you have to peel all that veg beforehand.

So if you didn’t have to cook Christmas dinner, who would you choose to prepare your festive feast instead?

Delia? Gordon? Jamie? Perhaps you’d plump for ex-England rugby player and Celebrity Masterchef winner, Matt Dawson? Or maybe you’ll decide on Stephen Fry – even if he can’t cook, the after dinner conversation will be terrific.

Or perhaps you’re fed up of turkey, and would prefer something a little different. Why not choose Ching-He Huang from the Beeb’s Chinese Food Made Easy? Or Ray Mears for a spot of wild food!

Tell us in a comments who you would like to cook your Christmas dinner and why, as well as what would be on the menu.

Writers of the ten best entries will each receive a copy of Delia’s Happy Christmas and two bottles of our delicious Winter Berries cordial.

The closing date for entries is Friday 27th November so we can post your prize in time for Christmas. Riveting terms and conditions can be read here.

Well, it certainly seems that autumn has rolled up its sleeves and got to work.

Last weekend saw the climax of the 2009 World Conker Championships. Congratulations to the winners. Sadly, our shoe laces, vinegar-soaked conkers and fancy dress costumes remained in the cupboard this year because we’ve been concentrating on a big competition of our own.

Belvoir Fruit Farms has teamed up with the wonderful people at Nursey Sheepskin to offer you a fantastic prize that’ll warm your heart – quite literally.

One lucky winner of our new competition will receive a toscana lambskin gilet worth nearly £300 courtesy of Nursey. It’s the perfect garment for strolling across the fields or through the town in the colder months. Don’t worry about size because Nursey Sheepskin will make your prize to order. And since they’ve been making sheepskin garments by hand for over 200 years, you can guarantee that plenty of care and experience will go into the making of your gilet.

(If you’re not our lucky winner, but would like to get your hands on some of Nursey Sheepskin’s garments, you can order their new catalogue here.)

Three runners up will receive three bottles of cordial and stylish Belvoir Fruit Farms jute bag, so there’s plenty to play for.

The competition

Since as far back as we can remember, one page has been missing from the fabled Belvoir Fruit Farms cordial recipe book. Some have suggested the page contained a recipe that its creator felt was too much of wild idea and so discarded it forever.

We often speculate on the cordial recipe this page contained. Everyone has their own theory. How about you? What do you think that cordial recipe was?

Maybe it was just a simple but delightful blend of flowers and fruits. Or perhaps it was something much wilder. With flowers and fruits never used before (or since) in the making of drinks.

How to enter

Once you’ve hatched a brilliant idea of what the missing cordial might be, leave your suggestion in the comments. And who knows? Perhaps we’ll give the winning entry to our team to concoct!

We very much look forward to reading your weird and wonderful suggestions!

Closing date for the competition is 30th October 2009. Riveting terms and conditions are here.

We’re currently preparing ourselves for a long weekend in Surrey, as the Royal Horticultural Society’s Wisley gardens play host to A Taste of Autumn 2009.

This four day harvest festival is jam-packed with all things foody. The Belvoir Fruit Farms team will be there. And our delicious drinks will be in good company: there’ll be around thirty-five stalls catering for all tastes, selling everything from chocolate and honey to cheese and olives.

And if you’re unsure of the best ways to use these wonderful ingredients in the kitchen, Peter Osborne, ‘The Big Chef’, will be giving live cookery demonstrations every day from 10am–4pm.

Still not got around to buying your Halloween pumpkin? Fear not, you can choose one from the 1,500 grown especially for the event by the Wisley trials team.

And if you fill up on food, there’s much more to do in such pleasant surroundings. Children’s activities and entertainers will keep the kids amused, and there’ll be plenty of toe-tapping live music on the Chinese Pavilion.

Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day. Perhaps we’ll see you there?

In a quiet and very beautiful corner of Lincolnshire sits the Belvoir Fruit Farm. It’s here we quietly go about mixing and bottling our naturally delicious drinks, and then make sure all our favourite farm shops, delicatessens and supermarkets have enough of them.

But last week, our beloved little bottles were propelled towards the bright lights of the big city on the crest of a wave.

Amidst the throng of London Fashion Week, beautiful people sat on deckchairs and happily quaffed their way through 25cl bottles of Belvoir’s Organic Lemonade, Organic Ginger Beer, Elderflower Pressé and our classic cucumbery Summer Cooler.

It was all part of the ‘chill out’ beach shack created for Swami’s Surf Company at 180 The Strand.

Swami’s – named after the renowned surfing spot in California – is a bespoke surfboard manufacturing company that, according to Vogue, “is fast attracting the cool and hip of the surf world”.

Giles, founder of Swami’s, told us after the event:

London Fashion Week finished yesterday and what a great week we had – huge response to our surfboards and beachwear line.

We found that the cucumber was a particular hit for the more refined palate and people loved the spicy ginger hit, so I think it’s official that the fashionistas love to quaff Belvoir!

Thank you so much for supplying them, we’re even bigger fans of yours now than we already were.

We were glad to be of assistance. Although don’t expect to see our MD, Pev Manners, in a pair of Bermuda shorts any time soon.

This week at Belvoir Fruit Farms we’ve dusted off our party frocks, blown up the balloons and poured ourselves a delicious Belvoir cocktail as we celebrate something very close to our hearts.

There’s a dedicated week for everything these days whether it’s celebrating teddy bears, lauding felt hats or hugging vending machines… But some, we feel, are more deserving than others and that’s why we are celebrating everything organic with National Organic fortnight (that’s right, it’s so good they’ve given us fourteen whole days to party).

The fortnight launched on 5th September and there is still plenty of time to celebrate this year’s theme ‘Wake up to an Organic Breakfast’.  Here at Belvoir we have been washing down our organic toast and honey with some Organic Ginger Belvoir Cordial.

But we’ve become bored of the monotonous toast and cereal, so we’ve searched for an alternative and here’s a couple of our favourite suggestions:

Prepare the night before:
Bran Conference Pear and Bullace Breakfast muffins.
We thought these looked great as not only are these a sweet treat in the morning, they are healthy for your digestive system too. If you find it difficult to find Bullace, we suggest using cherry plums which are lacing our hedgerows this very moment.

In a dash: Belvoir Breakfast Smoothie.
The best things to start your day-fruit and a kick of Organic Ginger Cordial.
Fill a glass as you usually would with a mixture of Organic Belvoir Ginger Cordial and water.  Add the juice to a blender with raspberries, bananas and any other fruit you may fancy.  Simply whiz the mixture and enjoy.

Long, leisurely and lazy.
We’ve done a poll at Belvoir Fruit Farms and our favourite breakfast treat is a poached egg.  Whether it’s with bacon, homemade hollandaise sauce or simply on its own with some wholemeal buttered toast (all organic of course) it was a clear winner.
Let’s be havin’ your perfect poached egg recipe, Delia. It never fails.

If you fancy  brushing up your organic knowledge, why not head down to the Organic Food Festival in Bristol this weekend. You can sample organic delights from across the globe, pick up some cooking tips from organic chef Sophie Grigson and learn how to make chutney at the Granny Skills Workshop.

If the Autumnal weather is getting to you and you’d rather hibernate, perhaps stay at home and experiment with this dish we found from across the pond.

We were thrilled to discover that our Organic Ginger Cordial has crossed the Atlantic and is commemorated with its own Belvoir Ginger Cake!

Drop us some post and let us know how you are celebrating Organic fortnight. Why not send us your photos of our Organic Belvoir Ginger Cakes or even better, a slice? And do give us your suggestions for a great breakfast too.