It�s a cold storage all right, but it sells a lot more than the usual fare of sausages and bacon. This is Farm Products, a one-stop shop for cold cuts and meat, the oldest of its kind in the city. Take one look at the sumptuous display of smoked ham, oxford sausages, chicken ham, Goan toddy vinegar, prawn pickle, prawn balchao and ox tongue and you won�t go away with a single purchase from the shop.

The very effervescent Mrs. Luiza Rocha has been managing Farm Products for the past twenty years. But it wasn�t Luiza who started the business. It was, in fact her in-laws, the very British Dunhill Rocha and his Indian wife Olga, who sold the best and finest meats in those days. �I don�t know much of the business during the early days, but the customers were mainly English. The products sold then were sourced from abroad and from all over the country...,� said Mrs. Rocha.

�I used to help out, but after my husband Ronnie passed away, I took up the business. I can�t complain though, it has been good... we have loyal customers who have been patronising the shop for generations,� she continued.

Located at Ormiston Road, behind the Taj Mahal Hotel, there is nothing ostentatious or grand about Farm Products. Simple, neat and clean, with eight pairs of hands to serve the customers, business is brisk. Regulars know what they want, so no time is wasted. But it is the first timers who Mrs. Rocha pays special attention to. Not many may know this but although some of their products are sourced locally, many are prepared in-house. Especially their smoked ham (priced at Rs. 375 per kg., uncooked ham is Rs. 140 per kg.) which is undoubtedly the best in the city. For those who are unaware, smoked ham is a traditional method of preserving fresh food. Also known as smoke-curing, the good thing about smoking is that it kills bacteria, deepens the meat (or fish) colour and impregnates it with a smoky flavour. Meats are generally hot-smoked directly over an open flame and are sometimes preceded by salting or soaking the meat in brine.

But that�s not all, there�s also plain ham (with the rind, Rs. 170 per kg), special ham (without the rind, Rs. 190 per kg), oxford sausages (priced at Rs. 140 per kg, they taste just like the the traditional British variety), frankfurters (Rs. 140 per kg), cocktail sausages, the hot and spicy Goa sausages, chicken sausages, back bacon (Rs. 160 per kg), beef steaks (Rs. 90 per kg), pork chops (Rs. 100 per kg), spare ribs, salami, luncheon meat (Rs. 140 per kg), cooked ox tongue (ideal for sandwiches), lamb (leg, shoulder or chops), kidneys, liver and trotters which you need to place an order.

There�s also beef fillets for stews, steaks and roasts, beef strips for chilli beef and beef mince for croquettes. Another favourite is the cheddar cooking cheese (also the best in the city) which is sourced from Kodaikanal, known for its variety of cheese.

Not only does Mrs. Rocha sell some fine meats, but she also tells you how to cook them and how to select the accompaniments. �I realised that people bought a lot of cold meats, but they don�t really know how to cook them or eat them. For example, oxford sausages eaten with eggs make a great breakfast. Simply boil them for a while and then fry them in a little oil till golden brown. Likewise, the bacon eaten in a sandwich with butter, cheese and hot home-made mustard is simply amazing...�

Farm Products also sell a variety of the tinned food. Food that goes with meat, said Mrs Rocha. Like eggs, tuna and sardine tins, pasta, sauces, gravy mixes, spices, home-made pickles, mayonnaise, ginger and garlic pastes, prawn balchao and salad dressings.

There�s a branch at Bomanji Petit Road, called �Rocha�s Cold Storage� where fresh stocks are supplied daily. And Wellington Club, Yacht Club, Bombay Gymkhana and Indigo who are regular customers of the shop.

Striking a balance between quality and price with emphasis on good service and hygiene is what Mrs. Rocha stresses on. �The clients are varied, Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, Catholics... but I make no difference between a maid and a memsaab. I check the stocks myself, don�t sell sub-standard stuff and everyone gets special attention. Maybe that�s why I�ve lasted so long in the business,� she laughed.

Farm Products,
Ormiston Road,
Bombay 400 039.
Tel No: 011 284 0335.