Western Gazette 02 June 2005

DISHES BRING OUT THE BEST IN BEER

Dorset food producers teamed up with a local brewery this week for a new series of beer flavoured recipes.

The menu was cooked up to promote Badger Ales from Hall & Woodhouse in Blandford as an essential ingredient when baking.

Six of Dorset's leading food providers were invited to take part in dreaming up some mouth-watering dishes, including beer-baked ham, sausage and beer burritos, with beans infused with Blandford Fly, and Golden Glory sticky toffee pudding.

"Ale has a unique British heritage, and Badger Ales is proud of its craft-brewed beers, which it has brewed in Dorset since 1777," said marketing manager Rick Payne.

"Badger is helping to reverse the wine drinking trend in the UK by creating special dishes that are perfect to cook or eat with ale."

Recipe cards will be used as inserts in magazines and distributed to supermarkets, as well as to the company's own pubs and visitor centre in Blandford St Mary.

"There are many different types of ale in the UK , each with their own individual tastes, and this means that there is a perfect ale to go with almost any meal," said Rick.

"There is a nationwide initiative to marry ale with food, and as a brewer of Dorset ales with real character, we want to demonstrate how the county's finest food produce can match its finest ales."

Midnight Cookies are married up with Fursty Ferret for a perfect late-night nibble, and the notorious Tanglefoot blends with pecan and date in the Hot Date Cake.

The eight new recipe cards are additions to eight other recipe ideas launched by Badger with great success last year.

Other producers taking part were the Washingpool Farm Shop, Elwell Fruit Farm and Bridfish Smokery all in Bridport, Woolsery Cheese in Dorchester , Dorset Farms of Beaminster and Honeybuns of Holwell.