A year in the orchard
We love our orchard and take pride in keeping it as wild as we can get away with. No sprays, no chemicals, wildlife first. It's taken years to get it to where it is, and it sits right behind the barn here in Whittlesford.
It's Kate's favourite place. When she's not in the restaurant you'll probably find her pottering about, pruning and maintaining it with love. It's become a special spot over the years. As she put it herself: all pruned and picked by me and the team, and made with love.
The juice
Last autumn Kate, Greg and a few of the team picked the apples by hand and we had them pressed locally by Cambridge Juice Company, just over in Cambridge. Nothing much done to them after that.
It was the first time we'd bottled anything from our own orchard.
That juice has since won a Great Taste award, awarded by the Guild of Fine Food.
It's judged blind, so the panel had no idea whose it was. They said it tasted like biting into a good English apple, that the balance of acidity and sweetness had been handled well, that it's perfect for using in a cocktail, and that it's a juice you'd go back to. We'll take all of that.
It's really rewarding to have all that work recognised, especially when the people tasting it didn't know it was ours.
There are bottles at the restaurant if you want to try it yourself, as well as our Provenance apple spritz cocktail.
The cider
For our cider we're working with Leo and Emma at Blue Barrel, a small family cidery over near Oakington. They keep their own orchard the same way we do: wild, no chemicals, wildlife first. Felt like exactly the right hands to turn our apples into cider.
Kate went over to see how it was getting on. Her verdict on the place: tranquil and beautiful, with a pony grazing in the orchard. Her verdict on the cider: delicately flavoured, nicely balanced, and worth the wait.
Ours has been quietly doing its thing ever since, with a little yeast in the bottle to finish it off. Dry, sparkling, bottle-conditioned, around 7%. Keep an eye on our socials to be the first ones to hear about when it's ready.
Keep an eye on our socials — we'll show you when the first bottles are open.
The Orchard Feast
Our Orchard Feast is back. Saturday 26th September, 12 till 5, under the apple trees at the Orchard Barn.
It's our celebration of the autumn harvest. One long table in the orchard, lunch cooked over the fire a few feet away, and every dish made by our chefs on the day, built around what the season's giving us.
It's the perfect opportunity to get friends, family and neighbours round one table and stay the afternoon.
Book your tickets here: [direct URL]
The barn, the rest of the year
The Orchard Barn is also our wedding and events space, and the orchard comes with it.
It's a flexible outdoor space with exclusive hire of the whole two-acre estate, so for the day it's yours and nobody else's. The barn has a few different areas to work with and we've done weddings anywhere from 40 up to 250 guests.
Food is built around what you want rather than a set list. Greg and our head chef Josh put the menu together with you, using local, seasonal ingredients, all cooked over the open fire grills and in the wood oven, the same fire and the same kitchen behind everything else on this page.
Ceremonies happen under the trees if you want them there. It's the same orchard we've spent the last few paragraphs talking about, on a day that belongs to you.
If you'd like to come and stand in it, get in touch: Download Brochure
