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As preparations begin…͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
As preparations begin…We find ourselves in the midst of Autumn, having enjoyed some incredibly beautiful days filled with warm, golden sunshine here in the Surrey Hills. We have had a magnificent show of pumpkins and squash, mainly grown by Secretts, Milford. We hope you have had fun carving and cooking! Our ‘Kingfisher Kids Scary Cookie’ Competition winner will be revealed below. The clocks have fallen back an hour and as the days shorten, our focus is very much on the coming festive season. Our ‘Christmas at Kingfisher’ guide is now available on our website or as a hard copy from the farm shop. Absolutely everything is in there, from Christmas trees to wreaths, to food orders and turkeys! There has been quite a few changes here at Kingfisher. The most obvious being our new entrance, which has been received with much enthusiasm. Read on in “A slice of Kingfisher Life” for further details. We have said farewell to two members of the team. It is always sad to say goodbye, but we are very excited for both Natasha and Rosie. Natasha has spent four years with Kingfisher, sharing her time with both Farm shop and Flower shop. She is fulfilling her keen interest in wildlife and the environment with her new full time job. Rosie, who joined us as a teenager, working a weekend shift for 4 years. She then threw herself into a full time role with the crazy days of the pandemic. Rosie’s organisational skills are second to none! The last 3 years have been a rollercoaster, with Rosie very much helping to steady the helm! Don’t worry, in true Rosie style she has made sure the rest of the team was up to speed with all procedures before jumping on a plane to Australia!!! We wish them both well and would like to say a big thank you for contributing to the Kingfisher journey. We have lots more to share with you....’Meet a Local Producer’, the ‘Kingfisher Kids’ Christmas competition and a watercress recipe too!
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Our land continues to provide…
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Inspiration for roasts & crumbles… Brussell Sprouts Local squash Kale Apples and pears Quince
The season for russet tones… Chrysanthemums Hydrangeas Scilly Isle Narcissi Amaryllis Bulbs
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Beautiful Log BasketsSurely a fire place is deserving of beautiful woven log baskets. We have just the thing for sale, made by Nicki Rowling, Willow and Yoga based in Westcott. Nicki has created these log baskets in various sizes and styles. There wooden bases make them very sturdy. Nicki is exhibiting at Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking up to 6 November in ‘Onwards and Upwards’, as part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival. If you are wanting something more bespoke you can contact Nicki via her website www.willowandyoga.com
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Split Figs HomewaresHow exciting…the new shopping experience for Shere. Their doors will be swung wide open on 4th November. Split Figs is a mother and daughter duo Moya and Hannah. Inspired by the beauty of English country life, they source a bold, colourful and unique collection of vintage and contemporary objects from artists, artisans and designers. Please pay them a visit, and be inspired by their offerings. www.splitfigs.com
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In brief…As you may have seen, last week we sent out our 2022 guide to Christmas at Kingfisher… and amazingly, have already received our first Christmas orders! For those of you who missed it and are already planning your festive season, or simply curious to know how we do Christmas here at Kingfisher, please do click on the link below for all details. If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call one of the team. Here are a few highlights…
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Christmas Grocery Shopping Online - now open…Shop as usual on our online shop and at the checkout simply tick the box that says ‘is this a Christmas Order?’ and then enter your collection or delivery date (22nd, 23rd or 24th December). It is also possible to leave a note or delivery instructions if you wish to do so. For full details, please see our Christmas Guide. |
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Kingfisher Wreath Making Kits now available…For those of you who enjoy a bit of hands on making, our stunning wreaths are available in ‘do it yourself’ kits with everything you need, including detailed instructions written by our Flower Girls! The perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon or perhaps you could share an evening with friends. Available in our Online Shop from the Flowers section . |
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Wreath Making Workshops at Joy Farms…Which this year are being hosted by Joy Farms, West Horsley. The location is idyllic and our experienced Flower Girls will be there to share their expertise. There are just a few spaces left on Thursday 1st December from 10am - 1pm. Book here… |
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Ta dah!!!! It’s completed….all but a few licks of paint! We are really pleased with our new entrance space and counter. What a difference it makes! It has been a month of fragmented work, to enable the shop to remain open. Mick Cuthbert, accommodated all our demands and created our new double door entrance, and blocked in the old doorway. Lyne & Co, Capel based carpenters made our beautiful new counter. Netty has been working wonders with the paint brush at snatched hours of the day. Thank you to our local trades folk for making our wishes come true and to all of you, our wonderful customers, for your patience during the alterations. Your reactions and comments on the changes have been so complimentary. It is really encouraging to know we have made a positive improvement to the Farm Shop.
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Meet Crosbies Cakes…Monday morning, Crosbies cake order is given and very often a chat is included in the exchange with Chris. It can be all manner of subjects, but on one sunny autumnal Monday we managed to steer the conversation on all things Crosbies!!!! Crosbies is a family run business with husband and wife, Chris and Claire at the helm. 2007, their business was born. An opportunity to change direction, Claire a chef and Chris a copyrighter, set up their own business on the strength of Claire’s much acclaimed chocolate brownies and voila! In fact, it was on our own search for a GOOD chocolate brownie, that Kingfisher discovered this great independent company in Surrey. They have been supplying us with their delicious hand baked cakes for over 10 years now. A favourite amongst our customers is the Ginger Brownie. Chris gives a little tip, “warmed slightly in the oven, this softens the ginger and completes the perfection of the brownie”. Their list of customers is impressive, including Selfridges of London and Wholefoods Markets along with many farm shops, delicatessens and independent specialist food outlets in London and the South East.
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With Claire’s chocolate brownies being the catalyst, Chris was very clear in what is important for this successful business. They use quality, fresh ingredients with a very generous dollop of hard work! The eggs are direct from a farm in Surrey, flour and butter are British, the delicious chocolate is from Belgium. “For example,” Chris explains, “we use Vanilla extract, not essence. The natural extract provides a good depth of flavour.” There are no artificial colours, preservatives, simply great tasting ingredients. The couple are very hands on within their business, taking orders, speaking to customers and although Claire styles a white apron incredibly well, Chris too, boasts at stirring up the the Christmas puds!!! |
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With so many delicious baked offerings, what is their signature product? “It has to be the Double Chocolate Brownie, with runners up close behind, Lemon Drizzle cake and an unbelievably good Victoria Sponge. We know you agree, judging by the farm shop sales! The fine ingredients to their cakes are of key importance, as is their packaging. Chris’s sister, an environmental consultant, keeps them on their toes when it comes to Crosbies’ environmental focus. Their packaging is purposefully minimal, so as a customer, you can see exactly what you are getting. Despite the great price increase in butter, they continue to use this British ingredient rather than replace it with much cheaper alternatives such as coconut butter. Being honest and transparent is hugely important. As Claire and Chris look to the future, they have a true commitment for continuing to produce quality food without making compromises. |
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Chris very generously added a few words about Kingfisher. “Please shop at Kingfisher for all they do; Integrity, amazing quality, the firm connection with the farm and their watercress is sensational!” Thank you, Chris and Claire and the mighty Crosbies team.
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Watercress Bubble & Squeak with Poached EggSERVES 4 PREP TIME: 15 MINS COOKING TIME: 25 MINS Super simple and yet so satisfying! INGREDIENTS 2 Bunches Kingfisher watercress, roughly chopped 50g Unsalted butter 2 Onions, chopped 2 Tbsp Olive oil Salt and pepper 350g Mashed potato A pinch of ground nutmeg 4 Eggs, poached METHOD Melt the butter in a pan. Cook the onions on medium heat until soft. Add the watercress and fry until wilted. Remove from heat. In a separate pan, heat the oil. Fold the watercress and onion into the potato, season. Turn the mixture into the pan, cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Do not disturb. After 10 minutes turn over and cook for a further 10 minutes. To serve, divide between 4 plates. Top each portion with poached egg. Enjoy!
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Selsley Gourmet Mulling Syrup…You know what they say… It’s never too early for a glass of mulled wine! This non alcoholic syrup contains a special blend of spices to provide a simple and convenient way to make the most delicious mulled wine, cider or apple juice. Being a sugar based product, it fully dissolves when heated and doesn’t leave any residue or powdery aftertaste, which can sometimes occur with sachet type alternatives.
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Pickle House Spiced Tomato Mix…And for the following morning… An award winning blend of tomato juice, Original Pickle Juice and a generous amount of spice. Serve over ice for a Virgin Mary, with vodka for a seriously good Bloody Mary, with gin for a Red Snapper or topped with a light lager for a Michelada. Produced and hand bottled on the family farm in Suffolk, the Spiced Tomato Mix contains all natural ingredients, is suitable for vegans, and has a 12 month shelf life.
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And the winner is…We are delighted to share that the winner of our Kingfisher Kids Scary Cookie Competition is… Zara & Tessa With their horrifying Witches Fingers! WELL DONE girls, we hope you enjoy your Halloween treats!
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A Festive Competition…Our next round of competitive creativity awaits… The Kingfisher Kids Christmas Decoration Competition! To celebrate Christmas this year, we’d really love all of our young Kingfishers (up to age 12 yrs) to get creative. We want to be mesmerised by a home-made Christmas decoration. We ask that you use what you already have at home - making sure you recycle items that would otherwise be in the bin! The winner will win themselves some very yummy Christmas goodies! Deadline for entries: FRIDAY 9th December For ALL entry details please click on the link below!
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