Category: All Things Foodie in Devon and Cornwall

Snippets from foodie events to places to eat in Devon and Cornwall

Harlyn House

What’s New for Hotels and Restaurants in Devon and Cornwall in 2019

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Some exciting hotel and restaurant changes to look out for in 2019.

The Pig Hotel chain has bought the Grade II-listed Harlyn House near Padstow, Cornwall. This 15th-century house (pictured above) has gorgeous views of Constantine Bay and, all being well, will open its doors in the autumn/winter of this year. Set in five acres and with a walled garden it promises to be a perfect spot for the hotel chain for whom it’s all about good food from its own gardens and easy, relaxed glamour. This will be the second ‘piglet’ in the region, joining The Pig at Combe near Honiton, east Devon.

Gara Rock’s ‘Out of the Ordinary’ suites should be opening around March. The hotel near Salcombe underwent a big revamp in 2018 and its one-of-a-kind Secret Suite, Signal House and Penthouse (sleeping 2, 4 and 6 respectively) promise something quite special. Bookings are being taken for later in the year.

Fowey and Padstow will see completion of work on two landmark hotels this year. The Metropole at Padstow and The Fowey Hotel were bought by the Harbour group of hotels last year and will join the group’s existing hotels at Salcombe, Sidmouth and St Ives. The public areas of the hotels have been refurnished and work on the rooms should be completed in April.

Crocadon Farm at St Mellion is a 120-acre organic farm at St Mellion, Cornwall and the farmhouse is let for holidays. The farm is being taken on by Dan Cox, who used to be head chef at the Michelin-starred Fera restaurant at Claridges Hotel, London with the help of Sean O’Neill of the Modern Salad Grower whose organic farm is near Looe and who already supplies a number of top restaurants and hotels in the region.

Christmas Cooking

Christmas Cookery Courses in Devon and Cornwall

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I had to look recently at cookery courses on offer in Devon and Cornwall. Not surprisingly there are some inspirational Christmas courses still available so if you’re looking for ways to put the sparkle into your Christmas fare, read on.

The long-established Ashburton Cookery School has half- and full-day courses available in December covering just about everything, from baking and bread-making to making chocolate advent calendars, macarons, chocolates and canapés. The advent calendar course is on 25th November – learn how to temper chocolate at home and impress everyone with your very own festive calendar with filled chocolates and dipped chocolate truffles.

River Cottage offers a wide range of courses including baking, curing and smoking, game cooking and a ‘stir-up weekend’ making puddings, mincemeat and truffles. If you’re cooking for vegans then the ‘gluten-free Christmas’ on 7th December may be just what you’re looking for. You’ll learn how to make gluten-free panforte (a traditional Italian pudding with fruit and nuts, similar to florentines but more solid), mince pies and Christmas pud.

Exeter Cookery School on Exeter’s Quay is running a series of half-day Christmas foodie gift-making workshops this month and December. You’ll learn how to make delicious treats such as florentines, marshmallows, chocolate-dipped honeycomb and chocolate truffles complete with packaging; perfect for gifts.

Darts Farm is offering an evening Christmas butchery masterclass on 21st November. Learn how to cook the perfect turkey and watch the butchers prepare some showstoppers which are bound to impress your guests.

And finally, Mark Dodson runs masterclasses at The Masons Arms at Knowstone, the Michelin-starred inn and restaurant on the edge of Exmoor. Mark hosts bespoke masterclasses for small groups, maximum eight, so if you can’t find quite what you’re looking for then create your own theme.

Food And Wine

Foodie Goings-On in Devon and Cornwall

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I just thought I’d let you in on some foodie events coming up in the next few weeks in Devon and Cornwall.

The exquisite Glazebrook House Hotel at South Brent (which I’ve written about previously in this Journal) is hosting a special Pol Roger Champagne Evening on Thursday 24th May. Guests will be treated to an evening of food and bubbly with a four-course menu paired with fine Pol Roger champagnes. The hotel is a finalist in the Boutique/Guest Accommodation category of the Visit England tourist awards and last year won Outstanding Business of the Year and Hotel of the Year at the English Riviera And South Devon Tourism and Hospitality Awards.

A similar event to celebrate English Wine Week is being held at Buckfastleigh on 1st June with Sharpham Wines and Devon Distillery providing a selection of wines to complement an eight-course seasonal supper cooked by Riverfood Field Kitchen.

May sees the start of the Exeter Street Food Market which takes place on various Thursday evenings until September at the Quayside and the Piazza Terracina. Enjoy street food from across the globe, including Spanish, Vietnamese, African, Caribbean and Egyptian, produced from locally sourced fresh produce. It all kicks off tomorrow, Thursday 17th May, at Piazza Terracina from 4.30 until 9.30.

River Cottage at Axminster is holding its Spring Food Fair on the weekend of 26th/27th May. A perfect day out for families with workshops, talks and live music as well as the all-important artisan food stalls and chef demos.

If the River Cottage fair doesn’t quite fill you up you can move on to the Dartington Food Fair which is on the same weekend, on the 27th and 28th May. Again, plenty of demos and wonderful food stalls showcasing the best that Devon has to offer.

And finally, if simply watching Harry marry Meghan on your TV at home seems a bit low-key then head to the Headland Hotel at Fistral Beach for a Royal Afternoon Tea. Celebrations start at 11.30 with the wedding being shown on a big screen and tea being served from 2.30.

Breakfast

Great brunches in Devon and Cornwall

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So you’ve survived the first few days back at work after New Year, the weekend is looming and a bit of comfort is needed to see off the January gloom. A hearty brunch is called for.

I rather like The Dock in Plymouth. It’s a family-run restaurant at King Point Marina just next to the Brittany Ferries terminal. It has great views across the marina and the sea really does sparkle on a sunny day. Enjoy the views from one of the balconies – in the right weather you can feel as though you’re in the Mediterranean (even if it is cold outside), lusting over the yachts outside.  I had a very good veggie breakfast but was considering a ‘pudding’ when I saw a pancake arrive heaped with red berries – looked great. Always advisable to book.

In the South Hams you’d be hard pressed to beat Café Alf Resco in Dartmouth. This is a really quirky place with bags of character. Can be a bit of a squeeze when it’s busy (most of the time) but is definitely a place to linger with the Sunday papers. They don’t take bookings so you may have to wait for a table. They have an undercover area outside and inside is terrifically atmospheric with its vaulted open kitchen. Busy and excellent food.

A slightly more limited menu but very welcoming is Toast in Honiton. If you’re like me and like great hulking slices of toast and marmite then I think you’ll enjoy this café on the main road going up through town. A warm, inviting interior welcomes you or you can wander on through to the courtyard garden. Either way you’ll enjoy a good breakfast fix.

Venus Cafés are set in some of the most amazing beach locations in the South West. This small chain of cafes has a very strong sustainability ethos and breakfast will start off your day at just the right pace. You’ll find them at Blackpool Sands, Bigbury and East Portlemouth all in the South Hams (as well as at the Shops at Dartington) and Watergate Bay and Tolcarne on the North Cornwall coast. Sit back, enjoy the food and make the most of those terrific sea views.

Maybe January needn’t be that bad after all…..

Coombeshead

Coombeshead: Foodie Heaven in Cornwall

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Coombeshead Farm describes itself simply as a farm, guesthouse, restaurant and bakery but, trust me, this is a farm, guesthouse, restaurant and bakery like no other. For anyone who is passionate about what they eat, you must head for this Cornish wonder in Lewannick near Launceston.

I wouldn’t describe it as a restaurant or B&B because the Coombeshead experience is so much more than that; it’s stepping in to a beautifully relaxed, informal, comfortable country house where you feel instantly at home. A bit of a cliché I know but it’s actually spot on here.

Drinks and nibbles are served in the sitting room and library of the main farmhouse where you mingle and chat with other guests: squishy sofas, big fireplaces, an excellent Tarquin’s gin cocktail with blackberry and nettle cordial, interesting company and delicious ‘nibbles’ (a cured plate, bean and mint tarts and pig’s head with apple ketchup for us). You’re looked after by Tom Adams, the very gifted chef behind Coombeshead, and his small team – and they make it seem effortless. It’s understated, it’s relaxed, it’s just part of the Coombeshead experience. You chat with them while drinks are being served and food being brought out of the adjoining kitchen.

The food is fresh and entirely seasonal. There’s no menu – you really do eat what is in season and what is available – and it works because you anticipate every course, plus it makes you a bit more adventurous, eating dishes you mayn’t choose otherwise.

Dinner is served in a barn across the courtyard from the main house, with guests on long tables. And what I hadn’t been expecting was a purpose-built kitchen in here, all open to the barn, so Tom and his team are in full view. And it makes fascinating viewing: the staff work quietly, efficiently and calmly; they know what they’re doing and they just get on with it. They chat to guests, some guests take photos, and Tim, one of the chefs, is on hand to answer any questions about the food and what each course is.

It’s a five-course taster menu starting off with their delicious homemade sourdough bread served with an array of tasters but especially good was the tomatoes with blackcurrant leaf oil and pork fat terrine with wild garlic capers. Pork appears quite a bit on the menu because a rare breed of pigs (Mangalicas) are farmed at Coombeshead. Also worth a particular mention was the grilled leek with smoked whey butter, lovage and buckwheat, the flavour of the lovage really coming through.

But it was all delicious. And I wasn’t the only one to think so, all the guests were equally enthused. I felt rather envious of those staying the night in one of the five rooms but may be that’s the excuse I need for a return visit.

Hawksfield

Enjoying Relaxed Shopping Under One Roof

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I can’t believe my thoughts are turning towards Christmas but inevitably they must. Although we’re spoilt for choice in the South West for small town shopping destinations selling such an abundance of one-off, eclectic, gorgeous hand-crafted gifts I do rather like relaxed shopping under one roof.

These are my favourites:

Hawksfield on the A39 near the Cornwall Showground between Padstow and Wadebridge in Cornwall. You can start off your trip here (and end it, why not?) with a coffee at Strong Adolfos which does a particularly good vegetarian breakfast. The Goose Shed sells original vintage interior pieces, unique designed furniture and reclaimed decorative items. Jo & Co is an interior and lifestyle shop selling furniture, interior accessories, tableware and cookware. Wadebridge Flowers always seem to have unusual, stylish plants and flowers on offer, as well as pottery, candles, baskets and small pieces of furniture. For foodies there’s BinTwo at the Arc. Although it’s quite small it’s packed to the gunnels with enticing food from suppliers both local and further afield, including Italy, Sweden and Sardinia.

Darts Farm at Topsham in Devon, an award-winning farm shop well known to many both far and wide. At its heart is the farm shop with its on-site butcher, fishmonger, baker, deli, cider maker and restaurant but it has evolved in to a whole lot more than this too. Stylish interiors and decorative items can be sourced at Orange Tree and Fired Earth and the Aga shop will be hosting ‘An Aga Christmas’ on 7th, 12th and 19th December.  And for the little ones at Christmas there’s a lovely selection of baby and children’s clothing as well as a toy section with high quality toys, games, soft toys and books.

The Shops at Dartington near Totnes, Devon, another shopping gem. There’s an extensive Food Shop selling mainly South West products, an inspiring Craft Centre which is a great, airy space for meandering, the well-equipped Kitchen Shop and a Fashion & Beauty store which always has some beautiful handmade jewellery. There’s a lot more besides as well as some foodie stops including the Venus Café, The Green Table and Bayards Kitchen.

And finally, and probably my favourite, Avon Mill at Loddiswell near Kingsbridge in the South Hams, Devon. This garden centre is tucked away and may be only small but it’s well worth hunting out. As well as the garden centre itself which sells some really interesting and unusual outdoor decorative items, MOSS Trading sells beautiful bouquets, candles and cashmere alongside natural products from Devon artisans and craftsmen. The Gallery showcases Devon arts and crafts complete with a jewellery workshop on site, all in a casual, light-filled space. And Threads Boutique is home to some great, quirky fashion. And of course, as you’d expect, there’s a café too with a deli, with a menu prepared in the kitchen from fresh, seasonal ingredients. From 14th to 29th October, as part of the South Hams Arts Forum’s Arts Trail there’ll be local arts and crafts on show in the greenhouse.

Happy shopping the relaxed way!

Pickle Shack

Let Me Introduce You To… Pickle Shack

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I have just been to an evening at Hanlons Brewery between Exeter and Crediton in Devon hosted by Pickle Shack who describe themselves as a ‘young and ambitious food company delivering creative catering and events’ and it’s not a lie.

Josh and Jodie started up about three years ago with pop up restaurants. Word soon spread, however, and they have gone from strength to strength, catering for weddings and, more recently, corporate events. Their catering isn’t limited to this, however: they also cater for private dining and are just as happy doing this.

They cover Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset and one of the cornerstones of the company is their ‘produce promise’, committing to sourcing seasonal products locally. So their style is strongly influenced by their chefs who trained at Michelin starred restaurants, combining traditional, seasonal and local ingredients with modern cooking techniques.

But it’s not just about the food: the front of house is all part of the experience and it’s just as important to them that the service matches the quality of the food.

We were treated to a five-course tasting menu at Hanlons and we were thoroughly spoilt:

Set sweetcorn custard, KFC crumb, lovage pesto, chilli and lemon oil, crispy caribou moss

Pollock and saffron escabeche, fennel gazpacho, fennel grass, crispy pollock skin

Venison, squash puree, jacket artichoke, caramelised fig, fig powder, cavelo nero, chorizo, watercress

Dark chocolate cremeux tart fine, blackberries, beetroot espuma, port gel

Poached apricots, lemon meringue, vanilla yoghurt, sorrel (pictured above)

The venison especially was terrific, full of flavour, and perfectly complemented by the texture of the artichoke and fig. And the poached apricots were a cracking finale to the menu.

Hotel Endsleigh

How to Celebrate Being 80

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It’s always so nice to be involved in joyous occasions and to be a part of making them happen. I was recently asked to organise a celebratory day for the birthday of an 80-year-old lady. Not a big fancy day, pretty low key, but however big or small an event is it’s an honour to be involved and I take the same care and attention.

After consultation with the family we decided the day had to revolve simply around quality time with family and a few close friends. She would most want to spend time talking to people in convivial surroundings and this would be best achieved by bringing people together, sharing stories and reminiscing – over food.

The day was full of surprises, literally, because she had no idea what was going to be happening.

So, with a driver for the day and more family present than she had been expecting, she started off with a late breakfast at The Bakery at Royal William Yard in Plymouth (sadly no longer there). This was a great, informal venue for a fairly noisy start to the day, the air filled with chit chat and laughter over a simple but delicious breakfast of, essentially, toast. But always the best home-made breads that you simply help yourself to and wonderful warm croissants and pastries with perhaps the best peanut butter ever.

We decided lunch was never going to be necessary and that the much better option would be afternoon tea. This is always such a treat, maybe because it’s something we tend rarely to do, and it just seemed a perfect opportunity to relax in comfort while sharing the ritual of pouring tea. The obvious place to go was Hotel Endsleigh at Milton Abbot near Tavistock, Devon.

Olga Polizzi’s hotel in the Tamar Valley is a Grade I listed former hunting lodge set in 100 or so acres and from the library you’ll enjoy picture-postcard views across the lawn to the Tamar. Afternoon tea here means comfort, squishy sofas, a glowing fire, time standing still, finger sandwiches as we remember them from childhood and endless, unlimited cakes set out on the central library table (it’s quite easy to make a bit of a pig of yourself).

For the evening, it was a surprise party which I’d managed throughout. While she was out I snuck in to decorate the party room in her favourite pinks and florals with an abundance of flowers. Food was catered for by the lovely Emma, a cook based near Liskeard in Cornwall. Surprise parties can be overwhelming and emotional. This occasion was probably no different but I think we got the numbers right and the key thing was that she was surrounded by people important to her, celebrating this wonderful milestone with her. Memories are made of this…

Gin Landy

Let Me Introduce You To… the Gin Landy

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moorBARS is an outside bar service which has been operating out of The Royal Oak at Meavy in Devon for seven years. It provides a bar service for all manner of occasions including weddings, private parties, corporate events and balls across Devon and Cornwall, creating personal drinks packages to suit individual clients.

It’s all about providing a personal and flexible service and with 30 years in the hospitality industry the owner, Stephen Earp, knows all about hospitality, bar tending and service.

His latest addition to his service is the Gin Landy. He recently bought a Land Rover which he’s converted in to a mobile bar displaying and, even better, selling over 30 different types of gin. So if gin is your tipple then check this out. And even if it isn’t, still check it out because it soon will be! From Tarquin’s and Curio Gins produced in Cornwall to Plymouth and Salcombe Gins in south Devon, via the rest of the country of course, there really is a gin to suit all palates. Other names include Wicked Wolf, Conker, Pinkster, Hendrick’s, Boodles and Warner Edwards – all names I’m sure the gin connoisseurs reading this will know. A personal favourite is Boodles Mulberry Gin, a take on the more traditional sloe gin, sweetish with a slightly raspberry flavour too but really quite subtle.

The Gin Landy’s been spotted at various events since its launch this summer and would certainly make an attractive addition to any celebration – guaranteed to go down well with guests.

Something else for gin lovers – Plymouth Gin run tours of their distillery on the Barbican in Plymouth and it makes for a fascinating visit. The distillery itself is steeped in history: the building dates back to the early 1400s and Plymouth Gin has been distilled there since 1793. If you opt for the Connoisseurs’ Tour you’ll be treated to blind tastings in the tasting room lined with around 400 bottles of different types of gin. You can then enjoy a drink in the Refectory Bar upstairs, set in a medieval hall with a beautiful hull-shaped timber roof built in 1431. The hall is big but with its warm red walls and squishy sofas it has a very intimate feel; a perfect place to enjoy their classic gin cocktails.

Gastro Bus Bantham Beach

Beach Cafés are Great!

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I’m a big fan of beach cafés. We like Crackington Haven a lot, very much a family favourite, and we always have to start off a visit by stopping at the Haven Café. I recommend the crab sandwich.

Another place I’d recommend is the colourful Gastro Bus at Bantham Beach in the South Hams. Not only is Bantham a beautiful beach of course but the Gastro Bus sells fantastic burgers amongst other things. A very chilled place for a coffee and a bite to eat.

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