Category Archives: Local producer

Etherley Farm

Blog, Butchers, Farm, Farm Shop, Farmers Market, Food producers, local food shop, Local producer, Local products, Products, , , , , , , , , , ,

Etherley Farm, Leith Hill Lane, Ockley, Surrey, RH5 5PA

The upside: Ethically reared poultry and meat from a well run rural business with provenance.

The downside: Don’t expect a picturesque arrival this is a working farm.

The flipside: You can buy direct from the farm shop or from any of the markets they attend and several independent food retailers.

Driving to Etherley Farm near Dorking in the Surrey Hills is an adventure through some of the most beautiful countryside this county has to offer. As you arrive on the farm you can see open fields that are home to chicken, ducks, geese, turkey and sheep. There is nothing fancy here just a good old-fashioned farm slowly raising their stock in a healthy, natural environment. Sheep are a newer addition here and are the only animals not slaughtered on site for the butchery. Lamb, hogget and mutton are all available in season and much loved by their growing band of customers who love the quality and provenance of the products here. The fact that you can see the animals outside and how healthy they are is a big plus too.

I discovered Etherley farm through my friends over at Village Greens Farm Shop in Ockley. Just around the corner from their Coles Lane shop they directed me to Charlie (who heads up the team here) who not only sells direct to the public from the small butchery and produce shop, but also via a few retail outlets and farmers market (such as Ockley Farmer Market) in the county too. In addition they also supply some of the top restaurants in Surrey . At the time of writing Etherley Farm duck is on the menu at Michelin Star Chef, Steve Drakes new venture, Sorrel in Dorking.

Etherley Farm started life as a dairy farm in 1958 and continued to produce milk up until 2001. By that time membership of the EU and a common market policy saw a decline in the price paid for milk. In the years leading up to this, Richard (Charlie’s Husband) had already started producing poultry to supplement the farms dwindling income. Like many farmers they decided to pull out of milk production when the cost of producing it became higher than the price paid. Sadly they sold their dairy herd and started to get serious about rearing birds instead. It was around this time that Charlie and Richard got married and while he looks after the livestock Charlie runs the shop and does the markets. On the farm year round you will find chickens, ducks, geese and sheep. They have laying birds for eggs and birds destined for the table. In July 1,000 young turkeys arrive to live outside on the farm in a massive field to slowly mature for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My first visit to Etherley Farm was around five years ago. At that time the farm shop was a shed with a couple of freezers in it. Not very appealing but because I had already sampled their chicken from Village Greens I knew it was really great quality with depth of flavour and texture. Thanks to a grant from Rural Surrey Leader they have been able to convert a derelict farm building into a new toilet and shower block for their campsite and add a new farm shop and on site butchery. This has allowed the farm to grow its core business and expand their range of products offered to the public. In addition to whole and jointed birds they offer a lovely range of prepared products such duck sausages, chicken , duck and turkey burgers. The duck sausages are apparently delicious with mash and sweet and sour red cabbage.

Their ethos is one of simplicity, with low intensity, low stocking rates and the minimal amount of additives to ensure healthy stock. Ducks (including laying ducks), turkeys and geese arrive as day old chicks and spend the first few weeks in their brooder and airy barns to develop and be strong enough to go outside. Both types of our chickens (laying and eating) arrive when they are a bit older. However, all the animals have the opportunity to roam around the fields. The turkey, geese and ducks here are really top end and its no wonder that they supply many local award winning butchers and restaurants too.

The newest addition to the farm, are sheep, a flock of 61 North of England Mules and two rams. Grass fed, they are outside all year round, apart from a short period during the lambing season when they need to be indoors for monitoring and extra food. Their aim is to finish the lambs on grass only which is always perceived to be the optimum process, however sometimes they may feed them for a short period of time to ensure a quality finish to the resulting meat. Some of the animals are kept beyond one year to produce hogget and mutton, which has seen a revival in the last few years. Cooked a little slower the meat is delicious and full flavoured.

All slaughter of poultry is done on the farm, which means the animals only have a short distance to travel, reducing the stress on the bird. All the butchery, plucking, preparation, making of sausages and burgers and packaging is also carried out onsite. Sheep however are taken to a local abattoir and then returned, to be butchered. One of the quality aspects of their turkeys, Charlie explained is that they dry pluck the birds which takes longer but extends the shelf life allowing the birds to be hung (like beef) for the flavour and texture to develop. Battery turkeys will be wet plucked (quicker) reducing shelf life and increasing water content making the meat dryer once its cooked.

Turkey’s Charlie says, make great pets, as they are very sweet and inquisitive birds. I asked her if she got attached to them and she laughed and said they have a built in death wish! Apparently they will eat anything that they see which could be bit of plastic, string or fabric, which often get blown onto the farm. The team have to diligently remove all items on a daily basis or run the risk of a fatality as they have an inability to deal with anything getting caught in their throats. So when it comes to doing the deed and getting them ready for Christmas Orders it’s a sigh of relief all round.

In addition to Village Greens you can also buy Etherley Farm birds from several award winning butchers in Surrey too, the list is on the website (details below).They also attend Ockley Farmers Market which started in March 2107 and is on the first Sunday of each month.

Why not support your local independent producer this Christmas by buying the main attraction of your celebration dinner directly from them. It’s a decision that has winners at both ends of the transaction.

Tel. 01306 621500

enquiries@etherleyfarm.co.uk

www.etherleyfarm.co.uk

Hunts Hill Farm and Farm Shop

Blog, Butchers, Catering company, Farm, Farm Shop, local food shop, Local producer, Local products, Products, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Normandy Common Lane, Normandy, Guildford, GU3 2AP

The upside: Hand reared free-range meat on a Surrey Farm

The downside: Larger joints of meat must be ordered in advance

The flipside: You can buy direct from the farm shop if you miss a market

There is nothing quite as British or evocative as the aroma of freshly roasted pork or grilled sausages on the street. I moved to Guildford in 2005 after living abroad for ten years and had little time to do any research over getting my kids into school. One Tuesday shortly after arriving I was walking to the high street past the George Abbot Memorial and little by little the aroma of roasted pork and a BBQ intensified, this was my introduction to Guildford’s monthly Farmers Market. On arrival it was apparent that Hunts Hill Farm were responsible for the wonderful aroma.

In addition to selling rolls with freshly roasted pork and their award winning sausages they also sell prepared cuts of their home reared meat. I have been buying their poultry, goat, lamb, veal and sausages at markets they sell at ever since (full list on their website) The bulk of their business is at these markets and they are regulars at eight, BBQ’s however are only at some of these.

We are blessed in Surrey to have a few really good local meat producers with smallholdings who sell directly to the public via small shops or farmers markets and this is one. Based in Normandy, Hunts Hill Farm is owned by Georgina and John Emerson. Not as you would think from a family of farmers but an ex Interior Designer and Garage owner. Theirs is a story which could have been modeled on the seventies TV series the ‘Good Life’ and I imagine from meeting them with as much fun and comedy on the way.

Having decided to make a huge lifestyle change and a move to the country they bought a farm that had run into trouble and needed an injection of energy to get it back on its feet. First off John did an agricultural course at Merrist Wood to get himself on the right track. Georgina made their temporary mobile home comfortable while they planned their new farmhouse on the site. The small farm shop was built on site and this also houses the butchery and sausage production unit. Slowly they built up their livestock. In addition to saddleback pigs, goats and Aberdeen Angus and poultry they also have laying hens, geese and ducks. All free range and with lots of space, this is the home of happy animals.

Like many smallholders the best way to make a living is by selling via popular farmers markets. Georgina and John love meeting their customers and have built up a strong following. They take their meat to market, ready cut and vacuum packed with a good shelf life. Sadly the meat doesn’t look so great packed this way but its quality in eating that’s the real moniker here. I have never had a duff joint or sausage from Hunts Hill in fact the leg of goat I had from them was a dinner party centerpiece. It was only recently that I realized that Hunts Hill also had a small farm shop and bed and breakfast on site too.

I made a much overdue visit to the farm in late April. On a private road it’s signposted from the junction but caution here as the shop is only open from Wednesday – Saturday. At the end of the road you arrive at the farm and its arrival reminded me of the description in the ‘Darling Buds of May’. Rustic and ramshackle, but in a friendly welcoming way and like all the places I visit with its own distinct personality. The farm shop is small but with enough ingredients for shoppers to put a meal together. The butcher’s display is the main attraction here of course and meat is sold fresh and frozen. Choose from small joints ready to go or order larger joints in advance to avoid disappointment. The meat is all reared on the farm (apart from the rose veal which comes from a farm in Horsell Common) and the animals travel a short distance to an abattoir in Farnborough before returning to the farm where butcher Peter expertly prepares the meat for sale.

To compliment the meat, a small range of vegetables, sauces, chutney’s and of course freshly laid geese, duck and hens eggs are on offer here too. The ducks eggs looked so inviting, large, white and so freshly laid I bought half a dozen (see recipe). They came with a large white feather too! Strawberries in the shop were from Tuesley farm who grow berries on their 459 acre site in Godalming. They are famed for their fruit and Georgina ripped open a pack of strawberries to sample. New season they smell and taste sensational and its good to note that they also stock Meadow Cottage Farm raw untreated cream (an absolute delight) and ice cream too. Perfect with strawberries.

Their free-range pork is also the star of their award winning sausages. They currently have over thirty recipes in their repertoire, which they make on a rolling basis. Expect at least eight of these on offer at any one time. Mary  (pictured above) in in charge of sausage production and has been working with the Emerson’s for seventeen years. She told me that some of their prize winners include pork, apple and maple syrup, apple and black pudding, beef and guiness and beef chilli and chocolate. I decided on a pack of hot Spanish with smoked paprika. I enjoyed these with my family that evening. They were succulent, spicy and soft textured, perfect.

Georgina kindly took me into their farmhouse, which is also home to the two rooms they let out for their bed and breakfast business. Here is a glimmer into the previous world of interior design that the lady of the house inhabited. Rich colours, large comfortable sofas it’s a really fabulous space. The bedrooms for guests are off the main reception area and have their own private bathroom. Comfortable and well furnished they also look over the back garden with rolling hills in the backdrop.

 

As I was leaving we went to see the pigs who were in a field next to the house. There were two pregnant sows and a very satisfied looking boar. Taking my leave a farm helper handed Georgina a goose egg that had just been laid. I got a chance to hold this warm perfectly formed giant egg, it was a touching moment for a city girl like me.

This is a classic example of a small producer bringing high quality produce to the market and selling directly to the public. If you like me are interested in the provenance of the food you eat it doesn’t get much better than this.

www.huntshillfarm.com

I bought half a dozen ducks eggs on my visit. Find out what I did with them here.

 

 

Redber Coffee

Blog, Coffee Shop, Craft coffee roaster, Local producer, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Merrow Depot, Merrow Lane, Guildford, GU4 7BQ

The upside: Expertly sourced green coffee beans roasted to order in Surrey to buy direct or online

The downside: The on-site cafe is very small

The flipside: Buy an online coffee subscription for a gift that keeps giving (you choose how long for)

I often rave about delightful journeys down leafy lanes to access great producers hidden away in Surrey but this is different. To get to this coffee roaster it’s a six-minute drive from my house near Stoke Park in Guildford. Arriving at a trading estate next to the railway it’s a complete surprise to find an independent coffee business thriving here. Of course once inside it makes complete sense, as it’s a warehouse, roaster, packing and retail unit all housed under, one roof. As you enter to the left there is a seating area in front of a counter where you can order coffee. Choose from any of the current range they have roasted that day. Have a chat first about the style of coffee you prefer and nothing is too much trouble to match your drinking preferences with your final brew. Beyond the counter where drinks are dispatched lay sacks of open green beans ready for roasting. Beside this are four coffee roasters, which including the first two kilo machine this start-up invested in five years ago.

Founders Graham and Petra had a strong interest in coffee and after completing a coffee-roasting course in Scotland they decided to start their own business. With just one two kilo, capacity machine they honed their craft in a cold, reclaimed shed in their first Merrow Depot site in 2012. Perfecting their skills they started to sell coffee online and direct to a constant dribble of informed customers. Their growing list of single origin coffees were it seemed of interest to many consumers looking for delicious coffee which hadn’t lost its identity in commercial style processing. Large roasters provide large quantities of beans to their retailers by blending beans and subjecting them to a single roasting recipe. The resulting coffee lacks personality and is often quite bland plus as a money saving exercise they use a smaller weight dose for each drink. Smaller companies like Redber can avoid this and provide a customised roast for each new bean, which compliments its unique flavour profile rather than damaging it.

Today the business in its larger unit is buzzing (the old site has been updated and is their storeroom for beans and supporting products). Currently the business has several strands which all fund their growing team of ten members of staff and bigger home. First there is the retail side of the business, which features sales direct to the consumer. You can drop into Redber, have a coffee and buy your beans whole or ground or purchase online. Roasting beans to order here for their online business means there will always be a few kilos available for drop in sales (highly recommended) and perfect if like me you live close by. It’s Redbers policy in terms of quality that beans are dispatched to their customers the day it’s roasted giving you a good month of life. After this the quality starts to decline. I was told quite clearly that freezing or refrigerating beans is not a good idea as it causes condensation, which damages the coffee. Storage should take place in an airtight tin in a cool dry location.

For retail customers coffee subscriptions are also a popular buy. There are various options for this and these deals make the perfect gift for Christmas, Birthdays and other events. I bought my significant other a ‘Surprise Me’ subscription for part of his Christmas offering. He loves the fact that it continues for 12 months and that every month a pack of carefully sourced and roasted beans arrive in the mail. We have tried an astonishing range of coffees from Redber so far that we wouldn’t have had the knowledge to choose ourselves or indeed access too if we had stuck to supermarket offerings. Other subscriptions include choosing your coffee by origin or blend and by roast profile. Going away? you can pause your next date or change frequency of delivery. This flexibility isn’t found with other similar services so it’s a great selling point here.

For those new to fresh coffee brewing at home they have a comprehensive range of coffee makers, which they will happily guide you through. To compliment these; grinders, storage canisters and filters are also on offer. In addition to this Redber also runs tasting and cupping courses. It’s a great introduction to the fine art of coffee and an insight to how coffee is tasted and graded by buyers before purchase. Important, as the taste of coffee varies so much between plantations, geographical locations, altitude, levels of light and shade it helps set the price the coffee will sell for.

For commercial customers there are a variety of options too. Larger bag sizes, bean to cup machines, maintenance products and expertise and advice. It’s clear from its small beginning this company has slowly grown to be a major provider of quality coffee in the area. There are other roasters in Surrey too and even more online so they have to stay competitive to survive. This they seem to do extremely well. Their ethos of roasting, packing and despatching in one day is admirable and gives them a unique selling point.

This is a welcoming enterprise that clearly loves their product and it’s really intriguing to see coffee from so many different countries all under one roof. Our last bag that arrived was a Brazil Santos described as being full bodied, sweet with low acidity with a smooth finish. Coming from the lighter range of roasts (our preference) it delivered on all counts. But on my last visit I could also see coffee from Panama, Sumatra, Columbia, Ethiopia and Uganda. Talia who was showing me around commented on the Redbers commitment to work with charities that are associated with coffee too particularly Ugandan Bukonzo.

It turns out that a local charity based in Shalford just outside Guildford was looking for a local roaster. Getting in touch in 2013 Alison the founder was looking for a company to roast her Ugandan Bukonzo coffee beans. Her charity ‘Seeds for Development’ helps farmers plant coffee on land shared with them. Each farmer gets half and acre to grown coffee on and a starter pack of 100 coffee seedlings. The project has already achieved some of its founding aims by building a school and a toilet block for the farmers children. The children have meals cooked for them on site and the school has 320 pupils and six teachers. Redber is proud to have been involved with this project buy giving a proportion of the sale price of each bag of Ugandan Bukonzo coffee to the charity.

 

This is a friendly coffee loving business with real expertise in their delivery of fantastic end product. Go for a first visit and you’ll be offered a 125g bag to take home and sample but its impossible not to go back for more. It’s a brilliant way to buy coffee as its open kitchen style presentation and intoxicating aroma of freshly roasted bean activity provides the perfect backdrop while you savour a fresh brew. My blog is all about independents and this is a perfect example of one that has got all the elements right.

Go and see for yourself its worth the trip!

This article first appeared in Essence of Surrey Magazine in March 2017 for whom I write a monthly column on local artisan food producers.

 

The Plough Inn, Brewery and Village Shop

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The Plough Inn, Brewery and Village Shop, Coldharbour, Surrey RH5 6HD

The upside: A historic pub bought back to life in a thriving community

The downside: Purely selfish; but its a hike from where I live

The flipside: A perfect feel good destination in the heart of Surrey

A 17th century Inn with its own brewery, a local food menu and a carefully stocked village shop, may sound too good to be true. But read on and be prepared to put this venue on your ‘to go to’ list.

The Plough Inn is located in Coldharbour, a small village with 250 residents; it has one bus a day, which leaves at 10am and the nearest shop is 5 miles away. Dating back to the 1700’s The Plough Inn had by 2015 had lost its shine and most of its reputation and was in dire need of some tender loving care. Put up for sale the pub was bought by local entrepreneur Richard Eshelby who used the pub regularly during the shooting season and didn’t want to see it close. Forming a company to manage his new asset he bought in John (an IT consultant and his wife Becky to run the business) a great plan as they are also shareholders and have a vested interest in making this business a success.

The new team started in mid September 2015 and traded whilst they formed a refurbishment plan. As part of that, they had, a vision to re-instate the village shop and keep the onsite Leith Hill Brewery open too. Today the inn has had a complete refit with six attractively furnished rooms, a new kitchen and landscaped garden and addition of a village shop. Its heart warming to see how much detail and attention has gone into the reinvention of this business, which today is central to village life.

This is a story of three parts; the Inn, Leith Hill Brewery and the village shop. Intertwined of course but each lending additional purpose.

The Inn was already on the radar of CAMRA who say this is the only pub in the South East who brew their own beer exclusively for their customers. Made on site in small batches twice a month they produce 10 firkins (around 400 litres). This process takes around a month to brew, ferment and condition in their cellars before its ready to sell. There are three beers made on site by Antoine Josser from Westcott and local resident Mark Chapman. Not all are available all year round but the day I visited Crooked Furrow and Surrey Puma (a seasonal stout) were on tap. They also have a an American pale ale called Smilers Happiness, named after a much loved local John Steele who died of cancer in March 2016. In dedication to him the Inn conceived the idea of a beer in his name.

In addition to their own brews, this free house sells beers from other local breweries such as Fools Gold from Tillingbourne and a selection from Hogs Back. Whilst as a free house they don’t have to buy any national branded beers they have found that lager drinkers are more fickle so you’ll find Carlsberg and St Miguel on tap plus one from a more local brewery Firebird. They also have an eclectic range of new wave local gins such as Silent Pool, Brighton & Gutsy Monkey (made in nearby Dorking).

On the pub menu the focus is on local and seasonal food. The core menu changes four times a year but is supplemented with a specials board. This John stressed, really is for specials and they often test run dishes here before placing them on the new seasons menu. Much of what is on offer here is made on site. What isn’t comes from suppliers such as local artisan bakers Chalk Hills of Reigate, and meat from award winning Rawlings of Cranleigh. Eating lunch with a friend recently we shared a starter of game, apricot and gherkin terrine served with home made chutney and warm (great attention to detail here) Chalk Hills fig and walnut bread (£7.50) .

For mains I went for local producer Ravi Ollies beetroot and feta ravioli pasta with a fresh cream and dill sauce (£10.95) while my dining partner opted for home made chicken pie, gravy, mash and vegetables (£11.95). We loved the food, it was full of flavour, carefully prepared and with sensible portions. The pie was served with a selection of fresh vegetables and we felt the food represented good hospitality at a fair price. Although we were fairly stuffed we felt it would be rude not to sample a dessert and chose the coffee crème brulee served with shortbread and Caroline’s Dairy chocolate ice-cream (£6.50). This combination was a huge hit and so delicious that we ate the lot. All made on site apart from the ice cream (from local producer Caroline’s Dairy)  this was a brûlée to remember for its presentation, taste and texture. After coffee from local roaster Coffee Real we went to take a look around the shop.

The shop, which was the final element of the business to open in October 2016, was envisioned for both locals and visitors alike. The last village shop in Coldharbour closed its doors in 1982 forcing locals to shop in nearby Dorking. Sadly over the last few years Dorking has become so busy that parking at certain times is a challenge if not impossible. This, locals say, makes having a shop on the doorstep again all the more appealing. It’s amazing how much stock a small shop can carry. Stocking a wonderful range of products from basics (toothpaste and washing up liquid) to gourmet artisan cheeses, chocolate and seaweed mayonnaise is all down to thoughtful curation.

Becky’s mum Sue, who clearly has, a natural affinity for food retailing, is at the helm here. Energetic, lively and clearly passionate about her new venture she has filled the shop with a superb range of complimentary food and ingredients. Surrey Cheese, Norbury Blue is here (and on the pub menu) as is Burwash Rose from East Sussex. In the freezer you will find ready meals from Surrey Spice, Pasta from Ravi Ollie and ice cream from Caroline’s Dairy. Gourmet pies come from Toms Pies in Devon and meat stuffed sausage rolls and pasties from Rawlings Butchers in Cranleigh. Bread comes from artisan bakery Chalk Hills and a craft bakery in Cranleigh.

For cyclists and walkers a couple of stools in the shop window are a great place to sip a Barista Coffee and enjoy a homemade cake if you don’t fancy a full meal in the pub. While I was sitting there a local smallholder arrived with a tray of free-range eggs from his chickens. I also met some walkers from Holland who were committed to coming back for another visit. The positivity that this business has given to the village and wider community is evident and another good reason to veer off the high street and into the Surrey hills.

www.ploughinn.com

This review first appeared in the March Issue of Essence of Surrey Magazine. I was invited to dine at the Plough by the owners on the understanding that I only publish reviews if I can really recommend the experience. I loved everything about it!

 

 

Surrey Spice

Blog, Catering company, Cookery Courses, corporate events, Food producers, Local producer, Pop up Supper Club, , , , , , , ,

The upside: Delicious authentic Indian curries hand made by chef and storyteller Mandira who grew up on a tea plantation in her native India

The downside: No turning back after trying these dishes

The flipside: Available from farm shops and independent food retailers in Surrey

Mandira Sarkar is the creative force behind Surrey Spice. A management consultant, she worked in the public sector for many years helping organisations become more streamlined and productive. After her last large project with Guildford Borough Council ended, Mandira felt is was time to stand back and do something creative and more hands on. A love of her family’s cuisine and treasured handed down recipes inspired her to launch a calendar of pop up supper clubs. I was invited to one of the first she hosted with some other local food writers. Her supper clubs are all themed by festivals and ours for the evening was Holi the festival of colours. We were treated to a fabulous evening of Indian food and storytelling. The dishes were pure bliss, no overpowering chili hit, absolutely no puddles of oil just fragrant aromatic spices and complimentary textures. The desserts were amazing too. However whilst the food was as good as anything I have eaten in Singapore’s Little India (perhaps even better) it was really the delightful rhetoric from Mandira during the meal that made the evening sparkle.

A natural host Mandira embellished our evening with background information of each dish, a family party, watching her mother in the kitchen or a snippet of information about the festival. Holi commemorates the victory of good over evil, which culminates in the burning and destruction of a female demon named Holika.

Holi got its name as the “Festival of Colors” from Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who liked to play pranks on the village girls by drenching them in water and coloured powdered paint. The festival always held at the end of February or early March also marks the start of summer season. By the end of the evening the food entwined with vivid descriptions we almost felt we had been there ourselves. If Dev Patel had danced into the room none of us would have been at all surprised.

This was in February 2015 and I have followed Mandira on social media seeing her business grow. Supper clubs, while great for the guests are hard work and difficult to make a living from but great for getting your expertise recognised. Mandira had also started to offer take away food for pick up on Fridays from her home in Guildford too. Her supper clubs have popped up at local award winning distillery Silent Pool with Bollywood themed evenings and at Cellar Wines in Ripley, boutique wine shop and deli with a full events calendar. Cookery courses and bespoke catering are also on offer. In fact this entrepreneur has been so active that she has also been a finalist at the Surrey Life Food & Drink Awards for Food Innovation.

More recently Mandira decided the time was right to sell her freezer ready meals to farm shops and delicatessens. Making these fresh to order she delivers either fresh or ready frozen and she already has a keen following. There are so many Indian ready meals in supermarkets that Mandira fully supports her retailers by offering tasting events. These are a huge success as once bitten its difficult to resist the charms of these authentic dishes. After trying them myself I was delighted to get the opportunity to see them being made and hopefully get some trade secrets.

I arrived on a cold morning to watch the magic happen in this Surrey kitchen. Mandira has managed to find a lady from Goa to help her prepare her wonderful dishes and another helper was on hand to help pack. On arrival the kitchen was in full production, huge wooden spoons were used to stir giant pans of dhal and Dhania Kugu Murgh (chicken with cashew nuts and coriander). A curious machine was whirring on the work surface and from the aroma I could tell I was in curry nirvana. I was astonished at the amount of detail that goes into the dishes. No jar of Balti curry paste has ever been welcome in this kitchen. Instead the dishes are all authentic regional recipes which are made exactly as they would be in Indian homes. Mandira explains that dishes like tandoori chicken masala don’t exist in India but her dishes Xacutti chicken and Meen Moilee do.

I watched the Dhania Kagu Murgh (chicken in a delicate sauce of cashews, coriander and coconut) being created from chopped skinless chicken thigh meat, fresh coconut and coriander . Thigh meat is a preferred cut for traditionalists as its more tender and juicy than chicken breast ( a sentiment I found when I lived in Taiwan too). The curious whirring machine it turns out is a stone grinder for spices. Used in modern Indian kitchens and powered by electricity, Mandira had it bought to the UK by a friend in her suitcase. The only recognisable part of this machine is the name Prestige but its essential for the texture it creates when it grinds ingredients. In the machine I witnessed fried onions being ground with fresh coconut. The resulting pulp seasons and thickens the gravy. Using fresh coconut is essential says this chef whose attention to detail is emerging fully here. It is apparently, this way can you recreate the level of flavour and texture desired in the dish.

After this dish was made a second went into production Chicken Xacutti for whom a whole bowl of Kashmiri red chilli that had been steeped in water was ground with coconut too. A batch of Lehsuni Dal (yellow lentils cooked in caramelised garlic) was ready to portion up but first we sampled a small bowl each. Satisfying, spicy, smooth and aromatic it’s a delight to find such brilliant Indian food being made locally. Mandira sources her ingredients from a local Indian food retailer who also has a butchers counter so her business supports other local food businesses too. Currently there are ten dishes available in the ready meal range one of which is a Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked in spinach which is the best I have ever tried.

 

I highly recommend these new freezer ready meals. They are beautifully cooked in small batches in a spotlessly clean kitchen. The effort and expertise that goes into their production is hard to beat and the recipes are totally authentic. In addition they are all gluten free and contain no preservative. Its just really good food!

Mandira’s amazing food is currently for sale in several farm shops in Surrey and a full list can be found on the Surrey Spice website.

www.surreyspice.com

Tel: 07876135096

Email info@surreyspice.com

Carolyn’s Pies

Blog, Food producers, Local producer, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Delicious traditional meat pies made by hand for farm shops and direct to the public in true cottage industry style!

The upside: Locally made using quality ingredients, these pies are the best for miles.

The downside: Not available outside Milford currently, but that might change in the future.

The flipside: You are supporting a new food start up when you buy Carolyn’s pies and helping to keep the local economy afloat!

carolyn-and-sally

These meat packed home-baked pies are made with top quality ingredients by experienced dedicated pie maker Carolyn who is famed for her culinary prowess. Delicious products like these are the epitome of what a really good, meat pie should be! Quality local ingredients, fresh stock, gravy and of course perfect handcrafted pastry.

I love modern contemporary cooking but sometimes you seriously need a throwback to the traditional. Meat filled pies with gravy or a creamy sauce are part of our food culture. Eel pies sold by hawkers in London were one of the first fast foods we had and there are still some old school pie and mash shops around the UK. When done well a meat pie is hard to beat but they take time and a good skill set to confidently produce. On a recent visit to Secretts Farm Shop I met Carolyn Smith who had just started her own pie business, the pies she had just delivered looked fantastic and I wanted to find out more. Carolyn lives just a mile away from the farm shop in Milford so we arranged to meet. This pie-maker literally lives right down a leafy lane and luckily Carolyn warned me beforehand otherwise I probably wouldn’t have made it as far as Pie HQ.

trio-1-for-carolyns-pies-blog-post

On arrival I was shown into the newly built kitchen, the core of her business. Well designed, spotless and professional it was no surprise that Carolyn was awarded 5 Stars for food hygiene by Waverley Council. Unlike many small food business start-ups Carolyn knew exactly what she was getting herself into as she has years of pie making experience up her sleeve and her kitchen and its organisation reflects this. Starting her early career as a pub chef Carolyn took time out to raise her children. Returning to work years later Carolyn worked for Country Cooks who produced a range of pies for a local butcher. This gave her a really good understanding of what products sell in this category. This market sector is divided into hot and cold eating pies. Hot pies have meat or poultry with a gravy or white sauce, which creates a delicious middle to a good pastry case. Cold eating pies are known for hot water crusts (usually made with lard or white fat) and minced or cubed meat, which is finished with a jelly. When you boil down bones for stock it will solidify when its cold but you can add aspic or gelatine to achieve this too. This is added to the pie once it’s cooked to fill the cavity at the top and make it air tight and add texture and flavour.

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There are a few commercial pie-making companies around but they tend to have a high sauce to meat ratio, thick pastry and lack the finesse of a handmade relative. Not surprising as it’s a business too so profit is king. This is where Carolyn is different. She prides herself on producing the real deal, the sort of pies that your granny would make packed with meat, chicken, ham, mushrooms or leeks. Carolyn for example makes pies for Black Barn Butchers in Milford using their meat. Free-range chicken, ham and beef is poached or casseroled and seasoned into scrumptious fillings. These are then chilled and packed into pastry cases. You can buy these from their fridges and freezers to cook at home. In contrast pies for the farm shops are ready cooked and will just need heating through again before eating. These pies come in foil trays and should be reheated in an oven and not in a microwave. Microwave ovens heat food by vibrating the water molecules and with this destroy the texture making pastry soggy to eat. The oven should be your choice here.

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On pie production days Carolyn works with her sister Sally who looks after the paperwork for the business. The day before a pie making session Carolyn prepares the fillings and pastry. Poaching chickens she reserves the stock for the silky white sauce that accompanies the filling. Beef is cooked with red wine for some recipes and mushrooms for other. She rings her regular customers for orders and then may also have a few additional pies to make for individuals. As a new business but with a hardcore following Carolyn sells direct to consumers as well as butchers and farm shops. Secretts were the first farm shop to take her pies as they knew of her from Country Cooks they were keen to support her new venture realising that their customers would love her fabulous pies. The price of these pies reflects the level of filling and quality of the ingredients, individual pies start at £3.85 and a larger one for 2 from £8.75 a keen price given that similar products are inferior.

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On pie making days Sally put on her apron too as she is key here to making a production day go smoothly. Carolyn makes a core range of products but once a pie is finished it has to be identified. So here the trick is to use pastry cut outs in the form of animals and letters. So a chicken and leek pie will have a chicken pastry topper and the letter L on top. No chance of a mix up here. The day I was there they were producing pies for Black Barn and Secretts. So all the meat for this came from the butcher. David Mitchell’s meat is always top notch and its all local too apart from the chicken, which, comes from Crediton. The pies are produced and baked to a strict production sheet. Filling for each pie is weighed and labelled, brushed with an egg glaze before being labelled and baked. Chilled and packed for delivery later in the day this is as close to an old school cottage industry as you can get.

It is really heart warming to see that the local food movement is alive and kicking in our county.

For orders email Carolyn at Carras.60@gmail.com

Currently this business does not have a website, Facebook page or twitter feed.

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Beetroot and Feta Dip

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I like to do veggie packed snacks for pre-dinner drinks or quick lunches. I have been making beetroot hummus for a while now so when I was deciding what to do with my latest bunch of roasted beetroot I decided to do something different. A pack of feta unused in the fridge and memory of beetroot and feta burgers from a food styling session was the trigger I needed. This is so simple it’s really a kitchen sketch than a proper recipe. The variations could be endless too. I used chioggia beetroot that is home grown at Secretts in Milford, which is why it has a delicate pink hue but any beetroot would work. Although these candy stripe beetroot are gorgeous looking raw you lose the stripe when they are cooked but the flavour is sweet. Roasted beets are superior as they are not as watery as boiled so give a more robust texture to the finished dip. The beetroots can be roasted the day before.

Ingredients

I large bunch of Chioggia beetroot, scrubbed
1 x 200g pack of feta, reserve 50g for the garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 dessertspoons of natural yogurt
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, remove the leaves and discard the stems
Freshly ground black pepper
To garnish
The reserved feta cheese crumbled or finely cubed
A drizzle of rapeseed oil
Some fresh herbs (I used blackcurrant sage flowers)
Pre-heat the oven to Gas 5/ 200°C /Fan 180°C

Place the beetroot in a roasting tin and cover with foil. Roast until tender approximately 40mins to 1hr. Leave to cool in the tin. Remove the skins they should just slide off with the help of a sharp knife.

Chop the beetroot roughly and place in a food processor with the feta, lemon juice and 2 spoons of yogurt. Process until smooth and add more yogurt if the mixture is too thick. Add the herbs and pepper and blitz just to combine. Test the seasoning you shouldn’t need salt as the feta should be enough. But suit your own taste here.

Using a silicone spatula, heap the dip into a serving dish and make a swirly pattern on the top with a metal spoon. Place the reserved feta in the centre and then garnish with herbs and finish with a drizzle of rapeseed oil. Serve with crudités, warm pitta or bread sticks.

 

Jam Packed Preserves

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Gorgeous thick fruit and vegetable packed jars of preserves from a true cottage industry in Surrey.

The upside: A huge range of lovingly prepared jams, marmalades, jellies and chutneys made by hand the old fashioned way.

The downside: Only on sale in a few outlets and charity events

The flipside: With a new website and online shop launching soon sourcing will become easy peasy!

In the artisan food world there are many different styles of producers. Some who produce from their own kitchens with little or no start up budget or investment and others who have investors, industrial units and can afford branding and marketing. Some companies of course have a bit of both. I am comfortable with any of these options providing the eating quality and provenance of the products is top notch. Like a lot of my new connections my introduction to Jam Packed Preserves came via twitter. I follow a food consultant and food product guru Tessa Stuart who sent me a link to Jam Packed as they are based in Surrey. She has written two extremely digestible and informative books for wannabe food producers (Packed and Flying off the Shelves), which are best sellers. Her pedigree comes from her time working with top companies such as the Innocent Smoothie Brand. So with a recommendation to link up I happily took the bait.

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I went to visit Sue and Kevin Woodward at their headquarters in Epsom to record their story. I had already had a chat to Sue before my visit so I knew that she and her husband had careers in the NHS, but Kevin had retired from his role working a senior clinician in operating theatres two years ago. Sue continues to work in nurse education. Alongside a very full on life they had taken on an allotment 8 yrs ago and an inherited a vigorous bed of autumn fruiting raspberries. Realising they couldn’t possibly consume all this fruit themselves Sue rang her mum up for her jam recipe. As the season moved blackcurrants and redcurrants became available they kept making more and more jam. Selling and giving surplus to friends the beginning of what later became ‘Jam Packed’ emerged.

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It didn’t take long for the jam-making bug to bite and they expanded to jellies and chutneys too. They decided to sell their surplus stock and their first commercial deal was with a local butcher who took their products. He recorded how much he sold and Sue and Kevin got their meat from him in return. This is great example of good old fashioned bartering and something my clients know I am not averse to either. Friends also became regular customers and loved their products so much they encouraged them to take tables at local fund raising events. In fact Sue and Kevin prefer to attend fund-raisers with their products rather than farmers markets as they can support charities while they are selling.

Having had a break from jam making to complete and submit her PhD in 2012, the couple also became carers for their first grandchild two year ago and decided to build a business making preserves around this. So while they have been slowly building up their business over the past few years they now want to take things to the next level. Not that they have been slouching since 2014. You can buy their products from several local independent farm shops, delis and tea rooms throughout Surrey and into Hampshire. In addition they are also sold at West Green Fruit Farm where they have been producing jam from the fruit grown for a couple of years (sold on site in the PYO).

What I really like here is that Sue and Kevin pick a lot of the fruit they use for their jams themselves from their own allotment, garden, farms, friends gardens and contacts they have made along the way. Many of whom are now customers. This is a sustainable model, which also takes advantage of fruit grown that would not otherwise be harvested. In addition they know exactly where their fruit comes from and that it’s local (apart from Seville oranges and lemon for marmalade).

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Provenance and sustainability are all good market hooks but what about taste? I am the first to admit that the jam and chutney market is congested to say the least. All food retailers love products with a long shelf life and that’s exactly what you get with this style of preserving. Consequently it’s also why lots of producers enter the market and why farm shops are stacked high with jars of curious and better-known concoctions. Interestingly when I went to visit Jam Packed I was thinking ‘not another jam producer’ but I was pleasantly surprised. Here is why they are different.

In addition to the usual jams (such as raspberry and blackcurrant) Jam Packed also produce a range of jams from hybrid fruits such as tummelberries (similar to tayberries) and chuckleberries (a cross between a blackcurrant a redcurrant and a gooseberry) giving this particular jam an interesting texture. Adding silvanberries, boysenberries and loganberries to the mix and I am starting to get very interested. We carried out a tasting session and all of these jams as the company name suggests are made with a high fruit to sugar ratio and it stands out in the fiercely fruity flavours each with its own personality. This duo also makes a range of marmalades (all with hand cut peel) and Seville orange jelly. The jelly looks as glorious as it tastes and I have my fingers crossed that one might come home with me (it does) as I can imagine it immediately as a glaze on duck breast or as part of a chocolate and orange mousse.

Kevin has also become a master of chili-based jams, jellies and chutneys where they have won awards for their products in annual The Chutney Awards. Jam-packed, has for a small artisan producer a great range of seasonal products some of which are fiercely traditional and others more contemporary in style. Recently added lines include Naga Chili jam and chutney made with real ale from Surrey Brewery Hog’s Back.

You also have to applaud their marketing style which includes supporting charity events by taking tables at local fetes and fairs rather than farmers markets is endearing to say the least.

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If you would like to sample their products first hand they have a list of stockists on their new website, an online shop for retailers and for sale direct to the public. Sue and Kevin are also happy to come and do meet the producer events and tastings to share their delicious hand crafted products. If you are a fan of the local food movement look out for this brand as they really are ‘hand stirred’ in Surrey.

www.jampackedpreserves.co.uk

Sue Woodward 07941932529

Some of the images taken for this post were taken by Ben de Montagnac whose company WBYW have also built the new Jam Packed Website.

Grass Roots Bakery

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A new start up producing fantastic gluten free rolls and bread mixes from a bespoke craft bakery in Surrey

andrea grass roots

The upside: Great tasting gluten and dairy free bread which is also preservative free.

The downside: Limited shelf life once baked (but freezes well)

The flipside: A credible textured bread for those seeking 100% gluten free product

When Noels Farm Shop (at Sutton Green Garden Centre) started to sell Grass Roots gluten free bread rolls late in 2015 Noel was keen to share how good they were. Unlike many gluten free bread products on the market the rolls looked great and clearly had texture. Produced just a few miles down the road in a small industrial estate in Woking I popped over to meet the owner and view the bread in production.

Andrea Walsh trained as a bio-chemist having taken a degree in chemistry. This has been essential to her success in this bakery venture and her ability to create a brilliant product and comply with food regulations in the sensitive area of free-from foods. Andrea’s business partner is her husband Steve an inventor of electrical products. The bakery is based within his lab where they created a bespoke sealed production space with brand new equipment. This means that they can be 100% confident that all their products are totally gluten free. This for people who suffer from gluten intolerance or coeliac disease is the reassurance they need. For some people just a small amount of contamination from gluten can have a devastating affects on their health. To find a product that is made in a totally wheat free zone is a real find.

As a family, Andrea and her children are gluten intolerant. Fed up with pappy dry and tasteless bread Andrea decided to make her own. With her science background she was able to replicate the characteristics of traditional bread from a range of gluten free ingredients. A few months of experimenting with different recipes Andrea fine-tuned her recipe. Sampling her new bread with friends they all raved about how good it was and her family loved it too. With such great feedback she decided to share this with others and so the Grass Roots Bakery was born.

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Launching the bakery very quietly in June 2015 Andrea sold her bread to a farm shop near Woking where owner Noel had realised that there was a demand for gluten free products and was keen to stock the rolls. Unlike commercially produced gluten free bread (with preservatives) Andrea uses a natural approach to baking and the rolls have only 2 days life from production. Actually when you toast or warm through in the oven even from 3-4 days they are still really delicious but not at their best. However the rolls do freeze really well so freezing what you don’t use straight away is a perfect solution.

I wanted to see the bread in production so in the true spirit of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) we got changed into kitchen whites, put on hairnets (not a great look for me) and went into the bakery. First off its clear how incredibly clean the bakery is with brand new equipment and clearly a meticulous standard of hygiene. Andrea had already weighed out her secret recipe flour and then added oil, water and eggs. Using a giant electric whisk the dough is worked until a soft moist mixture has formed. As there is no gluten involved here it doesn’t need the classic ten-minute work out on the proteins to form the dough. It’s also noticeable that this dough is wetter than one that is wheat based which makes it difficult to handle.

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With an inventor for a husband Steve created the perfect solution. Using his electronic skill set he created a device that sucks up the right amount of dough for each roll which can then be deposited on to the baking sheet to rise. This means the rolls are all slightly different shapes; which adds a certain Wallis and Gromit charm to the process. As the dough is wetter and the rolls are large they take around one hour to bake in a medium oven. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to stay that long but in any case Andrea had already sent me some rolls to try so I knew how good they were.

With a product life of two days it was clear to Andrea that this was going to be an issue for retailers who like a longer shelf life. Her solution was to sell to shops but also offer a bread mix too. All Grass Roots products are available online from the bakery and include white and high fibre rolls in packs of four or twelve and bread mixes. The bread mixes are also sold in two sizes.

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Andrea has gone for a soft launch but is hoping to sell her products via farm shops, delis and specialist food shops. To give her products the credibility they need in the free-from market Andrea has spent time making sure her products are safe for her intended user group. Just recently she has received accreditation from Coeliac UK which, for those with gluten intolerance and coeliac disease is a recognised and trusted seal of approval.

I meet a lot of people on my travels in Surrey and in Andrea you couldn’t meet a nicer and more dedicated grass roots bakerybaker. I love her scientific approach, which has helped enormously in the creation of a great product range. The gluten free bread market is a tough nut to crack but they have definitely created a winning formula here.

www.grassrootsbakery.co.uk

01483 730474

Platform 3 – The smallest pub in Britain

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Brightwater Brewery, Platform 3, The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PN

The upside: Lovingly crafted small batch beer available to drink in or take-away!

The downside: This pub is really small with short opening hours

The flipside: This really is the smallest pub in Britain selling a range of their own unique beers

If you turn into the parade towards Claygate Station in Surrey you’ll get a welcome surprise. As you venture forward independent retailers are on either side with traditional butchers, a fruit and veg shop, a top end traditional fishmongers, wine shop, deli, bakery and café. To top it all, right at the end next to the station is a tiny pub. Platform 3 has just enough standing room inside for two people, so when it is open guests rely on some outdoor tables with umbrellas to protect against the elements. This doesn’t stop the constant flow of customers coming to take a pint to drink straight away or take out for later. Everyone who comes in seems to know the owners and a strong sense of community is evident.

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Alex started making beer with his dad when he was a teenager. Not, he says emphatically, with kits but from scratch with proper ingredients. He carried this on as a serious hobby during his IT career. When he was made redundant is 2012 he took six months off to recharge his batteries assuming he would just find another similar role to the one he had left. Economic turndown and age he suspected were not on his side. After six months he felt ready to attach himself to the world of work again and this time it was to start his own business. It seemed natural to him that a serious hobby that he had lots of expertise in and loved could become a full time job.

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First he set about equipping his brewery a huge research project but worth it to get it just right. This is housed in his garage at home with stainless steel professional equipment and is an official bonded warehouse. This is a government requirement for anybody who produces alcoholic drinks where duty is payable. Alex makes five beers on rotation from different recipes that produce golden, amber or dark ales. He lists availability on his website and these are available to drink in or take away. He reckons his beers are at their best at 3-4 weeks old and will only sell when they are in peak condition. To maintain this he brews batches to meet demand and as I discovered is a stickler for maintaining the drinking quality.

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Alex is the perfect landlord, chatty a beer aficionado plus he is extremely personable. In fact it would seem that this is the perfect career for him. He runs the business with his partner Sue (a business buff) so it’s a symbiotic combination of creativity and business acumen here too. The fact that all the beer he sells in the pub is his own brew is a real pull. Not just for the pints he serves but because he wouldn’t serve anyone a duff pint and he knows the stuff he sells from hops upwards. Whilst I was in the pub there was an endless stream of customers buying a pint to drink outside or to take away a firkin to share with friends later. Everyone is on first name terms and there is a sense of excitement that they are buying into something really unique.

Each of the beers on the menu currently in production have been through diligent recipe testing from the ambient temperature at which they are made to the type of hops and the ferment period. Beer, Alex confides is temperamental and there are many competing factors in getting each batch right such as your local water supply. No two batches will taste exactly the same because this is craft beer made by hand and each brew varies slightly with time of year and the affects of temperature, the raw ingredients and natural yeasts. This is part of the fun and like wine some brews are better than others but probably more so (I suspect) to an expert palate. Alex says that managing beer production is like bringing up a ‘petulant child’.

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Of the beers Alex makes, ‘Daisy Gold’ is the best seller (he named it after his dog who is apparently as ‘good as gold’). This light golden flavour packed beer is like others on his menu at around 4% volume. Alex specializes in what he calls session beer. It’s healthier and means you can enjoy a few pints in an evening and still walk home! This is particularly good for older drinkers and in line with current drinking advice from health professionals. In addition these beers are worthy of a more considered drinking session and deserve as such to be slowly imbibed.

Although golden ales are the most popular Alex also produces ‘Top Notch’ an amber ale which he makes with 2 different malts and dark-beer-claygateanother variety of hops. Citra is Brightwaters other golden ale, which gets its name from the hops used to make it. Known for its fresh lemony finish to beers ‘Citra’ has a zingier finish to ‘Daisy Gold’. This brewery also produces a rather unusual dark stout type beer called ‘Wild Orchid’. The use of black malt gives this its dark colour but by putting Madagascan Vanilla pods in each cask its also has a subtle hint of vanilla which doesn’t dominate but adds a lovely finish to the overall taste.

 

If you are a fan of craft beers I highly recommend a visit to Platform 3 it’s in a class of its own. With guest beers also on offer and other drinks for non-beer fans it’s a great afternoon out. Take-out, delivery for parties and ready bottled beer for gifts are also available. Go for the beer but also for the novelty value because this is the smallest pub in Britain!

Tel: 01372 462 334

Mob: 07802 316 389

Twitter @SmallestPubinUK

This review was originally published in Essence Magazine in February 2016