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Once upon a time there were three little pigs. Here follows my account of Neale's first of many ventures into rare breed pig keeping back in 2010, charting the antics...

The Pig Diaries - Take 2

The further adventures of Neale's second foray into rare breed pig keeping. Here follows the diary I kept following his antics back in 2011, with his new clutch of Gloucester...

What is "Nitrite-Free" Ham?

The growing number of manufacturers using “Nitrite Free” as an advertising slogan to sell hams and bacon is one of my biggest bugbears of late. Okay, it may not be...

What is "Formed Meat"?

From time to time I’m asked if we ever use “formed meat”… No! Unlike most “supermarket” ham, ours is never “formed”, “reformed” or “reconstituted”. Here’s the text of an article I...

A Brief History of English Ham...

…and how Dukeshill is keeping an ancient tradition alive. A few years ago I was asked by Fortnum and Mason to talk about the history of English ham to a...

Sweet Virginia

It all started when one of my colleagues called me over to speak to an American lady, now living in London, who had called for advice: “Is your York Ham...

The Ultimate Bacon Sarnie

Is there any problem for which bacon isn’t the solution? Slap said bacon between two slices of bread, and we’re into near religious territory as far as I’m concerned. There...

Paddington Bear's Seal of Approval

We were so sad when we heard of Michael Bond’s passing here at Dukeshill. Apart from creating one of the most enduring and loveable children’s characters Paddington Bear, he had...

Dukeshill Ham - A Proud Pedigree

Aside from being descended from ten generations of butchers dating back to 1545 did I ever mention Neale Hollingsworth, proprietor of Dukeshill Ham happens to be related to the Marsh...

Happy Pigs

I’m always banging on about how you can’t make really great ham unless you start with happy pigs, and nothing illustrates this better than the pork we get from our...

"Don E Want Ony Srimps" - Southport Potted Shrimps

We had the enormous pleasure of finally meeting James Peet, our Southport potted shrimps supplier in his base at Banks Village in Southport, pictured above sitting on his old shrimping...

A Guide To Caviar

There’s an exclusivity to caviar that makes it so intriguing. The Sturgeon roe, once just eaten by fishermen on the Caspian Sea, went from humble beginnings to being one of...

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2nd Flush Darjeeling Tea Pyramids

Alsop & Walker Cheese Board Selection

Ampersand Cultured Butter

Andillian Malbec by La Coste de Los Andes 2024