the UK based Restaurant and Hotel Review

It's Foodie Showtime

Now is the time for Agricultural and County Shows up and down the country. The food tents are often the most crowded as visitors jostle for freebies such as little pieces of sausage, morsels of cheese, or slivers of smoked salmon. Some of the products can be a bit dubious, at least in terms of their provenance, but the stands operated under the umbrella of Farmer's Markets sell products genuinely produced on that farm. 

I had a look around the stalls at the Spring Bank Holiday Surrey County Show at Guildford, and I came across some very good provender. See below.

The Surrey County Show celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, and one of the founding farmers was P.C. Stovold, of Lydling Farm, Shackleford. They care for one of the largest pure bred herds of Aberdeen Angus beef cattle, and do everything traditionally, so no GM feeds or additives, no Artificial Insemination (they have their own specially selected bulls), so everything is 100% traceable. As one of the founders, not only do they exhibit their cattle (and win many prizes) but they also have a retail stall in the Farmer's Market. Just as I did last year,  I bought some rump steak to put on the char griller. It was dark, showing that it had been properly hung, and after rapid exposure to searing heat, it came out pink and moist inside, heart-achingly tender and full of beefy flavour: once again the best steak I've had at home. They sell at farmer's markets in Surrey (see their website for details) and are currently working on the logistics of selling over the web.

Find out more at www.aberdeenangus.co.uk, or email: info@aberdeenangus.co.uk
tel: 01483 811814

Another Farm selling directly to the public is Hunts Hill Farm in the village of Normandy, just outside Guildford. Their free range chickens and ducks are something worth shouting about, as is their lamb. I particularly enjoyed their Barnsley style loin chops which come like all their meat, vacuum packed with a fridge life of up to three weeks. This year I bought chicken, duck and pork, all of which tasted really good. I gave the pork an oink factor of 9 out of 10!  Look out for the Hunts Hill stand at Farmer's Markets and County Shows this summer.

Find out more about Hunts Hill Farm on tel: 01483 811840

Now here's a strange thing; some of the best "Parmesan" cheese isn't only made in Reggiano - and it isn't of course called Parmesan any longer -  it's made near Bolney in  West Sussex.  Cheesemakers at Twineham Grange Farm are making this wonderful full flavoured premium Italian style hard cheese, and they sell it over the web as well as at shows and markets. They make ricotta style cream cheese and butter, and they also distribute Italian Mozzarella and other Italian products.

Find out more about Italian style Sussex cheeses at www.tgfonline.com

Further afield, in Somerset to be precise, is one of my favourite suppliers of smoked products, especially salmon, venison, duck and trout. But it was smoked eel that really put Brown & Forrest on the map. You can visit their restaurant and smokery at Bowden's farm in Hambridge, Somerset TA 10 0BP, or order direct via their website. Over the years their range has increased several times over, and their list makes mouth watering reading. Don't miss their Craster kippers, which deliver a huge flavour hit for your money! They have a stall every week at London's Borough Market, www.boroughmarket.org.uk, the Mecca for foodies, and they  will be at the British Food Fair at The Hop Farm,  Paddock Wood, Kent on 19th and 20th June www.thehopfarm.co.uk

Find out more about Brown & Forrest at www.smokedeel.co.uk, or tel: 01458 250875

Kitchen gadgets

Apart from food, there's always a tempting selection of gadgets at Country Fairs and Shows. I'm a sucker for a slick demo, and I can't number the bits and pieces that have grown dusty in the cupbaord until they finally make the trip to the charity shop. But there's one old favourite that I really do use - and that's my Borner mandoline. Yes, they were still on show again, and if you only use it to slice potatoes finely to make  pommes dauphinois,  it's worth it! 

Another stand that keeps cropping up is the Paella pan stand, whose website is www.totallytapas.co.uk. They sell every conceivable diameter of enamel Paella pan, from tiny to gynormous, with special matching gaz burners to cook on outdoors. There are even ceramic Paella dishes that can be heated directly from underneath. I haven't dared try that myself - but I use them as oven dishes and they're great.  The secret of a good Paella is to use the correct primary ingredient, the Paella rice, and don't stir it, it's not a pilaff! The various secondary ingredients are arranged to make a picture in the pan. If you resist stirring, the bottom of your Paella should be shiny and crisp. You can order the traditional rice and herbs and spices from www.totallytapas.co.uk

 Other useful sources:

National Association of Farmer's Markets: www.farmersmarkets.net

Surrey markets www.surreyfarmersmarkets.com  Farm visits: louisa@face-online.org.uk

Shows: CLA Game Fair  22-24th July 2005, Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire

Surrey farm and village week 17-25th September 2005 www.surreycountyshow.co.uk

Clifford Mould June 2005

NB Dine Online is an independent review magazine. We have no business connections with any of the restaurants and hotels we write about. We do not make bookings or reservations for you! Comments to mrs_beeton@hotmail.com

 Back to Dine Online Home Page

Dine Online Copyright Clifton Media Associates June 2004, All rights reserved.
Views or opinions expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publishers, Clifton Media Associates. While every care is taken in compiling this publication, the publishers cannot assume responsibility for any effects arising therefrom.