Fareground Antipasti and Gourmet foods

2nd October 2009

We first heard about Fareground's antipasti style foods through twitter and first tasted their harissa which was baked into some bread from Shrewsbury Bakehouse. We decided to find out more about what Fareground has to offer us in Shropshire...

Wrockwardine Village
0845 1232902
fareground.co.uk

Can you explain to us what it is that you offer?

The very best quality “antipasti” style foods. I am often asked what antipasti means, it is an Italian term for “a little dish of food” and has equivalents in Geeece as “meze” and in Spain would be “tapas”. They are traditionally tasty morsels of food – as simple as a dish of olives but may also be more complicated dishes that we would call as a “starter”. I just like the Mediterranean food culture which still sees food as such an important part of life & culture – invariably you find fantastic quality ingredients prepared simply.


What kind of foods can we buy from you?

The core antipasti foods include freshly prepared olives, stuffed peppers, marinated sundried tomatoes, char grilled mushrooms, hummus, tapenade, harissa etc but we are now trialling specialist breads and complimentary products such as marinated seafoods.


Do you source local ingredients?

Increasingly, as they become available – we already use local herbs, oil, honey for our marinades. I love finding new local producers – the more the better. We would really like to hear from local growers for peppers, chillies, tomatoes – so all referrals welcome.


How do we find you, do you have a shop or do you publish details of where you are going to be?

No shop (yet!) but we attend food fairs and local farmers markets and are looking into the potential of supplying online – to see where you’ll find us next just visit www.fareground.co.uk where we keep a regularly updated diary


Can we get your produce from anywhere in Shrewsbury?

At the moment Battlefield 1403 have our olives and some of the antipasti range – so the more you ask for it there the wider the selection they’ll stock and we regularly do the Made in Shropshire Fair in the Square on the 2nd Saturday of the month.


Apparently you cater for private functions and parties?

This is a relatively new part of the business which we started this year. We have concentrated on private events & parties, supplying an antipasti buffet with additional breads and charcuterie from other local producers. Feedback has been exceptionally good, so we plan to expand this next year and offer some hot food options as well. We also now have a licence in place so we can offer a complete service with wine etc.


What would you recommend we buy from you?

Everything ! Seriously though, our home made hummus always attracts compliments – even from those who claim not to like hummus (until they sample ours). Its quite funny sometimes – I always remember one lady from Cambridge who bought from us at Shrewsbury Square – she was back within minutes almost demanding to know the recipe – but I didn’t give in.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We will keep an eye out for you at the local markets.