2010 GREAT TASTE AWARDS
Each of the three products we submitted into the prestigious Great Taste
Awards have all been awarded at least one gold star from a possible three.
Our Toasted Malt Ice Cream impressed the most winning two gold stars,
closely followed by our Truffle Honey and our Smoked Chilli & Tomato Pickle.
The awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food and give consumers a
recognised mark of excellence underpinned by rigorous judging standards.
This year received the highest ever amount of entries but from the 6,017
products that were entered only 1,580 received either a one, two or three
star gold rating.
The esteemed judges included Chris Evans, Restaurant Critic Charles Campion,
Chef Mark Hix, Tom Parker Bowles and Nigel Barden so we were thrilled to
have done so well.
All of these products can be bought directly from The Holt together with the
rest of our ‘Smoking Jacket’ range of foods.
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TOAST IS NOW OPEN!
After many years working tirelessly away at The Holt, Kate and Becks have
decided to create a niche of their own in Honiton.
Housed within the beautifully decorated Yarrow Interiors, just up from the
pub, 'Toast' will serve patisserie inspired cakes, traditional English
cooking, ethically produced Fair Trade coffee and superb loose leaf teas.
As
well as high teas and cream teas, there will be a daily changing cake
display featuring strawberry & custard tarts, a delicious selection of cup
cakes, cookies and sweet treats including a selection of homemade ice cream.
The more traditional fayre will predominantly be simple dishes done well:
Poached eggs on muffins served with air dried ham, Salad of mozzarella with
green and broad beans, peas and a basil dressing, Smoked mackerel and
cucumber relish, Heinz beans on hot buttered toast and also a daily changing
soup.
Now officially open,
Kate had this to say: "Toast will be
somewhere that people will be able to come to for any number of reasons -
lunch with mum, an end of term treat, coffee or a really good hot chocolate
with friends, a special occasion or just somewhere to pick up a cake on the
way back to work.
The atmosphere will have a nice, calming, sanctuary feel to it - step
through the front door and you'll leave the world behind. We'll be baking
throughout the day so there will be some lovely aromas coming from the
kitchen. During the summer the long, enchanting garden is the perfect spot
to kick back with a big jug of homemade lemonade and just enjoy the sun."
Toast will be open Monday to Saturday from 8am - 6pm and on Sundays from 9am
- 4pm. For all enquiries please telephone 01404 44399.
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We were pleased to welcome our first 'food blogger' to The Holt last week!
This is someone who is so passionate about food they take photos during
their meal and then write about it afterwards for their website. Please
click here to read what Natalie thought about us.
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All our salad leaves at the moment are coming from between 5 and 6
miles of the front door. Carolyn Bellinger at Oak Lodge is supplying the
bulk but we've also had the first delivery of leaves from mum up at the
brewery. Her new veggie garden with its raised beds and polytunnel is
looking absolutely fantastic. We can't wait for the courgettes, tomatoes and
beans to start coming down. Click here for an interesting read:
http://www.otterbrewery.com/maryann.php
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Officially the Best in the South West!
On December 1st 2009 The Holt was awarded the overall title of ‘Best Gastropub in the South West’ by Taste of the West in their annual hospitality awards - an accolade we could never have dreamt of winning! Judges comments ranged from “superb service, great style and very good food” to “absolutely flawless” and “can't praise it enough.”
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