Cream Tea, Cricket and Charity with Gidleigh Park

Helpful Holidays and Gidleigh Park Hotel go head-to-head in style next month in our annual charity cricket match. 

We're raising money for our charity for 2013, the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Last year, the match raised over £4,200 for Farms for City Children.

Both teams will don their whites on Sunday 23^rd June 2013 and head to the cricket pavilion in Chagford for 2pm. They will play a limited overs match and while it is for charity and it is for fun, cricket fans will witness strong play from the two closely matched teams.

Our marketing manager Adrian Innocent said: “Last year we saw a magnificent batting display from the Gidleigh Park team to clinch a late win in what was a massive run chase. It was fabulous fun and one of the best displays of clean striking and six hitting I’ve ever seen. For those who would rather just sit back and soak up the atmosphere, they can enjoy the beautiful setting of Chagford Cricket Club, backed by the brooding Meldon Hill.”

Tickets for the Grand Raffle are available from Helpful Holidays on the day, or in advance, and prizes include a champagne lunch for two at Michael Caines restaurant at Gidleigh Park, a weekend break in a 5* Helpful Holidays cottage, a spa treatment for 2 at Bovey Castle, dinner and stay for two at The Arundell Arms with private fly fishing lesson and much more.

The afternoon promises to be the perfect English summer treat, with a hog roast, food tent and decadent cream teas served by Gidleigh Park. Photos from last year’s match can be found here. 

For Information call Helpful Holidays 01647 433593. To plan your next visit to the West Country and to find a holiday home, go to http://www.helpfulholidays.com. 

Helpful Holidays raises over £15,000 for Farms for City Children...

We're delighted to announce that we've raised an amazing £15,581.85 for our 2012 charity of the year, Farms for City Children. 

We arrange over 17,000 cottage holidays a year in the West Country and we can’t thank our holidaymakers enough for their generous donations. By combining them with the proceeds of a hugely successful charity cricket match we held on a sunny Sunday in June against a team from Michael Caines’ Michelin-starred restaurant, Gidleigh Park, and a parachute jump by four brave members of the Helpful Holidays team, we’re delighted to have raised so much money for a charity for which we have great admiration.

Farms for City Children was founded by children’s author Michael Morpurgo and his wife Claire in 1976 with their first farm, Nethercott House in Iddesleigh, deep in the heart of Devon. They now have two more farms, one in Pembrokeshire and the other in Gloucestershire, and the charity aims to expand the horizons of children from towns and cities all over the country by offering them a week living in the countryside on one of the farms. For more details, read our blog post from earlier this year.


Our Helen with farmer Barry Searle and children at Nethercott Farm

Our PR Manager, Helen Hayes, went along to Nethercott House to present a cheque to the charity and had an opportunity to meet the schoolchildren from Sunnyhill Primary School in Streatham. She said, “It’s always a delight to come to Nethercott and to see first-hand the great work the charity does for all the hundreds of children who pass through their doors every year. It’s been a great year for our fundraising efforts and we’d like to thank everyone who has helped us reach this outstanding total.”

Each year we support one of three main charities which are close to our hearts and invite our holidaymakers to make a small contribution, if they wish, when making their bookings. Our charity for 2013 is Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Visit our Facebook page to help us kick off our fundraising for 2013 - we're donating £1 for each new 'like' or 'share' between 10am on 19th December and 5.30pm on 21st December 2012.

'My favourite things...' with Michael Caines MBE

Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines is a big fan of the West Country - so we were keen to ask him about his favourite things to see and do...

Which is your favourite beach? 
Dawlish Warren – it’s a lovely long shore drift and I have many memories of late nights on the beach with friends. I also like the pebble beach at Budleigh Salterton for snorkelling.

Where is your favourite place to go for a day out with the family? 
Camping on Dartmoor - I love the slow pace of everything from setting up camp to cooking and sharing tasks with the kids.

Where is your favourite place to go for a walk? 
The River Teign from Fingle Bridge, in and around the valley – it’s beautiful and close to home!

Any other outdoor activities you enjoy? 

Cross country trail running, walking and sailing.

Where is your favourite place to eat (apart from Gidleigh Park, of course)? 
Dartmoor Inn at Lydford, it’s my ‘local’. I also enjoy Masons Arms in South Molton, Jack in the Green in Rockbeare, Petit Maison in Topsham and the Rusty Bike in Exeter.

What’s your favourite West Country show or event? 
The Exeter Festival of SW Food and Drink and other food festivals such as the Devon County Show, as well as great music festivals like Chagstock.

What are your favourite local ingredients in season at the moment?
There are so many fantastic ingredients around this time of year – like fabulous scallops, line-caught sea bass and ling, as well as venison and foraged mushrooms.

Any other favourite things about the West Country?
It’s where I was born, so it’s home for me. It’s a wonderful combination of landscapes – from the moors to the coast and the hills and pastures. It’s a beautiful place with something for everyone to enjoy!

Thanks, Michael!

Highly acclaimed Michael Caines is Executive Head Chef at multi-award-winning Gidleigh Park and has held two Michelin stars since 1999. Gidleigh Park Hotel (just along the country lane from our office in Chagford) sits in a magnificent 107 acres of Dartmoor National Park. The beautiful and everchanging landscape provides a wonderful backdrop to a range of exciting special breaks and events held throughout the year, such as the Garden Tours, Fungi Forays and New Year's Eve celebrations. From now until 21st December, there's a wonderful lunch offer: a sublime festive menu of 2 courses for £40 or 3 courses for £52 per person. A very special treat.

 

Visit the Helpful Holidays website to see our holiday cottages in Chagford.

 

 

ENTER OUR COMPETITION!

Win a signed copy of the 'Taste of Relais & Châteaux - 36 Inspirational Chefs' cookbook...

Enter our Facebook competition for a chance to win a copy of this beautiful cookbook, signed by Michael Caines and packed with stunning recipes from Michael and 35 other exceptional chefs based at Relais & Châteaux luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants in the UK and Ireland. Great for the coffee table or as a gift for the foodie in your life.

Closing date for entry is Tuesday 11th December 2012.

While you wait to see if you've won, here's Michael's recipe for Mince Pies with Caramelised Walnuts for you to try. Enjoy!

 

Michael Caines' extra special mince pies...

Highly acclaimed Michael Caines MBE is Executive Head Chef at Gidleigh Park in our home town of Chagford on Dartmoor and he's kindly given us his delicious recipe for Mince Pies with Caramelised Walnuts - yum!

Ingredients

250g butter
175g icing sugar
3 eggs
1 pinch of salt
Zest of one orange
500g flour, sieved
Mincemeat
150g walnuts
200ml stock syrup


Method

Place the walnuts into the stock syrup and cook until 110ºC.
Remove using a slotted spoon and place into a fryer at 190º C until golden brown.
Remove and place onto parchment paper and lightly salt. Leave to cool.
Once cooled, add to the mincemeat mixture.

In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and the icing sugar until white using a hand blender or a whisk.

Add the sieved flour, orange zest and salt and bring the mix to a sandy crumble.
Add the eggs little-by-little, then bring the mix together on the first speed and once the mix is firm remove from the machine.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
Roll out the pastry and cut into shapes, tops and bottoms for the individual pies.
Line a pastry tin with the pastry disks and brush the edges with clarified butter.
Add a small amount of mincemeat mixture to the centre of each pie.
Seal by adding a pastry top and again brush with a little butter for colour.
Cook at 190°C for approx 20/25 minutes until golden brown.
Once cool dust with icing sugar, if preferred.

... perfect to enjoy with a glass of warming mulled wine.

ENTER OUR COMPETITION!

Win a signed copy of the 'Taste of Relais & Châteaux - 36 Inspirational Chefs' cookbook...

Enter our Facebook competition for a chance to win a copy of this beautiful cookbook, signed by Michael Caines and packed with stunning recipes from Michael and 35 other exceptional chefs based at Relais & Châteaux luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants in the UK and Ireland. Great for the coffee table or as a gift for the foodie in your life.

Closing date for entry is Tuesday 11th December 2012.

Read more about Michael Caines and his award-winning restaurants at Gidleigh Park, The Bath Priory and ABode hotels.

And don't miss our quick-fire 'Favourite things...' interview with Michael to find out where he likes to go and what he likes to do in the West Country.

Visit the Helpful Holidays website to see our holiday cottages in Chagford.

 

Devon Tourism & Taste of the West Awards…

As our customers well know, there are lots of good reasons for people to holiday in Devon, and this was celebrated this week at the Devon Tourism Awards.

Michael Caines

Gidleigh Park, one of the UK’s most renowned country house hotel and restaurants (and just a stone’s throw from HH HQ in Chagford), walked off with three awards including that of overall winner. Run by the Michelin starred chef Michael Caines, Gidleigh won Gold for the Taste of Devon award as well as a joint Gold award for the Hotel of the Year together with Bovey Castle – a luxurious country hotel on a stunning estate where we let a number of self-catering lodges. Organic Riverford Farm Foods picked up Gold for Producer of the Year.

Pennywell Farm

Pennywell Farm, near Buckfastleigh in south Devon, won the Gold Award for Visitor Attraction of the Year, and farm founder Chris Murray was presented with an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. Other Devon attractions praised were The Big Sheep, Bideford and River Dart Adventures, Ashburton. All can be found on our ‘Explore the Area’ map to help you spot the places to go and things to do near each of our cottages.

In the Tourism Activity, Sport & Experience category, Gold went to the Calvert Trust Exmoor, which offers a wide range of adventurous outdoor activities to people of all ages with physical, sensory and learning difficulties.

Dartmoor Farmers

The winners were also recently announced at the Taste of the West Awards, which celebrates the region’s exceptional food and drink industry. Amongst the winners in Devon were Dartmoor Farmers, who produce free range, slow grown West Country beef and lamb from family farms within Dartmoor National Park.

Another worthy winner was the Sharpham Partnership, producer of classic English wines and a range of English cheeses on the Sharpham Estate on the banks of the River Dart near Totnes in south Devon.

Too many winners to mention, but congratulations to them all!

Browse through our holiday cottages in Devon and come and enjoy all this glorious county has to offer.

Enjoy the authentic taste of Dartmoor…

Farming in the heart of Devon is all about a passion for food, from the landscape it comes from to the way it is nurtured. That's why Dartmoor Farmers Association is the proud owner of three new awards, praising its methods and results in authentic beef and lamb production.

The association was recently crowned Gold and Silver Winner at the prestigious Taste of the West Awards and was given the inaugural ’Business of the Month Award’ from Dartmoor First. To receive the latter, entrants must demonstrate high regard for ‘a sense of place’, relating to landscape and diversity, for ‘a precious resource’, which covers waste, energy and water use, and for a ‘living landscape’, relating to the economical, social and transportation impact of their work.

The association’s 50 individual hill farms produce high quality beef and lamb, available at local butchers and in many of the pubs and restaurants throughout the area. Dartmoor Farmers ‘real beef and lamb’ can also be delivered straight to your front door throughout the UK by a courier meat box scheme.

For Dartmoor visitors wanting to sample a variety of tasty local produce, the Moretonhampstead Food Festival on 5th March is an unmissable showcase. Highlights include support from celebrity chefs Michael Caines (from the two Michelin star Gidleigh Park) and Jane Baxter from Riverford (author of many books and regular columnist in national newspapers). There’s also a 'Ready Steady Cook' event involving chefs from local restaurants and cooking demonstrations, including a children’s event in the 'Riverford Kitchen'. Click here for a list of exhibitors.

If you’re inspired to watch life on a farm, Weddicott Barn (pictured) in Chagford is perfect. It sleeps ten, so bring family and friends to enjoy the 70 acre traditional Dartmoor farm with its wildlife, wild flowers and half-acre pond. The indoor heated pool is an added bonus! You can take sourcing local food to the extreme with private brown trout fishing on the river Erme included in the price of a stay at lovely Clock House, near Ivybridge. Or how about a spot of classy dining-in after a shopping spree at the local farmers’ market? The ornate dining area and well equipped kitchen at luxurious Maristow Barton in Milton Combe are ideal for self catering in style.

We’ve over 80 holiday cottages on Dartmoor and good food is never far away.

Michael Caines' Magic Mulled Wine...

What a treat! Celebrity chef Michael Caines has given us his magic mulled wine recipe to share with you. A perfect winter warmer...

Ingredients

2 oranges
1 lemon
4 cloves
A pinch of cinnamon powder
2 cinnamon sticks
A pinch of Chinese five spice
50g caster sugar
1 cup of water
50ml Grand Marnier
750ml full bodied red wine

Method

• Slice the lemon and one of the oranges, then stud the remaining orange with the cloves.
• Dissolve the sugar into the cup of water.
• Pour the wine into a saucepan with the studded orange, stir in the sugared water and spices then take to a moderate heat and leave for ten minutes. Do not boil the wine.
• Before serving, remove the studded orange, add the Grand Marnier and citrus slices and pour into a pre-heated glass punch bowl and garnish with the cinnamon sticks.


Michael Caines MBE is Executive Head Chef at two Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park, not far from our home in Chagford. Recently voted the 'UK's Top Restaurant' by the readers of the Sunday Times and Harden’s restaurant guides, it achieved a magnificent 9.86 out of 10 overall rating and diners drenched it in praise with terms such as ‘flawless’ and ‘luxurious and welcoming’.

Special winter offer at Gidleigh Park

Experience fine dining at Gidleigh for yourself on a winter break in the New Year. There will be a very special lunch offer running from 16th January to 31st March 2011 with two courses for only £29.00 per person and three courses for £39.50 per person. (This offer excludes February 12th, 13th and 14th).

View our holiday cottages in Chagford for an invigorating (and mouth-watering!) winter break.