11. Great Food Magazine Summer 2012

greatfood HANDMADE IN THE HEART OF ENGLAND

S U M M E R 2 012 £ 3 . 4 0

Al Fresco! www.greatfoodmag.co.uk

Celebrating local food & drink

Beer gardens

The region’s most stunning revealed

Your guide to a delicious summer in the Heart of England

15!

Vineyards on your Midlands’ wine map

Fab farm shops

Seven ‘destination’ shops you have to visit

Picnics

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO EAT

SUMMER FOOD EVENTS GUIDE

The best local restaurants, pubs, farmers and flavours P20

How to throw a perfect vintage garden party

P74

29 places to try in your Where to Eat section

P27

20 mouthwatering summer recipes to enjoy

Meet Birmingham’s artisan team

PLUS

St Giles St, Northampton Pub walk in the Peak District Nottingham Food Festival Ice cream making at home

ISSUE 12

REVIEWS, RECIPES AND PRODUCERS

THE B14 COLLECTIVE

£3.40

Also inside...

Welcome

Welcome to the Summer 2012 Issue of Great Food. I’m proud to say that this is your biggest issue to date. There’s a distinct outdoorsy theme, so let’s hope we get the weather to match. If the region’s winemakers (p38) get a dry Wimbledon fortnight, our beer gardens (p74) are blessed with sunshine, but our farmers receive enough rain then we’ll have had a good summer! Of course, as if I need remind you, we’ve got the Jubilee (p20 and p42) and London 2012 to celebrate, too.

In other news – and the distraction of those two events has no bearing on this decision! – from now, Great Food Magazine is quarterly, coming out on September 1 (next issue), November 1, March 1 and June 1. This will allow us to create an even better publication and update our website more often. We’ll also be able to continue to improve Great Food Club for our members (p10). When you join the Club, not only do you receive this magazine for one year, you also get a membership card enabling you to enjoy offers from the region’s very best restaurants, producers and shops (p90).

Enjoy the issue and have a great summer.

matthew.wright@greatfoodmag.co.uk www.greatfoodmag.co.uk www.greatfoodclub.co.uk Twitter: @greatfoodmag EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Matthew Wright AD SALES: BPG – Julie Cousins, 01780 754900 (ext 213) AD PRODUCTION & DESIGN: BPG – Lisa Leftley SUBSCRIPTIONS: 01664 853341 PUBLISHED BY: Rocco Media, 7 Victoria Street, Melton Mowbray, Leics LE13 0AR PRINTED & DISTRIBUTED BY: Warners Midlands plc

THANKS TO: PJM, Enzo Jnr, GW, JW, JM, Enzo Snr, Lisa, Tim Burke, Andrew Brackenbury, Hazel Paterson, Jack Thorpe, Laura Harvey, Rachel Dorsett, John Harris, Shelly Preston, Erin Huckle, Mark Hughes, Yvonne Martin, Lucy Cufflin, Sean Hope, Helen Tarver, Mark Hamilton, Karl Quinney and...

Rocco the Jack Russell.

WEBSITES: @paulbunkham Full Ts & Cs are on our website STOCK PHOTOS: Shutterstock

COVER WATERCOLOUR: Al Fresco at Rutland Water, by Graham Wright.

GREAT FOOD IS QUARTERLY: NEXT ISSUE OUT SEPT 1, 2012 2 Great Food Magazine

Contents

NIBBLES 4 6 8 10 12

The Big Picture: Brady’s News Fresh Out the Oven Great Food Club offer Events Diary

STARTER 14 16 18 20

Artisan Cheese Fair Northamptonshire Food Show Nottingham Food Festival Diamond Jubilee Garden Party

MAIN COURSE 24 27 28 31 32 36 38 40

Saltby Pasture Guyrope Gourmet The B14 Collective Crab al fresco recipe Brilliant Local Picnics Welland Valley Vineyard Vineyard and Cider Map Mark Hughes

BACK FOR SECONDS 42 44 48 50

Sean Hope Cooks...

Fab Farm Shops Shelly Preston Recipes from Wyldelight Kitchen

PUDDING 54 58 60 61 62 64 65 66 68

The Ice Cream Kid Coventry Godcake Lucy Cufflin Helen Tarver Notes from the Veg Patch How to Grow Chillies Nottingham’s Secret Millionaire Chef Pub Walk in the Derbyshire Peaks Dream Kitchen

WHERE TO EAT 72 74 79 80 82 85 86 87 88 89 90

Local Restaurant News The Best Beer Gardens Restaurant Reviews 1 The Mystery Muncher St Giles St, Northampton Restaurant Reviews 2 The Larder on Goosegate Bread Recipes Back Issues Next Issue Great Food Club Map

a taste of this issue...

20

DIAMOND JUBILEE GARDEN PARTY

44

THE BEST FARM SHOPS

27 THE GUYROPE GOURMET’S MACKEREL TIPS

32

50

BRILLIANT LOCAL PICNICS

WELLAND VALLEY VINEYARD

RECIPES FROM WYLDELIGHT KITCHEN

36 MEET THE ICE CREAM KID

54 Great Food Magazine 3

A fishy THE BIG PICTURE

business Modern and ethical – Brady’s in Leicester is a family fishmonger fit for 21st century challenges ARTICLE & PHOTOS: ANDREW BRACKENBURY – www.abrackenbury.com

F

or lovers of seafood, a quiet suburb of Leicester probably isn’t the natural place to forage for fruits de la mer. But from August 2011, when Nigel Brady and his wife Zoe first opened Brady’s Fish and Seafood Market in Stoneygate, lucky locals have been feasting on as fine a selection of seafood as you’ll find anywhere.

Step into Brady’s and you’re transported to the coast – it’s an inviting, clean and modern twist on the traditional fishmonger’s. But it’s the wet fish counter that really commands your attention. Brady’s only stocks freshly caught, seasonal seafood, so the selection changes daily – expect Loch Duart salmon, line-caught yellow fin Tuna, whole John Dory and turbot, fillets of red gurnard and haddock, huge dark mussels and soft, alien-looking squid.

The idea for Brady’s was born during holidays on Menorca: “The Spanish have a deep appreciation for fish,” says Nigel in his lilting Dublin accent. “We wanted to present British seafood with the same level of attention and detail.” Zoe adds: “We also wanted to create a place where people can talk to us and learn how to prepare and cook fish.”

But it’s the couple’s passion that really marks out Brady’s as somewhere special. “Nigel’s knowledge is incredible – he can talk about fish for hours,” says Zoe, laughing. This passion is also reflected throughout the shop. Aside from the immaculate interior and spectacular fish counter, there’s a seafood deli that includes Zoe’s delicious homemade taramasalata and fish pies, and a carefully chosen selection of condiments. Nigel and Zoe have left no pebble unturned in their mission to give customers the chance to experience sustainable, high quality, British seafood at its very best. Q

4 Great Food Magazine

CONTACT Brady’s Fish & Seafood Market, 8 Allandale Rd, Stoneygate, Leicester, LE2 2DA, 0116 3198363, www.bradysseafoodmarket.com

Local shop

Fish Britannia Nigel and Zoe ensure they offer sustainable fish: “It’s central to our ethos,” says Nigel. “One way we do this is by taking catches from day boats, so what’s on the counter today was more than likely caught yesterday. We also showcase British seafood. The waters of the British Isles are rich fishing grounds. Everyone comes back from European holidays raving about seafood, but probably 80% of it is imported from the UK.”

Brady’s Fish & Seafood is part of great food club – www.greatfood club.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 5

What’s

Cooking?

NEWS PAGES BY: TIM BURKE (TIM.BURKE@GREATFOODMAG.CO.UK)

Small Students at the proposed new school would learn traditional skills such as butchery

GRIFFIN INN The Griffin Inn at Irnham, near Grantham, has been named UK Bed and Breakfast of the Year by Les Routiers travel guide. The guide described it as “probably one of Lincolnshire’s best kept secrets”. www.thegriffinirnham.co.uk

BREWDOG NOTTINGHAM Scottish craft brewer Brewdog has chosen Nottingham for its fifth UK pub. Known for its aggressive antibig business stance and “punk attitude”, Brewdog opened its Broad Street venue with a special brew Hops Kill Robin Hood, named to poke fun at mass marketing. www.brewdog.com

FESTIVAL FAYRE Thousands of music fans will be treated to a taste of artisan food at the No Direction Home Festival in June.

Held at Welbeck Abbey in Sherwood Forest from June 8-10, the event will see Welbeck-based School of Artisan Food lay on sessions such as cheese tasting, butchery and charcuterie demos. www.nodirectionhomefestival.com

DELI OF THE YEAR Voting continues throughout May in the national competition to find the Deli of the Year. There will be 11 regional winners – last year’s East Midlands crown is held by Limoncello of Cambridge. To nominate and vote for your favourite deli or farm shop, visit: www.delioftheyear.co.uk

FOREST FOOD The 2012 guide to local food produced within the National Forest is now available online. This year’s guide has expanded to 12 pages and features producers and stockists of meat, mushrooms, beer, honey, cheese and much more. www.visitnationalforest.co.uk

6 Great Food Magazine

GROUPS ‘COMMITTED’ TO NEW FOOD SCHOOL Attempts to find funding for Melton project continue

P

lans to build a School of Rural Food in Leicestershire are to push on despite being knocked back in an initial bid for £4.8 million in Government funding.

“We’ve not been successful in the bid to the Rural Growth Network programme, but we’re convinced this is a really valuable concept and we’re committing ourselves to pursue other avenues of funding,” said Matthew O’Callaghan, chair of the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership, one of the organisations behind the plan.

The school would offer training in traditional rural food skills such as bread baking, cheesemaking and butchery. Courses would target local food makers keen to develop

businesses and there would be apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

Preferred venue for the proposed school is Brooksby Melton College.

“We see it as potentially providing an innovation centre for food businesses and building on Melton Mowbray’s position as the UK’s Rural Capital of Food,” said O’Callaghan.

“There are other funding opportunities coming out of DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and we remain very excited about the project.”

Other groups supporting the developments include Leicestershire County Council, Melton Borough Council and Leicester College.

AWARDS LAUNCHED

Northants Food Awards are all systems go Nominations are now open in 12 categories for the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

In their fourth year, the awards recognise the county’s best food producers and celebrate excellence in cooking and service in the pub and restaurant sector.

Among the expanded range of awards categories for 2012-13 are Local Food Hero, New Local Product, Artisan Local Product, Restaurant

of the Year, Young Chef of the Year and Community Pub of the Year.

Anyone can nominate products, venues or individuals for awards by using forms on the website www.letyourselfgrow.com/ foodanddrinkawards.

Entry deadlines for categories vary across June and July.

Community Pub of the Year 2011/12, Northampton’s Malt Shovel Tavern

Masters of the Teacups named

Two East Midlands tea rooms have received Awards of Excellence in the 2012 Tea Guild Awards. Ollerton Mill Tearooms in Nottinghamshire and Miss B’s in Melton Mowbray received the gongs for “consistently high standards of tea making and customer service”.

For restaurant news, turn to p72 BEER GONGS

OAKHAM ALES BAGS 2012 SUPREME CHAMPION TITLE A Peterborough-brewed beer is Best in Britain, says SIBA

A

premium cask ale produced by Peterborough-based Oakham Ales has been made Supreme Champion for 2012 by the Society of Independent Brewers. Green Devil IPA (6% ABV) – described as “golden in colour with a harvest hop aroma and tropical fruit flavours bursting through” – has been brewed for less than a year but will now go on to be featured at the Great British Beer Festival (to be held from August 7-11 at Olympia

London) and showcased as a guest ale in selected pubs in the Punch Taverns group during the busy Euro 2012 and Diamond Jubilee period.

Adrian Posnett, MD of Oakham Ales, said: “Awards like this help to cement our reputation and raise our profile with retailers and drinkers.”

Also winning a SIBA Gold Award in the Porter and Stout category was Dark Drake, produced

by Derby’s Dancing Duck brewery.

Local food news

Rocco Recommends “Excellent places that let me in”

NEW ZEALAND ARMS, DERBY “Last issue I informed you of the arrival of my nemesis – my master’s baby boy, who has demoted me to a position similar to that of a gerbil. Disaster. Or so I thought, but it appears that in the upheaval I have somehow rediscovered my youth! New Derby pub the New Zealand Arms is a wonderful place for a revived terrier. Quiz nights on Wednesdays, open mic nights on Thursdays... I feel like a student again. And the beer is excellent – exactly what I need to help me forget about l’enfant terrible.”

New Zealand Arms, 2 Langley St, Derby DE22 3GL, 01332 384945, www.newzealandarms.com

A past champion from Notts

Rachel Matthews, head brewer at Derby’s Dancing Duck Brewery

Funding available for food ideas Food and drink businesses in the East Midlands with bright ideas for innovation are being urged to apply for a share of a £100,000 pot of EU funding available via Food and Drink iNet. Small and medium-sized companies can apply for funding of up to 40% for projects. Previous grant winners include Northamptonshire’s Pickled Village, which was assisted in getting into top London retail outlets, and Lincolnshire firm Libaeration, which developed the world’s first alcoholic foam.

For further information visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk Right: The Pickled Village has won past iNet funding

BBC PICKS UP ON BREWERY MAP STORY Great Food in the news

Pa rty time!

RINGSWOOD ICE CREAM

Farmers Brian and Sheila Dalby (pictured below with granddaughter Bethan) are celebrating 25 years as one of the region’s favourite ice-cream makers. Ringswood ice creams are made on the Warwickshire/ Leicestershire border at Pailton, with milk from their farm’s pedigree Friesians. Watch out for their ice cream trailer at shows.

Happy Birthday from Great Food! www.ringswood.co.uk

L

ast issue’s map highlighting the region’s booming brewery sector captured the attention of TV. After seeing it, BBC’s East Midlands Today sent a film crew to Dancing Duck Brewery in Derby, where Great Food editor Matt Wright was interviewed as part of a news story – a full video clip can be see at www.greatfoodmag.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 7

Fresh out

the oven

Safer Ustabas offers Turkish delicacies as well as Leics produce

Keeping an eye on the region’s food and drink launches

In Brief

ENTER THE ALE ROOM A new Peterborough-based online business is helping drinkers to make the most of the independent brewery boom. The Ale Room aims to champion British breweries, stocking well over 100 bottled beers and ciders. The website’s customers will be encouraged to write reviews and recommendations of their purchases. www.thealeroom.co.uk

HARDWICK REVAMP A £6.5m visitor centre has opened at Derbyshire’s Hardwick Hall in time for the 2012 summer season.

The new Stableyard development includes The Great Barn restaurant, featuring local produce ranging from Derbyshire cream teas to lunches with estate-reared beef. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ hardwick

SECRET CAKES Branches of the Clandestine Cake Club are popping up around the region. The Club gives baking addicts a chance to meet up at a secret location and bring cake (“no cupcakes, pies or tarts – it’s all about the cake”) to share and enjoy. There are branches for Leicester, Derby, Coventry, Loughborough and Market Deeping. www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk

FIONA CAIRNS ONLINE Leicestershire cake maker Fiona Cairns has opened an online store where you can order cakes to be delivered to your door. The Fleckney-based baker was chosen to make Kate and Will’s cake at last year’s Royal Wedding. Now mere commoners can enjoy celebration cakes, teatime treats and biscuits.

The shop also features a ‘Cake Club’, which allows users to set up regular automatic cake deliveries to friends, family or a workplace. www.fionacairns.com

CLARIFICATION In the last issue we omitted the fact that The Black Bull, Market Overton, serves food in the evening. It serves from 6-9pm (plus noon-2.30pm) Mon to Sat, plus Sun lunch 12-3pm.

8 Great Food Magazine

NEW MEDITERRANEAN DELI Turkey meets Leicestershire in local food fusion

S

afer Ustabas was fed up of not being able to find olives that matched the ones he enjoyed in his native Turkey. So in 2010 he set up The Olive Tree Company to import and marinate the best he could find. Having initially supplied farm shops and delis, he has now taken the plunge and created his own retail outlet at Wistow Rural Centre in south Leicestershire.

Taking over the premises of a previous farm shop, the Mediterranean deli features at least 11 varieties of olive, marinated in local Welland Valley rapeseed oil. You can buy them as they come, or pitted and filled with the likes of feta,

anchovies, and balsamic onions. There’s also a wide range of homemade Turkish specialities.

The shop stocks a variety of local produce, too: there are preserves from Sandra’s Jams of Whetstone Pastures Farm, ready-meals from Great Food contributor Lucy Cufflin, and Leicestershire cheeses from Sparkenhoe Farm.

Safer says the initial reaction from customers to finding a Mediterranean deli in the heart of rural England has been very positive.

Wistow Rural Centre includes a garden centre, a variety of craft business and a café-bistro. For more info visit www.wistow.com/farmshop.asp

Father & son’s soda

Some of Zoe’s creations

A

family penchant for grapefruit and soda has led a Derbyshire father and son to launch their own business. Steve and Ben Naylor from Ockbrook have created Reviva, a brand that features natural sparkling white grapefruit, sparkling ruby grapefruit and sparkling tropical fruit drinks. Just a week after launch, they celebrated acquiring their first pub outlet – their own local, the Royal Oak in Ockbrook. More info at www.healthy-fruit-juice.co.uk/reviva

Sauces launched

L

eicester lad Nim Gosia is hoping to emulate the success of Dragon’s Den alumni Levi Roots with the launch of his own range of fiery table sauces. His family has run the Sharmilee restaurant on Leicester’s Belgrave Road for 36 years and the young Nim loved helping out in the kitchens. He has left a job in banking to launch the Urban Flavour Factory, starting with a range of three chillibased tomato ketchups – chipotle, habanero and jalapeno. An extra-hot naga jolokia version follows soon.

Nim is currently selling to shops around the Midlands but with a target shelf price of around £1.69 he is hopeful that he can gain interest from national supermarket chains. www.theurbanflavourfactory.co.uk

Zoe opens Biscuit Tin

D

ull biscuits during dull meetings were the spur behind a new craft bakery business in Wellingborough.

Zoe’s Biscuit Tin is run by Australian Zoe Brooks, who has collected biscuit and cake recipes throughout her career in the food industry. “In endless business meetings I would stare glumly at supermarket biscuits wondering what additives were in them and wishing for real biscuits instead,” says Zoe. After recently relocating to the East Midlands she set up the new business to provide “tasty treats made with fresh ingredients and a lot of love”. The current product range includes brownies, pistachio biscotti, gingerbreads, Serbian nut crescents and traybakes such as European apple slices and muesli bars. All products are handmade and wherever possible ingredients are local and organic. To order call 01933 273006 or visit www.zoesbiscuittin.co.uk

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19/4/12 11:44:24

JOIN GREAT Become a member for one 1) Four bulging issues of Great Food Magazine delivered to your door

Summer, this issue

Harvest, out Sept 1

Christmas, out Nov 1

Spring, out March 1

2) A Great Food Club membership card that will save you money throughout the year Use your card to enjoy exclusive deals at more than 40 of the region’s best restaurants, pubs and shops – places like Michelin-starred The Olive Branch and Hambleton Hall; and award-winning Gonalston Farm Shop. See the full line-up of participating businesses on p90 or at www.greatfoodclub.co.uk.

Also, use your card when buying directly from some fantastic local producers.

To join, go to www.greatfoodclub.co.uk and click ‘Join Now’ Or fill out the form opposite and send a cheque Or call 01664 853341 with your card details 10 Great Food Magazine

FOOD CLUB year for just £17.50 and get...

Participating businesses include...

The Martin’s Arms (Notts Dining Pub of the Year 2012); Hambleton Hall (One Michelin Star); Johnny Pusztai (The Observer’s Producer of the Year) And many more – turn to p90 to see them all

1 2 FOR E H T AT RY CUR GE LOUN

OFF 1O% HILL D RE RM FA K POR

I’d like to join Great Food Club for one year for £17.50. Please send me my membership card and the next four issues of Great Food Magazine, starting with the Harvest Issue (out Sept 1, 2012). I enclose a cheque for £17.50 payable to ‘Rocco Media’...

YOUR DETAILS Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms First name........................................................................................................................................................

Surname ...................................................................................................................................................................................................

Address ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Email (to receive latest news of Club offers).....................................................................................................................

SEND YOUR COMPLETED ORDER FORM AND CHEQUE FOR £17.50 TO: Great Food, 7 Victoria St, Melton Mowbray, Leics LE13 0AR. Please make cheques payable to Rocco Media.

Or, to subscribe online, go to www.greatfoodclub.co.uk and click ‘Join Now’.

Important information: Offer open until August 31, 2012. Unless you state otherwise, the next magazine you will receive will be the Harvest 2012 Issue, please allow up to 21 days for your Great Food Membership Card to arrive. Full terms & conditions at www.greatfoodmag.co.uk and www.greatfoodclub.co.uk Opt-out option: Great Food Club offers are updated regularly and to keep you informed, Great Food would like to contact you by email or by post. We will never share your details with anyone else. However, if you’d prefer not to be contacted by post or email, please tick here [ ].

Great Food Magazine 11

FOOD EVENTS

Diary...

May 5

TIDESWELL FOOD FESTIVAL Tideswell, Derbyshire; 10am to 4pm; free; 01298 871262 www.tastetideswell.co.uk

Some of the summer’s best local do’s

May 31

BEER AND CHEESE TASTING COURSE

May 9

CLASSIC CARS AT THE BLACK BULL

The School of Artisan Food, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire (also runs June 30); half-day course; £35; 01909 532171, www.schoolofartisanfood.org

Market Overton, Rutland; 5pm onwards; free; 01572 767677, www.blackbullrutland.co.uk (runs every first Wed of the month during summer)

June 4

May 12-13

1

ARTISAN CHEESE FAIR

Cattle Market, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire; 10am-4pm; £1; www.artisancheesefair.co.uk (see p14)

STAMFORD FEAST The Big Lunch – Stamford Meadows, Lincolnshire; 10am-4pm; free; www.visitstamford.com/feast

May 19

2

May 24-26

LINCOLN BEER FESTIVAL Lincoln Drill Hall; free/£2/£3 depending on time; 01522 754458; www.lincolncamra.org.uk

Stamford Meadows

June 8-9

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON BEER AND CIDER FESTIVAL Stratford Racecourse; Fri – 2pm-11pm, Sat – 11am-11pm; £10 (includes beer tokens); www.stratfordbeerfestival.org.uk

May 27

June 13-17

Leicester Market; 11am to 5pm; free; 0116 223 2371; www.leicestermarket.co.uk

Birmingham NEC; 9am to 6pm; £19.75/£17.95/Under-5s free; 0844 581 1341; www.bbcgoodfood showsummer.com

LEICESTER SUMMER FOOD & DRINK FEST

May 26-27

4

LOWDHAM BOOK FESTIVAL FOOD FIESTA Nottinghamshire’s Lowdham Book Festival runs from June 3-30 and this year incorporates a food fiesta on June 24 at Caythorpe Cricket Club (11am5pm), run in partnership with Gonalston Farm Shop. There will be stalls, demos and more. For more information visit www.lowdhambookfestival.co.uk.

PIG IN A DAY COURSE

Learn nose-to-tail butchery skills and techniques at The School of Artisan Food, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire; 10am-5pm; £125; 01909 532171; www.schoolofartisanfood.org

3

June 24

DERBYSHIRE FOOD FESTIVAL

Hardwick Hall, near Chesterfield; Sat 26th – 10am to 5pm, Sun 27th – 10am to 4pm; £5/£3/under-16s free; 01629 538464; www.derbyshirefoodfestival.co.uk

Stoneygate Food and Drink Festival June 3

A free local food and drink festival on Allandale Road and Francis Street, Leicester, being staged to mark the Diamond Jubilee. This event runs from 10am-5pm and is being organised by Brady’s Fish & Seafood Market (see p4).

Email zoe.e.brady@hotmail.co.uk for more information.

12 Great Food Magazine

June 30-July 1

MARKET OVERTON FEAST WEEKEND Comprising a food festival, music and more. Events take place on Friday 29th in the church from 6.30pm. Saturday 30th will see a food festival on Main Street, and on Sunday there’s a BBQ. Village pub the Black Bull will run a cider festival throughout the weekend.

BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW

June 15-17

WELLAND VALLEY BEER FESTIVAL Involving 15 pubs across south-west Leicestershire and Rutland; 01536 205671; www.wellandvalleybeerfestival.co.uk

June 31

INTRODUCTION TO ARTISAN CIDER MAKING The School of Artisan Food, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire (also runs July 21); £125; 10am to 4pm; 01909 532171; www.schoolof artisanfood.org

July 1

MELTON COUNTRY FAIR Town Estates Park, Melton Mowbray, Leics; £5 adults, £1 children; 10am-5pm; www.leicestershirefoodlinks.org.uk

Out and about Please check with organisers of all events before setting off

3

4

For a regularly updated events diary, go to greatfood mag.co.uk

2 1

5

6

July 4-8

July 21

Old Market Square in Nottingham city centre and various venues – see p18; www.wearenottingham.co.uk/foodfestival.php

Market Place Oundle; 8.30am-2.30pm; free; 01832 270255; www.oundlefoodfestival.co.uk (picture shows Brigitte Dijksterhuis of Kingsthorpe Farm, Polebrook, at last year’s festival).

NOTTINGHAM FOOD FESTIVAL

July 7

FABULOUS PLACES’ SUMMER MARKET The Roundhouse, Pride Park, Derby; 10am to 5pm; £1; www.fabulousplaces.co.uk

July 20-22

5

CLA GAME FAIR

Belvoir Castle; includes Totally Food show; weekend tickets and advance tickets from £21 adults/£5 under-16s; 020 74607955; www.gamefair.co.uk

6

OUNDLE FOOD FESTIVAL

July 22

RUTLAND FISHING DAY A fun day for 10-17 year olds. Entry fee of £15 covers tackle hire, boat hire with experienced boathandler, permit and BBQ. Download application form from www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD AUG 1-2 Bakewell Show, The Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire AUG 11-12 South Holland Food Festival, Spalding, Lincolnshire AUG 26-27 Northamptonshire Food Show, Holdenby House (see p16) AUG 26-27 Burghley House Fine Food Market, Burghley, Stamford, Lincolnshire SEPT 15 Rutland Food Fest, Rutland Water OCT 6-7 East Midlands Food and Drink Festival, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

High Days and Holidays

MONDAY MAY 7, Early May Bank Holiday MONDAY JUNE 4, Spring Bank Holiday TUESDAY JUNE 5, Diamond Jubilee FRIDAY JULY 27, London Olympics begins MONDAY AUG 27, Summer Bank Holiday

Great Food Magazine 13

EVENT FOCUS

ARTISAN CHEESE FAIR

WHEN? May 12-13, 2012, 10am-4pm WHERE? Melton Mowbray Cattle Market, Leicestershire HOW MUCH? £1 entry Exhibitors include:

Melton Mowbray’s second Artisan Cheese Fair – inspired by similarly cheesy markets held in the town in the 19th century – is set to build on the success of the inaugural 2011 event. Organised by Matthew O’Callaghan of the Melton Mowbray Food Partnership, the event will host more than 30 cheesemakers from around Britain, who between them ferment a total of some 150 cheeses. “We estimate there will be 50 stands,” says Matthew. “Last year we had 2019 paying visitors. This year we predict between 3,000 and 4,000.” The fair will be one of the UK’s largest events for cheesemakers selling directly to the public.

Appleby’s Bath Soft Cheese Co Bertelin Colston Bassett Cornish Cheese Co Cote Hill Cheese Cropwell Bishop D Heath and Son Epicure’s Larder Fred W Read & Sons Godsells Cheese Hampshire Cheeses Island Cheese Co Keen’s Cheddar Leicestershire

Handmade Cheese Co Long Clawson Lynher Dairies Cheese Co (Yarg) Northumberland Cheese Company Quickes Traditional Ram Hall Dairy Sheep Simon Weaver Organic Singletons Stichelton Dairy Teifi Farmhouse Tuxford & Tebbutt Westcombe Dairy Woefuldane Organic

For more information, go to: www.artisancheesefair.co.uk

Farmers’ markets Leicestershire & Rutland ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH

When Third Sat of month

BLABY When Fourth Sat of month

BURBAGE When First Sat

CASTLE DONINGTON When Second Sat

EARL SHILTON When Third Sat

HINCKLEY When Third Thurs

LEICESTER When First Thurs

Where’s your nearest?

MARKET HARBOROUGH When First Thurs

MELTON MOWBRAY When Every Tues and Fri

OAKHAM When Third Sat

Nottinghamshire BEESTON

When Fourth Fri

SNEINTON When Mon mornings & Sat every week

SOUTHWELL When Third Thurs

WEST BRIDGFORD When Second and fourth Sat

WOLLATON When First Sat

When Third Sat

Derbyshire

MANSFIELD

When Third Sat

BINGHAM

ALFRETON

When Third Tues

BELPER

LOUGHBOROUGH

NEWARK

When Second Sat

When Second Wed

When First Wed

LUTTERWORTH

NOTTINGHAM

When Second Sat

When Third Fri and Sat

MARKET BOSWORTH

RETFORD

When Fourth Sun

When Third Sat Bobby’s stand at Leicester Market

CHESTERFIELD When Second Thur and last Sun

DERBY When Third Thur

BIRMINGHAM KINGS HEATH

NORTHAMPTON

When First Sat

TOWCESTER

BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET When First and third Wed

BIRMINGHAM MOSELEY When Fourth Sat

COLESHILL When Fourth Fri

COVENTRY When Second Thurs

LEAMINGTON SPA When Fourth Sat

NUNEATON When Third Fri

RUGBY When Last Thurs

SOLIHULL

When Third Thurs When Second Fri

WELLINGBOROUGH When Last Thurs

Lincolnshire BOSTON

When Third Wed

BRIGG When Fourth Sat

GAINSBOROUGH When Second Sat

HORNCASTLE When Second Thurs

LINCOLN CASTLE SQUARE When Third Sat

LINCOLN CITY SQUARE When First Fri

HEANOR

When First Fri

When Third Sat

STRATFORD-ON-AVON

RIPLEY

When First and third Sat

When First Sat

SUTTON COLDFIELD

LINCOLN NORTH HYKEHAM

When Second Fri

When Fourth Fri

WARWICK

LOUTH

When Fifth Sat (irregular)

When Fourth Wed

SWADLINCOTE When Third Sat

Warwicks & West Mids

Northamptonshire

BEDWORTH

When Third Sat

When Last Wed

BIRMINGHAM HIGH ST HARBORNE

LINCOLN HIGH ST When Second Wed

SLEAFORD

When Third Sat

ATHERSTONE

14 Great Food Magazine

The Artisan Fair will be a celebration of cheesemaking

BRACKLEY DAVENTRY

When First Sat

When Second Sat

OUNDLE

BIRMINGHAM JEWELLERY QUARTER

When Second Sat

HIGHAM FERRERS

When Third Sat

When Last Sat

When First Sat

STAMFORD When Every other Fri (May 4, 18 etc) NB We’ve used a number of sources to compile this list.

Always check market is running before setting off. In general, markets start at around 9am and run till 2pm but some may vary.

zZZ

your local garden centre the

garden farm

shop

Award winning butchery with hundreds of locally sourced and homemade products

the

garden kitchen Professionally produced breakfast, lunch and evening meals using local, seasonal produce

the

garden store We stock a wide variety of plants, shrubs, herbs and seasonal stock as well as hard landscaping, sheds and summerhouses. We also have a new gift shop in our purpose built shop.

Stamford Garden Centre, Casterton Road, Open Mon- Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 5pm

01780 765656

www.stamfordgardencentre.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE READER JUBILEE OFFER Two Meals & a Bottle of Wine for £19.95 at The Coach House Inn in Rutland On bank holiday Monday, May 7th, and throughout the Diamond Jubilee week, Monday 4th June until Saturday 9th June, the Coach House Inn are offering this special promotion. Buy two ‘home comfort’ meals and a bottle of house wine – all for just £19.95.

If you’ve never experienced the warm welcome and relaxing atmosphere or tasted the beautifully cooked traditional pub food at the Coach House Inn – you’re missing out!

Come and join us and see for yourself.

Simply give us a call on 01780 720166 to book your table today.

p15_GF_MayJune12.indd Sec1:15

The Coach House Inn 3 Stamford Road, South Luffenham, Rutland LE15 8NT Tel: 01780 720166 www.coachhouserutland.co.uk

19/4/12 14:03:33

EVENT FOCUS Steve and Caroline Ward from St Giles Cheese, Northampton

The Larder Deli (Castle Ashby) stand

Preview

Northamptonshire Food Show WHEN: AUGUST 26-27, 2012, 11AM-5PM WHERE: HOLDENBY HOUSE, NEAR NORTHAMPTON HOW MUCH: ADULTS £7.50, CHILDREN £3.50 (ADMISSION TO HOLDENBY HOUSE INCLUDED)

S

tunning Holdenby House, just north of Northampton, will be the venue for one of the region’s best summer food events – The Northamptonshire Food Show. In its sixth year, the event will take place on August 26 and 27 (Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday).

The historic setting, marquees, bunting and throngs – the show has been enjoyed by thousands of visitors in previous years – all combine to give the feel of a giant garden party. And, of course, there’s plenty of excellent food and drink to sample. Last year, while wandering around, Great Food bumped into Gourmet Spice (see p40), Fosse Meadows Farm, Brown’s

Holdenby House

Top: Brown’s Gourmet Sausages. Above: Sicilian rice balls on the Pietanze stand

“The historic setting, marquees, bunting and throngs all combine to give the feel of a giant garden party”

Holdenby House was used by the BBC as ‘Satis House’ – home to Miss Havisham – in its acclaimed 2011 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. It is a privately owned mansion located six miles north of Northampton.

Built in 1583 by Sir Christopher Hatton, Holdenby was once the largest privately owned house in England, and visitors to the Northamptonshire Food Show will have the rare chance to see inside the private family home, as it is open for both days of the event (house admission is included in the show’s entrance fee). The Northamptonshire Food Show is set throughout the gardens and grounds of this country home, and there’ll be surprises and activities around every corner.

16 Great Food Magazine

Gourmet Sausages, Tunnel Brewery and St Giles Cheese to name but a few. There was also an impressive schedule of demonstrations in two cookery theatres by Northants cookbook author and blogger Vanessa Kimbell and East Haddon-based Shires Cookery School. This year we are told there will again be an exciting programme of cooking demos from local and regional chefs.

These will include winners and runners-up from the Carlsberg Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2011/12.

But it’s the setting of the event that really makes

it special. Food stands are scattered around Holdenby House’s beautiful Grade I listed gardens in the shadow of the magnificent 16th century house. There’ll be a licensed bar on the picturesque front lawn, plus music and children’s activities – plenty for all the family. Great Food Magazine and Club will have a stand, too.

Maybe you’ll just want to sit and relax while watching the falconry display and the world go by. Whatever your preference, this food event is worth checking out. And Holdenby House is open for both days, with admission included in the entrance fee. For more information go to www. northamptonshirefoodshow.co.uk. Q

F

RANKS STEAK HOUSE serves fantastic locally sourced food in a traditional yet contemporary atmosphere. Steaks are cooked over a Josper Oven and served on wooden boards accompanied by homemade rough cut chips and side dishes.

Fresh fish, chicken and vegetarian dishes are also on the menu, along with tempting handmade desserts.

A fine selection of Bibendum wines to suit all tastes.

Open 7 nights a week. Lunch served Tuesday to Sunday.

Michelin 1 Star Pub Good Hotel Guide Cesar Award 2012 01780 410355

Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ 2012 01949 860868

Getting ready for summer at our award-winning inns

CALL US ON: 01604 949 804

FIND US AT: 176 WELLINGBOROUGH ROAD NORTHAMPTON, NN1 4DZ

WWW.FRANKSSTEAKHOUSE.CO.UK

Sharing platters on the terrace

Award Winning Pub

Great as a starter for two or snack for one, our £10.50 sh, meat and vegetarian platters are available at both pubs throughout the week

Cappuccinos and cupcakes at the Red Lion Catch the morning sunshine with friends at our new Wednesday coffee mornings. Free wi, newspapers and magazines

Luxury bed & breakfast at Beech House Our six individually designed rooms are perfect for that special mini break away

Parties in The Olive Branch Barn

A charming building with 7 unique rooms over 3 floors and a large enclosed patio

Sean has designed a fabulous new tasting menu for dining in The Barn. Exclusive use for you and your friends (from 10 to 20 guests)

We have 5 real ales including our own White Hart Ale and an expansive wine list that we import ourselves from around the world. We specialise in stone baked, handmade pizzas, plus a wide range of other dishes.

12 St Pauls Street, Stamford, PE9 2BE Tel: 01780 753800 info@tobienorris.com www.tobienorris.com

p17_GF_MayJune12.indd Sec1:17

Rutland Inn Company www.theolivebranchpub.com

19/4/12 14:05:51

EVENT FOCUS

Preview

The bmibaby Nottingham Food Festival: July 4-8 Bigger and better, with a new beer and wine

sampling area...

WHEN: JULY 4-8, 2012 WHERE: MARKET SQUARE & THROUGHOUT THE CITY HOW MUCH: FREE

T

he Nottingham Food & Drink Festival is being spiced up this year to make an already varied event even more flavoursome. Additional ingredients for 2012 include a beer and wine sampling area, stocked with a wide selection of wines and locally brewed real ales, and a new performance zone, showcasing local talent. These extra features, plus the presence of the event’s centrepiece – a regional food and drink market in Nottingham’s Market Square with more than 40 stalls – are set to make this year’s event the most interesting yet.

Now in its fourth year, the festival is once again organised by We Are Nottingham, the Business Improvement District (BID) for licensed premises in the city centre, with the headline sponsor for 2012 being bmibaby.

Nottingham’s Market Square also sees the return of the demo theatre, newly extended for 2012. Chef, broadcaster and writer Richard Fox will host demonstrations from some of Nottingham’s finest chefs, as well as taking to the hob himself. A few well-known faces are due to join Richard on stage during the five-day event as part of a series of planned surprise appearances. Richard has developed a reputation for cooking with beer – highly appropriate for real ale hotspot Nottingham – and has become known as ‘The Beer Chef’, so is the perfect person to complement the introduction of the beer and wine sampling area at this year’s festival.

Once again, restaurants and bars across the city centre will be hosting a varied programme of events and masterclasses, with everything from sushi making to blind cocktail tasting. There will also be a host of special offers to tempt diners to sample the wide variety of cuisines that Nottingham has to offer.

Sylvia Oates, chief executive of We Are Nottingham, said: “We’re thrilled to be back for 2012 and to have bmibaby on board for a five-day celebration of Nottingham’s vibrant food and drink scene. The new beer and wine marquee is

18 Great Food Magazine

Anmarie Spaziano from Annie’s Burger Shack gives a demo in 2011

Examples of events taking place in the Market Square Demo Area…

ALLEY CAFE (Cannon Court) – how to use tofu in everyday cooking TONIC (Chapel Quarter) – giving desserts the wow factor CHAI YO THAI (Parliament Terrace) – Thai green curry & Thai carving with fruit and veg ALL BAR ONE (Weekday Cross) – beef and lamb burgers

Some events taking place in venues throughout Nottingham…

FAT CAT (Chapel Quarter) – cocktail masterclass EVIVA TAVERNA (Barker Gate, Lace Market) – mezze night with belly dancing HOMEMADE CAFÉ (Pelham Street) – ‘50s Diner Night

A few of the stalls set to appear in Market Square…

Aubrey’s Traditional Creperie; MemSaab; 4550 Miles from Delhi; The Walk; Nada Budaya; Dogma.

something that we’ve been looking at for a while and will be a showcase area for some of the finest wine producers and the region’s outstanding breweries and microbreweries.

“I would also like to announce the addition of a new performance area. We are searching for Nottingham’s best bands, musicians, dancers, comedians and other performers to take to the stage and entertain the crowds at the festival, adding a new cultural flavour.”

For more information on the bmibaby Nottingham Food and Drink Festival 2012, visit www.nottsfoodanddrinkfestival.com.

Further details on the work of We Are Nottingham, including details on the Taxi Marshal and Best Bar None schemes, can be found at www.wearenottingham.co.uk. Q

Nottingham’s Market Square will host a regional food market and much more for five days

“Nottingham’s food and drink scene is truly diverse and has one of the most varied offerings outside of London” – Sylvia Oates, chief executive, We Are Nottingham

Above left: Sushi class at Chino Latino last year.

Others: Scenes from Market Square 2011

Great Food Magazine 19

AL FRESCO

Time for a

Vintage Jubilee P ARTICLE: JACK THORPE PHOTOS: LAURA HARVEY

Great Food teams up with Rutland’s Reloved Vintage to put 20 Great Food Magazine

o

Party food

T

e Party!

t

he Diamond Jubilee takes place on June 5 – and we’ve all been given a long weekend to celebrate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne. It’s the perfect time to throw a vintage garden party with local food and drink as the centrepiece.

Food made by small, local, artisan producers goes hand in hand with the characterful vintage style, which has never been more in fashion. Just as more people are rebelling against massproduced food, people are also turning away from identikit furniture in favour of individual items that have their own history and unique look. So why not combine the two? What better way to look back on the past 60 years than by giving your party a vintage theme? Go through your (or your parents’) wardrobes and cupboards, or raid your

on a local food garden party to celebrate the Jubilee Great Food Magazine 21

AL FRESCO

local charity shops to find the perfect vintage gear to wear and you’ll be all set for a party to remember.

Laura Harvey, of Rutland-based Reloved Vintage, says: “The vintage look is really in and there are loads of brilliant retro clothes shops and vintage markets to browse. Once you’ve got the look, think about how you’re going to present your food. Shabby chic is perfect for a garden party like this. As long as the weather’s fine, it’s just as easy to take your farmhouse kitchen table outside as it is to put up a plastic patio set, but much better looking! We’ve sold furniture to customers from London to Norfolk, Derbyshire and Wiltshire – and we’re even shipping a huge Welsh dresser to Dubai later this summer! Customers love the fact that vintage furniture is unique, with its own history.”

But wait! We can’t have a garden party without any local food or drink! We set ourselves the task of picking just one product from each of the Heart of England counties. Here are the results...

1

2

3

Leicestershire

Rutland

Northamptonshire

Red, white and blue cheeses!

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester by Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Company, plus Long Clawson White Stilton and Long Clawson Blue Stilton. All these cheeses were supplied by The Melton Cheeseboard, 8 Windsor Street, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1BU, 01664 562257, www.meltoncheeseboard.co.uk

Bread and cakes from Hambleton Bakery.

Our photos include Date and Walnut, Sourdough, Borodinsky, Muffin, Manchet, Eccles Cake, Fruit and Almond Tart, Treacle Tart, Lemon Tart, and Portuguese Tart.

Hambleton Bakery has shops in Exton, Oakham, Stamford and Oundle, 01572 812995, www. hambletonbakery.co.uk

Brixworth Paté.

An award-winning chicken liver, bacon, onion, garlic, herb, sherry and brandy paté made by the Bates family in Brixworth. Available from many Northants outlets, including The Food Hall, 60 St Giles St, Northampton, NN1 1JW, 01604 233313, www.northamptondelicatessen.co.uk

PARTY TIME!

We held our party in a garden in Normanton village, near the south shore of Rutland Water. After the photos were taken the food didn‘t last long

4 7

2

1 3

4

Derbyshire Wild Swan Pale Ale by Thornbridge Brewery, Riverside Brewery, Buxton Road, Bakewell, DE45 1GS, 01629 641000, www.thornbridge brewery.co.uk

Staffordshire Broken Stones Reichensteiner Phoenix dry white and Good Company Rondo Reserve medium dry red by Buzzard Valley Vineyard, 37 Shirrall Drive, Drayton Bassett, B78 3EQ, 0121 3081951, www.buzzards valleyfisherys.co.uk

22 Great Food Magazine

5

6

7

Nottinghamshire

Warwickshire

Lincolnshire

Piccalilli; Pickled Onion Chutney; Banana Curd; Strawberry & Champagne Jam. Handmade in small batches using local ingredients.

Mr Pitchfork’s Pickles, W47 Lenton Business Centre, Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 2BY, 0115 9178037, www.mrpitchforkspickles.co.uk

Stratford All-Day Blend tea, Young Hyson green tea and Bouquet Royale fruit tea.

This is perfect for filling your vintage tea cups. Produced by Bensons House of Tea. 33 Henley Street, Stratfordupon-Avon, CV37 6QW, 01789 296996, www.bensonstea.com

Boston sausages and haslet.

Handmade in Lincs without any preservatives, additives or flavour enhancers. Haslet is a herby pork meatloaf – a county delicacy. From Mountain’s Boston Sausage, Bridge Foot, 13 High Street, Boston, PE21 8SH, 01205 362167, www. bostonsausage.co.uk

Party food

About Reloved Vintage

GARDEN PARTY RECIPES

Classic party food is the order of the day. As this is to mark the Diamond Jubilee, why not source some inspiration from Commonwealth nations?

Tropical trifle shots For an alternative to a regular big trifle, serve your dessert in vintage shot glasses, or try this fresh twist on a British summer classic. Scoop out a mouthful with a teaspoon.

* Jamaica ginger cake, cut to size using the shot glasses

* Small carton or bottle of pineapple juice

* Finely chopped fresh pineapple or mango

* Whipped double cream * Pineapple jelly (made to packet instructions)

Layer your shot glasses with the cake, then pour over the juice to soak, add the chopped fruit and dollop of jelly and top with cream. Sprinkle with toasted coconut to garnish. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Reloved Vintage is based just outside Oakham, Rutland. Specialising in shabby chic furniture and homeware, the company sells bespoke dressers, dining tables, dressing tables and other large items of vintage furniture, all carefully restored and styled, as well as vintage cakestands, tea sets, candles and more. Reloved Vintage trades at markets, fetes and fairs around the Midlands, and sells through its website www.relovedvintageinteriors.co.uk.

If you’re after a specific item, or have a piece of furniture you’d like reloving, visit the website or email relovedvintageuk@gmail.com

Jerk Coronation Chicken Coronation Chicken is also celebrating its Diamond Jubilee – here’s a delicious version with a Jamaican influence.

* 4 cold, cooked chicken legs, bones removed

* Small tub crème fraiche spoonful of mayonnaise * Big 1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds *1 * 1/2 tsp ground allspice * 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves * /2 tsp ground cinnamon * Pinch of nutmeg * Salt and pepper * Chopped fresh coriander * Handful sultanas or chopped,

WELSH DRESSER: Painted and finished with a hard-wearing clear matt wax – this item has sold, but similar-sized dressers are available from £325.

FARMHOUSE TABLE AND SIX CHAIRS: £450.

HANDMADE VINTAGE CAKESTAND: A variety of colours and styles. From £7 for a single-tier stand.

VINTAGE CUP AND SAUCER CANDLE: Available in several colours and styles, starting at £5 for a small cup and saucer.

KITCHEN TROLLEY WITH STORAGE BASKET AND LARGE DRAWER: Painted in duck-egg blue and finished with a clear matt wax, £95.

fried plantain

Mix chicken, mayonnaise and creme fraiche. Add each dry ingredient a little at a time and taste until it hits the spot. If you want it to be a prettier colour, add a pinch of turmeric and if you like a little spice, some chilli powder won‘t go amiss. Serve in sandwiches with crisp lettuce.

Coffee and cardamom cake Cardamom gives a fragrant, Indian-infused edge to this classic party cake.

* 250g self-raising flour * 200g softened unsalted butter * 200g caster sugar * 4 free-range eggs * 3 tbsp strong coffee * Seeds from 8 cardamom pods For the filling * 250g double cream * 1 tbsp icing sugar * Seeds from 5 cardamom pods * 50g chopped pistachios For the icing * 110g icing sugar * 1 tbsp warm black coffee

1 Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5 (190C).

2 Grease and line a 9in cake tin.

3 Whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add each egg in turn, beating until combined before adding the next one.

4 Add coffee and ground cardamom seeds, mix well and fold in flour.

5 Pour the mixture into your tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and risen.

6 Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

7 Filling: whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Add the icing sugar, ground cardamom seeds and pistachios and whisk until mixture forms stiff peaks.

8 Icing: in a new bowl, mix icing sugar and coffee until smooth.

9 When cake is cooled, slice in half lengthways and spread the filling mixture on the bottom half.

10 Put the top half on and drizzle over the coffee icing.

Great Food Magazine 23

LOCAL PRODUCER

Ploughing her own furrow With her free range mutton and veal, Annie Wright of Saltby Pasture isn’t following the herd ARTICLE: RACHEL CULLIS DORSETT

I

t is a very brave farmer who decides to specialise in producing two meats that, for very different reasons, are not popular foods in Great Britain. But Annie Wright, owner of a 25-acre smallholding in rural Leicestershire, has done just that – hand rearing and selling veal, hogget (old-season lamb) and mutton to farm shops, delis and restaurants around the East Midlands with great success.

“People associate the word mutton with meat from an old sheep that’s as tough as old boots, which you have to slow-cook for days,” she laughs. “Similarly, veal is not popular in this country because of the association with the way it is reared on the continent – a process which ensures the milky white, tender meat that the French demand.”

Both of these negative associations couldn’t be further from the beautiful meat that Annie now produces at her farm at Saltby Pasture near the village of Saltby, located midway between Melton Mowbray and Grantham.

24 Great Food Magazine

She explains: “Our veal is free range and termed rosé – which means that the animal has been allowed free movement around our two-and-a-half acre paddocks or, in winter, around the barn.

“This free movement changes the meat so it is slightly beefier in flavour and pink in colour, but still has that wonderful delicateness.

“A lot of people in this country avoid veal because of the association with seeing calves in crates, which are fed a milk-only diet – but our veal calves are reared in a free range environment, which means we are still able to enjoy veal meat and at the same time know that the animal has been well cared for in its life.”

Choosing the best Annie’s veal calves come from a local dairy, and she works with the dairyman to carefully select the animals that are the healthiest and have the best breeding.

Saltby Pasture

Annie Wright at the 2011 East Midlands Food & Drink Festival

“I look for a calf that has a good frame, has had goodquality colostrum (first milk) from mum and has had a normal calving – all of these things give the calf the best ability to resist disease,” she explains.

According to Annie, the perception of veal is changing fast but more people need to be eating it if the business is going to support the dairy farmers who otherwise have no use for the bull calves. “They are either shipped abroad for slaughter or culled shortly after birth,” Annie explains.

“A few of the very lucky ones are retained and bred for meat but my philosophy is that if we can create a market for rosé veal in this country then more dairy farmers will be able to sell their bull calves for veal and those calves will have a good life ahead of them,” she says.

Lincoln Longwools

“Our mutton has amazing depth of flavour and can be pan-fried or roasted – it doesn’t have to be slow-cooked as most people think” Aside from veal, Annie also has a flock of Lincoln Longwool sheep – a rare breed suited perfectly to the Saltby terrain – which are bred for hogget and mutton.

“Having lived in Sussex as a child and known the problems of having a breed that doesn’t suit your area, the Lincoln Longwool was the obvious choice for us. It is a sheep native to Lincolnshire and known for its wool but more importantly for me, it is a docile creature that is very friendly and easy to handle,” she smiles.

“They have fabulous fleeces that we sell to the Wool Marketing Board once a year, and fabulous meat – but the

ROSÉ VEAL The veal calves raised at Saltby Pasture are well looked after, free range and grassfed. This produces pink – not white – meat, hence the term ‘rosé’ veal.

Annie gives firm instructions to her ram!

breed is slow growing so is perfect for mutton and hogget.

We have worked hard over the last two years to ensure that the finishing of the meat is the best it can be.

“Because the Lincoln Longwool is a rare and old fashioned breed, it is fattier than modern commercial sheep, which are bred to be lean. But the fat is really important – if you have older meat that doesn’t have much fat or marbling (the fat between the muscles), then it would be dry and tough.”

Unbeatable taste Annie continues: “Our mutton has an amazing depth of flavour, which means the fillet can be pan-fried or you can roast a joint as you would a piece of lamb. It doesn’t have to be slow-cooked as most people perceive.”

Hogget is the term for old-season lamb that’s a year old and mutton can be anything from the age of two to five.

Saltby Pasture mutton is produced after the animal’s third winter when the meat is at its peak in terms of flavour.

“It is delicious and I would best describe it as having a more mature but not a stronger flavour,” says Annie. “It loses the sweetness of lamb and we find that people who don’t like lamb, actually love mutton.”

The product ranges are going so well that Annie has now employed a local home economist, Gail Chapman, to help her develop a range of recipe cards to go with the different cuts as well as launching a range of specialist sausages, burgers and related products. Currently the most popular are veal and cheese burgers, and mutton koftas.

Great Food Magazine 25

LOCAL PRODUCER

“We develop the ideas together, trialling different flavour combinations with each meat to find the ones that perfectly complement each other,” explains Gail.

“Veal has a very delicate flavour and can be completely drowned out by strong herbs and spices, so we are very careful to test and develop as we go. For example, when coming up with the extremely popular veal and cheese burger, we tried all the Parmesans but it really only worked with Grana Padano – the other combinations like Parmigiano or Pecorino were just too acidic or too strong for the delicacy of the veal.”

Annie continues: “We are also very much aware of how the flavours develop over time, so if I sell some burgers on

Saltby Pasture also raises Cumbrian Herdwick sheep

“The Lincoln Longwool is a rare, old fashioned breed that’s fattier than modern commercial sheep and therefore perfect for mutton and hogget” Saturday that may not be eaten until the Tuesday, it is very important to know that the flavours are still going to work together in the correct way.”

Annie’s philosophy is very much about giving people what they want and making the mutton and veal as

Where to find Saltby Pasture

Derbyshire Food Festival, Hardwick Hall, May 26-27 Big Lunch Stamford, June 4 Belton House Food Fair, June 30-July 1 Burghley House Fine Food Market, August 26-27 Nottingham Fine Food Markets, 3rd weekend of the month Harborne Farmers’ Market, 2nd weekend of the month Sneinton Market, 3rd weekend of the month

user-friendly as possible, which she has worked out is absolutely crucial to their long-term survival.

Meat with provenance “As somebody once said to me, you can educate people but you are not necessarily going to change how they cook or eat their food, which I think is very sensible advice,” says Annie. “At Saltby Pasture we are aware that expecting people to spend time preparing the meat for the pan simply isn’t practical – and it’s highly unlikely you’re ever going to be able to change that.

“I hope our product range is such that it will appeal to everyone – whatever their lifestyle – and will allow people to feed their family good quality British meat with great provenance,” she adds. Q

CONTACT Saltby Pasture, Stonesby Road, Saltby, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4RF, www.saltby pasture.co.uk, 01664 430444

Veal stir fry with orange and ginger Serves 4 Veal marinade * 400g Saltby Pasture veal rump, cut into strips * 10g dark soy sauce * 12g fresh ginger, minced * 1–2 cloves garlic, crushed * 75g fresh orange juice

Tender veal makes a brilliant stir fry

Stir fry and sauce * 2 tbsp vegetable oil * 1 red pepper, de-seeded and sliced * 6 salad onions, sliced * 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks * 150g sugar snap peas * 200g baby sweetcorn * 50g mushrooms, sliced * 75g fresh orange juice * 15g dark soy sauce Marinade: 1 Combine the orange juice with the dark soy sauce, ginger and garlic.

2 Add the veal strips and combine with the marinade.

3 Cover and leave in the fridge for a minimum 30 minutes, up to two hours.

4 Drain the veal and discard the soy and ginger marinade.

Stir fry: 1 Add the vegetable oil to a wok and

26 Great Food Magazine

heat until it’s smoking and then add the drained veal strips and stir fry for around 3-4 minutes.

3 Remove the veal from the wok and put to one side.

4 Add the prepared vegetables and stir fry for 3–4 minutes.

5 Return the veal to the wok and mix into the vegetables.

6 Add the soy sauce and the orange juice and mix until dispersed.

7 Check the meat is hot throughout and remove from the heat.

8 Serve with noodles or rice.

The Guyrope Gourmet

AL FRESCO

Fancy mackerel

New regular contributor The Guyrope Gourmet shares some fishy knowledge that’ll be handy for your summer hols

N

ow the weather is warming up a little, there’ll be more than a couple of you beginning to think about getting the tent out. Maybe you’re already planning the next big camping trip, but might be stuck for ideas about what to cook when you’re out in the wilds.

That’s where the Guyrope Gourmet comes in. After all, there’s more to camping cuisine than bangers and beans.

With plenty of farm shops, suppliers and producers out there, great camping food should never be more than a mile from your tent flaps.

Kitchens and gadgets seem to work together in harmony – it’s no different in the camping kitchen. This summer’s musthave camping gadget (well, every summer’s must-have, to tell the truth) is the barbecue.

Sun, sand and stuffed mackerel The ‘fancy gutting’ technique illustrated below means there’s a nice cavity for lemon and herbs.

The good old barby opens-up any aspiring guyrope gourmet’s repertoire to a whole host of delicious meals in a field. Most campsite owners are happy for their guests to light a barbecue, so long as it’s raised well off the

ground and won’t leave scorch marks. I use an old washing machine drum, which once the cooking’s done, doubles up as a great campfire container. A more recent purchase has been my little blue bucket barbecue. It’s

perfect for a trip to the beach or a camping picnic.

On a recent trip to Staithes on the north Yorkshire coast, I witnessed the skipper of a small boat gutting mackerel in a most unusual manner. He called it ‘fancy gutting’, and I fancied a go at it. Sean had caught plenty, so he let me try a couple (he turned out to be a bit of a foodie himself and runs a coastal safari – see www.realstaithes.com).

The ‘fancy gutting’ technique turned out to be as easy as it looked, and the beauty of it is that with the fish’s belly left intact, the cavity is perfect for stuffing, making mackerel the ideal fish for a barbecue. Some TV chefs would serve this up with gooseberry sauce. The Guyrope Gourmet would urge you to keep it simple with a lemon and fresh herb stuffing, and serve it with spicy couscous.

Skipper Sean’s ‘fancy gutting’ technique

Barbecued mackerel (one fish per person)

1 Using a sharp knife, make a small slit forward from the anus.

2 Prise out a small loop of intestine from the slit and sever the intestine.

3 Make a 45° cut around the fish’s head.

4 Twist and pull – the guts will come away in one.

5 Rinse under running water.

Spicy couscous

Gut as described, stuff the cavity with a wedge of lemon and a handful of fresh coriander and flat leaf parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and barbecue for five minutes on each side.

Serves four * 1 onion, finely chopped * 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped * Olive oil * Half a fresh chilli, finely chopped and seeds removed * 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds * 1 dstspn of fennel seeds * 1 tps of cumin seeds 1 Put a kettle of water on to boil for the vegetable stock. Heat a good glug of olive oil in a high-sided frying pan. Add the chopped onion, garlic and the chilli.

2 Simmer gently for three or four minutes, then add the chopped mushrooms. Now mix together and crush the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar. Crushing the fennel and cumin first, then adding the coriander is easiest.

* 1 tbsp sherry vinegar * 1 tsp sugar * 150g mushrooms, chopped * 250g dried couscous * 1 ltr vegetable stock * Large knob of butter * 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped * Salt and pepper to taste 3 Once the onion has begun to colour, add the crushed spices and stir. Add the sugar and sherry vinegar. Stir. Careful not to inhale the vinegar vapour!

4 Turn down the gas and add the couscous, stirring well. Pour in the litre of stock and stir over a very low heat until the couscous has absorbed the stock. Fork through the large knob of butter and sprinkle with chopped flat leaf parsley.

The Guyrope Gourmet (also known as Josh Sutton) is an outdoor-loving Yorkshireman. His mission is to inspire young and old to blend excellent food with good camping. He says campsite food should be about far more than bangers and beans – www guyropegourmet.com

Great Food Magazine 27

LOCAL PRODUCERS OPPOSITE PAGE: Members of the B14 Collective and some of their products.

By working closely together, business has become a little easier and more fun

Birmingham’s B14 Artisan Food Collective. From left: Amy Burnage, Neil Baldwyn, Birgit Kehrer, Rachel Carter, David Capeling and Karl Held

Let’s work

Or are you? Aren’t there, in fact, lots of other local producers nearby, just like you? What if you teamed up with some who share your values with the aim of reducing workload, pooling ideas, and maybe even creating something greater than the sum of its parts?

That’s exactly what Birmingham’s B14 Artisan Food Collective has done. Eager to find out more, Great Food travelled to Britain’s second city to meet the five-strong team of businesses, namely Capeling & Co (a mobile cheesemonger and deli), Cuffufle Chutney (jams and preserves), ChangeKitchen (vegetarian catering and food products), Lucky 13 Bakehouse (bread and more), and Wanton and Furious (chocolate).

In a room opposite the city’s Wholesale Market on Pershore Street, David Capeling, who has run Kings Heath-based Capeling & Co since 2009 – first as a shop and now as a mobile business – explains how the collective was formed. “I was tired of spending money to bring stock from London to Birmingham when there are good local producers on our doorstep. So I started knocking around a few ideas and thinking about which producers could stock Capeling & Co with good quality local produce.”

Neil Baldwyn, who runs Lucky 13 Bakehouse in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter with his partner Amy Burnage, takes up the story: “We met in a pub to discuss how we could supply David with our produce. By closing time – without setting out to do so – we’d formed the B14 Collective.”

“The name refers to the Kings Heath postcode,” says Amy. “We wanted to show that the collective was locally focused. Also, we’re big fans of the Kings Heath area and all based within it or nearby.”

“Twitter was instrumental in us getting together,” says Birgit Kehrer, the driving force behind ChangeKitchen, a social enterprise focused on vegetarian catering and healthy eating. “That’s where much of the initial contact with each other was made.”

together!

How five food-lovers joined forces to form Birmingham’s B14 Artisan Collective…

Y

our budget’s tighter than a well-fed Victorian’s corset and tomorrow’s farmers’ market starts in just 10 hours. You need to organise your stock, feed the kids and write your blog; you’ve run out of plastic bags, forgotten to sort out a cash float, and you’re not happy with the design of your new website. Welcome to the artisan food and drink business. It’s exciting but tough, and you need to do everything possible to save time and money. You’re also on your own...

The collective offers locally made chocolate, chutney, bread, hummus, cheese and more...

28 Great Food Magazine

Beauty of sharing As well as initially supplying Capeling & Co, the quintet shares stalls at farmers’ markets and meets regularly to discuss strategy and pool ideas. “We eventually managed to persuade Kings Heath and Kings Norton farmers’ markets to allows us to stand as a collective,” says Birgit. Rachel Carter of Cuffufle Chutney continues: “The beauty of being a collective is that our market stalls have more to offer customers and look beautiful, plus we can share workload and promote each others’ work. For example, we all met up just the other day to discuss business plans but ended up talking about how we could help each other out. We shared contacts, leads and ideas.”

So how will the B14 Collective evolve? Says Birgit: “We’re all keen to grow into a bigger team – Urban Harvest [www.urbanharvestbham.org] is hopefully

LOCAL PRODUCERS

Birgit Kehrer goes shopping LEFT AND CENTRE: Lucky 13 Bakehouse bread is in demand; one of ChangeKitchen’s vegetarian – and ethical – buffets, which are proving popular at weddings

going to provide local cider and possibly some liqueurs made from foraged ingredients, plus we’re talking with a school social enterprise with a view to them supplying dried cooking herbs and digestive herbal teas.”

The collective is also thinking of marketing a box delivery scheme, where customers sign up to receive regular crates filled with B14 products. Birminghambased baker Tom Baker of Loaf Community Bakery (www.loafonline.co.uk) has introduced a similar concept with his bread subscriptions, where customers pay upfront for several weeks-worth of bread.

Birmingham’s food community The B14 Collective sees itself as part of a wider local food community in Birmingham, which takes pride in being the antidote to slick, faceless, mass-produced food corporations. Karl Held of Wanton & Furious explains: “There’s a whole local network of small producers and suppliers in Birmingham and the B14 Collective is part of that. Today’s consumers want to know the stories behind their food and like to recognise the faces who are making and selling it. You get sucked into these small producers’ stories – often via Twitter or other social networking sites – and create a mental

And the hard graft certainly seems to be paying off.

Each component part of the B14 Collective has its own unique story and is enjoying some success.

The individual businesses Lucky 13 Bakehouse began life in September 2011, sharing a kitchen in Bourneville before outgrowing that and moving to a unit in the Jewellery Quarter. “Twitter gave us our first customers,” says Neil. “People got in touch – businesses wanting to sell our bread, such as Brewsmiths café, and individual customers, too.”

Capeling & Co began trading in November 2009, specialising in high quality cheese with provenance.

“Historically, Birmingham was poor for cheese,” says David. “Before setting up the business I had to go to Paxton & Whitfield in Stratford to get the best stuff.”

Wanton & Furious is named after owner Karl Held’s favourite driving offence (it’s true – Google it). Karl spent his childhood in Germany’s Black Forest, where he fell in love with chocolate. A few years ago he enrolled on a Barry Callebaut chocolate making course in Banbury. A typical Wanton & Furious concoction comprises Mexican chocolate infused with oregano, epazote, three types of chilli and toasted sesame seeds.

ChangeKitchen

As a business with a moral purpose, Birgit Kehrer’s ChangeKitchen is a little different to those of the other B14 members. Originally set up as part of Birmingham homeless and alcohol addiction charity SIFA Fireside, ChangeKitchen aims to employ disadvantaged people and encourage healthy eating among those who need it most. This catering social enterprise is proving popular with customers who identify with its values, whether for weddings, conferences or parties. “Lots of individuals and organisations love what we’re doing and find our food delicious,” says Birgit, who hails from Augsburg, Bavaria.

‘There’s a whole local network of small food producers in Birmingham’ map of them. Being part of that narrative and network is a brilliant feeling.”

The idea of a community of small, local food producers crops up time and again when talking with the B14 members. “We want to form grassroots community connections through our food and drink,” says David Capeling. “I think there’s an activist element to what we’re doing. Customers today are interested in local food and its provenance, which is great, but that’s being exploited by big brands. For example, Jamie Oliver recently opened a restaurant in the middle of the city – it serves great food but is overpriced. Corporations are pretending to be small, local and handmade but in reality are massive brands taking advantage of the legwork that’s been done by the small, local producers. I see the B14 Collective as offering real local produce and allowing consumers to reconnect with food. But we’re doing it through graft, not money and marketing.”

30 Great Food Magazine

ChangeKitchen is a social enterprise catering business that specialises in vegetarian, ethically sourced, healthy, fresh food. As a community interest company, it employs as many people as possible who have found it hard to get back into work, and runs healthy eating classes. In addition to the wedding, party and conference catering, ChangeKitchen products include hummus, harissa and tapenade.

Cuffufle Chutney sprang from Rachel Carter’s “addiction” to making preserves. “I wanted to turn my addiction into a saleable product,” she says. “I love it – the smells, the stirring, the creative process. It doesn’t pay the bills on its own yet but I’m passionate about it.”

That same passion emanates from each member of the B14 Artisan Food Collective. By joining forces and harnessing and sharing ideas, skills and contacts, they have managed to help each others’ businesses as well as benefitting their own. Q

CONTACTS Capeling & Co @CapelingandCo on Twitter, capelingandco@gmail.com ChangeKitchen @changekitchen on Twitter, www.changekitchen.co.uk, 0121 2883727 Cuffufle Chutney @CuffufleChutney on Twitter, cuffuflechutney@gmail.com, 07886 367544 Lucky 13 Bakehouse @lucky13bakes on Twitter, www.lucky13bakehouse.co.uk, 07581 429447 Wanton & Furious @wantonfurious on Twitter, www.wantonandfurious. wordpress.com

Recipe

Sarah Newham’s freshly dressed crab with English asparagus Sarah Newham is head chef at Perkins Restaurant at Plumtree, Nottinghamshire.

We asked her for a favourite al fresco dish and she came up with this simple little beauty. And to drink? “2006 Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury – a sparking white from West Sussex,” says Sarah.

“It’s subtle, dry and zesty, with real finesse and length – a fantastic and interesting choice that will elevate the crab beautifully.”

* 1 freshly dressed crab from your local fishmonger

* 2 free range eggs * 1 lemon * Mayonnaise * Cayenne pepper & Salt * Worcester sauce

Simply separate the white and brown crab meat to season and re-dress. Serve with freshly cooked asparagus...

Seasoning for the brown crab meat: In a mixing bowl, add the following to suit your own taste – Worcester sauce, squeeze of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt and small spoonful of mayonnaise to bind.

Seasoning for the white crab meat: In a mixing bowl, add lemon juice, freshly chopped chive, salt and cayenne pepper, and a small teaspoon of mayo to bind.

To hard boil the eggs: Place the eggs into boiling water for 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Once cold, separate the white from the hard yolk and grate.

To dress the crab: Spoon the seasoned brown meat into the base followed by the white meat on top. Then carefully sprinkle the egg white and yolk along the centre.

Asparagus: Peel the asparagus leaving an inch-long tip. Cook in boiling salted water for around one minute.

CONTACT Perkins Restaurant, Station Road, Plumtree, Nottingham, NG12 5NA, 0115 9373695, www.perkins-family.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 31

AL FRESCO

Perfect local

Now’s the time to enjoy food and drink in the fresh air at the region’s most beautiful locations.

Here are a few suggestions…

1

7 8

6

Derbyshire: Monsal Head

4

Looking down on the River Wye from Monsal Head is probably the best view in the entire Peak District National Park, as our picnic picture proves. It’s a glorious place to get stuck into a true taste of the Peaks.

Here’s what we ate and drank...

1

2 3

Ginger beer

2

by Septimus Spyder Medieval Brewhouse of Burton on Trent, Staffordshire An intriguing drop made according to ancient recipes.

01283 548464, www.spyder.org.uk

Mondovino Moroccan Seed & Nut Crackers

by Artisan Biscuits of Ashbourne Delicious crackers made by a Derbyshire family bakery.

01335 342373, www. artisanbiscuits.co.uk

4

Bertelin White Derby

By Bertelin Farmhouse Cheese in Eccleshall, Staffs You‘ve got to have a Derby cheese on your Peaks picnic, even if it is made in Staffordshire. www.bertelinfarmhousecheese. co.uk, 01785 859331

Dovedale Blue

By Staffordshire Cheese Co of Leek, Staffordshire A really tasty blue cheese made with cows’ milk. 01538 361919

32 Great Food Magazine

5

3

Apple and Stilton pork pie By 99 Station Street Restaurant, Burton, Staffs Made by an eatery that sells its own pies and sausages.

01283 516859, www.99stationstreet.com

Jaipur and Kipling

By Thornbridge Brewery, Bakewell, Derbyshire Thornbridge has a fine portfolio of pale, hoppy ales and is rapidly becoming one of the UK's favourite independent brewers. At 5.9%, Jaipur is feisty yet drinkable.

01629 641000, www. thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

6 White Knot

By The Hot Bread Shop, Allenton Every picnic needs bread and we got our white knot from Brown & Green, who in turn buys from a local baker in Allenton. It was soft and crying out to be stuffed with Dovedale Blue.

We promptly obliged.

01332 347624

picnics

Picnics Northamptonshire: Lyveden New Bield

Our chosen picnic spot for Northants is this Elizabethan ruin near Oundle, which is set in its own grounds and owned by the National Trust (entry £4). “We encourage people to bring picnics, and dogs are welcome,” says the NT‘s Hannah Pinchin. “We sell Lyveden honey on-site and have our own orchard of 300 trees bearing different types of fruit.” But what food should you take? See below...

T

he sun’s shining, there’s a range of stunning places nearby, and there’s a load of locally made food and drink available. Surely the only option is to get out there, hamper in hand, find a nice spot and tuck in? That’s what we did, driving up the M1 to the Derbyshire Peaks via Brown & Green's deli at Little Eaton. Inspired by that trip, here we suggest three more Heart of England locations, and what to take with you.

9

Where to buy your Peaks picnic Brown & Green, Little Eaton, Derbyshire We went straight to Brown & Green at Derby Garden Centre – one of the finest delis you‘ll find. It‘s well run and stocked to the rafters with the best local produce: 01332 835244, www.brownand-green.co.uk/derby

Golden Russet apple juice

By The Village Orchard, Flore, Northamptonshire Sweet, summery refreshment that’s been squeezed out of golden russet apples grown on a two-acre Northants orchard.

Perfect for picnics.

01327 342589

5 9

8

and 7 Coffee walnut cake

By Willington Green Deli, Willington, Derbyshire 01283 704304, www. willingtongreendeli.co.uk

Old Intentional

by Derby Brewing Company, Derby A traditional bitter with refreshing, thirst quenching properties.

A great match with strong cheese.

01332 242888, www. derbybrewing.co.uk

Farrington’s Mellow Yellow mayonnaise from Hargrave, Northamptonshire Made using cold-pressed rapeseed oil from crops grown on Bottom Farm, Hargrave. 01933 622809, www.farrington-oils.co.uk

Delisha’s Red Pepper Jelly

By Delisha’s of Hazelwood, Derbyshire A tangy preserve that goes brilliantly with cold meats and cheeses. Well worth tracking down and would be good for barbecues, too. www.delishas.co.uk

Pork pie

By Sauls of Spratton, Northamptonshire This won‘t last long at your picnic. Sauls has been Spratton’s village butcher since 1926 and makes all its own sausages, pies, patés, potted beef and bread. Its pork pies are up there with the best – and coming from Melton Mowbray, we should know.

01604 847214, www.saulsofspratton.co.uk

Wild Boar paté From Smith’s Farm Shop, Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire Smith‘s Farm Shop is a great place to get stocked up for your picnic.

You can get this super paté there.

01604 843206, www.smithsfarmshop.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 33

AL FRESCO Warwickshire: Charlecote Park

Our picnic tip for Shakespeare’s County is Tudor house and gardens Charlecote Park, located a few miles south of Warwick. The gardens include a formal parterre (posh planting beds, essentially), a herb section and a woodland walk. The wider parkland offers miles of walks and splendid views across the River Avon. There‘s also a herd of fallow deer, which has been in the park since Tudor times.

Pork scratchings

By G Simmons & Sons of Walsall, West Midlands What better way to enjoy Tudor splendour that with these West Midlands specialities!? 01922 641450, www.gsimmonsandsons.co.uk

Crayfish and bacon sandwich According to online sources, this is a traditional Warwickshire combo as crayfish were once readily available in the county. Sounds fishy. Is it true?

Email editorial@greatfoodmag.co.uk

Lady Godiva

By Warwickshire Beer Company of Cubbington, Warwickshire An aromatic golden ale to celebrate Coventry‘s famous naked lady.

01926 450747, www.warwickshire beer.co.uk

Artisan cheeses From Paxton & Whitfield of Stratford upon Avon Stock up at one of Britain‘s oldest and best cheese sellers.

01789 415544, www. paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Chutneys

By Kit’s Kitchen of Egdon, Worcestershire Superb runner bean chutney – it shouldn‘t work but does.

01905 345491, www.kitskitchen.co.uk

Not a bad spot to lay down a rug and open the pork scratchings

Leicestershire: Bradgate Park and the Charnwood Forest

Beautiful Bradgate Park is the jewel of Leicestershire, with its roaming deer herds, bracken-covered rocky outcrops, ancient trees, clear waters and Lady Jane Gray’s ruined castle. There can be few better places to break out the Melton Mowbray pork pies than while sitting next to the waterfall pictured below in glorious sunshine.

Melton Mowbray pork pie

By Dickinson & Morris of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire Forgetting one of these would be almost criminal.

01664 482068, www.porkpie.co.uk

At Bradgate Park you can eat pork pies in rural splendour

34 Great Food Magazine

Fruitcake

By Church Farmhouse Cakes of Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire Pictured is this award-winning baker’s ale cake – great with cheese. 01476 870150, churchfarmhousecakes.co.uk

Smoked fish

Beers

Cured meats

By Otters Smokehouse and Deli of Oakham Otters’ naturally smoked fish – from cold-smoked salmon and kippers to hotsmoked salmon, mackerel and trout – will give your picnic a new dimension.

01572 756481, www.ottersdeli.co.uk

By Everards Brewery of Narborough, Leicestershire Everards’ Beacon – named after Beacon Hill that overlooks Bradgate Park – is the one to drink here.

0116 2014100, www.everards.co.uk

By Jimmy’s Smokehouse at the King’s Arms, Wing, Rutland To enhance your al fresco lunch, why not pay a visit to James Goss’s smokehouse for some of his handcrafted goodies?

01572 737634, www. thekingsarms-wing.co.uk

A l f r e s c o e at i n g m a d e e a s y w i t h

OTTERS SMOKEHOUSE & DELI

Need a picnic, or are you entertaining?

Pre-order platters of succulent charcuterie, naturally oak smoked fish, or the very best cheeses; or our delicious homemade savoury tarts, pâtés and cakes to make your event just that bit more enjoyable!

3a Mill Street, Oakham 01572 756481 info@ottersdeli.co.uk www.ottersdeli.co.uk

Great Food Club Members Exclusive Thursdays Offer

10% OFF Your awardwinning wine merchant offers all Great Food Club Members an exclusive offer.

During May and June 2012, all Club Members will receive

The Icon of Walkers & Son The Original, King Size Pork Pie This is where it all began for Walker & Son, with its distinctive taste and it’s richest richcrust pastry this pork pie is the King!

Available in Waitrose & Co-op RRP £2.99

10% off all wines, beers and spirits*

every Thursday when you show your Club Card in store.

10 Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7LT Tel: 01858 464935 www.duncanmurraywines.co.uk *Excludes credit card purchases. Not for use in conjunction with any other offer. Terms & conditions apply.

Wines, beers and spirits with personality

p35_GF_MayJune12.indd Sec1:35

19/4/12 11:56:04

LOCAL PRODUCER

Terroir du Midlands With English Wine Week running from June 2-10, Great Food visits Welland Valley Vineyard in north Northamptonshire...

ARTICLE & PHOTOS: MATT WRIGHT

A

buzzard swoops against blue sky and the sun shines on a series of vines running down a pretty, twoand-a-half acre, south-facing slope.

It could almost be France but we’re actually on the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire border, at Welland Valley Vineyard in the village of Marston Trussell. And this is by no means the only vineyard in the Midlands, as the map on p38 shows. In fact, just seven miles away, another small vineyard – Chevelswarde – is getting set for summer, hoping for a bumper harvest come October.

Last year, Great Food visited Chevelswarde in Leicestershire’s South Kilworth and was amazed by the inspirational Ruth and John Daltry, who planted their first vines in 1973 and achieved organic certification in 1975.

Now well into their 80s, the couple have recently extended their growing area and are still passionate about English wine. This year, we wanted to shine a light on another local producer, so got in touch with David Bates of Welland Valley Vineyard.

“We English winemakers pray for a warm, dry Wimbledon fortnight,” says David, as he shows us around his small winery. “That’s when the vines flower in this country.” So the

Rondo grapes This variety is relatively frost resistant and used to make Welland Valley’s easy-drinking dry red, called Naseby.

year Cliff Richard entertained a sopping Centre Court was bad for English wine as well as English music? “Indeed,” replies David. “If it’s cold and wet at the end of June then the flowers don’t set well and it reduces your crop.” As David pats his grape press, he points out that most small English vineyards don’t actually make their own wine but simply grow and pick grapes and then take them further south where they are turned into wine by larger concerns. Welland Valley is not one of them – they grow, press, bottle and ferment.

But a soggy Wimbledon is not the only thing to concern the winemakers of Blighty.

AND A BIT OF CIDER TOO...

Welland Valley Vineyard also produces cider, called Roundhead.

“I had a mad moment,” says David. “Not long after I’d planted the vineyard, I wrote to Herefordshire cider maker Bulmers asking to buy some cider apple trees. There’s a myth that cider apple trees will only grow in Somerset or Herefordshire and because I’m stubborn I wanted to prove that that’s simply not true. So I planted the trees, which produce apple varieties such as English Dabinett and French Michelin, and they seem to do just fine. I have a separate crusher for the apples but can put the pulp in the grape press.” A good place to try Roundhead Cider – with an excellent meal – is Albero Restaurant in Northampton – www.albero-restaurant.co.uk.

36 Great Food Magazine

“The year is fraught with dangers,” says David.

“It starts in May with the threat of air frosts – if you have a warm spring then the vines take off at a great rate, but if frost suddenly bites then they can be cut down in their pomp. Then you’re on tenterhooks during the vulnerable flowering period. And later you’re praying for a warm, dry September and early October, just before the grapes are picked.”

The weather’s one thing, pests are another.

“Rabbits and badgers are a real menace,” explains David. “We have to grow our vines high to stop them being eaten, and we keep badgers out with an electric fence. But wasps are the worst – they can devastate the grapes, so we net the fruit to keep them off.” All in all, it sounds like a great deal of work, and David assures us that it is, working nine to five most days to stay on top of everything. So is it all worth it? “I absolutely love it,” he replies.

From allotment to vineyard For David, it all began in 1972 during the home wine-making boom. “We bought a house in Evington in Leicester, and the property came with an allotment, so I started growing vegetables and then decided to plant a few vines. I’d become very interested in wine and thought, why can’t I make it? It became an all-consuming passion, and once you’ve planted your first vine, there’s no turning back. I had a pipe dream that one day I’d plant a real vineyard so when I reached my 50s I thought, it’s now or never.”

David had to wait until 1992 to find the south-facing slope he needed, eventually buying his field in Marston Trussell after placing a wanted ad in his local paper. “I got one reply from a farmer who was downsizing and, of course, I had to buy the land he was

A TASTE OF WELLAND VALLEY VINEYARD...

A cork pops at Welland Valley Vineyard and there’s a glug-glug-fizz as sparkling wine hits glass bottom. First up is Tickled Pink, an award-winning, bottle-fermented fizzy rosé (£17.50). Made using Sable Blanc and Reichensteiner grapes, the taste is pleasantly fresh and light – perfect for garden parties or weddings. Next is Naseby, a dry red aged in burgundy oak, made from Rondo and Regent grapes. This is soft, light and easy-drinking, with strong undertones of strawberry. It’s different to the heavy, full-bodied reds we’ve all become used to but quaffing this on a summer’s evening would be perfect. Also in the Welland Valley portfolio is Steeplechase, a four-year-old sparkling white, Hunting Pink rosé, and whites Farndon Dale and Bacchus.

The full Welland Valley Vineyard line-up

“We English makers pray for a warm, dry Wimbledon fortnight”

Gathering the October harvest Welland Valley Vineyard is never short of volunteer grape pickers, who are paid with wine and a good lunch

offering!” But it wasn’t until 2000 when he retired from his solicitor’s job that David started the Welland Valley project full time.

“Moving from an allotment to a field was a complete culture shock,” he says. “I turned up with my wheelbarrow and spade and realised it was a totally different ball game.”

Grape expectations David explains that English wine makers are split into two camps – big businesses dependent on wine to make a living, and hobby vineyards like Welland Valley or Chevelswarde. “If you want to make good money out of wine-making you need 10-15 acres at least,” he says. “The English wine market has definitely grown – back in the 70s, two-and-a-half acres was regarded as a goodsized English vineyard but now it’s more like 200 acres.” David’s two-and-a-half acres can produce as many as 5000 bottles a year or, after a particularly bad year, as few as 500. An average year results in around 2000.

So are the French and Aussies glancing over their shoulders in fear of English vineyards?

“Not exactly, but our sparkling whites are getting a good reputation for their dry freshness. Reds are more problematic – we don’t get enough sun to grow full-bodied grapes, so tend to make reds that are a bit on the light side.” However, David explains that grape breeders are trying to create new varieties that thrive in less sunny conditions, so there may well be hope for us yet. “I’m a sucker for new grape types,” says David. “If it doesn’t perform then I’ll try something new. I currently grow around 12 different varieties” With English Wine Week running from June 2-10, now is the perfect time to forgo your Bordeaux and get local with your vino. You might just be surprised...

TRY IT...

David Bates (left) offers a free delivery service for customers within 15 miles buying 12 bottles or more. He also puts on talks and tastings throughout the summer – see www.wellandvineyard.com.

CONTACT Welland Valley Vineyard, Vine Lodge, Marston Trussell, Market Harborough, Northants LE16 9TX, 01858 434591, www.welland-vineyard.com

Great Food Magazine 37

Vineyard and cider map

Bakewell

In the last issue we published a brewery map of the region’s 116 ale makers. Here we’re showing you the Midlands’ apple and grape artisans, and you might be surprised by the results – there are an impressive 15 vineyards and 20 cider makers. The vineyard count suggests that the Heart of England is responsible for well over 10,000 bottles of wine a year, while cider production is on the rise too, with several recent newcomers. If we’ve missed someone, please let us know – editorial@greatfoodmag.co.uk.

1

Ashover Cider Ashover, Derbyshire

2

Bearley Vineyard Bearley, Warwicks

3

The Beeches Cider Spalding, Lincs

4

Bottle Kicking Cider Co Hallaton, Leics

5

Buzzard Valley Vineyard Drayton Bassett, Staffs

Chevelswarde Vineyard Chevel House, South Kilworth, Lutterworth, Leics LE17 6DX, 01858 575309, www.chevelswardeorganics.co.uk

6

Churchill Ciders 7 Spalding, Lincs

JW’s Fen Cider Made by Charterhouse Wine Co, 210 Spalding Road, Pinchbeck, Lincs PE11 2PB, 01775 720300, www.charterhousewine.com

33

Welcombe Hills Vineyard Snitterfield, Warwicks

34

Welland Valley Vineyard Marston Trussell, Northants

Meadowbrook Cider Sleaford, Lincs

35

Windmill Vineyard Hellidon, Northants

19

New Lodge Vineyard Earls Barton, Northants

Wobblygob Cider 36 Birmingham, West Mids

20

Renishaw Hall Vineyard Renishaw, Derbys

37

Woodthorpe Hall Cider Holmesfield, Derbys

21

Rockingham Forest Cider Middleton, Northants

38

Woody’s Cider Branston, Staffs

22

Scropton Cider Scropton, Derbys

17

18

8

Cromwell Cider Hemingford Grey, Cambs

23

Sealwood Cottage Vineyard Swadlincote, Derbys

9

Eglantine Vineyard Costock, Notts

24

South Shore Vineyard Manton, Rutland

10

Eve’s Cider Kettering, Northants

25

Stamford Juice Co Stamford, Lincs

11

Fleur Fields Vineyard Brixworth, Northants

12

Fynbury’s Rutland Cider Rutland

13

Garden of Eydon Cider Eydon, Northants

Grace Dieu Vineyard 14 Whitwick, Leics Hogan’s Cider Lower Barn Buildings, Haselor, Alcester, Warwicks B49 6LX, 01789 488433, www.hoganscider.co.uk

Thirsty Farmer Cider Sutton Bonington, Notts, 01509 416694, www.farmerfear.co.uk

26

27

Three Cats Cider Morley, Derbys

28

Torkard Cider Hucknall, Notts

29

Urban Harvest Handsworth, Birmingham

30

Vale of Welton Cider Welton, Northants

31

Vernon Lodge Vineyard Tiffield, Northants

15

Jollydale Cyder Pledgers Yard, West Street, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2PN, 01780 762245, www.jollydalecyder.com

16

38 Great Food Magazine

Walton Brook Vineyard 32 Burton on the Wolds, Leics

Ashbourne

22

Burton

38

Staffs Lichfield 5

36 29

Birmingham Solihull

2 15

33

Every commercial(ish) apple and grape juice fermenter in the Heart of England, including 15 vineyards 37

Key

20

Welbeck

Matlock

Vineyards

Ollerton

1

Those in blue have supported this map. Great Food urges you to support businesses who support us

Mansfield

Lincoln

Newark

Derbyshire Nottingham

27

18

Notts

28

Cider makers

Sleaford

Lincs

Grantham

Derby

17 7

9

26

3 32

14

23

Melton

Leics

Rutland

Oakham

Leicester

12

24

Stamford 16

25

Peterboroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

4

Market Harborough

Warwicks

Corby

34 6

Kettering

Coventry Leamington Warwick

Stilton

21

10

Rugby

11 30

Oundle

Cambs

Northants

Northampton

8

19

35 13

31

Map by Graham Wright

Great Food Magazine 39

FOOD PEOPLE

PRODUCER DIARY

Spicing things up Last year, Mark Hughes left the corporate world to become an artisan producer of spice blends. He shares his experiences...

S

etting up a food business has been one of the hardest, scariest, most challenging things I’ve done for a long time but it’s also been one of the most enjoyable. I didn’t inherit a family food business nor did I have a professional background in food but I’ve always had a love of spices and enjoyed experimenting with ingredients to create exciting flavour combinations. So, one day in early 2011, I decided to swap my suits for some whites and set up Gourmet Spice Co. I quite like the term ‘artisan food producer’ as it paints a picture of the effort that goes into creating mostly handmade products. I have to admit, though, I had little appreciation for the time that the less food-focused tasks would take until I took the plunge. For example, when I decided to create our spice blends, developing the actual recipe was relatively straightforward. Many more mundane things took weeks to resolve, including sourcing the right bags and sealing machine, designing the packaging, sourcing the right quality of more than 70 spices (harder than it sounds), designing banners, buying marquees and

“I estimate that the first packet of spice I sold had cost me more than £5,000 to produce” tables, setting up websites, finding good food festivals and actually getting a pitch (more on that another time!) and navigating my way through a mountain of paperwork, assessments, insurances and much more. That’s all before I ground the first bit of spice. I estimated the first packet of spice I sold had cost me more than £5,000 to produce – surely a bargain at around £2.50.

The payback may be measured differently, but it is satisfying to create something, share that with a wider audience and have them taste it and then buy it with real money. That’s the key difference between my previous corporate life where it could take months of pitching to know if we’d won a multi-million pound deal. Even if we had, we’d never see any ‘real’ money, it was all just numbers on a spreadsheet. Now, I broadly know how successful an event has been by the time I’m driving home.

Of course, it’s easy to feel isolated in between festivals if you’ve swapped a life of daily interaction with dozens of people for one where you’re either in the kitchens or in front of a computer, but there’s often a bigger goal in mind. For my part, I dream of when I have more people working with me, yet at the same time relish the fact I don’t have the additional responsibility just yet. So would I change

Clockwise from top left: Mark at last year’s East Midlands Food & Drink Festival; lamb cutlets made with Gourmet Spice Co’s Ras-el-hanout blend; other Gourmet Spice products

anything I’ve done in the past year? Maybe I’d tweak bits or skip a couple of food festivals but that’s about it. This life has offered me an entirely new network of friends, chefs, bloggers and other small producers, all with a common theme: they’re bursting with passion for their product.

There’s a whole world of incredible food out there that is easy to miss if you don’t experiment. The resurgence in understanding food provenance means we’re hearing more and more about farm shops and delis but they’ll only flourish if we all support them. We’re fortunate enough to be stocked in some super shops but I still get the biggest buzz out of meeting real people inspired by great food.

And I wouldn’t change that for anything. Q

Mark Hughes is based near Weldon in Northamptonshire. His business, Gourmet Spice Co,is part of Great Food Club and was a a finalist for Most Innovative Business at the iNET Food Innovation Awards: www.tastespice.co.uk, Twitter – @GourmetSpiceCo

40 Great Food Magazine

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RECIPES

SEAN HOPE COOKS...

A royal feast

C

Local Michelin-starred chef Sean Hope dishes up a treat to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee

oronation chicken is a dish that’s truly stood the test of time, writes Sean Hope. It was created for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 by London’s Cordon Bleu School [also see p61].

Also on the menu that day was tomato and tarragon soup, later known as Winkfield Soup after the address of the School. What better time to revisit these dishes than the Diamond Jubilee on June 5. This pie and soup – and more – will be on our menus at the Olive Branch in Clipsham and Red Lion in Stathern throughout June...

STARTER

Coronation tomato soup with tarragon

FOSSE MEADOWS CHICKEN

Serves 6

* 500g ripe vine tomatoes * 30g unsalted butter * 1 onion, sliced * 1 clove garlic, crushed * 1 bay leaf * 200ml sherry vinegar * 300ml tomato juice * 750ml beef stock * 2 tsp tomato paste * 1 tsp agar-agar or arrowroot * 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped 1 Halve the tomatoes. Squeeze the juice and pulp into a fine sieve and press the juice through into a bowl.

2 Melt the butter in a saucepan, add a little salt, and cook the tomato halves, onion, garlic and bay leaf.

3 Cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Pass mixture through a sieve and into a bowl, discarding sieve contents.

5 Return the tomato mix to the pan, add the tomato paste, tomato juice and stock, together with the juice extracted from the pulp of the tomato halves. Stir, bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

6 Add agar-agar or arrowroot. Bring back to the boil, stirring constantly.

7 Chill the soup and allow to set before blending again until smooth.

Add the tarragon and season. Serve hot or cold with garlic bread croutons.

42 Great Food Magazine

Sean Hope puts the finishing touches to his pie in the kitchens at the Red Lion Inn

“We source our chicken locally – from Fosse Meadows Farm in Frolesworth, south Leicestershire,” says Sean. “Their poultry is fantastic and packed with flavour.” Fosse Meadows farmers Nick Ball and Jacob Sykes grow their birds as slowly as possible. Their chickens are slaughtered at 11-and-a-half weeks old or more, while commercial free range chickens tend to be killed at six weeks.

See more at www.fossemeadows.com.

A simple classic – an ideal way to start your Jubilee lunch

Celebration food MAIN COURSE Coronation chicken pie Serves 6 For the pastry * Pinch of salt * 200g plain flour * 25g suet * 25g unsalted butter, diced * 1ô tsp water 1 Place the flour, salt and fat into a bowl and mix with your hands to a breadcrumb texture.

2 Add the water and work to a dough.

3 Allow to rest for around 15 minutes before using.

Pie mix * 1 chicken, roast at Gas 1/2 (120°C) for four hours and allowed to cool * 200ml chicken stock * 200ml double cream * 200ml milk * 1 glass dry white wine * 1 glass medium sherry * 1 tbsp ground cumin * 1 tbsp ground turmeric * 1 tbsp ground coriander * 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped * 2 tbsp sultanas pre-soaked in sherry vinegar * 2 tbsp dry-roasted pine nuts * 1 onion, peeled and chopped * 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped * 2 tbsp cornflour 1 Carefully pick the chicken meat off the bone and place in a bowl.

2 Mix all the spices together, place in a pan and singe in a hot oven for five minutes to bake.

3 Mix the spices through the chicken.

4 In a saucepan, sweat the onion and garlic with a drizzle of rapeseed oil until soft. Add the pre-soaked sultanas and reduce vinegar completely.

6 Place the onion and sultana mix into the bowl with the chicken and stir. Add the roasted pine nuts and fresh, chopped coriander.

7 In a separate pan, add the stock, milk, cream and wine and bring to the boil. Boil for five minutes, then dilute the cornflour with one glass of medium sherry and whisk into the boiling stock.

Coronation chicken meets pie

8 Bring back to the boil, then season to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before adding to the chicken mix.

9 Place the chicken pie mix into a suitable pie dish (28cm diameter).

10 Roll out the pastry with a rolling pin to about 5mm thick. Brush the sides of the pie dish with a little egg wash, then place some thin strips of pastry around the edge to form a collar.

11 Carefully lay the pastry over the pie dish. Trim off excess pastry from

around the dish and crimp with a fork.

Make a small hole in the middle of the pastry to allow excess steam to escape whilst cooking, then brush all over with egg wash.

13 Allow the pastry to rest for 10 minutes before baking in a pre-heated oven at Gas 6 (200°C) for around 35 minutes (until golden brown).

14 Remove from the oven and allow to stand for five minutes before serving.

15 Serve with minted new potatoes and glazed carrots.

Try these and more at Sean’s pubs: The Olive Branch, Clipsham, Rutland LE15 7SH 01780 410355; The Red Lion, Stathern, Leics, LE14 4HS 01949 860868

... AND FOR PUDDING Now being served at The Olive Branch and Red Lion Inn We’ve launched a selection of mini desserts at our pubs, writes Sean Hope. The idea behind them comes from my own experiences of eating out. I have a sweet tooth but occasionally struggle to find room for pudding. So with that in mind, we have devised the perfect finish to a meal: a choice of five individual desserts that comprise just a few mouthfuls but are full of great taste. You can choose just one to have with coffee, or mix and match a larger selection for your table. They are (left to right in the picture): sticky toffee pudding; caramelised lemon tart; Pimm’s jelly with cucumber and basil mousse; Eton mess with raspberry, passion fruit and white chocolate sauce; and a chocolate brownie.

Great Food Magazine 43

FARM SHOPS

Fabulous

FARM SHOPS We track down seven of the region’s must-visit outlets…

Gonalston Farm Shop & Deli, Gonalston, Nottinghamshire OPENING TIMES: Tue-Sat, 9am-6.30pm; Sun, 10am-4pm; Bank Hols, 10am-4pm.

and Cote Hill Blue to Swiss cave-aged Gruyere and current Cheese World Champion OssauIraty from France. s a child, did you ever dream of being Gonalston began life eight years ago when locked in a sweet shop with instructions Georgie, after months of painstaking research, to simply enjoy yourself? The thought of opened a small shop on her beef farm. The being given free rein in Gonalston Farm Shop surrounding fields still provide grazing for & Deli is the grown-up equivalent. Few farm beef sold in the shop and Georgie is committed outlets in Britain are as to sourcing locally and vibrant or offer the sheer supporting the local food and What to try... breadth of high-quality drink community.

Lamb, pork and beef raised in surrounding produce. This really is a fields or at farms CONTACT: Southwell Road, food-lover’s dream – with within eight miles; the Gonalston, Notts NG14 7DR, shelves crammed with award-winning array 0115 9665666, www. locally sourced delights, a of cheeses. gonalstonfarmshop.co.uk fantastic fishmonger, superb

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butchery, bulging drinks section, fruit and veg galore and an award-winning cheese and deli counter. Gonalston is not your typical farm shop and it’s clear that a huge effort is made by proprietor Georgie Mason and her passionate team to stock the best, and to offer an unrivalled food shopping experience.

Reflecting that hard work, Gonalston’s deli section was named Britain’s Best Independent Cheese and Dairy Counter at the most recent World Cheese Awards. Impressively long, it showcases more than 100 handmade farmhouse and artisan cheeses, from local favourites such as Cropwell Bishop Stilton

44 Great Food Magazine

Chase Farm Shop, Roughley, West Midlands OPENING TIMES: Mon-Sat, 8.30am-5.30pm; Sun, 9am-4pm.

C

hase Farm has a proud and interesting history. Its clean, organised and wellstocked shop, now with a brand new café attached, is the latest chapter in a story that began well over 100 years ago. Today, Chase Farm focuses on rearing award-winning Limousin cattle, which is said to be one of the world’s best beef breeds.

The farm shop started life in the ‘80s, selling eggs and later, Christmas turkeys, plus potatoes and vegetables from local farms. It’s come a long way since then and now, as you’d expect, focuses on meat, with an excellent butchery section stocked with Limousin beef raised on the farm. Also on sale is lamb from the Shugborough Estate near Stafford, and chickens from Packington Free Range, Bartonunder-Needwood. The Smith family who codirect Chase Farm have successfully run butcher’s shops in the Midlands for six generations, so are particularly proud of their meat skills, and it shows. In addition to numerous prizes for its Limousin herd and

beef, Chase Farm has won gongs for its sausages, bacon and pies – all made with local pork. In fact, its pork pie won a rare ThreeStar Gold in the 2011 Great Taste Awards.

Shop manager Nick McAndrew says: “Chase Farm Shop comes out of a long tradition of farmers and butchers dating back over 150 years. Watching it grow is exciting for everyone. Customers tell us it provides shopping as it used to be. We hope the family tradition of selling food you can trust, and providing good service will never change.”

CONTACT: Weeford Road, Roughley B75 5RL, 0121 3081946, www.chasefarmshop.co.uk

Chase Farm Shop’s Colin Beaman

Croot’s Farm Shop, Duffield, Derbyshire OPENING TIMES: Tues-Sat, 9am-5pm; Sun, 10am-4pm; closed on Bank Holidays.

There’s a good range of cheese on sale at Croot’s

S

ituated on a gentle hill looking out onto shire horses, lambs, open fields and the Ecclesbourne Valley, if there was an award for farm shop with the best view, Kay and Steve Croot’s converted farm outbuilding would probably win it hands down.

Croot’s Farm Shop opened four years ago after Steve decided to add a new string to his herb and vegetable growing business. Wisely, items are made in-house, including Croot’s he also chose to attach a café, which adds to award-winning Brian Clough Banger and the shop’s draw and means Henry Cooper Sausage, while a What to try... there is somewhere to sit, trio of the shop’s very own pies Vegetables and herbs relax and enjoy the vista.

– Steak and Kidney, Little grown by shop owner The shire horses visible Mutton and Rhubarb and Steve Croot; awardfrom the shop window Cherry – won prizes at the 2011 winning sausages and pies made in-house; belong to Steve’s father-inBritish Pie Awards. Also in the ales brewed in law Jim Yates, who runs deli section, you will find handDerbyshire.

Farnah House Farm where crafted cheeses, plus a Croot’s Farm Shop is located and is a mouthwatering range of locally produced renowned breeder of the noble beasts. patés, home-made quiches and cooked meats.

Inside the large shop you’ll find food and New arrivals in the fields near Croot’s Farm drink made by around 40 of the region’s Shop this year are a flock of lambs, which will producers, including bread and cakes from soon be stocking the butchery.

Luke Evans Bakery of Riddings, Alfreton, beers from Derby Brewing Co, plus a range of CONTACT: Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Rd, Duffield, Derbys DE56 4AQ herb-flavoured oils and vinegars produced by 01332 843032, www.croots.co.uk the shop’s owner himself. In addition, many

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Great Food Magazine 45

FARM SHOPS

Farndon Fields Farm Shop, Market Harborough, Leicestershire OPENING TIMES: Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm; Sun, 10am-4pm; Bank Holidays, 10am-4pm.

T

here’s little doubt that Farndon Fields is one of the country’s – let alone the region’s – best farm shops. In 2008 it won the FARMA Farm Retailer of the Year Award and this year was named Midlands Champion in the Local Food category at the Countryside Alliance Awards. In terms of shop layout, shopping experience and sheer variety of produce on offer, Farndon Fields is excellent.

It all started back in 1983 when owners Kevin and Milly Stokes opened a small shop in the garage of their 250-acre farm. By 1998 they had added a purpose-built farm shop extension, a dairy section, and made room for a locally stocked bakery. Five years later a butchery, café and plant centre had been introduced. Now there’s a Mediterraneaninspired deli in the shop, too.

But at the heart of Farndon Fields is land where many of the shop’s fruit and vegetables are grown. “We produce over 40 types of vegetable and six varieties of potato,” says Milly Stokes, “plus raspberries, leeks, asparagus and strawberries.”

A fantastic array of fruit and veg grown on Farndon Fields Farm

CONTACT: Farndon Road, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 9NP, 01858 464838, www.farndonfieldsfarmshop.co.uk

Doddington Hall Farm Shop, Doddington, Lincolnshire OPENING TIMES: Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm (Fri to 8pm); Sun and Bank Hols, 10am-5pm

D

Doddington Hall’s Claire Birch in the magnificent farm shop

46 Great Food Magazine

oddington Hall is a stunning Elizabethan family home whose residents clearly love fantastic food and drink. Its farm shop is Great Food resident cook Hazel Paterson’s (see p50) favourite in the region. One reason why is that it stocks fruit and vegetables grown in Doddington’s two-acre kitchen garden, where cooking demonstrations are regularly held.

Another reason is because the farm shop plays host to a rich variety of events, such as talks by fishmongers, goats’ cheese tastings and Strawberry Day (June 16, 2012).

Doddington Farm Shop’s butchery offers high quality local and rare breed meat, while its deli has great cheeses from across the region as well as selected continental favourites. Also on offer are charcuterie, olives, anchovies and marinated vegetables.

All in all, Doddington Hall is a great day out for food lovers, and it has a restaurant, too.

CONTACT: Doddington, Lincolnshire LN6 4RU, 01522 688581, www. doddingtonhall.com

Places to visit

Malt Kiln Farm Shop, Stretton-under-Fosse, Warwickshire

Northfield Farm Shop, Cold Overton, Rutland OPENING TIMES: Tues-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm; Sun, 10am-3pm.

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mall but perfectly formed, Northfield Farm is an oasis of top-quality sausages, awardwinning pies, fine local ales and rural calm, and should be on every food lover’s mental food map. The farm, run by ex-City investment manager Jan McCourt, is home to numerous rare breed animals, including ancient White Park Cattle and British Lop pigs. The shop stocks meat raised in the surrounding fields in the form of sausages, bacon, steaks, and more.

Clarissa Dickson Wright is a big fan of Northfield Farm, featuring it in her recent programme for BBC2’s Great British Food Revival, where she spoke about the exceptional flavour of British Lop meat. The most recent Great Taste Awards judges were also impressed by Northfield Farm produce, awarding its lamb a triple gold star at the 2011 prize ceremony.

Local producers represented here include Jollydale Cyder (Stamford), Belvoir Brewery (Old Dalby), Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Co (Market Bosworth) and Heart of Gold Rapeseed Oil (Vale of Belvoir).

“Our principal aim at Northfield Farm is to source and produce premium quality beef, lamb and pork, which has lived well and has been humanely killed,” says proprietor Jan. “We hang our meat carefully and appropriately and butcher it to provide the very best quality.”

CONTACT: Whissendine Lane, Cold Overton, Rutland/Leics LE15 7QF, 01664 474271, www.northfieldfarm.com

Malt Kiln has a coffee shop, butcher’s counter and plant shop

OPENING TIMES: Mon-Sat, 8.30am-6pm; Sun 10am-4pm.

R

eader Lesley French from Pailton near Rugby got in touch with Great Food earlier in the year to tell us about the “excellent” Malt Kiln Farm Shop, which is in an area called The Revel. Lesley also recommended The Revel Baker, aka Maurice Hartnett – Malt Kiln’s resident bread maker. She wrote: “Maurice has become an important character in our local community and his breads draw people from an increasingly wide area.”

Like Maurice, Malt Kiln Farm Shop plays a valued role in its local area, and opened in 1991 shortly after the village shop shut. It is run by Chris Lea and family, who aim to “stock a wide range of produce from local farms and cottage industries to benefit the rural market”. our fruit.” There’s a huge Malt Kiln has grown steadily amount of choice here beyond since 1991, Malt Kiln Farm’s initially selling own produce, too.

What to try... the farm’s own The wine, beer Malt Kiln Farm’s own rhubarb; The Revel free range and soft drinks Baker’s freshly baked eggs, potatoes section is one of bread and cakes; the and meat. the most farm’s own pork, beef Today the shop comprehensive and lamb.

– now housed we’ve seen, and in a large, purpose-built wooden much of the fruit, including building – sells all that and much apples, pears and plums, are more besides. “The beef, lamb grown at a farm near Daventry and pork on sale at the butcher’s in Northamptonshire. Malt Kiln is counter is reared on our farm,” also a PYO farm. says Chris. “The cottage pie in the coffee shop is made with our CONTACT: Stretton-underFosse, Rugby, Warwickshire beef, the sausages at breakfast CV23 0PE, 01788 832640, are made with our pork and the www.maltkilnfarmshop.co.uk fruit smoothies are made using

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Great Food Magazine 47

The Practical Pantry

CHAT TO SHELLY...

Shelly Preston is @BAromatique on Twitter

AN ODE TO A ROSE

Great Food’s own English rose Shelly Preston sings the praises of her favourite flower

O

FOOD

h the rose. So English, so fragrant, so lovely. Its scent is one of sweet nostalgia, a mere whiff having the ability to unlock powerful aroma-memories in a second. It’s the comforting smell of grandmothers, of balmy summer alchemy, of sticky Turkish delight and old fashioned rose fondant creams. Whatever your attachment to its charms, it is everlasting.

SKIN

Pure, unadulterated rosewater is one of my favourite things on earth. Only ever buy food-grade – this way you can use it to tone and comfort your skin as well as anointing some of your favourite dishes.

Arabica Food & Spice Company is the last word in rosewater as far as I’m concerned.

Try… Arabica Co Rosewater (£5.50 for 240ml from www.boutiquearomatique.com)

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REN is a brand that despite its ubiquitous distribution and mass-market appeal, you shouldn’t ignore if you want ‘serious’ natural skincare. I have met REN’s chemist on a couple of occasions and I can tell you first hand that she is the real deal when it comes to natural, resultsorientated products. She is a whizz with the rose, winning countless beauty awards for the coveted Rose Otto collection. REN’s Rosa Centifolia facewash is a barely-foaming, lightweight and slippery gel that has been a stalwart of my daily regime pretty much since it came to market. It’s extremely gentle and comforting with no tight, itchy afterfeel and it smells like a dream.

REN Rosa Centifolia Facial Wash, Normal Skin (£17 for 150ml from www.johnlewis.com)

Light, smell roses, chill out

Top tip

}

Make your food-grade rosewater work hard for its money: drench a cotton pad and wipe over clean skin for gentle, non-astringent toning. Pour into a travel spray and spritz all over your face and neck throughout the day to sooth irritated skin.

WELLBEING

Some may reap therapeutic rewards from burning aromatherapy candles, but in all honesty I’m not sure I ever have. That said, there is something peace-giving about inhaling a beloved high quality, chemicalfree aroma. Neom Organics are streets ahead in a now-crowded home-fragrancing market. They use nothing but essential oils to fragrance their 100% vegetable wax candles, and Complete Bliss: Moroccan Blush Rose (which I adore) is clean and modern. Burn, bathe aaaaand relax.

Neom Organics Complete Bliss: Moroccan Blush Rose Candle (£37.50 for 300g from www.neomorganics.com)

Recipe... Fragrant couscous with cardamom, rosewater and pistachio

* 250g couscous * 4 cardamom pods * Handful of sultanas * 3 tbsp rosewater * 2 small oranges (peel, fruit and juice) * 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil * Handful of chopped fresh mint * Salt & black pepper to taste * Handful of pistachio nuts (unsalted and crumbled)

1

Put the rosewater, sultanas, a generous squeeze of orange juice and a few strips of orange peel (avoiding pith) into a pan and warm through until quivering – not hot.

Remove from the heat, cover with cling film and set aside to steep. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar and put them in a bowl with the couscous.

2

Pour boiling water into the bowl to barely cover the couscous – no need to stir. Set aside to allow the couscous to swell and cardamom to release its oil. Don’t fluff it up until it is back to room temperature – this will avoid clumping. As soon as it is ready for fluffing-up, fish out the cardamom pods and discard.

3

Remove the orange peel from the rosewater and pour the rosewater, juice and sultanas into the couscous along with the pistachio crumble and mix. Add a few splashes of oil and maybe a little more juice from the orange. Arrange the couscous in a wide dish and add segmented orange pieces on top with a scattering of fresh mint.

Shelly Preston (pictured right) is founder of Boutique Aromatique, a brand specialising in fine fragrant chocolates that has an outlet within Welbeck Farm Shop near Worksop – www.boutiquearomatique.com and @BAromatique on Twitter

48 Great Food Magazine

Northfield Farm Shop O Rare and Traditional British Beef, Pork, Lamb, Poultry O Award-winning butchery O Home-made Black Pudding and Local Cheeses

O Delicious Sloeberry Spirits (Sloe Gin) produced on site O Plus much more from our Shop O Tea room open Saturdays

LOVE FOOD Our multi-award winning farm shop offers all the very best fresh fruit, vegetables, quality meat, deli counter and fresh fish all under one roof, not to mention lots of other wonderful ‘foodie’ delights, gifts and fine wines. If you love food, you’ll love Gonalston Farm Shop.

0115 966 5666 Opening Times Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 6.30pm Sunday 10am to 4pm Closed Mondays Bank Holidays 10am to 4pm

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Food Fun this Summer!

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Asparagus & Strawberry Day Saturday 12th May

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p49_GF_MayJune12.indd Sec1:49

19/4/12 12:27:17

SEASONAL RECIPES

Recipes from

WYLDELIGHT KITCHEN

Great Food’s resident Melton Mowbray-based cook and photographer shares six bespoke recipes inspired by spring

A

s the weather warms and the days lengthen, the BBQs are dusted off and the sound of wire scrapers against metal grills can be heard over garden fences. I love getting a group of people round for an afternoon of great seasonal food and drink, so for this issue I have a fantastic outdoor menu for you to enjoy that celebrates everything wonderful about this time of year. May sees the return of tender spring lamb to butchers’ counters across the region. I prefer my lamb to have spent a bit longer out in the fields developing the deep flavour that I love so much, so the real highlight for me right now is their sweetbreads. The season is short for these wonderful meaty morsels so don’t miss out. Elderflowers are bursting into bloom and our herb gardens, patio pots and allotments are starting to bear the fruits (and veg) of our labours, and I have dishes and drinks to show them off!

BBQ lamb sweetbreads You will need...

* Fresh lamb sweetbreads * 1 lemon * Thyme leaves * Rosemary sprigs (for the BBQ coals) * Sea salt flakes * Freshly ground pepper * 1 tsp rapeseed oil 1 Put your sweetbreads into a bowl of fresh water and leave to soak for several hours or overnight to remove impurities and make the membrane easier to remove.

2 Remove the fine membrane that covers the sweetbreads and pat dry with kitchen towel.

3 Remove some of the leaves from your thyme, combine with the oil, salt and pepper, and give the sweetbreads a light coating in the marinade before threading them onto your BBQ skewers and cooking on your BBQ. 4 Turn a couple of times over the hot coals, squeezing a bit of lemon juice on them as you do.

5 Serve with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy!

50 Great Food Magazine

Recipes Chermoula dip

Chermoula is a Moroccan marinade used for fish, lamb, chicken and vegetables, but I love it so much that I have made it into a dip to enjoy with crusty bread while waiting for the BBQ to be ready

L

ike the dukkah recipe in the last issue, chermoula has many variations, so adjust to your own taste. If you want to use it as a marinade, just leave out the almonds and water. When making it in spring, I like to take advantage of

the garlic scapes that sprout in my garden (the long green tendril that grows from garlic bulbs) and so I use these too. If you don’t grow your own garlic, you can order them from The Elephant Garlic Company (www.elephant-garlic.co.uk).

You will need...

* Finely grated zest

and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons * 4 cloves of garlic, grated finely * 1 heaped tsp sweet paprika * 2 tsp sumac * 2 tsp ground coriander

* 3 tsp ground cumin * 1 tsp cayenne * Few strands of saffron * 6 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

* 7 tbsp water * 1 tsp runny honey * 100g ground almonds * Handful fresh coriander

1 Mix the first 12 ingredients together in a bowl and leave to infuse while you chop your herbs, then add them too and give a good stir.

2 Add more water to loosen if you

* Handful fresh parsley * Handful finely

chopped garlic scapes (if you don’t have any just use 2 extra cloves of garlic) * Pinch of sea salt flakes * Freshly ground pepper

need, season with salt and pepper and leave for at least 20 minutes. The ground almonds will swell so you can add more oil or water until you are happy with the consistency.

Melton Mess

An indulgent, easy pud – perfect for sharing

Like many of the best things in life, this dessert came about out by accident and what a happy accident it was

T

his looks great when served in the middle of a table for everyone to dig in. I cheat and use good shop-bought meringues and custard, but I do make my own salted caramel sauce (and grow my own strawberries). I use double cream as it is firmer when whipped, so can take the custard and strawberry juice being folded in without collapsing.

Serves 6...

* 10 large strawberries * 2 tbsp caster sugar * 500ml double cream * 1 large meringue base or 10 ‘nests’ * 250ml good quality vanilla custard * Salted caramel sauce (see right) 1 Slice two thirds of your strawberries and put them in a bowl, sprinkle with caster sugar, stir and leave to macerate while you get on with the rest of the dish. Keep the remaining strawberries to one side for now.

2 Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until it’s firm – be careful though, as it’s very easy to over-whip double cream and it will start to separate (and you could accidentally end up with butter!).

3 Crush your meringues into pieces – don’t make them too small as you

want different textures to run through the dessert. Stir them into the cream.

4 Pour your custard and macerated strawberries and their juice on top of the whipped cream and gently fold in.

You don’t want it to be all mixed in completely, just folded carefully so you have pools of strawberries and custard within the cream.

5 Carefully tip the mixture onto a big serving platter, scatter the strawberries you had set to one side over the top, then drizzle liberally with the salted caramel sauce. Have the pot of caramel on the table so people can help themselves to more. I warn you though: this sauce is highly addictive!

Salted caramel sauce * 120g soft, light brown sugar * 100g unsalted butter * 1 tbsp water * 250ml double cream * 1 tsp sea salt flakes (not table salt)

1 Put the butter, sugar and water into a saucepan and heat gently until bubbling – it’s important that you don’t stir it though, just swirl the pan to combine.

2 Once it’s all melted, let it bubble away for three minutes, then whisk in your cream and remove from the heat. Add a teaspoon of salt flakes, taste to see if it needs any more (careful, though, it will be hot).

3 It will seem very runny but it thickens as it cools, so make it several hours before if you want a firmer sauce, and pop it in the fridge.

Great Food Magazine 51

SEASONAL RECIPES Elderflower, lemon verbena and lavender syrup

This, like all my recipes, relies heavily on what happens to be growing in my garden and the surrounding fields

E

lderflowers are everywhere at this time of year. Their heady scent is almost intoxicating and this syrup captures it beautifully. Make sure you only pick from trees that smell nice; I know this sounds obvious but not all species of elderflower do; also, take from many trees rather than just a couple as the berries that come along later feed the wild birds.

As the name suggests, lemon verbena is a lemon-scented herb. It’s easy to grow and will delicately scent your jellies, vinegars and gin (I make a wonderful lemon verbena gin each year). Elderflower can be quite overpowering so you need a fair amount of verbena for it to come through. If you don’t have lots to hand, use an extra lemon or substitute lemon balm for a slightly different twist.

I have lots of lavender dotted about in pots in my tiny garden

so that appears in many of my desserts and drinks. It is a very strong flavour, though, and too much can result in your food and drink tasting a bit soapy so I use just a few heads. I make a large batch of concentrated syrup to last me the year and freeze lots of it in plastic bottles to carry me through to the next flowering season.

Make around 4.5 litres...

* 3 carrier bags full of creamy white elderflower heads in full blossom, thick stems removed, shaken and rinsed to remove bugs * 5kg white granulated sugar * 3 litres water * 4 lemons * 3 large handfuls lemon verbena * 10 large lavender flower heads * 75g citric acid

1 Put your sugar and water into a big pot and heat, stirring every now and then. Meanwhile, pick through your elderflowers to remove any discoloured heads,

Summer in a bottle

and also zest your lemons.

2 Once the syrup is hot and the sugar is completely dissolved, turn off the heat, add the citric acid, lemon zest and juice (discard the bitter pith), plus the lemon verbena, lavender and elderflower heads and give the mixture a good stir.

3 Cover the pan and leave for

between 24 and 72 hours.

Obviously the longer you leave it the more concentrated the flavours will be: just taste it every now and then until you are happy.

4 Place a colander over a large, empty pan, line it with a layer of muslin to strain your liquid, and then decant into sterilised bottles.

“Their heady scent is almost intoxicating and this syrup captures it beautifully” Elderflower Refresher This is a beautiful drink that lets all the seasonal fruits and flowers shine. It’s a great alternative to Pimm’s and if you want a non-alcoholic version simply leave out the gin and sparkling wine and add cloudy apple juice. I use Hendrick’s Gin as it is already infused with cucumber and rose petals.

To make around one jugful...

* About 100ml elderflower, lemon verbena and lavender syrup * 100ml Hendrick’s gin * Ice cubes * Half a bottle of sparkling wine * Soda water (enough to top up) * Cucumber, strawberries, mint leaves

1 Half fill your jug with ice cubes, add the syrup, gin, sparkling wine and top up with soda water. Add thinly sliced cucumber, strawberries and a few mint leaves and give it a good stir.

Perfect drink for a vintage garden party (see p20)

TASTE TEST

Whilst travelling in the West Country last year I stumbled upon Spice Way fruit and herb infusions in a farm shop

I was so impressed with the Heavenly Herbs blend of rose petals, Mediterranean herbs, garlic and cardamom that I wrote to them to let them know how fantastic it was. They kindly sent me some samples.

Their products include dried fruit infusions such as Posh Pomelo & Melon, which won a gold star at last year’s Great Taste Awards. If you’re a fan of herbal and fruit teas then these will blow you away. I have been experimenting with them – brewing them up, chilling them right down and making incredible cocktails; stirring them into yogurt; sprinkling onto muesli and well, just eating them straight out of the pot!

The Fast Gourmet range includes blends of dried fruit, veg, nuts, herbs, seeds and spices that you stir into cooked rice or couscous. There are lots of fruit infusions, herb and

spice blends out there but these really are exceptional.

VERDICT: You want these in your life! www.spicewayuk.com

Get in touch with Hazel... Email: hazelpaterson@me.com Twitter: @HazelPaterson. Web: www.itsnotfingrocketscience.com

52 00 Great GreatFood FoodMagazine Magazine

gone Lucy’s Food has lamb, local. Our pork , are beef and chicken a 25 all reared within icester mile radius of Le r us in and butchered fo Lutter worth.

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We support local producers where ever we can

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Asparagus is also available for purchase at the Bar and Reception at each location for you to take home and enjoy.

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19/4/12 12:31:27

SUMMER FOOD

The ice cream kid Ben Vear of Cotswolds-based Winstone’s Ice Cream is following in his great-grandfather’s footsteps. Here he shares some family recipes

L

ast year, Ben Vear, a 23-year-old business student at Leicester’s De Montfort University, was inspired to write a book – ‘Make Your Own Organic Ice Cream Using Home Grown & Local Produce’. His book tells the story of his 87-year-old family business – Winstone’s Cotswold Ice Cream – and contains recipes and detailed information – presented in a friendly manner – on ice cream making. Great Food went to his book launch last November and asked him if he’d let us publish an extract from ‘Make Your Own...’ After thrusting a delicious ice cream into our hand, he agreed. These are his words…

Ben Vear is a fourth-generation ice cream maker

In 1925 my great-grandfather – Albert Winstone [pictured on the opposite page, far right] – started Winstone’s Ice Cream. When he began making ice cream in the 1920s he decided to do something a bit different but very sincere – service with a smile, using local goods and services where possible to support the community that he loved. No doubt Mary Portas would be proud!

Albert, with the help of his wife and friends, produced his ice cream on his stove, using a Victorian recipe that he had spent years tweaking and refining. The ice cream customers. Never losing sight of Great would be loaded into his sidecar and he’d set Granddad Burt’s original ethos, the company off on his motorcycle around the Cotswolds uses Cotswold water, and local organic milk to sell his goods. Set among the rolling hills and double cream from a beautiful of Gloucestershire, Winstone’s Ice Cream is herd of long-horned cows who graze on still operated by my family from its base on grassland just a mile from Winstone’s National Trust Common land factory and parlour. near Stroud. Over the years Winstone’s... my family business has gone Treasure in the safe ...has won The Silver from strength to strength For many years the recipes Challenge Cup at the and now produces over one used and developed by my National Ice Cream million litres of ice cream per great-grandfather Albert Competition nine year for more than two remained locked away in his times, along with many other major awards. hundred thousand happy old iron safe that sat at the

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54 Great Food Magazine

You can make delicious ice cream at home quite easily

Ice cream

Making the perfect custard

When making ice cream, you essentially create a custard, then add different amounts of sugar, fruit, herbs, alcohol and flavourings.

Whatever type you’re making, it’s essential not to burn the custard or heat it up too quickly, otherwise you end up with a scrambled egg type mixture. The cream must be heated slowly, with continuous stirring. When choosing ingredients, remember where possible to support your local markets and producers, and if the budget allows, I recommend stretching to organic ingredients.

Ben making ice cream at home

Basic custard Serves 4-6

This recipe is the basis of all our ice creams. Once you have mastered this you can experiment with flavours to your heart’s content. First, I advise sterilising all of your equipment in hot, soapy water. This custard will keep in the freezer for three months but don’t take it out and then refreeze it.

* 250ml organic double cream * 300ml organic full-fat milk * 120g Fairtrade caster sugar * 3 large organic egg yolks 1 Pour the cream and milk into a medium or large heavybased saucepan and warm over a low heat.

2 Tip in half the sugar, stirring at regular intervals. Do not allow to boil.

3 Whisk the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a heatproof whisking bowl, beating with an electric whisk for about two minutes, or until the mixture has thickened like custard.

4 Pour the hot milk and cream into the eggs, then return the mixture to the pan and put it back on a low heat. Stir constantly to avoid burning.

5 Continue to heat gently, still stirring, for around 10 minutes, until the mixture has a thick, custard-like consistency. Make sure it doesn’t boil – as soon as you see a few bubbles about to burst to the surface, that means the mixture should be thick enough.

6 Remove from the heat so that the mixture doesn’t curdle and set aside for 10 minutes before putting the custard in the fridge to chill.

7 Turn on your ice cream machine (if you don’t have one, see Step A and ‘Making your ice cream by hand’ below) and, once up and running, slowly pour in the chilled mixture.

Follow the maker’s instructions and leave it to churn.

8 When it stops, the ice cream will probably be too soft to eat, so spoon it into a plastic or freezer-safe container, seal the lid firmly and freeze for at least two hours, or overnight.

Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly and bingo – your ice cream is ready to eat!

A To make basic custard by hand, in Step 1, heat the milk, vanilla, and half the sugar without the cream (custard will be slightly thicker). Then follow the method until Step 6. At the start of Step 6, whip the cream so that it’s light and floppy – not too stiff – and fold it into the cold custard.

B Freeze your mixture for 3-4 hours, stirring once an hour until almost frozen, then freeze as in Step 8 (also see below).

bottom of his beautiful cottage garden in Rodborough, not far from the family ice cream parlour.

Having not seen the light of day for years and sat gathering dust, I stumbled across the safe a few years ago. Amazed by the size and stature of the once-loved safe, I managed to force the door open – thanks to the sheer amount of rust on its hinges. Not knowing what to expect, I ran my hand across the two shelves inside and, after brushing off a thick clump of dust, came across a pile of papers and photographs bundled together with string. ³

STAY TOUC IN US ON H WITH TW – @GRE ITTER A FOOD T MAG

Making your ice cream by hand An ice-cream maker isn’t essential – it just makes things quicker and more consistent.

At home I use a Magimix Gelato, which retails at under £250. However, if placing straight into the freezer rather than using an ice cream maker, firmly place a lid on the container and remove from the freezer after one hour to whisk – this stops large ice crystals forming and should be repeated at least three times – once every hour – before leaving to set.

Great Food Magazine 55

SUMMER FOOD

Adding a dash of lemon juice enhances the flavour of blueberries

Rhubarb Ice Cream Serves 4-6

* 250ml organic double cream * 300ml local full-fat milk * 50ml water * 150g Fairtrade caster sugar * 4 large organic free range eggs yolks * 350g rhubarb

1 Roughly chop the rhubarb and put it, the water and 50g of the caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir well, cover and cook for up to 15 minutes, allowing the rhubarb to reduce to a thick liquid.

2 In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 100g of sugar until you have a pale mixture with a smooth consistency.

3 In a separate saucepan, bring the milk and double cream first to a simmer and then to boiling point, stirring constantly. Immediately pour it over the egg and sugar mixture and whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.

4 Return the mixture to a clean saucepan and cook over a low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5 Add the softened rhubarb and stir into the custard until fully combined. Set aside to cool before transferring the mixture to an ice-cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions (alternatively, follow the ‘Making by hand’ formula on p55).

Ben’s book

Make Your Own Organic Ice Cream has 192 pages and is published by Spring Hill. It contains many more tips and seasonal recipes, including a section on savoury ice creams, such as goats’ cheese and wasabi. Buy it from your local book shop for £14.99.

Old family recipes After taking time to study the worn papers and photographs that had sat in the safe for so long, I was overjoyed to discover the original ice cream recipes developed by great-grandfather Albert in the 1920s when he set up Winstone’s Cotswold Ice Cream.

While many of the recipes found were delicious, they have required small changes and have provided the base for newly developed recipes, such as our Guinness ice cream and Gin & Tonic sorbet.

56 Great Food Magazine

Blueberry Ice Cream Serves 4-6

It is often easy to lose blueberries’ delicious flavour, and thus in this recipe the addition of a small amount of lemon juice will bring out the flavour, which can often be lost by the dairy ingredients in ice cream.

* 100ml carton organic double cream * 200ml local full-fat milk * 150g Fairtrade caster sugar * 1 large organic free range egg * 300g blended blueberries * Dash of lemon juice 1 Beat your egg and sugar in a mixing bowl, using a hand whisk, and place over a low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens to a custard-like substance.

2 In a blender, whizz up all of your blueberries and add a dash of lemon juice and a few tablespoons of water, until completely liquid.

3 Combine the custard mixture with the liquid blueberry mix, return to the heat and combine with milk and cream. Heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring the mixture constantly.

4 Remove from the heat and allow to rest before pouring the mixture into your ice-cream maker (or freeze by hand – see p55).

Those old papers and pictures were the inspiration behind my book, which I wrote to share some of the things my family has learnt.

One final note: where feasible, I encourage you to buy ingredients from local producers, especially those that support your own local community and operate ethically. Q CONTACTS Winstone’s Ice Cream, Greenacres, Bownham, Glos GL5 5BX, 01453 873270, www.winstonesicecream.co.uk, www.benvear.com

Winstone’s classic old ice cream van

Thaymar Real Luxury Dairy Ice Cream and Real Fruit Sorbets have been made at Haughton Park Farm since 1988.

Thelma and Martin Cheetham found that due to the introduction of milk quotas they were producing too much milk. So with Thelma’s passion for good home produced food and Martins diversification idea, Thaymar Real Dairy Ice Cream was born. Over 35 delicious hand made flavours of ice cream and sorbets are now made on the farm.

Using fresh milk and double cream, straight from the neighbouring dairy, we add quality local fruit and natural fruit flavours, to name but a few of our finest ingredients. This culminates in an unforgettable ice cream experience.

Farm and Tea Shop open 7 days 10.00a.m. - 5.30p.m.

Haughton Park Farm, Nr Bothamsall, Retford, Notts DN22 Haught 22 8DB Tel: 01623 858887 www.thaymaricecream.co.uk

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DISCOUNTS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM FARM SHOP DURING ENGLISH WINE WEEK Ideal present - specially for those who do not think that grapes can be grown in Leicestershire!

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19/4/12 12:34:18

RECIPE

Nick Funnell’s Coventry Godcake Chef Nick Funnell has revised a delicacy from Warwickshire’s culinary past for his spring and summer menu at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Rooftop Restaurant in Stratford upon Avon.

Nick was researching traditional regional treats when he came across the centuries-old Coventry Godcake.

Served since the Middle Ages, this triangular pastry parcel of sweet mincemeat, similar to a jam puff, was traditionally presented by godparents to godchildren on New Year’s Day, at Easter or on the child’s birthday.

Its three sides are said to represent the Holy Trinity but, on a more earthly level, a Godcake or jam puff is also a Warwickshire nickname for the triangle of grass created at a junction as the

Makes around 12 Godcakes For the fruit filling * 250g diced mixed peel * 250g sultanas * 250g diced apple * 250g vegetable suet * 1 large lemon, juice and zest

* 250g raisins * 250g currants * 250g soft dark brown sugar * Juice and zest of 1 large orange * Shot of dark navy rum

For the pastry * All-butter puff pastry rolled out and cut into 60g triangles * Egg wash (egg yolk and milk mixture) * Sugar syrup (equal quantities of water and sugar brought to the boil and reduced by half) * Caster sugar for dusting

RSC’s Rooftop Restaurant is part of great food club – www.greatfood club.co.uk

road splits to go left and right! Working for the company that commemorates the world’s most famous playwright, Nick was also excited to discover that the Godcake was celebrated by another great literary figure from the past – Geoffrey Chaucer. A variant of the Coventry Godcake – Suffolk’s ‘Godde’s Kitchels’ – gets a mention in Chaucer’s celebrated Canterbury Tales.

Intrigued by its history, Nick set about reviving this little-known local delight. “At the Rooftop Restaurant we try to make the most of local produce

and suppliers but I also think it’s important to include dishes that reflect the region’s culture and customs,” said Nick. “I like to delve into the past for ideas, adapting old dishes for modern tastebuds. The Coventry Godcake is a celebration of Warwickshire’s culinary traditions and while we have stayed true to the basic principles of the dish, my pastry chef, Teresa Legaspi, has refined the recipe with a version that’s sweet and buttery yet airy and light. It’s proving a real hit with our diners.”

1 In a large enough pot, add all of the ingredients for the fruit filling but leave aside the vegetable suet for now.

Gently warm through. What you are trying to do is get all the fruit to mingle nicely together and become one family, so maybe pour in a small amount of water to help moisten the mixture.

2 Once the mixture is nicely warmed through and softened, remove from the heat and pour into a mixing bowl.

Now mix in the vegetable suet and then cover and chill for two days.

3 Having chilled the mixture for two days, take it out of the fridge and give it a good stir – this helps the vegetable suet and fruit to bond.

4 Divide the puff pastry into 60g pieces rolled out between clingfilm. Cut into triangles and brush the egg wash around the outer edges.

5 Place a neat pile of the fruit mixture in the very centre of the triangle and gently fold the pastry over the top and press down to form the triangle.

Smooth out the edges and brush all over with egg wash.

6 Bake in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 3 (170 degrees) for 15 minutes, then remove and brush with the sugar syrup and dust with the caster sugar. Put back in the oven and continue cooking for another five minutes. Remove, allow to cool and enjoy!

“A variant of the Coventry Godcake gets a mention in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales”

Bite into a piece of Warwickshire history – just make sure it’s cooled down first

58 Great Food Magazine

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HOME COOKING

PARTY FOOD

Diamond Chicken

The Coronation recipe reinvented by Lucy Cufflin…

E

ver heard of ‘Jubilee Chicken’? No? Well, it was dish that mixed chicken, curry spices and mayonnaise and it appeared at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of George V in 1935.

Hang on, isn’t that Coronation Chicken? Well yes, in all but name. There were some spice variations, but Rosemary Hulme and Constance Spry of the Cordon Bleu Cookery School did not so much invent the dish for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 as re-design a Royal favourite.

In fact, the dish has its roots much further back in history and the mix of spice and fruit with chicken has its basis in the Middle Ages. There are ancient recipes that suggest boiling chicken and then using the resulting broth with ground almonds to make a white sauce – this is then left to go cold and mixed with dried fruits and spices. As they say, there really is nothing new in cookery!

Having said that, it was the publicity of the dish appearing at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II that put it firmly on our culinary map.

Whilst training at London’s Cordon Bleu School (Rosemary Hulme founded it), we were obliged to make Coronation Chicken as part of our course and it took about two days in total. We soaked and marinated dried apricots, hand-blended spices and made our own mayonnaise, and this wonderful dish bore little resemblance to the sandwich filling we see on our supermarket shelves today. It was, it is, truly magical and made like that it is not hard to see how it won its place in our hearts.

Our tastes have changed over the last few decades and we now eat lighter, fresher-flavoured food, so I set about looking to update my old and convoluted Cordon Bleu recipe to create something fresh for 2012. At the time of the Coronation, our spices and food influences were colonial, but now a lot of the Far East floods into our lives every day, so instead of curry spices I have opted for the oriental, using

Diamond Chicken

a five-spice blend. I have kept the fruit fresh with ripe mango rather than using the heavier-flavoured dried apricots of the original recipe.

I noticed the other day in the supermarket that there is more shelf space given over to ‘light’, ‘super light’ and ‘even lighter’ mayonnaise than there is to the original, so my guess is that to update this recipe we also need to ditch the mayo… enter Greek yoghurt.

So here is my ‘Diamond Chicken’ – try it, love it and maybe you’ll share it with friends and neighbours to celebrate what is without doubt a magnificent occasion. Q

Serves 10 for light lunch

* 10 x 130g chicken fillets, no skin or bone * 1 chicken stock cube * 2 tbsp brown sugar * Juice and zest of 2 limes * 25ml lemon juice (Jif is OK) * 2 tsp five-spice * 2 ripe mangoes, skin removed and cut into large chunks * 1 fresh bird-eye chilli, chopped (seeds in) * 1 x 4cm cube fresh ginger, grated * 12 tbsp Natural or Greek yoghurt * 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped * Salt and pepper

1 Place the chicken fillets and crumbled stock cube into a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Place a lid on the pan and return to the boil.

Turn the heat down and simmer gently for around 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow the chicken to cool in the liquid. This can be done up to two days ahead and the chicken stored in the fridge.

2 Put the brown sugar, lime zest and juice, lemon juice, and five-spice into a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat for a couple of minutes to dissolve

the sugar. Then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

3 Meanwhile, put the mango flesh, ginger and chilli into a processor and blend with the lime mix.

4 Stir into the yoghurt and season to taste. This can be made up to one day ahead and refrigerated.

5 Drain the chicken and cut into mouth-sized pieces and stir into the yoghurt mixture along with the freshly chopped coriander.

6 Serve with couscous salad or lots of crusty bread and leaves.

Local chef Lucy is author of acclaimed cookbook Lucy’s Food and co-runs a food and kitchenware shop of the same name in Leicester’s Stoneygate. For more information visit www.lucysfood.co.uk or tweet to @LucysFood on Twitter

60 Great Food Magazine

Lucy with her Diamond Chicken

Helen Tarver

Foodie Gift Hunter

Party time!

Whether it’s Wagon Wheels or foie gras, you simply have to get your chops around some party food this year…

W

hat’s the best thing about this year?

Forget about the swelling national pride as Sir Chris Hoy powers across the line in record time, or as Rebecca Adlington burns up the swimming pool.

No, with the Diamond Jubilee to look forward to, it’s all about the street party, and in particular the party food.

Apparently there were formal sit-down street dinners for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, but my memories are of less formal affairs. Being a child of the ‘70s, the Silver Jubilee is my point of reference, which wasn’t necessarily a high point of culinary diversity in the part of Yorkshire where I grew up.

But that doesn’t mean the eating wasn’t good. Aged nine during the ‘70s, there was something wonderful about vol au vents, cheese footballs, Viscount mint biscuits and side orders of Angel Delight. In the 21st century, though, surely the street party is going to be a slightly more tasteful affair? Or is that even relevant?

Getting together with friends and neighbours is probably not the time for experimenting with Heston’s snail porridge or nitro-poached aperitifs. What you really want is food everyone can identify at first glance, that no-one has to slave for hours producing and that everyone enjoys eating.

Simple. And hopefully tasty.

Falafels and fairy cakes Her Majesty the Queen will no doubt reflect on the many changes she’s seen over those years, from grappling with austerity in the ‘50s to, well, still grappling with modern austerity in the 21st century. We may think it’s tough today but the Coronation street parties would have meant trying to be creative within the restrictions of rationing. At least today we

Brewing to remember

Break out the party puds!

actually have a choice about whether or not our sponges should be eggless.

One of the big changes from ’77, though, is that our eating is much more diverse, drawing on an ever widening number of cultural influences. You’re just as likely to find Indian, Thai or Polish delicacies on the trestle tables as a Scotch egg or Cornish pasty. It will be no surprise to find pakoras and pretzels, satay and Pringles sharing table space, or ice cream and jelly alongside a tiramisu.

But really it doesn’t matter what you cook, the important thing is taking a moment to Buffets have changed a bit since the Silver Jubilee

The Diamond Jubilee isn’t the only significant anniversary in 2012 as it is also 100 years since the sinking of the Titanic. Whilst not exactly something to celebrate, Titanic Brewery of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, is marking the occasion with two special beers – named ‘Centenary’ and ‘1912’ – as well as coming up with some great thinking about how the story of the ship could be reflected through brewing.

‘Centenary’ is a heavyweight beer, appropriate as the Titanic was, at the time, the heaviest object ever moved by man.

It’s brewed using English malt, produced in exactly the same way as it was back in 1912, and uses a unique blend of three hops, representing some of the innovation that the ship captured.

The idea behind ‘1912’ is to reflect the spirit of endeavour and optimism of those setting off to make brand new lives.

Using a mix of UK and US ingredients, this is a light and refreshing tipple to toast the memory of those who never did get to realise their dreams. celebrate together. So grab a few trestles, some deckchairs and whatever is to hand, and break bread with friends and neighbours. Of course, you could also use the occasion to get out and support local suppliers, producers and farmers’ markets, putting the best of the huge variety that our region has to offer onto the table. That really would be something to celebrate, something to mark a new golden, or even diamond, age of British food. Now, pass me the Viscounts, please. Q

Vale of Belvoir-based Helen Tarver, aka The Foodie Gift Hunter, blogs almost daily on her website: www.thefoodiegifthunter.co.uk.

She’s @presentsqueen on Twitter, where she can be found offering regular bite-sized chunks on food, drink, gifts and more.

Great Food Magazine 61

Growing your own

NOTES FROM THE V After some self-admonishment, Charlie Boyd gets back down to business...

I

’ve been a bad gardener. I mean well but I’ve read advice from better gardeners and ignored it, thinking: “Nah, I know what I’m doing.” I didn’t.

But that’s changed and from now on I’m doing everything properly; I’m taking my time and doing it by the book. If a packet of seeds says “sow in rows 1m apart” I’ll do exactly that – sticking to tried-and-tested methods is the best way forward.

This is particularly true when it comes to thinning out. Last year I didn’t think I needed to thin out my beetroot – it looked fine – but in fact although the leaves were growing up there was no room for the beets, so they ended up small and woody.

This year my beets will get my full care and will grow to be big, fat and delicious when roasted and tossed with a bit of chilli and cumin.

There are lots of good things about growing your own and for me freshness is number one. Last year the best dishes I created were the simplest: peas fresh from the pod, young courgettes sliced and griddled, a juicy tomato eaten like an apple! This year I’m determined to eat my veg in as close to their natural state as possible. Anything that can be eaten raw will be eaten raw. ‘Slaw is my new obsession.

Forget that slop you get in plastic supermarket tubs – proper coleslaw is sensational and can contain anything you like. See my recipe opposite and do play around with it.

On top of the rhubarb, pears, apple, apricots and plums already established in the garden I’ve added raspberry, gooseberry, blackcurrant and strawberry plants. This is in a new ‘fruit garden’ area, created with the soil I removed when digging a wildlife pond. Most of these new plants were picked up for £1 each at local car boot sales. I much prefer to buy my seedlings this way – it helps out fellow gardeners with a few quid.

I’ve still got room in my pallet planters for a couple more herbs.

There’s sage, rosemary and thyme but I’m open to suggestions for the vacant slots. What herb is seriously under rated? Let me know at editorial@greatfoodmag.co.uk.

62 Great Food Magazine

Charlie plants his Riverford seeds

Is that a genuine green finger?

Take your time to follow planting instructions rather than just bunging seeds in willy-nilly LONELY PEA SHOOT This pea shoot was found in the middle of Charlie’s veg patch. He says: “I don’t have the heart to rip it out, so everything will have to grow around it.”

Thyme in Charlie’s pallet planter

GRAB A BOX TO GROW

Riverford makes it easy If starting your own veg patch seems daunting, organic food company Riverford has the answer. For £24.95 (small) or £30.95 (large) you can get a box of organic seedlings

delivered to your door. The ‘Box to Grow’ comes with planting instructions and includes lettuce, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, broad beans, coriander and more.

There’s also a herb box for £17.95 and a flower box for £21.35. By the time you read this, veg will already be sprouting in gardens across the

Heart of England, but there’s still time to grab yourself a herb box to be delivered during the summer. Find out more and order at www.riverford.co.uk, or register for next spring’s veg grow boxes by emailing sacrewell@riverford.co.uk.

VEG PATCH Two recipes for your summer vegetables

DIY ‘slaw

I think as long as you include a white or red cabbage, thinly sliced, then the rest is down to your personal taste. I like to add red onion, though you need to taste it first to judge how strong it is and adjust your quantities accordingly. Give this to someone who claims to not like coleslaw and you’ll convert them in one mouthful. The secret is to slice as thinly as you can – a mandolin or food processor attachment is ideal.

Serves loads!

It’s a week’s worth of lunches for two people, alongside some nice ham or leftover roast chicken.

* Quarter red cabbage * Quarter white cabbage * Large carrot * Half small red onion * Quarter large celeriac * Half red pepper * Handful coriander leaves * Splash red wine vinegar * 1 tsp Dijon mustard * 1 tsp caster sugar 3 big spoonfuls mayonnaise * * Salt and pepper to taste * 3 big spoonfuls soured cream 1 Thinly slice the cabbages, onion and red pepper.

2 Grate the celeriac and carrot.

3 Put all your raw veg into a large bowl, then mix your wet ingredients, starting with the sugar and vinegar.

4 Pour the sauce onto the veg and mix well.

5 Add the coriander and serve.

Baked beetroot with goats’ cheese I blame my grandparents for the fact that I didn’t enjoy beetroot until I was well into my late 20s.

Until then, my only beet experience had been of a pickled lump of slimy maroon mush, sliced up and served alongside congealed vol-au-vents and fish paste rolls for ‘a bit of tea’.

Pickled beetroot bears no

resemblance to the real thing, which must be one of the most spectacular veg to grow. If you want to substitute the goats’ cheese here for your favourite crumbly local cheese, be my guest.

This goes well with almost anything, including a fresh green salad and new potatoes.

Serves two as a side dish

* 6-8 small beets (any colour you can find) * Goats’ cheese * Handful fresh thyme * Handful chopped fresh chives * Olive oil * Balsamic vinegar * Salt and pepper 1 Top, tail and wash your beets – you don’t need to peel them.

2 Cut into golf ball-sized pieces (unless they’re already golf ball-sized!)

3 Put beets onto a large sheet of foil, season and top with chopped herbs. Bring up the edges of your foil, then give the beets a good glug of oil and balsamic vinegar.

4 Close up the foil parcel and put on a baking tray in a pre-heated oven at Gas Mark 5 (190°C) for about an hour.

5 When they’re done, carefully open the parcel (watch out for steam), then crumble the goats’ cheese on top.

6 Serve while the cheese is just starting to melt.

Great Food Magazine 63

GROWING YOUR OWN

HOW TO...

Grow your own chillies... part 3 Your plant has flowered but how do you make sure chillies come next? Craig McKnight explains

F

ollowing on from my previous two articles giving tips on how to get your chilli seeds to germinate, and how to make sure they grow from tiny seedlings into big healthy chilli plants, this third article focuses on what to do when your young plants start developing flowers. The flowers are crucial, as they turn into chillies when the flowers have been pollinated.

If your chillies are planted outside then hopefully Mother Nature, with the help of bees, will do the job of pollinating the flowers for you.

However, if your plants are indoors or in a greenhouse you will need to give them a helping hand, otherwise those flowers will not develop into chillies.

They will simply fall off and all your hard work will have been for nothing.

To help the flowers turn into chillies you will have to pretend to be a bee.

Don’t worry, you can do this behind the closed doors of your greenhouse, so no one will see you!

Chilli flowers are the precursor to the fruit

DIY POLLINATION The first method involves rubbing your little finger inside the flower, then doing the same in another flower on the same plant. Alternatively, you can do the same thing with a cotton bud.

Try not to cross-pollinate your plants by transferring the pollen from one type of chilli to another.

After a while you will notice that the flowers that have been pollinated will

start to turn brown and eventually drop off. DON’T PANIC! All that’s happening is that a chilli is now starting to push through the flower, and you are well on the way to your first harvest!

MORE WATER, PLEASE

If pollinated, after the flower has fallen off a chilli should follow

You will probably need to start watering your chilli plants a little more often as the weather (hopefully) hots up. As I mentioned in the last article, it will be beneficial if you give your plants a helping hand by feeding them.

You can use either tomato feed made at half the concentration recommended for tomatoes, or use one of the specialist chilli feeds on the market, such as ‘Chilli Focus’.

In my next article I’ll be giving you tips on how to deal with the most common diseases and nasties that if left unchecked can harm your lovely chilli plants. See you then! Q

Nottingham Chilli Festival Bouverie Lodge Bison Farm is a working farm situated approx. 5 Bouverie Lodge Bison Farm is a working farm miles North West of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire on the outskirts situated approx. 5 miles North West of Melton Mowbray, of the village of Broughton. visit our Farm Shop Leicestershire onNether the outskirts of the Why village not of Nether where youWhy cannot purchase delicious Bison and Venison meat.

Broughton. visit our Farm Shop where you can purchase delicious Bison and Venison We now have 3 rooms for Bed & Breakfast and can also cater for up meat.

From Bison steaks dining. and burgers to Vension to 30 people for private See our web sitejoints for further details. our meat is butchered and vacuum packed on-site. www.bouverielodge.co.uk

01664 822114 - www.bisons.org 01664 822114 - www.bisons.org 64 Great Food Magazine

Nottingham Chilli Festival will take place on August 11-12, 2012 at Highfields Sports Club, Beeston, Nottingham. For more information go to www.nottinghamchillifestival.co.uk

About the writer Craig McKnight from Nottingham has been growing his own chillies for many years and is passionate about growing. And chickens.

Recipe

Nottingham’s Secret Millionaire Arfan ‘Raz’ Razak, head chef and owner of Nottingham’s Curry Lounge, is a busy man. Not only is he starring in an episode of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, he’s also creating a recipe book to raise money for injured Royal Marines, cooking for Nottingham boxer Carl Froch, and creating a range of curry kits. The Secret Millionaire episode in which Raz goes undercover to help people airs on May 14, 2012.

“I did the show because I wanted to make a real difference,” says Raz. “It was humbling to see people in bad situations make the best they possibly could of every day.”

Raz’s Lobster Pepper Fry Serves 4

Nottingham’s Curry Lounge is part of great food club www.greatfood club.co.uk

Apply pressure to break the softened shells

With this dish, you combine traditional masala sauce with tender lobster meat that’s been cooked in wonderful spices, creating a curry packed with flavour.

For traditional masala sauce * 3 onions, chopped and diced * 2 fresh tomatoes * õ tsp chilli powder * ô tsp garam masala powder * ô tsp turmeric * Pinch of saffron * 2 cloves garlic * 2.5cm ginger, cut into matchsticks * 2 chillies, finely chopped * Juice of half a lime * ô tsp coriander powder

For the lobster pepper fry * 3 lobster tails * ô tsp mustard seeds * 8 black peppercorns, coarsely crushed * 5 curry leaves * ô tsp red chilli flakes * Pinch of saffron * Pinch ginger powder * 1 clove garlic, crushed * Handful fresh coriander, chopped

1 Sauté the chopped onions in a little oil with the chilli powder, turmeric, garlic and ginger. Cook over a low-to-medium heat and when the onions look like they’re drying out, simply add a little water and continue cooking.

2 When the onions are golden brown add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 Push three wooden skewers into each lobster tail so they don’t curl up when exposed to heat (see Raz’s tip, right).

Place tails into a pan of boiling salted water for two minutes.

2 Remove, take out skewers, and place tails onto a kitchen towel. Using a sharp knife, apply gentle pressure lengthways down the spine of each softened shell (see picture above right). You’re trying to half-break the shells so you can remove the flesh and fan out the shells to use as rice bowls (see pictures). If you’re not bothered about doing this then simply break them, extract the meat and discard. If you are going to use as fancy bowls then remove the flesh and return shells to boiling water for 20 minutes, so they turn red.

3 Trim the meat, discarding any remnants of the lobster’s feet, and cut

Use the shell as a rice bowl

into large bite-sized pieces and reserve.

4 Now add a large knob of butter to a hot pan and add the chilli flakes, garlic, ginger, crushed pepper, mustard seeds and saffron. Lower the heat so the spices don’t burn but infuse into one other. When mustard seeds are popping, add the curry leaves.

5 After around two minutes, when the curry leaves start losing their colour, add the lobster pieces. Keep the temperature low so that the meat absorbs the flavours.

6 Once the meat has been fully coated in pepper sauce – after a minute or two – turn the heat up high and add your masala sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes before stirring in fresh coriander and leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat. Serve with rice, dahl and a fresh salad.

Raz’s tip

Insert wooden skewers down the length of your lobster tail to stop it curling up during cooking.

This technique also works with most fish.

Great Food Magazine 65

PUB WALK

The walk

PARK IN Tideswell and locate the Horse & Jockey pub on Queen Street. Maybe go in for a pre-walk snifter. Now, with your back to the pub, walk left and after around 50 yards turn left up Sunny Bank Lane.

At the top of the lane you reach another road. Go straight over and through a small gap in the wall to the left of a row of terraced houses.

1

St John The Baptist church at Tideswell is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Peak’

Taste Tideswell and bask in the beauty of the Peak District

WALK UPHILL through the field and after 20 yards go over a fallen wall. After another 150 yards of steep incline, go over a stone stile in the wall and turn left onto a track called Slancote Lane.

2

A five-mile circuit that takes in hill, dale, river and brook... plus several fine pubs

OVERVIEW OF AREA

66 Great Food Magazine

}

The aim of the Taste Tideswell project is to create a thriving community sustained by its own food economy. The project has led to the Tideswell School of Food and the ‘Tideswell Made’ food mark – www.tastetideswell.co.uk

that and more. For local-food lovers, there can be no better place to start your stroll in this entire National Park than Tideswell, home of the Taste Tideswell Project and the Tideswell School of Food (see above). From here you hike up hill, across field and down into wonderful Miller’s Dale, crossing the pretty River Wye before joining the Monsal Trail and crossing back over the river and following a babbling brook back to Tideswell. On our walk, we came across two pubs, wild garlic at Litton Mill, spotted a water vole posing for the camera and enjoyed glorious views across Monk’s Dale, before enjoying a meal at the superb Red Lion at Litton (see opposite).

Why not retrace our footsteps and enjoy this fabulous circular walk?

Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright. AM44/10.

F

or Londoners, Watford Gap Services is the gateway to the north, but for us Midlanders it’s the magnificent Derbyshire and Staffordshire Peak District that offers a door to another part of the country.

Arriving here from the south, the vistas suddenly get spectacular, the air seems fresher and the villages more idyllic. Your internal switch flicks from work to holiday mode, and before long you’re wandering through dales, chatting to sheep and looking for the next pub. That last bit might be just us, but this beautiful walk gives you the opportunity to do all

AFTER NEARLY half a mile, when Slancote Lane bends fairly sharply to the left, leave the track through a gate on your right and strike out into a patchwork of fields. Follow the path, aiming for a gate in the middle of a wall in the distance. As you approach this gate, look to your left to a corner of the field and you’ll see stone steps going over the wall. Climb them and in the next field go straight on, staying close to the wall on your left.

3

AT THE end of the field, in the corner, go over a stone stile and turn left along the Limestone Way. After 200 yards, at a T-Junction in the track, turn right downhill, going through a gate.

4

View towards Monk’s Dale after leaving Slancote Lane (Step 3)

CARRY ON along the track, going through another gate, past a farmhouse and through a third gate, turning right to follow a sign for the Limestone Way. Go through a gate next to some holiday cottages and stay on the

5

Tideswell and Miller’s Dale

Detailed walk map

PUB WALK

Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown copyright. AM44/10.

The Red Lion

down to Litton Mill. Wind your way down to a bridge, following a clear path, before crossing the Wye.

Limestone Way to Miller’s Dale, ignoring a gate on your right.

AFTER ONLY a few yards, go through the metal gate and turn right along a single-lane tarmac road. Join the main road and look for a sign to Litton Mill (an old textile mill that became notorious during the Industrial Revolution for immoral employment practices). Follow it to double back on yourself and then immediately look for a footpath sign on your right (a few yards beyond this sign is the Angler’s Rest pub, which is worth a visit). Follow the sign to cross the bridges over the River Wye.

6

TURN LEFT on the road and after around 200 yards, bear right, leaving the road to join a track that follows a stream. You are now walking along what appears to be an ancient river bed. Carry on, following the stream, crossing a small wooden bridge and going through a gate.

9

Wild garlic

ON THE other side of the river, turn left uphill, ascending a stony path. After a short, sharp climb, join the Monsal Trail (the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction train line), turning left towards Bakewell.

A giant vole

7

8

AFTER ABOUT one mile, go under a bridge and after a further 50 yards, turn left

AT THE sign for Tideswell Dale you can either cross the small bridge and turn left to follow the stream or carry straight on (the paths rejoin). Go past the giant wooden carving of a water vole (see left) and about 100 yards beyond that go through a gate.

10

NOTES: We’ve done this walk and believe that the instructions are accurate. Take a map – OS Explorer OL24 – and allow enough time.

YOU’RE NOW in a car parking area. Head to the right of the far side of the car park, where there is a path and a signpost to Tideswell. Go through the gate and walk on the grass by the side of the road. Around 100 yards after the gate, look for a small wooden gate in the wall on your left. Go through it, cross the road and follow the pavement for about one mile, all the way back to Tideswell and the Horse & Jockey.

11

A mile east of Tideswell is the smaller village of Litton, with its two churches, village shop, community post office and a rather wonderful pub, The Red Lion. This characterful hostelry overlooks the village green, which doubles as its beer garden and is notable for a set of ancient stocks that sit under a large tree, possibly awaiting drinkers who imbibe too many pints pulled from one of the pub’s four real-ale pumps. Expect beers like BG Sips from Nottinghamshire’s Blue Monkey Brewery and Barnsley Bitter from Yorkshire’s Oakwell Brewery.

Inside the Red Lion – which was converted from farm cottage to pub in 1787 – are a number of small, cosy rooms.

There’s no music, just the chatter of contented diners and tired walkers. Dogs are welcome in the front rooms, but not the carpeted dining area to the rear. During our visit on a Friday evening the Red Lion was packed, but we just managed to squeeze behind a small copper-topped table in a tiny room off the corridor near the bar.

The food is classic English pub fare, which is just what you want at a pub like this. We went for local sausages (from Hancocks Farm, just down the road) in onion gravy on a bed of mash, and haddock and chips. Both dishes were well cooked and thoroughly enjoyed between chatting with fellow dog owners. MW The Red Lion, Church Lane, Litton, Derbyshire SK17 8QU, 01298 871458, www.redlionlitton.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 67

Show us your

DREAM KITCHEN DESIGNER PROFILE NAME: Granite Transformations.

COMPANY BACKGROUND:

Each issue we show off a great kitchen. This one proves a makeover can be just as good as a refit

Granite Transformations was founded in Perth, Australia, in 1996 and is now a franchise business.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The company specialises in renovating your kitchen by fitting new worktops on top of your old ones. The new surfaces are cut to size at Granite Transformation’s factory and then simply bonded directly on to the top of your old worktops. The joints are sealed, colour-matched and hidden. Fitting can usually be done in a day and Granite Transformations can also replace your old cupboard doors.

T

his spacious kitchen was recently metamorphosed by kitchen makeover specialists Granite Transformations, a franchise business with Midlands’ outlets in Stamford, Nottingham, Newark, St Ives and Cambridge.

Instead of ripping out old units and starting again, GT specialises in beautifying your existing space by measuring up, making new surfaces (in polymer-coated granite, stone or quartz) and literally sticking them over the old ones. They can do the same sort of thing with cupboard doors. It might sound a bit crude but in terms of changing your kitchen from tired cooking area to gleaming, modern heart of the home swiftly and without fuss, it’s hard to beat. It’s cheaper than a total refit, too, and if this example is anything to go by, the end result looks very good indeed.

This is a white Franke double-bowl undermounted sink with swan-neck mixer tap

Practical option GT claims that in most cases measurements take just a couple of hours, then you wait for the new surfaces to be cut to size before a team pops round and bonds them into place. Fitting usually takes just one day, so for some it really is the perfect option.

CONTACT Granite Transformations has shops in Stamford, Nottingham, Newark, St Ives and Cambridge, 0845 3731620 www.granitetransformations.co.uk

68 Great Food Magazine

DOORS

This kitchen’s cream shaker-style replacement doors are all vinyl-covered and therefore incredibly hard-wearing.

They work well with the tasteful pewter shell handles.

GLASS

These feature glass display wall units and wine rack provide somewhere to show off your best crockery.

COLOURS Tan walls and beige units create a strong colour scheme

WORKTOP

This muted surface is known as ‘Palm Beach Italian Granite’, which was simply fitted on top of the kitchen’s existing worktops. It comes with a lifetime warranty.

ISLAND

The large central island contains an inbuilt wooden cutting board, open shelving, and is finished on the left and right with tongue-and-groove end panels (not visible).

Great Food Magazine 69

Dining through the seasons at the Lake Isle

Bruntingthorpe South Leicestershire

Quality food and a warm welcome await Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday – Saturday A very Special Sunday Lunch Michelin Bib Gourmand

The Lake Isle prides itself on the celebration of the seasons by using the very best seasonal produce for each of its mouth-watering menus.

www.thejoinersarms.co.uk Tel. 0116 247 8258

And now, with our amazing new menus, there ’s even more reasons to come and enjoy lunch, dinner or that special celebration at the Lake Isle.

Simply visit our website to view the new lunch and a la carte menus today.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

01572 822951 16 High Street East, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9PZ www.lakeisle.co.uk

AN EXCITING LEICESTER RESTAURANT The Boot Room is one of only a few independently owned restaurants in Leicester, situated at 27-29 Millstone Lane – a stones throw away from Highcross Leicester and the Town Hall Square.

Whether you are just popping into the restaurant for a coffee, a light snack or taking advantage of our great value fixed price menu, you can be assured of a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere by Ian and the restaurant team.

Our philosophy “Buy quality ingredients, treat them well and let your customer enjoy the experience” has enabled The Boot Room to become one of the best restaurants in Leicester city centre.

THE BOOT ROOM EATERIE 27-29 Millstone Lane, Leicester. LE1 5JN 0116 262 2555

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Where to

EAT & DRINK Your guide to local restaurants, pubs and more P86

Derbyshire

Welbeck

Bakewell

Lincoln Ollerton

Matlock

Mansfield

THE LARDER Nottingham

Newark

P85

Notts

Ashbourne

PANCHO Warwick

Lincs Sleaford

Nottingham

Derby

Grantham

Burton

Staffs

Leics

Melton Oakham

Lichfield

Rutland

Stamford

Leicester

Peterboroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Warwicks

Corby

Market Harboro

Birmingham

Oundle

Stilton

Kettering

P85

P82 Rugby

Northants Northampton

Warwick

ST GILES ST Northampton

Beds

BARCELONETTA Leicester

Great Food Magazine 71

WHERE TO EAT

Where to eat

LOCAL RESTAURANT NEWS What’s simmering and steeping at some great local venues?

By Tim Burke Local restaurant news is sponsored by Great Food Club

a full English, or wild mushrooms OLIVE BRANCH’S GREAT BRITISH TASTER MENU with poached eggs and Parmesan cream, finishing with Great Food was pancakes, vanilla cream recently invited to and mixed fruit. Priced at The Olive Branch in £19.50, this is available Clipsham to try its Monday to Saturday, new six-course 9am-11.30am.

Great British Taster www.restaurantzest.co.uk menu, writes Matt Wright. Priced at THE STAG £45, or £65 with New entry in the Morning matched wines Advertiser’s list of Top 50 and beers, the UK Gastropubs is The Stag menu comprises a at Offchurch, near wonderful blend Leamington Spa. Executive of comfort food, chef Nigel Brown and gastonomy and general manager Charles classic flavour Harris took over the pub in combinations.

2009 having both trained Highlights include with Raymond Blanc. They a beautifully moist aim to provide “top quality crab cake set Anglo-French food in a against undertones PHOTOS: CLIVE DOYLE relaxed atmosphere”. of tropical mango (pictured top); a chicken pie made with Fosse www.thestagatoffchurch.com Meadows poultry, tarragon and sherry; and hot smoked salmon EDMUNDS with three types of beetroot and There have been changes afoot refreshing zest of orange at Birmingham fine-dining venue (pictured above). The Olive Edmunds. Head chef Andy Branch has been setting the Waters, who earned a Michelin gastropub standard for well over Star in a previous incarnation of 10 years and the team is clearly Edmunds in Henley-in-Arden, has not resting on its laurels. left to run The Queens in www.theolivebranchpub.com Belbroughton, Worcestershire.

New head chef at Edmunds is GOURMET BREAKFAST Didier Philipot, well known to Zest on Friar Gate, Derby, is the Midlands diners from his time as latest restaurant to join the trend chef patron of the late-lamented for fine-dining breakfasts. It now La Toque d’Or in Birmingham’s offers a three-course start to the Jewellery Quarter. day, which kicks off with a glass www.edmundsrestaurant.co.uk of champagne. You can then move on to porridge with apricot SAN CARLO'S PETIT ROUGE coulis or fresh melon with Award-winning San Carlo Group raspberry sorbet, before tackling has opened an authentic French-

72 Great Food Magazine

style brasserie restaurant above ROYAL VISIT its popular Italian in Granby Kitchen staff at Maiyango in Street, Leicester. Le Petit Rouge Leicester are polishing their CVs offers an extensive menu of after cooking a special twosmall, reasonably-priced dishes course lunch for the Queen, the reminiscent of those Duchess of Cambridge and some 160 other served in traditional dignitaries. The lunch Parisian brasseries. was part of the Prices range from monarch’s visit to £2.95 for a deepLeicester, which kicked fried Camembert off her Diamond Jubilee starter to £8.95 for tour. The menu was a rib-eye steak – selected by a panel of cooked to your royal taste testers and liking. The venue is Le Petit Rouge featured Leicestershire the latest opening lamb from Launde from the rapidly Abbey with root vegetables, expanding family-owned business dauphinoise and spring greens, and complements its nationwide followed by a selection of citrus portfolio of restaurants. desserts including lime and www.sancarlo.co.uk lemongrass jelly, lemon curd ice-cream and grapefruit parfait.

THE ONE ELM The dishes have subsequently Part of the Peach Pub chain of featured in special set lunch and gastropubs, The One Elm in dinner menus at the restaurant.

Stratford-upon-Avon has www.maiyango.com reopened after a £150,000 refit to achieve a “bright and cheerful” LBP RECIPE OF THE MONTH look. Head chef Corin Earland has East Midlands-based restaurant overseen the kitchen of several chain Le Bistrot Pierre is inviting Peach Pub launches and says he people to cook dishes from its is “chuffed” to be back at the menu for the chance to win venue he cooked at in its early dinner for up to four people. Each days. On the menu you’ll find the month chef Matt Howes is likes of pan-fried seabass with uploading the recipe for a dish fennel and apple salad, or free from the current menu on to the range smoked chicken, sweet chill restaurants’ blog. Anyone and pine nut tagliatelle. cooking the dish and submitting a photo via the blog, Facebook or Twitter will be entered into a draw. Dishes featured so far include moules marinieres, wild mushrooms on brioche, and mousse au chocolate. www.lebistrotpierre.tumblr.com

tea afternoon menu

Served from Midday

Today’s Selection of Homemade Cakes £2.25 Barnsdale Hall Cream Tea £4.50 2 Scones, Clotted cream, strawberry jam and a pot of home blend English tea or coffee

Barnsdale High Tea £9.50 Selection of finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, raspberry jam, a selection of home made cakes all served with freshly brewed pot of home blend English tea or coffee Specialty teas available from the Twinning’s Selection.

One of the few hands-on owner-run pubs in Rutland for 15 years.

We have now had extensive refurbishments.

New summer menu. Everything made on the premises including “White Hart ” sausages, pork pie and even our own crisps at the bar.

We also have our own smoke house.

10 Letting rooms available, 8 of which are in sandstone cottages adjoining the pub.

Nr Oakham | Rutland | LE15 8AB

Tel: 01572 757901 www.barnsdalehotel.co.uk

Gourmet Evenings

Gourmet Evenings are intimate dining experiences for people who are passionate about food and take place on the last Friday of the month at Stapleford Park in a private dining room. The evenings allow Stapleford Park to showcase it’s culinary skills and expertise using inspiration from countries and places from around the world. · · ·

Taste of France – Friday 25th May Great British Menu – Friday 22nd June Taste of European Classics – Friday 27th July

· · ·

Champagne & Shellfish - Friday 31st August The Best of Season – Friday 26th October Taste of Game & Reds – Friday 30th November

Pricing £99 per person and inclusive of selected accompanying wine chosen by our wine sommelier.

If you would like further information, contact us on 01572 787000 or visit www.staplefordpark.com

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A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World

19/4/12 12:45:21

AL FRESCO

On the terrace at The Finch‘s Arms, Hambleton, Rutland

Courtyard at The George Hotel, Stamford

Fox & Hounds, Exton

Brilliant The Gladstone, Nottingham

Beer gardens Martin‘s Arms, Colston Bassett

Pub dog at the Anne of Cleves, Melton Mowbray

We asked our Twitter followers to name their favourite beer gardens in the Midlands. Here’s what you said…

74 Great Food Magazine

BBQ at Derby‘s Greyhound,

Beer gardens

THE KING’S HEAD,

Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire The panoramic garden behind the 400-year-old King‘s Head in the pretty village of Wadenhoe backs on to the River Nene and was recommended to Great Food by several people. Narrowboats slip past as you enjoy your pint of NVB from Nene Valley Brewery, brewed a few miles away in Oundle. To maximise the pub‘s setting, South African landlady Aletha has just opened a Riverside Bar, so you don’t even have to go inside for your next drink. The dining here also comes recommended, with Great Food reviewer Mark Hamilton enjoying “excellent food in totally unspoilt surroundings”.

When the sun‘s shining through the leaves of the willow trees, there are few better places to be.

CONTACT King’s Head, Church Street, Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire PE8 5ST, 01832 720024, www.wadenhoekingshead.co.uk

More to check out…

The George Hotel of Stamford, Lincs Ancient hotel with fabulous cobbled courtyard – tipped by Jeremy Ball from Stamford (@jballinteriors).

The Black Eagle, Hockley, West Mids Real ale pub with delightful garden, recommended by West Midlands-based beer blogger Tania Nexust (@tania_nexust).

Fellows, Morton & Clayton, Nottingham Expect joyous flowers in the garden of this city pub – a tip by Caroline Elmhirst from Nottingham in Bloom.

THE FOX & HOUNDS,

Exton, Rutland

Dominating the village green like a handsome young vicar at a WI tea party, the grand frontage of the threestorey Fox & Hounds hides a gem of a garden to the rear.

With wooden bench seats nestling among relatively wild foliage – the Fox & Hounds‘ garden couldn‘t be criticised for being overly manicured – it‘s the perfect place in which to watch the bees work while enjoying some rural peace and quiet. Traffic noise won‘t be a problem.

The beer garden is looked down upon by an octagonal wooden beach-style bar that would be at home on the Isle of Capri. And if you‘re lucky enough to get southern Italian weather, then you might want to try some of landlord and head chef Valter Floris‘s food al fresco. In our experience, the cooking here is very good, with the menu offering a hybrid of English and Italian classics.

Our tip for the garden would be the antipasto platter comprising salami, bresaola, speck ham, Asiago cheese, marinated vegetables and salad. All washed down with a dry Italian white, of course.

CONTACT Fox & Hounds, 19 The Green, Exton, Rutland, LE15 8AP, 01572 812403, www.foxandhoundsrutland.co.uk

”The garden has a beach-style bar that would be at home on the Isle of Capri“ ANNE OF CLEVES,

The garden behind the Fox & Hounds

Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire Great Food Magazine‘s local beer garden, and what a cracker it is! Beautifully tended and overlooked by stunning St Mary‘s Church, it‘s enclosed by an ancient wall and high hedge, so you really are in a world of your own. Old fruit trees and bright flowers add colour and atmosphere. The pub itself belongs to Leicestershire brewer Everards, and part of the building can be dated back to 1327. Legend has it that the property was gifted to Anne of Cleves by Henry VIII as part of their divorce settlement and, naturally, it is rumoured to be haunted.

CONTACT Anne of Cleves, 12 Burton St, Melton Mowbray, Leics LE13 1AE, 01664 481336, www.everards.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 75

AL FRESCO

Lxxxx Rogan Josh is a typical Punjabi dixxxx

YE OLDE BAKER’S ARMS, Blaby, Leicestershire

The garden of the thatched Baker‘s Arms was recommended by Blaby-based Susan Rowley (@suzybreadcrumbs on Twitter). The pub dates back to 1485 and has a pretty, compact beer garden that fills up with drinkers on fine Friday afternoons and stays that way throughout the weekend if the weather holds. In summer, the flowerbeds burst into an explosion of fresh colours, in contrast to the ancient, murky and fascinating bakery that was recently discovered in the bowels of the pub and is believed to date back 800 years.

Appropriately, The Baker‘s is now hosting bread making courses, run by Leicester‘s Rosie Clark from Virtuous Bread – email rosie@virtuousbread.com.

CONTACT The Baker‘s Arms, The Green, Blaby, Leicestershire, 01162 787253, www.thebakersarms.com

More to check out…

Red Lion, Litton, Derbyshire

Characterful old pub whose beer garden is also the village green (see p67) – tipped by Taste Tideswell (@tastetideswell).

The Bell, Harborne Quirky hostelry set in the grounds of a church and with a bowling green in the garden area – another tip from @Tania_Nexust.

Quorndon Fox, Quorn, Leics Pub with large, pretty beer garden – recommended by Loughborough‘s Hayden Beresford (@hpjberesford).

Anyone for croquet?

THE MARTIN’S ARMS,

Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire A few yards down the road from Colston Bassett‘s famous Stilton dairy is the Martin‘s Arms – a classic country pub with a lovely garden that was recommended by both Andrew Dudley of Nottinghamshire and Shane Maxwell-Atkin from the Vale of Belvoir (@andyduds1975 and @gastrochap on Twitter respectively). The Martin‘s Arms is surrounded by estate parkland and its landscaped beer garden, peppered with parasolled tables and topiary, is overlooked by the church spire. It could almost be the template on which the traditional rural English pub is based... there‘s even a croquet lawn. After drinking in the garden – in every sense – it‘ll be time for some food. The Martin‘s Arms is The Good Pub Guide‘s Dining Pub of the Year for Nottinghamshire, serving such al fresco delights as a crab cocktail with cucumber, avocado, dehydrated tomatoes and Marie Rose sauce.

CONTACT Finch‘s Arms, Oakham Road, Hambleton, Rutland LE15 8TH, 01572 756575, www.finchsarms.co.uk

76 Great Food Magazine

THE FINCH’S ARMS, Hambleton, Rutland

The Finch‘s Arms‘ rear terrace was TALK tipped by Megan Horner from GREAT TO FO M A GAZIN OD Oakham (@Mercury_Megan on CLUB O E & N TWIT Twitter) and arguably has the best @GREATER – TFOOD view of any beer garden in the entire MAG Midlands (see right). Located on the Hambleton Peninsula and overlooking the north arm of Rutland Water, when the sun shines here and you peer out beyond red hot pokers to the water and lush greenery in the distance, you really are in beer garden heaven. In terms of al fresco dining, you won‘t be disappointed, and the Sharing Menu has dishes made for that sublime view, including roasted tiger prawns with sweet chilli creme fraiche and fresh water crayfish risotto.

CONTACT Finch‘s Arms, Oakham Road, Hambleton, Rutland LE15 8TH, 01572 756575, www.finchsarms.co.uk

”Looking out to the water in the distance, you really are in beer garden heaven“

Beer gardens

Lxxxx Rogan Josh is a typical Punjabi dixxxx

THE GARDEN HOUSE HOTEL, Stamford, Lincolnshire This hidden gem is tucked away behind one of the historic market town‘s lesser-known hotels, but it really is worth seeking out as it‘s the perfect place for an evening drink while the sun goes down. The doors of the hotel's conservatory bar open out onto almost one acre of perfectly kept – and utterly surprising – walled garden, which is divided into three parts by two ornate archways.

It feels like you've discovered a secret place, with the walls insulating you from traffic, hustle and bustle. This is a beautiful spot and could be further enhanced if the hotel bar offered a range of local beers.

CONTACT Garden House Hotel, High Street St. Martins, Stamford, Lincs PE9 2LP, 01780 763359, www.gardenhousehotel.com

THE EXETER ARMS, Barrowden, Rutland

Every village pub should brew its own beer and overlook the duckpond, and happily The Exeter Arms does both.

One of Great Food contributor Matt Gregory‘s favourites, you can sit at the front, looking out to the green, or at the rear, near the enormous willow tree. Either location is a fine place in which to enjoy award-winning ales brewed in landlord Martin Allsopp‘s glorified shed, also known as Barrowden Brewing Company. Pub dog Pilot has also been known to provide entertainment.

CONTACT Exeter Arms, 28 Main St, Barrowden, Rutland LE15 8EQ, 01572 747247, www.exeterarmsrutland.co.uk

A little bit of al fresco relaxation in Derby city centre

More to check out…

The Gladstone, Nottingham

City pub renowned for amazing floral displays – recommended by Midlands-based ‘Publican Sam’ (@howtorunapub).

Cloud Bar, Lincoln Located in Lincoln's Bailgate, with great views of the cathedral and castle – tipped by Michael Brown from Northumberland (@CannyBevvyEd)

The Cuttle, Long Itchington, Warwicks Freehouse with large beer garden that overlooks the Grand Union Canal – recommended by Nuneaton CAMRA (@nuneatonCAMRA).

THE GREYHOUND, Derby

This is the only city centre pub to be found in the main section of this feature. It was recommended by Derby Brewing Company on Twitter (@DerbyBrewingCo), which is not surprising because it’s their pub! However, until recently The Greyhound was boarded up, so we think the brewery deserves credit for breathing new life into the building. One of its best features is the new walled patio – home to a roof terrace and al fresco BBQ kitchen.

The Greyhound’s back room has large bi-folding doors that open up completely, giving the impression that the beer garden is almost part of the pub’s interior.

“Previously the outside space had not been used and the rear of the pub was dark and dingy,” says Paul Harris of Derby Brewing Co. “We incorporated junglestyle planting to try to create a ‘hidden gem’ that you would not expect to find in a city centre. We also added the BBQ kitchen and converted a disused flat roof into a roof terrace, making use of every part of the building.

The whole terrace is warmed by electric heaters to make the most of the space throughout the year and well into the evenings.”

CONTACT The Greyhound, 75-76 Friar Gate, Derby, DE1 1FN, 01332 344155, www.greyhound-dbc.co.uk Looking out from the back room of Derby's Greyhound

If you know a great beer garden we’ve missed, let us know – Tweet @greatfoodmag or email editorial@greatfoodmag.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 77

THE KING ’S HEAD

Church Street, Wadenhoe, Northamptonshire PE8 5ST

Tel: 01832 720024

Sample of our new menu: Kings Head Potted Crab served with dressed Mixed Leaves and White Toast £6.95 Roasted Figs, Rocket and Colston Basset Stilton Salad nished with a Light Grain Mustard Dressing £5.50

The Fox and Hounds is a delightful, bustling, public house serving real ales, tasty, traditional English and Italian inspired foods and with the added benefit of four comfortable guest bedrooms with views of the village green or walled garden.

~

Come and try some of our new summer menu dishes

**Seven Wells 8oz Rump Steak with Sautéed Mushroom and Onions, Grilled Tomato and Peppercorn Sauce with Hand Cut Chips £13.95 Roast Fillet of Pork wrapped in Air Dried Ham, served with a Duo of Black pudding and Apple Pure, Garlic Savoy Cabbage and Vegetable Crisps £11.95 ~

Open 7 days a week for drinks, lunches and dinner.

Serving food from midday until 9pm on Saturday and Sundays.

Strawberry Delight: Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Sorbet and Fresh Strawberries and Pouring Cream The Zesty Surprise Lemon Tart, Lime Jelly and Raspberry Sorbet The Chocolate Lovers Chocolate Tart, White Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse and Homemade Shortbread Biscuit

Opening Hours: Mon - Sat 11am-11pm Sun 12pm-10pm

Email: aletha@wadenhoekingshead.co.uk www.wadenhoekingshead.co.uk

19 The Green, Exton, Rutland LE15 8AP Email: info@foxandhoundsrutland.co.uk Tel 01572 812403

www.foxandhoundsrutland.co.uk

The Jackson Stops

Fine food with a warm and friendly atmosphere

Robert Reid, along with Dave and Laura, welcome you to The Jackson Stops, the ideal place to meet friends and family and enjoy fabulous food which is all locally sourced

Rookery Lane, Stretton, Rutland, LE15 7RA

01780 410 237

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u n e M g in r p S w e N

and wine list now available log on to www.thejacksonstops.com to get a flavour of the food available this Spring

19/4/12 13:14:45

The Queen’s Head, Bulwick CUISINE: British PRICE PER HEAD: £25-£30 (for three courses and drinks) KIDS WELCOME: Yes DOGS: Yes CUSTOMER CAR PARKING: Yes, to rear FOOD TIMES: Tues-Sat – 12-2pm and 6-9pm; Sun – 12-3pm

I

’m not a pudding person. If I ever feel tempted by something at the end of a meal, it’s cheese and biscuits. However, when I heard that highly rated pastry chef Haydn Laidlow had moved to The Queen’s Head in Bulwick after a stint at Oundle’s now-closed Chapel Dining Room, I couldn’t wait to visit.

The new owners have done a fantastic job since taking over almost a year ago. You’d never guess they were new at this game. The welcoming bar is a warm mix of locals and diners. Additional seating is available in cosy dining areas. As well as an excellent selection of real ales, for which the Queen’s Head has won a CAMRA Gold Award, the lunch menu is well-balanced with something for everyone.

Vegetarian, classic and more adventurous tastes are all catered for. The dinner menu looks just as impressive, with starters

STARTERS/MAINS

Smoked haddock and spring onion fishcake with sauce tartare

£5.50/£7.50

Chargrilled beefburger with bacon, sweet chilli onions and hand cut chips

£9.25

Pan fried fillet of trout with mash, spinach, tomato fondue £13.95

SANDWICHES

Chicken, pesto & rocket £6.50 Mature cheddar and red onion £5.50 The Queen’s Head is a handsome country pub

including rabbit confit terrine and mains of gnocchi with wild mushrooms.

We shared the smoked haddock fishcake as a starter, which was everything a fishcake should be. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a creamy yet sharp homemade tartare sauce. That polished off, we had a comfortable wait for our mains. Mr H plumped for the confit duck leg with braised lentil salad, which was deliciously complemented with pickled fennel and sun-blushed tomatoes. My chargrilled king prawns and pepper sticks were perfectly cooked, full of flavour and served with a lovely lightly dressed rocket and tomato salad.

The Garden Kitchen, Stamford CUISINE: British, local PRICE PER HEAD: Lunch – around £15-£20 for two courses and drinks KIDS WELCOME: Yes DOGS: No CUSTOMER CAR PARKING: Yes FOOD TIMES: Mon-Sat – 9.30am-4.30pm; Sun – 9.30am-4pm; monthly evening dining

DESSERTS

Bakewell tart with sauce anglaise £5 Cheese selection £8.50

Portion sizes for lunch were spot on, leaving us just enough room for dessert. Hubby tucked into a rich chocolate tart, with buttery, impossibly thin pastry and teeth-achingly rich filling, though unnecessarily topped with an unseasonal strawberry. Even with cheese and biscuits on offer, I was delighted with the unctuous vanilla crème brulee. Sorry, waistline, when they’re this good, I am definitely a pudding person. Angela Hamilton THE QUEEN’S HEAD Main Street, Bulwick, Northamptonshire NN17 3DY, 01780 450272, www.thequeensheadbulwick.co.uk

Menu samples BREAKFAST Full English: free range eggs, homemade Lincs sausages etc

£5.20 or £6.95 LUNCH MAINS

Lincoln Red beef cottage pie £8 Garden Kitchen chicken salad £8

EVENING DINING

Starter: Home-smoked local trout, chorizo jam & rocket salad Main: Pork Wellington, celeriac galette, carrot puree & cavolo nero Dessert: Rhubarb & custard fool

O

ne of the many advantages of motherhood is meeting other mums and going out for lunch. During the Easter Break, fellow first-time mum Suzy MacCarthy and I took our three-month-old sons Enzo and Jack to Stamford Garden Centre on the Lincolnshire/Rutland border for lunch in its Garden Kitchen restaurant.

There are two main parts to the spacious eatery and there was ample room for our prams. We sat near to the counter and were surrounded by other parents, grandparents and children, all taking advantage of the Easter holidays. Those wishing to enjoy a more peaceful lunch were seated in a freshly built conservatory, which is large, bright and airy.

Stamford Garden Centre, which also comprises a farm shop and garden store, makes a point of sourcing locally, so I ordered the steak and kidney pudding (beef from Walk Farm in the neighbouring village of Great

Menu samples

£23 for three courses or £19 for two Casterton) with horseradish mash, carrots and greens. The service was prompt but just as my meal arrived my son demanded to be fed and our waitress kindly took my meal away to be kept warm.

The food was well worth the wait: the pudding was delicious, the vegetables fresh and crunchy, and the mash creamy. Suzy opted for the pan-fried bream, ratatouille and crushed new potatoes, which she thoroughly enjoyed. For dessert, we both had the apple crumble with custard, the only tiny criticism being that we both felt the topping could have been more fulsome. During our meal, we both enjoyed a glass of the crisp house dry white wine, and I finished with a cappuccino and Suzy with a latte.

The decoration of the restaurant is light and contemporary, with plenty of space. We both felt the menu was interesting and the food was local, fresh and beautifully cooked.

Stamford Garden Centre is a good venue in which to meet and the Garden Farm Shop is beautifully stocked and well set out. Our little boys were made very welcome and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

PM STAMFORD GARDEN CENTRE Road End Farm (between Great Casterton and Stamford), Stamford, Lincs PE9 4BB, 01780 765656, www.stamfordgardencentre.co.uk

Great Food Magazine 79

WHERE TO EAT

THE MYSTERY MUNCHER

Excellent port but no stars on board at The Ivy The Mystery Muncher goes celeb spotting in The Smoke

W

hen the Mystery Muncher had the opportunity to visit that famous London showbiz eatery, The Ivy, it was exciting.

Not because I expected great food but because I expected lots of celebs and hoped that with my natural good looks, people might think that I was a little famous too.

My expectations were confounded.

First of all I was disappointed by the lack of paparazzi outside, then by the lack of A-list stars inside (a few minor TV faces and that’s your lot), and no-one was looking at me with stars in their eyes. But after that, everything about this place exceeded my hopes.

The Ivy is in West Street right opposite the St Martin’s Theatre and you really have to look hard to find the door. Once in I had house champagne in an exquisite glass at the tiny bar and people-watched for a while.

This place has its foibles: gents, if you use the loo, it is down in the basement and has no

Only the celebs and the table cloth were crummy at The Ivy

‘I was disappointed by the lack of paparazzi outside, then by the lack of A-list stars inside’ doors – which is a real test of self confidence if you are going for a pee.

When you come back up the iron spiral staircase to the restaurant you notice how comfortably old fashioned it looks, with mirrored pillars, stained glass and lots of dark panelling. The menu is just as comforting with English classics like dressed Dorset crab, roast Devon chicken and Black Mount venison, but also some surprises like caviar and roast Arctic char.

I started with griddled squid and chorizo salad followed by grilled calves liver, served pink, and nearly finished with Welsh rarebit as I much prefer savoury to desserts. I say nearly finished because in the end I found myself unable

80 Great Food Magazine

to resist the sticky toffee pudding. A fellow muncher started with eggs Benedict, which was served perfectly, a double lamb chop and creme brulee. Other guests sampled everything from pheasant to Angus steak and all were excellent.

The wine list was unusually comprehensive and, for a toprate restaurant, not ridiculously overpriced. We had a rather decent Gavi de Gavi at £35 and that classic bottle of wine for everything gamey, a vintage Chateau Musar at around £70, which is a lot of money but I’ve seen it a lot more expensive elsewhere. At the end of this, we couldn’t resist finishing with a bottle of the finest vintage port I’ve had for years – a 1983 Warre.

In case you think that the Mystery Muncher was so affected by the venue that he was starting to drink like WC Fields, I should explain that we were part of a table of six.

But this is certainly not a place for a health conscious eater or drinker – there is just too much to tempt you.

The staff may not have thought I was famous but they certainly treated me famously. Everyone from waiter to maitre d’ was knowledgeable, entertaining and seemed genuinely interested in our questions.

I always ask the sommelier what they recommend when I have a strange mix of food as I find that they very seldom rip you off in good places. The Ivy was no exception.

I’ll remember this restaurant for the food and the atmosphere rather than the famous faces. Don’t wait for your agent to invite you, do lunch (or dinner) now. Q CONTACT The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ, 020 78364751, www.the-ivy.co.uk

www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk

Alfresco dining all summer long at Barnsdale Lodge Summer is on the way and we can look forward to enjoying some warmer days eating and drinking outside in our beautiful flower filled courtyard.

• Morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner • Delicious food prepared with fresh locally sourced, seasonal ingredients • Country walks • Private dining

AT THE HAMMER & PINCERS RESTAURANT, WYMESWOLD, WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN SOURCING THE FINEST LOCAL INGREDIENTS, AND MAKE EVERYTHING WE SERVE IN HOUSE.

Our seasonal COMFORT MENU is now available – £12.50 FOR TWO COURSES or £15.00 FOR THREE COURSES (lunch 12-2pm Tues-Fri, dinner 6-7pm Tues-Fri).

STARTERS:

Spiced Parsnip Soup, Coriander Chantilly, Curry Oil & Home Baked Bread • Smoked Haddock Welsh Rarebit, Watercress Salad, Tomato Vinaigrette • Blackberry Farm Lamb Shoulder Hotpot in Miniature.

AVAILABLE AS A STARTER OR MAIN COURSE: Fresh Egg Pasta, Spicy Chorizo, Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken & Olive Ragu • Beetroot Risotto, Herb Crusted Goats Cheese, Ruby Chard Dressed with Walnut Oil • Wild Brancaster Mussels, Cooked Marinière (served with French Fries as a main).

MAIN COURSES:

Tandoori Cauliflower, Bombay Potatoes, Courgette, Onion & Coriander Pakora • Beer Battered Responsibly Sourced Fish & Hand Cut Chips, Crushed Peas, Tartar Sauce • Long Whatton Game Pie with Cracked Pepper Crust, Butter Mash, Peas & Carrots.

Dine & Stay Free on May Bank Holiday Monday May 7th When dining in our restaurant on bank holiday Monday, why not stay for free in a double or twin room? Includes breakfast the following morning.

Minimum spend £80 per couple. Upgrade to a superior room for only £20 per room.

DESSERTS: Brûlée Crusted Vanilla Rice Pudding, Homemade Red Berry Confiture • Baked Stem Ginger Pudding, Whiskey Mac Toffee Sauce, Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream • Cropwell Bishop Stilton & Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher, Accompaniments • A Selection of Home Made Ice Creams & Sorbets.

The Hammer & Pincers 5 East Road, Wymeswold, Loughborough LE12 6ST t: 01509 880735

w: www.hammerandpincers.co.uk

p81_GF_MayJune12.indd Sec1:81

To book or for more details calll 01572 724678 or visit the website.

The Avenue, Rutland Water, Nr Oakham, Rutland LE15 8AH enquiries@barnsdalelodge.co.uk telephone 01572 724678

19/4/12 14:41:33

WHERE TO EAT

AT FOO RE G

D

St Giles St, Northampton

Food hotspots TO

P R AT E D

In the first of a new series looking at the region’s food hotspots, Yvonne Martin zooms in on Northampton’s tastiest street….

H

So this must be the bread basket?

idden gem is an over-used phrase I know, but for food lovers in Northampton, the town’s St Giles Street truly deserves the description. A working day rarely goes by without a new customer walking into one of its specialist shops, gazing around at what’s on offer and saying something along the lines of: “This is great, how long have you been open? Why didn’t I know you were here?”

The businesses in the town centre street have each built up their own band of loyal customers, but they are also being discovered for the first time every day of the week. With delis, cafes, a bakery, specialist tea and coffee retailer and a cookware shop, there is plenty to tempt anyone who appreciates good food.

Bottles in St Giles Cheese

ST GILES CHEESE 77 St Giles Street

H

ow many people have sat around after a good meal with friends and spoken wistfully of their dream of running a deli?

Steve and Caroline Ward did exactly that in 2010 but the difference is that 12 weeks after the conversation they were opening the doors of their own specialist cheese shop.

Caroline says: “We were having dinner and eating cheese and thought, ‘Why don’t we open a cheese shop?’ We didn’t think about it for too long or we would have talked ourselves out of it.”

St Giles Cheese sells cheeses that you won’t find in the supermarket, but it also offers a range of other deli goods and drinks.

Steve says: “We were inspired by what you find on the continent – those French delis, the way they look and the fantastic quality of the stuff they offer.”

They are both deeply enthusiastic about the goods they sell. Steve says: “It has to be all about the products, so that you either can’t get them in the supermarket or you can’t get the same grade. It’s all about sourcing from small producers.”

Their enthusiasm helped earn them second place in the British Cheese Awards’ Best New Cheese Retailer category last year.

But for both Steve and Caroline, the best thing about running the shop is knowing that

”The biggest kick we get is knowing that our customers are eating food they’ve bought here and enjoying it”

82 Great Food Magazine

their customers are enjoying what they have bought. Caroline says: “The biggest kick we get is knowing that our customers are eating food they’ve bought here, enjoying it and having people round. After all, staying in is the new going out!”

Food hotspot

BLENDERS 75 St Giles Street

W

hen someone who loves coffee gets a whiff of the good stuff you can see it in their face. Blenders, a tea and coffee retailer, has been in business since 1988 and Tony Egan, who has run the shop for the last 13 of those years, never tires of that sight.

He says: “The best bit is seeing people’s faces light up when they smell the coffee after walking in – everybody seems to enjoy it.”

Tony roasts coffee every day in an old 1960s roaster in the back of the shop and takes pride in what he sells. He explains: “The ethos here is to produce the best

it’s unique to us, rather than buying something made by someone else. It’s my love of coffee reflected in the product and I enjoy meeting people.”

Tony also sells an array of loose teas including his own

”The best bit is seeing people’s faces light up when they smell the coffee after walking in” coffee in the county, if not the country, and I like to think I’m getting that way – we are hearing good feedback.” It makes running the shop more personal than it would be if he sold packets of coffee bought in ready roasted.

He says: “Because I can buy the product raw and roast it myself

breakfast blend and finds the younger generation are discovering it. He gets a lot of students coming in looking for particular varieties and blends.

He says: “Loose tea has grown quite a lot. More and more people are enjoying it, much more than they did five years ago.”

Mother would definitely approve

Tony uses a vintage coffee roaster

ARE YOU BEING SERVED? 62 St Giles Street

“W

e wanted to open a café where you’d be happy to take your daughter or your mother.”

That was the simple plan hatched by female duo Chris Small and Wendy Wenham when they were working together as a teacher and teaching assistant.

Two-and-a-half years ago they walked away from their careers in education and opened Are You Being Served? And their determination to create a friendly atmosphere has meant that as well as providing lunches, drinks, cakes and

“Our clientele has a very wide age range – mums with babies, a 91-year-old, rugby players... and everybody in between” afternoon teas, they have a café that has become the centre of its own little community. Chris explains: “You have got to have a friendly atmosphere and we have a lot of regular customers who have got to know each other from being in here, and our clientele has a very wide age range – mums with babies… a 91-year-old… rugby players… and everybody in between.”

Chris and Wendy are up at the crack of dawn baking cakes and throughout the day make breakfasts, lunches and teas, getting through more than 300 free range eggs a

week in the process. Chris says: “It’s all cooked to order and homemade wherever possible. All the cakes are baked on the premises. It’s all home cooking. We have had customers saying ‘this is just like mum’s’ – which is exactly what we want.”

Chris admits that setting up and running Are You Being Served? is much harder work than she anticipated, but it’s all been worth it, mainly because of the customers. She concludes: “The best thing has been meeting lots of lovely people who we would never have met otherwise.”

Great Food Magazine 83

WHERE TO EAT

THE FOOD HALL 60 St Giles Street

A

lastair Fawn, owner of The Food Hall, has just finished telling me how often customers say they are so pleased to have found his shop because he stocks a food item they have been searching for. At this point, a man comes into the shop, pounces on a jar of Taylor’s mustard, and then proceeds to gather a range of other items from the shelves, exclaiming his delight at finding each one and wondering aloud why he had never seen the shop before. All exactly as Alastair described.

You’ll find plenty of The shop has been open since 1999 and local produce in sells a range of cheeses, pies, The Food Hall patés, drinks, pickles and all sorts of deli goods.

He says: “People like to buy local and if customers come in and purchase three or four local beers, they are supporting four local businesses including me, and that money then stays Alastair Fawn sells in the local economy. a range of beers “I believe very strongly in brewed nearby the smaller producers and if shops like this don’t exist then they don’t have any outlets to sell their products. We want to sell locally produced

“I won’t sell something just because it’s local – it’s got to be local and good” goods wherever possible but most important is the quality. The people that make it care about what they are making because it’s got their name on it, and I care about what we are selling. I won’t sell something just because I can or just because it’s local, it’s got to be local and good.”

Perfect for a lunchtime browse

ABRAXAS 40-42 St Giles Street

T

own centre workers in need of an escape from the pressures of the office in the middle of the day often find a wander around Abraxas Cookshop, looking at pretty china, clever gadgets and colourful kitchen equipment, is just what they need.

The shop’s manager Helen Standing, who has worked here since it opened just over five years ago, says: “People like to come in here because they enjoy the nice atmosphere we’ve created. A lot of workers come here to de-stress in their lunch hour.”

The chain of shops, which also includes branches in Rugby, Banbury and at the Heart

“Retro is also a strong trend, with items such as fondue sets and vintage-style china proving popular” 84 Great Food Magazine

of the Shires shopping centre near Weedon, was set up by sisters Helen Sparrow and Sarah George in 1996.

Manager Helen says: “It’s just really bringing it back to how it used to be with fantastic customer service, getting to know them, talking to them, making sure they go away with exactly the right thing they want.”

She explains that one trend that has taken off in recent years is baking, thanks to television programmes like The Great British Bake Off and Masterchef. Baking tins are being snapped up and can also be hired from the shop for making special cakes. Retro is also a strong trend, Helen points out, with items such as fondue sets and vintage-style china proving popular at the moment.

It is all quite a temptation for Helen herself, who says her kitchen is full of items she has bought from work. She says: “I’m addicted to buying them. When I started I didn’t cook at all, but now I do all the time.”

Pancho, Warwick CUISINE: Tapas with global influences PRICE PER HEAD: £20-£25 (for four dishes, dessert and drinks) KIDS WELCOME: Yes DOGS: No CUSTOMER CAR PARKING: On street FOOD TIMES: Tues-Sat – 12-3pm and 6-11pm; Sun – 6-10pm

L

ocated on Smith Street, a short walk from Warwick Castle, Pancho is hidden away in a cellar that previously housed a French restaurant. Owner-chef Dale Bachelor has run Pancho since April 2011 and it is fast developing a good reputation.

As you walk through a quiet courtyard leading downstairs to the cellar and bar, a distinctly continental feel comes to the fore.

The candlelit surroundings are warm, cosy, stylish and welcoming, and a world away from the streets of Warwick outside.

The menu is based on Spanish tapas but is influenced by dishes from all over the world, largely where Dale has worked and lived. This includes Thailand, Sweden, Greece, America and Spain, as demonstrated by the menu’s chicken Thai; Greek chicken; Rockport TX, and carne con Papas Canarias (Canary Islandsstyle beef casserole).

MEAT (all £4)

Kottbulla (pork and beef meatballs served with lingonberry jam) Poulet Breton (chicken, leeks and mushrooms in a white wine sauce) Gambos Pancho (king prawns in chilli and garlic oil)

VEGETARIAN (all £4)

Roquefort and garlic mushrooms on a rosemary crouton Goats’ cheese melted into a roast pepper soup

SIDES (all £2.50)

Sangria in Pancho's cellar

There‘s a great variety of beers and wines to get things started, including lagers from Spain, Holland, Mexico and Estonia, as well as a very healthy wine list, sourced from a local importer with some exclusive to Pancho.

In the end, we plumped for some superb chorizo sautéed in red wine, and the Quesadilla Pollo – mini tortillas filled with chicken and peppers – which were cooked to perfection. Added to those were the Carne con Papas Cubano, an excellent traditional Cuban-style beef and potato casserole, and from the vegetarian menu Mean Bean – a combination of mixed beans, chilli and coriander with a pleasant kick to boot.

These were served with portions of

Barceloneta, Leicester

Pancho ’slaw (oranges, cinnamon and raisins added to the classic)

Papas Pancho and Papas Alioli (fried potatoes with Pancho’s own ranchero sauce, and garlic mayonnaise respectively), so you would think there was no room for dessert.

However, a chocolate brownie was too tempting and did not disappoint.

For a different and sociable dining experience, Pancho is a place where you can easily lose an evening in enjoyable company.

Karl Quinney PANCHO Smith Street, Warwick CV34 4UW, 01926 400809, www.iampancho.co.uk

Menu samples MEAT

Spanish style BBQ ribs in a smoky honey, soya and Worcester sauce

CUISINE: Spanish tapas PRICE PER HEAD: £20-£25 for four dishes and drinks KIDS WELCOME: Yes DOGS: No CUSTOMER CAR PARKING: On road FOOD TIMES: From 6.30pm till late, seven days a week

£5.25

Chorizo and bacon sauce with fusilli pasta £5.25 Lamb, red pimento, onion and mushroom casserole £5.85

VEGETARIAN

Patatas Bravas £4.25 Goats’ cheese balls, breadcrumbed and fried, served with a honey dressing £5.95

R

emember your favourite holidays and what’s the first thing you think of? Sandy beaches? Snow-capped mountains? The garlic lamb in that French bistro? Smackaround-the-mouth Thai soup? Cheesecake the size of a sofa-bed in New York? Finding somewhere that can bring treasured holiday memories flooding back is an amazing thing.

Walk into Leicester’s Barceloneta and you’ll be back in that holiday tapas bar in an instant. You may as well be in Spain, so perfect is the décor. It has all been done with an attention to detail that reassures you that the food will be just as authentic.

We ate on a busy Friday night and the atmosphere was buzzing. Large groups and couples of all ages mingled with ease – you could relax here for hours – which is just as well if you order as much food as we did.

After narrowing down the menu and trying to choose as wide a variety of dishes as

Menu samples

FISH

possible, we ordered chicken and chorizo kebab (£6.25), goats‘ cheese balls (£5.95), battered cauliflower (£3.95), Jerusalem artichokes with goats' cheese (£5.25), spinach-stuffed mushroom (£4.45), Serrano ham (£4.95), ham croquettes (£4.65) and swordfish goujons (£5.95) along with a glass of San Miguel and a glass of Rioja blanco.

Oddly, when it arrived, the Jerusalem artichoke was replaced with globe artichoke.

I thought I must have ordered the wrong thing, but I couldn’t find any other artichoke dishes on the menu. I wasn’t about to complain though, because it was tremendous!

All the portions were larger than expected and many were richer than anticipated, but none failed to deliver on flavour.

Fresh white anchovies in olive oil and sherry vinegar £5.25

Throughout the evening, our waiter was brilliant – attentive and polite without being pushy; he seemed to genuinely care about making us happy and, seeing that we had been beaten by our over-enthusiastic approach to ordering, asked if we’d like to take our leftovers home, which we did. Two meals for the price of one. We’ll be back.

Jack Thorpe BARCELONETA 54 Queens Rd, Leicester LE2 1TU, 0116 2708408, www.barceloneta.co.uk (also website for sister venues Bar Dos Hermanos and Salvador Deli)

Great Food Magazine 85

WHERE TO EAT

The Larder on Goosegate, Nottingham Fill your Boots with good food in this city centre restaurant SPECIALITIES: Modern British and seasonal produce; unusual steak cuts OPENING TIMES: Dinner – Tues-Sat, 6pm-10pm; lunch – Thurs-Sat, 12pm-2:30pm; afternoon tea – Thurs-Sat 12pm-4pm

Starters

The very spot where Jesse Boot prescribed remedies

If you like thick-cut chips, you’re in luck

Pressed ham hock, chutney, toast .

Ox tongue with green sauce.

Mains

Gloucester Old Spot sausages, mash , apple, grain mustard sauce.

8oz skirt steak, roasted shallots.

Mushroom, pearl barley and marjoram risotto.

P

erched above the bustling streets of Hockley, The Larder on Goosegate could well be the perfect choice for lunch on a sunny day in Nottingham.

This little gem of a restaurant is reputed to be one of the best eateries in Nottingham, and with its focus on seasonal produce, carefully prepared food and relaxed airy setting, it’s easy to see why. The picturesque dining room – all raw wood, chandeliers and natural light – is in a beautiful Grade II listed building that was Jesse Boot’s original apothecary at the beginning of his journey towards creating Boots the chemist, all those years ago. Today the restaurant feels like an escape from the city – looking out from its enormous glass windows is great for peoplewatching, as you sit and listen to the soft sounds of ‘50s crooners and peruse a menu filled with mouth-watering choices.

The elegant yet informal setting is a welcome destination after a morning of shopping or exploring the city. On our visit, I decided to try the new afternoon tea option, while my friend chose from the classic lunch menu. The

Menu samples

Puddings

afternoon tea menu can also be taken with a glass of Prosecco, but I chose the Earl Grey with Cornflowers and Lemon from the tempting array of loose leaf teas on offer.

Service at The Larder is friendly and helpful, and thoughtful touches such as the warm spelt bread brought out with our drinks add to the welcoming feeling.

For a starter my friend went for oaksmoked salmon – a stylish and simple arrangement of delicious salmon, dill, lemon, shavings of cucumber and soured cream – followed by a main of leg of lamb. The lamb was proclaimed as the best she’s eaten, and came accompanied by a zingy fresh mint sauce and tender spring vegetables.

The afternoon tea spread was impressive, including four types of sandwiches, served on fresh rustic bread with fillings such as prawns with lemon mayo, and roast beef and mustard.

The light-as-air scones were complemented by strawberry jam and thick cream, and the ABOVE LEFT: The Larder was home to the very first Boots shop, opened by Jesse Boot in 1849

White chocolate & peanut parfait.

Lemon posset.

Poached rhubarb.

Two courses £13.95 three courses £15.95

selection of cakes was delightful, including a sparky citrus macaroon, spicy banana bread and fluffy homemade marshmallow.

The Larder on Goosegate is also a good choice for evening meals – its location makes it an ideal pre- or post-theatre or cinema option. The a la carte menu changes with the seasons, and the restaurant prides itself on a range of unusual steak cuts (see below left).

For dessert, try rosemary and banana tarte tatin or local cheese such as Colston Bassett Stilton and Lincolnshire Poacher. Eating here feels special at any time of the day. Q EH CONTACT The Larder on Goosegate, 1st Floor, 16-22 Goosegate, Hockley, Nottingham, NG1 1FE, 01159 500111, www.thelarderongoosegate.co.uk

STEAK EDUCATION

The Larder prides itself on its range of lesser-known cuts of steak – such as Picanha and French-Cut Rump Pavé – which come from a grass-fed Aberdeen Angus suckler herd. All butchery is done in-house.

86 Great Food Magazine

Elegant yet relaxed and airy surroundings

Great spot for a bit of people-watching

Recipes

Cider and apple bread Makes two small 400g loaves

* 500g strong white bread flour * 1 tsp fine sea salt * 2 tsp fresh yeast or 1.5 tsp dried or fast-action yeast

* 300ml medium cider * 100g peeled and cored dessert apple, cut into 1cm dice

1 Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl, then crumble in the yeast. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cider. Bring together into a dough with your hands.

2 Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes or until you achieve the ‘windowpane’ effect (when you stretch the dough thinly, it should stretch so much that you can see light through it – if it tears easily, it needs more kneading). Add the apple and knead lightly to incorporate. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth.

Leave to prove for 60-90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Put those apples to good 3 Turn the dough out on to a clean surface use in a fruity loaf of bread and knock it back (re-knead with floured hands for a few minutes to remove air).

Divide into two equal portions, then shape ready to bake, place the loaves in the oven into loaves and place in and steam by adding cold two lightly oiled 400g water to the tray. After 15 Perfect loaf tins. Leave to minutes, reduce the companions prove for 50 minutes. temperature to Gas 6 Firm, crunchy dessert The dough should (200°C) and bake for a apples work best in this rise to just below further 10 minutes. Pop recipe. When it comes to the rims of the tins. the loaves out of their selecting a cider you want something a little 4 Preheat the oven tins and bake for another sweet and not too dry. to Gas 8 (230°C) and two minutes, until they are Try Jollydale (see the put a roasting tray in golden and sound hollow cider map on p38) the bottom. When when the bases are tapped.

Classic Croque Monsieur Use your apple and cider bread to make this French classic Makes one sandwich

* 2 thick-cut slices of cider and apple bread * 3 tsp butter * 1 tsp Dijon mustard * 2 slices of cooked ham * 50g of your favourite cheese, thinly sliced * A few drops of Worcestershire sauce 1 Lightly toast the bread on one side, then spread the toasted side with half the butter and the teaspoon of mustard. Cover one slice with the ham and top generously with your favoured cheese.

Season with a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and form into a sandwich.

2 Spread the remaining butter on the untoasted sides of bread. Pop under a hot grill and toast on both sides. The croque monsieur should be golden and oozing with melted cheese. Enjoy warm or savour cold as the ideal lunch snack on the go.

Bread Revolution

These recipes are taken from ‘Bread Revolution: Rise Up & Bake’ by Duncan Glendinning and Patrick Ryan, first published on March 1, 2012 by Murdoch Books. Duncan and Patrick are award-winning bakers from Bath-based Thoughtful Bread Company. Their book contains 60 accessible bread recipes aimed at everyone, and can be bought from your local bookshop.

As Raymond Blanc would say, ooh la la...

Great Food Magazine 87

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Leicestershire & Rutland

Fireside food local cooks

CELEBRATING THE BEST LOCAL FOOD & DRINK

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Leicestershire lamb, Rutland trout and the brilliance of Belgrave Road

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PUB & RESTAURANT REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

ISSUE 4 Features: Best birds! countryBeer pubs;&Melton Market; pork pie history.

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PUB & RESTAURANT REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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BREW YOUR OWN ALE + EASTER CUPCAKES + PUB WALK

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and the brilliance of Belgrave Road Leicestershire lamb, Rutland trout

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Great Food is now published quarterly – the Harvest Issue is out on Sept 1, 2012

EAST MIDLANDS FOOD FEST SPECIAL

Your ultimate guide to the largest regional celebration of food in Britain October 6-7, 2012, Melton Mowbray

Meet the producers who bring the festival to life

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STICHELTON CHEESE Tastier than Stilton?

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TRANSITION TOWNS

Why local food is central to the movement

Unmissable recipes, pub walks, restaurant reviews, food maps...

Great Food Magazine 89

GREAT FOOD CLUB MAP

A GUI TO THDE REGIO E BESTN’S

Bakewell

Superb places where members can use their Great Food Club cards to enjoy exclusive offers The places on this map are part of Great Food Club – a growing network of the region’s very best local food businesses. All have been handpicked by Great Food and are offering exclusive deals to members. New arrivals this issue include The School of Artisan Food and award-winning Gonalston Farm Shop.

1 BARNSDALE LODGE

10% off, excluding Saturdays 01572 724678, www.barnsdalelodge.co.uk

2 BAT & BOTTLE

7 bottles for the price of 6 on Fri 01572 759735, www.batwine.co.uk

3 BOBOLI

25% off at certain times 0116 2793303, www.bobolirestaurant.com

4 BRADY’S FISH &

SEAFOOD MARKET

10% off fish – 0116 3198363, www.bradysseafoodmarket.com,

5 CHOCOLATE ALCHEMY

10% off choc workshops – 01509 238113, www.chocolate-alchemy.co.uk

6 COUNTRY VICTUALLER

10% off phone orders 01636 636465, www.alderton.co.uk

7 THE CURRY LOUNGE

2 main courses for the price of 1 0115 9418844, www.currylounge.co.uk

8 DUNCAN MURRAY WINES

10% off on Thursdays – 01858 464935 www.duncanmurraywines.co.uk

9 ENTROPY

10% off lunchtimes excluding Sat 0116 2259650 www.entropylife.com,

10 EVERARDS

BREWERY SHOP

10% off all items 0116 2014100, www.everards.co.uk

11 FIRENZE

25% off at certain times 0116 2796260, www.firenze.co.uk

12 FOSSE MEADOWS FARM

10% off free range chickens 01455 202702, www.fossemeadows.com

13 FLITTERISS PARK FARM

10% off locally reared meat 01572 722266, www.thesausagesite.co.uk

14 GONALSTON FARM SHOP

See greatfoodclub.co.uk – 0115 9665666, www.gonalstonfarmshop.co.uk

15 GOURMET SPICE CO

10% off all products www.tastespice.co.uk

90 Great Food Magazine

16 HAMBLETON BAKERY

Jute bag when you spend over £10 01572 812995, www.hambletonbakery.co.uk

17 HAMBLETON HALL

Complementary glass of champagne and room upgrade subject to availability 01572 756991, www.hambletonhall.com

18 HAMMER & PINCERS

20% off a la carte menu – 01509 880735, www.hammerandpincers.co.uk

19 HART’S OF NOTTINGHAM

See www.greatfoodclub.co.uk 0115 9881900, www.hartsnottingham.co.uk

20 HOTEL MAIYANGO

3 courses for the price of 2 0116 2518898, www.maiyango.com

21 JACKSON STOPS

10% off at certain times 01780 410237, www.thejacksonstops.com

22 JAM JAR SHOP

10% off kit and workshops 01572 720720, www.jamjarshop.com

23 JOHNNY PUSZTAI AT

JT BEEDHAM & SONS

Free pound of sausages on your first visit 0115 960590, www.jtbeedham.co.uk

24 THE KING’S ARMS AT WING

15% off at certain times – 01572 737634, www.thekingsarms-wing.co.uk

25 LAKE ISLE

3 courses for the price of 2 01572 822951, www.lakeisle.co.uk,

26 LUCY’S FOOD

10% off all items 0116 2700885, www.lucysfood.co.uk

27 THE MARTIN’S ARMS

10% off food at any time 01949 81361, www.themartinsarms.co.uk

28 MELTON CHEESEBOARD

15% off – 01664 562257, www.meltoncheeseboard.co.uk

29 THE OLIVE BRANCH

Free round of cocktails – 01780 410355, www.theolivebranchpub.com,

30 OTTERS

SMOKEHOUSE & DELI

10% off cheese and charcuterie 01572 756481, www.ottersdeli.co.uk

Ashbourne

31 PERKINS RESTAURANT

See www.greatfoodclub.co.uk 0115 9373695, www.perkins-family.co.uk

32 REDHILL FARM

FREE RANGE PORK

10% off at the farm shop or at markets 01427 628270, www.redhillfarm.co.uk

Burton

33 THE RED LION AT

EAST HADDON

10% off food – 01604 770223, www.redlioneasthaddon.co.uk

Staffs

34 THE RED LION AT STATHERN 10% off food – 01949 860868, www.theredlioninn.co.uk

35 RIVERFORD ORGANICS

Lichfield

10% off your first four food and drink deliveries (phone orders) – 01780 789700, www.riverford.co.uk/sacrewell

36 RSC’S ROOFTOP

RESTAURANT

10% off evening dining 01789 403449, www.rsc.org.uk

37 THE THREE HORSESHOES

10% off at certain times 01332 695129, www.thehorseshoes.com

38 TOLLEMACHE ARMS

10% off food – 01476 860477, www.tollemache-arms.co.uk

Birmingham

39 THE SCHOOL

OF ARTISAN FOOD

See www.greatfoodclub.co.uk – 01909 532171, www.schoolofartisanfood.org

40 SIMPLY SIMON’S DELI

Solihull

10% off at certain times 01858 440964, www.simplysimons.co.uk

41 SHIRES COOKERY SCHOOL

10% off day cookery courses – 01604 621640, www.shirescookeryschool.com

42 STAPLEFORD PARK

10% off food at certain times 01572 787000, www.staplefordpark.com

43 TORI & BEN’S FARM

36

10% off locally reared meat 07884 112812, www.toriandbensfarm.com

44 YE OLDE PORK

PIE SHOPPE

See www.greatfoodclub.co.uk 01664 482068, www.porkpie.co.uk

Always check opening hours before setting off

32

39

Welbeck

Lincoln Ollerton

Matlock

HOW DO I JOIN AND GET A MEMBERSHIP CARD?

Mansfield

Newark

14

23

Nottingham

By joining Great Food Club, which currently costs just £17.50.

For that you get four issues of Great Food Magazine delivered to your door and receive a Great Food Club membership card, enabling you to claim offers at the places on this map (more soon) for one year. Join at www.greatfoodclub.co.uk, by calling 01664 853341 or by filling out the form on p11.

6

Notts

Derbyshire

Sleaford

7

Lincs

19

Derby

Join at www.great foodclub.co.uk or by calling 01664 853341

Grantham

31 27 34

43

38 37

18

44

5

28

Melton

Leics

42

Rutland

Oakham

Leicester 9

16

13 20 26 10 4

12

Warwick

16

1

22

17

16

Stamford

24

35

Peterboro’

39

3 40

8

Corby

Market Harborough

15

Kettering

Coventry Leamington

30

21

25

11

Warwicks

2

29

Rugby 33 41

Stilton Oundle

Cambs

Northants Northampton

See full details of all offers at www.greatfoodclub.co.uk

Map by Graham Wright

Great Food Magazine 91

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10/4/12 10:39:27