about suffolk
Issue One Sixteen Look no further than aboutsuffolk, the local magazine that packs a Suffolk punch!
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welcome to our spring issue of about suffolk
about us
We are delighted to welcome you to the much-awaited launch issue of about suffolk magazine - a bigger, bolder version of our beloved aboutfram magazine. Packed full of features, some old, some new, our aim is the same as when we first started out in print in 2014: to give you a great read! In this issue, we meet the ancient Galloway girls, pop over for supper in Thorington, check out some groovy interiors, pass some time in Halesworth, and even get to hug a whale! Our emporium pages are bursting with ideas for spring and, as always, have an amazing competition prize up for grabs. So, sit back, switch off your phone, and enjoy. Sarah & Kathy
Editorial Kathy Churchill Sales Sarah Clarke
aboutmedia info@aboutmedia.co.uk 01728 666352 www.aboutmedia.co.uk
Designer Lucy Hart
lucy@silverlacecreative.co.uk www.silverlacecreative.co.uk
Images L Ray Studios: www.lraystudios.co.uk Instagram @lraystudios about interiors page 22 Richard Allenby-Pratt Photographer www.allenby-pratt.com about the land page 40 and about food page 64
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af rill Win ii Fireg ing k d Roa el Coo rth Mod tem wo Sys £370! e 63 Pag
If you would like to sign up to the weekly aboutfram e-newsletter, please subscribe at www.aboutmedia/aboutfram
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who’s about
contents
out & about
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about style about you
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about interiors
about town 40
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about time about the land
about design about gardens
about wine about food about taste round & about
6 A force of nature
28 Get the look
We chat with Clare Matterson about her exciting new role at the RHS and why she loves watching the sun rise over the Suffolk coast.
Stylish ideas for restyling your home.
12 Out and about
32 about town We bring you the latest news about town.
A round up of local events.
34 about time
16 Fashion Fix
We take time to get out and about in Halesworth and explore all it has to offer.
Pretty spring fashions to refresh your wardrobe this season.
18 Spring clean Embracing the change and beautiful botanicals to sooth and restore.
22 Designs on Suffolk Sally-Ann Elliot’s period farmhouse, Wash Farm, is a wonderfully eclectic mix of vintage finds, original artwork and contemporary designs.
40 Generation Game We take stock with Jeremy Perkins and learn about his quest to resurrect an ancient breed of cattle, the Riggit Galloway.
46 Pick Pocket In Kerry Ferrar’s newly opened shop, Pocket, we meet her gorgeous family of handstitched animals and admire the range of other design-led toys.
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who’s about out & about
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about style about you about interiors
about town 70
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54 Outdoor living
70 about taste
Fabulous finds to make your garden the destination of choice this summer.
Sunshine on a plate.
57 Shape shifters
Outrageously tasty and bang in season.
Time to get your topiary in shape and top tips for the garden this spring.
63 Competition Time Your chance to win a Roadii firegrill worth £370.
64 A perfect pairing Chatting menus, seasonal dishes, foraging, wine tastings and pop-up supper clubs with Joey O’Hare and Katy Taylor.
72 Gribiche salad with asparagus and tarragon
74 Three little pigs A 4-mile circular walk from The Oyster Inn at Butley taking in the Priory, piglets and pews.
70 Stockists Where to buy all the lovely stuff!
about time about the land
about design about gardens
about wine about food about taste round & about 3
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who’s about
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A force of nature
who’s about
As Clare Matterson CBE says goodbye to the National History Museum, where she has been the Executive Director of Engagement for the past four years, we manage to track her down before she starts as the newly appointed Director General of the RHS, the UK’s largest gardening charity. When not rubbing shoulders with dinosaurs and blue whales, Clare will usually be found gardening or turning over the veggie patch at her farmhouse in Campsea Ashe, where she lives with her husband Todd and their twins, Louis and Lily. Clare grew up in south London but lived close enough to Wimbledon Common to satisfy her curiosity for nature and went on to graduate from Oxford with a degree in Zoology. Prior to working at the Natural History Museum, Clare was with the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest charitable foundations focused on health research. During her sixteen years as Director of Culture and Society and two as
Director of Strategy, she led many initiatives, co-founding the Wellcome Collection, establishing the UK’s National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learning Centre and initiating ‘Our Planet, Our Health’. “This was the era of huge medical development, with scientists making great advances sequencing the human genome, creating new vaccines and doing novel research using stem cells. At the Wellcome Trust, part of my role was to ensure that the public not only understood these advances, but also the science behind them. We opened
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who’s about
the dialogue around these societal issues to make sure the public had a voice and that there was also a platform for their concerns.” Moving to the Natural History Museum in 2018 was a dream job for Clare as it allowed her to reconnect with her love of nature and to try and make a difference to the huge issues affecting our environment. “We are currently facing a planetary emergency, but there is hope, and I believe science, research and innovation hold the keys to unlocking this, but we need to act now.”
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As Executive Director of Engagement, Clare oversaw the delivery of several new strategies and was also responsible for exciting new initiatives including a new exhibition, ‘‘Our Broken Planet: how we got there and ways to fix it’, and the hugely popular ‘Dippy on Tour’ campaign. Dippy
was gifted to the Museum in 1905, quickly becoming an icon and capturing the hearts and imagination of thousands of school children. By taking Dippy on tour, Clare recognised the power it had to inspire millions of people around the UK. “Dippy’s mission was to encourage families to get outside and explore the wildlife on their doorstep. It was a way to remind us of the joy to be had from our local landscape and to reignite our desire to protect it.” In May, Clare will turn her attention to her new role as Director General of the RHS. “The RHS is an organisation that matters and can make a real difference to the world. Gardens have such a huge role to play in shaping a more positive future. It is in our gardens that we find answers for people and planet, for community, for inclusion and
who’s about
for wellbeing.” A keen gardener herself, and never happier than digging up her early potatoes or raiding the polytunnel for ripe tomatoes, Clare has always believed that gardening is an excellent way of connecting with nature. The RHS has been at the forefront of this belief for nearly 200 years and whether you have a large rural garden, are part of an urban community project, or only have a small window box, all of us can reap the benefits of getting out and getting our hands dirty. Clare is also involved on the ground in Suffolk, and is part of ‘Wild about Campsea’, a small group of wildlife enthusiasts keen to encourage Campsea Ashe to become more wildlife friendly and is on the board of trustees at the First Light Festival. “The combination of art and science can be very
powerful and having the Natural History Museum come to Lowestoft as part of the festival is just wonderful. Seeing the kids so engaged with science is brilliant, and this year we hope to have more hands-on activities and interactive displays.” Clare’s drive, passion and commitment to making our future safer and stronger for people and planet is inspiring, and it is no wonder she was awarded a CBE for services to public engagement in science. We wish her every success in her new role and look forward to seeing her swap her gardening gloves for a hat at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. www.rhs.org.uk First Light Festival 18th-19th June www.firstlight.lowestoft.com
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out & about
April 9th-22nd: Spring Babies Carnival Performers, fairground rides and lots of spring babies at Easton Farm Park.
16th-17th: Easter Craft Market
May
Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
16th: Easter Workshops
1st: Beccles Antique Market
Easter-inspired crafts for little ones. Snape Maltings.
Over 100 stalls of antiques and collectables. The quay, Beccles.
20th-24th: Fête Du Printemps
5th-8th : Aldeburgh Literary Festival
Decorative French treasures, plants, food & drink. The Boule-in Bildeston.
Amazing programme of readings and talks. Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
21st-24th: INK Festival
7th: Dawn Chorus and Breakfast
4 days. 50 shows. 8 locations around Halesworth. www.inkfestival.org
Wake up with the birds at RSPB Minsmere. 4-7.30am.
24th: Jon Boden & The Remnant Strings
Stand-out folk duo come to Wingfield Barns.
Bellowhead frontman and his chamber folk line-up perform at the Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
13th: The Girl on the Train
27th-12th Jun: Booming Voices
Mustard Theatre bring this best-seller to life. The Cut, Halesworth.
Eastern Angles goes on a tour with a new play about the Norfolk Broads .
28th: Beccles Food & Drink Festival
30th-2nd May: Books & Bric-a-brac Sale
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7th: Jacob & Drinkwater
28th: The Great British Soul & Blues Review
Book lovers and bargain hunters. St Peter’s Church, Sibton.
Big guns of the British soul scene, Jo Harman & Mike Mayfield will have you dancing in your seats. Thorington Theatre.
30th-2nd May: Fanfare
29th: Spring Plant Fair & Artisan Market
New exhibition by Art for Cure.
Helmingham Hall.
out & about
June 3rd-26th: Aldeburgh Festival An amazing 24-day celebration of music and the arts. www.brittenpearsarts.org
4th: Much Ado About Nothing Half Cut Theatre bring their anarchic charms to one of Shakespeare’s best-loved romantic comedies. Thorington Theatre.
10th: Winter Wilson Fantastic duo packing a punch. Wingfield Barns.
14th: Ana Silvera Lyrical alt-folk and bluegrass-tinged tunes. Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall.
12: Halesworth Lions Summer Fete An afternoon of summer fun. Holton Village Hall.
15th: Bungay Garden Street Market A bonanza of garden related antiques, furniture, tools & fire pits. Earsham Street.
17th-28th: A question of Errol Flynn Missing Pieces Theatre premiers this hilarious firecracker of a show. Sir John Mills Theatre.
18th-19th: First Light Festival A 24-hour multi arts festival celebrating the midsummer solstice on Lowestoft beach.
19th: Woodbridge Regatta 31st: Craft Morning
Fun and games messing about on the river!
Half term fun at The Tide Mill, Woodbridge.
25th: Paradise Lost
31st-1stJun: Suffolk Show
This unique and captivating production brings Milton's classic poem to life for contemporary audiences. Thorington Theatre.
Two-day family event celebrating everything that is great about Suffolk. Trinity Park.
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about style
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Fashion fix
5 1. C’C - Neo Flower Floor Dress Mea Boutique £104
4. Turquoise drop earrings East of Eden £18
2. Tiger Tee & Poppy Red Kimono Pom @ OC Butcher £69.95 & £115.95
5. SKA sandals Fleur £69.95
3. Floaty floral dress collated £75
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6. Floral satin scarf Pug and Pussycat £29.99 7. Paradise velvet sneakers Collen and Clare £219 8. Spring colours Ruby Tyger 9. Pretty spring styles Moose
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10. Simply stylish Indi & cold Phoebe and Flo 11. Pom Pom bag Matisa Market £92 12. Sea Urchin necklace Suffolk Silversmith £70
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Embrace the change about you
Are you seeking more balance during the turbulence of menopause? Are you longing to embrace this natural milestone in life with more equanimity? Are you looking to nurture yourself during this period of change? Angela Lee-Foster of Mindful Menopause runs online courses using the tools of mindfulness to help women manage the symptoms of menopause in a calmer way and to embrace the change with awareness and compassion. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit the website. www.mindful-menopause.com/thecourse
Spring clean Rejuvenating Botanicals! East of Eden is delighted to now be stocking bahaip, a botanical, vegan and cruelty-free brand based in London. Using only the finest botanical ingredients, such as pure Bergamot oil from Sicily, Ylang Ylang flower from the Comoros and Neroli from Egypt, their formulas gently cleanse your body and help leave your skin feeling conditioned and soft. The Body Wash is sensational, with a gel-like texture that transforms into a rich lather and uplifting botanicals that fill the bathroom and immerse you in their delicate scent, and the Bath, Shower & Body Oil is enriched with jojoba and sunflower seeds which are natural conditioners to help soften and nourish the skin. Brilliantly priced for such a quality product – from £20 for 500ml - bahaip is a beautiful range that promises to rejuvenate and protect. www.east-of-eden.co.uk 18
Framlingham Physiotherapists is also hosting regular Suffolk Menopause Clinics run by Dr Helen Macpherson. Held every other Wednesday, the consultation will cover topics such as HRT, CBT, and other lifestyle measures to help women experiencing both the perimenopause and the menopause. Providing individualised evidence-based advice and treatment and following NICE and BMS guidelines, Dr Macpherson will strive to relieve symptoms, enhance quality of life and improve long-term health. Call 01728 723295 to make an appointment or visit www.suffolkmenopauseclinic.co.uk for more details.
Say hello to a zero-waste hair shampoo and conditioner! The Framlingham Soap Company is proud to have developed its own range of solid hair shampoo and conditioning bars that will last for up to 30 washes, saving the equivalent of two plastic bottles. Choose from a range of tempting scents including Mango & Papaya, Green Apple, Ginger & Nutmeg or Sweet Orange. Each one is presented in a little tin that is for keeps as next time you only have to buy the refills.
about you
The solid shampoo bar provides a beautiful lather and leaves your hair shiny and clean, with no build up, whilst the conditioner contains oils such as Sweet Almond Oil, Argan Oil and Cocoa Butter that nourishes your hair naturally, leaving it soft and manageable. Shampoo Bar £6.50 /Refill £6 Condition Bar £7.50 / Refill £7 www.theframlinghamsoapcompany.co.uk
Hair today. Gone tomorrow! To celebrate the start of spring, The Lady Garden in Debenham is offering 20% off all bikini, under arm and leg waxing services throughout April! Sarah runs a relaxed salon where everyone is made to feel comfortable, so whether you are a full pruner, like a little topiary up front, or prefer a full natural bush with tidy borders, everyone is welcome. Book online, use code ‘spring’ to apply discount. www.theladygardener.biz 19
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Handmade Soap Shampoo & Conditioner Bars Kind to skin and the planet Stocked in independent outlets across Suffolk or to buy online at www.theframlinghamsoapcompany.co.uk 21
about interiors
Designs on Suffolk 22
about interiors
Two years ago, Sally-Ann Elliott, her husband Yan and young family made their pipe dream come true by upping sticks and swapping the bright lights of London for a delightful farmhouse in rural Suffolk. On a sunny spring morning we catch up over coffee to see how they have settled in. Located on the outskirts of Dennington, Wash Farm sits within two acres of land, with an orchard, veggie patch and wonderful south-facing garden that has enviable views across the Suffolk countryside. Primroses and daffodils stud the banks of a large pond where a wooden deck looks exactly the sort of place to head when you fancy a glass of wine at the end of the day, and, closer to the house, a sunny terrace beckons you out for summer breakfasts. We sit in the conservatory, where industrial pendants hang over a fabulous table etched with the scars of its artistic past and old school chairs, worn smooth by years of shuffling
schoolchildren, now see the family sit together for supper. Before moving here, Sally-Ann was already familiar with the Suffolk coast, having spent many happy family weekends exploring the area. “We love discovering interesting and quirky places to stay and found ourselves being constantly drawn back to Suffolk. The more time we spent here, the more we began to dread Sunday afternoons when we had to pack the car and head home to Crouch End.” In 2018, feeling the need for a more permanent bolthole, they bought a cottage in Wilby which Sally-Ann renovated and 23
about interiors
restyled to create a warm and welcoming holiday let. Their dream was always to move to Suffolk permanently, but with job commitments in London and the children at school, it felt too big a life choice to consider properly – until lockdown struck! “Suddenly, working from home became a thing and with the kids being home schooled we decided it was now or never! We sold our London house in just a few weeks and moved to Wilby whilst we looked for something bigger with heaps of character and the potential to develop.” Wash Farm ticked all the boxes as the farmhouse was bursting with period features whilst the outbuildings lent themselves to a myriad of possibilities. The previous owners had already converted one of the barns into a beautiful 24
architecturally designed two-bedroom holiday let but Sally-Ann couldn’t wait to get started on the other barn and had designs on converting the stables into a workshop and art studio. Our coffee cups empty, Sally-Ann shows me around. The kitchen is all fresh whites and greens, a impactful watercolour by Mother Daughter Create sits above the Rayburn and vintage pieces add character. The utility has been given a facelift with a winning combination of Farrow & Ball Hay and Cooking Apple Green, and the snug is a delightful space where a corner sofa piled high with cushions invites you to sink down with the Sunday papers. In the main sitting room, a huge inglenook is surrounded by colourful armchairs and a deep sofa - the
about interiors
perfect place to hunker down in the winter – and I love the juxtaposition of modern artwork, exposed beams, and funky painted furniture. As an interior designer, Sally-Ann’s style is both eclectic and measured and the farmhouse is a wonderful medley of old and new, all pulled together by her instinctive eye for colour and design. Stone flag floors butt up against white painted floorboards, abstracts by Boo Compton and Eileen Coxon sit alongside flea markets finds, and a contemporary nude by local artist Kasia Trojanowska shares wall space with an original Adam Bridgland. ‘I love trawling car boot sales and vintage markets, treasure hunting at the barn.co and Marlesford Mill or scrolling online sellers such as @tings_ amazing_things or @mayflyvintage.”
In the holiday lets, the styling is more modern, with cleaner lines and calming neutrals, but Sally-Ann has still injected her same sense of fun with pops of colour, vibrant textiles and an eclectic mix of artwork. She is now working through ideas for the workshop and the studio and is taking time to concentrate on her new business, Gallery Wall Projects, curating wall galleries for commercial or retail spaces. It has been a busy but rewarding two years and Wash Farm is a wonderful home where they can now grow as a family – and on Sunday afternoons instead of having to pack up the car, they will mostly be found enjoying the Suffolk sunsets on the deck! Follow Sally-Ann on Instagram @wash.farm.dennington/@gallerywallprojects
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Get the look 1. Cheerful doormat collated £25 2. Vintage Kanthas Constance & Denny From £90 3. Cordless lamps East of Eden £80
4. Mid-century collectibles No1 East Lane 5. Romanian platters Focus Organic From £12-38 6. Floral lampshade Narwhal Interiors £49 7. Mango lacquered bowl Woodbridge Kitchen Company £42.50
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8. Vintage finds No6 Southwold
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9. Marrakesh lights Ruby and the Angel £34.99 10. Coastal inspiration Witts Design
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11. Stacks of cushions Snape Maltings
12 12. Workshop drawers Similar at tings_amazing_things 13. Antique treasures The barn.co 14. Spring colours Swan House & Garden
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about town
Coastal connections
Kate Giles - February Blue
Coming to Aldeburgh this June is an exciting new exhibition curated by Contemporary and Country, well known for their pop-ups at Houghton Hall, North Norfolk, which have featured work from acclaimed artists such as Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Henry Moore. Stepping over the border for the first time, ‘River’s Edge’ will showcase new work by Kate Giles, exploring the Nar and Bure river valleys, and sculpture by Jack Wheeler, Beth Groom and Emily Mayer, alongside a wonderful selection of East Anglian artists whose work strongly connects with our coastal environment.
7th-19th June Ballroom Arts and Courtyard Gallery Aldeburgh www.contemporaryandcountry.com
The booming Broads In their 40th anniversary year, Eastern Angles are back doing what they do best – touring across the East of England with a new play telling a regional story. 32
The play, Booming Voices, aims to capture the magic of the Broads and explore their future. From a series of interviews held in the pandemic, Director, Ivan Cutting, uses the experience and voices of people living on the Broads to tell a new, unheard story of this iconic landscape, cleverly fusing real voices, science, and nature to explore the past and question the future. Running from the 27th of April to the 12th of June, it includes special site-specific performances in Beccles and the chance to watch from home. www.easternangles.co.uk
Home makers
about about interiors town
before
Dora Brown is an inspirational social enterprise helping families in desperate need of improvements to their homes. Two Woodbridge mums, Sacha Naylor and Rebecca May Marston, created the homemaking venture after discovering that hundreds of children in Suffolk didn’t have beds to sleep in – let alone suitable bedrooms. The dedicated duo, along with a host of amazing volunteers, go into the homes of families who need support and help in a variety of ways, from giving children’s bedrooms a makeover to fixing and revamping broken bathrooms. Each makeover costs the team approximately £1,500 and that includes skip hire, furniture purchases and necessities for the kitchens and bathrooms. If you would like to find out more, or help with a much-needed donation, please go to www.dorabrown.com.
“In one room, three children were sharing one dirty mattress with no bedding on it and the home had no working toilets. The mother had to make choices you can’t even fathom.”
after
The Language of Love “James has died and Sarah thinks she will never love again, but when Jeremiah and his angel come to Elmsford seeking refuge from old wounds, both he and Sarah discover love in ways that neither of them imagined could be possible.” In his new book, The Language of Love, local author William Blyghton collaborates with fellow author and lifelong friend, Lorna Howarth, who threads a feminine perspective into the narrative. Together they explore Love - a language that unites us all, a language beyond words which can be expressed in a myriad of ways - and how, in order to love ourselves, we have to accept who we truly are. Available via Amazon. 33
time for
coffee and ... With more than some might consider its fair share of family-run cafes, where to have coffee might be your toughest decision of the day! We particularly love the Black Dog Deli at one the end of the Thoroughfare; Focus Organic, almost at the other, for their great selection of savoury and sweet accompaniments; and for a cosy catch-up with friends, the front bar at The Angel Hotel. Whichever you choose, if you don’t stop for coffee, you’ll be calling in for lunch, and maybe tea and cakes…
about time
about time in…
Halesworth
With a number of Suffolk coastal towns seemingly hogging the limelight in the press in recent years, Halesworth - an ancient market town no more than twenty minutes inland by car from the coast - may have escaped your notice. Yet, with its wonderful mix of architectural styles, winding back streets and green spaces inviting you to take a stroll through time; an eclectic mix of independent shops, cafes and bars; and a wonderful centre for culture, there has never been a better time to visit, whether you arrive by car, bus, rail or bike…
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time for
a browse Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your home, your family, your library, your larder or just because, Halesworth has an unbeatable selection of independent retailers, offering you a truly old-fashioned shopping experience.
about about interiors time
We particularly love … Browsing the wonderful selection of contemporary home accessories & gifts inspired by Northern European design in Huus Living. Spending far too long in Halesworth Toy Shop, which has been in the town for over 35 years and is a traditional toy shop packed full of toys for all ages. Spread over two floors, it stocks a wide variety of toys at competitive prices including all the latest crazes! Just past the Angel Hotel, finding the wonderful Halesworth Bookshop, a fine, truly independent bookshop catering for all tastes - fiction, non-fiction, biography, nature writing, crime, children’s, cookery and an extensive Local Area selection - and with a fine range of greeting cards too. Regular events promoting various authors are held in the shop. Confirmed for this coming summer is the launch of local writer Lesley Kara’s latest crime/thriller, ‘The Apartment Upstairs’ towards the end of June. Finding inspiration for dinner at the Crab & Oyster, a fabulous new fishmonger on the Marketplace, then popping into Melons Greengrocers, where you can bag some delicious seasonal veg, fresh herbs and flowers for the table.
it must be time for a picnic!
If you haven’t already been tempted by the fantastic selection on offer at the Black Dog Deli, pick up a freshly filled roll from Allens Butcher or a savoury tart from Focus Organic and park yourselves on the bench by St Mary’s church. It’s a great vantage point from which to reflect on the history of the town’s alms-houses, study the various architectural styles or simply watch the world go by. 35
16th Century Hotel with 7 en-suite bedrooms Relaxed, family Italian restaurant, Cleones Two bars A covered courtyard at its heart Outside seating area Free parking for guests No visit to Halesworth is complete without a visit to The Angel!
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time for
some fun Halesworth is home to Purple Pumpkin, a creative studio where you can try your hand at pottery painting, clay work or even wheel throwing – just don’t wear your Sunday best! Not just for children either, with Pottery & Prosecco nights available too…
about about interiors time
To burn off steam after such intense creativity, head over to The Millennium Green, the largest of its kind in the country! Just a short hop from the main Thoroughfare, enjoy wandering along the trails, taking in the wildlife and stepping back to a time when the waterways and rail provided the key transport links for the town. To see a map of the green, visit millenniumgreen.halesworth.net
time for
dinner and bed
There’s so much to do in and around Halesworth, that it’s well worth staying overnight. For families, we’d recommend The Angel Hotel with its 7 en-suite rooms. This 16th-century former inn has two lovely bars in which to unwind and a fun and relaxed Italian restaurant, with a spacious patio area that catches the morning sun, ideal for al fresco dining. Food is served from 5.30pm (great for the kids!) and it has an excellent Adnams wine list. With its Farm-to-Table dining, inspired by Suffolk’s seasons & traditions, handcrafted cocktails and carefully selected beers & wines, The Boarding House Dining Rooms is a real gem of a place. With three beautifully furnished bedrooms offering a peaceful retreat after your busy day, this Georgian building has undergone significant restoration in the hands of owners, Tyler and Pauline Torrance, who claim it as Suffolk’s newest boutique hotel, restaurant and bar.
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time to book April about time
What: INK Festival When: April 21st-24th Where: Various locations in Halesworth The INK Festival is back, big-time, in 2022, and with a NEW format. The festival is expanding, spread over 8 exciting venues including INK headquarters at The Cut, The Rifle Hall, MR King & Sons, The Halesworth Museum, The White Swan and more. Each venue will have performances of 3 or more short new plays, showing several times during each day, plus performance poetry, stand-up comedy, kids’ Play-in-a-Day, an art show in The Cut Gallery, a community stage with many locally written plays, talks and of course great food! There are plays written by Miranda Hart, Will Gompertz, Artistic Director at The Barbican, actor, Elliot Cowan, and many first-time writers, with Luke Wright headlining the performance poets who will be on stage throughout the festival. John Morton, the writer of the English version of Call My Agent, coming soon, will be in conversation with journalist Tracey Macleod. Peter Fincham, previously Director of TV at ITV, Controller of BBC One and Executive Producer of the hugely popular Clarkson’s Farm, will be in conversation with actor and INK Patron, Helen Atkinson Wood. Each evening at The Cut, there will be a special comedy show with one of these fabulous entertainers: Arthur Smith, Shaparak Khorsandi, Mark Steel, and Arabella Weir. Festival Day Tickets: from £20 4-Day Ticket: £75 Evening Comedy Tickets: £16 For more information visit www.inkfestival.org 38
May What: Blackheart Orchestra When: May 6th 7.30pm Where: The Cut, Halesworth The award-winning Blackheart Orchestra are multi-instrumentalists Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkington, who together comprise a two-person ‘orchestra’ playing up to 13 instruments in their live show. From their onstage ‘musical laboratory’ they create highly emotional music featuring vintage synthesisers, acoustic and electric guitars, mandola, bass, bowed guitar and percussion, piano, organ, omnichord and melodica. Their highly acclaimed 2019 album Mesmeranto entered the Official UK Rock Chart at No.18 and was hailed as “A mesmerising powerhouse” “An avant-garde musical utopia” and “A lifeenhancing listening experience” with singer Chrissy Mostyn voted No.5 Best Female Vocalist of 2021 and named as “One of the most extraordinary voices singing anywhere today”. Tickets: £15 For more information visit www.newcut.org
June What: Proms in the Woods When: June 2nd 6.30pm Where: Thorington Theatre Internationally-renowned coloratura soprano Christina Johnston and an ensemble of classical musicians bring the very ‘best of British’ to Thorington Theatre, just outside Halesworth, to honour the Queen’s Jubilee. Join her in celebrating Her Majesty’s 70th year of service with rousing classics such as Land of Hope and Glory, Abide with Me, Nimrod, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and many more glorious songs from the Proms, the West End, classical and operatic hits. Christina Johnston is a firm favourite of Heads of State and has performed in Opera houses all around the world and with many musical greats including José Carreras and Russell Watson, earning the nickname of The Nightingale along the way. Tickets: General Admission: £23* Concession (65yrs+ & students): £18* Child (under 12): £13* *plus booking fee For more information visit www.thoringtontheatre.co.uk
Wide selection of current titles • Out of print book search/ordering Supply of CD’s and DVD’s • Wide selection of cards and gift wrap 42 Thoroughfare, Halesworth IP19 8AR
01986 873840 | halesworthbookshop@gmail.com
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about the land
Generation game 40
about the land
On his smallholding just outside Bury St Edmunds, Jeremy Perkins is on a mission to revive an archaic strain of Galloway cattle known as Riggits. Distinctive from their belted cousins by a white dorsal stripe, he is championing a complex genetic breeding programme that hopes to resurrect their ancient bloodlines. Galloways are characteristically medium weight, stocky cattle that are easy to manage and, thanks to their double coat – an insulating downy layer and thicker, waterproof outer layer – can withstand extremes of temperature and therefore be wintered outside. They are one of our oldest native breeds and would have been found grazing the Scottish moors alongside Highland Cattle as far back as Celtic times. They typically come in a range of colours and most of the early cattle in the Galloway district would have been a mixture of black, red, brown, brindles, and even white with dark points.
Breeding lines in cattle are well documented, with herd books dating back centuries, and over the years, certain Galloway markings or colour variations have been favoured, often to the detriment of others. The Belted Galloways rose to prominence in the 18th century when Dutch Lakenvelder were crossed with Black Galloways to create the fashionable solid white belt and in the mid-1800s, black dominated the colour lines as they were bred to compete with the Aberdeen Angus. Thanks to the personal preference of a few stockmen, several herds of White Galloways did survive (and within them the masked Riggit Galloway gene). In the 1980’s, the rare occurrence of 41
about the land
both a Riggit marked heifer and bull calf being born – along with the active encouragement of Galloway breed secretary and stalwart, the late Miss Flora Stuart - encouraged a modernday breed resurrection and finally in 2007, the Riggit Galloway Society was formed and the breed was finally recognised. Jeremy has always loved cattle, especially the curly haired, teddy bear faced, short-legged Riggit Galloway, and twelve years ago he set up his own breeding herd to help introduce them to East Anglia. His journey to genetic maestro, stockman and farmer is not what you would expect. “I grew up in Harlow and the closest I got to farming was helping at Pet’s Corner in the local park. A local farmer donated a couple of pigs and a cow and so I would spend my weekends mucking out.” On leaving school, he did go to Writtle Agricultural College but after a short stint 42
working on an outdoor pig farm, embarked on a successful career in events management. Then, in 2010 and looking for a new direction, he bought a smallholding in Pakenham – a pretty village that still has both a working windmill and a watermill - registered up his own TwoMills Herd of Belted and White Galloways and started investigating how to successfully breed his own bloodline of Riggits. Working out the dominant and recessive genes of the different crosses is incredibly complicated but it was this challenge which initially sparked Jeremy’s curiosity. “I liked the fact that I couldn’t just buy a Riggit Galloway. I had to work out how to breed one! This is not as easy as I first thought as the black and belted genes are dominant so even if you breed a Riggit marked heifer, this will not necessarily breed more Riggit marked calves.”
about the land
Thankfully, Jeremy managed to get to grips with the complex science involved and is now incredibly knowledgeable about this intricate gene pool, but it has still taken him years to build up his herd, which is now one of only a few in the UK that has pure-bred Riggit Galloways. And it would seem that future generations are also in safe hands, as Jeremy’s ten-year-old son, Freddie, now has two heifers in his own ‘Fen Herd’.
on her wetlands down at Sutton Hoo. It is now recognised that rough pasture, and particularly marshland, benefits hugely from being grazed by larger herbivores and the Galloway are ideal for the job. Their lighter frame means they don’t poach the land in the wetter weather and as they are not selective grazers and will eat pretty much anything, they open up the land, allowing pockets of our native flora to become re-established.
Jeremy owes part of his success to the partnerships he has formed with landowners and organisations such as the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which is using small pockets of his breeding stock to help with conservation grazing. At the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, his Galloways were used as part of a Higher Level Stewardship grazing project and conservationist, Daisy Greenwell, also has a herd as part of a rewilding project
There is wonderful synergism in that this ancient breed is now being used to help reintroduce traditional farming methods to Suffolk – methods that would have been as familiar to former generations of hardy stockmen as the white striped Riggits that grazed the land. Follow Jeremy on Instagram @two mills www.twomills.uk 43
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about design
Pick pocket
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about design
Kerry Ferrar was our aboutfram magazine designer for nearly six years, so we are especially excited to be highlighting her new venture in this issue. As well as creating a family of beautiful bespoke handstitched animals, she has recently opened Pocket, a children’s shop selling design-led, sustainable gifts in Woodbridge. After studying graphic design in Bristol, Kerry worked as a junior designer at the internationally acclaimed design consultancy, CDT Design in London. Here she honed her skills as a print designer and worked across a series of projects including promotional work for English National Opera. After three years, her characteristically clean designs and attention to detail caught the eye of the branding consultancy, Wolff Olins, where she then worked for the next ten years as the print designer for some of their major clients, including the National Trust.
A few happy weekends visiting friends in Suffolk led Kerry and her husband Damian on a journey from Stoke Newington to a holiday cottage in Brandeston where, in 2006, they eventually moved full-time with their young family. Kerry became freelance and continued to work with clients in London as well as local design agencies looking for a fresh perspective and an experienced eye. In 2010, they moved to Great Glemham to tackle the renovation and transformation of an old cottage, and whilst the kids enjoyed the freedom of the large, overgrown garden, Kerry reconnected with 47
about design
her love of nature and created Newton Newt, the first of her handsewn animals. “The newt is still one of my most popular designs. He is just the perfect shape for little people to hold and I am delighted to have recently been commissioned by ‘The Newt’ in Somerset to supply them on a regular basis.” In 2018, Kerry set up her own brand, Ferrar, and exhibited at Top Drawer, the UK’s leading design-led trade event, and was shortlisted for Best Newcomer, quickly followed in 2019 with a Silver Award at the Junior Design Awards in the ‘Best Toy or Gift’ category. With these accolades came an increase in orders and she now works with a couple of Suffolk-based seamstresses as well as FabricWorks, a social enterprise in East 48
London supporting disadvantaged women. Upscaling production has also allowed Kerry to expand her range, which now includes the bears - Lars, Stig and Berge - Prudence and Eric Elephant, Maud and Bob Whale, Hetty Tiger, Sid Crocodile, Angus Fox and most recently, the adorable Bumble Bee. Each one proudly wears the CE Mark and is made to the same high level of sustainability, using Oeko-tex and GOTS certified fabrics and threads and super-soft stuffing made from recycled plastic bottles. They are all adorable and Kerry’s timeless design and playful character descriptions have made them into modern day heirlooms. “I want them to be kept for ever. Played with, loved, washed umpteen times, taken on adventures and sleepovers and to always
about design
be propped on the pillows of returning students and eventually be handed down to future generations.” Kerry has carried this ethos forward with the other brands she has chosen to stock at her shop, Pocket; brands who care about the provenance, longevity, and sustainability of their toys, using materials such as recycled cardboard and vegetable inks, and always with the same high level of considered design. “I want our toys to engage children in imaginative play and to encourage them to step outside, look around and get back to nature.” The shop, based on Church Street in Woodbridge, is actually part of their new home, a gorgeous townhouse that they have spent the last two years reinventing as a light-filled contemporary family space. It was
originally a butcher’s shop, and the large picture window engages passers-by with its display of giant wooden bugs, illustrative nature-based jigsaws, retro wooden trucks and an enchanting tree identifier that uses a wooden dial to match the leaf with the tree. Next to the shop is Kerry’s studio, where scribbles of paper reveal plans for the latest ‘kid on the block’. “I’m always thinking of new designs for animals that should be part of the gang and have to be careful I don’t get too carried away!” No spoilers, but I think it’s safe to say an Easter bunny might be putting in an appearance soon. Pocket is open Thursday to Saturday www.pocketkids.co.uk
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Outdoor living
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1. Recycled beach bag East of Eden £17
4. Heritage Garden Pots Garnetts Gardens From £12.99
2. French finds The Boule-in (Fete 20-24th April)
5. Pink gnome Max Southwold From £68
3. Hydro herbs collated £20
6. Garden planter Narwhal Interiors £29
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7. Firegrill Cooking System Roadii From £300 8. Stylish sun loungers Fermob @Vanil 9. Garden treasures Vintage Mischief 10. Reuse picnic set Eco Ruby and the Angel £7.99 11. Solar lanterns Ruby and the Angel £34.99
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12. Wheelbarrow Ernest Doe £56.99 13. Play Oven Freckle @ Pocket £145
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about gardens
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Shape shifters
From peacocks to pyramids, ducks to dragons or a simple twisted spiral, there is really something rather magical about a garden full of shifting shapes and shadows.
about gardens
Topiary is the art of shaping small-leaved trees and bushes into geometric shapes and fantastical forms and having recently discovered Levens Hall in Cumbria, I have become a little obsessed with it. This Elizabethan Hall is home to one of the world’s oldest topiary gardens, dating back in parts to the 1690s, and where ancient figures, twisted with age, shelter under towering yew umbrellas and trees adorned with top hats dance amongst the chess pieces.
If you are keen to give it a try, start with simple shapes such as balls, cubes or cones, and armed with some sturdy garden shears, get snipping. Spirals look impressive but are also quite easy; just tie a piece of string to the tip of a cone and then use this as a cutting guide. You can cheat and buy wire frames, but going freehand brings a little jeopardy to the procedure and the odd overzealous snip here and there only adds character!
Traditionally, box and yew were used as their dense growth lends itself to big, bold shapes, but they are slow growers, so for the more impatient snippers try box-leafed holly, a bushy evergreen shrub whose vigorous growth loves to be pruned and can be clipped to any shape, or coprosma which comes in a myriad of colours that look fabulous trimmed into domes. Hawthorn, bay, Mediterranean privet, shrub honeysuckle and Portuguese laurel are also popular choices.
Take inspiration locally from the Parterre Garden at Helmingham Hall or the Elizabethan-style knot garden at Otley Hall, or if you are heading north, Levens Hall is hosting an inaugural World Topiary Day on 12th May. And, whilst not to everyone’s taste, topiary is a great way to express yourself and add a little whimsy to your garden, and surely your lop-sided duck/chicken/ostrich? would raise a smile or two this summer, wouldn’t it?
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about gardens
Growth spurt Sweet April showers do spring May flowers, as the saying goes – and let’s hope so. After a dry March, our gardens are crying out for a good dose of rain to bring everything back to life. Now is the time to get out your secateurs and give common hydrangea, buddleia, lavender and woody herbs such as rosemary and sage a good prune. Stake out any perennials that need support before they get too leggy and you risk damaging the new shoots and give your borders, pots and lawn a good feed. With the risk of a late frost past, May is the month to get out and get planting, both in your garden and the veg plot. Be careful with anything too tender, but runner beans, garlic, onion and strawberries can all go out, as well as hardy perennials and annuals such as sweet peas, calendula, morning glory and
Tales from the potting shed 58
April Plant early potatoes Trim lavender Tie in new growth
sunflowers. It’s also time for the ‘Chelsea Chop’ – cutting back your plants during the growing season so they thicken and flower later in the season. Asters, nepeta, phlox, sedum and rudbeckia will all benefit from this. June. Breathe it in - the sweet smell of early summer and one of the most wondrous months of the gardening year. Now the soil has warmed up you can sow your tender herbs and salad crops. Remember to cover your strawberries and keep checking for first that sign of plump pink deliciousness. Garden centres are bursting with a rainbow of bedding plants - pelargoniums, lobelia, petunia, French marigolds, dahlias, verbena – so decide on your planting scheme, fill your boot, and enjoy!
May Prune your box Plant out sweet peas Top dress pots
June Plant salad crops Feed your shrubs Remove tomato side-shoots
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about wine
Man about town Earlier this spring we caught up with Luke Flunder to get his take on setting up and running his wine merchants, Flunder Wines, a family run business based at Clopton Business Park, just a few miles outside Woodbridge. vestibulum. 60
What is your background and how did you come to be so knowledgeable about wine? I was lucky to do a lot of travelling in my early twenties and that is where the passion started, visiting various wineries around the world. In my midtwenties, I joined Majestic Wine where I sat my WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) exams. Most holidays have also involved visiting a wine region!
When and why did you decide to set up in business? I set the business up three years ago. I could feel that there was a real buzz building in Suffolk and I had always had the vision of running my own wine business. Pair the two together and Flunder Wines was born How has the business evolved over the past three years? I started off working from home and when the pandemic hit, we became very busy. That is when my wife Natasha joined the business. We moved to our site in Clopton where we bought a company van and it’s been growing ever since.
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about about interiors wine How does your typical workday roll out? That’s the beauty of our business as we never truly know. One day it could be hosting a wine tasting for 40 people, the next I could be filming a TikTok video. A huge part of our model is to be reactive and adaptive compared with traditional merchants. What do you think your 2022 ‘bestseller’ will be? Our new unique subscription service, ‘The One’. It gives customers the chance to experience one incredible wine each month. What do you love most about being open to the public? I love people in general, so it might sound a little cheesy, but I am always really keen to engage with everyone who walks through the door. Many of our customers have fascinating life stories and that’s the beauty about wine, it connects us all.
Where to find them Unit 1, Liberator House, Clopton Business Park, Woodbridge IP13 6QT
If there is one bottle that you wished you’d kept rather than selling it, which one would it be? There are plenty! There have been a good number of times when I’ve been most reluctant to part with a bottle that I’ve recommended - mostly older vintage, rare finds - as bizarre as this might sound, they’ve been part of the family!
What are your top tips when serving a good wine? To enjoy it! Don’t be too hung up on whether you are serving it in the perfect way. In my opinion wine needs to become more accessible and less pretentious.
What ‘new kids on the block’ should your customers be getting excited about? Perfect for the spring and summer is our newly sourced, beautiful new Provence Rosé which is called ‘2800’ (relating to the amount of sunshine the vines receive in a year). We also have a number of new wines from northern Spain including a really fresh and citrus white made from the Godello grape named ‘Agoreira’.
Where else do you enjoy shopping in Suffolk when Flunder Wines is closed? There are too many places to mention. We have so many fantastic independent shops in the region. Living in Woodbridge, I’m often to be found browsing on the Thoroughfare.
Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 10am - 4pm Sat: 10am - 2pm
Contact Email: info@flunderwines.com Tel: 01394 766437 www.flunderwines.com
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Competition! Win a fantastic Roadii Firegrill 3 Model Cooking System worth £370!
We are delighted to have teamed up with local company Roadii, to offer you the chance to win one of their unique portable fire-cooking grills worth £370! Cook just about anything, anywhere, for the whole family on this portable tripod-based campfire system. Easily adjustable, you can modify the amount of heat you want above, on, and even under the fire to create the most amazing dishes. And, when you're done, unlike a BBQ you can take off the grill and it becomes a campfire for you to gather around into the night. • Tripod - compact, pack-down design • Carbon steel fire hearth
Cook ing g ri 4lt c ookp ll War o t ming shel f
For your chance of winning this fabulous prize, please answer the following question correctly: Q: How wide is the cooking grill on a Roadii 3 Model?
• Stainless steel cooking grill - 40cm diameter and height adjustable
Send your answer to: prize@aboutfram.com quoting Roadii in the subject header.
• 4 litre cookpot - height adjustable and lid transforms into a skillet
The competition closes at 23.59 hours on 17th July 2022.
• Warmshelf - stainless steel, adjustable height
Terms and conditions Entrants must be aged 18 or over. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. The prize must be redeemed by 30th November 2022 and can only be delivered to a UK mainland address. By entering this competition, you give your consent for your email address to be added to our aboutmedia database. Your email address will not be shared with any other companies apart from Roadii Ltd. Please indicate in your email if you do not wish to give your consent to be contacted by either aboutmedia or Roadii Ltd and we will delete your email address from our records. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted. 63
• 100% made in Britain • Stainless steel fixings www.roadii.co.uk
about food
The perfect pairing 64
about food
Katy Taylor and Joey O’Hare are a dynamic duo with a passion for seasonal, local, vegcentric cooking. We pull up a chair to find out what’s going on the menu at their soon-to-be opened supper club, Husk, located in an old cowshed at their home in Thorington. For many young professionals, lockdown was a time to reflect on what they had achieved, what they might change, and, potentially what they might do next. Joey and Katy were no exception, but for them the thought process and decision making was pretty straightforward as they had long dreamt of moving to the country to set up their food lifestyle business. “We both live for food and love entertaining. Our favourite thing is pouring over cookbooks, inventing recipes, and pairing food with wines.” They are a definite match for each other and, in 2020 launched Joey and Katy Cook, a
freelance food consultancy specialising in seasonal cooking that is focused on mainly vegcentric or vegan recipes, but also embraces sustainable meats and fish. A year later they moved to Walnut Tree Farm in Thorington where a disused cowshed will soon be transformed into a food hub where they plan to host supper clubs, and run cooking and fermentation courses. With nearly thirteen years’ experience under her cooking apron, Joey is well-known on the London food scene. She was highly commended from the Ballymaloe Cookery 65
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School, a working biodynamic farm in Ireland, and graduated from Westminster Kingsway College with a Culinary Arts degree, before working as a chef at a variety of London restaurants and private homes. After taking time out to complete an English Literature degree, in 2015 she returned to the kitchen and made it to the final twelve of Masterchef, The Professionals. With this accolade came the confidence and connections she needed to start her own vegcentric supper club, Hare on the Hill, where she perfected the idea of a shared dining experience and indulged in her love of hosting. Katy, who continues to work for Lily’s Kitchen - one of the first pet food companies to use natural and organic ingredients makes for the perfect sous chef as she has a 66
wonderful sense of the subtleties of flavour, picked up from cooking courses on her travels around Mexico, India and Thailand, and loves planning menus and putting together wines that complement the dishes. She has also started experimenting with roasting, smoking and curing locally sourced sustainable meats such as lamb and venison, and a recent cure for a pork belly that had been rubbed with herbs, crushed garlic and black pepper and then trussed and hung for two months before being turned into lardons and charcuterie, sounds delicious. Joey and Katy are bubbling over with ideas for Husk and, while they wait for the work to be completed on the cowshed, are enjoying trialing new recipes and wines from local merchants. “We recently made a smoked scallop roe taramasalata and a fermented
about food
chilli hummus topped with crispy lambcetta which worked so well with our homemade rosemary, rye and red onion focaccia. And the main course of venison and walnut stew stirred through with our grape molasses and pink pepper pickled quince went down a treat.” The ingredients for their menus will be reflective of their Suffolk surroundings, whether it be cheese from Fen Farm, freerange pork from Blythburgh, grains and flours from Hodmedods, fresh fish from Pesky, apples from their own orchard or wild gooseberries foraged from the overgrown meadow behind the house. Both are also mad keen on pickling and preserving, and jars of home-pickled jalapeños, walnuts and damsons jostle for space next to their blood orange marmalade and rose-hip sweet chilli sauce – all of which will be used to top some wonderfully creative dish.
As well as the suppers, future plans include running cookery and fermentation courses, and they are hoping to eventually have a couple of guest bedrooms so diners can retire replete. Having guests all sitting together, sharing dishes, trying new wines and swapping stories is central to the experience they are aiming to create, and if their starter of baked goat’s cheesecake with a parmesan and brown butter shortbread crust, served with pea and basil salad and a crisp Pouilly-Fumé is on the menu, count us in! For recipes and ideas, follow them @joeyandkatycook www.joeyandkatecook.co.uk
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Are you ready to order? The Ivy House in Stradbroke is under new ownership and the word on the street is that new owner, Jason Pennellier, is doing a great job of being a top-notch landlord! Having renamed it Roscoe’s Restaurant at The Ivy House, he will be opening the restaurant in the coming weeks. The bar is already open for drinks, with Jason consciously choosing to stock all things local - his ales, lagers and IPAs are all produced within 25 miles of Stradbroke. Once the kitchen is open for service, you can expect a local and seasonal menu that reflects the ethos of sustainability and seasonal eating, with dishes such as asparagus with duck egg yolk dressing and parsley; torched English lettuce, soft boiled egg and salted anchovy salad; ribeye of Norfolk Wagyu beef with potato fondant and sauce Diane; and spiced monkfish with smoky aubergine puree, and spiced masala sauce, all set to impress.
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Our mouths are already watering… www.roscoes-restaurant.com
Laying down roots The Suffolk Jungle Room is a fabulous new café and house plant haven in Metfield in the Waveney Valley. Opened in February by Sam Coe and her partner Tony Prince, it promises great coffee, light lunches and cake - beautifully displayed in an old haberdashery counter – and, surrounded by a myriad of house plants, there is a wonderful air of calm at this dog-friendly cafe. Favourite dishes include a selection of flatbreads and grazing boards, featuring award-winning products from The Black Dog Deli, Planet Oeuf’s fabulous Scotch Eggs and Woodland Mushrooms on toast, prepared with freshly baked sourdough bread and a creamy, garlic sauce. Sweet treats include a selection of cakes and bakes and there are vegan and GF/dairy free options available too. Best pop along and take a look! www.thesuffolkjungleroom.uk
Sunshine on a Plate
about taste
Credit: Jemma Watts Photography
Born and raised in London within her family’s Greek-Cypriot restaurant, Maria Elia is a classically-trained chef who has been passionate about food since day dot. Her career as a chef, supper club host, and restaurant consultant has been varied and vibrant, taking her everywhere from private luxury yachts to Ferran Adrià’s legendary El Bulli. She’s also been a regular on the TV chef circuit and is author of three awardwinning books: The Modern Vegetarian, Full of Flavour and Smashing Plates. Maria now lives in Clopton where she has converted a barn into a creative kitchen space and supper club venue. “I want to create that relaxed holiday experience, where you’re greeted with the warmth of Mediterranean hospitality whilst grazing on feasting dishes using an abundance of delicious local seasonal ingredients.” Her next supper club is a leisurely lunch to celebrate Greek Easter on the 24th April and she has plans to invite some of her chef friends from London to guest chef at the barn. Join the mailing list at hello@thisismariaeli and follow her on Instagram: @mariaelia9
The Canteen at The Old Hospital Hub, Southwold is a new licensed café/restaurant launching in May. The café is one of three community businesses run by SouthGen, a social enterprise that partnered with a housing association to prevent the demolition of Southwold’s cottage hospital and to redevelop it as a community hub and affordable housing. As a ‘café with a conscience’, community and sustainability are at the heart of this new venture. It will be open for morning pastries and lunch, Tuesday to Saturday. Menus will be changed weekly and will consist of a small, interesting, selection of Mediterranean inspired dishes prepared from scratch using the best seasonal and sustainable ingredients sourced from local farms and food producers. www.oldhospitalhub.co.uk
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about taste
Gribiche salad with asparagus & tarragon Ingredients Serves 2 3 organic, free-range eggs (4 if you’re hungry)
1 bunch Suffolk asparagus 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp baby capers 10-12 cornichons For the dressing: 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp kefir 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Pinch of salt 10 g tarragon leaves (1 supermarket pack once leaves have been stripped from stalks)
10 g parsley leaves (½ supermarket pack)
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Simple, outrageously tasty, and bang in season. Here’s a rather fancy - though speedy to prepare spring lunch to enjoy, again and again. Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil over a medium heat with the lid on. Once simmering, submerge the eggs and set a timer for 5 minutes. Remove the tough final inch off the end of the asparagus spears, and once the timer goes off add the asparagus to the simmering water for 1 minute only. Then drain both the eggs and the asparagus before peeling the eggs under gentle, cold-running water and set aside. Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender or a Nutribullet and whizz until smooth and creamy. Note: if your blender is very large, try doubling the recipe so there’s enough bulk for the blender to do its job. Leftover dressing will last 4 days in the fridge. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in your smallest saucepan. Give your baby capers a good squeeze in
kitchen paper to remove excess moisture then fry on a high heat for 3 minutes until puffedup and crispy. These will add fantastic texture to the overall salad. Chop your cornichons into thin rounds and roughly chop your eggs. To assemble, just pop the asparagus on a serving plate and top with the chopped eggs. Scatter over the diced cornichons and bathe everything in the creamy tarragon dressing. Finally, scatter over those delightfully crispy fried capers. A few extra herbs look pretty on top if you wish, but flavour wise these aren’t needed - it’s all there! Tuck in! We love this gribiche with toasted rye bread and a drizzle of olive oil. (Thanks to Joey and Katy for this delicious lunch – see page 64)
round & about
Three little pigs On the walk this issue, a 4-mile loop from The Oyster Inn at Butley, I am joined by my girls, Jemma and Molly, one just back from uni and the other dragged out from underneath her pile of revision notes. According to our book of Suffolk walks, we should look out for frogs, foxes and deer, but none were more surprised than us when, on leaving the carpark, a herd of twelve fallow deer crashed through the hedge of a garden opposite, skittered across the road, stopped to give us the briefest of looks and then scarpered! Well, at least we know we are in the right place! Not holding out much luck of seeing any frogs or foxes, we set off down the footpath 74
that runs along the side of the pub. Here, the spring blossom was in full bloom, making a pretty canopy of petals that then opened up to farmland. The path leads us past a field of outdoor pig units where some very young piglets were either sunning themselves next to the sleeping sows or peeping cautiously out from the porch of their domed houses. On reaching a belt of pine trees, we turn right and follow this to the end before turning left and taking the wide track that edges the field. The soil in this part of Suffolk is incredibly light and sandy, and many of the fields have already been planted with potatoes, domed furrows hiding the seed crop below.
round & about
A footpath sign leads right, through a small copse of trees and we then join a bridleway that leads out onto a small lane. As we stand for a moment to admire the magnificence of some huge fir trees that tower over the road - their trunks as straight as a die - we catch the delicate almond fragrance of the gorse bushes below and in amongst their yellow flowers, watch bumble bees hungrily buzzing from one bud to the next in search of some much-needed nectar after the recent cold snap. Sadly, we are too late for the daffodils and too early for the bluebells, but through the woods we can see the impressive architecture of Butley Priory, a Grade I Listed historic gatehouse dating back to the 13th century, which we all agree would be fun to hire for the weekend and is also the most beautiful setting for a wedding.
At the crossroads, we go straight on towards Butley Low Corner and then take the footpath to the left. Some of the fields here are hidden under layers of white protective fleece that ripple in the wind, impersonating the waves of an enormous lake and, towards the horizon, we see the silhouette of Butley Church. I recently discovered that my great-great-great-grandparents were married here so we take the short detour to have a closer look. I love the peacefulness of old churchyards, the leaning tombstones etched in lichen and barely legible names of the those who lived and worked here hundreds of years ago – possibly, in this case, the names of my actual forebears. We quietly slip into the church and take a pew, all three of us reflecting on those who have sat here before us and those who will come after. 75
round & about
Picking up the footpath again, we come across an expanse of pristine turf which looks totally incongruous surrounded by the muddy fields of free-range pigs - it even has stripes – and we wonder if the cricket pavilion will be around the next corner. Much to our surprise, instead, we stumble upon some naughty piglets who have obviously just pushed the wall of their pen down and are now having an absolute hooley. We watch as more tumble out, cautious at first and then buoyed on by their spotty, ginger and stripy mates, they gather together in gangs and start charging round and round in ever-increasing circles. They are hilarious, but after a few minutes, we do start to wonder if anyone will be coming to wrangle them back to bed. 76
Well, this little piggy might have gone to market, but that one definitely didn’t stay at home, and who knows what the other 150 got up to, but us three little piggies decide there is nothing for it but to go ‘wee, wee, wee’ all the way to the pub! Luckily the barman at The Oyster Inn knows a man, who knows a man who owns the pigs, so as we enjoy our drinks, we can only hope that they didn’t wander too far and that they didn’t find that turf!
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Directory Health & Wellbeing
Retail Therapy
Home & Garden
Services
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Stockists about you
interiors emporium Dix-Se
East of Eden The Old Barn Fromus Square Saxmundham IP17 1DG www.east-of-eden.co.uk Mindful Menopause www.mindfulmenopause.com Suffolk Menopause Clinic www.suffolkmenopauseclinic.co.uk The Framlingham Soap Co. www.theframlinghamsoapcompany. co.uk The Lady Garden 59 Henniker Road Debenham T: 07734 432976 www.ladygarden.biz
collated 4 Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9AN www.collatedonline.com Constance and Denny www.constanceanddenny.com @constanceanddenny East of Eden The Old Barn Fromus Square Saxmundham IP17 1DG www.east-of-eden.co.uk
Paul Ting Thorpe @tings_amazing_things Ruby and the Angel 66A High Street Debenham IP14 6QP www.rubyandtheangel.co.uk Snape Maltings www.snapemaltings.co.uk Swan House & Garden 21 High Street Debenham. IP14 6QL @swanmaisonetjardin
Focus Organic 14 Thoroughfare Halesworth IP19 8AH T: 01986 872899 www.focusorganic.co.uk
the-barn.co Friday Street Farnham. IP17 1JX www.the-barn.co
Narwhal Interiors 23 Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9AN T: 01728 724507 @narwhal_interiors
Witts Design 174 High Street Aldeburgh IP15 5AQ T: 01728 598636 www.wittsdesign.com
No.1 East Lane @no1eastlane
Woodbridge Kitchen Company 7 Thoroughfare Woodbridge IP12 1AA www.woodbridgekitchencompany.co.uk
No.6 Southwold Pinkneys Lane Southwold @no6southwold
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Stockists fashion emporium collated The Guildhall Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9BD www.collatedonline.com
Moose 20A Market Hill Woodbridge IP12 4LU T: 01394 382691 @mooseonthehill
Max Southwold 25 High Street Southwold IP18 6AD T: 01502 725769 www.maxsouthwold.co.uk
collen & clare 25 Market Place Southwold IP18 6ED T: 01502 724823 www.collenandclare.com
Ruby Tyger No 1 The Mews Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9AN www.rubytyger.co.uk
Narwhal Interiors 23 Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9AN T: 01728 724507 Insta /narwhal_interiors
East of Eden The Old Barn Fromus Square Saxmundham IP17 1DG www.east-of-eden.co.uk
The Pug and the Pussycat www.pugandpussycat.co.uk
Pocket 26 Church Street Woodbridge IP12 1DS www.pocketkids.co.uk
Fleur 166 High Street Aldeburgh IP15 5AQ T: 01728 454822 www.fleuraldeburgh.co.uk O&C Butcher 129 High Street Aldeburgh. IP15 5AS www.ocbutcher.co.uk Phoebe & Flo 22a Well Close Square Framlingham IP13 9DS T: 01728 720110 Matisa Market The Studio, Hill House Grundisburgh. IP13 6UF www.matisamarket.com Mea Boutique 80 High Street Southwold IP18 6DP T: 01502 725197 www.meaboutique.co.uk
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The Suffolk Silversmith @thesuffolksilversmith
Roadii www.roadii.co.uk @roadiifiregrills
outdoor living collated 4 Market Hill Framlingham IP13 9AN www.collatedonline.com East of Eden The Old Barn Fromus Square Saxmundham IP17 1DG www.east-of-eden.co.uk Ernest Doe Broadwater Road Framlingham IP13 9LL T: 01728 723963 www.ernestdoe.com Garnetts Gardens The Street Hacheston IP13 0DT T: 01728 724589 www.garnettsgardens.co.uk
Ruby and the Angel Eco 66A High Street Debenham IP14 6QP www.rubyandtheangel.co.uk The Boule-in 77 High Street Bildeston IP7 7ER www.boule-in.co.uk Vanil 17 Church St Woodbridge IP12 1DS www.vanil.co.uk Vintage Mischief The Old Dairy Hungate Lane Beccles NR34 9TN T: 07789 684411 www.vintagemischief.com
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