Crumbs Cotswolds - issue 46 by MediaClash

CRUMBS Cotswolds NO.46 OCTOBER 2016

KERMIT WaS WroNG!

It’s easy being green

A little slice of foodie heaven

No. OctOber 2016

Green

HoLIDAYS ARE COMING!

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GREAT DEALS ON CHRISTMAS MEALS

READY, AKE! Y, BKE STEADAN BA R

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THE ARTIS KNOCKS UP LUNCH

SOYlENT eN EVE GrL NE R GUESS YOU’L WHAT’S IN IT!

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ite Popeye’s favourou snack stars in r £3 WHERE SOLD

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Not really!

The guy who made my suit had spinach in his teeth!

Was it Popeye the Tailor Man?

e u ss I ll e W g n i t Ea DELICIOUSLY ELLA STARRING

GLUTEN-FREE GOODIES THE CASE FOR ROOT VEG

YOU SPINACH ME RIGHT ROUND... GOJI BERRIES, WHEATGRASS, chia seeds, and all you other new-fangled superfoods – step aside! We’re making space for the mainstay ingredient of healthy eating – lovely, leafy, iron-y, nitrate-rich spinach. It’s loaded with goodness (pound for pound it’s as nutritious as wheatgrass, according to the NHS), and much more delicious. What’s more, when other leafy crops are failing at the end of summer, local growers are sowing an extra autumn harvest, which they can keep picking through late September and October until the first frosts of the year. It means we don’t have to move on to a diet of root veg just yet – hurrah! In fact, some perpetual varieties of spinach grow in the UK all year ’round – and although they’re maybe not as tender as the best regular stuff, they’re perfect for brightening up your one-pot stews and curries. With greens at the forefront of our minds, we’ve secured a whole host of veg-centric recipes this issue, plus an interview with that trendsetter of the plant-based diet, Deliciously Ella. She’s not vegan, apparently (she eats honey), and she hates the phrase ‘free from’. But then, as we’ve discovered, that is a term that causes lots of controversy. Whether it’s chefs struggling to work around an increasing number of dietary requirements, or folk genuinely benefitting from the trend for restrictive diets, there’s a lot to talk about here. (We tackle some of it on p52.) Enjoy the issue, and, like Popeye, eat up your veg! APPLE

Charlie Lyon, Editor charlie.lyon@mediaclash.co.uk

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Table of Contents

NO.46 OCTOBER 2016

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EDITOR

CHARLIE LYON charlie.lyon@mediaclash.co.uk DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

MATT BIELBY matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

TREVOR GILHAM DESIGN

VICKY MITCHARD ADVERTISING MANAGER

DANIELLE MORRIS danielle.morris@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

SARAH KINGSTON sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk DEPUTY PRODUCTION MANAGER / PRODUCTION DESIGNER

CHRISTINA WEST christina.west@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

JANE INGHAM jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

GREG INGHAM greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk

MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW; 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk large version

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© All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash. MediaClash reserves the right to reject any material and to edit such prior to publication. Opinions are those of individual authors. Printed on paper from a well-managed source. Inks are vegetable-based; printer is certified to ISO 14001 environmental management. This month we didn’t join in the office Bake Off sweepstake (“deserters,” they cried), but tried to snaffle the weekly cakes made as penance by the ousted contender-backers anyway. Shhhh!

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STARTERS 8 HERO INGREDIENT Spinach: your iron’s on fire 10 OPENINGS ETC New foodie happenings and dates for your diary 16 FOOD DIARY Top last-minute scoffing by busy Andrew Scott

MAINS

ADDITIONAL RECIPES

CHEF!

9 A quick and easy spinach curry that’s easy on the purse 20 Roasted miso aubergine, by Georgina Hayden 45 Ori Hellerstein shares his fave polenta cake recipe

Amazing recipes from the region’s top kitchens 24 Here’s a special courgette kuku, from Riverford 26 Just add kale to mac and cheese, says Nadiya Hussain 28 Celia Duplock’s root veg dish is nutrition-laden 30 Beef short ribs, from Coombe Farm Organic 33 Kathy Slack talks apples, and makes a crumble

KITCHEN ARMOURY 39 COOKS WITH Nose in on a slap-up lunch, with The Artisan Baker 46 WANT LIST Super-cute doggie dos!

52 FREE AND EASY? Cotswold chefs on working around your food intolerances 55 YOU’RE BOOKED! Top Xmas party venues 63 GRILLED: ELLA MILLS Deliciously Ella talks trough!

AFTERS

New & notable restaurants, cafés, bars 70 The Kingham Plough 72 The Vault PLUS

66 LITTLE BLACK BOOK Favourite local spots, from Katriona MacGregor

INNOVATIONS, REVELATIONS AND TASTY AMUSE-BOUCHES

#crUmbSsnaps

HEY, INSTAGRAM PIC! We’ve noticed you around. That’s why we’ve given you your moment of glory right here, and from next issue in the regular Instafeed on p10. We spotted you thanks to your hashtag, #CrumbsSnaps – it’s the all-new hashtag that sits alongside #foodporn #foodpics #foodstagram #instafood #foodphotography and all the other tags that are great, but won’t give you your moment of glory in the Crumbs printed edition. And will anything ever touch the prestige of print? Well, maybe in the future, but for now, nothing beats the month-long cementing of your snap in the four-colour process on our luxury paperstock. So, readers, get tagging! ✱ To see who all these glorious pics belong to, visit instagram.com/crumbsmag or search the hashtag #CrumbsSnaps

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STARTERS

Hero Ingredients

Spinach

In the 1943 film Spinach Fer Britain, Popeye delivers a shipment of spinach (and a pesky Nazi U-boat) to the door of No.10 Downing Street, to hearty applause. And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still cheering this healthiest, tastiest of leafy greens todayâ&#x20AC;Ś

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WHAT MAKES POPEYE so strong? Initially, in the early newspaper comic strips – a thing called Thimble Theatre, in which the one-eyed Sailor Man started as a minor character – he became indestructible by rubbing the head of the Bernice the Whiffle Hen, a scruffy-looking magic bird. Later on, in the incredibly popular 1930s animated cinema shorts, he switched to spinach – not, as is popularly assumed, because German chemist Erich von Wolf had misplaced the decimal point when researching the amount of iron in various greens in the 1870s, thus hugely over-estimating spinach’s qualities in the popular imagination (though he had), but simply because of the veggie’s huge vitamin A content. Whatever the reason, spinach was a massive hit – in the States, especially – and sales soared, leading to statues of Popeye in various spinach-growing towns; he’s a strange hero, solving everything with his fists and blind to the fact that fickle flapper Olive Oyl treats him like dirt most of the time, but at least he eats up his greens. Far from an all-American crop, however, spinach actually originated in the Middle East, and had spread to India and ancient China by around 650AD, rocking up in the Mediterranean some 200 years later with the Muslim conquest of Sicily; it was later dubbed ‘the chieftain of leafy greens’ by Arab agronomists in 12th century Spain. Eventually it spread north, reaching England in the 14th century, where its unusual seasonality – regular spinach rocks up in spring, when there’s not much else around, though there are modern varieties that can be grown as late as November – saw it adding green relief to the predominantly brown winter diet. The Forme of Cury – nothing to do with kormas and biryanis, and everything to do with the French word ‘cuire’, meaning ‘to cook’ – of 1390 is the first major English cookbook, and talks extensively about spinach, while the influence of Catherine de’ Medici (16th century wife of Henry II of France, who loved the stuff), reveals dishes served on a bed of spinach are ‘Florentine’, from her Italian birthplace, Florence. But – outside of the four-colour world of cartoons – what’s so good about

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spinach? Well, it’s low in calories and high in nutrients, especially when fresh, sautéed or steamed: think vitamins A, C, K, some B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium and iron, though, like we say, not as much as popular culture would have us believe. Plus, there are high levels of chlorophyll and heathbringing carotenoids in here, making spinach good for everything from cancer prevention to healthy eyesight. There are three basic types – curly, dark green Savoy; easier-to-clean smooth-leaf spinach; plus various semiSavoy hybrids – and they’re almost all bittersweet, metallic and slightly salty, like their close relatives chard and beet greens, meaning they’re at their best when cooked, unless the leaves are young enough to be tender. Peak spinach season is March-June, it doesn’t like the summer heat, and then a second season kicks off in the autumn where you can harvest until the first frosts of October or November. Picking the good stuff is easy: just make sure the leaves aren’t yellow or bruised. Tiny ones are best in salads, and larger leaves for cooking – remember, they’ve so much water in them that they shrink dramatically, so you always want more than you think. Spinach works brilliantly in curries, stews, pastas and soups, and with fish from cod to salmon; eggs Florentine (or any poached egg/wilted spinach dish) are a brunch-time classic; and assorted tempting spinach sides pair it with everything from chickpeas to new potatoes, cauliflower to lentils. Nutmeg and garlic are special friends, as is butter, cream and all things dairy, and any dish that combines spinach with cheese or chicken is a can’t-miss hit. Popeye’s strength-giver may come as an unappetising can of cold green gloop – though parents over the decades have used this to their advantage, finding fussy youngsters may actually eat their greens if they’re served in a can – but most modern ways with spinach are decidedly more tempting. In The Great Depression, American kids reportedly rated it their third fave food (after chicken and ice cream), and though we find it hard to believe spinach will ever reach quite such a high popularity pinnacle again, we can but hope…

Sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 thumb-sized knob of fresh ginger, finely chopped 4 cardamom pods, bruised ½ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin pinch chilli flakes 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 500ml vegetable stock 400g can chickpeas 100g bag fresh spinach ½ can coconut milk handful of peanuts (optional) METHOD

– Heat oil and gently cook onions and garlic until they are soft. Add ginger and spices and cook for another minute. – Add sweet potato and stir for a minute, coating it in the spices. – Add enough stock to cover the potato. Simmer gently until cooked. – Add coconut milk and chickpeas and simmer to reduce to required consistency. – Stir in spinach so that it wilts. – Scatter with peanuts (if using), and serve with rice or naan and chutneys.

S T A R T E R S

Openings Etc HITTING THE BIG LIST Congratulations to Cheltenham’s Le Champignon Sauvage, which has once again been listed in the top third of the Good Food Guide’s top 50 UK restaurants for 2017. The French restaurant on Suffolk Road was awarded eight points out of a possible 10, coming in at 13th place. Meanwhile, Whatley Manor in Wiltshire took 21st position and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire also featured, this time at number 31. Kudos to you all! ✱ thegoodfoodguide.co.uk

BOB’S A JOB ON

Fancy a totally modern menu, with fine wines and innovative cocktails? Yeah, you do! Nailsworth folk are rubbing their tummies in glee at the recent opening of The Vault – an of-themoment new wine and tapas bar with a ‘fusion kitchen’. It’s in the impressive location of an old bank – with vaulted ceiling, original parquet flooring and all that – and is serving up tapas dishes like smoked octopus and braised pork cheeks in white wine. Read more on p72.

Cirencester folk, don’t panic! You may have seen that Made By Bob has closed its doors, but it’s not forever. The restaurant is undergoing a complete renovation, which means the owners are not entirely sure when it will reopen, but it definitely will do. In the meantime, patron Bob Parkinson will be opening a pop-up deli and takeaway bar at the back of Corn Hall. This new offering has been inspired by Bob’s recent catering work with Wilderness Festival.

✱ thevaultnailsworth.co.uk

✱ foodmadebybob.com

VAULTING AHEAD

In the diary... (1 Oct) FEAST WITH A CHEF Ryan Simpson and Liam Trotman, chef-owners of Orwells at Shiplake, will cook a four-course harvest feast in the village of Kirtlington; £48. ✱ clarehargreaves.co.uk/feast-with-a-chef (1 Oct) THYME’S TABLE The Swan’s Matt Wardman and Thyme’s Marj Lang take you on an autumn journey. Four courses for £75. ✱ thyme.co.uk (12 Oct) TRUFFLE AND MUSHROOM FORAY A morning walk and talk with Fungus Fanaticus, then lunch at The Kingham Plough; £50. ✱ thekinghamplough.co.uk

Fluffy bottoms ahoy! @cacklebean_eggs

Lechlade rainbow trout @purslane_restaurant crumbsmag.com

S STTA A RRT E T RS E R S

Askthe yourWaitress waiter Ask Who knows the menu best? Who makes the greatest impact on your experience? Who knows the menu best? Who makes the greatest impact on your experience? Front-of-house is your friend! Front-of-house is your friend!

Hi, Harriet! So, how long have you been here? Since we opened last October – so nearly a year, now! And where did you work before? I worked at Jolly Nice farm shop in Frampton Mansell. What’s the best thing about your time at Asparagasm, then? I’ve learnt a lot about a new style of food, and how to prepare it. Working with local suppliers means that we’re always getting new, interesting produce, and the menu changes every day, which keeps things interesting! And what’s been the most challenging part of the job? Working with very specific dietary requirements can sometimes be challenging, but it’s always rewarding. Good to hear! What skills have you learnt since coming here? I’ve definitely improved my skills as a waitress, as well as becoming much more organised.

JUST VEGGING OUT...

Meet Harriet Lewis, waitress and sous chef at all-vegan café Asparagasm – loving the name! – in Nailsworth

What sort of customers do you get? We get all sorts here – we serve cafe food during the day, and we do popup dining events most weekends. Our customers are a mixture of vegans who have travelled from far and wide, and locals who are just after something healthy for lunch. What are the best-selling dishes on the menu at the moment? Our chickpea pancakes, served with creamy leeks. What are the best-selling drinks? We started brewing our own kombucha [fermented tea] a few months ago now, which is proving very popular, and we also sell a lot of Antler and Bird cold brew coffee.

What makes the restaurant a special place to visit? It’s really small, so it feels very intimate, particularly at our evening events – there’s just a really great atmosphere. And, of course, the food! If you were a customer today, what would you order? I would probably order the chickpea pancakes. Either them, or one of our amazing mixed salads. What do you think makes great customer service? The most important thing for me is to make each customer feel important and welcome. Have you visited anywhere locally recently where the customer service was excellent? I went to No 131 in Cheltenham – the food was delicious, and the service was just great. And where do you like to eat on your days off? I love going to Stroud Valleys Artspace for breakfast on a Saturday morning after a stroll around the farmer’s market, or The Vault in Nailsworth, which has just opened. They do amazing tapas. Ah, yes. We enjoyed a lovely night at The Vault, too (see p72 this issue). So, when you get time off, what do you like to cook at home? I make a lot of really fresh stuff – so plenty of salads, and lots of rather spicy food too. ✱ asparagasm.com

THIS COULD BE YOU! Contact us at charlie.lyon@mediaclash.co.uk

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S T A R T E R S

In the Larder

G L U T E N -F R E E I S G O! These free-from buys haven’t forgotten the flavour 1 IT’S A NO-GRAINER! Wychwood Gratis GlutenFree Beer, £1.79/330ml Crumbs’ favourite brewery, Wychwood in Witney, Oxfordshire, has launched a brand new gluten-free beer that you’ll love – whether you’re a free-fromer or not. Brewed from flavoursome pale malted barley at 4.2%, it’s got a tangy taste softened by a light and floral aroma. Buy online, from the brewery. ✱ wychwood.co.uk 2 PASTA LA VISTA Clearspring Organic Green Pea & Quinoa Pasta £2.89/250g This top store cupboard staple looks a bit like your more regular spinachinfused pasta, but is actually made entirely from green pea and quinoa flour, making it completely

salads. Available from Wholefoods, Cheltenham. ✱ seamorefood.com

gluten-free. It’s quick to cook (just six minutes) and counts as one of your five a day. What’s more, it has a good bite and tastes delish – especially served up with pancetta, mushrooms and lots of chopped parsley. Buy from selected independent health stores. ✱ clearspring.co.uk

4 TOTES OATS! Nairn’s Gluten-Free Oat Muesli, £3/450g Best known for their moreish oatcakes, Nairn’s is now bringing their knowledge of oaty goodness to the breakfast market with this muesli. It promises no added sugar, and it’s gluten-free, high in fibre and is packed with flax seeds, meaning it’ll see you through the day with no snacking at elevenses. What’s more, Nairn’s gluten-free oats are farmed and expertly milled to ensure there’s no cross contamination during the preparation process. They’re made at a dedicated gluten-free bakery and tested using

3 KILLER WEED Seamore I Sea Pasta Tagliatelle, £5.49/100g dried Gluten-free, vegan, organic, low-carb, low-cal – could this tagliatelle be any more saintly? Well, yes. It’s 100% wild and hand-picked, so ticks the sustainable box too, plus it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Use it in place of pasta, or alongside for a flavour boost. Add to curries or warm seafood

a system approved by Coeliac UK. Available from Ocado and independent health food stores. ✱ nairns-oatcakes.com 5 MISO HUNGRY Tideford Organics Fresh Miso in Red, Brown, White and Soya-Free £4.99/320g Here’s a cool new way to add depth and flavour to soups, stews, stir fries and a whole host of other dishes: Tideford is launching a range of miso pastes that are organic and vegan and as fresh as you can get. The fermented soy bean paste is fresh, meaning it’s packed with antioxidants and B vitamins that are said to boost the immune system. There’s a soyfree version, too. From Burford Garden Centre and Wholefoods, Cheltenham. ✱ tidefordorganics.com

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01793 762 364

www.thehighworth.com • info@thehighworth.com 1 Westrop, Highworth, Swindon SN6 7HJ

A visit to The Highworth will get you in the festive spirit this Christmas Now taking bookings for festive lunches and dinners throughout the run up to Christmas. Prices start from £15.95 per person

4 dates to choose from: Friday 16th December Saturday 17th December Thursday 22nd December OR Friday 23rd December 7pm Start • £59 Per Person (payable at time of booking)

Ticket includes: Canapés & bubbles on arrival, turkey dinner with wine, cheese & port, DJ & dancing

PARTY NIGHTS

Dress Code: Formal Free coach to and from Cheltenham Town Hall & The Hollow Bottom Book NOW  01451 850392  hello@hollowbottom.com The Hollow Bottom Guiting Power Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL54 5UX

STAY OVER

GIFT VOUCHERS

All our festive menus and further details on all of our events are available on our website www.thehighworth.com early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment. • Breakfast • Lunch • A La Carte Menu • Sunday Lunch • Afternoon Tea • Snacks • Cocktails • Bedrooms • Courtyard Garden • Function Rooms • Weddings • Events • Great home cooked food using local produce

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

S T A R T E R S

Food diary IT’S COFFEE O’CLOCK!

He’s caffeine-fuelled and crazy busy, but Sudbury House’s exec head chef, Andrew Scott, made time to jot down his weekly eats anyway ANDREW SCOTT LOVES a challenge. He’s the executive head chef at Restaurant 56 and Sudbury House Hotel in Faringdon, and has been grafting hard of late, turning an unused grade II-listed building into a unique and exclusive fine-dining restaurant. It’s on the edge of the Cotswolds, and offers creative tasting menus and top wine flights, all in a quiet and peaceful restaurant with a private terrace overlooking the impressive gardens of Sudbury House. Here he serves up dishes using only the very best produce, much of which is locally sourced and attractive to both the eye and the palate – almost too good to eat, you might think, but you must! But that’s not all when it comes to challenges – stay glued to the TV in the autumn, when the new series of the Great British Menu airs and you might just recognise a certain someone… ✱ restaurant56.co.uk

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

DINNER

Three toasted crumpets, butter and Marmite and a lump of strong Cheddar. Two Nespressos.

Club sandwich on wholemeal and a can of blood orange San Pellegrino at Balula’s Deli, Swindon.

Homemade beef bolognese and pasta with Parmesan, and a large glass of red.

Chia seeds and a banana. Four coffees!

No time for a proper lunch, as Tuesday is a manic day in the kitchen. Supermarket meal deal. (It’s a chef’s life!)

Pink Lady apple and a bottle of water. (Watching my figure!)

Chia seeds and a banana (started healthy, but ended up having a sausage leftover from breakfast). Three coffees.

Staff lunch: jacket potato, tuna mayo and salad. Simple.

Tasted the new pork belly dish that’s going on the introduction menu in 56. Plus a matching wine – that’s better!

Chia seeds and banana. Two coffees.

We’re testing new autumn dishes today: jacket potato broth with kuzu gnocchi, and pigeon terrine with pickled chanterelles.

Pink Lady apple, bread roll and a bottle of water.

Bowl of granola, orange juice and mint tea with honey.

Brunch today in Oxford, as going on Foodie Friday on BBC Radio Oxford. It’s toasted English muffin with HP Sauce (the best!)

Chia seeds and banana.

Custard and almond crown Danish. Two Nespressos.

Gave in to homemade wood-fired pizzas from the Brasserie chefs for a pre-service dinner.

Chicken Caesar salad and a bottle of sparkling water. (It’s a hot day!)

Pink Lady apple and a bottle of water… Looking forward to some wine after service!

Out for Sunday lunch at The Castle pub in Edgehill – beautiful Oxfordshire! Sirloin of roast beef and all the trimmings.

Bit full still after lunch, so a board of charcuterie, olives and hummus and a new gin I’ve found, Apostoles, served with grapefruit and mint.

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01285 864444 www.cotswoldwaterparkhotel.co.uk

HEAD CHEF

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S T A R T E R S

Kitchen Library The freshest, most inspirational cookbooks of the month

A SHERRY & A LITTLE PLATE OF TAPAS

A YEAR IN MY REAL FOOD KITCHEN

GATHER

As the enticing title suggests, this book tells the story of tapas and sherry, with 80 easy tapas bar recipes to cook at home. Author Kay Plunkett-Hogge, with help from illustrator and photographer Tamin Jones and illustrator Abigail Read, looks at how sherry is made and which food matches each type before diving into chapters covering cold and hot tapas, desserts and sherry-based cocktails. The main chapters are divided into vegetables, eggs and dairy, seafood, and meat, and recipes include Moorish lamb skewers; salmon ceviche; Galician octopus with potatoes, capers and paprika; and a boozy Beefeater gin granita with pink grapefruit and pink peppercorns. There’s a useful section listing UK suppliers of specialist ingredients, too.

The follow-up to the excellent My Darling Lemon Thyme, the second book from New Zealand chef Emma Galloway focuses on healthy and vegetarian food, as well as the glutenintolerant. Accompanied by her own photographs, these innovative wholefood recipes are nutritious and economical, as well as family-friendly (the author left the professional kitchen eight years ago to become a full-time mother to her two young children, as well as a food blogger). Divided into the seasons, summer dishes include tomato and chickpea salad with green olive dressing; spicy tofu noodles; and flourless banana, cherry and chocolate muffins. We particularly like the courgette, feta and mint fritters, and the raspberry and peach crumble cake. A great family cookbook for health-conscious cooks.

Gill Meller has been an integral part of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage empire for the past 11 years, but this is the first book under his own name – and it’s a cracking debut. Meller is a chef and food writer who cooks with the seasons, and this book features 120 recipes inspired by cooking what’s seasonal and also what’s growing wild. Featuring chapters on food from moorland, garden, farm, field, seashore, orchard, harbour and woodland, the dishes are simple, uncomplicated and often feature just three or four main ingredients. As summer prepares to make way for autumn, recipes to bookmark include cobnut and celeriac soup with kale, parsley and olive oil; venison stew and dumplings; apple rye and cider cake; and crab apple and blackberry jelly.

Kay Plunkett-Hogge Mitchell Beazley, £15.99

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Gill Meller Quadrille, £25

Emma Galloway Harper Collins, £20

STIRRING SLOWLY Georgina Hayden Square Peg, £20

Georgina Hayden grew up above her grandparents’ Greek Cypriot taverna in London, and went on to work as a food stylist for Jamie Oliver, who has already hailed Stirring Slowly ‘a modern classic’. Her debut cookbook features a wide range of eclectic recipes wrapped around stories and anecdotes, all of which display a writer and cook with a genuine passion for good food. This is a book that encourages you to spend as much time as possible in the kitchen, preferably making food there that both comforts and revives. Highlights include recipes for creamed greens on toast with poached egg and dukkah; roast harissa butter chicken and cracked wheat; and sticky pork belly salad with fennel and chilli. A wonderful debut from a name to watch.

S T A R T E R S FROM

Kitchen Library

Stirring Slowly by Georgina Hayden (Square Peg, £20) The freshest, most inspirational cookbooks of the month

THE PALOMAR COOKBOOK Mitchell Beazley, £25

The Palomar restaurant in London has been a critics favourite since it opened in 2014, and it won ‘Best Restaurant’ in the prestigious OFM awards the year after. Influenced by the rich cultures of Southern Spain, North Africa and the Levant, The Palomar Cookbook features over 100 delicious recipes guaranteed to transport home cooks to the buzzing streets of modern-day Jerusalem. As well as the restaurant’s signature dishes, the book features family recipes and ideas from places travelled to by The Palomar chefs. Pork belly with ras el hanout, dried fruits and Israeli couscous; North African fish stew; and cauliflower steak with labneh and grated tomatoes are just three of the delicious recipes, which appear alongside mezze dishes, sweet and savoury pastries and a number of store cupboard dishes.

WHOLE ROASTED MISO AUBERGINE (SERVES 4)

I’VE MET QUITE a few people who don’t love aubergine, and I can honestly say most of the time it’s because of the way it’s cooked. That rubbery, dry, slightly squeaky texture is pretty off-putting, but that’s purely because it hasn’t been cooked for long enough. Aubergines are a beautiful thing, and when given the right care they are stunning. Take this recipe, for example – I treat the aubergines like a piece of meat, slashing them, marinating them and slowroasting them whole. The result is a deliciously creamy and fragrant dish that takes little effort to make. The other bonus is that you don’t use much oil as you cook the aubergines whole, so it’s light too.

INGREDIENTS

2 aubergines 3cm piece of ginger, peeled 4 garlic cloves, peeled 2 small green chillies, finely sliced groundnut oil 200g vine cherry tomatoes 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced ½ bunch of coriander, chopped 1 lime, juice only 1 tbsp tamarind paste ½ tbsp honey 3 tbsp white sweet miso METHOD

– Preheat the oven to 180C/375F/gas mark 4. – Pierce the aubergines all over with a knife. Grate the ginger into a mortar and pestle, and bash with the garlic, chillies and a good pinch of salt until

it’s a thick paste. Mix in enough oil to make it spoonable, then spoon it over the aubergines and massage into the incisions. – Roast the aubergines in a roasting tray with the tomatoes for 40 minutes, turning twice. – Put the spring onion and coriander in a bowl, squeeze over the lime juice and mix. – Mix together the tamarind, honey and miso and add enough water to make a thick glaze. Remove the roasting tray after 40 minutes, turn the oven up to 200C/400F/gas mark 6, and drizzle the miso glaze over the aubergines. Cook for a further 15 minutes. – Remove the stalks from the aubergines, then roughly chop the flesh in the tray into coarse chunks. Stir in the dressed spring onions and coriander.

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Chef! WHAT TO COOK, AND HOW TO COOK IT – DIRECT FROM THE KITCHENS OF THE REGION’S BEST CHEFS

Don’t call me a marrow! I’m a courgette, and I’m actually hairier, with a thinner skin

Highlights WE’RE NOT YOLKING...

Riverford shares with you the most tasty frittata recipe Page 24

KALE YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE? Mac and cheese gets all green, courtesy of Nadiya Hussain Page 26

YOU GOT BEEF?

Coombe Farm Organic has, and they know how to cook it... Page 28

Plus

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33 MUSTN’T CRUMBLE Here’s a classic pud that you don’t need an oven for

Chef!

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Don’t call me kuku

Adding courgette and a whole heap of ‘advieh’ turns a plain old frittata into a tasty Persian dish, says Riverford’s Kirsty Hale

Worlds away from a little red Corvette is the little green courgette, and what these veg lack in sex appeal they certainly make up for in nutrition. They’re full of vitamins and minerals, plus they’re super low fat and us Brits can grow ’em by the ton, meaning they win in the carbon footprint stakes too. Kirsty Hale, Riverford cook and general recipe legend, is a big fan, and has crammed them into this kuku – a Persian version of a set omelette using a mixed spice blend called advieh. A traditional kuku is mostly made up of chopped fresh herbs – we’ve given you a rough amount in the recipe, but ideally add as many herbs as you can cram in. And, if you can, use whole spices ground in a coffee grinder or a pestle and mortar. All egg dishes, such as flans, frittatas and tortillas, are best served not straight away, but just warm or at room temperature, with a simple green salad.

COURGETTE KUKU (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil 1 red or white onion, finely chopped 500g courgettes, cut into 5mm slices 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, grated or crushed 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 100ml milk handful of chives, chopped handful of mint, chopped handful of dill, chopped large handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped salt and pepper For the advieh: ¼ tsp each of ground turmeric, nutmeg and ground ginger ½ tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander METHOD

– Mix all the spices for the advieh blend together in a small bowl. – Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat for 10 minutes to soften, stirring now and then. – Heat the grill to medium.

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– Remove the onion to a plate and add the remaining tbsp of oil to the pan. Turn the heat up, add the courgettes and fry (in batches, if need be) until they have some colour, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add the garlic, advieh spice mix and onion. Fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring, then season with salt and pepper. – Whisk the eggs with the milk in a large bowl, stir in the herbs and pour over the top of the courgettes. Cook very gently for a few minutes, until just set on the bottom. – Finish under the grill until just set all the way through (test by gently tipping it sideways; no runny egg should appear). Wait for at least 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. Variations on this recipe: – Add blanched and chopped spinach or chard leaves instead of, or as well as, the courgette, or some roasted chunks of aubergine. – Instead of making the advieh mix, use 1 tablespoon of mild or medium curry powder. ✱ Recipe supplied by Riverford; visit riverford.co.uk, or call 01803 227227

Nadiya’s been spotted all over the Cotswolds this summer – causing a stir at the Big Feastival at the end of August, as well as a host of other foodies fests in the region. She’ll also be appearing later on this month at Cheltenham Literature Festival, where she hosts an afternoon tea. However, it’s not always cakes and sweets that she likes to cook, as her new book, Nadiya’s Kitchen, proves: brunch, sharing plates and easy dinners are all up there, too. Nadiya writes: I am not averse to a massive bowl of mac and cheese for dinner, but it took a while to convince my family that sometimes this is okay, and that it doesn’t always have to be rice and curry, or curry and rice! I don’t mean the kind that comes out of a can and isn’t sure if it is mac and cheese or baby custard mixed with overcooked pasta, though – it doesn’t have to be like a school dinner nightmare. Proper home-cooked mac and cheese is

warm, hearty and delicious. This recipe, with mustard and kale to add interest, makes for a delicious one-pot meal.

MUSTARD KALE MAC and CHEESE (SERVES 6)

INGREDIENTS

500g pasta 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon English mustard powder 3 tablespoons plain flour 250ml whole milk 250ml single cream 250g mature Cheddar cheese, grated a large handful of kale leaves, chopped 50g Parmesan cheese, grated freshly ground black pepper METHOD

– Heat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. – Bring a large pan of salted water

to the boil, and cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the recommended time on the packet. Drain and add the oil, stirring it through. This will stop the pasta sticking together. – Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and mustard powder and cook for 1 minute. – Stir in the flour, and cook for another minute, mixing all the time. – Add the milk and the cream, and whisk until the sauce is smooth and lump-free. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens. – Take the pan off the heat, add the grated Cheddar cheese and leave it to melt, stirring occasionally. – Now tip the pasta and kale into an ovenproof dish, and pour over the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden. – Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan. – Serve with a good grind of black pepper.

Return of the mac Chef!

Everyone’s fave macaroni cheese is back! This time, though, with a hit of kale to satisfy all you veg addicts, courtesy of Nadiya Hussain

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✱ Recipe taken from Nadiya’s Kitchen, published by Penguin (hardback, £20)

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Chef!

As always, Celia Duplock is looking out for your health with a particularly nutrientpacked recipe

Some of you won’t want to, but it’s time to be thinking about root vegetables! Yes, roots are amongst the most nutrient-dense vegetables in the world. Because they grow underground, they absorb a great amount of nutrients from the earth. They are packed with antioxidants, including vitamins C, B, and A, as well as iron, all helping to cleanse your system. Kinpira is a Japanese cooking style that is a combination of sautéing and simmering, using small amounts of oil and water. It is used traditionally to cook root vegetables such as carrot, burdock and lotus root, but you can use any root vegetables in this recipe, including parsnips and celeriac. Burdock is eaten

widely in Asia, and is reported to have impressive health benefits, including the ability to aid digestion, detoxify the liver, balance hormones, improve skin health, reduce inflammation, and lower blood pressure. It grows wild in the UK, and the roots can be harvested in the autumn if you like foraging. Alternatively, it is available from specialist wholefood shops and can often be found in Asian supermarkets. Brown rice and chestnuts is a classic macrobiotic dish that is eaten mainly in the autumn and winter months. The distinctive, mellow flavour of the chestnuts is further enhanced when cooked with rice, making this a delicious and satisfying dish.

ROOT VEGETABLE KINPIRA & CHESTNUT RICE

chestnuts. Add the water and bring the pan up to pressure on a high flame. – Reduce the heat and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, and allow the pressure to drop naturally before opening.

Getting rootsy (SERVES 6-8)

INGREDIENTS

For the chestnut rice: 180g short grain brown rice 120g dried chestnuts ¼ tsp salt 300ml water ✱ Celia is a macrobiotic cook and counsellor offering food coaching, menu planning and cooking lessons for individuals or small groups. She is running a ‘healthy brunches’ workshop at the Organic Farm Shop in Cirencester on Wednesday, 9 November. To book, call 07831 342214 or email enquiries@ cotswoldmacrobiotics.com

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1 tbs sesame oil 200g carrots, julienned 200g burdock or root vegetables, julienned 100ml water 1 tbsp soya sauce or tamari 1 tbsp black sesame seeds METHOD

For the rice: – Wash the rice and place in a small pressure cooker with the salt and dried

For the vegetables: – Meanwhile, if using burdock, peel and soak it in water for 15 minutes before use. Wash and chop the carrots and root vegetables into fine matchsticks. – Heat the oil gently in a cast iron or stainless steel pan over a low flame. Add the julienned vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes. – Add the water and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. – When all the water has been absorbed, add the soya sauce or tamari and garnish with black sesame seeds. – Serve the vegetables with the rice and chestnuts and steamed green vegetables.

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Business manager Ben White and marketing manager Katharina Korinek from Coombe Farm Organic have come up with this delicious recipe, using their organic short ribs. It’s a simple and easy dish that’s incredibly tasty, and has even won a Gold Medal at the Taste of the West Awards. Based in south Somerset, the farm provides high-quality organic beef and lamb directly from their Soil Associationcertified farm, as well as pork, chicken and fish from sustainable, organic neighbouring producers. They want to make sure that we don’t only eat ‘mainstream’ cuts and trendy bits of beast, but instead the whole animal, bringing ‘old fashioned’ and traditional cuts back into the public eye. Beef short ribs are taken from the part of the animal between the brisket and the flank. The ribs are well-marbled with fat, and the recipe here will see your efforts rewarded with melt-in-the-mouth flavour and beef so tender that it just falls off the bone.

Ribs, for your pleasure

Chef!

We’ve got to have something in this issue for the carnivores, right? Here comes Coombe Farm Organic to save the day

MELT-IN-YOURMOUTH BEEF SHORT RIBS (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

2 packs of organic beef short ribs (2x700g) 2 tbsps olive oil or organic beef tallow 2 onions, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves 330ml organic beef bone broth or small cup of home made vegetable or beef stock 1 tablespoon tomato purée 1 tin chopped tomatoes chopped parsley or coriander METHOD

– Rub the short ribs with salt and pepper, and sear all sides in sizzling hot olive oil or beef fat to seal and brown them. – Place the ribs (bone on the bottom) in a casserole dish on a bed of onions. Cover two thirds with bone broth and a tablespoon of tomato purée, as well as the chopped tomatoes. – Cover the casserole dish and put in the oven for at least seven hours at a temperature of 160C/325F/gas mark 3. – Sprinkle with fresh parsley or coriander and serve with potatoes or rice and green vegetables. ✱ coombefarmorganic.co.uk

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Veg Out

SO A-PEEL-ING Blogger, private chef and keen kitchen gardener Kathy Slack tells you what to grow and how to cook it. This month, rosy apples…

pples were made for growing in small spaces. There are a gazillion (yes, actually that many) types of apples; even more so thanks to the magical art of grafting – splicing one variety onto the roots of another variety to combine the best of both plants. It’s a bit like carpentry, really. You can create a great tree to fit a

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small garden by crossing the root stock of a dwarf apple tree with a variety that is usually top heavy with eating fruit. You can even get several different varieties grafted onto one root stock to give a ‘pick-and-mix-type tree’ (but that’s all getting a bit Frankenstein’s monster for my liking). We have two trees at home, both on dwarf root stock M26. (Catchy name,

eh?) One is ‘James Grieve’, a good allrounder, and is planted in the ground and grown as a ‘step-over’ (its trunk is very short and the branches are trained out wide). Although, that said, this one takes some effort to train and hasn’t ever really given us a bumper harvest. The other is called ‘Scrumptious’, and I was given it as a leaving present from my previous job in advertising.

( column )

STOVE-TOP APPLE CRUMBLE ( SERVES 2 )

INGREDIENTS

3 small, firm eating apples 1 tbsp dark brown sugar knob of butter 1 tbsp jumbo oats 1 tbsp medium oatmeal 1 tbsp linseed porridge oats 1 tbsp flaked almonds 20g butter 20g light brown sugar 2 tbsp crème fraiche 1 sprig thyme METHOD

– Core, but don’t peel, the apples, cut them into wedges and toss them in the dark brown sugar. – Melt a knob of butter over a medium heat and, when foaming, add the apples and fry, turning occasionally, until they’re golden brown. – Take the pan off the heat and lift the apples into a bowl. Leave the juices behind in the pan. – Put the oats, oatmeal, linseed porridge, flaked almonds, light brown sugar and butter in a bowl and rub them together until the butter is evenly distributed. – Tip the mixture into the pan of apple juices and set it over a medium heat. Cook the crumble until golden brown and the butter and sugars have melted to create sticky, caramel nuggets of crumble. Keep the mixture moving, so it doesn’t burn though. – To serve, scatter the crumble over the apples, spoon over some crème fraiche and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Life was busy then and, to my shame, I just plonked it in a pot and left it at the bottom of the garden. But it’s done wonderfully! It is 1.5m high now and it gives us around 2kg of beautifully sweet, bright red fruit every year. I do literally nothing to it apart from water it (when I remember) in dry weather. The rules of thumb when growing apples in pots are these: plant the tree in a tub at least 50cm in diameter. Make sure it’s heavy, so it won’t topple over when your tree grows up. Dress the soil every spring with compost to keep the nutrients topped up, and water it when the weather’s dry. Leave them untrained, as this makes pruning easier. Sure, you

should trim any damaged or poorly stems, but that’s all. With this approach, you should have a happy tree that gives you a decent crop just one to two years after planting. If you don’t have room in your garden for even a small apple tree, then you should seek out your nearest Apple Day. These are wonderful traditions, rife in the villages of England, where the whole village comes together in October to press their apples after the harvest. It’s basically a gathering of people with enormous apple gluts, and I can assure you they will be all too keen to give some away. This way, you can also try a few varieties, to see which tastes best!

✱ KATHY SLACK writes the food blog glutsandgluttony.com about the gluts she gets from her veg patch and the ensuing gluttony in the kitchen. This recipe is an extract from her cookbook, The Gluts & Gluttony Cookbook & Growing Guide, available at glutsandgluttony.com.

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Kineton, Guiting Power, Cheltenham, Glos GL54 5UG www.thehalfwayhousekineton.co.uk info@thehalfwayhousekineton.co.uk 01451 850344

‘Rumour has it they do the best Sunday Roast in the County’ “Excellent Sunday lunch” Reviewed 3 weeks ago

Thank you for a very good Sunday lunch today. Faultless food, excellent service by happy helpful staff, and very good value for a high quality meal.

“Excellent gluten free food!” Reviewed 3 weeks ago

“Dog friendly fantastic pub” Reviewed 12 June

Went for Sunday lunch with some friends after a long dog walk, Sunday roast as always was fantastic, staff very attentive without being overbearing, I can recommend this pub and a bonus the dog can come as well, table booking essential to avoid disappointment.

Dadinchelt A swift pint and one of the best roasts I’ve in the county! @ halfwayhousekineton #sunday #sundayroast #donningtonbrewery #beer #roast #dinner #beef #kineton #thecotswolds

Food Fanatics Food Hall

Stocking a range of local, regional and international foods. From every day necessities to that little indulgence. Whilst you are browsing, why not stop for a sweet or savoury snack in our coffee shop and soak up the surroundings. OPEN EVERY DAY 12 North Street, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire GL54 5LH

01242 604466

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From the makers of Crumbs, Bath Life, Bristol Life, Cardiff Life, Exeter Living and Salisbury Life Ad enquiries: Helen.Kembery@mediaclash.co.uk; Editorial: Matt.Bielby@mediaclash.co.uk; 01225 475800

M AG A ZINE

Kitchen

Armoury CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS

How big’s your kitchen, asks Matt Bielby? If it’s not quite House Call-size yet, but you want it to look just as groovy, KitchenAid has come to your rescue

AID TO MEASURE Yeah, we’ve had these in the mag before. Like, loads of times. We have – and we haven’t. Let me explain. You see, the problem with regular KitchenAids, of course, is they’re just too damn big. (Also, too damn expensive – but I’ll let that slide.) So here’s a little one. A little one? It looks just the same! But it’s not. Instead, think 20 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter, with a 3.3litre bowl, rather than the 4.8 litres of its big brothers. Still big enough to be useful, but suited to the more compact and bijoux kitchen surface. And to the more compact and bijoux purse, might we assume? Quite so. This mini version of the iconic KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer comes in at £399, a little less than at least some of the big ones. That said, it looks basically the same as the original iconic version, first released in 1936, and is similarly robust, versatile and high performing, with

THIS MONTH crumbsmag.com

identical mechanics. (Not to mention sexylooking too, of course.) It’s just not quite as big and clunky. You know, I’m suddenly quite interested – especially as (what do you know?) it’s my birthday coming soon… Then you’re in luck, because it’s out from this month – initially through John Lewis, but soon everywhere – and comes in the usual range of trendy colours, like matte black, matte grey and so-called ‘Hot Sauce’ (a kind of punchy red). There’s something called ‘Honeydew’ too, which will be exclusive to John Lewis through the launch period – a sort of ’50s retro pale green. You know, the type of colour they might paint a Vespa or a baby Fiat.

A big bake-off

Za za zataar

What about all those fancy attachments you get – are they included? Yes, it comes with a good starter set – think dough hook, wire whip and flat beater – though it will fit any of the extra bits and bobs designed for the larger models, so you can use it to spiralize, roll pasta, make juice, or, well, anything really. Just in smaller amounts. Which is all I need. I think we might just have found your new best friend. ✱ The KitchenAid Mini Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is out in September, £399, at John Lewis initially and other KitchenAid stockists

Pups in your pantry

Crumbs Cooks With…

Use your loaf Moving a family up from London, and setting up a food business in the Cotswolds, wasn’t all plain sailing for Ori Hellerstein. Luckily, his bread baking skills saved the day… Words by CHARLIE LYON Photos by KIRSTIE YOUNG crumbsmag.com

Ori brings Middle East flavours to the Cotswolds: aubergine and feta parcels (above), homemade lebneh (centre) and heaps of fresh mint (below)

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ri Hellerstein knows how to get people to like to him. Despite laying on a wholesome lunchtime feast for us when we visit his home outside Painswick, he insists on kicking off proceedings with a homemade chocolate truffle. It’s a rich coco shell with an oozing chocolate and sea salt caramel centre. Now, that’s our kind of starter. Although Cotswoldians know him as The Artisan Baker – selling homemade bread at Stroud Market every Saturday – this newer arm of Ori’s business is making confectionary to sell wholesale. It’s really taking off, and we can see why. Along with his bread, he’s selling fudge and truffles to Gloucester Services – an enterprise he credits for the success of his business. It brings artisan products to the masses of travellers that pass through every day. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them,” he says. At the moment, Ori is renting this cottage with his wife Yvonne and their four-year-old son, George. It’s a lovely 18th-century home that’s surrounded by fields and steeped in history, owned by the same family who have Hilles House. It wasn’t the first property the Hellersteins moved into when they decamped from London, though. After visiting the Cotswolds on a mini break, they fell in love with the area and moved to Painswick village to start their own bakery business. However, after having initial success – and upscaling to two bakery units, and four staff – trouble hit. “I think we initially had £7,000 to start the business – something really small – and we’d just had George, who was three months old. It was a very difficult time. I had been working in restaurants before, and didn’t really have any commercial knowledge. However, we built up the business and took on the staff, but it didn’t work. At one point we were homeless for a month, and had to move to Cheshire to live with relatives. I had to commute from there.” However, after realising it was the wholesale side of the bakery that was failing, Ori made some adjustments – sadly making all staff redundant, and downscaling the premises – and the changes paid off, and eventually they got back out of the red. “However, we moved out of Painswick as we couldn’t

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CREAM TEA

available 2.30pm-5pm, Monday-Saturday

A traditional country inn overlooking the Coln Valley 15 stunning rooms Cosy bar and restaurant serving great food Local ales, as well as ciders and lagers on tap Selection of high-quality wines and spirits Outside terrace and dining

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tranquil village pub with a good menu â&#x20AC;? THE NEW INN, COLN ST ALDWYNS

01285 750651 www.new-inn.co.uk

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Ori’s new book features international breads, French mains, Arabian sweets and a whole lot more

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settle there,” he admits. “We associated it too much with the stress of the business.” Now the only type of bread that Ori sells wholesale is his Nelson Loaf. “I sell 250-350 a week, spending the rest of my time baking for Stroud Farmers’ Market.” The Nelson Loaf is a South African (hence the name) six-seeded bread made with oats, yoghurt and syrup. It has an original flavour, but is very easy to make, he says. He’s knocked up a couple of these for us today, which he tops with smoked salmon. As we huddle round the kitchen table with hot mugs of mint tea he sets about putting the finishing touches to the rest of his Middle Eastern-inspired feast – aubergine and feta triangles, naan breads, homemade labneh, salad, along with a Swiss chard and gruyere tart and lemon polenta cake. They’re all recipes from his recent book, The Artisan Baker, which is a roundup of dishes from his childhood in Israel and his worldly travels to the Caribbean, central America and South Africa. “It’s not Israeli food that I cook,” he explains, as he rolls out the naan dough with chopped fresh mint. “Israeli food is a real mix. It’s from Palestine, it’s Lebanese – I love this kind of food. “I love zataar too,” he says, thrusting a jar of the verdant dried herb that his parents brought on their last trip to the UK. “You can’t get it here, I don’t think, but at home it grows like stinging nettles.” Ori carries on cooking as he regales tales of his travels, a period he seems more interested in, really, than his upbringing in Israel. “I don’t go back,” he says. “I don’t have the time.” He lightly browns yellow courgettes in a pan, and then mixes them with bright orange tomatoes and green leaves for a perfect colour-pop salad. He dresses his homemade labneh (strained for four days) with olive oil, then we move outside to set up – making the most of the milder, early autumn weather. “I do miss Middle East food,” he says nostalgically, as he reminisces of his time in London when he’d haunt Edgeware Road eateries on a weekly basis. The lunch spread looks great, though – a fusion feast that reflects his love of travel and heritage (his grandmother was German, and had fled for Israel, via Ecuador). He’s keen to share his dessert recipe too, a lemon polenta cake that’s perfect for gluten-free diets…

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LEMON POLENTA CAKE This cake has a great texture, is full of flavour, and is popular with everyone – not just those who want a glutenfree option. It’s not too unhealthy either, unless, of course, you start adding crème fraîché… INGREDIENTS

300g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting 300g butter 4 eggs 150g polenta, finely ground 300g ground almonds zest of 3 lemons 35ml lemon juice METHOD

– Preheat oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1. Line a 23cm spring-release cake tin with baking paper. – Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until the mixture is pale and has increased in volume. Add the eggs one at a time, adding some of the polenta in between each egg, until it’s all incorporated. Add the ground almonds and mix briefly, then add the lemon zest and juice and fold in with a spatula. – Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level out the top. – Bake for about 1 hour, until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Dust the top with caster sugar, then leave the cake to cool completely. – Release the cake from the tin carefully, as it will be very fragile. WHY NOT TRY…

…making an orange-flavoured version of this cake by using orange zest and juice instead of lemon? ✱ theartisanbaker.co.uk

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THE WANT LIST

Wuff day at work? These cute kitchen canines will cheer you up

1 JOULES DACHSHUND OVEN GLOVES £14.95 Here’s a stylish hound that’s not too hot to handle! Available in sunny yellow, but we love this cool blue. From Joules in Cirencester. ✱ joules.com 2 LULAJAR £24.50 Make no mistake when it comes to the biscuit tin. Keep your pooch’s treats locked away in this cool glass jar from the Cheltenham Kitchener, Cheltenham. ✱ alessi.com

3 DACHSHUND SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS £18.99 These sleek pups, made from high-quality ceramics, are well seasoned! From Cotswold Trading in Broadway. ✱ cotswoldtrading.com 4 THE RABBLE DOG TIN £16.50 Here’s a mutley crew that look pleased to see you. This galvanised steel tin is good for utensils or odds and ends. From Vinegar Hill in Cheltenham. ✱ vinegarhill.co.uk

5 SOPHIE ALLPORT WOOF APRON £17 This cotton apron features a proper pack of pups – labradors, spaniels, dachshunds, Jack Russells and dalmatians. From the Happy Hen House in Cirencester. ✱ sophieallport.com

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The

Golden Pheasant Inn in the heart of Burford

JRooL

Wine Bar & Bistro JRooL Wine Bar & Bistro is a charming, independent, family-friendly restaurant set in the heart of Stroud.

An 18th century inn where you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere, imbibe great ales, sample the home cooked food, and stay for just a while or for the night.

Located a stone’s throw from the award-winning Farmer’s Market, we use fresh, locally sourced, seasonal produce. We serve delicious dishes from a regularly changed menu, and also have daily specials.

CHRISTMAS PARTY MENU 2 COURSES - £20.00 • 3 COURSES - £25.00 Starters Soup of the day, fresh bread Duck spring rolls with hoisin sauce & cucumber salad Deep fried crottin goats cheese with tomato & red pepper chutney Smoked salmon with capers, brown bread & butter & baby leaf salad Chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade & toasted brioche Mains Ballottine of duck with apricot & chestnut stuffing, sautéed potatoes & sage jus Salmon fillet, shellfish linguine with tomato & basil Slow braised beef with dauphinoise potatoes & glazed baby onions Wild mushroom risotto with white truffle oil & parmesan Selection of seasonal vegetables Desserts Vanilla panna cotta with raspberry & Cointreau compote Christmas sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce & vanilla ice cream Chocolate tart with whisky Chantilly cream & candied chestnuts Selection of three British cheeses with celery, biscuits, apple & cider brandy chutney (£2.00 supplement) £10.00 non-refundable deposit required at time of booking per person to secure booking. Pre-orders required for bookings of 5 or more any cancellation must be made 12 hours beforehand

BURGER NIGHT EVERY THURSDAY

LIVE MUSIC

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT

EARLY BIRD MENU

THURSDAY TO SATURDAY EVENINGS

91 High Street, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4QA

01993 823223 www.goldenpheasantburford.com

TAPAS SPECIAL OFFER

Tapas shared meal for 2, including a bottle of Prosecco £18.25 per person

PRIVATE FUNCTIONS Our Bistro can cater for up to 26 seated guests or 50 for a less formal buffet. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, running a fundraising event or hosting a work function, owner Steve will be happy to discuss your requirements, please get in touch.

Booking required. Contact us for more details.

www.jroolbistro.co.uk

We invite you to Cotswold House Hotel and Spa to

share in the warmth and spirit of Christmas

Cotswold House has had a make-over, and now has a fine dining restaurant as well as an informal Bistro. This December we are open for festive dining and winter afternoon teas throughout the month. We are also open to non-residents for Christmas Day Lunch and our Black Tie New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Dinner in the Montrose Suite, with live music from local band Kinky Farnham. For full details about whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on at Cotswold House Hotel and Spa this Christmas please visit our website www.cotswoldhouse.com and download a Christmas Brochure. The Square, Chipping Campden, GL55 6AN | Tel: 01386 840330 | www.cotswoldhouse.com

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THE DRINKS CABINET 4

presented by The Craft Drink Co.

bountiful harvest provides the ingredients that form the base of seasonal spirits, which are highly sought after at this time of year. In the autumn, we look for comfort and warmth in the drinks we choose to complement outdoor pursuits of hunting, shooting and fishing, as well as cosy nights in when it gets dark. Here is a wonderful assortment of craft spirits, created by local distillers, to suit your preferred style. 1 Cotswolds Distillery – Espresso Martini The world famous Cotswolds Distillery’s Espresso Martini is a clear and colourless bottled cocktail with a difference! Starting with cold-brewed, rich coffee, made using only the finest, locally roasted Malabar and Enorga beans from the Monsoon Estates Coffee Company, this is then carefully distilled with orange peel, coriander seed and the master distiller’s own secret spice blend. It goes down just as well before dinner as after. 2 Shakespeare Distillery – Mulberry Gin Shakespeare Distillery produce their new Mulberry Gin over several months by steeping mulberries in the original Stratford Gin, made using Tudor garden botanicals. The result is a deep, rich, fruity gin ideal for sipping or with Prosecco as a gin fizz. Mulberries are very fragile and

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6 require careful handling but it’s worth it for their delicious flavour (a cross between blackcurrant and blackberry). 3 Foxdenton – Winslow Plum Gin Foxdenton founder Nick Radclyffe and son Piers have named this fruit gin after their home town in Buckinghamshire. It is made from plums grown in their own and their neighbours’ gardens. The mix of local plum varieties, including Aylesbury, Czar and Victoria, create an intensely plummy flavour and the use of darker-skinned fruits gives the gin its lovely, deep colour. 4 Bramley and Gage – 6 O’Clock Gin According to Bramley and Gage, 6 o’clock is the time for “ginspiration”! Recently rebranded in a stylish and striking bright blue bottle, the carefully selected and precisely balanced botanicals (including juniper and six others) work in perfect harmony. Orange peel adds a citrus dimension which complements the floral notes of elderflower. The result is a beautifully clean, smooth and flavoursome gin. Another great fact is that 6 O’Clock Gin has its own Indian Tonic Water to match. 5 Two Birds – Salted Caramel Vodka Two Birds make all their spirits from an infusion of distilled barley and sugar beet, combining a classic combination of cereal

and root crops which creates a natural pure and smooth taste. The latest addition to their range, Salted Caramel Vodka, is a perfect balance of their English Vodka infused with wonderfully rich caramel flavours and finished with a subtle hint of salt. It pairs beautifully with dessert. 6 The Sweet Potato Spirit Company – Spiced Rum This new artisan spirit and liqueur brand uses fine sugar cane molasses and the best sweet potatoes, handpicked from Scott Farms USA, giving a silky smoothness and intensity to their Sweet Potato Spiced Rum. Dive into waves of ginger, treacle and lemon blossom and then be enveloped by cherry, peach and warm spices, with a touch of caramel to finish. Delicious on its own or mixed with fiery ginger beer and served over crushed ice.

The Craft Drink Co. is a speciality craft drinks distributor, supplying independent businesses with exceptional craft drinks sourced from makers across The Cotswolds and Central England region. For more information, please visit: www.craftdrink.co.uk

THE

HOWARD ARMS

Following our extensive refurbishment we are proud to announce that The Howard Arms is once again open for business!

Lynwood & Co is an amazing new café now open in the heart of Lechlade, the inspiration of Robert Broadbent and his wife Kats. Fuelled by a passion for specialized coffee and artisan bread making, Rob and Kats have brought their unique Australian café experience to Lechlade. ‘We are committed to providing Lechlade and surrounding villages a place where people can meet and enjoy amazing coffee, homemade cakes, in house artisan bread and a menu driven by seasonality.’ The Howard Arms, Lower Green, Ilmington, Nr Shipton-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 4LT

info@howardarms.com www.howardarms.com

Open 8am - 4pm Mon-Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday, 8am-2pm Sunday (Brunch)

01608 682 226

Lynwood & Co, Apsley House, Market Square, Lechlade, Glouscestershire GL7 3AD 01367 253 707

RESTAURANT · BAR · GARDEN · ROOMS

Mains NEW COMPANIES, AMAZING INNOVATIONS, CAMPAIGNS WORTH FIGHTING FOR, AND PEOPLE THAT MATTER

Highlights THE ‘FREE’ MARKET

Gluten, dairy, sugar and meat are menu no-nos for a lot of us... Page 52

GET CRACKIN’

When the Christmas tree looks like this, it’s probably not the best time to pop open the vintage Champers

Book your Xmas do at one of these joints (before everyone else) Page 55

ELLA RATINGS

With a whole army of digi folllowers, Deliciously Ella’s marching on strong Page 63

Including…

24 crumbsmag.com

GREAT VENUES pushing the boat out this December

In the UK, many of us have been saying no to meat for years – and restaurants have had to modify their offering to accommodate. More recently, lots of folk have said no to animal by-products and GM-modified foods, too; again, it’s caused trouble for many kitchens, but chefs have grasped the ethical reasons behind it, and so been understanding. But the newest element everyone’s concerned about is gluten, and we’re avoiding it in a big way. Despite only 1% of the population being diagnosed coeliac – and there being no evidence gluten is harmful to non-coeliacs – 2.7m of us are currently dodging it in the UK alone. indeed, because of the huge celebrity

following that gluten-free diets have built – think Gwynnie, the Hemsleys, Deliciously Ella – it’s been labelled the ‘cool new eating disorder’. So, what do chefs make of accommodating this particular fad – or, perhaps, permanent change – especially on top of all the rest of our asks?

time to get organised

“Dietary requirements like these were almost unheard of 10 years ago,” says Thomas Curtis, head chef at The White Hart at Minster Lovell. “But, although there’s been a big rise recently, it’s easier to cope with now. We’re more prepared, and we’ll always have gluten-free and dairy-free options on the menu.

bending menus Mains

Gluten-free? Lactose-intolerant? Sugar-sensitive? Or plain old vegan? Dietary requirements are on the up – and, if you’re a chef, this means more work. So how are kitchen crews working around our new eating habits?

“What is annoying, though,” he admits, “is people who want special gluten-free meals when it’s not for medical reasons. We have people walk in asking for gluten-free dishes, and we take great time and care making sure there’s no cross contamination. Then they reveal that, after all, they’re not wheat intolerant – it’s just because they’re on some special diet, or they think it’s healthier. It’s frustrating. I think they give people with coeliac disease a bad name.” Jules Thomas is a home cook who runs a supper club in Oxfordshire, The Secret Supper Society. Even though a very small business, she welcomes people with all dietary requirements, but she says that it can be tricky if guests don’t consider the extra prep she’ll have to do at her end. “When guests book, they are asked if they have any allergies or special dietary requirements,” she says. “However, I’ve had plenty who don’t read the confirmation email, then tell me after they’ve sat down that they are vegetarian. I do my best when this happens, and I’ve learnt to keep some homemade ravioli, cheese soufflé and various other vegetarian dishes that I can bring out at the last minute. But it doesn’t help my stress levels! “I do try to cater for all dietary requirements, too. I actually find gluten-free and dairy-free no problem, as when you cook from scratch it’s easy to avoid those ingredients.” But when it comes to diners who are finicky over what they eat without

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( feature ) medical, moral or religious reasons, Jules also struggles. “What really gets me is when a guest gives me a long list of ingredients they don’t like,” she says. “If that’s the case, perhaps this isn’t the place for them? One of my USPs is that guests don’t see the menu in advance. The point of them coming to me is to experience something new. We had a table of six recently, and most of them said that they would not have ordered anything that I had on the menu if they had been in a restaurant, but they loved it and would now have it again.”

A business boost?

A local business that actually seems to be benefitting from the ‘free-from’ trend, however, is Simpsons, the fish and chip shop in Cheltenham. They started offering gluten-free fish and chips on the last Monday of every month five years ago, when they saw a gap in the market. Now the last Monday is three times busier than any other Monday, and getting busier all the time. From September they’ll be offering gluten free on the second Monday too. “Customers come from far and wide,” says director James Ritchie. “The gluten-free batter is usually a little crunchier and stays firmer for longer, which is actually a bonus for us. However, it’s time-consuming to change or deep-clean everything twice a month, and gluten-free batter still costs four times what regular batter does – which is fine, except we don’t

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think it’s fair to penalise customers for having an allergy, so we decided to swallow that cost, and charge the same on gluten-free days as every other day. “Luckily, the appreciation we get from our customers makes it worth it!”

the free-from future

Crumbs-regular Celia Duplock is a ‘macrobiotic chef’, and predicts that all-round interest in foods that are dairy and meat free is on the up. “Today,” she says, “we’re constantly reading about the obesity crisis and the effects of diet on our health, so I think it’s bound to increase the level of interest in healthy foods.” Despite following quite a restricted diet compared to the average person herself, Celia says we shouldn’t actually concentrate too much on what we omit from our food. “The modern macrobiotic approach is all about following a healthy diet and lifestyle, including not being too dogmatic and rigid about our approach to food,” she says. “No foods are ‘forbidden’, but the more we understand about the effect that different foods have on the body, the more we can make informed decisions about which ones to include or avoid. “My courses are based on the macrobiotic approach, which promotes a plant-based, whole-food diet that is predominantly vegan. But, as it’s based on the traditional Japanese diet, some fish may be included – depending, of course, on the condition of the person, and individual preference.”

CAFE 53 ROASTED VEG SALAD A new veggie favourite in the cafe is this roasted veg salad – and it’s totally gluten-free. It can be modified to fit your tastes with seasonal veg, or anything leftover at home… INGREDIENTS

mixed vegetables (carrots, courgette, butternut squash, beetroot, fennel, spinach) balsamic vinegar oil honey chilli flakes chopped garlic fresh rosemary METHOD

– Cut your vegetables into roughly 2cm chunks or slices (quarter the beetroot and fennel) and place on a baking tray. – Drizzle the veg with oil, chilli flakes, honey, garlic and rosemary, and place in the oven at a medium heat for 45-60 minutes, or until they’re done to your liking. – Once the vegetables are golden, serve on a bed of fresh spinach, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and decorate with rosemary sprigs. – Not so worried about going free-from? Then try adding torn mozzarella at the end, too!

JOIN US THIS CHRISTMAS

A C OU N T RY P U B I N T H E H E A RT OF T H E C OTS WO L D S

Dine from our exquisite 2 AA Rosette menus this festive season. View our Christmas Party, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve menus at seagravearms.com

Situated in the village of Oakridge Lynch, we serve fresh home cooked food & real ales.

Call 01386 840 192 or email enquiries@theseagravearms.com

SEAGRAVEARMS.COM /TheSeagraveArms @TheSeagraveArms Friday Street, Weston Subedge, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, GL55 6QH

The Half Way House is a 17th Century Inn in the quintessential Cotswold hamlet of Kineton, halfway between Temple Guiting and Guiting Power. • British pub classic dishes with a twist • Locally sourced & low carbon footprint food suppliers • Extensive Gluten Free options • Private parties or group bookies welcome • Stunning outside gardens & covered dining • Children & dog friendly

01451 850344 • info@thehalfwayhousekineton.co.uk Kineton, Guiting Power, Cheltenham, Glos GL54 5UG

www.thehalfwayhousekineton.co.uk

The Quoin – Our Self Catering cottage is ideal for overnight stays and weekends away in the heart of the Cotswolds.

www.butchersarmsoakridge.com

FIx uP, BOOK SharP Mains

You’ve been good all year ’round, and party season’s on the horizon. Who deserves a fine feed for your festive get-together with colleagues, chums or rellies? You do! Dodge the beige buffet, and instead book your group a decent spot asap from our pick of places to chow down en masse. And don’t worry – we’ll let you take all the credit…

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the fam f o e o m

THE WEIGHBRIDGE INN

2 IN 1 PIE

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THE ANGEL AT BURFORD Cherry picked a select few for a special gathering? The Angel has a great atmosphere for intimate Christmas parties. Gather together in the cosy space, and it almost feels like you’re having your own house party, with the added benefit of AA-rosette food and award-winning service. Plus, you don’t have to clean up after! ✱ Witney Street, Burford OX18 4SN; theangelatburford.co.uk

THE BISLEY HOUSE

Chefs here are darn proud to be serving turkey from Gloucester, beef from Nailsworth and Stroud-grown oyster mushrooms for their special Christmas party menu. You can also indulge in an after-dinner port beside their beautiful log burner, or boogie into the night at sister pub the Golden Fleece. They can serve up to 50 people; two courses cost £20, and three courses £30. Wash everything down with local ales from Stroud Brewery, among others, and a fine selection of European wines. ✱ Middle Street, Stroud GL5 1DZ; bisleyhouse.co.uk

CALCOT MANOR

Like fine food? Fine wine? And a jaw-dropping setting? (Who doesn’t?) There’s something for everyone who enjoys a little luxe at Calcot Manor. There’s private dining in The Garden Room for 12-16 people, elegant dining in The Conservatory restaurant for up to 80, or private parties for 30-40 in the Terrace Room at lunch. More popular than that? There’s also the self-contained venue, The Barn, that can accommodate parties of up to 100. ✱ Calcot, Near Tetbury GL8 8YJ; calcot.co

THE CHURCH STREET TOWNHOUSE

Are you thinking formal sit-down or casual gathering? The Church Street Townhouse can cater for both. Christmas party offers include a £20 gift voucher for the party organiser, and if you book your table before 31 October every person gets £5 to spend when they arrive at the bar. Plus, if you pre-order your drinks, you’ll get 15% off and they’ll be ready at your table when you arrive. Happy days, indeed! ✱ Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon

CV37 6HB; churchst-th.co.uk

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CORINIUM HOTEL & RESTAURANT

It’s elbows at the ready to nudge your way into a Christmas booking at the Corinium in Cirencester. It’s well-loved by locals who’ll be grappling for a seat at one of their special festive lunches or dinners. The venue suits small parties, and prices are from £15.95 per person. For those of you who love a boogie, Friday and Saturday night parties include a disco (although the dinner-disco parties can be arranged for different dates, if you get in quick). ✱ 12 Gloucester Street, Cirencester GL7 2DG; coriniumhotel.co.uk

COTSWOLD INNS AND HOTELS

Hankering for a right proper Crimbo experience? There are nine top-notch Cotswold Inns and Hotels – all in magical settings with roaring log fires – that will be beautifully decorated for Christmas. Throughout December, festive party lunches will be available with a selection of dishes to choose from, including the traditional Christmas feast with all the trimmings. Alternatively, book your spot for a festive party dinner – some of the hotels will be hosting a disco to boogie off the calories at afterwards, too! ✱ Various venues across the Cotswolds; cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

COTSWOLD WATER PARK FOUR PILLARS HOTEL

Got a lively bunch to entertain? The popular party nights at this hotel contain all the ingredients for a memorable Christmas celebration! Sit down to a good ol’ Crimbo meal, with coffee and mints for afters. Then dance the night away to the sounds of a DJ. For early arrivals there’s the lounge bar to enjoy a drink, while you wait for your band of merry men (or women). ✱ Lake 6, Spine Road East, South Cerney GL7 5FP; cotswoldwaterparkhotel.co.uk

THE GEORGE TOWNHOUSE

Make your Crimbo do a historic one by booking it in this beautifully restored Georgian pub with 15 bedrooms. There are a number of great deals to be had, including a very festive Christmas party menu for £26.95 per person, with a choice of five dishes for each course. There’s also a Christmas

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Day menu at £75pp for three courses, including Prosecco on arrival, cheese and coffee, tea and mince pies, all made using fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce wherever possible. ✱ High Street, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 4AJ; thegeorgeshipston.co.uk

THE HIGHWORTH HOTEL & RESTAURANT

It’s all change at The Highworth Hotel – the new owners have refurbished it, creating an elegant and stylish place to celebrate the festive season with friends, colleagues and family. There are lunches from £15.95 per person, and party nights with a brilliant five-course menu and arrival drink for £33 per person. Private dining is also available (usually at no extra cost), and there are bedrooms if you’re keen on making the most of the drinks menu. ✱ 1 Westrop, Highworth SN6 7HJ; thehighworth.com

THE HOG AT HORSLEY

The lucky locals who live near this welcoming pub won’t be disappointed when it comes to Christmas offerings. There’ll be a great family and friends menu for the whole Christmas period, including The Hog’s ever-popular roasts, sharing platters, and ‘Fish Fridays’. With bands every Thursday and wine-tasting evenings, they also have feast nights where they champion the food that they source from within 15 miles of Horsley. ✱ The Cross, Horsley, Stroud GLP 0PR; thehogathorsley.co.uk

JESSE’S BISTRO

The building that houses Jesse’s Bistro has a fabulous wintery festive feel. Tucked away on Cirencester’s glorious Black Jack Street is a snug dining room that is perfect for family or business celebrations. Chef David Witnall works closely with the street’s famous Jesse’s Butchers to choose the best in seasonal food, and at this time of year his two-AArosette kitchen really shines. ✱ The Stable Yard, Black Jack Street, Cirencester GL7 2AA; jessesbistro.co.uk

THE KING’S ARMS

Arranging a Christmas do can be a right faff, so book it at The King’s Arms and you’ll get a treat thrown in for the organiser (up to you if you tell your friends of not – but you definitely deserve the reward!). They have a

choice of private dining spaces for up to 36 guests, plus two- or three-course menus. On Christmas Day there’ll be a three-course feast, including an amuse bouche and palate cleanser, for £69 per person, and on New Year’s Eve a fivecourse gala supper, with fizz and live music, for £70. ✱ The Street, Didmarton GL9 1DT; kingsarmsdidmarton.co.uk

THE LION INN

Following a major renovation of the building and grounds, this 15th-century inn is now a go-to place for great grub, friendly atmosphere and a super-comfy experience. We’re promised ‘sumptuous set menus’ for up to 20 people, including on Christmas Day. If you don’t fancy driving home after your festive celebration, book to stay with an extra special rate – just give them a call on 01242 603300 for more. ✱ North Street, Winchcombe GL54 5PS; thelionwinchcombe.co.uk

THE LYGON ARMS HOTEL

There’s an amazing winter wonderland right in the heart of Broadway, and it’s all at The Lygon Arms’ Cotswoldthemed Christmas party. You can get stuck right into the lavish celebrations with an abundance of food and drink – from ‘winter sharers’ and the finest Champagne, to exquisite fine dining and tasting menus. Prices start at £30 for a la carte and £55 for a bespoke tasting menu. Feeling flush? Splash out £849 per person for three nights’ full board over the main event. ✱ High Street, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7DU; lygonarmshotel.co.uk/Christmas

NO. 38 THE PARK

Things don’t get more exclusive that this – hire the whole of this sumptuous Georgian townhouse, conveniently located in central Cheltenham. A special supper party menu has been curated for £35 per person, and guarantees free-range and local produce cooked to perfection. Kick off the night with an exclusive sharing cocktail like the Cranberry Cooler with vodka, ameretto, cranberry juice, lime and soda, or a Christmas Punch with vodka, Southern Comfort, amaretto, grenadine and orange and cranberry juice. Cheers! ✱ Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL52 2AH; theluckyonion.com

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THE PLOUGH INN

COLD ASTON - FREE HOUSE

All our HOME-COOKED meals are prepared with the finest ingredients

LOCALLY-SOURCED FRESH & DELICIOUS

Feast at The King's Arms this festive season Join us for award-winning food and warm service in rustic countryside surroundings. View our Christmas menus at kingsarmsdidmarton.co.uk

Get in touch on 01454 238 245 or enquiries@kingsarmsdidmarton.co.uk

kingsarmsdidmarton.co.uk Our LOVINGLY RESTORED 17TH CENTURY Inn offers a WARM WELCOME Cold Aston, Nr. Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54 3BN Tel: 01451 822602 • Email: hello@coldastonplough.com

www.theploughinncoldaston.co.uk

/TheKingsArmsDidmarton @TheKingsArmsUK

The Street, Didmarton, Gloucestershire, GL9 1DT

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH US...

Family run country pub situated in the village of Andoversford. Find fine dining inspired dishes mixed with pub classic, all expertly cooked and presented, using locally sourced beef and pork. Great selection of cask ales and fine wines.

CHRISTMAS LUNCHES FROM £15 CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS FROM £45 CHRISTMAS DAY & NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS FROM £85

Al Fresco Dining @ Magnolia Brasserie

NEW FOR 2016 Festive Afternoon Teas from £20 per person Boxing Day Bubbly Brunch from £15 per person

Open Monday to Sunday

For more details of our Christmas programme please call: Breakfast • Lunch •01367 Afternoon 241272Tea Picnic • Dinner

Call for a reservation: 01242 821426 email: theroyaloakandoversford@gmail.com www.theroyaloakcotswolds.co.uk

 01367 241272

 www.sudburyhouse.co.uk  reservations@sudburyhouse.co.uk 56 London Street, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7AA

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THE OX CHELTENHAM

Are you looking for a turkey-free feast this year? Want classic food cooked impeccably, and served up with a side of festive cocktails? With space for smaller groups right up to parties of 60, The Ox is offering a three-course lunch with a difference for £29.50, or dinner for £39.50, all with a welcome glass of fizz. ✱ Cambray Place, Cheltenham GL50 1JS; theoxcheltenham.com

THE PORCH HOUSE

Fancy setting up your own private party in a section of this historic inn? Yes, please. Parties of 10 or more can book for two hours, and get stuck into a festive buffet for just £14.50 per person. Or there’s a classic Christmas Day lunch, with three courses, for £75 per person. There are 15 rooms, too, for stopovers. ✱ Digbeth Street, Stow-on-the-Wold GL54 1BN; porch-house.co.uk

ROSS & ROSS FOOD

Want your pals to remember your Christmas feast for years to come? Book in to a special Ross & Ross pop-up evening in December for a slap-up three-course feast, and drink on arrival, in a beautiful, original Cotswolds setting. With maximum numbers of 80 people per evening, these pop-ups promise something different, and are perfect for group celebrations with a twist. ✱ Ross & Ross cater for events across the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire; rossandrossfood.co.uk

THE SEAGRAVE ARMS

Looking for your perfect countryside Christmas in the Cotswolds? With an intimate private dining area and a fantastic festive menu, The Seagrave Arms hits the spot. These hard grafters are also serving up a three-course festive feast on Christmas Day for £70 per person, and are celebrating New Year’s Eve with a three-course meal for £50 per person. ✱ Friday Street, Weston Subedge, Chipping Campden GL55 6QH; seagravearms.com

SUDBURY HOUSE

Fancy a bit of curried cauliflower soup, braised blade of beef, and mandarin panna cotta? These are just three dishes from Magnolia Brasserie’s ‘party night’ menu, which includes a welcome drink and dancing until 12am, all for £45. There are Christmas lunches too, with a

choice of courses, served 12-2pm every day in December. ✱ 56 London Street, Faringdon SN7 7AA; sudburyhouse.co.uk

THYME

For friends who love local, but still want something swish, you won’t get a better setting than the Tithe Barn at Thyme. The impressive Medieval barn can host up to 40 peeps, and the balcony room and olive gardens outside make it a pretty glorious setting for a Christmas celebration. Down the road, The Swan at Southrop’s garden room (same owners) is a good choice for smaller groups. Plus, there’s some plush accommodation on offer if you’re weary after your feed. ✱ Southrop GL7 3NX; thyme.co.uk

TIPPUTS INN

Got a right rowdy rabble, or a more refined group? Tipputs can cater for both with a pub that seats 30, or the restaurant that holds 90-100 people. Pick your vibe! The Christmas menu has a local twist on traditional dishes, packed with flavour. You’ll keep well lubricated with a selection of local ales, premium lager and an extensive wine list to suit all tastes. The topping on the cake? Crackers, Christmas trees and jolly staff for a very merry time! ✱ Nailsworth GL6 0QE; tipputsgrill.com

THE TROUT AT TADPOLE BRIDGE

Who said sleepovers are just for kids? There are great dine-and-stay offers at The Trout this Christmas. Host a party with up to 30 friends or colleagues in one of a selection of spaces, and dine on three courses for £26.95pp. You can also join the team on Christmas Day for the full works, plus New Year celebrations include a tasting menu and live music. ✱ Buckland Marsh, Faringdon SN7 8RF; troutinn.co.uk

THE VAULT

The menu of fusion small plates at this brand new tapas and wine bar will inject Crimbo cool into your festive do – think sharing platters and family feasts. And you won’t miss out on Christmas flavours – there’ll be spectacular roasts and all the trimmings, plus a right nice selection of little dishes to dip into. Anything else? Only top cocktails and live music! ✱ Waterloo House, Nailsworth GL6 0AQ; thevaultnailsworth.co.uk

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Fresh, local produce cooked with style, imagination and flair... Our meat is supplied by Jesse Smith butchers and we pride ourselves on our fresh fish and seafood, delivered daily from Cornwall.

The Stableyard, Black Jack St Cirencester GL7 2AA 01285 641497 | info@jessesbistro.co.uk

www.jessesbistro.co.uk ab

CHRISTMAS

at The Trout at Tadpole Bridge Join us for AA Rosette standard fare at our beautiful Cotswold inn this festive season Bookings & Enquiries: Contact us on 01367 870382 or email info@troutinn.co.uk View our festive menus at troutinn.co.uk /TroutInnTadpoleBridge @TroutInn Buckland Marsh, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7 8RF

www.coriniumhotel.co.uk

info@coriniumhotel.co.uk 12 Gloucester Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2DG

JOIN OUR FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

Festive bookings now being taken Book early to avoid disappointment Free parking

Festive lunch from £15.95 Festive dinner from £18.95 Party Nights from £29.95 Christmas Day lunch – FULL New Year’s Eve Dinner & Dance £75.00

Bookings or enquiries 01285 659711

G RILLE D THE CRUMBS INTERVIEW

Think porn is dirty? Not Deliciously Ella’s Instagram food porn. It’s green and healthy and wholesome, and the key to her snowballing brand. She tells us more ahead of her slot at the Cheltenham Literature Festival

CLEAN UP YOUR ACT crumbsmag.com

M ost of you will know that Ella Mills (née Woodward, aka Deliciously Ella) – the beautiful 20-something media darling who has built up a healthy eating food empire through the power of pictures – started her career with a simple blog and an Instagram account. She’s now classed as the new ‘wellness’ icon, but, although she avoids meat, dairy and gluten in her diet, she hates the term ‘free-from’. She’s also not fond of what we know as ‘clean eating’, but does say she favours a ‘plant-based’ diet. It’s actually easier to hand over the mic to her, and let her explain her ethos when it comes to eating… “My feeling about food is that it’s just about trying to eat naturally and simply,” she says. “Less processed, less added crap, less refined sugar. It’s not necessarily about replacing one thing with another, but about eating more veg, more fruit, more beans, more brown rice – those kind of things.” Ella started her ‘eating well’ blog in 2012, and quickly rose to fame with the help of Instagram and the delicious-

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looking dishes she posted photos of daily. Now she’s made an elegant leap from online food blogger to printed author, and bagged herself a slot at October’s Cheltenham Literature Festival. She’s got two books out already – Deliciously Ella and Deliciously Ella Every Day – and Juices and Smoothies is out midSeptember, while her fourth book, which focuses on sharing and party food, will be launched in early 2017. It is, though, thanks to the digital world that she owes her success. “It was never my intention, when I started my blog, to become this big,” she admits. “The digital world is really interesting, and there are so many people that have launched their businesses there – you can see it, especially when it comes to food and fashion. “Social media gives people a platform to start something that’s so hard to do otherwise – it lets you play around with stuff, and create things yourself.”

Building a brand

It’s not only books that are now part of the ever-expanding Deliciously Ella empire. Her first packaged food products – her renowned energy balls – are now stocked in Whole Foods and Waitrose, and, with a couple more deals in the pipeline, she hopes to be in a whopping 3,000 stores by the end of October. And that’s with just the first of a range of

The new ‘full English’? Banana, peanut butter and spinach smoothie made with brown rice milk

crumbsmag.com

DELICIOUSLY ELLA IN NUMBERS

939,000 3,000 Instagram followers

supermarkets you’ll find her products in by the end of October

120

kilos of hummus she sold at Wilderness Festival

years old

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products, she reveals. She’s also pretty hands on at her eatery: The Mae Deli. It’s in central London, but there are plans for “four or five more by early next year”. It’s scarily ambitious, and you’d almost think she was selling out, if it wasn’t for the integrity she promises to uphold. “We’ll be keeping the delis in London, because they’re so operationally heavy, and I really like being involved in the customer facing side of it,” she says. “We never wanted The Mae Deli to be a chain – they’ve all got slightly different concepts – and the problem is, as soon as you take it out of London I can’t be there, so they can’t be centralised in the same way.” That’s why you won’t find one in the Cotswolds any time soon, despite the fact that she loves the region.

Coming to the Cotswolds?

Ella often retreats to the north of the Cotswolds to visit her husband’s parents (former culture secretary Tessa Jowell and lawyer David Mills). But don’t keep your peepers peeled for her: despite the range of fabulous food on offer in the region, she admits she likes to keep herself to herself, and stays at home a lot of the time. “My husband and I love spending time in the Cotswolds,” she says. “We’re there a lot, but we’re so lazy! We spend the whole weekend going on long

Above: dairy-free chocolate squares, made with cacao powder and coconut milk; Right: Ella’s rolling out her famous date energy balls to supermarkets across the UK

walks, eating at home and sleeping. We actually got engaged there, on Ilmington Downs – so it’s pretty special for us. At some point we would love to get out of London, and it’s so nice in the Cotswolds, and so different. In terms of lifestyle, it massively appeals.”

and avoiding processed foods. It’s about making pasta sauce yourself from tomatoes, basil salt, a bit of garlic, maybe some tomato purée, then sautéing some courgettes and broccoli, rather than it coming in a jar.”

Joining the green team

By creating a brand that’s colourful and beautiful, Ella’s changed the mindset of millions of people who now want to jack in the booze and burgers and get cooking and exercising. It’s an inclusive club that people are still signing up to by the bucketload. “After all, eating well is not about staying in on your own, eating kale,” she says. And, since teaming up with her husband, her work has got even better. “I run the business with Matthew now,” she says. “That makes a world of difference – we’ve very different skill sets, and have very different interests. Mine is all creative – I do the books, work closely with our head chef and the deli, and do all our social media; pretty much everything you see and feel. Matthew makes it actually work. He’s the business development, and he’s built the financial model.” So, although becoming part of a duo, Ella is still toiling hard. As I finish making a post-interview cuppa, and sup it slowly watching a banal episode of The One Show, I open Instagram. I can see she’s rushed to a Neal’s Yard event, and is already ’gramming away. Hmm, her success is certainly down to digital innovation – but there’s a big bit of hard graft in there, too.

So, while you may not be bumping into her face-to-face anytime soon, Ella does like to keep in touch with her followers, making YouTube videos and answering personal Tweets and emails. She’s very encouraging to all of her fans, spreading the message that eating well is easy. “Really, all you need to get started is a normal blender,” she says, “which is good for making quick soups and things like that. And the other thing is a food processor. A processor is so helpful, as you can whip up anything – homemade pesto, god knows how many varieties of hummus, snack bars...” “You can put a can of beans, some avocados, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper together and you’ve got an amazing dip, and that’s in 30 seconds. It’s much cheaper than buying something similar. You can make things quickly from leftovers, too. Old carrots, for instance, I’ll roast with cumin and blend with chickpeas for roasted carrot hummus. “In terms of ingredients,” she continues, “these days healthy eating has become so synonymous with superfoods and special powders. They definitely have a time and a place but, for me, eating well is much more about oats and chickpeas and carrots and almonds and potatoes than about anything else. It’s about having those ingredients in the house, and trying to incorporate them into your cooking,

And it goes on...

✱ Catch Delicously Ella at Cheltenham Literature Festival, 10-11.30am on Saturday, 8 October. For more, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com

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THE LION INN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT THE GOOD PUB GUIDE’S NEW PUB OF THE YEAR 2017

View our Christmas menus at

thelionwinchcombe.co.uk Contact us on 01242 603 300 or email reception@thelionwinchcombe.co.uk /thelionwinchcombe

@lionwinchcombe

37 North Street, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5PS

HANDMADE BRITISH FOOD GIFTS ~ EVENT & WEDDING CATERERS

FOOD GIFTS

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‘NORTH COTSWOLD CAMRA’ SEASONAL PUB OF THE YEAR 2016 Character Pub with stone walls and flagstone floors Casual Dining – Excellent food served all day Passionate about well kept ales Famous Inn located on the Fosse Way (A429)

EVENT CATERING

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Ross & Ross Food 10 Worcester Road Trading Estate Chipping Norton OX7 5XW 01608 645503 hello@rossandrossfood.co.uk www.rossandrossfood.co.uk

Stunning riverside garden – Al Fresco dining 9 beautiful en-suite bedrooms and two holiday cottages

01285 720721 Fossebridge | Cheltenham | GL54 3JS reservations@innatfossebridge.co.uk

www.fossebridgeinn.co.uk

Afters NEW RESTAURANTS DEVOURED, NEW BARS CRAWLED, NEW SHOPS EXPLORED, AND EVERYTHING REVIEWED AND RATED

There’s nothing ‘hamateur’ about these home-dried meats

Highlights PLOUGHING ON Rediscovering The Kingham Plough, now with its third AA rosette Page 70

SMALL PLATES GOT ATE crumbsmag.com

The Vault in Nailsworth is taking tapas by the horns Page 72

Including…

goat heart that caused some palpitation

Af ters

( L E G E N D A R Y R E S TA U R A N T S )

THE KINGHAM PLOUGH With a third AA rosette to add to their long list of accolades, The Kingham Plough is on a roll. Charlie Lyon heads there to find out just how they’ve upped the ante

ometimes I don’t like a sales pitch from a waiter. Sometimes it’s better just to let the food speak for itself. But when you dine at The Kingham Plough, every plate of food has its own story – and you need to hear it. First off, the ‘dining pub with rooms’ is owned by chef-proprietor Emily Watkins, who you’ll probably recognise as a winner of 2014’s Great British Menu. She opened it in 2007 with her husband Miles Lampson, and since then it’s gained three AA rosettes. The interiors are a welcoming mix of exposed brick walls, sanded-back floorboards, mismatched wooden tables and heritage shades on the walls. The outside courtyard offer a sunny dining spot for warmer days. But today – on one of the last sunny summer days of 2016 – we’re more intrigued by the stories of every morsel and mouthful of our lunch. There’s the appetiser of dried ham, hung on site, underground, at just the right temperature and for just the right amount of time – with no air blowing onto it, but at just the right angle. All this effort certainly makes sure our board is heaped with juicy, tender, wafer-thin strips of pig that we devour hungrily with homemade seeded bread and bright, yolk-coloured butter. Then there’s the kelp that has cured my starter of monkfish tail. It was foraged by Emily’s children on their last

holiday to Scotland, and brought all the way back to the Cotswolds (it seems relaxing breaks are not the order of the day for this dedicated chef, who also runs a family with four children). The monkfish tail is beautiful – sliced so delicately it’s almost translucent, and identified mainly by the rings of kelp around the edges. The fish is flavoured with lemon brown butter, then topped with a wedge of battered monkfish cheek – crispy, with a chunk of moist white fish inside – plus peas and tartare sauce (£14). Heaven. Across the table, my Pa is tucking into a risotto with heritage tomatoes, basil and ewe’s cheese (£10). The story? The risotto is oatmeal, light and digestible, and the perfect twist for this quintessentially English day. For mains I pick something newer on the menu – goat kid chop and confit shoulder with roasted heritage tomato and courgette tart (£26). Pa, my plus one for the day, turns up his nose, reckoning the last time he ate a goat it was so tough he broke a tooth. That was in Nigeria, though. And 40 years ago. This goat, however, is from a farm just up the road, and was delivered at the start of the week, whole, then butchered on site. The shoulder has been confited – the meat soft, succulent and full of flavour – and it’s served in two cubes with a lightly fried outer crumb. Also on my plate are two soft chops, again full of flavour – and the heart of the goat.

“It’s not to everyone’s taste,” says our affable waiter, but today it seems important to follow a sustainable ‘noseto-tail’ mantra when eating meat, so I team small slices with cuts of the tasty courgette tart side dish and wolf it down. Would I order goat heart again? Perhaps not on its own, but it’s great to try. The chicken Pa is eating is local, too – there’s a breast and a ballotine served with local apricots, sweetcorn and runner beans (£24). Summer on a plate. We fight over the desserts. I lose (but win at the same time), getting a creamy lemon posset (the best I’ve ever eaten – no lie) topped with homemade granola, lemon verbena sorbet and sweet madeleines (£7 – a complete bargain). There’s also blackberry and apple baked Alaska, cooked in the lightest, most delicate meringue and finished with blackberries and apple sherbet (£8). You know a meal’s truly good when you can’t stop talking about it on the way home. “There’s no way that Alaska was baked whole – impossible!” Pa exclaims. Then he says, “I’m booking a trip to Scotland, to stock up on kelp.” The story is retold to friends and family who write a note in their diaries to experience it first-hand, and I’m hoping you do just the same thing. ✱ THE KINGHAM PLOUGH, The Green, Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 6YD; 01608 658327; thekinghamplough.co.uk

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Af ters

( N E W TA PA S B A R S )

THE VAULT Are cocktails and fusion tapas a winning combo for the couple behind the Hog at Horsley? Hannah Bellis visits Nailsworth to find out

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enerally I’m a pretty adventurous diner. Watching MasterChef, it’s those edgy, will-it-work? combos that have John Torode all concerned that I want to taste. But, when it comes to Spanish food, I’m a purist. My parents have lived in Madrid for over 20 years, and I’ve picked up many of the prejudices of their generation’s Madrileno friends – simple flavours, paprika, pork and potatoes. Still, when Crumbs Cotswolds asked if I wanted to try the new tapas bar in Nailsworth from the couple behind the venerated Hog at Horsley, it was a no-brainer. The Vault is housed in an old bank building on George Street, across the road from Hobbs House Bakery. I visited on an early Tuesday evening, five weeks after it opened. So far The Vault has been embraced by the ladies of Nailsworth for its cocktail menu – they’re tempted in not a little by the 10% discount that groups of 10 or more get. We sampled their Nailsworth Bramble (£7.50), with crushed blackberries, lime and Bombay gin, in the alfresco courtyard on a bench made from slabs of a yew tree that fell nearby. “I’m planting lavender behind, so you sit within it,” said owner Greg Saturley. As the driver, my virgin Bramble was refreshingly aromatic – imagine the whole fragrant experience had we been surrounded by lavender bushes, too! Inside, the bar is a giant coppertopped mecca, where diners sit on an overlooking mezzanine, strewn with sunlight. The menu offers around 16 tapas dishes, served as they are ready. Two per dinner are suggested. We immediately ordered six, but I wanted to make a point of checking out both

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traditional and fusion dishes (a fine excuse). First out are crispy rice black pudding cones (£6.95). Not traditional, but the morcilla flavour comes with hints of cumin that my other half, Foxy, loved. The home-carved Iberia ham (£9.95) is sliced thin enough to melt in the mouth. The olives with it are exceptionally good, too – cracked to let the zesty, slightly spicy marinade permeate, but with the stone left in to keep them firm and juicy. Next up was marinated octopus carpaccio (£8.95), served with sliced potato and paprika oil that brought the joys of chorizo to this daring dish. It was beautiful to look at and to eat – served warm, which I was not expecting, but that helped bring out the subtle flavours. Traditional tomato gazpacho (£4.95) was the exact temperature we expected, but the intensity of flavour took me by surprise – sweet and creamy, with cheesy umami. I ate most of this one. We were both lusting over the scallops nero di sepia (£9.95). Foxy said the quality of the black squid ink pasta “kicked ass” – it was coated in garlic and Chardonnay cream, and topped with crispy chorizo crumb and three plump scallops. He got two of these (I had eaten practically all the gazpacho and jamon), but the pasta was so good, even without the scallop, I did not feel hard

done by. Last dish was the Herefordshire flamenquitos – beef rolled with Cheddar and Serrano ham, served with ‘Hog chips’ (£8.95). This was the only dish that didn’t do it for me; it was a bit heavy, perhaps, for this late in the meal, but Foxy loved them, so maybe these are ones for the boys. The Hog chips were fantastic, though, even after five other dishes. Never too full for pud, we shared a Catalan creme brûlée, that was not eggy in the slightest, but heaving with lemon notes to make it a refreshingly zesty way to finish our feast. Have I been converted to fusion tapas? Have I ever! The pasta alone would have done it, and against a backdrop of quality traditional tapas, unexpected mixes did, indeed, ‘kick ass’. The cocktail was epic, too. Next time, he can drive and I’ll have the gin. ✱ THE VAULT, Waterloo House, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire GL6 0AQ; 01453 833666; thevaultnailsworth.co.uk

Little black book Local food writer, and top-notch cook, Katriona MacGregor shares her fave foodie finds A GOOD BREAKFAST?

Weekend brekkie is such a treat, and I’ve still to find somewhere that beats the piles of dreamy, buttery scrambled eggs served by the Straw Kitchen at Whichford Pottery. Sometimes I have them with local sausages or bacon, and they always plate them up with sourdough toast and salad leaves. The menu changes each weekend, so you’re always in for a surprise.

well, with wonderful hors d’ouevres, nibbles between courses and a really great wine list. COMFORT FOOD?

The bar menu at The Wild Rabbit in Kingham – on a chilly evening a glass of red wine and their slow-cooked short rib of beef, eaten in front of their open fire, is as comforting as it gets. AL FRESCO FEASTING?

BEST BREW?

✱ Katriona is the author of brilliant cookbook Healthy Speedy Suppers (£16.99, Nourish Books). She is also founder of food blog katrionaskitchen.com

The Straw Kitchen again! Served in the handmade mugs made by the pottery, they have mastered velvety milk in their lattes and flat whites. It’s hard to resist indulging in the homemade cakes at the same time.

A picnic by the banks of the Thames, near Lechlade. And there are some lovely pubs nearby for a pint or two of cold cider. WITH FRIENDS?

The Chequers at Churchill is a favourite for drinks and supper at the weekend.

GROCERY SHOP?

Quick!

Now add this little lot to your contacts book Whichford Pottery, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5PG; whichfordpottery.com Daylesford, Kingham GL56 0YG; daylesford.com Wine Bear, Chipping Norton OX7 5AA; winebear.com The Palomar, London W1D 6DN; thepalomar.co.uk The Feathered Nest, Nether Westcote OX7 6SD; thefeatherednestinn.co.uk The Wild Rabbit, Kingham OX7 6YA; thewildrabbit.co.uk The Chequers at Churchill, Churchill OX7 6NJ; thechequerschurchill.com The Chandlers Arms, Epwell OX15 6LH; chandlersarms.com Miyuki’s Kitchen, Upper Oddington GL56 0XJ; miyukiskitchen.co.uk The Kings Head Inn, Chipping Norton OX7 6XQ; thekingsheadinn.net

It’s got to be Daylesford Organic for its selection of seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables. It also has the best deli around, with charcuterie from all over the world, really delicious smoked salmon, and its own very well-stocked cheese room.

WITH THE FAMILY?

We tend to go to our local, The Chandlers Arms at Epwell, which is only a mile’s walk through the fields from our house. Assumpta, the pub’s Irish owner, treats everyone like family, and you always end up staying far longer than you meant to.

WINE MERCHANT?

Wine Bear in Chipping Norton has a really great selection of affordable wines, and having a bar in the shop means you can have a cheeky cocktail to help you decide! SPEAKING OF CHEEKY COCKTAILS?

We recently tried out The Palomar in London, and the cocktails were stunning – their Green Tambourine, made with green chartreuse and pistachio syrup, was worth the journey to the capital alone.

BEST CURRY?

I’m not a huge curry eater, and if I feel like a takeaway I tend to go for Japanese or Thai. Miyuki’s Kitchen in Oddington is a real find, with Miyuki making sushi and sashimi to take away only on Fridays. It’s a real treat. SOMETHING SWEET?

Soufflés! I can’t resist them, and the best one I’ve had since living in the Cotswolds has been at The Feathered Nest. Absolutely mouth-watering.

POSH NOSH?

HIDDEN GEM?

The Feathered Nest at Nether Westcote is hard to beat, with stunning views out over the Evenlode Valley where you can sip a pre-dinner drink on their terrace. They look after you so

The Kings Head in Bledington is quietly tucked away just off the village green, and has as many locals at the bar as weekenders. There’s a lovely, seasonal menu and fun, friendly staff.

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