Stunning in Steyning

Andrew Kay heads out to Steyning for a culinary treat at The Sussex Produce Company

I made Sussex my home over 25 years ago and back at the start it was to say the least something of a culinary wilderness. There were exceptions of course and I soon found them: Middle Farm, Paston Place… These days we are all crazy about good food, and seasonal, local produce but few are as crazy as Nick Hempleman who opened his excellent shop in 2007 and, despite an initial struggle, has now moved to much larger premises at the opposite end of Steyning’s pretty High Street. They now occupy what was formerly a conventional supermarket and have done an incredible job of disguising the fact. But less of the building and more about the food.

Passionate about local produce Nick was desperate to sell it and to champion it. He has assembled a remarkable number of local suppliers, everything from bread to beer, and the shop is a food lover’s paradise. Outside is the most exquisite array of fresh vegetables, mostly local but with the addition of some superb quality imports. The latter is testament to an idea that I hold too, local food and seasonal yes, but only if it meets the mark in terms of quality. As a consequence he now stocks great imported charcuterie alongside the local fare and stunning fruits and olives that we simply cannot grow. It’s a balanced idea and he and his team pull it off perfectly.

In the new larger premises they also have a café. It started small but after bringing in an excellent manager Jerome who some of us already know from his time at Moshimo (then Moshi Moshi).

Together they have taken the café to great heights and for Christmas last year they were filling the place night after night with people from near and far, some who had already delighted in their lunches and cream teas, some who had seen them on TV and some who had simply heard the buzz.

Needless to say it had to be tried so I joined an old friend and Steyning resident Mrs S for a festive supper. We started with a walk around the shop and a glass of Sussex fizz, well what else would you expect? I wanted to fill a basket several times over but the late train back made that less attractive. Finally we sat at a table in a corner and watched as huge parties arrived to take advantage of the excellently priced party menu.

I made my way through a mountain of great mixed olives and some great bread and waited for my mixed meat antipasti. Mrs S does not like olives so had to wait but only a short time before platters of great antipasti arrived. I loved it all, delicious hams and saucisson, great olives and artichokes and homemade hummus. It tasted wonderful and beneath the dressed leaves there was more than enough. Perhaps they need to show that off on a bigger plate.

Mrs S chose a risotto for her main course and declared it delicious. I chose the guinea fowl. I love it, it has a quite distinctively rich flavour when cooked with skill and this was. The skin was crisp, the breast succulent and the leg cooked to a perfect tenderness. The sauce was good and the accompanying vegetables perfect too. It was exactly what I would choose for a Christmas meal, simple and without all that trad nonsense that makes Christmas dinner so dreary and overpowering.

We drank a great bottle of red, Malbec, and no not from Sussex, I am yet to be really convinced by a Sussex red or Kent for that matter. Mrs S went on to have a Christmas pud and loved it. I like Christmas pud but only once a year and I knew that one was promised for Christmas Day so I went for the chocolate mousse. I liked the flavour a lot; there was a subtle hint of orange, and I polished it off despite the texture being slightly granular, but that was a tiny nit-picking fault in what was a superb meal at an incredible price of £17.50 a head. Now I’ve paid more than that for a plate of guinea fowl that didn’t come close to being as good as this one.

I cannot wait to return and try the normal menu. I may even have to go for lunch, stay for afternoon tea and hang about until dinner. Well, why not?

The Sussex Produce Company is open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea every day, Sunday roast every Sunday and dinner every Friday and Saturday.
The Sussex Produce Company, 88 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3RD, 01903 815045
www.thesussexproducecompany.co.uk