We aim to provide a healthy diet made from locally-sourced organic ingredients, where possible.
Since starting the Landshare scheme (allotments for five families at Assington Mill), we have been able to use some of the produce grown here organically.
Lunches usually consist of soup and salads. They are prepared here by us at Assington Mill. Cakes and biscuits are also home-made. Almost all the ingredients, if they are not grown here, come from Assington Farmshop, and are organic if possible.
Typical menus at the moment are:
Soups: cauliflower, carrot & sherry, carrot, tomato and rocket, beetroot, lentil & mixed vegetable, salmorejo (tomato & garlic), apple, parsnip and ginger , pea, sweet potato, carrot & cardamom, broccoli & lemon, apple & ginger, etc.
Main courses: ham (from pigs raised in a field adjacent to our farm), smoked fish from Orford or vegetarian quiches with salads such as Waldorf salad (apple, celery & walnut), carrot & orange & cabbage, green salad of mixed leaves (some of it found on the farm!), mushroom & anchovies, French beans & shrimps, tomato, feta, basil and black olives, etc.
We specialise in gluten-free food and are happy to cater for any other special needs, as long as you give us notice on the booking form.
If you would like the recipe for anything you eat at Assington Mill, you will probably find it written out below. If not, please do ask. Many people ask where they can get the ham. The answer is from Kevin Blundell (07917 324431) who lives at Brookfields Farm in Assington, or from farmers' markets in Hartest, Halesworth, Wickhambrook, Sible Hedingham, Lavenham, Sudbury and Mildenhall. Give him a ring to check when he is going to be where. His pigs are totally free-range (Essex Saddleback and Gloucester Old Spot) and he will also sell you weaners to rear yourself.
Student comments:
Thank you for the gorgeous food you arranged. With my work I am fortunate to dine in many fine restaurants, but given the choice I would be back to your kitchen every time!
Incredibly enjoyable, wonderfully organised, fantastic and beautifully presented food, companiable group, wonderful teacher (Drawing for Beginners).
Food was worth half the course fee on its own.
I would like the ability to buy a recipe book for the food eaten over the weekend.
The lunch was delicious (as were the biscuits and cake) and were very comforting on that cold wet day! I am looking at other courses in the list and am sure that I will be visiting you again this year to acquire some more practical knowledge and skills.