I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too. – Elizabeth I

This Saturday is a big day for all those that want to witness history being made in England. It has been sixty-nine years since the last British coronation, Queen Elizabeth II on June 2nd, 1953. Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III’s coronation will be held on May 6th, 2023 at Westminster Abbey – an event many of you will not want to miss.

Join us on Coronation Day

Be sure to take a break from watching King Charles on the telly this Saturday in order to join us at Herma’s as we make a toast to the occasion, God save the king, with tea and biscuits. Janis will also be sampling English cheese in our Cheese Shop.

English Tea Recipes

for your Coronation Celebration

To enjoy observing the coronation, we suggest preparing an English High Tea. For three delicious recipes provided by Saltspring Kitchen Co. and one by Mrs. Bridges go to the blog section of hermas.ca or click on the link below.

Coronation High Tea Recipes – Herma’s Fine Foods & Gifts (hermas.ca)

Recipes include…

Scones with Orange Glaze (Blueberry Basil, Raspberry or Sour Cherry, Rhubarb & Rosemary preserves) – Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake (Blueberry Basil Jam) – Spicy Brie Gougères (Raspberry Habanero Pepper Jam) – Also a more traditional Scone Recipe from Mrs. Bridges

Salt Spring Kitchen Co. Fruit Spreads

Made in BC with quality, all-natural ingredients in small batches.

Blueberry & Basil Jam (Basil is the foundation of this preserve, bringing a surprising, rounding note to the fruit. Pairs with fresh Chèvre, Manchego, Ricotta, nut butter, cheesecake, ice cream, and yogurt.)

Raspberry, Rhubarb & Rosemary Spread (A hint of rosemary bridges our sweet and savoury selections. Pairs with Blue Cheese, Brie, Camembert, Ricotta, sourdough, chocolate cake, and cocktails.)

Raspberry Habanero Pepper Jam (Opens as classic raspberry jam but delivers a spicy finish. Delicious. Pairs with fresh Chèvre, Brie, Camembert, Stilton, grilled cheese, nut butter, thumbprint cookies, chicken, and cocktails.)

We do carry a lovely Devonshire Cream and spreadable triple cream cheeses that will be the perfect ingredients as you prepare your special tea.

NEW at Herma’s

Western Bohemian-Style Purses and Satchels

Stylish NEW handbags, satchels and purses look very fashionable when wearing denim and simply classic or bohemian-style clothing. The smell of leather wafts from these beautiful bags and the attention to detail is stunning.

Italian Entrees – Find in our Freezers!

We enjoyed a little sampling delicious Italian foods from Peterborough this past weekend, some of which are available in our freezers now and some that will be arriving soon. We found these very affordable frozen entrees to be just as nice as those found in old-world style Italian restaurants. In other words, we were very impressed and are excited to offer them to you.

Shrimp Al Fredo – Rigatoni – Spaghetti – Risotto with Sausage (like Jambalaya) – Veal Parmesan – Meat Balls – Baklava – French Salad Dressing – Caesar Salad Dressing

Baklava

Not only are NEW Italian entrees available, Baklava is also available in our freezers which are drop-dead delicious (no exaggeration). And on our shelves? two very superior-tasting salad dressings, a French and a Caesar. We hope you’ll have the opportunity to try some if not all of these delicious NEW foods in days to come.

Barbecuing this weekend?

Herma’s Tips for the perfect Steak

Make sure the steak is at room temperature before grilling. – Brush the steak with oil on both sides and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. – Let stand for 10 minutes. – Heat your grill to high. – Place steaks on grill and sear on both sides. – Lower temperature to medium and grill approximately 10 minutes turning steaks often to cook evenly. – Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to settle back into the meat.

How our meat is chosen…

Village Grocer chefs get up early twice a week to go to local abattoirs. While making their decision as to what meat to choose they look at meatiness, fat cover, marbling and muscle placement. Harry travels to the Village Grocer on a weekly basis to pick up the steaks we carry.

Herma’s Cheese Shop

Featured Cheese

Cave Aged Goat from Wookey Hole

Cave Aged Goat’s Cheese is a deliciously mild, savoury, firm cheese which is similar to a traditional cheddar in texture but with a distinctive yet subtle ‘goat’ flavour. This goat has been matured in the Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset, England. The year round constant 12 degrees centigrade and humidity bestows the cheese with the added benefit of rich, earthy and nutty flavours with caramel top notes. Find at Herma’s!

English Cheese for Coronation Day

This Saturday Janis will be offering samples of English cheese. Be sure to stop by the Cheese Shop this weekend for a little nibble.

English Cheese – Ready in our coolers!

Wensleydales (Limoncello, Strawberry Prosecco, Chocolate, Lemon, Mild Cheddar) – Applewood – Shropshire Blue – White Fox – Red Fox – Red Fox Smoked – Stilton

Cheese Special: Haloumi offered at a special discount this weekend. Great for grilling!

Charcuterie

Available to have sliced to your liking are fresh Porchetta and Prosciutto DOP from Italy. Ask Janis, Herma or Margaret to have it sliced special just for you. There is also a lovely, varied selection of salami and Italian ham in our coolers from which to choose, including yummy Chorizo.

Herma’s Signature Product of the Week

Herma’s Stilton Pate is a wonderful blend of Stilton cheese, butter and brandy. You will love this on a sizzling steak, burger or on a warm piece of crusty bread with a fig and port compote. This product was first created by us around 2005/2006 and has become a favourite by many that love stilton and how the flavour of Stilton compliments other foods.

Herma’s 30th Anniversary and Mother’s Day Reminder

Be sure to shop at Herma’s for Mother’s Day, May 14th, (gift baskets, wrapped gift certificates, jewelry, handbags, body care, home fragrance and so much more) and don’t forget that we have something special planned for our 30th Anniversary on May 13th. More information about that will be offered in our next newsletter.