I am very proud to report that Fields Lodge has been awarded for the second year running, the title of ‘The Finest Breakfast in Pembrokeshire’.

 

The awards, as given by Pembrokeshire Tourism and the breakfast category sponsored by Pembrokeshire County Council, were judged by two independant judges who came to sample my breakfast offering many months ago in July. I had just returned from a short break away, the following day being the day chosen for the Breakfast Judging.

 

My own Masterchef!

I was first to be judged, which meant I went straight from a busy breakfast service, straight into welcoming the judges.

 

It was my very own little ‘Masterchef’ competition! Cooking up various items from the breakfast menu and waiting whilst they were tasted, was, for me, nerve racking. I love to cook for people and want nothing more than to provide a really great breakfast and breakfast experience-which, going by comments and reviews, I do achieve…but having to be judged is another game all together!

 

Anyway, after creating a usual Fields Lodge Cooked Breakfast, Cnwd(guest producer that week) Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Egg on a hot buttered muffin, Smoked Haddock with Tato Cymru (which is my name for a crispy potato cake cooked with Welshman’s Caviar-dried and toasted Laver seaweed, courtesy of The Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company)topped with a poached egg and served with hollandaise sauce, lovely kippers from Milford Docks and never mind the local berries and fruit selection,  homemade granola, yoghurts, bircher muesli and smoothies, all finished off with homemade bread toasted and topped off with homemade preserves, the judges were bloated before moving on! Phew!

My 1950 Aga, did me proud, cooking everything and making it all taste so yummy, it’s a pleasure to cook on and show off to anyone who is interested, it really is like a member of the family and it does have it’s off days…wind…it really doean’t like the wind! Yesterday I made a lovely multi grain loaf that normally takes 45 mins to an hour to bake…..I took it out of the oven at 8pm-I started it at 9.30!! The wind had sucked all the heat out of the Aga and because it stayed windy all day, it just had no chance to catch up and get back up to heat. That’s the downside of Aga living here, it’s deceptively high here so we catch the wind coming striaght off the heads of the river and of course, I never know how the Aga has been affectted overnight until I come in to start breakfasts in the morning!

 The Awards

Coming back to the awards, they were presented in the Wolfscastle Hotel, just outside of Haverfordwest. The Wolfscastle is my favourite place to eat in Pembrokeshire, it offers fabulous food from a great chef(he appeared on Masterchef!), the service is really great and the surroundings are modern and newly refurbished. It ticks all the boxes for me.

There were many categories of award, and it was lovely to see so many people receiving recognition. For a full list, please check out Pembrokeshire Tourism’s site.

Whilst the awards were being presented I waited with baited breath, not really being able to enjoy my meal as the awards were next. The competition was strong, the 2 other B&Bs that made the finals to be judged I know offer great quality breakfasts and are equally as good cooks, we  all promote Pembrokeshire and Local Produce and use this extensively, so for me, any one of us could have won. I was delighted to hear that I had been judged the winner!

 

The award, created by Steve Robinson in St Davids, is really lovely. An absolute pleasure to have as pride of place as you enter my hallway and I couldn’t be more pleased. It’s very satisfying to have my dedicated work and enthusiasm to do a great job for visitors and Pembrokeshire recognised and acknowledged!

 

For more information:

http://www.steverobinsonglass.com/

http://www.holiday-pembrokeshire.co.uk/

www.beachfood.co.uk