Perfect Local Pantry Produce For A Special Christmas Feast
The North East has some of the best food producers
Northumberland Cheese Company
The Cheese Farm, Green Lane, Northumberland NE13 6BZ
01670 789798
northumberlandcheese.co.uk
Mark Robertson has been making farmhouse cheeses in the heart of Northumberland since 1984, and after moving into the 19th century granary on the Blagdon Estate, Northumberland Cheese have been producing a full range of artisan cheese with a range of different milks. Using traditional craftsmanship alongside modern practices, expect to find everything from oak-smoked cow’s cheese to goat’s and sheep’s cheese, as well as locally-made chutneys, crackers and hampers filled with all the accompaniments you need for a cheesy Christmas feast. Browse the range online, or visit the team in store.
Baristocracy
Unit 2, Larch Court, West Chirton North Industrial Estate, North Shields NE29 8SG
baristocracycoffee.com
Aussie-born Alex Forsyth learned the art of speciality coffee roasting from his dad in Sydney before moving to the North East and setting up Baristocracy in 2017. Offering a range of high-quality coffee sourced from all over the world and expertly roasted in North Shields, expect blends with rich chocolate, caramel, vanilla and fruit tasting notes, all available on their website and at their North Shields roastery. You can also book onto one of their speciality coffee courses and brush up on your home barista skills, or get an introduction to the world of latte art.
Read More: Living North's Christmas Gift Guide 2022
Estate Tea Co.
84 Heaton Road, Newcastle NE6 5HL
estateteaco.co.uk
This independent tea merchants specialises in single estate, small batch and fine quality loose leaf teas and was founded out of a love for discovering rare and exciting flavours. Changing their range throughout the year, Estate Tea Co. are all about ethically sourcing and ensuring traceability. Visit their shop and café on Heaton Road, or browse the collection of black, green, white and matcha teas, as well as teapots, accessories and gift ideas, on their website.
Gareth James Chocolatier
12 Front Street, Tynemouth NE30 4DX
0191 257 7799
garethjameschocolatier.co.uk
Founded in Tynemouth in 2010, Gareth James is an independent artisan chocolatier making all their chocolate goodies onsite in their upstairs studio. Capturing the true characteristics of each ingredient and matching each flavour to its perfect chocolate, there’s plenty of choice here, from decadent brownies and chocolate slabs to bars and pavés, plus a range of selection boxes, drinking chocolate and vegan bars and bites.
Woodcrest Kitchen
woodcrestkitchen.co.uk
This award-winning artisan producer handmakes delicious sweet and savoury preserves, including jams, chutneys and marmalades, in the heart of Burnopfield. Using the finest ingredients, most of which are grown on the family allotment or locally foraged, Woodcrest Kitchen follow traditional methods, making just six to 12 jars at a time. From mixed berry jam with blackberries, strawberries and elderflower, to apple and chilli jelly, Indian-spiced courgette chutney and lemon and lime marmalade, find these tasty preserves at stockists across the region.
Read More: Where to Buy the Finest Cuts of Meat and Locally-Caught Fish this Christmas
Lovesome Oil
lovesomeoil.com
In the heart of County Durham, three generations of famers have been born at Lovesome Hill and 90 years ago oil seed rape was introduced. Now the family create cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil which has less saturated fat and is higher in omega three than olive oil, as well as being triple-filtered for purity. So whether you’re roasting, baking, frying, drizzling or dipping, Lovesome Oil is the perfect oil for the festive season. Sign up to their subscription service to enjoy delicious oil delivered straight to your door or pick up their products from a number of stockists regionwide.
Di Meo’s
Whitley Bay, Tynemouth and Newcastle
dimeos.co.uk
Creating small batch, handmade ice creams, sorbets and frozen desserts, Di Meo’s are the masters of all things gelato. Following a secret family recipe which dates back to 1925, their pure, authentic and award-winning gelato is churned onsite every day and at their outposts across the region expect flavours including chocolate brownie, Biscoff, cookies and cream, Battenburg and pistachio ice creams.
The Travelling Bee Company
travellingbee.co.uk
This award-winning family-run business know that happy bees make the best honey – that’s why they bundle them into bee-mobiles and travel across the North East and Scotland setting up apiaries which give their bees access to a variety of flowers throughout the seasons. Specialising in producing raw, natural and unprocessed honey, The Travelling Bee Company have a large range to choose from including Spanish blackberry, sweet chestnut, Scottish heather and apple orchard honey flavours. You can also shop their range of hand-rolled beeswax candles, soaps, balms and gifts on their website.
Craggs & Co.
craggsandco.co.uk
From their family farms in the North East and North Yorkshire countryside, Craggs & Co. have been selecting the finest grains to grow and harvest for more than 70 years. In 2015 they diversified into spelt production and since then have become the UK’s largest producer of spelt products and won several Great Taste Awards. Buy their wholegrain, rye, spelt and wholegrain spelt flour on their website, or find their flour stocked at farm shops across the North East.
Read More: 12 Christmas Drinks You Have To Try This Festive Season
Northumbrian Pantry
northumbrianpantry.com
Inspired by owner Alice’s travels as well as her upbringing in the Northumberland countryside, Northumbrian Pantry produce delicious jams, chutneys, jellies and relishes in small batches. Using time-honoured traditional methods, the family business create everything from chilli relish and strawberry jam to smokey tomato and chilli chutney. Find their jars at a number of farm shops and delis across the North East.
Doddington Dairy
11 South Road, Wooler NE71 6QE
01668 282357
doddingtondairy.co.uk
Based in Glendale Valley at the bottom of the Cheviot Hills, Doddington Dairy is a family farm which produces delicious (and award-winning) ice cream, yoghurt and cheese. Their ice cream flavours range from real strawberry to double ginger, and their popular cheeses include a mellow buttery blue, a traditional gouda and an oak-smoked cheese. Find Doddington Dairy’s products regionwide, visit their website, or stop by the Milk Bar to sample the ice cream first hand.
Northern Edge Coffee
7 Silver Street, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1HU
01289 306892
northernedgecoffee.co.uk
Established in 2015, Northern Edge Coffee is a family-run coffee roastery producing speciality-grade arabica coffee, roasted in small batches to bring out each bean’s unique flavours and characteristics. Working closely with green bean suppliers, this Berwick-based coffee roastery proudly support coffee farmers and communities across the world. Find coffee with tasting notes of chocolate, hazelnuts, almonds, fruit and honeycomb on their website, in their coffee house, or at independent outlets across the North East.
Read More: Meet Tyne Chease The UK’s First Artisan Vegan Cheese Company and They're Based in the North East
Tyne Chease
tynechease.com
Based in the heart of Northumberland, Tyne Chease is the UK’s first artisan vegan cheese company with a speciality range of plant-based cheese. Their range includes an award-winning Za’atar spice, truffle, pink peppercorn and apple smoked cheeses and if you’re looking for the perfect cheesy vegan gift, shop Tyne Chease’s hampers as well as their full range, including pickles, chutneys and crackers, on their website.
Acorn Dairy
01325 466999
acorndairy.co.uk
From their low-carbon farm near Darlington, Acorn Dairy produce their own butter, milk and cream from their organic herd. As well being stocked in farm shops and delis regionwide, you can get Acorn Dairy’s organic milk delivered straight from the farm to your door – and if you’re looking for a few extras (including cheese, yoghurt, organic breakfast cereals and bread) you can add those to your order too.
Teesdale Cheesemakers
Pond Farm, 11 Copley Lane, Butterknowle DL13 5LW
07887 676397
teesdalecheesemakers.co.uk
At Teesdale Cheesemakers artisan cheese is handmade using the milk from the family farm. Using traditional methods, you’ll find everything from soft and semi-soft to crumbly cheeses, including a mellow goat’s cheese, a garlic cheese made with mulberry milk, a farmhouse brie and a red-veined blue. Book onto one of their experience days where you can master the basics and learn how to experiment with cheese at home.
Pilgrims Gelato
Marygate, Holy Island TD15 2SJ
pilgrimsgelato.co.uk
Cousins Charlotte Thompson and Farah Weedon founded Pilgrims Gelato in 2011 with a mission to create seriously tasty vegan gelato which is free from everything but the flavour. At their scoop shops on Holy Island and in Bamburgh you’ll find flavours including coffee espresso, raspberry cheesecake, chocolate brownie, sea salt and double ginger – plus their free-from gelato comes in fully-recyclable tins with an edible spoon.
La Chocolatrice
Coxhoe DH6 4LD
Newcastle NE1 1SG
lachocolatrice.co.uk
With a chocolate factory in Coxhoe and a workshop in Newcastle, La Chocolatrice aim to bring a sense of magic to the North East with their delicious handmade chocolate bars and truffle making classes. Shop everything from caramel, Biscoff and fruit and nut to rocky road and dark chocolate berry bars, as well as chocolate gifts, chocolate pearls and buttons on their website or in store. For those wanting to master their chocolatier skills, book onto one of their classes and get stuck in, making, decorating and tasting your own chocolate truffles.
