Christmas Party

The Thursday before Christmas saw the Great Gutton team heading to the Lamb Inn in Sandford for our Christmas lunch. This award winning village pub continues to dish out top quality food in a wonderful atmosphere. After the two mile field and country lane walk from Great Gutton you feel like you have earned your lunch. The menu is great making choices difficult to make.  I eventually went for the Spiced Pork Rillettes and Venison Pie both of which I would recommended to any meat eater although Briony's vegetarian choice of the Blue Cheese Waldorf Salad and Caramelised Chicory & Pear Tart Tatin also looked scrumptious. While not the cheapest place to eat locally the Lamb is in our opinion great value for money and worth it for that special occasion.

 

Lunch at the Red Lion, Shobrooke

After a morning cleaning Rook and Drake for guests arriving tomorrow we did a runner for some well earned lunch at the Red Lion in Shobrooke. Natalie the landlady of just over a year was very welcoming and the food and beer were spot on. The Red Lion is just over a miles (half an hour at the most) walk across the fields from Great Gutton and continues to prove popular with guests keen to stretch their legs before or after a pub lunch or drink. To learn move visit the Red Lions own web site  The Red Lion, Shobrooke

Hugo the Ram does his work!

Hugo the Ram is running with the nineteen ewes that will hopefully produce some very cute lambs next April. Hugo and his "girls" are Shetland sheep being particularly hardy and needing few creature comforts. The entire flock will stay out all winter eating whatever grass is left over from the summer and hay if things get a bit snowy. If all goes well we should end up with twenty five or so lambs in time for the Easter guests to see.

Crediton Town Guide

Today saw the arrival via the good old Royal Mail of the new Crediton Town Guide and Map the publication of which we are delighted to support.  The guide provides a lovely introduction to our special local market town and should make good reading for guests keen to make the most of their local surroundings.  The page on the Crediton Food Festival makes particularly interesting reading as from personal experience the weekend is great fun. Next years festival is scheduled for 15-16 June.

Hens go Cakeadoodledo........

Lovely to welcome Bride to be Jo, with all her hens for a hen weekend with a difference. After settling in and catching up on Friday night, Saturday started with a lazy morning swim, simple lunch and then an afternoon of Willow Weaving in the Party Barn, with instruction by master weavers Richard and Susie of Windrush Willow. By the end of the session the girls had all made Willow hearts and platters and had such a giggle along the way. It was then back to their cottages where some more traditional style Hen nonsense followed ........some of which fascinated the other younger guests!

There was a sluggish start to the next morning as the girls tried to shake  off the exceess of the night before and headed down to our own kitchen for some cupcake madness with local cupcake queen Kate Shirazi www.cakeadoodledo.co.uk Kate ran the most fantastic demonstration and hands on workshop, which had us all cooing over rose petals, sprinkles and icing bags. So much hidden talent to come from so much sugar. By the end of the morning heads were much clearer and everyone went home delighted and with a box of their very own cupcakes as designed and crafted by themselves

 It really was a fantastic weekend though I say so myself. Feedback from all the girls was fabulous and it was such a Great Gutton way to celebrate together. Our thoughts and best wishes go to Jo and all her hens for the wedding  this month.

Look whose come to stay..........

There are some things in life you just can't resist. I thought it was just chocolate and George Clooney, but this weekend I added puppies to the list. Perfect company for our already resident mad dog Dylan, our unnamed (options are currently being "discussed" within the family) new Cocker spaniel is now ruling the roost and is responsible for many wasted hours - but she's sooooooo gorgeous and I'm sure all our guests and guests dogs will fall for her too. Look out when you come to the door - she has nothing but an enthusiastic and excited welcome for all!
Wonder what she will make of the chickens??

Well I managed to make it to the Wassailing "Good Health" ceremony last evenging, and joined the 100 or so folk who gathered around the bonfire in the centre of the Town Barton Farm Orchards.  With myself running late as always, the crowds had already processed (probably meandered to be honest) , following behind the local Morris Men from the Lamb Inn.  After the traditional shooting of the spirits from the trees ( a couple of local farmers with their shotguns) and a Mummers play performed by local characters it was time to take my first sip of the commumal Wassailing cup, containing mulled local cider. This went down far too easily. The chat around the fire centered on the "special qualities" of cider with comments including "it's not like any other alcholoic drink you know" .... "it does strange things to your mind", well at least that's what I think was said!  I took the chance to catch up with Barney Butterfield (of award winning Sandford Orchards going from strength to strength), to ask a little more about the history of the ceremony.  I'm sure he explained beautifully but the pressing of another of glass of that mulled "special" drink has addled my mind to the extent that all I can remember is something about Wassail Kings and Queens, and singing and drinking (there's that word again) to the health of the trees.  I do remember my meander back to the warmth of the Lamb with host farmers Dave and Debbie Munday, before heading back to Gutton.  Oh ,almost forgot , Barney assures me that the Wassail ceremony transfers to all orchards so be prepared for another bumper crop of apples in our own orchards this autumn. 

A wassail we shall go.......
Wassailing is a South West tradition, performed with the intention of ensuring a good crop of apples for next years harvest. We shall be singing and drinking the health of the trees and hoping to scare away the evil spirits (trust me, with my singing this should be easy peasy!)
Tonight we head to the Lamb Inn, Sandford, our fabulous local pub. There we shall be enjoying hot mulled punch and apple cake, no doubt accompanied by music, banter and dancing. Todays glorious sunshine is quickly ridding us of the frosty night and so I'm really looking forward to wrapping up and joining the wassail King and Queen as we process our way to local orchards. A fun night and I bid you all farewell  and "waes hail!"

Ralph the Ram, your time is up, your work is done...

@ least it should be. After 6 weeks in the company of our ewes, we now hope the patter of tiny feet will be heard in the spring. Today Ralph is being returned home after being loaned out to Great Gutton. The only problem now is catching him! Glorious sunshine after yesterdays wind and rain, hoping to get Drew and Amy, our returning guests to don wellies and join us.