Lincolnshire is the second-largest county in the UK, with over 50 miles of coastline and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There’s so much to see and do – but when lockdown makes exploring difficult, why not bring the county’s heritage and traditions into your home? Whether you’re a yellowbelly and proud, or you want to try something a bit different, hosting your very own Lincolnshire night in is guaranteed to provide you with an evening full of great food, great drink and tantalising entertainment.
After reading our suggestions you can join us for The Big Lincolnshire Night In, a special event we are hosting with Heritage Lincolnshire on Thursday 3 December. The free event will bring together some fun Lincolnshire-themed entertainment, with prizes donated by some of the fabulous local businesses we’ve highlighted in this article.
Lincolnshire produces 20% of the UK’s food, and with many outlets adapting to offer takeaway and delivery, it’s easy to fill your living room with the best of the county’s culinary treats. Couple this with a little imagination to stage some Lincolnshire-themed entertainment, and you’ve got yourself a fun-filled Saturday. Not sure where to start? We’ve put together some suggestions on how you can host your very own Lincolnshire night in.
More suggestions are welcome in the comments box below – please do share how you are bringing Lincolnshire into your home too!
Food
Get ready with an afternoon tea from a local tea room or bakery
Local to Lincoln? There are several brilliant tea rooms within the city of Lincoln, several of which are now offering a delivery service on afternoon teas. We tried one from Margaret’s Tea Rooms and we were not disappointed. With the traditional sandwiches, scones, cakes and teas we set about to have a wonderful, lazy Saturday afternoon. The perfect preparation to get you in the mood for a Lincolnshire night in.
The afternoon tea not only provides a satisfying afternoon activity, but you also get to enjoy some of Lincolnshire’s finest produce. Combine this with one of the evening activities suggested below, and you can enjoy a whole day of Lincolnshire-themed fun and treats.
These are a few alternative options for afternoon tea around the county:
- The Ridge Rooms, Boston
- Tea House in the Woods, Woodall Spa
- Blanchards Coffee Shop, Sleaford
- Four Candles, Grimsby
Lincolnshire sausages
We couldn’t have a section on food and not include Lincolnshire sausages. If you’re local to Lincoln head to Foster’s Butchers or Pepperdine’s, bag yourself a sage-filled dozen and fire up your BBQ or grab your frying pan. If you’re further afield, then order yourself some award-winning Lincolnshire sausages from Redhill Farm or Grasmere Farm. Perfect for a wintery bangers and mash or summery hotdog.
Lincolnshire sausages also make a great beer snack for a night in. We made ours even more irresistible with a sticky honey mustard glaze, using real honey from a local farm. These are a treat to nibble on, washed down with some Lincolnshire ales (more on those below).
Another excellent classic beer snack is the Lincolnshire sausage roll. You can pick these up from any good butcher around the county. Pepperdine’s do four for £2, and they taste a dream! We also tried some delicious ones from Pocklington’s Bakery in Withern, near Louth, which are stocked in lots of shops around the county.
Stuffed chine
This is a real traditional Lincolnshire dish – cured pork stuffed with parsley, great in a sandwich or with potatoes and veg. If you’re from the Lincoln area then you’ve probably already heard of stuffed chine, and you’ll be well aware that it can be purchased from many retailers across the county, including Curtis of Lincoln.
Don’t worry if you’re planning your Lincolnshire night from somewhere else in the UK; luckily you can purchase it online from Boston Sausage or Lakings of Louth. We’re not going to lie, stuffed chine is a bit of an acquired taste, so be prepared to keep an open mind!
Lincolnshire plum loaf
The delectable plum loaf is another traditional Lincolnshire dish. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea, topped with butter, jam or cheese, this fruit-filled bread is a staple of a Lincolnshire night in. For one of the most authentic slices you can find, order your plum loaf from Myers Bakery of the Myers family, who first made this tea loaf in 1901.
Here are some other top bakers around the county you can order from:
- Curtis of Lincoln (which has stores all over the county)
- Shephards, Boston
- Lovely Loaves, Grantham
- Welbourne’s Bakery, Navenby
A slice of Lincolnshire bread is a must to accompany our next recommendation…
Double Barrel Lincolnshire Poacher
What a great cheese. I first sampled this at the Lincoln Christmas Market a few years back, and I’ve specifically highlighted the Double Barrel Lincolnshire Poacher because it’s just so full of flavour. Matured for twice as long as Lincolnshire Poacher, it is a nutty, strong but smooth cheese, and will make a fabulous centrepiece on any cheese board.
Lincoln has some great cheese shops that sell this cheese and other varieties of Lincolnshire Poacher. Planning your Lincolnshire night in from further away? You can have this cheese shipped to anywhere in the UK courtesy of Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese.
Cote Hill Blue
Make sure to try out Cote Hill Blue. It’s another one of our favourites, or any other Cote Hill cheeses for that matter! You can order a Cote Hill hamper, including Lincolnshire plum bread and Cote Hill Blue, delivered anywhere in the UK, or opt for the four cheese taster box that includes Cote Hill Blue, Cote Hill Yellow, Cote Hill Red and Cote Hill Lindum.
Full Lincolnshire cheese board
Not sure which to try? Then don’t limit yourself! There are loads of great Lincolnshire cheeses to try, and there are some fabulous local Lincolnshire businesses that can help you get them delivered straight to your door. The Cheese Society is a place we’ve ordered from many times. They stock the Lincolnshire Poacher varieties, Cote Hill Blue, Dambuster, Lindum and Lincolnshire Red. You can also purchase a Taste of Lincolnshire selection box.
The Chuckling Cheese Company, based in Skegness, has a wide range of traditional and interesting flavoured cheeses for you to try, and you can also order drinks, sweet treats and snacks. Still can’t decide? Then order yourself one of The Chuckling Cheese Company mystery boxes – perfect for your Lincolnshire night in!
Fire Foods snacks and sauces
Every year at the Lincoln Christmas Market we look for this Lincolnshire-based independent business to spice up our night. Though not strictly a traditional Lincolnshire food, we wanted to highlight Fire Foods of Grantham as one of our favourite Lincolnshire businesses. You can order one of their naughty-but-fun-named hot sauces to add some fire to your bangers and mash. Add some of their snacks to your order, like the flaming pork scratchings, perfect to accompany your Lincolnshire Ales for a fun-filled Lincolnshire night in.
2021 update: the Fire Foods website has been deactivated and we can’t find any information online, so it seems unfortunately that they have gone out of business.
Drinks
Lincolnshire Ales
Lincolnshire isn’t shy about its past, and you’ll see this pride reflected in the names and artwork of ales across the county. While ale isn’t specifically unique to Lincolnshire, the county’s brews have their own twist and distinct flavour, and will certainly add some personality to your evening. We sure love a tipple, and thankfully there are some fabulous breweries here offering UK mainland delivery.
Our first shout-out is Ferry Ales Brewery with their fabulous selection of Lincolnshire ales and friendly, efficient service. We ordered their 12-bottle taster mixed case and made a real night of it (probably best enjoyed with a few more people, or over a couple of nights!). A firm favourite of ours is the Fabuccino coffee milk stout, brewed in collaboration with another Lincolnshire superstar, Stokes Tea & Coffee. Don’t worry if you’re not into the heavier stuff, their aviation-themed ales will definitely hit the spot.
Next up we have Docks Beers, the child prodigy of Axeholme Brewing Company, based by the docks in Grimsby. Their large selection of craft beers will be enough to satisfy even the pickiest of beer drinkers.
Finally, we couldn’t talk about Lincolnshire Ales without mentioning Bateman’s, a fourth-generation family brewer based in Lincolnshire. You can order a selection of beers, including their Pub in a Box, or even get your hands on some of their merch to make your Lincolnshire night extra-special!
Lincolnshire wine
Is wine more your style? Then you need to treat yourself to a case of white and sparkling from Oven’s Farm Vineyard based in the Lincolnshire Wolds, or head on over to get yourself a discount at the cellar door. Grown on new vines planted in 2015, the vines continue to establish themselves, and the production levels continue to increase. This is a Lincolnshire product to try year-on-year as you witness the changes in maturity.
We enjoyed one of their bottles of crispy dry white to accompany a takeaway from Thai Taste in Waddington. It was the perfect complement to the spicy flavours.
Something stronger? Lincolnshire spirits
The Lincoln Imp Drinks Company, formed by two men from Lincolnshire, established a base on the Lincolnshire coast and started with the Coastal Distillery Dam Raider Gin, commemorating the Dambusters and donating to charity with each bottle. They also distil vodka, bourbon and tequila if gin isn’t your thing. Order online and select to collect from the distillery, or have your bottle shipped to anywhere in the UK.
Pin Gin, established in West Yorkshire, moved to Lincolnshire in the 1980s and continues to be a firm favourite with locals. Order online from their selection of gins, whiskey or rum, and spice up your Lincolnshire night in.
Something more family-friendly? Order a Stokes coffee selection
Order a selection of teas or coffees from Lincoln’s most renowned, family-run coffee roasters, Stokes Tea & Coffee. You can have these shipped to anywhere in the UK ready for a family-friendly tea or coffee tasting session. Better yet, those of you local to Lincoln can order yourself some freshly-brewed coffee, along with a fantastic selection of food available for takeaway or delivery.
Entertainment
Learn about Lincoln’s incredible history
Aired this November, Channel 4 explored the history of the city of Lincoln in the first episode of the third series of Britain’s Most Historic Towns. It’s a dive into the city’s medieval past, telling the story of how Lincoln became one of the most important Roman towns in England. Sit back, relax and enjoy your sausage roll with a locally brewed ale while learning about the fascinating past of our colourful city.
Lincolnshire is famous for its RAF history and instrumental role in both world wars. Order your copy of Nightbombers, a documentary film about an RAF Bomber Command unit based in Lincolnshire during World War 2, and settle in with some of Ferry Ale Brewery’s aircraft-themed ales.
Spot Lincoln Cathedral on the telly
Not one for learning local history? That’s OK, you can spend the evening entertaining yourself by watching a film. Try The King, The Di Vinci Code or The Young Victoria to see if you can spot the inside shots of Lincoln Cathedral. Check out more popular culture nuggets about the city in our rundown of facts about Lincoln.
Scout out pubs in preparation for your visit to Lincolnshire
You could spend your Lincolnshire night in planning your next visit and establishing your local bucket list. Watch The Hairy Bikers Pubs that Built Britain, Lincolnshire edition to find some inspiration on where to grab a good local pint.
Watch a famous football moment
Remember when our local football club made it to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup? For a sporty twist to your night in, you can watch the highlights of when Lincoln City beat Brighton 3-1 in the fourth round, in the year of that famous run:
Games, puzzles and books
If your idea of good evening entertainment doesn’t involve staring at a screen, there are plenty of alternatives with a Lincolnshire twist. A game of Monopoly is guaranteed to provide an eventful evening. Get yourself the Lincoln edition, and instead of haggling over Mayfair and Old Kent Road, you’ll be battling with the family for control of Lincolnshire Showground, Steep Hill and Brown’s Pie Shop.
You could also try your hand at a Lincoln cityscape jigsaw puzzle. I’ll be honest, the idea of doing a jigsaw puzzle used to seem incredibly boring… until I tried it! They’re fun, therapeutic, and just a little bit addictive. Not a bad shout to mix up your Lincolnshire-themed activities at home.
Finally, what about a book? Okay, for some this might be better suited to when you’re resting off your hangover on Sunday morning. But I actually quite love a night in with a book too. Pour yourself a glass of Lincolnshire-grown wine and sit back with a copy of Suited and Booted: My life as Lincoln City mascot Poacher the Imp. It’s an entertaining yet touching read that brings the match-day experience to life, while telling the highs and lows of life behind the mask.
Lincolnshire quiz
Everybody loves a good pub quiz, right? So, why not recreate the experience in your home with some Lincolnshire-themed rounds? Here’s one you can try, put together by Heritage Lincolnshire.
Finally, don’t forget to sign up for your free place at The Big Lincolnshire Night In on Thursday 3 December!
Let us know your own tips for bringing Lincolnshire into your home in the comments below!
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