With the national celebration of the culinary heritage of Great Britain underway, I thought it was time to highlight some of the many special ingredients from our very own doorstep.
At Bon Coeur and Cellar 21 we are within easy reach of great game from the moors, fabulous fish, and shellfish from along our coastline, some of the best beef and lamb from wide open pastures of the dales as well as a huge variety of vegetables from the Vale of York.
To inspire you on your own culinary journey this British Food Fortnight, these are some of my personal favourite Yorkshire food and wine pairings you must try at home!
Sheep farming in Yorkshire was already well-established by the time the Romans arrived, and by the 1500’s Fountains Abbey had an impressive flock of around 18,000 sheep! It will therefore come as no surprise that the wool trade was the foundation of the local economy and lamb became an essential part of the Yorkshire diet. At its best, Roast Lamb can hold its own against most wines from anywhere in the world, however, there is no better pairing than a rich, rounded, and generous Tempranillo-based Ribera del Duero with aromas and flavours of black cherry and plum with added dark chocolate and vanilla spice. Bodegas La Horra’s Corimbo 2018 is the perfect partner…
Wild game is one of the great pleasures of the table and forms an important part of the Yorkshire larder. At this time of year there are few finer things to share than Roast Grouse. Traditionally presented with game chips, watercress and bread sauce best accompanied by a seductive Syrah from the Northern Rhone, such as Yann Chave’s Crozes Hermitage ‘Le Rouvre’ 2019. A wonderful wine full of hedgerow and bramble fruit, classic black pepper spice with just a touch of underlying smokiness.
Yorkshire boasts over 100 miles of beautiful coastline where you can source an abundance of seafood, though nothing beats the famous Whitby crab, of course. There is nothing quite like fresh white crab meat, simply dressed with some homemade lemon mayonnaise, served on toasted sourdough and a little salad. Add a glass of Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2021 with its wonderfully bright core of citrus fruit, racy acidity and precise, mineral-driven finish and you certainly have a lunch that is hard to beat!
Wensleydale is rightly famed for its crumbly, delicious cheese and one of the very best is Kit Calvert Old Style Wensleydale. Made by hand, cloth wrapped and matured for about four months to achieve a rich buttery flavour and texture, it is exported as far afield as Singapore. For something a little different I’d opt for Brannland Iscider Claim 2018, which hails from northern Sweden. It’s made using the very best apples and concentrating the juice through natural freezing prior to fermentation, resulting in bright acidity and ripe red apple character that really complements the cheese.
I can’t believe we’ve got this far without mentioning Rhubarb! Originating in Mongolia it was introduced to Yorkshire, via Italy in the 1680’s with popularity booming from the late 18th century. By the late 19thcentury the process of forcing rhubarb (growing indoors) had been perfected, giving rise to the famed “Rhubarb Triangle”. There is no better way of celebrating this wonderful vegetable than with a glass of Jaques Boncoeur Brut Reserve NV Champagne. Fresh green apple and lemon citrus with undertones of brioche and hazelnut. Delicate and vivacious with a creamy texture; it is a superb partner to a roasted rhubarb tart.
This leaves me with one ingredient that sits at the very top of my personal list of favourite Yorkshire ingredients. Available for a short season of around six weeks, this vegetable always excites me when it makes its long-awaited appearance; we are of course talking of asparagus. When locally grown, there is nothing better and I firmly believe the best I have ever tasted has come from Yorkshire. Classically served with hollandaise sauce (take time to make your own!), and with the addition of a poached egg and some smoked salmon, you have meal fit for a king! Notoriously hard to pair with wine, conventional wisdom would suggest a Sauvignon Blanc, however, my personal preference would be to choose something unique such as Lyrarakis’ Assyrtiko ‘Voila’ 2022 from Crete. Assyrtiko is the most highly prized variety in Greece making steely, concentrated, and mineral-laden wines with a citrus, saline edge. Less aromatic than Sauvignon it allows the subtle herby flavours of the asparagus to shine through, while making the richness of the salmon and the acidity of the hollandaise really sing.
So, there we have it. A quick trot through a few of the best ingredients Yorkshire has to offer to the culinary landscape of Britain. There is so much more to explore out there and we should really embrace the seasons to make the most of food and wine pairings. Keep an eye on our monthly wine and dine blog with further inspirational recipes and suggested wine pairings. If you’re in the area pop in for a coffee and a browse around Cellar 21… we are always happy to talk food and wine!
