June 2021 | Issue 12

A month of celebrations…

Well hello June, you are very welcome! With this glorious start to the month I think we all feel as though we have skipped Spring and are welcoming Summer with wide open arms! Our post this month is full to the brim with news, it’s been a challenge fitting it all in!

To commemorate our 50th year we’ve created a Kingfisher timeline; an insight into our humble beginnings for our new customers and a nostalgic throwback for those of you who’ve been around since the beginning. Of course we are very excited to reveal more about our Royal visit (we can’t stop talking about it), we’ll also fill you in on what’s in season, our featured products, a trip to Dorking Brewery and you’ll get the chance to meet a member of our team…Conor!

So sit back with an iced brew and dive into June’s juicy headlines!

And ripe for pickings in June …

Fruit & Veg…

• Kingfisher Watercress

• Isle of Wight Tomatoes, Aubergine & Romano Pepper

• Local Lettuce

• English Spring Onions

• Hispi Cabbage

• Local Asparagus

• New Potatoes

• English Strawberries

• Raspberries

Flowers…

• Scabious

• Cornflower

• Peonies

• Lupins

• Sweet Peas

• Delphiniums

Kingfisher welcomes H.R.H. Prince Edward…

On the eve of Surrey Day we were very proud to receive a visit from H. R. H. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. A day for the whole team to remember, the Earl took the time to speak to many in the team and to dip his wellington boots in the water to harvest some Watercress.

 As part of a thriving small business community in the Surrey Hills, it was so lovely to be joined for the day by The Abinger Cookery School  and Chalk Hills Bakery. H. R. H. Prince Edward helped to prepare some Watercress pesto with the cookery schools’ head chef Jake Pinn, which he barbequed with some salmon. Chris and Rosie Robinson of Chalk Hills Bakery spoke about all things sourdough… you can even find their bread in Crumbs beer, which intrigued the Earl.

Barrie shared stories and photos with the Earl “… Meeting H.R.H. Prince Edward has to be one of the highlights in my 65 years at Abinger!”

Beautiful & British…

From the Flower Shops early beginnings opening in 2003, British flowers have always taken a precedence. There is nothing more special than a bouquet full of British blooms.

The week long festivities will celebrate the beauty and variety of British cut flora, fauna and plants, including the florists and growers who make it all happen.

We are incredibly fortunate to have two great local growers; Beehaven Flowers and Hungry Hill Nursery. The flower girls always look forward to the arrival of the pick n’ mix buckets which never disappoint.

At this time of year we usually celebrate with a flower workshop. However, with all the uncertainties of this year we have pressed the pause button and instead will celebrate with a blooming fabulous display for you all to enjoy! Why not come and treat yourself to some British grown blooms.

A trip to Dorking Brewery…

A handful of our staff had a very interesting visit to Dorking Brewery in Capel, for a sneak peek behind the scenes, to see how they produce their beers… and this what they learnt…

The brewery was initially taken over by Neel Singh in 2016 after a tour of duty in the Royal Navy. In 2017 they moved to their new site in Capel, where they now produce a range of traditional and modern brews.

Dorking Brewery uses a conventional method that allows the beer to settle naturally without the use of chemicals, meaning all of their beverages are vegan. Four of which are now available in our shop:

• Surrey XPA - their refreshing best seller

• Pilgrow Pale - Light and smooth with zesty undertones (Rory’s and Julian’s Favourite).

• Ryesing Sun - Light, dry beer (Charlotte’s favourite).

• Five Claw - West Coast style, hazy IPA

Tours of the brewery are scheduled to start on Saturday 26th June 2021, contact the brewery directly if you are interested in booking a place!

The BBQ Edition…

With this gorgeous sun shining down on us, we thought it would be a good idea to highlight just a few of our teams favourite products / produce for cooking and eating outside, hurrah!

Meet Conor….

Hi, I've been working at Kingfisher for 5 years, starting when I was 17 at the weekends. Kingfisher is like a big family and I'm proud to be part of such a great team!

My mornings are usually spent checking the bread order and putting the bread out in the shop. Making sure that all the different types of bread are displayed and labelled, ready for our customers. During the pandemic my days have been spent helping make up orders for our collection and delivery service. Its been great talking to customers that haven't been able to come to the shop. I look forward to hopefully seeing you all in the shop soon!

Outside of working at Kingfisher I study Psychology with the Open University. Studying at home gives me great flexibility for working and studying. Most of my time is spent writing up assignments and completing coursework, as well as the occasional opportunity for work experience. At the end of my course I'm planning on following a career in therapy and counselling.

My favorite Kingfisher products are Crosbies Flapjack, Chalk Hills Ciabatta and the Lamb & Mint Pasty.

Photography Credit: @chloe.hardwick