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This week I took my friend Parky to have a shuftie at Holme Farm Dairies in Penwortham. I’ve driven past the signs on the frequently snarled up roundabout that joins Leyland Road to The Cawsey thousands of times and often thought “Ooh, a Farm Shop! I must go there and- EYY, alright Mr BMW, we’re all trying to get home, calm your nogglers!” – before switching back to autopilot and exiting the roundabout with no thoughts of a farm shop except for a vague yearning for lemon curd, which only nominally recedes when I’m crying and eating it but never really goes away.
I finally remembered its existence at a time when I wasn’t late and driving en route to somewhere else, and it was a sunny day; perfect for cake, a coffee and a recon mission to scope out potential Christmas presents.
It was about 12pm on a Saturday and, despite most of the rustic tables outside under a wooden canopy being occupied, we didn’t have to queue to order food at the little Snack Hut from the jolly people behind the counter who were managing to skilfully maintain a high level of friendly British hospitality without straying into American-style customer service which always makes me scared not to have a nice day in case they’re watching.
It quickly became obvious that the food served from the little hut would not be featuring any artfully whittled carrots or sprinkles of cress; that odd plant whose life purpose is to damply straggle out of a retro egg mayo sandwich to remind you that life is a graveyard of buried hopes and dreams and Adam Ant still doesn’t know you exist.
Read more: See all of Karen’s foodie reviews
What IS offered is so hard to find nowadays, but shouldn’t be. A small choice of hearty, unpretentious food made from local produce, with the sole aim of providing sustenance in the most pleasant and best value way possible.
For £5, customers could have a cardboard cup of either a hearty, mildly curried chicken soup or a smooth, tasty tomato soup served with a large, fluffy white roll, a tea or coffee and a fabulously buttery shortbread biscuit.
Both of the soups were delicious and, with the bread rolls, were enough to fill us up on their own. We had also ordered a cheese board to share at £5. Three popular, locally made cheeses – Red Leicester, Cheddar and Lancashire – were accompanied by a variety of little packets of crackers. Most eateries can’t resist putting a little flourish of green on the side of their dishes, but the Holme Farm Snack Hut blows a big old raspberry at that nonsense by garnishing their cheese boards with a weighty chunk of the same excellent pork pies that are sold in the farm shop, and I love them for it.
Another fantastic perk to the cheese board was an array of interesting relishes and chutneys in jars next to the counter, at no extra charge. I added six different blobs to my cheese box and had a great time trying different cheese/pie/preserve combinations. My favourite was the Red Leicester cheese with Mrs Darlington’s sweet apple chutney, with Lancashire cheese and Boxing Day chutney coming a close second. I’ll be back to buy the latter for gifts in a few months’ time, as the mix of figs, port and spices with the creaminess of the cheese was Christmas on a cracker, and a great alternative to mince pies.
We finished off with the offer of tea or coffee with either a cake (£2.50) or a scone with butter, cream and jam (£4). The slices of lemon cake were beautifully light and zesty, and the scone was everything a good scone should be.
Next we headed to the farm shop. There was an oil and cheese display next to the entrance so we stopped for a nosey and tried some little squares of bread in a few of the Charlie and Ivy’s bread dipper oils.
My favourite was the white balsamic, thyme and white peppercorn, but they were all delicious and so intensely and interestingly flavoured that a little dip went a long way.
I have never been less enthusiastic about a nice man offering me free cheese, as after our lunch I was already at full cheese capacity, but then I spotted a smoked blue, and had to have a go as I’d never tried one before. It was absolutely delicious, so if you’re a lover of blue cheese you have to try it yourself. Its the Smokey Blue Kick-Ass by Procter’s Cheeses Limited.
We finally made it past the cheese and into the farm shop itself, where I noticed that there were gift sets of three smaller bottles of bread dipper oils for sale, which was another Christmas present sorted.
The farm shop was a surprise as it was larger than expected and – as well as tables and walls stacked with various jars, boxes and cartons full of spectacular looking preserves, biscuits, sauces, baked goods, meats and dairy products – there were gifts such as ornaments, cute notebooks, cups, coasters and a corner dedicated to Christmas delicacies and decorations. They even sell a selection of honey and honeycomb that comes from their own bees on the farm, some infused with intriguing extras such as ginger or turmeric.
On top of that, everyone browsing the shop is invited to help themselves to a coffee or tea. I didn’t, but I probably should have, as by then I was at least 40 per cent cheese and could have done with burning a couple of cubes off instead of slipping into a cheese coma when I got home.
Review: Little Town Dairy tea rooms has cake to rye for, but the poached eggs ain’t cheap
Holme Farm Dairies Snack Hut and Farm Shop is a cracking little find, and I’m miffed that I’ve lived close by for years but never visited, before now.
They even have monthly food and drinks events such as tapas lunches, as well as craft and farmers markets, pizza parties and frequent taster tables featuring some of Lancashire’s finest produce. From now on, when I see those signs on the roundabout and have a little time to myself, I’m going to treat myself to a little detour down Bee Lane. If you do the same and see a woman in a suspected cheese coma, please bring her a coffee and escort her from the premises.
Have you ever horrified yourself and everyone around you at a cheese tasting stall? Tell us about it in the comments.
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