Yes, Sandy Hellig, proprietor of Cornucopia Cooks, Eynsham, has certainly got something to smile about. While catering outlets and food stores all over the country are removing goods seen to contain horsemeat from their shelves, she is working even harder to keep up with extra orders for her home made ready-meals that she cooks each week.

With a passion for cooking and all things delicious, Sandy, pictured, has been passing on her enthusiasm and food-knowledge since 1989 when she opened Cornucopia Deli. That business has now evolved into Cornucopia Cooks, a catering outlet that sells fresh and frozen ready-meals that Sandy prepares herself from fresh local ingredients. She also gives cookery lessons and provides a place to dine with a difference.

Sandy was cooking cottage pie and lasagne when I called this week, both of which call for minced beef as the main ingredient. Beef is no problem for her as she purchases all her meat from Golsby Family Butchers, opposite her shop. It’s here that Martin and Paul Golsby prepare meat according to her needs. When she orders mince, it is ground as she waits. She can watch the meat going through the machine if she wants to, confident that it is beef or lamb that is being prepared for her.

Monday marked the beginning of National Butcher’s Week which continues until March 10. This annual event, organised by The Meat Trades Journal, aims to raise support for butchers such as the Golsbys throughout the UK. A website (nationalbutchersweek.co.uk) has been set up offering dozens of special recipes, also an “Ask the Expert” section where meat lovers can find their nearest butcher by typing in their postcode. Sandy says: “My mantra has always been ‘You are what you eat’. I think this debacle over horsemeat clearly emphasises that we should all take some responsibility to ensure that we are accurately informed regarding the content and the source of everything we eat. By buying from a family butcher I am able to discuss the meat and even ask which farm it came from, a question both Martin and Paul are able to answer.”

Sandy is really worried by the residual drugs in the slaughtered horses. “My understanding is that any animal that is to enter our food chain undergoes a withdrawal period prior to slaughter. All animals, including those organically reared, are given various drugs during their life cycle. The UK has always prided itself with its rigid compliance with food safety rules. When protein from animals reared and slaughtered in countries without similar rigid rules enter our food chain how can we trust what’s in the protein — be it horse or other?”

Sandy also accepts that horsemeat is an emotive subject. Horses are seen as companion animals rather than a food source. “Would you eat dog?” she asks.

Sandy has always mistrusted the contents of cheaply-priced food. “After all, raising an animal humanely and healthily cannot be a cheap option. When consumers, both commercial, ie supermarkets, large catering outfits and individuals, insist on paying so little, producers are pushed to find ways to meet the market demand. Meat is not a cheap option and we should not expect it to be,” she said.

Sandy’s ready-meal products are also stocked at The Market Garden in Eynsham. Customers unable to get into the village who would like to buy them, can order and Sandy will arrange for them to be delivered.

You can phone her on 07551 876 285 or visit www.cornucopiacooks.co.uk