Field to fork - Rare fare
In the second of our series looking at how pubs are using the produce of local suppliers, Richard Fox visits a rare breeds supplier.
It's one thing to find an artisan producer of top-tasting tucker, it's quite another to find one who can deliver enough of the stuff to satisfy commercial quantities. Charles Ashbridge is a man whose mission is to do just that - with ambitions to be the largest producer of rare-breed pigs in the north of England. And in spite of his quiet, self-effacing manner, you sense that neither he, nor his pigs have any plans to grow wings in order to achieve this. Hearing him talk with educated authority and quiet certainty, backed by a number of generations of farming pedigree, I'm tempted to ask about his abilities to turn water into wine. However, I feel suitably assured that should this ever come to pass, his mother- come-PR will make certain we're aware of it.
This is no Chardonnayfuelled bank-busting expenseaccount PR, however. This is good, honest, Yorkshirefarming PR with an eye on the future. And in spite of the surrounding fields, muddy wellies, and working four-wheel drives, there's not a whiff of bullshit anywhere. There's something reassuring and refreshing about the way this genial family have successfully blended traditional, qualityfarming values with the business savvy of a city investment bank. What's really remarkable, however, is that Charles is only 25. But then again, he did start in the family business at the age of six, so by my reckoning he's well overdue for the gold watch.
Seated in the Aga-heated comfort of their farmhouse kitchen (which incidentally also serves up a pretty mean breakfast to their B&B customers), I'm enthralled as Charles reveals the ins and outs of breeding top-tasting pork. As he relates details of the extra weaning periods of his pigs against the more intensively-reared varieties, the slower weight gain (which relates directly to more flavour), and the traditional sugar-beet diet, I can sense the sweet crunch of the crackling that I'm increasingly craving at the two-rosetted Durham Ox where I'm planning on sampling the fruits of his labours for lunch. But first, we're heading for the hills to make sure the practice is living up to the theory.
The friendliest bunch of swine I've ever had the good fortune to encounter greets us at the gate. But a word of warning; they're a jealous bunch. Show one a little extra attention and you'll induce a bout of aggressive shoving and snorting to rival the most spurned of lovers. After much patting and stroking (this is how he demonstrates the "healthy" fat content of his charges), Charles explains how intensively- reared animals just don't have the same dense feel. By this time the girlfriend's getting all bleary eyed. After six months of weaning a one-time veggie back onto bacon, I suggest we beat a hasty retreat.
Apparently, what we've seen is just a snapshot of the number of animals Charles actually deals with. In order to maintain a catering quantity of Sandy Blacks, Saddlebacks, Gloucester Old Spots, Tamworths, Berkshires and Large Blacks, Charles quite literally farms out the responsibilities. He trawls the north Yorkshire countryside looking for credible and responsible breeders, who he effectively licences to supply him with pigs. This way, not only can he maintain supply, but also extend range. Let's face it, how else could he also supply fine cattle and his prized Swaledale lamb - all grass fed on the Dale's finest. About 15 minutes after bidding farewell to the man and, we arrive at the Durham Ox, bang on opening time.
The fire's already roaring and there's a buzz of expectation in the air as gastronauts from far and wide converge on the idyllic Yorkshire village of Craike. You see, the pub not only cooks some of the finest produce around, but it also houses its very own farm-shop-cum-deli at the back of the pub, supplying pretty much the entire menu in raw take-home form. They've even been known to supply full English breakfast boxes to Saturday night punters for their morning fry-up. Now that's what I call service. Back to business, and over a pint of hoppy Theakstons I give the menu a perfunctory once over. It's not that I couldn't devour its entire, divine contents, but I'm on another kind of piggy business - Saddleback to be precise, with grain mustard mash, apple sauce, crackling and scrumpy jus.
Proprietor and food and drink enthusiast John Ibbotsen informs me that the slow-cooked, rare-breed belly pork is one of their best sellers. With 60kg of the stuff sold over the previous Easter weekend, this is no exaggeration. The food arrives: I taste, and everything falls into place. The meat melts in the mouth, while the perfectly golden, crisp crackling offers the ideal texture contrast. While produce of this quality doesn't come cheap - and will have to be reflected in the menu price - a few things are guaranteed. I will have to return for more, and I will tell every man and his dog about this source of epicurean enlightenment. Now that's got to be good for business. Let's face it, 300 portions of belly in a weekend can't be wrong.
Contacts: Taste Tradition Ltd (specialists in rare breed meats) Tel: 01845 597 389 Fax: 01845 597 872 The Durham Ox, Craike Tel: 01347 821506
