G.G. Sparkes
Old Dover Road, SE3
We're lucky in that we have not one, but two old, well-established traditional butchers. I'll get to the other one another day, but today I want to concentrate on G.G. Sparkes at Blackheath Standard.
I can find virtually nothing about him on the Internet - save that the business been around since 1952. I'm assuming it's a family show - either that or the guy's incredibly well-preserved (or perhaps has bought the business) which makes me happy - places like that, Gambardella, Standard DIY and Pegga Stores lend a real base of tradition among the spotty crop of estate agents, dead banks and fly-by-night caffs.
It's classic in style - a real "butcher's" - though has clearly been updated more recently than Drings. The meat has been organic and free-range for 18 years and sourced from really classy places - individually-selected farms and game suppliers. They also do rare breed meats and some very-good-indeed sausages.
Whenever I've swished my way through the chainlink curtain, the guy has fallen over backwards to help me, making suggestions and getting me to taste the cheeses (oh yes, they also have a cheese section and a small range of deli-goods - good-looking pastas, sauces, pickles - you know the kind of thing.) I understand there's a free delivery service though I've never bought enough stuff to warrant it.
I've heard rumour that he is one of Rick Stein's Food Heroes, but I don't remember him from the telly and I can't find any mention online - maybe someone can set me straight? Perhaps he's included in an accompanying book or something?
We're lucky in that we have not one, but two old, well-established traditional butchers. I'll get to the other one another day, but today I want to concentrate on G.G. Sparkes at Blackheath Standard.
I can find virtually nothing about him on the Internet - save that the business been around since 1952. I'm assuming it's a family show - either that or the guy's incredibly well-preserved (or perhaps has bought the business) which makes me happy - places like that, Gambardella, Standard DIY and Pegga Stores lend a real base of tradition among the spotty crop of estate agents, dead banks and fly-by-night caffs.
It's classic in style - a real "butcher's" - though has clearly been updated more recently than Drings. The meat has been organic and free-range for 18 years and sourced from really classy places - individually-selected farms and game suppliers. They also do rare breed meats and some very-good-indeed sausages.
Whenever I've swished my way through the chainlink curtain, the guy has fallen over backwards to help me, making suggestions and getting me to taste the cheeses (oh yes, they also have a cheese section and a small range of deli-goods - good-looking pastas, sauces, pickles - you know the kind of thing.) I understand there's a free delivery service though I've never bought enough stuff to warrant it.
I've heard rumour that he is one of Rick Stein's Food Heroes, but I don't remember him from the telly and I can't find any mention online - maybe someone can set me straight? Perhaps he's included in an accompanying book or something?
Labels: Food and Drink
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
09:14
10 Comments:
Although on the "wrong" side of the Heath, the Butcher in Blackheath Village is also an excellent old fashioned butcher, who also happens do do a great line in smoked fish, trout and salmon!
Totally unrelated, but I just wanted to share my frosty cobwebs from this morning.
Caught in East Greenwich (guess thes street :) before the sun came out well after 10. It's been a magic morning.
http://kroker.livejournal.com/613745.html
Sparkes is on Rick's list here.
I do like the butcher in Blackheath village as well. Maybe they're not Food Heroes, but they're always very friendly.
Thanks Methers - wonder why I didn't find that...
Fiendishly expensive though ...
Must admit, I tend to use Sparkes for cheese and deli things, and buy meat from one of the folk at the farmers' market - Stockings Farm, great Gloucester Old Spot pork.
Don't forget the italian cheese/deli bit is a separate franchise which they only recently started after the butcher unceremoniously got rid of the previous cheese lady who sold excellent british cheeses. As for the butcher bit the meat is excellent quality but they can be quite sullen serving and not very helpful(they also make you pay for a lot of fat, I don't know if this is a common problem)
I haven't had the same experience as Anonymous, have always found the staff helpful. Having fat on meat is a sign of proper free range animals that have had time to grow and mature, and its important for the taste. Yes it is expensive, but you are buying premium free range products , not bogstandard supermarket fare. Its seems no more expensive than the butchers on Royal Hill.
BTW I thought the Italian deli part of the shop was part of the family business ? Its been an Italian deli for well over 5 years.
We're veggies, so we haven't been. Friends swear by all the local butchers, though. One lady gets from Sparkes a special bird-within-a-bird-within-a-bird concoction that sounds absolutely unbelievable.
Fair enough peter b on the fat and as I said it is good quality meat you are paying for so admit I was being too picky. However Sparkes until early this year had a lady who ran a deli bit which sold some bits and pieces italian but mainly cheese and that was mostly british. Sparkes then sold the franchise to a couple (she is italian he isn't)they seem very nice and have lovely tempting stock (prefer Gennaro's in Lewisham myself). I don't get the impression the sale of the franchise was handled well, I don't think the lady who ran it had time to pack her bags so to speak and she didn't give Sparkes her contacts for where she got her cheeses from...
I've had a few problems with Sparkes. Firstly ordering a 3kg shoulder of lamb and being given a 1.5kg one, then trying to be told that 3kg ones don't exist - so they clearly don't know that much about lambs. On another occasion being given 3 frozen lamb shanks when I asked if they had more than the 3 fresh ones in the window. I wouldn't have minded if they had told me but I found out 2 hours later when I went to start dinner - and of course the shop had just shut. I've now given up on them. Drings in Royal Hill is much better.
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