Food, glorious local food

Have you booked your tasting platter lunch at Exmoor House? They’re every day of the Exmoor Food Festival (30th September to 9th October inclusive) from 12 noon to 2pm. To tie in with the Food Festival, I thought I’d tell you a bit about some of our suppliers. We buy local as much as we can; it makes sense in so many ways, from supporting other local businesses to reducing food miles to knowing where things have come from!


Meat comes from John May Butchers in South Molton. They sell top-class meat, including the great sausages and dry-cure bacon (with the rind on) that we serve at breakfast, very chickeny free-range chicken and well-matured beef. John May deals with carefully-selected farms in Somerset and Devon.

Frank of Star Fish is our man-with-a-van who visits the village. His fish comes from Newlyn and he’s very knowledgeable about its provenance and sustainability. Cornish pollack, mackerel, naturally-smoked haddock and kippers all go down very well with our guests.

Most of our milk, butter and cheese are supplied by Axe Valley Dairies (currently based in Williton). We use Kelway Farm mature cheddar (made near Glastonbury); Exmoor Jersey Blue (from Lydeard St Lawrence) and Somerset brie. Goat’s cheese comes from Diana Piercy, a smallholder based in the Exe Valley. She makes soft and hard cheeses, both delicious. Diana also runs smallholding courses: visit http://exmoorsmallholdingcentre.co.uk/ for details.

Vegetables and fruit can be more difficult, as not that much is grown around here – it’s more hill-farming country. However, depending on when you visit, your dinner might include some of my home-grown herbs or salad leaves - you can't get much more local than that! My salad crops weren’t very successful this year, although the herbs are still going strong, and seem particularly vibrant.

It’s been a good year for fruit, and we went to the pick-your-own at Runnington Farm near Wellington: our jam and pickle cupboard is now fully stocked again. We get surplus fruit and veg from neighbours when we can: we’ve had luscious blackcurrants, and champion marrows and red cabbage. Occasionally we manage to get our hands on some Exmoor whortleberries, which just have to be made into a pie, served with lashings of clotted cream. In the asparagus season, a visit to the farm at Withycombe is in order – what a treat. They often sell home-made elderflower cordial too. We’ve also bought various things from a lady over near Tiverton who grows fantastic potatoes and beetroot (to name but two).

A neighbour’s free-range hens provide us with lovely eggs. Exmoor honey has a wonderful deep flavour – you can often taste the heather. We get ours from Exmoor Pure Honey in Allerford, or from The Archer House in Dunster.

When it comes to drinks, there’s a great choice of excellent local producers and suppliers. We use tea, coffee and hot chocolate from D J Miles of Porlock, whose blends are made to suit the water round here. Local vintner Washfield Wines provides most of the wines on our list, apart from those actually made on Exmoor, which come from Dunkery Vineyard in Wootton Courtenay. Their sparkling Exmoor Brut has received rave reviews. The bottled beers on our honesty bar come from Exmoor Ales and Cotleigh breweries, both based in Wiveliscombe. And of course we have Somerset ciders, from Sheppy’s near Taunton. For soft drinks, there’s the Devon-based Luscombe Organic Drinks.

Hungry yet? Hope to see you for lunch during the Exmoor Food Festival. If you can’t make that, though, remember we’re open for dinner most nights throughout the year. Booking is essential for lunch or dinner – just give us a call!

More information about the Exmoor Food Festival: http://www.exmoorfoodfestival.co.uk/

A Feast of Autumn Festivals

Autumn is festival time on Exmoor. Here’s a roundup of some things to look forward to…

Somerset Art Weeks, 17^th September to 2^nd October
http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/

Exhibitions and events celebrating the work of around 400 artists, in over 100 venues across the county. Venues include Hestercombe Gardens, Muchelney Abbey and Fleet Air Arm Museum as well as cafes, village halls and hotels. All events are free, showcasing arts and crafts in just about every medium you could imagine.

  Exmoor Food Festival, 30^th September to 9^th October

http://www.exmoorfoodfestival.co.uk/
A real feast, not simply a metaphorical one, the Exmoor Food Festival seems to get better and better every year. There is something happening morning, noon and night: everything from food walks to cookery workshops, from farmers’ markets to a jelly-eating competition. At Exmoor House we are doing Tasting Platter lunches every day of the Festival, from noon till 2pm: an opportunity to try some of our delicious food made with love and lovely local ingredients. Booking is essential – call us on 01643 842432. More details from our website:  http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk/festival.htm
If you can’t make lunch, do remember that non-residents are very welcome to book dinner at any time of year. And of course, Exmoor House is the ideal place to stay if you’re visiting the area.

North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival, 30^th September to 3^rd Octoberhttp://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/
Another one not to be missed! Walks for all ages, tastes and abilities, exploring Exmoor’s wonderfully varied terrain and maybe seeing some of our wildlife. To tie in with the Food Festival, some walks include food (a hearty breakfast or a traditional cream tea, anyone?) or include a pub stop. On several of the walks you may bring your dog.

The Two Moors Festival, 13^th – 22^nd October
http://www.thetwomoorsfestival.com/
Concerts and other musical happenings, as well as a series of talks, taking place all over Exmoor and Dartmoor. Many of the recitals feature up-and-coming young musicians. Some of the events are free (but do still need to be booked).

 See you soon!

Sports, entertainment and shopping!

As ever, there's a lot happening on and around Exmoor. Here's a taste of some things coming up over the next few months...

Sporting
The Exmoor Beast (an annual charity fundraising cycle challenge) is on 31st October. This ride lives up to its name; it's definitely a beast of a challenge! Participants can do either a 100 mile or a 100 km route, both passing through some of Exmoor's finest scenery. The deadline for entries is midnight on 23rd October.

Entertainment
It's carnival season in Somerset! The biggest is Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, on (you've guessed it) 5th November. The most famous part of it is the procession, with its illuminated floats, but there's much more going on besides.

Shopping (and entertainment too)
Dunster by Candlelight, this year on 3rd & 4th December, is another well-established tradition. The festivities begin with the Lantern Lighting Procession at 5.30 on the Friday; there'll be music and dancing in the streets and plenty of retail therapy/Christmas present choosing options. The village will be closed to traffic; there are park & ride buses (including from Wheddon Cross).

At Exmoor House, we've special offers in October and November - see our website for more info! Why not take a short break and enjoy some of the festivities... or just have a couple of days' relaxation?

Red deer rutting on Exmoor

It's the red deer rutting season on Exmoor, as stags round up harems of hinds. Early morning, and evening, are the best time to observe the deer - caution is advised as the stags will charge if you get too close, and they are big! The sight of the stags fighting is quite spectacular - though you may hear their roaring (bolving, or belving, as it's called round here) without actually seeing them.
You can book a wildlife safari through various companies, and there are also guided walks available.
Here at Exmoor House, Wheddon Cross, we're ideally placed for trips out to go in search of the deer herds - right in the heart of Exmoor National Park and just a few miles from Dunkery Beacon. For a great short break on Exmoor, check out our special dinner, bed & breakfast packages - from only £174 for a three night stay.

October on Exmoor

Here on Exmoor the autumn colours are just starting to show, although our view of Dunkery Hill still looks quite purple with heather. October's a season of festivals: the North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival, the Exmoor Food Festival* (see my last post for more information about both of these) are just about to start. But there's more:

The tenth Two Moors Festival (30th September - 9th October) features an amazing range of concerts across Exmoor and Dartmoor. Originally planned as a one-off event in 1991 to support areas hard-hit by the foot & mouth outbreak, the festival has gone from strength to strength ever since.

On a more localised scale, the Lynton & Lynmouth Comedy Festival, on 15th-17th October, promises a fabulous (and free) feast of fun.

It's also the start of carnival season; Somerset's illuminated carnivals are quite unique. Catch Dulverton Carnival on 2nd October...

* It's not too late to book a Tasting Platter lunch at Exmoor House: we have some tables available every day (2nd - 10th October inclusive).

Exmoor Walking Festival and Exmoor Food Festival, October 2010

October is festival time on Exmoor!

The North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival is from October 1st to 4th. There is a great range of walks, from gentle strolls to challenging hikes. Find lots more details, and book your places on the walks, at http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/

The Exmoor Food Festival, from October 2nd to 10th, has some fabulous events all over Exmoor - more info at http://www.exmoorfoodfestival.co.uk/

At Exmoor House, we are offering Exmoor Tasting Platters - lunch with a difference - a chance to try our great food that combines lovely local ingredients with expert cooking!

Choose from our delicious pates, terrines, flans, also some local cheeses (and more), all served tapas-style with salad plus our home-made bread and pickles, and all for £9.50. If you still have room after that, there are some fabulous puddings, including our home-made ice creams.

To go with your meal we've a good choice of local beers & ciders, a nice wine list and some lovely organic soft drinks; plus tea and coffee from our local suppliers.

Tasting Platters are available every day of the Food Festival, from 12-2pm (last orders 1.30pm). Advance booking is essential - just call us on 01643 841432.

If you can't make it for lunch, do remember that we are open most days for dinner - again, it is essential to book in advance.

And if you want to stay over on Exmoor, where better than Exmoor House at Wheddon Cross? Visit our website at http://www.exmoorhouse.com/ for details of short breaks and more.

See you soon?

Some things happening on Exmoor soon

Here on Exmoor there are lots of good things coming up in the next month or so. Here's some brief info:

Porlock Arts Festival (9th - 12th September)

Exmoor Bike Marathon (11th September)

The Tour of Britain stage 4 - Minehead to Teignmouth (14th September)
This passes through Wheddon Cross, home of Exmoor House

The West Somerset Railway Autumn Steam Gala (30th September - 3rd October)

The Two Moors Festival (30th September - 9th Octobet)
It's the Festival's tenth anniversary year

North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival (1st - 4th October)
There's a Food Walk from Wheddon Cross, which includes lunch at Exmoor House, on 2nd October. Places are limited so do book as soon as you can.

Exmoor Food Festival (2nd - 10th October)
You can enjoy Tasting Platter lunches at Exmoor House, Wheddon Cross, each day of the Festival (advance booking is essential)

Thinking about an Autumn getaway? At Exmoor House in October and November, we're offering weekend breaks for the same price as midweek - for example, a 3-night dinner, bed & breakfast package starts from only £174 per person. Enjoy a fabulously relaxing stay and some excellent food at a bargain price.

See you soon!

Exmoor Food Festival & Exmoor Walking Festival: more info

Exmoor Food Festival
This year's Exmoor Food Festival is from 2nd - 10th October. Here at Exmoor House we are doing Exmoor Tasting Platters - lunch with a difference - each day from 12 - 2pm. You can try a selection of our delicious pates and terrines, some local cheeses, salads, home-made bread and pickles, all served tapas-style. There are some lovely puddings to follow, if you still have room! The local theme continues with drinks: we've a good choice of local beers, Somerset ciders, even some wine from Exmoor; as well as Luscombe organic soft drinks, and tea and coffee from DJ Miles of Porlock.
Booking is essential for the Tasting Platters - just give us a call.


North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival
Another date for your diary! The Autumn Exmoor Walking Festival is from 1st - 4th October. 'A Taste of High Exmoor' is a circular guided walk from Wheddon Cross with a Tasting Platter lunch at Exmoor House (plus a free tea or coffee) included. The walk's on Saturday 2nd October and places are limited, so do book early at http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/

Exmoor Food Festival 2010

The Exmoor Food Festival is from Saturday 2nd October to Sunday 10th October this year. Everything's just being finalised now and the details should be on http://www.exmoorfoodfestival.co.uk/ very soon, with a brochure coming out shortly afterwards. There's always a great variety of events.

Here at Exmoor House we're doing our Exmoor Tasting Platter lunches again: you can choose from (for example) a selection of our lovely pates and terrines, plus some local cheeses, all served tapas-style with salad, our home-made pickles and breads. There'll be delicious puddings to follow, if you still have room. Our drinks list includes Somerset ciders (of course) and local beers; even some wines from Exmoor.

The tasting platters are served every day of the festival, from 12 to 2, at £9.50 a head; advance booking is essential. On one of the days you'll be able to take a guided walk from Wheddon Cross to work up a good appetite for lunch. More details of this in the next week or so!

Exmoor Walking Festival coming up soon

Just a quick reminder about the North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival, which starts on 29th April and runs through to 7th May. It's the tenth one, and also the biggest so far. There's a great range of walks, from easy to strenuous, covering coast, countryside, woodland... A good number of the walks are accessible by public transport, too.

In the heart of Exmoor National Park at Wheddon Cross, Exmoor House is a great place to stay as a base if you're visiting for the festival.; as I write, we've still some rooms available on most of the days. If you can't make it this time, there is another walking festival in Autumn (1st to 4th October). This coincides with part of the Exmoor Food Festival, and some walks incorporating the opportunity to try local food will be included. Fresh air and food - two of my favourite things...

By the way, don't be worried that Exmoor may get crowded with all these walks and walkers! Places are limited on the walks, and it is always very easy indeed to escape in this area. It's not unusual to walk all day without seeing anybody else. The beauty of guided walks, of course, is that there's no chance of getting lost (we've all done it - haven't we? Or is it just me and Frank?) and you have the benefit of the guide's local knowledge.

There are fabulous walks you can do on Exmoor all the year round. In previous posts I've included some we've done, and I'll post more as we discover them.

Red deer rutting on Exmoor

October's the red deer rutting season, and Exmoor is a great place to see (and hear) the stags in all their splendour. Here on Exmoor we have the largest concentration of wild red deer in Europe, as well as fallow deer and roe deer.
The Porlock Visitor Centre organises 'rutting weekends' each year, and there are a number of companies offering 4 x 4 safaris on the moor. The Exmoor National Park rangers also organise escorted walks.
Come and stay at Exmoor House for a few nights (being in Wheddon Cross, we're more or less right in the middle of the national park) and you can go in search of the deer herds...

Exmoor Food Festival: try some prize-winning chutney

A reminder that the Exmoor Food Festival takes place from 2nd - 11th October. At Exmoor House we'll be doing tasting platters at lunchtime every day. We're calling it lunch with a difference - it's a chance to try a selection of our pates, pickles, home-made bread, local cheeses, salads... with some delicious puddings to follow if you still have room. And, yes, we do have prize-winning chutney: Frank's spicy tomato chutney won a first prize at the Cutcombe Fete in early August.
It's essential to book for the October lunches; please contact us (all contact info is on our website) if you'd like some more details.