Dart's Farm - It's very Middle Class but still down to earth.

When I was a lad, all bushy haired and short trousers, when my entire world revolved around Thomas the Tank Engine and the bottom of the garden felt like the other side of the globe, we used to walk up our road to a small farm on the edge of town to buy some eggs and fresh veg. There wasn’t really a shop, just a small area at the end of a barn, with a counter, and a till that looked like it had come from the Victorian age. The cheerful farmer with a big, bushy, grey beard (who for years I thought was Farther Christmas) always made me laugh, and we would always buy a carrot to feed to Linda; the old donkey  that lived in the field by the farm gate, on the way back. This was what a farm shop used to be. A way for local farmers to sell some extra produce, get a little cash in hand, and probably avoid a bit of tax into the bargain. No fancy marketing. No designer labels. No posh shoppers.

 

Times have changed…

Darts Farm on the edge of Topsham is a modern day business that uses modern day business practises. Originally begun by Ronald Dart back in the 70s with similar humble beginnings to those I remember from my youth, this now nationally regarded local food and lifestyle hub is still a family business; today being run by his three sons.

 

The main focus is nonetheless on food, this still being a working farm, and the truly massive food hall at the centre of the business is what draws most people in. The focus is on local food that has been grown, reared, baked or caught either on site or within close proximity. Boasting an onsite master butcher, fishmonger, baker, deli, and cider maker, the vast majority of the fresh food on offer is handled by experts who obviously know a lot about what they are making and selling and are more than happy to guide and direct you as to cooking tips and flavour matches to whatever delicious delicacies you’re going to be stuffing your face with. I used to work in deli back in the day, and I love food, and to see it being given the respect it deserves and the opportunity to show to people how much pleasure quality food can really give when it has been treated the right way and not just processed into quick and ready to go container, is fantastic. Yes it is a bit on the expensive side, and a lot of the people that shop their look like they’re being sponsored by Jack Wills, have probably owned each and every Apple product since they suddenly became cool in 2007, and look like they developed their own home on an episode of Grand Designs, but if I could, I would shop there every day. They even sell Marmite.

 

What has also been built up over the years is what Guardian readers would describe as the Lifestyle Section. This encompasses everything from outdoor clothes and kit (most of which seems rather over the top considering we live in a country that only gets snow for about 7 days a year and isn’t that prone to hurricanes or severe droughts), toys and games for the kids, that generally aren’t seen in garish ads and made of cheap plastic, home ware that can give any room that chic, rustic farmhouse look, at almost the same cost as buying a chic, rustic farmhouse, and a health and beauty section to pamper yourself with after a week of getting your hands dirty at the office.

I’m sorry, enough with the middle class jokes (I can get away with it though because I am actually one of them). Seriously though, as you take your time to wonder around the various sections of the main building you will see they have supplied a space for a number of small local businesses, such as Orange Tree, Sarah Pepper Florist and The Treatment Loft that would have otherwise had to try and fend for themselves. Whereas here they get to benefit from each other’s unique appeal and create a richer and more sustainable shopping experience for everyone.

 

This is still a rural farm don’t forget and there is plenty to do outside once the shopping is over, or if you don’t even fancy doing any shopping at all. There’s the animal corner where kids of all ages can get up close to the wildlife on the farm, including Alpacas. Take a walk among the fields and see the crops change through the seasons and explore the wildlife in this picturesque valley above the River Clyst. There’s fishing all year round as well, for Carp, Roach and Bream from only £6 a day, and in the summer you can enjoy pick your own fruit and veg, including Sunflowers, and a Maize maze to get lost in. Bike hire is also available so you can go off and explore the Exe Estuary Cycle Trail that runs right by or just kick back and relax with a spa treatment or pilates class.

 

It’s great to come across a business that has taken off and is doing so well that has come from such humble roots. Unlike a lot of businesses though that sell out to a certain extent and become homogenous and banal, Dart’s Farm still retains that air of authenticity and genuineness that you only get from a well loved and well run family business. Don’t let any preconceptions about how places like this are simply modern day temples for the aspiring middle classes put you off. We should be proud of success stories like Dart’s Farm and we shouldn’t be jealous of that success, or of those that like to go there.

 

Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday: 8am - 7pm

Sunday: 9.30am - 4.30pm (9.30 - 10.30am viewing time only)

Bank Holidays: 9am - 7pm

 

Address:

Darts Farm, Topsham, Exeter, Devon,

EX3 0QH

 

http://www.dartsfarm.co.uk/

Al Farid - A True Moroccan Experience at the heart of the City

I went on holiday once just because I ate here. I was sat with my best friend Graham in the upstairs restaurant of Al Farid about 4 years ago and we were discussing where we should go on holiday to catch a bit of winter sun.  As we were tucking into an array of mezze dishes (we had ordered far too many as usual) our conversation turned from flights and sand-castles to how good the food was and how much we both liked North African cuisine with its blend of traditional African techniques and Middle Eastern flavours and spices. Then it hit us. Why don’t we go on holiday somewhere where we can eat this every day?  A month later we were on a plane out to Tunisia and it was all down to the inspiration and atmosphere at Al Farid.

Tucked away in the South Street corner of Cathedral Green, Al Farid is a Moroccan Bar and Restaurant (I know, I know, we should have gone to Morocco on holiday, but Tunisia was cheaper and I’m a man on a budget I’m afraid to say) that gives you a truly authentic flavour of that part of the world.  The ground floor, as you walk in, has been turned into a splendid, cosy little bar area. Thick carpets and rugs are underfoot and drapes and linens hang from the walls and ceiling to transport you hundreds of miles away to the warm, balmy airs and mysterious allures of the back streets of Marrakesh. Low seats piled high with brightly designed cushions surround the walls where you can sit with a hot tea, or strong coffee, or perhaps a glass or arak; the traditional aniseed based spirit that will definitely put hairs on your chest! The lights are dim and the soundtrack of hushed conversation and laughter from the clientele wafts over Arabic and Berber music creating an air of mystery and enchantment.  It’s a great setting to while away an evening with some friends and a few drinks, while picking at plates of mezze and tapas when you want. Plus you can lounge around while you’re waiting to meet people before going up stairs for a more ‘traditional’ sit down meal.

The upstairs space keeps the ambiance that you have just left, however you will have to negotiate one of the steepest, narrowest, and most treacherous staircases you will ever come across. Going up isn’t much of a problem, but going down after a few glasses of wine and a full stomach can test your coordination and head for heights.  There is a truly delicious menu though waiting for you at the summit. The centre of it, as I’ve mentioned, is the mezze selection; a smorgasbord (I love the fact I got to use that word) of small dishes that you can pick any number of to share. This gives you the option of trying a whole host of different dishes and flavours in combination that can lead to some very tasty results. Try dipping the Moroccan ‘Keftas’ meatballs into their homemade hummus.   I warn you now though; your eyes and your mouth will want to try far too much and in my experience you will end up with lots of little bits of leftovers. But that is the reason why the good Lord invented the doggy bag.

Don’t let these scrummy morsels completely steal your attention. There are also some delicious individual main courses such as the chicken or Lamb Tagines served with couscous or for the vegetarians; Persian “Ghemieh”- a Split pea, tomato and dried lime stew with grilled aubergine served with saffron rice.  Save enough room for the handmade Baklava for desert or the Mhallableyh; a rice pudding with rose water.

So how do you top all of that? Well, for those who have travelled across the Middle East and North Africa, you will know the best way is to sit around with your friends, chatting, and digesting your meal into the small hours, while sharing a hooka pipe. In an age, and a part of the world, that seems to be allowing us to do less and less, and with so many flashy gadgets and gizmos that let you do so much while at the same time reducing what you actually experience, taking the time to share in an ancient tradition that people have being practising for thousands of years is a rare treat and something I think should be cherished.  Sat out in their secret courtyard the aromas of sweet flavoured tobaccos create an exotic, intense environment where time and your surroundings can easily be forgotten.

Al Farid is the epitome of a hidden gem. Hidden away, with no obvious, outward signs of what lies behind the white washed walls with blue adornments, this restaurant is known to but a few, but to those people it is a true delight. This isn’t a place that is trying to be akin to something it’s not, much like a lot of themed pubs and restaurants. This isn’t a cheap charade, a thinly disguised veil, or a second rate facsimile or what a Moroccan restaurant is. This is the authentic, real deal. If you fancy a trip to North Africa this summer, come here for the perfect inspiration.  


Opening Times: Saturday 12pm till late
                           Sunday -Friday 5pm till late

Address : 3 Cathedral Yard ,Exeter, EX1 1HJ

Tel: 01392 494444

http://alfaridrestaurant.co.uk/ 

The Beer Cellar - New, Overdue, and with plenty of Great Brews

Beer is cool. However I’m not talking your fancy European Larger with their expensive, feature film, quality adverts, slick marketing campaigns, and fancy pumps on the bar that look like pieces of contemporary sculpture that wouldn’t seem out of place in the Tate Modern. No. I’m talking Ale’s. Real Ales. What your dad, and granddad drinks. These beers are now the cutting edge of chic, and the hottest place in town to be seen with one of these is the Beer Cellar.

 

Brand new to Exeter, only opening a couple of weeks ago, the city’s latest bar is located at the top of South Street on the corner of the entrance through into Cathedral Green.  Don’t think for a minute though that this is some dark, musty, hushed, conservative establishment full of old men with beards discussing hops and brewing temperatures. This is a modern looking, streamlined bar, with no frills and gaudy paraphernalia hanging from the walls,  that wouldn’t look out of place in New York or London, and is full of men with beards discussing hops and brewing temperatures! These are some impressive facial hair displays though, that have made, in a similar way, as an unexpected and extraordinary comeback into the fashionable circles as proper beer has done over the last few years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally started down in Cornwall as a purely specialist bottled beer shop, the Beer Cellar became popular enough to start to offer tasting sessions and draught options on a lot of their range. This has lead to them taking the plunge full on by opening their first, purpose built bar here in Exeter.  I’m a big fan of beers, as you may have guessed, and I think this new approach to it, from a younger generation who don’t mind bringing a bit of modernity to the cause, and who aren’t frightened off by the image of what drinking Ales and Stouts might give them, can, and will, open up this tasty and refreshing world to a whole new audience. I was travelling in the States last year and over the Pond the thirst for old fashioned beer brewed in micro breweries has just exploded. There are dozens of bars like the Beer Cellar in every major town and city and they are crowded every night with young people(most admittedly with strange hair, thick rimmed glasses and a hipster fashion sense)  who want to experiment and try new and different beers from all over the world. So it's about time something like this has come to Exeter.

The Beer Cellar has embraced this way of thinking, with currently 12 taps dedicated to draught beers (with the chance of three or four more being added very soon) that don’t just boast signs on them advertising local Devon and Cornish brews, but Ales from all across the country and the world.  These are constantly rotated with new beers arriving every day. I’ve been in twice, a week or so apart, and was amazed that almost none of the same beers were still on tap from my first visit, so there are always plenty of reasons to keep going back. All of the beers are handled with great care and attention. They are all treated uniquely, with every aspect of their storage and delivery, no matter how minor, carefully considered and taken into account before they reach the taste buds of the discerning clientele. All this is done by the very knowledgeable staff who are eager to pass on their wisdom to anyone who is either unsure about what to try, or wants to discuss the finer points of individual techniques or subtle flavours.  There is also a healthy range of bottled beers, some you might know but plenty ready to be discovered, and for those who still can’t be convinced by all this old fashioned brewing malarkey, they have a fine line in high class spirits and a few very cheeky white and red wines. Even though it might not be beer, everything has been taste tested to bring you the best flavours imaginable.

If you do discover a favourite brew that you like, then they are more than happy to sell you a polly pin of 4-6 pints to take home with you to share with friends, or to just enjoy on your own if you don’t have any. They also plan on doing a small amount of food, bar snacks and nibbles mostly, once the place is fully operational, and during the summer months, when the rain clouds have melted away and the warm evenings seem to stretch on until morning, they will have outside seating overlooking the Cathedral and Hog Roasts supplied by a Cornish farm whom they have a strong connection with; they feed their piggy’s on recycled malt and sediment from the bottom of the casks.  So look out for that.

I hope you will investigate this latest, independent, addition to the city and discover for yourself a quirky bar in the centre of town, that takes great pride in what it serves and isn’t ashamed to break the traditional ideas and prejudices that go along with they serve. Try it for yourself and I bet you’ll find something you like.

Opening Times: 11.00 - 23.30

Address: 2 South Street, Exeter, EX1 1DZ

Phone	01392 757570 / 07830260423
Email	exeter@beer-cellar.co.uk
Website	http://www.beer-cellar.co.uk

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum - Discover something old and something new, for Free!

Happy New Year to you all. Christmas is over with for another year, the celebratory parties are a distant and hazy memory, all the presents are have been used or are broken, and you have finally polished off the last of the turkey and your mother in laws Christmas cake that could have been used as a cheap alternative to that fire retardant house insulation you plastered your attic in last year. So, with the weather getting you down and the thought of summer holidays being a long way off it would be easy to just stay indoors and hibernate like a Blue Peter tortoise and wait for spring to arrive. But I encourage you to go and spend just an hour or two, maybe an afternoon perhaps, or even a whole day, wondering around the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) on Queen Street. After being closed for almost 4 years while extensive, and I have to admit very much needed, renovations and re-organising took place, this splendid collection of historical pieces and artefacts tells you both the story of Exeter and the surrounding area as well as presenting you with extensive collections from civilisations from all across the globe. Take a look at Stone Age tools that were used by our ancestors over 5000 years ago (that’s your great, great, great, great... ×200 grandfathers knife!), a set of Samurai Warrior armour, a whales skeleton and videos of the area from the 50s and 60s. From the geological formation of the globe to the invention of the microchip all of life is covered in this great tour through history.

If history isn’t quite your cup of tea though, there is the stunning collection of wildlife on display with exotic animals from across the globe including an African elephant, polar bear, tiger and of course the iconic Gerald the Giraffe who, who, after encountering the big game hunter Charles Victor Alexander Peel, has been the mascot for the museum since his inclusion in the 1920s. There are also rooms with impressive collections dedicated to wild birds from across the world and to discovering the tiny world of insect life.

Great! A history and natural history museum all in one, what could be better? Well how about an art gallery as well. Boasting an impressive collection of local artists and pictures dating back hundreds of years there is an ever constant cycle of world famous art to view in the main gallery on the ground floor. On top of this there are three galleries for temporary or visiting exhibitions that can range from collections of wildlife photography, to modern, experimental art works, to themed assortments of art that can include just about anything. Even if you don’t know your Rembrandt from your Emin, which if your anything like me includes you (my artistic skills and knowledge haven’t progressed past potato printing when I was 3), then you can still have a wonder around, looking at some nice pictures, and occasionally say something about ‘emotional boundaries’ or ‘juxtaposed colour palettes’ so that those around you think you are an expert about what you are talking about.

Add into this heady mix of knowledge and fun a great coffee shop and lunch time cafe run by those fine folks from Otterton Mill (I will cover this in more detail in a later post), loads of interactive exhibits to get those brains going, spotlight tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays about each of the different areas of the museum, a display featuring ordinary peoples weird and wonderful collections, and so many kid friendly activities and features that you won’t have to worry about them moaning that there board after only 5 minutes.

And how much is this going to cost me you ask? Well it’s all for FREE!!! With no admission charge you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city any time you like, for as long as you like, and discover something new, without having to pay a penny.

Plus, for the price of a little bit of money, you can go along to one of their adult learning courses throughout the year for those wanting to improve their artistic or writing skills, as well as special lectures and evening events that both highlight some of the terrific pieces on display and give you a detailed insight into their origins and raise much needed money and awareness for the museum charity itself.

So as we usher in 2014 we all take our time, both looking forward to what the future might bring us all, and as a chance to reflect on the year that has passed and where it has brought us to now. History is something of a passion of mine. I studied it for a number of years and am fascinated by both how the world and the people in it have changed so much over thousands of years, but also how much we have stayed the same and share in common experiences that connect us through generations. You get a great sense of this at the RAMM, together with many other things, that combine to make a great day out for all ages and interests. It is a rare luxury that we have such a fine institution within our midst and it would be a great shame for it to go unappreciated by anyone who has the chance to experience it. So make the most of this quiet period and go explore some culture and history, you will learn something and you might even enjoy it.

Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Mondays and bank holidays.
Free Admission

Address: Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery Queen Street Exeter EX4 3RX

Tel: 01392 265 858

http://www.rammuseum.org.uk/