Darts Farm promised an evening of festive indulgence, pampering and festive cheer, and they weren't wrong!We drove there on a cold wintery evening in December, not really knowing what to expect. I knew that there would be free samples of food and drinks, as well as getting to meet Michael Caines MBE at his new book signing. When we arrived we were given a complimentary mulled cider; I was feeling Christmassy already! The sound of carol singers was ringing through the farm shop and the smell of mince pies and delicious food was in the air!
Being the foodies that we are we headed straight for the food section! There were lots of wonderful producers there, including those that I had already talked about on my blog, such as Hillside Speciality Foods, Luscombe Drinks and Quickes Traditional Cheese, as well as lots of other producers. We tried to have a taste of each one, but it was so busy in there that it was impossible to move from stall to stall without having to use your elbows! Because of this I am only able to mention the producers that I was actually able to get to!
We started off at Boom Kitchen:- "Boom's Indian restaurant kits are a new way to enjoy curry. They combine the freshness and satisfaction associated with home cooking with the speed and flavour of a restaurant take-away. 100% natural ingredients and gluten free." I tried one of their curries and they were delicious!
Mikes Smokehouse:- "Mike's Smokehouse is a family run business offering a range of fine foods gently smoked over Manuka woodchips for a light and delicate flavour." They had a range of smoked salmon and pates on offer to try. The salmon had a beautiful smoked flavour, and considering I don't really like fish that much, I enjoyed it.
Salcombe Dairy:- "Highest quality dairy ice creams, premium sorbets and luxury crushes" I tried some of their delicious Brandy Butter Cream Ice cream, it was delicious! Smooth, creamy and with a touch of naughtiness!
Hillside Speciality Foods:- "Hillside Foods make a selection of finest handmade foods for the cheeseboard." I have already waxed lyrical about these guys, so there isn't much more to say about them other than- try them!
James Chocolates:- "Award winning handmade luxury chocolate" The first chocolate that I picked up just happened to be a salted caramel one- so so tasty! There were all different chocolates on offer, many of which were all very festive indeed.
There were also lots on offer from Darts Farms on meat and dairy counters, including some lovely oven baked camembert, mince pies and some delicious cooking chorizo. The chorizo was so nice in fact, that we got some for ourselves.The highlight for me was meeting Michael Caines and getting a signed copy of his new book. I spoke to him about the blog and he wished me luck, and said he hopes to see a review of his restaurant soon! One day, I definitely will!
All in all an enjoyable evening and we left with our taste buds well and truly tickled and looking forward to Christmas- less than 3 weeks to go!
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