ONE of Cumbria’s best known private chefs has launched her own range of Cumberland inspired products in time for Christmas.

Yvonne Gainford, the Culinary Occasions Chef has launched ‘Yvonne’s Cumberland’ – a range of rich pie fillings based on traditional Cumberland recipes.

Made with Jefferson’s Rum from Whitehaven, the product has been launched at The Rum Story in the town and at Low Sizergh Barn near Kendal.

Yvonne Gainford has run her own chefs business for five years, often catering on glamorous yachts and five star holiday homes. With a love of her Cumbrian roots, she adds a touch of the county into foods wherever in the world she was working.

Some of her favourite dishes were variations on the Cumberland Rum Nicky, a tart traditionally made with pastry and rich fruity rum filling.

For the last 18 months Yvonne has been cooking up her own luxury Rum Nicky filling, one that is very reminiscent of her childhood when she helped her Grandma make the deliciously sweet treat. Yvonne said “It was quite the Christmas tradition, mixing the fruit and spices, adding a huge splash of rum, then watching Grandma roll out the pastry on the cold sandstone shelf in the larder.

"I still have the recipe book today, it’s very precious, not only because it was handed down, but because it contains so many traditional Cumberland recipes.

"It’s easy to get caught up in the romance and fairy-tale of the Cumberland Rum Nicky. Its origins go way back to the 1780s when the Jefferson family started to import demerara sugar, fruit and rum from Jamaica. It is said that sailors ‘nicked’ the rum to preserve fruit and that’s how it got its name, but you can never be sure.”

Yvonne says friends have been very helpful, tasting and helping perfect the recipe for six months. Using Jefferson’s 1785 Dark Rum from the Rum Story in Whitehaven, the product is very authentic. It includes a heady mix of fruit, spice and spirit to create a very luxurious filling

And for those not keen on rum, there’s a non-alcoholic Tea Nicky version too. Naturally, the Rum Story was the first to stock the new range, but this week it has also launched at Low Sizergh Barn, Kendal.

Always keen to promote local suppliers John Hosker, Food Buyer Low Sizergh Barn was very excited about the range, introducing it to the shop straight away.

“It’s deliciously rich and fruity, with a hint of ginger and other spices that add a real depth of flavour and you can really taste the Jefferson’s Rum coming through. It’s a sophisticated product with a great story behind it. We think it will be a real hit at Christmas and with visitors all year round.”

Angela Bragg, the Rum Story’s Retail Supervisor said “It’s very in keeping with our story so we expect it to sell well."