THE FRESHEST OF FOOD AND A NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT HARTLEY COFFEE HOUSE AND FARM SHOP
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 !
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 info @ hartley . farm www . hartley . farm
HartleyCoffeeH HartleyCoffeeHouseandFarmShop
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