Our refill cartons offer a planet friendly alternative to glass jars. We still believe that glass is the perfect vessel to hold and store your herbs and spices. However, if you are a passionate home cook who is frequently using yours, then it makes sense to refill your glass jars with these cartons. You'll help to save 17 times the carbon emissions created in the production of glass jars and a whole load more energy used in recycling glass. It's the same great taste, with much less waste.
Our goal for nearly sixty years has also been to discover and share the best spices, herbs and seasonings from around the world; in a relentless pursuit of great flavour to light up every kitchen, plate and face across the UK. We want to continue that pursuit with our packaging solutions in order to meet the demand of cooks across the country.
You can find these cartons in Morrisons stores across the country and can even have them posted straight to your front door from our online shop.
]]>"FareShare South West is the region’s largest food redistribution charity. We take good quality surplus food from the food industry and deliver it to more than 400 charities across the South West. Last year we provided enough food for 5 million meals."
We were approached by our friends at FareShare South West to support them in making use of surplus stock of pumpkins at this time of year. Pumpkins can often be seen as an awkward food that people struggle to find use for. Despite its popularity in the build-up to Halloween, a lot of pumpkins are wasted and never consumed. We’ve donated 1500 tins of our Roasted Manipur Masala to FareShare South West to be distributed alongside the glut of pumpkins that they’ve received in the hope that families will cook up delicious pumpkin curries as we enter the cold months of Autumn.
This fiery blend, roasted in India, is the perfect accompaniment to autumnal vegetables like pumpkins and squash. This partnership also ties in with our charitable partner Frank Water. As it says on the tins, we donate 10p from each sale of Manipur Masala directly to Frank Water to help the incredible work they carry out around the world. Although these tins have not technically been sold, we are still honouring the donations to Frank Water.
Our team have also developed a recipe for families to use. This easy vegetable curry uses just a handful of ingredients but packs a flavourful punch! Seasonal pumpkin and creamy curry sauce sweetens our fiery Manipur Masala. Although we've used pumpkin, squash and other vegetables work equally as well, so the recipe can be altered depending on what’s available. It's best served with fluffy white rice, naan and a spoonful of mango chutney or yogurt. It's a super tasty, moreish and wallet-friendly supper that goes a long way.
The recipe can be found by clicking the image below.
This will be part of a longer-term partnership between us and FareShare South West. We hope to inspire people across the South West to make the most of the food that is available to them, whether through quick tips or easy flavour combinations. If you want to support FareShare South West and their incredible work, you can find out more information on their website. They're always looking for volunteers, donations and partnerships so any way you can help them would be massively appreciated.
"As the cost-of-living increases and more people are forced into food poverty, FareShare South West is facing new challenges. We rely on donations, volunteers and partnerships to stop people from going hungry and get as much good quality surplus food as possible to schools, charities and community groups across our region."
For more information visit faresharesouthwest.org.uk.
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Bart was founded in 1963 by husband and wife Reg and Jo Bartlam. Back then, we were called Bart Prints Ltd. and we sold spices out of Jo and Reg's garage at their home in Bristol.
In 1975 we entered our first major retailer when we started selling Bouquet Garnis to Waitrose. This was the beginning of a relationship that would last over 45 years and allow the business to grow and expand. In 1983 this enabled us to move into our first purpose built factory in Bedminster, in the heart of Bristol. This factory would become the home of Bart for the next 37 years.
In 2005 we became the first major herbs and spices supplier to bring Fairtrade certified spices to the UK consumer. For us, there has never been anything more important than the quality and flavour of our ingredients and that comes hand in hand with the wellbeing of the farmers who grow them and the sustainability of the farms they manage.
We were able to replicate the success of our spices in 2011 when we became the first major herbs and spices supplier to bring Fairtrade dried herbs to the UK consumer.
To further increase the positive impact that we were having in the counties from which we source, we partnered with Frank Water in 2012. Frank Water are a Bristol based charity who help to bring safe water and sanitation to marginalised communities across the world.
"At Frank Water, we’re building a water-secure future where the world’s water sources are protected from the impact of the climate crisis and where everyone, everywhere has long term access to safe water, decent toilets and good hygiene."
Following on from our patent of the Bart Spoonkler in 2012 - the unique lid that we use across our herb and spices range - we began producing wet pastes and sauces for the first time at our Newbury factory.
In 2021 we made our biggest move to date. We opened our state of the art facility in Severn Beach, Bristol. The move has enhanced the sustainability of our operations by reducing carbon emissions associated with stock movement between sites and warehousing, whilst improving operational efficiency.
"This is a major milestone for Bart. We’re proud of our British heritage and the fact we have been providing our customers with a vast range of quality herbs, spices, seasonings and pastes for nearly 60 years. With this investment, we’re committing to an exciting, sustainable future for the business that positions us perfectly for further growth."
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Our new facility is more than twice the size of our previous factory and will allow us to significantly enhance the sustainability of our operations. The new site will be the home of all of our dry ingredients which were previously packed in central Bristol, with storage distributed amongst various external warehouses. We are therefore able to significantly reduce carbon emissions associated with stock movement between sites.
On top of our efficient production lines and spacious warehouse, our new site is home to two blending rooms, technical labs, and a new brand new development kitchen. All of which enable us to develop and create the delicious ingredients that our customers love, and to ensure that our ingredients are safe and sustainably sourced.
"This is a major milestone for Bart. We’re proud of our British heritage and the fact we have been providing our customers with a vast range of quality herbs, spices, seasonings and pastes for nearly 60 years. With this investment, we’re committing to an exciting, sustainable future for the business that positions us perfectly for further growth."
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From central Mexico to Southern Europe
Paprika is a ground spice that is made from the dried sweet peppers of the plant Capsicum annuum. Our paprika is produced and harvested in Spain but 500 years ago paprika was quite literally half a world away. The sweet peppers used to make paprika are native to central Mexico. It was the renowned Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, who can be thanked for bringing these luscious peppers to European shores.
When the peppers arrived in Europe they became hugely popular and quickly made their way to Hungary, where it became a household ingredient, and is where the name "Paprika" first came from. The peppers that remained in Spain were cultivated by a convent of monks, the same order who still make the most coveted paprika in all of Spain to this day.
Sweet, spicy & smoky, with a rich heritage
Spanish Paprika is naturally sweet and spicy, and traditional techniques add an incredible smokiness to the spice. Our special Pimentón de La Vera smoked paprika is produced using these old methods, where the spicy-sweet peppers are hand-turned and slowly smoked over oak for up to 15 days. This unique process is used to intensify the natural colour and flavour of the spice.
This method was developed by the monks of the La Vera region in the 17th century and results in a beautifully rich deep-red Paprika with a distinctive, smoky, bittersweet flavour. This exclusive heritage has earned this paprika Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.
The unique soil and climate of the La Vera region also means that the peppers grown are high in carotene, a pigment which gives them the iconic red colour. This colour is graded according to a scale known as ASTA. All our paprika is graded as 120 ASTA as standard - a rating which is classified as premium quality.
A store cupboard essential
Paprika really can be used in a great many ways. Whether it be to add a spicy kick, a delicate sweetness, to enhance colour or to add a vibrant smokiness. It is one of the worlds wonder spices and a kitchen cupboard truly isn’t complete without it.
Peppercorns are an essential ingredient and instant lift for your cooking - in ancient times the dried fruit was considered so precious that it was used as currency for trading! But what is the difference between black, white, green, red and pink? Just like green and black tea, black, white, red and green peppercorns all hail from the same plant, it is the processing of them that changes their colour and flavour.
Green Peppercorns are the youngest peppercorns, with the mildest flavour. Light in aroma and with a fresh, mild heat, they're ideal with steak, or in Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Use in dishes with a shorter cooking time.
Black peppercorns are dried green peppercorns where the outer skin has oxidised. Hot and pungent, with a fiery aftertaste, these are best freshly ground for full flavour. Use as a seasoning, or in dishes requiring a peppery hit. Great with bold curries.
White peppercorns are warming, sharp and pungent, with a distinct aroma. These are black peppercorns with the outer skin removed. Slightly more mild than black peppercorns, they are widely used for visual appeal in light sauces and dishes. Perfect as a seasoning for pork, and best used as a final flourish.
Red peppercorns have a more rounded and complex flavour, harvested only when the fruit stays to full maturity on the vine. Far less common as most peppercorns are harvested to make black or white pepper.
Pink peppercorns, you might be shocked to know, are actually the ripe berries of Peruvian and Brazilian pepper trees. However, they’re the same shape and size as regular peppercorns, as well as possessing a peppery flavour. But they're actually genetically closer to a cashew than a black peppercorn! Pink peppercorns have a similar flavour to black peppercorns, but they’re milder, slightly sweet and very fruity. When using pink pepper for the first time, it’s important to note that they are spicy in a way more reminiscent of chilis than actual pepper. Be sure to go in knowing what to expect.
Sichuan Peppercorns are again not actually a relative of black, white, green, or white peppercorns, but are from the Prickly Ash family. They husks of dried berries from a prickly ash shrub - and it's these little husks that are responsible for paraesthesia, the phenomenon that causes your tongue to vibrate and go vaguely numb. This peppercorn, most commonly used in Chinese cooking - particularly from the Sichuan region - has a distinctly hot, peppery kick with citrus notes and is one of the core ingredients in Chinese 5 Spice.
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The Secret of Cinnamon
True cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is not to be confused with its close cousin cassia (Cinnamomum cassia), which is more commonly sold as cinnamon. Both cinnamon and cassia are from the same family but have distinctly different properties. Zeylanicum refers to Sri Lanka, this and Madagascar are where true cinnamon grow and where we get our Fairtrade Organic Cinnamon Sticks and Fairtrade Organic Ground Cinnamon.
The quick way to tell whether you have cinnamon or cassia is to look at the thickness of the bark - fine bark is cinnamon, thick coarse bark is cassia. When ground, the difference between cinnamon and cassia is more difficult to tell. Generally, cassia is a darker, more red colour with a punch of sweetness and spicy flavour, it is good to use in sweet baking. True cinnamon has a more elegant flavour and pungent aroma, it is not as sweet as cassia and has a paler, brown colour, it is particularly good for cooking with meats, curries and for mulling.
If you are lucky enough to see a cinnamon tree growing, pick any part of it - it all tastes of cinnamon, not just the bark!
The Elusive Story of Cinnamon
Cinnamon was first imported to Egypt as early as 2000BC. It was highly prized amongst ancient nations and presented as a gift to monarchs or an offering to deities. Through the middle ages the source of cinnamon remained a secret by the Arab spice merchants who spun long stories about collecting cinnamon from the nests of enormous birds or the pits of giant snakes. However, the demand for this expensive and elusive spice grew across Europe which encouraged explorers to seek out the source of cinnamon for themselves.
Portuguese traders finally found Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and the source of true cinnamon at the end of the fifteenth century and held a monopoly on the spice for over 100 years. Then came the Dutch and finally the British through in taking control of the trade of true cinnamon.
By 1833, the downfall of the true cinnamon monopoly had begun when other countries started growing cinnamon and cassia bark became more acceptable and grew in popularity.
Turmeric, the Golden Spice
The unmistakable, brilliant ochre colour and rich, earthy flavour has earned turmeric the nickname of Indian saffron. Turmeric is of such significance to Indian culture, that the country produces nearly all of the world’s turmeric crop and consumes around 80% of it.
Bart Fairtrade and Organic Turmeric comes from the Keralan Coast of India, a region that is renowned for its high curcumin Alleppey turmeric. The deep, ochre colour denotes the high curcumin content, between 3-6%, the darker the yellow the higher the curcumin, which also adds flavour. Standard turmeric tends to be a brighter yellow with curcumin levels of 2-4%.
We also import turmeric from Cambodia, which we use to produce our Bart High Curcumin Turmeric. This turmeric is cultivated in a protected area and as part of the regeneration of Cambodian agriculture. The turmeric is hand harvested and naturally has twice the curcumin level of our standard turmeric.
The Global Spice
Turmeric is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes, imparting a mustard-like, earthy aroma and pungent, slightly bitter flavour to foods. Blended with ground cumin, coriander, ginger and cardamom, turmeric makes the perfect spice mix for curries. In Indian cuisine, a family will create their own Garam Masala (mixed spice blend), a unique blend of these core spices. Although, predominantly consumed in India, turmeric's history and unique properties means it is prevalent in many other cuisines as well, including Middle Eastern, Iranian, Turkish, Indonesian, Thai and Cambodian.
How to get the most out of your turmeric
We have a selection of recipes that include turmeric; most notably a selection of Indian inspired curries. However, there are a number of other easy ways you can use turmeric; mix a teaspoon through your scrambled eggs, stir through overnight oats, or try with hot water or milk as a turmeric latte. Black pepper has been proven to aid turmeric absorption, so mix a little crushed black peppercorns in too.
At Bart, we source ingredients from all over the world and it’s hugely important to us that we give back to the countries and communities that we work with. That’s why, in 2012, we started working with Bristol based water charity, Frank Water. Frank Water work with local partners in India and Nepal to bring safe water, sanitation and hygiene to communities that are hardest to reach. They make sure their projects last by focussing on water management, not just water supply.
Over our ten year relationship, we've helped provide some of the world's most marginalised communities with long-term access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and good hygiene.
In the UK, Frank Water educate and empower people to adopt a more sustainable approach to water.
"We use our projects as evidence to push for the systems change that’s needed for a water-secure world. We advocate to local governments to fund safe water for more people. We share our research with state-level decision-makers and we campaign for the UK government to do more to address the global water crisis."
Bart donate 10p from every tin of our Roasted Masala blends. The money we give will help Frank Water achieve their vision of a water-secure world, where everyone, everywhere has enough clean water to stay healthy and fulfil their potential.
We've pledged to raise £30,000 over the next three years and we're on track! Over the last year, we've donated enough to provide clean water, decent toilets, and hand washing to more than 800 people.
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