Dan May
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About Dan May
Before deciding to set up a chilli farm on the bleakest most wind-ravaged edge of the Pennines, 41 year old Dan May had a varied career. As a musician and roadie in the late 80s and early 90s he worked with the likes of Faith No More and somewhat ironically The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. This was followed by success as a rock photographer (covering Glastonbury and taking photographic portraits of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Lenny Kravitz amongst others) he then went on to work as a travel and advertising photographer in the States capturing the arid landscapes of the US South-West. It was here that he acquired a taste for the vibrant, chilli laden cooking of New Mexico and Arizona.
Returning home to the equally wild, west of Northumberland, Dan found that he was unable to recreate the spicy dishes he’d fallen in love with in the States, he just couldn’t get hold of the right ingredients in the UK. Craving chilli like a habanero hound, Dan decided to grow his own.
Having kept a home vegetable patch Dan was equipped with a rudimentary horticultural knowledge, yet what started off as a hobby 5 years ago is now a thriving business. Trees Can’t Dance now produces an ever expanding range of sauces, spice mixes, jams, chutneys and marinades which are available in supermarkets and retailers throughout the UK. His sauces have been so well received by aficionados that he’s even managed to sell salsa to a Mexican, receiving an order from a US chain of Latino grocers!
At the end of February 2012 Dan’s first book The Red Hot Chilli Cookbook was released, aimed at enlightening the public on the wonders of the different varieties of chillies and offering recipes and growing tips. Receiving rave reviews and already plotting his next book, Dan lives with his partner and their 2 children near the village of Haltwhistle in Northumberland.
Returning home to the equally wild, west of Northumberland, Dan found that he was unable to recreate the spicy dishes he’d fallen in love with in the States, he just couldn’t get hold of the right ingredients in the UK. Craving chilli like a habanero hound, Dan decided to grow his own.
Having kept a home vegetable patch Dan was equipped with a rudimentary horticultural knowledge, yet what started off as a hobby 5 years ago is now a thriving business. Trees Can’t Dance now produces an ever expanding range of sauces, spice mixes, jams, chutneys and marinades which are available in supermarkets and retailers throughout the UK. His sauces have been so well received by aficionados that he’s even managed to sell salsa to a Mexican, receiving an order from a US chain of Latino grocers!
At the end of February 2012 Dan’s first book The Red Hot Chilli Cookbook was released, aimed at enlightening the public on the wonders of the different varieties of chillies and offering recipes and growing tips. Receiving rave reviews and already plotting his next book, Dan lives with his partner and their 2 children near the village of Haltwhistle in Northumberland.
