Roaming Roosters is run by Simon and Nick Mellin, two brothers who've just opened a fabulous new farm shop and Bistro near
Pendle Hill.
Their family have been farming in the Ribble Valley and Pendle for generations. Joe (grandad) and Geoff (father) opened a butcher's shop in Nelson over 35 years ago. Simon and Nick grew up within this industry meaning you've got a business that understands good farming practice and good butchery.
I'd not been in the shop very long when Geoff was offering to show me some day old chicks:
Their chickens are free range and grow at a more relaxed pace compared to intensively farmed poultry, resulting in happier chickens and tastier meat.
I also was shown their pigs:
which are traditional British breeds like Middle Whites, Gloucester Old Spots, Saddlebacks and Oxford Sandy and Blacks and again are free-range.
Geoff then showed me their cold store:
where the meat is left to mature properly for better flavour and quality.
Back inside the smart shop:
Nick and Simon (aka
@RoamingRoosters) have learnt butchery and farming from a young age.
The shop's full of local food, they sell
Dewlay Lancashire cheese which is made in Garstang and
Grandma Singletons whey cream butter. There's black and white puddings, and I bought some of their Lancashire cheese and spring onion sausage and also their jalepeno and sun dried tomato sausage:
which were both excellent. You can also buy smoked sausage, smoked duck and salami.
There's lamb from the surrounding hills of Pendle:
The best thing about shopping at a proper butcher's is that they'll find a piece of meat to suit what you want it for and cut it to the thickness you like:
My rib-eye steaks cut by Nick were superb! They also sell black water buffalo, home made pies and legendary Scotch eggs.
Leaving the shop there's also the
Olde Spot Bistro, managed by Simon and Nick's mum Carole. It's a real family affair!
I arrived late on a miserable wet Sunday, thinking it would be nice and quiet, but the place was packed. Word has obviously got out about how good this place is! Upstairs there was a photography exhibition showing photos of Pendle Hill, which will soon be available for hire along with a conference room. Also coming soon next year is an education centre were children can come and learn about the relationship between food and farming.
Roaming Roosters
Barrowford Road
Higham
Lancashire
BB12 9ER
Tel: 01282 616508
Web:
www.roamingroosters.co.uk
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