Hertfordshire

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Discover the food and drink of Hertfordshire - England's hidden secret.

The county has long had an important role in growing barley - and then turning this into malt (the essential ingredient of beer). From the
17-19th C. the river valleys of the Lea and Stort became known as the cradle of the malting industry in England. The major centres were Ware, Bishop's Stortford and Hertford.

The latter is also the home of the McMullen and Sons brewery - founded in 1827 by master cooper Peter McMullen. Try a pint of their classic golden brown 'Stag Bitter'.

Bridget B's Traditional Meats are all born, bred and reared on their farm at Watton-at-Stone (nr. Hertford). Here a herd of 400 prize-winning Simmental and Belted Galloway cattle graze the open pastures. Pick up their tender sirloin steaks at Pearce's Farm Shop in Puckeridge (nr. Buntingford).

Similarly Battlers Green Farm Shop at Radlett; Bury Lane Farm Shop at Melbourn (nr. Royston); Huffer's Farm Shop at Steeple Morden
(nr. Royston); The Food Barn at Willian (nr. Letchworth Garden City); and Willows Farm Village at London Colney (nr. St. Albans) brings you the best from local farms.

The village of Braughing (nr. Bishop's Stortford) is noted for its sausages, produced since 1954 using traditional methods by the family run butcher's D. White Tasty game, such as vension, hare and pheasant from The National Trust's Ashridge Estate (nr. Berkhamsted) is available from Gade Valley Game at Great Gaddesden (nr. Hemel Hempstead). 

Meet the miller at both Redbournbury Watermill at Redbourn and Mill Green Museum and Mill in Hatfield, where wheat is ground to create stoneground flours - which you can use to make delicious bread at home.
A delicious accompaniment is the fresh and matured goats cheese from the Childwickbury Estate (nr. St. Albans). 

In the 1930's, the Lea Valley was home to a vast market gardening industry (fruit and vegetables) - with the world's largest concentration of glasshouses located here. This was due to the quality of soil, an excellent water supply and the ease of access to the markets of London. The Rivers Nursery site at Sawbridgeworth has had a continuous history of cultivation stretching back to the 17th C. The major interest was in fruit production, and the breeding and introduction of new varieties - including 20 different plum species.

Shenley Park is noted for its fine orchard, planted in the early 1900's. There are over 450 apple trees, with an emphasis on species that originate from Hertfordshire. Explore on the way-marked paths, then purchase some refreshing apple juice.

One of the most traditional crops of Hertfordshire is watercress, grown naturally in purpose-built beds with free flowing pure spring water. You might spot it growing in the Whitwell (nr. Hitchin) area, home of the Nine Wells Watercress Farm - or why not pick some up at a farmers' market.

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