If you’ve stayed at the Long Barn, followed us on social media or get our monthly newsletter, you’ll know that we love our food. And also that we love supporting our local passionate chefs, producers, farmers’ markets, food experiences (and cake…)
The North York Moors has a fabulous web page called “Taste of North York Moors” which showcases the best of these local businesses. It’s a great collection of recommendations and tips of where to go to experience the very best of this region’s wonderful food and drink.
Recently we’ve started to pay more attention to where we buy our food from. We’ve always supported local producers, but probably like many, sometimes when we run out of time have defaulted to the supermarket. Whilst we appreciate that many supermarkets offer excellent free range organic meat (and organic fruit and veg) we also realise that going direct to the farmer means that more of the profit goes direct to them.
We know that we are very lucky to be able to afford to do this and also have the local producers here to chose from. We also understand that for many guests, doing one big supermarket shop when self catering at the Long Barn is the easiest and most convenient way to get the food in for your stay. We hope that by promoting some of our wonderful local producers, then it makes it easier for guests to swap out the odd purchase to a local supplier.
Here are some of our local food recommendations:
Bakers Cinamon Twist are a local firm and you’ll find them at Pickering (Mondays) Kirkbymoorside (Wednesdays) and Helmsley (Fridays) They kept our village running through lockdown (we co-ordinated a village order which Mark and Jilly delivered into the Long Barn woodstore) although we all agreed that we were developing a unhealthy attachment to their tea cakes and cheese straws. We also love Haxby Bakerhouse who worryingly are on the route to our laundry run every week. Phil and his team are sour dough god’s. And they also use the same Yorkshire Organic Millers flour that Ian uses to bake the bread for guests which is milled just down the road from us at Hill Top Farm, Spaunton.
Butchers Our favourites are local Wainds in Kirkbymoorside who have been in business since 1882. You can see them busy making their own pies which are delicious. They also sell their own ready meals and hot meat sandwiches on a Friday. We also recommend Glaves who if you order sufficient quantity, will deliver to you in the village. Beadlam Grange and Cedar Barn also have good butchers shop with the bonus that they are open on a Sunday. All supply locally reared meat, some of them from their own farm.
Fish Sadly the best wet fish, Thundercliffes in Helmsley closed down some time ago. Peter still sells at Hovingham Market once a month. We recomend ordering fish from Hodgsons Fish at Home and organising for a delivery. Established in 1916 in Hartlepool, this family business is one of the best known fish merchants on the coast, delivering the freshest seafood to leading hotels and restaurants in the north of England.
Fruit and Veg Worth it for the 15 minute drive alone over the moors to Fadmor are Newfield Organics who have an honesty farm shop. We also recommend Taylors of Pickering who supply many local pubs and restaurants. They have a huge back of house store, so if you don’t see what you are after, ask.
Dairy We buy organic whole milk direct from Priest Garth Farm in Gillamoor. We’ve also discovered delicious goats cheese from Abbey Farm, Rosedale (we love the Bell End Blue) and they also offer cheese making courses and goat yoga for the more adventurous. Camphill Village Trust also make great cheese from the village of Botton. And having sampled many, our overall favourite ice cream is from Ryeburn of Helmsley. Although the Bryor ice cream from Shop on the Green in Hutton le Hole is a close second.
Other provisions Local Moorside Stores in Kirkbymoorside have a great range of groceries, many of which you can buy loose. They also have a great range of Indian spices, sauces and breads. The best delis are Hunters in Helmsley and Malton Relish. Malton is also home to our favourite coffee roastery Roost (which is in our welcome hamper and for sale in our honesty shop) Florian Poirot for french patisserie and Groovy Moo ice cream. All of whom were sampled by the King and Queen on a recent visit.
Last but not least…Cake The general consensus locally is that Graze on the Green in Rosedale, the Lockton Tea Room and The School House Deli and Bakery in Hutton Le Hole are currently the best places for cake. We also recommend Café Williams in Kirkbymoorside.
But we are continually checking out other places and will keep you updated……
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