23 minute read
THE GOOD FOOD AWARDS
This month we reveal the winners of our 2022 Good Food Awards. Back in October we invited our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, coffee shops and food & drink producers... and now, the results are in!
Words: Rob Davis.
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In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Lincolnshire Pride’s Restaurant of the Year
We’re delighted to announce our 2022 winner is The Brownlow Arms at Hough on the Hill...
BACK IN OCTOBER, we asked our readers to name their favourite restaurants and the votes are in. Happily, we’ve seen a wide range of restaurants receiving nominations, from every part of Lincolnshire. A few restaurants clearly stood out, among which was our winner, Hough on the Hill’s Brownlow Arms. Dating back to 1852 and commanding Grade II listed status, it’s a pretty ironstone and limestone quality pub restaurant which was taken over by Paul and Lorraine Willoughby back in 1979. More than 40 years on, it has become renowned for striking a really good balance between beautifully constructed dishes, but in an environment which is determinedly a local pub in nature. The dining room of The Brownlow Arms features wood panelling and Farrow & Ball’s Downpipe shade, with smart table linens and ticking fabrics on comfy dining chairs. In the bar, meanwhile, there’s an open fire, wing chairs and real ales. An à la carte menu provides six starters, six main courses plus a couple of grill options including chateaubriand, and five desserts plus a couple of ice cream and sorbet options and a good cheese board with Hambleton bakery’s sourdough and Lincolnshire Poacher among the local producers represented. A Sunday lunch option is very popular with Lincolnshire folk, and the Brownlow Arms also has five bedrooms for those who want to stay over. The Good Pub Guide 2021 awarded The Brownlow Arms its Lincolnshire Dining Pub of the Year title, with 2022’s awards yet to be confirmed, whilst the AA has also awarded the place two rosettes for the quality of its cuisine. Reviews point to delicious dining, impeccable service and luxury, with one reviewer remarking on the pub restaurant’s menu, saying that it offers ‘comforting, flavoursome British fayre, seasoned and presented to upmarket standards.’ We identify The Brownlow Arms’ signature dish as Chef’s twice-baked soufflé which has found its way onto several other menus in the area but – we reckon – it originated at the pub first. With a relaxed, traditional feel and the benefit of Paul and Lorraine’s welcome –which is consistently warm without ever compromising professionalism or service –we agree with our readers that The Brownlow Arms is a worthy winner, one of the best restaurants in the county for offering superb dining, a welcoming feel and for showcasing the very best local ingredients on offer. n “Reviews point to delicious dining, impeccable service and luxury, with one reviewer remarking on its ‘comforting, flavoursome British fayre, seasoned and presented to very upmarket standards...’”
Find Out More: The Brownlow Arms, our 2022 Restaurant of the Year, is based at Hough on the Hill, NG32 2AZ. Call 01400 250234 or see www.thebrownlowarms.com.
Also highly commended...
n The Jew’s House: Set in a 12th-century town house on The Strait, The Jew’s House is Grade I listed and almost certainly the oldest building for any restaurant in Lincolnshire. Back in 2006, Gavin Aitkenhead set up his own dining room to cook the food he wanted, exploiting the right balance of texture and flavour. Very smart dining, whether you opt for the à la carte or five-course tasting menu. Tel: 01522 524851, www.jewshouserestaurant.co.uk.
n Winteringham Fields: Home to Colin McGurran and his chef Gareth Bartram, Winteringham Fields is North Lincolnshire’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. Tel: 01724 733096, www.winteringhamfields.co.uk.
n The Pig & Whistle: Based at Healing Manor Hotel, The Pig & Whistle is run by Steven and Charlotte Bennett, with two-rosette food and menus of delicious British classics. Tel: 01472 884544, www.healingmanorhotel.co.uk.
n The George of Stamford: Traditional coaching inn with oak-panelled dining room and stone mullion windows for a grand feel. Head Chef Gareth Thorpe’s treats include Dover Sole, Sirloin of Beef and Woodbridge Duck and Beef Wellington. Tel: 01780 750750, www.georgehotelofstamford.com.
n The Bustard Inn: Based in South Rauceby, The Bustard Inn recently benefited from the return of legendary local chef Phil Lowe. Great dining! Tel: 01529 488250, www.thebustardinn.co.uk.
In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Café Manager Amy WrightFoster (holding plaque) who has worked at Doddington Hall for 11 years and married on the estate this year! Amy is pictured with the team, including Jordan Cody, Head Chef and Katrina Bell & Rebecca Leeder, Assistant Mangers.
Café, Coffee Shop or Bistro of the Year 2022
A win for the second year running for Lincoln’s Doddington Hall Café and Farm Shop...
THE SECOND CATEGORY in our Good Food Awards is concerned with daytime dining and so it’s open to votes from our readers for their preferred cafés, coffee shops, bistros and farm shops. Daytime dining is typically less expensive than evening dining and often customers are looking for simpler or lighter dishes that emerge from the kitchen faster. That doesn’t mean daytime dining can’t – or shouldn’t –be as enjoyable and reflect the same strong values of freshly cooked dishes, locally sourced ingredients and great flavours... all qualities that those living in Lincolnshire expect during evening service. Our winner for the second year running in our daytime dining category is Doddington Hall and its new lunch menu proves that daytime dining can be really good too. Doddington Hall was built in 1600, and has been under the custodianship of James and Claire Birch since 2006. Today the place is nothing short of ambassadorial to the county’s culture of food and farming. For instance, a driving force of the estate’s Wilder Doddington project is the herd of rare breed, pasture-fed Lincoln Red cattle which is helping to build biodiversity and carbon sequestration in soils and vegetation. An excellent farm shop on site is well stocked, and Doddington Hall’s Café uses produce from Doddington Hall’s kitchen garden, plus pasture-fed Lincoln Red beef reared on the estate and meat from local butcher Hambleton’s – which also has a butchery counter in the farm shop. Fish is sourced from Grimsby Docks. Eggs are sourced from Welton Farm. Cheese suppliers include Lincolnshire Poacher, and Cote Hill. On the menu is haddock and chips, steak, a Lincoln Red burger, sausage and mash, plus 48-hour maple-braised pork belly and homemade soup of the day, as well as sandwiches and cakes and tray-bakes made freshly in house. Doddington Hall’s Café is an excellent example of how daytime dining can be just as enjoyable as dining out in the evening. n
Also highly commended by our readers
n Millers, Sleaford: Millers calls itself a bar and restaurant, or restaurant, café bar and brasserie. In fact, that’s a real understatement of a restaurant that is ideal for daytime dining, Sunday lunch or evening dining. A robust number of daytime dishes including haddock ‘n’ chips, Millers burger, Lincolnshire sausage and mash, sandwiches and homemade cakes. Next door is Millers’ ice cream parlour and chocolate shop, which also provides warm crêpes and waffles too. Tel: 01529 414 888, www.millerssleaford.com.
n The Parlour, Springfields: An Edwardian feel to a menu of afternoon teas, brunch and bistro dishes, plus shopping at Spalding’s Springfields. Tel: 01775 760949, www.springfieldsoutlet.co.uk.
n Greyz Tea Room, Bailgate: Homemade cakes, sandwiches and paninis, afternoon tea and brunch options all on Gordon Road, just off Lincoln’s Bailgate. Tel: 01522 536117, www.grayztearoom.co.uk.
n Tablez Bistro, Sleaford: Great for daytime dining and English food with a Mediterranean twist... Turkish nights on Saturday! Tel: 01529 300922.
In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Best International Dining Restaurant
Zada brings Middle Eastern influences to the town of Stamford, with Mediterranean flair too
ZADA in Arabic means ‘fortunate’ and Zillur Hussain’s restaurant, founded in 2015, has been fortunate enough to have been recognised by its satisfied diners as this year’s Best Restaurant for International Dining. Turkish cuisine may be less prevalent in the UK than other dining nationalities, but it’s a winner for winter, with spiced mezza and dishes of slowly-cooked and delicately flavoured tagines of lamb, chicken and –for vegetarians and vegans – tofu or veg. Starter options include the usual Hummus, Babaganush, Kofte, Taramosalata & Falafel, whilst dessert options include Baklawa with its layers of filo pastry, and Sultak, a traditional rice pudding-style dish. Hence there’s dark wood, bright colours, soft lighting and soft furnishings, plus incense and of course, a performance by belly dancers on the first Wednesday of each month. One of the nicest aspect of Turkish cuisine is the sense of theatre. Entertaining for Turkish people is, says Zillur, fundamental. “We provide authentic home style Turkish cuisine from a very authentic menu,” says Zillur. “Our refined homestyle cuisine is served with unpretentious abundance in the spirit of traditional Arabian hospitality!” That certainly appears to have been the experience of our readers, who have named Zada their favourite international dining experience and a real Turkish delight. n
Find Out More: Zada is based on St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP. Call 01780 766848 or see www.zadarestaurant.co.uk.
Also highly commended by our readers
n The Agra, Sleaford: Sleaford’s oldest Indian restaurant still prides itself in preparing delicious Indian food, created by award winning chefs with diverse cooking skills acquired from Chennai and Bengal. The Agra is home to the charismatic LK, inventor of ‘The Widower’ which was at one time the world’s hottest curry, with 20 Naga Infinity chillis resulting in a 6,000,000 Scoville rating – it left some of those who braved it shaking, crying and sweating. Happily, many of LK’s dishes are less intense, beautifully flavoured and really enjoyable. Tel: 01529 305900 www.theagra.co.uk.
n San Pietro, Scunthorpe: San Pietro is absolutely not your average Italian restaurant with the usual Anglicised offering, but a stylish, fine-dining oriented Mediterranean restaurant with Menu Del Giorno, à la carte and tasting menus, and dishes like Pig Three Ways, Fillet of Veal and Loin of Venison. A definite recommendation. Tel: 01724 277774, www.sanpietro.uk.com.
n Cognito, Lincoln: Pan-Asian fusion restaurant with a special focus on Japanese dishes, designed to share, including Uramaki Sushi, Gyozas and Bao. Tel: 01522 575840, www.cognitouk.com.
n Olivares Tapas Bar, Lincoln: Authentic Spanish food on the corner of Castle Hill, with authentic Queso, Tortilla, and sharing options. Tel: 01522 410627, www.olivarestapas.co.uk.
In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Lincolnshire’s Best ‘Restaurant with Rooms’
Washingborough Hall is a grand place to dine and stay, taking our Restaurant with Rooms title...
THERE ARE FEW HOTELS quite as beautiful as Washingborough Hall. It’s set in three acres of grounds, the building dates back to 1750 and it carries a Grade II listing. So charming is its setting and appearance that you’d think it’s located in the middle of rolling countryside, not 10 minutes from the modern thriving city of Lincoln. Since 2008 Washingborough Hall has been under the custodianship of Lucy and Ed Herring. The former is a cordon bleu-trained chef who now works in close partnership with Head Chef Mark Cheseldine. whose previous appointments include Lincoln’s Wig & Mitre, Newark’s Café Bleu and Reform Restaurant at The Castle Hotel. The hotel’s two AA-rosette restaurant is classically-styled, with crisp white linens and a real ‘country chic’ feel, but in addition to creating one of the smartest dining experiences in or around Lincoln, the hotel also comprises 20 rooms commanding four AA-stars. Our readers have voted Washingborough Hall their favourite Restaurant with Rooms, and it’s easy to see why taking a peek at Room 20 with its four-poster bed, light olive green and soft gold colour scheme and its views over the front lawn and neighbouring church. Best of all, there’s a real friendly feel to the place with no stuffiness, just a lovely atmosphere, and the most assiduous standards of dining and accommodation. n
Also highly commended...
n The George of Stamford: For over 900 years now, The George of Stamford has offered a proper coaching inn welcome to guests travelling up and down what we now know as the A1. The place has 45 bedrooms, classicallystyled, with lots of olde-worlde charm. As for its oak-panelled restaurant, few places feel as comfortable and smart. With its oak panelling and mullion windows, it’s like dining in a private member’s club or in the Palaces of Westminster! Tel: 01780 750750, www.georgehotelofstamford.com.
n The Petwood Hotel: Woodhall Spa’s Edwardian gem has 53 beautiful bedrooms and took the opportunity during Covid to complete room and bathrooms makeovers to keep this classically-style hotel looking smart. A four-poster room and Weigall Suite are also available, and the hotel offers excellent dining and afternoon teas. Look out for a great programme of live dining events, themed around Fawlty Towers, James Bond and Only Fools & Horses. Tel: 01526 352411, www.petwood.co.uk.
n Doubletree by Hilton, Lincoln: Overlooking Brayford Pool, Doubletree by Hilton has 160 rooms and eight suites, plus a Marco Pierre White branded steakhouse and grill on one of the upper floors. Tel: 01522 565182 www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk.
In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Best Lincolnshire Food Producer or Retailer
Our readers have named Redhill Farm the county’s best food producer in our 2022 awards
ALL HAIL to the Lincolnshire sausage, and to Redhill Farm, producers of free range pork, which the farm sells both from its Shop on the Farm in Morton and from its Shop in the Bail on Bailgate. Our readers have named Redhill Farm their favourite food producer or retailer for 2022, and they’re not alone in considering the farm’s Lincolnshire Sausages among the best in the country. The Guardian newspaper named the company’s sausages among the top ten in the UK, and they placed in the top three UK sausages in BBC Good Food magazine, as well as being voted Lincolnshire’s Best Sausage in our own Lincolnshire Sausage Awards. The sausages have also been awarded a Great Taste Award star no fewer than five times, including 2021.
The company’s Bailgate shop opened in spring 2017, and in addition to sausages, it provides locals with their free range pork, bacon, ham, pork pies, haslet... so expect queues out the door in December as locals pick up their ‘pigs in blankets’ to enjoy with Christmas lunch.
Terry & Jane Tomlinson set up the company 23 years ago and have also created an online shop which ensures those from outside the county can also enjoy high-quality, highwelfare pork no matter where they live. n
Also highly commended...
n Mansion Farm Shop, Louth: Jim & Odile Sutcliffe have been running their online farm shop from the Lincolnshire Wolds since August 2021. Customers can order beef, lamb, pork, poultry, game, bread, cakes, pies, dairy goods, greengrocery and fish... all with local provenance, and with home delivery directly to your door. www.mansionfarmshop.com.
n The Cheese Society, Lincoln: Cheese lovers worship at the altar of Kate O’Meara’s Cheese Society on the city’s St Martin’s Lane. As well as a 16-seater café, the business, founded in 1997, saw the potential of the internet when e-commerce was in its infancy and now serves as an online retailer for 81 different types of cheese online, also offering subscriptions and gift boxes. Tel: 01522 511 003, www.thecheesesociety.co.uk.
n Myers Bakery, Horncastle: Home to the beloved Lincolnshire Plum Loaf and to five generations of the same family, working since 1901 to produce the very best bread and cakes. Tel: 01507 522234, www.myersbakery.co.uk
n Alfred Enderby, Grimsby: Now run by Patrick Salmon, but with a history stretching back to 1918, providing smoked salmon and haddock. Tel: 01472 342984, www.alfredenderby.co.uk.
n Gary Simpson Butchers: Located in Sleaford, Lincoln, Stamford, Spalding and Heckington, providing high-welfare butchery and pies and ready meals. Tel: 01529 460403, www.gsimpsonbutchers.co.uk.
In October we asked our readers to vote for their favourite local restaurants, cafés, food and drink producers. The votes have been counted and the results are in...!
Best Local Drinks Producer 2022
Our readers are raising a glass to superb quality wines produced in the Lincolnshire Wolds!
SIMON & BRIDGET WHITE can raise a glass to our readers, who have named their winery near Louth our Best Local Drinks Producer for 2022.
There are now 658 vineyards in the UK, and they’re producing really good wines thanks to a warming of the UK’s climate which has seen the conditions traditionally experienced around France’s Champagne region move gradually north. Simon planted the first of his 6,000 Bacchus and Solaris vines in 2015, and having given them a few years to settle in, he’s now able to produce fantastic wine like his Bacchus and Solaris, produced with grapes from the sloping fields of Harrington, in an area of the Lincolnshire Wolds designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Look out for recent products from Ovens Farm including its own gin and sparkling wines which are also offered as a case of six mixed wines. And if you’re at a loose end next summer, you can also join in the fun during grape harvest... 15-20 people a day volunteer, in return for a good sun tan and a bottle or two to take home!
Find Out More: Ovens Farm is based in Harrington, Louth, Call 07919 320290 or see www.ovensfarmvineyard.com.
Also highly commended...
n Lincolnshire Tea & Coffee: Back in 2013 we wouldn’t have said there was anything better than a cup of tea. And then... along comes Susie and John Carlisle’s Lincolnshire Tea with its biscuity flavour and loose leaf and prism tea bag options. Ideal for our hard water and absolutely delightful. If you’re a coffee person, though, the company also produces its own blends, in both ground and bean form. Tel: 01522 681838, thelincolnteaandcoffeecompany.co.uk
n Stokes Coffee, Lincoln: Also synonymous with coffee in Lincolnshire is Stokes, over 120 years old and with Columbian and Honduran blends available online and from its High Bridge Café or its roastery in The Lawn. Tel: 01522 523548, www.stokescoffee.com.
n Bateman’s Brewery: Established in 1874 and with a fourth generation of the family – Jaclyn and Stuart Bateman – now at the helm, Batemans’ flagship beer, its XXXB is easily the most well-regarded of the county’s local ales. Tel: 01754 880317, www.bateman.co.uk.
n Belvoir Fruit Farm, Grantham: Pev Manners resurrected a childhood favourite, his mum’s elderflower cordial in 1984 and has gradually grown his range to include over 50 premium soft drinks. Tel: 01476 870286, www.belvoirfarm.co.uk.
In the KITCHEN
Sssh! Don’t tell anyone, but this is the easiest and most impressive looking showstopper you’ll ever create for visitors over Christmas and New Year!
CHOCOLATE & HAZELNUT SNOWFLAKE
Preparation Time: 25 minutes + chilling. Cooking Time: 35 minutes. Serves: 8. 2 x 320g packs Jus-Rol Puff Pastry Sheet • 100g hazelnut chocolate spread 50g chopped roasted hazelnuts • 1 free range medium egg, lightly beaten • Icing sugar, for dusting
Unroll both of the pastry sheets and cut a 20-22cm circle from each (save the offcuts to make tarts, cheese twists or palmiers). Put one pastry circle on a sheet of baking parchment and cover one side evenly with hazelnut chocolate spread. Sprinkle over 1⁄2 the hazelnuts, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Put the second pastry circle on top, pressing lightly around the border to seal. Put the lid of a small jar (about 4-5cm in diameter) in the centre of the pastry (so you don’t cut through it), then use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into quarters (excluding the central circle). Cut down the centre of each quarter and then repeat. You should have 16 equal strips of pastry attached to the centre. Take two strips next to each other and twist them away from each other three times. Press the ends together in a point, to seal. Repeat all the way around the circle – you should now have 8 snowflake ‘arms’. Slide the snowflake, on its parchment, onto a baking sheet; chill for 30 minutes. 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lightly brush the egg all over the top of the snowflake. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and puffed up. Allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar and sprinkle over the remaining hazelnuts to serve. n Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.
In the KITCHEN
A delicious festive twist on fudge... you could give this to visitors over the festive season... or you could just pull up the drawbridge, light the fire and scoff this Baileys fudge with a good book!
IRISH CREAM FUDGE
Preparation Time: 20 minutes + cooling and chilling. Makes about 30 pieces. 397g can condensed milk • 150ml whole milk • 425g light brown soft sugar 115g unsalted butter • 100ml Baileys The Original Irish Cream • Large pinch of salt 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped.
Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with parchment. Put the milks, sugar and butter in a large, nonstick saucepan and warm over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Put a sugar thermometer in the pan and turn up the heat a little, bringing the mixture to a moderate bubble. Stir continuously until the thermometer reaches 113-115°C or ‘soft-ball stage’ (this should take about 15 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and set aside for five minutes. Stir the Irish cream and salt into the mixture. Using electric beaters set to a medium speed, beat for about 10 minutes until you have a thick mixture that’s starting to come away from the sides of the pan. (You can also do this with a wooden spoon, beating for about 15 minutes.) Tip the mixture into the lined tin, spreading it out evenly. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for an hour. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Meanwhile, put a large sheet of baking parchment on the work surface. Turn out the fudge and trim the edges to neaten, then cut into squares about 3cm x 3cm. Dip 1⁄2 of each square of fudge in the chocolate. Leave to set on the parchment, chilling again briefly if needed. n Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes.
A Highland whisky to raise a toast to the New Year...
Pure water running down from the Cairngorms and a whiff of heather help to make this a dram to remember! If you’re looking for a top quality single malt to raise a glass and bid farewell to 2022, this is the one! Distilled at the foot of the Cairngorms, it’s sweet and syrupy, with the taste of honey and heather. Aged 15 years, it enjoys a price point that won’t leave you agonising over whether to open it, but will still give you a real treat. ‘Slainte!’ n
£44.95 / 70cl / 43% ABV,
The Wine Cellar
Wine of the Month
Nyetimber 1086 Rosé, £175/75cl; £980/6 x 75cl; £280/2 x 75cl Cuvée Duo, West Sussex, 12% ABV,
“Alors! Les Rosbifs et leur vin, comme c’est effronté!” Whilst rules on Protected Geographical Status prevent West Sussex’s Nyetimber calling their sparkling wine Champagne, this is very much a rosé by any other name tasting as sweet. A blend of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay grapes, plus méthode champenoise and the warming British climate make this a winner... even finer as a 2010 vintage. Rosé or white Cuvée Duo available, from nyetimber.com. n
SAY GOODBYE TO 2022 AND RAISE A GLASS TO THE NEW YEAR AS OLD ACQUAINTANCES ARE REMEMBERED AND NEVER BROUGHT TO MIND. HERE’S TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY 2023!
5, 4, 3, 2, 1: Count down to 2023 with some fabulous fizz, here are our favourites!
All the taste, but without a headache!
1. Not a year goes by without a blind taste test in the tabloids which declares an Aldi budget Champagne better than more expensive options. Monsigny is actually pretty decent though, £14.99 / 75cl / 12.5% ABV.
2. For a good mid-range Champagne, Mumm’s the word... its Cordon Rouge edition was adorned with a red ribbon that has paid homage to the Legion of Honour since 1876. Fine bubbles and enticing white and yellow fruitiness, £39 / 75cl / 12% ABV.
3. A high-end offering from Waitrose. This vintage Dom Pérignon from 2012 offers apricot, and a toasty finish for those seeking the ultimate expression of Champagne, £195 / 75cl / 13% ABV. Local distillery Warner’s is renowned for its alcoholic spirits, but the company also caters brilliantly for those who want to raise a glass on New Year’s Eve but get a head start on ‘Dry January.’ With no alcohol to cover its modesty, the spicy base, herbal hit, citrus edge and peppery finish gives it the recognisable kick of a top-shelf spirit. Distilled with lemon thyme, lemon verbena and water drawn from the spring on the family’s farm. n
£18 / 70cl / 0% ABV, www.warners distillery.com.
n Our featured wines are available from the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.
