Displaying items by tag: Needham Mkt

Haven't been to Alder Carr Farm for months and so set off for a sunny Saturday lunch with Mum. It was very busy - because it clearly has some of the best produce in the area and an interesting lunch menu that goes on until 3pm. We shared a paté dotted with pistachios, venison pie (with chips - sometimes I just have to have the gravy with chips...) and then a dessert pear, served with their own first rate coffee ice cream. It was all tasty and great value. The seasonal and locally sourced evidence is right there in the huge display of bright orange pumpkins and squash - to remind us that autumn is here.

I eat a lot of bacon in my job as an Hotel Inspector. But all those breakfasts eaten in my line of duty have not put me off  a good rasher of bacon when I get home 

Dry Cured Back Bacon finished in Black Treacle and Beer.

Hill Top Smokehouse had a tasty looking stall at the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fair at the weekend. There is an online shop, so order yourself some award winning goodies for Christmas.  Or if you are passing by either of the family run butchers shop's R J Smiths of Needham Market or Byfords Traditional Fresh Foods of Rayleigh, Essex pop in and buy some.

Spent the morning (and at least £50) chatting to the producers and telling them that Gino is coming to town in case they want to enter the competition. We tasted beetroot and chilli relish from The Seasonal Garden www.theseasonalgarden.co.uk, a nice pork pie and liver and bacon dog biscuits (the dog loved them!) from Samphire's www.samphireshop.co.uk. and took home a chicken, bacon and mushroom pie made in Buxhall, bread from flour ground at Pakenham Mill, fudge and a slice of cake. In the cafe we ate deep fried goats cheese with beetroot and apple salad and honey dressing. A nice way to spend a day in the pouring rain with no sign of warmer weather yet.

PS If you're looking for squirrel meat, someone here sells that too.