Schools cooks in North Yorkshire have the recipe for success with the publication of a new book.
The book is full of contemporary and exciting recipes made in school kitchens across the county from tortilla wraps to vegetable frittata. But it still includes old favourites such as stew and dumplings and toad in the hole.
The recipe book has been written to meet the Government’s stringent standards for school nutrition. These have seen not only sharp reductions in salt, sugar and fats but have also required the introduction of “super foods” such as seeds and pulses into recipes to increase minerals like zinc and iron into the diet as well as using only free range eggs in all recipes.
The book’s blend of old and new has come about with the support of North Yorkshire’s school cooks who have contributed their favourite recipes and ideas, with a special contribution from Joanne Simpson, the cook at Reeth primary school who is also a keen amateur photographer and took all the photographs.
The recipe book is part of the drive to improve the culinary skills of cooks who can also take advantage of attending certificated courses in the five training kitchens around the county run by North Yorkshire County Caterers, the county’s school meals service.
At a recent launch of the recipe book at Reeth primary school, Cynthia Welbourn, the corporate director of North Yorkshire’s Children and Young People’s Service, stated: “We are delighted to have this recipe book which continues the best practice of school meals in North Yorkshire emphasising the importance of good and nutritious food in schools”.
North Yorkshire’s school meal service has been singled out by the School Food Trust as a beacon of good practice in the use of fresh local produce.
All meat and poultry is sourced from the Yorkshire region
Cheese is from suppliers in the North of England
All fruit and vegetable suppliers are based in North Yorkshire and are committed to using local produce whenever possible
The school meal service is a holder of the “Good Egg” award from Compassion in World Farming.
County Councillor John Watson, North Yorkshire’s executive member for schools said: “Putting this new recipe book into every kitchen will be another step in ensuring that healthy and well presented food continues to be provided across the county.”
