KL Magazine Special Food Edition 2017 #2

ISSN 2044–7965

SPECIAL FOOD

magazine

EDITION

Norfolk’s finest restaurants Chefs Recipes

We’ve got all the ingredients...

At NEFF we believe that the kitchen is the heart of every home. A place to eat, meet and get creative with your cooking. With an extensive range of innovative appliances, we’re constantly working to meet the demands of every lifestyle. From our unique Slide&Hide® disappearing oven door to our revolutions in steam cooking, a NEFF kitchen is equipped for even the trickiest dishes.

K I T C H E N S • T I L E S • P L U M B I N G S U P P L I E S • B E D R O O M S • B AT H R O O M S

28-31a North End, Wisbech, Cambs PE13 1PE | Tel 01945 476797 | Web www.quaycentre.co.uk

...for the perfect kitchen

Experts in designing and installing beautiful kitchens to suit all tastes and budgets.

Our stunning range of kitchens have been hand selected by leading suppliers with style and

quality in mind. We can oer free design and

survey, trade and new build accounts, and supply only or a full installation service. We also supply from big name brands such as Bosch, Blanco, Ted Baker, Samsung, Laura Ashley and Smeg.

One of the area’s largest independent kitchen showrooms, with over 25 years in business.

A taste of the best...

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Hunstanton

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here’s nothing accidental about Norfolk’s food offering being so rich and diverse. The county’s environment of rivers, heathland, forestry and an extensive coastline is packed with natural ingredients, while its variety of soils supports everything from world-class asparagus (thanks to the sandy soils of the southwest) to blueberries (which need the ericaceous soil typical of the Brecks).

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36 Ever since the great agricultural pioneers of the 18th century, Coke of Holkham and ‘Turnip’ Townsend of Raynham improved husbandry and land quality through their revolutionary ideas, Norfolk has been recognised on a national and international level as a major producer of high quality fresh produce.

Today, the hotels and restaurants around the county celebrate this tradition by making the most of local ingredients and creating a rich, delicious and unique dining experience.

72 But that’s not the only reason we've produced this special guide to some of the best dining out options in the region, and why so many hugely-talented chefs have shared some of their carefully-constructed recipes with you.

Wisbech

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Using local produce and supporting local hotels and restaurants reduces food miles and packaging, maintains local food varieties and has a real impact on the local economy. It also helps us recognise the contribution that food production makes to our countryside, re-connecting us to our surroundings.

Although you may already appreciate the fabulous ingredients available on our doorstep, on the following pages you’ll discover just how far they can be taken in the hands of a passionate chef in suitably welcoming surroundings.

Hopefully that’s whetted your appetite sufficiently – now let’s enjoy a taste of the best Norfolk has to offer.

THE KL MAGAZINE TEAM

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44 50 48 46 52 60 58 62 King’s Lynn 64

Downham Market

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HOW TO PICK YOUR RESTAURANT...

The handy map below will help you enjoy some of the area’s finest restaurants. Simply find the area you’re interested in visiting and check the circled page number against the listing below to identify the restaurant in question. You’ll also be able to see which other restaurants are in the vicinity. Enjoy your food journey around Norfolk!

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Wells-next-the-Sea

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98 Holt

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Fakenham

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RESTAURANTS 6 The Ship 8 Titchwell Manor 10 The Chequers Inn 12 The Orange Tree 14 The Lifeboat 16 Thornham Deli 18 Shucks 24 The Neptune 26 Caley Hall Hotel 28 Heacham Manor 30 Silk Road II 32 Thaxters 34 The Coach & Horses 36 Sandringham Café & Restaurant

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42 Unique Castle Rising Tea Rooms & Gardens 44 The Swan Inn 46 Pearl River 48 The Duke’s Head Hotel 50 Riverside Restaurant 52 Archers

Swaffham

SPECIAL FOOD EDITION

by KL magazine

Bishop’s Lynn House, 18 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1JW | 01553 601201 | info@klmagazine.co.uk KL magazine is published monthly by KL Publications Ltd. All details were correct at the time of going to press (May 2017)

KLmagazine Special Dining Out Edition

58 Market Bistro 60 Marriott’s Warehouse 62 Bank House 64 Brewer’s Fayre 66 Biltons

72 The West End 74 The Wellington 76 The Berney Arms 78 Strattons 80 The King’s Arms 86 The Dabbling Duck 88 The Crown Inn 90 The King’s Head 92 The Plume of Feathers 94 The Crawfish Inn 96 The Norfolk Riddle 98 The Folly Tearoom 104 The Chequers Inn 106 Morston Hall 108 Wells Crab House 110 The Sands 112 Deepdale Café

SPECIAL FEATURES 20 Mr Hugh’s Rapeseed Oil 38 The Fruit Pig Company 54 Black Shuck Gin 68 Eastgate Larder 82 Candi’s Chutneys 100 The Big Prawn Co.

This publication was designed, written and produced by the KL magazine team: Managing Director Laura Murray Managing Editor Eric Secker Design by Amy Phillips and Lisa Tonroe Promotion by Nicola Back Advertising by Jessica Smith Cover image by Jamie Maxwell for Titchwell Manor Contributions by Clare Bee, Sylvia Steele, and Ian Ward 00

Lemon Curd Cheesecake INGREDIENTS (Serves 12-14) Cheesecake 4 oz butter 1 pack digestive biscuits 1lb cream cheese 1pt whipped double cream 5oz caster sugar 3 lemon juice & zest Lemon curd (as made)

Lemon Curd 2 cups sugar ¼ cup cornflour 2 cups lemon juice 3 eggs ¼ cup butter

METHOD Cheesecake

For the Lemon Curd

1 For the biscuit base crush the digestive biscuits and melt the butter, mix the two and put in the fridge to set.

3 Boil together all of the ingredients, stirring continuously as it will catch on the bottom quickly. Boil for 1 min to the consistency of wallpaper paste.

2 For the filling mix together the cream cheese with the caster sugar, lemon juice and zest, fold in the double cream and put on top of the set biscuit base.

Recipe by 6

4 Pass through a sieve and pour over cheesecake.

Kelvin Norton (Pastry Chef ) e Ship KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Ship BRANCASTER

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wned by Flying Kiwi Chris Coubrough along with The Crown Hotel in Wells, The Ship in Brancaster has been lovingly restored to its former glory, and offers nine beautifully designed and comfortable ensuite rooms as well as fine dining in a restaurant that caters for up to 100. There’s a very cosy relaxing bar with roaring fires to warm you on the coldest winter’s day, and an outside garden for when the weather’s kinder.

Of course, Chris Coubrough isn’t just the owner. The New Zealand-born Master Chef is well known for his successful television series Coastal Kitchen, and admits to growing up in a family “where the natural way of life meant we grew, nurtured and butchered everything we put on the table.”

Today, Chris aims to combine the best local ingredients with inspiration he’s gathered on his many travels, and it’s something he does supremely well.

Along with his wife Jo, supported by General Manager Kasia and a superbly capable team, Chris runs an excellent ship here (if you’ll excuse the pun), and was the deserved winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2014 Norfolk Food and Drink Awards, alongside his good friend (and longtime meat supplier) Arthur Howell.

The menus are mouthwatering enough, but if you’re lucky enough to visit when Chris is about, he’ll be more than happy to recommend some of his new or signature dishes. It’s always refreshing to see a chef so confident in their creations, so proud to show off their work, and so willing to ensure you enjoy your food.

Try not to miss the starter of tempura tiger prawns; the lemon and lime sweet chilli sauce accompanying them is fabulous, but

Beautiful and tasty treats from a true celebrity chef the stars of the dish are the wild mushroom arancini (Italian stuffed rice balls) – a perfect fusion of sticky rice and flavour-packed mushrooms, brought to life with a brilliant mix of herbs and seasoning.

Chris is a master of knowing where to draw the line; his food is full of complex tastes that work together supremely well, but nothing’s overdone, and nothing’s over complicated. The main courses are perfect examples.

If you like steak you can look forward to a first-class cut of meat cooked with spot-on precision and accompanied by a blue cheese sauce that deserves an award by itself. Lovers of fish won’t be disappointed by the beautiful (and gorgeous-looking) seared sea bass –expertly paired with a wonderful crab mash, delicately fragrant baby fennel and a subtle shallot dressing.

Desserts are similarly well-crafted and balanced, but keep an eye out for Momma Coubrough’s Spiced Apple Cake. Served with crème anglaise, it’s a beautiful family recipe that Chris has quite rightly decided to share.

A natural talent for the culinary arts obviously runs in the family, and while Chris Coubrough is often described as a ‘celebrity’ chef, it’s his exceptionally good and visually

e Ship Hotel, Main Road, Brancaster, Norfolk PE31 8AP Telephone: 01485 210333 Website: www.shiphotelnorfolk.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

stunning food that’s the real star.

Food at The Ship is available from 8am10am (breakfast), 12noon-2.30pm (lunch) and 6-9.30pm (dinner).

Brancaster Oysters Seared Sea Bass with crab mash, baby fennel and shallot dressing Brûlée

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INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) Lobster 1 carrot, 1 onion and 1 leek (chopped) 10 peppercorns 1 lemon halved 6 sprigs thyme 1 lobster 750g Turnip 3 large turnips 25ml apple juice 10ml sherry vinegar 25ml lemon juice 25ml chardonnay vinegar 25g butter

Pistachios 50g pistachios ½ egg white 20g sugar

Trotter sauce 2 pigs trotters 1 carrot & 1 onion chopped 100ml port 200ml red wine 400ml chick stock 2 peppercorns 4 sprigs thyme 1 garlic clove (crushed) Sherry vinegar

Poached lobster

with turnip, pistachio & trotter sauce METHOD For the Lobster 1 Put all except lobster in a pan and bring to the boil.

2 Kill your lobster by inserting the point of the knife at the base of its head where it meets the body. Push the knife all the way through, while bringing the rest of the knife through its head.

6 With the other turnips, using an apple corer cut out 12 cylinders.

12 Strain the liquid into a new pan and reduce until it starts to become sticky.

7 In a small pan heat some oil, add the turnip cylinders, lightly brown, add the butter and continue to cook, then add the sherry vinegar quickly followed by the apple juice.

13 Thinly slice the trotter skin and meat and add back to the sauce, finish with salt and sherry vinegar.

3 Cook the lobster for 8 mins, remove from the pan and allow to cool for 5 mins.

For the Pistachios 8 Lightly whisk the egg white, add the pistachios and sugar and evenly coat, bake in the oven at 160c for 5 mins.

4 Remove the meat from the shell by using a pair of scissors to remove the body and a nutcracker for the claws.

For the Trotter sauce 9 Colour trotters all over in a pan and then add all other ingredients.

For the Turnip 5 Take 1 turnip and thinly cut, place in a bowl and cover with the lemon juice and chardonnay vinegar.

10 Cook for roughly 4 hours on low, allow to cool in liquid.

11 Remove the skin and meat from the trotters, chill skin in fridge.

Recipe by 8

To finish 14 Portion the lobster into chunks and gently reheat in some butter on a very low heat.

15 Plate up with sauce first, followed by the lobster, 2 types of turnip, and then pistachios.

Eric Snaith (Chef/Owner) Titchwell Manor KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Titchwell Manor TITCHWELL

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itting opposite the lovely beach at Brancaster is the 27-bedroom boutique retreat of Titchwell Manor. It’s been run by Margaret and Ian Snaith since 1988, and its elegant trappings and beautiful setting have attracted visitors from near and far for several years – and leaving them determined to return.

Part of the hotel’s attraction is undoubtedly its food offering, which is in the more than capable hands of the couple’s son Eric – one of the most highly-acclaimed chefs in Norfolk, whose incredible dishes have earned Titchwell Manor no less than three AA Rosettes.

While staying at the hotel is a genuine treat, visiting for a meal is just as exciting and just as special. The ‘Eating Rooms’ are lovely, but for a truly magical setting you should choose to eat in the conservatory, where white drapes cover the ceiling and fairy lights create a soft and romantic ambience.

It’s perfect for couples, but there’s plenty of room for larger gatherings and special occasions.

When it comes to the menu, it’s a case of expecting the unexpected. Eric is passionate about using the produce that’s (literally) on his doorstep, but he never plays safe.

Start with the Brancaster lobster and you’ll probably expect it to be accompanied by a gentle salad and with a subtle dressing. But this is Titchwell Manor, so Eric treats his lobster to a fantastic trotter sauce with some lovely turnips and a scattering of pistachio nuts. It’s an extraordinary dish, and it works exceedingly well.

The main courses are equally full of surprises. If it’s in season, try the Norfolk partridge, which is served with a spiced

Brilliant food from one of Norfolk’s most talented chefs bread, sprout tops and stunning split game sauce. Failing that, the Dingley Dell Pork Belly is amazing. It’s a meat that’s hugely popular, but few people can cook it as well as Eric Snaith – or successfully match it with pumpkin and pearl barley.

If you order any side dishes, make sure the new potatoes with anchovy butter is among them – they’re sensational.

In some ways, Eric’s desserts are his pièce de résistance, demonstrating everything that’s so good about Titchwell Manor.

Take the homemade chocolates, for example. They look fantastic, they taste delicious, and the local credentials of the ingredients are impeccable. The sea buckthorn comes from the marshland at Titchwell, the rose hip from the restaurant’s own herb garden, and the apple from the nearby Drove Orchards in Thornham.

And it’s there that you’ll find a very special fish and chip shop with food of the very highest quality. It is, of course, called Eric’s.

Titchwell Manor offers one of Norfolk’s best dining experiences. It’s a wonderful location, it’s a glorious setting, and Eric Snaith’s creative use of local produce is as enjoyable as it is inspiring.

At Titchwell Manor breakfast is served in

Titchwell Manor, Titchwell, Near Brancaster, Norfolk PE31 8BB Telephone: 01485 472027 Website: www.titchwellmanor.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

the conservatory from 8-10am, lunch is available from 12noon-9pm, afternoon teas are served from 12noon-5pm, and dinner is available from 6.30-9.30pm. Traditional Sunday roasts are served from 12noon2.30pm.

Brancaster Crab Houghton White Fallow Ven ison English Strawberries and Eld erflower

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Pan-roasted fillet of black bream INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) 4 x fillets of black bream 4 x soft shell crabs 1 x lemon Bloody Mary 1 x pint good quality tomato juice 25g x fresh horseradish root 8 x drops of Tabasco sauce 2 x tbsp of Worcestershire sauce 2 x shots of vodka 2 x caster sugar 1 x tsp celery salt Risotto 3 x tbsp vegetable oil 300g x Arborio rice 2 x pints of fish stock 2 x shallots (finely diced) 2 x cloves of garlic (crushed) 200g x white crab meat 100g x brown crab meat 6 x spring onions (sliced) 20g of chopped chives Seasoning (salt & pepper) Tempura batter 6oz self raising flour 4 x tbsp baking powder 3 x tbsp cornflour 2 x tbsp salt 12 fl oz of sparkling water

Recipe by 10

with spring onion & crab risotto, Bloody Mary and tempura soft shell crab METHOD 1 To make the Bloody Mary blitz all the ingredients in a food processor for one minute, then pass through a sieve. Pour the mixture into 4 shot glasses.

2 For the risotto, pour the vegetable oil into a heavy bottomed pan, put on a medium heat, sweat off the shallots and garlic with no colour, this will take no longer than 2 minutes, then add the rice and mix well.

Keep stirring for about 30 seconds, then add one ladle of stock and keep stirring. When stock has been absorbed add another ladle of stock and repeat process until all the stock is used. Check to make sure the risotto is cooked, if not add more stock as required, then add both crab meats, spring onions and chives. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

3 For the tempura batter, mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, pour in the water and whisk until smooth.

4 Heat up a little oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium high heat and place the bream fillets in the pan, skin side down, for about 2 minutes then turn them over and leave for 30 seconds. Remove the fillets from the pan and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

5 Place the soft shell crab in the batter, mix until fully coated then carefully place into the deep fat fryer set at 170° for 30 seconds, then turn the crab over for 30 seconds.

Then take out and put it on a kitchen towel to absorb some of the oil.

Plate up as shown in the picture.

Shayne Wood (Head Chef ) e Chequers Inn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Chequers Inn THORNHAM

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utside The Chequers Inn at Thornham is a young, newly-planted tree. Visitors will probably pass it without a second thought, which is a shame as it’s a sorbus torminalis, better known as the chequers tree. It’s that kind of attention to detail that typifies this traditional pub, which is packed with modern twists and contemporary touches – even though it dates back to the 16th century.

You’ll still find low-beamed ceilings, old photographs and a traditional open log fire, but step outside the spectacular courtyard area and you’ll come across some large cedar wood pavilions that can accommodate up to 14 people at round tables with cushioned seating. Ideal for groups of family and friends and featuring roll-down blinds and heated lamps, they offer a unique dining experience – but make sure you book ahead to ensure their availability.

The Chequers Inn’s Head Chef is Devon born Shayne Wood, who started his career at Combe House at 18 before honing his culinary skills at the Alexander House Hotel in West Sussex, Charlton House in Somerset and alongside the highly-acclaimed chef Elisha Carter.

“The most important thing for me is to get the best from the ingredients I’m using,” he says. “We’re so lucky to have Norfolk’s larder to hand. My favourite local supplier is the sea, which is virtually on our doorstep.”

His menus are modern and exciting, and a great way to start your meal is to pick a few options from the tapas menu – the crab and spring onion beignets are delicious, and the Brie, smoked bacon and chilli bonbons are a feast of mouth-watering flavours.

For a taste of Shane’s favourite supplier, don’t miss the opportunity to sample one of his fish-based dishes. The grilled fillet of

Enjoy your meal in a unique private dining space smoked haddock is superb and the poached duck egg that accompanies it is a very nice touch. Sourced from slightly further inland (though not by much) is the 8oz Holkham Hall ribeye steak, which is every bit as good as you’d expect from such a prestigious source.

You’ll find all the desserts just as tempting (and equally as well presented) but the vanilla and whisky cheesecake is a classic – served with a delicious banana and chocolate milkshake in a milk bottle-shaped glass. If that’s a bit heavy for you, Shane’s apple and cinnamon trifle is terrific, coming with a wonderful apple jelly and Chantilly cream.

The Chequers Inn may be steeped in tradition, but it has a decidedly modern outlook; not many chefs would invite you to make your own pizzas and nowhere else offers you such unique dining spaces such as their outdoor pavilions. It’s great with friends and family, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for a more intimate evening.

As a hotel, The Chequers Inn is always open, but food is served from 12noon2.30pm (lunch) and 6-9.30pm (dinner) seven days a week – and all day in the summer.

e Chequers Inn, High Street, ornham, Norfolk PE36 6LY Telephone: 01485 512229 Website: www.chequersinnthornham.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Pickled local mackerel with citrus mayonnaise Pan-seared fillet of bre with crab and spring onionam Bloody Mary dressing and risotto, tempura soft-shell crab North Norfolk cheese with biscuits

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Cannon of Lamb Lamb Croquette, Rolled Shoulder, Smoked Fillet, Shallot, Peas, Beans & Baby Watercress INGREDIENTS (Per portion) 5oz trimmed lamb loin 1 lamb fillet 4oz cooked lamb shoulder 2 slices parma ham 3oz tenderstem broccoli 1 cup garden peas Tbsp soya beans 100ml of vegetable stock 2 shallots

1 conference pear 2oz mash potato 1 egg 1oz bread crumbs Sprig rosemary 1 clove garlic Pinch of salt Oak smoking chips 3oz butter 3 sprigs baby watercress (garnish)

METHOD For the Croquette 1 Mix half of the lamb shoulder with the mash potato, season & roll into 1 ½ oz sausage then pane – 1st flour, egg then bread crumbs.

For the Rolled Shoulder 2 Overlap 2 slices of Parma ham onto cling-film, spread the remaining lamb shoulder in the centre of the ham and roll tightly then tie at both ends and refrigerate.

For the Smoked Fillet 3 Line a metal tin with foil, spread the smoking chips on bottom, then place the fillet over the chips on a rivet. Cover with foil then place on high heat for 8 mins. Turn & smoke for another minute. Leave to cool.

For the Pea Purée 4 Peel & finely dice 1 shallot, sauté in 1oz butter. Whilst cooking, peel & finely dice the pear, add to shallot and cook

Recipe by 12

until soft. Season with pinch of salt, add 50ml water. Blend in food processor then strain through a sieve. Bring 100ml vegetable stock to the boil. Add ¾ cup of peas and bring to the boil. Strain and purée the peas, adding the boiling stock to get to the consistency required.

Season to taste.

5 Place 1 shallot into boiling water for 4 mins, peel, cut in half and set to one side.

6 In a hot frying pan, add 1oz butter, garlic & rosemary with the lamb loin and cook for 6 mins. Halfway through flip the Loin and add the Rolled Shoulder, Fillet & Shallot to the pan. Rest for 3mins.

7 Deep fry the croquettes on 180° for 3mins; whilst they are cooking, blanch the tenderstem broccoli, soya beans & remaining peas.

Martin Pick (Head Chef ) e Orange Tree KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Orange Tree THORNHAM

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t’s difficult to overstate just how exceptional The Orange Tree is. Located in the attractive coastal village of Thornham, it’s been owned and run by Mark Goode since June 2009 and has won the Good Pub Guide’s Norfolk Pub of the Year award for no less than five years running. Mark is understandably proud of the achievement, but is more concerned with offering diners an experience they’ll long remember.

“We’re a family-owned business and we work very hard to serve award-winning food in a laid-back and unstuffy atmosphere,” he says. “I like to think The Orange Tree is a haven of tranquillity, where couples, families and friends are welcomed with open arms.”

That hospitality even extends to canine visitors, who are treated to their own menu, its most popular choice being the pigs’ ears with gravy. The Orange Tree also has 10 high quality ensuite rooms, some in the attractive new Old Bakery annexe.

Along with chef Martin Pick, Mark fully understands his customers’ love of food and offers a range of superb dishes which appeal to the tastes of a broad range of guests – something this outstanding restaurant is never short of. The food is always beautifully presented and brimming with wonderful touches.

The crab, pork and scallop starter, for example, combines a variety of meat textures with accompaniments such as salt caramel, apple purée, and salsa rossa. It’s a visual treat for the eyes and a veritable feast for the palate!

If it’s available (fingers crossed) your main course should be the wild seabass and Norfolk razor clams – it’s a dish so good it won the restaurant the Great British Seafood Pub Chef of the Year award.

Failing that, the Red Poll rib-eye steak is

Norfolk Pub of the Year for five years running hard to beat. The beef is good enough on its own, but the mushroom and smoked bacon au poivre and truffle and parmesan chips take it to a new level entirely.

The Orange Tree’s dessert menu has a reputation that extends far beyond Thornham, thanks to classics such as Fabien's French Meringue. But the star of the show is undoubtedly The Fairground, which is a made-for-sharing amusement arcade on a plate, including toffee apples, candy floss, bubblegum panna cotta and even rock with ‘OT’ running through it.

The tonka bean crème brûlée is also well worth considering, thanks to the accompanying cinnamon and ginger ice cream, rhubarb espuma and orange tuile.

Few local restaurants can boast quite as many awards as The Orange Tree, but with food of this standard (which really is true artistry on a dish) it’s clear that every single one of them was completely and thoroughly deserved.

Mark is the perfect host and Martin is a chef of genuine skill – between them they’ve ensured The Orange Tree offers one of Norfolk’s most unmissable dining experiences.

e Orange Tree, High Street, ornham, Norfolk PE36 6LY Telephone: 01485 512213 Website: www.theorangetreethornham.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Breakfast is available at The Orange Tree from 8.30-10am, and food is served between 12noon-9.30pm Monday to Saturday and 12noon-9pm Sunday.

recomme ded

BY THE CHEF Hot Smoked Salmon &  ornham Asparagus Caesar Salad Rolled Fillet Steak - Bone Dumpling, Potato Fondan Marrow t, Ox Truffled Mushroom Sponge tail Tea, , Pea & Walnut Pesto Cafe Gourmand - Tonka Bea Brûlée, Opera Gateau, Mi n Crème llionai Shortbread & Espresso Sho re t

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e Lifeboat Inn’s Fish Pie INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 5) 25g butter 25g flour 200ml fish stock 2.5 boiled hen’s eggs 500g mixed diced fish 120g cooked prawns 1 leeks Grated cheese 4 large potatoes (for mash) 150ml double cream Lemon zest Bay leaf Salt and pepper

1 Poach fish in the stock with a bay leaf until half cooked. Remove the fish and save 120ml of stock.

7 In an oven proof pie dish layer the egg onto the bottom with the prawns and add the mix on top.

2 Combine the butter and the flour to make a roux.

8 Pipe on creamed mash and then a layer of grated cheese.

3 Add fish stock slowly to the roux to make a velouté.

9 Cook in a pre-heated oven for 12 minutes at 180°C.

4 Add the cream, lemon zest and lemon juice from a whole lemon.

10 Cheese should be golden brown and pie piping hot. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe by 14

5 In a separate pan sauté your leeks and then add to the mixture once cooked.

6 Now mix the lightly poached fish with the velouté mixture.

e Lifeboat Inn kitchen KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Lifeboat Inn THORNHAM

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or over 500 years, The Lifeboat Inn at Thornham has been providing shelter and welcoming visitors to the stunning north Norfolk coast. Today it’s a traditional hotel, restaurant and bar, and it’s only when you step through the doors of this historic building that you really start to appreciate its heritage. It’s a heritage proudly and thoughtfully celebrated; each of the hotel’s 13 stylish double bedrooms, for example, is named after a crew member of Licensed Victualler’s III, the last pulling lifeboat at the Hunstanton lifeboat station.

The Lifeboat Inn is still a sanctuary of course (providing a warm and welcome break from the frenetic pace of modern-day life) and it’s still the perfect harbour from which to explore the surrounding unspoilt coastline and its charming villages.

It’s also – thanks to General Manager James Green, Head Chef Michael Smith and their friendly team – a showcase of locallyreared meats, freshly-caught fish and Norfolk-grown vegetables, bringing them all together in a comprehensive home-cooked menu.

Depending on your mood and the occasion you can choose to dine in the history-soaked bar, the relaxing dining room, one of the modern cedar wood pavilions (great for parties and informal get-togethers) or the spacious glass-roofed conservatory – in which you’ll find a 200-year-old vine that still fruits and flowers.

Despite the Lifeboat Inn’s proximity to the coast, the menu offers a very good variety of dishes including Lifeboat Classics and regularly-changing specials, and make sure to have some bread while you make your choices; it’s baked daily in the kitchen ovens and is delicious.

Soup is always a safe bet for a starter (the carrot and cumin is lovely), all Michael Smith’s creations are excellent although you should keep an eye out for the deep-fried

A celebration of truly great food and coastal heritage goat’s cheese bonbons, which are served with pickled mushrooms and are a mouthwatering way to open a meal.

When available, the pan-roasted venison is a fabulous main course (the pickled grapes and candied walnuts adding a great touch) but don’t overlook the more traditional choices such as the beef and ale pie. The latter features high quality meat, satisfyingly rich flavours and is topped with a superb thyme suet crust. To coin a phrase, it’s a pie to die for.

Thyme also makes an appearance in the pick of the desserts; a delightful lavender brûlée (no prizes for guessing where the lavender comes from!) with wonderful lemon and thyme shortbread. The ice cream is also well worth trying, as that’s something else that comes direct from the kitchen.

When it comes to dining out, The Lifeboat Inn has got it exactly right; it’s a truly wonderful setting, it has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and it takes a thoughtful, inventive approach to creating great tasting food.

The Lifeboat Inn serves food all day every day from 12noon-9pm. The bar is open daily from 11.00am and a cream tea is also available all day.

e Lifeboat Inn, Ship Lane, ornham, Norfolk PE36 6LT Telephone: 01485 512236 Website: www.lifeboatinnthornham.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Confit Gressingham duck with homemade flatbread leg and beetroot & tarragon salad North Sea hake with wil mushroom & leek fricassée d and slow-roasted garlic potatoes Cherry & sloe gin trifle with toasted pistachio nuts

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Seafood Linguine INGREDIENTS 28 mussels 250g crayfish 20 peeled raw king prawns 4 tbsp crème fraîche 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1 bag fresh linguine

(Serves 4) 2 leeks (finely julienne) 1 tbsp curry powder Pinch saffron 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 100ml fish stock

METHOD 1 Heat a tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and add the julienne leeks, curry powder and spices, cook for five minutes then set aside.

mussels and curried leeks, cover with lid and simmer until prawns are cooked and mussels opened.

5 Add the linguine to the boiling water, cook for two minutes strain then add to the curried seafood.

2 Heat a pan of salted boiling water to boiling point.

3 In another saucepan add fish stock and boil until it has reduced by half.

6 Finish with crème fraîche and chopped parsley.

4 Add the king prawns,

Recipe by Gemma Arnold (Executive Chef ) ornham Deli 16

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Thornham Deli THORNHAM

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o one doubts the importance of supporting local producers and promoting the use of homegrown ingredients, but few places do it as well (or as stylishly) as Thornham Deli.

Open under its current owners Janie Thompson and Jeanne Whittome since 2014, the Deli has swiftly gained a reputation for great food, genuinely good coffee and a vibrant, buzzy atmosphere. Customers can eat in the dining area, the conservatory or (on a sunny day) in the quiet garden area.

The decor is laid-back and trendy and (unusually given its location) has a distinct urban vibe.

The Deli itself is a proudly local showcase of cheeses, meats and delicious homemade cakes. It offers a range of pre-prepared cooked meals such as lasagne and fish pie so visitors can enjoy a taste of Thornham Deli at home, and it even goes to the trouble of supplying bespoke picnic hampers packed with local delicacies.

Beside it you’ll find a well-stocked store featuring an eclectic mix of interior and gift ideas – including tables and chairs designed and crafted by a local carpenter and the deli’s own range of Thornham Deli goods.

But above all it’s a celebration of local food, and much of the success of Thornham Deli is down to the work (and culinary skills) of Executive Chef Gemma Arnold, who’s been justifiably hailed as a rising star of the Norfolk food scene. Together with talented second-in-command Iain Page, the pair run a tight ship, and nothing leaves the kitchen that doesn’t meet their exacting standards.

As you’d expect, as many ingredients as possible are sourced locally and everything is prepared from scratch in the kitchen.

The menu is extensive, and you should make an effort to visit Thornham Deli for breakfast, if only to try Simon Letzer’s outstanding kippers (from Brancaster Staithe) or the Perfick Pork brunch bap using superbly-tasty meat from the self-styled “biggest little butchers” at Great Ryburgh.

Living up to its promise of supporting local producers At lunchtime you’ll find a veritable smorgasbord that range from the unashamedly healthy (superfood salads and cold-pressed juices) to the decadent and indulgent, such as beer-battered fish and chips, steak and kidney suet pudding. If you can’t make up your mind, let Gemma do your thinking for you and treat yourself to her well-composed Chef’s Grazing Board.

If you do fancy putting the kitchen’s credentials to the test, choose a dish such as the seafood linguine and match it with a crisp dry white from the Deli’s resident wine supplier Lyntons. Packed with crayfish tails, king prawns and mussels, it’s also delicately flavoured with exotic spices such as cumin and saffron – which really enhance the seafood.

And don’t leave until you’ve enjoyed one of Gemma’s desserts. The raspberry cheesecake is a wonder, with orange macarons, a butter-thin biscuit, and a supersharp raspberry coulis to offset the sweetness.

If you like local food, then you’ll love Thornham Deli – but don’t think of popping in for a quick bite; there’s so much to discover here that you’ll find yourself staying longer than you’d anticipated.

ornham Deli, High Street, ornham, Norfolk PE36 6LX Telephone: 01485 512194 Website: www.thornhamdeli.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Open seven days a week from 8am-5pm, Thornham Deli is one upbeat local food destination you’ll certainly want to return to – especially if you check the website for details of its regular themed evenings such as Tapas Nights and evenings dedicated to Italian cuisine.

½ dozen Brancaster Oyster s Shredded Confit Duck Leg Raspberry Cheesecake

17

Letzer’s seared smoked salmon INGREDIENTS For the Curd 30g miso paste 60ml good quality lime juice 60g caster sugar ½ leaf gelatin 70g cold diced butter 100g cracked whole eggs (about 3-4 eggs) For the Tempura 3g powdered instant yeast 200ml sparkling water 150g plain flour (sieved) 1 sachet saffron powder (optional) For the Black Barley 50g per person For the Pink Grapefruit 1 (cut into segments) Radish (sliced) For the Smoked Salmon 100g unsliced smoked salmon per person For the Tempura Soft Shell Crab 1 per person

Recipe by 18

with soft shell crab tempura, black barley, pink grapefruit & miso lime curd METHOD For the Curd In a metal bowl add the juice, sugar and eggs, place bowl on pan of hot simmering water, keep whisking until mixture hits 80 degrees (until starts to resemble custard consistency). Then whisk in butter and gelatin and miso paste. Leave to cool overnight in fridge.

For the Tempura Whisk all ingredients together to form a batter, leave to prove at room temp for about an hour.

For the Black Barley Cook as per packet instruction. If you cannot find this, other grains such as buckwheat (gluten free) work well.

For the Smoked Salmon Sear the steaks in a hot nonstick pan, about 90 seconds on each side and leave to rest, keeping it nice and pink in the middle.

For the Tempura Soft Shell Crab Heat a fryer to 180 degrees. Cut the crab in half through the middle, place in a little flour then dip into the tempura batter. Place in the hot fryer and cook for 3 minutes turning halfway through cooking.

Assemble as shown and enjoy!

Phil Milner (Head Chef ) Shuck’s KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Shuck’s THORNHAM

O

wned and run by Phil and Beth Milner, Shuck’s (at the yurt) certainly isn’t your average restaurant! Situated within Drove Orchards at Thornham – comprising of over 40 acres of orchards, local produce shops, boutiques and eateries – this lovely community is a real gem for holidaymakers exploring the stunning North Norfolk coastline.

Owner and chef Phil Milner grew up in his family’s seaside hotel, so he’s no stranger to the pleasures of coastal life or its distinctive cuisine. He’s no stranger to awards either, having picked up several over his 24 years in the kitchen – including Seafood Chef of the Year and Pub Chef of the Year. At Thornham, his passion is to offer diners the unique opportunity of ticking ‘eating inside a yurt’ off their bucket list!

With the unpredictable nature of Norfolk’s coastal weather, the thought of dining inside a ‘tent’ may be slightly questionable, but it’s actually far from uninviting. A roaring log burner sits proudly in the middle of the yurt with antique sofas and rustic farmhouse furnishings, making it feel folksy and cosy.

The Kid’s Corner is a lovely touch, filled with books, toys and colouring books – and the outdoor play area is a pleasant and safe environment for warmer days.

As a chef, Phil’s in an enviable position, surrounded by a wealth of fantastic local produce. The orchards are only a few yards away and feature over 160 different apples and pears (most of them East Anglian heritage varieties) and it’s good to see Shuck’s making the most of them.

The starter of Gressingham duck liver parfait is a perfect example. Together with some boozy blackcurrants and a marvellous beetroot sherbet, it includes a tasty jam made from the orchards’ Victoria Plums.

All the main courses are equally inventive and packed with similarly great ideas, but the Shuck’s Fish Stew stands out as being particularly noteworthy. It’s a fabulous combination of local fish cooked in fresh

Outstanding food and charm in a very unique setting... herbs and is accompanied by king prawns, gently-seared gherkin and a delicious miso mayonnaise. Meat lovers should order the Trio of Blythburgh Pork – it’s a superb taste anyway, but the chorizo jam served with it is well worth discovering.

Phil’s food doesn’t just look incredible and taste amazing; it also has a touch of playfulness that suits the location perfectly, and that’s never more true than when it comes to dessert. Try the deconstructed lemon meringue pie, for example, which is a lot of fun and comes with a blueberry compote, ginger crumb and blackcurrant sorbet. The Mississippi Mud Pie is another delight, with a lovely satsuma, orange and burnt honey marmalade that adds real excitement to all that chocolate.

From a simple cup of coffee and sandwich to a romantic à la carte meal with cocktails and wine, and from a lively party with friends to a family meal with the children, Shuck’s has a great deal to offer everyone. Phil and his wife Beth do a superb job of treating all their visitors to outstanding food and a huge amount of charm in a unique Norfolk setting.

Food at Shuck’s is available from 10am9pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am-9pm Saturday, and 9.30am-6pm Sunday (and

Shuck’s, Drove Orchards, ornham, Norfolk PE36 6LS Telephone: 01485 525889 Website: www.shucksattheyurt.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

until 9pm in summer). It’s worth noting that every Wednesday is curry night, when you can enjoy one of Phil’s excellent (and completely cooked from scratch) curries.

Scallops Ceviche Slow-cooked Roasted Hogge t Rhubarb and Custard

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KLmagazine Special Dining Out Edition

ABOVE: The recently-launched The World Tour range of cold-pressed oils from Mr Hugh’s, which is based at the family farm of Hugh Mason (opposite) near Fincham – the company produces a superb collection of high quality natural oils

Healthy reasons why the oil to choose is Mr Hugh’s For the first time in decades, sales of olive oil in the UK are falling and it’s largely because health-conscious people are looking for local-grown alternatives.

Clare Bee visits Mr Hugh’s to discover what makes rapeseed oil so special...

H

all Farm is made up of 4,000 acres and is home to Mr Hugh’s – a company dedicated to producing a range of delicious and high quality rapeseed oils.

The farm’s closest village is Fincham, where the Mason family have farmed for over 200 years. Hugh Mason began working at Hall Farm at the age of 20 and took over the running of the farm from his father two years later. In addition to rapeseed, the farm also grows wheat and sugar beet.

Mr Hugh’s take great pride in their rapeseed products and the current range includes extra virgin rapeseed oil,

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

infused rapeseed oil and also infused baking oils. This is a true local enterprise, with no external influences on the production process – they grow, harvest, press and package everything themselves.

When you think of the word ‘oil’ in the kitchen, your thoughts might inevitably turn to your waistline, but Mr Hugh’s 100% British extra-virgin coldpressed rapeseed oil is actually lower in saturated fat than olive oil and it even has what’s known as a ‘high smoke point’ so you can easily cook with it. It’s also extremely versatile and can be used for dipping, dressing, baking, frying and roasting, meaning it’s very

easy to introduce to your cooking.

The staple of Mr Hugh’s oils is the extra-virgin rapeseed oil which is the company’s homegrown, original oil – nothing is added or taken away. In addition to being available in 250ml and 500ml bottles and 125ml gift packs, it’s also available in catering-friendly 5 litre, 10 litre and 20 litre proportions.

As previously mentioned, it’s not just the original rapeseed oil Mr Hugh’s provides anymore – Mr Hugh’s is now launching a brand new range of coldpressed oils called The World Tour. The range consists of exciting new flavours such as Cumin Seed, Garlic and Ginger, Lemon and Ginger and Garam Masala.

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RAPESEED OIL a quick fact file fat of It contains the lowest saturated half than less – oil d use ly mon most com that of olive oil! e Omega It also has around ten times mor oil olive than 3 E It’s a very good source of Vitamin fats d rate satu oun mon in high is and s and is It contains no artificial preservative free GM and t s-fa both tran – It’s suitable for a variety of diets , free englut ian, etar veg including ee y-fr dair and ch higher With a smoke point of 238°C (mu n whe than olive oil) it performs better s ture cooking at high tempera

Mr Hugh’s is also launching a new salad dressing (perfect for summer salads) and has recently introduced a selection of infused oils which include basil, chilli and garlic for a more savoury taste.

Perfect for jazzing up your cooking, they make delicious additions to pastas, pizzas and salads.

Mr Hugh’s is justifiably proud of its status as a family-run business true to its local roots and farming methods.

The company combines modern and traditional processes when farming as they nurture their crops at every stage and grow only the healthiest crops.

A term frequently used these days when talking about oils is ‘cold pressed’. But what is cold pressing?

Simply put, it’s a traditional method of producing oil, which involves gently squeezing the seeds to release the oil.

When you’re admiring the vibrant colour of the rapeseed oil, you’re seeing proof that the cold pressing method has done its job. This technique is, in fact, the only way the natural colour, flavour and vitamins of the rapeseed can be retained.

When the vital oils have been extracted from the seeds, it leaves behind a by-product known as ‘meal’ – which is blended with other ingredients to make animal feed and a renewable fuel.

By using the ‘meal’ in this way, Mr Hugh’s is able to keep waste to a

minimum and ensure farm resources remain sustainable.

Another vibrant aspect of the company is the distinctive packaging.

Presented in square-based bottles, the colourful labels include a heart filled with the colour that corresponds to each product – just the kind of attention to detail that keeps customers coming back time and again.

In addition to running a farm and producing the oils, Mr Hugh’s is also a dedicated and enthusiastic supporter of the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, and this year supported their Breast Cancer Appeal which was a huge success.

Mr Hugh’s also has its own charity Moth in a China Shop, providing sport and nutritional awareness in areas where this is not well established. It helps provide specialised equipment to aid children and young adults into sports. For more information please visit www.mothinachinashop.co.uk Talking to and reading about Mr Hugh’s shows the quality and dedication of this local business. They care deeply about their customer, their product, farming processes and local charities – what’s not to love?

For more details on Mr Hugh’s rapeseed oils (which are available in Tesco, Asda and independent retailers nationwide) visit the company website at www.mrhughs.co.uk.

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KLmagazine Special Food Edition

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S U P P LY I N G Q UA L I T Y F R O M O U R O W N A B AT T O I R , O U R O W N FA R M R E A R E D B E E F. L O C A L LY FA R M E D P O R K & L A M B .

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FREE local deliveries are made on Tuesdays and Fridays to Downham Market and surrounding local villages (Call us or visit our website for more information)

Holly House, The Causeway, Stow Bridge PE34 3PP | 01366 382232

www.jwsargeant-butchers.co.uk

White Chocolate Mousse with Hot Strawberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 6)

For the White Chocolate Spheres Melt 300g of white chocolate, add 100g of white chocolate and mix the paint onto 12 ½ sphere moulds and leave to set. Then take out of the mould and keep in a cool place until ready to assemble.

White Chocolate Spheres 400g white chocolate White Chocolate Mousse 200g white chocolate 3 egg yolks 150ml milk 1 ½ leaves of gelatine (soaked in cold water) 200g whipped cream 6 tsp strawberry jam Strawberry Sauce & Garnish 6 punnets of strawberries 6 tsp Crackle crystals 100g sugar

Recipe by 24

For the White Chocolate Mousse Boil the milk and whisk the egg yolks, pour the milk onto the yolks and whisk.

Put back into the pan and place on a low heat stirring all the time, cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon or 85°. Add the soaked gelatine and pour onto the chocolate, allow to cool and fold in the whipped cream. Place into 12 mini ½ shaped spheres and set in the fridge, when set turn out of the mould and stick them together with the jam. Leave in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the Strawberry Sauce & Garnish Cut the tops off and cut in half 30 strawberries - try and pick similar size strawberries for the garnish.

Put the trimmings and the rest of the strawberries in a pan with the sugar and a little water, cook on a low heat and strain through a sieve (keep hot).

Assemble Place 10 of the halved strawberries in a circle around 1 of the white chocolate spheres in the middle. Put the mousse inside with a tsp of the crackle crystals on top the mousse. Place the top sphere on and take to the table, pour the hot strawberry sauce over the sphere to start melting the chocolate.

Kevin Mangeolles (Head Chef ) e Neptune KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Neptune O L D H U N S TA N T O N

V

isiting one of the only two restaurants in Norfolk with a Michelin star is always going to be exciting, and it’s always a nice touch when the highly-acclaimed chef and his wife welcome you in person.

Set in a charming 18th century former coaching inn at Old Hunstanton, The Neptune had held the prestigious accolade since 2009, and while the supremelytalented Kevin Mangeolles works his magic in the kitchen, his wife Jacki does an exceptional job of looking after guests, and a visit to the restaurant is more like visiting friends at home – and it has six letting rooms if you find yourself unwilling to leave.

This is a very personal setting; an intimate atmosphere that’s perfect for special parties, anniversaries and other memorable occasions.

At The Neptune, the food takes precedence over everything else; it’s certainly not a restaurant pretending to be all things to all people. It’s about finelycrafted dishes and exquisitely balanced flavours. You’ll find plenty of imaginative choices on the menu, graced by such elements as sultana purée and foie gras powder, and if it’s on the menu, then Kevin’s Breast of Goosnargh Duck is truly outstanding.

But since this is a celebration of food and the way to prepare it, The Neptune’s tasting menu is almost compulsory as it treats you to some nine courses of Kevin’s innovative ideas. It’s a meal that’s almost symphonic in nature, with flavours increasing in richness and depth as the courses develop.

It begins in suitably impressive fashion with a palate cleanser of iced ginger and lemon grass tea before a salmon ceviche

A quite exquisite Michelinstarred dining experience... with passion fruit and chilli. The idea of combining passion fruit and chilli will probably never have occurred to you before, but that’s what makes The Neptune so exceptional – Kevin actually serves each dish himself, explaining the ingredients and his thinking behind it, the reason he brought the various ingredients together.

Kevin’s wife is equally accommodating in this respect, expertly recommending different wines to complement each course – which follow with perfect timing.

You’re never waiting and never rushed; simply allowed to sit back, relax and enjoy every minute of the experience.

It’s virtually impossible to describe such a complex and multi-layered meal in detail, but some highlights (and there were many) include an incredible Brancaster mussel risotto named Mackerel; a superb soused mackerel with tomato jelly and horseradish snow.

The lighter fish and seafood dishes lead effortlessly to such meat-based treats as Norfolk quail, morteau sausage and exceptional venison, setting you up nicely for the parade of desserts.

One of the stars of the latter is a white chocolate dome which cracked open

e Neptune, 85 Old Hunstanton Road, Old Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 6HZ Telephone: 01485 532122 Website: www.theneptune.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

theatrically to reveal white chocolate mousse with poached blackberries and fresh mint ice cream – over which Kevin drizzles a blackberry and yogurt soup for a final, suitably theatrical flourish.

It’s a unique dining experience unlike any other, and The Neptune’s tasting menu is incredible. You never know quite what to expect, but you can certainly expect it to be outstanding – and all at the hands of a true master chef. Unmissable.

The Neptune takes orders from 7-9pm Tuesday to Sunday and from 12noon-1pm on Sunday.

Poached Brancaster Lobst star anise mousse and pea puer rée Roasted Salt-aged Duck Br eas butternut squash purée, red t cabbage and dauphine potat oes White Chocolate Spher strawberry ice cream, honeye com and hot strawberry sauce b 25

Caramel Panna Cotta

with vanilla granola & honeycomb INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 4) For the panna cotta 200ml double cream 100ml whole milk 1 1/3 leaves of bronze gelatine 50g dark brown sugar For the granola 2 tbsp vegetable oil 60ml maple syrup 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 150g rolled oats For the honeycomb 100g caster sugar 25ml honey 1⁄2 tbsp liquid glucose 25ml cold water 1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate soda For the toffee sauce 80g caster sugar 200ml double cream Extras Blueberries, lemon balm

Panna cotta Soak gelatine leaves in cold water until bloomed. In a medium size saucepan bring cream, milk and sugar to the boil, remove from heat, add gelatine, pour mixture into dariole moulds and leave to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

Recipe by 26

Granola Mix vegetable oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla in a bowl, add oats and mix until all are coated. Place onto a tray with a non-stick mat. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool.

Honeycomb Place honey, caster sugar, glucose and water into a medium saucepan and heat to 150°c. Remove from heat and

add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk.

Place onto greaseproof paper on a cold surface and leave to cool.

Toffee Sauce Melt the caster sugar in a saucepan on a medium heat until golden brown, add cream and whisk until all lumps are removed. Leave to cool.

To Assemble Place dariole moulds into warm water until the sides of the panna cotta have loosened. Place the panna cotta in a bowl, scatter the granola around and break the honeycomb on top. Drizzle toffee sauce over the granola. To finish, add fresh blueberries and lemon balm.

Tom Heffer (Head Chef ) Caley Hall Hotel KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Caley Hall O L D H U N S TA N T O N

L

ocated on the edge of Old Hunstanton, the original manor house at Caley Hall dates back to 1648 and was home to the Le Strange steward from 1842-57. The stables and outbuildings were eventually converted to provide accommodation and wellequipped chalet-style bedrooms in 1976.

Today, Caley Hall Hotel has a lovely restaurant that serves food to AA rosette standards in addition to providing a comfortable bar and lounge area.

Its welcoming bedrooms are ideal for holidaymakers looking for a comfortable base from which to explore the coast, and the hotel has an open-arms policy towards dogs, allowing them into the bar area, (in which you can also dine) as well as selected bedrooms.

The hotel’s Pinewood Restaurant is a beautifully decorated open space; large, light and airy, with very comfortable chairs and a lovely peaceful feel. Eating in the bar area is equally relaxing, as the big comfy sofas and country-inspired fabrics promote a tasteful and relaxed atmosphere.

The restaurant and bar have separate menus, but the hotel staff are more than happy for you to order from either – a welcome touch since both contain a wealth of delicious-sounding dishes.

A great starter to watch out for is the ham hock terrine. The chunky terrine is superb, and with the accompanying straw potatoes and quails’ eggs, it resembles a clever and contemporary take on the classic ham, egg and chips.

Given the hotel’s proximity to the coast, its fish-based dishes are outstanding, and if it’s available you shouldn’t miss the pan-fried fillet of sea bream. It’s a dish with a real Mediterranean flavour, thanks to the combination of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, chorizo, spinach and herb dressing – and it’s

A great AA rosette restaurant in a beautiful coastal spot very satisfying.

The restaurant’s meat dishes are equally accomplished. Try the roast chicken breast, for example, which is perfectly married by some beautiful wild mushrooms, kale, and butternut squash.

Although all the desserts offer the perfect finish to your meal, two really do stand out – the richly-flavoured lemon posset, which is paired with a delicious crème fraiche, and of course the dark chocolate cake, largely due to the wonderful orange ice cream served with the dish.

The Pinewood Restaurant is a great choice for people looking for great food in a fantastic location at a reasonable price. But if you are looking for something a little different, why not enjoy the meal and then stay overnight at one of the hotel’s Murder Mystery evenings in the autumn? How ever you enjoy the attractions of Old Hunstanton, Caley Hall Hotel makes for the perfect pitstop; especially with a Pimms on the patio and some of their award-winning food!

Caley Hall Hotel is open from 8am-11pm and serves food daily from 12noon-9pm.

Tea and cakes are available from 10am and Sunday lunches are served from 12noon2.30pm.

Caley Hall Hotel, Old Hunstanton Road, Hunstanton PE36 6HH Telephone: 01485 533486 Website: www.caleyhallhotel.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Smoked duck breast, pickle d puy lentils, griddled green onion s, watercress, balsamic reduct ion Pan roasted venison loin wi th roasted root and barley, gra tin potato & juniper jus Coffee panna cotta, with chocolate and blackberry 27

Red Wine Poached Pear with milk chocolate mousse & homemade honeycomb

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 6) Poached Pear 6 William pears 1 litre of red wine 50g caster sugar Half cinnamon stick 25ml grenadine 1 Star anise Honeycomb 200g caster sugar 5 tbsp of clear honey Half tsp bicarbonate soda Mousse 3 eggs separated 60g caster sugar 210g milk chocolate ¼ tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp water

For the Pears 1 Peel the pears and place in saucepan.

2 Add to the saucepan the red wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick and grenadine.

3 Cut a circle out of greaseproof paper and place on top of the pears.

4 Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer for 1 hour.

5 After an hour take the Pears out and leave to cool.

Recipe by 28

For the Honeycomb 1 Melt the sugar and honey in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and turned a caramel colour.

2 Keeping it on the heat add the bicarbonate soda, stir for 5-10 seconds until its turned golden.

3 Then quickly transfer over to a nonstick surface and leave to cool in a dry place.

For the Mousse 1 In a saucepan add the sugar and water and let it reach 113°C. 2 While the sugar syrup above is heating whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.

3 Once the sugar syrup has reached the correct temperature add it to the egg whites whilst slowly mixing.

4 Melt the Chocolate in a heat resistant bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.

5 In a separate bowl mix the egg yolks to a fluffy pale consistency and then add the melted chocolate.

6 Fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture, put the combined mixture into separate moulds and leave to cool and set in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Dean Williams (Head Chef ) Mulberry Restaurant KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Heacham Manor HEACHAM

L

ovingly and sympathetically restored by the Searle family in 2009, the beautiful Elizabethan house of Heacham Manor sits within an 18-hole golf course and spa, and offers visitors to the area a wonderful base from which explore this very special corner of Norfolk; although with the spa and the golf course on the doorstep you may be tempted to stay put and explore your more immediate surroundings!

The hotel's award-winning restaurant The Mulberry is open to residents and nonresidents alike and the standard of the food makes the hotel a dining out destination in its own right. It has a very good and welldeserved reputation, thanks largely to exceptionally high levels of service, a beautiful setting and a talented kitchen team under the expert guidance of Head Chef Dean Williams.

The warm and friendly atmosphere and subtle decor is perfect for every occasion from romantic dinners to family celebrations, but try to sit in the conservatory and enjoy the stunning views over the golf course and idyllic gardens.

Considering your proximity to the coast, you really should try some of The Mulberry’s fish-based dishes. The prawn and crayfish cocktail and the moules marinière are both excellent starters, and while they may be familiar menu staples, Dean Williams takes them to a new level –particularly the mussels in their wonderful garlic and white wine sauce.

When it comes to main courses, keep an eye out for the lamb and beef as they’re sourced from the Queen’s nearby estate at Sandringham.

The pan-roasted lamb rump is incredible, and is served with a terrific black olive jus that matches the meat perfectly. The confit duck leg is another first-class option if you’re

Love the spa, love the golf, absolutely adore the food... lucky enough to visit when it’s in season.

You’ll notice that each dish on the menu has a recommended wine, and the expert choices are well worth following up.

Desserts don’t disappoint either. The sticky toffee pudding is a real treat (the toffee sauce is superb) and the vanilla panna cotta is also well worth seeking out. Scattered with baby meringues and winter berries, it’s a lovely way to end your meal.

Dean Williams and his team do something very special at The Mulberry, and it makes such a refreshing change to enjoy food of this standard.

It’s not pretentious but it manages to look fabulous. It doesn’t use a pile of exotic ingredients from the other side of the world, but it still tastes delicious. The Mulberry certainly deserves more recognition and it’s definitely worth discovering – especially if you combine your visit with an afternoon in the spa and a quick round of golf. Or both!

The Mulberry Restaurant serves breakfast daily between 7.30-9.30am (until 10am on Sunday) and lunch from 12noon-2.30pm.

Afternoon teas are served from 2.30-5pm (from 3pm on Sunday) and dinner is available from 6.30-9pm every day.

Heacham Manor Hotel, Hunstanton Road, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7JX Telephone: 01485 536030 Website: www.heacham-manor.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Textures of Crab Pan-fried Fillet of Halibut with razor clam thermidor Chocolate and Beetroot Fon dant

29

Chrysanthemum Angel (Prawn dish)

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 1) 4 king prawns 50g egg noodle 1 egg 1 tbsp cornflour A pinch of salt For the Sauce 3 tbsp ketchup 3 tbsp water 3 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp soya sauce 1/2 tbsp mango juice 1/2 tbsp plum sauce 1/2 tbsp vinegar 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Prepare some prawns by peeling off the shell. Cut the top of the prawn to remove the vein from the prawn.

Recipe by 30

2 Marinate the prawns with egg, salt and cornflour.

3 Use the egg noodle to wrap around the prawn, then deep fry for a maximum of two minutes.

4 For the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together.

David Lau (Head Chef ) Silk Road II KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Silk Road II HEACHAM

H

eacham has everything you could want from a Norfolk village; a thriving community encircled by fragrant purple lavender and scarlet poppy fields, all gloriously lit by the unique east coast sunsets. From its sloping beaches to its gently undulating countryside, Heacham is both beautiful and distinctly local. And its the last place you’d expect to find a feast of authentic oriental cuisine.

But that’s exactly what you’ll find at The Silk Road II, which was opened around 13 years ago by owner (and Head Chef) David Lau. It received its film-sequel name because of David’s other Silk Road (in King’s Lynn) – he also runs a seasonal restaurant at Searles leisure resort in Hunstanton known as the Silk Road Express.

The restaurant incorporates a broad variety of Chinese, Malaysian and Japanese food into its recipes, and offers a very wideranging a la carte menu in pleasant and tastily decorated surroundings. The Silk Road II also offers customers a takeaway service (with a very reasonably priced menu), although the wonderfully friendly staff will have you wishing you’d phoned to book a table rather than order a takeaway.

For those looking for a change from the traditional Sunday roast, the Silk Road II offers a buffet-style lunch that’s hugely enjoyable and very popular. It’s also a great place for special events such as Valentine’s and Mother’s (and Father’s!) Day, and Chinese New Year is unmissable – although it’s essential to book ahead to take part in the celebrations.

David’s obviously proud of his approach to treating people to a genuine taste of the Far East, and it’s something he does with a great deal of skill – and over 30 years’ experience.

He likes to say that what mastery he lacks in the English language he more than makes

Authentic oriental cuisine in a lovely Norfolk village up for in the cooking department, and it’s a claim that’s hard to dispute.

Try the Udon noodles and king prawns, for example. These Japanese noodles are slightly thicker than you may be used to, their unique texture is very satisfying – and the dish features one of David’s brilliant mango and peppercorn sauces.

David’s no amateur when it comes to meat either. Order the 29-day hung fillet of beef and you’ll find it carefully prepared, expertly cooked, and matched with a gorgeous pepper-based sauce.

There’s so much choice on the menu (and so many unfamiliar combinations) that the best thing you can do is tell David your taste preferences and favourites and let him recommend dishes for you.

It’s a shame that oriental food gets a bad press so often, because David Lau proves that in the right hands it can be a genuinely extraordinary dining experience and a memorable evening full of exotic tastes.

Food is available at The Silk Road II from 12noon-2pm and 5.30-9.30pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12noon-2pm and 4.309pm on Sunday. Please also note that the takeaway service is collection only.

e Silk Road II, Lavender Hill, Lynn Road, Heacham PE31 7JE Telephone: 01485 572268 KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Quarter Duck and Pancak

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Beef Asparagus with Seafoo d and crispy noodles Toffee Banana

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Carrot Cake INGREDIENTS

METHOD

9oz butter 9oz light brown sugar 12oz self raising flour 1 ½ level tsp cinnamon 5 eggs 8oz walnuts 18oz grated carrot

1 Pre-heat oven to 160°C or gas mark 3 2 Put the butter, eggs, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is well combined, lighter, and noticeably thickened, but be careful not to over-mix.

4 Put into a lined 9” x 12” cake tin and bake for 1 hour.

5 Remove from tin, let cool on a wire rack and decorate however you wish with icing and grated carrot.

3 Gently fold the carrot into the cake batter, then stir in the flour, and chopped walnuts until evenly blended.

Recipe by 32

Edna axter (Owner) axters Coffee Shop KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Thaxters DERSINGHAM

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isit a garden centre and you’ll usually find the restaurant tucked away in a corner somewhere near the bird tables, but things are a bit different in Dersingham; Thaxters Garden Centre is rather unique in having a completely separate coffee shop and restaurant.

Although the garden centre itself started life when Ron Thaxter started selling groceries from his mother-in-laws front room (as the tomato trade became unprofitable) over 60 years ago, the coffee shop has only just turned 20 – and if you appreciate the immediately homely atmosphere you won’t be surprised to learn that it used to be a residential bungalow.

It’s grown and expanded over the years, but the three separate dining areas still have a family friendly feel. It’s easy to find a quiet spot for a cosy chat or a larger space for bigger groups, and it’s never intimidating for people visiting on their own.

Obviously everything in the garden centre is natural and fresh, but the coffee shop also avoids anything pre-packed or artificial; everything is homemade and home-cooked and it’s proud of the fact the only thing it buys in are the frozen peas!

Thaxters’ coffee shop has one of the best and most satisfying English breakfasts you’ll find anywhere (just make sure you get there before 2pm!) but those with less hearty appetites should head straight for the breakfast muffins, which are delightful.

Throughout the day you’ll find a huge choice of food to suit the most demanding of tastes; you won’t visit many other places that regularly feature 10 daily specials. The pies are fantastic, and if all the quiches have

Lovely home-cooked food in a truly homely setting... gone by the time you visit (they’re very popular) try one of the perfectly-cooked omelettes or one of the delicious sandwiches – the stilton and apple is particularly wonderful.

Whatever you choose, try to leave some space for a piece of cake as they’re all homemade and all truly scrumptious. Of course, every self-respecting coffee shop offers afternoon tea, and Thaxters gives you the chance to sample some of its best treats; from the traditional scones to the Malteser Cake and (if you’re lucky) the broccoli and stilton quiche. If you do have afternoon tea, be prepared to ask for a doggy bag as it’s extremely unlikely you’ll be able to eat it all.

The coffee shop also does an excellent home-cooked Sunday roast (noon-2pm) but if you want to enjoy it you’ll need to book ahead as it’s almost always full. As you’ve probably gathered by now, the coffee shop at Thaxters is invariably busy and it’s very much a part of the local community; the dementia support group Happy Memories meet there twice a month, and it’s a regular haunt for both the local WI and Young Dersingham Wives.

The staff do a great job of maintaining this friendly atmosphere; Manager Rhona Seal is

axters, 49 Hunstanton Road, Dersingham, King’s Lynn PE31 6NA Telephone: 01485 545105 Website: www.thaxters.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

a villager herself, and she oversees an experienced team that includes a number of youngsters, all from the local area.

The coffee shop at Thaxters is open every day from 9am-4.30pm except Christmas Day.

Full English Breakfast Broccoli & Stilton Quiche Afternoon Tea Homemade Carrot Cake

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Ham Hock Terrine INGREDIENTS 2 large raw ham hocks (you will need 1kg of useable meat once cooked. If you’re unsure, ask your butcher) 2 carrots 2 medium onions 2 sticks of celery 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley stalks only (you will need the leaves later in the recipe)

3 bay leaves 15 whole black peppercorns 2 star anise To make the terrine: 1 bunch of flat parsley leaves only, finely chopped 2 large dessert spoons wholegrain mustard 1 tsp ground white pepper 1.5 leaves gelatine

METHOD 1 Place all the ingredients for the ham hocks into a large saucepan and cover with cold water.

2 Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a slow rumbling boil for approx 2 hours (topping up with water if necessary) until the meat is falling off the bone.

3 Remove from the pan, reserving the cooking liquor, and place on a rack to cool.

4 Once cool enough to handle use 2 forks to shred the meat, discarding the fat.

5 Line a terrine (or loaf tin) with cling film, leaving enough overhang to cover the top.

6 Weigh out 1kg of the shredded meat and add it to a large mixing bowl with the

Recipe by 34

mustard, parsley leaves and pepper.

7 Bring 200ml of the cooking liquor back to boil, remove from the heat then add the gelatine, stirring until dissolved. Add this to the meat mix.

8 Mix well with clean hands and once combined place into the terrine and pack down firmly.

9 Cover with the overhanging clingfilm and place in the fridge for approx 5 hours to set.

10 Once set uncover the terrine and turn out onto a plate or serving board. Serve sliced with some fresh crusty bread and a good dollop of piccalilli or your favourite chutney.

Stuart Hunt ‘Fudge’ (Head Chef ) e Coach & Horses KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Coach & Horses DERSINGHAM

S

ituated in the picturesque village of Dersingham close to the Queen’s Norfolk home in Sandringham, The Coach & Horses offers its customers a great selection of home-cooked food at a reasonable price.

It’s a very traditional and very popular village pub, so if you’re thinking of visiting at peak times, you’re strongly advised to book ahead; locals love it and tourists to the area find it a very friendly watering hole.

In the best pub traditions, visiting The Coach and Horses is like joining a close local community; a programme of events runs throughout the year, and includes plays, bingo nights, a quiz night on Thursday evenings, live music and an annual Cider Festival in June – when the large and attractive child-friendly garden comes into its own.

Walk through the old coaching house doors and you’re welcomed with genuine warmth to a world of tantalising smells, crackling fires and very good company.

As you might expect, tradition is the order of the day when it comes to food at The Coach and Horses – although that certainly doesn’t mean it’s ordinary.

Take, for example, the absolutely mouthwatering stilton and broccoli soup from the starter menu. You’ll have undoubtedly tasted this popular combination before, but it’s unlikely you’ve ever seen it done this well.

It’s a real art to avoid using too little cheese to make much of an impact or so much that the broccoli simply provides the colour, but The Coach and Horses has got it just right, serving an exceptionally well-balanced soup, both refreshing and satisfying.

It’s an approach to food that’s typified by the pub’s amazing Sunday lunch. You’ll have to book ahead, but it’s worth it for the lesson in how to cook (and present) a Sunday roast.

The Coach & Horses resists the temptation to pile the plate high and sacrifice taste and quality in the process. The portions of each element are generous, but the overall

A traditional village pub in a wonderful location impression is appetising rather than intimidating. The high quality beef is perfectly cooked and the faultless Yorkshire pudding deserve full marks.

There’s plenty to shout about the desserts too, and those with a sweet tooth should look out for the Chocolate Orange Truffle, which is beautifully light and accompanied by a wonderfully smooth ice cream.

At heart, The Coach & Horses is a pub through and through; it’s commitment to supporting discerning drinkers has resulted in several awards for its ales including CAMRA West Norfolk Pub of the Year 2014 and Norfolk Pub of the Year 2015, and it’s also Cask Marque accredited.

Helen and Sheila are the perfect hosts, and offer comfortable accommodation, a warm atmosphere, free wi-fi, a child-friendly beer garden – and serve tremendously well cooked and very satisfying food. What more could you ask for?

Food is available at The Coach and Horses from 12noon-2pm and 6-8.30pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12noon-3pm on Sundays (plus 5-8pm from April to September).

e Coach & Horses, 77 Manor Road, Dersingham, Norfolk PE31 6LN Telephone: 01485 540391 Website: www.thecoachpub.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Homemade lamb koftas ser ved with harissa yoghurt Homemade fish pie - smoke white fish and salmon in a d and white wine & dill sauce, top creamy mash, cheese & prawns, ser ped with ved with seasonal vegetables Salted caramel roulade (All three courses are gluten free)

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Mushroom Stroganoff INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 2) 50g butter 1 white onion sliced 2 leeks washed and sliced 2 cloves garlic crushed 3 bay leaves 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves 200g closed cup mushrooms 200g flat field mushrooms 2 tbsp sherry 200ml mushroom / vegetable stock 1 tbsp paprika Small pinch cayenne pepper 1 tbsp cream 2 tbsp soured cream Small handful chopped parsley

1 Fry the onions, leeks and garlic in butter until soft

4 Add soured cream and cream, and simmer for 5 minutes.

2 Add the mushrooms, thyme and bay leaves and fry for five minutes.

5 Finish with the parsley and season to taste. Serve with rice.

Recipe by 36

3 Add paprika, cayenne pepper, stock, sherry and simmer for 15 minutes.

Grace Steward (Head Chef ) Restaurant KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Sandringham Café & Restaurant SANDRINGHAM

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t’s hard to imagine a grander setting for a meal; the Royal Estate at Sandringham lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and includes 600 acres of beautiful woodland. Here you’ll find The Sandringham Café and Restaurant, where Deborah Steward (chef by royal appointment no less) puts food and people at the centre of her ethos.

Established some 20 years ago, this warm, spacious and family-friendly restaurant looks out over the glorious grounds and sits adjacent to a terraced coffee shop for those that prefer a lighter bite. It provides homecooked, locally sourced food, much of which comes from within the grounds of Sandringham itself.

It’s a great place for families, with extensive parkland to explore, a sculpture trail and a large children’s play area – and don’t miss a visit on a Sunday afternoon in the summer (check the website for dates and times), when you can enjoy your food to the accompaniment of a brass band “We set the focus on locally-sourced food long before it was fashionable to do so,” says Deborah’s husband and business partner Kevin. “We work in unison with Martin, the head gardener here, to serve up seasonal fruits and vegetables.”

Gaining considerable culinary experience over the years, Deborah’s first job was at The Blakeney Hotel as a pastry chef; she then moved around Norfolk expanding her experience and honing her skills. Eventually, she and Kevin expanded her part-time work to a full-time catering business. She loves food and she loves finding ways of making it special for those she feeds.

“We serve comfort food that’s good and honest,” says Kevin, “it’s not pretentious – we want families to come here and have a great time!”

Only open for lunch, the restaurant nevertheless serves a generous two-course meal with a free pot of tea or coffee (on sundays) afterwards at a very reasonable

A family friendly restaurant in a fabulous royal setting price – and although most people arrive at Sandringham to view the house itself, the restaurant deserves to be an attraction in its own right.

This is a great opportunity to enjoy that most traditional dish in the most traditional of settings. The restaurant’s classic Sunday roasts are presented extremely well; far too many restaurants see the meal as an opportunity to simply pile the plate high with food, but this is very carefully composed.

Of course, there’s plenty of choice if you want something less traditional. Try, for example, the Mushroom Stroganoff, a brilliant version of the classic dish that’s delightfully creamy, satisfyingly peppery, delicately herbal and absolutely brimming with mushrooms! It’s how all vegetarian dishes should be done.

Desserts are equally impressive – they may not be the most cutting-edge recipes, but they’re done exceptionally well. If Deborah’s cooked it, don’t miss her amazing blueberry bread and butter pudding, which is as perfect a pudding as you could hope for.

Given its location, you can’t help expecting great things from the restaurant, and Deborah and Kevin (and their wonderful staff) don’t disappoint. High quality

Sandringham Cafe & Restaurant, Sandringham Estate, Sandringham PE35 6EH Telephone: 01485 544548 Website: www.sandringhamcafe.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

ingredients, carefully-balanced flavours, and lovingly prepared dishes; surely that’s the very definition of good food. And this is very good indeed.

The Sandringham Café and Restaurant is open seven days a week 9.30am to 4.30pm between November and March and from 9.30am-5.30pm between April and October.

Lunch is served from 12noon-3pm.

Mushroom Stroganoff served with basmati rice Blueberry Bread and Butter Pudding served with custard

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KLmagazine June 2016

ABOVE: The Fruit Pig Company’s Matt Cockin and Grant Harper with the BBC broadcaster and writer Tim Hayward (centre), who’s been voted Food Journalist of the Year three times and is a passionate advocate of using fresh blood in food

The local black pudding with the golden reputation It appears in the earliest-known recipe book, but modern-day lovers of black pudding rarely enjoy the delicacy the way it was always supposed to be. But that’s all changing now, thanks to e Fruit Pig Company in Wisbech...

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lack pudding has something of a mixed reputation, but it’s one that was given a massive boost recently through being hailed as a ‘superfood’ – due largely to its generous helping of zinc and iron, its almost total lack of carbohydrates and its healthy content of protein, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Generally considered a food originating from somewhere ‘up north’ it may come as a surprise to learn that one of the very best black puddings in the whole country is being produced by a two-man team in Wisbech.

And the secret is literally in the blood.

“Something like 98% of black pudding

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

on the market is made from imported dried blood powder rather than fresh blood,” says Matt Cockin, who founded The Fruit Pig Company around seven years ago. “There’s nothing wrong with that, and most people couldn’t tell them apart visually – the difference is all in the taste.”

It’s a taste that’s starting to go far beyond Wisbech. The Fruit Pig Company’s fresh-blood black pudding is now served in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Tom Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Tim Hart’s Hambleton Hall in Rutland, and Tom Aitkens’ Tom’s Kitchen in London.

Jamie Oliver is just one high-profile fan, and on the 40th floor of the Heron

Building in London, The Duck & Waffle’s highly-regarded Chef Director Daniel Doherty says it’s the best black pudding he’s ever tasted. The Fruit Pig Company’s black pudding also forms part of The Hawksmoor’s full English breakfast, one of the two best breakfasts in the capital; the other being at The Wolseley in Mayfair.

Thanks to the power of the internet, it’s being enjoyed by diners at the 5-star Mandarin Oriental, Ritz and Carlton hotels in Hong Kong – and it may even soon start making an appearance in Chinese supermarkets. And it’s still the work of a two-man team.

“All we’re doing is making black pudding the way it’s supposed to be,”

39

says Matt. “It just so happens that almost everybody else doesn’t.”

The Fruit Pig story started when Matt finished a 20-year career in the Royal Air Force and purchased a smallholding in Emneth. He bought some chickens, a piglet and a horse (for his daughter) and used some of his resettlement money from the RAF to take a Meat Processing NVQ with Waltham Forest College.

“I’ve always liked the idea of producing food for which you’re able to know the whole provenance,” says Matt.

“For a few years I was selling sausages to The George at Stamford and supplying loins of pork to Eric Snaith at Titchwell Manor, and I was producing a black pudding using dried blood like everyone else.”

That was soon to change however, as Matt advertised for a helping hand and came across the infectiously enthusiastic and energetic Grant Harper, who lived a mile or so from Matt’s home. The pair quickly established a successful working relationship, but they felt something was missing from the products.

“Everyone can claim to make a great sausage and it’s not hard to make a decent black pudding,” says Matt. “But we felt we needed to do something different, something unique. We were a handmade artisan company, so we thought we should be doing everything as authentically as possible.”

Matt did his

40

research, sourced some fresh blood from his regular abattoir, and set about producing a black pudding in the way it was always supposed to be.

“It’s a bit like roasting your own coffee beans instead of grabbing a jar of instant,” says Matt. “Or a chef making their own mayonnaise. It takes more time and effort, but if you truly believe in what you’re doing, you owe it to yourself to do it right.”

Matt and Grant took their fresh-blood black pudding to London for taste tests and started selling it at local farmers’ markets, but while the feedback was encouraging, it wasn’t explosive.

“We tasted a few other black puddings and we weren’t too impressed,” says Matt. “We decided to go to town on ours, making it more complex by adding a few extra ingredients, some added visual appeal and a little tweaking of the recipe – and it really started to take off.”

Despite all the success and accolades The Fruit Pig Company is still a twoman affair, with Matt and Grant capable of producing up to 500 fresh-blood black puddings every day.

They’re also very hands-on, their week starting with a 5am trip to the abattoir to collect the blood. It’s a dedication to the product that’s resulted in the pair recently qualifying as slaughtermen.

“We’re

profiting from the blood of the animals, so we felt we had a responsibility to become fully involved in the process,” says Matt. “It seemed almost disrespectful not to, and it means we can produce our food with total conviction and integrity.”

In addition to their fresh-blood black pudding, Matt and Grant also produce a mouthwatering selection of specialist charcuterie such as Morçilla (a Spanish version of black pudding), mutton and cheek bacon, a delicious white pudding with cumin and oregano – and they’re currently looking at producing a local version of the rice- and pork-based Louisiana boudin.

But for the time being, the star of the show is undoubtedly the pair’s freshblood black pudding – and despite its success in London and Hong Kong, they’re most proud of the local recognition they’re earning.

“We’re finding that a lot of restaurants are starting to put our name on their menus,” says Matt. “That’s lovely, and it really means a lot to us. It means we’re worth something, and that people share our belief in the quality of our produce.”

For more information on The Fruit Pig Company and details of local stockists, please visit the website at www.fruitpigcompany.com, email enquiries@fruitpigcompany.com or telephone 0845 548 0046

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

s u i n B ess n i s r a e Y Celebrating 50

Supplying the Finest Quality Meat to Local Restaurants & Meat Products!

Our highly-skilled and experienced team at C. H. Cook are proudly celebrating 50 years in business this year, passing through 3 generations of our family, catering for restaurants around the North Norfolk Coast.

Our meat is traditionally fed and reared on local farms, with our Beef hailing from Terrington St John (from the same farm for 50 years!) and our Poultry from various locations in Norfolk.

In our 50 years we know that provenance is the key to quality and should never be compromised.

C.H. Cook WISBECH LTD

Specialist Catering Butcher 14/16 School Road, West Walton, Wisbech PE14 7ES Tel: 01945 583549

Dail Refrige y ra Delive ted ry Service

Roasted Vegetable Quiche INGREDIENTS

METHOD

For the pastry 4oz plain flour 4oz self-raising flour 4oz stork 1 egg Water

For the pastry 1 Pre-heat the oven to 170°c. Rub the flour and the stork together to make a bread crumb texture.

2 Whisk 1 egg and add water to make up to 200ml and add to the bread crumb mixture (you may not need all of the liquid) until it forms a soft dough.

3 Roll out on a floured surface and line a 30cm loose bottomed baking tin with the pastry and set aside.

For the roasted vegetables 1 courgette (sliced) 2 mixed peppers (sliced) 1 red onion (sliced) 6 button mushrooms (sliced) Cherry tomatoes (left whole) Olive oil Salt & pepper

5 Fill the base of the tin with a thin layer of grated cheese and top with roasted vegetables.

6 Crack 8 eggs into a jug and make up to 1 1/2 pints with milk. Add some seasoning and pour over the vegetables.

7 Place in the oven until the top is lightly browned and the quiche has a slight wobble in the centre.

For the roasted vegetables 4 Place all of the ingredients into a baking tray and roast in the oven until softened slightly then leave to cool.

For the filling Grated cheese 8 eggs Milk

Recipe by 42

Lauren Smith, Unique Castle Rising Tea Rooms & Gardens KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Unique Tea Rooms & Gardens CASTLE RISING

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astle Rising may be best known for possessing one of the most famous 12th century castles in England, but within sight of its towering walls you’ll find one of Norfolk's very best tea rooms – and to call it unique is no exaggeration.

Once a bakery and the village post office, this beautiful old building has been lovingly restored by Linda Crosby, owner of the Unique group of bridal, home decor and gifts and interior design showrooms. It’s clear that Linda’s used all her interior and exterior design skills on creating the Unique Castle Rising Tea Rooms & Gardens; she’s brought the cottage stylishly up to date but retained the exposed beams and original ovens, and the beautiful gardens are wonderful for lazily long lunches and cream teas.

With Linda’s daughter Charlotte at the helm as manager, the team have done a superb job of creating a popular tea room that’s been a much-loved spot by locals and tourists alike over the last eight years.

The local ladies who help run the tea rooms are equally lovely and they’ll soon make you feel completely at home – naturally enough, as the tea rooms play an active part in the social life of the village.

This is a tea room that does everything you’d want from such a British tradition, and it does it exceptionally well. Everything is homemade, the portions are satisfyingly hearty, and the ingredients are sourced locally, it’s even been known for villagers to drop in with fresh produce from their vegetable patch in return for a breakfast! Try to visit before 11am to try the breakfast for yourself – it’s terrific.

The menu may be simple, and include such familiar tea room staples as jacket potatoes, sandwiches, salads and quiches, but that doesn’t mean it’s ordinary. The homemade soups are fantastic, the Sunday roasts are a genuine feast, and the vast selection cakes are delightful.

A perfect example of a traditional English tea room The cakes choices change regularly depending on the season and the strawberry and cream Victoria sponge is a real summery treat; it’s lovely and light, and the use of fresh cream instead of buttercream adds a truly luxurious touch to the cake.

For a real treat, you should definitely take the time to enjoy the tea room’s luxury cream tea. It comes with some great chunky sandwiches, but the stars of the show are the scones. They really are some of the best scones you’re likely to taste anywhere, and there’s a good reason why people will travel from all over Norfolk just to have one. Have it with a sparkling glass of prosecco and make your tea even more luxurious!

The tea room also offers a bespoke cake making service for birthdays or special occasions, and can even be brought to your table to accompany your cream tea or lunch!

There’s fantastic two-course offer on Mondays for OAPs and it’s also worth visiting on a Friday night for the tea room’s popular Steak Night – the steak itself is superb, and the all-in cost includes a bottle of house wine. You will need to book in advance, however. The Unique Castle Rising Tea Rooms & Gardens truly live up to their name. You couldn’t hope for a more

Unique Castle Rising Tea Rooms & Gardens, Castle Rising, King’s Lynn PE31 6AF Telephone: 01553 631211 Email: castlerisingtearooms@btconnect.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

beautiful setting, and you couldn’t wish for a more perfect example of how a traditional English tearoom should be.

The tea rooms are open daily from 8:30am until late (subject to bookings) apart from Sundays and Mondays when they close at 4pm.

recomme ded Full English breakfast Homemade pie of the day Apple and Pear walnut crumble

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Baked Sea Bass

lemon & caper butter sauce, lyonnaise potatoes, tender stem broccoli INGREDIENTS (Serves 2) 2 4oz sea bass fillets 3 tbsp olive oil Juice of one Lemon 2 tbsp of small capers

25g of butter 1/2 white onion, finely sliced 100g new potatoes 150g tender stem Broccoli

METHOD 1 To make the butter sauce, mix lemon juice, capers and butter into a pan. Place on hob until butter has melted.

Put to one side, (will reheat to serve).

2 Place new potatoes in pan to boil for roughly 10 mins.

3 Line a baking tray with baking parchment, place fish skin side-up and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 7 mins.

4 Place tender stem broccoli in pan to boil for 5 mins.

Recipe by 44

5 Once new potatoes are cooked refresh (in cold water) and slice. Place into frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and finely diced onion. Salt and pepper to season. Cook on a medium heat until golden brown in colour.

6 Place butter sauce back on low heat.

7 Remove and strain broccoli.

8 Arrange fish on bed of potatoes and broccoli, spoon over the lemon and caper sauce and serve.

Lizzie Parry at e Swan Inn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Swan Inn SOUTH WOOT TON

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f anyone recommends you visit the Mucky Duck in South Wootton, they’re almost certainly local; the popular name for the pub coming from its lovely setting opposite the village duck pond.

They’ll actually be talking about The Swan Inn, which has served the village for almost 200 years and has been run by Alex Ponting for the last 18 of them. With Bar Manager James Noble and chefs Bruce Sands and Lizzie Parry, this is a team who know their customers supremely well. It’s essentially a family pub which caters for everyone; from the locals popping in to the people travelling through, from a light bite to a special occasion.

It’s a winning formula, and The Swan Inn is always busy, and although the lounge and public bars often show live sports, a lovely conservatory was added a few years ago, giving diners a quieter and more formal dining option.

The Swan Inn offers a great variety of food; traditional pub fare is always available, together with more a la carte meals, all served imaginatively and generously.

If you visit during the week, you can enjoy one of The Swan Inn’s themed evenings, focusing on pies (Tuesday), burgers (Wednesday) and curries (Thursday) – although the full regular menu is also available.

If you’re interested in discovering just how far the pub’s chefs can take ‘pub grub’, start with the crunchy falafel balls, which are expertly spiced and are accompanied by a terrific tahini sauce.

Main courses cover all the traditional favourites, although there are plenty of nice surprises such as the fabulous prawn and salmon puff pie. If possible, order the panfried sea bass, which is marvellously tasty and is complemented by some delicious

A traditional family pub with a passion for good food crispy seaweed and gently buttered crayfish.

The Swan Inn’s desserts further demonstrate this passion for giving traditional pub fare a welcome facelift. The lemon posset with raspberries and cream is accompanied by a brilliant homemade shortbread, while the wonderful apple and cinnamon crumble is attractively served in an unusual glass jar.

It’s a genuine pleasure to find a traditional village pub with such a passion for great food, carefully combining tastes and textures and cooking with genuine talent, but it’s hardly a trade secret.

“It’s simple really,” says Alex Ponting. “We use the best quality produce we can, sourced locally wherever possible, and freshly cooked by experienced chefs.”

And if it’s on the menu, make sure you try his personal favourite; braised lamb shank with red wine jus.

“I love it,” he says. “It’s so tender and rich that the meat just falls away from the bone, and the jus is fabulous.”

Which is exactly the right word to describe The Swan Inn. Food is available at from 12noon-2pm Monday to Saturday, 6pm9pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from 12noon-3pm Sunday.

e Swan Inn, Nursery Lane, South Wootton, King’s Lynn PE30 3NG Telephone: 01553 672084 KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Mini Halloumi & Vgetable Ske with salad garnish and reli wers sh Parma Ham Wrapped with leek mash, honey-roa Chicken sted car and tenderstem broccoli rots, Sticky Toffee Pudding with homemade toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream

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Siu Mai Dumpling INGREDIENTS (Makes 10) 300g leg of pork 300g fresh prawns 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 3 tsp potato starch 10 x dumpling pastry

METHOD 1 Wash pork and prawns, drain, leave to dry thoroughly for 2 hours.

2 Dice finely pork and prawn meat, add salt & potato starch, mix well.

3 Whisk ingredients by hand or use a food processor to whisk the ingredients until it forms a sticky paste

5 Form a ring with thumb and index finger, place a dumpling pastry on top of hole, spoon in paste until it is filled to the brim ensuring it is firm, repeat process.

6 Steam on high heat for 13 minutes.

7 Optional: add caviar on top to serve.

4 Place the paste in a bowl and add in sugar and sesame oil. Mix well.

Recipe by 46

Shaun Wong (Sous Chef ) Pearl River KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Pearl River K I N G ’ S LY N N

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hinese food has become one of the UK’s dominant ethnic cuisines since it was popularised in the 1950s and 60s, but the taste for ‘traditional’ Chinese restaurants is changing as people’s tastes demand more authenticity, more excitement and more flavour from their food.

“People are far more knowledgeable about food today,” says Philip Wong, who opened the Pearl River restaurant in King’s Lynn in 2002. “They’re also more well travelled, and familiar with how true East Asian food should taste.”

Working in his parents’ popular Chinese take-away in Fakenham (which opened almost 40 years ago) gave Philip a taste for the business, and when he looked to open his own he returned to the town in which he’d been to college, buying the former Kennedy’s public house. Philip and Amy have worked wonders on the building since then, and it's almost impossible to imagine its former drinking-based life. The contemporary and chic decor is naturally Chinese but it’s also classy and restrained, creating a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

The large open dining space is full of more intimate spots (making it perfect for parties), the wall-sized tropical aquarium is simply stunning and the hospitality is exceptional.

You’ll almost certainly bump into the charming Simon as he waits on diners six days a week, and Philip and Amy always take the opportunity to talk to customers and share their passion for great food.

“I encourage my chefs to be more a bit adventurous with their food than most Chinese restaurants,” says Philip. “It’s contemporary, it’s beautifully cooked and presented and it even has a few creative twists.”

The Pearl River menu is extensive, and while there are plenty of familiar dishes there are more than enough surprises to delight lovers of Chinese food. The beef fillet in black pepper and red wine sauce is well worth seeking out, and the recently-

A lovely Chinese restaurant that does things very differently introduced Malaysian Curry is fantastic.

Don’t miss the soft shell crab either; crisp on the outside, moist on the inside and delicately garnished with chilli, it’s a wonderful taste.

You should also take the opportunity to enjoy the amazing bite-size parcels of food known as Siu Mai – especially as the Pearl River is one of the very few restaurants in the area to serve it. It’s also worth noting that unlike the sauces you’ll find in most Chinese restaurants, all of the Pearl River’s are homemade – which may help explain why they’re so amazing. In fact, lots of things are done differently at Pearl River. The brilliant buffet menu is a far cry from what you’re probably used to; everything is made to order, freshly cooked and brought to your table.

If you really want to treat yourself, order from the a la carte menu, which is a real gourmet feast of great dishes. You’ll be spoiled for choice, and if you can’t make up your mind, try the Tom Yum seafood (it’s served in a lovely clay pot) and pair it with the Pearl River signature special fried rice.

The takeaway menu will allow you to sample the Pearl River’s food at home, but you really owe it to yourself to try this

Pearl River, John Kennedy Road, King’s Lynn PE30 2AA Telephone: 01553 773288 Website: www.pearlriver.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

wonderful atmosphere for yourself. One event you certainly shouldn't miss is the restaurant’s Chinese New Year celebrations but you will have to book well in advance as it’s extremely popular. Pearl River is open for lunch from 12noon-2pm Monday to Saturday (until 2.20pm on Sunday) and for dinner from 5.30-11pm Sunday to Thursday (until) 11.30pm Friday and Saturday.

Salt & Pepper Soft Shell Cra

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Malaysian Curry Singapore Vermicelli 47

Rhubarb, Lemon Polenta Cake & Champagne Sabayon INGREDIENTS For the Cake 200g butter 200g caster sugar 200g ground almonds 100g polenta 3 eggs 2 lemons, juice and zest For the Sabayon 3 egg yolks 1 tbsp caster sugar ½ glass champagne 150ml double cream, whipped

For the Sorbet 500g rhubarb, washed and roughly chopped, plus extra to roast 225g caster sugar 1 lemon, juice only 150ml water 2 tbsp liquid glucose

METHOD 1 To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Gradually add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly so it doesn’t split the batter.

2 Add the ground almonds, polenta, lemon juice and zest and fold into the batter. Pour into a greased and lined cake tin, and bake at 160°c for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack.

3 For the sorbet, place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the simmer until the rhubarb is tender.

Pour into a food processor and blend into a puree. You can keep some of this back to use as a puree on the final dish.

4 Pour the puree into an ice cream machine and churn for around 40 minutes and then transfer to the freezer to set.

Recipe by 48

5 For the sabayon, place the yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk vigorously over a pan of simmering water until it becomes fluffy and a figure of eight disappears after a second.

6 Remove from the heat and quickly add the champagne, whisk thoroughly, then fold in the whipped cream. This can be used immediately or chilled in the fridge.

7 Cut some batons of rhubarb, cover with sugar and roast for 12 minutes at 160°c. Allow to cool before serving.

8 To plate, place a few spoons of rhubarb puree on the plate followed by broken pieces of cake. Using a piping bag pipe on the champagne sabayon and scatter a few pieces of the roasted rhubarb. Finish with a quenelle of rhubarb ice cream, and a few micro basil leaves.

Trevor Clark (Head Chef ) e Duke’s Head Hotel KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Duke’s Head Hotel K I N G ’ S LY N N

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esigned by renowned architect Henry Bell and built by local MP and future mayor Sir John Taylor, the Duke’s Head Hotel opened in 1689 and it's been a familiar landmark overlooking the Tuesday Market Place in King’s Lynn for over 300 years.

Famous guests have included Sir Robert Walpole, Princess Victoria and (reportedly) Queen Elizabeth I and it’s always been a popular venue for wining and dining, business events, parties and weddings – but if you think you already know the Duke’s Head you’ll need to think again.

In the hands of Surya Hotels, one of the UK’s leading niche hotel groups, the Duke’s Head has gone through something of a transformation over the last few years. It’s never looked better, and there’s a fresh and energetic atmosphere about the place. The creation of Massey & Co – a stylish cocktail bar and lounge – and the recent arrival of Head Chef Trevor Clark have taken both the food and drink to another level entirely.

Everyone in every department is clearly passionate about what they’re doing, and their close-knit teamwork reaps plenty of benefits. Award-winning mixologist Ritchie Suffling and Trevor Clark love bouncing ideas off each other, and the results are hugely impressive; Trevor’s food is a genuine cocktail of textures and flavours, while Ritchie’s drinks are packed with cleverly-combined and seasonal ingredients.

Whether you like your cocktails pre- or post-dinner (or both) keep an eye out for Ritchie’s Brazilian Berry, a heady mix of Cachaça and rich berry fruits; but if that’s not on the menu head straight for the Elder and Wiser(ish) – a beautiful glass of apple, elderflower and lime matched perfectly with bourbon. These are truly great cocktails, managing to be fun and adventurous but still retaining a touch of class. A sense of fun and adventure also characterises Trevor Clark’s food. He trained with the Royal Navy and earned a first-class reputation at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club for the

Brilliant modern food in a gloriously traditional setting complexity and ambition of his dishes.

“This is a very historic setting, but people expect a bit more than tradition from their food today,” he says. “They want to be surprised and wowed by the way food tastes and looks.”

That doesn't mean food anarchy. Trevor uses tradition as a base for his dishes, reinventing simple everyday pleasures and taking them a step further. His children’s boiled egg breakfast, for example, was the inspiration for his beautiful starter of crispy soft-boiled egg, asparagus, wild mushrooms and hollandaise. True to his naval and yacht club background, Trevor loves cooking fish, and don’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy his Norfolk Gin cured salmon, which is incredible and adds a completely new texture to the fish. Even his desserts give time-honoured recipes an exciting new twist. Trevor does a terrific deconstructed blackberry crumble, comprising a scattering of flapjack, some delicious compressed apple, toffee and a very accomplished crème anglaise.

Don’t wait for the evening though, as lunches and light bites are available throughout the day in Massey & Co –and the hotel does a fabulous afternoon tea. It may be called the Duke’s Head, this is a dining

e Duke’s Head Hotel, 5–6 Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 1JS Telephone: 01553 774996 Website: www.dukesheadhotel.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

experience fit for a king.

Turner’s restaurant at the Duke’s Head Hotel is open daily from 6-10pm and Sunday lunch is served from 12noon-3pm. Massey & Co is open daily from 9am for coffee and from 11am-11pm for cocktails, wine and beer.

Norfolk Gin cured salmon, crab, cucumber, beetroot andCromer avocado Fillet of Sea Trout, fish cak garlic, aioli foam and friede, wild bread Banana cake with banana chocolate ice cream, smoke and white d aerated white chocolate and rum and raisin 49

Orange & Cointreau Mousse with Homemade Ginger Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Makes 12) For the mousse 4 sheets leaf gelatine 3 large oranges 4oz caster sugar 4 large free range eggs 2 tbsp Cointreau ½ pint double cream For the ginger biscuits 6oz self raising flour 4oz caster sugar 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 5oz butter 3oz golden syrup 1 egg beaten

For the mousse 1 Soak gelatine in cold water to soften.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and zest of 2 oranges in a bowl over hot water until thick and creamy. Allow to cool.

2 Whisk egg whites until stiff, lightly whip the cream, gently fold in the melted gelatine, Cointreau, whipped cream and egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.

3 Spoon into glasses or lined dariole moulds and put in the fridge to allow to set.

4 Make a sugar syrup with ¼ pint of water and 8oz of sugar.

Recipe by 50

5 Allow to cool and then add the zest from the 3rd orange and all 3 oranges that have been peeled and segmented.

6 To finish decorate the mousse with the orange segments and syrup top with fresh whipped cream and dill and garnish with the ginger biscuits.

For the ginger biscuits Sieve dry ingredients together in a bowl. Melt butter and syrup and allow to cool. Pour onto dry ingredients add egg and mix to form a dough. Divide into 16 even pieces. Place well apart on a greased baking sheet, flatten slightly and bake at 160°C for 15-20 mins.

Pat Isbill (Chef/Owner) Riverside Restaurant KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Riverside K I N G ’ S LY N N

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at Isbill is no stranger to local food and produce. Born and raised in King’s Lynn, she worked in a local bakery and a number of pubs before joining The Riverside Restaurant on the banks of the River Great Ouse as the Pastry Chef. Exactly 20 years later she is still there – as the owner.

Today, Pat shares ownership of this charming town centre restaurant with her niece and fellow Lynn native Kirsty Hill, the couple also run the popular Crofters Coffee Shop under the historic St. George’s Guildhall.

At The Riverside Restaurant, Pat and Kirsty are joined by Head Chef Mick Teasdale, and together they ensure everything is both freshly prepared using local ingredients and all home cooked to order.

The restaurant itself sits in a lovely woodbeamed room with plenty of atmosphere, the comfortable furnishings and local photographs displayed add to the warmly welcoming feel. If the weather allows, make sure you take advantage of the spacious outdoor terrace and garden, enjoying the amazing view that gives the restaurant its name.

You’ll find the menu reflecting on the team’s desire to use as many local ingredients as possible, and though The Riverside Restaurant does give you plenty to choose from, the menus are happily not too overwhelming.

Don’t forget to ask for the wine list, as you’ll be surprised at both the range and quality of the wines available.

One of the restaurant’s most popular starters are the Arbroath Smokies; the delicious haddock in this dish will leave you in no doubt as to why that’s the case – but this is Norfolk not Scotland, so you should definitely try the King’s Lynn brown shrimp and leek tart. It’s wonderful, and the short pastry is a delight in itself.

For mains, keep an eye out for the sautéed strips of sirloin steak, which are expertly

A family-run town centre restaurant with great views cooked with button mushrooms and shallots in a terrific black pepper sauce. As you couldn’t be eating closer to the river, the restaurant’s fish is always a good and very fresh choice, but the pan-fried strips of chicken breast are also a fantastic choice, thanks to an excellent smoked bacon and leek cream sauce.

Desserts at The Riverside Restaurant are exactly as they should be – a genuine treat.

You can expect to see all the traditional methods to round off a good meal, but there are plenty of great ideas here too. The crème brûlée is brilliant example of how the pudding should be done, but the one dessert you really should try is the orange and Cointreau mousse. It’s beautifully presented and tastes exquisite; the accompanying ginger biscuits aren’t too bad either!

There’s nothing at all pretentious about The Riverside Restaurant, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable. It’s a true family-run restaurant with a great love of the local area and a genuine passion for creating greattasting food.

The Riverside Restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday, serving lunch from 12noon and dinner from 6.30pm.

Riverside Restaurant, 27 King Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1ET Telephone: 01553 773134 Website: www.theriversiderestaurantkingslynn.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

King’s Lynn Brown Shrimp and Leek Tart Beef Bourguignon Homemade Sticky Toffee Pu dding with toffee sauce and homem ade vanilla ice cream

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Jed Dunton

Tacos al-Pastor INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 8-10) For the pork 2kg pork shoulder 1 whole pineapple 2 tbsp achiote chilli paste 1 tbsp cumin For the tacos 250g masa flour 330ml warm chicken stock For the relish 4 corn on the cob 1 courgette 3 orange peppers 3 onions 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp cider vinegar Bunch of coriander (chopped)

For the pork 1 Thinly slice the pork and chop the pineapple, mix together with the chilli paste and the cumin. Marinade this for 1 day.

2 Once marinaded, stack onto a kebab skewer and barbecue for 2 hours, rotating frequently.

Recipe by 52

For the tacos 3 Mix the ingredients together, cover with a towel and let it sit for 20 minutes.

4 Divide into 12 small balls. Take one and place in between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper, press down with a rolling pin so it’s around 5mm thick.

5 Cook them in a dry frying pan for 15 seconds on one side, flip over and fry for a further 30 secs. Flip one more time and they should inflate - this means they are done.

For the relish 6 Char the vegetables on a barbecue, chop up and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle on top of the pork tacos.

Charlie Tostevin (Head Chef & Owner) Archers KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Archers K I N G ’ S LY N N

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ing’s Lynn may be a long way from the sun-drenched restaurants of California and the upscale bars of Chelsea, but in the middle of the town sits a small but quaint café and cocktail bar that brings all that sophistication and style to West Norfolk.

Archers is the work of Junno and Charlie Tostevin, who’ve spent the last three years blending a heady cocktail of passion, experience and natural talent into a lovely venue. While Junno has imported a love of infusions and fresh ingredients from her (American) West Coast home, her husband’s experience in every part of the bar industry was built up in London – and his unparallelled knowledge of spirits is more than apparent in Archers’ cocktail menu.

As you’d expect the setting is authentically Anglo-American, with retro accessories and crockery, laid-back furnishings and comfortable styling. Although Archers has a fresh, young and decidedly hip atmosphere (thanks largely to the enthusiastic and lively natures of Junno and Charlie) traditionalists will appreciate the al-fresco spot outside; which offers a spectacular view of the Custom House.

Although the food has a distinct American feel, the ingredients are sourced much closer to home; coffee from King’s Lynn, fresh bread from Pye Baker in Norwich, and local butchers and farmers markets providing the meat and vegetables. And if you’re wondering why the ketchup, marinades and relishes taste so good, that’s because they’re homemade; as are many of the syrups and flavoured spirits that feature in the cocktails.

Archers offers you a real chance to enjoy a true taste of America. While the full English breakfast is superb (and much talked about in town) don’t miss the chance to start your day with American pancakes or the hugely satisfying Breakfast Burrito. Similarly, Archers’ sandwiches, salads and jacket potatoes are brilliantly well done, but the stand-out dishes are the US signatures such as the incredible chilli cheese dog with the flavourpacked slow-cooked beef chilli.

It’s not all about America, though. If they’re on the menu, try the spiced lamb meatballs; they come with a great quinoa tabbouleh and a simply divine homemade mint yoghurt dressing. Keep an eye out for the fried chicken thigh burger as well – if only to sample the many delights of the accompanying jalapeño jam and charred

A real taste of America in the centre of King’s Lynn corn relish.

As for the cocktails themselves, they’re all expertly made and feature a fabulous collection of authentic ingredients and home-blended flavours. Although you’ll be more than spoilt for choice, you won’t be disappointed with the Spiced Pineapple Mojito, which includes Archers’ very own (and delicious) spiced pineappleinfused rum. For a more theatrical touch, order a Flaming Zombie, which packs a beautiful punch of passionfruit and (without giving too much away) really lives up to its name.

Archers is the perfect place for a fun evening (especially on the occasional live music evenings) but it’s also an unmissable and very enjoyable dining experience. In fact, if Sam Mendes doesn’t mind lending the title of his 1999 Oscarwinning film, it’s a real American Beauty.

The restaurant at Archers is open TuesdaySaturday from 9am-4pm and Sunday from 11am-3pm, while the cocktail bar is open Friday and Saturday from 6pm-11pm, with Happy Hour (3 for £13 on selected drinks) from 6pm-8pm.

Archers Kitchen, Limes House, 25-26 Purfleet St, King’s Lynn PE30 1ER Telephone: 01553 764411 Website: www.facebook.com/archerskingslynn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

American Pancakes with homemade apple butter and real maple syrup Chilli Cheese Dog Authentic sausage served on multi-seed bun topped wit a homemade beef chilli and h cheese, served with hand-c melted ut fries Painkiller Cocktail A local version of the authen tic Caribbean Pina Colada

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ABOVE: The berries of the blackthorn tree – which have been turned into an award-winning range of local drinks by Sarah Saunders and her enterprising family, whose Black Shuck Gin (opposite) has taken the county by storm

How a legendary ghost inspired a local spirit...

Making your own sloe gin is nothing unusual. Turning it into an award-winning brand is another matter entirely. Clare Bee looks at how a local legend of a ghostly hound provided the inspiration for a Norfolk family...

T

he legend of Black Shuck is one of our oldest East Anglian ghost stories; a tale of a giant, black, demonic hound, with glowing red eyes like saucers, prowling the North Norfolk coastline. It’s a tale to be told around a fire on a dark stormy night, and like most hauntings, any sighting of the hound is thought to bring the worst of bad luck.

However, that’s not the case for one local family in Fakenham; for the Saunders, Black Shuck has brought

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

them extremely good fortune indeed.

In December 2015, after two years of recipe development and taste trials by gin-loving friends and family, their long-held dream became a reality and 1,000 bottles of Black Shuck Gin were released – and sold within four weeks. It’s now stocked in over 180 outlets across Norfolk and beyond.

“It always gives us a thrill to see our gin on the shelves of stores, bars and restaurants,” says Patrick Saunders, “and hearing customers rave about the

taste will always be exciting!”

Cut to a final bottling ABV of 43% with Norfolk bore water, Black Shuck Gin is strong yet smooth, traditional and yet contemporary, complex yet balanced. It has lightly floral notes from Norfolk lavender followed by warm and sweet fruity tones from Sea Buckthorn and Bitter Orange Peel.

But Black Shuck Gin didn’t materialise overnight. Back in 2011, Patrick and his wife Sarah were discussing starting up a small

55

ABOVE: It started life as home-produced sloe gin given as gifts to family and friends, but Sarah and Partick Saunders (pictured below) have turned Black Shuck from a frightening local legend to a Norfolk brand that’s earned national recognition.

business to supplement their pensions and a way for their children (Leanne, Nicola and Will) to get experience in running a business. Regularly making sloe gin as a gift for family and friends, they wondered if the could actually sell it. They decided to try, and The Norfolk Sloe Company was born.

While Patrick and Sarah developed and trialled the products, their daughter Leanne created the artwork and designed the striking brand image of Black Shuck, her sister Nicola created the financial forecasts and business plans, and their brother Will managed the company’s online presence and social media.

“The children were always very enthusiastic,” says Sarah, “even on cold winter days, when they were out picking sloe berries together on the Norfolk coast.”

Their extended family got involved as well; instead of discarding the delicious gin-soaked berries, family members Keith and Zoe began making truffles for the company to sell alongside their liqueurs. Other family support ranged from helping pick the fruits to testing the finished results.

“As you can imagine,” Sarah laughs, “we had a lot of volunteers for the taste-testing!”

In October 2012, 300 bottles of

Black Shuck Sloe Gin were released – and they’d all sold out by early December. The family was approached

by Walsingham Farms Shop, asking permission to stock their product. It was the first approach of many. Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength, thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of every member of the family.

But why Black Shuck?

“I was born and bred in Wells-nextthe-Sea, so I’d grown up with the story of the ghostly dog,” says Sarah, “and I wanted to raise the profile of the local legend.”

Not only that. Blackthorn (the bush from which sloe berries are harvested) provides another link to the legend, as it grows along the same coastal paths the hound is rumoured to haunt – and where the family gathers their crop.

The Norfolk Sloe Company is very proud of its Norfolk roots, and the family works hard to use local produce; plums and damsons from Burnham Thorpe, and blackcurrants and raspberries from Swafield Fruit Farm in North Walsham.

Recognition for this successful family-run business has come swiftly.

The 2014 Great Taste Awards saw Black Shuck Sloe Gin awarded the maximum three stars (the 3-star crest is proudly

displayed on the bottles as a mark of excellence) and shortly afterwards, the company was recognised as one of DEFRA’s 50 Food Stars of the UK. The award was launched in February 2015, and recognises the country’s most promising food and drink entrepreneurs for their contribution to the UK’s growing economy. The Norfolk Sloe Company was chosen out of the hundreds of award-winning businesses throughout the UK, and the family are jusitifably overjoyed.

“It’s a phenomenal achievement,” says Sarah. “It’s quite overwhelming, actually – and we certainly didn’t realise what a huge effect it would have on the business.”

The award saw her husband Patrick attend a launch in London, as well as conferences throughout the year on topics ranging from exporting to social media. Whilst the events may have been targeted at larger businesses, the big messages haven’t been lost on this small company, and they won’t be resting on their laurels.

“We have a number of different trials going on in the kitchen right now,” says Sarah, “and a bit like Black Shuck himself, we’re not going to be standing still!”

Patrick and Sarah are continuously working on new products and they’re very excited about the next product which will hit the shelves later this year.

If past success is anything to go by, it won’t be on the shelves for very long.

From an idea based on a homemade family tradition a few years ago, The Norfolk Sloe Company has become an outstanding local success story and a prestigious brand name, with awards and accolades mounting – and there’s certainly more to follow. Thanks to one enterprising family working together.

And a legendary black dog.

Black Shuck Limited, Fakenham, Norfolk Telephone: 07867 817618 Website: www.blackshuckltd.co.uk 56

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

D L S O A N N O S

D A fresh taste of the sea for over 150 years • LOCALLY CAUGHT FRESH FISH & SHELLFISH

• DELICATESSEN WITH A RANGE OF QUALITY CHEESES • LOCAL GAME • FREE RANGE EGGS • LOCAL HONEY Austin Fields, King’s Lynn PE30 1PH | Tel: 01553 772241 OPEN: Tues/Wed/Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm

Parsnip Cake INGREDIENTS

METHOD

800g peeled parsnips, grated 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, microplaned 2 tbsp of mixed finely chopped parsley and thyme 4 whole eggs beaten

1 Firstly, sweat the onion and garlic until they are translucent.

Recipe by 58

2 Add the parsnips and soften, then add the herbs.

3 Leave to cool then stir in the eggs.

4 Bake in a loaf tin at 150°c for 1 hour.

Richard Golding (Head Chef ) Market Bistro KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Market Bistro K I N G ’ S LY N N

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t’s a bold claim for a family-run bistro in King’s Lynn, but it’s one that happens to be true. In 2016, when Condé Nast Traveler decided to produce a list of the 200 best restaurants in the world, they assembled a formidable jury of chefs, food writers and seasoned travellers. They only picked 14 restaurants in England, and 13 of those were in London.

The fact that brilliantly the other was Market Bistro is a huge testament to the work of Richard and Lucy Golding, who’ve run this unpretentious and friendly restaurant for almost 10 years. It’s even more of an accolade when you consider that Richard has no formal training as a chef!

It has a lot to do with the couple’s attitude. Market Bistro sources all its ingredients from within a 40-mile radius of King’s Lynn. It only uses sustainably-caught or organically-farmed fish. Richard and Lucy proudly grow their own vegetables and bake their own delicious bread every day.

Yes, there are 17th century beams with a fireplace and plenty of traditional charm, but this remains a contemporary restaurant with a genuine passion for local food.

Richard’s menus are refreshingly pareddown, letting the food speak for itself and allowing him room to surprise you.

Order the mackerel fillet to start, for example, and you’ll enjoy the beautifullycooked fish; what you won’t expect is the delicately-flavoured beetroot or the lovely fennel tea. Similarly, the unassuming ‘Beetroot’ starter (that’s all it says on the menu) is accompanied by a stunning walnut praline and a gentle scattering of goat’s cheese.

Richard works wonders with the restaurant’s high quality meat. Try the Fruit

Treat yourself to one of the best restaurants in the world Pig pork, which comes from the only traditional breeds butchery in East Anglia supported by both the British Pig Association and the Rare Breed Survival Trust. It’s exquisite, and its flavour is enhanced by a breaded squash and bacon terrine. The local partridge is a real treat as well, especially as it’s matched with some superb pickled blackberries.

Richard’s inventiveness and obvious love for creating beautiful food carries through to the desserts. Without giving too much away and spoiling the surprise, don’t miss his wonderful ‘Chocolate’ dish – and don’t overlook the carefully-planned cheese board, which includes some unusual and extraordinarily tasty cheeses, along with terrific biscuits and a lovely truffle honey.

Lucy is a supremely welcoming and charming hostess, and she’s always happy to explain the creation and provenance of her husband’s exceptional food.

You’ll certainly want to thank him in person for your meal, but chances are he’ll still be busy in the kitchen, doing quite incredible things with local ingredients and creating wonderful food that looks fabulous and tastes amazing.

Market Bistro is open from 6-8.30pm on

Market Bistro, 11 Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn PE30 5DQ Telephone: 01553 771483 Website: www.marketbistro.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Tuesday, 12noon-2pm and 6-8.30pm Wednesday and Thursday, 12noon-2pm and 6-9pm on Friday and Saturday – and you’re highly advised to book your table in advance. The restaurant is also open on the first Sunday of every month from 12noon3pm.

Norfolk Quail Sandringham Red Poll Bee f Cheese Board

59

Slow-cooked pork belly

with parsnip puree, black pudding mash, chunky apple & cider sauce INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 6) 2.5kg pork belly Black pudding Potatoes (enough for mash for 6) 2 parsnips, peeled and cut 1/2 ltr double cream 2 green cooking apples, cored 1/2 ltr orchard premium craft cider 4oz sugar 1tbsp cornflower 1/4 block of unsalted butter Pinch of salt and pepper

1 Slow cook the pork belly for 6.5 hours.

Recipe by 60

6 Chop parsnips and boil with cream, salt and pepper, then blend together until smooth and creamy.

2 Press overnight.

3 Boil potatoes from cold water.

4 Mash potato and add butter, salt and pepper.

7 Boil cider until it is reduced to half then add chopped apples, wait until soft then add sugar and cornflour to thicken.

5 Fry black pudding on medium heat, then add to mash.

Pawel Oles (Head Chef ) Marriott’s Warehouse KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Marriott’s Warehouse K I N G ’ S LY N N

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arriott’s Warehouse has enjoyed a connection to local food and drink since the days of Henry VIII, when this iconic building on the King’s Lynn riverfront was a storehouse for Scottish salt, Bordeaux wine and Icelandic cod. Although some of the oak beams date back to the 1300s, the main building was constructed by local merchant Thomas Clayborne in 1580.

Not surprisingly, heritage plays a major role in the life of the warehouse and the restaurant works closely with the Trustees of the building to preserve and promote its history. Grade II listed and carefully restored in the 1990s, the warehouse has an exhibition space on the first floor which every visitor should visit – if only to see local Fred Hall's amazing model re-creations of the most iconic buildings in the town.

Marriott’s Warehouse is an important part of the history of King’s Lynn, and thanks to the work of Malcolm Catlin and Andrew Hornigold the latest chapter in the building’s culinary story is bound to have a happy ending.

Given its waterfront location the quality of the restaurant’s fish goes without saying, but the locally-sourced game is fabulous. If you see it on the menu, don’t think twice – it’s one of the reasons Marriott’s Warehouse recently received a very honourable mention in Waitrose’s Good Food Guide.

Polish-born Pawel Oles brings a very special expertise and distinctive flair to an innovative and deservedly popular menu, and it’s clear the friendly staff are fully briefed on the creation of his dishes and the origins of the ingredients used.

His game pâté is a wonderful starter but the pigeon breast is even better, being served with some simply delicious baby beetroot.

As it’s dependent on the season and availability of local produce, the menu does change frequently, but you should be able to

A new chapter in the culinary tradition of King’s Lynn... enjoy Pawel’s signature dish; slow-cooked pork belly served with parsnip purée and a robust chunky apple and cider sauce. The meat is outstanding, and Pawel is an expert in making the most of it, but the star of the dish is a superb black pudding mash.

To finish, don’t let the menu mislead you; the desserts sound much as you’d expect (white chocolate bread and butter pudding, white chocolate mousse, etc) but when they arrive at your table you’ll think they’re works of art. The ‘white chocolate mousse’ for example, rests in a delicate chocolate shell and is finished with fresh raspberries, an exquisite raspberry coulis and a touch of theatrical.

Marriott’s Warehouse offers a true masterclass in dining out; it’s a fabulous location and it has a marvellous atmosphere – which can get very lively at weekends. Best of all, it has an approach to food that concentrates on fresh tastes, carefully-balanced combinations, and a desire to make memorable meals.

Marriott’s Warehouse is open every day from 10am for breakfasts, cakes and light bites. Main meals are available from 12noon2.30pm and 5-9pm Monday to Saturday.

Sunday roasts are served from 12noon-3pm.

Marriott’s Warehouse, South Quay, King’s Lynn PE30 5DT Telephone: 01553 818500 Website: www.marriottswarehouse.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Southern Spicy Chicken Wi ngs with tomato salsa Chicken Ballotine stuffed with cream cheese and on a bed of pea and tomato dill risotto Salted Caramel and White Choco mousse in a chocolate cup late

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Baked Sea Trout

Tomato Crust,Garlic and Parsley Mash, Red Pepper Chutney & Parmesan Tuiles INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 4) 4 sea trout fillets, about 150g each For the crust 100g fresh white bread, crust removed 25g butter 100g sun blushed tomatoes, roughly chopped For the chutney 2 red peppers 25g granulated sugar 50ml white wine vinegar For the mash 4 large potatoes 25g butter 50ml whipping cream A good handful of parsley, finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped For the tuile 100g grated Parmesan

1 First make the tuiles. Heat the oven to 180-200°c. Cover a baking tray with baking parchment. Heap the grated parmesan into eight equal piles leaving plenty of space between each one then place in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes, then leave to cool on a rack.

Recipe by 62

2 Next make the chutney. Slice the red peppers into strips. Put the pepper strips into a small pan with the sugar and vinegar, and simmer over a low heat until the mixture has reduced and becomes syrupy. Set aside to cool.

3 To make the mash, peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Put them on to boil in a large pan of water with a teaspoon of salt.

When a knife pierces easily, drain the potatoes and leave in the pan without a lid for a few minutes to let them dry. Mash the potatoes till smooth, loosening with a bit of milk if necessary. Meanwhile, in a small pan, warm the cream and butter together with

the chopped garlic cloves; then stir into the mash with the chopped parsley.

4 Set the oven to 180-200°c. To make the crust, put the bread in a blender, and pulse to coarse crumbs. Add the tomatoes and butter and pulse again to make a paste. Put the paste between two sheets of cling film and roll out to 2-3 mm thick. Place in the fridge and chill until firm, about half an hour.

Remove the chilled crust paste from the fridge and cut into four rectangles. Lay the sea trout fillets on a lightly greased baking tray. Peel back the cling film from each crust and lay it carefully on top of each sea trout fillet. Gently firm it down. Put the baking tray into the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, till the crust looks crisp and just beginning to brown.

5 To serve, slide a fillet of salmon onto a warmed plate. Put a spoonful of mash beside it, topped with two tuiles, and a spoonful of chutney to one side. Served with steamed broccoli, or buttered greens.

Stuart Deuchars (Head Chef ) Bank House KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Bank House K I N G ’ S LY N N

O

verlooking King's Staithe Square and the famous Custom House, Bank House is set in the most charming and historic part of King’s Lynn. Dating back to the 17th century, the beautiful Grade II star listed house has a rich and fascinating past, having been built for one of the town’s richest merchants and gaining its presentday name in the 1780s when Joseph Gurney set up his first bank there.

The establishment’s success (it was voted UK Town Pub of the Year 2017 in the Good Pub Guide) and reputation is thanks to the work and vision of Jeannette and Anthony Goodrich, who’ve brought a contemporary flourish to the fine old building, creating a thriving eating and drinking venue with 12 beautiful bedrooms and a number of private meeting and dining rooms.

The separate dining rooms are especially welcome at the weekend, when the bar can be particularly lively – but it’s a great atmosphere and one well worth joining once you’ve enjoyed your meal.

“For me, it’s about flavour first,” says Head Chef Stuart Deuchars. “You take the finest ingredients you can and then you build a dish around them. That’s the most important thing – looks are an added extra!”

They may be added extra, but there’s no doubt Stuart’s food looks beautiful – and it tastes superb.

The starters are brilliant. Choose the smoked salmon tartare and you’ll be treated to a marvellous cucumber sour cream, or seek out the black pudding and duck croquette. It’s a really inventive dish, with a lovely combination of meats and a lively apple succotash.

For mains, the locally-sourced fish is always delicious (as you’d expect from a restaurant a mere stone’s throw from the river) and Stuart’s signature herb-crusted hake is a dish any chef would be proud to put their name to. It’s also a great idea to

Outstandingly good food in a unique town centre setting... visit Bank House on a Sunday. No ordinary roast dinner here; you get to choose from four different meats and then carve the joint of meat yourself at your table!

The dessert menu is packed with fabulous ways to end your meal. Try and save some room for the hazelnut treacle tart (a luxurious pudding that’s served with coconut ice cream) or, for the delicious coconut panna cotta. It’s perfectly light, delicately flavoured, and is matched with a pineapple compote and a sharp blackcurrant sauce. It’s a truly wonderful dessert.

Bank House knows its customers very well, and it knows how to look after them. It offers a very reasonable two-course menu for pre-cinema or pre-theatre guests and a 1-hour Executive Lunch, which is a brilliant idea.

This is a unique setting, and it’s great to see Bank House doing it justice. Dining (and drinking) out really doesn’t get a lot better than this.

Food at Bank House is available from 710am (breakfast) and 12noon-9.30pm (lunch and dinner) Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, breakfast is available from 7am-12noon, and traditional roasts and a full menu from 12noon-8.30pm (roasts finish at 4pm).

Bank House, King’s Staithe Square, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1RD Telephone: 01553 660492 Website: www.thebankhouse.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Scallops with Aloo Gobi Chicken Breast with sundried tomato stuffin roast saffron potatoes and ma g, nge tou

t

Spotted Dick with cinnamon custard and rum and raisin ice cre am

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Children’s Cupcakes with buttercream icing

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Makes 12) 110g/4oz butter or margerine, softened at room temperature 110g/4oz caster sugar 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 110g/4oz self-raising flour 1-2 tbsp milk

1 Preheat the oven to 180°c/350°F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

2 Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Beat in the eggs a little at a time and stir in the vanilla extract.

3 Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

4 Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

For the buttercream icing 140g/5oz butter, softened 280g/10oz icing sugar 1-2 tbsp milk Food colouring, a few drops

Recipe by 64

5 For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.

6 Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

7 Add the food colouring and mix until well combined.

8 Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiralling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.

Play at Brewers Fayre KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Brewers Fayre K I N G ’ S LY N N

E

veryone knows it can be difficult to combine children with dining out, as the younger members of the family aren’t the greatest fans of formal settings and complex dishes. Unlike adults, children prefer to be served quickly. They like exciting food packed with flavours and they see food as fun. They need a safe environment, but it needs to be stimulating to keep them interested and avoid uncomfortable feelings when they get lively among other diners.

With a young family of his own, Clinton Jolly understands these difficulties well – but the manager of Brewers Fayre at Freebridge Farm just outside King’s Lynn has an answer that solves them all in one funfilled experience for all the family.

For catering to the needs of the entire family (children most of all) is at the very heart of Brewers Fayre. Just five minutes’ drive from the centre of King’s Lynn, it welcomes guests into a very homely and friendly atmosphere.

While adults are picking tables and reading the extensive menus, the children will make a beeline for the new ‘Play at Brewers Fayre’ adventure zone. With a delightful Dennis the Menace theme, the supervised play area is under the watchful eye of Michelle Pitt and her team; they’ll keep your children amused for hours. It’s got an amazing play treehouse, a new toddler’s zone for little ones, a new party room to host awesome birthday parties, and daily fun activities from Monday to Friday.

That’s more than enough to work up a healthy appetite, and since you’ll have a hard time enticing your children away from ‘Play at Brewers Fayre’ it’s good to know food can be served there as well as in the restaurant itself. When it comes to food, Brewers Fayre doesn’t pretend to do anything other than serve wholesome, nutritious and classic pub food to suit everyone’s tastes. And it’s something the restaurant does supremely well.

Perfect family food in the perfect family place...

Order from the menu and everything is freshly cooked to order, and with so much choice it’s difficult to single out individual dishes. However, the Beef and Doom Bar suet pudding is well worth trying, and the delicious three-cheese crustless quiche is a genuine treat for vegetarians.

In the evening, the comprehensive Chef’s Counter menu lets you enjoy a different feast every day of the week from 5-8pm; curries on Monday and Thursday, chip shop night on Tuesday and Friday, burgers and hotdogs on Wednesday, peri peri on Saturday and a fabulous family carvery from 12noon-6pm on Sunday.

And don’t miss the fabulous Brewers Fayre breakfast every morning – especially as children eat for free!

And as for those younger family members, they have their very own menu complete with starters (they’ll love the jokily-named Grrrrrlic Bread) and a range of childrenfriendly main courses such as the Bash Street Burger and Kid’s Kicking Chicken.

Brewers Fayre would never claim to offer fine dining, but ‘fine’ is a matter of opinion.

With warm and friendly surroundings, an attitude that puts families first, and a huge choice of great food, you and your family

Brewers Fayre, Clenchwarton Road, West Lynn, King’s Lynn PE34 3LW Telephone: 01553 772221 Website: www.brewersfayre.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

will discover that it’s very fine indeed.

Brewers Fayre at Freebridge Farm is open from 12noon-11pm Monday to Saturday and 12noon-10.30pm on Sunday. Breakfast is served from 6.30-10.30am during the week and from 7am-11am on weekends.

Garlic and Herb-breaded

Mushrooms

Smoky Paprika Chick with potatoes and chunky en coleslaw Raspberry and Prosecco Ch eesecake

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Tempura Asparagus with Aioli dip INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Per person) 4-5 stems of asparagus Flour 1/2-1 pint lager or beer Pinch of salt & pepper

For the Aioli dip 1 Put the mayonnaise, chopped garlic and chilli sauce into a bowl and mix until all combined - keep chilled until serving.

Aioli dip 2 big spoonfuls of mayonnaise Spoonful of chilli sauce Chopped garlic

2 Put a pan of oil on the hob and heat until hot enough to fry.

3 For the batter, put flour in a bowl and add the beer, salt and pepper and mix until you have a nice medium consistency - not too thick as the batter will be too heavy and dense.

5 Soak the asparagus in water then dip them into a bowl of flour, toss them about until they are all covered in flour and then dip into the batter.

6 Put the asparagus in the hot pan of oil for about 3-4 minutes until the batter has gone a golden brown colour.

Take them out and lay them on kitchen towel to drain any excess oil.

7 Present however you wish and serve with the Aioli dip.

4 Take your asparagus stems and trim the bottoms off so you take away the hardest bit.

Recipe by 66

James Bilton at Biltons Eating House KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Bilton’s TOT TENHILL

A

s if the name wasn’t a giveaway, there’s no danger of you failing to realise that Bilton’s is a family affair in every respect. You can’t miss this lovely pub, as it sits right on the A10 between King’s Lynn and Downham Market at Tottenhill, and you’ll be welcomed

by Leslie Bilton, who’ll serve you drinks and maintain a motherly attention to detail throughout your visit.

Her three children James, Joseph and Amy will almost certainly all be in the kitchen, playing their part in helping their father Jimmy create wonderful-looking food that tastes amazing. And while he admits to having no formal training as a chef, he more than makes up for the lack of culinary qualifications with a genuine flair and a great eye for carefully and creatively balanced flavours.

The family recently came to Norfolk from London, and they’ve brought a great deal of metropolitan flair with them. The refurbished pub contains a clever mix of decorative styles, stunning antiques and a well thought out arrangement of tables and cosy spaces in which to relax – and feast your eyes on the beautifully hand-scripted menu.

All the Biltons have big personalities, and they go to great lengths to make you feel part of the family.

It all makes for a really enjoyable dining experience, especially when Jimmy leaves the kitchen in the hands of his more-thancapable children and asks if you’re happy with the food he’s just cooked for you.

Proving that you don’t need qualifications for first-class service.

The food at Bilton’s is just as impressive.

To start, Jimmy’s sticky chicken wings are fantastic but the one to choose is the mixed beet salad, which is bursting with flavour thanks to the blue cheese, pickled walnuts (they’re lovely) and the lemon and honey dressing.

If it’s available, go for the venison

A taste of London style in the heart of Norfolk... medallions as a main course. The meat is perfectly well cooked and is offset by a marvellous redcurrant and port reduction – something any qualified chef would be proud of. Failing that, the pan-fried seabass is a great choice – if only to enjoy Jimmy’s delicious caper butter. It’s also well worth visiting Bilton’s on a Sunday, as the roast dinners are exceptional. It’s a real family treat – prepared, cooked and served by a family.

If anything, the desserts are even better.

It’s hard to pick a stand-out choice as both the banoffee pie and cheese board are amazing, but the sticky toffee pudding comes close; largely thanks to the dried fruit in the accompanying vanilla ice cream and the wonderful toffee sauce.

Bilton’s has the perfect recipe for a great dining experience; a great setting, a lovely atmosphere, and a close-knit family working together at something they have a true passion for – treating people to extremely good food.

Food is available at Bilton’s from 6-9pm Tuesday to Saturday (it’s open later for drinks) and Sunday lunch is served from 12noon-3pm. The pub is hugely popular, so it's highly advisable to book in advance.

Bilton’s Eating House, Lynn Road, Tottenhill, King’s Lynn PE33 0RL Telephone: 01553 812200 Website: www.biltons-eating-house.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Dry Scottish Scallops with green leaves, black pud ding and sweet chilli sauce Locally-sourced Venison with port and redcurrant red uction Raspberry Roulade

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KLmagazine June 2016

ABOVE: East Gate Larder’s Jane Steward in her kitchen, preparing to turn the medlars from her orchard into a true local delicacy

Turning a famously ugly fruit into a local delicacy If anything proves that beauty is more than skin deep it’s the humble medlar.

Sylvia Steele meets a local woman on a mission to repair the fruit’s reputation and bring it back to our tables...

W

hen the leaves are falling from the orchards is the perfect time to harvest medlars,” says the owner of Eastgate Larder having completed her first harvest of this unusual fruit in November.

Jane Steward, with husband David, bought their smallholding with its mixture of fruit trees when they moved to Eastgate five years ago. The single medlar tree they brought with them was soon joined by a further nine. Keen to use the annual harvest, Jane’s search for medlar recipes yielded little information, however.

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

One recipe, dating back to 1660 from Robert May’s The Accomplisht Cook recommends “take medlars that are rotten, strain them, and set them on a chaffing dish of coals, season with sugar, cinnamon and ginger, put some egg yolks to them, let them boil a little then lay in a tart and scrape with sugar.”

“They became my passion,” says Jane. A series of trial and error experiments directed Jane towards her own more conventional recipes; they were popular with friends and family, and Eastgate Larder was formed in 2016. Jane now produces Medlar Jelly and Fruit Cheese made exclusively with Norfolk-grown fruit under her Eastgate

Larder label designed by her daughter, Ellie Thompson, who owns Ave Design Studio. Jane has found that relatively few people know what medlars are, and describes her day spent offering tastings of her products and telling the story of medlars at last year’s Aylsham Show as awesome. She’s now a regular at Creake Abbey’s monthly farmers’ market, where the storytelling continues.

Medlars were first recorded about 3,000 years ago in the Caspian Sea region of northern Iran and Azerbaijan before their popularity spread to Greece and via the Roman Empire to the rest of Europe. They are still grown

69

commercially and popular in Iran because they’re one of the few fruit available in the winter – and through a number of Norfolk’s independent food shops and delicatessens they’re now becoming known again here.

Popular in the 15th/16th centuries medlars were often referred to in Shakespeare’s plays and in Chaucer’s Reeve’s Tale, ‘old age is compared to that of a medlar,’ whilst Lee Reich (gardener and writer) describes them as being ‘a fruit lost in the Middle Ages.’

Victim of many disparaging descriptions, medlars have been referred to as being one of the most disgusting-looking fruits, just an ugly and rotten brown mush, but to advocates of this once popular fruit, it’s probably the most misunderstood of all. Regarded as a curiosity and eaten only when the fruit is rotten it’s an acquired taste pronounced by connoisseurs as being delicious – something like very rich apple sauce with hints of wine – the simplest way to eat it is raw with accompaniments of wine or cheese or as a sauce with game.

Jane explains her first experience of eating the pulp as being a deeply unexpected taste.

“It’s flavoursome, sweet, autumnal and so good with cheeses because of its surprising buttery taste,” she says.

“Medlars were the sweet treat before the arrival of sugar and chocolate.”

It is however acknowledged that the fruit can be a challenge to use, for

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when harvested it’s white, rock hard inside, and not ready for eating. It must be bletted or ripened by storing calyx down in a cool dry frost-free place for several weeks. A wrinkly dark skin proves the bletting to be complete, and at this point the flesh has become fragrant and extremely soft. In some Mediterranean regions a straw is inserted into the fruit so the flesh can be sucked out.

It may be difficult to understand how these attractive trees can produce such unattractive fruit. Often given the accolade of having year-long beauty in spring, in contrast to other fruit trees the leaves unfold before the blossom – each blossom opening singly with white petals like a wild rose of which it is a relative. It then becomes framed by a backdrop of forest green leaves.

Medlar trees are self-fertile and are of small size; they can be grown on hawthorn, quince or wild pear rootstock and one tree can double as a fruit tree and ornamental plant spreading in habit; blessed with white or pink flowers and with unusual looking fruits clear yellow and red in autumn. Harvesting is usually in November, but at time of picking, the fruit is inedible due to its astringency.

Nigel Slater, in producing a medlar jelly, says that he “was taken by the romance and mystery of it – shot through with visions of walled mediaeval gardens and monastery kitchens.”

Quite a long way from her previous

work in London as a Corporate Leadership Coach and previously as a linguist, Jane explains how, since moving to Eastgate, she has become a committed grower of fruit and vegetables.

“Having survived a brush with cancer in 2015 I feel the experience profoundly strengthened my connection to this special place,” she says. “My passion for growing, harvesting and making are now essential to me.”

Jane has increased her orchard to 100 Nottingham medlar trees. She estimates her yield will increase in the next few years and 1,000kg of fruit a year should be achievable. She is cultivating a separate orchard of other medlar varieties such as Royal, Dutch Monstrous, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Flanders Giant.

Eastgate Larder will be returning to the Aylsham Show this year as well as the Royal Norfolk Show, Worstead Festival, the Norwich Food and Drink Festival and the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival – and a percentage of her sales at these events will be going to the herb garden regeneration project at Thornage Hall “I’d like to see my products go on the shelves of fine independent food shops nationwide,” she says. “My aim for 2017 is to continue the story of medlars and for Norfolk to be known as the Medlar County of Britain. I feel I’ve been waiting to do this all my life.”

For more information on Jane and her mission to restore the reputation of the medlar, please visit the website at www.eastgatelarder.co.uk

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Your local NEFF specialists for over 40 years

FO R PEO P LE T HAT LOV E TO CO O K . ..

At Bexwell Kitchens we’ve been NEFF specialists for 42 years, offering the very latest technologies

NEFF has to offer to all of our customers. As we’ve been credited as a NEFF MasterPartner® not only can our staff

offer a wealth of knowledge about their products but we can also provide exclusive NEFF promotions. In addition our

showroom features a selection of NEFF’s latest products, so you can come and see for yourself how they look and feel.

• A friendly family company • 54 years trading • 23 kitchen displays at our showroom in Downham Market • Full measuring and CAD design service • All kitchens supplied rigid • Full installation service available

Bexwell Kitchens

54 3-2017 196

Steamed Seabass Fillet with spring onions, ginger, honey, garlic & soy dressing

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 2) For the dressing 50ml dark soy sauce 10g chopped ginger 1 clove chopped garlic 1 tbsp honey

1 Heat up your steamer, score the skin on the seabass fillets and check for any bones. Slice the spring onions into 4cm pieces, divide up to 2 piles, then place spring onions on to the seabass skin side down and roll the seabass starting with the tail then finish with a cocktail stick to secure the roll.

Repeat with the second fillet then place on a plate in steamer with the green beans for 8-10 mins.

For the Seabass 2 seabass fillet 4 spring onions For the Coconut steamed rice 300g cooked rice 50ml coconut cream Chopped coriander Diced peppers Pinch of salt and pepper

Recipe by 72

3 Mix ingredients for the coconut rice together then warm for 3 mins until thick and stir until combined.

Get the plates ready to dish up.

4 Plate up the rice with the green beans and the steamed seabass and spring onions then drizzle the seabass with the ginger honey garlic and soy sauce dressing, and enjoy!

2 Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together into a blender then add to the pan at a low heat for 1 minute, mixing all the time until the sides start to bubble then take away from the heat leave to cool.

Ling (Head Chef ) e West End KLmagazine Special Food Edition

TheWest End WISBECH

I

t’s rather fitting that the term ‘West End’ usually conjures up thoughts of high quality entertainment and excitement, because this namesake gastro restaurant in Wisbech is packed with both. It’s been a hugely popular dining destination since 2012, earning a strong local reputation for serving the very best in international cuisine – and it’s now ready to take the next step.

Ling has been the West End’s chef since day one and she’s recently taken over the restaurant with Justin and the couple are looking forward to introducing new ideas and flavours to the multi-cuisine menus. For if there’s one thing they’re certainly not lacking in, it’s experience.

Ling’s culinary skills have seen her work in South Africa, Australia, Greece and Thailand, while Justin’s main claim to fame is having attended the second best catering school in the world. Together they bring a world of food knowledge to the West End, and it’s no surprise to hear them describe the restaurant’s offering as a fusion of British, Italian and French influences.

Given this ‘united nations’ approach to its food, the West End’s themed International Cuisine Nights are well worth keeping an eye out for; held on the last Tuesday of every month, they’re a fabulous way of discovering the delights of cuisine from countries such as Spain, India, Thailand and Greece.

Happily, the West End looks a bit closer to home for its ingredients. The fish is sourced from Coles in King’s Lynn, the red meat comes from Wards in Ruskington, and the chicken arrives courtesy of Stiltons in Peterborough. Blending all this local produce with plenty of international inspiration results in a fabulous collection of exciting tastes.

Order the beef carpaccio to start and you’ll be in good company. It’s Ling’s personal favourite, and it’s a beautifully

A world of different tastes in a multi-cuisine restaurant assembled dish – even more welcome considering the ‘nearest’ Italian restaurant is very far away.

The poached chicken roulade is a beautiful main course, but you really should try the Asian infused sea bass – it’s served with coconut and coriander rice and accompanied by a fantastic soy, ginger and garlic sauce. There’s a good reason it’s one of the most popular dishes on the menu!

Ling’s favourite drink is Baileys, so it’s hardly surprising her most outstanding dessert is the Baileys-based panna cotta.

The combination of chocolate, coffee and the cream-based liqueur works brilliantly – and it’s good enough to have you thinking of a second helping.

The West End is a relatively young restaurant but it already has a large and loyal following, so booking ahead is highly recommended – especially at weekends.

Do so and you can look forward to a friendly and inviting atmosphere, a unique approach to food, and a whole new world of exciting tastes and flavours.

The West End is open from 6-9.30pm Wednesday to Saturday and serves a carvery (only) on Sunday from 12noon-3pm.

e West End Restaurant, 80 Leverington Road, Wisbech PE13 1PJ Telephone: 01945 587745 Website: www.westendrestaurantwisbech.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Beef Carpaccio Asian Infused Sea Bass Baileys Panna Cotta

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Vegetable Wellington with roasted new potatoes & a basil buerre blanc

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves one) Two 8’ puff pastry disks 1 cooked beetroot (sliced thick) 1 red pepper 1 large flat mushroom 150g brie 500g spinach 1 egg (beaten) 2 bay leaves ½ white onion (chopped) 150ml white wine vinegar 50g butter 150ml double cream 6 Fresh chopped basil leaves

1 Peel and stalk mushroom, chop pepper into four clearing out the seeds and roast both for 15 minutes at 160°c.

2 Wilt the spinach with a knob of butter, salt and pepper in a pan on a low heat.

3 Place the peeled mushroom gills up in the centre of the puff pastry disc, place beetroot slices and two pieces of red pepper on top followed by the brie then cover with wilted spinach.

4 Lattice cut the second pastry disc, egg wash around mushroom and place second disc over the top, use a bowl to cut off excess pastry.

Recipe by 74

5 Place on non stick baking tray, baste with egg wash and cook for 25 minutes at 180°c until golden.

For the Buerre Blanc 6 Add onion, bay leaves & vinegar to a small pan and reduce over moderate heat. Once vinegar has almost reduced to nothing, add cream and reduce by half. Take off the heat and slowly stir in the butter until it’s all melted. Strain to remove chunks and stir in basil.

Served with potatoes of your choice

Antony Kirkby (Head Chef ) e Wellington KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Wellington F E LT W E L L

T

he Wellington began life in its present form when it was refurbished and reopened in March 2014 by Chris Grandison and Chris Samuels. The premises has a long history, with the core of the building dating back to 1730, although its name has more recent origins, paying tribute to the bombers that flew from the village during the Second World War. A fantastic selection of Wellington memorabilia (the plane, not the pub!) is proudly displayed on the walls, highlighting the area’s connection with the war.

It’s been many things in its time, including an off-licence, a Mexican restaurant and Barley Porter’s Village Stores – and today The Wellington is a totally charming privately-owned pub which prides itself on a homely, village atmosphere, competitive beer prices and affordable pub cuisine. It’s also a favourite spot for local drinkers – the pub holds a Beer Festival in May, a Cider Festival in August, and even has its own beers brewed exclusively by the Two Rivers Brewery in Denver.

The Wellington’s lovely beer garden was opened recently, and the newly renovated and extended restaurant sits at the back of the pub, a comfortable distance from what can be a pleasantly lively bar area.

The decor throughout maintains the traditional English pub characteristics; but away from the roaring fire and cosy surroundings, the new-look restaurant is light and bright. The menu is truly vast; a fantastic selection of food with everything from inventive a la carte dishes to steaks, gourmet burgers and pub classics – and there’s even an extensive and well planned menu for children.

You can’t eat at The Wellington without trying the deep-fried brie, tomato and basil

Great value food in a comfortable pub atmosphere lollipops, they’re light, moorish and a playful way to start a meal. You’ll be genuinely impressed with the delicious garlic and herb chicken skewers too, which comes with a brilliant homemade lemon and coriander dip.

The pub does take its food seriously, and Head Chef Antony Kirkby will have you seriously revising your definition of ‘pub grub’. Even dedicated meat-eaters should think about ordering his Vegetable Wellington; it’s a mouthwatering combination of mushrooms, beetroot, brie, pepper and spinach all wrapped in puff pastry.

Another dish to look out for is the pan-fried sea bass on a bed of shredded mangetout with parsley cream and brown shrimp - a lovely summery dish with a beautiful balance of flavours.

Chris and Chris are extremely charming hosts, and they effortlessly make visitors feel like one of the regulars. The Wellington is the perfect place for the whole family seeking hearty, honest pub food, and a great selection of real ales from some 20 local breweries.

The Wellington is open from 12noon

e Wellington, 27-29 High Street, Feltwell, Norfolk IP26 4AF Telephone: 01842 828224 Website: www.feltwellington.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

every day and food is served Tuesday-Friday 12noon-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm, Saturday 12noon-9pm and Sunday 12noon-4pm.

Brie and Basil Lollipops Pan-fried Sea bass Syrup Sponge Pudding

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INGREDIENTS Dressing 1 tsp capers 30ml/1fl oz red wine vinegar 1 skinned chopped tomato 150ml/5fl oz olive oil 1 lemon, juice only salt & freshly ground black pepper Salad 100g/3½oz sliced red onion 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach 100g/3½oz new potatoes, cooked 12 cherry tomatoes, halved 2 fresh tuna steaks (about 200g each) 1 tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 1 tsp fresh basil leaves

Recipe by 76

Tuna Niçoise METHOD 1 For the dressing, whisk together the capers, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2 For the salad, put the dressing in a frying pan and warm over a low heat.

Add the onion, spinach, potatoes and tomatoes and toss them in the warm dressing. Remove from the heat.

3 Brush the tuna steaks with the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Cook the tuna steaks on the griddle for about 30 seconds on each side.

4 To serve, put the tuna steaks on top of the dressed vegetables and top with chopped egg and basil.

Harry Wolstanholme (General Manager) e Berney Arms KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Berney Arms B A RTO N B E N D I S H

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n London's National Portrait Gallery is one of Hans Holbein's most famous works, a wonderful portrait from the early 1500s of a lady with a squirrel and a starling.

The lady in question was Anne Lovell, and she was part of a family that dominated much of the history of Barton Bendish. Their home was the manor of Barton Hall, which remained in the family until the dawn of the 21st century - and is today the popular Inn and restaurant known as The Berney Arms.

Harry Wolstanholme is at the helm now, and he’s taking The Berney Arms into the future whilst carefully maintaining its traditions and importance to the local community.

While it’s ideal for quieter, more intimate occasions, The Berney Arms is absolutely perfect for families; there’s plenty of space in the glorious beer garden, and the safe and secure gardens feature a unique Church Play Tower that youngsters can’t leave alone. It’s based on the village church and adults are always impressed with it too!

It’s also a lovely place to stay. The Berney Arms’ warmly welcoming rooms are converted from an old stable block and the luxurious suite was originally the village’s blacksmith’s forge – and they’re all packed with rustic charm.

When it comes to food, The Berney Arms already has a proud tradition and an awardwinning reputation for quality food. The kitchen is headed by talented chef Nigel Kitching, and he’s extremely versatile; creating a range of dishes for everything from breakfast to lunch, from afternoon teas to children’s meals, and from pub classics to a la carte choices.

Chef knows best, of course, so you should take up his recommended Taste of the Ocean starter – it’s a beautifully presented seafood platter, and while the huge rock oyster steals the show, the pickled cucumber, capers and lemon mayonnaise are wonderful complements to the salmon, crab, prawns, anchovies and crayfish.

For mains, the slow roast belly pork is

A country village pub with lovely food and luxury rooms amazing (if only to sample Nigel’s extraordinary prosecco sorbet) but don’t overlook the ‘Traditional Fayre’ menu. It’s not where all the pies and chips come to rest but a selection of ostensibly ‘simple’ dishes given an expert touch. For example, the Tuna Niçoise salad may be a very traditional meal, but at The Berney Arms it’s a long way from simple; packed with refreshing tastes and featuring a superbly well-cooked tuna.

Admittedly, Nigel’s desserts certainly fall into the traditional category. The crème brulee (with its wonderful rhubarb coulis) and lemon tart are the best, but what makes them so special is that they’re not Nigel’s at all – they’re actually made by Angie Thompson, a local lady who lives across the road.

It’s a community spirit that’s been central to the village for hundred of years, and it’s one that The Berney Arms is successfully maintaining to this day. It may be perfect for families, but if there’s only two of you it’s just as enjoyable – and the food is excellent.

Food is available at The Berney Arms from 8.30am-11am (breakfast) Monday to Saturday, from 12noon-2.30pm (lunch) and from 6-9pm (to 9.30pm Friday and Saturday) for dinner. Sunday roasts and a set menu is available from 12noon-8pm on Sunday.

e Berney Arms, Church Road, Barton Bendish PE33 9GF Telephone: 01366 347995 Website: www.theberneyarms.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Asparagus wrapped in pa ham with blue cheese and rma white wine sauce Roast pork belly with dauphinoise potatoes, roast apple, ice cream port and ap ple and brandy glaze Sticky toffee pudding with cream and butterscotch sauice ce 77

Spinach Gnocchi

with tomato and basil dressing and crispy polenta tomatoes INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1kg floury potatoes 125g bag of baby spinach 300g plain flour Seasoning 150ml olive oil 4 shallots finely chopped 1 garlic clove crushed 6 large vine tomatoes skinned, seeded and chopped Juice ½ a lemon 1 bunch of basil chopped Mixed cherry sized heritage tomatoes 25g of polenta

1 Pre heat the oven to 200°c.

Recipe by 78

2 Prick the potatoes all over and bake in the oven for 2 hours until soft. Allow to cool and then scoop all the flesh out of the skins.

3 Wilt the spinach down in a pan and allow to cool, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can and chop finely.

4 Mix the flour and spinach into the potato and season well. You should be able to shape the gnocchi mix – if it is too wet add some more flour. Mould the gnocchi into small 2.5 cm balls and place onto a floured tray until needed.

5 To make the dressing, warm the olive oil with the chopped shallots and garlic and cook over a gentle heat for about 15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and

cook for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice.

Keep the dressing warm.

6 Meanwhile place the heritage tomatoes on a tray and drizzle some olive oil over, sprinkle on the polenta and season, roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

7 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and gently place the gnocchi in the water and cook for about 4 minutes – the gnocchi is cooked when it rises to the surface. Drain and place into 4 bowls, add the chopped basil to the dressing and spoon over the gnocchi. Sprinkle the roasted tomatoes on the top and garnish with more basil.

Jules Hetherton (Head Chef ) Strattons KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Strattons S WA F F H A M

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n a secluded spot behind the market place in the heart of Swaffham you’ll find a grand Palladian-style villa that dates back to around 1797 – in front of which stands a lifesized stag made out of recycled agricultural iron. It’s a fittingly jaw-dropping welcome to Strattons, a stunning boutique hotel packed with local history and overflowing with contemporary art.

It’s the creation of Vanessa and Les Scott, who (it comes as no surprise to learn) met at art school, and have worked tirelessly to give Norfolk a hotel to be proud of, with firstclass levels of service, unique style and a sound environmental ethos.

Strattons has won a veritable cabinetful of awards over the years (displayed close to the reception desk) at a local and national level, and at the International Hotel Awards recently it was judged Best Small Hotel in the UK. Vanessa and Les have an enduring love of Norfolk, a passion that extends to their approach to food; both have become highprofile champions of local produce and have done much to successfully promote it.

Which means the hotel’s award-winning restaurant is a celebration of local food producers (including the hotel’s very own hens and the orchard’s fruit trees!) that they truly make the most of!

Head Chef Julia Heverton oversees a restaurant set in the hotel’s semi-basement that’s popularly known as ‘The Rustic’ although ‘The Eclectic’ might be more accurate; it’s elegant and quirky, modern and traditional, laid-back and sophisticated – and all at the same time.

You’ll find the menu caters for every dietary need and the staff are brilliant at recommending suitable dishes for any allergies or intolerances or according to personal likes and dislikes.

In keeping with the local and seasonal emphasis, the menu does change regularly, but the pan-fried mackerel starter is worth looking out for; it’s subtly spiced with chilli and paprika and is served with a lovely chermoula dressing and anchovy crumb.

Although the vegetarian dishes are

Amazing food in the UK’s Best Small Hotel... exceptional and thoughtfully put together, the restaurant really does work wonders with locally-reared meat.

If available, choose the slow-cooked brisket of beef or the pork belly, which are both fantastic; the former also featuring a superb Binham Blue rarebit.

The restaurant’s desserts are genuine showstoppers and are good enough to be award-winners in their own right.

They change regularly too, but if you’re lucky you can treat yourself to the warm prune and almond tart, served with a rich Cognac ice cream. You should certainly order the petit fours; a sensational collection of sweet treats including a creamy rum and raisin fudge as well as a stunning sea salt caramel chocolate. Faultless ways to end a truly memorable meal.

It’s easy to understand why Strattons is so well respected and so widely celebrated. It’s a fabulous place with a brilliant atmosphere and a creditable attitude to local food.

Strattons’ restaurant is open daily from 6.30pm. Afternoon tea is available from 12noon-4.30pm (booking's essential), Sunday lunch is served from 12noon2.30pm, and a brunch club meets on Bank Holiday Mondays from 12noon-2.30pm.

Strattons, 4 Ash Close, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7NH Telephone: 01760 723845 Website: www.strattonshotel.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Twice-baked Smoked Haddo with horseradish cream, rocck Soufflé ket and alpine Pork and Rabbit Pithivier with parsnip pureé, crispy and mustard crème fraîche kale sauce Sugared Doughnuts with strawberry jam, sea salt pra ice cream and peanut brittle line

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Fillet Steak

Artichoke & leek gratin, buttered spinach, sauté mushrooms, Madeira jus INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1 short fillet of beef (tail end removed, rolled tight in cling film) 200g spinach (washed & picked) 20g butter 200g wild mushrooms salt and pepper 200g Jerusalem artichoke (peeled and sliced) 100g leek, finely sliced 25g butter 190ml double cream 40g fresh parmesan (grated) 4 chives (finely chopped) salt and pepper 85ml beef stock (reduced) 20ml Madeira

1 To make the artichoke gratin, fry the leeks in the butter until soft. Place the artichokes in the small saucepan with the cream and bring to a gentle simmer and cook until tender but still keeping their shape. Drain the artichokes and put the liquid back onto the stove to reduce. Add the artichokes back into pan and season.

4 While the beef rests, sauté the spinach in the butter until wilted and tender. Season and set aside. Sauté the mushrooms with a small knob of butter until soft and season.

2 Divide the mixture between four small heatproof pots or ramekins and top with Parmesan and chives and when ready place under the grill and cook until golden.

5 Place the spinach onto a warm plate and top with a piece of the beef. Place sauté mushrooms around the beef, a warm through the beef jus and add the Madeira, then spoon over and serve.

Recipe by 80

oven-proof pan, then place in the oven until cooked to your liking (8 -10 mins will give medium rare). Allow to rest and cut into 4 portions.

3 Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas mark 8. Season and seal the beef in a hot,

David Edgar - King’s Arms Coaching Inn & Copper Horse KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The King’s Arms S WA F F H A M

T

he King’s Arms Coaching Inn is a beautiful Grade II listed building in Swaffham and has been lovingly restored to its former glory in the last few years by Claire Evans and Graeme Taylor.

The head chef has been given generous freedom with his dishes to complement the unique setting Claire and Graeme have created, and serves a carefully constructed menu compiled of seasonal and local produce (wherever possible) to stimulate all the senses. This is food that looks good, smells great and tastes delicious. And it’s a combination that saw this delightful pub win the award for Best New Food or Drink Venue at the 2015 Norfolk Hero Food & Drink Awards.

The King’s Arms offers a menu of gastro pub dishes and pub classics. The pub is very relaxed with a friendly atmosphere. The Copper Horse is the adjacent cocktail bar through the courtyard, opening on evenings at the weekend. Other features include an open kitchen where you can watch the chef cook your meal, adding a theatrical touch to the experience.

The space can cater for larger parties as the tables have been handcrafted to cleverly fit together for groups – and the cocktail bar is equally versatile.

A lot of thought has gone into The King’s Arms drinks offering. There are house cocktails, an incredible selection of gins (including one that changes colour) and a fabulous wine list created by local wine supplier Peter Graham.

The style of the décor throughout is creative and arty, Claire taking her experience of fashion and interior design to produce an eclectic gastro mix; doing a fine job of preserving the building’s history but giving it a distinct, quirky twist.

The same could be said of the food. Keep an eye out for tapas and gourmet burger

Enjoy seeing your food being prepared in the open kitchen evenings – and even Fish & Fizz Fridays, a lively and enjoyable combination of fishbased dishes and Prosecco to end the week.

The menu comprises around five starters and nine mains. Pick of the starters is the ham hock terrine (it’s certainly Claire’s favourite) which features a wonderfully sharp apple purée. Don’t miss the smoked mackerel either. Lovers of hearty main courses should make a beeline for the lamb steak, which is almost too good to be true, working well with new potatoes and being served with broccoli stalks covered with minted gravy. Desserts are good-looking and very well put together, and for a refreshing end to the meal you can’t fault the delicious vanilla Panna cotta accompanied by locally-sourced berries.

The King’s Arms is certainly a pub, but its approach to food raises it several levels above the usual standards of ‘pub food’ – it really is quite exceptional.

Food at the King's Arms is available from 12noon-2.30pm and 6-9pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 12noon-9pm Saturday and 12noon-3pm Sunday. The cocktail bar is open 6pm-11pm Friday and Saturday.

Warm salad of baked goa with spinach, pine nuts, sunt’s cheese -bl tomatoes and pesto dressingushed Cod loin, butterbean and chorizo stew, and greens

e King’s Arms, 21 Market Street, Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7LA Telephone: 01760 723244 Website: www.kingsarmscoachinginn.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Chocolate brownie with pop ped and salt caramel ice cream corn

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KLmagazine June 2016

ABOVE: There’s nothing quite like some locally-produced homemade chutney to spice up the summer. “I was told to never buy anything that will give you nothing in return,” says former chef Candi Robertson (below), whose business is now in its fourth successful year.

Enjoying the spicy side of life at Chutney Barn...

Starting with £50 worth of jars and some produce from her own allotment, former chef Candi Robertson is now recognised as one of Norfolk’s finest chutney producers, as Clare Bee discovers

A

fter only five years in the business of food production, Candi Robertson is already enjoying tributes and accolades from the community of local fine food producers. Hailed as one of Norfolk’s finest chutney producers, Candi has picked up a raft of awards for the eponymous company she started in 2012 – but how did Candi’s Chutney begin and where did the idea of producing premium chutney originate in the first place?

Seated in the two-room unit she calls Chutney Barn, surrounded by farmland on the outskirts of Holt, Candi Robertson talks passionately about her KLmagazine Special Food Edition

love of cooking and the product that’s proved to be such a success.

Candi was a chef for 25 years in all aspects of hospitality, but decided she wanted to do something different for herself and her family.

“Whilst working in a gastro pub I began inventing my own chutney,” she says. “I’ve always made chutney with my mum and grandmother, so I thought I’d go for it.”

It meant starting from scratch with just £50.

“My first market was at Blakeney, and it was a bit overwhelming at first,” she remembers. “But I found that people actually liked my product. That was the start of me taking my chutneys to

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market. The same year, customer reaction to tastings at the North Norfolk Food Festival at Holkham Hall confirmed our belief in our product.”

Candi explains that the company is very much a family affair – with her husband helping out with food preparation and at the markets, her eldest IT-savvy son assisting with the publicity, and her youngest son taking the role of official sales manager.

“He’s the only one who receives tips!” she says.

When asked what makes her chutney so special, (as the Great Taste Awards for three years have borne out) she’s quick to answer.

“We only use regional produce as fresh as it’s possible to get,” she says.

“All our chutney is seasonal. We don’t use any preservatives, just vinegar and sugar. In fact, the only non-regional ingredients are the whole spices such as star anise and turmeric.”

She talks enthusiastically about her preparation. Her process is open-pan cooking, with up to eight pans on the go at once, and although it sounds time-consuming for a single cook to handle, Candi clearly enjoys the challenge.

She admits the hardest thing to tackle has been learning how to market and run her own business.

“All the knowledge I’ve gained has

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been from other producers at farmers’ markets,” she says. “Everyone’s so helpful, and the camaraderie is amazing.”

But professional help was soon on the way when she won the Kettle Chips Mentoring Award at the North Norfolk Food Festival at Holkham in 2015.

“The prize of £1000 was used to update my premises,” she says, “and I’ve received ongoing assistance in managing the business and moving it forward.”

She’s now a very successful businesswoman, but Candi never forgets the struggle of others less fortunate. In 2016, she supported Nelson’s Journey, a charity supporting children struggling with the aftermath of losing a loved one, and this year her chosen charity is Marie Curie, which cares for those who need care and support through terminal illness.

Ask if she has a favourite chutney among these piquant aromas and her answer is spontaneous.

“My 2014 award-winning Norfolk Crier Onion Marmalade is very traditional and a personal favourite because it was named in honour of my husband, “ she says. “He’s the original Norfolk Crier because he peels all the onions!”

Candi is excited to be involved in

‘Proudly Norfolk Food & Drink’ labelling scheme as an initiative, and she sees this as an excellent way of promoting her chutney.

“I strongly believe that as a community of great producers we should all be proud of what we produce,” she says. “This will be a sign that the consumer can trust the product.”

Candi’s Chutney is now a multiaward winning small business, and it’s built on the wealth of local produce.

“Our local grower is producing celeriac all year so it looks like our ever popular Norfolk Knobbly (a celeriac and onion mustard chutney) will become more available,“ she says.

Candi has also increased her store cupboard range of chutney from the original four to an amazingly tasty eight, focussing on the regional, seasonal, original.

These flavours include Norfolk Knobbly, Beetroot and Juniper, Hot Pow Wow and The Non Mango Mango.

They are also available in larger ‘chuckets’ (chutney in a bucket) – these are 2.5 litre containers, and are very much for the obsessive!

Candi sums up her pride in her business.

“I’m doing this mainly because I love doing it, but also because I believe Norfolk has so much to offer and we need to shout about it,” she says. “It’s got just about everything you want.”

Candi’s Chutney is available at various local stockists, including Bakers and Larners in Holt, Jarrolds in Norwich, Creake Abbey Cafe in North Creake and the Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton.

For more details and information about Candi and her delicious chutneys, please visit the website at www.candischutney.vpweb.co.uk

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Searching for your dream kitchen?

Come see our specialists to discuss your next kitchen project

MKM KING’S LYNN

NORTH LYNN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, KING’S LYNN PE30 2ND 01553 817 830 | mkmbs.co.uk

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23(1 0RQ )UL 6DW QRRQ

Pan fried fillet of Sea Trout

with black tiger prawns, crispy polenta, rainbow chard & dill emulsion INGREDIENTS (Serves 2) 10g butter 1 lemon 2 190g sea trout 100g rainbow chard 4 whole black tiger prawns

10g vegetable bouillon seasoning to taste For the dill emulsion 1/2 pint vegetable oil 1 bunch dill splash of lemon juice pinch of sugar pinch of salt 75ml white wine vinegar 50g egg yolks

For the polenta 100g polenta 20g parmesan, grated 20g unsalted butter 190g water

METHOD For the polenta 1 Boil the water with the vegetable bouillon, add the polenta and stir until cooked out (about 5 minutes).

together and then pass them through muslin.

6 Heat up the vinegar in a pan and add the egg yolks when hot. Keep whisking until the mix begins to ribbon.

2 Add the grated parmesan and mix well.

3 Add the butter and stir until cooked.

4 Place on a greased tray and leave in fridge until set.

Sea trout, prawns & chard 8 Sauté the chard, and cook the trout and prawns in the butter and lemon, serve.

For the dill emulsion 5 First, make a dill oil by blitzing all the ingredients

Recipe by 86

7 Take off the heat and gently add the dill oil, whisking constantly until all the oil is emulsified.

Dale Smith (Head Chef ) e Dabbling Duck KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Dabbling Duck G R E AT M A S S I N G H A M

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t’s fair to say The Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham is a true triumph of local spirit. When plans were announced to turn the much-loved village pub into housing ten years ago, in stepped two local farmers with the experienced Mark Dobby and his wife Sally – and together they’ve helped elevate The Dabbling Duck to another level.

It’s just as well they did, for Great Massingham is one of Norfolk’s most picturesque villages, and The Dabbling Duck sits in one of its most attractive spots. Turn your back on the pub (if only for a moment!) and in front of you is an expansive village green, complete with a quaint wishing well.

To your left is the beautiful church of St Mary and to your right is one of the village’s many large duck ponds. It’s a truly idyllic setting, and it comes as no surprise to learn the pub has welcomed several well-known (and even Royal) guests over the years.

The Dabbling Duck's local origins are just as strong today; whenever possible the produce used in the kitchens is sourced from the owners’ own land, and while the quirky rustic touches and comfortable styling is everything you’d expect from a traditional village pub (some of the prints on the wall are by Mark’s professional photographer wife Sally), the talents of Dale Smith and his kitchen team have added a whole new dimension to the all day, every day food.

“This is still very much a pub at heart,” says Mark, “but it’s one for people who are really into their food as well.”

A perfect example of the way The Dabbling Duck balances the traditional with the contemporary is Dale’s exquisite interpretation of a Ploughman’s Lunch, which includes a rich duck parfait, a visually charming spiced apple pie, and Wells Alpine cheese. Dale likes nothing better than experimenting with local ingredients and new ways of using them, so do check the specials board – although his recently

Fantastic food with a wonderful creative touch... created sage and chestnut gnudi is amazing.

The Dabbling Duck is justifiably proud of its locally-sourced game offering.

Accompanied by pearl barley and a refreshing vanilla-pickled cherry gel, the duck breast is an inspired dish. Just hope that it’s in season.

Dale’s desserts are full of fun. His deconstructed Malt Teaser with Tia Maria crisp and malt hot chocoloate (which you can pour over the dome and watch it melt) is superbly theatrical. Make sure to try the baked white chocolate brûlée with camomile pear and a camomile sorbet, it’s a clever, modern take on such a classic and a refreshing taste experience!

The story of The Dabbling Duck has been a genuine labour of love, and that love absolutely shines through the food it serves.

Responsibly sourced, expertly prepared, beautifully presented – and a real pleasure to eat.

Food is available at The Dabbling Duck from 12noon every day. You can enjoy an afternoon tea at any time, and try to visit on a Friday or Saturday evening for a takeaway pizza cooked in the pub’s own wood-fired oven - or stay and enjoy them on the patio during the summer!

e Dabbling Duck, 11 Abbey Road, Great Massingham PE32 2HN Telephone: 01485 520827 Website: www.thedabblingduck.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Massingham Fried Pigeon Sage and Chestnut Ricotta

Gnudi

Malt Teaser chocolate dome with malt par

fait

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e Crown Inn’s Superfood Salad INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 1) 25g olive oil 25g merlot vinegar 120g tricolour quinoa 40g tenderstem broccoli 80g pomegranate 130g puy lentils 10g toaster pinenuts 20g tenderstem broccoli stalk (thinly sliced) ½ ripe avocado (sliced) 2g maldon sea salt 1/6 fresh cut cress

1. Firstly put the broccoli in a steamer basket or colander over a pan of simmering water. Season, then cover.

Steam for 7-8min until just tender.

Recipe by 88

3. Toss the rest of the ingredients together with the quinoa and the broccoli, scatter with fresh watercress over the top of the salad and serve.

2. Next, rinse the quinoa gently under cold water to remove the bitter flavour, then tip into pan with double the amount of salted water, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Reduce to a simmer for approx 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

Paula McEwen & Chris Brown (Head Chef ) e Crown Inn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Crown Inn EAST RUDHAM

D

rive through the village of East Rudham between King’s Lynn and Fakenham and you can’t miss The Crown Inn, as the contemporary pub and restaurant sits on the edge of the village green beside the road.

But you really shouldn’t drive through; what you should do is pull into the drive and treat yourself.

Walk into The Crown Inn and you’re welcomed by a tastefully-decorated bar area with exposed brick and wood beams; and although the old grandfather clock by the fire no longer works, time hasn’t stood still here. The beautifully laid out wooden tables with fresh white napkins and comfortably cushioned chairs add a distinctly modern feel to the place.

The daily-changing specials are scribbled on slate chalk boards hanging on the walls, and the menu is as extensive as the drink offering – with a wide range of locally brewed beers on tap from Wherry (Woodfordes) to Broadside (Adnams) and a selection of over 40 wines. All food is prepared using fresh ingredients sourced locally from farmers, fishermen and independent traders – and it’s good to see such a carefully planned-out menu for children.

It’s also good to see The Crown Inn taking time to make the most of all that local produce and adding a personal touch to the menu. The Crown Superfood Salad, for example, is a masterful assembly of finelysliced (uncooked) broccoli stems and half an avocado brought to life with pomegranate, roasted pinenuts, kernels, quinoa and lentils.

It’s a marvellous starter, and it’s the brainchild of owner Paula McEwen and Head Chef Chris Brown. It’s a signature dish

Great food and a lovely setting in the heart of East Rudham anyone would be proud to put their name to. Similarly, the Pheasant Kiev is a great idea, taking a classic recipe and giving it a locally-sourced twist; the local pheasant is excellent, by the way.

Even less adventurous dishes will take you by surprise; try the pork schnitzel, which is accompanied by a fantastic cheese risotto and steamed broccoli spears that add plenty of excitement. The desserts taste even better than they look (and they look wonderful), especially the orange and cinnamon treacle tart. If it’s not on the menu, it’s so good it might be worth asking for.

You’ll find the atmosphere at The Crown Inn very warm and relaxed; it’s perfect for private parties, and even has rooms available for people wishing to enjoy its many pleasures for longer. It’s also a dog-friendly pub, and a great example of how to serve exceptional food in a great setting.

And if you do fancy something slightly less formal, visit at the start of the week for a curry (fit for a Royal it’s claimed!) on Monday evenings or Pizza & Prosecco on Tuesday nights.

Food is available from 12noon-2:30pm and 6pm-9pm Monday to Saturday and from 12noon-8pm Sunday.

e Crown Inn, e Green, East Rudham, Norfolk PE31 8RD Telephone: 01485 528530 Website: www.crowninnnorfolk.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Crown Superfood Salad Houghton Hall Venison Dark Chocolate Mousse

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INGREDIENTS (Serves 8-10 people) For the Fool 2kg seasonal rhubarb 250g caster sugar 150ml grenadine syrup 400ml white wine For the Rhubarb Lemonade 1 lemon 150ml grenadine 500ml rhubarb juice (from cooking of fool) 300ml carbonated water For the Ginger Biscuits 75g unsalted butter 75g soft brown sugar 75g clear honey 50g golden syrup 1 tsp bicarbonate soda 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 50g finely chopped stem ginger For the Ginger Chantilly Cream 250ml double cream 1⁄2 tea spoon ground ginger 5g finely chopped stem ginger 50g caster sugar

Recipe by 90

Elements of Rhubarb METHOD For the Fool 1 Firstly top and tail the rhubarb then cut into even cubes roughly 2cm in size. Place a large saucepan onto a medium heat add the white wine, grenadine and caster sugar bring to a simmer then add the rhubarb and cook down until al dente.

For the Ginger Biscuits 5 Add butter, sugar, honey and golden syrup to a medium sized saucepan place over a low heat and stir until all ingredients have melted. Sift all dry ingredients into the pan stir until evenly mixed then pour onto parchment paper and cool.

2 Place a colander inside a bowl and pour the rhubarb mix into the colander.

Drain well then chill down on a tray.

6 Roll balls to 6g, place on baking and gently flatten. Set your oven to 180°c and bake until golden brown.

3 Once at fridge temperature decant into glasses or ramekins leaving room for ginger chantilly cream.

For the Ginger Chantilly Cream 7 Add cream and sugar to a medium mixing bowl, whisk until stiff peak then fold in ground and stem ginger. Decant into piping bag then pipe onto the fool before serving.

For the Rhubarb Lemonade 4 Pass the liquor that is in the bowl from the cooking of the rhubarb through a fine sieve then into a measuring jug add the grenadine, juice of 1 lemon and carbonated water and decant into a sealable bottle for serving later.

Liam Sandish (Head Chef ) e King’s Head Hotel KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The King’s Head Country Hotel G R E AT B I R C H A M

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ituated close to the Sandringham Estate, The King’s Head Country Hotel in Great Bircham first opened as a public house back in 1860, was listed as a Grade ll building in 1985, and more recently was acquired by the Bowman family – and in the hands of Paul and Nicki Bowman and Sandra and Keith Dennis, it’s being very carefully and sympathetically refurbished. The lovely outside dining spaces have been transformed, the 12 comfortable and contemporary rooms have never looked better, and the restaurant’s enjoyed a very refreshing makeover.

The King’s Head has a very warm atmosphere; visit it on the first Wednesday of the month for a popular and friendly quiz night, or treat yourself to a roast dinner (with singers!) on Sunday – and check the website for details of special themed evenings. You’ll always be welcome and you’ll be in very good company.

It’s clear everyone’s determined to make customer service their priority, and Head Chef Liam Sandish uses his considerable experience to offer a menu brimming with great ideas and memorable tastes.

His kitchen aims to use as much local produce as possible, and it’s worth seeing how well Liam and his team use it.

Order the pan-fried Heacham Duck Egg to start, for example. It’s a simple local ingredient that Liam cleverly combines with sweetcorn, chorizo and crackling truffle to create a very satisfying starter. Don’t miss the pan-seared diver-caught scallops either, as the way they work with cauliflower puree, pancetta and black pudding is a real treat.

Main courses are just as inventive – and just as successful. A stand-out dish is the crispy belly of Blythburgh Pork, from some of the only 3% genuinely free-range pigs in

Exceptionally good food in a Grade II listed building Britain. The pork is wonderful enough, but with Liam’s fondant potato, savoy cabbage bon bons and superb cauliflower emulsion with a calvados jus, it’s an exquisite meal.

Lovers of fish should definitely try the baked pave of line-caught halibut, which Liam treats to coriander butter, pak choi, grapefruit and breakfast radish for a true gem of a dish.

At the end of your meal, don’t even think about skipping the dessert menu, as it’s a genuine showstopper; full of delightful (and beautiful-looking) ideas. The Cassis Parfait with orange blossom panna cotta and poached blackberries is inspired, but you can’t go wrong with Liam’s personal favourite; the dark chocolate mousse, which is accompanied by a chocolate brownie, chocolate parfait, marshmallows and a handful of delicious griotte cherries. It’s an incredible way to finish.

This food is of an extremely high quality, and what makes it even more enjoyable is the exceptionally friendly and warm atmosphere – which you’ll want to revisit.

Breakfast at The King’s Head Country Hotel is available from 7.30-10am Monday to Friday and 8-10am at weekends. Food is available from 12noon-2.30pm and 6-9pm.

e King’s Head Hotel, Great Bircham, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE31 6RJ Telephone: 01485 578265 Website: www.the-kings-head-bircham.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Mushroom Pâté with toasted focaccia, truffle d hazelnuts, pickled wild mushrooms & peppered roc ket Tastes of the Smokehouse with smoked haddock, shell-o n prawns, razor clams, parme san potato, tomato emulsion & shellfish foam Iced Peanut Brittle Par with banana puree, honey fait cotta, salt caramel brittle, panna orange syrup, sugar spring

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Chicken in a blanket

stuffed with cheese and tomato, served with bubble & squeak INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 1) 1 generously sized chicken breast (skinless and boneless) Cheese Cherry tomatoes 2 smoked streaky bacon rashers Cooked Cabbage Cooked Mashed carrots Cooked Mashed potatoes Green beans Balsamic jus Seasoning

1 Gently pound a chicken breast with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 1 inch thick.

2 Place cheese and cherry tomato in centre of the chicken breast and roll chicken over filling, tucking ends to secure.

3 Wrap bacon around the chicken, poach for 20 minutes and then place in an oven-proof dish.

4 Bake in an oven for 40 to 45 minutes at 160°C

carrots and chopped green beans.

6 In a frying pan place a generous dollop of butter and a small amount of olive oil.

7 When this has melted, place the bubble and squeak mixture in the pan and cook thoroughly.

8 Shape bubble and squeak into a round shape and drizzle the balsamic jus around it.

9 Add the chicken breast and serve.

5 While this is cooking mix together the pre-cooked mashed potato, mashed

Recipe by 92

Plume of Feathers KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Plume of Feathers SOUTH CREAKE

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riginally called The Ostrich, The Plume of Feathers is set in the quaint village of South Creake and has recently enjoyed a tasteful and sympathetic makeover. The pub changed hands a little over two years ago, and new owner Paul Vials has converted this building full of olde worlde charm into a high quality venture with lots of surprising features.

It was actually built over 300 years ago and much of its original character has been retained, though it now offers three double bedrooms and a newly-refurbished function room that’s perfect for small weddings and family occasions. Brilliantly situated for passing holiday trade in the summer, the Plume of Feathers is also popular with shooting parties, close as it is to Fakenham and many surrounding country estates.

One of the most surprising features Paul’s introduced is the addition of a small shop situated in a room next to the bar area. As the village has no shop of its own it’s a stroke of pure genius, and sells staples such as papers, bread and milk as well as a carefully-selected choice of ice cream in the summer months. Another clever addition is a small but varied takeaway menu, a handy service for the locals as the nearest takeaway is at least five miles away.

It’s a lovely place to have lunch in the cosy bar area, a warmly welcoming space with timber beams and an understated and subtle approach to decor. You’ll find the menu has a wide choice of options to satisfy every taste, and it’s good to see vegetarians particularly well catered for.

The starters are hugely tempting, especially the large flat mushroom topped with melted goat’s cheese – and make sure

A traditional village pub packed with classic dishes you try the Surf & Turf; a terrific serving of butterfly king prawns with stilton and garlic mushrooms.

As you’d expect from this marvellous village pub, there are plenty of pub classics; from a homemade steak and ale pie (laced with Woodforde’s award-winning Wherry) to a pan-seared salmon steak in a delicate white wine sauce.

If it’s on the menu, make sure to try the chicken breast stuffed with cheese and cherry tomatoes and accompanied by bubble and squeak. The addition of mashed carrots and green beans give the dish a welcome sweet flavour with a crunchy texture from the green beans, with a lovely balsamic jus giving just enough moisture to the dish.

The Plume of Feathers does everything very well indeed, and offers well-crafted food in a fabulous setting. It’s open from 12noon-11pm Sunday to Thursday. Food is served from 12noon-2pm and 5.30pm-9pm Monday to Friday, all day on Saturday and 12noon-4pm on Sunday.

Plume of Feathers, 1 Fakenham Road, South Creake NR21 9PB Telephone: 01328 823863 Website: www.plumeoffeathersnorfolk.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Surf and Turf Steak and Ale Pie Chocolate Brownie

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Yam Neau

(ai Beef Salad) INGREDIENTS

METHOD

10–12 oz Rump steak (at least 21 days mature) 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice ¼ of cucumber cut in cubes 1 tbsp chopped shallot 2 tbsp sliced onions 2 tbsp coriander 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions 1 tbsp finely chopped chilli 1 tsp garlic 1 long red chilli, sliced 3-4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 cup salad leaf

1 Grill the rump steak to your liking, the recommended is medium rare. Then rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

4 Then add the rest of ingredients, and fold them together gently until the juices cover all of the salad.

2 Mix the garlic and finely chopped chilli with 1 tsp of olive oil, then rest for 5 minutes.

5 Enjoy with Thai Jasmine rice or on its own with a glass of White Zinfandel.

Recipe by 94

3 Cut the steak up into thin slices and put into a big mixing bowl. Add chilli and garlic then fish sauce, lemon and lime juice. Mix it all together well.

Siropas Rangphet/OB (Head Chef & Owner) e Crawfish Inn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Crawfish Inn THURSFORD

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lthough Thai cuisine may be a relatively newcomer to the domestic dining scene, The Crawfish Inn – located between Fakenham and Holt – is steeped in local tradition. This charming pub (it’s the only public house in Thursford village) was originally built back in 1883 and happily still welcomes drinkers, but for the last 13 years it has been treating this corner of Norfolk to an authentic taste of Thai food thanks to the amazing work of Siropas Rangphet (better known as the easier-to-pronounce ‘OB’) and his gracious and friendly wife.

For OB, there’s no great secret to successful Thai food. All it takes is the quality of the ingredients themselves and the authenticity of the recipes – and The Crawfish Inn has mastered both.

Herbs and spices such as kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil and Pandun leaf are all imported directly from Thailand, but the meat is sourced from local farmers much closer to home, and as for the recipes themselves – well, they’ve been in OB’s restaurant-owning family for generations.

For people unfamiliar with the gentle subtleties and nuances of Thai food, OB is a superb host (when he’s not in the kitchen himself) and he’s more than happy to explain the various choices and recommend specific dishes to suit varying tastes.

You’ll find that help invaluable, as The Crawfish Inn’s menu is bewilderingly comprehensive and much of it may well be incomprehensible to novices of Thai food.

To start, you’re highly advised to try the satay or the Thai spare ribs. The former comprises lovely strips of super-lean chicken breasts marinated in Thai spices and charcoal-grilled on bamboo sticks, while the spare ribs are extremely tender (with very little fat) and glazed with a delicate coating of honey, soy sauce and sweet chilli.

When it comes to main courses, the best way of fully appreciating Thai cuisine is to avoid the obvious ‘red’ and ‘green’ curries.

Although they can’t be faulted, OB would rather you explored his food a little deeper.

The perfect introduction to everything ai food can be The Penang Chicken Curry, for example, is sweeter, richer and creamier than the more commonly-known Thai curries – and the use of fresh kaffir lime leaves makes a world of difference.

If you’d rather avoid curry altogether, choose a dish like the mixed seafood with chilli paste, it’s a superb combination of fresh king prawns, squid, mussels and cod fillet, all stir fried together with vegetables.

It’s deliciously sweet, salty and tangy all at the same time.

The value of OB’s experience even extends to your choice of rice. Preferring to let the main dish do the talking, he’ll recommend something like the steamed jasmine rice – and his use of Prime Grade 5star rice raises this far above the status of mere accompaniment. Try the Pad Thai as well, a marvellous dish of rice stick noodles stir fried with pork, egg, beansprouts, peanuts and spring onion.

In essence, The Crawfish Inn offers the perfect introduction to everything that Thai food can be – fresh ingredients expertly combined to deliver a very satisfying celebration of tastes. And when one of the dishes on the menu was named for the restaurant’s very first customer, you know you’re in for something rather special.

e Crawfish Inn, Holt Road, ursford, Norfolk NR21 0BJ Telephone: 01328 878313 Website: www.crawfishinn.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Crawfish Inn is open from Tuesday to Saturday and serves food from 6-10pm. It’s closed on Monday but is open on Bank Holidays. It’s also open during Thursford's popular Christmas shows daily from 5pm.

Chicken Satay and ai Fis hcake with beans Prawns in Garlic and Pen ang Curry with rice and noodles Banana cooked in coconut milk with sesame seeds

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Banana & praline parfait

with peanut butter caramel sauce, caramelized banana & tuile biscuits INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 4-6)

For the praline Place the sugar and the glucose syrup in a thick based pan with 2 tablespoons of water and bring to the boil. The temperature of the liquid must be 125° and a deep orange colour. Next roast the hazelnuts in a hot oven for around 5 mins. Once they are roasted and your caramel is in its liquid form, add them together and pour onto a metal and greased baking tray - set aside to cool.

For the praline 200g castor sugar 1 tbsp glucose syrup 100g shelled & peeled hazelnuts For the parfait 2 ripe bananas 2tsp lemon juice 300ml double cream 2 egg whites 100g castor sugar For the tuile biscuit 50g plain flour 50g icing sugar 50g milk For the peanut butter caramel sauce 1 tin condensed milk 100g smooth peanut butter To serve One banana Sugar for glazing

Recipe by 96

For the parfait Line a 900g loaf tin with cling film. Put the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl with the lemon juice and whisk until soft peaks are formed. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mix is thick and shiny. At the same time whip the cream up to soft peaks, mash up the ripe bananas and blend up your praline to make a rough powder. Mix all the ingredients together then scoop into the loaf tin and freeze overnight.

For the peanut butter caramel sauce Boil the tin of condensed milk for around 7 hours in a deep pan topping up with water every so often (making sure the tin is fully submerged) then refrigerate the tin overnight. In the morning you will have a caramel sauce, combine it with the peanut butter.

For tuile biscuits Mix all of the ingredients in bowl and refrigerate overnight. In the morning use a palette knife to push the mix into a mould for the shape of the biscuits onto a nonstick baking matt (around 1mm thick). Bake in a hot oven (around 180°) for roughly 3 mins.

To serve Glaze three slices of banana with castor sugar and caramelize them with a blowtorch. Slice the parfait into triangles 2cm thick, create a swipe of warm sauce on the plate and arrange the banana and tuile biscuits.

Neil Rutland (Head Chef ) e Norfolk Riddle KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Norfolk Riddle L I T T L E WA L S I N G H A M

W

hen 15-year-old Neil Rutland first started washing pots in commercial kitchens, he couldn’t imagine that he’d one day become Head Chef at some of Norfolk’s finest hotels. It was the result of determination, hard work and inspired culinary talent; a combination that saw him transform the kitchen at Heacham Manor Hotel, where he started from scratch and gained an AA rosette in just over two years – an accolade he held for the next three years thanks to his consistently high standards.

In December 2015, Neil opened The Norfolk Riddle in Little Walsingham, a cosy little restaurant (though it’s anything but small) that’s modern and comfortable, with a welcoming open fire and subtle music. It makes for a very relaxing place to enjoy an intimate meal, though the restaurant is more than capable of hosting larger celebrations and private parties.

Neil puts a great deal of work into sourcing local ingredients; the fish comes from Coles in King’s Lynn and the beef from Arthur Howells of Wells. The Norfolk Brewhouse based in Hindringham supplies beers, while ciders come from Whin Hill of Wells and the wines are supplied by Hallgarten Druitt and Novum Wines of Luton.

You’ll find everything on the menu very tempting, so feel free to ask Neil for suggestions and recommendations.

With his inside knowledge, you’ll discover treats such as the brilliant buttered cod cheek starter, which is served with a gorgeous pear slaw and seaweed mayonnaise.

Main courses are equally inventive; keep an eye out for the Pheasant Kiev, Neil’s local variation on the classic Russian dish. It tastes

Brilliantly inventive dishes and outstanding fish and chips sublime, the tender bird stuffed with a delicately curried butter and accompanied by a puy lentil dhal.

Don’t overlook the fish and chips either – they come from Nelson’s Fish & Chip Shop next door to the restaurant, and the main reason they’re so good is that Neil owns that as well.

It’s good to see local ingredients making an appearance in the desserts as well. The wonderful panna cotta, for example, benefits from a refreshing Whin Hill cider syrup. If you can, try the banana and hazelnut praline parfait with peanut butter caramel sauce and crushed shortbread – it’s a great way to finish your meal.

“In my kitchen,” says Neil, “I like to treat every ingredient with care and respect, keeping recipes simple and just trying to bring out the natural flavours of the quality produce we buy.”

As your visit to The Norfolk Riddle will demonstrate, he’s got that exactly right.

The Norfolk Riddle restaurant is open 12noon-2pm and 6.30pm-9pm Tuesday to Saturday, and 12noon-3pm on Sundays.

Over the summer (July to mid-September) the restaurant is open from 12noon-9pm seven days a week.

e Norfolk Riddle, 2 Wells Road, Little Walsingham, Norfolk NR22 6DJ Telephone: 01328 821903 Website: www.norfolkriddle.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Pork belly with blueberry crackling & Whin Hill & apple gel, cider syrup Whole grilled plaice shrimp & caper butter, with brown gri roast cauliflower & rainblled potatoes, ow chard Banana & Hazelnut pra lin peanut butter caramel e with sauce

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Chocolate Lavender Grey Cake INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Makes a three tier 7in cake) For the cake 175g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped.

200g unsalted butter 100g self-raising flour 70g plain flour ¼ tsp bicarbonate soda 30g cocoa powder 200g caster sugar 175g soft light brown sugar 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten 75ml buttermilk

For the cake 1 Preheat the oven to 160°c/325F/gas3.

Grease and line three 18cm/7in loosebottomed sandwich tins or one deep 7in loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.

2 Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan. Add 100ml cold water and place over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

3 Sift the flours and bicarbonate soda ,cocoa powder and sugars into a large bowl.

4 Beat the eggs and buttermilk together in a measuring jug or a small mixing bowl.

5 Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry mixture then add the eggs and buttermilk and gently fold everything together. Do not over mix.

6 Pour into the tins/tin and bake for 3040mins (sandwich tins) / 1 ¼hrs-1 ½hrs (cake tin) or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins/tin.

For the lavender grey ganache 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped 300ml double cream 5 tsp Lavender Grey tea (or 4tsp Earl grey leaves and 1tsp edible lavender) 2tbl caster sugar

Recipe by 98

For the lavender grey ganache 7 Once the cake is cool make the ganache.

Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan and stir through the tea leaves. Place the cream over a low heat for 5 mins. Stirring, until warmed through . Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for at least 15 mins.

8 Once the cream has infused, bring it to a simmer over a low heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved, then pour the hot cream through a sieve onto the chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth mixture.

9 Sandwich your three layers together with a thin layer of ganache. Cover the sides and top with the remaining ganache and decorate to your own taste and delight.

Brew a lovely pot of your favourite tea and enjoy!

Judith West (Owner) e Folly Tearoom KLmagazine Special Food Edition

The Folly Tearoom H O LT

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t’s almost impossible to avoid feeling a bit like Alice when you visit The Folly Tearoom in Holt, for this is a true wonderland – with a setting full of fairytale enchantment and a wealth of tempting treats that don’t need ‘eat me’ or ‘drink me’ written on them to have you wishing (much as the Mad Hatter does) that it could be teatime all the time.

Within the lovely rabbit warren of Hoopers Yard in the centre of Norfolk’s favourite Georgian village (the yard was called Greenways when owner and creator Judith West first fell in love with it) a charming brick archway and small door leads you to a world away from the frenzies of daily life. Here, Judith has brought a vision of loveliness to life, with delightful budgerigar wallpaper, chintz lampshades, delicate vintage china cups and saucers, and (curiouser and curiouser) deer and stag heads.

Judith herself will graciously welcome you to this world, but if you don’t see her she’ll undoubtedly be lending an expert hand in the kitchen, blending (and tasting) teas from a quite bewildering choice.

The Folly isn’t just a tearoom serving the same generic brew you’ll be depressingly familiar with. In fact, it has so many different teas, infusions and blends that they warrant their own menu, and the current book playfully named ‘Curiosi-teas’, numbers around 40 to choose from.

They come from around the world and range from the intriguing-sounding Rhubarb Ginger White to the delightfully-titled Golden Monkey King. It can be difficult to know quite where to start, but happily Judith and her super-friendly staff are experts in picking the right blends to suit particular tastes – and all you have to do is ask.

Stand-out teas include the Masala Chai with its wonderfully sweet and spicy flavours and the Banoffee Tea, the delicious result of combining Sri Lankan black tea with freezedried bananas. For what may be the purest, cleanest and tastiest tea you’ll ever enjoy.

Don’t miss the exquisite Jasmine Dragon

A magical setting for a feast of enchanting tastes Pearls tea, which is even better iced.

All this tea is hungry work, however, and The Folly has a fabulous food offering that includes savoury tarts, scones (sweet and savoury), a specials board, the eponymous Folly Breakfast and Folly Sundae, and a hugely-tempting selection of beautiful cakes. It’s almost impossible to make a choice, so The Folly’s afternoon tea is your best option, enabling you to sample some of the tearoom’s best creations on a three-tier silver stand with a typically fairytale garnish of dried rose petals. If you can’t quite manage that, then try if you can the honey and custard tart, which is truly outstanding.

Judith really has created something very special in this little corner of Norfolk. The variety of teas are extraordinary and taste amazing, as well as the cakes which are faultless. It’s the perfect setting for relaxing among friends, and the staff are so friendly it’s very easy to leave all your troubles at the door.

And if you ever wondered how that Cheshire Cat felt, you certainly will after a visit to The Folly – you’ll find yourself smiling all the way home!

The Folly Tearoom is open from 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday in the winter and from

e Folly Tearoom, Hoppers Yard, Bull Street, Holt NR25 6LN Telephone: 01263 713569 Website: www.follytearoom.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

9am-6pm Monday to Saturday in the summer. The tearoom is also open Sundays in the summer 10am-4pm.

Cheesy Scones Rose Victoria Sponge Salmon Folly

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KLmagazine Special Dining Out Edition

ABOVE: Lobster with Charred Vegetables and a Salsa Verde – a mouthwatering dish by the Melton Constable based Big Prawn Co. You can find the recipe for this at www.bigprawn.com/recipes/ together with several other ways of making the most of the company’s quality products

e local company taking seafood to new heights... ere’s a lot more to Norfolk’s seafood offering than Cromer crabs, and one local company is putting the county on the global map for truly outstanding quality and fabulously innovative tastes

W

hen Sean O’Hanlon went to see his bank about a business idea he had, he realised that he hadn’t thought of a name for his new venture. Up until then, he had been working in the crab industry in Sheringham and has also been hand peeling prawns, so on the spur of the moment came up with the The Big Prawn Company.

Over twenty year later, the name still tells you (nearly) everything you need to know about the business, and Sean is still the business owner and chairman.

Of course, no successful business stands still, and the Big Prawn Co has gone from strength to strength. From

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

its beginning in 1995, it now has a wide repertoire of seafood products and ingredients, ranging from prawns (of course) to lobster, clams and their most successful, crayfish.

But the Big Prawn Co’s philosophy has always been the same – to strive to go where no seafood brand has gone before in delivering excellence, in product, taste, quality and service.

And due to the company’s culinary innovation and creativity, they have won many awards and accolades.

Situated near to the Norfolk coast at Melton Constable, the company employs around 90 local people and processes and supplies up to 400,000 packs of high quality seafood per week.

They’re proud to be the largest seafood

briner in the UK and also one of the biggest procurers of crayfish tails in Europe. In addition, they’re one of the fastest growing companies in the seafood sector.

They also pride themselves on being a local company which deals with other local companies, even though these other businesses are based all over the world. Crabs are sourced from Cromer, of course, but other products come from all corners of the globe. Canadian Coldwater prawns are considered the best on the market. Plump, firm and tasting great, they’re sourced from the North Atlantic east coast of Canada.

Lobsters are also caught in the same area, straight from the icy waters of Prince Edward Island. They are caught

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approach has been proven by the host of awards the Big Prawn Co has won recently. In the last three years they’ve won five prestigious awards, but are most proud to have won the LSE (London Stock Exchange) Companies to Inspire Britain Award in 2015. This award demonstrates the impression they’ve made beyond their own neighbourhood – and outside their industry.

The awards are proof of how well the Big Prawn Co is doing, and sales growth in excess of 18% per year shows how the market is growing for them.

But Will Rash, Managing Director at the Big Prawn Co since 2011, likes to bring it down to the human side of care and excellence and pride.

He sums up just how passionate the company is about its brand and its products.

“It’s all in our name really,” he says.

“Big is our attitude to seafood, to quality and to taste. Big is our guarantee to change attitudes to sourcing; and sustainable fishing and farming is at the heart of what we do. We carefully source our seafood from around the world using fisheries that employ best practice and those that support their local communities. This is our love and we know what ‘good’ should be.’

by local fishermen, cooked and frozen straight from the sea, so are as fresh as when they are first landed.

Further south, scallops are farmed and harvested in the Nazca Bay, on the Pacific coast at the foot of the Andes in Peru.

To secure their trademark prawns, which is the biggest item the company sources, they’re committed to travelling to local communities in Madagascar, Indonesia, India and Vietnam to ensure they find the best quality king prawns from sustainable approved sources.

The Big Prawn Co is also the largest importer of crayfish in the UK, and procures over 600 metric tons a year.

The crayfish are sourced from large freshwater lakes along the Yangtze basin and are neither farmed nor

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commercially fed. Although originally native to America, crayfish larvae were thought to have been unintentionally introduced into China in the 1920s and 1930s from American trading ships. The fishing methods for collecting the crayfish have a very low environmental impact, and therefore can be considered to be sustainable.

All the Big Prawn Co’s seafood is then packed in their factory, either in their own branding or supermarkets’ own labels, and finds it way to the shelves of nearly every large and small supermarket chain in the country.

The company supplies both retail and catering and by providing access to the UK retail market, has assurance that its suppliers will meet UK-specific standards of quality and ethics. This

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Packed with fresh ideas for the restaurant and catering trade he 4 Way Group has a huge amount of experience in supplying a complete range of refrigeration solutions to the hotel, catering and restaurant trades across Norfolk. From cold stores and undercounter chillers to prep stations, blast chillers and freezers, the 4 Way Group can design and install a totally bespoke and top-end system that helps you make the most of your kitchen.

And in addition to regular maintenance and/or service contracts, the 4 Way Group can also supply a full range of replacement refrigerants and leak testing facilities to meet your requirements.

For a free consultation and quotation, contact us using the details opposite and get ready to take your food offering to a new level.

T

KLmagazine Special Food Edition

A complete range of profession..al services for every industry.

REFRIGERATION ELECTRICAL ENERGY MECHANICAL

t 01553 767878 w www.4waygroup.co.uk e sales@4waygroup.co.uk Recognised and accredited throughout the industry

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Chocolate Orange & Moon Gazer Dark Mild Cake INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 6) For the cake 275g dark brown sugar 110g butter 2 large eggs 50g cocoa powder 200ml of Moon Gazer Dark Mild Grated zest of two oranges 175g plain white flour 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp baking powder For the cream Finely grated zest of one orange 600ml double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar For the drizzle 250g brown sugar Grated zest and juice of two oranges 100ml Moon Gazer Dark Mild

For the cake 1 Preheat the oven to 180°c, and grease and line a 25cm tin.

2 Cream together the butter and sugar until soft and beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix together the cocoa, dark mild and orange zest and beat into the creamed butter, sugar and egg mix.

Then fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Once the cake is cooked leave it to cool on a wire rack.

Recipe by 104

For the drizzle 4 Heat the sugar, orange juice and dark mild over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring continually, until syrupy and reduced by about half.

Leave to cool.

To serve 5 Cut the cake into six portions; arrange the cake and orange segments on a plate. Pour over the drizzle and spoon the cream on the side.

For the cream 3 Whisk the cream, sugar and orange zest until it forms soft peaks.

Simon Carter (Head Chef ) e Chequers Inn KLmagazine Special Food Edition

e Chequers Inn BINHAM

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ost people associate Binham with the spectacular ruins of Binham Priory, but it’s also home to one of the oldest pubs in Norfolk, which was built around 400 years ago after the suppression of the priory and has been treating villagers and visitors to good food and drink ever since.

Over the last three years locals Sarah Day and her brother Simon Carter have increased the capacity of the Chequers Inn and made this charming pub a thriving centre of village life. The pair actually lease the Chequers from Binham Parochial Charities, which has owned the building since around 1638 and supports the young and elderly in the village.

In an area so steeped in tradition, Sarah and Simon are proudly sticking to their roots, roots which reach back very deeply, the Chequers has always been a traditional alehouse and it’s always had the same name.

However the origins of the name are unclear, it could have been taken from the chequer trees planted by 17th century monks to add flavour to their beer before the arrival of hops, or it’s possible it’s named after the chequer board which they would have used for their accounting systems.

The Chequers still has an excellent drinks pedigree; it features in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide and works closely with local breweries such as Norfolk Brewhouse. Sarah and Simon also do a fabulous job of matching (and adding) local beers to their food.

And when it comes to food, the Chequers has bags of experience to call on. Simon trained in London and worked in a number of hotels in the city before returning to Norfolk at the end of the 1990s, and opened a successful catering business (C&S Catering) 15 years ago.

When time comes to order your food, don’t miss the locally-sourced floured

Exceptionally good food in one of Norfolk’s oldest pubs... whitebait to start, as it’s faultless. If you can, try the pan-fried aubergine with feta cheese and chilli too. It’s unlikely you'll have ever tasted aubergine cooked quite so well, and the good news is that the dish can also be ordered as a main course.

Although there’s plenty of really exceptional dishes and satisfyingly authentic pub classics on the menu, don’t think twice about ordering a burger for your main course. They’re homemade and hand-made and they’re absolutely brilliant, with a variety of inventive and mouthwatering toppings such as locally-sourced field mushrooms and (naturally enough) Binham Blue cheese.

Desserts are equally accomplished, but special mention has to go to the chocolate brownie – homemade and always on the menu, it’s a chocolate lover’s dream and is good enough to convert those who usually prefer something lighter to end their meal.

As you might expect from such an traditional village pub, the Chequers is a hive of activity all week long. In addition to regular quizzes and live folk music, the pub has a special food-based theme throughout the week – from Curry Night on Tuesdays to Burger ‘n’ Bottle Night on Fridays.

Whichever day of the week you visit,

e Chequers Inn, Front Street, Binham, Norfolk NR21 0AL Telephone: 01328 830297 Website: www.binhamchequers.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

however, you can be sure of three things; a great atmosphere, a great choice of beer, and amazingly good pub food.

The Chequers is open from 12noon-3pm and 6-11pm Monday to Thursday, and from 12noon-11pm Friday to Sunday.

Pan-fried aubergine with feta and chilli e Binham Burger Chocolate Orange & Moon Gazer Dark Mild Cake

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Cannelloni of Crab & Avocado INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 6) 200g fresh white crab meat 1 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp chopped coriander 3 ripe avocados Lemon juice Seasoning

1 Carefully pick over the crab meat making sure there is no shell in it.

Place into a bowl together with the mayonnaise, chopped coriander and a good seasoning of sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

2 Spoon the mixture into a pipping bag and place in the fridge until needed.

3 Peel the avocados, cut in half, remove the stones and then slice lengthways as thinly as possible.

6 Pipe the crab meat just off centre along the length of the avocado slices and then using the cling film, roll up tightly like a sausage and tie each end.

7 Place in the fridge to firm up.

8 Serve with your own choice of accompaniments such as elderflower mayonnaise and oven roasted tomatoes or a pea purée.

4 Lay out 6 pieces of cling film on your work surface and along the centre of each piece lay the slices from half an avocado about 20cms in length slightly overlapping each slice.

5 Sprinkle with lemon juice and lightly season with sea salt.

Recipe by 106

Galton Blackiston (Owner), Morston Hall KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Morston Hall MORSTON

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lthough Norfolk can boast a number of high-profile chefs, few of them are household names across the whole country; but Galton Blackiston, who was born just outside Norwich, is a true food celebrity.

He reached the final of the first series of the BBC’s Great British Menu, is a regular guest on Saturday Kitchen, has just published his fourth book (Hook, Line, Sinker) and was due to co-present The Great British Bake Off with Mary Berry until producers opted for Paul Hollywood. He’s Delia Smith’s favourite chef.

But Galton’s most admirable quality is that this celebrity status hasn’t gone to his head, and he’s still as cheerful, enthusiastic and friendly as he was when he started selling homemade cakes and biscuits from his own market stall aged 17. He’s been truly passionate about food ever since, and though he’s never been formally trained, he’s learned from some of the best; working his way to Head Chef in his first job at the Miller Howe hotel in the Lake District and building his experience at Le Gavroche in London, which was the first restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin star.

Returning to the county he’d always loved, Galton and his wife Tracy opened Morston Hall hotel and restaurant near Holt in 1992; combining a true flair for creating amazing food with a genuine love of looking after guests, both residents and non-residents.

He was understandably proud to be awarded a Michelin star in 1998 (Morston Hall is still one of only two restaurants in Norfolk to have received the award) but Galton’s the first person to give credit for the accolade to the talented team around him – from his wife to his Manager Rebecca and Head Chef Greg Anderson.

For Greg, food is “all about pleasure” and that attitude shines through the incredible dishes he creates with Galton; a pair of chefs so inventive they change the seven-course

Incredible food that fully deserves its Michelin star status dinner menu on a daily basis. This is food that’s a real joy to consume. It’s technically brilliant, beautifully presented, free from pretension and served with true warmth and friendliness. With such a regularly-changing menu that relies heavily on what’s in season and what’s available locally, it’s virtually impossible to recommend specific dishes, but you can expect to be royally treated to some wonderful flavours. Hopefully the timing of your visit will allow you to enjoy the Holkham Hall venison (it’s served with a superb salt-baked beetroot) but failing that you’ll almost certainly be treated to some of the best seafood and fish you’ve ever tasted.

Don’t overlook the breakfast at Morston Hall either; Galton’s rightly proud of his wonderful scrambled eggs, and the haddock and kippers (smoked in the restaurant’s own smokehouse) are quite incredible.

This is one time when you won’t have to worry about sending your thanks back to the chef; Galton loves mixing with his guests and ensuring they enjoyed their meal.

Morston Hall offers one of Norfolk’s most outstanding and enjoyable dining experiences, and it’s one that no lover of food should miss.

The restaurant at Morston Hall is open

Morston Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Morston, Holt NR25 7AA Telephone: 01263 741041 Website: www.morstonhall.com KLmagazine Special Food Edition

daily from 8-9am for breakfast, 12.15 for 1pm for lunch (Sunday only), 3-5pm for afternoon tea, and 7.15 for 8pm for dinner – booking in advance is essential for all meals.

Crab Cannelloni Lobster and New Potatoes with mayonnaise dip Lemon Tart

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Sea Bass fillet

Roast vegetables, fondant potato & grapefruit hollandaise INGREDIENTS

METHOD

For the fondant potato 4 (large) potatoes 150g butter 300ml fish bouillon Thyme sprigs 1 lemon For the roast vegetables 1/2 celery head 1 bunch radishes (topped) 2 red onions 2 large golden beets (boiled) Yare valley rapeseed oil Chopped thyme For the hollandaise 1 block butter (melted) Juice of 1/2 a grapefruit 10ml vinegar Five egg yolks For the sea bass Four sea bass fillets Butter Oil Lemon wedges

For the fondant potato 1 Chop the potatoes into 1" cubes. Fry the potatoes on all sides in 5mm depth of butter over a medium heat, the butter should foam, but not blacken. Once they have started to colour pour stock into the pan until the butter floats up to the top of the potato shapes. Add a couple of squeezed lemon wedges into the cooking liquid and some thyme, pop them into a cool oven to cook for an hour or so until soft.

3 Once cooked, drain the liquid off the potatoes and have them ready to add to the vegetable tray.

Recipe by 108

For the roast vegetables 4 While the potatoes are cooking, slice or chop your vegetables into roughly equal sized wedges.

Toss all the vegetables in oil, thyme and salt and pepper, pour the mix onto a baking sheet and roast for 25mins at 180°c.

5 Add the drained fondant potatoes and pop the whole tray back in the oven for 10 minutes.

For the hollandaise 4 Put your vinegar, yolks and grapefruit juice into a blender, and run it fast for 20 seconds to combine,

keep the blender running and drizzle the melted clarified butter into the yolk mixture. It should combine and make a thick, mayonnaise like emulsion. The emulsion must not drop below (roughly) 60°c, so if your butter is cool, gently warm the yolk and vinegar mixture before you start making the sauce so that the whole thing stays warm. Keep this in a warm place.

For the sea bass & assembling the plate 4 Pat the fillets dry, and score a couple slices into the skin. Carefully place the fish into a hot, well oiled pan. Fry them skin down until you think they are cooked most of the way through. Turn them over and continue frying on the other side to finish the cooking. Add a nob of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice into the pan. Take it off the heat and baste the fillets with the juices in the pan until everything has stopped foaming.

5 Once cooked assemble a fondant potato onto each plate, surround it with the roast vegetables and lay the fillet over the potato. Spoon the hollandaise around it, and a little over the fillet itself. Top with sliced chives or dill if you wish.

Richard Ellis (Head Chef ) Wells Crab House KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Wells Crab House WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

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orfolk has around 90 miles of coastline, and the beautifully quaint and picturesque fishing town of Wells-next-theSea is regarded as one of the UK’s finest coastal treasures. It deserves an exceptional seafood restaurant, and thanks to husband and wife team Scott and Kelly Dougal it’s got one. After years in the local hospitality industry the couple like to say they’re now ‘living the dream’ and their passion shows through every single detail in this delightful harbourside restaurant.

The interior theme is unashamedly nautical, but Kelly’s careful choice of artwork, colours and decorative objects mean this is more coastal class than seaside kitsch. The salt on the table sits in a seashell, the menu is playfully designed with fishing-themed section headings, and the appetisers arrive in the paper-wrapped style of traditional fish and chips; but the paper features subtle Wells Crab House logos.

And that’s about as close as you’ll come to ‘fish and chips’ here. In the kitchen, Scott and head chef Richard ‘The Chief’ Ellis create a mouthwatering array of seafood-based treats – and given the extensive choice on offer it’s truly amazing they manage to change the menu on a monthly basis.

Everything is made from scratch in-house and the restaurant makes the most of its proximity to the coast; much of the seafood is freshly caught that day, the lobster is brought ashore on Billy Ward’s Mafreen, and the crabs arrive courtesy of the Frary family’s Andorra Star II. Scott and The Chief believe menus are there to inspire, and they’re steadfastly true to their beliefs.

If you can, start with the soft shell tempura crab or the lime and chilli-dressed crayfish tails – and don’t miss the chance to enjoy some of the best cockles you’ve ever tasted,

Seafood at its very best in a glorious seaside setting... soaked in superb cider vinegar from Wells’ own Whin Hill Cider.

It’s difficult to recommend specific dishes from such a regularly changing menu, but keep an eye out for the trout stuffed with lemon and wild garlic (the accompanying anchovy is a great idea) or the bass fillet, which is served with an incredible grapefruit hollandaise. Even the humble cod is treated with respect here, being served with a brilliant onion and chorizo hash and a lovely red wine sauce.

Although the coastal theme can’t really extend to the desserts, the sweet choices live up to the high standards – the kiwi panna cotta is served with an incredible orange and grapefruit sauce, and the simply gorgeous rhubarb tart is served with some equally fabulous rhubarb crisps.

Thanks to Scott and Kelly and The Chief, this is seafood at its very best, and it’s hard not to fall in love with it; hook, line and sinker. Wells Crab House is open Tuesday to Saturdays, with food served from 12noon2.30pm and 6-9pm, and from 12-3pm on Sundays. Booking is pretty much essential at weekends as the restaurant is (and deserves to be) extremely popular.

Wells Crab House, 38 Freeman Street, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1BA Telephone: 01328 710456 Website: www.wellscrabhouse.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

recomme ded

BY THE CHEF CASTING OFF: Crab Cakes with Pak Choi, Braised Fennel and Sweet and Sour Sauce THE MAIN CATCH: Lemon and Wild Garlic Stuffed Sea Trout with Fine Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Anchovies, Quails Egg and Fries TO REEL IT IN: Kiwi Panna Cotta with Orange and Grapefruit Sauce, Pineapple and Shortbread

109

Chocolate Blondie INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Makes 12) 300g unsalted butter (Plus some for greasing tray) 400g white chocolate 400g caster sugar 4tsp vanilla extract 6 eggs 400g plain flour 2tsp baking powder 200g white choc chips

1 Pre-heat oven to 180° degrees or 160° (fan).

5 Add in 3/4 of chocolate chips to the mix and fold.

2 Melt the white chocolate and butter slowly in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.

6 Lightly butter a baking tray (roughly 36cm x 25cm x 5cm) then line with baking parchment.

3 In a separate bowl, mix together the caster sugar, beaten eggs, baking powder and vanilla extract. Sift in plain flour gradually while mixing.

4 Fold melted chocolate and butter to the mix, it may look like its splitting, but continue to fold until smooth.

Recipe by 110

7 Pour mixture into baking tray and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.

8 Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.

9 Serve with Double Chocolate Ice Cream

Daniel Wakefield (Head Chef ) Sands Restaurant KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Sands Restaurant WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

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ffering what are probably the best views of the North Norfolk coast, Sands restaurant at Wells-next-the-Sea features a friendly, sea-themed atmosphere with comfortable solid chairs and chunky oak tables. It’s intimate, it’s welcoming, with quirky ‘beach hut’ booths to dine in; it offers panoramic views of the harbour, so diners can watch as the traditional fishing boats steam in and out of Wells.

The current owners took over in 2013 and head chef Daniel Wakefield has been crafting seafood-based menus for around five years. He aims to create a menu that reflects “the true essence of what the sea has to offer” – it’s a menu that’s a true voyage of discovery. Don’t be surprised to come across fish you’ve never heard of!

All food (including the meat options) is sourced as locally as possible – Daniel says “you can even watch from the window as the boats empty crabs, mussels and lobsters on the quay, catches that will later be served in the restaurant.” You can’t get more local than that.

Daniel makes the most of the ingredients on the restaurant’s doorstop. To start, don’t miss his king prawns with chilli and ginger, as the prawns hold their sweet flavours very well against the hints of spicy ginger and aromatic chilli.

Main courses offer plenty of choice, with several cleverly-done dishes. Traditionalists can opt for the time-honoured seaside fare of battered fish and chips (the haddock is well worth seeking out) but Sands’ a la carte menu is full of delights. One of the best is a superb seafood linguine, packed with prawns, crayfish and smoked salmon, graced by a quite beautiful creamy sauce. The seared sesame-crusted tuna steak is another great dish to look out for – although the magic of the restaurant’s food is that it

Masterful examples of just how good seafood can be... largely depends on what the sea provides; there’s always something fresh to discover on the menu.

It’s not all about seafood. Sands also offers a good selection of meals such as burgers, steaks and 12-hour braised pork belly, but fish-based dishes naturally take precedence.

There’s no doubt about the star of the dessert menu. As its name suggests, Flavours of Fun is a genuine seaside treat; an exquisitely arranged collection of bubble gum panna cotta, honeycomb, sugared mini doughnut, candy floss syrup and toffee popcorn. It lives up to its name too – it’s full of flavours, full of fun, ensuring you and your dining partner(s) end your meal with big smiles on your faces.

Seafood is certainly the order of the day at Sands; while perfect for dinner it’s also open for lunch and breakfast – how could you resist starting your day with a bowl of Grand Marnier Porridge?

Norfolk has one of the best coastlines in the country, so it’s good to see Sands restaurant making the most of it. And then some.

Sands’ opening times change seasonally and regularly, so please check the website or call before you plan your visit.

Sands Restaurant, 13 e Quay, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AH Telephone: 01328 710534 Website: www.sandsrestaurant.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Goat’s Cheesecake with pic kled vegetable ribbons and beetro ot puree Seafood platter comprising fresh, smoked and hot fish Flavours of Fun: bubble gum panna cotta, honeycomb, sugared mini dou candy floss syrup, toffee pop ghnut, corn

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Norfolk Rarebit INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 12) 250g butter 250g plain flour 3 tbsp dijon mustard 3 tbsp Worcester sauce 1 bottle Brancaster Best Ale 200ml cream 400g Mrs Temple’s Norfolk Dapple or mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 Melt the butter and flour in medium saucepan then stir in the mustard and Worcester sauce.

2 Add the Ale off the heat in approximately four equal additions whisking to ensure smooth consistency.

3 Return to the heat and bring to simmer, stirring constantly.

Recipe by 112

4 The sauce will be very thick, remove from heat when first bubbles appear.

5 Add the cheese also off the heat and stir until incorporated.

6 Taste and adjust seasoning if required.

7 Press mix into cling film lined loaf tin, then chill.

Sara Blount (Head Chef ) Deepdale Café KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Deepdale Café BURNHAM DEEPDALE

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n the beautiful setting of Dalegate Market in Burnham Deepdale, you’ll find a wonderful collection of proudly independent shops, a provisions store, a fuel station, an events space, and the neighbouring Deepdale Backpackers & Camping site, with hostels, camping, tepees, yurts and huts for hire. It’s a hive of activity throughout the year, and at its centre sits the lovely Deepdale Café.

Local lady Sophie Widdowson had been looking after backpackers on the camp site, then a little over 3 years ago the café became available so Sophie jumped at the chance at persuading her parents to back her with her new venture.

Bringing a fresh and friendly atmosphere and a passion for quality local produce to the area, the café proved an instant success – and its fortunes increased further when Sophie met Sara Blount, who came to Norfolk from London where she’d run her own catering business.

The pair hit it off immediately and they’ve worked together ever since, taking traditional ‘café’ fare to a new level entirely.

The café’s menu is extensive, and offers something for everyone of all ages. There’s always a massive selection of freshly-baked cakes (including many gluten-free ones) and the scones are amazing. The rarebit is particularly worth your attention, as the café cooks and carves its own locally-sourced ham, and without a doubt you need to try the Deepdale deluxe falafel burger, which includes a flavour-packed mix of halloumi, tyzatziki and hummus.

It’s worth getting to Burnham Deepdale early, as that will enable you to enjoy the Deepdale Double Up – possibly the best breakfast in Norfolk, a traditional feast that includes some the county’s finest tastes such as Arthur Howell’s brilliant sausages and Fruit

A fantastic café with great food in a glorious setting...

Pig’s incredible black pudding.

When available, the Crab Benedict is another wonderful dish, with freshly-caught crab from a local fisherman and perfectlypoached eggs.

Although it’s one of the most basic of ingredients, the bread Deepdale Café is also worth a mention. Sara Blount has worked with Krusty Loaf’s head baker Nick Henry to produce a delicious selection of fresh breads including a superb sourdough loaf. It’s fresh and it tastes sublime – and you’ll wish you could take some home with you.

Given Dalegate Market’s lively all-yearround atmosphere, it’s not surprising that the Deepdale Café has regular themed evenings and live music events, and you should certainly make a point of visiting on a Friday during the summer when they offer fabulous fish and chips.

And when you do visit, keep an eye out for ‘Gary’; a friendly little wagtail who’s been a frequent visitor to the café for the last two years and often quarrels with his reflection in its front window.

Whether you’re looking for a memorable way to start your day or want to enjoy an outstanding wholesome and tasty lunch, this is a genuine pleasure –and the friendly

Deepdale Café, Dalegate Market, Main Road, Burnham Deepdale PE31 8FB Telephone: 01485 210200 Website: www.deepdale-cafe.co.uk KLmagazine Special Food Edition

atmosphere is like a breath of fresh air.

The Deepdale Café is open from 8am4pm out of season, from 7.30am-5pm during summer, and from 7.30am-9pm on Fridays during the summer holidays.

recomme ded Crab Benedict Mediterranean Chicken Burger Salted Caramel Slice

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Pictures: Jamie Maxwell for Titchwell Manor

And to finish...

A

s we complete our tour of some of the county’s finest restaurants, it’s quite incredible to reflect on just how fortunate we are to live in such a food-rich place. As we’ve seen, this part of Norfolk is truly spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out. Whether it’s an ancient coaching inn or a contemporary bistro, a quirky hotel or a traditional tearoom, they all have one thing in common – a genuine passion for the county’s natural produce and a desire to make the most of it.

There’s plenty of inspiration in the preceding pages for you, your friends and your families. Hopefully, we’ve introduced you to new places to try and new tastes to enjoy, and we hope this special edition of KL magazine will help you enjoy some amazing local dining experiences over the coming months.

By supporting these mostly family-run businesses you’ll be making a very real contribution to the local economy, and you’ll be helping maintain Norfolk’s proud tradition of producing, preparing and serving food of the very highest quality. Bon appétit!

THE KL MAGAZINE TEAM

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KLmagazine Special Food Edition

Love Food... Love Bakers & Larners

Bakers & Larners of Holt An Exceptional Department Store

Department Store 8 Market Place, Holt t: 01263 712244 Home Furnishing Centre 27 High Street, Holt t: 01263 710498

www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

KLmagazine Special Dining Out Edition

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