They have reinvented traditional food smoking, combining old curing methods with the latest quality control and hygiene systems.
Tregida are located in picturesque countryside on the North Cornish Coast, ideally situated for the sourcing of fresh local produce.
All products are free from artifical additives and flavourings and are ready to eat so can be used with little preparation, hot or cold in appetisers, salads, sandwiches or as quality ingredients in creative recipes - the options are endless.
The Tregida Smoking Process
Man has smoked food since ancient times. Smoking of food probably began after primitive ancestors hung their 'kill' in the rafters of timber or stone dwellings to prevent animals from eating it. It is likely that this led to the discovery that the food exposed to smoke from the fire remained in better condition for longer.As the idea developed smoking was then used as a means of preservation to provide meat and fish and other food for long, dark winter months. Nowadays with the deep freeze being used as our main means of preservation, fish is smoked to impart a pleasant taste and enhance natural flavours.
Methods of smoking have changed dramatically as technology has developed and as supermarkets have increasingly demanded volume and continuity of supply irrespective of season. In response to this demand much of today's smoked food is produced in high volume, conveyor belt driven smoking factories.
At Tregida all of the products are hand made from start to finish. They have gone out of their way to preserve the original smoking apparatus and techniques to produce an authentic, tasty and succulent end product.
The Smoking process involves a number of basic steps including Salting, Air Drying, Smoking and finally Presentation.
There are two types of smoking - cold and hot, and some confusion exists as to the difference. Cold smoking is the 'true' smoking method by which the food changes in colour, flavour and texture. It is carried out in a temperature range of 21-31º, but ideally at 25º. Hot smoking takes place in a kiln at a higher temperature of 70-80º (and sometimes higher) actually cooking the product much like a conventional oven.
In both cases the preparation (salting) of the product allows the smoke vapour to enhance the flavour of the resulting product. Popular cold smoked foods include Smoked Salmon, Smoked Trout and Smoked Kippers. The popular Hot smoked lines include Mackerel, Salmon, Trout, Duck and Chicken.