On route 66 – the best roadside cafe

A ROADSIDE café has received national recognition after winning favour with breakdown patrolmen.

Mainsgill Farm, beside the A66 at East Layton, near Richmond, won the best independent venue category in the first AA café awards. The cafe was nominated by the company’s patrolmen for providing the best fare for road users. It will now become one of the first AA patrol approved roadside cafes, along with the three other category winners chosen by patrolman of the year Andy Taylor. Attractions at Mainsgill Farm include a café and a farm shop. Maria Henshaw, who runs the farm with husband Andrew, said: “We try to provide a good service and it’s nice to be appreciated and rewarded for it.”

Winning cafes received either a commemorative plaque or a set of Maria Henshaw at the Mainsgill Farm Shop on the A66 – voted best by the AA branded plates or mugs.

  



 

The Hairy Bikers ride into Mainsgill Farm

Simon King and Dave Myers, stars of the BBC series The Hairy Bikers, recently spent a day filming at Mainsgill for their new television series. Si and David tour the world in search of culinary delights, and have been on the road for more than two years. After all their global travelling and culinary adventures, it was time to go back to their roots to discover what they have on their own doorsteps.

Whilst at Mainsgill, they made black pudding with Mr Kirby, and Black Porkie sausages with Mr Ball and said they would like to go back to practise their butchery skills.

The program will be televised in May 2009.



Mainsgill Sausages - they're Champion!

Mainsgill Farm shop and tea rooms, is celebrating after winning five gold awards and the supreme championship at a regional food competition. Mainsgill took the overall title with its pork, honey and mustard sausages. Mainsgill Farm also won gold for its Farmhouse Pork Cumberland, and Minty Lamb sausages and its pork and apple pie. Two of Mainsgill's other sausages – beef and horseradish and Old English Pork – were awarded silver.

Butchers Barry Kirby and Keith Ball were thrilled to do so well as the BPEX competition is one of the toughest there is. Held in Harrogate it attracts entries from all over the North of England.

“Last year gold was awarded for scoring 90 to 100 points, but this year it was 95 to 100 points,” said Mr Kirby. “Each of our silver awards missed gold by one point – an air bubble in the mix is enough to cost you points.”

Raw sausages are cut in half to inspect the mix and texture of the ingredients. They are then cooked and checked in minute detail and weighed to measure any loss.

The supreme winner features locally-produced honey and best English mustard with pork reared on the farm. It is the second time it has won the supreme title.

Andrew and Marie Henshaw opened Mainsgill in 2001 and are full of praise for all 35 full and part-time staff.

"They are a great dedicated team," said Mr Henshaw.

 

 

    

A superbly stocked
Farm Shop

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Award-winning fresh, home grown and prepared meat
and produce

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Quality gift shop

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Welcoming tea room with freshly prepared meals

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A safe play area for children