Village Living November 2009

Village LIVING

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November 2009

Lifestyle | Community | Business

Steyning Bramber Beeding Ashington Washington Storrington Henfield Small Dole Ashurst Partridge Green

Farming

for gold

Meet the man behind the flowers

High Street Heroes Inside Steyning’s Cobblestone Walk

Try Sussex sparkling wine

Christmas Party Menu Seasonal eating from Cromwell’s kitchen

Be our food critic & eat for free!

WIN a case of Hepworth real ales

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We specialise in high-end and interesting guitars as well as selected guitars for those on a tighter budget or beginners.

We are a CF Martin Heritage Centre and a Patrick James Eggle Flagship Dealer.

We’re a main dealer for Fylde, Collings, Martyn Booth, Rob Williams, Vanquish, Hofner, Stonebridge, Dave King, St Blues, Gordon-Smith and George Lowden. Amps by Blackstar, Line 6, Bose and AER.

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……plus many, many more

New shop

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www.guitarjunction.com

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Contents 5

Welcome to November

6-7

Village News & Events

9-10

Try something new The art of pebble mosaics at West Dean

12-13

High Street Heroes Inside Steyning’s Cobblestone Walk

15-16

Farming for Gold Meet the man behind the flowers in Partridge green

19

Party Recipe: Sussex lamb steals the show

20-21

Reader’s Restaurant Review: 13 Church Street, Storrington

23

Sussex in Season: All hands to the pumpkin

25

Drink Local: Sparkling wine at Ridgeview Estate WIN a case of Hepworth real ales

27

Gardening: Thinking Big from the Big Plant Nursery

28

Talk Money: With Claire Cook

27

Mind & Body: Chris Jones on sporting success

28

Your Village: listings, classifieds & notices

HIGH STREET HEROES 12

RECIPE 19

RESTAURANT REVIEW 20 Cover photo taken by Village Living at Prior’s Byne Farm, Partridge Green.

Where Can You Find Village Living?

Village Living Magazine is delivered to 10,000 homes and businesses in across 10 villages.

Editorial & advertising enquiries Melissa Love 07976 917363 melissa@villageliving.biz

Find us in Steyning, Bramber, Beeding, Small Dole, Henfield, Ashurst, Partridge green, Washington, Ashington, Storrington as well as selected outlets in Worthing & Shoreham.

Production Toni Barrington The Magazine Production Company 01273 467579 production@villageliving.biz

We are increasing our circulation every month, so if you didn’t receive a copy through your letterbox, you will do very shortly.

© 2009 Village Living

Village Living is published monthly by Big Picture Projects.

Cornerways, Pound Lane, Upper Beeding. BN44 3JB 01903 814092 www.villageliving.biz

Village Living is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine.

Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor or of Village Living magazine.

 Air-conditioned fitness studio & free weights room  Outdoor multi-sports pitch including tennis courts  2 sports halls with 5 badminton courts  Step, aerobics, circuits, pilates & yoga  Bowls Clubs  Crèche facilities & café  Children’s activities & parties

1NT

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CONTENTS • 2

Spiersbridge Road Storrington West Sussex RH20 4PG www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

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01903 747070 Village Living • November 2009

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High quality nursing and residential care in Worthing LinďŹ eld

Wykeham Road, Worthing - 01903 529629 linďŹ eld@guildcare.org Spacious ensuite rooms, lovely views over the park, roof terrace and gardens. Full programme of activities, social events and outings, shopping trips ~ individual and with friends.

First class catering, hairdressers, chiropody, aromatherapy and physiotherapy.

Caer Gwent Downview Road Worthing - 01903 536649 caergwent@guildcare.org Lovely ensuite rooms overlooking quiet landscaped gardens. Diners club and a full programme of activities, social events, shopping trips and personalised outings.

First class catering, hairdressers, aromatherapy, physiotherapy and chiropody.

For details of our other homes and services for older people and carers, please visit our website or telephone 01903 528600 or our homes direct for a brochure or to visit.

www.guildcare.org

Guild Care

Working for older people and carers

Registered charity 1044658

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MEET THE TEAM • 5

Welcome to November!

A

lthough we’re speeding towards Christmas and I don’t quite feel ready to start buying anything festive, that hasn’t stopped me from starting to window shop on local high streets. This month I

met the group of small shopkeepers behind Cobblestone Walk, Steyning’s historic shopping arcade.

I’m also planning to make some of my Christmas presents this year, so I started the ball rolling with a one-day course in mosaic-making at West Dean college. You can see the fruits of my labour on page 9.

And I couldn’t resist getting into the party spirit by sharing a glass or two or bubbly with our own BeerMatt at Sussex winery, Ridgeview Estate.

Finally, a big thank-you for the lovely feedback we’ve received on our first issue. Next month we’ll be featuring a selection of your letters and emails, so if you’ve got something to tell us, please do drop us a line.

Melissa EMAIL ME AT melissa@villageliving.biz

Don’t forget to visit www.villageliving.biz Find all of the magazine features online, use the Village Directory to track down local businesses and check the Village Diary for local events.

Editorial & advertising enquiries Melissa Love 07976 917363 melissa@villageliving.biz Production Toni Barrington The Magazine Production Company 01273 467579 production@villageliving.biz © 2009 Village Living Village Living is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine.

Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor or of Village Living magazine.

 Air-conditioned fitness studio & free weights room  Outdoor multi-sports pitch including tennis courts  2 sports halls with 5 badminton courts  Step, aerobics, circuits, pilates & yoga  Bowls Clubs  Crèche facilities & café  Children’s activities & parties

Who says CHEAP WEBSITES can’t be BEAUTIFUL? Spiersbridge Road Storrington West Sussex RH20 4PG

£395 +

vat 01903 747070

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092 Living • November 2009 www.bigpictureprojects.com 01903Village 814092

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6 • NEWS & EVENTS

Local historian launches new book on Worthing: the town with a conscience

C

hris Hare’s new book, The Hard Times and the good is the culmination of a two year lottery-funded project to celebrate guild Care’s 75th anniversary. The Worthingbased charity provides residential care homes, home care and an extensive range of support services for elderly residents across West Sussex.

A team of volunteers was assembled to help with the archival research and over 80 oral history interviews with Worthing’s older residents were recorded.

Many similar organisations across the country followed the Worthing example and thousands of people enjoyed a better life because a small team of dedicated pioneers decided that they would create a more caring society, helping to usher in the era of public health care and social services.

The book is available to purchase at £10 including DVD at all Guild Care Charity Shops, Waterstones, Bookstack in Worthing and at local libraries in the town.

ASHINGTON’S JUNIOR WARDENS REWARDED FOR EFFORTS

A

group of Junior Wardens from Ashington were treated to a performance of live street dance and circus show, ‘Cacophony’ in Horsham as reward for their efforts in the local community.

The aim of the Junior Wardens initiative is to help improve the area in which they live through supervised projects such as painting over graffiti, litter picks, cleaning play equipment in parks and maintaining a community garden. Junior Wardens are aged eight to 13 and are provided with a free uniform.

As well as the warden programme in Ashington, the parishes of Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding have the same warden schemes with the common aim of providing a safe community.

Speaking of the Junior Wardens, Ashingtonbased manager, Paul Conroy said: We’re really proud of the work the Junior Wardens have put in. They have made a real difference in the village and they have been so efficient that we are now sending them out to tackle projects in other villages.”

Information about joining the Junior Wardens programme is available by calling 01403 215116 or email: community.safety@horsham.gov.uk.

Celebrity Dog Trainer Opens Centre in Storrington

C

elebrity dog trainer, Amy Hatcher, and identical twin sister Jane, have opened Doodley Dogs, a new stateof-the-art centre for dog training, daycare and rehab in Storrington. With over 10 years experience as a qualified behaviourist, Amy has recently trained dogs belonging to Sussex celebrity Katie Price and ex-husband, Peter Andre.

Amy describes the new space at Water Lane Trading Estate as “5,000 square feet of doggy heaven!” For day-care dogs,

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it offers a calm and controlled pack environment where the dogs learn social skills from one another without too much human interruption.

“It’s working so well,” say Amy & Jane. “It’s proving to be a superb way for a dog to spend the day and owners report that their dogs are coming home happy and exhausted.”

Find out more at www.doodleydogs.co.uk or call 01903 741713 to make a booking.

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Village Diary Village Diary is a great way to publicise an event in your village. Charitable & not for profit events are listed free of charge. A small charge applies for commercial listings.

Don’t forget to visit www.villageliving.biz to view a complete calendar of events or submit your own listing online.

FARMERS’ MARKETS

SUSSEX WILDLIFE TRUST COURSES

Henfield – Friday, 20th November.

9.00 – 13.00. Library car park.

Woodcraft Skills Day for Parent & Child Woods Mill, Henfield: Saturday 14th November.

11:00 – 15:00

Horsham – every Saturday.

9.00 – 16.00. Carfax, town centre.

Shoreham – Saturday, 10th November.

9.00 – 13.00. East Street.

Steyning – Saturday 7th November.

9.00 – 13.00. High St car park.

West Chiltington – Saturday 14th November.

9.00 – 12.00. Village Hall.

Worthing – Saturday 28th November.

9.00 – 14.00. South Street Square.

Animal Signs & Tracks Woods Mill, Henfield: Sunday 15 November.

11:00 - 13:00 Booking essential for all events.

Ring 01273 497561 or visit www.sussexwt.org.uk

EVENTS Live music thriving in Ashington Founded in Washington six years ago but now resident in Ashington, the Washington Music Club features mainly acoustic music, including country, blues, folk, jazz and rock ’n’ roll, singer/songwriters and covers bands. The club meets twice a month, on the first and third Fridays, where house band, The Travellin’ Band, is joined by both headline acts and open mic performers.

The Washington Music Club meets at Ashington Social Club, Mill Lane, starting at 8pm. Entrance is £2, bar available. Details can be found at www.washingtonmusic.info.

Travel Photographer, Steve Watkins, comes to Steyning Award-winning travel photographer, writer and speaker, Steve Watkins will be visiting the Steyning Camera Club on Monday, 9th of November, to host an evening of images and anecdotes gathered from his worldwide travels.

Steve has worked closely with the BBC, creating many memorable travel programmes and BBC books.

Tickets are £6 and are available from Mike Warren on 01903 812877 or from Steyning Bookshop, 106 High Street.

See www.steyningcc.org.uk for further details.

Afternoon Tea Pudding Club at South Lodge South Lodge Hotel in Lower Beeding is serving up a quintessential English treat until the 22nd of November.

Indulge in a ‘limited edition’ Afternoon Tea which includes petite portions of a selection of archetypal English and popular desserts such as Sticky Toffee Pudding, Lemon Meringue Pie & Fresh Fruit Pavlova.

Afternoon tea costs £15.00 per person. Further information available at www.southlodgehotel.co.uk or call 01403 891711.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

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Village Living • November 2009

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pd kitchens

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9 • TRY SOMETHINg NEW

Pebble Mosaics

I

t’s not often that I spend a whole day doing something just for myself, what with work and being at the beck and call of two small children, but today is my birthday and I am escaping for the day to West Dean College for a Taster Day in Pebble Mosaics.

Situated 6 miles north of Chichester, West Dean College is perhaps not as well-known as its famous gardens.

The former family estate of Surrealist art enthusiast, Edward James, it was gifted to the West Dean Estate Trust in 1964 along with his art collection and the entirety of the estate’s land and buildings.

Edward James was a publisher and poet in his own right, launching John Betjeman’s first book of verse and providing practical help to artists of his time. He supported Salvador Dalí for two years and allowed Magritte to stay in his London house to paint.

The refurbishment of his nearby home, Monkton House, was a Surrealist dream, incorporating the famous sofa to which Dalí gave the form and colour of Mae West’s lips.

The main house, which houses the college, is over 200 years old. As I arrive at the entrance, I happen to notice

that the walls are made of knapped flint interspersed with dozens of tiny slivers of flint between each stone. It is not until the end of the day, after I have spent two hours making a pebble mosaic the size of a small teatowel, that I come to fully appreciate the enormity of this achievement.

Small groups are gathering in the comfortable lounge around signs advertising the subjects they will be tackling for the day. There is an impressive number of one-day courses on offer – from watercolour painting to digital photography – and throughout the day we catch tantalising glimpses of students in neighbouring workshops producing perfect little wooden stools and animating plasticine figures in front of a camera.

After a brief introduction, our tutor, pebble mosaic expert, Hilary Shand, whisks us away to our own workshop and within ten minutes, we are gathered companionably round a bench, mixing concrete by hand, to cast bases for our mosaics. This turns out to be a surprisingly easy process. We are literally using our hands to blend the sand and cement together before adding water to form a sandy dough.

Bases made and it’s time to get our hands on some actual pebbles. After a quick wash, an unpromising-looking pile of dusty stones reveals a palette of warm sandy colours to work with.

“Pebble mosaics are subtle,” explains Hilary. “Traditionally only stone found in the local area was used, which helps any design complement its surroundings.” For today, at least, we’ll be steering clear of the racy green and blue pebbles you can buy at modern garden centres, and when we sit down to flick through her portfolio of work, I can see the attraction of using a simple range of earthy tones.

Hilary has been teaching at West Dean for a number of years, though like many of the tutors here, she spends the majority of her time as a practising artist. This is what makes West Dean so unique: the access to a range of skills and experience that keeps even professional artists and craftspeople coming back again and again to hone their technique.

We start our first mosaic, a simple rectangle, which will give us the opportunity to practise sinking stones into damp mortar in different ways. We quickly realise that all pebbles are not created equal, and after watching us rummage through the bags of stones

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10 • TRY SOMETHINg NEW

CHRISTMAS COURSES FESTIVE FLOWERS AND FLORAL DECORATIONS Sue Hingston and Sasha Crabb 5 December

MAKE A GIFT DAYS One day courses learning skills and making gifts - ideal for Christmas!

GILDED GIFTS - DECORATE A FRAME Jo Mabbutt 10 November CROCHET WIRE NECKLACE WITH BEADS Teri Howes 10 November ENAMELLED SILVER EARRINGS Sheila R McDonald 11 November CERAMIC DECORATIONS - ON A SEASONAL THEME Joanna Veevers 11 November HAND-KNITTED MITTENS, SWEDISH STYLE Lucinda Guy 11 November MAKE A SMALL RAGWORK CUSHION Debbie Siniska 12 November West Dean College, West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ short.courses@westdean.org.uk 0844 4994408 www.westdean.org.uk/college

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in search of the perfect piece, Hilary reminds us that the irregularity of the materials is what makes pebble mosaics so appealing. When we stand back to admire our first creations at the end of the session, the overall effect is certainly striking and as we head off for a break, we are already mentally planning the larger circular pieces we will make in the afternoon.

It’s over a relaxed lunch, where we chat about the various garden projects we all have in mind, that it strikes me how special a place West Dean college is. The elegant surroundings, the lack of ordinary distractions and the knowledge that everyone in the building is there to create something, no matter how simple, is very liberating. It’s easy to imagine how the longer residential courses could transform a casual hobby into real artistry.

We are itching to get stuck into our final mosaic pieces and in the afternoon, we are allowed to open the bags of black and white pebbles and shards of slate I’ve have my eye on all morning. Throughout the day, Hilary has resolutely refused to show us any design books or photographs to prevent us from being too ambitious and, as my mosaic

takes shape, I can see why.

Whilst I am more relaxed about the shape of the pebbles I am using, my overly intricate design goes wrong a couple of times and I need to be rescued

by Hilary’s skilful wielding of a palette knife to get me back on track. Two hours flies by and we have all been so engrossed, that it is only now that we have the chance to compare our work. It is quite amazing to see how differently the pieces have turned out, although we have all been using the same materials and techniques.

We leave our completed mosaics to dry, and gather round the central bench to talk about our own projects.

Everyone is fired up about tackling a project at home and as we leaf through some inspirational books and photographs of mosaics on a much grander scale than ours, it’s pleasing to discover that the basic techniques we have learned today are pretty universal. As a taster day, the course is clearly a success, as everyone present is feeling quite inspired and keen to develop their skills even further.

Now where’s that brochure?

To find out more about short courses at West Dean College, visit www.westdean.org.uk or call 01243 811301 to request a prospectus.

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12 • high street heroes

“It’s people who do well, not business concepts.

If they have the drive, their shop nearly always succeeds.”

Cobblestone Walk

I

t’s a scary time to be launching a new business venture, with bank lending at a fifteen-year low and high street rents creeping up every quarter over the past year. Unsurprisingly, there has been an increase in micro-business startups, from market stalls to spare room enterprises and a whole host of new Ebay entrepreneurs.

But if you’ve got a hankering for a real shop, and you think you’ve got the right idea and the confidence to take the plunge, then it can be a very big step to sign up for a business lease and the associated costs that go with it.

Thank goodness then for Cobblestone Walk, Steyning’s picturesque shopping arcade. One of the oldest buildings in the town, it is the perfect first step for wouldbe shopkeepers and it houses a November 2009 • Village Living

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thriving and tight-knit community of independent traders. Many familiar names on the high street – The Steyning Tea Rooms, Ringcraft and the Dolls’ House Shop – got their start here.

As I browse around the shops along Cobblestone Walk, I am struck by how much the traders care about their businesses and how much support they give each other. When one proprietor needs to pop out, there is always someone on hand to keep an eye out or take a message and it turns out that many of the traders here have second jobs. I speak to Linda Brough whose shop, Flicker-Rose, occupies one of the shops at the very front of the arcade that faces onto the High Street. “It’s quite an achievement for us,” Linda tells me. “I came here a few years ago with my dad, just before he died, so I

initially rented a little chalet to give me something to do and to remind me of him. Over the last three years, we’ve moved from the smallest chalet at the back of the courtyard to the very front of the arcade and yet I still do this parttime. I’m hoping to retire in a few years’ time and just run the shop, but in the meantime, I love the fact that I have several staff who really benefit from having part-time work in the shop.”

With its dark cobbles and halftimbered buildings, it feels centuries old yet has only existed in its current incarnation for the last twenty years.

Steyning residents with long memories will remember it as the village bakery, which was housed in the charming timbered cottage at the heart of the building, now Michael’s restaurant.

When the bakery extinguished its ovens for the last time in 1963, Steyning House, as it was then known, stood empty for nearly ten years.

Set to become a supermarket, the development never got off the ground due to various legal wranglings.

Enter current owner, Wendy Tipler, who bought the dilapidated collection of buildings in 1973. When Wendy moved to Steyning with her husband two years earlier, she fell in love with Steyning House, passing it every day on the way to work at The Three Tuns pub at the bottom of the High Street. When she saw a For Sale sign go up one day, she knew she had to put in an offer straight away, and a month later, the building was hers.

Wendy leads me through the passageway and describes the condition

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of the site on the day she finally got the keys.

“You could see daylight through the ceilings of these two rooms,” she says, pausing to indicate the two shops at the very front of the arcade, Flicker-Rose and Lansbury’s Clothing. The roof had completely fallen in and the floors were rotten too.”

We go through the passageway and emerge into the pretty courtyard where there are more shops and the black and white cottage which is now Michael’s café and restaurant and formerly the town bakery.

“The brambles were waist-high,” says Wendy. “In fact, it wasn’t until we started to clear the area at the back that we could even see where the boundaries of the property were. We even discovered an outside loo which we didn’t know existed!”

It took 18 months to renovate the Grade II Listed property and re-open it as Steyning House Restaurant. During this time, Wendy installed the authenticlooking cobbles and transformed the series of derelict rooms at the front of the building into the atmospheric passageway that exists today.

“It was a lovely restaurant,” says Wendy, “but very seventies. We started with prawn cocktails and big steaks and then we gradually introduced blackboard specials featuring lobster

and local game. Things really took off then. And we didn’t just do dinners,” she points out. “In the early days, we weren’t sure what was going to work, so we did bed and breakfast in the upstairs rooms, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and evening service. We thought we’d wait and see which parts of the day were busy, but they all were and we just didn’t stop for nearly seven years.”

The way Wendy describes those early years of trading, it sounds quite straightforward, but when you consider that she had three small children to look after during that period, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to juggle business and family life. “It certainly had an effect on my family, but when kids are brought up in businesses, they don’t know any other way.” Unsurprisingly, one of Wendy’s daughter’s Simone, owner of high street salon, Simone Hair, was always keen to start her own business.

Living on the property too must also have taken its toll and it’s not surprising that eventually Wendy decided to convert the buildings to individual retail units. “We’d just had enough,” says Wendy. “We’d been cooking and entertaining for nearly 15 years and we really needed to take things a bit easier.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to adapt the space for retail and when the main building was full, Wendy began to add the chalets at the back which have given so many small businesses a start.

“I love to see businesses succeed,” says Wendy, “but either way they move on in the end. If they do well, they move onwards and upwards, and if things don’t work out, then they leave as well. But I like helping people and I can usually tell which businesses are going to do well as soon as they move in. To be honest, it’s people who do well, not business concepts. If they have the drive, their shop nearly always succeeds.”

Wendy is very much involved in the day-to-day maintenance of the arcade and still lives in the beautifully converted rooms above the main building. A clever light-filled conservatory overlooking the courtyard provides an airy extension to the farmhouse kitchen and the décor throughout makes the most of the original beams which have been stripped back and carefully preserved.

There are a few empty chalets in Cobblestone Walk at the moment and I ask Wendy whether businesses in the arcade are doing well. “Everyone here is fine,” she says, “but this is the first time in many years that I’ve had a couple of empty units. The phones are ringing again though, and when things start to pick up, Cobblestone Walk is the first place people come to when they want to start a business because it’s affordable.”

The businesses here are small but stylish, and carefully put together and I suspect they will come into their own in December. “Like all businesses we’re hoping for a good Christmas,” Linda tells me and I for one, won’t let them down.

Visit Cobblestone Walk’s brand new website, www.cobblestonewalk.co.uk, where you can visit the shops and find out more about this historic building.

To enquire about letting a unit at Cobblestone Walk, contact Wendy Tipler on 01903 810029 or 07873 248676 or visit www.cobblestonewalk.co.uk

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s ’ g n i n y e St

A brilliant collection of independent shops & boutiques Flicker Rose Homewares Mary’s Vintage & Retro The Biscuit Box Lansbury’s Clothing Crumbs Cakes Trishas The Dress Agency Ema’s Nails & Beauty Special Baby Boutique A Cars Ltd Simply Menswear High Street Steyning

UNITS AVAILABLE TO RENT CALL 01903 810029

EXPLORE SHOPS ONLINE!

Historic Shopping Arcade www.cobblestonewalk.co.uk

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15 • high street hero

Oil from rapeseed is fabulously healthy and very versatile, containing 30 times more Omega-3 than olive oil and half the saturated fat

Farming for gold

A

pproaching Partridge Green at certain times of the year, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d strayed into a forgotten corner of the south of France. On one side of the road, giant sunflowers stretch as far as the eye can see, covering nearly 40 acres belonging to local farmer, John Ford.

Add to that a further 120 acres planted with eye-popping yellow rape and you have a veritable sea of gold, swaying gently in the breeze from June until October.

John and his family have been at Priors Byne Farm, just outside Partridge Green since 1993. John comes from a farming family, who had previously been growing oil-seed rape at Southwater since the 1940s. “It was

just a cash crop then, like any other”, John tells me, “and we would send off 30 tonne loads and never see them again.”

The jaunty yellow fields of rape which flower in early summer have become a familiar site across the south east of England, although it’s not until the last few years that oilseed rape has become known for its versatility and potential health-giving properties. In fact, until the late 70s, rape was often used only as a ‘break crop’, planted in between rotations of wheat to improve soil condition. It wasn’t until rape varieties, bred for use as cooking oils and biofuels, became available commercially that farmers in the UK chose to grow rape as a crop in its own right.

And now, a very few enterprising farmers like John Ford, have begun to press their own rapeseed and sunflowers for oil. John decided to invest in pressing equipment three years ago and has never looked back.

Marketed under the name Sussex Gold, the oils are bottled in tall, elegant bottles which give off an eye-catching glow on the shelves of delis and now supermarkets across the south east of England.

Oil from rapeseed is fabulously healthy and very versatile, containing 30 times more Omega-3 than olive oil and half the saturated fat. “It’s as good if not better than olive oil and can be used in more situations”, explains John.

“It has a higher burning point than olive oil and you can even use it for deepfrying as some of our hotels customers do. Hotel du Vin in Brighton use it for absolutely everything. Dressings, dips, cooking, baking, making bread - it’s a miracle ingredient.”

John grabs a handful of the tiny black rape seeds. They are mild and nutty to taste and when pressed, release a vibrant yellow oil which is gentle enough to cook with but with a distinctive taste that can act as a base for dressings and mayonnaises or just for dipping bread in. Indeed, Sussex Gold has recently developed a range of dressings and marinades using their own oils and recipes which have been on sale in farm shops and delis since April.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

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16 • high street hero

Alongside the rape oil and the dressings, Sussex Gold also offers a pure sunflower oil. With only 40 acres under cultivation, supplies can be limited but John has slowly been increasing production over the past 3 years. How, I wonder, did John know that sunflowers would grow well in Sussex? “We had to find another crop that would work with our press,” John tells me.

“Sunflowers are pretty hardy and the climate is Sussex is mild. Also, our land is only 20m above sea level at its highest point, which really makes a difference.

We need dry conditions to harvest sunflower seeds and being low means we tend to be able to get the flower heads in early before the cold damp weather comes along in the autumn.

The only problems we’ve had are with a few rabbits.”

The sea of flowers is a beautiful sight but it’s not until the petals have withered and the seed head turns

dry and black that the seeds can be harvested in late October. As with the rape seed oil, the sunflower oil is cold-pressed and only pressed once, meaning that it is sold as ‘virgin’ in much the same way as olive oil.

“We’re glad that people are starting to recognise rape seed oil as a healthy alternative,” says John. “It takes nearly £100,000 to bring a product like this to market, so it’s important for us to break throughout into the mainstream.”

Although farm shops are the biggest part of the business, Sussex Gold can now be found on the shelves of Waitrose, Co-op and even Tesco across the region. A well-known supporter of local producers, Waitrose were the first to take it, and John also credits Sussex food group, A Taste of Sussex, for his success with the supermarkets.

Now close to capacity on his own farm, John is ready to start buying rape from other local farmers to meet growing demand.

Buy Sussex Gold oils at www. sussexgold.co.uk.

Tel 01403 711957.

Sussex Gold is stocked by: The Sussex Produce Company, Steyning Chez Joel Deli, Steyning Crumbs of Sussex, Shoots Nursery, Washington The Old Forge Deli, Storrington Swains Farm Shop, Small Dole Selected outlets of Waitrose & Budgens

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Fresh local & deli items Succulent artisan cheeses Home cooked meats Preserves & condiments Freshly baked pies & quiches Homemade ice-creams SANDWICH SERVICE & FOOD TO GO

01273 494582

8 Church Street, Storrington 01903 743402 www.oldforgedeli.co.uk

Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm Sunday 9am-5pm Brighton Road, Henfield, BN5 9RP www.swainsfarmshop.co.uk

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November 2009 • Village Living

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www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

16/10/09 15:12:44

ADVERTORIAL • 17

Relish in Spice Extra Hot Onion Relish £2.59

Helen Sanderson ng nager, Waitrose Worthi Customer Services Ma

Waitrose in Worthing is really proud to be supporting so many wonderful small West Sussex producers. From sausages to salads, we stock a wide range of local products – here are just a few of our favourites...

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Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 17

16/10/09 15:12:48

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16/10/09 15:12:50

N

ick Cain, Head Chef at Cromwells of Golding Barn, shares his favourite party main course…

This month, I’ve chosen chump of lamb, a highly underrated cut, which shows just how versatile lamb can be. In Sussex, we tend to think of lamb as a spring and summer meat, and indeed, my butcher tells me that lamb production in the county is increasing every year, with local lamb now available from February through to November.

Oven Roast Chump of Lamb with Garlic & Lemon Thyme Mash With a redcurrant & sage jus and purple-sprouting broccoli

The secret to this dish is the redcurrant & sage sauce. Ask your butcher for some bones and roast them for half an hour in a slow oven. Add the roasted bones to a big pan with chopped onion, celery, carrot, leek & garlic & peppercorns. Cover with water and simmer for 6-8 hours. Skim off the fat, strain & reduce by half before adding the shredded sage leaves and redcurrant jelly.

Brown the chump of lamb in a frying pan to seal all over and take on colour and then pop it into a medium oven to roast for a further 15 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to rest.

Whilst the lamb is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into even chunks. Boil until soft. Heat the cream & thyme leaves gently in a small saucepan and when the liquid has reduced by half, season and use to mash the potatoes.

To serve, slice the lamb quite thickly and place on a bed of mash. Drizzle with the redcurrant jus and serve with the lightly cooked purple sprouting broccoli.

Serves 4 8 oz trimmed chump of lamb (your butcher can do this for you) 2-3 large floury potatoes 100ml single cream 4 cloves of garlic small bunch of fresh lemon thyme handful of fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly bones for roasting (lamb, beef or chicken)

Recipe courtesy of Cromwells at Golding Barn, Henfield Road, nr Small Dole. Tel 01903 815999

Got a mystery ingredient or need a top chef’s know-how?

Drop Nick a line at questions@villageliving.biz and we’ll do our best to publish the answer.

Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 19

16/10/09 15:12:51

20 • READER’S RESTAURANT REVIEW

Reader Review

thirteen church street Storrington

Sally Davey

H

aving heard from friends how much they had enjoyed their Thai meal at ‘thirteen church street thai’ in Storrington, I was really looking forward to having lunch there with a friend. This small delightful restaurant is situated in the heart of Storrington in an 18th century building.

The owners are business partners Stuart May and Pitak Singsaeng who with the help of a fellow Thai runs the restaurant.

Stuart told us that he had travelled in Malaysia and Thailand and is passionate about their cuisine. They have been trading for 2 years and have built up quite a clientele and reputation. It is not a typical Thai restaurant but is light and contemporary with pale grey walls, comfortable seating and a nice touch of fresh flowers on the tables. It does 26 covers and I am sure one would have to reserve to avoid disappointment as on the Tuesday we were there for lunch, it was almost full. They are open 6 days a week (closed Sunday) for lunch, dinner and morning and afternoon coffee and tea. They also do a good business in take away meals.

It boasts an excellent and varied menu. At lunchtime, there were seven starters and eight main courses plus the specials on the blackboard to choose from and for dinner eight starters and eight mains. The dessert menu looked wonderful with six items, some of them designed to suit the English palate November 2009 • Village Living

Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 20

The entire meal was delightful and beautifully presented and I would thoroughly recommend it to lovers of Thai cuisine served in very pleasant surroundings and with excellent service

such as rich chocolate pudding and sticky toffee pudding. There is also an excellent wine menu.

We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table and with a lot of helpful advice from Stuart ordered a mixed platter to start with for sharing.

Just as well, as there was plenty on it such as Mee Krob – seared tiger prawns

on a bed of crispy rice noodles and bean sprouts, traditional Thai Satay – grilled skewers of marinated chicken served with homemade spicy peanut sauce, Porpia – bean sprouts, shitake mushrooms, cabbage and glass noodles rolled in pastry and deep fried, served with chilli dipping sauce and Prawn Tempura – crispy fried tiger prawns

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

16/10/09 15:12:52

She enjoys going with family and grandchildren to The Bull at Henfield. There is a large garden and play area at the back of the pub and they do fantastic home made pizzas to order – always a children’s favourite.

She is also looking forward to trying new restaurant, Into the Blue, at Shoreham Beach specialising in fish.

served with pickled ginger and sweet plum dipping sauce.

After that feast we decided to try a Fragrant green Curry of tiger prawns with Thai vegetables and coconut milk and Pad Thai stir fried noodles with tiger prawns, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, egg and spring onions. Then, feeling very greedy, we thought we should try a Thai dessert and settled on Coconut and Lemongrass Creme Brulee between us.

Wonderful!

The entire meal was delightful and beautifully presented and I would thoroughly recommend it to lovers of Thai cuisine served in very pleasant surroundings and with excellent service.

Sally Davey lived in Hove for several years before moving to Steyning fourteen years ago on the occasion of her second marriage. Her husband did not want to leave Steyning and now she would not want to live anywhere else and really enjoys being in a thriving village atmosphere.

3

Be our food reviewer & eat for free!

In 50 words or less, write and tell us why you could be our Michael Winner. Send your entries to info@villageliving.biz or to the address at the front of the magazine.

OF THE BEST… RESTAURANTS WITH EASTERN PROMISE The Golden Willow, 5 Pulborough Road, Storrington Tel 01903 740333

Saxons, 76 High Street, Steyning BN44 3RD Tel 01903 813533

A Storrington institution since 1999, the tranquil golden Willow overlooks the picturesque village duck pond. The extensive menu features Szechuan, Cantonese, Peking and Thai dishes and does a good trade in outside catering.

Specialising in Nepalese cooking, this bright and cheery restaurant on Steyning High Street has won fans for its modern approach to Indian cuisine.

The Maharajah, The Street, Bramber Tel 01903 814746 Discreetly housed within a beautiful listed building, the classic Maharajah is the largest and one of the best-known Indian restaurants in the area. The first to introduce a Balti menu in West Sussex, the Maharajah now offers special Bengali fish dishes and ‘Patila’ or sealed-style cuisine – a must for enthusiasts.

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Advert.qxp:Village Living 2009

14/10/09

13:03

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Award Winning Veg Box Scheme Available Prices start at £12.50. Phone or pop in for details.

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Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 22

16/10/09 15:12:55

23 • SUSSEX IN SEASON

All hands to the pumpkin...

Nick Hempleman Owner of The Sussex Produce Company, award winning produce store in Steyning, West Sussex.

W

ith Halloween out the way, you might think pumpkins would be relegated to the compost heap, but now is the perfect time to discover what a delicious treat they are.

I think many people in this country have been put off pumpkins those grown for Halloween lanterns are grown for shape and size and not for flavour. This is a shame, because there are many fantastic and beautiful varieties.

We grow ‘Mars’ for carving scary faces out but I far prefer ‘Crown Prince’ for cooking as its flavour is deeper and the texture less watery. Its duck egg blue skin hides the deepest orange flesh which looks beautiful in the shop and on the plate.

Whilst we are lucky to be able to grow many of our own pumpkins, we work closely with other local farms and source some wonderful squash from Jessups Farm in Ashurst.

Whilst we are lucky to be able to grow many of our own pumpkins, we work closely with other local farms and source some wonderful squash from Jessups Farm in Ashurst.

Jessups, like us, believe that farming should be as natural as possible. They don’t spray their crops with chemicals and fertility is put back into their soil care of their herd of rare breed Sussex cattle.

They farm across 400 acres, of which vegetable growing plays only a small part but they farm in such a way that wildlife is encouraged with newly created ponds to benefit birds such as teal, snipe and mallard and restored hedges which will encourage whitethroat, blackcap and

yellowhammer. On the stream itself you may catch a glimpse of a kingfisher and to the north and south are woodlands with rich ground flora such as bluebells, ransoms and primroses.

I am proud to work with local, small-scale farms. They are sensitive to the environment and understand that although they must make a living out of the land, that it is equally important to preserve it for future generations.

Crown Prince Pumpkins

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

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Wall Bros

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16/10/09 15:12:57

25 • DRINK LOCAL

Ridgeview Estate

A

fter last month’s foray into the world of real ales, it’s my turn to choose a tipple for myself and BeerMatt’s Matthew Wright to get stuck into. I don’t even need to think about it. We’re heading straight to Ridgeview Estate near Ditchling, to quaff Sussex’s answer to fine champagne.

Ridgeview Estate is a small familyrun business, started by Mike and Christine Roberts in 1994. After selling a computer company, they decided to completely change their lifestyle, giving up the capital-intensive, highly competitive, cut-throat world of IT for the capital-intensive, highly competitive, low margin business of making fine wine. “But the people are much nicer”, says Mike.

Mike and Christine looked at properties all over Europe before settling for a parcel of land right on their own doorstep in Sussex. Famously Sussex is only 88 miles as the crow flies from France’s Champagne region, giving Sussex the same chalky subsoil structure that creates such fine wines in France. Add to that Sussex’s relatively mild climate and you have a recipe for successful English wine-making.

And Michael and Christine didn’t set out to make any old wine. They wanted to produce the highest quality sparkling

It takes 6 years to get to the point where a bottle can be sold wine using traditional Champagne grape varieties and traditional methods.

Dauntingly, it takes 6 years to get to the point where a bottle can be sold.

In addition, the heavy investment in equipment makes sparkling wine production an expensive business and not one for the faint-hearted, I imagine.

Happily, demand has outstripped supply from the beginning.

“Initially, just 16 acres were planted which produced 20,000 bottles but the estate has made further plantings and is now commissioning other nearby growers which will increase production 3-fold over the next four years,” explains Sales & Marketing executive Oliver Marsh.

Normally out harvesting at this time of year, Oliver just has time to

show us around the winery and more importantly, open a bottle or two. We start with the chardonnay-dominated Bloomsbury, which is light, toasty and bursting with green fruit. Next up is my favourite, the Knightsbridge, a classic rounded Champagne-style blend.

Known as a ‘blanc de noir’ or ‘white from black’, it’s made from 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Pinot Meunier, both red grapes. A very gentle pressing and quick removal of the skins gives the wine all the flavour of the red grapes without the colour.

We finish with the Fitzrovia, a sparkling rose, which again is mostly Chardonnay, giving it lightness, blended with a small amount of red pinot wine to give it a delicate salmon colour and distinct red berry notes.

Ridgeview wines are available through BeerMatt or directly from the vineyard. Visit www.rideviewestate. co.uk or telephone 0845 345 7292.

Beer For A Year!

Hepworth’s will be keeping the readers of Village Living in beer for a year. A different winner each month will win a case of 12 Hepworth’s ales. To be in with a chance just answer the following question: How many different wines are made by Ridgeview Estate?

Send answers to info@villageliving.biz or to the address at the front of the magazine for your chance to win. Closing date 31st October, 2009.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 25

Village Living • November 2009

16/10/09 15:12:58

Chalcraft Funeral Directors circa 1870

Long established & family owned business, dedicated to making traditional funeral services as personal & special to you as possible . . .

H R

Chequers Yard High Street Steyning 01903 812656 info@chalcraftfunerals.co.uk www.chalcraftfunerals.co.uk Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 26

F 16/10/09 15:12:58

27 • gARDENINg

Olive trees in Sussex from the Big Plant Nursery

W

ell known in Mediterranean climes the olive is surprisingly hardy can be easily grown outside in our mild southern gardens. Indeed there has been an olive tree in the Chelsea Physic garden for well over 100 years.

On my travels I have seen many trees in private gardens flourishing, some even producing fruits. In my own garden I have trialled a tree for the past 17 years and during this time it as remained in a container (re-potted once), tolerating temperatures as low as -14∞C and survived in more shade than I would recommend!

Olives are drought tolerant trees enjoying a sunny spot in the garden, they will grow well either in the ground or in a container. Just remember though plants in pots still need watering. given some fair weather during spring when the olives are flowering there is a good chance of a small crop, so we also

recommend a regular feeding with an organic fertilizer such as a seaweed extract.

At some point, your olive will need pruning. Olive trees are remarkably easy to prune and are able to shoot from apparently old and dormant wood. I am not suggesting very heavy pruning, although you will see old, gnarled specimens at nurseries that have had most of their branches removed leaving just the trunk with 2/3 years of growth on top (which is known as macrobonsai). This pruning is carried out on the continent as a pre-cursor to the trees being lifted out of the ground.

In the garden you should prune to produce that classic goblet shape which allows airflow through the tree, much the same as would with a gooseberry bush or apple tree. The important difference is that pruning should be carried out during late spring and early summer as autumn or winter pruning

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doesn’t allow the tree to callous over the wounds and rot may set in. generally, olives are pest and disease free. Occasionally you may see a fungal infection on the leaves known as ‘Peacock Spot’ that appears as a series of black rings on the leaf, which is most prevalent in late winter and early spring.

Bad cases can be easily treated with a copper-based or general fungicide.

In the autumn months, look out for the local squirrels and blackbirds as they soon develop a taste for your treasured olives and you may have to share a few.

Keep the Chianti to yourself though!

www.bigplantnursery.co.uk

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living • November 2009

16/10/09 15:13:00

28 • local advertising

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16/10/09 15:13:00

Talk

29 • TALK MONEY

Talk Money Claire Cook

from independent mortgage and financial advisers Talk Money, gives essential advice...

Finances – making sense of the minefield

T

he first thing I do when dealing with new clients is ask them what mortgages, policies and pensions they already have in place. The question is often answered with “I have a few policies and plans but I can’t remember what they do”. Then it will normally be the case of being handed a dusty pile of old papers which normally mean nothing to the person who owns them!

Life company paperwork is often difficult to understand so it is not surprising that people lose track. This is where I can help. As an independent adviser, I can obtain information and updates on all of your current plans.

My job is to take this dusty pile and

make sense of it. Once it has all been summarised in a simple format we can make sense of exactly what you are paying for and what it is doing for you.

Do your plans fit your current situation?

Are you throwing money down the drain paying for something you simply don’t need any more? Situations and policies change, so it is always worth a review.

One area people really don’t understand (or don’t want to) is pensions. Please read on! If you have ever taken out a pension or opted out of SERPs (or State Second Pension) there are many of you who will be in old fashioned plans, paying high fees to your provider and not reaping the rewards. High fees combined with low performance mean that your pension plan could be going nowhere. This really does have an impact on the income you will receive in retirement.

A phrase I often hear is “my pension is frozen”. When people say this they really mean that they don’t pay into their pension any more. Please don’t forget that the company still has a lump sum of your money, this needs looking after. A simple review can reap rewards in years to come.

I believe that people really do lose touch with their finances, this is easy

to do in the rush of modern life. This is why our online client system has been developed. The system enables us to keep your policies up to date at the touch of a button. We can see clearly where you stand, and any areas which need attending to. From your point of view, if you like to deal online, we can provide you with access to your own client file. This is a central point containing clear information on all of your plans, pensions and investments.

Values are updated, and relevant paperwork scanned. Believe me, once your finances are on the system you will never lose touch again. If you don’t use a computer, this is not a problem, we can provide all of the same information in a paper format.

If you would like me to make a full review of your finances, then please call me on 01403 330822. I am an independent financial adviser. I offer a free initial consultation to new clients and home visits if required.

Buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the Finanicial Services Authority. Talk Money is a trading style of Best Practice IFA group Ltd, which is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority. If you prefer to pay a fee for advice this option is available, the exact amount of the fee will depend on circumstances but we estimate it will be 0.5% of the loan amount. Where a rate is quoted the rate will depend on individual circumstances and not all borrowers will qualify for acceptance of the loan (or similar).Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Independent Financial Advice for an Independent You For a free initial mortgage health check talk to us on 01403 330822

Mortgages Investments Pensions Insurance

e info@talkmoney.co.uk w www.talkmoney.co.uk

www.villageliving.biz 01903 814092 • November 2009 Talk Money Limited is trading style of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd, which is Authorised and Regulated|bytel: the Financial Services Authority. If youVillage prefer to payLiving a fee for advice this option is available, the exact amount of the fee will depend on circumstances but we estimate it will be 0.5% of the loan amount. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Village Living Ad 2 32pp AW.indd Talk Money (Village Living)29 0909.indd 1

16/10/09 15:13:01 08/10/2009 15:18

30 • MIND & BODY

Mind & Body Chris Jones Cognitive Therapist and Mind Coach, Southdowns Hypnotherapy

Sport & The mind-body relationship

M

ind techniques are being used more and more in Sport, to help individuals and teams to improve their performance, beyond what would normally be achieved. Hypnotherapy has many advantages over traditional methods, because it can deal effectively with certain performance inhibitors, such as anxiety, fear of failure, stage fright and self-image, motivation and mindset issues.

After playing a bad shot, many people allow their frame of mind and the rest of the game to be affected.

Hypnotherapy can provide self-help treatments to overcome this. One very powerful technique is known as anchoring, where an individual can recreate a feeling of calm, confidence, or any appropriate emotion, at will, by using a pre-set trigger.

It also employs many techniques which can be much more powerful and therefore effective when done under hypnosis. One such technique is, visualisation, or mental rehearsal, which can be so realistic that the person really experiences the feelings associated with a good performance.

For example, a 100 yard sprinter will go over every detail, time and time again; from the intitial quick start,

to seeing the other runners in his peripheral vision, and then the clock showing his/her best time ever. He/she will rehearse the feelings associated with this performance until it is second nature. The brain is easily fooled and can believe that the performance is not only possible, but probable, thereby increasing the confidence of the athlete and the likelihood of an excellent performance.

It is not commonly known that hypnosis can also be used to speed up healing, which can be a great asset for top athletes. For many, it can also be used to control pain; so for athletes such as long distance runners, this can be invaluable.

Chris is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner and Sports Performance Mind Coach.

He became involved with mind techniques while practicing martial arts in his younger days.

He subsequently became interested in the concept of using them to help people and found that Hypnotherapy provided the ideal tools for this work. He is based in Storrington, where he works alongside his wife, Cathy (also a Hypnotherapist), who specialises in weight-loss.

For more information on this subject, please see my website: www.chrisjones.uk.com

Chris Jones

Treatment of

DipChyp, HPD, NLP, MNCH

 phobias  weight & eating disorders

Cognitive Hypnotherapy & Sports Performance Mind Coaching

 anxiety & stress

01903 745606 or 07740 085101 www.villageliving.biz | www.chrisjones.uk.com

November 2009 • Village Living

Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 30

 compulsions & addictions  performance enhancement  healing & pain management

tel: 01903 814092

16/10/09 15:13:02

EE

G IN K R PA FR

Computer repairs & Printer ink

e v ic ” r e e r s dvic e m a ing sto lent ompt u l S c at exce hill, e n r “G and .Thor K

Wow!

A computer shop IN

Upper Beeding!

NEW DESKTOP PCS AND LAPTOPS IN-STOCK

From

£199 One Stop Computer Store 6 Hyde Square Upper Beeding Steyning West Sussex BN44 3JE

Open 9 to 5.30 Monday to Saturday - Tel: 01903 816116

Village Living 2 32pp AW.indd 31

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   

   

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  

        

 

         

  

£2.60      £3.40 haji b n o i On ebab  Shis h K  5.50     £    Korma £5.40 n e k c i Ch £5.95 Rogon n e k c i Ch £6.60 Tikka n e k c i Ch Bhuna     5    La mb   £1.9      read £2.00 b n a Na ice Pilau r 

20% OFF

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     

         

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WEEKDAY BARGAIN! Mention Village Living

16/10/09 15:13:04