flavour for people who love local food
Bristol, Bath & South West | Issue 36 | February 2011
ÂŁ3 (Where sold)
The Italian Issue
The food, the wine and the best places to find them!
WIN! A meal for two at Souk Kitchen!
Star Signs Is there more than one road to Michelin?
Here’s the catch New monthly column from Mitch Tonks www.flavourmagazine.com
Editor: Holly Aurelius-Haddock Email: holly@flavourmagazine.com
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Deputy Editor: Faye Allen Email: faye@flavourmagazine.com Art Director: Chris Jones Email: design@flavourmagazine.com Cover photography: Eamonn McCabe Email: mccabephoto@mac.com Advertising: Miranda Coller, Director of Sales Email: miranda@flavourmagazine.com
Welcome to the February issue of flavour!
Clare Wicks, Account Manager Email: clare@flavourmagazine.com Charlotte Amos, Account Manager Email: charlotte@flavourmagazine.com Photography: Jeni Meade, James Walker
Now I know a big part of our job here at flavour is to bring you the very best food news, reviews and interviews every month, but I don’t mind telling you that January can shut the door on its way out. Yes it’s a new year, but most of us start it feeling broke, bloated and blinking cold – it’s all a bit bleak for my liking.
Contributors: Stuart Ash, Martin Blunos, Siân Blunos, Tom Bowles, Nick Gregory, Duncan Shine, Ron Faulkner, Clare Morris Flavour Magazine 151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH Tel: 01179 779188 | Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com For general enquiries: Peter Francomb Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com For competition entries: Email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com © Copyright 2011 flavourmagazine.com All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of flavour. While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, flavourmagazine.com accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of flavourmagazine.com
flavour magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print. We have a reputation for clear, creative solutions to communication problems for a number of corporate, sports, financial, charity and leisure industry clients. We maintain the highest of standards, throughout each individual project and our client relationship. We pride ourselves on delivering distinctive designs and ideas that will get you noticed. For more information, please contact Peter Francomb Tel: 01179 779188 Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com Competition Terms & Conditions In addition to any specifically stated terms and conditions, the following applies to all competitions. All information forms part of the rules. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules and agree to be bound by them. The winner will be the first entry drawn at random from all the entries sent back after the closing date and will be notified by either post, email or telephone. The prizes are as stated; they are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. All entrants must be at least 18 years old. Competitions are open to UK residents only. One entry per person. Proof of postage is not proof of entry. flavour accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post. Entrants agree to take part in any publicity material relating to the competition. The name of the winner will be published in the next edition. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Prizes do not include unspecified extras (such as travel). All prizes are subject to availability. Please state if you do not wish to receive any further correspondence from flavour or competition organisers. You may be required to collect your prize. Please recycle this product.
welcome
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contents 5 WIN! A meal for two at Souk Kitchen! 8 In season Tom Bowles and Jason Maggs cook up the best of the season 18 The Italian Issue The food, the wine and the best places to find them! 24 S tar Signs Is there more than one road to Michelin? 38 Here’s the catch New monthly column from Mitch Tonks
Now February...February is another story. Lovers everywhere can look forward to an intimate meal out (or in, an equally popular choice now), an excuse to break open the choccies again and, for the ladies, the annual prospect of guilt-free flowers. Divine. My Valentine’s Day will be spent at The Lime Wood Hotel in Hampshire when hopefully I’ll discover what enticed the Delicious Miss Dahl and Jamie Cullum to tie the knot there. The masters of all things amorous are of course the Italians, which is why we’ve decided to make this our Italian issue. Throughout the magazine you’ll find all kinds of epicurean delights, from ideas on where to go (PAGE 18 ), what to drink (PAGE 41) and most importantly, where to find a real taste of Italy right on your doorstep (PAGE 21). We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed making it.
Happy Eating! Holly Aurelius-Haddock
> flavour news
Seafish and Seafoods are supporting Channel Four’s Fish Fight, are you? Turn to page 38 to find out how to make a real difference...
If you have any news or events that you would like to share with us here at flavour then email enquiries@flavourmagazine.com
this month Valentine’s at Lucknam Park For a romantic candlelit occasion, The Park restaurant at Lucknam Park promises to make hearts flutter. The evening begins with cocktails and canapés in the drawing room followed by three courses of Michelin-starred cuisine at its finest.
The Daffodil One of Cheltenham’s best-loved restaurants The Daffodil is delighted to announce the launch of a new monthly event beginning in March: Steak Night. The restaurant now boasts a state-of-theart Josper grill, a new form of kitchen technology that has revolutionised steak cooking. Owner of The Daffodil Mark Stephens says: “There is only a limited number of these grills in the UK and we are delighted to be one of the first in the Gloucestershire area to have one.”
Available 13-14 February, the threecourse menu is £70 and includes, canapés, amuse bouche and predessert. T: 01225 742777 W: www.lucknampark.co.uk
What’s new at No21? This 1963 Portmeirion ‘Totem’ coffee set will be one of the items available to buy on No21’s new website featuring ‘eclectic’ interior antiques and a vintage boutique.
T: 01242 700055 W: www.thedaffodil.com
Information about the launch date is available at www.no21.co.uk
winners Congratulations to Sam Evans from Bristol who wins a Valentine’s selection of James’ Chocolates! 4
Kate Hamilton from Weston-super-Mare who wins a pair of ruby Champagne flutes from Bristol Blue Glass!
Tina Mortimer from Trowbridge who wins an Adopt a Vine package from Pebblebed Vineyard!
Chris Ducker from Bath who wins a case of Rucking Mole!
> flavour news
Fabulous vodka The Fabulous Vodka Company designs, develops and produces its own products in the UK. The company's first product Caralicious is a blend of natural caramel and finest vodka – a great liqueur and cocktail ingredient.
Souk it and see! Souk Kitchen recently arrived in Bristol bringing Middle Eastern market food to Bedminster’s North Street. Over the coming months, Souk is hosting a series of evenings that take diners on an exotic culinary tour to remember. T: 01179 666880 W: www.soukkitchen.co.uk
Caramelised apples with Caralicious and cream Souk Kitchen is giving one lucky flavour reader the chance to WIN a meal for two. To enter, simply email competitions@ flavourmagazine.com stating your name, address, phone number and where you got your copy of the magazine. Good luck!
Fairtrade Fortnight Fairtrade Fortnight 28 February – 13 March 2011
CIAO BELLO Sadly Italian restaurateur Vincenzo Ricci passed away on 28 January. Vincenzo was a proud family man who dedicated his life to running his restaurant 'Vincenzos' on Park Street in Bristol where he made friends, many of whom he invited to Italy. Vince’s legacy will live on with the restaurant being run by his children Isabella, Rafael and Giuseppi and his daughter-in-law Anna. It is hoped that his grandchildren Teressa and Vincenzo will also enter into the family business one day.
Be loud and proud for two whole weeks and ‘Show off your Label’ for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight. The Fairtrade Foundation is urging everyone to brag about using Fairtrade, from the sugar in your cake to the shirt on your back. Turn to PAGE 50 for some fab Fairtrade recipe ideas! www.fairtrade.org.uk
Ingredients Eating apples Caralicious Demerara sugar Butter Single cream Method 1 Peel and slice the apples and fry in the butter turning periodically until the apples begin to darken. 2 Add a good slug of Caralicious to the pan, burn off most of the alcohol. Be careful at this stage as the alcohol will burn vigorously 3 After the alcohol has burned off, cover the apples with the Demerara sugar and place under the grill until the sugar has melted and turned to caramel. Serve with the cream.
T: 07902 209532 W: www.fabulousvodka.co.uk
TURN TO PAGE 22 TO READ MORE... 5
b a n n at y n e ’ s
c h a r lto n h o u s e somerset Set in the heart of the Mendips, Charlton House is the perfect venue for a relaxed dining experience. Indulge in our expertly crafted, locally sourced menus, created by our Executive Head Chef Duncan McKay and his brigade.
The Bannatyne Spa at Charlton House is a unique and luxurious place to visit for those who wish to soothe the mind and soul. To fill a lazy Sunday afternoon, move from the spa and join us for Sunday lunch starting from £14.95 for two courses or three courses for £18.95. Mother’s Day Sunday 3rd April 2011 will include a Mother’s Day gift to take home. Easter Sunday enjoy a traditional Sunday roast and an Easter egg hunt on 24th April 2011. £24.00 for three courses, £12.00 per child for three courses. Afternoon tea is a fantastic way to unwind on a Sunday. Choose from traditional afternoon tea or champagne afternoon tea. Scones and a cup of tea is £5.00 per person, a real treat! Take time out this winter for a little self-indulgence with our Winter Warmer Offer. Spend the day unwinding in the drawing rooms or relaxing in The Spa and after dinner, spend the night.
Call us to book in for a Sunday to remember.
Bannatyne’s
Charlton House Shepton Mallet | Somerset | BA4 4PR T 01749 342008 | www.bannatyne.co.uk
> flavour fab foodie reads
fab foodie reads For bookworms who love nothing more than cooking up a feast for family and friends, our monthly selection of new releases is enough to keep anyone entertained!
Vegetarian: 100 Inspiring Recipes for Every Occasion Pippa Cuthbert and Lindsay Cameron Wilson New Holland Publishers £12.99
Mums Still Know Best: The Hairy Bikers’ Best Loved Recipes Dave Myers and Si King W&N £20
Whether you’re a vegetarian yourself, you cook for vegetarians or you simply need a few more vegetables in your diet, then coming up with inventive, delicious and nutritious dishes everyday can prove to be somewhat of a challenge. This beautifully illustrated book contains over 90 recipes including canapés, main courses and delicious side dishes to help liven up your veggie repertoire. From dill and feta pie to five-cheese macaroni, tomato and lentil soup to aubergine, pumpkin and spinach salad, there is something to suit everyone, no matter the occasion.
Hairy Bikers Si and Dave are the nation’s favourite food heroes. Stars of BBC2’s Mums Know Best and Food Tour of Britain they represent all that is good-hearted, down-to-earth and loved about food. When touring across the country, the duo were in search of ordinary mums and their families’ favourite recipes, uncovering recipes that had passed through the generations as well as the pick of the best from their own families. Including great ideas for comfort food, high tea, school dinners and al fresco, this collection is a heart-warming look at the food that reminds us of home.
Grillhouse: Gastropub at home Ross Dobson
Kitchen Secrets Raymond Blanc
Murdoch Books £17.99
If you enjoy hearty pies, thick cut chips, lip-smacking ribs and stunning steaks cooked to perfection then this book showcasing the best of gastropub food is the perfect kitchen necessity. Inside you will find an array of the essential starters and sides guaranteed to satisfy a hunger of any size, plus a little something sweet to indulge in at the end of a long, slow meal. For simple to follow recipes, delicious food and plenty of full stomachs and happy smiles, this book is a perfect choice.
Bloomsbury Publishing £25
Raymond Blanc’s latest book highlights the best of the achievable and inspirational recipes featured in the popular BBC2 series Kitchen Secrets. Labelled as a culinary legend, Raymond Blanc’s rich store of knowledge and skill is highlighted in this book through achievable and delicious recipes which can be recreated in your own kitchen. Every recipe includes explanations and hints to ensure that your results are consistent and delicious. Dishes that once seemed plain or complex, become simple and elegant. Have a go at watercress soup, chicory and Roquefort salad, lamb’s liver persillade or even Maman Blanc’s own chocolate mousse.
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> flavour in season
>Carrots The humble carrot comes a very close second on many a shopping list behind the potato. Whether it be the sweet taste, the crunch, the attractive glow or merely the plethora of ways to utilise it, make it a firm favourite in every basket. Carrots available at this time of year have been wintered (unless imported) which means they have been left in the ground through the cold months of December and January and are usually a bit more substantial than their young and tender early summer friends. Try to pick firm carrots with no wilting or drying skin. Generally the smaller, the more tender, but at this time of year when the stew and casserole are still king it doesn’t matter.
Curried carrot, coriander and nut terrine Serves 8 Place a large saucepan on the heat, add in 50g butter and a large splash of olive oil, cook 5 shallots and carrots along with 25g medium curry powder until tender, remove from the heat, drain and squeeze as much liquid from the carrot mix as you can. Whilst the mixture is still hot, beat in 100g peanut butter and 50g toasted pine nuts then add in a small bunch of chopped coriander and 8 egg yolks. Mix well and gently season. To cook, put the mix in a lined terrine mould compacting it well, place in a water bath and cover. Cook at 160°C for approx 50 minutes or until firm to the touch. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before turning out and slicing.
At their best
> Purple sprouting broccoli After a bleak winter finally hints of a milder spring arrive with the bright and bold shades of purple sprouting. It can require a bit of effort to grow it yourself as it takes a year to establish the plant, but homegrown purple sprouting can be eaten when young and tender. It is also best eaten when just picked, which is another advantage of growing your own, and it is packed with vitamins and minerals. It can be cooked just as normal broccoli but makes a great addition to a stir fry with a bit more flavour. Look for darkly coloured stems with crisp stalks which snap when bent. Purple sprouting doesn’t store too well and will wilt fairly quickly, so be sure to eat it as fresh as possible. 8
Purple Sprouting with tiger prawns and citrus oil Serves 4 as a starter Place an oiled frying pan on the heat, when hot add in 20 large peeled tiger prawns, season with rock salt and sauté until just cooked, put to one side. Blanch 500g trimmed purple sprouting broccoli shoots in a large pan of salted water for approx 2 minutes or until tender. Drain well and place in a large mixing bowl then add the prawns, 5 large shredded basil leaves, the juice of one lemon, 1 finely chopped red chilli, 30g toasted sesame seeds and a large splash of olive oil, mix well, correct seasoning and serve.
>Cauliflower Cauliflower shares the same heritage as sprouts, cabbage and kale, but is unique in that it is the only one that produces a flower in the form of its white curd. School dinners may have done their part in putting us off the often mistreated cauli but don’t be dissuaded, if you dig a bit deeper there is a mountain of varieties and mouth-watering recipes to bring it back to life. Caulis are available in many different varieties such as Romanesco, and can be found in varying colours such as green, purple, brown and yellow. One fantastic suggestion is simply to serve this versatile veg as part of a platter of seasonal crudities, with a homemade, creamy but sharp Caesar sauce.
Cauliflower Polonaise Serves 4 Start by preparing a whole cauliflower, remove the outer leaves and hollow out the stalk before washing the cauliflower. Take a frying pan, add 30g butter and a splash of olive oil, then when the butter has melted add 2 finely chopped shallots until soft, add in 70g breadcrumbs and cook until golden brown then remove from the heat. Add some chopped parsley and 2 peeled and grated boiled eggs then mix well, season and put to one side. Plunge the cauliflower into a large pan of boiling salted water, cook gently until tender. Drain well then place in serving bowl cover with the breadcrumb mix and serve immediately. A great side dish with roasted meats.
We all know that eating with the seasons makes for healthier bodies and tastier dishes. Each month Tom Bowles from Hartley Farm and Stuart Ash from Woods Restaurant team up to bring you all you need to know about the best produce of the month.
right now >Rhubarb Ordinarily rhubarb would be out of season until spring if it wasn’t for a chance discovery. Now we can enjoy a ‘forced’ variety that is grown in dark conditions producing a tender, less robust vegetable (or fruit!). Most forced rhubarb originates from the Rhubarb Triangle of Wakefield, Leeds and Morley, where the soil type is very suited to its production. Not only does forcing rhubarb provide us with one of the great ingredients of winter warming recipes, but it also provides a much more vibrant, tender and less sour plant. It will need a lot less cooking and sweetening than its hardier outdoor version too. Look for bright firm stalks with equally vibrant mustard yellow leaves. It is best to eat rhubarb fairly quickly as it will soon start to wilt and dry.
Rhubarb, vanilla and ginger compote Serves 4 Peel and chop 500g rhubarb into small chunks, place in a large bowl and cover with 300g sugar and leave for two hours mixing occasionally. Place the contents of the bowl into a saucepan along with 50g stem ginger, two split vanilla pods and cook until the rhubarb has disintegrated and the compote starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow cooling before serving. Serve with Greek yoghurt or icecream.
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> flavour loves
flavour This month’s must do, buy & see...
Loves
Handless jugs, £5 These cute little jugs are ideal for salad dressing, cream or milk. Larger sizes are available.
Mug, £8-£15 Enhance your tea and coffee with these beautiful handmade mugs. Have a nickname imprinted for the perfect gift.
Village Pottery Garlic roaster, £15 Roasted garlic is deliciously sweet! Just add a bulb and sprinkle with oil, a perfect accompaniment to any meal.
The Village Pottery is Clifton’s bestkept secret. Enjoy a cuppa and slice of homemade cake from Jen’s beautifully created wares or browse the shelves full of delightful pottery, each one lovingly handmade. Pottery lessons,commissions, baby feet imprinting and wedding lists are also available. T: 01179 734343 W: www.thevillagepottery.co.uk YouTube: Wedding List Film @ The Village Pottery Wine cooler, £40 Keep your wine cool by placing these wine coolers in the freezer for 20 minutes. Great housewarming or wedding gifts.
WIN! A lesson on the wheel! Try your hand at the potters’ wheel. Jen is offering a lesson on the wheel for an hour to one lucky reader. Please allow roughly three weeks for your masterpiece to be glazed and fired. To win simply email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com stating your name, address, phone number and where you got your copy of the magazine. Good luck!
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> flavour loves
Hanne Rysgaard Bristol-based ceramicist Hanne Rysgaard evolves new designs by an ongoing process of play; juxtaposing different patterns using open stock transfers, patterns and colours found in bric-abrac, vintage fabrics and souvenirs to decorate the simple ceramic shapes into functional wares. Her wheel-thrown pieces make generous and informal traditional tableware with a twist and the slip-cast designs are more contemporary and quirky home accessories. T: 07976 327958 W: www.hannerysgaard.com
Three-tier cake stand Beautiful three-tier cake stand, constructed from three hand thrown porcelain plates, individually decorated with floral and graphic transfers. Available in one, two, three and four tiers with a variety of surface decorations. Prices range from £54-£144
T: 01179 047067 W: www.blazestudio.co.uk
Large teacups Generously hand-thrown porcelain teacup, individually decorated with a variety of floral and graphic transfers Available in a wide range of sizes, colours and decorations. Prices range from £18-£30.
Teapots Porcelain teapot with funky polkadot transfers decoration. Available in 1 litre and 2 litre volumes with a variety of floral and graphic transfers. Prices range from £45-£63
Milk jugs Witty and functional porcelain milk jugs bringing fun to the breakfast table! Available in five different sizes and shapes and numerous floral and graphic transfers. Prices range from £27-£63.
Quote ‘flavour520’ to receive
10% off
all products until the end of February!
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> flavour loves
flavour This month’s must do, buy & see...
Enigma Pottery
Loves
Tucked away at the top of Vicarage Street in Frome you’ll find Enigma Pottery, a gallery shop that is an Aladdin’s cave of ceramics created by Jenny Barton. Just ask and Jenny will take you through to the beautiful walled garden to visit the studio where you can newly discover your inner creativity. T: 01373 452079 W: www.enigmapottery.co.uk
Personalised logos Each logo is hand-carved and added to a range of products. Jenny has made for schools, clubs, charities, tourist venues and town councils.
Hearts and Flowers Romantic heart bowls and mugs, hand-modelled flowers, soap dishes and heart shaped trinkets – a Valentine treat.
WIN! A pottery session for four! Visitors to Enigma Pottery can choose from the following: •R egular pottery classes for adults (mornings and evenings) •A fter-school pottery clubs for children •O ne-or two-hour party workshops for children or adults •O ne-to-one throwing tuition •S easonally themed workshops e.g. Easter, Christmas, Halloween etc 12
They are offering one lucky flavour reader a pottery session for four. To win simply email: competitions@ flavourmagazine.com stating your name, address, phone number and where you got your copy of the magazine. Good luck!
Tableware Studio tableware made to order in a range of colours and textures. High-fired to be dishwasher proof.
> flavour lovejoys
roaring trade for lovejoys Those with a soft spot for a mascot will be pleased to hear that the newest member of the Lovejoys team is fast becoming their pride and joy... Neil Mortimer of Lovejoys Wholesale has spent his career dedicated to the fresh food industry, first as a grower in Bromham having trained in the Vale of Evesham, and for the last 15 years as a wholesaler to hotels and restaurants in Bath and West Wiltshire. He has his own growers who will grow crops to order, and helps plan menus with the chefs he supplies with his knowledge of what products will be available. Lovejoys Wholesale’s emphasis is always on what is seasonal and local – keeping food miles down and helping the local economy. They also supply farm shops, village community shops and school kitchens. Parsley the Lion, one of the Pride of Bath 2010, has come to live at his new home at the Lovejoys Wholesale warehouse near Bath, where he will oversee the distribution of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy and bread. He will be visiting customers from time to time, so keep your eyes peeled! ■
Lovejoys Wholesale Melksham SN12 6ZE T: 01225 708838 W: www.lovejoyswholesale.com 13
BEAUTIFUL BESPOKE WEDDINGS at Goldbrick house Exclusive use of all of our beautifully decorated rooms. Impeccable attention to detail. Award winning food and drink. Complimentary wedding planner for your every requirement... ...who will also look after you on your special day.
Cafe/Bar . Champagne & Cocktail Bar . Restaurant Roof Top Terrace . Private Rooms Goldbrick House, 69 Park Street, West End, Bristol BS1 5PB www.goldbrickhouse.co.uk - info@goldbrickhouse.co.uk 0117 945 1950
> flavour martin blunos
Scouse
NORTHERN FOODS
Despite a schedule that leaves just enough time for sleep, this month Martin Blunos manages to squeeze in an eye-opening road trip...
This last month has been full on between developing the menu for the new venture in Cardiff to dashing to London for the launch bash of the Cookery School show for Channel Four – I appear later on in the series as chef mentor to the finalists. I did however manage to squeeze in a trip to Liverpool to open a kitchen classroom at Saint Edwards College, affectionately known as St. Eddie’s to the locals. I loved Liverpool: the city, people and accent. Everybody’s so friendly and helpful, nothing like the stereotypical ‘Scousers’ we see portrayed on the box. I didn’t see one hair perm or shell suit – ha! Before the grand opening, where I ceremoniously pulled the cord to open curtains revealing an engraved stainless
steel plaque, I took a class with some of the students in the new kitchen, and had a ball. The alchemy of turning a selection of dry and raw ingredients into something tasty was really satisfying for them. Their reward was to eat the fruits of their labour – much better than a tick and a gold star in my book! Whilst at St. Eddie’s I also gave a speech to the sixth formers about my career to date and how I got into the business. I thought that my words would fall on deaf ears; after all these guys are academics that may go on to become barristers, corporate bigwigs and politicians. But I was pleasantly surprised by how the majority took a real interest in what I had to say – maybe it was the accent! This month’s recipe is an homage to my trip up north – it works really well as a reheat dish so you can double the quantities if you fancy.
Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 875g lamb shoulder, cut into cubes 2 onions, finely sliced 2 carrots, sliced 875g potatoes, peeled, sliced Sprig of fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Splash Worcestershire sauce 575ml chicken stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper 50g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing Method 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown all over. 3 Add the onions and carrots and fry for a further 3-4 minutes, until softened and golden, then remove from the heat. 4 Butter an ovenproof casserole dish with a lid and line the base and sides with a layer of potato slices, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 5 Add the lamb cubes, carrots, onions, herbs and season again with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 6 Add another layer of overlapping potato slices. 7 Add the Worcestershire sauce to the chicken stock then add to the casserole, pouring evenly over the potato layer until the stock level reaches the bottom of the top layer of potatoes. 8 Brush the top potato layer with melted butter. 9 Cover with the lid and place into the oven to cook for two hours, then remove the lid and return to the oven to cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden.
One of the South West’s most talented chefs, Martin Blunos was born and brought up near Bath, his parents having come to England from Latvia just after the Second World War. He has held two Michelin stars for more than 15 years and appears regularly on television and radio with regular slots as guest chef on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen with James Martin, BBC Market Kitchen, ITV Daily Cooks and ITV’s Saturday Cooks. 15
Introducing Brass Pig brand new express lunch menu… Choose from... Crispy smoked bacon, beef tomato and lambs lettuce Rustic pesto and creamy goats cheese, Sun-dried tomato and buffalo mozzerella, Vintage local cheddar cheese and tangy pickle Thick, hand-cut, slow-boiled ham and warming mustard mayo In a wrap or ciabatta OR Smokey bacon, herby sausage, creamy scrambled egg and field mushrooms Thick, hand-cut, slow-boiled ham, vintage cheddar cheese and tomato Fragrant rocket, Parmesan and garlic infused butter with succulent chicken Slow-cooked, Moorish style tagine, vegetable Medley Traditional tender English beef, peppery rocket and fiery horseradish cream
with... Kettle chips, fresh fruit or continental pastry and a choice of... English Breakfast tea, freshly ground coffee or refreshing soft drinks Pre-order an hour in advance to qualify for our 15-minute guarantee. See contact details.
THE Brass Pig bar and dining 1 Clifton Heights, Triangle West, BRISTOL BS8 1EJ
Served Monday-Saturday 11-3
All served in toasted panini
All for £5.00 eat in or £4.50 takeaway
0117 329 4471 info@thebrasspig.co.uk www.thebrasspig.co.uk
> flavour souk kitchen
souk kitchen Cook up an exotic storm with this Persian delicacy from the Souk Kitchen... From Marrakesh to Cairo, Damascus to Beirut, visiting a Middle Eastern souk is a unique and magical experience.
JOOJEH QUAIL WITH BLOOD ORANGE, FENNEL AND WALNUT SALAD
Souk Kitchen brings the best of Middle Eastern market food to Bristol. The dishes are packed with flavour, prepared with passion and made for sharing with family and friends! Like a traditional souk, they support the local community by using the freshest local and seasonal ingredients.
‘Joojeh’ means young hen in Persian so it’s absolutely perfect for this small game bird. This makes a brilliant starter with each guest having a quail to themselves!
T: 01179 666880 W: www.soukkitchen.co.uk
Serves 4 4 quail 1 garlic clove, crushed 2tbs olive oil 1 lemon, juiced 1tsp tumeric ½tsp cinnamon ½tsp fresh thyme Saffron liquid (a pinch of saffron threads infused in 1tbsp of warm water) Sea salt Ground pepper Pomegranate molasses Salad ingredients: 4 blood oranges, peeled and thinly sliced 1 fennel bulb, shaved Handful of fresh parsley, dill, tarragon 1 shallot, finely diced 50g toasted, chopped walnuts 1tbsp olive oil Seasoning
1 Spatchcock the quail then open out flesh side down and flatten with the heel of your hand. Place quail in a shallow dish. 2 To make the marinade crush the garlic with the salt and place in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, tumeric, cinnamon, saffron liquid, thyme and pepper. 3 Pour the marinade over the quail and leave for at least 2 hours. 4 Once marinated, grill the quail for 4 minutes on each side. The breast meat should still be slightly pink, but not bloody, when ready to serve. 5 To make the salad, combine all the ingredients and toss lightly in a bowl. 6 To serve, place the salad on a plate topped with the grilled quail. Spoon over any remaining cooking juices and drizzle with pomegranate molasses.
17
italian issue
Rimini: O
This month Faye Allen travels to rimini, a beautiful province in emilia romagna where the Italians choose to holiday themselves...
a feast for the senses
ne of the best-known images of Rimini can be summed up through the artwork of René Gruau. It is the portrait of a rather beautiful young lady in a white straw hat, standing in the shallows of Rimini’s shores, protecting her modesty behind a yellow beach ball as a plane drifts past in the background spelling “Rimini” through the clouds. Rimini the capital of the beach and sea holiday, the destination of fun, frolics and Fillini... Yet the more inquisitive tourist who takes the time to venture away from the bubble of the Adriatic coastline and venture inland will discover one of Italy’s finest citta d’arte.
The discerning traveller will see a side of Rimini that holds many remnants from its Roman, medieval and Renaissance past. Its enchanting villages house some of the best food in the world, its domestic customs and village fetes recall the strong flavours of central Italy and the pride which radiates from the charming and colourful locals is enough to encourage anyone to tear up the return ticket home, throw the beach ball back in the sea and escape to the magnificent hills forever. The territory of the Rimini Province is made up of the coast from Bellaria Igea Marina to Cattolica, and the hills inland. Whilst Rimini may be better known for the 40-kilometre coastline and the many outstanding visitor 18
attractions of the Riviera, it is the landscapes, villages, castles and fortresses which deserve to be better known. This is the territory of the Malatesta Seignory, so named because every corner bears visible traces of the House of Malatesta which dominated the area from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The city reached its full splendour under the rule of the most famous Malatesta lord, Sigismondo Pandolfo. Recognised as a great patron of the arts as well as a great military man, Sigismondo changed the face of Rimini into what you can see today. He was renowned for his courage, determination and lack of scruples and launched a total reorganisation of the military structures to fend off his enemy, the House of Montefeltro.
> flavour rimini
After the eventual defeat and death of Sigismondo in 1468, the Malatesta family began to decline inexorably, until by the end of the 15th century their former lands were owned by others. Today, the castles such as the Malatesta Temple and Castel Sismondo, are a testament to the work of this pioneering leader and form great landmarks in European art and culture. It is hard to not feel inspired by such a grand history, especially when it is told by the region’s inspiring and proud inhabitants. Even though my Italian vocabulary can be stretched to three poorly pronounced words, engaging with the locals is not as hard as one might imagine. There is of course mainly one reason for this: food. The trick to being taken seriously by an Italian is simple; try everything, smile whilst eating and go back for more. This is of course not a difficult challenge as everything you are likely to try is simply delicious and having seconds is a given. The region’s host of specialities begins with the piadina which unites the whole of the region and will be found on most dinner tables. An unleavened flatbread, it can be served with cold cuts of meat and cheese or wrapped around many warmer combinations. It is also ideal as a dessert, served with creams, jams and honeys. Rimini’s many faces can be experienced through the diversity of the produce and the recipes. The coast offers a variety of fresh fish, prepared in traditional dishes such as the fish soup, the recipe of which dates back to the 16th century. The countryside houses produce of exceptional quality and chefs who are true masters of their craft. Rimini’s cuisine is enriched thanks to its location and traditions. An example of this can be tasted with the olive oil. More than 1,000 hectares of cultivation and several local olive varieties make the province the largest producer of extra-virgin olive oil. If you are not looking out at olive trees, you will probably be seeing vines. The region’s wine has a long and solid history and has in recent years attained quality standards of international prominence. Of the red grapes grown here, Sangiovese di Romagna is a pillar on which local wine-growing and production is founded as well as Trebbiano. Coriano, a village on the hills near Rimini, is most famous for growing the grape as well as playing host to an olive and autumnal products fair every year in the autumn.
A taste of Rimini would not be complete without discovering the famous Pecorino cheese. These cheeses are left to mature in tufa ditches from the months of August - November, a process dating back to the fifteenth century. What comes out is a delicious hard cheese with extraordinary nutritional properties, flavours and aromas. Perfect with a slice of Parma ham and piadina.
Chose when you go wisely. Perhaps the national white truffle fair in October will be your month of choice, where you can also sample the chestnuts, herbs, sheep’s milk and mutton? Maybe the autumn fair in Coriano has been enough to tempt you, with the stunning selection of oils and wine? Alternatively, maybe the sunnier month of May will win you over with the porchetta festival in the beautiful village of Saludecio?
The honey, the black and white truffles and the porchetta cannot escape your attention either. These are the main ingredients to a lot of the traditional dishes of the area which in no way act to belie the simple and robust essence of Rimini’s gastronomic vision.
Whilst the tourist season will continue to flourish and the young, beautiful people of Italy dance the night away on the beach, it is the hills that will win your heart and your stomach. 19
> flavour xxxxxxx
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> flavour a family affair
La Piazza H
ailing from Caserta, a city near Naples in Southern Italy, chef Giuseppe Ferraro first came to Bristol to help open former restaurant Renato Numero Uno in Clifton village. After a formative stint at San Carlo, an Italian operation par excellence, he went to work as Head Chef of La Piazza in Aztec West. Giuseppe then struck up a powerful partnership with owner Mario Ricciardi and soon became co-owner; such was their success, the duo opened a second restaurant in Thornbury. The restaurant is now the talk of the market town, and was most recently given a gold award by PAPA (Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association). Giuseppe still prides himself on buying all of his produce personally and using top-quality suppliers from back home. T: 01454 414500 W: www.lapiazza-bristol.co.uk
Prosecco R
“
food with a real passion to please
ecent finalists in Gordon Ramsay’s Best Local Restaurant, Prosecco is a small, 38 seat restaurant in Clifton with a big appeal. Run by husband and wife team Diego and Heidi Da Re, Prosecco’s ethos is to serve unpretentious, well crafted dishes with influences of Northern Italy in a relaxed and contemporary setting. Prosecco sources most of its ingredients locally, importing only the most unique Italian specialties. The Prosecco itself for example is from a small vineyard in Diego’s home town, owned and run by friends from his childhood.
”
Born in North East Italy, head chef Diego enjoyed a rural upbringing with a focus on family and food. Diego’s Aunt, a chef in Venice, remains to this day his food hero. With Diego and Heidi’s sons Dominic and Bruno being an integral part of the Prosecco team, customers can be assured of food with a real passion to please. T: 0117 9734499 W: www.proseccoclifton.com 21
> flavour a family affair
Vincenzo’s
T
here is one certainty in the restaurant trade that we can be sure of the quality of Vincenzo’s Pizza House in Bristol. The warm and welcoming atmosphere makes for a bonafide, homecoming, feet-up, familyrun restaurant. The late Vincenzo, and his wife Teresa set up this little gem 40 years ago as one of the first Italian restaurants in the West Country and, but for a gentle tweak here and there over the
decades, it hasn’t changed that much. The food is cooked to the same formula Vince established when he first opened the kitchen, albeit now by head chef Giuseppe, a younger member of the bloodline. Vince’s daughter Isabella, the manager, has stuck to her father’s principles and kept Vincenzo’s as a little community, with a huge and loyal following. T: 01179 260908
Giuseppe’s
G
iuseppe’s offers a truly Italian experience, and is an oasis on bustling Baldwin Street. Owner Giuseppe came to Bristol determined to introduce authentic Italian cooking in a traditional setting at an affordable price, offering customers a true experience of Italian hospitality. Having now been at the
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heart of Bristol dining for over 25 years, Giuseppe’s has a classic Italian feel and atmosphere – something often absent from more modern Italian establishments – and serves some of the best classic Italian cuisine around. With both wife Terri and son Alex at front of house, Giuseppe’s is a true family affair. With emphasis on quality service and
a relaxing atmosphere, the team here are determined for people to stay as long as they want, enjoy their meal and feel comfortable and not be rushed out. After all, a true Italian will not be rushed! T: 0844 6832359 W: www.giuseppesitalianrestaurant.co.uk
> flavour a family affair
Made By Bob A
fter working for some of the greatest chefs in the world, Bob Parkinson co-owner of Made By Bob found his passion in opening a thriving deli/restaurant where people can experience inventive food with authentic Italian flavours. Inspired by his mother’s love of Elizabeth David recipes, Bob started preparing family meals at the tender age of four, an early sign of where his career would eventually take him. Now, Made By Bob offers a London buzz right in the heart of the Cotswolds serving a treasured queue of regulars on a daily basis. The family are at the centre piece of the business with all three of Bob’s sons helping out and his wife Ali working behind the deli counter. No surprise then that this heart-warming venture won Cotswold Life’s Best Newcomer in 2008. T: 01285 641818 W: www.foodmadebybob.com
“
a fine reputation for the very best in Italian dining
”
Bottelino’s S
ince Papà Giuseppe Botta opened his first Italian restaurant nearly 30 years ago, Bottelino’s has developed a fine reputation for the very best in Italian dining. From a satisfying snack, important business lunch, special evening dinner to private party, Bottelino’s never fails to deliver. After Cheltenham and Bath came Emersons Green, Bristol’s flagship store which opened its doors in 2000. Due to popular demand, led to the opening of multiple stores in the
area including Bedminster, Swindon, Weston and Portishead. Recently winning the Restaurant Chain of the Year at the 2010 PAPA awards, it’s little wonder that Bottelino’s remains the Mayor of Bristol’s favourite place to eat. T:0117 958 5214 W:www.bottelinos.net
Mike Botta (left) with Portishead manger Nick Browne. 23
> flavour star signs
star signs Still reeling from the news of his first Michelin star last month, we spoke to Josh Eggleton at the Pony and Trap to find out whether there’s more than one road to success…
Pony and Trap Knowle Hill Chew Magna Bristol BS40 8TQ 01275 332627 www.theponyandtrap.co.uk
Widely regarded as the member’s club that most ambitious chefs aspire to join, The Michelin Guide celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. A self-proclaimed institution and bible for the gourmet traveller, the guide is perhaps the best known in the world but cloaked in secrecy all the while. Inspectors are anonymous, those gaining entry are not informed directly and every year in the UK, there is often a bone of contention or two over who makes the final cut. A strictly uniform approach is claimed nonetheless, with inspectors undergoing technical training for at least six months in order to hone their skills. In recent years, the media has tried to discredit Michelin by highlighting those disciples who have pursued its coveted seal of approval to the point of obsession. Positioned as something of a personal crusade that these chefs feels pressured to embark upon, questions have been raised as to whether one single body should wield so much power. Especially when it’s such an enigma to everyone else. For every rule, there is of course the exception. So it is for chef-owner of the Pony and Trap Josh Eggleton, who became an almost incidental prodigy just two years
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ago. From being named as ‘Inspectors Favourite’ in the pub guide in 2009, the Pony swiftly received a Bib Gourmande in the subsequent restaurant guide a few months later: “I was really pleased and a little taken aback,” Josh explains. “The award is given for very good food at affordable prices which is exactly what we were aiming for and still are.” When the guide came out this year, the team at the Pony were due yet another pleasant surprise. “I was running around trying to get ready for lunch, I knew the press release would appear on the website about midday so I had someone upstairs checking to see whether we’d retained our Bib. One of the chefs came downstairs, rugby tackled me and said ‘we did it’ – I thought he was winding me up but when the phone calls started coming in, I was totally speechless.” The first phone call came from good friends Peter and Jonray Sanchez-Inglesias, head chefs of the area’s only other Michelin-starred restaurant Casamia. Despite the characteristically modest reaction to his achievement, Josh is no stranger to cooking at Michelin level, having worked in a two star restaurant in Sicily as a prize for winning the Gordon
> flavour star signs
Ramsay Scholarship in 2003. Spells in New York and the world-famous French Laundry followed, the latter being one of the few places in the world to be conferred with three stars. “Thomas Keller was a huge influence on me and it was great to experience first-hand what it takes to run a restaurant of that standard,” he says. Something must have rubbed off, because even Josh is prepared to acknowledge that the country pub’s swift ascension up the ranks is not commonplace. Encouraged into offering some kind of explanation, he says, “I think they like people who set their roots and really get to know a place – I’ve got a huge network of suppliers and I’m always working on it, you can still find great things around here.”
A production kitchen, herb garden and an artisan bakery are the main additions that Josh plans to make over the coming year, but as to whether the accolade will see the Pony transform beyond all recognition, he remains resolute: “It’s a very accessible restaurant offering English country cooking: you can come in and have
I think they like people who set their roots and really get to know a place – I’ve got a huge network of suppliers and I’m always working on it, you can still find great things around here. a main course, a bowl of soup, ham, egg and chips or go for something a bit more fancy.” Using the best of the surrounding countryside to make up his larder allows Josh to create an outstanding menu at The Pony and Trap, and whilst a Michelin star might not have been at the top of his agenda, putting the food first might be the very reason he got one. ■
Tim Martin, www. eternalphotography.co.uk
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> flavour duncan shine
the old crown
A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real ale and traditional cider. He’s also editor of the website britishpubguide.com
The Old Crown Bath Road Kelston Nr Bath BA1 9AQ 01225 423 032 www.butcombe.com 26
There are several ways to get from Bristol to Bath. There’s the obvious train journey on the current Great Western line, or the delightful cycle track that marks the route of the old branch line between the two cities. Or you could rent a narrow boat and chug along the River Avon past Hanham Lock and Saltford. Even by car you have plenty of choice, head east from Bristol until you join the A46, or south to the A4, or possibly head up over the hill past Lansdown and the racecourse... But the best route in, if you ask me, is on the old A431, which winds its pretty way just to the north of the Avon, through Bitton and Swineford before descending into Bath from above. One of the best things about this route, however, is that it gives you an excuse to visit the tiny hamlet of Kelston, and stop off for a pint in The Old Crown Inn. You certainly wouldn’t be the first. This has been a stopping point for weary travellers since Roman times. This creeper-clad former coaching inn has been feeding and watering those travellers since the 17th
century. It’s a delightful stone built building whose historical status is characterised by the unrailed external stairway at the front, the gabled porch entrance, and an interior that transports you back to simpler times. Kelston itself has an unusual claim to fame. In Elizabethan times it was home to John Harrington; artist, writer, soldier, fawning courtier and godson to the Queen. He is also generally accepted to have invented the flush toilet, installing the first one in Kelston and another for the Queen at Richmond Palace. Back in The Old Crown, Harrington’s lavatorial contribution to society is commemorated with a framed citation on the wall of the central bar. This is the first thing you see as you enter. A small drinking area with low ceiling, ornate wooden settles against the wall, hops hanging above your head and a long wooden bar complete with beer engine for serving up that pint. This is where locals and travellers alike gather to set the world to rights.
> flavour duncan shine
To the right and left are smaller ‘snug’ areas, popular with diners who perch on a hotch potch of wooden chairs. The real fire in the winter makes you wonder if that trip to Bath is really necessary. With no music or fruit machines, the only sound is that gentle hubbub of conversation, lively enough to draw you in but not so loud as to be intimidating. It’s that easy charm that strips you of the everyday strains and stresses you carried in with you, until very quickly the outside world dissolves to nothing and time tacitly agrees to tick by a little more slowly. The Old Crown was acquired in 1997 by Butcombe, and is now one of 16 operated by the Wrington brewery. All of Butcombe’s pubs place a strong emphasis on the quality and choice of the real ales on offer. Butcombe’s flagship Bitter is a clean dry, dark amber coloured pint that really lives up to its name, Gold has a slight but not overstated sweetness allied
with a golden, hoppy taste. In addition, you can expect very good pints of Bass and Fuller’s London Pride also on handpump, as well as one of Butcombe’s seasonal beers from time to time. The food is classic pub fare, with regular specials available. There are en suite rooms available if you really don’t want to continue that journey into Bath. As the weather slowly struggles its way above freezing, it’s worth remembering the extensive and picturesque beer garden. Fully enclosed but, nestling as it does on the south face of the hill, it is sheltered from the breeze and really catches the sun in the summer. The West Country is blessed with a number of fine old coaching inns, but few are as well placed and just darn pretty as The Old Crown. ■
Raise a glass to... Butcombe Bitter (4%) Brewed in Somerset since 1978, this is a bitter whose taste lives up to the name: a truly bitter bitter. There’s a faint hint of lemon in there too, plus a good old whack of malt. And tastes so fresh straight from the barrel. Butcombe Gold (4.4%) A fruity, almost citrus aroma and lovely golden colour let you know you’re in for a treat. There’s a slight sweetness to the flavour, although overall it’s a pretty well balanced pint. Certainly the malt is very much in evidence, and yet it leaves your mouth just dry enough to want another! Fuller’s London Pride (4.1%) Nowadays one of Britain’s most famous beers still brewed at the old Fuller brewery in Chiswick. It’s sold as a classic best bitter, but I find it a little paler than many. When it’s at its best, there is definitely a hint of those old Caramel bars that bunny used to advertise. Bass (4.4%) Brewed these days by the Marston Brewery in Burton-upon-Trent, this is one of those good old-fashioned beers that has the aroma of hops, the flavour of hops and in the aftertaste, more hops. A beer like they used to make.
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dart marina hotel & spa
Come over for dinner and stay the night. Whet your appetite at www.wildfirebistro.com
Tel: 01803 837180 | Sandquay Road, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9PH | www.dartmarina.com
> flavour clavelshay barn
Head Chef at Clavelshay Barn, Guy Horley When I was a teenager I watched the Roux brothers on TV and was inspired by their sheer love of food. I knew then that I wanted to become a chef . I’m very proud of the reputation we have for our food at Clavelshay Barn. Our monthly changing menu uses produce almost entirely from the farm on which the restaurant sits, as well as the surrounding area. This has contributed to us winning a Silver Taste of The West Awards for the past two years. Every dish on the menu is made in our kitchen including bread, icecream, sauces and dressings. We even smoke our own meat and fish using a Bradley smoker. My style of cuisine is quite classical with a modern rustic twist. To write a menu using veal, pork, lamb, rabbit and pheasant from our own farm is an absolute joy. We recently put our rose veal on the menu and it’s proving really popular – it’s a trio of osso bucco, escalope and loin wrapped in bacon served with Dauphinoise potatoes, root vegetable purée and red wine sauce.
twice baked blue cheese soufflé An excellent starter – very light but full of taste. We serve it with baby leaf salad, pears poached in red wine and walnut dressing. You can make it with Stilton or we use Dorset Blue Vinney. It’s ideal for dinner parties as you can make it in advance and then just reheat it before serving. Makes 6 Ingredients ¾ pint milk 1 ½ oz butter 1 ½ oz flour 6 oz grated Blue Vinney cheese 5 eggs separated Ground hazelnuts 1 Line 6 ramekins with butter and ground hazelnuts 2 Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a roux, add the milk slowly to make a béchamel and cook for about 30 mins.
3 Mix in the grated cheese and season well, allow to cool slightly. 4 Beat in the egg yolks. 5 Whisk egg whites until they are stiff and fold into the rest of the mixture with a metal spoon. 6 Fill the ramekins nearly to the top and place in a baking tray with water half way up the ramekins. 7 Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for 20 minutes. 8 Allow to cool slightly, then turn out. 9 To reheat, place back in oven for 5 minutes and serve with poached pears and walnut dressing. Enjoy.
I love working with a team who really care about the food they produce and the service they provide – I also have the best view from any kitchen I have ever worked in! Clavelshay Barn Restaurant Lower Clavelshay Farm Clavelshay North Petherton Somerset TA6 6PJ 01278 662629 www.clavelshaybarn.co.uk 29
> flavour victoria park
victoria park At the risk of tripping over an occupational hazard, this month Holly Aurelius-Haddock seeks out a fuss-free feast at The Victoria Park... Call me a little overindulged, but fine dining and I need to go on a break. Please rest assured, our relationship is built on a solid foundation and will no doubt last a lifetime, but we’ve been spending too much time together and quite frankly, it’s time to take a step back and get a little perspective. If I see another quenelle or espuma, I fear it might be my last. When I was first told about The Victoria Park, a new ‘pub and kitchen’ in Totterdown, my internal filing system called to mind the faded Star and Dove just round the corner, an establishment that never quite recovered from the departure of its previous chef-owner Eamonn Fullalove. As the former Executive Chef for Jamie Oliver’s famous Fifteen, Eamonn was no stranger to driving a business from the heart of the kitchen. Sadly, the spark seemed to leave along with him and the last time I visited (some time ago admittedly), the cracks were quite visible. But if this sorry tale was weighing heavily on my mind as I entered the nearby Victoria Park, it didn’t take long for it to evaporate into a decidedly buzzing atmosphere. Taken over by the boy next door on a mission to turn a down-atheel boozer into the community hub, the bustle and breadth of Ed Brown-Johnson’s clientele immediately struck me as testament to his handiwork.
The Victoria Park Pub and Kitchen 66 Raymend Road Totterdown Bristol BS3 4QW 01173 306043 www.thevictoriapark.co.uk 30
The place is tastefully decked out in vibrant colours with an ivy green Chesterfield sofa and ample selection of board games inviting patrons to lounge at will. An artistic eye has overseen feature walls covered in vintage wallpaper and urban prints that speak to rather than scream at onlookers. Everything about the pub feels fresh and modern, but accessible too. In the kitchen, Head Chef Steve Gale has a
clear vision for the food offering at Victoria Park: “I dislike trends in pubs. Ten years ago it was all about Thai food, then it went modern British... but when all the pubs become modern British, where can you get something a little bit different?” In reality this means that the daily-changing chalk board is as likely to include organic tofu tempura as the ubiquitous steak sandwich. Proceedings got underway with a West Country classic of Brixham mussels served with crème fraiche and cider. The dish was steamed to perfection and moreover, good value at £5. Mopped up with local bread and washed down by a bottle of Westons Organic, it seemed the evening was off to a good start. Then it was time for a taste of the Orient: soy braised pork belly with sweet potato, chilli and ginger mash. There were undoubtedly big flavours in this dish and big portions to match – but if you’re a fellow fan of bold cooking, it comes highly recommended. Adventurous palates seeking out a more traditional alternative would be well advised to try the pub's eponymous nose-to-tail pie. For dessert, a blood orange posset with almond biscotti proved to be an English classic with a delightful Italian twist forget the second spoon and enjoy this one all to yourself. "If you serve great food and drink at the right price, people will come to you," says Ed, with (justified) optimism about the year ahead. At a time where the food on the plate is just one element of the dining out experience, places like Victoria Park serve to reassure us that the best formulas are often the most simple. ■
> flavour xxxxxxx
Ten years ago it was all about Thai food, then it went modern British... but when all the pubs become modern British, where can you get something a little bit different?
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> flavour clare morris
back to bacchus
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> flavour clare morris
Wine columnist Clare Morris has over 10 years’ experience in the drinks industry, consulting with hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars across the UK. She is currently studying for a Diploma at the WSET London Wine and Spirit School.
C
ountries like Italy can be both a wine connoisseur’s dream and a wine lover’s nightmare. With so many indigenous varietals, there is always something new to explore. But by the same token, there’s always something new to remember – such a risk if you get it wrong. Loving wine is really not about knowing every single grape variety on the planet (scarily something like 600 of them!) but discovering those that you grow to know and love, which you can rely on enjoying time and time again. Luckily there are some great wines from Italy, which once you’ve tried them, are likely to pop up in a variety of places for you to pounce on with glee. With such a diverse climate from North to South, Italian wines have an equal diversity of flavours ranging from crisp, dry, delicate whites to hugely powerful, intense and concentrated reds. Here’s just a few for you to try yourselves…
Gavi di Gavi, made from the Cortese grape, may well be my favourite Italian white. Crisp, fresh and steely, it is often likened to Chablis and its popularity in its native region of Piemonte shows just why. Its ideal food pairings are therefore also similar and so seafood immediately springs to mind. Those of you who are Bristol dwellers will no doubt know Aqua on Whiteladies Road in Clifton and its sister venue on the waterfront in the city centre. Both restaurants serve a delicious Grigliata di Pesce – squid, salmon, sea bass, tiger prawns and halibut grilled with rosemary and garlic – which just begs for a refreshing Gavi di Gavi Le Toledana to complement. www.aqua-restaurant.com
Still in the crisp, fresh arena, but with a little more body and floral character, we move onto another indigenous grape – Tocai Friulano. You may not find this as easily as Gavi on your travels although equally delicious. Wines with difficult to pronounce names often struggle to gain in popularity, which is a shame, but easy to understand. You can see why bin numbers often help this issue! Try Fantinel’s Santa Caterina Tocai Friulano – conveniently bin no 76 – at the Lainston Country House Hotel in Winchester. All you could want for a luxurious, lazy weekend, with 50 rooms individually designed and a serious wine cellar. Partner this wine with the seared scallops starter with butternut squash purée and truffle sauce for just a touch more luxury. www.lainstonhouse.com Next onto some more complex blends – made from local grape varieties in Sicily by Rapitala. Don’t worry about the grape varieties themselves too much, luckily these wines have slightly easier names to pronounce. Just make sure you try them! The white Rapitala Bouquet (made from Grillo, Sauvignon and Viognier) is fresh and floral with nectarine and peach flavours, whilst the rosé Rapitala Rosato is elegant, dry and lightly perfumed. These wines are niche but excellent quality, and both fit in perfectly at the newly-awarded Michelin star restaurant The Pony and Trap in Chew Magna outside Bristol. Try the Bouquet matched with the pork belly, and the Rosato alongside the roast rack of lamb – sublime. www.theponyandtrap.co.uk For you red wine lovers – don’t feel left out. We have a gorgeous spicy Barbera from the fields around the town of Alba, just a stone’s throw away (on the map at least) from our friend Gavi. Full bodied and richly flavoured, you can try Barbera d’Alba Suculé, by Domini
Villa Lanata at rustic Tap’s Restaurant in Southampton. If you fancy a glass or two even at lunchtime, you can never go wrong with a classic match – Spaghetti Carbonara. Heaven! www.tapsrestaurant.co.uk And finally – the power reds. Valpolicella doesn’t sound like it fits in this category if you’ve ever tried this classically easy drinking wine. But this is a Valpolicella under another guise - Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, from Bolla. After the grapes are harvested, they are laid out on racks for several months to dry them out, creating a raisin-like concentration. The resulting wine is simply sublime – rich, smooth and intense. At our last Italian restaurant stop for this month, we need to hope for some equally good quality red meat dishes to stand up to the wine. Luckily, we found La Taverna in Windsor, where the Tournedos Rossini would do the job nicely. www.lataverna.co.uk I’ll finish with one of Italy’s more famous indigenous wines and surely one of the world’s greatest reds – Barolo. Made from Nebbiolo grapes, its traditional home is once again in North-West region Piemonte. What a fabulous region that must be to live in, surrounded by all these fantastic wines! Barolos sit right at the top end of the flavour scale for red wines as you can’t get much more intense, concentrated aromas. An iconic wine needs to be discovered at an iconic venue, and the Celtic Manor outside Newport is just such a venue. Whether you’re a golf fan or not, there’s plenty to occupy you there – not to mention the Barolo I Siglati, from Sant Orsola. www.celtic-manor.com 33
> flavour sunday best
SundayBest
The Swan Inn at Nibley
Relax
Unwind
&
Having been taken over and refurbished by the Tierney/Gale family, The Swan at Nibley re-opened in March 2009 and has since gone from strength to strength. This family-run business puts an emphasis on excellent food with superb,
JUST ENJOY!
oon, take It’s not everyday you get to relax in the aftern ricks Hend uous sumpt a in e indulg and lf time for yourse lf! yourse spoil to time It’s Tea. oon Aftern Bijoux e experiThe River Lounge team is introducing a uniqu already you ave nd...H ence in the South West of Engla Set? Tea a in served i Martin tried Hendricks Gin view that A selection of delicacies awaits you, with a us and delicio this for us join not Why soul. the calms ? delightful unique experience After that, Afternoon Tea will never be the again...
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4QF The Bristol Hotel • Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 com ction. lecolle @doy 0117 923 0333 • bristol 34
local ingredients and excellent service. A Sunday lunch is quintessentially British and The Swan Inn offers one of the best roasts in the region. T: 01454 312 290 W: www.theswanatnibley.co.uk
The Kings Arms experience. Choose Sunday lunch at the Kings Arms is a satisfying pork belly, juicy n, chicke d cornfe from 28-day aged roast beef, with all the served – st nut-roa ade homem our or lamb set Somer available, as are s portion n’s Childre . trimmings in cosy surroundings s. burger s famou our ng includi menu, brunch is the Served from 12 noon. T: 0117 973 5922
W: www.kingsarmsbristol.com
> flavour sunday best
Whoever said Sunday is a day of rest was deinitely onto something, so why not relax with the papers and let someone else do all the cooking?
One Beaufort
The Catherine Wheel A grade 1 listed 17th-century coaching inn sitting at the gateway to the Cotswolds, The Catherine Wheel pub boasts a long-standing reputation for its warm atmosphere and tradititional home cooked meals. Work up an appetitie by trying one of the pub’s surrounding countryside walks or alternatively, kick back and relax in the sunny patio garden. The new Sunday lunch menu is renowned in the area for offering consistent and delicious home cooked food. T: 01225 892220 W: www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk
We are now serving food. To reserve a table telephone 01934 712124
great food served Sundays at One Beaufort are a very simple recipe, tated, attentive unders with phere atmos ing welcom and in a friendly and family of friends with here, service. We want you to feel at home is served Lunch y Sunda else. hing everyt of care take us all ages, let n under five eat for from midday, with last food orders at 4pm. Childre ry: Sunday night free and under twelve’s eat for £5. New for Februa DJ sessions.
George Inn The beautiful George Inn at Wedmore is a stunning 16thcentury coaching inn. The interior is a fusion of old and new but with a contemporary touch. The chef has achieved four rosettes and continues to maintain one of the highest standards of culinary excellence in Somerset with his seasonal and local ingredients. Open fires and a warm welcome await. T: 01934 712124 W: www.thegeorgewedmore.co.uk
flavour readers receive a bottle of house wine for ‘flavour1453’ T: 01225 334050
£10, just quote
W: www.onebeaufort.co.uk
The NEW INN
at
Coln St. Aldwyns The New Inn is passionate about following seasons not fashion. Everything is cooked from fresh and is locally sourced where possible. Enjoy roast beef & homemade Yorkshire pudding complete with fresh garden vegetables and crunchy roasted potatoes. the Make it a truly local experience, whether you’re taking a beautiful Bibury to Coln St Aldwyns walk or simply enjoying us! Sunday drive, come along and join
What, no roast beef, except on Sundays?
Prices start from £12.95 for one course, every Sunday from 12.30pm- 3.00pm The menu changes weekly so don’t be afraid to ask what the choice will be when you book.
& breakfast rates throughout At The New Inn we are offering 40% off our normal bed ‘Flavour’ when booking. Breakfast is February & March 2011, Sunday - Thursday. Please quote and see what all the fuss is about. as much an experience as our Sunday Roast - come along
The New Inn
Coln St Aldwyns, Cirencester. GL7 5AN
01285 750651
www.new-inn.co.uk
The George Inn, Wedmore. “A smidgin of Mrs Beeton with a large dash of Jamie and Delia.” Telephone: 01934 712124.
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o l g n ba > flavour xxxxxxx
banglo’s sunday roasts
Local y Sourced Organic Produce
banglo Sample Sunda y Menu
The Best Roast in Bath..
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mains £12.95
Slow roasted cr ispy pork belly with
a brambly appl
Free range chic ken breast
Ashdale Farm ro
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ast rib of beef wi
th horseradish cr eam
Rudloe Farm le
g of lamb with mint sauce ...All served with homemade Yo rkshire puddings organic vegeta , bles and legend ar y gravy. Vegetarian optio n always availa ble desserts £4.95 Apple crumble
with vanilla bean
custard
White chocolat
e profiteroles
Dark chocolate
and raspberry
torte
Banoffee pie Eton Mess
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g ban
VALENTINES
www.banglo.co.uk
£15
info@banglo.co.uk
BuffET & DESSERT
free wifi
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ns and uffets o i t c n u F B Private Beautiful
7.30PM TILL LATE
VALENTINES
MONDAY fEB 14TH
01225 345 442 44 Lower Bristol Rd, Bath BA2 3BD
> flavour sunday best
SundayBest Stapleton Arms Sunday Lunch at The Stapleton Arms is a relaxed affair. Browse the Sunday papers in the bar and ease yourself into the occasion with the finest Bloody Mary known to man. Join the crowd
Bath Priory Sunday lunch at The Bath Priory is the perfect chance to unwind, enjoy fine food, the company of friends and family, and on selected Sundays, the music of classical guitarist Daniel Gerrard. Daniel’s easy listening music creates the perfect ambience to encourage a leisurely Sunday afternoon, which is after all how they should be. Traditional Sunday lunch menu 3 courses, coffee and petits fours £45.00 per person.
T: 01225 331922 W: www.thebathpriory.co.uk
Woodford Lodge Restaurant for lunch Overlooking the lake, Woodford lodge is the perfect place bar. the in drink or coffee a or dinner, a light snack or even just keep your week, the during menu carte la à the chose can you Whilst lunch to Sunday free for the mouthwatering Sunday lunch. Enjoy a of the views ular spectac with dings surroun table comfor in ber remem of loin roast the with option nal Chew Valley Lake. Go for the traditio fillet smoked hot Valley Chew the or sauce apple and pork et Somers of trout with a prawn sauce. T: 01275 331365
in the bustling dining room for some aged rib of beef cooked to rare perfection, served with beef dripping roasties and the freshest Dorset greens. Spoil yourself with a pudding and ask the staff to suggest a drink to match. Later, enjoy the wonderful walks and breathtaking views which await you outside. Children, dogs and muddy boots welcome! T: 01963 370396 W: www.thestapletonarms.com 37
> flavour mitch tonks
Mitch Tonks runs RockFish Grill & Seafood Market in Clifton, Bristol. He is an award-winning chef, restaurateur and food writer and has two other seafood restaurants in Dartmouth.
Here’s the ca ch With Channel Four’s Fish Fight a hot topic of conversation, new flavour columnist and seafood specialist Mitch Tonks examines the importance of having crystal clear objectives... In a year when the public has become more conscious of the state of our oceans through projects such as The End of the Line film and Hugh’s Fish Fight, the mere thought of pulling the very last fish from the ocean should be enough to make anyone sit up and take a stance on sustainability. Sustainability is a relatively new agenda; when I started in the fish game 15 years ago, it certainly wasn’t talked about then and I think it has really accelerated over the last five years. Whilst any good chef and restaurateur will want to make sure they are using sustainable ingredients (it’s a big part of the profession these days) many consumers on the high street look towards their brand of choice or retailer to have taken care of all those problems for them. Frustratingly there have been a lot of people and organisations who have jumped on the bandwagon to publicise the sustainability cause who have left a mass of confusion behind them. There are so many stakeholders in our seas campaigning for their own individual causes: fishermen, environmental groups, food businesses, energy producers, leisure users and so on. All of us fundamentally want the same thing – well-managed oceans and a future for fish. But the communication of what fish we should and shouldn’t eat has been a disaster that’s left many ordinary people in 38
a spin. Shock tactics by campaign groups may be an obvious route to headlines but putting these in front of the everyday consumer can have an entirely negative effect. Confronted by complicated ‘no more fish in the sea’ type messages, I suspect many people might choose to forego eating seafood rather than make an informed choice. But abstinence is not the way forward - we need to continue to consume fish in order to sustain a decent industry that is in good enough shape to be properly managed. Sustainable behaviours are becoming an imperative in so many aspects of our lives. It is vital that everyone in the industry plays their part and employs impeccable practice. I spend my life buying and cooking seafood most of which comes from our fishing fleet in the South West and see many sides of the debate. Real change will come when consumers together with the big and small seafood companies all play an active role in this. At least in seafood we’re starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. With bigger brands and retailers realising that long-term success isn’t just about PR and marketing but about real action, and consumers engaging more and more actively in the conversation, we might just find that 2011 is the year when fish turns the corner to become a truly buoyant food industry. ■
> flavour mitch tonks
Abstinence is not the way forward – we need to continue to consume fish in order to sustain a decent industry that is in good enough shape to be properly managed
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> flavour xxxxxxx
for lovers of good food...
At Gourmelli we specialise in hard to find ingredients for discerning gourmet cooks. Over the years we have developed a real passion for food and want to share some of the foods we have found with you. Please visit our website www.Gourmelli.com and get a taste of what’s to come. We have started with just over 200 items for you to choose from with many more to follow!
‘nduja – wow – a hot spicy spreadable salami from Italy! You should visit our website and see the range of unique peppers we sell.
Order before 30th April 2011 and get
free delivery
on orders over £45*
Colatura - the REAL essence of anchovies – we first saw this on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and we found a traditional artisan producer in Sicily!
Truffle Caviar – this is incredible – made from the juice of black winter truffles and pearlised! The exquisite taste of truffles and the sophisticated texture and colour of caviar... Its culinary potential is limited only by your imagination.
Lobster oil – this tastes more of lobster than lobster! Ideal for pasta and salads or as an epicurean dippers delight!
*Terms & Conditions apply
✁ 10% off
your first order plus free gift with every order dispatched before 30th April 2011* Code: 40 SAAR8BKMW
Bergamot Panettone – we stock a range of Bergamot products from Italy, marmalade, Bergamaretti, chocolates…but as Easter is coming the Bergamot Panettone is something else. Why not try it?
a passion for food
+44 (0)1234 240000 Gourmelli | The Old Coach House | Turvey | Beds | MK43 8EN | United Kingdom
visit www.Gourmelli.com
Thanks to a special relationship between Northwest Italy and the South West, local wine lovers can experience the fruits of an artisan’s labours and meet like-minded connoisseurs at the same time…
Vino and Cascina Fontana I n the ‘mid-90s’, Mario Fontana loaded a van with wines from his family estate in the Barolo Hills of northwest Italy and drove out to England. He made his way to Devon where he met wine and food writer Marc Millon and his photographer wife Kim, authors of The Wine Roads of Italy and The Food Lover’s Companion Italy amongst other titles. From this early encounter, a strong and enduring friendship has resulted.
“Mario makes wines with total commitment and passion,” says Marc. “He tends the vineyards himself, growing the classic varieties of Le Langhe: Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo. The result is a range of wines that is special and wholly natural in every way. There is minimum intervention in the vineyard, Mario still uses natural yeasts present on the grapes for the fermentation, and the wines are cold stabilised and unfiltered. These factors come through in the wines – they are simply sensational.”
In order to share these pure and natural wines, as well as those from other small estates that share a similar philosophy, Marc and Kim created Vino Ltd. “Vino is not a normal wine outlet; more than anything else, it is a community of wine lovers,” says Marc. Working in partnership with Pebblebed Vineyards, Vino shares Geoff Bowen’s Topsham wine cellar for wine sales, wine tastings and other wine events. For Club Vino members there are occasional trips to the Italian wine country to meet producers like Mario. Once a month the Vino Kitchen Italian Table offers three-course meals of authentic, regional Italian foods prepared by Marc and Kim themselves. Guests sit together at the Pebblebed trestle tables and the evenings are always informal and fun occasions of friendship, food and Italian wine.
Membership of Club Vino gives entry to this community. In addition to the Pebblebed cellar, Vino events take place at Darts Farm (where Cascina Fontana wines are available) and The Globe Hotel in Topsham as well as Michael Caines at ABode Exeter. For further information about Vino visit www.vino.co.uk, email marc@vino.co.uk or telephone Marc or Kim on 01392 873778
Special halfprice offer Club Vino membership £7.50 for first year (normal price £15). Download the application form from the website and mention flavour. 41
Aió
This month we talk to Aió’s Head Chef Roberto Lilliu who reveals that the diversity of Italian cuisine reaches far beyond the country’s borders...
I
Aió Restaurant, Bath 7 Edgar Buildings George Streeet Bath BA1 2EE 01225 443900 www.aiorestaurant.co.uk 42
was born and lived in Sardinia for most of my life. I come from Cagliari, the capital of the island. My love has always been for cooking. One of the most precious experiences I had was to work at the highly-regarded Ristorante Lillicu where I worked alongside some of the best chefs on the island. I was then hired to be head chef on board of a private yacht, fulfilling my desire to travel and to cook using the highest quality ingredients. Through the millennia Sardinia has seen many different people invade the island to make it their home: North Africans, Spanish and of course the Romans. This has had a
big impact on the flavours in the cuisine, though it can now largely be described as simple and healthy with a broad use of the chargrill. Specialities such as the roast piglet, Fregola Sarda (see recipe) and Culurgiones (pecorino, potato and mint ravioli) are all reminders of such varied history with their rustic and earthy qualities. Around the Mediterranean I have learned that less is more when it comes to making a dish. At Aió we apply the same rule and we use fresh dressings, to bring out the flavour of the good ingredients rather than disguise it. We use often herbs and spices such as saffron, rosemary, cumin and mint. The lamb here
> flavour aió
“
Owners Mauro and Salvo are very enthusiastic about good food… Cooking with them is not a static practice, but rather an ever-evolving process
”
Fregola Sarda The fregola is a traditional Sardinian dish based on semolina using pearls of pasta which are first toasted in the oven then cooked in the stock, a bit like a risotto but with a much plumper texture. Serves 4
is superb. We get ours from Warleigh Lodge Farm near Bath. Owners Mauro and Salvo are very enthusiastic about good food. That’s all they talk about! Cooking with them is not a static practice, but rather an ever-evolving process. No two days are the same as a chef. Whilst working in a restaurant back home in the middle of a busy service, a famous TV presenter Gerry Scotti came in dressed in chef ’s gear asking if we needed some help. He really enjoyed his meal and came in just to thank us.
The choice of restaurants in England is fantastic. In Italy everyone eats Italian, which is far from being just pasta or pizza but there are limits to the repertoire. I don’t miss Italian food too much as I can prepare it easily using local ingredients, so most of the time it feels like home. I think that eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life and if I can make someone happy by making something special for them then I’m happy too!
Speak to Roberto to find out where you can buy the specialist ingredients!
Ingredients 500g fregola sarda 400g fresh clams 500g mussels 4 large king prawns shell and head on 1 clove of garlic 1 red chilli About 1 litre of fish stock 1 glass of dry white wine 3 peeled plum tomatoes Some bottarga (dry cured grey mullet roe)
Method Heat up some olive oil in the pan and add the chilli and the crushed garlic clove. Add the king prawns, the mussels and the clams and leave until they open up, then pour in the wine and leave to evaporate for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Take out the seafood and keep it warm on the side. Add the fregola and gradually keep adding the fish stock and stir until the fregola is cooked (about 12-15 minutes). Five minutes before it is cooked return the seafood to the pan.. Serve on a hot plate, sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and grate the bottarga on top. 43
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Offering a First Class Butchery, stocking our own beef and pork reared on the family farms. Home-made sausages, faggots and burgers, NEW quick and easy delicious dinner solutions – not to mention a fantastic range of locally sourced vegetables, Pullins bread and our delicatessen counters are packed full of our own award winning cheddars and much much more‌ Situated on the A38, 2 miles south of Bristol Airport, we are open 8.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am - 5.00pm Saturday and 10.00am - 4.00pm Sunday.
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> flavour cavendish
cavendish Mandarin parfait Serves 6-8 120g egg yolks 75g caster sugar 30g water 1 litre mandarin purée reduced to 200g 50g lime juice 200g double cream, whipped to form soft peaks 400g honeycomb
So much can be told about a chef from his food. The menu is the reflection of the master himself and after speaking with Pieter Swanepoel, Head Chef of the Cavendish Restaurant in Bath, we learn the true meaning of going the extra mile... I was raised in South Africa where my passion for good food began. When I first arrived in the country, I didn’t know a soul but I wasn’t fazed, I was just ready for a culinary adventure. Now, I have been working in Bath for six years at some of the top restaurants in the area. I dine out regularly and love to travel, which is so important when developing menus. The credit crunch has made people more aware of how they spend their hard earned wages, so value for money and customer service have to be top priorities to ensure they return again in the future. Our raison d’etre at the Cavendish is to provide the diner with an exceptional meal. We offer modern British cuisine with a French influence cooked with passion and great care. I like to keep my ear to the ground and get to know my clientele so I can have a better understanding of what it is that they prefer.
We put our unique touch to all of the dishes to try and exceed expectations. We offer a two-course lunch time market menu which is two courses for £10. We also have a full à la carte option and an eight-course tasting menu in the evening. We cater for all occasions and are very happy to customise the menu for each individual.
Method 1 Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a small saucepan. Whisk the egg yolks on a mixer until it turns pale in colour and is light and fluffy. 2 Pour the hot stock syrup over the eggs and continue whisking until it cools down. Fold in the reduced, cold mandarin purée, lime juice and the lightly whipped cream. 3 Pour into a container lined with cling film and freeze down for two hours until set-we pipe the mixture into 70 per cent chocolate tubes and then freeze. To assemble Remove the parfait from the freezer and slice into portions. Serve with lashings of whipped cream and a dusting of honeycomb.
A regular patron who had won a whisky tasting competition recently approached us to put a whisky and food evening on. This was an offer we couldn’t refuse! To give you a taster of what is in store, we have paired a mandarin parfait with honeycomb and dark chocolate to accompany the Singletons Dalwhinnie 15 year-old single malt scotch whisky. The two are so well suited based on the mellow, soft and lasting flavours of honeycomb and fragrant heather in the whisky. A match made in heaven! T: 01225 787960 W: www.dukesbath.co.uk 45
> flavour chef profile
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> flavour chef profile
chef profile Name: Phil Clench Originally from: Exmoor Head Chef at: Tracy Park
I’ve been cooking for most of my life, starting at an early age with mandatory cookery lessons in the middle school I attended on Exmoor where I was brought up. Being brought up in a farming community on Exmoor there was always lots of fresh and interesting produce; rabbits and pheasants, brown trout caught in the local river, duck and bantams’ eggs from local farms. My mother was an exceptional cook, and my grandmother was a brilliant cake maker too. I think being a mother during the Second World War forged a natural instinct for making very tasty and interesting meals out of just about anything edible.
Tracy Park Hotel & Country Club Bath Road Wick Nr Bath BS30 5RN 01179 371800 www.theparkresort.com
My father was an experimental farmer for the Ministry of Agriculture and would often come home with the carcasses of pigs, lambs or beef cattle that he had bought from the local abattoir, which we would then routinely butcher and freeze. That was real nose-to-tail eating! I aim to produce thoughtful, modern English food at Tracy Park. Seasonality and locality has a lot to do with my menus too-I spend a lot of time going to local farmers’ markets and am always on the lookout for something new.
I consider myself very lucky to be living and working in this region – there is so much fine produce on offer. From a very personal viewpoint, I think life would be very dull without a glass or two of the West Country’s finest cider. Much to the frustration of my wife I read books on food all the time, as well as periodicals, articles and recipes when perhaps I should be using my spare time on some DIY or the garden or something. I don’t always like the industry, especially very early on cold winter’s mornings when I start the breakfast shift and I’ve been working the previous night. When I get back into the kitchen however, spark up the stoves, have a cuppa and start cooking, a remarkable transition occurs. I get my head down and all starts to take on a brighter hue. I suppose, at least partially, it’s all to do with feeling at home in the kitchen. A love of cheffing might not always be unrequited, but what a love. If I can continue to cook, run the kitchens at Tracy Park, help to train and perhaps influence the young chefs that pass through these kitchens, I’ll have fulfilled my vocation. ■
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58 Stanton-BathPriory:P.52
4/9/10
16:08
• Rosemary Restaurant • Japanese Sunday buffet lunch • “All you can eat” dinner on Thursdays • Japanese à la carte menu • Afternoon cream tea on the patio
Page 1
The Avenue, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon SN6 7SD Tel: 0870 084 1388 Fax: 01793 861857 restaurant@stantonhouse.co.uk
StantonHouseHotel www.stantonhouse.co.uk
> flavour drops by
Tucked just off the A4 and neighbour to Bath Spa University sits Newton Farm Foods, a family farm set in the heart of Newton St Loe. Owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, this small village offers a peaceful retreat from the commuting traffic outside. Run by husband and wife Hugh and Celia Gay, Newton Farm Foods started life over 10 years ago as a small home grown beef delivery service to friends and family. It now continues to be a busy working farm, but with an expanding retail outlet and delivery hub of home grown and locally sourced meats. Hugh and Celia both come from families of farmers and are more than used to the long hours and tribulations of the food industry: “Farming is tough but what we are doing here is just lovely. We deal with the end product and get to interact with our customers. It’s rewarding to hear how much they enjoy our food as well as being able to work in such fantastic surroundings.”
drops by... flavour
newton farm
The farm is a part of Higher Level Stewardship, an environmental scheme that focuses on improving key areas of the English countryside. The farm ensures nothing artificial is put on the grassland which is being restored to its original parkland state. Celia and Hugh produce all of their own wheat and barley which is then used in the feed for the animals. Celia comments: “We hang our beef for around four weeks, giving it an incredible flavour and tenderness you just can’t get with the supermarket. Our rewards came in the form of a Silver Taste of the West award for our fillet steak last year.” As well as selecting which cut you want and having it prepared by the team of butchers, you can also choose from their delicious homemade burgers, sausages, bacon, mince as well as a selection of locally grown veg. At a time of supermarket price wars and confusing labelling, reverting back to the old fashioned way of shopping offers the simplest of solutions. Choosing produce from its source connects consumers back to their food, an aspiration made far more attainable thanks to the work of those such as Hugh and Celia. Newton Farm Newton St Loe Bath BA2 9BT 01225 873707 www.goodmeat.co.uk
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> flavour bart spices
cooking with care In the run up to Fairtrade Fortnight this month, we catch up with Bristol-based company Bart Spices who’s commitment to the cause is as strong as ever…
Bart Spices has been committed to Fairtrade since the launch of Fairtrade vanilla pods back in November 2005. The Fairtrade initiative ensures that farmers in developing countries are paid a fair price for their produce. The products are certified by the Fairtrade Foundation which also means a social premium is paid which can be used to fund projects for clean water and education. The premium paid to the farmers is absorbed by Bart and not passed onto the consumer. “I’ve personally been to visit the farmers and families that supply our Fairtrade spices and I’ve witnessed first-hand significant improvements that have been made as a direct result of the Fairtrade scheme,” say Managing Director Matthew Shaw, “Clean water supplies, community centres and developing agricultural practices have all been benefits that we are proud to have contributed towards.” The Bart Fairtrade range now boasts 19 products, 13 of which are certified Organic by the Soil Association. This means cooks 50
can feel rest assured that no artificial fertilisers are used on the crops to make the spices. By making the range Fairtrade Organic, Bart is committed to ethical trading in terms of the people who farm the products and the land on which it grows. Matthew continues: “Building links with farmers and growers allows us to understand how to best support them and in so doing, provide high quality products for our consumers.” The range includes cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and white pepper.
Bart Spices York Road Bedminster Bristol BS3 4AD 01179 773474 www.bartspices.com
> flavour bart spices
Coconut and Coriander Masala Chicken Ingredients 2tbsp oil 4 Bart cardamom pods 2tsp Bart cumin seeds 2 onions, chopped 4 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips 2tsp Bart garam masala 1tsp Bart turmeric 1tsp Bart ginger in sunflower oil 1tsp Bart garlic in sunflower oil 200ml coconut cream 125ml chicken stock Salt 6tsp Bart coriander in sunflower oil Method 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the cardamom pods and cumin seeds and fry for a few minutes until the seeds pop. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes until beginning to brown. 2 Stir in the garam masala and turmeric and cook for a minute, then stir in the ginger, garlic, coconut cream, stock and salt to taste, and cook gently for a further 10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Stir in the coriander and serve with pilau rice.
Win! A Bart Spices hamper
To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, Bart Spices are giving away a hamper of their Fairtrade range. The hamper includes a black peppercorn mill, ground black pepper, ground white pepper, vanilla sugar, organic cardamon pods, organic cinnamon sticks, organic cloves, organic ground ginger, mixed spice and vanilla. To win simply email: competitions@ flavourmagazine.com stating your name, address, phone number and where you got your copy of the magazine. Good luck!
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FOU3761 Tort Wedd ad 190x133h:FOU3761 Tort Wedd ad 190x133h 13/12/2010 15:39 Page 1
Follow in the footsteps of Royalty
Book your wedding on a Friday in 2011 and receive a special rate.
Are you getting married in the same year as William and Kate? Not everyone is fortunate enough to have their ceremony at Westminster Abbey, but why not hold your special day in our newly refurbished Westminster Suite? Fully licensed for civil ceremonies and wedding breakfasts for up to 250 people, you’re sure to be treated like Royalty. Tortworth Court Hotel has the perfect venue for you – choose between the unique and stunning Orangery, the characteristic and opulent Moreton’s Restaurant or our marquee located in our superb grounds.
Call 01454 263000 or email tortworth.weddings@four-pillars.co.uk for our weddings brochure. Visit www.four-pillars.co.uk/tortworth
Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel Tortworth,Wotton-under-Edge, South Gloucestershire, GL12 8HH Top right-hand image is an artist’s impression of the newly refurbished Westminster Suite.
> flavour divine inspiration
divine inspiration Divine Chocolate is the only Fairtrade chocolate company that is also coowned by cocoa farmers. Kuapa Kokoo, a co-operative of 45,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, benefits from the Fairtrade premium on the sale of their beans, but also receive a 45 per cent share of Divine’s distributable profits. This in turn gives the farmers more economic stability, as well as the increased influence in the cocoa industry company-ownership brings.
Richard Bertinet’s Divine Fondant with Cherries Chocolate fondant is a classic pudding that is cooked for just long enough for the outside to become spongy, but the inside to be runny. This is a twist and includes cherries and kirsch and works a treat. Serve with crème fraiche to cut through the richness of the pudding. Makes 4 large or 8 small fondants Preparation Strain the cherries into a small bowl, reserving the syrup for the sauce. Pour the kirsch over the cherries: it should cover them. Put into the fridge to macerate overnight, or longer if you can manage. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Use metal dariole moulds – 8 small or 4 larger. Lightly grease the moulds with butter and set them on a baking tray. Ingredients 1 small jar (about 350g) dark cherries in syrup or kirsch syrup 70g caster sugar 2 large eggs and 2 egg yolks 160g Divine 85% Dark Chocolate 160g unsalted butter, plus a knob to butter the moulds 30g plain flour For the sauce 125ml kirsch
Strained syrup from the jar of cherries 50g caster sugar Method 1 To make the sauce, put the reserved cherry syrup into a pan over a low heat with 50g sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Strain off the kirsch from the bowl of soaking cherries into the syrup and let it bubble up and reduce until you have only 1cm remaining in the bottom of the pan. Set aside. 2 In a bowl, whisk the 70g sugar with the whole eggs and yolks until they turn a very pale straw colour and have a creamy, mousse-like appearance. 3 Break the chocolate into chunks and put into a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and let it melt slowly, stirring. Add the butter and stir well until melted. Take off the heat and add to the sugar and egg mix, stirring well. Gently fold the flour into the chocolate, sugar and eggs. 4 Spoon about half the chocolate mix
into the moulds so that they are half full. Put 3-4 cherries on top of each, making sure they are in the centre – if they touch the side of the mould they will stop the chocolate mixture from enclosing them properly, and the puddings will break apart when you turn them out. You will inevitably add a little of the kirsch with the cherries, but try not to add any more liquid than you have to. Spoon the rest of the chocolate fondant mix on top. 5 Bake in the oven for 7 minutes until springy to the touch. Don’t be tempted to leave them in any longer because the centre should be runny. Turn out and serve with a few more cherries and a dribble of syrup.
Adapted with permission from COOK by Richard Bertinet, a French baker who runs the award-winning Bertinet Kitchen in Bath. www.divinechocolate.com www.thebertinetkitchen.com 53
le M A Z O T brasserie
at Whatley Manor Special Events Sunday Cinema Screening 27th February — ‘Letters to Juliet’ £39 per person includes three-course lunch or dinner, film and popcorn 8th March — Wine & Dine with Castello Banfi from Tuscany £89 per person includes apéritif, four-course dinner, wines, coffee and petit fours 15th March — Spring Arrangements with Rachel Wilson £85 includes demonstration, materials, three-course lunch with a glass of wine and your very own spring arrangement to take home
Set two-course lunch £17 Three-course Sunday lunch £26 Three-course á la carte menu from £32 Wines by the glass from £5.50
Call Events on 01666 834 026 or email events@whatleymanor.com to make a booking Whatley Manor Easton Grey Malmesbury Wiltshire SN16 0RB Telephone +44 (0) 1666 822 888 Email reservations@whatleymanor.com www.whatleymanor.com
5492 WM Manor Fork Mag-AW.indd 1
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Valentine’s
in the heart of Bristol
Saturday 12th and Monday 14th February
£60 Dinner for two 3 course sharing menu
f it and e a night o ple, k a m t o n cou Why £150 per stay over. e the dinner, to includ kfast and a bed & bre gift in a special your room
nd ht of it a ake a nig r couple, m t o n e Why r. £150 p stay ove de the dinner, to inclu eakfast and r bed & b ial gift in a spec om your ro
You’ll find Filini at Radisson BLU Hotel Bristol Tel: +44 (0)117 934 9500 www.radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-bristol
> flavour la piazza
La Piazza
If Michel Roux Junior’s new television series Service has exposed the weak link in the British food chain, flavour Editor Holly Aurelius-Haddock finds a shining example to follow...
L
ove them as we do, the French need very little encouragement in order to expound the virtues of their native cuisine. So when the latter was most recently declared part of the world's heritage by the United Nations, the comments that ensued from the country's culinary heavyweights didn’t raise so much as an eyebrow. “It is not arrogant or pretentious to say that France is the foundation of gastronomy for the planet,” said Guy Savoy (five Michelin stars). “It is simply right. It's a fact. We have to stop beating ourselves up about it.” His comrade Joël Robuchon (once named ‘Chef of the Century’) added: “There are French restaurants all over the world. When you want to open a restaurant you seek a French chef.” That’s as maybe, but you might be surprised to learn that one of their ilk does not entirely share their lofty views. I’ve had the pleasure to interview Michel Roux Senior a number of times now; a serious yet infinitely charming man, he spends most of his time travelling the world and is always crystal clear about the country he loves to dine in most. You guessed it – Italy. He is particularly complimentary about the superlative standard of service ingrained into their hospitality industry, something the British could learn a lesson from as far as he's concerned! This phenomenon certainly extends to La Piazza, an Italian-run restaurant in Thornbury where nothing is too much trouble for the staff. Compared to the proverbial surly French waiter there's a genuine warmth about the way they serve food, emanating from their accommodating movements and gestures. The space in which they duck and weave is functional and spotlessly clean; there are no frills and flourishes save for those on the plate.
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Their version of scallops al limone will knock an over-featured fine dining starter into a cocked hat
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Food here is exactly as you might expect: simple, fresh and rustic. In addition to a good selection of bruschetta, pasta and pizzas, you can choose from well-known classics such as insalata Caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad), cannelloni and risotto al porcini (risotto with mushrooms). Those who have had the pleasure of visiting the boot-shaped peninsula will also know how seafood plays a major role in the repertoire. With this in mind, if the scallops al limone (scallops in a lemon salsa) is on the specials board when you visit: order them. Their version will knock this over-featured fine dining starter into a cocked hat. Ronnie’s Restaurant was the first reason to make the trip to Thornbury, now here's the second. Giuseppe and his team are wholly dedicated to their diner's needs and will extend such a warm welcome that in the future, you might just take the French swagger with a pinch of salt.
La Piazza High Street Thornbury BS35 2AQ 01454 414500 www.lapiazza-bristol.co.uk 55
> flavour lords of the manor
lords of the manor This month Jennie Clark discovers a distincively unhidden gem in the heart of the Cotswolds... The Lords of the Manor is a 17th-century rectory, originally purchased from Henry VIII. Evidence of its heritage is all around the house, in original portraits of past residents, narrow stone passages and antique furniture. Collections of cosy chairs fill nooks and crannies beside chessboards and magazines, and the elegant lounge and bar are crowned with enormous open fireplaces and towering ceilings. The 26 individually-styled bedrooms range from the smaller with country cottage beams, to vast and grand depending on which part of the house you’re in. They’re adorned with beautiful views onto the sprawling Cotswold fields, or the pear trees and lawns of the hotel’s garden. The hotel’s reputation in wine had preceded it, with vast cellars and a selection ranging from coveted vintage champagnes to the wines of some of Italy and Sicily’s smallest boutique vineyards. Far from daunting for a diner though, we were presented with a lovingly compiled, wooden clad ‘cellar book’ – with everything from recommendations for each dish on the menu, to a list of ‘laying down’ wines ready to drink on your future visit. I would have been happy browsing for hours in front of the crackling log fire.
The Lords of the Manor Upper Slaughter Gloucestershire GL54 2JD 01451 820 243 www.lordsofthemanor.com 56
The restaurant gained its first Michelin star in 2009-only one year after executive chef Matt Weedon joined. His classic repertoire is more than evident even with its modern styling – the canapés of ‘fish and chips with mushy peas’ had all the cheeky ingenuity of current star chefs like Glyn Purnell and Mr Blumenthal himself. For starter I couldn’t resist the egg yolk ravioli, from Burford Brown hens and served with artichoke purée, wild mushrooms and winter truffle. The culinary theatre of a perfectly cooked yolk
is always a pleasure, and these earthy vegetables were doused in gold as soon as I put my knife to the pasta. My dining partner opted for the ‘mosaic’ of great farm chicken, foie gras, veal sweetbreads and smoky Morteau sausage, a manytextured terrine ingeniously accompanied by smoked sweetcorn, fragrant tarragon jelly and shallot rings. For the main course I chose the linecaught Cornish seabass, which more than met its match among the other palatefilling flavours of langoustine, truffle macaroni, shellfish essence and truffle foam – but was beautifully executed all the same. My partner chose the rib of Cotswold Longhorn rare breed beef, bold and rare beside melting braised ox cheek, and served with Hereford snails, parsley, cep confit, Pomme Anna and red wine sauce. The fricassee of snails was so much more than an affectation of a classical style – simultaneously showcasing a forwardthinking local producer, and expertly blending bold flavours. On first seeing the dessert menu, I already had a suspicion the modestly named ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ might not be exactly how my mother made it. Even in our waiter’s recommendation it defied description, so I won’t spoil it for you – it must suffice to say it was complex, magical and delicious. The Lords of the Manor experience is not understated, but completely untroubled. From the first glimpse the guest is swept up in the passion of its historic ownership and wildly picturesque setting. The expert touch is evident in every detail, though the delight is that the focus is not on perfection – just the simplest kind of real pleasure in the best things in life. ■
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The canapés of ‘fish and chips with mushy peas’ had all the cheeky ingenuity of current star chefs like Glyn Purnell and Mr Blumenthal himself
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beyond the pale? As fears rise over the possible introduction of a US farming model, Faye Allen speaks to some of the leading industry experts and gets to grips with the facts...
Following the recent application for the development of a ‘large scale’ dairy unit in Britain there has been a huge increase in consumer, media and political interest in British dairy farming systems. Dairy farmers and consumers alike have feared that the proposed site, Nocton Farm in Lincolnshire, will parallel the scale of industrial farming seen in the USA which, until films such as Food Inc., many people were unaware of. British dairy farming is some of the most successful in the world with many farmers carrying out exemplary management of their herds. However, dairy farmer numbers have been decreasing for a long time, whilst farm and herd sizes have been increasing. So dairy farming, as with many other agricultural sectors, has historically been turning more ‘large-scale’. Systems in the current industry range from 58
extensive grazing to fully-housed with herd sizes starting from 50 to 2000 cows with a mixture of cattle breeds and organic to conventional production. With increasing demand for dairy products on a domestic and worldwide scale, Britain is well placed with its climate (ideal for growing grass) and farmers (efficient, skilled and innovative) to help fulfil this demand but to do so, we need confident farmers of every scale. According to the National Farmers Union (NFU) there is room within the British dairy industry for all types of dairy farms to accommodate for the diversity of the dairy products produced. The reality is if the dairy industry is going to be competitive and productive, then large-scale operations may, in the very least, have to be considered alongside more traditional, efficient family farm units.
Many organisations such as the Soil Association and WSPA (World Society for Protection of Animals) fear for the welfare of the animals placed in such large-scale farming models. Many look to the US where the welfare of the animal has seemed to come at the cost of milk yield. The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), an independent body created to provide advice to the government on welfare issues, recently concluded that there are few disadvantages to keeping cows in large herds or housed units as long as the stockmanship is of the highest standard. With this, FAWC has stated that with a team of experts, including veterinary care and nutritionists, being in a large herd can prove beneficial to the welfare of the animal. With round-the-clock care, problems can be picked up and dealt with immediately.
> flavour beyond the pale
According to the National Farmers Union… if the dairy industry is going to be competitive and productive, then large-scale operations may have to be considered alongside more traditional, efficient family farm units According to the NFU, farmers that operate housed systems (which are generally larger in scale) have reported improved fertility rates, better control of diet and nutrition and an improvement in health and welfare. To provide more information and support on this subject, Defra has commissioned research with the Scottish Agricultural College to investigate the management and welfare of continuously housed dairy cows. The results of the study will be issued later on in the year and aims to reassure many over the myths and fears of welfare issues. With the ambitious task of increasing food production by at least 70 per cent by 2050 to meet the needs of a growing world population, as well as cutting carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, Britain is feeling the strain to increase yield without damaging natural resources. According to DairyCo, greenhouse gases from dairy farms account for less than 2 per cent of the UK’s annual total greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, greenhouse gas emissions from UK dairy farms have declined by 25 per cent since 1990.
However, the industry is constantly under close scrutiny for the production of high amounts of methane and nitrates from cow slurry, nitrogen pollution from fertiliser use for animal feed and carbon emissions from land-use and production. Coupled with this, dairy farming is already extremely inefficient in its use of water. According to a recent report “Not On Our Cornflakes” by WSPA, it currently takes 990 litres of water to produce one litre of milk. Intensive production is especially thirsty, requiring additional water for cooling, cleaning and drinking. For WSPA, building a dairy unit of the size that Nocton proposes is not sustainable and would put an intolerable strain on the climate, water supplies and people’s health. Instead, WSPA propose achieving sustainability with the use of pasture. According to the animal organisation, livestock kept in well-managed extensive conditions use local resources and recycle the productivity of the land. WSPA has argued that feeding cows on pasture also has a range of benefits for the ecosystem, helping to maintain biodiversity.
Recent years has seen growing consumer concerns about where food comes from, how it is produced and the welfare of the animals that produce it. Public perception of dairy farming is on the whole, positive. A survey recently conducted by the Dairy Council revealed that 75 per cent of the public believes dairy farmers do a good job looking after their animals and 62 per cent believed that animal welfare in Britain was amongst the best in the world. Over 95 per cent of British dairy cows are Farm Assured and that means consumers can buy dairy products safe in the knowledge that milk from a British dairy farms is produced to world leading standards of quality hygiene, welfare and environmental care, which is promoted on packaging by the Red Tractor logo. Britain has tough goals ahead. We have to cut carbon emissions, feed a growing population and protect the health and welfare of everyone who shares the planet, all at an age of economic crisis. Largescale dairy farming must be examined for its true merits if it can help to achieve such ambitions. This is not to say that the country will move towards large-scale units at the expense of grass-based systems. Grazing grass is one of the country’s biggest competitive advantages. It’s important to embrace the diversity of farming systems and the technologies available as well as make production decisions that are based on research science and evidence rather than myth, misconception and emotion. ■
Photo credit: WSPA
For more information, please visit:
Rotary Milker at Central Sands Dairy, Wisconsin, USA: Holding around 80 cows, this is the proposed size for the Nocton Farm.
www.nfuonline.com www.dairyco.org.uk www.noctondairies.co.uk www.wspa.org.uk www.fawc.org.uk www.defra.gov.uk
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u n i q u e ly h a n d m a d e i n b r i s t o l
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The George Inn, Wedmore. “Green wellies go toe to toe with Jimmy Choo.� Telephone: 01934 712124.
The Fox is a smart country pub less than ten miles from Bath city centre. With a large selection of food and drink, from hearty sandwiches to a three course meal, the freshly prepared food is sure to tickle your tastebuds. Proud advocates of local produce, the team at the Fox raise their own livestock plus an impressive vegetable plot and herb garden. Weekend lunchtimes and evenings are very busy so book to avoid disappointment. Bookings for Sunday lunch are essential.
Unit 7, Whitby Road, Bristol, BS4 3QF
www.bristol-glass.co.uk 0117 972 0818
Broughton Gifford Melksham SN12 8PW Tel: 01225 782949 Web: www.thefox-broughtongifford.co.uk
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Chef, food writer, author and mother Siân Blunos is passionate about children’s health and their eating habits, and believes that expanding your knowledge of food can only help benefit your child.
know your
Grains Grains and cereals offer excellent nutritional value to all the family especially for our growing little ones; whole unrefined grains are far superior to the refined variety, which are lower in nutritional value and fibre due to the refining process. They are an excellent source of slow burning carbohydrates and provide good amounts of protein. Cereals come from the cultivated grasses of
Cooking for Coco Like most busy mothers, Siân wanted to feed her baby well, but didn’t have a lot of free time on her hands. Her solution was to develop recipes using a wide variety of fresh, available foods, which could be batch-cooked and used to stock the freezer. Now, she always has a range of delicious dishes on hand, and you can too. With a little care and planning you can give even the youngest of children the experience of good, fresh food, which is tasty and nutritious.
To order a personally signed copy of Cooking for Coco for only £8.50 (including postage), RRP £9.99, email sian@blunos.com
wheat, rice, corn, oats, rye and barley. They are all so very versatile and great as an alternative to rice or pasta. I love pearl barley and use it to bulk up soups and stews. You can also bring it to the boil, simmer for about 15-20 minutes, rinse in cold water to get rid of the starch, drain, then add a little vegetable or chicken stock and some double cream to finish in the same way as risotto. Ground corn (polenta) is gluten-free, used in a wide range of foods and makes a fantastic replacement mashed potato. You can make up a purée by simply adding the powder to boiling water, pouring it into a small loaf tin, leaving it to get cold then slicing and gently frying it in butter. Serve it with poached eggs or with grilled cheese and I guarantee the kids will love it.
Cracked wheat or bulgur wheat is made by boiling and drying the grains and then grinding them. You can add an extra nutty taste by gently frying the grains in a dry pan before adding the stock – it’s lovely served hot or used in the classic tabbouleh salad. Quinoa is another favourite and is becoming quite popular; a superior grain from South America, a complete protein and is easier to digest than meat protein, it is rich in omega 3, 6 and 9 and full of minerals. When it’s cooked it’s slightly crunchy so gives real texture to a dish and is great hot or cold as a salad. These are just a few of my favourites but there is so much on offer in local health food shops it’s worth having a go yourself. ■
BULGAR WHEAT KASHA This is an eastern European recipe which makes a lovely alternative to rice pilaf. We use it a lot at home the kids love it... Ingredients 250g bulgar wheat 450ml hot chicken stock 90g unsalted butter Salt and pepper to taste (optional) Method 1 Heat oven to 200˚C.
2 In a dry pan over a moderate heat toast the wheat for a few minutes. 3 Add the stock, season, dot with 30g of the butter. Cover with a lid and put in oven and cook for about 20 minutes until the stock is all absorbed. 4 Remove from the oven, fork through the remaining butter and serve.
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> flavour xxxxxxx Cricklade House, Common Hill, Cricklade, Wiltshire, SN6 6HA T: 01793 750751 E: reception@crickladehotel.co.uk www.crickladehotel.co.uk
Hotel-Golf-Restaurant-Spa
The 46-bedroom Victorian country house stands in 30 acres of grounds with panoramic views across Wiltshire. With a restaurant, nine hole golf course, extensive conference facilities, tennis courts, health spa, gym and indoor swimming pool, Cricklade House is an ideal venue for every occasion. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar snacks available 7 days a week under the direction of award-winning Executive Chef, Lee Scott, formerly Head Chef of Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill. Lunch Menu Special Offer 2 Courses for £12.50 (Monday-Saturday) Pay & Play £9 a round of golf. Enjoy a bacon sandwich & a cup of tea after your round for £5.50. Open to members & non-members!
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Cotswolds88hotel �Restaurant Experience world class food in The Eighty Eight Room created by renowned chef and winner of 'Cotswolds LIfe Chef of The Year 2010', Lee Scott. Set Menu Lunch Offer! 2 courses of the set menu £13.50 (available Monday to Saturday)
Cooking School 2011
Book now for your place on our cooking course with Head Chef, Lee Scott, formerly Head Chef of Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill. The perfect gift for budding chefs and food lovers of all abilities. Open Monday-Sunday for breakfast, lunch, dinner, traditional Sunday roast and the ultimate afternoon tea. T: 01452 813688 E: reservations@cotswolds88hotel.com W: www.cotswolds88hotel.com Cotswolds88hotel, Kemps Lane, Painswick, Gloucestershire, GL6 6YB 64
Bath Flavour February.indd 2
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> flavour cafe maitreya
café maitreya Get your pots and pans at the ready to cook up the first in a series of delicious recipes from top vegetarian restaurant Café Maitreya...
Orange and cardamom risotto with crispy Savoy cabbage and Caerphilly cheese This winter warmer has vibrant colour, is relatively healthy and has a great aromatic depth of flavour. Preparation time is approximately one hour and serves six. For the stock 1 large onion, chopped ½ small leek, chopped 2 sticks celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 inch ginger, chopped 10 green cardamom pods 2 medium oranges, fine zested and juiced 600ml water 1 medium sweet potato roasted in its skin
Bring to the boil 1 litre of water, blanch the cabbage leaves for 30 seconds in two lots and plunge into cold water to cool. Remove and thoroughly shake dry. Reserve for use. In a good-sized stainless steel pan on a medium heat, sauté the onions in olive oil for 2 minutes, add the garlic and fennel and sauté and stir for 3 minutes more. Add the rice and make sure it’s thoroughly coated in olive oil, then add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, a ladle or two at a time, stirring carefully whilst on a low heat. The risotto will be perfect when it’s doubled in size but still retains a nice ‘bite’ (approximately 10 minutes on low heat). Remove from heat and add the grated cheese. In a wok on medium heat add the chopped ginger to some oil and gently sauté the savoy leaves so they are crispy. Season the cabbage and the risotto and serve immediately.
The name maitreya is derived from sanskrit and means universal love or loving kindness and Café Maitreya has been set up to reflect those values in the food. Judged among the best vegetarian restaurants in the UK by The National Vegetarian Society, the Bristol-based restaurant serves modern vibrant dishes using small-scale and ethical suppliers. T: 01179 510100 W: www.cafemaitreya.co.uk
Roast sweet potato in skin for 1 hour at 160°C. In a medium pan on medium heat sauté the onion for 2 minutes and add the leek, celery, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 3-4 minutes and add the cardamom and orange zest. Sauté for 3 minutes more, stirring to ensure cooking without colour. Add the orange juice and water and bring the stock to the boil, simmer for 7-8 minutes, take off the heat and add the skinless sweet potato, blend until smooth. For the risotto 1½ egg cups olive oil 2 medium onions, finely diced 2 small bulbs fennel, chopped to 1cm squared 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 small glass white wine 400g Arborio rice 1 savoy cabbage – carefully remove all the outer leaves, and the tough spine 1 inch ginger, finely chopped Approximately 500ml orange cardamom stock 200g finely grated Caerphilly cheese 65
> flavour bloggerati
bloggerati In relation to forging his multi-billion dollar empire, Bill Gates famously coined the term ‘embrace and extend’. With this in mind, avid blogger Zeren Wilson asks whether the food industry would be better advised to embrace a major tour de force… Blog. It's an ugly word. A convenient fusion of two words, ‘web’ and ‘log’, its various forms don't make it any easier on the ear. ‘Blogger’, ‘blogging’, ‘blogs’, no matter how you say it, there seems to be something dirty and almost shameful about admitting to this heinous activity. It’s also a bit too close for comfort to ‘bog’, which is never going to win friends and influence people in the pantheon of words. Every man and his dog now seem to have a food blog. Everyone is a critic. Blog reviews are instantly uploaded, with images, and have a spontaneity that is seductive. The bloggers have their own army of followers (Twitter conveniently lists these), and can instantly let them know when a new post is published. Where does this leave the ‘real’ critics, those published in venerable broadsheets and magazines, Maschler and Coren et al? There's no doubt that they couldn't give two hoots. As Fay Maschler said, "You may as well walk up to someone in a crowd and ask them what they thought of The Ivy". Ouch. She has a point. Some blogs are inevitably tedious, badly written, ill-informed, and an unholy exercise in hot air and self-love. Others are beautifully written, with jawdropping photos of food and are a pleasure to read.
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Some bloggers have made the transition between the two, and have had books published purely as a result of the blog. Chefs have even taken pains to pick up the phone and vent their fury on the phone at a negative blog review (Marcus Wareing did this recently, and showered only himself in ridicule). So the blogs do have some influence, and are read by the public and the industry, and once the ‘publish’ button is pressed, an author is born. As in life, some of these authors will be the real deal; others will be charlatans amusing only themselves. There will always be a gravitas to being published in print, and this is the natural order of things and absolutely right.
Every man and his dog now seem to have a food blog. Everyone is a critic. There is also a wonderful community of food bloggers, which brings together those with a genuine love and passion for the most social of activities, namely the enjoyment of good food. This is ultimately what should be celebrated about the ‘Bloggerati’, with the best being widely read, and the worst being left to wail into the darkness with their hollow words and shameless self-promotion. Oh yeah, check out my blog: www.bittenandwritten.com! ■
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Award-winning Award winning Tracy Park, ideally situated between Bath & Bristol. Country Casual dining at its best. www.tracypark.co.uk