Coombeshead Farm

“We hope Coombeshead is somewhere exciting, where people can come not just to eat delicious food, but perhaps to take away some learning back into their day-to-day lives and, importantly, relax and unwind. We are very aware of our impact on the environment and are taking steps towards our vision of self-sufficiency. We produce as much as we can onsite – from the soap in the bedrooms to the butter at breakfast – and have a brilliant network of farmers and growers who we work very closely with. We learn a huge amount from them and it’s a great pleasure to work alongside people who will go to great lengths to create outstanding produce.”

Charcuterie; pickles; and butter.

To sustain a menu based on using whole animals throughout the year, you have to use everything and find ways of prolonging its presence on the menu. Coombeshead Farm only uses one pig a month, and this has to sustain the menu. Therefore, preservation is key. By curing, salting, and smoking, they are able to balance the menu through those times when fresh produce is sparse – as in the good old days. So they use charcuterie to balance a menu when there is less fresh produce in the garden or coming in from growers. The same is true of their pickles and ferments, which help to keep the shelves full through the darker months.