36 December 2008 December 2008 37

You won’t be able to resist the produce at New Lodge Farm, says Exclusive’s new food columnist

Fresh and delicious

ABOVE: Mouth-wateringly fresh carrots.

RIGHT: Simon Singlehurst with some of the qualitymeats – much of it from animals bred on the farm.

ABOVE: New Lodge Farm shop and tearoom at Bulwick. RIGHT: Plump mushrooms draw the eye.

DURINGACOLD andblustery Saturdayafternoon I travelled theshort distance fromStamford, just along the

A43 towards Kettering to Bulwick, to visit aplace that has been onmy “to do list” forages, New Lodge Farm.As a chef I’m always interested in local

produce and suppliers and what a gem Ifound. Heading up the gravel drivewaytowards the farm shop I was full ofanticipation – it remindedme of mychildhood on a rural farm in Suffolk.The car park was a good size: a good job,

too, as there were several cars parked –always a sign of a well respected business.Thank goodness there were no ornamentalstatues or sheds: New Lodge Farm is atraditional farm shop.The smell of fresh breads, cakes and

freshly brewed tea greeted me at theentrance and I could see beautifullypresented vegetables and fruits alongsidelovely bunched flowers, leading to a greatselection of meats all looking perfectlycoloured andmarbled, just crying outto be purchased and taken home to belovingly cooked and eaten.A personable Sarah Singlehurst met me.

She owns and runs the shop and workingfarmwith her husband Simon, and they arehelped by a team of local people and

Simon’s mother. All the staff seemedgenuinely happy and eager to help and werewell presented – a rare treat nowadays.The shop is spacious and I found a great

selection of prepared meats, includingAberdeen Angus Beef matured for 21 days,plus various cuts of pork and lamb, all ofwhich are bred on the farm. This is clearlyevident if you sit in the tea room enjoyingpiping hot tea, coffee, cakes, pastries and hotpaninis: there’s a great view of the adjoiningfields where you can watch the animalsgrazing in the clover fields.Sarah and Simon are great believers in

good local produce and food, and stockvarious products made frommarketkitchens, including locally made pies, jams,cakes and cheeses. They also have locallysourced chickens and sausages, the lattermade to an 80-year-old secret recipe. Thevegetables are grown by an enthusiasticRichard from J.R. Goodyear at Upwell andthey are of such good quality and freshnessit makes you think “why do I buy atsupermarkets?”Some people fear farm shops because

they believe the produce is expensive. Idisagree. Yes, it may cost a few pence morethan the mass market places we use forconvenience, but I can assure you the qualityand shelf life of all the products is superb.Sarah said: “We have customers from all

different walks of life, travelling from aradius of about 50 miles or so.We love toget to know our customers and they keepcoming back. About 85 per cent of ourgoods are local and seasonal, so ourcustomers get the best quality possible.”I didn’t meet Simon, but Sarah told me he

can often be found carving the hog roast atlocal farmers’markets, so keep an eye openfor him.New Lodge Farm is open at weekends,

but Sarah and Simon hope to increasetrading hours in the future. It is well worth avisit. Sarah is also thinking about startingcookery demonstrations using produce fromthe farm.What a great idea. I think theevents would be a sellout.

food&drink

S TAMFORD CHEF Paul Elliott featured in last month’sExclusive after returning from a fascinating trip to theFar East to cook for a Formula 1 gala dinner. He joins

Exclusive to write a monthly column focusing on seasonallocal produce and suppliers.

Paul works as head development chef for Uniq Plc,preferred supplier to Marks & Spencer and BA First Class, incharge of five food groups.

Paul is former head chef at the Jackson Stops Inn atStretton where he personally gained a Michelin Bib Gourmand;he has also previously gained 2 AA Rosettes and has workedat several top restaurants and hotels, including the Ritz inLondon. He lives in Stamford with his fiancée Anna.

Paul is also available for chef cover, consultancy, privatedining and live cookery demonstrations. He can be contactedon 07738 248029 or visit his website at www.chefcd.com

INTRODUCING ...

FESTIVEDELIGHTSWhat an excellent place to stock upon for your Christmas fayre. If youpre-order your turkey and collect onDecember 23, you can sample adelicious hog roast bap and acuppa free of charge.

New Lodge Farm shop and tearoom, BulwickTel: 01780 450493. www.newlodgefarm.co.uk The shop is open at weekends,

although hours may be extended into the week in the near future