Unboxing the Dunwood Farm meat box

I’m back! I’ve been in and out of the country and jobs and so on, but finally I have settled down with a new meat box waiting to be revealed and consumed. I’m excited to announce that my eighth meat box is from Dunwood Farm, a small family business from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. Owned by Peter and Gwyneth Pearson, it was their son Will who contacted me out of the blue one day to ask for some thoughts from a customer’s point of view. One thing led to another and, well, I am now the proud owner of a beef tasting box, kindly gifted by the Pearsons. We had some problems with the courier (who failed to deliver and therefore spoiled the meat by leaving it out for more than 48 hours), and I was surprised and delighted when Will personally delivered a new box to my doorstep. Now THAT’S good customer service.

Unboxing the Farmer’s Choice meat box

These past couple of boxes have been moving slowly, for which I do apologise but can blame on work and life in general. It’s really quite spectacular to think that since September I have made my way through six different meat boxes. My next and seventh box is slightly different to the others – it’s from Farmer’s Choice, an online butcher that acts as a collective for local free range farms. Farmer’s Choice isn’t a farm itself and also offers products at a slightly lower price point, I suspect because everything is delivered flash frozen. I will disclaim that I was approached (and flattered!) by Farmer’s Choice to feature their stuff on my blog, and having found them an interesting proposition, I said yes.

Mini Buffalo Wellingtons

I’ve tried mozzarella and ricotta from the Laverstoke buffalo to great satisfaction – now it’s time to move on to the meat itself. The premium piece in my Laverstoke meat box was a buffalo fillet. I immediately knew what I wanted to make: an alternative to Beef Wellington. I haven’t seen the buffalo version done anywhere on the internet, BUT I first got the inspiration from reading Obama Foodorama, which reveals that Bison Wellington was served to David Cameron at a White House Dinner in March. I love it!

Roaming Roosters competition giveaway!

Hello dear meatheads, and apologies for the nonexistent posts. I’m abroad on a little trip but will be back to London (and my meat-stuffed freezer) very soon. In the meantime, I hear the weather in the UK is still horrendous, which is perfect for the purpose of this blogpost… to announce my first competition giveaway!

Roaming Roosters, who were last month’s featured meat box, are generously giving me one Winter Warmer Selection Meat Box to give away, in celebration of the launch of their brand new website. The Winter Warmer Selection is worth £39.95 and includes a selection of hearty cuts for family meals – such as a  whole chicken, brisket joint and a shoulder of lamb on the bone.

To enter:

1. Subscribe to Meat in a Box by clicking “Subscribe via email” on the blog home page.
2. Go to Roaming Rooster’s website to find your answer to this question: Which member of the Mellin family started the family farming business, before it even came to be know as ‘Roaming Roosters’? Clue: look at the ‘Our Heritage’ page!
3. Email your answer to meatboxing@gmail.com by 1st May 2012. The winner will be picked at random and notified via email (competition is open to UK residents only).

Good luck!

Laverstoke discount code for readers

I’ve been given an exclusive discount for readers, wowee! Get 15% off any Laverstoke order with the code MEATINABOX.

The code is valid for 365 days (until 29th March 2013) and can be used multiple times, even on products in the special offer category. That’s a real bargain! Just type it in at the checkout to redeem your discount.

Enjoy your Laverstoke purchase, and don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Meanwhile follow Laverstoke on Twitter and give them a like on Facebook, too.

Here’s a photo of some pigs to put a smile on your face. Have a lovely weekend everyone.