Opening Times week ending 23/11/08

I will be at the shop all week, closed at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday

Christina Harris

Christina Harris

The Smithy is very low on stock by the Dales Diary featured artist Christina Harris. The response to the TV program has been over whelming and demand especially for Christmas is very high. Christina has promised to do some more for The Smithy Gallery by the end of November, if you would like to go on the mailing list please ring or email me.

smithykettlewell@aol.com

Tan Hill

I have lived in the Yorkshire Dales for around 4 years, and was always a regular visitor before buying the shop, but in all this time never visited Tan Hill. I have read about it, seen pictures, heard people talk about it. When deciding to have a day off I decided I was going to visit. I wasn't sure what to expect and maybe expected too much, you visit the website and read the brochure and it says things like, 'Take a trip on the wild side', 'The friendliest visitor attraction' (sounds a bit like Blackpool) ' The landlady is a little crazy'. The setting is magnificent you feel you are driving for miles in the middle of nowhere you finally arrive at The Tan Hill and the location and views are stunning, in winter must be quite remote. Now when we arrived no fanfare no dancing monkeys or the staff bursting into song, no mad landlady but I suppose it was Friday afternoon and she doesn't come out until night. But my point is the brochure made out it was the best welcome ever and it wasn't ( am I being too harsh) I had a drink and the place was dirty, now some may say that's character, but parts were very grubby and dirty, tables, menu holders, put me off having food, the cheesy signs behind the bar, the out of character and too loud music all add to the atmosphere. I don't like the windows, I know they might have been free from Everest or keep out the harsh wind, but they are PVC, and not in keeping. I really wanted to like The Tan Hill, looking at the notice board they have some good stuff going off, I have heard mentioned they have nudist campers sometimes, now that is brave. It could have been so much more, it did not live up to its claim, it has so much history that it could be really special, I felt a little cheated.

The New Smithy Blog

Had to move the Blog? Finally set up a blog to have AOL decide it wasn't going to host blogs anymore so deleted them all, thanks alot very helpful!!!

So here we are the new home for The Smithy Blog, not always useful, not always relevant, just one mans ramblings.

COFFEE

So if anybody used to read my last blog may know my current hate is coffee, or more the lack of good coffee. After 6 years loyal service my home Gaggia packed in victim to limescale, after looking at many expensive home models I finally bought myself a second hand industrial ex shop unit. After the troubles of plumbing it in and getting it working I am finally making good consistant quality coffee, and if I say myself it's the best I have had (I know self praise is no praise)

Now my pet hate at the moment is so called coffee shops trying to sell me a cappucino for a few quid that is crap, I will gladly pay good money for quality but I will no longer pay for sub standard espresso. Making a real espresso is an art, a skill that has to be learned, a true shop should have a barista and only he or she should use the machine, not some saturday person with no training. Last week was out for a day, doing some photography and called into Leyburn to a coffee shop there, now all seemed clean and tidy and I could see the proper machine behind the counter, so thought It would be ok to order a cappucino. Now I should have seen the signs, the young girl behind the conter too busy chatting to her friend across the shop about some lads or something, we was told there was no food after 3pm. But foolishly I risked it and I must say it ranks as probablly the worst I have had. On first look it seemed ok raised to my lips for the first sip, to have the skin burnt off, it was the hotttest drink I have ever had, I think she made the milk in the kettle, I could not get my first taste for at least 10 minutes to find a watery bland drink, top this off with a stale scone and the dullest cookie ( I know i'm getting picky now) but I paid good money.

I think I will be investing in a travel espresso machine for the boot of the car.

Still the top for decent drinks in The Yorkshire Dales besides myself is 'Bean Loved' in Skipton. A father & Son team who take it serious. Both seem fully trained and commited, only they use the machine, friendly service even regognise you when you come in, give a bit of chat. Clean, coffee could be a bit more flavorsome for my liking, but always consistant.