Angela Cahill busies about in her tiny, immaculate shop looking, it has to be said, rather pleased with herself. Open only a matter of weeks, folk are already beating a path to her door. She’s been selling at Farmer’s Markets for a couple of years with husband Sean, at the same time running a pretty high powered career. Then, like many of us, Angela ‘reached a certain age and I thought let’s have a mid-life crisis!’ so ditched the big job and plans for the shop were born.
Ex-chef Sean has been experimenting in the smoke house (aka garage) and he’s settled on a method that lends a subtle, nutty flavour to the food. I’ve never been a fan of smoked cheese, but Pextenement cheddar has been given the Cahill treatment and it’s a revelation. Meat is locally sourced and fish arrives from Fleetwood. They dry-cure bacon, ham and charcuterie, and make their own sea salt butter. Angela stocks bread from Blue Sky Baker, and from Holmfirth, preserves by an outfit called Peckish who produce really unusual varieties; the blueberry and liquorice jam is fabulous and I can’t wait to try the pea & mint pesto. We arrived home with a fab loaf of bread, a pack of butter and a tub of richly smoky mackerel pate. And I can testify that the beetroot and gin cured salmon is TDF. We love it when a mid-life crisis is put to such good use.
Chapelbank Smokehouse, Crown Building, 99 Halifax Road, Ripponden HX6 4DA
T:01422 820610 and 07849 198036
www.chapelbanksmokehouse.co.uk
Open Thursday – Saturday