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Though the team at Virginia Chutney HQ has enjoyed a few beers in their time, we reached out to Sperryville Corner Store’s owner/Beer Sommelier Andy Thompson to help us put together the following pairing guide.

Green Tomato Chutney —  I suggest Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Company.  Its classic, crisp bitterness matches the acidity of the green tomato and has enough malty backbone to not seem thin and watery.

Cranberry Chutney – Anderson Valley Boont Amber has a slight fruitiness to it that ties in well with the tart cranberry.  Also, if you wanted to put a holiday slant on it, you could pair it with a pumpkin beer such as Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, or Dogfish Head Punkin’.

Hot Peach Chutney — Bison’s Organic IPA has a really nice floral aromatic flavor that plays well off the peach and doesn’t clash with the habenero.  I really liked this pairing.

Mango Chutney —- Weyerbacher’s Merry Monks is a Belgian-style Tripel with esters of banana and clove.  Like the Allagash White, the spicy notes in this beer tango with the mango making for a nice interplay of flavors.  The Merry Monk has a little more body and mouth feel which helps it to stand up to the chutney, but if you are making these selections with the idea that the chutney will be used as an ingredient in a dish, the Allagash could work just as well.  Allagash also makes an outstanding Tripel.

Spicy Plum Chutney — The Port City has enough malty sweetness to marry well with the dark fruity plum.  Really nice.

Fig Chutney — Troeg’s Java Stout.  The dry and roasted coffee profile from the stout cuts nicely through the rich and meaty fig flavors.

This is a heartbreaker because I feel I didn’t eat enough tomato sandwiches this year.  Fortunately, these hard, green spheres are perfect for frying up at breakfast or making into chutney.  Virgina Chutney gets our green tomatoes from The Farm at Sunnyside.

Here is a picture of Nevill and his brother Graham chopping up a big batch.

"And you want to be my latex salesman?"

If these two can do it, then so can you!  Here is our recipe for you to make at home, or else please BUY OURS.

Green Tomato Chutney

Makes 9 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) green tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 2 medium unpeeled Granny Smith apples, cored, then cut into 3/4-inch chunks (2 cups)
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (3/4 to 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or ground allspice
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup golden or dark raisins

Directions:

Combine the tomatoes, apples, onion, brown and granulated sugars, vinegar, garlic, mustard seed, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, cloves or allspice, cinnamon and pepper in a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon so the mixture does not burn. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring fairly often.

Stir in the raisins; cook for 15 minutes, stirring several times. To test for doneness, pull the spoon across the bottom of the pot; you should be able to see the bottom of the pot for a moment or two, and the consistency of the chutney should be quite thick. As soon as that happens, remove it from the heat. Overcooked chutney can become a solid brick; undercooked chutney is too runny. Measure the temperature with an instant-read thermometer; it should be above 185 degrees.

Use a wide-mouthed funnel and/or ladle to carefully transfer the hot chutney into sterilized glass jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of head space at the top; use a chopstick or nonmetallic skewer to remove any air bubbles (see NOTE). Top with new, clean lids, close tightly and let cool to room temperature. The lid of a properly sealed jar should be slightly concave; if the lid springs up when you press your finger in the center, the lid is unsealed. If the lids have not sealed, process for 15 minutes in a hot-water bath (jars submerged with least 1 or 2 inches of water overhead), let cool and test again.

Chutney goes well with chicken.

Click HERE for Article

Click Here to Try our chutneys

The article talks about the Turners and their chutney lifestyle and also includes two of our recipes on how to make chutney:

MAKE AHEAD: The chutney can be eaten right away or mellowed for several weeks before it is served. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 months; or, processed in sterilized jars (see NOTE), it’s good for up to 1 year.

Spicy Apricot Chutney

Makes 7 half-pint jars

Directions:

Combine the apricots, peaches, apples, onion, raisins, sugar, vinegar, ginger, mustard seed, habanero pepper (plus seeds, if using) and salt in a medium, nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 40 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally for the first half-hour and more frequently once the mixture has darkened in color (the timing depends on the ripeness of the fruit). When the fruits have softened considerably, use a potato masher to achieve the desired chutney consistency.

To test for doneness, pull the spoon across the bottom of the pot; you should be able to see the bottom of the pot for a moment or two, and the consistency of the chutney should be quite thick. As soon as this happens, remove from the heat. Overcooked chutney can become a solid brick; undercooked chutney is too runny. Measure the temperature with an instant-read thermometer; it should be above 185 degrees.

Use a wide-mouthed funnel and/or ladle to carefully transfer the hot chutney into sterilized glass jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of head space at the top; use a chopstick or nonmetallic skewer to remove any air bubbles (see NOTE). Top with new, clean lids, close tightly and let cool to room temperature. The lid of a properly sealed jar should be slightly concave; if the lid springs up when you press your finger in the center, the lid is unsealed. If the lids have not sealed, process for 15 minutes in a hot-water bath (jars submerged with least 1 or 2 inches of water overhead), let cool and test again.

We recommend our Rhubarb chutney with mutton.  Either on the side when serving or as a glaze when cooking.

Shawna. A shorn sheep.

Here is a limerick that Nevill spent weeks composing:

Limerick

There was a young lady from Putney,

Who craved for Virginia Chutney.

“I spread it like jam,

On ham, spam and lamb,

And have trouble controlling my gluttony.”

-

There was a fine fellow from Putney,

Who expounded on uses for Chutney.

“It’s delicious with cream-cheese,

Strong Cheddars or soft Bries,

And, of course, goes on anything muttony.”

Click here to order Hot Peach Chutney!

Click here to order Sweet Peach Chutney!