Britain’s Best Delis – Emmett’s, Peasenhall

Once you’ve become a fan of Emmett’s in Suffolk, it’s for life. Fact. Owner Mark Thomas says he has a band of loyal regulars – some who tell him there’d be war at home if they didn’t order one of the store’s hams for Christmas, and others who pop in, week after week, month after month, spending often hundreds of pounds on their favourite products, many of which genuinely cannot be bought anywhere else.

It is, in a nutshell, an epicurean’s dream. A very carefully considered collection of fine things to eat and drink, chosen personally by Mark. Shelves and displays blossom with vibrant, enticing displays of jewel-like crystallised fruits, candied peel encased in chocolate, curry pastes, chutneys and, of course, the shop’s Royal Warrant-holding hams.

This is a place that feels rooted in history. Which it is. Originally called Tunmer, Emmett’s has been part of village life in Peasenhall since at least 1820 when it was a recognised pork shop. It would change hands to become Emmett’s in the late 1800s. Mark still has the contract of sale framed on the wall, reflecting, “one day, when I sell up, my contract can go up there too!”

In its past, Emmett’s was a one stop destination. A grocery shop, haberdashery, Post Office and general store rolled into one, handily perched close to an important ancient Roman crossroads. “Going back in time, Dunwich was the biggest port in England,” Mark says. “People had to go past the shop to get to the sea. We’re in a very good position here.”

The exuberant shopkeeper has an illustrious background in food and food retail, starting at a tender age, growing lettuces as a child to sell at the top of the road. Mark then worked in Harrods’ food hall, at David Jones’ food hall in Sydney, for a pig farmer in Canada’s Fraser Valley, and later for his father’s business, Culpepers, setting up shops in Japan before landing in Bungay, Suffolk to open his own fine food shop.

This was at a time when, remarkably, talking about ‘local’ and ‘provenance’ was a burgeoning thing. Emmett’s was Mark’s first supplier, the second being Suffolk juice producer Maynard House – who he continues to support today.

A move to tradition

The move to Emmett’s happened in 2000. They really were different times, Mark reflects. “It still sold individual cigarettes, loose flowers, dog food, clothing, coal and wood. It had a 24-mile paper round seven days a week. And it was all on account! The same people would be at the door a quarter of an hour before we opened, coming in to get their slice of ham, milk and paper, then they’d come down in the afternoon with a hand-written note of everything else they needed.”

Emmett’s had (and still does have) a name for itself, for selling both daily essentials, and specialties, such as its hams – which went out on credit. “We obviously don’t have credit accounts anymore,” Mark gests, “but we were one of the first shops to accept credit cards as payment.”

Payment terms and stock may have changed, but something that Mark would never edit is the character and heritage of the building, which he has kept, as far as possible, in its original state. Through the enormous double-fronted windows, passersby will spy the original counter (filled with artisan cheese and charcuterie) and even the original bacon slicer. “We do have a modern slicer but it’s not as good,” he remarks.

“I’m lucky to have premises that are physically bricks and mortar. We have a lot of first-time visitors who spot us, find a parking space, come in and, without prompting say, ‘wow, this is amazing’ or ‘this looks extraordinary’. 

“The visual display and how we present the shop makes an impact. It’s good-looking…very photogenic. The glass in the windows are original, and the original awning is encased above your head as you walk out to the road. I would love to pull that out but lots of lorries come through here so it wouldn’t be wise!”

Besides looks, it’s smell that captures customers as soon as they step foot in Emmett’s. “I can’t smell it myself anymore,” says Mark. “But I know people really love that. We don’t pump it in – the smell is from all the wonderful products we sell.”

Another enticement is the store’s bijoux cafe, which has been stripped back to offer hot and cold drinks, and what Mark thinks are some of the best ham and cheese sandwiches around – to enjoy alongside a drop of wine if they wish. “There can’t be many shops where you can walk around with a glass of wine,” he smiles.

Not just any ham

Emmett’s has been put in the spotlight multiple times. Its revered smoked goods have been name-checked by Delia, Rick Stein, James Martin and, more recently, food writer Felicity Cloake, who included them in her book Red Sauce, Brown Sauce.

“We still have the original brick smokehouses,” Mark says proudly. “It goes back to when this was a pork shop. Over 200 years ago people would have kept a pig to be slaughtered, and the meat would provide for the family throughout winter. We are lucky to have a shop with such history and heritage.”

All pork is sourced from Blythburgh, just a few miles from the smokehouses. “It’s free-range. This is one of only around 3% of free-range pig farmers in the UK,” Mark explains. “You can see them playing around outside. They’re very relaxed.”

Hams are available whole on or off the bone, or in pre-sliced packs, with smoked and unsmoked varieties to choose from. Suffolk Black is the signature marinade, dark as a conker, with a delicate, rich sweetness. “It’s made with black porter beer, molasses and brown sugar, and marinated over six weeks,” Mark explains. “We also take that a step further with an orange version, covered with fresh oranges, dried apricots and dried figs, so you get this amazing compote to go with it.”

There’s the famous Christmas ham, prepared with six aromatic spices. Ham marinated in Earl Grey tea. Even ham presented coated in edible flowers.

“They are proper hams, not ‘sham hams’,” Mark jokes. “Our first order for Christmas came in May this year.” For many, buying Emmett’s ham has become a ritual. “When you talk to people who come in here, asking how they found it, often they’ll say they’re the third generation of a family brought up on our hams at Christmas. It’s part of their tradition. A lady who works for me reminds me lots of times that once she gave her grandson (who’s now 15 or 16) our ham. It’s now the only kind he’ll eat!”

Mark thinks the shop was one of the first places to make and sell nitrate-free bacon too. “We’ve been offering it since 2002. Making it goes back to my upbringing, being around my father’s company. I was brought up on natural foods and the most natural way to preserve pork is in salt. It’s really delicious bacon, whether you have it smoked or unsmoked, marinated or in a Christmas cure. Customers also like having a rind on their bacon! For me it’s the best combination of provenance and flavour.”

On the shelves

Mark only stocks products he can speak passionately about. Brands that find themselves on his shelves are the ones he considers the best of the best. Much of what’s on offer is own label. A bit like Harrods or Fortnums, if something bares the Emmett’s branding it’s not a cheap gimmick - these are foods and drinks Mark has tested, tasted and chosen for excellence, just as his customers demand.

Working with producers he knows by name, working to exacting standards, is a no-brainer for Mark. “I could see, when I bought the shop, the existing client base was essentially the village and its surroundings, but that changed at Christmas as more and more people came to us for their hams. I could also see supermarkets moving much more into the area and into people’s lives. Working with artisan producers, for me, makes sense.

“My producers are private people who respect the food they make. If I have an issue with a product I can go straight to the maker rather than a middle person.”

Alongside firm British favourites (which have been with him since his Bungay days) such as Montgomery’s cheese, Colston Bassett Stilton and Fen Farm Dairy, there’s a strong pull towards the gastronomy of Spain.

“I first went to Spain when I was eight, and we stayed at the Orange hotel near Valencia. I remember the white buildings, the green trees and the oranges – I love oranges. I’ve been skiing in Spain since I was 17 too.

“I just think Spain is amazing for regional foods, from potatoes, to tomatoes, to rice. They enjoy food, and I’m afraid in this country we are very much fast food and supermarket led.”

The first Spanish product Mark stocked was a Rioja, which is labelled up for Emmett’s as its house wine, still sourced the same supplier. It was launched at his Bungay shop in conjunction with Go airlines, after Mark wrote to its founder. There was a prize to win flights to Barcelona, flamenco dancers were flown in from Seville, and the Spanish Embassy sent 100 catalogues to the shop, used on the day as place mats.

Spanish products continue to top the shop’s list of greatest hits – be that blanched, fried and salted almonds, sourced from a private estate, or bars of chunky milk and dark chocolate studded with almonds or hazelnuts.

An Emmett’s must-have for Mark is the Date & Lime chutney made for him in Sri Lanka, alongside other preserves and pastes. Tart, tangy and sweet, it is the ideal partner in crime alongside the shop’s hams, or (he suggests) stirred into chicken stock for a tasty, reviving broth.

What makes a great deli?

Just as we eat with our eyes, we shop with all our senses, and having a shop with curb appeal makes all the difference, says Mark. “If I was setting up now I would make sure I had a building that architecturally looks good. The colour of the produce and the way you’re merchandising can make all the difference to sales.” As can lighting. “Many years ago we had an awful summer when it was very dark. There were lots of strip lights in the ceiling and it didn’t really show the place off, so I put in LEDs. Now the shop glows. It looks wonderful.”

But you’ve got to back up looks with good service. “We are a small business with friendly service. We’re personable. In the age of internet shopping, we offer that personality and communication. We are human beings. If someone rings up and says, ‘is that AI?’ I can say ‘no, it’s MI’ Mark’s intelligence. We’re real, and that’s so important.”

His advice to others? “You’ve got to work at it and be prepared for long hours. Also remember no two days will ever be the same - a bit like the British weather!”

Images: Hollis Photography