Limewire

Limewire SPRING 2011

The

Pig Project The Enchanted Forest The Limewire debate

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rom the depths of an ancient forest, the new Lime Wood Group welcomes you with our first Limewire publication devoted to food, foraging, fun and whatever takes our fancy – and hopefully yours.

Contents 02. The Enchanted Forest In praise of the forest and in particular the New Forest.

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The New Forest is our marker, it surrounds us and inspires us. As well as being a place of recreation it gives us a sense of belonging in what we do and what we plan. It has inspired our chefs and foragers who head off into the green and come back laden with fungi and leaves, berries and brambles – join them one morning and enjoy their taste later. Head for the Herb House and relax in warm waters and enjoy being anointed with oils all made from natural ingredients: head for the Mud House and wallow in the different coloured muds... and then contemplate our latest project – The Pig – now there’s an animal who has made mud his friend.

Meet the locals – the butcher, Mr Alan Bartlett, the model agent Sarah Doukas and the boat restorers at Southampton. Meet the visitors performing at Grange Park Opera or at the Chichester Festival, or showing at Brockenhurst during the county show or head for Alton and Austen (Jane of course)... and when you want to go a little further head for Ethiopia, a place of beauty as yet almost unspoiled.

The Foraging Foodie Finding sustenance, joy and delicious new tastes with Lime Wood’s forager and chef.

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The Limewire Debate Have we arrived at the golden age of British Cinema – again?

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The Master Butcher The best of all bangers – Alan Bartlett’s roaring trade.

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The Herb House A spa for all seasons, all types, all needs, all glamour and all natural.

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A Storm in the Forest The founder of Storm Model Agency, Sarah Doukas, describes her enduring love for the New Forest.

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The Pig Project Is it a restaurant? Is it a hotel? Is it a weekend retreat?

No, it’s a PIG.

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Boxing Clever The new type of take-aways.

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Travel The supreme wonder and beauty of Ethiopia.

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Forest Bumf What’s new, what’s happening and where to go.

Publisher: David Elton.

Editor: Jo Foley.

Sub Editor: Maisie Lawrence.

Cover Photography: Tatiana Stratton.

For advertising enquiries contact: Charlie.Dyer@limewoodgroup.com.

Design and production: www.strattons.com Published by: The Lime Wood Group, Beaulieu Rd, Lyndhurst, SO43. © Lime Wood Group 2011

The Enchanted

Forest Not only is the forest vital to our wellbeing but, it is also beautiful and magical. The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pastureland, heath land and forest which has been in existence from the Bronze Age onwards. Explore it, protect it, love it.

Forest Facts • All of our forests are vulnerable. Conservation International estimate that up to 50% of all species indigenous to forests will be extinct before 2050, due to habitat destruction. That’s a rate of one every 20 minutes • In Europe alone some 22,066 species are vulnerable • These include the red squirrel, black grouse, common kingfisher, Scottish wildcat, harvest mouse, wolf and bear • In the New Forest the red squirrel could be found until the 1970s • But... the New Forest is home to the only cicada, native to Great Britain along with our three native snakes – adder, grass and the rare smooth snake. It also shelters rare plants such as the marsh gentian and birds such as the red kite and common buzzard • We must all play our role in ensuring the survival of the forest “When one tugs at a single living thing in nature, one finds it is attached to the rest of the world.” John Muir

Photography: Jason James Finnane of FINNimaje www.finnimaje.ie Model: Naomi Cullen

“The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited kindness and benevolence that makes no demands for its sustenance and extends generously the products of its life and activity; it affords protection to all beings.�

Buddhist Sutra

Limewire 05 The Enchanted Forest

Foraging

Foodie

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ot only does the forest provide life and shelter for flora, fauna, birds, insects and animals it also provides food and sustenance for us. Which is why the forager at Lime Wood, Garry Eveleigh in conjunction with chef Luke Holder uses the seasonal fruits of forest and seashore. This season some favourites include wild salad leaves which bring freshness and delicacy to any dish from the middle of April through May and June.

Not so easy to identify, but Garry the forager is Garry proficient. He returns laden with wild garlic and hedge garlic, chickweed, bittercress, sorrel and dandelion as well as hawthorn and beech leaves, clover, chives and nettle tips – although the latter needs blanching to take the sting out of the taste.

Closer to the shore (the New Forest has some staggering 26 miles of coast) it is easy to find sea beet and purslane early in the season, but from May onwards the delicious sea samphire shoots up alongside such sea weeds as laverweed and sea lettuce which bring a taste of salt and crunch to any number of dishes.

These latter can be found throughout the summer and even into autumn... but the young shoots early in the season are the most welcome.

Wild mushrooms of course can be found throughout the year from as early as March, depending on the season’s warmth. The earliest are oyster mushrooms and St George’s just in time for his feast day in April, while throughout May and June, beefsteak and chicken of the woods are plentiful. If June is particularly wet you can find early chanterelles – there has to be some compensation for the rain!

Foragers are keen hands at finding food for free in the New Forest, and using the fruits of forest and shore on the return home.

Limewire 07

Limewire Is this the golden age of British cinema?

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ith the current success – both critical and commercial – of 127 Hours and The King’s Speech giving the British film industry an enormous sense of pride, there is talk that the UK is enjoying a ‘golden age’ of cinema. But are we getting a little bit carried away here? Do a couple of well-received films such as The King’s Speech and Slumdog Millionaire really herald the dawn of a new era or are we all happily glugging away on the hype machine’s very own brand of Kool-Aid (or champagne, darling!). We’ve long been a nation steeped in filmmaking traditions and have a proud cinematic heritage dating back decades so is this really the best we’ve ever been? Can’t this wide-eyed optimism similarly be applied to Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) or Chariots Of Fire (1981)?

Also what constitutes a ‘golden age’? Is it the legitimising of a project through awards or the state of the industry as a whole? And does this mean we’ve peaked or can our achievements exceed even higher?

FOR

AGAINST

Our films and industry are more celebrated than ever

For all our reputation, we seldom win the big awards

Back in 1981, actor Colin Welland famously declared “The British are coming,” while picking up his Oscar for writing Chariots Of Fire. It may have taken us the best part of 30 years, but Welland’s declaration seems to be coming true. In the last few years the Brits have enjoyed more award nominations – both Oscar and Bafta – than ever before.

Films like The Queen (6 Oscar & 10 Bafta), Atonement (6 & 12), Slumdog Millionaire (10 & 11), An Education (3 & 9) and The King’s Speech (12 & 14) have ensured that our nation has left a cultural impact on the world. And since the British Academy pulled their bash ahead of their Hollywood rival in the awards calendar, the Bafta’s credibility is riding high. Every year a veritable who’s who of A-list movie talent grace the London red carpet and make gushing speeches about how important the Baftas are.

Despite the obvious high esteem in which we Brits are held in Hollywood, the big awards seldom come our way. Surely if this is a ‘golden age’, then our mantelpieces should be festooned with trophies, but if you look at the significant Oscar wins over the last five years our record isn’t great. We’ve won one Best Picture (Slumdog Millionaire), one Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), two Best Actress (Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet) and one Best Director (Danny Boyle) – those are hardly ‘golden age’ statistics. And when you look at this year’s nominations, The King’s Speech aside, we weren’t overly represented. Christopher Nolan wasn’t even nominated for Inception, arguably the most creative and ‘directed’ film of the year. The best films don’t always win the awards, but Oscar success is a sure fire way to build a legacy.

Despite the glowing reviews, UK box office is down We’re bursting with emerging acting talent With the old guard of Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Colin Firth all firmly rooted in the public’s hearts, a massively talented group of up-and-coming actors look set to keep the British reputation of churning out outstanding thespians strong. Among these are Firth’s A Single Man co-star Nicholas Hoult, the vulnerable yet tough-as-nails Thomas Turgoose, the delightfully sweet Felicity Jones and the already lauded star of The Social Network Andrew Garfield. Throw the likes of established young ’uns Aaron Johnson and Carey Mulligan into the mix and casting directors around the world look set to have a tough time casting anyone who isn’t a Brit for the foreseeable future! And it must say something about the calibre of our talent when three of the biggest roles in Hollywood – those of Batman, Spider-Man and Superman – belong to actors raised in Pembrokeshire, Surrey and Jersey.

Behind the camera we’re big players It’s not just our actors who are wowing the world; our filmmakers aren’t doing too bad a job either. Three of the biggest movies in the world last year were directed by Brits – The Twilight Saga: Eclipse by David Spade, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 by David Yates and Inception by Christopher Nolan. Between them these three films took just over £1.5 billion around the globe – that’s not too shabby, I’m sure you’ll agree. And let’s not forget those who have shunned Hollywood’s big budget blockbusters – Mike Leigh enjoyed huge critical success in 2010 with Another Year, while Ken Loach’s Route Irish received rave reviews at last year’s London Film Festival.

And with the likes of Richard Ayoade, Gareth Edwards and Ben Wheatley all cutting their teeth to a positive buzz the future looks assured.

If we’re making such spectacular movies, why are less people going to the cinema to see them? In 2009, the UK public spent £173.5 million going to the pictures. In 2010, they spent £169.2 million over the same period. Any ‘golden age’ can’t just be about the films we’re making – it has to encompass the health of the whole industry in general – and if less people are going to the cinema, then that’s not a great sign. There are lots of reasons why attendances are down, the main ones being the recession (although weirdly the film industry seems to have ridden that storm reasonably well) and internet piracy (there’s little doubt that more and more movies are being downloaded and watched at home), but how can this be considered a great time for the cinema if less people are actually going?

How many of these ‘classics’ will stand the test of time?

While the likes of The King’s Speech and Slumdog Millionaire have both been praised and honoured through the roof, are they films people will still be watching over and over again in years to come? The DVD explosion of the last decade means that movies really can live forever, but are any ‘classics’ of the last few years destined to take pride of place in people’s libraries 25 years from now? It seems unlikely. When you talk of British classics, it’s films like The Third Man, Brief Encounter, Lawrence of Arabia, The Red Shoes, The Ladykillers and The Italian Job that spring to mind. Add the word ‘modern’ to that description and step forward Trainspotting, Four Weddings And A Funeral, The Full Monty and Withnail and I. Will Colin Firth’s stuttering monarch join that illustrious list? I guess only time will tell but – and be honest – is The King’s Speech really as memorable as any of the others on the list?

Spending cuts won’t help UK production is on a high It’s not just in front of the cameras that the British film industry is enjoying success – our studios and the highly skilled folks who work there have never been busier. The likes of Pinewood and Shepperton, while also playing host to a variety of UK productions, have been raking it in thanks to some huge blockbusters taking advantage of their facilities.

During the last year, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, X-Men: First Class, Hugo Cabret and Captain America have all called the UK home, while Alien prequel Prometheus is set to take over most of Pinewood during 2011. And with the Harry Potter franchise vacating Leavesden Studios after a decade-long residency, it’s been confirmed that Warner Bros. have bought the place outright and intend to give it a £100 million facelift in order to use it as their permanent base in the UK.

Back in July of last year, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that the UK Film Council, the Government funded agency responsible for nurturing British cinema, was to be scrapped. What a great way to crown this supposed ‘golden age’! By scrapping the UKFC and its £15 million annual budget, it is no doubt going to save a pot load of money but it hardly establishes the UK as a hotbed of creative and cinematic arts.

Admittedly, the UKFC did pump a lot of cash into some truly dreadful films but for every Sex Lives Of The Potato Men or Donkey Punch, there was a Last King Of Scotland or This Is England. And ironically one of their biggest successes was The King’s Speech – the UKFC injected just over £1 million into the film’s budget – but its success has come too late.

This debate is taken from In-Debate Magazine. www.in-debate.com

Limewire 09

The Master

Butcher R

evered by chefs and vital to the tastes and stomachs of his customers, Alan Bartlett dispenses the finest of meats and the best of bangers from his shop in New Milton.

Experts in any field are fascinating to listen to as they have a knowledge of such depth and an enthusiasm to go with it, that they attract fans and aficionados almost seamlessly.

Alan Bartlett is one such expert – the third generation of a New Milton butcher he is constantly developing new ways to deal with the locally produced meat that arrives in his High Street shop.

“All our meat is produced in the area and rarely no more than 20 miles from the shop,” he explains. The other important note is “We always buy the whole carcass so that we can produce all cuts from tongue to tail”. He knows how and what his animals are fed, where they were born and how they grew up, before he buys. “Our beef, for instance, is New Forest mark and it is bred for us by farmer Stewart Morgan at Pennington, just a few miles away. We buy the carcass and then hang it for three weeks before we attend to the cuts,” he says. His pork is reared outdoors, vital he says to the tastes and quality he needs.

And it must be because of such detailed knowledge of all the bits of the carcass that has allowed him to produce some of the best sausages in the county – although some would say in the country. James Golding of the PIG is one such fan. He says: “I love Hampshire Hogs because the butcher uses meat from all the organic farms in the New Forest so he knows that the meat has been locally sourced from small holdings. My favourite are the plain pork sausages which have no added herbs just a small amount of seasoning and roughly minced pork which means that they are really porky and pure.”

But Alan also recognises the help he has received from chefs who work with him... they have encouraged him to experiment and produce outstanding charcuterie. Lime Wood for instance, and its chef Luke Holder is a great devotee of Bartlett’s chorizo. “It took us a bit of time to get the right taste and texture we were after, but everyone seems to like it, particularly the kitchens and clients of the hotel. It joins the Bartlett group of sausages including the original Hampshire Hog, the Lincolnshire with sage and black pepper, alongside pork and onion, beef, chipolatas and venison bangers made from New Forest deer. Depending on the season between two and three hundred pounds of sausages are made each week... and even more so now that the barbecue season is on its way.

Not only are all the cuts butchered and hung on the premises but all the sausages and charcuterie are too. One of his latest and most popular offerings is the cured leg of pork which after careful curing, salting with spices, sugar and salt and then drying for up to 12 months, would give the finest prosciutto a run for its money. Alan explains that even customers who have moved away from the area, some even to live abroad, always return when back in the country for his meat! Other developments include a bresaola, a coppa with fennel seeds, salami and a delicate lomo with smoked paprika. “We are a bit out of the way down here in Hampshire, but we are beginning to catch up,” Alan states modestly, although he does admit this latest foray into charcuterie under the brand A Pinch of Salt is doing exceptionally well. While there are any number of greedy gourmets, plain food lovers and professional chefs around the place who would drink to that.

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Lap of

Indulge As well as a host of wraps, scrubs, massages and facials the Herb House has special treatments for couples, mothers-to-be or the truly sybaritic who just wish to pamper themselves, lasting from one hour to almost three.

Luxury

Steam and Mud You can steam inside or out in the fresh air in a choice of steam rooms, hot pools, hydro pools and great showers... or head for the Mud Room and indulge in three different types of mud, white for the face, blue for the trunk, grey for the rest of you!

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he Herb House is possibly the most aptly named spa in the country. For herbs and all things herbal make up the greater part of its DNA. The products used within it are positively bursting with the stuff (and none more so than the TriDosha Danwantari oil with 43 different ones in its mix), Voya is made with sea essences, minerals plus herbs while Bamford Body is composed of all things natural, floral and herbal. The restaurant Raw and Cured, as-- its very name suggests, prepares and serves herbs in its salads, main dishes, smoothies and teas.

But more than anything the crowning glory of the Herb House is the roof planted with a plethora of herbs. Apart from a camomile lawn, each of the seating areas has its own herbal theme, and is surrounded by them, from bergamot to white lavender and catmint, added to which there are 20 different types of thyme and 15 different mints which include chocolate, ginger, pineapple and even banana mints!

Welly Boot Camp We have done our own take on boot camp and hopefully it combines fun in the forest with some serious fitness and health focus. With cross country runs, obstacle courses & detoxifying seaweed wraps you will leave seriously fit but also relaxed. ÂŁ1500 for 4 nights.

And while it may sound intricate the planting is simple so that the roof does not detract from the view of the forest and the feeling of being wrapped in its arms. Also it has been carried out with particular emphasis on the fragrance of each herb – from the camomile lawn to the verbena and oregano bed enhancing the relaxation and meditation areas. Each seating area is themed with different herb combinations to ensure a different fragrance experience to aid relaxation and enjoyment of the fresh forest air. The only extras on the roof are the old cast iron benches, ancient dolly tubs and terracotta tom pots planted with more herbs and four gnarled old olive trees (the only imports up there) and a central walkway lined with bay trees.

Limewire 11 Eat, Drink, Love On offer at Raw and Cured is some of the most delicious locally sourced and home-made foods. From home-made muesli, to not-your-mother’s lentil salad made with karma ham.

Try meats and fish from Lime Wood’s own smoke-house, such as haddock with apple, house-smoked duck with girolles or pigeon carpaccio with feta and pomegranate.

To drink, opt for ruby roots juice, a rich blend of beetroot, red cabbage and orange or the sweet and sour sensation of rhubarb, ginger and plum.

There is always a wrap of the day, home-made pastries, croissants and cakes and any number of infusions from chamomile to ginger to Lime Wood’s own detox – not to mention white teas, gren teas and perfectly ordinary English Breakfast.

This is a place of pleasure so wines are served by the glass and the bottle, all English and including pink and white sparkling varieties.

Herb House Products Bamford Body The Herb House is the first spa to offer these treatments outside the original Daylesford Hay Barn spa in Gloucestershire.

The products all use natural and organic ingredients accredited by the Soil Association.

They are all GMO, Parabens, SLS and mineral oil free.

Voya Inspired and made on the northwest coast of Ireland, these products harness the healing properties of the sea and its plants in a choice of wraps, massages and bathing experiences.

Tri-Dosha Using the traditional and authentic elements of ayurveda – the world’s oldest medical discipline – with its selection of oils, skincare products and treatments.

Brandy Diet A 12-day life-changing programme from guru Gowrie Motha which sets out to eliminate depression and addictive behaviour, detox your body, help weight loss and change habits – and yes you do get to sip medicinal quantities of the stuff! 1st July until the 12th of July. From £4,200. Individuals are now able to call and book this diet.

For enquiries call 02380 286 999.

Nude High performance skincare founded and developed by Bryan Meehan (creator of Fresh and Wild) with Ali Hewson, Bono’s wife, which also offers a variety of facial options including some devoted to anti-ageing and cellular renewal.

Get moving Not only is there a fully-equipped state-of-the-art Technogym but the Herb House also offers stretching and pilates classes, yoga for all standards, zumba, circuit training, aqua fitness, tai chi qi gong and forest runs.

Limewire 13

A Storm in the

Forest S

Sarah Doukas may well be one of the most successful model agents ever, with her Storm agency... but her heart, most of her soul and great chunks of her energy and love are to be found in the New Forest.

Sarah is good at spotting things, places, people – the latter have included Kate Moss, Sophie Dahl, Carla Bruni and Lily Cole among many others – and at a very early age she spotted the beauty and wildness of everything that makes the New Forest so special. “Even though my maternal grandmother’s family have been associated with the forest since 1790 and another grandparent was born in Valetta House near the Royal Oak in Minstead I have never really strayed that far from the forest throughout my life”.

Sure she sloped off to live in Paris, London and California throughout her youth but something always drew her back to Hampshire.

As proud as she is with Storm, the agency she started from scratch, she is just as proud that as a farm owner she has certain rights as a forest commoner: “I can’t collect firewood... but I can cut peat. And while I am allowed to put out a certain number of pigs I can put out as many cattle as I wish”.

Initially it was her maternal grandmother whom she adored. “I even refused to move north to Yorkshire with my parents, when my father got a job there.

I must have been about eleven, I wanted to stay with my grandmother and we did everything together, rode, walked, helped on the farm, she would even come and meet me from school.” It was this extraordinary woman who helped imbue the DNA of the forest into the Doukas character.

She is obviously proud of the international agency she has built up but she is also justly proud of the knowledge she has of how the forest lives and works. “I love the foresters, they are a real riding community, they are extraordinary to listen to and to watch and in many ways are quite closed off from what else goes on in the area. For instance the Forest Point to Point is like no other, many of the men ride in green overalls and their wellies, but most extraordinary they never tell anyone where it’s going to be until the morning it happens!”

Manor Farm was where the two lived, a place which her grandmother worked and which is now Sarah’s family retreat with its menagerie of animals – 46 cattle, three New Forest ponies, and extraordinary Poitou donkey as well as a number of other donkeys and various cats and dogs. The Poitou is one of a very rare breed which is now thought to be almost as endangered as the panda. “They are so benign and so extraordinary looking with their long curly brown hair that I love them. I think they were once cross-bred with those big shire horses which is why they look this way...”

It seems Sarah knows every blade of grass, piece of stone and animal on her farm. For it is hers now. “My poor grandmother who died at 98, refused to make a will so when she went everything was in a mess... however, my husband and I found the money and bought the place, and we’ve been renovating it and farming it ever since.” She spends almost every weekend there, working – fencing, harrowing, looking after pigs and chickens although her 86-year-old mother now lives there with her and helps with the horses and animal feeds.

“You should see how scruffy I am when I get back to London on a Monday morning... I definitely need a manicure”.

All of this she discovered on a research trip to the Queen’s House at Lyndhurst where all such rights and privileges are on record.

Sarah loves: • Lyndhurst and Winchester markets • Swimming in the cold sea near Milford on Sea • Riding with her daughter Poppy to lunch at the Royal Oak • Cooking for friends at the weekend • Switching off her Blackberry (“the only time I do”) at the Herb House • The forest at all times of the year, each season is so different, My husband and I particularly love cold winter walks • Her great-grandfather’s branding iron

The Pig

Project

Limewire 15

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here has never been a country house hotel like the PIG, which is why it’s not really a hotel, simply kitchen garden food and rooms.

This new Limewood Group project opens midsummer and will provide the ultimate in easy living with a look that owes more to morphing than designing. This place is all about the kitchen garden and what it can do for you – freshly picked and sourced food in a beautiful and natural environment, comfy and inspired rooms, both inside and out. Huge chairs, sprawling sofas, roaring fires in the winter, vast open windows in the summer.

It’s like your best friend’s country house, where you don’t really have to dress up or down or even make an effort. It is a place where you can simply be. Hidden in the forest, the house was a hunting lodge once owned by the Queen’s grandfather (on the Bowes-Lyon side), set amid lawns and gardens with a gorgeous walled garden down by the stables which are now gorgeous private rooms.

The walled garden which is planted with every type of fruit and veg along with herbs and leaves all designated to be delivered to the kitchen and eaten in season on site. New plantings include medlars, damsons, quinces and mulberries.

And what cannot be found in the garden will be foraged from the forest – fruits, nuts, wild leaves, edible flowers and mushrooms galore. All of this highlights the key components of the PIG – the gardener – Mike Kleyn, the forager – Garry Eveleigh and the chef – James Golding, between them the food provided and served be the freshest, sourced on the spot, comfort and chic nosh in all of Hampshire. Food will change with the season, dishes by the day and yet there won’t be a hint of foodie fascism either in the kitchen or in the greenhouse dining room.

The Pig is for troughing, but for troughing as you like it. It is where you will recover the tastes of your childhood merged with those of tomorrow... but best of all it’s where you will arrive, kick off your shoes and flop. If you want to be active, of course, you can hike and bike to your heart’s content and play croquet or tennis. This has all the elements of a fab place... but so low-key, so laid back, so easy.

A feast of a garden Herbs of all types, fruits, some almost forgotten and every type of vegetable will find a place in the garden.

Limewire 17

Boxing

Clever T

he weekend will have been great – restful, enjoyable and sybaritic, full of fresh air, relaxation and new experiences, so the journey home needs to be approached gently and with caution. For instance, what’s in the fridge for supper? Is there milk for breakfast? Or must you stop on the way at a service station to stock up on the essentials and call a takeaway once home? All such thoughts are a thing of the past if you buy off the shelf at Limewood, and although the weekend may be over, the taste lingers on.

Chef Luke Holder has been smoking, pickling, marinating, curing, drying and baking so that many of the feasts of the forests can be provided in a tuck box for you to take home.

Milk, muesli (made in-house), jams and marmalades all made locally from organically grown produce can be added to a take home box, as can fresh hen, quail and duck eggs. Indeed one of the most popular items on the Scullery menu are the quail scotch eggs – take a dozen of these with a bag of wild or garden leaves for the perfect Sunday evening supper.

All you need then is homemade bread – again you can opt for the wholemeal or the country style... but there will be a seasonal choice, again depending on produce.

Locally sourced ingredients, anointed and cured in-house, all for the perfect tuck box.

Currently the smokehouse holds, salmon, pancetta, the best chorizo this side of Budapest, lomo which is lavender cured and a host of ham hocks and legs which have been cured in molasses or treacle before drying. Any one of these will have been monitored, turned, cosseted even, for between nine and 12 months before being brought to table. All the hams and salmon are locally sourced while the chorizo and sausages are made on the premises – it’s a trade secret but the paprika is brought straight from Budapest by a relative of someone on staff, and is the most perfect glorious orange colour and yet is as subtle as swansdown.

The larder is a constantly changing array of chutneys and pickles, depending on the season and what is available from the forest or garden. The pickled mushrooms are a triumph, everything from baby chanterelles to ceps, while the marinated peppers and salsify lift every taste bud. Added to these there could be rhubarb pickle, apple cider chutney plus baby carrots, cauliflower and red cabbage as you have never tasted them before. These are pickles that don’t hang around the kitchen from Christmas to Michaelmas but tend to be wolfed down within days.

Cheeses, again depend on what is available from local sources such as Lyburn which is a two to four year old cheddar, a sort of Hampshire parmesan, while the mozzarella comes from the buffalo herd at Laverstock. But there will always be a supply to choose from.

So you could add bread with kale, with shallot and golden raisins, basil or tomato. Just imagine arriving home for a Sunday evening supper with a selection of charcuterie, some freshly made bread, a lump of cheese, a bag of leaves... just add a bottle of wine and sit back and relax.

Tuck Box Takeaways The Morning After Box – selection of bread, milk, muesli, yogurt, eggs, bacon, sausages The Lazy Limewood Box – choice of charcuterie, salad leaves, cheese, pickles, chutneys, breads Off the Scullery shelf – an array of pickles, jams, chutneys, fresh pasta sauces, selection of charcuterie and cheeses... and anything else chef can find to seduce your palate

18 Limewire

Ethiopia Surprising, spiritual and heart-stoppingly beautiful

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uzzled or envious? Those were the two reactions I had when I Set on a little plain and surrounded by mountains blue and heather in tone, and announced I was off to Ethiopia on holiday. Some friends were so disappearing into infinity with just the occasional deep rift breaking the symmetry, autemtovel eum iriure dolor in too, hendrerit in vulputate velit is truly beautiful. But then the beauty of the place is one of the most excitedDuis and wanted know if they could come while others the location thought I had finally lost my marbles.

Let’s face it, what most of surprising esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla aspects of this country. And then of course there is the food – one of us know about this vast country can be summed up in two words those subjects you try not to broach in a place known for its famines... but in this facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui – War and Famine. Admittedly a few, including me, knew about north-western area the tourist cafes and hotel serve simple soups and salads along blandit praesent zzril delenit augue the Rock churches of Lalibela and luptatum the Bleeding Heart monkeys of duis the dolore with thetenational dish. This is based on a grain called tef, which is served as a Simien Mountains.feugait nulla facilisi. large pancake, an injera, and which is used to scoop, roll and dip into the various small spicy dishes which accompany it. What is most extraordinary about tef, Photographs: ipsumand a few more things may especially in a country which has suffered so much from food shortages, is its Dig a little deeper into your memoryLorem or knowledge come to mind about the one country in Africa which has never been colonised (yes, the Italians did try – but failed) – the Ark of the Covenant for instance, which is shrouded in mystery and housed in splendour in Axum, the spiritual heart of the country and the holiest city in Ethiopia. A destination not just for pilgrims, but for tourists, and especially for archaeologists, as more than 70% of it, is still to be investigated and excavated. To date, the Queen of Sheba’s bath (actually a reservoir) and palace have been restored, while only 20 years ago, three farmers uncovered the Ezana Stone in a field. This is a memorial stone inscribed in three languages – Greek, Sabean and Geez – and in near perfect condition considering it is over 1,600 years old and known as the Ethiopian Rosetta Stone. However, most visitors come to see the Stelae Field Park, a jaw-dropping exhibition of monolithic obelisks, with the tallest nutritional content. It is composed of 82 per cent complex carbohydrates, has standing over 20 metres high. The largest is lying on its side broken into five more fibre-rich bran than any other grain, 20 times more calcium and 15 per cent pieces and weighing a mere 160 tons. In total there are some 3,002 monolithic more protein! No wonder they produce some of the greatest distant runners. It stelaes in and around Axum. tastes of very little which is why it is useful as a scoop but it does look like an old boiled flannel. You just have to ignore that.

But Lalibela is the more astounding with its 11 rock-hewn churches each one carved out of granite as a single monolith with its roof, level with the ground. And then of course there is the coffee – the best you will find anywhere – Accessed via narrow passages, tunnels and walkways there is a sense of awe unsurprisingly, and while the beer is good the local wines have a long way to about each one as you work your way down into the earth and out into the go, although the red is infinitely more palatable than the white. wide trenches that surround them. All were decorated with carvings and paintings but much has faded over the ensuing millennia. The most spectacular And don’t forget Gondar and its 17th century castles, Lake Tana with is St George’s which is carved in the shape of a Greek cross. monasteries hidden on tiny islands and then leading to the source of the Blue Nile and the Blue Nile Falls. All of this in one small area of this vast country.

The little town itself is tiny with a number of cafes and restaurants, a weekly And did I mention Sylvia Pankhurst? Another surprise – her large grave is in market selling everything from donkeys to dresses and a few internet cafes. Go prime position outside Addis Abba’s main cathedral. It seems rather a long way during Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas and more than 300,000 pilgrims will from Manchester, but when the Italians, this time under Mussolini, had join you. Each is swathed in the local white cotton shawl called a shama, which another go at trying to take hold of Ethiopia, Sylvia and her anti-fascist league resembles a toga more than anything else and adds an extraordinary elegance rode to the rescue, fell in love with the country, befriended Haile Selassie’s to the wearer. The pilgrims may have walked for days but their patience, daughter and stayed for the rest of her life. Her legacy lingers on – her son, perseverance and dignity throughout is heart-rending.

Richard, was born there and now heads up the History faculty at the main university. It’s that sort of place, it somehow grips your soul.

True travel is a rare experience – find it now before Ethiopia hits the tourist trail.

Lalibela Market

Lake Tana

Chickens, goats, donkeys, food and clothes all for sale in this vibrant weekly market.

The largest lake in Ethiopia from where the Blue Nile begins its journey and from where you visit the Blue Nile Falls – it’s surrounded too by monasteries and churches.

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How to get there: Africa Travel (0845 450 1520; www.africatravel.co.uk)

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Forest

New Forest Events

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hether it’s field, forest, sea or culture, Hampshire has something for everyone throughout the year, while Limewood provides the ideal base from which to enjoy some of the best attractions around. Riding in the forest either on horseback or mountain bike is easy to organise, hiking in the forest is a glorious

What’s On Locally instead of New Forest Events – run as many as you can.

• Art and Design Market, Winchester, 19 June

way to spend a day... grab a picnic from the larder and go. Further afield wonder at the cloth of gold Daffodil Meadow at the end of April at Exbury Gardens, or for something a little more cerebral then you are in the right place for all things Jane Austen. Both Alton and Chawton have any number of events throughout the year which celebrate the lady’s work and life – a reading, a festival, a Regency fest or exhibition.

• Vintage Bus Rally, buses of all shapes, ages and sizes Anstey Park, Alton, 17 July

Miranda Michels A sculptor specialising in all types of wildlife and equine sculptures. None are cast and each is formed individually, every feather on her bird sculptures are made separately. You can see her hare, sheep and deer throughout Lime Wood grounds but enjoy more of her work at her Exhibition at Lime Wood from 10th June – 22nd June.

• Cowes Week Sailing Regatta 40 races daily from 6 August • Goodwood Festival of Speed Glamorous Garden Party with cars 30 June - 3rd July

Local Artistry Uncovered

• Bestival Music Festival.

Three day music fest from 8 Sept – this year headlining The Cure • Southampton Boat Show Yachties book now, from 16 September

Laverstoke Park Farm & Shop

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he looks great for her age – 77 – this 1930s classic ketch, the Alinda V has just had a serious facelift and full overhaul by the experts at Southampton Yacht Services. A 78ft, Mylne design, she was built in Glasgow in 1934 by Alexander Stevens and Sons and has spent much of her life in the eastern Mediterranean, and while her hull structure was in good shape the deck, interior and rigging had suffered over the decades. Such a refit needs careful thought and planning alongside sympathetic workmanship, for the concept was to retain Alinda’s classic features while adding every modern comfort and necessity.

For instance, down below, the accommodation was modified to incorporate en-suite heads for all three guest cabins, the saloon updates and the galley and crew cabins all needed remodelling.

And to be true to the period lightweight granite and marble were used.

oak,

The real challenge came when dealing with the sail plan so that the full 3,000 square feet could be used. In order to accomplish this a whole set of new hydraulic winches were fitted and four of the original Gibb winches were refitted, while the original windlass was converted to a hydraulically powered one. And although modern electronic equipment never looks really right on a classic yacht, it was decided to put the main communication and navigation equipment at the forward end of the deckhouse covered by a Tambour door. All of this helps maintain her classic features and lines but allows her a re-entry to the 21st century.

Former Grand Prix motor racing champion Jody Scheckter founded this biodynamic organic farm to produce food for himself and his family, but just like Topsy it has grown... and grown into one of the foremost organic farms in the country. Visit the farm and visit the farm shop for some of the best organic meats, true buffalo mozzarella and organic ale.

It’s a short drive away at Overton.

• Secrets and Suspicion – Jane Austen style writing workshop, Chawton, 21 June • Chichester Theatre Festival Singin’ in the Rain, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Sweeney Todd and a world premier based on Terence Rattigan’s last screenplay.

The festival runs from May to October

www.southamptonyachtservices.co.uk

Grange Park Opera

Alinda V

Claire Matthews

• The New Forest and Hampshire Country Show Great three-day agricultural show held at New Park, Brockenhurst from 26 July

This year’s season runs from 2 June-12 July and includes Rigoletto, Rusalka and Tristan and Isolde as well as two recitals by Bryn Terfel. For the last 13 years the festival has established itself as one of the finest in the UK summer opera season. The Grange was the first Greek Revival House in Europe, worth a visit for that alone.