Pick, Cook, Eat: Foodie Fun at Penhein
February 15, 2019
Get out of the kitchen and into the wild – forage for garlic in the woods, cook up a feast over the campfire and dine together under the stars. Glamping at Penhein offers so much for foodies and this season it’s better than ever. Here’s why:
The Penhein Pantry
New this season, The Penhein Pantry makes it easy for you to enjoy the best of what Monmouthshire has to offer. Zero food miles, just delicious local produce. All of our guests get a taster with our complimentary Welcome Hamper that contains our award-winning Cupsmith coffee, homemade fruit jam, buttery shortbread and crisp apple juice. But we encourage you to top up with what you fancy from The Tuck Shop: pick up eggs laid by the brood of Penhein hens and honey made by the busy bees on our farm. Come tea time we can provide delicious homemade cakes from The Cake Stand – made by James himself! And if you’d like a day off cooking, pick up a hearty home-made meal from The Deli Counter and simply warm it up over the fire pit or stove.
As the evening draws in, crack open a local brew from The Drinks Cabinet which has our hand-picked selection of Apple County Cider, Baa Brewing Beer and sparkling Troggi Perry. New this season we’re offering a selection of wines chosen for us by Tom Innes, a renowned expert based in Monmouthshire. Tom will also be running wine tasting courses at Penhein for groups of 12 people or more. Learn about flavour notes and how to pick out wines to go with your campfire cooking or your next dinner party – email us if you’d like to find out more.
Wild Cooking over the Fire
Wild cooking has to be one of the most magical parts of glamping. Each of our tents has its own firepit and an outdoor seating area for dining al fresco where you can be as adventurous as you like – BBQ kings get ready! New this year we’re stocking the fluffiest marshmallows from The Welsh Confection, a delightful small company in nearby Newport, so pick up a bag from The Tuck Shop for a mix of raspberry and vanilla flavours to toast over the campfire. Alternatively, cosy up inside your tent with the wood burner – use it for everything from boiling the kettle for a cuppa to warming through a stew or making this delicious seasonal wild garlic pasta recipe.
Foraging Workshops for Children and Grown Up’s
Can you recognise a delicious mushroom from a deadly toadstool? Find out how to forage for food safely with our local expert, Adele Nozedar. Book a Forage and Feast workshop and she’ll take you out into the woodlands and fields around Penhein to discover edible plants growing in the wild, before returning to base camp to cook up a truly hand-picked feast to share together. And just for children, we’re offering new Campfire Cookery courses with Natasha, founder of the Flying Pig Cookery School. Get stuck into learning about outdoor cookery and make recipes like Chapatti, Welsh Cawl or Welsh cakes before tucking in around the campfire.
Foodie Events in our Area
Serious foodies flock from far and wide for the Abergavenny Food Festival, running 21-22 September 2019. Showcasing the wealth of Welsh producers, expect cookery workshops, demos, delicious food stands and a buzzing atmosphere. There’s also the wonderful Abergavenny Farmers Market that runs the fourth Thursday of every month and it’s the perfect place to pick up supplies to cook back at the glampsite. Whilst you’re there, make sure to visit the Angel Bakery for delicious artisan breads.
Eating Out and Celebrating
We’re lucky to have some critically-acclaimed restaurants in our local area – people travel from far and wide to eat at Monmouthshire’s Michelin-starred restaurants: The Walnut Tree, and The Whitebrook. And we’re longtime fans of The Hardwick – the crab linguine is the best ever. If you don’t want to leave the comfort of the glampsite, we have plenty of catering options for groups large and small. Book anything from a hog roast to a wonderful pop up cocktail bar lovingly crafted from a 1981 Citroen H van for the perfect Penhein party.