Flavour_South West_ May 2012_ 49

for people who love local food

South West | Issue 49 | May 2012

WIN!

A two-night stay at The Beaminster Brasserie

The BesT of BriTish

A hearty tribute to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Decamp to Dorset

Take in the wonders of the Jurassic Coast

INSIDE

Your regular Greenliving edition

Dare to Desire?

Opulence to the extreme at our delectable destinations www.flavourmagazine.com

Editor Nick Gregory Email: nick@flavourmagazine.com Art Director Bruce Mytton Email: design@flavourmagazine.com

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Advertising Miranda Coller, Director of Sales Email: miranda@flavourmagazine.com Jemima Greenacre, Account Manager Email: jemima@flavourmagazine.com Photography Jeni Meade Contributors Siân Blunos, Martin Blunos, Tom Bowles, Nick Harman, Clare Morris, Duncan Shine, Max Drake, James Underdown, Megan Owen, Taylor Smith, Jack Stein, Mitch Tonks, Cathy French, Holly AureliusHaddock, Rob Smith, Shu Han Lee. Flavour Magazine

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151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH Tel: 0117 977 9188 | Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com For general enquiries Peter Francomb Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com For competition entries Email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com © Copyright 2012 flavourmagazine.com All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of flavour. While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, flavourmagazine.com accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of flavourmagazine.com flavour magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print.

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For more information, please contact Peter Francomb Tel: 0117 977 9188 Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com Competition Terms & Conditions In addition to any specifically stated terms and conditions, the following applies to all competitions.

All information forms part of the rules. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules and agree to be bound by them. The winner will be the first entry drawn at random from all the entries sent back after the closing date and will be notified by either post, email or telephone. The prizes are as stated; they are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. All entrants must be at least 18 years old. Competitions are open to UK residents only. One entry per person. Proof of postage is not proof of entry. flavour accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post. Entrants agree to take part in any publicity material relating to the competition. The name of the winner will be published in the next edition. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

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Inside...

04 WIN! A luxury overnight break for two at The Beaminster Brasserie 10 In Season Tom Bowles brings us the best of the season’s produce 21 Decamp to Dorset Take in the wonders of the Jurassic coast 36 Out of the Oceans Jack Stein creates more marvels from the sea…

46 The Best of British Celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee with some choice selections 63 Desire The finest that money can buy

Please recycle this product.

welcome Welcome to May’s edition of flavour and a bumper British bonanza of recipes, great places to eat, drink and sleep as well as some fantasic products, cookery schools and tips from our top local chefs.

We all know what’s going on at the beginning of June and so it’s royally appropriate that we give our head of state the column inches she has earned over the last 60 years. We have a terrific ‘Best of British’ feature for just this eventuality on page 46.

We are also very pleased to have 102 Cookery School on board (page 30) and on page 6 they have offered-up a great Caple Wine Cooler as a prize for one lucky reader. Make sure you get your entry in.

I was lucky to be able to visit Barnsley House last month (page 38), while former editor Holly Aurelius-Haddock realised a long ambition and got to spend a night at The Fontmell in Dorset (page 16).

I would be very interested in hearing about any foodie news that’s going on in the next few weeks, especially as we build up towards the Olympics.

Well done!

Nick NICK GREGORY

If you have any news or events that you would like to share with us here at flavour then email enquiries@flavourmagazine.com

this month

Editor’s Pick EAT A PITTA Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm, Dan Levy’s Eat a Pitta at St Nicholas’ Market, Bristol is definitely where it’s at. Offering homemade falafel, hummus and salad, 29-year-old Dan has already, in just five months since opening, made Eat a Pitta into a firm favourite within the bustling city centre.

Despite a heavy Scottish twang, Dan’s Algerian roots shine through in the street food that he dishes out, a third generation family recipe developed by his grandmother and a great value for money. A full on falafel, salad and hummus pitta will set you back just £3.99 and will keep you satisfied for hours. They are darn tasty too!

WIN! A TWO-NIGHT STAY AT THE BEAMINSTER BRASSERIE AT THE BRIDGEHOUSE Former medieval priests’ house, the BridgeHouse, Beaminster oozes character with its ancient mullioned windows, beamed ceilings and huge inglenooks mixed with contemporary design. Close to the Jurassic Coast and in the heart of Thomas Hardy country, the hotel is now West Dorset’s hottest foodie destination.

Flavour has joined forces with the hotel’s two-Rosette restaurant – the Beaminster Brasserie – to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a two night B&B stay for two people with a sumptuous four-course dinner on the first night.

To enter, simply email competitions@flavourmagazine.com, with Beaminster competition in the subject line and your FULL contact details in the email body. The prize must be taken within the next six months and is available Sunday to Thursday subject to availability. Good luck! www.beaminsterbrasserie.co.uk

COMPETITION WINNERS Congratulations go to Sandi Wade, from Bristol, who wins an overnight stay at Macdonald Bath Spa. Congratulations also go to Barbara Thomas, Stephen Ashby, Sarah Box, Alex Layard and Julia Wilson, who win a luxurious ‘hot shellfish platter’ for two at Fishers Restaurant.

Well done!

WIN!

Great British bake-off winner to open Bath and West festival of baking The Royal Bath and West Show has secured Edd Kimber, one of the nation’s most popular celebrity bakers, to open its Festival of Baking, taking place at this year’s show from May 30 to June 2.

WINE OF THE

MONTH

Edd baked his way to fame after winning BBC Two’s Great British Bake-Off in 2010 and has since appeared on numerous baking programmes. The festival will kick-off with an hour-long session by Edd on May 30, which will include a baking demonstration, expert advice talk and an exclusive book signing for festival goers.

www.bathandwest.com RAYMOND BLANC OPENS BRASSERIE BLANC IN BATH

Tim McLaughlin-Green, sommelier and wine consultant of Sommelier’s Choice, was shortlisted for the Harpers & Queen Sommelier of the Year award. His philosophy is to search for and work with family-owned wineries, producing highquality wines in small quantities, aiming for something really special.

Now is the perfect time for British asparagus. We see it nearly all year round in the supermarket, however there is nothing quite like British. I remember as a child watching my father devour the neighbours’ asparagus with butter and black pepper. My favourite dish is quite simple – asparagus served with a poached egg, virgin olive oil and shaved Parmesan.

I love how the egg yolk once you cut into it coats the asparagus and brings the dish together.

RAYMOND BLANC, CELEBRATED CHEF AND FOUNDER OF THE SUCCESSFUL BRASSERIE BLANC CHAIN, WILL OPEN HIS 13TH BRASSERIE ON MAY 24TH IN BATH. The French brasserie and bar forms part of the historic Francis Hotel Bath, located in the famous Queen Square within walking distance of Bath’s shops, restaurants and the world famous Roman Baths & Pump Rooms. Francis Hotel has just undergone a £6m refurbishment to lovingly restore one of the city’s bestloved hotels to its former glory.

Brasserie Blanc offers something for everyone.

Whether it’s a family celebration or a business lunch, guests can enjoy classic French food in a warm, relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

www.brasserieblanc.com

Now for the wine, it has to be a Sauvignon Blanc, and I will stick with Europe; classics such as Sancerre and Pouilly Fume will complement the dish well.

However, my suggestion is an Italian Sauvignon from Veneto produced by Antonio Fattori called Sauvignon Blanc Vecchie Scuole 2011.

This wine exhibits fresh, floral hints of jasmine, mint and sage, while the palate is rich and exotic with lime notes. The production is small – only 15,000 bottles are produced – and Antonio uses very little sulphur, so no headaches!

Available from Dorset Wine Company, Oeno and Sommelier’s Choice. Price £14.99-£16.99 All wines available from:

www.sommelierschoice.com

> flavour news

WIN! A Fantastic Caple Wine Cooler Flavour has teamed-up with 102 Cookery School, to coincide with the school’s recent opening, to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a freestanding unbranded wine cooler from Caple (retail price £1,300), providing the perfect wine storage environment for those who are serious about their wine.

To enter the competition (T&C apply), simply email competitions@flavourmagazine.com and put 102 Cookery School in the subject header and your full contact details within the email body. Gook luck and we at flavour are tremendously envious! www.102cookeryschool.co.uk

Al fresco Cooking Launched At Food Lovers’ Pub Victorian-inspired outdoor kitchen and outdoor dining space for 40 now open at the King John Inn, Wiltshire.

Renowned for its excellent locally sourced food and fine wines, the King John Inn has just launched its latest project; the Victorian Inspired Summer Kitchen, an outdoor cooking and dining space styled by interior designer Gretchen Boon, one half of the pub’s entrepreneurial landlords.

The outdoor kitchen is situated on the top tier of the pub’s terraced garden and will allow Head Chef Simon Trepess to extend the already mouthwatering food to include modern summer classics such as grilled lobster from Poole Bay and pigeon salad…

www.kingjohninn.co.uk

WIN!

WE’RE JAMMIN’ Pear and Elderflower Jam is the second in a new range of speciality jams from Kitchen Garden. Featuring the amazing ‘Catillac’ variety of cooking pears from Painswick Rococo Gardens and flavoured with delicate elderflower, this lovely jewel-like jam is gorgeous spread on scones with thick clotted cream, used as an ingredient in summer trifles or served simply with hot buttered toast.

For an exclusive promotion, simply go online, order £15 or more (plus p&p) and put the code FLAVR2 in the box marked ‘Notes to seller’ and Kitchen Garden will include a FREE 227g jar of Pear and Elderflower Jam.

www.kitchengardenpreserves.co.uk

Reader Offer

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SQUARE FOOD FOUNDATION Square Food Foundation is Barny Haughton’s new cookery school, based at the Park in Knowle West. Square Food offers a unique opportunity to people of any age, ability and walk of life to make food and cooking more accessible, more fun and part of everyday living.

Formerly at Bordeaux Quay and before that at Quartier Vert, Square Food has run cookery courses and workshops for over 15 years.

It teaches recipes and skills and provides confidence and inspiration to thousands of students from every walk of life. If you cook every day and need an injection of enthusiasm or you’ve never cooked before or you just want to spend a fun evening with brilliant ingredients, delicious recipes and skilled and experienced teachers, it’s worth checking out the new programme of courses and workshops to find something to suit you.

WILD THYME FOOD FESTIVAL CHIPPING NORTON The third annual gastronomic celebration, Wild Thyme Food Festival, takes place in the Town Hall, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire on Sunday 27th May from 11am-5pm.

The event promises to be even better this year with more events, exhibitors and demonstrations than Wild Thyme’s second and again, highly successful festival, held a year ago.

0117 904 6679 www.squarefoodfoundation.co.uk

FUN IN FROME Cheap Street fun day is an annual community spirited day offering the people of Frome and beyond a day of free entertainment, fun and frolics, Punch & Judy, Tea/Coffee Cup Ride, Circus Workshop, Music Stage and Dance and much much more. It’s on Sunday, June 3 from 11am til 6ish.

Come and join the festivities.

TONKS HITS NUMBER 10

There’ll be a wide array of foodie events to choose from. More than 20 exhibitors will be showcasing the region’s best artisan and ethical food produce within the magnificent setting of Chipping Norton’s Georgian Town Hall. All are passionate local producers keen to share the story of their produce, offering samples and, of course, selling their food and drink during the day.

Festival founder and chef proprietor of Wild Thyme, Nick Pullen, and his team, will be hosting cookery demonstrations throughout the day including a masterclass on pasta making. Nick will be joined by food writer, William Sitwell, who will be demonstrating recipes alongside 2011 MasterChef finalist, James Perry, aka the tattooed cook!

Children are central to this festival and so a range of fun food activities will be laid on for the little ones by preschool, Town Nursery, and also for older children, leaving parents free to enjoy the festival. www.wildthymerestaurant.co.uk

More than 150 chefs, restaurateurs and food producers from the UK, as well as some of the world’s 50 Best Chefs, visited Downing Street recently to launch a campaign to promote the UK’s food scene abroad.

Among the chefs were flavour correspondent Mitch Tonks, The Bath Priory’s Michael Caines and Valentine Warner. The event, in association with the Sustainable Restaurant Association, was held in support of VisitBritain’s Great Britain Campaign and highlight the wealth of quality restaurants and producers on offer in the UK.

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r Readeffer: tO Ticke r £35 5) 2 foFLAVOUR3 e (Quotalid Thur & s V ssion Fri se

— Celebrating world class cuisine —

21-24 JUNE 2012 - REGENT’S PARK Discover London’s diverse cuisine at the world’s greatest pop-up restaurant festival.

Savour the best in international flavours from 40 of London’s hottest restaurants, see world class chefs live on stage and explore fine food and wine from top producers.

Celebrate summer in the city with Taste of London, the gourmet event of the season.

Restaurant line up: Asia de Cuba ● Aurelia ● Barbecoa ● Bar Boulud ● Benares ● Bocca di Lupo ● Cinnamon Soho ● Club Gascon ● Coq d’Argent ● The Corner Room ● Gaucho ● Gauthier Soho ● Iberica ● Kensington Place ● L’Anima ● Launceston Place ● Le Gavroche ● Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar ● Maze ● Meursault at L’Etranger ● Opera Tavern ● Petrus ● Pollen Street Social ● Rhodes 24 ● The Savoy Grill ● Tamarind ● Theo Randall at the InterContinental Hotel ● Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room ● Yauatcha ● plus pop-up restaurants from Action Against Hunger & many more Taste of Thailand restaurants: Blue Elephant ● Busaba Eathai ● Ora ● Patara ● Suda

For tickets, visit tastefestivals.com/london or call 0871 230 7132 Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Booking and transaction fees apply. Offer applies to standard tickets purchased in advance for Thursday and Friday sessions. Saving calculated on door price.

Like us

> flavour fab foodie reads

For bookworms who love nothing more than cooking up a feast for family and friends, our monthly selection of new releases is enough to keep anyone entertained!

fab foodie reads PICK OF THE MONTH!

VIRGIN TO VETERAN: HOW TO GET COOKING WITH CONFIDENCE SAM STERN Quadrille, £20 Move over Jamie, here comes Sam Stern! A must-have new release from the country’s most prolific young culinary writer.

Guiding beginners in the kitchen down the path to gastronomic greatness for the past seven years, Sam Stern is no stranger to the world of eating well and telling us how we can do it too. Published while Sam was still studying for GCSEs and A-Levels, Cooking Up A Storm (2005), Real

Food Real Fast (2006), Get Cooking (2007), Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook (2008) and Eat Vegetarian (2010) all received critical acclaim, and now the 20-year-old prodigy returns with Virgin to Veteran; a contemporary cooking masterclass designed to get teens, 20and 30-somethings into the kitchen and cooking with confidence.

From mastering the basics to insider tips and techniques, this book will teach you everything you need to

become a confident cook. From fast food to slow, food to go or eat in, healthy to greedy, there’s something in the over 100 masterclass recipes featured to match every mood, budget and lifestyle.

WEBER’S BARBECUE ANYTIME JAMIE PURVIANCE

HASHI– A JAPANESE COOKERY COURSE REIKO HASHIMOTO

Barbecues are not just burgers and hot dogs. With Weber’s Barbeque Anytime you can create impressive, healthy dishes perfect for everyday dining to large social banqueting all-year round. Not only is the book full with over 190 inspirational recipes, it contains everything the avid barbecue enthusiast needs to know.

You will find expert answers to common questions about barbecuing, handy tips and advice on safety, upkeep, fuel and lighting methods, plus useful ingredient grilling indexes and a barbeque prep school.

Whether you’re completely new to Japanese cookery, or you already know your ramen from your mirin, Hashi contains a host of inspiring recipes for everything from simple home cooking, to dishes for entertaining. Reiko Hashimoto grew up in Kyoto and runs a widely-acclaimed cookery school from her home. With more than 12 years’ experience of teaching cooks of all abilities, Reiko has created recipes that are designed to build confidence, as well as to challenge. Her clear and precise style succeeds in demystifying a cuisine that can sometimes seem somewhat daunting, and she explains how to create delicious and authentic dishes without spending much at all.

Hamlyn, £15.99

Absolute Press, £20

EAT YOUR VEG ARTHUR POTTS DAWSON OCTOPUS, £25

Vegetables are elbowing their way back into the foreground: many people are consciously deciding to reduce their intake of meat. This could be through the successful Meat Free Monday campaign or just a desire to save money, reduce environmental impact on the planet or just to live a healthier life. This new book from chef Arthur Potts Dawson is all about putting vegetables at the centre of the plate and provides a little help to flip the way we look at and cook them. It isn’t a book about being a vegetarian and it isn’t a vegetarian cookbook. It’s a new way of life that celebrates vegetables and puts them forefront...

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> flavour in season

At their best

right Asparagus The most highly anticipated seasonal arrives on our plates from late April to early May. It may be because of the relatively short season running from May to June that makes this plant so popular, but it’s hard to deny the unique flavour that it has too. To add to that, the fact that British-grown asparagus, in my completely unbiased opinion, is by far the finest in the world, makes it easy to see why such excitement surrounds it. When picking out asparagus look for firm stalks but tender at the tips with good, deep colour. It’s not a vegetable that stores well so it’s best to eat on the day of purchase or as close after as possible. A good tip is to store it with a damp tea towel around the stems in the fridge. When preparing, snap the woodier part of the stem off before cooking. Enjoy simply with melted butter, salt and pepper.

Gooseberry A fruit that we Brits have become masters of producing and one that needs a bit more publicity please! These little grape-sized berries are full of flavour – juicy and tart. Their popularity is not what it used to be as they need a little TLC, particularly earlier in the season. Here you’ll find smaller, firmer, green berries that need to be cooked or poached. These are great for jams, fools or as an accompaniment to roast pork or mackerel. As the season draws on they become a lot sweeter and can then be eaten raw. Look for firm, undamaged berries. As they come into season gooseberries will be green, but they mellow to a golden colour as they become more suitable for eating raw. Early berries will keep well for a week or more in the fridge but the riper ones will perish quicker so eat these within a day or two.

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> flavour in season

We all know that eating with the seasons makes for healthier bodies and tastier dishes. Each month Tom Bowles from Hartley Farm brings you all you need to know about the best produce of the month.

now

Hartley Farm Shop and Café is located just outside Bath, selling a fresh and colourful selection of local, seasonal produce. Visit: www.hartley-farm.co.uk Follow Hartley Farm on Twitter: @hartleyFarm

Elderflower As the weather starts to warm and the surrounding countryside starts to fill with colour once again, one wild flower worth seeking out is the elderflower. Towards the end of May the elder tree starts to blossom yielding its elderberries as well as the extremely sought-after creamy yellow flowers. Elder trees are fairly widespread around Britain so with a bit of luck you should be able to find some. The flowers are best used as a flavouring and are most commonly used to make summer cordials as well as champagne for those looking for a bit more of a clout. The flowers should never be eaten raw, as like elderberries, they are mildly poisonous so it’s well advised to use them only in cooking!

Elderflowers are in season from late May all the way through to July in the typically warmer months so be sure to stockpile your elderflower cordials. You don’t have long to savour this flower!

Chicory This leafy vegetable starts its life in the soil like many of its counterparts but is then transferred to sand and forced in a dark shed similar to rhubarb, which gives it an anaemic shade of white and yellow. Chicory seems to be a more and more popular ingredient on menus and its not hard top see why. Its tightly packed, bullet-like shape lends itself nicely to little, well-presented salad dishes often with something fruity or sweet or simply fresh with other crudités to complement its sharp tang. For the freshest of chicory look for firm, crisp leaves. Try to avoid plants with a slightly darker shade of green at the tip as they may be piercingly bitter. It can be prepared by simply separating the leaves or cutting into quarters depending on how you wish to use it.

If you are cooking with it a little tip is to use a squeeze of lemon with it to prevent it discolouring.

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The Great British

Strawberry

Sweet, juicy and plump, British strawberries are undeniably the taste of a good summer. Sweet Eve is a new variety of British strawberry. Packed with sweetness and flavour it’s in season from June until October and it tastes like strawberries used to taste!

A

good strawberry is like a burst of summer sun – whether you’re picking your own straight from the field, eating strawberry pavlova for afternoon tea, or enjoying punnet after punnet at Wimbledon, strawberries are the taste of sunshine. To make the most of their natural sweetness and intense flavour enjoy them at room temperature.

Sweet Eve is a truly British strawberry, both bred and grown in this country. Unlike other varieties which are imported from abroad but grown here in the UK, Sweet Eve has been developed specifically for our Great British climate. It thrives in the special weather conditions of this country, meaning it is sweeter and more flavourful when ripe.

• Strawberries contain more vitamin C than the equivalent weight of fresh oranges, and like most fruit and veg, they are low in calories, high in fibre and can help to boost our intake of antioxidants • Just seven strawberries (80g) provides your recommended daily amount of vitamin C

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Around 15 million punnets of the berries will be grown and eaten between June and October this year alone.

Eating strawberries dates back to Henry VIII’s royal court, and we Brits have always been fond of the sweet, aromatic fruit which signals the start of the summer. With such a historic and long-established connection with strawberries, it’s hardly surprising that so many of us have fallen into the trap of using the same staple recipes to showcase our English strawberries. Try something different from our collection of simple serving suggestions to truly make the most of that taste of summer.

• Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin K and manganese, as well as folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids • Strawberries contain significant levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants which help to fight free radicals (which can

damage cells and are thought to contribute to the formation of many kinds of cancer). These antioxidant properties are believed to be linked to what makes the strawberry bright red • Strawberries were historically used medicinally to help with digestive ailments, discoloured teeth and skin irritations

Sweet Eve Strawberry Tapas This is such a simple and easy way of serving fresh, ripe seasonal strawberries at the end of a relaxed supper party. Everyone can get stuck into their preferred flavour combinations, and can taste each accompaniment. Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese and can be found in most supermarkets.

Let the sweet and fragrant taste of Sweet Eve strawberries speak for itself, or enhance it by dipping in this wonderful array of spices and flavours.

Serves 4 / Preparation time: 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

METHOD

500g fresh Sweet Eve strawberries

Hull and clean the strawberries, removing the green stem with a teaspoon. Now slice the strawberries in half, and place them in a serving bowl on a tray. Prepare 5 more small bowls, all to be served on the same tray.

100g Schwartz black peppercorns 100g red peppercorns 250g Galbani® Ricotta cheese ½ teaspoon of Schwartz ground cinnamon 100ml of aged traditional, balsamic vinegar from Modena Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 100g unrefined soft brown cane sugar

Using a pestle and mortar, lightly crush the black peppercorns, and then place them in a small bowl, on the same tray as the strawberries.

Lightly crush the red peppercorns, as above, and place them in a separate bowl, again on the tray. Mix the ricotta in another bowl with the ground cinnamon.

Pour the balsamic vinegar in a small bowl.

Place the lemon zest in another bowl, and mix in the sugar.

Serve the prepared tray to your guests, and they can dip each strawberry into the flavours alternatively.

Sweet Eve Strawberry Hawaii Slush This is a delicious, healthy drink that you can make with children for afternoon tea in the summer or as a pudding after their meal. If you make the recipe using freshly squeezed orange juice it will taste so much better than carton juice. Serve the slush in a tall glass with an umbrella and straw for an instant party feeling.

Serves 4 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Freezing time: 2 hours INGREDIENTS

METHOD

250g Sweet Eve strawberries

Firstly prepare the fruit. Hull the strawberries and slice them in half. Peel the bananas and chop into chunks. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into cubes.

Slice the peaches into quarters. De-seed the watermelon and chop into chunks.

2 ripe bananas 2 ripe mangos 2 ripe peaches ¼ watermelon 250ml of fresh orange juice 2 tbsp of honey 2 tbsp lemon juice

Place all the fruit on a plastic tray or baking tray that is covered with greaseproof paper and put in the freezer for two hours, until the fruit is solid.

Place the frozen fruit in a liquidiser or blender. Add the orange and lemon juice and honey and whizz until smooth.

Pour the Sweet Eve Strawberry Hawaii Slush into tall glasses and serve.

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askachef:

Christophe Lacroix Co-owner and head chef at One Beaufort, Christophe Lacroix has been classically trained in France under Chef Jacques Le Devillec. He has worked in restaurants throughout Europe before coming to Bath and opening The Pinch of Salt and Le Petit Cochon. Christophe’s love of English food with a classic French twist makes for a memorable combination.

Q

To keep my roasting tins protected I use tin foil when cooking in the oven, but does this impede the quality of the end product and do I need to alter timings?

Catherine Sansom, Shaftesbury I appreciate that covering your baking tray does make washing up easier but it is not something I would recommend, When I first started my training in France we were taught not to use tin foil because of the risk of food contamination from the foil and because of this I have always used parchment paper.

Q

Now winter’s ending I want to start eating some summer salads again, can you suggest a dressing that has the WOW! factor? Julia Robinson, Burford INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 shallot

1 tomato, skinned and seeded 1 tbsp honey A sprig of thyme 3 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp parsley Salt and pepper

Q

Do you have a tried and tested recipe for a gazpacho soup? Naomi Franks, Bristol INGREDIENTS Gazpacho soup serves 4 1 kg large ripe tomatos diced 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 cucumber peeled and seeded 150ml extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 tsp dark sugar 5 drops of Tabasco sauce 1 peeled celery stalk 1 pinch of paprika Salt to taste METHOD Pan fry the tomato and paste and add the vinegar and sugar and cook for 1 minute.

Put all ingredients into a food processor, adding the olive oil slowly. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve, cover and rest in the fridge for 12 hours.

I like to serve the soup with fresh crab meat on top and ground black pepper.

Q

What is the best way to cook coq au Vin? Mike Stevens, Street Divide the chicken into eight pieces, 2 legs, 2 thighs and breast into 4, marinade for 24 hours in red wine, juniper berry, chopped leeks, celery and carrots, the feet from button mushrooms (keep the mushroom you will need it later) and a bouquet garni (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and parsley tied together). The marinade is the most important part of this recipe.

Pan fry the chicken pieces in goose fat until colorised and then return to marinade in a large cooking pot and simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes depending on the quality of the chicken.

Pan fry baby onions, the button mushroom tops and diced streaky bacon in butter and add to the pot.

When the simmering has finished let the whole dish rest for 12 hours.

Check seasoning and serve warm with toast and chopped parsley.

Q

Dessert wines – can you recommend one that does not have that ‘gloopy’ texture but still works well with afters?

Johnathon Rogers, Butcombe I would go for a Moscato D’asti from the hills of Asti, Piedmonte in North West Italy. It is a slightly sparkling, gently sweet dessert wine. It’s as fresh as a daisy and really light and delicate with lovely hints of orange blossom and nectarine with an uplifting, perfumed nose. Perfect for those who want something sweet but not heavy and sticky!

One Beaufort, London Road, Bath BA1 6QB ~ 01225 334050 ~ www.onebeaufort.com 14

JON THORNER’S

the

BUTCHER’S

tip

Jon Thorner is the founder of Jon Thorner’s Ltd and is South West Chairman of the Q Guild of Butchers association. The awardwinning businessman has a farm shop near Shepton Mallet, five butchery counters across the South West and makes fantastic pies...

Jon Thorner’s Bridge Farm Shop Pylle Shepton Mallet Somerset BA4 6TA 01749 830138 www.jonthorners.co.uk Twitter: @JonThorners Facebook: Jon Thorner’s

T

he Great British banger has been a fundamental part of our dinner menu throughout history. Originally sausages were created as a way of being frugal and using up off-cuts of meat. But today butchers’ sausages are creative, exciting and bursting with quality ingredients.

which is generally of a poorer quality.

The legal minimum of meat allowed in a sausage is 42 per cent, but of this 55 per cent can be fat and gristle! There is a place for cheap sausages on the market, but I would recommend you at least try a quality butcher’s sausage and you will really taste the difference.

The golden rule in making a great sausage is quality meat. In our award-winning pork sausages we use minced shoulder and belly pork from West Country-reared pigs.

Our sausages contain between 65–75 per cent meat. The reason British sausages aren’t pure meat is because you need a bit of fat and cereal for it to bind and help the sausage cook well. We add a wheat-based rusk – without this it would be very dense and heavy, like some European sausages are – and we only use natural casings.

One of the great things about British bangers is how inventive you can be with flavour, using different herbs, spices and seasonings to create interesting flavours.

Our 2 Gold Star Great Taste Awardwinning Toulouse sausage has red wine, fresh herbs and smoked bacon in the ingredients, for a wonderful depth of flavour. Our Old English sausage has won an award at every competition we’ve entered it in; we just use quality pork and a subtle blend of herbs but it really does take the classic pork sausage to a new level.

The main difference between a butcher’s sausage and a cheap commercial sausage is the quality of the meat. Cheap sausages will predominately have less meat in them

With the forthcoming Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Great British banger would be the perfect choice for a celebratory meal.

And with an exciting range that boasts pork, ginger and spring onion, beef and horseradish, and wild boar and apple, your local Jon Thorner’s butcher wouldn’t disappoint – there is also a fantastic offer on our handmade sausages in the freezer, so stock up!

Starting life as Flowers Brewery over 200 years ago, The Fontmell near Shaftesbury is a Grade II listed building with, according to Holly Aurelius-Haddock, a very interesting architectural twist...

The Fontmell A

t the rear of The Fontmell’s cosy, traditional bar area, an ingenious extension straddles the Collyer’s Brook stream and houses the pub’s dining area. “I initially wanted to build a glass floor over the stream, but increasing our current blueprint made planning permission tricky”, explains owner Rob Clark. “Instead, we built over it and fitted large concertina windows so guests would be able to hear the babbling of the brook during their meal.”

Idiosyncratic flourishes seem to characterise the whole Fontmell experience. Pre-loved furniture and rich fabrics are thoughtfully mismatched throughout the pub, including an open-fronted piano and Vivienne Westwood wall hanging that are impossible not to covet.

The pub’s six luxury bedrooms have been subject to a vibrant transformation too, each room name even translating as the word ‘butterfly’ in a different language or dialect. The Master Bedroom Mallyshag – a colloquialism used on the Isle of Wight where owner Rob grew up – is undoubtedly the show-stopper, boasting exposed wooden beams and a free-standing roll-top bath. That said, ask for Babochka (Russian) and you won’t be disappointed either.

Chef Patron Tom Shaw uses his Michelin training to run The Fontmell’s kitchen with a steady hand, known for his close relationship with local suppliers and exacting standards when it comes to their deliveries. “Everything we do here has to be best it can be, so if I’m not totally happy with what turns up in the kitchen, it will go straight back,” he says.

Tom still likes to inject what he calls ‘a necessary sense of theatre’ into the dining experience while

keeping it real with a peppering of pub classics.

That’s why you’re as likely to find beer-battered fish and chips on his menus as you are filowrapped goat’s cheese and blossom honey (as good as it sounds). His signature dish of fois gras crème brûlée, Muscavado jelly and bitter apple also shows his more playful side, a light and well-constructed version of a French staple that any gourmande would be foolish to pass by.

The main courses that arrived during supper were testament to a delightfully diverse menu – a plate of linguine pasta served with nutmeg, pecorino and black truffle pitted against a roast pork belly, bubble and squeak and wholegrain mustard. In both cases, the end result was cooked to perfection, seasoned with good taste and served with a smile.

Wine buffs needn’t fret if the pub’s specially brewed beer is not their thing either; instead they can choose from a tightly edited selection that sees boutique producers from Europe and the New World represented in equal measure.

Try a glass of the 2009 Gewurtztraminer with its spice notes for something a little different.

Large leather armchairs and an open fire make post-dinner lounging obligatory, while upstairs a good night’s sleep awaits as soon as your head hits the goose down pillow.

Just six months after opening, The Fontmell is already attracting all the right kinds of attention, being listed in The Times’ Top 30 Sexy Places to Eat earlier this month. Just think, if the pub’s dedicated and amicable team can achieve such praise in their first chapter, what might the next hold for them?

The Fontmell, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0PA Call 01747 811441 Visit www.thefontmell.com 16

> flavour assembly inn

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Bristol Good Food Awards OUR BEST LOCAL PRODUCERS Bristol’s local producers were judged in the first stage of the premiere Bristol Good Food Awards recently, with 11 outstanding winners chosen by an expert panel of judges at the Love Food Spring Festival.

The finest food and drink in the region from cheese and preserves through to cakes, ciders and wines were identified in a blind tasting by judges, headed by Angela Mount and including Thane Prince, Xanthe Clay, Emily Knight, Barbora Stiess and Richard Trusscott.

The Best Local Cheese was identified as Homewood Cheeses whose Ewes cheeses were heralded for their clean taste, great balance of flavours and high-quality cheese making.

Forage Fine Foods scooped the Best Local Condiment category, while The Bath Pig, HOMEWOOD CHEESES Trealy Farm and Castellano’s shared glory in the Best Local Charcuterie categories.

The judges’ award for Best Local Cakes, and in their opinion, for the most innovation in a category went to The Little Cake Stand, for their quirky cupcake versions of lemon meringue pie, cherry bakewell pie and sticky toffee pudding!

Joe’s Bakery was named as Best Local Bakery, whilst small 18

producer Dick Willows beat off fierce competition to win the Best Local Cider accolade. Local wine producer Wraxhall Vineyards took the honours in the Best Local Wine category, with judges particularly praising its Pinot Noir Rose wine.

Head judge Angela Mount said: “Bristol has an amazing regional food and produce heritage, and I’m delighted to be involved in an event to celebrate the top producers of the region. The standard of entries was incredibly high, with some very difficult judging decisions to make. There was a superb variety of products, flavours and concepts, with some truly brilliant innovation, inventiveness and real integrity of product. These awards commend and reward, and hopefully put on the map, the commitment, dedication and quality of product of the winners and shortlisted entries.”

Rudy Millard, of Bristol Good Food Awards 2012 organisers www.

Guide2Bristol.com added, “It’s great to be supporting an event that we feel is going to help raise awareness of Bristol among foodies around the country, and perhaps make people think about the economic, environmental and health benefits that come from supporting local food and drink producers as well. There are some great companies who supply our local area, and we can’t wait to see who makes it on to the shortlist for the restaurant, deli and cafe awards categories.”

All of the Bristol Good Food Awards 2012 winners will be presented with their winners’ trophies at a special gala awards evening on 3 July at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery.

The Bristol Good Food Awards 2012 Local Producers awards, sponsored

by Almondsbury Garden Centre, also marked the opening of votes to find the area’s Best Restaurant.

Bristolians are invited to nominate their favourite restaurants into one of the 24 categories and the shortlisted establishments will then be judged through secret visits from a panel of experts.

ROSE FARM

Good Food Awards 2012:

THE BATH PIG

CASTELLANO’S

BEST LOCAL CHEESE Homewood Cheeses Shortlisted: Bath Soft Cheese, Trethowan’s Dairy (commended for Caerphilly) BEST LOCAL PRESERVE Rose Farm Shortlisted: The Storecupboard, Angela’s Kitchen

THE LITTLE CAKE STAND

FORAGE FINE FOODS

BEST LOCAL CONDIMENT Forage Fine Foods Shortlisted: Heavenly Hedgerows, Woodchester Fine Foods BEST LOCAL CHARCUTERIE Best Chorizo: The Bath Pig Best Ham: Trealy Farm Shortlisted: Castellano’s BEST LOCAL OILS OR SAUCES Fussels Fine Foods Shortlisted: Bath Harvest, Upton Cheyney Chilli Company BEST LOCAL BAKERY Joe’s Bakery Shortlisted: Herbert’s Bakery, Thoughtful Bread

THE UPTON CHEYNEY CHILLI CO

BEST LOCAL CAKES The Little Cake Stand Shortlisted: La Dame Gâteau, Beach House Bakery BEST LOCAL CONFECTIONARY Upton Cheyney Chilli Company Shortlisted: Raw Chocolate Parlour, Maison Lou Lou BEST LOCAL CIDER Dick Willows Shortlisted: Lilleys Cider Barn, Thatchers

FUSSELS FINE FOODS TREALY FARM JOE’S BAKERY

BEST BEER Wickwar Brewing Co. Shortlisted: Bath Ales, Bristol Beer Factory BEST LOCAL WINE Wraxhall Vineyard Shortlisted: Heavenly Hedgerows, Three Choirs Vineyard

WRAXHALL VINEYARD 19

Gascoyne Place serves creative modern British food from seasonal, local and sustainable sources. We offer the best aspects of the pub and restaurant environment with friendly, knowledgeable lunch, pre-theatre and dinner service matched with an extensive beer and wine list, much of which is directly sourced and imported including our multi award-winning house wines. ◆ New kitchen team headed by Ross Shaw ◆ Fresh, seasonal, locally sourced produce with all dishes made entirely on the premises ◆ Variety of dining settings to choose from including private rooms available for group bookings ◆ Live jazz every Sunday evening ◆ Open 12noon until late 7 days a week

◆ Extensive wine list of over 90 wines with 35 by the glass ◆ Large selection of draught and bottled beers, local ciders and ales, spirits and cocktails ◆ Friendly, knowledgeable staff ◆ Set lunch and pre-theatre menu £13.50 for two courses / £17.00 for three courses

SAMPLE MENU Goats Cheese Pithivier, Red Onion Jam, Pickled Cucumber, Toasted Walnuts Seared Smoked Salmon, Fennel Remoulade, Beetroot Purée Potted Salt Beef, Pickled Shallots, Watercress Pesto, Toasted Sour Dough

Pan-Fried Rump of Lamb, Boulangère Potato, Chorizo,Tomato and Vegetable Broth, Lemon and Herb Dressing Pan-Fried Fillet of Wild Sea Bass, Clams, Curried Potatoes & Spinach, Butter Braised Vegetables with Tomato & Herbs Pan-Fried Pork Fillet, Pork Belly, Black Pudding, Roast New Potatoes, Parsnip Purée, Caramelised Apples

Dark Chocolate Brownie, Orange Curd, Rum & Raisin Ice Cream Rhubarb Pannacotta, Rhubarb Jelly, Stem Ginger Shortbread 3 British Artisan Cheeses, Crackers, Chutney Westcombe Cheddar – Blue Monday – Tunworth

Lunch: Monday – Friday 12-2.30pm, Saturday & Sunday 12-3pm Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5.30-9.30pm, Friday and Saturday 5.30-10pm, Sunday 6-10pm

Gascoyne Place  1 Sawclose  Bath BA1 1EY (directly opposite the Theatre Royal) Call us 01225 445854  Visit us www.gascoyneplace.co.uk

DECAMP TO

Dorset With Europe in crisis, why not look a little closer to home and head down to Dorset’s stunning Jurassic Coast for some serious R&R...

> flavour dorset

The Langton Arms Specialising in traditional homecooked fare using fresh produce from their vegetable garden,Tarrant Valley beef, Dorset pork, lamb, game and South Coast seafood, with homemade breads, ice cream and petit fours, The Langton Arms has a beautiful flowered courtyard and a large beer garden with children’s area, as well as spacious bars, the Stables restaurant and a conservatory.

own bar and skittle alley. Meetings and conferences are held in the function room, providing a unique and peaceful location for a variety of events.

Open all day seven days a week for tea, free Wi-Fi, and food is served all day on Saturday and Sundays.

There is accommodation in either the four-diamond AA rated guest rooms or the idyllic self-catering Taddlestones cottage, sleeping up to 10 guests.

The Langton Arms has held a civil wedding licence for 10 years and has grown to become one of the most popular wedding venues in Dorset.

The function room seats 72 and has its

The Langton Arms Tarrant Monkton, Nr Blandford, Dorset DT11 8RX Call: 01258 830225 Visit: www.thelangtonarms.co.uk

The Chocolate Café The Chocolate Café is a sumptuous venue with a satisfying selection of Fairtrade beverages and a velvety array of handmade Belgian chocolates designed to tempt even the most virtuous towards a little ‘naughty, but nice’.

Ponder with an espresso and savour the creation of a box of truffles with Gareth and Aleks in their convivial, chill-out cafe; you’ll be able to find something memorably edible to mark your visit: how long it lasts once you’ve got it home is quite another matter!

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Bere Farm White Pepper Cookery School has a portfolio of over 30 cookery courses running throughout the year. With a butchery, polytunnel and picturesque courtyard on site you’ll find this the perfect way to relax while developing new skills.

For 10 per cent off this summer quote ‘Bestof ’ (T&Cs apply). www.white-pepper.co.uk Come and delight your senses at the ‘new’ Barn Café. Try the delicious local smoked trout pâté or the local air-dried charcuterie boards while enjoying the eclectic mix of French antiques and vintage artefacts in a relaxing and friendly environment. www.thebarncafedorset.co.uk

Simon Dunn Chocolatiers 47 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JX

Bere Farm Wareham Road, Lytchett Minster Dorset BH16 6ER

Call: 01308 458770 Visit: www.chocolatecafedorset.co.uk

White Pepper: 07775 742900 Barn Café: 01202 900131

> flavour dorset

Beaminster Brasserie

Highway Farm

AT THE BRIDGEHOUSE

DECIDEDLY DORSET!

Enjoy relaxed, unpretentious two-rosette dining in a simply amazing 13th-century former priest’s house at BridgeHouse.

There’s a choice of dining areas from the chic, Georgian dining room through to al fresco in the brasserie overlooking the beautiful walled garden.

Highway Farm offers quality B&B and cottage accommodation, plus fishing holidays and Inspirational arty workshops. Enjoy panoramic views and spacious four-star farmhouse breakfasts with hearty AGA-cooked meals taken on the patio overlooking the coarse fishing lakes, or indulge in the freedom of self-catering in a cozy cottage.

The food is rooted in West Dorset’s luscious bounty of produce to a style of adventurous, modern international with the stunning signature dish and the ‘musttry’ All Day Snail Breakfast.

market town of Bridport.

The Jurassic Coastal footpath is but a stone’s throw away, while the bus stops just at the end of the driveway!

West Dorset is a foodie’s haven and Highway Farm are happy to share their local knowledge to make your stay special. It’s only a short walk to a good local pub and the

The Beaminster Brasserie Prout Bridge, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3AY

Highway Farm West Road, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6AE

Call: 01308 862200 Visit: www.beaminsterbrasserie.co.uk

Call: 01308 424321 Visit: www.highwayfarm.co.uk

The Bull Hotel BRIDPORT Whether it’s the easy-going moulesfrites night, crunch lunch, laidback market-day brunch, a lavish celebration meal or morning coffee and cakes, The Bull caters for every occasion with relaxed, rustic food.

The busy kitchen bakes all the bread, cakes and scones in-house and has a daily menu that lets the quality of the local produce shine.

with bunting and fairy lights, is an idyllic setting for a summer lunch or evening cocktail. And, with 19 individual rooms oozing eclectic style, there is something for everyone.

The Stable serves up to 50 varieties of cider and deliciously Dorset stone-baked pizzas. Cocktails are served in the Venner Bar on Friday and Saturday nights, and the pretty courtyard garden, decked out

The Bull Hotel 34 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LF Call: 01308 422878 Visit: www.thebullhotel.co.uk 23

> flavour dorset

Cutting the Curd CHEESE MAKING CLASSES Perhaps you remember Granny lovingly making cheese or have a genuine interest in what you and your family eat? Louise Talbot of the Tarrant Valley in Dorset is revisiting the forgotten art of making cheese with her cheese making classes ‘Cutting the Curd’, which will teach the skills and knowledge required to confidently make a wide range of delicious, preservative-free, soft cheeses for your home.

like to get a group together and Louise will happily come to you! You’ll see in ‘the diary’ on her website where the next classes are to be held.

Denhay Farm Denhay Farm, situated in the heart of the Marshwood Vale, along with the Queen, celebrates its Diamond Jubilee this year, having been incorporated in 1952

by Commander Streatfield and Lord Hood. The business has grown over the last 60 years, and now

produces traditional awardwinning West Country farmhouse Cheddar and dry-cured bacon.

They only use milk from their five herds to produce the Cheddar and the bacon is made from high-welfare, British-outdoor reared pigs.

Classes will take place in village halls with a minimum of 10 persons or perhaps you’d Cutting the Curd

Denhay Farm Broadoak, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5NP

Call: 07795 436707 Visit: www.cuttingthecurd.co.uk

Call: 01308 458963 Email: sales@denhay.co.uk

The Half Moon Inn

Bridport Food Festival

Chef Dan Clarke has already impressed customers in some of Dorset’s best dining pubs. Now with wife Jen and a young team of enthusiastic chefs, he has brought his award-wining food to his own pub in the Dorset village of Melplash.

Working with the seasons dishes consist of some of Dorset’s finest produce including aged steaks, Lyme Bay seafood and local estate game.The menu offers exciting, modern and complex dishes to pub classics with a twist, all at wallet-friendly prices.

Bridport is a great place for food with wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops and great firms using the natural resources that West Dorset produces.

The Bridport Food Festival, on June 16, is a brilliant opportunity to showcase this with the local Beer Festival.

This year there is the final of the new professional cooks’ competition run by the Blackmore Vale magazine and Dorset Farmers’ Market, as well as over 50 local producers sampling and selling their wares.

and courses and special menus going on in the town all week, starting with a Seafood Festival at the Riverside in West Bay on Sunday, June 10 – come and join the fun.

There will be a fantastic demonstration of local fish and a children’s marquee with lots of action. But there are talks The Half Moon Inn, Melplash, Dorset DT6 3UD Call: 01308 488321

www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk

Lyme Bay Winery

> flavour dorset

ENTER THE LYMELIGHTS! For spring 2012 The Lyme Bay Winery is launching a brand new product range LYMELIGHT. A light, refreshing, lower alcohol range of fruit wines, with all the flavour of their popular classic fruit wine range but half the alcohol. Perfect chilled for sunny spring lunches and long warm, evenings in the garden – a longer, refreshingly fruity drink.

“It’s had a fantastic reception so far,” said Lucy Bennett of the Winery. “Sales have way outstripped our targets.We’ve had really positive feedback from the tastings we’ve done at the Winery Shop and the recent Source trade show.The customers love it!”

BLACKBERRY: Crisp, aromatic and refreshing.

Ideally serve chilled CHERRY: Made with the same blend of cherries as our stronger wine, this provides a lighter alternative to the familiar cherry and almond character ELDERBERRY: Smooth and mellow, suiting room temperature or chilled - this is a crowd pleaser GINGER & NETTLE: Nettle wine infused with a small amount of ginger wine; refreshment with a kick GOOSEBERRY: Light and invigorating, with crisp acidity to balance the delicate gooseberry notes STRAWBERRY: Clean and fresh, like freshly pressed strawberry juice, but a bit naughty!

Available in 75cl bottles. RRP £5.99 in mixed cases.

Lyme Bay Winery, Shute, Axminster, Devon EX13 7PW Call: 01297 551355 Visit: www.lymebaywinery.co.uk Email: mail@lymebaywinery.co.uk

Julia’s Kitchen

The George Inn

THE REAL FOOD COOKERY SCHOOL Enjoy fabulous hands-on cookery workshops in a beautiful home-from-home setting five minutes’ walk from Poole Harbour and just five minutes’ drive from Sandbanks. Book an indulgent, relaxed cookery workshop and choose from Thai, Italian, Indian, fish (using locally caught fish, crab and squid) to name but a few of the workshops Julia’s Kitchen offers.

They also run fantastic cupcake decorating workshops which show you how to achieve professional looking cakes in just one class. And, you get to take home plenty of food – sure to impress your friends and family.

After running successful pubs in Surrey, Steve and Emma worked at River Cottage for five years and have combined these experiences to offer a unique Dorset pub experience at The George Inn, Chideock.

Produce is bought daily depending on seasonality, from what is offered by nearby farms, caught in the sea, or available at good local suppliers and as a result the specials board changes constantly.

They also cook regularly in their wood-fired oven (pizza night is Thursdays), smoke fish and make their own chorizo.

Julia’s Kitchen Orchard Avenue, Poole BH14 8AH

The George Inn Main Street, Chideock, Dorset DT6 6JD

Call: 01202 252481 Visit: www.therealfoodcookeryschool.co.uk

Call: 01297 489419 Visit: www.georgeinnchideock.co.uk 25

> flavour chef profile

chef profile Name: Matt Lord Age: 33 Where from: Market Harborough Where is home: Charlton House Head Chef: Charlton House

At the age of 15 I walked into the best restaurant in the small town I come from and interviewed for a sous chef job, not understanding what a sous chef was. The owner laughed me out of the interview but then offered me a job washing up. Within three weeks I was cooking and the adrenalin of a busy kitchen has had me hooked ever since.

As a chef you have to have a real passion for food as it involves long hours in a hot, unpleasant environment. I love the routine of running a kitchen; cooking breakfast then checking all produce on arrival, baking the day’s bread then making sure the kitchen is ready for lunch.

Lunch quickly flows into afternoon tea and dinner is upon us in no time. Finally the clean up and calling my suppliers to see what the best produce is for the next day makes this job hugely fulfilling.

Charlton House Spa Hotel Shepton Mallet nr Glastonbury Somerset BA4 4PR 01749 342008 www.bannatyne.co.uk/hotel/charltonhouse

Modern British would best describe our food at Charlton House. We always try and buy sustainably by using what is in season and I source all my meat, fish and the majority of our veg from the South West and then cook it in a style that suits our country house setting, but with a few modern twists. My favourite dish on the menu at the moment is our new season downland lamb rump, braised shoulder and spring lettuce.

At the moment I’m loving cooking with

wild garlic. It’s only in season for a short amount of time, it’s free to forage and tastes great. We are lucky here at Charlton House as we have a patch behind the kitchen.

When my team and I create a menu we always write detailed recipes to make sure that our food will always taste the same, and ensuring our guests are always guaranteed the same experience. And without a great team you cannot cook great food and although I sometimes find it hard to let go and switch off, the backing of the staff and the daily-changing challenge keeps us all on our toes.

I hope there will always be chefs willing to push boundaries and experiment, but it’s important not to lose yourself in the glamour of seeing chefs on the TV. It’s a tough but very rewarding job and you have to keep that passion without forgetting your principles. I think food at the moment is about value for money both for the guest and the chef. Trying different cuts of meat or fish that aren’t generally used and then passing this saving on to the guests in great value prices seems to work. We enjoy making these changes and our customers enjoy and appreciate the end product without damaging their wallets too much.

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Veggie Heaven SEVEN DAY DAYS A S OF AY

NATIONAL VEGETARIAN WEEK (NVW) (May 21-27) is the UK’s annual awarenessraising campaign promoting inspirational ways to enjoy vegetables. Each year it features great events and activities around the country. For Bath-based Demuths Restaurant and the Vegetarian Cookery School it’s a great opportunity to do what they do best – share their knowledge and rejoice in the pleasure of cooking with delicious vegetables.

In celebration of NVW Demuths Restaurant and the Vegetarian Cookery School are

offering a wonderful range of exciting ways to celebrate and explore delicious, vibrant, vegetable dishes. Anyone can get involved and have fun. Rachel says, “NVW is a permanent date in our culinary calendar, and we support it wholeheartedly. It’s a great time to celebrate food, and each year we look forward to the challenge of creating exciting and innovative ways for everyone to get involved.”

www.vegetariancookeryschool.com

At Demuths, Head Chef Richard Buckley is supporting the Vegetarian Society’s breakfast theme, with a brunch-style ‘vedgeree’. A take on kedgeree without the fish!

At the Vegetarian Cookery School, there is a packed agenda. They are launching a brand new course for NVW ‘The New Vegetarian’, that will appeal to those who are trying out a vegetarian diet for the first time and want to learn simple ways to make healthy recipes.

The New Complete Vegetarian. Recipes will include her Thai bean cakes with chilli-roasted asparagus, stuffed fennel, spanakopita with yoghurt sauce, and her fast and wonderful chocolate brownies with alphonso (Indian) mango compote.

The highlight of the week will of course be ‘A Day of Cooking with Rose Elliot’. Known as the ‘Vegetarian Queen’. Rose says, “I am very excited to be returning to the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath. It’s going to be a great day, lots of hands-on activity using delicious seasonal vegetables – food at its very best.”

Rose will be cooking from her most recent book

Continuing the NVW breakfast/brunch theme Rachel Demuth and Jo Ingleby will finish NVW at Vegfest, Bristol, by demonstrating how to make traditional masala dosas (South Indian pancakes filled with spicy potatoes).

bristol.vegfest.co.uk/the-show www.demuths.co.uk www.racheldemuth.co.uk

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Rose Elliot

> flavour veggie heaven

Vedgeree

VEDGEREE is a colonial adaptation of the Indian dish ‘khichhari’. Traditionally made with rice and lentils, served with ‘khuri’, a sour milk sauce, poppadoms and chutney.

This is our scrumptious vegetarian version and has the added bonus of not stinking the kitchen out with the smell of cooking fish!

Dietary: gluten free / Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS

METHOD

275g basmati rice, rinsed

Making vedgeree involves a few different tasks; the rice needs cooking, the eggs hard-boiling, the onions frying, the almonds toasting and then everything mixing together.

3 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped 25g butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp curry powder ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp chilli powder 150g oyster mushrooms, shredded 200g frozen organic peas 150g smoked cheese, diced lots of fresh chopped parsley salt & freshly ground black pepper 25g flaked almonds, toasted

First measure the rice into a jug as you will need one part water to one part rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Place the rice in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid and add the measured water, which should just cover the rice. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until all the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes). Take off the heat and leave to stand covered for a further 5 minutes.

Boil the eggs. Fry the onion in the butter until translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic and the spices and stir-fry. Add the mushrooms and cook for five minutes. Add the peas and cook until tender.

Mix in the cooked rice, smoked cheese, chopped boiled egg, parsley and season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds, poppadoms and mango chutney.

TIPS Poppadoms are made from lentil flour and are vegan and gluten free. The best way to cook them is to fry them in a little oil or grill them. To grill, brush them first with oil and be very careful they don’t burn. My favourite variety is black pepper. They also come in garlic, chilli and plain.

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Food and Drink Festival at 102 26th May 11am–6pm

FREE ENTRY

Location: Nailsea Electrical 102 Gloucester Road, Bristol BS7 8BN

See top chefs in action at the new cookery school

FREE champagne tasting with Taittinger

FREE food tasting from Michelin star chefs

Enjoy some of the South West’s finest foods in the marquee

UP TO

20OFF %

...AND MANY MORE Follow us on Twitter @102cookery

Visit us on Facebook and ‘like us’ either at Nailsea Electrical or 102 Cookery School for a chance to WIN a fantastic Caple Wine Cooler.

Holds 153 bottles – WF1543

Find us on Facebook under 102cookery

102 Cookery School | 102 Gloucester Road | Bishopston | Bristol BS7 8BN Call 0117 244 0047 | Visit www.102cookeryschool.co.uk

> flavour 102 cookery school

102 Cookery School April saw the opening of 102 Cookery School, a cutting-edge destination for novice and experienced cooks to learn about food, drink and gastronomy. Set in a stunning church conversion on Bristol’s bustling Gloucester Road, 102 offer a variety of classes in a fun and informal atmosphere and will be hosting ongoing, free cookery showcases for the Bristol public to enjoy the venue and see firsthand the fantastic Samsung-branded facilities...

T

but most include eating what you’ve made in the class, so at the end of a few hours in the kitchen, you’ll be able to enjoy the results in a beautiful, relaxing dining area.

Ben and Pete Gilks, Directors of Nailsea Electrical and 102 said: “After expanding our business by opening a fully working showroom we have seen that the public have a genuine interest in food and the methods by which it is cooked to get the best results. We’ve been inspired by this to create a food and drink venue like no other and are very excited for the launch in April.”

As well as classes, 102 Cookery School will host exciting opportunities to meet and cook with leading chefs. Events already planned include seasonal foraging and cooking along with wild food ‘demonstration and dine’ evenings with expert Toby Gritten, who appeared on Channel 4’s Jamie’s Great Britain last November and monthly live cookery and wine pairing with Michelin-starred Josh Eggleton of The Pony and Trap. Ronnie Faulkner, of Ronnies of Thornbury and The Muset

by Ronnie, Christopher Wicks of Bell’s Diner and Peter Gorton of MasterChef fame will also be gracing 102’s top-notch Samsung kitchens on a regular basis.

he 102 Cookery School, launched by leading kitchen appliance retailer Nailsea Electrical in affiliation with Samsung, will play host to a number of classes and courses, including ‘demonstration and dine’ evenings led by the south west’s finest Michelin-starred and AA Rosette-rated chefs, many of whom make up the member base of prestigious industry networking group, The Chefs’ Forum.

Classes will range from Knife Skills to Bread Masterclasses to Tutored Wine Tastings and are designed to suit beginners as well as experienced cooks and foodies.

Authentic ethnic classes are also on offer including Indian, Thai and Jamaican. All classes, courses and events involve tasting,

102 Cookery School 102 Gloucester Road Bishopston Bristol BS7 8BN 0117 244 0047 www.102cookeryschool.co.uk

IMAGES ©JON CRAIG

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With obvious links to the railway, The Old Station features an old Pullman carriage as its restaurant, which has been lovingly restored to all its former glory.

NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR FATHERS DAY

Al Fresco dining with a wood-burning stove and barbecue is available in the warmer months.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER – ALL DAY ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

The Old Station | Wells Road | Bristol BS39 6EN

Call us on 01761 452228 www.theoldstationandcarriage.co.uk

THE SMOKING DOG ANNUAL BEER AND SAUSAGE FESTIVAL

June 1st–June 5th To coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee, The Smoking Dog will be holding their 5-day annual festival with a bang

...a memorable experience at Britain’s premier Indian Restaurant

• 50 Real Ales, 15 Ciders and 15 different flavoured Sausages!

• A fun day out for all the family with live bands and entertainment

• Special one-off ales

• Marquee and bars – indoors and out

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SUBLIME SPANISH OFFERINGS I’ve just been to Spain for a weekend that, as always, was an absolute delight. Obviously the weather helps – after a weekend of bright sunshine, my return to Bristol airport was met with driving rain and seven degrees – not great for lifting the mood. But it’s not just about the sun.

I still find that Spain gets a bit of bad press from time to time, particularly from those who don’t rate it on the same scale of sophistication as its French and Italian neighbours. I disagree. It’s not just tacky British resorts, wicker donkeys and cheap-as-chips sangria (though granted, there’s plenty of the above). There are some truly stunning

cities, vistas, countryside and culture to be discovered along with a fabulous array of food and a beautiful language.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, I’m a big fan of their wines as well. Again Spanish wines still get some bad press, probably for the most part due to the high volume, low-priced wines churned out of La

Homewood Park Firstly – a wine that I’ve seen in every bar and restaurant I’ve been to this weekend. Perfect for the warmer weather due to its fresh, floral notes and delicious ripe peach and pear flavours, Verdejo is the hero wine of the Rueda region, about 100 miles north-west of Madrid.

It’s still got a fair amount of body to it, although very refreshing and easy to drink. This sort of wine is ideal

Mancha for years which have done nothing to support a premium image (think cheap Aussie Chardonnay compared to Chablis and you get the picture). Here are a couple of options I’d urge you to try that you may not know so well.

to pair with a structured fish dish with some powerful flavours. I found some great options at the Homewood Park Hotel just outside Bath. With its award-winning gardens and excellent spa including an outdoor heated pool, this is a destination you should already have on your list. After a hard day luxuriating in the spa, the Analivia Verdejo Pagos del Rey is perfect with sautéed fillet of sea bass, Mediterranean vegetable lasagne and confit fennel.

www.homewoodpark.co.uk

The Royal Oak, Leighterton My second option is a red, to keep us warm until the sun returns. The restaurants in Spain still have their fires on in the evening, whereas in the UK we seem to turn our heating off with the change of clocks. I don’t just want to default to Rioja as I know you’re all familiar with this top-quality wine region. So, let’s move a little further south-west, just north of our friend Rueda, to Ribera del Duero. Fantastic wines here. You may have heard of Vega Sicilia, a top-end, world-famous but very expensive wine

from the same region. Ribera del Duero produces mainly Tempranillo – like Rioja known locally as Tinto Fino.

Portia’s wine, available at the beautiful Costwold setting of Leighterton, Tetbury at The Royal Oak, is complex and intense, with an inky purple colour and cherry and blackberry nose. Give yourself a treat with this delicious wine with either the pie of the week or the guinea fowl and black trumpet mushroom gnocchi. You might even still find the fire on in this weather. Now what more could you ask for, eh?

www.royaloakleighterton.co.uk

Wine columnist Clare Morris has over 10 years’ experience in the drinks industry, consulting with hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars across the UK. She is currently studying for a Diploma at the WSET London Wine and Spirit School.

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> flavour martin blunos

UP FOR THE JOB? Martin Blunos opens Bristol’s newest theatre and reveals the drama in fitting out a kitchen...

Ask any hotelier, restaurateur or catering operator what’s the biggest bugbear (after the tax man) and nine times out of 10 they’ll tell you it’s ‘staff’. Back in the day, it used to be that quality pastry chefs were as hard to source as rocking horse poo. Now it’s across the board from commis chefs to chef de parties.

Education and the three Rs is where it’s at.

Experience will come but the basics have to be learnt and understood before the wake-up call of the ‘real world’ out there kicks in.

Recruiting chefs for the latest business I’m involved in has been fraught to say the least.

Guys and gals have rocked up with good intentions to do a day’s work, armed in many cases with apparently little knowledge. They have been bemused at the sight of a fish stock trembling away on the side of the solid top (“What’s wrong with a cube?” said by the lad that, not surprisingly, didn’t finish his day), and have looked quizzical when watching Jimmy (my wing man) stealthily break down a rabbit into tidy joints ready for the pot.

Some ask questions (whys and whats are good in my book), while others baulk at the idea of all this work. Some of the applicants I’ve seen have passed through the (catering)

college system and it’s here, in the early days, that they either ‘get it’ or ‘get out’.

Colleges have a big responsibility to teach these future chefs the basics/classics. Many are bringing the outside in. Culinary stars of today come back to school to do a ‘show and tell’; a way for the students to see the current food trends and gauge what they are letting themselves in for.

I have the honour of opening the spanking new demonstration theatre kitchen at the ‘City of Bristol’ college. It’s a purpose-designed and built venue, and will be a brilliant environment for these kinds of events.

There will be lots of hoopla and the press and journos will be in attendance, there will be drinks and nibbles and of course food demonstrations avplenty. When the dust has settled and the glitz and glam of it is over the theatre will reign supreme.

Follow me on Twitter: @martinblunos1

One of the South West’s most talented chefs, Martin Blunos was born and brought up near Bath, his parents having come to England from Latvia just after the Second World War. He has held two Michelin stars for more than 15 years and appears regularly on television and radio with slots as guest chef on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen with James Martin, BBC Market Kitchen, ITV Daily Cooks and ITV’s Saturday Cooks.

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Flavour’s latest columnist Jack Stein brings us the best from the sea...

Jack Stein was born in Cornwall and is the middle son of three boys to celebrated chef Rick Stein. He began his career as a kitchen porter during school holidays in The Seafood Restaurant kitchen. At 16 he moved to front of house where he remained throughout his education. Jack completed a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Ancient History at Cardiff University.

In 2003, he returned to The Seafood Restaurant as commis chef then after two years, took up the position of sous chef at Rick Stein’s Café for another year.

Following this, Jack then went on to Paris to stage at La Régalade, which ignited a passion for travel and a period of stage work all over the world. During this time, Jack travelled to Australia for an extended stay at Tetsuya’s in Sydney, before exploring the Far East and Japan.

On his return to Padstow, he re-entered The Seafood Restaurant as sous chef before moving on to a tournant role across the whole company. He is currently the head of development for the company, leading the installation and introduction of a development kitchen for the business, where new recipes and ingredients will be tested.

Follow Jack on Twitter @JackStein 36

Image ©David Griffen

Recipe ©Jack Stein

> flavour out of the ocean

Seared queen scallops with asparagus and a horseradish sauce Serves two as a starter This month we really see springtime kicking in as nature starts to awaken, bringing us a bounty of ingredients to utilise.

I wanted a recipe inspired by the forthcoming Jubilee. I toyed with the idea of a fish royal but was unhappy with the result, and then I thought, how about using the queen scallop from the Isle of Man? They are a beautiful and very sustainable shellfish. The white muscle has high levels of glutamate which when seared give a sweet, savoury flavour. In this dish the queenies are

paired with the first of the season’s asparagus. We get ours from St Enodoc, just across the Camel Estuary and it’s the best I have ever tasted. Asparagus is a true representation of spring and a welcome addition to our larder!

is led out from its stable to welcome in the summer and every year I have worn a posy of flowers on my lapel including the cowslip, so it’s great to be able to use them in my dish (always consult a guidebook when picking wild food).

I have just returned from a stage in France at Maison Bras in Aubrac. The brigade there spends a lot of time looking for wild flowers and herbs to use in their cooking. In particular, I discovered their use of cowslips as an ingredient. Padstow is famous for its May Day festivities when the Obby Oss

For texture I have added some browned almonds and a sauce made simply from cream and horseradish.

Ingredients

Method

12 queen scallops (shell on) or 6 normal scallops

1 Remove the scallops from the shell and give them a quick wash to remove any dirt or grit, season with sea salt.

6 asparagus spears 3 tbsp olive oil Sea salt (to season) 30ml double cream 1 tsp horseradish cream 1 tbsp flaked almonds 8 yellow cowslip flowers

2 For the asparagus, warm 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan then add the spears and salt, cover with a lid and allow to cook very slowly for 5 – 6 minutes, until just tender.

Remove from the pan and trim off the rough ends.

3 Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the almonds. Fry until lightly golden then carefully remove the flakes from the pan and pat dry with kitchen roll.

It is quite a simple and highly seasonal dish, celebrating great British produce and in particular the queenie!

4 Put the pan back on the heat until very hot and add the scallops for 40 seconds on the first side and 20 seconds on the reverse, they are small and can easily overcook so be careful to brown one side and barely cook the other to ensure they are not tough.

5 For the sauce, add the double cream to the horseradish with some sea salt and combine.

6 To assemble, use the asparagus spears as a bed and dot the plate with scallops, pour the sauce over and sprinkle the almonds and cowslip to finish.

Flavour editor Nick Gregory expelled a few wrinkles during an overnight’s R&R in the Cotswolds…

Barnsley House V

entures to country houses are often considered just for those with deep wallets, couples celebrating an anniversary, businesses looking to motivate/bribe staff or the retired frittering away their dependents’ inheritance – but they needn’t be…

It’s true, my latest trip to Barnsley House, near Cirencester, would make many a mother gasp ‘how much?’ – a G&T will set you back a tenner and don’t expect a room for less than £275 a night – but with the return breath there is also something reassuringly expensive about ‘paying for what you get’. And what you get is worth that extra dollar.

To start with, the set-aside Garden Spa at Barnsley House is a little thing of beauty. Featuring a steam room, a sauna, a relaxation area, a couple of treatment rooms and an outside hydrotherapy pool, it’s not the biggest set-up you’ll find, but the clean design and attention to detail complement the history and expected creaks and groans of the old house perfectly. Think Adele duetting with Bing Crosby on a Neil Young number through the medium of vinyl and you’ll be in the right ballpark.

The house, built by the village’s squire in the 17th-century, is contemporary and stylish but packed with character and makes history fun again. While the lounge and bar are snugs in their own right, the bedrooms seem to go on forever, beautifully furnished and

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created solely with you, the customer in mind. There is no attempt to scrimp on space – the bathroom itself is as big as my front room – and if I had brought my cat we could have swung merrily. The facilities are modern, extremely comfortable and if you have the time and with the weather against you, lounging around in the bedroom makes perfect sense. If the gods are smiling and the sun is out, however, the gardens are well worth a potter around and the kitchen garden especially will plant seeds of hunger as you prepare for your dinner in Barnsley House’s own restaurant.

The Potager retains the informal approach of the hotel and has a creative menu that leaves no stone unturned.

The Vincisgrassi (Barnsley house’s speciality of baked pasta with Parma ham, porcini and truffle adapted from an 18th-century recipe) is lasagne without the mess and plenty more flavour. I followed this unabashedly with the fillet steak, accompanied as it was with garden greens, hand-cut chips, shallot tempura and red wine. Down my way the shallot tempura may well be known as onion rings, but they were better, way better, and added a subtle tone to the excellent piece of meat. A side of Swiss chard rounded off the dish perfectly and the chocolate fondant completed my three courses with bells on.

My partner’s vegetable tempura looked stunning and word is the taste

matched the visuals, while her main of Isle of Mull scallops, pancetta cime di rapa and chickpea purée was the star of the show. The homemade sorbet desserts gently concluded her time at the table. An obligatory digestif in the lounge by the fire almost put us to sleep, but fortunately we had our bedroom to fulfil that task – one we were quite ready for by this stage.

Barnsley House is one of those places that you would always recommend to friends. It has charm and it’s unhurried and casual. The staff are there in force to make your stay as agreeable, although their presence is rarely noticed as they go about their business with clarity and conviction, leaving you to reap the numerous benefits.

When parting with large sums of money for a weekend away it’s important that you choose the right venue where you are assured of value for your buck. Barnsley House has a price, but it’s definitely a price worth paying as you will leave satisfied that not a penny has been wasted and with relaxed smile ready to take you into the next week ahead.

Barnsley House Barnsley, Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 5EE 01285 740000 www.barnsleyhouse.com

> flavour assembly inn

Think Adele duetting with Bing Crosby on a Neil Young number through the medium of vinyl and you’ll be in the right ballpark.

the herb doctor Max Drake is a practising medical herbalist at the Urban Fringe Dispensary, where he runs courses and workshops teaching how to use herbs safely and effectively, treat common ailments and stay healthy.

THIS H T MON

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Ribwort Plantain is a perennial weed that is found virtually everywhere. It has been used medicinally in Europe for many centuries, with herbalists dating from the 15th and 16th centuries praising it as a cure-all. Early settlers took it over to America, where it became known as ‘white man’s footprint’ by the natives, as it seemed to spring up wherever there were white men. Its name comes from planta, or sole of the foot, possibly because it thrives on ground that has been compacted or downtrodden, such as roads and footpaths, or maybe because Romans used to put it in their shoes to prevent corns and blisters.

Ribwort Plantain’s most immediate use is to pick it fresh and use it there and then to treat insect bites, nettle stings, or cuts. In any of these instances you’d just crush up the fresh leaves and rub them on the affected parts. The juice is very cooling, and contains anti-histamine and other compounds that are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and antibacterial. I have tried doing the Roman thing, and put some in one of my walking boots while traversing the Cornish Coastal Path, and I must say it was splendidly blister free – but so was the other foot too!

40

I do have some infallible proof, though, of how the juice can stop bleeding. While slicing some fresh plantain leaves a few years back to make some tincture I also managed to take a fair chunk off the end of one of my fingers. It didn’t bleed at all, as the knife was covered in plantain juice, and so the wound was instantly sealed.

The apparent lack of blood momentarily brought back a paranoid childhood fantasy that I am a robot and no-one else knows. An interesting experience, but not one I’d necessarily recommend – you’ll just have to take my word for it that it works in stopping bleeding…

You can also harvest the leaves of Ribwort Plantain and dry them to make preparations for internal use. A tea made with the dried leaves, combined with nettle and elderflower is often great for treating hay fever. I use Plantain tincture in my dispensary in mixes for respiratory problems – coughs and bronchitis in particular. So you can see it is a really versatile herb – generally cooling and anti-inflammatory.

If you want to know more about how to use herbs check out my next course, which starts on May 24 in Bristol.

Onion and Anchovy Tarts INGREDIENTS PASTRY 125g of plain flour 55g of butter 50ml of water (use more if needed) FILLING 55g of butter 2 onions 150ml double cream Tin of anchovies Nutmeg Seasoning

the

James Underdown – flavour’s 15-year-old budding chef – has been back in the kitchen this month to serve up another one of his mouthwatering treats.

teen chef F

or me, this month has been fantastic! The main reason was that I went off to enjoy the sun in Egypt for a week! I suppose I should talk about the food, so here were go.

By far my favourite native dish was something called shakshuka. Basically, it’s a poached egg with minced beef,

green pepper and onion in a tomato sauce – lovely! I think I had it almost every breakfast for a whole week.

For the next four months I’ll be doing each dish from my exam; onion and anchovy tart, Viennese biscuit, Victoria sponge and meringue.

METHOD 1 Pre-heat oven to 190˚C. Put the flour in a bowl and rub in the cubes of butter for the breadcrumbs (no large lumps.) Start to add the water teaspoon by teaspoon stirring with a knife each time. Once the dough has bound place it in the fridge.

2 While that’s cooling, put the butter in a saucepan, melt it and then add the onions. Leave them in the butter at a low heat for 30 minutes, moving constantly so the butter doesn’t burn.

3 In a mixing jug, pour in the cream and break in the eggs. Whisk lightly so the egg yolk has broken and add seasoning and nutmeg.

Now, take the pastry out and roll.

Place in your desired containers.

4 Take the onions off the heat and leave to cool. If you add them to the eggs and cream it’ll scramble the eggs. Once they are cool, add to the cream and stir a little.

Then pour it in the cases, place two anchovies per tart on top and bake for 25–30 minutes.

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PORTVCALE Portvcale, in Bath, has teamed-up with flavour to provide an insight into traditional Portuguese cooking.

During the 15th century, while the Portuguese were empire building across the globe, they came into contact with North African nomads around modern-day Morocco. They would carry around with them a versatile cooking pan to be used as and when hunger

struck, the shape malleable to the waist or a camel’s saddle.

Picking up on this concept, the Portuguese developed the idea and from copper made the cataplana, a large pan that steams ingredients for the healthiest of meals.

CATAPLANA OF PORK AND CLAMS – SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 350g of pork 350g of clams Onions Red, green and yellow peppers Olive oil Fresh coriander FOR THE MARINADE Cream of roasted peppers, garlic, salt and black pepper Bay leaf Portvcale 43 St James’s Parade Bath BA1 1UQ 01225 424321

Garlic White wine Fresh coriander

METHOD Marinade the meat for a couple of hours (the longer the better). Cook on a high heat to seal and then assemble layers of the onions, peppers, meat and clams in the cataplana.

Add a good-sized bunch of fresh coriander and a sprinkle of olive oil. Close the cataplana and let it slowly cook in its own steam for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once cooked, sprinkle over some fresh coriander and a splash of lemon juice.

Enjoy!

> flavour the xxxxxxx grain barge

The Grain Barge A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real ale and traditional cider.

I

n recent issues we’ve tried to feature pubs that we think will ‘float your boat’. This time we’ve decided to go for a pub that just floats. Situated on Mardyke Wharf, just off the Hotwell Road on the northern side of the harbour, The Grain Barge is one of Bristol’s more unusual hostelries.

Harking back to a time when wheat, grain or coal were regularly carried along the Avon by barges as the tide permitted, this particular vessel is a small example of the craft; metal-hulled and practical rather than pretty in its construction and shape.

An odd choice, you might think, to select as the basis for a conversion – by the Bristol Beer Factory Brewery – to a floating pub. But that’s what happened, and the results are far more idyllic than one would imagine.

The Grain Barge Mardyke Wharf Hotwell Road Hotwells Bristol BS8 4RU 0117 929 9347 www.grainbarge.co.uk 44

The Bristol Beer Factory was set up some years ago on a part of the site of the old Ashton Gate Brewery in Durnford Street. It comes from the same stable as the popular Tobacco Factory, saved from dereliction by local architect and city luminary George Ferguson, and now a multi-use site comprising a

cafe, small theatre, performing arts school and other ‘creative’ pursuits.

But the Brewery needed a ‘Brewery Tap’, a pub that showcased the Beer Factory’s craft real ales but also reflected the industrial motif of the ‘Factory’ idea. So what better than a staple of Bristol’s past, the Grain Barge, which opened in the summer of 2007.

Today she sits just off the Hotwell Road, a grey and red vessel bearing the prominent logo of the brewery, complete with its pint glass design where the ‘head’ of the pint bears a striking resemblance to a well-known nearby bridge. The words Grain Barge are stencilled in large letters in white on either side, visible from both land and water.

Enter from the car park down some metal steps and a small ramp, and you are greeted by a long, wood-floored bar with feature windows looking over the water to Bristol Marina, the SS Great Britain and beyond. There are stools and a raised ‘window-sill’ along the ‘port’ side of the boat; while to the bow and the stern there is room for more formal tables and chairs, popular with diners.

Raise a glass to...

Bristol Beer Factory Beers No 7 (4.2%) This is as close to a traditional ‘best bitter’ as the Beer Factory comes. It is mid-brown in hue, and actually tastes slightly less bitter than the aroma would suggest.

Definitely a toffee-tinge to it, and a satisfyingly hoppy flavour.

Milk Stout (4.5%) A real stout is an acquired taste, but a truly rewarding one too. This one has a slight sweetness to it, and a rich flavour. But there is that taste of roasted malt that marks out traditional stouts from their ‘keg’ counterparts, and more than a hint of chocolate. Delicious.

Acer (3.8%) Apparently using Soracchi Ace hops, of which I confess I knew nothing, it is perhaps the ‘strongest’ 3.8% beer I can recall tasting. In a slightly bizarre but wonderful way, the taste reminds me of those satsumas I only used to get at Christmas as a child.

But the hops are there too. I really think this beer defies categorisation.

On every available piece of wall space (which isn’t that much) the work of local artists, available to purchase are displayed, curated by local designer/illustrator Dave Bain.

four ales from across the water. On my visit there was No 7, Independence, Milk Stout, and Acer (see tasting notes), as well a guest beer, Fyne Ales Maverick, all the way from Loch Fyne in Scotland.

Up a single flight of steps, however, is the ‘sun deck’ which, on warm summer days, is a simply perfect place to watch multi-coloured sails zig-zag their way back and forth from the local sailing school; or wave at the tourists on the Bristol Ferry; or watch the cormorants fishing.

When the weather is at its best, there is a bustling but relaxed conviviality to the place that belies its proximity to the centre of Bristol and the rush-hour traffic. But even on colder, darker days, the Grain Barge is a lovely place to sit cradling your pint and peering out through the window.

Nor is food neglected, with the Pan Fried Sea Bass Fillet a weekday favourite, alongside the vegetarian Lemon and Leek Risotto Cakes. There is also a specials menu, and more simple fare such as sandwiches and pies; and a choice of Sunday roast.

As the brewery tap for the Beer Factory, the Grain Barge always features three or

Parking is limited to the small pay and display car park just off the Hotwell Road, but the pub is a pleasant stroll from the city centre or, when the weather and your sea-legs permit, you could take the Bristol Ferry from the centre and alight just along the wharf by the Pumphouse. ■

Independence (4.6%) This is a tribute to the craft-brewed American Pale Ales. Brewed slightly differently from standard pale ales – continuously hopped rather than having the hops added in stages – this has very little bitterness, making it a very drinkable brew indeed.

Guest Beer Fyne Ales Maverick (4.2%) All the way from Loch Fyne in Argyll in Scotland. Although sampled in May, this actually has a warming autumnal feel, what Keats called ‘mellow fruitfulness’ describes it perfectly. There’s a hint of rubyred to its dark colouration and a malty flavour too. A good beer to cheer you up when the weather isn’t as good as it ought to be.

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Flavour presents

THE BEST OF british

flavour–the best of british

The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy

W

herever you go in the next month you are going to find it hard to avoid the Queen’s Jubilee and the following month anything to do with the Olympics. So, rather than beat them, we thought we would join in the fun and champion everything British in this issue.

And what better way to start than with The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy, who have come up with these perfect examples of what this summer stands for. Look inside for their recipe along with many other great places to visit, foods to eat and all and everything that’s great about Britain...

Cupcakes decorated by Layla Pegado, teacher at Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy

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flavour–the best of british

The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy

Cupcakes INGREDIENTS 360g butter, room temperature 360g plain flour

The choice of local produce around here is astonishing. Here are some of the Devilled Egg’s favourites.

Kitchen Academy, we feel very strongly about using the best eggs we can lay our hands on.”

“We have been cooking Laverstoke Park Farm produce for some time.Their buffalo meat has a really intense, wholesome flavour and their mozzarella is a superb balance of creaminess and freshness.

Barbora The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy

100ml milk

www.clarencecourt.co.uk www.laverstokepark.co.uk

300g chopped strawberries

We also love using Clarence Court Eggs.Their remarkable range includes everything from bite-size quail eggs through to massive ostrich eggs, with all sorts in between.Their duck eggs and Burford Brown hens eggs are utterly delicious – once you taste duck egg scramble it’s difficult to go back. And since after all we are called The Devilled Egg Call: 0117 9732823 Visit: www.thedevilledegg.com

Jamnastics Jamnastics was set up in 2008 by father and daughter team Richard Wills and Charlotte Wright. Each label features a fun image of a gymnastics pose and Richard’s other daughter Sophie drew the illustrations.

There are eight jams and two marmalades in the range, all handmade in open pans and made with whole fruit and no additives.

All fruity little numbers!

Visit: www.jamnastics.co.uk

360g caster sugar 2 tsp baking powder

4 duck eggs

Method Preheat oven to 180c. Get cupcake cases ready.

Pop all the ingredients (apart from the strawberries) into a food processor and combine, add more milk if necessary .

Mix in the strawberries in and then spoon into the cupcake cases ( 2/3 full).

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and springy. Cool before icing.

Recipe by Barbora Stiess

The SUMMER CAFé The Summer Café is open all day for delicious lunches and homemade afternoon tea and cakes, with a changing daily selection of British classics – from Clotted Cream Teas, Victoria Sponge and Dorset Apple Cake, to amazing dark Chocolate Tiffin – there is something for every taste.

The Café is perfect for a lovely cup of tea, or one of the ‘Easy José’ speciality Coffees – direct trade, hand-roasted premium Arabica beans, made into a creamy Cappuccino or Latte – and makes a wonderful treat. A real taste of the Best of British this summer.

The Summer Café 4 High Street, Malmesbury,Wiltshire SN16 9AU Call: 01666 822639

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flavour–the best of british

The Better The Fox Food Company Live Better by the Seasons

The multi award-winning Better Food Company has been delivering the best local, organic and ethically produced food to the people of Bristol for over ten years, and owns a large shop and café in St Werburghs and a food hall and deli on Whiteladies Road in Clifton.

T

he company has also been at the heart of launching a community supported agriculture venture in the nearby Chew Valley – The Community Farm, whose produce is sold in the shops.

Owner and MD, Phil Haughton is an active trustee of the Soil Association, and has spent more than 25 years working with organic food and farming in the South West.

He said: “I have a magnet on my fridge which says, ‘Eat organic vegetables, or as your grandparents called them, vegetables’.You only have to go back a generation or two to realise that variety was indeed the spice of life, and variety was created by eating with the seasons.You looked forward to strawberries as a sign that summer was on its way, and to parsnips and pumpkin because it was time to hold up indoors with a good stew.

Local, seasonal and organic veg is what we do with aplomb at The Better Food Company. Much of it is grown just nine miles away at The Community Farm in the Chew Valley, a social enterprise we have close ties with. At this time of year, and for your British menu treats, look out for broad beans, new potatoes, asparagus, rainbow chard, rhubarb, strawberries and gooseberries.

Local also means fresh – it’s only had to nip down the road before it’s in your basket and on the way home. And organic means wonderful flavour, nutritional excellence and less reliance on that ever-dwindling resource, oil (no petrochemical fertilizers used, low-impact farming methods guaranteed.)

For more about what’s in season, pop in and talk to Simon or Sam at Whiteladies Road, or Kenny and Lee in St Werburghs – boys who really know their onions...

The Better Food Company, 21 Sevier Street, Bristol, Avon BS2 9LB Call: 0117 9351725 Visit: www.betterfood.co.uk

Chard and Broad Bean Risotto. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS

Method

225g broad beans, shelled

Parboil the beans for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.

340g chard, shredded (including stalks)

Put the chard, rice and 1 tablespoon of salt into a large pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.

280g short grain rice 115g butter A few sage leaves, chopped 50g Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, grated Salt and pepper

Add the beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Drain and pile the mixture into a warmed serving dish.

Melt the butter in a small pan with the sage and then pour over the rice and veg.

Sprinkle with cheese and a little pepper, folding gently to mix together.

Serve immediately.

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flavour–the best of british

The Fontmell

The Potting Shed

At The Fontmell, when it comes to beef, they believe British is best.

That’s why Chef Patron,Tom Shaw and his team have put together The British Beef Night, on the first Monday of every month.They wanted to showcase the fabulous cuts of meat and dishes, which come from their spotted friends.

Summer 2012 is all about two things:The Olympics and The Diamond Jubilee and while The Potting Shed in Crudwell will be joining the rest of the country and cheering on team GB, it’s the Jubilee weekend they can’t wait for.

The Fontmell sing the praises of their local suppliers who are dedicated to delivering the best quality and most responsibly sourced beef from the local area.

From the humble Steak and Kidney Suet pudding (£10.50) To the show-stopping T-bone (£27), this menu is a beef lover’s dream.Vegetarians beware!

The Fontmell, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0PA Call: 01747 811441 Visit: www.thefontmell.com

The Jazz Café The Jazz Café is a friendly, independent, licensed café overlooking Kingsmead Square in the centre of Bath.

They serve a variety of homemade dishes, fantastic English breakfasts (all-day) including the famous Jazz Café Big Breakfast, lunches from the Specials board, filled ciabattas and toasted sandwiches.

Traditional tea fans could choose toasted teacakes or homemade cakes.The menu is available all day, every day. Open daily: Monday – Saturday 8.30am to 5pm and Sunday 10.30am to 4pm.

On Monday, June 4 they will be hosting Crudwell’s official Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and they’ve got all bases covered: great food, great beer, fantastic entertainment, a kids’ party bus, patriotic summer cocktails and much, much more! So there you have it; burgers, beer and bands – what could be more British than that!

The Potting Shed Crudwell, Malmesbury,Wiltshire SN16 9EW Call: 01666 577833 Visit: www.thepottingshedpub.com

The Coppleridge Inn The Coppleridge Inn is set in 15 acres of the Blackmore Vale and has so much to offer for locals and visitors alike.

There is a friendly bar where locals meet, a candlelit restaurant where quality and value are the ethos, 10 excellent refurbished ground floor bedrooms overlooking the countryside, a family garden and patio with play area and

boules pitch and another large garden with terrace for al fresco dining.This wonderful garden overlooks the tennis courts which are free for customers, and an 18th-century barn perfect for weddings, parties and conferences.

The Jazz Café, 1 Kingsmead Street, Bath BA1 2AA Call: 01225 329002 Visit: www.bathjazzcafe.co.uk

The Coppleridge Inn, 1 Elm Hill, Motcombe, Dorset SP7 9HW Call: 01747 851980 Visit: www.coppleridge.com

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flavour–the best of british

The Smoking dog Always buzzing,The Smoking Dog has established itself as a popular place to eat, drink and meet in Malmesbury with a busy, friendly and welcoming atmosphere that includes a lovely sun-trapped garden, great to unwind in after a busy day.

This year is extra special with the pub’s annual Beer and Sausage Festival coinciding with the Queen’s Jubilee – five days of music, entertainment, cider and

beer – and look out for the 15 flavoured sausages brought in from the local butcher.

As well as daily specials,The Smoking Dog has monthly changing menus as well as a daily specials board and regular weekly themes including ‘Fishy Friday’ and Wednesday’s ‘Steak Night’.

The whole town looks forward to The Smoking Dog’s annual festival and the countdown has begun!

The Smoking Dog 62 High Street, Malmesbury,Wiltshire SN16 9AT Call: 01666 825823 Visit: www.sabrain.com/smokingdog

Leonard Walker Family Butchers

Leonard Walker Family Butchers are proud to be the official sausage supplier of the annual beer and sausage festival in Malmesbury.

Their sausages are made using free-range pork, including, and made especially for this event, ‘The Right Royal Banger’.

succulent ‘Sunday’ roasting joints and tasty barbeque meats, Leonard Walker’s 125-year-old butcher’s shop still cuts meat in the traditional way and offers an exclusive, friendly service by master butchers.

The Truckle Cheese Company The Truckle Cheese Co is home to the evermore-famous range of cheese truckles including their much-loved Vintage Mature Cheddar, produced on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, which plays a huge part in the flavour and texture of this award-winning Cheddar.

The multi award-winning blue Stilton is hand cut from the centre of a whole Stilton, meaning no rind, so just the prime part of the cheese that’s creamy and smooth in texture and taste.This cheese is around eight to nine weeks old; full flavoured and really does deserve all of its prestigious awards.

Specialists in traditionally hung beef, lamb, free-range pork, chickens, homemade sausages, smoked and dry cured bacon, burgers, pies, quality tender steaks, Leonard Walker 1 Market Cross, Malmesbury,Wiltshire SN16 9AS Call: 01666 822132

Call: 01223 234740 Visit: www.trucklecheese.co.uk

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flavour–the best of british

A Jubilant

Royal Feast

Although the weather of British summertime will, as always, be unpredictable and uncontrollable, the season this year promises to be one filled with plenty of cork popping, champagne pouring and community spirit as people enjoy and embrace the memorable and momentous occasions that our country is set to experience. London will fall into the limelight in July as it plays host to the 2012 Olympics, and what better way to get into the British spirit ready to showcase our country than with the Diamond Jubilee.

T

o celebrate 60 years reigning as our Great British Queen, a number of events are scheduled to take place during the four day bank holiday weekend, which will run from Saturday 2nd to Tuesday 5th June. In particular, nationwide lunch celebrations will take place on Sunday 3rd June to coincide with the Big Jubilee Lunch (organised by the Big Lunch initiative), presenting the perfect opportunity to catch up with friendly faces and loved ones, whilst enjoying classic British food and drink.

To celebrate with neighbours in your local area, street parties present the perfect opportunity to enjoy the nation’s favourites on a miniature scale.Therefore why not feature prawn cocktail vol au vents, bite size pork pies, scotch eggs, and sausage rolls on your party menu, in addition to a Ploughman’s style feast of cooked meats, cheeses and delicious chutneys? For the dessert spread you could serve home-made mini apple pies, union jack themed cupcakes, and helpings of a traditional trifle – the design of which is versatile enough to be altered to accommodate different taste preferences.You could even go for the traditional party favourite of jelly, but jazz it up with different flavours and textures by adding tasty

fruits or a cheeky tipple. A taste-bud tingling Bellini jelly made using peach juice and something sparkly could be perfect for the adults, whilst a Wimbledon themed fresh strawberry jelly served with cream could accommodate the more innocent partygoer.

If you would prefer to celebrate the historic event on a smaller and more intimate scale with close friends and family, a traditional afternoon tea could be the perfect option, with a cosy selection of classic smoked salmon, cucumber, and egg sandwiches, deliciously warmed scones with jam and clotted cream, and a beautiful array of irresistible cakes, which should of course feature the much-loved Victoria Sponge.When creating your own treats however, do not be afraid to add personal touches to the original recipes, to make the delights as memorable and special as the occasion itself!

Most importantly, and whatever your plans, enjoy yourselves and have a jubilant weekend. Even if you only stretch as far as a tasty English Muffin, toasted Crumpet or full English for breakfast, a coronation chicken sandwich for lunch, and fish and chips for dinner, embrace the Jubilee spirit and feel proud to British.

For information about events being held to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, visit www.thediamondjubilee.org or www.thebiglunch.com

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flavour–the best of british

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flavour–the best of british

The Fox

The Fox, at Broughton Gifford, has provided Flavour with a delicious, traditional and hearty British meal – The Lamb Hot Pot

Lamb Hot Pot INGREDIENTS

Method

To construct the dish

2kg of lamb neck

Dice the meat and brown in a hot pan then add to a medium-sized oven-proof dish or tray.

You will require a dish to serve the hotpot in (a small dish three inches in diameter will be perfect). Cut out the Boulanger with a ring pastry cutter that will fit in the serving dish.

10 carrots 2 sticks of celery 4 leeks 10 black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 garlic bulb Bunch of thyme 2 halved onions (blackened).

Burn in a pan half side down 3 tbsp of tomato purée ½ bottle red wine 2 litres of water 250g of wild mushrooms 1 cup of frozen peas 1 spring cabbage Salt and pepper to taste Boulanger ingredients 10 medium Maris Piper potatoes 5 large onions 250g of butter Salt and pepper

Chop six of the carrots, all of the celery, two leeks and the garlic and add to the hot pan used for the lamb and caramelise when done.

Add to the saucepan with the lamb, bay leaves, thyme, blackened onions, water, tomato purée and the wine. Cover twice with foil and braise in a pre-heated oven at 170°C for 4-5 hours until the meat is tender.

When the meat is tender, pour contents and liquid through a sieve into a saucepan, putting ¼ of the liquid aside for later. Lay the caught ingredients onto a tray to cool. Chop the remaining carrots and add to the saucepan and reduce the liquid to consistency and season to taste.

Lay the potato on top and cook for 10-12 minutes at 170°C until sauce is bubbling out of the sides. Crisp up the mushrooms in a hot pan of oil and season at the end. Add a knob of butter and chopped flat leaf parsley and put on the plate next to the dish of hot pot. Boil water with salt and add the spring cabbage and cook until al dente, remove and add to pan with melted butter, season, drain off excess butter and add to the plate next to the mushrooms.

Pick the meat and discard the vegetables and other components. Roughly chop the mushrooms and shred the spring cabbage.

Boulanger Peel the potatoes and slice to 10 pence piece thickness.

Finely slice the onions and put in a saucepan with oil, butter and salt. Cover and caramelise over a medium heat until soft and coloured. Put ½ the sliced potatoes into an ovenproof dish then lay the onions to form a layer.

Add the rest of the potatoes and season and then pour the remainder of the liquid over and cover with grease proof paper and double cover with foil and cook in a pre-heated oven with the lamb for 1½ hours or until you can push a knife through with no resistance.

When the potato is cooked, cover with cling film. Press with a tray that fits into the tray with the Boulanger and cover tightly with cling film to press it down and chill.

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Heat the lamb and liquid and then pour into the serving dish.

The Fox, The Street Broughton Gifford, Melksham SN12 8PW Call: 01225 782949 Visit: www.thefox-broughtongifford.co.uk

flavour–the best of british

The Cornerhouse The Cornerhouse prides itself on its Frenchinfluenced cooking using the best local British ingredients, with all the meat produced on farms within a maximum 40-mile radius of Frome and the cheese board using only local Somerset cheeses,Well, Cheddar is just down the road isn’t it!

supporting the local economy, so we can honestly say the Best of British (even though the recipes might not always be!)

It’s probably one of the only examples of entente cordiale at the moment! but by using local suppliers The Cornerhouse ensures that quality is never compromised, while at the same time The Cornerhouse 1 Christchurch Street East, Frome, Somerset BA11 1QA Call: 01373 472042 Visit: www.thecornerhousefrome.co.uk

Yakiniku

@Mt Fuji Restaurant Stanton House In a Yakiniku restaurant, guests order several types of prepared raw meat and vegetables that are then grilled at the table. At Stanton House they use Andrews Quality Meats of Highworth for all of the meat in their restaurant, Mt Fuji.

the butchers and the farmers to make sure they get exactly the right product.

Using local suppliers, who in turn use local farmers, allows Mt Fuji to offer superb quality meat from the surrounding area.They know exactly where the meat came from and how it was looked after as they visit Stanton House – Mt Fuji The Avenue, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon SN6 7SD Call: 0870 0841388 Visit: www.stantonhouse.co.uk

GOOD Home Foods Love GOOD OIL – Special edition bottle out now!

What’s not to love about this delicious and healthy hemp oil from Devon that comes in a stylish, limited edition bottle?

Café La Strada

But GOOD OIL is not just a pretty addition to your vegan kitchen cupboard – with 26 times more Omega 3 and half the saturated fat of olive oil, hemp oil is the healthiest of culinary oils with all the essential amino acids. It’s great for your heart and joints, and because it’s rich in GLA, it’s great for your skin too!

Its light, nutty and nutritious taste makes it an ideal companion in salad dressings and you can fry with it too – it tastes delicious! Simply use it like an olive oil in everyday cooking.

Senso Ice Cream is the creation of Jude Kelly of Café La Strada in Frome. Using local, organic Jersey milk and cream and oodles of kitchen experience, Jude mixes together fantastic flavours for the people of Frome and beyond.

With over 160 recipes of this Italian-style ice cream in her repertoire it truly is a ‘love affair’ worth sharing!

(Available from Tesco,Waitrose Sainsbury’s, Ocado. RRP £5.99)

Café La Strada, 13 Cheap St, Frome BA11 1BN Call: 01373 474374 Visit: www.cafelastrada.co.uk

Call: 01271 858377 Visit: www.goodwebsite.co.uk

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flavour–the best of british

The Devilled Egg To honour the upcoming Queen’s Jubilee,The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy is running several gourmet picnic classes, and they have provided us with a taster of what you can look forward to.

Scotch Eggs

Spinach and Pine Nut Tartlets INGREDIENTS 250g plain flour 125g butter 35ml cold water 1 egg 5g salt 500g spinach

INGREDIENTS 4 eggs at room temperature 350g minced pork +150g minced chorizo, chopped bunch of fresh chives 100g plain flour

50g toasted pine nuts 50g grated Parmesan 100ml milk 100ml double milk 2 egg yolks Salt and pepper

Method Place flour and salt in a bowl, rub in the butter.

Pour in the water and egg, bring together and wrap in grease proof paper.

Rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

2 eggs (beaten)

Roll out the pastry and line pastry cases.

100g fresh breadcrumbs

Cover with grease proof paper and chill until hard.

1 teaspoon sweet paprika Method Pop the 4 eggs into cold water, bring up to the boil and take off the heat.

Blind bake at 190°C (line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans) for 15 minutes, or until the sides are set and the pastry feels sandy to the touch.

Cover with a lid, leave to stand for four minutes, then peel.

Remove baking beans and paper, return to the oven for 5 minutes to set the bottom.

Mix the meats and chives.

To make the filling: wilt the spinach by frying with a tablespoon of water.

Separate the meat mixture into four and flatten in the palm of your hand.

Wrap each egg in the mixture.

Place the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into separate bowls.

Add the sweet paprika into the bowl of breadcrumbs and combine well.

Lightly coat the the eggs in meat in the flour, then dip into the egg followed by the breadcrumbs.

Pop them back into the eggs and then breadcrumbs again.

Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to set and then deep-fry on 160°C for 10 minutes.

Enjoy with some green leaves.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

Drain the spinach and squeeze out any excess liquid.

Mix the milk, cream, egg yolks and seasoning and pour into the cooked tartlets, top with the spinach, sprinkle with the Parmesan and pine nuts.

Bake these on 150°C for 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS 300g chocolate 300g butter 400g sugar 150g gluten free plain flour 7 eggs 4 tblsp cherry syrup 100g frozen cherries Method Preheat the oven to 180°c.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, leave to cool for a couple of minutes.

Mix the cherry syrup and eggs and beat until completely combined.

Pour the chocolate mix into the eggs and fold in flour.Throw in the cherries, pour into a deep tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set.

flavour–the best of british

The Montague Inn The Montague Inn champions local, in fact at times, and by their own admission, they can be a little too parochial. However, when surrounded by the very best of produce it seems futile searching the globe for ingredients...

Their beef is grazed in the village, the sausages come from their friend Andy and his beloved pigs, while the landlord’s best man, John Ewins, provides a cracking white wine from North Brewham.

Charles Dowding grows his salads in the next field and the cheeseboard consists of Cheddars all from within five miles of the pub.The Montague Inn certainly does believe British and certainly local is the best!

The Montague Inn Shepton Montague, Near Wincanton BA9 8JW Call: 01749 813213 Visit: www.themontagueinn.co.uk

Spring is in the air... ...and our talented Head Chef Mark Veale has a fabulous array of seasonal produce to add to his menus.

There’s the first of the very tender forced Yorkshire rhubarb. The wonderful River Kennett crayfish are superb. The first delivery of the season’s Cornish mackerel has arrived along with the first of the Wye Valley asparagus.

Spring really is the perfect time to visit Thornbury Castle – enjoy a two course lunch for just £15.00 per person from Monday to Saturday.

Telephone 01454 281182

www.thornburycastle.co.uk Thornbury Castle, Castle Street, Thornbury, Gloucestershire

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BAR & KITCHEN Jubilee Weekend

WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN US THIS TO ENJOY THE TERRACE SUN, SHARE A JUG OF PIMMS, SIP ON A G&T AND MORE...

Royal Roast

YOU LOVE OUR USUAL SUNDAY ROAST SO COME AND TRY OUR ROYAL SERVING, FIT FOR A QUEEN FOR JUST £15.

COME AND FEAST WITH US BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY AS WE SERVE UP A VERY GRAND

Barbeque Pork Banquet.

Brace&Browns, 43 Whiteladies Rd, Bristol, BS8 2LS info@braceandbrowns.co.uk 01179 737800

A cycle through The Mendips proved mighty rewarding for flavour correspondent Rob Magnuson Smith...

The Old Station Inn M

y friend Leah, an athletic West Country girl, slipped on her backpack and suggested a bicycle ride to Hallatrow, in Somerset. “Come on,” she said. “It’s only 13 miles. We’ll have Sunday roast at the Old Station Inn.” Anyway, it transpires that I’m an unabashed American glutton, and a big Sunday roast appealed to me. Leah didn’t tell me we were about to cycle the Mendips. After two hours pedalling up and down steep hills, I was ready to eat.

Surrounded by golden rape fields and apple trees, The Old Station Inn at Hallatrow is a pastoral sanctuary with friendly staff and top-quality food and drink. There’s something for everyone here; a miniature golf course, a shuffleboard table and a Pullman dining carriage where you can pretend you’re aboard the Orient Express!

After we parked our bikes, we stepped inside a kind of curiosity shop. Wall decorations included licence plates and railway maps, the boot of an old Citroen, an airgun and a collection of African tribal masks. Sewing machines and typewriters occupied the shelves above overstuffed chairs and Turkish pillows.

I was thirsty and headed straight for the bar. Real ale offerings included Butcombe and the beautifully dark Welsh bitter, Reverend James. “That’s fitting,” Leah said, pointing over my head. A sign read, ‘General Manager’s Office: Mental Health Enquiries’.

By the time we’d finished our pints, our table was ready. We followed our

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server through a narrow opening into the Pullman. (A previous owner brought in the carriage by crane, apparently to considerable local fanfare.) Through the apple blossoms, an ale and cider festival raged in the back garden. I was happy to sit inside the train and enjoy the views, nestled into my highbacked armchair. With the ceiling fans spinning, we might have been chugging our way through the countryside.

We ordered braised scallops for a starter.

They came perched on individual beds of mashed peas and garnished with sprigs of friseé. The scallops were fresh and chewy, with hints of brine. They went well with our 2009 Chateauneuf de Pape.

Elegant and structured, the wine had a smooth mouth-feel and subtle minerality.

Leah can be quite a talker, but as soon as her meal appeared, she just concentrated on her food. I snuck a few bites and almost became a vegetarian – her nut roast was a delicious combination of spiced lentils, corn, black and kidney beans, mushrooms and courgette. It came with roasted and new potatoes, fresh cabbage and a stuffed Yorkshire pudding that could have been a meal in itself.

It didn’t take me long to remember why I’m not a vegetarian. I’d ordered a kilo of roasted pork hock – a gargantuan chunk of crackling-covered meat on a bed of mashed potatoes. The hock occupied the entire plate, with a pearl-handled knife sticking out of it like an exclamation point.

The gravy, made from a cider reduction, had none of that cloying sweetness that often ruins the taste of meat. Cutting the crackling was like breaking into crème

brûleé. Inside, the pink and tender pork fell off the bone. The mashed potatoes, seasoned with apple and sage, made a perfect complement to pork, and the fresh vegetables, grown behind the restaurant, were steamed al dente. The snow peas and carrots had plenty of crunch, and the sweet courgette seeped flavour.

We’d barely left room for pudding. But with the long cycle ride home, Leah figured we needed extra fortification. We decided to share a pot of apple rhubarb crumble. It came to our table steaming hot, garnished with fresh blueberries and a kumquat.

The tureen of warm custard tasted homemade. “This is scrummy,” Leah said.

I highly recommend The Old Station Inn if you’re near Hallatrow – and even if you’re not. Proprietors Debbie and Neville King have turned what might have been a roadside oddity into a genuine destination for food and drink. Whenever you’re up for a rewarding gastronomic journey, roll through the countryside and hop on board.

The Old Station Inn Wells Road Hallatrow, Bristol Avon BS39 6EN 01761 452228 www.theoldstationandcarriage.co.uk

Rob Magnuson Smith’s debut novel The Gravedigger won The William Faulkner Award.

His short fiction recently appeared in the Guardian.

With the ceiling fans spinning, we might have been chugging our way through the countryside.

> flavour fork to fork

fork to fork T

he weather... I can’t help talking about it. It affects farming and fishing on a daily basis, so it’s important and inevitable conversation topic! And it has gone from one extreme to the next this year; a long, dry winter followed by heavy, strong rains in spring. In the dry conditions we had to irrigate our plug plants to keep them healthy then had to plant out between heavy showers where the ground was saturated. Some of our salad crops have had fleece on them for a bit longer than usual to protect them from the extremes. The rain has saved our winter-planted broad beans as they were starting to suffer, and now the weather has warmed up we are having a good crop.

June is peak season for harvesting summer cauliflowers, broad beans, leeks, cabbages, calabrese, spring onions, beetroot and of course salad crops are aplenty. We have a new variety of early potato this year, the Maris Baird, a lovely new potato that has a creamy texture but is firm and holds its shape well.

We’ve also been experimenting with some micro salad plants mainly for the cafe. Although not substantial in their yield they really add texture and intense flavours to our other salad leaves and are well worth growing at home. Try pea shoots, purple rocket, red mustard and the ‘Bright Lights’, a chard variety which has beautiful yellow, orange and purple stems. These seeds are quick to germinate and grow, and because of their potency, are used when small and cut with scissors so expect to be clipping anything from six to 21 days after planting.

Steve Tucker is farmer and owner at White Row Farm, Beckington www.whiterowcountryfoods.com

Pan fried brill with leek, pancetta and potato broth A light, summery broth and a lovely way to enjoy both leeks and potatoes in early summer.

SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS 300ml good quality ham stock 2 leeks, sliced into rounds

We are constantly adding to our hen family at White Row and always have around 400 free-range and happy hens, who produce on average five eggs a week each. This is enough to keep our farm shop well stocked for customers, but with an everbusier cafe and restaurant we now have to buy in a few from other local farms, but that is good, we’re nothing if not local!

100g pancetta lardons 2 potatoes 2 fillets of fresh brill about 180–200g each METHOD Put the stock into a pan and reduce slowly by a third. Dice the potatoes into small cubes and when the stock is reduced add together with the sliced leeks.

In a separate pan crisp up the pancetta lardons for a couple of minutes and when crispy drain the fat off and lay them onto some kitchen towel. In the same pan fry the brill on a low heat or a few minutes on each side until cooked but not falling apart.

Serve the fillet on top of the broth. ©James Griffith, Head Chef, White Row Farm www.whiterowcountryfoods.com

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desire

Ideas to satIsfy a taste for the fIner thIngs In lIfe...

south sands BoutIque hotel and BeaChsIde restaurant This stylish new hotel sits on the beach at South Sands, a bay just outside the vibrant sailing town of Salcombe, Devon.

It has a laid-back New England aesthetic (natural woods and cheery colours), a magnificent and tactile wrought metalwork and oak helical staircase, created by local craftsmen and feature bedrooms looking out over the beach.

The hotel has a stylish but relaxed atmosphere, with the expansive glassfronted restaurant spilling out over the beach, serving stunning seafood dishes under the guidance of celebrity chef Mitch Tonks. The rolling sounds of the beach and the sea air fill the hotel and dictate the mood at this stunning location.

South Sands Bolt Head, Salcombe, Devon TQ8 8LL 01548 859 000 www.southsands.com

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Country house lIvIng

the grove Nestling in the heart of the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside, The Grove has established itself as one of Wales’ finest restaurants and a leading small luxury hotel with 12 intimate guest rooms and four traditional cottages.

a truly intimate and sumptuous dining experience with warming log fires throughout the house.

The restaurant serves modern British food using locally sourced ingredients that are as fresh as possible, much of which comes from their own extensive kitchen gardens.

The kitchen is headed up by the talented Duncan Barham, whose menus are driven by the fantastic local produce on offer and the numerous foraging opportunities in and around The Grove.

The Grove offers

01834 860915 www.thegrove-narberth.co.uk

The Grove, Molleston Narberth, Dyfed SA67 8BX

desire...

Country house lIvIng

Bovey Castle Bovey Castle is a five-star hotel set within its own private estate on Dartmoor National Park and is a throwback to the grandiose extravagance of the 1920s.

The charm and opulence of that time has been retained through striking period furnishings and decoration, creating an ambience of unpretentious splendour.

Using and giving back to local food producers is integral to Bovey Castle, with ingredients sourced from the moorland and coastline to create seasonally

changing menus in both The Edwardian Grill and Castle Bistro restaurants, led by head chef Marc Hardiman. The quintessentially English affair that is afternoon tea retains its ceremonial glamour through its evolving choice of delicacies, best enjoyed from the panoramic window seats in the Cathedral Room and Adam Room. Bovey Castle is living at its finest.

Bovey Castle North Bovey Dartmoor National Park Devon TQ13 8RE 01647 445000 www.boveycastle.com

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relaxatIon

Whatley Manor AquAriAs sPA

Whatley Manor are introducing the ila spa day to celebrate the launch of ‘beyond organic’ ila spa treatments at Aquarias.

For £120 (usually £148), choose a nurturing and restoring 60-minute ila kundalini back massage or one of the 60-minute ila body scrub treatments, with full use of the spa and gym facilities also included. Luxury robe, towels and slippers are provided for your comfort and a light lunch and refreshment will be served in the spa lounge.

The ila spa day is available Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and from May 1st to June 29th. The offer cannot be exchanged for any other treatments and is subject to availability.

Call Aquarias on 01666 827 070 or email aquarias@whatleymanor.com Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa Easton Grey, Malmesbury Wiltshire SN16 0RB www.whatleymanor.com

desire...

sPlendour By the seasIde

desire... gourMet CuIsIne Cu s ne

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa Colerne Chippenham Wiltshire SN14 8AZ 01225 742777 www.lucknampark.co.uk

the CaryarMs “The Inn on the Beach” exudes charm, fun and values of a good English pub with all the style and comfort of a boutique hotel. The very best of gastropub food complemented by accommodation and activities rival the finest hotels in the country.

Daily changing menus reflect coast and country in equal measure, big windows show off views across Babbacombe Bay and beyond. In the winter a crackling

log fire, slowly cooked specials and the lure of a local pint makes The Cary Arms feel special and secluded. In the warmer months, dine outside and watch life in the bay unfold from the terraces.

The Cary Arms Babbacombe Beach South Devon TQ1 3LX 01803 327110 www.caryarms.co.uk

luCknaM Park hotel & sPa

Lucknam Park, just six miles east of Bath, is a gourmet’s delight! Treat yourself to dinner in the Michelin-starred restaurant The Park, with its stunning parkland views and elegant décor. The menu created by Executive Chef Hywel Jones showcases his uncomplicated style and passion for full and clean flavours using the highest quality ingredients sourced locally where possible. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday evening and for Sunday lunch.

For all-day informal dining the stylish Brasserie, with its pretty terrace overlooking the walled gardens and Dovecote, is simply perfect for al fresco dining. The open kitchen and woodburning oven provide a sense of theatre.

Hywel, with new Brasserie Head Chef Liam Cooper, has created a fabulous new summer menu. Two courses cost £19 and three courses for just £21.

desire...

the Bath PrIory roManCe

fIne dInIng

The ultimate luxurious escape for two, a bedroom that offers sumptuous interiors, a bathroom to drift away in and views that transport you to another country. Launching in late May, the Crescent Suites at the Bath Priory will provide the most stylish accommodation that is absolutely perfect for a romantic retreat, just for two.

The Bath Priory offers an exceptional gourmet experience. Under the direction of Michael Caines MBE, head chef Sam Moody delivers sensational seasonal menus, matched with an exemplary wine list, service that is discreet but attentive and a stunning sun terrace that is the perfect place for pre-dinner drinks.

The Bath Priory, Weston Road, Bath BA1 2XT Call 01225 331922 Email mail@thebathpriory.co.uk Website www.thebathpriory.co.uk

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PerfeCt loCatIon

loWer slaughter Manor

The most perfect English country house escape, the village of Lower Slaughter in the heart of the Cotswolds is the epitome of English village charm. Stay in the luxurious surroundings of the Manor House or indulge in the comfort of the cosy village inn. Wherever you choose to stay you will enjoy great local food, clear Cotswold air and total relaxation.

Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire GL54 2HP Call 01451 820456 Email info@lowerslaughter.co.uk Website www.lowerslaughtermanor.co.uk

Matt Dean Head Chef

Age: 37 From: Oxford

Sous/Pastry Chef: Dan Hutchinson Age: 22 From: Nottingham

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Sous Chef: Shawn Tilly Age: 22 From: Bruton

The Montague Inn

> flavour the montague inn

All three chefs have always had a desire to be heading up a kitchen and Matt’s start was in Ireland with his friend Roberto Bassa, head Chef at Boluisce Galway; Shawn started at The Montague Inn as an apprentice and showed his commitment by attending two years at Bournemouth College, developing as a strong second; Dan has learned at the coalface, however, and his time at Goodfellows honed his attention to details and imaginative dish construction.

Matt, what gets you up in the morning?

Firstly the Monty is a fun place to be and I really enjoy the challenges of preparing and delivering great food.

How do you keep what you’re doing fresh and relevant?

Taking a general interest in restaurants around the country, (flavour magazine helps!). Eating out and being aware of trends is probably the best way to see firsthand what’s going on and where the next trends are coming from.

customer to be exact in their wishes and ensure we as the service provider connect the two.

Dan, what is the work ethos at the Montague Inn? Enjoy yourself, but again communicate. Everyone has a voice.

Matt, what are the team's strengths and weaknesses?

We need to learn more but in that same vein that is our strength as we are all prepared to do that and adapt to changes.

How important is matching wine to your food?

If pointed in the right direction, matching the right wine to the right dish improves the customer’s experience.

What makes The Montague Inn so special?

We have a down-to-earth and modest style. Staff know their product and love to discuss it, and let’s not forget the fabric of the pub and its fantastic views.

House speciality?

Dan, how do you avoid complacency in the kitchen?

Treat every dish as the most important thing going out.

Shawn, is the kitchen a team effort?

Absolutely, from the kitchen porter, the supplier to the front of house.

Sean and Suzy all contribute to the final product.

Matt, How does everyone’s roles interact?

Through communication, from supplier to customer. We get the supplier to produce and the

What is the Montague Inn’s style?

We are flexible, but if pushed I’d say we are old English/European with some Asian fusion!

Seared Scallops / Wild venison.

This is pub food with flair.

Ingredient you can’t do without?

Butter.

What foods do you most enjoy working with?

Game and fish. We butcher the game ourselves and fish is such a delight to experiment with, from the humble salmon to the ugly but delicate monkfish.

Matt, has food hit its peak?

Food will get bigger. Done properly it’s true entertainment, but remember that it’s the ingredients that are the stars.

Lads, what’s an interesting secret about you that no one else knows?

They are not known for a reason!

The Montague Inn | Shepton Montague | Near Wincanton | BA9 8JW Call 01749 813213 | Visit www.themontagueinn.co.uk 69

Festival-goer and devout veggie Cathy French found that Bath’s sporting hotspot has a few more attractions in its locker...

The Assembly Inn A

part from knowing a bit about running and being a fairweather Plymouth Argyle supporter (comments not necessary), I’d never really been famed for my extensive sporting knowledge and so was surprised when flavour’s editor asked if I would review Bath’s number one sports bar, The Assembly Inn in Alfred Street.

Anyway, it transpires that they didn’t need a sports pundit but someone to check out the hearty Sunday lunches that the Assembly are so justifiably proud of – not to mention the locally made, award-winning Lovett pies and real ales on offer – but of course I couldn’t sample everything in a single lunch time.

The pub is unapologetically sportsfocused, comprising two rooms, one with a pool table, dart board and flatscreen TVs and, the other, a larger room with stripped wood flooring, wooden tables, original chequerboard tiles around the bar and two beautiful old fireplaces. Invitingly placed in the big bay window are a couple of squishy sofas, where you can eat their generous Sunday roasts, sup whatever guest ale is on offer and watch the world go by. It would be disingenuous not to mention that there are TVs in here too, but it is a sports pub after all...

On the day I visited with my friend Martyn, it was fortunate that I had phoned ahead to book a table and hadn’t just relied on calling in on spec.

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When we walked in, I was struck by the fact that there were several families with young children tucking in – maybe naively I had harboured the rather stereotypical view that there would be lots of single men in football shirts because it was a sports bar! Everyone was being looked after by the beaming and inordinately helpful James, aka ‘JT’.

An Abbey Ales-owned pub, Bellringer is always on offer, together with at least two other ‘guest’ beers. They also serve iced Thatchers Gold, or ‘slushie cider’, to give it its colloquial term. Roast lunches are served until 6pm every Sunday which is so achingly civilised and I don’t know why more places don’t get wise to this nice touch.

Now for the off (forgive the sad attempt at a sporting pun) and to the menu.

My companion is an avid meat fan and was unsure what to choose when faced with the choice of slow-roasted pork belly or roast topside of beef.

Sensing his dilemma, JT stepped in with the immortal line “You could try the Guv’nor, it’s our best kept secret”.

Not any more I’m afraid, not any more.

The Guv’nor is a combination of both meats on offer and Martyn didn’t need to be asked twice. I was also thrilled to see a homemade sage, cashew, mushroom and onion bake on offer as fellow veggies will know that heartbreaking moment when all your friends are ordering their Sunday roasts and you are offered couscous or pasta, aargh! But not at the Assembly, where I was ‘allowed’ to have everything – roast

potatoes, carrots, purple sprouting broccoli, parsnips, sweet potato mash, giant Yorkshire puddings and meat or veggie gravy. Yes! And all for £6.45 for the veggie and £8.45 for the Guv’nor.

The plates were huge but we dutifully ate every last mouthful. It really did taste as though you’d cooked it yourself and, to paraphrase a wellknow lager company, is ‘probably the best value Sunday lunch in town’.

Of course I wouldn’t have normally (that old chestnut…) but it felt positively rude not to at least share a pudding and so we finished our meal with homemade, oven-baked, treacle sponge and ice cream. Yes, it was really good. Also on offer was a chocolate brownie, with desserts priced at £3.50. Given the Guv’nor idea, I am wondering if the Assembly might consider introducing the Governess for those delicious pudding dilemmas… ?

The overwhelming sense I got from the Assembly Inn was that honesty and value permeate both their food and their service and that if there’s a big sporting fixture coming up, do make sure you book because surely there can only be so many Guv’nors…

The Assembly Inn 16 Alfred St Bath BA1 2QU 01225 333639 theassemblyinn.com

> flavour assembly inn

It really did taste as though you’d cooked it yourself and, to paraphrase a well-know lager company, is ‘probably the best value Sunday lunch in town’

11976-PKitchen 170x116mm Flavour Mag Ad_Layout 1 29/03/2012 11:09am Page 1

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> flavour sian blunos

Chef, food writer, author and mother Siân Blunos is passionate about children’s health and their eating habits, and believes that expanding your knowledge of food can only help benefit your child.

I have been looking into the eating habits of children and adolescents in the UK. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) was carried out in 1997 and later in 2011. It looked at the dietary intake and nutritional status of young people aged between 1.5 and 18yrs and is designed to be representative of the UK population.

It highlighted a number of areas of concern; chocolate was consumed by more than 80 per cent of children, 74 per cent did not eat any citrus fruit and 58 per cent did not eat any green leafy vegetables. Notably, the majority of young people consumed carbonated soft drinks, with the average weekly consumption 1500ml for boys and 750ml for girls.

Studies have found an association between sugar-sweetened beverages and incidence of obesity in children. Although sugar content in many soft drinks has been reduced by replacing with artificial sweeteners and caffeine, it has been reported that this contributes to a higher carbohydrate consumption and that artificial chemicals are highly addictive.

Advertising plays an important role in influencing our children; there is a

KNOW YOUR

JUICE

strong relationship with television viewing and dietary components advertised.

Adverts during children’s viewing times are predominantly for snack foods and soft drinks. Food choice is also influenced by the food industry and its marketing using well-known characters, and animations.

The uses of social networks are ways to appeal junk food and sugary beverages to children. The government needs to address this problem as it will cost them billions to deal with the consequences, but as parents we can make a choice, how can we stop our children consuming all these chemicals? We can offer them healthy alternatives.

Fresh vegetable and fruit juices are the answer; the raw power of freshly extracted vegetables and fruits, “pure liquid gold”.

Each mouthful gives your body easy-todigest live nutrients, they’re a good source of vitamins and minerals, including foliate, vitamin C and potassium, an excellent source of dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems. A diet high in fibre can also reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices

lowers the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

It’s so important that we get enough fruit and vegetable in the diet. Currently in the UK we eat an average two to three portions a day, so we’re falling well short of the benefits they can provide. Juicing encourages our children to make healthy choices and they love to help make them.

So it’s worth investing in a juicer. There are so many on the market to choose from and you know you are investing in your families health... SO GET JUICING!!!

COOKING FOR COCO Like most busy mothers, Siân wanted to feed her baby well, but didn’t have a lot of free time on her hands. Her solution was to develop recipes using a wide variety of fresh, available foods, which could be batch-cooked and used to stock the freezer. Now, she always has a range of delicious dishes on hand, and you can too. With a little care and planning you can give even the youngest of children the experience of good, fresh food, which is tasty and nutritious.

To order a personally signed copy of Cooking for Coco for only £8.50 (including postage), RRP £9.99, email sian@blunos.com

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THE

FOX AT BROUGHTON GIFFORD

Now serving Sunday lunch until 5pm and open on Monday evenings  Come and join us for the Beer and Cider Festival on June 3 from 6pm, including hog roast, barbecue and live music  Music from Billy In The Lowground, followed

by The Swamp Donkeys

01225 782949

 www.thefox-broughtongifford.co.uk

THE FOX  THE STREET  BROUGHTON GIFFORD  MELSKAM SN12 8PW

Follow us on twitter @thefoxbroughton

r e m m u S f o e A Tast

The Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival 15–17 June 2012 Sponsored by Whole Foods Market The Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival is a gastronomic delight. With over 200 exhibitors: the scope of local and regional products on show ensures there is something for everyone. You’ll find an astonishing variety of victuals from oatcakes to aphrodisiac quince, the widest range of baked goods, meats, fish, cheeses, jams, chutneys and watch out for 11-year-old Fraser of Frasers Fudge, leading the wealth of food exhibitors over the three days; this is the regional food event not to be missed.

Taittinger Champagne Garden Bar, an exclusive corner of Montpellier Gardens, invites you to enjoy the finest perfectly chilled glass of Champagne, or why not sample the full decadent experience and share a bottle of Champagne on ice, with friends.

Celebrity MasterChef 2011 winner Phil Vickery comes off the field to cook up

a storm for the rugby fans; this is an experience not to be missed. Join the experts in the Wine Theatre with informal tutored tastings and a chance to develop a greater appreciation about wine from the old world to the new world. Don’t forget the inspiring breweries showcasing a wide range of real ale from the region with ales from Nailsworth Brewery, Stroud Brewery and Prescott Ales to name just a few.

Join friends and family and relax in the Cider Garden and enjoy the best of the region, raising a glass to summer while listening to the music and watching the street theatre. The Festival is sponsored

by Whole Foods Market, the new natural health store coming to Cheltenham in September. www.wholefoodsmarket.co.uk

THE FINER POINTS • Public Festival • Dates: 15th, 16th, 17th June 2012 • Daily admission: Friday £3, Saturday & Sunday £6 on the gate, accompanied children under-16 free • Pre-book tickets: Friday £3, Saturday & Sunday £4.60 • Open Times: Friday 12pm to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm • Ticket Box Office: Cheltenham Town Hall T: 0844 576 2210 • For a Free Festival Programme visit www.garden-events.com

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Seared radishes with radish leaf miso pesto INGREDIENTS

Top-to-Toe Eating

BY SHU HAN LEE

1 large bunch of whole radishes 1 small handful of toasted pine nuts or almonds 2 cloves garlic 2 tbsp naturally fermented white miso Generous pinch of unrefined sea salt, freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil Squeeze of lemon

Following the brilliance of Fergus Henderson and his St John’s Restaurant, nose-to-tail eating has gotten chefs to reconsider and even be excited about ears and trotters and cuts that have previously been discarded.

It just makes a lot more sense for the environment and your own pocket, to fully use and appreciate all that has been sacrificed to feed your stomach. I think we need to apply this to vegetables too, a sort-of “shoot-to-root” or “topto-toe” eating. It pains me to see people pluck the tops off beetroots, or the outer leaves off cauliflower, when the whole plant is perfectly good to eat.

I’ve used the radish here as an example, its blushing pink roots are much-loved

in spring, but its leaves are actually just as delicious, with a nice mustardy bite not unlike rocket or watercress.

It’s nonsense that people are willing to pay for those little leaves in their salads when you can get equally tasty ones free. I’ve moved away from the usual raw salads here though. Many don’t realise this, but radishes are great cooked! I don’t mean mushy, tasteless, over-boiled radishes; pan-seared ones still retain a slight refreshing crunch. At the same time, their sharpness mellows, and their light sweetness comes through, a great contrast to the salty peppery pesto.

I’ve given a slight Asian twist to this vegan-friendly pesto, using miso instead of Parmesan for a savoury depth.

If you want to find out more about this recipe, just do a search on my blog, Mummy, I can cook! mummyicancook.blogspot.com

METHOD 1 Prepare the radishes, separate tops from bottoms. Chop the bottoms into equal-sized pieces, halved or quartered if large. Wash the tops to remove any dirt from the leaves and roughly chop.

2 For the seared radishes, heat some oil over medium-high heat, and when just sizzling, add the radishes cut-side down. Season, and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other sides.

3 For the pesto, combine all the ingredients except lemon in a mortar and pestle, or a food processor, adding the evoo as you go, enough to make a smooth paste. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. This will keep in the fridge for a couple of days if submerged under oil.

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Best in Show…

Says Who? Dishing out awards for restaurants is not as straightforward for Nick Harman as the judges may have us believe...

The recent 50 Best Restaurants Awards has once again provoked debate, tears and a few tantrums, a lot of it from people who weren’t invited to the ceremony and felt slighted. Many were called but few were chosen and the criteria for being on the guest list somewhat unfathomable.

Leaving that aside, do we need a 50 best list anyway? Isn’t it a pointless exercise? Well, people like lists; 10 best books, 10 best films of all time, 10 best dachsunds etc... Who’s to judge though? Can you compare a comedy film to a film about the holocaust for example? One is intended to make you smile and one to make you cry. Do we measure the amount of times the audience hysterically laughed their popcorn out in an arc or alternatively how many lachrymose litres they wept? And how can you say one is truly better anyway? You can only really say that one was perhaps best in its particular genre.

Nick Harman is editor of www.foodepedia.co.uk and was shortlisted last year for The Guild of Food Writer’s Restaurant Reviewer of the Year.

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Is a restaurant serving, simple, easily obtainable food better or worse than a restaurant where chef goes out camouflaged at dawn foraging for the most esoteric ingredients? You might as well argue that an apple is better than an orange. Or vice versa.

Then there’s the fact that restaurants, unlike books, films and dachsunds, which are all finished products, are mutable and so have good or bad days. You might well argue that they shouldn’t but that’s the way it is, at least until restaurants are run by machines.

The critics are not yet machines; they have good and bad days too. Who knows what state of elation or despair a critic may be in on review night? A wet miserable winter’s evening, he’d rather be at home watching The Voice, but the reservation has been made and a deadline for copy is inescapable. In the critic trudges, already unhappy and disinclined to be forgiving, indeed may be subconsciously looking for something to take his grump out on.

I’ve had brilliant food in the most unexpected places, perhaps the food wasn’t actually that good in retrospect but at the particular time it tasted great to me. It was a subjective reaction.

We shall always need objective appraisals of restaurants of course but, just as in the case of books, films and dachsunds, we must beware of being told what we should and shouldn’t like by people we don’t even know.

Shanghai Nights Pan Asian Buffet And much, much more...

Shanghai Nights, Bristol is all about choice; you choose your group menu – Gold, Silver or Bronze – for a fixed price or the lunch Dim Sum menu as an A La Carte.

Our handpicked experienced chefs from Hong Kong, China and Asia will always ensure your dining experience at Shanghai Nights is a true authentic taste of the Orient.

As part of an Oriental wholesaler group, all our ingredients are sourced from China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia to ensure authenticity and delivered directly from our warehouses.

With fresh seafood and freshly made sushi, desserts and salads as well as our award-winning dim sum made fresh and steamed when requested or from the menu, we know your buffet dining experience is always first class!

Experience our cooked-to-order buffet and see why we are a cut above the rest!

Lunch 12–3pm everyday / Dinner 5.30pm–10pm Enjoy!

Gold menu From £16 Silver menu From two for £20

During June we are offering our Gold menu 3 for the price of 2 only with favour magazine (please cut out this advertisment and bring along with you).

Bronze menu Individually priced from our la carte menu See our website for full terms and conditions

0117 945 0505 www.shanghainightsbristol.co.uk

Parking in the side street or NCP Rupert Street Car Park after 6pm and before midnight – Only £2.50. Please ensure this offer is still available before parking as we cannot be held responsible for any changes to parking charges.