Good Afternoon Everyone,
Summer has finally arrived…
Firstly, I hope you’ve all survived the heatwave. I don’t think many of us were expecting quite that much sunshine. Mind you, I’m certainly not complaining – although I think the fridges have been working harder than the rest of us, (Someone said it’s climate change – I totally agree – best thing if it gets too hot we can always move to the US of, because as Donald says, there’s no climate change there).
A huge thank you to everyone who continues to support us while the building work carries on around us. We know it’s a little dusty, occasionally noisy, and sometimes feels like you’re sipping your coffee in the middle of a building site. We don’t have a finish date but everyday we are seeing changes – it will happen! We really do appreciate your patience.
The Bakery
What started as a dream, has quickly become one of the busiest parts of Compton McRae.
Every morning Chris is in before most of us are even awake, baking fresh sourdough, baguettes and pastries. If you haven’t tried them yet, give them a go – just don’t blame me when you come back for another the next day. We also take orders so you are guaranteed not to miss out. It’s been brilliant watching the bakery become part of everyday life at Compton McRae, and it’s lovely seeing so many of you popping in first thing to collect fresh bread and pastries. Better still, if you know a café, pub, restaurant or business that would like to stock locally made artisan bread, we’d love to hear from them. (happy to pay a finders fee in pain au choc!)
Summer in the Deli
- Jatamalier Jams – sweet jams with a twist
- The Peanut Butter Company -dangerously addictive
- Meurissa Espresso Dark Chocolate
- Tahini Grette – absolutely brilliant drizzled over salads, roasted veggies or just about anything else
- La Masseria – extra virgin olive oil
- Manja Bakery Granola – so moreish. Ask anyone who’s opened a bag (made by our own Heidi!)
- Lickalix ice lollies – disappearing rather quickly in this weather
- Elderflower & Mint Kicking Goat Cider – summer in a bottle and well worth trying
Our ice cream freezer is now completely stocked again, so if you’re passing by and need to cool down, we’ve got you covered.
Talking about local producers, congratulations to Coolhurst Vineyard on their award-winning Lady Elizabeth Sparkling. We’re delighted to have it on our shelves, and I can’t think of a better bottle for summer picnics, garden parties or as a gift when you’re heading off to a barbecue.
Compton McRae Christmas Range is here – all your favourite essentials!
Our Christmas shelf goods have started arriving – Panettones, Nougat, Cantucci, Amaretti, chocolate cigars and more. Pop in and have a look!
Diggle Chocolates – these chocolates are handmade from start to finish. Each truffle is lovingly made by hand from a little kitchen in south London. No nasty preservatives, only the finest fresh ingredients, this gives the chocolates a shorter shelf life but makes them oh so much more delicious…
Summer on the Menu
Our summer drinks have arrived and have been flying out the door, and the kitchen team have been busy putting together some lovely seasonal dishes. If you haven’t tried the carpaccio yet, I thoroughly recommend it.
And… Tokes Farm is back! Having their incredible veggies arriving once again means you’ll be seeing even more local produce making its way onto your plates throughout the summer. You’ll also find plenty of Tokes Farm produce in the deli, so you can take a little bit of local freshness home.
New Meal Deals
If you’re looking for an easy lunch, we’ve always got delicious salads, sausage rolls and take away items available everyday!
Talking of easy meals… Don’t forget our homemade frozen meal deal. Ready whenever you need them and perfect for those evenings when cooking and washing up feel like a bit too much effort.
Pick up a soup, small frozen loaf or baguette, select a frozen meal serves 2 and to finish a small pudding
- Veggie main meal – £28.50
- Meat main meal – £33.50
- Add a bottle of house wine for £9.50
A Prosecco Problem
Now, I may have made a slight ordering error… Let’s just say we have rather a lot of Prosecco.
Rather than pretending it was all part of the grand plan, we’ve decided to pass the benefit on to you. If you’re planning a garden party, barbecue or summer celebration, pop in and stock up while the offer lasts.
Ideal for mimosas at Sunday brunch, Hugo Spritzes on warm summer evenings, or, judging by the amount I’ve ordered, every night of the week until September. £12.00 per bottle (while stocks last).
Pizza Nights @ Compton McRae
One of the things we’re most excited about this summer is our very first Pizza Night. Put it in your diary!
Friday 24th July
5.00pm – 8.00pm
Chris the Baker, will be operating from our Compton McRae Bakery, using his sourdough base and topping it with the best of the season from Tokes Farm, the deli and our cheese room.
With sunny weather forecast we will have the marquee open and picnic tables all around, a bar outside, ice creams and all the usual Compton McRae goodies.
Please book a table if you’re planning to join us, although we’ll keep a few tables free for anyone feeling spontaneous. A perfect evening for the whole family with an area for the kids to run freely!
Fancy takeaway instead? Simply pre-order before 4pm on the day and we’ll have it ready for collection. Order forms will be sent the week before with all the details.
If all goes well, we’d love to make Pizza Nights a regular feature throughout August and September.
Compton McRae Catering
Summer has certainly kept us busy. We’ve been lucky enough to cater some wonderful weddings recently, along with birthday celebrations, long lunches in the garden and evening canapes.
Whether you need a picnic hamper for ten, a garden party for fifty, a wedding feast, or simply food for family coming to stay, we’d love to help.
Whatever you’ve got planned, do get in touch sooner rather than later so we can help make it something special.
Local is what we love
One of the things we enjoy most is discovering people making lovely things.
We’re always looking to work with more local farms, producers and food businesses, so if you know someone growing or making something, please send them our way.
Likewise, if you’ve got a vegetable patch or allotment that’s suddenly producing far more than you know what to do with, we’d be delighted to swap some of your surplus for something delicious from the deli.
One final thing…
One of my favourite parts of running Compton McRae is seeing so many familiar faces every week. Whether you’re popping in for a loaf on the way home, meeting friends for coffee, grabbing lunch or just stopping for a chat, it’s those conversations and that sense of community that make this place what it is.
We’ve always wanted Compton McRae to feel like more than just a café or deli. We wanted it to be somewhere people enjoy spending time, and that’s entirely down to you all.
So a big thank you for being with us on the 7 year journey – there will be plenty more! …
Have a wonderful summer and hopefully we’ll see you very soon.
Best wishes,
Bill and the Compton McRae Team
The Shop 01747 448750 info@comptonmcrae.com