Herdwick on the menu (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Herdwick on the menu

2:39pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News By Allan Tunningley

TOP chefs from around the region will champion the Lake District’s iconic Herdwick sheep at a special event on Sunday.

Herdwick At Its Best – organised by The Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association with home and gift brand owners The Herdy Company – aims to promote the breed to chefs and others in the Cumbria hospitality and catering industries.

They want to see more Herdwick hogget and lamb find its way on to menus in hotels, restaurants and pubs during its peak season and see less sold as generic ‘lamb’.

The gathering, at Yew Tree Farm and nearby Nook Farm, Borrowdale, aims to improve links between farmers, catering suppliers and the hosp-itality industry.

It will start with a farm walk looking at how Herdwick sheep are reared to create lean and tender meat, and how the farming system shapes the lands-cape which draws millions of visitors each year.

Yew Tree Farm’s butcher Lee Smith will be on hand to demonstrate how a Herdwick carcass differs from lowland lamb and explain how customers can recognise top quality meat.

Chef Ryan Blackburn will show how to get good value from, and get the best out of, different cuts.

There will also be an opportunity to taste a variety of Herdwick dishes prepared by David Jackson – head chef at The Leathes Head Hotel in Borrowdale.

Other top chefs from the region will attend, including the culinary team at L’Enclume in Cartmel and Steven Doherty of Lakeland, who is keen to champion the local breed.

“Herdwicks are an integral part of The Lakes,” he said. “It's just impossible to imagine the landscape without this rather wonderful breed among us – ii also happens to taste rather good.”

To find out more and to book a place, call Christina on 01539 739202 or email christina@herdy.co.uk.