Tag Archives: independent

Duke of Wellington East Horsley

Blog, gastro pub, Restaurants, Reviews, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A re-imagined gastro pub with a creative menu and wine list, fantastic service and stylish décor, just a ten minute drive from Guildford. Expect delicious food, regular events such as live music, themed dinners and local socials for neighbours.

When I was invited to try the menu at this pub, which is part of the Peach Group I didn’t hesitate. With just two pubs in their growing collection in Surrey their portfolio includes another eighteen (many of them recently acquired) and all in market towns such as Oxford, Warwick and Birmingham. The other Surrey location is The Richard Onslow in Cranleigh, and it’s a favourite of mine .

Since I have lived in Guildford this pub had been crying out for new lease of life. It was a pretty run down and then it was reinvented with a BBQ themed menu. Poor reviews and a very American BBQ menu kept most of us away. Then in 2016 Peach took over. This is a business with a solid understanding of what ingredients you need to make a pub successful. They set to work and with a refurbished interior, creative menu with a mix of traditional and contemporary dishes on the seasonal menu and customers started to roll back in. Add to this a mix of local and imported beers, wines, spirits and real ales and the customer magnet has been switched back on.

What really sets this business aside is the staff, welcoming, helpful and professional its a totally refreshing element of the on site experience. In addition they all seem to really enjoy their jobs in an industry that is well known for long hours and low pay. Its no surprise that out of the ten awards on their website that five are for their employment practices. The Sunday Times ranked them at forty-five in their top 100 companies to work for last year.

The food here is fresh, beautifully presented from ingredients sourced locally and nationally. Head Chef Nic Baba embraces the seasons and although I ate from the spring menu the current summer menu ticks all the boxes too. They share the same core values of healthy eating (an important ethos on the menu) so expect to find plenty of fresh vegetables with your meal too. Sharing boards, hearty salads, extras to add to customise your plate and daily specials form the menu style here. Meat is from top butchers Aubrey Allen who also supply free-range chicken, Cornish lamb and free-range pork from Jimmy Butler. Known as the butcher to the stars you know that poultry, beef and pork here is going to be top notch.

We kicked off our meal with a modern take on a retro prawn cocktail and some ham croquettes served with a spiced tomato chutney. The cocktail was layered for effect and the combination of guacamole, prawns, tomato salsa and crunchy lettuce paired with some crunchy tortilla was delicious (an idea I have since copied for entertaining). The croquettes arrived piping hot with a spicy tomato chutney and local Secretts salad leaves. Crunchy on the outside and creamy and smoky in the middle it was the perfect start to our meal. Mains included pan-fried sea bass on a generous stack of new potatoes and tender stem broccoli and a super food salad with a extra of poached salmon. The fish was fresh and crispy ( source from Brixham day boats) and the accompanying vegetables and sauce without fault. The salad had a deliciously lemony zingy dressing and the perfect balance of pulses, leaves and grated vegetables. No feeling there that you were a second rate diner by choosing a salad plate so this gets a high score in my book.

Deserts had to be the lemon tart, a staple on menus in the 1990’s and an intriguing apple panna cotta. The lemon tart had a caramelised top, which gave way to an intensely lemony creamy filling on a light short buttery pastry – stunning. The panna cotta was really unusual with an apple jelly layer on top of the cream element. Freshly poached apple was served as a garnish. It felt lighter and good for you than I would have expected which is always a plus. We ended with fresh mint tea.

The food here is excellent and a credit to the Peach Group for creating another venue in Surrey that should be on your go to list.

01483 282 312

Guildford RD, East Horsley, Leatherhead, KT24 6AA

www.dukeofwellingtoneasthorsley.co.uk

 

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.

 

Spring Asparagus and Courgette Flower Scarpaccia

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Spring Asparagus and Courgette Flower Scarpaccia

When I was at Hunts Hill Farm Shop there was a magnificent basket of newly laid duck eggs. Larger than normal and just laid, a few had to be mine. I bought half a dozen unsure where they would end up; a cake had been on the cards. With a box of courgette flowers at home, I did a little bit of research and found this delicious sounding Italian dish called Scarpaccia. A vegetable traybake covered in a cheesy batter and baked with fresh thyme and chilli. Normally made with courgettes I adapted the recipe for asparagus and used the courgette flowers too. I know these are wonderful stuffed with ricotta and fried but I am not a big fan of food cooked in oil. This bake is simple and alarmingly effective for something that is so easy to prepare. When just baked its quite delicate but it firms as it cools. Perfect for lunch with salad, for picnics or as part of a buffet. I am serving mine tonight, in small squares to go with pre-dinner drinks.

300g fine speared asparagus, *snap off the tender spears
1 red onion, very finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 dessertspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 generous sprinkle of chilli flakes
10-12 Courgette (male flowers) remove petals for use and discard the stems (optional due to short season and availability)
200g Self Raising gluten free flour (I used Doves Farm)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 duck eggs
200ml milk
100g crumbled feta cheese
50g grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
Some extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

A baking tin 22cm x 32cm lined with silicone non-stick baking paper – traditionally this is made in a larger flat tray (swiss roll size) but I decided to go a bit deeper frittata style.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4

Scatter the Asparagus on the baking sheet. Mix the sliced onion and garlic in a spoon of oil before together scattering on top. Arrange in even but not-too-organized layer and sprinkle with chilli flakes and courgette flower petals. Combine flour and seasoning in a mixing bowl.   In another large mixing bowl, whisk up, the eggs and milk. Whisk the dry ingredients into the eggs and stir in the Parmesan cheese then pour batter evenly over the asparagus all the way to the edges of the pan. Crumble with feta and drizzle with a little EVOO. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and puffed.

Delicious served warm or cold. Great for picnics, lunches with salad or cut into cubes to serve with drinks.

  • If you hold the asparagus in your hand and bend it, it will break naturally where the woody part starts. If you are using very fine asparagus you wont need to do this.

Download a printable version of the recipe Spring Asparagus and Courgette Flower Scarpaccia.

The Plough Inn, Brewery and Village Shop

Articles, Blog, Cafes, Grocery shop, Local producer, Local products, Restaurants, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

 

 

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.

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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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Cellar Wines

Blog, Deli, event caterer, functions, wine merchant, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Old Cellar, High Street, Ripley, Surrey, GU23 6BB

The upside: A truly inspiring wine and cheese shopping experience!

The downside: Only open 5 days per week, but until 8pm.

The flipside: Fantastic tailor made and off the shelf events!

When Cellar Wines opened in Ripley it was impossible to predict what an impact this unassuming new wine retailer could possibly have on our wine loving community. Ripley itself has emerged over the last few years as a bit of a culinary hotspot. Drakes a Michelin star restaurant is opposite, Pinnock’s an award winning coffee shop has been pivotal too, plus a fantastic farm shop at A. Luff & Sons at Ripley Nurseries on the outskirts of the village. In addition, local community leaders set up a monthly farmers market (second Saturday of the month) which has gained a dedicated following! That said it was a good bet that a wine shop would also be well received.

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Cellar wines is housed in a historical fifteenth-century building which during the second world war was purchased by a pharmacist Kenneth White. He is revered for being the first producer of penicillin for civilians and the shop now has a blue plaque to commemorate his contribution. So with a listed building and a mission for excellence this little shop opened quietly.

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When one of the founding partners left, the original investor took the helm and really unique elements started to unfold. Originally focused on French wines the shop now embraces the globe bringing in superb South African wines from the likes of rebel wine makers the Kloof Brothers, Galician artisan producer Benito Santos (I love the labelling on this wine) and award winning wines from Surrey itself. If you have ever stood in a supermarket staring at dismally at same old display of wines then this shop is for you. A bottle of ‘The flower and the bee’ costs only £12.80 here from an artisanal Spanish producer with vines growing on organic soil while in contrast, a bottle of High Clandon Cuvee Reserve Vintage will set you back £45.00. In fact, all the bottles of wine have an interesting story and I would be proud to take any of these to any wine and food event.

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If you like advice on what to buy then Manager Andy Walton and assistant David Hefford are on hand to help. What I love about the staff here is their brilliant customer service. There is no wine snobbery at play just a desire to share their knowledge of their truly eclectic and interesting selection of wines and spirits with their customers. Prices here start at the accessible for all and rise to aficionado status and this is for some a special occasion retail experience. Guided by knowledgeable staff, a great selection of tasting samples plus a fantastic range of expertly curated options, creates an exciting retail experience. Judging by the rave reviews of the shop it’s a shared opinion.

Local vineyards are featured and celebrated here too. It’s been a hugely important decade in England for winemakers and we have several award winning vineyards in Surrey. Greyfriars and the Albury Estate, for example, are within 10 miles of the shop as is Clandon. In addition to wines you will find local superstar craft gin Silent Pool and newcomer Mews too. Craft beers are also on offer such as Hop Art based in Farnham. A collaboration by native Belgian and Italian beer makers whose products are gaining a large following. Stylish labels and a catchy name help here too but it is delicious beer with four core styles.

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To support the wine here they also have a delightful cheese counter with a range of local and imported cheeses. To compliment a range of Cornish charcuterie including a fantastic smoked chorizo. Local cheeses include Surrey’s famous Norbury Blue and Dirty Vicar from Michaela Allum in Box Hill. A goats cheese cheddar and a delicious Italian cheese named 3 Latti (made from a combination of cows, goats and ewes milk) also feature. A supporting range of interesting cheese biscuits, Millers Damsels, Mondovino cheese crackers in packaging that oozes 60’s glitz and cocktail bar culture, choose from wild mushroom plus other equally tantalizing flavours. These compliment the cheeses on offer.

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But the icing on the cake here is the range of interesting accompaniments they stock to create the perfect cheeseboard. This I discovered when I attended a tasting of South African wines. Cellar wines calls itself a boutique and here’s why. It’s a shop, a bar, a lounge and an event venue it even has a small outside terrace at the back. Book a private party, supper club, buy a ticket for a wine tasting or design your own event. Anything is possible here and that’s surprising in what is a relatively small space. In a lock up down the road, they keep a range of chairs tables, linen-ware, wine glasses, crockery, in fact, anything you need really for a stunning evening of food and wine.

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Arriving at the wine tasting evening it was amazing to see how the shop had been transformed into an intimate venue. We were greeted on arrival with a glass of our first wine of the evening from the Waterford Estate (Sauvignon, Blanc) delicious and crisp is set the tone. Now I have to be honest here I was not sure what to expect as other wine tastings experienced have been boring, fusty and bit highbrow for me. Our tutor for the evening was a breath of fresh air. Easy to talk to and a walking encyclopedia of wine it was impossible not be in awe. She led us through the six wines of the evening embellishing each with interesting stories of the vineyards, their geographic locations and how this affected the resulting wine. It was an interesting political history too as for a long time South African products were restricted because of Apartheid.

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Now this was the best wine tasting I have been too because not only was our tutor a brilliant speaker but also because she wasn’t too prescriptive about how you drank your wine, more advisory. This meant you could drink at your own pace and we weren’t forced into naming fruit/nut/food notes and other associations that I have felt under duress to do with previous events. But one of the highlights of this wine tasting was the addition of cheese and charcuterie nibbles that were in perfect harmony with the wine. Whoever put this together knew what they were doing. For example Keens Cheddar on olive oil crackers with Piccalilli was served with my favourite wine of the evening Mullinex Kloof Street Red 2014 (£17.50). Stichelton Toast with Kileen Goat Gouda and Pickled Cherries were stunning with the Mullinex Straw Wine our final tasting and a dessert wine which made a perfect finish. The pickled cherries were fabulous and now on my list for Christmas day offerings. My absolute favourite though was Wyfe of Bath on water crackers with Acacia Honey & Truffle which was served with a Chenin Blanc.

I thoroughly recommend a visit to this enterprising wine Boutique. It is one of the most creative businesses I have been to recently. Why not take it one step further and attend one of their tasting events because it’s an education not only in wine but food pairing too! Be warned they are not open on Sundays or Mondays but they do have an online shop.

01483 610610

www.cellarwines.co.uk

 

 

Waters Edge Dine at the Wetlands Centre Horsell

Blog, Farm, functions, Restaurants, Vegetarian, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Heather Farm , Horsell Common, GU21 4XY

The upside: Delicious, locally sourced and well executed food

The downside: If it’s busy service can be slow because everything is made fresh to order!

The flipside: A lot of the food here comes from the proprietors own farm and is picked within hours of arriving at your table!

Newly opened in January 2016 this venue is located just outside Woking in Surrey. Woking isn’t a particularly attractive town although improvements to the centre recently have improved it dramatically. However just a five minute drive away takes you into some quite spectacular countryside and Horsell Common is no exception. A new wetlands centre opened with a café on January 9th and news spread fast of its peaceful atmosphere, dog friendly policies and its wonderful café. The area around the wetland has been set up with decking and paths making it easy for buggies and mobility scooters unless their has been a lot of rain as it gets muddy. I enjoyed it so much that I have been back three times mainly because the setting and the food is fabulous but also because I have been trying to interview Chef Aneke Spacie. Busy managing a young family, a new eaterie opening at the Lightbox Gallery in Woking and her current café we had to resort to a telephone conversation in the end, which filled in the gaps.

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Like you, I am used to going to some pretty gorgeous places here and abroad only to find the café serves mediocre food, fizzy drinks and deep-fries anything unfortunate enough to make its way into the kitchen. Not here though – the food ethos, menu and hospitality is as close to my idea of a perfect venue as you can get. Organic, locally sourced, thoughtfully cooked and presented, it’s delightful, refreshing and sustainable too. Before children came along this highly skilled chef built up an enviable CV working for McClaren, the Ivy, British Airways, Harrods and Sotheby’s. Running her own catering company in Surrey she built on this experience and a successful pop up at the Lightbox last year sealed a contract to take over the catering there too.

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Waters Edge Dine is Aneke Spacie’s first solo restaurant and within just a few months she has a hardcore following of diners who love the menu, cooking style and dedication to healthy sustainable eating. Here the mantra is to buy food with thought, cook with care, use less wheat and meat, buy local, serve just enough and create minimal waste. Food is presented in such an attractive way too and whilst it’s not fine dining London style you have a sense that your meal is going to be really good for you (tea time cakes not included here).

On my first visit my daughter came with me and at this point it was just to get a sense of what the venue was all about. It was just after 3pm and although the kitchen had just closed for the lunchtime service we were still able to order. Choosing a spicy Welsh rarebit with a free-range hen’s egg and then a couple of mugs of tea we took a seat. When the food arrived it was on a wooden board which looks great but isn’t practical as the runny egg without some control would have rolled right over the edge. I happen to think plates are really the obvious choice as  they retain their heat and control the food. However in the subsequent visits I have made here it is the only criticism I could possibly muster up in addition to the fact that as seating is limited inside they could particularly in poor weather outgrow their space fast.

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A week later after deciding to write about Waters Edge I took a fellow writer for lunch. He was over from Taipei where we had worked together and it was the perfect venue. We had a barmy English summers day to share and it was a far cry from our last lunch together eating stinky tofu in Shenkeng, a suburb of Taipei where one street of restaurants is dedicated to the consumption of fermented tofu. This time our menu was based on good nutrition, provenance, budget and balance and we loved it. I had pan fried wild mushrooms on toast (£7.50) with Parmesan, truffle dressing and wild rocket while Richard had the house burger (£10.50) with cheddar (Wookey Hole) smoked bacon, salad and tomato relish with home fries. Aneke bought the food to our table on this occasion and shared some useful information with us (if I had realized she was so busy I would have delved deeper). Some of the mushrooms had she told us come from the farm, which they top up with those from their local vegetable supplier, the truffles were from the estate (Surrey surprisingly is not bad for truffle hunters) and the meat from a local farm. We loved our food as both dishes were satisfying, delicious and had an understated feel good factor. The setting of course overlooking the wetland adds to the overall sense of wellbeing. Nearby diners had selected roasted pork belly and a huge bowl of soup, which looked exceptional too. Next time.

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To finish we ordered drinks and cake. They have a substantial range of home-made and bought in sweet treats here (from a local bakery) such as chocolate dipped flapjacks to large cutting cakes. Choose from red velvet, chocolate with salted caramel, carrot and coffee. Gluten free options include orange and polenta cake too. For children there is also an option to buy and decorate your own gingerbread person with a plate of sprinkles and writing icing. Coffee here is barista style and tea comes in large mugs with a tea-bag, which you can recycle in the glass jar provided. What a great idea.

If you are interested in how the Wetland Centre came into being you can find out more about the Horsell Preservation Society, their other sites and the fantastic work they do here www.horsellcommon.org.uk.

Its child friendly here too with buckets of crayons, a lego corner and teepees to set up outside. For dogs water is provided and towels for those that end up in the water! Dogs on leads are allowed inside but must be kept on a tight leash by owner. As this is a wetland to encourage wildlife there are strict rules for dog walking on the site. Please check the website before you visit if you are bringing a dog with you.

01483 726556

www.surreywatersedge.com

 

 

Jam Packed Preserves

Blog, Food producers, Local producer, Local products, Products, Reviews, , , , , , , , , , ,

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.