July 2024
At Crouchers Hotel, we’re not one to blow our own trumpet – we leave that to our satisfied customers on Trip Advisor.
However, now that the growing season is in full swing, we’re going all out to inform our guests, residents and diners about the fresh produce coming from the potager garden.
You will now find a fresh new blackboard in the hotel bar area, and on it a list of the fruit and vegetables you will find on your plate that particular week.
It’s thrilling to tell diners that, for example, the rainbow chard on their plate that night was still attached to the plant not many hours before. Fresh is, as fresh does.
However, it has thrown up some interesting comments from visitors regarding the advertised New Zealand spinach.
I can allay the concerns of everyone, and tell you that although it is called New Zealand spinach, it is not from New Zealand (some 11,700 miles away), instead it comes from our very own potager garden (about 100 yards away).
It’s a very robust variety of leaf, and the chefs prefer it to the regular, van delivered, spinach as it holds its structure better when wilted down.
But, please take your time to check out the blackboard, and I hope you’ll be surprised at just how much we produce under our own steam.
Meanwhile, we recently hosted a large dinner party held on the patio with bunting and balloons, and it appeared that the party goers had a great time.
They were certainly complimentary about the beds, borders and pots of plants, and the relaxed ambience they created.
Even without these, the patio area is a wonderful spot to have a dinner or lunch, or just a drink – overlooking the fields and countryside, and if you’re lucky, you may spot the deers that occasionally bound through the hedgerows and trees.
And when you’re finished, come down to the potager for a chat, and you never know what you might end up with.
One friendly chap took home with him a coupe of red cabbage seedlings that were excess to our requirements.
It gave me the idea of putting all our excess seedlings near reception, and they all disappeared very quickly.
It’s nice to know there are like-minded people out there doing great things in their own gardens.
Maybe we should all get together and blow our trumpets, and spread the word of Crouchers.
~ Tim Ashton,
Head Gardener – Crouchers Orchards Hotel & Restaurant
