The Hotel Inspector

Despite the rain, today started as a great day. Pulled on my trousers and found £20 in the pocket, two magpies were gamboling on the lawn as I took Bailey for a quick walk before breakfast. The flower beds were flooded so ducks were happy, dive-bombing for worms and preening like crazy. The Park was particularly muddy so a very disgustingly, dirty, delighted dog too.

Then breakfast and the revelation that one of last night’s guests had been here doing my Quality in Tourism assessment for Enjoy England. Doh – why did I take last night off to see Will Young? I like Will, but not enough to risk my hard won 5 stars and grafted for Gold Award!

Enjoy England run an accreditation system for accommodation. Based on what you have you get stars. So for 1 star you need a bed and some sheets. Want 5? Then you’ll need beds that come with a royal warrant and sheets with a  thread count that’s off the scale. On top of this the rare few receive a gold or silver award. Warm and welcoming, silver. Hospitality flows like rivers of milk and honey, gold.

All this is decided on by an independent assessor who books anonymously, we’ll call him Mr C.  Mr C checks in & stays for a night. Mr C does all the things they do on ‘The Hotel Inspector,’ running a dust seeking glove along your skirting boards; bouncing on the bed to check for firmness. Then once Mr C’s sampled your breakfast wares he drops the act, runs through his stay and reveals your rating.

The system gets some stick for  being a bit out of touch. And I agree it’s not perfect – as what you’d expect from a hotel and what B&B’s provide merge, it seems strange to have 2 categories. Hotels appear superior whilst the B&B often provides a higher level of service at a lower cost. How many B&B’s charge for wifi (none I know of) compared to hotels (most) is just one example. But I have to say I’m a big fan. Yes tripadvisor reviews are a great tool but they are subjective, this sets a benchmark. Seek out a silver or gold winner and you can be assured they’re not just good the one time but every time.

Plus it challenges me to keep my product at the top level. Hospitality  standards improve constantly. We don’t want in-room telephone anymore but we do want a docking station for our i-Phone. Trouser presses? If I wanted a crease down the front of my jeans my Mum would do my ironing.

So I’ve taken a few tips away from today. There’ll be a choice of coffees at breakfast next week. Plus a shelf above the roll top bath to rest your wine glass on and my mobile number in case anyone has a funny turn in the night. At least I think that was what is was for?

The verdict? Still 5 stars and they’re still gold! I left Ian in charge for the night and he did a brilliant job, probably better that I would have. I had my suspicions about Mr C and might have transformed into Basil Fawlty over dinner. Nervously spilling soup and being overly exuberant.  So thanks Ian, Craig & Naomi (my fabulous team) for caring about The Ashton as much as I do and always going for gold.

No Nonsense Beef Stew

Proper Winter Food

With all my food posts please note that when I cook it’s generally for an army so divide the quantities down if your not feeding the 5000. However this dish gets better with time so cook a batch and then it reheat it as a jacket potato topping, pie filling or add more tomatoes for a chunky soup after a Winter walk.

What makes this no nonsense is that I don’t brown the beef first. It saves bags of time and I don’t think it affects the flavour. Also you can start it at breakfast time and it won’t spoil left on low until tea time. So alter the heat/time to suit your day.

2kg chuck steak

500g pancetta, I use Sainsbury’s ready cubed because we don’t have a decent deli in Lancaster

4 carrots diced

2 leeks white part only, split & finely sliced

4 sticks celery diced

4 cloves garlic finely sliced

4 bay leaves

500g shallots peeled

1 bottle red wine

2 tins chopped toms

flour, salt, pepper, chopped parsley

Take your largest, heftiest, metal casserole pan. Start by frying the pancetta in a little olive oil for 3 minutes, add the leek, celery, carrots & garlic, turn the heat to low and soften for 10 minutes. Meanwhile sprinkle the beef with 2tbsp plain flour & pepper, stir to coat.

Add the beef, wine, tomatoes, bay leaves, shallots to the casserole pan & stir well. Cover with foil then the lid. Bang it in the oven on gas mark 3 (sorry electrics you’ll have to convert that yourself) for at least 3 hours. I tend to start this at lunch time, cook for 2 hours at gas mark 3 then turn down to gas mark 1 until about 1/2 an hour before serving, (when I whack the temperature up to roast some parsnips.) I just let it rest on the top for the last 1/2 hour. It keeps it’s heat but the meat just relaxes into the sauce. Just before serving stir through chopped fresh parsley & check seasoning.

Serve with mustard mash, butter roasted parsnips & greens. A hearty bottle of red & good company.

Tourism Newbie Award

It was the Lancashire Excellence in Tourism Skills Awards last night at the very Pheonix Night’s Marine Hall in Fleetwood. We were nominated for the rather long winded Best New Entrant into the Industry Award; Newbie from here on in. Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board put on an amazing event, thanks Diane.

Thought I’d have got used to the nerves by now, but no, so several G&T’s later it was time for the result. And we only bloomin’ won, again! So another trophy for the lobby and another poorly head at breakfast time.

Duck Who’s Here

Sorry about the very bad duck gags, after this post I will stop, promise!

So back from seeing Sarah at www.happychicks.co.uk with 2 new girls. One’s a brown Khaki Campbell and one’s a white Cherry Valley.

They’re penned in and couped up for the first few days until they imprint on their new home. So I’ve borrowed these photos from Sarah’s site to give you an idea what they look like.

One of Sarah's Cherry Valleys

Flock of Khakis

So to mark our new arrivals we’d like some name suggestions please. Let us know by leaving a reply below or posting them to our twitter page at twitter.com/AshtonLancaster

There will be a prize for the winning suggestions. (But don’t get too excited it’s some of our eggs in a novelty egg holder!)

Well and Truly Ducked Off

Came back from the Farmer’s Market yesterday to see the 2 remaining ducks standing in the middle of the lawn quacking for their lost friend – all of this is amateur duck psychology. Original wild duck look at me, slightly misty eyed, looked at the dusk sky, started flapping, took off, did a few low circuits of the garden and was away. Good luck Ducksie just remember the Beatrix Potter tales I read you as a duckling and stay away from any dashing, bushy tailed fellas.

So left with one very sad, lonely duck. Off to www.happychicks.co.uk tomorrow to find her some friends.

P.S. I know this is a chicken picture, ducks are too shy to photograph!

Not so Fantastic Mr Fox

Only 2 ducks to be found last night, both being remarkably well behaved having put themselves to bed. Searched for the missing one but no joy.

This morning have mobilized a search and rescue party, including sniffer dog! But still no sign.

Haven’t given up hope just yet as the last time it was 24 hours before it waddled back.

Battle of the Breakfasts

 

Ashton Eggs Benedict

 

Our breakfast menu changes monthly. I try to make sure there’s a healthy option, something for the veggies and something you probably wouldn’t make at home.

Only one dish is unchallenged every month, its popularity ensuring it receives top breakfast billing. The Full Lancashire – 2 rashers of English Dry Cure Back Bacon, 2 of Stuart Smiths cumberland thin sausages, square of Stuarts proper black pudding, roast cherry tomatoes, baby button mushrooms, potato cake & our own eggs – any way you’d like.

 

This month though there’s a challenger for the breakfast crown – Ashton Eggs Benedict. This morning winning 6-2. It’s a toasted English muffin split, toasted and stacked. Muffin – wilted spinach – bacon/salmon – muffin – poached egg – hollandaise. So for everyone who’s asked here’s my no panic hollandaise.

Blender add 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp dijon mustard, salt pepper. Blend, keep the motor running & slowly pour 125g of hot melted butter. Voila, no splitting, no bain-maire.

The Lancashire Cheese Walk

Lancashire Crumbly

Had some guests this morning ask for a good walk; about three hours long, not too far from the M6, heading back towards Manchester.  Bailey & I always head to Arnside or Kirkby Lonsdale because she loves water so I was struggling. But I knew that www.forestofbowland.com would have the answer.

Their recommendation, The Lancashire Cheese Walk! The Lancashire Crumbly Cheese Walk is also an option, (no joke.) Printed out a map for Ben and Julie, pointing out Mrs Kirkham’s Dairy on the route as I’d put some of her cheese in their picnic. Plus it’s one of Rick Stein’s favorites.

Just got an email from them to say they had a great but muddy walk and had met Mrs Kirkham! They were off home with a wedge of her finest – how brilliant. Do just wonder though if Mrs Kirkham is Lancashire Tourist Board’s version of Santa. Every weekend they station a rotund, ruddy cheeked and apron bedecked woman at a stile with wheels of cheese and a jolly smile for the punters.

The Ashton Family

 

 

James,Bailey & the Girls

Initially it was just Bailey (labradoodle & girl despite the beard), Elvis (very chatty Burmese) and me but gradually the family’s expanded. Naomi came first & can be found stationed at the sink every Saturday and Sunday. Then Craig who probably had the strangest interview ever – in a shower. Cleaning it, not washing.

 

Chickens were quickly installed and named after some of my favorite people. Lesley, Libby, Millie x 2 & Elaine all work hard to put eggs on the table. And are tireless in their quest to trash the garden.

A lame duckling was next, literally. Who got the very unfortunate name of Ducksie – mainly because we didn’t think it’d stay that long. But after a few weeks of arnica cream the limp had gone and it wasn’t going anywhere. So needing some friends Jackie & Pat two khaki campbells joined the clan.

That’s it for now but I’d love to have our own bacon to go with the eggs!

 

 

The Story So Far

 

May 2008 - 6 weeks to opening

 

 

I bought Well House in February 2008 in a fairly sorry state,it had been empty for several years and was beginning to fall in on itself. But despite it’s wild garden and damp interior the warm sandstone always reassured me that one day it would once again be a warm and welcoming house.

 

Several months of builders,plasterers, plumbers followed. Deadlines came and went, cheque books too! But after 5 months and a great deal of help from friends and family, (thank you, thank you, thank you!) The Ashton was finished. Our first guests arrived on July 18th 2008 unaware of the 20 ton of gravel that had been blocking the front door just hours earlier. Or of the army of people crammed into the kitchen clutching hoovers, dusters and mops. It was close but we got away with it, just!

It’s now November 2009 & what an amazing first year it’s been. We’ve had great guests and lucky enough to see milestones in their lives; & helping make them not just memorable but treasured. Pete & Audra’s wedding and Cyril & Margaret Grandchild’s Christening are just two that make me smile.

We’ve picked up a few accolades along the way, five stars and a gold award from Visit Britain, brilliant. Lancashire & Blackpool Guest Accommodation of the Year, amazing. North West B&B of the Year, OMG! Getting to the shortlist for the Enjoy England B&B of the Year is next, check back in April. Actually you won’t need to check if we do you’ll hear the whooping wherever you are.

There have been some great reviews in the press, thank you the fabulous Sally Shalam – Guardian Travel. But most have been from guests; thanks for your comments & reviews it’s really appreciated that you take the time.

So new blog and this time I’ll be much better at keeping it up to date, honest! Plus I’ll do all the things I tell you I’ll do, like posting our breakfast crumble recipe, promise.

James