Tag Archives: local

Ockley Farmers Market

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Rural Food Retailing in a Modern World

The upside: This is mostly undercover so English weather proof

The downside: Only on the first Sunday of each month!

The flipside: A chance to buy directly from local Surrey producers most of whom live close to the market

Surrey is a county of contrasts, which is part of its endearing appeal. Guildford where I live is full of designer shops smattered with a few independents and a small but growing fine food culture made so by the likes of Surrey Hills Coffee Shop, Partisan Deli and Canopy Coffee. But a lot of the great finds are ‘not on the high street’ and Ockley Farmers Market is a prime example. Situated between Dorking and Horsham it’s close to Leith Hill and the borders of Sussex and Surrey in some of the most stunning countryside that Surrey has to offer.

This market only started in April 2017 and it’s a collaboration between two Surrey hard core food heroes. Michaela and Neil Allam who are the producers of Surrey’s most famous cheese Norbury Blue and Dirty Vicar and James and Catherine Dampier of Village Greens (Farm shops in Coles Lane Ockley and Denbies Vineyard).

They have been selling on the farmers market circuit throughout Surrey since Michaela (who grew up on a farm) started making the cheese in 2001. Michaela met her husband Neil who was a watercress grower at one of the markets she attended and he joined the business when he said ‘I do’. Recently they moved into a house on Coles Lane in Ockley which came with the former Ockley Nursery. Situated next to Village Greens Farm Shop in Coles Lane was a great move. Farm shop owner James and Catherine Dampier have been selling Norbury Blue and Dirty Vicar in both their farm shops since they started their business 10 years ago. With a shared passion for the local artisan food movement and the fact that Village Greens sells their cheese they started to chat about working together. Village Green holds a food fair every September and last year for the first time it was held at the Ockley Nursery site. With even ground and cover it was a safer bet than the field opposite the shop particularly when you factor in our unpredictable English weather.

Neil and Michaela hosted Village Greens Food Fair in Autumn 2016 in a covered area on their land. As the food fair was such a success they decided to launch a monthly farmers market in collaboration with Village Greens. The location of the farm shop was perfect as it has already collected a handful of awards for its ‘local, natural & ethical’ ethos and many of the products sold are local too. Their aim was to create a regular event for the local food community.

In April this year the first Ockley Farmers market took place. It was a soft launch giving local producers an additional retail outlet to sell their produce. Now local here is an interesting term and there is a lot of debate around what this really means in food terms. Is it 5 miles, 10 miles or perhaps 50 miles? Everyone has a different view on this and a lot of the food festivals I go to seem to attract producers from all over England. But at Ockley local means local. Most of the traders here are within a 15 mile radius of the market and some literally less than a mile.

This market has its own unique personality. It isn’t like any other market I have been to in Surrey. Many of the traders come from farming families and producers who have been in the game for many years. They don’t necessarily have the business savvy, techie skills of city start ups who are whizz kids on social media and website design but they do sell real food in a chilled out environment. Its not wrapped up to be something it isn’t but it is good honest traceable food. Michaela of course sells her cheese while Neil mans the barbecue using sausages from nearby Home Farm who also have a stall. He also roasts a large pork joint supplied by them of which thick juicy slices are served in brioche buns. These are from Chalk Hills a fabulous artisan bakery who bring with them their wonderful sour dough breads, pastries, meringues & rolls.

Fresh coffee is served by local roaster Surrey Hills Coffee , who is based just down the road in Forest Green (with a coffee shop in Guildford too). Surrey Hills Coffee have made quite a name for themselves in the relatively short time they have been around. You can buy coffee from them to prepare at home or a freshly made cup to enjoy while perusing the stalls. There are lots of wonderful freshly baked pastries to go with this from Chalk Hills and if you want to sit and relax you can wander across the road and behind the car park you will find the ‘Bee Garden’ with seats and tables. On market and non-market days you can also buy Barista Coffee from the farm shop who use coffee from ‘Coffee Real’. This longer established brand have been ethically sourcing and roasting to perfection, single estate coffee from the most extraordinary small coffee producers globally. This element of the market is fantastic for the many keen cyclists who frequent the Surrey Hills. It’s a perfect pit stop with great food and drinks to recharge on a challenging cycle trip.

Other stalls include Jam Packed a small cottage industry business making traditional jams, chutney and piccalilli for their growing band of followers. Their tag line is ‘hand stirred in Surrey’ which after spending a lovely morning in their kitchen I can vouch is true. Big Blue Biltong is also a new start up selling a range of delicious, unctuous textured cured meat. A former chef at another local food hall he found his niche with his new range of products which are also on sale in the farm shop next door to the market. Olives and things complement the biltong for pre dinner nibbles. For a serious meal there are products from nearby Etherley Farm who are the closest producer to the market. They bring their free range poultry, duck, lamb, eggs and honey to the market. At Christmas their turkeys are top quality and sold by as many local butchers that can get there hands on their limited supply. You can also buy directly from them.

On the alcohol front beer is from a couple of local breweries and change from month to month but last time I was there it was Firebird Brewery. Well known locally they teamed up with Jam Packed who produced chutney featuring their beer. Silent Pool award winning local gin makers also attend this market with their growing catalogue of intriguing flavour mists, fruit cordials and seasonal specials.

There are around twenty stallholders at each market and I really urge you to go and this give one a visit. It’s a glimpse into the life of food producers who work really hard under adverse conditions to bring delicious products to the marketplace. You will leave feeling more connected to your food and the people who make it.

Ockley Farmers Market, Coles Lane, Ockley, RH

Facebook @OckleyFarmersMarket

Twitter @OCKELY_FM

www.VGFarmshop.com

This article previously appeared in Essence Magazine

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.

 

15 Minute Jam

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The classic ratio for jam is an equal amount of jam to sugar. This is for a classic jam that can be stored at ambient temperatures and will last for months. If you like a lower sugar jam use half the amount of sugar to fruit. Remember though it will have to be stored in a refrigerator after its cooled and used within 2-3 weeks and it will have a runnier consistency. If you think making jam involves huge vats of boiling fruit take a fresh look. Making jam in small batches is quick, stress free and its ready to use as soon as it cools down. In the time it takes to bake and  cool a classic Victoria sponge you could have made your own jam for the middle! Use this recipe for stone fruit, berries and currants.

Download a printable version of the recipe 15 minute jam

300g fresh or defrosted Berries (strawberries, raspberries, tayberries or a mix)
gooseberries, blackcurrants and stone fruits will work here too
300g jam sugar (this has added pectin which helps the jam to set)
Juice of I fresh lemon

Place the berries in a thick-based saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice. While it is coming up to the boil turn the oven on low. Put 1 large or 2 medium jam jars in a tray in a couple of centimetres of water with the lids by the side Place in the oven to sterilise the jars. As the fruit comes to the boil, stir regularly until it reaches a rolling boil Don’t have the heat up too high as it will boil over but you want it to be visibly bubbling. It should take around 10-15 minutes to reach a syrupy texture (longer if you are using less sugar). When the jam is ready, remove the jars from the oven and spoon in the jam. Allow to cool (I usually cover mine with a sheet of paper towel) or used waxed paper circles. Once cooled put on the lids. Low sugar jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator and should last for up to three weeks.

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

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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!

 

 

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.

pies-and-descriptions

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.

carolyun-pies-trio-with-open-pie

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.

pie-trio-with-logo

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.

beef-and-red-wine-pie

 

 

 

 

Natter Cafe

Cafes, Coffee Shop, pop up cafe, Pop up Supper Club, Restaurants, Reviews, Take Away, Tea Shop, Vegetarian, , , , , , , , , , ,

67 St. Johns Street. Farncombe, GU7 3EH

 An award winning cafe where owner Kay has created a wonderful eating and meeting space, for the local community.

The Upside: Gorgeous coffee, freshly prepared traditional all day breakfasts, contemporary salads, savouries and freshly baked cakes.

The downside: This café is so busy you need to book in advance to guarantee a lunchtime table. It’s closed in the evening but they do run events.

The flipside: Buy tickets for one of their infamous supper clubs where you can BYO and indulge in some great food at prices that won’t break the bank.

Natter café is the type of success story I would wish for any new independent starting up in this challenging market. Winner of the Muddy Stilettos best cafe in Surrey award I can tell you why this business is making waves!

Kay is the creative force behind the Natter Café and her story starts with coffee beans. Her original foray into coffee was stall in Guildford’s North Street Market which she started with a business partner in 2002. They parted company but the stall was very successful and its still at the market today. Kay’s passion for coffee retailing saw her start a coffee van service and a kiosk at Farncombe station. Her standards of service are legendary. Ring the kiosk from your mobile and they will have a latte and a bacon butty ready to pass to you on the platform as your train passes through.

insert-for-natter-cafe-blog-post-copy

Adoring customers always asked Kay when she was going to open a café. It wasn’t she says really on her radar, but when friend and estate agent John suggested a property he had would be perfect for this purpose it was a defining moment. Going on holiday the next day she had time to think it through and the rest is history. Kay is really pleased she took the plunge. Its clear she has really invested in this business the premises have been refurbished to a high standard and the result is a really lovely comfortable space.

Coffee comes from a roaster in Winchester and Kay uses single origin estate for filter coffee, which is brewed at your table. You can choose from single or double shots (from £1.50). Teas are from Canton teas known for their delicious blends many of them from Taiwan (from £2.50).

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Food is also freshly prepared on site apart from some of the cakes, which are made by local producers. Since opening Kay has never had to advertise for staff. She has she says been lucky enough to have lots of locals (mums, students, teenagers) regularly popping in asking for work. In addition she also has lots of expert cake makers offering to supply her too! I expect the welcoming warm space Kay has created has everything to do with this.

Food is prepared by two chefs in a compact kitchen hence the need to buy in cakes but also because this café is always busy. Come late for lunch and expect to wait for a table. Kay and her team have the formula just right here. A core menu with breakfasts and sandwiches are complimented by seasonal specials. Expect soup in the winter and salads in the summer. A full English breakfast with local butcher Wakelings sausages is £8.75 and a generous plateful. For smaller people or appetites you can go for a half size portion at £5.75 (I wish more eateries did this). Smoked salmon bagels are also on offer at £5.00.

specials-board

Arriving for lunch I ordered a salad of the specials board. It was a warmish autumnal day so it was a toss up between that or roasted carrot and butternut squash soup. The salad won as my favourites were featured here; beetroot, rocket, pine nut and feta with salad leaves and a light tasty dressing. I have a pet hate of salad leaves served naked (read my article here) but these were perfectly dressed. My plus one had bacon muffins with melted brie and salad, which he said was tasty, light and gooey. I didn’t really get a look in there but I trust his judgement.

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We were too full for cakes but we did have coffee, which was full flavoured and served really hot. We watched the other customers around us being served equally good-looking plates of food.

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I love this café its got good coffee and food at its core. Kay supports other locals by procuring her stock from them wherever possible (produce from the local greengrocer and meat from Wakelings and Black Barn)  and she provides local employment too. Her staff recently for her birthday treated her to a day spa when she thought she was just going to work. I think that says it all!

Go and give Natter a whirl – opening hours and menu on the website- link below.

01483 421303
and also at Farncombe Station on Platform 1 GU7 3NF / 07531 018190

 

Fresh Raspberry, Pistachio and Almond Tart

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This is a version of a recipe I use a lot with different fruit (such as figs, pears, blueberries) as it is so versatile. This works better with really fruity jam and its worth using an extra jam like Jam Packed with at at least 45% fruit content. Once you have the basic recipe sorted add flaked almonds or chopped pistachios on top. It’s really quick to make especially with ready -made pastry. Individual tarts work well here too just cut down the cooking time. Perfect for summer picnics and al fresco eating. If you want a more spongy texture simply add 50-75g more flour to the filling. I like a more paste like texture but for food on the go and picnics a little extra flour helps it stay together better.

Serves: 6-8pistachio-cream-M&S-Haselmere

Ingredients
Pastry
125g cold diced butter
250g plain or gluten free flour
40g caster sugar
I medium egg
or
1 pack ready made sweet short-crust pastry

Filling
100g butter, softened
100g Vanilla infused caster sugar
3 medium eggs
2-3 tablespoons raspberry jam
100g ground almonds
75g of finely ground pistachios or 1 small jar of pistachio paste*
50g self-raising flour (gluten free works well here)
200g fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 180/ Fan 170°C/ Gas mark 5 when the pastry has 10 mins left to chill.

1.If using ready-made pastry skip this step. Place butter and flour and sugar together in the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer. Process until you have a breadcrumb like consistency. Add the egg and few drop of cold water to form a dough. Do not overwork.

2. Now beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk or stand mixer for about 4 minutes until pale. Slowly beat in the eggs, almonds and flour until combined.

3.Remove the pastry case from the fridge and spread the base with the raspberry jam. Spoon in half the filling and scatter with half the raspberries. Add the rest of the filling and the remaining fruit and finish with almonds or pistachios.

4.Bake the tart on the baking sheet for 35 – 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Delicious served just warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt or cream. This will keep for 2 – 3 days stored in a cool place.

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*When Marks and Spencer opened their new shop in Haselmere a few months ago I was invited to take a look around. Their PR team gave me a selection of new products to try and Pistachio cream was one of them. It’s used to fill macaroons, choux buns, flavour ice-cream and other culinary delights. Here is works well in the frangipane tinting it with a lovely green hue while also imparting its distinctive flavour.

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Roll out the pastry thinly and line a 20 – 24cm flan tin. Cover with film and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

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.

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.

claygate-trio

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.

pub 9x6

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’.

beer-trio9x6

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