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Seven days of chocolate Essential treats for the indulgent week

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THE GOODTABLE

Home cooking from Valentine Warner

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WIN!A fabulous Dorchester Collection hotel break

London | Issue 5 | October 2011

www.flavourmagazine.com/london

flavourfor people who love local food

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Editor: Nick Gregory Email: nick@flavourmagazine.com

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Photography: Diana Chaccour

Contributors: Ben Brill, Cheryl Cohen, Ren Behan, Nick Harman, Duncan Shine, Mitch Tonks, Zeren Wilson, Helen Best-Shaw, Gergely Barsi Szabó, Mark Andrew, Louis Labron-Johnson, Julie Friend

Flavour Magazine151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4HHTel: 01179 779188 | Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com

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All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of flavour. While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, flavourmagazine.com accepts no liability for reader dis-satisfaction arising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of flavourmagazine.com

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Competition Terms & ConditionsIn addition to any specifically stated terms and conditions, the following applies to all competitions. All information forms part of the rules. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules and agree to be bound by them. The winner will be the first entry drawn at random from all the entries sent in by the closing date and will be notified by either post, email or telephone. The prizes are as stated; they are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. All entrants must be at least 18 years old. Competitions are open to UK residents only. One entry per person. Proof of postage is not proof of entry. flavour accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post. Entrants agree to take part in any publicity material relating to the competition. The name of the winner will be published in the next edition. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Prizes do not include unspecified extras (such as travel). All prizes are subject to availability. Please state if you do not wish to receive any further correspondence from flavour or competition organisers. You may be required to collect your prize.

Please recycle this product.

Welcome to the beginning of autumn and the latest edition of flavour!

Regular readers will notice that the image before you is not as pretty as the one that has graced this page for the past few months, as former editor Holly has moved on to pastures new. She has left a healthy ship, however, and I hope to continue with the same flair, attention to detail and most importantly passion for all things food that she creatively conveyed in these pages. I have been involved with flavour in one way or another since its inception in 2007 and have seen it develop into the wonderful publication it is today.

And what a first issue I’ve inherited! Raymand Blanc’s Le Manoir heads up our look at cookery schools PAGE 50, we find out about the how’s and why’s of the coveted Michelin star PAGE 48, meet Spice King Sriram Aytur PAGE 58, wine enthusiast Gergely Barsi Szabó PAGE 69 and Masterchef winner Julie Friend PAGE 73. Not a bad start!

I wouldn’t necessarily say this first month has always been a pleasure and plain sailing – there have been some pretty hairy moments, especially towards deadline – but it’s never been a chore, and the flourishing nature of the London food scene has made the process a whole lot easier. I look forward to further showcasing the best our capital has to offer.

Well done!

Nick Gregory

welcome

35

5 WIN! A luxury break in Berkshire

10 In Season Cheryl Cohen from London

Farmers’ Markets brings you the best of the season’s produce

16 Seven Days of Chocolate Essential treats for the

indulgent week

20 WIN! Dinner, bed and breakfast

at The Royal Horseguards

22 The Good Table Valentine Warner brings his

home cooking to life

44 Tried a slider? Zeren Wilson explores this

foodie phenomenon

inside...

Nick

22

48

4

> flavour news

this month

If you have any news or events that you would like to share with

us here at flavour then email enquiries@flavourmagazine.com

FRONT COVER

Charbonnel et Walkerhave been established asBritain’s MasterChocolatier’s since 1875.In that year King EdwardVII encouraged MadameCharbonnel to leave aParisian chocolate house,to join Mrs Walker inestablishing a fineconfectionery house onLondon’s Bond Street.Chocolates have beenoffered in the street eversince. Charbonnel etWalker hold a RoyalWarrant and are able todisplay the Royal Coat ofArms alongside their logo.This privilege is held byfew other chocolatecompanies.

www.charbonnel.co.uk

MELTDOWN FOR ICE CREAM VANS

Seen an ice cream van recently? Didn't think so... Their distinctive chimes used to be a familiar sound. But more regulation has pushed the industry close to meltdown.

For decades, their chugging and chiming has signalled the start of summer andfeeding time for generations of children armed with small change and sweet teeth.Now Britain's ice cream vans are stalling their way into a winter of discontent andtowards an uncertain future in which they face becoming as endangered as milk floats.

RUM ON DOWN

Rum is not just a drink; it’s a way of life.For two days rum-lovers will have theirtaste buds tantalised by the world’s most exclusive rums, listen to live bandsplaying exotic rhythms, and samplesome of the tropics’ most relaxingpastimes. Plus, savour the delights ofthe brand new Tropical Food Market

2011 marks the fifth anniversary of UKRumFest, the world’s biggest festivaldedicated to celebrating rum andsugarcane spirits. Check out the datesand events at

www.rumfest.co.uk

iDINE WITH ROUX?

Jump on the i revolution wih MichelRoux Jr’s new iPhone app; FineDining with the Master Chef (£4.99)

Michel is calm, unpatronising and anexcellent teacher, while his recipesare inspirational. The app includeshalf-a-dozen video methods forthings like potato terrine withsmoked bacon salad, and rabbit piewith quince. Roux’d have thought?

www.michelroux.co.uk

CUP CAKE WINSCAKE CUP

A vegan cupcake has been crownedthe UK National Cupcake Championof 2011. Jennifer and Virginia Buls,who set up their business just lastyear, baked the winning ‘Lime andCoconut’ cupcake from AbsoluteTreats. Absolute Treats beat 55competitors – ranging from craftbakeries to High Street chains – totake the National Cupcake Championcrown. They also won Best Free-from of the Year Cupcake and BestTasting Cupcake of the Year. Yum!

www.absolutetreats.co.uk

A FOODIE GETAWAY TO COWORTH PARK

Coworth Park is Dorchester Collection’s 70-room luxury country house hotel and spaset in 240 acres of picturesque Berkshireparkland. The splendid estate includes awonderful eco-luxury Spa and threerestaurants including the Spatisserie, relaxeddining in The Barn and fine-dining at JohnCampbell at Coworth Park.

As one of the UK’s most environmentallyfriendly hotels, it’s only natural that this ethos isreflected in the cuisine. John and his team havecreated the ‘Shire Menu’, which uses seasonalproduce, locally grown and freshly harvested,offering maximum nutritional benefit and thefreshest flavours, at the same time benefittingthe local rural economy. They have also createdspecific dishes for the restaurant’s eight-courseTasting menu, showcasing the very best thatJohn has created throughout his career.

This month a lucky winner and a friend have a chance to win a fantastic foodie getaway toCoworth Park which includes an overnight stay and Tasting Menu dinner at John Campbellat Coworth Park with wine selected by therestaurant’s sommelier.

To enter, please email your details to competitions@flavourmagazine.com

(To be taken between Jan 1 and May 1, 2012,excluding Easter (6-9 April) and subject toavailability), Good luck!

Coworth Park, Blacknest Road, AscotBerkshire SL5 7SE

01344 876600www.dorchestercollection.com

HOMAGE TOFROMAGE

The Cheese and Wine Festivalreturns to Southbank Centrefor its autumnal gastronomicextravaganza from Friday 14 – Sunday 16 October.

The festival is going fromstrength to strength andpromises an exceptionally high standard of cheese andwine-related stalls as well as tutored tastings anddemonstrations fromrenowned experts andpassionate individualsthroughout the weekend.

www.cheesewinefestival.com

WIN!

6

ONCE MORE, UNTO THEEATS, DEAR FRIENDS

London restaurant Festival 2011 (3-17October) returns with a bang, and ticketsare now available for its third year of trulyexceptional new events. October will seetwo weeks of culinary celebrations in thecapital and the expansion of festivalfavourite the ‘Gourmet Odyssey’.

Start with a Laurent-Perrier Champagnereception, before enjoying a starter in onerestaurant, your main course in anotherand dessert in a third – all of themLondon’s most exciting and exclusiverestaurants. New locations include Bistro Bruno, Les Deux Salons and ClosMaggiore, Moro, Modern Pantry andVinoteca. A noble quest for famishedfoodies.

www.londonrestaurantfestival.com

BIGGEST. CREAM. TEA. EVER.

Forget James and the Giant Peach – it’s allabout Island Grill and the Giant Scone!

Island Grill’s “English Cream Tea”, priced atjust £4.95, features an enormous, freshly-baked scone, which is at least four times thesize of a normal scone. Guests can opt for thetraditional raisin flavour, or sample the exoticlemon scone, made with a sprinkling of poppyseeds. The scones are accompanied byJersey clotted cream, housemade strawberryjam and lemon curd, plus a pot of premiumTazo tea. Take home bags are available forguests who can’t manage to finish the scone!The English Cream Tea will be served inIsland Grill daily from 2-5pm.

SEAFARERS HAVE A SOLE

From October 10 to 16, Britain’s Fish &Chip Feast will be raising funds for thewelfare of fishermen and other seafarersin need, and their families who have fallenon hard times.

Fish restaurants, ‘chippies’, pubs and cafesare being asked by Seafarers UK, theleading charity for our maritimecommunity, to make a donation for everyfish meal served, and also to encouragetheir customers to do so.

Celebrity chef and fish fan Mitch Tonks isan enthusiastic supporter. “Fish is thelifeblood of our business and it is importantfor us not to forget the huge effort and risk that goes with catching it and bringing it ashore.”

www.fishandchipfeast.org

CHEERS!

British Pub Week celebrates the very best ofBritish hospitality. The event, from October 28to November 6, aims to get people back intopubs by promoting their positive impact onsociety through a packed series of events.Hundreds of pubs were involved last year andengaged with their community and MPs –even PM David Cameron took part by enjoyinga pint in his local pub

www.britishpubweek.com

DINNER WITH GOSS THE BOSS

Pete Goss is a sailor, adventurer and former Royal Marine. He has competed in seventransatlantic and two round-the-world races. The most recognised of these was the 1996/7Vendee Globe non-stop single-handed round-the-world yacht race. This race turned Pete into anational hero for the dramatic rescue of fellow competitor Raphael Dinelli in hurricane-forcewinds. Pete was awarded the MBE by theQueen and the Legion d’Honneur by theFrench President. Mon Dieu!

On Monday November 7, you can enjoy asuperb dinner prepared by Michelin starChef Hywel Jones in The Park, whilst beinginspired and enthralled by Pete’s adventuresand incredible action photography

For reservations call: 01225 742777

WELL, WINE NOT?

The Wine Show is London's finest wine experienceand will be jam-packed with the country's leadingwine experts, the world's finest wine producers,unusual regions and varieties to discover.

Take a stroll in The Wine Market where you'll findboutique wines from small wine producers andretailers; enjoy the Drinks Theatre in its all-newlocation; and visit Coutt’s private wine cellar, backby popular demand. All in all, a grape day out.

www.wineshow.co.uk

7

• Bread Street Kitchen10 Bread Street, City of London, EC4M 9ABGordon Ramsay opens a colossal newrestaurant spanning three distinct sections.Expect an informal approach to dining thatfeatures a raw bar serving fine charcuterie and shellfish, and a wood-burning oven thatcooks more than just pizza.

• Dorsia3 Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 2HRTaking over from the former Firehouse site inKensington, Dorsia – an exciting new members’club, bar and restaurant, has opened. It is a joint venture between Nick Andreen andFraser Carruthers, both of Boujis fame.

• Bunga Bunga37 Battersea Bridge Rd, Battersea, SW11 3BADuo Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling are to open Bunga Bunga, an Italian pizzeria andkaraoke bar in Battersea. The restaurant’swood-fired oven will bake pizzas named after Berlusconi’s shady lady friends, while the gondola-shaped bar serveshomemade limoncello.

• Le Paris Grill37 Crutched Friars, Fenchurch St, EC3N 2AEFormerly at Bury Street, Le Paris Grill willreopen near Fenchurch St in September at a slightly larger site with seating for 100diners. The restaurant will be open for lunchonly as it has been for the past 32 years.

• Aurelia14 Cork St, Westminster, London, W1SA new restaurant is being launched by thefamily behind Zuma, Roka and La PetiteMaison, on the site of the former Mulligan’s of Mayfair. The menu will have a distinctMediterranean influence with lots of sharingplatters and small plates.

• Senkai65 Regent St, Westminster, W1B 4BATaking over the site formerly occupied byCacoon, Senkai is a new Japanese restaurantfrom the same company. Senkai is all about the robata, a Japanese charcoal grill wherethey cook much of their food, and theirextensive collection of sake.

ON THEWORD

STREET

SUBSCRIBE TO FLAVOURFOR £18 AND RECEIVESPIRIT OF CHRISTMASTICKETS WORTH £26!

Discover exquisite and desirable gifts andtreats, all hand-picked for their qualityand originality from boutiques you willrarely find on the high street at the Spiritof Christmas Fair, 2–6 November,Olympia, London – The home ofChristmas shopping. Find inspiration forthe festive season and sample delectabledelicacies in The Food Hall. Beautifullydesigned and wonderfully indulgent, theFair is the perfect place to shop, dine andsocialise in style.

Flavour has teamed up with Spirit ofChristmas to offer10 pairs of tickets forNovember 3, 4pm - 9pm when you takeout a yearly subscription of flavour for just£18, a whopping 50 per cent discount onthe cover price!

www.spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk

Book 2 NIGHTS and stay a 3rd night FREE!www.classiccountryhouses.com

EXCLUSIVE OFFERFLAVOUR

HORN OF PLENTY

To celebrate the OctoberDevon celebration of food,Tavistock-based Horn OfPlenty are holding a veryspecial gourmet food andwine weekend from October21-23. Head Chef Scott Patonand renowned wine critic andconnoisseur CharlesStevenson take guests on atour round the best of Frenchfood and wine.

Throughout October they arealso offering a very specialgourmet seven-course tastingmenu, featuring the very bestof Devon produce. This veryspecial menu will be offered atlunch and dinner, alongsidetheir normal autumn menu,and is priced at just £59.50 perperson.

www.thehornofplenty.co.uk

COMPETITION WINNER

Congratulations to Tara Wilson who wins afine dining experience for two with DevilledEgg Kitchen Academy and Mint Hotel!

SEE PAGE39

(Terms & conditions apply)

8

> flavour fab foodie reads

For bookworms who love nothing more than cooking up a feast for family and friends, our

monthly selection of new releases is enough to keep anyone entertained!

PIEMINISTER: A PIE FOR ALL SEASONS TRISTIN HOGG & JON SIMONBantam Press, £17.99

Everyone loves a pie. Pies are part of our food culture and heritage, as British as ...er... pork pie, and nowadays they are also an essential fashion accessory for the festival-goer as well as the dish of choice at a trendy gastropub near you. pieminister – the creation of Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon – is the undisputed leader of this pie revolution. Now pieminister have produced the book that launched a thousand pies, putting on paper the brilliantly creative and utterly delicious pie recipes which are turning the likes of their Heidi and Moo Pies into household names.

BOOZE FOR FREEANDY HAMILTONEden Project Books, £9.99

Booze For Free is the definitive guide to home brewing and making the perfect hedgerow tipple. By using his years of experimental brewing and extensive foraging around the UK Andy Hamilton shows you how to make drinks that are weird, wonderful and just plain tasty. His no-nonsense, easy-to-follow guide with over 100 recipes, including great tasting wines made from fruit, vegetables and the hedgerows along with beers made from hops, yarrow, mugwort, elder and other foraged plants, is enough to keep you brewing throughout the year.

READY FOR DESSERTDAVID LEBOVITZJacqui Small Publishing, £25

Pastry chef and award-winning blogger David Lebovitz is known for creating desserts with bold and high-impact flavours. His acclaimed new book presents show-stopping sweets that bakers of all abilities can master. In Ready for Dessert, David serves up a tantalising array of more than 170 recipes for cakes, cobblers, custards, cookies and more. So if you’re ready for dessert – and who isn’t? – you’ll be happy to have this collection of sweet indulgences on your kitchen shelf.

THE GOOD TABLEVALENTINE WARNERMitchell Beazley, £20

Valentine Warner takes us on an enticing journey to his own home-food heaven and the heart of his home – the good table.Valentine’s new book shows how the food you put on your table for family, friends and yourself is best when it is sourced and cooked with love and care. His recipes tell us about the mood, stories, geography, history and natural history that are the background to the dish. His ingredients are local, mostly inexpensive and easy to find, yet his dishes are often surprising, based on forgotten classics or hailing from distant countries such as Mexico and Morocco. Check out page 22 for some of these magnificent dishes!

fab foodie reads

PICK OF THE MONTH!

right Every month our seasonal selections come from Cheryl Cohen, directorof London Farmers’ Markets which runs 18 weekly markets throughoutthe city. She is on the board of London Food, works closely with theFarmers' Markets Retail association and with London Food Links.

At their best> flavour in season

root vegetablesFrosts bring out the flavours of root vegetables.For this gratin use 1kg total of your choice ofvegetables. I like to use a mixture to vary thecolours and flavours, sometimes substitutingbeetroot, sweet potato, carrot or wintersquash, whatever looks good at the market. Try sprinkling pumpkin and sunflower seedson the top for the last 15 minutes.

musselsMost of the fishermen at our marketsbring mussels. They come into season inSeptember, and are on sale until aroundMarch. We also have cider at our markets;MillWhite’s cider is cask matured in oldrum, whisky and brandy barrels. If youcan’t bear to use it to cook with, serve abottle or two with this dish instead, and aside of some good sour dough bread. I’veadded Russet apple to this dish because I like the slightly smoky, sweet flavour itbrings. Leave it out if you wish.

APPLE AND CIDER MUSSELS

Sauté 1-2 shallots, 1 medium Russet apple and 1 cloveof garlic in oil for one minute.Throw in 1.5kg of cleaned mussels,add 250ml cider and 1 bay leaf andslam on the lid and steam until themussels have opened. Add a pinchof salt, taste the liquid and adjustas necessary. Add a handful ofchopped parsley and serveimmediately in big bowls with bread on the side and more cider.

nowFor more information contact:www.lfm.org.ukwww.twitter.com/londonfarmers

> flavour in season

JANE GRIGSONS’SPHEASANT WITH APPLES

No apologies for including aclassic recipe. Pheasant is atits peak in early Autumn. Itsleanness means it can be dry;a good excuse to cook withcream. Use a good flavouredapple such as a cox orreinette. Don’t use bramleysfor this. Melt 60g of butterin a shallow pan. Brown one pheasant all over andseason. In another pan meltanother 60g of butter andsauté 1kg apples untilgolden. Sprinkle with a pinchof cinnamon. Heat the ovento 180C/350F/Gas 4. Put alayer of apples in the base of a heavy, close fittingcasserole. Put the pheasanton top, breast side down, andpack the remaining applesdown the sides. Add 125mlcrème fraiche. Cover andcook for an hour, but checkafter about 40 minutes.Remove the casserole fromthe oven and raise the heat to 230C/450F. Pour another

125ml of crème fraicheover the pheasant andadd 4 tbspn ofcalvados or whiskey.

Check the apple and addseasoning. Cover and returnto the oven for about 5 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes.

FOUR-FOLD GRATIN

Preheat the oven to 180C gas mark 4.Blanch 1kg of finely-sliced celeriac,potato and swede and Jerusalemartichoke in boiling water and drain.Butter a gratin dish. Slice 1 onion.Layer the vegetables in the dish with150g of finely-grated cheese,seasoning each layer. Pour over ½litre of vegetable stock, dot withbutter and put in oven for about anhour until the top layer is crisp andbubbling. Options: use milk andcream instead of stock. For the last15 minutes, sprinkle over a mixtureof breadcrumbs and more cheese ofyour choice and cook till crisp.

applesApple Day comes in October, when wecelebrate all the amazing orchardfruits this country has to offer. Thanksto groups like Common Ground, whointroduced Apple Day, there has beena renaissance in our appreciation of orchard fruits. www.england-in-particular.info/cg/appleday/index.htmlThe top two apple varieties grown inthe world are golden delicious which,as the cliché would have it are neithergolden, nor delicious. And the equallyubiquitous red delicious which I callthe Disney apple – polished, shiny andperfect to look at. The fashion modelof apples. All style, no content. Wegrow close to 3,000 varieties in thiscountry, with the most amazing namesand flavours.

Supermarkets blame the consumer forthe perfect, shiny specimens on theirshelves. And many shops have beentaken to task for their over reliance onorchard fruit from overseas. I don’tthink I’ve bought a non English applefor many years.

14

Nestled inconspicously in up-market Mayfair is a restaurant a littledifferent from the rest. Babbo is refreshingly informal, and servesclassic Italian cuisine even better than momma used to make, usingwell-sourced ingredients to create dishes where you can really home in on every separate flavour.

babboMayfair restaurants can be off-putting forthose of us not paying 50 per cent incometax; the way in which the Maitre d’ looks youup and down, the stilted atmosphere, and ofcourse the outrageous prices. You peer inthe window, sigh a little wistfully and thenwander off to a more congenial part of town.

Don’t pass by Babbo though because it’sreally not of the norm. This Italian restaurantfeels right the moment you walk in. No onelooks snooty, they look genuinely pleased tosee you and not because they’re short ofcustomers either – few restaurants are thisbusy on a Monday evening.

The cosy décor is pitched just right, thelights low enough to encourage intimacy, butnot so low you have to get out your mobilephone to illuminate the menu. The dinersgive off a cheerful murmur of conversation;no one is here to worship the chef, they’rehere to eat.

The menu is typical Italian, dishes yourecognise from a thousand trattoriasincluding lasagne, but done with the finestingredients. Burrata with tomato, forexample is, in conception, the samemozzarella and tomato dish you can getanywhere but of course this isn’t. A chunk ofPuglian mozzarella is made into a pouch andthen filled with mozzarella pieces andcream, the whole lot is then sealed into aball and sent fresh to London every week tobe served wobbly and wonderful at roomtemperature. I loved it violently and had tofight to keep L’s fork away.

Not that she was unhappy with her SanDaniele Prosciutto. Sweet and salty, this king of hams eclipses even Spanish jamons.It really does melt in the mouth, for once the cliché is apt, dissolving into a sublimedeliciousness but still with enough texture to make it enjoyably chewable. Small porcinimushrooms added a bosky autumnalcounter flavour and texture to the meat.

We shared a mid-course lasagne, seducedby tales of it being chef Douglas Santi’sgrandma’s 100-year-old recipe. The pastawas silky, the bechamel smooth and creamyand the ragu well-balanced and with qualitymeat. This is a lasagne that puts you into aquiet trance as you scrape the sides of thedish for more.

Simple is best for ‘secondi’ in my opinion andso a fine piece of beef well-aged and hungand clearly well-sourced was perfect. Thatwas all it was, apart from some rather goodmushrooms, but it was all that was needed.The fat was almost better than the meat,radiating flavour in all directions. Simple but delicious.

Homemade chocolate mousse with friedAmedei Tuscan chocolate balls was fun; thechocolate balls hot and smoking, literally.

Babbo is highly enjoyable but don’t expectdiscount dining. The clientele clearly havepots of money but the atmosphere isfriendly. It’s a neighbourhood restaurant in a posh neighbourhood and one you’d love tomake your own.

Babbo Restaurant39 Albemarle St Westminster London W1S 4JQ

020 3205 1099www.babborestaurant.co.uk

> flavour babbo restaurant

restaurant

23

Don’t pass by Babbo though because it’s really not of the norm. This Italian restaurant feels right

the moment you walk in...

16

Chocolate Week (10-16 October) is anannual chocolate festival that featurestastings and events from the UK's finest

chocolatiers. From gigantic chocolate eggsto chocolate-themed cocktails, if you canthink of it, they’ve probably made it out ofchocolate. The Aztec emperors sawchocolate as a panacea; while we knownow it may not cure all ills, it certainlytastes mighty fine! Plan your indulgentweek around these sumptuous picks…

Chocolate-coated pretzelsIt’s an exciting time for pretzel lovers, asPenn State Snacks prepares the launch

of its special half-coatedmilk chocolate pretzelrange this autumn.

We can look forwardto this sublime mix of sweet andsavoury, set to go

down a storm. Despitetheir chocolatey exterior,

as a baked snack and only 110 calories per25g serving, these delicious pretzels stilloffer consumers a healthier alternative tocrisps and other snack foods.

www.pennstate.co.uk

Charbonnel et Walker Tastings...To celebrate National Chocolate Week, Charbonnel et

Walker will be holding a series of in-store tastingsevery day from 12pm until 4pm.

Monday 10th - Sampling our new Dark Marc deChampagne Truffles

Tuesday 12th - Sampling our new Vanilla Truffles

Wednesday 13th - Sampling our housespeciality, English Rose & Violet Creams

Thursday 14th - Come and try our signatureChocolate Crowns

Friday 15th - Match our ginger chocolateproducts with The King’s Ginger, a zesty andemphatically ginger liqueur, made for KingEdward VII

Saturday 16th - Sampling our beloved Pink Marcde Champagne Truffles

Charbonnel et Walker will also be exhibiting at ChocolateUnwrapped at Vinopolis on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th.

Please ask in store for more details.

One The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4BT www.charbonnel.co.uk

Welcome to the UK’s biggest and most extravagant chocolate celebration…

chocolate week

Wednesday

Monday

Tuesday

Chocolate and almond rochersHow about making your own delight with the helpof Michel Roux and a recipe from his new book,Desserts, published by Quadrille (£14.99). Thesechocolate and almond rochers can be madeusing white chocolate couverture if you prefer.As you are shaping the rochers, work quickly asthe mixture has a tendency to solidify; if it does,just warm the mixture over hot water for aminute to soften.

Makes 36-40

Ingredients250g nibbed almonds50ml Cognac or Armagnac50g icing sugar, sifted200g dark bitter chocolate, chopped30ml cocoa butter or hazelnut oil, gently warmed

Method1 Preheat oven to 180ºC/Gas 4. In a bowl, toss thealmonds with the Cognac or Armagnac. Dustwith the icing sugar and mix to ensure thealmond pieces are evenly coated. Scatter on abaking sheet lined with baking parchment andtoast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning themat least twice until evenly golden. Set aside tocool, moving them about with a plastic knifeevery five minutes so they don’t stick together.

2 Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl andplace over a pan one-third filled with hot water,making sure the bowl does not touch the water.Melt over a gentle heat, making sure thetemperature of the water does not exceed 50ºC.

3 Mix about one-third of the almonds with one-third of the warmed cocoa butter or hazelnut oiluntil they are nice and glossy. Pour one-third ofthe melted chocolate over the almonds and mixgently until evenly cooked.

4 Drop a dessert spoonful of the mixture onto asheet of baking parchment to form a littlemound. Shape the rest of the mixture in this way,working quickly and leaving 2-3cm between eachrocher. Repeat to mix and shape the rest of therochers in two batches. Leave in a cool placeuntil set.

Store in airtight containers in the fridge. To serve,place the rochers in petit fours cases on a platter.

Gü GLORIOUS Gü!Gü has just launched its limited-edition showstopping Christmas dessert – the Giant Raspberry Bauble. This comes beautifully dressed insparkly gold foiling and presented in a chic table-readygiant bauble. Inside, rows of Christmas trees made from dark chocolate and printed with cocoa butter sit invitingly on top of four sumptuous layers of pud:

First comes a layer of luscious raspberry compote, then a layer of soft chocolate Joconde sponge and a rich dark chocolate mousse, all toppedwith a layer of Gü’s signature ganache and decorated with elegant chocolate triangles.All you need to do is remove the lid and serve your guests directly from the bauble. This is available for £15 exclusively at Waitrose from December.

www.gupuds.com

17

Welcome to the UK’s biggest and most extravagant chocolate celebration…

chocolate week Thursday

Couture chocolate Jacqui Small Publishing, £30Round off your week with a good book. In Couture Chocolate William Curley, the UK’spremier chocolatier, examines the origins of one of the world’s most popular foods –explaining the method of creating chocolate, how its quality depends to a large extenton the variety of bean used, and the differences between plain, milk and white. It revealshow some of today’s most popular flavours – such as vanilla and chilli were thosefavoured by the Aztec discoverers of chocolate, centuries ago.

Sunday

La Maison du Chocolat

Two iconic French brands, LaMaison du Chocolat and RemyMartin, have partnered to puttogether an amazing, exclusiveand luxury coffret including abottle of XO Cognac and a box of Cognac-infused chocolates.

The two creative heads ofthese brands have beenworking together on thisproduct for a long time now – exclusive to Harrods for £275.

www.harrods.com

Saturday

Friday

London’s K Lounge will be serving threechocoholic Divine cocktails priced at £5 each.The cocktails are made using Divine chocolate,the main sponsor of National Chocolate Week,and consist of:

• Mocha-chino• Hazel Angel• Strawberry Delight

Every Friday and Saturday night K Lounge,situated within K West Hotel & Spa, has livesets by Nightcrasher DJs. Head DJ, CharlesPrince is one of the UK’s hottest and mostexclusive DJs, having played at parties hostedby Rihanna, Jay-Z, Usher and Beyonce.

www.divinechocolate.com

Divine cocktails

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Gary Rhodes, one of the greatchef’s of our generation, hasembedded himself firmly intothe capital since launching hisseminal restaurant, Rhodes W1.Located on Great CumberlandPlace at The Cumberland Hotel,this acclaimed restaurant hasbeen on the receiving end ofrave reviews since its inception,and has gone on to garner aMichelin star back in 2008,which it has retained ever since,as well as three AA rosettes.

Dining at this restaurant of mostexcellent appointment is a near-dreamlike experience.

The décor has been managed anddesigned in painstaking detail byinternationally-renowned designer Kelly Hoppen, who pulls no punches in delivering a sublime neo-art decothemed restaurant that featuresglittering Swarovski chandeliers, antiqueFrench chairs and mirrors covered inlush deep purple and black velvet. All of these elements combine fluentlytogether to create an interior that isglamorous and chic, yet eclectic.

The menu is composed of a combinationof classical French and modern Britishcuisine, that bears all the hallmarks ofRhodes’ personal style. Changingregularly due to the seasonality ofingredients, dishes include suchmasterpieces as blackened sirloin ofbeef served with a fricassée of asparagusand braised onions, as well as delightfuldesserts. Try for size a ‘bakewell tart’soufflé atop a healthy dollop of almondice cream. The chefs are constantlystraining to push the boundaries of hautecuisine, and the five star silver service isat a similarly high level.

In Yves Desmaris, W1 Rhodes has a trueconnoisseur of the vine: The mastersommelier has hand-selected over 350exquisite wines, each of which can bematched perfectly to a specific dish.

The private dining room can be also hired for a tailor-made and bespokeexperience designed for them from thecrew of experienced chefs. Realise yourwildest foodie fantasies together with ateam who will work with you every step of the way.

In addition to the fine dining experienceW1 Rhodes offers, they also have acomfortable and informal bistro: W1Brasserie at the Cumberland Hotel is a stone’s throw from Oxford St, andserves up uncomplicated food superblypresented, using only the very freshest of produce.

Gary Rhodes has proved time and againthat attention to detail, combined with anencyclopaedic knowledge of the seasonsand their produce - as well as great flairand technique - leads to boundlesssuccess in his restaurants, and the W1collection are certainly no exception.

Rhodes W1 RestaurantGreat Cumberland PlaceLondonW1H 7DL

020 7616 5930www.rhodesw1.com

RHOD

ES W1

BorouGh wines

TreThowan’s Gorwydd Caerphilly

Pyramids of aromatic quince and yielding pears, featheredgame with iridescent plumage,cobnuts, wet walnuts and the earthy pungency of wild mushrooms...

BOROUGH MARKET8 SOUTHWARK STREET, LONDON SE1 1TLwww.boroughmarket.org.uk

Muriel Chatel hails from a family of wine makers in Bergerac, France, andstarted Borough Wines seven years ago. "Our aim is to remove any barriers tobuying good quality, affordable bottles of wine," says Muriel. "Everyday housewine should be easy to buy, and accessible to everyone."

In support of this approach, BoroughWines’ latest Go Green promotion has proved a popular innovation at the Market. Muriel has installed vats on the stand containing specially selected wines, and invites customers to return to refill their empty wine bottles, time and time again. “It's a new approach to selling wine.”

"We charge £2.50 for the bottle and then just £5 a time to fill it up with a great wine.This is a system that is common in Francethat is working very well over here, and it's also a great way to recycle bottles."

Increasing numbers of locals are regularly visiting the Market for their weekly shop, and Muriel is relishing the fact that small, independent businesses like hers are beginning to reclaim the highstreets once again. The Borough Winesstand is a great place to visit, with a superbambience, knowledgeable staff and anowner who is proud of the product she isoffering. It feels more like a communitythan a shop, a bit like the Market itself.

www.boroughwines.com

Threthowan's Gorwydd Caerphilly has had a stall at Borough Market for tenyears. Ned Palmer, who runs the stall on Fridays and Saturdays, has been in the cheese business even longer and has a wealth of knowledge andenthusiasm for all things cheese.

"Keeping true to our principle ofsimplicity," he says, "we only sell Gorwydd Caerphilly at our Borough stall, although we are thinking of making a chutney to compliment the cheese.”

"There are just two traditionalCaerphillys being produced today, and ours is the only one made withunpasteurised milk, Our cheese is totally handmade, and because we are so gentle we get a really nice

creamy texture. Most people are used to a modern Caerphilly where the cheese is dry, sharp and crumbly, but ours is made using time-honouredmethods and our customers definitelyappreciate that.

"I can talk about cheese till the cows come home, and I feel it is part of my job to educate people as much as I can. I am definitely in the right business!"

Gorwydd Caerphilly, with Ned at theforefront, embodies the spirit of BoroughMarket – full of passion, enthusiasm and exuberance - and whether you are a regular customer or a passerby, Ned is more than pleased to pass on his knowledge and admitted obsessionwith cheese to anyone within earshot!

www.trethowansdairy.co.uk

Just a few of the ingredients that signal the changing of the seasons at BoroughMarket, and hint at autumn’s promise. As the nights draw in what better way tocelebrate the annual harvest than with acarefully chosen glass of wine paired witha mature artisan cheese, as illustrated byour featured traders this month.

This is an exceptional time of year, andwhether shopping, socialising or lunching,Borough Market has a wonderful part toplay in uniting us all through our love ofgood, real food. Stop by and experience itfor yourself, and make a note to join us forthe Apple Day festivities on Sunday 23rdOctober when you will have the opportunityto sample rare apple varieties andproducts, including limited-edition AppleDay preserves, pies and juices.

The team at Borough Market

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Amost luxurious and well-appointedhotel just yards from Westminster and Downing St, and with a view

over the Thames, The Royal Horseguardsis a stalwart of the Whitehall quarter, witha history as rich and prestigious as the setting in which it emerged. Throughoutthe century, luminaries and men of greatpower have stalked the halls of thisvenerable institution – built in the style ofa French chateau – including LordKitchener, Winston Churchill and GeorgeBernard Shaw. Known as London’s ‘spy’hotel, The Royal Horseguards wastemporary headquarters for the SecretIntelligence Service during World War I, it is thrilling indeed to trail the roomswhere policy was formed and secrets made.

Owned by the Guoman group, who arewell-known for their top-class venues and hotels, The Royal Horseguards hasgone from strength to strength, winningthe AA London Hotel of the Year Award for 2010 – 2011, an accolade whichrecognises the highest of standards,regarding a stylish refurbishmentprogramme, heavy investment in stafftraining and development and excellent service throughout.

The hotel’s award-winning restaurant; One Twenty One Two, is named after theprevious headquarters of Scotland Yard,which sat next door to The RoyalHorseguards. The restaurant, holder of a coveted AA rosette, serves deliciouscuisine, carefully prepared and servedwith much finesse by the highly-trainedwaiting staff. The wine list is extensive,and well thought out; be sure to ask tosee the fantastic wine cellars when you visit.

Adjoining the fine-dining restaurant is a secluded terrace, which provides asecluded haven to enjoy al fresco dining, or simply a quiet drink. Away from thehustle and bustle of London life, theVictorian hotel's exterior provides astunning backdrop - perfect for watchingthe sun set over the London skyline.

The Royal Horseguards has recentlyopened its doors to The Equus Bar, an elegant bar and lounge createdspecifically with the modern gent in mind. Reminiscent of a gentleman’s club, the bar and lounge are styled withdeep crushed velvet reds, chain mail gold and period oil paintings to signify the hotel’s historic past. Eclectic fabricsin leather, chenille and rich weaves lend a ‘country house’ touch whileilluminated carved glass panels display cognacs and fine malts.

Archetypal British long-drinks dominate the menu – which was created in consultation with award-winning, television mixologist AndyPearson – with traditional punches andsignature masculine cocktails denotingthe hotel’s unique place in history. Theseinclude The Gladstone, The CavalryCocktail and The Churchill, named afterthe hotels famous regular, which deliversa combination of Bourbon, aromaticbitters and a tipple of homemade tobaccosyrup – a nod to the great man’spenchant for fine cigars.

A spot of afternoon tea in The Lounge is a delight; talented pastry chef Joanne Todd whips up a range ofquintessential concoctions which never fail to enchant, from Traditional Afternoon Tea, to the opulent Champagne Tea, as well as a range ofquirky themed ‘teas’ of her own devising, which change regularly. Bear witness to the Wimbledon Tea, with its whitechocolate truffle tennis balls, or theChildren’s Tea, which features analphabet of cakes that form ‘The RoyalHorseguards’.

With 281 bedrooms, including the Tower Suite, which boasts 270° views of the capital, and a multitude of greatevent rooms, The Royal Horseguardscaters for all; exemplary service isprovided consistently, whether staying as a guest, or just popping in for tea, you will always remember your time at this hallowed, historic hotel.

A LUXURY BREAK FOR TWO AT THE ROYAL HORSEGUARDSINCLUDING DINNER.

To enter, please answer thefollowing question: - What is the name of the restaurantat The Royal Horseguards? Please email your details tocompetitions@flavourmagazine.com

Terms & Conditions - Prize validuntil 31st March 2012. Prize basedon 2 people sharing a twin/doubleroom, including breakfast. Dinner isfrom the set menu and includes onebottle of house wine. Subject toavailability. Prize must be booked inadvance. Guoman reserves the rightto make changes to this promotionand other restrictions may applyfrom time to time.

The Royal Horseguards 2 Whitehall CourtLondonSW1A 2EJ

0871 376 9033www.guoman.com

(Embankment/Charing Cross station’sare only a 2 minute walk away)

the royal horseguards★★★★★

> flavour the royal horseguards

WIN!

Vale

ntine W

arn

erValentine cooks

a collection ofrecipes from hisnew book TheGood Table

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Serves 1

Ingredients70g white breadcrumbs,made from stale bread½ teaspoon flaked sea salt1 free-range eggA drop of whole milk1 good tablespoon plain flour2 veal escalopes (about 75g each),beaten to about 3mm thickness2 slices of Parma hamBlack pepper40g Taleggio cheese, rindremoved, cut into wafer-thin slices40g butter12 sage leaves

To serveLemon wedge(s)Steamed chard or spinach

VEAL WITHTALEGGIO & PARMAHAM

WATERCRESS &GRUYÈRE SOUFFLÉSoufflés are a fine thing yet oen associated with complications. ey are, however, easy to make but, havingsaid that, they behave as I do in a church service: aer the vicar has whispered ‘all stand’, I spring up, but aeronly seconds, my rigid posture more resembles a sulkingteenager. Get guests to the table quickly; a little neuroticfussing is acceptable.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients3 large bunches of watercressA few ice cubes80g butter, plus extra for greasing80g plain flour, plus extra for dusting600ml whole milk150g good Gruyère cheese,finely grated6 large free-range eggs, separatedFlaked sea salt and black pepperLightly dressed green salad, to serve (optional)

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/Gas 7.Butter the inside of a soufflé dish and dust with 1teaspoon of flour. Turn the flour around the dishand tip out the excess. Cut a strip of baking paperand tie it around the outside of the soufflé dishwith kitchen string, leaving 5cm rising above therim to make a paper collar.

2 Place the watercress on a board and trim offonly the truly tough stalks. Pick out any flora thatdon’t look like watercress and remove anyunwelcome fauna. Bring a saucepan of water tothe boil and fill a big bowl with cold water withsome ice cubes clicking about within. Drop thewatercress in the pan, and when the waterreturns to the boil, cook it for 30 seconds, thenimmediately lift it out and put it straight into theicy bath.

3When properly cooled, drain it thoroughly andgently wring out any remaining water with yourhands. Purée the watercress in a blender or in abowl with a stick blender. Leave it to one side.

4Melt the butter in a medium, nonstick saucepanand stir in the flour. Cook for a few seconds, thengradually add the milk, stirring constantly with awhisk to eradicate lumps. It will all clag upinitially, but persevere with the milk and all willloosen again by the time the milk is incorporated.Remove from the heat and add 65g of the gratedcheese. Stir well until melted, then add the eggyolks two at a time, whisking well between eachaddition. Stir in the cooled watercress purée andcheck the seasoning one last time.

5Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff.Fold roughly a quarter of the egg white into thecheese sauce to slacken the mixture. Tip thecontents of the pan back into the bowl with theremaining egg white and fold in gently. Pour themixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle withthe reserved cheese. Put on an oven tray andbake in the centre of the oven for 22–25 minutes,or until the soufflé is well risen and goldenbrown. It should be a little runny inside.Command your guests to sit down just before it is ready. A lightly dressed green salad goes verywell with it.

24

Method

1 Place the breadcrumbs on a plateand mix in the salt. In a bowl, beat theegg with the milk. Sift the flour on toanother plate. Arrange these in a row:flour, egg, crumbs.

2 Take the veal escalopes and lay apiece of Parma ham on each. Grind a little black pepper over one of them,then add two wafer-thin slices of thecheese, laid side-by-side and coveringthe ham. Lay over the other piece ofveal, Parma ham side-down, making a sandwich. Press down lightly so thateverything is stuck together.

3 Gently introduce both sides to thefloured plate (make sure the thin sidesare floured too, and gently pat off anyexcess). Next take it to the bowl withthe egg, dipping both sides, and finallyto the seasoned breadcrumbs. Makesure that the crumbing is all over and around.

4Melt the butter in a frying pan over amedium heat. When it’s foaming, lowerin the veal and fry for about 3 minuteson each side, or until the breadcrumbsare a rich gold. Add the sage leaveswhen you turn the veal, making surethey are not on top of each other. It’simportant to regulate the heat so thatthe cheese inside has a chance to meltand the veal cook, rather than just thecrumbs on the outside.

5 Serve with the crispy sage, the butterfrom the frying pan and a good wedgeof lemon. Steamed chard or spinachwould be the correct accompaniment.

Serves 2

Ingredients750g raspberries, plusextra for decorating200ml cold water3 heaped tablespoonscaster sugar, plus extraif necessaryA squeeze of lemon juice (optional)4 sheets of gelatine(about 8g)2 tablespoons crème de menthe (optional)Double cream, to serve(optional)

Method

1 Put the raspberries in a saucepan with the water and sugar.Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring tothe boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer briskly for 6-8 minutes, or until the raspberries are very soft, stirring occasionally.

2 Take the pan off the heat and pass the purée through a fine sieve into a large jug (do not push it through too hard, as grinding the pips will result in a cloudy jelly). Make theliquid up to 600ml with cold water. Sweeten with a touch more sugar, if necessary, and add a squeeze of lemon if youthink it needs sharpening just a little. Return to the saucepanand heat gently. It should not be boiling hot when you add the gelatine.

3 Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl half-filled with coldwater for 4 minutes until soft. Lift out with your fingers andsqueeze over the bowl to remove as much of the water aspossible. Whisk the gelatine into the warm raspberry mixtureuntil melted, then pour into a 600ml jelly mould or individualramekins. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge foraround 8 hours or until set.

4When ready to eat, slide a knife gently around the outside of each jelly, then dip the mould or moulds into a bowl of just-boiled water and hold for the count of five. Turn the jellyout on to a large plate, or individual plates, and decorate withextra raspberries. If it’s not too left field for you, pour over a little crème de menthe just before serving with cream.

Writing about jelly makes me think of my childhood, a happy action of which was spent throwing licked Chivers jelly cubes on to the ceiling,where they would stick fast. Oh happy days! No such luck with this recipe,I’m aaid, as it is made with esh uit. Mint and raspberries always go well together, even in this crème de menthe-splashed version, whichhas a slightly ghoulish colour combo.

FRESH RASPBERRY JELLY

The Good TableBy Valentine WarnerPublished byMitchell Beazley, £20

> flavour valentine warner

25

Makes 2 x 500g jars

Ingredients6 whole medium herrings,scaled, gutted, filleted andpin-boned3 tablespoons flaked sea salt

Marinade8 juniper berries2 teaspoons coriander seeds1 teaspoon caraway or dill seeds2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds10 black peppercorns500ml white wine vinegar200g caster sugar4 small bay leaves2 small carrots, peeled1 medium white onion,very finely sliced

To servecrusty rye breada little cold buttera scraping of hot horseradish

Method

1 To sterilise the jars, preheat the ovento 160°C fan/180ºC/Gas 4. Wash the jarsand lids really well and put them on abaking tray in the oven for 10 minutes.Put a clean cloth on the kitchen tableand lay out the fillets in close rows,skin-side down. Evenly scatter over the salt and leave them for 1½ hours.

2 To make the marinade, crush thejuniper berries and coriander seeds a little under a knife, as this will helpthem release their taste. Tip all thespices into a medium pan and warmthem over a low heat until their smellcomes to the nose. Do not burn them.Pour in the vinegar and sugar. Scrumplethe bay leaves to help them release theiraroma, and then add them to the pan.Continue to simmer gently to melt thesugar as you prepare the carrots. Slicethem as close to paper-thin as you canand add to the pot with the onion. Bringit all up to the boil, then reduce the heatand simmer gently for 5 minutes. Leaveto cool completely. If the liquid is appliedto the fish hot, they will cook rather than pickle.

3When their time is up, put the herringsin a colander and rinse well under coldwater. Pat the fillets dry with kitchenpaper. Cut each fillet in half at a diagonalangle. Sprinkle some of the marinadeinto the base of the two sterilised jarsand scatter with a few pieces of the fish.It’s nice if the silvery sides press againstthe glass, as this is what you will seewhen opening the fridge or when the jaris placed on the table. Add a little onionand carrot.

4 Continue layering the jars, fairlydividing the bay leaves between them,until the top of each jar is reached. Makesure that the pickling liquor completelycovers the fish and goes to just underthe brim of each jar. Cover tightly andchill in the fridge for at least two daysbefore serving. Eat them before and theywill not have had time to soften andmature; open a tin of pâté instead. Theywill store well in the fridge for 1 month,but should be eaten within a week onceopened. (This is why it is better to makethem in smaller jars rather than a singlebig one.)

5 Serve with good rye bread, cold butterand hot horseradish, making sure eachloaded morsel is quivering with theonion and carrot.

A silver tide of pickled herrings is shoaled up in my idge and, when there are none of my ownle, I will take a pot om a shop shelf, open it immediately and pay for the empty jar with the rest of my purchases. Odd moments have seen me crouching on a kitchen stool, chin back, whileattempting to gulp the fish down whole. I need them. I like my cure quite sweet in taste, so cutback on the sugar as you see fit.

PICKLED HERRINGS

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Prepare for the festive season and treatyourself to an indulgent day out at Taste of Christmas, where some of

the capital’s top restaurants and renownedfoodies will be on hand to educate and inspirewith an array of seasonal activity.

For festive inspiration, head to the AEG TasteTheatre, where some of the country’s bestchefs including Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Rachel Allen and Gary Rhodeswill be appearing. They’ll be rattling the pansin a series of live demonstrations to help youhone your holiday feast and prepare for theultimate season of extravagance.

A selection of the capital’s top restaurants will be serving up seasonal menus of dishesdesigned to inspire. Create your own menufrom some of the finest kitchens with thelikes of Benares, Roast and Rhodes W1 allvying for your affections. Taste of Christmasis the perfect place to give your taste

buds a treat and gain the inspiration you needto design your most exciting Christmas menu yet.

Here at flavour, we champion local andpremium ingredients, so the boutique marketis where you will find us! Try and buy from theartisan producers showcasing a world of foodand drink, and don’t forget to come and meetthe flavour team on stand 422. Whether youwant to sign up for a subscription or simplytell us what you think of the magazine, we’dlove to meet you, our readers!

If you need a break from shopping, be sure to drop into a wine, chocolate, beer or cheesetasting. Can’t tell your Chardonnay from your Chablis, or your Cheddar from yourCaerphilly? Some of the country’s top brands will be running a programme ofmasterclasses designed to help you choosethe best produce for your Christmas table or a cosy night in.

www.tasteofchristmas.com

Prepare for Christmas and indulge in food heaven at London’s mostextravagant Taste of Christmas to date!

Taste ofChristmas

27

> flavour taste of christmas

Serves six

Ingredients275–350g (10–12oz) readymadeshortcrust or puff pastry3 tablespoons blackberry orblackcurrant jam2 eggs100g (4oz) caster sugar100g (4oz) softened butter100g (4oz) ground almonds175g (6oz) blackberries

Method1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3.2 Roll out the pastry on a lightly flouredsurface into a circle large enough to line a23cm/9 inch non-stick tart tin (preferablyloose-bottomed).

Lift the pastry on to the rolling pin and placein the tart tin, easing the pastry into thebottom and corners of the tin and trimmingoff any excess overhanging pastry.3 Prick the base well with a fork. Spoon andspread the jam over the base, then refrigeratefor 20 minutes.4 In a food processor, blend together theeggs, sugar, butter and almonds until totallycombined. Spread the almond mix into thetart case and place the blackberries on top.5 Bake the tart for 40–45 minutes until goldenbrown and firm to the touch.

Tip• Eat warm or cold with pouring cream.• The tart can be dusted with icing sugarbefore serving.

blackberry and almond tart (pictured above)

Chef Gary Rhodes

Taste of Christmas tickets

As a media partner of Taste of Christmas,flavour have ten pairs of tickets to Taste of Christmas to give away...

To enter please email:competitions@flavourmagazine.com

with your name and address and quoteTaste of Christmas in the subject heading.

If you’re not lucky enough to win, wehave secured a special ticket offer:Buy two tickets for £26 - Saving £18

on the door price!

Visit www.tasteofchristmas.com

or call the ticket hotline on 0871 230 7132 and quote flavour.

VIP and other ticket types are alsoavailable from the website.

WIN!

Set in trendy Spital Square, Galvin Café a Vin is the sister restaurant of famed fine diningrestaurant La Chapelle, and sits adjacent to it on the busy plaza. To continue with the siblingrivalry, Café a Vin is not as grand or opulent (orindeed pricey) as its bigger brother, but insteadchooses a different tack: It combines the flawlessservice one might associate with eateries of thestarchy tableclothed Michelin starred variety, with classic no-nonsense French/ bistro fare –also drawing on Italian influences - that won’tincinerate the pockets of your pantaloons. It is for this reason that Café a Vin is the recipient ofthe coveted Bib Gourmand, Michelin’s award for restaurants that offer ‘good food at moderate prices’.

Head Chef David Stafford has worked closely withrenowned Chef Patron’s the brothers Galvin tocreate a fantastic, rustic, no nonsense menu thatoffers delightful dishes such as braised featherblade with Jerusalem artichoke alongside adelectable wild mushroom risotto.

The brasserie mixes natural and reclaimedmaterials in its décor, the main feature being a stunning pewter bar over 6 metres long,designed by Sir Terence Conran, which runsdown the centre of this snug and stylish venue.Café a Vin also features an undercover heatedrear garden area, perfect for al fresco dining, andoften guests will be treated to the delicate notesof resident pianist Paul Eldridge, who playsmellow jazz and various classics, as well as requests.

With this tiny haunt The Galvin brothers havetriumphed again, in what food critics are hailingas a real hidden gem: Get your tables booked atGalvin Café a Vin quick, they’ll be gold dust soon.

Galvin restaurants have teamed up with INEDIT, a beerdeveloped directly for gastronomy by Estrella Damm and thesommeliers at El Bulli. INEDIT is an alternative to wine forpairing with all dishes from the informal to more exquisite,sophisticated types of food. It complements food once thought tobe a challenge in terms of culinarypairings, including salads, vinegar-basedsauces, bitter notes such as asparagusand artichokes, fatty and oily fish, andcitrus.

Chris Galvin and David Stafford will beappearing at the Restaurant Show on 11thNovember at 11am on the Centre Stage at Earls Court 2together with the sommeliers from El Bulli to present a food andbeer pairing. Guests will be able to taste the food together withthe beer, and will learn about the beer and see the food beingcooked.

This promises to be an exciting spectacle; beer matching is atthe cutting edge of gastronomic development, and some of thefinest culinary minds in Europe have deployed much time andeffort in making INEDIT the groundbreaking beverage that it is.

Perfect partners

35 Spital Square, London E1 6DY0207 299 0404 www.galvinrestaurants.com

Gal

vin

Caf

ea

Vin

30

It’s easy to presume that naturalwines are the same as organicwines, but this only tells part of

the story. For a wine to be labelledas organic it needs to be made fromorganically-accredited fruit. Oncethe grapes are harvested though,the wine will often be subject to thesame processes as conventional,commercially-made wines. Naturalwines are made to a philosophy of‘nothing added, nothing taken away’throughout the entire winemakingprocess. That means no addedsugar, no synthetic yeast cultures,no artificial enzymes, noacidification, no added tannins andoften no added sulphur dioxide. Thelist of tricks and techniques goes on

and it may surprise you to learn that all of them are commonplace inwine production all over the world.

Natural wines are intended to be the most expressive representationsof the vineyards from which theycome, unadorned by the flavours of new oak barrels and produced by people with a genuinecommitment to the environment.Like with any category, there aregood, bad and indifferent wines tobe found – but those that havecaught the natural wine bug will tell you that the best examplesdisplay a clarity and purity that isdifficult to find elsewhere in today’s wine world.

Naturalness in wine may seem like acontradiction in terms – after all, theproduct can’t be created without theintervention of a wine-maker. Even so,over the past year the ‘natural’ winescene in London has well and trulytaken off (it is already big news inFrance and Japan), prompting heateddebate and spawning a burgeoningwine bar circuit that specialises inthese often idiosyncratic, but alwaysinteresting wines.

new wine finds

2008 VDP CÔTESCATALANES BLANC;DOMAINE MATASSA

Perhaps more so than thereds, ‘natural’ white winescan sometimes be anacquired taste. The bestexamples are not one-dimensional fruit-drivenwines, but a marriage ofsavoury, nutty charactersand bracing mineralfreshness. This stunningGrenache Gris fromRoussillon in SouthernFrance bursts with citrusfruit and a smoky complexitythat is as satisfying as it isintriguing. This is a white thatworks beautifully with food,particularly Mediterraneanfish dishes like grilledsardines where the oilinessmatches perfectly with thecrisp acidity of the wine.

Available at:www.robersonwine.com and on the wine list at Terroirs (WC2) andBrawn (E2).

2001 VDP COTEAUX DU MURVIEL ‘OUEST’; MAS COUTELOU

One criticism often levelledat ‘natural’ wines is that they are designed to beconsumed immediately and don’t improve with age.One taste of Mas Coutelou’s‘Ouest’ (a Merlot, CabernetSauvignon and Syrah blend)is enough to dispel that myth. While it still shows the vibrant blackcurrantcharacter of its youth, thereis layer after layer ofcomplexity here, with leather, hickory, liquoriceand biltong notes. All of theMas Coutelou wines are wellworth seeking out, but thisdecade-old beauty isunbeatable with any heartyred meat dish.

Available at:www.robersonwine.comand on the wine list at 1 Lombard Street (EC4) and the Fulham Wine Rooms (SW6).

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Mark Andrew is the Senior Wine Buyer at Kensington- based merchant Roberson Wine. In addition to their award-winning shop on London’sKensington High Street,Roberson supply wine to many of the UK’s top restaurants.

When Mark is not travellingEurope seeking out interestingnew wines, he runs Roberson’swine school and fine winetastings, judges at numerouswine competitions (including the Decanter Magazine WorldWine Awards) and is currentlystudying towards the Master of Wine qualification.

Mark Andrew

> flavour mark andrew

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Adam Byatt's Trinity is situated in ClaphamOld Town at the North-Eastern tip of thecommon. Established in November 2006, the restaurant is renowned for its use of top quality, well-sourced, seasonal Britishingredients cooked to perfection. Having beennamed both AA London Restaurant of theYear and Time Out's Best Local Restaurant in2007/08 Trinity has a reputation to maintain.

The décor is sparse and muted; shades ofstone, white and natural wood. An openkitchen looks onto the chef's table, whilewindows the length of the restaurant foldback for al fresco dining on the few occasionsthat the vagaries of the British summer willallow. For those who wish to try to reproducesome of Byatt's dishes, a stack of his firstbook How To Eat In sits at reception.

The menu is plain; positively sparse, even.Rather than ‘pan fried’ this, ‘drizzled’ that andthe other ‘on a bed of’, it simply lists the mainingredients of each dish and questions aboutthe details of how each plate is cooked areleft to the attentive waiting staff to answer.

The food is at complete contrast to the pared-down menu – rich dishes bursting withdeep flavours, textures and qualityingredients – and is presented beautifully,arranged perfectly and each plate is a picture.

Stand out dishes were the ‘pig's trotters’,served with sourdough, gribiche andcrackling; tender, flavoursome and sticky…Delicious. A much lighter starter was the‘mussel and oyster, cucumber and dill’; fried

oysters accompanied by a mussel foam(which was lovely), pickled cucumber and adill vinaigrette. The bread and butter werehomemade – the rolls salty and buttery, the butter a fluffy white cloud, ultra soft and creamy.

The grouse served on pommes mousseline,was rich, well-flavoured (but not too gamey)and wonderfully tender. Similarly good wasthe tender rabbit, wrapped in lardo diColonnata, and served with girolles andartichokes. Just because we had to, we hadsome of Trinity's signature thrice-cookedchips with bone marrow with our maincourses.

For pudding cherry soufflé was well-risen and gooey in the middle, its sweetnessbalanced by the tart fruit it was sitting onand was fantastically well-cooked.

The wine list is extensive with a strongshowing from France, but rather than restrict ourselves, we put the wine choice inthe hands of the sommelier and were veryhappy to have done so. The wine that camewith each course was well chosen,complementing or contrasting well with each dish.

We were very impressed with Trinity. Thecooking was excellent, portions are generousand the service attentive, with staff that havea real passion for food and their industry. We would be delighted to return, and thinkthat the restaurant excels as a destinationboth for couples and groups of friends.

4 The PolygonClapham Old TownLondon SW4 0JG

0207 622 1199www.trinityrestaurant.co.uk

> flavour trinity restaurant

Visiting one of London’s most spoken-about gems, Helen Best-Shaw found that simplicity and care are the perfectblend for a memorable meal

T H E C O O K I N G WA S E X C E L L E N T, P O R T I O N S A R E G E N E R O U S A N D T H E S E RV I C E AT T E N T I V E , W I T H S TA F F T H AT H AV E A R E A L PA S S I O N F O R

F O O D A N D T H E I R I N D U S T R Y.

CITY EsCaPEs

The Forbury Hotel, 26 The Forbury, Reading, Berkshire RG1 3EJ • 01189 527 770 • reception@theforburyhotel.co.uk • www.theforburyhotel.co.uk

S imply put, The Forbury inReading, Berkshire, offers one ofthe most opulent and desirable

experiences you will ever have. Thisstunning hotel has had every attentionto detail thought about in its decoration,from the lavish fabrics and wallpapers,to the 86,000 Italian glass beads in thechandelier running the length of thebuilding in the old lift shaft - you are left breathless at every corner.

The 23 rooms and suites arranged overfour floors, blend design, art, lightingand sound to create a space thatdoesn't just look right, it feels right - this atmosphere permeates the hotel,and nowhere more so than theForbury’s acclaimed restaurant, Cerise.

Whilst you relax ordering cocktails andfood, you will notice the superb music,lighting and people all contributing tothe atmosphere. Cerise accommodatesrelaxed and informal dining and hastwo private alcoves, perfect for thatromantic tête-à-tête or private party.

The produce at Cerise is sourced fromall over the UK, from the OuterHebrides to Brixham. Interestingly,

the majority of their hand-pickedsuppliers come from within a 40-mileradius of Reading.

The staff are knowledgeable, educated,informed, and really a part of theperformance. Dine until the late hours.Get deep over coffee. Enjoy a swift, lightlunch. Sip cocktails. If you want it, you will have it. The Forbury stays withyou, always.

The forbury

flavour is proud to offer a reader-exclusive romantic getaway at the Forbury at the special price of only £325 for two nights (normally £225 for one night).

Enjoy a luxurious night away with that special someone. The Forbury is just 25 minutes from London and is the perfectplace to relax and get away fromthe everyday stresses of life. Their romance experience is ideal for any anniversary or special occasion.

The romance experience includes:• Overnight accommodation in one of the sumptuous bedrooms

• Bottle of chilled champagne in the room on arrival• A box of Hotel Chocolat luxury chocolates• 3-course seasonal dinner in the Cerise restaurant on the first night

• A complimentary late checkout till 12pm• Full English breakfast every morning

All for under £162.50 per night!

Please quote flavour offer FOR25

LET fLavourBEYour CuPID!

EXCLUSIVEREADEROFFER

Talland Bay Hotel, Porthallow, Near Looe. Cornwall PL13 2JB 01503 272667 www.tallandbayhotel.co.uk

Near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6NS • 01386 593 555 • www.classiclodges.co.uk/charingworthmanor

Charingworth Manor is an idyllic and luxurious14th-century Cotswold manor set in a 55-acreestate just east of one of the Cotswold’s most

attractive villages, Chipping Campden. With heavyoak beams, a wealth of antique furniture andtapestries and roaring log fires in winter, it’s theperfect retreat whatever the time of year.

Each of the bedrooms has its own unique style offurnishing and decor so there is always somethingnew to experience! The hotel’s health and leisurefacilities include a heated Romanesque swimmingpool, gym, sauna and steam room as well as tennisand that quintessentially English game, croquet.

The hotel is well-known for fine dining and the cosy John Greville Restaurant has been awarded two rosettes by the AA. The chefs make full use of locally grown and reared produce and the restaurant is open every day including Sundays when the lunch menu includes a mouth-watering choice of traditional roasts.

The hotel is surrounded by a traditional Cotswold garden complete with lavender walk, decorative stonework and panoramic views over five counties. When the weather allows, cream teas or drinks can be enjoyed on The Terrace.

Charingworth Manor

The Talland Bay Hotel in Porthallow, Cornwallhas undergone a major transformation in thepast two years. It now boasts 20 well

appointed bedrooms, all of which are individuallydesigned to the highest standard. Talland Bay isset 150 feet above sea level in a quiet, rurallocation on the coast midway between the bustlinglittle seafaring towns of Looe and Polperro.

If it’s your first time at Talland Bay, you’ll knowyou’re somewhere special as soon as you arrive.There’s a sense of peace here that makes it easy to forget about the ‘real world’. At the heart of the hotel, the interior decor and unique collectionof art throughout provides an aura ofcontemporary elegance.

Only the best quality locally-sourced produce isused and the Head Chef has been awarded two AA rosettes for culinary excellence. You canenjoy a candlelit dinner of fine dining in theTerrace Restaurant or maybe a more relaxed,lighter meal in the Brasserie, which servesthe best fish and chips you’re likely to find anywhere.

Talland Bay runs special offers betweenOctober and March, excluding Christmasand New Year. Stay 2 nights and receiveyour third night half price, or stay 3 nightsand receive your fourth or last nightcomplementary. Your half price and free nightsare based on a bed and breakfast basis.

Talland Bay Hotel

23 High Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1LH • 0844 879 9101 • www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/Windsor

Set behind an attractiveGeorgian façade,Macdonald Hotel Windsor

occupies a superb positionopposite the famous Guildhalland within two minutes’ walk ofthe Castle. It’s also perfectlyplaced for some wonderful retailtherapy as you browse the town’samazing array of designerfashion outlets.

The elegant hotel featuresstunning interiors by designerAmanda Rosa, with a subtlepalette of colours for calmness to create a naturally comfortablevenue for the perfect escape.Many of the 120 richly-furnishedbedrooms and suites have superb views over historicWindsor and the Castle; somealso have a private veranda or outdoor space. Doublebedrooms are priced from just£135 per night for a Classic room.

Caleys Lounge is Windsor’scoolest place to meet, eat anddrink and features informal yet stunning decor and moodlighting. Grills from the Josper charcoal broiler are aspeciality – a culinary traditionbeginning over 40 years ago in Spain where dishes include 21-day aged Scottish ribeyesteak, Highland lamb chops anda whole lemon sole. Also on offer are unique sharing boards;choose from a cured meatselection, smoked fish, Britishcheeses or a variety of dips.

Caleys two-course lunch/dinnermenu is priced from just £15 per person or indulge inthree courses for £20, while a two-course Sunday lunch costsfrom £18 including the option of a traditional roast joint with crispy roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Macdonald Hotel

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Bath, Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 8AZ

01225 742 777 • www.lucknampark.co.uk

Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa is a magnificentPalladian mansion set within a beautifulprivate estate of 500 acres, just six miles from

the historic city of Bath. A majestic five-star luxuryhotel, with a fabulous one Michelin star restaurant,Lucknam Park delivers both elegant sophisticationand the warm comfort of an English country house.

The hotel’s 42 bedrooms are all individually designed,including 13 impressive suites. The award-winningSpa offers extensive facilities including ninetreatment rooms and five thermal cabins. Theadjoining Brasserie is perfect for al fresco and all-daydining. For the more energetic, explore the 500 acreson horseback or alternatively on one of their bicycles!

Available from October 1, is the new WinterIndulgence break, fully inclusive of Champagne and

handmade chocolates in your room on arrival, athree-course dinner in the Michelin star restaurant,The Park, on one evening and an a la carte dinner fortwo in The Brasserie, on the other. Enjoy a deliciousWiltshire cream tea for two on one day, served in thedrawing room, luxury accommodation, full Englishbreakfast daily and full use of all Spa facilities. Thisoffer is available for arrival on Friday and Saturdays,based on a minimum two-night stay and valid untilMarch 31. From £425 per room per night based ontwo adults sharing.

Lucknam Park

Priory Lodge, Weston Road, Bath BA1 2XT • 01225 331922 • www.thebathpriory.co.uk

Bath PrioryIf a city break is on your agenda this autumn /

winter, look no further than the sumptuous BathPriory:

A sublime luxury hotel a short stroll from the heart of the Georgian city of Bath yet hidden in four acres of gardens, Bath Priory evokes a serene countryhouse ambience.

After a day exploring the eclectic boutique shops ofBath and discovering the city’s many art galleries and museums, return to relax by the fireside with awarming mulled cider. The Garden Spa is the perfectplace to unwind; indulge in a pampering hot stone

treatment and relax in the warm blue waters of the pool.

Dining at the Bath Priory is a memorable experience; under the direction of Executive HeadChef, Michael Caines MBE, the young andexceptionally talented Sam Moody leads the team.Racking up awards this year for their sublimecuisine, this is modern cooking at its very best using local and homegrown produce. The light filleddining room overlooks the gardens by day and isatmospheric and intimate by night. With great foodand a wine list that really stands out, dinner at theBath Priory is not to be missed.

What could be more romantic than arrivingat your destination to discover you are in the magnificent surroundings of an English Tudor Castle? Your three-course candle lit dinner will be served in one of our intimate dining rooms, followed by coffee and petit-fours. The followingmorning, awake to The Baron’s Breakfast served in your bedchamber - smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on granary toast finished with caviar.

This offer comprises of:~ A deluxe bedchamber~ A bottle of house Champagne~ A single rose on your pillow~ A gift bag of truffles

All in your bedchamber awaiting your arrival.£475.00 per night.

An Evening of Romance atan English Tudor Castle

Brockington Hall, Herefordshire~ Sleeps 30 guestsSituated within the Herefordshire countrysideand adjacent to a nine-hole golf course andquaint country pub, the house is equipped witha games room, large conservatory for diningand grounds ideal for retreats and family get-togethers.

The old vicarage, south Devon ~ Sleeps 40 guestsNestled within the quaint village of Malboroughnear Salcombe, this gothic vicarage has lovelylocal pubs within walking distance and greatsightseeing available nearby, but you can alsoenjoy total tranquility or entertain guests withinthis large property and garden.

The Hope Cove, south Devon ~ Sleeps 40 guestsOverlooking Hope Cove and Bigbury Bay, theviews across the coast are stunning. Gaze outof the panoramic windows in the open-planlounge or sip bubbly in the sunken hot tub onthe decking. Whatever you choose, this house is great for parties.

La Cala Beach apartment ~ Sleeps 6 guests (pictured above)

This well-situated ground floor apartment is right on the beach (just the other side of the hedge!) and has beach bars, restaurants and amenities all within a short stroll of the property. Good transport links into the bustling towns of La Cala, Marbella andMalaga with action-packed night life, or you can enjoy a relaxing vacation with use of the communal pool and private sun terrace.

www.classiccountryhouses.com • info@classiccountryhouses.com • 07809 516858

Book nOw and stay a third night frEEavailable october - March 2012* Not including Christmas or New Year’s breaks

ExclusivEOffEr

Telamara - Motor Yacht ~ Sleeps 14 guestsOur beautiful vessel is an ex-rock stars partyyacht and can sleep upto 14 guests. On thequayside in the vibrant town of Marmaris,Turkey you can enjoy static charter weekends,through to full week-long charters of thebeautiful Aegean coastline.

FLAVOUR

Enjoy a 10-day vacation and pay for just 7 nights! ~ oct 2011 - June 2012

ExclusivEOffErFLAVOUR

he Classic Country Houses collection has exclusive use properties

available across the uK and Europe to suit all party sizes and

budgets. available for one-day events through to long-stay holidays, these

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T

Classic Country Houses

Quote: Lacala-flavour or Telamara-flavour when booking to use this offer

Quote: Oldvic-flavour, Brockington-flavour, Hopecove-flavour when booking to use this offer

40

3THE POWER OFThis month Nick Harman

41

Sister to Charlotte’s Place in Ealing, this lovely bistro is located in an area where well-known actors and actresses can be regularly seen strolling the pavements. Life is good in Turnham Green, so called because the rest of us turn green with envy when visiting.

The bistro is popular and chef Wesley Smalley has a modern British menu that offers inventive, tasty dishes at prices surprisingly modest considering the average local income. The bar at the front of house offers tapas-style snacks, drinks and coffee with a good view of people passing, while up back in a raised section well lit by an enormous skylight is the place where the dining gets done.

‘We use wild grouse shot on a private estate in Yorkshire,’ Wesley tells me before service starts. ‘I ask my butcher, Macken Bros, to hang them for at least 5 days to a week before we start to serve them in the restaurant.’ Sounds good, but before the we meet the bird we take a piggy detour: a Kromeski of middle white pork is excellent, Kromeski being the practice of wrapping the minced or chopped meat in caul fat and then deep frying. Served with sweet corn, coriander and lime it was nowhere near as heavy as it might sound.

Ah, the bird lands next. Wesley shows what it looks like whole before shooing it back to the kitchen to be sliced. A bit of breast and a leg are just the right amount, and the meat was perfectly cooked with just a hint of crispness on the skin. What really stood out was the flavour infused into the meat from the stuffing, a mixture of parsley, sage, thyme and lavender, a blend that was sublimely floral and delicate.

Some roast potatoes and apple and quince jelly made a welcome change from game chips and the lusciously sweet red cabbage was the icing on the cake for this bird fancier. The whole dish was a modern take on grouse, taking it out of the world of Downton Abbey and up to another level. If you’ve never had grouse before, this is where you should put that tentative toe into the water.

6 Turnham Green TerraceLondon W4 1QP

0208 567 7541www.charlottes.co.uk

If you’re looking for true tradition in London then Boisdale’s of Belgravia is the place to go, even if it’s more Scottish than English. Created by jazz-loving Ranuld Macdonald (no, not that one) the exterior is an eye-numbing pillar box red while inside it’s a massive tartan explosion.

The emphasis is very much on the sort of nourishment one imagines Prince Philip enjoys; a no nonsense Franco-British menu. It’s a nod back to the days when aristocrats viewed food as just something to kill time when not killing the wildlife. That’s why grouse is very much on Boisdale menu at this time of year.

Their take is the classic one: roast grouse on crouton, game chips, watercress, bread sauce and game jus, accompanied by a glass of Château Rahoul 2005 and all for £35 until the end of October. The clientele when we went at lunchtime all looked if not rich, then well-born.

And they know how to deal with their grouse. They had their napkins in their collars and were happily pulling apart the birds with their fingers. The sweetest meat is always near the bone and you simply don’t get to it with a knife and fork. The ‘ting’ of the odd bit of denture-threatening shot being ejected onto plates was the only soundtrack as we ate our beautifully pink grouse and splashed around in our excellent game sauce.

The wine was a perfect choice with the bird and the service delightfully old-school. Boisdale also has a magnificent whisky bar for afters and a cigar bar too, so that, weather permitting, you can end your meal in a way that makes you happily raise your glass to the good old grouse whose season is all too short.

Boisdale of Belgravia15 Eccleston StreetBelgravia SW1W 9LX

0207 730 6922www.boisdale.co.uk/belgravia

(Grouse menu also available at Boisdale of Bishopsgate and Boisdale of Canary Wharf)

Canary Wharf is like another London. Emerging from the tube station you’re dwarfed by the glass towers shooting up into the sky, each reflecting fluffy clouds and jet airplanes busily making their way across the ether.

It’s a brave new world of people perched 15 floors up shifting money around furiously and getting paid handsomely to do so. A world where you would think shaved Parmesan and micro basil leaves would be what everyone wanted to eat, but no.

At Plateau grouse is firmly on the menu because, as Head Chef Allan Pickett says, it’s very much what his customers like to eat. ‘Demand is so great we started off only just managing to get birds hung long enough for the flavour to develop,’ he says from his open kitchen in the middle of the room. ‘As the season develops, we’ll be having some very ripe birds indeed for those customers who demand it and many do.’

The dish is fairly traditional at Plateau - on a heart-shaped crouton the grouse’s innards are served as a rich pâté. The game chips are present and correct as is the watercress, but Alan uses Hendricks gin to make the jus, with added juniper berries to fortify it further. The result is a gravy that adds something extra to an already great grouse and at £28.50 it’s a good price and so selling well.

‘It may even come down in price,’ says Alan. ‘Grouse are not expensive this year and I love the fact we have this seasonal bounty. I like to be seasonal, nothing is frozen or out of season if I can help it.’

Eating grouse in Plateau gives you a grouse-eye view of the world, it’s only four floors up but Canary Wharf, stretches away and the view is particularly good at night with the lights resembling a mini-Manhattan.

4th Floor ,16-19 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5ER

020 7715 7100www.plateau-restaurant.co.uk

(Pictured left-hand page)

Plateau

Charlotte’s Bistro Boisdales

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Mitch Tonks runs RockFish Grill & Seafood Market in Clifton, Bristol. He is an award-winning chef, restaurateur and food writer and has two other seafood restaurants in Dartmouth.

A wonderful flat fish from the seas of the South Coast, the plaice is in season right now. This has to be one of the simplest fish to recognise and tell if it’s fresh, as it has distinctive bright orange spots marking its grey skin – the brighter the orange the fresher the fish. The second thing to look at for freshness is the flesh, which should be snowy white… Pretty simple stuff. They stand out on the fish counter as if announcing their freshness and there is no hiding if they are not fresh from the sea, although beware of plaice that is already filleted and skinned on the counter, much harder to tell how fresh it is.

This is a fish that is a winner with most people and versatile in the kitchen. Strangely, it’s rather overlooked in many of the smarter restaurants and more usually found battered in the chip shop, but on the plus side it’s a relatively inexpensive fish to buy in this country. When in season you will find that they are lovely and fat and perfect for crisping up in batter and serving with chips. Whenever we put them on the specials menu at RockFish with chips they sell out fast. Thinner fish are delicate and somehow more refined and will poach beautifully to soak up flavours like cider and thyme (like the recipe here), simple to cook and serve or pan fry with the skin on. As the skin is relatively smooth with no prickles it cooks to a beautiful crisp in the frying pan, under the grill or baked in a hot oven.

Plaice is fabulous baked or grilled. To bake, heat your oven to max, smooth a little soft butter over the back of the fish and bake for 10-12 minutes. You can if you wish make a few slashes across the back of the fish and fill with some sprigs of thyme.

To grill the fish, a little olive oil or butter can be smoothed over the back and placed under a hot grill until the skin bubbles and crisps (within two-three minutes). Finish the fish in a really hot oven for six-seven minutes. This way you’ll ensure you get a wonderful, moist cooking. ■

With sustainable fishing top on the agenda, each month regular flavour columnist and seafood specialist Mitch Tonks cooks up a storm with his seasonal fish of choice...

POACHED PLAICE WITH CIDER AND ONIONS

Serves 2

Ingredients25g butterA glug of olive oil1 large onion, thinly sliced2 cloves of garlic, crushed500ml good quality dry cider2 bay leaves2 sprigs of fresh thyme2 x 150g plaice filletsA small handful of fresh parsley, finely choppedSalt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method1 Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan and add the olive oil. Add the onions and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes so that they gently brown and melt but do not fry. Add the garlic, cider, bay leaves and thyme and simmer for 5-6 minutes.

2 Lift the fish fillets out and place them on a serving plate. Add the parsley to the pan, turn the heat up and reduce the liquid by a third. Season to taste.

3 Place a pile of onions on top of each piece of fish and spoon the remaining juices around. Alternatively, put the fish back into the pan and take the whole thing to the table.

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> flavour mitch tonks

© Mitch Tonks. RockFish Grill & Seafood MarketFishmonger, food writer, restaurateur www.rockfishgrill.co.uk www.mitchtonks.co.uk www.twitter.com/rockfishgrill Recipe taken from The Aga Seafood Cookbook by Mitch Tonks published by Absolute Press. Photo credit Pete Cassidy

My very first slider moment came in the beautifulwine country of Sonoma, California, at CharliePalmer's Dry Creek Kitchen, in Healdsburg. Three

perfectly-formed baby burgers presented as a bar snack; adecadent, joyous, holy union of Wagyu beef and foie gras. Iwas instantly seduced.

The original "slider" is credited to White Castle in Wichita,Kansas, an attempt by founder Walter Anderson toproduce a burger that rose above the unclean andsometimes horrific practices of the meat packing industryin 1921.

The burgers cost five cents and were cooked in a specificway; thin beef patties cooked over a moist bed of onions,the steam from the onions cooking the burger completely,with no need for flipping. Served in pairs or trios due totheir small size, the slider emerged blinking into thedaylight.

Now the term slider is also applied across the USA for anymini hamburger and encroaches on the menus of theswankiest restaurants.

London has several incarnations now:

• CUT, in the Dorchester Collection, announces the arrivalof Wolfgang Puck in London, with London's fanciestslider. Kobe beef patty, brioche bun, slathered inOgleshield cheese. A luxurious, wanton temptress of a slider.

• Redhook have re-launched their new menu with a surf'n' turf slider, a hunk of lobster making friends with awell-seasoned bit of beef.

• Spuntino have led the recent charge with their beef andbone marrow offering, alongside twists on the originallike spiced mackerel and salt beef.

• Giant Robot have proudly had their meatball sliders in Clerkenwell for some time, and just up the roadMeatballs have just launched an entire restaurantconcept around the slider.

So the slider is strutting around town like it owns theplace, looking cute, smiling sweetly and seducing us withits charms. Where to next for this cutesy little burger? It'sjust settling into its new home, stretching its legs, gettingcomfortable. It'll be here for a while. As for the Wagyu andfoie? The memory remains as the best bar snack I've evereaten.

tried a slider?

The slider is taking over the London bar snack scene. Everywhereyou turn there's a beef patty sandwiched between a cute brioche bun,skewered ceremoniously with a wooden stick. Call it a small hamburger if you must, but purists rage with incandescence if youcall their "mini hamburger" a slider or vice versa.

Gusbourne EstateBlanc de Blancs

Gusbourne Estate are taking the British wine trade by storm,having produced this charming100 per cent sparkler fromChardonnay grapes grown inKent. Don't dare tell them it'salmost as fine as Champagne,as us Brits got there first. Theneck foil reminds us that this ismade by the "Method Anglaise",a reference to the fact thatChristopher Merret created a sparkling wine through asecondary fermentation inbottle, way before monks inChampagne started playingaround with the stuff. This finewine combines green apple anda blast of lemon freshness onthe nose, with red apple and afine mineral backbone on thepalate. Served at the Fat Duckdon’t cha know?

www.gusbourne.comwww.armit.co.uk

Cut

Wolfgang Puck has landed in London at The Dorchester Collection, 45 Park Lane.Lauded for his stateside eponymousrestaurants and SPAGO - his latest ventureis a meat-heavy offering, where Wagyu and Kobe beef are served in swankysurroundings. We reckon the bar is a beauty,and the cocktails are serious. CrouchingTiger wowed us; Jasmine green tea infused Belvedere vodka and lemon juice.Take a date and watch them swoon.

www.45parklane.com

Meatballs

Arise the Slider. The Slider infiltrationacross London gathers pace with a largechunk of the menu at this new openingdedicated to these cutesy little burgers. In one of the most atmospheric diningrooms in London, site of the old QualityChop House, which dates back to the1870s, the meatball is put on an altar andworshipped. Choose between beef andricotta; greek lamb; pork; chicken; or avegetarian courgette ball. Choose to havethem on their own, or encased snugly inmini semi-brioche buns from the nearbyNadell Patisserie.

www.meatballs.co.uk

A food writer and wineconsultant, Zeren Wilson will leave no stone unturnedin his quest to find the hiddengems of London’s food sceneand bring it to you on a plate. Check out Zeren’srestaurant review site for ataste of what he has to offer:www.bittenandwritten.com

Onthe

www.bittenandwritten.com

Follow Zeren on Twitter:@bittenwritten

45

THE CHANCERY

The Chancery is tucked behind ChanceryLane, a short hop from legal land and thebeautiful oasis that is Lincoln's Inn Fields.Owner Zak Jones has installed dynamicyoung talent Stephen Englefield in thekitchen, and a sparkling new tasting menuhas just been launched.

Englefield’s duo of tuna sees ponzu jelly,tobiko caviar, wasabi and mango sorbetplaying together to incendiary effect. Theseared foie gras with butternut squash jelly,gingerbread and pomegranate has got us ina lather here too. A restaurant to watch.

www.thechancery.co.uk

Grapevine...

46

When it comes to the oilthat you use in almostevery facet of foodpreparation, from fryingto roasting to drizzlingover a delicious salad, thequality of your oil reallydoes matter. Olivado oilsare representative of thehealthiest, most deliciousand versatile oils on themarket today. All the oilsare extra virgin andproduced to exactingstandards. The sheervariety of flavours andtypes of oil in their rangemeans that Olivado havesomething to cater forevery discerning palate,having single-handedlypioneered the process ofextracting extra virgin oilfrom the avocado.

Gary Hannam, CEO of Olivado andformer movie mogul – heproduced ‘The World’s Fastest

Indian’ starring Anthony Hopkins – has recently expanded this latest,most fruitful New Zealand-basedventure to the lush central highlands ofKenya, in order to sate growinginternational demand for Olivado’ssignature product, Extra Virgin AvocadoOil. The Olivado Fair Trade Organicprogramme in Kenya now giveseconomic and social stability to 10,000people. Its key is focusing on rewardingindividual effort.

Similar to Extra Virgin Olive Oil in manyways, Extra Virgin Avocado Oil has acreamy taste and velvety texturecompared to the bitterness of its sisteroil. As well as their lovely avocado oil,Olivado range includes Macadamia NutOil and DOP and Organic Extra VirginOlive Oils, which combine taste andhealth, being very high in healthfulpolyphenols.

If you haven't tried avocado oil, youshould. It is similar to olive oil, but notbitter in taste and it has many excellentculinary and health benefits.

For this recipe, and more visitwww.olivado.com and you canalso buy on-line. The Fair Trade Organic Extra VirginAvocado Oil is available in Waitrose.

For a simple, healthy meal, dice aselection of autumn veg and roastin avocado oil. Add cooked puylentils, and crumble feta cheeseinto the mixture. Drizzle withavocado oil, dress with tarragonleaves and serve warm.

olivado

Whole Foods Market is the leadingnatural and organic supermarket inthe UK and has an unrivalled

commitment to sourcing British produce aslocally as possible. Now is the time of year ourthoughts start turning to Christmas and howwe’re going to help you plan the mostimportant meal of the year.

Your Christmas meal needs a centrepiece andthere is none better than a prime, Britishturkey. Whole Foods Market sources the bestturkeys it can find from Bramble Farm inSurrey among other British suppliers. BrambleFarm turkeys are slow growing and as a resultproduce finer meat. “The slower the growingprocess, the finer the grain – the turkey tastesbetter and carves beautifully,” Says Derek Joy,farmer at Bramble.

“The turkeys are free-range and eat stingingnettles and brambles straight out of theground, which is great exercise for them.Bramble Farm also does not slaughter anybirds under 25-weeks-old to ensure that themeat has had plenty of time to mature.”

• All Bramble Farm turkeys arereared from day-old chicksand grown slowly andnaturally for optimum flavour.They are available from 4kg to10+kg in 1kg increments. Pre-order or pick up from the store at£8.99 per kg.

• Bramble Farm brined and boneless turkeybreast – Quality Bramble Farm turkey brined,boned and ready for cooking. £12.99 per kg.

A GREAT TIP ONCOOKING YOURTURKEY... For a juicy, flavoursome turkey getbrining. Here’s how:

Mix four heaped tablespoons each of sugar and salt to four litres ofwater, making enough solution tosubmerge your bird in a bowl. Leavein a cool place for eight hours or,ideally overnight. When it’s time toroast, pour off the brine, rinse theturkey and pat dry. Season, bastewith butter and cook.

If you can’t wait until Christmas here are some other delicious Britishfoods to look out for during theautumn at Whole Foods Market:

ENGLISH APPLES AND PEARSKent’s Mole End Farm.This organic fruit farm produces some of the best produce you’ll taste this year.

GARLICColin Boswell - Isle of Wight

Garlic CompanyColin’s passion for garlicbegan in his mother’s Isle of Wight kitchengarden more than 30years ago. Realisingtheir Arreton Valley

home sat on a rich soilperfect for producing quality

garlic, Colin began ploughing andfertilising his land to create a farmbusiness that now harvests some ofthe best garlic in the world.

RASPBERRIESJohn Chinn - Cobrey Farm -HerefordshireThe Chinn family grow fantasticraspberries in a Herefordshiremicroclimate that traps the sunshinefrom early spring. By the autumn theraspberries are ready for picking andarrive fresh with us here at Whole Foods Market.

Looking ahead to the feast of the year – Christmas planning 2011

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WIN! TWO £50 WHOLE FOODS MARKET VOUCHERS Whole Foods Market are offering two lucky flavour readers the chance to win a £50voucher to help with Christmas preparations. To enter please answer the question below:Q. Which farm does Whole Foods Market source its British turkeys from?

Please send your answer and details, via email to: alex.tunney@wholefoods.com

OR...

whole foods market

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With the latestMichelin Guide due to be launched onOctober 6, flavour’sLouis Labron-Johnsontakes a look at thisinfamous and reveredaward system…

i t might seem odd for global gastronomicgourmets to be in thrall to a tyre company, but the evolution of Michelin is rich and indeed

fascinating. Founded in 1889 by the brothersEdouard and Andre Michelin, their innovations in the motoring industry - which included both the first removable tyres and first pneumatic (air-filled) tyres - soon propelled them ahead oftheir competitors.

In 1900 a small, practical guide was givencomplimentary to customers of the firm, aiming to make travelling easier by listing petrol stations,repair pits and hotels around France. Originally theemphasis was placed on motoring and mechanics,rather than food and board, but over time roadsand petrol stations became more numerous andbetter connected, and the section on hotels andrestaurants became ever more popular, eventuallybecoming the raison d’etre of the publication.

The Michelin brothers were aware that themediocrity of many of the country’s hotels and innswas an impediment to the development of tourism,thus the guides did not only list the places one

could sleep and sup, but gave unambiguousassessments of the quality of service in relation toprice, overall honesty, and the frequency in whichthey encountered bedbugs and cockroaches!These ‘reviews’ were then forwarded to thepatrons of hotels, who were left in no uncertainterms as to their obligations to their guests. In 1926 the appraisals were further modified to include a rating system that has since become legendary.

Probably the most coveted asterisk in history, theMichelin star has been sought after and foughtover since its inception in the tyre manufacturer’sguidebook to good French eating. Today the starrating system is recognised worldwide, andfocuses on the excellence of culinary technique,consistency of flavour, and overall quality of thefood, rather than décor, surroundings or theservice provided. The system is uncomplicated, yet the stars are used very sparingly; out of thethousands of restaurants reviewed by Michelin’sundercover food tasting team, very few receiveeven one star, which is the primary reason thatthey are so prestigious.

a guide to the guide

> flavour the michelin guide

michelin

Great Britain now boasts 143 Michelin stars in total, which is afar cry from the meagre 25 awarded in 1974, the first year theguide was released on our shores in its current format. It istestament to how far we have come as a foodie nation, and theworld is fast realising that ‘bangers and mash’, for so longsynonymous with the country’s culinary failings, is no longer ourgreatest contribution to international cuisine. Indeed, manychefs, critics and foodies consider London to be the mostexciting city in the world when it comes to eating out, the qualityof food there exceeded only by the sheer variety of cuisineavailable, perhaps more diverse than anywhere outside ourmulticultural, cosmopolitan stewing-pot of a capital.

However, when its comes to the serious star collecting, Britain still has a long way to go when compared to Michelinheavyweights France and Japan, the former with an astonishing571 stars on total, and the latter with 240 in Tokyo alone,including 14 restaurants holding the cherished three stars,which makes it the most heavily-starred city in the world.Britain currently has four restaurants holding three stars; two of which are in the sleepy village of Bray, where both HestonBlumenthal’s Fat Duck and Alain Roux’s Waterside reside.

The stars and whatthey mean:

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best in britain...

The Michelin rating system has notbeen without controversy overthe years, here are some ofthe critiques:

Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White,the youngest ever recipient of threeMichelin stars, famously returned them,saying that he was being judged by peoplewho knew a lot less about cooking thanhim, and that he was bending overbackwards for them, giving them too much respect.

Some American food critics, notablyStephen Kurutz of the New York Times,have complained that the guide is biasedtoward French-style restaurants, and only givesits awards to the larger, grander establishments,ones with the ‘correct grade of cotton in theserviettes’.

When Michelin released their first Japanese guide in2007, it gave Tokyo an unprecedented 191 stars, morethan any other city, including Paris. However, many inJapan were not impressed, some chefs even refusingto accept a star. “How can a bunch of foreigners showup and tell us what is good or bad?” said Tokyo chefToshiya Kadowaki.

over the years

a star is born!

A very goodrestaurant in its category.

Excellentcooking andworth a detour.

Exceptionalcuisine, worth aspecial journey.

★

★★

★★

★

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Children aged from seven to 16 can attend La Petite Écoleto learn about the origins of

ingredients, pick vegetables from thegardens at Le Manoir and experiencecooking in a fun environment. Theday is packed full of activity andallows for the children to enjoy theirown created meals as well asindulging in the best of desserts.Certificates are also issued to eachjunior-chef at the end of the day.Prices are from £260 per child.

Le Manoir also run an Adult andChild Cookery Day, where parentscan bond with their kids whileworking as a team under skilledguidance. The added purpose of this course is to create an enjoyablelearning environment that wouldhopefully continue in the home fordelicious meals to be produced as a family. Prices from £520 per adultwith child.

Both of these courses are non-residential but if a family of four were to stay overnight prices startfrom £480 per night. It really shouldbe on everyone’s bucket list…

cookery school

Little introduction isneeded for Raymond Blancand his two-starredrestaurant Le Manoir auxQuat’Saisons in ruralOxfordshire, but it’s notonly at the tables whereRaymond serves up his treats, as Le Manoiralso has a fantasticchildren’s cookery schoolhoused in the restaurant’skitchens from where histeam can open up theirsecret book and share their knowledge withaspiring chefs..

into the kitchen...

Do you ever find that no matter how many recipes you follow, tips you pick up on the TV or blogs you read on the internet you cannever quite get that dish just right? Well, perhaps it’s time to go back to school and hone your cooking skills with those that make ittheir business to serve up the perfect platter. The young, the old or even the whole family can experience what it’s like to be at thecutting edge of the kitchen as we learn first-hand from the professionals.

Church RoadGreat MiltonOxford, OX44 7PD

01844 278881www.manoir.com

the raymond blanc

Events heldthroughout themonth will

showcase the variousexperiences on offer atthe Academy. “We aredelighted to be takingpart in Celebration ofFood this year,” saysBarbora. “There will bea huge amount on offerand I can’t wait to seesome of the fabulousevents they have linedup – foodie heaven!Most of all I am lookingforward to our Fitnessand Flavour retreat –it will be an amazingweek and veryrewarding to host. In fact, it’s going to be a fantastic month all round!”

From 13 to 16 October, The Devilled EggKitchen Academy takes you to a luxurious andunique ‘Fitness and Flavour’ retreat located atthe magnificent Park Hall near Blakedown,Worcestershire. Barbora Stiess – culinaryguru behind the academy - has teamed upwith Emma Morris (professional personaltrainer) to offer a one-of-a-kind food andlifestyle course, focused on the ideal balancebetween fine cuisine and exercise.

On October 18 and 19, there will be two winetasting evenings at The Devilled Egg KitchenAcademy itself. Lucky customers will be giventhe opportunity to sample a variety of wines,accompanied by delicious dishes designedspecifically to match each bottle. Thisexperience will educate tasters on theprovenance of the wine, and the history of thewinemakers. Both tastings will be held at alovely Georgian house in the heart of Clifton,Bristol, at the special price of £30 per person.

From October 21 to 23, there will be a range of cookery demonstrations at theDartmouth Festival.

On October 26, ‘Cook the Christmas Presents’sees parents invited to accompany their sonsand daughters to a three-hour course wherethey will learn to make a series of beautifuland delicious treats – perfectpresents, if you can bear to give them away!Best of all, there will be 10 per cent off all giftvouchers and bespoke courses purchasedin October.

the devilled egg itinerary...

As part of Celebration of Food Festival 2011,Barbora Stiess of The Devilled Egg KitchenAcademy has whipped upsome wonderful events tomake this an October forfoodies to remember!

the devilled egg

Excellent for those with busy schedules, The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy also offers online VideoTutorials that teach aspirants the skills techniques and knowledge to produce culinary perfectionthrough a series of tutorials that can be learnt from the comfort of their own homes. For a yearlysubscription, you will receive one online tutorial per month, together with a downloadable PDF of the ingredients and instructions, and ongoing online support throughout the year.

www.thedevilledegg.com

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cookery schoolcottagesbusiness

celebrations

Located on the outskirts of a picture-perfect Cotswoldvillage, Thyme at Southrop Manor is the result ofowner Caryn Hibbert’s vision to create an outstanding

country estate where visitors can rest, play and learn;immersing themselves in beautiful rural surroundingswhilst breathing in the bracing country air.

Having spent almost ten years dedicated to restoring theold barns and farm buildings of Southrop Manor Estate into a rare combination of facilities, Caryn was recognisedby the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England for the exemplary quality of her work.

Thyme at Southrop Manor, sited on what is still a workingfarm, now accommodates luxury cottage suites, soaringentertaining spaces, meeting rooms and a contemporaryfood school with the most beautifully equipped Bulthaupteaching kitchens.

In designing the content of all the cookery and foragingcourses, Hibbert was inspired by the seasons and by thelocale, and, unusually, has created a food school where the chefs are gardeners and the gardeners are chefs,sourcing their ingredients from the estate’s own gardens,local suppliers, foragers and producers.

The courses are all intended to boost existing culinaryskills or to start pupils off on the right foot if they come

about thyme

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empty-handed. And for Caryn Hibbert, that means reallyunderstanding the relationship between the food we eatand the land it comes from.

What also sets a cookery course at Thyme at SouthropManor apart is the atmosphere and the setting: relaxed,jolly and convivial, the modern teaching kitchens with theirglorious floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the olivegrove garden and the Cotswold countryside beyond areperfectly designed for working together.

The courses take a variety of forms; from full days, shortdays and evening classes, to cooking demonstrations,food-tastings and skill-based, hands-on cookery days.Subjects covered are diverse; visitors can learn artisancookery skills, such as charcuterie, bread making, cheesemaking and chocolate craft, as well as classes focused onparticular ingredients, such as game, fish and shellfish.

A particular highlight of Thyme at Southrop Manor is the opportunity for guests to take over the food school entirely, whether with a group of friends, or perhaps business colleagues, and create an entirely tailor-made day.

Being able to sample real country life, albeit in luxury, ispart of the attraction of Thyme at Southrop Manor. Acrossthe courtyard from the food school are four beautifullyrestored Cotswold cottages, with a further cottage locatedin the heart of the village, opposite the pub. Grand andslightly quirky, the five luxurious cottages can sleep fromtwo to 14 people.

A stunning achievement, Thyme at Southrop Manor is trulya place to thrive in. It is both a hive of learning and activity,as well as a destination for rest and recuperation, nestleddeep as it is in the heart of the English countryside.

8th Oct Autumn Foraging; Mushrooms £9512th Oct Thyme for Game £17522nd Oct Curry On! £17526th Oct Monthly Menus £1252nd Nov Classic French £1854th Nov Bread Making; The Homemade Loaf £16517th Nov Best of British; Low and Slow £17522nd Nov Monthly Menus £1251st Dec Thyme for Game £1754th Dec “Men at Work” Christmas Turkey £15510th Dec The Handmade Chocolate £22013th Dec Monthly Menus £12516th Dec Talking…. Christmas £85

Book three places before the 30th November 2011 on any course and get the fourth place free! or...

Book a place on any course plus one night’saccommodation and get 10% off your cottage price.Please quote flavour when booking.

for flavour readers

Cookery Course Dates

SPECIAL

OFFER

Thyme at Southrop Manor, Southrop, Gloucestershire GL7 3NXTelephone 01367 850 174 • info.thyme@southropmanor.co.uk

www.thymeatsouthropmanor.co.uk

Blakes Hotel London33 Roland GardensLondon SW7 3PF

0207 370 6701www.blakeshotels.com

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chef profile

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> flavour chef profile

Lady Weinburg created Blakes – it was very much her inspiration and this is thought to be the first boutique hotel in the world. It’s such a vibrant place to work and the hotel is just a home away from home for so many amazing people. In the kitchen I keep a strict ship with a happy team. I reward as and when necessary. My brigade is small – just five of us - so it’s important to keep everyone motivated and on an even keel.

I’ve always been interested in cooking from an early age and wanted to be a chef since I was 14. I worked in a kitchen at boarding school (washing up, peeling veg etc) and my mum was a keen cook. Everything revolved around food for us. I used to watch The Galloping Gourmet, Graham Kerr, during my school holidays…1974 or 75 I think it was, and he always picked out the pretty woman in the front row and they had dinner. The combination of great food and beautiful women meant the seed was sewn! My first job was in a steakhouse doing the grilled fish, salads and the potatoes whilst the other chef cooked all the steaks! I came to London in 1983 and I’m still here.

A new day always brings new experiences…new tasks…new ideas… I love getting to market to see the best produce of the day whether it be Smithfields, New Covent Garden or Billingsgate. The sights and sounds of the market just invigorate me and excite me and I can’t wait to get back in the kitchen. Visits to the markets and seeing what competitors are doing keeps everything fresh and reinvention is key in this business. If I eat out and like a dish it might find its way onto the menu, but with my own twist to make it mine and my style is very much eclectic – East meets West with a nice Blakes twist.

From reading the industry and food magazines, Mexican food is going to be the next big thing that will see an explosion of new and exciting flavours onto the market. Food will never have its day – there are too many innovations and companies bringing sensational fish and meat to the marketplace.

If I could have anyone prepare me a three-course meal it would have to be my mum. She passed a long time ago but her memory is always with me in the kitchen. I’d start with a clear chicken broth with pearl barley and veg, corned beef hash for mains followed by a classic sherry trifle for pudding. Although I am also a bit partial to a chicken tikka jalfrezi so I may have to go out for that at the Spice of Raj at Colliers Wood!

There are a lot of people that want to become chefs and may not have considered fully what it requires. You have to be dedicated and really want it. You cannot be impatient as it takes years, not months to become a chef. Hard and long unsociable hours are the norm but you get a fabulous reward at the end of a good service. Enjoy today though, because tomorrow’s another day. ■

Name: Neville CampbellAge: 50 and proud! Where from: ManchesterHome: Mitcham in Surrey

chef profile

28_FL_Ad_Nirvana:Layout 1 30/09/2011 22:01 Page 56

For Nadia Gencas, MD of Barking’s Amber Bakery, a dream has become reality with the opening on September 13 of her company’s first retail outlet at the new Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre. For the past seven years the Amber Bakery has supplied a range of Lithuanian breads and pastries from its Barking base to ethnic London retailers. Now with the launch of its own retail shop, it is planning to revolutionise Westfield visitors’ bread eating habits with the launch of the Russian fusion bakery store Karaway.

For the opening, Nadia has worked with a British artisan baker to adapt some of the most popular Russian traditional bread recipes and then add a 21st-century twist to offer consumers a whole range of exciting new tastes.

“For the first time people will be able to try authentic Russian breads with no artificial additives or preservatives,” says Nadia, “and a whole range of Russian and Lithuanian recipes with a unique modern artisan twist such as; rye bread with nuts and raisins, potato bread, onion and Dill bread. We are also offering a range of snacks including the traditional Russian poppy seed pastry that is perfect when toasted, spread with butter and eaten with a cup of tea.

“No one else is baking bread in this way, and we are sure we will inspire our customers to be adventurous. Rye flour, which we use for most of our breads, is extremely healthy and nutritious and we will be showing visitors to Karaway great new ways of eating and enjoying bread. We will also be offering a whole range of traditional pastries and snacks and will look forward to explaining the stories and traditions attached to many of the recipes.

“At first I didn’t know what to expect but so far it’s been great. We presented a concept to Westfield and they believed in us and gave us this opportunity and hopefully Karaway can reach out and establish itself as something unique and exciting for the mainstream market.”

We wish Nadia all the best with Karaway and are sure it will prove a big hit at Westfield for many years to come.

10 Fresh FoodGreat Eastern MarketWestfield Stratford CityLondon E20 1EH

0208 534 4458www.karawaybakery.com

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drops byflavour

karaway

The son of a chef, Sriramwas practically raised inthe kitchen, and wasinspired by the work ethicpractised by his father and his staff. No matterhow hard the work, levity and laughter ruledthe workplace, and Sriram follows thoseguidelines still.

After college, Sriram joined the luxury hotelgroup Taj Hotels andPalaces, and in a meteoricrise through the ranks,became head chef in a mere two years.From here the idea for his award-winningrestaurant, The Karavaliwas conceived, which was recognised by the New Statesman in 1995 as one of the top fiverestaurants in the whole of India.

Sriram has since gonefrom strength to strength,and his latest venture iscertainly no exception. TheQuilon is progressive, yetremains true to its roots,and this sentiment isreflected in the sumptuousand varied menu, whichincludes exciting dishessuch as Black Cod withTempered Asparagusserved with Lobster ButterPepper, alongside moretraditional South Indianclassics; his delicious Avialand Masala Dosa are not to be missed. All hail the king!

Also known as ‘The Spice King’, Sriram Aylur isExecutive Chef of St James Park’s ‘The Quilon’, the only Michelin- starred restaurantspecialising in Southern Indian food in the entire world.

the spice king

As Britain’s Beer Drinker of the year, you obviously have anaffiliation with the national pastime.Can you tell us about your beer-matching menu at Quilon?Beer is one of my favourite drinks.With more than 1,000 beers brewed in this country alone there is a greatvariety in terms of taste, flavour andthe overall experience. We offer botha five-course and an eight-coursebeer and food menu, in every coursewe have two dishes, and each courseis matched with a beer that could hailfrom any part of the world.

What are the general properties of a South Indian dish?South Indian food in general does not have butter or cream. Whereverthere is use of butter, it is used verysparingly. Most spices are grown in the South, including cardamom;cinnamon; chillies; curry leaves; and the best peppercorns are fromKerala. Coconut is used generously inKerala, especially towards the coast,bestowing upon the dish its creamytexture. Most cooking is done byboiling, braising or steaming, thusthe use of oil is quite low. All thesefactors make the cuisine healthierand lighter. The Quilon serves foodfrom the South-West coast of India,so there is a great deal of fish,shellfish and vegetables on the menu,besides chicken, lamb and game.

Do you feel that British people’sattitude to Indian food is overlydictated to by the ubiquitous TikkaMasala, and other derivatives of theNorth Indian Cuisine?This used to be the case some 8-10years ago. I think the British now arethe most aware and knowledgeable of Indian food in the world afterIndians themselves.

In the last decade quite a fewspeciality and regionally-specificrestaurants have opened and nowpeople travel for pleasure andbusiness more than they ever did, and consequently awareness has increased.

What can you tell us about yourscientific approach to spices, and themedicinal properties that they hold?Indian cooking in general and SouthIndian cooking in particular has a lotof herbs and spices used to make upa dish. Every spice or herb is used fora reason. For example, turmericpowder is always used to marinate

meats and fish. This is becauseturmeric is a good disinfectant. Thus it is used as a precautionarymeasure. If one has a bad throat half a teaspoon of turmeric powdermixed with hot milk should give agreat amount of relief.

All spices have oil in them and so the best way to get the flavour andproperties of the spice is by adding it to hot oil or broiling it and making a powder of it.

Cooking is science; it is chemistrywith a creative approach that makesfood interesting. Every spice hasmedicinal properties, once weunderstand and learn to use them inour daily meal, they can not only helpus eat healthily, but also help usremain healthy. You really are whatyou eat.

The warmth of Indian hospitality isworld-renowned. Does the quality of service play a large part in yourdining experience?There is a saying in India, which,when translated, means ‘guest isGod’. Indeed, service is the veryfoundation on which the wholehospitality business is based.

You describe your cuisine asprogressive Indian food, not fusion.Nonetheless, are you inspired by any particular cultures, food-wiseother than Indian?In fusion the cuisine, inspiration,ingredient could be from anywhereand could also be a mixture ofinfluences. This is often good but one could lose their way. Even when a dish could be inspired by any othercuisine the ingredient that we use has to be from the West Coast ofIndia. With all the varied spices andherbs that are available in SouthIndia, it makes a compelling reasonfor sticking to this style. I am quiteinspired by Japanese, French andChinese cuisine and culture.

The Quilon41 Buckingham GateLondon SW1E 6AF

020 7821 1899www.quilon.co.uk

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> flavour sriram aylur

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the big house C

o-owners Peter and CarolineInsall and Ben and Victoria Foxhave more than 30 years’

experience in the hospitality industry and they have created an experienceat their three ‘Big Houses’ that istailored to suit every want and need.Sleeping between 21 and 31 guests,although smaller groups can becatered for, each house has anindividual feel and The Big Houseteam will leave no stone unturned todeliver as much or as little as youdesire. Most importantly, however,they want you to have fun!

All three houses are small enoughto be personable, but big enough tobe accommodating. Food sourced by local suppliers can be supplied,delivered or cooked for you; hot airballoons can lift you off from outsideyour bedroom; bikes can be hired for you or wine tastings arranged foryou – all the bases are covered and,anything that hasn’t been alreadythought of, can be done.

The Big House’s strengths lie in their organisation,personability and ‘can-do’ attitude.They fill-in the gaps to make yourstay as active or as ‘laissez faire’ asrequired. The houses and theirgrounds are stunning in their ownright, the Big House team makethem complete.

The Big HouseTone Dale HouseWellington TA21 0EZ

01823 662673party@thebighouseco.comwww.thebighouseco.com

> flavour the big house company

Come rain or shine and whetherit’s for weddings, corporate eventsor just one big party, The BigHouse Company has three excitingvenues to entertain and enthral nomatter what the conditions.

Widcombe GrangeCulmhead, SomersetSleeps 24(12 bedrooms with eight bathrooms)

Built in the late 1800s,Widcombe Grange is animpressive stone-builtcountry house set in 22 acres of landscapedwoodland on theBlackdown Hills in an area of outstandingnatural beauty.

The grounds arespectacular and lendthemselves to a range of country pursuitsincluding archery, fishingand clay shooting to name a few. There is also a heated outdoorswimming pool, so yourgroup can stay and playwithout ever having toleave the site!!

company

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Berry HouseBideford, DevonSleeps 20/24(In 10 bedrooms with eightbathrooms)

Berry is an elegant Georgianhouse situated remotely in openfarmland close to the cliffs of therugged and dramatic North Devon coast. This a designated area of outstandingnatural beauty and the house has superb views out to sea as well as inlandacross a wooded valley to the tall medieval tower of St Nectan's church.

Great care has been taken to retain the historic character of the building whilstdiscreetly incorporating the best modern services and to provide a great senseof contemporary style without the feeling of being too new!

Tone Dale HouseWellington, SomersetSleeps 21/31(In 16 bedrooms with nine bathrooms)

Tone Dale is an impressive, elegantPalladian-style Villa, set in four acres ofwonderful landscaped grounds, centringon the mill stream, alongside a oncethriving, but now silent woollen mill.

Built by Thomas Fox in 1797, the houseand gardens have been carefully restoredby the current owners.

It’s all about the giving... “Christmas was close at hand - the season ofhospitality, merriment,and open-heartedness,”said Dickens, and we at flavour and those atHarrods believe thatquote perfectly embodiesthe sentiment of thefestive period - a fun timefilled with family, friendsand, of course, great food and drink.

> flavour harrods hampers

A nd so, with nothing but ‘hospitality’ and ‘merriment’ on our minds, flavour has picked out a few delectable gourmetHarrods hampers for you, your family and anyone you might

wish to bestow a little ‘open-heartedness’ upon.

Every single Harrods hamper is a testament to the exquisiteproduce developed and picked by their buyers, who spend 12months a year scouring the globe for the very finest food, drink and accessories.

Whisky & Truffles ~ £65.00Named after a shoulder strain that wasexperienced by the distillery’s malt-men ofold, Monkey Shoulder is a smooth blendof Kininvie, Balvenie and Glenfiddich andan ideal partner for chocolate.Spirit: Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt WhiskyConfectionery: Whisky truffles, 240g

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Champagne & Truffles ~ £65.00

A perfect pairing for Christmas, the Champagneand Truffles set artfully combines delicate notes of ripe fruit and a fine sparkle with rich, oozingchocolate ganache.

Wine: Premier Cru ChampagneConfectionery: Pink Champagne truffles 240g

Daylesford Fresh Box ~ £150.00

Perfect for nibbling, this farm-fresh box is brimming withnatural ingredients, including five cheeses, a sweet red onionchutney and a lovely crate to reuse.

Fresh Food: Ham 1.5kg; Smoked salmon 200g; Adlestrop500g; Stilton 250g; Pennyston heart 180g; Double Gloucester500g; Cheddar 500g; Pantry: Oatmeal and Manuka honey savoury biscuits 150g;Sea salt and pepper crackers 150g; Red onion and applechutney 330g; Piccalilli 320g; Gifts and accessories: Cool bag and wooden heart decoration.

For the full brochure visit: www.harrods.com

Daylesford Family ~ £200.00

For an oh-so-virtuous Christmas give this Daylesford hamper, brimming with fruit-laden goodness and an ultra-soft Daylesford bear.

Wines & Spirits: Château Léoube, Red; Raspberry Gin 25clPantry: Christmas pudding 900g; Christmas cake 900g; Shortbread selection 330g; Manuka honey and oat savoury biscuits 150g;Strawberry preserve 227g; Brandy butter 227g; Cranberry sauce 200g; Red onion and apple chutney 330g; Sparkling apple and bilberry juice 375mlConfectionery: Milk and dark chocolate heart selection 90g; Father Christmas milk chocolate lolly 40g; Snowflake white chocolate lolly 40gGifts & Accessories: Preserve pot and wooden spoon; Teddy bear; Wooden heart decoration

The Scottish Selection ~ £150.00

Awaiting the recipient of this festive hamper,is a delicious selection of seriously sweet-tooth-friendly treats from Scotland, includingwhisky-infused marmalade, classic Dundeecake and shortbread.

Spirit: 12-year-old single malt Scotch whiskyPantry: Dundee cake 350g; Shortbreadassortment 350g; Shortbread fingers 375g;Raspberry preserve 227g; Wild-flower honey227g; Orange and whisky marmalade 220gConfectionery: Butter toffee 170g; Vanilla fudge 170g; Butterscotch 170g

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As shopping destinations go, few can beat London’sMarylebone Village for itstrendy clothing boutiques, hip design and homewarestores, and the myriad ofrestaurants and bars.Unsurprisingly, Marylebone is also a gourmet paradise with a truly breathtaking range of produce and goods in just a handful ofexcellent shops.

marylebone

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INSIDER’S

GOURMET

GUIDE

A fantastic array of organic, free-range andsustainable fruit, veg, meat, dairy and seafood can befound at the weekly London Farmers’ Market(www.lfm.org.uk/markets/marylebone) on Sundaysat the spacious Cramer Street Car Park. Around 30 or40 stalls cater to enthusiastic locals who stock up onexcellent quality produce for the week ahead. Seafoodtakes a starring role in these markets, with no lessthan two stalls devoted to all good things from the sea.Weston and Long’s fish and shellfish are net and linecaught off the Norfolk coast. The selection of ready-prepared seafood includes potted shrimps, dressedcrab and smoked mackerel and haddock fillets. FreshBlakeney Point oysters are also available for on-the-spot tasting or for shucking at home. Family business,Seafayre, sell whole fish such as seabass, plaice,Dover sole and mackerel freshly caught from theprevious day off the Kentish coast. For excellent quality and well-priced grass-fed native Colchesterlamb, free-range poultry and locally-shot game birds,look no further than Layer Marney Lamb(www.layermarneylamb.co.uk). The family-runbusiness takes animal welfare seriously, with all lamb reared and butchered at the farm premises and fully traceable.

One of the UK’s longest-standing and firmlyestablished organic farms, Sunnyfields(www.sunnyfields.co.uk), offers a range of seasonalfruit and veg at the markets, under the ethos ofdirectly supplying farm goods to the end consumer in the most efficient way possible. Next door, devour a buttery, sautéed oyster mushroom sandwichgenerously topped with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley at The Mushroom Table(www.mushroomtable.com), whilst eyeing theorganically-cultivated enoki, girolles, chestnuts and other seasonal mushrooms for sale. Meanwhile,The Potato Shop (www.thepotatoshop.com) boasts 12 varieties of organic potato farmed in Tenterden,including Yukon Gold, Wilija, Salad Blue, Ratte and the highly popular Nicola and Pink Fir, to name but a few. Another highlight at the Marylebone Farmers’Market is the freshly prepared everyday French-inspired meals from Madame Gautier(www.madamegautier.com). Feast your eyes on allmanner of regional French specialties, from giantpans brimming with hot confit of beef and pouletprovençale to classic side dishes such as celeriacrémoulade, ratatouille and pommes purée.

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When you have had your fill of the markets, cross the road to one of London’s best and most popularbutchers, the Ginger Pig (www.thegingerpig.co.uk),where top quality meat and poultry are sold by super-friendly and helpful staff. More unusual cuts are givena look-in, from beef short ribs, bone-in neck of lamb to smoked ham hocks. For a more hands-onexperience, the Ginger Pig also runs cookery andbutchery classes.

Next-door is quite possibly Marylebone’s best foodshop, for its sheer variety and the quality of its stock.La Fromagerie (www.lafromagerie.co.uk) has morethan its on-site cheese maturing cellar and walk-incheese room. The shop also sells charcuterie, freshproduce and store cupboard goods from the world’sbest sources, including tomatoes from San Marzano,jamon iberico from Spain, Ligurian olives, and the bestEnglish apples.

Around the corner is Fishworks (www.fishworks.co.uk)and its combined wet fish counter and restaurant,complete with resident fishmonger. Fish doesn’t getany fresher, as you can choose your fish or shellfishfrom the counter, and then have it cooked and eaten in the restaurant.

Easily overlooked but a must-visit on any Maryleboneshopping itinerary is village institution, the BlandfordFruit Stores, where owner Eric Halil has been gettingup at 4am to make the trek to New Covent GardenMarkets for the best quality fruit and veg since the‘70s. Another long-standing local treasure is the Paul Rothe and Sons general store, deli and caféestablished in 1900, complete with laminate tables,shelves packed to the rafters with home-made jam and relish, and old-school service. Tucked away inMarylebone Lane is London’s oldest establishedsausage supplier and shop, Biggles(www.ebiggles.co.uk). The range of sausages isendless and covers all manner of traditional,continental and specialty styles, with no bread or rusk added.

Those who prefer cooking and entertaining at homeare also spoilt for choice in Marylebone. Divertimenti(www.divertimenti.co.uk) is a specialist kitchen andtableware shop and cooking school, crammed withgadgets, tools and beautiful crockery. The schoolcaters both to novices and more experienced cooks,with a focus on world cuisines. For an Italian bent,Cucina Caldesi (www.caldesi.com) runs courses in all aspects of Italian cooking with guest chefs such as Valentine Warner and Sophie Grigson makingspecial appearances.

> flavour insider’s gourmet guide

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A favourite – if slightly dubious – pleasure of mine is watching other people rushing about when I don’t have to. Being on Oxford Street on the last Saturday before Christmas may be some people’s idea of hell; but try it when you’ve already done all your Christmas shopping: you may find it wonderfully relaxing watching all those rushed and careworn faces.

Or how about sitting in the pub, beer in hand, and looking out through picture windows as rush hour hurtles around you in all directions? Now that, surely, is the perfect place to experience a delicious sense of freude at everyone else’s schaden.

There are few pubs better for watching the rat race than The Swan in Hammersmith. Surrounded by the busy traffic of Beadon Street and King Street, it is also perfect for watching the comings and goings of the punters at Broadway Shopping Centre, and the thousands of Londoners departing on one of the four underground lines that fan out from here.

Although an excellent refuge from the stresses of the 21st century, there has actually been an inn here for well over 250 years. In the 18th century, this was one of

the first coaching inns where travellers would stop on their way west out of London.

The pub you see today however, is a much later construction. The original was demolished as part of the work to prepare Hammersmith for the arrival of the railway, and so the interior owes much to a Victorian sense of majesty and grandeur.

As you enter you can’t help but be impressed by a gleaming elegance from floor to ceiling. Ornate glossy flooring, chandeliers hanging from the ceilings - across which are traced elaborate gold-leaf shapes. There is a large brass mirror away

The Swan46 Hammersmith BroadwayLondonW6 0DZ

0208 748 1043

the swan

A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real

ale and traditional cider. He’s also editor of the website britishpubguide.com

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> flavour xxxxxxx

to your left. The main drinking area has picture windows on three sides, all the better to put your own day into slow motion as you smugly watch the teeming masses bustle by.

At the front of the pub, there are tall wooden frames that break the space up without actually reaching the ceiling. The furniture is a mixture of high bar stools, comfortable sofas and simple wooden tables which reflect the eclectic mix of customers, from those escaping from the shopping or the office, to the discerning lunchers and real ale connoisseurs.

There’s an imaginative menu offering starters such as pork and sage terrine alongside deep fried brie or chicken and chorizo skewers; while the main course might be cod in smoked salmon, a lamb shank pie or a porterhouse steak. Vegetarians should love the roasted Mediterranean vegetable tart made with cheesy pastry.

As good as the food is, the real strength of the Swan lies in its selection of beers. There are as many as six hand-pumps ranged along the bar, with a combination

of well-known brands and unusual guests. This is a part of the Nicholson’s pub chain; their commitment to a wide variety of different ales and bitters is very consistent across the estate.

Beers such as Fuller’s London Pride, St Austell Tribute and Sharp’s Doom Bar sit comfortably alongside such delights as Box Brewery’s Derail Ale, Daleside Squarerigger and Orkney Dark Island. It is a happy side-effect of being in such a busy location that these beers sell and rotate quickly, so it is always worth checking what is on offer at any given time.

There is a cosy lounge area to the rear, which is far better suited to those seeking a quiet meeting away from the hurly-burly that surrounds the pub; and upstairs is a more formal dining area; but the real joy of the Swan, for me, lies in the ability to sit with a cracking pint and drink in the tradition and history – Gustav Holst is thought to have been a customer here – while quietly pitying those outside who are missing out. Bliss. ■

Raise a glass to...Fuller’s London Pride (4.1%) Nowadays one of Britain’s most famous beers, still brewed at the old Fuller brewery in Chiswick. It’s sold as a classic best bitter, but I find it a little paler than many. When it’s at its best, there is definitely a hint of those old Caramac bars – the ones that bunny used to advertise – but that flavour sits surprisingly well with the undercurrent of bitter fruitiness.

Box Steam Derail Ale (5.2%)Stronger, premium pale ale from Wiltshire. Now, this is hoppier than a hyperactive rabbit, and there’s a beautiful bouquet to it too. It’s a rare pale ale in that it really is very full-bodied with a strong, slightly bitter taste. This is how an I.P.A. should taste.

Daleside Square Rigger (4.5%)This is a gentler beer than Derail Ale. It has an amber colour to it and, although it says I.P.A. on the pumpclip, I don’t think it’s typical of that style. The mix of hops gives it a complexity of taste that is reminiscent of a premium ale. There is that flowery aroma though, and this is an unconventional but rewarding brew.

Orkney Dark Island (4.6%)Dark is the word for this ripe, flavourful Scottish beer. It’s worth pausing to take in the aroma, which has more than a hint of Fruit and Nut chocolate bars, while the taste develops the chocolate theme but with a figgy-pudding addition that makes the approaching winter seem quite inviting. A wonderful award-winning pint.

67

In-between filming BBC One food

programmes such as ‘NigelSlater’s Simple Suppers’ and

Simon Hopkinson’s ‘The GoodCook’, BBC Executive Producer

Peter Lawrence somehow finds

time to tend his organic garden…

If ever there is a time for a gardener to experience

severe mood swings, it’s now. The September

harvest is the ‘grow your own’ equivalent of the

FA Cup Final: you have worked tirelessly for months

and made it through all the trials and tribulations that

nature can throw at you but despite the frosts, floods,

droughts, slugs, blight and aphids you have now got

your hands on the ultimate prize…

Sadly, the glory and self-congratulations are extremely

short-lived. The truth is, that no sooner have you pulled

the last of your onions, early leeks and beetroot, picked

the juiciest apples from the tree and dug the last few

rows of main crop potatoes, than you are left with a

bleak muddy patch and a timely reminder that winter

is looming. The summer clock will soon shift, the days

get shorter and the only things with any inclination to

grow seem to belong to the cabbage family – hardly

something to look forward to.

Thankfully, there is more good than bad. The September

evening sun is rare but golden and makes the crops

you do have look all the more enticing. Suddenly

the choice of what to eat is overwhelming, in plentiful

supply and at least the ripening squashes and

pumpkins still provide a few splashes of colour on

the dark earth.

The potatoes and onions will keep of course but now is

the perfect time to devour the final crop of tomatoes.

The plants are all looking pretty sorry for themselves

but the last of the fruit is hanging on in there. A few

might need a helping hand to ripen on the windowsill

but most have managed it themselves. I’m so pleased I

experimented with different varieties this year, the

range of flavours is amazing and the colours look

stunning. In particular, the marmande beef tomatoes

are a hearty feast and the yellow pear-shaped gems

are incredibly sweet and tasty.

With such a range of ripe delicious tomatoes I wanted

to make something that would let me savour their very

different qualities. A ball of creamy mozzarella, a few

sprigs of basil and a drizzle of peppery olive oil made

the perfect companions. A dash of lemon juice, a little

zest and some salt and pepper ensured this quick-to-

prepare dish became a fitting and mouthwatering end-

of-summer treat – served with crusty bread and a

chilled glass of rosé.

With the heat now gone from the day and winter

drawing ever closer, the optimistic gardener looks to

the year ahead. As the dark nights draw in the

potatoes, onions and (dare to admit) cabbages will be

comforting winter companions, bridging the hungry

months until the seed catalogues come out and the

first salad sowings herald the start of a whole new

season – whatever that may bring.

Peter is currently in production on a food history

series with the Hairy Bikers for BBC Two.

Diary of a

Kitchen Gardener

69

“Lamb curry is on the menu, suggestsomething that goes well with hot food!”I have heard this request a couple oftimes working at Borough so I havedecided to do something about it! So,here we go, a universal wine guide to allthose folks who find pleasure in chillipeppers, sweat and tears.

Different chilli peppers have differentconcentrations of the substance. It wasan American pharmacist, Mr WilburnScoville who started experimenting onpeople to see if they could detectdifferent concentrations. The result wasa couple of burnt tongues, and theScoville Heat Unit (SHU), that grades theregular bell pepper with 0, and thehottest Habaneros at about 200,000.That is almost lethal.

But why do we enjoy it? Obviously it canbe a question of machismo, but the mainreason lies in the endorphin addiction.When you eat something with such anirritating quality your body producesendorphin as a natural painkiller. A hormone of happiness released in your body -technically speaking you gethigh with chili peppers.

But what sort of wine shouldwe pair with spicy food? Eversince serious Indian foodappeared in the UK, thecomplementing drink of choicewas lager. Can wine actuallywork with spicy food? Of course itcan, but you have to be very careful with the matching. We are talking about dangerous substances here. No one wants to turn his or herpalate into a battlefield ofchemical warfare.

On the market the usual request is to have something massive and full-bodied. The customers say that the chilli blocks the flavour sensationand therefore you need more flavour,more body and more alcohol. I think itjust doesn’t work like this. The spicyfood irritates our palate on a high level.If we add a lot of tannins and highalcohol this combination won’t give usany ease.

The solution is a light, chilled fruity drywhite or rosé. There is a certain reasonwhy Alsatian wine works so well withmost of the Asian cuisines - it does notwant to overpower the food. So thesolution should be something like aneasy Folle Blanche, Muscadet, aColombard or some really paleProvençal-style rose.

The lighter the better: alcohol burns thepalate. Even a 15% abv wine would notnormally irritate the palate, but what ifit’s already on fire because of the

capsicum? Well, a good heavy redcan actually feel like tastingbarrel-proof whisky...

In the case of chemicalwarfare, these are a loteasier to drink than a heavyred. If we feel anything afterthat hot chilli, it should be apleasant chill, not somemouth-drying tannin bomb.

Take a try, but be careful, do notgo for a 100,000 SHU pepper just

because you found a decent bottle of light white!

When thingsturn reallyhot…

A few years ago I made a daringcareer change. I left my businessjournalist life backhome in Budapestand came toLondon for the wine trade. Winehas always beenpresent in my life, my grandpashaving their own vineyards.

I think if you choosewine you enter intoa lifelong learningprocess. Since I came to London I tried to explore all the aspects of the industry: I was working ontastings, spentsome years as asommelier and now I am runningBorough Wines inBorough Market.Selling wine here is a bit like"theoreticalsommelierie" –show me what’s in your bag, and aswe go through theingredients, I willrecommend you a bottle of wine.This will goperfectly well withwhat you’re aboutto cook…

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The Gascon family of restaurants is thepedigree here, which includes Club Gascon,Comptoir Gascon and Le Cercle, and HeadChef Julien Carlon and the two managershave all been through the ranks there.

Soothing pastel shades and the mostgorgeous central island of booths that wrapthemselves around each other, each oneoffering an enclave of seclusion, create astunning first impression. Chuck in a coupleof olive trees and you’re seduced into feelingthat yes, you really are in a Provençal idyll.The addition of indoor trees could easily comeacross as gauche and a bit naff, but the effectis measured and subtle.

The exceptional black olive tapenade that ispresented as the first morsel, sets the tone. A depth charge of flavour, the distilledessence of black olive, kicking off eageranticipation, salivatory switches flicked to“go”. Excellent, bouncy bread, a cute touch ofbeing toasted on one side, completes a joyfulfirst few mouthfuls.

A Niçoise salad is ordered to test the kitchen,the simplicity of the dish offering no hidingplace for a slack brigade. What we receive is asupermodel of a Niçoise. Glorious oozing egg,flashes of red from sweet roasted cherrytomatoes, intense salted anchovy, and thefinest tinned pale Albacore tuna. Or is it?We’re told that the tuna is a confit in olive oil,prepared in-house - beyond the call of dutyand an utterly brilliant touch. £6.50 of Niçoise perfection.

King Scallops and Poutargue risotto seesscallops that have had just a whisper of heat from the pan, their dense sweetnessrequiring little more. Poutargue is the French Bottarga, dried mullet roe shavings,and injects soothing risotto and scallop with a salty slap of the sea.

Line-caught salt cod in vegetable broth readslike an anodyne bore-draw football fixture,but what arrives is an exercise in balance and

precision. Pearly white flakes of fish, nestlingin a broth of delicacy, the lively addition of aseriously garlicky aïoli adding spark. Lookedso simple, yet over delivered at every step.

Fillet of Hake on Camargue black rice isanother deft piece of cooking; meaty fish with crisp skin sitting on dense jet-black,nutty rice, the plate given a shock of colourwith a shellfish bisque and two prawns. Thesweetness and depth of flavour to the prawnswas a delightful surprise, the bisque carryinga kick from the anise of Pernod or Pastis.

Bagna Cauda with cruditées, more often seenin its home of Piemonte, Italy, but also foundin Nice, is dense, pungent and authentic – ahot blend of anchovy, garlic and butter, readyto receive crunchy vegetables for dipping.

Bay leaf Crème Brûlée for a delicate twist ona classic, completes a seamless afternoon.

Downstairs the Baranis bar reveals a gravellined Petanque alley, where you can throw a few balls around, drink Pastis, and explore a wine list led by Provençal and Corsicanbottles, thoughtfully selected and carefullysourced, overseen by enthusiastic barmanager Yohann Bodier.

There is a measured poise to everything going on here, from the genuinely warm andunaffected welcome from manager YannOsouf, ex-Wolseley, to the controlled pace of the dishes coming from the kitchen. Thecomforting sense is that these guys havebeen doing things too well, for too long, toscrew things up. Two visits here sawexpectations exceeded on our return.

The Set Menu at £19.50 for two, and £24.50for three courses is as fine a set menu optionas you’ll find in London, and has all thepanache, quality and attention to detail of the à la carte.

Cigalon is very clever, very talented and veryslick - it just doesn’t need to shout about it.

115 Chancery LaneCity of LondonWC2A 1PP

0207 242 8373www.cigalon.co.uk

> flavour cigalon

If you’re really clever, really talented, or really naturally gifted in anyfield, you don’t need to shout about it. You do your thing quietly,confidently, and don’t need to impress your brilliance on everyone you meet - excellence will reap its own reward. Cigalon is just such a restaurant...

CIGALON

The 2003 World Cup winner was joined byacclaimed ‘caterer with a conscience’ andchef Allegra McEvedy MBE on a joyous,grubby and above all greedy tour of Englishfood and farming. Each one of the 10episodes will see them meet the farmersand labourers who devote their lives toputting fresh produce on our tables.

As they seek out the real experience offarming life, they have to roll up theirsleeves and get stuck in to some hard graft,earning all the ingredients needed to rustleup a mouth-watering selection of Britishdishes at the end of each programme to feed the people they have met and workedwith along the way.

“I am a massive foodie and keen cook andthis seemed like the perfect challenge in a field I am passionate about,” Matt says.“There is plenty of produce out there that not everyone knows about and a hell of a lot of farmers who work tirelessly withoutgetting the kudos they deserve.“Getting up-close and personal withlivestock you can really witness what has

gone into the process and how much morethere is to food than just what you see on your plate, it really puts it all intoperspective. In my rugby days we basicallysaw food as fuel and, although a few othersand myself really enjoyed what we ate, wedidn’t have the full understanding of where it came from and how it got here. It’s been a real eye-opener.

“Allegra and I have had an absolute blastdoing this. She has been great fun and up for any challenge put in front of her, be that horseback riding, quad biking,operating heavy machinery and generallyjust getting stuck in. She’s definitely beenbraver than me.

“This is a food show and although we’vebeen to remote places, had some prettyintense experiences and showed manydifferent methods of farming, we’ve still kept it light hearted and accessible. We don’t ram sustainability, seasonal, local etc… down your throat, but we just try and show the reality behind the food chain.”

Matt has form when it comes to food, havingbeen part of the successful Mitch and Matt’sBig Fish with Mitch Tonks on UKTV’s GoodFood channel, and so this venture was justanother extension of his love affair with allthings gastronomic. Matt and Allegra’s Big Farm airs on Good Food, Sunday toThursday at 9pm from October 23, and we at flavour can’t wait to see how the intrepidpair get on as they travel the country in that big red bus…

matt dawsonRugby is fairly topical at the moment and food is never far away from our thoughts. Now, combine thetwo and you have the perfect recipe and that’s why we caught up with former England and British Lionsscrum-half Matt Dawson to chat about his new television series Matt and Allegra’s Big Farm.

> flavour matt dawson

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This time of the year there isnothing more satisfying thangrappling your way throughspiky hedgerows to emerge witha bountiful collection of sweet,juicy blackberries – nature’s freegift to us as summer winds downand the more autumnal weatherkicks in. If you can resist eatingthem all there and then, save ahandful and make this simpleloaf cake which makes awonderful afternoon tea treat.

Ingredients125ml (4fl oz) sunflower oil 200g (7oz) fresh blackberries125g (4oz) caster sugarGrated zest and juice of 1 lemon3 tablespoons Greek yogurt3 medium eggs, beaten175g (6oz) plain flour1 ½ tsp baking powder1 tsp ground cinnamon

In 1997, while enjoyingher post as the CEO of a medical charity, Julie Friend entered BBC MasterChef purelybecause her late motherhad once sighed 'Youcould win this darling'!.As the saying goes, therest is history. Mum wasright (aren't they always?)and from then on Juliemoved from a desk to the kitchen, combiningprivate catering withteaching and food writing.In 2005 she opened herdelicatessen Flavours inTufnell Park, NorthLondon, which hasbecome a local meetingplace, particularly at theweekend when the shopalso has a stall at thelocal food market.

Each month the deli focuses on a feature flavour or ingredient whereJulie and her team can introduce seasonal stock and play with somenew recipes for goodies on the counter and in the fridge.

julie friend

blackberry loaf cake

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan oven/Gas mark 5. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin or use a greaseproof liner.

2Whisk together the caster sugar, oil, lemonzest and juice and eggs. Sift the flour, bakingpowder and cinnamon into a bowl, add theblackberries and toss to coat. Make a well in thecentre and pour in the wet mix. Stir togethergently, trying not to break up the berries.

3 Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin andbake for around 50-60 minutes or until a skewerinserted into the centre comes out clean (startoff on the top shelf and move down after about40 minutes if getting too brown). Leave in the tinto cool. Dust with icing sugar when ready toserve.

4 Slightly warm with a dollop of crème fraichemakes a great dessert.

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> flavour nick harman

74

What happened to food aromas? Not the ones they talk about in those TV commercials badly-dubbed from the original German; the ones where a blonde yummy mummy stalks her family with an aerosol, spraying furniture, teen trainers and pets alike to ‘remove lingering odours’.

No, I mean the smells that used to greet you when you walked into a restaurant, the ones that got your tummy rumbling and the gastric juices going. These days walk into any top level London restaurant with your eyes closed and you might well think you were in an office block or dry-cleaners.

Of course the powerful extraction hoods in the kitchen are partly to blame. They suck so hard that chefs’ aprons flap up like chorus girls’ skirts every time they walk past, and while extractors may make the kitchen a bearable work place they kill the atmosphere in the main room.

Supermarkets employ a system that sends the bakery smells down pipes to appear at the front door, thus luring in the punters. Well the better ones do anyway, the ‘pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap’ places don’t bother with such psy-warfare, the prices do the luring for them. They could perhaps pump the smell of cheap lager, as that seems the most popular choice among customers.

Why don’t restaurants do something similar? A vent over the front door wafting garlic out into the street would surely get diners queuing up in no time, their noses in the air like the Bisto kids.

The terrible thing is that even if they did do that, the dishes served inside all too often have no aroma anyway. The times I’ve bent down until my nose is buried in the plate to try and detect some olfactory clue are legion. Yes I am the man over at the corner table apparently about to snort his meal like a gastro Keith Richards.

The sense of smell as much as sight, prepares us for a meal. A perfect work of art on the plate with no aroma is about as stimulating as looking at a picture of the dish.

Heston Blumenthal famously employed a perfume atomiser to spray fish and chip shop smells around the diner in order to enhance the pleasure of the food. The vinegar from the pickled onion jar apparently was the key ingredient. Not a bad idea, but surely it would be better to simply make the food smell enticing in the first place?

No such problems at Galvin Bistro in Marylebone. There the smell of great food hits you straight away. So much so you can’t wait to get to the table and get stuck in. Maybe that’s why we are being besieged by so many new bistros; they aren’t gastro temples of tat, they’re places that you go to eat in again and again where food is fun and part of a social experience.

It’s time to celebrate smell again and give the elbow to sterile plates of food fit to be nothing more than pictures on a wall. Wake up and smell the garlic!

This month Nick Harman finds out why his senses are no longer being tickled...

The sense of smell as much as sight, prepares us for a meal.

Nick Harman is editor of

www.foodepedia.co.uk

and was shortlisted last

year for The Guild of

Food Writer’s Restaurant

Reviewer of the Year.

the sweet smell of nothing

Winners of three gold stars at last year’sGreat Taste Awards, Six O'clock Gin and Six O'clock Tonic are the new champions of the Bramley and Gage range.

The blueprint for Six O'clock Gin and SixO'clock Tonic is balance, poise andprecision, values upheld by Michael Kain,who has created both a clean and smoothLondon gin and a natural bittersweet tonic.When combined, the whole becomesgreater than the sum of the parts.

For the gin, Michael carefully balancesjuniper with six other botanicals to chimetogether as sweetly as any timepiece.Orange peel adds citrus in delightfulharmony with floral elderflower, resultingin a clean, smooth and richly flavoured gin.

Six O’clock Tonic is an all-natural Indiantonic water made with real sugar andcontains no saccharin or artificialpreservatives. The bitterness comes fromnatural quinine extract and this melds withacidity from lemon and lime extracts.

Quench your thirst this summer with theultimate British aperitif – creating your very own moment of “ginspiration” before dinner.

www.sixoclockgin.co.uk

gINSPIRATION!