Farmhouse B&Bs are more than just accommodation

October 4, 2016

Choosing the right accommodation when going on holidays is such an important decision, one which can make or break your trip away. Farmhouse B&Bs are more than just accommodation and are the ideal choice when visiting the Emerald Isle. Not only do Farmhouse Bed & Breakfasts provide a holiday base, but they also offer luxury and comfort, all in a home-away-home atmosphere. Hosts are what make B&Bs so fantastic and help to make special memories that you will never forget.

Home-cooking

Farmhouse B&B hosts pride themselves on creating a relaxed and welcoming environment for guests, making them feel as though the accommodation is their home for their stay. They are renowned for their attention to detail, making sure that everyone’s needs are catered for. As well as their warmth and kindness, hosts boast wonderful home-cooking and provide delicious breakfasts using fresh ingredients from their own farm! Home-baking is also a speciality so you can look forward to some tasty scones, brown bread or cookies.

Local Knowledge

Farmhouse hosts always have unparalleled knowledge of their locality and are more than willing to help plan your day’s itinerary. They have fantastic information on the best places to visit, often sharing their knowledge of the area’s hidden gems, ones which are missing from even the best guidebooks. They will happily help you plan your explorations and even going as far as to help make bookings or organise transport. Nothing is ever too much trouble for a B&B host.

Working Farm

Your hosts are also proud owners of their own farm and will be thrilled to show you around, introducing you to all the animals and giving an insight into the daily activities that are required for running a working farm. Overall, choosing a farmhouse B&B is the perfect opportunity to truly embrace the Irish culture and to make unique lasting memories. You will love the company of your hosts so much so that planning a return visit is simply a given! Farmhouse B&Bs are more than just accommodation!!

Tags: Farmhouse accommodation, Farmhouse bed & breakfasts, Farmhouse home-cooking, Farmstay B&B Holidays, Farmstay B&B hosts, Irish Farm holidays

Farmhouse Brown Soda Bread Recipe

August 3, 2016

There is nothing quite like waking up to the smell of home-baking in an Irish Farmhouse B&B. It’s a lovely start to the day knowing that a delicious breakfast awaits that usually includes brown soda bread. Surprisingly, for bread that tastes so delightful, it’s extremely easy to make. Try our easy to prepare recipe for Farmhouse Brown Soda Bread and see for yourself the wonderful results!

Ingredients

1½ Ib white flour
5 ozs wholemeal flour
5 ozs bran
1 level teaspoon bread soda
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 level teaspoon cream of tartar
4 ozs melted butter
3 ozs brown or caster sugar
4 eggs – beaten
½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
¾ litre fresh milk
Seasame seeds to sprinkle on top

This mixture makes 4 x 2 Ib loaf tins.
Cook at 190C/375F/Gas 5 for about 1.5 hours

Method

Sieve white flour and bread soda
Add wholemeal flour, bran, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and nutmeg
Mix to a wet dough with melted butter, eggs and fresh milk
Divide equally between 4 greased 2 Ib loaf tins
Sprinkle tops with seasame seeds
Bake in pre-heated oven for about 1½ hours or until cooked
Cool on a wire tray

Tags: Farmhouse B&B recipes, Farmhouse home-baking, Farmhouse home-cooking, Farmhouse recipes, Irish Farmhouse holidays, Irish Farmhouse recipes

Irish Farmhouse Brown Bread Recipe

April 9, 2015

Irish Farmhouse B&Bs include home-cooking and baking as part of the farm-stay experience for their guests. Traditional Irish brown bread is delicious and bed and breakfasts in Ireland tend to serve it with breakfast in the mornings or complementary along with tea/coffee on arrival. Real butter and home-made jam on a slice of Irish brown bread is a tasty treat that everyone should try!

This is a great brown bread recipe that you could try yourself at home.

Ingredients

12 ozs extra coarse brown wheaten meal
8 ozs plain strong white flour
3 handfuls of bran
2 handfuls of wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
11/4 – 11/2 pints of fresh milk
1 dessertspoon treacle
1 dessertspoon oil
1 level teaspoon salt

Method

Preheat oven to 240C/475F.
Prepare 2 x 2lb loaf tins greased.
In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
Add treacle and oil to lesser amount of milk and stir into dry mix.
The mixture at this stage should be soft and moist. If too dry add some more milk, but do not make it too wet.
Spoon mixture into the prepared tins and smooth tops, making a slight hollow along the centre of each.
Sprinkle with bran or sesame seeds.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 150C/300F and continue to bake for a further 30 minutes.
Remove bread from oven and turn loaves out onto a wire rack to cool.

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Tags: bed and breakfast homes in Ireland, Farmhouse home-cooking, Farmhouse recipes, Vacations to Ireland

Irish Breakfast Scones

March 11, 2015

Your taste-buds are in for a real treat when you stay at an Irish Farmhouse B&B. Our B&B hosts are renowned for their cooking skills, so you’ll be enjoying delicious Irish home-cooking throughout your stay. Ard na Greine B&B, one of our bed and breakfast homes has kindly shared a recipe for Irish Breakfast Scones for you to try at home.

Ingredients

1 lb self-raising flour
4 ozs butter
2 ozs caster sugar
2 eggs – whisked
1 cup of milk – approximately

Method

1. Sieve dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Rub in the butter.
3. Make a well in the center
4. Add the whisked eggs and milk into the mixture.
5. Mix to a loose dough.
6. Keep a little of the egg mixture for brushing over the scones.
7. Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly.
8. Shape into a round about 1″ thick.
9. Cut out scones, put on a baking try and brush with the remaining egg mixture.
10. Bake in a hot oven – 200C / 400F / Gas 6 for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Tags: bed and breakfast homes in Ireland, bed and breakfasts Ireland, Farmhouse B&B Hosts, Farmhouse home-cooking, Irish Farmhouse holidays

Top 5 reasons for staying in a Irish farmhouse B&B

Top 5 Reasons for Staying in an Irish Farmhouse B&B

March 9, 2015

There are so many reasons why an Irish farmhouse B&B is the perfect choice of accommodation when visiting Ireland. Here are my top 5 reasons why it could be the ideal choice for you…

Farmhouse B&B Hosts

From the moment you arrive at your farmhouse B&B, your hosts will be the ones that make sure your holiday is the best it can be. They’ll be there to welcome you and make you feel at home from the moment you arrive. You will be greeted with refreshments and as all farmhouse B&Bs are family run, hosts will be on hand throughout your stay to ensure personal attention. They have a wealth of local knowledge and will be happy to share this information with you. From local history to tourist attractions, restaurants to pubs they’ll point you in the right direction.

Home-cooking

Home-cooking is a specialism of the farmhouse B&B. Hosts like to grow their own crops, keep their own hens for eggs and use their own produce in food they prepare for guests. The full Irish breakfast is a tradition of Irish B&B, but menus are always varied. From pancakes to smoked salmon and scrambled eggs you’ll be spoilt for choice. Homemade scones, brown bread
and fruit preserves will delight your taste-buds.

Working Farm

You have the opportunity to be part of the whole working farm experience. Pull on a pair of wellingtons and enjoy a variety of farm activities from collecting eggs to feeding the farm animals. A farm holiday is the perfect way to get away from it all and get back to nature. You’ll leave the stress and strains of life behind with a stroll across the open field of the beautiful Irish countryside.

Authentic Irish Experience

If you are looking for an authentic Irish experience, you’ll find it by staying in a farmhouse bed and breakfast. Farms are run by Irish families who have been welcoming guests into their homes for many a year. Irish traditions are very important in the country areas of Ireland. Most families have members that sing, play an instrument or Irish dance, so don’t be surprised by an impromptu music night. If you choose to stay in a Gaeltacht region, the Irish language along with English will be used in the home.

Countryside Location

Choosing a farmhouse holiday means you are surrounded by natural beauty, scenic landscapes and green pastures. Bed and breakfasts in Ireland are conveniently located close to lots of must-see attractions, from historical ruins to sandy beaches along the Wild Atlantic Way. No matter which county you choose to stay in, there will be a wealth of activities just waiting for you.