The village shop in the characterful village of Bulwick is gaining something of a reputation in the region for its outstanding condiments, preserves and cookies. Sarah Lyon went to try it out
The Pickled Village is the invention of the glamorous Camille Ortega McLean. Camille brings much of herself to the recipes she dreams up. Recipes that derive from the four corners of the world, produced and conjured up from locally sourced ingredients or from adding a traditional English twist to an exotic recipe.
Camille has an international background. An Italian mother, Spanish father and Scottish husband have all influenced her imaginatively named products. The Essential Condiment was created in memory of a childhood spent eating Chillis and oysters on a Caribbean Sunday morning. And what about the Fiery Italian or The Cuban breakfast. I’ll leave it to your imagination.
Camille has years of expertise in making preserves of all kinds. Her first range of preserves was stocked all over Britain until the brands were acquired by Baxters of Fochabers. Through constant tasting and feedback by her band of enthusiastic followers she has been able to improve and refine her recipes to suit everyone. As well as keeping the taste buds amused, The Pickled Village’s quirkily named products always entertain. ‘Taste before you buy’, is Camille’s philosophy. Hence the tasting table in the shop.
The Bloody Mary Chutney, all the ingredients of a Bloody Mary, with Vodka
The Rich and Intoxicating One, grape conserve marinated in port and spices
The Morning After Marmalade, lemon marmalade with stem ginger and Siberian ginseng
The Aromatic Amber Nectar, Apricot and ginger. Delicious with lamb or scones.
The Cuban Breakfast, all the ingredients of a Mojito cocktail, with lime, mint and rum.
The Red Rapscallion, red onion marmalade with red currant and a hint of chilli
The Glorious Breakfast, a light thin-cut orange marmalade and very popular
Camille says, “I try to marry up the traditional with the exotic and constantly experiment with new flavours. It’s all very cheeky and fun. Come along to the village and get pickled with us.”
Camille and her son Angus combine wine and food to create the best of tastes. Camille enthuses, “Angus has a lovely way of expressing himself by choosing wines to complement any occasion.” Angus is currently studying for his Master of Wine whilst working in London with Laithwaites. Camille can cater anything from a hearty hungry lunch for shoot parties to a super large paella, weddings, christenings and dinner parties. Camille radiates hospitality. The essential ingredient to any successful catered affair.
MissChief’s Original Forfeit Cookies conceived in 2002 when Camille’s daughter Camilla (working with J Walter Thompson advertising agency) was cooking an oriental dinner party for friends. For fun she created some biscuits with a message inside, a homemade alternative to the oriental variety. The idea developed and within a year the mother and daughter team were in production. MissChief, was born, brought to life by the artistic flare of Illustrator Debbie Boon.
Boxes of forfeits have been elegantly and stylishly designed to include a selection of twelve individually wrapped cookies. There are three types of forfeits; traditional (read aloud and obey), the silent (indicated by the word Shhh) done covertly, and the group (in black foil) which is for the whole party to perform on the host’s command. The theme has been developed further to included MissChief Forfeits for Hen Night parties (pink foil) and Intimate Forfeits (gold foil) designed for couples.
Cookies are described as “a decadent confection of Italian sugar curls delicately lined with the finest of chocolate flavour. Encased in each biscuit is a forfeit from a selection of hundreds. Bound to challenge the complacency of any guest and entertain all present.”
Camille Ortega McLean, Bulwick Fine Foods, 15 Main Street, Bulwick, Northants
NN17 3DY Tel: 01780 450774