Crumbs Bath & Bristol - Issue 85

ShOTs, ShOTs, ShOTs! NO.85 FEBRUARY 2019

CRUM BSMA G.CO

BAT H & BRISTO L

SNAP FOOD LIKE A PRO M

A little slice of

en av he e di oo f #85 I saw a chickpea looking peaky, so asked if he was okay.

FEBRUARY 2019

“No,” he said, “I falafel.”

ON THE CHICSSTATAOUKPKPER RAS pUlSe! IN

N G I S V THE

Y A D S ’ E N TI N LE VA E SU H THE IS E LS IT PU W SPECIAL G COOKWININE GUY

COOSL! (AND JUST IN TIME FOR THE BRITISH DAL FESTIVAL)

o, toy! g l in s inkviou r D ob

THE PULSE

PRLENTIINLS!CPEEASSS! SOYBEANs!

JENNY CHANDLER

ON THE BIG BENEFITS OF LITTLE LEGUMES

CHICK

UNdeR The STaRs

CHICKPEAS ARE CHEAP, EAsY, AND BURSTING WITH

VeGGIe SUppeR By LaNTeRN LIGhT

GOODNESS MEET THE REAL MINIATURE HEROES!

PULSE ALARM

PLUS! haLe & THE CAULDRON eaRTy! h COMPTOIR AND 9 ROBUSt CUISINE ReCipes LUCKNAM PARK fROm OUROks favOuRite CO BRASSERIE

A T A H W

!

R E P P A W Bristol’s s delicioun restaura t hub!

THE UNSTOPPAFBLE RISE O

WAPPINFG WHAR

ISSUE 85 FEBRUARY 2019 EDITOR

JESSICA CARTER jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

MATT BIELBY matt.bielby@mediaclash.co.uk ONLINE EDITOR

DAN IZZARD dan.izzard@mediaclash.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

TREVOR GILHAM ADVERTISING MANAGER

KYLE PHILLIPS kyle.phillips@mediaclash.co.uk

GIVE PEAS A CHANCE

DEPUTY ADVERTISING MANAGER

ALISTAIR TAYLOR alistair.taylor@mediaclash.co.uk ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

NATALIE BRERETON natalie.brereton@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

SARAH KINGSTON sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk PRODUCTION DESIGNER

GEMMA SCRINE gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

JANE INGHAM jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE

GREG INGHAM greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk large version

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SURELY YOU’VE BEEN there too? You’re at a festival, perhaps, and find yourself watching a band you’re decidedly indifferent to. You stick around all the same, and it doesn’t take long before your ears prick up – you didn’t know this was their song. The next is a familiar banger too, and the one after that. Soon you’re singing along to their whole back catalogue; turns out, you actually know – and love – their work. You walk away with a newfound appreciation for this act, and quickly add ’em to your favourite playlists.

Pulses are a bit like that band. (Didn’t anticipate that one, did you?) You see, they’re everywhere – most of us eat them all the time – but we don’t necessarily acknowledge them as such. From tinned, kid-pleasing toast toppers to herby Middle Eastern balls of deep-fried deliciousness and the mushy accompaniment that a chippy dinner wouldn’t be complete without, pulses crop up more than we notice. This special pulse-themed issue not only boasts one on the cover, but is all about reminding us just how great they are.

Despite pulses already lurking in our diets in lots of different ways, we should arguably be eating even more of them; pulse expert Jenny Chandler talks about their broadranging health, environmental, economical and – most importantly – flavoursome virtues on p20. And if you do become inspired to get more legumes on the go, now is the ideal time – the British Dal Festival is returning to Bristol in February, to celebrate pulsebased dishes through supper clubs, activities, and a Dal Trail that will see restaurants from all over the city – not to mention the country – add a special, limited-time dish to their menus. Fill your boots.

This month we tucked into a Ruby Murray at a local Belly Laughs event, paid a visit to Bristol’s newest fishmonger, and chomped through a box of cheese by new local online retailer L’Affinage du Fromage.

Jessica Carter, Editor jessica.carter@mediaclash.co.uk

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we’re much more than just a café you know...

0117 305 0505 f x avenuecafebristol a AvenueCafe1 www.avenue-cafe.com | St. Luke’s House, Emerson’s Green, Bristol BS16 7AR

TABLE OF CONTENTs

NO.85 FEBRUARY 2019

STARTERS 08 HERO INGREDIENT Peas corpse 14 OPENINGS ETC Hot foodie gossip 20 ASK THE EXPERT Everything you ever wanted to know about pulses, from Jenny Chandler CHEF! Amazing recipes from the region’s top kitchens and cooks 28 Dal with raita and bhaji,

by Jilisa Barnaby 31 Aloo tikkis, by Kalpna Woolf 32 Chana masala, by Geeta Aheer 35 Spaghetti alla Norma,

by Andrew Griffin ADDITIONAL RECIPES

12 Hummus, by Freddy Bird 22 Asian bean salad, by Jenny Chandler 25 Rice pudding, by Maryam Sinaiee 44 Stuffed aubergine, by Beth Al-Rikabi 44 Boozy syllabub, by Beth Al-Rikabi

KITCHEN ARMOURY 39 THE SUPPER CLUB Dinner in the woods 45 THE WANT LIST Rustic chic MAINS 48 FLASHING Food photography tips from the pros 53 WHARFING IT DOWN The story of Bristol’s newest culinary hotspot, Wapping Wharf AFTERS New and notable restaurants, cafés and bars 60 Comptoir and Cuisine 62 The Cauldron 64 The Brasserie at Lucknam Park PLUS! 66 LITTLE BLACK BOOK Find out where Tom Barton from Honest Burgers eats and drinks

PAOLO F E RL A

FINE INDIAN CUISINE IN BRISTOL We offer an enjoyable, memorable dining experience. Visit us for delicious Indian cuisines, exciting interiors and stylish hospitality.

Unusually, we offer genuine Indian food from the true sources. At Urban Tandoor, you will find cuisine from the gourmet homes and street stalls across India’s regions, all prepared by skilled chefs from those regions.

Come for genuine delicious Indian food. Our food is totally different from local curry houses. What makes us unique is our approach. We use less oil, no articial colours and fresh ingredients so our cooking is always light and fresh.

Urban Tandoor is a very small restaurant and booking is strongly recommended. For bookings of 8 or more please email us.

13 Small Street, Bristol BS1 1DE 0117 929 9222

f Urban Tandoor

info@urban-tandoor.com www.urban-tandoor.com Mon to Sat 17:00 - 22:45 Sun 17:00 - 21:45

START E Rs

INNOVATIONS, REVELATIONS AND TASTY AMUSE-BOUCHES

10-17 February The Dal Trail will be running throughout the whole festival, with top local and independent restaurants and cafés like Box-E, Hart’s Bakery, Friska, Old Market Assembly and The Canteen creating special dals to go on their menus. britishdalfestival.com

OH, DAL-ING

THE BRITISH DAL FESTIVAL IS BACK, RUNNING 10-17 FEBRUARY, AND IT’S BRINGING WITH IT PLENTY OF CULINARY JOY...

10 February

13 February

Windmill Hill City Farm is hosting a day of workshops, talks and activities, all focused on the fascinating subject of soil, while its popular café will be championing the mighty pulse with a Dal Festival takeover.

The latest installment of Poco’s popular event series will see the kitchen cook up a three-course feast in collaboration with award-winning pulse pioneers Hodmedods, who will be there to talk about their produce and sing the praises of pulses.

MEET THE PRODUCER DINNER

SOIL SUNDAY

13 February

TAKEOVER AT BRISTOL FARMERS’ AND PRODUCERS’ MARKET

The British Dal Festival will be crashing the culinary markets on Corn Street, too. Expect dal-focused stalls alongside regular traders, while Thali Café will be serving up free dal lunches, an’ all.

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16 February

THE GRAND DAL FINALE

Running all day at Paintworks, this big blow-out will involve demos from the likes of Chetna Makan, Jenny Chandler and Kalpna Woolf, as well as a dal market place, street food, workshops and children’s activities.

CRUMBSMAG.COM

Chickpeas IF YOU’VE GOT A HUMBLE TIN OF CHICKPEAS IN YOUR CUPBOARD, YOU’VE GOT A MEAL. INDEED, FEW FOODS ARE MORE HANDY, MORE VERSATILE AND MORE AFFORDABLE – ALL WHILE BEING GOOD FOR US TOO. NO WONDER WE’VE ALL GOT OUR FINGERS ON THIS PULSE…

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heap, convenient, versatile, easy to store and longlasting, it’s not hard to see how the humble chickpea became such a store-cupboard staple. Indeed, the real surprise is that it took so long to get there.

Always one of the building-blocks of Indian, Middle Eastern and some African and Mediterranean cuisines, these little legumes were heartily enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians and more – they’re one of the earliest cultivated vegetables – and soon spread around the globe. Chickpea remains from 7,500 years ago have been found in the Middle East, while the famous 1st century AD Roman cookbook Apicius – named for the contemporary gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, a man who insisted that red mullet tastes best when drowned in a sauce made from, er, more red mullet – was chockablock with chickpea recipes.

Not that we got into them much in the UK, where they were relatively little known until the late 1960s. Part of the problem was that while chickpeas can be grown here, yields are low. We don’t have quite enough sun for their dry, pea-like seeds to flourish – so, instead of a cheap staple, local chickpea plants are better harvested

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as a fresh, raw luxury crop, like petit pois. Oh, and our soil is rather too good for them, too. (Chickpeas actually do better in poor soil, because if they grow too fast and lush they’re more likely to develop mildew.)

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ot to worry, though: even we couldn’t resist the chickpea’s obvious benefits forever. It wasn’t the pulses themselves, though, but rather one of the key chickpea recipes – hummus – that spearheaded their popularity on these shores. Elizabeth David had featured this and other chickpea dishes in 1950s hit books like Italian Food, and – in her wake – this ancient peasant staple of mashed chickpeas, lemon and garlic started to take off. But though hummus – so dip-able! So moreish! So delicious! – would develop a certain hippy following during the ’60s, it wasn’t until the ’70s package holiday revolution that everything changed.

As more and more Brits came across hummus – and the chickpea it comes from – on all-inclusive jaunts to the Greek Islands, they began to have a go at making it themselves. And by the ’80s both ’pea and paste had broken free of the specialist shop ghetto

CRUMBSMAG.COM

The Restaurant at Lowden is relaxed and informal, we focus on friendly service and the quality of ingredients. The chefs use our Farm Shop as their larder to prepare their daily menus.

The Farm Shop is stocked with fresh vegetables, the Butchery with amazing local meat & the Deli with delicious cheese, olives, meats and scrumptious homemade goodies.

We have been supplying plants, shrubs & trees to gardeners for over 20 years. Lowden also offers an inspiring selection of gift ideas for men, women, children & pets.

Bath Road, Shaw, Wiltshire, SN12 8EZ. 01225 702 345 www.lowdengardencentre.com @lowden_garden_centre

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to appear on the shelves at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Co-op. (There’s still some dispute over who got there first.) When Marks and Spencer introduced hummus in 1990, the chickpea’s triumph was complete.

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ot that this should have been much of a surprise. Britain has always been good at taking peasant food from the Med, polishing it up and selling it back to the world – see also pesto, for instance – and soon our shelves were heaving with variations on hummus undreamed of on the shores of the Aegean or Levantine seas: as well as organic and low-fat versions, there were tubs flavoured with everything from red onion to piri piri, lemon and coriander to roasted tomato.

Hummus remains a brilliant money-making scheme, really, considering that making your own is easy – simply whiz some chickpeas in a food processor with garlic, tahini, lemon juice and oil – and super-cheap. But then that’s part of the genius of the chickpea: so many of the recipes it stars in are simple, agreeably cosy, pleasingly purse-friendly, yet tasty and impressive too.

They are, after all, an essential building block of many a salad or soup, stew or curry. Sure, you can soak them overnight then boil your own chickpeas from scratch, but the canned or jarred varieties are perfectly fine for the majority of dishes, meaning you can have most chickpea recipes on the table well within the hour. Indeed, in recent years the chickpea has become Britain’s gateway drug to a whole world of Arabic, Lebanese and Israeli cuisine: all those middle class dinner parties starring Yotam Ottolenghi dishes would be nowhere without the chickpea paving the way.

But this isn’t their only virtue. Another is that they’re so versatile: they’re mashed up to make falafel, and ground into flour for onion bhajis. During the First World War, plenty of thirsty Germans even pressed ground-roast chickpeas into service as a coffee substitute.

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(Sounds grim, but enough people liked the results for chickpea coffee still to be found in Germany to this day.)

And, perhaps best of all, chickpeas are incredibly good for you – and for the environment. When grown with wheat and barley, chickpea’s natural insecticides mean those crops require less spraying to keep pests at bay. Their long roots stabilise and restore depleted, erosionprone soils, too.

If they’re good for the land, they’re even better for us. High in protein and fibre and numerous micronutrients (copper, zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and vitamins K and B-6), they’ve been associated with benefits ranging from better bone health to lower blood pressure, not to mention helping prevent everything from diabetes to cancer. They should render our hair and skin nice and healthy – and ‘keep you regular’, as your dad would say – too. Indeed, if you want a belated New Year’s resolution, eating more chickpeas wouldn’t be a bad place to start.

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o what’s wrong with them? Not a lot, is the answer. Okay, you may think of the chickpea as somewhat boring – a worthy staple rather than an exciting food hero – but think on this.

They come in black, green, red and brown variations, above and beyond your standard beige, if you’re bored of the way they look. They’ve got a range of exotic alternative names, from Egyptian peas to garbanzo beans – the name you’ll find them under in America – if you’re tired of the way they sound.

And if you’re over all the good things they’ll do for you – from helping keep you trim to protecting against heart disease – consider their little-discussed romantic virtues, too. Since ancient times, the chickpea has been closely linked with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Really, is there nothing this lusty legume can’t do?

CRUMBSMAG.COM

R E C I P E

VEGAN

THIS RECIPE IS AN ABSOLUTE STAPLE FOR FREDDY BIRD, AND IS – HE SAYS – WELL WORTH PERFECTING SO YOU CAN ADD IT TO YOUR OWN REPERTOIRE...

HUMMUS S E RVE S 2 -4 500g tinned chickpeas 3 garlic cloves 1-1 ½ lemons, juice only 2 tbsp tahini 150ml extra virgin olive oil 1 First, empty the tinned chickpeas into a pan, liquid and all, and warm though.

2 Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt (I always use Maldon) until smooth and lump free. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, chop the garlic, sprinkle with the salt, and use the side of a knife with a scraping motion to crush it into a paste.

3 Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid, and blend with all the other ingredients except ½ the lemon juice. Slowly add the chickpea liquid until you have the desired consistency. Now taste, and add more tahini, olive oil, lemon and salt as you wish. This is purely down to your own preference, there is no right or wrong (just don’t be sacred of the oil!).

THE OBVIOUS RECIPE for chickpeas is hummus. This may seem a little dull to some of you, but there is just nothing like a perfect homemade hummus. My love of it is so great that we had to invest in a Thermomix purely to get the perfect consistency. For me, it has to be smooth! If you’re a hummus lover too, invest in a good blender.

Also important is finding the right chickpea – this is 90 percent of the dish, after all. I used to soak then cook my chickpeas but, no matter how many varieties I tried, I could never get them to blend as smooth as I wanted, as the skin never quite softened enough. This is also true of so many tinned chickpeas. In short: don’t go cheap. My current brand of choice is Celorrio, which is available in a few delis around Bristol and the South West.

This recipe, made fresh every day at the Lido, has been a staple for the last 10 years, and making it is the first job given to any new chef in the kitchen. (Believe it or not, this the first time I have ever written it down, though!) Lemons vary in strength, flavour and juiciness, as does the garlic. Learning to make it purely by taste is the best way, so this is an approximate recipe.

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VARIATIONS • You can top the hummus any way you like; I regularly opt for toasted pine nuts, arbequina olive oil, paprika, parsley and za’atar, but also love to finish with a few deep-fried chickpeas.

• Sometimes I add a bit of roasted butternut squash when I’m blending it (normally if I have a little bit left over after a Sunday roast).

• If I want to make a meal of it, I’ll fry lamb mince in butter and baharat spice with a little Aleppo pepper and caramelised onions, throw this over the top and serve with flatbread, pickles and a handful of chopped parsley.

Lido, 8 Oakfield Place, Bristol BS8 2BJ; 0117 933 9530; lidobristol.com

Openings etc ShOOT OUT

Seen the new vegan café in Bath? It’s moved into one of the railway arches outside Bath Spa station, most recently occupied by Pieminister.

Roots and Shoots is the creation of locals Andrew McMahon and Matthew Craig, whose aim is to offer plant-based food and drink that’s speedy, convenient and nutritious. Punters can expect a global menu here, which takes inspiration from the vegetarian cuisines of places like India and Morocco, featuring soups, sandwiches, salads and mezze options, as well as more hearty hot dishes like vegan mac and cheese and vegetable stews.

Breakfasts come in the form of pastries and granola, and coffee is taken rather seriously, too. facebook.com/rootsandshootscafe

REEL GOOd

The Clifton Seafood Company has become the latest resident to move into Bristol waterside development, Wapping Wharf. The shipping container near Pizzarova is the first retail space for the fishmonger, which previously focused solely on supplying the trade. In their new digs, Rozzy Turner and Jonny Glanvill stock a choice selection of seafood, procured from their trusted suppliers on the South Coast. Punters can expect scallops, monkfish, turbot, shellfish and a range of smoked fish among the offering. Word is that they are planning to launch a home delivery service in the future, too. cliftonseafoodcompany.com

NO PLACE LIKE hOME

A new café and restaurant has popped up on Park Row in Bristol, don’t you know. La Panza serves authentic Italian food, made to family recipes. Expect traditional staples like homemade pasta dishes (think cavatelli with smoked aubergine, pesto, pine nuts and sausage), foccacia (this also comes with tasty fillings, such as octopus and rocket, for continental-style sarnies), pizza by the slice and proper tiramisu. At the weekend, the restaurant opens later for dinner, too.

Riccado Damiani is the brains behind the new outfit, and is excited to bring the food he grew up cooking and eating at home to the city. instagram.com/lapanzabristol

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NEW KID ON THE BLOCK THIS IS JYOTHI PATRA, HEAD CHEF AT NEW INDIAN GAFF, DHAMAKA

PUMPED UP

So, Jyothi, when did you begin cooking? Professionally in 1997, when I trained at catering college. I have always been passionate about food, though, and used to help out my mother in the kitchen when I was young – it was always busy and needed plenty of hands!

The Good Chemistry brewery team have opened their very own pub, The Good Measure. Previously Aviation Bar on Chandos Road, this glass-fronted venue is now a cosy, buzzing boozer that is a step above your usual utilitarian taproom. Understandably, though, it’s still very much about the beers; there’s a choice of keg and cask options from Good Chemistry’s core range, as well as a few guest brews. We dropped in and quenched that thirst with the popular Kokomo Weekend IPA, a refreshing, tropical number, before indulging in a pint of the cask bitter, Time Lapse. goodchemistrybrewing.co.uk

What are the fondest foodie memories from your childhood?

I was brought up in the outskirts of a city, so we had access to lots of fresh produce. I remember picking fresh curry leaves and veggies from our yard.

And what was your very first job in the food industry? I started my career as a commis chef in a hotel in Hyderabad, India. I worked in the Indian banqueting kitchen – it was a busy facility catering to in excess of 1,000 covers a day.

Tell us about the toughest job that you have tackled in your career so far? It was at Benares in Mayfair.

I’d not worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant prior to that – it was a different world. That experience taught me a lot.

COACh TRIP

How would you describe your personal style of cooking?

I prefer to use humble and fresh ingredients, and authentic ways of preparing them.

It was after more than 12 years in business that the super-successful Pear Café closed its doors for the last time in 2018. The site has happily been reincarnated under the stewardship of Tilly Mackley as The Coach House Café, though, and is already proving very popular.

Previously sous chef at Source Food Hall and Café in St Nicholas Market, Tilly is serving breakfasts like porridge and bacon sarnies, and lunches including gooey grilled cheese sandwiches, sausage rolls, tarts, salads and soups.

There are vegan and gluten-free options, and although everything is made with top-drawer ingredients, Tilly is determined to keep prices low. Cakes are homemade and coffees organic, featuring Bristol Twenty beans and Bruton Dairy milk. facebook.com/coachhousecafebristol

What was it that attracted you to work at Dhamaka? It fits perfectly with my style of cooking. Owner Vinay and I both want to serve authentic street food in a casual atmosphere and vibrant setting, where customers can feel relaxed and have a good meal, without breaking the bank.

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How would you describe the concept of the menu here?

Authentic street food and curries from across the Indian territory. We have balanced the menu by bringing the best dishes from different parts of India. Different curries are very unique in flavour and made using different processes.

Hence we have only chosen the best dishes that we feel we can serve the best way.

What is it about this menu that is unique in the area? The street food and the different authentic curries.

We went a bit brave by not having the run of the mill balti, jalfrezi and vindaloo, instead choosing dishes like chemmeen mappas (from Kerala) and chettinad lamb (from Tamil Nadu).

Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?

I love the tandoor – it seems quite specialist, but there is so much you can make with it: kebabs, breads and even slow-cooked dishes, which you can keep on top of the tandoor overnight when the charcoal is cooling down.

Favourite cookery book?

Prashad: Cooking with Indian Masters, by Jiggs Kalra – a famous restaurateur in India.

Foodie heroes? Gaggan Anand and Manish Mehrotra.

Current favourite flavour combination? I love tangy tamarind sauce and sweet yoghurt, which we use together in our chaat; it’s like yin and yang. dhamakadining.co.uk

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aSK yOUR waITReSS LOOK, IT’S OLIVIA FOX FROM TIMBRELL’S YARD How long have you worked here then, Olivia? Just over a year. It’s gone so quickly – I love it here.

And where were you before?

Just up the road, at The Moonraker Hotel.

How long have you been in hospitality? Full time for 10 years, but I’ve been involved in the industry ever since I was a teenager.

What was your first job in hospitality? Like many people in the industry, I was a waitress in my local pub.

What do you like most about working front of house?

Making people happy. If people leave with a smile on their faces, then I feel I’ve done my job well.

Tell us the best thing about your current job. The team.

We’re very close and work well together; everything flows. Also, we get a varied crowd, and I love meeting so many different characters.

And what about the most challenging part? The industry can be antisocial, working odd hours, over weekends and major holidays. I wouldn’t change it, though – I’m not a nine-to-five sort of person!

What skills have you learnt since coming here? I’m proud of how much better my coffee

COLE-PLAY making has become – I’m a barista in the making!

What are the bestselling dishes at the moment? The chargrilled game burger.

It’s served with mushroom ketchup, smoked bacon, gherkin, lettuce and handcut chips. And our roasts are famous, too!

We’ve got our eye on Finzels Reach for 2019. The riverside quarter, dotted with historic industrial buildings, has been in redevelopment for the past couple of years, with promise of a new food and drink and retail hub. Spicer and Cole is the first business to open there, bringing their Bristol-based café count to four. The locally roasted coffee and fresh, homemade, imaginative food will be a welcome addition to the area – especially among nearby office workers, we bet – and is a great way to kick off a likely influx of culinary ventures onto this patch. spicerandcole.co.uk

If you were a customer today, what would you order? To start, I’d have the venison, partridge and pheasant terrine with pear chutney; then, for main, the squash, pistachio and quinoa nut roast with roast potatoes, kale, pomegranate and coriander (I’m not vegan, but this dish is – and its flavours are amazing). To finish, definitely the luscious cherry and chocolate tart.

What makes the restaurant a special place to visit? The food is very special – we’ve won awards for it. The restaurant is right on the riverbank, too, so has great views out onto the water and over to the honey coloured buildings of Bradford-on-Avon.

Where else have you visited locally where the customer service was excellent?

My local is The Settle in Frome. They’re always accommodating and always smiling. Great service. timbrellsyard.com

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SUPER BOWL

A new café has opened in the Colston Hall and, seeing as it’s from the same guys as the popular Folk House Café and Spike Island Café, we reckon it’s going to be a new lunchtime fave. Just like its sister venues, Bowl of Plenty uses local and ethical produce in hearty and comforting food – think celeriac and apple soup with parsley pesto, dal with spiced cabbage salad and rice, and cheese toasties. The offering is concise and inclusive, with much of it being vegan and gluten free. It’s good value too, with price tags loitering around the fiver mark. There’s coffee and cake as well, and also breakfasts for early risers. bowlofplenty.co.uk

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THE

HIP SHOPS

INSTA FEED

Luke’s smiling face is often to be found at this colourful shop

FiG 1

@no12easton shows off its fresh new brunch menu

WHAT: HOMEWARE AND SPECIALITY FOOD PRODUCTS WHERE: UNIT 9, GAOL FERRY STEPS, BRISTOL BS1 6WE WHEN: MON-SUN 10AM-6PM

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ucked just away from the main thoroughfare of buzzing Wapping Wharf is Fig 1 – a one-off, Bristolborn shop that gives us all kinds of style envy.

Specialising in homeware, it was founded in 2007 by Mark Fletcher and Luke Macfadyen, when they saw a building come up for sale in their neighborhood. Keen for it to stay a shop for the community and not be turned into more accommodation, they bought it and set to work on rejuvenating the tired space. Nine years – and much success – later, Fig 1 relocated from its tiny Totterdown home to a purpose-built space at Bristol’s newest riverside development.

“We try to balance style and affordability,” Luke tells us, “and there’s a real focus on design [indeed, ‘Fig 1’ comes from the labels on technical design drawings] and practicality – things that are beautiful but functional, too.”

In terms of style, these guys certainly have a signature. Colours pop from all the shelves, each corner of the room vying for your attention and, when you look closer, you’ll notice more understated, elegant, and even rustic items, too.

“There’s a lot of Danish stuff; we love Scandinavian design and have worked with Danish brand Rice since we opened, after finding them at a trade fair.”

As well as visiting Rice and other European designers a few times a year to see new

collections and order fresh lines, the pair regularly attend trade fairs in London and Paris to find new suppliers.

Fig 1 stocks all kinds of kitchenware – from glasses and barware to crockery and food storage – as well as great pieces for picnics and parties. So, when it comes to decking out our kitchen and dressing our dinner tables for 2019, what are we looking for?

“A couple of years ago it was all about copper, but now everything is brass, and it seems to be sticking around. Also, there are lots of natural textiles and tactile materials cropping up,” Luke tell us as he flicks though pages of woven baskets in Bloomingville’s new catalogue (another major supper).

A relatively recent addition to the shelves here is the selection of food: lots of prepared nibbles, antipasti products and condiments sit next to thoughtfully placed serveware (before we know it, we’re picturing the potential dinner party). Luke turns to the Nicolas Vahé range – sister to the popular House Doctor brand – and picks up a mushroom salt blend, which recently came in.

“Flavoured salts like these are really very popular in Denmark,” he says. “You see them in lots of restaurants.”

It’s likely this collection of food will grow, too: “We’re in a really foodie area – people come here especially for food – so it makes sense for us offer it. We were hesitant to introduce it at first, but it’s sold incredibly well.” fig1.co.uk

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@lauraleighchapman goes virtuous with a smoothie bowl

@georgekallias knows how to improve pie – by deep frying it YOUR PIC COULD BE HERE! Just use #CrumbsSnaps on your foodie Insta posts and we might print one of yours next issue...

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In the Larder 2

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WE’VE BEEN MUNCHING ON WEST COUNTRY-MADE TREATS THIS MONTH 1. Pennard Ridge Goat’s Cheese, £3.50/100g From our Somerset stomping ground, this cheese is light and zesty with a gentle salty tang – ideal if you’ve had enough of heavy, rich cheeses after Christmas. We’ve been crumbling it over herby pea risotto (and nibbling on corners between meals, too), having had it delivered from South West-based L’Affinage du Fromage, which began life as a cheese stall and now sells a huge range online.

Check out the website; laffinage.co.uk 2. Octopus’s Garden Seaweed Umami Drops, £12/30ml Made from seaweed, these organic liquid drops are not only packed with the good stuff (that marine greenery is known to be mighty nutritious) but have a seriously concentrated savoury punch, making them great for taking meals to the next level when it comes to flavour. Use as your secret weapon in everything from stir-fries to salad dressings, stews to soups. Find them at Beets and Roots in Bristol and online; octopusgardenseaweed.co.uk 3. GingerBeard’s Preserves Ultimate Stout Barbecue Sauce, £4.50/240ml This local condiment biz sure makes the most of its neighbouring producers, collaborating with lots of them in its recipes. This particular number is made with stout from Bristol Beer Factory, and is rich and fruity with a hints of spice. We’ve been using it to pimp up homemade beans to top our toast with, and in tacos. Find it at Popti and Beast, Elemental and online; gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk 4. Wild and Game Grouse and Pheasant Pie, £1.75 This local not-for-profit outfit is on a mission to make delicious, plentiful, wild meat more accessible and better loved. It gets hold of top-notch game and turns it into meals and snacks – like this new pork pie-inspired number (it’s designed to be eaten cold, so is ideal for picnics and packed lunches). Inside the golden pastry are layers of game meat, along with grouse pâté and bacon. Available online; wildandgame.co.uk 5. Hobbs House Chocolate Orange Brownie, £12.50/550g Designed to fit through letterboxes, this might well be the best bit of post you get all year. Dense and gooey with hunks of choc, it went down a storm at Crumbs HQ recently, and vanished in seconds (we’ll be more careful next time). It’s sometimes available at the bakeries, but always online; hobbshousebakery.co.uk

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Ask the Expert

WhaT The PULSe GURU KNOWS AHEAD OF THE LAUNCH OF HER NEW BOOK ON THE SUBJECT, WE QUIZ JENNY CHANDLER ABOUT THE SUPERVERSATILE INGREDIENTS THAT HAVE INSPIRED THIS WHOLE ISSUE: PULSES

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M A I N S

Let’s start with your credentials then, Jenny.

What makes you such an expert on pulses?

Well, I wasn’t born a pulse enthusiast. In fact, baked beans and the odd kidney bean or mushy pea were about all I’d ever come across until my student days in Spain and South America. Later, working as a chef for an Italian family, I discovered their passion for simple dishes such as pasta e fagioli (a soupy mix of short pasta and speckled borlotti beans), and began to feel that we Brits were really missing out. I eventually wrote my book, Pulse, which is a collection of dishes gathered over years of travelling and working as a chef, in an attempt to get people more excited about the versatility and downright deliciousness of these humble ingredients. (My new book, Super Pulses, is out in February too.)

I also started teaching primary school kids and students how to cook simple, nutritious and economical meals such as chickpea soup or lentil dal. Then, when the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation declared 2016 The International Year of Pulses – recognising their enormous potential for both improving world health and being sustainable crops for the future – I received a rather extraordinary phone call. It was to ask whether I’d accept a nomination as the European Special Ambassador for Pulses.

And what might being the European Special Ambassador for Pulses entail, exactly? The year was a whirlwind of events – I spoke at trade fairs, conferences, and The World Health Organisation Symposium in Rome, and gave cooking demos all over the place.

Okay, we think you’re up to the task. So, let’s begin with the obvious: what actually are pulses? Sometimes known as legumes, they’re edible seeds grown within a pod. There are simply hundreds of varieties of pulse, but most commonly found in our kitchens are the huge range of dried beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils.

So they’re similar to grains, then? Grains are also seeds, yes, but in that case from the grass family.

Both grains and pulses are fantastically healthy whole foods to include in our daily diets, loaded with protein and fibre. I like to combine grains and pulses in soups, salads and stews, and think of them as the most versatile ingredients in the cupboard.

I don’t get too hung up on the right bean or grain for the job – they all add texture and absorb juices beautifully, so it’s great to interchange them and experiment a bit.

Pulses seem like a pretty exotic ingredient; do we grow any in the UK? Yes – in Britain we grow huge quantities of fresh peas and broad beans; it’s worth remembering that, until freezers came along, these vegetables were much more commonly dried and stored as pulses. We tend to think that fresh is best when it comes to food but, ironically, the protein and fibre levels of peas and beans are greatly increased once they’re dried. Back in the old days, when pease pudding was a staple, we virtually lived on dried peas and fava beans [another name for broad beans, often referred to as ‘fava’ when dried]. But then,

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as meat, poultry, potatoes and other crops became more readily available, humble pulses sadly became maligned as peasant food.

What’s the UK’s current pulse market like, then?

Nowadays we’re celebrating a bit of a national pulse renaissance, with heritage pea varieties and fava beans (that were, until recently, destined for export or animal feed) on the shelves once more. Pulse flours made from local peas and fava beans can be used in the same way as imported chickpea flour to make fabulous fritters and batters, and as a glutenfree baking option. The enterprising company Hodmedods works with British farmers cultivating an ever-growing range of pulses and grains, including their first commercial crop of lentils in 2017.

Good to hear we’re back in the game. So, where else are they grown? Many of the pulses we eat are imported, largely from Asia, Latin America and southern Europe (where legumes play a key role in the culinary heritage), and increasingly from other countries such as Canada, which is cultivating and exporting huge quantities, too.

What kind of global cuisines are pulses most popular in? The Indian subcontinent has an extraordinary range of dals, curries, fritters and flatbreads, which is fabulously inspiring. The Middle East, the cradle of civilization, is where pulses were first cultivated thousands of years ago, and has given us some incredible salads, dips and ever-popular falafel. Almost every country or region has a traditional pulse dish: the Spanish have their pork and pulse cazuelas, the Mexicans their refried beans. A dried bean, pea or lentil can be a vehicle for almost any flavour or spicing, even rocking up in the odd sweet dish too.

You’ve gotta love that falafel! And are we correct in thinking pulses are pretty darn good for us, too? I sometimes hesitate to shout too much about the nutritional benefits of eating pulses; the trouble is that people then tend to assume that it’s all about health and not about enjoyment. But pulses really are extremely good for you: a great source of economical protein and, equally importantly, the fibre that most of us are short of in our day-to-day diets. High fibre diets are associated with a reduced risk of type two diabetes and heart disease. They are loaded with minerals, iron in particular – just be sure to eat them with some vitamin C (such as lemon juice or green veg) so that you can absorb it.

Let’s talk our five a day – can we bolster that with these ingredients? Of course – just 80g of cooked pulses (that’s about three tablespoons) are considered to be one of your five a day.

Pulses seem to crop up a lot in vegan food especially – why are they so popular for meat-free dishes? Pulses provide an extremely rich source of high quality protein (which vegans and vegetarians of course can’t get from meat), especially when balanced with grains and nuts too.

Traditional preparations such as tofu and tempeh have nourished vegetarians for thousands of

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Okay, say we’re sold and are inking ‘pulses’ onto our shopping list as we speak; should we be opting for dried or canned, and what are the pros and cons of each? Soaking and long cooking times often put home cooks off preparing pulses, but there’s always a choice.

Those with the time and inclination can buy dried legumes and cook them until tender (presoaked or not, that’s up to you, and is whole new discussion). Too impatient or time-pressed to wait? Then canned pulses are a boon, and still a natural, unprocessed product that you can throw directly into salads or soups to have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes. Home-cooked pulses are certainly cheaper, though, and preparing them yourself means you can add a few herbs or stock for flavour.

Speaking on which, any cooking tips for the pulse novice? It’s worth batch cooking and freezing them in portions for a later date. Cans of beans, peas and chickpeas make fabulous standbys; I have a good range in my cupboard at all times, but always check that they have no sugar or other additives. Newcomers to the supermarket shelf are the pouches of flavoured pulses and grains. They seem rather overpriced to me, but could perhaps make a good starting point for the novice.

And what kind of pulses would you recommend starting out with? The simplest and probably most widely available pulses to prepare from scratch are red lentils. These tiny pulses have had their skins removed, so they cook quickly and collapse down to a creamy texture that’s just perfect for a winter soup, or a comforting dal – one of my favourite dishes on earth.

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years. ‘Reducetarians’ looking to cut their meat consumption can throw some beans into their beef stew or lentils into the bolognese, stretching their meat further with no nutritional loss, just as our ancestors did many moons ago.

Ah, but we’ve all seen the press that popular vegan ingredients – avocados and quinoa, for instance – have had lately. Are pulses another product that seem angelic but could raise sustainability issues? It’s actually hard not to become rather evangelical about pulses at a time when we’re increasingly concerned about climate change, water availability, waste and contamination. Pulses are particularly hardy and require relatively low quantities of water; their cultivation has one of the lowest carbon footprints of all crops; and, as nitrogen fixers, they actually enrich the soil they grow in. Dried pulses have a long shelf life, and can be transported and stored easily with very little wastage, making them economical for suppliers.

Soya, mung and adzuki are the three great beans of the East. Soya has been consumed for thousands of years as tofu, and in its fermented incarnations such as soy sauce and tempeh. Mung beans are most commonly eaten as bean sprouts, adding their crisp texture to salads and stirfries, but here we enjoy them cooked.

ASIAN-STYLE THREE-BEAN SALAD SERVES 4

100g dried adzuki beans (or 200g cooked) 100g dried mung beans (or 200g cooked) 250g edamame (fresh or frozen) 2 spring onions, finely sliced 2 red peppers, finely diced 1 daikon, peeled and finely diced (optional) For the dressing: 2 tbsp white miso paste 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce 2 tbsp mirin (or white wine vinegar and 1 tsp sugar) 4 tbsp rapeseed oil (or other vegetable oil) 1-2 tbsp sesame oil 1 Rinse the dried beans, if using, and in separate pans cover them with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Skim off any foamy scum and then turn down to a simmer. The beans will take anything from

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20 minutes to 1 hour to cook, depending on their age. They should be tender but still holding together well, or your salad will be a sludge. Drain the beans and set aside to cool. (Alternatively, use ready-cooked.)

2 Plunge the edamame into salted boiling water, or steam them for about 3 minutes.

Drain and rinse with cold water to stop them cooking further.

3 Mix together all the dressing ingredients with a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste – you may need more salt, pepper, vinegar or even a pinch of sugar.

4 Place all the beans in a serving bowl with the spring onions, red peppers and daikon, if using (do try it, the texture is fabulous). Pour over the dressing and tumble everything together, taking care not to mash up the beans. If possible, leave for about 20 minutes for the flavours to marry and soak into the beans before serving.

Recipe from Super Pulses by Jenny Chandler (Pavilion Books, £9.99); photography by Clare Winfield

BATH’S BEST BUTCHER

The best thing from Larkhall Butchers has to be the sausages.

They are locally sourced, fresh, and best of all, they're gluten free!

Annie – Larkhall customer

1 Lambridge Buildings, Bath BA1 6RS 01225 313 987 | info@larkhallbutchers.co.uk larkhallbutchers.co.uk

WE’VE BEEN READING LOADS OF SPECIALIST COOKERY BOOKS THIS MONTH, FOCUSING ON EVERYTHING FROM BUDGET PLANTBASED FEEDS TO TRADITIONAL NORTHERN EUROPEAN BAKING...

THE NORDIC BAKING BOOK

Magnus Nilsson (Phaidon, £29.95) Fäviken’s Nilsson has applied the inquisitive and meticulous tendencies that make him such a lauded chef to develop this intriguing study of Nordic baking, containing 450 recipes from across six countries. (Having the word ‘baking’ in the title hasn’t forced him to miss out those culturally significant pastries and breads that are deep-fried or cooked over fire, either.) The book begins with notes on grains, their history and traditions, as well as baking methods and ingredients. Recipes range from breads and pizza to pancakes and waffles, visiting pastries and cakes on the way, before ending up with pies and desserts. Photographs of majestic Nordic scenery and a select few recipes are punctuated by explanatory illustrations. The camping bread is a goer for any outdoorsy trip, while the cardamom buns are an ideal weekend bake. This encyclopedic collection does as good a job

as can be imagined to sum up an ancient and fascinating food culture.

JESSICA CARTER

WHAT VEGANS EAT

Brett Cobley (Harper Collins, £16.99) 2019 looks like being the biggest year yet for vegan food, so this is quite timely: a practical, easy-cooking guide to everyday vegan dishes. Whether you’re thinking of taking your already vegetarian lifestyle one step further, or are simply planning to add more plant-based meals to your repertoire, it might be just the thing. Cheery, bearded Brett Cobley began pushing vegan cooking through his Instagram page and YouTube channel, Epivegan, in 2016, and his approach is disarmingly simple: you get chapters on breakfasts, quick lunches and weeknight main meals, plus more ambitious fare for weekends and dinner parties. There’s all you’ll need on store cupboard staples, plant milks, and the best ingredients for serious flavour and protein,

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too. We found a tasty vegan-sausage and lentil casserole that took no time at all, but dishes like Brett’s walnut and potato tacos and Asian veggie kebab have us tempted to try more. MATT BIELBY

THE PULSES AND GRAINS COOKBOOK

Merchant Gourmet (Quadrille, £15) Now almost 25 years old, food brand Merchant Gourmet aims to make interesting and speciality ingredients from all over the world accessible to shoppers in the UK. Yes, of course the recipes in this book contain its own products: from pouches of pre-prepared puy lentils, freekeh, and super seeds to wholegrain dried couscous, it’s a given that you’ll be filling up your basket with their branded packaging. That said, there’s usually just one own-brand ingredient per dish, and if you’re an adventurous cook with time limitations, then you’ll be glad to be introduced to this range of products if you’re not already

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acquainted. The wholesome and novel snacks like roasted jerk chickpeas and lentils, brekkies such as orangey quinoa granola, and mains like the Korean bibimbap bowl with chilli beef, are both practical and achievable. J E S S ICA CARTE R

NIGHTINGALES AND ROSES

Maryam Sinaiee (Head of Zeus, £25) Persian cooking might be almost mainstream now, but the cookbooks still intimidate at times. Not this one, though: it offers tasty, accessible and achievable food, organised by the seasons and beautifully presented. Maryam Sinaiee has lived all over Iran so knows plenty about regional specialities, as well as local food etiquette and the vital importance of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ elements in meals (neither has to do with temperature or spiciness). Nightingales and Roses gives a good insight into the culture, then, but where it really wins is with its vast array of tempting meals: if you fancy a lamb stew, say, you’ll be torn between different variations that co-star yellow lentils, pomegranates, quince, aubergine, walnuts, spinach, celery, plums, rhubarb, or even brined grapes. But it’s not just meaty stomach liners: there are basics (including salads, rices, breads and pickles), desserts, and everything from soups to fish dishes, cookies to dips, too. M ATT B IE LBY

15 MINUTE VEGAN ON A BUDGET

Katy Beskow (Quadrille, £15) Katy Beskow specialises in speedy and ethical plant-based recipes, and for her third book has created 100 that cost just £1 per portion. Becoming fascinated by her local fruit and vegetable markets as a student living on a small budget, Katy realised vegan food can not only be exciting and varied, but also affordable and accessible. The book kicks off with tips for making your money go further with grocery shopping, staple vegan ingredients and advice on avoiding food waste (indeed, the first section of recipes is all about leftovers, featuring potato peel crisps and five-spice fried rice).

We’re then taken though dishes worth raiding the cupboards for (Moroccan-spiced flatbreads, and black-eyed bean mole), and recipes starring fresh ingredients, as well as family favourites and sweet treats. If you want to cut down on animal products but think it’ll cost you too much money and time, this book could well open a few doors for you. J E S S I CA CARTE R

From Nightingales and Roses by Maryam Sinaiee (Head of Zeus, £25)

SHOLEH ZARD (SAFFRON RICE PUDDING) SERVES 6-8

SHOLEH ZARD CAN be eaten at room temperature or cold, and keeps well in the fridge for a few days.

150g rice (Thai jasmine, pudding or Arborio) pinch saffron strands 3 cardamom pods 25g butter 270g sugar 1 ½ tbsp rosewater 20g almond slivers (optional) 10g pistachio slivers (optional) ground cinnamon, to decorate 1 Put the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Stir, then pour off the cloudy water. Fill the bowl again and gently rub the rice between your palms. Drain and add 350ml of cold water. Leave to soak for a few hours or overnight.

2 Grind the saffron threads in a pestle and mortar, then add 1 tbsp of hot (nearly boiling) water. Leave somewhere warm to infuse.

3 Crack the cardamom pods and tie up in a piece of muslin. Put the rice and its soaking water, the butter, a pinch of salt and another

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900ml water in a saucepan. Drop the muslin pouch into the pot. Stir the rice and cook on a medium-low heat on the smallest ring of your cooker until nearly all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. This will take up to an hour depending on the size of your burner. If the rice doesn’t soften, add a little more boiling water from the kettle and continue cooking. Stir from time to time to make sure the rice doesn’t catch. The pudding will be very thick at this stage.

4 Remove the muslin pouch, add all the sugar and stir thoroughly.

Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the rosewater and 2 tsp of the saffron water (the rest will keep in a container in the fridge for a week or two) and stir well. Add more saffron if the colour looks too pale – the pudding should be a deep yellow. Stir in ½ the almonds and cook for a further 10 minutes.

5 Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and decorate with pistachio and almond slivers and some cinnamon just before serving.

CHEF!

WHAT TO MAK AND HOW TO E MAKE IT – DIRECT FROM THE KITCHENS O OUR FAVOURITF FOODIES E

Pulses come in endless shapes, sizes and colours – and they’re all winners in the kitchen

HIGHLIGHTS

28 BRIGHT SIDE COLOURFUL DAL FROM BRISTOL'S NEW VEGAN GAFF

31 SO STREET

TRY THIS CLASSIC NORTH INDIAN STREET FOOD SNACK 027 CRUMBSMAG.COM

32 FAMILY FAVOURITE

A STAPLE INDIAN CHICKPEA DISH

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SPICED DAL WITH CUCUMBER AND MINT RAITA AND PARSNIP, GINGER AND APPLE BHAJI SERVES 2-3 For the dal: 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced pinch mustard seeds 3 curry leaves 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 ½ tsp ground cumin 1 ½ tsp ground coriander 1 tsp chilli powder 1 red chilli, chopped 250g mung dal

ALRIGhT, SUNShINE?

JILISA BARNABY SHARES HER DISH FOR THIS YEAR’S DAL TRAIL...

Jilisa is head chef at plant-based diner Suncraft. She’s been cooking for nine years, and came to Bristol from the Midlands. This isn’t the first vegetarian kitchen she’s worked in, though, having also been behind the pass at specialist veggie restaurant 1847.

Having opened last autumn, Suncraft is a colourful new addition to Gloucester Road, created by the team behind The Gallimaufry. It’s all about hearty, nourishing food that’s convenient, filling and – most importantly – properly tasty.

This year, Jilisa is getting stuck in with the British Dal Festival celebrations, having created this very dish to add to her menu and earn the diner a place on the Dal Trail that’s happening throughout the city.

Suncraft, 39 Gloucester Road, Bristol BS7 8AD; facebook.com/suncraftbristol

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For the bhaji: 200g parsnip, peeled and grated 1 green apple, grated 200g gram flour 1 tsp coconut sugar ½ tsp salt 1 tsp ground coriander 50g ginger, peeled and grated 50ml water 50ml apple juice vegetable oil, for deep frying For the raita: ¼ cucumber, grated 5 sprigs mint, leaves finely chopped 250g coconut yoghurt 1 Heat the oil in a pan and gently sweat down the diced onion with the mustard seeds and curry leaves for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.

2 Once softened, add the garlic, spices and chopped chilli. Cook for a further 3 minutes, then add the lentils and enough water to cover. Leave to cook for 30 minutes.

3 Once cooked, correct the seasoning and consistency – more water may be needed if it’s become too thick.

4 Combine all the bhaji ingredients – except the water, apple juice and oil – in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Gradually add the water and juice, mixing to form a thick batter. Don’t worry if it appears too thick, the water from the apples and parsnips will eventually leech out.

5 To fry the bhajis, heat 4cm of the oil in a deep, heavybased pan to 180C. Carefully drop in 1 tbsp of the batter and fry for 2 minutes, before flipping and cooking for another 1 minute until both sides are golden and crisp.

When cooked, removed with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Do this in batches until all the mixture is used.

6 For the raita, add the cucumber and chopped mint leaves to the yoghurt and mix well. Season with salt.

7 To plate, add a ladle of dal to each bowl. Cut the bhajis in half and place in the centre, then add a dollop of the raita. We like to finish with toasted desiccated coconut, some more chopped mint, and pickled red onion.

OUR PASSION Ston Easton Park holds the culinary crown when it comes to serving awardwinning cuisine in the most exquisite surroundings. We pride ourselves on using only the finest, freshest and seasonal produce and we’re proud to be well renowned as one of the best restaurants in Somerset.

OUR CHEF Our Head Chef creates daily dishes in accordance to the ingredients grown in our own food garden by our dedicated Gardeners. The dishes are dictated largely on the ingredients available seasonally, producing the best possible flavours.

Looking for a f ine dining experience with a difference?

Contact us to make a reser vation

01761 241631 Ston Easton, Nr Bath, Somerset BA3 4DF | www.stoneaston.co.uk | reception@stoneaston.co.uk

Crumbs readers will rece ive a complim entar y gla ss of wine w ith (ser ved b lunch etween 12 noon - 2pm) when qu oting SCMB0 1.

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remind me of happy days cooking in our family kitchen with aunts, sisters and friends, chattering and laughing as we ate them piping hot from the pan.

“They are also prolific street food in India and a great snack to be eaten hot, spicy and crispy, topped with a fresh, cooling chutney.”

CRISPY CHANA DAL ALOO TIKKIS MAKES 8 For the dal: 1 cup chana dal, rinsed and soaked overnight 3 tbsp olive oil 8-10 curry leaves ½ small white onion, very finely chopped ½ tsp ginger, grated ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp chilli powder

SNACK hACK

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KALPNA WOOLF IS PUTTING LENTILS TO WORK IN THIS GREAT INDIAN STREET FOOD SNACK...

Originally from North India, Kalpna is founder of 91 Ways to Build a Global City, a social enterprise organisation to celebrate Bristol’s diversity and encourage inclusion. The team uses food as a catalyst, holding events where people can come and share meals and stories about their culture and lives.

“We don’t all speak the same language and sometimes think we have nothing in common, but we do have an experiential commonality – sharing food – which crosses divides and breaks down barriers,” says Kalpna.

“Last month I was proud to host a 91 Ways supper club, Kalpna At Home. I cooked food that I was brought up with and that has been part of my heritage. I made these chana dal aloo tikkis – they

For the potato mix: 4 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled 1 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder) 2 green chillies, finely chopped 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp garam masala ½ tsp ground turmeric handful coriander leaves, chopped sunflower oil, for shallow frying 1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the chana dal. Cook the dal until it is soft but still keeps its shape – about 25-30 minutes. Drain to remove any liquid.

2 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and then drop in the curry leaves. Let these sizzle for 1 minute and then add the onion, spices and good pinch of salt. When the onion is soft, mix in the drained chana dal, and cook for 2-3 minutes, TIP: Cook a few then set aside to cool. extra, as they will keep 3 In a bowl, mash the cooked for 3-4 days covered potatoes well. Mix in the in the fridge, or they amchoor, chillies, ground can also be frozen. If you’re really hungry, coriander, garam masala, try them stuffed in a turmeric and coriander leaves. wholemeal pitta pocket 4 Take 2 tbsp of the potato with coriander or raita mixture and form into a ball drizzled over. shape, then flatten into a patty in your hand. Take 1 tsp of the chana dal mix and place in the centre of the potato patty. Fold the sides into the middle and form into a potato cake with the dal contained inside. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

5 Heat a generous glug of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Gently place 3 tikkis in the pan at a time (or fewer if your pan is smaller) and fry on both sides for 3-4 minutes, until they turn brown.

91ways.org

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SUBCONTINeNTaL SUPPeRS GEETA AHEER GOES BIG ON FLAVOUR BUT SMALL ON EFFORT WITH THIS WARMING DISH, STARRING OUR HERO INGREDIENT…

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For the bhatura: 260g self-raising flour 1 tsp cumin seeds (optional) 1 tsp salt (optional) handful coriander, chopped (optional) sparkling water vegetable oil, for deep frying Geeta’s Indian food is all about precisely balanced flavour – created by layering up spices and seasonings – as opposed to chilli heat.

“You should experience levels of taste,” she says.

“The spices should come together gently, the way they do in ‘real’ Punjabi food.”

Under the name of Bojan, Geeta runs pop-ups, events and cookery classes, as well as offering private catering. This recipe is is one of her staples.

“Chana masala is a family favourite,” she says, “and always a go-to dish when looking for something that is full of flavour and really good for you. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly – so a winner on all counts. Eat it with my take on easy bhatura – a spongy, yet light bread often twinned with chana masala.”

CHANA MASALA WITH EASY BHATURA SERVES 3-4

bojanbristol.co.uk

3-4 tbsp olive oil 2 large onions, minced using food processor 2 garlic cloves, minced or very finely chopped 5cm piece ginger, minced or very finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tin (200g) chopped tomatoes 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp red chilli powder 2-3 green chillies, minced 2 tsp garam masala 2 x 400g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed handful fresh coriander, chopped

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1 First, make the bhatura dough. Mix the flour in a bowl with any combination of the optional spices and herbs. Add sparking water slowly, mixing, until it comes together to make a firm dough. Knead the dough until smooth, dry and bouncy, then leave it to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes (this makes the rolling easier).

2 Pour the oil into the pan, and gently heat for 1 minute.

Add the onions and gently fry for 5 minutes.

3 Add the minced garlic and ginger and the cumin seeds, stirring. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until you see the oil separate from the onions.

4 Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and stir. Turn the heat down if it starts to catch on the bottom of the pan. Let the tomatoes soften, cooking for 5-7 minutes.

5 Stir in the turmeric, red chilli powder, green chillies and 1 tsp of the garam masala. Season with salt. Cook for 10 minutes, then add 100ml of cold water and stir through. Add the chickpeas to the pan and simmer for around 20-25 minutes.

6 Take the pan off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then add the remaining garam masala and the fresh coriander, and stir through.

7 Take the bhatura dough out of the fridge and roll into golf ball-sized portions. Flatten the balls, and roll out flat, using flour to stop them sticking to the surface.

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pan to about 180C (when you drop a tiny bit of the dough into the oil it should sizzle immediately). Deep fry each bhatura for about 2 minutes, turning half way through, until lightly golden on both sides. Then remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper, to drain the excess oil.

8 Serve up the hot chana masala with the bhatras. I like to top with rings of red onion.

THE WINE GUY

dINNeR heaRTY

V-DAY IS AROUND THE CORNER, AND ANDY CLARKE HAS JUST THE FOOD AND WINE COMBO FOR THE OCCASION, WHETHER YOU’LL BE SHARING WITH SOMEONE OR KEEPING IT ALL FOR YOURSELF...

DRINK UP!

Planeta La Segreta Grillo is £11.99, and Ciello Baglio Rosso Nero d’Avola 2016 is £13.99, both from Grape and Grind; grapeandgrind.co.uk

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s we roll into the second month of the year, for many it’s time to emerge from the Dry January cocoon and start planning the ‘retox’. Welcome back, team! (I’m not a huge fan of making the darkest month of the year any more laborious by abstaining from fun food and alcohol, but have all the respect for those that do partake to help their health, or even raise money for charity.)

Whether we’ve fallen off the wagon or were never on it to begin with, now is the time to indulge, with love well and truly in the air.

Regardless of whether you do enforced romance

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in the name of St Valentine or not, 14 February is a great excuse to eat, drink and generally be merry (it’s not just for Christmas, that).

Some of us might be in the throws of new romance, while others look to re-ignite date night or plan to spend perhaps the most commercially exploited saint’s day in the sole company of Netflix and a bottle of vino. Handily, I’ve got the ultimate food and drink combo for any of the above scenarios.

I’m full of lust – I mean love – for Gloucester Road at any time of the year. It’s where my dad grew up and is a treasure trove of independent shops and businesses. One of my favourite

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culinary hangouts there is Bomboloni. Andrew Griffin’s warm, Italian-inspired restaurant is named after the little continental-style filled doughnuts that they make here. This is a great spot for a dinner date, with its ever-changing menu full of home-cooked charm.

Andrew (formerly of Markwicks and Tart Café and Foodstore) opened Bomboloni in the summer of 2017 with the help of his family – especially wife Sara, who he met while working in Bristol’s celebrated Culinaria, in 1994. With hearty dishes such as divinely rich ox cheek and porcini tagliatelle and the unbelievable pork belly with cannellini beans and salsa verde, it’s easy to see how they quickly wooed locals and food tourists into their foodie fold.

When trying to entice Andrew to give me a recipe that would be ideal for a romantic evening, I was initially after his pasta con le sarde with saffron and pangrattato; its intense sardine flavour and breadcrumb crunch is worth the trip alone. Thing is, it may leave your breath a little less than desirable for that end-of-the-evening smooch. So instead, I turned to the restaurant’s Sicilian masterpiece known as spaghetti alla Norma. A traditional favourite, it’s delicious, kissing-friendly and easy to recreate at home.

It just so happens, too, that a few metres down the road from the restaurant one of my favourite Bristolian drinks stops is boasting some fine Sicilian sips that will complement the dish with enthusiasm. I love it when a plan comes together.

The aubergine, salted ricotta, basil and tomato in Andrew’s dish cry out for a tangy white like the Planeta La Segreta Grillo. The wine has a rich nose of petrolly peaches and yet it has a surprisingly bright flavour. The lemon drop freshness is great with the ricotta, the fleshy ripe pear hints are ideal with the aubergine, and the white pepper finish really complements the tomato, which envelops all the other ingredients.

But you can opt for a red here, too – as long as it’s not too savoury or tannic. Ciello Baglio Rosso Nero d’Avola is a treat; it’s a natural wine (but is surprisingly un-funky) with stonkingly individual character. It smells like ripe redcurrants sprinkled with cinnamon, and on the palate there’s a red berry acidity with a hint of sweet balsamic – amazing with the vibrant basil. There is also a warming cherry flavour with a unique cranberrylike tannic structure, which is just great with the intense tomato. And then the black pepper finish is exactly what the aubergine needs. I’ve never tasted a red quite like it.

So, be you a red or white fan, let’s hope you fall in love with these pasta and vino combos as much as I did. Happy Valentine’s Day!

SPAGHETTI ALLA NORMA SERVES 4 olive oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 2 x 400g tins good-quality chopped tomatoes 25ml red wine vinegar 25g sugar 2 aubergines 300g good quality dried spaghetti 250ml vegetable stock 2 garlic cloves, chopped good handful basil leaves, shredded handful flat leaf parsley, chopped 50g butter salted ricotta, to serve 1 First make the tomato sauce. Heat a glug of olive oil and gently sweat the onion in it for a few minutes until soft, then add the tomatoes and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes.

2 Heat the red wine vinegar in a pan with the sugar and cook until it thickens slightly, then add this to the tomatoes and season to taste. Break the mix up with a whisk or spoon until it’s smooth. Set aside.

3 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

4 Cut the aubergines into 1cm-thick slices and drizzle with oil, making sure they’re thinly coated. Oil an oven tray and lay the slices on it. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning once half way through, until soft and well browned. Leave to cool, then slice into strips.

5 Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, as per the packet instructions, and then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.

6 Heat 500ml of the tomato sauce (save any leftovers for next time – it’ll keep in a container in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can freeze it) with the vegetable stock, add the garlic and aubergine and season. Simmer gently.

7 Add the basil, parsley and butter and simmer until the sauce becomes glossy and quite thick. Check the seasoning, then toss with the spaghetti, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if it needs loosening. Serve topped with a grating of ricotta and a basil leaf.

Andy Clarke is a freelance TV producer and writer; follow him on Twitter @TVsAndyClarke; one4thetable.com

bomboloni.net

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a @brockleystores

Brockley Stores, Main Road, Brockley, North Somerset BS48 3AT

8:30am – 4pm

The Joseph Joseph TriScale comes in white or green, and is available from Steamer Trading, Kitchens, Leekes and Lakeland, £35; josephjoseph.com

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS

How big is your kitchen? Mine’s tiny – not quite canalboat scale, but I’m constantly running out of surfaces!

With a kettle, toaster, mixer and coffee maker all littering the place, I can barely squeeze a chopping board in there.

I feel your pain. (Though, obviously, my kitchen’s quite big, with an island that would qualify as one of the Outer Hebrides if it was surrounded by sea.) My problem is similar to yours, though, in that I’m a neat freak – and I like a tidy (read: empty) work surface. Which is why this clever set of scales from Joseph Joseph is so exciting.

Those are scales? I thought it was – I dunno – one of those three-pronged frisbees or something…

Oh, they’re scales alright – and very sensible ones. You see, the TriScale – as it’s known – folds down to the size of a corkscrew when you want to pack it away, the screen and controls getting neatly protected by the collapsed arms in the middle there.

It’s the Swiss Army Knife of kitchen scales!

Quite so! The way it works is very simple – you fold out the arms to provide a sturdy tripod-like platform for any plate or bowl you want to place upon it. (There’s no builtin bowl, but I’m sure you’ve got plenty of those anyway.)

Tripods have been a design classic since ancient Greece, because equilateral triangles are inherently stable – apply pressure to one arm, and its two little buddies take an equal share of the strain.

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It all sounds very clever, I must say.

Cleverer than you’d think, for it’ll measure in grams, pounds, ounces, fluid ounces or millilitres – whatever suits – and has an ‘add and weigh’ function too, allowing you to measure multiple ingredients in the same bowl.

Whether you’re short on space or like things neat, this might just become your baking go-to.

MIXERS AND SCALES TAKE UP TONS OF ROOM ON KITCHEN SURFACES, SAYS MATT BIELBY, BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO. ENTER THE CLEVER THINKERS AT JOSEPH JOSEPH…

THIS MONTH • ALPHA SCALE • WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT • RUSTIC RULES

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The Supper Club

RURaL CURe-aLL IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY, YOU’RE SURE OF A BIG – NOT TO MENTION DELICIOUS – SURPRISE...

WORDS BY JESSICA CARTER PHOTOS BY ALICE WHITBY

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he sun was starting to think seriously about setting as people emerged onto fields of grazing sheep in Bradfordon-Avon. The golden dregs of daylight filtered through the branches of the trees, casting stretched out shadows across the winding track that the visitors were following.

They were coming in search of food – and they weren’t going to be disappointed. Inside a fabric-roofed shelter in a clearing of trees, tables were already set with glowing gas lanterns, candles, and glass bottles filled with colourful wild flowers. Strings of festoon lights were draped overhead, running the length of the long communal tables, whose wavy edges echoed the deep grain of the tree they were cut from. At the head of the central table, crackling flames licked the inside of a wood burner, which, along with the similarly fuelled oven adjacent, were to keep the hungry guests warm as they filled their bellies.

The setting was The Farm Camp; a rural retreat, surrounded by orchards, intended for off-grid camping (several large, well-furnished bell tents are dotted about the clearing) and woodland activities. Its creator is farmer Tim Bowles, who returned to the family farm after embarking on a career in advertising. He had a hankering to combat the stress and complexity of the fast-paced, always-online, 21st-century lifestyle. The Farm Camp was the answer, and has become a place to slow down, switch off, and get reacquainted with nature.

As for the occasion on this particular day? Caterer and private chef Beth Al-Rikabi – also known as The Free Range Chef – was hosting her latest Fireside Supper Club,

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which she runs here seasonally. Her cooking is informed by the gluts of the English harvests as well as her varied culinary experience, in particular the time she spent cooking in Italy.

The 24 guests – who came from across Bradford-on-Avon and Bath, as well as from the campsite itself – took their seats on the benches that lined the tables, and settled in by candlelight for the evening feast. To begin, large vintage platters were piled with Middle Eastern mezze-style food: mushroom and sundried tomato falafel; broad bean, chilli and garlic dip; fattoush salad; mixed pickles; and smoked nuts and seeds. The mains were more Italian in style, with risotto-stuffed aubergine, steamed green beans with sage and walnut pesto, and a fresh, colourful carrot, beetroot and fennel salad. Squares of pillowy rosemary focaccia were put to work mopping up anything left on plates.

Ingredients had come from local farms and suppliers, while Ben Franks of Novel Wines had helped Beth pick out drinks to match. The plentiful food was passed up and down the rows as guests chatted and sipped vino, until plates were cleared and contented smiles had crept across faces.

A vegan sticky toffee pudding was served in enamel mugs (the recipe came from Beth’s time at Demuths Cookery School) with sauce on the side to spoon over. It was but one of three puds, alongside pumpkin and pecan custard tarts, and sherry-spiked blackberry syllabub.

The warm glow of fire and gentle hum of conversation spilled out from the cosy den into the otherwise dark and still field, as everyone delayed home time.

Beth’s next supper club at The Farm Camp will be held in the spring; beththefreerangechef.com; thefarmcamp.co.uk

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STUFFED AUBERGINE WITH TOMATO SAUCE This is a little like my favourite dish, parmigiana di melanzane, but with a bit more girth to it. I made it without cheese for the Supper Club, and it is perfectly lovely that way, so feel free to leave out the dairy for a vegan version.

SERVES 4 oil for frying (I use rapeseed) 1 garlic clove, crushed whole 1 onion, finely diced 200g Arborio rice 50ml port 1 sprig rosemary 500ml water or stock (hot) 2 aubergines, sliced thinly, long ways 300g passata drizzle balsamic vinegar pinch brown sugar good quality olive oil, to drizzle 1 ball mozzarella, well drained and torn into strips 50g pecorino, finely grated 1 Make the risotto first. Pour a good glug of oil into a saucepan and add the garlic. Gently brown the garlic for a few minutes so it flavours the oil, then take it out and add the onion. Cook gently and, once it is translucent, add the rice and stir to coat all the grains.

2 Pour in the port and simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol has burnt off and you are just left with the flavour. Add the sprig of rosemary and start adding the stock a ladle at a time, letting the rice soak up all the liquid before adding the next.

3 Stop once the rice is edible but still with a bite, as it will cook a little more later on. Season well and set aside.

4 Fry the aubergines on a medium heat in batches. It takes a little while, so put the extractor on if you have one.

5 For the sauce, pour the passata into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Add a glug of balsamic and, if it needs more sweetness, a pinch of sugar. Finish with a good glug of decent olive oil.

6 Preheat the grill to medium-high.

7 To assemble, spoon the risotto onto a slice of aubergine and roll up like you would a pig in blanket. Use a couple of pieces if you have small bits of aubergine. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just sturdy enough to hold its form when spooning onto your plate at the end.

8 Repeat until all the aubergine is used up, placing each parcel in an ovenproof dish, packing them in tight. Pour the tomato sauce over the top, add the cheese and grill for about 6 minutes or until the cheese is crispy and browning.

BOOZY BERRY SYLLABUB This is a real simple one to whip up. I used blackberries as they were in season, but you can use whatever is available – or even frozen fruit. Serve with some biscuits for dunking.

SERVES 4 300ml whipping cream 50g caster sugar 50ml sherry ½ lemon, zest and juice handful berries 1 Whip the cream and sugar until you create soft peaks, then stir in the wine and lemon juice and zest. Spoon into a beautiful glass and chill for an hour or so.

2 When ready to serve, add the berries and tuck in.

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The Want List WE’VE GONE ALL COUNTRY COTTAGE WITH THESE RUSTIC, HOMELY LOOKING BUYS...

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1. Dinard Napkins, £52 These pure linen napkins with a blue stripe design are lovely and rustic, and come in a set of four. Find them in Oka in Bath; oka.com 2. AGA Cast Aluminium Casserole, from £98 With a scratch-resistant non-stick coating, this casserole’s lid also doubles up as a skillet for grilling on. Find it at AGA Cookshop in Bath; agacookshop.co.uk 3. Traditional Enamel 24cm Pie Plate, £5.49 This oven-safe plate is double-coated in enamel to make it super hardy. From Lakeland in Bath and Bristol; lakeland.co.uk 4. Wooden Slotted Spoon, £3.99 Made with natural acacia wood, this slotted spoon will crank the rustic vibes right up in the kitchen. From Vinegar Hill in Bath and Bristol; vinegarhill.co.uk 5. Baroque Cup and Saucer, £9.50 This cup and saucer, with its pretty detailing, is only on blummin’ sale – so you can snap it up for £9.50 instead of the usual £14. Bargain. From Brissi in Bath; brissi.com

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Tuesday

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TOP CULINARY CAUSES, INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AND FOOD PIONEERs

Fancy upping your Insta game? You’re in luck this month...

HIGHLIGHTS

48 SNAP CHAT

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE FROM PRO FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS

53 WAPPING MAD THE RECIPE FOR WAPPING WHARF'S SUCCESS INCLUDING!

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TOP TIPS FOR WANNABE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Image on this page by Dominika Scheibinger.

Opposite, clockwise from top left: Edward Fury, Paolo Ferla, Nicci Peet, Pete Axford

sNaP!

WHETHER YOU’RE KEEN TO CAPTURE DROOL-WORTHY IMAGES FOR THE ’GRAM OR ENTER THE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY TRADE, THESE PROS HAVE GIVEN US SOME INSIGHTS THAT COULD HELP YOU UP YOUR GAME...

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eaning over tabletops on your tiptoes. Trying to peek at a phone screen that you’re holding flat above actual eye level. Enduring a chorus of groans as you tell everyone around the table not to. Touch. A. Thing. Because, if you didn’t catch it on camera, did you even eat it? These are scenes that we’re all rather used to by now – whether we’re the person holding the screen or a member of the chorus.

Encouraged by our camera-enabled phones – not to mention the bragging opportunities of social media – we have become a society of amateur (in both senses of the word) food photographers. But the niche is booming in the professional world, too. Not simply used to illustrate recipes or magazine articles any more, hunger-inducing images are employed by marketing, websites and branding; we see examples of food photography everywhere, from t’internet to magazines, billboards to books.

“People are valuing food photography a lot more than they once did,” says Paolo Ferla, a well-established food and restaurant snapper who’s been in the biz for a decade. “And the bar keeps getting higher and higher.”

This is, no doubt in part, a result of the proliferation of online sharing, something that Bristol-based Nicci Peet notes has also shaped the briefs she gets from her clients.

“Instagram has changed what people are looking for,” she says.

“The bird’s eye view of a dish is something people ask for a lot now, especially as social media becomes more and more essential for clients.”

So, what about getting into the industry? Of course, as with so many careers, there isn’t one single way into food photography.

But it is a booming trade; as the demand for great quality food photography grows (think of how many cookbooks are published these days, then there are advertising campaigns and business’s need for content for their social channels, as Nicci points out), so does the number of people sacking off the day job to take their hobby fulltime. Dominika Scheibinger did just that, quitting her office job to become a photographer. Two years later, she still loves the challenges and variety of her new career.

“Photographing food is never boring, largely because it can be very challenging,” she says. “From things going cold and losing their colour to cake not quite rising, there are all kinds of pitfalls that every food photographer must navigate. It’s this creativity and sense of challenge which I like the most about shooting food.”

Conversely, Nicci Peet entered the field after graduating with a degree in the subject, and says her studies not only helped her find a specific kind of enjoyment in working with food and drink, but also informed the way she shoots.

“Studying photojournalism really installed the love of finding and shooting a good story – and there’s always a story behind food, whether that be its history or how someone came to open this restaurant or start that company,” she says. “ Food is so integral to communities and cultures, and has a different meaning to everyone.

I think you can tell a lot about a person by what and how they eat.”

And, while the focus may be food, the folk behind it are just as important to that story, Nicci thinks: “The people involved are so varied and always passionate, which means that no two jobs are the same and you get to meet some extraordinary characters.”

Pete Axford – hospitality pro turned food and drink photographer – also cites the crowd he gets to mix with as one of the best things about his job, as well as the exciting scene in our South West patch.

“I’m constantly impressed by the passion and ingenuity of chefs and proprietors,” he says. “The West Country is such a hotbed for foodies – we have amazing growers and makers, as well as some of the best restaurants in the country, right here on our doorstep.”

TOP TIPS FROm THe PROS LIGHTING

Dominika Scheibinger says...

“I always try to find a big window where I can place a table with food and just use natural light. Always look at your shadow, as this will tell you what the light is doing. If the light is too harsh, use a diffusion material – a shower curtain is a good (and cheap) option! It works amazingly well, especially when you are at the beginning of your photography journey and can’t afford to buy specific equipment.” dskphotography.co.uk

STYLING

Edward Fury says... “Most of the time this is down to the client. A fine dining establishment will probably want minimal amounts with the focus really remaining on the food.

For editorial, however, the style is generally a little looser, sometimes with multiple dishes that help make up a table of food. The one thing I’ve found helpful to have is a collection of cutlery. Sometimes, if a restaurant has their own, it can look huge and dominating, so its always good to have back ups. Fake ice is also a good one, as it helps the lifespan of any drinks in frame. Timescales can be tight – food’s appearance degrades over time, so being quick and efficient is helpful!” edwardfury.com

COMPOSITION

Paolo Ferla says... “Composition is key, and it has two parts. First, the ‘stack’, with the bottom layer being the background. A surface like a wooden tabletop or stone works well, just make sure its colour suits what you have in mind and that the lighting conditions are good. The next layer will be a napkin or a board, which helps to frame the dish. Then, layer up the dishes. A rustic scene often uses small dishes that are overflowing, while a fine dining scene leaves a lot of breathing space. Then there’s the food itself (which can also be made up of layers), with the final

layer being a garnish – like a sprinkle of seeds, fresh herb or edible flowers.

“Then think about the ‘corners’.

Once the stack is complete, fill the rest of the frame with elements that convey the right mood and flavour.

It could be the table surface itself, the tableware, cookery tools or even spare ingredients like lemon halves or a bulb of garlic.” ferlapaolo.com

WORKING ON LOCATION

Pete Axford says... “Being able to work around new locations and fix things on the spot is a vital skill for all photographers, but in busy restaurants this is especially important. One of my most important bags to pack on shoot day is full of things you might not expect to see: funnels, cotton buds, wooden spoons, electrical tape and all manner of clips! Getting the right angle is really important with all photography, so having a way to get a different vantage point can help your images shine – a set of steps is really handy, whether you’re trying to shoot an overhead image or get a fresh perspective for an interior scene. Don’t spend too long drooling over kit (save it for the food!) and remember, good lighting will never go out of fashion, so consider investing your time and money in creating decent lighting options, instead of buying the latest gadget.” peteaxford.com

THE KIT

Nicci Peet says... “As I work a lot with natural light, I’d say that, kit-wise, investing in a good camera body and a couple of decent lenses is a good start. Think about what kind of photography you want to do and research which lenses are best. If you are just starting out and can’t necessarily afford top of the range stuff, I advise at least going for a camera that shoots RAW files, as it’ll be useful when it comes to editing and quality. I’m a firm believer that it’s not always about the equipment you have but the person behind the camera, and the eye you have for a good image. Take time to learn about your camera and how it works, too. It’s important to understand shutter speed, ISO and aperture.” niccipeet.co.uk

Having come from the food and drink industry itself, Pete has another unique take on what makes a successful food photograph.

“Shooting food requires you to communicate so much more than just the look of the dish. Great food stimulates all the senses and can trigger memories. You need to be able to express all these elements, as well as the atmosphere, in the final image.”

A photographer’s background, then, can really shape the way they shoot, meaning the infinite routes available into the industry can only be a positive thing for the growing talent pool.

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Clockwise from top left: Nicci Peet, Edward Fury, Paolo Ferla and Dominika Scheibinger

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Bristol based photography agency where award winning and internationally published photographers work together producing the highest quality visual content.

We specialise in food, interior, lifestyle and creative portrait photography.

We would love to work with you and show your story to the world.

Contact us now: 07969663149 helloeightysix@gmail.com eightysixstudios.co.uk

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J O N CR A I G

TABLE WAPPING NOT LONG SINCE A PATCH OF DERELICT LAND, WAPPING WHARF IS NOW ONE OF BRISTOL’S HOTTEST INDIE-RESTAURANT DESTINATIONS. HERE’S THE STORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT, AND A LOOK AT ITS TABLE HOPPING POTENTIAL...

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apping Wharf has a history as an area of bustling activity, although not with as much of a cheery character and polished aesthetic as you’ll find there now. In the 18th century it was the site of a shipyard, and in 1820 The New Gaol opened here, built to house prisoners and hold public executions. (Just something to ponder when you’re next visiting, perhaps while tucking into locally roasted coffee and an artisan pastry.) The Grade II listed remains of the gaol gateway are still standing and will eventually be restored to form the entrance of a new housing development, which is part of the area’s phase two.

After spending years as an area of the city you’d probably want to avoid, then, Wapping Wharf's current incarnation is all the more remarkable. It’s now a destination that attracts all kinds of visitors, from families to yo pros, tourists to born-andbred Bristolians. The main reason they flock here? Its varied and plentiful food and drink.

Indeed, pockets of culinary activity like this are growing all over the city – the spaces between once-standalone restaurants being filled with bars and other hangouts to create destination areas. Wapping Wharf is surely the largest, though, and – after three years or so of on-going development – has certainly outgrown said pocket size.

While other restaurant-dense patches have emerged organically, however, this development was always designed to become a food and drink quarter – and one focussed on independent businesses, rather than chains. Stuart Hatton is director of Umberslade, the developer behind Wapping Wharf, and decided to focus specifically on independents for a reason.

“I thought it would give this new quarter its own individual personality and a community ethos,” he says. “The problem with having the big national chains populate a new development is

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that everywhere then feels the same, regardless of where you are geographically. I really wanted Wapping Wharf to have its own unique identity, and be unlike anywhere else.”

The mix of restaurants – and other food and drink businesses, for that matter – to be found here is purposefully diverse, in order to create the most dynamic culinary community possible.

“It was really important to us that we chose businesses that weren’t just independent, but all offered something different – in other words were complementary to one another – creating a mixed and balanced community. We tended to meet people face to face to see if they ‘got’ what we were trying to do at Wapping Wharf, and were attracted to those with a real passion and drive for what they do. It’s hard to explain quite how amazing the community spirit is among the businesses here, but they’re always helping each other out – if they’ve run out of eggs or milk, or whatnot – and getting together for events and collaborations, or just looking out for one another. It’s really something special, and it’s the businesses themselves that make the place unique.”

Indeed, when it comes to good grub, there really is quite the spread here. So next time you’re planning a meal out but aren’t too sure what you fancy, you could do a lot worse than head to Wapping Wharf – there’s plenty of hunger-inducing inspiration...

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If it’s sourdough pizza in a cool, relaxed restaurant you’re after, then Bertha’s – which was, like so many successful Bristol restaurants, born as a street food biz – will hit the spot. The pepperoni-topped Meat and Heat, with its hot-honey drizzle, is a no-brainer in our eyes, but before you even touch that pizza, we’d urge you to kick off with a Negroni.

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Descend Gaol Ferry Steps from here, and you’ve got cafés either side of you – and both are great for lighter meals and really decent coffee. Mokoko is a stylish bakery and coffee shop, with a deli counter of baked goods and fresh salads and cakes, while Better Food is a grocery shop that doubles up as an ethical (and predominately organic) caff. The cool Little Victories – just a little further down the path – is also killing it when it comes to everyone’s favorite caffeinated drink. In the daytime it’s all about good coffee, cake and family-friendly vibes, while Thursday to Saturday evenings promise coffee-based cocktails, natural wines and craft beer, as well as nibbles from neighbouring shop, The Bristol Cheesemonger.

Food from all over the world is repped in this still rather shiny new neighbourhood. Go to colourful Caribbean diner Calypso Kitchen (from the guys behind Biblos) for exotic classics like gumbo, jerk chicken and goat curry, or hit up Woky Ko if contemporary Asian dishes take your fancy. Housed in one of those shipping containers, it has an open kitchen meaning you can watch the chefs work as you tuck into perfectly pillowy baos, big bowls of noodles and Xiao sharing plates. (If you leave before getting your mitts on a salted caramel ice cream bao for pud, something has gone seriously wrong.)

In other shipping containers, meanwhile, you can experience a taste of Mexico at Cargo Cantina, through the mediums of Margaritas and tacos. The salsas are homemade, the meat organic, and the staff research trips to Mexico are, we bet, off the chain. The team have impressive pedigree too, having worked in celebrated joints both home and away. Part of the same family is Gambas (both are owned by Kieran and Imogen Waite, the couple also behind Bakers and Co, Bravas, and Corner 77), the place to get your Spanish food fix. The seasonal menu has an emphasis on seafood, with a special section of gambas – including salt-grilled wild red prawns and tortita de camarones.

If your cravings are leaning more towards Indian flavours, find the new Bandook upstairs at Cargo 2. Formerly Sholay (but still run by the same team, also behind Mint Room), it brings a modern, imaginative edge to Indian roadside food.

Clockwise from bottom left: the busy terrace at Cargo 2; the view from Gambas; chowing down at Woky Ko; Bertha’s Pizza’s beginnings; Harbour and Browns’ dining room; Root’s imaginative creations; Pigsty’s Pig Mac burger

There’s plenty of British influence in the food around here too, mind. And can you get more British than fish and chips? Salt and Malt sits right on the far corner, closest to the water, and knocks out bloody good versions of the seaside staple supper.

Crisp battered fish – or halloumi, should you prefer – comes with thick, golden, fluffy-centred chips, crushed peas and tartare sauce. Fancy something a bit different? Then the curried battered cod, served in a bun with pickles and chips, is a goer. Pigsty goes all out British as well with its pork-inspired menu. From sausage and mash to pulled pork baps and sausage rolls, it’s got all those comforting classics in attendance, along with a couple of surprises, too (make sure you get some hoguettes on the go, ’kay?). This fun and casual little diner is sister biz to the Jolly Hog sausage

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We are a friendly, family owned inn offering hearty home cooked food, in a small country village setting.

Whether you are local or travelling from further afield, you are guaranteed a warm welcome.

PUB • RESTAURANT • FUNCTION ROOM • ACCOMMODATION

Tunley Road, Tunley BA2 0EB • 01761 470408 Email: info@kingwilliaminn.co.uk • f T @kingwilliam84 www.kingwilliaminn.co.uk

M A I N S

Clockwise from top: producer, and likewise uses good-quality cuts from happy hogs in the popular Wild its creations (best washed down with the South West-made cider).

Beer; Tare, ready for For lovers of hop-based brews, though, Wild Beer will do the service; fish suppers trick. This brewery – whose drinks you’ll see all over the country at Salt and Malt; now – serves up more than 20 of its imaginative sips on draught, and Tessa and Elliot as well as more in bottles and cans, and cooks food that’s ideal for Lidstone of Box-E matching to them (we’re talking all the fried things, as well as tacos and burgers).

Harbour and Browns’ offering has more of a modern European feel, with a focus on food to share. And that’s not just by way of small plates. Oh, no; try slow cooked honey and bourbon beef short rib in a portion big enough for whole table. Tare, meanwhile, specialises in imaginative multi-course meals, giving the old-school tasting menu concept a welcome update. Choose the regular or veggie menu, with either three or five courses (featuring the likes of cured mackerel with pickled turnip and wasabi mayo), and the only other decision you’ll need to make on the night is whether to order NO TIME FOR A SITthat second bottle of wine or not. (And DOWN DINNER? TRY A WAPPING TAKEAWAY! we all know the answer to that dilemma.)

The Box-E hype has passed no Imaginative burgers and one by since the restaurant opened homemade lemonade, in autumn 2016 – the understated

by Squeezed chipboard interior, simple furnishings and tiny dining area (there’s space for Stuffed pittas, a la our Greek about 14 covers) places all the attention friends, at The Athenian firmly on the food, which deserves the Three words: salt beef bagel. undivided kind. Elliott Lidstone works From The Pickled Brisket in the extremely open kitchen, creating Veggie street food with attitude, grub that’s led fiercely by produce at Gopal’s Curry Shack (think charred hispi cabbage with Customisable sourdough pizza, brown shrimp and lemon butter), while from Pizzarova partner Tessa takes care of the liquid refreshments and front of house.

Also having received national recognition over the last year or so is Root, a part of the Josh Eggleton empire and the reason why food buffs the country over have their eyes firmly on young head chef Rob Howell. Since the restaurant’s launch, its beautifully put together small plates and ethos of making vegetables the star of the show has seen several accolades wing their way to this secondstorey shipping container. The ever-changing menus list dishes like kalettes with harissa, smoked yoghurt and almond, and pink fir potatoes with rarebit, leek and shallot dressing.

We love popping to what is probably Bristol’s smallest bar for an aperitif when we’re eating in this ’hood. Corks at Cargo is predominantly a wine merchant, but also sells beer and spirits, and you can pull up one of the handful of stools and enjoy a bottle or can inside, or choose from one of the wines by the glass.

Indeed, expect to engage in some communal conversation with other punters – and almost be late for your table!

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AFTERS NEW RESTAURANTS DEVOURED, NEW CAFÉS FREQUENTED, NEW BARS CRAWLED, AND WHAT WE THOUGHT OF THEM

HIGHLIGHTS

60 GET FIZZ-ICLE SMALL PLATES AND BUBBLY AT A QUIRKY NEW BATH GAFF

62 FIRE STARTER DINNER COOKED OVER FLAMES IN ST WERBURGHS

64 BRIGHT PARK LUCKNAM PARK'S SECOND, CHILLED OUT RESTAURANT

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Have you checked out Bath’s new underground Champagne bar yet?

A F T E R S

( N E W R E S TA U R A N T S )

COMPTOIR AND CUISINE IS IT A SHOP? IS IT A BAR? IS IT A RESTAURANT? IT DOESN’T MATTER; THE ONLY LABELS YOU NEED CONCERN YOURSELF WITH HERE ARE THE ONES ON THE BOTTLES, SAYS JESSICA CARTER

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rowing up by the seaside, fish and chips was, for me, one of the main food groups. I’d bury my nose in that hot paper parcel to inhale its vinegary fumes, impatient to get home, slather it in ketchup, and wash it down with a cold can of Coke. Of course, tastes change when you grow up, and although a chippie tea is still one of my favourite suppers, I’ve curbed the Tommy K habit somewhat, and that only-for-a-treat fizz has been swapped for a different kind…

Bubbly is greasy comfort food’s best pal; the crisp flavour and rough texture of the bubbles cleanse the palate and reset you for the next mouthful. Visiting Bath’s new Champagnefocused bistro, I learned that the same is true of other rich, guilty pleasures too – like the sticky toffee pudding I ended my meal with. To be fair, when I asked for a recommendation of what to drink with the decadently stodgy pud, I should have known they were hardly going to bring out a list of sweet wines.

Champagne and Fromage is the flagship brand from four French expat pals, who opened their first joint in London

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eight years ago. Obviously, that venture was rooted in their keenness – which most of us can share in, whichever side of the Channel we’re on – on the French delicacies of fizz and cheese. But, perhaps even more than that, they wanted to give Champagne a bit of a rebrand, and convince punters that saving it just for celebrations is a sad old waste.

Their newest opening, Comptoir and Cuisine in Bath, takes this ethos even further, promising versatile, artisanal, growermade Champagnes, and blending the range with a collection of small plates and a lifestyle shop, selling unique, retro homewares items as well as ingredients.

As such, there are several layers to this novel little spot. The entrance takes you straight into the shop, while the descending stairs off to the side lead to a dark and moody basement bar with decoupaged walls and clusters of low-hanging lamps. Down here it’s all about the Champagne, with 36 of varieties on offer (including some by the glass), as well as cocktails and a couple of beers.

But where’s the food at? You’ll find the bistro at the back of the shop up some steps (there’s a second cosy dining room on the floor above, too, which doubles up as an events space for masterclasses and tastings). Fashionably weathered floorboards are covered in Persianstyle rugs, and rustic wooden tables and old-school furnishings fill out the cosy, characterful space, while framed posters and vintage

mirrors hang on the walls. Trés chic. It’s here that the menu of nibbles, small plates and sharing boards is served.

The 100-percent Chardonnay bubbly makes a dry and easydrinking aperitif, but – as the team fully intend to show – works really well paired with the food, too. The sharing board of three cheeses, three cured meats and two tapenades (£25) is presented just so, with chutneys, gherkins and even maraschino cherries dotted about to enable intriguing flavour combinations. Accompanied by sliced baguette, it’s a well-chosen selection and great fun to hopscotch our way through.

The pan-fried beef onglet (£8) arrives as a chunky, just-this-side-offall-apart slab of cow (the school dinner-style knife we’re armed with can just about cut through it), doused in chimichurri. The green sauce has a depth of well-melded flavours; instead of being pokey and bold, it has a gentle, slow-burning heat which allows us to still taste the great quality meat.

A Jerusalem artichoke gratin (£5) is cheesy, oily and stodgy in all the right places and makes sharing a bit of a struggle, while the fried celeriac with black truffle mayo (£3.50) is good value and generously proportioned. The batter – super crisp and not too greasy – is well seasoned with a lift of salt, making the spindly golden fingers moreish in the extreme. The accompanying blackflecked, creamy truffle mayo has a well-balanced hit of pungency, which could easily have been over done.

Everything is served on mismatched vintage crockery by super-laid-back (not to mention very well styled) staff. These guys really know their fizz, too, and create a chilled out atmosphere to encourage punters to ask questions and join them in their boozy geekery. We’re more than happy to oblige them.

Comptoir and Cuisine, 5 George Street, Bath BA1 2EJ; 01225 684733; comptoirpluscuisine.com

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( KO O K Y K I TC H E N S )

THE CAULDRON THIS UNIQUE RESTAURANT TURNS THREE VERY SOON, AND JESSICA CARTER HOPES IT HAS MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS IN ITS ECLECTIC NEIGHBOURHOOD

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hefs have a notoriously tough gig. The hours.

The budgets. The heat. The physical demands.

Nevertheless, Henry Eldon decided that it wasn’t quite tricky enough, knocking up praise-worthy food every night for a dining room full of fussy punters using a conventional kitchen. Nah. Instead – when he opened his own gaff, fresh from a role as exec chef at Cowshed – he decided he’d forego a couple of pretty imperative ingredients that most professionals cook with every single day. Like, gas and electric.

Uniquely, the equipment in the open kitchen here is powered purely by charcoal and logs. From your table you may well be able to spot flames licking the undersides of cauldrons, and the glowing heart of a large wood-fired oven. Have a proper nose and you’ll even spot an old Victorian stove.

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A F T E R S

The good-value menu may be concise, but it covers a lot of ground, bouncing from mushroom and smoked garlic soup with home-cultured mascarpone to steamed mackerel with prawn siu mai; wood-fired squash and spelt faggot (which I fully intend to go back for) to skillet-roasted brill with mustard cream sauce. (They also do a banging Sunday roast, which my picky-eating family – including a chicken-dipper-worshipping sixyear-old – declared the best they’d had.)

The whipped bovine marrow and pickled allium (£7) was bumped up from my shortlist (that mackerel was a real contender, too) at the recommendation of our server. The light and creamy whipped marrow was heaped into the trough of a bone, and topped with gently tangy and sweet rings of the purple bulb.

The underlying smokiness was more apparent in some mouthfuls than others, meaning each dollop that I spread onto the crisp, wellcharred hunks of bread tasted different.

The charcoal-grilled halloumi (£6) was soft and meaty – not blackened and squeaky as it so often is. Well-balanced in flavour, it had a subtle salty kick (unlike the oft-found overbearing one), which was offset by the sweetness of smoked jalapeno pepperonata.

Main courses came swiftly, despite the restaurant becoming rapidly more full (it was chocca by the time we left – not bad for the first Friday service of the New Year). The braised lamb flap ragu (£13) saw ragged ribbons of silky, homemade pappardelle, slicked with the light and flavoursome sauce, weave around tender chunks of meat. Cooked with bite and topped with tufts of crisp kale, this rustic pasta dish was not so much about perfection as it was about character, which it had by the bucket – sorry, cauldron – load.

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The mixed-breed beef burger (£13) involved a patty made from a juicy blend of forerib and brisket cuts, and flavoured with thyme.

Sandwiched in a shiny bun along with homemade mayo, mustard, pickled cucumber and Cheddar, it sat next to a small pile of chips, which we need to discuss further, please. These fellas were more like mini roast potatoes, roughed up, crisp and well seasoned on the outside with angelically fluffy innards. Two down, and they were already being referred to as ‘crack chips’ by my dinner date.

Desserts (all £6) are just as off-the-wall as the rest of the menu; a key lime pie (of sorts) arrived in a skillet as a collection of dots of meringue, cubes of lime jelly, biscuit crumbs and zingy lime curd. I don’t think either of us were prepared to enjoy it as much as we did.

Instead of being constrained by the specialist kitchen, the menu is actually liberated by it, each dish bolstered by a gentle backbone of smokiness and depth of flavour. The food doesn’t rely on said smoky character, though – it’s far from a gimmick and is never overpowering – but it ties it nicely together. Even the rich chocolate truffles are graced with smoked salt.

If the magic here is fuelled by charcoal and logs, then it’s sparked by the fiercely local ingredients; they are just as key. Meat (from John Sheppard Butchers), salad (grown by Purple Patch) and beer (brewed by Wiper and True) all come from within literal meters of the restaurant. And, as if all that doesn’t prove The Cauldron enough of an exemplar of Bristol’s indie, community-minded character, Henry cemented it when he encouraged us to pop over the road (literally) to his neighbour – the Wiper and True brewery taproom – for an after-dinner ale (which we did, of course).

This is what it’s all about.

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The Cauldron, 98 Mina Road, St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9XW; 0117 914 1321; thecauldron.restaurant

A F T E R S

( H O T E L R E S TA U R A N T S )

THE BRASSERIE AT LUCKNAM PARK THE RELAXED LITTLE SISTER OF THIS HOTEL’S MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANT TURNS OUT TO BE RIGHT UP JESSICA CARTER’S STREET FOR A WINTER LUNCH

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ucknam Park has a pretty impressive chef pedigree.

Of course, there’s the big boss Hywel Jones, who has maintained a Michelin star at the hotel’s flagship restaurant for 14 years, and we’ve not forgotten Elly Wentworth, finalist in 2016’s MasterChef: The Professionals (who only recently left to return to Devon and head up the kitchen at The Angel in Dartmouth). Then there’s the head chef of the hotel’s Brasserie restaurant, Tom Westerland, who was crowned National Chef of Wales for 2018 (a title previously held by Ben Taylor, head chef of Lucknam’s Cookery School). I mean, what a bunch of overachievers.

The Brasserie, Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, Colerne, Chippenham SN14 8AZ; 01225 742 777; lucknampark.co.uk

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and mac and cheese made with Montgomery Cheddar and truffled leeks (£16), for instance – with more restaurant-esque numbers like wood-roast chicken with roast vine tomatoes and béarnaise sauce (£22). Clearly, the wood-fired oven on display isn’t solely used for pizza.

On the day we went for lunch, the usual a la carte offering was joined by a special deal for the festive season of three courses for £36, which K and I couldn’t divert our attention from.

To start, the Brixham crab sausage roll had nothing rustic about it – this wasn’t the kind you’d see displayed on the bar at a pub. The neat puff pastry parcel was golden and shiny, the layering of buttery pastry exposed where it had been sliced into portions. Soft, sweet white meat was packed inside, while frilly ribbons of cucumber and a dollop of velvety brown crab mayo joined it on the plate.

Sat in front of me, meanwhile, was a breadcrumb-coated sphere.

Brown and crisp, it was not, in fact, a bon-bon – neither a croquette nor fritter. Instead, try rabbit Kiev. Inside, the white, juicy game encased a vibrant green core of garlic butter, which oozed out like the yolk of a poached egg. Pickled vegetables, including earthy, sweet beetroot, gave punchy colour and refreshing tang. I felt I’d won that first round.

K was back in the game, though, with her gilt head of sea bream.

The sizeable cut of fish had a proper good crust on it, and the additional squid – roasted with paprika – proved itself to have good bite without a suggestion of rubberiness, while the bed of hearty butterbean, tomato and fennel cassoulet held deep, smoky flavours.

For me, a viola aubergine had been slashed in a crisscross pattern, much like a piece of meat, given a tamarind glaze and blackened nicely, the flesh inside having cooked down into a silky, scoopable texture. A bed of lentils diverted the usual earthiness for a lighter, fresher flavour, and plump, golden yellow sultanas gave bursts of sweetness. Three small onion bhajis were super crisp – to the point where they were a bit overdone, actually, the darkly coloured tendrils having a bitter edge. Nevertheless, this was a nicely thought out plate of veg, with contrasting textures and flavours.

For dessert, individual sticky toffee pudding was pillowy soft and decadent; I made short work of it while K tucked into its complete opposite: a zingy plate of lime caramel-poached pineapple, with passion fruit syrup, lychee and coconut sorbet. A real refreshing, palate-cleanser of a pud.

Staff were, of course, impeccably polite and professional, but there was still a relaxed feel – helped along by the lush and rual setting – and, as there were a fair few in for lunch, a gently buzzing atmosphere prevailed. If the fine dining scene of the main restaurant at this luxury estate isn’t quite your thing, The Brasserie might just be a bit of you.

Of course, this encourages some pretty high expectations in visitors to the luxury country house, be they descending upon Restaurant Hywel Jones, The Brasserie or, indeed, the cookery school. From experience of the first and third instances, the teams in question work pretty well under such pressure. And after this first visit to the second, it looks like Tom is cut from the same cloth.

You can’t help but peek into the open kitchen on your way to your table, which – calm, quiet and subdued, with charcoal-coloured walls and pearly grey tiling – sits near the entrance of the restaurant. The dining room’s wall-towall windows not only give the space a really bright and fresh feel during daylight hours, but also make a feature of the lush gardens it looks out on.

The menu balances classic comfort dishes – rump steak burger in a brioche bun with house burger sauce (£18),

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L I T T L E

B L A C K

BEST BREW? The best coffee I’ve had (anywhere) is from Full Court Press on Broad Street in Bristol. Their Clever Dripper Guatemalan filter coffee packs a punch. It’s as good as it gets.

QUICK PINT? The Robin Hood on St Michael’s Hill for Good Chemistry beers, or The Barley Mow for a Bristol Beer Factory session ale and beer-battered fish and chips.

CHEEKY COCKTAIL? Has to be Psychopomp Microdistillery. Their distil-yourown-gin sessions are great fun, and you walk away with your own bespoke bottle. They make our Honest Gin.

ALFRESCO FEASTING? Moor Beer Co’s taproom on Days Road. On summer weekends you’ll find one of Bristol’s best food trucks and some of the finest beer in the city there.

BEST GROCERY SHOP? The Bristol Cheesemonger. Rosie was actually a huge help when we were looking for cheeses for our special Bristol burger. She introduced us to Westcombe Dairy.

B O O K

TOM BARTON

CO-FOUNDER OF HONEST BURGERS, TOM HAS WEST COUNTRY LINKS – AND HERE ARE SOME OF HIS FAVOURITE REASONS TO VISIT...

Quick! Now add this little lot to your contacts book...

Full Court Press, Bristol BS1 2EJ; fcp.coffee The Robin Hood, Bristol BS2 8DX; robinhoodbristol.co.uk The Barley Mow, Bristol BS2 0LF; bristolbeerfactory.co.uk Psychopomp Microdistillery, Bristol BS2 8DB; microdistillery.co.uk Moor Beer Co, Bristol BS2 0QS; moorbeer.co.uk The Bristol Cheesemonger, Bristol BS1 6ZA; bristol-cheese.co.uk Meat Box, Bristol BS1 6ZA; meatboxbristol.co.uk Oowee Diner, Bristol BS6 5QA; ooweediner.com Swoon Gelato, Bristol BS1 5TB; swoononaspoon.co.uk Gambas, Bristol BS1 6ZA; gambasbristol.co.uk The Pickled Brisket, Bristol BS1 6ZA; thepickledbrisket.co.uk Bravas, Bristol BS6 6LD; bravas.co.uk

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BEST BUTCHER? I’ve had some awesome beef from Meat Box. The team are friendly and knowledgeable and they champion local farmers.

COMFORT FOOD? Oowee Diner. A totally different burger to what we do at Honest – deliciously saucy and messy. The owners have been out for beers with us in London. Definitely one to watch.

SOMETHING SWEET? Swoon on College Green. Incredible gelato, churned on site. Their seasonal flavours are always good, but pistachio is my favourite.

ON THE HIT LIST? I really want to try Gambas at Cargo 2 in Wapping Wharf.

FOOD ON THE GO? Has to be the Reuben sandwich with Swiss cheese at The Pickled Brisket.

SUPER SERVICE? We always feel well looked after at Bravas on Cotham Hill – and the tapas is as brilliant as the service. honestburgers.co.uk

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Best Western Plus Centurion Hotel Charlton Lane, Midsomer Norton, Nr Bath BA3 4BD 01761 417711 www.centurionhotel.co.uk

@seanhorwood

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