West Malling Farmer's Market, Kent

Set in the quiet little village of West Malling, a short drive from the M20, the farmer’s market occurs on one Sunday every month; you can check here for this month’s date and more information, or email steve@westmallingfarmersmarket.co.uk with the subject ‘Reminder’ to be notified each month. With a multitude of stall holders every month, rain or shine, we would like to share some of our favourites…

Precious Porkers Offering a range of delicious sausages, bacons and burgers from their Berkshire pigs, we have become a regular to their stall each month – and we’re not the only ones! Often forming a queue for a juicy, succulent sausage in a roll these are cooked fresh as you watch, and you can add onions (for free) or cheese (for an additional price) if you’d like. The family-run business is always polite, and has learnt our order before we even open our mouths; this friendly, personal touch makes this our first stall to visit. On the opposite end of their stall, a hamper lies filled with fresh burgers and sausages for the market-goers to peruse and purchase. Clearly labelled with the ingredients, a use-by date and a range of flavours, there is something for everyone in varieties and price.

Dine Thyme A play on words, Dine Thyme is a small stall offering a range of homemade savoury pastries. Ranging from big, juicy sausage rolls to the traditional Scotch egg, or a slightly different ‘cheese twirl’ the flavours and ingredients differ on each occasion, however there’s one thing for sure: they will always be the most mouth-watering pastries we have ever had the pleasure to taste. Our personal favourites are the sweet-chilli sausage rolls, and the caramelised onion sausage rolls. Both rolls are the size of your fist, and consist of flaky, delicate pastry – never dry – enveloping the moist sausage meat, and whatever addition you have opted for. In the case of the sweet-chilli roll, this is a pleasant but mild spice to accompany the luscious sausage meat, or in the case of the caramelised onion; this is a sort of jam-like consistency generously cloaking the delectable meat… each roll priced at £2.50, this is a stall we will return to again and again and perhaps even use for events – which they also cater for!

McCarthy’s Touring many markets in Kent, McCarthy’s is always a delight to fall upon! Two large stalls, one operating at each end of the farmer’s market, they offer something for everyone through their varieties of bread, cakes and savoury snacks. We have savoured two of their focaccia’s: the Mixed Pepper and Garlic & Herb. Each has been topped generously, in particular the Garlic & Herb which is arguably a little too strong. They are thick and fluffy, reasonably moist and best filled generously with lashings of mayonnaise, thick slices of ham and strong Cheddar cheese – in our opinion anyway! Our only complaint would be that they can sometimes be quite greasy and slightly overpowering in flavour, but ideal in moderation. Their sausage rolls we found to be dissimilar to the neighbouring Dine Thyme, these were more traditional in shape and flavour, however the sausage meat was not as thick and the pastry overly flaky and dry. Nevertheless, the large selection of cakes certainly makes up for this! Their Rum Baba’s are delightfully moist, sticky and unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. It is not often I would describe a cake as juicy, but this suits it perfectly. Furthermore, their custard doughnuts are thick, bigger than your palm and sprinkled generously in sugar, the custard is thick and flavoursome. Their display of sweet treats is something of awe, and I can only hope there are enough market’s to allow us to savour each and every one of them – most definitely McCarthy’s strongest asset!

The Brownie Edit The Brownie Edit, like McCarthy’s, is a sweet treat heaven – this time for the chocolate addicts among us! With more varieties than you can dream of, you are guaranteed to find something to your taste after one glance at the stall… One of our favourites: ‘The Rocky Road One’ is heaven in a bite; the gooey, rich brownie mixture perfectly complements the chewy mini marshmallows and tender raisons, not to mention perfectly contrasts the (gluten free) crunchy digestives in the mix, then topped with hundreds and thousands sprinkles – not just appealing to eat, but to look at too! Our other favourite: ‘The White Chocolate Chunk One’ can only be described as a soft, delicate, melt-in-your-mouth brownie, juxtaposed by the hard crunch – but silky texture – of the white chocolate chips, both mixed into the brownie and sprinkled on top. The Brownie Edit also offer ‘Blondies’ as well as a ‘Chocolate Scotch Egg,’ and variety boxes which can be limited to gluten free, nut free and vegan! Something for anyone and everyone…

Sweet Nostalgia Fudge At the start of the Farmer’s Market, your eyes most definitely will be drawn aside to Sweet Nostalgia Fudge’s stall. With a range of fudges, marshmallow’s on a stick and even jars of marmalade to purchase; their stall is small but full of sugary delights. Opting for the ‘Triple Layer,’ this consists of layers of “rich vanilla double chocolate and smooth clotted cream fudges” and is described by the business as “fudge for the undecided” – and with as many varieties of fudge as they have, you will be undecided to say the least! The blend of the triple flavours works well, and the blocks – which can be cut as big or small as you want – are so soft they melt in your mouth…. at £2.50 a bar they are well priced for the quality and slice of bliss they provide!

Bookhams Step away from the sweet treats and you will find Bookhams, shortened from Bookham&Harrison Farms. Offering small samples to the public, their award-winning Sussex Charmer Cheese has most certainly charmed us… Also featured in household supermarkets (we found it at the deli counter in Sainsbury’s!), this gorgeous cheese is nothing like you have ever tasted before… creamy, strong and perfect on a cheese board or in a sandwich, it is a true complement to its Sussex roots. However, Bookhams also stock a range of other products including: the Italian-style “Twineham Grange” - which is also vegetarian - and their “South Downs Butter.” Having toured the country at many prestigious events including Royal Ascot, the Royal Wedding and RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows, it is affirmative that you cannot leave West Malling without purchasing a block of a true British paradise.