Celebrate a very special Christmas at Darts Farm

Darts Farm, near Exeter, Devon, is the perfect place to get into the Christmas spirit with everything you could possibly need all under one roof. 

Whether you're shopping for your Christmas food, drinks and gifts, enjoying a delicious meal in one of their eateries or attending a festive event.

The Food Hall offers a unique shopping experience that champions local foods and drinks, which has been sourced from their own farm and other incredible, passionate artisans. At the butchery counter, you'll find the best in home-grown, dry-aged beef and locally reared turkeys, with the master butchers on hand to offer advice on the best cuts and how to cook the meats. 

And their deli is brimming with the best British farmhouse cheese and charcuterie; with perfect pairings just around the corner in the drinks cellar. Indulgent treats such as panettone, stollen and Christmas puddings fill the shelves; all crafted by local and like-minded artisans. 

The result is an unparalleled selection of award-winning food and drink, perfect for creating fabulous festive feasts or wonderful Christmas gifts.

You'll also find incredible bean-to-bar chocolate which is actually crafted on site by their very own in-house chocolatier. Their single origin bars, handcrafted truffles and chocolate creations are made using sustainably sourced cacao beans from specially selected small scale growers in the world's best regions. 

They are also proud to be one of the few UK producers to craft chocolate from bean to bar. In small batches, they roast the beans, before cracking the shell to release the nib. Then they grind the nibs for up to 55 hours before ageing their chocolate for 2-3 weeks. 

Finally, they melt it down to create bars, truffles and all things chocolatey which you can buy in store as well as online for national deliveries. The perfect gift for any chocolate lover is Darts Farm's Cow & Cacao Chocolate Lover's Hamper (£22). This hamper contains a 30g Single Origin Bar, a 150g Broken Chocolate Slab and a 150g bag of Chocolate Buttons.

The Farm Table, their fantastic new flagship restaurant, showcases the best produce available from the farm and shop.

It celebrates the simplicity of beautiful ingredients grown, reared, caught and crafted on their doorstep. What they cannot grow themselves on the farm, they source from their vibrant community of like-minded artisan producers, farmers and fisherman who share their passion for flavour, seasonality & sustainable, traditional methods. 

The menu includes their iconic Ruby Red beef, dayboat fish and seasonal vegetables, all cooked over charcoal and accompanied by wines from their own Pebblebed Vineyards, plus an amazing selection of beers, ciders and spirits from the cellar. Join your friends and family for a Christmas meal or book your place at The Farm Table's Festive Indulgence Evening on 29th November. 

Just over the hedge from where they graze their Ruby Red Cattle, you'll find Darts Farm's Pebblebed Vineyard where they produce their award-winning sparkling and still wines. They are one of very few single estate producers; growing their grapes and producing their wines in the same place. 

And why not treat someone to a bottle of their fabulous fizz or stock up on a mixed case or two for the festive season. Their collection includes still white, red and rosé wine as well as sparkling white and rosé.

As always, there will be a packed calendar of Food and Drink Events at Darts Farm in December, including a Christmas Masterclass Evening, Willow and Wreath Masterclasses and a Carol Service. 

For further information on Darts Farm please visit www.dartsfarm.co.uk and follow Darts Farm on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  

Eco Christmas decoration and a reusable gift tag in one

This is a great alternative to standard, ordinary gift tags. You just write your personalised message on the reverse of the tag. 

And it's also a gift in its own right!

It's a really nifty and very nice Christmas decoration and a reusable gift tag in one. They are fantastic  ceramic star hangings that will add more than a splash of sophistication to your Christmas tree or your Christmas gifting. 

They are carefully designed so that they can be cunningly used as a gift tag and then hung on a Christmas Tree, or as a wall hanging. Maybe buy several to make an interesting Christmas display and a fantastic Christmas centrepiece? 

Incidentally, they are handcrafted in the West Country of Devon. 

You'll be interested to check out their other wide range of handcrafted items including:- Air Plant Holders, Air Plants, Bowls, Candle Holders, Coasters, Dog Bowls, Jugs, Magnets, Match Pots, Mugs, Oil Pourers, Paintbrush Pots, Personalised Planters, Plates, Soap Dishes, Spoon Rests, Table Décor, Trinket Dishes, Tumblers and Vases.

They also make and sell a wide range of handcrafted jewellery, etc. If you are interested in learning more, they offer workshops, too.

Check them out at their website:- Www.habulous.co.uk.

Sandford Orchards Launches Cider Advent Calendar

Devon's award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, is absolutely thrilled to launch its Cider Advent Calendar which will be available from mid November RRP £75.00 at www.sandfordorchards.co.uk as well as carefully selected retail outlets.

Sandford Orchards' Cider Advent Calendar is perfect for easing yourself into the festive spirit. What better way could there be to celebrate the countdown to Christmas than discovering a different delicious cider every day? 

The Sandford Orchards Cider Advent Calendar is fully packed with a selection of twenty four ciders including all the well-known favourites from their award-winning range. 

The advent calendar is available to pre-order now for delivery in November.

Christmas Cocktails - Add a Touch of Magic and Elegance to Your Festive Celebrations

With the expert assistance of Devon's very own multiple award-winning Salcombe Gin, you'll be able to add more than a touch of class and magic to your Christmas and New Year festive celebrations this year with two stunning cocktails curated by the expert distillers at Salcombe Distilling Co. 

Whether you'll all be gathered 'round the festive fireplace with loved ones, or hosting a merry Christmas soirée for your friends and neighbours, Salcombe Gin's Christmas cocktails are the genuinely ultimate indulgence to make your Yuletide festivities sparkle and glitter.

'The Wanderer' features the multi-award winning classic citrus forward Salcombe Gin 'Start Point' and 'Southern Sky' features the equally excellent and highly decorated Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie', a dry rose gin with no sugar added.

'The Wanderer'

This elegant and wintery take on a classic Martinez is the perfect Christmas Eve tipple. 'The Wanderer' combines the complex flavours of Salcombe Gin 'Start Point' with seasonal notes of pine syrup and festive spice from the vermouth.

50ml Salcombe Gin 'Start Point'

15ml Knightor Rosso Vermouth

10ml William Fox Pine Syrup

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Bourbon Cocktail Cherry to garnish

Chill a Nick and Nora glass with ice and place to one side

Place the 'Start Point', Vermouth, pine syrup and Angostura bitters into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds

Remove the ice from the Nick and Nora glass, and use a hawthorn strainer to strain the mixture into the glass

Garnish with a cocktail cherry, leaving the stem on

'Southern Sky'

A celebration of sophistication. 'Southern Sky' is a delicate balance of Salcombe Gin Rosé Sainte Marie's floral and red berry sweetness, with the cherry citrus of Knightor Rosé Vermouth and sharp raspberry of Chambord, infused with an earthy thyme backbone. Its glorious peach colour is reminiscent of a low winter sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.

25ml Salcombe Gin 'Rosé Sainte Marie'

15ml Knightor Rosé Vermouth

15ml Thyme infused Chambord*

Champagne to top up

Chill a Champagne saucer with ice and place to one side

Place the 'Rosé  Sainte Marie', vermouth and thyme infused Chambord into a mixing jug, fill with ice and stir with a bar spoon for 20 seconds

Remove the ice from the champagne saucer and use a julep strainer to strain the mic into the glass

Top with your favourite Champagne

*To make the thyme infused Chambord, add 3 sprigs of thyme to half a bottle of Chambord and leave in the fridge for four days, shaking every day. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to carefully remove the thyme.

Enjoy these exceptional creations safe in the knowledge that every bottle of Salcombe Gin sold makes our oceans healthier, with 1% of the UK net sales revenue donated to the Marine Conservation Society to protect and regenerate precious ocean habitats.

For further information about Salcombe Gin, visit www.salcombegin.com, follow SalcombeGin on Instagram and Facebook. 

Celebrate the Christmas Magic With Luscombe's 'Open Fire' and 'The Sicilian' Cocktails

Whether  you're looking to host a festive gathering, toasting with loved ones or simply unwinding after a long fun-filled day at Christmas, Luscombe's Christmas cocktails will add a wonderful touch of style to celebrations.  

Capture the spirit of the season with their cosy fireside cocktail, 'Open Fire' or citrus delight, 'The Sicilian'.  Cheers to a joyful and merry Luscombe Christmas!

Open Fire

Combining the warmth of Luscombe's famous multi-award-winning Hot Ginger Beer with rum, the sweetness of honey and chestnuts and the zing of lime, 'Open Fire' is perfect for kicking off the festive season.

Ingredients

Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer

35ml Premium Navy Strength Rum

15ml Chestnut Liqueur

15ml freshly squeezed lime

15ml runny honey 

Garnish - Lime wheel

Suggested glass - Rocks or tumbler 

Method

1. Combine the rum, chestnut liqueur, squeezed lime and runny honey into a cocktail shaker filled with ice

2. After a good shake to dissolve the honey, strain into an ice-filled tumbler

3. Top with Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer

4. Garnish with a chunky lime wheel 

The Sicilian

Blending Luscombe's traditional Sicilian Lemonade with sloe gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, 'The Sicilian' is pure joy.  It's simply Christmas in a glass. 

Ingredients

Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade

35ml Premium Sloe Gin

20ml Campari 

20ml Sweet Vermouth 

Garnish - Clove-studded orange peel

Suggested glass - Rocks / tumbler 

Method

1. Stud a long slice of orange peel with cloves, don't be shy with the cloves!

2. Put the sloe gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice and stir for a good 15 seconds

3. Strain into a rocks glass with the studded orange and lots of ice

4. Top with Luscombe Sicilian Lemonade

5. Give the drink one last little stir for luck and to get the cloves working

Luscombe

Luscombe is the proud holder of a Royal Warrant, over 100 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food and was the first drinks brand to gain organic accreditation from the Soil Association. 

Passionate about crafting exceptional tasting premium organic drinks, they source the finest quality organic whole fruits from trusted growers around the world. Luscombe expertly blends these with their own source of Dartmoor spring water to create their range of fruit juices, crushes, bubblies, tonic waters and mixers. 

Owner and founder, Gabriel David, is justifiably famed for his pursuit of perfection and no compromise approach to creating an elegant and multi-award-winning range of drinks.  The team takes great pride that all of their drinks are made from gently pressed organic ingredients, picked at their ripest in the climates where they grow best.

For further information visit luscombe.co.uk or follow Luscombe on Instagram: luscombedrinks or 'Like' on Facebook.