Did you give something up for Lent this year? Or perhaps you feel that we’ve all already had to give up too many good things over the last year? Either way, what’s certain is that we could all do with a few small treats to look forward to over Easter, and even if it’s not going to be the ‘family Christmas at Easter’ that we were all hoping for (has anyone else got Christmas turkey legs lurking in the freezer and a Christmas pud loitering in the cupboard?) we have all sorts of delicious things in the shop to help you celebrate.
Our wine department (!) has recently welcomed back by popular demand Joey Brown’s 
Australian rosé which is described by our resident wine buff as a ‘glorious Spring wine’. Other favourites are a couple of ‘very fruity’ Riojas and a crisp Rio Roca Chilean Sauvignon blanc.
Over the past couple of months we have sold hundreds of hot cross buns made by the Crusty Cob and we will have plenty in the shop on Good Friday for all the traditionalists amongst you. Hoop Farm cakes, made by Mrs.Trude in her farmhouse near Plymtree, have made a welcome return to the shop, her Devon apple cake is especially popular. Perhaps you’re making a Simnel cake this year, we have all the ingredients you need including fresh, local free-range eggs from Far Strete near Whimple.
The much anticipated arrival of the local Devon Ruby Red beef from Tuck Mill is expected in the shop this month.
Everyone who has given up chocolate for Lent (me!) will now be beginning to let themselves consider what their first taste of chocolate will be on Easter Sunday. Will it be an Easter egg, a bar of Green and Black’s chocolate, a bag of Cadbury’s DarkMilk giant buttons, a box of fancy chocolate biscuits or maybe you are eying up the Baboo double chocolate gelato in the freezer? So much choice in the shop!
Roz is once again running the Easter raffle with prizes of £25 and £15 to spend in the shop, you 
need to buy your tickets before the draw on Easter Saturday morning. As usual all profits will go to village organisations. This year we are also helping to support the Friends of Payhembury School with their Family Easter Trail. You can collect your questionnaire from the shop between April 2nd and 18th and return it to the box outside the shop when complete.
Finally, it’s now a year since we had to get used to the words global pandemic, PPE, lockdown, self-isolation and R number and in that time we have had lots of new customers and volunteers and we think and hope that 
we have provided a lifeline for many people in the village when they needed it. We sincerely hope that everyone who shopped with us over the last difficult year will continue to do so this year and in the future. We are always open to suggestions about what you would like to be able to buy and have a suggestions board in the shop for your use, don’t be shy about letting us know your ideas, it’s your shop.
Happy Easter everyone! Mary Whiting
