Rachel has been working with Mr Hugh’s to produce some scrummy new recipes to try at home and we’re delighted that she’s joining us today.

Appearing on Express FM, BBC Humberside, Insight Radio and many others, our very own Hugh Mason and Rachel will be sure to let the country know why cold pressed rapeseed oil is a must-have in every kitchen.

Make sure that you tune in to catch the latest from Mr Hugh’s.

Don’t forget to follow Rachel on Twitter (@ChefRachelGreen).

After decades of apathy about Buying British it seems there’s now a clamour, with consumers saying they want to know where their food is coming from and that it’s safe and healthy.

Research published today by rapeseed oil manufacturer Mr Hugh’s, reveals almost 9 out of 10 shoppers (87%) say they want to buy British wherever possible – with 41% saying they’d be willing to pay more to achieve this.

Consumers are consciously stocking up with British produce with 1 in 10 saying they buy up to 15 British products per week with over two thirds seeking out local products from their particular region. Shoppers say they feel the Government should also be encouraging us to eat more British produce.

Three quarters of those questioned agree that supporting British farmers and growers was the main reason for buying British, and a similar number said that if they knew the benefit buying British could have on the economy they would be inclined to buy more.

The recent food scares have also encouraged more people to consider where their food comes from with a quarter of consumers admitting that this was now a top priority for them.

Hugh Mason, director of Larchwood Foods says: ‘The results from our Buying British survey were very interesting and it was particularly heartening to see how committed the British consumer is to flying the flag when supermarket shopping, as well as their commitment to supporting British growers and farmers. The British consumer is very astute, we work extremely hard to ensure Mr Hugh’s is safe, secure, traceable, great value and a product in which customers can trust.’

Mr Hugh’s, which is competitively priced at only £3.00 per 500ml (compared to the average multiple retail price of £4.49 for 500ml of cold pressed rapeseed oil), contains half the saturated fat found in olive oil and ten times the amount of Omega 3. The versatility of cold pressed rapeseed oil enables it be used in a variety of ways from roasting to drizzling and as a substitute for butter in bread, pastries, cakes and mashed potato.

To highlight its versatility TV chef and British produce ambassador, Rachel Green, has been working closely with Larchwood Foods to create a range of delicious recipes featuring Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil, all of which will be available, along with demonstration videos, over the coming weeks on www.mrhughs.co.uk. Check out our cold pressed rapeseed oil recipes.

Rachel Green says: ‘I hope my recipes and the versatility of cold pressed rapeseed oil will encourage everyone to start considering it a store cupboard staple. Increasingly healthier options of our favourite foods are being developed to make us all feel good about what we eat, but cold pressed rapeseed oil has it all – no additives, brimming full with health giving properties and to top it all, it’s 100% British.’

Has anyone else noticed how very quickly 2013 is moving. Here at Mr Hugh’s, we can’t believe that it’s May already, especially with our harvest fast approaching.

But while everything is moving at break neck speed, we’re looking forward to putting our feet up for the May Day Bank Holiday on 6th May. We don’t know how you plan to spend your hard earned day off, but at Mr Hugh’s we’re going to take the opportunity to try out a new delicious recipe using our wonderful rapeseed oil.

We’ll be making some very “posh” Fish and Chips which will be sure to make an enjoyable and scrummy May Day. If you’d like to have a go at making your own “posh” Fish and Chips, then take a look at our recipe here.

Whatever you choose to do, have a wonderful May Day.

Well the weather wasn’t exactly in our favour with reports saying it was the coldest in 50 years but thank fully we don’t have sheep to attend to and our crops of rapeseed are looking healthy and strong albeit we are predicting a late harvest due to the lack of warmth. The crops are currently 1.5 feet tall and growing rapidly now that the temperature is starting to rise and some plants have grown 6 inches in the last few days. We were also lucky in the fact that we didn’t suffer from the pigeon’s eating our crop at the early stage of their life. Pigeons absolutely adore rapeseed, but once the plant is at the same height as a Pigeon they are no longer a threat. The rather un-technical term for describing the height of the plant at this stage is called ‘Pigeon Height’!

Once we start to see the first signs of the yellow flowers on our Rapeseed, Brian, our bee man will be busy putting out the hives, (which we are predicting will commence in a couple of weeks’ time). This will help with the pollination and also feed our busy little friends.

Did you know that there are two types of Bees?, we have Summer and Winter Bees, who have different metabolisms. They are having a tough time at the moment due to the long cold winter and you need to have plenty of stock in order for them to convert energy to keep themselves warm and get through the harsh months. Brian, has been working hard to ensure that we have plenty of stock and the Queens are busy laying eggs in time for the pollination.

Fiona Coe
Sales & Marketing Director

At Mr Hugh’s, we love a good competition, so we’re launching our Awesome April Giveaway. From today, you could win TWO bottles of Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil, a lovely Mr Hugh’s apron and, just to sweeten the deal, £20 towards your next supermarket shop. Who could resist?!?

To enter just “like” our Facebook page and retweet the following message on Twitter: “Like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/extravirginoil and RT this for a chance to win our #AwesomeAprilGiveaway” and you win our great prize.

Check out our full terms and conditions here.

1. The competition is only open to those over 18 years of age.
2. Prizes can only be delivered to UK addresses.
3. The competition opens on Wednesday 10th April 2013 and closes at 09:00GMT on Wednesday 24th April 2013.
4. The prize is two 250ml bottles of Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil, a Mr Hugh’s branded apron and a cheque for £20.
5. To enter, entrants must like the Mr Hugh’s Facebook page and retweet the following message: Like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/extravirginoil and RT this for a chance to win our #AwesomeAprilGiveaway
6. Only 1 entry per person.
7. Winners will be drawn at random from all COMPLETED entries logged during the promotional period. No purchase necessary. Entries are only valid if the entry is completed correctly in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
8. The winners will be chosen on completion of the competition, Wednesday 24th April 2013 at 09:00GMT.
9. The prize winner will be notified within seven days of the draw via Twitter.
10. Mr Hugh’s will require the successful entrants telephone number, home address and email address.
11. Prizes will be forfeited after 30 days if no details have been given.
12. Prizes will be posted within 10 days of receipt of prize winner’s details.
13. By entering, participants are bound by these terms and conditions.
14. Losing entries will not receive any notification.
15. Mr Hugh’s accepts no responsibility for entries undelivered.
16. Prizes are non-tranferrable.
17. The prize draw decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
18. This competition is in no way sponsored by, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Twitter.
19. Larchwood Foods Ltd reserves the right to disqualify entrants if they are inappropriate. Any entries which are found to be computer generated by script or bot will not be counted.

Good luck!!

At Mr Hugh’s, Easter is one of the most exciting times of year, we love to see the everything come into bloom and welcome back the sun after a long, dark winter. Easter is also a time to get cooking, why not check out our new Easter recipes here. But what use are these delicious recipes without a bottle of delicious Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil? Luckily we’ve seen to that too.

From today, you can enter into our Facebook sweepstakes for a chance to win a 500ml bottle of Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil. Just like our Facebook page and fill in the details on our sweepstakes form for a chance to win.

Check out our full terms and conditions here.

1. The Prize can only be delivered to a UK address
2. The competition opens on Monday 25th March at 09:00GMT and closes on Monday 8th April at 09:00GMT
3. The Prize is one 500ml bottle of Mr Hugh’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
4. To enter, entrants must complete the Entry Form in its entirety and “Like” the Mr Hugh’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil Facebook page
5. Only 1 entry per person
6. Winners will be drawn at random from the entrants
7. Winners will be drawn at random from all entries logged during the promotional period. No purchase necessary. Entries are only valid if the entry is completed correctly in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
8. The winners will be chosen on completion of the competition, Monday 8th April.
9. The prize winner will be notified within seven days of the draw via Facebook.
10. Mr Hugh’s will require the successful entrants telephone number, home address and email address.
11. Prizes will be forfeited after 30 days if no details have been given.
12. By entering, participants are bound by these terms and conditions.
13. Losing entries will not receive any notification.
14. Mr Hugh’s accepts no responsibility for entries undelivered.
15. Prizes are non-transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
16. The prize draw decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
17. Entrants who have not “liked” the Mr Hugh’s Facebook page will not be considered.

Good luck!

Mr Hugh’s is to support the Norfolk Hospice by sponsoring their namesake; Hugh the Hospice Bear.

Mr Hugh’s huggable friend will be partaking in a number of events over the coming months including trying out golfing at Swaffham Golf Club and testing his culinary skills at the ‘Feast for Friends’ event; promising lots of laughs, fun and a few surprises.

It won’t be all fun and games for the Hospice’s mascot though, as he will be competing in a number of gruelling runs to raise awareness and funds for the Norfolk Hospice. Hugh will be at the 5km Bunny Run in April and the punishing Great East Anglian Run, a 10km race starting in King’s Lynn.

Hugh the Hospice Bear had his first outing yesterday when he was arrested by police in King’s Lynn and challenged to raise £500 for his bail, along with a number of local fundraisers. Luckily, the cuddly mascot paid his bail and helped raise a grand total of £80,000.

Our very own Hugh Mason said: “The Norfolk Hospice does magnificent work in the community helping those with life-limiting conditions and Mr Hugh’s is very proud to be backing such a wonderful cause. We pride ourselves on playing an important role in the local community, so we are delighted to be sponsoring Hugh the Hospice Bear for the Norfolk Hospice.”

To support the Norfolk Hospice visit www.norfolkhospice.org.uk

At Mr Hugh’s we love Pancake Day. What better way to forget about those dark winter nights than with some super sweet pancakes. But whether you prefer lemon and sugar, maple syrup or cherry jubilee pancakes, no pancake is right without the perfect oil. So why not try Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil? To celebrate Pancake Day, we’re launching our month long Twitter giveaway TODAY.

Just re tweet the message: “RT this and follow for a chance to win a bottle of Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil!! #RapeseedRevolution” and follow @MrHughsOil to be entered into a free prize draw for a bottles of Mr Hugh’s. But hurry, the competition is only running for a month.
Please see terms and conditions below:

1. The competition is only open to those over 18 years of age.
2. Prize can only be delivered to the UK.
3. The competition opens on Tuesday 12th February 2013 and closes at 09:00 GMT on Tuesday 12th March 2013.
4. The prize is one 500ml bottle of Mr Hugh’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil.
5. To enter, entrants must follow the Twitter username @MrHughsOil and retweet the following message: “RT this and follow for a chance to win two bottles of Mr Hugh’s cold pressed rapeseed oil!! #RapeseedRevolution”
6. Only 1 entry per person.
7. Winners will be drawn at random from all complete retweets & followers logged during the promotional period. No purchase necessary. Entries are only valid if the entry is completed correctly in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
8. The winners will be chosen on completion of the competition, Tuesday 12th March at 09:00 GMT.
9. The prize winner will be notified within seven days of the draw via Twitter.
10. Mr Hugh’s will require the successful entrants telephone number, home address and email address.
11. Prizes will be forfeited after 30 days if no details have been given.
12. Prizes will be posted within 10 days of receipt of prize winner’s details.
13. By entering, participants are bound by these terms and conditions.
14. Losing entries will not receive any notification.
15. Mr Hugh’s accepts no responsibility for entries undelivered.
16. Prizes are non-transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
17. The prize draw decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Good luck!

To make your own pancakes, why not check out Mr Hugh’s perfect pancake recipe.

Packed with vegetables and protein, stir fry is the ultimate choice for dieter’s – quick, easy to prepare and super healthy.

However, because stir-frying involves cooking food at high temperatures, it’s important to choose oil that has a high smoke point or your supposedly ‘healthy’ dinner could lose some of its tastiness.

The smoke point is the temperature at which oil (or other types of fat) begins to break down. Oil that is heated to its smoke point or higher will begin smoking and start to impart a bitter taste to the food.

Chinese cooks normally use peanut oil, which has a high smoke point and a pleasant nutty flavour, for stir-frying and deep-frying. However, rapeseed oil is the perfect choice for those who suffer nut allergies, as well as offering a host of other health benefits thanks to its Omega 3 content and can be heated to deep-frying temperature without losing any of its nutritional value, flavour or colour.

So this year give your favourite stir fry an added nutritional boost by using extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Check out our recipe for Healthy Beef Stir Fry here.

What a difference a year makes.

The beauty of farming is that no one year is the same as the one before, or the one before that in terms of weather and the effect it has on crops. No sob story, just a fact.
In a factory the weather has little effect on the conditions on the factory floor.
If it’s cold, you simply turn the heating up; if it’s hot, simply turn the air conditioning up. It’s hard to imagine farming where you could control the weather, but an accurate forecast for the next 2 weeks would go a long way towards it.

Our 2011 oilseed rape harvest started 4 days earlier than our average start date, in drought conditions and a crop at various stages of maturity. The 2012 harvest started 10 days later than our average start date, with fields at full moisture capacity and a crop looking desperate to escape the weather.

So what effect did all the rain have on the crop as a whole and in turn the oil we produce.
Yields were slightly higher than average, despite some late frosts causing the plants to drop some pods. Two thirds of our crop was standing and the rest is a mix of laid (where the crop has dropped towards the ground) and standing at harvest (The latter tested the combine driver’s skills to the full). Last year the whole crop was standing making combining easy.

The maturity and quality of the crop was more even than last harvest, which helped greatly in selecting oilseed rape seeds at the point of harvest for our oil plant to produce Mr Hugh’s.

We had several trial plots of different Oilseed rape varieties in one field. They harvested well, some weighing better than others (to be expected) and are now being crushed to establish oil content and quality to see if any fit into our strict selection criteria.

The wheat harvest like the Oilseed rape started late and finished even later!!! This in turn delayed some of our 2013 harvest year Oilseed rape drilling. The size of plants varies from small to the ideal size heading into the spring. With a covering of snow on all fields currently, our Oilseed rape is being protected from the pigeons. The bad news is more for our neighbours’, as the pigeons, now hungry have moved to their fields. Fingers crossed they like their new home and stay.

Just a note to end on “be careful what you wish for” in terms of the weather.
Last year we were dry and I wished for rain!! A quote from a great film “big mistake, huge mistake”.

Will Meen
Farm Manager