Shopping Locally

My Mother visited the Island this weekend, and after having lunch at Big Vern's last week, I had noticed that their plates and mugs are produced at a local pottery located at 7 Belvedere Terrace. I used to live at 7 Belvedere Terrace, so whilst my Mum was over we visited the pottery and I bought a beautiful dish for grating garlic or ginger upon. Theresa was there and as well as talking about the house and how it has changed over the years she introduced us to her creations. I wanted to buy lots, but being stoneware the pottery is not cheap and at this expensive time of year I could not treat myself to anything more than the dish I bought.

I notice that the pottery is a member of Genuine Jersey. The Genuine Jersey website has a large list of members upon which I notice Classic Herd Ltd, the Quenaults' business. I used the rare opportunity of having some free time last week to pop into the Quennaults' farm shop where I was surprised to find a large number of luxury biscuits and relishes. A farm shop seems an odd place to buy Christmas presents, but there you go! I did buy some bacon, soup, spare ribs and the Jersey Brie and those we have so far eaten were good. The Brie has a much more solid texture than Brie from France or Somerset, but was very creamy. The farm shop is quite large and when I visited I was the only person buying, although they were re-stocking the sausages which indicated plenty of customers earlier. I do wish the Quenaults every success, and will be shopping there when I can, although I can not see myself buying many of the luxury biscuits, sauces etc. I am hoping that next year they may sell new potatoes that have not been through the grader.

Grading new potatoes bruises and dries them, and should be made illegal. Potatoes that have not been through the grader are more tender and seem to stay fresh longer than those that have, but I have a dreadful job finding any. The only way to be sure to get some is to befriend someone growing them! Eating potatoes that have not been graded is like eating the potatoes we enjoyed as children.