The Streamcombe Blog

Come and Tame The Exmoor Yeast!

06/10/2012 19:38:00

Bread making at Streamcombe Farm

We have the following dates available for Bread Making at Streamcombe Cookery:

Tame the Exmoor Yeast!

Monday October 15th

and

Monday 26th November

New dates are being added all the time, so check the course calendar at www.streamcombecookery.co.uk for further details.

Exmoor- Europe`s first Dark Sky Reserve!

10/10/2011 22:46:00

Exmoor National Park has just received international recognition as an outstandingly natural and unspoilt place by becoming designated

Europe`s first Dark Sky Reserve. One of only two Dark Sky Reserves in the world!

Click here to read a press release from Exmoor National Park.

People living and working in and around the National Park will receive information and advice about how to preserve the lack of light polution in this area. Few of the small villages and hamlets within Exmoor National Park can boast street lights anyway, you carry a torch out there! The scattering of farms and cottages across the landscape were built, tucked away from prevailing winds, into the combes and woodlands. As a result, standing on Dunkery Beacon and looking across towards Dartmoor in the distance, no houses are visible. Neither do their night lights interrupt your 360 degree gaze upwards and sideways, at the most starry heavens it is possible to see in all of England.

GameOn! Cookery Demo

08/10/2011 22:55:00

Due to popular demand during the Exmoor Food Festival, Ian will be running a second Game On! Cookery Demonstration on Thursday October 20th 7-9pm.

Further details can be found on www.streamcombecookery.co.uk

Tickets are on sale at £25 per person, and places are limited to 14 people.

Please call or email to book yours!

Game On!

08/10/2011 22:39:00

Last week`s 'Game On! Cookery Demo' was a great success.

The event was sold out within a week, and we have since added a second date.

In addition to sampling mouth-watering dishes demonstrated by Ian, guests also enjoyed tasting four different wines that complimented the smoked trout, partridge and venison dishes.

Elderflower Fizz

08/10/2011 22:26:00

Earlier in the year Ian had a go at making some Elderflower 'Champagne'. The initial smell was wonderful, and once fermenting happily, the concoction was carefully poured into lemonade bottles. The resulting barrel shaped, hissing time bombs were then carefully placed outside in the garden, barricaded behind an old mill stone for the safety of all those passing!

With some trepidation, 4 weeks later, we had a taste.....

Amazing!

It was the most delicious fizz I have ever had. Hopefully he can remember the recipe and have the same success next year.

Larger quantities perhaps, then we could share it! Sorry.

Streamcombe in the Media

08/10/2011 22:23:00

A great review, recipes and photos from The Western Morning News Oct 1st 2011.

Despite the pouring rain outside, Ian had a great day in the barn roasting partridge and baking figs for a photo shoot. Some 'facts' and figures are a little far from the truth, although flattering!

The BBC and an Exmoor Barn Conversion

08/10/2011 20:07:00

Earlier this year, a crew from BBC Bristol arrived at Streamcombe to film part of a TV series, Nick Knowles' Original Features to be broadcast on UKTV Home.

This episode is looking at Barn Conversions, and our efforts were worth showing on TV - apparently!

Not sure how much air time Streamcombe will actually get, but the programme will be showing on 28 October at 10pm, and again on 29th at 4pm on UKTV Home Channel which can be found on Virgin 265 and Sky 246.

This picture was taken in June 2008, having just found the keys in the outside toilet.

I am now horrified by this picture. I cannot remember seeing the place like this at all.

Having a good imagination really helps with taking on a project like this!

The finished barn conversion June 2010 >>

It took the two of us 8 months to complete.

We enlisted the services of an electrician, plasterer and slate roofer. The drains, foundations, re-pointing, re-building, joists, new floors, plumbing, tiling, oak flooring and most of the carpentry were all done by Ian.

I was responsible for general site clearance, glamorous! Sourcing materials such as the window frames and glass, wall and floor tiles, carpets, doors and knobs, soft and hard furnishings. Plus, cutting and fitting endless insulation panels, painting and decorating, curtain making and endless cups of tea and homemade cakes!

At last we had finished. The first paying guests arrived exactly one hour later!

All the windows and doors were open to hide the smell of fresh paint and tile adhesive, and we tried to behave as if we were very experiened B&B owners. It sort of worked. The following morning the young honeymooners asked if we had been open long, as it all looked quite new!

Having burnt the candle at both ends for several months, we were both totally and utterly exhausted. Now, three years on and getting the chance to stand outside in the dusk with a glass of wine once in a while, watching the bats and listening to the Exmoor stags rutting above in the woods, we realise it has all been well worth the effort to come here. It is beautiful.