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margate smokehouse
The vision of husband and wife team, John and Sharon Harrison, the Margate Smokehouse
may hail from small beginnings, but it is certainly set to make a great impression. Familyrun and owned, the company smokes the finest local and British produce, including fish,
meats and cheeses; a concept inspired by living in Kent, a county with an abundance of
fantastic and varied home-grown produce.
Proud to be a part of Margate's exciting
regeneration and of course, the local food
community, former chef John set up the business
in spring of this year, driven by a unyielding
passion for great, fresh and tasty foods.
Margate Smokehouse takes pride in sourcing
produce locally, whenever possible, and use
traditional curing methods to supply only the
finest smokehouse produce. All products are
cold smoked at a low temperature in a custombuilt brick smoker, with a variety of wood,
including classic oak, cherry wood and apple.
As the Harrisons' explain, smoking and curing
used to be about preserving food, but nowadays
it's all about flavour and texture. From sourcing
the finest raw ingredients and preparing, to curing,
smoking, packaging and delivery, the Margate
Smokehouse's entire process is completed inhouse.
Hugely passionate about quality produce,
John spent a lot of time over the summer sourcing
some of the finest in Kent meat, fish and cheese.
The bacon, ham and gammon available will be
from a farm in the village of Ham, near Sandwich
– of whom are specialists in producing quality
free-range pork from pedigree Berkshire pigs, a
recognised rare breed.
Meanwhile, the Smokehouse's sausages
will be sourced from a butcher, also based in
Sandwich. Made from free-range pork, the cut
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is inspired by the spices brought to the region
in the 17th century and include cayenne and
ginger.
The smoked cheeses are the finest Kent
has to offer, including award-winning Winterdale
Shaw smoked over applewood, and a hard
goat’s cheese from Ellie’s Farm, which has been
smoked with oak to produce a wonderful deep
flavour.
Locally sourced fish will be obtained from
small day boats launched from the Kent coastline.
Produce will include the best the season has to
offer, with herring a particular favourite when
smoked, producing beautifully fresh kippers in
the winter.
John has also sourced a variety of Kentish
vegetables, consisting of chillis from the Kent
Chilli Farm, including a dried smoked Paper
Lantern Habanero chilli, and a variety of
mushrooms from Kentdown Mushrooms. In this
case, the unusual Eryngii mushroom will be a
great addition to a variety of winter dishes when
dried and smoked, including stews, soups and
risottos.
Both John and Sharon recognise the current
interest in food providence and seasonality, and
are happy to cater for individuals, retailers,
restaurants and hotels. Their ethos is all about
the simplicity of flavour and the use of natural
ingredients in each and every one of their
products.
Prior to an online shop that will go live midJanuary, customers can contact Margate
Smokehouse via email, Facebook or phone to
request produce and price lists, before collecting
any orders placed directly.
As well as the opportunity to pre-order
through these such means, Margate
Smokehouse will be attending a whole host of
food markets, including becoming a regular fixture
at Cliftonville Farmers’ Market from 26th October,
and from then onwards, the fourth Sunday of
every month. They will also be attending Otford
Country Food Festival on 16th November and
Horton Kirby Farmers Market on 17th November.
What's more, in the run up to Christmas,
John and Sharon will be attending a variety of
festive food markets and events, during which
customers will have the opportunity to purchase
delights such as smoked salmon, cheeses and
gammons glazed by John himself. A variety of
hampers will also be available, as the smokehouse
have excitingly teamed up with Gadds' Ramsgate
Brewery and Chapel Down to produce some
exceptional hamper choices. One option, a
Hamper For Him, includes a selection of cheeses,
ham, chutneys and Gadds' famous dark ale,
Dogbolter.
Further festive shopping opportunities can
be had at Leeds Castle's first German-style
Christmas market, The Twelve Days of Christmas,
between 7th-22nd December, whereby the
Smokehouse will be selling its finest smoked
produce amid the traditional chalets. In addition,
they will feature at Sissinghurst Festive Market
on 1st December, Westwood Cross shopping
centre from 9th-15th December and Sevenoaks
Festive Food Market on 14th December. Tasty
Christmas treats will include ham hock terrine
(perfect for a festive starter), luxurious breakfast
treats in the way of kippers and honey-cured tea
smoked streaky bacon.
Margate Smokehouse
[email protected]
07548988881
Facebook @margate.smokehouse
Twitter @_SmokeHouse_
www.margatesmokehouse.co.uk