Speciality-Food-Magazine-November-December-2024

flour which finds its way into the bakery, shop and cafe. “We have a farmer we work with inWest Bexington on the Jurassic Coast,” says Chris. “He grows an ancient grain that we supplement with a higher protein grain we buy locally. We mix the two to give us the flour that we want. It’s very distinctive. The rest of our flour comes from an organic producer.” They’re quite a romantic thing, watermills. And Otterton’s attracts quite a crowd thanks to its historic importance. Visitors are welcome to wander around the outside of the mill on a self-guided walk of the site, with volunteers drafted in twice a month onmilling days when the wheels crank into action. “It’s wonderful to see,” says Chris, who adds that shoppers and on-site diners can’t get enough of goodies made using the flour and skilfully crafted in the bakery. There are loaves of granary, wholemeal, spelt, white and sourdough bread. Speciality loaves such as a Spanish bread infused with olive oil are available too, alongside quirky bakes such as crab-shaped buns. That’s not to mention the hundreds of scones which leave the ovens each day, or a delightful line-up of traybakes and cakes, from carrot cake and brownies to traditional Devon 36 @specialityfood O n any given day, Chris Wright leaps out of bed and finds himself immersed in a slice of British history. He might while away the hours at his farm shop in the grounds of 14th Century Powderham Castle near Exeter. Or overseeing flour production at the OttertonMill estate 25 minutes away – the 18th oldest business in the world. Running operations at the two sites, Chris says, is a privilege he hasn’t taken for granted since he and his wife Carol first dipped their toes in the retail arena, becoming tenants at Otterton in 2015. Found off a sleepy lane in East Devon, the site is home to the working mill, a bakery, an arts and crafts centre, a cafe and a farm shop, and hosts regular outdoor events in summer. “Milling here is recorded in the Domesday Book,” says Chris, who adds milling would have taken place at Otterton well before that. “And we mill in exactly the same way today. I love it. My office is over 500 years old!” It’s a popular place, Otterton. Cherished by locals and tourists alike. That’s what drew Chris, who had a long background in tourism, in. Taking on the challenge of this site felt like, he says, a natural progression at an opportune time. cider apple cake, and Coast Path Cake – a very rich fruit cake infused with Otterton’s own beer. “We get hammered at Christmas and Easter. We have to make thousands of mince pies and handmade hot cross buns to keep up with demand,” Chris adds. ADDING VALUE When the Wrights landed at Otterton, the farm shop sold little more than a few eggs and other bits and pieces. Once rebuilt, they knew bringing it back to life would require a lot of work. And now “you can buy pretty much everything here. Everything fights for its space,” Chris says, working on the premise that ‘more is more’ in retail. An abundance of stock, and packing the shelves regularly, has made the farm shop a more reliable stopping point for local people “Another business we were running at was winding down – and who wouldn’t have a business like this?” The family’s mantra from the start has been to approach the farm shop and its satellite operations gently. The farm shop was rebuilt three years ago after they managed to secure some European funding to improve the facilities but, other than that, Otterton has had just a few small ‘adjustments’ that make a big impact. Chris is acutely aware he is purely a custodian of this place. “When we’re talking about thousands of years, our tenure is nothing. We have to view this as our little bit of time at this site.” While the previous owners had taken a step back from operations, Chris and his family were keen to get ‘stuck in’ fromday one, with a truly hands-on approach. “When we arrived we wanted to become part of the team and to gain their trust as much as anything else. The first thing they let me do in the kitchen was cut some butter,” he laughs. TURNING THE WHEELS OF HISTORY Otterton’s ancient watermill is a precious part of the site, and still operates today, producing excellent quality, nutrient-rich stoneground especially, who know they can pop in not just for bread, but for milk, eggs, cheese, meat andmore. Though Chris has been careful to avoidmimicking what the local community shop has to offer. “Our key lines, apart from our bread, are our own sausage rolls and quiches. And we can’t make enough Scotch eggs to keep up! There are cakes from the bakery. Cornish Sea Salt makes fudge for us. And we have a fair bit of deli items and alcohol.” This includes Otterton’s own gin – OMG –made using the mill’s wheat, and plants foraged in the grounds. With space limited, Chris says it’s important to consider what gets its moment in the spotlight in the farm shop. But adds smaller retailers like himself shouldn’t be afraid to take a punt on something new. “Price points are important, but you can’t beat yourself up if youmake a mistake DARINGTODIVERSIFY ‘WE RUN THE 18TH OLDEST BUSINESS IN THE WORLD’ As part of our ongoing series shining a light on Britain’s most unique farm shops, delis and food halls, Speciality Food is at Otterton Mill