Feast Norfolk Magazine May 18 Issue 26

FA

M

T HE CLIFF HOTEL’S

Y IL

BB Q

NORFOLK

ONE POtAtO, tWO POtAtO; - WE tALK tO TIM BRISCOE

RECIPES FISH PIE

26

ARt DECO REStAURANT IN GORLEStON

13

N Wi

A

UNVEILING

M AY 20 18

ROGER HICKMAN

PHOTO

ESSAY:

GRAIN BREWERY THE

INCLUDING THE ULtIMAtE

ON ASPARAGUS REVIEWED:

T HE BEECHWOOD HOtEL IN NORT H WALSHAM

BEERS IN THE WAVENEY VALLEY PLUS

CITY OF ALE PREVIEW

+

LOOKING AHEAD: NORWICH FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL

ARE ON US!

ROYS OF WROXHAM

Roys is proud to stock over 1000 products

FROM MORE THAN

70

REGIONAL SUPPLIERS

ROYS OF WROXHAM

www.roys.co.uk Stalham Road, WROXHAM NR12 8DB 01603 782131

1,000 FREE Parking spaces Open 7 days a week & late night opening

Please see our website for full details of our opening times

JOIN US AT NORFOLK’S LARGEST FOOD EXPERIENCE!

27 & 28 JUNE 2018 NON-STOP ENTERTAINMENT

ADNAMS FOOD & DRINK EXPERIENCE

WORLD CLASS SHOWJUMPING • MUSIC ART OF BUTCHERY DEMONSTRATIONS RAF FALCONS PARACHUTE DISPLAY TEAM OVER 70 LOCAL FOOD & DRINK 600 RETAIL OUTLETS • MR MAWKIN’S FARM PRODUCERS SAMPLING SESSIONS • SIZZLING CHAMPION LIVESTOCK & EQUINE SHOWS SAUSAGES • TASTY PIES • CREAM CHEESES COUNTRYSIDE ACTIVITIES • BROADS VILLAGE POSH POP • LOCAL BEERS, WINES & SPIRITS HORTICULTURE SHOW • EMERGENCY FOOD CRECHE • AND MUCH MORE! SERVICE VILLAGE • AND MUCH MORE!

FIELD TO FORK • WELLBEING • OUR COAST COME AND ENJOY THE BEST OF NORFOLK

BUY TICKETS ONLINE ROYALNORFOLKSHOW.CO.UK AND RECEIVE FREE PARKING WITH EACH TRANSACTION

FEASTNORFOLKMAGAZINE.CO.UK

-

E D I T O R ' S

L E T T E R

WELCOME TO OUR MAY ISSUE which is such a wonderful month for us foodies. The dreaded ‘hunger gap’ is behind us as we tuck into early season fruits, asparagus, and Cromer crab which is arriving. It doesn’t get much better.

It is a busy month for events, with The Broads Outdoors Festival, Beccles Food Festival, The Crab and Lobster Festival in Cromer, The City of Ale and its seven trails in Norwich and Reepham Food Festival, too. Gosh I feel tired already! Find out more in our essential What’s On guide.

I very much enjoyed visiting The Cliff Hotel in Gorleston where the new Muse restaurant is right up my street - it is a bit glam and there’s lots of fish on the menu. And Emma Outten thoroughly enjoyed CoCoes Café and Deli at Strattons Hotel in Swaffham which really should be a blueprint for how cafes are run.

Photographer Keiron Tovell captures a brewing day at Grain Brewery near Harleston, while, if you like a spot of retail therapy, the new Barefoot Living shop in Burnham Market is a great hunting ground. Add in Roger Hickman and his asparagus recipe, Andrew Jones on his BBQ passion and Andy Newman writing about English wines and their rise and rise, and there’s plenty to keep you busy.

We have a dozen or so great recipes, from a perfect fish pie to lavender shortbread, and Sara Matthews provides three ‘free from’ suggestions as usual. So hopefully there is something that grabs you!

This month I’m joining Henry Chamberlain from the Coastal Exploration Company as he recreates a traditional trading route, under sail, from Wells to Ely. We’re travelling with foodie goodies from local producers and also calling in at the Hanse Festival in King’s Lynn. It’s bringing out my sense of adventure and I can’t wait, so expect to read about how I get on!

Finally, don’t forget to enter this month’s great competition which is the chance to win a family barbecue courtesy of Norwich Camping and Leisure. And congratulations to Emma of Norwich who won tickets to the Spring Fling, as featured in our March issue.

Do keep in touch, we are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and we love to receive your emails and phone calls.

SARAH HARDY, EDITOR sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

-

05

RUINS OF CARTHAGE

82

Kate Cleaver is one of the first travellers to return to Tunisia on holiday

ABOUT US 05 Editor’s Letter WHAT’S ON 14 Don’t miss Emma Outten’s regular What’s On guide to the region’s best food and drink events and activities 16 Find out about the Broads Outdoors Festival this month which encourages us all to visit our National Park 22 We look forward to next month’s Norwich Food and Drink Festival, complete with The Battle of the Bangers 26 Our news and gossip page keeps you in the know with the latest happenings in the foodie world

COVER STORY

76 City of Ale: Find out more about the seven ale trails around Norwich

FEATURES 20 Wroxham Barns, in the heart of The Broads, puts food right at the top of its attractions as it celebrates more than 35 years as a leading tourist attraction 40 Norwich nutritionist Catherine Jeans tells us why a leisurely lunch is important 47 Lucy Bartlett of Ingredients For Cooks gives us the lowdown on her business

06

EATING OUT 28 Emma Outten and Rachael Young become ladies who lunch at CoCoes Cafe Deli at Strattons Hotel in Swaffham INTERVIEWS 32 Emma Outten catches up with Tim Briscoe, head of the award-winning Buxton Potato Company 53 Meet Dot Lloyd who celebrates 25 years in Norfolk’s hospitality business REGULARS 08 Our spotlight feature heads to The Cliff Hotel in Gorleston with its new Art Deco restaurant, Muse 36 Debut Restaurant at City College Norwich celebrates being awarded an AA College Rosette 38 Our Shop Front feature focuses on Barefoot Living, which has moved to bigger premises in Burnham Market 48 The chef Q&A meets Peter Howard of The Lifeboat Inn in Thornham on the North Norfolk coast 62 The monthly cookbook spread features one from the hit BBC TV series, Britain’s Best Home Cook 66 The gadget and gizmo column has all your essential BBQ equipment 70 Keiron Tovell captures the work of Grain

28 32

Brewery in the Waveney Valley in our latest photo essay 94 Our Proudly Norfolk column meets artisan coffee roasters Hayley and Dominic of Javabean who are based in Broadland RECIPES 11 Jed Tejada has two fish dishes for us - a tasty sea bream dish and a Cromer crab salad with a twist 43 Enjoy our haddock and crab fishcake recipe from Creake Abbey in North Norfolk 45 Alex Firman of the Kitchen Garden Cafe at Hoveton in The Broads offers us a colourful salad 47 Lucy Bartlett offers us lavender shortbread as a sweet treat 51 Peter Howard from The Lifeboat Inn at Thornham shares his perfect fish pie recipe 56 Our free from writer Sara Matthews uses almonds in her recipes this month which include a tasty tart 91 Ellen Mary has a simple but tasty roasted garlic recipe for us DRINK 78 Andy Newman is all about great English wine this month - especially if it has bubbles 80 Our wine expert Steve Hearnden suggests what to drink with mussels and smoked salmon

67

COLUMNISTS 19 Charlie Hodson tells us about a fundraising supper for a Norwich girl 55 Roger Hickman is more than ready for the asparagus season 61 Julia Martin looks to Ancient Greece for inspiration for her vegan foodie ideas 67 Andrew Jones of Farmyard in Norwich is a big BBQ fan and shares a recipe with us 81 Daniel Matthams of Green Farm Coffee explains the coffee roasting process to us TRAVEL 82 Kate Cleaver is one of the first travellers to return to Tunisia on holiday 87 Sarah Hardy visits The Beechwood Hotel in North Walsham, a favourite spot for the queen of crime, Agatha Christie!

GROW YOUR OWN 90 Our kitchen gardener Ellen Mary tells us about the cultivation of garlic 92 Allotmenteer Rachel Birtwhistle is determined to succeed in growing tomatoes this year COMPETITION 69 Win a family barbecue thanks to Norwich Camping and Leisure

90

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 | 07900 823731 rachael@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Diane Green Brand Manager | 07988 867483 diane@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Andy Newman, Charlie Hodson, Daniel Matthams, Andrew Jones, Kate Cleaver, Steve Hearnden, Sara Matthews, Keiron Tovell, Roger Hickman, Ellen Mary, Rachel Birtwhistle, Amanda Mason, Lucy Bartlett, Julia Martin

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

-

S P O T L I G H T

-

COASTAL DINING

THE CLIFF HOTEL IN GORLESTON HAS A NEW HEAD CHEF FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND AN ELEGANT NEW RESTAURANT, MUSE, OPENING THIS MONTH. SARAH HARDY REPORTS

VISIT

www.thecliffhotel.co.uk

08

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

09

S

TANDING PROUD on the seafront in Gorleston, now dubbed the new Southwold, The Cliff Hotel is a vital part of town life.

It plays host to everything, from weddings to music nights, sympathy buffets to birthday parties and just about anything you can think of! I spotted a cocktail masterclass which sounded right up my street.

With 37 bedrooms and two suites, the hotel has several different areas: The Music Room, a function room, a very popular bar and a fabulous terrace which is simply the place to be seen in the summer months.

The views, out to sea, are second to none. Many original features remain, including glorious stained glass, fireplaces and intricate coving.

But there’s an exciting new addition to the hotel’s offering - the Muse gastro restaurant, situated in the former Mitchells restaurant. With a Great Gatsby theme, it is a very stylish place, with a black, gold and burgundy colour scheme. There is a central cocktail bar, dramatic light fittings and several popular booths for diners to enjoy.

10

-

S P O T L I G H T

-

SERVES F OUR

With new flooring, it is a spacious room, opening out onto the hotel’s garden and with, yes, more great coastal views.

The menu, under the direction of new head chef Jed Tejada and his team of 14, is both contemporary and ambitious. Expect to find an increasing amount of fish and seafood and, Jed promises, dishes full of colour and just that bit different. ‘We are a passionate team and determined to work together to offer our guests something they will really enjoy and remember!’

Jed, aged 45, is from Columbia and used to be a professional saxophonist, playing Latin jazz. He travelled the world as a musician where, he says, he picked up a love of cooking and big, bold flavours.

He arrived in England in 2006 and trained with leading chef Alan Paton at the Stoke By Nayland hotel resort, near Colchester, before moving to Sutherland House in Southwold where he worked for 12 years.

He is married to Sharon and they have a six year old daughter, Maisie.

‘I learnt the importance of local food and local producers and I have made some great contacts - my lobsters will be coming from Southwold, my meat from Pepperell’s Meats near Harleston and fish from Sam Cole in Lowestoft and ACP Fishmongers in Great Yarmouth.’

Indeed, much of his spare time is spent visiting farms and producers to seek out new foods, beers and wines and to learn more. And he enjoys visiting local restaurants to experience what they have to offer and keep up with new trends. ‘That is a great part of the job,’ he laughs.

He has also had his own allotment where he has enjoyed growing his own vegetables. ‘We are now growing our own herbs at The Cliff; they are very important to me, and my style of cooking, and I’d like to start growing our own vegetables,’ Jed says.

CROMER CRAB with PINK FIR APPLE POTATOES, CHICKPEA and CHIMICHURRI INGREDIENTS 2 large, dressed Cromer crabs; 4 Pink Fir Apple potatoes, steamed and sliced; 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley; 1/2 cup of coriander; 1/3 cup of oregano; 2 garlic cloves; 1/4 cup of rapeseed oil; 2tbsp of red wine vinegar; 1/2 tsp of crushed red peppercorn; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

METHOD 1. In a skillet, add a drizzle of rapeseed oil and both garlic cloves. Sauté over a medium-high heat until it gets a nice golden toasty look on the outside. Remove from heat, and add to a blender or food processor 2. Add the parsley, coriander, oregano, remaining rapeseed oil, red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and crushed red peppercorn to the blender or food processor with the garlic cloves. Blend until smooth 3. Place the sliced potatoes and chickpea and sauce in a bowl and mix. Season as required 4. Place the potatoes, chickpea and sauce on a plate, with the crab gently scattered on top. Serve with brown bread

11

JED TEJAdA

ANOTHER RECIPE OVERLEAF

The original Cliff Hotel opened in 1898 and offered almost 140 bedrooms. It was hugely popular and very glamorous but it was gutted by fire in 1915 and never rebuilt - there are now flats on this site. The only part of the building to survive was its annex which is now at the heart of the modern day hotel and gives it plenty of character.

•

Relaxing breaks to suit all tastes

We offer a selection of North Norfolk holiday venues to cater for your every need. If it is fine food, beautiful surroundings or just an old fashioned day at the beach you are after, then look no further.

OLD HUNSTANTON

TITCHWELL

NORFOLK COAST

THE LODGE

BRIARFIELDS

HOLIDAY COTTAGES

Coastal location Seasonal food 16 stylish rooms Relaxing family atmosphere

Stunning views Salt marshes Locally sourced all day dining Beautiful decor

Cottages by the sea Pet friendly Stunning locations Idyllic getaways

www.thelodgehunstanton.co.uk

www.briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk

www.norfolkcoastholidaycottages.co.uk

SERVES F OUR

-

R E C I P E

METHOD Method for the Basil Oil Bring to the boil a large pan of water. Blanch one handful of the basil. Remove and plunge into ice cold water to cool. Drain the excess fluid, add to a blender and combine with the olive oil until a ‘pourable’ consistency is formed

-

PAN FRIED SEA BASS with RATATOUILLE and BASIL INGREDIENTS For the Basil Oil 60ml of olive oil; 2 large handfuls of basil, roughly chopped For the Sea Bass 1 sea bass fillet; juice of half a lemon

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

For the Ratatouille 1 red pepper; 1/2 an aubergine; 1 courgette; 10 cherry tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1/2 tsp of ground cumin; 2tbsp of olive oil; pinch of sugar; salt and pepper; basil oil

13

Method for the Ratatouille Slice the pepper into thin strips, halve the tomatoes, the courgette into cubes, and aubergine into disks then cubes. Heat the oil, add the garlic and cumin and cook for 45 seconds to a minute. Add the vegetables and season. Sweat in the pan for a couple of minutes, then add 100ml of water and cook for a further four minutes For the Sea Bass Scour the fish and season the skin. Heat the oil in a pan, add the fish, skin side down and cook until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip the fish, squeeze the lemon juice over and cook for a further two to three minutes. Remove from the pan and plate up. Use the remaining basil as a garnish on top of the fish

CAFÉ JUNGLE

Feast Norfolk’s very own Kitchen Gardener Ellen Mary is hosting a No Fear Gardening event at Urban Jungle in Costessey, Norwich, on May 9.

Explore the amazing urban jungle under the evening light, grab a coffee from the café and hear all about the plants that can help to give your garden that tropical feel.

Visit www.urbanjungle.uk.com

COCKTAIL EVENINGS

Urban Jungle Suffolk, just outside Beccles, will be open every Saturday evening during May for cocktails. The ingredients are carefully sourced, beautifully presented, and cleverly complemented with salad, vegetables, and pickles, grown on-site in the Edible Jungle. Plus there's a new menu.

Visit www.urbanjungle.uk.com Visit www.becclesfoodfestival.co.uk

CAFÉ JUNGLE SUFFOLK

SUPPER CLUB

Veg Out, a plant-based Supper Club and Cookery Demo from recipe developer (and Feast Norfolk recipe writer) Sara by Nature, is to take place at OPEN Norwich on May 17. The evening will feature the finest ingredients Norfolk has to offer, a two course meal, a welcome mocktail, cookery demo and live music, all in aid of OPEN Youth Trust.

Visit www.opennorwich.org.uk

BOAT SHOW

The fifth Horning Boat Show takes place on May 5. Tom Blofeld of BeWilderwood will open the show, and there will be more than 100 exhibitors taking part in the charity event which raises funds for local good causes. Plus there will be a Food Court offering speciality food and drink.

Visit www.horningboatshow.co.uk

CAR BOOT SALE PICNIC

The Norfolk Committee of the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity (formerly the Army Benevolent Fund) will be holding an Heirlooms Car Boot Sale and Picnic at Fakenham Racecourse (by kind permission of the chief executive David Hunter) on May 7. There will be ample free car parking for the public as well as a variety of food and drink on site.

For more information, email Colin de Chair: dechaircolin@gmail.com

FOOD FESTIVAL

Beccles Food and Drink Festival returns for another gastronomic extravaganza on May 26. Upwards of 50 stalls will be selling a variety of raw and cooked food, preserves, pickles, oils and other condiments, confectionery, and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

And in the Public Hall, East Coast College will be running a Cookery Theatre throughout the event.

LITERARY LUNCH

CREAM TEA

Head to Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, near South Walsham, on May 2, 9, 16, and 23, and join a guided tour with Head Gardener, Ian Guest, showcasing the colourful candelabra primulas. At the end of the tour, enjoy a cream tea with homemade scones, jam and clotted cream and a pot of tea or cup of coffee for one.

Visit www.fairhavengarden.co.uk

14

The Jarrold Spring Literary Lunch takes place at Top of the Terrace restaurant, Norwich City Football Club, on May 22. Author s Emma Healey and Andrew Wil son (plus one other special guest) will speak about their recently pub lished books, and tickets includ e a twocourse lunch and coffee . www.jarrold.co.uk

PICTURE BY KEITH BARNES PHOTOGRAPHY

LIVE MUSIC NIGHTS

The Joe Ringer Band kicks off six nights of live music throughout the year at The Hoste in Burnham Market, on May 11. Now in its sixth year, The Hoste of Music presents a varied programme including live music across many different musical genres and guests can also enjoy a threecourse dinner in the stylish Burnham Market Brasserie restaurant, before stepping out on the dance floor.

Visit www.thehoste.com

WINE & MUSIC

Strattons bank holiday brunch club takes place on May 7 and 28. Indulge in Jules’ homemade pastries, granola pots, local juice and unlimited tea or coffee and choose a delicious hot dish from the menu, perhaps smoked trout with avocado, chilli jam and hollandaise on toasted sourdough.

Visit www.strattonshotel.com

OZ CLARKE

BRUNCH CLUB

Bury St Edmunds Festival is hosting an evening exploring spurious links between wine and music with wine expert Oz Clarke and the Armonico Consort & Baroque Players, on May 22, at The Athenaeum. The show, Oz & Armonico Drink Again, will take you from the British Isles to Mozart’s Vienna through a journey of wine tasting, witty tales and gorgeous baroque music.

Visit www.buryfestival.co.uk

DIARY DATES

WITH TWO LONG BANK HOLIDAY WEEKENDS THIS MONTH, THERE’S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND ABOUT AND GET EATING AND DRINKING, SAYS EMMA OUTTEN

-

MAY

W H A T ' S

O N

-

ROYAL WEDDING

Celebrate the royal wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a Gala Lunch in the Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa on May 19. Head Chef Justin Kett has created a special menu with a meze sharing starter, main course and dessert to enjoy while watching the televised ceremony. Take your table in the AA two rosette Gallery Restaurant ready for the wedding ceremony.

Visit www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk

SLOW FOOD

Slow Food Aylsham is organising cooking demonstrations with top local chefs in the Market Square on the first Saturday of the month from May to September.

Visit www.slowfoodaylsham.org.uk

CRAB & LOBSTER

The ninth Crab and Lobster Festival takes place in Cromer on May 19 and 20. A feast of fun, food, art, music and heritage, there will be a wide range of events and activities to celebrate local links with the sea.

Visit www.crabandlobsterfestival.co.uk

FOOD FESTIVAL

The second Reepham Food Festival takes place on May 27. Charlie Hodson will be returning with his Norfolk Food Heroes to demonstrate cooking skills and recipe ideas; Reepham’s schools will be involved with a MasterChef competition, and there will be a new Farm to Table marquee. Oh, and there will be around 30 local food and drink stalls.

Visit www.reephamfoodfestival.org.uk

GIN FESTIVAL

The Rooftop Gardens is hosting a Gin Festival on May 24, in association with Bullards Gin and Franklin & Sons Tonic Water. There will be a selection of premium gins to choose from, Bullards will be on hand to give an overview of the gin making process from grain to spirit and Franklin & Sons will be at hand to discuss all things tonic-related.

Visit www.rooftopgardens.co.uk

WAITERS DAY (pic right)

The annual Norwich Waiters Day race, which celebrates the good work done by front of house teams across Norfolk, takes place on May 22. Hospitality is a valuable resource to our area, and all proceeds from entries this year will go towards the charity Hospitality Action. If you would like to enter a team contact Jayne Raffles at The Library: thelibrary@rafflesrestaurants.co.uk Visit www.thelibraryrestaurant.co.uk

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER! HERE’S OUR CATCH OF THE DAY… Just two miles away from the delights of Cromer, The Heydon in Roughton is a beautiful brick and flint converted farm building. Forming part of Jonas Farm Barns, it has shared use of the fabulous heated indoor pool. Full to the brim with character, The Heydon is a wonderful romantic retreat for couples, but equally suitable for someone wishing to holiday alone – or maybe with their dog.

This is a great base from which to explore the many rural and coastal delights on offer in this beautiful area of North Norfolk.

A three-night stay at The Heydon starts from £283.

Visit www.norfolkhideaways.co.uk Call 01485 211022 Email enquiries@norfolkhideaways.co.uk

The Broads W H A T ' S

O N

-

RIVER HOUSE NEAR THURNE MILL

-

IT’S GOT BROAD APPEAL! AMANDA MASON OF VISIT THE BROADS URGES US ALL TO HEAD TO OUR NATIONAL PARK AS THE OUTDOORS FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE THIS MONTH

16

VISIT

www.visitthebroads.co.uk

T

HE BROADS is Britain’s largest protected wetland, the only National Park to have a city in its midst and is home to more than a quarter of the UK’s rarest wildlife.

Combine this with the fact that the area boasts some of the driest weather in the country and it will come as no surprise that the Broads attracts around 8m visitors per year, resulting in a tourism economy worth £568 million.

Balancing the responsibility for conservation, alongside recreation and tourism is an ongoing challenge for the Broads Authority who aim to create a healthy environment for both people and animals to enjoy.

They work closely with Visit the Broads, the body which represents more than 100 tourism businesses, to promote sustainable tourism so that everyone can enjoy the special qualities of the Broads for many years to come.

Events aimed at visitors and locals, such as the Outdoors Festival which runs until May 13, are a celebration of everything that is great about the Broads National Park. The festival consists of 89 events spread over two weeks and is a fantastic way for both visitors and locals to experience the National Park.

Spanning both Norfolk and Suffolk, and with more than 75,000 acres of inland waterways to explore, the Broads National Park offers a myriad of activities for visitors of all ages. From the more traditional walking, cycling and boating to the current stand-up paddle boarding, there are plenty of ways to work up an appetite.

The good news is that the quality of food and drink on the Broads continues to improve year on year. At the same time, standards have been underscored by the growth in membership of Visit the Broads. Their mission statement pledges to ‘offer a high quality experience for all customers which exceeds their expectations, provides excellent value for money and encourages them to return for more’.

The Outdoors Festival: THERE ARE NUMEROUS events to enjoy, from wherry sailing to a guided tour of St Benet’s Abbey at Ludham; an evening chorus walk at Carlton Marshes; the chance to try out canoeing at Whitlingham and the Martham Scarecrow Festival!

Look out for a Primula Tour and Cream Tea at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham on May 2 and 9, a Coffee and Nature Kayak Safari at Hickling Broad on May 5, a visit to Reedham Church and a trip to the village’s Humpty Dumpty Brewery on May 5, and a Strawberry Walk and Cream Tea at the Wind Energy Museum at Repps-with-Bastwick on May 6.

ST BENET'S ABBEY

PICTURES (RIGHT & BELOW RIGHT) COURTESY OF BROADS AUTHORITY

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

17

E IT R U O V FA

A S PEC IA LI ST I N F OOD PHOTOG R A PHY

J O L L I DAYS ON

T H E N O R F O L K B R OA D S ENJOY A HOLIDAY ON ONE OF OUR CRUISERS, A DAY ON A PICNIC BOAT OR A STAY IN ONE OF OUR COTTAGES!

BOOK YOUR BROADS ADVENTURE TODAY herbertwoods.co.uk | 0800 144 4472

Follow us

SO PH IE TAY LOR CHARLIE HODSON

FOR SOPHIE -

C O L U M N

-

#TAKEASOPHIE

THIS MONTH OUR COLUMNIST CHARLIE HODSON TELLS US ABOUT A FUNDRAISING SUPPER AIMED AT HELPING A YOUNG NORWICH GIRL AND HER FAMILY THIS MONTH sees a very important charity fundraising night for Sophie Taylor, an amazing four-year-old girl from Norwich who is battling cancer.

She was diagnosed in January, after suffering pains in her knee over Christmas. I heard about her when her dad, Alex, took a photo of her sticking her tongue out, as if in defiance of the disease. After encouraging family and friends to do the same, the #takeasophie campaign has spread, with celebrities, sportsmen and schools all taking part. Those who have posted included Countryfile presenter Adam Henson and TV presenter Katie Piper.

It aims to raise money for her family, including mum Kirsty, sister Evie and brother Connor, helping them with the 120 mile round trip to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where she has received chemotherapy, and further visits to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore in Middlesex.

Our fundraising night is being held at The Fur and Feather pub at Woodbastwick, near Acle, where I am executive head chef, on May 14. We are staging a pop-up supper and comedy night with Hardeep Singh-Kohli, my great friend and TV presenter, who is always willing to help out and is great fun.

The evening includes a five-course dinner cooked by me, Hardeep and other chef friends from the area and will feature Hardeep’s famous pork vindaloo. Hardeep is also performing a stand up comedy set.

The evening starts at 7pm and tickets are £19.95. A collection will be made for Sophie during the evening.

Contact the pub for more details on 01603 720003.

• To support Sophie, tweet a photo to #takeasophie, visit Super Strong Sophie on Facebook or donate at justgiving. com/crowdfunding/superstrongsophie.

• All donations will go to help Sophie in her journey, and any extra will be given to a charity for those affected by children’s cancers.

• There is also a selection of Take A Sophie merchandise available to buy online.

HARDEEP 'S PORK V I N D AL O O

HAR DEE IN G PS H-K OH LI

PIC

TUR

E BY PA U L

JOHNS

T O N AT CO P P E R M ANGO

19

HEART OF THE BROADS

WROXHAM BARNS started life in 1982 as the brainchild of entrepreneur Ian Russell when he bought a series of derelict farm buildings near Wroxham, thinking he’d open a Craft Centre that would capitalise on what was then becoming a national pastime: shopping. It opened on May 24 1983 and, 35 years later, is still owned and run by Ian. It receives thousands of visitors, both local and holiday makers, every year, many returning time after time as they see it as an important part of their Norfolk visit.

It still offers that rich heritage of shopping, crafts and, of course, the wonderful Junior Farm and Funfair, but it is full of surprises, with customers are often heard to say: ‘I wasn’t expecting that!’.

There is a range of different outlets run by a variety of inspirational craftsmen and women, making everything from fudge to cider; wooden and engraved crafts; handmade jewellery; stained glass and ceramics as well as clothing and gifts; needlecrafts; quality Norfolk produce and gourmet gifts; home accessories; artwork and photography.

There’s even a rose and plant centre, a hair and beauty salon and a craft studio where visitors get to have a go themselves. The Gallery Fashion offers top fashion brands

VISIT

www.wroxhambarns.co.uk

Wroxham Barns has been at the

centre of tourism in The Broads for 35 years, with food a big part of what they do. We tell you more

• •

20

Free entry and car parking Opens daily from 10am to 5pm

WROXHAM BARNS P R O M O T I O N

-

PICTURES BY KEIRON TOVELL

-

specials’ board and delicious desserts. The relaxed Sunday lunches are very popular as are the traditional Afternoon Teas.

The Coffee Shop, which also boasts new décor and furniture, is perfect for families on the go with a trayservice, seating inside and a comfy outdoor terrace too.

It’s dog friendly, heated should it turn chilly and has a retractable canopy. Look out for a great selection of sandwiches, jacket potatoes, cakes and more, plus a barista coffee machine for that perfect latte or cappuccino.

including Adini, Seasalt, Tulchan, Robell trousers and Alice Collins, while Scrummy Pig has a huge range of Norfolk food and drink on offer and holds regular tasting days.

Ian explains: ‘We try to make every day special for our visitors and it is our whole offering that really turns heads, we’d call it ‘Uniquely Wroxham Barns - Norfolk with a twist’. One of my favourite comments came from a couple who told me: ‘Where did the day go? We only came for a coffee and ended up spending the whole day enjoying everything on offer.’ I thought that was wonderful.’

Should you feel hungry during your visit, there are two options - a coffee shop and restaurant - and both are supporting new looks for the spring. Both also offer fresh, wholesome, good-value food, all made in their own kitchen, using ingredients from suppliers the chefs know and trust, alongside good service and set in lovely and relaxed surroundings.

The award-winning restaurant now boasts a new look, created by Norwich-based Salt Interiors, which also includes new furniture. Food is served all day from breakfast onwards and it is also licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine! The menu includes toasts, soups and sandwiches; an extensive range of main dishes, a daily

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

Throughout May

say ‘Hello to Spring’ and indulge yourself with a delicious Springtime Afternoon Tea to welcome a fresh, new season at £11.95 pp or £20 for two. Served daily between 2pm & 4.30pm.

21

-

W H A T ' S

O N

-

Adnams Pop-Up Festival Bar

TOP CHEFS! MARVELLOUS MACHINERY

COOKERY DEMO Theatre

The Norwich Food and Drink Festival takes place next month - read our preview of the big day 22

A FOODIE Norwich Food and Drink Festival

VISIT

www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

O

NE OF THE REGION’S biggest foodie events, the Norwich Food and Drink Festival, takes place next month.

Organised by Norfolk Food and Drink and sponsored for the fourth consecutive year by Cozens-Hardy solicitors, the much-loved festival will see The Forum, St Peter’s Street and Bethel Street transformed into a celebration of the county’s burgeoning food and drink industry.

This fabulous, free, family friendly foodie fiesta on June 17 promises something for everyone, including: The Adnams Pop Up Festival Bar, which this year features alternative refreshments as well, in the form of Norfolk Raider Cider and coffee from the team at Green Farm.

The Producers' Street Market, sponsored by Lovewell Blake, with more than 40 local food and drink producers to tantalize the taste buds.

A Foodie Fun Zone, promising foodie activities for younger visitors.

Splat the Dad, what better way to celebrate Father’s Day that to throw a soggy sponge at dad!

The Street Food Market, offering a range of delicious hot and cold, sweet and savoury dishes to suit all tastes.

A Cookery Demonstration Theatre featuring some of the county’s best known and best loved chefs, including Richard Bainbridge, Chef Proprietor of Benedicts Restaurant; Richard Hughes, Chef

Proprietor, The Assembly House Norwich and owner of Richard Hughes Cookery School; and Kate Barmby, former Great British Bake Off Contestant and Champion of Norfolk Food & Drink.

Marvellous Machinery - Ben Burgess invites you to get up close and personal with some of the latest state-of-the-art tractors and learn more about the machines that make farming ever more cutting edge There will also be live music, a hog roast, and the team from Feast Norfolk magazine will be there, too!

The legendary Battle of the Bangers, sponsored

by Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management, is set to return for one final time. It sees 10 of the county’s best butchers battling it out to be crowned winner of the judges' and public vote by tempting visitors into St Peter’s Street, where they can taste a selection of mouth-watering sausages.

Sarah de Chair, Chair of Norfolk Food and Drink, explains: ‘The Battle of the Bangers has been an integral part of the Norwich Food and Drink Festival for the last 14 years. Whilst the festival may have moved around, grown, shrunk and grown again into the incredible celebration it is today, one thing has remained the same – the Battle of the Bangers. It is particularly poignant as well this year that health and safety consultant RedCat has returned to run the day, as they made the very first event possible with their sponsorship.

‘Every year since, we have looked to the amazing butchers to take part and it really is no small undertaking, involving more than 1000 pounds of sausage meat every year - so we have decided it is time to let them hang up their aprons and enjoy a well-deserved rest. But not, of course, before one final battle.’

• The day runs from 10am to 5pm.

CELEBRATION www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

23

AN EVENING WITH RAY PARLOUR & JOHN BARNES Saturday 9th June 2018 Norfolk Lounge, Carrow Road Delia’s Canary Catering is pleased to welcome Ex-England Stars Ray Parlour and John Barnes to Carrow Road.

During the evening you will enjoy a three-course meal designed by Delia, whilst hearing from John Barnes and “The Romford Pele” Ray Parlour. Both stars will discuss the highs and lows of their careers and look ahead to England’s chances at the World Cup in Russia.

TICKETS VIP £99 Standard £65 Season Ticket Holders & Members £59* VIP tickets include a pre-dinner drinks reception with canapés in the company of Ray and John, wine during your meal** and premium positioned seating. * Standard ticket only, limited availability. T&Cs apply.

See website for details. ** Half a 750ml bottle per person.

To book your tickets: Call: 01603 218724 Email: canary.catering@canaries.co.uk Visit: deliascanarycatering.co.uk/events

The Dial House -

N E W S

-

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

food offering to bring it in line with what already works so well. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of its next chapter.’

And Hannah, operations director, says: ‘We adore The Dial House. It’s an incredible site with a fabulous concept of insanely beautiful rooms and the bonkers idea that you can buy everything you see! We decked out our home in Reepham with much of the furniture from the Objects business which is run within The Dial House by the very talented Sarah Tribe, when we moved here.

‘Andrew and I spent our wedding night there last May, after we married in our garden. We know the place like the backs of our hands.

We could never have dreamt that it would ever come our way.’

• NEXT MONTH - we hear more about the couple’s plans for The Dial House, including Marigold Events, plus we’ll be featuring a couple of Andrew’s super summer recipes

25

ANDREW AND HANNAH

ANDREW JONES, chef patron of Farmyard in Norwich, and his TV producer wife Hannah Springham are celebrating their purchase of the glorious Dial House, right in the heart of Reepham, one of Norfolk’s few remaining unspoilt treasures.

Apart from the obvious challenge of having a second place to run, the couple, who have two young children, are delighted as they actually live in the town and celebrated their wedding night at The Dial House!

Both are from Norfolk, with Andrew growing up in the town and attending Norwich School, while Hannah is from South Walsham and cut her catering teeth at South Walsham Hall. They worked in London for several years before returning to Norfolk in 2015, with Farmyard, Norwich’s first bistronomy style restaurant, opening in 2017, with its emphasis on local produce.

Whilst they have lots of plans for the boutique hotel, which has eight bedrooms, they are both keen to stress that they bought it because they love it - although it does sound like Andrew is itching to get his hands on the menu.

He says: ‘This isn’t going to be another Farmyard. The menu will be slightly more elegant, to echo the beautiful Georgian building. I also want to point out that we won’t be going in and scrapping everything. We love the place. The service is great, the site looks fantastic, but we’ll be cranking up the

www.thedialhouse.org.uk

FEAST NORFOLK COLUMNIST ANDREW JONES AND HIS WIFE HANNAH SPRINGHAM ARE THE NEW OWNERS OF THE DIAL HOUSE IN REEPHAM. CAN YOU FEEL THEIR EXCITEMENT?

VISIT

tHE NEXt CHAPtER

BOWLED OVER Visit www.norfolkhideaways.co.uk

We’re looking forward to putting our bowling shoes on and trying out Bowling House, Norwich’s newest leisure destination offering food, beer, cocktails and wine along with five intimate lanes. Located in the former Regal Cinema on Dereham Road, the idea (according to manager director Jack Thompson), is to eat, drink then bowl - plus it is adults only after 7pm.

NOT SO HIDDEN AWAY Norfolk Hideaways, the coastal and country holiday retreat company, have moved from their Burnham Deepdale location to a new office in Burnham Market - on Foundry Place. You can browse their cottage collection and book by visiting the office.

TOASTING MARMALADE Norfolk marmalade makers did well in the 2018 World’s Original Marmalade Awards, in Dalemain, Cumbria, including Annabel Anderson of Old Rectory Preserves at Carleton Rode (a silver and two bronze awards); Happisburgh-based Ollands Farm Foods (two gold - for their Seville and Whisky Marmalade and their Single Malt Marmalade – and two bronze); Essence Foods (a gold - for its Lime Marmalade with Bergamot and Bay - and a bronze); Mrs Graveling senior, of The Grove in Cromer (two silver).

Visit www.dalemain.com DALEMAIN

N EWS

Visit www.bowlinghouse.co.uk

R OU N D - U P

We’ve been hearing about awards aplenty – mostly involving marmalade – this month, says Emma Outten NEW VODKA

Visit www.shucksattheyurt.co.uk

su

f fo

l

26

llery.co.uk

We’re pleased to hear that OPEN Norwich is now offering a full in-house catering service, following a launch on May 1, including buffets for small meetings or large conferences; banqueting for any occasion; and fine dining, either as part of an event or in the privacy of one of its elegant dining rooms. Head of Catering is Andrew Baker.

Visit www.opennorwich.org.uk

The Reindeer on Dereham Road has reopened, but with much more emphasis on live music, and DJs. Run by well-known Norwich landlady Lou Wilding, it’s an Elgood’s pub (so expect Elgood’s Fork Handles – there’s a joke in there somewhere!) but also local real ales such as Golden Triangle’s Equinoxity, and Aspall cider on draught.

Find The Reindeer Norwich on Facebook

sti

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

REINDEER REOPENS

kd i

The search for the crème de la crème among Norfolk’s food and farming industry began at a new launch event at Aylsham Farmers’ Market recently. Organisers of The Aylsham Agricultural Show Association’s 12th annual Norfolk Hero Food and Drink Awards ask the public for nominations for the premier individuals and businesses in four categories.

To vote, visit the competitions section of www.theaylshamhow.co.uk

V isit www.

FOOD HEROES

Two new products are about to be launched by small batch gin company Suffolk Distillery, based near Bury St Edmunds. There’s a gin containing Suffolk strawberries and a vodka (a first for the firm) containing Suffolk honey. Both new products will be in a 35cl bottle size and each will be 43 per cent volume.

CHICKEN SHACK We’re liking the look of the new chicken shack and rustic pizza takeaway at Shuck's at the Yurt at Drove Orchards, Thornham. On offer will be free-range chicken cooked to Philip Milner’s special secret recipe, and handmade pizzas. The takeaway will be open every day.

WHISKY WIN (pic below) Adnams is celebrating a triple win for its whiskies at the annual World Whiskies Awards. All three of its Southwold-made whiskies (Adnams Triple Malt, Adnams Single Malt, and Adnams Rye Malt) were winners at the event, tasted and overseen by 50 international judges. Well done to Adnams’ Master Distiller, John McCarthy and the team.

Visit www.adnams.co.uk

News & Gossip DESIGNS ON SEAFOOD (pic left) Mother and daughter duo, Michelle and Stephanie Witts, have opened their first shop in Holt, bringing their screenprinting designs to the region.

Mitographie promises original home-made designs inspired by local surroundings, including the Norfolk coastline and its mussels, lobsters, crab and mackerel. A case of looking good enough to eat?

Visit www.wittsdesign.com

BEST BREAKFASTS A new cookbook, featuring the best and most unusual breakfasts from Britain's 25,000 Bed and Breakfasts, is to raise funds for the Family Holiday Association. The Great British B&B Breakfast Cookbook features recipes that range from modern interpretations of the traditional 'fry-up' to the 'specialist' sardines in custard, and also features Red Lodge Country House in Narford.

Visit www.eviivo.com

ALL ABOARD

THE GREAT BRITISH B&B BREAKFAST COOKBOOK

GALA DINNER

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

Visit www.bacefoods.co.uk

Norfolk Food and Drink is holding its Patrons' Gala Dinner on July 6 at Norwich School, with five of the region’s leading chefs cooking a course each. Chris Coubrough of Flying Kiwi Inns kicks off the evening with canapés, alongside an Adnams fizz and Bombay Sapphire and tonic reception; the first course is from Richard Bainbridge from Benedicts restaurant in Norwich, the main course is by Chris Busby and the team at Brasteds, at Framingham Pigot, just outside the city, and the dessert is from Richard Hughes and the team at the Assembly House in Norwich, and Kate Barmby, champion of Norfolk Food and Drink. Also look out for cheese from Nortons Dairy and Mrs Temple, and coffee from Javabean, based in The Broads. The evening, which starts at 7pm, is sponsored by Norwich Cosmetic Clinic, with the wines sponsored by N W Brown. Entertainment comes from Tommy Winn. Tickets are £100 per person and available at www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

DRYING-OUT The Saracen's Head in Wolterton is hoping to open the restaurant in June, after suffering a burst mains water pipe in the roof during the recent cold snap. This has caused a huge amount of damage on all levels of the building, and they are still in the process of drying it all out, before replacing the ceilings and refurbishing the rooms.

Visit www.saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

DELI AWARDS Congratulations to the Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton which has made it to the finals of the Deli of the Year Awards for the third consecutive year. Thornham Deli is also in the running – so good luck to both! Plus Dabs ‘n’ Crabs, based in Scratby, near Great Yarmouth, is a finalist in the Fishmonger of the Year category.

Visit www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk

BACE LINE Have you come across Bace Foods yet? Norfolk-based founder, Suzy Smith, is on a mission to make healthy eating easy and produces nourishing pots of veg and pulse goodness, so expect lots of lentils! We particularly like the labels, which have a nice ring to them, such as ‘beans with benefits’ and ‘peas with perks’ – both sound good to us.

The Coastal Exploration Company, based in Wells and run by Henry Chamberlain, is re-establishing a trading route, under sail, from Wells to Ely from May 19-24. Onboard will be a selection of Norfolk products including Malt Coast beer, the Norfolk Coffee Company, Norfolk Charcuterie, and Norfolk Saffron. The low carbon trip, with the crew provided by the King’s Lynn-based Purfleet Trust, aims to deliver goods sustainably under sail and by oar. It will also celebrate the historic Hansiatic sail trading routes in King’s Lynn on May 20, as part of the town’s Hanse Festival.

Visit www.coastalexplorationcompany.co.uk

BEER AWARD Congratulations to Wolf Brewery, based in Besthorpe, near Attleborough, which has taken home Overall Champion Gold in the Cask Awards at the SIBA Independent Beer Awards. The Champion Cask beer, Sirius Dog Star, is described as being a ‘uniquely flavoured red ale, lightly hopped with American Galena and Cluster hops, a smooth beer with a soft fruity finish’.

Visit www.wolfbrewery.com

27

i SHOULD

COCOES The new version of CoCoes Café Deli at Strattons Hotel in Swaffham has been open a year or so. Emma Outten and her friend and colleague Rachael Young enjoyed a ladies’ lunch

VISIT

www.strattonshotel.com

IT HAD BEEN a good few years since I’d been to Strattons Hotel in the heart of Swaffham, but it certainly hasn’t lost any of its boutique charm. I love the fact that, once you’ve taken the blink-and-you’llmiss-it turning, you could be in the middle of the countryside, and not, in fact, in the middle of a South West Norfolk market town.

CoCoes Café Deli, in the grounds of the hotel, reopened in its current form just over a year ago and is a thoroughly modern addition to the Strattons set-up.

Looks are a bit deceptive from the outside as to how big it is on the inside - it turned out to be a bit of a Tardis.

The mustardy yellow seating would brighten up any lunchtime (and it was a very wet Wednesday the day we ventured out of Norwich), and the cafe soon filled up with the ladies who lunch crowd – and gents who lunch, to be fair.

Check out the list of suppliers to CoCoes and it is as long as your arm, so although the menu itself might not shout about being local, you can rest assured that it is. The sausage rolls, for example, are made from Breckland produce and have a fan in comedian Al Murray, who tweeted to his 300,000 followers that they were, quite simply, ‘the best’.

COCOES -

E A T I N G

O U T

-

As I was driving, I had Pear Juice from Ashill Fruit Farm (£4.50) and my friend and colleague Rachael also decided to be the model of sobriety, by nursing a Fentimans ginger beer (£3), although alcoholic beverages included beer (and wine) from Adnams, Calvors Suffolk lager, and cider from Aspalls.

As is the way these days, CoCoes offers all day breakfasts (including full English style with Scott’s Field Pork sausage), and brunch - but we were here for lunch. Although there are sandwiches on organic ciabatta or Scandi open sandwiches on sourdough (such as Lockets savoury, pear, Binham Blue and watercress), we were more interested in a ‘proper’ lunch.

I had the CoCoes veggie meze (£8.30), comprising three marvellously meat-free pâtés (such as a really tasty red pepper and beetroot), roasted tomatoes, salad, lentils and CoCoes crackers. The presentation was on point, with shards of the crackers (seeded and olive oil) and oatcakes rising from the plate – and each complemented the pâtés perfectly.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

29

Discover our NEW EXCHANGE RESTAURANT Serving freshly prepared wood fired pizzas and stonebaked breads. Open and artisan sandwiches. Fresh pasta and salad, seasonal soup, desserts, cakes, coffee and wine in a new and contemporary setting. Completing the refurbishment of our new lower ground Foodhall.

E XC H A N G E R E S TAU R A N T • O P E N I N G S O O N

WINE BAR

WINES & SPIRITS

DELI FOODHALL

The Deli & Foodhall

BESPOKE HAMPERS

LONDON STREET, NORWICH 01603 660661 JARROLD.CO.UK

Offering a host of fine produce. Cheeses, pates, olives, quiches, pies, tarts, cakes, chocolates and not to forget award winning gin, ales and wines.

COCOES -

E A T I N G

O U T

-

The daily specials board is extensive, and included such things as Fruit Pig ham and poached eggs on sourdough.

Rachael had the CoCoes fishcakes (manager Maggie’s fishcakes are very popular and we noticed that both ladies seated next to us had also ordered them). They came with slaw (have you noticed how often the ‘cole’ is dispensed with these days?), and green salad (£9). The fishcakes looked like they had a nice crispy crumb around them (and I think I’m right in saying that all the fish is supplied

by Coles of Kings Lynn).

And it was back to the blackboard of specials for Rachael when it came to having something sweet: CoCoes meringue with blueberry coulis and crème fraiche (£3.95). However, her eyes were clearly bigger than her belly as, having watched her lift the lid of the meringue and dive straight in, by the time she’d got down to the base she’d clearly bitten off more than she could chew! I tried to help out but quite frankly my chocolate brownie had all but finished me off. This one had a Middle Eastern twist to it, made as it was with halva and tahini (£3) – all very dense and decadent.

On the patisserie table there were all manner of cakes to choose from, including a ‘sweet treat of the week’, and Jules’s homemade scones (to be accompanied by Norfolk Preserves jam and cream). And, with the weather warming up, there’s also Norfolk Farmhouse or Booja Booja ice cream to choose from. We finished off with

a cup of tea and coffee (Rachael liked the cups, probably because a cat was perched on top of the logo and her cat happens to be called Coco!).

Next time I’ll have to remember that CoCoe’s is dog friendly (the dog biscuits for sale from Pooches of Flitcham were a nice touch). I also spotted that, on a Sunday, they do a roast, and just round the corner from the café is the new Bam and Arrow lifestyle and interiors shop, so plenty of reasons to return.

Tim Briscoe -

B I G

I N T E R V I E W

-

Y A S YOU

POtATO

THE BUXTON POTATO COMPANY WAS NAMED EAST OF ENGLAND CO-OP’S NORFOLK PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, FOR THE SECOND TIME, SO EMMA OUTTEN WENT TO MEET TIM BRISCOE, THE MAN AT THE HEAD OF IT ALL VISIT

www.buxtonpotatoes.co.uk cast across the region in support of local produce), but just a few days later he went up to collect yet another award – Eco Food Producer in the Norwich and Norfolk Eco Awards. Their work has already earned them Gold Carbon Charter awards in both Norfolk and Suffolk.

‘We’ve had a good run,’ Tim acknowledges.

He is passionate about reducing food miles and limiting waste and is proud to supply direct to local retailers, caterers and restaurateurs in Norfolk.

Dudwick Farm has been farmed since the 1930s for three generations, although Tim says: ‘My parents are doctors - the farm was run by a neighbour and I only took it back in-house 25 years ago - my background is engineering and I wasn’t born on a tractor seat, which is maybe why I look at things slightly differently.’

He adds: ‘I love the engineering side and the marketing side – I love everything about what we do. I’ll sit on the trailer when we’re harvesting because I want to see the quality of the harvest, and I’ll do all the bruise checks

TIM BRISCOE is on a mission to make the humble potato sexy again, in an age when pasta and rice seem to have become the main attraction at mealtimes.

The man at the head of the Buxton Potato Company, which grows salad, baking and roasting potatoes on 550 acres of farmland just north of its namesake Norfolk village, says: ‘What we are trying to do is get everyone to fall in love with the potato again.

‘In the old days, everyone used to have a 25 kilo bag and leave it in the garage (and not look after it as well as we do in the store here).’

He takes his potatoes extremely seriously, which could be one of the reasons why the Buxton Potato Company has just won the East of England Co-op’s Norfolk Producer of the Year award – for the second time.

In fact, he and the rest of the small team enjoyed an exceptionally good week recently. Not only did they win that particular award (and this year’s competition proved to be a record breaking one with more than 28,000 votes

32

TIM BRISCOE

The East of England Co-op will be celebrating Sourced Locally Fortnight between June 1 and 16

As well as supplying good old-fashioned potato products – and the potatoes they grow are Estima, Cara, Maris Peer, and Marfona - they have recently introduced peeled and packed catering products, including skin-on and skin-off chips. Tim says: ‘We’ve now set out to try and supply pubs in this area, but only within five miles of here.’ The processing side of the business was only up and running towards the end of last year but already it’s going well. Tim says: ‘I’m pretty motivated and just want to get as many of my potatoes out as locally as I can.’

The team seem like a good humoured bunch, if their website write-ups are anything to go by (Tim, for example, is described as the Big Bad Boss, whereas Nigel is Mr Grumpy and Mark is The Old Man). ‘You have to have humour,’ laughs Tim. It sounds as though he’s still basking in the glory of beating a chocolate producer to the county crown: ‘Who would’ve thought the humble potato would beat chocolate!’

in the morning because I want to make sure that when people buy the potatoes they are not bruised.’

In 2004 they began grading and bagging their potatoes, with a focus on supplying local, fresh and tasty potatoes direct to their consumer base – and this business decision led to the birth of the Buxton Potato Company itself. The company became a Sourced Locally supplier for East of England Co-op around a decade ago, and Tim describes it as like being part of a family (although they do also supply Roys of Wroxham and CT Baker Budgens).

What’s so special about a potato from the Buxton Potato Company? Tim says their spuds tick all the boxes when it comes to family mealtimes: ‘You can do what you like with them: mash ‘em, boil ‘em, chip ‘em, roast ‘em, and bake ‘em!’

What does he prefer to do with his? ‘I can’t cook to save my life and I don’t really have a favourite but you can’t beat a roast dinner, you can’t beat fish and chips and you can’t beat a jacket potato when you’re on your own.’

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

33

ALL tHE RIGH T

Ingredients for Cooks B U S I N E S S

P R O F I L E

-

LUCY BARTLETT

-

INGREDIENTS LUCY BARTLETT IS THE CHAIRMAN OF INGREDIENTS FOR COOKS, THE FAMILYRUN, SUFFOLK-BASED COMPANY WHICH PROVIDES DELICIOUS INGREDIENTS FOR BOTH HOME AND PROFESSIONAL COOKS. SHE EXPLAINS HOW IT ALL WORKS

VISIT

www.ingredientsforcooks.co.uk

C

an you tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to establish Ingredients for Cooks?

I have lived in East Anglia for the past 16 years and one of my great pleasures is cooking for my husband, our two children and our friends. I am also a keen gardener, growing a lot of my own fruit and vegetables. My professional background is as a fund manager and I gained lots of experience investing in smaller companies, and so, when the opportunity arose to combine my love of food with a food wholesaler in need of investment, I jumped at the chance.

I established Ingredients for Cooks because lots of kitchens are like mine - we get through large quantities of our favourite foods so quickly that supermarket size small

34

packets don't last for more than one sitting, or are grazed through in the case of my teenage son! We are, like so many households in East Anglia, serious about the quality of our food and so accessing professional ingredients, which are of the highest quality at a lower cost than you pay in the supermarket, just makes sense.

What, would you say, is its USP? Our range of pantry, chilled and frozen products is curated by the very pickiest food buyers - professional chefs. We simply offer the products that are chosen by the finest professional kitchens in East Anglia to every kitchen. These tend to be slightly larger (but by no means scary) pack sizes than you would normally find in a supermarket.

Who do you sell to - is it just professional cooks? We sell to a wide range of cooks, amateur and professional -

professionals are a large part of our customer base but so are hungry households, or people entertaining friends or hosting a party or celebration.

You're East Anglian-based - can anyone in the UK order from you? We deliver throughout East Anglia in our own vans and to the rest of mainland Britain using an overnight courier service.

Where do you source your products from? Our products are sourced from all over the world. We also pride ourselves on stocking a really good range of East Anglian products: Criterion Ice Cream, Dhotel Patisserie, a wide range of local cheeses and Breckland Orchard Posh Pop, to name but a few.

What types of ingredients can always be found in your fridge/store cupboard? Our fridge staples are: a large tub of semi dried tomatoes, a large hunk of Parmesan, houmous, mozzarella, and serrano ham. In the store cupboard I always have 70 per cent dark chocolate, a couple of different olive oils, balsamic glaze, walnuts, pasta and dried figs; and in the freezer I have avocados, ready to bake croissants or pains au chocolat, sourdough, flatbreads, profiteroles and ice cream.

Do you have a favourite meal to cook/eat? I am basically greedy and so my favourite meal is normally whatever I am going to eat next. For supper I am going to make one of my favourite recipes: chicken and green bean tagine with jewelled couscous. I do love Middle Eastern food and it is probably my ‘go to’ midweek cuisine - it is full of flavour and colour but can be cooked quite quickly after getting home from work.

Can you name the most popular products which people order at this time of year? May is a tricky month as people are feeling they want to eat for spring before all this season's summer produce is in the shops - we are selling a lot of frozen rhubarb and berries and broad beans in anticipation of the fresh produce coming into the shops. It is also definitely the start of the pizza season, so we are selling lots of frozen pizza dough balls, mozzarella, olives and charcuterie.

Can you explain the connection between Elm Valley Foods and Ingredients for Cooks? Elm Valley is the parent company and it sells directly to restaurants and hotels throughout East Anglia. Ingredients for Cooks operates out of the same warehouse and sells exactly the same products to every kitchen via our website: www.ingredientsforcooks.co.uk.

“IN THE FREEZER I ALWAYS HAVE

AVOCADOS.”

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

-

C I T Y

C O L L E G E

-

THE TEAM OF HOSPITALITY STUDENTS AND STAFF AT CITY COLLEGE NORWICH’S DEBUT RESTAURANT ARE CELEBRATING A GLOWING REVIEW OF THEIR FOOD AND SERVICE, WHICH HAS SEEN THE RESTAURANT RECEIVE A ‘HIGHLY COMMENDED’ AA COLLEGE ROSETTE. EMMA OUTTEN REPORTS

VISIT

www.ccn.ac.uk

W

HEN AN AA inspector says that the dishes in a college training restaurant are well executed and wouldn’t be out of place in a fully-fledged restaurant then you know you must be doing something right.

City College Norwich’s Debut Restaurant trains the next generation of chefs and front of house staff by giving students experience of working in a fine dining restaurant which is open to the public. And students and staff are celebrating after recently receiving a ‘Highly Commended’ AA College Rosette.

In her report, the AA inspector says: ‘All members of the team, front of house and back of house, carried out their work with true professionalism,’ adding: ‘The hospitality was warm and genuine throughout.’

This commendation for the Debut Restaurant, made at the ‘upper end of the award’, reflects the high standards, professionalism and attention to detail that the college’s staff and employer partners seek to instil in students throughout their time at college.

The invaluable work experience gained by students in the Debut Restaurant is enhanced by opportunities to work alongside leading Norfolk chefs through regular themed ‘takeover’ evenings.

Recent events have seen students learning alongside the likes of Charlie Hodson, Daniel Smith, Richard Hughes and Chris Coubrough.

One of those working in the restaurant when the AA inspector visited was Level 3 Hospitality Supervision and Leadership student Sophie Ralph, 19, from Norwich. Sophie says that the AA commendation demonstrates to employers the standards Debut Restaurant students are working to: ‘It was a good feeling because you know what you are doing is at a high standard and that employers will appreciate it. When people say that the service was good, it makes you feel happy, it confirms that what you are doing is good.’

Fellow Hospitality Supervision student, Ryan Gotts, 19, from Norwich, adds: ‘It’s really good to have someone like that come in. It really does showcase how good the restaurant is. We’re not just a training restaurant, we’re a real restaurant, serving real food to

STAFF MEMBERS & STUDENTS OF THE DEBUT RESTAURANT

JOE MULHALL, PROGRAMME MANAGER FOR HOTEL HOSPITALITY, CATERING, TOURISM AND RE-ENGAGEMENT, SAYS: ‘The Debut Restaurant is a showcase of the skills of our hospitality and catering students at City College Norwich. I’m always exceptionally proud of the high standards of our food and the food service that our customers experience while dining at the Debut Restaurant.

Retaining our AA Highly Commended College rosette demonstrates and reflects our students' high level confidence, such as menus that capture current industry trends with a highly polished service, with exceptional support from our hospitality teachers.’

36

"When an AA inspector says that the dishes in a college training restaurant are well executed and wouldn’t be out of place in a fully-fledged restaurant then you know you must be doing something right."

HIGH PRAISE INDEED www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

real customers. Having someone recommending us so positively really shows that.’

And Alan George, Debut Restaurant Manager and Hospitality Lecturer, comments: ‘Retaining our ‘Highly Commended’ AA College Rosette provides recognition of the hard work, progress and achievements of our students studying for front of house and professional cookery qualifications. I am proud to be part of the team delivering vocational learning that has reached this high standard. The award is respected by both the hospitality industry and customers, it will help our students to stand out to employers when they are applying for jobs.’

37

The Debut Restaurant is open to the public for lunch and dinner service during term time. Menus, and details of upcoming guest chef takeover events, can be found at debut.ccn.ac.uk.

Call 01603 773227 for bookings.

Barefoot Living

BAREFOOT -

S H O P

F R O N T

-

IN BURNHAM www.barefoot-living.co.uk

The new Barefoot Living shop can be found at 41 North Street, Burnham Market

VISIT

Lifestyle and home accessories shop Barefoot Living, the retail arm of Barefoot Retreats, has just moved to a bigger and better premises in Burnham Market. We catch up with owner Emma MASON

What can you tell us about your new shop? We love it! It’s in a much better position on North Street and, although we had a very successful time in our old premises, we’ve got a much larger footfall already. We are really excited about the store’s future with the move.

What sorts of things do you sell? Luxury homewares, unique gifts and so many items, such as lamps, candles, cushions, cards for all occasions, scarves, mirrors, coffee tables and so much more!

What is the price range? We’re proud of the range of items that we stock and prices range from a little as £3 to £400, so there really is something for everyone.

Who does all the buying and where do you source your products from? We travel all over the country, attending various trade shows in search of the latest trends. As you can imagine, it’s such a chore (rolls eyes), but at the end of the day there is always a gin ready and waiting for us on our return.

38

What are the most popular products that you sell?

That’s a tough one! The scarves, bottled matches and diffusers are all perfect presents. The driftwood tables, clocks, mirrors and lamps all do really well, too. One item that sticks out for me is the popular Malteaser bowl - we can just about keep up with its demand. As quick as they are coming in, they are flying back out again. We stock it in a few different colours now which are also proving popular.

And how does the shop complement Barefoot Retreats?

Adding this string to the Barefoot bow has created an extra service that we can offer to both our guests and our homeowners. We pride ourselves on the service that we offer and, by combining the two businesses, we can offer our homeowners a property styling service for those who don’t have the time or would simply like some advice on how to transform their second home.

All of our Barefoot Retreats guests receive 10 per cent off in store and it’s a great way for them to recreate the laidback luxury style of the portfolio within their own homes.

We’re confident, with Barefoot Retreats having substantially grown over the last four years, that Barefoot Living will follow suit, with our loyal and supportive staff and customers, who we’re always listening to to ensure we’re meeting demands, remaining relevant and competitively priced.

We are also now busy transforming the previous Barefoot Living store into our new office for Barefoot Retreats. So I might have told a little white lie when I said I was going to have some time to catch up with family!

What are the key trends coming up for the summer - is outdoor living still 'the thing'? Yes I would say so: foliage is still very popular and we’ve got some stunning pieces in store, some of which are faux, which you wouldn’t realise unless we said! Indigo blues, golds and bright pops of colour are also very much on trend and we’ve carefully selected items to ensure we’re ahead of the times.

Is there much in the shop from local craftspeople, and is there anyone new to look out for? We do our utmost to support local craftspeople and stock items from Stubbs Mugs and Nomad Candles. One to definitely keep an eye on is Mimi Emmett England and her collection of homewares. We stock her cushions - they are a favourite with The Duchess of Cambridge.

What's next for you - is there another shop in the pipeline? In just 10 days, myself and the team turned around what was essentially a blank canvas into the popular new store. Whilst it all went smoothly and I’m thrilled with the result, I’m going to take some time to catch up with my husband Chris and daughters Lola and Coco, who have all been very supportive through the move and this very busy time. It has been extra busy, as whilst moving the store, we also renovated our Burnham Market family home which is now on the Barefoot Retreats portfolio. www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

39

LET'S DO LUNCH

NOT MUCH BEATS A GOSSIP OVER A DECENT LUNCH, DOES IT? SARAH HARDY RECKONS NOT

“LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS ALL ABOUT WORK, YOU NEED TO MAKE TIME FOR YOUR OWN NEEDS - AND GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO ENJOY LUNCH.”

40

LUNCH -

F E A T U R E

-

IT IS ONE OF LIFE’S LITTLE

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

41

THE SCIENCE BIT Lunch should help keep our blood sugar level - the body's fuel system which draws on glucose - stable. If we skip lunch, our blood sugar level drops and we become irritable, sluggish and lose concentration.

Eat lunch regularly between around noon and 1pm as, if you leave lunch until late afternoon, you are likely to become over-hungry. This can lead to picking and snacking on high sugar and high fat foods such as sweets, crisps and cakes. Apart from piling on the pounds, these foods carry little nutritional value.

RECIPE OVERLEAF

isn’t it? Stepping off the treadmill to indulge in a proper sit down lunch with family, friends or work colleagues.

With your girlfriends, it is the chance to catch up on their news, share your experiences and have a spot of ‘me time’, something often missing in a busy mum’s life.

And with colleagues, it is an opportunity to get out of the office, do a spot of blue sky thinking and enjoy time with your fellow workers away from your desks and those pesky computers and phones.

As Norwich-based nutritional therapist Catherine Jeans says: ‘Life is not always all about work, you need to make time for your own needs - and give yourself time to enjoy lunch; remember to eat slowly to help digestion.’

Many of our leading restaurants do extraordinarily good lunch time deals, often a couple of courses from about £18.

So it is the chance to try out somewhere new for a very reasonable price, and sample premier division cooking without breaking the bank.

They also make a very pleasant change to those endless pre-packed sandwiches we have at our desks or, even worse, a bar of chocolate to simply keep yourself going.

Lunch time menus are generally a little bit lighter, with offerings such as Tuna Nicoise, risottos and salads all popular - and it is only the very brave who manage three courses!

Our Continental cousins are huge fans of lunch. You try to shop, visit the doctor or arrange a meeting around 1pm and it’s virtually impossible. Rock up at any of the local bistros and tavernas and they’re jam packed!

Catherine agrees, saying: ‘There is a lot to be said for the two hour lunch found in France and Spain. We might not manage it every day but it is something firms might like to think about on a Friday?’

She adds: ‘You are much more productive if you stop for lunch - and eat well. Unless you have a very physical job, you don’t need to overload your system with carbohydrates as they will make you sluggish in the afternoon. Rather you need protein, veggies and some healthy fats - salads are great, but add in roasted vegetables, chicken or tuna, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, avocados, chickpeas, seeds make them interesting.’

But just one tip, and it is something I have come to realise as I get older. Only have the one, small glass of wine. Any more and yes, you’ll be needing one of those power naps to get you through the rest of the day.

Contact Catherine at www.thefamilynutritionexpert.com

PLEASURES,

G F W P R L A RE E IT OS SS H E O LU CC F N O C H *

LUNCH SET MENU *just mention Feast Norfolk magazine on arrival

2 COURSES £15 3 COURSES £19 À LA CARTE MENU ALSO AVAILABLE

CONTEMPORARY

BISTRO

Farmyard is Norwich’s first ‘Bistronomy’ style eatery; A mash up of a relaxed ‘bistro’ experience but using the same top quality produce and bold, vibrant flavours as top notch ‘gastronomic’ fine dining gaffs, without the fuss

Farmyard Restaurant, 23 St Benedicts Street, Norwich, NR2 4PF t: 01603 733 188 e: info@farmyardrestaurant.com w: farmyardrestaurant.com OPEN: Tues-Thur 12am-3pm, 6pm-9pm; Fri & Sat 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm

E LY AR ND E IE W FR G O

D

THE SURREY KITCHEN & BAR

COME & SEE US FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER - OR JUST A DRINK!

Contemporary dining with a relaxed atmosphere 44-46 Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 3NY

01603 559135

LUNCH -

R E C I P E

-

ON THE LUNCH MENU

LOOKING FOR A LUNCH RECIPE TO TRY FOR FAMILY OR FRIENDS? HERE’S ONE FROM CREAKE ABBEY THAT WILL GET YOUR TASTE BUDS GOING VISIT

www.creakeabbey.co.uk

M A K ES EIGHT

Smoked Haddock & Chive Fishcake with a Melting Cheddar Centre

For the breadcrumb coating 150g of breadcrumbs (although stale white bread makes great breadcrumbs when blitzed up, we use Japanese Panko for best results); plain flour for coating (season with salt and pepper as desired); 1 egg, beaten, and equal amount of water added

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

METHOD Preparation Peel the potatoes and get them on to boil or steam as if you were making mashed potatoes. Whilst you are waiting for the potatoes, take your haddock and lightly poach it in the milk, and throw in the bay leaf. Poach the fish in a low oven (approximately 140°C) for about 20 minutes or over a low heat hob. Once the fish looks flaky take it to one side and allow to cool. Once the potatoes are tender take them off the heat, drain and mash. By this time your haddock should have cooled. Flake the haddock with a fork, and keep it rustic. Do not discard the poaching milk! In a large bowl tip the mashed spuds, haddock and the milk and give it a good mix. Add the milk slowly to ensure the mixture is not too wet. Try not to break up the fish pieces. Add the

43

snipped chives and a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the mix, then leave the mix to chill. In the meantime prepare 3 bowls – one of plain flour, one of egg and water whisked and one of your chosen breadcrumbs.

Dice the Cheddar roughly into 2cm cubes.

Once everything has chilled you can form the fish and mash mix into a flat handful and surround one piece of the cheese. You can make these any size you like but the bigger they are the longer they will take to cook. Once all your patties are formed you need to drench them in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

Cooking For best results deep fry at a low heat (140-150°C) for 5 or 6 minutes or until piping hot throughout or pan fry briefly to brown the breadcrumbs then finish in a hot oven (180°C) for 20-25 minutes.

ANOTHER RECIPE OVERLEAF

INGREDIENTS Fishcake mix 500g of potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward make the best mash); 300g of smoked haddock (undyed and whole fillet is usually the best); 200g of Cheddar cheese (any mature Cheddar will do – we use Horlicks from the Food Hall deli); 1tsp of Dijon mustard; 80ml of milk to cover the fish; 1 bay leaf (not essential); 10g of chives, snipped; a generous pinch of sea salt and ground pepper

These are a popular lunc h option at Creake Abbey Café, near Burnham Market, where THEY ARE served with a homemade sweet chilli sauce

Join us for AFTERNOON

TEA

served 3-4.30pm

7 days a week booking essential

£12.95 or £17.95 with Champagne

DEREHAM RD, BAWDESWELL NR20 4AA T: 01362 688094 www.hamptonsatthebarn.co.uk

LUNCH -

R E C I P E

-

SERVES F OUR

Mezze Salad INGREDIENTS For the aubergine 1 aubergine, cut in half; 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped; 50ml of olive oil; salt and pepper; a good pinch of cumin; juice of 1 lemon; 1tbsp of tahini; a handful of fresh coriander; 1tbsp of Greek yogurt For the smoked scallop 'taramasalata' 300g of scallop roes; smoking wood chips; 200g of cream cheese; juice of 1 lemon; 30ml of olive oil To assemble your salad 1 cucumber, peeled into strips with a peeler; 4 ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled and cut into 8; 100g of your favourite salad leaves, washed and spun; very thinly sliced raw beetroot, soaked in balsamic vinegar; a handful of Kalamata olives, pitted; 100g of quality aged feta, crumbled; 50g of cooked bulgar wheat, crisp fried in oil; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; 100ml of good Greek olive oil; sea salt

METHOD Pre heat the oven to 180°C

SPRING INTO SPRING

ALEX FIRMAN OF THE GARDEN KITCHEN CAFÉ AT HOVETON HALL IN THE BROADS SHARES HIS ZESTY LUNCH DISH WITH US VISIT

www.gardenkitchencatering.co.uk

ALE X

Enjoy this colourful dish, inFLuenced by the Mediterranean and packed with FLavour, as the warm weather arrives

For the aubergine Bake the aubergine on a tray, with the garlic salt, pepper and cumin sprinkled on top, and olive oil drizzled over, in your oven for 25 minutes. It should be soft inside, and hopefully the outside a little bit burnt. If not, turn them over and place under a high grill until a bit charred.

Transfer to a blender and purée with the lemon juice, tahini, coriander and yogurt.

Set aside

FIR M

For the smoked scallop 'taramasalata' Place your scallop roes n 1 pint of water with 50g of salt mixed through for 1 hour.

Strain your roes and give them a little wash under the tap. Place your smoking chips in an old oven tray, flick a little water over the wood to help the smoking process, lay your roes on a cooling wire within the smoking tray, and cover with foil. Put on a gentle gas flame so your wood will burn and emit smoke to flavour your scallop. After about 8 minutes of smoking, remove the tray from the heat, allow to cool, take out your roes which should be cooked and smokey. Transfer to a blender, purée with the cream cheese, lemon and olive oil

AN

To assemble your salad Place cucumber, tomatoes, leaves, olive oil and lemon in a bowl and gently mix.

Place on a plate, sprinkle over olives, bulgar wheat, feta and pickled beetroot.

Add a tablespoon of aubergine purée, and a tablespoon of your scallop taramasalata, drizzle over a little more oil, serve with lemon to squeeze and warmed flatbread www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

45

it’sss Braziliant!

Explore the Amazona in Cromer Amazona Zoo Rainforest logo

THE GIN TRAP INN outdoor play

South American Animal Adventure

Adventure

Under 4’s go FREE Braziliant value: Admission still at 2014 prices!!

stay with us at cromercamping.com check website for opening times

is a traditional and cosy 17th century coaching inn. Serving delicious homemade fare & offering luxurious rooms. Open from 11:30am to late daily

G IN F E S T I VA L S

8TH & 9TH JUNE AND 14TH & 15TH SEPTEMBER

Live MUSIC, BBQ & GIN, Glorious GIN!

BOOK NOW O 01485 N 525264

uk

South American Animal Adventure

Hall Road, Cromer NR27 9JG Tel. 01263 510741 Facebook.com/AmazonaZoo

@AmazonaZoo

amazonazoo.co.uk

6 High Street, Ringstead, Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 5JU 01485 525264 www.thegintrapinn.co.uk

Explore Norfolk’s rich food and drink offering from one of our stunning holiday abodes... norfolkcottages.co.uk 01263 715779

holidays@norfolkcottages.co.uk

Feast Norfolk NCC Jan Ad 2015 195w x130hmm AW.indd 10

12/04/2018 10:01

THAT REALLY TAKES

THE BISCUIT LUCY BARTLETT OFFERS US A TEMPTING COFFEE TIME TREAT WITH THESE DELICATELY FRAGRANT BISCUITS

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD LAVENDER SHORTBREAD is simply my favourite biscuit. I make them every year, and the first batches are often made with lavender sugar produced the previous year. The lavender flavour here is subtle, not soapy, and lifts the humble shortbread to something altogether more sophisticated and satisfying.

The dough is very good natured and lends itself well to small, large or shaped cutters. From a batch I normally make 20 or so 6cm rounds and another 18-20 3cm rounds that work well with coffee or as a petit four

INGREDIENTS FOR COOKS is a family-run Suffolk-based business which supplies a wide variety of ingredients for both home and professional cooks. Visit www.ingredientsforcooks.co.uk

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

47

-

R E C I P E

-

INGREDIENTS The flowers from 6 sprigs of lavender; 140g of caster sugar; 225g of unsalted butter, at room temperature; 300g of plain flour; 50g of ground rice METHOD 1. Line two large baking trays with baking paper 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 3. Blitz the lavender flowers with the sugar in a food processor and reserve 1 tbsp of the lavender sugar for dusting 4. Add the butter, and cream the lavender infused sugar and butter together 5. Sift the flour and ground rice into the mixture, mix until it forms a smooth paste 6. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until the dough is smooth 7. Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes 8. Roll the dough out to a 5mm thickness, and cut out biscuits using a cutter. Place the biscuits onto the baking trays 9. Bake until pale golden-brown - for approximately 15 minutes 10. Carefully place the biscuits onto a cooling rack, sprinkle with the reserved lavender sugar and set aside to cool

Who are you and where do you work? My name is Peter Howard and I am the Head Chef at The Lifeboat Inn in Thornham on the stunning North Norfolk coast.

PETER HOWARD

T HE L i

oat Inn b e f

How long have you been there? I joined the team at The Lifeboat Inn in February 2018.

Where were you before? I am actually very familiar with The Lifeboat Inn as I worked here back in the early 90s. Since then I have moved around to develop my skills and cooked at The Hoste in Burnham Market and London’s Café de Paris. I also was the Head Chef at the Michelin rated Manley’s in West Sussex and worked at the Mid-Sussex Golf Club and National Trust’s Royal Botanic Garden in Wakehurst, to name just a few places.

Who has inspired you? The famous chef Keith Floyd and his fantastic fish dishes. Also Bill Bryce. I worked alongside him for many years and admired his passion for good, fresh and simple food.

Where did you train? I studied at Norfolk College in King’s Lynn but worked in a local pub kitchen after school from the age of 14.

MY LIFE ON A pLATE

What is your favourite ingredient? Trisol, which is a powder/starch that we add to our fish and chips batter as it makes the batter extremely crisp and does not let it go soggy.

Got a favourite gadget? Good, sharp knives! They are the most important tool in any kitchen.

What is your signature dish? With everything that Norfolk has to offer, from meat to fish and from vegetables to cheese, I think it’s a travesty for any local restaurant to go further afield. Here at The Lifeboat Inn we pride ourselves on evolving seasonal menus that use the very best local and fresh produce and

IT’S A RETURN HOME FOR PETER HOWARD, HEAD CHEF AT THE LIFEBOAT INN IN THORNHAM IN NORTH NORFOLK

48

VISIT

www.lifeboatinnthornham.com reflect our proximity to the coast. My signature dish is currently on our menu - pan-fried smoked haddock and potato cakes.

RECIPE OVERLEAF

What do you like doing when you're not cooking? I have just moved back to North Norfolk from West Sussex but I know the area very well as I grew up in Docking so it is nice to visit all my favourite places and catch up with family and friends. I especially enjoy spending time with my family, eating out and going for walks on Brancaster beach, which is also great for foraging marsh samphire.

Where do you like to eat out in the region? In this area I like to eat at our sister inn across the road - The Chequers Inn in Thornham. Their Head Chef, Shayne Wood, is very talented and I enjoy his hospitality regularly.

What's your foodie prediction for the coming months?

I think that the rising cost of meat and fish, as well as people being more health conscious, are leading diners towards more vegetarian and vegan diets. Here at The Lifeboat Inn our vegetarian and vegan options have been so well received that we have just introduced a separate vegan menu that is available alongside our main menu.

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

I would be a diver. I have a huge passion for all things under the sea! I used to be a professional diver - I was the youngest fully-qualified diver in my group at the age of 14. That’s how I got into cooking as I started working in kitchens to save money to buy diving equipment.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

49

n Call us o 7 6456 7 3 0 6 1 0 ull ur f to get yo hure roc colour b

For a free brochure on any of our services call us on 01603 764567

ing to stay in my own ith Jess and my live-in was the best decision I ever made.”

munitycare.com

info@ablecommunitycare.com

Home is where the heart is CARE FOR YOU IN YOUR OWN HOME 24-HOUR CARE • LIVE-IN CARE • HOLIDAY COMPANION CARE • HOME FROM HOSPITAL CARE PLANNED RESPITE CARE • NORFOLK BASED • FRIENDLY, CARING AND PROFESSIONAL

www.ablecommunitycare.com

n

INGREDIENTS 425g of butter; 25g of flour; 200ml of fish stock; 75g of frozen peas; 500g of mixed diced fish; 100g of crayfish tails in brine; grated cheese; mash; 150ml of double cream; lemon zest; bay leaf; salt and pepper

t In

ife T H E L b oa

METHOD 1. Poach the fish in the stock with a bay leaf until half cooked.

Remove the fish and save 120ml of the stock 2. Combine the butter and the flour to make a roux 3. Add the fish stock slowly to the roux to make a velouté (white sauce) 4. Add the cream, lemon zest and lemon juice from a whole lemon 5. Now mix the lightly poached fish with the velouté mixture 6. In an ovenproof pie dish layer the peas with the crayfish and the fish mixture 7. Pipe on creamed mash and then a layer of grated cheese 8. Cook in a preheated oven for 12 minutes at 180°C 9. The cheese should be golden brown and the pie piping hot. Serve and enjoy!

-

R E C I P E

-

THE LIFEBOAT INN'S FAMOUS

FISH PIE

PETER HOWARD

[Serves 5

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

51

MAY SPECIAL RESTAURANT EVENTS

Bank holiday brun Mon 7 & Mon ch club 28 £18pp 10am May -2pm Every Mon & Tue from 6.30 pm Special set price menu £17 for 2/£2 2 for 3 cour ses Book now on 01760 7238 45

strattons hotel

with self catering, restaurant, café deli and lifestyle/interiors shop boutique luxurious classic contemporary heart of norfolk award winning restaurant afternoon tea cocoes café deli self catering Luxury without sacrifice to the environment ash close swaffham norfolk pe37 7nh 01760 723845 enquiries@strattonshotel.com www.strattonshotel.com

TAKEAWAY CRABS & LOBSTER AVAILABLE FROM 10AM OPENING TIMES: SUN-THURS 10-5pm; FRI-SAT 10-8pm SERVING FOOD FROM 12 with Surf and Turf on Friday and Saturday CALL US: 01263 837359 OR 07999 959760 CROMER ROAD, WEST RUNTON, NORFOLK, NR27 9QA

www.rockybottoms.co.uk

R E M SUM T S U J IS AN

M A E R C ICE Y A W A

TEL: 01603 620970 www.lakenhamcreamery.co.uk

@lakenhamcream Lakenham Creamery

P R O F I L E

DO

T

L LO

YD

ALTHOUGH she’s involved with three successful hospitality businesses in Norfolk - two hotels and one holiday cottage company - Dot Lloyd has somehow managed to stay under the radar!

But, as she starts to take a little bit of a back seat and find more time for golf, dog walking and that ‘essential’ me time, Dot is happy to pass on her years of experience and knowledge.

She moved with her family from her native Scotland to Norfolk in the mid 1980s and, in the 1990s, they took on Briarfields, a hotel in Titchwell, followed by The Lodge in Old Hunstanton, and now they also run Norfolk Coast Holiday Cottages.

The ‘they’ is her two sisters, Jac and Valerie, her husband Derrick, and various members of the next generation! ‘Yes, we are very much a family business - and we will remain so. In fact, my dad bought his first hotel when I was 14 and I think that must have really influenced me,’ she says.

WITH 25 YEARS IN THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS, Dot is seemingly someone who likes to keep very busy. The family is still heavily involved in their original business - a DOT LLOYD PUTS ‘REAL FOOD’ AT THE HEART OF series of shops - but it is the hotels and their food in particular, WHAT SHE DOES. SARAH HARDY REPORTS that gets her pulse racing. ‘You’ll often find me in the kitchen, and we make everything from scratch, and use as many local producers as possible What wine are you drinking at the including micro breweries such as Norfolk moment? New Zealand Sauvignon What's your favourite Norfolk Brewhouse. I like, for example, to know Blanc, Aroha Bay produce? Honey, as it keeps my hay exactly where my meat is from - the actual fever at bay farm,’ she says.

What is your favourite dish on the Dot loves to travel and finds plenty of menu at Briarfields or The Lodge at What's your favourite meal to cook? inspiration from her travels in both Europe present? Briarfields - duo of lamb: At the moment, Cantonese cod and further afield. A cookery course in Italy pan seared cutlets, braised shoulder reinvigorated a love of Mediterranean food croquette, sugar snap peas, roast garlic Where do you like to eat out? I go and she is constantly looking out for unusual and rosemary jus. The Lodge - pan-fried out for breakfasts; I walk the dogs and yet well priced wines. ‘We work with Peter fillet of Norfolk pork, bubble and squeak then call in at Thornham Deli, The Old Graham Wines in Norwich,’ she says. cabbage, smoked bacon, parmentier Boathouse in Old Hunstanton or the Central to it all is her love of real food. ‘I potatoes, crackling sage jus Lighthouse Cafe in Hunstanton simply like great ingredients, cooked well.

And they have to be local and, given where we are, why wouldn’t they be? We have some of the best produce available, from our fish to all that our local producers offer - there is so much choice now, from cheeses to gins!’

Dot has certainly been at the heart of the tourism boom in Norfolk and she recognises the area’s appeal. ‘Once people find us, they tend to return - around 40 per cent of our business is repeat business. We want to offer comfortable, affordable accommodation and food. And Norfolk has so much to offer - from the beaches to the golf courses to the wildlife.’

As with all successful businesses, there is no room for complacency. And there’s no chance of that with Dot. Her final words to me, as she rushes off to yet another meeting, is news of a South American evening at Briarfields later in the year.

‘Do come,’ she calls. ‘It will be great!’ Who could resist?

THE LODGE

THE LODGE

BRIARFIELDS

NORFOLK COAST HOLIDAY COTTAGES

-

DOING IT THE DOT WAY Dot 's famous five:

53 BRIARFIELDS' DUCK DISH (LEFT)

S E RV I N G

ALL DAY BREAKFAST, LUNCH, CAKES, MILKSHAKES, SUNDAY ROASTS AND MUCH MORE

ALL OUR DISHES ARE HOMECOOKED FAMILIES WELCOME OUTDOOR EATING AREA

TELEPHONE: 01953 717939 WWW.ENGLISHWHISKY.CO.UK

OPEN MONDAY TO SUNDAY 9AM-5PM

HARLING RD, ROUDHAM, NORFOLK NR16 2QW JUST 5 MINUTES FROM THE A11

A delightful inn on the

north Norfolk coast

ST YLISH BEDROOMS CLEVERLY- CR AFTED MENUS FINE WINES ROARING FIRES TRY OUR

NEW STREET FOOD

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

DOGS ARE WELCOME

C O L U M N

[Serves 4

QUEStION & ANSWER

ASK ROGER *

ROGER HICKMAN, CHEF-PROPRIETOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING ROGER HICKMAN’S RESTAURANT IN NORWICH, SHARES HIS TOP KITCHEN TIPS AND ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ON ALL THINGS CULINARY

www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com

ROGER HICKMAN

VISIT

What is the difference between a Hollandaise and a Béarnaise sauce?

There are many similarities between the two – both are warm emulsions of egg yolks and butter, essentially a form of warm mayonnaise. It is what flavours them which sets them apart.

Hollandaise is one of the five French ‘mother sauces’, and is a delicate, pale yellow, creamy sauce flavoured with lemon juice and salt (and sometimes a little sugar to temper the acidity of the lemon). You will find Hollandaise sauce on Eggs Benedict, and, as in my recipe this month, asparagus.

Béarnaise is a derivative of Hollandaise, and takes its acidity from vinegar – usually white wine vinegar - and it is flavoured with shallots and

herbs such as tarragon and chervil. It’s a classic accompaniment for steaks, grilled meat and fish.

Why is so-called ‘kitchen asparagus’ so thin – surely the thinner the spears, the more tender they will be?

We are now into British asparagus season, and we are lucky to have such an abundant supply here in Norfolk.

The natural sugars in asparagus start turning to starch within hours of harvest, so it is one food that really should only be eaten during its natural season.

Asparagus contains a natural enzyme which enables it to stand up straight in the field. Thicker spears need less of this enzyme to remain upright, and it is the enzyme that makes asparagus woody. So counter-intuitively, the thinner spears are likely to be more woody, which is why they are sold as kitchen asparagus, to be cooked more thoroughly and turned into soups and sauces.

Traditionally the season ends on June 21, so this is the month to make the most of this wonderful vegetable, which is the culinary precursor to summer.

ROGER HICKMAN'S

ASPARAGUS WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE AND BACON CRUMB INGREDIENTS 24 asparagus spears; 2 egg yolks; 250g of unsalted butter; the juice of 1/2 a lemon; a pinch of salt; a pinch of sugar; 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon METHOD Cut the woody part off the bottom of each asparagus spear, and peel the bottom inch or so of each one. Blanch in salted water for between one and three minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. You want them to come out of the pan slightly al dente, because you are going to griddle them.

Drain and refresh. Heat a griddle pan and grill the asparagus spears – you don’t need any oil. You are looking for a chargrilled appearance, without burning them. To make the Hollandaise, melt the butter in a pan and then cool slightly.

You will notice the butter will seperate, with the clear liquid on top, and a milky residue on the bottom. When you use the butter, you want to use the clarified part, leaving the milky part behind.

Put a large balloon bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the egg yolks, vinegar, salt and sugar, and whisk with a balloon whisk until the mixture has achieved a ribbon state – you should be able to write the letter ‘R’ in it and it should keep its shape. If you underwhisk at this stage, the sauce will split.

Now very slowly start adding the warm melted clarified butter, whisking all the time. Once it has started to emulsify, you can add the butter more quickly, but don’t swamp the sauce with butter until what is already in the bowl has emulsified. Put the bacon rashers in the oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes, until crispy. Blitz while still hot, and then dry on a clean J cloth. Serve the asparagus spears with the Hollandaise liberally poured over, and garnished with the bacon crumb

*If you have a question for Roger, send it to sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

GOING NUTS VISIT

www.sarabynature.com

56

SARA MATTHEWS is a qualified trainer, food consultant, recipe developer and food writer

Sara By Nature -

F R E E

F R O M

Spinach, Onion & Walnut tart

-

SERVES EIGHT

with Almond, Walnut & Sage Crust I love the flavour combination of onion, walnut and sage and this tart has it all. It is great eaten cold as part of a buffet or served hot with roasted or steamed vegetables.

Using nuts to make the pastry crust gives an added texture and is a great replacement for pastry INGREDIENTS For the crust 150g of ground almonds; 50g of walnuts; 1/2tsp of sea salt; 21/2tsp of dried sage; a good grind of black pepper; 50ml of coconut oil, melted; 1tbsp of water For the filling A dash of rapeseed oil or coconut oil; 550g of onions, finely sliced; 2tbsp of maple syrup; 200g of spinach; 50g of walnuts, roughly chopped; juice of 1 lime; salt & pepper to taste METHOD Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 22cm pie dish or flan case. I use a loose bottom flan case to make it easier to remove For the crust Start with the crust. Add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground. Add the ground almonds, salt, dried sage, pepper then pulse to mix and combine. Add the water and melted coconut oil then pulse to combine. Tip the mixture into the prepared flan case and press firmly round the slides and base of the tin, covering evenly. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. While the base is in the oven you can start the filling For the filling Add the oil to a large frying pan and over a low/medium heat, cook the onions, adding the salt, pepper and maple syrup. Cook these slowly for about 20 minutes or until the onions begin to caramelise. Add the walnuts, spinach and lime juice and cook for a further 10 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the cooked flan case, spreading evenly and pressing down. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until the crust is golden and the top of the onions start to brown and crisp. Serve hot or cold

OUR FREE FROM RECIPE WRITER SARA MATTHEWS USES ALMONDS IN HER THREE DISHES THIS MONTH www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

MORE RECIPES OVERLEAF 57

eb ho la rse ck no ho rwi rs ch.c en om or to wi fin ch d o .n ut et mo

re

s u t tac

ww

Em

ai l in fo @

01 th w. ebla 60 th ck 3

63 08 80

con

WE WELCOME

dogs

and provide biscuits for four-legged friends that deserve a treat!

e on y r e v e or f b u p l a c a lo

seasonal menus

T he Black Horse is a laid-back pub

that welcomes drinkers & diners alike.

We offer a large garden, locally sourced quality produce, seasonal menus and an extensive selection of craft beers, wines, cocktails and spirits.

Ope ning Hours

Monday-Thursday 12pm to 11.30pm Friday 12pm to 12.30am Saturday 9.30am to 12.30am Sunday 9.30am to 10pm

PUB QUIZ MONDAYS 7PM • £3 A PINT ON ALL ALES EVERY TUESDAY 2-4-1 COCKTAILS WEDNESDAY & THURSDAYS & don't forget about our legendary

Sunday Roast!

Sara By Nature -

F R E E

F R O M

Almond Milk

-

Supermarkets are now full of plant-based alternatives to dairy milk. While I love the convenience of store bought plant-milks, it is sometimes fun to make it yourself. Here is my goto almond milk recipe.

Advantages of making your own are you can alter the thickness, sweetness and flavour combinations from chocolate to berry. There are also no hidden nasties as you know exactly what is going into it To learn more about plant-based milks and making your own plantbased cheeses, why not join me on my next workshop on May 19? See my website for full details INGREDIENTS 165g of raw almonds, soaked overnight in water; 4 cups of water Flavour additions Optional - 1 date; optional - 2 tbsp of cocoa powder; optional - 1/4 of a cup berries or fruit

M A K ES

16

Raw Date Slice This delicious treat gets its sweetness from the dates and has a gorgeous chewy texture. If you have made the almond milk you can replace some of the almonds in this recipe with the almond pulp left over from straining the milk INGREDIENTS For the caramel layer 250g of dried dates For the crust and topping 250g of ground almonds (replace, weight for weight, if using almond pulp from the milk. Make sure you have squeezed as much moisture as possible out. I lay it out on a tea towel and press with another to get the last of the moisture out. If it is too wet, it will make the slices too gooey); 150g of walnuts; 50g of unsweetened desiccated coconut, plus extra for sprinkling; 4tbsp of ground flax seeds; 150g of dried dates; 2tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice; 1tsp of ground cinnamon www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

METHOD Place the dates (for the caramel layer) in a bowl and cover with warm water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain, then place in a food processor and blitz until it forms a paste. You may have to scrape the mixture down from the sides a few times before all the dates are processed. Leave to one side until needed. Place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground, but not like a flour. Add the dates and pulse so the dates are broken down to small chunks. If you add the dates after the other ingredients they sometimes, depending on your food processor, do not break down enough. Then add the coconut, flax seeds, the ground almonds (pulp if using), and cinnamon then pulse to mix and combine. Add the orange

59

METHOD Place the almonds in a large jar or bowl with a lid, and cover with plenty of water. Leave to soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Place all the ingredients, plus any chosen extras into a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes to get the best out of your almonds. Pour into a nut bag and strain the milk over a bowl. You can use a clean tea towel if you do not have a nut bag. Decant into a glass bottle. Store in the fridge

juice and blitz to combine all. To test, squeeze a little between your fingers, if it just about sticks together it’s ready, if it doesn’t and is dry you may need to add a little more orange juice - add this a little at a time as you do not want to make the mixture too wet. Line a square baking tin with parchment and spoon in three quarters of the mixture. Press this firmly into the tin and smooth. Evenly spread the date purée mixture over the top to create your caramel layer. Crumble and sprinkle the remaining mixture all over the top, covering the caramel layer. Sprinkle over some coconut. Place in the freezer to set. This takes about 30-45 minutes.

Remove and cut into 16 squares. You can keep this in the freezer until you want some or store in the fridge

G SERVIN LOCAL SSES E N I S BU ER 40 V O R FO YEARS

Fruit, vegetables, dairy & more

delivered to your BUSINESS including bespoke, hand-prepared vegetables

www.eastersofnorwich.com 156-158 NORTHUMBERLAND ST, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR2 4EE TEL: 01603 622890

JULIA Martin WHEN YOU THINK of Greek food, you probably associate it more with lamb dishes, such as moussaka, rather than vegetarian or vegan food. But the Greeks don’t actually eat that much meat and, when they do, it is usually accompanied by plenty of vegetable dishes and salads. In fact, Pythagoras, the ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher, was said to follow what could be described as a vegetarian diet.

I was pleasantly surprised a few months ago when I went to a restaurant in Greece and discovered a separate section on the menu for vegan food. However, the dishes were already familiar as there is an abundance of traditional Greek dishes that are vegan: stuffed peppers and tomatoes, briam (oven baked vegetables), stuffed vine leaves, courgette fritters, chickpea balls, gigantes plaki (large butter beans baked in tomato sauce), spanakopita (spinach pie), and aubergine dip. The list goes on and on.

And, of course, anything you order will be served with bread. A Dutch friend of mine who lives in Greece jokes that her Greek boyfriend cannot eat anything unless it is accompanied by bread! To be fair, many Greek dishes are served in delicious sauces and the bread comes in very handy for mopping up.

Another common misconception is that houmous is Greek, when it is, in fact, Middle Eastern in origin – houmous being the Arabic word for chickpeas. It is very unusual to receive a plate of houmous in Greece. Instead you are far more likely to be given fava – often translated on menus as ‘pea purée’ or ‘split peas’. Fava is made from small dried yellow split peas, which are boiled until they melt into a purée, creating a dish that is both comforting and nutritious. Serve warm, drizzled with olive oil and topped with sliced red onion. You can buy Greek fava beans on the internet, so you can try it for yourself. It is ideal as a starter (with bread or pitta to dip) or as a side dish. Of course, Pythagoras would not approve of either houmous or fava as he abstained from beans as well as meat!

Another popular and traditional dish that can act as a houmous alternative is skordalia – garlic and olive oil mashed potato. This creamy dish is a perfect and delicious accompaniment to beetroot salad.

So next time you are planning a vegan feast with your friends, you could do a lot worse than to go Greek. And remember to raise a glass to Pythagoras!

-

C O L U M N

-

GO GREEK Our vegan writer Julia Martin finds inspiration from Greek mathematician Pythagoras!

VISIT

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

61

www.purpleplumcatering.co.uk

READY, STEADY, Cook!

This month’s mouth-watering selection of cookbooks offers you recipes for curries, edible flowers and outdoor feasts!

BRITAIN'S BEST HOME COOK

STAR BUY

by Jordan Bourke

Jarrold price £20 RRP £25 Britain's Best Home Cook is the tie-in book to the BBC1 TV series presented

by Mary Berry, with judges Chris Bavin and Dan Doherty. It aims to find Britain's most talented everyday home cooks. The result is a collection of the best fuss-free recipes the judges consider to be great home cooking from the series. Food writer Jordan Bourke provides step-bystep instructions on how to recreate them and achieve the same results.

Favourite dishes include perfect roast potatoes, an inventive slant on roast chicken and a simple chocolate pudding.

Cookbooks

THE HIDDEN HUT

by Simon Stallard £20

THE CURRY GUY EASY

THE ART OF EDIBLE FLOWERS

£12.99

£9.99

by Dan Toombs

by Rebecca Sullivan

Dan Toombs follows up with another helping of takeaway recipes to make at home after the success of his first book, The Curry Guy. Dan has put in the ground work, researching the methods and secrets of Indian chefs and adapting them to demonstrate how you can make delicious curries at home, simply. The selection of recipes includes Chicken 65, Black Dhal, Aloo Chaat, Simple Dosas, Prawn Balti and Lamb Keema Saag.

An inspiring book of ideas to incorporate floral flavours into meals. For sweet treats, Rebecca shares her Rose and Lavender Cocktail Syrup and Jasmine and Green Tea Ice Cream. Savoury suggestions include Pumpkin Carpaccio with Mustard Flower Sauce and Artichoke Flower with Borage Butter, while the drinks menu ranges from refreshing Fermented Elderflower Fizz to Poppy Milk.

Do n' t mi ss

Simon Stallard set up The Hidden Hut in 2011. An outdoor restaurant in Cornwall, it is tucked away on a remote sandy beach with no road access or mobile signal, and he cooks up huge open air feasts for guests every night, whatever the weather. Tickets for the one-dish feast nights go like hot cakes. Simon's cooking techniques feature fire-pits in the sand, wind-chime fish smokers and wood-fired rotisseries. This book of recipes adapts his feasts to take home.

HELLO FRESH RECIPES THAT WORK

by Patrick Drake

Jarrold price £15 RRP £20

DI AR Y DA TE S

May 23, 6pm for 6.30pm, THE PAN TRY RESTAU RAN T

MEET CRIME NOVELIST Harry Bre tt (Henry Sutton) as he launches Red Hot Front, his seq uel to Time To Win. Tickets are £5 which includes a glass of win e and £5 off the 89book when purchased on the evening. See ww w.jarrold.co.uk for more

Hello Fresh is a UK recipe kit subscription service. Each week customers receive recipes, recipe cards and all the ingredients required to cook meals from scratch delivered straight to their door. This is the first book from Hello Fresh to include 100 of their most popular recipes tried and tested by subscribers for those who want reliably delicious meals in around half an hour.

To Cook Rare: 2 minutes on each side To Cook Medium: 4 minutes on each side To Cook Well Done: 6 minutes on each side

-

B U T C H E R S

-

BEEF IT UP [

Serves 6

COXFORDS BUTCHERS IN AYLSHAM SHARES A FAVOURITE BARBECUE RECIPE WITH US

ALFRESCO BBQ BEEF KEBABS INGREDIENTS 675g of lean sirloin, rump or topside steaks, cut into 2.5cm cubes; 100ml of Greek yogurt; 10ml of ground turmeric; 5ml of English mustard powder or cayenne pepper; salt and freshly milled black pepper; 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped; grated zest of 1 lemon; 10-12 small cherry tomatoes; freshly chopped chives, to garnish

THESE beef topside, rump or sirloin kebabs marinated in yogurt, garlic and lemon are ideal for informal outdoor BBQ dining

METHOD In a large shallow bowl mix together the yogurt, turmeric, cayenne or mustard, seasoning, garlic and lemon zest. Coat the beef in the marinade on both sides. Cover and chill for up to 1 hour. Thread the beef with the cherry tomatoes onto 6 short metal or wooden skewers (previously soaked in water for 20 minutes). Cook the kebabs under a preheated moderate grill or on a prepared barbecue to your preferred cooking time. Transfer the kebabs onto a warm plate, sprinkle over the freshly chopped chives and serve immediately with a crisp salad. • Coxfords Butchers, run by Johnny Payne and Jason Gibbons, recently won regional champion butcher for the east in the Countryside Alliance Awards. Well done!

OPENING TIMES Monday to Friday 8am-4pm Saturday 10am-2pm

CALL NOW 01603 716200

Anglia Woodburner Centre supply Big Green Egg Barbecues and can install them with Wwoo Outdoor Kitchens.

Exceptional products for exceptional cooking.

Unit 9, Church Farm, Main Road, North Burlingham, Norfolk NR13 4TA

www.angliawoodburnercentre.co.uk

Coxfords Butchers

BBQ season is here!

BBQ special packs: 5 for £20 Mix and match: pork & apple, lamb & mint or beef 6oz burgers 10 for £10

Guild Street Walsingham NR22 6BU 01328 821877 Open 7 days

Farms Shop www.walsingham.co

Norfolk Lavender Lynn Road Heacham PE31 7JE 01485 570002 Open 7 days

PROUDLY NORFOLK All o

f our prod is sourced lo uce cally

COME AND SEE US TO CHECK OUT OUR EXTENSIVE RANGE OF BBQ IDEAS & TRY OUR AWARD-WINNING SAUSAGES

11 MARKET PLACE, AYLSHAM 01263 732280

fresh meat & poultry

We only stock the best beef, lamb, pork and poultry available PADDOCKS BUTCHERY & DELI STORES Church Farm, Norwich Road, Hethersett NR9 3AS 01603 812437 Paddock Farm Shop, Norwich Road, Mulbarton NR14 8JT 01508 578259

CATERING DIVISION Wood view Farm, Church Lane, Wicklewood, NR18 9QH, 01953 602470

www.thepaddocksbutchery.co.uk

01.

GADGETS & GIZMOS

02.

SHOPPING:

BBQS

03.

WITH TWO LONG WEEKENDS THIS MONTH, IT IS DEFINITELY TIME TO GET OUT THE BARBIE!

04.

WHERE TO BUY 01. Napkins, set of 4, £24, Bam and Arrow, Strattons Hotel, Swaffham, www.strattonshotel.com 02. Utensil kit, £49.95, Marks and Spencer, www.marksandspencer.com 03. Kadai marshmallow fork, £16, Bakers and Larners of Holt, www.bakersandlarners.co.uk 04. JL fish grill £8.99, John Lewis, www.johnlewis.com 05. Weber iGrill Mini Bluetooth Thermometer, £59.99, Highways Garden and Nursery, www.highwaysgardenandnursery.co.uk 06. Orla Kiely Bamboo large plate in Cantaloupe Melon print £10 (2 colour options available), Jarrold’s, www.jarrold.co.uk

06.

05.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

66

CHEF 'S WORLD -

C O L U M N

-

KING OF THE PIT

ANDREW JONES

Andrew Jones of Farmyard in Norwich tells us about his love affair with Bertha!

good su

onto the coals, immediately put your sausages on the bars and close the lid.

• There should be a lot of smoke produced very quickly.

Don’t be tempted to see how your sausages are doing for at least 5 minutes - they are fine, have faith.

• Once the smoke has died down, open the vents, the coals will pick up and your sausages will start sizzling.

Once they are cooked through, that’s it. They’ll have an amber colour and a really good smoky hit from the hickory. You will need a good supply of cold beer too, as it’s hot work.

I BBQ a lot, every day actually. Our charcoal oven, Bertha, is at the heart of what we do at Farmyard. For service she is pretty hot, allowing us to grill meat and fish over the coals quickly, getting caramelisation and smokiness whilst retaining juiciness.

During the morning we keep the coals low, so we can smoke garlic for our aioli, or cook flatbreads and vegetables for service later. It is addictive cooking over charcoal - using a pan just isn’t the same anymore. I’ve been using charcoal for so long now, I hardly consider it cooking these days if I haven’t had to light a fire first.

When we were planning Farmyard, Bertha was at the centre of everything so it’s no accident that she stands at the centre of the kitchen, in full view of all the tables. She is a big part of the Farmyard family.

• You can also keep up-to-date with Andrew via his monthly newsletter subscribe online

cold bee r

as too,

it s’ hot work ”

“You will need a

of y l pp

www.farmyardrestaurant.com

HICKORY SMOKED SAUSAGES: • Use a good pork sausage without herbs. Have your coals low (we’re smoking, not flame grilling), close down all the vents before you start to cook so the coals are barely glowing.

• Add a good handful of hickory wood chips directly

VISIT

IN THE SOUTHERN US, barbecuing is close to a religion.

Its followers reverently prepare their selected meat with secret rubs, marinades and brines. Some even inject marinades into the meat for maximum flavour (although this practice is frowned upon by the purists). There are BBQ cook-offs where teams of BBQ disciples compete against each other, keeping watch over whole briskets and pork shoulders as they smoke slowly over charcoal and wood. Aiming to hit the sweet spot of smoke, marinade and juiciness and become kings of the pit, this is serious cooking.

Barbecuing in the UK is a less sophisticated affair which normally involves prodding a blackened chicken drumstick and drinking warm lager whilst attempting to shelter from horizontal rain. This need not be so. With a few BBQ hacks, your bank holiday can be transformed from a salmonella lottery into a glorious, sticky-fingered feast that will raise your social status to enviable heights.

Becoming a BBQ master is as much about touch and feel as it is measurements and timings so it’s more about the method than following a recipe. Try my hickory smoked sausages to convince your friends and family you’ve been on BBQ pilgrimage through the Deep South:

SA DE C W TU MO O EB RD N OK ER AY ST ING 12 RAT TH IO M N AY

LET'S

-

C O M P E T I T I O N

-

BbQ!

THEY ARE AS much a part of summer as strawberries and glasses of Pimms. Yes, it is time to get out the barbecue and fire it up.

Fortunately, as most of us have rather grubby barbecues that have overwintered, uncleaned and unloved, in the garage, you have the chance to win a rather splendid one, courtesy of Norwich Camping and Leisure.

The top-of-the-range Weber Spirit Classic E0-210, worth £350, is easy to use, big enough to cater for six people and, most importantly, easy to clean! It is equipped with side tables so there is space for preparation and to serve up, plus powerful burners so you can barbecue your meat just how you like it.

The American company has been designing and manufacturing barbecuing equipment since 1952 so does know a thing or two about creating great ones.

Eating outside is always so social and a fun way of getting everyone involved. It’s the chance to tuck into juicy steaks, gourmet burgers, sizzling sausages and colourful salads, picking and mixing as the party progresses.

Norwich Camping is a family-run firm which was set up more than 40 years ago. It is based in Blofield, between Norwich and Acle, and has extensive display areas where you can really inspect and try out everything on offer.

It aims to be a one-stop shop for a wide cross-section of outdoor living equipment, with an extensive selection of outdoor furniture, caravan and motorhome goods, camping gear, outdoor clothing, and more. There is also a garden centre so you can stock up on new blooms for your bit of Eden, and there’s also a great little cafe, too.

CHANCE TO

WIN

This month we’ve teamed up with Norwich Camping and Leisure to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a fabulous barbecue - just as the season starts

HOW TO ENTER

To enter our competition to win a Weber Spirit E0-210 barbecue, simply answer the following question:

Where is Norwich Camping and Leisure situated?

Send your answer, plus your name, address and a daytime telephone number, to competitions@ feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk. Please mark your entry, Norwich Camping. You can also enter by liking and sharing the competition on our Facebook page.

Terms and Conditions: Normal Feast Norfolk competition rules apply and the editor’s decision is final. The competition is open to people aged 18 and above. It runs until May 31, 2018 when a winner will be selected at random.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

69

PHOTOGRAPHER KEIRON TOVELL VISITS GRAIN BREWERY IN THE WAVENEY VALLEY TO CAPTURE A BREWING DAY AT THE CRAFT BREWERY

BREWING UP A SUCCESS -

C A U G H T

VISIT

O N

C A M E R A

www.grainbrewer y.co.uk

70

-

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

71

PICTURES BY KEIRON TOVELL

SITUATED IN a series of pretty red brick barns at Alburgh, near Harleston, Grain Brewery was set up in 2006 by two friends, Phil Halls and Geoff Wright - who had no brewing experience! But now they produce half a million pints a year, with a core range that includes six cask beers and three keg beers. Plus about 15 seasonal beers. And they have won countless awards, both local, national and international, for their brews.

Phil, head brewer, explains how their original beer, Oak, is still produced and that his favourite is actually one of their lagers, Pilsener - who would have thought!

PICTURES BY KEIRON TOVELL

-

C A U G H T

O N

Future plans include acquiring more pubs and bars and testing out the national market - although there are no plans to supply supermarkets.

Phil says: ‘Being part of the community is very important to us. We spent six months looking for this site as we really wanted to be a part of the agricultural landscape. As we have expanded, we have taken over more of the old dairy farm buildings.

‘The cows had only just moved out when we moved in with our second hand kit, but in 2012 we bought our purpose-built equipment, which gave us four times more capacity.’

C A M E R A

-

73

C A U G H T

O N

C A M E R A

-

Open days are held regularly when people can tour the brewery, visit the shop and enjoy a drink in the Taproom Bar. The next one is May 26 from 1-5pm, while Grain Fest, a one day beer and music festival, is being held at the brewery on June 30 from 2-10pm. The brewery also runs a handful of pubs including The Plough on St Benedicts, Norwich, and The Cottage on Silver Road, Norwich.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

75

PICTURES BY KEIRON TOVELL

-

THE ALE TRAIL VISIT

www.cityofale.org.uk

Norwich City of Ale takes place from May 24 to June 3.

Emma Outten looks at seven reasons why Norwich is the City of Ale and a few of the foodie events on offer

01

The Best City-Wide Celebration of Ale This is not your usual festival tied to a single venue, rather an experience extending across an entire city. In its seven years’ existence it has acted as trendsetter for other cities to follow suit and create terrific beer events of their own.

02

Almost 50 Fantastic Pubs Taking Part Forty eight pubs take part in City of Ale, all offering local ales and running their own events and promotions throughout the celebration. As you delve your way through the picturesque streets of Norwich, you’ll be hard pressed to be much more than a stone’s throw away from a participating pub.

03

Around 40 Amazing Breweries Involved City of Ale focuses on beers from Norfolk and the region. We have an array of fantastic breweries, providing a massive variety of beers. Extraordinary when it was only relatively recently that Norfolk was a veritable brewing desert.

04

The Best Ingredients Make the Best Beer This region is home to some of the best barley in the world, thanks to its light soils, low rainfall and sunny climate. Great Ryburgh-based Crisp Maltings turns Norfolk's legendary Maris Otter barley variety into malt that is sought after worldwide.

76

05

The City is Beautiful Norwich is a gorgeous city, filled with historic architecture and elegant modern buildings. There are seven City of Ale Trails if you’d like to join in the fun following them – or you can wander round the city in your own way finding participating pubs.

06

Ale It’s not called City of Ale for nothing. After all, it’s a city. And it has ale; lots of ale; lots and lots of ale. There’s many an Ale Trail awaiting your discriminating palate…

07

Celebrating Entrepreneurs and Payment of Taxes!

The beer and pub industry is full of entrepreneurs – nowhere more so than Norwich and the surrounding region. Most of the businesses are independent, and – unlike many high street coffee and restaurant chains – they have long been contributing fully to the Exchequer’s coffers.

-

W H A T ' S

O N

-

NORWICH CITY OF ALE is the brainchild of Dawn Leeder, creator of PintPicker, which has profiled more than 16,000 beers, and Phil Cutter, licensee of the award-winning Gardeners Arms, better known as The Murderers.

EXPLORE the wonderful pubs of Norwich as you take your pick from seven different trails featuring up to seven great pubs on each.

Use the City of Ale programme to guide you and collect stamps for each visit. Programmes are available from Tourist Information Centres or pubs involved in City of Ale.

ADRIAN TIERNEY-JONES

HERE ARE JUSt A FEW OF tHE EVENTS tAKING PLACE

WATERStONES

tHE MAIDS HEAD HOTEL

tHE ROSE

tHE GEORGIAN TOWNHOUSE

On May 25, from 7-8.30pm, join award-winning beer writers, Roger Protz, Adrian Tierney-Jones and Pete Brown, for an exclusive insight into their fantastic books on beer. Explore the different aromas, flavours, and styles of beer during this entertaining tutored tasting session, called Beer and Books.

The event is sponsored

by Lacons. Tickets are £5.

To book, head to: www. waterstones.com/events/ norwich-city-of-ale/ norwich-castle-street

The Maids Head Hotel is hosting a Charity Dinner on May 31 in aid of Break – the chosen charity for City of Ale 2018. The event will include a four-course dinner accompanied by beers from local breweries, each especially chosen to complement the flavours of the dishes. Demand is likely to be high, so don’t delay in booking your tickets.

All ingredients are sourced from local food and drink suppliers whenever possible with all dishes prepared in the kitchen by Head Chef ‘Magic’ and his brigade. To buy tickets, head to the Events page on www.break-charity.org

The Rose is hosting an 'I Pie A' Festival throughout City of Ale. They are teaming up with Flaming Galah's Aussie Pie Stop and will be offering outstanding IPAs in cask and keg teamed up with amazing pies from their neighbours on Ber Street. There will be pie specials to pair with the IPAs and they will be offering a 'Pie & Pint Pass' throughout the festival - five beers and a pie with mash, mushy peas and gravy for £20

On May 25, The Georgian Townhouse will be hosting a ‘Beer & Butcher’ Supper club event starting at 7pm. This will be a four-course sit down meal to include canapés, starter, main and dessert with a half pint of ale to pair with each course. Spurgeons will be showcasing their produce in each course, even adding bacon in the dessert! Humpty Dumpty Brewery is supplying the ales to pair with each dish - Lesley from Humpty Dumpty will talk through the beers paired with each course. The event is £35pp and needs to be booked in advance.

Castle Street

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

Tombland

Queens Road

77

Unthank Road

-

W I N E

-

POPPING CORKS ANDY NEWMAN CELEBRATES THE CONTINUING RENAISSANCE OF ENGLISH WINE

78

THREE WINES ANDY HAS ENJOYED tHIS MONtH:

Sparkling wine, of course, requires a WITH UNCERTAINTY over Brexit, the level of acidity which is found in slightly continued financial squeeze and huge less ripe grapes, so our relatively northern pressure on costs, there can't be many position suits this style of winemaking sectors of the economy which can claim Artesa Organic Rioja, 2016 well (Champagne is itself France’s most a 64 per cent year-on-year growth at (Harper Wells, £8.99) northerly wine-producing region). the moment. But for one part of the UK A modern-style Rioja from Rioja Baja, Add to that the great swathes of food and drink economy, the corks are fermented in stainless steel and aged chalky soil across southern England, certainly popping. for just six months in American oak, this and the fact that we invented the soThose corks will be being drawn is principally about the fruit: redcurrant, called Champagne method - a fact the from bottles of English wine - sparkling cherries, bramble, combined with woody, French like to gloss over - and you can herbal aromas and savoury black pepper probably - because the latest news from flavours. understand why fizz is the great driver our domestic wine producers is that a behind the English wine renaissance. record 3.86 million bottles of the stuff Rustenberg John X Merriman, Sparkling wine accounts for two in were unleashed on the market in 2017 Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015 every three bottles made in the UK, with - nearly two-thirds more than in the (Majestic, £15.99 as part of a mixed still white wine making up just a quarter previous year. six bottle case) of production. Meanwhile improvements Before we get too carried away, that Named for John Xavier Merriman, who in winemaking technology have seen figure is dwarfed by the several billion bought the farm which would eventually a steady growth in red and rosé wine bottles produced by our Gallic cousins become Rustenberg Wines, this is a production, especially in the more across the Channel last year - but France Bordeaux blend, principally Merlot and temperate southwest.

Cabernet Sauvignon, with tiny amounts saw a fall in production of nearly a fifth of the other three Bordeaux red grapes: Despite all this, English sparkling wines against 2016, and the amount bottled Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. struggle to compete on the global market,

by Italy and Spain suffered big falls too, Classic claret flavours of blackcurrant, partly because we consume 95 per cent of putting the growing success of our blackberry, mint, spice and cigar box. Will what we produce ourselves, but mainly nascent wine industry into sharp focus. definitely benefit from two or three years’ because in many countries (especially According to the Wine and Spirit ageing. those with their own wine industry) Trade Association, English wine English wine is still viewed with making is reaping the benefits of a ‘huge Sancerre Rosé, 'La Louée', Domaine suspicion, a certain lack of seriousness, or investment’ over recent years, with the Sylvain Bailly, 2016 (Adnams, £14.99) simple disdain. number of hectares, devoted to growing A delicate rosé made from 100 per cent As so often happens, our ability to Pinot Noir grapes, this is more complex grapes for wine, doubling in the past than your average pink, with red berry produce quality food and drink is far eight years, and set to grow by a further flavours of strawberry combining with ahead of our skills at marketing that 50 per cent by 2020. In 2017 alone, a floral notes of violet and a pleasing fact. In the end it may take established million new vines were planted in the minerality. Not cheap, but definitely a cut promotional expertise from foreign UK, the largest annual increase ever. above the standard rosé offering. investors to solve this, and we are already While the national media focus has seeing Champagne houses such as been on producers such as Camel Valley Taittinger and Vranken-Pommery taking the plunge. in Cornwall (widely tipped to be the chosen supplier for next Perhaps the biggest change in English wine production month’s royal wedding, and which in March became the first is that the early pioneers, such as North Elmham’s Robin English wine producer to be granted a royal warrant), here in Don, were by and large hobbyists, whereas the new wave Norfolk our local wine producers are playing their part, too. of producers such as Lee Dyer at Winbirri (which launched Award-winning Winbirri at Surlingham, near Norwich, its own sparkling wine just before Christmas) are taking it now has more than ten hectares in production - 25 times seriously. more than in 2010. Meanwhile, Flint Vineyards at Earsham, Unless the pace of global warming increases significantly, near Bungay, doubled its production between 2016 and 2017. our climate means that we will never be a volume wine It would seem that winemaking is a true growth industry in producer like France or Italy. But the evidence suggests that our county as nationally. we are increasingly competing at the highest level on quality, In its infancy, English winemaking was best known for and that England may yet challenge Champagne as the its use of Germanic and hybrid grapes, which, while wellbyword for top-notch sparkling wine. suited to our challenging climate, had limited appeal in the market. So if I asked you to name the two grape varieties which between them make up more than half of all domestic plantings today, you might be surprised to learn that they are the Burgundian varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Meanwhile Bacchus, the ‘English Sauvignon Blanc’ which is the grape used in Winbirri’s famous world-beating white wine, now accounts for just 8.5 per cent of all wineproducing vines in the country.

Driving this change is the overwhelming success of English sparkling wine. As well as being the mainstays of the Côte d’Or, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two of the three stars of Champagne, and the third, Pinot Meunier, is now the fourth most common variety in the UK.

79

Food & Wine Pairing

MUSSEL BOUND

IN HIS REGULAR COLUMN, OUR WINE EXPERT STEVE HEARNDEN TELLS US WHAT TO DRINK WITH MUSSELS AND SMOKED SALMON IN A RECENT ISSUE of Feast Norfolk I spotted a recipe for mussels with sweet potato gnocchi, mushrooms and goats’ cheese, and thought what a fabulous combination of flavours that would be. I checked back on my previous columns and in two very early issues, found that I had matched wine with goats’ cheese and crab. I recommended the Picpoul de Pinet wine that I stock as being the perfect wine with the crab, and Sancerre with the goats’ cheese. Both very applicable still and also for the mussel dish mentioned above, but I decided to venture into new waters – or perhaps that should read wine? I recently tasted a Beaujolais Blanc and this wine would accompany the dish perfectly. Beaujolais is really known for the large variety of red wine produced from the Gamay grape, in this region just south of the famous Burgundy wine region. The white Beaujolais, from the Chardonnay grape, produces a silky, creamy and dry white wine. The lightness and finesse of the taste is outstanding. The popularity of the Beaujolais Blanc is increasing in the UK, so I predict a huge increase in sales. Tastebuds Wines will be importing quite a few cases of Beaujolais Blanc in a couple of months’ time and the predicted price per bottle will be £10.25 - or £55.80 if you buy a case of six.

As summer is just around the corner, I decided to stick with white wine this month. Years ago when I worked in the hotel/restaurant trade, I could eat anything off the menu for my meals. As a consequence when I was taken out for dinner I did not know what to choose. So, frequently I would just ask for a plate of smoked salmon and either a Muscadet or Sancerre to drink. I stocked a superb Muscadet sur Lie some years ago and I have now contacted the producer to see what he is offering. The old vintage of 2003 was superb, soft and full of different, light flavours.

Muscadet should be drunk young but with 62 months in barrel, the 2003 was unique.

The producer has now offered me the 2013 – I cannot wait to taste it to see if this Melon de Bourgogne grape wine is similar to the 2003. The chalk soil and cool climate of the Muscadet region (in the Loire Valley) combine to make very fresh wines. They need to have 'sur Lie' and 'Sevre et Maine' on the label to indicate the location and style of wine in the bottle. You pay more for this top quality wine.

Cheaper wines, from numerous sources, can be like paint stripper – beware, they are not worth drinking! A simple food pairing for Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie is smoked salmon! This new stock is arriving at a predicted price of £13.75 - or £75.60 for 6 bottles.

TASTEBUDS WINES, Norwich Road, Strumpshaw, opens by appointment. Visit www.tastebudswines.co.uk

GREEN FARM COFFEE

CREATING FLAVOUR -

THE ROASTING PROCESS is one of the most exciting, interesting and complex processes in the whole coffee industry. During the process, a dull and lifeless looking green bean is transformed into a brown coffee bean with astonishing amounts of different tastes and aromatics.

The coffee roasting process has been around for a long time and, as an industry, we are gradually learning more and more about it. But, as with everything involving coffee, there is always more to learn.

Firstly, when looking at roasting coffee, we need to examine the coffee roaster itself.

There are a few different styles of roasters but the most common is the classic drum roaster, which comes in various designs and sizes.

Essentially, all drum roasters are based around the principle of a cylindrical rotating drum (imagine a washing machine), which lies above an open flame. The flame (usually a gas burner) is used to heat the drum as well as the air passing through the rotating drum.

Before roasting, the roaster and drum need to be preheated. The timing of this depends on the type and thickness of metal that the roaster and drum are made of. Once preheated, and at a stable temperature (usually somewhere in the region of 210°C), the green coffee beans will be dropped into the roasting drum. This continuously rotates, tumbling the beans throughout the roast cycle to ensure a consistent roast.

The whole process takes approximately 10-20 minutes, depending on varying factors, including the style of roast, coffee beans, moisture, roaster etc.

The beans will go through various different stages during the roast and slowly change from green to yellow and eventually brown, as different chemical reactions take place.

Once ready, the beans will be removed from the roaster just before reaching the exact state the roaster requires and are cooled quickly on a fan-powered or water-based cooling tray. During cooling the beans are stirred with a mechanical paddle to stop the roasting process.

The way a coffee is roasted will have a big impact upon its taste. For example, the same coffee roasted to different levels will taste quite different. A light roasted coffee will usually be brighter in taste and display characteristics of its origin, hints of fruit, citrus spice and much more. However, under roasting a coffee can produce unpleasant grassy, hoppy and hay type flavours in the coffee. A darker roasted coffee will normally have more chocolatey, nutty and caramel flavours as well as roasty flavours such as smokiness. Darker roasts are normally more bitter, with less acidity, as well as having a much fuller body (mouthfeel).

But, over roasting darker coffees can result in a very bitter, almost charcoal tasting cup of coffee. There are a wide range of different roasts available in the UK, ranging from light roasts through to very dark roasts; however the most popular espresso/Italian style coffees are normally a medium to darker roast.

So next time you buy your coffee, have a look at the roast colour and see if you can identify any differences in the flavours between different roasts.

Here at Green Farm we have a wide range of roast colours, ranging from light filter and single origin roasts through to darker espresso roasts.

So, if you’re looking to try some different roast styles we have got plenty for you to choose from.

www.greenfarmcoffee.co.uk

complex process of roasting beans

-

VISIT

Daniel Matthams of Green Farm Coffee guides us through the

C O L U M N

Tunisia -

T R A V E L

-

HEADING BACK TUNISIA WAS ONCE A REALLY POPULAR CHOICE FOR BRITISH HOLIDAYMAKERS. K ATE CLEAVER IS ONE OF THE FIRST TO RETURN FOLLOWING THE 2015 TERRORIST ATTACK

TUNISIAN ARCHITECTURE

For more information, visit www.tourismtunisia.com

TUNISIA is one of the most relaxed and European of the Islamic countries. It has a lot to offer and even more to get past as I discovered when I recently visited the capital, Tunis, and experienced a truly delightful city, completely bereft of tourists!

The country’s tourism business collapsed in June 2015, when a terrorist gunman attacked the popular beach resort of Sousse. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in which 38 people, plus the gunman, were killed. Thirty of the victims were British.

When I visited, with my son and mother, to see my other son, his wife and their new baby, advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had firmly switched to ‘green.’

The British Embassy in Tunisia is keen to point out that there was never a 'ban’, just strong FCO advice against all but essential travel which was lifted last July. I spoke to the British Ambassador Louise de Souza during our break and she was keen to point out that a huge amount of work has been done to improve security, claiming that the country is as safe as, and probably safer than, Britain or France.

Thomas Cook has restarted its flights from Britain into the country, but there are articles in the UK press asking: ‘What is stopping people booking Tunisia again?’ So it would seem that, disastrously for Tunisia, us tourists are resistant to holidaying in this North African country.

THE CAPITAL, IS GENUINELY COMPLEX, HYBRID AND COSMOPOLITAN, WITH A WONDERFUL MEDITERRANEANSTYLE WELCOME.”

As a good friend of mine put it on my return: ‘I simply couldn’t put my swimsuit on and feel relaxed and ‘on holiday,’ sitting on a beach close to where all that happened.’

Following the revolution of 2011, Tunis, the capital, has moved ahead. It is genuinely complex, hybrid and cosmopolitan, with a wonderful Mediterranean-style welcome. Seventy per cent of tourists come from France and the French-Tunisian connection is very real. After all, France ruled the country from 1881 to 1956 and left its mark. There are Parisian comparisons in the Gothic Revival majesty of the 19th century Cathedral St Vincent-de-Paul, and in Avenue Habib Bourguiba, on which the church stands, a thoroughfare named after the former Tunisian president but allied to the Champs Elysees.

tUNISIAN SPECIALITIES COUSCOUS Ground semolina, served with meat, fish or vegetables

FIFFILMAHSHI Stuffed tomatoes - often stuffed with beef and harissa

HARISSA A spicy paste made from chillies, tomatoes, olive oil and spices

LABLABI (PICTURED RIGHT) Chickpea soup with plenty of garlic

TAJINE A type of quiche, served cold

MARQA A meat and vegetable stew made with plenty of tomatoes

BRIK A deep-fried, filled pastry. Often filled with tuna, egg, onions, capers and parsley MERGUEZ Spicy sausages

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

OIJA Spicy scrambled eggs SALADE MECHOUIA Roasted vegetable salad

83

PORT OF SIDI BOU SAID

“ TUNIS,

RUINS OF CARTHAGE

-

T R A V E L

-

the owner’s father, who created a collection which suddenly had a purpose. So although the Villa Blue was only launched in 2009, it feels much older.

With stucco ceilings, it was designed by Eduardo Palermo and walls are decorated with charcoals and watercolours from leading local artists. The soft furnishings are by Jean Paul Gaultier and Missoni, with unbelievably comfortable beds by Nobilisse.

It emanates an elegant Arab-Andalusian style and, sitting behind its original oak door high in this hilltop village, it is truly lovely.

Among the great restaurants we visited was Dar Zarrouk, close to our hotel. An elegant second floor restaurant with an African/Mediterranean menu, its terrace must be fabulous in the summer.

We shopped at the main food market in Tunis where it’s best to go for the great selection of local, seasonal vegetables. (the price fluctuates hugely in line with the season.) Favourites on the locally caught fish stall are sea bass, sea bream and monkfish, not forgetting some fantastic prawns.

We also visited Carthage, which was a great city in Phoenician times and is now a residential suburb of Tunis. Despite its real importance, as a city and capital of the Roman Province of Africa (and the fact that the city was added to UNESCO’S World

CATHEDRAL OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

There are some great restaurants and a fantastic medieval medina. The Roman ruins are wonderful and we all thoroughly enjoyed meandering along their wide-open beaches.

We stayed at the gorgeous Villa Blue hotel, a true work of art, in the stunning hilltop village, Sidi Bou. With its blue and white painted shutters and windows, winding streets and glorious views, this is just a very lovely area.

This thoroughly mignon 13-bedroom hotel was developed from two family-owned apartments and then furnished, gorgeously, with 150-year-old pillars, statues and marble and ceramics, bought over 15 years from old houses in the medina by

Tunisia

Travel feature sponsored by

Visit Fred. Olsen Travel Agents in store at

NOW LOCATED ON THE 3RD FLOOR (opposite The Pantry)

Call us on )01603 216840 When it comes to travel travelwithfredolsen.co.uk Feast Magazine Travel Feature Strap2.indd 2

e! we make the differenc 17/07/2017 13:48:17

“IT WAS EASY FOR US TO IMAGINE THE HISTORY AS WE POKED THROUGH ALLEYWAYS THRONGED WITH LOCALS, NOT VISITORS.”

Heritage list in 1979), it is charming that any kind of tourist signposting or lighting for dramatic evening views is completely missing.

Instead we had a wonderful time just wandering onto the site where the Phoenicians had chosen to build their maritime colonies, focusing on the quality of harbours and proximity to trade routes.

Our guide brought us to the wonderful medina with its ancient studded doors, slave square and myriad of lanes where shops are still grouped together to offer the same meats, vegetables, intricate gold jewellery and carpets as they have always done.

It was easy for us to imagine the history as we poked through alleyways thronged with locals, not visitors. We bought fresh spices and gorgeous rugs at prices which must leave the shopkeepers with desperately tight margins.

I’ll be back and not just to visit my beautiful grandson! It will be fascinating to see what happens next and how long it takes for people to dare to visit this lovely place again.

THE WELLS CRAB HOUSE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Enjoy!

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

Let us know how you like yours Norfolkgin.co.uk

Unit 42, 13 & 14 Bergen Way, North Lynn Ind Est, King’s Lynn PE30 2JG T: 01553 770122

Norfolk-based. 25 years’ experience.

Trusted. Reliable. Experienced.

Thinking of a New Kitchen?

We design and install commercial kitchens across Great Britain, working with hotels, pubs, universities and colleges. We offer a one-stop service and tackle both new builds and refurbishments

www.penistoncateringdesign.co.uk

The Beechwood Hotel

Africa,

Ag& aMotreh!a

HAPPISBURGH BEACH

VISIT

www.beechwood-hotel.co.uk

SARAH HARDY ENJOYS HER NIGHT IN A FOUR-POSTER BED AT THE BEECHWOOD HOTEL IN NORTH WALSHAM - AND DISCOVERS THAT AGATHA CHRISTIE WAS A FAN, TOO

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

87

The Beechwood Hotel

ALMOST IN THE centre of North Walsham, yet set in very pretty and mature gardens, is The Beechwood Hotel, now owned and run with plenty of passion by Hugh and Emma Asher.

The couple, with two young children, met whilst working on cruise ships as Hugh is from South Africa, and they previously ran a restaurant in London.

They took over The Beechwood in 2015 and are both embracing its history and making it their own. It certainly oozes character; it was built in 1800 and many original features remain such as coving, floor tiles, fireplaces, high ceilings and so on. There is a fascinating link to the queen of crime, Agatha Christie, who was a regular visitor to the hotel from the 1930s through to the 1960s when it was owned by two doctors who she had met on her travels. The hotel has all her books, and numerous photos and letters penned by her are on display.

After exploring the garden, where a large beech tree has centre stage, and briefly inspecting a cosy lounge, we started our evening with drinks (fizz for me, Adnams for him) in the Art Deco bar which has just been refurbished and is very chic - a nice place to dress up for. Do look out for the Champagne and Gin Menu which you can work your way through and there are a couple of local gins including Norfolk Gin and Bullards, on offer.

The wine list, Hugh’s passion, is extensive and includes a goodly selection from South Africa. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Chenin Blanc from the Kleine Zalze lodge in Stellenbosch although Sir went for a Chilean Merlot.

Gliding through to the restaurant, which has two AA Rosettes and seats around 55 people, the first thing you spot is the grand piano which is played every Saturday evening and Sunday lunch. It’s fine dining, with silver service - think crisp white tablecloths - and meals are leisurely affairs. Food is served seven days a week under the direction of head chef Steve Norgate who has been at the hotel for many years and has built up a great network of local suppliers. These include Swannington Farm to Fork, Ollands Farm Foods for jams and marmalades, Tavern Tasty, Mrs Temple Cheeses, Barsby Produce from King’s Lynn and Coles fish merchants, also based in King’s Lynn.

The menu, said to be sourced as much as possible from within a 10-mile radius of the hotel, changes with the seasons and there are also several daily specials.

I started with a pear, walnut and Binham Blue salad, with touches of orange, too, and it was a good, tangy beginning. My husband had a trio of beetroot, including a bhaji one which was good and spicy.

Then we opted for one of the specials, which was so well described by Hugh that it was simply impossible to resist. It was a jam-packed seafood platter, offering up langoustines, prawns, mussels, goujons, a dressed crab plus accompanying potatoes and veg and three separate sauces, including a peri peri one with a bit of a bite. It was quite a blow out but thoroughly enjoyable.

Finally, Himself had two shots of sharp lemon sorbet, described as ‘really, very good’ and I had deconstructed cheesecake with rhubarb which was simply delicious, with a clever blend of sweetness and tartness.

Throughout, the service was lovely, with very friendly staff (hello, Harry!) and very strong presentation - this is a confident kitchen who are sure of what they are doing.

And there are little extras like canapes in the bar and a selection of amuse bouche to create a really lavish feel to the evening.

There are 18 bedrooms, several of which are dog friendly. We were treated to a four-poster room, right at the front of the hotel. It was very generous in size with a pretty little fireplace, big windows, a walk-in wardrobe and a equally generous bathroom, with separate shower and tub.

In fact, I didn’t hang around too long after supper - I had that enormous free standing bath to try out. In went plenty of the provided Molton Brown bubbles, followed quickly by me. Bliss!

But for me, what is best about The Beechwood is Hugh. He is a jovial soul and creates a real house party atmosphere. Nothing beats having the owner centre stage and Hugh certainly has the personality - and knowledge - to carry it off.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

SURROUNDING AREA There is plenty to enjoy in and around the town; Happisburgh beach is gorgeous while Mundesley is a charming seaside resort. And don’t miss the gardens at East Ruston’s Old Vicarage.

89

HAPPISBURGH BEACH

COMING SOON South African Evening, May 18, £40 per person. Look out for zebra and ostrich on the menu, not local of course!

PRESS TO IMPRESS This month our kitchen gardener Ellen Mary looks at that deliciously pungent vegetable: garlic

GARLIC

Garlic is one of those additions to a dish that can totally make or break it. Too much and it can be overpowering but just the right amount can add to the flavour perfectly. While garlic can be eaten raw, it’s more likely to be grated or pressed into a dish.

Growing garlic is really quite easy, as long as you harvest at the right time, plus it is one of the world’s most healthy foods! The compounds and antioxidants found in garlic fight against cancer, plus manganese, vitamin B6 and C pack a punch.

90

ELLEN MARY is a presenter, journalist and garden designer. You can contact her on social media or at www.ellenmarygardening.co.uk

Spring Vegetables -

G R O W

Y O U R

O W N

-

ELLEN MARY

GARLIC ‘GERMIDOUR’

Garlic is one of the oldest known cultivated crops and has a long, varied history. It has been used to keep spirits away, as an aphrodisiac, to help athletes and warriors, aid pregnant women and used in many medicines. Believed to be from Asia, it is used in cooking all over the world. Germidour is from France and well used to British weather and temperatures. It’s a reliable variety and produces lovely large bulbs with a wellbalanced flavour.

How to grow GROW Buy your garlic bulbs from a garden centre or supplier, as using supermarket bulbs may end up with disappointment. Plant during late autumn, before Christmas at the very latest.

Plant each individual clove just below the soil surface - about 15cm. If you are planting more than one row, allow 30cm between each.

CARE Garlic doesn't like to compete with weeds, so gently hand weed or use a hoe carefully around the planting area, making sure not to damage the growing bulbs. Horticultural fleece can be helpful for keeping birds off and make sure they are in a sunny position with fertile soil. Generally they don't need extra watering, unless it’s particularly dry weather and, as the bulbs get bigger, limit watering to ensure that they don't rot.

HARVEST From late May, weather dependent, through to July, lift the bulbs gently from the soil as the bottom leaves have turned yellow. It’s all about the right time to harvest! If it’s too early or late, they won’t store so well. Once lifted, lay the bulbs out to dry. The green leaves can even be used as a garnish or in any dishes that need a gentle garlicky addition.

91

[Serves 2 RECIPE WITH ELLEN MARY

ROASTED GARLIC IN OLIVE OIL Garlic

can be used in almost every dish, from soups to roast dinner, stir fries to pizza!

Because it is used to flavour so many dishes I’ve decided to celebrate garlic just as it is, all by itself. So try roasted bulb garlic and enjoy the taste of the mild flavour the roasting process produces, or spread on some freshly made bread for a delicious roasted garlic bread flavour.

INGREDIENTS 1 garlic bulb (all cloves attached); 1 drizzle of olive oil; 2 sprigs of thyme; salt and pepper METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C 2. Remove the outer peel of the garlic bulb, keeping all of the cloves intact 3. Slice off the top of the bulb, exposing the cloves so each can soak in the oil 4. Drizzle over some olive oil, ensuring each clove is covered 5. Place on to some foil large enough to wrap over the top 6. Add sprigs of thyme 7. Include a pinch of salt and pepper 8. Wrap loosely in the foil 9. Bake for about 30 minutes until the cloves are soft 10. Allow to cool enough to gently push the cloves out, ready to eat in any way you choose, although spread on bread is delicious!

Allotments -

G R O W

Y O U R

O W N

-

TO POT OR PLOT?

RACHEL BIRTWHISTLE

Rachel Birtwhistle prepares for her second year at the allotment but locating the perfect place for some crops proves controversial

92

‘O

NE OF THE MOST rewarding crops you can grow is a tomato,’ said my generous allotment neighbour as he kindly donated some surplus plants last May. ‘They are easy to grow, and you can guarantee a reliable harvest.’

Perfect - this is everything you want to hear when you start out on a growyour-own adventure. So, I dutifully nurtured the tomatoes and in turn they succumbed to tomato blight. He latterly advised; ‘There is little you can do if your tomatoes get blight other than accept defeat.’

This year I will do better, although I already sense the return of my difficult relationship with tomatoes. Have I fed and watered them today? Have I arranged a ‘tomato sitter’ for when I go away? You get the general picture; tomatoes are attention seekers. Treated right though, few things on earth taste as glorious as a homegrown tomato. It’s just finding the right place to treat them, and I’m not convinced the allotment is the perfect spot.

My fellow plot holders disagree; ‘virtually anyone can grow a tomato anywhere’ which brings me out in a cold sweat as, so far, I am the only person it appears who cannot successfully grow a tomato! Clearly my inadequacy must be addressed, but I think the best place to do that will be closer to home – in fact my patio, to be specific. Not least because this way the public humiliation is vastly reduced!

Tomatoes are the perfect crop to grow in containers, but a few golden rules need to be applied. Always keep the compost evenly moist. This ‘evenly moist’ bit is crucial, as

irregular watering can cause the tomatoes to split and crack and can lead to blossom end rot (when the bottom of the fruit turns black). It’s a good idea to feed the tomatoes with a liquid tomato fertiliser or add a controlled-release fertiliser to the compost when you plant them up. Cordon tomatoes are grown as a single stem up a cane or string support. Tie them in as they grow and pinch out the side shoots.

May is a good time to prick tomato seedlings out into individual pots and continue to grow under cover until the risk of frost has passed. As spring has been decidedly chilly in Norfolk, be kind to little plants and keep undercover until we have had successive warmer nights. The plants can be re-potted into larger pots as necessary, or into grow bags, but remember to make drainage holes in the base of the bag if you go for this option.

I decide I’m going to grow some plants at home in pots and the remainder at the allotment, taking care to choose the vigorous plants for public display purposes! This experiment could go either way; the allotment is sunnier than my patio and tomatoes adore the sun, but I am not on hand to water the plants more than once a day at the plot. As the key ingredients of sunshine and water cannot be doled out in equal measure at either location, it’s anyone’s guess as to which will turn out the best. If I get tomatoes of any edible description I will consider both (or in the worst case neither) locations a success. So, there you have it, the challenge has been set: plot versus patio. I’ll keep you posted.

• You can follow Rachel’s allotment progress on twitter @treatlikedirt

Proudly Norfolk -

C O L U M N

-

coffee blend for their sister company, Pell & Co Spirits. Together, we tasted a number of coffees and created their Brewers Blend, which we always love roasting and drinking. To help you choose your favourite, we provide selection packs and tasting notes for our exciting range of coffees.

LEFT TO RIGHT: ANGIE & LESTER MARSHALL, HAYLEY HORWELL & DOMINIC MARSHALL

Where can we try your coffees? We’re proud to supply an increasing number of Norfolk cafes, restaurants and pubs.

The Garden Kitchen Cafe, set in the beautiful grounds of the Hoveton Hall Estate, will be serving a new bespoke blend this season. Kenninghall Bistro near Attleborough is a much loved community hub serving fantastic food and, of course, our delicious coffee. You can also try our coffee in the comfort of your own home. Look out for our coffee in independent shops, such as Truly Local in Stalham and Scrummy Pig in Wroxham, or buy direct from our online shop.

THE COFFEE MAKERS MEET ARTISAN COFFEE ROASTERS JAVABEAN WHO ARE SITUATED IN THE BROADS VISIT

www.javabean.co.uk

Who are you and what do you do?

We are Hayley Horwell and Dominic Marshall and we run Javabean Limited, an independent small-batch, speciality coffee roasting company.

We provide single origin or bespoke blends of freshly roasted beans to cafes, restaurants and pubs that share our passion for great coffee. Our coffee is also available in retail packs through local shops, delicatessens and our online shop.

Where are you based? Our roastery is in the beautiful Broadland village of Rollesby, located on the Trinity Broads.

What is your background? Dom has always had a passion for great coffee.

Roasting his own green coffee beans in a modified popcorn popper became a Sunday morning obsession, which later developed into a fully fledged coffee roasting business. Having

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

studied mechanical engineering for a number of years, the technical side of the coffee roasting process was compelling.

Where do you get your beans from?

Our beans are sourced directly from coffee farmers around the world and we only buy coffees with a transparent supply chain. By sourcing from small, independent farms, we can provide something unique and special to our customers. We like all of our coffees to have a story behind them.

What is your favourite coffee?

Well, how do you choose a favourite amongst so many? Each single origin coffee has a unique character and this can be further enhanced by the way it is roasted. Blending coffees is another way to create new flavours. We were approached by the White Horse Inn, in Neatishead, to develop a custom

94

How do you make the perfect cup of coffee - any tips? The freshness of the coffee, the temperature of the water and matching the grind size to the brew method are all key factors in making a delicious cup of coffee.

Adjust the amount of coffee you use to suit your personal taste. You can find more information in the brew guides on our website.

Any future plans? We want to grow our business by following our founding principles: fantastic coffee, sourced ethically; outstanding customer service; and understanding and working with our customers. Our continuing success means that we plan to expand our existing roastery later this year.

How has Norfolk Food and Drink been able to help you? We are delighted to be part of an organisation dedicated to supporting Norfolk producers.

Norfolk Food and Drink provides a network of like-minded businesses for us to work with for mutual benefit.

As well as promoting local produce, it gives us the opportunity to call on a wealth of business experience when needed.

This column is supported

by Norfolk Food & Drink and highlights its Proudly Norfolk members. For more details, visit www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

The new Polo.

With £1,500 towards your finance deposit.* From £140 per month.

One year insurance at no extra cost.^

Solutions Personal Contract Plan† representative example subject to 10,000 miles per annum for a Polo SE 1.0 TSI Duration

4 years

47 monthly payments of

£140.00

Deposit contribution

£1,500.00

Customer deposit

£3,865.36

Retail cash price

£14,635.00

Optional final payment

£5,645.70

Option to purchase fee

£10.00

Total amount payable

£16,601.06

Total amount of credit

£10,269.64

Representative APR %

6.3% APR

Rate of interest p.a.

6.3% fixed

Excess mileage charge

4.8p per mile

Robinsons Volkswagen (Norwich) Heigham Street, Norwich, NR2 4LX Telephone: 01603 612111 www.robinsonsvolkswagen.co.uk

Representative

Find us on:

/Volkswagen.Robinsons

@Robinsons_VW

†At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) own the vehicle: pay the optional final payment; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess; or iii) replace: part

6.3% APR

exchange the vehicle. *With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available when ordered by 02/07/18 from participating Retailers. Indemnities may be required. Offer not in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. ^One year’s insurance included at no extra cost from Volkswagen Insurance is available on new Polo models ordered from 4th April to 2nd July 2018 and registered by 30th September 2018 for drivers aged 18-80 (GTI is 25 and over). Drivers under 18 are not eligible. Excludes Northern Ireland. Drivers aged 18-24 are required to share their driving style data with a telematics product.

Other eligibility criteria apply. Go to www.insurewithvolkswagen.co.uk/polo for full terms and conditions. This offer may be extended, changed or removed at any point. Volkswagen Motor Insurance from

Volkswagen Financial Services is arranged and administered by Carrot Risk Technologies Limited. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel consumption figures for the Polo model range in mpg (litres/100km): urban: 37.2 (7.6) – 56.5 (5.0), Extra

urban: 55.4 (5.1) – 78.5 (3.6), Combined: 47.1 (6.0) – 68.9 (4.1), CO2: 139-94. Excludes battery, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

T GE

R B NT U O LU U IN C SCO JO E DI IN 10%

W

D AN

*

Food Hall & Fine Wine Department

Experience a wine tasting from our New and North Norfolk’s first Enomatic Wine Dispenser.

Visit our brand New Bakery & Patisserie Choose from our tempting range of breads, desserts & sweet pastries and our savoury selection.

WINE & FOOD FAIR Thursday 17th May

Doors open from 6.00pm in our Number Ten Restaurant Taste a range of wines, spirits & fine foods

Tickets £5.00 each to include all samples and a finger buffet Further details and to book www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

TENUTA MARMORELLE Award Winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pasta, Gluten Free Pasta, Antipasti and Balsamic Vinegar all from Italy

Mark Bingley, Easter Opening Master of -Wine Good Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm

WINE TASTING DINNER Thursday 7th JUNE 7.00pm for 7.30pm in our Number Ten Restaurant

Fine Wine Director & Founder Member of

EasterMarques Mondayet Domaines.

9.30am - 4.00pm Maisons Closed Easter Sunday Mark has been a Master of Wine for

Presented by Mark Bingley, Master of Wine

Tickets £30.00 each Groups of 4 or more £27.50 per person Further details and to book www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

30 years and he will be presenting his selection of eight fine wines to accompany our four course dinner.

Award winning Food Hall & Fine Wine Department Newly Refurbished 8 -12 M A R K E T PL AC E , HOLT, NOR FOL K, N R 25 6 BW

01263 71224 4

*Join the Bakers & Larners Wine Club and receive 10% discount on all future purchases in our Wine & Spirits department.

T&C’s apply.

w w w.ba kersa nd la r ners.co.u k †Our team of experts are qualified to WSET Level 3 and 4