Crumbs Bath & Bristol - Issue 74

CRUMBS

leaf IT OUT!

BAT H & BRISTO L

BREW-TIFUL TEAROOMs ACROSS BRISTOL

NO.74 APRIL 2018

+ BATH

What do you get if you cross a Cox’s Pippin with a Christmas tree?

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APRIL 2018

FEASTER TREATs!

Stuff Your Face!

SEASONAL EATs FOR RESURRECTION SUNDAY

RAVISHING

(YES, THERE’LL BE BUNNIES)

na e on hak g st , s ju ake m h , I’ , s by ke Ba sha

ANNA SHEPHERD COOKs US A LUSH VEGAN LUNCH

THE KING OF fRUIT MAKES LIFE TAST E

11 A pine-apple!

CRUMBSMAG.COM

Close to the VEG!

A little slice of foodie heaven

RECIPES

FROM OUR FAVOURITE FOODIES

INSPECTING GADGETs THE BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCEs (BY THE PROS IN THE KNOW)

SweeTeR ALL ABOARD THE whO LIVes IN a pINeaPPLE UNdeR The Sea?

GREAT GOING MABRDEITISHRIGGRHTUB NaTIVe HERE

EXPRESS

PLUS! STICKs & BROTH •BAT TLEAXEs •INDIAN T EMPTATION

BRISTOL

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Contact Showroom@Bristol.Kutchenhaus.co.uk Tel: 0117 2130680

Manchester . York . Sutton Coldfield . Bristol . Farnborough . Brentwood . Aberdeen . Orpington Tunbridge Wells . Beverley . Exeter . Chichester . High Wycombe . Liverpool . London North . London West

CRUMBS

leaf IT OUT!

BAT H & BRISTO L NO.74 APRIL 2018

BREW-TIFUL TEAROOMs ACROSS BRISTOL

A little slice of foodie heaven What do you get if you cross a Cox’s Pippin with a Christmas tree?

74

#

+

BATH

11

APRIL 2018

A pine-apple!

CRUMBSMAG.COM

FEASTER TREATs!

Stuff Your Face!

SEASONAL EATs FOR RESURRECTION SUNDAY

RAVISHING

(YES, THERE’LL BE BUNNIES)

Close to the VEG!

RECIPES

a nn ke go ha st , s ju ke m ha , I’ , s by ke Ba sha

US A LUSH VEGAN LUNCH

THE KING OF fRUIT

MAKES LIFE TASTE

FROM OUR FAVOURITE FOODIES

INSPECTING GADGETs

ANNA SHEPHERD COOKs

®

THE BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCEs (BY THE PROS IN THE KNOW)

SweeTeR ALL ABOARD THE whO LIVes IN a pINeaPPLE UNdeR The Sea?

EXPRESS

GREAT

BRITISH GRUB GOING MADE RIGHT NaTIVe HERE

SPINACH

PLUS! STICKs & BROTH •BATTLEAXEs •INDIAN TEMPTATION

ISSUE 74 APRIL 2018 EDITOR

JESSICA CARTER jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

MATT BIELBY matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk ONLINE EDITOR

DAN IZZARD dan.izzard@mediaclash.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

TREVOR GILHAM ADVERTISING MANAGER

KYLE PHILLIPS kyle.phillips@mediaclash.co.uk

PUSh PINEAPPLE

DEPUTY ADVERTISING MANAGER

NEIL SNOW neil.snow@mediaclash.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

ALISTAIR TAYLOR alistair.taylor@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

SARAH KINGSTON sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION DESIGNER

GEMMA SCRINE gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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

GREG INGHAM greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk large version

MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 mediaclash.co.uk © 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 went to the new Florist on Park Street to test out their floral concoctions, took a class in tiny cookery (yes, really), and made some miniscule meatballs. Plus, we helped brew a rather nice fudge beer!

large version

IN CASE IT’S all been too subtle to notice, it’s been tradition here since issue one of Crumbs to head up the ed’s letter with a song lyric, usually about the Hero Ingredient. As you can tell, finding one for this month’s has proved particularly taxing, and time is ticking, so consider the use of ‘Agadoo’ as the bottom of the barrel being well and truly scraped. (I mean, it was either this or that ‛pineapple-pen’ song, which, incidentally, I now have stuck in my head again, having only just got rid since it entered in 2016. Great.)

Bright side: the only way is up, right?

So spring is (technically) upon us, although it was only a week ago as I write that the snow was causing all that mayhem. I feared for my empty kitchen cupboards when I saw on social media that there wasn’t a single loaf of bread or piece of fresh fruit to be found in shops across the country. A precarious stroll down to a neighbouring greengrocer, then – which is supplied by a local farm, and so was happily fully stocked – had me finding new levels of appreciation for our Bath and Bristol producers. The food we have here isn’t only spot-on when it comes to quality, but it’s reliable, fresh and always accessible. In this issue, then, you’ll find the profiles of several local farmers and artisan makers, who are not only ensuring we can always get our hands on great grub, but are doing so in really interesting and valuable ways – there are some ace stories to read.

In other news, the days are drawing out, the snow has melted, and Easter is a-comin’.

I made the most of all of the above recently, soaking in some 5pm daylight (oh, how I missed you!) on a tea break at Crumbs towers, while nibbling on my second (and by that I mean third) Easter biscuit of the day. Hey, don’t judge; we’ve all been there...

Jessica Carter, Editor jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk

Did you know we have an app? You can read both editions of Crumbs – Bath and Bristol, and Devon – on iTunes or Android. Search ‘Crumbs’, or go to crumbsmag.com

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Fantastic beasts‌.

t: 0117 9731062 4b Waterloo Street, Clifton

STARTERS 08 HERO INGREDIENT Tropical tucker 14 OPENINGS ETC The need-to-know 26 TRIO Three tearooms to try 31 ASK THE EXPERT To juice or not to juice?

Table of Contents

NO.74 APRIL 2018

CHEF! Amazing recipes from the region’s top kitchens 44 Trout with crispy poached egg, by Iain Webb 47 Corned beef hash,

by Paul Collins 50 Salmorejo, by Alice Hart 54 Cod with braised veg,

by Helly Highland 56 Spring chicken,

by Sarah Gurung 61 Vegan peanut butter cake,

by Ella Cooper 62 Chocolate brownie,

by Mary Berry ADDITIONAL RECIPES

10 Pineapple upside down cake, by Freddy Bird 36 Duck with spiced plum,

by Matt Williamson 75 Warm vegetable salad,

by Anna Shepherd 109 Kid goat tagine,

by James Whetlor KITCHEN ARMOURY 69 CRUMBS COOKS WITH …food pro Anna Shepherd 80 KIT ON THE SIDE Awesome kitchen appliances

MAINS 93 MEET THE MAKERS Local food producers doing things their own way 105 GRILLED James Whetlor of Cabrito Goat Meat spills all AFTERS New and notable restaurants, cafés, bars 118 Indian Temptation 123 The Battleaxes 128 Sticks and Broth PLUS! 130 LITTLE BLACK BOOK Richard Avison lets us in on his top hangouts

START E RS INNOVATIONS, REVELATIONS AND TASTY AMUSE-BOUCHES

GO PRO

29 MARCH TALISKER SPIRIT SOCIETY

Hyde and Co’s new regular Spirit Society events kick off with an evening of Scotch whisky; guests will enjoy a guided tasting, a specially created cocktail and plenty of education in the dark spirit.

Tickets are £20 from the website. hydeand.co

THIS MONTH THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INSIDER FOODIE KNOWLEDGE FROM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, ON EVERYTHING FROM VEGAN COOKERY TO SCOTCH…

3 APRIL DIANA HENRY AT TOPPINGS

Celebrated food author Diana visits Bath to talk about her new cookbook, How to Eat a Peach.

Based on menu planning, the book takes inspiration from people she’s met and places she’s visited, and includes some of her all-time favourite dishes. Tickets are £25 and include a copy of the book. toppingbooks.co.uk

5 APRIL A VEGAN EVENING WITH GAZ OAKLEY

The chef and writer known as the Avant-Garde Vegan is visiting Waterstones in Bristol to talk all about his transition to veganism.

Guests can find out how he packs his plant-based food with flavour, and try some dishes from his book, Vegan 100. Tickets are £3 and include a glass of vegan wine; buy from the website. waterstones.com

21 APRIL SQUARE FOOD POP-UP

The spring edition of the Square Food Foundation’s supper clubs will be held at Spike Island Café, and it’s all about food from Provence.

Guests will get four courses, a glass of wine and a cooking demo from Barny Haughton. Tickets £35 online. squarefoodfoundation.co.uk

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PiNeappLe RIGHT NOW PINEAPPLES ARE HAVING A MOMENT – THERE’S HARDLY A POSH INTERIORS SHOP OR SWANKY COCKTAIL BAR REFURB THAT DOESN’T FEATURE THEIR DISTINCTIVE SILHOUETTE SOMEWHERE – BUT THEY’RE JUST AS GOOD TO EAT AS THEY ARE TO LOOK AT…

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B

ack in the day, before Europeans ever came across this handsome tropical fruit, we called pine cones ‘pineapples’ – but the name quickly hopped species after the more juicily delicious version’s discovery around 1660, since the two look so similar in all but size. Though pineapple plants themselves aren’t very big – they’re certainly shorter than a person – the multiple fruit they produce (yes, each ‘pineapple’ actually consists of numerous berries all fused together, arranged in two interlocking helices) are pretty damn massive, each the product of over 100 flowers.

Pollinated by hummingbirds and bats, pineapples take three years to grow to full maturity, and these days crop up in most world cuisines in some role or other, as everything from opinion-dividing pizza toppings to yoghurt flavours, and finding particular favour at the creamier, more umbrella-laden end of the cocktail spectrum.

By the time Columbus first came across the pineapple in 1493, on the Leeward Island of Guadeloupe, the people of Brazil and Paraguay – where they originated – had already spread them as far as Mexico, where the Mayans and Aztecs cultivated them extensively. Columbus called these things ‘the pine of the Indians’, and brought them back to Spain.

Over the next hundred years Europeans would spread them everywhere from Hawaii to India, and by the late 1600s the fruit had come to northern Europe, and everyone went a little pineapple crazy. In Chelsea Physic Garden, a huge heated pit called a ‘pineapple stove’ was created to help them grow in our cool, rainy climate, while extensive hothouses were built – expressly with pineapples in mind – at the country seats of the super-rich. Indeed, these things were so tricky to both import and grow that they soon became major status symbols, the few that were around rented out to display at fancy dinner parties, and kept until they rotted. (Heck, they were far too expensive to eat.) It’s for this association with lavish hospitality that we see pineapples carved in stone and wood at the former homes of many a prominent Georgian.

It wasn’t until companies like Del Monte started growing pineapples on an industrial scale in Hawaii at the turn of the 20th century, favouring fruit just the right size to fit in a tin (canned pineapple has fewer vitamins and minerals than the fresh stuff, but it’s much easier to transport and keep) that they stopped being quite such a luxury item. Today, the Hawaiian industry has collapsed somewhat, but never fear; places like Costa Rica, the Philippines and Brazil produce plenty to go around.

BUYING A GOOD PINEAPPLE is trickier than it may seem, as they have such a tough, spiky skin that you can’t really test for ripeness by squeezing gently like you might with another fruit. Instead, you’re best off simply pulling out a leaf and taking a sniff; if it smells sweet and comes away easily, it’s ripe – and was ripe when picked, as these things can’t ripen afterwards. If it’s stubborn and smells a bit fermented, however, your pineapple is past its best. Since their smell can spread through the fridge, keep cut pineapples well wrapped, and eat them within a couple of days; they won’t last much longer.

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Though there are plenty of varieties of pineapple out there, it’s only the sweetest that ever make it to the UK, so they rarely need extra sugar to balance their acidity. To prepare, slice off the skin first, then cut v-shaped diagonal trenches all around the pineapple to remove its ‘eyes’.

So what to do with them? Well, pineapple goes famously well with pork and chicken in sweet and sour dishes; often crops up as a somewhat controversial pizza topping; and is a staple of the simple pub classic, gammon and chips. But it works surprisingly well with fish too – try it with sea bass, maybe, or pollack – and seafood like prawns.

Being so sweet, of course, it’s also a dessert-time natural, starring in fruit salads, puddings and cakes, and teaming especially well with chilli or spices. A fresh pineapple jelly won’t set – the bromelain it contains, strong enough to marinade meat, won’t let it – but there’s an easy solution: cook your pineapple first. It caramelises beautifully, whether sautéed, grilled or fried.

And then there’s pineapple juice, which is great on its own or in smoothies (it goes especially well with coconut water), and has become a cocktail hour staple in everything from a Rum Punch to the classic Pina Colada, that super-sweet concoction made with rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice, and often garnished with a pineapple wedge, too.

(The name means simply ‘strained pineapple’, and it’s been the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1976.)

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ARE PINEAPPLES GOOD FOR YOU? Very much so – in moderation. For one thing, they’re packed with manganese and vitamin C, plus calcium, vitamin A and thiamin (a B vitamin involved in energy production). They’re also fat and cholesterol free, low in both calories and sodium, and heave with the fibre necessary for a healthy digestive system. Sounds great, doesn’t it? But not everything in pineapple is an unqualified good guy. There’s sugar here, of course, and we should be wary of just how much bromelain – that stuff that stops your jelly setting, remember? – they contain too, as this is such a potent protein-breaking enzyme mix that it can cause both good and ill.

On the upside, bromelain has strong anti-inflammatory properties and can prevent blood clotting, helping with everything from heart disease to inflammatory bowel conditions, joint pain to eye health.

But on the downside, it can marinade your very flesh just as easily as it can a lamb chop. British soldiers fighting behind enemy lines in the Burmese jungle of World War II soon found the downside of too much pineapple consumption; sure, these things were tasty and easy to find, but they had a habit of making teeth fall out...

Few these days are going to live on an exclusively pineapple diet, of course, so our gnashers are probably safe – but maybe go a little easy if you’ve sensitive chops…

CRUMBSMAG.COM

Bath Spa Hotel The Macdonald Hotels’ Signature Collection

af te r n o o n te a S e rv e d fro m 12p m to 6p m m o nday - s u nday Cream Tea £15 Freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream, strawberry preserve and cake. Served with a choice of teas, tisanes & coffee.

Macdonald Afternoon Tea £27 A three tier Afternoon Tea comprising of a selection of traditional finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry preserve and assorted fresh fine pastries & cakes. Served with a choice of teas, tisanes & coffee.

Champagne Afternoon Tea £37 As above, made extra special with a glass of Moët & Chandon Imperial.

M a c d o n a l d B at h S pa H o t e l Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6JF 01225 444 424 • www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

R E C I P E

HOW DOES FREDDY BIRD LIKE HIS PINEAPPLE? IN CAKE, OF COURSE...

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

I WAS LUCKY enough to spend six months in Costa Rica in my 20s, and every cabin I rented on the beach had a pineapple bush in the garden. I used to grab a couple of mangoes and a pineapple, and then blend them as a pre-surf breakfast smoothie. I think the fact that they were free made them taste even sweeter, but I never got bored of them and to this day a perfectly ripe pineapple has to be one of my favourite puddings.

As soon as pineapple season comes around there is only one thing I really look forward to though, and that is Bailey, my pastry chef’s, grandmother’s pineapple upside down cake. We’re not talking anything fancy, but I love the slight saltiness of the cake, the chewy caramel that gets stuck in your teeth, and the fresh, juicy pineapple with chewy, caramelised edges.

This recipe makes enough for around 6-8 people (use a standard 12-inch springform tin), and is ideal as a pudding after Sunday lunch. This isn’t a cake to store in a tin – bake it and eat it within a couple of hours.

SERVES 4 1 pineapple, cored and cut into 1cm slices 125g butter 112g sugar 2 eggs ½ tsp vanilla extract 180ml yoghurt 225g plain flour 1 tsp salt ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder

Lido, Oakfield Place, Bristol BS8 2BJ; 0117 332 397; lidobristol.com

For the caramel: 3 tbsp butter 90g brown sugar 3 tbsp cream 1 Preheat the oven to 160C/315F/gas mark 3, and butter and line the cake tin.

2 Make the caramel: heat the sugar and butter gently in a pan until the sugar has fully dissolved. Then mix in the cream and pour into the prepared tin.

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3 Arrange the pineapple slices over the bottom of the tin with the caramel – you should have enough for about 2 layers.

4 For the cake batter, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Then add the yoghurt and flour alternately in small batches. Then add all the other ingredients and combine (don’t mix for too long though, or you’ll have a tough rather than light sponge).

5 Spoon the mix over the pineapple slices and spread out evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

6 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a board or cake stand. Don’t let it cool too much, or the caramel will stick.

7 Serve warm with cream, very lightly whipped with vanilla sugar and a good glug of spiced rum!

Openings etc S T A R T E R S

TWO’S COMPANY

Bath’s Olé Tapas has opened a second site, don’t cha know. The Olé Bar and Restaurant is at 1 Saw Place (where Gascoyne Place was), and is doing things a bit differently to its older, popular sibling. Offering an extended variety of both drinks and food, it has a bar area where guests can enjoy a tipple with modern-style tapas and pintxos – think slow-roast Iberian pork belly with butternut squash purée, and confit herring on a bed of fennel and orange – as well as a dedicated dining area for full-on a la carte meals. oletapas.co.uk

AFTER DARK

Did you know that Ceres Coffee on Stokes Croft – known for its great brews and bangin’ brunches – has launched a new evening service? Suppers now run from Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm until 9pm, with a weekly changing seasonal menu that’s inspired by locally available ingredients. There’s a new head chef on board too, who’s bringing some extra excitement to these new evening feasts. Previous dishes include the likes of Thai salad of squash, mango, peanut and mint, and cured duck breast with pickled cherry to start; mains such as pulled lamb with saffron mash and slow-roasted tomatoes; and fresh doughnuts with salted caramel for dessert. Sounds good, right? And if you did need more convincing, it’s BYOB. That ought to do it. facebook.com/cerescoffee.co

OUTDOOR TYPE

In the former Garden in Trowbridge, you’ll now find Orchard Lounge – a new café, bar and grill. This chilled out, all-day kind of venue aims to be a pit stop for a cuppa or bit of lunch; a relaxed venue for after-work drinks; and a quirky destination for evening meals. The team of chefs stock their larder with top-drawer ingredients from the local area, and prepare dishes such as wild boar and chorizo burger, pear Waldorf flatbread, teriyaki salmon with stir-fried veg, and mezze sharing boards. Inside, the venue is all whites and pastel greens, with wood panelling, trellises and decking-style floors.

Building upon the outdoorsy theme of its predecessor, Orchard Lounge is a cosy, relaxed space for getting together with mates or chilling out over a glass of vino. theorchardlounge.co.uk

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new kid On the bLOCk

SOMERTIME

A second restaurant has opened at Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter. Somer, neighbour to pizza joint B Block, is billed as a bistro-style venue, serving seasonal lunches, afternoon teas and Sunday roasts.

Head chef Gareth Cartledge has worked with Adrian Kirikmaa and Josh Eggleton on the Somer concept, and has come up with a menu which lists the likes of black pudding Scotch egg, and homemade soup to start, while pies (made in-house), traditional fish and chips, and classic Ploughman’s lunches might be amongst the mains on offer. As well as food, there are local beers and ciders, a variety of wines, and a decent gin selection on the go, too. somerdining.co.uk

ROOT CAUSE It’s been months (and months) in the making, and now Roots Lounge is finally open. This new vegetarian café is housed in a Grade II listed Georgian building on St Nicholas Street in Bristol’s Old City, and is open from morning until late afternoon. Diners can expect the likes of vegan pies from Bristol-based Pie Baby, and dishes such as tofu massaman curry, all cooked up by a young and enthusiastic kitchen team in the totally vegan kitchen. Deli-style takeaway lunches will be available for those needing to grab and go and, if you’re just looking to chill out with a brew, Roots Lounge also serves great tea and coffee to enjoy in the chilled out space. facebook.com/rootsloungebristol

LOOK, IT’S JASON MCNEILLY, NEW HEAD CHEF AT BOCABAR So, Jason, what attracted you to Bocabar? I am a local, so have eaten here lots of times – the restaurant is a big part of my community.

Bocabar is well known for its pizzas, but what else can people expect on the menu? There’s a mix of classic dishes and flavours from around the world, and I’m looking to focus on the vegan and vegetarian. The specials are regularly changing, keeping it fresh and seasonal.

Tell us about one of your dishes that you’re especially excited about.

Pumpkin seed and tarragon crusted hake, and the cauliflower and smoked bacon dal. The latter is back for the British Dal Festival (19-25 March).

You do roasts too, but what sets yours apart? I feel it’s the little touches, like infused oils for cooking the greens, and the balanced spices served with the veg (caraway and nutmeg are regulars with my root vegetables).

Favourite suppliers you use for the restaurant? Style Farm Butchers has some fantastic game and meat; Total Produce, right round the corner, are always helpful; and La Chasse are fantastic for all those niche products like smoked tofu, game and cheese.

Where might we know you from?

Modern European restaurant Zazu’s Kitchen, and Chin Chin – a British

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restaurant doing everything from small taster plates to afternoon teas and a la carte dishes.

When did you begin cooking?

Professionally in 2006, but I’ve always cooked. I’d sit on the kitchen worktop making dough balls for stews with my mum as a toddler, and help my grandad clean the mussels we’d collected.

What first inspired you to cook professionally? My dad – he was always a very creative cook at home and would encourage me to cook foods outside of my comfort zone.

How would you describe your style of cooking? Humble, filling and fun. I take a lot of inspiration from French food, but also bring in knowledge and tastes from my upbringing: my older sisters are half Chinese and I have family in India, so I grew up with lots of different foods.

Which other local restaurants do you like to eat in? The Pig near Bath – it has a lovely setting and great food – and also Thali in Totterdown.

What kind of meals do you cook at home? All kinds: miso soups, enchiladas, curries and stews. I like hearty meals that are big on flavour. I have two young kids, so when at home I try to get them involved as much as possible. bristol.bocabar.co.uk

S T A R T E R S

the

instA FEED

’SUP

Noticed the new coffee shop on College Green? Sip has taken over the former Dizzys Café, having been opened in February by Valentine Lau, whose family has been in the restaurant game for years. On the counter at the front of the café are homemade pastries and sweet treats (we hear the brownies are good), and there’s a chiller cabinet stocked with food to go (also made on-site), such as overnight oats and sarnies for lunch. The menu offers eat-in breakfasts, such as avo on toast with lime and honey dressing, while lunches include hot dishes like satisfying filled jackets. The food menu is growing, and Val hopes to open in the evenings to serve craft beers, cheese boards and the like, too. Expect brews from Teapigs and Clifton Coffee. facebook.com/sipcoffee2018

@scotsmel

makes a rich lamb ragu to combat the chills

@lauraleighchapman

whips up a blood orange, mozzarella and rocket salad

IN A MIX

New residents have moved in to take over The Old Bookshop’s cocktail bar, formerly occupied by the Psychopomp team. The Cocktail Caravan is a travelling bar that, until now, you’d only have seen working out of its fun, old-school caravan trailer at festivals and outdoor events. Now, though, the glitter-loving team are bringing their colourful cheer and top notch concoctions to North Street in Bedminster. Expect some novel mixes on the menu here (like the self-titled Caravan Club, made with gin, lemon, raspberry syrup, vermouth and fresh strawberries) as well as more familiar classics. theoldbookshop.co.uk

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@me_inbigcitylife

gets carrot involved in her morning eggs Want to see your pics in the mag?

Tag #CrumbsSnaps and you ruddy well might do next month!

S T A R T E R S

CHOC PARTY

A host of the area’s best chocolatiers will be packing up and heading to a new chocolate festival this Easter Saturday. The likes of Zara’s Chocolates, Mrs Pott’s Chocolate House, Ooh! Chocolata and The Chocolate Tart will all be in attendance, while Pinkman’s will also be there with their famous doughnuts. The venue? Kensham’s Chocolate Quarter, housed in the former Fry’s factory, of course. (Well, where else?)

The team at on-site restaurant B Block will be getting in on the action and baking homemade brownies, too. Expect plenty of activities, including an Easter egg hunt, themed arts workshops, and screenings of the history of the former chocolate factory. thechocolatequarter.org.uk

WASTED

A new food shop has just launched in Bristol – and it’s the first of its kind in the city. Zero Green, on North Street in Bedminster, is a waste- and plastic-free grocery shop, conceived by pals Lidia Rueda Losada and Stacey Fordham. Shoppers will be able to find all kinds of store cupboard staples here, like pasta, rice, flour, spices, pulses, coffee and tea – all sans packaging and sold by weight. Much of the stock is organic, and suppliers (which include Essentials, Shipton Mill and Clifton Coffee) have been chosen for their eco-friendly style; Clifton Coffee even agreed to change the packaging they’d deliver to the shop in, to fit in with Zero Green’s ethos. Customers are encouraged to bring their own vessels to take their groceries away in, safe in the knowledge they’re not forking out for unnecessary packaging. zerogreenbristol.co.uk

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S T A R T E R S

asK yOUr waiTress MEET ALINA LUCACELA, GENERAL MANAGER AT BATH’S MISSION BURRITO So, how long have you worked here?

Since August 2011; I’ve been managing the restaurant for over four years, now.

What do you like most about working in hospitality? It’s a challenging industry, but the best thing is how we all come together as a team and really support each other.

What’s the best thing about your current job? Dealing with happy customers and seeing them enjoy our food is, without a doubt, the most rewarding part of the job.

What responsibilities do you have?

Leading the team, overseeing the quality of food, ensuring customers have a great experience, and the usual managerial duties of controlling costs and admin.

What are the bestselling dishes from the menu? Our chicken tinga burrito is a bestseller, both for the restaurant and online orders; it was the most-ordered dish on Deliveroo in Bath last year! We do have an increasing vegan and vegetarian customer base, and our vegan butternut squash and black bean chilli special has been so popular that we’ve now put it on the menu the first week of every month.

And what’s your favourite? Definitely the barbecue chicken special; it’s smothered in our secret recipe barbecue sauce, and we’ve brought it back for March. This time a donation from each meal sold will be shared between three cancer charities: Ovarian Cancer Action, Breast Cancer Care and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

What makes Mission Burrito ace?

Everything is hand-prepared in our kitchen each day, and we get deliveries six days a week to make sure everything is super fresh. missionburrito.co.uk

H I P SHOPS

PUXTON PARK FARM SHOP AND BUTCHERY

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Park stocks the Gorwydd Caerphilly, ou might best know Puxton, on which is made on-site using milk from its the Weston-super-Mare end of own dairy cows. And – like, totally no the A370, for its adventure biggie – this stuff only went and won the park, but it ain’t just about the Super Gold medal at the 2016 World family entertainment here, folks. The Cheese Awards. (Naturally, the same hardrecently redesigned farm shop, which you conveniently have to pass through on your working dairy herd also supplies the founding ingredients of Puxton’s own ice way out of the park, stocks everything you cream, too.) need for a weekly shop. In fact, they have There’s loads of home-reared meat in the plenty of people come in just for the big butchery section, as well – which is exactly shop – never mind the tractor rides or soft where you’ll find friendly master butcher play (okay, those are just meant for kids).

Phil Windridge, who’s always keen to talk The open-plan shop, which is now about the different cuts he can do, and offer looking fresh and modern following the advice on cooking them. All recent makeover, stocks the lamb and pork, and a everything from cider to What: Groceries third of the beef here is cheese, fresh veg to bread Where: Puxton Park, reared on-site, he tells us, and condiments, and Cowslip Lane, Hewish and he also reveals he has everything in between.

BS24 6AH over 30 regularly rotating There’s a focus on local, of When: Mon-Sat 9amvarieties of sausage on the go course; these guys try to buy 6pm; Sun 9am-5.30pm (think pork and Marmite; from within a 10-mile radius, the ‘breakfast sausage’, be that from farmers, featuring bacon and black pudding; and the growers or artisan makers. Chutneys and ‘Ploughman’s’, with Cheddar and chutney). sauces come from Bay Tree and Rose Keep an eye out for the £15 barbecue meat Farm, for instance, and there’s honey box that he’s just released for summer, too. harvested in W-s-M, Hullabaloos There’s a deli counter here an’ all; as well lemonade from Somerset and, of course, as the aforementioned cheeses, it features plenty of locally made West Country homemade pastry products (pies, quiches cider. The closest supplier, though? The and the like), freshly baked cakes, and farm itself... various olive mixes from Bristol’s Real Oh yes, the farmland and animals here Olive Co. aren’t just for show; this place is a fully Throw a bit of kitchenware into the mix, working farm, producing plenty of food of and you’ve got yourself a pretty handy its own. Let’s start with the cheese, shall one-stop destination for the weekly we? As well as the Wookey Hole grocery shop, hey? Best pick up one of Cheddar, Godminster Vintage Cheddar, their loyalty cards when you swing by...

Somerset Brie, Colston Basset Stilton, Cornish Yarg and Draycott Blue, Puxton puxton.co.uk

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In the Larder 1 2

ThE EASTER YUMMY

ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT SPRING IS EASTER – NO, NOT JUST FOR THE FOUR-DAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, BUT FOR GRUB LIKE THIS, TOO...

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1. MONTY BOJANGLES SPRING SENSATIONS EGG (£10) Fashioned into a hot air balloon, this hollow chocolate egg comes with a ‘basket’ full of 12 individually wrapped, cocoa-dusted, Great Taste Award-winning truffles. There are six rather novel flavours – think crunchy pistachio, salty butterscotch, and candied orange peel, amongst others. Available online; montybojangles.com 2. THE GROWN UP CHOCOLATE COMPANY THREE EGG GIFT BOX (£4.95) Born in 2011, this business all about old-school confectionary, reimagined specifically for adults. In its Easter gift box, you’ll find chocolate that’s handmade with extra cocoa solids, wrapped around a layer of praline, which in turn encases a runny caramel ‘yolk’.

Flavours include passion fruit, salted caramel and a tempting crispy toffee, and you can find them online; thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk 3. DAYLESFORD ORGANIC SIMNEL CAKE (£25) This classic fruit cake is an Easter staple; decorated with 11 balls of marzipan to rep the disciples, it’s handmade for Daylesford only at this time of year. The sponge is packed with moist fruit that’s been soaked in fragrant Earl Grey tea, and marzipan hides inside and covers the top. It’s lighter and fresher than your average fruit cake, and will go down a proper treat with a cuppa over the Bank Holiday.

Available online and from the Daylesford shop in Gloucestershire; daylesford.com co.uk 4. NYETIMBER ROSÉ (£9.99/75cl) Along with the springtime sun usually emerges the first of the year’s rosé cravings, and the Easter Bank Holiday is an ideal time to celebrate the new season with a chilled glass of the stuff. This sparking rosé – made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes by an English winemaker, Nyetimber – has a deep pink colour and whispers of red berry flavours. It’s an ideal aperitif for the special Easter Sunday roast. Find it online and at Harvey Nichols in Bristol; harveynichols.com 5. HENNY AND JOE’S CHOCOLATE CHAI SYRUP (£8.55/250ml) This Bath-based chai syrup company created this chocolaty number a couple of years ago for the Bristol Chocolate Festival. It was only intended as a limited edition oneoff, but it went down such a storm, even being named Taste of the West’s Best Hot Drink in the South West for 2016, that the team decided to keep making it. If Easter eggs aren’t your thing, this drink, with its subtle spice, is a great way to get yer chocolate fix. Buy online; hennyandjoes.co.uk 6. MARKS AND SPENCER NOUGAT EGG (£5) This is a great shout for anyone who’s not huge on chocolate (yup, they are out there, somewhere…). The pretty, pastel-coloured egg shell is handmade of subtly sweet nougat that’s studded with pieces of pistachio, almond and hazelnut. It’s got a proper good chew on it, too. Find it in store at M&S in Bath and Bristol; marksandspencer.com 7. ZARA’S CHOCOLATES SPECKLED EGG (£14) The popular Bristol-based chocolatier has come up with some great seasonal goodies for Easter. This sunny yellow egg is all about the contrast of crunchy hazlenuts and silky smooth praline, all wrapped up in a shell of creamy white chocolate. Everything from Zara’s is handmade by the small team, who you can watch at work in their North Street shop – that’s where you can get your hands on the eggs, too; zaraschocolates.com

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8. WAITROSE CHOCOLATE AVOCADO (£8) Top points for novelty here, hey? This cheerful green number by Waitrose is an obvious buy for avo fans. Shaped as a perfectly halved avocado, the hollow chocolate shell is made from good-quality dark Belgian chocolate, with a sweeter green layer covering the front, and a dusting of cocoa over the chocolate ‘stone’. Crack it open and bring new meaning to ‘smashed avocado’.

Find it in Waitrose in Bath and Bristol; waitrose.com 9. HOBBS HOUSE CHOCOLATE AND PECAN SOURDOUGH (£4.45) Launched just in time for Easter, this new chocolaty loaf sees the family bakery’s signature sourdough culture – which is 63 years old now – combined with dark chocolate and pecans for a subtly sweet result. Have it for brekkie, as a snack with a cuppa or, well, when any excuse arises, really. Find it at Hobbs House bakeries in Bristol; hobbshousebakery.co.uk 10. JOE’S BAKERY HOT CROSS BUNS (£2.40/pack of 4) Who can resist the distinctive smell of toasting hot cross buns? Those subtle spices wafting through the house is one of the most evocative smells of Easter, surely? We’ve tried the ones from Joe’s Bakery this year for the first time, and they’re nicely soft and plump, with a sticky coating and a fluffy inside, studded with fruit. Best enjoyed with lashings of real butter and a great brew. Simple, but so very effective. Find them at Joe’s Bakery on Gloucester Road; joesbakery.co.uk 11. MRS POTT’S CHOCOLATE HOUSE EGG (£9.50) This 60-percent dark chocolate egg is handmade at Bristol’s only chocolate bar, based on Park Street. Its cute design includes a drip-effect coating of good quality white chocolate, coloured pink and covered in hundreds and thousands. It comes in a smart gift box, tied with ribbon, and will earn the Easter Bunny some extra Brownie points, we reckon. Buy it direct from the Bristol shop and café; mrspottschocolatehouse.co.uk

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Trio

TEA-OFF

COR, WE DON’T HALF LOVE A GOOD BREW. NEXT TIME YOU’RE GASPING FOR A CUPPA, YOU COULD DO A LOT WORSE THAN HEADING TO ONE OF THESE TOP LOCAL TEASHOPS...

COX AND BALONEY It was eight years ago now that mates Amy and Joney founded this kooky venue on Stokes Croft. During that time, Cox and Baloney has grown into a cool, two-floor destination tearoom, and is continuing to evolve this year. For instance, the team are soon to launch their ‘mum and baby’ line of teas, with blends that are specifically designed for different stages of pregnancy. The guys here have tried and tested these themselves, and reckon new mums will enjoy their humour as well as their health benefits.

They’re also introducing a teashop area, with all the blends they serve available to buy by the packet as well as – very economically – by weight. So don’t forget to take your own container along, and feel free to blend different varieties!

Tea isn’t just for brewing, though, these guys reckon; they use it as an infusion for their cakes, and make their own tea gin and teapot cocktails (try the chai tea with rum and ginger beer). coxandbaloneytearooms.com

MARGOT MAY This bright and colourful tearoom, perched on North Street in Bristol, mixes vintage and contemporary styles to create a cool but comfortable little space. It’s owned by Jenny Smith, who founded it just over three and a half years ago and runs it with a team of bakers and tea buffs. There are more than 20 varieties of tea here, including four types of green (the Little Buddha, with its blend of chamomile, pineapple and papaya, is a particular fave) as well as black, herbal, and other varieties. These guys keep it nice and simple with a classic food menu of brunches, toasties, lunch plates and soups, as well as freshly baked cakes, of course, which you’ll spy out on display as soon as you walk in.

Bread comes from Mark’s Bread at the other end of North Street, and jams from Heavenly Hedgerows in Keynsham. The quirky afternoon teas change up regularly, with imaginative spins on the classic concept. facebook.com/margotmaytearoom

NO. 10 TEA GARDENS In a little Wiltshire village, perched right next to the Avoncliff Aqueduct, you’ll find this quaint little tearoom. Owner Sarah Bremner not only runs the show here, but also does all the baking; check out the counter display for the likes of fruit and nut flapjacks, chocolate caramel brownies, Victoria sponge filled with homemade strawberry jam, raspberry, blueberry and lime drizzle cake, and all kinds of scones. What isn’t made in-house comes from local suppliers: think Dusty Ape coffee (from the neighbouring village of Hilperton), Ivy House Farm dairy products, soft drinks from Bradley’s Juice, and ice cream from Marshfield.

And the tea itself? That’s from Tregothnan, which grows a range of black and green tea right here in Britain, don’t cha know. This place has a quintessential British feel – thanks not only to its front door being a replica of No. 10 Downing Street, but also its picturesque English countryside gardens which, now that spring has finally sprung, are really starting to come into their own. facebook.com/no.10teagardens

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0117 305 0505 f Avenue Café a @AvenueCafe1

www.avenue-cafe.com St. Luke’s House, Emerson’s Green, Bristol BS16 7AR

Avenue Café has been at the forefront of the café scene in Bristol since 2000. We are more than just a coffee shop, offering great food, amazing products and friendly, efficient customer service.

POP IN AND SEE US We can offer you a mean cup of coffee, and our delicious café/ bistro food is equally as good.

DID YOU KNOW?

We offer everything from freshly prepared soup with croutons, tailor-made breakfasts and a scrumptious value for money set lunch menu, to daily specials and a range of sandwiches, salads, burgers, shakes and smoothies.

We will soon be opening on Friday and Saturday evenings and for Sunday brunch, so you can come and see us more often, plus expect to see a few new faces as our café expands!

So, if you are looking for a chic, friendly place for your lunch each day, or you simply want to pop in with friends or family for coffee and a chat, Avenue Café in Bristol will suit your needs and we’d love to see you.

Ask the Expert

whaT The JUICe JUNKIe KNOwS...

CHRIS HILL OF THE BATH-BASED JUICE COLLECTIVE HELPS BUST SOME OF THOSE JUICING MYTHS AND EXPLAINS WHERE THE VALUE IN JUICING REALLY LIES...

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S T A R T E R S Chris Hill and Juice Collective founder Emma Frampton are upping Bath residents’ fruit and veg quota, one juice at a time

So, let’s kick off with this, Chris: tell us about your credentials as a juicer, please. What makes you an expert?

In short, lots of trail and error! When we first started out, it was often simply a case of making multiple variations of different recipes and seeing what worked best. Then, over time, we built up a wide range of juice recipes, and as the range grows so does our understanding of them and what flavours will work well together – it’s similar to becoming a good cook.

Isn’t the whole juicing thing just another fad diet, though?

For me, it’s more about finding a balance that suits you and fits into your everyday life. Fad diets come and go; however, cold pressed juices can be a fantastic way of getting a regular hit of nutrients and vitamins in the long term.

What’s the difference between juices and smoothies?

We often get asked this question! They are simply two different methods of making nutritious drinks with fruit and vegetables – and each has its own benefits. Smoothies are made by blending whole fruits and vegetables, often with the addition of liquid, to make a drink that’s high in fibre and likely to fill you up. Juicing, though, uses a large hydraulic press to extract the highest possible amount of liquid from the pulp, once the fruit and veg has been through a grinder. As this method leaves behind the dry pulp, you are able to get a greater concentration of nutrients and vitamins per serving than you would if it were a smoothie. They are both great methods, but they really do result in very different products with different intentions. Smoothies are great if you’re looking for more of a meal and something to fill you up, but if you’re looking for a nutrient-dense drink without getting full, then a juice is definitely the way forward.

Talk to us more about cold press juicing, specifically.

FAd dIETS As the name suggests, it’s a method COME ANd GO, but cOld of making fruit and vegetable juices pressedJUICES without the product coming into CAN BE A contact with heat at any stage. After the fruit and veg has been washed, it is then FANTASTIC wAY OF GETTING A passed through a ‘grinder’ that turns it REGULAR hIT into a pulp. This pulp is then squeezed OF NUTRIENTS, under a huge amount of pressure using LONG TERM a hydraulic press, which extracts the most possible liquid from the produce.

This makes it different from other popular juicing methods, such as centrifugal; in this method, the produce is passed through blades which spin and generate heat, then the chopped ingredients are spun at high speed, which introduces oxygen (not a juice’s friend) and leaves behind pulp that is still full of juice and nutrients.

So, are all the benefits of cold pressing, compared to other kinds of juicing – like centrifugal – to do with heat?

Indeed. As no heat is used at all in the process of cold press juicing, the goodness that is locked inside all the fruit and veg is kept intact from start to finish.

Without being heat-treated, though, we take it they have a shorter shelf life?

Yes; the shelf life of a raw juice usually ranges from three to four days.

This can vary depending on the ingredients, but largely comes down to the quantity of citrus in each juice, as this is a natural preservative.

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Not ideal, is it? Is there any way around that?

Well, after working with this short shelf life, it became apparent to us that we would need to start looking at ways of extending it. Regular pasteurisation using heat was never an option for us, though, as we’ve always been keen to ensure the nutrients of the juice are not compromised. Eventually, we came across a method of pasteurisation called HPP (high pressure processing). The process involves our packaged juices being exposed to extremely high pressure (six times the pressure of the Mariana Trench – the deepest area of the sea on earth!) for about three minutes in cold water. This process kills any spoilage bacteria while preserving the vitamins and nutrients.

Cor, talk about high pressure work environments! (Ahem.) Why might we need to supplement our regular diets with juices in the first place, though?

Many of us live extremely busy lives, and it isn’t always easy to provide our bodies with the care and attention they need. Juices are a fantastic way to replenish your body with nutrients and vitamins that are easily left out of an everyday diet. They give a great boost to our immune system and supply the required dose of antioxidants, while maintaining cholesterol levels and regulating blood pressure.

We feel a ‘but’ coming on – aren’t they full of sugar?

Juices do contain the naturally occurring fructose that is found in all fruits. However, by incorporating a high quantity of veg you are able to make a balanced juice, without compromising on flavour.

Why does juicing sometimes still get a bad rep then, d’you think?

I believe that it comes down to the extremes people go to when it comes to ‘cleansing’. There are many blogs and stories about people’s journeys through a three-month juice cleanse, or about how long they could keep going, living off a diet consisting solely of juice and nuts. The truth is, this isn’t the best thing that we can do to our bodies at all. As humans, we are certainly not designed to purely live on cold press juice without the addition of important fats and proteins!

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Indeed, we are not here to tell people that drinking copious amounts of juice is going to make you feel incredible; we’re all about balance, and working juice into your everyday life has undoubted benefits.

would be to carefully peel a fine layer off all root vegetables. This way you ensure you remove any possible harmful bacteria, without getting rid of the vitamin-rich outer layers.

What exactly is the concept behind all this cleansing malarkey?

Cleansing is a way of giving your body a break from having to process fats, additives, and all the other toxins that make their way into your diet during everyday life. It is achieved by drinking a juice every few hours throughout the day, and can range in time from 24 hours to months on end. Alongside drinking the juices, it is important to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated and, if you find yourself getting hungry, to have a light, healthy, plant-based snack.

How else can we make sure we get as much goodness as we can out of what we’re juicing?

The most important thing is to keep what you’re juicing, and the juice itself, cold at all times. As soon as the juice comes into contact with heat it starts to lose all its important nutrients and vitamins. Keeping it cold ensures that this doesn’t happen, and you receive the full nutrient-rich juice that you’re after.

If we were to jump aboard the juicing train, which machines would you recommend for us to use at home?

As a starting cold press juicer, you wouldn’t need to look much further than the Norwalk. It’s a great machine to get you going in the rapidly growing world of cold press. However, it’s no secret that cold press juicers come with a hefty price tag, and even a countertop machine will set you back thousands. If you don’t have the sort of funds for a home cold press juicer, but are keen to make your own juice, a masticating juicer could be a great option.

Okay, sell it to us: what are the pros of juicing, compared to just eating the fruit and veg whole, old-school?

It all comes down to the concentration of vitamins and nutrients. For example, we use between one and two kilograms of fruit and veg per 250ml bottle of juice. This way you receive a big hit of the nutrients contained within the fruit and veg without having to force a few apples, a cucumber, half a lemon and 500g of spinach and kale down you for a mid-morning snack.

Should we be leaving the peel on to get most of the benefits?

Peel is a tricky one, and asking different people will get you different answers. However, our recommendation when making a raw juice

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Let’s talk flavour: what have you learned when it comes to making juices delicious?

It’s all about balance; finding the right proportions of ingredients can be as much trial and error as anything else. It’s easy to make a super healthy juice, full of leafy greens, but the chances are it won’t taste amazing. However, with the addition of something sweet, such as pear, it can be made nutritious and delicious.

And how about that nutrition; what ratio of fruit to veg should we be using for optimum goodness?

If you’re looking for a nutrient-rich juice, then the greater the proportion of veg to fruit the better. You can try a 100-percent veg juice for a big nutritional hit, but be aware that without the addition of some fruit it won’t keep for quite as long.

Can you give us the recipe for a great juice to get us started?

As we move into spring, a nice, a refreshing juice we have previously had in our range includes apple, cucumber, spinach, lime and fresh mint. You can play around with the ratios to suit your palate...

thejuicecollective.co.uk

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SPOT THE LOCAL CHEFS AMONG THE AUTHORS OF THIS MONTH’S RECIPE BOOK INTAKE…

THE LAZY WEEKEND COOKBOOK: RELAXED BRUNCHES, LUNCHES, ROASTS AND PUDDINGS

Matt Williamson (National Trust Books, £20) Just to be clear, the ‘lazy’ here refers to the weekend bit as opposed to the cooking; you’re not going to just find lots of fiveminute meals amongst these pages. Instead, celebrated Bristol chef Matt Williamson has put together a collection of recipes designed to encourage us to slow down, relax, and get some real enjoyment out of the weekend.

Whether that’s by taking time to make a proper brekkie like Texan breakfast tacos, sit down to a long lunch of Moroccan spiced chicken pie or mussels in a fennel and saffron broth, or make an occasion of Sunday with a full-on roast, starring an impressive porchetta or beef Wellington, this author is convincing in his simple and flavour-packed recipes.

There are also sections for barbecues, picnics and dinners parties – because weekends are made for sharing with friends and family, right? Matt’s relaxed, fuss-free writing will have you looking forward to getting that apron on and blaring out your favourite kitchen playlist this weekend.

Jessica Carter

ONE PAN: 100 BRILLIANT MEALS

Mari Mererid Williams (Ebury Press, £12.99) Though she’s worked as a stylist on cookbooks before, this is food journo Mari Mererid Williams’ first solo effort, and she’s started with a strong, simple concept: stuff you can make in a single humble frying pan. As you might expect, there are plenty of breakfasts here – fry ups, frittatas, omelettes, pancakes – but in Mari’s world the pan doesn’t retire after 9am. Snacks (like baba ganoush), lunches (like triple-decker cheese, chicken and grilled pineapple salsa quesadillas), dinners (baked meatballs in rich tomato sauce) and desserts (oranges in star anise caramel) all crop up, as do inventive one-pan versions of lasagne, chicken pie and toad in the hole. As you might expect, few recipes here have over six steps or a dozen ingredients – and many have far less – making this a happily un-intimidating collection. We think we’re going to start with the Cajun chicken with grilled avocados…

Matt Bielby

FEASTING: A NEW TAKE ON JEWISH COOKING

Amanda Ruben (Hardie Grant Books, £25) Amanda Ruben has run a series of hit cafés in Melbourne, Australia which specialise in simple, modern versions of old Jewish classics, from homemade pastrami to be served on rye bread with pickles and sauerkraut (the recipe she presents here can be made in an afternoon, as opposed to the three-day process required for the café version) to the inevitable chicken soup, plus fish stew, moussaka and apple cake.

Amanda started her career as a journalist, but this isn’t one of those books packed full of family history and the backgrounds of the dishes; instead, she skips past that in a page or so, allowing plenty of room for nice big pictures of the food and a neat twopronged way you can approach

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the recipes. Either treat them as traditional starters, salads, mains, sides and desserts, or follow the suggested mix-and-match menus she’s supplied for each of the Jewish holidays: Passover, New Year, Shabbat and so on.

Amanda encourages you to play free and easy with the ingredients you use depending on what’s in your fridge, too.

Matt Bielby

FIRST, CATCH: STUDY OF A SPRING MEAL

Thom Eagle (Quadrille, £16.99) Okay, so this isn’t technically a recipe book, in that there are no actual recipes in it.

Instead author Thom Eagle – chef, writer and Young British Foodie nominee – has created something a little different, albeit still super practical, for home cooks. Thom breaks down a seasonally focused spring meal, talking the reader through several preparation techniques – from pickling and curing to cooking onions, seasoning, and frying – as well as ingredients. The idea is, as opposed to telling the reader what to do, he’s explaining the reason behind certain techniques and ingredients, and what is supposed to be being achieved. Thom’s accessible, inviting style of writing mixes practical information with storytelling prose and, along with the book’s matte pages, library-like smell and textured hard cover, makes this a volume to curl up with like you would a novel.

Jessica Carter

PLANTS TASTE BETTER

Richard Buckley (Jacqui Small, £25) Bath’s award-winning Acorn Restaurant is as inventive a vegetarian gaff as you’ll find in this country, and chef proprietor Richard Buckley is a great evangelist for the idea that we should all eat more plants, and develop our cooking skills and recipe repertoires to make the most of them. His debut book is beautifully produced, heaving with amazing photography, and is unafraid to delve into the craft and science of plant-based cooking (detailing the basic chemicals that create the distinctive umami taste, say) or drop in little bits of technique (such as when and how to add salt) along the way. You’ll find ambitious, fine dining-style dishes here, although nothing is unachievable; ingredients can all be found in supermarkets, and the likes of his risotto Milanese could be knocked up in no time at all. There are many eye-catching recipes to try your hand at in this intriguing, timely and groundbreaking book.

Matt Bielby

From The Lazy Weekend Cookbook: Relaxed Brunches, Lunches, Roasts and Puddings by Matt Williamson; image by Jill Mead

BAKED DUCK LEGS WITH SPICED PLUM DUCK LEGS are a great option for dinner parties: impressively different, they are surprisingly economical to buy and (here’s the best bit) are quite happy being cooked an hour or so in advance, then reheated. By all means use the same flavourings to marinate and cook firm tofu if you have any vegetarian guests; just reduce the cooking time to about 20 minutes in total and cook uncovered from the start, until the sauce is rich and thick.

SERVES 6 (ADD 1 DUCK LEG AND A FEW PLUMS FOR EACH EXTRA PERSON)

2 tsp five spice 3 star anise 3 tbsp soy sauce ½ cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 tbsp honey 6 large duck legs 1 mandarin or small orange, peel (no white pith) removed in long strips 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 4 thin slices of fresh ginger 20-24 plums, halved and stoned brown or white rice, to serve steamed or boiled greens, to serve 1 Mix together the five spice, star anise, soy sauce, cinnamon, bay, chilli and honey. Add the duck legs and rub all over with the marinade, then put in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

3 Place the duck legs in a roasting tin or large casserole with the juice of the mandarin or orange, tightly cover with foil or a lid, and cook for 1 hour.

4 Remove from the oven and stir through the vinegar, ginger, mandarin or orange peel and the plums.

5 Return to the oven, uncovered, and turn the oven down to 160C/310F/gas mark 2.

Cook for a further 1-1½ hours, until the duck is tender and falling off the bone and you have a rich and sticky sauce. Add a tiny splash of water during cooking if the sauce is drying out too much.

6 Keep covered until ready to serve; if necessary, reheat in a low oven while you cook the rice and greens.

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EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS fostersevents.co.uk

CHEF! WHAT TO MAKE AND HOW TO MAKE IT – DIRECT FROM THE KITCHENS OF OUR FAVOURITE FOODIES

Springtime can bring lots of cod to some UK shores, as they feed up before travelling to colder seas for the summer

H I G H L I G H T S

RAISE A TOAST

Pan-fried trout and crisp poached egg pair up for a terrific toast topping Page 44

SOUPER BOWL Sweet, salty and acidic, the Spanish equivalent of gazpacho is a dream Page 50

TAKING THE CHICK

A special spice blend gives this chicken dish the X-factor Page 56

P L U S !

2 smashing sweet treats from pro bakers

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LAKERS

TALK ABOUT LOW FOOD MILES; IAIN WEBB’S TROUT TRAVELS JUST METRES TO HIS KITCHEN – AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE WAYS TO SHOW IT OFF...

“We are lucky enough to be able to source our trout from Blagdon Lake, which is only a few hundred yards from the pub itself,” says Iain, who cooks at The New Inn. “They are all line caught by a local fisherman on a daily basis, and sometimes go from lake to kitchen in under an hour.

“Trout season here runs from March to November each year, and we’ll be featuring the fish, in various guises, as much as we can in that time.”

TROUT FILLET WITH CRISP POACHED EGG AND CAPER BUTTER SERVES 2 3 eggs splash of white wine vinegar ice splash of milk flour, for coating breadcrumbs, for coating vegetable oil (or any neutral oil), for deep frying 2 trout fillets olive oil, for frying knob of butter 2 slices of bread

Crack the first egg into the pan and poach for 4 minutes, then remove and drop into the iced water. Repeat the process with the second egg.

2 Beat the remaining egg in a bowl with the milk. Put the flour into another bowl and season with salt and pepper, and put the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Pat dry the poached eggs and roll each in the flour, then dip into the egg wash and coat with the breadcrumbs.

(This process can be done a good few hours in advance, if needed.)

3 For the trout, preheat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a glug of oil and knob of butter. Using the remining flour, coat the skinside of the fish and fry, skin side down, until browned. Then flip and, once cooked through, remove from the heat.

4 While the fish fries, make the caper butter. Gently fry the shallot and capers in the butter until soft. Then add a squeeze of lemon juice, some salt and pepper, and the parsley.

5 Set a deep fryer to 170C, or heat the oil to 170C in a deep pan. When the fish and butter are almost ready, deep-fry the eggs until brown and crisp (about 3 minutes). Toast the bread, and spread with butter.

6 Place one slice of bread on each plate, top with the fish and add the egg. Drizzle with the caper butter, and serve with a slice of lemon.

A GRAPE MATCH! D’Arenberg Lucky Lizard Chardonnay 2015 £16.50, Great Western Wine “The creaminess in the poached egg and caper butter will balance really well with the soft oak of this excellent rounded Australian Chardonnay,” says Great Western Wine’s Kate Robinson.

For the caper butter: 50g butter 5 shallots, finely sliced 20 capers small bunch parsley, chopped 1 lemon 1 For the eggs, put the ice in a bowl with some cold water. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add a splash of vinegar and turn down the heat.

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The New Inn, Park Lane, Blagdon BS40 7SB; 01761 462475; newinnblagdon.co.uk

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Host your party at Yurt LushBristol’s much loved event space.

You can also join us for drinks, brunch, lunch, evening small plates, and one of the best roasts in Bristol.

FOr More info and where to Find us... eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/yurtlush 07582 04 80 90 | yurtlush@eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk

C H E F !

haSh IN ThE PaN

THIS IS A FIRM FAVOURITE AMONG THE YEO VALLEY STAFF AT THE BLAGDON CANTEEN, AND EXEC CHEF PAUL COLLINS IS ABOUT TO SHOW US HOW TO MAKE IT...

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Paul Collins has been a chef for more than two decades. (Recognise his face? It might be from Channel 4’s Hidden Restaurants, which he appeared on with Michel Roux Jr.) First becoming a head chef at the age of 24, he was soon awarded three AA rosettes, and went onto work at the celebrated likes of The Dorchester, Cliveden and Lucknam Park. He also helped launch Daylesford Organic up in the Cotswolds.

Since taking up the position of executive head chef at Yeo Valley’s HQ in Blagdon, he’s also bagged a nomination for the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Restaurant of the Year. Here, he not only feeds the hungry staff at the farm, but also the many guests they have in for lunch each day. This proper corned beef hash is a sure-fire winner for punters and team members alike.

It’s a great way to use up leftover beef from a Sunday lunch, and if you don’t quite have the specified amount, it’s really not the end of the world.

(If you don’t have any at all, though, just use corned beef from a tin.)

CORNED BEEF HASH WITH POACHED EGG AND HOLLANDAISE SAUCE SERVES 6 900g potatoes 100ml olive oil 20g butter (Paul uses Yeo Valley’s, obvs) 2 onions, finely diced 700g cooked beef left over from Sunday lunch (or tinned corned beef), roughly chopped 10g thyme leaves, chopped 6 eggs For the Hollandaise: 500ml white wine vinegar 2 bay leaves 10g black peppercorns 100g shallots, finely chopped 250g unsalted butter 4 egg yolks 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

2 Boil the potatoes in a pan of water until just cooked. Drain and set aside to cool.

3 In a non-stick, heavy bottomed pan that can go in the oven, heat the oil and butter, and cook the onion gently until soft. Then add the chopped beef, grate in the cooked potatoes, and throw in the thyme.

4 Season with salt and pepper and move it all about with a spatula for a couple of minutes, evenly distributing the meat around. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, allowing the base to begin to catch and form a golden brown crust.

5 Place the whole pan into the hot oven and cook for 30 minutes.

When done, remove from the oven and flip over (place a flat tray or plate on top of the pan and upturn the whole pan so that the hash comes out onto the tray bottom side up, then slide back into the pan, upside-down). Now cook for a further 10 minutes.

6 Meanwhile, make the Hollandaise. Place the vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns and shallots into a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce by a third. This is the Hollandaise reduction.

7 Place the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Allow to melt completely and skim off any impurities from the surface. Allow the butter to settle and pour off the melted butter, leaving the milky solids behind. This golden liquid should now be kept warm.

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8 Put a pan of water over heat and bring to a simmer. Place the reduction in a round-bottomed bowl and add the egg yolks, and place it over the simmering water, making sure it does not touch the water.

Whisk continuously until you have a nice smooth sauce, and slowly add the melted butter, a little at a time (once you start to see it thicken you can add the butter a little quicker). Season, and add a little boiling water to finish and stabilise the sauce.

9 Poach the eggs and portion up the hash. Place the poached eggs on top of the hash, and pour over the Hollandaise.

A GRAPE MATCH! Ruggeri Prosecco Giall’Oro NV £15.50, Great Western Wine “A lovely unctuous dish like this needs a soft, flavoursome wine; this off-dry Prosecco would be a fun match for a weekend brunch of corned beef hash,” says Edward Mercer of Great Western Wine.

Yeo Valley HQ, Rhodyate, Blagdon BS40 7YE; yeovalley.co.uk

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Just 20 minutes drive from both Bath & Bristol lies the tiny Hamlet of Stanton Wick, home to The Carpenters Arms.

A traditional inn Serving great food in a relaxed environment in the country. Plenty of parking available.

Private Room Perfect for relaxed private dining & small conferences.

Great packages available. tHIRTEEN en-suite bedrooms These delightful rooms offer king sized beds, digital flat screen televisions & superfast fibre optic internet, all in a contemporary styled room.

Stanton Wick, Nr. Pensford North Somerset, BS39 4BX

01761 490202 www.the-carpenters-arms.co.uk

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YOu SAY TOMATO…

SALMOREJO SERVES 6 700g vine tomatoes (the best quality you can get) ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped 120ml good-quality olive oil, plus extra for drizzling (we use Molino) 2 garlic cloves 50g dried bread 1 tsp Chardonnay vinegar jamón, to serve

LOVE A GAZPACHO IN THE SUN? TRY THIS SPANISH ALTERNATIVE BY ALICE HART – IT’LL GET YOU RIGHT IN THE MOOD FOR THE UPCOMING WARMER SEASON Alice cooks at the much-celebrated Bravas, on Cotham Hill in Bristol, and has been experimenting with different salmorejo recipes recently.

“This is a great, fun dish to play around with,” she says. “It’s very refreshing, and should be acidic, salty and sweet. We get a little extra sweetness from roasting some tomatoes and pepper – a little tip we picked up on our last staff trip at La Azotea, Sevilla (typically, you would just use raw ingredients). You can also play around with the garnish on top. Traditionally, in Spain, you will see jamón and hardboiled egg, but at Bravas we love to use cecina or fried hake. And at home you can try whatever needs using up!”

In fact, the whole Bravas team are going out to Cordoba in March – that’s where this recipe originated. They’re planning to come home with a signature version to headline their Gambas pop-up event on 15 April: “It’s sponsored by Mevalco,” Alice says, “and is to raise money for Action Against Hunger, as our own Kieran Waite is taking on a trek challenge to Nepal in aid of the charity at the end of April.”

Check out crumbsmag.com for more info on the trek – and to find out how you can support the chefs taking part!

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1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

2 Place the red pepper and half of the tomatoes on a baking tray.

Drizzle with oil and season with salt. Roast for 10 minutes, then remove, allow to cool, and peel the skin from the pepper.

3 Meanwhile, soak the bread in the oil for 5 minutes, and chop the remaining tomatoes.

4 Blend everything together until thick and creamy in texture, then season to taste.

5 Pour into bowls and sprinkle over the jamón.

A GRAPE MATCH! Eidosela Albarino 2017 £12.95, Great Western Wine “Cool, crisp and intensely fruity describes both the dish and the wine here,” says Edward Mercer of Great Western Wine. “This dish makes a brilliant natural pairing with this fashionable Spanish grape of the moment.”

Bravas, 7 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LD; 0117 329 6887; bravas.co.uk

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FRONT OF HOUSE SUPERVISORS SOMMELIERS MANAGERS CHEFS

Your OHH Pub’s Bespoke Events!

Keep an eye out for our Pub’s bespoke events! The last Wednesday of every month will see all OHH Pubs simultaneously host their own Event day or evening. Stay updated on our website and why not choose the monthly event that suits your mood.

OHH Brunch Social Just £17.50 per person for 90 minutes of Bottomless Brunch with unlimited tea or coffee to accompany. Line the stomach with pastries on arrival and choose from an array of Breakfast and Brunch dishes to continue. Reservations only. Why not Fizz up the experience and enjoy 40% off a glass of Mimosa or Prosecco.

Visit any OHH Pub on the first Saturday of every month.

Reservations from 9.00am to 10.30am.

Coffee & Cake Social Enjoy a mug of tea or freshly ground coffee with a slab of homemade cake for just £3.50.

Available at any OHH Pub weekdays until 5pm

Tuesday night is Steak night Enjoy a mouth watering steak and homemade chips for just £10. Wash it all down with a fine bottle of House red wine for just £12.

Served every Tuesday at all OHH Pubs 5pm - 9.30pm

Fizz Thursdays Come and relax with a glass or bottle of Prosecco.

40% off Prosecco all day and evening every Thursday.

Available at all OHH Pubs every Thursday throughout the day, from lunch to dinner.

info@purplecarrot-recruitment.com www.purplecarrot-recruitment.co.uk

Come and visit our pubs or take a look at www.ohhpubs.co.uk

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COd’S LAw

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL (AND FOIL-WRAPPED) PACKAGES, AS THE MALAGO’S HELLY HIGHLAND IS ABOUT TO PROVE...

“After cooking and eating bountiful feasts of heavy, rich foods during the coldest season, this dish is light and fresh in comparison,” says Helly, head chef and owner of The Malago on Bristol’s North Street.

“Cod have been out enjoying the colder, winter seas, and I’ve paired it here with a light, fruity garnish to remind us that spring is not far off.”

This plate looks pretty impressive, doesn’t it? You’ll be chuffed to learn, then, that it’s relatively quick and simple to make.

To get those saffron potato balls looking spot-on, use a Parisienne scoop (or melon baller).

COD WITH BRAISED VEGETABLES AND SAFFRON POTATO SERVES 4 200g pancetta, diced 2 large baking potatoes, peeled 1g saffron olive oil 2 blubs fennel, sliced into thin wedges 250ml white wine 1 ltr fish stock 4 fillets of cod (approx. 160g each) 100g butter, melted ½ lemon handful of lilliput capers ½ cucumber, deseeded and sliced diagonally into 1cm pieces 2 sticks celery, sliced diagonally into 1cm pieces small bunch radishes, thinly sliced 1 Fry the pancetta in batches until it begins to crisp. Drain and set aside.

2 Using a Parisienne scoop, make balls of potato (you want 20 balls in all). Put these in a pan and cover with water. Add the saffron and a good pinch of salt and braise over a low heat until soft.

3 In a heavy-bottomed pan, warm some oil and fry the fennel wedges on a medium heat until they start to soften and caramelise (around 10 minutes). Add the white wine and reduce by half.

4 Add in the pancetta and fish stock and reduce by a third.

5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

6 Place the cod on a sheet of tin foil and brush it all over with the melted butter, then add a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, and a small handful of capers. Wrap up in the foil to create a parcel, and cook for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cod.

7 Add the cucumber and celery to the fennel pan. Simmer for 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften, but still have bite.

8 To serve, place the fennel, cucumber and celery mix on the plate in a neat pile, and lay the cod on top. Pour the broth around the outside, and garnish with saffron potatoes and fresh radish.

A GRAPE MATCH! Ottella ‘Le Creete’ Lugana £16.50, Great Western Wine “The fine flavours and a variety of textures of this dish will work beautifully with this very silky and aromatically intense Lake Garda white,” says Edward Mercer of Great Western Wine.

The Malago, 220 North Street, Bristol BS3 1JD; 0117 963 9044; themalago.club

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whO’s ThaT ChICK?

2 garlic cloves, finely grated 1 tsp Yak Yeti Yak masala (or ½ tsp garam masala mixed with ½ tsp ground cumin) 1 medium tomato, finely chopped 100g purple sprouting broccoli (if the florets are big, cut into 2 or 3) 4 spring onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 tbsp soy sauce

AS THE WEATHER WARMS UP, SARAH GURUNG IS COMBINING SPICES WITH SPRINGTIME INGREDIENTS...

Co-founder of Bath restaurants Yak Yeti Yak and Phat Yaks, Sarah spends most of her time behind the scenes, developing recipes, sourcing spices and creating the special blends used in the kitchens of this family business. This particular recipe is the base for dishes both at Yak Yeti Yak and Phat Yaks.

“Even though we cook this professionally on a daily basis, we still love to make it at home – and this is the recipe we use,” says Sarah. “At this time of year we use the purple sprouting from our garden, but you can use any greens you have available; spinach works well.

“Oh, and if you come across wild garlic, try using two generous handfuls instead of the spring onion and purple sprouting.”

Yak Yeti Yak masala spice blend is available to buy from both of Sarah’s restaurants, and will be available from other local outlets later in the spring. Alternatively, use a mix of garam masala and ground cumin.

SPRING CHICKEN SERVES 4 150ml vegetable oil ½ tsp crushed chilli 4 chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces 1 tsp salt (or to taste) ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 medium onion, finely sliced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 Heat the oil until very hot, add the chilli and as soon as it starts to turn brown add the chicken, half the salt and the ground turmeric. Stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the oil and juices behind, and reduce the juices slightly.

2 Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the salt, ginger, garlic and Yak Yeti Yak masala. Cook until the onion is extremely soft and starting to caramelise. Then add the chopped tomato and cook until it sticks and caramelises on the bottom of the pan.

3 Return the chicken to the pan and coat well with the onion mixture, then add the purple sprouting, spring onion and the cherry tomatoes, along with just enough water to make a little gravy. Add the soy sauce and cook until the purple sprouting and spring onion is just wilted.

4 Check the salt and add, if needed. Serve with plain boiled rice.

A GRAPE MATCH! Trimbach Gewürztraminer 2015 £14.95, Great Western Wine “This beautiful, lychee-scented Gewürz from Trimbach has more than enough personality to hold its own against the bold flavours of this dish, and also has a really thirst-quenching freshness on its side,” says Tom King of Great Western Wine.

Phat Yaks, 3 New Street, Bath BA1 2AF; 01225 571057; phatyaks.com

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Bath’s specialist commercial flooring company

( adverti sing feature )

We are a funky Japanese Ramen Bar doing handcrafted noodles and broth, using fresh local meats and produce as well as exotic Japanese ingredients.

T: 0117 329 3460 48-52 Baldwin St, Bristol BS1 1QB

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ThE CAKE hOUSE

GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CAKE

ELLA COOPER SHARES THE RECIPE FOR ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CAKES IN HER BATH BAKERY… Ella opened The Cakery in Widcome in October last year. Her very first venture, it’s a bakery and café that serves natural, home-cooked food made with fresh and ethical ingredients. There are also a lot of freefrom treats on offer here.

“Not only do we only use the best fresh ingredients,” she says, “but with food allergies on the rise, and all of us increasingly conscious of our health, we also specialise in healthy bakes, and have gluten-free, reduced sugar and vegan versions of many cakes.

“As a vegan with a gluten intolerance myself, I am particularly proud of our vegan and gluten-free cake range. I know from personal experience that some vegan and gluten-free cakes are just not very nice. I like to think ours really do hit the mark, though – some customers come from quite a distance to eat them. Of course, if you are lucky enough to be allergy free I would love to treat you to a delicious, full-on, full fat, full sugar bake as well!”

As well as paying attention to inclusivity with her food, Ella also keeps a big focus on sustainability.

“Businesses need to take responsibility for their impact on the world around them, so all of our takeaway cups and bags are fully recyclable, and we only use suppliers of eggs and milk with the highest standards of animal welfare. Where possible we source organically, too.”

The Cakery, 21 Claverton Buildings, Bath BA2 4LD; 01225 684936; thecakerybath.co.uk

MAKES 4 400ml any plant-based milk 100g peanut butter 160ml flavourless oil 1 tbsp vanilla extract 40ml cider vinegar 340g gluten-free self-raising flour 400g caster sugar 60g cocoa powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder For the icing: dairy-free butter 250g peanut butter 50g icing sugar 500g large handful peanuts, chopped METHOD 1 Grease and line a pair of 8-inch cake tins, and preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

2 Mix the milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla together, and add the dry ingredients. Combine with a wooden spoon, but don’t over mix.

3 Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins and bake for 25-35 minutes. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4 For the icing, beat the vegan butter and peanut butter together, then add the icing sugar.

5 When sponges are cold, spread some of the icing on one of the cakes, and sandwich the other on top. Spread the remaining icing over the top of the cake, and scatter with the chopped peanuts.

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CLassiC maRY

MARY, MARY IS ANYTHING BUT CONTRARY; THESE GOOEY, DECADENT BROWNIES BY MRS BERRY MAKE PERFECT SENSE… The queen of baking is returning to her home city of Bath this April to host an event at Topping and Company. Here, she’ll be chatting all about her life and extraordinary career in food, as well as introducing her new recipe book, Classic.

In this new volume – which has its own TV series that recently aired on BBC One – Mary shares her recipes for old-favourites and homely meals that are timeless and comforting.

If you fancy hearing Mary talk, grab tickets to the Bath event (from £12) from toppingbooks.co.uk.

WARM FONDANT BROWNIES MAKES 16 350g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 250g butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing 300g dark muscovado sugar 6 eggs 75g ground almonds

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, then grease a 23x30cm tin with butter and line with baking paper.

2 Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, add the butter and set over a small saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat through until runny and melted.

3 Measure the sugar into a bowl, add the eggs and whisk until all the sugar has been incorporated. Carefully pour in the melted chocolate mixture and stir until evenly mixed, then fold in the ground almonds and gently stir to combine.

4 Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a light crust forms on top and the mixture is firm around the edges but still soft in the middle.

5 Leave to cool in the tin, to let the brownies set, and cut into squares.

Serve with ice cream.

Recipe from Classic by Mary Berry (£26, BBC Books)

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BATH’S BEST BUTCHER Larkhall butchers combines passionate, traditional butchery with a modern take on the profession.

Supplying to Bath and the surrounding areas, we have a reputation for providing produce of the highest quality to restaurants and the community alike.

“Larkhall Butchers goes the extra mile for its customers. It’s an innovative business in a traditional area and is notably customer-focused.” - Crumbs Magazine

Proud nalist of

Bath Good Food Awards best butchers 2013-17 Crumbs best food retailer 2017 | Bath Life 2018 Environmental finalist 01225 313 987

info@larkhallbutchers.co.uk

larkhallbutchers.co.uk

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS

sLICE COOL

I’m getting cold shudders. It’s like I’ve just wandered onto the set of a David Cronenberg film, where oddball twins are sizing me up with gruesome relish in their eyes…

Calm down, calm down! It’s just a steak knife – albeit a rather swish one. You could say it’s (ahem) a cut above the rest. But you’re right, it is designed to look like a surgeon’s scalpel, so those squeamish shudders you’re feeling are perfectly understandable. In fact, I suspect its macabre makers wanted it that way.

THE SKALPEL IS CREEPY AND CLASSY IN ALMOST EQUAL MEASURE, AND BRINGS A GRISLY HOSPITAL AESTHETIC TO THE CARNIVORE’S TABLE. CAREFUL, SAYS MATT BIELBY. YOU COULD HAVE YOUR EYE OUT WITH THAT!

I’m feeling more than squeamish – I’ve gone properly green about the gills. I’m trying to eat my steak, not operate on it!

You have to admit, though, that the Skalpel is nightmarish in a very cool sort of a way. Minimalist, perfectly-balanced and super-sharp, each one is made by experienced master knife maker Stuart Mitchell at his Sheffield workshop, and is designed to glide straight through your meat without sawing or tearing.

“If you feel that you need a serrated steak knife,” Stuart says, “what you really need is just a better knife – or a better butcher.”

Zing!

Yeah, tough talk – but we’re willing to believe he knows what he’s on about. After all, Stuart’s been in the biz for 30 years now, and makes each Skalpel from a single piece of 8mm-thick surgical-grade, high carbon steel, designed to stay sharper for longer. Sheffield is the home of stainless steel, and your Skalpel – after a manufacturing process that includes laser cutting, heattreatment, deep-freezing and endless sharpening and polishing – should last a lifetime.

Now that I’m starting to get past its weirdness, I must admit that it’s very striking to look at…

Indeed! And not just because of how wicked it looks.

Part of the appeal is that it’s so sleek, with only the name, a unique serial number (they’ll only ever make 100 of these a month, we’re told) and a series of deep groves – to assist the grip – to break up its ultra-simple lines; think of them as like the gills on a shark, maybe.

And now I’m back to being scared again.

Quite right too, as the Skalpel enjoys a number of shark-like qualities: they’re both single-minded, more than a little sinister, and keen to slice through flesh. And if you’re a committed red meat fan, that’s exactly what you want on your side.

Each Skalpel Steak Knife will set you back £110. This is a new product, supported by a Kickstarter campaign; for more, go to theskalpel.com

THIS MONTH • BLADE RUNNER • SHEPHERD’S DELIGHT • SMASH KIT

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OUR PASSION Ston Easton Park holds the culinary crown when it comes to serving awardwinning cuisine in the most exquisite surroundings. We pride ourselves on using only the finest, freshest and seasonal produce and we’re proud to be well renowned as one of the best restaurants in Somerset.

OUR CHEF Our Head Chef creates daily dishes in accordance to the ingredients grown in our own food garden by our dedicated Gardeners. The dishes are dictated largely on the ingredients available seasonally, producing the best possible flavours.

Looking for a f ine dining experience with a difference?

Contact us to make a reser vation

01761 241631 Ston Easton, Nr Bath, Somerset BA3 4DF | www.stoneaston.co.uk | reception@stoneaston.co.uk

Crumbs readers will rece ive a complim entar y gla ss of wine w ith (ser ved b lunch etween 12 noon - 2pm) when qu oting SCMB0 1.

Crumbs cooks with...

Anna Shepherd WE KEEP ONE EYE ON THE VIEW FROM HER KITCHEN AS WE HANG OUT WITH THIS PRO COOK, WHO SHOWS US HOW TO MAKE HER HEARTY WARM VEG SALAD

Words by JESSICA CARTER Photos by EMLI BENDIXEN

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nside Anna’s St Werburgh’s home, in her open-plan kitchen-living room, is a bay of large sash windows, which look right out over East Bristol. The views from this second floor flat, perched on Ashley Hill, stretch for miles, and encompass waves of terraces as well as lots of the unlikely greenery of this bustling city – allotments, parks and countryside. Not a bad view for enjoying a meal over. Lucky we were visiting for lunch, then...

Anna is a recipe developer, food stylist and consultant, and cook, who I first met on a trip to Riverford’s farm in Devon. Our paths crossed again a couple of years ago at a Riverford Master Veg class, which she ran; and then, in October of last year, she relocated to Bristol from London, where she’d been living for the last decade. Most recently, having gone freelance, Anna helped out another Anna – of the Jones variety – on her new book, The Modern Cook’s Year, and has since been working on a Lebanese cookery book too.

Today, for lunch, she’s cooking up a warm, nourishing salad – which is as incidentally vegan as she is.

“I’m vegetarian, but mostly eat vegan, really. My downfall is definitely cheese!” she tells us, as she seasons a frying pan of chopped carrot with salt flakes. There’s also a small pot of butterbeans on the hob, into which she drops a bay leaf and zests a lemon as it warms.

“My boyfriend is vegetarian – he loves cooking too. He’s got an allotment just over the hill.” (Anna gestures out of the window.) “He grows lots there, and we also get veg boxes from the community farm, which are great for cooking with.”

And, for topping up the cupboards between deliveries and gluts from the allotment, Anna relies on Better Food,

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which, just down the road from here, is her closest shop.

She’s scattering chickpeas on a roasting tray now, and coating them with oil as we talk about how important organic is to her.

“I do usually buy organic,” she says. “Mainly because of what I learnt when I was with Riverford. But I don’t think you can buy local, seasonal, and organic all of the time.” You have to make a call, really, she says; if a farmer has to pump constant heat into a greenhouse to grow an exotic vegetable, for instance, is that better or worse than buying imported?

A vibrant green salsa verde gets whizzed into shape in a food processor and, as it does its noisy thing, we have a little poke around the compact but characterful kitchen.

Jars of homemade pickles and spices of all colours and varieties line the wooden shelves that Anna’s carpenter boyfriend has made. He’s also responsible for the rack from which several pots of herbs hang, acting as a divider between the living room and kitchen, and a tall pot rack, displaying a collection of well-used kitchen vessels.

Anna stirs the beans on the stove, and we ask how long she’s been vegetarian for.

“Six years,” she says. “My family aren’t, though; I think it’s been a constant source of annoyance for them! But they are starting to eat more veggie now. You just have to make sure you’re including protein, and lots of interesting textures – that’s so important. I think otherwise you can quickly get bored.”

A tray of kale goes into the oven to roast, and Anna stays near, opening the oven door at regular intervals as she talks to us about her food heroes. This, she says, is to let the steam escape and allow the rich green leaves to crisp up.

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“I love Nigel Slater,” Anna says. “I once saw him at my local cheese shop in London. I was so star struck – I just stood there.

I’m a big fan of Ottolenghi, too. I think he’s really changed the way people eat in this country.”

The meal starts coming together: the cooked beans get lightly mashed and arranged on one of Anna’s vintage-look platters, and on top of that go the carrots, roasted chickpeas and crisp kale leaves. Finally, the salsa verde, served in a retro teacup, is drizzled over the top with a teaspoon.

We sit at the dining table to eat, right in front of those bay windows, as Anna brings over some charred sourdough, still hot from the griddle pan, and tuck in. The creaminess from the butterbeans is contrasted by the crisp chickpeas and kale, and the salsa sings through the lot. The carrots add colour and a touch of sweetness too, great with the earthiness of those leaves and chickpeas. An original and hearty salad for a cold February, it puts us in good spirits for the afternoon, as we head off, our fruit-and-veg quota taken care of for the day...

WARM CARROT AND CAVOLO NERO SALAD WITH SALSA VERDE SERVES 2 AS A MAIN, OR 4 AS A STARTER For the salsa verde: 3 cornichons 2 tbsp capers 3 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 lemon small bunch of mixed soft herbs (I use mint, basil and parsley) For the salad: 3 carrots (even better if you can get a purple one as well for contrast) 100g cavolo nero (or curly kale), washed ½ tin chickpeas, drained and dried vegetable oil ½ tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp hot smoked paprika ½ lemon, zest only 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp maple syrup For the white bean mash: 1 jar butter beans (or 2 x 400g tins) 1 bay leaf 1 lemon, juice and zest 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 First make the salsa verde. Blitz all of the ingredients in a food processor or with a stick blender until a rough salsa is formed.

Season with salt and pepper, then taste and add more lemon juice or salt according to your preference. Set aside.

2 Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7.

3 Slice the carrots into 1cm coins at an angle. Cut any really thick ones in half around the middle, and set aside. Next, pull the cavolo nero leaves from the stalks by pinching the leaf into the stalk at the bottom end and pulling sharply to the tip of the leaf.

Discard the stalks, and dry the leaves well.

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4 Toss the chickpeas with vegetable or sunflower oil to coat, and season with salt. Spread in one layer on a baking tray and place in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes, until you hear the chickpeas start to pop.

5 Meanwhile, add the beans to a small saucepan along with the liquid in the jar or tin, the bay, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and place over a low heat.

Let the beans blip away while you get on with everything else, occasionally coming back to the pan to press down on them with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up a bit.

6 Add the carrots to a frying pan with the olive oil, maple syrup and some salt and pepper, and cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly for 5-6 minutes until they’re still a bit crunchy but starting to catch at the edges.

7 Once the chickpeas are done, remove from the oven and empty onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle over the paprika and lemon zest and set aside. Reserve the baking tray.

8 Turn the oven down to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

9 Roughly tear the kale leaves and place on the baking tray.

Sprinkle over a pinch of salt and place in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up.

10 Check the seasoning in the bean mash, and then place on a serving platter. Arrange the maple carrots and crispy kale over the top, and scatter over the chickpeas. Drizzle the salsa verde over the top and serve while warm.

Want to try Anna’s cooking for yourself? You’re in luck; she’s holding two supper clubs on 20 and 21 April at her Bristol home. Tickets £30, BYOB; annashepherdfood.com

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W I T H

182 Church Rd, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9HX

Opened in 2016, The Lock Up is an independent, family-run restaurant in the heart of Redfield, Bristol.

Brunch: Treat yourself to a tasty brunch with a fine cup of Wogan coffee. Served 10am-3pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Dinner: Served from 6pm. Our food is cooked to order by Aidan and his team of fine chefs.

Our ingredients are locally produced and from independent suppliers where possible.

Roasts served every Sunday, 12pm until 4.30pm. Private dining room available, seats up to 20 guests Fancy a drink or two? Classic & House cocktails 2 for £10 Tuesday to Saturday & Bloody Marys 2 for £10 all day Sunday!

BOOKING ALWAYS ADVISABLE

0117 329 0707 | info@thelockupbristol.com | www.thelockupbristol.com OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY 10am-11pm | SUNDAYS 12pm-6pm | BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYS 11am-5pm

FARM SHOP & BUTCHERS OPEN DAILY • FRESH FRUIT AND VEG AWARD-WINNING BUTCHERS • LOCALLY SOURCED MEATS Cowslip Lane, Hewish, N.Somerset BS24 6AH • www.puxton.co.uk

Discover one of Bath’s best kept secrets, Afternoon Tea at the Villa …

A delightfully delicious afternoon tea brimming with homemade treats.

Warm scones, sandwiches made from home-baked bread and moreish indulgent cakes.

Everything is made by our own fabulous baker, with a new selection of cakes every day of the week.

Cream tea £10.50 per person Full afternoon tea £21.00 per person Prosecco afternoon tea £27.00 per person Served every day from 1pm – 6pm in our sunny dining room or garden terrace.

Pre-booking is required.

01225 466329 • reception.trvb@roseatehotels.com • www.roseatevillabath.com

Spring Events at the Wheelwrights Arms MEXICAN NIGHT TASTING MENU Thursday 22nd March £35 per person.

Bookings essential

TEQUILLA WITH HABAS FRITAS RED SNAPPER CEVICHE REFRIED BLACK BEANS WITH CHEESE QUESADILLAS GUACAMOLE, AUBERGINE CHIPS & HONEY AND TORTILLAS CHILLI CON CARNE WITH CORIANDER AND LIME RICE RICE PUDDING WITH RAISINS & CINNAMON

12TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Charity Cycle Relay Race Sunday 13th May Barbecue and Bands in the garden with strawberries & cream. Start: 12pm. Adults: £15, Children: £7.50. Teams of 4 / £40 per team. Maximum of 20 teams. Please book teams by first week of May. All donations go to Children’s Hospice South West.

Register at the bar.

TOP GEAR LOOKING TO KIT OUT YER KITCHEN? WELL, EVEN IF YOU WEREN’T, AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THESE FUTURISTIC APPLIANCES FROM LOCAL PROS, YOU MAY WELL CHANGE YOUR MIND...

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K I T C H E N

A R M O U R Y

THE OV EN

Gaggenau 400 Series Steam Combination Oven (from £3,624) This impressive bit of kit has five humidity levels, and a top temperature of 230C. It can steam, bake, simmer, braise, grill, brown, sous-vide and – probably most excitingly – clean itself. Literally at the push of a button. The guys at Hobsons Choice in Bath are big fans.

“The use of steam is one of the healthiest ways to cook and retain the vitamins, minerals, consistency and colour of food, which is often lost in more traditional methods,” says their Graham Craig.

“In combination with hot air or the grill function, the oven is ideal for crispy roasts; just switch off the steam shortly before the end of the cooking time to allow everything to brown at high temperature. The accurate temperature control even allows sous-vide (French for ‘under vacuum’) cooking to be achieved.” hobsonschoice.uk

THE RAN G E C O O KE R Everhot Electric Range Cookers (£4,995- £9,885)

THE HOB

Elica Induction Hob With Downdraft Extractor (£1,800) Ever heard of a downdraft extractor? They’re especially handy if your hob is on an island or there’s no access to outside for external extraction, as it sucks the air, well, downwards. (Obvs.) This induction hob comes with one of those bad boys built in, and is pretty popular right now, Hayley Beaghan of Kutchenhaus tells us.

“The hob is available with two options: recirculated extraction and external extraction,” she says. “The cooker top has a filter in the centre to catch any spillages, and the charcoal filter under the surface cleans the air after cooking, taking away any smells, then the air is re-circulated back into the room.

“The extractor is in the centre of the hob and sits flush with the top, creating a sleek, modest appearance – a great addition to your kitchen!” kutchenhaus.co.uk

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Just like most ranges, the Everhot is designed to remain switched on 24 hours a day, providing heat for cooking and warmth for your kitchen. Unlike some other range cookers, though, this heat is fully customisable to suit your home and the time of year.

“Despite this additional control, it remains, at heart, a traditional range with ovens that bake, roast and cook to perfection,” says Simon Lunt of Boniti. “The full width grill in the top oven is another great feature you won’t find in many other comparable ranges. All Everhots run on either one or two 13 amp plugs, meaning that there is no need for a flue, or even a concrete base.

“These cookers have cast iron hotplates, and you can choose to have either an additional cast iron simmer plate or an induction hob. Induction hobs are incredibly efficient and, hence, very cheap to run when compared with gas or ceramic hobs.” boniti.com

Bath’s leading marble and granite company for over 30 years

Showroom open 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 9am - 12.30pm 01761 412934 • info@hobbsmarbleandgranite.co.uk www.hobbsmarbleandgranite.co.uk Kitchen worktops • Bathrooms • Fireplaces Bespoke templating and fitting service • Memorials

K I T C H E N

THE C OOK ER HOOD Falmec Verso (£810)

This tempered glass cooker hood with LED lighting comes in white or black and in two different sizes – and is bang on trend, says Nick Mitford, founder of The Kitchen Man in Bristol.

“Our current favourite extractor hoods are the increasingly popular angled ones,” he says. “They are smart, very contemporary, give good extraction, and often give a bit of reflection back into the room to add interest and depth. And, most importantly, you can’t bang your head on them!” thekitchenman.co.uk

THE DISHWASHER

Fisher & Paykel Integrated Double DishDrawer Dishwasher (from £1,000) Doesn’t look like a dishwasher, does it? Well, that’s kind of the point. But there’s obviously far more to this bad boy than its subtlety. These dishwashers, hidden away in drawers, first came on the market 20 years ago, and now there are a host of different single- and double-drawer options in all kinds of finishes.

Vicky Elmore of Elmore Kitchens in Bath tells us all about ’em: “These dishwashers have flexible washing options and can easily do an economical half load, using just one of the two drawers. Also, the ‘knock to pause’ function is ideal if you’ve left out a dish!

“It’s integrated for a real seamless look, and it can either be customised to match your kitchen cabinetry or you can go for a stainless steel door panel.” elmorekitchens.com

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K I T C H E N

A R M O U R Y

The Want List Th

WE’VE TAKEN INSPO FROM THIS MONTH’S HERO TO BRING A BIT OF THE TROPICS TO YOUR KITCHEN… 2

1

3 4 5 1 PINEAPPLE PARTY PLATES (pack of 8) £5.25 Don a lei and Hawaiian shirt and get a ‘Club Tropicana’ theme on the go for your next party.

You’ll be needing these gold paper plates by Cheltenhambased designer Meri Meri, too.

Available online. shopmerimeri.co.uk 2 PINEAPPLE PRINT £68 This gorgeous, digitally restored illustration is an ideal way to work an exotic feel into rooms with a more neutral colour palate. Get yours from Fig 1 in Wapping Wharf. fig1.co.uk 3 PINEAPPLE CHOPPING BOARD £13 This cool pineapple chopping board would make an ace gift – from you to, er, you.

Find it at Rossiters in Bath. rossitersofbath.com 4 PINEAPPLE ICE CUBE TRAY £10.99 Cubes are so last year; get some jazzy ice in your pineapple-based cocktails, why don’t cha. From Vinegar Hill in Bath and Bristol. vinegarhill.co.uk 5 NEON PINEAPPLE LIGHT £50 Because we just don’t have enough neon action in our lives, right? We’re loving this cool, contemporary pineapple light from Mon Pote in Bristol. monpote.co.uk

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Proud nalist of

CLASSIC, ARTISAN & CRAFT BREAD

JOE’S

ARTISAN & CRAFT CONFECTIONERY

BAKERY BRISTOL

Award winning local ing independent bakery supply nd craft and artisan bread a er cakes to the local and wid Bristol communities.

0117 975 5551

|

Opening times Monday to Friday: 7am to 7pm Saturday: 7am to 5pm Sunday: CLOSED

240-242 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NZ

|

joesbakery.co.uk

EAT. PROPER. MEAT.

Shop local this Easter.

OUTDOOR REARED • PASTURE FED ORGANIC • SOURCED FROM THE MENDIPS

POP IN AND SEE US AT CARGO 2 WAPPING WHARF - WE DELIVER TOO!

f @MeatBoxBristol

@meatboxbristol

07398 534 361

CAFE KITCHEN Welcome to our special, awardwinning café - a great place to meet friends, hold events and to give back to your community.

The cafe provides young people with special needs a unique opportunity to gain work experience and training.

Open Monday to Friday 8am–4pm Saturday 8am–12pm Available for private hire: Please call Amelia on 01225 838070 or email amelia.hartley@threeways.co.uk Located @ 180 Frome Road, Odd Down, BA2 5RF

Support World Downs Syndrome Day #WDSD18 on 21st March Bring your knitted socks to join to our sock bunting and enjoy a sock cookie.

M AI N S TOP CULINARY CAUSES, INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AND FOOD PIONEERS

This Somerset producer makes Italian-style charcuterie with a proper West Country accent

H I G H L I G H T S

MEET YOUR MAKER

Get acquainted with the local producers doing things their own way Page 93

ROCK THE GOAT We grill author and goat rearer James Whetlor ahead of his visit to Bath Page 105

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A country pub in the time-honoured tradition; a place to eat, drink and sleep.

DAILY MARKET MENU Served Tuesday to Saturday between 12pm & 2pm and 6:30pm & 9pm 2 Courses £18 | 3 Courses £24 A la Carte menu and Bar Menu also available

100% Cold-Pressed Juice

01225 833504 info@wheatsheafcombehay.com www.wheatsheafcombehay.com The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay, Bath BA2 7EG

HOMETOWN GLORY

WITH RECENT EVENTS REMINDING US JUST HOW EASILY THE UK’S FOOD SUPPLY CAN BE THROWN INTO CHAOS, WE’VE BEEN TALKING TO LOCAL PRODUCERS ABOUT THE QUALITY PRODUCE THAT’S GROWN, REARED AND CRAFTED ON OUR VERY DOORSTEP...

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I

t’s no secret that the UK is pretty dependent on its food imports. And recent events have really hammered the fact home: remember those two days of snow-covered chaos in early March, for instance? Businesses closed, supermarket shelves were empty and supplies of fresh produce from further afield didn’t catch up with themselves until days after the white stuff had melted away. But did you notice how greengrocers and indie shops, which sell produce that’s grown and crafted in the local area, managed to stay stocked up just fine? Funny, that...

And, we hate to bring it up – you’ve probably already seen the B-word multiple times today – but we can’t ignore the airtime Brexit is getting recently in relation to our food economy. What will cutting ties with the EU mean for our supply of affordable produce? Well, it seems the answer is that no one actually knows.

Perhaps one positive that may come from all this, though, is us consumers having a new appreciation for what is grown, reared and made right here on local soil. With that in mind, we’ve been chatting to some of the area’s producers and finding out how they are challenging our production processes, and going above and beyond to contribute to our food economy and communities in really valuable ways...

FARMERS BUTTLE FARM

Robert and Sara Buttle run a pretty special outfit in Compton Bassett, rearing rare breed pigs. There are currently six native breeds here – British Saddlebacks, Tamworths, Berkshires, Oxford Sandy and Blacks, Large Blacks and Mangalitzas – including breeding sows and growers of all ages. These guys live in small groups in large paddocks (so they’re outdoors all year) with cosy shelter for the wintertime, and cool shade for the summer.

“Sadly, rare breed pigs have become rare for a reason,” says Sara.

“That’s certainly nothing to do with the quality of the meat, but is a purely commercial issue; for example, intensively farmed commercial breed pigs will reach their slaughter weight in half the time that an outdoor, extensively farmed rare breed pig will. However, we are helping support the survival of the breeds and protect the best of Britain’s farming heritage. And whilst farming is not an easy lifestyle choice, the joy of welcoming a new litter of piglets onto the farm, or watching pigs able to display their natural behaviour – grazing, rooting around in the mud, wallowing in a mud bath in the summer – is a privilege!”

Buttle Farm supplies its fantastic-quality pork and charcuterie to local restaurants, but also sells to private customers direct, too. buttlefarm.co.uk

CASTLE FARM

This Midford farm has been certified organic since 2000 – one of the very first in the area to get the thumbs up from the Soil Association.

Now, as well as the original suckler herd of cattle that Mark Edwards established in 1996, there are also fruit, vegetables and herbs grown here, with Jo Edwards and a group of pals having set up polytunnels on the top fields for organic growing.

“The most popular products are our baby loose leaf mixed salads, which includes up to 20 varieties,” says Mark. “We also have a range of vegetables and soft fruit, all grown on the farm.”

Mark and Jo believe in the benefits of growing organic – for the health of both consumers and the farmland – and keep a focus on producing great quality, sustainable produce. They supply local shops and restaurants, and sell direct from the farm. (If you visit, there also happens to be a great little café on-site, too!) castlefarmorganics.co.uk

Buttle Farm’s pigs are raised outdoors in paddocks; we’ve been to visit and seen how they get to run around and enjoy themselves

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CASTLEMEAD POULTRY

When Stuart Perkins returned to the family farm from agricultural college in 2007, he wasted no time in making some changes, shifting the focus from dairy production to poultry. The idea was – and still is – to rear ethical, quality poultry with high welfare standards.

It is, of course, a bit of a challenge to operate this way: “Our chickens are grown over 12 weeks, which is a long time to respond to increases in demand from customers,” he tells us. “And trying to get the right sized cuts to match requirements is tricky, too; being outside reared, there is a varied range of sizes from each flock of birds!”

There’s never been any compromise on the original vision, though.

As well as chicken, which is supplied to shops across our region (“I really enjoy seeing our produce on the shelves of farm shops and butchers, as well as seeing our name on restaurant menus – it gives me a real sense of achievement,” Stu says), Castlemead also produces free-range eggs, game, turkey and geese. castlemeadpoultry.co.uk

THE COMMUNITY FARM

The concept for this shared ownership producer came from farmers Luke Hasell and Jim Twine, and the founder of Better Foods, Phil Haughton. Now, it has investment from more than than 500 people and grows food in a way that’s sustainable and ethical – addressing the problems of modern fruit and veg farming in a positive way.

“This industry favours large scale producers, and doesn’t do much to support small scale, agro-ecological farming,” says managing director Ped Asgarian. “Supermarkets’ sheer dominance and tactics of using vegetables as loss-leaders has devalued good produce, and forced many farms out of business. This impacts dramatically on the flow of vegetables with provenance into a local area.”

A social enterprise, The Community Farm sells its organic food through box deliveries and The Better Food Company, and uses its profits to offer learning experiences. thecommunityfarm.co.uk

The Community Farm is a social enterprise producing all kinds of organic fruit and vegetables

GROW BRISTOL

PH OTO: S T E PH W ET HE RE L L

Mates Dermot O’Regan and Pete Whiting started out in the food producing game by experimenting with hydroponics (soil-free growing) in a shipping container. In 2015, they went on to convert a disused industrial estate into an urban farm. Producing food in this way solves rather a few problems (extensive food miles and weather dependence, for starters), and could be one answer to the uncertainly of supply following Brexit.

“We’re developing and demonstrating innovative and sustainable ways of growing food – in the city and for the city. Our smart urban farming model allows us to produce great food year-round, in the heart of the community where it is eaten, whilst farming in a more sustainable way,” says Dermot. “We need to be much more selfsufficient in this country in terms of producing food – especially fruit and veg – and I think indoor urban farming plays an important role in this, alongside the development of smaller, more traditional organic and biodynamic farms, both urban and rural.”

Find Grow’s microgreens across Bristol in shops such as Source and Ashton Fruit Shop. growbristol.co.uk

JAMIE’S FARM

This award-winning charity’s purpose is not only to produce food but, primarily, to offer vulnerable young people support and opportunities for development and education through farming.

“First and foremost, Jamie’s Farm exists to support disadvantaged children by improving behaviour, self-esteem and engagement,” says Jamie Feilden. “However, it is pivotal that the farms the

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Mediterranean Cuisine COMING SOON Tollbridge Road, Batheaston

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children come to are not petting zoos, but real farms with real jobs.

We pride ourselves on producing top-quality beef, pork and lamb – we have happy animals looked after by happy children! These are the most nurtured and cared-for animals, with around with 12 young Jamie’s Farmers, week in, week out, tending to them.”

You can find their pork and lamb in Larkhall Butchers and Haynes Family Butchers in Corsham, and the charity also supplies Aberdeen Angus for the premium ranges in Tesco, and spring lambs to M&S. jamiesfarm.org.uk

SEVERN PROJECT

It was actually Steve Glover’s work in addiction counselling that saw him set up this super-successful (and Crumbs Award-winning) producer business. It became apparent to him that people in recovery from addiction don’t always get the best support when it comes to social reintegration; having a job could really help, he thought.

“And what better job than growing food for the community?” he says. “So, I rented two acres of land and started growing food with 12 people who were in early recovery from substance misuse. I had no experience of growing food at all; it was a learning curve!”

These days his urban farm project is not only making valuable jobs available, but also knocks out a range of top-drawer salad leaves and veg, from spinach to herbs, baby kale to spring onion. It’s used in respected restaurant kitchens all over the city, and stocked on a local online grocery shop, fresh-range.com. thesevernproject.org

THE STORY

Managed by pioneering organic farmer Luke Hasell, this meat producer was born from his desire to re-connect people with the food that they eat, communicate its story, and show how a true field-tofork ethos can work in modern day agriculture.

“I would like to see organic food become the mainstream choice of the masses,” says Luke. “I know that organic meat costs more, by the nature of the way we farm – but surely that is good? We offer high welfare, good production methods and absolute traceability. Perhaps we need to look at how often we eat meat?

“Making organic food the number one choice is the biggest challenge we face, closely followed by trying to introduce more whole-animal purchasing; we need to get back to understanding that beef isn’t just a fillet or mince, and chicken isn’t two breast fillets in a plastic cover.”

You can find The Story’s top quality and high-welfare organic meat at its sister shops: Meat Box in Bristol and Blagdon Butchers. storybutchers.co.uk

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Italian-style charcuterie, made from West Country ingredients, you say?

MAKERS BATH CULTURE HOUSE

A former cheesemaker, Lucie Cousins is properly into her microbes and fermentation, so creating her range of gut-loving fermented food and drink was a natural move in her culinary career. To create her products – which include sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha, and are all vegan and gluten-free – she uses raw ingredients (largely organic) found as close to home as possible, and buys from locally based businesses like Essentials.

“Beyond the Kale in Bath were the first stockists and supporters,” says Lucie. “Then Harvest Bath got on board too, and it all began. I now teach, as well as produce, and my food is stocked across Bath and Bristol in Farleigh Road Farm Shop, Chi Wholefoods and on Farmdrop, amongst others.” twitter.com/fabfermented

BATH SOFT CHEESE

Four generations of the Padfield family have milked cows at Park Farm, and they continue to do so today to make their range of organic cheese, with Graham running the farm and son Hugh heading up the cheese making. In fact, 100 percent of the milk used is from their very own 160-strong herd of Holstein Friesian cows, which are milked just 50 yards away from where the cheese is produced.

Graham started to make the well-known Bath Soft in 1995, and followed this up with the Gouda-style Wyfe of Bath. Then came the Bath Blue, which was crowned Overall Champion at the World Cheese Awards in 2014, and last year they launched the Merry Wyfe, too – a washed-rind cheese, made using cider that Graham has pressed himself from his apples. parkfarm.co.uk

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THE CHILLI ALCHEMIST

Lucie is a fermentation fanatic if ever we saw one...

“To begin with, I wanted to make and sell sauces in the hope of providing a little education about chillies, and showing people that not all chillli sauces need to be sweet and/or acidic,” says Jay Webley.

Founder of the Chilli Alchemist, he produces mayonnaise and a beef jerky as well as signature chilli sauces, and ships them worldwide.

“We make genuine chilli sauces, not ‘hot sauces’. We ensure that the chillies we choose to work with are the star of the show within every sauce we produce. Many people use chilli to add a kick to their meal rather than for flavour, but lots of other cultures use it for flavour first and accept the heat as a secondary element. And, as chillies all have their own flavour characteristics, we were keen to produce a range of fresh-tasting sauces which really showed off the diverse flavours of the fiery fruit!”

Find these potent condiments at The Chilli Hut in Bath. chillialchemist.co.uk

on a farm in Somerset, and rely on a foundation of fresh, unpasturised milk, collected from the farm every day, and local double cream.

“The ice creams are made using a crème Anglaise method of cooking milk, just the same as you would do at home,” explains Amanda, “and are all made in small batches of 20 litres. They all have their own individual recipe, and there is no air added.”

These guys work with chefs to develop new, bespoke flavours to go on restaurant menus, and today have around 120 different recipes in their portfolio. So popular are they, they’re now stocked everywhere from Dubai and Qatar to local Somerset restaurants; you can buy them to take home from Cadbury Garden Centre. grannygothards.co.uk

FUSSELS FINE FOODS

IN A PICKLE

Fussels is run by third generation farmers, having been founded by Andrew Fussel as a diversification project on his Somerset farm. The family has now been growing rapeseed here for 30 years – it’s a vital part of the rotation system.

To up the quality of their product, the team started to cold-press their rapeseed – converting an old pig sty for the cause, for pressing and bottling – and launched the flagship product in 2008. Now there’s a host of dressings, sauces and vinaigrettes in the Fussels portfolio, and they have stockists across the country. You can still visit the farm, though, and take a tour to see how the crop is grown and pressed, and how the oil is bottled. You can even learn how best to use it here, thanks to the new demonstration kitchen. Find Fussels products at Brockley Stores in Bristol and Harvest Natural Foods in Bath, as well as loads of other outlets. fusselsfinefoods.co.uk

GRANNY GOTHARDS

Best mates Amanda Stansfield and Jean Allen came up with the idea for this ice cream biz in 2012. The natural products – which now also include sorbets and sherbets – are handmade in the traditional way

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This chutney and condiment business was born from some surplus fruit that had fallen from a neighbour’s tree. In a bid to save it going to waste, Stephanie Anderson collected it all up from the ground and made chutney, which she sold at her son’s school’s Christmas fair.

Seven years later, and there are almost 30 lines that Stephanie now produces, from pickles to curds and jams. She and the team use British raw ingredients wherever possible, sourced from local suppliers – so not only are these jars of delight cooked locally, but they were born locally, too.

Want to know where to pick them up? They’re available nationwide, but you’ll no doubt see them closer to home as well.

“Our first and still loyal stockist is Hartley Farm Shop,” says Steph. “We also have Newton Farm Shop, and Taste of Bath use us extensively in their amazing hampers. We also appear in sandwich fillings in quite a few city centre cafés.” inapicklefoodco.co.uk

LACOCK DAIRY

These guys, who have been producing since 2016, use super-fresh milk from a local Lacock dairy herd, on Selves Farm, to create

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Buy from our online shop and have your order delivered to your door.

FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £50

orders £5 off h 30 wit over £ Code: nt Discou BS5 U CR M

We de li ever yw ver here in the UK! Meal Packages – Select a meal to cook at home, add the ingredients you need to your order and they’ll be delivered to you, along with the recipe card.

Grocery store – Choose from our wide range of vegan products; dairy and meat alternatives, grains, nuts, seeds, pulses, puddings and much more.

Organic – Most of our products are organic which means healthier for you and healthier for the planet.

Low waste – We are committed to reducing waste so your delivery will arrive in recyclable and/or reusable packaging only.

Requests – If you can’t find what you’re looking for we’ll do what we can to source it and add it to the website.

No need to waste time searching shelves and reading labels at the supermarket! glofoods.co.uk • hello@glofoods.co.uk

f x @glofoodsuk

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their natural, artisanal gelato, co-founder Jane Lear tells us. “Gelato is very different from ice cream,” she says. “It’s slowly churned in small batches, contains less air and less fat, and is much smoother with a more intense flavour hit and a cleaner mouthfeel.

“Working the way we do isn’t easy, as the cheapest options are the ‘industrial’ options – we are definitely swimming against the tide!

We don’t want to take over the world, though – we make it in small batches, and our production is limited. We just want to make great food and sell to a discerning audience!”

The flavours these guys make include everything from honeycomb crunch and stem ginger to cherry ripple and peanut butter, and are stocked across our area at the likes of Allington Farm Shop and Walter Rose and Son. lacockdairy.co.uk

LITTLE HOLLOWS PASTA

Now about a year and a half old, this little Bristol-based pasta making biz was founded by Chris Davis and Claire Duffy, who taught themselves to make the Italian staple using both good old-fashioned books and rather more contemporary YouTube videos.

“I’d travelled through Italy and realised that you couldn’t buy proper fresh pasta (with a short shelf life, not made with pasteurised eggs) that you can cook at home anywhere in Bristol,” says Chris.

“We started making hand-rolled shapes like cavatelli – ‘little hollows’ is the direct translation – and became obsessed with the variety and regionality of pasta shapes and doughs.”

Ingredients are local wherever possible (flour comes from Shipton Mill and eggs from local Somerset farms) and the resulting pasta is so good it’s used by restaurants such as Root and The Priory. You can buy it at Hugo’s on North Street, and on Farmdrop, too. littlehollowspasta.co.uk

PIEMINISTER

The Bristol-born empire that is Pieminister all began with a little pie shop in Stokes Croft, opened by Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon 15 years ago. The idea was to make the British pie cool again, and create filled

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Pieminister may be a national brand these days, but it’s still very much a Bristolian outfit

pastry treats of really great quality. Today, in fact, Pieminister is the UK’s only national pie company to use exclusively free range British chicken and pork.

Making the most of their awesome neighbouring producers, they use Gem from Bath Ales in the beef pies; the free range chicken is all from one farm in Somerset; and the same goes for the goat’s cheese you’ll find in the popular Heidi pie.

This conscientious pie maker now has restaurants in Bath and Bristol (as well as further afield) and you’ll find the range of pies – which now includes vegan and gluten-free creations – at markets and in indie retailers all over Bath and Bristol. pieminister.co.uk

SOMERSET CHARCUTERIE

Founded by James Simpson and Andy Venn, who both grew up in farming, Somerset Charcuterie makes its goods the Italian way, using ingredients from, you guessed it, Somerset.

Having learnt by experimentation how to create their top-quality cured and air-dried meats, and fermented and air-dried sausages, they’re happily geeky about their produce: “We consider ourselves artists before scientists,” says James. “But to be good artists we need to understand the science behind fermentation, preservation and maturation. We use our senses (touch, smell, sight) to produce our food and judge when it is ready, but then ensure products’ consistency and safety with knowledge of the science, pH and AW measurement.”

As a result, their stuff is used by top chefs (there are some Michelin stars in there, even) nationally. You, however, can get yer mitts on some at the Tobacco Factory Market, and Bath Farmers’ Market. somersetcharcuterie.com

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JOIN US AT THE BRAND NEW ROLLING MILL BAR & CAFE WITH EXQUISITE VIEWS OF THE WATER WHEEL ON THE AVON RIVER (BATHEASTON).

Opening

Sunday 8th April Open on the ground floor from 9am everyday until late.

Serving sumptuous brunches, fantastic coffee & pub classics with a twist!

Live Music & DJ events throughout the week in a unique & funky setting full of character.

Great Cocktails, Timeless Music Hits, Friendly & Warm Service.

Next to Batheaston Toll Bridge, Tollbridge Road, Batheaston • www.rollingmill.co.uk • 01225 962230

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JAMES whETLOR

AHEAD OF HIS VISIT TO BATH, WE CHAT TO THE CHEF-TURNED-PRODUCER ABOUT HIS FAVOURITE FOODIE SUBJECT (AND THE HERO OF HIS DEBUT COOKBOOK), GOAT Words by JESSICA CARTER Photography BY MIKE LUSMORE

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M A I N S

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j

ames’ career in food began in professional kitchens and, as a young chef, his goal was to have his own restaurant – exactly as you might imagine. Instead, though, he turned goat rearer, and became founder of the award-wining Devonbased producer Cabrito Goat Meat. So, er, what happened there?

James explains by first taking me back to the very beginnings of his career. “I started out washing dishes, and cooking fish and chips, in Lyme Regis,” he says. “Then, when I got to London and became more serious, it was a time when everything was Italian and Spanish, and that stuck with me; I’m still in love with Italian food. As for my ethos, that was cemented by my time cooking at The Eagle in Farringdon, the first gastropub. The motto there, handed down from David Eyre, is ‘buy the best produce you can, and don’t f*** with it!’”

James’ strong culinary ethics saw him eventually make the move back to his home county of Devon, where he ran the kitchen at River Cottage. It was when he was working here that he first got his mitts on the patch of ground which would ultimately end up changing the course of his career.

“Some friends of ours had a little bit of land they didn’t have time to look after, so offered it to us,” he says. “We jumped at the chance, but the little paddock was completely overrun with years of untamed growth. Goats have a reputation for being good scrub clearers, so they seemed the obvious choice – once pigs had been vetoed. Really, it was a complete accident we ended up with goats.

“Once they had done their job, I put them on the menu at River Cottage, and they sold really well. Then I had a light bulb moment, thinking I could use my knowledge of the London restaurant market to sell a few goats – and here we are, six years later!

“I soon started to learn about the ‘billy problem’, though. The dairies have no use for the males – you can’t milk a billy goat, and I suggest you don’t try! – so up until we came along they were euthanised at birth.

That just seemed crazy to me, and I thought I could do something about it. It is, in my mind, completely unacceptable to euthanise these perfectly healthy animals, rather than rear them up for meat, but all the right ethical messages in the world wouldn’t make any difference if it didn’t taste any good. Fortunately, goat meat is delicious!”

Goat isn’t just full of flavour, though; it’s actually got plenty of health benefits, and makes an easy case for itself against comparable meats like lamb and beef. (“My girlfriend is always telling me I don’t talk about the health benefits of goat enough!” says James.) It’s low in fat, and rich in protein and iron. But one of the biggest reasons James loves goat meat is – perhaps unsurprisingly, given his background – the joy of putting it to work in the kitchen.

“For me, it’s mostly about the cooking; goat is a staple of cuisines the world over. And it’s a great way of expanding your cooking horizons.”

So, let’s get this straight: it’s ethical, delicious, good for you, in decent enough supply, and super popular all over the world – but is far from a regular in kitchens on these here isles. Forgive us for asking the obvious, but why exactly is that?

“There are a lot of reasons. Firstly, historically, there just weren’t the animals around to eat – the UK didn’t have a sophisticated goat dairy system until the early ’90s. Before that, they mainly existed in smallholdings or with artisan cheese makers. Even today there are only around 70,000 billy kids born in the UK every year (that’s compared to the 116,000 lambs we kill a week for consumption). Perhaps more

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James has been working to get goat into the kitchens and onto the plates of restaurants and homes around the UK, rearing billy goats born into the dairy industry that that would otherwise be euthanised at birth

importantly, though, there’s the cultural question; we have no history of eating goat in the UK. There is no farming structure that exists for goats, and it’s not embedded in our cuisine in the way lamb, beef and pork are. These are big forces keeping goat out!”

A changing food culture over the last 25-30 years, which James puts down to cheap flights (giving people the opportunity to experience new cuisines and cultures), the ever-growing ranks of food TV shows, and the blossoming of the UK restaurant scene, means that the public has become more open to new foods, however.

But even though we’re all more adventurous these days, we’re also savvy shoppers, and it’s no secret that goat meat ain’t cheap. If it’s ultimately surplus from the dairy industry, why is that?

“Once the kids are born, the nannies go back onto the milking parlour, so the kids need to be fed a milk powder replacement – and that’s expensive,” explains James. “It can be around 60p a day for the first six weeks of its life. That is an expense lambs don’t have, because lambs stay with the ewes; the goat farming system is driven towards the production of milk, whereas with sheep it’s the lambs that are the product.”

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2 ABBEY STREET BATH BA1 1NN

pickledgreens.com

* DELI * COFFEE * SEASONAL FOOD * NATURAL WINE *

M A I N S

KID SHANK, APRICOT AND PISTACHIO TAGINE ADDING THE SWEETNESS of dried fruit to the depth and richness of kid meat creates a dish that is one of the greats of world food. I always have a jar of ras al hanout in the kitchen – it’s a really useful seasoning.

You can use 800g diced kid here in place of the shanks. Serve with harissa and couscous.

SERV ES 4 4 kid shanks 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped 2 onions, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 60g butter, melted 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground 2 tsp ras al hanout ½ tsp ground turmeric 400ml stock (or water) 10 saffron strands, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped and stalks reserved 150g dried apricots, roughly chopped 1 medium preserved lemon, rind only (discard the pulp), roughly chopped 50g pistachios, roughly chopped honey, to taste small bunch of mint, leaves picked, to serve 1 Mix together the shanks, tomatoes, onions, garlic, melted butter, spices (apart from the saffron), 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. When ready to cook, put the marinated meat in a large saucepan and cook, uncovered, over a moderate heat for 20 minutes until a sauce has formed and thickened.

2 Add the stock or water, along with the saffron and its soaking water, the coriander stalks, dried apricots and the preserved lemon, then cover and simmer gently over a low heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is completely tender. Top with a little water if it dries out.

3 When the shanks are cooked, remove any excess fat from the sauce and add the pistachios, then the honey, with salt and pepper to taste. Serve scattered with the coriander and mint leaves.

The price isn’t the only thing slowing down the uptake on this meat, though, reckons James.

“Goat has a wholly undeserved reputation for being tough, overpoweringly strong and hard to cook. It’s none of those things. There is also a certain conservativeness in cooking; you need to have a bit of confidence to try something new. We have had to earn that confidence, and it’s because people are now seeing it on high-end restaurant menus that we’ve managed to do it.

“Anything you can do with a lamb, you see, you can also do with a goat – which I hate saying, because it begs the question, ‘Well, why don’t I just use lamb?’ The answer to that is that goat, in some dishes, is actually the more authentic ingredient: tagines, curries, samosas, you name it… But also, it’s simply a superior product, with a better flavour. It doesn’t have that overpowering fattiness lamb can have – but I would say that, wouldn’t I? “Personally, I love kibbeh – raw chopped goat, a bit like a Middle Eastern version of steak tartare. It’s so far from people’s stereotyped idea of tough, strong flavoured meat. But I also love the necks slow cooked – there’s so much flavour in a ragu from a slow cooked neck. And the legs, just marinated in preserved lemon and grilled on a barbecue, are great too.”

So, where do we go from here? Well, the goat market is really starting to develop, and with a bit of luck James’ new book – Goat: Cooking and Eating – will help get the meat into people’s kitchens at home (Cabrito’s main customers right now are chefs in the restaurant trade). There is still a lot of work to be done, though, at least from this goat-fanatic’s point of view.

“Cabrito had a single line for a mission statement: put all the billy goats into the food system. That’s the goal. And it’s achievable in the next five years. It sounds ambitious, but think about the number of lambs killed: remember, it’s 166,000 every week versus 70,000-ish kids a year. When you look at it in those terms, it only needs one or two of the major multiple retailers – retailers that sell the goat milk products that cause the problem in the first place, I might add – to get involved and it’s done. You’d think they’d be keen to help, no?

“If everyone who consumes goat milk products (milk, cheese or butter) bought goat meat every once in a while, the problem would vanish. And the more normal it becomes, the more meat we, and others, will sell.

“It won’t happen overnight, but one thing is for sure: the days of us euthanising all the billies is over. The trend is only heading in one direction.”

Recipe from Goat: Cooking and Eating (Quadrille £20),

by James Whetlor, out on 5 April

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James will be at Toppings in Bath on 19 April, talking about his new book, Goat. Check the website for tickets: toppingbooks.co.uk; cabrito.co.uk

Situated in the renowned Spike Island, we are the sister café to the much loved Folk House Café and offer a wonderful setting for everyone.

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Our range includes: Vegan, lamb or chicken samosas, veggie or meat pasties, bhajis, vegan or pork sausage rolls and veggie or pork scotch eggs. We also stock a range of speciality scotch eggs and pies. Why not add a Lovely juice drink, some Rose Farm preserves and chutneys or The Wiltshire Beekeeper’s honey to your shopping.

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We also supply restaurants in the Bristol area, please contact us for further information if interested.

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Bath’s finest independent news café Breakfast from 8am available all day Lunch from 12pm

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Take home a bit of Yak Yeti Yak and Phat Yaks Our top secret exclusive spice blends are now available from our restaurant and cafe.

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A F T E RS NEW RESTAURANTS DEVOURED, NEW CAFÉS FREQUENTED, NEW BARS CRAWLED, AND WHAT WE THOUGHT OF THEM

H I G H L I G H T S

TEMPTING FATE

Bath’s only veggie curry house, Indian Temptation, is about full-on flavour Page 118

BATTLE OF TASTINGS

The Battleaxes in Wraxall has comfort food aplenty Page 123

BROTHIC

We get our slurp on at Bristol ramen joint Sticks and Broth Page 128

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A F T E R S

( V E G G I E R E S TA U R A N T S )

INDIAN TEMPTATION THIS CASUAL INDIAN RESTAURANT DOES THINGS ITS OWN WAY, FINDS JESSICA CARTER

T

his central Bath restaurant sits right on the corner of High Street and Cheap Street, up above The Whisky Shop. Overlooking the Abbey and busy streets of the city centre, it’s in a prime spot for people watching from a window-side table. And that’s exactly what we did on a recent lunchtime, having strolled into town from Crumbs HQ.

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Indian Temptation is a pretty unique curry house in Bath, in that it’s totally vegetarian. Nope, there’s not a whisper of meat anywhere on this menu. But stay with us, meat eaters; although its vegetarian nature is a notable characteristic, it’s not its sole defining one. There’s plenty more to what these guys are offering than just a veggie-friendly menu.

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The kitchen team, headed up by chef Vinod Singh, rely on a regular supply of fresh, speciality ingredients from which to craft their regional dishes. Both northern and southern ends of the subcontinent are repped here, by dishes like paneer butter masala and masala dosa, respectively. There are also thali-style meals and street food creations among the many veg-based options.

As for drinks, the wine list is made up of organic, vegetarian and vegan varieties from small-scale, independent producers. They’ve been chosen not only for their virtuousness, but also for their suitability as partners for the kind of food on offer here. Spicy fare is notoriously tricky to match to wine, but the team seem to have been careful to do the legwork for their diners, and have put together a collection that you can’t go far wrong with.

Aside from wines, though, there are beers (including curry house favourite Kingfisher, obvs), plus spirits and softies, and a few different flavours of lassi.

From the street food section, the bhel poori (£3.50) was an ideal opener. This bowl of crunchy puffed rice, chutney and vegetables was full of contrasting textures and carefully balanced spice, with sweet and tart flavours.

Tastebuds now fully alert, we moved on to the meal proper, with starters of kale and onion bhajiya, and stuffed mushrooms (both £3.50). For the former, sliced onion and leaves of curly kale had been coated in a flavourful batter, and treated to some quality time in a deep fryer. Crisp and moreish, these were hungrily crunched on after a good dipping in a fresh and fruity mango and mint chutney.

And when they were gone? We carried on, clearing the bowl of all and any scraps of batter that were left behind.

And so to the mains. The paneer butter masala (£7.50) was the favourite of the meal: cubes of fresh cheese bathed among the many layers of flavour in a silky sauce of tomato, onion and chilli, made sweet and creamy with cashew. I’d not think twice before ordering that again. Also great was the chana masala (£6.50), which saw chickpeas cooked with tomato, garlic, ginger and fenugreek for an aromatic and authentic-tasting result. The hari bhari bhindi (£6.75) comprised chopped okra with tomato, ginger, chilli and coriander, while the fresh and nutritious ‘ladies’ fingers’ were vivid green and had been cooked until they were soft and had taken on the flavours of the spices.

Fluffy potatoes cooked with onion, tomato and curry leaf made up the Bombay aloo (£2.95), and for more carb we turned to the crisp paratha (£3.50). This whole-wheat, unleavened flatbread is a great alternative to the more stodgy naan, made up of thin, flaky layers.

It’s not just the lack of meat (although ‘lack’ is not the operative word there; it didn’t feel like anything was missing) that gives the

food here a real lightness; the authentic ingredients are carefully sourced and delivered to the kitchen regularly, to make sure the chefs are only working with the freshest produce. Everything is cooked to order too, meaning wait times may be a little higher than at the average curry house, but you know who they say good things come too...

As this was a mid-week lunchtime, the atmosphere wasn’t exactly pumping, but there were actually a fair few other diners in. And, really, you can see why – with its three-course lunch menu for £7.95, and food that’s good value and light enough to not put you in a food coma for the afternoon, it’s actually a good spot for an afternoon meal.

Indian Temptation, 9-10 High Street, Bath BA1 5AQ; 01225 464631; indiantemptation.com

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(COSY PUBS)

THE BATTLEAXES SERVING A MENU THAT DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN, THIS VILLAGE PUB DELIVERED A HEARTY, COMFORTING WINTER DINNER TO JESSICA CARTER

t

he fact that I have absolutely no sense of direction – like, whatsoever – is well-known among my friends, family and even just pretty casual acquaintances, to be honest. I get lost regularly finding my car in car parks, and can do the same journey a hundred times but still need some form of digital map to reach the intended destination. So, although I know I’ve definitely been to Wraxall now, I have very little idea how to get there. (Sure – I could just Google it, but I kind of like the mystery.) I can tell you that it’s near the National Trust’s Tyntesfield, but as I’ve only been there once, well, I’m not certain where that is, either...

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A F T E R S

The reason for visiting this particular village on the outskirts of the city was to check out its local pub, The Battleaxes. Having been part of the Flatcappers group since 2010, it’s the sister venue of The Castle Inn in Bradford-on-Avon, which you might know if that patch is more your stomping ground. This Wraxall inn is a pretty Grade II listed Victorian building, now almost 200 years old. As well as a pub, it’s a photogenic wedding venue, and has accommodation too, in the form of six guest rooms.

Having recently received a lot of TLC from the powers that be at Flatcappers, it’s been treated to a refresh and redesign inside. The bar and dining area has a rustic and traditional look, but with a bit of a contemporary edge. The walls are covered with painted wood paneling and patterned wallpaper, and display eclectic collections of framed art and vintage-look wall lamps. On the floor are weathered boards and, overhead, beamed ceilings. Big sash bay windows afford lots of light during the day, while a warm glow comes from beneath retro-style tasseled lampshades in the evening.

The front of house team are young and friendly, and in the kitchen is a relatively new brigade; the head chef took over the culinary outfit last summer and spent the ensuing months building up the kitchen team.

A couple of plates from the ‘grazings’ section (£4.60 each, or three for £12) broke the back of the meal. The salt ’n’ pepper squid came in neat bite sized chunks – dark golden batter coating the well-cooked seafood – alongside a peperonata dip, sweet with red pepper and tomato. The Wookey Hole Cheddar and leek croquettes were comforting and rich, although I craved more of a bite to their outer than the fine crumb coating offered, and more of that leek in the filling.

From the starters we shared scallops, baked in Gruyere with cream, white wine and leek (£7.50), which was more than enough between two. The oozy, fondue-friendly Alpine cheese hid ribbons of leek and hunks of plump scallop, all of which we scooped up greedily with the thin, crisp slices of bread supplied with it.

Mains encompass everything from globally inspired dishes such as Thai coconut curry to more British-style meals like slow-cooked lamb shoulder with red wine jus, and cider-braised pork with caramelised apple sauce. Pub classics are also in attendance, with steaks and beef burgers coming from Walter Rose & Son, and the fish and chips featuring a Stowford Press batter.

Beneath the smooth, piped mash and crunchy breadcrumbs on the fish pie (£13.90) were chunks of cod, meaty monkfish and plump king prawn, all bound together in a thick and indulgent cream sauce. A mound of buttery greens brought a bit of colour and veg quota to the plate, too.

My vegetable tagine (£12.90) was less liquidy than you might expect, and instead was made up of chopped aubergine and squash, coated in subtle spices. Finely sliced lemon and chilli brought zing, and giant couscous – flecked with fresh herbs – a bit of carb. Scattered generously with fat leaves of coriander, it was a no-nonsense bowl designed to warm and nourish, as opposed to impress with technique or fancy frills.

A sticky apple and date pudding (£5.90) was an exemplary way to round off this pub feast, featuring soft apple and bourbon toffee sauce. Meanwhile, a lemon posset (£5.20) was served opposite, topped with raspberry and shards of meringue.

The Battleaxes tries to be nothing other than an inviting, accessible village pub. Focused less on blowing your socks off and more on promising hearty, straightforward food, it seems to be playing to its strengths rather well – we were far from the only ones who had ventured to it for sustenance on this rainy, wintry Monday evening, after all.

The Battleaxes, Bristol Road, Wraxall, Bristol BS48 1LQ; 01275 857473; flatcappers.co.uk

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NEW ZEALAND INSPIRED DINING AND ARGENTINIAN TAPAS OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 5-7 CHANDOS ROAD SPECIAL LUNCH MENU THURS, FRI, SAT

WWW.

OTIRA.CO.UK

Monday to Saturday Brunch/Lunch: 9am - 3pm • Dinner: 5.30pm - 9.30pm Sundays Brunch/Lunch: 9am - 1.30pm • Roasts: 2pm - 8pm Vegetarian and vegan options available, and our chefs can cater for all dietary requirements.

www.themalago.club  eatout@themalago.club 220 North Street, Southville, BS3 1JD  0117 963 9044

(TOP COMFORT FOOD)

STICKS AND BROTH JESSICA CARTER TOOK SHELTER FROM THE RECENT SNOW AT THIS POPULAR CITY CENTRE RAMEN JOINT

O

riginally launched on Baldwin Street in 2014, Sticks and Broth was the first of a group of Japaneseinspired restaurants that popped up around the centre of Bristol, including Bangkok Joe’s, The Slurp Shop, and a second Sticks and Broth on Stokes Croft. Then, late last year, all of these venues closed down suddenly, without so much as a whiff of explanation. Thankfully, people didn’t have to seek alternative ramen supplies for long, as Sticks reopened shortly after, along with its Stokes Croft sibling.

Good ramen (if you’ve ever slurped your way through a steaming, umami-laced bowl then you’ll likely agree) is kind of a big deal.

In fact, in its home country of Japan (okay, so it was technically introduced by the Chinese, if you’re going to be pedantic) it has

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huge cultural significance, with many eating it at least once a day as standard. If you’ve not already seen it, check out the episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table on Ivan Orkin, a New Yorker who moved to Japan and opened his own ramen restaurant (bold, much?); you’ll really get a feel for this dish’s significance. Well, that and a hankering for a hot bowl of the nourishing broth...

As we’re on the subject, I happen to know somewhere that you can scratch that particular itch. (A seamless link if ever I wrote one.) Sticks and Broth is all dark and industrial inside, with charcoal walls, corrugated metal, dark wood tables, and metal chairs. A fair few of the latter were already occupied when we turned up early on a bitter Wednesday evening recently, gagging for something warm and nourishing to help thaw us out.

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A F T E R S

Our waitress, although not totally aware of our booking, was really pleasant and eager to help. We chose a couple of Japanese beers to get going with, and ordered some ‘bites’ and a bao to start.

The edamame beans (£5), which came in their pods, heaped in a large bowl, were gently steamed but still crunchy, and seasoned with salt and a dusting of spice that had my mouth tingling and my hand reaching for my beer. Five plump veggie gyoza (£6) sported delicately thin dough and had been steamed and fried for the optimum texture – they came served with a soy dip that delivered a big salty slap on the chops. There was also a satay bao (£4), which involved a smooth, pillowy bun, folded over chunks of grilled chicken coated in moreish peanut sauce and spring onion.

Before we’d worked our way through that lot, our ramens had arrived. (These guys seem to operate an ‘it comes when it’s ready’ kind of outfit – and it’s ready rather swiftly, as it goes.)

There are one, two, or three stars next to certain dishes on the menu, which we took to be spice indicators. The two-starred ‘tan tan’ (£11.50) certainly had some heat to it, although thankfully it was of the slow-burning kind. Built upon a pork bone broth foundation, it was given a real kick by a stir of miso chilli paste, and topped with crumbled spicy pork mince, shavings of bright red ginger, crunchy beansprouts, a soy-marinated boiled egg, a mound of sweetcorn, and fresh spring onion. A thick tangle of noodles hid underneath, and a nori sheet poked out the side. While the heat did gain momentum the further we got through the bowl, all those other flavours still came through, and the corn burst in our mouth for sweet relief from the fieriness.

The House Brisket (£13), meanwhile, was super mild in terms of spice, focusing more on aromatics. The slurpable, salty beef soy broth was topped with a heap of rocket leaves, adding pepperiness. The meat itself was really good; soft and flaking but with a lovely bit of crust, it was generous in flavour, texture and portion. I tipped my side dish of peppy kimchi into the bowl to give it a bit of zip.

In terms of service and atmosphere, this place’s style is pretty unfussy and minimal; instead, though, it’s all about the comforting, aromatic food that aims to poke your tastebuds in all the right places.

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Sticks and Broth, 48-52 Baldwin Street, Bristol BS1 1QB; 0117 329 3460

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L I T T L E

B L A C K

B O O K

BREAKFAST? Pinkmans Bakery on Park Street. They always have such delicious breakfasts and snacks; if I’m passing it’s rude not to pop in and get something...

BEST BREW? I love The Crazy Fox; they make a delicious caramel latte and are always lovely.

SUNDAY LUNCH? Grain Barge in Hotwells.

I love just chilling on the boat, having a few pints of craft beer and tucking into a decent Sunday lunch. (The terrace is amazing in the summer, too.)

QUICK PINT? I have a few little ‛quick pint’ places, but my favourite is Bristol Bear Bar in Old Market. It’s independently run and has great staff.

CHEEKY COCKTAIL? Hyde and Co has some of the nicest cocktails and is a super cool bar. Definitely one of my favourites!

rIChaRd AVISON

WHERE DOES THE OWNER OF 99 QUEENS GO FOR A FEED WHEN NOT WORKING? WE’RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT…

POSH NOSH? I’ve always been a fan of The Ivy, and their Brasserie in Clifton has become a great place for food. It’s beautifully fitted out, and their Negronis are to die for, too!

FOOD ON THE GO? Friska on Park Street always has nice little snacks for when I’m running around Bristol. The crayfish and avocado is one of my favourite lunches.

TOP STREET FOOD? Chilli Daddy on Queens Road. When I’m working at mine late, I pop in quickly and I’m never disappointed – the beef noodle hotpot is my favourite.

HIDDEN GEM? The Bank Tavern. Tucked out of the way on John Street, it’s very popular but has managed to keep its charm and isn’t swamped with crowds.

ONE TO WATCH? The Florist on Park Street. I’m super excited to go try it out – it looks rather nice from what I’ve seen, going past it every day.

WITH FRIENDS? Barrika Tapas Bar on Old Market Street is a great place to meet up with friends. It serves amazing home-cooked Spanish tapas and is super friendly.

COMFORT FOOD? I love pizza: L’Osteria in Quakers Friars is perfect for a lazy comfortfood binge.

BEST CURRY? Nutmeg in Clifton Village.

I’ve been a few times and every time has been delicious. I had king prawn malabar recently and it was one of the best curries I’ve ever tasted.

BEST ATMOSPHERE? The Phoenix, Champion Square. They have great music, a cool and stylish decor, and a huge outside seating area.

SOMETHING SWEET? Has to be Swoon on Park Street – they have the best caramel ice cream.

BELTING BURGER? Three Brothers Burgers has to be one of Bristol’s best. I can’t pick a favourite burger, though, as everything on the menu is so good!

facebook.com/99Queens

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QUICK! Now add this little lot to your contact book...

• Pinkmans Bakery, Bristol BS1 5PJ; pinkmans.co.uk • The Crazy Fox, Bristol BS1 3JD; crazyfox.net • Grain Barge, Bristol BS8 4RU; grainbarge.com • Bristol Bear Bar, Bristol BS2 0BH; facebook.com/bristolbearbar • Hyde and Co, Bristol BS8 1JY; hydeand.co • The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, Bristol BS8 4DN; theivycliftonbrasserie.com • Friska, Bristol BS1 5PJ; friskafood.com • Chilli Daddy, Bristol BS8 1NE; chillidaddy.com • The Bank Tavern, Bristol BS1 2HR; banktavern.com • The Florist, Bristol BS1 5PB; theflorist.uk • Barrika Tapas Bar, Bristol BS2 0HB; barrikatapas.co.uk • L’Osteria, Bristol BS1 3BU; losteria.co.uk • Nutmeg, Bristol BS8 4DR; nutmeg.com • The Phoenix, Bristol BS2 9DB; phoenixbristol.com • Swoon, Bristol BS1 5TB; swoononaspoon.co.uk • Three Brothers Burgers, Bristol BS1 4SB; threebrothersburgers.co.uk