Around the Shop

New in store are Edible’s weird and wonderful range of delicacies from far flung corners of the globe.  Edible was formed in 2000 to broaden the minds and open up the palates of those of us in the western world who are fairly limited in culinary terms. 

Recreations of ancient aphrodisiacs consumed in the court of Cleopatra, insects eaten by the secret traders of Phenom Penh or even the unique delicacy of Cambodia – oven baked tarantula!

Edible was founded on the principles of sustainable, ecologically sound and fairly traded sourcing and overall 10% of all Edible’s profits go directly to rare and endangered species conservation projects worldwide.  Many of their products like Monkey picked tea wash and Civet coffee directly help protect the species responsible for bringing us the active ingredients as well as providing us with personal benefits such as mental well being.

Create your very own bush tucker challenge, or take part in one of ours in store and try these unique and unusual delicacies.  Never mind I’m a celebrity get me out of here… try Edibles at The Food Company!

As well as the very best daily pickings from market, we have regular deliveries from local farms of seasonal fruit and vegetables. We don't buy forced, under-ripened produce, picked long before it has had a chance to develop any flavour. All of the growers that we buy from; local, national and European, grow seasonally and naturally, ensuring only the freshest, tastiest fruit and vegetables make it to our greengrocery.We are lucky to have any local farms supply us in times when supermarkets are unreasonably demanding entire crops from small farms crippling them with rock bottom prices. We can reverse the damage this has done by ensuring the survival of independent retailers, giving the farmers more outlets to sell to that are more supportive and understanding of the agricultural costs they face.

Our greengrocers pride themselves in sourcing the more unusual things not commonly found such as fresh kaffir lime leaves (locally grown) as well as reviving tradional English favourites such as beetroot, raw or cooked in store, if the inevitable pink hands don't appeal!!

If you need an ingredient that's hard to find, just ask our staff and they will be able to advise on it's availability. Order in advance for a special occasion; we will make sure you have the freshest produce possible, packed up and ready to go. 

We have recently expanded our artisan bakery so that we can offer our extensive range of speciality bread to local restaurants. We have built a brand new bakery next door to our shop with state of the art equipment and plenty of room for our team of bakers to experiment.

All of our bread is baked daily, using only natural ingredients and traditional techniques.

Our talented team of chefs is headed by Penny Campbell, our Cordon Bleu trained chef with years of experience creating menus for private dining.

Whatever the occasion their menu is sure to have the perfect dish for you and your guests. For drinks parties and buffets they have a well planned selection of canapes and finger food or for an informal dinner party choose from their seasonal menu of home cooked traditional dishes.

Click on the tabs below to see samples of our chefs' various menus. These menus change seasonally and below you will find just a fraction of what they offer. If you would like to discuss your individual requirements with our chefs, or would like to order please email info@thefoodcompany.co.uk or telephone 01206 214011

We asked our head butcher Andy Jackson to explain the difference between the meat he buys and sells at The Food Company and the meat sold in UK supermarkets. Now many of the big supermarkets are claiming to have raised their standards, how much of this can you really trust and how much is just more marketing. We got the inside story from a man who has worked for some of the big retailers and knows their practices all too well. We also embarked on product
comparisons to see if we could
taste the difference...

Whilst many UK supermarkets have indeed been forced to improve the quality of the beef that they sell, there are still some very obvious differences in quality, as we found when we compared sirloin steak. We bought the highest quality sirloin from the service counter in a leading supermarket and took the same cut of beef from Andy’s counter. We simply seasoned both steaks with a little sea salt and grilled them both for 4 minutes each side. Before we cooked the steaks the supermarket one
was a bright pinky red, Andy’s was a little darker in colour and slightly larger all round. The first and very obvious difference after cooking was the colour, I can only describethe supermarket steak as looking a bit grey, not an appetisingly browned colour as I am used to with the steak from Andy. Both steaks were pleasantly still pink inside and both were still succulent and juicy. The final test was in the taste; whilst Andy’s was rich and buttery, the other had a livery taste, which whilst not over powering was present none the less.

Right now in our butcher's window you'll find an unrivalled selection of BBQ products as well as some fantastic value summer offers. Here's a sample of our favourite summertime products from our butchery...

● marinated steak kebabs
● marinated chicken kebabs
● marinated pork tenderloin kebabs
● marinated lamb kebabs
● lamb koftes
● minted lamb sticks
● rosemary & mint lamb burgers
● steak burgers
● chicken satay sticks in 6 flavours
• garlic
• Bombay
• Greek
• Argentinian fire
• Thai
• bbq
● speciality sausages - all made in store
• pork & stilton
• chilli & chocolate
● aromatic butterflied shoulder of lamb

We are proud to introduce our new seafood supplier Channel Fisheries.

Channel are one of the UK’s leading coastal suppliers of quality fresh fish and seafood.  Based in the beautiful fishing port of Brixham and established in 1981 they now supply many of Britain’s foremost chefs and caterers as well as London’s premier established food retailers.  In 2006 they were granted the Royal Warrant after many years of service to the Royal Household and a recognition of 25 years dedication to quality.

All of their local fish is sourced daily from the day boat fleets at Brixham, Plymouth and Looe, with speciality products sourced from Scotland, Bittany and Rungis market in Paris.

Channel’s buyers operate on Brixham market day in, day out hand selecting the pick of the day’s catch from the boats as they are landed. The fish is then transported to Channel’s plant sited less than a mile away from Brixham market.

On arrival each and every fish is inspected and graded according to size then tagged with a unique system that indicates the fish has been graded and selected by Channel Fisheries.

All day boat fish is despatched and delivered within 24 hours of landing. This ensures our customers enjoy fresh fish that cannot be bettered anywhere in the UK.

Sourcing Policy

Landings at Brixham, Plymouth and Newlyn (the three major ports of South West Fisheries) are diverse with over 40 species available. Many are not harvested to their full potential because they are so undervalued and 60% are non-quota species. The fisheries are well managed here by quotas and days at sea are limited. Some species here are currently undergoing MSC (Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainable seafood) showing the local industry’s commitment to sustainability. Many of the vessels in the fleet have adjusted mesh sizes to reduce the number of discards. Our customers can buy with confidence and be absolutely sure of the provenance of their fish.

Kings Caviar

Caviar – throughout history known as ‘the food of Kings’ – the most expensive food in the world.  We are now proud to source our caviar from King’s Fine Foods.

King’s was founded on this delicacy and continues to be the largest importer of caviar into the UK. King’s founder Laura is renowned as one of the UK’s caviar experts and has worked for over 20 years in the caviar industry.

King’s offer 1st quality wild caviar from the Caspian Sea and the best available farmed caviar from around the world.

Caviar is available to order from our fishmongers on a 48 hour delivery, for advice on types of caviar available and prices, please contact our fishmongers on 01206 214010.

Cheesemonger

Vacherin Mont D’Or
During the summer months herds of cows graze on the pastures of the massif Mont D’Or, it is their rich, unpasteurised alpine milk that is exclusively used in making Vacherin.  Available between October and April, Vacherin has a creamy, melting texture and a resinous flavour that comes from the strips of spruce used to bind the cheese as it is matured. 

Whole baby cheeses are available and are delicious baked in the oven in their wooden boxes.  The creamy pate of the cheese becomes soft and gooey and can be spooned over potatoes or spread onto crusty bread, just like a mini fondue.

Cooked meats

Winter always seems to inspire our deli chefs to invent and experiment.  Mouthwatering aromas coming from their kitchen lead us to hams glazed in marmalade, studded with cloves and marinated in festive spices fresh from the oven.  New pies fight for space in their counters, made from every seasonal product our chefs can get their hands on, traditional turkey, cranberry and stuffing and rich game from our butchers.

The rise and rise of the humble Rose...

Rosé, traditionally, has been considered a medium dry, slightly simple style of wine, more in keeping with a holiday in the Algarve or Southern France - who can’t remember a holiday without a flashback to a glass or two of Mateus Rosé?

Nowadays, with massive improvements in vineyard management and seriously improved vinification techniques rosé has become something very different indeed; be it a fresh strawberry tinged apperitif or a glass of full bodied weighty cabernet sauvignon rosé from the New World just screaming for a barbequed steak, all needs are catered for.

Versitility has become the keyword here and anyone dismissing rosé as a 1970’s dinner party throwback need think again. Serve the perfect rosé this summer and all your guests will be talking. Be in the know and prove it in the wines you show!

2010 will be the summer of rosé’s big return, Pinot Grigio should be shaking in its boots!

Here is our wine manager's pick of our rose...

Ponte Pietra, Pinot Grigio Rosata, 2009, Italy
Very pale pink in colour with a lovely perfumed nose with aromas of
ripe pear and freshly baked breadcrust. Full-bodied but still fresh on
the palate with a crisp, apple-pear finish. £6.99

Sancerre Rosé, Girault, 2008, France
It is the Loire Valley to which most of us look to for rosé and the classic wines from Domaine Pierre Girault certainly fits the bill. Chilled it is the perfect antidote to Summer heat with ripe refreshing dry fruit crisp acidity and lingering finish. At this price it represents a bargain. £14.25

Touraine Rosé, Marcadet, 2009, France
A good nose, showing some impressively pungent and grassy fruit, but with a nice creamy edge. Ripe and rich character on the palate, well endowed with flavour, balanced although rich, with a good and firm finish. This is impressive stuff, riper and surely the work of a very careful vigneron. £8.99

Le Petit Jaboulet, Grenache Rosé, 2008, France
Vibrant pale pink in colour, with fresh, youthful perfumes of rose petals,
raspberries and strawberries. On the palate it is balanced and fresh,
with a light, lively red fruit character and a zesty clean finish. £7.99

J Bouchon, Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, 2008, Chile
Gently pressed using a new ‘vacuum’ press which allows far more control during production, This wine has an attractive colour with wild strawberries and blackberries on the nose, quite dry palate. Excellent with barbequed meat. £7.25

Eating at The Food Company has a new twist. Our exciting new menu is based around the fantastic Teppanyaki style grill we have installed in our first floor restaurant. Quick, simple dishes cooked on the grill with the emphasis on the high quality ingredients and flavoursome marinades we use.

Sample menu

Salmon Fishcake with new potatoes & salad          
Minute Rump Steak with flat mushroom, tomato, parsley butter & chips
Gammon Steak & eggs with mushroom, tomato & lyonnaise potatoes       
Chicken Satay Sticks with dressed baby leaves with BBQ sauce & rice     
Marinated Chicken Stirfry with bean sprouts, noodles & spring onions       
Food Company Beef Burger with salad & chips          
Teriyaki Marinated Salmon with saffron noodles & spring onions          
Tender Pork Fillet medallions with mushroom & bean sprout salad            
Marinated Prawn Kebabs with thai spiced wild rice salad                            

Now summer is finally here why not enjoy the weather and take a seat in our outside cafe. Enjoy our fresh, easy summer menu, choose from a selection of dishes from around the shop including delicious salads from our chef's gourmet kitchen and our deli counters. We are open from 7am Monday to Friday, so you can catch the early sun and enjoy breakfast continental style!