Food for thought

Having opened late a couple of weeks ago in order to visit the Craft Fair again after 5 years off, I thought I would do the same this morning and pay Holkham a much delayed visit. It's the North Norfolk Food Festival, you understand.

Growing up not far from Shakespeare's birthplace, we hardly ever visited Stratford - and it's a bit like that with Holkham. I think the last time was to go round the Park with the Deer Keeper for a piece in North Norfolk Living. Suffice to say, the park looked so good first thing this morning that I now can't understand why I don't go more often.

Going early meant no queues to get in! Without going completely over the top, the Festival is a bit like going to a gentle summer party with every foody delight and temptation conceivable.

But what it did bring home is just what a fantastic range of makers,  growers and suppliers we have round about.  Even better is the opportunity to put faces to names and meet some of the people who produce the delights that I try not to eat too much of! Particularly good to meet David and Julie from Perfick Pork. Not only do they supply the key ingredient for Sarah at Brays Cottage but also Ben Handley at The Duck Inn at Stanhoe. The pork belly at The Duck last night was just wonderful.

As ever with these events, you find out things - in this case, a categorical denial from the horse's mouth so to speak regarding a widely rumoured change of ownership of one of the best known local businesses. So now I know; never believe these things unless it's already happened.

Naturally

Amongst my friends, there is still probably a majority who don't use social media, be it Facebook or Twitter. Personally, I now find it difficult to remember life before twitter. In business terms it's great, a really good way to network and to stay in touch and, indirectly, it does actually help sales, although that's not why I do it.

It's main benefit now is that even when based in the gallery for much of the time, I feel that I'm in touch with what else is going on in the wider (local) world. To be so informed about changes in the local business world - so easily - is remarkable. And you find out about things that could easily pass you by.

For years I have driven alongside the estate wall of Bayfield, between Wiveton and Letheringsett, and have been to a number of events there. However, whilst in years gone by I used to notice signs about wildflowers I don't recall ever having investigated further. However, prompted initially by a tweet from my friend Sarah Pettegree - she of the brilliant Brays Cottage Pork Pies - about plants she bought there on Friday afternoon, followed by a generous offer subsequently from Sarah to escape the pie world and baby-sit the gallery for me, I visited there this morning.

Now trading as Natural Surroundings, I got no further than the plant sales, run by Anne Harrap. What a delight, and such a change from the increasingly corporate style and range of most garden centres. Tucked way in this idyllic corner of the Glaven Valley there is an intriguing and very personal selection of plants on offer. Without Sarah and her twitter, I 'm not sure I would have been drawn here and, sadly, probably continued to have wound my way past this unsung delight. Needless to say I will be returning and also needless to say I will be recommending it to friends and visitors to the gallery.  They - Natural Surroundings - tweet as well! @natsurroundings 

The other bonus is that despite the peace and quiet of the gallery on a warm Sunday morning, Sarah says she enjoyed it.  Even if she didn't she was very diplomatic and her presence here will have reminded the thousands of friends who love her pies and her tweets, that it's worth a visit to us and to Bayfield. And maybe eat a pie as well.  It's win, win, win as far as I can see.  The next step is surely for me to sell Sarah's pies... but I'm not sure she would trust me with that.

Another week

Bit of a Max Angus fest, but no apologies for that as she has just brought me a new print which I think is one of her best.

This little group is to be found between Thornham and Old Hunstanton or so I am told.  Time for a bit more investigating I think.

Having to go the far east (Holt) twice this week before opening, it's striking just how good North Norfolk is looking despite the lack of warmth.  The stretch between here and Wiveton is particularly enticing and I've finally now visited The Anchor at Morston in its new guise.  Many years ago, we used to pretend to sail an Oyster out of Morston Creek and despite The Anchor being the closest we hardly ever used it. Now run by two talented chaps, Harry & Rowan, I can at least vouch for the quality of the food coming out of the kitchen.  The belly pork was delicious... and the Norfolk Rarebit.... and the puddings...  Also very happy to report that even though the boss wasn't present, the service was good. As they say - 'you've all done very well!'

Having spent a little time in Holt including trying to get a local phone number via Google on my phone and eventually leaving a messsage for the lucky recipient - Sarah of Brays Pork Pie fame (food again), I crossed the road and went in Starlings only to find myself standing next to her.  Sadly she had no pies about her person, but she did point me in the direction of a good article about North Norfolk in Food & Travel magazine.

As far as Holt goes, I always think it looks great but the people don't seem very happy. It could be me.. or maybe it's the stress that goes with controlled parking?

The Four Seasons

Heading into March, and we've just had a taste of spring - we managed 18.4° yesterday although that may have been sunshine assisted.  Not to get carried away though, just 10 days ago we were down as low as -10° and the week before there was quite a snowfall on the Saturday evening. Burnham Overy is normally only 5 minutes away but it took rather longer than that to get back from dinner just before midnight. Never let it be said that weather comes between me and a decent dinner party.

In the gallery, the customers keep coming and continue to surprise.  Often it is the most unlikely day and weather that seems to work, but as I remember from a conversation with my friends at Made in Cley some years ago, I am not alone in this. Not sure whether it's peculiar to North Norfolk but our visitors seem to be coming from further and further away - as well as many more from Norwich. Strange but true.

Our excursion into the world of social media following prompting from more street-wise members of staff and family is proving interesting, enjoyable and - despite my initial misgivings - worthwhile. It is a source of continuing delight who you come across socially but also fascinating how it is strengthening the business community up here in the north.  In particular I should mention Sarah Pettegree of Bray's Pork Pies - not just because I like the pies (!) but as an exemplar of how a business profile can be developed using social media.  Many miss the point - it's not advertising and to think of it as such is a big mistake. It's about the glue that goes in the cracks of life - including business. Profound, eh? Anyway if you are interested, you can follow the minutiae and trivia of life in North Norfolk by looking for Grapevine Gallery @grapevine_art

On the art front, prints are selling well and my good friends printmaker Max Angus and her husband Richard visited last weekend bearing, not gifts, but two new prints. One is very seasonal and is in the gallery now... so don't delay!

Burnham Market Horse Trials

Apart from The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market is now probably best known for the Horse Trials. But as with lots of things, the closer and the more convenient an event is, the less notice you take.  That has now been put to rights - courtesy of my good friend GERARD STAMP, who not only paints rather well but has a very competent horsewoman in the shape of his daughter, Eleanor.

Prompted by a phone call, I closed up a bit early yesterday and went up to Sussex Farm just in time to see Eleanor complete the Show Jumping and the Cross-Country.  Found watching the former almost too tense when you know the rider, but enjoyed the cross-country; Eleanor's mastery of the water jump looked complete from my uninformed perspective. Pleasingly this seemed to be the official view as well!

As with most things in Norfolk you always meet someone you know - in this case, quite remarkably, NICKY LOUTIT whose exhibition opens with us next Thursday. Rounding the visit off with a very agreeable pint of Wherry at The Hoste, my only regret about this unexpected interlude was that my timing ensured I just missed Sarah and the wonderful Brays Pork Pies who were leaving the Trials just as I arrived.  My pleadings on the internet last night were obviously to no avail - there was no special delivery this morning!  Maybe I will have to go back, after all.

It's Spring!

Spring has most definitely sprung here in North Norfolk.  My guess is we must be a good few weeks ahead of last year, with a number of herbaceous plants well into growth. Only hope they're not in for a nasty shock in April!

In the gallery, it's MIKE BERNARD who is in favour - though ironically it's the London pictures that are grabbing the attention. We even had a visitor who enjoys the same view from his London pad as Mike's Butlers Wharf picture portrays and was somewhat surprised to find it in a Norfolk gallery.

On the food front, sounds like The Duck Inn has found it's feet again, with a couple of good reports - so time for a new look I think. As an avid fan of the wonderful BRAY'S pork pies, I was somewhat disconcerted to find an advert for 70% discount on burgers on their blog.  Having contacted the wonderful Sarah, it seems like they can't see it -  highlighting the hidden hazards of blogging!