10 May 2017
In conversation with Tara, our Farm Shop Manager
Tara is the face of Etherington’s Farm Shop and the driving force behind the carefully sourced selection of products and the award-winning levels of service our customers enjoy. We thought we’d get to know her a little better – finding out a few of her favourite things about her job and top tips for shopping locally.
Tara, tell us a little about yourself…
I’ve been at Etherington’s for four years, and Farm Shop manager for just over one. I have a lovely husband and two children, and outside of work I spend a lot of my time enjoying the beautiful Cornish countryside on my bike, or walking our Golden Retriever Lucy.
Where are your favourite places to visit in Cornwall?
That’s a difficult one. It’s a toss-up between Falmouth and St Mawes, but the south coast is my favourite to explore.
What’s your favourite part of your job as Etherington’s Farm Shop Manager?
I enjoy getting to know our customers; we have a lot of regulars so it’s great creating a rapport with them and being part of the community. I also really love that here at Etherington’s we support a host of local producers including Sweet P Chocolates, Cornish Sea Salt, Halzephron and one of our newest additions, Tea Belly Tea’s – which are delicious!
What are your top three products that Etherington’s sell?
I love our pasties. Made onsite in our bakery by our fantastic ‘Crimpets’ they really are the best in Cornwall. From our butchery counter it’s hard to choose, as it’s all such great quality – but my favourite cuts of meat are either a rib-eye steak or a butterflied leg of lamb.
We’ve recently started adding to our range of west-country gins and it’s hard to pick just one to recommend (as I’ve been enjoying tasting the whole of the top shelf!) – I do always come back to Tarquin’s gin though, and their new limited edition of pink grapefruit and elderflower is exquisite.
What are your top tips for buying local?
It’s all about striking up a conversation with your local butcher for me. Once you know which cuts of meat to buy – and the best way to cook them – a joint can last a lot longer than one meal. If you ask any of our fabulous butchers they’ll be able to recommend a range of different cuts for you to try.
