According to chinese zodiac, 2019 is the year of the Golden Pig and
apparently people can expect bigger luck as the pig’s plump body and big
ears exemplify good luck. And indeed, we are very, very lucky and
fortunate to have magnificent free range, acorn fed pork from Oak Valley Estate in the Elgin Valley. I had no idea pigs love acorns!
The
acorns form a critical part of the diet as they contain an enzyme that
softens the intramuscular fat which at the same time imparts a rich,
nutty flavour to the pork. The fat is high in oleic acid (good for you)
and is also high in HDL (good cholesterol) and low in LDL (bad
cholesterol). Apart from these flavor and health benefits, the acorns
are also a sustainable food source, how great is that?!
If your piggy bank is a bit on the lean side like mine, I’d like to recommend Pork Spare Ribs this
week. It’s got quite a lot of meat between the bones, so delicious,
easy to prepare and perfect for a braai or oven roast. But, if you’re
feeling lucky, try the Pork Fillet or how about good old bangers and mash with a twist? Our Pork Herby Sausages will do the trick and believe me, you’ll want more and more of these tasty little morsels! Think that’s it for giving pigs some wings 😉 Wishing you a fantastic week, be well.
Finally, spring is in the air…..and I, for one, just like a Springbok, is jumping for joy! Did you know a Springbok can leap up to 4 metres into the air? And, apart from the reddish brown Springboks, you also get white Springboks and black Springboks…..the perfect combo for a winning team ….Go Bokke, go !!
It is hunting season and this is the best time for game. Springbok is in abundance at the moment and here are some pretty tasty Springbok Curry, Goulash, Shank, Leg, etc. recipe ideas:
Few tips: Go low and slow, in other words, cook at a low temperature, generally speaking, depending on the size, for a couple of hours. Marinate the meat in buttermilk (or Amazi) for 1-2 days before cooking
Time to make a GOURMET FREE RANGE BEEF BURGER…….and the secret, as always, is inside and not on top 😉
Standard beef patties are usually made from beef trimmings (off cuts) and beef fat….and that is just fine, especially if you need to feed a crowd. But, every once in while, you get that ” time to sink my teeth into a tasty juicy thick burger” craving. And that’s when it’s time to get your gourmet free range beef burger patties. In fact, you are spoiled for choice with our extraordinary gourmet pattie range.
Our Gourmet Beef Patties are made using pure beef chuck and brisket (no extra fat added). We source our beef from farmer Valerian van der Byl of Fairfields Farm out in Napier. The product enjoys full traceability, as well as being slaughtered in Bredasdorp very near to the Farm.
I think a burger pattie tastes best done on a braai for that special flame grilled flavor. Take care not to over cook it, it needs high heat and very importantly, let it rest for for a few minutes to keep the juices in.
But, jokes aside, I’ve actually been meaning to tell you about the LAMB RIBS
for a long time….it is easy to prepare, easy on the budget (R103
p/kg) and a family favourite. If you want to impress the in-laws, trust
me, this is the way to go. No need for a recipe, all you need to know
is:
1kg Ribs serves 3-4
Ribs need to be room temperature
Score the fat
Rub with salt, pepper and Rosemary (fresh finely chopped if you have, or dried)
Put in 180*C for 1hr.
Then lower temperature to 100*C for 30 min
All our lamb is pasture reared and sourced from the Karoo. They are
naturally farmed under relaxing conditions, and is some of the finest
lamb you will ever eat, boasting a light colour typical of non-feedlot
lamb. The lambs are raised on surrounding veld, are free range and area
specific.
Enjoy the sunshine later this week, be well.
Retha
The Yarn Festival in Kommetjie on Women’s day was a huge success and my Ethical Treats flew off the table. The strawberry jam & cream scones and Free Range Droee Wors were sold out by lunch time. Was interesting to observe how many people buy and then come back for more…..made me so happy and proud and I was smiling and smiling all day long!
Back to meat and this week I would like to shine the spotlight on our Free Range Boerewors. Here’s some ‘good to know’ info for you:
All our Boerwors are made without the use any fillers, water, binder, added msg and preservatives and is GLUTEN FREE.
We use natural spices, meaning non irradiated, pure spices only.
If you’d like to try something different, I’d highly recommend the Warthog Boerewors, my favorite, it is delicious. The Stellies Boerewors is ‘regte egte plaas boerewors’, and the closest I’ve ever tasted to the boerewors we made on my grandparents farm when I was a kid, it is the real deal, coriander, salt, pepper and that is it. The sun dried tomato and fennel boerewors is so, so good and works really well in a Cassoulet (French stew, see recipe). It sounds fancy, but really, it is easy to prepare and a nice change if you’ve run out of stew ideas for this winter.
Next week we’ll explore what exactly is in the Gourmet Hamburger Patties. I don’t think I’ve ever met a meat eater who doesn’t love a good burger and these patties are next level!
Eat less meat. Most meat comes from factory farms that mistreat animals and it also takes a great deal of resources to produce, transport and store– much more so than veggies. Eat less meat to reduce your impact on the environment and encourage more cruelty-free farms.
Grow your own vegetables. There’s no better way to get fresh, organic produce than by growing it yourself. Even if you don’t have a backyard, a sunny windowsill can make a great garden.
Find organic products. From produce to dairy, look for products at the store that are certified organic. Of course, make sure to do your research as well, as some companies will exaggerate the greenness of their products.
Do your research. If you want to be smarter about what you eat, do some research and really get to know what’s out there, what’s good for you and what’s not. Nothing will better help you to be an ethical eater.
Learn where your food comes from. Most of us have no idea where the food at the supermarket originates. Start buying from places where you know for sure where the food has been sourced, or visit farms yourself.
Start composting. Food waste can make excellent, rich soil when it breaks down, so don’t throw it out.
Eat less processed food. Processed foods are very often less healthy, take more energy to produce and come with loads of packaging.
Eat with the seasons. Do you really need to gorge yourself on tomatoes in the winter? If you want to eat ethically, eat seasonally.
Choose foods low on the food chain. Animals that are higher on the food chain can often be packed with chemicals, as they not only absorb it from the environment but from the animals they consume as well. Stick to plants and plant eating meat when possible.
Find your own comfortable diet. There are no set rules about what makes a sustainable eater. Some will want to give up all animal products, while others won’t want to even imagine a life without eating cheese. Find your own balance and don’t let others make you feel bad about it.
Focus on plants. The human body needs a good amount of plant nutrition to stay healthy. Anytime you make up a plate, only a small portion of it should be meat. The rest should be veggies, fruits, legumes and grains.
Ethical shopping:
Look for fair trade. Fair trade foods will help ensure that the workers who produced them were paid a fair wage– especially important with foods like chocolate and coffee.
Avoid slavery foods. Some foods aren’t marked fair trade, but should be to help consumers who care. Fruits like strawberries and orange are often harvested by enslaved workers so always know where your foods are coming from or avoid them altogether.
Get free range eggs. These eggs are produced by chickens that aren’t kept in cruelly small cages– better for the birds and you.
Shop for grass fed beef. Cattle aren’t meant to eat corn, they’re designed for grass. The meat will taste better and the cows will be healthier– a win-win.
Head to a local farmer’s market. There, you’ll have access to a whole host of fresh, local and seasonal foods that will whet your appetite.
Avoid genetically modified foods. While not all genetically modified foods are evil, you’re better off sticking with traditional varieties when possible.
Choose seafood wisely. Some comes from endangered, over fished species and while other kinds will come from unsafe or cruel fishing methods.
Choose hormone-free animal products. What an animal eats is passed on to you when you consume it or the products it produces, so try to limit the amount of hormones in your food.
Embrace soy. Replace one meaty meal a week with a soy alternative. It’s cheaper and better for you.
Buy organic food when you have a choice. Some products, like tomatoes, have thin skins that allow them to easily absorb chemicals.
Read the label. Sometimes things seem a lot healthier than they really are. Always read the label to make sure you’re getting what you bargained for.
Be smart about food choices. Sometimes organic or local isn’t always better, so make the food choices that are not only right for you, but best for the principles you care about as well.
Frozen may be better. In some circumstances, getting frozen foods may be better. Some foods are hard to transport even short distances and don’t preserve well, so they’re best when eaten frozen, despite the energy it takes to keep them cool.
Don’t be so superficial about produce. A few nicks and bruises on a veggie or fruit might not make them look pretty, but it isn’t likely to change how they taste.
With an increasing public interest in topics like farm-to-table dining, humanely raised meat, or the environmental impact of agriculture, it seems that a lot of us are asking ourselves more challenging questions about our food choices Because ethical choices involve reasons and values, they are easy to argue about and contest. Taking food ethics seriously requires that we don’t simply take a stand on one ethical position – such as veganism, or plastics, or fair trade. It requires that we try to consider all the different values involved in our food choices, that we consider all the consequences, and try to decide what is right.
Ethically sourced products are not necessarily certified organic, the process to obtain and maintain such certifications are costly, and often beyond the means of small suppliers. Just as important as official labels are the ethical practices in producing the goods we choose to buy. Certain methods of food production and certain types of foods have greater environmental impacts than others, whether it’s the abuse of animals, the exploitation of workers, the failure to offer healthy foods, or environmental devastation.
We want to promote respect for the land, the soil, the animals, the farming communities and the workers who produce the products we buy. As far as we possibly can, we choose local products. We want to minimise food miles as much as possible. This is not only carbon friendly, but the product is fresh and because everything is pre-ordered, there is zero wastage.
Buying directly from the farm is always much cheaper. The supermarkets, distributors, and retail shops all add to the price you pay. But if you wanted to just save money you’d buy in bulk from the cheapest wholesaler, which usually means the poorest quality filled with preservatives to allow it to sit on a shelf. These supermarkets and large corporations also use plastic & preservatives abundantly & waste prolifically. It is easy to forget just how horrific and destructive supermarkets are. When we hand over money, it supports whichever company we are buying from. In South Africa, 97% of the formal retail food sales go through the big supermarket chains. A large market share allows them abusive market practices.
Buying through Ethical Meats & Treats, you avoid the supermarket. We try to make it as easy as possible. We allow you to purchase specifically chosen, high quality produce at lower costs than the supermarket because the food is delivered straight into our hands.
I am excited to take over from Gwen, we share the same vision and the same passion for sustainable and ethically sourced goods. There may be some teething problems now that we moved to a fully functional online marketplace, but it should hopefully be a much more streamlined and more convenient way to shop! This Blog section will be used to give updates and news, and will highlight some of our products, so check back often. Also look out for fantastic recipes featuring products from our market.
Baked
Our focus is on meat and animal products, but we will be expanding the range to include other categories, check out the new Bakery items – home made by local baker Ben. All his breads & pastries are made using stone ground flour and local free range eggs, with 100% real butter hand-made puff pastry.
Mailing list
Our existing customers have all been added to the weekly mailing list, you can opt out any time using the link provided.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback, we would like to encourage a sense of community so your contributions are valued! Please feel free to rate and review individual products, and to add your suggestions and comments here in the blog section. To send me a private message, use the feedback section in the Contact Us page.
Retha
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