www.flavourmagazine.com
London | Issue 10
Planning to get away? Escape the city and discover a wealth of luxury
WIN!
A luxurious stay at Chewton Glen
My Barcelona Kitchen
Sophie Ruggles brings us a truly Spanish experience Follow us on Twitter @flavourlondon
Getting their ducks in a row Zeren Wilson finds assured cooking at Drake’s Inside: Your regular Greenliving edition
Flav_8_Lon_Adverts.indd 11
16/03/2012 12:45
Editor Nick Gregory Email: nick@flavourmagazine.com Art Director Bruce Mytton Email: design@flavourmagazine.com Advertising Maggie Fox, Director of Sales Email: maggie@flavourmagazine.com Miranda Coller, Account Manager Email: miranda@flavourmagazine.com Photography Dianna Chaccour
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Contributors Cheryl Cohen, Nick Harman, Duncan Shine, Jack Stein, Zeren Wilson, Mark Andrew, Peter Lawrence, Sriram Aylur, Megan Owen, Shu Han, Mitch Tonks Flavour Magazine 151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH Tel: 0117 977 9188 | Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com
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For general enquiries Peter Francomb Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com
welcome
For competition entries Email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com
Welcome to flavour London which includes an absolute plethora of reviews for you this month.
© Copyright 2012 www.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 www.flavourmagazine.com
We have been to Drake’s (Page 12), Goode & Wright (Page 24), Aqua Nueva (Page 60) and Cristini (Page 64). It isn’t easy eating this much food, but we are very happy to have been able to do it!
flavour magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print. We have a reputation for clear, creative solutions to communication problems for a number of corporate, sports, financial, charity and leisure industry clients. We maintain the highest of standards, throughout each individual project and our client relationship. We pride ourselves on delivering distinctive designs and ideas that will get you noticed. 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. Prizes do not include unspecified extras (such as travel). All prizes are subject to availability. Please state if you do not wish to receive any further correspondence from flavour or competition organisers. You may be required to collect your prize.
Inside... 4
WIN! A luxurious overnight stay for two at Chewton Glen
10 In Season Tom Bowles brings us the best of the season’s produce 15 Planning to get away? Escape the city and discover a wealth of luxury 30 From the Ocean to the Capital Mitch Tonks brings us the best from the sea 41 Planning to stay at home? Build your own meal from some of the finest delis 47 My Barcelona Kitchen Sophie Ruggles cooksup some of her Spanish favourites
Please recycle this product.
So the summer’s over, unless of course we pick up an Indian variety in the next few weeks, and I suppose it’s now about time to start looking ahead to the festive season. However, I’m not one to start contemplating Christmas until at least October, so we’ll wait for the bumper issue we’ll bring out next month. Hope you don’t mind... We have a great feature on city escapes (Page 15) with some magical ideas on places to venture out to, while Sophie Ruggles has lent us a few of her recipes from My Barcelona Kitchen if staying in is more of your remit at the moment. Either way, I hope we have given you a few suggestions that you can grab onto as we march towards the cooler months. Look out for our next issue which will bring you many more reviews, features and recipes to keep you busy. 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
The Bread Shop Simply named the ‘Bread Shop’, all the products are made from specially selected wheat, flour and other key ingredients to ensure and maintain a superior standard and taste. A ‘must-try’ is the protein bread, delicious and light and ideal for balancing out your daily healthy diet. It’s perfect for everyone,
D WOONRTHE STREET
especially if you are trying to lose weight or keep your body fit and in great shape… Daily deliveries in and around central London, wholesale enquiries welcome.
Call: 020 8445 8333 Visit: www.breadshop.co.uk
THE PIG & BUTCHER 80 Liverpool Road, N1
This is the third gastropub from the people behind the Lady Ottoline and the Princess of Shoreditch. It’s taking over the place of the former Islington Tap and will be making rustic food with freshly sourced meat and fish while making plenty of use of its woodfired oven. In the kitchen is Swedish chef Robbin Holmgren who has had stints at St John and St John Bread & Wine and has also run supperclubs with the Clove Club (who now co-run the Ten Bells).
WIN! AN OVERNIGHT STAY FOR TWO AT CHEWTON GLEN An English original, Chewton Glen is a luxury country house hotel and spa set in 130 acres of Hampshire countryside on the edge of the New Forest National Park, and just a few minutes’ walk from the sea. A very special place, Chewton Glen is a proud member of Relais & Châteaux, is one of the finest luxury hotels in the UK and has been voted ‘Best Hotel for Service in the UK’ and listed as one of the ‘World’s Best Hotels’ by Conde Nast Traveller readers in 2011.
Flavour has teamed up with Chewton Glen and has given one reader the chance to win an overnight stay for two, with a five-course tasting dinner in Vetiver, full English breakfast and use of the spa facilities. For your chance to win, email competitions@flavourmagazine.com with ‘Chewton Glen’ in the subject header and your full contact details in the email body. Good luck! The above retreat is valid until 23rd December 2012, Sunday – Friday, excluding bank holidays and is subject to availability. Must be booked in advance.
www.chewtonglen.com
BENTLEY’S SEA GRILL AT HARRODS 87-135 Brompton Road SW1
Richard Corrigan is taking over the Sea Grill in Harrod’s Meat & Fish Hall and turning it into an outpost of his Piccadilly restaurant Bentley’s. There’ll be a crustacean bar, seafood cocktails and pies and the décor of the original Bentley’s will be recreated on site at Harrods.
WIN!
COCKTAIL OF THE
MONTH THE CUBE – ZEREN PIECES IT TOGETHER The Cube by Electrolux has arrived in London at the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, showcasing six British chefs in a unique setting beside The Thames. Having toured other cities in Europe including Brussels, Milan and Stockholm, The Cube is assembled piece by piece in each city, a semi-transparent structure resembling a futuristic pod from The Jetsons, housing a single dining table and an open kitchen kitted out with Electrolux domestic and professional cooking appliances. Guests are free to chat with the chef as dishes are prepared, and can even get stuck in and help plate up if they’re in the mood. We experienced the food of Tom Kitchin, a highlight being his shellfish rockpool – West Coast shellfish served with sea vegetables from the Isle of Bute: the fishy essence of a Scottish rockpool on a plate. Other chefs cooking at The Cube include Sat Bains, Claude Bosi and Daniel Clifford, cooking lunch and dinner until 30th September. Zeren Wilson www.electrolux.co.uk
Chicken Shop for Soho House Set to have opened at the start of September this year, ‘Chicken Shop’ is a new public restaurant venture from Soho House Group. Chicken Shop will be situated in the basement space of Highgate Studios, on Highgate Road in Kentish Town. The ground floor of this large corner building, located just south of Parliament Hill will house the third of the Pizza East restaurants, Pizza East Kentish Town.
Bar Manager at The Capital, Cesar Da Silva, has been inspired by celebrated chef of the moment Athinagoras Kostakos, who took the helm at the Capital Restaurant recently to create a special Greekthemed cocktail.
CRISP SENSATION The Capital Bar offers the finest selection of cocktails from champagne to vodka, cognac and whiskey. To celebrate the best of British summer Bar Manager, Cesar Da Silva, has prepared a crispy, strawberry flavoured cocktail.
INGREDIENTS 40ml Patron Silver Tequila 80ml strawberry nectar or approx. 7 fresh strawberries 10ml freshly squeezed lime juice 10ml orange rum liqueur
METHOD
Chicken Shop will be a restaurant dedicated to serving the finest rotisserie chicken, utilising a brand new cooking method, developed in-house.
Muddle fresh strawberries into a cocktail shaker and stir the remaining ingredients into the shaker. Shake well along with ice and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass.
Only free-range chickens will be used at Chicken Shop and these have been sourced from Banham’s farm in Norfolk.
To add a little extra intensity, squeeze the juice from a slice of orange peel into your prepared cocktail.
www.sohohouse.com
ENJOY!
In
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The Great
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HOME BAKING REVIVAL
M
ore and more people are baking their own bread in the UK, some mainly because of the economic benefits, and others because of the health benefits. They want their bread without additives and enhancers, the way it used to be, made up of the basic ingredients of flour, water, yeast and salt.
a bread loaf with a strong crumb structure, so your bread doesn’t fall apart and tear. The flour will also produce some superb European breads, such as Italian Ciabatta and Focaccia and even a great pizza dough.
So, it sounds easy, but choosing the right flour from the many varieties available can make all the difference to the end result. There are many flours available on the market, most of which will deliver a reasonable loaf, but it is all down to the protein to provide the bread with its strength. We’ve all had bread which, when buttering, falls apart and tears (particularly when rough buttering men are involved!) and this is mainly down to a low protein content, which comes naturally from the wheat that is used to produce the flour. Wheats grown in the UK have a much lower protein content compared to wheats grown in North America and Canada, and often millers of UK grown wheat will add extra gluten to their flour to provide some extra strength. Eurostar Very Strong Flour is made up from a blend of Canadian Manitoba and European wheats, and contains a minimum of 13% protein, naturally derived from the wheats, with no added gluten. This flour will produce
Marvellous
darling
After almost twenty years supplying quality flour to the UK wholesale market, Eurostar Commodities are now pleased to offer this, their first product onto the retail market, and to celebrate they are offering one lucky person the chance to win a year’s supply of Eurostar Very Strong Flour and a bread maker, visit www.spiffingflour.com for terms and conditions and to enter.
Available to buy in 1kg bags from July 2012 01422 377140 • info@spiffingflour.com • www.spiffingflour.com Eurostar Commodities Ltd, West Lodge, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 2EH
b r o u g h t t o y o u b y ~ E u r o s t a r C o m m o d i t i e s LT D ~
4267-5T Eurostar Very Strong Flour Advertorials.indd 1
11/07/2012 11:25
> flavour > fab flavour foodie xxxxxxx reads
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!
Biscuiteers
Book of Iced Biscuits
Harriet Hastings & Sarah Moore, Kyle Cathie Ltd, £12.99
PICK OF THE MONTH!
Ever since the company Biscuiteers started making their stylish and enchanting handdecorated biscuits, they’ve been the must-have gift. Now, their debut book that hit our shelves in 2010 is back in paperback with 13 beautiful new spreads. Biscuiteers Harriet and Sarah share their icing secrets so you can create your own little pieces of artwork. Why send flowers when you can send biscuits? These gorgeous creations add originality to your gifts and fun to your kitchen. From heart-shaped biscuits to baubles and tree decorations, cowboys and Indians to savvy stilettos, the Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits has ideas for every occasion.
The Square, The Cookbook: Savoury
Capital Spice 21 Indian Restaurant Chefs
Philip Howard Absolute Press, £40
Chrissie Walker Absolute Press, £25
Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game
The Square, The Cookbook: Savoury is special not only because it represents the culmination of more than 20 years spent at the helm of one of the country’s finest and most consistently highquality restaurants, The Square, in London’s Mayfair. It’s special because Philip Howard, one of the very best chefs of his generation, has that rare ability to translate his incredible talents in the kitchen into words on a page. Each recipe is covered over several pages, and features an expert overview of the dish and its key components, along with advice on elements to focus on, while Jean Cazals’ stunning photographs illustrate each dish.
Capital Spice is a celebration of 21 of the most talented and exciting Indian restaurant chefs working in London today. They all share a passion for promoting the rich diversity of Indian food and changing perceptions of it. Fascinating profiles explore the influences and culinary philosophies of each of the featured chefs, while specially commissioned photography by Lara Holmes bring their irresistible recipes to life. The recipes demonstrate the remarkable diversity of Indian food, and prove beyond doubt that it deserves its newfound reputation as one of the world’s most refined and subtle cuisines.
With easy-tofollow recipes and step-by-step photography, Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game is the perfect companion for anyone wanting to learn the cooking basics or extend their skills in the kitchen. It contains clearly explained techniques for cooking and preparation and will guide you through everything from jointing, trussing and stuffing, to roasting, braising and poaching. Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game has everything from simple dishes through to those requiring more time and skill. All recipes have been triple-tested to yield impressive results without the fuss.
Anneka Manning Murdoch Books, £25
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> flavour know your knives
KNOW YOUR KNIVES CUTTING THINGS
A good-quality knife makes all the difference in the kitchen. It should be balanced in your hand, not too heavy, razor sharp and with a good grip. Don’t think you need to be getting the most expensive: some Japanese handmade beauties are highly desirable but may be something to work up to. A reasonably priced stainless steel knife with a fully forged, reinforced blade is easily found on the high street.
CUTTING RULES
KNIFE SHARPENING
Check your knife is sharp enough – treat it to the steel if not.
Keep your blades in best shape and your knives will last: more importantly you’ll get maximum performance out of them and they’ll be safer (blunt knives slip). Use a steel – a rod of high-carbon steel on a handle – on all non-serrated blades for longevity, safety and sharp techniques. Do it every time you use your knife so it never blunts in the first place. If in doubt, ask your friendly butcher for an impromptu lesson.
Check your hand and the knife handle aren’t greasy. Always chop on your board. If doing a lot of knife work, sit a damp tea towel under your board to keep it steady. Grip the knife well: put it comfortably in your hand; sit your thumb to the side of the handle, never on top of it. Wash knives by hand and dry immediately.
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1
Hold the steel comfortably in one hand. Point it up and away from you. Check your hand is safely behind the guard.
2 3
Take the knife in your other hand and cross the steel and blade just above their respective handles. Firmly slide the knife at a 20˚ angle along the steel so its edge is honed from its base to tip. Repeat the process on the other side. Do it a few times until you’re happy with the outcome. Wash the knife before using.
> flavour know your knives
THE ONES FOR THE JOB CHEF’S KNIFE
A multi-purpose broad blade. Good for precision cutting/ dicing/slicing/chopping/cubing/light butchery.
PARING KNIFE
CLEAVER
BREAD KNIFE
SCISSORS
CARVING KNIFE
A long, thin blade perfect for carving neat, wafer-thin slices of meat.
FILLETING KNIFE
FILLETING
Endlessly useful. Use to gut and trim fish; butterfly small chicken; snip string/chives/ bacon. Get a good strong pair from a specialist kitchen shop.
BREAD
A serrated blade for doing the obvious effortlessly. Also good for cutting butternut squash/ pineapple/aubergines.
A big, heavy knife with a very broad blade. Use for heavy jobs (e.g. chopping through ribs/bone) which would damage other blades.
CHEF’S
A small, short-handled blade useful for smaller jobs. Use to trim and prepare vegetables/fruit/cheese.
BLUNT KITCHEN KNIFE
Use to run around the edge of tins to loosen your baking.
A long, thin, flexible blade. The give in the blade lets you work cleanly to lift raw fish off the bone.
SCISSORS
CLEAVER
A long, narrow, slightly curved blade with a sharp tip blade. Only used for boning meat, so only needed if you’re into butchery.
PARING
BONING KNIFE
TAKEN FROM
VIRGIN TO VETERAN by SAM STERN, published by Quadrille (£20, hardback) 9
> flavour in season
At their best
right Stuffed, baked courgettes SERVES 2
Set the oven to 200˚C. Cut 2 medium courgettes in half lengthways, then scrape out the soft, seedy pulp inside, taking care not to scrape all the way through to the skin. Set the insides aside. Rub a little olive oil all over the courgette and sprinkle the cut part lightly with sea salt. Place in a roasting dish, cut side up and roast for about 10–20 minutes, until just starting to become tender. Meanwhile, for the stuffing, squeeze some of the liquid out of the courgette pulp, chop, then place in a bowl. Finely grate in 50g hard, mature cheese then add a large handful of breadcrumbs (keep back about 1 tbsp for topping), 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 1 tbsp lemon juice and a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Courgettes Summer squash are eaten whole, flowers, skin and seeds included. Stuffed, battered and fried they’re a delicate treat: Cambridge Organics often brings them to market with the young fruit attached. Courgettes range in colour and size from round yellow and green sunburst, patty pan squash, striped and ribbed Costata Romanesca to the more common green squash. Look out for fruits with shiny skin and buy them as young as you can. The older they get, the coarser the flavour as the seeds develop. Pounce on the beautiful yellow flowers if you see them.
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When the courgettes are just tender remove from the oven and fill the scraped out part with the stuffing. There should be enough mixture to fill each courgette and then at least the same amount again piling up above the courgette. Sprinkle over the remaining breadcrumbs. Place back in the oven and cook for at least another 20 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden and the courgettes are tender and cooked through. This goes really well with roast peppers and tomatoes.
> flavour in season
Every month our seasonal selections come from Cheryl Cohen, director of London Farmers’ Markets which runs 18 weekly markets throughout the city. Matthew Driver, a contestant in MasterChef 2011, has worked in the London restaurant scene, as a private chef and now as flavour’s recipe developer...
now
For more information contact: www.lfm.org.uk www.twitter.com/londonfarmers
Roast plums with panna cotta SERVES 6
Make the panna cotta first. Place 300ml milk, 300ml double cream and 6 tbsp caster sugar into a small pan. Split 1 vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the pan, then drop in the pod. Simmer together gently for about 5 minutes then take off the heat. Put 2 tbsp cold water in another small pan and sprinkle over 2 tsp powdered gelatine. Set aside for about 5 minutes then heat gently until it clears. Take the vanilla pod out of the mixture and stir in the dissolved gelatine. When mixed in pour into moulds and chill for at least 3 hours, or until it’s set. Get your grill hot. Slice about 18 firm, fresh plums in half lengthways, remove the stones then place the fruit cut side up onto a grill rack, sitting in the grill pan. Place under the grill and roast until really soft and even starting to char. Carefully remove the plums from the grill rack and place in a flat dish. Pour any liquid from the grill pan over the plums then sprinkle 10 tbsp (at least) of vanilla sugar liberally all over. Set aside for as long as possible By the time the panna cotta have set, the plums will have released their juices that will have mixed with the sugar to create a delicious syrup. To serve, empty a panna cotta onto the side of a plate and place some plum pieces next to it. Then pour some of the plum syrup over.
Plums Varieties of plums on our markets include Cambridge Gage, Opel, Victoria, Czar, Early Rivers, Old Green Gage, Merryweather Damson, and Marjorie’s Seedling, fine old names many of them for a stately fruit that marks the midpoint between summer and autumn. I love the sweet subtleness of green and golden gages; changing colour as they ripen and their sugar content increases. They make the best crumble, especially with a generous handful of ground almonds in the mix. As do damsons, but then damsons need to be cooked to be appreciated. None of this ‘one for me, one for the pot’ when damson picking.
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simplicity, clarity of flavours, a michelin star. zeren wilson finds assured cooking in surrey worthy of wedding bells.
Drake’s I
t’s the first time I walk into a restaurant and begin to imagine the details of my own wedding reception. The cute walled garden at the back seals it. Here is where we’ll serve cutesy canapés of devilish simplicity, accompanied by some of the finest fizz known to humanity. A beautiful Georgian building, a pretty village, a dining room with a seriously calming feng shui aura. I’m floored from the off and freewheeling downhill towards planet mawkish – I had no idea I had hidden reserves of sentimentality. The Georgian Clock House building in the village of Ripley in Surrey, inspires these thoughts which come flying out of nowhere, and put me a little off balance as I’m taking the first sips of Gosset Brut Excellence Champagne (yes, YES! Maybe this can be the one we choose?). I’m surprised and annoyed in equal measure: I came here for lunch not for marital frippery. A bijou 40-cover restaurant, Steve Drake has held a Michelin star here for eight years, after winning the Roux Scholarship in 2001 and working in some of the top restaurants around the country. No flies on this boy. Pushing thoughts aside of the best man’s speech, we see a menu with no unnecessary adornment or purple prose verbiage: quail; pea; mackerel; scallop; brill. Sparse menu entries may disturb a certain kind of diner, but I’d rather this than seeing another creakily phrased “pan fried” this or “seared” that on a menu. A scallop dish sums up the almost
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Puritan approach, and looks brutally simple on the page: scallop, leek, buckwheat, lemongrass. It’s a joyful plate simply presented, a couple of fat, sweet scallops, a froth of fragrant lemongrass, a baby leek, toasted buckwheat for an earthy bite, and a couple of fronds of samphire for some zippy freshness. Nothing is overworked, each element singing its own tune. Maybe we can have a version of this for the canapés outside? Yes, the Gosset fizz would go brilliantly with...I’m back in the room. A beautiful piece of venison is given due reverence, ravishingly ruby red, glistening and shining in all the right places: Supermodel venison. Some smoked chestnuts scattered around are a lovely touch, as is a little venison burger without the bread, nestled under a piece of chard, a venison support act to the main event. Whack it between a small semi-brioche bun, take to the streets, and we’ll have the next street food obsession – venison sliders. Maybe I could ask Steve if he could prepare around a hundred of these, and after the main canapés and drinks we could... Most elegantly understated and delicate was a dish of brill, smoked salmon running through the middle, a drizzle of watercress sauce adding a delicate peppery twang to a wonderfully cooked piece of fish. In the whizz bang pop of London restaurant openings, it can be easy to forget that there is also a particular joy in finding this kind of assured cooking outside of the smoke. Festooned with a Michelin star too.
A word about the wine list: it’s a bona fide beauty. The signs were good from the start, the list being handled by sommelier Thierry Sauvanot, who I remember from the sadly demised Eastside Inn of Bjorn van der Horst in Farringdon. We’re delighted to see a wine like Franz Keller’s Weissburgunder from Baden, Germany, offered by the glass (£8.50), and a glass of the classily mineral white Burgundy wannabe ‘Astrolabe’ Chardonnay from Marlborough, New Zealand (£10) is another surprise slap in the vinous chops. The rest is a carefully constructed list of finely selected gems, with Burgundy a strong suit alongside interesting picks from the Languedoc, the Rhône and the Savoie. The final flourish is an assured one: a dessert of subtle, earthy parsnip ice cream with blackberry compote is served with a sparkling Cabernet Franc by Thierry, ‘Rose des Sables’ from Joel Courthault, probably the only wine in the building that could pull off such a tricky match. Deviously successful. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a guest list to prepare...
Drake’s The Clock House High Street Ripley GU23 6AQ 01483 224 777 www.drakesrestaurant.co.uk
> flavour charingworth manor
CHARINGWORTH MANOR A dining experience to savour! Dining in the two AA-Rosette John Greville Restaurant at Charingworth Manor Hotel is an experience not to be missed! The ceilings are crossed by massive oak beams, while stone-framed windows overlook the beautiful grounds and a roaring log fire banishes the chill of winter. The well-upholstered furniture has a baronial style that would not be out of place in a mediaeval banqueting hall. The splendour of the surroundings is matched by the excellence of the cuisine. Chef goes to great lengths to use only the freshest ingredients and makes much use of produce from the local area to create traditional English and contemporary continental dishes, all prepared with passion and served with flair. The menu changes with the seasons so there are always new flavours to enjoy. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner – the traditional Sunday lunch is particularly popular and roast beef is always among the dishes on the menu.
TWICE-BAKED OXFORD BLUE CHEESE SOUFFLÉS MAKES APPROXIMATELY 10-12 SOUFFLÉS INGREDIENTS • 60g butter • 60g flour • 450ml warm milk • 110g Oxford Blue or blue cheese of your liking • 15g freshly grated Parmesan • 5g chopped tarragon or your favourite herb • 6 egg yolks • 350ml egg white • Salt and pepper METHOD Using some extra soft butter thoroughly grease 12 ramekins approx 8 cm in diameter and 5 cm deep and sprinkle with ¾ of the grated Parmesan. In a deep pan melt the butter and add the flour and cook gently over a low heat for a minute or so stirring
continuously. In a separate pan bring the milk to the boil then pour a bit at a time into the flour mixture stirring vigorously each time until the mixture becomes smooth and free of lumps. Mash the blue cheese until soft and add to the béchamel with ¼ of the Parmesan and the chopped herbs. Mix until smooth. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool for a minute. Stir in the egg yolks thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg whites until soft peak and fold quickly and lightly into the mixture. Do not over whisk the eggs or the mixture may split. Spoon the mixture into the soufflé moulds and gently smooth the surface then place the filled moulds in a shallow trough of boiling water.
Bake at 160°C for 12-15mins (at this stage they should have risen and just be starting to colour) Remove from the oven allow to rest for 1-2 mins. Gently remove the soufflés from the moulds and place on a suitable grease proof-lined tray, gently cover with cling film and refrigerate. At this stage the soufflés can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days so it is an excellent dish to pre-prepare making a dinner party that much easier. To finish place the soufflé on a lightly buttered tray and bake in an oven set at 180°C for 8-10mins Serve the soufflés with a salsa of finely cut raw peppers, courgette and red onion, drizzled with a basil or rocket pesto and garnished with tender herb seedlings and a good quality Modena balsamic vinegar.
Charingworth Manor, Nr Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6NS Call: 01386 593555 Visit: www.classiclodges.co.uk/charingworthmanor 14
s e p a c s E y t i C Now that The Olympics are but a distant memory and the buzz word ‘Legacy’ is subsiding somewhat from the vocabulary, maybe it’s time to have a rest from the Capital and head out into the green fields to put your feet up for a couple of days. We have a fantastic selection of hotels, guesthouses and retreats for just that very scenario, so either log on or make that phone call and book your escape to the country...
Why don’t you put your feet
YOUR PERFECT CITY ESCAPE
Bovey Castle A long weekend in the country typifies the traditional English summer – picnics brimming with seasonal flavours, lazy afternoons playing croquet and day trips to explore attractions. Experience the delights of the countryside with a gourmet sojourn to the former rural retreat of aristocracy, a visit to Bovey Castle on Dartmoor National Park. Within its 275-acre estate, the hotel boasts an 18-hole championship golf course, fishing lakes, croquet lawn, falconry and cider and sloe ginmaking with Dartmoor fruits.
Horse riding, yacht excursions, clay pigeon shooting and a luxurious picnic can be booked with the hotel before arrival, with the beaches of Devon and Cornwall also within easy reach. ‘Time to Long Weekend’ at Bovey Castle is the perfect summer escape with two nights’ accommodation on Friday and Saturday, full English breakfast on both mornings, dinner in The Edwardian Grill on one night, a traditional Sunday lunch and a late 3pm Sunday check-out. From £325.00 per person for two nights.
Bovey Castle North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon TQ13 8RE Call: 01647 445000 Visit: www.boveycastle.com
The The Kingham Kingham Plough Plough
Charingworth Manor
The Kingham Plough is an award-winning dining pub in the The Kingham Plough is an award-winning pub in the heart of the Cotswolds. Owned by husbanddining and wife team heart of the Cotswolds. by husband andthey wifehave team Emily and Mile and EmilyOwned (manager and chef), Emily and Mile and (manager and chef), brought life back to Emily this beautiful village inn. they have brought life back to this beautiful village inn.
The perfect Cotswold manor house hotel in warm Cotswold stone, Charingworth has commanded views over idyllic rural Gloucestershire countryside for 700 years.
There are seven bedrooms There seven bedrooms to restare in after feasting on to in afterfood; feasting on therest delicious modern the delicious food; modern interpretations of old English interpretations old English dishes using theofbest of the dishes using theproduce. best of the abundant local abundant local produce.
steam room and pool. Charingworth is a pet-friendly hotel and welcomes your dogs if they are well behaved!
Choose from suites and four-poster rooms, all with their own character and many with private terraces and views over five counties, while dining in the intimate AA-rosetted restaurant with a seasonal menu that makes the very best of fresh Cotswold produce. Unwind in the leisure facility complete with gym, sauna,
The Kingham Plough, The Green, Kingham Plough,Chipping Norton OX7 6YD The Kingham, The Green, Kingham, Chipping Norton OX7 6YD Call: 01608 658327 Visit: www.thekinghamplough.co.uk Call: 01608 658327 Visit: www.thekinghamplough.co.uk 16
Charingworth Manor Charingworth, Nr Chipping Campden, Glous GL55 6NS Call: 01386 593555 Visit: www.classiclodges.co.uk/ Charingworth_Manor_The_Cotswolds
up and escape from it all...
Hotel Endsleigh Hotel Endsleigh is at the end of a mile-long drive, nestling on the banks of the River Tamar, an idyll of peace and quiet. Surrounded by Repton-designed gardens this is the best-kept secret in England, a real hideaway in the depths of the countryside. The rooms have been designed by Olga Polizzi and in an understated fashion they mix fabulous fabrics with stylish, simple furniture. This is a chintz-free zone! Of course, the most important element of a stay is a comfortable bed and you will not be disappointed. With Hypnos beds and quality bed linen, a good night’s sleep is assured. Every evening the rooms are lit by over 200 candles that, along with the roaring log fires, create an intimate and restful atmosphere. The house is a warren of small rooms so there is always a spot for private dining, a quiet drink à deux or a private chat. Breakfast is served in a panelled dining room adorned with painted shields showing the friends and family of the Duke of Bedford who originally built the house. The window overlooks the long border in the garden and gives you a fabulous view of the river below.
Every morning a buffet of pastries, cold meats, cheeses, seasonal fruits, yoghurt and cereals are laid out. The chef’s granola is a particular favourite as are the freshly squeezed ruby grapefruit and orange juices. To follow you can choose from a variety of hot dishes that are cooked to order. So whether you would like a full English breakfast, kippers, pancakes or simply egg and soldiers, the choice is yours. The Tamar Valley is a foodie’s paradise. With an active farmers’ market in nearby Tavistock and a tradition of fabulous soft fruits, the chef has a wonderful ‘store cupboard’ to raid. All the eggs used are local and free-range and meats are sourced from an award-winning local butcher who specialises in high-quality and rare breed animals. You couldn’t get a better breakfast to set you up for a day on the moor (wellies always available) or a quiet read by the fire.
YOUR PERFECT CITY ESCAPE Hotel Endsleigh Milton Abbot, Tavistock Devon PL19 0PQ Call: 01822 870000 Visit: www.hotelendsleigh.com
Why don’t you put your feet
A DOZEN SUMMER DISTRACTIONS
Ashdown Park HOTEL & COUNTRY CLUB
The Grand Hotel EASTBOURNE
Standing majestically on the Eastbourne seafront, The Grand Hotel is the only fivestar coastal hotel in the South East. The grandeur inside is typified by the breathtaking great hall, 152 bedrooms and suites and two award-winning restaurants. Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club sits proudly within 186 acres of the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, home of Pooh Bear. Boasting 106 bedrooms and suites, gourmet restaurant and elegant
lounges it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind. A favourite with families, quality and service is paramount, whether you are taking a dip in the outside pool, having afternoon tea or indulging in a spa treatment.
The extensive leisure facilities include pool, gymnasium, outdoor tennis courts, spa treatment rooms and 18-hole par three golf course.
Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club Ashdown Park, Wych Cross Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JR
The Grand Hotel King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 4EQ
Call: 01342 824988 Visit: www.ashdownpark.co.uk
Call: 01323 412345 Visit: www.grandeastbourne.co.uk
Tylney Hall Hotel Tylney Hall is found sitting romantically in 66 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside. The palatial lounges and gourmet restaurant enjoy views of the tree-lined vista, lake and formal gardens.
Luton Hoo Hotel GOLF & SPA
Set within 1,065 acres of landscape designed by Capability Brown and with the River Lea snaking through the grounds, Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa is the quintessential English country house hotel. Luxury and style greets you throughout the hotel and in the 112 bedrooms and suites, some of which contain four-poster beds and spa baths. Indoor and outdoor pools, gymnasium and health spa complete the indulgent experience.
Befitting a location of such historical importance, a stay at the hotel will live long in the memory. It boasts 228 unique bedrooms and suites, award-winning cuisine, luxury spa with its own organic products, 18hole par 73 golf course and much more.
Tylney Hall Hotel Ridge Lane, Rotherwick, Hook, Hants RG27 9AZ
Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa The Mansion House, Nr Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3TQ
Call: 01256 764881 Visit: www.tylneyhall.co.uk
Call: 01528 734437 Visit: www.lutonhoo.co.uk
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up and escape from it all...
A DOZEN SUMMER DISTRACTIONS
Lainston House Hotel The Manor House Just two miles outside the ancient cathedral city of Winchester, Lainston House is a beautiful 17th-century country house nestling in 63 acres of stunning Hampshire countryside. With 50 individually designed bedrooms, a resident falconer, tennis courts, mountain bikes and award-winning restaurant, it is a tranquil haven of quintessential Englishness.
and Lainston House will ensure afternoon tea is waiting for you on arrival! £125 per person, based on two people sharing.
HOTEL & GOLF CLUB
Nestling in 365 acres of stunning Cotswold parkland, The Manor House Hotel is a truly stunning 14th-century manor house. The hotel boasts 48 glorious rooms – many with four-poster beds – beautiful Italian gardens, croquet lawn, tennis court, the Michelinstarred Bybrook restaurant
and its own 18-hole golf course designed by Peter Alliss. Perfect for a short summer break: book the “One Night on the House” package for two t nights and you’ll receive a third thi night on the house. From £102.50 per person, pe per night.
“Suite Treats” is the perfect summer escape: book a Junior Suite for an overnight stay with breakfast
Lainston House Hotel Woodman Lane, Sparsholt, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 2LT
The Manor House Hotel & Golf Club Castle Combe, Nr Bath, Wiltshire SN14 7HR
Call: 01962 776088 Visit: www.lainstonhouse.com
Call: 01249 782206 Visit: www.manorhouse.co.uk
South Lodge Hotel
Pennyhill Park HOTEL & THE SPA
This magnificent former family country house is close to Brighton, Arundel Castle and numerous gardens and is surrounded by 93 acres–perfect for exploring. Dine at either The Pass (one Michelin star) or Camellia restaurant, play tennis or golf at the hotel’s sister property
Mannings Heath Golf Club or visit the beautifully restored Victorian cellar. Lazy days and starry nights are what summer is made of. Book “Summertime Bliss” at South Lodge and enjoy an overnight stay with dinner in the Camellia and breakfast. From £99 per person, based on two sharing.
A long weekend in the country typifies the traditional English summer and this five-star retreat is just 45 minutes from London, but a world away from the hubbub of London 2012. Within its 120-acre estate, the hotel boasts a 45,000 sqft, adult-only spa, golf, tennis, two award-winning restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Latymer, and afternoon tea on the terraces… heavenly! Pennyhill Park’s “Escape to the Country” offers three nights for the price of two in a junior suite with breakfast. £149 per person, per night, minimum stay two nights.
South Lodge Hotel Lower Beeding, Brighton Road, Horsham West Sussex RH13 6PS
Pennyhill Park Hotel & The Spa London Road, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5EU
Call: 01403 891711 Visit: www.southlodgehotel.co.uk
Call: 01276 486150 Visit: www.pennyhillpark.co.uk
YOUR PERFECT CITY ESCAPE
Why don’t you put your feet up and escape from it all...
Amberley Castle Privately owned by Andrew and Christina Brownsword, this magnificent 900-year-old castle is enclosed by a 60-foot curtain wall and working portcullis, behind which you will discover an enchanting hotel offering the highest standards of food and service. Bedrooms are resplendent with the luxurious facilities you would expect from a luxurious country house hotel. Dinner for two in Mistletoe Lodge – the most magical location – is the ultimate spot for a very special dinner for two. And for those seeking tranquility and relaxation, there are many quiet corners to discover under the shade of a tree or by the fireside. Amberley Castle Near Arundel West Sussex BN18 9LT Call: 01798 831992 Email: info@amberleycastle.co.uk Visit: www.amberleycastle.co.uk
Corton Denham
Tel: 01963 220317
Somerset country pub with luxury accommodation The Queens Arms is a chic, rural gem tucked into the dramatic hills of the Somerset and Dorset border. With eight individually designed luxurious rooms, AA Rosette food, voted Somerset Cider Pub of the Year 2012, ‘National Best Freehouse’ from the Great British Pub Awards 2012, the Queens Arms offers a chic rural getaway for those in search of something special. Take in the superb country views and delight in the walks on the doorstep, or just settle in and relax in front of an open fire with their famous Pork Pie and award-winning beer. Dogs and muddy boots are welcome! Book a two-night midweek break from October 1 and receive the second night B&B half price, saving £55. Quote ‘Queensflavour’.
Visit: www.thequeensarms.com Email: relax@thequeensarms.com The Queens Arms | Corton Denham | Sherborne | Somerset | DT9 4LR
Acclaimed London jeweller Ingle & Rhode, creates stunning engagement rings and wedding rings, from ethical diamonds and gems, and certified fairtrade or recycled gold and platinum. Committed to socially and environmentally responsible sourcing, all Ingle & Rhode jewellery is designed and made to order in the UK. Never compromising on quality or style, every piece is a future heirloom. Wedding rings start from about £350 and engagement rings from about £1,200, but prices vary according to the specifications and requirements of each client. Typical turnaround times are about four to six weeks, but if you need your jewellery sooner, Ingle & Rhode will always endeavour to meet your deadline. Open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7.30pm, please get in touch for more information or to arrange a complimentary consultation.
Call 020 3432 5863 Email enquiries@ingleandrhode.com Visit www.ingleandrhode.co.uk Please note that visits to their London premises are by appointment only.
PopKakery™and PopKakes™ PopKakery bake to perfection, deliciously flavoured Kake balls coated in exquisite chocolate and eye-catching decorations. Once mounted on a stick, they will turn into heavenly PopKakes. There are 10 mouthwatering flavours that can be supplied with a variety of display stands plus retail and gift boxes. The PopKakes are a fantastic retail opportunity, as the ultimate consumer treat and with the bespoke service they can be branded and used in all sorts of events and celebrations and are popular as unique and creative marketing tools and really do make wonderful gifts. Call 0800 145 5515 Email order@popkakery.com Visit www.popkakery.com
With daily deliveries, PopKakery can supply retail, trade and wholesale – nationwide. The specially trained chefs work to the highest standards with the finest ingredients at the purpose-built facility. Each PopKake can be branded with a logo or a special message and will easily enhance exhibition stands, welcome packs and even goody bags.
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THE POWER OF Strapped for cash but dying to dine in style? Nick Harman checks out three fine restaurants where the bargains are located at lunch.
Orrery Restaurant
La Chapelle GALVIN RESTAURANTS If you’re going to worship at the altar of food then where better than in a chapel? Except the Galvins would probably hate you to worship at all – their food has always been about flavour not fashion.
Lunchtime is perhaps the very best time to enjoy the Orrery. One floor up over the Conran shop, and next door to the deli, its large windows look out over Marylebone churchyard. You can imagine the village it once was and it’s definitely a breath of fresh air in a busy London. The staff are smooth and professional although to be honest the menu outers now look rather bashed about. Terry no longer owns Orrery but if he did you can bet those menus would have been smartened up long ago. The food is still light, elegant and smart. Orrery may no longer have a Michelin star but head chef Igor Tymchyshyn runs a tight ship. And at £25 for three courses at lunchtime you don’t need to push the boat out. St Aure goat’s cheese melted onto puff pastry with caramelised onions and a tangle of salad was hardly a groundbreaking concept, but the cheese was good and the pastry wasn’t greasy. J’s bisque he thought a bit thick, but that’s good bisque in my book and he snapped up the seafood ravioli, which is like ravioli, but a bit more singular. A serious hunk of salmon fillet had swum onto my plate in an elegant arrangement; no crisp skin, possibly cooked sous vide, it was excellent; soft and delicate and it fell to the fork. Celeriac remoulade with its grainy mustard punch was a nicely inspired accompaniment as were wafer thin discs of crunchy beetroot. J had saffron risotto, a glorious yellow and lots of it with the Parmesan cheese melted or ‘mounted’ through bitey, buttery rice. Risottos are always simple and comforting and this did the job. J’s strawberry bavarois with joconde sponge and strawberry sorbet was a riot of colour and he liked it. My Valrhona chocolate mousse with hazelnuts and champagne jelly came in a kind of spaceman’s helmet, but seemed a little tired as if made too far in advance. A single low note in an otherwise designer lunch. Orrery Restaurant 55 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5RB www.orrery-restaurant.co.uk
Inside, La Chapelle is gorgeous; granite pillars reach up to an exposed beam ceiling, the light is almost ethereal and waiters professionally buzz about in the way you normally find only in Paris – you know immediately you’re in a working restaurant, not some cheffy folly. At lunch the room is full of bankers, unsurprisingly of course. It may be located in one of the most fashionable places in London if not the world, but La Chapelle is also a brick’s throw from major bank HQs. With mains around £32 it certainly isn’t the place for local impoverished artists, who’d probably rather be eating something odd at a pop-up anyway. And yet at lunch the prix fixe is just £39 for three courses. And what a lunch it is, quite frankly I’d forgotten food could taste so good. Mackerel, that most sustainable of fish, appeared to be a fillet of raw fish, skin still on, but it was pickled, sublimely so with the flesh firm and deeply flavoured and untouched by the coarse hand of heat. Shaved fennel, apple and cucumber were just the right things to eat with it. J had a broad bean velouté with duck egg and found it deeply satisfying. His main of Scottish rump with spinach purée and glazed carrots had him pumping out superlatives like a critical Bofors gun. ‘It’s the tastes, it has tastes,’ he repeated. An odd thing to say in a restaurant you might think, but dishes that genuinely delight on a visceral, rather than a visual or fashionable level, are oddly rather rare in London.
Quilon Restaurant For some the very idea of gourmet Indian food is just wrong – they want to savour the street snacks of their gap year, the ‘authentic’ tastes of Asia: cheap, cheerful and in your face. Well that’s fine and there are an increasing number of excellent places in London where you can do just that. Just back from an elegant refit, Quilon is where south-west coastal Indian cuisine has a London home and Sriram Aylur is chef. He’s earned a Michelin star for his cooking and his ‘progressive stance’ – traditional blended with modern – is effective. No smash and grab spices, but subtlety and balance and, it has to be said, rather a lot of coconut. The set lunch price is a steal deal at £24 for three courses and coffee with plenty of choice so we shared dishes. We loved the mini poppadum and zingy chutneys – no sticky mango here – all elegantly presented by cheerful and engaging staff. Coconut cream-marinated chicken fillets with ground coconut, chilli and cumin, was delicate and smooth, but I preferred the curry leaf and lentil-crusted fish with ginger and coconut chutney. It had a fine tickle of spice and the contrasting textures were unique. Crispy fried cauliflower tossed with yogurt, green chilli and curry leaves could perhaps have done with a bit more chilli pounce. Mains of Quilon fish curry – cubes of halibut simmered in coconut, chilli and raw mango sauce and Manglorean chicken cooked in fresh coconut with spices, were equally mild at first bite but the taste layers came on slow and strong. Fluffy rice laced with cashews for class, and a dish of stir-fried beans, made good sideshows along with tawa paratha, whole wheat layered bread cooked on a skillet with pure ghee. A bit oily but a great change from naan.
I found myself stumped by my fillet of sea bass with saffron mayonnaise and samphire, what do you say when something is perfect? I’ve never had sea bass cooked so well, the skin seared and golden, the fish sweet and yielding. Under were slices of potato that had absorbed all the juices and the mayonnaise had lemon and flecks of salt irreproachable in their quantity and balance.
We both had bibinca, a Goan cake with vanilla ice cream, nice but nothing special. Quilon is special though, a fine dining Indian with a menu full of surprises. Don’t go in lagered up and expecting hot spice and you’ll appreciate the difference, while at lunch you’re absolutely certain not to get burnt.
A coconut and alphonse mango pannacotta, silky smooth and wobbly for me and some Pont-l’Évêque with a raisin purée for J were both excellent. Cooking this good and in such a fine setting is a steal at lunch, praise the Lord.
www.quilon.co.uk
La Chapelle 35 Spital Square, E1 6DY www.galvinrestaurants.com
(Pictured left-hand page)
Quilon Restaurant 41 Buckingham Gate, SW1E 6AF
GOODE &
WRIGHT BY GILLIAN FISHER
F
rench food has always been synonymous with high-quality ingredients and excellent taste. However, in our fair isles continental cuisine is also often somewhat unfairly associated with elite dining. Exorbitant prices and ingredients we are more accustomed to seeing slithering about in the undergrowth do tend to leave most of us British diners a tad out of our depth. Challenging these preconceptions and welcoming London foodies with open arms is Portobello Road’s new eatery Goode and Wright. Marketing itself as ‘A French Bistro with a Proper British Accent’ I attend the restaurant’s press launch to discover how French fare with clipped vowels pleases the palate. The decor is quaintly stylish. Neatly fitting in with the original 1920s sign the wooden panelling on the walls and elegant monochrome tiled floor give it a wonderful feel of understated chic. Classic René Magritte prints and wall mounted pot plants add to the overall effect, as does the black tiled toilet hidden behind a mirrored door. The space is intimate; seating just enough patrons to create a buzzing atmosphere without being too crowded. I do love the European tradition of presenting you with food the moment you enter the premises; being served an amuse-bouche to nibble on whilst scanning the menu is a lovely touch. Comprising of perfectly seasoned olives and gherkins, some chunky
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cuts of bread and peas that pop from their pods when you bite into them, the freshness of the ingredients gives a clear indication of the courses yet to come. Paris-born maître d’ Jimmy Tardy is also the restaurant manager, Goode and Wright being his first independent project with renowned chef Finlay Logan. Since crossing the Channel Tardy has managed several top London eateries such as Beach Blanket Babylon and Ottolenghi. Hugely attentive, he chats animatedly with the diners, enquiring about any dietary requirements before serving up the starter. We’re given a selection of tartines to sample along with a crab French onion soup. As the non-veggie diners tuck into the soup and gasps of gastronomic approval reach my ears, I help myself to the crispy roast beetroot and feta remoulade tartine. Utterly gorgeous – the sharpness of the beetroot perfectly combining with the saltiness of the feta. The duck egg in a basket is made with brioche and drizzled with truffle honey, the sweetness of the bread and the mellow taste of the egg melting together in a mouthful of sumptuous fluffiness. Served with or without chorizo the establishment is eager to tailor the dishes to suit any diners’ specific tastes. When I ask Tardy what makes this a French bistro with a British accent he answers it’s the French tradition of serving from breakfast to dinner time combined with both French and English dishes. The
British accent also stems from the locally sourced ingredients with vegetables from Mash Purveyors in Covent Garden and fish from James Knight of Mayfair. The brunch menu in particular offers a range of English classics from eggs Benedict to a full English breakfast alongside croque monsieur and toasted brioche. We choose our main courses from dishes such as slow-roasted pork or steak bavette. Prices range from £12.50 to £18.50; not cheap but this is reflected in the quality of the food. I choose the assiette of spring vegetables with goat’s curd tartine and am told that the lush asparagus gracing my plate will only be served for the next two weeks before it is out of season. Beautifully presented, the vegetables were crisply chargrilled and subtly seasoned. Juicy red pepper, crunchy courgette and al dente broccoli were served alongside the tart asparagus and buttery new potatoes topped with crunchy wild garlic. The piquant goat’s cheese set off the different vegetables beautifully. Before the hotly anticipated selection of puddings, we are presented with a cheese board. Creamy Camembert and nutty cheddar from Neal’s Yard Dairy are served with rough oatcakes and sweet quince jelly. As a pudding fiend in a French bistro my expectations were high and I was certainly not disappointed. We were advised on the best order to which to consume the desserts; beginning with
> flavour goode & wright
the strawberries and cream followed by the crème brûlée, moving on to the dark chocolate fondant and finishing with the lemon posset. Managing to follow Tardy’s advice rather than just stick my entire face into the platter of puds the offerings are sumptuous. The strawberries are gorgeously juicy, the crème brûlée is sweet and thick, the chocolate fondant is moist and rich and the refreshing citrus smoothness of the lemon posset finishes off the whole delectable course in a tangy dollop of whipped cream. The freshness of the ingredients and the subtlety of the flavours is incredible. Whilst there are delicious gourmet ingredients such as the truffle honey and wild garlic the food retains a rustic quality; more Basque than Paris and not a frog’s leg or snooty waiter in sight. Reasonably priced for Notting Hill, the bistro is geared towards relaxed communal dining, even including a menu les enfants. The staff were hugely attentive and the entire experience was indulgent and enjoyable in the extreme. Bon appétit!
Goode & Wright 271 Portobello Road Notting Hill London W11 1LR 0207 7275552 www.goodeandwright.co.uk
> flavour chef profile
chef profile Name: Andrew Du Bourg Age: 30 Where from: Born in Rotherham, brought up in Johannesburg Where is home: Chesham, Bucks (parents). Christchurch is now my home with my wife.
I have been interested in cooking since the moment I licked my first cake bowl. As I got older and could not fill the void in my stomach I started to experiment with flavour combinations with snacks before dinner was ready. We would always have a proper cooked meal on the table and my mum also encouraged us to grow our own vegetables and go and pick fruit out of the garden. After a brief foray into IT, I realised this was not what I wanted to do and that’s when it hit me; my whole life has been about food, I love food and enjoy cooking – so why not do it as a career? After a scholarship course at Bournemouth and Poole College, I spent four great years at The Goring Hotel where I learnt the foundations of how to cook and present myself in a kitchen. I then went to work for Chris Galvin at the Wolseley restaurant. Now this was a massive change from what I was used to at the Goring. The style of food, the numbers we were doing every day and the amount of chefs’ names you had to learn. It was eye opening!
Chewton Glen Hotel and Spa New Forest Hampshire BH25 6QS
01425 275341 www.chewtonglen.com
I then worked at The Square, before a stint with Chris Corbin and Jerry King at their new opening, St Albans. I stayed for a year and then decided I wanted to go back to Michelin cooking and that’s when I started with Pascal Aussignac at Club Gascon. I became head chef at 27 and spent a further two years there before getting married, and now I’m following my dreams at Chewton Glen. I strive to do better than the day before and to embrace challenges. I love being with the team at Chewton Glen. Like all
great places, if your staff are happy then more often than not your customers will be. We also work closely with our suppliers to see what’s at its best and what’s new on the market. I also try and read a lot and eat out to see the latest trends. Everyone in the kitchen knows what each section does and so understands the various demands. We are a definitely a team. My style of cooking is developing all the time, but I like to cook food that people think is yummy. I also like to bring a bit of fun to the table with some of my dishes, pushing boundaries with flavours and ideas. Accolades have their place in any industry, of course they do, as they help to reflect the progress an operation has made and reflects your own achievements, but ultimately having customers leaving each service happy is an accolade in itself. Our menu is very diverse however, I do regularly update the menu to reflect demand and seasonality. We have dishes like Thai lobster curry with jasmine rice, local line-caught sea bass, clam chowder, Iberico ham and lamb tagine – fine and informal dining in the same area. It makes dining at Chewton Glen so comfortable and relaxed. In this industry you need to be 100 per cent focused, but at the same time to live your life. You need to be constantly asking yourself questions, getting your head in books and analysing everything you’ve produced in the kitchen and then saying ‘is this the best I could have done?’
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THE CORNISH FISHMONGER The Cornish Fishmonger is an online retailer that delivers more than 30 species of wonderfully fresh, sustainably caught Cornish fish and shellfish from sea to door nationwide within 24 hours. It’s run by a team of professional chefs and fish merchants who prepare gourmet quality fish to enjoy at home, the same fish that founder Rob Wing supplies to celebrity chef customers such as Rick Stein and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It’s all about providing carefully and expertly selected fresh fish and shellfish, sourced from clear Cornish waters at the very best prices. They offer trusted relationships with local fishermen, as they visit them every morning in the hustle and bustle of the Cornish quayside fish markets to bag the best catch. Making fish a more regular part of our diets, the monthly fresh fish boxes are hugely popular, packed
ROB WING For the past 30 years Rob Wing has pioneered the diversity of fresh, sustainably caught Cornish fish that’s enjoyed today. Through Wing of St Mawes fish merchants, Rob supplies leading restaurants up and down the country including Rick Stein, Marco Pierre White, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Michael Caines, Gary Rhodes and Mitch Tonks – a true testament to the quality of fish he sources. For the past three years he has offered the same top restaurant-quality, fresh Cornish fish to the public through
with 10 or 20 portions of the best from the markets, giving customers an easy way to enjoy different varieties of seafood and help with sustainability – by only eating what’s in season. Not only does The Cornish Fishmonger deliver sea-fresh Cornish fish, it also has its own smokehouse that creates a range of multiple Great Taste award-winning smoked fish. The smoked salmon is by far one of the best sellers and also comes in a beautifully presented gift box. There is an educational angle to the online shop too. Visitors to the site can learn about how to handle and prepare different kinds of fish and there is also information about why fish is so good for our health and the many different ways you can eat and cook it. This website appeals to a diverse audience; from those who buy, prepare and cook fish on a regular basis and are real ‘dab hands’ in the kitchen, to those who are perhaps a little less confident. Complete with a full range of seafood recipes to try, The Cornish Fishmonger is the best place for all things fish!
THE CORNISH FISHMONGER
his online retailer, The Cornish Fishmonger, which delivers from sea to door in 24 hours nationwide. As a born and bred Cornishman who grew up in the fishing village of St Mawes, Rob has been involved in fishing all his working life; first as a seafood chef, then a fisherman, trawler owner and, since 1986, a fishmonger and merchant. He’s also played a key role in the development of Cornwall’s fishing industry. Rob is now a harbour commissioner for the fishing port of Newlyn and,
in his quest for sustainable fishing, he has recently partnered with the National Lobster Hatchery to launch Buy One, Stock One, an initiative to raise funds for replenishing Cornish lobster stocks. It is the first time a member of the fishing industry has supported the hatchery’s conservation effort.
Barbecue Cornish Fish Selection – Serves 4 Cornish scallops in the ½ shell with garlic and herb butter Butterfly filleted Cornish mackerel with chargrilled fennel and asparagus spears Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 10 mins
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1 dozen scallops in the ½ shell
1. Warm the butter until soft, chop a clove of garlic with a little salt and blend together with some finely chopped herbs. Roll into a sausage shape using cling film; refrigerate.
• 4 mackerel butterfly filleted • 1 fennel bulb • 1 bunch of fresh asparagus • ½ lemon • 100g unsalted butter • 1 garlic clove • Extra virgin olive oil • Rosemary sprigs • Seasoning • Your choice of herbs
GO VISIT THEIR SITE AT: THECORNISHFISHMONGER.CO.UK FREE SMOKED SALMON WITH FIRST ORDER
2. Wash the asparagus, removing the tougher stalks. Slice the fennel in to ½ inch slices. 3. Place the mackerel fillets onto a hot barbecue and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the fillets are halfway cooked top with some sprigs of rosemary
4. Add some garlic butter to each of the scallops in the ½ shell, place on the barbecue and allow to cook until tender. 5. Put the asparagus and fennel into a bowl, season and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add to the barbecue and cook until coloured and tender. 6. Place the seafood on to a serving dish and drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste. Serve with a seasonal salad and hot ciabatta bread.
Here’s the ca ch Mitch Tonks runs RockFish Grill & Seafood Market in Clifton, Bristol. He is an award-winning chef, restaurateur and food writer and has two other seafood restaurants in Dartmouth.
How to... cook fish on a budget
With sustainable fishing top of the agenda, flavour columnist and seafood specialist Mitch Tonks cooks up a storm with his seasonal fish of choice...
Fish on the Barbecue We are a nation who cannot wait to get outdoors when the weather is good, and quite right given our experience of rain at any time! Whether you are camping, at a festival, having a party on the beach or just supper in the garden, barbecued food always tastes good. In fact, in my restaurants we use a grill that mimics the barbecue; the Josper. We burn charcoal and cook fish over it and our customers love it, a simple piece of grilled Dover sole cooked over the flames with lemon and butter, food of the Gods maybe! When the weather gets cooler just take more blankets outside with you and keep the barbecue going a bit longer when the cooking is over, to keep warm. Here are my top tips for barbecuing fish, which tastes truly magnificent and is so easy to do.
© Mitch Tonks. RockFish Grill & Seafood Market Fishmonger, food writer, restaurateur www.rockfishgrill.co.uk www.mitchtonks.co.uk www.twitter.com/rockfishgrill 30
• Allow all flames to die down until you’re left with white ash. Use good quality charcoal for cooking, it will last longer and the flavour is better. • Dry the fish well before putting it on the grill.
• For whole fish make slashes in the flesh to the bone, this will help the cooking time and tuck some herbs like rosemary, bay or time into the belly. • If you are using a marinade brush it on the fish whilst it is on the barbecue. • Dry spice rubs are perfect for oily fish like mackerel, sardines and salmon. • When cooking whole fish place an upturned casserole dish over the top and stoke the fire with herbs such as rosemary and thyme, you will really get a lovely, smoky, herby flavour. • Some fish don’t work so well on the open fire like turbot or flaky white fish such as cod, pollack or plaice. The best fish for the barbecue include mackerel, sardines, monkfish, red and grey mullet, gurnard, John Dory, sea bass or bream plus of course scallops, prawns, squid and lobster. Happy barbecuing!
> flavour mitch tonks
Grilled langoustines – serves 2 Langoustines from Scotland will just start coming back into season at the end of the summer and they make a wonderfully impressive dish from the barbecue. This works well with our native lobster too which should be at a reasonable price during the summer months. The British are sometimes a bit unsure how to eat them but you need to get stuck in with hands and suck all the goodness and meat from the shells – it’s messy but worth it!
• 150ml olive oil • Pinch of chilli flakes • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • Good pinch of sea salt • Small handful of parsley, finely chopped • Juice of ½ lemon • Freshly milled black pepper
METHOD 1. Split the langoustines in half lengthways by inserting a knife in the back of the head (you will see a little cross) and levering it towards the tail. Turn the langoustine round and separate it at the head. In a bowl, large enough to hold the langoustines, add 100ml of the olive oil, the chilli flakes, half of the garlic and the salt and mix together. Add the langoustines and mix with your hands to make sure they are well coated. 2. Heat the barbecue till smoking hot. Arrange the langoustines shell side down and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn the langoustines over for 1-2 minutes until the flesh just starts to turn golden. Mix together the parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and remaining garlic. Remove the langoustines to a plate and brush the flesh with the parsley and garlic dressing.
Image courtesy of Jason Lowe
INGREDIENTS • 1-2kg langoustines, depending on appetite
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As an executive producer in television, Pete Lawrence works with some of the country’s top TV cooks and yet still finds time to grow his own food.
Diary of a
r e n e d r a G n e h c t i K weather. We are so lucky with the e droughts A typical summer could hav , torrential and hosepipe bans one day Our winters – mild, rain and floods the next. or late – often all come harsh, long, short, early amid all this climactic at once! And yet somehow, und, m to push through the gro turmoil, small seeds see h amazing produce. mature and provide us wit food will Anyone who grows their own it is to be ant ort imp tell you just how wing when Kno ts. men ele the h in tune wit st, tie them to protect plants from fro or water dy, to a stake when it’s win strong nts pla the p just enough to kee ’s next ure nat of ad ahe p kee can help you erse div of our onslaught. The true joy d sse ble are we weather though is that the is me for s Thi e. duc with seasonal pro g veg. win gro for ce for g vin single dri whatever we Let’s face it, we can buy round from r want pretty much all yea a spear of e par com supermarkets. Yet at its gus ara asp h tis seasonal Bri truly the or , ort imp an h wit prime ed, sunick t-p succulent taste of a jus househot its h wit y ripened strawberr the te tas l wil you and grown cousin n and at tio fec per n wee bet e enc differ n mundane. best ordinary, perhaps eve rs at their vou fla h Being in touch wit tering. mas th wor ll ski prime is a ty time in the tas y ver a s it’ , now Right strawberries ng, garden: salad is thrivi last of the the and ly are ripening dai ng in their lli swe ll sti are broad beans broad beans are pods. This year I think done well for a e my favourite. They hav r has provided the wea r’s start – this yea they like ely ang Str p. cro a bountiful
spring heat a bit of frost, the early the endless and th wave gave them streng e swollen hav e Jun and downpours of May season the As ng. sti bur to the crops pods and ll sma starts I like to take the amed ste ad, sal in eat them whole, raw d up zze whi or , ter but h and drizzled wit rt to sta s the pod into a green hummus. As d nee t jus ns bea swell, the young podded the now and er wat ted a quick boil in sal husked as well. bigger beans need to be effort. I like But it really is worth the o, toss in riz to fry a few chunks of cho just long ns bea d the husked, par-boile ish with fin and h, oug thr m enough to war such a tasty dish cream and parsley. It’s ced, by the and heightened, I’m convin t to plate. plo m speedy transition fro big garden or a d nee ’t don Of course you flavour of the allotment to capture the of farmers’ seasons. There are plenty ces around pla n -ow markets or pick-your be grown can ngs thi t mos now. If not, bountiful the get not may you – in pots t the bes y supply but tasting the ver e uin gen a is er seasons have to off e ers div as e mat cli a h treat and, wit enjoy can you ury lux a s it’ as ours, the weather. all year round, whatever
Visit Pete’s website at: www.petelawrencetv.co.uk
Your lifestyle guide to all things eco...
www.greenlivingmagazine.co.uk
September 2012
ABIPURE In a first for Park Resorts, we have teamed up with ABI to exclusively commission and produce The ABI PURE an environmentally friendly Caravan Holiday Home.
The Pure from just
£566 a month & £3,545 deposit ∆ • Thicker insulation Helps reduce energy used to heat the Caravan, lowering and reducing hot air flow out of the roof of the Caravan.
• Dual-flush toilets
BRAND NEW Double Glazed & Central Heated caravan~
Have been found to save an average of 26 per cent more water than single-flush toilets.
• Energy efficient bulbs Last up to 12 times longer than their inefficient counterparts.
To find out about the ABI Pure and to book your VIP appointment
Call us FREE on
0808 147 2287
or visit www.park-resorts.com/pure to find out more information!
Creating Amazing Memories
~ Double glazing and central heating included in cost of caravans featured. May not be included in other caravan models. ∆ Finance (including guaranteed finance) is only available to over 18’s and subject to status and payment of required deposit and £400 fee. Finance is provided by third party providers who are independent of Park Resorts Limited and their terms will also apply. Written details of the terms and conditions that apply are available on request from the address below. The amounts shown are only examples of finance and assume an APR of 12.2% and an 84-month term. Other finance options may be available. Park Resorts reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time. GA319 Green Living Magazine - London Area - 30.07.12 Re-sized.indd 1
17/09/2012 13:27
greenliving
Bamboo Underwear for the Eco-conscious Melbourne-based clothing and homeware company Ettitude are responding to increasing consumer demand for eco friendly goods by introducing a new bamboo underwear line. Bamboo has gained popularity as an eco friendly choice in recent years due to its fast growth rate, high level of carbon dioxide absorption and biodegradability. It’s also been touted as a bedding solution for those with skin problems. The bamboo underwear line also comes in the company’s trademark ‘smart packaging’ designed to be fully recyclable. For the underwear range, this is a cardboard tube made from 100 per cent recycled material, with a design that was selected through an online competition. Ettitude’s bamboo underwear range is available through their online store.
www.ettitude.com.au
Park Resorts launches its first eco caravan Park Resorts has teamed up with ABI to launch their first-ever environmentally friendly caravan holiday home. The ABI Pure is available to buy across Park Resorts’ 39 coastal holiday parks in the UK from just £30,995. The ABI Pure comes with added insulation in the walls, roof and floor to reduce energy loss. In addition the eco caravan offers dual flush in the toilet cisterns to reduce water costs, low energy spotlights throughout, double glazing and central heating. “No other operator is currently offering the ABI Pure and we have 40 on order enabling us to offer our customers the opportunity to buy this unique eco
caravan,” says Michael Clark, Sales and Operations Director at Park Resorts. “We are constantly looking at ways of offering our customers greener options and the ABI Pure gives owners that flexibility. As a family business we understand we have a responsibility to care for the planet.” The ABI Pure’s dual-flush toilets save an average of 26 per cent more water than single-flush toilets. Thicker insulation helps to reduce the energy used to heat the caravan, lowers heating bills and with extra insulation in the roof reduces the hot air flowing out. The ABI Pure is available in two or three-bed layouts.
Parks Resorts Ltd, Swan Court, Waterhouse Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP1 1FN Call: 0808 147 2287 Visit: www.park-resorts.com
september 2012
13:27
greenliving
THE ULTIMATE
HOME IMPROVEMENT SHOW
improveyourhomeshow.co.uk
Ticket Hotline 0844 581 0802
RETURNS FOR THE FOURTH YEAR TO A NEW VENUE – OLYMPIA, LONDON
THE UK’S LEADING EVENT FOR HOME IMPROVERS, THE NATIONAL HOME IMPROVEMENT SHOW, IS RETURNING FOR ITS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR TO A NEW HOME, OLYMPIA, LONDON FROM 28–30 SEPTEMBER 2012. Aimed at the serious home improver, the show brings visitors an unrivalled selection of ideas, inspiration and expert advice to help them take the next step with their home improvement project. The show has grown significantly and boasts a number of brand new features, including free interior design classes at The Design School, care of Susan Llewellyn, founder of The Susan Llewellyn Academy of Interior Design, one-to-one advice at the Renewable Energy Advice Clinic and real-life case studies at The Inspirational Interactive Café. There are hundreds of exhibitors and experts for you to meet and thousands of innovative products for you to see – all packed into three days under the one roof! Head along and meet Oliver Heath, star of BBC’s Changing Rooms and
august 2012
specialist in environmentally sustainable architecture and eco interiors, Michael Holmes (Real Homes editor in chief, formerly presenter of I Own Britain’s Best Home); Julia Kendell (DIY SOS and ITV1’s Daybreak); Matt James (sesigner and expert on ITV’s Love Your Garden); Roger Hunt (renovation expert and coauthor of Old House Handbook) and Douglas Kent (expert in period properties, renovations and home improvements). For one-on-one guidance in The Advice Centre, bring your plans along to see how simple improvements can help create your dream home. Returning features this year include the Smart Advice Clinic sponsored by CEDIA, the Kitchen and Bathroom Inspiration Zone brought to you by Kitchen Bedroom & Bathroom magazine, The Gardening and Landscaping Zone sponsored by Alec
White Garden Design, Tricks of the Trade by resident DIY Doctor, the Masterclass Theatre and Real Homes Live! Theatres offering daily in-depth seminars. Get inspired for any project from extensions to refurbishment and renovation with the help of the show’s home improvement experts on hand throughout the show in The Advice Centre. For oneon-one guidance, bring your plans along to see how simple improvements can help create your dream home. There will also be two Real Homes Live! Theatres offering daily in-depth seminars. For more information on the show, exhibitors, seminar schedules and tickets visit the website. Tickets are £8 if booked in advance and £12 on door.
greenliving
greenliving
r o t c o D b r e H The 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.
Rosehips {Rosa canina} Rosehips are the elliptical red berries you find at this time of year on dog rose or wild rose. They are the ones you get itching powder from when you split them open and sprinkle the fine-haired seeds down the back of someone’s shirt. Not that I’d particularly recommend this form of playground bullying in this day and age, but harking back to bygone days of mysterious and irritating rashes, indignation and sworn vengeance, rosehips have definitely left their mark on many folk. The good thing about rosehips though is that they contain loads of vitamin C, possibly 40 times as much as you’ll get in imported oranges, plus plentiful vitamins A and B. Rosehip syrup was rationed during the war years and people were encouraged to go out and harvest the hips to make their own, so it was highly valued, and really became a household staple after the war. Delrosa syrup was the contemporary equivalent of Calpol as the thing that mother’s would reach for september 2012
THIS
at the first signs of a cold. Of course, its nothing like Calpol, which contains the drug paracetemol, which can be fatal in overdose, and which accounted for around 40 per cent of overdoses in the UK in 2008 according to the National Poisons Information Service. Rosehip syrup is entirely safe with no known side effects or fatalities, although too much sugar may not be such a great thing. When foraging, ideally pick your rosehips when they are just going soft, maybe after the first frost. If you get them earlier whilst they’re still hard you can slit the skins with a sharp knife before processing them. Here are two recipes to get the most out of your foraged rosehips:
Rosehip vinegar
Cram a load of washed rosehips into a jar and cover them in cider or pear vinegar. Leave them on a sunny windowsill for four to six weeks and then
strain and bottle. This is great for colds and sore throats, and also makes a nice salad dressing.
Rosehip syrup
Use a big jar. Lots of washed rosehips, scored. Sprinkle a layer of white refined granulated sugar on the bottom of the jar. Put a half inch layer of rosehips on top, then another layer of granulated sugar, then another half inch of rosehips, and so on until you get to the top of the jar. Put it on the same sunny windowsill, and after a while all the sugar will have liquefied, extracting all of the goodness out of the hips and into the syrup. Strain off and bottle. This should keep without any preservative all though the winter with no need to refrigerate. This is a great source of vitamin C, particularly for children, and they will love it...
On the A food writer and wine consultant, Zeren Wilson will leave no stone unturned in his quest to find the hidden gems of London’s food scene and bring it to you on a plate. Check out Zeren’s restaurant review site for a taste of what he has to offer: www.bittenandwritten.com
too. Perhaps most impressive is the huge centrepiece of the embalmed cow with a chicken on its back, courtesy of Hix’s mate Damien Hirst. Less is more. Choice is dead. That’s not a cock and bull story. www.chickenandsteak.co.uk
DALLA TERRA PROVENDER
Staggering around Covent Garden looking for a decent glass of wine is a woeful way to spend an afternoon – until now. Dalla Terra styles itself as a casual Italian enoteca with aspirations way above its close neighbours of high street chains. A quick glance at the shelves reveals a very serious, 100 per cent Italian wine selection that will delight the Italian wine obsessive. To see a Massolino Barolo offered by the glass is often only the domain of fine dining Italian restaurants, and quality producers such as Flaccianello and Fontodi from Tuscany are another highlight. The team also import some of the list directly. £7.50 on top of the retail price to drink any of the wines seals the deal.
A decent restaurant in E11? Really? The leafy high street of Wanstead has finally been blessed with a spot that is worth the trek. The menu reads like a fantasy classic French bistro, ticking all the boxes while maintaining admirably high quality throughout. Wines are several leagues above anything for miles around, the list entirely supplied by quality merchant Genesis Wines. £8.50 for a glass of 1er Cru grower’s Champagne Maillart? Wanstead has never had it so good. www.provenderlondon.co.uk
The Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone has pulled off a bit of a coup by opening a restaurant within that surprises from the kick-off. Head Chef Jens Folkel has crammed his menu full of big-flavoured British classics, recalling an era of the old school British gentlemen’s clubs. The bar is a bolt-hole of note too, as we experienced an immaculately made gin and tonic, made with Tanqueray ‘Rangpur Lime’ for an extra limey dimension. Lobster cocktail is a fine way to start, and we were charmed by a couple of juicy new season lamb cutlets with wild garlic and ham hock. Bar snacks are way above the plodding norm, with duck faggots and game chips, crispy lamb bacon, and burgers of Welsh Wagyu beef. Marylebone In Worthy Hotel Restaurant Shock? Yep. www.reformsocialgrill.co.uk
VINI ITALIANI It takes just three seconds to gauge the ambition and kudos of a wine shop from walking over the threshold: these guys nail it from the off. A first glance at the shelves reveals a wine offering that showcases the rich (and often bewildering) variety of Italian wine, with plenty of heavyweight producers. Load up a card to use in one of the Enomatic wine dispensing machines, and chat to one of the staff who really know and love their wines. Regular wine events with distinguished wine cognoscenti will thrill the SW7 locals, who already have the excellent merchant Handford’s at their door. Top drops lie within.
www.dallaterra.co.uk
HIX The cult of the no-choice menu is upon us with a furious vengeance. Well, just two choices anyway. Mark Hix’s latest offering is housed in the cavernous Tramshed in Shoreditch, with Head Chef Kevin Gratton pulling the strings. Choose between steak that’s been aged in a Hawaiian salt chamber (yes, really!) or chicken from Wooley Park Farm. Chooks are served ceremoniously on a spike with their “legs in the air like they just don’t care” (my words, not theirs) ready for you to carve at your table. Yorkshire puddings with whipped chicken livers are on hand
REFORM
www.vini-italiani.co.uk
www.bittenandwritten.com Follow Zeren on Twitter: @bittenwritten
La Bandiera
AWARD-WINNING SINGLE-ESTATE EXTRAVIRGIN OLIVE OIL
PREMIUM OLIVE OIL Connoisseurs of olive oil will delight in tasting the exceptional extra-virgin olive oil from La Bandiera. This delicious oil is produced in the traditional wine growing area of Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast – home of super Tuscan vineyards of Ornellaia and Sassicaia. The team at La Bandiera continues to use the traditional methods of selecting the best time to harvest the olives to ensure the acidity level is low, thereby creating the perfect blend. The result is a smooth yet full-bodied olive oil, endorsed by the IGP in recognition of its quality and origin. A recent winner in the 2011 Great Taste Awards, La Bandiera olive oil is available for delivery throughout the UK in sizes ranging from 250ml bottles up to five-litre cans.
La Bandiera Limited | 12 Stanley Crescent | London | W11 2NA Tel: 0207 243 5150 | Visit: www.labandieraoliveoil.com
FREE
ENTRY FOR ONE ADULT AND ONE CHILD WITH THIS AD (SAVE £6)
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
A FESTIVAL OF FOOD FEATURING OVER 150 LOCAL PRODUCERS SATURDAY 6 & SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER 2012 WIMBORNE, DORSET LIVE MUSIC, KIDS ENTERTAINMENT PLUS FUN AND GAMES FOR ALL THE FAMILY
F BEST OOOD F WORLD
SET WITHIN THE SPLENDID SURROUNDINGS OF KINGSTON LACY BY KIND PERMISSION OF THE NATIONAL TRUST on the B3082 Blandford to Wimborne road
FREE ON-SITE PARKING OPEN 10am-6pm BOTH DAYS! ADMISSION £5
UNDER 12’s £1 OR FREE WITH THIS ADVERT
PRESENTED BY
B E S T o f F E S T I VA L
The small print: You are welcome to bring your dog, providing it is kept on a lead and can control itself around all the yummy food on offer. Many stall holders will not have credit card facilities and there is no cashpoint on site. Entry does not include entrance to the house or grounds. For up-to-date information please visit our website or follow us on facebook.
www.bestof-festival.com Email info@bestof-festival.com Call 07890 777 745 Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/BestOfFestival
CREATE YOUR OWN BESPOKE FEAST
Delis and cafés to cleanse the palate
LYBURN CHEESE At Lyburn Farm on the Northern Edge of the New Forest, they make cheese with milk from their own cows and are generally best known for Old Winchester, (Old Smales).
Purely Cornish Farmshop and Deli food and gift hampers offer all things Cornish in the idyllic fishing port of Looe.
Old Winchester is a 16/18 month cheese that is becoming a much dryer and harder cheese, more reminiscent of an Old Amsterdam with a distinctive nuttiness in flavour. Because Old Winchester is made with a vegetarian rennet (on a number of occasions this cheese is being sold and used as a vegetarian replacement for a hard Italian cheese) and yet can still be used as a table cheese, it has a bit more versatility. Available from most London wholesalers. Lyburn Cheese Lyburn Farm, Landford, Salisbury SP5 2DN Call: 01794 399982 Visit: www.lyburnfarm.co.uk/cheese2
SPELT APPLE CAKE
PURELY CORNISH
They have captured the taste of Cornwall with an extensive range of local Cornish produce from small independent producers not found in supermarkets. From the finest Cornish clotted cream teas, traditional handmade Cornish pasties, award-winning ‘Made in Cornwall’ wines, ciders and beers plus much more, Purely Cornish have all bases covered. All the hampers and gifts are lovingly selected and presented by the Purely Cornish team and, if you are unable to go to Cornwall for your holiday, then they’ll send you some up by next day courier. Purely Cornish, 18 Fore St, East Looe, Cornwall PL13 1DT Call: 01503 262680 Visit: www.purelycornish.co.uk
THE BREAD SHOP Simply l named ‘The Bread Shop’, this German artisan baker offers ly r you rs an outstanding choice of breads, rolls and delicious cakes.
POTATO CRUST
As soon as you get close to one of the five bakery stores you will be surrounded by an irresistible smell of freshly baked breads and rolls, mixed with the aroma of melted chocolate and roasted almonds to garnish pastries and cakes.
RUSTIC BREAD
Walking in, you will be overwhelmed overwh er elmed by the delicious pastries and especially the erwh abundant choice of artisan breads and rolls. Made with wheat, rye or 100% spelt flour, seeded, with olives or plain, plain, with homemade sourdough for a distinctive flavour, or with less Carbohydrate and more Protein – it’s hard to pick out a favourite. Spelt is naturally high in fibre and contains a lot more protein than regular wheat, has less gluten and is much easier on the digestive system – simply delicious with its slightly nutty flavour.
D SEVEN SEED BREA
With daily deliveries available in and around central London, a simple-to-use online ordering system, as well as fulfilling wholesale orders, The Bread Shop covers all your baking requirements...
Call: 0208 445 8333 Visit: www.breadshop.co.uk
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Find The Bread Shop in: St John’s Wood • Chiswick • Brent Cross • St Albans
Delis and cafés to cleanse the palate
CREATE YOUR OWN BESPOKE FEAST
PICNIC2U
Picnic2U by James Martin is an amazing service delivering delicious freshly-made picnic boxes across London. Whatever the occasion – be it a romantic picnic, a sporting event or even an office day out – they are the only service of its kind offering such good-quality, freshly-made produce delivered anywhere in London at any time. This summer is the perfect opportunity to rediscover picnics and now with James Martin’s keen eye for quality British products, Picnic2U have designed a number of picnic boxes to fit everyone’s needs and budget. You can, of course, create your very own picnic from the full menu and, should the need arise, there is a stunning range of luxury hampers which you can keep forever and which are filled with beautiful food and drink especially for you.
Call: 0208 961 7477 Email: hungry@picnic2u.co.uk Visit: www.picnic2u.co.uk
Bluebell Vineyard Estatess With the quality of English sparkling wine rivalling and outstripping the French, Spaniards and Italians in independent blind tastings, why not make our flourishing home-grown winemakers your first choice? At Bluebell Vineyard Estates they make some of the UK’s very best ‘traditional method’ sparkling wines. Try the Hindleap Brut Rosé (an IWC Silver Medal winner) or the Hindleap Seyval Blanc (recently awarded a Gold Medal by the UKVA) and put some real fizz in your step. Hindleap Brut Rosé, with its strawberry ice-cream nose, smokey complexity and zesty palate, matches perfectly with smoked salmon and fruit. The white blossom, pears and stonefruit fragrance of Bluebell’s Seyval Blanc means it can be paired exquisitely with Caesar’ s Salad, chicken and tuna dishes. Bluebell wines can be bought through Amathus Drinks (www.amathusdrinks.com) Ellis of Richmond (www.ellisofrichmond.co.uk) Oddbins (www.oddbins.com) and other leading independent wine merchants.
Bluebell’s full range also includes a Blanc de Blancs and a Classic Cuvée, both of which are international award winners.
Visit: www.bluebellvineyard.co.uk
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CREATE YOUR OWN BESPOKE FEAST
Delis and cafés to cleanse the palate
MIMOSA DELICATESSEN, CATERER & CAFE
DELI WEST ONE Deli West One is an authentic New York-style kosher Jewish Deli providing a range of traditional sandwich favourites such as salt beef, pastrami, tongue and turkey, all homecured naturally in their own kitchens; accompanied by homemade Jewish staples such as chicken soup with matza balls, chopped liver and potato latkes. Since opening in November 2011, the deli has become a popular destination for local businessmen and tourists, and is fast becoming a destination point for real kosher food in London.
Step into an eclectic interior design with a focus on flavourful and wonderfully tasty food. Their inspiration comes from southern Europe and North Africa – places where the sun shines and food is part of everyday life. They create tagines, Moroccan relishes and dips, complete meals under the ‘Too tired to cook’ brand, cakes, French tarts, amazing quiches, wedding and party food. Come and visit the friendly team at Mimosa… Mimosa Delicatessen 16 Half Moon Lane, London SE24 9HU
Deli West One, 51 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HJ Call: 020 7224 4033 Visit: www.thedelilondon.com
Call: 020 7733 8838 Visit: www.mimosafoods.com
FRANZE AND EVANS
Franze & Evans is all about great food and a relaxed, friendly place to eat it. You’ll find them easily, right in the heart of London’s Shoreditch neighbourhood – across the road from the start of Brick Lane. They serve what they like to think are the best in pan-Mediterranean meals, salads and snacks, from early morning to later in the evening. They are passionate about their food, sourcing as locally as they can, and often – but not always – using organic ingredients from suppliers they trust. Along with their great coffee, the cakes are the talk of the neighbourhood. Have a slice along with your coffee, or give them some notice and they’ll bake you a whole one to take home. The food is always fresh and tasty, with good portions and priced fairly. Apart from a few pastries they buy in fresh every day, everything is made in their own kitchen. Join them for breakfasts, lunch, dinner or tapas-style dishes in the evening. Franze and Evans 101 Redchurch Street, Tower Hamlets, London E2 7DL Call: 020 7033 1910 Visit: www.franzeevans.com
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> flavour english wines
Dispelling the myth of
English wine...
No longer should we look at our homegrown wines as the ugly sister to our European neighbours and the New World – we have excellence on our doorstep...
Why should I buy English wine? Shouldn’t the question be, “Why don’t I buy English wine?” For many years we, as a nation, have been importing cheap food and wine from around the world with little or no knowledge of its quality, methods of production or effect its purchase will have on our economy. Unfortunately, there seems to be a blind consensus that imported wine is better than that produced in the United Kingdom. This just isn’t true. The climate in the south of England has been compared to that of Germany, but in truth, in recent years it is more in keeping with that of the Champagne region in France, and that, apparently, produces some quite good wines. Today, English wine is competing at the highest level in wine competitions around the world, but we simply do not produce the same volume as other wine producing countries. Fortunately that is now changing with more vines being planted and more producers springing up all the time. By buying English wine you are investing in the growth of an industry and the British economy. In return you have the opportunity to taste and savour unique English wines, grown in English vineyards and made in English wineries. What could be finer?
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Which English wine should I choose? One of the biggest questions asked is which English wine should I buy? Well, you can’t go far wrong if you buy a medalwinning wine, so be sure to look out for the label on the bottle.
Why don’t the major supermarkets stock English wine? The major supermarkets do actually stock some English wines if you look hard enough or ask a member of staff to point you in the right direction. These will generally be from the bigger vineyards that can supply on a national level. However, due to the smaller volumes produced in this country there just isn’t enough to keep the shelves continually stocked. It’s still very much a boutique industry in the UK and as such it is left to the wineries and vineyards to promote and sell their own wares through their own shops, farmers’ markets and online. Rest assured it is nothing to do with the quality of the wine.
What does English wine taste like? It tastes like English wine. Due to our climate, there are only certain vines that grow and thrive in this country and, without going into detail, there are
several EU recommended varieties and others evolving all the time. The taste of the wine is dependent on a number of factors including vine variety, soil, weather conditions over the course of the growing season and yeast used in the fermentation process. Different permutations of the above, and many other conditions, lead to an infinite number of possible taste outcomes. The English wine you choose will have a taste which is all its own.
What’s the difference between English wine and British wine? A smack in the mouth from an English wine producer? Only kidding; as a rule they’re a very friendly bunch, but there is such a lack of knowledge on this subject it has many within the industry frustrated. Put simply, British wine is generally fermented from imported grape juice and as such not entirely a ‘British’ product. English wine is the real deal, the truly British product. English wine is made from grapes grown in English vineyards and produced in English wineries. This generally includes those wines produced in Wales.
There are now around 400 English vineyards producing around 2m bottles per year Whites: Wide variety, but traditional English whites have floral bouquets and high acidity – very refreshing! Reds: Once thought impossible – but it is and they vary from light, thru mellow and even full-bodied Sparkling –The great success story: Similar soils
to champagne and edgier climate mean truly great English sparkling wines – as evidenced in blindtasting international competitions where some English sparkling wines now beat the best of Champagnes.
English Sparkling Wine English sparkling wine is gaining world renown. Chalky limestone terroirs and a climate akin to that of Champagne a century ago is producing superior quality sparkling wines that are winning top honours on the world stage. You will find the majority of English sparkling wines are made in the same way as Champagne, using the méthode traditionnelle. This involves a secondary bottle fermentation that imparts the tiny bubbles, character and aromas synonymous with quality sparkling wines. There are several cheaper methods of producing sparkling wines, but as you’d expect the final product is usually inferior. In recent years there has been much discussion on the naming of English sparkling wine. The French have Champagne, the Spanish Cava
and the Italians Prosecco. Two front runners have emerged, Britagne (pronounced ‘britannia’) and Merret in honour of the English scientist Dr Christopher Merret who has some claim to having helped invent champagne. Whatever is decided, one thing is for sure, it will still be English sparkling wine and it will still be delicious.
English White Wine English white wine tends to have green fruit characteristics, with floral bouquets and crisp zesty flavours. Due to the English climate cooler white grape varieties, many of which have German origins, provide the best results such as Bacchus, Ortega, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Gris and Reichensteiner. Whilst every grape and hence wine has its own characteristics, it is difficult to pigeonhole or compare English white wine to its continental
cousins. If we were, however, to draw comparisons, then the English wines produced from Bacchus grapes do have similarities to Sauvignon Blancs from cooler climates. Traditionally playing second fiddle to English sparkling wine, English white wines are now stepping out of the shadows and making a name for themselves on the world stage.
English Rosé Wine Rosé wine is all the rage, providing a combination of light reds and refreshing whites. English rosé wines are no exception and offer far more than you might expect in terms of depth and character.
Dornfelder and Reichensteiner that produce diverse and interesting wines that should not be underestimated. Rosé wines are no longer seen as a fad and English rosé wines are no exception.
English Red Wine English red wine to some is an oxymoron, but we beg to differ. Due to the English climate, you won’t find hugely full-bodied wines. You will, however, find soft, subtle wines with delicate spicy aromas and full fruit flavours. Pinot Noir tends to be leading the way, but you’ll also find English reds from other grape varieties including Rondo and Regent.
With strawberry and raspberry aromas and red berry flavours they seem to epitomise the traditional English garden party, but in a glass. Popular grape varieties include Pinot Noir,
Whatever you’ve heard, it is possible to make good red wine in England. Visit www.greatenglishwines.co.uk for more information. 45
the spice king Coriander leaves
I Also known as ‘The Spice King’, Sriram Aylur is Executive Chef of St James’s Park’s The Quilon, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the world specialising in Southern Indian food.
have previously talked about spices, so this time I have decided to focus on a herb. Coriander leaves (or cilantro) are a green herb with a sweet, earthy flavour and can be used either freshly chopped or ground. The seeds are also used extensively in Indian cooking – for their flavour and also to help thicken sauce – while the roots are excellent to use while making stock. It is also used in North American, Southern European and South Western Asian cooking. In Indian cooking, especially in the north and central India, it is used as a final herb in most dishes. Coriander leaf complements as a salad dressing or a salad itself. The ability to use it raw, ground or cooked makes it a very versatile ingredient. The leaves are supposed to help digestion and a paste of coriander leaf applied to the forehead helps cure headaches. It is considered to have anti-inflammatory properties.
www.quilon.co.uk 46
I would like to share a recipe of coconut and coriander chutney that we serve with papad and is very popular in Quilon.
Coconut and Coriander Chutney Served with Ceilidh lager (Scotland 4.7% ABV) INGREDIENTS • ½ grated coconut • 10g coriander leaves • 3 green chillies • 10g ginger • Salt • ½ tsp tamarind • Tampering • 5ml oil • ¼ tsp mustard seeds • 6 curry leaves METHOD 1 Mix the coconut, coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, tamarind and salt in a food processor. 2 Heat oil in a small ladle. When hot add the mustard. When the mustard crackles add curry leaves and immediately add the tampering to the ground chutney. 3 Mix well.
> flavour my barcelona kitchen
My Barcelona Kitchen Sophie Ruggles Australian cook and food writer Sophie Ruggles took a leap of faith in 2003 when she moved to Spain to work as a chef and polish her rather wanting language skills – and accidently opened EMU Bar, her own and Barcelona’s first Australian eatery. Almost a decade on, Sophie has swapped the steamy bustle of EMU Bar for her chatty kitchen counter where she provides informal cooking classes for visitors to Barcelona looking for a hands-on food experience of the local cuisine. Sophie has published two other recipe books: Eat GST Free! and Suddenly Cooking – Real Food Nade Easy. As well as writing and teaching about food, her other passions are food photography, travel and long lunches.
www.sophieruggles.com
My Barcelona Kitchen Sophie Ruggles, Murdoch Books, £20 Discover a lively, diverse city and have an authentic Spanish experience in your own home kitchen with Sophie Ruggles’ My Barcelona Kitchen. Inspired by her life in the heart of vibrant Barcelona, cook and food writer Sophie Ruggles brings us her collection of more than 140 traditional and original Spanish recipes, each with her personal touch and her heart-warming, approachable style. Accompanying the recipes are tales of life in the colourful city and stunning location photography, giving amazing insight into modern Barcelonan life. 47
> flavour my barcelona kitchen
A selection of mini open sandwiches Montaditos variados Enter any Basque pintxos bar and you’ll be visually delighted by row after row of beautifully prepared montaditos. Each of these little one- or two-bite wonders is held together by a toothpick, which you save and present to the bar staff to calculate the bill. The idea is to grab a plate and help yourself to as many as you like. The montadito ideas here use other recipes from My Barcelona Kitchen. Choose any type of crispy brown or white bread or biscuit base you like, or simply use a slice of baguette. Put together your montadito in the order the ingredients appear in each list. PICKLED ANCHOVY El Boquerón 1 sun-dried tomato, chopped 2 whole fresh anchovy fillets (boquerones) 1 gherkin (cornichon), chopped 1 green olive, pitted
SARDINE La sardina 1 strip roasted red capsicum/pepper 1 sardinas escabechadas 1 teaspoon black olive tapenade 1 guindilla (medium-hot) chilli
PÂTÉ El paté 1 tablespoon country-style pâté 1 teaspoon caramelised onion (slowly sautéed in oil until very soft) drizzle of sugarcane molasses
TUNA El atún 2–3 slices avocado 1 tablespoon tuna confit 1 sun-dried tomato, chopped 1 teaspoon mayonnaise or 1 teaspoon romesco sauce 1 tablespoon tuna confit curly endive lettuce
ANCHOVY La anchoa 1 piquillo pepper 2 salted anchovy fillets 1 gherkin (cornichon), chopped 1 green olive, pitted 48
> flavour my barcelona kitchen
Seafood paella Paella de marisco Curiously, everyone I’ve spoken to thinks their own mum’s recipe for paella is best, which can only mean there are a whole lot of great paella recipes out there! Here’s one of them. Put the saffron threads into the wine to soak. Set aside.
SERVES 4
Pound the garlic and salt to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
1 pinch of saffron threads 125ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) white wine 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes 8 –10 raw prawns (shrimp) 100ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil 1 large brown onion, thinly sliced 1 red capsicum (pepper), thinly sliced 1 teaspoon paprika 360g (12¾ oz/1²⁄³cups) short-grain white (calaspara or paella) rice 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) fish stock 12 black mussels, scrubbed, hairy beards pulled out 500g (1lb 2oz) monkfish, cut into bite-sized chunks A few handfuls fresh or frozen peas (optional) Lemon wedges, for serving
Peel the shells and heads off the prawns, reserving the heads. Heat half of the olive oil in a 30cm (12 inch) paella pan or deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the prawn heads for 2 minutes, then discard, reserving the oil in the pan. To make the sofrito, add the remaining oil to the pan. Sauté the onion, capsicum and garlic paste for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the paprika and cook for 1 minute further. Add the saffron-infused wine and the rice, and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the stock and monkfish, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, without stirring. Put the prawns and mussels into the rice, making sure they are well submerged in the liquid. Scatter around the peas, if using, and cook for 8–10 minutes. The paella is ready when the rice is al dente and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
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> flavour my barcelona kitchen
Passionfruit flans Flan de fruta de la pasión Put the sheets of gelatine into a large bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Lightly grease six 150ml (5 fl oz) dariole moulds or ramekins with a neutral-tasting vegetable oil and set aside. Heat the sugar and cream gently in a saucepan over low heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the passionfruit pulp and seeds, and whisk to combine. Don’t worry if the cream curdles slightly, just whisk it for a few minutes. Squeeze all the water from the gelatine sheets and add them to the hot cream mixture. Whisk until completely dissolved. Add the yoghurt and mix to fully incorporate. Spoon the mixture evenly among the dariole moulds. Cover and leave in the fridge to set for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight. Chop the strawberries roughly, sprinkle with the extra sugar and leave to macerate for 30 minutes. Mash with a fork. Stand the base of each mould in a hot water bath for a few minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of each one and invert onto a serving plate. Spoon over the kiwi fruit and decorate the plate with the strawberries.
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SERVES 6 3 sheets gold strength gelatine (2g each) Oil for greasing 100 g (3½ oz) sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra 500ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) thin (pouring/whipping) cream Pulp and seeds from 6 passionfruit 200g (7oz/¾ cup) natural yoghurt 6 strawberries 2 kiwi fruit, diced
> flavour my barcelona kitchen
Drinks Bebidas Spanish red wine punch
Summer red wine
Sangria
Tinto de verano
SERVES 4
SERVES 1
Roughly chop 2 oranges, 1 lemon and 2–3 peaches and put into a large serving jug. Add 500ml (17 fl oz/ 2 cups) Gaseosa (or half lemonade/half soda water), 750ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) inexpensive red wine and 60ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) brandy. Stir and set aside in the fridge for 2 hours or so. Serve chilled.
In a glass, combine 100ml (3½ fl oz) red wine, 100ml (3½ fl oz) chilled Gaseosa (or half lemonade/half soda water), 30ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons) white rum and a slice of fresh lemon. Serve immediately.
Valencian cava cocktail
Liqueur coffee
Agua de Valencia
Carajillo
SERVES 4
SERVES 1
Combine the juice of 2 oranges and ½ teaspoon sugar in a large serving jug. Add 30ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons) each of vodka and gin, and stir. Add 750ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) Spanish cava (sparkling white wine). Stir and serve immediately.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 large hot espresso coffee and add 30ml (1 fl oz/1½ tablespoons) dark rum, cognac or whisky or use Baileys Irish Cream and leave out the sugar). You can light the drink with a match to burn away the alcohol before serving, if desired.
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Curried Courgette Fritters Makes about 8 3-inch pancakes INGREDIENTS
Courgettes BY SHU HAN LEE As we enter the summer months, most people are either enjoying or bemoaning an overflowing glut of courgettes. I belong to the courgettehappy group. I love them in all their varieties of shape, size and colour, the long oblong ones and the little fat round ones, the deep green ones and the mustard yellow ones. It’s almost an essential in my kitchen this month, so it’s funny that up until three years ago, I’d never even come across a courgette. I remember buying them in my first year in London, thinking they were cucumbers by some sort of queer old-English name, and being entirely disappointed by its crunch-less, juiceless, seed-less insides. It’s one of my favourite summer vegetables now though, so versatile in stews, roasts,
METHOD or shaved into ribbons for salads or pseudo pasta, or if you’re going for the sweet rather than savoury route, they make for deliciously moist cakes. I have been enjoying them in fritters a lot recently. Instead of going the usual route with feta, Greek-style, I’ve gone down the spicy Asian route. Golden and crisp on the edges, and fluffy and moist on the inside, these fritters are not at all like the greasy takeaway pakoras that weigh heavily on your stomach at the end of the meal. The spices add a kick which is delicious especially with a soothing raita, which you can make simply by stirring some chopped cucumber, mint and cumin into plain yogurt. Or if you’re lazy, a squeeze of lemon and plain yogurt will do quite nicely.
If you want to find out more about this recipe, just do a search on my blog, Mummy, I can cook! mummyicancook.blogspot.com 52
• 2 medium courgettes • 1 free-range egg, beaten • 2-4 tbsp plain flour • 1 tsp garlic powder /grated garlic • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp coriander • 1 tsp chilli powder • 1 tsp unrefined sea salt, plus more to taste • ghee/coconut oil, for frying
1 Shred the courgettes on a coarse grater. Toss with 1 tsp of salt and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can, you might be quite surprised at how drastically small your courgette pile has become, but it’s important for non-soggy fritters. 2 Taste for seasoning, adding extra salt if necessary. Combine the rest of the ingredients together, adding more/ less flour if the mixture feels too loose. Refrigerate the batter for about 10 min. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180˚C. 3 Heat a shallow layer of oil in the frying pan, and when hot, drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture and fry over medium heat till golden brown on the bottom and edges, flipping over once. Leave to drain on paper towels, then transfer to the oven while you finish the rest. They should all have about 5-10 minutes in the oven to really crisp up. Serve hot.
Sunday 23rd September to Wednesday 31st October 2012
Welcome to The GREAT BATH FEAST Sunday 23rd September to Wednesday 31st October 2012 Bath is a handsome city at any time of year but in autumn it positively glows. There are so many good reasons to enjoy Bath and we’ve just created one more. The Great Bath Feast is a melting pot of wonderful flavours and lively personalities; of cakes and ale; of great gourmets and warm gastro pubs; of buns and cookbooks; of gastro gadgets and herb growers... a month-long Food Festival where all of the participants are keen to share their enthusiasm for fine food and drink with you.
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Visit us at www.greatbathfeast.co.uk The Great Bath Feast gets chefs showing off and championing local produce. Look forward to some great gastro performances by visiting celebrities Mark Hix, Angela Hartnett, Michael Caines and Raymond Blanc, along with the inside stories from food writers Matthew Fort, Giles Coren and Xanthe Clay. As the name ‘Great Bath Feast’ suggests, most events are all about indulgence and enjoyment; tasting fine wines and locally brewed beers and ciders; gourmet evenings and tasting menus; foraging walks and farmers’ markets. Meet some of the nation’s top artisan cheese makers brought to Milsom Place by the Fine Cheese Co. or hone your skills with inspiration from the Bertinet Kitchen or Demuth’s Vegetarian Cookery School. You can even learn how to create a sugar sculpture just like the Georgians did!
Bath on a Plate Watch out for Bath on a Plate – a chance for restaurants to show off their dish of the day where the ingredients will be fresh and seasonal and packed with flavour. Walk your taste buds through the city on the Bath Taste Trail and sample flavours sweet and savoury, chocolate to cheese. Bath has specialist food shops and superb delis so buy some treats to take home. There is nothing mundane about shopping in Bath; it’s a day spent exploring independents and finding treasures against an exquisite
historic backdrop. And if you feel like a break, treat yourself to a homemade cake or cream tea. Take tea in the grand and glorious Pump Room or a treat at Sally Lunn’s, both steeped in history, or chill in Sam’s Kitchen or Café Lucca, both chic and contemporary independents.
Great Bath Breakfast This is a city that has made hospitality its business for more than 200 years. Hotels and B&Bs will be cooking up the Great Bath Breakfast for guests before they venture out to explore the World Heritage city. This is a ‘full English’ packed with the freshest ingredients; tasty and satisfying. The Bath Good Food Awards are the hors d’oeuvre, the people’s choice of the best of the best so watch out for the results and an action-packed day with produce stalls and chefs on show. Autumn is a time for comfort food that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel good. Make Bath your harvest festival this year! Look out for updates to the programme on the website – you will also find some great promotions and special offers there, along with a chance to enter the competition with fabulous prizes! 55
Wake up in comfort before you begin your foodie extravaganza
KENNARD HOTEL
BODHI HOUSE
The Kennard, a Georgian town house, has been restored to a charming B&B. Built as a lodging house in 1794, all of its 12 bedrooms are thoughtfully and individually furnished. It is quietly situated only five minutes from the Abbey, the Roman Baths, the new Spa and the railway station.
Bodhi House provides spacious, stylish accommodation slightly removed from the hustle and bustle of the centre of Bath and offers breakfasts prepared with quality ingredients served with imagination.
The breakfast has won the AA Breakfast Award for the third time and Giovanni and Mary are proud to offer some of the best produce in the South West.
The light and modern accommodation uses solar energy and harvested rainwater whenever possible. You will also have your own private entrance, off-street
parking and a garden with seating areas and views. The Taylor family offer a warm and informal welcome and will assist you in any way to make your stay in Bath special and memorable.
KENNARD HOTEL 11 Henrietta Street, Bath BA2 6LL
BODHI HOUSE 31A Englishcombe Lane, Bath BA2 2EE
Call 01225 310472 Email reception@kennard.co.uk Visit www.kennard.co.uk
Call 01225 461990 Email stay@bodhihouse.co.uk Visit www.bodhihouse.co.uk
LAVENDER HOUSE
BAY TREE HOUSE
Lavender House is a beautiful B&B just 20 minutes’ walk into the heart of Bath.
Bay Tree House aims to provide guests with a comfortable and relaxing stay and, being just five minutes’ walk from the Thermae Bath Spa, The Roman Baths, The Royal Crescent and The Circus, as well as the vast selection of shops, the location could not be better.
Regular breakfast specials change from time to time as the chef decides. Chef is doing something very right, having picked up a breakfast award from Visit England for the last four years. All produce is locally sourced and wherever possible, organically.
The rooms are stylish and homely along with a friendly and professional service, with all the personal touches of a
LAVENDER HOUSE 17 Bloomfield Park, Bath BA2 2BY
BAY TREE HOUSE 12 Crescent Gardens, Bath BA1 2NA
Call 01225 314500 Email post@lavenderhouse-bath.com Visit www.lavenderhouse-bath.com
Call 01225 483699 Email stay@baytreehousebath.co.uk Visit www.baytreehousebath.co.uk
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small, family-run business. They have been awarded a ‘Visit Britain’ Breakfast Award for their homemade and local produce. Treat yourself. Come, visit and enjoy...
Visit us at www.greatbathfeast.co.uk
CRANLEIGH GUEST HOUSE
TASBURGH HOUSE
When you walk down the path you will instantly know that Cranleigh is the perfect place to stay – quiet and peaceful and just one-and-a-half miles from the city centre and with free parking. You get to taste the award-winning breakfast!
Award-winning breakfasts and five-star quality from Tasburgh House.
Bedrooms are styled around the original Victorian features but have every modern comfort including large TVs, DVDs, iPod docks and free Wi-Fi.
The dining room and conservatory overlook seven acres of beautiful gardens and the Avon Valley. Sip your fresh cafetiere of coffee beside the fountain or wander on the terraces while your breakfast is being cooked. Come and stay to experience for yourself what Tasburgh House has to offer.
It’s not just an amazing, mouthwatering breakfast that this 5-star guest house has to offer – it’s the elegant relaxing atmosphere that accompanies it.
Why not treat yourself to a champagne hot tub in the secluded garden as well. CRANLEIGH GUEST HOUSE 159 Newbridge Hill, Bath BA1 3PX
TASBURGH HOUSE Warminster Road, Bath BA2 6SH
Call 01225 310197 Email cranleigh@btinternet.com Visit www.cranleighguesthouse.com
Call 01225 425096 Visit www.tasburghhouse.co.uk
BATH INDEPENDENT GUEST HOUSE ASSOCIATION
HENRIETTA HOUSE Henrietta House is an elegant, double-fronted Georgian townhouse located in a quiet, central area of Bath. It was completely renovated in 2011 to provide boutique B&B and guest house accommodation. But their passion for food is what makes the difference…
The Bath independent accommodation providers are supporting the Great Bath Feast. Start your day with a Bath breakfast at one of the friendly guesthouses and hotels in Bath before setting out to explore Bath’s unique culture, shops and restaurants. For small, friendly, individual and boutique accommodation in Bath visit stayinbath.org. Book direct through the website for unique offers on attractions, restaurants, shops and much more while staying in Bath.
www.stayinbath.org/breakfast
preserves and granola, coffee cakes, classic full English breakfasts or the much loved ‘Austrian eggs’, made with bacon, onions and organic pumpkin seed oil. This is a breakfast for champions…
Organic, locally sourced and homemade are the main ingredients for a perfect start to your day. Enjoy freshly pressed vegetable or fruit juice, homemade HENRIETTA HOUSE 33 Henrietta Street, Bath BA2 6LR Call 01225 632632 Email reception@henriettahouse.co.uk Visit www.henriettahouse.co.uk 57
11976-PKitchen 170x116mm Flavour Mag Ad_Layout 1 29/03/2012 11:09am Page 1
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Bradley’s
IN THE BEGINNING... Four years ago, Miles and Liz Bradley of Box Bush Farm in Somerset began producing ‘Bradley’s’, their own handpicked, farm-pressed apple juice. Sold initially at local farmers’ markets, Bradley’s is now sold to delis, farm shops, hotels, restaurants, pubs and cafes across the South West and London.
sweeter apple, loved by the youngsters) and Lord Lambourne (wonderful flavour and aroma). The single variety juices are also available carbonated, which are proving to be very popular with pubs, cafes and restaurants. In addition the award-winning blended apple juices of Cox and Bramley, Apple and Ginger and Apple and Rhubarb are all best sellers.
THE BRAND... Bradley’s juice is made using the very best handpicked apples and is pressed in small batches on the farm in the Somerset countryside. They pride themselves on the fact that Bradley’s apple juices are pure apple juice, with no added water, sugar, sweeteners or flavourings. You really do taste the freshness of the apples in a bottle.
This year Miles has extended the product range with the introduction of Quench, quaffable, handmade juice drinks. The naturally brewed ginger beer is brewed with fresh root ginger and has a real kick. The elderflower presse is an exquisite and delightfully refreshing drink, particularly on a warm summer’s evening. The Sicilian lemonade is a traditional still lemonade with a luscious, zingy, lemony flavour. Absolutely fabulous in a tall glass over ice! Cranberry and Apple juice and Cherry juice complete the Quench range.
AWARD-WINNING... Bradley’s are award-winning juices, taking Gold Stars at Great Taste 2012 with their Cox and Bramley, Apple and Rhubarb and Apple and Ginger juices. THE RANGE... Bradley’s produce single variety apple juices including the ever-popular Cox (perfect with breakfast), Russet (a
on the farm, with 300 red apple trees being planted including Red Devil, Red Falstaff and Red Prince. And, with a foray into cider-making being planned, 100 Kingston Black were planted too. 400 more apple trees are planned for 2013. As autumn approaches, days on the farm are hectic, with this season’s apples waiting to be pressed and bottled. Discovery apples will be ready for pressing in the next few weeks, with Worcester Pearmain and Red Pippin not far behind. And there’s a busy winter ahead for Miles and Liz, with planning to build a new barn on the farm, enabling production to keep up with the everincreasing demand. Not forgetting the small matter of 400 trees to plant too!
Bradley’s Apple Juice is available in 25cl and 75cl bottle and Quench is available in 33cl and 75cl bottles. BUSY DAYS AHEAD ... This year has seen Bradley’s Juice expand. In the spring the Red Orchard was created
Bradley’s | Box Bush Lane | Near Hewish | North Somerset | BS24 6UA Call 01934 822 356 | Visit www.bradleysjuice.co.uk 59
Leaving the streets and pavements behind him, Nick Harman finds ‘glam’ high above Regent Street...
aqua nueva T
here are two things the restaurant critic is seemingly contractually obliged to say about Aqua Nueva, so we might as well get them out of the way now – it has a brilliant balcony and the chef once worked at elBulli. There; that’s all done and hopefully we can now move on. Perched high above Regent Street, on top of what was once Dickins and Jones department store, it’s a Dickens of a big place. You ascend from a flash lobby opposite the Palladium and emerge into clubby sepulchral gloom out of which materialises a glamorous greeter to set you on your way and provide a guide. The latter is needed because before your eyes adjust you’re as blind as a mole with glaucoma and slightly disorientated too. The danger of going base over apex is very high and you wouldn’t want to do that in front of a bar bursting with nicely dressed, cool and wealthy people. Instead you follow your guide down a long corridor out from the end of which a threateningly life-sized threedimensional bull appears to be charging. It’s a bit like the London Dungeon, only five floors up. Much sexier though as the dead tend to have zero fashion sense. Nueva itself appears normal-size but behind the restaurant room a long bar stretches down another side of the building, here be tapas and arty decor for those into stools and bar snacks. It’s actually a bit more appealing than the main room, which doesn’t quite have the wow factor that corridor preps you for. Music of the indeterminate Balearic house kind plays attractively (don’t tell me I’m not hip to what young people are
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listening to) but a fraction too loudly. The combination of volume, the waitress’s height and her second-language English meant some repetition was required on both sides. What? Pardon? Half past five? The menu is cheerfully compact, which is fine and the wine list has bottles for just (just) £22 which is surprisingly egalitarian for this kind of place. We settled on three tapasy starters – croquettas, various slices of cured sausage and some razor clams. These all took a long while to arrive, which would have been okay if we’d had some bread and wine to toy with, but the latter only finally arrived with the food. Design or forgetfulness? Hard to tell. Sausages were quality and the croquettas well made and just creamy enough, but oddly they weren’t the standard torpedoes and came as a plate of five. For dishes intended for sharing, basic maths suggests that surely even numbers work best? Tastiest of all though, and showing what the chef can do, were the razor clams with white asparagus and almond vinaigrette. The clams were yielding, juicy and packed with flavour, their texture well set off by the perfectly al dente asparagus and washed in a spiky vinaigrette. A’s Iberian pork secreto with blood sausage and confit apple main worked well, the apple being a useful foil to the pork’s sweetness and the blood sausage from Extramadura – a speciality of that region that contains potato to make it softer than usual and nicely spreadable – was unusual. The pork had the classic flavour but was a bit dry; overcooked by a gnat’s. Best end of lamb with sweetbreads and saffron cream was stylishly presented,
but the lamb wasn’t pink enough for my personal taste. Again, overcooked by just that bit too much. The small sweetbreads could have been larger to have a presence on the plate as well as on the tongue, but the dish as a whole was good eating without being shout-out great. The olive oil mashed potatoes were very good, nothing clever of course but clever isn’t always better. Rum sponge cake with coconut parfait and pineapple granite could have been rummier. I’m a sucker for rum babas, but it was a good balance of textures and flavours and nicely light on the stomach. Traditional roasted cheese cake with cream cheese ice cream may be traditional for the Spanish but I found it slightly unsettling in its richness. It could have been all that lamb I’d just eaten though. Out onto the terrace for coffee and a lovely, lovely cigarette, a post-dining pleasure now denied just about anywhere but in countries where life expectancy is so short lung cancer is the least of their worries, and the view is indeed lovely. Aqua is not the hippest restaurant on Twitter, nor does it have a ‘no reservations, queue up you losers’ policy. It isn’t the best Spanish restaurant in London either, not as long as Jose Pizarro is around, but it is a very glam location for a fine night out or a special occasion.
Aqua Nueva 240 Regent Street London W1B 3BR 0207 478 0540 www.aqua.com.hk
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chilled reds The questions people ask about the idea of chilling red wine usually involve why, and what? For many people the thought of a cold red wine has never crossed their minds. The answer to ‘why?’ is usually found in the first revelatory sip from the glass, but the basic premise is that whereas whites and rosés do the refreshing part really well, they rarely satisfy the palate in the same way that a red wine can. Chilled reds can reach the parts that other cold wines cannot reach, thanks to their bright succulent fruit and a fuller body than their white and pink counterparts. But what should you look for in a wine to know that it will be right for chilling? The main thing to remember is that as the wine’s temperature drops, certain characteristics will become magnified (acidity, tannin, fruit) and other things will become more difficult to discern (nuance, complexity, alcohol and residual sugar). As tannin becomes more pronounced the wine gets more bitter and astringent, while a heightened perception of acidity will make the wine seem fresher and more vibrant (up to a point). The primary aromas and flavours of fresh fruit will appear to have their volume turned up as the temperature drops and the secondary and tertiary notes are locked up by the cold. For both red and white wines, cold temperatures are the enemy of 62
complexity – but then who needs complexity when its 33°C by the swimming pool? OK, OK, in the UK it’s more likely to be 23°C and cloudy by the fish pond. Either way, this is not the time or the place to be wowed by the nuances of a mature fine wine – what we want is refreshment! What not to do... Avoid tannic wines like the plague – they will become even more chewy and astringent. So varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Merlot, Mourvedre, Sangiovese and Malbec are to be kept out of the fridge. And stick to brightly fruited young wines rather than your grandfather’s 1961 clarets, because once the wine gets cold, the complexity will become hidden and the mature fruit (as opposed to bright primary
fruit) will not have the zing and zip to deal with the chill. What you should do... We are looking for a young and fruity wine with low tannin. Grapes like Gamay, Tempranillo, Barbera and young examples of Pinot Noir can all work really well. Increasingly, there are winemakers treating varieties like Syrah and Grenache in a gentle enough way that they can make for great chillable reds. Regions that provide fertile hunting grounds for this style of wine include Beaujolais (perfect for chilling), Loire Valley, Northern Rhone Valley, Jura and Savoie, Piedmont (for Barbera), Sicily (Nerello Mascalese and Frappato are great varieties for chilling) and Veneto (Valpolicella – but not Amarone!).
> flavour mark andrew
2011 Vin des Amis; Mas Coutelou This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault is one of the most vibrant and alive wines you will ever taste. But there is more to it than simply bright fruit – it has a silky smooth texture with very soft tannins that makes it the perfect candidate for chilling down. This is how a ‘summer red’ should be, wonderfully drinkable and purpose built for the barbecue.
Available at Roberson Wine (£12.95) or on the wine list at The Harwood Arms (SW6) & Mon Plaisir (WC2H)
2010 Régnié Grain et Granit; Charly Thévenet The wines of Beaujolais seem to have been invented with the fridge in mind. Full of juicy red berry fruit and bright floral aromas, they have almost no tannin and good, vibrant acidity. All of this makes for a fruity and refreshing glass of wine when chilled, and with relatively low alcohol and, in this case, no added sulphites, you might even get away without a serious hangover!
Available at Roberson Wine (£18.95) or on the wine list at Momo (W1B) and Kensington Wine Rooms (W8)
Mark Andrew Mark Andrew is the Senior Wine Buyer at Kensington-based merchant Roberson Wine. In addition to their award-winning shop on London’s Kensington High Street, Roberson supply wine to many of the UK’s top restaurants. When Mark is not travelling around Europe, seeking out interesting new wines, he runs Roberson’s wine school and fine wine tastings, judges at numerous wine competitions (including the Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards) and is currently studying towards his Master of Wine qualification.
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Cristini A tale of two restaurants in W2. Zeren Wilson finds an intriguing personality tucked away in Lancaster Gate...
I
t’s not often you walk into a central London Italian restaurant and are confronted with straw-wrapped Chianti bottles with molten candle wax oozing down the sides, then moments later see an iPad whipped out to take your order. The ultimate cliché of the chintzy style of Italian gaffs from the 1970s comes to a juddering halt against the technological hip style of Apple: a delicious and intriguing contradiction waiting here in this Lancaster Gate restaurant. Driven by the flair and charm of manager Angelo Grazioli, Cristini is a restaurant still not quite at ease with itself, tugging itself away from the Italian restaurant style of yore, yet with a genuine warmth and attention to detail that marks it out from the crowd. Tucked away in a little side street in this picturesque corner of W2, it’s almost the model of a suburban neighbourhood restaurant where everyone knows your name. Flickering candles in those bottles recall a thousand movie sets. The last thing expected is the arrival of the iPad, and as restaurant manager Angelo takes our order, expectations shift up a gear. There’s a seriously good looking list of fresh pastas, and an admirably concise selection of meat and fish, bringing us back to the London restaurant scene of 2012, where less is more. Menu pricing feels a little bizarre, with no prices next to dishes, simply a matter of choosing one, two or three courses, at £13.99, £18.99 and £34.99. They could do with dropping those ‘99s’, it ain’t a classy look.
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Avocado in breadcrumbs with roasted tomato takes us back to dinner party fare, in keeping with first impressions, the iPad now back in its case. It’s the pastas though that we’re really here to get stuck into, and if there was a pasta tasting menu we would have jumped on it. I ended up creating my own by having pasta as a main course also, not cool, but heck, that’s what I was here for. There is fresh egg Pici, the Tuscan handrolled pasta a bit like fat spaghetti with a rabbit ragú, the bullet-like Trofie from Liguria with the classic pesto sauce, and Abruzzo-inspired Rustichella. The strong focus on pasta gives us confidence to wade into the ravioli with fresh lobster, and a joy it is too. A light béchamel sauce flatters excellent pasta, with nuggets of sweet lobster meat and some roasted cherry tomatoes. Pappardelle with cherry tomatoes (a Groundhog Day recurring theme) and Italian black truffle is a real highlight. Gorgeous ribbons of pappardelle made by someone who knows their stuff, with the subtle funk of black truffle running through it. Pasta buttons well and truly pressed. If I wasn’t concerned about odd looks from all around, I had half a mind to have the Trofie with pesto for dessert – maybe next time. Salmon fillet wrapped in Parma ham, with capers, lemon and asparagus is gutsy, no nonsense and with zero pretensions, but I’m still feeling more than chuffed that I went for the double whammy of pasta. If there was any food envy at the table it was all directed at my plates.
There are a lot of cherry tomatoes on the menu. Lemon sole with a cherry tomato sauce. Roasted organic cornfed chicken with roasted cherry tomato on the vine. With a scallop starter. With the Rustichella pasta. With the ravioli. With the pappardelle. I like a cherry tomato for sure, but either they received a job lot and are ploughing through them, or Chef Paul Lonergan has something of a fetish for them. A classic Tiramisù cossets us with remarkable lightness and delicacy, familiar flavours pulled off with skilful aplomb in the kitchen. The tight wine list is worthy of mention as it has no excess flab and the wines are well chosen. The Lacryma Christi from Campania we try is compelling, a riot of wild herbs and sweet spice, and at £8.50 a glass delivers more than many at that level. Cristini has contradictions and surprises at every turn, many of them for the better. If it was my local Italian I think I’d be more than happy to regularly embrace both faces of its personality.
Cristini 28 Sussex Place Paddington London W2 2TH 0207 706 7900 www.cristini.co.uk
> flavour nick harman
Novelty for novelty’s sake? It’s just a starter, main and dessert then for gourmet Nick Harman… What is a ‘foodie’? So many people describe themselves thus these days but what does it really mean? Fond of food? Obsessed by food? Fairly keen on food? Young and easily impressed? Maybe the latter as so many people who put foodie in their social media bios seem to have a taste only for foods based around sugar and salt, the taste bud sensations beloved of teenagers. But then older foodies can be just as silly, chasing around for bizarre ingredients such as, and I’m not making this up, smoked lobster butter. For them it seems the simple joys of a decent cheese and pickle sandwich are nothing. It all has to be esoteric, new and of course very hard to get so that it can be bragged about on Twitter. Now of course the word ‘gourmet’ is not one that flies these days either. A foodie’s mental picture of a gourmet is of someone fussy, tubby, snobby, probably bearded, and who eats in restaurants that have
pretentious French names and is served by waiters who barely hide a sneer. I am however proud to call myself a gourmet and not a foodie, even though I don’t have a beard because it traps crumbs falling from my greedy lips and upsets the children. This is because I want to eat food that has been cooked by a trained chef, not a trained monkey with a grill or fryer. Food which is served to me at a table by people with some idea of grace and who aren’t resting actors who want to tell me their name and life history: ‘And so after The Bill I had a part in Casualty as a corpse. It was actually non-speaking...’ I don’t want novelty for novelty’s sake, I don’t care if chef and his trendy fringe went out at 3am and picked the moss himself, I’d rather he got a good night’s sleep so he doesn’t accidentally overcook my food. As it happens I don’t necessarily want fine dining all that much either, unless it’s a special occasion, I just want to
eat starter, mains and dessert cooked by a chef who can create a variety of dishes successfully. A restaurant where I can get a reservation and a comfortable chair. We ordinary eaters have our tastes too and I don’t think we want these socalled foodies, these simple-minded, fad-following, overgrown teenagers, dictating what we should be eating. ‘Oh the pulled pork is so amazeballs!’, ‘The mushrooms come from a lost valley in the Andes, don’t you know!’ Even less do we want certain older critics blithely supporting every foodie craze that comes along, presumably out of fear of being sacked by their go-getting young editors. It’s like watching your parents try to ‘disco dance’ and it’s not very pretty. Enjoy good food normally and don’t be a flippin’ foodie. That’s my gourmet advice.
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. 66