Eggs to Apples

Etchingham, East Sussex

Picnic season is almost upon us, and Eggs To Apples has the answer to all your alfresco dining needs. Located on the A21, the old London to Hastings road, it caters for seaside trippers, country walkers and visitors to National Trust properties such as Bodiam Castle and Bateman’s.
Owners Susannah and Craig Hewett were living abroad when the land where Susannah’s parents once ran a farm shop came on the market. They didn’t deliberate for long and decided to buy the plot and set up shop. Inside the wooden-frame store, which is clad in local sweet chestnut and solar panels, you’ll find seasonal products from as many as 70 different suppliers. Rather than running a farm shop in the traditional sense, Eggs To Apples’ owners have capitalised on the abundance of top producers in the area to create a permanent home for the best in the county. The cheeses and charcuterie produced nearby give Continental competition a run for its money. Try Alsop and Walker’s Mayfield Swiss, which is based on a Swiss cheese but made with local ingredients. Add a few slices of Moons Green’s marmalade-glazed hams and crusty rolls from Lighthouse Bakery and your hamper is starting to come together. The quiches and cakes are baked on site; go for banana flapjacks and buttercream- filled cupcakes. LF.