Visitors at cutting edge of meat choice

Apr 11 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

VISITORS to a Northumberland farm this weekend will have the chance to learn about where top quality local produce comes from, and how best to cook it.

A butcher will be visiting the Highland Cattle Centre, near Stocksfield, tomorrow to cut up and prepare one of the animals raised at the centre, before top chef Rhian Craddock takes over and cooks some of the meat.

The first display will demonstrate where the various cuts of meat come from, and Marianne Halford, who runs the centre with her husband Richard, said the day would be both fun and educational.

She said: “When I was young I used to go to the butchers and most of the time there would be big chunks of meat hanging down.

“That doesn’t happen so much anymore, with so much being available prepackaged from the supermarket, so people often aren’t sure what part of the animal they are actually eating.”

Mr Craddock, landlord at The Feathers pub in Hedley on the Hill, said his cooking demonstration would show people how the same cut of meat could be used in two different ways.

He said: “I will be cooking the feather blade, which is like fillet steak but from the front end of the cow.

“It is not a very well used cut of beef and the idea is to educate people that you don’t just have to use the same cut every time.”

Mr Craddock, who added that he was looking forward to the butchery display himself, said that encouraging people to eat different parts of the meat was also a help to farmers and restaurants.

Backing The Journal’s Taste campaign, Mrs Halford added: “It is really important to get people shopping for local produce and eating local.

“It is especially the case in an area like this where there is so much top quality produce available for people to use.”

The Taste campaign aims to encourage not only more shops to stock produce from the North East, but to urge more restaurants and hotels to use local food and drink and persuade more people to buy what’s on their doorstep.