From pasta made in Cumbria to biscuits from the Isle of Mull: our expert picks the best small food producers in Britain and Ireland – and where to find their products
Good ingredients beget good food, and where you buy them from is just as important as how you use them. Happily, there are plenty of talented, independent makers and growers in the UK and Ireland, producing everything from pasta and charcuterie to shortbread, tinned fish, apple juice and crumpets.
Knowing the story behind what we buy has never been more important. Some producers, for example, now harness renewable energy sources, others regenerative farming methods, while most will (hopefully) reduce food miles. And bonus: they’ll transform your cooking too. As a food writer and contributor to Feast, I’ve learned that the source, just as much as the sauce, makes the difference. Here are some of my favourite independent producers.
