The British Poultry Council

In preparation for Michaelmas Day on the 29th September The Goring held a tasting of 5 geese from different regions of the UK in order to find the best to serve in their prestigious dining room on Michaelmas Day and the week following. British Goose Producers rose to the challenge and provided some of their finest birds for the event.

The tradition of having goose on the 29th September is commonly perceived to have come from that date’s significance as a quarter day when tenants’ rents were due. Tenants would give their landlord a goose in addition to the rent to persuade him not to put the prices up for the following year.

The geese put to the taste test at The Goring in advance of this festival, whose significance is re-emerging, came from Michael Coleman in Dorset, Judy Goodman in Worcestershire, Anne Hughes in Essex, Tuckers in Devon and Norfolk Geese in Norfolk. The panel of esteemed food writers tested breast and leg meat and skin from each bird, and deemed the joint winners Anne Hughes and Michael Coleman. Geese from both of these producers are fed ad libitum, and their skin and breast meat was paler and their texture slightly more delicate.

However a combination of all five geese will be served throughout Michaelmas Week at The Goring, London’s oldest privately owned 5* hotel, with traditional accompaniments including braised red cabbage and apple sauce.

This quintessentially English hotel prides itself on its repertoire of classic British dishes. Head Chef Derek Quelch endeavours to create his delectable recipes from locally and ethically sourced produce, and the tasting of Michaelmas Geese is an example of the care that goes into sourcing each ingredient on the menu.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

If you would like to sample the Goring Hotel, so as to review it for a newspaper or a magazine, please call Ian Scott on 020 7439 1950 or ian@iscott.co.uk or Janna Gaunt on 020 7432 9740 or janna@iscott.co.uk

The British Goose Producers are a constituent body of the British Poultry Council, and in 2007 are celebrating their 25th anniversary.

The British Poultry Council is the leading representative organization for companies and individuals engaged in breeding, hatching, rearing and processing chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese to produce poultry meat.