Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 152

food

Island Life - August/September 2010
Taverners pub
in Godshill and
several leading
Island wholesalers
are among the
outlets for the
Arreton-based
double act.
Ben, 32,
explained: “We
produce salad
leaves and herbs
in a plot of around
one-third of an
acre. They are all
grown outdoors
in all weathers,
and we genuinely
believe that adds
to the flavours. We
grow roquette, red
mustard and Greek cress leaves, pea
shoots, and a variety of herbs including
coriander, dill, basil and parsley.”
There is a constant rotation system for
planting, and normally all the leaves
and herbs are cut to order so they do
not lose any of their flavour or quality.
Ben continued: “Naturally we want all

Ben is the real
Roquette man
Ben Brown is the Roquette Man, and
along with brother Sam he is flying high
in a business that has really taken off
since it was founded four years ago.
Ben and Sam combined to form
Roquette Man Salads, a concept that
takes fresh salad leaves from the
field to the dining table in just a few
hours. The Royal Hotel at Ventnor, the

152

our produce to be as fresh as possible.
We tend to cut in the evenings, at least
three times a week, sometimes more
in the height of summer, and they are
delivered as quickly as we can get them
out, usually inside a few hours.”
Ben and Sam’s tasty leaves and herbs
have been on sale at Farmer Jack’s at
Arreton Barns over the past few weeks,
kept fresh throughout the day in a
chilled cabinet, with a pick and mix
option for those wanting to taste all
the produce on offer, which includes
Genovese, described by Ben as a strong
Italian variety. .
It may sound like a full-time job
for the Brown brothers, but in fact
it happens to be more of a lucrative
hobby. When Ben is not sewing and
cutting his leaves he works on the
family farm at Arreton.
As for Sam, he is a full-time carpenter,
but still finds time to help out on the
Roquette Man Salads production line.
Ben added: “we have both done a
variety of jobs, but about four years
ago we thought we would give this a
go, and so far it has been a successful
venture.”

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