Situated in the city’s Historic Quarter close to the renowned Carlisle Cathedral, Tullie House Museum & 11th century medieval castle, First We Eat is a retail delicatessen which promotes high quality regional & international fine foods
The foods sold here have been personally selected by the directors who are passionate about highlighting the phenomenal quality of locally produced foods by some of the country's finest artisans.
These foods include charcuterie, such as venison, salamis, smoked duck, hams, chorizo, nduja & other cured meats where the supplier has their own herd of free range pigs & are rightly proud to claim they use the whole carcass. Our cheese selection includes both local, regional & international offerings; our local dairy produces excellent, multi award winning goat & cow milk cheeses. A local flour mill not only mills their own flour but bakes traditional breads & cakes for us.
Rope Hung Scottish Smoked Salmon is made only 20 miles away; indeed, many of our suppliers are based within 30 miles of the shop which helps to keep our carbon footprint lower. Of course, not all our goods can be sourced locally; for example, olives don’t grow well in Cumbria & certain foods can only be produced in legally defined regions. However, we do aim, wherever possible, to be as environmentally sustainable as we can.
Provenance is important to us & many of our suppliers can verify not only the farm that supplied the produce but how it was raised & other details.
In order to explore the full range of seasonal ingredients available in the region, we are also able to offer special items throughout the year. The taste of some foods will also change during the year as well. For example, goats fed on lush, spring meadow grass will produce milk with a creamier taste to those produced in other times of the year ensuring a high-quality cheese with subtle depth of taste.
Many of our other foodstuffs are again made locally by small, artisan producers who produce award- winning foods in small quantities to ensure quality & freshness. These includes heather honey, pastas, chilli products, seafoods, luxury chocolates, infused oils, relishes & preserves.
Each week we will have a “Product Of The Week” where a producer will have the opportunity to highlight one of their products in the shop. By doing this, we hope to introduce customers to foods which they may not have considered previously. Whenever possible, the “Product Of The Week” will be linked to a classic recipe so that the customer can make an authentic meal at home.
We also offer a bespoke hamper service for those special occasions or even just for a day at the races or a picnic at the river. Prices vary to suit your personal requirements. 48 hours' notice is normally needed if you would like to book a hamper, but we will be flexible over this if possible.
If you would like us to stock a particular item that we don’t have, please let us know & we will look into to see if it is possible.
