|
|
 |
EATING IN EYNSHAM
«
The
quality of Eynsham produce goes back
to the Abbey Fishponds
and lives on in the Allotments
and the Village
Show.
Why go further? Our food
suppliers
range from a deli to an organic veg
stall and our Country Market
is worth a special visit. Take
a break afterwards in a local
cafe.
See also access
and parking; opening
times; recipes; seasonal
specials; Sophie's
Choice; school
meals in style
BELOW:
intro & pix from Helen Peacocke;
features
for COUNTRY
MARKET and CORNUCOPIA
SPOILED
FOR CHOICE
Few
living out their childhood in Eynsham
directly after the war, when
sweets and meat were rationed, will
forget the joy of collecting a
loaf from Biggers the bakers, in the
very centre of the village.Those
warm crusty loaves were unforgettable
and seldom arrived home without
at least one crust missing. Sometimes
two. The longer the journey the
smaller the loaf that reached the
kitchen table.
Sadly
Biggers closed down some years ago.
That aroma of freshly baked bread
no longer permeates the streets that
lead to the village square. We
can buy some really tasty bread from
our well-stocked deli
Cornucopia,
but of course it is not baked on the
premises.
Then
there was the small general grocers
shop next to the Chemist, and
later in Old Witney Road, run by David
and Peggy Knight who would go
out of their way to stock all we
needed. In their crowded little shop
the potatoes were weighed on a pair of
red scales with brass weights.
That comforting thud of potatoes being
tipped from the brass bowl
into the shopping basket still lingers
in the memory.
But
times change. Most of us buy our
potatoes in plastic bags now, from
the Spar or the
Co-op,
though we can find excellent local
produce on the organic fruit and
vegetable stall outside The
Emporium
every Saturday
morning.
The
weekly Country
Market
has a superb selection of locally
grown fruits and vegetables too.
They also uphold the village tradition
of home baking. No one could
ask for a better selection of home-
baked goods, including a fine
selection of savoury
dishes.
The
village is also lucky to have a fine
butcher's shop run by Richard
Golsby, who goes out of his way to
source local meat where ever
possible. You can order a certain cut
here and have it prepared just
as you like it. Standing in the
butcher's queue on a Saturday morning
is rather like being a member of a
very friendly club where everyone
knows
everyone.
EATING
OUT;
FAST
FOOD
The
village also boasts an Italian
restaurant in Newland Street and a
superb Indian & Bangladeshi
restaurant in Lombard Street, where
customers are made to feel at home
immediately. There's a Chinese
take away too, a fish & chip shop
and several sandwich
outlets.
As
most of the pubs
sell food now, and freshly cooked
meals feature on the deli menu -
eating out, or buying prepared food to
take home, is easy. We are
almost spoiled for choice,
particularly as the Co-op stocks
Fairtrade
goods and now goes out of its way to
embrace changing food trends and
stock items once found only in Oxford.
And if you fancy relaxing with
one of the tastiest cups of coffee
this side of London, while
munching a slice of home made cake,
The Emporium serves that
too.
Helen
Peacocke; see also Helen's
Garden
COUNTRY
MARKET - more here
COME
TO St Leonard's Church Hall
in Eynsham
any Thursday morning from February to
December between 9 and 10.30
and you will find our flourishing
Country Market, supported by more
than 40 suppliers. There is a
staggering display of seasonal homemade
produce - cakes, breads, tarts,
savouries, cookies, local eggs,
honey, jams and chutneys - for supper,
the freezer, vegetarians. Even
in winter days we sell locally grown
parsnips, lettuce, leeks,
cabbage, apples and potatoes. In
season we have cut flowers:
daffodils, lilac, chrysanthemums,
gladioli or mixed posies. In spring
and summer our gardeners have
herbaceous and vegetable seedlings
ready for planting out. The crafts are
represented too, in greeting
cards, needlework and wood - our
latest member makes plant troughs
and walking
sticks.
The
queue at opening time is famous across
the village, cheerful in any
weather. The bulk of perishable
produce is often sold within 15
minutes but there is still coffee and
biscuits (an affordable 25p)
and every month free
‘tastings’. Customers
unable to get
out early will find their requests
waiting on the Orders table. We
can also supply gift hampers and use
the network of Country
Markets throughout the
country to meet orders beyond our
reach.
In
common with Country Markets across the
country (now fully independent of the
Women's Institute), each new
supplier buys a 5p share. A
bargain when the cheque appears at the
end of the month (less 10% for
overheads). Every country market cook
must have a current Food
Hygiene Certificate to protect the
customers. Because our cooking
areas are liable to official
inspection, ours are not kitchens where
the dog’s brush rests on the
chopping board! In addition, all
our ingredients are traceable; produce
is dated for day of sale; and
allergy contents (e.g. nuts) are
highlighted. Packaging too is
carefully regulated and while the
regulations may seem a lot at first
they are soon absorbed into the weekly
routine.
The
market is vital to the community.
Here, co-operatively, we keep alive
the skills of home cooking,
particularly seasonal foods, apple
&
blackberry pies in the autumn and
mincepies at Christmas; of
craftwork (handknitted jerseys in the
Eynsham Cricket Club livery for
instance), plants grown in the local
soil, honey and eggs from bees
and hens that have buzzed and pecked
about in OX29. We are always interested
in encouraging new producers to join
us. Where else could a retired person,
or one tied to home with young
children, find a useful outlet for time
and talents and augment an income or
allowance into the bargain?
Visit
us if you can. Better still, join us!
Contact Market Controller Sue
Butler-Miles on 01865 880928 or email
.
Jennifer
Harland; see also Food for
Thought
CORNUCOPIA
is a deli with a difference, run by
long-term residents Sandy and
Nick. It offers high quality
ingredients, from local suppliers and
producers who are conscious of food
miles, along with fresh, home
cooked food.
The
DELI stocks a fantastic range of
cheeses (many British, a few local),
olives marinated in store, salami,
honey roast ham prepared in store
and many other products
(below).
The
shelves are laden with
traditional baked bread, jam, biscuits,
chutney, chocolates, honey,
oil, pasta, etc.
If
you don't see what you want,
just ask: it may be in the kitchen, or
on sale locally, or available
to order.
For
recipe ideas you're welcome to
browse through the cook books, or ask
in the kitchen for
advice.
The
KITCHEN produces fantastic food using
seasonal ingredients and varied
to cater for people with special
diets.
A
great range of snack
food, prepared that
morning, is available at lunchtime
–
with the ‘luxury’
sausage roll from Wednesday to
Saturday.
A
dinner
dish, prepared daily, is
ready by 3pm at latest. This is sold by
the portion and can be ordered
in advance for reheating in the
oven/microwave. Or you can
take pot luck with freshly cooked soup,
pesto, bolognaise sauce,
garlic bread and salads, pleasure pots
and
crumbles.
Cornucopia
also provides food for parties,
picnics and gift hampers: call in,
phone or visit the website.
EYNSHAM
ONLINE is an Eynsham Parish
Council initiative.
Email
comment/queries to
eynsham-online@hotmail.co.uk
|
