A Devon based cider maker is celebrating its silver jubilee year in style after winning a national retailing award.
The Green Valley Cyder Barn and Ale House retail outlet based at Dart’s Farm at Topsham near Exeter has won the nationally recognized Drinks Retailing Award for Independent Cider Retailer of the Year 2014.
The Cyder Barn has grown from a small outdoor unit selling only cider pressed on site and made only from Devon apples to a large in-store retail outlet stocking 180 ciders and perrys from the UK and across Europe. It is now probably the largest retailer of...
The orchards at Killerton Estate, near Exeter, are full to bursting this autumn. On the weekends of 5/6 October and 13/14 October, from 11am until 4pm each day, families are invited to head into the orchard to help collect up apples to be pressed for Killerton’s award-winning cider.
The ‘Big Pick Up’ is a free family activity, with mini wheelbarrows for the children and free cider tasters in the orchard for the adults. There is also an apple quiz and members of Killerton’s countryside team will be on hand to help with the answers.
The orchards at Killerton Estate, near Exeter, are full to bursting this autumn. On the weekends of 5/6 October and 13/14 October, from 11am until 4pm each day, families are invited to head into the orchard to help collect up apples to be pressed for Killerton’s award-winning cider.
The ‘Big Pick Up’ is a free family activity, with mini wheelbarrows for the children and free cider tasters in the orchard for the adults. There is also an apple quiz and members of Killerton’s countryside team will be on hand to help with the answers.
100 cyders and 100 acts will star in a new festival in September. The Big Apple is a brand new three day event held at Healey’s Cyder Farm, near Perranporth, from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 September 2013. A celebration of the West Country’s cyders and great music, tickets include a tractor ride through the orchards of this working farm and four cyder samples. Commercial director, Joe Healey, said: “September is the perfect time to hold a cyder festival, especially this year as we are looking forward to a bumper harvest. “Festival goers will be able to watch our apples being harvested, then...
As the cold weather settles in why not warm yourself with one of these hot winter drinks using Devon produce.
Mulled Devon cider This was inspired by a mulled cider Barny Butterfield served up at Crediton Farmers Market last year. 2 litres Sandford Orchards scrumpy cider 1 lemon, thinly peeled, peel only 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 a nutmeg, grated 2 tablespoons juniper berries, slightely crushed Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and warm without boiling. Leave for a few hours off the heat. Warm through again, strain and serve in mulled wine cups or ordinary mugs, or heat proof...
A couple of weeks ago I cooked this at a demonstration marking the opening of the Kitchen Studio in Exmouth. And then last Friday I was reminded of it at the wassailing evening at The Lamb in Sandford. This old Devon ceremony is held to encourage a good apple harvest and involves 'watering' an apple tree with cider and shouting to keep evil spirits away from the orchard trees.
To encourage the apple trees I cooked this warming dish which uses a local cider, preferbly Sandford Orchards' scrumpy, which has lovely layers of flavour and cooks very well. (It also 'drinks' quite well...
Having enjoyed a mini-boom since the new John Lewis store opened just up the street, the Real Store and Cafe has announced it will be opening for late-night shopping until 8pm every Thursday from 18th October. Pop in early evening to pick up your groceries, or for those wishing to plan ahead, maybe a few Christmas gifts - local chutneys, jams, biscuits, coffees or cider will go down a treat. The fresh produce is looking decidedly autumnal with corn, leeks, bulb onions, shallots, beetroot and scrumptious squash all crying out to be transformed into a culinary feast.
Apple Day at Quicke's Farm Shop: Saturday 20th October 11.00-4.00
Apple Day is an event started in 1990, traditionally in October, by an organisation called Common Ground to be both a celebration and a demonstration of the variety of English apples and the danger of losing variety – not simply in apples, but richness and diversity of landscape, place, ecology and culture too. Apple Day has become a nationally recognized event hosted across the country.
The actual event and theme of the day works off supporting orchards, bringing people back to nature, but leaves room...
