Get to know us a bit better. Find out what’s happening in and around the inn.Pick up some cooking tips. Learn about beer. It’s all coming to the blog: Stay tuned!
Chicken Ballotine Recipe
As promised, we are leaking a few of our favourite recipes to whet your appetite!
Click on the ‘full screen’ button on the top left corner of this gallery to view the step by step guide and please, please contact us if you have read and enjoyed it! even send us some photos of your ballotine, ask for requests on recipes from our menu or just let us know that you appreciate our website!
Thank you and good look!
If you really enjoyed this, you may want to share with friends using the buttons below, or maybe book a table to try this dish for yourself!
25th Jan – New Specials Board
A new selection (and some older favourites that we daren’t take away from you!) of scrummy dishes for you this week!
To get the full picture you can click on the “full screen” icon in the top right of the gallery below.
An update on our new functions and banqueting facility
If you aren’t already aware of our huge project for this year, click here and see what we have coming….. Our new function suite will hold well over 100 guests for formal meals, weddings and banquets!
A new, dedicated bar area and a second kitchen that will vastly increase our current dining capacity are all well on their way and we are expecting completion of the entire project by the end of May.
The final stage of planning is currently up for approval and confidence is high with work expected to start towards the end of next month so wish us luck, keep visiting us (or this site) for updates and remember; if anyone you know is looking for a wedding reception venue and they are looking for great food, traditional, countryside surroundings and all at a realistic cost then visit this page or send them a copy of our Wedding Pack
!
New Specials Board for the New Year!
This is our New Year specials board (5th January 2012)! To see the board in full please click on the ‘full screen’ icon in the top right hand corner of the gallery below!
Enjoy!
Boxing Day 2011
Boxing Day 2011 was a huge success with well over 350 people enjoying Morris Dancing and our fabulous Hog Roast!
Leicester Morris Men did us proud… thank you boys!
Central Bar and Catering
Peter supplies goods and equipment to all aspects of the catering industry!
With extensive knowledge of the trade he is certainly the man to contact if your catering business needs ANYTHING from heavy duty equipment to disposables and sundries!
Peter Cooledge
http://www.centralbarandcatering.co.uk
01530411393 – 07785335487
Beer can put sparkle back in the rural economy!
Despite brewing being one of Britain’s unsung success stories during the current economic downturn the Government should be doing more to help the industry to flourish by supporting the supply chain from farm to pub.
From barley and hops in the field, to the glass of beer in your local pub, the chain of industries behind this unique British product has a major impact on economic and social life in rural Britain – something that’s not been at the heart of policymaking as we look to grow the economy. Grain to Glass aims to address this, and to promote policies that will support Britain’s barley farmers, hop growers, maltsters, brewers, publicans and beer drinkers.
Around 270,000 rural jobs in Britain depend on brewing and pubs, with over £3.5 billion paid in rural wages. However, with high taxes, heavy regulation, and falling beer consumption, this sector faces challenges which could be addressed, with thousands more jobs being created in a uniquely British industry – if the Government gets the policy framework right!
Want to read more? Take a look a this! http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Pubs-provide-shop-window-for-rural-Britain
JOB OPPURTUNITY! Full-time Horticulturist Needed. . .
We are looking to make better use of our grounds here at the Griffin. . . . and what better way than to grow our own produce.
We are looking for an energetic/enthusiastic individual to work with our kitchen team to produce fresh, seasonal ingredients for our menu.
Do you know someone who can help us? PLEASE get them to contact us!
Pretty Kitty Pampering
Pretty Kitty have been pampering girlies (from the ‘little kittens’ to ‘lady cats’!) for over a year now!
Their new website covers all the packages they offer and has pricing and booking info sooooo….WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Get pampered today!
Call Sarah or Martina on 07902 483459 or VISIT THE WEBSITE!
Everards Brewery
William Everard brewed the first pint of Everards ale in 1849, and stated “No effort shall be found wanting in the production and supply of genuine ale of first rate quality”.
Today, 160 years later, Everards Brewery is very much family run company with values that echo that of William Everard – They aim to provide first class quality goods and services to our customers.
Garden Planters Shop
Garden Planters source unusual indoor and outdoor garden planters and garden related gifts. Whether your taste is contemporary, traditional or just a bit quirky, we will have something for you. If you don’t happen to find what you are looking for, please get in touch and we will do our best to source something for you.
Living Advent Calendar
Thurday 1st December
We are proud to host the first window in the Swithland and Woodhouse Living Advent Calendar! Thank you to Cannon Anne Horton for organising the event, for opening the evening and for her kind word on the evening.
With great thanks also to Mr Kindleysides for an amazing display!
Take a look at the church website to see all the living advent calendar!
Jeff soon realised that "advertising" wouldn't fit. Time for a re-think!
Adnams’ shrine (sorry Mr Everard!)
The Shrine:
It seems as though one particular guest beer seems to be in demand over all others . . .
Despite having a fantastic choice of local ales a die hard group of early doors-ers keep adding to the ever-growing shrine to Southwold. Here it is in all its glory with the latest addition: A hand drawn sketch by local chap Jeff Kindleysides . . . thank you!
Adnams Bitter
The Bitter:
For those not in the know The Southwold Bitter (formerly just “The Bitter”) is “a refreshing beer of real flavour -
distinctively hoppy and dry with malt aromas” and we seem to get a slightly weaker brew here than those lucky
enough to be on the coast; 3.7% as opposed to their 4.1 . . . either way, it’s popular and delicious!
BOXING DAY: Morrismen & Hog Roast!
If you’re looking for things to do this boxing day then look no further. How about a family day out to the country!
Come along on Boxing Day and enjoy a great atmosphere!
We regularly have around 30 of the Leicester Morris Men here and this year we’re adding a full HOG ROAST!
We’ll be serving mulled wine, fresh, homemade soup and pork and stuffing soft baps to the hundreds of people that regularly attend our annual boxing day bash so come along,,,, there is, of course, no charge for entry!
Take a look at the Leicester Morris Men website here!
2012 Function room extension/wedding pack
We are extremely excited about the forthcoming extension to our function areas!
It will be an oak structure with floor to ceiling glass windows looking out onto the fields behind the pub.
Ideal for banqueting and weddings for up to 100 guests we expect it will be ready before summer.
Also, our new wedding pack is here! Read about our planned extension for next year and the options available if you would like to celebrate your special day here, with us! Click here to download our 2011:12 Wedding Pack!
ID’d at 92 years old, and still left “whiskyless!”
Now, a big part, if not the BIGGEST part of what we do is compliance. The law is king and we wouldn’t be a very responsible operation if we didn’t abide by it to the letter but surely there’s a point when common sense should prevail!
The law states that if the age of a buyer of alcohol is in question, they MUST produce a valid form of identification (passport or driving licence are about the only acceptable forms). Obviously you cannot allow any amount of swearing or threatening or student cards to sway you, especially when there’s 6 months in prison and five grand at stake (I’m serious!), but most of us can make an educated guess as to whether someone is a risk to serve!
This is Diane Taylor of Harlow and despite producing a bus pass, pacemaker certificate, government issue OAP card and
disabled vehicle badge she left her local whiskyless, probably thanks to some spotty jobsworth idiot that was just too lazy to think things through…..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/8862704/ID-afore-ye-go.html
Kandy Cupcakes of Woodhouse Eaves
Beautiful cupcakes, wedding cakes and birthday cakes from Sarah Thomas in Woodhouse eaves.
Sarah Thomas launched Kandy cupcakes in the Autumn of 2008 after baking for her family and friends. Her instinctive talent for creating mouth watering confectionary in an exciting range of tastes has now grown into a thriving business.
Kandy Cottage, 96 Brand Hill, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, LE12 8SS, 01509 891 121 . . . . visit the website here
The Horseshoes Cottage Farm (our local B&B)
Multiple award winning local B & B, Linda Gee welcomes all at this beautiful and homely hostelry right at the gates of Bradgate Park.
Horseshoe Cottage Farm, Roecliffe Rd, Cropston, Leics, LE7 7HQ | Tel: +44 (0)116 2350038 | Email: lindajee@horseshoecottagefarm.com . . . visit the website here
A drop of British pub history . . .
Some-one asked me the other day what I knew about the origins of the British pub. All I knew was a little about how the Roman “tabernae” were the precursor to what we now know of as an inn (or tavern), and I wasn’t really too sure about that. It hadn’t occurred to me to look any deeper into it until today, when I came across a bit of history on pub signs…. Well worth a read!
http://www.pubs.com/main_site/heritage_content.php?id=pub_signs
New specials – Starters
The new specials board has been going down a treat!
Personal favourite: Black Pudding and Bacon with an Ale and Honey dressing!
New specials: Main Courses
The one hiding in the glare is probably the best: Traditional Lancashire Hot Pot!
On the Rocks??
We have just added new 100% Fruit Juices to our menu from Pago. From the delicious Strawberry Juice to the more exotic Mango Juice, either on there own or as a mixer there is a flavour to suite all tastes.
Ye Olde Ploughman’s Lunch – NOT
The motor car, the television, the computer, the traditional ploughman’s lunch, the similarity between all the above? All products of the twentieth century I’m afraid. In-fact, it may surprise you that this is the order in which they were invented and that the pub favourite is actually the newest of them all!
Apparently: “documents uncovered at the National Archive from the Milk Marketing Board reveal that the Ploughman’s Lunch was invented as a marketing ploy to sell British cheese in pubs”.
Who’d have thought it eh? I’m afraid whatever’s going through your mind next time you bite into that mature cheddar, fresh bread, thick ham and pickle, it won’t be misty eyed images of the 16th century farm labourer. It may instead be the image of a clever 1960′s dairy ad-man rolling out his new gimmick to the unwitting pub-going public .
More here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/20/piffle.shtml
David/Dominic North
David North’s of Rothley: Delicatessen extraordinaire, local green-grocer and cheese and fine wine specialists.
If you are passing through Cropston/Rothley and don’t drop in to this superb shop, you are missing out!
Davids son; Dominic and his team of highly trained chefs specialise in the highest quality Patisserie, using only the finest ingredients from around the continent. Ideal for celebration cakes of all types!
(0116) 2302263
289 Station Road,
Rothley,
Leicestershire,
LE7 7LD
visit the website here.
The first shoot of the year!
The weak hearted, look away now!
Around Swithland today 29 pheasents, 6 partridges and 6 ducks found themselves on the wrong side of a fire arm, poor things . . .
Never-the-less, there was a good turn out for the first Woodbrook Pheasant Shoot this year! 22 guns and beaters left from the Griffin this morning after a hearty full English, all returning this evening with all their limbs intact and without injury! Well done boys!
Take a Pew – Pews For Sale
We are currently renovating our function room and have some extra furniture for sale:
Pews £60
Chairs with arms £15
Chairs without arms £12
Limited number available!!!!!!
The Blog
Welcome to our new and improved blog!
Get to know a little more about Swithland’s favourite (okay, only) pub, I think we’ll start with a picture of what we have got to look forward to over the coming winter season . . . see, it’s not all that bad!
