Farmers Markets : Caroline Wright - 17, January 2009 (From Worcester News)

Farmers Markets : Caroline Wright - 17, January 2009

10:29am Monday 19th January 2009 in Farmers' Markets

AS this is the start of the new year, we are looking at new foods you can eat to bring excitement into your life – at no extra cost to your pocket or the environment.

This week, why not try some venison? It is a mystery why venison isn’t more popular – it is, after all, a nutritionist’s dream. High in protein and low in fat, it also contains the omega-3 fatty acids that we are often told are so good for us.

Yet venison is still a minority taste among meat-eaters. It retains an aristocratic image – of Henry VIII tucking into a haunch, or upper class stalkers in funny hats – which puts some people off, even though it is now often cheaper than beef.

The best thing to do is just give it a try. If you head to the Eye Game Larder stall at today’s farmers’ market in Abbey Road, Malvern, you’ll find some of the choicest cuts.

Eye Game Larder owner Sue Fletcher said: “Our venison comes from estates in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. We have venison haunches, rolled shoulder, saddle, diced as well as rump and fillet steaks. Our venison sausages and burgers are really popular too.

“My favourite way to cook venison is in a stew or casserole – there’s hardly any fat on it so it makes a really lean casserole. It’s great cooked with onions, mushrooms carrots and garlic, with either red wine or beer too. My other half prefers venison burgers or sausages.”

Sue will be cooking up some venison sausage on the stall today – so be sure to stop by and try some.

If you are heading to Malvern, and want to try something else different, stop off at the Cridlan and Walker stall. Set up outside their organic butcher’s and fruiterer’s shop, the stall offers a variety of ready-to-eat foods, including their South African specialities.

Master butcher James Torrance and his partner Diane Styger, who is from South Africa, have been running the business for the past year and offer some intriguing meat products from Diane’s homeland.

She said: “We have a barbecue on the stall and serve hot sausages and steakburgers in baps. We also have Boerewors, a South African sausage made with beef, pork and coriander, and traditional German bratwurst.

“Our steakburgers are made from steak mince – and we have a great choice of organic fruit drinks, too.”

This week’s farmers’ market is in Abbey Road, Malvern, from 9am until 2pm. Next week’s market is at St Peter’s Garden Centre, Worcester, from 9.30am until 2pm. For more information about farmers’ markets, log on to wfmg.co.uk.