soup ... and other things

A fearsome north wind is howling across our part of the Fens this morning.

It seems that winter has arrived.

So what is needed is a rich, warm soup.

And one made with a local speciality is even better!

I've sung the praises of Fenland celery before.  It is the first English vegetable to be given PGI (protected geographical indication).
You can read all about the history and cultivation of the crop on the Fenland celery website.

The UK has relatively few products granted such status compared with some Mediterranean countries, but several of them are fairly local to this area.
Newmarket sausages and Melton Mowbray pork pies have both been awarded PGI.
Stilton cheese has been awarded PDO ( protected designation of origin).

When we were first married and before moving further east to the Fens, mr digandweed and I lived in the village of Stilton nr Peterborough.
Surprisingly, Stilton cheese is not actually produced in Stilton village but in parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
 The link with Stilton and hence the name came because in the 1730s it began to be sold by Cooper Thornhill who at that time was landlord of The Bell Inn Stilton, a large coaching inn on the Great North road.
Travellers would stop at the inn, which was a busy resting place on the road between London and Edinburgh, sample the cheese and so its fame spread.

The village of Stilton is now by-passed by the A1, but the beautiful Bell Inn can still be found in the village.
A piece of Stilton, had I had some, would have gone very well with my celery soup, but instead I had croutons and a light sprinkling of thyme.
I used this favourite recipe (without the apple).


Happy weekend everyone.




annjenny x