CHRISTMAS is a time when most cheese-lovers enjoy some special treats, whether it’s a great Stilton (with or without port) or one of the country’s finest traditional Cheddars, for which we are spoiled for choice! Among the best are the three great Somerset traditional farmhouse Cheddars, from Keens near Wincanton, Montgomerys of North Cadbury and…
SOMETIMES you just need a treat. There are people who claim that they only “eat to live” and others whose attitude is more “live to eat.” Most of us, fortunately, come somewhere in between. But sometimes you need a treat and on those days there are few destinations that offer more than Summer Lodge, the…
MANY restaurants have recognised the multiple benefits of putting produce that is local to their area on the menu – but not many chefs have an historic family tie to the food they serve. Mark Hartstone, chef-proprietor of La Fosse restaurant with rooms at Cranborne, grows many of his own salads, herbs and vegetables on…
DEVON cheesemakers Quicke’s, based on the family farm near Crediton, have produced a new seasonal cheese, the hand-crafted Elderflower Clothbound Cheese. Combining early summer’s grass-fed cow’s milk with the elder tree’s botanical bloom, this six-month matured cheese is a joyous celebration of the land. The new cheese owes much to the ancient hedgerows that the…
WHEN did you last have a nut roast? If you are a life-long vegetarian, you might say maybe 20 years ago. The best nut roasts were served at Cranks restaurant in Covent Garden, and the most reliable recipes were in the two Cranks cookbooks, which still deserve a place on the shelves of any keen…
THE world’s oldest alcoholic drink is the perfect accompaniment for your Valentine’s Day dinner, says Lyme Bay Winery, the West Country drinks maker which has put mead back on the off-licence shelves and the cook’s working top. Mead isn’t just a different drink; it’s a whole new drinks category. Made with honey, and believed to…
SOME of the country’s finest cheese makers, including Montgomery and Westcombe, will be featured on a special five-day tour, Cheese Journeys, introducing cheese lovers to the unique culinary culture of Somerset. The Cheese Journeys visit in April 2019 will include cheesemarkers and affineurs, and begins at London’s historic Borough Market, including a visit to Neal’s…
BRISTOL is truly a food-lover’s paradise these days. From the multi-cultural food shops across the city to the trendy restaurants in Clifton, Montpellier and around the harbourside, there is food for every taste, purse, fad or free-from requirements. For years we have loved the Thali restaurants, particularly Thali at the Tobacco Factory in Bedminster, ideally…
IF you go to Howards House at Teffont, have a quick look around the kitchen garden, and you may well spot chef Andy Britton in his kitchen whites among the lavish growth of green vegetables, salads and herbs. The charming country house hotel’s reputation for locally sourced food is certainly enhanced by the arrival of…
THE Devon-based online butcher, Pipers Farm is preparing for family feasts this summer with a range of natural, gluten-free sausages, ideal for picnics, barbecues and breakfasts – at home or by the campfire. Wholesome, succulent and full of flavour, these rusk, preservative and chemical-free sausages are handmade on the farm using slow-grown Saddleback pork shoulder,…