The Smiling Sheep

FOOD AT THE SMILING SHEEP

One of the joys of running the smallholding is the satisfaction in growing, cooking and eating the freshest, tastiest, most ethical food imaginable. We believe in food that has travelled from “field to fork” with the very minimum of interference, preservatives or additives.

PROVENANCE

Each year we raise a small number of free range, rare breed pigs. They live in a cosy straw filled pig ark and spend their time cavorting (or wallowing) in their own grassy paddock. We keep male lambs for at least 18 months and they give us delicious “two-summer lamb” (technically called “hogget”) or, if older, flavourful mutton (a favourite meat of Prince Charles). Vegetables come from our large area of raised beds and fruit comes from the orchard and fruit bushes. Near the Linhay is the chicken coop containing our little flock of multi coloured free range hens that lay fresh eggs for us each morning.

If we can’t grow it on site, we buy our ingredients from local farms and growers. Free range chicken comes from the high welfare Bulstone Springs farm in Branscombe, and free range duck is from award winning Pipers Farm in Collumpton. Our beef comes from the prize winning herd of Devon Red Ruby cattle at nearby Clannaborough Farm.

 

THE LINHAY

Breakfast includes our own crusty homemade bread, jam made from our own fruit, sausages and bacon from the pigs and, of course, freshly laid eggs from hens that peck around the orchard. We also serve local honey, cereals and apple juice from a nearby farm. Milk is from the highly ethical Taw River Dairy.

The supper menu changes regularly in accordance with the seasons but often includes main courses such as roast belly pork with crunchy crackling, slow cooked lamb tagine with herbed couscous or vegetarian courgette carbonara with pasta made using fresh eggs from the hens. 

THE FIELD KITCHEN

We have picked a pretty corner in our nearest field to set up our ‘field kitchen’, perfectly situated to enjoy the best views of the setting sun.  With a Kadai fire pit & BBQ, and an Ooni wood burning pizza oven, we are well equipped to entertain you with al fresco lunches and romantic suppers. 

SHEEP TO SHAWL DAYS

Refreshments are provided throughout the day, including fair-trade coffee, speciality tea, home-made biscuits and freshly baked cake.  A light lunch is provided, typically this might be home made pasta (from our own eggs of course), with a home-grown vegetarian or meat sauce, or a hearty soup with freshly baked bread, or, weather permitting, we might fire up the outdoor wood-burning pizza oven!

 

Some reviews

“A meal worthy of 3 Michelin stars…” Deborah - June 2017
“The pork belly was the best we’ve ever had - and we are real foodies” Jenna – July 2017
“Unbelievably delicious breakfasts and suppers…” Daniela – July 2017
“The food… is incredible.” James – March 2017
"Best treacle tart ever!” Paul – October 2017