FOOD & DRINK – Wine Column, The Black Horse Thame Food Festival and RajBhuj Restaurant

Within the line-up is the 2021 winner of the Great British Bake Off - Giuseppe Dell’Anno and MasterChef Winner – Eddie Scott. They will also be joined on the Big Cookery Stage by other Great British Bake Off contestants including Jurgen Krauss, Rosie Pointer, Val Stones and of course Stephen Carter-Bailey who has supported the festival for several years. Plus other illustrious chefs and bakers such as Dave Mooney, Alex Hollywood, Noma and Zena Kamaing who came to the public’s attention in Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Star. This mix of both national and local leading lights are all keen to reveal their love of food by creating tempting dishes, while giving us their foodie insights and thoughts.

Thame Food Festival is serving up a chef studded line-up this September, including the latest winners of the Great British Bake Off and MasterChef competitions.

Alongside the Big Cookery Stage is a new feature for this year. The Festival Village - which will be an interactive area of cooking and masterclasses for both adults and children with Fun Kitchen workshops for the kids and our Food Glorious Food Tent - where you can listen to interviews with some of our fabulous Artisan producers. This area will form a hub of dynamic activity, while there will also be the usual important features including:

A delicious mix of sweet, savoury, hot, cold, vegan, vegetarian and flavours from right the way around the world. There is bound to be something delicious to suit every taste! Many producers are already booked, but fortunately the scale of the showground lends itself to allowing plenty of space for more to join.

The core of Thame Food Festival is always about the food and drink. However, no festival is complete without live music which will again be both in the Artisan Village and also from the Live Music Stage sponsored by local Thame business - Adactus. Alongside will be the ever-popular Pop-Up pub by FestivAles featuring a fantastic range of local award-winning brews. Then for the shopaholics, step into the shopping marquee of eclectic home and kitchenware which will be returning with Humble Country.

The dedicated Children’s Activity Area will return with local charity Thomley entertaining the children with lots of art and fun things to do. And once again, there will be dog shows and demonstrations by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People with all money raised goes directly to the charities. Plus the ever popular Flotsam and the Fool circus skills workshops which will encourage the younger visitors to try juggling, spinning plates and more. Lotte Duncan, Patron and Organiser of the event said; “It is a real honour to have both Giuseppe Dell’Anno from The Great British Bake Off and Eddie Scott from Masterchef. In fact, we are so delighted to be joined by so many fabulous chefs and bakers. Work is well under way to making the Food Festival a very special end to the Summer. With so much going on and such a significant chef and baker line-up over both days it is going to be difficult to choose which day to attend! Advance entrance is £12 per day (accompanied children under 16 go free). Come eat, drink and do! Join for a fun, fabulous, feasting family day out!

The dream of opening his own restaurant has finally come true for Mahraj Chowdhury, with the opening of the RajBhuj Restaurant.

Thame. Mahraj, better known as Raj, was a local councillor and for many years, a popular ‘front of house’ in local Indian restaurants. He knows the area and the locals well. Raj has lived in Thame for 32 years. A former Lord Williams School pupil, his four boys all attend local schools. Raj hails from a family steeped in Indian cuisine. His father owned and ran Indian Restaurants in Middlesex during the 1970’s and 80’s. Many of the dishes at the RajBhuj are inspired by his Mother and more recently by his Wife. Keen to run is own restaurant, It has taken quite a while for him to find the right location. He believes the RajBhuj in Stone is perfect. Situated on the A418 between Thame and Aylesbury, the Restaurants is ideally placed to serve a sizable area. It will benefit from passing trade as well. Raj wants to make RajBhuj a special destination for curry lovers. A great deal of investment has gone into the redevelopment of the property. RajBhuj benefits from a huge car park. Just as well, as the restaurant can seat up to 90 diners.

It’s a welcoming and buzzy atmosphere. Raj and the team, resplendent in their gold and black waistcoats and ties provide a knowledgeable and friendly service. Naturally takeaway customers are also catered for. Deliveries are available to local villages as well as to Aylesbury, Haddenham and Thame. (10% discount on collection). The menu features some old favourites as well as some unusual ‘house specials’. A generous list of specials includes dishes such as Hans Raj Hans (Pieces of duck breast marinated, chargrilled with onions, ginger and garlic). Salmon Roopchan (Salmon marinated and chargrilled served with a thick honey based sauce). Goan Sea Bass (Shallow fried Sea Bass with herbs served in a Goan style spicy coconut creamy sauce. Chicken Mango (Pieces of chicken in a mild sauce with mangoes). The menu also boasts 10 vegetable dishes. Where possible, meat, vegetables and spices are sourced locally. A passion for serving quality Indian Cuisine runs in the family, and now Raj has the opportunity to bring quality cuisine to the area. To reserve a table or order a takeaway, please call 01296 748634, 01296 748593, or order online at

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, all al fresco this autumn at The Black Horse in Thame. Nicola Rogers dined out.

Outdoor dinning space is at a premium. Unlike our continental neighbours, we are unaccustomed to eating al fresco and are not really geared up for it. Fortunately, here in Thame, you will find the Black Horse. Their recently revamped courtyard garden area is a breath of fresh air. When the temperatures dip in the autumn, it will provide a lovely sun trap to start your day with the papers and a lovely breakfast. This is a surprisingly spacious area. The courtyard area can seat up to 70 people enjoying breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. 62. Thame Out We were a table of four on a sultry August evening. As always, we received a welcome as warm as the evening from all the staff that looked after us. The service was excellent. Drinks ordered ( a bottle of Rosé - Pinot Grigio Blush. and two pints of Timothy Taylor), a convivial atmosphere and before long, we were tucking into our food.

l BYO - Bring your own wine - No corkage payable when you bring your favourite bottle of wine with you when dining on Monday.

l Happy Hour - Join us for Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Monday to Friday Selected Drinks 2 for 1.

l Steak night (from 5pm every Wednesday) For every two steaks ordered, Enjoy a bottle of house wine and three complimentary chefs extras special condiments

l Sunday roast - Join us for a fabulous Sunday roast with all the trimmings.

The Black Horse serves a menu of seasonal home-cooked favourites with a French twist. Starters included Moroccan mezze with harissa aubergine, globe artichoke, falafel with coconut cashew cream, houmous selection, pomegranate, cherry tomato salad & atbread) Freshwater trout gravadlax with Dijon mustard, dill, cucumber julienne & lemon crème fraîche. Grilled squid with chilli, grilled courgettes, slow-roasted tomatoes, fennel, rocket & frisée salad, balsamic dressing. Finally a Chicken liver parfait, butter, homemade red onion marmalade & toasted brioche. Our mains included Pan-fried sea bream with bouillabaisse sauce. Fried squid, sunblush tomatoes, French beans, Parmesan, grilled artichokes, sautéed potatoes & croutons Sticky beef with coconut rice - slowcooked beef in a ginger, soy and lime sauce, crispy onions, buttered kale. Plus two succulent fillet steaks with Béarnaise sauce, fries and salad. One of us managed to squeeze in a dessert special of strawberry soufflé and ice-cream (ok, that was me). The Black Horse is a pub and brasserie for all seasons. As autumn morphs into winter, chilly days and evenings mean we seek out the comfort of an environment with a convivial atmosphere and brasserie that is simply brimming with character. Cosy snugs in the bar make for a perfect spot to enjoy a pint, whilst the airy conservatory and artfully decorated barn brasserie are attractive spaces in which to spend a leisurely meal with friends and family. There’s something for everyone at The Black Horse. Inside and out.

The White Brasserie Company The Black Horse, 11 Cornmarket Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2BL 01844 219050 thame@whitebrasserie.com blackhorsethame.com

We offer a complete design, supply and fitting service and a wide range of style and price options from two of the biggest names in German kitchens, including Nobilia. Plus renowned, traditional, English, bespoke, kitchens, and a comprehensive range of flooring, accessories and appliances, from AEG to Moduleo. Everything you need for the ultimate modern kitchen. Come and see what is possible at our showroom near Aston Rowant - please call: 01844 875232 today, to arrange your appointment.

Kitchen Home Interiors, Parkwood Stud, Aston Rowant OX49 5SP wayne@kitchen-home.co.uk 01844 875232 07751 855079 Call for an appointment

Enjoy the delights of a traditional British pub – oak beams, stone floors, great beers – and the flavours of fantastic Thai cuisine, The Rising Sun in Thame and The Churchill Arms in Long Crendon.

26 High Street,Thame OX9 2BZ l 01844 214206 l www.risingsun-thame.co.uk

1 High Street,Long Crendon HP18 9AF l 01844 335081 l www.churchillarms-longcrendon-thame.co.uk

Fine Food. Wide Selection Of Drinks. Live Sport Outdoor Area Takeaways. Loyalty Card. Quiz Night (Tuesday). Live music every other Saturday FROM JUNE: Monday - 1/2 price G&T Wednesday - 1/2 price Prosecco Thursday - Mixed Starter & Prosecco for £20 Lunch Club Meal Deal: One Beer, Small Glass of Wine or Soft Drink plus One main Course for £10

Fine Food. Great Selection Of XT Real Ales. Live Sport (Sky & BT). Spacious Garden. New Decking Area. Function Room (seats 50). Takeaways. Loyalty Card.

Climate effects on wine producers by our wine expert, Jerome Harlington.

As I write this article we’re just coming to the end of a scorching week where the UK reached its highest temperature on record. In these extreme weather events that we seem to be experiencing more frequently, it’s impossible not to think about climate change and all the damage being caused to the planet - global warming, melting ice caps, shrinking glaciers, rising sea levels, increased heat waves. Just the thought of it makes me reach for another glass of wine, and that got me thinking. Climate change is going to cause massive disruption to things we currently take for granted. One relatively early casualty is likely to be what we drink. Got a favourite wine? Don’t expect it to taste the same for the rest of your life, some wines may cease to exist in the coming decades. Climate change is already hitting vineyards. Rising temperatures and increasing water scarcity could make it harder to produce all of your favourite drinks. The taste of wine relies on different factors impacting the grapes, such as the soil, temperature and the altitude, and climate change is altering a lot of these. Wine might not disappear completely as grapes can be grown in hotter temperatures but the chances of your favourite French wine tasting exactly as it does today in a decade’s time are falling. European wine producers are already experiencing impacts of climate change and have had to adapt the way they make wine. Zurich’s Köb says: “The harvest time for white and red wines has been moved forward several times in past years. Very dry summers reduce grape harvest volumes and if the grapes receive more sun and more heat they start to become more sugary. More sugar in grapes means a higher alcohol level and less acidity, which makes for heavier wines and changes the taste.” Let’s all do our bit to bring down carbon emissions, limit global warming and tackle the root causes of climate change, otherwise the time may come when we’re producing full bodied reds in Iceland, which, should it come to that, will be the least of our problems.