Feast Norfolk Magazine October 17 Issue 20 by Feast Norfolk Magazine

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FOOD & DRINK

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All YOU

Editor's Letter

SARAH HARDY

SARAH HARDY, EDITOR sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

FEASTNORFOLKMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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RIKEY - what a busy month October looks like being. I don’t know where to start! I definitely want to get around a few of the eateries taking part in Norfolk Restaurant Week. It is a fun concept as you get to try out places that you’ve always fancied, and the atmosphere is great as us foodies love to mingle. And then there’s Porkstock, a family-friendly food and music festival, that we really get behind each year. It’s another event where you can enjoy yourself - with TV funnyman Hardeep Singh Kohli as a star attraction. The serious side to it is that we all need to support our pork farmers who form such an important part of the region’s farming economy. Add in Aylsham’s Food Festival, Nigella Lawson calling in at Jarrold’s to promote her latest super cookbook, HarFest at Norwich Cathedral, and the Norwich Beer Festival (happy 40th birthday, by the way) and you are hardly going to have a night in! I want to make time to check out the new look Swan in Southwold where Adnams has lavished lots of time and cash on a fabulous refit. It looks super gorgeous! And The Kitchen at St George’s Distillery at The English Whisky Company, near Attleborough, is on my list, too! We have all our favourite features, from the regular Q&A with a leading chef - this month it is Amy Hare’s turn under the spotlight - to our gadget and gizmo guide which focuses on the wonderful selection of range cookers now available. Our regular columnists are joined by Andrew Jones from Farmyard restaurant in Norwich who gives us a warts and all ‘insider’ account of setting up your own restaurant Don’t miss this month’s great competition - dinner, B&B at one of our favourite places, Fritton Arms on the Somerleyton Estate. And congratulations to Rebecca from Norwich who won the Thermapen competition, featured in our July/August issue. Have a great month and keep in touch.

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FOOD & DRINK

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All YOU

need

to KNOW ABOUT

PORK NORFOLK

RESTAURANT

WEEK

YES,

PORKSTOCK IS HERE! 9 772397 167017

ISSN 2397-1673

ABOUT US 03 Editor’s Letter

OCTOBER 2017

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COVER STORY

62 We are all about pork this month - from the Porkstock festival to Jamie Archer’s essential roasting tips

WHAT’S ON 12 Keen foodie? What to know where to go and what to do? You need our essential guide 17 Don’t miss Norfolk Restaurant Week where you can enjoy special deals at numerous great eateries across the region 18 We preview the 40th annual Norwich Beer Festival which takes place this month 21 Porkstock, a family friendly food and music festival, bursts into life in Norwich this month 22 Keep up with the latest news and gossip in the food and drink world in this region FEATURES 25 We have an early look at the new-look Deli in the basement at Jarrold’s 26 Meet the chocolate cake competition winners from the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival at Holkham 45 Enjoy our food trail around Aylsham, one of Norfolk’s lovely market towns REVIEWS 28 Bottomless brunches have become a top menu choice recently. Emma Outten checks out what’s on offer at Revolución de Cuba in Norwich city centre 32 Sarah Hardy heads to the Kings Head

at Bawburgh, one of the county’s first gastropubs, for a superb seafood platter and plenty of chatter INTERVIEWS 06 General manager Lyndon Barrett-Scott tells Emma Outten about the new look Swan Hotel in Southwold which reopens this month after an extensive £6m refit 38 Emma Outten heads to the home of Richard Ellis, founder and executive chairman of Norfolk Country Cottages, which celebrates 25 years in business this year REGULARS 34 The Anglia Farmer Affinity feature steers us towards The Ship Inn at Weybourne in North Norfolk 42 Head of Hotel School, Steve Thorpe, tells us all about how City College Norwich is doing its bit to alleviate the current chef shortage 48 Our Chef Q&A feature asks Head Chef to be at Netherton House in Long Stratton, Amy Hare, all the questions 52 Free from writer Sara Matthews has three dishes, with a very timely pumpkin theme, to try this month 56 The featured cookbook this month is a gloriously beautiful one called Herbs, written by former Tomorrow's World presenter, Judith Hann

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84 60 We have a bumper selection of new cookbooks, including one by Lord Tebbit, thanks to Jarrold’s 80 This month’s gadget and gizmo page will have you wanting a new range cooker! 90 Our Proudly Norfolk column meets Vanessa Hilliard of Diane’s Pantry in Reepham RECIPES 51 Amy Hare turns her hand to a seafood linguine 87 Ellen Mary serves up a sweet potato, spinach and coconut curry with quinoa DRINK 66 Lacons, the Great Yarmouth-based brewery, tells us about the part played by hops in the brewing process - and their latest beer 68 Our artisan producer slot features Malt Coast, a new craft brewery based near Wells and run by brothers Bruin and Max Maufe 71 We preview Norwich Cocktail Week which starts this month 72 Andy Newman introduces us to some more unusual wines from the Southern Rhône region of France 75 Steve Hearnden paired up with Sarah Hardy and took a trip to the South Pickenham Estate vineyard for his wine pairing column this month www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

COLUMNISTS 37 Andrew Jones, chef patron at Farmyard in Norwich, joins us as a columnist to reveal a few secrets about running your own place! 54 Charlotte Gurney is getting us in the mood for Christmas 64 Justin Wright of Lovewell Blake wants our Norfolk producers to seek out foreign markets 65 Charlie Hodson loves foraging but urges us not to overdo it TRAVEL 76 Mark Nicholls discovers world-class food in the Dolomites, on a skiing trip 81 Emma Outten checks into The Loddon Swan, for a night of luxury in one of the new rooms 84 Our six of the best looks at where to eat and stay during Norfolk Restaurant Week - and beyond! GROW YOUR OWN 86 Ellen Mary celebrates sweet potatoes this month 88 Rachel Birtwhistle shares her journey as a newbie allotmenteer COMPETITION 74 Win dinner, bed and breakfast for two at the Fritton Arms on the Somerleyton Estate

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 Hannah McKinney Senior Account Manager | 07917 122829 hannah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Nicholls, Andy Newman, Ellen Mary, Rachel Birtwhistle, Justin Wright, Charlotte Gurney, Andrew Jones, Steve Hearnden, Sara Matthews, Charlie Hodson

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The Swan Hotel -

S P O T L I G H T

The Swan Hotel in Southwold is set to reopen on October 12, following a ÂŁ6 million reinvention. Emma Outten chats to new General Manager, Lyndon Barrett-Scott, on his plans for the landmark Suffolk hotel to become a world-class destination offering world-class food and drink VISIT

www.theswansouthwold.co.uk

LYNDON BARRETT-SCOTT

THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER of The Swan Hotel in Southwold had just taken delivery of 100 new chairs at 8 o’clock in the morning on the day we spoke. Lyndon Barrett-Scott is overseeing the final stages of a £6 million investment to turn the landmark Suffolk hotel into the best hotel in the region. And he is confident of the claim: ‘There are so many different hotel styles in this region,’ he acknowledges. ‘We want to be the best.’

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The Swan Hotel -

S P O T L I G H T

It has a great USP to tap into, of course: Adnams, the values-based family business that has been brewing in Southwold since 1872. Adnams has collaborated with award-winning design studio Project Orange to reinvent The Swan, and the design aesthetic will certainly celebrate its heritage. Examples include copper fittings to reflect the distillery, the famous local figure ‘Southwold Jack’ on bespoke tiles, swan motifs and flashes of vibrant Adnams’ colours, such as bright pink paint on the modern four-poster beds - the hotel will house 35 rooms in all. The Swan will form the gateway to the best Adnams has to offer: after all, the brewery and distillery are only a stone’s throw from the hotel. Lyndon says: ‘From our garden rooms, the brewery is in front of you, brewing the beer you are going to drink in the next 20 minutes. That is something that is paramount to me: that we are Adnams, we are promoting Adnams and we are the flagship of Adnams.’ Unsurprisingly, Lyndon and the team will encourage guests to enjoy an immersive experience whilst staying at The Swan, from taking part in an Adnams ‘make your own gin’ experience or enjoying a brewery tour.

beach at Southwold – and even rented a cottage here.’ The fact that Southwold recently made the headlines for being the Best Seaside Town for a Staycation (according to Marbles credit card company), was ‘lovely to see,’ says Lyndon. So what sort of staycation crowd is he aiming The Swan at? Yes, he’s aiming for the London crowd, of course but from further afield too, such as the Manchester crowd, perhaps. Lyndon’s strapline is all about getting city workers to make the transition ‘from desk to deckchair’. As well as offering award-winning beer, wine and spirits, The Swan will offer guests and non-residents world-class food, with rising star Ross Bott as Head Chef (formerly at One Canada Square) serving dishes championing local produce (think Blythburgh Pork and you get the idea). Ross will oversee The Swan’s two new restaurants, The Still Room and The Tap Room. Lyndon explains: ‘Each room highlights what Adnams does.’ The Still Room, seating 54, celebrates the Adnams’ spirits range and will be the signature restaurant at The Swan.

45-year-old Lyndon sounds just the man for the job of turning The Swan into one of the best British hotels to launch this year, having supported the launch of a number of high-end establishments including, most recently, Manchester’s King Street Townhouse (which was named in the ‘100 hottest hotels in the world 2016’, according to Conde Nast Traveler). And he adds: ‘My experience is about offering more of a personal service within a hotel.’ So step forward the new Adnams butlers, where everything is taken care of for guests, be it a perfect gin and tonic on arrival or recommending and arranging the best local activities. Lyndon says: ‘That is something I’m introducing to The Swan.’ He knows Southwold well. ‘Before I went to Manchester I created Wilderness Reserve at Sibton Park, which is just down the road,’ he says. ‘At weekends I used to come to the

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The Swan Hotel -

S P O T L I G H T

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And award-winning spirits means cocktails aplenty. Lyndon says that amidst the more traditional, classic cocktails there will be a ‘couple of quirky ones’, including a beer-based cocktail and one made out of specially distilled quince gin. ‘That’s going to be amazing,’ he says, before adding: ‘The idea is you come to dinner, and you have a cocktail beforehand in the drawing room then you come through to the Still Room.’ He adds: ‘I’ve got three tasting menus: meat, fish and veg.’ Plus, he says: ‘We are making all our own breads and all our own butter. One of the chef’s quirky ideas is we’ll have butter sitting on pebbles on the table.’ Whereas The Tap Room, which seats 50, is a homage to Adnams’ roots, showcasing a broad range of beers, and an informal menu. Lyndon says of Ross, who has a modern British style of cooking: ‘He takes ingredients and cooks them to the best of his ability.’ The dishes, which may only use three or four ingredients, will be ‘beautiful’. As for the signature dish: ‘You will never eat fish and chips like this in the UK,’ assures Lyndon. Between now and October 12, Lyndon and his team will be busy finishing off the bedrooms, tasting the menus and developing the wine list. He concludes: ‘I don’t want to give away too much – I want people to come along and experience it.’

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HOME TECHNOLOGY

Hughes Electricals’ 25th anniversary HomeTech Show takes place at the Norfolk Showground from October 20 to 22. It promises to the biggest ever with around 50 trade stands featuring top manufacturers, plus a host of leading chefs giving live cooking demonstrations, hosted by our columnist Charlie Hodson, including 2016 Great British Bake-Off winner Candice Brown (on the Saturday). Visit www.hometechshow.co.uk

SCIENCE FESTIVAL

If you want to know all about the science behind beer, gin and macaron making, you’re in for a treat at this year’s Norwich Science Festival, which returns from October 21 to 29 (half term). It will feature more than 125 events, including the ‘science of eating’ – how our environment shapes our senses and experience of food. Visit www.norwichsciencefestival.co.uk

CANDICE BROWN

FOOD AND FRENCH WINE

Enjoy an informal evening of fun, food and French wine in the company of Steve Hearnden from Tastebuds Wines and James Conway Head Chef at Barnham Broom, on October 27. The evening will start with a tasting and tutorial, followed by a Champagne reception, and a four course dinner served in the private dining room. Visit www.barnham-broom.co.uk

PICTURE BY SIMON FINLAY

APPLE DAY

AUTUMN FESTIVAL

Apple Day, which promotes the importance of heritage apples, will be marked at various venues this month, including Drove Orchards, Thornham, on October 1; Oxburgh Hall on October 8; and Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse on October 15. Take those mystery apples from your garden and have them identified by members of the East of England Apples and Orchards Project. Visit www.droveorchards.com, www.nationaltrust.org.uk and www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

The popular Hostry Festival, takes place at Norwich Cathedral from October 15 to 29. It includes a performance by the Total Ensemble Theatre Company, complete with post-show Champagne reception, Booja Booja truffles and ice cream, on October 21. Visit www.hostryfestival.org

SATURDAY SLURP

There's loads going on at Bakers and Larners this month! First up is a Wine Tasting Supper on October 12 in the Number Ten Restaurant, when Pierre-Marie Pattieu, Jackson Estates UK Prestige Accounts Manager will guide you through a selection of wines; followed by a Wine and Food Fair on October 26, when you can taste a range of wines, spirits and fine foods with Christmas in mind; and a cellar tour and wine tasting called Saturday Slurp on October 28. Visit www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

JAZZ AND DINE

The Rooftop Gardens in Norwich is hosting a Jazz and Dine event on October 29 with The Jim Mullen Organ Trio, whose gentle Glaswegian humour between songs makes for a highly entertaining evening! The ticket includes a two course dinner menu on the evening with vegetarian options. Visit www.rooftopgardens.co.uk

AND JUST A REMINDER…

…that Aylsham Food Festival takes place from October 6 to 8 (visit www.slowfood.org.uk) and the Diss and Harleston Food Festival homes in on Harleston on October 7 (visit www.visitharleston.org.uk).

FARMING FESTIVAL

HarFest, an event founded by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association to celebrate Norfolk’s farming community and its producers, is set to return to Cathedral Close, in the grounds of Norwich Cathedral, for a second year on October 7. For the first time, the Cathedral Cloisters will be transformed into a farmers' market where visitors will be able to taste the very best from Norfolk's artisan producers. Visit www.rnaa.org.uk HARFEST

WINE PAIRING DINNER

Farmyard Restaurant in Norwich is hosting its second wine pairing dinner with Rob Harrison from CH Wine Merchants, on October 5, and will be extending the covers to 40 for this one, so make sure you book soon. On the night he will be showcasing an unusual 'orange wine' from Domaine des Trinites in the Languedoc. Visit www.farmyardrestaurant.com

GREAT GARDENS

This month means your last chance to see some great gardens opening for the National Garden Scheme in Norfolk: Hindringham Hall on October 1; East Ruston Old Vicarage on October 7 and The Barn at Framlingham on October 22. All the gardens provide lovely home-made teas and many of the gardens will have plants for sale. Visit www.ngs.org.uk

DIARY DATES

Autumn is well and truly here but we have plenty of food and drink events to fall back on, says Emma Outten

WALKERS ALE

The Cromer Walkers are Welcome group has teamed up with Poppyland Brewery to produce and promote a very special brew, Walkers Are Welcome, aimed at walkers - and all who appreciate delicious hand crafted ale. Upcoming events for the Norfolk Walking Festival in October include a Marshland Magic Walk on October 22. Visit www.walkcromer.co.uk and www.poppylandbeer.com

VEGAN FESTIVAL (PICTURED BELOW)

One of Europe’s premier vegan superfood and lifestyle festivals, VegfestUK, is returning to Kensington Olympia on October 21 and 22, attracting an estimated 15,000 visitors across the weekend. Highlights include a Food Village, Environment & Food Sustainability Summit and a Vegan Comedy Corner. Visit www.london.vegfest.co.uk

THE GARDENS OF THE BARN AT FRAMLINGHAM

VEGAN LASAGNE

FISH SUPPER

From October 13 to 15, the RNLI’s annual Fish Supper fundraiser is taking place. The campaign supports lifeboat volunteers across the UK and Ireland who often have to leave their loved ones at the dinner table, dropping everything the moment their pager goes off. The campaign encourages everyone across the county to host their own fish supper, to raise vital funds and help make sure the RNLI can continue to save lives at sea. Kim Playford, a volunteer with the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station, is helping to organise a fish and chips quiz night in Gorleston as part of the fundraising weekend. Details about how to get involved, including recipe ideas and a free 'get started' pack, are available at www.rnli.org www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CULINARY MASTERCLASSES A new series of autumn Culinary Masterclasses begins on October 26, at the 15th century Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa. Come along and pick up tips, recipes and new culinary skills from AA two rosette Head Chef, Justin Kett. These popular events include a two-course lunch paired with a glass of wine and coffee or tea in the hotel’s elegant Gallery Restaurant. Visit www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk

Hughes HomeTech Show -

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IT S SHOW TIME HUGHES HOMETECH SHOW IS IN NORWICH THIS MONTH WHERE YOU CAN SNAP UP ALL THE LATEST GADGETS AND GIZMOS VISIT

FREEy entr * OPENING TIMES Fri October 20 6-9pm Sat October 21 10am-6pm Sun October 22 10am-5pm

www.hometechshow.co.uk

*AND LOTS OF FREE PARKING

HIS MONTH sees the return of the Hughes HomeTech Show for its 25th successive year. It takes place at the Norfolk Showground from October 20 to 22. The 25 years have seen huge advancements in technology, and the show has been there to witness and showcase them all. From the first consumer flat screen TV to the amazing new range of OLEDs, and from the first iPod to the current crop of virtual reality headsets the show has seen it all. Over the years, it has expanded to include a much wider range of products such as large and small kitchen appliances, and has also seen the introduction of the Hughes Cookery Demonstration Theatre. This year will see Hughes bring together around 50 of the world’s largest and best known manufacturers including Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, LG, Sonos, KitchenAid, Miele, Magimix and many more. After three very successful years, the Hughes Cookery Demonstration Theatre has also stepped up a gear, with some new faces being introduced for 2017. Show-goers can see the latest kitchen gadgets being used, and appreciate just how great they are - and how much they can help you! The Cookery Live crew are producing the largest cookery theatre in the history of the HomeTech Show, and a host of celebrities and local chefs are demonstrating their culinary skills. On Saturday, the winner of the 2016 Great British Bake Off, Candice Brown, is baking some sweet treats live at the show. Over the weekend, she is joined by MasterChef The Professionals contestant Jamie Mountford, paralympic gold medal winner, swimmer Jessica-Jane Applegate from Great Yarmouth, and local award winning chef and business owner Andy Snowling. And, joining the show for the first time to oversee all the chefs and talk through their demonstrations, is Sunday Brunch guest chef and award winning chef Charlie Hodson. A local man with a local heart, Charlie, also a Feast Norfolk columnist, is passionate about all things foodie but, more importantly, all things that are locally produced right here in the county. Charlie is also joined by Coxfords of Aylsham who, with more than 50 years’ experience, will be teaching you everything you need to know about locally sourced meat with their butchery demonstration. Once you have visited the Cookery Demonstration Theatre and whetted your appetite, why not visit the farmers’ market and sample some of the best local produce from the area’s finest producers? They include The Cheese and Pie Man, the Norfolk Sausage Company, Pasta Gusto, Carol’s Cakes and Buns, Kind Food and local brewery and winner of Best London Dry Gin in the World 2017, Bullards. All are handing out samples and selling their products so don’t miss out.

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MENU S NOW ONLIN E

Participating restaurants throughout the county will offer either

IT’S THE DINING EVENT YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS 30TH OCTOBER 10TH NOVEMBER 2017

Restaurant Week menus will be offered Monday to Friday, excluding weekends. A full list of participating restaurants can be viewed online. Keep up to date by joining us on social media and sign up to our mailing list. For details visit

www.NorfolkRestaurantWeek.co.uk

Restaurant Week -

W H A T ’ S

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TUCK IN!

Norfolk Restaurant Week gives you the chance to eat out at a selection of leading places at a really reasonable price. What’s not to love?! Sarah Hardy has her knife and fork at the ready

NORFOLK RESTAURANT WEEK is sponsored by Norfolk Hideaways, a Norfolk-based holiday rental company which offers more than 300 self catering properties in the region. These range from cosy cottages to stunning country houses. Many are dog friendly, with some boasting swimming pools and hot tubs! They are offering a five percent discount for all stays during Norfolk Restaurant Week. Check out www.norfolkhideaways.co.uk

VISIT

www.norfolkrestaurantweek.co.uk

OW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, Norfolk Restaurant Week, okay so it is actually a fortnight, bursts into life at the end of the month. Running from October 30 until November 10 (excluding weekends), it gives us foodies the chance to try more than 60 restaurants, cafés and bistros which are all offering special menus - with good price tags. Restaurants serve up set menus of either two courses for £10 and three courses for £15, or two courses for £15 and three courses for £20. Some places are offering special menus for both lunch and dinner, others are offering just dinner deals. No vouchers or codes are required but booking is highly recommended. Previously run as North Norfolk Restaurant Week, its popularity has led to founder Martin Billing expanding it to the whole county. He says: ‘We set out to simply celebrate the region’s marvellous food scene - and that is what we still do. There is a great atmosphere to the

week which is lovely to see, and people really enjoy trying new places with family and friends. We wanted to include the entire county and hope to continue to expand the number of places taking part.’ Here at Feast Norfolk, we are delighted to support the new Norwich section, with eight restaurants are taking part. These include The Black Horse on Earlham Road, Jive Kitchen & Bar, Warwick Street Social, Farmyard, Yellows Bar and Grill, The Boars at nearby Spooner Row, and The Crown at Pulham Market. Also look out for the newly opened Orford Flat Iron. Other places taking part include the Lifeboat at Thornham, The White Horse at Brancaster Staithe, Titchwell Manor, Briarfields at Titchwell, Market Bistro in King’s Lynn, Congham Hall, The Crown, Wells, The Globe, Wells, The Hero, Burnham Overy Staithe, Wells Crab House, and Strattons in Swaffham. Check out the full list and their menus online. Last year 46 restaurants served a massive 21,000 diners, with chefs serving up local, seasonal dishes.

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A IG N FOLK CA M P R O N D N A O R W IC H L E B R AT E 4 0 W IT H T H E N G E T T IN G R E A DY T O C E A LE T IVA L , E M M E S E F R E E B FOR RE AL A H TH H E N O R W IC R S W H AT H A S M A D E E Y E A RS O F T IS N H A T K THE ORG O STRENG OU T T EN AS O FROM ST RENGT H T E VENT G

HOME BREWERS from across the region have been given the opportunity to launch their own beer for the 40 th Norwich Beer Festival. The experienced home bre wers were picked following a competition open to me mbers of the Anglian Craft Bre wers in association with CAMR A. The brewers, from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgesh ire, submitted bottled real ales of between 3.5 per cen t and 5 per cent ABV, which we re judged in three groups by the Norfolk CAMRA Tasting Panel. The winners include Ma rk Cade, from Norfolk, wit h his specialist mild, Moonglow , with Wildcraft Brewery as the collaborative brewer.

NOW, 40 YEARS of celebrating beer in festival form is something worth raising a glass to, isn’t it? And the 40th Norwich Beer Festival will have a special nostalgic appeal, this year, with a range of beers served from wooden casks and some of the beers originally ordered for the first beer festival in 1977. Festival organisers have even tracked down beers originally brewed for the first beer festival, (though unfortunately not at 1977 prices!). Organisers of that first festival probably had little idea of the success of the festival, currently with more than 18,000 door admissions each year. Although the first festival took place in 1977, it then skipped a year in 1978 with the second festival held in 1979. And over the past four decades the festival has evolved, from around 20 odd beers served on small tables in Blackfriars Hall (the result of organisers visiting breweries one by one and requesting to buy beer for an

unknown local festival), to more than 220 cask-conditioned real ales on sale and the organisers reaching capacity! Suffice to say, preparations are well under way for the festival to open on October 23, and there will be a few festival specials thrown in for good measure, to help celebrate the special birthday. Real ales from Britain's independent brewers will once again be on sale, along with ciders and perries (this year the festival will offer 80 different varieties, mostly from East Anglia); wines, bottled and draught beers, and special ales which will be launched to mark the occasion. As ever, the Norwich Beer Festival will take place in the medieval halls in Norwich city centre, known as St Andrew’s and Blackfriars Halls. So, four decades on, why is the Norwich Beer Festival still going strong? Festival organising committee member, Martin Ward, has the answer: ‘We hit the mark and offer something for everyone:

a social event with good quality ales, of a variety of styles; excellent entertainment in a unique venue. It is attended every year by thousands of people and each year people return and bring their colleagues, partners, family and friends.’ What can a festival first timer expect? A vibrant evening with entertainment, games, food and beers, for a start. There is such a wide variety of beers, ciders, world beers and even wine, you can’t fail to find something you like! And there are even gluten-free beers. Quieter sessions tend to be at lunchtime and in the early half of the week as the festival builds to the popular Thursday, Friday and Saturday music nights. However, on the busy weekend nights, visitors can still enjoy a quiet conversation in the marquee, Cloisters and Blackfriars Halls. • The 40th Norwich Beer Festival takes place at The Halls Norwich from October 23 to 28. Visit www.norwichcamra.org.uk

Porkstock W H A T ' S

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01.

FINAL COUNTDOWN PORKSTOCK, A POPULAR FOODIE FESTIVAL, ARRIVES IN NORWICH THIS MONTH. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS FAMILY-FRIENDLY DAY

n October 14, the cream of the local food and drink crop will gather together at the Norfolk Showground for a day and night of pork-tastic eating, drinking and entertainment. As official media partner for the Cookery Demo stage, Feast Norfolk is proud to be part of the Porkstock sty, and we’ve been teasing your taste buds with what’s in store for the last few issues. This is our last round-up of why you simply must trot down to the Showground, with your piglets in tow, for a crack-ling day out. This year’s line-up of local, artisan producers is looking very tasty indeed, with more than 40 to pick from. Remember, the daytime event is free, family-friendly and is a must-visit for any foodie.

w w w. p o r

T SI

tock.co.u

Here’s a handful of new producers bringing their delectable produce to this year’s event. Expect to pig out!

01.

THE NEW ENGLAND WILD BOAR COMPANY

02.

THE TINY TIPPLE COMPANY

Porkstock is famed for, well, all things pork! So it makes perfect sense to welcome new exhibitors, The New England Wild Boar Company to this year’s event. This Suffolk-based, small, independent enterprise has animal welfare as its number one priority. And by breeding and raising happy, healthy, Wild Boar from their small holding in New England, near Haverhill, the team produce the most delicious Wild Boar charcuterie and fresh meats.

All the best things arrive in small packages, right? Well that couldn’t be truer when it comes to The Tiny Tipple Company. Bringing their scrumptious range of vodkas, gins, whiskies, brandies and rum, infused and bursting with British hedgerow flavours of gooseberry, rhubarb, honey, basil and strawberry, they only use pure grain spirits, are free of anything artificial and are handcrafted in small batches.

03.

SQUILLA & SQUIDGE

Our vegan and vegetarian friends are catered for, too, at Porkstock, with wholesome, delicious and downright tasty dishes served up by Norwich Street Food producers, Squilla & Squidge. Visit their ‘Sassie Grace’ campervan, a beautifully restored 1969 VW Adventure Wagon, for a falafel or halloumi Lebanese flatbread, cooked up with intense Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours.

THE COOKERY DEMONSTRATION STAGE, hosted by our columnist Charlie Hodson, sees many leading chefs demonstrating their talents and the winner of our pork recipe competition will also be unveiled. He or she has the chance to cook their own recipe live on stage with leading funnyman and cook, Hardeep Singh Kohli.

PICTURE BY PHIL BARNES

PICTURE BY CHRIS RIDLEY

Ne w s & Gossip

AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Congratulation to all those who triumphed at the recent Norfolk Food and Drink Awards, including our friends Candi’s Chutney, for the Pride of Norfolk award; The Brisley Bell (pictured right), for Best Pub; Norwich City Council for Best Independent Food & Drink Retailer (did you see our photo essay on Norwich Market last month?); and Figbar (pictured above) for Best Newcomer. Visit www.norfolkfada.co.uk

SHOP SAVIOUR A village shop dating from 1637 which had been facing closure has been saved by North Norfolk District Council. Itteringham Community Association had successfully run the shop for 25 years, serving the community with a wide selection of tasty locally produced food, and there is now potential to expand the shop and café. Visit www.ourvillagestore.co.uk

OUT OF THE FLAMES Best wishes from all of us at Feast Norfolk to chef patron Daniel Smith and Greg Adjemian, owners of the Ingham Swan, following the devastating fire that occurred last month. Thankfully, nobody was injured but the building suffered extensive damage and is now temporarily closed until 2018/19. Visit www.theinghamswan.co.uk

N EWS

R OU N D - U P Anyone would think it was awards season, as we have awards aplenty to share with you this month! Emma Outten raises a toast

www.intu.co.uk

AWARD WINNING Congratulations to Krispy Kreme and Wagamama in Norwich, for winning the Café/takeaway of the year and Restaurant of the year respectively at the intu Chapelfield Retailer Awards. Now in its second year, the Awards aims to reward those shops, cafés and restaurants which offer the very best customer experience, and it is second time running that Wagamama has won.

BREWERY REBRANDING Woodforde’s Brewery, the award-winning Woodbastwick-based brewery, has rebranded by linking with the legacy of Norfolk’s favourite son, Admiral Lord Nelson. Plus, over at the Brewery Tap, the Fur & Feather, there’s a new Executive Head Chef, our very own columnist Charlie Hodson – do go and check out the brand new menu! Visit www.woodfordes.co.uk

DOWN ON THE FARM The County Farms estate, owned by Norfolk County Council, has just acquired a productive arable farm in West Norfolk. Bank House Farm in Marshland St James comprises just under 440 acres of Grade 2 arable land, and the soil is especially suited to growing sugar beet and cereals and offers flexibility for a wider range of cropping. The farm will be let from October 2018. Visit www.norfolk.gov.uk

JOLLY ROGER

(pic below) Congratulations to Roger Hickman’s Restaurant in Upper Giles Street, Norwich, which has been named in the Top 100 regional restaurants in the UK (at number 52) in the annual SquareMeal Best UK Restaurant survey, and has once again been awarded a prestigious ‘Notable Wine List’ award from the AA for the variety and quality of its wine list – putting it in the top 200 restaurant wine lists in the UK. Visit www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com

PICTURE BY KEIRON TOVELL

PICTURE © CHRIS TAYLOR

WHEN FOOD TAKES CENTRE-STAGE Norwich Theatre Royal hosted its very first diningand-donating fundraising event on stage recently, where specially invited guests enjoyed cuisine prepared by top chef Chris Coubrough. The dinner raised a total of £45,000, to support the on-going programme of work in Stage Two with a specific focus on work with young people who have special educational needs and disabilities. Visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

GLOBAL DOMINATION (pic below) Awards keep on coming for Lacons Brewery in Great Yarmouth. The latest success took place at the Global Beer Masters, with the 4.4 per cent blonde ale Legacy winning Gold; heritage brew Old Nogg winning Silver; and amber ale Affinity winning Bronze. This comes hot on the heels of awards garnered at the International Beer Challenge, World Beer Awards and Peterborough Beer Festival. Visit www.lacons.co.uk

GET IN THE KITCHEN

MUFFIN MAGIC

We’re looking forward to checking out The Kitchen, the new restaurant set in the grounds of St George's Distillery, in Roudham, home to the English Whisky Co. And the company has just named award-winning Norfolk chef Richard Bainbridge as its first company Brand Ambassador. Visit www.englishwhisky.co.uk

A new study involving researchers from the Quadrum Institute in Norwich (previously known as the Institute of Food Research) has highlighted how preserving the natural structure of plant-based food during processing can limit the amount of fat and energy absorbed by the body - after providing a study participant with two almond muffins, one with almond chunks and one with almond flour. Visit www.quadram.ac.uk

BRIARFIELDS

IN THE CLUB A men-only, friends-only supper club called Steak Club is celebrating 50 months this month. Organiser Paul Fleet is planning a special 5-course meal based on Norfolk (or at the very least English) produce in his local church hall on Magdalen Road, Norwich, which will accommodate everyone who has ever attended, the butchers and other producers who have helped the club make it this far. If you need advice on setting up a similar supper club, call Paul on 07740145339.

WINE NIGHT Looking ahead, Briarfields’ upcoming Wine Night will take place on November 3, with Taittinger’s Simon Evetts. With a theme of old versus new, Briarfields’ chefs will serve up a five-course meal with five Old World and five New World wines from Briarfields’ wine merchant. Visit www.briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk

KEEPING IT FRESH Congratulations to Norwich-based company Fresh Pod, which has won a contract to work with St Edmundsbury Borough Council on the Sainsbury’s ‘Waste less, Save more’ initiative to reduce consumer food waste in the home. A six-month plan is now in place to educate the community in the Bury St Edmunds area and 7,000 households will receive a Fresh Pod to trial in their fridge. Visit www.freshpod.co.uk www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

GET THE PARTY STARTED! CHOOSE FROM:

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Book now 01603 708770 or view our menus at www.cafebritannia.co.uk/christmas-2017 ARK0047 Cafe B Xmas Feast Ad 195x130 .indd 1

19/09/2017 09:01

Jarr old's Deli -

N E W S

T H E D E L I D OW N S TA I RS

As Jarrold’s in Norwich launches a new-look Deli, manager Judith Finney talks us through the new food and drink offering - which includes a wine bar!

www.jarrold.co.uk

Are you stocking more local products? Yes we are! New to the Deli is Essence Jams from Salle, and preserves from Eastgate Larder in North Norfolk (and more to be announced soon!). We are also going to stock more products from our existing local

VISIT

Tell us what is happening with the Deli? The Deli has more than doubled in size, so there is more space to stock local and independent products, a dedicated wine and spirits area, and a wine bar where you can enjoy a glass of wine or two and sample tapas from the Deli. The expansion of the Deli is part of a two-tiered refurbishment programme to extend the food offering at Jarrold.

suppliers, such as chutneys and jams from Adnams, Hugh’s Oils, Brook & Amble chocolate (a more ‘grown-up’ chocolate from Gnaw), Grain beer in cans, six beer packs from Lacons and more. Why did you decide to extend your foodie offering? The food offering at Jarrold has become a very important part of our business, and customers love to shop from a wide selection of local produce. By extending our foodie offering we hope to offer customers more choice and a better shopping, and eating, experience. What's all this about a wine bar? The bar is the centrepiece of the new Deli, a place where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine and sample tapas from the deli. The bar area is also the

new home of the cold counter, so that you can easily sample the cheese and meats we have on offer – and then buy some to take home. Tell us about the wines you are serving? The wines have been carefully selected by local wine supplier Peter Graham to match the food that we will have on offer. We also have a selection of beers available. Part of our service is to offer advice on food and wine/beer matching and to recommend wines and beers depending on a customer’s taste. Anything else we need to know? Along with the wine and beer at the bar, we will also occasionally offer drinks from selected suppliers, such as an espresso vodka that comes in a bottle - all you have to do is shake to mix it.

FOR ILLUS TRATIVE PU

RPOSES ON

THE NEWLY EXPANDED DELI launches ‘Downstairs at Jarrold’, a refurbishment programme which will eventually see Café Metro transformed into a bistro with pizza oven, offering a menu of small plates with an extensive drinks menu.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

folk r o N th r No ri nk Food a ndvD Festi al

CAKE CHAMPIONS

HERE SARAH HARDY INTRODUCES THE WINNERS OF THE FIRST EVER NORTH NORFOLK FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL CAKE COMPETITION. WELL DONE ALL!

THE FIRST CAKE COMPETITION at the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival, held at Holkham Hall at the start of September, was declared a real triumph, with the judging panel impressed by a marvellous section of homemade chocolate cakes. There were two categories, an adult one, and one for children aged 14 and under, and both attracted a good amount of entries. The judging team comprised Great British Bake Off contestant Kate Barmby, cookery writer Mary Kemp, festival founder Chris Coubrough and Dean Hunter and Julie Ely, representatives from Kinnerton, the Fakenhambased chocolate manufacturer which kindly sponsored both categories. I joined the judging panel each day and what a treat that was! Slice after slice of marvellous mouth-watering cake, often with very inventive icing! Each winner walked away with a fabulous KitchenAid, worth more than £400, and our thanks for making the contest a real success. The winner of our adult cake competition was Jodie McCallum of Wells. Her chocolate sponge with fresh raspberry cream was the runaway winner, with all judges selecting it as their number one. Jodie, who has two children, aged 12 and eight, works for the leading holiday rental company Norfolk Hideaways, and learned her baking skills from her grandmother. She says: ‘At the age of 15, I was bought a Mary Berry cookbook and my interest developed. Nowadays, I have to try and maintain a high standard of baking as my children are my greatest critics! I try to bake for them as much as possible - they are not happy if there is no cake in the house. ‘I have taken inspiration from various celebrity chefs over the years; Mary Berry for the baking (I love her all in one method and use it all the time), Jamie Oliver for his quick and easy healthy suppers, and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall for variety and when I have a bit more time!’ The winner of our junior cake competition was Kate Stevens from Burnham Overy Staithe. The 11-year-old impressed all the judges with her light and moist chocolate and banana bread, with Kate Barmby remarking: ‘I could have another slice of this with a cup of tea!’ Now attending Wymondham College with her sister Mia, Kate loves all different types of cooking and grows her own vegetables, with her mum, Sarah Stevens adding: ‘She is a great help around the kitchen!’

PICTURES BY KEIRON TOVELL

JOD IE McC ALL UM

WIN

THREE-TIER CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH FRESH RASPBERRY CREAM INGREDIENTS

For the sponges 200g of self raising flour; 75g of cocoa powder; 5 eggs; 275g of caster sugar; 275g of butter/margarine (I use Flora Buttery); 1tsp of vanilla essence; 1tsp of baking powder For the filling 300ml of double cream; 3tbsp of icing sugar; 1 punnet of raspberries For the topping 50ml of double cream; 100g of white chocolate

[

ADUNLETR

[Serves 12

METHOD Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line 3 cake tins. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix until you have a batter. Split the mixture between 3 tins. Bake for approximately 22-25mins

a piping bag, pipe the raspberry cream on the bottom sponge, add a few fresh raspberries and put the second sponge on top. Repeat the same as the bottom sponge and then finally put the third sponge on top

To make the filling Put the cream and icing sugar into a bowl and mix on high speed until thick but still of piping consistency. Meanwhile, put 3/4 of the punnet of raspberries in a bowl and blitz with a hand blender until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Using a sieve, put the blitzed raspberries into another bowl (this is to get rid of the seeds). When the cream is of the correct consistency, add the blitzed raspberries and stir until well combined. (It should turn a nice pink colour). When the sponges are cool, using

To make the white chocolate ganache for the topping Break the white chocolate into squares and put into a bowl. Add the cream to a saucepan and put over a medium heat until it's just starting to boil. Remove from the heat and pour the cream into the bowl with the white chocolate. Keep stirring so the cream melts the white chocolate. When all the chocolate is melted, transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe the mixture onto the top sponge.

CHOCOLATE & BANANA BREAD INGREDIENTS

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

[

[Serves 8

175g of self raising wholemeal flour; 150g of golden caster sugar; 25g of cocoa powder; 1tsp of bicarb of soda; 1tsp of baking powder; 115g of salted butter - melted; 2 large eggs - lightly beaten; 275g of very ripe mashed bananas; 100g of plain chocolate (cut into small chunks)

JUNIOR WIN N ER

METHOD Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking paper. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarb of soda and baking powder in a bowl. In another bowl mix butter, eggs, bananas and chocolate together. Fold banana mixture into dry ingredients and place into loaf tin. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.Cool in tin. Decorate with melted white chocolate drizzled across loaf. Serve sliced (delicious with half fat crème fraîche)

27 KATE STEVENS

MOEJCIITPOE R f o ve rlea

Bottoms Up

Bottomless brunches are becoming quite the thing in Norwich EMMA OUTTEN BOOKS IN AT REVOLUCIÃ&#x201C;N DE CUBA TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT ALL

Revolución de Cuba -

E A T I N G

VISIT

www.revoluciondecuba.com GOING OUT FOR BRUNCH of a weekend has been par for the culinary course for some time now, but have you noticed the too-good-to-be-true sounding bottomless brunch popping up on certain menus in the city nowadays? The deal is that you order a dish off the brunch menu and, for a couple of hours at least, the drinks just keep coming - whether that be cocktails, Prosecco or a pint of beer! One city venue that has recently started going in for the late morning dining deal is Revolución de Cuba, a rum bar and cantina which is known for providing authentic Cuban food and drink, in Queen Street, Norwich. Now, I passed on the opportunity of making the most of free flowing drinks at 10am on a Sunday morning, and opted instead for the last possible two-hour slot, beginning at 1pm (where brunch, in fact, neatly segues into lunch). As it was late summer, we decided to dine on the beautiful terrace. There are a good half a dozen or so brunch dishes to choose from, including a full grilled breakfast (£8.50), which my partner, predictably, went for - featuring streaky bacon, smoked sausage, tomato, mushroom, fried egg and toast. But there was also bacon and egg brioche; Cubano Benedict (sourdough toast www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

O U T

topped with roasted pork, a poached egg and Hollandaise sauce); Spanish omelette (a traditional Spanish tortilla – Chorizo and Morcilla sausages with egg, potato and spring onion – topped with Manchego cheese); avocado brunch; and a brekkie burrito. I, however, went for Huevos rancheros (£7.50), consisting of a flour tortilla topped with spiced black beans, tomatoes and mushroom, finished off with a fried egg and a hit of Revolución de Cuba’s spicy rum sauce, served with crispy patatas. This was a spicy little number, which, combined with the Bloody Mary cocktail I started off with, provided a real kick start to the day! Which leads me onto the bottomless drinks: it’s all within reason, of course – so no ordering more than one drink at a time. There are three types of Bloody Mary on offer: one containing the traditional vodka; one containing rum called a Bloody Pirate; and one containing gin (a Red Snapper). All feature that spicy rum sauce again (plus there’s an alcoholfree version). I then managed to find time for a Classic Mojito, and a glass of Prosecco (I stopped short of having a pint of Mahou as well!), but it’s important to stress that tea, Americano and soft drinks are also included in the deal. Oh, and there’s an Espresso Rumtini on offer, which is a rum twist on the classic. All in all, the bottomless brunch might seem slightly implausible at first glance, but I’m happy to report that it’s surprisingly doable, and the bottomless drinks are exceedingly quaffable, on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

B D &B DI EA ST N LS AY NE AV CA R, AI TI LA O BL N E

ut 1 18/05/2016 10:00 Page 1

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

RN_Ads_Portrait_PRINT_Layout 1 25/09/2017 09:48 Page 1

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The Kings Head -

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E A T I N G

FOR A

O U T

K I NG

THE KINGS HEAD AT BAWBURGH, NEAR NORWICH, WAS ONE OF THE COUNTY’S FIRST GASTROPUBS. HOW’S IT GOING? WONDERS SARAH HARDY AS SHE PAYS A VISIT FOR A GIRLIE SUPPER

VISIT

www.kingsheadbawburgh.co.uk

BAWBURGH is one of those pretty little villages that are super popular. Close enough to the city to ensure you get the most out of its facilities, yet with its own charm and identity. Bawburgh is very pleasant indeed, with its round tower church, river, hump-back bridge and collection of attractive period properties. My kids grew up feeding the ducks on the village green and I was a regular at the 17th century Kings Head, owned by the well known Wimmer family. Now run by the son, Anton, and his wife Tet, it may well have lost its lovely bowling green to housing, but it is still a serious contender for those who love independent, family-run country pubs. There is character aplenty, with low beams, a huge Inglenook fireplace, woodburners, wooden tables and chairs, pantile, flag floors and more. The kitchen is now run by Jake, Tim and a dedicated team, whose menu continues its reliance on local produce, and now publishes its suppliers for all to see.

They include Norfolk Quail, Fielding Cottage cheese, Wayland Eggs, plus wholesalers such as Accent Fresh in Downham Market and Direct Seafood from Colchester. Herbs are listed as from Pam’s garden - Anton’s mum’s garden, to be precise! I booked my chum and myself in for supper one Friday and, as we swung into the car park, it appeared lots of others had had the same idea. Boy was it busy. There was some sort of a leaving do in one area of the bar which did get on my nerves (I’m sensitive, as you all know) but there’s not much a landlord can do. You need your locals - and I do like to see people still using pubs as a social place to have a post work drink or two. But they were a bit frisky and I had to speak up to be heard which isn’t a problem for me! The bar offers plenty of local beers - I saw many favourites such as Woodforde’s and Adnams, plus local artisan spirits like Black Shuck gin, but my friend and I kept it simple and ordered glasses of Pinot Grigio.

THE KINGS HEAD now also offers six boutique bedrooms, all individually decorated, and two self catering units so you can easily stay over. Think yet more beams and bags of personality plus power showers and double-ended baths! They are perfect, to my mind, for both business travellers and those who want a more rural environment but with easy access to the city, university or hospital

The comprehensive menu also offers a selection of daily specials so you’re not going to struggle to find something you like. Indeed, my friend and I both took a fair while to make our minds up as there was so much we fancied. She was also pleased that the menu was clearly marked up with dishes suitable for different allergies and intolerances - and that, as someone lactose and gluten intolerant, she was very well catered for. Scallops, a chicken and ham terrine, haddock and salmon fishcakes, and an heirloom tomato salad were all on offer as starters, although we both went for a crispy beef noodle dish with peppers which was very tasty. Next I tried one of their classics, a seafood platter, crammed with whitebait, smoked prawns, pickled cockles, smoked mackerel Scotch egg, Cromer crab and lord knows what else - plenty of bread, for sure! It was great - the sort of dish that relies on quality raw ingredients not mucked about with too much. My friend went for pan roasted salmon, sushi rice cake, pak choi, mango salsa, tempura king prawns, soy, ginger and garlic which was light and much appreciated. Other options included griddled sirloin steak, Caesar salad, pan-fried skate wing and honey glazed duck breast, with prices for mains ranging from £13 to £23. We were good and stopped ourselves from over-doing it on the pud front, although my eye caught the roasted peaches with almonds, marzipan and amaretto ice cream - next time! The cheeseboard, packed with local offerings, is a highlight, too. I rounded off our casual meal with lashings of mint tea while my friend had a strongish coffee, and we did notice lots of lovely ports, liqueur coffees and dessert wines. Mention should go to the staff who were very pleasant and friendly, and both my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our catch up in the relaxed surroundings. www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

THE

good

SHIP

THE SHIP INN AT WEYBOURNE IS A TRADITIONAL NORTH NORFOLK PUB WHICH HAS TURNED ITSELF AROUND IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE CO-OWNERS BEN YOUNGMAN AND LYNDON SWIFT TOOK THE HELM EMMA OUTTEN FINDS OUT MORE

VISIT

www.theshipinnweybourne.com

IN THE PAST HALF A DECADE, The Ship Inn at Weybourne, has gone from being a little pub ‘pretty much on its knees’ to a thriving hub of the community. So says co-owner Lyndon Swift, who has been busy steering the good ship in the right direction, along with co-owner Ben Youngman. The Ship is a traditional pub in the heart of picturesque Weybourne, offering great local ales, 83 gins and a menu using the best of local produce, including seafood landed on the village beach. How have they done it? Lyndon says: ‘Hard work, 14/15 hours a day, and plenty of blood, sweat and tears! My background has always been catering and Ben has been doing it for the past 10 years as well - I used to run the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club over in Wroxham.’ Now at Weybourne, The Ship is thriving under their

command. ‘From June to October we are full every single night, without exception,’ says Lyndon, before adding; ‘last year, heading towards Christmas, we did 700 Christmas dinners, which for a small village pub is pretty good, and we have a big New Year’s Eve party and other small events throughout the year to keep the village alive.’ He comments: ‘It’s important it’s still a village pub. We’re not a restaurant, we are a pub - food is extremely important to us, but making sure that people come in and know that they’re in a village pub is the most important part.’ At The Ship, there’s a bar area, where you can ‘mardle’ with the locals enjoying a pint of one of the many Norfolk ales they have on offer. Lyndon says: ‘If it’s not from Norfolk we don’t sell them.’

Captain's

PLAT TER

The Ship Inn -

A N G L I A

F A R M E R S

And he adds: ‘One of the big features at the moment is that we have 83 gins (we will stop when we get to 100), and 17 different tonics to go with them. We do gin and tapas evenings where we get six new gins in that we don’t actually sell, contact all of the distillers and find out about them, then match up the tapas to the gins.’ At The Ship, there are two dining areas and a lounge with an open fire, plus the south facing garden is fully enclosed and is a great place to enjoy a local crab sandwich or platter of smoked fish from the famous Cley Smokehouse. ‘We do a lot with Glen Weston over at Cley,’ says Lyndon. So what of the rest of the food? Lyndon runs through the list: ‘We use Roberts of Lowestoft for all our fish, so all our cod is fresh; all our lobsters come from Johnny Seago who lives in the village; crab comes from Jenny Lingwood who lives between us and Sheringham; and our meat comes from either Swannington Farm to Fork or M&D butchers in Sheringham.’ And he adds: ‘We change the pub menu at least three times a year and just make pub style favourites, old and new, so there’s pretty much something for everybody our specials board is the one that features local produce a lot more.’ He continues: ‘We always have three fresh fish dishes, three meat dishes, a vegetarian dish and a homemade children’s menu - all our burgers are butchers’ burgers so nothing’s frozen.’ So what of future plans for the pub? Well, there’s a B&B opening soon! Lyndon says: ‘We’re hoping that, during winter 2017/8, the B&B should be up and running,’ before adding, ‘there will be four rooms: three doubles and a family.’ Meanwhile, there’s the big Halloween party to prepare for. Lyndon says; ‘We put that on one night a year and decorate the pub as a ghost ship – it’s a really good night.’ • The Ghost Ship 2017 Halloween party at The Ship Inn takes place on October 28, with music from The Bloodshake Chorus and Fat & Furious, until late. • The Ship Inn is one of the growing number of pubs and restaurants which are members of Anglia Farmers Affinity.

One call for electricity, broadband, fuel, gas, heating oil & insurance Hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, bistros, farm shops

01603 881 881 www.af-affinity.co.uk

A feast of a collection of stunning holiday properties norfolkcottages.co.uk 01263 715779 holidays@norfolkcottages.co.uk

Feast Norfolk NCC Jan Ad 2015 195w x130hmm AW.indd 6

17/05/2017 14:09

@lakenhamcream Lakenham Creamery

SCREAM HAPPY HALLOWEEN www.lakenhamcreamery.co.uk

Chef’s World -

C O L U M N

THE INSIDE STORY

Chef patron Andrew Jones set up his first restaurant, Farmyard, in Norwich this year.

ANDREW JONES

IN THIS NEW COLUMN HE SHARES HIS STORY WITH US

VISIT

www.farmyardrestaurant.com

WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE want to run a restaurant? Sometimes it feels like you’re the captain of a sinking ship, constantly bailing out to keep your head above the water. And the rest of the time? It’s not even that easy! When I was pitching around for investors, a former boss and not even one from a hospitality background, tried to warn me off. There are so many moving parts - the costs are astronomical, margins tight, your stock is perishable and your fellow chefs can be, shall we say, highly strung. As one notable restaurateur said to me recently: ‘Creativity? I’m worrying about how much toilet paper we go through!’ The truth is that I have an addiction, and I’ve had it since the first moment I stepped into a professional kitchen and felt the electric buzz of service. Like every chef when they start out, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing - but knew I had found my place in the world. Opening Farmyard Restaurant on St Benedict’s Street in late January this year was the realisation of the dream born that day. I won’t pretend for a moment that I was able to do it by myself though - none of it would have happened without my wife, Hannah. We moved back to Norfolk, where we both grew up, when our second child was on the way. I’d worked in top London restaurants for 15 years and wanted to open the type of place that I enjoy eating in - one with great cooking, drinks and service in a lively, upbeat atmosphere that doesn’t cost the earth. Everything we did would be rooted in Norfolk which would give me licence to play with the big flavours that I love from cuisines around the world. The name Farmyard references the fact that we source a lot of our produce directly from growers and

producers and our urban/industrial aesthetic hints that the food is more progressive than you might expect. The wine list focuses on smaller producers making great wines, rather than big-ticket vintages from famous houses. A site became available on St Benedict’s Street in early March 2016. I knew instantly it was perfect but it was an office and we would have to build the place from scratch. The upside was that we would get to design the space exactly as we wanted it. But the process of navigating through planning approval and negotiating the lease was frustratingly slow. There were moments of intense activity and long periods of nervous waiting. Once we had the keys it was all systems go and the builders were on site the next day. Our main contractor smilingly told me that, in 30 years in business, he had never known a job finish on time and on budget. He was right, our planned soft launch throughout January was cut to three services for friends and invited guests one Thursday and Friday. Our first Saturday night was fully booked with real guests and it was a daunting experience. There was nowhere to hide in the open kitchen that I thought was such a great idea months before and the pressure was intense. We survived and the guests even liked it but I haven’t done many tougher services. The first few months have been a bit of a white-knuckle ride - and I’ll be sharing a few of my stories in the coming months in this column! • You can also keep upto-date with Andrew via his monthly newsletter subscribe online

The Original Cottage Industry THE FAMILY FIRM BEHIND NORFOLK COUNTRY COTTAGES HAS SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL HOLIDAYS IN THIS COUNTY. EMMA OUTTEN GOES TO THE HOME OF FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, RICHARD ELLIS, TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT

www.norfolkcottages.co.uk Fast forward 25 years and Norfolk Country Cottages has become the largest independent holiday cottage agency in the county, and is one of a group of locally-focused brands coming under the umbrella of The Original Cottage Company Limited. Today, there are more than 400 self-catering holiday cottages in Norfolk and more than 4000 across the country. Post-Brexit, bookings are on the

HEN RICHARD ELLIS and his wife Lesley founded Norfolk Country Cottages back in 1992, how many cottages did they have? Sitting in the family home in Brinton, Executive Chairman Richard has the answer: ‘Absolutely none, just our own, which we actually lived in, so we had some very brave people who trusted us to let their cottages for them!’

Richard Ellis -

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I N T E R V I E W

THE SIGNAL BOX, MELTON CONSTABLE

OLD OAKS COTTAGE, REEPHAM

GOOSE COTTAGE, TITCHWELL THE OLD BAKERY, BLAKENEY

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PICTURE BY STEVEN FLANAGAN

up and up, with Richard saying: ‘This year we will take about £50 million across the whole group.’ From humble beginnings around the kitchen table, Bank House in Reepham has become the ‘hub’ for The Original Cottage Company and The Old Crab Shop in Holt (a shop once owned and run by Roger Copeman as a fishmongers) is the more customer-facing office of Norfolk Country Cottages. Before all that, Richard’s background had been in food production, including as finance director for Tucker Foods, which was based in Vulcan Road, Norwich, in the 80s. He went on to become Chief Executive of Kettle Foods in the 90s, in tandem with setting up Norfolk Country Cottages. Richard recalls: ‘I’d been in the crisp industry one way or another for 15 years, and was involved in negotiations to bring Kettle Foods to Norfolk - it started life in a corner of the factory of Tucker Foods.’

Richard Ellis

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAI RMAN

www.stokemill.co.uk Award winning food in a beautiful mill at the heart of Norfolk

www.nethertonhouse.co.uk

party Xmas

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NOW BEING TAKEN

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OPENING TIMES Wed to Sun for Lunch 12-2.30pm Wed to Sat for Dinner 7pm–9.30pm Afternoon tea: Fri & Sat 2pm-3.30pm*

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STOKE MILL, MILL ROAD, STOKE HOLY CROSS, NORWICH NR14 8PA

Visit our 17th Century restaurant & garden All our dishes are home cooked, using fresh local produce | Families welcome

Netherton House, The Street, Long Stratton, Norwich NR15 2XG | 01508 531500 enquiries@nethertonhouse.co.uk www.facebook.com/nethertonhouserestaurant

Ship Lane, Thornham, Norfolk PE36 6LT

THE LIFEBOAT INN

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A traditional coastal inn

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OUR OPENING TIMES Monday-Thursday 12pm-3pm, 6pm-11pm, Friday- Saturday 12pm-Midnight, Sunday 12pm-10pm

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HOME-COOKED FOOD SELECTION OF REAL ALES COSY ATMOSPHERE 13 RECENTLY REFURBISHED BEDROOMS DOGS ARE WELCOME E X T E N D E D

Norfolk Restaurant Week We are extending our Norfolk restaurant week menu for a further two weeks!

2 courses for £15 or 3 courses for £20 Available Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner from 30th October until 25th November 2017

Richard Ellis -

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Both of their sons, James and Tom (and their sonTwenty five years ago, Norfolk wasn’t exactly in-law Tom Thornley), are involved in the family firm marketed as a foodie destination, as Richard explains: nowadays, with Richard saying: ‘It’s gone a lot further ‘In those days it was much more about Norfolk being a than Lesley and I would ever have imagined and one of quiet backwater to come and relax in - quite frankly, we the key reasons for that is that the next would not have promoted Norfolk as generation came into the business.’ somewhere to come and eat. This month sees the launch of The Original Cottage Company’s newest James and Tom happen to be part of ‘Over the last 25 years there’s been a brand, SALT, a boutique holiday the team behind Porkstock which takes sea change in the food service offer in company for ‘Perfectly Seasoned place at the Norfolk Showground this Norfolk – now we’ve got an incredible Coastal Retreats’. There will be month. ‘We will be there again,’ assures offer, and we use it to market Norfolk as an official launch gathering at the Richard. a destination.’ new SALT offices, in Hill Farm Barn, So what of the future? ‘At the moment As a family-run, local business, Main Road, Holkham, on October 19 I’m still Executive Chairman and hold Richard and the team positively between 4pm and 8pm. If anyone the reins,’ says Richard, who is also encourage both cottage owners and would like to attend they need to customers to buy local. contact SALT by calling 01328 887600 Chairman of Visit East Anglia and Sheringham Little Theatre, Deputy They champion food producers on or emailing info@saltnorfolk.co.uk. Visit www.saltnorfolk.co.uk Chairman of the Forum Trust, and the website, and promote local food and Vice Chairman of The Holt Festival. drink in the cottages. For example, in the Although the father of five (younger children are neighbouring Coach House holiday cottage, ‘we put in Sophie, William and Hannah) and grandfather of Grey Seal Coffee and encourage them to use Rutland six adds: ‘I’m going to be 63 in January, and I’ve been Butchers in Melton Constable,’ says Richard, ‘and when working for 46 years - I think by the time I’m 65 we will you walk in the door there’s a list of all the pubs – telling have identified a way for me to step back.’ guests whether they are dog friendly or child friendly. Reflecting on the past quarter century, Richard says: ‘The other thing we do is supply guests with surplus ‘It’s a huge milestone, 25 years in the business, but what fruit and vegetables from our garden (my folly here we are looking forward to is the next 25 years (and we is that I’ve always wanted a walled garden so we built are planning that far ahead). one) and press our own apple juice from the orchard.’ However, he adds: ‘It’s worth looking back and seeing All this reflects why they started the business in the what we’ve achieved over the past 25 years. The credit first place: ‘We felt there was an opportunity for a really goes to a huge number of people: make sure my wife locally focused offer - one of our core values is local and gets a mention!’ the other is family.’

GA GA BARN, CROMER

CAN'T GET THE STAFF

*according to employment and learning organisation, People First. Head of the Hotel School at City College Norwich Steve Thorpe tells Emma Outten about what they are doing to help VISIT

www.ccn.ac.uk

City College Norwich

TEVE THORPE and his colleagues in the Hotel School at City College Norwich field ‘three or four’ phone calls a day from employers on the lookout for staff. Chefs are proving to be the most difficult role to recruit for – according to research by People First, the employment and learning organisation, the hospitality industry will need to recruit a further 11,000 chefs, by 2022. Getting young people interested in the industry in the first place is the first challenge, with Head of the Hotel School Steve Thorpe suggesting: ‘I would ask each and every hotelier and restaurateur to consider contacting their local high school and talk to young people about the fantastic opportunities that hospitality offers as a career.’ And, according to an industry discussion panel early this year, there needs to be greater links between employers and colleges to ensure a smoother transition into the sector. ‘We do that quite well in the Hotel School,’ says Steve, ‘we have some fantastic links: students go out to work with employers and employers come in and talk to students.’ But what of the notion that some students might have a jaundiced view that many of the chef opportunities available locally have limited culinary scope, which doesn’t allow them to use their skills? Having recently attended the Norfolk Food and Drink Awards, Steve makes this observation: ‘On at least 20 of the tables there was someone who had been in the Hotel School as a student in the last 10/15 years - so they are staying.’

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F E A T U R E

STEVE THORPE ALSO HAS THIS UPDATE: What a start! We have more than 300 students just in hospitality: some familiar faces have come back, some have moved on and gone on to higher qualifications and some have gone out into the world of work. We’re up and running, the restaurant is now back open and we’re getting really excited as we’ve got a great line up of chef events this year. The big first one is in November when we host the Marie Curie Charity Dinner here in Debut Restaurant with Charlie’s Norfolk Food Heroes and Hardeep Singh Kohli. I was fortunate enough to work with Hardeep last year and he has such a passion for food and the way he explains flavour and taste - he had a group just eating out of his hand! We’re fortunate because he has agreed to come back and work with the students again. We’ve also got our graduation in the early part of October so we will be down at Norwich Cathedral with a big marquee and Hotel School students will again be doing a hot buffet for 2500 - that will be our first big off site event with students. We’ve taken more tourism students on this year so there’s been an increase in interest in that part of the hospitality, travel and tourism sector and the students are going to continue to look at food tourism as an element of their programming - Norfolk is renowned for it. The Junior Chef Academy continues to run again this year, as do our adult evening courses for those who just want to improve their personal cooking skills, so the Hotel School is continuing to thrive.

The chef shortage, he says, ‘isn’t just a Norfolk problem – it’s a national issue,’ before adding: ‘Collectively, we’ve got make the hospitality industry a first choice career.’ Around 60 students at City College are currently completing their final, level 3 qualifications ready to move out into the world of full-time work, in late spring/early summer. ‘We’re training them to be future leaders of the hospitality sector but the big challenge is then: what can we all do to retain young people in what can be a vibrant and very rewarding role?’ For example, what happens if the passion and creativity that young chefs have when they enter the industry quickly evaporates and they leave soon after joining? Improving working conditions for chefs has been mooted as one way of solving the chef shortage problem. Steve cites two-Michelinstarred Restaurant Sat Bains Restaurant in Nottingham as an example of a restaurant switching to a four day week a couple of years ago in an attempt to improve the working conditions for staff. Steve also suggests a greater emphasis on investment in training, which leads him neatly onto the new Apprenticeship standards developed by employers (which show what an apprentice will be doing and the skills required of them, by job role). City College is a well-established apprenticeship training provider, with Steve commenting: ‘It is about training people for the next role: whether that’s training your commis chef to be your next chef de partie or your chef de partie to be your next sous chef.’ Steve says: ‘What we can do is give them the aspiration and the inspiration to try, and then it’s up to the employers to continue that journey and support them in that lifelong learning - to develop them into the future of the sector.’

Indulge in delicious homemade cakes, fresh coffee and light lunches, in our delightful converted potting shed.

All freshly prepared in our kitchens, using quality local ingredients.

W IN T ER OPEN ING 10 - 4PM SU M M ER OPEN ING 10 - 4 . 3 0 PM

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RO P O AR M T P AV Y RI A & F VA IL U TE A N BL C E TI FO O R N H IR E

Cawston Rd, Aylsham, Norwich, Norfolk NR11 6UH • 07842 282010

A COUNTRY PUB

SERVING TRADITIONAL ENGLISH AND AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD FOOD SERVED SUNDAY CARVERY Mon to Thur 12-2.30pm & 5-8.30pm From 12-3pm Fri to Sat 12-9pm; Sun 12-8.30pm Adults £7.95, Children £5.95

NORWICH ROAD, AYLSHAM, NR11 6UD

T: 01263 734275

E: INFO@THENEWFORGE.CO.UK

THENEWFORGE.CO.UK

Foodie Trail A SLOW WALK AROUND AYLSHAM AS IT STAGES ITS ANNUAL FOOD FESTIVAL THIS MONTH, SARAH HARDY STROLLS AROUND AYLSHAM, ONE OF BRITAIN’S FIVE CITTASLOWS, VISITING ITS FOODIE DESTINATIONS

PURDY'S TEA ROOM

AYLSHAM gets it pretty much right, doesn’t it? It remains what us journalists like to call ‘real’, being not too gentrified, but with noble architecture and a sense of general wellbeing. It became one of a handful of ‘slow places’ in Britain in 2004, meaning it joined a movement, started in Italy by food activist Carlo Petrin, which is dedicated to making the world a healthier, greener, happier, slower place to inhabit. Life in the town centres around the Market Place, where markets are held on Fridays, and the streets and lokes (charming little alleyways) that lead off it. It is surrounded by 18th century houses which reflect the town’s prosperity from the cloth trade of that period - it was famous for its linen and textiles in the 1300s before it went on to become a major wool and textile producing area.

SARACEN'S HEAD

Right in the Market Place is Coxfords butchers, now run by Jason Gibbons and Johnny Payne. Meat is taken very seriously here but it’s also the place for a great bit of banter! Alongside a wide range of locally-sourced pork, beef, chicken and so on, look out for gluten free sausages, chipolatas, sausagemeat and burgers. Just off the Market Place is Bread Source, run by the charismatic baker Steve Winter who specialises in artisan breads, especially sour doughs. Everything, from ciabattas to baguettes, is produced at their Horsham St Faiths bakery and sold at this and their Norwich shop. They do a mean coffee, too. Nearby is Budgens, which now comes under the umbrella of Bakers and Larners of Holt. It offers plenty of local, seasonal produce from suppliers such as HV Graves (meat), Simon Turner from Sharrington (fruit) and Sam Cole (fish) alongside everyday essentials. If you are in need of a pitstop after or indeed during, all this shopping, The Conservatory, which just opened this summer, is the place for breakfast, lunches and

BREAD SOURCE

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E R A WE ING! T I U R C RE

. anding are exp nals to join e w , s cces ssio be ued su s profe ve food and contin d media sale lo . r , u ll m o e a e o nce folk w king t Due t experie 'll know Nor d-wor r d a e h e d n We dly an e. You 54 agazin reative, frien our m c a 1 4460 1 in 7 jo 7 o t 0 y read ah on

l Sar d? Cal e t s e r Inte

Middle of nowhere, centre of everywhere!

Fresh, local and seasonal is our ethos here at the Saracen’s Head, so come and enjoy a delicious, locally sourced meal with us See us featured in the Norfolk Table Cookbook Lunch orders will be taken from 12-2pm Mon to Sat and 12.30-2.30pm on Sundays. Dinner from 6.30-8.30pm Tues to Sat and 6.30-8pm Sunday and Monday. You are always best to make a booking. Call us on 01263 768909 or email info@saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

www.saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

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

. . for breakfasts, lunches and cakes

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

Summer Opening Times

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

T E A S , F RE SH LY GROU N D COF F E E A N D TA ST Y HOM E M A DE BRE A K FA ST S, LU NCH E S A N D A F T E R NOON T E A & CA K E S

SE RV I NG SPE CI A L LY BL E N DE D

3 Penfold Street, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6ET 01263 734433 info@theconservatoryaylsham.co.uk theconservatoryaylsham.co.uk

Foodie Trail -

A Y L S H A M

BLACK BOYS INN

PURDY'S TEA ROOM

own requirements. And there’s Purdy’s Tearoom on site, too, for lunches and snacks, including very good Lavazza coffee, with water taken directly from their own well! Other noteworthy places that should be mentioned include the Black Boys on the Market Place - run by the Colchester family who also run the Buck, the Buckinghamshire Arms, at nearby Blickling, and the Recruiting Sergeant at Horstead. Food is centre stage at these establishments, with meat coming from Swannington Farm to Fork. And Biddy’s Tearoom, close to the parish church, is a quirky place, with a vintage vibe, where you’ll find plenty of homemade goodies including fab cakes. So take time to explore Aylsham and you’ll discover yet another of Norfolk’s somewhat hidden gems. And a walk in the beautiful grounds of Blickling Hall, a National Trust Jacobean treasure, is the perfect way to round off your trip. • Farmers’ Markets are held on the first Saturday of every month, from 9am to 1pm. • The Aylsham Food Festival runs from October 6-8.

THE CONSERVATORY

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COXFORDS BUTCHERS

cake! Indeed, their afternoon teas are quite something and served on three-tier cake stands for added oomph. The Nelson and Norfolk Tea Company supplies their range of speciality blended teas, and you’ll see local produce such as Norfolk Dapple cheese feature on the menu. Owner Jennie Farenden works hard to create a buzzy atmosphere, and reports are very favourable. Out on the A140, The New Forge is something a bit different, with owners Tim and Koi Sizeland offering Thai and British menus. They serve food seven days a week, with the Sunday carveries particularly popular along with their jungle curry which sounds great to me, especially if it has a bit of a kick! And, as it can seat up to 130, it’s a popular spot for Christmas parties and celebrations. The surrounding area is glorious, too. The Saracen’s Head at nearby Erpingham is a Georgian gem, tucked away in glorious country around the Wolterton Estate. Head chef Mark Sayers is passionate about using local produce, with a foodie map proudly displayed in the hall to show you exactly where everything comes from - and yes, it is impressive. Beef is reared on one of two farms in Blickling, whilst lamb is from Wolterton Park, just on the other side of the road, and the pork is sourced from Morley Farm at South Creake. Woodgate Nursery, run by Peter Purdy and his family since 1982, is where you’ll soon be getting your Christmas trees but it is great for all your grow your

MY LIFE ON A PLATE

AMY HARE

Neth ert

House n o

AMY HARE IS A CHEF AT NETHERTON HOUSE RESTAURANT AND GARDEN IN LONG STRATTON. HERE SHE EXPLAINS HOW AUTUMN IS HER FAVOURITE SEASON, WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING IN THE KITCHEN VISIT

Who are you and where do you work? My name is Amy Hare. I am the senior sous chef at Netherton House Restaurant and Garden in Long Stratton. How long have you been there? I have had the pleasure of working at the restaurant since it opened at the beginning of last year. Where were you before? I started working at the restaurant during the last year of college. I worked my way up the ladder within the kitchen team and achieved the jump from a junior chef to trainee Head Chef. Where did you train? When I left high school, I attended City College Norwich Hotel School

www.nethertonhouse.co.uk

and completed my three years of VRQ Professional Cookery. While I studied there, a couple of my tutors were Adam Hodge and Susan Kesseck. There I learnt some of the skills I am grateful to have, and now I am working in a professional kitchen. While I was training, I had the opportunity of experiencing six weeks of working in a five star hotel in the Ligurian region of Italy. Who has inspired you? I come from a family surrounded by food. I first started to have a liking for cooking from my father, who is an amazing cook. He got his talent from his mother, who is a retired chef. So as you can see there was only one avenue I could go down - I think you could say that they are my inspiration.

What is your favourite ingredient? This is a tough question, but if was to pick I would say celeriac for this time of year because it is such a versatile vegetable. Sloe berries are another ingredient I enjoy, either in gin or within cooking. What is your favourite gadget? Well Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not one for gadgets, I prefer pan roasting a piece of meat. But if I was to choose one, I would say it would be a Robot Coupe. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet have one at the restaurant but this has saved me and my dishes many a time. What is your signature dish? Autumn is my favourite season, with everywhere covered in yellows and oranges. The weather creates a perfect atmosphere for a comforting and

warming dish. I’d have to say my ideal dish to enjoy is a lovely pheasant breast with roasted pumpkin. What do you like doing when you’re not cooking? I don’t have a lot of spare time, but when I do have a break from it, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.

What would you be doing if you were not a chef? Since I was in school I was always heading in the direction of cooking, but if it hadn’t turned out successfully, I think I would have always ended up within the hospitality profession. What’s your foodie prediction for the year ahead? I would like more game being used, and see simple dishes become more special.

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RECIPE OVERLEAF

Where do you like to eat out in the region? We are very lucky to have some great places to eat on our doorstep. In my spare time, on an autumnal Sunday, I can’t think of anything better than going to a country pub, and eating something comforting in front of a roaring fire.

BOOK TODAY

TAKE AWAY CRABS & LOBSTERS 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

The Oaksmere - A stunning new dining experience within a unique setting.

THE WELLS CRAB HOUSE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT After extensive investment The Oaksmere is fully open again with a brand new restaurant, lounge and private function rooms.

Enjoy deliciously different dining in a unique setting on the Norfolk and Suffolk border serving locally sourced, top quality ingredients, much from our own butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and kitchen garden. Now taking reservations for this stunning new restaurant, bar and boutique hotel on 01379 873940 or online at theoaksmere.com

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

Also recruiting for various exciting roles within our team. The Oaksmere, Rectory Road, Brome. Eye, Suffolk IP23 8AJ

01379 873940

theoaksmere.com

Neth ert

House n o

RECIPE FROM AMY HARE

SEAFOOD LINGUINE INGREDIENTS

For the seafood sauce 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 125ml of dry white wine; 400g of chopped tomatoes; 1 cup of bottled clam juice; 400g of fresh clams, washed; 400g of fresh mussels, washed; 6 king prawns, peeled if preferred; a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley; a pinch of salt; 600g of linguine, dried or fresh (see pasta recipe) For the pasta (if using fresh) 2 eggs, beaten; 1/2tsp of salt (or celery salt, if available); 240g of plain flour; 1tbsp of olive oil

[

[Serves 2

METHOD For the seafood sauce Heat a medium size pan on a low medium heat. Melt a knob of butter, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 3 minutes. Add the clams, mussels, prawns, parsley, and salt, then simmer for 30 seconds longer. Do not cook the clams too long or they will toughen. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Put sauce to one side. In a large pot of boiling,

salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes if dried (2 minutes if fresh). Return the pasta to the hot pot. Add the sauce and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes so that the pasta absorbs some of the liquid. Heat slightly if needed and serve with a sprig of fresh dill and Parmesan (or maybe some fresh rocket) For the pasta (if using fresh) In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten eggs, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in olive oil (and 1tbsp of water, if needed). On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine, or by hand, roll dough out to desired thickness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width...

...and en joy!

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Your Gluten Freedom -

R E C I P E S

Spiced PU MP KSerIves N bread [8-10

[

DRY INGREDIENTS

260g of gluten free plain flour; 140g of coconut sugar (you can use caster sugar); 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda; 1/2tsp of baking powder; 1/2tsp of salt; 1/2tsp of nutmeg; 1tsp of mixed spice; 1tsp of cinnamon; 1tsp of ground ginger; 1tsp of ground flax seeds; 2tbsp of pumpkin seeds WET INGREDIENTS 340g of pumpkin purée (from 1 small squash – acorn, butternut, queen); 3tbsp of maple syrup; 3tbsp of plant based milk (I used coconut milk)

A REAL TREAT

FREE FROM WRITER SARA MATTHEWS IS GOING WITH ALL THINGS SQUASHY AND ALLERGY FRIENDLY THIS MONTH! SARA MATTHEWS runs Your Gluten Freedom, visit www.yourglutenfreedom.co.uk

Cheesy

PUMPKIN Seeded

[Serves 12-16

[

METHOD Peel and dice the squash and place in a pan with water, bring to boil, then simmer until squash is soft. Drain the squash and place in a blender and blitz until a paste (or use stick blender). Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Line a loaf tin with baking parchment.In a mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients and stir to mix. In another bowl add the wet ingredients including the squash purée and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, then mix until combined. This batter can be very thick. Transfer to your prepared loaf tin. Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes until a skewer, inserted, comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before you remove to cool on a wire rack. Wait until completely cool before slicing

S E K T CA A O

These little crackers are full of nutrition and make a great high protein snack mid-morning to keep your energy levels up INGREDIENTS 150g of gluten free oats; 2tbsp of sunflower seeds; 3tbsp of pumpkin seeds; 2tbsp of chia seeds; 2tbsp of black onion seeds; 2tbsp of flax seeds; 2tbsp of dried nutritional yeast; 1/4tsp of baking powder; 1/2tsp of salt; 230ml of hot water; 2tbsp mix of the above seeds to sprinkle on top

METHOD Pre-heat the oven to 190°C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the gluten free oats in a food processor and blitz until fine, almost like a flour mix, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, black onion seeds, flax seeds, nutritional yeast and salt, and mix to combine. Add the hot water and mix until it comes together like a dough - this is easiest with your hands. Knead and make a ball, place this on the centre of a baking sheet and flatten with your hands to make a round. Sprinkle over the mixed seeds. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Serve with dips, pâté and vegan cheese. Will keep for 3-4 days. Do not store until completely cool as any heat will create moisture and the crackers will go soggy

ANOTHER RECIPE OVERLEAF

White House Farm -

C O L U M N

COUNTDOWN Charlotte Gurney is getting us in the mood for the festive period by telling us about her family farm’s Christmas Market next month

The next regular farmers’ market is on October 21, from 9.30am. Entry and parking are FREE.

We have the addition of the new shops at the farm this year, including the glorious gift shop, Beautifully Gifted, amongst others, making it the perfect backdrop to a showstopper event. It's also a good moment to visit our butchery counter. We'll be offering our customers the very finest turkeys from Great Grove Poultry, near Attleborough, once again. The family farm rears birds free in a woodland to ensure they can scratch and rootle at their will until their fateful day arrives. Please do get your Christmas butchery orders in, in advance, to guarantee your best meat package. As well as all this excitement, we'll also be showcasing our hampers, where we can put together any selection of WHF (White House Farm) gifts. We will pack, wrap and ribbon each one to get you in tip top condition for Christmas - and save you lots of time, too. So come and join us on November 18 and 19. Sip a mulled wine and you’ll soon feel full of festive cheer, especially if you’ve found just the thing for your tricky mother-in-law!

IT'S NOW OFFICIALLY the countdown to our third Christmas market on November 18 and 19, which someone recently coined the 'Norwich Christmas Market'! We've been inundated with entries for stalls this year, the fever having really caught on after two previous brilliant Parisian-style markets, all under one enormous marquee in our grounds. We have 50 plus stalls including the familiar foodie ones which are with us every month at our farmers’ markets as well as wines, whiskies, stocking fillers and homemade one-off trinkets. It should go with a bang as we can accommodate hundreds of cars over the weekend, with drivers accessing us from the new road, off the Wroxham Road.

WHITE HOUSE FARM, WROXHAM ROAD, NORWICH TEL 01603 419357 OR VISIT WWW.NORWICH-PYO.CO.UK

THIS YEAR, why not be part of the ‘Teal Pumpkin Project’? If you paint your pumpkin teal and place in on your doorstep it will indicate to parents with children with food allergies that it is a safe door to knock as you have non-food treats available. And don’t forget that Sara’s Gluten Free Expo takes place at The Forum in Norwich on October 1!

STUFFED

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[Serves 2 or 4* INGREDIENTS

1 medium spaghetti squash, halved length ways with the seeds removed; 1tbsp of rapeseed oil; 2 cloves of garlic, crushed; 1 red onion, chopped; 2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped (I used peppers in brine from my pantry); 1 200g can of kidney beans, drained; 1 165g can of sweetcorn, drained; 1tsp of paprika; 1tsp of ground coriander; 2tbsp of tomato purée; 2tbsp of lime juice; salt and pepper to taste

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SPAGHE TTI squash

I must admit I am a bit of a late comer to the delights of spaghetti squash. But now if I see one at a farmers' market I can’t resist!

METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the deseeded squash face down in a large baking dish, cut side down. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and bake for 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and, with a fork, rake the flesh from the squash. It should come away like spaghetti. Leave the shell intact as this will be the bowl for the dish and will hold the other ingredients. Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat, add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes, add the garlic, pepper and jalapeno, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the beans, tomato purée, corn and spices. Cook for a further 3 minutes, then add the squash flesh and lime juice - stir in gently to combine. Transfer to the squash shells - half of the mixture in each. Put the filled squash back into the baking dish and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and serve. This is delicious served with tahini dressing. (To make the tahini dressing, mix 1tbsp of tahini, 1tbsp of water, juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper to taste you can also add a good pinch of smoked paprika for added depth to this already delicious dressing. Whisk to combine).

*2 as a main or 4 as a side dish

Former TV presenter Judith Hann writes this beautiful cookery book which will, promises Sarah Hardy, get you working on your own herb garden!

Judith Hann

C E L E B R I T Y

You all remember Judith Hann, don’t you? She presented the classic telly series Tomorrow’s World for more than 20 years from the 1970s to 90s, and helped explain the many baffling mysteries of all things science to the likes of me! She was always great fun educational yet entertaining - but gave up the world of television in favour of a rather gorgeous looking farmhouse in The Cotswolds complete, of course, with a well stocked herb garden. A former president of the Herb Society, Judith, now in her mid 70s, has combined her scientific

knowledge with her sheer passion for cultivating herbs to produce this new cookbook, simply called Herbs. It oozes fresh air and a general sense of well being and is very well designed. In each seasonal chapter there is much practical guidance on growing herbs, whether you have your own herb garden or simply pots on the window sill, plus a selection of imaginative recipes. Indeed Judith, clearly a woman who likes to be busy, also runs her own cookery school so her recipes are well tested, easy to understand and actually work!

C O O K B O O K

BASIL OIL

This is an excellent way of capturing the unique and useful flavour of basil. You will need 5 tablespoons of basil leaves for 500ml of olive oil. Remove the leaves of the basil and pound them in a mortar. Add some oil and pound again to bruise the leaves so they release their own oil. Mix with the rest of the oil, pour into a jar and put it in a sunny spot, shaking regularly for two weeks. Then strain the oil into an attractive bottle, add a few fresh leaves to help identify the oil and store in a dark, cool place

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In this book, you’ll find everything from simple herb sauces and salads to more ornate dishes such as guinea fowl with lovage and lime, and spare ribs with a plum, chilli and sage sauce. You will also find herb syrups, ices, cheeses and more - she manages to use herbs in just about any and every dish. Antonio Carluccio is a huge fan and pays this glowing tribute: ‘Judith has written a most desirable book. With great expertise, she mixes her herbs masterfully, making sense of improving one’s food.’ • Here is a selection of recipes from Judith’s lovely book:

ROSE PETAL VINEGAR

Make a special vinegar by adding the petals of 6 roses, 1 dried chilli and the zest of 1 lemon to 500ml of white wine vinegar. It is ready to use after leaving by a window for 5 days MORE RECIPES OVERLEAF

SAGE and GARLIC ROAST PORK BELLY with POWER PLUM SAUCE

This is a spicy, thick sauce that enlivens roast pork or duck and spare ribs. It is also good with terrines, cold meats and cheese. You can make it in advance whenever you have plenty of plums and store it in sterilized jars so it’s ready for this recipe, or simply prepare it while you wait for the pork to slow cook. INGREDIENTS 2kg of pork belly on the bone; 1tbsp of very finely chopped sage leaves; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; potatoes and a green vegetable, to serve

SERVES

METHOD Preheat the oven to 220°C. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels and score the skin. Season the pork, rubbing the salt into the skin. Make a paste of the sage and garlic in a pestle and mortar, then rub it over the pork. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C and continue to cook for a further 11/2 hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Cook the apple with 6 tablespoons of water for about 10 minutes until soft, then add all the other ingredients. Simmer until thick. This normally takes at least 45 minutes. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary. Smear about 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the surface of the pork and continue roasting for a further 30 minutes until the skin is crisp and the meat very tender. Serve the pork belly with the remaining sauce (cold or reheated, if you like), potatoes and a green vegetable

Power Plum Sauce 1 large sharp eating/dessert apple or cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped; 350g of plums, pitted; 10 sage leaves, finely chopped; 225g of dried apricots; 185g of caster sugar, plus extra if needed; 150ml of white wine vinegar; 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped

H E R B S

by Judith Hann is published by Watkins Media, with photography by Tamin Jones, at £20

Judith Hann

C E L E B R I T Y

C O O K B O O K

PEARS POACHED in BAY and BALSAMIC with SERRANO HAM

Poached pears wrapped in Serrano ham and served on a bed of attractive salad herb leaves make a stunning first course. You can poach the pears a day or so in advance. Keep them in the refrigerator, but always serve the pears at room temperature to enhance their flavour. INGREDIENTS 200g of caster sugar; 80ml of balsamic vinegar; 4 bay leaves; 4 pears; 4 large slices of Serrano ham; 2 large handfuls of multicoloured salad herbs, such as rocket/ arugula, cress, red mustard or lambâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lettuce/corn salad; 3tbsp of pine nuts, toasted; 1tbsp of olive oil; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

SERVES

METHOD Put 600ml of water in a saucepan over a medium heat with the sugar, vinegar and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact. Trim the bases so that they can stand upright. Add the pears to the liquid and simmer until they are tender, turning occasionally. The time varies a great deal depending on how ripe they are, but it should be 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;25 minutes. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool, then wrap each one in a slice of ham. Season the liquid, using only a little salt because of the ham in this recipe, but be generous with the freshly ground black pepper. Boil the liquid until it becomes a thick syrup. Arrange the salad leaves on serving plates. Put a pear in the middle of each and scatter the pine nuts around the pears. Mix the balsamic syrup with the oil and drizzle over the top

HOT OFF THE SHELF!

It’s a busy time of year for new food and drink books, with everything from wine guides to Italian recipe collections now on sale

THE GAME COOK

TOP PICK

by Norman Tebbit £14.99

If your cooking repertoire is stuck on chicken reruns, Lord Tebbit is talking about his favourite game recipes, from his updated book which was inspired by a conversation with a butcher about chicken! It includes detailed yet practical recipes for partridge, duck, pheasant, venison and rabbit - and he has a very engaging style. He visits Jarrold’s on November 2 at 6.30pm. Tickets are £5.

ANDINA

by Martin Morales

AMERICA THE COOKBOOK

£27

by Gabrielle Langholtz

Andina is the cuisine of the Andes of Peru, an area where quinoa, maca and naturally healthy eating reign supreme. Featuring more than 110 fuss-free recipes, accompanied by fascinating stories, dazzling photography and beautiful paintings, this book offers a real taste of the Andes.

This is an impressive compendium of 800 recipes for American dishes which explore the country's myriad traditions and influences, regional favourites and melting-pot fusion. A unique state-by-state section features essays and menus from 100 food chefs and writers in each of the 50 states.

£29.95

Books

WORLD OF WINE by Oz Clarke £30

Oz Clarke will be giving a guided tasting tour of wines from his latest book, World of Wine, at Jarrold's, on November 30, at 6.30pm with wines supplied by The Deli. Tickets include the wine tasting and one copy of the book, singles ticket £30; couples ticket £40.

RIVER CAFE 30

THE LITTLE LIBRARY COOKBOOK

by Ruth Rogers £28

by Kate Young £25

Known for its simple, modern, Italian cooking, River Cafe is one of the world's most iconic restaurants. This stylish looking cookbook shares more than 120 recipes, revisiting favourites from the first iconic River Cafe blue book, updated for home cooks today, and introducing 30 new recipes, with more tips and anecdotes from Ruth Rogers. Happy 30th birthday River Cafe!

Inspired by her favourite books, Kate Young has gathered together 100 recipes for meals enjoyed by some of our best-loved fictional characters. Delights include Paddington Bear's marmalade, Neopolitan pizza with Elena Ferrante, and afternoon tea at Manderley. So this book shows you how to whip up a truly literary lunch!

AT MY TABLE

by Nigella Lawson £26

After a long wait since her last cookbook, Nigella shares her home-cooked table dishes in At My Table and will be signing copies at Jarrold's on October 31 at 1pm. Tickets are £26 which includes a copy of the book.

D IA RY D AT ES

Jarrold Autumn Literary

Lunch

TO P OF TH E TER RACE , NO RW ICH CIT Y FC - OCTO BE R 27, 12. 30 PM Author spe

akers: Radio 4's 'The Ar chers', actor Tim Benti Being David Archer; his nck, torian Dan Jones, The Templars; ITV News reporter Elodie Harper, The Binding So ng. Tic ket s £2 9.5 0. Inc lud es au tho r tal ks, 2 co urs e lun ch , cof fee an d bo ok sig nin g.

East Anglian Book Awar

ds Lunch

TO P OF TH E TER RACE , NO RW ICH CIT Y FC - NOVE MB ER 17, 11.3 0P M- 4.3 0P M Tickets for all events are available from custom er services or online.

B U T C H E R S

FOR A ROAST WITH THE MOST

JAMIE ARCHER, OF ARCHER’S BUTCHERS IN NORWICH, TELLS US HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT ROAST PORK butcher gives you the confidence that you are buying a high welfare animal that has been looked after, you have a direct impact on the environment (low food miles) as well as supporting the local economy. PERFECT ROAST To create the perfect roast joint, you need to start off with great pork. Preferably a gilt (female pig before it has had a litter) from a local producer that has cared well for their animals. It is important that the pig has had a comfortable life, not only is it good for the pig but any stress that it has endured will cause the meat to be tough and tasteless, with no fat cover, and we all know fat makes flavour. Ask your butcher for a rolled loin on or off the bone depending on your preference, I like to cook on the bone as it makes for a juicier joint but it is a bit more hassle when it comes to carving. Make sure the pork is well scored and has a decent layer of fat between the meat

COOKING I pour boiling water on the skin first, dab it dry with kitchen towel and then rub in plenty of sea salt. Put the joint into a large roasting tin with two or three onions, cut in half underneath and a cup full of water. Place in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20-30 minutes, until the crackling has started to crisp, then turn the temperature down to 180°C and cook for 30 minutes per pound, then deduct 25 minutes from the final cooking time. Remove from the oven and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. PORKSTOCK This year Archer’s is selling its famous hot dogs alongside a limited edition Nelson Sausage, made with Nelson’s Revenge ale from Woodforde’s.

em T ail ele o r d ph o e rs n e A we N D lco me

PORK IS BY FAR the most versatile meat that we consume. It accounts for 50 per cent of all the meat sold in our butcher’s shop. We make bacon, sausages, pies, ham and many other delicious products with this wonderful meat. It is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin, phosphorus, and iron. All our pork comes from Tim Allen of Morley farm, South Creake, in North Norfolk. The pigs are outdoor reared, which means they are kept outside, in hay bedded pens, with the option of having a nice warm shed to go to if they wish. Buying local pork from your

and the rind as this creates lovely, crispy crackling. If the pork has not been scored well enough, you will end up with one large piece of crackling!

FAMILY OWNED

SINCE 1987

TRADITIONAL FAMILY-OWNED & RUN BUTCHER SHOP

Supplying meat, sourced directly from local farms, ensuring quality and traceability. award winning handmade pies & pastries from Clarke’s Farm Kitchen, Hevingham 73 MARKET PLACE, SWAFFHAM PE37 7AQ 01760 721791 SHOP@IMPSONBUTCHERS.CO.UK

closely with the best local farmers to ensure our meat exceeds expectation! Working

B U T C H E RY

Superior quality flavoursome meats, all locally sourced and fully traceable, for our loyal customers and catering businesses

FA R M K I T C H E N

A delicious range of award-winning meat pies, ready meals, and indulgent sweet and savoury treats, all made on site

LOW L A N E FA R M , HEV I NGH A M , NORW ICH N R 10 5QY 01603 75 4 233 SHOP@CL A R K E SBU T CHERY.C O.UK

Coxfords Butchers

For the love of local food!

PROUDLY NORFOLK All o

f our prod is sourced lo uce cally

Our juicy, outdoor reared pork comes from Tim Allen just down the road from Walsingham in South Creake. Our joints produce the best crackling!

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

11 MARKET PLACE, AYLSHAM 01263 732280

LO O CA RD L ER DE S LIV O E VE RY R O £4 N 0

@walsinghamfarmshop @walsingfarmshop +walsinghamfarmsshop @walsinghamfarmsshop

fresh meat & poultry

BUTCHERS • DELI • TAKEAWAY • HIGH WELFARE, FREE RANGE MEATS FROM LOCAL FARMS • • NORFOLK FOOD AND DRINK CHAMPIONS •

www.archersbutchers.com 177-179 Plumstead Road, Norwich

Tel 01603 434253

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 The Street, Bunwell, NR16 1AB 01953 789708

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

www.thepaddocksbutchery.co.uk

JUSTIN WRIGHT

Lovewell Blake -

C O L U M N

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

Justin Wright, who heads up Lovewell Blake’s specialist food and drink team, says we must not hold back the food and drink sector as it seeks to find new overseas markets VISIT

www.lovewell-blake.co.uk

IF THE MEDIA REPORTS are to be believed, the Government is planning to restrict numbers of overseas workers and, in particular, ‘lower-skilled’ workers. This will be ringing alarm bells amongst some of our food and drink producers. A survey shows that the sector is looking to create nearly 100,000 new jobs over the next five years – ironically, to cope with a new optimism about exports, despite the uncertainty over Brexit. A report from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking shows that nearly seven in 10 firms in the food and drink sector are investing to secure new overseas markets, with Europe - currently by far the UK’s biggest export market - remaining the most favoured place to target new customers. This, despite the fact that more than half of all food producers cite regulatory issues, political uncertainty and international regulation as potential barriers, means that we could be seeing an emerging acceptance of the Brexit reality and a desire to get on with the job in hand. To put this in context, food and drink exports already stand at more than £20 billion a year, and that figure is rising, driven mainly by the weakness of sterling but, also by a growing worldwide reputation for our products. Clearly, that upwards trajectory should be supported and protected during these uncertain times. This may be the case of Brexit actually accelerating business decisions and promoting growth, but time will tell. Labour is naturally one of the key drivers in ensuring growth within the sector. Paul Wilkinson,

chairman of the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD), points out that 36 per cent of workers in the sector are from overseas and that, without access to EU workers, ‘we could potentially face a crisis in labour supply, which could damage productivity.’ Around a fifth of all EU workers in the UK work in food and drink production – that’s 400,000 people. Many of these people fall into the government’s ‘unskilled workers’ category. Actually, that is an unnecessarily pejorative term because the people who bring in the harvest are just as essential to our ability to feed ourselves as a country, and grow our export markets as those with specialist skills. Perhaps we shouldn’t be thinking in terms of ‘ skilled or unskilled’ at all; rather ‘essential or nonessential’. After all, your highest-qualified rocket scientist still needs to eat. However you categorise them, if the labour market is restricted, then that resource will need to be found from the domestic workforce. Shortages in labour and productivity could have the potential of slowing down the sector’s growth and undermining those precious exports. Food and drink producers are standing up to be counted in the forefront of the UK’s vital effort to find new export markets in the post-Brexit world. The last thing we should be doing is forcing them to rein in those ambitions at such a crucial time. Whatever your views on Brexit, it is vital that the Government develops a policy that allows UK businesses access to essential foreign workers where appropriate.

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

Charlie Hodson C O L U M N

PICTURES COURTESY OF PEBBLE MAGAZINE

NORFOLK FOOD HERO CHARLIE HODSON LOVES FORAGING BUT SAYS WE SHOULD ONLY TAKE WHAT WE NEED!

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Here’s one of Charlie’s favourite recipes, created with foraged ingredients and cooked on the marshes at Wells:

SIM PLE SEA BASS [Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

[

HETHER IT IS elderberries, hazelnuts, rose hips or samphire, foraging trips at this time of year can be both bountiful and nutritious. Indeed, foraging is the original way we gathered food for ourselves, although it has become almost too trendy in recent years, with many jumping on the ‘free food’ wagon. There have been reports of whole bus loads of people turning up to certain areas like Epping Forest, and ripping plants up by their roots which causes lasting damage. A few years ago, in 2012, the Sustainable Food Trust warned of overforaging. Experts such as Cornwall's Fat Hen, and chefs such as The Grove’s Simon Hunter Marsh in Cromer, know what they’re doing. But do the majority? The Trust’s Code of Conduct states that you should only take five per cent of what’s available, abide by the one in 20 rule and just snip off the top of the plant, not take the whole thing. So, enjoy reconnecting with nature and discovering the freshest, more seasonal produce available - whose traceability is without question. Enjoy, too, experimenting, as you can try making everything from gin to chutney. You won’t find anything tastier. But just remember to limit yourself.

2 sea bass fillets, scored on skin side; a handful of samphire; a handful of sea purslane; a pinch of Maldon sea salt; a pinch of black pepper; a handful of cockles, if available; a handful of mussels, if available; 250ml of Woodforde's Wherry bitter; a drizzle of Crush Foods cold pressed rapeseed oil METHOD 1. Heat a pan with the oil 2. Season the fish 3. When the pan becomes hot, place the fish, skin side down, in it for 1 minute 4. Turn the fish over 5. Pour in the Wherry bitter, and add the cockles and mussels 6. Simmer for another 1 minute 7. Add samphire and sea purslane. Put the lid on for another minute 8. Put the fish in two wide bowls and share the stock and foraged goods between the two WORD OF WARNING - never pick anything, and this applies particularly to fungi, that you cannot be 100 per cent certain that you can identify. You have been warned!

H VISIT

www.lacons.co.uk

AVE YOU EVER enjoyed a pint of beer and wondered where the fantastic flavours and aromas come from? The majority of this happens to be from one of the main ingredients in the brewing process - hops. Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus which is a member of the hemp family and can be found across the globe in different climates. The plant is known for its climbing characteristics and it’s the female variety that’s used when brewing ale. With a growing number of varieties of hops, brewers have a spectacular choice when crafting their beer and use ‘bittering hops’ as a tool to balance the sweet and sometimes nutty flavours of malt.

a ll th

Lacons

right ingredients -

B E E R

THIS MONTH YARMOUTH-BASED LACONS TELLS US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HOPS TO THE BREWING PROCESS AND A NEW BEER ESPECIALLY CREATED FOR NORWICH BEER FESTIVAL Follow us on social media or sign up to our newsletter to stay informed: www.lacons.co.uk/newsletter.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER FROM LACONS:

HOW ARE HOPS HARVESTED?

IN THE UK, hops are planted in farms early in the year. As time goes on, the vines follow the sunlight and grow until September when the harvest begins. Of course, this differs for hop farms across the globe because of the variation of seasons. Hop merchants harvest the vines at their farms and they are then hung upside down as they enter a picking machine, separating the hop cones from the vine. They then go through a cleaning machine to remove the leaves and branches. To keep the hop cones as fresh as possible, they are moved into a kiln to reduce the moisture levels by using a powerful fan. Once they have reached optimum levels, the fan begins to slow down to release the heat in the kiln, completing the process. Finally, they are moved onto a cooling floor for 10-12 hours to allow the alpha acids and essential oils to enter the leaves of the flower. This enhances the flavours of the hops making them perfect for brewing.

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HOW DO BREWERS CHOOSE THE BEST HOPS FOR THEIR BEER?

BREWERS FOLLOW HOP breeding programmes around the world to see what new and exciting varieties there are to choose from. It can take up to 11 years for trials to be completed before the hops are available on a commercial scale. Hop Merchants also invite brewers to their sites to test the hops – this is known as ‘hop rubbing’ and triggers the invigorating aromas and flavours in their hands. Once chosen, the hops are delivered to the brewery a few months later. At Lacons, we like to use unusual varieties of hops in our beers. Originally created in Japan in the early 1970’s, Sorachi Ace is a hop we use in our heritage brew Old Nogg. Now farmed in America - but in very limited supply - it is best used in darker beers and offers citrus and herbal flavours of lemon, lime and dill.

WE HAVE AN exciting new beer in time for Halloween - Phantom, a delicious 4.6% golden ale with undertones of berries and apricots. We will also be the main sponsor of HarFest, a free one day autumn fayre being held at Norwich Cathedral on October 7 which includes a farmers' market, live music and entertainment for the whole family plus, of course, delicious Lacons ales. Our ales will also be available at Norwich Beer Festival (October 2328) at St Andrew’s and Blackfriars Halls. We’ll be showcasing our range including a very special wood aged Old Nogg ale plus a new beer brewed especially for the event!

BRUIN HAUFE

PICTURE BY SPENCER WILTON

BREWERY BARN

MAX HAUFE

PICTURE BY VICTORIA SIDDLE

PICTURE BY SPENCER WILTON

Malt Coast

A R T I S A N

P R O D U C E R

BREWING BROTHERS BRUIN MAUFE RUNS A NEW CRAFT BREWERY WITH HIS BROTHER, MAX, IN NORTH NORFOLK. HE TELLS US ALL ABOUT MALT COAST AND EXPLAINS WHY IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT VISIT

www.maltcoast.com

Who are you and what do you do? We are Malt Coast - a new craft brewery based on the family farm, Branthill, on the Holkham Estate. My brother Max and I grew up on the farm but moved to London after university. While there, we witnessed the craft beer revolution take hold, and knowing that our farm grows award-winning malting barley, we felt it was a great opportunity to return home and start a brewery. There are many fantastic, traditional real ale breweries in Norfolk but very few producing the 'contemporary' craft beer style - unfiltered beers, designed to be drunk cold with a little more carbonation. It was also important to us that our brand identity celebrates this beautiful location on the North Norfolk coast. Many of the craft breweries in London go for bright colours and very bold branding as a means of standing out. We felt our story was something that needed to come through - beers with provenance. We used a London graphic design agency, Polytechnic, and Aaron Skipper, both of whom have Norfolk roots, and an image maker, Alicia Galer, to produce the semi-abstract images that we feel really reflect the spirit of what we do. When did you start? We started brewing in April this year but obviously there were many months of preparation in advance of this. It has been a really exciting journey to get here - both my brother and I went on an intensive brewing course in Manchester last November. We have had help and advice from so many people along the way and were lucky to get a grant from the EU via

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

the LEADER programme to help install the equipment in January. From that moment it became very real and we both started moving our lives from London back to Norfolk. What's it like working with your brother? And is your father, Teddy Maufe, involved, too? Great fun. We are mostly on the same page and when we're not, we are close enough to tell each other! It is an honest and productive working relationship and yes, our father has been, and continues to be, a huge support. It really is a family affair with our wives, Atessa and Andrea, also heavily involved. Tells us a little bit more about your two beers... We aim to produce balanced beers with character. We do not filter our beers, instead allowing the yeast to naturally separate in the tanks at very low temperatures. This means our beers can sometimes be naturally cloudy but are packed full of flavour. We only have two beers at the moment because we wanted to focus on quality. Our IPA is more robust, more bitter and is dry hopped for further flavour and aroma. Our Pale Ale is a light, crisp and clean session beer that is available in cans. We feel both are approachable and easy drinking. We combine strong flavoured hops from America's Pacific coast, with those from the UK and Slovenia. We also now have an Amber Ale in development that will be released towards the end of the year. You use your own malt, produced on site? What difference does this make? Location is important. We happen to be based in one of the very best areas of

the country to grow premium malting barley. Light sandy loam over chalk soils, combine with the perfect coastal climate, allowing us to grow a special variety called Maris Otter. We send our malt to the local small batch floor maltings, which means we can trace our barley through the maltings back to the farm where we crush it to our own specifications on site. Barley is the heart and soul of the beer and we have control over its production, allowing us to celebrate its provenance to consumers and tell them our story. What did you both do before you started the company? I started my career at a creative advertising company in London and then moved across to the non-profit sector where I managed corporate partnerships focused around the United Nations Peace Day. My brother Max has been based in the City in the executive search industry. We both however, have always had one eye on the farm and the brewery has presented a great opportunity to bring us back and try and build a life in Norfolk and safeguard the farm for future generations. Do you both do a bit of everything or do you have separate areas of responsibility? At this early stage we both do a bit of everything - it's all hands on deck! I'm sure, however, as things evolve, our roles might become a little more defined. What do you both like to drink? Apart from your own beers, of course! We both love beer and have similar tastes which helps. We grew up on Woodforde's Wherry and more recently have been exploring the fantastic array of craft beers in London - Beaverton and Brixton breweries are two of our favourites. I'm also partial to a bottle of good red wine. Where can we buy your beer? Our beer can be found in many of the fantastic delis and restaurants along the North Norfolk coast. The Real Ale Shop, based on the farm, sells a selection of local beer including our own. We are also in a small number of London outlets and we aim to be available on keg in a few pubs on the coast in the coming months.

X C O LU F F SI E V R E

IN A CASE

£16.95

POULE DE PIC 2016 RIESLING D’ALSACE GRAND CRU MAMBOURG 2008

fixed price lunch for 2 courses

ISA ROSE 2015 LA PART DE ANGES 2014 CHATEAU FAMAEY FUT DE CHENE 2012

M IX E D C

ASE *

£66

FREE COLL ECTION OR £7.99 P&P

SUBSTITUTIONS MAY HAVE TO BE MADE IF WINES ARE TEMPOR ARILY OUT OF STOCK

CHATEAU PERRON DE LA GOURDINE 2013

OVE

12.5% OF R F RRP

Open for Lunch and Dinner Tuesday to Saturday 12pm - 2.30pm; 6pm - 9.45pm for last order; Wine bar open from 5pm

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reservations@bishopsrestaurant.co.uk www.bishopsrestaurant.co.uk

01603 713925

Call for details on how to order www.tastebudswines.co.uk

e Th LY R ich N E rw O o

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Norwich Cocktail Wee k -

C O C K T A I L S

EAST TWENTY SIX

Cocktail Party JOIN IN THE FUN AS NORWICH COCKTAIL WEEK RETURNS THIS MONTH. SARAH HARDY IS READY TO SIP AND SLURP HER WAY AROUND THE CITY VISIT

www.norwichcocktailweek.com

NOW WHO DOESN’T LOVE A COCKTAIL? From margaritas to mojitos, the choice is ever expanding and always delicious. Norwich Cocktail Week, sponsored by Bullards London Gin, runs from October 7 to 17 and sees many of the city’s leading bars and hotels offering special deals and new concoctions. You simply buy yourself a wristband for £7 and, hey presto, you have access to whole host of events and discounts.

St Gil es Fren ch 77

Those taking part include North, East Twenty Six, The Ten Bells, St Giles Hotel and many more. Events kick off on October 6 with a party at Bond No 28 Tombland from 6.30-8.30pm, when the finals of an amateur cocktail maker competition are taking place. Norwich Cocktail Week has been running since 2014. Last year 35 bars and 350 people took part in offers, masterclasses and tastings across the seven days. Check out their website for full details.

e ss e n t i

www.stgilesgin.com

A fresh blast of cucumber followed by zesty orange and herbal notes from the base Amaro Nonino – an ancient infusion of grappa and herbs.

Substituting Champagne with Prosecco softens this very appealing and effervescent serve.

INGREDIENTS 11/2 slices of cucumber; 40ml of Amaro Nonino; 10ml of fresh lemon juice; 10ml of rich sugar syrup; 1-2 dashes of lemon bitters; soda

INGREDIENTS 20ml of St Giles Gin; 20ml of elderflower cordial; 10ml of lemon juice; Prosecco; lemon, mint or frozen berries METHOD Pour the elderflower cordial, lemon juice and St Giles Gin into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well then strain into a tall glass. Top with Prosecco and serve with a twist of lemon and a couple of mint leaves or alternatively, add a frozen strawberry or raspberry to the glass

Qu int -a

ST GILES GIN

METHOD Muddle cucumber in the base of the shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Serve over ice in a double rocks glass, top with soda (or lemonade for a sweeter flavour profile). Garnish with cucumber www.easttwentysix.co.uk

U P g n omi a nd

FEAST NORFOLK WINE WRITER ANDY NEWMAN FINDS GREAT VALUE IN TWO OF THE SOUTHERN RHÔNE’S NEWEST APPELLATIONS

WINES AS

A N DY H

E N J OY E D

THIS MONTH

SABLET BLANC, DOMAINE DE PIAUGIER, 2014 (Nethergate Wines, £12.47) A seductive blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Clairette, Roussanne and Marsanne, grown using organic methods on a mixture of clay, limestone and sand; a full-bodied wine exhibiting ripe fruit, spring flowers and a hint of green almond. A real find when I drank it in Sablet, and available from this Bury St Edmundsbased wine merchant.

XIMÉNEZSPÍNOLA EXCEPTIONAL HARVEST 2015 (Harper Wells, £24.99) Pedro Ximénez like you have never tasted it, from the heart of Sherry country. Picked late, aged on its lees but not fortified, this is golden and raisiny, but without the cloying sweetness you usually associate with PX. As a colleague said during a recent tasting, “a dry sweet wine”.

PETIT BERNAT, PLA DE BAGES, 2015 (HARPER WELLS, £12.99) From just north of Barcelona, this is New Wave Spanish winemaking, using a mix of international grape varieties (Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), with a little native Picapoll Negre in the mix. Woody, vegetal and even ‘balsamic’ on the nose, it’s a big, nicely melded, and fruity wine

OW MANY of us, when confronted with a long, daunting wine list, have lazily reverted to a safe Côtes du Rhône? For many years it was just that: the safe option. Never going to set the world alight, but equally we knew it would be just fine. The problem, of course, is that the Rhône vineyard is simply immense, stretching 200km from just south of Lyon all the way down to Avignon. Inevitably, an area that big gives us a huge variety of wine styles, so trying to squeeze them all into one Côtes du Rhône shaped pigeonhole is unwise. So let’s discount the northern part of the region. Not because it isn’t important (arguably it is the more important part, with appellations such as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, St-Joseph and Condrieu), but because if you ask for a simple Côtes du Rhône, what you will be served is a wine from the southern Rhône. The overwhelming majority of the more than 320 million bottles of wine labelled as Côtes du Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages comes from this southern section which surrounds the northern and western sides of the magical Mont Ventoux, the granitetipped mountain which dominates so

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

Southern Rhône -

W I N E

much of Provence, and which is perhaps best known as the most brutal climb on many a Tour de France. Unlike the single-variety Syrahs and Viogniers which dominate the northern Rhône, what you will find here are blends, often of several grape varieties. Whilst Syrah certainly contributes, the major variety here is Grenache, with Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Cinsault (and many others) also playing supporting roles. With such a wide-ranging appellation, something a bit more specific is called for – and fortunately that exists. Côtes du Rhône Villages gives us a big step up in quality, with restricted yields and a 12.5% minimum alcoholic strength. Twenty villages now have the right to add their name to this appellation; and many of those are now winning the right to produce wines under a specific named appellation. Gigondas and Vacqueyras were among the first to win this right, and the last few years have seen some newcomers to this club. With reputations to build, these new appellations are great places to find value, as producers strive to establish markets (and prices) which reflect their new standing. While they do that, there are bargains to be had. Two of my favourite of these new villages appellations are Sablet and Séguret. Separated by just a few kilometres, they enjoy essentially the

same terroir - gently sloping vineyards in decalcified red clays and gravelly pebbles of various sizes; Sablet also benefits from a stratum of sandy soils from which the village draws its name. Sablet has 340 hectares of wines, producing around 12,000hl a year, of which 92% are red, 7% white and just 1% rosé. Séguret is slightly bigger at 448 hectares and nearly 17,000hl of production; again 92% is red, but this time the remaining 8% is evenly split between white and rosé. As well as the value to be found in these two villages, the desire to promote themselves makes visiting them infinitely more rewarding than the rather more standoffish reception you find in more established villages such as Gigondas. The Maison des Vins in Sablet is especially worth a visit. All of the village’s producers are represented here, and the enthusiastic staff are happy to take you through them all, explaining (in perfect English) the nuances of terroir which give each wine its particular characteristics. For rosé you are better off heading a little further southeast into Provence proper, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that Côtes du Rhône is all about red wine. Increasingly, interesting and good quality white wines are being made here too, mainly from Marsanne and Roussanne, but also from Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc and Picpoul. White wine may still account for a tiny proportion of the wine produced here, but it will become increasingly important in establishing the region as more than a one trick pony. Too many people whizz through the southern Rhône vineyard on their way to the rather more chi-chi Luberon, but if you are heading that way, it is well worth stopping at villages such as Sablet or Séguret to try these great value wines for yourself. Finding them in Britain is a little more difficult, but they are beginning to find their way onto merchants’ lists (although not the supermarket shelves, not yet anyway). But it is worth the effort – if ever the phrase ‘up and coming’ was justified, then the wines from the southern Rhône’s newest appellations are worthy of the title.

TO CHAN CE

Competition

VISIT

www.frittonarms.co.uk

WIN!

COUNTRY HOUSE LIVING

THIS MONTH FEAST NORFOLK MAGAZINE HAS TEAMED UP WITH THE LOVELY FRITTON ARMS ON THE SOMERLEYTON ESTATE TO OFFER ONE LUCKY READER THE CHANCE TO WIN A FOODIE BREAK FOR TWO THE FRITTON ARMS boutique inn and restaurant, housed in a 16th century manor house, sits in 200 acres of mature parkland on the banks of Fritton Lake, forming part of the Somerleyton Estate close to the Norfolk/Suffolk border. Renowned for its gastronomic delights, the working Estate provides a rich source of ingredients for the inn’s menu, with many dishes having zero food miles. The kitchen garden supplies fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, while the farm provides Welsh Black Beef and Norfolk Horn Lamb. There is also estate venison. The kitchen houses an exciting handmade Italian wood fired oven, which can roast anything from fresh vegetables to Côte de Boeuf, and there is a fine selection of local real ales to enjoy. www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

HOW TO ENTER

To enter our competition, simply answer the following question:

How many bedrooms does the Fritton Arms have? Send your answer, plus your name, address and a daytime telephone number to competitions@ feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk. You can also enter by liking and sharing the competition on our Facebook page. Terms: The prize is a midweek stay, Monday to Thursday, for two people sharing a room. It includes dinner, a bottle of house wine and breakfast. The prize doesn’t include a stay during December or bank holidays. The closing date is October 31. Bookings must be made before November 30 2017 for stays before May 31 2018. Subject to availability. No cash alternative and normal Feast Norfolk competition rules apply. The editor’s decision is final.

There are different areas to eat, drink and relax at the inn, with roaring fires providing a very cosy atmosphere at this time of year. There are also nine individually designed bedrooms, all offering goose feather pillows, beautifully soft eiderdowns and patterned blankets. Add in free wifi, artisan teas, great artwork and flatscreen televisions, and the rooms combine country house charm with modern day essentials. Outdoor activities* are plentiful at Fritton Lake, with cycling routes, running trails, open water swimming, stand up paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking or rowing. Plus, you’re only a stone’s throw away from Somerleyton Hall and Gardens, one of Britain’s most well preserved stately homes and gardens complete with its own yew hedge maze. *Some activities must be pre-booked.

ine Food &rW g Pai in

S T E V E

H E A R N D E N

STAFF OUTING THIS SUMMER FEAST NORFOLK editor Sarah and I went to South Pickenham, near Swaffham, and visited the South Pickenham Estate - one of the county’s largest private estates. In a little corner covering around five acres, we were shown the vineyard, and in last month’s magazine Sarah published her report - this month I am writing about the wines they produce. The South Pickenham white wine is a blend of Seyval Blanc, Muller-Thurgau and Schonberger grapes and both the 2013 and 2014 are made from the same combination. This is a perfect easy-drinking wine – light and fresh with balanced acidity; light lime aromas are found and this is carried through in the taste. It is perfect to drink on its own as an aperitif but works with smoked salmon

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and, indeed, any fish, from oysters and whitebait to good old English cod and chips! Chicken would be good, too, but avoid any creamy sauce. The vineyard also contains a few Bacchus vines and, when added, this will give a slight elderflower nose and taste (it’s not my favourite taste, so I hope they do not put too much of this grape juice in future blends). The second wine they produce is the sparkling wine – very popular now and still very fashionable. The grape varieties in the 2012 vintage are Muller Thurgau and Seyval Blanc, and, made in exactly the same way as Champagne, the wine is left on the lees of the second fermentation for some months – the longer you leave it the richer the wine. With the combination of the base chalk soil and the grapes, along with the climate, this sparkling wine has everything - the bubbles do race up the glass and there are plenty of them. The bouquet is not 'over the top' (in fact, quite the opposite) and it takes a little time for it to emerge – the slight citrus is softened by butter and biscuits. Take a little into the mouth and you get a force of freshness and dryness – there’s a very balanced acidity which is perfect for the sparkles to shine – and it softens in the mouth superbly. Drink anytime with virtually everything – just avoid chocolate and melon! I hope they will make a demi-sec soon as it would be perfect for that celebratory cake moment! I did notice on my last visit to the farm that the 2014 sparkling was on offer, and I did manage to taste a little - it is just as good as the 2012, but perhaps a little lighter and fresher?

BOTH WINES ARE AVAILABLE FRO M TASTEBUDS WINES, based at Strumpshaw Post Offic e (not online though). For other wine s, visit www.tastebudswines.co.uk or cont act Steve at steve@tastebudswines .co.uk

WINE EXPERT STEVE HEARNDEN TELLS US ALL ABOUT A RECENT TRIP TO A NORFOLK VINEYARD WITH OUR VERY OWN SARAH HARDY!

GETTING A TASTE FOR IT

MARK NICHOLLS HEADS TO THE SKI SLOPES OF ALTA BADIA AND DISCOVERS WORLD-CLASS FOOD IN THE DOLOMITES for the cuisine served in mountain huts, in Alta Badia this has seen Michelin-star quality food paired with an impressive ski terrain via the hugely popular ‘A Taste for Skiing’ concept. Chefs from top ski resort restaurants around the globe, as well as local chefs, have designed specific dishes for selected mountain huts, or rifugios as they are known in the Dolomites. Of course, the pleasure is that you have to get to these huts in the first place – and that means skiing on the marvellous slopes of the Alta Badia region

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE pausing at a cosy mountain hut after an exhilarating ski run for a warming mug of hot chocolate or even a bowl of goulash soup. Wholesome food, warming drink and the freshness and exercise of skiing can be a perfect combination. Yet on the slopes of the Alta Badia ski region, and the wider Dolomiti Superski area of north eastern Italy, dining on the slopes has been taken to new heights with an innovative food initiative. Whilst many European ski resorts are renowned

Dolomites -

T R A V E L

with some 130km of varied runs served by 53 lifts. It is also an area that additionally has access to the 12 valleys and 1,200km of ski runs in the Dolomiti Superski area, with a diversity of terrain including its black runs such as the Vallon-BoĂ¨ or the giant slalom run Gran Risa in La Villa, and the fabled 44km Sellaronda circuit. After spending a splendid morning skiing in Alta Badia in temperatures of -10Â°C beneath clear blues skies, bright sunshine, and lovely snow conditions, I stopped for lunch at the Rifugio Col Alt.

Within, the La Veranda Restaurant was alive with friends enjoying a glass of Prosecco ahead of sampling the menu. These were not diners after a quick bowl of soup before again hitting the blues, reds and blacks of Alta Badia; they were here to enjoy fine food, regional wines, and take their time over a dining experience. Taking my place for lunch, I chose the Roast Bleggio rabbit with its livers, pumpkin, chestnuts and Sauris ham powder.

Dolomites -

T R A V E L

Wholesome, filling and fabulously tasty, it had been created by Nicola Laera from La Stua de Michil in Hotel La Perlo in Corvara. I questioned whether I had room for dessert but having seen the crème brûlée with ginger and mandarin, I couldn’t resist. I was again left congratulating myself on my selection, though my fellow diners were also enjoying similar delights – pistachio and strawberry ice cream, for example, or a rum baba with the restaurateur duly proffering the biggest bottle of rum I’d ever seen for those who wanted to top up the alcohol content. Meanwhile, other mountain refuges were offering dishes from chefs in Aspen, Gstaad, St Moritz, Kitzbuhel, Sochi and Almaty, bringing an international flavour to Alta Badia, yet also respecting local food, culinary traditions and wine. They include Matt Zubrod from Element 47 at The Little Nell in Aspen with his heirloom carrot and cauliflower steak with braised Brandt Beef (at Jimmy’s Hutte); Marcus G. Lindner from Sommet, Gstaad, with his char with bacon confit, apple, onion and leek timbale (Utia Bamby); Martin Sieberer from the Paznaunerstube in Ischgl with his Paznaun milk-fed veal with potato and porcini strudel (Nagler Hutte);

Travel feature sponsored by

Vladimir Mukhin from Red Fox, Sochi, with trout marinated in cowberries, spring sorrel and cucumber tartare (Rifugio Mesoles); and Esat Akyildiz from The Ritz-Carlton in Almaty with his Kespe Sorpa – fresh noodles with aromatic bouillon (Rifugio Tabla). The following day, having spent the morning on the famous Sellaronda circuit, lunch was at Rifugio Bioch Hutte. Outside, at 2079m above sea level, deckchairs were laid out in neat rows for those wanting to enjoy the sunshine, while inside some diners were already tucking in to traditional Italian cuisine of fettuccini with porcini mushrooms, or ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese. But others had Michelin stars in their eyes. Bioch is an enthusiastic participant in ‘A Taste for Skiing’ with its speciality dish for the season designed by Norbert Niederkofler. From the St Hubertus restaurant at the Hotel Rosa Alpina in nearby San Cassiano, he had created Tortellini NORA – tortellini filled with braised veal cheek and ancient vegetables served in bouillon. Whilst my ski friends enjoyed Norbert’s dish, I opted for linguine with lemon, mussels, botargo and crunchy Agerola bread.

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For this, hut owner Markus Valentini matched a light white wine from the region, a Kerner from the Pacherhof vineyard, before explaining the importance of the gourmet food concept. ‘Of course, people who ski here ask me for traditional food,’ he tells me. ‘But they also want something special; they want to experience dishes of Michelin-starred restaurant quality. They are eating amid beautiful scenery and want good food to match the experience. ‘They do not want to rush, they want to relax and take a couple of hours over their meal with wine. It is about the whole experience. ‘This is the eighth year we have been involved and ‘A Taste for Skiing’ has been very important for us. It gives us the opportunity to become known for our food, not just in this area but across the world and each year more and more people are coming because of the gourmet food.’

ACCOMMODATION Mark Nicholls stayed at Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, which offers rooms from €225 per person per night based on two people sharing a Superior room. For bookings, visit www.sassongher.it

However, don’t imagine for one moment that the fine food is intended to deflect from the ski terrain; the slopes that link this culinary network of rifugios are diverse and interesting in a season which runs from December until early April, and the Dolomites are spectacular. Among the oldest rock formations on the planet, they have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009 for their historical and geomorphological significance. Equally, the excellent cuisine is not confined to the slopes. I was staying at the 52-room Hotel Sassongher in Corvara with comfortable accommodation, restaurants and bars and a residence of traditional mountain design with a spa, pool and therapy rooms for massage and beauty treatments. Owned by the Pescosta family for more than 70 years, it has been transformed over the years from a simple shelter into a five-star hotel treasuring Ladin and South Tyrolean cultures. Manager Francesco Morini explains: ‘We are very much a specialist ski hotel offering fine food, and quality wines – with 80 per cent of our wines sourced from the local region - and traditional hospitality in an atmosphere where guests feel very much at home. ‘We have excellent access to the large Dolimiti Ski area and a wellness area, spa and pool for our guests after a day skiing.’ Cosy restaurants, lined with centuries-old reclaimed timbers, offer dishes such as fusilli with prawns and porcini, turbot with lemongrass, pork cheek with beer, sautéed pigeon with mashed red turnip and chips, barley soup or beef tagliata with arugula and Anna potatoes. Across the Dolomites, the skiing is marvellous, the accommodation superb, and the scenery spectacular…but it also offers the added dimension of combining downhill skiing with the finest food from dishes prepared by the world’s leading chefs.

01.

AN AMAZING RANGE

THE AGA LED THE WAY ALMOST A CENTURY AGO BUT NOW THE CHOICE OF RANGE COOKERS, INCLUDING THEIR COLOURS, IS INCREDIBLE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW NOW ON THE MARKET

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WHERE TO BUY 01. ESSE EL 13amp Electric Range Cooker, £6484, Arcadia Interiors, Fakenham, www.arcadiahomeinteriors.co.uk 02. Smeg TR93P Dual Fuel Range Cooker, £1869, Gerald Giles, Norwich, www.geraldgiles.co.uk 03. Smeg TR4110 Dual Fuel Range Cooker, £2199, John Lewis 04. Everhot Electric Range Cooker 110i, £8575, Bakers and Larners, Holt, www.bakersandlarners.co.uk 05. Lacanche Macon Range Cooker, £4500, Bakers and Larners, Holt, www.bakersandlarners.co.uk 06. Electric 3-oven AGA Dual Control in Duck Egg Blue, £10,595, www.aga.com www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

The Loddon Swan -

S T A Y C A T I O N

ach of

y r u x luLoddonin tou

The Loddon Swan has three brand new rooms to offer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and they are perfectly located in the old town hall next door! Emma Outten heads to South Norfolk for a night of luxury

VISIT

www.theloddonswan.co.uk

I MUst ADMIT

I’ve overlooked Loddon in South Norfolk, betwixt Norwich and Beccles, countless times over the years, as I’ve headed home to the Suffolk coast. But it appears I’ve been missing out on a market town steeped in history, with its Georgian and Victorian architecture. Independent freehouse The Loddon Swan is at the heart of it all, on Church Plain, a designated conservation area with a scenic view of the Holy Trinity Church, which dates from 1490. The Loddon Swan has had a long history as a pub back to when it was opened by a Mr Tricker as a coaching house in the 18th century. Fast forward to 2012, and it re-opened its doors under new management (local business partners Andrew Freeland and Justin Fenwick) and after extensive renovation. Three years later and four new boutique bedrooms opened in the refurbished barn to the rear of The Loddon Swan. And just last month three more bedrooms were opened, housed in the old Town Hall next door - built in 1870, this red brick, gabled, Victorian public building became the all-encompassing venue for the Town Council, Magistrate’s Court, social functions and public entertainment (its most recent reincarnation was as a hairdressers and also Loddon Tourist and Information Centre). Our particular room was surprisingly spacious, and boasted a king size bed, goose down duvets and crisp, white linen (I particularly liked the Diana Cowpe luxury bedspread), plus there was a ensuite bathroom, flat screen TV and all the usual tea and coffee making facilities you’d expect.

The Loddon Swan -

S T A Y C A T I O N

Having made ourselves at home, we popped into the bar for a swift half of Humpty Dumpty Swallowtail (it didn’t have too far to travel from nearby Reedham). Now, although Loddon is perfectly placed to visit The Broads, the traditional seaside towns of Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and Lowestoft and the more genteel coastal towns of Southwold, Walberswick and Aldeburgh, we decided to walk down to the large marina and walk along the River Chet. It was a perfect late summer’s evening, with the cows in the meadow providing a particularly idyllic backdrop. Then we made our way back to get ready for the main event - supper. We were shown to a table in one of The Loddon Swan’s four dining areas, by the bar, which was a warm and welcoming space (the dried hops above us were a nice touch). The menus at The Loddon Swan have been created by Head Chef Jason Wright, who sources ingredients from local farmers, fishermen and producers to ensure only the very best our region has to offer is served up. The menus may not shout about the local and seasonal ingredients as such – that job is left for the new placemats, which are works of art in themselves, and illustrate some of the local producers used, such as Bullards Gin from Norwich, Marsh Pig Charcuterie from Claxton, Lowestoft Fish Market, Ellingham Hall asparagus, Raveningham venison, Heckingham beef, and Sotterley partridges. Jason, who has a modern British style of cooking, obtained The Loddon Swan’s first AA Rosette in 2015, with two Rosettes awarded in May of this year, so it was perfect timing to taste test the food.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

JASON WRIGHT

Drinks-wise, my partner nursed an Adnams Southwold Bitter, while I perused the eclectic wine list before deciding to continue my newfound love affair with Sauvignon Blanc, ordering a large glass of Frost Packet, from New Zealand, which indeed had a nice herby edge to it. At £8.15 for 250ml, this was the most expensive white wine available by the glass but worth every penny, in my opinion. For starters, my partner had glazed ham hock (£6.25), with peas, piccalilli and a crispy hen’s egg, which topped things off beautifully. Mine was a much simpler affair – roasted onion consommé of the day (£5.95) which I mopped up with deliciously warm sourdough bread. For mains, my partner was tempted by the rack of lamb (£17.95), with salt baked potatoes, sprouting broccoli, and sauce vierge – after all, the recipe is featured in the new Norfolk Cook Book. ‘Like no lamb I’ve ever tasted before,’ was the verdict from the other side of the table, ‘melt in the mouth stuff’. I was intrigued by a vegetarian dish simply called Norfolk carrot (£12.95), with smoked goats cheese, radish and more of that sauce vierge (which essentially a French ‘virgin’ sauce made from the likes of olive oil, lemon juice, chopped tomato and chopped basil). But carrot what, you might be wondering? Well, it was a carroty concoction of ‘spaghetti’ and whole baby carrots - the crispy cubes of cheese were an unexpected pleasure. After a good night's sleep it was high time for breakfast in the restaurant area, a spacious room with eclectic artwork which overlooks the courtyard garden. Breakfast was a case of helping ourselves to cereals and juice from the buffet table, then ordering tea and toast and a cooked breakfast: my partner had the Full English, consisting of Blythburgh Pork Sausage (the sausage was something else!), beer and treacle crispy bacon, free range egg, grilled mushroom, tomato and black pudding. And I went for the veggie option, with vegetarian sausage, and plenty of sauté potatoes in place of the all that meat - I have to say the scrambled egg was the nicest I’ve ever tasted.

STRATTONS, Swaffham www.strattonshotel.com With Julia Hetherton and Daniel Freear in the kitchen, plus charismatic owner Vanessa Scott, the menu in both the hotel’s main restaurant, The Rustic, and CoCoes deli café is always innovative and hyper local! This month will be all about foraging and glorious root vegetables as well as the berries and apples harvested nearby. And with 14 individually-designed bedrooms (including self catering options), set in and around the Palladianstyle villa, Strattons really lets you kick back and relax in some style! FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - The Red Room is the obvious choice but we love the Boudoir Suite which has plenty of drama. Think vivid wallpaper, a 5ft bed and a freestanding bath to start with. It’s on the first floor of the main house and pretty much sums up what Strattons is about. -

S T A Y C A T I O N

THE BANK HOUSE, King's Lynn

www.thebankhouse.co.uk Situated right on the quayside in King’s Lynn’s historic maritime quarter, The Bank House is a glamorous place to both dine and stay. It is set in a Georgian town house and many original features, such as oak panelling, remain, with the 12 bedrooms all styled in a different fashion. The bar is now housed in the former bank manager’s office and is very buzzy, while the corner restaurant serves food all day - including a goodly selection of classics - and the menu reflects the area’s rich larder. FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - We love the Bath Room - featuring a great tub, of course, and with views across the River Ouse. Look out for great Molton Brown goodies, too!

NORFOLK RESTAURANT WEEK

takes place from October 30 to November 10 and is a great chance to try out new places. More than 60 cafés, restaurants and eateries are taking place - visit www.norfolkrestaurantweek.co.uk for more information.

E AT - & S L E E P !

AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO NORFOLK RESTAURANT WEEK, YOU MIGHT FANCY STAYING OVER AT ONE OF THE PLACES TAKING PART. SARAH HARDY SUGGESTS SIX OF THE BEST BOLTHOLES

www.thegeorgehotelatcley.co.uk The handsome George, right in the centre of the charming brick and flint village with its narrow street and alleyways, dates back to the 18th century. Close to the iconic Cley windmill, the 10-bedroom hotel overlooks the marshes and reedbeds and is a firm favourite with bird watchers. Inside, Ashley and Matthew create a unstuffy atmosphere with a popular bar and restaurant where local produce dominates. FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - Room Three, on the first floor, is an en suite king room, with light and airy decorations and stunning views over those famous Cley marshes. We like the mirrored furniture and the bold artwork.

BRIARFIELDS, Titchwell www.briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk This family-run hotel, set right on those stunning North Norfolk salt marshes, is a dreamy sort of place. Their large terrace is the place to soak it all up with a glass of wine before heading indoors, where seafood features strongly on the menu. There’s plenty of room throughout the hotel, with woodburners creating a cosy glow throughout. Bedrooms are ultra comfy, with many dog friendly, and all those must haves like yummy soaps from The Natural Soap Co in Wells, too! FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - Ask for Room 16 which is a beautiful, luxury room with character features (think original beams and an exposed flint wall in the lounge), combined with contemporary styling (leather seating area and central bath), overlooking the rose courtyard with distant views of the marsh from the balcony.

BRIARFIELDS

THE GEORGE AT CLEY [pictured right]

THE CROWN HOTEL,

Wells-next-the-Sea, www.crownhotelnorfolk.co.uk A former coaching inn, the hotel overlooks the treelined green of The Buttlands, and has 20 luxury en suite bedrooms. Dining options include the Chancery Room, the spacious Gun Room, and the Library Room, where diners can select from a menu which makes good use of the finest and freshest seasonal produce, courtesy of the hotel’s proprietor, New Zealand-born chef Chris Coubrough and his kitchen team. FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - It has to be Copper Bath Room 23, which is situated in the old living quarters behind the main hotel building. It’s an enclosed southfacing rooftop suite with great views from the balcony which boasts a simply enormous copper bath – how’s that for a good old-fashioned hot tub experience?!

THE HERO,

Burnham Overy Staithe www.theheroburnhamovery.co.uk The restaurant and pub, with three recently added rooms in charming Burnham Overy Staithe, is headed up by owner and executive chef Harry Farrow, who has a love of French cuisine and a passion for sourcing the finest seasonal, local ingredients for his menus, so you can’t go far wrong here. The team is also made up of Head Chef Max Emmerson, who finds inspiration for his cooking from a broad spectrum of cultures including Asia and Sweden. There’s a great selection of gins, too. FEAST FAVOURITE ROOM - The Gun Hill room is a stunning upstairs master suite boasting beautiful views over Burnham Overy harbour, complete with a king-size bed with Egyptian cotton bed linen, tucked around the corner of the incredibly spacious L-shaped room.

AUTUMN HARVESTS ARE SO SATISFYING in the kitchen garden, as we get to cook up hearty dishes full of potatoes, butternut squash and pumpkin. One my favourite vegetables is the sweet potato, interestingly not at all from the same botanical family as the classic potato although there are some similarities. They are full of vitamin B1, B2 and B6, along with phosphorous, potassium and dietary fibre, and all of that beta-carotene converting into vitamin A, means healthy eyes and glowing skin.

KEEPING IT

SWEET THIS MONTH our

kitchen gardener Ellen Mary tells us

all about growing _ and cooking _ SWEET POTATOES Kitchen Gardener Ellen Mary is a presenter, journalist and garden designer. You can contact her on social media or at www.ellenmarygardening.co.uk

Autumn Vegetables G R O W

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ELLEN MARY

SWEET POTATO ‘EVANGELINE’

It’s believed that sweet potatoes were domesticated in Central America and taken from Europe to China by Christopher Columbus. Apparently, Henry VIII was rather partial to spicy sweet potatoes and, who could blame him? Chopped up and cooked with a sprinkling of spice, they are delicious! There are a few varieties and they can be cream, purple or even orange. Try Sett potato ‘Evangeline’ which is perfect if you have a sweet tooth!

How to grow

SOW Buy the ‘slips’ and place them in a shallow bowl of cool water for about a week until you can see roots or plug plants, which can be potted on straight away. For great results and for the most sweetness, make sure they are planted in full sun and allow the plants to have something to climb up or trail along. CARE They will need plenty of space and water. If needed, tie the stems gently onto trellis or other supports so the stems don’t break as they grow. They often grow better in a ventilated poly tunnel or greenhouse. HARVEST Usually about 120 days from planting they will be ready for harvesting, and certainly before the first frosts - especially if they are not grown undercover. They can be stored in a cool dry place for quite some time, so are great for autumnal dishes.

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RECIPE WITH ELLEN MARY

SWEET POTATO, SPINACH AND COCONUT CURRY WITH QUINOA

SERV E

From sweet potato mash to oven baked in oil and salt, they are definitely on the menu so much more these days. Who hasn’t swapped French fries for sweet potato fries recently? They are super delicious in curry and really filling, so great for vegetarians like me! INGREDIENTS A splash of coconut oil; a sprinkle of cumin, turmeric, and coriander; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1cm of fresh ginger, grated; 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped; 1 tin of chopped tomatoes; a pack (260g) of spinach; cooked quinoa; chopped fresh coriander or parsley; salt and pepper to taste METHOD Heat the oil and chuck in all of the spices and herbs (but don’t burn them!). Stir in the onion just for a few minutes until soft. Add in the garlic and ginger. When everything has been combined, add in the roughly chopped sweet potato and give everything a good mix. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and the coconut milk and stir so everything is covered. Leave to simmer on a medium heat for about 20 minutes. When the potato is soft, add in all of the spinach (it will wilt as it heats up). Cook your quinoa as per instructions and dish up with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle some roughly chopped coriander or parsley to taste and enjoy with a…beer!

RACHEL BIRTWHISTLE

Allotments -

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REAPING THE REWARDS New plot holder Rachel Birtwhistle embraces the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness as she prepares for her first autumn down at the allotment

THERE'S AN OCTOBER nip in the air and, if I'm honest, I'm a bit relieved that things at the allotment are beginning to 'chill out'. For the past few weeks the frenzy of getting everything gathered has led me to conclude that I am not the boss down on the plot. Instead, I have been diligently harvesting from plants dictating my every move (and meal) with their bountiful produce. Succession sowing is clearly something I need to be more adept at. I somehow failed to appreciate that if you sow a whole bed of broccoli at the same time, then you will have to eat a whole bed of broccoli - at same time! I am now immune to the meltdown over the necessity of consuming broccoli (daily), and the inability of children to control their gag reflex. My peace keeping negotiations over how many 'trees' need to be eaten before pudding should be Nobel prize winning by now. However, nothing, not even the cries of force fed kids, is more wounding than crops bolting or

going to seed before being eaten. Now is the time to start thinking about harvesting my potatoes, even though there is no rush to eat them. The tops of the plants have started to die but I'm keen to avoid the first hard frosts getting hold of the tubers. I've bought some potato storage bags and I know this is one job that my son will love getting involved in. The squeal of delight at finding unearthed spuds is lovely and his joy is infectious. Unfortunately, one potato contagion I haven't been able to prevent is the dreaded 'scab'. It doesn't have any impact on the taste but it does mean I need to scrub or peel my spuds before we eat them. To make up for 'broccoli gate' the fruit we have grown on the allotment has been a huge hit all round. My six-year-old officially claims to 'love anything with 'erries' in it'. This is fortuitous as the autumn raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are plentiful. My plot neighbour and I share a bramble

bush which I have cursed for most of the year as it attempted to inflict death by a thousand cuts on my arms and legs. All is now forgiven - it has produced the most abundant and delicious blackberries. These conjure up childhood memories of my own and the hilarity of playing Russian roulette with the sweet and occasionally sour fruits. I'd love to be able to say that given it's October, I have grown enough pumpkins to boast culinary as well as carving flare, but this year there simply wasn't enough space on the plot. The area of couch grass - about a quarter of my allotment - I still have to deal with, will be the perfect location next year. The hint of frost on the ground is a happy reminder that my freezer is full-to-bursting with produce grown from my first year at the plot, which, to my surprise, did actually thicken! • You can follow Rachel and her allotment adventure on twitter @treatlikedirt

Proud sponsors of

Rachel Birtwhistle’s allotment column and your friendly and knowledgeable first port of call for all things horticultural

01263 731510 www.woodgatenursery.co.uk

Cawston Road, Aylsham, Norwich, Norfolk NR11 6UH

CONGRATULATIONS to Woodgate Nursery and Feast Magazine competition winner Bob Evans from Alby Hill who wins 12 Issues of Feast Magazine and £150 of Woodgate vouchers for suggesting a simple 'no dig’ blanket of soil conditioner and mulch for Rachel to try out on her allotment

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Diane's Pantry P R O U D L Y

N O R F O L K

WHAT’S IN THE PANTRY? VANESSA AND GEORGE HILLIARD TELL US ABOUT TAKING OVER DIANE’S PANTRY IN REEPHAM WHERE THEY RUN A CAFÉ AS WELL AS A DELI

ho are you and what do you do? I am Vanessa Hilliard and, along with my husband, George, and a small team, we are Diane’s Pantry, a café/deli in the centre of Reepham. Where are you based? We are situated in the Market Place in the centre of the Reepham, one of Norfolk’s loveliest towns. How long have you been going? We took over Diane’s Pantry last December so we are coming up for our first birthday. What did you do before? We originally worked in the licensing trade, running pubs in the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire and in Preston St Mary near Lavenham. And we spent a year travelling the country as campsite assistants before deciding to look for a new business opportunity. We spent 18 months looking and then we found Diane’s Pantry - and Reepham!

What do you sell? Breakfast dishes are available from 8am–11am on weekdays and from 9am –noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Lunch is served from 11am–3pm and includes sandwiches, ciabattas, jacket potatoes, soup and quiche. All day snacks feature toasted teacakes, homemade sausage rolls and a variety of cakes, muffins, cookies and scones, all baked on the premises, as well as tea, coffee and cold drinks, all available to eat in or to go. How important are local producers to you? We try and stock local products and local producers as much as possible as they fit our policy of stocking unusual and/or high quality goodies. Have you got a best seller, and what do people order the most from your café? We sell a lot of Crush Foods' oils and dressings, as well as their granolas. And we find Greenwood honey is popular, too. But the best sellers are our home baked goodies, especially cheese straws and sausage rolls.

Do you have any future plans? We are in the process of getting our alcohol licence to sell local wine, beer and high quality spirits to drink in or take away. We also want to develop our second room into a cosy ‘sofa’ chill out area so we can extend the shelving in the deli area to stock more special dietary products. What do you like doing when you’re not working? We are new to Norfolk so we are slowly trying to visit all the beautiful beaches and towns along the coast. We love to visit the cafés, pubs and delis for ideas, and also to seek out new producers that we haven’t, as yet, discovered. It is great research! How has Norfolk Food and Drink been able to support you? We have only recently become a member but hope that they can help in our quest to find more local producers and help us promote ourselves, as well as Norfolk Food and Drink. We would also like to think that there is a lot more to learn about the deli business as we come from the licensing trade which is a completely different kettle of fish! • Diane’s Pantry, Market Place, Reepham. Call 01603 920660 This column is supported by Norfolk Food & Drink and highlights its Proudly Norfolk members. For more details, visit www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

CHRISTMAS EVENTS AT CARROW ROAD HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

THE WILD WILD WEST HHH

C H R I S T M A S PA RT Y N I G H T S

Join us in our Wild Wild West saloon at Carrow Road this Christmas. Come in full Fancy Dress or just add a cowboy hat to your outfit and enjoy a… H Drink on arrival H A two-course home cooked buffet H Take on the Rodeo H Place a bet on our casino table H Dance your cowboy boots off TICKETS ARE PRICED AT £35 PER PERSON Spaces can be reserved with a £10 non-refundable deposit per person. AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT DECEMBER The Norfolk Lounge, Norwich City Football Club 7.00pm-1.00am, buffet served at 7.30pm. Over 18’s only

Delia’s

Classic Christmas PartyNights AT C A R RO W RO A D

Our ever popular ‘Delia’s Classic’ Christmas Party Nights are returning this year. With stunning views over the pitch, the night includes a glass of prosecco on arrival, a traditional three course Christmas buffet dinner, followed by dancing until the early hours to our resident DJ. TICKETS ARE PRICED AT £42 PER PERSON Spaces can be reserved with a £10 non-refundable deposit per person. AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT DECEMBER Top of the Terrace, Norwich City Football Club 7.00pm-1.00am, buffet served at 7.45pm. Over 18’s only

For further information or to book: Call: 01603 218724 Email: canary.catering@canaries.co.uk Visit: deliascanarycatering.co.uk/events

JO IN

T R U UB U N O CL ISCO

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FINE WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS

Norfolk’s Largest Commercial Wine Cellars - Over 1,100 Varieties of Wines, Beers & Spirits Our Fine Selection of Spirits includes over 50 Gins, 20 Rums and 70 Malt Whiskies The Region’s Specialists in Bordeaux with Vintages dating back to 1959 Speciality Wines from Half Bottles up to 15 Litre Nebuchadnezzars Finest Champagnes from Pol Roger, Bollinger and Krug An Extensive Range of Vintage Port †

Expert & Knowledgeable Team to advise on the perfect Food Pairing Wine & Food Fair - Thursday 26th October 6pm-9pm

Tickets £5 per person, full details and bookings at www.bakersandlarners.co.uk 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