Dorset Producers

Dorset food and drink is fantastic and some of the local producers include:

Badger – Award winning ales brewed for five generations by independent family brewer Hall & Woodhouse in Blandford. www.badgersettaleclub.co.uk/home

R J Balson & Son –  Britain’s oldest family butchers (since 1515), based in Bridport. Suppliers of Axminster beef and lamb, free range Childhay Manor pork, free range Creedy Carver chicken and duck, local veal, venison, turkey, pheasant, pigeon, partridge, guinea fowl, rabbit and hare. Carefully sourced UK reared exotic meats also available. www.rjbalson.co.uk

Bridport Gourmet Pies – Award winning sausages and pies since the early 1960s, made with local Dorset produce. They use meat sourced from Genesis Farms, award winning cheddar cheese and bacon from Denhay, locally sourced Dorset Blue Vinny Cheese, and local vegetables.

Chococo – Luxury fresh chocolate gifts, proudly handmade in Purbeck, Dorset, since 2002. Chocolates are made daily with fine origin chocolate, fresh Dorset cream & other local ingredients where possible.

Corfe Castle Brewery – Independent family owned brewery in the Corfe Valley. corfecastlebrewery.co.uk/home.html

Denhay – Farm in Bridport with 5 herds of cows. Bacon curer by royal appointment. Bacon, cheddar cheese and butter.  www.denhay.co.uk

Dorset Blue Vinny – Blue Vinny cheese and soup made on Woodbridge Farm, Sturminster Newton. Includes The Dorset Blue Soup Co. dorsetblue.moonfruit.com

Dorset Cereals – Cereals made in Poundbury. Delicious granola, muesli, porridge and cereal bars

Dorset Ginger – Traditional non-alcoholic ginger drinks, hand produced in small batches to an old family recipe in Lytchett Matravers www.dorsetginger.com

Fiddleford Mushrooms – Fresh mushrooms from Sturminster Newton. www.fiddlefordmushrooms.co.uk

Filberts of Dorset – Honey and propolis from their 50 hives. www.filbertsofdorset.co.uk

From Dorset With Love – Handmade jams, chutneys and preserves. Blandford Forum. www.fromdorsetwithlove.co.uk

Fudges Bakery – Founded by Percy Fudge in 1926. Savoury and sweet biscuits, luxury cakes and indulgent treats. Stalbridge. www.fudges.co.uk

Furleigh Estate –  85 acre vineyard. white, red, rose and sparkling wine. Salway Ash, Bridport. www.furleighestate.co.uk

Hollis Mead – Organic dairy making their own butter, milk, yoghurt, cream, cheese and kefir. Milk is sold from vending machines across Dorset

House of Dorchester – Quality chocolate from Dorchester www.hodchoc.com

James’s Cheese – Tasty cheese from Gold Hill Organic Farm, Child Okeford.

Leaker Bakery – Traditional bakery in Bridport. www.leakersbakery.co.uk

Long Critchell Bakery – bakery in Long Critchell, Wimborne. www.longcrichelbakery.co.uk

Lyme Bay Winery – Wines, liqueurs and ciders that are inspired by traditional recipes but made using the most up to date production techniques. www.lymebaywinery.co.uk

Mighty Hop Brewery – Family owned micro-brewery, nestled in the heart of Lyme Regis, serving the licensed trade with bottle-conditioned real ales. Beers are hand-crafted and given the time to mature in the bottle.

Peppers by Post – Dorset Naga is one of the hottest chillies in the world. The heat level has ranged from 661,451 SHU for green fruit in 2007, up to 1,032,310 SHU for ripe fruit harvested in 2009.

Purbeck Ice Cream – 30 different ice creams and spring water sorbets, made on the farm.

Phoenix Bakery – Artisan bakery in Weymouth created by world class baker Aidan Chapman and his wife Lisa. Fresh, organic, hand-made breads, pastries, cakes and savouries. Employing only the sponge dough method of baking and using only organic flour, the Phoenix produce has low salt and yeast content and offers a selection of wheat free, yeast free products. Many ingredients are sourced locally e.g. fruit and vegetables from Pear Tree Cottage, Weymouth, and organic flour from Cann Mills in Shaftesbury.

South West Garlic Farm – garlic farm selling fresh garlic and garlic vodka. North Chideock, Bridport. www.southwestgarlicfarm.co.uk

Wild Trail Food – Bridport cereal bar producer. Popped corn cereal bars with nuts and fruit. The bar won a Great Taste award in 2010.

Woolsery Cheese – Dorchester cheese maker. All cheeses are handmade using traditional methods and the finest fresh milk to produce a range of goats milk and cows milk cheeses from soft through to hard. Founded in 1992.

Wyld Meadow Farm – Lamb and beef from the farm in Monkton Wyld, Bridport. www.wyldmeadowfarm.co.uk