Vegan, Vegetarian and Gluten Free Vegetarian meals - menus changed regularly!

Did you know that clever Stoke Lodge chef Sigourney has been very busy preparing a selection of menus for her Vegan, Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Vegetarian menus..?

Sad but true - it seems that while many restaurants' menus do offer a vegetarian option, it oftens turns out to be something like pasta, pizza or curry with a very limited choice, and often with nothing that a vegan or gluten-free vegetarian could enjoy.

Sigourney works tirelessly planning a very varied menu choice for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free

She changes the tempting options regularly and is continually researching and creating new dishes, so that hopefully there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Here's just a sample of some of the lovely veggie dishes on offer at Stoke Lodge...

 

Gluten Free Vegetarian Menu

Pan Fried Halloumi, Pesto & Pimiento Pepper Salad

Honey Dew Melon, Berries & Coulis

Blue Cheese Mousse, Pear & rocket

Baked Avocado Half with Tomato & Cheese

*****

Soup of the Day

Sorbet of the Day

*****

Vegetable Thai Green Curry

3 Bean Chilli Con Carne

Capronata

Pan Fried Bubble & Squeak Cake on a bed of Creamed Leeks, Tomato Salsa

Ticklemore Goats Cheese stuffed Butternut Squash

Tarka Dhal & Chana Masala, Yogurt, Mango Chutney

All served with Vegetables of the Day and Potatoes or Cauliflower Rice

*****

Chocolate Chip Parfait, Berries

Lemon Mascarpone Mousse

Fruit Meringue

Lemon & Lime Posset

Vegan Menu

Fallafels on a bed of Pomodoro Sauce

Citrus Tabbuleh

Butternut Squash, Black Bean & Pine Nut Quinoa Salad

 Vegetable Skewers, Salsa

****

Soup of the Day

Sorbet of the Day

****
 

Stuffed Butternut Squash, Aubergine & Courgette, Tomato & Basil Sauce  

Sweet Potato, Chick Pea & Spinach Curry

Vegetable & Bean Cassoulet 

Burrito Bowl with Vegan Wraps, Guacamole & Salsa

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Vegetable Moussaka

All served with Vegetables of the Day and Potatoes or Cauliflower Rice

*****

Exotic Fruit Selection Plate, Mint Sugar

Champagne & Strawberry Jelly

Lemon & Raspberry Polenta Cake

Rum & Raisin Grilled Bananas

 

Sample of a typical Table d'Hote Vegetarian Menu

Watermelon, Berries, Coulis

Roasted Stuffed Pepper, Basil Oil

Pear & Walnut Salad

Citrus Tabbouleh

****

Vegetable Soup

Lemon Sorbet

****

Vegetable Thai Green Curry

Potato & Vegetable Cakes on a bed of Chunky Ratatouille

Spinach, Cauliflower & Potato Indian Curry, Poppadum

Pan Fried Cauliflower 'steak', Wild Mushrooms & Leeks, Salsa Verde

Tomato & Mediterranean Vegetable Stuffed Courgettes

****

Choice of Sorbets

Fresh Fruit Salad

Pan Fried Bananas with Rum & Raisins 

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Impressed..?? You'll be even more so when you've tried them!

Check out ALL Stoke Lodge menus here:

 http://www.stokelodge.co.uk/rf.cfm

STOKE LODGE - THE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL BY THE SEA

 

 

How to kick start that TGIF moment...?

Want your 'Thank Goodness It's Friday' moment to start a little earlier today..?

Here's five good reasons to get your weekend off to a flying start and head on down to Stoke Lodge Hotel in Devon for an Enjoyable Escape and a Blissful Break:

* It's in an area of outstanding natural beauty right on the SWCP - great for river and coastal walks and wildlife. There are maps and walks to borrow and even a packed lunch with local produce.

* The Hotel does great food, including - unlike many restaurants and pubs - a bespoke daily Vegetarian Menu, Vegan Menu, and Gluten Free Vegetarian Menu. 
Sample menus: http://www.stokelodge.co.uk/rf.cfm

 

* It's a family run hotel where the owners and staff really DO make every effort to make you comfortable and look after you.

* If you're fed up with the dodgy weather you can lounge around the outdoor and indoor pools, jacuzzi, sauna and games room while you wait for the sun to come out and decide to see where your unexpected bid for freedom may take you...

* It's an ideal base to visit many of the events and attractions on offer.

Here's just a sample of what's on in the Stoke Lodge area this weekend: 

Glas-Denbury Music Festival: A little further afield at Newton Abbot but well worth the effort...

They say "We're a family friendly music festival in a beautiful Devon setting with a team committed and passionate about creating a little piece of magic for everyone, whether you are a seasoned festival addict or are just dipping your toes in the festival scene! 


We may not be the biggest festival out there but we do have the biggest heart and the most passion about what we are striving to create for you"
http://www.glas-denbury.co.uk/

Ways with Words  - Annual Festival of Words and Ideas held at Dartingon Hall near Totnes - a chance for those who read books to meet those who write them. 2016 is the Festival's 25th Anniversary Jubilee Year.
http://www.wayswithwords.co.uk/

The Kingsbeer Festival: Friendly beer festival run by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Co. and held at Kingswear Station on the embankment, with uninterrupted, panoramic views of the River Dart overlooking Dartmouth.

Three days of sampling over fifty fantastic ales from across the UK, (plus a few ciders), live music and a BBQ - what's not to like? 
http://www.kingsbeerfestival.com/

uninterrupted, panoramic views of the River Dart. We doubt there is a beer festival in the country with more beautiful views while you sample fantastic beers sourced from across the UK. In 2015 we offered around 50 ales (plus a few ciders) to choose from and there was live music and a BBQ too! - See more at: http://www.bythedart.co.uk/events/the-kingsbeer-festival/#sthash.IAv2YVve.dpuf

uninterrupted, panoramic views of the River Dart. We doubt there is a beer festival in the country with more beautiful views while you sample fantastic beers sourced from across the UK. In 2015 we offered around 50 ales (plus a few ciders) to choose from and there was live music and a BBQ too! - See more at: http://www.bythedart.co.uk/events/the-kingsbeer-festival/#sthash.IAv2YVve.dpuf

  
Berry Head Bat Walks: A unique opportunity to see the rare Greater Horseshoe bats at Berry Head National Nature Reserve, a Geopark Gateway Site.
 http://www.bythedart.co.uk/events/berry-h/

Kingsbridge Fair Week: A week of a host of different of events, with live music, fireworks and  activities for all ages culminating in a parade at the end of the week.
http://www.kingsbridgefairweek.co.uk/

SO...why not shelve plans to stay home and put up with the weather - there's only so many cupboards you can re-organise, after all - and organise yourself a last-minute relaxing break at Stoke Lodge Hotel instead!

STOKE LODGE - THE COUNTRY HOTEL BY THE SEA

Fancy a cuppa..?

Afternoon tea at Stoke Lodge is a wonderful thing...

...especially when the sun is shining like it is today and you can relax on the sun terrace overlooking the sea...

...or when the wind blows, you can shelter in comfort in the lounge!

Those talented chefs at Stoke Lodge have come up with some tempting menus for us, from a simple Devon Cream Tea to one of their Sparkling Afternoon Teas complete with a chilled Prosecco.

Interested..? Please read on...

Afternoon Tea @ Stoke Lodge
Served from 12.00pm – 5.00 pm in the Lounge or on the Terrace

 

 

Full Afternoon Tea - £12.95

A choice of Tea or Cafetière
Assorted freshly cut Sandwiches
Ham & Dijon Mustard Mayo, Beef & Horseradish,
Brie with Sweet Chilli Jam
Selection of Cakes & Mini Desserts
Scones with Devon Clotted Cream & Strawberry Jam

 Deluxe Afternoon Tea - £14.95

A choice of Tea or Cafetière
Assorted freshly cut Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese, Prawn Maria Rose,
Crab Mayonnaise, Tuna
Selection of Cakes & Mini Desserts
Scones with Devon Clotted Cream & Strawberry Jam

 

Sparkling Afternoon Tea- Add £5.00

Choose one of the Afternoon Teas above plus a glass of Prosecco

Devon Cream Tea - £5.45

A choice of Tea or Cafetière
Two Scone with Devon Clotted Cream & Strawberry Jam

Desserts Lovers Afternoon Tea - £7.95

A choice of Tea or Cafetière
Selection of Cakes and Mini Desserts

Tea in the sunshine with a sea view, or warm and cosy inside if it's windy and cold - what's not to like..? 

STOKE LODGE - THE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL BY THE SEA

 

'World Book Night' Day Rides Again...?

Annette Shaw

Great excitement at Stoke Lodge Hotel today...

Annette Shaw, freelance writer and book reviewer for Devon Life magazine, met with an enthusiastic collection of writers and readers to discuss 'World Book Night' Day 2017.

Annette was joined by local writers Mel Menzies, Jill Treseder, Lucy Willetts and Julie Archer, together with writer Stephen Stephenson-Olds' wife Sarah - who helped her organise the WBD event held at the Hotel this April - and a sprinkling of confirmed bookaholics thrown in for good measure...

All agreed that following the huge success of this year's event, Annette really should do it all again next year - and I'm delighted to report that she said yes! Plans are already afoot to make it the enlightening and inspiring event it was this year - date is still to be confirmed but we'll keep you informed.

Lesley, Annette, Stephen and friends on the sun terrace

For those of you who missed it this year, a great time was had by all.

We were entertained throughout the day by best-selling author Lesley Pearse and a plethora of talented local writers - pausing only for the lovely buffet lunch in the Garden Restaurant laid on by Stoke Lodge - and  went home enthused, excited and wanting more...

All I can add at the moment is watch this space - we'll let you know when the tickets go on sale.

STOKE LODGE - THE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL BY THE SEA

 

Swimming in the Rain at Stoke Lodge Hotel!

Who cares about the weather? 

There's no need to mope about indoors feeling like a wet weekend...

...if you fancy a swim, rain needn't stop play when you come along to one of the popular Swimming Parties at Stoke Lodge Hotel.

Stoke Lodge Swimming Parties can be any evening from 7.30pm, when you can use the pool facilities - indoor, outdoor, jacuzzi and sauna - and then enjoy a meal at 9.00pm in the Restaurant  

At just £10.75 each, we think that's amazing value, don't you..?

So the next time the heavens open, grab your cozzie and head off to Stoke Lodge for a nice, relaxing, invigorating - and WARM - jacuzzi or swim!

For more details just  call the nice people at Stoke Lodge on:

01803 770523 or contact them by e mail: mail@stokelodge.co.uk






STOKE LODGE - 
THE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL BY THE SEA

Taking a Leaf out of Stoke Lodge Hotel’s Book…

A few weeks ago we took a leaf out of Stoke Lodge’s book – or to be more precise we took a look at their Wildlife Break page, liked what we saw and became inspired by some of the great ideas on it.

We certainly were as ‘Device Driven and Digitally Distracted’ and ‘Trapped on the Technology Treadmill’ as they’d suggested, so we did as we were told and got away from our electronics addiction - leaving mobile phones unanswered, laptops closed, kindles off, TV and radio ignored and e mails unchecked while we took off for a few days’ escape to recharge our own batteries…

Well, that’s not strictly true - we did have to employ our undeniably techie SATNAV to get us where we wanted to go (although it didn’t always work properly, so at times we even had to resort to a map – ye gods!) – but once in beautiful Southern Ireland we decided to practice what those wise people at Stoke Lodge had preached and really try to see if there was anything in this ‘reconnecting with nature’ lark.

I’m delighted to report that it really does work – yes, honestly! 

After just a couple of days of strolling along leafy lanes listening to birdsong or exploring secluded beaches with just the sound of gulls and the waves on the shore, we noticed the change.

We found that our shoulders had somehow magically unscrunched themselves, our minds had become calmer and clearer, the brows were less furrowed and more importantly the issues that had been concerning us at home did not feel so much like unsolvable problems any more.

 

Our last day in particular sticks in my mind as it was then that I had a bit of a Eureka moment...

We were walking along the banks of a sunny river, admiring the fantastic scenery, soaking up the blissful quiet, and enjoying the birdlife. 

I do admit that we had our mobile phones with us – sound off, naturally... - but only so we could take photos, and we’d been counting how many different birds we had spotted along the way with the help of our trusty bird book (incidentally the best one we’ve ever used; see below - goes with us wherever we walk now). 

I think we’d spotted fourteen different birds that day, some of which we didn’t recognise, and in fact had managed to clock up eighteen on a previous beach walk – such a treat.

Anyway, there we were - drinking in the peace, starting to feel sad, and trying not to think about about having to leave it all behind to return to our own particular rat race.

To be honest, I’d already started to feel queasy just at the thought of all the e mails I knew would be awaiting me and was beginning to dread going home – you know, that End-Of-Holiday Feeling.

Then it suddenly struck me: we didn’t need to travel so many miles to get the nature-hit we’d so obviously needed - when we have it all on our doorstep! 

Living as we do in the beautiful South Hams right by the South West Coast Path, we have birds and wildlife and beaches and the sea and rivers and woods and moors and rolling hills galore – all we have to do is get out there and enjoy it as often as we can as the perfect antidote to – well, almost anything actually!

  Since we’ve been back, we too really have been practicing what we preach... 

Just a two hour walk last weekend along the nearby SWCP from Dartmouth Castle to the headland and back turned out to be just what we needed to eliminate e mail stress and switch off – just so relaxing to stroll along on the quiet sunny paths overlooking the coast and through shaded woodlands.

Then it got a bit exciting as to our utter surprise and delight we spotted a red squirrel. 

We’ve checked with the Devon Wildlife Trust; red squirrels are not known to live in Devon, but this could have been an escapee from the Escot Estate – so how lucky were we?

I feel that I ought to mention though that Reconnecting With Nature should come with a health warning: 

Yes, it’s official – it’s addictive! You should try it sometime...

You know you need it - and we think you’ll love it!

Written by Guest Blogger ValLovesToBlog

Helpful links:

Stoke Lodge Wildlife Breaks: http://www.stokelodge.co.uk/wildlife.cfm

BBC Nature - Springwatch 'Do Something Great':  http://goo.gl/WMcyeK

Dartmouth Castle:  http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dartmouth-castle/

South West Coast Path:  https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/

The Devon Wildlife Trust: http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/

Escot Estate: http://escot.wildwoodtrust.org/A-Day-at-Escot/

‘The Birdwatcher’s Pocket Guide to Britain and Europe’ by Peter Hayman and Rob Hume: https://goo.gl/MkYTYS