Cheese and beyond: my secret address book of online artisan shops, bakeries, meat & fish suppliers
…Not just for Christmas and by no means a comprehensive list. These are the star-quality sellers I rate highly: a collection of gems curated and added to over years.
Before I ease open the virtual cover of my secret address book, apologies for this hitting your inboxes several days later than I’d planned. As many of you know, we moved house, out of London, just over a week ago after 20 years in the same place, and it’s been what I’d describe as organised chaos – in a mostly fun, occasionally stressful, way. Thanks to the kindness of friends and family, our kitchen is sorted and a joy to cook in (the space), the living room is nearly there (woodburner crackling away rosily in the corner as I type… just as well as it’s bloomin’ freezing in my study today so I’m glad of the warmth drifting through), books are on shelves (higgledypiggledy and yet to be sorted but, joy, on there), a few pictures are on the walls on existing hooks (because I can’t find the new ones we bought… which box??!!) and the place is already starting to feel like home.
I’ll have more to say about the shake-everything-up decision to move out of London once thoughts have settled and life has begun to take on its new shape. I only mention the move because, somehow, my laptop charger found its way into a box and I’ve only just unearthed it; the desktop Mac wasn’t set up and – most of all – I couldn’t possibly sit, think, research and write while leaving friends to unwrap and put away my spatulas and tinned tomatoes. That would have been just plain rude.
SO, here we are: my list of online cheese shops, bakeries, meat, fish and charcuterie suppliers that all need a round of applause for the quality of the goods they sell. These are places with dedication to sourcing and selling the best. And there’s still time for ordering online. PLUS (important), this guide is designed to be referred to again and again, not just in the run-up to Christmas. I’ll continue adding gems as I discover them.
A quick reminder: there are two days left on the special Joyous Things Christmas subscription offer, giving you 20% off for a year. To find out more, click the button below (fear not: clicking shows you what the offer is – it commits you to nothing).
And now read on for the address book of gems…
