Pixley berries give the experts a tasty surprise

4:58pm Friday 12th September 2008

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THE torrential rains and the lack of a winter chill proved a real problem for the blackcurrant harvest at Pixley Berries near Ledbury in 2007.

This year’s dormancy period was longer and colder and just enough to ensure good bud-break in spring with no frosts on the blossom.

But, despite the harvest being plagued with incessant wet weather, and facing underlying problems with botrytis, berries from Pixley Black, Ben Gairn and Ben Tirran came through with flying colours.

Everything is in the taste for Pixley Berries owner Edward Thompson, and following the launch of his range of cordials in Waitrose, Booths and other delicatessens last year, this July he welcomed a ‘phial’ of flavourists to his farm five miles from Ledbury to study the flavours and aromas possible through the selection and cultivation of different fruit.

The British Society of Flavourists hosts a series of events every year for the benefit of its members and this year were drawn to Pixley as it grows and processes on the farm a wide range of local fruits, including blackcurrants, red currants, pears, apples, English raspberries and hops. Only red currants are not actually processed on the farm.

“For a farmer to have his own pressing station and laboratory is unusual and I suppose that our obsession with maximising flavour through our plant choice, our cultivation and our juice processing makes us an interesting subject for flavourists,” says Pixley Berries flavour ‘guru’ Alan Draisey.

Mr Draisey said the flavourists were impressed by the quality of the juice and the range of flavours from the different varieties that the farm offers.

“I think that the biggest surprise for them was the vibrant flavour of our Pixley Black blackcurrant variety which we have blended with our Ben Hope to give a juice which, unusually, you could even drink neat.

“The Pixley Black has a full body and it produces an exuberant flavour akin to a Pinot Noir from Australia or California - and our English raspberry juice from this year’s crock knocked their socks off them as well.”