It's beautiful out there, the daff's are out, no chance of snow and a glorious summer to look forward to - yes, that's right you heard it here first - No more frost and sun, sun, sun with a tad of rain but not on my Smokin American Night - - oh, no folks that's gonna be hot diddly, dandy.

All this intro on flowers and sun and hippies is all to introduce my Pop Up Restaurant - this years it's Smokin American on Saturday 5th July - for some American independance of our own. I'll be buying a smoker soon - and trialing it all through Easter to Summer to get the pulled pork and brisket just right - nearer the time I'll be boiling vats of Death by Chilli sauce and even nearer the time I'll be making the most gorgeous All American Desserts - oh, yes baby!!! If there is one thing that gets me excited more than the sun shine and thats talking about food - eating food - cooking food and preparing for gagantuan food events like this one.

I CAN"T WAIT - I'm just toooo excited.
If you've ever read "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind I'm like the ravenous beasts who smell the most delicious perfume in the world and are so taken with the smell they go wild and eat the main characture - only I just eat all that I can smell!!! as long as it smells good, apart from people of course, after all I'm not a hippy!!!

I am now taking enquiries and requests for the Smokin American - contact me via the form on here, along with your name and numbers and I'll let you know when tickets are released. If we get over subscribed we might put it on on Friday 4th July too

We had a sort*** of lovely Egyptian holiday over the half term week, our first family holiday in over 6 years - thanks to caravans, loans and renovations. My dad and Sue kindly took over the rains and did a fabulous job. The first day on our holiday was met with a tad of stress when my phone bleeped right in the middle of the reps talk and it said "no hot water boiler broken" - it was a mad hour of calls back to England to get the boiler, re-set again and back up to temperature - thanks to out guests who very kindly tolerated a cold shower that morning - Typical it would happen when we were away!!!! but of course if we were home we could of sorted it out a little sooner, well sooner than a cold shower!! We breathed again and got on with sunbathing and eating.

Of course we are back now to a full in-box and 176 trash mail!!! No I don't want any Viagra!!
It was great having a holiday in the sun and we were laughing at all the Brits in the freezing cold back in brighty, with the floods and the rain - - what cold, what rain its like the Costa Sol Nor-wich out there today, I had to ware my sun glasses to feed the chickens, even my cardie came of this morning.

There's a lot to be said for holidaying in Britain - ***no 5 hour flights with delays, no transfers, no rep talks ("you go on nice trip - I rip you of big time"), no sun burn, followed by sun stroke, no peely bits, no sun bed saving, no haggling for a fake watch (which only lasted 5 minutes anyway), no dodgy tummy's - we all had those, no buffet food slopped in to other dishes, no constipation followed by the other one!!! - don't touch the salad they say!!, its hot I say and it looks nice, no "How much you pay, I give you good price", no hard beds and cheap pillows, no dirky bedroom corners, no faulty handles, no hot and cold showers - - NO NO NO not at Lodge Farm Holiday Barns anyway (see what I did there)

Anyway, after 7 days and 7 nights of all inclusive with 6 restaurants to choose from I am officially sick of food - and half an elephant fatter - Self catering next year!!!and diet me thinks.
Can I take this opportunity to say no matter where I go in the World - Its always great to get back to Lodge Farm who wouldn't.

Well we made it - a year in a caravan, a year in the Victorian part of the house a year in the Jacobean part while doing up the barns for a year and now a year of trading -

We were so so lucky last year we had fab weather and some great guests staying at Lodge Farm Holiday Barns - from all over they came America, Australia, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Up North, Down South, Ireland and Wales. Young and Old. Hansom and Pretty and that was just the Hansom and Pretty ones!!!

The Geese made friends - - "polite warning" - never feed the geese on your door step, unless you want your door knocked at 6am in the morning and a pile of poo on your mat!! - we learned the hard way - hose pipe at the ready and well trained geese now!!!

One poor chicken last year came to a quick end when a cousin came a visiting - he was eating his own eggs and of course he trained his friends to do the same - there is still a bad one waiting for cousin!!! In Easter we are getting some new ones, one of each colour - those ones that lay green eggs so we can have green eggs and ham or is that green ham and eggs because I don't want a green pig.

I am excited - the kids are back at school which means I can concentrate on new courses and exciting projects for the summer - Already I have added a Japanese cookery Course and a Children's Cookery Course on events - plus two Sunday Sundaes in the summer holidays. Two afternoons of ice-cream sundaes in the Diner - I've even managed to pop out to TK to get some glass bowls, you know those ornate glass dishes people put pot pourri in -  which I am going to use for the Sundaes - plenty of delicious ones to try, including fresh waffles and all sorts of toppings.

But of course its only January and I am on a diet - so all I can do is imagine one of those glass bowls with 10 scoops of Renaldos ice-cream, scooped on top of Fresh double chocolate brownie slabs, drizzled generously with hot chocolate fudge sauce and sprinkled with rum soaked orange segments, sprayed with whipped cream then dusted with grated white chocolate and crushed home-made honeycomb - - - - oh, boy! forget its for five just give me a spoon! (I'd better munch on an apple only 5 months to wait)

The count down has begun, there is no getting away from it now - hold your breath and enjoy the ride - - the ride that is Christmas. Eating far too much, spending far to much time on the loo - its not healthy (says me who teaches Nutritional foods and then eats a whole tin of quality street before Christmas - this year I am not opening them until the eve!!!), family arguments, family laughs, un-wanted Christmas presents and some good ones too, some stress - but then some lye-ins, cooking - cooking and more cooking, eating, eating and then more eating (I know I have mentioned that already - but I love food), things you wouldn't normally do - like sitting on an old bearded blokes knee and tell him what you want!, having far to much to drink at some office party - I'm too old for all that now - I just watch the young ones make fools of them selves and snog their boss or fall out of the taxi or worst still spend the night in the toilet - I remember those days.

Listening to the same old Christmas songs - like "I saw mummy kissing Santa Claus" - that must be the early 60's - - over 50 years old - - every year for 50 years!!! or "Last year you gave me your heart and the very next day - you sold it on e bay" - my son taught me that one. Then there's the same ole decorations - out of the cellar, attic or some dark cupboard  - baubles from a bygone age, too much tinsel and the decorations the children made at nursery school - then there's the dragging the tree across the lounge, twisting it round a few times until everyone is happy its straight - but it never is.

Happy Christmas one and all and may all your Christmas wishes come true - and don't forget - ITS CHRISTMAS.

Our first year and our first Holiday Festive Christmas - so off I go to buy trees, it was very embarrassing in the shop ordering 3 x trees, they said there was no return on them, so I wanted a good look at them first - compared to how big the tree promised to be the box was miniture - I embarrassingly opened up all the branches, popped it in its stand place it on the floor and laughed - - not really what I was hoping for so I got out of there double quick after stuffing it back in its egg box. Needless to say I went back the next day and bought 3 modern pop up trees - might as well go for something different than something laughable. Anyway all decorations bought, puddings made and cards ready to post. Christmas here I come.

I'm looking forward to the Christmas Cookery Course this weekend - it will give me a chance to stock up on chutney too, we have 8 booked in and I've already got a ton of dried fruit ready to make the puddings, mincemeat and chutney. Since I can hardly buy Turkeys to do my boning and stuffing a bird demo, I'm opting for a large chicken, I'm tempted to use our chickens as one little bugger keeps eating her eggs and the others don't even bother laying. No doubt they'll fly up on to the kitchen window ledge and have a good look in when their cousins on the table stuffed and ready to try - not thinking poor thing, more thinking I hope they leave some for us!!!

Anyway, we have spent the last two weekend blowing, raking, burning, and collecting leaves - - leaves everywhere - that's what you get with 2 acres and 150 trees I suppose. But at least the owl is enjoying it all - I used to hear him in the days of living in the caravan but he seems to be back and tooting well.

oh, well it will soon be Christmas - - - Anyone reading this and wanting to book for next year, before the New Year -  if you quote "Christmas Tinsel" I'll pop some Norfolk goodies in to your barn as a lovely arrival treat along with all our other goodies

O.k summers gone - but it's not all bad, 2013 has been a great year - we finally managed to open our doors, the credit card bills are going down - "not a lot" in the words of the great Paul Daniels but "every little helps" in the word of the not so great food giant.

I've added residential cookery courses on to our site - the perfect friends and family mid-week get away in winter -" food glorious food" in the words of Lional? can't remember his name. For 4 nights of comfort and relaxation, along with 2 cookery sessions, hot chocolate in the Diner and tons of restaurant recommendations.

Plus we also do fishing permits, for £12 per person per day - so bring along your rod.
Actually we can arrange all sorts of holiday extras - like yoga, beauty treatments, a personal trainer, afternoon tea, birthday party's in the diner  - all to make your stay extra special.

Question Time - it's the question of whats in a welcome pack, now I leave tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sugar and biscuits along with milk if needed, a sweet jar with a few sweets and chocs, plus a few eggs from our chickens if they are laying!!! and you can even buy local produce from me like chocolate, apple juice, fresh tea and jams at very reasonable prices. Plus people can help them selves to fruit of the trees in season. Some holiday homes leave more and some leave less - so I am guessing guests don't always know what to expect - hence I mention it on the website. Plus I leave a treat box, full of goodies which can be swapped, replaced or money donated if used - handy if you fancy a snack or two. Plus we do a borrowers list which includes a popcorn machine - -  "it's all about food" in the words of me!!!

Why not book a short break away - - it's off peak so very reasonable, there is plenty to do in Norwich and Norfolk, like the great masters exhibition at the Sainsbury's center at the UEA, walking distance. Norwich City Center  is only 10 minutes drive away, we are in the top 10 of shopping destinations in England. Halloweens big around here with the Dinosaur park, Pleasurwood hills, Holkham Hall and more doing scary specials - along with ghost walks in the city center.

What about Fakenham Horse races (45 mins away) - a winter sport, the horses can jump on soft ground and we can be entertained all winter, opening from October to February - flutter away (Tip - go for a left handed horse, who likes a soft ground to run on).

And even though it ain't summer no more, there is still tons to do and its nice getting away - - come and see us.

This week I booked the Christmas week out at Lodge Farm Holiday Barns - so very pleased but now I need to think about buying Christmas trees. Which got me thinking about Christmas cookery courses - hence I added some on to my events. So Lodge Farm Kitchen - Cookery Courses will be putting on 3 courses over November and December - making a Christmas Pudding enriched with Guinness to take home, Chutney to go with the cold cuts on boxing day along with Cranberry sauce to serve with the game (that's not trivial pursuit) - then I'll be doing a demo on how to bone out a bird and give it a good stuffing (that sounds wrong) and they'll be plenty of demos, tasters and hands on practical cookery all aimed at making the Christmas lunch easier.

And I am hoping my little Geesy don't go missing over Christmas time - I'll be checking suitcases as the guest leave!!!

I've not been vary happy this week - I got food poisoning, I think it was from a street vendor - I love FOOD but don't like this, I hope I'm better for this weekend as Great Yarmouth hosts the Out there Festival - its the best thing since sliced bread with street acts a plenty, circus performers and theatrical productions from all over the world - its spectacular, its free and its just pure talent. Plus they'll be more street food - so!!! lets hope they wash their hands!!! Never to be put of by 5 days of sickness - food awaits me in Yarmouth, after all if I don't have the street food the choice is a foot long hot-dog, chips, donuts and more chips, or I could go for the tinned vegetables they serve with the reheated roast diner. (Actually Yarmouth do have some good places to eat).

plus we have finally finished the Diner - with sink and running water all the shelves up and the grill in place ready to flip-em - Want to book an alternative Christmas Party!!! Just ask - I wash my hands!!!

The weathers been a treat, but I must say a spot of rain is helping the newly grassed areas - we've been edging & grassing in our continual landscaping scheme, last week we planted some more trees in the woodland playground area. The barns have been constantly full the whole of summer and we've met some lovely people, children have enjoyed the wildlife and the playground. The geese family have been especially friendly and have learnt the times when holiday makers are going to feed them - camping out on the grassy areas waiting for another dinner.

We even managed to get away for a few days ourselves - left the father-in-law in charge, the chicken got left out twice and luckily Mr Mink, Mr Fox or Mr big bird missed a trick and they all came back from their hiding places in the morning for their mash. I was hoping "Battenburg" wouldnt come back as she eats all her own eggs and has started eating others too - she might acsidently get left out another night too!

I woke up at 5 this morning excited, our carpenter is coming today to help us finish of the Diner - finally after years of waiting it will be nearly done by the end of today - just fixing back the custom made unit along with all the shelves and cutting in the sink - I'll soon be ready for "The Diner Experiance" - cookery class, practical hands on Retro American cookery lesson followed by private hire diner meal.

The gorilla trail is still on in Norwich for another few weeks, still so much to do in Norfolk and the summers not over yet. Even I discoved something this week, "Moorish" a fab felafel bar down Goat Lane, it was pure heaven in every bite, so good I went back the day after for seconds. Norwich has over 200 independant shops down the "Lanes" a series of quaint paths, lanes and cobbles streets at the back of the City centre - well worth a visit and don't forget Norwich does Vintage too, with 50's coffee shops, clothing shops, retro boutiques, antique fares and more - vintage norwich.co.uk
- We have some availability for September and plenty in October, half terms still unbooked - so what about a break. View our availability and price chart for more details - or drop me a line. It's falafely good!