Feast Norfolk Magazine August 16 Issue 08

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FOOD & DRINK

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AU GU ST 2016

08

Bake Off

essentials

HEDGEROW HARVESTS as well as

MAIDS HEAD HOTEL RECIPES

ISSN 2397-1673

9 772397 167017

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iced

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BIG INTERVIEW - LORD IVEAGH ON THE ELVEDEN ESTATE DIGGING IN AT THE GARDEN KITCHEN CAFÉ AT HOVETON HALL TRAVEL - HIDDEN TURKEY

fternoon Tea PLUS Gluten Free A

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Editor's Letter -

W E L C O M E

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Sarah Hardy SARAH HARDY, Editor sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

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FEASTNORFOLKMAGAZINE.CO.UK SEARCH FOR FEAST NORFOLK ON

issue, w ith Mar k is th to el fe y er m m su al re "We have a t iced te a" Ric hm on d te lli ng us al l ab ou

Welcome

to our August issue. It’s a busy month for us all, especially with the children starting their long summer holidays!

This issue sees a little bit of something for everyone, with our usual mixture of features, from restaurant reviews to in depth profiles, to shop spotlights, cookbook reviews, artisan producer interviews - and plenty of recipes!

Our regular writers keep us going with their columns - Andy Newman and Steve Hearnden are our wine experts, Ellen Mary is our kitchen gardener, Sara Matthews is our ‘free from’ writer, Charlotte Gurney writes about farming life, 21st century style, and Steve Winter is our master baker! Add in Justin Wright from Lovewell Blake who is all over the latest developments for small businesses and Sarah Ruffhead who plans to eat her way around Norfolk - good girl!

We have a real summery feel to this issue, with Mark Richmond telling us all about iced tea, and I have to say that I enjoyed eating al fresco at the Garden Kitchen Café at Hoveton Hall. It is such a pretty setting - with lovely food, of course! And Briarfields at Titchwell, our other foodie review, has those views to die for, too.

Add in delicious recipes from the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, Mark Nicholls in Turkey and a look at how and why coffee shops are taking over and there’s plenty to entertain.

Do have a think about subscribing and don’t forget to enter our competition - someone has to win. Speaking of which, many congratulations to Julie Wash of Worlingham who won our June issue competition - a trip to one of Aldeburgh’s great hotels. Lucky her!

Keep in touch, let us know what foodie gems you’ve found - whether it’s a great new tea room, a new jam maker or simply the perfect place for a picnic! We love to hear from you.

Happy reading.

In this issue -

C O N T E N T S

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FOOD & DRINK

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ABOUT US

coming to Norwich Theatre Royal to play Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice 50 Lord Iveagh tells us about the importance of putting local produce at the heart of the Elveden Estate

03 Editor’s letter 40 How to subscribe

AUG U ST 2016

WHAT’S ON

Bake Off

essentials

HEDGEROW HARVESTS as well as

MAIDS HEAD HOTE L RECIPES

COVERY STOR ISSN 2397-1673

9 772397 167017

08

iced

TEA

BIG INTERVIEW - LORD IVEAGH ON THE ELVEDEN ESTATE DIGGING IN AT THE GARDEN KITCHEN CAFÉ AT HOVETON HALL TRAVEL - HIDDEN TURKEY

n Tea PLUS Gluten Free Afternoo

64 Iced tea is the perfect drink for high summer says Mark Richmond of the Nelson and Norfolk Tea Company

16 Discover the best food and drink events in our part of the region this month 18 With the Aylsham Show taking place on Bank Holiday Monday, we salute this year’s Norfolk Food & Drink Heroes 20 The news and gossip round-up - we’ve got it covered!

FEATURES

24 We look at the history and rise of café culture in and around the fine city of Norwich

REVIEWS

33 Sarah Hardy tucks in at the Garden Kitchen Café at Hoveton Hall in Broadland 36 Emma Outten heads to Titchwell to enjoy a lazy lunch at Briarfields Hotel

INTERVIEWS

28 We quiz theatrical foodie Felicity Montagu,

04

REGULARS

06 It’s all about venison this month as Marcin ‘Magic’ Pomierny of the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich creates three gamey dishes for us to try 22 Sarah Hardy meets Rose Hanison of newly reopened The Black Horse in Norwich in our New Faces spread 43 As the Great British Bake Off returns to our screens, we look at the baking essentials to create the perfect Victoria sponge or lemon drizzle 52 The Artisan Producer this month is The Tiny Tipple Company, made up of two Suffolk women who handpick from hedgerows to create infused spirits 54 Our shop of the month is The Green Grocers, in Norwich’s Golden Triangle 56 Meet the chef - we catch up with Connor Carway, chef at The Last Wine Bar

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62 Enjoy the latest cookbook reviews, including one aimed solely at students 86 In The Last Bite, Russell Evans of Bullards Beers looks at what it’s like to buy your own pub

RECIPES

12 Marcin ‘Magic’ Pomierny creates three venison dishes 42 Reader Tracy Macheta from North Norfolk serves up a spicy flatbread 46 Sara Matthews offers us a gluten free afternoon tea 57 Connor Carway tempts us with lightly spiced confit monkfish 58 Norfolk YouTube star Tanya Burr gets baking 83 Ellen Mary bakes a lime cake with courgette for added moisture

DRINK

66 Real ale aficionado Emma Pinder has a hotlist of summer pints to share with you 68 Our wine writer Andy Newman tells us how he will be celebrating the big 50 - and it could involve a bottle or two

COLUMNISTS

38 Steve Winter of Bread Source finds a sweet spot in his bakery and looks at viennoiseries 39 Charlotte Gurney tells us all about the day the Beeb came to visit the family farm 45 Sarah Ruffhead offers us another five of her best eats for the month 85 Justin Wright shouts about the county's food and drink

TRAVEL

70 Mark Nicholls travels to Central Turkey to sample exquisite local cuisine and wine 75 Clare Millar heads to the south coast and finds a delightful Dorset hideaway 79 We discover how well known food entrepreneur Henry Watt has brought a new lease of life to a historic Norfolk inn

GROW YOUR OWN

82 Ellen Mary discusses the ever-growing courgette

COMPETITION

84 Win a top-of-the-range waffle maker courtesy of John Lewis

05

THE TEAM

Sarah Hardy, Editor sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Emma Outten, Deputy Editor emma@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Scott Nicholson, Designer studio@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Rachael Young Senior Account Manager advertising@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Donna Stringer Senior Account Manager advertising@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Andy Newman, Sara Matthews, Sarah Ruffhead, Ellen Mary, Charlotte Gurney, Steve Winter, Steve Hearnden, Mark Nicholls, Justin Wright, Russell Evans

PUBLISHED BY

FEAST NORFOLK MAGAZINE is published

by Feast (Eastern) Limited - 21 Market Place, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 2AX

PRINTED BY

MICROPRESS, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Reydon, Suffolk, 1P18 6DH

Venison -

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NAME OF THE

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Venison is a delicate meat to cook, but well worth spending hours (if not days) over, says head chef Marcin ‘Magic’ Pomierny as he creates for Feast Norfolk an exclusive selection of gamey dishes in what’s claimed to be Britain’s oldest hotel. Emma Outten reports

ABOUT Venison refers to the meat of a deer, most commonly roe and red in Britain. It is classed as game and can either be farm or park reared. Venison is a red meat, similar to beef but leaner and with a slightly richer taste. It is increasingly popular with foodies, who like its distinctive flavour and high protein content.

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V E N I S O N

GARY HOWARD

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PICTURES BY

HOWARD AND SON, FYE BRIDGE STREET, NORWICH,

GARY HOWARD is the fourth generation to run Howard & Son which is just steps away from the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich’s historical heart.

The shop, oozing character, has been selling fish and game since 1889 and now offers a selection of delicatessen produce, too - think rollmop herrings, pancetta, free range duck eggs and so on.

But what of the ‘main events’? Fish does feature strongly, with a great wet fish counter and what a selection! Gary says: ‘We source from around the UK and then we can get pretty much what anyone wants. We usually have around 20 different types on offer.’ These might include brill, squid, swordfish, haddock and monkfish.

‘We are the oldest fish shop in Norwich,’ says Gary, who works with his wife, Maxine. He agrees that people do tend to overcook fish and has a little tip. ‘Take it out of the oven or the pan just before you think it is done, and it will cook to perfection in its own heat.’

Game is another important part of the business, with everything from partridge to pheasant, wood pigeon, grouse, and rabbit readily available in season. ‘We have venison all year round,’ says Gary. ‘People are looking to game more; they see it as a healthy option as it is low in fat.’

Game comes from local shooting estates, so low food miles are guaranteed and there are no additives or preservatives used.

Gary supplies many of the area’s leading restaurants and hotels although he’s a bit too modest to say which. ‘We deliver most days, and we’ll deliver to some of our regular retail customers, too.’

As with most independent shops, Gary offers a very high level of personal service and can give plenty of advice as to how to cook a particular meat or fish. After working in the shop for almost 30 years he has plenty of experience. ‘Just call us up for a chat,’ says Gary.’We will tell you what we have in, and what we are expecting in.’

There are no great plans for any future developments, rather Gary and Maxine, who have two daughters, are going to keep on doing what they clearly do very well.

BILL SMITH

THE SUPPLIER

VISIT

www.fishmongersnorwich.com

PICTURES BY

BILL SMITH

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THE MAIDS HEAD HOTEL claims to be the oldest hotel in Britain, based on the site being used continuously for hospitality since the early 12th century. Norwich historian Walter Rye, who also owned the Maids Head from 1889 to 1895, considered it to be: ‘the oldest Norman site in the city after the Castle.’

The Head Chef, Marcin Pomierny (otherwise known as ‘Magic’), hasn’t been in Norwich quite that long: only since 2005. He trained as a chef in Poland, and, on coming to Norwich 11 years ago, secured a job as a kitchen porter at the then Tatlers Restaurant in Tombland. The 31-year-old recalls: ‘When I came to England I didn’t speak English at all. I was nicknamed Magic because I was quick and did everything very fast.’

MARCIN POMIERNY

I did n’t spe ak En glis h "Whe n I came to En gla nd gic be cause I was at all. I was nic kn amed Ma y fast" qu ick an d did eve ryt hin g ver

He learned the language and the British way of running a kitchen on the job, and went on to become Head Chef at the Maids Head just eight years after arriving. Sitting in the WinePress Restaurant, he says: ‘When I came here three years ago there were lots of changes.' One of the first things he did was launch his first seasonally inspired menu, entirely sourced from Norfolk suppliers. He and the team must be doing something right as the hotel has recently celebrated the award of a second AA Rosette for the restaurant, following the annual AA inspection, which rated the food offering at Five Star quality. The award is ‘very good,’ says Magic, ‘for the hotel, and for everyone.’

Since arriving he has built a strong team of seven chefs in all – the growth in the kitchen was much needed, with general manager Christine Malcolm pointing out that the hotel caters for diners in the restaurant, weddings, meetings and events.

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VISIT

www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk

How would Magic describe the food offering?

‘It’s the type of food you don’t eat every day,’ he says, before describing the restaurant as the place to celebrate a special occasion.

He enjoys cooking with venison, and is quite happy working with two different cuts of the meat for one dish, and spending up to two days on a dish to achieve the right result. ‘It’s such a delicate meat.

Beef you can eat every day, but venison is more about the game season.’ Although the venison season might be traditionally associated with autumn, it can actually start in August, and the team at the hotel are certainly all about changing people’s perceptions of food and seasonality. Magic says of this time of year: ‘Chefs love the summer, with all the fresh berries and so on - everything is fresh.’

He and the team (menu ideas don’t just come from the top) work very hard to design and deliver exciting seasonally changing menus, using the best of local and regional produce including venison, of course: ‘We always put it on the menu as people love it, although one year we didn’t put it on and it was a case of why not?’

The hotel has been privately owned by the Chaplin family since 2012, which has enabled a return to a policy of local purchasing for food and drink. ‘We purchase everything from local suppliers now,’ says Magic.

RECIPES OVERLEAF

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H O T E L

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"We always put it on the men u as peo ple love it, although one year we didn’t put it on and it was a case of why not?"

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C hef

Referring to Howard & Son Fishmongers on Fye Bridge Street (possibly the nearest supplier), he adds: ‘Gary has good quality venison, and it brings business for him as well – we work as a community.’

Magic’s brother and sister have since returned to Poland, and he comments: ‘It’s just me and my wife now.’ They have a son, who turned one last month.

Weaning has been an interesting experience, by the sound of it: at one point Magic was experimenting with five different soups for his son, with varying degrees of success. ‘But he does like peas!’

Magic is happy to stay in Norwich, and stay with the Maids Head in particular: ‘It’s a good job and good career. The business has given me the opportunity to carry out my vision.

‘My vision for food is that it has to look good, taste good and all your senses have to be working. I like customer feedback. I want them to want to come back again.’

Christine believes Magic has brought creativity and passion to the kitchen and has helped make the hotel one of the top food destinations in Norwich.

Last year, using his holiday leave, he spent a week at one Michelin starred Pétrus and this October he is planning to spend a week at the three Michelin starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. ‘I’m always looking for new inspiration and new ideas and new flavours. I don’t want to stay still,’ he says. It’s a winwin situation for both Magic and the Maids Head: ‘I bring lots of ideas to the business here.’

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Recipes -

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V E N I S ON W E L L I NGTON,

glazed summer vegetables, pommes dauphine, cauliflower

This is a dish which is inspired by the wilderness and forest life INGREDIENTS 600g of venison shoulder; 160g of venison loin; 100g of dry mash; 100g of choux pastry; ½ egg; ½ a cauliflower; 1 bunch of baby beetroot; 1 bunch of turnips; 150ml of red wine; 2ltr of water; 2 carrots; 3 broccoli florets; 1 onion; 3 celery sticks; 2 sprigs of rosemary; 50g butter METHOD 1. Venison terrine: Sear the venison shoulder in a hot pan. Add small mirepoix vegetables (onion, carrot, celery all roughly chopped to same size and sweat for three minutes). Add the red wine and water. Place all the ingredients in a pressure cooker for 30-45 minutes until tender. Reduce the liquid by 85 per cent to form a thick stock.

Shred the meat by hand, add the reduced stock and season to taste. Put all meat into the terrine mould and set in the fridge 2. Sear the venison loin in a pan with rosemary and butter, and serve pink 3. Pommes dauphine: mix the dry mash, choux pastry, egg, and salt and pepper.

Make small balls and deep fry for 2-3 minutes at 180°C 4. Cook the summer vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, beetroot and turnips) in a butter emulsion (half water, half butter) 5. To arrange, place a slice of terrine on one side of the plate, and arrange three pommes dauphine on top. Arrange the vegetables in the middle of the plate. Arrange sliced venison loin on the other side of the plate. Finish with a drizzle of shop bought jus

INGREDIENTS 800g of venison loin; 1 chicken breast; ½ a celeriac; 3 sticks of salsify (a crunchy root vegetable); ¼ a red cabbage; 1 broccoli stem; 2 eggs; 10 thin pancetta slices; 300ml of milk; 150ml of double cream; 300g of puff pastry; 100ml of white wine vinegar; 150g of sugar; 6g of agar (Japanese jelly); 300ml of red wine; 150ml of port; 500ml of water; 1tsp of chopped parsley; 1tsp of chopped thyme; 1 star anise METHOD 1. Heat frying pan and sear the venison loin, then leave to cool. For the chicken mousse place the chicken breast, one egg yolk, 50ml of the double cream, chopped parsley, and thyme into a blender and blitz together. Add salt and pepper to taste 2. On cling

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DUO OF NOR FOL K V E N I S ON,

A classic dish with a modern twist embracing the old and the new – a flamboyant dish with seasonal colour and local charm

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celeriac pannacot ta, red wine salsify, broccoli, red cabbage purée

film overlap the pieces of pancetta, spread with the chicken mousse. Place the loin in the centre of the mousse mixture. Using the edge of the cling film, carefully draw the layer of pancetta and mousse around the meat. Roll into a sausage shape 3.

Fold a layer of puff pastry over the bottom half of venison Wellington and brush with egg yolk. Heat oven to 190°C. Put the Wellington on the tray and bake for 20-30 mins 4. Celeriac pannacotta: cook celeriac with the milk and 100ml of the double cream. When cooked, blitz with blender and add the agar and put in a saucepan and cook slowly for 5 minutes.

Put mix into the terrine moulds and cool in fridge. 5. Red wine salsify: peel and cut salsify into 4cm sections, put in small saucepan with 200ml of the red wine, 100ml of the port, the star anise, and 50g of the sugar, and simmer for 15 minutes 6.

Red cabbage purée: chop cabbage thinly, put in a medium saucepan with 100ml of the red wine, 50ml of the port, the white wine vinegar, 100g of the sugar and the water. Cook slowly until ingredients are soft and blitz with blender and strain 7.

To arrange, smear the red cabbage purée across the plate and place the pannacotta across; and then the salsify and broccoli; slice the Wellington and place the other side of the vegetables; finish with shop bought jus

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STEVE HEARNDEN

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SLOW C O OK E D V E N I S ON TERRINE,

Wine

vegetables à la grecque, egg yolk purée, brioche, nasturtium oil

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Creating summer sunshine on a plate – a light and fresh mouthwatering dish

INGREDIENTS 1kg venison leg; 300g mirepoix vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, all roughly chopped to same size); 1tsp of juniper berries; 2 sprigs of rosemary; 300ml of red wine; 2l of game stock; 1l of water; ¼ a broccoli; 3 radishes; 8 baby cornichons; 4 baby turnips; 15g of green beans; 150g of nasturtium leaves; 185ml of olive oil; 4 slices of brioche; 200g of egg yolk; 2tbsp of sherry vinegar; 15g of pea shoots (to garnish); ½ a star anise; 1 cardamom pod; ¼ tsp of mustard seeds; 1 clove; ½ a clove of garlic; 4 small pieces of fresh ginger; ¼ of a chilli; 1 sprig of thyme; a pinch of saffron; 100ml of white wine vinegar; 100g of caster sugar METHOD 1. Venison terrine: Put the (boneless) venison leg boneless into a deep tray with the mirepoix vegetables. Add the red wine and game stock, water, juniper berries, and rosemary. Cover all the ingredients with aluminium foil and cook for 2½ -3 hours until tender. Shred the meat by hand, add 200ml of the stock and season to taste. Put all the meat into the ring moulds and set in the fridge 2. Vegetables a la grecque: Cut all vegetables (cornichon, radish, beans, turnips and broccoli) into small pieces.

A la grecque pickle liquid: Put star anise, cardamom pod, mustard seeds, clove, garlic clove, ginger, chilli, sprig of thyme, saffron, white wine vinegar, caster sugar and water into a large pan and slow simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables and leave in, to absorb the flavour 3. Egg yolk purée: Put the egg into the sous vide bag (vacuum bag) and cook at 65�C for 2 hours. After cooking, chill over ice.

To finish the egg purée add the sherry vinegar and olive oil, and mix all together 4. Brioche: cut small rings and toast 5. Nasturtium oil: blitz the nasturtium leaves and olive oil and pass through a muslin cloth 6. To assemble, place the terrine in the middle of a plate and arrange the vegetables on top. Place the small brioche ring in the centre of the terrine, and place the egg yolk purée on top of the brioche. Arrange the green beans around, garnish with pea shoots and drizzle with nasturtium oil

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A N D T O D R I N K? Wine expert Steve Hearnden suggests tipples to accompany the dishes from the Maids Head Hotel WHAT A ‘FEAST’ we have this month – venison! Hot or cold, venison is a meal packed with strong flavours and our chef has added herbs and spices to enhance the taste.

I was tempted to suggest a white wine from Alsace, knowing that the spicy taste would accompany the terrines so well, but old habits die hard and so I am suggesting two reds this month.

Venison Wellington is a well-known dish with so many different ingredients.

It will need a tough red wine to accompany it, and so a 1 Chateauneufdu Pape 2013 is just perfect. The Domaine la Ronciere produces the perfect wine; it has won many awards over the years. The major grape variety in this wine is Grenache with a little Syrah and Mouvedre added. The Rhone Valley runs north to south and the main climatic influence is the Mistral wind which blows through. The soil is made up of large pebbles and so when the sun shines during the day it heats up the stones which, in turn, during the night, keeps the vines warm. The end result for us is a high alcohol wine and full bodied!

Fermentation takes around 21 days and the wine is aged for 18 months in a tank. It will keep, if you let it, for 15 years plus, and in fact the wine will improve.

The wine has aromas of red berries and spices and has a powerful taste with soft tannins. It is well structured with a good length on the palate. £22.00 per bottle.

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The terrines have a totally different texture and flavours and so I am recommending a Cahors wine, made from the Malbec grape. The Malbec grape is grown extensively in South America, but in my opinion you cannot beat the wine from Cahors. It is often known as the ‘black wine’ due to its very dark colour which has ruby reflections. Chateau Famaey is run by two Flemish families who are extremely passionate about their wines. The wine is 2 Chateau Famaey – Cuvee X 2009.

The soil is gravel/clay and the area is favoured by some very hot summers.

The Domaine is in the Lot valley which has three levels of terraced vineyards.

The grapes are hand-picked with low yields, to obtain a high quality wine.

The aromas are very complex but have wood and raspberry as the base.

Tasting is also complex as it changes from supple to full-bodied; the tannins are well balanced, and it does have a long aftertaste. This wine needs to be decanted before drinking to get the best from it. £19.90 per bottle and in the right conditions it will keep for 25 years plus.

In summary, both these wines pack a punch although in different styles. Not for the faint hearted but truly a wonderful drinking experience.

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WHERE TO BUY Both wines available from Tastebuds Wines, based at Strumpshaw Post Office, visit www.tastebudswines.co.uk or contact Steve at steve@ tastebudswines.co.uk

ship .

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unde

owner

take a fresh look at the boars, spooner row

The new era of The Boars, Spooner Row, is about fine ales and wines, great food, good times and good people.

We pride ourselves on preparing realistically priced, classic food from ingredients sourced locally where possible.

Our menus change regularly and are supplemented by daily blackboard specials.

Children can choose half portions of many meals or from the ‘Little Piglets’ Menu. On Sundays we roast!

Find us just off the A11, 20 minutes south of Norwich in the small village of Spooner Row, NR18 9LL. For menus and opening times please visit our website: www.theboars.co.uk Bookings: 01953 605851

The Snug Bar and Garden are

friendly

Recently refurbished, delightful inn on the

north Norfolk coast

IRRESISTIBLE FOOD TRADITIONAL BAR CONTEMPORARY DINING ROOM C O S Y AT M O S P H E R E

www.chequersinnthornham.com info@chequersinnthornham.com High Street, Thornham, Norfolk, PE36 6LY | tel: 01485 512229

t s u Aug What's On

CHAMPAGNE AND OYSTERS

The White Horse at Brancaster is holding its second summer Oyster & Champagne Festival on August 19. Enjoy Brancaster Staithe oysters and Champagne in the ‘pop up’ bar at the bottom of the garden whilst watching the tide flood in across the tidal marsh. Oysters will be served six ways (with shallot vinegar, for example) and it promises to be one of the biggest tides of the year.

Visit www.whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk

DO

MISNS'T

HERB WALK

A Herb Walk will take place at Creake Abbey on August 7.

Learn about the folklore, history and science of Norfolk’s plant medicines, and how to use them, on guided walks with medical herbalist and author Andrew Chevallier. Meet outside the Creake Abbey Café and stop for a delicious lunch there afterwards.

Booking essential.

Visit www.creakeabbey.co.uk

FOOD FESTIVAL

The Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival takes place in the town centre on August 28 and 29. Turning up the heat in the kitchen on Sunday will be Galton Blackiston of Michelinstarred Morston Hall, and on Monday James Tanner, who has restaurants in Kent and the south west, heads up the menu.

Visit www.burystedmunds festivals.com

CARNIVAL ALE

Cromer Carnival takes place from August 13 to 19, so do go along to the Carnival Marquee to sample real ales and cider, including Carnival Ale! Carnival Day itself will be held on August 17, and rest assured the Red Arrows will be back this year.

Visit www.cromercarnival.co.uk

GIN FESTIVAL

The Gin Trap Inn at Ringstead is holding a Gin Festival on August 20, with bands playing until late in the beer garden and a BBQ, as well as glorious gin and Fever-Tree Tonic available throughout the day.

Visit www.thegintrapinn.co.uk

School’s out for summer! Time to get out and about and enjoy beer, barbecues, and so much more, says Emma Outten TEA IN THE GARDEN

August welcomes summer perennials and annual blooms which flower late into autumn and the NGS (National Gardens Scheme) open gardens provide some of the best displays to be seen in Norfolk, including The Long Barn at Newton Flotman on August 6. All the gardens highlighted will be serving delicious home-made teas.

Visit www.ngs.org.uk

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SMALLHOLDERS SHOW

The Norfolk Smallholders 10th Annual Show and Market takes place at Sheringham Park on August 7. As well as exhibitions and demonstrations, sheep shearing, and a fun dog show, expect home produced Norfolk food and drink stalls, such as Mark Richmond’s Nelson & Norfolk Tea company.

Visit www.nstg.org.uk

SMALLHOLDERS SHOW

FOOD FESTIVAL

The Sandringham Estate will be hosting a Food and Drink Festival on August 6 and 7. Expect celebrity chefs Theo Randall and Daniel Clifford on the Saturday; John Torode and Lisa Faulkner on the Sunday; plus Jimmy Buchan and Holly Bell on both days. Inbetween chefs you will have time to browse food tents, offering different foods, drink and cookery gadgets.

Visit www.livingheritagefoodfestivals.co.uk

An d don't forget. .

The new series of Great British Bake Off begins on BBC One this month!

SHOW TIME

The Aylsham Show takes place on August 29.

Expect a cookery theatre, food hall, craft area and much more. It’s one of the best local agricultural shows, and takes place within National Trust parkland at Blickling Hall.

This being the 70th year of the Show, organisers are looking at ways to bring some new ideas to the Show and maybe expand some activities on the Sunday prior to the Bank Holiday Monday.

Visit www.the aylshamshow.co.uk

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CATHEDRAL CONCERT

Emma Nuule, a Norwich based soprano singer, will be in concert at The Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich on August 7, with pianist Will Fergusson in support. And, what’s more, the bar will be open for drinks in the garden.

Visit www.sjbcathedral.org.uk

Aylsham Show -

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wE COULD BE HerOES Five of the best food and drink producers, suppliers and businesses in the county have been chosen by the knowledgeable judges from this year's Aylsham Show Norfolk Hero Food & Drink Awards. Ed Foss showcases them in the run up to the show

VISIT

www.theaylshamshow.co.uk

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THIS YEAR' S WINN ERS ARE:

BEST SPECIALIST FOOD OR DRINK PRODUCER,

sponsored by Gressingham Food

Joint Winners: G F White Traditional Butchers in

Aylsham and Truly Local, which sources all of its produce from within a 40 mile radius of its Stalham shop.

BEST USE OF NORFOLK PRODUCE ON MENU,

sponsored by Barclays Winner : Rocky Bottoms, an eat-in and takeaway crab and lobster cafe in a stunning location in West Runton, opened in May 2015.

BEST FOOD OR DRINK SUPPLIER/RETAILER PROMOTING AND SELLING A LARGE RANGE OF NORFOLK PRODUCE, sponsored by Dewing Grain

Winner : Norfolk Quail, producers of quail eggs and meat plus chicken eggs at Great Ryburgh, using an entirely ‘free to fly’ system for the quail flocks.

BEST NEW FOOD OR DRINK VENTURE,

sponsored by For Farmers Winner : Scrummy Pig, which sells a range of produce including sausages, charcuterie, artisan breads, cheeses and beers from its shop at Wroxham Barns. ©

SIMON EVANS & CRAWFORD WHITE (LEFT TO RIGHT)

THE AYLSHAM SHOW Norfolk Hero Food & Drink Awards, sponsored this year by chartered accountants Lovewell Blake, have gained an ever increasing reputation and a wider following in the 10 years they have been running. Previous winners have benefited from the promotion which accompanies the awards, as well as the pure satisfaction of being named the best in their category.

Alison Matthews, one of the Matthews fishing family at the helm of Rocky Bottoms, says: ‘We have only been open for slightly more than a year, so recognition like this is absolutely lovely.

‘The business has taken off far more than we were expecting in the last few months and there’s no doubt awards like this make a real difference to people’s awareness of what we are trying to achieve.’

Crawford White of GF White on Red Lion Street in Aylsham says: ‘It's a pat on the back and we're enormously grateful to our customers for the entries they have made into various competitions over the years on our behalf.

‘We don't fluff it up here, what you see is what you get – and I'd like to think that what you get is a quality product at a highly competitive price alongside good, local, well informed and friendly service.

‘We've noticed that a lot of younger mums have started coming here in recent years because they recognise the importance of high quality food for their children.’

The only produce Whites buy in is Scottish black pudding, everything else comes from local growers which is slaughtered at Blakes in Horsford and butchered in Aylsham.

Hero Awards chairman Jacinth Rogers said the range of winners this year both in terms of geographic location and type of produce was further evidence of the attraction of the awards.

‘We are seeing entries from all over the county, across all sorts of business types. This year's judges made it very clear to us that all of the nominees visited were of a very high standard, and that the final results were very close indeed.’

The Overall Champion was chosen from the five category winners at a second round of judging last month. The winner will be announced on Show Day, Bank Holiday Monday, August 29, at Blickling Estate.

This announcement will be made by Show President Simon Evans. The winner will be presented with the Ken Dye Memorial Salver.

Also on Show Day, Simon will reveal his choice for the Aylsham Show Individual Food or Drink Hero. The winner of this award will be presented with the Aylsham Show Presidents Tankard.

The show, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year and attracts around 15,000 people, will feature the usual mix of livestock, country pursuits, displays, food, crafts, and family-friendly attractions.

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MOLLY FOSS

DELI AWARDS

The 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Awards have already opened, and we’re wondering if a farm shop or deli in Norfolk can emulate the success of the current ‘Retailer of the Year’ Arthur Howells, the award-winning butcher from Wells-next-the-Sea. The Awards are free to enter and open to all independent retailers selling regional fresh/farm produce or with a delicatessen counter.

Visit www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk

WINNING WINE

Congratulations to Lee Dyer and the rest of the team at Winbirri Vineyard near Norwich, on their recent wins: gold for their Bacchus 2015 in the UK Vineyards Association’s Wine of the Year Competition, followed by three trophies at the English and Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. Lee says: ‘It is the first time for 36 years a Norfolk vineyard has won a trophy at this competition.’

Visit www.winbirri.com

NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY

THE KINGS HEAD

The Kings Head, Letheringsett, near Holt, is now part of award-winning family group Anglian County Inns, which is also behind The White Horse and The Jolly Sailors in Brancaster. They have great plans for the menu (having recently received three stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association) and say they will be using lots more locally sourced produce.

Visit www.kingsheadnorfolk.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP Who says summer can be a dry season when it comes to news? There’s always food and drink news in Norfolk, says Emma Outten!

SAFFRON MUSEUM

During the summer holidays, north Norfolk village Burnham Norton will play host to the UK’s only museum dedicated solely to saffron. The pop-up museum, in a specially-built shepherd’s hut, is the brainchild of Dr Sally Francis, who runs the award-winning business Norfolk Saffron and is the county’s only saffron-grower.

Visit www.norfolksaffron.co.uk

GUEST ALE

DRIP MAT MESSAGE

Big C, Norfolk’s Cancer Charity, has teamed up with Adnams for its new #cancerconversations summer campaign, launched at The Rumsey Wells pub in Norwich.

The new initiative is designed to get people talking about cancer, and promotional posters, along with packs of 125 drip mats featuring five different designs, have been sent to the 280 Norfolk and Waveney pubs involved.

Visit www.big-c.co.uk

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Norfolk brewery Woodforde’s has unveiled the latest in its seasonal programme of guest beers: the 4.3 per cent American-style IPA, Norada.

It’s the latest recipe from Woodforde’s Head Brewer, Belinda Jennings, who joined the brewery last September, and the beer is named after one of the three surviving wherry yachts all built by Ernest Collins of Wroxham in the Norfolk Broads.

Visit www.woodfordes.co.uk

GREAT BRITISH BEER

News & Gossip THE NORFOLK BREWHOUSE

The Norfolk Brewhouse, based in Hindringham, is to have one of its beers – Moon Gazer Dark Mild – showcase North Norfolk beers at this year’s Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), the biggest beer festival in the country which takes place at Olympia, in London this month. And to think it may never have happened, as the Dark Mild was originally a reluctant creation!

Visit www.norfolkbrewhouse.co.uk

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Congratulations to H.V. Graves, celebrating its 70th anniversary after Herbert or ‘Bertie’ founded the Briston butcher shop on August 21, 1946.

Today it has three shops in Briston plus a butcher counter in Bakers and Larners Food Hall in Holt.

The team will be celebrating with a hog roast and raffle in the street outside the three shops.

Visit www.hvgraves.co.uk

40TH BIRTHDAY BURGERS

Fans of Norfolk dining institution Zaks were able to buy their favourite burgers at 1976 prices as the much-loved family favourite turned back time to mark its 40th birthday recently. The company, which runs authentic American-diners, in Norwich, Poringland and Thetford, served up two of its biggest sellers at their original prices as part of the one-off anniversary event outside The Forum.

Visit www.zaks.uk.com

BRITANNIA RULES

Café Britannia, the Norwich-based, ground-breaking social enterprise run by prisoners, has just taken up residency at The Willow Centre, on the Round House Park Development in Norwich. The van will be serving coffee, tea, bacon rolls, cakes, pastries and snacks. Perfect for the summer holidays we reckon!

Visit www.cafebritannia.co.uk CAFÉ BRITANNIA

FIGGY PUDDING

We’re looking forward to trying out the new Figbar in St John Maddermarket, Norwich. It opened last month, and Executive Pastry Chef Jaime Garbutt (whose background includes positions at Michelin-starred Pétrus and Morston Hall) and wife Stephanie aim to amplify your sweet tooth and bring dessert into focus.

Visit www.figbarnorwich.com

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The Black Horse rides again

One of the flagship pubs in Norwich’s Golden Triangle has a new owner, Rose Hanison, with a strong pedigree of her own! Sarah Hardy reports www.theblackhorsenorwich.com

THE BLACK HORSE, a handsome place on one of Norwich’s leading arteries, Earlham Road, has been attracting visitors for more than 300 years. Enter Rose Hanison, from the Hanison family who ran the Unthank Arms for many years. Last year she teamed up with Punch, one of the country’s biggest pub companies, and together they have invested £450,000 to refit and revamp this former coaching inn.

Now it’s a warm and welcoming place, with its good food, real ales and unusual spirits making it a firm favourite with locals and those from further afield.

Inside sees two distinct areas: a busy bar with slate floors and much banquette seating, while a more formal restaurant, complete with wood burner, is towards the rear.

Look out for photographs of yesteryear Norwich, a book-lined cosy spot and plenty of newspapers to devour. Colours on walls and furnishings are muted, with splashes of deep red and emerald green, and it all adds up to making a very comfortable atmosphere.

As with many pubs today, food is an important part of what the Black Horse is about and there’s an accent on local produce and local producers. Rose comments: ’We are constantly looking for the best possible produce available.’

The menu changes regularly, to reflect the seasons. Look out for Cromer crab salad at the moment, for example, or a delicious Eton Mess with Norfolk strawberries. And there’s always favourites such as Adnams battered fish and chips, ham, egg and chips, or their take on the classic burger, pork and chorizo with Jalapeño cheese, on offer.

‘You might have someone enjoying a fine dining experience in the restaurant, as someone else has burger and chips in the bar,’ says Rose. ‘The chefs like to develop their own dishes, working with seasonal ingredients.’

One real treat is brunch, with lots of tempting options available with yours truly liking the Virgin Mary eggy bread or the avocado poached egg with spiced red pepper dressing very much. And I really enjoy their laid back Sunday lunches, served until 4pm. They are great value, with very good cauliflower cheese available too. You certainly don’t need any supper afterwards!

"You might have someon e enjoyi ng a fine dining experience in the restaurant, as someon e else has burger and chips in the bar"

PICTURES BY

KEV FOSTER www.kevfoster.com

VISIT

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TEL

01603 630880

Adnams’ beers are on offer alongside other local artisan ales, and the wine list is comprehensive, with very good price points. ‘We work hard on this, to offer plenty of choice and an out-of- theordinary selection. It’s definitely worth having a good look at what we have,’ says Rose, who has worked in the hospitality industry for 13 years, including seven years in London.

Dogs are welcome in the bar area, there’s a children’s menu for little ones, too, and, perfect at this time of year, is a large, enclosed garden with plenty of tables and chairs. ‘We are hoping to get hammocks and bean bags out there soon,’ says Rose.

And there’s also a cottage adjoining the pub where there are four double en suite bedrooms which Rose has on her agenda as a project for 2017.

Various summer events, including wine tastings and a bank holiday celebration, are planned, so do check out their social media for more details.

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HETHER YOU ARE a fan of five cups of coffee a day, or secretly prefer to take tea, the phrase ‘meet me for a coffee’ is very much part of modern parlance.

Café culture is not confined to the fine city of Norwich, of course (north Norfolk, for example, can boast countless awardwinning cafés in its market towns and villages), but when it comes to coffee establishments in Norwich alone, there’s no doubt that the city has quality and choice and their contribution to the local economy should not be underestimated.

Mel Cook, PR Manager of VisitNorwich, believes that the city lends itself perfectly to café culture: ‘With Norwich being a compact medieval city full of small lanes, alleys and pedestrianised areas, invariably there are lots of small premises. Almost weekly I turn a corner and a new coffee shop has opened in Norwich and they all thrive. Drinking coffee today is a big part of our daily lives, it’s normal to stop and have a cup by yourself - whatever your age, it's no longer just for drinking when meeting up with friends. People pop into coffee shops for a real experience; the taste, smell - the design.

It's now an art form to be able to make a great coffee with a big machine!’

She adds: ‘And coffee shops encourage this experience to be something wonderful.

Coffee houses are cleverly designed; contemporary as well as traditional, providing WiFi, newspapers and magazines in many of them. Fit for working, holding a meeting, being comfortable with your own company or to settle in with family or friends.’

According to Norwich HEART (Heritage Economic & Regeneration Trust) the first Coffee House in Norwich was opened in 1680, soon to be followed by others, and coffee houses were to remain popular meeting places - for men - until the 19th century.

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CAFÉ CULTURE This is the perfect time of year for immersing yourself in café society, sitting outside with a latte and doing a spot of people watching.

Emma Outten gets a caffeine kick

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FACTFILE

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

VISIT

Chase’s Norwich directory 1783 lists three coffee houses, all in Market Place: Johnson’s at No.43, Tuck’s at 39 and Coleman’s at 25, the compiler commenting that whilst the many excellent inns and taverns were not handsome or spacious enough, the coffee houses were sufficiently good. Others were known to exist in St. Andrew‘s and Tombland, whilst The Gate was situated in the Upper Close.

In Norwich Brady‘s Coffee House was known for the distribution of political tracts whilst the Union became the venue for meetings of The Union Lodge. The sale of tickets for concerts, balls and assemblies was another service offered by these establishments. For example, a notice in the Norwich Mercury in 1744 advertised an Assembly at Chapel-Fields House and

www.brit ishco ffeea ssoci ation .org

One Coffee is the most popular

drink on earth with around two billion cups consumed worldwide every day, and approximately 70 million drunk daily here in the UK Two The largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to 40 per cent of total world output Three Moderate coffeeconsumption equates to about five cups of instant coffee, four cups of freshly brewed coffee or equivalent amounts of other caffeine-containing food and drink Four Coffee is recognised as an important source of fluid in the diet when consumed in moderation Five The caffeine in coffee has been shown to significantly increase performance and aid concentration Six The Department of Transport advises drivers to ‘drink two cups of coffee or a high-caffeine drink and have a rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow time for the caffeine to kick in Seven Some research has suggested that drinking coffee on a regular basis may help protect against a range of diseases including heart disease, liver cancer, kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease

some Shakespearean plays, stating that tickets were available from Gray‘s Coffee House.

As the nineteenth century proceeded coffee houses gradually began to lose their popularity. And as the professional and commercial world became more complex, business transactions began to move out of the coffee houses into purpose built offices. And coffee slowly gave way to tea and alcohol.

The Norwich HEART report concludes that few people today are aware of those original coffee houses or know of their unique contribution to the development of our modern society.

And Mel points out: ‘A lot of the time you are buying into a lifestyle - this is especially so with independent coffee houses. I believe you can tell a lot about a person just by where they drink their coffee.’

Middle of nowhere, centre of everywhere!

Fresh, local and seasonal is our ethos here at the Saracen’s Head, so come and enjoy a delicious, locally sourced meal in our restaurant or courtyard garden.

In July & August we will be open 7 days a week.

Lunch orders will be taken from 12.00 to 2.30. Dinner from 6.30 to 9.00, except Sundays and Mondays 6.30 to 8.30 For further information or to make a booking call us on 01263 768909 or email info@saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

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Henry's

Coffee & Tea Store

2 Church Street Cromer NR2 79ER

Leaf Teas, Ground Coffee, with Milkshakes & Smoothies Homemade Cakes incl Gluten Free, Pork Pies, Soups, Sausage Rolls and More ....

friends

www.saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

Fresh, local and seasonal is our ethos here at the Saracens. Being in the middle of nowhere is the perfect excuse to come and enjoy a meal whilst you explore this wonderful part of North Norfolk. Our full menu is available every day, lunch and dinner and in addition we have our summer lunch menu from Monday to Saturday. Sunday lunches are very special and we offer the most delicious roast rump of Blickling reared beef.

If it’s too far to travel for a meal, why not stay the night and make a quick break of it!

COFFEE HOUSE

Summer Opening Times

In July & August we will be open 7 days a week this summer Lunch orders will be taken from 12.00 to 2.30 Dinner from 6.30 to 9.00, except Sundays and Mondays 6.30 to 8.30

Next time you are in Holt, come and see us

COFFEE

We stock a wide range of freshly roasted coffee beans which we can grind to your requirements

TEA C A K E S & PA S T R I E S LIGHT LUNCHES

Coffee roasted by Square Mile Roasters, London Norfolk distributor for La Cimbali & Nuova Simonelli

theblackapollocoffehouse

The Black Apollo Coffee House 24 High Street, Holt NR24 6BH TE LE PHON E

01263 712495

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A D V E R T O R I A L

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ULTIMATE COLLECTION FOR ULTIMATE RESULTS

Hotpoint, Britain’s favourite appliance brand, has launched a new collection of small appliances; the Ultimate Collection, featuring modern digital controls combined with ultimate performance Whether you’re a novice or an expert in the kitchen, Hotpoint’s Small Domestic Appliances are the perfect tools to unleash your inner chef. The new range of products include kettles, toasters and even a microwave. The clever appliances make light work of any kitchen task, from preparing a quick melted cheese toastie to producing refreshing sorbets in the slow juicer.

The Ultimate Collection helps you to celebrate cooking at home with your family, encouraging you to get creative in the kitchen. The range has been designed to combine both style and functionality while delivering outstanding results to become the ultimate aid in the kitchen.

ULTIMATE CONTACT GRILL

Cook fresh, tasty and healthy food with the new 3-in-1 Contact Grill, featuring grill, toast and cook functions. The versatile Contact Grill has five different temperature settings and can be used closed as a grill or can be opened fully to 180 degrees as a griddle. Grill delicious and healthy homemade burgers in minutes, thanks to the integrated drip tray and enjoy alfresco dining during the warm summer months.

ULTIMATE MILK FROTHER

The Ultimate Collection Milk Frother can whip up a selection of delicious summer drinks in minutes. Impress family and friends with frothy iced coffees, decadent chocolate sauces and creamy milkshakes. The Milk Frother features four temperature settings (cold milk, 40˚C, 65˚C, 85˚C) and induction technology for fast heat up and easy cleaning.

ULTIMATE HAND BLENDER

The Ultimate Collection 5 in 1 Hand Blender is truly versatile allowing you to slice, shred, shake, whisk, whip, knead, chop and grind. It has been cleverly designed with a practical storage system to help keep your worktop clean, tidy and safe. This product is the ultimate aid in the kitchen, create fresh soups in an instant, chop up chunky guacamole or whisk up fresh cream for succulent inseason strawberries.

ULTIMATE SLOW JUICER

We all know that we should be eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day but it's not always easy to find time. Juicing is a simple way to help enjoy unrefined sugars, providing you with a natural energy boost. Hotpoint’s Slow Juicer not only allows you to create nutritious juices but also features a sorbet accessory to produce refreshing summer sorbets in minutes.

Shop the ra nge at www.hughes.co.uk

Felicity Montagu might

Felicity Montagu -

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be best known for playing PA to Norfolk’s favourite fictional character, Alan Partridge. Next month she stars as Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice at Norwich Theatre Royal. Emma Outten asks the foodie themed questions

A H P L A & S pA PaTAPaS

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Have you performed in Norwich before, and, if so, where do you like to go out for something to eat and drink when you are staying in the city?

I performed in Norwich Railway Station as Lynn where we filmed one of Alan Partridge’s book launches. We were so busy all day, Steve Coogan, aka Alan, bought sandwiches. Mine was delicious.

Is there a pub or restaurant you are particularly looking forward to visiting when you come this time?

I shall be heading for the Blue Joanna Bar & Kitchen (tapas street food) because it has been highly recommended and I just love tapas.

Do you know Norfolk well? If so, is there anything you particularly like about our food and drink in this part of the country?

I’m fond of Norfolk. I had a very happy family holiday near Cromer when the children were young and visited the Cromer Picture House where their dad and I had flapjacks and espressos and the kids covered themselves with ice creams.

Do you know what samphire is?

Yes – who’s asking?

What do you tend to eat/drink before a performance? And do you eat/drink anything afterwards?

I have something very simple like rocket and chicken salad and pray I won’t be starving after the show because that is normally a disaster and I am tempted by everything.

Do you find time to cook at home?

Yes I do, I find it relaxing and it is great to produce your own meals after being on tour for so long.

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FELICITY MONTAGU

Pride and Prejudice comes to Norwich Theatre Royal from September 27 to October 1. Call 01603 630000 or visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

LAYING ALAN PARTRIDGE’S long-suffering PA, Lynn, has meant that actress Felicity Montagu has spent quite a bit of time in Norwich filming, especially for Alpha Papa.

She was also Perpetua in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Mrs Mainwaring in Dad’s Army, plus she has done absolutely loads of TV work over the past 30 years. And next month she is playing Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice at Norwich Theatre Royal

Or a favourite ingredient?

My favourite ingredients are lime and lemon zest and ginger.

And have you had any cooking disasters?

Not sure I’d like to ask my children that one, but suffice to say tossing pancakes and getting them stuck on ceilings is just one of many that comes in to mind.

Who would be your dream dinner party guests?

Barbara Flynn, Keeley Hawes, Jeff Rawle and Nina Marc, and Miranda Richardson.

Do you have a favourite TV chef and why?

Tamasin Day-Lewis. Her recipes are so intelligent and imaginative and well-budgeted and, most important of all, scrumptious!

What was your best ever meal out and why?

A place called Hotel L’Auberge in London – Christmas Day with my beloved father, and my children with their father, with a man playing a harmonica and, of course, delicious food.

What would your last supper consist of?

Chocolate and chips – and all the things I’m not allowed.

2nd Summer Oyster & Champagne Festival Friday 19th August, 4pm ‘til sunset in the ‘pop up’ bar at the bottom of our garden 8.8M tide at 7.28pm

Welcome to

THE MID-NORFOLK RAILWAY THE DEREHAM – WYMONDHAM ABBEY LINE

T H E G R E AT B R I T I S H B R E A K FA ST Diesel Hauled in our First Class Restaurant Car, Saturday 20th August

Brancaster Staithe Oysters served 6 ways shallot vinegar | tempura & sweet chilli mint, cucumber & strawberry | bloody Mary tom yum | nettle & mirin together with a ‘Feast’ of other treats

MuLive sic

• enjoy the stunning tide • spectacular sunset • NO NEED TO BOOK

The White Horse BRANCASTER STAITHE • NORFOLK • PE31 8BY 01485 210262 • reception@whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk www.whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk

B R E C K L A N D E R C R E A M T E A S E RV I C E Every Sunday on the 15.45 departure from Dereham until 18th September B R E C K L A N D F RY E R F I S H & C H I P S P E C I A L Enjoy your meal as we pass through the beautiful Heart of Norfolk countryside between the Market towns of Dereham and Wymondham. Tickets are limited for our Breckland Fryer trains, and booking in advance is essential. Saturday 20th August

a treat at your seat… on train cat ering For more details visit www.mnr.org.uk or call 01362 851723

The Wiveton Bell Eat • Drink • Sleep

AA Four Star Gold Award Boutique Rooms a mile from Blakeney and Cley

CA 015LL 08 538 211 Fan a stic LivetM throu usic Augus ghout t

• • • • •

Frida Frida y 5th Sund y 12th a Frida y 21st Sund y 26th ay 28t h

Open All Day Award Winning Menu Stylish Interiors South Facing Garden 4 Local Ales

LIVE MUSIC SEE O

R WEBSU ITE

FOR FULL

DETAILS

Rockland St Mary, Norwich. NR14 7HP

www.thenewinnrockland.co.uk

AA Rosette Award 2016

INSPECTORS FAVOURITE

THE GREEN, BLAKENEY ROAD, WIVETON, HOLT, NORFOLK NR25 7TL T: 01263 740101

www.wivetonbell.com See website for opening times

F I V E OSFT THE BE k

rkstoc What with Po ce next g pla festival takin a round up 's e r e h , th n o m est places of some our b ork! to shop for p A RC H E R ’ S B U TC H E R S

Plumstead Road, Norwich, visit www.archersbutchers.com

Archer's Butchers not only supply award winning sausages and free-range meat, along with their fantastic range of BBQ goodies, they can now offer you DIY hog roast for your summer parties and celebrations. They literally supply the whole caboodle! This includes the beautiful Blythburgh free-range pulled shoulder of pork, locally baked bread rolls, homemade apple sauce, and - not forgetting - the sage and onion stuffing.

They even supply your napkins. The price works out at only £4 per person based on the minimum order of 20 people. All is supplied in professional temperature-controlled transportation boxes. Archer's Butchers have just made summer even more appealing.

O RC H A R D FA R M A N D B U TC H E R S S H O P

Holverston, near Norwich, visit www.facebook.com/ orchardfarmnorfolk

Valerie Whitworth and Chris Cole of Orchard Farm are passionate about rearing high welfare animals and selling top quality meats – literally fresh from the farm straight to the customer!

With pork being featured, they have plenty to offer. From Orchard Farm’s great selection of sausages, all made on the premises, (pork, apple with cider, being one of my personal favourites), to their own hand cured bacon, succulent pork chops, stuffed pork steaks and pork shoulder for the ‘Pulled Pork’ connoisseur! Not forgetting delicious racks of pork ribs to marinate for your BBQs and, for those throwing a dinner party, French trim loin of pork, all are cut and prepared to the customers' own specifications.

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156 Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, visit www.thorpebutchers.co.uk

Andy and Tony, the two brothers who have been running Thorpe Butchers for almost 30 years, are very proud to say that all their meats are traceable and sourced locally from Norfolk farms. Their pork comes from Blake’s Bull Farm, which is located on the Reepham Road. They have 30 different varieties of pork sausages that are so outstanding, they have been entered into competitions! Gluten free sausages are also an option. As we are still in BBQ season, why not try Thorpe Butchers’ own delicious pork burgers and boneless pork chops as an alternative? The sausages, along with the burgers, are handmade on the premises using only the finest ingredients. Find them in the heart of Thorpe St Andrew. This shop has been awarded a five star hygiene rating.

M & M RU T L A N D

Briston Road, Melton Constable, visit www.rutland-butchers.co.uk

This multi-award winning family butchers has an amazing range of mouth-watering pork offerings. They pride themselves on their world famous homemade sausages with flavours including old spot pork and marmite, the extremely tasty honey glazed gammon sausage, delicious and versatile rustic Italian and not forgetting their renowned luxury Norfolk haggis sausage. Another of Rutland’s specialities is the do-ityourself mini hog roast. This comprises a loin of free range old spot pork, boned and finely scored for easy cooking, carving and amazing crackling. It can be oven-roasted or barbecued and, as you are able to choose the size you want, it can feed from two to 100. Do give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.

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WA L S I N G H A M FA R M S H O P

Little Walsingham, visit www.walsingham.co

Walsingham butchery’s pork is quality, well cared for meat, sourced locally from Tim Allen at Morley Farm, South Creake. They pride themselves on their inch thick T-bone chop which can be marinated to your own requirements, or try a pork shoulder, one of the tastiest cuts, which they bone and roll. Their freezer service enables you to choose how to portion a half pig - easy! If you want to learn the ‘Art of Butchery’, a monthly course offers hands on lessons using half a pig, nose to tail.

Take home sausages and a rolled joint made on the day and enjoy a hog roast roll, local beer and lots of fun! See online for more information.

L O C A L LY S O U R C E D F R E S H F O O D 3 C O U R S E S £ 3 5 . 7 5 • F R E E PA R K I N G

CARROW ROAD NORWICH

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Sarah Hardy visits the courtyard café at Hoveton Hall where produce from the garden features strongly on the menu

THE CAFÉ OPENS Sunday to Friday

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Alex also runs a thriving outd oor cate ring bus iness, with wed dings a spec iality

THE TIME OF YEAR we all want to eat outside and, in true Blighty spirit, we often do regardless of the weather.

The Garden Kitchen Café at Hoveton Hall in The Broads is a welcome new addition to the region’s foodie scene and, as you might expect, is very much an outside option.

Situated in beautiful old farm buildings, including the old dairy, at the Regency hall near Wroxham, the café is the brainchild of Alex Firman, a chef of some 20 years’ experience. His team also includes, as front of house manager, Libby Peryer, who ran Libby Ferris florists in Norwich for many years.

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It opened in May and closes in October so has quite a short season but, gosh, is it pretty? The majority of the seating is outside, with tables scattered around the enclosed courtyard which also has a pizza oven. Brilliant orange parasols give shots of colour and the abundance of flower-filled tubs is impressive - look out for sweet smelling herbs, especially little bay trees, perking up the place. I just loved it!

There’s a swanky open plan kitchen area in one of the farm buildings, plus a biggish table for guests on chilly days but, and here’s the clever bit, there are several tables under cover in an open fronted cart shed. With overhead heaters, there’s the best of both worlds - sitting outside but a little bit protected!

So the setting is something special but what of the food? For my money, it is just right. For a start, much use is made of local produce, especially lamb, from the neighbouring Hoveton Hall Farm, and locally caught fish.

And look out for vegetables, herbs and salad leaves grown on the estate, with Alex saying: ‘We want eating here to feel like drawing up a chair to the best farmhouse kitchen table you can imagine.’

There’s a Mediterranean vibe, with lots of salads, quiches, a daily pie, and a soup of the day, as well as dishes such as crisp fried Bungay brie, with bread and butter, pickles and salad; and salmon tart, with sesame noodles, coriander and sweet chilli.

And a café isn’t a true café without lots of lovely cakes and puddings on offer, from chocolate brownies to doughnuts, carrot cake and homemade ice creams!

We sat, with the ever present dog, in the cart shed, weighing up the daily specials and the regular menu and then I did what I often do: I ordered what the woman had on the next table!

A very decent ploughman’s, with two cheeses, thick cut ham, a banana and date chutney, a few leaves, and masses of bread and butter for £11.

Husband had a hot mackerel dog with Asian slaw and chilli sauce at £7. Both dishes oozed colour and vitality, and disappeared quick!

We also shared a very gooey piece of chocolate brownie, although some of the sundaes caught my eye, along with the malted milk shakes and huge scones!

And, somewhat surprisingly for what is mainly a lunchtime spot, there’s a rather good wine list. I was heading for a long walk on the beach, so went for a Norfolk Cordial and a strongish latte, while Himself had the ubiquitous Coke.

The café has a lovely peaceful feel to it.

There’s plenty of free parking and plants are on sale, too. The hall’s splendid gardens have closed for the season but private tours are welcome, and there’s also a performance of Gulliver’s Travels planned for August 14.

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you

KNOW YOU’VE come to the right place to have lunch on a hot summer’s day when the signs are urging you to turn in and enjoy the ‘sunny decking’.

And so it was that we decided to head up to Briarfields Hotel in Titchwell, North Norfolk, to continue to celebrate my partner’s son’s 18th birthday.

It feels so good to get out of the city every now and then; to leave the stresses and strains of modern life behind. And as soon as we stepped out of the car, it was as if any cares dissipated.

There’s a vantage point at the end of the car park which shows North Norfolk at its very best: the sea and the sky, the fields and the flint cottages, and all around us was teeming with birdlife of course – RSPB Titchwell is nearby, after all.

Briarfields looks as though it’s had a rather impressive refurbishment in recent times and there’s a nice new play area outside.

Inside, leather sofas surround a central bar area (this was also duly noted for when the weather is less warm), and the restaurant lets in lots of the lovely light, but there was really nothing else for it, on the day we went: we needed to hit the decking.

As it was just about the afternoon, we took outside a glass of ‘feisty fizz’: Prosecco, Fabiano Brut, Veneto IT (£5.25 for 125ml), to be precise.

The service is good; perish the thought we should carry our own glass out in the sunshine, and a slightly less than perfect knife on the table was whisked away seamlessly.

Briarfields -

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Briarfields in Titchwell is a beautiful place for

The lunch menu starts with tapas, then segues into salads and sandwiches. Sitting out in the sun, we eyed up the Briarfields ploughman’s (with Norfolk Dapple and Binham Blue) arriving on the next table and were tempted. There are starters, of course – but even I baulk at having three courses out in the midday sun.

My partner’s son had beer battered haddock for his main, with hand-cut chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce (£12.95). These were chunky chips to be sure – definitely not skinny fries. He does have a habit of having tomato sauce with his chips, rather than the other way round, but the birthday boy was happy, which was the main thing! We all tried the beer batter (very good), and the tartare sauce was pretty tasty, too.

If you like your meat, then you can rest assured it’s local – at the bottom of the menu it’s there for all to see that the beef is supplied by James Woodhouse at Hill House Farm, Walsingham; pork by Tim Allen at Morley Farm; and lamb by Nick Gardner at Compton Hall Farm, both in South Creake. In general, there’s a feeling that Norfolk suppliers are important here.

My partner and I chose our mains from the daily specials: roast breast of Norfolk chicken for me, with fondant potato, a pea, bacon and cabbage fricassee, and a red wine sauce (£16.50); and baked Brancaster crab thermidor for him, with Norfolk peer potatoes and Titchwell samphire (£14.95). My chicken was perfectly succulent and my partner raved about his potatoes – Norfolk peer is clearly peerless! So

a spot of lunch in the sun. Emma Ou tten escapes the city for something rather sublime

L, BRIARFIELDS HOTE 210742 or visit Titchwell. Call 01485 rfolk.co.uk www.briarfieldshotelno

much so, he ate them all first before saving the best bit until last: the crab. We both tucked into the crispy topped crab, and with Titchwell samphire on the plate, food really doesn’t get more local than this, does it?

For desserts, my gut told me to go for the iced praline parfait, with chocolate sauce and biscotti (£6), but why stop at just that when you can go for an assiette of desserts, including the parfait, baked chocolate torte and lemon tart (£7.50).

What a marvellous idea an assiette is, to those who normally have a dilemma over desserts.

My partner had the caramelised rum and raisin crème brulee, with biscotti (£6) and looked like he was in heaven, cracking through the shard of hard caramel and delving into the cream custardy depths beneath. My partner’s son opted for the raspberry mousse, with vanilla cream and shortbread (£6), which was fine until we all remembered his suspected lactose intolerance!

Still, that meant there was more for us oldies to enjoy.

The terrace clearly comes into its own over the summer. Imagine long lunches looking out towards the sea and you get the picture – in fact, the doors are wide open to diners from 12 noon to 9pm during the six-week summer holiday.

As we were about to leave, I noticed a word of warning: ‘the decking area can be slippery during wet and frosty weather’. Well, there was no chance of any slip ups on the day we went, and long may this perfect weather for al fresco dining continue!

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THE SWEET SPOT

Norwich artisan baker Steve Winter turns his attentions to the sweeter side of baking

STEVEN WINTER

BREAD SOURCE, Red Lion Street, Aylsham and Upper St Giles, Norwich, visit www.bread-source.com AT THE BAKERY we don't just make bread as our name suggests, we also produce sweet goods that are known in the bakery world as viennoiseries. You will probably not have heard this term but will have certainly enjoyed plenty of this French style of pastry: pain au raisin and pain au chocolate, to name a couple, and, of course, the world famous crescent shaped croissant, the king of them all. In fact, I'm now going to drop a bomb shell and tell you that one of the greatest symbols of France - the croissant - isn't French at all and actually came out of the Austrian Empire!

The job of producing viennoiserie in the bakery is hard to define, as to whether it falls to the baker or the pastry chef. Bakers like to work with living doughs, heat and hot ovens, and are responsible for making the more rustic breads. Whereas the pastry chef likes working with the cold, producing beautiful creations with precision. Viennoiserie sits right in the middle and is made using a sweet leavened bread dough, which is folded many times with cold butter and baked in a hot oven

to create thousands of flaky, melt in the mouth, buttery layers.

This style of baking rose to prominence in the 1830s, when an Austrian named August Zang opened a small bakery in Paris specialising in viennoiserie, which quickly gained a reputation among locals and professionals. So although the croissant may have been invented in Austria, the French can say it was perfected in Paris.

Closer to home, in Norwich, we make our pastries daily, keeping that French connection.

They are mixed by our French bakery manager, Jonas Fourier, using a very special French croissant butter that comes in 2kg blocks for that unique flavour.

We will be running workshops where you will be able to create and bake a range of bakery quality pastry at our new shop and school at 93 Upper St Giles, Norwich. Or you can take the easy option and buy one to enjoy there and then with a coffee. • We are still working on our website but you will be able to find details of all courses on Twitter @bread_source

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Charlotte Gurney takes to the mic when BBC Radio Norfolk came and set up their equipment between the raspberry canes WHITE HOUSE FARM, BLUE BOAR LANE, NORWICH, TEL 01603 419357 OR VISIT WWW.NORWICH-PYO.CO.UK

LAST MONTH we had a surprise visit from BBC Radio Norfolk who came to White House Farm to hold their midweek show live from the raspberry canes, interviewing the full team, from the farmer to Anya, the resident baker.

We talked all things juicy; strawberries, Brexit and what the customers really think good value is! As you can imagine, this caused much nervous excitement as the team polished the shop and café, smoothed the creases out of their red aprons and honed their radio voices! Thordis, Edd and Anna mapped the farm, tested their radio car for signal in the various strawberry fields and raced around in between a few farming related tunes, capturing the colour and vibrancy of the farm. They asked about growing techniques, interviewed Tom, the fruit apprentice, and shared the art of butchery live from the butcher’s counter. There were even a few impromptu shrieks and frantic cable cleaning as mincemeat and BBC equipment got entangled during the sausage making demo! They really brought the farm to the airwaves in the most remarkable and engaging way, no script, just informal chatter with employees and customers alike that

gave listeners a true feel of character of the place. I was enormously proud of the staff as they spoke quite naturally of their individual and varied roles, all of which keep the WHF ship sailing. One customer interviewed has been coming to the farm for 30 years and has watched us through all our changes. It was wonderful hearing first hand how valued White House Farm Shop and Butchery is amongst the community and how the farm diversification is appreciated – we all know change takes a bit of getting used to.

In essence, I was in awe of the professional BBC trio as they came into our business, analysed it, portrayed it an honest, creative light and then vanished like wizards into smoke. There was nowhere to hide, no chance for a retake and the team coped admirably given it was no normal day at the office. It also reminded me just how brilliant the BBC are for getting out there into local, independent businesses and highlighting how hard us Norfolk folk work to make it a jolly nice place to live. If you get the chance, listen again on the BBC iPlayer and enjoy the show until August 10!

Next Farmers’ Market: August 20

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Hearnden and Andy New y of Norfolk’s food and s, ew tth Ma a the first to receive a cop from writer Sar is ich wh , ine gaz ma ly nth freshest mo blogger Sarah Ruffhead. e variety of the first issue always packed with a wid If you subscribe today, at , wh out eat to ere wh tember ut features abo you receive will be our Sep re are in the ute it min the out ted great foodie shops the issue. It is pos vers and shakers It makes a ss! pre ting region and who the mo prin the es leav or for a fellow in the industry are. lovely treat for yourself ing duc pro to ted mit people do ny Ma .

We are com die foo g nin cer dis passion for , and we gift a as on quality editorial, have a ipti buy a subscr , events and ntry. We’re cou the r ove seeking out new places all m the t pos out new PAY WITH PAYPAL - visit lands, for some products, and love trying very popular in the Mid are gs erin off ry’s www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Ma n Elle s ipe rec ! son rea ISSN 2397-1673 to buy. If you would like to talk to our family, here in the office. always pop0ula So, do think about joining 8r nt. We nde epe ind cely love to someone, call editor Sarah Hardy fier we is and ch bun The team y ndl frie a ’re we BIG INTERVIEW - LORD THE ESTATE rt up business, so IVEAGH ONon is 07711ELVEDEN 446054 ck dba Fee . too all, are certainly a small sta hear from you butDIGGING e, tim the all g AT THE GARDEN KITCHEN CAFÉ É AT HOVETON HALL IN rnin lea and we are important. open and we are determined to be TRAVEL - HIDDEN TURKEY

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TEA, BAGS & SHOES

WALLOW

Two good friends, Pippa Hyde and Georgina Wright, opened this quirky combination of a tea room and ladies shoe shop, in 2014. The shop sells a wide range of ladies shoes, bags and jewellery, and, through an archway, there is also a tea room, offering a delicious light lunch menu: jacket potatoes, sandwiches, toasties, panini and omelettes. The ladies pride themselves on their homemade cakes, scones and tea cakes, and offer a great value Afternoon Tea for only £8 per person. The tea room is five star hygiene rated, and there is also a gluten free menu and free Wi-Fi. It really is a haven for cake therapy and retail therapy.

The first thing you notice when visiting Wallow is that it isn’t your typical wine bar.

It’s not only the laid back, homely feel and the stripped back interior that makes this place special, the way they serve the wine is pretty clever as well. Enomatic wine machines enable you to self-serve your favourite wine variety, or try something new, using a top up card. You can enjoy coffee or cocktails too and the relaxed seating, over three floors, is perfect for a catch up with friends. They have a daily specials board if you fancy something to eat while you’re there as well. Look out for the guest draught beer if wine’s really not your thing.

Plumstead Road, Thorpe End, Norwich www.teabagsandshoes.co.uk

36 Exchange Street, Norwich www.facebook.com/thewallownorwich

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3 THE GARDEN TEA ROOMS

UPSTAIRS AT BAILEYS

Michele Kerridge

Just round the corner from Exchange

Town Green, Wymondham www.facebook.com/ thegardentearoomswymondham

2 Hungate, Beccles www.upstairsatbaileys.co.uk

opened The Garden Tea Rooms in November 2014. She was previously working as a prison officer, had always enjoyed and been praised on her baking skills by her family and had the dream that one day she would open a tea shop. Fate took a hand, and as they say, the rest is history! At The Garden Tea Rooms, your taste buds will revel in the selection of delicious homemade cakes, scones and flapjacks.

The soups, pies, quiches and coleslaw, again all homemade by Michele and her daughter Amy, are delicious. The environment is homely with a light and airy feel. During the summer months, you can enjoy eating al fresco in their peaceful garden.

They use local produce, eggs from Cavick House Farm, meat from Collins Butchers and locally produced jams and chutney.

Square you'll find great food with a Spanish influence in a relaxed dining room, upstairs at Baileys. The weekly menu offers three choices of starter, mains and pudding and is a little bit different for Beccles, but tastes just great. We tried tomato mousse with prawn soup (so delicious), paella with cuttlefish and then cherry clafoutis with cinnamon ice cream. The menu is small, using great ingredients cleverly, so you get something creative for exceptional value (£14.50 for three courses). Service is friendly and the calm surroundings and their new comfortable chairs make this a perfect find for lunch (served 12 noon-3pm), or on a Friday and Saturday, dinner al a carte.

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INGREDIENTS For the dough 200g of strong white flour; 4g of instant yeast (packets are usually 7g); ½ tbsp of caster sugar; ½ tsp of salt (I like pink Himalayan salt); 1tbsp of light vegetable oil, like sunflower oil

TO P T IP This summ er favouri te offers flavour co a really g mbinatio ood n which re flatbread sults in a that’s ide soft al for soa or as an a king up cu ccompan rry sauce iment to as part of soup. It is a light lun also good ch with so me dips

For the filling 1tbsp of light vegetable oil or flavoured oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; ½ - 1tsp of red jalapeno (or other red chilli) flakes, depending how much heat you like; 50g of desiccated, unsweetened coconut; 5 good sized dried kaffir lime leaves, crushed into small pieces

Reader Recipe

COCONUT, CHILLI & KAFFIR LIME LEAF FLATBREADS

Makes 4 good size d flat bre ads

NOT AN ACCURATE IMAGE OF FINISHED DISH - FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY

North Norfolk reader Tracy Macheta tempts us with these spicy flatbreads

METHOD Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl, then stir to combine. Add the oil, then add 125–150mls of tepid water.

Bring together to form a soft dough.

Place onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and stretchy. Or you can let a stand mixer and a dough hook do the work for you – also knead for 10 minutes Two. Put the dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has roughly doubled in size Three.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden and softened. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and crushed kaffir lime leaves then continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut and stir to coat in the onion and chilli. Remove from the heat and allow to cool Four. Once the

One.

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dough has risen, knock it back to remove any air, then divide it into 4 equal pieces.

On a floured surface, roll each piece into a circle. Place one quarter of the filling in the centre of each circle, gather up the sides and pinch the edges together to seal the filling in. Flip them over so the sealed edge is underneath. Re-roll the dough until each piece is about 15cm in diameter or you can make oval shaped flat breads, if you like. They need to be as flat as possible as they will puff up a little when they are cooked. Set aside Five.

Heat a large frying pan over a mediumhigh heat, add a small drop of vegetable oil or coconut oil. Swirl the oil around the hot pan and tip out any excess. Fry the flatbreads for 2-3 minutes on each side, until large air bubbles appear, and the bread is a little charred in places and cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving

www.thelittlepinkkitchen.com

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ready, steady

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As the popular series, The Great British Bake Off, returns to our screen, we look at the essential baking equipment you need to create your own perfect sponges, eclairs, meringues and more!

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Where to bu y 06.

The Kitchenary PROBABLY NORFOLK’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT COOKSHOP

The Kitchenary PROBABLY NORFOLK’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT COOKSHOP

01. Living Nostalgia scales, £29.99, you-cook-ltd, Hunstanton, www.you-cook-ltd.co.uk 02. J by Jasper Conran rolling pin, £25, Debenhams 03. Home Made Wooden Pastry Board with Measures, £19.99, The Kitchenary Cookshop, Taverham Garden Centre, Norwich, visit www.kitchenary.co.uk 04. Tala Sugar Shaker, £7, Jarrold’s 05. Home Made Traditional Stoneware Mixing Bowl, (24cm), £9.75, The Kitchenary Cookshop, Taverham Garden Centre, Norwich, visit www.kitchenary.co.uk 06. Rosalie cake stand, £29.50, Marks and Spencer

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il late in live bands to play unt BBQ. the beer garden and a ection sel e wid a try and Come of our tasty Gins!

38-40 Freeman street WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA CALL US ON 01328 710456 WWW.WELLSCRABHOUSE.CO.UK

6 High Street, Ringstead, Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 5JU www.thegintrapinn.co.uk

Sarah Ruffhead -

FIVE OF THE BEST

Norfolk foodie and blogger Sarah Ruffhead tells us the five things she has loved eating this month ONE

Banana tarte tatin

I love a traditional tatin with apples, but I also love bananas and just fancied it, so I Googled away until I found an easy-peasy recipe by Jamie Oliver. Crisp, buttery pastry, golden caramel and fruit is a great combination, and this tarte was scrumptious. The bananas were cut lengthways, and I served it with crème fraiche with a grating of orange peel, but I think a touch of rum would work well, too, as it pairs naturally with bananas.

TWO

Another pudding

This time a sort of 'deconstructed' (hate that word, really) posh Eton Mess with a bit more pizzazz. The proper name is 'strawberry, pistachio and mint salad, with rosewater cream and meringue', and the recipe came from the fabulous,

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just-published 'Around the World in Salads' by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, and it’s a dream of a book.

This pud is so pretty, and you serve it on a large platter, which is perfect for sharing, as you can all dig in. Fresh English strawberries are piled onto whipped cream with rose water and then decorated with mint leaves. I drizzled some strawberry coulis over it, too, and what I loved about this idea was that you can use your imagination and make your very own 'mess'.

THREE

Breakfast at The Little Red Roaster in Norwich

On my trips to the hairdressers in the Fine City, I always meet a friend here in this tiny, sit-at-the-counter sort of a neighbourhood coffee shop in Grove Road. The menu is small, but what they offer is delicious. And they roast their coffee on the premises, too. We both had the rye bread toast, topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon (so much nicer than a bagel).

The toast was nutty and chewy, and the whole combination was very tasty and satisfying - filling too. So, with a pot of Earl Grey tea, it set me up for the day.

capers, basil alioli and new potato beignet. The octopus was tender and flavoursome, and the chorizo and capers cut through the richness. The alioli was almost sauce-like, and all I say is 'bring on the beignet'. I adore these little quenelle-shaped morsels of fried potato-y wonder. A plate of perfect prettiness too. Fabuloso!

FIVE

Pulpo

Well, okay, octopus again. It’s so good I ate it twice but this time we were back in Spain and on the beach at La Herradurra, a scary 20 minute drive from our house. Here on the beach at El Chambao del Joaquin, they barbeque the octopus whole.

It tastes divine: sweet and slightly burnt, smoky and slightly sticky and caramelised. A squeeze of lemon and it`s done. Me gusto.

FOUR

Octopus

Back to the Duck Inn at Stanhoe, where I ate what was one of the yummiest dishes I have eaten in Norfolk. Roast octopus, with chorizo,

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www.sarahruffhead.com

JAM O N

I T

Our �free from� writer Sara Matthews offers us afternoon tea, with a sweet and savoury option

h get inhewtsoruucns Your

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tt Sara Ma visit reedom, Gluten F om.co.uk d e lutenfre rg u o .y w w

Your Gluten Freedom -

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SCONES WITH JAM This month I was lucky enough to enjoy afternoon tea with friends so I thought that I would create a sugar free scone and some delicious sugar free jam. Gluten free scones can often be hard and a bit dry, due to the flours used, but I have added some ground almonds to keep the moisture in, and some extra rice flour to make them light and fluffy INGREDIENTS SCONES

Makes 6 medium-sized scones

These scones take no time at all to make and require no rolling out. I have used a cutter to make rounds but a great alternative is to make a large round and score it to make it a ‘tear and share’ scone which is ideal for picnics. You can use a cutter or lightly floured glass to cut your scones. This is the basic recipe that teams well with jam, but you can add a handful of grated cheese; or a dried fruit, date and walnut combination is very tasty

TURN OVER FOR MORE RECIPES!

INGREDIENTS 180g of gluten free plain flour; 45g of rice flour; 30g of ground almonds; 2tsps of baking powder (make sure gf); Pinch of Himalayan sea salt; 90g of soya yogurt; 125ml of milk. I use coconut milk but any milk will work; Extra milk for brushing METHOD Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Place all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and lightly dust your work surface with flour. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the yogurt and milk. Stir with a spatula to combine. Dust your hands with flour, then pour the dough out on to the floured surface. Bring the dough together and gently pat it flat about 3cm thick. Cut out your rounds using a dusted cutter or glass, and place next to each other on to the lined baking sheet until all dough used.

Very gently, brush the top with milk and place in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve warm with a dollop of your delightful jam!

47

SUGAR FREE JAM

Makes one jar

Jam is a delicious and traditional treat to have with scones but, for those watching their sugar intake, it is not the greatest choice. This jam is still gorgeous and sweet but with no added sugar. As it does not have any added sugar, the shelf life is not as long as ordinary jam, but, as it’s a guilt free treat, it never seems to last even a week. You can use any berries, although I have had great success with raspberries. Strawberries and raspberries are high in fibre and low in sugar, making them the perfect fruit for this recipe. To set the jam and add extra nutrients, I used chia seeds. Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are loaded with fibre, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients INGREDIENTS 450g of strawberries, cut in half if large; 3tbsps of chia seeds (I used milled seeds but whole ones will also work). These are now available in most health food stores, delis and some supermarkets; 2-3tbsps of agave nectar, although rice syrup or carob syrup work equally well METHOD Put the fruit in a large pan and heat gently for about 5 minutes until the fruit starts to soften. Add the syrup and chia seeds and heat gently for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring and breaking the fruit with your spatula.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken. Once cooled, decant to a jar. Store in the fridge once cooled. Serve with freshly made scones

01263 741392

Newly opened

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THE HERO, Burnham Overy Staithe, King’s Lynn, Norfolk | burnhamhero@gmail.com

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PHOTO : ©DANIEL ZEDDA

is just an ICE CREAM AWAY

@lakenhamcream Lakenham Creamery

Your Gluten Freedom -

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over to form a small rectangle. Rotate the dough a quarter to your right and gently roll as before. Repeat and fold the bottom third up and the top down and over it. Repeat this process: roll, fold, turn again. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for two hours. Remove from the fridge, leave for 15 minutes, then repeat the roll, fold, turn process twice, then return to the fridge wrapped in cling film. Chill for an hour. When you are ready to use your pastry, remove from fridge and allow 10 minutes to rest at room temperature before using, to make it easier to roll without forcing it by pressing hard on the rolling pin

SAUSAGE PLAIT� This is great hot or cold, so is another perfect picnic treat. The gluten free sausage meat can be obtained from many butchers, and the spices I have used are from Big Skies, a Norfolkbased gluten free food producer. With the sausage meat wrapped in bacon and topped with caramelised onion and apple, this dish packs a punch.

If the idea of making your own gluten free puff pastry is a step too far, or you just don’t have the time, you can now buy great frozen gluten free puff pastry. If using it, you must defrost thoroughly and roll out between two lightly flour dusted sheets of cling film. The flours used can be bought from specialist shops like The Green Grocers and the Gluten Free Café and Shop, both in Norwich, and some larger supermarkets

Serves Four www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

INGREDIENTS For the puff pastry 345g of Stork block or butter, if dairy is not an issue, diced and frozen; 135g of potato starch; 135g of cornflour; 110g of rice flour; 2tsp of xanthan gum; 1tsp of salt; 180ml of chilled water Filling ingredients 450g of gluten free sausage meat; 3tsp of Skies Food Co seasoning No 11; 8 rashes of back bacon; 2 large white onions, sliced; 1tsp of coconut oil or another oil for shallow frying such as rapeseed oil; 1tbsp of maple syrup; two apples, cored and sliced; Salt and pepper to taste; egg for glazing METHOD For the puff pastry Place all the dry ingredients in a food processor and mix until combined. Add the frozen Stork/ butter and pulse a couple of times until the butter starts to soften slightly. Pour in the water and pulse again until the water has been absorbed. Turn the mixture out onto a large, lightly floured sheet of baking parchment and, with your hands, knead together. Place a piece of cling film on top and gently roll the dough to a rectangle shape. Take care not to squish the mixture and press too hard - rather, let a rolling pin do the work. Once you have a rough rectangle shape, fold the bottom third of the dough to the middle and then fold the top half

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For the filling In a frying pan gently fry the onions in the oil until they become clear, add the maple syrup and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring until beautifully brown and caramelised. Set to one side. In a large bowl add the sausage meat, spices, a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly until combined. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ gas mark 5. Roll out your pastry to a wide rectangle on floured baking parchment.

Once rolled out, place on a baking sheet.

This is because the plait is difficult to move once assembled and, by placing it on the baking sheet first, you will not have to move it. With your hands, form the sausage meat into a long sausage shape and place in the centre of the pastry, from top to bottom of the shortest width, leaving a small border of pastry about 1-2cm top and bottom; flatten meat mixture slightly with your hands. Make sure the pastry is wide enough to be folded over the filling with enough to overlap. On top of the sausage meat place the layer of the caramelized onion. Cut the bacon rashers in half and cover the onions with them, layering them slightly, as the bacon will shrink. On top of the bacon, layer the sliced apple. You should now have four layers of ingredients down the centre of the pastry.

Horizontally, down each side of the pastry, cut to make ribbons. Fold in the top and bottom to encase each end, then, starting from the top, fold the left hand side ribbon over the filling, slightly diagonally, then fold the opposite side. Repeat again, folding alternate sides until all the pastry has been folded. Brush the pastry with the egg, to give a glaze and help with the colour. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. If the top starts to brown too much, cover it with a piece of tin foil. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely

L ord Iveagh -

B I G

I N T E R V I E W

artists and craftsmen came together, and then there was the beginning of the café and food hall, which now showcase and market the region’s finest foodstuffs.

On the estate the arable land produces potatoes, onions, carrots and parsnips, whilst pasture and heathland hosts livestock, where sheep, cattle, goats and rabbits help retain the natural Breckland landscape and keep nonnative plant species at bay.

The Courtyard, with its food hall, restaurant and home and garden shop, is the estate’s public face, while the nearby Elveden Inn offers a traditional pub environment, with further dining and boutique-style accommodation.

Married to Clare, with sons Arthur (13) and Rupert (11), they are the first generation of the Guinness family to adopt Elveden as their main residence.

The estate was once owned by Maharajah Duleep Singh, the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire and a friend of Queen Victoria, who

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RUNNING A 21ST C E N T U RY E S TAT E

VISIT

www.elveden.com

S

YNERGY is a word that springs to mind as we sit in the restaurant of the Courtyard at Elveden Estate.

On surrounding tables, diners enjoy food that is primarily sourced locally, with some of it grown or reared across the 22,500 acres of the estate.

And for those savouring the taste, it is on offer in the adjoining food hall to take home.

But that synergy extends beyond the harmonious trinity of estate, food hall and restaurant.

It reaches out into the community; to local suppliers who form the selfperpetuating partnership as the estate offers a marketplace, and customers who enjoy the best of the food and drink offer from across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Indeed, the estate is part of both, straddling the border where, on surrounding roads, you will see just as many signs announcing visitors are passing into

Nelson’s County as you will those with the greeting ‘welcome to Suffolk.’

Lord Iveagh, the 4th Earl of Iveagh and a member of the Guinness brewing family, oversees the operation with a hands-on approach.

As he stirs his coffee, he emphasises the point - speaking of partnerships and collaborations with suppliers, food producers and entrepreneurs to showcase one of the region’s finest facets, its hospitality.

Within that, he focuses on the importance of locally-grown and locally-sourced produce.

Known to family and friends as Edward or Ned Iveagh, he explains how the sale of Christmas trees four decades or more ago - and still an integral part of the overall operation - gave Elveden commercial renown, but it was Rupert Guinness 2nd Earl of Iveagh who transformed the lands for agricultural use in 1927.

More recently a farmers’ market evolved, where food producers, retailers, growers and

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LORD IVEAGH

Mark Nicholls meets Lord Iveagh to discover how Elveden Estate puts local produce at the heart of its business

FOOD HALL MANAGER RICHARD HOWARD

"Lo rd Iv eagh, the 4t h Earl of Iv eagh an d a me mber of the Gu inness brew ing family, ov erse es the operat ion w ith a ha nds-on appr oach" was exiled to England in 1849, having been removed from his kingdom by the British East India Company. It was sold in 1894 to Edward Cecil Guinness, who in 1919 was created Earl of Iveagh and Viscount of Elveden.

Today, Elveden has a mission to be a ‘world-class producer and purveyor of local and regional food excellence.’

‘We have a really strong team here, always going forward, and for the future it will be more of the same as we continue to up our game,’ says Lord Iveagh.

‘The remarkable strength is the dynamic we have with local businesses that are such brilliant entrepreneurs and continuously come up with new ideas and great innovations. We have a great partnership with them, and we can help offer them a route to market.’

Within the Food Hall, shelves are laid out with fresh bread, vegetables, cheeses and meat with venison, partridge, rabbit and

squirrel from the estate; wines, spirits and beers; pickles and relishes.

Food hall manager Richard Howard says: ‘Our orientation is local, quality and good value. Food miles are important to us and that is one of the priorities alongside quality and value but we do balance that with what the customer wants with products from further afield too, though some really do hit the ‘sweet spot’ in terms of local, high quality and representing very good value.’

Norfolk Gin, for example, is a best-seller; sausages made on site are popular alongside Norfolk and Suffolk cheeses and burgers from Blakeney, while the Elveden fudge is irresistible.

It is the pick of this produce that the Courtyard restaurant’s head chef Mo Johansen has the opportunity to use.

With menus changing three times a year, they reflect the seasons with lighter fare in the summer and wholesome game dishes in the colder months.

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A current favourite is roasted chicken, asparagus and lemon tagliatelle, but for a starter you can also enjoy grilled sardines, and there’s a comprehensive breakfast menu, and desserts including a traditional summer pudding.

‘Everything is as fresh as possible and will always be local if the quality is there; 90 per cent of the meat we use comes from our own butcher and the idea is that what people eat in the restaurant, they can buy in the shop,’ said Mo, who is from Denmark.

‘I can ask the butcher for specific cuts of meat, or have suppliers suggest something special to me, and I always know where all the food is from.

‘With our fish and chips, I know who caught the fish, and we make our own mushy peas and tartare sauce and use hand cut chips. And people can eat whatever they want – either come in just for coffee and a bowl of soup, traditional afternoon tea or a three-course meal.’

There are challenges and opportunities: the A11 saw a reconfiguration of the estate but improved access to major routes, while the Brexit vote for the UK to leave the EU brings with it uncertainties.

But Elveden will continue to build on its collaboration; with more charity events such as the recent NSPCC car rally which raised £14,000, and partnerships with local entrepreneurs offering the chance to reach out to an ever-more diverse clientele as it brings together the best of food and drink from the eastern region.

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The Tiny Tipple Company -

A R T I S A N

P R O D U C E R

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HAVING a TIPPLE

KAREN REES AND AMANDA WILLIAMS

The Tiny Tipple Company was formed nearly a year ago by two busy mums who decided their lives were just not busy enough! Emma Outten chats to one of them, Karen Rees, about their Blundeston-based business

TAKING BOTTLES of homemade wines or infusions to dinner parties got two Suffolk mums thinking on a much more commercial level last summer.

Karen Rees and Amanda Williams, who are both in their early 40s, started The Tiny Tipple Company a little under a year ago, having met seven or eight years earlier when their eldest two children were at preschool.

Karen recalls: ‘Infusing spirits was something we really enjoyed doing.’ Shop bought infusions were often a disappointment – thin watery liquids with essence of fruits rather than whole fruits.

Living in a beautiful part of the country, with Norfolk and Suffolk hedgerows on their doorstep, Karen and Amanda decided that they should take advantage of Mother Nature’s harvest and use her wonderful hedgerow fruits to make local infusions for everyone to enjoy.

Last August they grabbed all the late summer fruits they could and 'got started straight away.'

The upshot is infusions, ‘handpicked from hedgerows’, ‘gathered from gardens’ and ‘acquired from allotments’ – you get the alliterative idea. The whole family is involved with the harvest (Blundeston-based Karen has Samuel, 10, and Sophia, nine; and Amanda, who lives in Oulton, has Amelia, 11, and Eleanor, eight) - plus the dogs enjoy their prolonged walks. The two friends handpick anything from blackberries and elderflowers, strawberries and gooseberries, to rosehips and gorse flowers. ‘I pick all the sloe berries and raspberries within a mile of my house,’ says Karen. ‘I’ve picked a lot of raspberries this week.’ In fact, the only ingredients they don’t handpick are ginger and vanilla.

Karen adds: ‘We are keen to work with local farmers and growers, to keep with our ethos of using Norfolk and Suffolk produce.’ And she makes particular mention of Applebee Orchards in Rockland St Mary, and Hillfield Nurseries between Hale and Haddiscoe.

As for the making of their tipples, ‘we make our infusions in small batches of 12-15 litres at a time to ensure our products are made to the same recipe.’

They only use pure grain spirits - vodka, gin and whisky – and mix them with whole fruits and sugar. And, rest assured, you won’t find any artificial flavours, colourings and preservatives in their products. Expect anything from rosehip vodka and rhubarb gin to ginger whiskey - plus they are also experimenting with rum.

‘Everything is made in our own kitchens,’ says Karen, who is pleased to announce that they have achieved a five star rating for their kitchens. ‘We are totally a cottage industry.

Every weekend is full of doing one thing or another, but it is good fun – we’ve enjoyed it.’

A graphic designer friend helped with the labelling on the bottles. Karen says: ‘The labels are perhaps more appealing to the female market – the feedback has been really good.

We wanted it to look like a hedgerow – and the butterfly changes colour with whatever the flavour is.’

Karen and Amanda can mostly be found at farmers markets and summer fairs, but future plans include launching a website in the autumn and setting up an online shop. And Karen adds: ‘We are really keen to be stocked in local, independent shops, as we have lots of people asking ‘Where can I buy it?’’

This month they expect their rhubarb gin to continue to be particularly popular. ‘Because we pick the fresh pink stems, people tend to home in on that because of the colour.

‘As the seasons go on it will be interesting to see how people’s tastes change. Rosehip vodka will come into its own in the autumn – it’s really mellow: almost like a brandy.’

It sounds as though the pair have been getting lots of help from friends and family with their spirited venture: ‘Especially when it comes to tasting!,’ laughs Ka.

MPANY THE TINY TIPPLE CO olders Annual Show at

rfolk Smallh can be found at the No Country Fair, gust 7 and Sotterley Au on Sheringham Park d them on fin o als can You 27. st near Beccles, on Augu r.

Facebook and Twitte

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Town Deli -

S H O P

F R O N T

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The G re en G roce rs -

S H O P

F R O N T

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THE GREEN CODE The Green Grocers in Norwich’s Golden Triangle is a café, shop and

bakery all rolled into one, and it prides itself on being locally sourced and organic. Andy Newman meets owner Luke Coathup and the team

N

VISIT

www.thegreengrocers.co.uk

ORWICH’S GOLDEN TRIANGLE is the city’s most cosmopolitan and bohemian district, and has always harboured many foodies amongst its eclectic mix of student, young professional and family residents.

And no food business better reflects this broad-based and sophisticated demographic than The Green Grocers.

Describing itself as a whole foods shop with an emphasis on organic and local food and drink, The Green Grocers has become a Golden Triangle institution in a remarkably short period of time.

Bought by current owner Luke Coathup in 2009, the shop had been run as an organic shop with a very small café for around five years before that. But it is under Luke’s stewardship that it has become a destination for foodies, with an impressive range of produce from local suppliers, organic whole foods, vegetarian, vegan and free-from products, as well as artisan bread baked daily in their own bakery.

The Green Grocers is also one of the area’s go-to cafés, an enterprise which uses the shop as its larder (and which in turn showcases the products on the shelves).

THE

54

Green GROCERS,

is at Earlham House shopping centre on Earlham Road in Norwich

from. And then there is the bread, which is made in their own bakery in the Golden Triangle.

The push for an in-house artisan bakery came from assistant manager Jonathan Pace, who came on board about a year ago.

Jonathan had been working as a customer service manager in London, but with a love of food, and in particular breadbaking, he too was looking for a change of career. His pitch to Luke was simple; as well as a traditional CV, he brought a loaf of his own bread into the shop, neatly demonstrating the required passion and love of food to fit right in.

Now the bakery is producing around 150 loaves a night, from the renowned ciabatta and sourdough, through to speciality bread such as potato and rosemary which are much sought-after by customers. This is true artisan baking: the proving time is much longer than commercial breads, allowing a fuller flavour to develop (and, incidentally, for the bread to become much more digestible), and the loaves are, of course, free from artificial additives, preservatives or flour improvers.

Like much of the produce on the shelves, the bread is showcased in the café, which now takes up a third of the premises. Open all day, the café is wellknown for its breakfasts (also available as vegetarian and vegan options), plates groaning with Norfolk produce such as sausage, bacon and black pudding from DJ Barnard in Shropham, Waveney mushrooms and free range eggs from Havensfield Farm near Fakenham.

A recent innovation has been pizza nights, featuring sourdough pizzas topped with seasonal, local produce. Initially a once-a-week affair, they now take place

55

"... a whole foods shop with an emphasis on organic and local food and drink"

Although the premises are something of a tardis (it occupies three adjacent units on the Earlham House shopping centre), success has meant that the business is already bursting at the seams.

After starting his working life front-ofhouse in a number of Norwich’s leading restaurants, Luke studied Business and Finance at UEA before heading off to London to build a career in the City. But after five years he realised he missed not just his home city, but also the ability to indulge his passion for 'food, people and wine'.

Giving up a well-paid city job to buy an organic food business situated out of the city centre might seem like a bit of a gamble, but Luke was sure he could make it work – because of rather than despite its location.

'There are four schools within a mile of the shop, and the other businesses at Earlham House – including the Co-op supermarket – meant that there was already a good footfall,' he says. The challenge was to attract those people into the shop, and then ensure that what was on offer would make them come back.

Fortunately, this was a time when shopping habits were changing, with a new interest in provenance which would play right into the business’s hands. 'The biggest change we have seen is the collapse in consumer confidence in the supermarkets following a number of food scares,' says Luke. 'People want to know where their produce comes from, they want to know what is in it – and that means they want their food retailer to have a connection with the producer.'

That connection is immediately clear when you walk in. A large home-made map of Norfolk behind the till pinpoints exactly where much of the produce on sale comes

every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and are packed out (booking is definitely recommended).

It’s not just the produce which makes The Green Grocers such a go-to destination for foodies. Amongst the 22 full- and part-time staff there is an obvious passion for what the business is all about.

'We all enjoy the foods we sell here,' says Jonathan. 'We provide a free lunch for all staff, and on pizza nights we end the evening with staff around the table enjoying a pizza and a beer. That translates into a level of knowledge and enthusiasm for what we sell, and a level of service which is infectious for customers.

'We try to offer a bespoke service, sourcing things we are asked for but don’t currently stock, and even hauling the chefs out of the café kitchen to advise people on how to cook a particular ingredient on the shelves.'

This is a food business which has really captured the zeitgeist, catering to an emerging market which is interested in what is in their food, and where it has come from. Included in that is the huge increase in demand for ‘free-from’ foods, whether it’s gluten-free, meat-free or vegan (a big range of vegan chocolate is the biggest confectionery seller).

Despite the current uncertainty following the EU referendum, Luke is confident that the business will continue to grow, and has an eye on expansion over the coming years. But it’s difficult to see that The Green Grocers will ever lose that passion, summed up by Jonathan, describing what really motivates him: 'I love bringing a plate of food out and seeing people’s faces light up,' he says. And ultimately, it is that attitude which defines a proper food business.

Connor Carway -

C H E F

O F

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M O N T H

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Pork. I also like using coriander, because of the freshness it imparts to any dish you use it in.

Got a favourite gadget?

Like many chefs, my favourite gadget is the Thermomix (a machine which can simultaneously blend and cook). It speeds up absolutely everything, and is very versatile.

It costs the best part of £1000 though, so it’s very much a luxury gadget for the home kitchen.

VISIT

www.lastwinebar.co.uk

MY LIFE ON A PLATE Chef at The Last Wine Bar in Norwich, Connor Carway, enjoys a busman’s holiday at this time of year: eating out!

Who are you and where do you work?

I‘m Connor Carway, and I am one of a team of chefs at The Last Wine Bar in Norwich.

Where did you train?

I’m a Norwich boy, so there was only one place I was going to end up: the Hotel School at City College.

How long have you been there?

I have been at The Last for five and a half years. It’s the kind of place which inspires loyalty – it’s been going for more than 26 years and many of the customers have been coming here for years as well.

Who has inspired you?

I was first inspired to cook by my grandma, who was a great home cook, and who encouraged me to cook and bake with her. My professional inspiration is Jason Atherton (owner of the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social); I love his style of cooking, simple yet refined, with an Asian influence.

Where were you before?

Immediately prior to joining The Last I was with Animal Inns, working at The Wildebeest and One Up at The Mad Moose. I started my career working with Richard Hughes at The Lavender House.

What is your favourite ingredient?

I love pork, because it is so versatile, and in particular free-range pork from Blythburgh

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What is your signature dish at this time of year?

I’ve chosen lightly spiced confit monkfish, with cauliflower and mango. The mango adds a real freshness to the dish, and is something you can comfortably eat in hot weather.

What do you like doing when you're not cooking?

I’m a keen footballer, and play for Holt.

Otherwise the thing I enjoy most is a bit of a busman’s holiday: eating out.

Where do you like to eat out in the region?

I like informal places where I can relax, and where the food matches the atmosphere. In Norwich, three favourites are Shiki, B’nou and Bedfords.

What would you be doing if you were not a chef?

I’m pretty creative, so it would have to be something which involved using my creativity. I would quite like to have worked as a designer in marketing.

What's your foodie prediction for the coming months?

I foresee a move away from ‘fine dining’, towards a more informal, flavoursome style, even a bit rustic. I think the small plates thing has probably had its day. I do think we will see a bigger focus on vegetables being the main component of dishes.

Serves Four

LIGHTLY SPICED CONFIT MONKFISH, with CAULIFLOWER and MANGO INGREDIENTS 4 x 90g monkfish fillets; 1.5l of rapeseed oil; 5tbsp of curry powder; 1tbsp of fennel seeds; 3 bay leaves; 2tbsp of tandoori spice; rind of two lemons; 400g of cauliflower; one shallot; 50g of butter; 50ml of cream; 50ml of white wine vinegar; 60g of sugar; 10ml of white wine; ½ tsp of black onion seeds; one mango, diced; 1 red chilli, finely chopped; coriander, chopped; spinach

METHOD 1. Lightly salt the monkfish, and leave for 20 minutes; then rinse. Meanwhile, put the curry powder, fennel seeds, bay, tandoori spice and lemon rind into the oil, and heat to 75°C. Remove from the heat, and put the fish in, leaving it for 20 minutes, until the fish is between 55°C and 60°C 2. Mandolin 12 thin slices from the cauliflower. Break half of the rest into small florets, blanche for two minutes, and refresh in cold water. Fry these in half of the butter, heated until it is foaming, so it adds some colour 3. Roughly chop the rest of the cauliflower and the shallot. Put the rest of the butter into a pan with a splash of oil, and colour the shallot for a few minutes. Now add the cauliflower and 150ml water, and cook for 10 minutes. Blitz in a food processor, and then add cream, to form a smooth puree. Season to taste 4. Put the vinegar, sugar, white wine, onion seeds and 35ml water in a pan, and boil until it has reduced by half. Meanwhile, mix the red onion, chilli, mango, coriander in a bowl. Pour over the hot liquor, and then cover with cling film and allow to cool 5. To serve, smear some puree on each plate, and then add the spinach, which should be lightly wilted. Place a piece of fish on each plate, topped with the mango relish. Scatter some of the florets and mandolined cauliflower, and garnish with some coriander cress.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CONNOR CARWAY

LIGHTLY SPICED CONFIT MONKFISH, WITH CAULIFLOWER AND MANGO

Tanya Burr -

VISIT

R E C I P E S

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www.tanyaburr.co.uk

Norfolk online star

Tanya Burr

serves up some sweet treats from her first cookbook

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TANYA BAKES is published by Michael Joseph at £16.99

N NORFOLK’S TANYA BURR joins the ever growing list of celebrities to produce their own recipe book. This summer has seen everyone from Fearne Cotton to Gywneth Paltrow publish their own cookbook, although Tanya’s is all about cake!

The 27-year-old, from Tasburgh, near Norwich, is best known as a vlogger (a video blogger) whose quirky posts have seen her build up a following of more than three and a half million people who subscribe to her online channel.

Tanya, married to fellow Norfolk vlogger Jim Chapman, went to Long Stratton High School and Notre Dame High School before starting her career in Jarrold’s beauty hall.

Inspired by her two sisters-in-law, Samantha and Nicola Chapman, otherwise known as Pixiwoo, she began to make beauty tutorials on YouTube, showing people how to create certain looks.

They were immediately successful, and Tanya has expanded her content to include baking and general lifestyle posts. She wrote her style book last year, Love, Tanya, and now her first cookbook, Tanya Bakes, includes plenty of very do-able recipes such as an Earl Grey Tea Loaf and Smarties Flapjack.

She came to Norwich to sign copies of her new book at Jarrold’s last month and attracted a sell out crowd of more than 700 people. Marketing manager Carole Slaughter says: ‘It was a lovely event, with good weather and a nice atmosphere. Tanya signed everyone’s copy, and had her photo taken with them all! She was really happy to be back in her home town, and her family came with her.

‘People are really enjoying her recipes - I’ve spotted a flourless cake that I want to tackle!’

TURN OVER FOR MORE OF TANYA'S RECIPES!

CORNFLAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE S* Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS 200g of unsalted butter, softened ; 300g of golden caster sugar; 1 large egg; 300g of selfraising flour; 200g of milk chocolate chips; 80g of cornflake s; pinch of sea salt METHOD These cookies are a happy texture explosion in your mouth!

The crunch of the cornflakes with the soft gooey cookie dough is so good, and my brother loves it whenever I make cookies, so, Oscar, this recipe is dedicated to you. Please try it out – I think you're going to love it! Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then whisk in the egg until smooth. Add the flour, chocolate chips, cornflake s and sea salt to form a dough.

Divide into 12 balls. Squash the balls down onto the baking tray leaving plenty of space betw een each cookie, as they will spread in the oven. Bake for 10–1 2 minutes, until the cookies are golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool

*As seen on opposite page

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Makes 12

Makes 12

RHUBARB and CUSTARD MUFFINS You will need a 12-hole cupcake/muffin tray When I came up with the idea for a rhubarb and custard muffin I was so excited. Rhubarb crumble with custard is one of my all-time favourite puddings, so to take those flavours and put them inside a soft pillowy muffin was a no-brainer!

INGREDIENTS 300g of rhubarb; 35g of caster sugar; 300g of self-raising flour; 150g of light brown soft sugar; 1tsp of vanilla extract; 200ml of buttermilk; 1 egg; 2tbsps of vegetable oil; 100ml of ready-made custard

Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas Mark 4. Line the cupcake/ muffin tray with paper cases. Wash and chop the rhubarb into chunky pieces, then arrange in a shallow dish and cover with the caster sugar. Set aside to macerate for 15 minutes. Mix together the flour and sugar, then add the vanilla extract, buttermilk, egg and vegetable oil and combine to form a smooth batter. Add the rhubarb, reserving 12 pieces to decorate, and fold through the mixture.

Divide half of the batter between the muffin cases, then top each one with a spoonful of custard.

Carefully add the remaining batter to each case to cover the custard, then pop a rhubarb piece on top of each muffin. Bake for 25 minutes until risen and golden.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Tanya Burr -

R E C I P E S

NANNY'S APPLE PIE INGREDIENTS 340g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 110g of cold vegetable fat; 60g of cold butter, plus extra for greasing; 5 cooking apples; 2tbsps of granulated sugar; 1 egg, beaten; Ice-cream, cream or custard, to serve

Prep time: 40 minutes Chilling time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 8

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You will need a 25cm pie dish

Growing up, my nanny always used to cook apple pie for us for Sunday lunch.

Out of the whole family, I was the most crazy about this pie and always looked forward to it. When I was writing my first book, Love, Tanya, I went to her house and we baked her recipe together, and Jim took a photo of us in the garden with her pie to include in the book. It really is incredible, I recommend it warm from the oven on a Sunday, with custard or vanilla ice-cream.

METHOD In a bowl, mix the flour, fat and butter with your fingers until crumbly. Add 6 tablespoons of water and mix together to make a ball of pastry. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200째C/400째F/Gas Mark 6. Peel and chop the apples into bite-sized chunks and put in a pan with a tablespoon of water and the sugar. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes until the apples are soft. Set aside to cool. Take the pastry from the fridge, and divide into two pieces, one slightly bigger than the other.

Grease the pie dish and roll out the larger piece of pastry on a floured surface into a circle large enough to overhang the dish. Place in the dish so the pastry hangs over the edge. Fill with the apple and brush the edges with egg. Roll out the smaller piece of pastry into a circle that sits easily on top, then crimp the sides to attach the top and bottom. Trim off the excess pastry. Pierce a hole in the top to let out the steam, and brush the pastry with egg. If you like, cut out a few leaves with the excess pastry to make a pretty design for the top. Secure with water and brush with egg. Bake for 20 minutes, turning down the oven to 170째C/325째F/Gas Mark 3 for the last 10 minutes until the pie is golden brown.

Serve with ice-cream, cream or custard

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books

read all about it This month’s releases see a Doctor Who cookbook alongside one for students

THE SEAWEED COOKBOOK

by Xa Milne ÂŁ16.99

Seaweed is thought to be one of the best superfoods on the planet. Eating it provides a wide range of health benefits. From aiding weight loss to regulating blood sugar levels, this ingredient is an excellent source of vitamin C, protein and iron. Seaweed expert Xa Milne offers more than 75 delicious, simple and nutritious recipes to include this superfood in dishes for all occasions. From snacks and small plates to drinks, mains and sweet treats. Try Beetroot seaweed hummus - Salsa Verde with added umami - Seaweed rice - Grilled sea bass with tarragon, lemon and Shony - Lean green seaweed tonic smoothie - White bean and sausage stew with Dulse aioli - Thai pork balls with Kombu and chilli - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's foil-baked fish with smoked Dulse and garlic - Damson cranachan - Coconut, carrot and seaweed loaf.

DOCTOR WHO: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK

QUICK + SIMPLE = DELICIOUS: GENIUS HASSLE-FREE COOKING

by Joanna Farrow £14.99

by Emily Kydd £14.99

Doctor Who fans will be delighted with this inspired new official cookbook.

There are more than 40 wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey recipes to try including gingerbread TARDIS, dalek cake, a fleet of Atraxi Snax, and an Ood Head Bread.

Create your very own Picnic at Asgard, or invite the Zygon Pie into your house. And say ‘Hello, Sweetie’ to a deadly-delicious Dalektable Army, a Peek-a-Boo Pandorica cake, or some simple jelly babies.

Quick + Simple = Delicious provides a very straightforward approach to cooking. Laying out the building block method of adding together a few simple ingredients (plus a few store-cupboard essentials like oil and flour etc.) and throw in a little know-how, the result is delicious food with maximum flavour and minimum fuss: sourdough + tomatoes + olives + garlic + chicken = Sicillian chicken traybake. Pastry case + vanilla ice cream + peaches + raspberries = peach melba tart. This book will help to make your meals tastier and your culinary life easier.

TWIST

FRESH INDIA

by Martha Collison £16.99

by Meera Sodha £20

Martha Collison amazed the judges and viewers alike as the youngest ever contestant in the 2014 series of The Great British Bake Off. In Twist, Martha demonstrates how to take basic recipes and alter them into something new. Whether it's a cake, a biscuit or even a pastry recipe, she shows how to alter the method, the balance of ingredients or the mixture of flavours to ensure exciting, magical bakes every time. Transform her Never-Fail Vanilla Cupcakes into Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes, for example, or Caramel Macchiatos.

Try Pink Grapefruit Drizzle Cake, instead of the usual Lemon, and then mix it up with Gin & Tonic flavours. Or take Macarons to a whole new level and try Peach Bellini Macarons or even a Macaron Shell Ice-Cream. Fresh, innovative and genuinely exciting, Twist looks set to make adventurous bakers of us all.

Perfect for vegetarians looking for new ideas, Meera Sodha reveals a whole new side of Indian food that is fresh, delicious and quick to make at home. These vegetable-based recipes are proper feel good food, and full of flavour. Here are surprising recipes for every day made using easy to find ingredients: mushroom and walnut samosas, oven-baked onion bhajis and beetroot and paneer kebabs. There are familiar and classic Indian recipes like dals, curries and pickles, alongside less familiar ones using fresh seasonal British ingredients, like Brussels sprout thoran, Gardeners' Question Time pilau and green beans with cashew nuts and coconut.

And then there are show stoppers such as daily dosas with coconut potatoes, roasted cauliflower korma, sticky mango paneer skewers, wild mushroom upma and lime pickle rice with roast squash and red onion. To finish, there's a chapter of puddings like salted peanut and jaggery kulfi alongside carrot halwa and pistachio cake.

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N NORFOLK: there’s no better place to enjoy the summer season, with plenty of sunshine, long days, picnics in the great outdoors and trips to our wonderful beaches.

We all love a great tasting cuppa.

But, as a seasonal change to drinking just freshly brewed tea, here at Nelson & Norfolk, we have created some wonderfully refreshing caffeine free fruit infusions which make brilliant iced teas and long refreshing drinks for hazy days and evenings sitting in the garden.

Making your own iced tea means less sugar than bottled drinks and it can be used as a homemade cordial as a healthier, calorie free option.

Our iced teas contain only natural flavourings, no added sugar and use real ingredients. Fruit blends are bursting with flavour and colour while being good for the digestive and immune system and speeding up the metabolism.

We have four tantalisingly fruity caffeine free infusions: our most popular is Nelson’s Blood Orange which is refreshingly orangey and zingy; Berry Burst is very fruity and naturally sweet, and there are two new blends for the summer; Elderflower and Lemon which is citrusy and invigorating, and Strawberry and Kiwi which is fruity and exotic. All are bursting with fresh, fruity flavours and are perfect for iced tea making.

So, what’s the easiest way to make iced tea? Firstly, do not use supermarket fruit teas in tea bags as they will not taste as good! Make sure you buy your fruit infusions loose from a reputable tea company. Also, you don’t need any fancy brewing equipment - just a large jug or pitcher.

Here are my suggestions to make the perfect iced tea: It is important to brew strong as you can always dilute with natural spring water when it’s ready to serve.

We recommend you use six to eight heaped teaspoons to

Iced Tea -

S U M M E R

MARK RUNS NELSON AND NORFOLK TEA VISIT

www.nelsonandnorfolktea.co.uk

every litre of water. Use freshly drawn boiling water and pour over the fruit tea. There is no need to use filters or strainers - just let the fruity pieces float freely in your jug. Or there are iced tea jugs available with brewing baskets.

It’s a good idea to leave the fruit tea to infuse for at least 10 to 15 minutes before placing it in the fridge to cool.

The longer you leave the fruit pieces to infuse the better.

Once the tea has cooled, strain it and discard the infused pieces (these are good for the compost heap).

You are now ready to serve! Get a tall glass, grab a few ice cubes and pour over the tea. You can add sparkling chilled water if you wish but this will dilute the strength, and add slices of extra fruit to garnish and compliment your iced tea flavour, then sit back and enjoy.

Another method is to add one third tea, a few ice cubes and your fresh fruit to a long glass then pour into a blender and blend for a few seconds. Pour the drink back into your glass, add extra ice, grab a straw and you’ll have an iced tea slushy – yummy!

Also, you can cold brew any fruit iced tea but this takes longer to infuse.

Cold brewing is a method that allows the flavours and nuances of the fruit infusion to develop over six to eight hours. You will get a subtler, soft flavour than if brewing using hot water, and this way makes a wonderfully fruity water to take to work or to the gym. Serve chilled.

Another good tip is to make iced cubes with your favourite fruit tea. Just brew a strong mug of your fruity tea, pour it into your ice cube tray and pop it into the freezer. These go great in a glass jug when making iced tea for guests and add an extra fruitiness to your iced tea. Better still, try sucking on one for a refreshing taste on a hot day!

One final suggestion is to add your favourite alcoholic tipple to your pitcher and mix with your iced tea for something different!

However you make it, enjoy sip by sip and relax!

D R I N K S

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ICE TRY A CUPPA WITH A DIFFERENCE, SAYS MARK RICHMOND AS HE TELLS US HOW TO ENJOY A REFRESHING ICED TEA

& a Slice

REFRESHINGLY REAL

If you have a yearning for a refreshing summer drink, Campaign for Real Ale member and Director of Boudicca Brewing Co Ltd, Emma Pinder, makes some seasonal suggestions

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Real Ale -

bee rs He re are a few of my recent fav our ite ich pubs fro m just a few of the ma ny fine No rw ste rers The Wh ite Lion, The Kin gs He ad, The Pla Plo ugh Arms, The Fat Cat, The Be ehive, The and The Fat Cat Brewery Tap:

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O, SUMMER is well and truly upon us again (at least I do hope the weather has stabilised enough to be confident of dressing for the day without needing to add or remove two layers of clothing!) and a refreshing beverage is what we all yearn for.

But do you normally go for white wine, rosé, Pimms, G&T or lager? Well, I would like to make the case for trying a real ale to quench your thirst, instead. There are plenty of Norfolk brewers (more than 30), as well as many brewers, small and large, reaching the great pubs of Norwich and Norfolk. I love the sheer variety of real ale styles – the different flavours, hops, aromas, body and strength.

Cask conditioned beer is ideally stored in a temperature controlled cellar at between 11°C and 13°C (52-55°F), but preferably at 12°C (54°F) and so it can definitely be refreshing!

GOLDEN PALE ALE 5 PER CENT Elmtree Brewery (Norfolk) – a pale ale in the traditional style that is initially malty and delicately bittered. There’s a long, dry, biscuit finish which is enhanced by the subtle citrus aromas ELDERFLOWERPOWER 4.3 PER CENT Golden Triangle (Norfolk) – lovely elderflower flavouring to this golden ale with Maris Otter extra pale malt and Cascade hops GOLDEN TORC 4. 3 PER CENT Boudicca Brewing (Norfolk) – a hoppy golden ale with a rounded flavour, and a long-lasting finish using five hops. A traditional golden ale is more malty than a pale ale (which tends to have more bittering hops). Vegan and organic RYE PALE ALE 4.8 PER CENT Grain Brewery (Norfolk) – a summer special, this Rye IPA is great with a huge hoppy bite, especially in the Plough’s sunny back garden!

BLACKBERRY PORTER 4.8 PER CENT Mauldon’s Brewery (Suffolk) – a favourite of mine, this is a balanced porter with hop aroma but chocolatey with a sweet fruity finish that will count as one of your five a day!

CENTENNIAL PALE 4.4 PER CENT Almasty Brewing Co (Newcastle upon Tyne) - very refreshing with oodles of Centennial hops. Vegan BAJAN BREAKFAST 4.0 PER CENT Black Iris Brewery (Nottingham) American pale ale full of tropical hoppy flavour and aroma, with oatmeal too!

CROSS PACIFIC PALE ALE 4 PER CENT Firebrand Brewing Company (Cornwall) - a pale ale with a strong bite from hops!

WASHINGTON RED 4.7 PER CENT Great Heck Brewing Co Ltd (Yorkshire) - a red ale but surprisingly hoppy and very refreshing TRINITY 3 PER CENT Redemption (London) – a cracking flavour and an aroma of Seville oranges; and very hoppy for a low ABV beer

AND IF YO U THINK th isn't good at real ale for you, th en please note of th take e British B eer Alliance research fo 's r their cam paign ‘Ther a Beer for e's That’, whic h showed th beer is low at er in calori es than oth alcoholic d er rinks, has ze ro fat and naturally lo is w in sugar s. I do hop you will in e dulge in tr yi ng a new re ale on the al bar of you r during Au gust – or ve local pub n ture to a n pub to see ew what they offer. Chee rs!

www.norwichcamra.org.uk AND www.boudiccabrewing.co.uk

D R I N K

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The Big 50 -

W I N E

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FINCA CARELIO TEMPRANILLO BARRICA 201

Three wines Andy has enjoyed this month

Our wine writer Andy Newman is celebrating his half century with wine - what else!

(Majestic, £9.99, or £7.49 as part of a mixed case of six bottles) According to the Majestic blurb, this wine was accidentally mislabelled in the winery, and so can only be sold as a humble Vino de la Tierra, hence the bargain-basement price. Whether you believe that or not, this is stunning value: a rich, dark red reminiscent of Ribera del Duero, with violet perfumes on the nose, and smooth tannins and balanced oak on the palate.

RIPASSO DI VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE, FRATELLI RECCHIA 2013

(Waitrose, £11.99) Often overshadowed by the more prestigious Amarone, Ripasso at its best combines the vibrancy of ‘basic’ Valpolicella with extra colour, texture and flavour. Rich and fullbodied, this is a wine which will stand up to hearty dishes.

T LOUIS BOUILLOT - PERLE NOIRE BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT NV (£93.13 for a case of six bottles, www. thedrinkshop.com) Made from 100 per cent Pinot Noir, in the same way that Champagne is made, this goes to show that there is still true value to be found in French sparkling wine. Made in NuitsSt-Georges by one of the top Crémant de Bourgogne producers, this is fine, dry and elegant – and a bargain at the equivalent of £15.50 a bottle.

HEY SAY AGE is just a number, but sometimes you get to a significant birthday which marks another decade of your life passing. This month I shall be notching up my half century; far from being depressed about this, given my lifestyle, I see my 50th as a remarkable achievement, and cause for celebration.

There can, of course, be only one way to mark the occasion – with some very special wine.

You can’t choose the year you are born, and so it’s pot luck whether you will be able to toast that special birthday with a glass of something made while you were entering the world. I am extremely fortunate that 1966 was a great year for both claret and Port, the two longest-lived of wines.

With this in mind, four years ago I snapped up half a case of Château Lynch-Bages 1966 and half a case of Dow’s 1966 at a wine auction at Keys Fine Art Auctioneers in Aylsham.

This prescience means that my birthday party wines are already in my cellar; if I’d waited until this year, the price would have shot up considerably. There is a thriving market in birth-year wines, and the price goes up on anniversaries of great vintages. If you are 50 in 2020, my advice is to invest in some 1970 Port as soon as you can.

I remember in 2004 sourcing a bottle of 1924 Taylors Port for a friend’s father’s 80th birthday. It had been stored in perfect conditions throughout its life, and it was lively, fruity and delicious. I have seldom seen someone more pleased with their birthday present.

But what if you have seen the arrival of children – or indeed grandchildren – in the last few years?

Should you be laying down some wine now for them to enjoy on a significant birthday sometime in the future? The answer to that depends on two major factors.

The first is what year they were born in. Whilst I can be smug that my parents chose to have me in a stellar vintage, not everyone can be so lucky.

Only the very best vintages will last the course to a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th birthday or beyond, so you need to buy carefully. There have been some stunning claret vintages in recent

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years (2005, 2009, 2010, 2015), while 2011 was a top vintage for Port, with 2015 also shaping up well.

The second consideration is whether you have the wherewithal to store the wine. I’m fortunate to have a dry, cool cellar, which gives me the ideal conditions for keeping my wine in tip-top condition, but few are that lucky. If you want your investment to be enjoyed on that future birthday, good storage is vital.

If you don’t have a cellar, you will need to allow for the cost of storage at a merchant’s, which can add up over the years.

All that said, if you buy carefully and store properly, laying down wine to mark a birth is almost always a good investment. For example, someone celebrating a 35th birthday next year might like to mark it with a bottle of 1982 Château Lafite.

Seckford Wines in Suffolk can offer you one right now for £2340; had you bought it when it was released, you would have paid just over £20.

The rule of thumb is that the longer you are going to lay the wine down for, the better quality it needs to be. Lesser Bordeaux châteaux from a good year will be perfectly mature in 20 years; if you’re aiming to celebrate a half-century like me, only the very best names will last the distance.

Few people today will be able to lay down the traditional ‘pipe of Port’ on the birth of their first-born.

Coming from the Portuguese word for barrel, pipa, a pipe is in fact a very large barrel, with an average capacity of 550 litres. That is more than 730 bottles, which is more than anyone could need to celebrate a birthday.

Although if I ever discover that some long-lost eccentric uncle has, in fact, laid down a pipe for me, I will be a very happy (if slightly sozzled) man.

Turkey -

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HE VIEW FROM the terrace is inspiring; of stunning conical rock formations along an ancient valley, shaped by wind and water over hundreds of thousands of years.

The Argos in Cappadocia hotel sits above this, on the edge of the village of Uçhisar, and is created out of the ruins of a network of centuries-old cave homes and a historic monastery in this fascinating part of central Turkey.

The rooms, revived and refurbished to luxurious standards and spread across the hillside, retain the integral character of the architecture of a hotel that intriguingly describes itself as ‘an ancient village with a reception desk.’

Dining here is a delight, with the finest Turkish and international cuisine served against a backdrop of twinkling lights as night falls over the valley.

The Seki restaurant, with dining indoors or al fresco, also offers an extensive wine menu with an international selection complemented by the hotel’s own award-winning labels produced from vines a few miles away.

As you eat, peer over the edge and enjoy the hotel garden with its herbs, vegetables and fruit trees, as it tumbles away on terraces below. In season, you can wander down and pick fresh cherries or apricots straight from the tree.

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Talking Turkey Mark Nicholls savours traditional cuisine amid the fairytale landscape of central Turkey

ARGOS WINE CELLAR

FAIRY CHIMNEY

ARGOS BEDROOM

With a starter of lamb meat wrapped in grape leaves and grilled lamb fillet with vegetable tartar, red cabbage puree and pesto sauce, we also sneaked a taste of the Seki’s Kirci Pasta and the Kayseri Manti (chickpea yogurt and butter).

For our main course, we chose the Saslik Kebab of marinated beef, pita bread, tomato sauce and yoghurt and the beef fillet with fenugreek and wild mushrooms, accompanied by the Turasan Syrah 2013; deep, red and fulfilling – a lovely wine with our meal.

And for dessert, the mastic rice pudding with cherry sorbet and the Turkish coffee hot chocolate cake with lemon and mint sorbet proved irresistible.

The Argos has 51 rooms and suites with original features such as the rough-hewn ceilings and archways.

The accommodation is in several styles and ranges from standard rooms to Splendid Suites, which are set over two storeys and have their own private pools.

What distinguishes them is the way they are situated in six restored mansions, connected by underground tunnels in a design that pays tribute to the region’s architecture and heritage.

With secluded courtyards, each room is individually designed with Turkish carpets, artefacts, candles and decorative objects set in wall niches.

Offering Turkish hospitality and personalised services, there are also gardens and terraces with panoramic views from the foothills of Uçhisar Fortress to Güvercinlik Valley and Mount Erciyes in the distance.

Neat footpaths lead to the hotel lounge and the Seki Restaurant, while within the cool interior is a wine cellar holding the extensive collection of global and local vintages, including the hotel’s Kalecik Karasi and Syrah wines.

The hotel is open all year round, with winter offering a different, romantic, perspective. It has won an array of awards including the Best Small Hotel in Turkey in the International Hotel Awards 2016-17, while in the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2015 it was named Europe’s Best Scenic Environment.

All round the hotel lies the Cappadocian landscape of conical rock formations and fairy chimneys, while below ground are the amazing subterranean cities.

Kaymakli is one of at least 37 underground settlements, dug out of rock formed of sandy volcanic ash, pumice and lava, where thousands of people once lived and burrowed eight storeys below ground.

With living and eating areas, churches, wineries and narrow passages that were easily defendable against intruders, some of the underground refuges date from 2000 BC. A few miles away, one of the major visitor sites in Cappadocia is the Goreme Open Air Museum where a nunnery, monastery and numerous 4th century churches – many with colourful and well-preserved wall paintings telling the story of Christ – are carved out of the rock face.

From there, we paused for lunch in the new town of Goreme nearby at the GRM GouRMet restaurant. I chose the Potter Kebab – cooked in earthenware sealed pots with veal, pearl onion, green pepper, tomatoes and garlic, where the waiter chips the top off for you to eat the contents with bread and rice.

Turkey -

T R A V E L

Accommodation

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Argos in Cappadocia, Uçhisar 50240, Nevsehir, Turkey.

For more information, visit www.argosincappadocia.com

PICTURE

CAPPADOCIA

Flights

Daily flights from Istanbul to Nevsehir (25 minute drive) and Kayseri (one hour drive) airports.

GOREME OPEN AIR THEATRE

Other dishes included Ev Makarnasi of homemade noodles with melted cheese, Haydari (yogurt, garlic and dried mint), and Sebze Musakka (vegetable musakka with layers of eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes, caramelised onion and Turkish kasari cheese.

Cappadocia is arguably Turkey’s most popular destination outside of Istanbul with its mysterious expanse of ravines, canyons, mountains and valleys formed by millions of years of soft volcanic lava and ash. The so-called fairy chimneys are a symbol of the area, where the elements have shaped the rock formations into tall pillars, leaving flat slabs incongruously balanced on top of them like little stone caps.

But a true treat is to view this terrain from above, from the basket of a hot air balloon.

Taking off just after dawn, we are one of 60 balloons floating slowly over the wondrous terrain.

At times we reach an altitude of 250m and then dip close to ground level to hover into small gullies for close up views of cave homes or pigeonholes carved into the walls.

We float in the direction of Uçhisar, where its castle, hewn out of the volcanic rock, rises as a monolithic watchtower, while below it, an ancient village of cave houses tumbles down the hillside.

It is within this historic community that the revived rooms that now form the Argos in Cappadocia sit, a hotel which truly lets you immerse yourself in this magical landscape.

LUNCH for £5* *valid until en d of August

Come and relax in beautiful surroundings with a cup of speciality tea or coffee, or choose from our wine list and our ever-changing menu of local, seasonal food. Children can play in the wendy houses or at swing ball whilst you relax in our pretty picnic meadow - or read the papers or use our WiFi! UPCOMING EVENTS

FRIDAY 5 AUGUST PIZZA NIGHT

WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST SMOKE NIGHT*

We’re open Sunday to Friday, 10 til 4 until October

and available in the evenings for parties! gardenkitchencafe

*VISIT W W W.GARDENKITCHENCATERING .CO.UK FOR MORE DETAIL S

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Dorset -

T R A V E L

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ON THE

Beach

a stretch n o y a t s A luxury ing Dorset of stunn oo much for was t coastline lar to resist, as il Clare M tle slice t i l a n i s lge g she indu h e Pi T t a n e v of hea each on the B

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ARGUABLY ONE of Britain’s most idyllic villages, Studland in Dorset is famous as the summer bolt hole of Enid Blyton, who spent warmer months writing at the legendary Knoll House Hotel. Situated on the Isle of Purbeck, to get there you can jump on a chain ferry from the jaw-dropping Sandbanks, across the mouth of Poole Harbour, to the peninsular which is home to Shell Bay, historic Corfe Castle and also The Pig on the Beach – a mellow country house promising rooms and kitchen garden restaurant.

The journey may be a matter of minutes but the other side feels like a whole new world.

Think untouched powdery sand, fringed with traditional beach huts. The waters are shallow and calm and the views across Old Harry’s Rocks are incredible.

Positioned with views across the fields to the white chalk stacks rising from the sea, on arrival at The Pig on the Beach, winner of Best Hotel in the 2016 GQ Food & Drink Awards, this 18th century Manor House is imposing yet welcoming. Guests are greeted by a jumble of turrets and gabled windows – this was once the beach house of the aristocratic Bankes family.

Once inside, the to-die-for interiors totally redefine the notion of classic country house hotels, with an overall air of informal elegance; perfectly placed curios, mismatched sofas and open fires. A chunky wooden staircase and labyrinth of corridors lead to 23 bedrooms in a range of styles and catering for varying price brackets.

Guests can also stay in one of two thatched dovecotes or even a shepherd’s hut set in the grounds looking out to sea. For extra special stays, the two-storey Lookout in one of the dovecotes is a must: quirky and so comfortable with fabulous views of the Kitchen Garden and stunning coastline. On the lower floor the bedroom has a four-poster bed while the upper floor bathroom features a freestanding bath and monsoon shower.

Take advantage of the line-up of multicoloured Hunter wellies, bikes, walking trail maps and information available - perfect for exploring the surrounding countryside.

In the Kitchen Garden, don’t miss the hens and quail plus look out for the two rare-breed Hungarian Mangalitsa Pigs – you’ll love their super curly coats.

Doubles at The Pig on the Beach (01929 450288, www.thepighotel.com) between October and April start at £129 per night midweek and £149 at weekends and for stays between May and September start at £145 midweek and £155 at weekends.

Weekend bookings are two-night minimum. Room-only rate. Breakfast £10-£15pp. Main courses from £14, puddings £7.

"The Pig’s pu dd ings showcase what’s in season, makin g the most of kitchen gar de n fav ourites" Dining at The Pig is a big draw, with its garden to table food philosophy much in evidence. Main meals are served in the conservatory (popular, so you’ll need to book a table even if you’re staying), with dishes using herbs, flowers, fruit and vegetables picked fresh that day and all ingredients sourced within 25 miles.

We started with a sharing platter of ‘Piggy Bits’ and ‘Fishy Bits’, comprising Saddleback crackling and apple sauce, The Pig’s BBQ ribs (deliciously sticky), Hampshire chorizo and wild garlic risotto balls and smoked haddock croquettes and smoked chilli sauce.

Choosing mains was more difficult. We decided to veer away from the meat and fish dishes in favour of lighter fare (saving room for dessert of course) from the ‘Literally Picked This Morning’ section of the menu.

We enjoyed garden shoots and Smoked Woolsery (local goats’ cheese) sunflower seeds, fava bean ‘hummus’ and soused red cabbage, which we accompanied with a garden side of crispy tobacco onions – they were to die for. My partner in crime (aka the hubby) chose Westcombe ricotta gnocchi and roasted carrots, preserved lemon buttermilk and garlic flowers. We both agreed that the whole experience was utterly delicious. Food was complemented with an impressive wine list and the elderflower and traditional lemonade spritzers were delightful, too. There’s even a range of gins infused with herbs, flowers and berries from the garden.

The Pig’s puddings showcase what’s in season, making the most of kitchen garden favourites. We swooned over the menu and opted for New Forest strawberry and almond tart with lemon balm syrup and Blackmore Vale crème fraiche as well as outdoor-grown rhubarb mousse, roasted rhubarb and dairy ice cream. Simply delicious.

Breakfast at home will never be the same after a stay at The Pig with its huge farmhouse table full of croissants, homemade cakes, fresh fruit, poached fruit, granola, yogurt, cereals and nuts, or choose fresh bread or toast and spread with local honey or marmalade. Eggs from the hotel’s own hens are ready for you to boil, complete with egg timer and egg cups.

However, if a full English is more your thing then you won’t be disappointed with the tasty locally-made sausages and bacon.

There is plenty of outdoor seating for warmer days and evenings with alfresco dining options including a wood-fired oven serving up delicious flatbreads and the chance to grab a refreshing glass of wine to watch the sunset. If only we could have stayed just one more night.

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Barn Masters is the specialist agency owned and run by people who restore barns, market them and fully understand what barn living is all about Weston Longville LD

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£599,995

Heydon

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£275,000

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£365,000

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Near Winterton

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£425,000 Freehold

Located in popular, idyllic riverside village Approaching 2000 sq. ft. of living space 4/6 Bedrooms arranged over three floors Possible Annexe accommodation No onward Chain

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£795,000 Freehold

Grade 11 Listed Barn in peaceful location with views over woodland Approaching 3,000 sq ft of internal accommodation Converted cart shed Two Bedroom Annexe 722 sq ft Wealth of exposed architectural features Possible rental income of £750 for the annexe

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£285,000 Freehold

Stunning location with Church View Just under an acre plot (stms) with large pond 2615 sq ft of internal space plus Garaging (581 sq ft) 3 Reception Rooms, 4 Bathrooms 4/5 Bedrooms Permission to convert to a Passivhaus

BRISTON

£850,000 Freehold

High quality 5 Bedroom detached barn Plot of 1.75 acres (stms) with paddock Approaching 4,400 sq ft of internal space 4 Reception Rooms, 5 Bathrooms Approximately 1.5 miles to Winterton-on-Sea

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Roughton

£550,000 Freehold

Spacious contemporary Brick and Flint Barn 3,563 sq ft of upside down living space 4/5 Double Bedrooms, Two En-Suite 3 Reception Rooms, 4 Bathrooms Walled Garden and stunning views from Balcony over North Norfolk Countryside UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF YOUR BARNS AND OUTBUILDINGS.

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Mattishall

£525,000 Freehold

Former threshing barn with unspoilt countryside views 2091 sq ft of internal living space 4 Bedrooms, 2 En Suite 3 Reception Rooms, 3 Bathrooms Fitted handmade kitchen with Granite worktops

Honingham -

S T A Y C A T I O N

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k c u Bt he trend Mark Nicholls enjoys excellent pub food, a pint of Lacons and overnight stay at the Honingham Buck

Honingham -

It sits in a quinte s sential Norfol k se tting.

OPPOSITE IS A GLISTENING red phone box beside the village pump, with neat cottages, and the River Tud running discreetly nearby.

As an historic village pub – the oldest parts date from 1668 – the Honingham Buck is enjoying a renaissance, given a subtle makeover to take its place at the heart of a community just off the A47 close to Easton.

Landlord Henry Watt, a well-known figure in Norfolk’s hospitality sector, describes it as a 'modern community pub', one where villagers or those passing through can pause for a drink, dine casually in the bar area, or eat in the wood-panelled restaurant.

And for those looking to stay around, there is some very comfortable accommodation in a converted barn building behind the inn.

S T A Y C A T I O N

We checked in on a Monday night a couple of weeks ago to find the other rooms already booked and as we sat down for dinner at 7pm, the pub was coming to life with drinkers and diners.

With a flagstone floor and a grand fireplace, the Honingham Buck has the appeal of a traditional inn with a bar underlining its partnership with another element of the pub trade enjoying a revival.

Lacons Ales, founded in 1760, brewed continuously until the late 1960s but in the last two to three years the name of the Great Yarmouth brewer has been revived with a fine selection of ales, available in the hand pumps at the Honigham Buck.

Indeed, the eight rooms at the inn are each named after one of the ales; expect to see Encore, Pale Ale, Falcon, Patriot, Highlight, Affinity, Legacy, or Four Kisses on the nameplate outside your door.

Five of the eight rooms are already available with the final three - including a family room - ready for guests in September.

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Having picked up a pint of Falcon at the bar and a soft drink, we opted for a window seat in the restaurant to peruse a menu designed by head chef Jack Gosling offering a blend of the traditional with the innovative.

It is a menu available throughout the pub and reflects the relaxed ethos of an inn where you can pop in for a sandwich, light snack or a three-course meal starting with a few nibbles.

And that’s what we did - picking the jar of olives (£2.95) and the avocado humus (£3.50) which was delicious with charred lime and griddled flatbread.

The starters ranged from carrot and coconut soup to seared venison loin but we settled on the heirloom tomato panzanella salad with red pepper emulsion (£6.50) and the crab salad with a delicious sweet pea pannacotta (£7.95).

The service was comfortably paced in the restaurant that filled as we ate.

The main course - on a menu that changes monthly - included sauté king oyster mushrooms, hazelnut and sheep’s cheese gnocchi and stone bass, but we

VISIT

www.thehoninghambuck.co.uk

Ac c om modat ion The pub, at 28 The Street, Honingham, NR9 5BL, is open from Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to 11pm and Sunday from 11.30am to 10pm. Room rates are £80 (standard room), £90/£95 (Garden view rooms) and £105 (Family room), including breakfast. For more information call 01603 880393

opted for the duck breast with carrot, blood orange and wattle seed (£16.95) and the trio of lamb – rump, breast, shoulder – with Jersey royals and rainbow chard (£17.95).

The Pimms and Champagne summer fruit trifle was a tempting dessert, though the pistachio and white chocolate cheesecake with goji berries proved irresistible (£6.50) along with the English cheese selection (£7.50) – which included Binham Blue and Norfolk Dapple - with the long, flat and crispy house biscuits and chutney.

For those seeking familiar pub food there’s the Honingham Buck Traditional Selection which includes a burger (£11.95), Ploughman’s (£9.95), ham/bacon and eggs (£9.95) and a steak (£22.95) After an enjoyed dinner, the bar offers a vibrant setting for an after-dinner drink before retreating to the room with its garden view large double bed, bathroom, TV and wifi.

Henry, known for his previous connections with the Wildebeest, Mad Moose and Hunny Bell, runs the Honingham Buck with wife Tania and an enthusiastic team in a partnership with Lacons Brewery.

The Honingham Buck also has a secluded garden and a boules court as well as sitting within easy access of the A47 and mid-way between Dereham and Norwich.

For those overnighting, the breakfast is a treat with a full English of eggs as required, bacon, sausage, beans, tomatoes, black pudding and toast. It sets you up for the day ahead.

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les Summer Vegetab -

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E h T r e t AF

d L o G rUSh us Ellen Mar y tells er en d ar g en ch Kit that mmer vegetable su a w ro g to w o h eep on growing! would happily k

For more information and advice, visit www.ellenmarygardening.co.uk

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IF YOU’VE GROWN courgettes before you will know what that midsummer glut is like! They never seem to stop growing and are the vegetable to harvest for bulking out many recipes, such as pastas and chutneys.

Being able to eat the flowers is an added bonus, which – in Italy at least - are frequently eaten fried. Courgettes mainly consist of water, meaning they are super low in calories and have very low amounts of vitamin C. If you choose a yellow variety, they are full of carotenes which convert into vitamin A in the body, an important vitamin for vegetarians and vegans.

R EC I P E W I T H E L L E N M A RY

LIME CAKE WITH SUGARY STRAWBERRIES

There is no need to allow the midsummer courgette glut to go to waste, as they are perfect for so many recipes. Soups, fritters, chutneys and salads are all great ways to use them up but have you thought about using them in a cake recipe? Grated courgette adds moisture to sponge cake, so you can enjoy your harvest in both savoury

and sweet dishes.

I can remember a deliciously moist and sweet lime cake I had in Amsterdam a few years ago, so this recipe is a twist on that, using the courgette to give that extra lovely moisture in the middle.

Since it is summer, why not pick some fresh strawberries as well and enjoy both in one sweet serving?

Serves Eight

INGREDIENTS 1 large courgette; 180g of unsalted butter; 180g of caster sugar; 2 large free range eggs; 220g of plain flour; 1tsp of baking powder; ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda; a pinch of salt; 80g of ground almonds; 2 limes; 400g of strawberries; a dusting of icing sugar METHOD 1. Line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper and heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan 2. Grate the whole courgette then squeeze as much moisture out as possible 3. Add the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and stir before gradually beating in the eggs 4. Use a different bowl to mix the sieved flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground almonds. Add in a pinch of salt and mix in as well 5. Gently mix in the butter and sugar, mix with the courgettes and squeeze in the lime juice and zest, then fold into the bowl with the flour mix 6. Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for up to an hour. Remove when golden to avoid overcooking and losing the moisture (which suits this recipe so well) 7. Serve with fresh, sugary strawberries on the side and a dusting of icing sugar

Enjoy with an elderflower spritzer on a summery evening

COURGETTE GOLD RUSH

COURGETTES have been eaten for thousands of years in Central and South America but were only introduced to the Mediterranean by Christopher Columbus about 500 years ago. The modern variety was developed in Italy, where it is called zucchini, meaning a small squash.

Courgette is the French word for the vegetable and was adopted in the UK as a British vegetable in the 1950s. Try Courgette Gold Rush for a heavy crop of delicious yellow summer squash and something a little more colourful than the huge green marrows seen on many allotments in the summer. It’s also a good variety for growing in pots if you are short of space.

How to grow SOW

Sow seeds under cover from March to May or directly in the soil from late May to early summer. I always prefer to sow under cover and give them a strong start. Harden them off before planting outside (after frosts have passed) in the ground, grow bags or a large pot. Don't plant them out too soon as this will delay their development, and give them a good 1m square around each plant so they can spread out nicely.

CARE

Keep the plants well-watered, especially as they are flowering and when the fruits start to grow. It’s best to water them at the base of the plant rather than from above, to minimise powdery mildew and other diseases. Whilst courgettes are relatively easy to grow, they are quite susceptible to mildew if they don’t get enough sun or airflow through the plants.

HARVEST

Courgettes will continue to grow into marrows if they are not harvested when young - besides, they taste far better when smaller.

They grow at an alarming rate and will keep you harvesting for a long season if you continue to pick them.

They can be eaten fresh but they do store well for a few days in the fridge. Simply twist them away from the plant and before you know it there will be more.

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Competition CHA

CE T O WIN !

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WAFFLE AWAY

Feast Norfolk has teamed up with John Lewis to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a top-of-the-range waffle maker

BY NOW, you will have heard of premium kitchen range ‘Sage by Heston Blumenthal’?

If not, you definitely should! In the past three years, Sage by Heston Blumenthal has defined itself as the must have kitchen appliance brand.

One such appliance is the Smart Waffle (RRP £169.95). From chocolate creations and healthy banana gluten-free snacks, to savoury sarnies and ‘womlettes’, you can really get creative with your waffles. But they do have a tendency to make a lot of mess.

Not so with the Smart Waffle! It creates fluffy golden waffles and leaves behind no mess! It has a unique, wide wraparound overflow which catches and continues to cook for easy clean up and no waste!

With its Waffle IQ, the cooking time is automatically calculated to suit your waffle

style and colour. All you have to do is select Belgian, Classic, Chocolate or Buttermilk, and your preferred browning setting from light to dark. Pour in the batter mix and the waffle maker will do the rest.

There’s also a custom setting which allows you to set your own waffle style which includes gluten-free and yeast-free settings.

If you want them even crispier, you can always give them ‘a bit more’. And the best part of all of this? We’re giving one away!

If you don’t win, the Smart Waffle is available to buy from your local John Lewis, or online, www.johnlewis.com

WIN

To enter our competition, simply answer the following question:

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Which celebrity chef gives his name to the Sage range?

Send your answer, your name, address and a daytime telephone number to competitions@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk You can also enter by visiting our Facebook page and simply liking and sharing the competition.

The competition runs until August 31 2016.

It is open to those aged 18 and over and normal Feast Norfolk rules apply. The editor’s decision is final.

JUSTIN WRIGHT

Lovewell Blake -

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TIME TO SHOUT ABOUT ‘BRAND NORFOLK’ VISIT

www.lovewell-blake.co.uk

Justin Wright, who heads up Lovewell Blake’s specialist food and drink team, says the Royal Norfolk Show should inspire us all to promote the county’s food and drink producers HAVING SPENT two long, but enjoyable, days meeting farmers, producers and hospitality providers at this year’s Royal Norfolk Show, I came away exhausted but exhilarated about just what a compelling food and drink proposition our county has to offer.

It was great to see so many more Norfolk producers in the Food and Drink Arena, and it was encouraging to see the crowds attracted by the new food stage.

It is only when you see everything which makes our county’s food and drink sector brought together in one place that you realise how much Norfolk leads the country in this area. So why aren’t we doing more to convince people across the rest of the UK – and further afield – that Norfolk stands for excellence when it comes to producing things to eat and drink?

Some individual producers are getting out there and being proactive when it comes to marketing across the county’s borders. But many more are either too small, lack the requisite marketing skills, or simply don’t have the confidence to shout about what they do beyond very local markets.

That is why collective marketing is so important, and the Royal Norfolk Show took up that baton this year. Its theme of ‘Grow It, Cook It, Eat It’ combined a

celebration of the excellence of local produce with an important educational element, making the connection between those who work the land and the dishes which end up on consumers’ plates.

The Show is invaluable as a showcase for the county, however two days a year cannot do the job alone. It is incumbent on all of us who are involved in the sector to work together to build a brand for Norfolk’s food and drink offering which will resonate beyond the county’s borders.

It is good to see the UEA initiative, also showcased at the RNS, which is offering the power of branding and marketing insight, usually the preserve of largescale food businesses, to small-scale local food producers.

The university has partnered with Tesco to obtain data showing purchasing patterns and demographic behaviours, which in turn will help small producers make smarter decisions about their marketing, enabling them to develop their brands and grow their businesses.

Many food and drink producers establish their businesses out of a passion

for the product, rather than necessarily for hard-headed commercial reasons, and so the value of a strong brand can sometimes be overlooked. Just as each individual food and drink business needs to develop its brand, so does the county as a whole.

I suspect if you asked random passersby in the rest of the UK to name a food which comes from Norfolk, the only two things most would be able to name would be Bernard Matthews turkeys and Colman’s Mustard. Both of these are great brands – but as the Show demonstrated, there is more, so much more than this from our county’s food and drink sector.

I suspect that in addressing these musings to the readers of Feast Norfolk magazine I am somewhat preaching to the converted. However it is down to all of us who care about Norfolk’s food and drink producers – and that almost definitely includes everyone who reads this publication – to get out there and tell the world about ‘Brand Norfolk’.

Please note that this article is provided for your information only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, information contained herein may not be comprehensive and you should not act upon it without seeking professional advice

R ussell E vans -

RUSSELL EVANS

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WE LIKED IT SO MUCH... WE BOUGHT IT! RUSSELL AND CLARE EVANS WERE SUCH FANS OF THEIR LOCAL PUB, THAT THEY BECAME ITS NEW OWNERS. BUT, THREE MONTHS IN, HOW ARE THEY GETTING ON? IN APRIL THIS YEAR, six months after we had put in an offer to purchase, we finally held, in our hands, the keys for our village pub, The Boars at Spooner Row, near Wymondham.

After 19 years of living very near the pub, and drinking and eating there on a regular basis, we were no longer customers but owners! Gamekeeper-turned-poacher or poacher-turned-gamekeeper, we weren't really sure!

We had previously looked at acquiring The Boars back in 2011, so nobody could accuse us of an impulse purchase, but at the time we were still heavily involved in running our marketing communication businesses so the timing was not right.

But now the timing was spot on: we had sold our business to our partners; we were already involved in running three pubs in Norwich; had re-established the iconic Norfolk brand Bullards by brewing beer and distilling gin (The Boars was actually an old Bullards public house which felt like a good sign), and we had planted seven acres of vines in Spooner Row to harvest and produce English sparkling wine at some point in the future. The purchase of our local seemed to fit in perfectly with everything else we were involved in.

It was always our objective that the pub would not close, so we opened the same day, for drinks only, and were pleased with how many people came to see us and wish us well. The next weekend we opened the kitchen and have been serving food ever since.

So, three months in, what have we learnt about how a village pub fits into village life? Coming from a marketing background, we spent a lot of time thinking about who our target market was and two distinct sectors emerged.

First, the people from Spooner Row and the

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surrounding villages without pubs were critical, as the pub needed to be a place where everyone can have a drink in a social and community setting.

Spooner Row is not a large village, the population is less than 1000, but it does have a primary school, a village hall and a church. However, there is no village shop or post office and without a pub where can villagers get together?

There is a fantastic village hall activity programme and we are working with both the school and the church to ensure we have an interactive and supportive community.

Last Sunday was the village fete, and we found ourselves working behind the bar serving Bullards beer and Pimms and lemonade at what was the village’s best attended fete in the 19 years we have been living there.

Second, there is a need for our pub to also be a destination pub for food and drinks outside the local community and to date we are pleased with the feedback.

We have extended our cask ales to six from the two it had previously, produced a new wine list, and are in the process of developing an artisan spirit range. Our menu appeals to locals who eat here on a weekly basis as well as those who travel from further afield and who are looking for something a little more special.

There is a challenge in keeping both the locals and visitors happy, but it seems to be working. We are also dog friendly in one of the bars and the garden, which is something that has been positively received by all customers.

So have we got it all right? Probably not. Do we want to?

Definitely. And are we enjoying it? You bet. We are looking forward to the next chapter and are continually listening to our customers about what they want from their pub, so watch this space.

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