1408 dining al fresco

the listing YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO ROYSTON & BEYOND • AUGUST 2014

DINING

AL FRESCO

Enjoy the Summer Sunshine!

EATS, DRInKS & LEISURE

Cocktails 2for1

“shaken not stirred”

Friday Nights 5pm until 8pm join us for cocktails and get the weekend started with our 2 for 1 deal

www.adhocbarandkitchen.co.uk The Old Court House, Fish Hill, Royston, Herts SG8 9XT Tel: 01763 246838

www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447 • 2

AUGUST 14 • ISSUE 109

AUGUST 14 • ISSUE 109

EATS, DRInKS & LEISURE

IN FOWLMERE

After it’s closure, this beautiful traditional English pub has come to life again.

Our A la carte menu includes traditional English Classics and there is also a daily specials board, with fresh fish being a speciality.

We also serve sandwiches and various other light lunches for when time is not on your side.

Sunday Lunch is a must for all the family.

Our large conservatory can cater for groups of upto 30 and host off-site meetings.

We look forward to welcoming you & enjoying your company at The Chequers.

For more information and a look at our menu, please visit our website www.thechequersfowlmere.co.uk The Chequers, High Street, Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire SG8 7SR • Tel: 01763 208558 • Email: info@thechequersfowlmere.co.uk

w e i v Re

THE CHEQUERS AT FOWLMERE

Simplicity is the name of the game at the historic Chequers pub in Fowlmere. When new owner Kelly Mathias viewed the pub she immediately fell in love with its quaint charm. Her previous role in a Michelin starred restaurant had fuelled her passion for quality food that she brings to the Chequers.

After a three month refurbishment the pub retains the serene atmosphere that first attracted Kelly and the menu reflects her love of simple food, perfectly cooked and presented.

We sat in the sun on the large patio looking out over the garden. The Head Chef, Richard Stearn, uses a local fishmonger, who supplies him with extra fresh produce that he loves to cook for you. Such was Kelly’s enthusiasm that we both opted for the fish - the hake was beautifully cooked and served with roasted tomatoes, chorizo and capers while the brill with new potatoes and roast beetroot was well balanced and light. Both dishes were pleasing to the eye and delicious.

Special mention must be made of a little treat we shared as a starter.

Richard has perfected the art of the scotch egg. A hen’s egg, cooked to gooey perfection, encased in beautifully seasoned pork, coated in bread crumbs and served warm with a pinch of sea salt and a perfect dish of home made piccalilli.

You MUST try one.

Inside, the pub retains many original features. The main bar boasts a big fireplace (complete with priest hole!) while the restaurant has a mezzanine floor and the original bread oven. This space is ideal for private dining or office parties.The large conservatory provides additional dining space and would also work well for parties and functions.

Kelly, Cliff, Annie and the rest of the friendly front of house team look forward to meeting you, so whether you are dropping by for a pint (there are three real ales on tap), a bite to eat in the bar or lunch or dinner for a special occasion, you can be sure of a warm welcome.

I liked it so much that I booked us in for lunch for my husband’s birthday!

The Chequers, High Street, Fowlmere, SG8 7SR 01763 208558 info@thechequersfowlmere.co.uk thechequersfowlmere.co.uk

3 • www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447

EATS, DRInKS & LEISURE

AUGUST 14 • ISSUE 109

GARDENING: GROW YOUR OWN TAKE-AWAY

We all know that home-cooked food is better for us than a stream of takeaways, but then we all deserve a little self-indulgence from time to time. So why not save yourself the guilt (and some cash) and grow your own Chinese takeaway right here in your own garden?

No I haven’t turned cookery writer, but you can easily grow some of those tasty and crunchy vegetables that make the backbone of many a Chinese stir-fry... and the great thing is that oriental vegetables do well from late summer sowings, so it’s off to the garden centre (not the takeaway) you go!

Bean sprouts are so easy to grow you could almost do it with your eyes shut. The common types are sprouted mung-beans, and you can either buy packets of seed or a small packet of the beans themselves from your local health food store. They’ll come with easy cultivation instructions and before you know it you’ll have the beginnings of a stir-fry.

Mizuna has got to be one of the most attractive leafy vegetables you can grow. Its green leaves appear soon after sowing the seed in a pot or in open ground, and they add a great spicy flavour to your stir-fry and also add a zing to salads and sandwiches. oriental vegetables do well from late summer sowings And where would your Chinese meal be without that delicious Oriental veg, pak-choi. It’s another easy vegetable to grow late in the summer: just sow the seeds in a well-forked soil, water, and wait.

Thin out as per the instructions of the seed packet (you can eat the thinnings too), then just pinch off the roots and pop the plants into the wok. Pak-choi also grows well in a container of multi-purpose compost.

Garlic is another essential ingredient. It’s not really the right time of year to plant garlic, but for an unexpected little extra take a few spare cloves and pot them in trays of compost. Keep the compost slightly moist and in a week or two the cloves will start to sprout.

What you’re after here aren’t the sprouts though, but the bright green foliage which adds a definitely garlicy flavour to stir-fries and a touch of colour as well.

Radishes add heat as well as crunch, and there are some lovely oriental varieties such as Mantanhong, which is a British-bred Chinese variety with a superbly crunchy bright red-topink inner flesh and spherical white roots – great for colour and texture and with a sweet almost nutty flavour. Sow in open ground or pots from now until early September for cropping in a few weeks’ time.

Spring onions are another classic stir-fry component. You won’t get a fully mature crop for harvesting this year unless you’re extremely lucky; but what you will get is a super-young onion that will add both colour and intense flavour to the contents of your wok.

And finally, mushrooms will add a meaty texture to your homegrown vegetable stir-fry. Kits for growing both oyster and field mushrooms are available in many garden centres or by mail order. It’s not always easy to get right, I know, but the challenge is definitely worth it when you have exotic mushrooms growing in your cellar, garden frame, greenhouse, or shed.

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for her “Winter thru Spring” vegetable collection, plants for September, regular advice emails from Pippa, and a range of gardening products including Nemasys caterpillar, slug, ant and other biological controls, Enviromesh & Envirofleece

by Pippa Greenwood

Summer fruits galore Throughout the season

Pick Your Own Strawberries available now A10 Melbourn By-Pass, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6DF Tel: 01763 260418 www.burylanefarmshop.co.uk • Open 7 days a week all year round Fresh Fruit and Veg • Delicatessen • Butchers • Fishmongers • Café • Giftware • Garden Centre • Fun Barn www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447 • 4

‘YOU’LL ALWAYS FIND A WARM WELCOME’ at The Belle Freehouse & Restaurant The Belle Freehouse & Restaurant is situated in the picturesque village of Bassingbourn, and is an eclectic mix of both contemporary and traditional features that blend seamlessly.

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Our kitchen offers menus using both local & artisan sourced produce.

Head Chef ‘Fergie’ and his team put their twist on hearty pub classics along with the very best in modern cuisine. Food is served in a relaxed mode in either the main bar, casual dining area, beer garden or in the more intimate atmosphere of our restaurant.

We are a child friendly pub with baby changing facilities and also a play area within our lawned beer garden.

Throughout the year we host various events from Live music to themed dining evenings and we are also home to The Bellefree Golf society.

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To view menus visit: thebellefreehouse.co.uk or like us on Facebook /thebellefreehouseandrestaurant For all enquiries & bookings call 01763 250921 or email info@thebellefreehouse.co.uk 61 North End, Bassingbourn Nr. Royston, Herts, SG8 5NZ

EATS, DRInKS & LEISURE CAKE AND BAKE PEACH GALLETTE

AUGUST 14 • ISSUE 109

This divine summer dessert just couldn’t be easier to make – no flan tin and no baking blind! Make sure you have a good solid baking sheet to bake the galette on as this will ensure a crisp pastry base. You can replace the fresh peaches with drained canned peaches, if liked.

Ingredients:

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 150g unsalted butter, diced 100g ground almonds 4 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 2 large egg yolks blended with 2 tbsp ice cold water 6 large fresh, ripe peaches, skinned, stoned and sliced Beaten egg, to glaze 1 tbsp pistachio nuts, chopped Vanilla ice cream, to serve

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the butter and using your fingertips rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in half the ground almonds and half the sugar.

Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and water. Stir with a round-bladed knife to form a crumbly dough (add a little extra cold water if the mix is too dry). Gather the mixture together with your hands and knead gently until just smooth. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a rough circle about 30cm in diameter. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Sprinkle the rest of the ground almonds in the centre of the pastry circle, leaving a 7cm border. Arrange the peach slices on top of the almonds. Fold the pastry border inwards – just over the edges of the peach slices.

Brush the pastry edge with beaten egg and sprinkle over the chopped pistachios.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Sprinkle over the rest of the sugar and serve warm or cold with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

High quality, locally reared whole or half lamb for sale

Available all year round! From £7.50 to £8.50 per Kg Hogget and Mutton also available.

Delivered fresh for free within a 15 mile radius of Arrington.

To place your order or find out more: Phone: Jacob du Toit 07920 118039 Email: jacob@justlamb.co.uk Web site: www.justlamb.co.uk

Country food at its best ...

Traditional butchers offering great quality free range and local meat, poultry and game, at great value, every day, together with a large range of artisan cheeses, and delicatessen products. And, our renowned home made pies and handmade sausages including the original Royston Banger.

Free* delivery service in Royston and local villages *Subject to minimum order and within a 10 mile radius of the shop.

Knibbs Special BBQ Box Feed 10 hungry people with the Knibbs BBQ Box. Includes escallops of chicken, the Knibbs Banger, the Knibbs Steak Burger and Koftas.

Our opening hours are: Tuesday to Thursday 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 6pm Saturday 8am to 4pm. Sunday and Monday closed

10 Church Lane, Royston, Herts. SG8 9LG Tel: 01763 246316

www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447 • 6is every excuse to gather With the World Cup and summer upon us, there really

AUGUST 14 • ISSUE 109

EATS, DRInKS & LEISURE

the ad hoc cocktail club Long Island Iced Tea The long island iced tea is not one for the faint hearted. With a concoction of 5 different spirits, it definitely packs a punch... do not be fooled by its rather dull facade. This cocktail had its day in the early 1970s. Housewives would mix spirits from the top cupboard with coke, disguising the alcohol to look like tea!

12.5ml Gin 12.5ml Vodka 12.5ml Cointreau 12.5ml Tequila 12.5ml White Rum Sours Mix 25ml Top with Coca Cola 1.Pour the spirits and sour mix into a Collins/Pilsner glass with ice.

2.Shake well 3.Pour in coke half way and float spirit 4.Garnish with the lime Circle

BOTTOMS UP!!

TAKE 5 …..MORE THAN A SANDWICH BAR!

Come in, take 5, and relax in our dining room and newly refurbished courtyard The best in freshly prepared food and drink made to order: Coffee & drinks All day breakfasts Sandwiches etc.

Jacket Potatoes Salad Bar Cakes & Desserts • • • • • •

Warm friendly service Open 6 days a week In a hurry – ring your order through for pick up, or We deliver to Royston for FREE Weekly Specials Buffets for all occasions

5 Kneesworth Street, Royston. SG8 5AA www.take5royston.co.uk email: take5ltd@outlook.com Facebook: Takefive Royston Telephone: 01763 243800

Take 5 in Kneesworth Street has had a face lift. With new signage, new courtyard furniture and a lick of paint, Jackie, Dermot, Sinead and Greg are delighted to offer a fresh feel to the already successful Take 5 business.

They have been the new owners since December 2013. Jackie has always been interested in home cooking and for many years, made wedding and celebration cakes whilst her twins were young. Sinead has followed in her footsteps and loves to cook. She is at the moment on maternity leave, having given birth to a wonderful daughter Niamh Elisabeth, Jackie and Dermot’s first grandchild, but she will be back!

This really is a family business and they hope that message comes across when you visit the shop. There are still some of the familiar “front of house” girls, who have been so helpful in getting the new owners started in this wonderful business.

Take 5 continues to build on its successful foundation and develop the shop into a coffee shop and eatery where people can enjoy sitting and relaxing outside in the sunshine or in the dining room when the weather is cooler.

Look out for the weekly specials that shop manager Steph is developing as the business moves forward.

Businesses, drop in at lunchtime for a speedy, delicious and wholesome food, or we can deliver to your workplace. Simply call through your order and pay on delivery.

And families, with the summer holidays upon us, why not drop in for freshly made sandwiches, wraps or paninis for a special Take 5 picnic on your day out?

We look forward to seeing you.

Take 5, 5 Kneesworth Street, Royston. SG8 5AA 01763 243800 www.take5royston.co.uk

7 • www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447

SPOTLIGHt on...

AUGUST 14

SACHIN’S

Finest Indian Cuisine Fully Licensed sachinrestaurant.co.uk August Offer

Mention this advert and receive FREE bottle of wine per table of four.

Valid until 31st August 2014

We look forward to welcoming you to Sachin’s at The Swan House Inn, Fowlmere We proudly bring you the finest indian cuisine, in stylish, sophisticated and warm surroundings; in a grade two listed 16th century building.

Our chefs are highly experienced having worked in our other established restaurants in London and Essex.

Memsaheb on Thames and Cinnamon Tree, Halstead.

Our restaurant offers authentic high quality Indian cuisine which is freshly prepared using only the finest ingredients with an exquisite blend of aromatic delicate herbs and spices, all tandoori dishes are barbecued in a traditional charcoal fired clay oven.

We hope our experience, expertise and passion will bring you a diverse range of culinary tastes where you can enjoy choosing from the very best coastal seafood dishes to exotic meat dishes to vegetarian specialities making Sachin’s a true oasis for food lovers.

FREE DELIVERY Orders over £15/5 mile radius 10% DISCOUNT ON COLLECTION Ample Parking available 01763 208 006 / 01763 209 339 Swan House, High Street, Fowlmere, SG8 7SR www.facebook.com/sachinrestauarant www.thelistingmagazine.co.uk • 01763 248447 •