Flavour Magazine LOndon Issue 4

flavour for people who love local food

London | Issue 4

ÂŁ3.00 (where sold)

WIN!

ence ing experi A fine din d Egg ith Deville for two w cademy Kitchen A Hotel! and Mint

ISSN 1756-2899 22

9 771756 289018

www.flavourmagazine.com/london

SPICE IT UP!

A guaranteed heat wave from Levi Roots

GREEN GIANTS

Presenting this year’s organic food & drink heroes

Notting Hill

Why west is best for food lovers

Succulent Mature

Gran Reserva ~ Plus FREE Lagioule Steak Knives ~ Save over

The perfect partner for your favourite steak The perfect partner for your favourite steak pop the cork on this cracking Gran Reserva with generous damson, cherry and plum aromas.

El Buho Gran Reserva is normally £9.99 a bottle; you can enjoy it today for just £6.67.

£80 Exclusive Fl avour Magazine Offer

Plus the Ultimate Steak Knives - yours FREE! Order your case in the next 7 days and you'll also receive a set of 6 Laguiole steak knives absolutely free.

Rich, smooth oak-aged red from Valencia, blended from Tempranillo and Bobal.

Spicy damson and plum aromas with balanced vanilla oak. Soft red fruits on the palate with savoury andspicy nuances, and silky, ripe tannins.

12 Bottles of El Buho Gran Reserva, 2003 Now only £79.99 plus your free Lagioule Steak Knives Save over £80 (plus £6.99 p&p) With limited stocks available, order yours today Call 0843 224 1224 quoting R4191, order online at www.averys.com/flavour or pop into Averys Historic Cellars on Culver Street, Bristol BS1 5LD

Established in 1793, Averys is one of the UK’s most pioneering wine merchants.

“Quality is at the heart of everything we do. As a customer you are guaranteed exceptional wines and service, if at any time you are not satisfied, we will refund or replace your wine without quibble. I look forward to welcoming you to Averys.”

John Avery, Master of Wine, Chairman

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Customers must be over 18 years of age. Goods are offered subject to availability. Prices shown include VAT and are correct at the time of printing but may be subject to change. No other discounts may be taken. Please allow 14 days of order. RRP of Lagioule Knives is £42.99. Offer valid until 30 November 2011

Editor: Holly Aurelius-Haddock Email: holly@flavourmagazine.com

welcome

Deputy Editor: Nick Gregory Email: nick@flavourmagazine.com Art Director: Richard Cook Email: design@flavourmagazine.com Advertising: Hayley Francomb, Director Email: hayley@flavourmagazine.com Miranda Coller, Director of Sales Email: miranda@flavourmagazine.com Alastair McClare, Sales Account Manager Email: ali@flavourmagazine.com

Welcome to this issue of flavour!

Jamie Ford, Sales Account Manager Email: jamie@flavourmagazine.com Photography: Diana Chaccour Contributors: Ben Brill, Cheryl Cohen, Ren Behan, Nick Harman, Duncan Shine, Mitch Tonks, Zeren Wilson Flavour Magazine

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151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH Tel: 01179 779188 Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com/london For general enquiries: Peter Francomb Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com For competition entries: Email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com

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© Copyright 2011 flavourmagazine.com

Between interviewing iconic chefs such as Michel Roux Senior and Heston Blumenthal, appearing as a judge on Gordon Ramsay’s F-Word, and of course working with the wealth of truly passionate producers in the West Country, my time on the magazine has been one that will stay with me forever.

All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of flavour. While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, flavourmagazine.com accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of flavourmagazine.com

flavour magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print.

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: 01179 779188 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.

Please recycle this product.

When Chaucer reputedly penned ‘all good things must come to an end’, he was certainly onto something. And it’s with these resonant words in mind that I write my final welcome as Editor of flavour.

5 WIN!

A fine dining experience for two with Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy and Mint Hotel!

No doubt you’re wondering who will be my lucky successor. As someone who has been involved with the magazine from Issue One as a contributor and latterly as Deputy Editor, I am pleased to announce that Nick Gregory will be taking over from me. Nick has a real affinity with the countryside and a passion for real food and drink that’s hard to match – I know he’s incredibly excited to be overseeing this new era of the magazine.

8 In Season

Tom Bowles and Peter Swanepoel cook up the best of the season’s produce

All that remains for me to say is thank you very much for all your support over the years and I hope you continue to enjoy flavour in Nick’s capable hands.

16 Notting Hill Why west is best for food lovers 20 Spice It Up! A guaranteed heat wave from Levi Roots 28 Green Giants Presenting this year’s organic food and drink heroes

Happy Eating!

Holly Aurelius-Haddock.

> flavour news

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 TASTE OF THAILAND flavour of course loves all types of cuisine, but one that has really hit the mark recently has been that from Asia, specifically Thailand, and we found a great place to go in London at Thai Square. With restaurants all over the capital in Covent Garden, Angel, City, Trafalgar and Putney Bridge you are never far away from one.

Each of the 17 restaurants has its own ambiance and individual menu, with the same high level of service in beautiful surroundings and at similiar prices. But every restaurant has its own team of highly trained Thai chefs who have devised their own menus and specialities, representing long-held cultural and regional differences. www.thaisq.com

IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT The Kitchen by Arnold Wesker, opens in the Olivier Theatre on September 7.

1950s London. In the kitchen of an enormous West End restaurant, the orders are piling up: a post-war feast of soup, fish, cutlets, omelettes and fruit flans. Thrown together by their work, chefs, waitresses and porters from across Europe argue and flirt as they race to keep up. Peter, a high-spirited young cook, seems to thrive on the pressure. In between preparing dishes, he manages to strike up an affair with married waitress Monique, the whole time dreaming of a better life. But in the all-consuming clamour of the kitchen, nothing is far from the brink of collapse.

COMPETITION WINNER Congratulations to Daniel Lawler from Surrey who wins a luxury stay at The Royal Crescent Hotel!

Arnold Wesker’s extraordinary play premiered at the Royal Court in 1959 and has since been performed in over 30 countries. The Kitchen puts the workplace centre stage in a blackly funny and furious examination of life lived at breakneck speed, when work threatens to define who we are. Half the tickets for the production will be Travelex £12 tickets, with the rest at £20 and £30. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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PEAS, SHOOTS AND LEAVES! Eco-friendly hotel, the Lancaster London, has taken another innovative step towards sustainability, with the introduction of edible table decorations in its Island Grill restaurant. Island Grill has replaced the traditional freshly cut flowers with living pea shoots! Pea shoots embody sustainability and waste reduction as they can be harvested in just two-four weeks and, unlike the flowers, they will continue to grow and flourish before guests’ eyes.

The fresh green leaves will not only form a vibrant and unusual centrepiece, but will be a great accompaniment to meals. Pea shoots can be eaten hot or cold and the tender young leaves will be bursting with a distinctive pea flavour. They are also a fantastic source of vitamins A and C. Island Grill will also be instigating a structured menu change. This will involve closely monitoring guests’ preferences and constantly adapting the menu to reflect the most popular dishes, while incorporating seasonal variations. This exciting new approach will add another element to Island Grill’s winning combination of price value, style and taste. www.islandrestaurant.co.uk

WIN!

A FINE DINING EXPERIENCE FOR TWO WITH DEVILLED EGG KITCHEN ACADEMY AND MINT HOTEL!

To celebrate The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy’s first birthday, owner Barbora Stiess, who has worked alongside industry giants such as Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines, is offering the following prize for two, worth £350 at her Academy based in Clifton, Bristol.

• A ‘hands-on’ four-hour cookery demonstration of a five-course meal in the form of a sit-down fine-dining experience with wine paired to each course.

• Guests will watch each dish being prepared then will sit down to enjoy them.

• There will be full tasting notes on each wine and each course will be fully explained from start to finish.

MASSALA DETHRONED New research from the UK’s first consumer title dedicated exclusively to curry has revealed that jalfrezi has been voted the nation’s favourite curry, after taking the number one spot in the ‘Top of the Poppadoms’ poll. It would appear that Brits have developed a slightly spicier taste for curry, as jalfrezi has beaten massala, madras and the ever-popular korma to first place in the new chart. Chaat! Magazine conducted a survey of more than a thousand people from across the UK. Respondents were initially asked to vote for which curry they enjoyed the most. Jalfrezi took the top spot with 21 per cent of the votes; madras was the second favourite with 18 per cent, while rogan josh came third with 11 per cent. It seems us Brits like it hot! www.britishcurryclub.co.uk

Jalfrezi

The winners will then be treated to an overnight stay and breakfast at Bristol's Mint Hotel, an exceptional city centre hotel with views across the beautiful Temple Gardens.

Terms and Conditions: Prize must be taken by October 31st, 2011. Entrants must be aged over 18. Transport is not included. www.thedevilledegg.com www.minthotel.com

MY TRUE LOAF SENT TO ME...

This year, the Real Bread Campaign launches perhaps the most meaningful gift for the food lover in your life: Real Bread Campaign membership. For just £20, that special someone becomes part of the only national organisation dedicated to helping to bring real bread back to the hearts of our local communities.

And this is a gift that keeps on giving: as well as ongoing warm and fuzzy feelings, during the year the recipient will also get four issues of True Loaf, the Campaign’s exclusive members’ magazine; and be eligible for an ever-growing number of discounts on bread-making courses and more. He or she will also have frequent opportunities to win prizes.

Sounds doughtastic! www.realbreadcampaign.org

LONDON FARMERS’ MARKETS London Farmers' Markets seeks to increase farm incomes and provide high quality local and seasonal foods to urban communities, encouraging sustainable methods of food production. Already established all around London, new openings are to be seen at Parsons Green (Sept 25), Balham (Sept 17) and Bloomsbury (Sept 29). Farmers’ Markets’ stall holders all farm within

100 miles of London and everyone is visited before they sell. Secondary producers such as jam makers have to use a minimum of 50 per cent local ingredients and bakers use seasonal ingredients and free-range/organic eggs.

For more information on all London Farmers’ Markets visit www.lfm.org.uk

BEER OF BRITAIN

THE WANDERING CHEF

After a year of local tasting panels and regional heats leading up to the finals, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, announced that Might Oak Brewing Company’s Oscar Wilde was crowned the 'Best Beer' in Britain at the Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court. Oscar Wilde, which has an ABV of 3.7%, is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2011 as a “roasty dark mild with suggestions of forest fruits and dark chocolate. A sweet taste yields to a more bitter finish.” The Maldon brewed real ale was judged the Supreme Champion over a host of other finalists in seven different beer categories including beers from both small microbrewers and large regional brewers.

Most of us have tried to replicate a great meal we have had out at restaurants back in our own homes and have invariably failed to pull it off. Why not have a professional chef come to your home to prepare and cook excellent food, leaving you the pleasure of hosting the occasion without the stress?

www.camra.org.uk

With 25 years of experience, Paul Collins has worked in some of the most prestigious and high profile kitchens; The Dorchester, Cliveden, Lucknam Park, Daylesford Organic and The Grove Hotel, Hertfordshire. In that time he has cooked for royalty, prime ministers and world famous stars and gained awards from the Michelin and AA guides.

His recently launched venture, Chef Paul Collins, offers his culinary skills to people who entertain at home and enjoy quality food. He wants to share his passion for seasonal, local and organic food, creating a bespoke menu with the client. He also offers cookery demonstrations to people in the luxury of their own kitchen on a one-to-one basis. www.chefpaulcollins.co.uk

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SATSUMA Satsuma, Soho’s urban-style Japanese restaurant, closed its doors mid-June for an extensive refurbishment. Officially re-opening on 29 August, Satsuma's authentic Japanese cuisine will shift its focus to specialise in Japanese Katsu curries.

The sauce base of the curry will come in regular and spicy, to which diners can add their choice of meats, fish and vegetables. Those brave enough to try the “Explosive” Katsu sauce and completely finish the dish will receive their lunch or dinner for free, excluding drinks. Get in there! www.osatsuma.com

THE FRENCH LAUNDRY Harrods, the iconic Knightsbridge store, is to see the opening of The French Laundry on October 1st. Chef Thomas Keller will bring 14 of his elite kitchen and dining room brigade to London for a 10-day pop-up of the three Michelin-starred Napa Valley restaurant.

The restaurant is famed for successfully marrying a French influence with Keller’s American roots and a set nine courses will be served to 70 covers at lunch and dinner.

Crafted by Keller and based on his favourite ingredients, the menu will represent the very best of The French Laundry, including many of the dishes that have become classics in the US, as well as new creations for the UK. Ooo la la… www.harrods.com

TSUNAMI APPEAL On Thursday 11th August, Captain Bill Kawai-Calderhead completed his Fukushima 100 Mile Challenge raising money for the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal. Bill, a serving British Army Officer, ran 100 miles around London in 24hrs, with his sister Maia cycling alongside. Starting on the 10th August from the Japanese Embassy, the 100-mile route replicated the Fukushima nuclear reactor exclusion zone.

Following the completion of the challenge, acclaimed restaurant Moti Mahal near Covent Garden hosted a charity dinner/auction for 75 guests.

The meal was cooked by six of the UK’s top chefs – Anirudh Arora (Moti Mahal), Sriram Aylur (Quilon), Hayashi Daisuke (Sake no Hana), Jun Tanaka (Pearl Restaurant) Martyn Pearn (Peel’s Restaurant) and Edd Kimber (winner of The Great British Bake Off’). So far, Bill and Maia have raised over £25,000. They are hoping to break £30,000 with a post-event push with the help of flavour magazine readers! www.fukushima100milechallenge.org.uk.

D R O W ON THE

STREET

• Wolfgang Puck's Cut Wolfgang Puck made his fortune serving gourmet pizzas to Hollywood's elite and this is his first European restaurant – part of the Dorchester Collection. Expect a wide array of great steaks as well as plenty of interesting salads for picky stars.

45 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1PN • The Ten Cases Next to Covent Garden, this bistro offers a small but ever-changing wine list and a modern European menu of three starters and three mains that changes every day to complement the wines.

16 Endell Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9BD • Novikov Berkeley Russian restaurateur Arkady Novikov is planning three restaurants in one on this site – a restaurant serving Asian seafood, another serving an Italian menu and a Far Easternthemed bar. Novikov owns a multi-million dollar restaurant empire in Moscow so expect plenty of pictures of yachts.

50 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, W1J 8HA • Elliot's Borough Market This project by Rob Green and Brett Redman, the brains behind the popular Pavilion Cafe at Victoria Park, are showcasing the best of Borough Market and supporting craft and artisanal producers in their new café.

12 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AD • SUDA Thai restaurant group Patara has a new all-day dining restaurant in St Martin's Courtyard. SUDA houses the UK's first Som Tam bar – a traditional Thai salad of shredded papaya. The menu will also include beef sirloin green curry, crabmeat cigars and prawn cake lollipops.

St Martin's Courtyard, 23 Slingsby Place, Covent Garden, WC2E 9AB • THIRTY SIX The five-starred Dukes hotel has coaxed Michelin-starred chef Nigel Mendham from the Samling Hotel in the Lake District. He'll be focusing on classically English food and is keen to "keep technology out of the kitchen."

Dukes, St. James’s Place, London SW1A 1NY 7

> flavour blueberry hill

tea for

Inspired by anyone who takes their love of food to the next level, this month we talk to friends Ella Fletcher & Rachel Reynolds who turned the ultimate English tradition into their dream business!

Having been friends since university, you would we would have learnt not to make important decisions after a bottle of wine! However, the morning after a big night of deep discussions on life plans and our love of cake, we decided to follow our dreams and bring good honest baking to the nation.

We set forth on our new adventure at the beginning of 2010, and after a lot of pots of houmous, many brownies and a wedding cake or three later, we are proud to say Blueberry Hill Cakes is everything we hoped it would be..

Like all the best food, Blueberry Hill is a labour of love that combines our passion for entertaining and creating delicious treats to suit any occasion. We could not have done this without the support and appetites of our wonderful friends and families, who have helped us come up with some of our favourite ideas and recipes. We are always open to new ideas.

Luxury afternoon teas do not need to be confined to a stuffy hotel and you certainly don't need to pay through the roof for the pleasure. Blueberry Hill will deliver a full afternoon tea to the comfort of your own living room or a venue of your choice in London and afar.

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Our afternoon teas include fresh sandwiches, tasty scones, homemade cakes and other sweet treats, alongside a selection of the finest teas and of course, if feeling indulgent, a glass or two of bubbly.

We can provide full afternoon tea for a minimum |of 8 people, up to 100 people. Our tea packages range from simply delivering the food to your door, through to full waiting service. Blueberry Hill is in London but we are more than happy to discuss afternoon tea plans if you live elsewhere in the country.

tea-time delights Fresh sandwiches: smoked salmon and cream cheese, chicken and almond, prawn and watercress with herb aioli, and mature cheddar with tomato and onion chutney.

Plain and fruit scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Limoncello meringue pies, fig and walnut friands, lavender shortbread, chocolate banoffee pies.

Contact us on 07970 983126 / 07815 852117 - www.blueberryhillcakes.co.uk

> flavour fab foodie reads

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

fab foodie reads MORO: THE COOKBOOK SAM AND SAM CLARK Ebury Press, £17.50 each

Since it was first published in 2001, Moro: the Cookbook has been one of the most talked about, praised and cherished cookbooks of its time. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of this phenomenon, Sam and Sam Clark have brought out stunning reissues of all three books, bringing Casa Moro and Moro East into paperback for the first time. In 1997, its opening year, Moro was awarded the Time Out and BBC Good Food awards for Best New Restaurant. At Moro, Sam and Sam showcase their desire to cook within the wonderful traditions of Spain, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean these exotic flavours come out in force in this fantastic set of cookbooks.

PICK OF THE MONTH!

IN AT THE DEEP END JAKE TILSON

THE GENTLE ART OF COOKERY LEYEL & HARTLEY

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF LINDA COLLISTER

In at the Deep End is an engaging personal story of discovery of fish cookery. Travelling from Venice to Tokyo, New York to Sweden and Aberdeen to Sydney, Jake Tilson chronicles his journey in absorbing detail.

Whether cooking and eating Venetian bigoli with clams, New York crab cakes, Swedish soused herrings or Japanese sushi and sashimi, Jake effortlessly conjures up the worlds in which these dishes originated – the fishing villages and coastal landscapes, the fishermen and their boats, the markets, smoke houses and restaurants. An evocative exploration of Jake’s many experiences with fish, this delightful food memoir and recipe book catalogues his conversion to seafood obsessive. His acute eye and enticing recipes make In at the Deep End a book to be read, savoured, and, above all, enjoyed.

Part of a striking upheaval in attitudes to food and cooking between the wars, this book was published to immediate success in 1921, providing a level of detail that was unusual among its contemporaries, while inspiring its readers with its daring recipe selection. With chapters entitled ‘Dishes from the Arabian Nights’, ‘The Alchemist’s Cupboard’, and a startlingly original chapter of ‘Flower Recipes’, this book can’t help but capture the imagination of even the most jaded of recipe readers.

The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake the Perfect Victoria Sponge and other Baking Secrets accompanies the new eight-part series of the hugely popular Great British Bake Off on BBC2. If your Victoria sponge seems a bit dense, or your pastry is a doughy disaster then this is the book for you with expert advice and tips from The Great British Bake Off judges and the ‘best’ of the bake off recipes from the contestants. There are over 120 recipes and they range from Mary’s Coffee and Walnut Battenburg and Tarte au Citron to Paul’s Pork Pies with Quails’ Eggs. However this book isn’t just a collection of recipes. It also covers the essentials of baking – the techniques, terms and ingredients to help your baking taste, look and smell better than ever.

Quadrille, £20

Quadrille, £14.99

BBC Books, £20

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> flavour in season

At their best Every month our seasonal selections come from Cheryl Cohen, director of London Farmers’ Markets which runs 18 weekly markets throughout the city. She is on the board of London Food, works closely with the Farmers' Markets Retail association and with London Food Links.

right

>Sweetcorn Sugars in sweetcorn turn to starch the moment a cob is picked. That’s why the best tasting corn is cobs you’ve grown yourselves. The next best thing; pick your own, or buy from your local farmers’ market where the corn will be fresh off the stalk. Get it home and into the pot or onto the griddle as soon as you can. Badgers will travel up to five miles for sweetcorn and will destroy a field. in a night. It’s hard to prevent as they’re very clever! Thankfully most of the corn makes it to market.

I like to put corn cobs in the oven husks and all to allow the corn to steam within its green leaves.

It’s messy to remove the silks but the flavour is totally worth it.

PAN-SMOKED CORN CHUTNEY Toast ½ tsp coriander seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds over a medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove to a pestle and mortar and roughly crush. Fry 1 finely chopped onion in oil over medium heat until light brown and starting to turn dark on edges, stirring often to prevent burning.

Add 4 garlic cloves and 5cm fresh grated ginger and stir-fry until well browned. Slice kernels of 2 sweetcorn cobs, mix with 4-6 dried red chillies and salt and pan-smoke till corn is slightly charred. Mix with onions, juice of 2 limes and a handful of fresh coriander.

>Runner beans Introduced in the 17th century, runner beans were commonly grown for their decorative flowers. The beans are best when eaten young before the pods of beans have a chance to grow. Here I’ve combined them with handmade pasta from Seriously Italian who use organic eggs and British grown durum wheat, and bacon from David and Debbie Wilkinson’s outdoor reared Downland Pigs.

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>Raspberries, loganberries, strawberries For more information contact: www.lfm.org.uk www.twitter.com/londonfarmers

now

Would you be surprised to learn that our cultivated strawberries were only introduced in 1821? Before that time wild strawberries were grown by cottage gardeners and grand houses alike. Loganberries are a cultivar of blackberries but taste like a cross between raspberries and blackberries. You’ll find varieties of berries on farmers’ markets that never make it to supermarkets because they’re too delicate but the flavours are out of this world.

Most farmers will let you try first.

You could use any soft fruit for the following recipe. Redcurrants (use more sugar), peaches, blackberries or loganberries would all be divine.

STRAWBERRY & MINT SOUFFLÉ OMELETTE Serves 1-2 Divide 500g ripe strawberries. Purée half of the strawberries with 2 tbsp mint leaves, add a little icing sugar to taste and put in the fridge. If you don’t like eating pips strain the purée first. Slice the remaining strawberries, put in fridge to chill.

Separate 3 eggs. Whisk the yolks together with 2 tbsp caster sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk the whites in a clean bowl, and carefully fold into the yolk mixture keeping as much air intact as possible.

TAGLIATELLE RUNNER BEANS WITH GREMOLATA AND BACON Serves 4 Grill 6 slices of Downland Pigs streaky bacon until crispy and keep warm. Top and tail 500g young runner beans, which should also remove the tough string along the length then push each one through a bean cutter to reveal long shards of green bean. Cook in plenty of boiling water for a couple of minutes until just tender. Whilst they are cooking combine 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 finely chopped garlic clove,

1 tablespoon olive oil, finely grated rind of half a lemon.

When the beans are cooked remove from the water and combine with the gremolata in a large serving dish. Add 400g Seriously Italian tagliatelle to the still boiling water and cook for about a minute. Cut the bacon into small shards with a kitchen scissors. Drain the pasta, keeping a little of the water to add to the sauce, and mix with the beans, gremolata and bacon. Serve immediately.

In your frying pan melt a good knob of butter.

When it is foaming add the soufflé mixture. Cook gently until set underneath, about a minute. Put it under a grill for a few minutes or in the oven to finish off cooking. Add the cut up strawberries and fold in two. Slide onto a plate and serve with the strawberry purée and a dusting of icing sugar.

. . . e n i v e p a r G

Onthe

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

Antidote Antidote is a new wine bar tucked behind Carnaby Street and is a classy haven from the tourist throng nearby. Wines are some of the most interesting you’ll find in London, with the biodynamic philosophy driving the selection. The menu delivers solid, classic French brasserie. Impeccably sourced charcuterie, terrines, and perfectly kept cheeses are fantastic. Smoked eel is paired with top drawer marinated Heritage tomatoes, Potato terrine and Artichokes Barigoule is Provençal perfection. Wade into excellent beef from The Bucchleuch Estate, Bavette, Sirloin, Côte de Boeuf, it’s all here. September sees the launch of a new room upstairs. We're keeping a close eye on these guys. www.antidotewinebar.com

Roti Chai Roti Chai is the newest addition to the Indian street food arena, with Gujarati inspired street snacks. On a sneak preview we had fluffy, well-made Dhokla, a popular Indian dish of chickpea flour.

The memory that lingered longest was that of the Bun Kebab. The newest “burger” on the scene is a spicy lamb patty, popping with roasted spices, a lick of sweet tamarind on the side. Gloriously messy. www.rotichai.com

Redhook Redhook has given itself a shiny makeover in the kitchen and has re-launched the menu with new Executive Chef James Lawrence, bringing solid experience from Chez Bruce, La Trompette and Pearl. The big draw is the latest entrant to the Slider debate, with a devastating “Surf ‘n’ Turf” Slider as a bar snack. Expertly seasoned and flavoursome beef, generous hunk of lobster, in a cute little bun. Another strong new entrant is Popcorn Shrimp, lightly battered to tempura lightness, encasing a sweet nugget of prawn, and a wicked Yuzu and Chilli mayonnaise for dipping. www.redhooklondon.com

Beaujolais Beaujolais is surging forth and reclaiming its reputation as one of the most effortlessly drinkable, fun, summery reds.

Suffering from an image problem over the past 30 years, due to inferior, dilute wines, dynamic producers in the region have begun making the real deal. Marcel and Marie Lapierre are based in the Beaujolais cru of Morgon, and are one of the natural wine “gang” gaining influence in London. This charming little pup was ticking all the Beaujolais boxes in impeccable fashion at a tasting at Tsuru Sushi in the City, brimming with crunchy red cherry fruit, bright acidity, and a lip-smacking finish. Joyously chilled for maximum effect.

A welcome foil to some pristine Tuna nigiri. www.tsuru-sushi.co.uk

www.bittenandwritten.com Follow Zeren on Twitter: @bittenwritten 15

Ottelenghi

notting hill

By Johanna Uy

R’S IDE T INS URME GO UIDE G

➜ Notting Hill Gate

London Farmers’ Market

At the top of most tourists’ must-visit list for the second biggest carnival in the world and for that Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts movie is West London’s Notting Hill, with its dynamic mix of celebrities, artists, yuppies, famous families and working class residents. The Portobello Road markets are famous for their antiques and cutting edge fashion but did you know that they are also home to an organic and artisan international food market on weekends? Follow the flavour trail around Notting Hill and discover some of the area’s sometimes hidden but always serious foodie destinations….

Emerge from the chaos of Notting Hill Gate tube station by taking the ‘Kensington Gardens’ exit and visiting royal fishmonger, James Knight of Mayfair (www.james-knight.com). The only fish and shellfish retailer in London with Organic Food Federation accreditation, James is also a strong advocate of sustainability, encouraging customers to eat more British varieties such as grey mullet, gurnard and pollock.

Around the corner in an unassuming car park behind Waterstone’s is Notting Hill’s hidden foodie gem, the London Farmers’ Market (www.lfm.org.uk/markets/notting-hill). Locals in the know do their weekly shopping here, with an excellent range of organic meats, fruit and veg, breads, eggs, dairy, homemade pasta and sauces and even flowers for the home. Knowledgeable and friendly producers man their stalls with infectious enthusiasm and a clear passion for their wares.

Highlights include Paul’s Poultry & Game (www.paulspoultry.co.uk), including free-range chicken as well as locally-sourced game birds which Paul himself has shot within 10km of his slaughterhouse in Swindon. For milk, cream, cheese and yoghurt that taste of the real thing, the Hurdlebrook (www.hurdlebrook.co.uk) range uses unpasteurised milk from specially-bred Guernsey cows farmed in Somerset.

➜ Portobello Road At over two miles long, the Portobello Road markets are a riot of colour and local personalities, with the produce market straddled by the antiques and fashion markets between Elgin Crescent and Talbot Road.

The produce markets comprise mainly fruit and veg, supplemented by stalls offering bread and cakes, meat, fish, olives and cheeses, and store cupboard dry goods. This section of Portobello is a real crowdpleaser, having an old-fashioned, almost Dickensian vibe with stallholders calling out in market-speak and the odd cabbage or two falling off the back of a delivery truck!

Off Portobello Road on Blenheim Crescent is the Spice Shop (www.thespiceshop.co.uk), which stocks over 2,500 herbs, spices, and condiments packaged in eye-popping, collectible red and yellow tins.

Nearby on Elgin Crescent is Notting Hill institution 16

insider’s gourmet guide

Gastronomica

> flavour

Mr Christian’s (www.mrchristians.co.uk), a deli stocking a full range of cheeses, charcuterie, oils and vinegars and pantry staples, which has been in the area for over 35 years. Across the road is The Grocer on Elgin (www.thegroceron.com), specialising in delicious, ready-prepared additive-free seasonal meals such as pastas and risottos, soups, curries, casseroles and obligatory sides, all presented in clear packaging with the true colour and composition of the ingredients in plain and vibrant view. Further along, on the northern end of Portobello, is Spanish grocery, R Garcia & Sons (www.garciacafe.co.uk), offering virtually everything you need for a Spanish-themed party from paella pans, tapas earthenware, bomba rice, Ortiz anchovies, several varieties of fresh and dried chorizo, manchego cheese and even ready-mixed sangria in a box.

For markets with a difference and in keeping with the international theme, the Portobello Premier Farmers’ and Fine Foods Market (www.portobellofinefoods.co.uk) on Acklam Road largely focuses on organic and free-range products with a multicultural flavour. Traders include Italian specialists, Gastronomica (www.gastronomica.co.uk), which stocks the best dried pasta in the world from Gragnano in Naples; Polish food suppliers, The Polish Deli (www.thepolishdelilondon.com) for a range of cheese, meat and dessert pierogi (Polish dumplings) and smoked kabanos sausages; and all the wurst you can handle from the German Deli (www.germandeli.co.uk).

In the heart of high fashion, jewellery and eclectic art shops along trendy Westbourne Grove are a handful of food specialists well worth a visit. If you have been hiding under a rock for the past nine years, do stop by the original Ottolenghi (www.ottolenghi.co.uk) on Ledbury Road, if only to stare at the saliva-inducing window displays featuring giant meringues, the famous flourless chocolate cake, and the most colourful and artfully heaped platters of vegetable dishes and salads.

A couple of blocks up the road is chocolate boutique, Melt (www.meltchocolates.com), whose in-store kitchen and resident chef churns out freshly made chocolate from the finest ingredients. The store also runs chocolate tutorials, teaching attendees the history and cultural context of chocolate, as well as hands-on sessions where students get to take home chocolates they have crafted on site.

The Grocer on Elgin

➜ Westbourne Grove

Heading towards Bayswater along Westbourne Grove is much-lauded British chef, Alistair Little’s heavenly deli and local favourite, Tavola. Expect restaurantquality takeaway food such as harissa chicken, rabbit with white wine and tarragon, chicken liver pate or homemade pasta. The shop is also crammed with charcuterie, cheeses, Italian crockery, bottles and jars of oils and sauces and other pantry staples for a simple but elegant dinner at home.

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CHEGWORTH VALLEY

It’s hard to imagine a better way of connecting with our rural and artisan heritage than shopping at Borough Market in the summer months.

At every turn you’ll find an abundance of ingredients grown, reared and produced at home and abroad with flavours that are rarely equalled, providing ever more choice for the summer cook.

In the coolness of the shady arches beneath the railway viaducts, shoppers and traders share their knowledge and passion for each new seasonal arrival, just as generations have done for hundreds of years. It’s this vibrancy and passion that epitomises market life for me.

Glenis Reagon Borough Market Managing Director

Chegworth Valley Farm is situated in the beautiful Kent countryside, just 40 miles from the centre of London. Bought by David and Linda Deme in 1983 and established as a fruit farm, they planted over 30,000 apple and pear trees, added raspberries in 1990 and strawberries and other soft fruit five years later.

Initially they sold the fruit to the supermarkets and major wholesalers, but after continual pressure on prices that coincidentally fell at the same time as the resurregence of farmers' markets, they bought a van, piled it with bushel boxes full of fruit and became independent, a decision they have never regretted. They made a home at Borough Market 11 years ago and have not looked back. “Borough has undergone a lot of changes over the years and it is really going forward now,” David says. “It puts us core producers in a great position to showcase our products.

The important roots of the market remain, and the community spirit between stallholders is as strong as ever.”

As well as regular customers enjoying our organic fruits and juices, we see a lot of chefs coming to check out the best local produce around, and at Borough you get all of that.”

Borough is our flagship market. The management team are strong and know exactly what they want to do and they stick to the core values of supporting the local producer. My son Ben and daughter Charlotte spend more time at the market than me nowadays, but I still pop in when I can to see how things are going – and they always seem to be going well.”

For fresh, organic fruit and natural juice, Chegworth Valley is at the hub of Borough Market and embodies everything it stands for. www.chegworthvalley.com

EAST TEAS Alex Frazer has been coming to Borough Market for 11 years now with east teas, a London-based company dedicated to importing and distributing specialist, fine-quality, loose-leaf teas and tea utensils from five countries in East Asia.

“I still get a kick out of the market, I wouldn’t do it otherwise,” Alex says, “I walk to work - I run the business without a vehicle - or get a cab if I am laden down with stuff and then other traders will help me out at the other end if needed. There were just 30 or 40 stalls when I started out at Borough and there are now well over a hundred, but there is still that sense of community we had at the beginning. There is a lot of energy from the young stall holders that is

Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL 19

infectious and there’s still a healthy afterhours social element. I can’t do it as I did 10 years ago but I still get out every once in a while!

“Things have changed and there is duplication in the stalls and produce, but that makes it better for the customer and ‘the customer is king’, sometimes we lose sight of that. I am passionate about our teas and because we are small and offer niche products we can be fairly purist and keep to our principles.”

Alex's one-man band has its roots in East Asia but a home at Borough Market. east teas has moved with the times and established itself as one of the key players in this vibrant London hub. www.eastteas.com

www.boroughmarket.org.uk

Never mind the occasional summer downpour, because this month Levi Roots brings some Caribbean sunshine and spice to your kitchen. Here he shares his favourite recipes which promise to transform the most simple of dishes into tasty triumphs bursting with flavour - enjoy!

Spice it up!

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SUNSHINE BAKED SWEET POTATOES WITH SPICY SAUSAGE Perfect for those evenings when you just want a baked potato, this is like having your breakfast and supper all in one. You can use bacon instead of sausage if you prefer, and leave out the cheese if you’re not keen on it – but don’t leave out the chilli!

Serves 2 Ingrediants 2 large sweet potatoes, about 300–350g (10½–12oz) each 40g (1½oz) butter 2 spicy pork sausages, chopped into 2cm (¾in) chunks ½ small onion, finely chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 30g (1oz) Cheddar cheese, grated 1½ tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander (optional) salt and black pepper 2 small eggs cayenne pepper, to garnish

Method 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.

Wash the sweet potatoes, then set them directly on the oven shelf or in a small roasting tin and bake for about 50 minutes until tender right through the centre – test by inserting a sharp pointed knife.

2 While the potatoes are cooking, heat 25g (1oz) of the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Add the sausage and onion and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until the onion is soft and golden and the sausage is cooked through. Add the chilli and cook, stirring, for another minute.

3 When the potatoes are tender, halve them lengthways without cutting all the way through the skin, so that the potato halves are ‘hinged’ together. Carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a thick layer intact so that the skins do not collapse, and mash the flesh in a bowl. Mix the fried onion and sausage, Cheddar, coriander (if using) and salt and pepper into the sweet potato mash.

4 Pile the mash back into the potato halves. Make a little hollow on top of each potato half. Carefully break an egg into each hollow. Season with salt and pepper and add a knob of the remaining butter to each potato.

5 Place the potatoes on a baking tray and return to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs have set.

Sprinkle each baked egg with a little salt and cayenne pepper to garnish and serve immediately.

These zingy fishcakes will give you a morning boost!

WAKE-UP FISHCAKES Makes 4 Ingrediants 200g (7oz) floury potatoes (such as King Edwards), peeled and cut into large chunks 500g (1lb 2oz) skinless white fish fillet, such as cod, haddock or pollock 50g (1¾oz) dry breadcrumbs 1 red chilli, deseeded and finelychopped 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander 3 spring onions, green parts only, finely chopped 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated ½ garlic clove, finely chopped (optional) finely grated rind of 1½ limes salt 1 large egg, beaten 2 tbsp lime juice 1–2 tbsp olive oil

To serve 4 lime wedges mixed leaf salad (optional

Method 1 Put the potato chunks into a saucepan of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

2 If you have a steamer, steam the fish in it above the simmering water of the potatoes – the fish is cooked when the flesh just flakes when tested with the tip of a knife. Otherwise, while the potatoes are cooking, poach the fish in a saucepan of gently simmering water or milk for about 5 minutes (or cook in a microwave). Leave the fish to cool slightly, and when cool enough to handle, check it for bones and break into rough flakes. Put the breadcrumbs on a plate.

3 Mash the potatoes and then mix with the chilli, coriander, spring onion greens, ginger, garlic (if using), lime rind and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the beaten egg to the mixture to bind it.

4 Pour the lime juice over the flaked fish, then sprinkle on a little salt and gently stir it around with your fingers to season the fish well.

5 Gently stir the flaked fish into the potato mixture. Form into 4 fishcakes, about 4–5cm (1½–2in) thick. Pat them on both sides with the breadcrumbs, then put on a clean plate, cover loosely and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up a little.

6 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium–low heat. Add the fishcakes and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until the outside is nicely brown and they are hot all the way through. Serve with lime wedges and, if having them for lunch or supper, a salad.

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CHICKEN, CITrUS & POmEGrANATE SAlAD WITH CHIllI-HONEY DrESSING Serves 8 Ingrediants 1 tbsp olive oil 4 skinless chicken breast fillets, about 150g (5½oz) each salt and black pepper 4 small oranges 2 ruby grapefruit 1 yellow grapefruit 1 small red onion, peeled leaves from a generous bunch of mint 1 pomegranate, halved For the dressing 4 tsp white wine vinegar, or to taste 4 tsp clear honey, or to taste salt and black pepper 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or to taste 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Method 1 First make the dressing. Mix the vinegar, honey and salt and pepper to taste together in a shallow serving bowl.

Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil with a fork and then add the chilli. Taste for the balance of vinegar to oil and sweet to sour, and adjust if necessary.

2 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook on each side so that they get a good colour. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until they are done all the way through – cut into the thickest part of the chicken to check that it is white rather than pink in the middle. Set the chicken aside while you make the rest of the dish.

3 Treat all the citrus fruit in the same way. Cut a small slice off the top and bottom and set the fruit on a chopping board. Using a very sharp knife, cut off the rind and as much of the white pith as possible, working from top to bottom and all the way around each fruit. Now you can either cut out each segment of fruit by slicing down between the flesh and the membrane, or, if this seems too much like hard work, cut each piece of fruit crossways into slices. Flick out any seeds as you go along. Put into a wide, shallow bowl.

4 Cut the red onion into very fine slices. Cut the chicken into long, fairly thick slices. Add the dressing (with any juices from the cooked chicken) to the fruit. Add the chicken and onion to the citrus fruit, then roughly chop the mint and add to the bowl. Flick out the seeds from the pomegranate halves with a fork over the top of the salad just before you bring it to the table.

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Not only is this salad as pretty as a picture, it’s very healthy, with all that zingy, vita min-loaded citrus and pomegranate.

Don’t add the seeds until you are about to serve, or they’ ll leach out their crimson juices.

> flavour spice it up

STICKY PINEAPPlE WITH GINGEr GrANITA Serves 2

Spice It Up!

Ingrediants 400ml (14fl oz) water 350g (12oz) granulated sugar 5 fine strips of lime rind juice of 6 limes 2 pineapples

For the granita 750ml (1¹/³ pints) water 250g (9oz) granulated sugar 75g (2¾oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and grated finely grated rind of 1 lime juice of 6 limes

by Levi Roots is published by Mitchell Beazley RRP £18.99

This is obviously a dessert, but I have eaten the granita on its own, at any time of day, as it’s so thirst quenching. This is particularly good for people who are trying to lose a bit of weight, as there isn’t too much sugar in it and no fat at all.

Method 1 To make the syrup for the pineapple, put the water and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring a little, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lime rind strips, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, stir in the lime juice and leave to cool completely.

Remove the lime rind.

2 If you like, using a very sharp knife, cut the skin from each pineapple, removing any remaining ‘eyes’ (otherwise you can leave the skin on). Cut into large wedges and remove the hard central core from each wedge. Put the pineapple into a bowl and pour over the cold lime syrup.

Cover and leave in the fridge until you need it.

3 To make the sugar syrup for the granita, heat the water and sugar as before, but this time just bring the water up to the boil – there is no need to keep simmering it. Turn the heat off, then add the ginger and grated lime rind.

Cover and leave to infuse, at room temperature, overnight.

4 Strain the infused syrup and stir in the lime juice.

Pour into a shallow freezer-proof container and freeze for 4–5 hours until firm. Use a fork to roughly break up the crystals 4 or 5 times during the freezing process.

5 To serve, pile the granita into glasses and insert 2 wedges of the pineapple at angles, skin-side up, in each glass.

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3

THE POWER OF This month Nick Harman takes to the streets in a bid to dispel the fast food myth...

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> flavour the power of 3

Big Apple Hot Dogs

Lucky Chip

Street Kitchen

(Pictured left-hand page)

That all-American finger food, the hamburger, caught on quickly in the UK thanks to big burger corporations’ marketing but the hot dog remained a bit dodgy. Sold by evil-looking men, from unsanitary-looking carts, it certainly never made it into posh restaurants.

Maybe it will now if Abiye’s dogs are any indication of future trends. He has the beards of Hoxton queuing to get to grips with his hot dogs served fresh from his stand by Old Street station. He really is ‘street food’ as he rolls up each day around midday towing his state-of-the-art cart behind his battered Volvo estate.

With his teenage son assisting he sets his stall out on the pavement until around 6pm each night.

Working in the oil industry over in New York gave Abiye a taste for hot dogs.

“I’d seen them in the UK in Kojak and on Starsky and Hutch and you know, they seemed exotic!” he laughs and enjoying them so much he decided to abandon the 9 to 5 for the 12 till 6. “Well actually I had dreams of knocking off at 3pm really,” he says turning the onions on the hot plate, “but business is too good.”

Not surprising, really. The pure pork and beef oak-smoked frankfurter (£2.50) he slips into a beautifully soft bun, baked daily for him by Anderson’s of Hoxton, is straining its all-natural skin as if about to explode. I don’t want to waste it by adding ketchup or mustard so I just add the fried onions. It pops like a balloon when bitten, the flavour gushing out gratefully in a tide of juiciness.

Abiye works closely with his sausage maker to make sure they are all as good as he demands. He also offers The Pimp Steak, an all halal beef dog with garlic, paprika and black pepper, The Big Dog, The Big Frank and The Frank Jr. It all goes into a bun and it’s all good.

239 Old St, London, EC1V 9EY. www.bigapplehotdogs.com

“It was chips I was really into at the start,” says Ben Campbell of Lucky Chip, a food van based in a car park around the corner from Broadway Market and London Fields in E8. Taking a break from serving, but still nervously looking over his shoulder at the queue beginning to lengthen at his van he adds, “Then the burgers kinda took over!”

The chips in question are fried in a ‘secret’ blend of three oils and cooked three times. A blanch then a fry, then a final fry for service. It’s a bit of a palaver but as Ben says, it’s worth it After all it’s what Heston Blumenthal does isn’t it? “He has a few more staff though,” grins Ben. Good as the chips are, it’s the burgers that Ben admits have now become the stars of the show. Made using meat from the Ginger Pig, although Ben is about to change for some great new meat he’s sourced from the West Country where it’s aged even longer, they’re the best I’ve had for a while.

For a start they are human-sized, not designed for Shrek-sized mouths.

Second he uses proper plain and seeded buns, not waste-of-time brioche, and third he adds good things to them. The Sheen (as in Charlie Sheen), has beer-soaked onions, Philadelphia cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar and a garlic aioli. It’s good but forgive me if I go for the Eastwood (Clint). The jalapeno peppers are what do it for me, that spike of heat makes minced meat moreish and adds some drama too.

The meat is juicy and pink and has the mark of quality in every bite. It’s not rocket science cooking a burger, but you can still burger it up by leaving it on too long.

The chips could do with less salt, but the locals are the real lucky ones.

Netil Market Westgate Street London Fields E8 3RL

A silver bullet is parked up on the South Bank – the iconic Airstream ‘caravan’ seen in so many classic American films.

This one doesn’t contain a retired couple, eking out their twilight years roaming the highways, instead the side flips open to reveal Jun Tanaka and Mark Jankel ready to send out fine food from their mobile kitchen.

Jun, who is also Head Chef at the renowned Pearl Restaurant in Holborn, is busy at the burners so Mark, his partner in Street Kitchen, leans out to explain the concept. “We use 100 per cent UK ingredients sourced directly from farms, so we have fresh tasty meals,” he says as the crowds form. As founder of The Food Initiative Mark is determined to create a sustainable and quality food chain and as an ex Head Chef himself he knows what he wants and what works.

The duo source vegetables from Riverford Organic, their beef from Piper’s Farm, chickens come from Devon Rose and fish from Loch Duart Salmon. Even their packaging is sourced from people who create sustainable, biodegradeable items.

The cutlery is made from wood and the boxes from starch. Even the transparent bowls are biodegradeable.

It’s as good as you’d expect, once you get over the shock of eating fine food standing up and out of containers. The quality of the ingredients shines out, as does the quality of the cooking. You’d be paying a lot more if you were in a restaurant for this kind of grub and al fresco rather sharpens the taste buds too.

Most days the Street Kitchen can be found parked up in Broadgate Circle next to Liverpool Street station from 11:30am– 4:30pm Tuesday to Friday.

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Luxury Retreats T

he Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy helps to unlock the secrets of the professional kitchen by giving foodies the skills, techniques and knowledge to bring fine dining back into the home. As well as an online cookery school and courses run in Bristol, director Barbora Stiess has established Fitness & Flavour, a series of luxury breaks focused on the importance of living sensibly but pleasurably, held at various lavish locations from mid-October.

The Devilled Egg was created as a platform to explore and share techniques, processes and ideas with everyone, and these informative and fun events are the perfect vehicle from where participants can adjust to a fast-paced life while cultivating a healthy relationship with food and fitness.

The goal is to incorporate cooking, 26

conscious eating and exercise into a busy schedule.

Barbora draws upon her Michelin-starred training to deconstruct and demonstrate a series of menus designed specifically for these courses. She will be joined on these retreats by Emma Morris, a personal trainer who will take participants through a range of different activities during the stay to encompass all elements of personal training. Small groups will enjoy Nordic walking, circuit training and running in the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Over a weekend or five-day course in luxurious surroundings, participants will be shown and encouraged to implement such concepts into their own busy schedules in a realistic and enjoyable manner. Much of this

enjoyment will stem from the simple fact that exercise need not be a slog and that spectacular food need not be unhealthy.

The Devilled Egg has teamed up with Attic Teashop for a tea tasting and the provision of beautiful Chinese teas throughout the stay, including the greatly anticipated 'Teatox', a five-day tea detox program which 'retreaters' will be able to take home. Attic will be joined by Brian Wogan, the Bristolbased producers of fine coffee, whose depth of knowledge will inspire anyone to consider anew at the art of great coffee. Also on board are FYI, a producer of fine, handmade chocolates produced in England from the finest organic and Fairtrade Belgian chocolate. These will be supplied by celebrity chef Paul Da-Costa-Greaves, who will also perform a demo..

> flavour the devilled egg

Delicious!

The Itinerary...

• Start the day with a fruit salad and then let Emma help you wake up with a lovely walk in the stunning grounds followed by a swim in the heated indoor pool.

As a reward you can enjoy a breakfast freshly prepped each morning – anything from homemade granola to Huevos Rancheros.

Fun!

• After breakfast a variety of activities await, from Nordic walking, cookery demos focused on hands-on participation and the chance to assist during lunch service like a pro chef. Lunch is served at 1pm and will

Fitness & Flavour!

Two Fitness & Flavour retreats will be held on the 13th-16th October at Park Hall Country House (Worcestershire), or from the 9th-13th November at Saunton Sands (Devon).

give you the opportunity to try various unusual ingredients and food combinations.

• In the afternoon you can relax, enjoy more exercise, take up archery or even participate in a giant chess game.

• In the evening there is a lavish six-course meal, designed to be both delicious and guilt free, wine tasting and (optional) karaoke and dancing. Those looking for a quieter evening will enjoy the open fire in the morning room or professional pianist who will be playing nearby.

• The Devilled Egg has ensured that you will be thoroughly pampered, inspired and entertained on these retreats.

The options are almost endless, and you will leave completely recharged and armed with plenty of tips and methods to take home.

Please contact us!

Barbora and Emma will ensure that all dietary requirements and fitness levels are properly catered for and full course notes and recipes will be provided in a commemorative folder for participants to take home.

The Devilled Egg Latchford House 8 Downfield Road Clifton Bristol BS8 2TH 01179 732823 www.thedevilledegg.com www.attictea.com www.feeding-your-imagination.co.uk www.personaltrainer-bristol.com www.wogancoffee.co.uk www.fitnessandflavour.com

green giants

Now in their 23rd year, the Soil Association Organic Food Awards are the most prestigious and widely respected in the organic sector, recognising and celebrating the contribution organic food producers make to the food and farming industry. Over three days at the Duke of Cambridge organic pub in London, an expert judging panel of 35 food critics, broadcasters and chefs applied their culinary expertise and finely attuned tastebuds to nearly 400 products – here’s a taste of our favourites…

Abel & Cole: Chioggia Beetroot Abel & Cole is an organic box scheme that’s been around for over 20 years. Keith Abel started delivering potatoes door to door in 1988, then, with help from a couple of organic farmers, branched out into a vegetable box scheme in the early ‘90s. Last year they asked vegetable grower John Danby to plant some Golden and Chioggia Beetroot and it has proved to be an instant success. www.abelandcole.co.uk

Grove Fresh: Organic Traditional Lemonade Grove Fresh Ltd was founded in 1994, known as Grove Fresh from 1996.

It is now an established business in the UK, selling delicious, pure, organic fruit juices.

In 2010 they added new products to their range, one of them being the winning product, Organic Traditional Lemonade. www.grovefresh.co.uk

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Tideford Organics: Butterscotch Rice Pudding Tideford Organics have been producing award-winning organic soups, sauces and desserts for over 14 years. They have one of the few Soil Association accredited factories in the UK and are very proud to have won the prestigious award for the Butterscotch Rice Pudding, a delicious blend of organic South West milk and cream with golden syrup and cane sugar made in the traditional way with no additives or preservatives. www.tidefordorganics.com

Higher Hacknell Farm: Cottage Pie

Duchy Originals: Oat and Apple Porridge

Even as beautiful farms go, Higher Hacknell Farm has got something special, situated in a secluded setting between Dartmoor and Exmoor. The business was built around selling all the produce direct – at farmers’ markets and through mail order. The animals are born, raised and butchered on the farm, while the feed is grown there and the bones of the animals are used for the stock in their prepared meals. The cottage pie stands out because everything is done by hand.

When The Prince of Wales moved to the Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire in the ‘80s, he began the process of converting the Duchy Home Farm – part of the estate – to an entirely organic agricultural system.

Duchy Originals and Waitrose recently came together to help make the most of each other's expertise and grow the range to cover even more areas. The Oat and Apple porridge uses a combination of British jumbo and cut porridge oats, including oats grown on Duchy Home Farm. It also has a helping of apple that makes a satisfying creamy porridge. What's more, the porridge is made on the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, Poundbury, in the heart of Dorset.

www.higherhacknell.co.uk

www.duchyoriginals.com

The Bertinet Bakery: Sourdough Bertinet Sourdough is made using traditional French techniques to Richard Bertinet’s own recipe, honed over his 30-year baking career. The simplest of ingredients - just good flour, salt and water, are transformed into the most beautiful and flavoursome bread with time and skill. Richard's recipe produces a mild, almost sweet sour flavour that most people prefer to the acquired taste of a blow-your-headoff sharpness. Hand-moulding the loaves, proving them in linen-lined baskets and baking them on the oven floor produces a distinctive round loaf with a beautifully thick, caramelised crust. www.bertinet.com

Brocklebys: Chicken and Ham Pie

Tea Palace opened one shop in Notting hill and since then have grown, selling products in department stores, five-star hotels and Michelin star restaurants. Detox Herbal Infusion has active, proven ingredients that help cleanse the body and it's proven to be a real success. They source all ingredients separately and carefully and only when they have the very best ingredients do they infuse them together in small batches by hand.

Brocklebys are farmers, butchers and pie makers who farm Hebridean Sheep and Longhorn Cattle on the Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire border near Melton Mowbray, making the world's only organic Melton Mowbray pork pie. They were asked by Abel & Cole to make an organic chicken and ham pie, handmade and baked free standing. It has a succulent meaty texture infused with sage, while the taste of the chicken contrasts nicely with the cured ham and the pastry adds a crunch.

The jelly is made from the pigs’ trotters adding another porky dimension.

www.teapalace.co.uk

www.brocklebys.co.uk

Tea Palace: Detox Herbal Infusion

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made in camden Apple risotto. It’s a bold, swaggering, confident chef that has the temerity to think of putting it on his menu. Dishes like this are almost an unspoken challenge, a gauntlet thrown down, a “come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough,” slapped in front of the diner. So the gloves came off and Zeren Wilson was ready to commence battle... osh Katz is impressing his own distinctive culinary style in a venue famed for its own creative snap and crackle, Camden’s Roundhouse, a charity that helps to realise the potential of young people in the arts – live music, theatre, new media, even a bit of circus thrown in too. His CV parades Ottolenghi as a big influence.

pared back, splash of colour, calling to mind a Brooklyn hipster hangout in Williamsburg, or one of the modern joints that pops up in The Mission, San Francisco. Designer Michael Sodeau grew up around the corner, as did Katz, and together they’ve created a room and a menu that fizzes with energy and a sense of enthusiasm.

The space feels like the best and funkiest school café you never had – urban, gritty,

To install a chef who has the palette and the bright brush strokes to keep pace with such

J

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an energetic venue makes total sense, and if they pull it off, blissful synergy will have been achieved. The risks are of the “crash and burn” variety.

The menu sprawls breathlessly around the world, taking in the punchy Thai dressing Nam Jim in a dish of pork belly, Israeli couscous flirting with a lemongrass relish beside pan-fried hake, miso purée playing games with a piece of crisp fried chicken.

“

The space feels like the best and funkiest school café you never had – urban, gritty, pared back, splash of colour, calling to mind a Brooklyn hipster hangout in Williamsburg,

” I refuse to mention the “F” word, but for sure the menu brings to mind happy memories of the thrilling flavour combinations of Anna Hansen at The Modern Pantry, and fellow Kiwi Peter Gordon, who is now grooving to his own tune at Kopapa in Covent Garden.

Well made, silken sweet potato and ricotta gnocchi of the cutesy size, sit on top of roasted aubergine that has a suitably sordid consistency, echoes of babaganoush.

There’s none of the promised crunch of pangrattato, and those pucks of potato are a touch too buttery after their final flourish in the pan, but it’s a lovely, soothing dish.

Brown crab and cassava croquettes is another cocky dish, the potential for a nightmare flavour collision immense, but these are skilfully prepared, a decent whack of crab flavour with just a hint of sweet cassava, crisply fried. A proper smoked chilli sambal, with a good hit of shrimp paste, is clearly freshly made, a sweetcorn

aioli completing the dance. This has ‘brunch menu’ written all over it, ready to chase lingering hangovers back whence they came.

Sticky cubes of pork belly, haunted by a back note of star anise, sit on top of a perky salad of green papaya, mango and cashew, enlivened by a dressing of Nam Jim, the freshness of lime juice cutting through the fatty belly.

Then there’s that risotto. Apple, goats’ cheese, walnut and chives. Fears diminish as a perfectly cooked risotto is delivered, with shape, texture, just enough bite, and seasoned impeccably; freshness of apple, pungent goats’ cheese with skin left on and a crunch of walnut. The rice pudding catastrophe potential is averted. Many lesser Italian restaurants will plate up risotto way below the standard here.

A wine list from neighbours Bibendum does its thing without making the heart flutter, but there are a commendable ten wines

by the glass and a decent English sparkler, Chapel Down from Kent. Coffee is exceptional, and upon asking I’m told it’s Caravan coffee – another Kiwi collective roasting their own excellent beans. A smart beer list is filled with craft producers Camden Town Brewery on draught. Lots of the right noises are coming from all parts of this well thought out restaurant.

No room for dessert, but apple risotto is practically pudding right? No, it was far, far better than that.

Made in Camden Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road NW1 8EH 020 7424 8495 www.madeincamden.com 31

Feeling a little dazzled by the city's bright lights? Then retreat to the country and gaze at the star-filled skies just like nature intended...

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The Royal Crescent

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he moment you enter the fine entrance hall, with its marble bust of William Pitt, black and white chequered floor and ceremonial halberds, you realise that this is no ordinary residence.

The colours and décor of all the rooms echo the less fussy interiors of the Georgian era. On the left of the imposing hallway is the main drawing room, while ahead is the magnificent cantilevered stone staircase.

Beyond you'll find the green expanse of the peaceful gardens and the quiet seclusion of The Bath House spa. Throughout the hotel there are also many contemporary portraits of famous people who visited Bath, or lived there - Lord Nelson, Charles Dickens, William Pitt, George III, and the celebrated actress Sarah Siddons.

Each room has been lovingly restored to its original splendour with infinite care for recreating the authentic Regency period details - many of the carpets, furnishings, colour schemes and fabrics are as they would have been in the 18th century.

There are over 40 bedrooms in all.

Every room has its own unique character, yet all have luxuriously appointed en suite bathrooms and are graced with seasonal displays of freshly-cut flowers. In addition most enjoy lovely views over the surrounding gardens, lawns and The Royal Crescent's parkland.

The award-winning Dower House Restaurant is situated in the Dower House, overlooking the leafy and secluded gardens.

In the summer months the sunny terrace and manicured lawns make the perfect

setting for al fresco dining, either for a leisurely lunch or a relaxed and informal dinner.

The menu changes with the seasons, to match the climate and to make best use of the very finest fresh ingredients. The expertly-managed cellar complements the menu and provides ample choice for both the casual diner and the true connoisseur of fine wines.

Visitors have been coming to Bath to enjoy the restorative effects of ‘the waters’ for almost two thousand years and the Royal Crescent Hotel is proud to continue this tradition. A converted coach house and stables, opening onto the gardens, provides a stunning setting for The Bath House spa with its elegant, heated relaxation pool, cool and tepid plunge pools, sauna and steam rooms, fully-equipped gym and a wide range of holistic treatments to soothe, relax and rejuvenate both body and spirit.

The Royal Crescent is far more than a remarkable collection of buildings. It gives you an opportunity, all too rare in today's frantic world, to experience gracious living and sophisticated entertainment from the age when Bath was the very centre of the civilised world.

The Royal Crescent Hotel 16 Royal Crescent Bath BA1 2LS 01225 823333 www.royalcrescent.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Stay Friday and Saturday night and receive a complimentary night’s stay on Sunday including a bottle of champagne on arrival and a complimentary upgrade to the next available room type.

Terms and conditions apply, please call 01225 823333 and quote ‘FLAVOUR OFFER’ for more information.

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he Ram Inn has been at the heart of a vibrant farming community for over 500 years. It’s a wonderful village local, set in Firle, at the foot of the Downs and in the South Downs National Park. The rambling old building

Food wise The Ram tops the bill. Head Chef Jack Cotton prepares high quality, high-end food at prices that won’t leave you gasping. Much of the meat comes straight from the hills, the game from Firle Estate and the fish are caught and delivered by local fishermen. Often the vicar will wander in with wild strawberries and a bucketful of locally caught prawns, all of which will end up on the menu. The food is better than good, while the bar has a comprehensive selection of whiskeys, port, good wines and champagnes, but for the beer lover Harveys Sussex Best Bitter takes the biscuit.

has three main bar areas, each with its own open fire, lit every day between October and April. At the bar you will find all sorts – from artists, walkers, writers, farmers and farriers to vicars – and the garden is usually full of families and children of all ages.

The Ram Inn is a relaxed country retreat that certainly know what its doing. Hayley has a modern and progressive outlook while encompassing the spirit of the village and all those who live within it. Firle lends itself to the Ram as much as The Ram lends itself to Firle. The days of a pub, shop, church, cricket club and a school still thriving in a village are almost gone, but this little bastion has kept those traditions and the Ram is at the centre of it.

Ram inn The

The Street, Firle East Sussex BN8 6NS 01273 858 222 www.raminn.co.uk

Having taken over the rundown remnants of the pub six years ago, owner Hayley Bayes has brought the local back into the village, while at the same time attracting visitors from far and wide – all more than welcome to stay in the beautifully appointed bedrooms.

If Firle is Little Britain, then The Ram is definitely the only pub in the village.

Plea to pa se turn g mor e 47 for eo Ram n The Inn 35

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Outdoor summer dining was on the menu as Catherine Hannah donned her shades and ventured deep into the heart of the Cotsowlds

The Feathered Nest T

he ethos of The Feathered Nest is one of relaxed luxury – “at your leisure” and “take your time” were comforting buzzwords of the evening.

Opened in 2010 by Tony and Amanda Timmer, The Feathered Nest has undergone a transformation from your runof-the-mill country inn to something really rather special indeed. The décor is understated, elegant and beautiful, with quirky features and a relaxed atmosphere.

But it is the outside space that really takes the breath away; the view of the sun setting over the Evenlode Valley was beyond lovely.

It is even better enjoyed with a Pimm’s or pint of local Hook Norton ale in hand. As expected, our room was stylish and comfortable, including a super-duper king size bed, a freestanding bath and walk-in shower in the en suite bathroom and a stunning view to match.

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Tony’s years of experience in the food industry is reflected in the menu and wine list, which is both extensive and eclectic and boasts perhaps the largest selection of South African wines in the country. He agrees with the fashionable notion that local produce is best, but not to the detriment of quality. If it tastes better from a bit further away, so be it. He also refuses to buy in anything he couldn’t make or grow himself, so the meat you enjoy at your table is butchered onsite, the herb and vegetable garden is flourishing and I would recommend asking to see the newlyinstalled smoking oven and have a peek at whichever delicacy is becoming better by the minute inside.

Our meal began with a canapé of Parmesan crisps, pesto and roasted tomatoes followed by a light and delicate amuse bouche of summer squash espuma, both exceptional…

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a sign of things to come. All three courses that followed were skilfully executed by new head chef Peter Eaton. A particular star of the show were my starter; scallops with lemon curd, beetroot and watercress which was so delicately pretty I almost didn’t want to eat it. My partner’s main, suckling pig with black pudding, apple purée and gooseberries was another hit.

I had a touch of food envy as he tucked in with gusto. Each course was matched with an accompanying wine suggested by the sommelier, Callum, whose enthusiasm for all things grape was infectious and his choices complimented our dishes perfectly.

Breakfast was thorough; with anything you could possibly want served by a lady who was so friendly and welcoming she could only be described as sunshine in a person – just what we needed after a seductive evening.

There is a real warmth and charm about The Feathered Nest that has been lovingly nurtured by Tony and his “family” of staff, who really buy into and believe in everything they do here. There are no corners cut, no pretensions and no acceptance of mediocrity. It may cost you a little more than your average country inn, but this isn’t your average country inn, it’s something quite special in the heart of the Cotswolds that you will want to return to again and again. I for one cannot wait.

The Feathered Nest Country Inn Nether Westcote Oxfordshire OX7 6SD 01993 833030 www.thefeatherednestinn.co.uk 37

Brook Barn B

rook Barn Country House is a Five-Star boutique bed and breakfast and a true jewel in Oxfordshire. With a fabulous mix of traditional design, comfort and unique atmosphere set in over an acre of gardens, owners Sarah-Jane and Mark Ashman know what is important to their guests; cleanliness, friendliness, efficiency, delicious food and a break from the hurly burly of everyday life.

honesty bar make Brook Barn more than just a hotel or a B&B, it makes it a little piece of FR heaven. Meat is locally sourced where possible Bo EE and fish is picked up from the local market.

Hou ttle of Brook Barn chickens ensure beautifully fresh Plea se Win s flav e ment e eggs and the vegetable garden is growing our i w on b o okin hen in its output. g

Delicious dinners and breakfasts, homemade afternoon tea in front of the fire in the winter or by the chalk stream in the summer and an

There are so many hideaways both inside and out for guests to enjoy and savour the peace and tranquility of the Oxfordshire countryside, making this retreat a must-visit gem and the ‘Brook Barn Way’ a diamond philosophy.

Letcombe Regis, Wantage, Oxfordshire OX12 9JD

01235 766502 www.brookbarn.com

Remont R

emont is an independent, family-run and hotelstyled bed and breakfast in the leafy suburbs of Oxford.

Comfortable and chic accommodation, with 25 ensuite rooms all boasting modern facilities, lend to a great night’s sleep and perfect preparation for the day to come.

Whether it be the full English or the continental breakfast, taken in either the lounging area or outside in the charming secluded garden, both will set guests up for exploring historic

367 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7PL

Oxford or the wonderful surrounding countryside.

Service is unhurried and exceptional, with a relaxed approach to give you the feeling that all is well with the world.

Whether visiting as a tourist, on a weekend shopping trip or simply on business, Remont Oxford B&B is the perfect launching pad for what’s to come. There is nothing better than starting the day on a full stomach and with a broad smile.

This little bolt hole delivers both with bells on.

01865 311020 www.remont-oxford.co.uk

stoke park S

toke Park in Buckinghamshire has a deserved reputation as one of Europe’s leading hotel, spa and country club resorts and now its gastronomic achievements have earned major plaudits too. Set within 350 acres of beautiful parkland, gardens and lakes stands a sumptuous white Palladian Mansion and within this romantic setting, you’ll find The Dining Room, Stoke Park’s fine dining restaurant.

In 2010, The Dining Room achieved two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence, a prestigious award presented to those chefs who “demonstrate innovation, technical skill and consistency to a high level”.

A month later, the hotel was awarded five AA stars for the quality of the luxurious accommodation, menus, facilities and services, taking Stoke Park to the next level of excellence.

time à la carte option also available.

As you would imagine with a chef of Chris’ pedigree, he understands that the best comes from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, allowing for creativity and variation on flavour and texture from season to season.

For those that are looking to put their feet up and stay the night, Stoke Park offers the most idyllic escape with luxurious, traditional and contemporary accommodation, a 27-hole championship golf course designed by the legendary Harry Colt, the award winning Spa by SPC, three restaurants (including The Dining Room), first class health and racquet facilities and much, much more.

This year The Dining Room is going from strength to strength. On opening to the public in January, Executive Chef Chris Wheeler and his team have been receiving outstanding plaudits from both the press and public.

Chris describes his food as modern British cuisine with European influences, and his culinary skills are demonstrated to best advantage in The Dining Room which, with its panoramic views over Stoke Park’s beautiful parkland and lakes, its luxury, friendly ambience and stunning décor, is the perfect place to entertain and enjoy exquisite cuisine. Within easy reach of London (only 35 minutes drive and 15 minutes by train from Paddington) and both the M4 and M40, The Dining Room is a real treat.

Each dish is a masterpiece, and Chris, who worked alongside Jean-Christophe Novelli as his Group Head Chef before joining Stoke Park, serves up a three course TDH lunch for £29 and TDH dinner for £52, with a lunch

Park Road Stoke Poges Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG 01753 71 71 71. www.stokepark.com

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Thyme at Southrop Manor T

hyme at Southrop Manor is a beautiful, unique estate where you are able to sample real country life – in luxury. Thyme at Southrop Manor isn’t a hotel. It’s your home in the country. It’s a chance to handpick almost every aspect of your stay and enjoy it in the absolute privacy. It’s a time for you to connect with the people you’re with, and the unspoiled rural surroundings.

The Cottages were all originally working barns that have been restored and designed to the highest standard, with English and French antiques that sit perfectly with our modern kitchens and bathrooms, and of course, your comfort and relaxation are uppermost in our minds. And so you don’t have to think about shopping on your first morning, our Thyme basket of delicious homemade bread, preserves and eggs from our own chickens will be found in your kitchen.

We can also advise you on things to do in the area, which will no doubt include a trip to our own award-winning village pub, The Swan. Or why not organise a bespoke cookery course for you and your guests at our Food School.

For us, at Thyme at Southrop, it’s not just great food that’s a source of pleasure, it’s the land it comes from too. So our chefs are gardeners and our gardeners are chefs and you can become both.

Across the Courtyard from the Cottages and alongside our Food School is our award-winning Tithe Barn. Great celebrations are all about sharing life’s important landmarks, a birthday, wedding, anniversary or company milestone. They’re also times when we just want to enjoy the company of people we care about, in a beautiful setting.

~ Food school ~ Cottages ~ Business ~ Celebrations Thyme at Southrop Manor, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3NX • Telephone 01367 850 174 • info@thymeatsouthrop.co.uk • www.thymeatsouthrop.co.uk

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park Hall P

ark Hall is a beautiful stately country house set in an estate of around132 acres in picturesque north Worcestershire countryside. The Hall, built in 1710, is a Grade II listed Queen Anne residence of great character and charm, with later additions in keeping with the style of that period, great for a party or luxury short break for a large group. Whether it is a family gathering or reunion, milestone celebration or a special wedding venue, Park Hall is the perfect setting. With country styled kitchens, and a four oven Aga there is ample facilities to cater for large events, to cook up some luxurious suppers, while the accommodation lends itself to large groups and up to 41 guests in the main Hall. There are further cottages and annexes on the estate if more accommodation is required.

Park Hall, Near Blakedown, Worcestershire DY10 3NL 07809 516858 www.classiccountryhouses.com/park_hall

Mortons House Hotel

The surroundings offer space and beautiful countryside – perfect for a relaxing retreat or a large function – and the luxuriously appointed buildings, complete with indoor swimming pool, make unwinding and ironing out the cobwebs at Park Hall Country House a truely memorable experience.

B

uilt in 1590 in the shape of an ‘E’ to honour Queen Elizabeth I, this superb privately-run manor house hotel, with 21 character bedrooms, is in the centre of picturesque Corfe Castle in the Isle of Purbeck.

The restaurant at Mortons House enjoys a fine reputation for offering traditional and innovative cuisine. Special occasions are well catered for with private dining in the Castle Room being a popular choice. The hotel has been showered with awards, including ‘Small Hotel of the Year’ and a Tourist Board ‘Gold Award’; and its restaurant boasts two AA rosettes, The hotel is in an enviable location; close to the Castle, Steam Railway and Purbeck Hills, ideal for those looking for a base to explore or those just keen to put their feet up and relax.

Mortons is offering two nights

m er sumcape! accommodation with full Dorset breakfast, es dinner for two on one evening with a bottle of wine, and, if there’s still room, a Dorset cream tea, all for only £320 (subject to availability).

Time to pick up the phone!

Mortons House Hotel, East Street, Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5EE

01929 480988 stay@mortonshouse.co.uk www.mortonshouse.co.uk

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The

arundell arms T

he Arundell Arms is one of the finest hotels boasting awardwinning food from a choice of hotel restaurants, all led by Head Chef and Master Chef of Great Britain, Steven Pidgeon.

Voted the number one fly fishing school in the country with its abundant threeacre lake as well famed for its hunting and shooting, the hotel exudes all the charm of a country hotel in rural Devon, with an attention to detail and thoughtful touches throughout.

With delicious food to suit every occasion, The Arundell Arms prides itself on seasonal, outstanding local produce and creativity in the kitchen, while the accommodation and hotel’s grounds, including 20 miles of its own private water on the Tamar and six of its tributaries, is enough to inspire any intrepid traveler or feet-up lounger.

Fore Street, Lifton, Devon PL16 0AA

01566 784666

www.arundellarms.com

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~ After school treats! ~

Village People Enchanted by the the village of Firle in Sussex, award-winning photographer Eammon McCabe undertakes to capture the heart and soul of local life...

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> flavour small society

~ Ellen; 'All homegrown! And growing ~

W

hat is it that makes the ideal English village? Firle in East Sussex is both unique and universal. First of all there is a pub and in no particular order come a school, a shop, a cricket pitch, a church, a blacksmith, allotments, flint walls and house martins. Above all, the village seems to contain that rarest of ingredients; delight.

Firle sits literally at the end of the road.

It is the last place you can reach by car before coming in summer to a wandering line of chalk and in winter to something a little muddier. Beyond the road are the wild landscapes of the South Downs, sleeping and keeping the bones of those who were first to arrive at the end of the last ice age. It is the

connection between village, people and these hills which makes it such a special place.

In an enchanting photo essay, acclaimed photographer Eamonn J. McCabe captures some of what makes this English village come alive; big open skies, small boys holding a colourful caterpillar, cabbages and tea cosies, bonfires, bikers, dogs and wellies. This is a book for all those who cherish English country life.

We have put together a sample set of Eamonn’s photographs and we think you’ll agree that they make a great asset to a coffee table and an even better one in the imagination.

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“The village seems to contain that rarest of ingredients; delight.�

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Top ~ A street party fundraiser for the Village Hall ~ Above ~ Ken's homemade preserves ~ Right ~ Cupcakes! ~

~ The local farmers ~

> flavour small society

About A Village Published By Frances Lincoln Photographs By E. J. McCabe ÂŁ16.99 Hardback

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programmes In-between filming BBC One food pers’ and such as ‘Nigel Slater’s Simple Sup k’, BBC Simon Hopkinson’s ‘The Good Coo ce somehow Executive Producer Peter Lawren den… finds time to tend his organic gar

D ia ry of a

Kitchen Gardener many hatever possessed me to order so of fault the courgettes? Perhaps it's ets of cyberspace. If I had actually put pack ed on me dawn have t migh It et bask real a seeds into grow so many that – although it would be nice to eat the equivalent to e ssibl impo be d varieties – it woul d or black roun of my body weight in yellow, stripy, basis. But daily a like s seem now courgettes, on what kout' my chec al virtu the to d eede 'proc I alas as the last three digits attention was absorbed by entering what I would do in on Not . card it cred my on the back of the cold light of summer.

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, I always plant Of course, being an organic gardener half of them tably Inevi . many more seeds than I need birds – and by out d pulle or s slug by will be devoured great with So . some won’t even bother to germinate six of ted plan duly I g sprin of life gusto and full of the nt plants I dece five or four with up d ende I each. If hot April and May would be happy. As it turned out, the success rate my and all at s slug local didn't suit the I squeezed as was unrivalled. I innocently thought, could find on I earth of h patc them into any available I was wrong. ive. surv d woul few that t, men the allot friends and Now having exhausted my circle of my courgette food colleagues, who politely all accepted own too) I am their n grow have parcels (perhaps they r morning. winte sad that of cost the ting left coun of growing your Gluttony, I'm afraid, is a by-product

own veg. It’s inherent. moment of As a gardener you work towards that to the red tape. es strid er harvest like a marathon runn success is your , there get you when The trouble is, es: upsid often over-abundance. But there are stuffed, have I So . tivity crea ary inventiveness and culin green little my nned julie and éed saut battered, y, chilli and wonders. I have made courgette curr I have time the by that s seem it ratatouille. Alas grown. has crop her anot dish, the d ente pres gette hangover And then for a brief moment my cour g uncomplicated ethin som lifted. A craving. A desire for some onion n Softe idea. le simp a – a soup. It’s such ks of chun y and garlic in a large pan. Add as man and leave ly rous gene Salt in. pack courgette as you can ing the firmer mov – tes minu 20 t abou for heat on a low while. The beauty chunks from top to bottom every little – there is so r wate any add t don' you of this soup is seeps out and ly much in the courgettes anyway it slow courgettes the for unt amo ct you are left with the perfe softened, add a have ks chun the all n Whe in. er to simm do. Turn off the heat hunk of Parmesan, an old rind will the mixture a give ed melt has se and once the chee deep, hearty, h, whizz. The result is spectacular. Fres ss. exce to ote antid ct refreshing – the perfe ction. addi new my with ns groa now er My freez

a food history Peter is currently in production on Two. series with the Hairy Bikers for BBC

> flavour pizza east portobello

pizza east portobello Having made its mark over in Shoreditch, Pizza East is now wooing crowds in West London.

Hand-stretched pizzas and fine Italian fare take residence as Pizza East opens on Portobello Road. Ren Behan heads down to find out what the ‘new kid on the block’ has to offer.

Pizza East Portobello is the latest Soho House Group restaurant to hit West London and, yet again, is bang on the money. As the group has proved already with its East London counterpart, affordable food made with good quality ingredients offered in fashionable surroundings is a winning combination.

A bold blue and white striped balcony now beckons visitors from its corner location on Portobello and Golborne Road, once occupied by The Fat Badger. Pizza East Portobello captures the modest charm of a traditional Italian American pizzeria, whilst offering the trendy crowd of Portobello some eye-candy in the way of reclaimed mismatched café chairs and distressed wooden and marble tables.

A beautiful dark wooden ‘deli’ bar is adorned with vintage weighing scales, salami hanging on hooks and a gelato counter to the side.

Tall windows across two floors of seating allow the light to flood in from every angle, particularly at breakfast-time, as the day is started with house-made sourdough bread, duck-eggs and good strong Italian coffee. By lunchtime the ‘All Day’ menu kicks in and doesn’t really stop until late in the evening. Throughout the day, deli produce, in the form of cured meats and cheeses, is available to take away.

Pizza East Portobello 310 Portobello Road London W10 5TA 0208 969 4500 www.pizzaeastportobello.com

White tiled walls and an exposed white metal ceiling ensure that even at night, as pretty tea lights sit in empty conserve jars and the warmth of the open wood-fired pizza oven glows, the packed atmosphere is cosy yet unconfined. On the tables, red wine is served in tumblers and rustic chunky cutlery sits on chequered napkins,

which match the striking black-and-white chequered marble floor.

There is a very quick turnaround at the deli bar and open pizza counter as locals stop in to take a pew and share antipasti.

The Bone Marrow Bruschetta (£5) and Chargrilled Squid with Salsa Verde (£6) are big hits, as are wooden counter boards with deli produce (choose any 3 for £12).

Peroni is on constant tap, served in tall, chilled glasses. The wine list (almost exclusively Italian) offers a fantastic regional selection.

Whatever takes your fancy on the menu, make sure it includes Burrata – a fresh, creamy mozzarella cheese sourced from a village in Puglia barely able to keep up with demand. By the end of a busy week it may not even be available. Pizzas (between £7 and £11) are hand-stretched and slowproved; the Burrata, Tomatoes, Olives and Thyme Pizza is the number one choice though other wood oven specialities, such as the Crispy Pork Belly (£13) also compete for attention. Salads and sides follow the seasons and change almost monthly. If you have room, the Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart (£4) already has something of a cult following.

Pizza East Portobello is proving to be very popular from the outset, carrying the Soho House Group badge of quality as well as offering its own unique edginess. Attention to design detail and good service prompt the feeling that Pizza East Portobello has always existed. Pizza East do not offer a reservation system, but the quick turnaround at the deli bar and two floors of seating mean that you should have no problem being served. ■

Ren Behan also writes a seasonally inspired family-friendly food blog at www.renbehan.com - Follow her on Twitter @RenBehan 50

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> flavour chef profile

chef profile Name: Tim Fuller Originally from: Sydney, Australia Head chefs at: Pizza East Portobello

I left school at 16 and went straight into cheffing, travelling around Australia working in different resorts. I came over to London about three years ago and was the Head Chef at The National Café and then at Inn the Park at St James’s Park.

I then joined the Soho House Group and have been here nearly two years now.

I was working at the Pizza East in Shoreditch when they offered me the chance to open Pizza East in Portobello.

I had a vision of what I wanted to do and then took it on by creating the menu at Pizza East Portobello. It’s a similar concept but I guess it is a little bit more refined.

Some of the dishes are different and though we do have a couple of signature pizzas that stay the same everything else is new.

The dining area at Portobello is completely different from Shoreditch.

We’ve got two floors and 190-200 seats, with a lot of windows. In the morning the sun beams through the windows and gives a nice feel. There is kind of a relaxed dining experience and we’ve tried to

create a sharing menu so that people get to experience a lot more of the dishes by sharing. A lot of our food is very simple so we rely on the actual ingredients to give quality to the dish. We use the best quality ingredients that we can source, usually only sold in small areas or regions of Italy, but we do our best to convince them to sell them to us!

There are many chefs I admire but Jacob Kennedy at Bocca di Lupo is a huge inspiration to me. I find that the stuff The River Café do is very inspirational as well.

We often refer to The River Café cookbooks or Italian books for inspiration. I often eat out and most enjoy dining at St John, Smithfield, and Bocca di Lupo and Polpo in Soho. ■

Pizza East Portobello 310 Portobello Road London W10 5TA 0208 969 4500 www.pizzaeastportobello.com 53

> flavour harvey nicols foodmarket

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Ooh la la Provence The Harvey Nichols Foodmarket team has brought back a range of new and exciting products from Provence and we have selected just a few that we think will please and delight you...

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> flavour harvey nicols foodmarket

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6

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1 These finely cut biscuits taste great on their own or as an accompaniment to tea, coffee or sweet and sparkling wines. Available in apricot and fig flavours at £3.55 per 90g.

2 Conserverie Au Bec Fin produces a range of luxury products including many Provencal specialities such as Black and Green Tapenade and this wonderful carrot soup.

3 Deli Garage Olive Oils add whole lemons, crisp chillies and fresh rosemary to the press to

make the taste of these oils particularly special.

Priced at £9.50 for 100ml.

4 Chef Christian Potier’s range of readymade, single-serve sauces include hollandaise, béarnaise, shallot red wine and pepper.

Priced at £3.50 for a box of 3x 50g sachets.

5 These organic balsamic vinegars are perfect for adding a light crisp flavour to salad dressings, dips, marinades, reductions and sauces. Priced from £17.50 to £19.95.

6 Pariya’s selection of Persian nougat is available in exotic flavours from rose petal, saffron, sour cherry, pistachio and almond.

Priced at £9.95 per 135g.

7 L’Olivier offers a range of vinegars and oils including Lavender Olive Oil, Mango Vinegar and Aix en Provence Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Priced from £4.50.

Visit the online store: www.harveynichols.com/food-wine 55

> flavour xxxxxxx

the green man A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real ale and traditional cider. He’s also editor of the website britishpubguide.com

What’s the first image that comes into your head when you hear the term ‘cider’?

Does it conjure up images of carrotcrunching, red-faced yokels in smocks and gaiters, drinking some unhealthily cloudy liquid called Old Cripplebadger and comparing threshing injuries? Or perhaps cider to you is the toothachingly sweet, sparkling drink, served over ice that has been all the rage over the last couple of years?

The truth is that cider has been a respected drink for most of its history, and only picked up unsavoury connotations in Victorian times, when the practice of part-paying farmhands in cider was frowned upon and eventually outlawed.

But alcoholic drinks made with fermented apples go back as far as, well, apple trees; and cider was probably introduced to these shores from what is now France, as far back as Roman times or earlier.

The Green Man 36 Riding House Street Fitzrovia London W1W 7EP 0207 580 9087 www.thegreenmanw1.co.uk 56

But enough of the history lesson... what does such a traditionally rural drink have to do with the heaving metropolis that is the nation’s capital? Well that, gentle reader, is where The Green Man comes into its own.

For, just off Regent’s Street, away past All Souls Church down Riding House Street, sits this unprepossessing yet remarkable traditional London cider house.

As you approach, The Green Man looks like a hundred other street corner boozers, but it is only when you step inside that you realise that this is far from a standard London pub... Look at the dispensing pumps along the bar. There is an array of draught ciders on offer that is, depending upon your experience of such things, either bewildering or utterly enchanting. Not only that, but glance behind the counter and you will see yet more ciders, dispensed from sealed bags within special cardboard surrounds. If you take into account the bottled ciders also on offer, there are about 40 to choose from.

And this is the fun part. You can have sweet, carbonated ciders of the massmarket variety; single varietal ciders; naturally hazy, dry ciders; ciders that will deny you the use of your legs as soon as they look at you, and weaker ciders meant to be quaffed to quench a thirst.

If in doubt, just ask. The staff are passionate about their drinks and will gladly recommend the right one for your taste or preference. With pint or half in hand, you have a chance to have a look round the pub. The decor is kept very simple; wooden boards on the floor rather than carpet and, around the edges of the main room, conveniently placed shelves

> flavour xxxxxxx

Raise a glass to...

A selection of the ciders on offer...

These change regularly so please ask the staff to make a recommendation.

Thirsty Cross Traditional (7.2%) Pressed and made in Scotland, this is surprisingly smooth, with a proper ‘appley’ flavour. It is matured for six months or more, which helps the flavour settle down and files away any rough edges. Strong but distinctly drinkable.

with foldout extensions create ample room to enjoy a plate of lunch. There are large mirrors on the walls extolling the virtues of Martell and Hennessy, and ‘Fine Old FOM’ and a frankly rather incongruous red neon sign telling you that ‘Room 2’ is upstairs.

It’s the sort of sign you’d see in a seedy film noir, where ‘Room 2’ would host all sorts of illicit activities involving moonshine and gambling. Perhaps such activities go on here too, but certainly not on Wednesday lunchtimes...

To the rear of the ground floor there is a 19th-century darkwood partition through which is further seating and an imposing painting of a bustling pub interior. This is a great place to sit and sample the food on offer. Pretty simple, traditional but nonetheless satisfying pub fare such as free-range Gloucester Old Spot sausage and mash or chargrilled gammon steak and fried eggs, sit alongside daily specials such as braised lamb shoulder with sautéed leeks.

Of course if cider isn’t your tipple of choice, there are real ales such as Sharp’s Doom Bar, as well as Leffe Blonde and Franziskaner Weissbier (a delightful white beer), and the still seldom-seen Stella Black, as well as the usual wines and spirits.

But it is the ciders that make the Green Man stand out, and whether you try the cloudy traditional or the gently sparkling, this is an oasis of fermented apple that rewards repeated visits. ■

Hogan’s Dry Cider (4.5%) Made in Alcester using only freshly pressed apples, and then fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. There is a subtle blending process that gives this an Atacama Desert dryness that belies its very reasonable strength. If you have a taste for the clear and dry, this is heavenly.

Weston’s Organic (6.5%) From Much Marcle in Herefordshire, this is much less widely available than the better known Old Rosie from the same stable. It’s a traditional cider with some real body to it, and as such one to be savoured rather than gulped down.

And for the Real Ale Drinker...

Sharp’s Doom Bar Bitter (4%) Named after a treacherous sand bank in the Camel Estuary, this has become the brewery’s flagship beer. Flowers and berries are recalled with a waft of this under your nose, and when you taste it the fruit remains but is joined more overtly by the malty bitterness that is its trademark. It all ends up slightly sweet, which has made it very popular among less hardened real ale drinkers.

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> flavour asia de cuba

asia de cuba This month Nick Harman speaks to Executive Chef Paul Whittick of Asia de Cuba who explains the restaurant’s culinary concept of remarkable fusion dishes…...

“It’s something that perhaps shouldn’t make sense but when you actually eat it it’s something quite spectacular.” I nod in agreement; I can’t really speak as I’m too busy making a pig of myself on the belly pork, which is a classic example of the restaurant’s unique fusion concept.

“It’s organic pork belly from our suppliers in East Lothian,” Paul explains. “We marinade it for 24 hours in soy sauce and other Japanese ingredients and then it’s glazed with rum and cooked with pink and Szechuan peppercorns, enoki mushrooms, some plantain and pancetta.” It’s very good, especially partnered with some stir-fried rice topped with a large dollop of creamy avocado. “Such a typical South American ingredient,” says Paul helping himself to big spoonful.

It’s this mix of Asian and Cuban that obviously gives Asia de Cuba its name, along with signature dishes such as Tunapica – tuna tartare picadillo-style with Spanish olives, blackcurrants, almonds and coconut in a soy-lime vinaigrette served on wonton crisps, and Calamari Salad ‘Asia de Cuba’ with crispy calamari, chayote, hearts of palm, banana, cashews, chicory and radicchio in a sesame orange dressing.

And the room is just as unusual. “When I came in here for the first time I was just

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stunned,” Paul says as he liberates some ‘Havana’ noodles from a bowl. “I’m a hotel chef through and through; I started work in the Metropole in Brighton and I’ve worked in English country house hotels, airport hotels, Strand Palace Hotel, The Cumberland, all the big names, but I’d never seen anything like this!”

The food concept at Asia de Cuba is a sharing one; if you order as you would in a ‘normal’ restaurant you’ll end up with too much. That’s why the glamorous waiters recommend a starter per person, but then only one main dish between two people, with perhaps some dishes, such as the very unusual Lobster Mash, on the side.

Paul has really taken to his new environment though, after initial time spent in Miami getting to grips with the heart of the cuisine. “It’s a breath of fresh air here,” he grins, looking around the fabulous Philippe Starck designed room in the heart of the uber-cool St Martins Lane Hotel, a part of the Morgans luxury hotel group worldwide.

Paul brings out some desserts for us, crazy colourful concoctions that are equal to the mains. Brilliant shapes and patterns, all laced through with ingredients that make you think of scorching sun, beaches, salsa music and palm trees swaying overhead.

“I didn’t ‘get it’ when I first tried the food, but I totally get it now. It’s just great,” Paul says as he greets his team and gets ready for the afternoon’s prep. I see his point; if you’re looking for a night out with a difference, you’ll get it at Asia de Cuba too.

The space is a magnet for celebs when they’re in town and Paul loves it. “The atmosphere is just great. You should see it here when it’s full on a Friday or Saturday night, the music’s up loud, it’s buzzing like crazy with people who like to see and be seen. Everyone’s having a great time and me and the team are banging out the plates. There are about 36 of us in the kitchen,” he explains as we make inroads into the delicious Miso cod signature dish.

“We prepare just about everything here ourselves, the sauces, the pastries, the spice mixes, the ice creams, because that’s how we maintain consistent quality.”

Asia de Cuba St Martins Lane Hotel 45 St Martins Lane WC2N 4HX 020 7300 5500 www.stmartinslane.com

“

The atmosphere is just great. You should see it here when it’s full on a Friday or Saturday night, the music’s up loud, it’s buzzing like crazy with people who like to see and be seen.

“

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> flavour mitch tonks

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.

With sustainable fishing top on the agenda, each month new flavour columnist and seafood specialist Mitch Tonks cooks up a storm with his seasonal fish of choice...

This month I’m focusing on what I want to call everyday dishes. Often we need to keep a budget in mind when feeding the family but that doesn’t mean that the food can’t be special. Individual preferences with children can be quite a challenge and with 5 children in and out of my house I’m only too aware of that! My youngest still comes to the fishmongers with me and loves trying anything, plates of oysters, urchins, crabs. Take young children along and get them involved and trying things early, you can start with a big bowl of hot garlicky mussels or maybe smoked haddock with a poached egg, or try just the odd oyster or maybe have a crab party! Cover the table with newspaper and wooden boards and small hammers, they will love it. I remember my grandmother keeping me quiet for hours like that! Food is so important, if we really want our children to appreciate fish as a pleasure and as a help in sustaining good health, involve and encourage them as much as possible – a weekly cookery lesson or time helping you shop and prepare supper is time well spent.

Our fishmonger is often chatting to the kids who come in about how fishfingers are made and then showing them which fish is used and how it is cut and how to make their own. So below is a recipe, if you can call it that, so simple but so worthwhile. The other thing I often find successful with reluctant fish eaters is a fritto misto, fried fish eaten with little more than some lemon juice, a little oil and some parsely. ■ 60

FRITTO MISTO (CRISP FRIED FISH) Per person Ingredients A pinch of sea salt 300-400 g mixed fish (if buying fillets allow around 175 g) 250 ml milk a couple of handfuls of good strong white flour vegetable oil 2 lemons, cut into quarters a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley Method Sprinkle a little sea salt over the prepared fish, then dip the fish one at a time into the milk and then into the flour, shaking them to remove any excess flour. Cover the base of a large, wide frying pan with about 1 centimetre of vegetable oil and heat to around 150-160 C, or until a cube of bread turns golden in 6-7 seconds when thrown into the oil. Fry each piece of fish until crisp and golden on each side. If you have any larger pieces of fish, remove them from the pan, place them on a roasting dish and finish the cooking in the oven, preheated to its maximum. You will not need to do this if you select smaller fish. Drain on kitchen paper before serving.

> flavour mitch tonks

Š Mitch Tonks. RockFish Grill & Seafood Market Fishmonger, food writer, restaurateur www.rockfishgrill.co.uk www.mitchtonks.co.uk www.twitter.com/rockfishgrill Recipe taken from The Aga Seafood Cookbook by Mitch Tonks published by Absolute Press. Photo credit Jason Lowe 61

> flavour mixology

Such is the popularity of the ubiquitous cocktail, its clever art has even been afforded the impressive title of ‘mixology’. Nothing quite beats an experienced bartender mixing, shaking and pouring you a cocktail to order, and there’s a new guy in town with a wealth of experience to give you a hands-on demonstration of mixology’s finer arts.

the magic of espoke Hotels Group has taken on Joel Lawrence as Food and Beverage Manager of Ten Manchester Street Hotel, Marylebone – the award-winning luxury boutique central London hotel and one of the capital’s favourites for A-listers seeking privacy without compromising on service. Past roles for Lawrence include Bar Manager of The Raleigh Hotel in South Beach, Miami, Bar Manager and Head Mixologist at the InterContinental London Park Lane and most recently, Bar Manager of St James’s Hotel and Club, London where he introduced his popular Cocktail Masterclass.

B

Now Ten Manchester Street and Joel are putting on a series of Cocktail Masterclasses starting on September 19 and monthly then on until June with each month themed by ingredient and brand.

The evening will begin with a Champagne reception, accompanied by a delicious selection of canapés prepared by Executive Chef Ishtiaq Mirza. This will then be followed by a master distiller presentation, preceeded by an interactive cocktail demonstration led by Joel. Guests will

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mixology

enjoy a brief overview of the history of cocktails from contemporary to classic favourites and then Joel will guide the enthusiasts as they create and enjoy sampling their very own cocktails.

Each participant will then be presented with a certificate of achievement, a Ten Manchester Street goodie bag and will be able to purchase a cocktail-making kit to continue mastering their cocktail-making skills at home.

“I am really looking forward to making Ten Manchester Street Hotel a must-visit London location for discerning guests looking for a private, elegant and chic destination to eat and drink,” says Joel.

10 Manchester Street London W1U 4DJ 0870 111 1626 www.bespokehotels.com /10manchesterstreet

The monthly cocktail themes will include: • Rum - Lose those holiday blues whilst making your own summer favourites • Whiskey - Learn all there is to know about Irish whiskey • Whisky - Learn all there is to know about Scottish whiskies from the Lowlands to the Highlands • Cognac - Christmas cocktails and hot toddy making • Armagnac - The perfect winter warmer • Vodka - Put the spring back in your step • Gin & Slimming IT - Get ready for summer cocktails with less than 200 calories • Gin/Vodka - Fragrant Chelsea Flower Show cocktails • Champagne & Pimm’s – Just right for picnics in the park The Cocktail Masterclass evenings cost just £69 per person.

Flavour’s Zaren Wilson picks his five favourite cocktail bars...

✤ Dukes Bar Simply the finest martinis in town. Why? Arctic cold martinis, gentleman's club feel, a trolley that brings your drinks and the best free bar nibbles in London.

Timeless and irresistible.

35-36 St James's Place SW1A 1NY

www.dukeshotel.com

✤ Upstairs at Rules Civilised and very old school vibe, while veteran barman Brian Silva is possibly the best in London.

Quail scotch egg with your negroni? Yes please.

35 Maiden Lane WC2E 7LB

www.rules.com

✤ China Tang Atmospheric 1930s art deco bar is a joy to spend time in. Expert bar staff with real character will chat away all night long, before serving you dim sum if you're hungry. A wondrous combination.

The Dorchester Park Lane W1K 1QA

www.thedorchester.com

✤ Danger of Death As dangerous as it sounds, this is as close as you'll get to NYC in London; moody lighting, shadowy corners, killer cocktails. Illicit rendezvous territory.

202 Brick Lane E1 6SA

www.dangerlondon.com

✤ London Cocktail Club Squid Ink Sour and Oyster Bomb sit alongside perfectly made classics. Tiny basement venue and charming staff means a raucous evening is guaranteed.

61 Goodge Street W1T 1TL

www.londoncocktailclub.co.uk

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drops by flavour

Philip Cundall and Paulo Garcia started running A.Gold in 2010, a decade after Ian and Safia Thomas opened it as one of the first food shops in London to specialise in traditional British products – nothing you would easily find in a supermarket at the time.

Of course much has changed since then and Spitalfields has also undergone a dramatic shift in its fortunes – the shop is now overlooked by investment banks and international law firms. During the week, scores of City workers squeeze into this tiny space, queueing for sandwiches made to order using the freshest ingredients, cooked daily by Paulo in the kitchen upstairs. This, a far cry from the days when a few sarnies were brought over

daily in a black cab from Borough Market!

Along with the ‘special sandwich of the day’ – always something a bit indulgent and extravagant, like roast beef and Yorkshire pudding or beer-roasted chicken and herb stuffing – they’ve also started making their own Scotch eggs (everyday!), traditional pies and the occasional old school surprise such as a poached salmon with parsley sauce or cauliflower cheese.

You can buy a sandwich at countless places around the area, but Philip and Paulo take a lot of pride in their old fashioned, personalised service – most customers know their names – and the fact that they go to a great deal of trouble to produce the kind of food that reminds you of the comfort of your parents’ home.

One nostalgic sigh a day and they are happy chaps!

“We are lucky in that we live upstairs so the commute to work isn’t that tricky,” Philip says. “It’s a lovely shop and our customers are sweet so getting up in the morning for a day’s work is no big deal,

although once a week we have a really early start with a trip to Spitalfields market which is a fun thing to do although a little challenging at times. ” The shop still features independent brands on its shelves, such as Campbell’s Tea – a wonderfully strong, smooth brew from Dublin in its distinctive old-fashioned yellow tin which customers buy four or five at a time.

A.Gold also sells The Toffee Shop’s handmade fudge from Cumbria, Butterworth’s Royal Norfolk Regiment Campaign Chutney, English mead, local beers, honey made from hives placed on rooftops around London and traditional sweets, weighed by the quarter in little paper bags. Ahhhhh.

42 Brushfield Street City of London E1 6AG 0207 247 2487 www.agoldshop.com 65

> flavour too many cooks

Considered by some as a saturated market, this month Nick Harman examines whether too many cookbooks spoil the read...

too many chefs!

I get to read and review a lot of cookbooks.

I used to see it as a perk, but these days it’s increasingly a penance. After over eight years the house is full of the things; they’re bending every shelf, they’re stacked precariously in the loo, they slide dangerously out of cupboards and one is even holding up a wobbly table. And what do I do when I want a recipe? I do what everyone else does of course, I search the Internet.

Cookbooks fall into distinct categories.

There are the TV tie-ins - you’ve seen the series, now buy the book. Publishers love them because they’re almost guaranteed to be good sellers. They’re all too often shoddily produced, full of errors and with recipes that don’t work..

Then you have the chef vanity projects.

This is when a star chef wishes to preserve his ‘art’ for all time. Chefs have to remake their art every day and it dies with them, so the only way for them to achieve immortality is to create a book of their dishes. A long introduction will invariably be about how chef tearfully remembers his mama and grandma’s cooking and how he has never strayed from the principles they so lovingly taught him, not even when laboriously stuffing a kestrel’s egg with foie gras, pea foam and edible plastic pellets. The photography is sumptuous, the typeface unreadable, the recipes impossible. It will never leave the owner’s sitting room.

And then there are the cookbooks written by women with money in the bank and plenty of spare time to use up. They accept that their readers are not as wealthy, tasteful or as cultured as they are, poor things, but they graciously condescend to help bring a little something lovely into their provincial lives.

Adjectives and adverbs are used ridiculously (‘Bring the water to a vivacious boil’) in a vain attempt to make the writing sound smart and clever. Every now and then they also throw in a fatuous comment; ‘there is no greater crime than over cooking fish’ or a French or Italian bon mot, ‘your chicken should always be ‘comme il faut.’ They write for the Sunday papers for a very large fee, a job that takes them about 30 minutes after lunch, but which they tell their friends is ‘an emotional drain’. They tend to dress like their teenage daughters, sometimes even in their actual clothes and treat foreigners as slightly retarded servants who need patronising.

Of course there are cookbooks that are truly worth their shelf room, but you’ll have to read flavour’s fab foodie reads or my reviews on Foodepedia to find out which.

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

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