Wednesday June 6th 2018 Cragend Farm Open Day:
Cragend Farm opened its doors to the public on the 6th June to celebrate the progress of the farm to date.
The Grade II* listed Silo was open and tours where held every hour to see the turbines and machinery within it. The gardens and house were also open to visitors to see the buildings and discuss our links with Cragside, the National trust property that was designed and engineered by Lord William Armstrong to be powered by water.
At midday there was a cookery demonstration with the help of Mary Wilkins, and we served up poached salmon with sampirre, roast belly of pork, rye bread and roll mop herrings, bulgar wheat and quinoa salad, erzo and basil and pea salad, rhubarb and stem ginger cake and chocolate chip cookies. All cooked on our ESSE 990 showcasing the different cooking heat in each oven. (Cookie recipe below).
Sarah Jane Grey was in-house displaying her beautiful cushions and lampshades from Velvet Thistle in The Armstrong Wing Bed & Breakfast bedroom. Hand-made and custom made to order for perfect gifts.
The Upper Coquetdale Red Squirrel Protection group had a video showing the squirrels and information on how they are trying to stop grey squirrels invading the Coquet valley.
The Fernery has been finished and four new plants were added thanks to Enid.
Our special thanks go to Mel Renwick, Doug Sharp, Margaret Hedley and everyone who came along.
As promised here is the recipe for the cookies we made for Open Day...they were a huge success!
Chocolate Chip Cookies:
300g Caster Sugar
225g soft butter 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
345g Plain flour 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 large egg Chocolate chips milk, dark or white.
Baking trays with parchment (2) Makes approx 48
Cream butter and sugar together using an electric whisk and then add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add all the other dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.
Cut into 48 parts or 24 if you want to make larger cookies.
Using a bowl of chips roll the small portions of cookie dough into the chips until there are a few in each one and roll into a ball and place on the baking sheets. Space well apart as they spread.
Cook at 190C for 8-10 mins until very slightly brown.
If too brown they will be more crunchy if less brown they will be more chewy.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes before eating if you can.
We hope you enjoy them!
Find Out More About Cragend
Cragend Farm has a interesting and diverse history, from technical innovations to historic buildings. Tied in closely to the neighbouring Cragside Estate home of Victorian inventor and industrialist Lord Armstrong.