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FROM T HE REG ION 'S BES T COOKS
What’s purple and cries for help?
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CRUMBS BATH + BRISTOL NO.93 SEPTEMBER 2019
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A l e slice of foodie heaven lit S t E IP C E R E IN F N DA R
st ruggling pla ne t t his
Inside Bristol's
O rga n i c Sept ember
ZEROWAS T E café
DARKEST
THE C WORD RD We're talking
Mas ChristtM part ies
O
R U O S
(and we're not even sorry)
YOUR DAMSON DAYS
T i P T opsham T OP One night in
and the world’s your oyst er
Tart but t errifica,t h t h t i w p u y s o c we
n o s M dA D EV I L
Actually, we had eel
+ Little French + Underwood + Kensington Arms
Tel: 01225 585 100
rob@claytonskitchen.com
15a George Street, Bath BA1 2EN
www.claytonskitchen.com
a ClaytonsKitch
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claytons_kitchen
B O O K N O W F O R T H E C H R I S T M A S PA R T Y M E N U £45 for 3 courses
N E W : P R I VAT E D I N I N G R O O M
LUNCH MENU
Opening Times
2 courses £20 | 3 courses £25
Mon to Thu: 1200-1430 & 1800-2130
Monday – Saturday from 12pm.
Sat: 1200-1500 & 1730-2200
Main menus and more can be found on our website.
Sun: 1200-1500 & 1800-2100
Fri: 1200-1430 & 1800-2200
HOT DAMSON THE MONTH OF September is home on the calendar to several dates of culinary celebration. (I’ve no idea who officiates these new dates, of which there seem to be more each year, mind. After all, World Guacamole Day – 16 September, FYI – is hardly a time-honoured event, steeped in generations of tradition.) Happening this month is ZeroWaste Week, British Food Fortnight and Sourdough September. And while we can’t commit to celebrating all of these foodie milestones in our limited pages this month (there’s also World Salami Day and Love Lamb Week to squeeze in, you know), we have nodded to a small few – some by design and others, admittedly, more by happy accident. Anyway, one event we did consciously include is Organic September. We’re all aware of the struggle of Mother Earth in the face of our unsustainable lifestyle choices. Food and drink production is key in this, so we wanted to know if buying organic could lower our contribution to these environmental injuries. It might not be cut and dry – the research we got our hands on had open-ended conclusions – but there is certainly a lot to be said for organic production systems in terms of looking after the planet and its wildlife. Now is a great time, then, to make some switches in our shopping to organic – we’ve got suggestions for economical and ecological grocery swaps to make. With that, I bid you happy reading (and a great World Coconut Day).
Jessica Carter, Editor jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk
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## LOVE2SHARE Welcome to Koocha, a friendly, cosy escape that brings a taste of Persia to Bristol. Experience plant powered food as you never have before. Vegan or not, you’ll love our fresh, colourful and creative dishes. Step inside for a taste of mouth-watering Persian mezze and a signature gin cocktail. Serving lunch and dinner and everything in between, come visit us for good times and great food!
Walk ins are always welcome, but we recommend booking a table for groups of 6 or more.
10 Zetland Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 7AD koochamezzebar.com | 0117 9241301
TABLE OF CONTENTs
ISSUE 93 SEPTEMBER 2019
STARTERS
EDITOR
JESSICA CARTER jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk
08 HERO Damn fine damsons 12 OPENINGS ETC Your foodie update
DEVELOPMENT EDITOR
MATT BIELBY matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk ONLINE EDITOR
DAN IZZARD dan.izzard@mediaclash.co.uk
CHEF!
ART DIRECTOR
24 Rabbit Kiev, by Tom Westerland 27 Lamb rump with charred lettuce, by Chris Cleghorn 28 Pumpkin curry, by Praveen Thangiah
TREVOR GILHAM CONTRIBUTOR
EMMA CULLEN ADVERTISING MANAGER
JON HORWOOD jon.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk
ADDITIONAL RECIPES
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE
10 Damson gin, by Freddy Bird 19 Aubergine larb, by Meera Sodha 35 Charred baby gem with feta and lemon balm, by Ross Gibbens 64 Beetroot ‘hummus’, by Tom Hunt
NATALIE BRERETON natalie.brereton@mediaclash.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE
RUSSELL SEALY russell.sealy@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
SARAH KINGSTON sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk
WHAT SUP?
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 wellmanaged source; printer is certified to ISO 14001 environmental management. This month we visited new hotel and restaurant The Newt, and ate caviar (ooh, fancy) overlooking the ocean at Devon’s Burgh Island.
large version
32 THE DRIP FEED News from the drinks world 33 LUCKY FOR SOME The low-down on new bar Filthy XIII 34 THE WINE GUY Andy Clarke is shunning grape for grain, for once
KITCHEN ARMOURY 46 THE SUPPER CLUB A working lunch with a difference at the Sims Hilditch studio 54 THE WANT LIST Natural kit for Organic September
MAINS 62 FEED THE WORLD Inspired by Organic September, we ask if we can eat to beat climate change 67 THE X-FILES Xmas party inspo for this year’s festive bash
AFTERS 80 Little French 82 Underwood 86 The Kensington Arms 88 The Salutation Inn
PLUS! 90 LITTLE BLACK BOOK The Bank Tavern’s landlord Sam Gregory lets us in on his favourite foodie hotspots
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RESTAURANT
Welcome to Mantra, an Indian Restaurant in the heart of Bath, that specialises in serving progressive Indian food. Mantra is a family run authentic Indian restaurant. Our dishes are healthily packed with flavour, crunch, punch and zing offering plenty of choice to vegetarians and vegans.Inspired by seasonal ingredients, our food contains only the freshest produce prepared in a way that captures the amazing diversity of India’s regional cuisines and childhood street food memories.
Open every day 10:00-23:00 | 16 Argyle St, Bath BA2 4BQ 01225 807770 | info@underwoodrestaurantbath.com
5, Bladud Buildings, The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LS Tel: 01225 446 332 Email: info@mantraofbath.co.uk | www.mantraofbath.co.uk
START E Rs INNOVATIONS, REVELATIONS AND TASTY AMUSE-BOUCHES
DRINK IT IN
GOT A THIRST ON? CHECK OUT THESE LIQUID-FOCUSED EVENTS WHICH PROMISE TO WET THAT WHISTLE OF YOURS... 7-8 September
13 September
14 September
28 September
THE COFFEE HOUSE PROJECT
CHEESE AND WINE WORKSHOP
COCONUT CARNIVAL
NOVEL WINES TASTING PARTY
The Coffee House Project is returning to Bristol’s Passenger Shed for the second year of its caffeinespiked celebrations. Expect heaps of coffee exhibitors as well as workshops and talks, and plenty of street food and music. Tickets are £13 and can be bought online. thecoffeehouseproject.co.uk
As part of Wine Education Week (run by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust), Clifton Wine School is holding a cheese and wine workshop at Bath Brew House, where six vinos will be paired with cheese to demonstrate the basics of drink and food matching. Tickets £35. cliftonwineschool.com
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Clifton restaurant The Coconut Tree is holding a special party this month. The Sri Lankan street foodinspired outfit will be opening late, cranking up the tunes and serving up the tropical cocktails that it’s quickly gained a rep for in the city. Expect live DJs, fun times and free entry. thecoconut-tree.com
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Online merchant Novel Wines will be at the Apex City of Bath Hotel, with 100 wines from all over the world in tow, (not to mention gin, cheese and charcuterie). Tickets are £30 and include all food and drink tasters and get you 10 per cent off bottles of wine. Tickets £30, available online. novelwines.co.uk
DAMSONS
WHAT’S THE PLUM PICK OF THE AUTUMN FRUITS? IT’S GOT TO BE THE GLORIOUS, MIDNIGHT-DARK DAMSON, CHALLENGINGLY SOUR PICKED STRAIGHT FROM THE TREE BUT AMAZING SHOULD YOU APPLY A LITTLE HEAT…
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D
amsons are the unruly bad boys of the soft fruit world, a sour but eminently cookable plum as often found growing semi-wild as it is in a regimented orchard, and all the better for it. Part of the rose family and once a common fixture of the British menu, damsons have been out of favour for some time, but are now starting to make a comeback – and the big-name chefs are leading the way. Nigella calls them ‘glorious’, and she’s by no means alone. One reason damsons have often been forgotten, perhaps, is that they can be hard to tell apart from regular plums. Both are purplish-blue stone fruits with a thin white bloom, but damsons are more ovalshaped than the rounder regular plum, and generally with less of a grooved seam running the length of them. Cut them open and the flesh is different too: though they can be quite juicy, damsons are firmer and dryer than regular plums, which sounds unpromising but can have its advantages. For one thing, it makes them somewhat easier to de-stone (it can still be a pain, though), while the low water content is a boon for cooks, as they retain their shape well. Other plums can turn even the sturdiest pastry into a soggy mess, but not so the damson. The name comes from the Latin for ‘plum of Damascus’, and they were first brought to Britain by – guess who? – the Romans. Or, at least, that’s what everyone used to think. These days, that whole story is starting to look increasingly unlikely. Certainly, the sweet dessert plums described by the ancient Romans and Greeks would seem to have little in common with the modern British damson, and most experts now reckon it’s more likely to be a naturally occurring crossbreed between the sloe and the cherry plum. (Or even, simply, a spin-off of the sloe, with no cherry plum input at all.) It’s hard to be sure, but it seems like the British damson might actually be unique to these shores, noticeably different to the less pear-shaped fruit sometimes called damsons in France and Germany. Our version is particularly well-suited to the local countryside, creating tough hedges – they’re deliberately planted for this purpose in Kent and Shropshire – or windbreaks to protect less sturdy orchard trees. In the north of England, damsons were the only type of plum anyone ever bothered growing commercially, and not just for jam-making – though they were certainly used for that – but to provide dye for the textile factories of Cheshire and Worcestershire. (British khaki army uniforms used damson dye, we’re sometimes told, though solid evidence for this is pretty thin on the ground.) What we are sure about, though, is that after World War II British damson orchards fell into sharp decline – people went off them, especially as sugar was still
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rationed, and mouth-puckering, cheek-hollowing damsons need plenty of this to make them sweet enough to eat. But the damson wasn’t to be stopped and went rogue, thriving in woodlands and roadsides, riverbanks and hedgerows, allotments and waste ground, ignored by all except those lucky enough to stumble across them. These days they’re one of the forger’s best, easiest finds. Beyond being hardy, what’s the damson got going for it? Well, the looks are unusual: slightly pointed at one end, with dark blue, indigo or near-black skin and smooth yellow-green flesh. The main reason to get excited about them, though, is the distinctive flavour: rich, highly astringent – the skin is especially tart – but with an intriguing, glorious depth. Damson trees flower in April and bear fruit from late August through October – this is notably late in the year, which resulted in an ancient rhyme: “He who plants plums, plants for his sons. He who plants damsons, plants for his grandsons.” Despite what we said about the advantages of them being quite dry, you should actually look for as juicy a damson as possible, with firm flesh and no blemishes; they’ll keep for up to ten days in the fridge. Most varieties – and there aren’t actually that many damson cultivars; in 1900 under ten were recognised – are typically used for cooking or jam making, though some (like Merryweather) can be sweet enough to eat straight from the tree, as long as you allow them to get burstingly ripe or find a rare, especially sweet tree enjoying a sunny spot (one that, miraculously, has been left alone by birds and wasps). Other good types to look out for are the heavy-bearing Farleigh Damson and the well-regarded Shropshire Prune; you’ll occasionally find rarer, so-called ‘white damsons’ (actually with a greenish skin) too. It’s probably not worth removing the disproportionately large stones if you’re cooking things like jams, so just strain them out (along with the tannic skins) afterwards; they’re mildly toxic, yes, but also impart a subtle almond flavour. To add sweetness, caster sugar is often the default choice, though some prefer Demerara or muscovado sugar, the toffee flavour of the latter adding a particularly deep, rich flavour. Beyond a myriad sophisticated, wine-dark jams, damsons star in amazing crumbles and cobblers, sorbets and ice creams, pies and tarts. Damson fool is terrific – the creaminess a perfect foil for this punchy little fruit – but they can also be used in savoury dishes, doing especially well alongside fatty meats like duck, pork and lamb, perhaps in a casserole. In Europe there are regional specialities made with various broadly similar insititia plums, too – Slavic slivovitz, a distilled plum spirit, or quetschentaart, a fruit pie from Luxembourg – and people are always experimenting with damson-flavoured vodka or gin. (Made in a similar way to sloe gin, this needs less sugar – damsons, while tart, are much sweeter than sloes.) Brits of yesteryear used to be big on damson wine too, once considered nearly as good as port. Damson jelly, meanwhile, goes wonderfully well with cheese. The recipe’s simple, too: just fruit, water, an equal amount of sugar, some lemon juice to make it set, then simmer, strain and leave. As with so many sour fruits, once cooked and sweetened – and ease of cooking is one of this fruit’s joys – damsons surrender marvellously deep, intense flavours. This savage complexity is one of the unsung joys of autumn.
R E C I P E
THIS MONTH’S RECIPE FROM FREDDY BIRD MIGHT TAKE A WHILE (DID SOMEONE SAY 15 MONTHS?), BUT YOU’LL BE LEFT WITH A WINTER TIPPLE THAT’S WELL WORTH THE WAIT...
I enjoy a good damson jam, but can I be bothered with all that de-stoning malarkey? Not so much. My go-to recipe whenever I’ve picked or been given damsons is damson gin. It’s far less fiddly – and much more rewarding! As a kid the local pub’s sloe gin competition was always a source of much amusement – I remember one year a strategically placed late entry meant, due to the inebriation of the judges, that a Ribena and Gordon’s Gin combo won. Needless to say, as a youthful onlooker, I didn’t take much interest in infused gins for quite some time after that. This changed, though, after being offered what I thought was the most incredible drink on a cold winter shoot as a teenager. Damson gin quickly became a hobby – one that I’ve started to enjoy again recently. My dad, by way of keeping us occupied as kids, I can only presume, would get us to prick damsons or sloes with a sewing needle. Nowadays, I simply freeze them in bags then defrost; this breaks down the skin and the structure of the damson and has the same effect in terms of speeding up the infusion. With this simple recipe of ratios, you can make as much or as little as you like. The parts are measured by weight so if you have, say, 1kg damsons, you’ll need 500g caster sugar and 1½ltrs gin. Don’t go cheap on the gin, and make sure it’s 40% AVB or more.
DAMSON GIN 1 part sugar 2 parts fruit 3 parts gin 1 Freeze the damsons and then defrost. Put them in a large Kilner jar with the sugar and gin, and shake until all the sugar is dissolved. 2 Find somewhere out of direct sunlight to keep it (one family friend used to stash his in the loo – no, I never drank it – but I prefer to keep it next to the kettle) and give it a turn every day to agitate the mix. 3 Do this for 3 months, then strain the liquid into a bottle and leave to mature for a year. (I usually have a few glasses immediately, though!) The leftover damsons are great with a bit of ice cream. 4 To drink, there are plenty of damson gin cocktails out there, but I think it’s best from a hip flask on a cold day! Little French, 2b North View, Bristol BS6 7QB; 01179 706 276; littlefrench.co.uk
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Openings etc EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT
A new hotel and spa has launched in Bruton. The Newt is all about showcasing the best of Somerset, not only in its impressive, carefully conceived gardens (where you’ll find countless apple varieties growing, destined for the state-of-the-art cider press) but also in its restaurant. This 17th-century former family home is under the reign of the husband and wife behind South Africa’s famous venue and winery Babylonstoren, and there are many parallels between the two, not least in the gorgeously landscaped gardens, sustainability ethos and tasteful design. The carefully restored venue has contemporary style – glass has been used to add unobtrusive ceilings and walls – while retaining many markers of its history. The restaurant (part of which is encased in glass and bedecked with foliage and lanterns, to blend the outdoors with the in) focuses on allotment produce and great-quality meat. We ate lamb rump alongside roast cabbage with XO sauce and carrots with crispy lardo. thenewtinsomerset.com
INSIDE SCOOP
A new grocery shop has opened in Bristol. Joining the likes of Zero Green and Smaller Footprints, Scoop Wholefoods is about making the big shop more environmentally friendly. Here, you’ll find some competitively priced (thanks to the bulk buying the team do) organic and locally sourced foods, ranging from nuts, grains and flour to oils, condiments, herbs and spices. There’s also sourdough from Lievito, raw chocolates from AsRawAs, vegan puddings from Elspeth’s Kitchen and kombucha on tap from Bath Culture House. The shop is the creation of Stephie Mizzi, who, along with her partner, Rich Green, has collated a wealth of stock to meet all the needs of the weekly shop. Swing by to check it out – and don’t forget your containers. uk.scoopwholefoods.com
ROOM WITH A VIEW
Those who take the walk up to Clifton Observatory from the Village (perhaps with a few turns on the nearby rock slide on the way) will now be able to quench their thirst and grab a bite to eat at the new 360 Café up there. During the day there’s a selection of savoury snacks on offer from local suppliers including the Real Wrap Co, as well as delicious baked goods from Cakesmiths and ice cream from Marshfield. When the sun starts to set over the towers of the famous suspension bridge, the new café offers a selection of wines and beers – ideal for sipping as you take in the incredible panoramic sights from the viewing platform. cliftonobservatory.com
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collect their lunch or supper in a re-usable container or one of our tiffin boxes. I get a huge amount of pleasure, too, from growing vegetables for the café in fields just outside of Bristol.
New KId ON The BLOCK JOINED UP THINKING
Long-established Clifton Italian Rosemarino is starting a new chapter, having joined forces with the Hyde and Co group. The two teams will be putting their heads together in order to keep the much-loved gaff ahead of the culinary curve – a challenge that’s especially critical in Bristol, where the choice of restaurants is ever-growing. One of the first in the city to hop aboard the brunch wagon back in the day, this outfit intends to keep its established character while refining certain key details. The team have already started sprucing up the exterior (they’ll also be extending the alfresco dining space), and the interior will get some attention too. Meanwhile, the menu will also be refreshed, with brunch remaining a key component of the Rosemarino concept and being joined by new daytime offerings and deals. rosemarino.co.uk
LOOK, IT’S SONYA DEVI-CLARKE, OWNER OF THE VEGETABLE DIVA TAKEAWAY AND CAFÉ
What’s the idea behind the Vegetable Diva at Bristol’s Brandon Quay, then? It was born out of a desire to make delicious, healthy, vegetarian food, and to make it accessible for everyone. Offering takeaway and delivery, we are also packaging-free and zero waste. The industry is unsustainable in its current form – we want to make a difference. What gave you the idea? The unavailability of affordable nutritious food. Healthy food is often only accessible for those who can afford it. Eating healthily improves concentration and wellness, controls weight and helps with mental health issues. I want to show that food can be accessible, affordable, delicious and sustainable.
CHIPS AHOY!
If you’ve been missing those fond days of takeaways from The Scallop Shell since it stopped boxing up chips in order to focus on its restaurant, we have some great news for you. A sister takeaway, The Oyster Shell, is set to open on Moorland Road this month. (Fry-day suppers are saved!) It’s headed up by chef Dan Rosser, son of The Scallop Shell’s owners Garry and Lisa, who has returned to Bath after years of honing his skills with some big-name chefs like Mitch Tonks, Marco Pierre White and Nieves Barragan Mohacho. Like his chef dad Garry, Dan is focused on using the best quality potatoes, batter and fish that he can get, to make classic, down-to-earth fish and chips to restaurant standards. theoystershell.co.uk
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And what’s your background? I am a qualified nutritionist and have a masters in public health. These areas of study have really helped me to evaluate food, not only for taste but also for its nutritional and health values. I’ve worked in children’s teaching kitchens for Farm Link and in the Cook and Eat clubs. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction? Encouraging people to try new vegetables. I also love to see our customers returning to
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Impressive – what else can you tell us about the fruits of your green-fingered labour? Well, what was once a four-acre field of grazing land is now a thriving no-dig vegetable plot (this method of growing means the soil is bursting with beneficial organisms and microbes) and orchard, supplying the café with diverse, great-quality, chemical-free ingredients for our recipes. How would you describe the food offering? We serve a variety of different freshly prepared dishes – from salads to curries, tagines, quiches and wraps – and our menus change regularly. Talk us through your current menu highlights. I love the Mumbai burger, which is based on pau baji, sold by street vendors in Mumbai. Our large Indian-spiced potato patty is encased in a bhaji batter and served with kimchi, tomato chutney or coriander and mint chutney in a brioche bun. What are your favourite ingredients right now? I am loving using beetroot – the whole thing – making pesto from the leaves, sautéing the stalks and roasting the beetroot, and combining all of these elements into a delicious salad. Our philosophy is no waste, and that means using the whole of each vegetable. What, for you, makes the local food scene so great? Bristol has some very imaginative and creative restaurants that are fabulous sources of inspiration. There are really supportive people here willing to help, and loyal and supportive customers who really appreciate the service we are offering. thevegetablediva.com
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hIP ShOPS
TOPPING AND COMPANY BOOKSELLERS WHAT: BOOKS (OBVS) WHERE: THE PARAGON, BATH BA1 5LS WHEN: MON-SUN 8.30AM-7.30PM
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aber Khan and Kathleen Smith have been running this indie Bath bookshop for 12 years, ever since it first opened its doors. And boy, do they have history with books. They both started out selling them at Waterstones – way back when the shops were owned by Tim Waterstone himself. It was here that Kathleen met Roger Topping – she was the art buyer at the Deansgate branch that Roger managed, and ended up running the cookery section (“I don’t think I could really cook before that – it’s how I learnt,” she says). When the chain of bookshops was sold to a larger company it became more corporate, so Robert Topping left and went to work at London’s indie Pan Bookshop, where Saber was also peddling pages. Robert went on to set up Topping and Company Booksellers in Ely in 2002 and the Bath branch followed in 2007. He called on Saber and Kathleen to run the Bath outfit, which they agreed to – despite neither of
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them having ever foreseen such a move in their future. “I had no intention of ending up as a bookseller, but when you work with Robert, something just catches,” says Kathleen. “And I was happy in London,” continues Saber. “I really didn’t think I’d ever move. But then I spent the day in Bath and just fell in love with it.” Kathleen takes charge of the food and drink section – and has curated a sizeable collection of culinary tomes. A core selection of classics from the likes of Michael Pollan, Harold McGee, Elizabeth David, Madhur Jaffrey and Jane Grigson is joined by an everevolving range of contemporary titles. “We roll with interests and developments in the food world,” she says, “so where our vegan collection used to be a tiny cluster of books at the end of the vegetarian section, it now takes up three whole shelves.” Of course, the team here have seen the popularity of countless different ingredients, cuisine types and chefs ebb and flow over time – and this is as apparent in their author events as their book sales. (They often host talks, tastings and even suppers – where the bookshop is turned into a restaurant for the evening – with all kinds of cookery authors, from the high-profile likes of Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigel Slater to lesser-known names and newcomers to the scene.) “When we first opened we had an event with Mary Berry,” says Kathleen. “I cooked lunch and she bought traybakes. There were about 40 people there. Next time she came, after the first series of Bake Off, we were in a theatre with an audience of 300.” Middle Eastern-style cookery is a huge trend that the shop has witnessed take off over recent years – Sabrina Ghayor’s Persiana was especially influential in this, says Kathleen. Straightforward, fuss-free cookery also maintains its long-standing appeal. “The Roasting Tin books by Rukmini Lyer have been bestsellers for ages,” Kathleen says. “They appeal to the way we all want to cook. Oven to table. Simple, quick, tasty.” Just a couple of the incoming volumes that Kathleen and Saber are excited about for the autumn are Fuchsia Dunlop’s The Food of Sichuan and Greenfeast: Autumn, Winter by Nigel Slater – both of which are out in October, and both authors are hosting events at the bookshop in the same month. toppingbooks.co.uk
A country pub in the time-honoured tradition; a place to eat, drink and sleep.
PIZZA WEDNESDAYS Wood Fired Pizzas. 2 pizzas for £15 Wednesdays 5.30pm – 7.30pm* *weather permitting
STEAK NIGHT Two Steaks, Skinny Chips, Peppercorn Sauce, Watercress Salad & a Bottle of White or Red Wine £36 Tuesdays 6.30pm – 8.30pm
The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay, Bath BA2 7EG 01225 833504 | info@wheatsheafcombehay.com | www.wheatsheafcombehay.com
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In the Larder
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SIPS + SNaCKS
BECAUSE YOU CAN’T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER, RIGHT? 1 Exmoor Distillery Northmoor Gin, £35/70cl Made in rural Somerset, this gin was born just a year ago and is infused with hand-picked botanicals such as coriander, angelica root, grains of paradise, lemon, cinnamon, rowanberries and kaffir lime leaves. It packs a punch to the tune of 44% ABV while retaining a smoothness and versatility that means it can be sipped simply with ice, as well as with the usual tonic or as part of a cocktail. Buy online, direct from the distillery. exmoordistillery.co.uk 2 Sea Arch Non-Alcoholic Distilled Spirit, £24.95/70cl Non-alcoholic drinks are a still-growing trend and this gin-inspired drink offers a nice
alternative to ABV-free beer and wine. It’s made using sea kelp, juniper berries, cardamom, cucumber, grapefruit and blood orange. Each botanical is distilled, then the alcohol removed, making for a crisp, refreshing tipple which, when served with tonic, tastes just like a G and T. Buy online from the South West distillery’s website. notginltd.com 3 The Drinks Bakery Drinks Biscuits, £15.60/8 x 36g These little savoury biscuits aren’t just made with drinks casually in mind – each of the four different flavours has been created specifically to enjoy with different sips, like gin, wine and beer. (If you’re wondering why this concept rings a bell, you
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might have seen the biz appear on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den.) We’ve munched on the pecorino, rosemary and seaweed bites with a gin and tonic, the punchy saline echoing the crispness of the drink. Buy online. thedrinksbakery.com 4 Gosnells Mead, £2.70/330ml That stuff you’ve seen people in tights drinking in medieval films? It’s a tasty tipple made with fermented honey and water and often infused with spices, fruits and hops. Gosnells of London is reinventing this drink known as mead for the 21st century and, by Jove, it’s a sweet little treat. There are four flavours in the range, including hopped, sour, and hibiscus varieties which we’ve been slurping on as
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sweet summer thirst-quenchers. Available from Independent Spirit of Bath. independentspiritofbath.co.uk 5 Made for Drink Duck Fritons, £15/6 x 30g Sort of like pork scratchings (we’ve got your attention now, haven’t we?), these duck fritons are based on a French delicacy and are made from duck skin that would otherwise be wasted, from South West farm, Creedy Carver. The skins are cured in Dorset Sea Salt and cooked ’til crisp for a rich-tasting result intended for enjoyment alongside an IPA or similar sip. The range also includes chorizo thins and salami chips, and can be bought online madefordrink.com
Enjoy Modern British Cuisine in a relaxed friendly atmosphere alongside a range of craft ales, cocktails and selection of wines. Join us for lunch Tuesday to Friday 12–2.30pm and enjoy 2 courses for £19.50, 3 courses for £22.50 from our set lunch menu. Now offering our 7 course tasting menu £55.00 per person.
14 Silver Street, Bradford On Avon, BA15 1JY Telephone: 01225 938088 Email: maylee@thebunchofgrapes.com
www.thebunchofgrapes.com
BOOK OF THE MONTH
THERE IS NOT ONLY A HORDE OF NEW RECIPES TO BE MADE IN THIS MONTH’S BATCH OF BOOKS, BUT NEW TECHNIQUES TO BE LEARNED AND NEW APPROACHES TO COOKING… A FLASH IN THE PAN
SOUR
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This new tome from the ever-likeable Great British Bake Off champ John Whaite comes seven years after his televised triumph – evidence that he’s not just gifted in the realm of competitive baking. Indeed this, the 30-year-old’s fifth book, has nothing to do with baking, instead focusing on simple but flavoursome dishes that can be made without fuss on the stovetop. You can do a lot with a pan and a hob ring, he reckons, and certainly presents a solid argument with a strong collection of recipes. Nothing takes more than 45 minutes here, which, coupled with the minimal equipment requirements and often-concise ingredients lists, promises a new breed of convenience food. Macaroni cheese frittata has barely 10 ingredients and only three steps, while the simple-enough aubergine katsu curry is, give or take, as tricky as it gets. There are pan-to-table meals for one too, and new incarnations of oven classics (hey there, frying pan lasagne) as well as tempting puds. JESSICA CARTER
This is some book: with its acid green cover and lemon-sharp title pages, it celebrates “the magical element that transforms your cooking” in a most striking and entertaining fashion. Mark Diacono is a professional food writer rather than a chef, and it shows – his intros to each dish are full of delightfully unexpected references to everything from Singing in the Rain to Bristol restaurant Flinty Red and actor Peter Lorre, making this a book you’ll want to read in one sitting. It doesn’t hurt that the subject matter – kefir and kombucha, sourdough and pickles, vinegars and shrubs, escabeche and ceviche – is so fascinating. While there’s plenty of science and technique, most of the book is given over to beautifully shot recipes: gooseberry and sage focaccia, lime pickle chicken with kosambari ’slaw, Sussex pond pudding, each more tempting than the last. Mark’s A Taste of the Unexpected won the Guild of Food Writers’ Food Book of the Year in 2011 and we can see this one troubling the judges too. MATT BIELBY
Award-winning vegetarian cookbook author and the Guardian’s New Vegan columnist, Meera Sodha sure knows her way around an edible plant. Her newest recipe collection is made up of 120 vegetarian and vegan dishes, some from her column, some new, and all inspired by the cookery from Eastern regions such as India, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia. The aim is not to convince anyone to go vegan, it feels, but simply help us to get more plants onto our plates. These are approachable recipes with manageable cook times, widely available ingredients and accompanying imagery that sings with colour. Organised into 12 chapters – including curries, snacks, noodles and condiments – the recipes range from hearty plates, like autumn pilau with squash and smoked garlic, to fun snacks like mushroom bao and comforting dinners along the lines of white miso ramen with tofu and asparagus. I’m all over the Sichuan chilli oil, and honey, soy and ginger-braised tofu.
John Whaite (Kyle Books, £20)
Mark Diacono (Quadrille, £25)
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Meera Sodha (Fig Tree, £20)
JESSICA CARTER
S T A R T E R S
THE WHOLE FISH COOKBOOK
Josh Niland (Hardie Grant, £25) It’s hardly rare for a cookbook to come festooned with recommendations from peers, of course, but those surrounding young Aussie chef Josh Niland’s first effort are exceptionally gushing: “a genius,” says Nigella; “a mind-blowing masterpiece,” says Jamie; “a game-changer,” says Outlaw. Josh once worked at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck, but now runs two Sydney institutions: the fish restaurant Saint Peter and, perhaps even more significantly, The Fish Butchery, a unique sustainable fishmonger where they push nose-to-tail eating. What’s got everyone so excited are dishes like glazed fish throats, fried scales, milt mortadella (a sausage made of mackerel sperm) and fish-eye crisps. That might make it sound interesting but, well, not for you – a feeling exacerbated by copious references to little known Oz species like hapuka and striped trumpeter – except that the techniques and approaches are so universal. Josh wants us all eating more fish and challenges everything we thought we knew about it. MATT BIELBY
ROASTS
Laura Mason (National Trust Books, £16.99) There’s a sense of ceremony that surrounds a roast. And with meat needing to be treated more as an infrequent luxury than an everyday commodity, it’s likely that this feeling of occasion will only become greater. Luckily, this new book, dedicated to that most ceremonial of British meals, is all about making the most of it. As with skinning cats, there are more ways than one to roast a joint (think of all the possibilities with aromatics, stuffing and marinating) and that’s before we even get started on the choice of joints themselves. Chapters are arranged by meat and include Sunday lunch mainstays like beef, chicken and lamb, but also the more experimental likes of mutton (roast leg with anchovies and orange peel, anyone?), quail (roasted, with vine leaves and grapes, for instance) and game (venison with port and redcurrant jelly), as well as festive turkey and goose. Recipes for leftovers (pilaf, ragu, broth) make sure that none of that precious meat goes to waste, either. JESSICA CARTER
AUBERGINE LARB WITH STICKY RICE AND A SHALLOT AND PEANUT SALAD There is something primally delicious about larb, a salad from Laos in which the dressing is king. Larb is sweet, sour, salty, bitter and has bags of umami. This recipe is based on one I ate at Supawan in King’s Cross, London, one of the finest Thai restaurants I’ve ever visited. A food processor or spice grinder will make quick work of grinding the peanuts, but you can also crush them with a pestle and mortar. SERVES 4 350g Thai sticky (or glutinous) rice 4 medium aubergines (250g each) rapeseed oil 2 tbsp palm sugar 1 ½ limes, juice only (for 2 tbsp) 2½ tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp tamarind paste 1 ½ bird’s eye chillies, very finely chopped For the salad: 3 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 large shallots (200g), halved lengthways and finely sliced 40g peanuts, ground large handful coriander, finely chopped 40 Thai basil leaves, finely chopped ½ bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped 1 lime, juice only (for 1 tbsp)
1 Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Put the rice into a sieve, rinse it well under the cold tap, then cover with cold water in a bowl and leave to soak for 20 minutes. 2 In the meantime, cut the aubergines in half lengthways and score a criss-cross pattern on the cut sides. Brush all over with oil and put cut side up on two baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, brush the cut side with more oil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until creamy inside. 3 Meanwhile, make the rice and the salad. Drain the rice, put it in a lidded saucepan, cover with 520ml cold water and add ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting and simmer for 15 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked. Cover with the lid, and leave to stand for at least 10 minutes. 4 To make the salad, heat the oil in a small frying pan on a medium flame and fry the shallots for around 20 minutes, until brown and crisp. Take off the heat and stir in the ground peanuts, herbs, chillies and lime juice. Season with salt (a scant ½ tsp). 5 To make the larb dressing, put the palm sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, tamarind paste and chilli in a small saucepan with 8 tbsp water. Heat, stirring, until the sugar melts, then take off the heat, taste and add up to ½ tsp of salt, if need be. 6 To serve, put a flat mound of rice on each plate, layer over two aubergine halves, pour on the dressing and sprinkle the salad on top. Recipe from East by Meera Sodha (Fig Tree, £20); photography by David Loftus
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CHEF! WHAT TO MAKE AND HOW TO MAKE IT – DIRECT FROM THE KITCHENS OF OUR FAVOURITE FOODIES
The creamy, versatile flesh inside a coconut is great for savoury and sweet dishes
HIGHLIGHTS
24 RABBIT HOLE MAKE THE MOST OF THIS PLENTIFUL GAME MEAT IN A NEO-KIEV
27 CURRY CLUB
THIS SPICED PUMPKIN CURRY IS SPOT-ON FOR THE NEW SEASON
28 RUMP IT UP
LAMB RUMP HAS MADE SOME NEW FRIENDS IN THIS CREATIVE DISH
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WeST IN ShOW TOM WESTERLAND IS BRINGING BACK A PUNGENT ’80S BITE – AND GIVING IT SOME SERIOUS STYLE
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C H E F !
Tom Westerland (better known as Westy to the team) is the award-winning head chef of The Brasserie at Lucknam Park. This is Lucknam Park’s more casual restaurant – Restaurant Hywel Jones being the fine-dining option there – which offers relaxed, all-day dining with fulllength windows giving diners views out onto the walled gardens. Tom is all about simple but skilled dishes with bold flavours and loves a bit of fire cooking, often putting barbecued food on his menus. He won the title of National Chef of Wales last year and has also recently competed in the BBC’s Great British Menu (so you may recognize him from the telly). In fact, this recipe includes elements from Tom’s dish named ‘Top of the Crops’, which he cooked on the programme. You can ask your butcher to prepare the rabbit for you – you want it cut into loin and legs, with the bones and sinew removed.
RABBIT KIEV WITH PICKLED VEGETABLES SERVES 4 AS A STARTER For the Kiev: 2 garlic bulbs 250g unsalted butter (room temperature) 4 tbsp tarragon, chopped 1 whole rabbit vegetable oil for deep-frying, plus extra 100g plain flour 2 eggs (whisked) 150g panko breadcrumbs 1 slice white bread 2 tbsp tarragon, chopped For the pickled vegetables: 200ml cider vinegar 200ml sweet cider 200ml olive oil 200ml water 1 cinnamon stick 10 coriander seeds
10 white peppercorns sugar, to taste 8 baby turnips (with the leaves) 4 baby heritage carrots (with the leaves) 4 baby beetroot (cooked) 4 baby candy beetroot (cooked) 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. 2 Wrap the garlic bulbs in foil with a pinch of salt. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, until soft. 3 Remove from the oven and unwrap from the foil. When cool enough to handle, cut off the root end of the garlic and squeeze the soft garlic into a food processor. Add the soft butter and 2 tbsp of the tarragon, and blend until smooth and green. 4 Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and transfer the butter to a piping bag. Pipe it onto the greaseproof paper into small balls, about 25g each (weigh the first one so you get an idea of size). Place in the fridge to set. 5 If you have a whole rabbit, remove the legs and loin, getting rid of any sinew from the
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loin and bones from the legs. Chop the meat into small pieces and mix with the remaining chopped tarragon. Using a mincer or blender, process the rabbit into a coarse mince. Place it into a mixing bowl. 6 Once all the rabbit is minced, place the bread into the mincer (or blender) and process. Add to the meat mix then season and beat until smooth. 7 Brush two sheets of greaseproof paper with vegetable oil. Pour the rabbit onto one piece and place the other on top. Roll flat with a rolling pin until you achieve a 3mm thickness. Remove the top sheet of greaseproof paper and cut circles big enough to cover the garlic butter. Place one ball of garlic butter in the middle of each rabbit circle and wrap the meat around the butter until you achieve a round ball with no gaps. 8 Finish the Kiev by rolling it in the flour, the eggs and then the panko breadcrumbs. Store in the fridge until required. 9 For the pickled vegetables, place all of the liquid ingredients into a large pan along with the spices and sugar, to make the pickling liquor. Place on a moderate heat and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes. 10 Peel the baby vegetables, reserving the green tops from the carrots and turnips for the garnish. Place all of the peeled vegetables in separate pans. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt then bring to the boil before removing from the heat and leaving to cool down in the cooking water, to ensure they keep their individual flavour and cook through. 11 Once cool, drain the vegetables and place into separate jars. Bring the pickling liquor back up to the boil and divide it between all the jars to cover the vegetables. Seal the jars and set aside until required. (I recommend using straight away for the recipe, but you can store any leftovers for up to 6 weeks.) 12 When ready to eat, preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C, or warm vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan to the same temperature. Carefully add the Kievs to the oil and cook for 6 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden and the meat is cooked through. When ready, remove each and leave to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. 13 Place a Kiev in the middle of each plate, and garnish with the baby vegetables and reserved green tops.
Lucknam Park, Colerne SN14 8AZ; 01225 742 777; lucknampark.co.uk
ARJ CHOCOLATE Delicately handmade chocolates
Now taking orders for Christmas 2019! We have a wide variety of products to offer from advent calendars to chocolate tables at events. We also supply chocolates to restaurants and businesses - please enquire about this. ê ê ê ê ê
Advent calendars Chocolate bars Monthly subscription boxes Stocking fillers Table decorations
ê Chocolate making kits ê 6, 12, and 24 Chocolate Selection boxes ê Chocolate tables for events ê And so much more
Everything at ARJ Chocolate is handmade and hand packed to a high standard. All made locally near Bath. Please visit our website to find out details of fairs and events we are attending.
www.arjchocolate.co.uk | 0785040896
C H E F !
LamB FINe FANCY SPRUCING UP YOUR SUNDAY LAMB? CHRIS CLEGHORN HAS JUST THE DISH…
The Olive Tree sits inside the Queensberry Hotel, and is Bath’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. Head chef Chris Cleghorn has been at the helm in the kitchen for more than six years now, honing the imaginative menus and building his gaff’s reputation. At the heart of this dish is a great-quality lamb rump, flavoured by its layer of fat, which Chris says is best cooked medium rare (use a probe thermometer to check the temperature – it should be at 65C). The accompaniments, though, are far from lamb’s average plate fellows: gem lettuce (which takes on a new flavour and texture when cooked) and mint oil (a novel alternative to the traditional herb sauce). The tang of the yoghurt and punch of the anchovy and caper berries, meanwhile, cut through the rich unctuousness of that lamb rump.
WILTSHIRE LAMB RUMP WITH GEM LETTUCE, ANCHOVIES, YOGHURT AND MINT SERVES 2 15g mint leaves 150g blended rapeseed oil, plus extra for frying 1 x 140g lamb rump large head of gem lettuce 3 anchovy fillets (tinned, in oil) 2 tbsp sheep’s yoghurt small handful baby caper berries 1 For the mint oil, add the mint leaves and rapeseed oil to a pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until it reaches 80C, then blend in a liquidiser for 30 seconds. Pass through a sieve and allow to cool. 2 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. 3 To prep the lamb, remove the skin from the fat on the top and remove any excess sinew from the flesh side. Tie the meat with 2 pieces of string about 2cm apart to help it hold its shape while cooking. 4 Warm an oven-proof pan on the hob with 2 tbsp blended rapeseed oil over a mediumhigh heat. Season the meat and place it in
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the pan, fat side down. Cook, turning every 2 minutes until golden brown. 5 Place the lamb into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until it reaches 65C for medium-rare. When cooked, allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes on a wire rack before removing the string. 6 Turn the oven down to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. 7 Wash the lettuce in a bowl of cold water and drain well. Cut the head in half lengthways and season with salt. Heat a nonstick oven-proof pan over a medium-high heat with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil. Pan-fry both halves, cut side down, until golden and then place the pan into the oven for 5 minutes. Place one half of the lettuce on each plate. 8 Cut the anchovies in half and top the lettuce with them. Add a tbsp of yoghurt on the side, using the back of a spoon to make a well. Add the mint oil to the well and finish with the baby capers. Finally, carve the lamb into 2 and add to the plates.
The Olive Tree, The Queensberry Hotel, 4-7 Russell Street, Bath BA1 2QF; 01225 447928; olivetreebath.co.uk
C H E F !
FAT SISTER PUMPKIN CURRY SERVES 6 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 medium red onions, finely sliced 2 sprigs curry leaves 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced 3 long green chillies, sliced ½ tsp black mustard seeds, ground ½ tsp fenugreek seeds 1kg pumpkin, cut into cubes, skin left on 1 tsp seeded mustard 2 tbsp dark roasted curry powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 500ml coconut milk 2 tbsp short-grain rice 100g fresh coconut
aLRIGhT, PUmPKIN?
PRAVEEN THANGIAH IS WELCOMING THE ONSET OF AUTUMN WITH THIS CREAMY PUMPKIN CURRY... Born just up the M5 from us in Cheltenham, The Coconut Tree has opened two Bristol sites in the past year, one on Cheltenham Road and another on the Triangle. Both have proved popular amongst the city’s residents – thanks, we bet, to their casual style, affordable dishes and imaginative cocktails.
Praveen, more commonly known amongst the Coconut Tree family as Big Chef, is the man behind most of the restaurant’s favourite dishes. He loves eating this pumpkin number with the black pork and rotti from The Coconut Tree menu. If you’re making it at home, it’s great with rice or flatbread.
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1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion, curry leaves, garlic and green chilli. Fry for 5 minutes, until the onions are golden brown, then add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and continue frying for another 5 minutes. 2 Toss the pumpkin in a bowl with the seeded mustard and ground spices and season with salt. Add to the pan along with the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover. 3 Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the rice and coconut until brown and fragrant (about 10 minutes). Grind to a powder in a mortar or blender. 4 Add the ground rice and coconut powder to the curry. 5 Season the curry with salt and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is cooked – soft but still holding its shape. Serve with rice or flatbread.
The Coconut Tree, 237 -239 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5QP; 2 Byron Place, Bristol BS8 1JT; thecoconut-tree.com
Tel: 07854239926 info@cliftonwineschool.com
A very warm welcome to Clifton Wine School! We are a local wine school hosting events in Bristol and Bath. Choose from our Cheese and Wine Matching night, a Fine Wine tasting, Wines of the World evening courses, Gin tasting, and so much more. We also do unforgettable hen parties and corporate events. We don’t sell wine, we sell confidence in wine knowledge from a DipWSET qualified teacher.
You can purchase any course or tasting as a Wine School Gift Voucher starting from ÂŁ25 the perfect present for any wine lovers!
Proud Crumbs Award Finalist 2019! + Crumbs Award Winner 2018!
www.cliftonwineschool.com
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Teignworthy Brewery, The Maltings, Teign Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 4AA Telephone (Office) 01626 332066 www.teignworthybrewery.com
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IT’S OU SECTION, DERDINECAWTE TO ALL THINGS D SUPPABLE
I DRINK, THEREFORE I AM
RUM AND RUMMER WE GET A LOCAL BAR’S TAKE ON THE CLASSIC PIÑA COLADA, IDEAL FOR SQUEEZING OUT THE LAST FEW DROPS OF SUMMER WITH...
IN CASE YOU haven’t heard, rum is having a bit of a moment. While nothing is about to topple gin from the most coveted spot on the backbar, rum is very much gaining momentum on the bar and spirits scene, with interesting small-batch creations growing in number and making the variety more intriguing. Specialising in this tropical spirit is Fidel Rum Bar in Bath – a cosy little hangout hidden down a skinny street off Upper Borough Walls. The backbar here showcases an extensive collection of rums, which the staff are super-knowledgeable about and mix into some top-notch cocktails – like this classic Piña Colada. “Don Q Gold is the original rum used to create the Piña Colada, so we’ve stuck to tradition and carried on using the original whilst giving it a little Fidel twist with Aluna Coconut Rum,” says manager Ricky Simms. “Aluna is a Bath company and the rum is infused with coconut water and contains less sugar than Malibu or Koko Kanu.” Piña Colada 30ml Don Q Gold 25ml Aluna Coconut Rum 50ml fresh pineapple juice 5ml lime juice 15ml sugar syrup 25ml coconut cream pineapple wedge, to garnish pineapple leaf, to garnish cherry, to garnish ice Add the rums, pineapple juice, lime juice, sugar syrup and coconut cream to a shaker. Shake the ingredients together for 10-15 seconds, then pour into a hurricane glass with ice. Garnish with a pineapple leaf, pineapple wedge and cherry on the top. facebook.com/fidelbath
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ThE dRIP FEEd NEWS + BREWS + BARS + TRENDS
JUST BREW IT
Cold Brew is hot, right? It’s everywhere lately – being sipped out on the streets, mixed into cocktails in bars and standing in for its traditional heated cousin in coffee shops. It’s no surprise, then, that premium cold brew brands are also proliferating – perhaps the newest of which being Bottleshot, which launched just this summer. Inspired by New Orleans (a city that’s been significant in cold brew’s rise to fame), each drink contains the same kick as a double espresso (this is real wake-up-juice) but the Arabica beans give a refreshing, smoother, more mellow taste than your usual shot. Find it at Babington House, or buy online. bottleshotbrew.com
MY L OC A L
A MIXER-UPPER
The end of the month is bringing with it Bristol’s very first Cocktail Weekend. The liquid celebrations – 27-29 September – are about sipping on top-notch concoctions and discovering new watering holes all over the city. Special wristbands (available for 10 of your English pounds) will allow the wearer to try the specially created cocktails that participating bars have come up with for £4 a pop. (Venues include The Lost and Found, The Gold Bar and Flipside.) Wristbands can be bought online and picked up at Hotel du Vin in the city centre – head to the pop-up gin bar there and get cracking with the festivities with a G and T. cocktailweekend.co.uk
WHEN NOYA PAWLYN ISN’T COOKING HER ACE VIETNAMESE FOOD, SHE’S HANGING OUT HERE, ADMIRING THE PLANTS… My local is The White Hart in Widcombe, Bath. The vibe in three words is relaxed, social, escape. I’m drinking a cold, crisp dry white wine. And to nibble on I’ll have some seafood, like the
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HOT PINK
South West wine producer Furleigh Estate recently released a brand new vino. Called Sea Pink, this rosé is deep pink in colour – a departure from the pale hue we’ve seen favoured of late – and is one to get on the go while the sun is still with us. Its ripe red fruit flavours are synonymous with this time of year (you’ll likely pick up on the English summertime flavours of strawberry and cherry, for instance), although co-owner Rebecca Hansford also notes more exotic hints of pomegranate and the like. Made in Dorset, this is best served very chilled, we found, and can be bought at Novel Wines, Wolf Wine and Le Vignoble. furleighestate.co.uk
monkfish and king prawn skewers. (I hardly cook fish at home, but love it!) You’ll find me sitting outside on a sunny day, feeling like I’m on holiday. It’s not all about the food and drink, though; this place’s trump card is the Mediterranean-styled walled garden with mature flowering trees, pots and climbers on the walls. There is sometimes even live music happening in a corner of the garden too,
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which creates a great upbeat vibe out there. If I was to steal something from the pub I’d take cuttings from their plants to grow in Noya’s Kitchen’s courtyard garden. (You can tell I’m just a bit envious...) Basically, you should try my local because on a sunny day you can be well fed and watered in the loveliest, most relaxing oasis. whitehartbath.co.uk
W H A T
NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD BARS
(the newest version of which has just been launched) is less tongue-in-cheek and more pared back. You won’t find musings on drinks, abstract concepts or long ingredients lists, just a dozen concoctions and four nonalcoholic versions with straight-up descriptions – no tooth fairy tears or unicorn horn infusions in sight. Regularly rotating draught cocktails are also on the go – this is not a place afraid of an on-tap Piña Colada. The Lychee Martini (£8.50) is a subtle twist on the original, with gin, lychee and pandan leaf-infused home-carbonated water, and orange blossom to bring out the hero flavours. It’s gently aromatic, very subtly floral and has a soft tang. Good stuff. The Absinthe Frappe (£8) proves nothing to be afraid of. The slushy-style drink, which arrives with a tuft of mint and glass straw poking out the top, is more mellow than expected, the anise flavour but a graceful whisper among the freshness of mint and melonade. Designated Dave sips on a Palomarita (£6), which is lovely and grassy with ABV-free Seedlip Garden spirit and zingy with grapefruit and lime sherbet, and Ting. The best mocktail I’ve tasted. (Okay, I don’t drink them often, but it really was a corker.) To soak all that up, you could do worse than the chicken tikka nugs (£5), with their coarse and crunchy crumb coating and generous mango chutney dip (if you aren’t craving them right now, I despair), or the buffalo cauliflower (£3.50), with florets thickly coated in gently spicy buffalo sauce. There are plenty of great Bristol bars, but this one is quickly carving out its niche as a real laidback, social hangout with quality drinks and stomach-liners.
FILTHY XIII
JESSICA CARTER DIDN’T GO OUT INTENDING TO JUMP ABOARD THE ABSINTHE EXPRESS, BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO ROLL WITH IT, RIGHT?
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any occasions call for cocktails: birthdays, long-overdue get-togethers, and any and all Fridays spring to mind initially. But what about simply hump day? Or a rainy walk home from work, when you could do with a stiff drink and a couple of minutes under a hand dryer? The latter are just as valid as any celebration and are the kinds of scenarios that new bar Filthy XIII is, in part, geared towards. Sure, the cool, urban interior, with its glass-shaded pendant lights, marble-top tables and impressive mirrored backbar is a great setting for the more distinguished of occasions, but it also has a casual, inviting vibe – just what you want for those rant-about-your-crap-Wednesday-at-work drinks. Filthy XIII (they also write it ‘Filthy Thirteen’) was opened in March by Ben Alcock – the guy behind HMSS in Clifton, known for its sense of humour, crazy garnishes and skilled mixology. The new outfit – staffed by a team with serious local pedigree – also steers clear of taking itself too seriously. That said, the menu here
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Filthy XIII, 208 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5QU; filthyxiii.com
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Left to right: Michael Kennedy, Ross Gibbens, our Andy and Ben Porter
THE WINE GUY
LEttUCE EAt! NO GRAPES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF ANDY CLARKE’S LATEST COLUMN – HE’S DITCHED THE WINE FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE HOPPIER...
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n a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, a friend suggested meeting for an afternoon beer. Not my usual tipple, I thought, but I can always have a cider. When I found out we were meeting at a Bristol-based brewery, though, I realised I’d have to embrace my inner hop-lover and go a bit off-piste from my usual sips. Visiting Wiper and True’s taproom that afternoon was a revelation and I grew rather fond of the local brews. It really got me thinking about the potential of beer and food matching, so I’ve (temporarily) shunned wine this month in favour of my new muse. But, to make a successful food and beer match, I needed a bloody good recipe to play with. Enter the team at newly revamped Severnshed, the restaurant housed in a former boat shed designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunell, which has one of the best views in Bristol. This waterside stalwart of the local food scene
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has been a restaurant for two decades but was one that I hadn’t visited in years. I’d heard, though, that it was entering something of a new chapter, with the team from former Clifton restaurant Wellbourne having taken the helm... The trio of executive chef Ross Gibbens, head chef Michael Kennedy (both formerly of Dabbous in London) and general manager Ben Porter (who worked with Jason Atherton at Pollen Street Social) are together again, working their magic on a restaurant I hadn’t been to in 16 years. Suitably impressed with the menu and its focus on local ingredients, I asked Ross and Michael to come up with a recipe that celebrates their style of cooking and gives a nod to the summer now drawing to an end. The charred allotment baby gem with feta, golden linseed and lemon balm dressing that the boys have created is something quite special. Its bright flavours and intriguing textures are a delight and, happily, perfect with pale ale. In particular, Wiper and True’s Kaleidoscope, which, as of mid-September, is newly available in smart-looking cans, as well as bottles. The nose of this local brew has hints of lemon and candy floss which leads into a bright citrus character that’s fantastic with the dressing of lemon balm and lemongrass. It’s best friends with feta on the tongue, and the frothy, sherbert-like texture of the beer is wonderful with the crunch of the baby gem and crispy shallots. If you’re not into beer and suspect you won’t have a Kaleidoscope Pale Ale, hop-led epiphany circa £3 for a 440ml can any time soon, then from the Wiper and True my second match brewery in St Werburghs; might be more up wiperandtrue.com your street – it comes At The Hop #8, from the Aladdin’s £4.99 for a 500ml bottle cave of booze known from Bristol Cider Shop; as Bristol Cider Shop. bristolcidershop.co.uk As well as my beloved cider, Pete Snowman and the team sell perry – a much-underappreciated thirst-quencher made from pears – and I’ve found a cracking example by maker Tom Oliver. At The Hop #8 is made using Tom’s own Herefordshire pears. Once the drink has been fermented, it is infused with USA Simcoe hops, giving it a unique beer-like charm. Initially, the nose is hoppy, but this subsides to give ripe, ripe pears and caramelised sugar. The taste is mouth-wateringly unique with a delicate fizz, reminiscent of a freshly poured lager, with a slight taste of fruit beer mixed with a dash of floral charm. It’s delicious with the fresh, clean baby gem and that lemony dressing, and the hoppiness gives way to a zesty hit of citrus and sweet orchard fruit which complements the tang of the feta perfectly. Both drinks are the ultimate sundowner for autumn.
DRINK UP!
Andy Clarke is a freelance food TV producer, follow him on Twitter @tvsandyclarke; one4thetable.com
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CHARRED ALLOTMENT BABY GEM LETTUCE WITH FETA AND LEMON BALM DRESSING SERVES 4 8g sugar 20g lemongrass, smashed with a rolling pin and finely chopped 2g of vitamin C powder (available at health shops) 10g lemon verbena (dried or fresh) ½ lemon (zest and juice) 10ml white wine vinegar 150g feta, plus extra to serve 100g olive oil 10g mint leaves 10g flat leaf parsley 15g lemon balm leaf, plus extra to serve 3g salt 200g sunflower oil 4 baby gem lettuces 2 large banana shallots 30g cornflour golden linseed, to serve 1 For the lemon balm dressing, add the sugar, lemongrass and vitamin C powder (this adds acidic vibrancy and helps maintain the dressing’s green colour), and pour in 300ml water. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Then add the lemon verbena and infuse for a further 5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, then add the lemon juice and zest and the white wine vinegar. 2 For the dressing, blend the feta, olive oil, mint, parsley, lemon balm, salt and 100ml of the sunflower oil together with the infusion (there should be 200ml of it) until smooth and emulsified into a mayonnaise-like consistency. Set aside.
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3 Trim the roots off the lettuces, then wash and dry them well. Cut each evenly in half, from the root to the tip. 4 Heat the grill to high (or fire up a barbecue). Grill the flat side of the lettuces, cooking until nice and charred (about 2 minutes). Then remove from the heat, sprinkle over a little salt and drizzle over a bit of good quality olive oil. Set aside to cool. 5 Meanwhile, peel the shallots and slice into 3mm rings until you reach the root. Roll the slices in the cornflour, seasoned with a pinch of salt, then shake them off to remove any excess flour. 6 Heat the remaining sunflower oil in a pan over a medium heat and shallow-fry the shallot rings, keeping them moving with a spatula, until golden brown and crisp (4-5 minutes). When cooked, transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and set to one side. 7 When ready to eat, place two lettuce halves on each plate, charred side up. Using a small squeezy bottle (a washed-out, runny honey bottle would work well), add a generous amount of the lemon balm dressing to the lettuce, making sure it gets right in between the layers of leaves. 8 Crumble some feta over the top and sprinkle with the linseeds. Top with the crispy shallots and garnish with some small lemon balm leaves. severnshedrestaurant.co.uk
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THE FINAL COUNTDOWN This year’s CRUMBS AWARDS are set to be the tasties yet – and are fast approaching. There is one question on everyone’s lips: who will win?
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here’s no shortage of excitement in the air ahead of our huge celebration Bristol 6 Old Vic on October. The Crumbs Awards really is an event is like no other. With the best local food and drink pros all in one room (over 150 of the South West’s finest businesses will be there – from cafés and restaurants to pubs, producers, suppliers and caterers) sparks will fly, drinks flow, trophies
claimed and our local food scene celebrated – in real style. There’ll be plenty of laughs on the night too, as last year’s terrific host Mark Olver makes a triumphant return to add a comedic seasoning to proceedings. A live band will be playing at the afterparty too, keeping the entertainment rolling long into the night. All of this, with the iconic backdrop of Bristol’s most historic and beloved
theatre – the perfect place to put on a show, in our book. “We’re thrilled to welcome so many for another great occasion at the Crumbs Awards,” said Steph Dodd, events director at MediaClash, who organises the awards ceremony with her trusty team each year. “We can’t wait to see the best of Bath and Bristol’s foodies celebrate together once again. Good luck to all!”
There’s still time to be part of the huge Crumbs Awards bash in just over a month. Are you a finalist of one of the 19 categories? Want to be amongst the first to find out who triumphs? Best get your ticket then… available on the Crumbs Awards website today!
awards.crumbsmag.com 6 October 2019, Bristol Old Vic @crumbsmag
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THE SHORTLIST
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FINALISTS
Check out the full list of businesses who have been named this year’s deserving finalists BAR/PUB
CASUAL DINING
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INITIATIVE
The Alma Tavern Circo Cocktail and Rum Bar The Clockwork Rose The Dark Horse Her Majesty’s Secret Service The Orchard Inn Red Light The Strawberry Thief
The Arts House Café B Block Birch Bocabar Castle Farm, Midford The Cauldron Restaurant Poco Tapas Bar Squeezed
GingerBeard’s Preserves Ivy House Farm Dairy The Little Tortilleria Luscious Pearly King Cake Real Olive Co Step and Stone Zara’s Chocolates
3 Café and Kitchen Belly Laughs FareShare South West Red Bird Edit The School of Food Step and Stone
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Michael Nizzero, The Bath Priory George Livesey, Bulrush William Roth, The Canteen Nigel Everett and Pravin Nayar, Castle Farm Midford Genevieve Taylor Hywel Jones, Lucknam Park Leigh Evans, The Methuen Arms Chris Cleghorn, The Olive Tree Ian Clark, Poco Tapas Bar Niall Keating, Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa
Demuths Cookery School Lucknam Park Papadeli The School of Food Square Food Foundation
The Bank Tavern The Bunch of Grapes The Canteen The Gallimaufry The Grace The Kensington Arms The Marlborough Tavern The Methuen Arms The Rising Sun, Pensford
CAFÉ Beets ‘n’ Roots Bowl of Plenty Windmill Hill City Farm Café Eat Your Greens The Epiphany Good Day Café Temple Street Canteen Thoughtful Bakery
DRINKS PRODUCER 6 O’clock Gin Bath Ales Bradley’s Juice Bristol Dry Gin Butcombe Brewing Co Circumstance Distillery Ganley and Naish Cider Hullabaloos Lemonade Pulpt
EVENT Bristol Craft Beer Festival Bristol Food Connections The Bristol Food Tour The Coffee House Project East Bristol Brewery Trail The Future Food Banquet (Poco Tapas Bar)
FRONT OF HOUSE Harriet Furlong, The Chequers Her Majesty’s Secret Service Monica Bacchiocchi, Corkage Owen Gilani-Farr, The Olive Tree
INDUSTRY SERVICES Catering Services International Clifton Wine School Duchess Media Mobius Works
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NEWCOMER 1766 Bar and Kitchen Caleño The Coconut Tree Comptoir and Cuisine Koffmann and Mr Whites Koocha Mezze Bar Le Vignoble Masa and Mezcal Mugshot Restaurants Stony Street House Suncraft The Vegetable Diva
RESTAURANT Bar 44 Bristol Bath Priory Hotel Bulrush Corkage The Cowshed Lucknam Park The Olive Tree Root
REVOLUTIONARY TECH First Table HGEM Huggg LUX Rewards
RISING STAR Charlotte Joyner, B Block- St Monica Trust Connor Adamson, Olive Tree Restaurant Daniel Jimpson, Old Ham Tree
ROAMING KITCHENS Alp Mac High Steaks Hoba Kebab Kabala Kitchen La Bonne Crepe Low and Slow Murray May’s Queen and Whippet Smoke Catering Wild and Rustic
SUPPLIER Arthur David The Bristol Loaf Larkhall Butchers Port o’ Bristol Xisto Wines
RETAILER Averys Wine Merchant Comins Tea Field and Flower Fudge Kitchen The Italian Food Hall Papadeli Smaller Footprints Wild Oats Natural Foods
awards.crumbsmag.com 6 October 2019, Bristol Old Vic @crumbsmag
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HERE COME THE JUDGES! We wouldn’t welcome the task of whittling those finalists down to just 20 winners. Luckily we don’t have to (phew): that’s the job of the independent food and drink pros in our judging pannel
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ADRIAN KIRIKMAA Food development manager, St Monica Trust
ALICE BOWYER Group executive chef, Liberation Group and Butcombe Pubs
BRIONY MAY Baker, Great British Bake Off semi-finalist 2018
LARKIN CEN Director, Woky Ko
LOUISE MCCRIMMON Head chef, Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant
NADIA THORNHILL Herbal development manager, Pukka Herbs
OWEN MORGAN Founder and co-owner, 44 Group
PHILIP MCTEER Head of marketing, Thatchers Cider
SAM ROBERTS CEO and co-owner, Boston Tea Party
hese brave souls ( judging the Crumbs Awards is no mean feat, you know) are busy visiting, investigating and pondering the virtues of our 134 finalists as we write. All said efforts are being made so that we can announce the owners of those coveted trophies at the food-, drink- and entertainment-packed awards ceremony at Bristol Old Vic on 6 October. Meanwhile, to divert the finalists’ attention from the nail-biting suspense, we’re throwing a bash for them, our judges and sponsors at The Coconut Tree. It’s a special
evening to highlight the immense achievement of being shortlisted amidst so many fabulous food and drink professionals. An excellent starter ahead of the main course! “It’s wonderful to have our finalists and sponsors meet and greet ahead of the Awards,” said Jon Horwood, Crumbs’ advertising manager. “We’re now getting very excited for the big night, choosing the winners will be a tough task – but we’re more than confident that our judges will make excellent decisions.” Some cracking companies are sponsoring this year’s awards: Bath
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College, Budweiser Budvar, Chefshare, Forest Produce, Frobishers, Gregg Latchams, Harbour Hotels, Mobius Works, PamLloyd PR, Pattersons, Total Produce and Your Store. Tickets to the event are in very limited supply so, if this sounds like your kind of shindig, you’d best book yours, stat. For more information on how to get involved with the Crumbs Awards through sponsorship, give Jon a shout on jon.horwood@mediaclash.co.uk awards.crumbsmag.com 6 October 2019, Bristol Old Vic @crumbsmag
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EAT, DRINK & CELBRATE! St Fagans Food Festival will be serving up a few extra helpings to celebrate its 10th anniversary this month...
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t Fagans National Museum of History will come alive with food, drink and craft stalls on 7 and 8 September as it celebrates the 10th instalment of its annual food festival. Visitors to St Fagans Food Festival can taste and buy produce from more than 80 stalls, which they’ll find nestling among the reconstructed buildings in the open-air Museum. From traditional Welsh fare to delicious street food, there’s plenty to suit all tastes. You can even buy bread and cakes baked in the Museum’s own bakehouse. In addition to a host of food and drink stalls, there will also be a schedule of exciting live music performances curated by Tafwyl and BBC Horizons. Head along to a talk and pick up some tips on how to reduce waste in the kitchen and learn about the art of fermentation. The National Vegetable Society (Welsh Branch) Show will be in attendance demonstrating one of Britain’s great horticultural traditions. Think you know your onions? Think again! St Fagans Food Festival takes place on 7 and 8 September at St Fagans National Museum of History, just outside Cardiff. Entry is free and car parking costs £5. The event is open 10am-7pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday. See www.museum.wales/stfagans for details.
St Fagans National Museum of History Cardiff , CF5 6XB f stfagansmuseum; a stfagans_museum www.museum.wales/stfagans
CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS
The Eva Solo measuring trivet is £24, available from mid-September; formahouse.co.uk
FIVE STAR
NO, IT’S NOT A TOY STARFISH, GIANT CHRISTMAS DECO OR ESOTERIC ANCIENT WEAPON, SAYS MATT BIELBY. IT’S A SCANDINAVIAN TRIVET, BOTH ULTRA-MODERN AND MULTI-TASKING (AND STYLISH, TOO) That looks like the glaive. You know, from Krull. Sorry, you’ve lost me. The glaive! From Krull! That magic spiky thing you throw, and it whizzes around doing untold damage, then comes back to land softly in your hand like a boomerang. Still no idea.
[Sighs.] Okay, imagine a giant shuriken, one of those Japanese
THIS MONTH
throwing stars. Or a hunga munga, the curved African throwing daggers. Or the chakram, that flat, circular Sikh thing, sometimes called a war-quoit… Yes, yes. Where are you going with this? I like it, I guess. And you’ll like it even more when you find out what it can actually do. (A clue: it’s not for throwing.) Instead, this is a measuring trivet
from the Eva Solo range, and it’s got two distinct but compatible functions. Eva Solo is a Danish, family-run company which for over 100 years has specialised in kitchen equipment that’s stylish enough to leave on display. In the UK their stuff’s available through Forma House, and is stocked by places like Bath online store Prezola. Still not telling me what it is. Okay: on the one hand it’s a
heat-resistant stand to protect the table from hot pots, pans and dishes, and on the other, it doubles up as a clever measuring spoon, each prong a different, regularly used option: a teaspoon, a tablespoon and so on. The idea is that it saves space, which it does – a bit – but really, the important thing is that the measuring spoons are right there in front of you the whole time, not hidden away and lost at the back of some drawer.
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WOR D S BY J E S S ICA CA RT E R P HOTOS BY A L IC E W H IT BY
The Supper Club
WHERE THE HART IS
IF YOU COULD DESIGN YOUR OFFICE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? WE FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE TEAM AT ESTEEMED DESIGN COMPANY SIMS HILDITCH’S ANSWER IS, OVER A SPECIAL LUNCH AT THEIR PUB-TURNED-DESIGN-STUDIO JUST OUTSIDE OF BATH
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he home of local interior design business Sims Hilditch used to be a pub – the Grade II listed, 16th century White Hart in Cold Ashton. In fact, the team still have walkers – enjoying a ramble through the surrounding Cotswold countryside – stroll in looking for a good feed and decent ale. If this was still a pub – one you came across by accident when out on a hike – you’d be certain you’d struck gold once you surveyed the ubertasteful setting. The business was founded by Emma Sims-Hilditch and specialises in whole-home projects, although it also works on hotels and restaurants. When it acquired the former pub in 2013, the tired building needed extensive renovations. Good job these guys know their way around a building site and mood board. The inside of the studio is a homage to Sims Hilditch’s signature contemporary elegance – which often comes with a whisper of rustic English countryside. Here, neutral colours and a mix of textures – thick fabrics, deeply grained floors and lots of raw wood and stone – make for a space that’s sumptuous but welcoming, stylish yet comfortable. The look has a sense of cohesion and seamlessness that creates an organic feel – as if there wasn’t, in fact, a team of designers, interior architects and
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project managers working behind closed doors to conceive it and bring the whole idea together. The front kitchen sees inky blue cabinets topped with white marble surfaces. White ceramic tiles back the AGA, while polished silver fittings and touches of wood finish off the photogenic space. Adjacent is the long dining table, set with polished cream-handled cutlery, thick cotton napkins and gleaming glasses. There’s a second kitchen too, and this is the one that Sam Wylde – founder of local catering and events biz Sam’s Kitchen Events – is cooking up lunch in. This space is all subdued, creamy hues with bare stone and natural wooden beams sitting over the doors inside the perfectly plastered walls. We’re crashing a staff lunch today (if a bit of an exceptional one – we’re assured the team don’t eat like this every Monday) and go for a nosey around the studio while everyone else is still busy in the office. The whole building is awash with soft, natural daylight – of course, key for the interior designers – and glass doors open out onto the preened garden. At the bottom of the lawn is a bountiful-looking veg patch with flowering courgettes, the tops of shiny red onions poking out of the soil, and clusters of thick green leaves indicating the presence of beetroot. Sam has focused on these kinds of seasonal, British allotment-style ingredients for today’s lunch, punctuating the plants with a little fish and meat. Everything is served sharing style – which would be more than a little risky in most offices (Crumbs’ very much included), I’ll bet – on beautiful and hefty glazed platters.
First, chunks of peachy-pink hot smoked salmon and bright chicory leaves hide among a tangle of fresh watercress. The fish is plump and soft, the horseradish cream mellow to match the delicate flavour of the salmon. Next, colourful salads arrive in bountiful supply. Thin slices of raw beetroot and small chunks of orange blend sweet with earthy, while a creamy tang comes from crumbs of goat’s curd; aubergine has been roasted for lovely charred,
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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
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5 TIPS ON DRESSING (YOUR DINNER TABLE) TO IMPRESS BY EMMA SIMS-HILDITCH
1. A folded linen tablecloth “For those who like a neat, tailored look, linen can be a touch tricky, but I like to embrace its organic informality – the creases are all part of its easy charm. Linen has become most popular for tableware, and for truly good reason. In summer, I favour a pastel shade. White is lovely, but blush pink, soft sage or barely-there blue would be one of my preferences.” 2. Coloured glassware “I like my table to be fun and to not take itself too seriously. I will typically do away with my usual water glasses, swapping them for little coloured tumblers. Sometimes I choose a few colours in a complementary palette, but depending on what else is going onto my table and how colourful the food will be, I may decide on just one.”
chewy skin and silky flesh, and is muddled with butter lettuce and tahini yoghurt; and a heap of green beans is cloaked in lemon, pine nuts and a generous grating of parmesan. Then arrives the centrepiece – two golden-roasted Castlemead chickens, doused in a decadent tarragon and dill butter. Sam carves them, exposing the pearly white, plump flesh that’s beneath the deliciously browned skin. Even without the herby liquid butter – which we can’t spoon onto our plates fast enough – the meat is unusually moist and tender. Dessert is Peach Melba – the poached fruits arranged in their halves around a jug of the poaching liquor, a vanilla pod poking out the top. They’re drizzled with raspberry coulis, and we’re given a towering heap of Chantilly cream to make sure that decadence dial continues to creep up until the not-sobitter end of our meal. If I were hanging around after that, I’d be right over to the lounge to arrange myself horizontally across one of the inviting, cushion-laden sofas. But alas, I have work to do – and as much as I dream of an office like this one day, it’s definitely a good thing for my productivity levels that Crumbs HQ is not quite as replete with soft furnishings.
3. Jugs of fresh flowers “I find it surprising how flowers are frequently forgotten from the tabletop when it comes to serving time. Perhaps because the business of crockery, glassware, candles and serving dishes can easily fill up most of the available space. This may be, but I consider flowers an important part of my summer table.” 4. Fragrant napkin ties “This one is fast becoming a bit of a wedding breakfast favourite. Should you want to bring a touch of formality to your table but feel that napkin rings are too much, then I suggest tying your napkins with a band of sturdy rosemary or pretty lavender. If you are concerned the stem is not quite strong enough, you can use twine to tie, and then simply tuck in your scented sprig." 5. Mixed napkins “I end by coming back to my key theme, really – an abundance of colour and fun. Much like with glassware, choose one or two colours to suit your overall palette, but then consider having every napkin in a different fabric. The colours will anchor them to your scheme so it does not become too scattered in thought. A particular favourite contrast of mine is geometric prints against floral.”
simshilditch.com
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K I T C H E N
A R M O U R Y
The Want List WE’VE GONE EAU NATUREL WITH OUR KITCHEN KIT FOR ORGANIC SEPTEMBER
Mango Wood Plate, £7.80 Made from sustainable mango wood, each of these plates is handcrafted. Buy them from Mon Pote in Bristol. monpote.co.uk
Manuka Placemat, £10 A simple, unfussy placemat made from palm, which will go with almost any table setting. Find it at Anthropologie in Bath. anthropologie.com
Rafia Storage Basket, £35 With leather handles and a natural raffia body, this basket is supplied by Scandi designers Rice and made by villagers in Madagascar. Find it at Fig 1 in Bristol. fig1.co.uk
Soft Board (small), £53.10 This simple Skagerak wooden chopping board (now in the sale!) is smooth to the touch and as great for serving as for chopping on. From Salcombe Trading. salcombetrading.co.uk
Abeto Table Cloth, £69.95 From ethical South West retailer Nkuku, this stylish tablecloth in a light grey hue is 100 per cent cotton (and yes, it’s machine washable). Buy online. nkuku.com
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A TASTY EXPERIENCE LOCAL GIN TASTING AT BRISTOL DRY GIN Casual, mixed group gin tastings held in the cosy microdistillery Treat yourself and friends to a gin and tonic and selection of small batch gins as the Bristol Dry Gin distiller takes you on an upbeat journey through the history and production methods of the spirit.
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£ 29 PP
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Book online at www.bristoldrygin.com
ARTISANAL FOOD AND DRINK TOURS Explore Bath using your taste buds A gift voucher for a three-hour sampling tour is a great way to offer an experience of Bath’s culinary outlets. Tours include Food Heroes and Guilty Pleasures, and showcase the best of the city’s independent food and drink artisans!
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£ 45 PP
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Book online at www.savouringbath.com
TASTING MENU Please your palate with a delicious tasting menu Seven courses of fresh, seasonal ingredients are presented in this relaxed and stylish country Inn. The drink pairings allow you to fully appreciate the full flavours of the dish, along with its carefully selected libation. The menu is £48 per person and drinks flight £18.
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£ 48 PP
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Book online at www.signoftheangel.co.uk
WALKING CRAFT BEER TOUR A range of all-inclusive walking tours Explore Bristol’s brilliant craft beer scene on foot with a selection of sociable tours and at-your-own-pace self-guided tours. The price of each one includes at least seven locally brewed beers to be enjoyed in multiple, fabulous, independent venues across the city. Private tours and gift vouchers also available.
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£ 18 PP
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Book online at www.bristolhoppers.co.uk
THE BRISTOL FOOD TOUR Showcasing the best food and drink in Bristol tBFT takes curious food lovers on a journey through Bristol’s vibrant streets to the best independent eateries on their unique tours. Sharing stories, cultural and foodie info along the way, they’ll lead you on a culinary adventure that will leave you full of inspiration, knowledge and most importantly, delicious food! Find out more and book online at www.thebristolfoodtour.com
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£ 50 PP
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NEED A GIFT FOR A BUDDING FOOD ENTHUSIAST? LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THESE FOOD AND DRINK EXPERIENCES
PLANT-BASED COOKING COURSES Inspiring vegan ways of working with food Demuths Cookery School offers a wide variety of classes across different cuisines and skill levels. The ethos is that food is a pleasure to cook, eat and share. Join them to learn about the variety and flavour offered by including more plants in your diet.
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£ 75 PP
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Book or buy gift vouchers online at www.demuths.co.uk
COOKERY CLASSES Hobbs House believe that everyone can bake In the original Hobbs House, the team make you feel at home. From masterclasses in bread making and cake baking, to kids’ days and pie making courses, Hobbs House Cookery School has something for everyone. They also offer bespoke days, perfect for a work team away day and are a Weber barbecue Academy.
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£ 95 PP
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BELMONT BUTCHERY EXPERIENCE A luxury day on a country estate Starting with a tour of the beautiful estate, a stone’s throw from Clifton, you’ll see the rare breed organic livestock before heading to the purposebuilt butchery school for a masterclass with the artisan butcher, exploring the estate’s nose to tail ethos. The day will culminate in a feast of Belmont produce, prepared by the in-house chef.
£ 250 PP
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SUSHI MASTERCLASS Master the art of sushi-making with Yakinori’s finest sushi chefs The perfect gift for any sushi lover! Students will be guided, step by step through how to make a variety of sushi, from nigiri to futomaki rolls. All tools and ingredients are included, and you can take home what you don’t eat during the session. Winner. Vegetarian and vegan preferences can be catered for, too.
£ 65 PP
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COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS Learn how to mix, shake and taste like a pro Why not go and join Circo for one of the best cocktail masterclass experiences in the South West? This is a hands on, two-hour session where you will be shown how to make two classic favourites, and then get the chance to make them yourselves. After that it's over to you to create a third cocktail under the expert guidance of one of our cocktail connoisseurs.
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£ 18.50 PP
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Find out more info and get in touch to book at www.circobar.co.uk F or mo re i nf o rma t i o n a bo ut t hes e expe rie nc e s and th e ir te rms and c ond itions, ple ase visit th e c ompany’s web s it e.
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Fancy a taste of Mexico? Look no further than Dalia Cocina... What’s on the menu? Essentially Mexican street food. For breakfast, Mexican and English breakfast burritos, chorizo hash, delicious huevos rancheros, fresh homemade guacamole on toast or a tasty full English breakfast. Lunch is a relaxed affair with burritos, loaded nachos, tacos, quesadillas, mouth-watering carne asada subs with fresh chimichurri sauce and good old chilli! A favourite is the torta ahogada, which translates to ‘drowned sandwich’ – it’s slow-cooked pulled pork shoulder in a toasted bun, drowned in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with house pickles. In Mexico it’s traditionally served in plastic bags to soak up all the delicious spicy tomato sauce. Heaven! In the evening you can unwind with a beer, wine, tequila, mescal or a freshly mixed cocktail with your oven-baked enchiladas, sizzling fajitas with our house blend of spices or mouthwatering dirty burger topped with our own pulled pork served with a crunchy, fresh house ’slaw.
What makes Dalia Cocina stand out from other Mexican restaurants? We serve incredible from-scratch Mexican street food, making fresh, delicious dishes that are packed with flavour and feature local and authentic Mexican ingredients, herbs and spices. There are many options for those who are scared of chilli as well as those who like to feel the heat! If you like your spice, we have a range of incredible Upton Cheney Chilli Farm sauces to ramp it up to the next level. You can even enjoy a Jarritos, one of Mexico’s favourite soft drinks, in either Mexican cola, pineapple, mandarin or mango flavour.
What is your proudest moment? We were privileged to be a part of Keynshams music festival and host the very talented Shannon Kitchen, live in the terrace garden. The cafe was full, both inside and outside, and the whole place was absolutely buzzing, it was everything we dreamt it would be.
What are your future goals? There is a long, long way to go with a lot to do, from developing a large choice of tequila and mescal to establishing ourselves a venue for music, private hire, outside bar and catering. Generally, just to make sure we spread the Dalia Cocina name – and eventually get a few vans out there and enjoy a festival or two!
Mon - Wed: 9 - 5pm Thu - Sat: 9 - 10:30pm Sun: Opening soon! 0117 914 6561 35 High Street, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 1DP We are also Dog friendly!
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EATING-OUT INSPO, INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AND FOOD PIONEERs
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TO SWAP GROCERIESIC FOR THE TO ORGANT BENEFIT BIGGES
EAT TO BEAT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE SNOWBALLING, WE’RE MORE AWARE THAN EVER OF THE IMPACT WE’RE HAVING ON THE PLANET. THIS ORGANIC SEPTEMBER, JESSICA CARTER LOOKS AT HOW SUPPORTING ORGANIC AND PLANT-BASED FOOD PRODUCTION COULD BE AN ACT OF KINDNESS TO MOTHER EARTH – NOT TO MENTION OURSELVES – IN A TIME OF CRISIS...
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aced with the damning effects of climate change (something we know is very much exacerbated by our current food systems), many of us are looking for ways to make our lifestyles more environmentally friendly. This may be the reason that organic farming has become such a quickly growing field in Europe, its expansion driven by conscientious consumers and the rise of evidence showing how these once ‘alternative’ agricultural practices can benefit our rather ravaged planet. “Organic works with nature, not against it,” says Claire McDermott of organic certification body, Soil Association. “This kind of farming doesn’t rely on chemical and fossil fuel-based fertilisers and pesticides, so the risk of water or soil contamination is a lot lower. It also allows wildlife to flourish – studies have found that there is up to 50 per cent more wildlife on organic farms. “It means, too, that soils on organic farms are healthier and able to act like a sponge, storing water, nutrients and – importantly – carbon. Soils hold three times more carbon than the atmosphere – if all UK farming was converted to organic, at least 1.3 million tonnes of carbon would be taken up by the soil each year, the equivalent of taking nearly a million cars off the road.” Although lots of the research into the relationship between farming and the environment is relatively new, there were some early adopters of organic practices who, it seems, saw trouble arising from our post-war industrialisation of food production. Essential is a Bristol-based food supplier – a co-operative outfit with strong ethical principles – that was founded in 1971. Organic has always been a huge part of its environmental focus, their Lila Teasdale tells us. “Promoting organic goes hand in hand with our values around environmental sustainability,” she says. “Buying organic food contributes to healthier produce and more ethical farming methods. “We support organic for the biodiversity and soil health that it promotes. There are plenty of farming methods that contribute to the environmental crisis – for example, mono-cropping, intensive livestock farming and depletion of soil through the use of chemicals, which kills the insects needed for a healthy soil culture.” We know that our current food system as a whole just isn’t sustainable for our planet. But if we changed the way we farmed, would it be possible to produce enough to feed the globe’s booming population? It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be 10 billion humans – that’s compared to around 2.5 billion in 1950. Some jump in numbers there, right? Research released earlier this year as part of the ‘Ten Years for Agroecology in Europe’ report suggests that an ecological approach to agriculture (agroecology – shunning pesticides and harnessing
the power of sustainable ecological systems to our benefit) across Europe is a very plausible way to feed and maintain the health of the continent’s residents while not exhausting Earth’s natural resources. “That was a really important study,” says Claire, “showing that it is possible to have a farming system in Europe in the future that can provide a sufficient and healthy diet for a growing population, whilst also tackling climate change, phasing out pesticides and maintaining wildlife.” The success of this theoretical system, though, isn’t solely down to the producers – we have to change our diets for it to work. In order for the whole population to be fed healthily by sustainable farming
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Eating more veg and less meat, and increasing our support of organic farming, could really benefit the environment
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systems, said population (yep, that’s us) would need to put vegetables and fruit front and centre of our meals, “eating more plant-based proteins and less, but better-quality, meat, especially high welfare grass-fed livestock like cows and sheep,” says Claire. “Going vegan is a powerful solution to ethical food and environmental issues,” adds Lila. “And local, seasonal produce is another strong trump card in sustainable food choices.” Eating seasonally and from local producers might, in fact, help us manage our budgets as well as carbon footprint. That’s because of the cost of organic food and drink. It can carry heftier price tags than its conventional alternatives, thanks to lower yields and higher labour. That said, there is on-going movement here, points out Lila, as “the price difference between organic and commercially grown crops will always fluctuate depending on the crop and growing season.” This means that buying in-season produce could be a great way to get you the most bang for your buck, as food is usually cheapest when it’s in plentiful supply. Another way to squeeze out the mealtime value of organic produce is to apply the ‘root-to-fruit’ principle, championed by eco chef and co-owner of ethical Bristol restaurant Poco, Tom Hunt. This basically means making the most of every ingredient by eating all of the edible parts that often get binned – think carrot tops, and the leaves from cauliflower and beetroot. This recipe (left) is a great example of how you can put these oft-binned offcuts to work to get more value from your organic veg.
BEETROOT ‘HUMMUS’ WITH SAUTÉED BEET TOPS
SWAPSIES!
BY TOM HUNT
If you don’t usually shop organic, Soil Association’s Claire McDermott has some ideas for the most beneficial swaps to get started
350-400g beetroot 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for sautéeing ¼ lemon (juice only) 4 tbsp live natural yoghurt 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed 1 Give the beetroots a quick wash and remove the leaves, setting them to one side. Put them into a small saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, topping up the water if necessary (the beetroots should always be covered). Check they are soft by piercing them with a knife; it should meet no resistance. Drain and, when they are cool enough to handle, rub off the skins and cut off the rough tops. 2 Quarter the warm beetroots and put them in a blender. Add the lemon juice, yoghurt, extra virgin oil, garlic and cumin, then blend to a smooth purée and allow to cool. 3 Wash the beetroot tops then finely chop the stalks and shred the leaves. Sauté them in a little more olive oil for 2 minutes, then add the cumin seeds. Dress the beetroot purée with the greens and serve with bread or raw vegetable crudités.
Recipe from The Natural Cook by Tom Hunt, published by Quadrille
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Milk and dairy Organic dairy contains around 50 per cent more omega-3 essential fatty acids than non-organic. Eggs Organic chickens are given much more space to roam than their free-range counterparts, reducing stress and the use of antibiotics. Carrots In 2014, a team at Newcastle University found organic carrots and other crops are up to 60 per cent higher in a number of key antioxidants than conventionally grown ones. Drystore staples Organic pulses, pasta, rice, whole grains and ranges like baby food are often the same price as non-organic, and we all use them all regularly.
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a @brockleystores
Brockley Stores, Main Road, Brockley, North Somerset BS48 3AT
Private Hire Festive Feasts Supper Clubs Events Get in touch to book your Christmas celebration with a difference hello@thecityfarmcafe.org.uk Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 4EA
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 09:00 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:00 | Sunday to Monday: 09:00 - 15:00
A NOVEL NOEL
YES, WE’RE WELL AWARE IT’S ONLY SEPTEMBER, THANKS – BUT IF YOU DON’T BOOK YOUR ANNUAL CRIMBO GATHERING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, YULE BE SORRY. (AHEM.) HERE ARE SOME OF THE FINEST FESTIVE MENUS BEING SERVED OVER THE SEASON OF GOODWILL – AND THERE ARE SOME DELICIOUS DEPARTURES FROM THE TRADITIONAL TURKEY...
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£24.50 FOR THREE COURSES £19.50 FOR TWO COURSES PRE-BOOKED CRACKERS INCLUDED!
STARTERS
Mushroom, walnut & chestnut soup with crusty bread (v,df) Pork, chorizo & pink peppercorn terrine with piccalilli & sourdough toast Roasted beetroot, goats cheese & walnut salad (v,gf)
MAIN COURSES Roast beef, caramelised shallots, Yorkshire pudding & gravy Sweet potato, mushroom & spinach wellington with gravy (v,df) Sea bass fillet on Provençal lentils with a creamy chive dressing (gf) Most mains served with roast potatoes & seasonal vegetables
PUDDINGS Book your Christmas meal now at
The Catherine Wheel Marshfield, Bath SN14 8LR 01225 892220 roo@thecatherinewheel.co.uk www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk
Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce Chocolate torte served with Marshfield vanilla ice cream Selection of Marshfield ice creams (gf) and sorbets (df) Cheese with chutney & savoury biscuits £6.50
Available from Friday 29th November to Moday 30th December (excl 25 & 26 Dec) v = vegetarian / gf = prepared using no gluten containing ingredients / df = dairy free. Other allergy options available – please ask and we will try to accommodate any requests
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Bambalan (above) gets right into the festive spirit, while The Christmas Steps (right) comes into its own for Yuletide
BAMBALAN (Bristol)
This colourful, fun venue is practically made for parties – those of the Christmas variety very much included. Don’t expect the standard Crimbo offerings; the team will instead hook you up with platters of fresh, vibrant Middle Eastern-inspired food (from £22.50 a head) like rotisserie shoulder of lamb with winter tabbouleh and walnut pangritata, served sharing style. The huge rooftop terrace will be covered and heated for you to take advantage of, too. bambalan.co.uk
BAR 44 (Bristol)
Spanish-style Christmas feasting is a-go at this Clifton tapas bar. The special menus are designed for groups of six or more and are made up of either tapas dishes or roast platters (£28 or £38 a head) to share. The former includes chicken with chorizo, spiced yoghurt and toasted almonds, and pimentónspiced aubergine with pistachio, while the latter will get you the likes of overnight roast belly pork with morcilla and apple, and triple cooked patatas bravas. This gorgeous former bank also has cool private dining rooms. bar44.co.uk
THE BIRD (Bath)
As of the end of November, this hotel will have a brand new Christmas party venue in the form of the pop-up Christmas Tavern. This cosy, super-festive set-up – complete with alpine-style scenery, log burner and fairy lights – will make a great setting for festive afternoon teas and feasts. That’s not to mention the party nights, with threecourse meals (including the likes of turkey croquette with gruyere and honeyed carrots,
and filo-wrapped squash with local feta) and DJ entertainment (from £37.50 a head). thebirdbath.co.uk
BOCABAR (Bristol and Glastonbury)
These cool bar-restaurants at Paintworks and Glastonbury – and the yet-to-launch Finzels Reach venue – will all be celebrating the season of goodwill in style. As well as decking the halls, the team will be serving festive pizzas (yep, you heard), cocktails, and set menus for Christmas lunches and dinners, starting at £19 for two courses. Turkey is in attendance, in ballotine form with cranberry ketchup and truffled bread sauce, while fish and vegan options are also on the go. There’ll be DJs and dancing on selected nights at some venues, too. bocabar.co.uk
BRISTOL HARBOUR HOTEL (Bristol, obvs)
This impressive former bank has it all going on this Crimbo, from shared party nights with entertainment for £45 a head to private shindigs of up to 320 starting at £30 per person (both with three-course meals and wine) to festive afternoon teas (£25) and drinks receptions with canapés in the Gold Bar (from £20). Menus feature dishes like onglet and oxtail of local beef, fillet of sea bass with caviar and crème fraîche sauce, and kale and chestnut Wellington, as well as the traditional bird. harbourhotels.co.uk
BRISTOL SPIRIT (er, Bristol)
There’s a free Espensen Spirit cocktail up for grabs for everyone who books some
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festive feasting at this friendly Redfield Bar. Ness Cohen – who runs Dinner by Ness – will be in the kitchen throughout the Christmas season cooking up some cracking party menus with veggie and vegan options from £18 (for two courses). Expect butternut squash and garlic mushroom Wellington and garlic and rosemary glazed celeriac steak, as well as turkey and beef, served with all the trimmings. There’s a buffet option too, from £16 a head. espensenspirit.com
THE CANTEEN (Bristol)
A cool Stokes Croft mainstay, this buzzing bar certainly isn’t going to be holding back when it comes to festivities this Noel. The menu will be rocking some real seasonal flavours while accommodating a breadth of dietary requirements – there are vegan and veggie options, and other needs can be catered for so long as you give the kitchen a heads up. It’s happily budget-friendly too, at £16.50 for two courses or £20 for three, including a glass of organic Prosecco to get those celebrations started. Wahey. canteenbristol.co.uk
THE CHRISTMAS STEPS (Bristol)
There are several reasons why this centuries-old pub is a great setting for your festive knees-up – and the opportune name is but one. Charmingly cosy and rustic, it’s is always decked out well over Yuletide, and the food is anything but an afterthought. Festive menus (£28 for two courses, £32 for three) promise the likes of venison haunch with prune and Earl Grey sauce, and roast squash stuffed with lentils, wild mushrooms,
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Milk Thistle will be catering for festive dinners in the Attick (above), while Bath’s Mint Room (right) has curated a menu for Indian-style feasting
truffle and vegan parmesan. The pub can cater for groups of various sizes, too. thechristmassteps.com
CIRCO (Bath)
This underground bar is going to be knocking out some top grub (for groups of 15 or more) for the Christmas season, as well as its usual imaginative libations. Choose two mains, two sides and one dessert (£24 a head) from a list of dishes lesser-seen on festive menus like katsu chicken, barbecue lamb jalfrezi, butternut orzo, and freekeh with tahini and lime dressing. There’s a ‘light bite’ menu too – for 20 people plus – from which you can choose four sharing dishes (£14 per person). circobar.co.uk
GAMBAS (Bristol)
Christmas is all about sharing goodwill – so what better way to get into the spirit than by sharing food, we ask you? This shipping container tapas bar is all about the seafood (so is a great shout for a pescatarian feast) and offers set tapas menus for groups of between six and 10, priced from £22 a head and promising small plates like seafoodstudded rice, grilled catch of the day, patatas bravas and the famous fried aubergine. (Full hire is available for parties up to 40, an’ all.) gambasbristol.co.uk
HOMEWOOD (Freshford)
Sat amongst countryside near Bath, this long-established hotel was taken on by successful hoteliers Ian and Christina Taylor last year and now sports a new look and Christmas offering. The festive menu promises meals along the lines of duck terrine
with gingerbread and mulled plum, followed by cod with parsley crust, then chocolate fondant with grapefruit sorbet. Lunches are £27.50 while dinners come in at £35, and there is also the option for full house hire. homewoodbath.co.uk
MASA AND MEZCAL (Bristol)
This Mexican outfit has quickly become one of Stokes Croft’s most popular hangouts. (We think it has something to do with the authentic corn tortillas and ace mezcalspiked cocktails, but that’s just a hunch.) There are three set sharing menus for festival celebrations starting at £15 a head and featuring dishes such as fish tacos, sea bass ceviche, and pork shoulder skillets. With space for up to 100 people with exclusive hire and a later license, this is a great shout for bigger parties too (they can even help you with entertainment). masaandmezcal.co.uk
MILK THISTLE (Bristol)
A bash at this speakeasy bar comes with buckets of class and cool olde-world style. Its Attic is great for sit-down dinners for up to 16, the Lounge can take 60 for cocktails, or you can hire the whole venue. All the food – be it a three-course dinner, buffet or nibbles – is cooked up by the chefs at sister restaurant The Ox, so you know the quality will be bang-on. Don’t get totally distracted by the grub, though – the cocktails here are some of the best in the city. milkthistlebristol.com
MINT ROOM (Bath)
This fine dining Indian restaurant promises novel Xmas eats with the high standards
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that its food is so well known for, with twoor three-course menus (£30 or £32). Kick off with Indian street food-inspired canapés before tucking into spiced roast turkey with mixed peppers and onion in a creamy sauce, or halibut, cooked South Indian style, with coconut milk and grilled tomatoes. There’s a heated roof terrace that’s great for cocktails too. Just saying. mintroombath.co.uk
NO15 GREAT PULTENEY (Bath)
This eccentrically styled hotel will make a great backdrop to this year’s festive bash – whether you’re among the apothecary style of The Dispensary restaurant, the elegance of the Pulteney Room or the intrigue of Bar 15. Three-course festive lunches start at £29 a head and dinners at £42, but if you’re after more of a drinks-and-canapés affair that’s a goer too, as are festive afternoon teas (complete with mini sherry trifle and black forest Yule log, no less). no15greatpulteney.co.uk
OLD MARKET ASSEMBLY (Bristol)
A roaring log fire, crackers and Christmas hats will all be in attendance at this cool, ethically focused restaurant. The festive menu (starting at £26 for two courses) is served in a homely style, with sharing starters to nibble on over drinks, a main each and desserts to be passed around. Expect imaginative appetisers like mushroom and chestnut pâté with blood orange, and goat’s cheese and cauliflower bon-bons with apricot chutney, while the main event includes confit turkey leg with pork
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The Ox (above) is a classy setting for your Xmas do, while the famous ss Great Britain (right) is surely one of the most unique
stuffing, and butternut squash pithivier with bean ragu. oldmarketassembly.co.uk
THE OX (Bristol)
Want some class at your get-together? This moody underground Corn Street restaurant is on the money, with its dim lighting and vintage character – not to mention cracking red wine and top-draw beef (a 75-day dryaged beef rump with triple cooked chips and roast mushroom persillade sounds like a good turkey alternative to us). The threecourse menu starts at £29.95 and there’s capacity for private dining for up to 30, or exclusive hire for larger groups up to 80. theoxbristol.com
PIEMINISTER (Bristol)
Festive pie feasts are the order of the day here this Yuletide. Starting at £15 (for two courses, or you can have three for £18.50) this might be the most budget-friendly Crimbo feed going – and there are vegan and vegetarian options to keep everyone happy. Kick off with pigs in blankets with honey, mustard and thyme, before moving onto one of the seasonal specialities, like The Cracker (free-range turkey and ham with cranberry, parsnip and sherry) or Christingle (honey roast parsnip, Cheddar, chestnut and leek). pieminister.co.uk
THE PONY AND TRAP (Bristol)
If a Noel feed at a Michelin-starred pub sounds like a bit of you, then check out the festive offerings at The Pony and Trap in Chew Magna. This cosy country pub has a national rep and isn’t as spenny as you might think – £36 for two courses and £42
for three. Braised ox cheek with celeriac and horseradish purée, and baked cod with cider-braised lentils, pancetta, and mussel sauce are among the mains, while the sticky ale and walnut pudding with stout ice cream will be a fitting ending. theponyandtrap.co.uk
SPOTTED COW (Bristol)
This popular and lively North Street pub will hardly be short of Christmas cheer this season. With candles aplenty and the wood burner on the go, it’s a cosy local for Yuletide get-togethers. The kitchen here is well regarded and has a focus on seasonal ingredients from local suppliers. There’s a free glass of fizz for everyone tucking into the Xmas menus (£25 for two courses, £29 for three), which feature whole roast pigeon with cassoulet and game sauce, and a cranberry and lentil nut roast with vegan leek and cheese crumble. thespottedcowbristol.com
SS GREAT BRITAIN (Bristol)
It’s about the venue just as much as the food, so if you want a unique do this year, you could do a lot worse than Brunel’s historic liner. The whole ship can be hired for an exclusive Christmas party (starting at £60 per person) with arrival drink, festive dinner and DJ. (Private lunches can also be arranged, from £45 a head.) Move fast before it gets booked up, though; you don’t want to find that the ship has sailed. (Sorry.) ssgreatbritain.org
WHATLEY MANOR (Wiltshire)
How do aperitifs and canapés, followed by a three-course meal and wine sound for this
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year’s do? If the answer is in the positive, get on the blower to Whatley Manor, whose Ultimate Christmas Party Package has it all covered. More relaxed festive set menus (from £30) are on the go too, featuring slowroast organic Castlemead turkey, steamed Cornish hake with creamed leeks, and salt-baked celeriac with cep hollandaise. whatleymanor.com
WOKY KO: KAIJU (Bristol)
Robata grill and ramen bar Woky Ko: Kaiju is ready to take on its first Yuletide. Exclusive hire is available for parties of 20-36, while tables can be booked individually for smaller groups. The special Christmas menus will stay true to the restaurant’s Japanese roots with the likes of beef short rib and tare with kimchi powder, and robata-grilled Brussels sprouts with tosazu dressing (you’ll never think of that Xmas veg the same way again). The menu is available for £25 a head Monday to Thursday and £35 on Fridays. wokyko.com/kaiju
YURT LUSH (Bristol)
A more cosy, unique setting for a festive bash you’d be hard pushed to find round these parts. The cool adjoining yurts that make up this venue are kept toasty in winter with glowing heaters, while the communal-style tables and benches are ideal for groups. The food is on the money too, and the special menu served this Noel (£21 for two courses, £24 for three) kicks off with dishes like pan-roasted scallop with chorizo fritter and continues along the lines of venison loin with wild mushrooms and chestnuts, and mulled pear and berry crumble. eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk
Join us for a Lunch or Dinner treat this coming Festive season All OHH Pubs will be serving a mouth watering 2 or 3 course Festive Menu, available from Friday 22nd November until Tuesday 24th December. Whether you plan for a business outing, family or friends gathering, contact your preferred OHH Pub for more detail or visit www.ohhpubs.co.uk Make the experience that extra special and enquire about our 5 Star rated letting bedrooms
The Old House at Home
Burton, Near Castle Combe, Wiltshire, SN14 7LT 01454 218227 | theoldhouseathome@ohhcompany.co.uk
The Bear & Swan
13 South Parade, Chew Magna, Somerset, BS40 8PR 01275 331100 | thebearandswan@ohhcompany.co.uk
The Rising Sun
91 West Town Road, Backwell, North Somerset, BS48 3BH 01275 462215 | therisingsun@ohhcompany.co.uk
The Northey Arms
Bath Road, Box, Wiltshire, SN13 8AE 01225 742333 | thenorthey@ohhcompany.co.uk
www.ohhpubs.co.uk
celebrate christmas i n s t y l e at t h e centurion Christmas Party Nights
£38.50
Bar opens at 7pm, your meal will be served at 8pm followed by a disco from our resident DJ until midnight. Also included Nigel Coles will be providing his Funky Photo Booth on all evenings. 06/12/2019 (Full) 14/12/2019
07/12/2019 19/12/2019
21/12/2019
13/12/2019 20/12/2019
22/12/2019 (Full)
Christmas Menu 2019 STARTER
MAINS
Red onion & goat cheese tartlet with dressed salad Curried parsnip soup with herb pesto Chicken liver parfait with chutney & toasted ciabatta Smoked salmon with dill mayonnaise, pickled cucumber
Roast turkey with all the festive trimmings Vegetarian nut roast with roast potatoes & veggie gravy Roast loin of pork topped with savoy cabbage crust Baked Cornish pollock with dauphinoise potatoes
DESSERTS Dark chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet Selection of 3 cheeses, chutney & crackers Passionfruit cheesecake with chantilly cream Christmas pudding with rum custard
All dishes can be made gluten free, just let us know. Vegan options are available.
FESTIVE CHRISTMAS IN THE RESTAURANT Lunch 2 Course £18.50 Dinner 2 Course £23.50
3 Course £22.00 3 Course £27.00
new year’s eve LIVE MUSIC PROVIDED BY ULTIMATE FLOYD Arrive / bar open from 8pm | Band will start around 8.30pm - 12.30am Live Music provided by Ultimate Floyd | Roast Pork & Stuffing Baps TICKETS: £20.00 ADVANCE OFFER If bought between 1st October & 30th November. £25.00 From 1st December
Best Western Plus Centurion Hotel, Charlton Lane, Midsomer Norton, Nr Bath BA3 4BD 01761 417711 | centurionhotel.co.uk
AFTERS
NEW RESTAURANTS DEVOURED, NEW CAFÉS FREQUENTED, NEW BARS CRAWLED – AND WHAT WE THOUGHT OF THEM
HIGHLIGHTS
80 FRANCING AROUND BRISTOL MEETS BORDEAUX AT NEWBIE LITTLE FRENCH
82 GOING UNDER
WE SATISFY OUR CULINARY CURIOSITY AT UNDERWOOD
86 PUB FOCUS
IS THE KENNY BRISTOL'S MOST COVETED LOCAL? We ventured down the motorway for a foodie getaway at The Salutation Inn in Topsham – and it was well worth the journey...
INCLUDING!
ONE DINER'S CULINARY
REVENGE MISSION
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NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD BISTROS
LITTLE FRENCH
BIG FLAVOURS AND BOLD COOKING INVIGORATE TRADITIONAL GALLIC DISHES AT THIS NEO-BISTRO IN WESTBURY PARK, SAYS CHARLIE LYON
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id-August and it’s mollusc madness out there. At 6am on a rainy Wednesday morning, my small terraced garden patch is alive, writhing with masses of slippery slugs and snails, all feeding on, and mating in, my verdant herb borders. Where do they get off? Despite all efforts to create a snail-free zone – mainly through early-morning repatriation to the neighbours’ gardens, from where, presumably, they were slung the night before – they are having a riot. And it’s not weeds they’re subsisting on, I might point out; the dill patch is now officially bare. I’ll have my revenge, I decide later that night at Westbury Park’s newest resident, Little French, ordering the parsley soup and snails with a grin (£7). This smart little restaurant opened in July and was warmly welcomed by locals who know the owner – ex-Lido chef Freddy Bird – as a fellow Westbury resident and TV personality. Here, he’s serving up relaxed regional French fodder – traditional dishes done up with a good dollop of Freddy flair. Think
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PH OTO S BY K IR S T I E YOU NG
Little French, 2b North View, Bristol BS6 7QB; 01179 706 276; littlefrench.co.uk
highest-quality produce, coal-fire cooking and a few British flavours thrown in. Little French is smart and stylish with a relaxed vibe. Exposed brick creates a cool backdrop to contemporary hanging pendant lighting, and dark teal panelling runs along the copper-topped bar, while more teal and burnt-orange banquettes line one wall of this lean space. The wooden tables are close – not close enough so you’re banging elbows, but close enough for you to share dinner-table banter with your neighbours (and, better, snoop on their food). So, back to my revenge mission, which tastes sweet from the very first sup. Richer and heavier than I imagined, the moss-green parsley broth is populated with bobbing brown shapes of intrigue. Some are soft girolles and some are snails, tender to the bite with smacks of fresh, earthy flavour. It may be a French dish in theory, but this is definitely the taste of my English garden. From the sea comes tender squid (£5.50), perfectly paired with a glass of fresh and cool Languedoc Blanc (which will only set you back a fiver), whose citrus
flavours launder the palette after every bite of the salty, buttery, garlicky ribbons. Freddy’s always been a dab hand at seafood and although this dish isn’t perhaps the prettiest to look at, it’s cooked to a tee with winning flavour. It’s difficult to turn down the clams with garlic and wild black pepper, the roast queen scallops with Sauternes butter and chives, and the flowering baby courgette with goat’s curd, all equally divine, our neighbours assure us. They are locals, and they’ll be back for more soon, they insist. Across the table, J tucks into piles of light and sweet Devon crab (£8.50), nicely teamed with steaming Jersey Royals, their salty, golden skins giving just enough bite to the delicate meat which sits in a lettuce leaf cup. After considering the sharing mains – guinea fowl, wood-grilled chateaubriand or whole roast brill – then deciding against it (things could get competitive), we order rabbit with mustard sauce (£15.50) and the Pyrenean lamb (£20.50). The former is a huge leg, golden on the outside with soft white meat inside. It’s so incredibly moist, easy to pull away from the bone with just the tip of your fork. I dunk the juicy hunks in the moat of creamy mustard sauce that flows around the bed of green beans. The whole dish is rich with tarragon, which lifts the sauce with its bittersweet flavour. The pink, butter-soft lamb comes with a generous glob of the most moreish anchoïade to punch up each bite with salty umaminess. Plates wiped clean with frites (£3), we order pudding. It’s a squeeze after such hearty mains, but the mousse au chocolat (£5.50) is worth the stretch. The dark and stormy dessert with the richest of cocoa flavours isn’t overly sweet, and perfectly rings in the end of a momentous meal. With a menu that celebrates the art of the butcher (we haven’t even mentioned the milkfed lamb kidneys yet), the delicate hands of the fishmonger, glorious Gallic flavours and fine British produce, Little French truly is a special destination. It’s open every day, morning ’til night, and is somewhere you can add a little belle to your vie, revenge mission or not.
R I N T R I G U I N G N E W R E S TA U R A N T S
UNDERWOOD
THERE WERE RAISED EYEBROWS A-PLENTY OVER SAMUEL GOLDSMITH’S LUNCH AT THIS CURIOUS LITTLE RESTAURANT...
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ight next to Pulteney Bridge in the city centre sits one of Bath’s newest restaurants, Underwood. From the outside you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a French bistro – it’s full of character and its curved teal façade is both striking and inviting. Inside, it’s smartly decorated without feeling too fussy. The front, where the bar is, takes on a casual lounge-style feel, while at the back and downstairs are slightly more formal dining areas, with the most wonderful views out onto the weir. We kicked lunch off at the bar with a cocktail (it wasn’t planned, promise – they just sounded too good to pass up). The Underwood (£10) was refreshing and tropical-tasting thanks to the combination of rum, pear liqueur, gingerbread syrup and lime, but wasn’t too pokey, with subtler flavours than you might expect. The Underwood 75 (£15) was more bougie, combining Champagne, orange gin and lemon juice for a fragrant, zesty result. To start was hispi cabbage (£8.50), arguably our favourite dish of the meal – and quite a few meals before that. A head of cabbage had been halved lengthways and the flat side charred. The outer leaves were lightly blackened and crisp, the layers underneath soft and more delicate but still with good crunch. They were slicked with creamy Russian dressing while a pile of finely grated Manchego sat on the top in a fluffy heap, and echoed the butteriness of its bed. You can totally judge a chef by their scallops, as far as I’m concerned, and those in the king scallop Caesar (£11.50) were cooked very well – golden on the outside and still a little translucent inside. They were served with marinated white anchovies – fresher
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tasting and less punchy than your standard ’chovies – and the other usual Caesar salad suspects of gem lettuce, a blanket of parmesan and crisp bread (here in a thin shard as opposed to croutons). The special, Cornish sea bass (£19.50), came in the form of pan-fried fillet with crisp skin and wellcooked flesh, which fell apart into pearly white flakes. It sat on a cylindrical stack of golden-skinned potato surrounded by wispy straws of dried carrot, while a squid ink crisp sat on top like a fascinator at a wedding. There was a vanilla and coriander sauce too; pale in colour, it had a light texture – almost moussey and sort-of custard-like – and a subtle enough flavour for the sea bass. Although I’m still not sure exactly how sold on it we were by the end of the meal, it showed a drive to experiment and a desire to keep punters on their toes.
Underwood, 16 Argyle Street, Bath BA2 4BQ; 01225 807770; underwoodbath.com
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There was also a chicken supreme (£18.50), consisting of perfectly cooked chicken, succulent, juicy and full of flavour (the skin was especially moreish). It was beautifully presented in slices, with a drizzle of jus and artsy blobs of artichoke purée. Risotto, sat on the side of the meat, was made with pearl barley as opposed to rice, with the careful, subtle flavours allowing the taste of the barley to shine. The crisp shard of the bird’s skin was the (chickenflavoured) cherry on top. Pudding next. My chocolate and praline delice (£8) was another gorgeous-looking plate of food, with two shiny domes of chocolate accompanied by chunks of fresh strawberry, micro herbs and super delicate, pinkrimmed discs of radish. If you’re a dessert fiend like moi, it’s definitely one worth squeezing in. The strawberry and Champagne number (£9) showed yet more of the aforementioned imagination. A bowl of dark chocolate crumb was served with a glass teapot of Champagne, pimped with strawberry coulis to either pour over the choc or sip from the flute provided. Head chef and owner Andrzej Dombrowski informed us that the menu is still changing regularly in these early days – partly to help it find its feet and perhaps also to abate Andrzej’s desire to experiment. Having grown up in Kazakhstan, this chef has travelled extensively, settling in Russia for a time before ending up in the UK, and his travels inspire much of his cooking – including what he’s serving up at his new Bath gaff. He has a lot to say about Russian influences on our food, too. There’s hardly a shortage of places to eat in Bath, but not many are as intriguing as this one.
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ocation, location, location, right? In the hunt for a home, it’s often all talk of transport links, nearby schools and practical stuff like that. But for less sensible home-hunters, like me – I know you exist – it’s all about the nearest grocery shop (emergency supplies are needed daily at my gaff ), restaurant (for when you just can’t face cooking or going out-out) and, perhaps most importantly, local pub (this one doesn’t need explaining). The Kensington Arms in Redland, I bet, has sealed the deal for many an estate agent whose not-quiteconvinced client spotted a bit of damp in the hallway or realised they can hear the neighbour’s TV so clearly that they’re going to be forced to get back into Hollyoaks. This is a neighbourhood pub whose proximity to the property you’re taking a cursory look at makes you want to shake that estate agent’s hand to seal the deal (do people still do that?), despite them
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THE KENSINGTON ARMS ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOOZERS WHERE YOU CAN YOU EAT SOUP FOLLOWED BY HAM, EGG AND CHIPS AND LEAVE FEELING ALL KINDS OF IMPRESSED, ASKS JESSICA CARTER?
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The Kensington Arms, 35-37 Stanley Road, Bristol BS6 6NP; 0117 944 6444; thekensingtonarms.co.uk
having arrived half an hour late for the viewing and got your name wrong. The Kenny has long been respected as a solid gastropub, but began to drum up much more attention about three years ago when local Michelinstarred chef Josh Eggleton took it over with one-time Butcombe Brewery managing director Guy Newell. Those are four pretty trustworthy hands for a food pub to be in. While it may have a Michelin-starred director – not to mention a head chef (Luke Hawkins) who trained in the aforementioned director’s starred kitchen – things here are pretty casual, and it’s very much still a pub to go to just for a pint with the pooch. The menu follows suit and maintains a boozer-type character with the likes of burgers and dishes of ham, egg and chips. There is more besides, though, like crab cake with curry mayo and pickled kohlrabi, and seabass with ratatouille. The ham hock and confit duck terrine (£8) is all kinds of buttery and decadent, the soft, subtly smoky meat pimped up with a good dollop of sweet and tangy plum chutney. Toast, with a pleasingly thorough application of golden butter, is for smearing it on, while pickles take on the job of cutting through the richness with flavoursome bite. Soup, unusually, is F’s first choice (for me, bowls of puréed veg are reserved for winter lunches or as the safe bet on a dubious wedding menu). But this roasted fennel number (£7.50) proves exceptionally light and silky with delicate flavour. Swirls of oil sit on its surface, reminding me of an ariel shot of dancers in a wellchoreographed Busby Berkeley number.
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That previously alluded-to ham, egg and chips (£13.50) needs some elaboration. The thick-cut honey roast ham is topped with two black-pepper-seasoned, golden-yolked fried eggs, a mound of beefy, triplecooked chips, pickled veg and a battered gherkin. I receive half the gherkin and three chips over the course of the meal and I know I made the right choice of dinner date. More off-piste for a watering hole is my colourful plate of ricotta gnocchi (£16). The dense but spongy little pillows were fried for a golden crust and hid a cluster of vine tomatoes beneath their number, cooked until shrivelled and concentrated – juicy and sweet. Ribbons of courgette and laces of deliciously pickled carrot wove their way amongst all that, lolling over wedges of braised fennel with mellowed flavour and soft texture. Sticky toffee puddings are like snowflakes – no two are the same (and I would know, I’ve eaten a lot of them). The one here (£6.50) is dense and chewy around the crust (yes, tricky to tackle after two courses, I have to admit) and submerged in a wonderfully deep pool of toffee sauce. We eat in the dining room underneath glass-shaded pendant lights and an eclectic collection of framed art – and with full view into the metro-tiled open kitchen. It’s a stylish joint, this, not just in terms of decor but also skilled cooking and pro service. Surely one of the most coveted locals in town, its tan banquettes are almost at capacity on this Tuesday evening. Clearly, I’m not the only one who reckons The Kenny is worth skipping your own neighbourhood for.
PHOTO G R A PHY BY NICK HO O K
THE SALUTATION INN BLOW AWAY THE COBWEBS WITH A BRISK AUTUMN WALK BEFORE COSYING UP AT THIS HISTORIC GAFF FOR THE NIGHT, AS JESSICA CARTER DID
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t would be a rather stony heart that wasn’t even a little taken with the Devonian town of Topsham. Combine the riverside location, historic port, thousand-year-old church and Dutch architecture with the indie shops, restaurants and pubs that line the streets and you’ve got serious staycation potential. Dutch brick (which was brought over as ballast on the ships orchestrating the wool and cotton trade between England and The Netherlands) was one of the many discoveries that Amelia and Tom WilliamsHawkes made during their two-year renovation project of Topshpam’s Salutation Inn. When they got their hands on the neglected Grade II* listed Punch Tavern site in 2010, they found its history tattooed throughout. Take the huge, 300-year-old wooden door, which Tom spent an age picking decades’ worth of paint off only to uncover apotropaic circles, carved into the wood as part of a ritual to ward off evil spirits. Chef Tom and manager Amelia have notable histories of their own, both having grown up in the industry with publican parents and worked in hospitality for their whole careers. Tom has cooked with the likes Marcus Wareing at Petrus and Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park, but going back further, his family ran the famous Deller’s café in Exeter – advertisements for its themed New Years Eve parties from the ’30s are on display in the lounge. Enough history: let’s skip forward to the present day, where The Salutation Inn is a well-respected restaurant with rooms (its days of hosting wrestling matches and indoor showjumping are – for better
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or worse – well over). During the day, its Glasshouse Café (situated in the former courtyard with a glass ceiling) serves lunches and afternoon teas, too. Dinner usually begins in the lounge with drinks (check out the Devon-inspired cocktail menu), amuse-bouches and some decision making. There are three ever-evolving menus: a four-course (£45) with a choice of dishes (what we end up choosing) or set tasting menus of either six or eight courses (£75 and £85 respectively). Pre-starters, you may well find yourself in receipt of a little snack – say, eel, caught on the River Exe by Andy Chadwick (the only local licensed for such pursuits) and smoked by third-generation smokers and fishmongers Jacksons in Newton Abbot, with super delicate, white flesh and subtle flavour. You know, just for instance. Lyme Bay mackerel – served raw, ceviche-style – comes with burnt apple purée and tiny cuttings of tangy grapefruit, while across the table a heap of heritage tomatoes conceal some local Vulscombe goat’s cheese and are peppered with fresh leaves of basil. A pair of stylish, fresh-tasting starters. The pea and mint arancino takes the form of a large cylinder, golden crumbed and full of plump rice with bursts of pea and mint. It sits on a pile of fresh, vividgreen peas and beans and is finished with soft basil leaves and a light, silky pea velouté. A lovely jumble of fresh, green summer flavours. The well-cooked Brixham pollock has a sticky glaze (reduced ketchup, interestingly – and deliciously) and comes with potato vinaigrette. A fancy and
imaginative take on the classic seaside supper of fish and chips. Cool, smooth apricot and dark chocolate parfait with basil, and a plate of decadent white chocolate with tangy raspberry sorbet, precede mint tea, petit fours and a much-needed recline on one of the lounge’s sofas. Should I be able to peel myself off said soft furnishing (and the next morning find the willpower to clamber out of the Topsham-crafted bed, which emanates what I can only imagine is the feeling of sleeping inside a giant marshmallow) there’s plenty to reward myself with in this pretty town. Like, perhaps, something sweet from patisserie and café Sara’s Petite Cuisine, or a visit to The Passage House Inn with its gorgeous views onto the estuary. There are plenty of great pubs here too – the famous ‘Topsham Ten’ might have slightly dwindled in number over recent years, but at least this makes completion of the long-standing pub crawl slightly more attainable. Otherwise, there’s the Pebblebed Cellar for wine and light meals just around the corner, and food destination Darts Farm less than 20 minutes away by foot. And when I’m finally full, the well-known Goat Walk, I’ve heard, will get my eyes in front of the best of the town’s views and landmarks while hopefully helping me to digest that mountainous feast. Just outside of Exeter’s centre, Topsham is a spoton waterside destination with a thriving independent scene where you could easily fill a long weekend (and then some) with great food, drink and fresh air. And The Salutation Inn is an ideal base.
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Travel: Bristol Temple Meads to Topsham by train takes about an hour and a half, and from Bath Spa it takes around two hours (and it’s roughly the same by car). Stay: Prices from £200 for a one-night Dine and Stay package with dinner and breakfast for two; from £460 for a twonight Gourmet Stay with breakfasts and dinners. Great for: Hunkering down in cosy pubs, eating fresh Devon produce, taking rural riverside walks and shopping in indie stores. salutationtopsham.co.uk
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SaM GReGORy THE LANDLORD AT THE WELL-LOVED BANK TAVERN TELLS US WHERE HE HANGS OUT WHEN HE’S OFF DUTY
Breakfast? Ironworks Supply Co on Broad Street for the great pancakes. Best brew? Full Court Press for coffee – but I actually prefer a tea, to be honest! Favourite grocery shop? Source Café and Food Hall. It’s always a treat in there. Best wine merchant? Averys. It’s in an amazing venue – I love just wandering around the cellars. Sunday lunch? Silly question. (The Bank, obviously!) Quick pint? The Christmas Steps – it has a good selection of ales. Cheeky cocktail? Red Light, just off College Green. Great team, great vibe, and it’s still exciting to use the payphone to get in! Posh nosh? Bulrush. Phenomenal food and phenomenal value. One to watch? Seven Lucky Gods. Those Hyde and Co boys have done it again with this gem of a place. On the hit list? Freddy Bird’s new gaff, Little French. I can’t wait to go. With friends? It’s got to be The Mayflower, every time. Comfort food? Swoon. That gelato is the only way to get through a hangover. With the family? Glassboat – great for a bit of relaxed fine dining. Best curry? Raj on King Street. No matter how drunk or what time of the night I turn up, they can always fit me in! Belting burger? Three Brothers Burgers. It’s just round the corner and has a great selection. Dog-friendly? The Volunteer Tavern. It has a great beer garden, too. Food on the go? Matina in St Nick’s Market. The queue speaks for itself! Most underrated? The Alma Tavern. There’s always something going on and the food is exceptional. Super service? The Ox. Very friendly team, always highly accommodating. On a budget? Tuk Tuck – the ultimate in fast food.
Quick! Now add this little lot to your contacts book... Ironworks Supply Co, Bristol BS1 2EP; ironworkssupply.co.uk Full Court Press, Bristol BS1 2EJ; cp.coffee Source Café and Food Hall, Bristol BS1 1JW; source-food.co.uk Averys, Bristol BS1 5LD; averys.com The Bank Tavern, Bristol BS1 2HR; banktavern.com The Christmas Steps, Bristol BS1 5BS; thechristmassteps.com Red Light, Bristol BS1 5HH; redlightbristol.xxx Bulrush, Bristol BS6 5TZ; bulrushrestaurant.co.uk Seven Lucky Gods, Bristol BS1 4RW; 7luckygods.com Little French, Bristol BS6 7QB; littlefrench.co.uk The Mayflower, Bristol BS1 3LN; mayflowerbristol.com Swoon, Bristol S1 5TB; swoononaspoon.co.uk Glassboat, Bristol BS1 4SB; glassboat.co.uk Raj, Bristol BS1 4DZ; raj-bristol.co.uk Three Brothers Burgers, Bristol BS1 4SB; threebrothersburgers.co.uk The Volunteer Tavern, Bristol BS2 9DX; volunteertavern.co.uk Matina, Bristol BS1 1JQ The Alma Tavern, Bristol BS8 2HY; almatavernandtheatre.co.uk The Ox, Bristol BS1 1HT; theoxbristol.com Tuk Tuck, Bristol BS1 1EE; facebook.com/tuktuck
banktavern.com
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