Ever since LittlePod’s launch in 2010, we’ve been on a mission to underline vanilla’s versatility. So when it came to hosting a dinner with which to toast Janet’s latest book – Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero – there was no question about the main ingredient on the menu!

Having long supplied The Farm Table restaurant in Topsham with products from LittlePod’s responsibly-sourced range, we were thrilled when Head Chef Tom Chivers suggested creating a bespoke four-course vanilla-infused feast.

For the team at The Farm Table, it’s always a pleasure to work with people who are as passionate about an ingredient as Janet is…

Head Chef Tom Chivers

It did not disappoint – and Tom treated our guests to a masterclass in natural flavours as Made, LittlePod’s original vanilla farmer, and Janet shared stories from our collaborative forest orchard in Indonesia.

“For the team at The Farm Table, it’s always a pleasure to work with people who are as passionate about an ingredient as Janet is,” explained Tom, who cooked LittlePod Vanilla and Mushroom Arancini, Baked Brixham Sole with LittlePod Vanilla Sauce, LittlePod Vanilla and Lemon-Stuffed Chicken Breast, and LittlePod Tiramisu at last month’s dinner and UK book launch at Darts Farm’s award-winning restaurant.  

“We use LittlePod’s vanilla paste and pods in our recipes regularly, mainly in our puddings, so it was a pleasant challenge to build four courses to celebrate Janet’s latest book. We look forward to her next publication!”

Based at Darts Farm, which was named the UK’s Best Farm Shop by the Farm Retail Association earlier this year, The Farm Table was recently crowned Best Farm Restaurant at the Farm Restaurant Awards and presented with two AA rosettes for “outstanding culinary standards.”

Putting the focus on provenance, flavour and sustainability, Tom and his team have earned a reputation for excellence in the three years since The Farm Table first opened its doors to diners in Devon.

In creating a menu that Janet described as ‘delicious, delicate and summery,’ Tom demonstrated that there’s little as versatile as the ingredient at the heart of LittlePod’s long-running Campaign for Real Vanilla!

Like to read Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero?

Published by Unicorn, Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero is available from Amazon and other online retailers, and from bookshops across the UK. Signed copies can be bought from our online shop.

Spotted Real Vanilla: Nature’s Unsung Hero in YOUR local bookshop?

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