We travel across the region, from Northumberland to Durham, to seek out the finest produce on offer…
The Artisan Bacon Co
A fourth-generation butcher with RC Roland & Son, Artisan Bacon Co. founder Jeff Roland and his team specialise in smoked, dry- and sweet-cured local bacon. Varieties are flavoured with locally sourced ingredients from Northumbrian beers to coffee and honey, and the bacon is smoked in a traditional coastal smokehouse.
Available from RC Roland & Son, 26 Queen Street, Amble, NE65 0BZ and online at www.artisanbacon.co.uk
Consett Ale Works
Saluting the North East’s industrial history, Consett Ale Works has a long award-winning history. Based at Consett’s oldest pub, The Grey Horse, the brewery produces cask-conditioned ales for many of the region’s best pubs and bottled ales for good bottle shops. The collection includes Red Dust, a clear ruby red ale inspired by the red dust from the town’s former steelworks; Steel Town Bitter, a golden session beer; and White Hot, a perfect summer ale.
www.consettaleworks.co.uk
Bread & Roses
Alnwick-based Bread & Roses is home to artisan breads made with local ingredients including Gilchesters Organics flour. The range includes wheat-free Moscow Rye, Borodinsky and Black Pumpernickel, plus naturally leavened and sourdough varieties. Served in fine restaurants, Bread & Roses also appears at markets including Morpeth and Hexham farmers’ markets and shops across Northumberland (listed on the website).
Bread & Roses, Unit 5C, Willowtree Industrial Estate, Alnwick, NE66 2HA, tel 01665 603 054, www.breadandroses.co.uk
The Deli Around the Corner
Home to goods ranging from bread and patisserie to local meat and poultry, cheese and hundreds of local artisan products, The Deli Around the Corner is an essential stopping point. On our last visit we picked up some Mandala Express blends, Tynemouth Flower Honey (back in stock at the end of July), superb Geordie Bangers, along with a freshly made sandwich and homemade soup.
The Deli Around the Corner, Hotspur Street, Tynemouth, NE30 4EE, tel 0191 259 0086, www.thedeliaroundthecorner.co.uk
grate
For hand-picked artisan cheeses, we recommend a visit to grate in Jesmond, Newcastle. Dedicated to the art of cheese and cheese-making, its founder is Dubliner Moz Murphy, who sources cheese locally and from fine producers around the world, pairing them with wonderful bread from FAB Bakery and products from selected producers.
grate, 252 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, NE2 1LD, tel 0191 649 2528, www.facebook.com/gratenewcastle
Hoardweel Farm
Hoardweel Farm in the Scottish Borders is home to superb Wagyu beef and Berkshire pork. Both can be delivered direct to your door, cutting food miles and bringing you expertly reared, free-range, grass-fed, sustainably produced meat. The online shop is stocked with beef and pork joints, steaks, burgers, sausages, pies and more.
www.hoardweelwagyu.co.uk
Muckle Brewing
Situated close to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, Muckle Brewing has a reputation for high quality ales and big flavours. This craft brewery, run by husband and wife team Tom and Nicola Smith, produces bottled and cask-conditioned available from stockists across Northumberland and at selected markets. A new online shop is set to open soon.
www.mucklebrewing.co.uk
Northumberland Cheese Company
Established in 1984, Northumberland Cheese is stocked in shops and delis across the region. Its famous Redesdale ewe’s milk cheese is made here, alongside a varieties made from cows’, goats’ and sheep milk. Award-winning varieties include Nettle, Oak-Smoked and Redesdale, and visitors to the Cheese Loft Café can sample them alongside the breakfast and lunch menu.
Northumberland Cheese Company, The Cheese Farm, Green Lane, Blagdon, NE13 6BZ, tel 01670 789 798, Facebook @NlandCheese, www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk
Northumbrian Pantry
Run from a kitchen in Simonburn, Northumberland Pantry’s range of jams, jellies and chutneys is available to buy online, at farm shops and delis. Alice and David Murray draw on a range of experiences for their inspiration, from their Northumberland roots and Victorian family recipes to their time living in Botswana.
Tel 01434 681 118, www.northumbrianpantry.com
