Ledbury celebrates The Big Breakfast

Over the weekend of 2nd to 4th February lots of ardent breakfasters were out and about to enjoy what was on offer this year at The Ledbury Big Breakfast.

A great way to start The big Breakfast with friends.

We were grateful for the unseasonably mild weather which encouraged breakfasters to eat “al fresco” at several venues.

Jon-Gurney-with-the-High-Sheriff-Robert-Robinson
Jon Gurney with Robert Robinson, the High-Sheriff.

Both Gurneys and Wallers Butchers created special breakfast products, and on the Friday, the Country Market served cooked breakfasts at the Burgage Hall.  The Big Breakfast also featured at Hellens Produce Market on the Saturday.

Dave-Waller-with-High-Sheriff-Robert-Robinson.
Dave Waller Robert Robinson, the High-Sheriff.

Food venues in Ledbury reported good demand including “first-timers” Fresh Blooms Sandwiches and The Ledberry.  At the Trumpet Tearoom, Annie lit the 50 year old Aga to provide extra cooking capacity.

Traditional-Breakfast-at-Trumpet-Tearoom
Traditional Breakfast at Trumpet Tearoom

The Organic Café’s Middle Eastern style breakfast was popular and raised £550 for MSF Doctors without Borders to help with their valuable work – the Zaatar and oil flatbread looked appealing.

High-Sheriff-and-Guests-celibrate-the-start-of-the-Big-Breakfast.
 Robert Robinson, the High-Sheriff and Guests celebrate the start of the Big Breakfast.

The High Sheriff of Herefordshire, Robert Robinson joined the Town Mayor of Ledbury Councillor Helen I’Anson, County Councillors Stef Simmons and Justine Peberdy, The Town Clerk and members of Ledbury Food Group for breakfast to launch the event.  Mr Robinson and the Mayor then visited a number of venues taking part.

Bob-celebrates-the-end-of-Big-Breakfast-service-at-The-Scrumpy-Hous
Big Breakfast service ends at The Scrumpy House

Mr Robinson was impressed by what he saw – “REALLY good food here, lots of proper Herefordshire fare, in the lovely historic market town of Ledbury” he wrote on his very complementary Facebook post.

Granola-served-by-Izzy-at-the-Nest.
Granola served by Izzy at the Nest.

We thank all who made this year’s Ledbury Big Breakfast another great success – showing off the quality and variety of Ledbury and district’s food offering.

Thanks too to all who supported this year’s event by coming out for breakfast. 

Apologies to those who were not able to get their first choice on Saturday – sadly there is a limit to capacity in town for this popular event.

 

Tucking-in-at-The-Feathers
Tucking in at The Feathers
Annie-makes-porridge-old-style-on-the-Aga-at-the-Trumpet-Tearoom
Annie at the Aga at the Trumpet Tearoom

Full details of the 2024 Ledbury Big Breakfast now available   

Join us for Ledbury’s Celebration of Breakfast over the weekend of Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th February – the 12th Ledbury Big Breakfast

19 local venues in and around Ledbury are taking part on one or more days in this event organised by Ledbury Food Group to celebrate our local food and drink producers and retailers and a healthy breakfast.  The event takes place at cafes, pubs, hotels, butchers and delis in and around Ledbury.

Big Breakfast 2023

Again there is lots of choice from the lightest to the heaviest breakfast showing the ingenuity of our local food venues – check through the listing below for something to sample, savour and enjoy

Visit our butchers – Gurneys and Wallers – to discover their breakfast delights for you to take home and enjoy. 

Our delis will feature a wide range of local produce to take home to make a special breakfast.

The Country Market at St Katherine’s Hall on Friday will have lots of local produce for sale for your breakfast at home, as will Hellens Produce Market at Hellens Manor on Saturday.  Both will be serving breakfasts this year.

We have several first-timers this year for you to support – Blooms Fresh Sandwiches, Choccolastic, Hellens Manor Produce Market and The Ledberry (as under new management). 

Things get very busy on the Saturday morning – if you see something or somewhere you fancy please book in advance where possible to avoid disappointment.  More places now offer breakfasts on Sunday.

See below for full details of what specials are available, where and when – many venues will also offer their normal breakfast menu.  A number offer vegan, vegetarian and gluten free optionsTimes are when breakfasts will be available.

The full listing of special offerings – what, where and when?

Based on information provided by the participants.  Many will also have their usual breakfast offerings available and will be open during their normal hours.

Cafés, Hotels and Pubs 

Blooms Fresh Sandwiches,  1 Bye Street                  NEW THIS YEAR
7.30-12.30 SAT only 
Phone: 01531 636555                 Take-aways

  • Hot breakfast sandwiches including our popular egg and bacon baps
  • Breakfast in a box for a Full English to go
  • Yogurt pots with local honey and house made granola
  • Hot veggie breakfast sandwiches

Produce from: Sessions, Homend Bakery, Neal’s Yard Creamery

Vegetarian

 

Choccotastic,  Homend Mews                         NEW THIS YEAR
10.00-15.00 FRI & SAT
Phone: 01531 637305                 Take-aways Call & Collect.   Bookings

  • Belgian Waffles – choose your filling
  • American Style Pancakes – choose your filling
  • Crumpets, Teacakes, Toast or Croissants – lots of spreads
  • Smoothies

Produce from: Drapers Bakery, LDA Meats, Trumpers Tea, Mill Bank Coffee

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

Corner House Cafe, 1 The Southend
9.45-17.00 FRI, SAT & SUN
Phone 01531 635752                  Take-aways.   Bookings

  • Breakfasts of all sizes – we offer seven menu options – with tea, coffee or orange juice for £1 on orders before 11.30
  • Breakfast sandwiches and crepes

Produce from: Bakers Dozen and other local producers (ask us!)

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

The Feathers Hotel, 25 High Street
8.30-11.00 SUN only 
Phone: 01531 635266                

  • Devilled lamb’s kidneys – sour dough toast
  • Hot smoked salmon, spring onion and red pepper omelette, dill cream cheese
  • Sausage, cherry tomato and rarebit toasted sandwich

Produce from: LDA Meats

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

Hellens Manor, Much Marcle, Ledbury HR8 2LY      NEW THIS YEAR
9.30-11.30 SAT only at our Monthly Produce Market  
Phone: 07980 657901                

  • Peter Cooks pastries
  • Our special Bacon Rolls

Produce from: Peter Cooks Bread, Model Farm (Ross on Wye), Bakers Dozen, and our regular market stallholders

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

Big Breakfast

 Janey’s, 15 The Homend
9.00-16.00 FRI & SAT
Phone: 01531 248008                 Take-aways Call & Collect  Bookings

  • Full English.
  • Pancakes and Waffles
  • Fresh fruit salad
  • And our usual Breakfast Baps

Produce from: Jenkins Greengrocer, Country Flavours

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

The Ledberry, 36 The Homend                      NEW THIS YEAR
10.00-12.00 FRI, SAT & SUN  
Phone: 01531 632676                 Take-aways Call & Collect.   Bookings

  • Eggs Benedict
  • Eggs Royale
  • Eggs on Toast

Produce from: McNeil’s Smokehouse, Gurneys, Eggs from Bishops Frome, Bread from our local bakery

Vegetarian, Gluten Free

  Two big breakfasts

Malthouse Café & Gallery, Church Lane
9.30-15.30 FRI & SAT 
Phone: 01531 634443                 Take-aways Call & Collect Bookings

  • Poached eggs, Loch Fyne Salmon, Hollandaise
  • Homemade bagels with bacon, fried egg, smokey ketchup, sausage and fennel pate
  • French Toast, caramelised bananas, cinnamon yogurt

Produce from: LDA Meats, Peter Cooks Bread, Mays Eggs

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

New Market House Café, 1 The Homend
9.30-15.00 FRI, 10.00-15.00 SAT
Phone: 01531 635059       Take-aways Call & Collect.  Bookings

  • “Pancake Tower” with different sweet and savoury flavours
  • Our choice of omelettes
  • English Breakfast featuring local food products

Produce from: Gurney’s (meat products)

 Vegetarian Gluten Free

 

The Organic Cafe (above Handley Organics), 5 High St
9.00 – 13.00 SAT only      
Phone: 01531 631136                

  • A Middle Eastern Breakfast – proceeds to MSF Palestine

 

Scrumpy House @ Weston’s Cider, HR8 2NQ
9.00 – 11.00 FRI, SAT & SUN    
Phone: 01531 660626                 Bookings

  • Eggs Royale
  • Eggs Benedict
  • Eggs Florentine
  • And our other breakfast choices

Produce from: Neil Powell Butchers, Total Produce

Vegetarian, Gluten Free

 

Seven Stars, 11 The Homend
9.00-11.00 SAT & SUN  
Phone 01531 635800                  Bookings

  • Full English – trad or vegetarian
  • Small full English – trad or vegetarian
  • Sausage or Bacon Bap
  • Eggs on Toast
  • Pancakes
  • Eggs Florentine/Benedict

Produce from: LDA Meats and our own farm

 Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

The Nest at Little Verzons Farm, Hereford Road, HR8 2PZ
9.00-15.00 FRI, SAT 10.00-15.00 SUN 
Phone: 01531 670816                 Take-aways Call & Collect.   Bookings

  • The Nest Breakfast – traditional the Nest way!
  • The Garden Breakfast – a vegetarian feast
  • Huevos Rancheros – spicy tomato with chorizo, garlic, beans and an egg
  • Veganville – Penny’s addictive vegan take on the Scotch Egg with salad
  • Brioche Butty – choose your options with Bacon, Sausage or Veggie.
  • Eggs ”your way”
  • Nest granola – our own making

Breakfast Produce from many local suppliers – ask us for provenance of your dish

Local produce available to buy in our shop for your home breakfast

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

Trumpet Corner Tearooms, Trumpet HR8 2RA
9.00–16.00 FRI, SAT & SUN       
Phone: 01531 670082                           Bookings

  • Purple Toast – discover this dish!
  • Full English breakfast
  • Porridge Brûlée
  • Bacon and Sausage Sarnies
  • French Toast with Bacon and Banana
  • Smoked salmon

Produce from a number of local producers and suppliers

Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

 

Delicatessens & Shops

 

Ceci Paolo, 21 High Street
9.0-1700 FRI & SAT     
Phone 01531 632976

Local breakfast produce for your take home breakfast

Local products include:

  • Severn and Wye Smokery salmon and other smoked products
  • Three Counties Honey
  • Peter Cooks Bread,
  • Charles Martell (cheeses),
  • Neal’s Yard Creamery (cheeses and yogurt
  • Forest Country Preserves
  • Our own prepared food

Plus Continental cheeses and meats to compliment local products

Vegetarian, Gluten Free

 

Handley Organics, 5 High Street
All day FRI & SAT            
Phone: 01531 631136

Lots of local produce and ingredients to make a tasty breakfast to take home including cereals, eggs, bakery, dairy etc.

Organic, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free

  

 

 

Butchers

 

Gurneys Family Butchers, 21 The Homend
All day – FRI & SAT
Phone: 01531 632526

Try our special – the Gurney’s Breakfast Banger. It’s got a mysterious ingredient! -.

Lots of other locally produced breakfast ingredients for you

 

David T Waller and Sons, 71 The Homend
All day – FRI & SAT          
Phone 01531 632739

We have developed the “Waller’s Breakfast Loaf” for you this year.  It features ”a bit of everything” and is well tested

Locally produced ingredients to complete your breakfast

 

Country Market
Burgage Hall, Church Lane
9.00 – 12.30 FRI only

  • Egg, bacon and toast
  • Smoked salmon, poached egg and muffin

AND Local produce for you to take home for a special breakfast (or other meal!)

 

Please support Ledbury Food Bank

 Find out how at:

 www.ledburyfoodbank.org

 

Ledbury Big Breakfast 2024 is coming…

Ledbury’s popular event – the Ledbury Big Breakfast is back on Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th February to tickle your breakfast appetites large and small.  

Big Breakfast

Local shops, cafes, hotels and other food outlets are asked to come up with special breakfast offerings featuring locally produced food to brighten a winter’s day.

Breakfasts can be big or petit, traditional or invented to be enjoyed in our local eating places or taken home for enjoyment.  Many outlets will provide vegan, vegetable and gluten free options – please check.

Full details of those taking part, their special offerings and which days these will be on sale will be available on this website from mid-January.

These will include “old favourites” such as the Malthouse Cafe, New Market House Café, Organic Café, Seven Stars, The Feathers, The Nest, Wallers and Gurneys butchers’ shops, Ceci Paolo, Janey’s and the Scrumpy House at Weston’s Cider.  Ledbury Country Market will be open on Friday.  Look out too for some new venues to visit.

Big breakfast eggsIn the past things have been busy particularly on the Saturday – many venues will take reservations to make things easier.  Some are open on the Sunday.

Put a note in your diary to join in Ledbury’s “spread out” Winter Food Festival

And…

Season’s Greetings and a Happy New Year from Ledbury Food Group

 

Wild about… local food & The Big Breakfast 2024

News about two food events…

Wild about…local food

We will be at Ledbury Saturday Market on 18th November between 9am and 1pm featuring three local producers and their wares, free fresh soup and soup recipes – great food for the Autumn – and information about the Ledbury Food Bank.

Come along and meet our producers:

  • Dragon Orchard – fruit and preserves
  • Skittery Apple Juice – you may know them as Jus
  • Little Marcle Organic Produce – local fruit and veg producer/supplier

And enjoy Ledbury Market.

Wild about local food poster

With support from Ledbury Town Council.

 

Ledbury Big Breakfast 2024 – dates announced!

This popular event will next take place over the weekend of Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th February 2024.

Local shops, cafes, hotels and other food outlets are challenged to come up with special breakfast offerings featuring locally produced food to brighten a winter’s day.

We hope that 15 to 20 local Ledbury and district food outlets will join this event.

Breakfasts can be big or small, traditional or newly invented to be enjoyed in our local eating places or taken home for enjoyment.  Many outlets will provide vegan, vegetable and gluten free options.

The event lightens the darkest time of the year, with a positive message about the qualities of our local produce and food offerings and the importance – and on this occasion pleasure – of starting the day with a satisfying breakfast.

Full details of those taking part, their special offerings and which days these will be on sale will be available on this website from mid-January.

The event is a bit later this year to give more time for making the arrangements.

Put the dates in your diary (or calendar function).

Images from 2023’s event:

Big Breakfast

Big Breakfast 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apples are big in Much Marcle! Harvestime is here…

Cider presses are gearing up for action in this corner of Herefordshire, and Big Apple venues are standing by to welcome visitors to the Marcle Ridge on  Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th October

The apple harvest will be in full swing – no matter which way you turn in Much Marcle, apples are everywhere!  Not to mention pears – perry pears of course. 

Nine familiar Big Apple venues, including Woodredding, Lyne Down, Pope’s Perry, Hellens, Gregg’s Pit and Awnells Farm, alongside regular attractions at Westons Cider, are waiting to welcome visitors to enjoy the orchards, see, hear and smell cider being made and taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices.  And don’t miss apple teas at the Memorial Hall! 

This year’s highlights include:

  • The ever popular ‘high-altitude’ tutored cider tastings on the Marcle Ridge
  • Giving a hand to press perry pears from the ancient avenue at Hellens Manor
  • Wheeling along with the Big Apple Bike Ride.
  • The National Fruit Show Education Team making their first visit, tickling taste buds with an apple challenge at Hellens.
  • Practical sessions on tool sharpening, the chance to buy refurbished garden tools and a talk from agronomist Matt Greep on apple pests and diseases – a ‘must’ for those who like to do things for themselves
  • Bill Laws sharing some of the pomological secrets behind his forthcoming book about the Herefordshire Pomona.
  • Tasty food offers and musical interludes including Uke Can’t Be Serious and Leominster Morris will be found in and around the orchards.

Apples on tree

Full details of venues and special events, and advance booking where required, can be found at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/harvestime/

The Big Apple is delighted to be working alongside others this year to place apples right at the heart of Herefordshire under the umbrella of Hereford AppleFest.

More than just an orchard

LEDBURY & DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY

Friday, 29 September, 2023, 7.30pm

Welcome to our exciting new season of Friday evening talks which start with

More than just an orchard…

A talk by Norman Stanier at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, Ledbury

Dragon Orchard

Fruit Growing is deeply ingrained in the Herefordshire psyche and nowhere more than in the Parish of Putley, just four miles from Ledbury. Norman Stanier was born and raised there in a four-generation household in the late 40s into a long line of fruit growers. His talk traces the story of his family and of the importance of this crop to the county, its culture and character.

All talks are open to the public. Members free, visitors £5 per person.

Go Gleaning with Sustainable Ledbury this October

Sustainable Ledbury has been involved in setting up a fruit gleaning project with Herefordshire Food Alliance.  The aim is to make use of fruit which is not harvested for various reasons.  There are two locations for the project, one Ledbury based and one Hereford based.  Details are as follows.

1st October – Ledbury picking day 11am – 3pm. Sites in and around Ledbury to be confirmed.

6th October – Hereford Picking day, Lower House Farm, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust reserve near Cock of Tupsley, HR1 1UT. 11am – 3pm

8th October – Ledbury preserving and community cooking day, preserving the harvest for Ledbury Food Bank at Pot and Page community hub, New Street 11am – 3pm

14th October – Hereford preserving and community cooking day at the Living Room, 10 Commercial Road, HR1 2BB 11am – 3pm

Lunch will be provided on each day.  Please bring your own mug for soup on the picking days as there won’t be kitchen facilities available! 

Red apples

Transport to venues:

Transport will be provided from Ledbury to go to the picking locations away from the town.

Lower House Farm Orchard, Hereford is accessible by public transport with the 420, 469 and 476 from Hereford bus station stopping at the Cock of Tupsley pub, a 10 minute walk from the orchard. There is also a car park for those coming by car. The Hereford community bus may be available for those without transport and to bring the apples back to the Living Room in the afternoon.

The preserving and cooking days are in central town or city locations and they encourage the use of public transport where possible.  However there are large car parks nearby if coming by car.

Please contact Ruth Pullan 07951 399176 or ruthpullan@hotmail.co.uk to register as a volunteer. The organisers need to know numbers so they can make arrangements for refreshments on each day and to have enough equipment available.

If you have spare fruit, particularly near Ledbury, then this could be picked on the 1st October if a large quantity, or you can  bring smaller amounts to Pot and Page on the 8th October.

These promise to be fun events which will also help the community. The produce from the Ledbury is destined to go to the Ledbury Food Bank. Thanks to a grant obtained by HFA, they have a new freezer.

If you know of anyone who might be interested, please share this information with them.

Apples again