We don’t know about you but we think that there has never been a better time for food in the UK, and because of this, radically, The Little Deli stocks primarily produce made on our home soil. That being said, there are some European greats that our deli wouldn’t be complete without, our Proscuitto di Parma, Comte, Taleggio, Mortadella with Pistachio and Ibirico Bellota are favourites that will always have a home in our counters.
A little closer to our front door, Hitchin (and surrounding areas) is very lucky to be the home to loads of really fabulous artisan producers. All sorts of great names (with even greater stories) are present on our shelves. Whether you’re looking for some jams and chutneys with a twist from Hibiscus Lily (Hitchin), cold pressed rapeseed oil from Mrs Middleton (Barton Hills) or giant meringues from The Sunshine Kitchen (Ickleford) – you’ll be sure to leave us with your shopping bag full of all sorts of treats.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
The place to see what’s new, what’s in demand and the things that we love.
Baron Bigod
Jonny & Dulcie Crickmore, Bungay, Suffolk
The ex-pat Brie. Jonny & Dulcie bought in Montbeliarde cows from eastern France to produce this Brie de Meaux inspired cheese. Baron Bigod is a raw cow’s milk cheese with a distinctively layered paste. Yoghurty, unctuous and mellow with aromas of mushroom and earth.
Lincolnshire Poacher
Simon & Tim Jones, Ulceby Grange, Lincolnshire
The tough one. Lincolnshire Pacher is often described as a cross between Cheddar and mountain cheese. Bothers, Simon and Tim are passionate about land stewardship. They farm sustainably to get the best milk from their closed herd. They create their own energy from wind, sun, heat exchange and a straw pellet boiler. Generally the texture of this cheese is smooth, close, dense and creamy with long sweet pineapple flavours.
Hitchin Hard
Alan & Angela Bungey, Wobbly Bottom Farm, Hertfordshire
The local. Alan and Angela run an ‘open barn’ policy on their farm so their goats are free to choose to stay undercover or graze on the 39 acres of grass field. They have a mixed dairy goat herd selected for their fine quality milk. The breeds mixed with their happy, healthy lifestyle makes for great cheese! Hitchin Hard is a hard goats milk cheese, sharp and pungent this local cheese really does pack a punch.
Stichelton
Joe Schnieder, Wellbeck Estate, Nottinghamshire
The rebellion cheese. Joe Schnieder has been making raw milk blue cheese at Stichelton Dairy since 2006. He and founding director Randolph Hodgson had set out to make a raw milk Stilton, but after the Stilton Cheesemakers Association refused to allow their request to allow raw milk Stilton to be made, Stichelton was born. Stich can express a multitude of long lasting flavours from sweet caramel to beef stock with toasty notes.
Coolea
Dick & Helene Willems, County Cork, Ireland
The grown ups Babybel. Dick and Helene Willems moved from Holland to County Cork, Ireland in the late 1970’s. They started making Coolea on their own farm as a hobby in 1981. The flavours of this cheese are sweet and rich with hints of hazelnut, butterscotch and honey. Coolea is smooth and close in texture, reminiscent of Dutch Gouda.
Comte
Jura Massif Region, Eastern France
The smooth one. For more than ten centuries, villagers of Jura Massif have lovingly crafted this unique and delicious cheese. The region is home to over 3,000 family farms, all dedicated to producing the highest quality of raw milk required. Comte takes it’s time to acquire it’s unique taste. Once the milk has been skimmed and pressed, it is stored in a maturing cellar for at least 4 to 18 months to gain its full spectrum of delicious flavours. You can expect nutty, creamy, fruity, peppery and toasty flavours from this smooth cheese.
Moroccan Lamb
John and Catherine Miller, Chiltern Charcuterie, Buckinghamshire
Local free range lamb is given a North African twist with this little gem. In John and Catherine’s barn in the heart of The Chilterns the leg is marinated in red wine for a week then combined with a spice mix of ras el hanout and ginger. It’s finally air dried for up to six weeks to intensify the flavour.
Hackney Nduja
Hugo Jeffreys, Black Hand, Hackney
A real favourite of The Little Deli, this spreadable salami is made from 75% pork fat, chilli and a few spices. This sausage has its roots in Calabria where it is fiery hot! Black Hand have made this version a little gentler so that the flavour of the chilli and pork can shine through.
Seaweed and Cider Salami
Richard and Fionagh Harding, Cornish Charcuterie, Bude
A best seller wherever it goes, this salami is made to an Italian recipe with home reared Cornish Lop pork and Ruby beef in traditional ratios of 80% pork to 20% beef. Hand-foraged Sea Spaghetti from the Cornish Seaweed Company and Cornish Charcuteries own cider give this special salami a light and sweet flavour.
Smoked Duck Breast
Capreolus, Rampisham, West Dorset
Free-range duck breast from Sladesdown Farm near Ashbuton in Devon is cured in a brine flavoured with thyme, juniper, black pepper, honey, maple, syrup and pork. The Capreolus team then smoke it with beech wood before gently cooking the breasts sous-vide. This moist, succulent treat should be finely sliced and savoured.
There's a whole lot more in-store!
Condiments
Christmas
Biscuits
Cakes
Olives
Seasonings
Dressings & Sauces
Confectionary
Savoury Cake
Oil & Vinegar
Antipasti
Pasta, Rice & Pulses
Crackers & Bread Sticks
Store Cupboard
Snacks
Sweet Biscuits
Preserves, Chutneys & Relishes
Tea
Fresh Pasta
Honey
Pies & Pastries
Meat Snacks
Our pick your own Mezze Lunch boxes are the perfect lunch time fill-me-up. With options for veggies, vegans, coeliacs and meat eaters these little boxes will not see you go hungry. The Sunshine Kitchen in Ickleford freshly make delicious salads for us every week and chef Martin Burke (fondly referred to at The Little Deli HQ as the falafel wizard) ensures we never run out of Mediterranean goodies.
Coffee Supplied by Campervan Coffee Co (Ashwell), all our coffees are made with single origin coffee beans. When its gone, its gone and we move on to the next. This months coffee bean of choice: Nicaragua Finca EL Limon
Stichelton
Joe Schnieder, Wellbeck Estate, Nottinghamshire
The rebellion cheese. Joe Schnieder has been making raw milk blue cheese at Stichelton Dairy since 2006. He and founding director Randolph Hodgson had set out to make a raw milk Stilton, but after the Stilton Cheesemakers Association refused to allow their request to allow raw milk Stilton to be made, Stichelton was born. Stich can express a multitude of long lasting flavours from sweet caramel to beef stock with toasty notes.
Coolea
Dick & Helene Willems, County Cork, Ireland
The grown ups Babybel. Dick and Helene Willems moved from Holland to County Cork, Ireland in the late 1970’s. They started making Coolea on their own farm as a hobby in 1981. The flavours of this cheese are sweet and rich with hints of hazelnut, butterscotch and honey. Coolea is smooth and close in texture, reminiscent of Dutch Gouda.
Comte
Jura Massif Region, Eastern France
The smooth one. For more than ten centuries, villagers of Jura Massif have lovingly crafted this unique and delicious cheese. The region is home to over 3,000 family farms, all dedicated to producing the highest quality of raw milk required. Comte takes it’s time to acquire it’s unique taste. Once the milk has been skimmed and pressed, it is stored in a maturing cellar for at least 4 to 18 months to gain its full spectrum of delicious flavours. You can expect nutty, creamy, fruity, peppery and toasty flavours from this smooth cheese.
Seaweed and Cider Salami
Richard and Fionagh Harding, Cornish Charcuterie, Bude
A best seller wherever it goes, this salami is made to an Italian recipe with home reared Cornish Lop pork and Ruby beef in traditional ratios of 80% pork to 20% beef. Hand-foraged Sea Spaghetti from the Cornish Seaweed Company and Cornish Charcuteries own cider give this special salami a light and sweet flavour.
Smoked Duck Breast
Capreolus, Rampisham, West Dorset
Free-range duck breast from Sladesdown Farm near Ashbuton in Devon is cured in a brine flavoured with thyme, juniper, black pepper, honey, maple, syrup and pork. The Capreolus team then smoke it with beech wood before gently cooking the breasts sous-vide. This moist, succulent treat should be finely sliced and savoured.
There's a whole lot more in-store!
Condiments
Christmas
Biscuits
Cakes
Olives
Seasonings
Dressings & Sauces
Confectionary
Savoury Cake
Oil & Vinegar
Antipasti
Pasta, Rice & Pulses
Crackers & Bread Sticks
Store Cupboard
Snacks
Sweet Biscuits
Preserves, Chutneys & Relishes
Tea
Fresh Pasta
Honey
Pies & Pastries
Meat Snacks
We were wondering where our love of cheese came from, then a relative researched our family tree and low and behold - we are related to one Cooper Thornhill - the man credited with first marketing Stilton Cheese - a most colourful man; here is his potted history:
"The pioneer of blue Stilton was Cooper Thornhill, owner of the Bell Inn on the Great North Road, in the village of Stilton. In 1730, Thornhill discovered a distinctive blue cheese while visiting a small farm in rural Leicestershire. He fell in love with the cheese and made a business arrangement that granted the Bell Inn exclusive marketing rights to blue Stilton. Soon thereafter, wagon loads of cheese were being delivered to the inn. Since the main stagecoach routes from London to Northern England passed through the village of Stilton he was able to promote the sale of this cheese and the legend of Stilton rapidly spread."
What he doesn't know about
crackers, just isn't worth knowing!
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