Vote South Downs in the Sussex Food and Drink Awards
August 18, 2016
Look out at the South Downs and you’ll see fields in most directions. Our landscapes have been shaped over thousands of years by the people who’ve lived and farmed here and 85 per cent of the National Park is still farmland today – whether that’s cattle grazing, orchards blooming, vineyards or fields of golden wheat.
We think that the South Downs should be recognized for high-quality, sustainable food almost as much as its spectacular beauty and tranquil spaces.
Vote South Downs!
It’s time to start nominating businesses in the Sussex part of the National Park for the Sussex Food and Drink Awards. Vote for your favourite producer, butcher, eating experience, food shop and farmers market.
Need inspiration? We’re spoilt for choice in the South Downs. Here are just a few, all available to find on SouthDownsFood.org.
Food producers
Noble and Stace Chocolatiers in Midhurst have been wowing with their innovative truffles, chocolates and tablettes, experimenting with local gin and sparkling wine. Also in Midhurst there’s Mud Foods with their deliciously wholesome pies.
The artisan food company Ouse Valley is renowned for their exquisite jellies, chutneys and jams.
Slindon Bakery makes everything from scratch and uses an old fashioned long-dough process to enhance their breads flavour. Tablehurst’s 550 acre organic community farm produces sustainable and healthy food. As a community farm they aim to promote understanding of farming and food production, so encourage visitors to re-connect with the land and their food.
Drink producers
Our hills are part of the same rock that runs through the French Champagne region, so it’s no wonder the South Downs is full of vineyards. Ridgeview Wine estate use traditional sparkling grape varieties and methods to craft high quality sparkling wine. Stopham vineyard specialises in white wine production from hand harvested grapes which grow next to the River Arun. Wobblegate farm press Sussex pure apples to make juice and real cider. If you prefer beer, Langham micro-brewery produces cask-conditioned real ale.
Eating experience
Local records suggest William Blake wrote Jerusalem from a spot looking out of the Earl of March pub near Chichester. Further afield in Petworth, The Leconfield offers stylish dining in a 17th century building.
Rushfield’s cafe in the independent plant centre offers homemade cakes, soups and gluten free options.
The Sussex Ox’s own organic farm supplies much of the meat they serve, including beef, lamb and pork which are al raised on their own organic barley. The species-rich chalk grassland in the South Downs produces top quality meat. Bramptons in Brighton is an old fashioned, very traditional butchers that offers locally sourced, free-range meat.
Food shop of the year
Adsdean, near Chichester is a mixed farm with pigs, cattle and 240 acres of arable crops and the farm shop has been open since 1970. More recently Charlie’s Farm Shop opened 2013 and sells fresh milk, cream and luxury from their own dairy. They also have an on-site butchery with meat from their farm together with the best of local produce.
The Cowdray Farm Shop is in the 16,500 acre Cowdray Estate and offers a juice bar, fresh fish and uses traditional artisan techniques to make the best of local produce. Tablehurst Farm Shop offers the freshest produce grown and reared on their organic farm.
And you’re spoilt for choice with the variety of farmers markets in historic towns here in the South Downs.
Happy voting!