Merry Christmas

Hope you are enjoying Christmas (especially those of you lucky enough to have received a Thyme hamper).

Thyme will reopen on Weds 29th December.

Early Closing 18th December

Hello,

Thanks to everyone who braved the elements to visit us today.

Due to the weather we will be closing early today (between 2-30pm to 3pm)

This is to allow my hardworking staff to get home safely before everything freezes over.
Thanks
Amanda

Now Open

Thyme is now open after a slight delay due to the snow .
Come down for great coffee and cakes, delicious lunches and fantastic foodie gifts.
Get on your hats and gloves and walk down you can be sure of a warm welcome.
We have some great gifts for those last minute buys.
See you soon

Snowy Weather

Amanda is currently delayed getting to Thyme this morning.
We will update this site as soon as we are open hopefully by 10-30.
Thanks

Seasons greetings

I hope you are all enjoying this festive period and all the preparations for Christmas.
Personally i love the run up to Christmas and especially all the food that involves.
If you are planning to serve some Patchwork Pate for your Christmas lunch or New Year's party, our last order date is Mon 13th December.
Thank you for all of your hamper orders so far, it's not too late to get one for a tasty present.
If you have finished your shopping already then you can always relax in the warmth of our cafe, with a hot winter berries cordial or a 'real' hot chocolate, and maybe a homemade cake (or two)
Hope to see you soon

Christmas Thyme

I'm sure by now that you're all looking for the perfect Christmas present for someone you love.

If they are a foodie, why not choose a hamper from Thyme.

We offer 5 set price hampers starting from £25, or you can design your own, just pick your basket, and contents and we will put it together for you.

To make life even easier if you tell us your budget we will design a personal hamper for you.

Pop in to pick up a leaflet listing our set price hampers or to discuss your requirements with one of the team.

We have lots of other Christmas gifts too, such as this lovely festive cupcake tree. This would also look great as a table centrepeice filled with mince pies or baubles.

Tasting evening Tues 9th November

It's nearly Thyme for our tasting evening. Hope you've got your tickets.

If not, don't worry we still have a few left, get them soon though.

For the lucky ones, we look forward to welcoming you with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie, whilst tempting you with lots of lovely products to taste and take home.

Tickets are free and available to collect from Thyme

Tasting evening 9 Nov 2010

Well it's that time of year again, the nights are closing in, the winter coats are out and ... Thyme is holding it's annual tasting evening to dispel your winter blues.

We will be opening our doors between 6.30pm - 8.30pm on Tuesday 9th November 2010, and welcoming you with a glass of mulled wine into the deli, where you can taste some of our delicious products, make Christmas wishlits or plan your hampers.

As usual there will be a selection of products to sample and we hope you will leave with some fab Christmas ideas (and pressies).

Tickets for this event are free but numbers are limited. Tickets will be handed out on a first come first served basis, they are limited to 2 per person and can only be collected from Thyme.

What are you waiting for.....see you there ?

So many homemade goodies to choose from....

Thought you would like to see some pics of our new cupcakes from Sugardoodle Bakery.....

Don't forget that the Thyme team also make quiche, soups, dandelion & burdock cake, carrot cake, houmous........do you need any more reasons to visit ???

Ok then - we are having our annual tasting evening on Tues 9th Novemeber, this event is ticket only (tickets are free but limited) more details to follow so watch this space....

Cupcakes are back....

We are pleased to be selling cupcakes from Sugardoodle Bakery (www.sugardoodle.co.uk).
Our first batches arrive tomorrow. Suzi bakes lots of cupcake flavours, so we will be starting with just a few ...be sure to let us know which your favourite is.

Dandelion & Burdock cake has been so popular that we have decided to keep it on the menu for now...it's made with Mr Fitzpatrick's delicious cordial (www.mrfitzpatricks.com), be sure to try a piece if you haven't already.

British food fortnight and lovely cakes

Celebrate the best of British food with one of our lovely cakes. We have been making dandelion and burdock cake (made with Mr Fitzpatricks d & b), which has been selling...well..like hot cakes!

Today we also took our first delivery of Cartmel's new pud - damson & apple cobbler, a classic English pud made with Lyth valley damsons.

Both are available to take home or to eat in the cafe, with or without clotted cream!

British food fortnight 18 Sep - 3 Oct

It's almost the start of British food fortnight. Why not celebrate the wealth of great British products available and buy British.
Thyme has a varied selection of products which celebrate seasonal and local produce.
If you grow your own, and you are lucky enough to have more fruit or veg than you can use, why not preserve it? We now stock preserving jars, labels, wax discs and straining bags.
Look out for special recipes celebrating British products throughout the fortnight.

Chippidy doo dah

Warburtons Chippidy Doo Dah crisps have proved popular. Sadly, you may have read that Warburtons had a fire and for the near future we won't be able to top up our supply of Chippidy Doodahs until their production is back to normal.
We still have a few bags in stock, get them while you can.......

Buy 3 jars of olives for a tenner

It's the start of the summer holidays, for my son, anyway. So i thought i'd tell you about our current offer, in case you need picnic nibbles, or camping treats.

We are offering any 3 jars of Olives et Al olives for a tenner. They have a long shelf life and are great for days out, just add a few cocktail sticks.

Many people think children won't like olives, but kids love strong tastes (think salt and vinegar crisps, marmite etc). My children both adore olives and will clear a bowl before anyone else gets a look in.

Add some reganas - spanish rosemary crackers to dip in the oil too. Delicious.

Gluten free ? I hadn't noticed....

These Kent & Fraser biscuits have proved really popular with you so i have added to the range. All of the biscuits (both savoury and sweet) are wheat, gluten and soya free, many of them are also dairy egg & fat free too.

Here's an article about them where they fared so well in a taste test, the tester didn't realise they were a 'free from' range........

Tasty Alternative – Food Chain Magazine - “Taste Test”
The Food Chain Magazine did a “taste test” on a few of our products recently ... The taster of this product wasn’t told the product’s free-from pedigree – and didn’t notice!“The lemon shortbread was rich and buttery, and I loved the little two-biscuit individual pack – great portion control and easy to pack in a lunch box” she said.The Stilton option appealed to the male testers on the panel. “These are tangy and really crunchy – they have a robust flavour and I could happily eat several” was the verdict.Inspired by a life-long love of baking and a profound interest in ‘free-from’ foods, Kent & Fraser’s new biscuits mean that food allergy sufferers or anyone looking for a delicious, healthy sweet or savoury snack can now indulge their cravings. The lemon butter shortbread recently won a gold star for its taste, and yet contains no egg, soya, wheat or gluten. For a savoury hit, the Stilton and walnut biscuits are irresistible with a delicious glass of red wine or port, and they offer the perfect way to end a dinner party. And true to the cause these biscuits contain no eggs, soya, wheat or gluten.Article by "Food Chain Magazine" www.foodchain-magazine.com

Available to buy in Thyme now.

New products this week....

As you can see we have busy unpacking deliveries this week, topping up old favourites and adding a few new ones.

Fentimans drinks are now available in 750ml bottles, perfect for taking to barbeques and summer parties. We also have in stock their new rose lemonade, try it on your next picnic or maybe with some Pimms ?

Warburtons have branched out into the snack market and launched 'Chippidy Doodaa' a range of baked pitta snacks. We couldn't resist (well they are baked in Bolton) so we have 3 flavours in stock now.

Cartmel - renowned for their amazing sticky toffee pudding have produced a summer pudding for the warmer months. It also has Belvoir elderflower cordial in it - how can you resist ? Serve it with clotted cream for a real treat.

Local honey is stil our most popular product this month and loads of you are buying it for your hayfever, i would love to hear from you letting me know if it worked or not ?

Leave a comment on this page or get in touch honey@thymedeli.co.uk

Did you know that we are also on Twitter ? Why not follow us, search for @Thymedeli

Tonight i cooked a fantastic Chimmichurri chicken on the barbeque. The recipe came from a booklet by 'Gastro Alfresco', check out their website for other fab barbeque ideas whilst the weather is so hot.

10 minute tapas

This fantastic weather definitely makes me want to spend as much time outdoors as possible, though i still want to eat tasty food, just spend less time cooking it. If you prefer dining alfresco to cooking (indoors) why not try this dish.

1 pack of chorizo (the cooking variety) sliced (available at Thyme)

2 peppers, any colour you like, sliced.

Add some olive oil to a frying pan and throw in the peppers for a few mins, stirring frequently.

Add the sliced chorizo and fry, stirring to ensure cooked on both sides. It should end up slightly crispy on the edges.

That's it! Serve with good bread or carbohydrate of your choice, and a glass of Rioja.

There is still time to cast your vote for your 'Deli Of The Year'.

Hopefully your vote will be for Thyme!

Just go to www.delioftheyear.co.uk and vote.

You could win yourself a 3 day trip to an olive harvest in Spain.

Closing date for votes is 30th June 2010.

Thank you to all of our customers who have voted for Thyme already.

Birthday Thyme

I can't believe that Thyme is 7 years old today! It seems like only yesterday when i first opened the doors.

Much has changed since then, it has grown bigger, I have more staff and have expanded the deli range to include cookware, but my principles are still the same. Good quality food and ingredients served with care in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Thank you to all of our customers for their continued support (especially during the recession). Here's to the next 7 years.....

Vacancy, 20-30 hours; 5 days per week, Inc Sats. Contact. Emma to apply

New for Spring

Hello, sorry it's been a month since my last update, and what a busy month!

Items new in for Spring include these lovely mini ceramic dishes in 3 shapes plus a mini casserole. They are available in 4 colours and perfect for starters, pates, terrines, or even children's portions.

Also new is Huntleys Moo 2 You ice cream in Daim bar flavour (available in 500ml tubs).

Still available for now is the limited edition Cheddar and ale pate (suitable for vegetarians) from Patchwork.

Thanks to all of you who have voted for us as your 'Deli of the year'. If you haven't...there is still time and you could win a trip to Spain. Go to www.delioftheyear.co.uk to vote.

Thyme on BBC breakfast news

What a day! At 5am this morning i opened my doors to the BBC Breakfast team who went live on air from Thyme at 6am.

It's not every day Bill Turnbull, Andy Crane & The Houghton Weavers sit in your shop!

It was fascinating to be part of a live TV programme, and all of the crew and presenters were lovely, though it is a little weird seeing yourself on the telly!

If you missed it have a look online.

I would just like to say a huge thank you to all of the customers who turned up as early as 6am, THANK YOU.

Here's a few pics for those of you who missed it.

Thyme on BBC Breakfast News

Thyme on the telly !

The BBC will be bringing their news programmes to Horwich on Tuesday 13th April.
Filming will take place around Horwich and inside Thyme starting with Bill Turnbull's breakfast programme and continuing throughout the day on the news channel.
We are very excited that the BBC will be using us as their location for the day and we hope that some of you will come along to join us.
We will be opening our doors super early...at 6 AM as that is when the programme will be on TV.
The BBC would like to chat to our regulars and customers and ask their thoughts about the forthcoming election.
Don't worry if you aren't ready for your five minutes of fame, the TV cameras will only be filming in our lounge area.

New for Spring.....

New Menu at Thyme, most of your old favourites are still there ...along with a few new ones.Milkshakes, Smoothies and iced Lattes are back, now where's the sun?

Also new for Spring are some lovely aprons, choose from a traditional style or why not opt for something different like the one pictured. There's also a co-ordinating bakeware range of tins and dishes to match.

For Easter we have some cute chocolate cows (pictured), pigs and bunnies, along with the fabulous Montezumas organic 'free range' easter eggs. Don't forget the fairtrade chocolate lollies for a treat too (only £2 each).

Hope to see you soon.

Fairtrade fortnight

Last night the Mayor of Horwich presented me with a certificate for being a continued supporter of Fairtrade products. As always i am proud to received this during Fairtrade fortnight and I will continue to look for new Fairtrade products.

My current favourite is Make us a Brew teabags, not just for it's funky packaging (designed by Manchester Dj Mr Scruff), the bags are also delicious and Fairtrade, so why not Make us a brew.....

Purple love week 13th-21st Feb 2010

Look out for our Purple Love Week specials, inspired by your votes for your most favourite/least favourite foods.

Don't forget Shrove Tuesday 16th Feb - pancakes are delicious with lemon & sugar, or maple syrup (and bacon). Why not try a savoury version instead? Pancakes are delcious used instead of cannelloni in a bake.

Love is in the air......

Yes it's Purple Love Week again, starting Sat 13th February. Pop in and treat yourself to one of our specials - listed on the purple boards.
As it's valentines weekend we have a pate platter ideal for sharing.....Patchwork pate, Patchwork pate relish and spelt blinis, for 2.
If you need a last minute gift we have some lovely boxes of rose & violet creams and of course the delicious Cartmel Sticky Toffee chocolates.

Purple Love Week 2010. 13th - 21st feb

The week where we celebrate our independents is nearly upon us (13th-21st Feb).

This year we think it's Thyme for a challenge - we want to know which are the foods which divide people - the foods which you LOVE or HATE ? Marmite ? Anchovies ? Olives ?

Let us know yours - during Purple Love week we will be trying out some recipes using these foods to try and tempt you to taste them - are you up for the challenge?

Add a comment below to let us know your love/hate food or email Love@thymedeli.co.uk, alternatively add us as a friend on Facebook and let us know your food on there.

Don't forget to vote for Thyme as 'Deli of the year' at www.purplelove.co.uk . You could win a trip to Spain.

Win a trip to Spain

Vote for us in the deli of the year competition at http://www.purplelove.co.uk/ and you could win a trip to Spain for olive harvest.

Off your trolley

SPECIAL PURCHASE

Typhoon shopping trolley.

This foldable, lightweight, attractive trolley comes with a fully insulated interior pocket for your frozen or chillled goods. Along with 2 spacious side pockets and an umbrella pocket.

RRP £42 Our price £32.
Limited number available.

Part time vacancy

If you would like to apply for our current vacancy please collect one of our application forms. Full details below

Winter Thyme

This is Emma trekking to work (on foot) from Blackrod in the snow on Tues.

See right for updates on any changes to our hours this week due to the weather and travel restrictions.

For details of our current vacancy please see below.

Part time vacancy

We currently have a part time vacancy due to the study commitments of one of our team.
The hours will be 20-30 Mon- Sat (will include Saturdays). Applicants must be able to work hours between 8.30am - 5pm daily.
Duties will involve serving customers in the deli & cafe, cooking, cleaning, merchandising, using an espresso machine, more cleaning!
If you enjoy working in a busy and lively atmosphere and can deliver excellent customer service, work within a small but close team and work under pressure please call into Thyme for an application form.

Thyme is open!

Hooray Alistair & Emma made it through the snow. For those of you who make it in - we will only have 2 staff today so please be patient - we will be closing at 2pm latest to allow Emma & Alistair time to make it home (somehow!)

Weather problems Tues 5th Jan!

Am sure you will all be experiencing the same travel problems as us this morning. We are trying to open Thyme and some of are staff are en-route (on foot) so we should be open by 10am. We will close by 2pm today to allow our staff to get home.
Sorry for any inconvenience.