insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 22 - December 2016 | Page 72

FOOD+DRINK THE FRESHEST OF FOOD AND A NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT HARTLEY COFFEE HOUSE AND FARM SHOP With a family history steeped in farming, an evident pride and care in their offering and a quaint and welcoming shop and coffee house - Samantha Ready is inspired by the wonders on offer and the story behind…Hartley Coffee House and Farm Shop. In a day and age where common buzzwords in food are ‘fresh’, ‘quality’ and ‘local’, it’s amazing how many of us time-poor folk still plod through a dull supermarket. I don’t know about you, but I have to say that I have become increasingly disillusioned with what awaits on the weekly shop. For me, the glossy packaging can no longer detract from some rather dreary looking poultry, some roughly cut meat, or some sorry-for-itself wilted veg, especially when added to the fact that often the racks of what you are looking for are increasingly empty and the prices just seem to keep nudging upwards. There is of course an alternative, and one which could surprise you just as much as it has me… Walking through the doors to Hartley Coffee House and Farm Shop near Cranbrook was something of a revelation; what awaited was a large, modern shop/deli hybrid. A little haven of produce heaven that has not only been painstakingly and lovingly thought out by owners Chris and Sheenagh Levett, but that has been delivered in a way that is warm and welcoming, and has earned them a dedicated team of staff and a growing band of loyal customers. The shop itself is perfectly formed, offering wide aisles to dedicated sections: the butchery, the bakery, deli and dairy, grocery and fresh, the cellar, homeware and gifts, and garden plants; but the difference lies in the concept, passion and delivery that oozes with the natural charm of the owners, who work tirelessly to train and inspire their staff and to deliver the best to their community. Chris and Sheenagh are the seventh generation of the Levett family to farm in the Kent and East Sussex area, firstly growing hops, but latterly the main crops are apples, pears and cherries. Their son, Chris, and his wife, Holly, are now part of the family business too, and who knows....their sons, George and Henry, could be the ninth generation of Levett farmers! They pride themselves on delivering food that is fresh, homemade, local, unusual, or award winning. To this end the pork is home produced; head butcher, Ian Jones, raises the grass fed lamb on his farm and the prime quality beef comes from local farms in Tenterden and Hawkhurst; their fruit is their own and sourced from other farms nearby; their fresh produce, juices and wines offer a host of local favourites as well as some new and upcoming producers; and their baked goods - a section currently diversifying to offer interesting additions such as fougasse and other artisan breads alongside their popular doughnuts and pastries, are all handmade on site at the crack of dawn by head baker, Keith. Now let’s consider their far from humble sausage roll…not content with farming their own fruit, the Levetts now farm their own rare breed Gloucester Old Spot pigs too. From less than a mile down the road comes their own pork, turned into sausagemeat by their butcher and then passed the 20 yards to the bakery team who produce delicious, flaky pastry to encase the delicately seasoned meat, which results in what must be the freshest, most local sausage roll ever! And it tasted amazing. Browsing the mouthwatering array of handmade pies, fresh cheeses, juicy cuts of meats - which even included ready seasoned kebabs and curries to cook at home - and of course lured by the freshly baked bread aromas, my appetite was whetted! 72 Thank goodness then for a quick pitstop in the onsite Coffee House. Set at the rear of the shop, offering panoramic views across the orchards and countryside beyond, as well as an outdoor terrace - soon to be home to their first ever Santa’s grotto - it provided the perfect respite to shopping and allowed us to sample some of the produce available. My partner tucked into a hearty spinach and feta pie with salad and I devoured a slice of fresh lemon drizzle cake. All around were resounding ‘mmms’ and ‘ahhs’ as fellow diners polished off piping-hot bowls of freshly made soup, platters of quiche or pies, and tasty toasties, washed down with fresh coffee or juice. Appetites sated, but of course inspired for more, we returned to the shop to complete our purchases not only happy with our selection of truly fresh food, but also excited by a truly fresh shopping experience. The cherry on the top of our (freshly baked) cake was finding out that the prices were no more (and at times surprisingly cheaper!) than the supermarket down the road, but also that our goodies were not only fresh and local, but undoubtedly a whole lot better too. I am now a farm shop convert; I urge you to try it out for yourself. Hartley Coffee House & Farm Shop Hartley Road Cranbrook Kent TN17 3QG 01580 715233 [email protected] www.hartley.farm HartleyCoffeeH HartleyCoffeeHouseandFarmShop