Has anyone else tried any of the Cottage Delight range? We are hooked on their pickled onions with whole spices, hot chilli pickle & spiced garlic pickle. They really are THE best shop bought examples of these relishes/accompaniments that we have found. The makers only produce small batches, so flavour is not lost. If you're interested in knowing more & seeing what else they offer, log on to www.cottagedelight.co.uk & see what they can tempt you with! ;-)

Ohhh, you are an evil man !!!

You have offended the Chutney God :(

I really must stop watching Thomas the Tank Engine in the afternoon after a pint !!!

Hey Nick don't get MAD get EVEN send Keith some samples of THE best, and soon he will be singing your praises.

Oh come on Nick, don't get in a pickle, ok so Keith has another Cottage, but at least he didn't Return to the River one !!

If that was the case then you would have been in a jam.......... and Saints preserve us what you would have done.

:D

Er......Oops! Sorry Nick....forgot. But then, I've not popped yer pickles in me gob so don't know how good they are!!

Keith - What is this the Frankie Howerd hour ?? - titter ye not!

Rustie - How dare you mention the R word !!!!!

I must admit they do a completely different range to us - Which is one of the reasons we can sit side by side quite easily.

Are they Gluten Free ?

Hang on Rustie - I have a sneeking suspicion that this is going to turn into one of those foodie conversation, and I'm going to be left with egg on my face !!! - DOH :D

Keith - We don't actually do pickles - I didn't think mine were good enough to sell, so I use them for personal consumption.

Ok I will give out a sample to anyone that asks - Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Can you imagine what would happen to us if we did that - When I wrote in The Daily Echo about asking for testers, we were inundated with 670 letters asking to help out - Scary or what - I only estimated for 9/10 !!!



Sadly 660 people were left disgruntled !

Sorry your pickles were under par! Dunno 'bout gluten free, but it says on the lables, 'No Artificial Additives'. Is your range gluten free Nick? In fact, what have you got in your selection of goods? And where can they be purchased? Forgive me if you've already given this info., but the computer had several stays in the shop recently & I missed so much.

Yes, all our range is Gluten free. We seem to be one of the only companies in UK, who are totally GF!!

The only reason we are is that we don't use all that Muck (I want to use the other word, but you know what I mean). We are not supposed to be a Healthy product, just tasty and normal - Just using Food as opposed to chemicals and additives - It only has a shorter shelf life (2 Years - I think that's enough) But it is tasty and you know your kids can eat it without having weird stuff in their bods !!

The other thing we can say about our stuff apart from No artificial additives is No artificial colourings or thickeners or artificial sugars (you know the sorts, the "ose" range) Did you know that on certain sugars in products they do not have to include it in the sugar content??

We have been called "The New Generation of Foodies" the "Heath Foodies" and many other things, but at the end of the day, it's me cooking fruit and veg with sugar or vinegar - The stuff our mums' made for us 20 years ago - It's not big thing, it's just that all these other companies put more sugar in as it's cheaper than fruit !!! Sad or what??

Rambling again. Anyway, at the moment you can buy our stuff mainly in Dorset or a couple of others across the South.

If you look under dorsetcottagefoods.com it will show you where we sell and what we sell - And no laughing when you see the picture of me!!!

I do it all in my Kitchen which is 10' x 11', it only takes a little prep area and an industrial glass washer to ensure hygiene and hey presto.

I do Mail Order, it is a little expensive because we use the same rates as everyone else in the world, and we cannot afford the accounts that big biz offers!

I would like to expand, but the food comes first, and that's all there is too it - Simple really.

Cheers

Nick

Wow! Love the website Nick. And I didn't even raise a titter(!) when I saw your pic!! You look extremely happy at your work. How wonderful to do something you love and be your own boss too!! Banana jam, huh! I adore anything with bananas. I've tried banana chutney (got one in the cupboard as I type), but have not tasted the delights of banana jam.

Nick, would you mind if I told an exclusive farm shop about your products and website. They sell similar produce to you ?2-50------?5-95 per jar and they are always looking for new products to purchase for their shop. The shop sells the best of everything twice the price of anywhere else but it's worth it.

I would be honoured - It is so difficult getting into places sometimes, but if we get a recommendation it makes it much easier for us - Plus if we got in I'll send you a few pots !!



Keith - Banana Jam, was just created while I was waiting for a friend to come down from London and my family were in Spain. I had nothing to do and a few bananas and apples left over and I thought what the hell, if I don't try I don't get. And 6 weeks later we won an award on it - LOL - Amazing or what. Then when we went on a lads holiday to Lille, I spotted some Chocolate and Pear Jam and thought why not Choc and Banana, and that took off (after a while).

I am very happy at work, I just love cooking whatever it is. I will stand in the kitchen and make laborious dishes because I just love it - as long as I have my music, I will be in there.

:D

Hi to all, espesh to Nick, blondie and Keith, Ive mailed Nick asking for a product list to add to my online site when its eventually up and running. Dont want to sell "muck" and Nick very daintily put it. Still very interest Nick if youve got time. Im not interested in selling bulk. Just if its in even a small supply it will be gone when its gone. Ive got someone up here too who has her own organic garden and makes chutneys etc from her Glut of produce. She does farmers markets too and is a Rick Stien food hero. again not a huge supply but worth the effort. GF organic and not messed about with is all i ask no biggy you think, but a hell of a job finding the stuff. cheers all H

Morning relishmama! Good idea to get these things available on your site.
And, OMG! It gets better: banana AND chocolate , mixed, together, in the same little jar!! How wonderful!
Nick, I know what you mean by, "as long as I have my music". We have no radio at work & I often find myself singing. I didn't realize at first until colleagues pointed it out. We spend much time out of the office on visits, & they've said it's just so dull when I'm out & can't serenade them!!! I find I can begin singing certain songs & whoever is in at the time will join in, sometimes 5 or more of us. Fab! What sort of music do you like listening to?

Hi, i,m a head chef of a small restaurant on the west coast of scotland ive just registered with this web page I watch the programme all the time and think this chat page is great, I came upon cottage delight at a local farm shop and the garden centre dobbies sell it, ihave to say the garlic pickle is to die for.I am pleased to see the dorset cottage do a range as well, you need to come to scotland, Ithought about starting doing my own as I am forever making jams and chutneys and end up giving them away as i end up with too much not sure how to start though. there is also a farmers wife in aberdeen whomakes a banana chutney i think shes called isabells relishes or something to that effect anyway keep up the good work. Sheena

MMMMMmmmmm! Banana chutney. I buy that from a local producer who sells his wares at our fortnightly Farmers' Market. Why not go into your own business sheenbean? Go for it!! Even if you just hire a stall at a local Farmers' Market now & again. Friend Sandra reckons I should sell my Bara Brith. She bought a slice last week in a cafe we were in, & said mine was so much better. The slice cost 80p, & she worked out I could get at least 10 slices out of one loaf of mine: that's £8 for one Bara Brith! Tempting isn't it!

We were actually going to get into Trully Scrumptious in Ayr, but the deal went wrong for their franchise and we were left a bit up the creek, but we are always looking - We had a lovely lady call from Northumberland, she was supposed to phone back, but she sounded quite busty so we left her to it until she gets a bit quieter

Erm, Freudian slip there Nick........'We had a lovely lady from Northumberland.....but she sounded quite BUSTY'?!!!! How do busty women sound on the 'phone I wonder?! ;-)

I mean't to say Busy :D OOOPPPPSSSS

Sheenbean - We do a Garlic Chutney, it has won awards on it, but more importantly it is really stonking with Cheese, and funnily enough quite alot of diff. cheeses - From brie to Cheddar, it even went well with a Vignotte.

Keith and Sheenbean- Get a stall, come on, it's just not fair, we need people like you at the markets, more traditional and more importantly TASTY and Well made foods.

We have to get our farmers markets to the Standard of European Markets - Where everyone goes to get foods, not just as specialist product, and supermarkets are on an even keel with local producers.

Sheen - Send me an e mail and I will give you as much info as I can. Maybe you can be our franchisee for Scotland and call yourself Scottish Cottage Foods !!!

God, it's back to Frankie Howerd mode - Hang on, how come it's always when I am taking with you ????

Titter ye not, missus !!!

Can I just apologise about my lack of Engerlish language - The last week I have been making spelling mishtakes everyware and is gotting worsh buy de sexon

Hi Nick, keep taking the tablets or more water with it pet. you havent responded to my mail to your website. have you gone off me or what?? Guess what Ive been offered a stall on our indoor market, in darlo which has a great reputation in the area. Childcare headache. Do you think it would be worth the effort? could also sell fresh stuff too then as well all those lovely relishes etc. Gourmet foods arent sold in great quantity here espially artisan foods, could be risky would still do the online venture too its just taking time to get going. I dont know me minds all plodgy thinking about it.

Sorry Relishmama - I have not received an e mail from you - That I am aware of.
But Freeserve and BT Yahoo are being cheeky b****s and they can send e mails to your online account without knowing, so anyone reading this, check your online accounts.

Can you send me an e mail again?

It is worth the effort, although you might not think so sometimes, when it's pouring down and people are standing there saying "oh, no I go to so and so" and you're standing there trying to be polite, while skint and wet. But perseverance is essential in our game.

You can normally sell fresh as well. We can send you as much or as little as you want. I am shooting myself in the foot here, but don't buy too much of anything, in case you are lumbered up with it. It's money you will need in the future. And you don't want to be stuck with stock that won't shift !!

If we can do anything else to help, please feel free to ask.

Hi Nick I shall try again, i used the query/info mail on the website. The stall is in the indoor market and they charge £1.97 perhour it works out at and that inc all the bills, refuse rates etc. didnt think that was bad but have to furnish it myself with counter/table shelves and a till.