Six things you must do in Helmsley

The last couple of weeks of the school holidays are approaching – along with the last 2019 bank holiday where we’re likely to enjoy any kind of sunshine (although this is the UK, so stranger things have happened – it might well be sunnier on Christmas Day than August 26^th).

But although we’re never sure of the weather, one thing we are sure of – Helmsley is a great place to be this time of year. There’s so much to do, so much to see, and the surrounding countryside is spectacular – we’re in peak heather season, and nothing beats that magnificent purple as far as the eye can see.

So, if you fancy a trip to the town, what should you do? It’s a great place to base yourself if you love walking or cycling or going on leisurely drives (and there’s plenty of fantastic hotels and B&Bs to stay in to make your visit last a bit longer). But for things right in the centre of town to enjoy, we’d recommend:

1.      The Helmsley Walled Garden is stunning at this time of year, and a riot of colour. It’s a great place for a wander round and sitting and admiring the wonder of nature. There’s also a very special cafe tucked away within it, which serves amazing food and drink!

2.      Helmsley Castle is another great place to visit. Dating back over 900 years, you can see how the castle evolved over the centuries, from a mighty medieval fortress to a luxurious Tudor mansion, to a Civil War stronghold and a romantic Victorian ruin. A must-see for history fans – but fascinating regardless of your interests! And with plenty of open green space, it’s fantastic for a picnic or to let little ones run off some steam.

3.      A great experience for all is the Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool, which has just celebrated its 50^th birthday. Enjoy a cooling dip on a sunny day, or it’s just as amazing being in the warm pool while it’s raining! Make sure you book ahead of time, as it does get busy. Whilst you’re up at that end of town, there’s a playground next to the cricket ground if you’ve children to entertain – and even some fun outdoor gym equipment for the grown-ups!

4.      The award-winning National Centre for Birds of Prey in Duncombe Park is a brilliant experience. Make sure you time your visit to coincide with at least one flying display – Charlie and his team are super knowledgeable and you’ll get to see the birds do their thing!

5.      Make sure you don’t forget to just have a wander around the town. You’ll find dozens of unique and interesting shops, unlike anywhere else. It’s one of the reasons Helmsley won the Great British High Street’s Best Market Town award! It’s a great place to buy presents, or something a bit different for yourself or your home. There’s cafes, restaurants and pubs galore. You certainly won’t go hungry – from fish and chips and fine dining, to scones and cakes to authentic Italian bistros or Spanish tapas.

6.      And of course, last but certainly not least, make sure you call in at Hunters – Britain’s Best Small Shop! (we were officially given that title, we haven’t just made it up ourselves!) We can sort you out with a picnic to enjoy on your explorations, or some tasty Yorkshire treats to take home with you. Whatever your idea of good food, we’ll see you right!

For more information about what’s happening in Helmsley head to www.visithelmsley.co.uk . Hopefully see you soon! 

Exciting new gluten free range of pastries available for tasting!

We are delighted to announce that The Original Baker will be sampling their delicious new gluten free pies and quiche in store on Bank Holiday Monday 26th August.

And when we say delicious, we are not over-exaggerating! We would defy any gluten eater not to be impressed…

We are now stocking the newly launched all-butter pastry quiches and pies from The Original Baker in Malton so we thought it would be a great idea to let all our customers have a little try. We think these are going to be winners for those following a gluten free diet – and also those who aren’t!

Coeliac disease affects one in 100 people – however, only 30% of those who have the condition have been diagnosed which means there are currently nearly half a million people who aren’t yet aware they have it. Coeliac disease is a serious illness where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when gluten is eaten, causing damage to the lining of the gut and leaving the body unable to properly absorb nutrients from food.

It is not just those with Coeliac disease who enjoy gluten-free products, with research showing one in 10 people in the UK now avoid gluten in their diet.

The pies and quiches are sold individually wrapped to ensure they are safe for those who are unable to eat gluten. From the range, we’ll be sampling:

·        Smoked salmon & horseradish quiche

·        Sweet potato, pepper & chorizo quiche

·        Leek & bacon quiche

·        Slow-cooked beef & vegetable pie

·        Thai vegetable pie with a creamy coconut sauce

Is your mouth watering yet?! If not, they will be after you find out they come encased in an all butter pastry made with The Original Baker’s own handmade blend of gluten free flours to achieve the perfect texture, taste and appearance. No more card-boardy alternatives, at Hunters we’re all about the taste and these hit the spot.

So, what makes them so special? Cheryl Barrett from The Original Baker, told us: “We have built a separate facility for our gluten free range and are using brand new equipment – this is something we take very seriously. We’re members of the Coeliac Society and we regularly test our products. When we started on this journey, we thought we’d use gluten free flour we could buy in, but it quickly became apparent that none were up to the standard we wanted so we have created our own blend. It was important to us that it baked to an appetizing golden colour, and that it tasted light and buttery and had a delicate texture – we think we’ve achieved that! And we look forward to being at Hunters on 9^th August to share them with customers and visitors.”

As well as the gluten free range, The Original Baker will also be offering samples of its wider range including freshly baked warm hog roast sausage rolls; BBQ pulled pork sausage rolls; peppered steak and ale pie; Mediterranean vegetable roll with feta; and brie, tomato and basil quiche.

And that’s not all! On Saturday 10^th August from 11am we will also be running a tasting of a range of new sauces from Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge, including Chipotle Barbecue, Virgin Mary, Black Garlic and Gherkin Ketchups. All are handmade in the Lake District without any artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives and are gluten-free, nut-free and suitable for vegetarians.

So, we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the weekend to try out some new things which we’re sure are going to become to old favourites…

A picture of a modern picnic

The school holidays are here – bringing with them long, sunny days. Or at least that’s what we hope. The days will definitely seem even longer if they’re rainy!

Hopefully the summer will bring with it plenty of opportunities for picnics – nothing beats eating al fresco, setting up the picnic blanket at the seaside, in the park, or even in the garden.

But apparently, traditional picnic favourites are being replaced by more ’modern’ food choices. A new survey reveals that two-thirds of us have made a big effort to upgrade our picnic game in recent times, and more than a third admitted to getting competitive about their al fresco spreads. Oo-er.

In research conducted by Flora with 2,000 Brits, it seems jam sandwiches, hard boiled eggs and pork pies are out and hummus, sourdough bread and deli meats are in, all washed down with an artisan lemonade.

No more are we tucking into chicken drumsticks, quiche or cocktail sausages, it’s all about the olives and the rare roast beef.

Now, we like to think we’re a bit of an expert when it comes to picnics. And we think that’s a load of rubbish! Sourdough bread, deli meats, hummus and olives are delicious – and would be very welcome in any picnic we had. But so would quiche, sausage rolls, and hard boiled eggs – which seem to be all the rage in the current trend for high protein diets. You can’t beat a well made sandwich and a quality sausage roll or quiche – we’re not talking about soggy bread, dry pastry and stingy fillings here, we’re talking about the good stuff! Rare roast beef is always a winner – especially in one of our deep filled sandwiches with a touch of horseradish!

We have thousands of day trippers, local lunch grabbers, families, walkers, cyclists and bikers visit our shop every year, perusing our counters for the picnic lunch which grabs their fancy. Everyone’s tastes are different, but for most people their favourite sandwich or a pastry-based main, with maybe some salad sides and some ‘proper’ crisps, ticks all the boxes. Cheese and crackers is always a good one if you’re going for a fancier picnic with plates and cutlery! Finish off with a sweet treat (or maybe even start with one – you could always have an ice cream first. Our locally made Brymor ice creams are amazing!) and your choice of soft or hot drink (or even an alcoholic tipple if you’re not driving), and you’ve a picnic fit for a King or Queen.

The survey did show that whatever we’re eating, after food activities are still the same though in the main - 43 per cent take a football and a third a frisbee. A slightly more technologically-focused one in 10 take their laptop - presumably for catching up on a spot of work, and the same number take a drone.

So, whatever your favourite picnic treat, and wherever your favourite picnic spot – let’s hope the weather is kind this summer for lots of opportunities to get out there! 

What makes the perfect day? Good food, of course…

A study by Lottoland caught our eye, which asked 2,000 people in Britain what would constitute their perfect day. (Adults only – I dare say a kid’s day would have been entirely different and involved a lot more Peppa Pig, Xbox and Haribo)

It seems to keep us smiling, what we need is plenty of laughter, quality food and a good night’s sleep. Sign me up!

What is quite nice is that, actually, many of the things which feature, are very realistic and achievable. And we perhaps just need to make more time to do them, rather than spending hours flicking through our phones or staying late at work (which didn’t appear on the list…)

Of course, we knew good food would feature highly. Apparently a third would pick a full roast dinner to tuck into, while 28 per cent would choose a pizza – although we reckon there’s a few more exciting options we could think of! Enjoying the perfect steak or having a barbecue is a popular component of the perfect day. The smell of bacon cooking in the morning or doing a spot of baking also went down well. Drink too – a good cup of tea, and a drink with friends makes us smile according to the study.

Music also took a starring role for four out of 10 of us, with some of the songs to make us happiest including Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”, Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”.

Other things Brits love to do are binge on a boxset, have a family day out, watch a film (Dirty Dancing, Mrs Doubtfire, Star Wars or Love Actually), indulge in some retail therapy, pop to the pub and read a good book. Some were more active – spending time on a long walk in nature or going to the gym (although that was only 8 per cent), while others fancied spending the entire day in their PJs.

Slightly more bizarrely, one in 10 wanted to belt out a song in the shower (easily pleased) and one in three hoped to ‘find some money’. Well isn’t that everyone’s dream – although I’m guessing they mean more than a dropped penny.

We’d wake up at 8am and go to sleep at 11pm – 15 hours of free time and 9 hours of snoozing. Nice.

We love the fact this study shows that actually any day can be a perfect day. So, if you’re planning yours, why not pop along to Hunters and we’ll set you up with a feast fit for a King or Queen? After all good food and drink is definitely the key!

How to stop the kitchen fall outs

Picture the scene – an amazing smell is coming from the pan simmering on the hob, the table is set, the wine poured. Perfect. Except, according to new research, we’ve probably already started bickering with our loved one over everything from timings to meddling in the preparation.

The research from HelloFresh looked at the top reasons couples fall out in the kitchen. The most common bust ups are over what to eat – there’s nothing worse than one person fancying pasta and the other a roast dinner. The second most common row is around what time to eat – again, annoying if you’re an early diner and your partner prefers a late supper.

The third reason – which most of us can probably identify with – is leaving the kitchen looking like a bomb has hit it! Using every pan, spoon, knife and chopping board in the house is never going to go down well. Interfering in the other person’s cooking was fourth on the list – back seat chef-ing should be avoided. Fifth was pretty much giving up on cooking altogether and arguing over whether a takeaway was a better idea!

Other ‘boiling point’ topics included boring meals, ingredients loved by one and loathed by the other, washing up, spiciness, shopping, waste, repetition, failing to replace an item or hoarding too many, unhealthy foods and meal planning. With 25 argument-causing topics on the list there’s certainly lots of reasons to row! Some of the more bizarre included whether a meal was too healthy, and whether or not there’s enough sauce. Who knew!

Because of these rows, more than one in ten couples haven eaten separately, while a similar number have refused to cook for the other person or ordered a takeaway for themselves. 

That said, the research also showed how much we love to talk about food. Apparently, the average couple will talk about what to eat for their evening meal for at least 10 minutes a day (61 hours a year). Obviously here at Hunters you could probably multiply that by 10 – we love a good chat about food, anytime, anywhere!

But the research definitely shows that a lack of variety is at the centre of many of the disagreements – arguing about eating the same foods all the time and feeling bored with what’s on the plate. Apparently, of the seven evening meals most of us make every week, five will be the same – often including a roast, spaghetti bolognese and pizza.

One third of couples said they would like to be more adventurous with their food choices but blamed their partner for being stuck in their ways when it came to mealtimes. Although one in four also admitted they’re usually too tired at the end of a busy day to go too crazy trying out new recipes.

Well, we don’t think that trying out new things has to be complicated or difficult – we try and make it straightforward and delicious! So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, why not come and have a chat with us? We’ll help reinvigorate dinner (lunch and breakfast) time – and stop those rows in their tracks!

Give dad a fabulous Father’s Day

It’s long been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Here at Hunters we definitely agree that tasty treats or your dad’s favourite tipple is always going to go down well. Who doesn’t love to receive some goodies – and as they’re a present you’re not even expected to share!

But what delicacies to choose!

If your dad has a savoury tooth, we can guarantee he’d love some of our pies and pastries. What better than a hamper of baked goods to brighten up his day? Choose from sausage rolls with all manner of tasty flavourings – leek and apple or sweet chilli perhaps? For pies, how about pork pie with black pudding or our exclusive Slow Roast Pork and Ampleforth Abbey Cider pie? Yum.

A cheese board might also go down well – we have dozens of local and international cheeses to choose from, including some more unusual varieties. The Charcoal Cheese – black in colour – is surprisingly delicious! Get him a few of his favourites, along with some luxury crackers and one of our own brand chutneys, and he’ll be in heaven. We also have our own range of delicious pates which would go nicely – everything from Bison and Fried Onion to Venison with Cognac or Ostrich with Blueberries.

For a sweet toothed dad, you need to come upstairs to our first floor! You can hand pick him a box of very special Lauden chocolates, choosing his favourite flavours. The chocolates themselves are works of art, and the flavours are to die for – Lychee and Rose or Sour Cherry anyone? We have chocolates, fudges, toffees, sweets, gourmet marshmallows, biscuits and cakes galore – there’s bound to be something which would tickle his fancy!

If your papa has an intolerance or allergy we also have a size-able ‘free from’ range – no one should miss out this Father’s Day!

If dad likes a tipple, come check out our ground floor. Whiskey, gin, beers, ales, ciders, wines, lagers – from across the world, but also just down the road. We even have wine from a local vineyard, cider from the abbey just a couple of villages away, gin made outside York – Yorkshire really is an amazing place!

If you can’t pop into the shop, we also have products available to buy online – including our popular hampers, as well as some of our own brand favourites. If there’s something you have in mind which isn’t mentioned on our online shop just let us know and we’ll see what we can do!

Happy Father’s Day!

Helmsley – the perfect place for the perfect picnic

National Picnic Week takes place in June – one of our favourites! Surely everyone loves a good picnic – even if the Great British weather works against us, we don’t let it get us down!

We’re very lucky being based where we are, as we’re surrounded by a multitude of marvelous picnic spots. Duncombe Park is the obvious one right on our very doorstep. It’s a stunning location for a walk and a picnic, and there’s lots of fun exploring to be done! The National Centre for Birds of Prey is set within the grounds too, with plenty of picnic tables to sit at and enjoy a bite to eat while finding out more about some very special feathered friends. Maybe just don’t eat your sandwich while the flying displays are taking place…

Helmsley Castle is another great place to put your picnic blanket – enjoy hundreds of years of history and lots of green open spaces. It’s a fantastic place for kids to run off a bit of energy and learn something new! Helmsley Walled Garden is another wonderful place to sit back and enjoy fantastic surroundings – at different times of the year the flowers are a riot of colour, and it’s a place which can’t fail to make you smile.

Further afield (but not very much further) we have the famous Rievaulx Abbey to explore, and the spectacular Sutton Bank - offering the best views in Britain. What more could you want for a picnic spot? As Helmsley is set in the North York Moors National Park, there are walks and cycle routes aplenty – including the famous Cleveland Way, which starts in the town.

But, in fact, one of the most popular picnic spots can be spied from our windows! The steps of the statue in the centre of Helmsley’s Market Place are often full with bikers, walkers and shoppers enjoying a bite to eat in the sunshine. Bliss!

So, what should you take on your perfect picnic? Well, come to us, and we’ll help you create a picnic like no other! Our famous deep-filled sandwiches will keep you full up until dinner time and we have all your favourite fillings to choose from. Roast beef and horseradish is the clear front runner with our customers (the local beef is roasted by us on site) – but also very popular are honey roast ham with coleslaw and Wensleydale cheese and carrot relish.

If you don’t fancy a sandwich, how about choosing a pie or pastry? We have pork pies of all shapes and sizes and plenty of sausage rolls – some with a twist like sweet chilli or apple. Other delicious pastries include the Mediterranean roll or the brie, sun blushed tomato and basil quiche – definitely making your picnic one to look forward to.

We have deli salads you can choose from to create a meal fit for a king, the marvelously moreish Yorkshire Crisps, and cakes, biscuits, chocolates and confectionary galore. We can even set you up with some cheese, pate, crackers and chutneys – just bring plates and cutlery or it may get a bit messy!

Don’t forget something to drink. For soft drinks we have the refreshing Belvoir Elderflower Presse or Helmsley produced 3 Girls Orchard apple juice. Alternatively if you’re leaving the car choose from one of our local beers or wines.

So, whatever your perfect picnic, pick it up at Hunters. We’ll even throw in some advice on the best places to enjoy it – always ask the locals!