Yes, the geese and the turkeys are getting fat, but there’s no need to worry about the next stages because Iford Manor are planning to take the load off this Christmas.
Iford Manor, set on the steep south-facing slope of the Frome Valley, is known for its Grade I listed Italianate garden created by Edwardian landscape architect Harold Peto. But beyond the 2.5 acres of outstanding formal garden there are 7.5 acres of orchards and walled gardens all sitting within a 900-acre estate. The gardens include a vegetable garden – with produce encompassing wild garlic, basil, asparagus and potatoes – a cutting garden and glasshouses where all the garden plants are propagated.
The vast majority of the food served in Iford Manor’s café and restaurant is sourced from the estate, including the beef and lamb, with duck, chicken and turkey from Creedy Carver’s free-range farm in Devon. Head chef Matt Briddon oversees the making of Iford Manor’s own sourdough and charcuterie and the kitchen also produces jams, pickles, kombucha and vinegar, as well as mozzarella, cordials and truffles. Iford Cider, also made on the estate, is used in the curing of the hams and the glazing. The latest enterprise is a batch of botanical gin, a collaboration with Jeff Lodge of Still Life Gin in Frome, who has produced a short batch of botanicals, using rhubarb and rosemary from the garden along with Szechuan peppercorns, which is now served as Iford’s house gin.
Last year chef-prepared hams and Christmas pudding were available to order in time for the festive holiday and this year sees a dramatic expansion because the estate’s produce is also being used to provide a range of dishes to pre-order for collection in time for Christmas.
The offering features traditional favourites handmade to order in Iford’s kitchen. Imagine having a stuffed turkey crown that you can pop in the oven for just two hours; an Iford cider-cured festive ham roasted and glazed with honey with a rich, meaty texture; or house-cured charcuterie prepared in the estate’s charcuterie shed. There are also mince pies with a light and fragrant frangipane topping and old fashioned figgy pudding made with real figs. There is even a ‘flying pork pie’, a concept invented by Matt, filled with pork and chicken.
Matt says, “Cooking a Christmas meal can be stressful for people and we are giving them an option where they can look like heroes without having to look at the oven. It’s almost like having me there with you, because I’ve done all the work. You have just got to put the oven on
and follow the instructions that we give you, resulting in a restaurant-quality meal.”
A customer commented last year on how the ham she had ordered was so fine that it had evoked the nostalgia of her childhood Christmases, and had brought back all the memories of what traditional ham used to taste like. It’s certainly a tempting thought, taking the heavy pressure off cooks as they prepare for festive entertaining, and with guaranteed superb-quality results for all guests.
Check out what is on offer on the website, and order by 18 December, for collection between 19 and 22 December.
ifordmanor.co.uk
