Feast Norfolk Magazine October 16 Issue 10 by Feast Norfolk Magazine

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Bonfire Night recipes

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OCTOBER 2016

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SLOE LANE

ISSN 2397-1673

9 772397 167017

Norwich Beer Festival

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Editor's Letter W E L C O M E

Welcome

to our October issue which embraces autumn and the opportunity for some comfort food. I adore apple crumbles - indeed, any fruit pie, cobbler or crumble hits the spot, especially with lashings of custard! So I am enjoying Adam Jarvis’ offerings for us from The Dining Rooms at Cinema City, especially the sound of the brisket recipe. This once-popular dish - I ate it a lot in my childhood - is coming back into fashion and I’m looking forward to cooking it for friends - it’s really the season for dinner parties, too, isn’t it? This month I caught up with an old friend and fellow foodie, Zena Leech-Calton, and heard all about what she has been up to over the last few years, which includes organising foodie trails around Norwich. I’m going to book myself on one, for sure, and it’s also a great Christmas present for those hard-to-buy-for friends! She creates us a family friendly feast for Bonfire Night which is just around the corner. Emma Outten has talked to the man of the moment, Daniel Smith, who’s appearing on the Great British Menu on telly, as well as running three very different eateries around the county, and she also has a go at smoking and curing ham, courtesy of Marsh Pig at Claxton, just outside

Norwich. I’ve yet to taste the results! We’re delighted to have City College, Norwich, with us on a regular basis as we love to support the next generation of those involved in the catering and hospitality industries; as well as Jarrold's providing us with their great review of new cookbooks and Anglia Farmers sharing the stories of some of their members - it’s Lee Dyer from the award winning Winbirri Vineyards this month. We also preview the annual Hughes Home Tech Show at the Norfolk Showground from October 21-23, where you can enjoy cookery demonstrations by some of our leading local chefs as well as some great, top-of-the range cookers and, I have to admit, I will be drooling over those super big tellies! Finally, don’t miss this month’s great competition to win a luxury spa experience with Imagine Spa Blofield Heath, and congratulations to Jason from Aylsham who won the waffle maker from John Lewis, in our August issue. Don’t forget that we love to hear from you so do keep in touch. Next month is going to be a big one all about Christmas, of course!

FEASTNORFOLKMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Happy reading.

Sarah Hardy SARAH HARDY, Editor sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

SEARCH FOR FEAST NORFOLK ON

"Ze n a Le ec h-Cal to n cr ea te s u s a fa m ily fr ie n dl y fe as t fo r B on fi re Nig ht w hi ch is ju st ar ou n d th e co rn er"

In this issue -

C O N T E N T S

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Bonfire Night recipes

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The Big Inte rview: Dan iel Smi th from the Ingh am Swa n on his TV debu t

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COMFORT

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N Fa e w S n e c e s in t t is ham

LIFE IN THE

COVERY STOR ISSN 2397-1673

9 772397 167017

ABOUT US

03 Editor’s letter 74 How to subscribe

LANE

Norwich Beer Festival

60 Anna Duttson, executive chef and owner at the Norfolk Mead Hotel, uses pumpkin to create a delicious seasonal soup, perfect as the evenings start to draw in

12 Discover the best food and drink events in our part of the region this month 15 With Norwich Cocktail Week on its way, three city bars mix some cocktails especially for us 16 Don’t miss Hughes Home Tech Show where you’ll find all the latest kitchen equipment and enjoy cookery demonstrations from leading celebrity chefs 18 The news and gossip round-up – we’ve got it covered!

FEATURES

06 It’s time for a spot of comfort food with The Dining Rooms at Cinema City in Norwich 28 Chef and cookery writer Zena Leech-Calton creates some Bonfire Night recipes exclusively for us 56 Our regular City College feature looks the huge variety of leisure courses on offer, especially the highly popular sugarcraft one

REVIEWS

24 Pippa Lain-Smith heads to East Twenty Six in Norwich city centre for some team building nosh

50 Our look at newly published cookbooks takes in one from Jamie Oliver, all about Christmas, while another celebrates Norfolk chefs 58 In the first of a series of features, Emma Outten tries her hand at making salami on a Curing and Smoking Course at Marsh Pig HQ in South Norfolk

INTERVIEWS

20 Sarah Hardy meets the new owners of The Old Bank Bistro in Snettisham, a small but beautifully formed coffee house and bistro 33 Emma Outten interviews Daniel Smith, Chef Patron of the Ingham Swan, the Wildebeest Arms and the new Warwick St Social, as he appears on the Great British Menu

REGULARS

26 Panto star Richard Gauntlett answers the questions in our fun foodie Q&A 36 Our shop front feature calls by the two Walsingham Farms Shops, one of which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month 39 With Apple Day on its way this month, Gadgets and Gizmos gets to the core of the fruit 40 For our Anglia Farmers feature, Emma

24 Outten chats to Lee Dyer, owner and winemaker at the award-winning Winbirri Vineyards in Surlingham 64 For our Artisan Producer feature, Sarah Hardy meets the family behind Black Shuck drinks 82 Rob Derbridge, organiser of this month’s Norwich Beer Festival, has the final word for the Last Bite

RECIPES

46 Trine Hahnemann offers some Scandinavian comfort food thanks to her new cookbook 52 Sara Matthews offers us gluten free chocolate cookies with a spicy twist 78 Reader Tori Nippard from North Norfolk bakes a spiced squash cake for us 81 Ellen Mary offers a classic French dish, nutty celeriac remoulade

DRINK

44 Our wine writer Andy Newman explains why it pays to spend more on wine

COLUMNISTS

43 Our wine expert Steve Hearnden kicks off a new look food and wine pairing series with a look at cheese

68 Artisan baker Steve Winter of Norwich is hoping for success in a leading national bread making contest 69 Charlotte Gurney of White House Farm near Norwich tells us how social media is helping to spread the word! 70 Sarah Ruffhead offers us another five of her best eats for the month 79 As ever, Justin Wright, of Lovewell Blake’s specialist food and drink team, has his finger on the pulse

TRAVEL

71 Andy Newman and his wine club head to Burgundy for plenty of, yes, you’ve guessed it, wine drinking 76 Emma Outten bathes on the balcony in Wells, thanks to the new ‘Copper Bath’ rooms at The Crown Hotel!

GROW YOUR OWN

80 Ellen Mary has been growing celeriac ready for October

COMPETITION

66 Win a luxury Fire & Ice Spa Experience for two at Imagine Spa in Blofield Heath

15 THE TEAM

Sarah Hardy, Editor sarah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Emma Outten, Deputy Editor emma@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Scott Nicholson, Designer studio@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Rachael Young Senior Account Manager | 07900 823731 rachael@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Hannah McKinney Senior Account Manager | 07917 122829 hannah@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk Geoff Clark Senior Account Manager | 07776 233659 geoff@feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Pippa Lain-Smith, Andy Newman, Steve Hearnden, Steve Winter, Charlotte Gurney, Ellen Mary, Sara Matthews, Justin Wright, Rob Derbridge, Laura Potter, Sarah Ruffhead

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PICTURES BY

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COMFORTING FOOD

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R E C I P E S

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a film buff or not, The Dining Rooms at Cinema City in Norwich serves up the perfect sized plates. Emma Outten meets Head Chef Adam Jarvis

ADAM JARVIS

R E C I P E S

PICTURES BY

ISAAK HEST (except top left)

OMETIMES YOU NEEDN’T make a drama out of having a midlife crisis. Adam Jarvis, the Head Chef of The Dining Rooms at Cinema City in Norwich, decided he didn’t want to be a retail manager anymore when he was in his late 30s. That was 13 years ago. ‘Cooking had always been a massive passion,’ says Norfolk born and bred Adam, who turned 50 earlier this year. He started training at City College Norwich before moving swiftly on to what was then Tatlers in Tombland, Pulse vegetarian restaurant, The White Horse in Blakeney, and then The Dining Rooms six years ago. He has been Head Chef there for the past three years. The Dining Rooms is becoming firmly established as a place where the menu focuses on modern British dishes, using local produce, wherever possible (you might spot Lincolnshire poacher pie on the new autumn menu, but, hey, it’s only over the border). Adam says he’s influenced by Mark Hix and his very original take on British gastronomy. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner, and small plates as well as large plates (plus there’s also a lunch set menu). ‘We have a policy where we change the menu every six weeks,’ says Adam, ‘to be in line with the film brochures.’ The original idea behind the small plates menu was to encourage filmgoers to have a small bite to eat either before or after the film. ‘You can come in from work on a Tuesday, and be watching a film at 7.45, having had a small plate such as white bean hummus with artisan bread, and a glass of wine,’ says Adam, who lives in Norwich and is happily married to Donna. Now it is autumn, you can expect to find dishes such as local estate venison steak on the large plates menu; plus Sunday roasts will be back on the menu with, say, Blythburgh pork loin or Norfolk beef - both served with local seasonal greens. And I have it on good authority that Adam does really good giant Yorkshire puddings! ‘It’s honest food for honest people,’ says Adam, simply. It’s an exciting time for Cinema City as it has just launched The John Hurt Centre, a new accessible education and exhibition space with state of the art facilities and equipment funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The centre consists of two separate rooms that are available to hire, for conferences and parties, with Adam and his team organising the buffet or canapés. The courtyard area can be hired for a barbecue, and the screen rooms can even be hired for weddings. Adam says: ‘The emphasis for me has been to build the business, and service all the areas we’ve got,’ although he adds: ‘It isn’t just me – I’ve got a team of three chefs and three kitchen porters who work extremely hard.’

BLUE CHEESE BRÛLÉE, STEAK KEBAB and BABY GEM SALAD Head Chef Adam Jarvis says: ‘This

is my take on the 70s cheese fondue.’ INGREDIENTS 300ml of double cream; 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten; 40g of blue cheese such as Stilton or Roquefort; 400g of sirloin steak; 2 heads of baby gem lettuce; cress; 1 red onion; 50g of white sugar

At The Din ing Roo ms the y use fre e-r ange chic ken and eggs, whe nev er possible; the fish is sustain ably source d and the y suppor t small artisan supplie rs, whe rev er possible. Supplie rs include Nor wic h fish mon gers Howar d and Son; Fid dy’s Butche rs on Aylsham Roa d, and fru it and veg fro m Easters of Nor wic h.

Serves Four METHOD 1. Warm the double cream in a pan on the stove 2. Add the double cream to the beaten yolks and cook out on the stove 3. Continue to cook the mixture until it starts to thicken so it can easily coat the back of a spoon 4. Add in the blue cheese of your choosing, stirring until it melts 5. Pass the creamy mixture through a sieve, then pour into ramekins and allow to set in the fridge for at least two hours 6. Once the brûlée mixture has set, slice the sirloin steak and place on wooden skewers along with roughly chopped red onion 7. Assemble the salad of baby gem lettuce and cress 8. Cook the kebabs to your liking and keep warm until serving 9. Now turn your attention to the brûlées. Sprinkle each ramekin with enough sugar to cover the top of the brûlée and caramelise either with a blowtorch or under the grill 10. Serve the steak kebabs over the baby gem salad and add the ramekin to the plate BEER PAIRING We recommend a pale ale to accompany this dish. Pale ales can be remarkably diverse, but generally tend to have a bold hop character and subdued malt. The pine, citrus and tropical flavours will cut through the richness of the kebab and cleanse the palate after lashings of blue cheese

TURN OVER FOR MORE RECIPES!

R E C I P E S

SLOW COOKED BRISKET with ROASTED MARROW BONE, BUTTER POACHED PARSNIPS, POTATO CAKES and BUTTERNUT SQUASH PURÉE

‘A robust autumn dish; not for the faint-hearted’ INGREDIENTS 2kg of brisket, boned; marrow bone (ask your butcher for two large pieces of marrow bone); 2 large parsnips; 4 large red skin potatoes; ½ a butternut squash; 1 bunch of tarragon; red wine For the mire poix Onions; carrots and celery For the marrow bone Chopped herbs of your choice (we recommend bay, rosemary or sage)

Serves Four

METHOD 1. Slowly braise the brisket with a mire poix of vegetables (roughly chopped – usually a mixture of onions, carrots, and celery) red wine, and vegetable stock for approximately 4-6 hours. 2. Once the brisket is cooked, press it between two heavy plates (add a heavy weight on top if necessary, such as rice or flour) and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. Be sure to keep the brisket stock as this will be used later to serve over the dish 3. When the four hours are over, cut the brisket into the portion sizes required 4. Start to roast your marrow bone in the oven on a medium heat for about an hour 5. While roasting your marrowbone, peel and dice the butternut squash and cook until tender 6. Blitz the cooked butternut squash into a smooth pureé and leave to one side 7. Make

We also suggest adding a horseradish cream, to enhance the textures of the purée and potato cakes as well as the bold meaty flavours

a dry mash for the potato cakes and leave to cool 8. Once cool, roll the mashed potato into balls and panné, using flour, egg and breadcrumbs 9. Peel and slice the parsnips into your preferred size and cook with water and butter until they are tender and acquire a warm colour 10. Return to your marrow bone which should be soft and tender. Scoop out the middle and mix with wholegrain mustard and chopped herbs like bay, rosemary or sage and return to the bone 11. Now warm the brisket in the oven for approximately 15 minutes at 220°C 12. Put the potato cakes in the deep fat fryer until crisp 13. Arrange the warm squash purée on the plate with the brisket, potato cakes and butter poached parsnips 14. Top with the roasted marrow bone and juices from the meat braise

Horseradish Cream Recipe

INGREDIENTS 3tbsp of bottled horseradish; 6tbsp of crème fraiche or sour cream; 1tsp of Dijon mustard; 1tsp of white wine vinegar; ¼tsp of freshly ground black pepper

METHOD Place all of the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavours to develop WINE PAIRING When it comes to choosing a wine to serve with brisket, we think you should opt for a Bordeaux varietal such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. A Cabernet based wine carries a little more weight to it, whereas a softer Merlot with a fruitier base will pick out the subtler flavours of the marrow bone and the herbs you select

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE with a PEANUT BUTTER PARFAIT and RICH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

‘Dense and full of earthy chocolate and rich nutty flavours, this one’s a personal favourite.’

INGREDIENTS Chocolate Brownie - serves four to six 125g of unsalted butter; 100g of 70 per cent dark chocolate; 40g of cocoa powder; 32g of plain flour; ½tsp of baking powder; 175g of caster sugar; edible flowers of your choice – we recommend pansies; 2 eggs

METHOD Chocolate Brownie 1. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a pan of hot water 2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until smooth 3. Fold the chocolate mix into the eggs and sugar mixture 4. Fold in the flour, baking powder and caster sugar 5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cooked 6. Serve immediately with parfait, chocolate sauce and edible flowers

Peanut Butter Parfait (make in advance) - serves six to eight 100g of smooth peanut butter; 75ml of double cream; 250g caster sugar; 4 eggs (2 whole, 2 separated); 175g of whipping cream

Peanut Butter Parfait 1. Line a terrine mould with cling film 2. Whisk together the peanut butter and double cream until smooth 3. Make a sabayon with 160g of sugar, the whole eggs and egg yolks, in a bowl over a pan of simmering water 4. Whisk for approximately 6 minutes until you achieve a very light mousse 5. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk until the mixture is cool 6. Put the rest of the sugar in a saucepan with 3tbsp of water 7. Heat gently to dissolve, and then boil for 2 minutes until the

Chocolate Sauce 200g of 70 per cent dark chocolate; 175ml of semi-skimmed milk; 3tbsp of double cream; 30g of caster sugar; 30g of unsalted butter, diced

temperature reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer 8. Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak then slowly add the sugar syrup and continue to beat until you achieve a mixture that is stiff and shiny 9. Fold the egg white mixture into the peanut butter mix 10. Whip the cream until it is semi whipped 11. Fold in the whipped cream and then the sabayon 12. Pour the whole mixture into your chosen mould and freeze for 8-10 hours Chocolate Sauce 1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan of water until it has a smooth consistency 2. Mix the milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan and whisk until it boils 3. Pour the boiling milk mixture into the chocolate and whisk continuously – you may need to put it back on the stove 4. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter piece by piece until you have a smooth sauce 5. Pass through a fine metal sieve and serve warm BEER PAIRING For this intense chocolate dessert we recommend a strong porter or stout which has bold flavours of espresso, chocolate and roastiness. Dark beers work wonderfully with chocolate desserts, and the thicker feeling malts and velvety finish of a good stout or porter will perfectly complement the smooth chocolate and parfait

r e b o t c O What's On

PUMPKIN RESCUE

The first ever Norwich Pumpkin Rescue takes place on October 29 at The Forum, and is aimed at squashing food waste over the Halloween period. Part of the Norwich Science Festival, activities include: guess the weight of the heaviest pumpkin in Norwich; free tasty pumpkin treats, courtesy of FoodCycle Norwich; plus tricks and tips from Love Food Hate Waste. Visit www.facebook.com/oneplanetnorwich

LAST CHANCE

The Pop-Up Shops at Dalegate Market in Burnham Deepdale close for the season this month. And after some hard-earned shopping there’s always the central hub of it all, Deepdale Café, for a pit stop. Visit www.dalegatemarket.co.uk

MASTERCHEF MASTERCLASS

MasterChef’s Sven-Hanson Britt will be the guest chef at a kitchen demo for Miele products at Gerald Giles in Ber Street, Norwich, on October 13. SvenHanson was a finalist in MasterChef: The Professionals in 2014. Visit www.geraldgiles.co.uk

FOODIE FAIR

Bakers and Larners of Holt is holding a Food and Drink Fair on October 6, with lots of samples and a finger buffet on offer. Tickets are £5 and the event, in the Number Ten Restaurant, runs from 6-9pm. Visit www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

DINNER PARTY

And don’t forget...

It’s National Champagne Week from October 1 to 8, so get your flutes ready! Visit www.nationalchampagnew eek.co.uk

The Zoological Society of East Anglia (known as ZSEA) has created an event called A Dinner Party for ZSEA from October 14 to 16 that will encourage people from across Norfolk to get together with friends in order to raise money for animal conservation.The Society can provide a fundraising pack to those that want to sign up - which includes an array of recipes from top local chefs, a guide on hosting your party, fun games, and place cards. Visit www.dinnerparty.org.uk

FOOD FESTIVAL

Diss Food & Drink Festival takes place from October 12 to 16. Highlights include a Chinese seafood banquet at the Happy Palace; the likes of Cheryl Cade, beer sommelier of The Thirst Consultants, and a Just Truffles workshop at the Boilerhouse; as well as a Fredricks' Sunday Brunch event. Plus the seventh Corn Hall Beer and Gin Festival will take place on the Saturday. Visit www.heritagetriangle.co.uk

RICHARD BAINBRIDGE

Don’t let the fact it’s October spook you – there’s still plenty to be getting on with before the clocks go back, says Emma Outten

WINE TASTING DINNER

The new Norfolk Wine School is holding a Saturday Introduction to Wine event on October 22 at St Andrew’s Brewhouse. You will learn everything from how to taste wine like a professional, to which wines to buy, and it all kicks off with Champagne! Professional ISO tasting glasses, tasting sheets, plus water, nibbles, lunch and afternoon tea or coffee will be provided. Visit www.norfolkwineschool.com

HOME TECHNOLOGY

The Hughes Home Tech Show takes place at the Norfolk Showground from October 21 to 23. The live cookery theatre will be returning this year to give you live demonstrations on some of the products while also teaching you some quick and simple recipes to try at home. Joining the show this year will be award winning chef Brian Turner CBE, plus our very own Richard Bainbridge and Andy Snowling. Visit www.hughes.co.uk

FAWLTY TOWERS NIGHT

THORPENESS COUNTRY CLUB

Go along to the themed Fawlty Towers Night at the Thorpeness Country Club, on the Suffolk coast on October 8, for a hilarious evening’s entertainment with lookalike actors performing in character as Basil, his wife Sybil and the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel from the popular BBC TV sitcom. The fun night will include a three-course sit down meal in the Club’s vaulted function room. Visit www.thorpenesscountryclub.co.uk

TASTY TREATS (Pictured right) The Acle ‘Tasty’ Food and Drink Festival takes place at Acle Academy on October 2. Award winning cookery school owner Richard Hughes of the Lavender House, Brundall, is one of chefs who will be demonstrating on the day, plus the line up for the day consists of more than 20 stand holders, and a vintage afternoon tea room experience, with bakery delights to take away Visit www.norfolkfoodanddrink.com

MURDER MYSTERY MEAL

The Maids Head Hotel in Tombland, Norwich, is holding a murder mystery evening on October 28. Imagine it is Halloween 1926, and you have all been invited, anonymously, to the strangely isolated Marple Manor. And with a celebrated medium, a young flapper, a Hollywood director and a silent film star for company, what could possibly go wrong? Visit www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk

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Norwich C ock t ai l We e k -

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BON MOT

INGREDIENTS 30ml of gin; 20ml of St Germain elderflower liqueur; 20ml of lime juice; 2 sprigs of thyme; 1 slice of cucumber; dash of Absinthe Shake everything well, then double strain into a frozen glass

Bar: War wick St Social

CHERRY and THYME SOUR INGREDIENTS 25ml of Hayman’s Old Tom Gin; 25ml of Maraschino Liqueur; 2 good sprigs of thyme; 20ml of lemon juice; dash of simple syrup Serve over ice in a rocks glass. Drizzled with Giffard Cherry Brandy to finish and a fresh thyme sprig

W H A T ' S

O N

With Norwich Cocktail Week 2016 running from October 8 to 15, we thought we’d get you into the spirit of things with some recipes from a good few of the city’s bars!

Bar: The Dog H ouse

THE ENGLISH GARDEN

INGREDIENTS 50ml of Hendricks Gin; a clump of mint leaves; 4 lime wedges; 25ml of elderflower cordial; 50ml of apple juice; 3 slices of cucumber Add all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice: squeezing the lime wedges. Shake until chilled. Whilst double straining, pour contents into the glass which contains fresh ice. Garnish with a few cucumber slices

Bar: War wick St Social

APPLE and BLACKBERRY MOJITO

INGREDIENTS Half a lime (quartered); 2 thick slices of green apple (halved); 1 blackberry; muddle those together in a glass with a dash of simple syrup. Then add: 35ml of Havana Club 3 year old rum; 15ml of Chambord; 8-10 mint leaves (depending on size); 15ml of fresh apple juice Add ice and churn, then top with soda

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W H A T ' S

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It 's Show TA ime

Richard Bainbridge is just one of the celebrity chefs demonstrating his skills at Norfolk’s biggest consumer electronics show this month. Sarah Hardy previews the

Hughes Home Tech Show

THE ANNUAL HUGHES HOME TECH SHOW, now in its 24th year, bursts into life this month at the Norfolk Showground, offering food lovers the chance to catch up on the latest developments in kitchen wizardry! The show, from October 21-23, promises to showcase the best and most innovative electrical goods on the market so for us foodies there’s the chance to check out the latest cooking ranges, US style fridge freezers and much more. And that’s before we mention all those gadgets and gizmos, from food processors to those coveted retro-style kettles. I’ve got my eye on a decent coffee-maker! All the leading brands are attending and bringing a good cross section of pieces and what, of course, makes this so much better than shopping online is that you can see them in their full working glory, and chat to the experts about their finer points. Nothing beats a bit of touchy feely retail shopping - and the show always offers good price points, too, so it just gets better and better. This year sees the cookery theatre, always a popular part of the show, move centre stage. As you’d expect, the actual staging is all very high tech, with four cameras and several large screen TVs capturing all the action and providing those vital close up shots of dishes so you don’t miss anything.

RICHARD BAINBRIDGE

The line up of chefs is great, too, with TV favourite Brian Turner giving several demonstrations over the weekend, and Richard Bainbridge, from Benedicts restaurant in the city, taking part on Sunday. Add in Andy Snowling, development manager at the Recruiting Sergeant in Horstead, and well known Norfolk cookery writer Mary Kemp as compere, and you’ll be treated to a bit of good humoured banter as the chefs cook up a delicious selection of recipes. They’ll be using local, seasonal ingredients, and are scheduled to produce some challenging main courses and hopefully a pud or two as we all like a sweet treat, don’t we?! A booklet of their recipes is also being produced for visitors to take away with them and recreate the dishes at home. This year’s show also includes a farmers’ market section where a hand-picked selection of artisan producers will offer a range of tempting goodies to buy and enjoy at home. These include Yare Valley Oils from Surlingham, near Norwich, and Bullards Beer from Norwich. Again, there’s the chance to talk to the actual producer - the person who has stirred the saucepan or peeled the vegetables - so you know exactly how the product has been developed and ultimately created. As we all become more and more interested in the provenance of our food, it is a fabulous opportunity to learn a little more about the food we choose to eat. Finally, we should mention that the show, which attracts more than 10,000 visitors over the weekend, is free to enter and there is plenty of parking. Entertainment is being laid on for the children (and there’s a sweetie stall) so you should be able to browse at your leisure and start thinking of that Christmas wish list! And, while we are all interested in the foodie side of the show, I’m sure all those other electronics will catch the eye, too. Who could resist the shiny new music systems, the vacuum cleaners that almost, just almost, clean your house for you on their own and as for one of the real ‘wow’ products - a 85inch TV. I’m drooling! • The Hughes Home Tech Show takes place from October 21 -23. It opens from 6-9pm on the Friday, from 10-6pm on the Saturday and from 10-5pm on the Sunday. Cooking demonstrations are scheduled to start at 11am and will run on the hour. They usually last between 30-45 minutes.

NEW ROOMS

Andover House in Great Yarmouth has opened the doors to seven new bedrooms. Each room has its own contemporary style, and like the other 20 rooms, they come with Sky Sports & Entertainment, hot drink facilities and free Wi-Fi. Plus, don’t forget that the restaurant is open Monday to Saturday, and Head Chef, Dave, has many food tricks up his sleeve! Visit www.andoverhouse.co.uk

FEELING STOKED

Congratulations to Suffolk’s Stokes Real Mayonnaise, which came top in a professional blind tasting against nine other popular brands. The tasting was undertaken by the Swedish weekly consumer magazine - IcaKuriren, known for its 'Which' like comparative studies. Stokes use British free range eggs for a 'real' taste. Visit www.stokessauces.co.uk

GAME CHANGER

Put it on next year’s calendar: the 14th East Anglian Game & Country Fair will take place on the Euston Estate near Thetford, by kind permission of The Duke and Duchess of Grafton, next year (April 22 and 23 to be precise) having spent the past 13 years at the Norfolk Showground. Visit www.ukgamefair.co.uk

SPELT RIGHT

Did you know that the bread baked daily at The Kings Head in Letheringsett uses spelt flour from Letheringsett Water Mill – the last remaining water mill in Norfolk to produce flour? I tried it at a recent lunch there and it’s yummy! Visit www.kingsheadnorfolk.co.uk

NEWS ROUND-UP

From new restaurant openings to awardwinning products, we’ve got it covered yet again, says Emma Outten

We are liking the sound of the new Norfolk Raider Cider, launched by cider enthusiast Paul Cork, as not only is it produced in the county with local apples but it also has no additives. There’s the Original, at 8.5 per cent, Dolly Pink (4.2 per cent), or Wingman (6.2 per cent). The name is inspired by the Americans flying out of Horsham St Faith in 1944. Find it in the likes of The White Lion pub in Norwich.

MARK DIXON

CIDER RAID

Extended Hou rs...

We’re very pleased to hear that Kindreds, the fine dining restaurant in Wymondham headed up by award winning chef Mark Dixon, is now open seven days a week. Visit www.kindredsrestaurant.com

News and G ossip WHO ATE ALL THE SANDWICHES?

Congratulations to Joel Large from the Sunny Hunny Ice Cream Company who inspired and then completed the ‘I’ve eaten all the sandwiches at The Norfolk Deli’ challenge. With 40-plus different sandwich fillings this isn’t a challenge for the fainthearted say owners Mark and Rosie Kacary. This year’s top five sandwiches are The Beached Whale, Crabby, The New Yorker, Chicago & the Corrie Norrie. Visit www.norfolk-deli.co.uk/shop

‘UDDERLY’ DELICIOUS

Danns Farm, the luxury Norfolk ice cream maker based in North Tuddenham, has just launched its new Raw Milk. The farm-fresh whole milk is from the herd of Holstein-Friesian cows and has been filtered before being chilled and bottled. Visit www.dannsfarm.co.uk

HAVING A GIGGLE We loved the launch party of Thai restaurant family, Giggling Squid, in Norwich recently – particularly the chicken satay! The launch takes the family of restaurants to 17 and the Tombland restaurant is the largest (and arguably grandest) to date, with room for 160 guests inside. Giggling Squid is owned by husband and wife Andrew and Pranee Laurillard. Visit www.gigglingsquid.com

GIGGLING SQUID

Quick bite...

A RYE LOOK

And don’t forget...

Entries have already been flying in for the 2017 Farm Shop & Deli Awards but consumer voting clos es on October 31 so get voting. Visit www.farmshopanddelishow.c o.uk

Adnams has unveiled two new rye-based spirits, Rising Sun Gin and Rye Hill Vodka, with both spirits produced from rye grown by chairman, Jonathan Adnams, at his farm in Reydon, which is close to the distillery in Southwold. John McCarthy, Head Distiller, says: ‘We always like to play with flavours, techniques and unusual ingredients so were keen to experiment with rye.’ Visit www.adnams.co.uk

We’re also pleased to hear that the award winning Bray’s Cottage Pork Pies will soon be available to buy online. Get ordering! Visit www.perfectpie.co.uk

A GOOD GRILLING

We are liking the look of new mobile catering business The Durban Grill. Owner Adam Davies has been in catering since the age of 16 and was inspired by the fact he has friends and family over in South Africa (most of them Zulu) and uses many 'exotic' meat dishes such as ostrich and creamed spinach, crocodile and mango curry and springbok tagine. Visit www.facebook. com/thedurbangrill

PICTURES BY

JAMES KILCOIN www.jameskphoto.co.uk

LEWIS, AGA AND ALASTAIR KING

The Ol d B ank Bistro -

N E W

F A C E S

YOU CAN BANK ON THEM Husband and wife Agnieszka and Lewis King are determined to put their small but beautifully formed coffee house and bistro on Norfolk’s gourmet map. Sarah Hardy reports VISIT

www.theoldbankbistro.co.uk, tel 01485 544080

THE THRIVING VILLAGE of Snettisham in West Norfolk is home to the Old Bank Bistro, the much loved new venture of Agnieszka (Aga) and Lewis King which is fast gaining a great reputation for imaginative food, as well the essential coffee, tea and cakes - look out for the scones, too! The pair, who have been married just over a year, met whilst working in the hospitality trade in Cambridge and decided, as many do, that they’d love to run their own eaterie. Lewis is in charge of the kitchen while Aga, originally from Poland, runs the front of house team. Lewis, who was head chef at the Tickell Arms in Whittlesford, near Cambridge, is from nearby Dersingham so knows the area well, especially the local producers, and he’s delighted to be back on home soil. And he admits that he gets a lot of help from his family, with his brother Alastair working in the kitchen. The bistro, situated in an attractive Victorian building in the heart of the village,

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

seats 22, with a further 20 places available in the courtyard garden. The couple have totally refreshed the interiors, and created a cool and contemporary place with a lovely friendly atmosphere. Aga explains: ‘It was a bank, as the name suggests, so we have kept the original counter - it’s oak, we think.’ Add in bistro style tables and chairs, photographs of local scenes, handmade crockery by Malcolm Flatman of Sutton Pottery, near Stalham, and some statement lighting, and it’s a charming spot, whether you’re after breakfast, lunch or a more sophisticated dinner. As it’s an intimate place, Lewis can offer a carefully thought out menu which he changes regularly. ‘I don’t like to overload it with too much description,’ he says. ‘And everything is cooked here - even our own bread.’ Choices include a fresh quiche every lunch, plus how about seared cod, pan roasted bass, duck breast or a mushroom risotto?

Lewis is slowly but surely building up his local suppliers - he uses charcuterie from Fruit Pig in Wisbech; cheeses from Mrs Temple at Wighton, near Wells; meat from Prior’s butchers in Dersingham; fish from Cole’s in King’s Lynn and Grey Seal Coffee, which is based just outside Blakeney. ’And I use cider from Whin Hill at Wells, and beer from the Norfolk Brewhouse at Hindringham,’ he adds. Lewis is also discovering that local suppliers are seeking him out, saying: ‘A local gamekeeper called by to say that he would be able to bring us plenty from his shoots, so that’s something to look forward to.’ This hard working couple don’t have a great deal of time off but if they do, you might find Lewis on the golf course and they enjoy eating out, too, to support their fellow chefs. ‘The food scene in Norfolk has really changed over the last five to 10 years,’ says Lewis. ‘The quality of the ingredients was always there, and now people are using the local produce really well, too.’

wis’ signatu re Check out one of Le u, overleaf men recipes, now on the

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The Ol d B ank Bistro R E C I P E

Serves four

Black Treacle Brined Pork Ribeye, Roasted Carrots, Carrot Tapenade, Fennel, Crushed Potatoes, Burnt Apple Purée INGREDIENTS 4 x 8oz pork ribeye Brine: 200g of black treacle; 200g of water; 40g of salt Garnish: 500g Norfolk Peers new potatoes; 1kg of carrots; 2 medium heads of fennel; 200g of rapeseed oil (plus extra for frying); 50g of unsalted butter; 4 Granny Smith apples; 100ml of apple juice/ cider (optional)

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

METHOD All of the elements in this dish can be prepared a day before, ready to be finished on the day Meat Combine all of the ingredients for the brine until it has all completely dissolved. In a bowl large enough to accommodate all of the pork, marinade it in the brine for 5-6 hours Then wash and pat dry on a towel and store in the fridge, preferably uncovered to allow the meat to air dry and the flavour to intensify. The leftover brine can be discarded Garnish Boil the new potatoes until very tender. Once cooked through crush with a fork, mix in 50g of butter, season to your taste. Take off the herby tops of the fennel, chop them finely and fold through the crushed potatoes Put aside 4 of the nicest looking carrots (they will be used for the roasted carrot) For the carrot tapenade wash the remaining carrots and cut them 0.5cm thick. Place them in thick bottomed saucepan, cover with the rapeseed oil and cook over medium heat until they are very dark. This could take anywhere between 2-4 hours. Allow to cool and puree the carrots and the oil together For the roasted carrots, strain off a little oil from the tapenade, drizzle over the four carrots, season and roast for about 40-50 minutes at 180°C

For the fennel, trim the stalks off the top (used for the potatoes) and cut each bulb into eight wedges. In a bowl, toss the fennel wedges with a little oil and salt and then caramelise the outsides in a medium-hot dry pan. Turn occasionally. Over medium heat, it should take about 10 minutes for the fennel to cook through For the burnt apple purée cut each apple in half and place cut side down in a dry roasting tray. Bake at 180°C until the apples are very soft and very well coloured. As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, deglaze with 100ml of apple juice, cider or water. This will release any caramelised bits from the pan. Scrape all into a food processor and whizz until completely smooth (a jug blender will achieve the best results). If the purée looks a little thick, add enough water to achieve desired consistency With all of the elements ready, in a medium hot pan with a little oil, sear both sides of the pork ribeye. The pork should blacken slightly. Transfer into a roasting tray along with the roasted carrot and the fennel and finish in the oven at 180°C for 6-7 minutes. This will achieve a medium finish. If you like your pork done more, bake for 10 minutes. Whilst the pork is resting out of the oven, in a warm place, set up four pre-warmed plates. Reheat your potatoes and dress the plate to your liking. At the restaurant we start with the tapenade at the bottom and build everything up, but feel free to let your artistic side guide you!

E ast Twenty Si x -

E A T I N G

O U T

ast Head ing EA

Pippa Lain-Smith swaps and shares dishes on a staff outing in Norwich where bubbles are (unsurprisingly) on the menu, too VISIT

WHEN CHOOSING A VENUE for a small PR team ‘night out’ in Norwich there were several important considerations; not least that we wanted to start at 4pm. I should clarify that the early kick-off was not to allow us to consume ridiculous amounts of alcohol, rather to allow for a civilised, and parent-friendly, early finish (and a train back to Lowestoft for one of us). A formal dinner service was out of the equation but we were looking for ‘proper’ food rather than a café or all day diner. East Twenty Six popped up as a result of our foodie brainstorm. Tucked away on Exchange Street in Norwich, it is owned and operated by the same people that run the Iron House on Pottergate. It’s billed as a bar and restaurant offering ‘a fresh and modern take on traditional ‘tapas’ with sharing food and making friends at the heart of everything we do.’ I’m not sure we made any friends but we certainly shared food; and plenty of it. I was the first of our trio to arrive and wandered into an empty bar where a pleasant, if lonely-looking, table had been reserved for us. There’s a small terrace area outside the bar but sadly all the tables had been grabbed by loitering lunchtime drinkers. I had a word with the barman and he agreed to give us the nod when an ‘al fresco’ table became free so we could make the most of the sunny afternoon. So, what to start with? As I’ve admitted in previous articles, I’m not known for my decisiveness when it comes to menu choices, and the same applies to selecting an aperitif. Should I opt for a cocktail, a V&T or perhaps a glass of Prosecco? What would my friends decide on? Should I go for a bottle? Eventually, the ever-helpful barman came to

www.easttwentysix.co.uk

my rescue and suggested a glass of bubbles (‘you can have the rest of the bottle later if you want’). My lovely friends arrived just as my tall glass of Stelle d’Italia Prosecco appeared and agreed it was the perfect choice, so the bottle followed. I can’t quite remember when Prosecco replaced Champagne in my affections but this crisp, apple-y and ‘just dry enough’ fizz set us up beautifully. We sat at our designated table and, deciding against active intimidation to secure an outside table, we transferred our attention to the menu instead. For a dithering diner such as me, tapas is a great approach to food. You can choose lots of different small plates to share, without appearing overly-greedy. Between three of us we opted for a mix of veggie and pescatarian dishes including: cauliflower shawarma, with caramelised onions; smoked aubergine chips with chilli mayonnaise; deep fried cod cheeks; tiger prawns with edamame slaw and, that traditional Spanish tapas staple – hand cut chips. The cauliflower dish was fine, with some gentle tang from the caramelised onions and tahini dressing and a bit of crunch from pine nuts. It was by no means a stand out dish for me but certainly not on my ‘never order again!’ list. The smoked aubergine chips on the other hand were wonderful. Smothered in a light, tempura batter, the slices of eggplant were deep fried and served with peppery rocket and a spicy mayo which complemented the smoky, rich and creamy flesh perfectly. On to the cod cheeks. There’s something about the word ‘cheeks’ that isn’t particularly appetising but these tender

pieces of fish, fried to perfection were quite tasty, particularly when served with Tarator, a sauce featuring walnuts, bread, garlic and lemon. Once our Prosecco was polished off, we ordered a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, from the Yealands Land Made series. I’m not a wine buff but I know what I like: and I liked this very much. Dry enough but with lots of fruit in the background, it was VERY easy to drink. Back to the food, and tiger prawns with an edamame bean slaw and miso dressing. The thing with tapas and sharing small plates is that you might find a dish you really like and then be forced to share with your fellow diners. However, pick the right companions and you’ll all prefer different things. The prawns were, without doubt, my favourite dish. The tangy slaw and savoury dressing was the perfect partner to the meaty shellfish and I would happily have eaten the whole dish. The chips do deserve a mention. Tapasstyle eating gives the impression of a lot of food but can leave you still just a little bit peckish: after all you’ve only had a couple of mouthfuls from each plate. The chunky, hand-cut chips provided that essential carbohydrate ballast to balance out the highly flavoured proteins. And finally, the Binham Blue wontons. Made lovingly by Mrs Temple in Wighton, North Norfolk, this soft, blue-veined cheese is a Norfolk foodie institution. East Twenty Six has crafted this full-flavoured, but never overpowering, cheese into bite-sized snacks. Whilst described as ‘wontons’, we likened them more to a cross between a tiny Yorkshire pudding and the lightest scone you’ve ever eaten. Delicious.

Richard Gauntlett -

F A M O U S

it ’s

F O O D I E

Panto me tiA

(Oh, Ye s It Is)

"I am the co o k at ho me. I love a g o o d Su n d a y lun c h a n d I am a pass io n ate Yo r ks h ire pu d d in g c hef "

ICHARD GAUNTLETT is as much a part of Norwich at Christmas as tinsel and pigs in blankets. He is set to return to the Theatre Royal pantomime for the 16th time as he dons a host of outrageous frocks in a laughterpacked festive family spectacular Jack and the Beanstalk opposite a star cast headed by Wayne Sleep

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

You know us well in Norwich - where do you like to eat and drink in the city when you’re performing with us? Yes. This is my 16th year at the Norwich Theatre Royal pantomime. Over the years I have tried most of the food available nearby. Quick and tasty is what I generally go for, and I always enjoy a Wagamama’s. If my kids are with me, I am usually to be found at Nandos! Is there a pub or restaurant you are particularly looking forward to visiting when you come this time? I am very fond of Sunday Lunch at The Reindeer on Dereham Road Do you know Norfolk well? If so, is there anything you particularly like about our food in this part of of the country? I do love the fish and chips at Mary Jane's in Cromer. It is an area I know well from doing shows on the Pier and also working with the much-missed Vera Woodcock with the town’s fantastic Christmas lights switch-on Do you know what samphire is?! Yes. I love it, I think. Is it a bit like lava bread, or am I wrong? What do you tend to eat before a performance? And do you eat anything afterwards? I tend not to eat a lot before a show as I always have so many costumes to squeeze into. There are 12 this year. I always try to eat

after a show, or just snack during the day Do you find time to cook at home? If so, do you have a signature dish? And have you had any cooking disasters? I am the cook at home. I love a good Sunday lunch and I am a passionate Yorkshire pudding chef. I also prepare a mean curry. Things occasionally do not go according to plan though. My biggest disaster must be the Christmas of 1985. I was not that familiar with the oven in my digs and I returned from a pre-turkey drink to find a fire engine and 12 firemen flooding my bedsit. I did not get my deposit back! Who would be your dream dinner party guests? Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson, but I don't think we’d eat much! Do you have a favourite TV chef and why? River Cottage has always been my favourite cookery show with Hugh Fearnley-thingiemybob. No competition, swearing or impossible recipes What was your best ever meal out and why? My Wedding Breakfast on March 20 2016. (I had to say that!). We had a really nice piece of lamb What would your last supper consist of? A large blue sirloin steak with thick chips, peas and garlic sauce

Jack and the Beanstalk runs at the Theatre Royal, Norw ich, from Dece mber 13 to January 15. Visit www.theat reroy alnor wich.co.uk

Panto star Richard Gauntlett tells us about a festive cooking disaster as he answers our fun foodie Q&A

ZENA LEECH-CALTON

Norfolk chef and cookery writer Zena Leech-Calton creates an exclusive Bonfire Night menu for Feast Norfolk. Sarah Hardy finds out more about the woman behind the recipes

Visit www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk and www.lodgefarmholidaybarns.co.uk

LODGE FARM, BAWBURGH

Go With

ZENA

LEECH-CALTON and I have history! In a previous life we worked together as she created a weekly cookery column for the newspaper I used to work for. At the time Zena was working in adult education, helping families to create healthy and nutritious meals, and her popular column reflected this. Zena has simply flourished since our paths last crossed about seven years ago, and she has really expanded what she does. She and husband, Nick, and their two children, Saskia, aged 17, and Silas, aged 14, now live at a stunning country house, Lodge Farm, at Bawburgh, near Norwich. The Grade II* Listed property, bought at auction, dates back to the Jacobean period, with Victorian additions, and the couple have spent six years restoring it, rediscovering wonderful fireplaces, intricate friezes, one of which bears Charles I’s coat of arms, and also putting in a rather super hi-tech kitchen. ‘Parts of it were used as a hunting lodge for the Colney family, and more recently, it was a dairy farm,’ explains Zena as she gives me a guided tour of the six-bedroom property. ‘We had to spend a year in a caravan as we did it up.’ Now the house, which borders Bawburgh fishing lakes, is the base for her own cookery school where she holds regular courses which might include beginner sessions or Asian food workshops.

Bonfire Night -

F E A T U R E

Zena, who trained at the Hotel School at City College, Norwich, went on to work in leading London establishments such as Leith’s and was the head chef at Ealing Studios, also stages great parties in a retro American diner, The Milky Bar, at the house. This specially designed party room has a Wild West theme, complete, of course, with a kitchen, as food, you quickly realise, is an important part of anything and everything she is involved in. And the couple - Nick is a design manager for a leading construction company - also run three holiday cottages in the grounds where ducks, chickens and geese all roam providing eggs for the kitchen, too! Clearly someone who likes to be super busy, Zena has just started a new venture - foodie walking tours of Norwich called Love Norwich Food, where small groups are taken around some of the city’s best known and most fun cafes, shops and pubs, sampling along the way! ‘They last three and a half hours and you walk about three miles - we start at the Forum,’ she says. ‘We visit lots of places, from stalls on the market to the Grosvenor Fish Bar, St Giles House Hotel, the Mash Tun pub, Macarons and More - and have a little something in each place.’ She adds: ‘We went to Lisbon earlier this year and did a food tour. We’ve done them elsewhere and they’re always great. I thought it was definitely something that Norwich should have.’ The tours, which take in seven of the 12 iconic buildings in the city, could well develop, she adds.

a h as Ove r le af Ze n fr ie n d ly il y c re ate d a famis he s - a n d d se le ctio n of r in ks - fo r a co up le of d e njoy o n e ve ry o ne to an d

t Bo nf ire Nigh n H all owe e

INGREDIENTS 1 blood orange, squeezed, or 80ml of orange juice; 30ml of Norfolk Cordial, strawberry and lime; 100-120ml of sparkling water or lemonade; 30ml of grenadine METHOD Simply add the juice and cordial to a cocktail glass and top with the fizzy stuff. Serve with a syringe shot of grenadine

Blood Orange Revenge

A refreshing orange based sparkling drink served with a ghoulish blood shot which, when injected, sinks to the bottom like a tequila sunrise

Top Tip: If the balls are larger or the oil was too hot and they are still doughy in the middle – simply place them in a medium oven for 8-10 minutes until cooked

Pumpkin Feast Bombs

I wanted to create the perfect bonfire treat. You can make these ahead of time and just deep-fry when needed. Serve these bite sized spiced bon bons in little bags for friends and family to tuck into while they are ‘oohing and ahhing’ over the fireworks!

Ma kes 12

INGREDIENTS The Bomb Filling 150g of pumpkin (or squash), grated (raw); 40g of cheddar cheese, grated; 40-50g of natural or penko breadcrumbs; 1tsp of turmeric; 1tsp of ground cumin; ½tsp of chilli flakes (optional); ½tsp of mixed spice; 1 x egg white (save the yolk for the coating); seasoning To Coat Flour, egg and breadcrumbs – place the 3 ingredients into 3 separate bowls; 1 heaped tbsp of plain flour; the leftover egg yolk plus an egg, whisked; 50-60g of natural or penko breadcrumbs METHOD Simply mix all the bomb filling together in a large bowl, seasoning well. With damp hands, mould in to heaped teaspoon sized small balls. This may be a little tricky as the mix is loose damp hands help prevent the mix from sticking – if it’s too tricky add more crumbs. It may also help to freeze the balls for 10 minutes or so before crumbing to firm them up. Get the coating mix ready. Gently coat the balls in flour, then coat in the egg, with dry hands coat in the crumbs making sure they retain their shape. You can wrap and store in the fridge until ready. Deep fry in hot oil (around 170°C).You don’t want the oil too hot as the bomb won’t cook in the middle. Cook until really crispy golden brown

Bonfire Night -

R E C I P E S

Bonfire Treacle & Ginger Cake Se rve s 10-12

INGREDIENTS Liquid Mix 120g of butter, diced; 120g of black treacle; 80g of golden syrup; 3-4 pieces of stem ginger in syrup, diced; 2tbsp of stem ginger syrup; 1 orange – zest only; 100g of dark brown sugar; 30ml/1 measure of orange liqueur (optional) Milk and Egg Mix 250ml of milk; 2 eggs

METHOD Preheat the oven gas 4/180°C/450°F. In a pan, add the liquid mix and gently heat, melting everything together only - but don’t boil. Beat the eggs and the milk together and set aside. Sift the flour along with other dry mix ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add all three mixes together, gently whisk until only just blended. The mix will be quite runny and more like a batter than a cake mix. Pour the mixture in to a greased 2lb loaf tin or a 9–10inch deep square tin. Bake for 35-45 minutes (depending on tin size) until a skewer comes out of the middle clean

ZENA LEECH-CALTON

Dry Mix 200g of self raising flour; 2tsp of ground ginger; ½ tsp of ground cinnamon; pinch of nutmeg (optional); 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda

Halloween Smoothie Health Blend

I’m not a great lover of beetroot based smoothies, they can sometimes be too earthy but adding acidic pineapple really balances all the flavours, making an absolutely delicious guilt free blend, packed with nutrition INGREDIENTS 12 frozen grapes (approx 40g); 100-120ml of fresh Norfolk apple juice; a handful spinach or kale (approx 15g); 1 cooked medium beetroot (approx 30g); 1 slice pineapple – peeled and diced (approx 50g) METHOD Place all the ingredients in your smoothie maker or blender and blend away. This is packed with vitamin C, B6, magnesium and potassium

Top Tip:

Freezing leftover grapes not only stops waste but makes your smoothies cold and icy, ensuring you always have a regular supply of something good to blend. You can also freeze packs of ingredients like kale and mango then simply blend with fresh orange or apple juice for a quick and healthy start to the day

THE GIN TRAP INN is a traditional and cosy 17th century coaching inn. Serving delicious homemade fare & offering luxurious rooms. Open from 11:30am to late daily H O C TOBER EVENING – 20T BREWDOG BEER exciting beers

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Daniel Smith -

B I G

I N T E R V I E W

Onthe

Menu Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been quite a year for Daniel Smith, chef patron of the Ingham Swan. Not only has his newest Warwick St Social in Norwich opened but he has just flown the flag for Norfolk in the brand new series of the Great British Menu. Emma Outten catches up with him

as he ad w l ie n a D " age d Chef and n he only 23 w ll a Morston H a de d was awar r " ta Michelin s

Daniel Smith -

B I G

I N T E R V I E W

IT WOULD BE FAIR to say that this year has been a whirlwind for chef patron of the Ingham Swan Daniel Smith. Within 12 months he and his business partner opened the Wildebeest in Stoke Holy Cross followed by Warwick St Social in Norwich’s Golden Triangle. And by then it was announced that he’d be appearing in BBC Two’s Great British Menu, which started last month. However, there have been highs and lows along the way for the Norfolk-born chef. In May, just before Warwick St Social (formerly the Mad Moose) opened, his father Tony Smith, a former mayor of Great Yarmouth, passed away. Daniel says: ‘It really puts things into perspective. No matter what you’ve done and what you’ve got, there are other things that matter.’ The 41-year-old continues: ‘He did get to see the programme – the BBC were really kind. Kate Roberts, the Series Producer of Optomen Television Production, actually drove to my house with the discs.’ In this year’s series, Daniel and the other chefs are competing to cook in honour of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Great Britons’ and will be challenged to create dishes that are a fitting legacy to our modern Elizabethan Age. They have taken inspiration from the transformation in British food throughout her historic reign and the achievements of ordinary people recognised with an OBE, CBE, MBE or the BEM for going above and beyond for their community, their charity or for their country. Daniel represents the Central region and is up against Danny Gill, formerly of The Flitch of Bacon in Essex and now based in Lincolnshire, and Andrew Scott of Restaurant 56 in Oxfordshire. He says: ‘The competition was very tough – there were some big guns to compete with.’ He does, however, have an impressive track record spanning 20 years. Daniel started out at the two Michelin starred restaurant Le Gavroche, working for Michel Roux Junior; then moved back to Norfolk working under Galton Blackiston at Morston Hall, for five years. In fact, Daniel was head Chef and aged only 23 when Morston Hall was awarded a Michelin star.

THE WILDEBEEST

He is clearly passionate about his home county and his Great British Menu showcases local produce. ‘I went to London and arrived in Camden, where the programme was shot, heavily armed with a lot of Norfolk produce,’ he recalls. And he reveals: ‘My first dish was called ‘making a difference’: thyme poached partridge breast, with foraged girolle mushrooms, apple purée, dehydrated pork crackling, parsley crumb and partridge tea.’ His inspiration was Teresa Dent, CBE, the Chief of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Expect to see the dish presented in a bespoke medal box, complete with a hip flask, in the shape of a shotgun cartridge! He had just one hour to produce the dish. ‘It’s under pressure, and I was first up on the first course,’ he says, although he adds: ‘You’re not conscious anyone is watching you.’ And this is despite the fact that five cameras were trained on him at all times! Daniel’s Great British Menu will be available at The Ingham Swan as the Tasting Menu from this month. He opened the 14th century thatched former coaching inn as his very first restaurant with rooms, in 2010, and it has since been awarded a Bib Gourmand every year and also holds 2 AA Rosettes. By appearing on GBM, Daniel will be following in the footsteps of Galton, as well as Richard Bainbridge of Benedicts Restaurant in Norwich. Daniel says: ‘I need to give thanks to Richard, as he was one of those who put me forward. Ironically I was his head chef when he started his career, at Morston.’ Daniel would then go on to become head chef of The Wildebeest and Executive Chef of the Animal Inns portfolio at large (which also included the Mad Moose). Warwick St Social is being seen as a completely new concept in local hospitality: an urban meeting place and social hub offering breakfast, casual daytime dining and dinnertime get-togethers. There’s a seasonal approach with fresh fruit and veg grown on their farm; locallysourced meat and fish, artisan breads baked twice daily on site and ice creams made from scratch. With interiors designed by a London-based designer, Daniel comments: ‘We wanted something that encapsulated part of the Shoreditch scene and a more modern food and drinking venue.’ As for the future, Daniel can envisage the Warwick St Social concept being developed in other parts of East Anglia, or London. He and his business partner, Gregory Adjemian, have been friends since their school days and set up G&D Ventures as a holding company. Daniel says of Greg: ‘We’re long time best friends – he’s godfather to my children and was best man at my wedding so we go way back.’ Both come from Caisteron-Sea. Friends and family are clearly important to Daniel. And his father is sadly missed: ‘He was a big guy with a big personality and one of the reasons why I love food so much.’

THE INGHAM SWAN

WARWICK ST SOCIAL

ll be celebrating the ir Walsingham Farms Shops wi 10, with a special day of 10th anniversary on October everything. tastings, an d 10 per ce nt off

Wal singh am F arms S hops -

S H O P

F R O N T

WORTH A PILGRIMAGE

Andy Newman visits Walsingham Farms Shops who celebrate their 10th anniversary this month VISIT

WITH FARM SHOPS now proliferating across the county, it is hard to imagine life without them – but they have not been a feature of our landscape for as long as you might think. One of the earliest such establishments is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month; Walsingham Farms Shops remain one of the most successful independent food retailers in the county. The Walsingham shop was born out of the desire to link the Walsingham Estate with its farming tenants. The brainchild of Elizabeth and Clovis Meath Baker, who live in the historic Walsingham Abbey, together with estate manager John Downing and tenant farmer James Woodhouse, the idea was first floated following the publication of the Curry Report in 2002, which examined the future of food and farming. At around the same time, the village butcher shut its doors, giving impetus to do something new. The partners didn’t just want to create the traditional farm shop – the ‘shop that happens to be on a farm’ – but aimed to ‘embrace the theatre of shopping’ and build a pleasurable, fun experience for shoppers. Opening its doors in 2006, the shop was initially all about selling produce direct from the estate, but that soon expanded to a much wider offer, although with a firm emphasis on selling local food. A second shop on the site of Norfolk Lavender in Heacham followed in 2010, housed in the former lavender distillery, and now both shops stock a broad range, with butchery counters; delicatessen counters where 90 per cent of what is on offer is homemade; local fruit and vegetables; Norfolk beer, and all manner of grocery items. ‘Over the past decade we have modernised and rebranded ourselves to ensure that the focus remains on the customer experience,’

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

www.walsingham.co

says general manager Sam Bagge, who joined the organisation three years ago. 28-year-old Sam is a chef by profession, and a graduate of the City College Norwich Hotel School. Despite his relative youth, he brings with him a wealth of experience, chefing in a high-end New York beach club, on private yachts in Australia and for firstclass passengers on Etihad Airways, as well as working closer to home in establishments such as Tatlers and 103 in Norwich. ‘The basics have remained the same – our beef still comes from the estate, for example – but we have branched out into things such as our own branded ready meals, which are made on the premises.’ It is for this reason that having a chef as general manager is a great idea. Sam immerses himself in all aspects of the business, often spending a day at the butcher’s counter or on the shop floor, as well as in the deli kitchen - getting back to his cooking roots. There is no doubt that demand for farms shops such as Walsingham is rising, as consumers increasingly want to know where their food is coming from - something that results from, as Sam puts it, ‘the big boys pulling the wool over people’s eyes a few times. ‘People like to know the story of what they are buying. So, for example, we always display the Livestock Passport of our meat, which shows things like which farm it was raised on, when it was slaughtered, and how it has been hung. That way, people know exactly what they are buying, they know it’s local, and they can feel a connection with the producer.’ On the butcher’s counter in particular, the food miles are extremely low, with beef coming from the Walsingham Estate,

pork and lamb raised in South Creake, and venison from Houghton Hall. All the butchery is done in house, with butchery manager Scott Cawston assisted by two fulltime apprentice butchers. That connection with producers is important as well, and the two shops hold regular in-store tastings with a long list of local producers including Marsh Pig, Candi’s Chutneys, Black Shuck Gin and Whin Hill Cider – a programme which is expanded in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It’s that commitment to localness and quality, as well as the focus on the whole shopping experience, which has led to such a loyal following, with most customers coming from an eight mile radius of each shop. But the nature of this part of North and West Norfolk means that there is plenty of custom from visitors and second homeowners as well, and this is where the new online shop comes into its own. Initially focussing on meat, with seasonal meat packs proving popular, the online offer is slowly being expanded to include deli products and eventually many more shop floor items. ‘Holidaymakers who come in, and those who have second homes here, have been asking us about selling online for some time, but we have taken our time to ensure we get it right,’ says Sam. ‘We offer 24 hour delivery, and although our meat is top quality, we keep being told by customers that our prices compare very favourably with those in the capital.’ As for Sam, who spent the first half of his 20s globe-trotting, he is pleased to be back in Norfolk. ‘I loved travelling, but the best journey was always the flight home,’ he says. You sense that this Norfolk food institution is in safe hands.

WAITROSE waitrose.com

Waitrose Norwich Eaton Centre, Church Lane, Eaton, Norwich NR4 6NU Waitrose Wymondham Norwich Road, Wymondham, NR18 0SH Waitrose North Walsham Cromer Road, North Walsham, NR28 0NB Waitrose Swaffham Castle Acre Road, Swaffham, PE37 7HT

Branch Services

For more information on Autumn food and drink inspiration. Visit the Waitrose website for recipes and ideas. waitrose.com

Food Counters & Ranges Fish Cheese Delicatessen Rotisserie Meat Bakery Kosher Range Customer Facilities Lottery Counter Cash Point Cafe Waitrose Car Park Parent/ Child Parking Customer Toilets

Other Services Glass Loan Fish Kettle Loan

Shopping Services Waitrose Entertaining Quick Check/Quick Pay John Lewis Click & Collect

04. -

G A D G E T S

G I Z M O S

apple a y da

01.

Apples are bang in season so what better subject than this popular fruit for our gadget and gizmo page?

02.

06. 03.

Where to bu y 05.

01. Rayware Chalkboard Glass Worktop Protector, £4, Jarrold’s, Norwich 02. Paul Hollywood deep pie tin, £7.50, The Kitchenary, Taverham Garden Centre, Norwich, visit www. kitchenary.co.uk 03. Mason Cash dish, £20, John Lewis 04. Apple crumble tea towel, £8.95, www.rockbakehouseshop.co.uk 05. KitchenCraft deluxe apple corer and peeler, £12.50, The Kitchenary, Taverham Garden Centre, Norwich, visit www.kitchenary.co.uk 06. Kenwood spiraliser £49.95, John Lewis

The Kitchenary PROBABLY NORFOLK’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT COOKSHOP

Winbi rri -

N O R F O L K

Vineyards

F A R M I N G

TH E WI N N I N G WAYS O F WI N B I RRI

Winbirri Vineyards, based near Norwich, has put Norfolk on the map this year, having just won the ‘Wine of the Year’ trophy in a national competition. Emma Outten chats to owner and winemaker Lee Dyer VISIT

WHEN LEE DYER came back from his travels around the world in the late noughties and spotted that his fruit farmer father had planted a couple of acres of vines, he could see an opportunity too good to miss. And six years after taking over and overseeing the first commercial plantings in Surlingham, near Norwich, Winbirri Vineyards has only gone and won Wine of the Year at the English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. In fact, the family-run producer won four major trophies at the competition, which is organised by the UK Vineyards Association. Winbirri Vineyards Bacchus 2015 took the Gore-Browne Trophy (Wine of the Year); the Jack Ward Memorial Salver (Most outstanding large production wine from 2015 vintage); the Tom Day Trophy (Most outstanding single varietal wine); and the Berwick Trophy (Most outstanding large production unchaptalised still wine). He says of winning ‘the big boy’: ‘It’s the

www.winbirri.com

most prestigious award you can win within the industry in this country. To achieve what we’ve done in such a short space of time is unprecedented.’ Although only in its third vintage, the Bacchus has already made a huge impact, collecting eight trophies in just two years. ‘I’ve always been very competition oriented with my wine and how I make them.’ We can expect Lee to enter international competitions next year. Winbirri Vineyards is a 25-acre still and sparkling wine producer, and the name comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘win’ (wine) and ‘birri’ (grape). Before Lee took over in 2010 at the age of 32 he had travelled extensively in Australia and South East Asia. ‘I lived in various wine regions but didn’t have a massive interest in wine the catalyst was coming back and having these vines to look after.’ He signed up for viticulture, oenology and wine skills courses at Plumpton College in East Sussex and immersed himself in winemaking

Saving time and money for farmers across East Anglia

literature before taking the plunge, and hasn’t looked back. Lee is meticulous about looking after the vineyard, and likes to be in control and manage everything in-house – something, he believes, that is essential to guarantee top quality. ‘I will not take second best – you’ve got to do it the right way or don’t bother doing it at all!’ He has plans to expand Winbirri, with 10,000 new Bacchus vines being planted next year but not at the expense of quality. ‘You can’t make a wine better than the grapes you start with – that’s the starting point in quality.’ It’s a family affair at Winbirri, with six family members pruning, grape-picking, pressing and bottling and an extra three employees at busy times such as harvest. Lee has already invested in a modern winery onsite, and currently it produces around 50,000 bottles a year. Winbirri also offers tours and tastings throughout the year. The three vineyards in all are planted to

01603 881 881 @AngliaFarmers

www.angliafarmers.co.uk

farm shops. They can also be found in many of the top end restaurants in Norfolk, such as Roger Hickman’s, Flying Kiwi Inns, The Last Wine Bar, The Wildebeest, Stoke Mill, Titchwell Manor, Roots, Green Pastures, The Crab House and Maids Head Hotel. As a wine region, East Anglia is not as well-known as Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Cornwall but temperatures are similar and it is one of the driest regions in the UK. ‘What are the two things you need to grow grapes?’ asks Lee, ‘you need sun and dry weather!’ Bacchus prefers a drier climate

and has become East Anglia’s ‘signature’ wine – aromatic and elegant. Lee, who has just moved to Poringland, is a proactive committee member of the East Anglian Vineyard Association. ‘It’s such a refreshing industry to be involved in – I’ve never known anything like it,’ says Lee. He’s glad he came back home to discover that his father had planted the vines: ‘Sometimes the best plans in life are those that just unfold in front of you, and you find yourself doing something that you absolutely love and are passionate about.’

PICTURES COURTESY OF GREAT BRITISH WINE

Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Solaris, Rondo and Seyval Blanc, with Bacchus the main focus. Unusually, white and sparkling wines account for 60 per cent of production and red for 40 per cent (compared to a national average of 95 per cent/5 per cent). Winbirri wines are available from Waitrose, M&S, Lea & Sandeman and various local independent retailers and

Middle of nowhere, centre of everywhere!

Fresh, local and seasonal is our ethos here at the Saracen’s Head, so come and enjoy a delicious, locally sourced meal in our restaurant or courtyard garden.

Lunch orders will be taken from 12-2pm. Dinner from 6.30 to 8.30pm except Sundays and Mondays 6.30-8pm

For further information or to make a booking call us on 01263 768909 or email info@saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

www.saracenshead-norfolk.co.uk

Fresh, local and seasonal is our ethos here at the Saracens. Being in the middle of nowhere is the perfect excuse to come and enjoy a meal whilst you explore this wonderful part of North Norfolk. Our full menu is available every day, lunch and dinner and in addition we have our summer lunch menu from Monday to Saturday. Sunday lunches are very special and we oﬀer the most delicious roast rump of Blickling reared beef. If it’s too far to travel for a meal, why not stay the night and make a quick break of it!

Summer Opening Times In July & August we will be open 7 days a week this summer Lunch orders will be taken from 12.00 to 2.30 Dinner from 6.30 to 9.00, except Sundays and Mondays 6.30 to 8.30

Henry's

Coffee & Tea Store

2 Church Street Cromer NR2 79ER

Leaf Teas, Ground Coffee, with Milkshakes & Smoothies Homemade Cakes incl Gluten Free, Pork Pies, Soups, Sausage Rolls and More ....

friends

STEVE HEARNDEN

F ood & Wine Pai ri ng A RIGHT PAIR

In the first of a new look series about food and wine pairing, wine expert Steve Hearnden looks at what to drink with cheese

Goats’ cheese really needs a good Sauvignon Blanc and one from the Loire Valley is ideal. The chalk soil and moderate climate help produce a dry, fresh and fruity wine, and the aromas of gooseberry with apple are strong. The small Domaine Gibault produces a full range of wines, both red and white, in the Touraine region which are recommended. • Domaine Gibault Sauvignon Blanc, £8.95 per bottle

01.

A Wensleydale style cheese with apricots, cranberry or ginger would suit a Viognier. I have also written about a similar wine before, but this apricot/peach aroma wine does suit a fruity, soft crumbly cheese. This Viognier comes from Le Grand Celier in the village of Argeliers, where the rolling hills and a microclimate along with hot summers and mild winters create the perfect conditions for this grape. Individual wine makers contribute to a cooperative which is controlled by the directors. Le Romarin 2012 Viognier is a well balanced wine with good fruity flavours and balanced acidity. • Le Romarin Viognier, £8.95 per bottle

03.

01.

Blue cheese is difficult as the base cheese can affect the final taste. Many people favour a semi sweet wine with Blue cheese, but we tried light red, a Bordeaux rouge style. It did well with the blue cheese, and was also good with Binham Blue. The Chateau Peron la Gourdine 2009 is produced in a vineyard just where the Gironde and Dordogne split, almost an Entre deux Mers, which, because of the microclimate, produces softer wines than in other parts of the area. The standard Bordeaux grapes of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc dominate the area. There is fruit and wood on the taste, with a short finish, which makes this wine a good compromise. • Chateau Peron la Gourdine, £11.95 per bottle

02.

A hard cheese, like Red Leicester, is easier. A red wine from Languedoc is recommended, and the Domaine La Bouysse is perfect. The Roc Long 2014, made from the Grenache and Syrah grapes, is a perfect pairing for this hard cheese. The Domaine is owned and run by a brother and sister team and their new winery, in the middle of nowhere, is a perfect place to make wine. Stainless steel is used to ferment the wine with wooden barrels for the short maturation period. French oak is used with a few new barrels being used each year. This is a soft ‘oaky’ wine with a medium aftertaste which would accompany other hard cheeses. • Roc Long, £9.60 per bottle

04.

02.

03.

04.

All wines are available from...

Here are our findin gs:

Tastebuds Wines, based at Stru mpshaw Post Office, visit www. tastebudswines.co.uk or contact Steve at steve@tastebudswines.co .uk

HEESE AND WINE parties are easy to organise and great fun - so what can possibly go wrong? Due to the vast amount of cheese and wine available, the answer is: a lot! Choosing the right wine to accompany the right cheese can have pitfalls and so, strictly for the purposes of research, I organised a ‘pairing ‘ lunch with a couple of friends.

W I N E

AN ERA WHEN PEOPLE seem willing to fork out £159 on a pair of Airpods to replace their perfectly serviceable earphones, just because Apple tells them to, it is depressing that the average amount that Britons are prepared to spend on a bottle of wine is just £5.39. If you believe that buying at this level means you are getting the best value wine, think again. The main beneficiary of such parsimoniousness is the Exchequer. It used to be the case that beer was the cash cow for the taxman, but nowadays it is the fruit of the grape, driven in part by changing habits (we tend to drink more at home), and in part by ridiculously-priced loss-leader wines knocked out by the supermarkets. Some people believe in the law of diminishing returns: will a £10 bottle be twice as good as a £5 bottle, or is the more expensive wine simply taking advantage of buyers with more money than sense? In fact, on this occasion, the big spender is making the wise move.

An dy Newm an makes a

compelling case for spen ding more on the wine you d rink

The reason is all down to tax. Duty on alcohol is levied on volume, not price, and so will be proportionately higher on a cheaper bottle. The Chancellor takes £2.08 flat-rate duty on every bottle sold. With VAT charged on top, that typical customer handing over £5.39 for a bottle of wine is paying £2.98 straight to the taxman – 55 per cent of the total cost. You have to be prepared to pay £6.30 a bottle before the tax take falls below half of the retail price. Factor in other fixed costs, such as the bottle, transport, wholesalers’ and retailers’ margins, and how much do you think the hard-pressed winemaker gets from that average £5.39 retail price? The answer is a miserly 68p. With the best will in the world, no-one can make a decent bottle of wine for that. That 68p has to pay for buying the land, planting the vines, pruning, picking, investment in the winery and bottling plants, making the wine, putting it in the bottle and labelling it. No wonder so many of those highly-promoted supermarket bargains actually taste pretty awful. Here is the thing, though: because the duty on alcohol is based on volume not value, as you spend more, the proportion of your money which goes on tax falls dramatically, leaving exponentially more available to the winemaker to create something better. Spend £10 and the winemaker will see £2.83 – over four times as much as he gets from that £5.39 bottle. Splash out £20, and the winemaker has £7.15 to play with. That’s more than ten times as much as the bargain bottle gives him, and this will be reflected in the wine.

VOUVRAY, DEMI-SEC, LA FORCINE, AUGUSTE BONHOMME 2014 (Adnams, £8.99) Textbook off-dry Chenin Blanc from the Loire valley: ripe, voluptuous, appley fruit and a zingy citrus finish. Drink as an aperitif or with freshwater fish or goats' cheese

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

Three wines Andy has enjoyed this month TAYLOR’S 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT (Waitrose, £22; widely available) Another wine which amply demonstrates why sometimes it’s worth forking out a bit more: wonderful, rich and elegant with aromas of ripe dark berry fruits, a delicate nuttiness and mellow notes of chocolate, butterscotch and fine oak that persist through to the long, velvety finish

RIOJA CRIANZA CVNE 2012 (Majestic, £8.99, or £7.99 as part of a mixed case of six bottles) A great example of where spending a couple of pounds more will deliver considerably better quality. From one of the more go-ahead Rioja producers, this has spent a year in oak, giving it a hint of vanilla to complement the cherry fruits

Of course, not everyone can afford to drink top-end wine. But even finding just a couple of quid over the average means the winemaker will have well over twice the amount to play with to deliver you something worth drinking. Is there a sweet spot, where the balance between value and quality is at its optimum? The answer will very much depend on the depth of your pockets, but for most people, around £10 a bottle would seem to be a sensible level to spend, at least for everyday drinking. There are bargains to be had below that level, especially with genuine binends at reputable wine merchants. But supermarkets knocking out £3.99 bottles are either peddling horrible plonk, or else squeezing the producer in a way which is totally unsustainable. Either way, any selfrespecting wine-lover will steer clear. It does seem unfair that those of us who are on a budget are the ones getting hammered by the taxman; oligarchs blowing £500 and more on a bottle of Domaine Romanée-Conti are still only paying £2.08 in duty. It doesn’t really seem fair, does it? But no-one said that tax was fair. The only advice I can give is to drink better, even if that means drinking less. Your wallet might complain, but your palate will thank you for it.

I N A C N E S H

THE

KItCA

Scandi is all the rage, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

interiors, clothes or cooking, says Sarah Hardy. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new cookbook all about dishes from Denmark

C O O K B O O K

RYE CRUST TART with broccoli and leeks

TRINE HAHNEMANN

I believe that fibre from grains is an important part of our diet and that we should eat wholegrain where possible. This rye crust tastes really good, with a lovely texture from the grainy flour. It stays crisper than crusts made with white flours when baked with a filling, so is ideal in a tart PICTURE BY

COLUMBUS LETH

INGREDIENTS For the crust 100g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 100g of wholegrain stoneground rye flour; 1tsp of sea salt; 75g of butter, chopped, plus extra for greasing; 75g of Quark or fromage frais

RYE CRUST TART WITH BROCCOLI AND LEEKS

For the filling 300g of broccoli; 500g of leeks; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 tbsp of olive oil; 6 eggs; 200g of cottage cheese; 200g of cream cheese; ¼tsp of ground cloves; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD 1. Begin with the pastry. Mix both flours with the salt in a large bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips. Mix in the skyr (quark) or fromage frais. Knead the dough lightly with your hands just until the ingredients are combined. (Alternatively, pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor, adding a little water if the dough does not come together) 2. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and butter a tart tin or dish, about 28cm/10in in diameter. Use the pastry to line the tart tin, then refrigerate for 1 hour 3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and pour in baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and parchment and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 5. Meanwhile, make the filling. Thinly slice the broccoli into flat little trees. Slice the leeks and rinse well. Blanch the broccoli slices in boiling water for 1 minute, drain well and set aside. Sauté the leeks and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes, and pour out any excess water from the leeks. Season with salt and pepper 6. Beat the eggs together in a large mixing bowl, then stir in the cottage cheese, cream cheese and cloves. Fold in the leeks and pour the mixture into the pastry case. Now arrange the broccoli slices over the top in a beautiful pattern, pushing them down lightly. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the filling has set but retains a slight wobble. Serve right away with a salad, such as tomatoes with a goat cheese dressing salad

serve s 4 -6 peop le

Scandi

Scandinavian Comfort Food by Trine Hahnemann, (published by Quadrille, £25)

TURN OVER FOR MORE OF TRINE'S RECIPES!

Scandi -

Makes Forty

WALNUT KISSES In Danish we call a small meringue a kiss, or kys, because they are as delightful as one. Sweet, crunchy and melting like air in the mouth INGREDIENTS 4 egg whites; 250g of caster sugar; ½ tsp of vinegar; 150g of walnuts, chopped METHOD 1. Preheat the oven (not fan) to 110°C/225°F/gas mark ¼. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment 2. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, until very stiff and all the sugar has been added. Add the vinegar and fold in the chopped walnuts 3. Using 2 spoons, place dollops of the meringue mixture on the sheets (not too neat; they should look rustic). Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the heat, open the oven door and leave it ajar for 15 minutes. Take the meringues out of the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack, still on their sheets of baking parchment 4. Serve right away, or pack into cellophane bags and give away as gifts. They last for weeks in a cake tin. They are also great crushed over ice cream

C O O K B O O K

POTATO SOUP with TOASTED RYE FLAKES As I always have potatoes and celeriac in my vegetable box du ring the winter, this is kind of my last-resort soup. For anybody who craves them, crisp fried bacon lardons are a great match

INGREDIENTS 1.5kg of potatoes; 500g of celeriac; 1 leek, with green tops; 1 green chilli; 4 garlic cloves; 1 rosemary sprig; 2 bay leaves; 1.5l of water; sea salt and black pepper To serve 100g of rye flakes; 4tbsp of chopped chives

METHOD 1. Peel the potatoes and celeriac, and roughly chop them. Slice the leek and rinse well. Put all the vegetables and herbs in a large pan, add the water, cover and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes 2. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprig and blitz until smooth with a hand blender. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important not to use a food processor because it can make the soup very gluey. Season with salt and pepper to taste 3. Toast the rye flakes in a dry frying pan and sprinkle over the soup with the chives to serve

Makes Four

books

let's get cooking

All the big names are bringing out cookbooks this month, including Jamie Oliver and Raymond Blanc - plus thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one that celebrates Norfolk

NORFOLK TABLE: ONE COUNTY, TWENTY CHEFS A COOKBOOK AND FOOD LOVERS' GUIDE

by Tessa Allingham and Glyn Williams ÂŁ14.99

In a cookbook celebrating the deliciousness of Norfolk food, 20 of the county's top chefs champion a local ingredient, exploring what it brings to his or her menu. This book celebrates them, the local suppliers they love to work with, and the ingredients they love to use. Through their own stories, recipes and anecdotes, it is bound to make you feel right at home. Chefs taking part include Eric Snaith of Titchwell Manor, Vanessa Scott of Strattons in Swaffham, Ben Handley of The Duck Inn in Stanhoe and Stuart Tattersall of The Gunton Arms in Thorpe Market. Some of the dishes featured include ham hock terrine; oriental oxtail bonbons; pea and asparagus veloute; venison dumpling with rowanberry jelly; rabbit ravioli with wild mushrooms; lemon tart with rhubarb compote; classic strawberry trifle and Binham Blue beignets with poached pear. Delicious!

JAMIE'S CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK

LE MANOIR AUX QUAT'SAISONS

by Jamie Oliver £26

by Raymond Blanc £50

Jamie Oliver pulls it out of the bag again with his latest Christmas Cookbook. ‘I've got all the bases covered with everything you need for the big day and any feasting meals over the festive period, as well as party fare, edible gifts, teatime treats, cocktails and, of course, exciting ways to embrace and celebrate those leftovers.’ Helpfully Jamie has also designed recipes that can be cooked at the same oven temperature to make mix and matching easy, as well as saving time.

This is a peek around Raymond Blanc's plush culinary hotel in Oxfordshire, the only one of its kind to have held two Michelin stars for more than three decades from the chef himself. Raymond Blanc reveals the stories behind the rooms and gardens that provide a stunning backdrop to his show-stopping cuisine. The book includes 120 of its most celebrated dishes which range from those that can be recreated at home - such as Soupe au pistou and Souffle de rhubarbe - to the sensational creations - including Theme sur la tomate and Cassolette d'abricot - which have earned the restaurant its status as one of the world's legendary gastronomic destinations. An exceptional luxury edition of this book signed by the author is also available from Jarrold priced £250.

Jarrold’s

MARCUS AT HOME

by Marcus Wareing £20 Marcus is a MasterChef judge and chef of the Michelin star standard but this book sees the chef putting fancy food aside in favour of the dishes he creates for himself, friends and family at home. The recipes range from Chicken & Asparagus Salad or comforting Prawn Orzo Risotto; an indulgent Eggs & Avocado with Chorizo Jam or a delicious Buttermilk Pannacotta with Thyme Crumble; to a definitive Sunday Roast or a Chocolate Cake.

www.feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk

HOW TO HYGGE: THE SECRETS OF NORDIC LIVING

by Signe Johansen £14.99

Pronounced Hue-gah and roughly translated as 'cosiness', Hygge is a Nordic ethos affecting wellbeing and lifestyle to combat long, dark winters and unpredictable summers. In her book, How to Hygge, Signe Johansen shares the secrets of hygge with simple ideas plus 50 delicious recipes.

runs a series of book events this autumn, where you get the chance to meet and hear the author speak. Their revelations about their characters, the plots and, more interestingly, plans for a next book, are always fascinating. The line up includes Jo Malone, the woman behind the fragrance, who has a new book out documenting her development of the business, on October 13. And there’s also Christine Webber, the author of Who Would Have Thought It? a fun rom com looking at midlife crises, on October 20. Add in the annual East Anglian Book Awards, on November 3, held in store, where the best of the region’s new publications are celebrated. Details of these events, and many more including an evening involving Signe Johansen’s book on Nordic Living, How To Hygge, are all available online at www.jarrold.co.uk

dom e e r F n e t Your Glu

ng i k o o C upies Cook -

P E S R E C I

m cook o r f e e r f Our offers s w e h t t a Sara M er chocolate us kill a spicy d n a s e i k coo ack Indian sn

get in touch

Sara Matthews runs Your Gluten Freedom, visit www.yourglutenf reedom.co.uk

CHOCOLATE, CHILLI and LIME COOKIES These gorgeous little cookies are not only wheat, gluten and dairy free, but they are also sugar and egg free, too. They are low in fat, contain no flour but do have beans so can form one of your five a day.

Makes 10-12

INGREDIENTS 2tbsp of ground flax seeds; 75ml of maple syrup; 1tsp of vanilla extract; 425g tin of black beans; 2tbsp of coconut oil; 40g of cocoa powder; ¼ tsp of salt; ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper; 80g of chilli flavoured dark chocolate chopped; plus 20g of melted chocolate to decorate; zest of 1 lime METHOD Preheat oven to 190°C/gas mark 5. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Mix together the flax seeds, maple syrup and vanilla extract and set aside. Place the beans (drained) along with the coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Then add the flax and maple syrup mixture and pulse to incorporate. The dough mixture will be quite wet but it should still hold together. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl then stir in the chocolate chunks and lime zest. Dollop spoons of the mixture on to the prepared baking tray, leaving space between each. Using the back of a fork or spoon, flatten the mixture a little as the cookies tend not to spread too much when being baked. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes until just firm and slightly browned, however this is difficult to see, due to colour of the mixture. Leave for a few moments on the baking tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Melt the remaining 20g of chocolate (or more if you wish) and drizzle over the top. Keep in a cookie jar or tin for up to 5 days.

TURN OVER FOR MORE RECIPES!

They are a scrummy guilt free treat which is not over sweet but is full of flavour and never lasts long!

A D V E R T O R I A L

CHOICE CUTS Archer’s Butchers, based

in Norwich, says beef is best! VISIT

www.archersbutchers.com

ARCHER’S, Plumstead Road, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich See our website for full details, including several recipes.

ALL OUR BEEF is supplied by PO Almey and Sons of Tavistock Farm, Antingham, near North Walsham. They have been farming for generations and have a good stock of quality animals all year round. The breeds of cattle are mostly Simmental and Limousin (continental breeds which are famed for their lean tender meat), crossed with native breeds such as Hereford, Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus which are known for their marbled texture. They are free to graze in large fields at a ratio of at least one acre per animal. Once the animals have reached maturity, usually at 20-24 months, they are fattened on a higher calorie finishing ration to give them a better flavour. To further improve the flavour and tenderness, they are hung in our specific cold store for between 21-28 days prior to butchering. Great cuts for cooking low and slow are brisket and shin. They represent great value for money and create a lovely gravy from the meat juice. Something a bit different and quite fashionable at the moment is short ribs, which you would also cook low and slow, but they have lots of layers of fat that melt away - similar to pork belly. Topside and silverside make a good roasting joint as long as they are not overdone, and for special occasions why not treat yourself to the ‘king of roasts’ - rib on the bone?

Your Gluten Freedom -

R E C I P E S

SWEET POTATO AND ONION BHAJIS WITH MINT RAITA

SWEET POTATO and ONION BHAJIS Bhajis are a great starter, an accompaniment to any Indian meal or as a snack or light lunch. These bhajis are low fat, filling and very tasty with the addition of sweet potato, and the mint raita has a fresh flavour and sharpness that complements them. The recipe here is with eggs but it can easily be adapted to be egg free. It is low in fat and is quick and easy to make. The Besan flour (made from ground chickpeas) has a wonderfully distinctive taste that lends itself perfectly to this recipe and is naturally gluten free. It can be bought at most supermarkets, usually in the world foods’ aisle rather than the gluten free aisle.

Makes 12-16

INGREDIENTS 2 large onions, finely sliced; 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated; 50g of Besan flour (often called gram flour); 1tsp of lemon juice; 3tsp of cumin seeds; 1tsp of black onion seeds; 1tsp of mustard seeds – lightly crushed; 1tsp of turmeric; 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped; 2tbsp of freshly chopped coriander; salt and pepper to taste; 2 medium free range eggs (if you would like to make this recipe egg free add another 50g Besan of flour, 50ml of water, and ½ tbsp of oil in place of the eggs)

METHOD In a large bowl mix the onions, sweet potato, flour, lemon juice, spices, chilli, fresh coriander and eggs. Mix well. Add the salt and pepper; leave to stand for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark6. You can line a baking sheet with parchment but I have found it easier to use a lightly greased, non-stick 12 or 16 hole muffin tray. When ready to bake, give your mixture a good stir to combine as the heavy veg will have settled at the bottom. If using the baking sheet dollop 12-16 similar sizes blobs of mixture on to the sheet. Or, dollop into the muffin tin to make equal sized bhajis. Spray with a little cooking oil or lightly brush with cooking oil, bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. When cooke,d serve immediately or transfer to a wire rack to cool. Can be served hot or cold. Once cool keep refrigerated for up to 3 days

MINT R AITA INGREDIENTS 3 large handfuls of fresh mint - plus some finely chopped to garnish; 2cm piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 green chilli deseeded and chopped; juice of 2 lemons; zest of half lemon; 300g natural yogurt (I use soya yogurt to make dairy free) METHOD Place all the ingredients apart from lemon zest into a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped mint and a little lemon zest

C ity C oll ege Norwich -

F E A T U R E

Learning a Craft

Did you know that City College Norwich runs a number of leisure courses in its Hotel School just for fun? Emma Outten finds out more from lecturer Cindy McCann VISIT

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF certainly has a lot to answer for: and it has inspired one of the fun leisure courses at the internationally renowned Hotel School of City College Norwich. The course of the same name is designed for adults who want to explore the popular award-winning British television baking competition. And throughout the course you will learn the skills and techniques covered for a range of modern and classical dishes from the TV show. Or perhaps you like the sound of the Gastro Master Chef course - designed for adults who want to develop their cookery skills and confidence in the kitchen. Both are 10-week courses and would make great gifts for the foodie in your life. These courses are clearly a response to demand, fuelled by what we are served up on TV nowadays. Lecturer Cindy McCann agrees: ‘Things like the Great British Bake Off, the Great British Menu and Master Chef have all helped. Bake Off is a complete family show, where any age can enjoy baking together.’ Also on offer at the College is Cindy’s Cook Club Sugar Craft course, where anyone from the age of 14 can learn how to create traditional and contemporary sugar craft flowers or foliage which are the perfect finish for a celebration cake or table decoration. She certainly has the credentials to teach at the College: ‘I was a student here when I was 16. I did all my City and Guilds qualifications, and then went out into industry for a year before coming back and doing advanced pastry. ‘I then went off to London for about 10 years and worked for national and international companies – all the things that us chefs do. But I was still really interested in sugar, and celebration cakes; and did some courses which didn’t have qualifications attached to them but which interested me.

www.ccn.ac.uk

Head of Hotel School Steve Thorpe has the last word:

Term started on September 5 following an enrolment period, with an opportunity for further recruitment during that week including the traditional Get Yourself Sorted day on September 10. We now have more than 200 young chefs in training as well as a further 100 working in specific skills such as Food and Drink service, Front Office and supervisory skills. From day one they were in the kitchens, making coffee and learning the difference between a fish fork, dessert fork and dining fork. Debut opened in week three when we worked with The Great Hospital, supporting Moveable Feast, and a number of local chefs visited us. Returning students have been stepping up their skills, and starting to plan for evening events and activities. Researching recipes is an important part of this, and this is where Feast Norfolk helps! The Debut Restaurant team completed wine tasting sessions in week three, and timetables for all returning students include a late shift in Debut.

Then I came back to Norfolk, and had my family here.’ She’s been at City College for more than a decade. ‘I did my hospitality degree and teacher qualifications through the college, and put back what I got out of it in the first place.’ Cindy specialises in crafting flowers out of sugar paste. She says: ‘I’m quite passionate about things being done properly.’ Her aim is to get those on the course to create something that looks real. ‘Look at a rose,’ she says, ‘it’s not just the petals: it’s the stamen inside; it’s the leaves; it’s the calyx on the back and the colours.’ Because she is so passionate about what she does, Cindy once asked her husband to make a special cutter to create vine foliage because she couldn’t find one to buy. She end result was a cake decorated with vines that changed colours as if along with the seasons. And she can recall decorating another cake where two cultures collided: a gentleman from near Cromer wanted little sugar crabs on the wedding cake whereas the lady was from China and wanted dragons. ‘I’ve been asked to do lots of weird and wonderful things over the years.’ What’s the appeal of the courses? ‘Lots of people are going back to basics in lots of ways – and doing their own thing. People have busy lives but want to do something different and learn new skills. I’ve had people who did sugar craft 20 years ago and come back to remind themselves. They might have more time to do it now – if, say, they’ve got grown-up children and grandchildren.’ She had this message for anyone thinking of signing up on one of the courses: ‘I think if people are creative and passionate about what they do, they’ve just got to have a go really. Sometimes people will do a short course and end up doing a qualification with us.’

CINDY MCCANN

Th e ne xt Co ok Cl ub Su gar Cr aft fiv e-w ee k Lei su re Co ur se be gin s on No vem be r 2

M arsh Pi g -

C O U R S E

In the first of an occasional series, Emma Outten has a go at the Curing and Smoking Course at Marsh Pig HQ in South Norfolk

VISIT

www.marshpig.co.uk

OU KNOW you’re in for a good day when you get to taste the goods before you’ve even started making them for yourself! The Curing and Smoking course at Marsh Pig, the Fabulous Norfolk Charcuterie company based in Claxton (near Norwich), starts off with steaming mugs of tea and coffee, plus the all-important bacon butty, eaten in front of the barn where the action will take place for the day. Marsh Pig is home to award winning, hand-made British charcuterie made from free range British pork, and so Jackie Kennedy and Sarah Tommins were quick to encourage the seven of us to eat a rasher of bacon on its own merits, before eating the rest of the butty, and I have to say it was just

perfect – not too smoky and not too salty. Our magnificent seven, who had all come armed with cool boxes and ice packs, were mostly made up of men, from Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, although one lady had come all the way from Chichester. My observation would be that this would make a popular birthday present for the foodie man in your life. Then it was on with the aprons, and straight into the workshop to wash our hands (you can expect to do a lot of that throughout the day) and take our places around the table. Jackie is at the head of the table and she makes a humorous host for the day! In the morning session, we learnt how to make our own bacon, weighing out the loin and the all-purpose cure of salt, nitrite and sugar (careful weighing is needed at this point, to get the prescribed amount just right – for us the cure needed to be four per cent of the weight of the meat). We made sure to get the mix into all of the cracks and crevices, then placed the loin in a zip-lock bag, and squeezed all the air out (this was easier said than done in my case, but everyone else seemed to get the hang of it!).

"In the morning session, we learnt how to make ou r own bacon, weighing out the loin and the allpu rpose cu re of salt, nitrite and sugar"

Jackie then showed us how to make pancetta, made from free-range belly pork (one of Marsh Pig’s suppliers is Blythburgh Free Range Pork in Suffolk); Coppa (your butcher may call this the Collar joint, as it’s the muscle that sits at the top of the shoulder going into the neck); and Bresaola (or air dried beef) – I should add at this point that there was a lot of tasting going on in the workshop! We were then taken outside, and shown how to build our own cold smoker whilst doing a little hot tea smoking of some salmon under the Marsh Pig gazebo. Halfway through the day, we took a break for lunch - with wine – and enjoyed eating the salmon we had just smoked, plus plenty of freshly cooked sausages. In the afternoon we learnt how to make Biltong (Jackie uses a salmon cut of beef which is off the silverside); and the American equivalent, Jerky – we made the most of being able to compare and contrast the different flavours! Then we had fun making salami and stuffing the mixture into hog casings (Jackie sounded surprised when she said that our group had a 100 per cent success rate at doing this as the potential for it to turn into a Generation Game style farce is huge!). Then we weighed each, as we would be weighing the salami again in a few weeks to check for water loss.

Because I was going on holiday the next day, the lovely Jackie offered to cure my salami, but the rest of the group certainly had some homework to do: involving digital humidity and temperature monitors and finding somewhere in their home that is around 80 per cent humidity and 22 degrees centigrade – and that was just for the first 24-36 hours. Finally, we made our own sausages, which was great fun, and I’m happy to report that Sarah commented that my sausages had been tied to ‘M&S standard’! All in all, the day is a good balance of practical and theory, with plenty of time to ask questions about your own projects. And the best bit? You get to bring home the bacon. It needs curing in the fridge, and turning every day until you’re done (the time being dependent on the thickness of the meat). For me, this involved taking the bacon on holiday! However, it could be well worth it, if it ends up tasting anything like the bacon we tried at the start of the day.

Anna Duttson C H E F

O F

T H E

M O N T H

ANNA DUTTSON

VIS IT

ww w. n orf olk me ad. co.u k

MY LIFE ON A PLATE This month Anna Duttson of the Norfolk Mead Hotel tells us all about herself and cooks up a warming seasonal favourite

Who are you and where do you work? My name is Anna Duttson and I’m the executive chef and owner of the Norfolk Mead Hotel and Anna Duttson Events How long have you been there? I’ve been at the Norfolk Mead Hotel for three and a half years Where were you before? Before taking over the Norfolk Mead Hotel, I ran (and still do from the hotel) my own outside catering business in South West London; and prior to that I worked for the McLaren GP Team, cheffing for the team, VIPs and drivers on the worldwide GP circuit

What is your favourite ingredient? I love pink peppercorns for decoration on Parmesan shortbread or within marinades Got a favourite gadget? It has got to be my small handheld blender (which the other chefs laugh at!) as it’s a time saver for putting together marinades What is your signature dish? My signature is actually my homemade brownie which may sound strange as my team and I were only recently discussing this and we worked out we bake more than 12,000 brownies per year! Gooey, delicious and a must with our afternoon teas! What do you like doing when you're not cooking? On my rare time off, I am very lucky to have treatment rooms on site so I would maybe have a facial, massage or pedicure. Catching up with friends and family is also important to me

Where did you train? My only official training was at a fairly formal catering school with a restaurant on site and this taught me the fundamentals of working as a team within the kitchen environment

Where do you like to eat out in the region? As any chef would tell you, it is great to have food cooked for us, and I can’t think of anything better than heading to the coast for fresh fish

Who has inspired you? I immediately think of my mother and grandmother, who were both creative with home cooked food and ingredients, which inspired me to help in the kitchen at home. I also cannot miss out mentioning Jamie Oliver who has been a constant throughout my career, with his lovely rustic presentation, flavours, colours and his general ethos. His books have been a great source of reference for years and I have each one in my cookery library

What would you be doing if you were not a chef? That’s a difficult question as my path has always been a chef so I am sure it would have been within the industry somehow or something to do with food

What's your foodie prediction for 2017? Vegan food and ingredients are becoming more and more popular within people’s diets, even if they're not true vegans!

PISTACHIO CAKE

RECIPE OVERLEAF

r regula r u o ’s Here y spotlight l month me little on so for you res treasu out and to seek joy en

H idden G ems -

P R O M O T I O N

YARE VALLEY OILS

THE GARDEN TEA ROOMS

For more than 100 years the Mack family has farmed

This friendly tea room,

The Grange, Surlingham, Norwich www.varevalleyoils.co.uk the fertile land at their family- run farm which nestles beside the Norfolk Broads. By mechanically pressing the seed that they nurture from farm to bottle, they are able to bring a high quality and award winning Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil that can be dipped, used to dress and finish dishes and for roasting and even frying due to its high burn point. They have also discovered that blending and infusing this incredibly healthy, versatile and British oil can produce other oils such as lemon, garlic and rosemary, dressings and a 2 Gold Star winning oak smoked oil. Recently the team at Yare Valley has developed a soothing and caring All Natural Honey and Lime Lip Balm using their oil, local honey, local beeswax and a dash of lime essence that can be used everyday.

Town Green, Wymondham www.facebook.com/thegardentearoomswymondham situated in a charming market town packed with independent shops, is once again planning its popular three-course Christmas lunches which book up very quickly so you have been warned! Christmas lunch, served from noon until 3pm, includes a home made curried parsnip soup, a traditional turkey main course, followed by a chocolate orange cheesecake. And, if you still need a little bit more, coffees and mince pies are also on offer.A vegetarian option is also being served, and prices start at £8.95 for just one course.The tea room, run by Michele Kerridge and her daughter Amy, takes orders for mince pies and shortbread so you can treat your own visitors, and gift vouchers are also available, which are a perfect Christmas present, allowing you to treat friends or family members to a lovely lunch in the New Year.

3 UPSTAIRS AT BAILEYS

WALLOW

Baileys in Beccles already has a reputation as the

The first thing you notice when visiting The Wallow is that it isn’t your typical wine bar. It’s not only the laid back, homely feel and the stripped back interior that makes this place special, the way they serve the wine is pretty clever as well. Enomatic wine machines enable you to self-serve your favourite wine variety, or sample something new, using a top up card. You can enjoy coffee and cocktails too and the relaxed seating, over three floors, is perfect for a catch up with friends. And starting this month are tempting new additions to the food menu which aim to make Wallow a unique venue for spot of lunch.

Hungate, Beccles www.upstairsatbaileys.co.uk

go-to place for sourcing local and international produce, from artisan cheeses, to Spanish wines and cured meats, new products hit the shelves on a weekly basis. It’s also renowned for its lunch time ‘menu del dia’ which attracts patrons from all over the county and beyond. However, it is their new evening menu that really pushes the Baileys experience to a different level. A recent revamp has given the well priced menu a truly authentic Spanish flavour. Diners are able to share a varied selection of tapas as starters, whilst a choice of truly classic Spanish main dishes make up the rest of this superb evening meal.

36 Exchange Street, Norwich www.facebook.com/thewallownorwich

Anna Duttson -

R E C I P E

ANNA DUTTSON

Spicy PUMPKIN SOUP A Serves Four

INGREDIENTS 1 medium sweet potato; 1kg of diced pumpkin; 1 apple, diced; 1 onion, chopped; 1 clove garlic, chopped; 2tbsp of olive oil; 1l of stock; 30g of pumpkin seeds; 200ml of double cream; salt and pepper; ½ tsp of turmeric; ½ tsp of cinnamon; ½ tsp of ground allspice; ½ tsp of ground ginger; ½ tsp of balsamic vinegar; ½ tsp of soy sauce

METHOD 1. Heat the oil in a stock pot over a medium heat. Sauté onions, spices, garlic, pumpkin and apple for 5 minutes whilst stirring. Do not allow the onion to brown 2. Add half of the stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes on a medium heat until the pumpkin is soft 3. In the meantime, roast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until lightly brown. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Once cool, coarsely chop 4. Purée the soup with a hand blender, add the remaining stock and bring to the boil. Add the cream and season with salt. Refine with the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce 5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the oil

As an alternative for dinner parties and to add a fun twist, hollow out baby pumpk ins to use as soup bowls

The Norfol k -

A R T I S A N

Sl oe C ompany P R O D U C E R

LIFE IN THE SLOE LANE A family pastime has turned into a highly successful business, says Sarah Hardy, as she meets the people behind Norfolk's legendary spirit Black Shuck VISIT

A FAMILY’S LOVE AFFAIR with gathering sloe berries has developed, in just a few years, into a burgeoning business. Patrick Saunders and his wife, Sarah, began by producing a sloe gin purely for family and friends, moved on to a range of liqueurs and, just under a year ago, created a premium gin which has simply flown off the shelves. Sarah, who teaches maths at a high school in Norfolk, explains that, back in 2011, she and her husband were looking at ways to supplement their pensions. ‘We had always enjoyed collecting berries from the hedgerows and made our own sloe gin from a recipe belonging to Patrick’s grandmother.’ Thanks to a bumper harvest of berries that year, they decided, with the help of their three children, Leanne,Nicola and Will, to produce bottles which sold out in a matter a weeks.The rest has been, as they say, history! Now joined by Sarah’s nephew Keith and his wife Zoe, they work from their house extension in Fakenham and keep a very tight control over all steps of the process. And with Sarah being a maths teacher you can be certain that all the measurements are spot on. She says: ‘We all enjoy it - it has to be fun, and we have a bit of banter as we’re labelling up the bottles or picking the fruit.’ They moved on to a range of fruit liqueurs, using plums, raspberries, damsons and blackcurrants and now have deliciously infused vodka, brandy, rum and port. Look out for a divine plum brandy and a raspberry vodka with a bit of a kick! But their latest success story is a 43 per cent premium gin which combines traditional botanicals such as juniper, bitter orange peel, coriander, Norfolk's own lavender and sea buckthorn. This is distilled as a delicately fragrant gin which is smooth enough to be enjoyed on its own with orange zest as a garnish, yet strong enough to be accompanied with tonic or as a perfect cocktail base. She says: ‘We use real fruits and traditional methods so we let the ingredients speak for themselves.’ The first 1000 bottles of Black Shuck Gin were produced in time for Christmas 2015, and again disappeared in record time, and the family is now about to produce bottle number 5000. Indeed, the business' success is already recognised by the Black Shuck Sloe Gin picking up three gold stars at the

www.norfolksloecompany.com

Tr y t h e s e c o c k t a il s GIN GENIE 25ml of Black Shuck Gin; splash of pomegranate and elderflower cordial; 100ml of Prosecco HOW TO SERVE: Serve in a large balloon glass, over ice and garnish with pomegranate seeds

SHUCK'S FIZZ 35ml of Black Shuck Sloe Gin; 70ml of Cava HOW TO SERVE: Serve in a Champagne flute

annual Great Taste Awards, the Oscars of the foodie world, closely followed this year by the Sloe Gin Truffles Gold Star. One of the most eye catching things about this range is its branding, with the striking artwork created by their eldest daughter, Leanne. Sarah is rightly proud of her daughter’s achievement, saying: ‘We think it really captures the imagination.’ The range is named after one of Norfolk’s iconic myths: Black Shuck, a ghostly black dog which is said to roam the countryside. It is large, with a shaggy coat and huge red eyes, and one look at it is said to bring you bad luck! However, the clever folk at Black Shuck Gin report that one sip of their drink will fill you with enough good spirit to banish any bad spirits. The Norfolk Sloe Company range also includes gift sets, which are perfect for Christmas, as are their branded goblets, and sloe gin chocolate truffles which are very yummy! And this hard working family is already thinking about more products which will launch next year, so it’s a case of watch this space. • The range is sold in leading delis, food halls and department stores, including Jarrold’s, Bakers and Larners of Holt and Woodfordes. It is also served in more than 50 pubs across the region. They hold regular tasting events and will be at the Christmas Market at Burnham Deepdale on December 2, 3 and 4.

Competition

E TO

CHANC

WIN!

SPA-AAAH

This month sees Feast Norfolk team up with Imagine Spa Blofield Heath to offer one lucky reader and their guest a luxury spa experience FANCY WINNING a half day Fire & Ice Spa Experience for you and a guest including a delicious two course meal? Well, Imagine Spa Blofield Heath is offering just that! This stunning day spa retreat is just six miles east of Norwich and offers both a sensational spa experience and delicious food. It is the perfect place to escape the pressures of modern day living. The restaurant, The Kitchen, uses only the finest ingredients from the spaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own garden, local suppliers in Norwich and the surrounding area, and the menu is freshly prepared each day. We all know the importance of eating healthily and getting regular exercise, but it is just as important for our health and wellbeing to take proper timeout to relax and rejuvenate and this

competition offers you just that. The lucky winners will enjoy a Fire & Ice Experience, including up to four hours access to the Thermal Suite featuring a mineral grotto, aroma steam room, feature shower, ice fountain and hydrotherapy bath. Then relax together in one of the exclusive garden pods and enjoy a delicious two course meal. Towels, a robe and slippers are also provided for your comfort. Fancy adding on a treatment? At Imagine, they do things a little differently. They book time not treatments. This allows you, in consultation with one of the friendly therapists, the luxury of choosing a treatment that will benefit you most on the day you visit, ensuring you get the best out of your visit.

HOW TO ENTER

To win your Fire & Ice Spa Experience, including a delicious two course meal, simply answer this question:

What is the restaurant called at Imagine Spa Blofield Heath? Send your answer, your name, address and a daytime telephone number to competitions@ feastnorfolkmagazine.co.uk, marking your entry Imagine Spa. You can also enter by visiting our Facebook page and simply liking and sharing the competition. The competition runs until October 31 2016. It is open to those aged 18 and over and normal Feast Norfolk rules apply. The editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision is final. The competition prize cannot be combined with any other promotion or offer.

up for All entrants can also receive 25 per cent off their first spa treatme nt by signing details more for heath Imagine Spa's enews. Visit their website www.im aginespa.co.uk/blofield

Swanni ngton F arm to F ork A D V E R T O R I A L

BUTCHER'S CHOICE AS THE MISTS begin to creep in across the meadows at Woodlands Farm at Swannington, and the chill of autumn is in the air, we are starting to move from barbecue meats to warming winter food. Although our famous award-winning bangers and burgers are popular all year round, other more traditional winter cuts become favourite choices. Game is back in season and is readily available this month, with local pheasant, partridge, venison and pigeon lovely choices for a winter warmer. In our opinion at Swannington, this is the best season for lamb. Our slowly matured, clover finished lambs are perfect for roasted leg or slow cooked shoulder. For those who haven’t quite got round to packing up the barbecue, a whole lamb shoulder cut into Kleftico, wrapped in foil and cooked over charcoal for five hours is just to die for, especially when served with roasted vegetables, a sprig of rosemary and some homemade mint sauce. Pulled pork is becoming increasingly popular and with Bonfire Night and Halloween parties just round the corner, a slow-cooked pork shoulder, shredded for pulled pork would be a great warming supper served in fresh rolls with some apple or barbecue sauce. Our personal favourite and something we love to sell at our shop, Farm to Fork and Fish, is a stuffed Swannington pork tenderloin wrapped in our own bacon. It is a great served with caramelised onion mash potato, and is quick and easy enough for a week day but equally hearty and warming enough as an alternative to Sunday lunch.

DOUGIE BARNEY

Laura Potter of Swannington Farm to Fork tells us what’s in season on the farm this month

Perhaps a more overlooked choice, and a great alternative to gammon, is a smoked ham hock. Smoked here on site at Swannington, it is both versatile and yummy - served in traditional pea and ham soups, sandwiches or on its own with a creamy apple and cider sauce and winter veg. Although traditional cuts of beef come into their own at this time of year for roast dinners, our lovely short ribs of beef are a great alternative. Slow braised in a slow cooker or in the oven, they are full of flavour. And, for a slightly different steak and chips, why not try our featherblade steaks? At this time of year the team at Swannington is starting to prepare for and look forward to a busy Christmas period. Although we don’t have our own turkeys, we use a fantastic local supplier - Great Grove Turkeys. The free range turkeys are slowly grown in woodlands and are cared for with dedicated stockmen. We supply both their bronze and white turkeys with the bronze having a slightly stronger flavour. Whole birds, crowns and breasts are available in both our shop at Swannington and Farm to Fork and Fish. Free range geese and duck as well as chickens are also available. We ask for orders to be placed as early as possible to avoid disappointment and our order forms are now available. And we are open on Christmas Eve to help with any last minute requirements!

For more information call Swann ington on 01603 754437 or Farm to Fork and Fish on 01603 266129. www.s wannin gtonfar mtofork.co.uk or www.fa rmtofor kandfis h.co.uk

STEVEN WINTER

C O L U M N

WINNING WAYS

Our artisan baker Steve Winter tells us about his success in a leading national bread making competition and how hopes are running high for more trophies this year BREAD SOURCE, Red Lion Street, Aylsham and Upper St Giles, Norwich, visit www.bread-source.com MID OCTOBER was the highlight last year for Team Bread Source. I was sitting with my wife, Hannah, and our bakery manager, Jonas, in a large church, Harry Potter style, with long tables adorned with meats, cheeses, breads and fruit, nervously awaiting the results at a special awards dinner at St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hyde Park, in London. It was for the Tiptree World Bread Awards and all we knew was that we had reached the finals but everything else was kept secret. To get to this point, we had had to create the most perfect loaves of bread we could. Jonas and I had worked through the night in mid September so the bread could be delivered to Westminster Cathedral by midday, at the very latest. This involved a painfully slow, nerve racking journey through London in peak hour traffic in a van loaded with very precious cargo. And we arrived at 11.55am, with just five minutes to spare and with two very tired bakers, mid way through a 20hour shift. The competition is now in its fourth year and attracts more than 600 entries from across the United Kingdom. There are 13 professional categories such as Sourdough, Baguette and the Real Bread Campaign. There are more than 90 judges, mostly industry experts who make their way to smell, squeeze and taste hundreds of loaves from bakeries all over the country. The winner receives prizes and is a part of a national PR campaign for the awards.

The awards are open not only to professional bakers, but also to homebakers, young and old, who have their own categories to celebrate the rise and rise in popularity of the British passion for baking bread. We buy an astonishing 12 million loaves every day, and more than half the population baked their own bread last year. In the end we didn't just pick up one award but three! One was in the Baguette category, and another was for our bakery manager's Jonas' family recipe the Quartermaster, in the Real Bread Campaign category. We were also the runner up in the Ciabatta category, so it was an amazing night for us - just a small bakery in Norfolk. And well worth all the effort! This year the drive has been completed, the bread has been delivered, and on time, so the wait begins...

BREAD SO

URCE is availab le for eve nts througho ut with our la the year rge porta ble wood fire d oven an d can cater for events and food festivals

Whi t e H ou se F arm C O L U M N

FARMING: 21ST CENTURY STYLE

Farmer’s wife Charlotte Gurney talks about the growing importance of using social media to get her message across AS WE SOAR PAST 4000 ‘likes’ on our Facebook page this month, it not only makes me aware of our presence in the community but also the journey we’re on with the power of social media at our side. The farmer and I got married three years ago and in that time we’ve taken the humble PYO into the 21st century by adding a café, farm shop and butchery, and hosting a monthly farmers’ market incorporating many of our much valued local producers. Last month we hosted the farm’s first ever festival, run by the ‘Porkstock’ team for the Norfolk charity ‘Nelson’s Journey’. Momentum for the event was almost entirely fuelled by social media. Never again can I say ‘it can’t be that effective’ as hundreds of cars poured into our car park with the farmer parking each one in turn – and it wasn’t even a sunny day! Since we’ve taken over the day to day running of the farm, we’ve slashed marketing budgets, relying more and more on the instant effects of the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and less on print (apart from my favourite foodie mag, of course). One visitor recently referred to our farm shop as ‘ instagramable’, an expression I didn’t even know existed. (It’s ok, you can call the farmer’s wife a dinosaur!) We even ran a competition this summer asking pickers/ shoppers/dreamers to send their arty photos into the farm, in exchange for a BBQ pack and so they did, giving us some wonderful shots for digital pages. After all doesn’t a picture speak a thousand words? From our handset devices we can get the look and feel of a place, and practically the taste of that cake just by glancing at our screens, wherever we may be.

For me, as the storyteller, Facebook particularly has clocked our journey, celebrating each landmark: the opening of the shop, the addition of the butchery, and even the birth of our daughter. It also enables people to give their feedback first hand - often in an instant so we can smooth out any creases or thank someone for a favourable review, or commend a member of staff. I really feel that for a business that has had to move so swiftly, from one generation to another, from plum picking to flavoured lattes, social media has been at our side, always with us, rain or shine. So when you’re next in, glance up and see our ‘Flike’, a start up phenomenon from France, a live Facebook ‘like’ counter and watch your ‘like’ count!

Our next Farmers' Market is October 15 69

WHITE HOUSE FARM, BLUE BOAR LANE, NORWICH, TEL 01603 419357 OR VISIT WWW.NORWICH-PYO.CO.UK

Sarah Ruffhead

FA M O U S FIVE

North Norfolk foodie and blogger Sarah Ruffhead tells us the five things she has loved eating this month ONE

Prawn Sesame Toasts

My husband made these yummy treats for the first time in years. The recipe is from Ken Lo, and bears no resemblance to the ghastly soggy (or dry) ones you find in a takeaway. Simply whizz up egg, raw prawns, light soy sauce, stem ginger and spring onions to form a paste. Spread onto white bread, and press onto a plate of sesame seeds and shallow fry. Serve piping hot with a chilli or mango dipping sauce. It’s a canapé to impress. TWO

Creme Caramel

I am huge fan of what is simply known as ‘flan’ in Spain, and I have a great, very traditional recipe from a wonderful old school cookery book by Arabella Boxer, (First Slice Your Cookbook) which I regularly use, so I was dying to taste this

C O L U M N

version which I ate for lunch at the Victoria Inn at Holkham. It is a pretty pudding and the name conjures up an image of exactly what you are about to eat. This one was good; light with a slight wobble, deliciously caramel-ly and served with orange segments in Cointreau syrup.

prawns and langoustines fried in light olive oil, with a divine dressing of roughly chopped tarragon and flat leaf parsley leaves, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallots, dark soy sauce, lemon juice, red chilli and Pernod spooned over. Soooo good. FIVE

Thai Green Curry

THREE

Fillet of Beef

To the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket for a posh, black tie celebration. A smart dinner for a smart occasion - my parents' diamond wedding anniversary. It was all white linen tablecloths and silver service, and the main course was sublime. Fillet of beef cooked perfectly medium rare, spring greens, creamy dauphinoise potatoes, and a rich red wine gravy. But what made this dish extra special and extra delicious, was the slowly braised, and mouth wateringly tender and falling apart beef brisket in the gravy. It was a great touch. FOUR

Prawns and Langoustines with a Pernod and Olive Oil Dressing

There are three cooks in my kitchen, and I am only one of them. This time it was my son, Tom, home for a week to chill out, who was fighting me for the stove. He made this plate of perfection for a lovely lunch in the sunshine, adapting it from a Rick Stein recipe: locally bought huge red

Now this supper was eaten on board a boat moored 20 minutes into the Blakeney estuary, with the water lapping around us, the sun setting into fiery red and pink, and in the company of good friends. It was North Norfolk at its best. Our friend Frenesi cooked up a storm on a basic double ring in the galley of their boat, and from nowhere seemed to appear with plates of fragrant food, including scallops (coral on) and prawns, both large and small and bought at Westons of Blakeney, in a comforting dish of spicy and zesty deliciousness.

www.sarahruffhead.com

Bu rgu ndy -

T R A V E L

Andy Newman travels with a group of Norwich wine enthusiasts to the heart of Burgundy

*Nev er in vai n, always in wi ne

VINEYARDS NEAR BEAUJEU, BEAUJOLAIS

JAMAIS EN VAIN, TOUJOURS EN VIN *ï¿½

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If you want to bring back any quantity of wine, then driving is your best bet. Beaune is around five hours’ drive from Calais, so it’s a long but do-able journey from Norfolk in one day. Alternatively, the Eurostar/TGV train from London to Dijon takes about five hours, with a change in Paris; local trains connect with Beaune. The town has many hotel options; worth trying is the charming Hôtel de la Cloche (www.hotel-lacloche-beaune. com; doubles from 83€). Beaune’s Tourism’s truly excellent website (www.beaunetourism.com) tells you all you need to know.

LE CLOS DE VOUGEOT

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-St-Georges, Aloxe-Corton, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet: it’s like the best restaurant wine list you ever saw. Except this is no wine list, it’s the N74, a 30 mile stretch of road which has to be the route of choice for any wine-loving traveller. This is the heart of Burgundy, the Côte d’Or, a narrow hill stretching south from Dijon, and home to some of the greatest wines on earth. Unlike the rather closed and snooty Grands Châteaux of Bordeaux, this is a place which positively welcomes visitors. And for a week earlier this year, it played generous host to a group of wine lovers from Norwich – The Monday Club. Founded in 1991, and hence celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, The Monday Club started as a group of people who had completed a Wensum Lodge wine appreciation course tutored by the legendary Frank Leatherdale, and who decided that they wanted to carry on exploring the world of the grape. I am lucky enough to have been a member of this august club since day one, and as is the way whenever wine brings people together, I have forged many lifelong friendships through it – not to mention amassing the kind of wine knowledge which can only come from opening many, many bottles. The Monday Club meets every three weeks to taste between eight and 10 wines. As well as being enormously sociable, this is the best way of expanding your knowledge and experience of the grape, because you will try wines you might not risk buying for yourself. I have discovered many gems that I wouldn’t have thought of buying over the years. The Monday Club is not the only such wine-tasting group in Norfolk, but it can lay claim to being the longest-established. And when it reached its 25 year birthday, a special celebration was called for – and what could be more special than a bacchanalian and gastronomic week in the region that Jancis Robinson calls ‘France’s stomach’: Burgundy? Burgundy as a wine region actually encompasses five sub-areas, from Chablis in the north to Beaujolais, some 140 miles further south. But by far the most important of these is the Côte d’Or, divided between the Côtes de Nuits and the Côtes de Beaune.

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T R A V E L

ARCHITECTURE IN BEAUNE

SEMUR EN AUXOIS

For the traveller, Beaune is a good place to base yourself, situated as it is half way down the Côte d’Or. It is also the headquarters of several of the important négociants, or merchants, who exert a large amount of control over what goes on here. Unlike Bordeaux, with its great estates and grand châteaux, Burgundy is very fragmented, with very few grand houses to be seen. Partly this is because the land is so precious that to build vainglorious monuments is a waste of vine-growing land, but mostly it is down to the Code Napoléon, which outlawed primogeniture (the first son inheriting everything). This was meant to stop the aristocracy building up huge holdings of land, but the result is multiple ownership of even small parcels of land. A good example of this – and a useful place to start a tour of the region – is at Clos Vougeot, a walled 51 hectare vineyard which has more than 80 different owners, each with their own holdings of vines. One of these parcels consists of a single row of vines, 800 metres long. Vougeot is also home to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin¸ an international order devoted to defending and promoting the region and the wines of Burgundy, mainly, it has to be said, through raucous and thoroughly wine-soaked dinners. The order’s motto is ‘Jamais en vain, toujours en vin’, which translates as ‘never in vain, always in wine’ – which seems as good a philosophy as any. Because of the fractured nature of land ownership, much of the power lies with the négociants, the merchants who buy grapes from many of these small-scale growers to make meaningful amounts of wine. Names like Jadot and Latour have steered the fortunes of Burgundy for decades, and although there is a move towards individual growers making their own wine, the négociants still hold considerable sway.

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Beer Festival

Bu rgu ndy -

Many of them have their cellars in Beaune and welcome visitors, giving a good under-one-roof overview of the various village appellations. One such is Patriache (www.patriache.com), where a 5km labyrinth of cellars houses millions of bottles. For 17€, you are given a silver tastevin (tasting cup) and left to roam, guided by interactive video screens. It is the tasting at the end which is the draw – 13 different wines from all of the major Côte d’Or villages await, and while they are not top-end bottles (nor would you expect them to be for that price), they are decent enough examples. To get an understanding of the unique terroir which gives Burgundy its character, head south of Beaune to Château de Pommard (www. chateaudepommard.com), one of the region’s biggest Monopole wineries (an entire vineyard in single ownership). The 20 hectare vineyard has five distinct types of soil, and the difference that just a few yards makes is astonishing. Cross-

T R A V E L

sections of the soil from each of the five types of terroir are displayed in glass cylinders to underline the point. Burgundy might be best known for earthy Pinot Noirs and elegant Chardonnays, but we should not forget the Crémant de Bourgogne, sparkling wine made in the Champagne method from the same grapes – at a fraction of the price (one of the few areas where Burgundy can be said to offer a bargain). One of the best producers is Louis Bouillot (www.imaginariumbourgogne.com) in Nuits-St-Georges, and this is a winery which is definitely geared up for wine tourists. An astonishing display of 40,000 tools of the wine trade, which could be a very dry experience indeed, is brought to life by a state-of-the-art audio-visual display, and is accompanied by The Imaginarium, a lively hi-tech explanation of how the wine is made. The experience ends with a comprehensive tasting of the wines, and with prices from just 6€, you will

want to take a case or two home. Aside from wine, Burgundy is renowned for its cuisine, and gastronomes will find plenty of delicious food to accompany all that wine. From Boeuf Bourguignon to Coq au Vin, not forgetting the powerful and ubiquitous rind-washed Epoisses cheese, this is not a place for dieters. But it is also the home of a tremendous choice of refined temples of gastronomy, and one of the best is Le Jardin des Remparts in Beaune itself, where Michelin-starred chef Christophe Bocquillon produces bold, creative and modern – but above all Burgundian – dishes. For the Monday Club’s 25th anniversary dinner he created a special tasting menu, accompanied by some of the finest wines the region can offer. The toast was ‘Jamais en vain, toujours en vin’, and if you share that philosophy, Burgundy should definitely be on your list of destinations to visit.

Wells-next-the-Sea -

S T A Y C A T I O N

Bath e d in or y Gl The Crown at Wells

has surpassed even its own high standards this year, as Emma Outten tries out one of the new rooms, complete with copper bath on the balcony

ALK ABOUT a personal touch at The Crown Hotel in Wellsnext-the-Sea. The new-forthis-year ‘Copper Bath’ rooms are housed in the former living quarters of Proprietor and Chef Chris Coubrough, and you can sense that a lot of tender loving care has been put into these individually designed rooms. Chris flies the flag for Flying Kiwi Inns, comprising The Crown and its sister hotel The Ship in Brancaster, and he has certainly put his stamp on this latest development. We stayed in the top of the range Room 18, and immediately fell in love with our enclosed south-facing rooftop suite. The room was exquisitely furnished, with a luxurious throw across the bottom - and scatter cushions on top - of the super king size bed. You can make a stay here as indulgent as you like: have a bottle of Prosecco di Conegliano waiting for you; or cream tea brought up to your balcony by friendly staff; or there’s always tea and Nespresso coffee making facilities in the room with homemade flapjacks. However, if you’re anything like us, you’ll have all of the above during the course of one afternoon, whilst looking out onto the wonderful Wells skyline. It wasn’t long before we started eyeing up, then filling up, the copper bath – which is like a gloriously old-fashioned hot tub (it transpires that Chris was inspired by his days growing up on a large, isolated farm in New Zealand). After a good old soak, it was time to make our way down to dinner. Food is prepared to order using only the freshest and natural

"It wasn’t long before we starte d eyein g up, then filling up, the coppe r bath – which is like a glorio usly old-fashioned hot tub"

VISIT

www.crownhotelnorfolk.co.uk VISIT

www.flyingkiwiinns.co.uk

ingredients, sourced locally from farmers, fishermen and traders. Wines are selected by Chris and Jamie Aram (Director at Hallgarten Druitt – Wine Importer of the Year 2011 at the International Wine and Spirit Competition). We went for an aromatic and fruity one: Opal Ridge Gewurztraminer Verdelho, Australia, ‘for those looking for something different.’ We shared an appetiser of Brancaster oysters with tabasco & lemon (£2 each or six for £11). This was my partner’s first time of trying oysters and the verdict from the other side of the table was that they were definitely an acquired taste! This is fair comment, of course, although when in North Norfolk it would be rude not to try them. Then for starters we shared Chris’s Black Slate: marinated chicken wings, salmon belly, crab spring roll, chorizo and smoked chicken and peanut salad (£15.95 for two to share). For mains, my partner had chargrilled sirloin steak (‘the best I’ve ever tasted’), hand cut chips, grilled mushrooms and garlic and herb butter (£24.95); whereas I had Wells crab salad, with lemon and tarragon mayonnaise and buttered new potatoes (£14.95). Puddings were a bit beyond us so we simply settled for two homemade chocolate truffles instead, to hit the sweet spot. After dinner, we walked that well-trodden path down Staithe Street, (or Arthur Howell street, as I like to call it, such is his growing empire!), and down to The Quay. I’m not breaking new ground by saying this, but there’s something magical about looking down at the inky depths of the water and then up at the stars above. Back up at The Buttlands, I had the most comfortable night’s sleep, even if I did get up at silly o’clock to watch the sun come up over the rooftops - it seemed like a good idea at the time! As it was such a beautiful day, we decided to have breakfast on the balcony, and it arrived complete with a wicker basket full of croissants, tea and juice (apple juice from Sandringham), and plates full of full English. After checking out - and snapping up a gift box of Jo C’s Norfolk Ale from reception on the way – we headed towards Pinewoods Holiday Park, where my partner spent many a childhood holiday. We retraced his steps by walking through the pines to one of the best beaches in the UK (watching all the dogs on the beach I made a note that The Crown Hotel is getting ever more dog friendly). It was hard to head back to the city after such a lovely 24 hours. Not only does Master Chef Chris provide a top notch food and drink offering at his hotel – that copper bath on the balcony of our rooftop suite took the staycation to a whole new level.

Accommodation

THE CROWN HOTEL, The Buttlands, Wells-next-the-Sea. Rates range between £100 B&B per night (in a classic room in the winter) to £260 B&B per night (in the rooftop suite, Room 18, in the summer). Room 18 ranges between £190 and £260, depending on the time of year

R e ade r R e ci p e AUTUMN SPICED SQUASH CAKE

Reader Tori Nippard from North Norfolk offers us a perfect slice of autumn INGREDIENTS 400g of butternut squash; 175ml of sunflower oil; 250g of light Muscovado sugar; 2 medium eggs; 175g of self-raising flour (sieved) ¾tsp of bicarbonate of soda; 1tsp of ground ginger; ½tsp of cinnamon; ½tsp of mixed spice Frosting 200g of cream cheese; 4tbsp of caramel (from a tin); fudge pieces or crystallised ginger to decorate

METHOD 1. Lightly grease a 21cm ring tin 2. Cut the squash into cubes and boil for 15 minutes. Drain well and blitz until smooth 3. Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas Mark4 4. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs until pale and thick 5. Fold in the flour and spices 6. Stir in the squash purée 7. Pour into the tin and bake for 50 minutes 8. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely 9. To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese with the caramel and spread over the top of the cake 10. Decorate with a drizzle of caramel and sprinkle with fudge pieces or crystallised ginger

e fre ezes NB: Th is cak un-ice d we ll w he n Serves 12

find out more

TORI runs Victoria Jane Bakes which is based at Saxthorpe, near Aylsham, visit www.victoriajanebakes.co.uk

C O L U M N

JUSTIN WRIGHT

Lovewell Blake -

Farm to Fo rk ? t s a L t a y it l a e R – a

Justin Wright, a leading member of Lovewell Blake’s specialist food and drink team, says that increasing engagement between farmers and foodies is a good thing VISIT

WALKING AROUND the North Norfolk Food Festival last month, I was struck by how many farmers had stands. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising, because much of what we eat comes, in one way or another, from the land. Go back 10 years, though, and the number of farmers interacting with consumers was probably smaller. ‘Agriculture’ grew the raw materials, and ‘food producers’ made the food, selling it to retailers and the end user. Many were of the view that farmers grew or raised ‘produce’ rather than thinking of it as food. It is interesting how much that gap has narrowed. Nowadays the agricultural sector, especially smaller farms, is much more engaged with the people who will end up eating what they grow. ‘Farm to Fork’, is no longer just a phrase; it has finally come to mean something. Of course, some innovative farmers have been engaging with consumers in small-scale ways for years. Farm shops have sprung up throughout the county, giving foodies the chance to interact directly with those who grow the fruit and vegetables, and raise the pigs and chickens which will end up on their plates. More recently, however, agriculture has become much more firmly embedded in what one might call the mainstream food sector. In our own region you only have to look at how the Royal Norfolk Show has

www.lovewell-blake.co.uk

changed. Not so long ago it was all about the land, the animals and farm machinery. To some degree the focus is shifting, and more about the food, demonstrating how farming plays a central role in producing what we eat. There are two reasons why this has happened. The first is consumer-driven: successive food scandals have made us all think more closely about the provenance of our food. No longer will we accept that what we eat is simply just a factory output, because our trust has been dented. We want to know much more explicitly where our food has come from. The second factor is economic: with commodity prices remaining stubbornly low, and input costs increasing in the short to medium term, farmers have had to find ways of adding value to what they do. Shipping out primary ingredients in bulk might work for larger concerns, but smaller agricultural businesses have had to find ways of making their land pay – and turning their produce into food that consumers want to buy is the obvious step. So dairy farmers, instead of selling their milk to wholesalers for less than what it costs to produce it (at the time of writing, the farm-gate milk price is hovering just above 20p/litre), more and more are making their own cheese, adding value to their own primary

product. Likewise, tomato farmers are using their produce to make chutney – and so it goes on. The result is that farmers and foodies are increasingly engaging with each other. That means that the agricultural sector has to learn new skills, especially branding and marketing. Farmers are also increasingly going to have to be up to speed with food trends, because when you are in the business of providing consumer products, you become much more susceptible to the changes in food fashion. If it is true that farming has always had to adapt to change, it is also true that the pace of that change is accelerating rapidly. It could be argued that the younger generation of farming families – who have grown up in an always-connected world where the consumer has a much louder voice – recognise that the existing model of farming needs to be more dynamic. I think this is a good thing. Finally we are properly making the connection between the land and what we eat, instead of erecting an entirely artificial gap between ‘farming’ and ‘food’. Farmers may have to work harder to engage the general public, but the potential reward is a body of consumers who value what they do – and are prepared to pay a fair price for what they produce.

PLEASE NOTE that this article is provided for your information only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, information contained herein may not be comprehensive and you should not act upon it without seeking professional advice

Celeriac is, unsurprisingly, derived from wild celery

and is far more popular overseas than in the UK. Having been eaten since ancient times, it even had a mention in Homer’s Odyssey around 800 BC. Used for its medicinal benefits in Egypt, Greece and Italy, it wasn’t noted as a food plant until the 17th century in France. It began to grow in popularity because, although it tastes similar to celery, it’s far easier to grow and stores for much longer. It is now grown for its bumpy but delicious root and is great in soups and stews. It’s also full of a whole host of goodness such as vitamin C, many B vitamins and it’s packed full of calcium, iron and phosphorus to name a few. There are different varieties to grow but ‘Prinz’ has particularly good disease resistance and doesn’t bolt quite so quickly in dry weather.

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CELERIAC ‘PRINZ’

‘PRINZ’ produces a good size root, rich flavour and is very easy to grow. It can even be grated raw into salads for a distinct flavour. This variety also sits nicely through winter to be harvested as and when you need it. Celeriac isn’t the most attractive vegetable but, after peeling just like a potato, the flesh is crispy if eaten raw yet smooth when cooked. It’s a generally good all round vegetable and one which is often overlooked in our kitchen gardens.

How to grow SOW

Sow seeds in trays during early spring and transfer seedlings to small pots when they are strong enough to be handled with care. They do need temperatures of about 16 degrees to ensure they don’t bolt, so keep them in a propagator or greenhouse/ growhouse. When the soil is warm, it’s time to transfer them to their growing space. They are best planted out in May each year for an autumn harvest.

GROW

Celeriac needs moisture and organic, fertile soil with plenty of sun. Make sure the planting bed has been given a good mulch of well rotted manure and keep it weed free. Once the plants have been moved to their final growing bed, about 40cm apart, the one thing which will keep them growing well is to ensure the soil never dries out. You will

notice the outer leaves will drop down as the plants begin to mature. Remove them so the crown becomes exposed and swells nicely. Sometimes you will notice side shoots which also need to be removed to ensure the energy goes into the developing root.

HARVEST

You can begin to harvest from October all through winter and they will happily sit in the ground but with a covering of straw during the colder months, to prevent them freezing. Just lift as required and ignore how ugly they look – they taste delicious!

This month our kitchen gardener Ellen Mary tells us all about the growing and eating of the popular root vegetable, celeriac

NUTTY CELERIAC REMOULADE

The classic French dish for celeriac is ‘celerie remoulade’ and although the vegetable can be used in many dishes, this simple yet delicious recipe should be celebrated more in the UK for its healthy no-cook appeal. This is the traditional recipe but adds in a few nuts to enjoy as well.

Serves four

INGREDIENTS 1 medium size celeriac; 1 lemon; Dijon mustard; full fat mayonnaise; pinch of salt and pepper

To serve Watercress or parsley; additional (a twist on the traditional); a mixture of seeds, such as poppy, pumpkin and sunflower, plus nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts METHOD 1. Peel your celeriac just as you woul d a potato and grate it coarsely into the juice of a lemon. This helps to stop it discolouring, but you do have to work quickly 2. Mix the mustard and mayonnaise in a bowl thoroughly then add in a pinch of salt and pepper 3. Add the grated celeriac to the mix, then throw in your choice of nuts and/or seeds 4. You can serve with toast or a salad, with a sprinkle of watercress or parsley on top 5. Your mixture will last up to two days in the fridge

For more information and advice, visit www.ellenmarygardening.co.uk

R EC I P E W I T H E L L E N M A RY

ROBERT DERBRIDGE

Robert Derbridge -

T H E

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HERE FOR THE BEER WITH THE 2016 NORWICH BEER FESTIVAL RUNNING FROM OCTOBER 24 TO 29 AT THE HALLS (ST ANDREW'S AND BLACKFRIARS' HALLS), ORGANISER ROBERT DERBRIDGE HAS THE FINAL WORD Who are you and what do you do? I am Robert Derbridge I have worked for the festival for 28 years. I started as a steward then went on to be the chief steward then the deputy organiser and then festival organiser two years ago Do you have a day job and, if so, what is it? Yes I work for Network Rail as a signalling and telecommunication engineer How did you get involved in the beer festival in the first place? I got involved through the English Civil War Society. Some of the regiment had been working at the beer festival before and asked if I would like to come and help, so I did and 28 years on, I am still working there What does being the organiser entail? It is my job to coordinate all the staff as the event is put together, holding meetings every two months to see how things are going with the ordering and planning; and talking to The Halls and marquee company to make sure everything is in place to set the festival up. It is also my job to look after the welfare of the staff who work at the festival with the help of my two deputies, to make sure that food and drink is provided; that the venue is safe

for them to work in; and to coordinate the setting up and taking down of the festival How many years has the beer festival been going? The festival has been going for 39 years It isn't just beer is it? What else can people sample? The festival also offers cider and perries, plus continental beer and wine Give us a few facts and figures: how many beers are on sale, and how many pints do you sell overall in the week? The festival puts through just under 20,000 people over six days. We have 220 different beers, 40 real ciders and perries, plus a large selection of continental beers and a small collection wines (this year, only for the second time). As for how many pints are sold over the week, I would think somewhere around 60,000 Do you have a favourite tipple? That’s a hard one as there are so many great beers out there - I find it hard to pick a favourite! Can you name a few local microbreweries taking part? There are so many breweries in Norfolk: Panther, Humpty Dumpty, Jo C’s Norfolk Ale, and Beeston are just a few

that will be at the festival this year Are there any new ones this year? The St Andrews Brew House, who started last year, will have beers at the festival for the first time this year Tell us about the logo - who has created this year's 'branding'? This year’s logo was designed by Richard Smith of Norwich. Richard said he wanted to do a simple design which showed a happy/merry dragon helping to pour a pint of real ale from one of the casks Do you have any famous local real ale fans? For example, has Delia ever turned up?! Delia has not attended but at least one former Norwich City Football Club player, Darren Eadie, has been to the festival Finally, it sounds like more than just a beer festival - can you tell us about the entertainment line-up? We have some new bands for this year as well as some returning bands, such as The Harvs and Invidia Voices. Hayley Moyses’ Britgrass Three plus Sophie G and The Good Times are just two of the new bands for this year. For the full list of bands and any other information about the festival, go to www.norwichcamra.org.uk

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