Season Magazine: latest posts

Food for thoughts

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:10:33 +0000

On one side John Hudgell, once sandwich entrepreneur and now smart restaurateur, is a man on an ethical mission, albeit a softly softly one. Snappily dressed, businesslike in his dealings, this is not your average eco-warrior in dreadlocks and sandals, but John’s environmental pitch and the verve of that message is a convincing one. On the other, on an epicurean crusade, is head chef David Williams who has run some of the best kitchens in the UK from Kent to East Lothian after training in the near godly kitchens of Joel Robuchon in Paris. Technically skilled, his experience cooking top class ingredients and a natural flair for perfecting flavour, texture and presentation have convinced John he has found the ‘right man for the job’.

Together they are making Alimentum the most talked about address on the Cambridge foodie scene. Already after just 14 months from opening, the AA Restaurant Guide has rewarded Alimentum with three AA Rosettes for culinary excellence, putting them in their select top ten of restaurants in East Anglia. Accolades and fame come well down the list of priorities for John, clearly motivated to do the best for his guests, valued team and the environment but which in turn brings the recognition and rewards.

The eco message rather like that of local food is often a glib one in the case of restaurant marketing, loose speak easily banded about to get the interest of press and potential guests rarely backed up with dedication and provenance. Here the green credentials are deep rooted and impressive, their actions do speak louder than just words – fully inspecting farms for animal husbandry, sustainable sources of safe fish stocks, GM free suppliers, ethical despatching of shellfish, energy efficient equipment including hydro carbon refrigeration, recycling of grease from waste water for bio fuels, even the bones bought in to boil down for stocks are all free range, the ‘reduce, re-use and recycle’ mantra demonstrates results. Now if being green conjures up visions of rice crackers, lentils and cabbage soup, Alimentum is as epicurean as they come notwithstanding a focus on origins and principles.

The local small production food use is admirable too, rare breed beef comes from Tilbury Meadow in north Essex, and pork from the ‘plum pudding’ black and sandy pigs roaming nearby woods, their foraging acting as a purposeful woodland management tool. In fact Alimentum are in the running for the upcoming RSPCA Good Business Awards 2008 as one of five finalists in the Independent Restaurant Category, so watch this green space. But if foie gras is to you manna sent from heaven, then one won’t be disappointed but no product of Gallic gavage and their force-feeding geese here. John tracked down farmer Senor de Sousa and his free-ranging greedy flock near Seville in south-west Spain, observing their entirely natural gorging on acorns and figs sin interferencia de mano, who intuitively fill their bellies seasonally in preparation for the winter.

The first restaurateur in the UK to have welfare friendly foie gras on the menu, John’s happy diners can just as contentedly graze on what is their most popular starter entirely guilt free. David’s repertoire is reassuring and broadly French influenced – his menu language might be simple, the multi-faceted food delivers on many layers, evident in honey roast quail, Alimentum ‘coleslaw’ or roast pig’s head, poached duck egg, crispy risotto at starter. His piggy main course is a mainstay, four hour roast pork belly, crispy pig parts, Pink Lady apples while another seasonal offering is day boat caught hake, crushed potatoes, Scottish girolles and carrot purée. The cheese board is well chosen, small in number, big on different tastes, while a sweet tooth is well catered for, perhaps Manjari Valhrona chocolate tart with new season cherries or crème brûlée, strawberry and raspberry salad.

If all the gastronomic and ethical prowess is not enough, there is sufficient chic in the interiors to impress even the most stylish of sophisticates. And finally music being the food of love, their Tuesday night jazz club feeds the senses, combining supper with new wave and trad performances from some of London’s rising stars.

The AA Three Rosettes award states that it is “awarded to outstanding restaurants that demand recognition well beyond the local area”, I think Alimentum should stay our own little secret…

Alimentum, 152-154 Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambs.
T: 01223 413000 W: restaurantalimentum.co.uk

If you go down to the woods today...

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:45:23 +0000

Son Charlie (aged 21 no less) came back from Alton Towers last night after having spent two days and one night, at no little expense, enjoying himself. ‘The place is full of Ceps Dad. There’s even one growing out of the wall at head height – honestly. The place was riddled with them’, Charlie enthused to me even before he told me about the adrenalin rides he took. I really think he was more excited about the Ceps than Oblivion.

I guarantee these were indeed the real McCoy (also known as penny buns, porcini or cèpes, and Boletus Edulis by us mycologists) as even his younger sister Becky can tell the difference between a Saffron Milk Cap and a Lactarius Deterrimus. This is the first and only time I will divulge in print a location for Ceps. Alton Towers is too far away from Norfolk to do any damage. Sites where they grow in Norfolk are distinctly finite and the cognoscenti have learnt like me from bitter experience to guard their secret closely. Most patches that I have visited have other collectors haunting them. Evidence of their passing can be read on the forest floor by way of trimmings, cut stalks, discarded specimens and a general absence of edible mushrooms.

A much cheaper way of passing the time than theme parking is to take the children into the great outdoors and hunt for edible wild food. We have plenty of the most beautiful and varied countryside right here in East Anglia just begging to be explored. Most of the fun is in finding mushrooms yourself for the first time. Much of the mystic and feeling of accomplishment is removed if you are shown or told where to find them.

The first book that helped me on the road to foraging was the concise and informative ‘Food for Free’ by Richard Mabey. As I became more of a mushroom specialist, my bible became ‘Mushrooms and other Fungi of Great Britiain and Europe’ by Roger Phillips. This gives all the information and photographs necessary with enough scientific data to positively identify the mushrooms covered therein. These two books cost less than the fuel just to get to Alton Towers. Given enough time most of the contents covered in the books can be found in the wilds of our region. I refer to them to this day as I still have trouble with Russulas and a host of small brown mushrooms. Much better value than a weekend spent traffic’ing to and from a theme park.

The sight of a basket of hedgerow harvest after what is always a voyage of discovery at this time of year will have your children at least wanting to scoff the blackberries even before you have had a chance to make blackberry and crab apple jelly. Yummy.

Small children are the ideal mushroom hunting companions. Their proximity to the ground and boundless enthusiasm, as the hunt turns to competition – ‘ mine’s bigger than yours’, helps a great deal in filling the basket. Make sure that the kids are dressed to repel mosquitos, brambles and ticks if you can. Despite my own precautions, I always return with more than my share of mosquito bites - even wild food is not entirely for free it seems…

Clive Houlder is a professional greengrocer and forager, responsibly and sustainably harvesting wild food from Norfolk’s fields, woods and coast supplying some of the county’s best chefs with wholesome natural provender in season.
T: 01328 738610

Dine out? Dine’in room

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:44:33 +0000

Photography by Keiko Oikawa

Don’t you just love this quote from Wikipedia - ‘A dining room is a room for consuming food.’ Yes, there and the rest of the house. These busy days the only place the average family doesn’t use for ‘consumption’ seems to be the bathroom. Dare I say the cereal bowls at my house seem to sneak their way into the back of the car for the school run if we all want an extra five in bed before the 7.15 bus! Oh bless them over the pond for the American dream – squashed by time and convenience.

Generally as an attachment to the kitchen, or at least just next to it, the dining room sits conveniently, ready for action. Possibly these days they see much more action than they have for a long time. Why? Is it the encouragement of the trendy interiors magazines and their fancy pages of useable dining ideas or that it is a top tip to redesign your less used spaces? Either way dining rooms are high on the agenda for a makeover…

In the Middle Ages the dining room was called the Great Hall armed with long tables and big benches with head of the house and his family strategically sat at one end and the minions and guests in order of status down wind of the head. But being a noisy old place to dine with its stone floor and large fire, the ‘parlour’ came into its own for the more noble to quietly slip off into the more convivial experience of an intimate space more akin to a dining room.

What followed in the Edwardian and Victorian age was that as time moved on ladies saw sense and after dinner would leave to fine themselves in a cluster together to chat and gossip in even more style and comfort. Is it really progress that this now takes place in front of the dishwasher as we swiftly clear away the clutter of the evening so as to stay ahead of the coming day?

So back to the dining room. How’s yours looking today? Sorry. Did I hear you say you hadn’t been in there since that rather boozy birthday in April. Oh and yes the Dyson is in there with the suitcases ready to go in the loft. Please, let’s get a grip. Your dining room is at least one third of your living space so lets do just that. Live a little and use it tonight. And when the audience cries - ‘is this for something special’ say ‘yes – you are’. Make Tuesday dining in night.

With delight I have to say you do have stiff competition to your ‘Chez Nous’ dining experience. More than ever eating out is good value, the food is wholesome and properly served with the interior of the dining experience being high on the agenda, well thought out and more often than not, a delight.

So, before you put the word ‘re-opened’ on the dining room door, do go and take a look-see. Ask yourself – is it all that it should be – fresh, bright, charming and useable - ready for a noisy table for five at seven or a table for two friends !? No ? Then you have some fun times ahead doing just that. As they say. Got it. Use it. Love it!

Jules O’Dowd Interior Designer and Stylist at The Cotton Tree - Interiors, Gardens, Design and Build. Visit their store at 26 High Street, Saxmundham, Suffolk
T: 01728 604700

Autumn food and beer... a perfect match

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:44:01 +0000

As the light fades and the temperature drops, it’s time to brush down the barbecue and move back indoors for our meals. And though it’s sad to say goodbye to summer, we can draw consolation from the culinary delights of autumn – roast meats, slow-cooked casseroles of game, root vegetables, squashes and autumn’s fruit and berries.

This is British food at its finest, so why not serve it with Britain’s finest drink - beer? Many chefs have already discovered the benefits of pairing our native food and drink, more restaurants and pubs are now recommending beers to enjoy with a wide range of food. The sheer number of beers available – some 2,000 at the last count – means that there’s bound to be a beer to complement the flavours of whatever you’re eating.

But it’s not just the taste that makes beer the smart choice for autumn dining. For one, it has fewer calories than wine, measure for measure – a 250 ml glass of beer holds 102 calories compared to 192 in wine. Beer has a lower alcohol by volume – typically around 5% compared to wine’s 12% give or take and is generally lower in price, so experimenting to find your favourites won’t cost the earth! So why not try some of the autumn food and beer combinations below, chosen by Beautiful Beer, the campaign to encourage more people to discover the diverse taste of beer.

Game: the strong, earthy tastes and textures of game are well-suited to the same flavours in beer, somewhat different to wine. These foods do demand a full-bodied style though. Most flavourful ales will hold their own with game, try Adnams Broadside or Woodfordes Norfolk Nog. Alternatively, a Belgian Abbey or Trappist beer, such as Leffe or Chimay will also work well and Fraoch, a beer brewed in Scotland with heather, will complement game birds, especially grouse. A Belgian Lambic beer such as Lindemans, in either cherry or raspberry flavour, will be a perfect match to pigeon, pheasant or venison as the beer’s sweetness matches that of the meat. If pan-frying the meat, add beer to the juices to make a wonderful sauce.

Matching beer with food – a beginner’s guide
•    Start experimenting with a range of beers and foods. A good match should enhance the flavours of both and a beer drunk with food will often taste different to how it tastes on its own.
•    The general rule for matching food and beer is ‘like with like’, so you’d pair a salad with light, crisp lagers, and hearty stews with more intensely flavoured ales. However, exceptions can create some of the best beer and food combinations – try oysters with a glass of the rich dark Mauldons Black Adder for example.
•    Beer is a great partner to many of the foods wine struggles to match, including chocolate, eggs, salad dressings and spicy dishes. Despite cheese and wine parties, beer is actually a better match to cheese as it is able to ‘cut through’ the cheese in a way that wine can’t.
•    Switch from pint glasses to smaller sizes when you’re drinking beer with food: as you’ll be sipping, you’ll probably drink less, and a stemmed glass will feel more elegant at the dining table. There are some lovely, stemmed beer glasses available, such as the Beautiful Beer glass which holds a half-pint, available from www.beautifulbeer.com
•    If you’re going to substitute beer for wine on just one course, try it with dessert. A wine that goes with the main course is likely to be too dry to work with a sweet dish, whereas beer’s combination of sweetness and bitterness is a great match for most puddings.

For an enormous range of bottled beers why not try Beers of Europe based in Kings Lynn (T: 01553 812000 or W: beersofeurope.co.uk). This will allow you to try your own beer and food matching. Surprise your guests by adding beer to your next supper party menu.

Cheers.

A member of the British Guild of Beer Writers, Paul Nunny is a Director of the Cask Marque Trust, the independent cask ale accreditation scheme. Awarding licensees who serve great beer, their logo is the guarantee of an excellent pint.

To find your nearest Cask Marque outlet, visit their website or text “CASK.” followed by your postcode to 83211.

Period Charm

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:42:57 +0000

Suffolk hotelier Craig Jarvis lets us into the world of his much loved hotels and local food.

Why do you live and work where you do?
The charming and traditional village of Beyton is home, not far from my hotel Ravenwood Hall in Rougham, just outside Bury St. Edmunds. My house is quite old with lots of character, just like the hotels; I enjoy the historic elements of antique properties, that’s why I fell in love with Ravenwood Hall when I first saw it some 24 years ago, then called the Rookery – I had always seen the sign at the bottom of the drive but never ventured in to have a look. Noticing the ‘For Sale’ sign, curiosity got the better of me and I just had to take a look. The moment I saw the 16th century hall with its oak beams and original artwork on the wall, it so much represented a real piece of old England that I just had to have it.

Suffolk is a lovely county; I feel it has a nice cultural balance, being rural yet sophisticated, with a great mix of people. I also have a hotel in beautiful Long Melford called the Black Lion so I also spend a lot of time there, with the magnificent church, the Tudor mansion Kentwell Hall and the unique High Street with all the interesting little boutiques and my favourite antique shops.

What makes your locality so different?
With Ravenwood Hall, it is in such a tucked away piece of England, the country house hotel and restaurant in the hidden wooded grounds. It provides a little haven for visitors to enjoy away from the hustle and bustle of work and other commitments in today’s often hectic world. Whilst the Black Lion is a Georgian townhouse, more of a boutique hotel and restaurant with its Victorian walled garden.

Tell us about your local area from a food and drink perspective…
We are so lucky around Suffolk and Norfolk – there is everything you need in foodie terms. As Ravenwood Hall is literally next door to Rougham Estate where I shoot, there is always fresh game on the menu and on my own plates at home for that matter, everything from pigeon and goose to hare and venison.

There is also an abundance of choice for fresh fish, you can’t beat the Norfolk/Suffolk coast areas for things like bass, sole and cod as well as terrific shellfish, Norfolk brown shrimps, cockles from Heacham where I go with the children, and of course Cromer crabs, also not forgetting the famous Colchester Oysters. I love Norfolk Samphire too.

We have such fantastic ingredients close to home such as Rushford asparagus and good old Newmarket sausages from Musks. The large selection of local cheeses is a joy. With regard to drink we have apple juice from Maynards in Bradfield St Clare, Aspall’s cider, wines from Wyken vineyard not far from Bury and lovely Adnams Ales on draught at the bar and also in our fish batter.

Good quality tasty meat is also easy to find, we use Clarkes in Long Melford for the restaurants, their sticky Suffolk bacon is excellent as is their 28 day aged rib of beef. We also source traditional black hams from Emmetts near Saxmundham. In our own smokeries at the hotels, we smoke our own salmon and other fish as well as duck and beef.

Where do you like visiting to eat and drink?
I enjoy dining in many different places locally, all sorts for a variety of occasions, decent pubs to high class restaurants; such as the Leaping Hare at Wyken Vineyard and their seasonal, rustic and tasteful food; the Heacham Fish & Chip shop near Hunstanton in north-west Norfolk; the Five Bells pub at Felsham, they serve great beer and good honest food, where what you see is what you get; the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market is a perennial favourite, it has a lively atmosphere and is great for people watching; the Bildeston Crown is imaginative and skilled with the dishes they produce.

My all time favourite has to be the Lobster Shack in Brancaster Staithe where you can buy mugs of tea, shellfish baguettes and fantastic whole lobster to take away. And every chap needs a proper drinking pub, mine is the Bear at Beyton. For a proper cup of Earl Grey, there is a nice tea shop in Bury called The Bay Tree down St. John’s Street but my daughter favours Harriet’s in Bury town centre for hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Craig’s latest addition to his pair of classic Suffolk hotels is as unexpected as the owner himself. Dry beached high on the dunes at Heacham is the Wild Duck, a truly unique venue of a 128 year old houseboat overlooking the beautiful sands and seaswell of this beautiful part of the Wash coast in North Norfolk.

But the distinctly landlocked surroundings of Craig’s two main properties could also not be more diverse, on the one hand proper country house and on the other boutique townhouse. Ravenwood Hall, a timbered creation of Elizabethan origins with part Edwardian façade, nestles in the woods to the east of Bury St Edmunds, just oft the A14 but so secluded amongst its shady sylvan glade, its verdant lawns surrounded by towering trees, one would never realise. The latter, the Black Lion could not be more focal, in its lush village green location at the head of Long Melford High Street, reputedly superlative in its long length and number of antique shops. What unifies the two is their shared pride in proper hotelkeeping, this is not faded chintz and haughty stuffiness, rather the intent to provide comfort, style and decadence in keeping with the buildings and giving guests the feeling that they have been welcomed into a private family house albeit with the best of modern comforts in a hotel setting.

Craig himself has worked with food all his life, starting out in restaurants, he became a young entrepreneur, opening Ravenwood back in 1986 and buying the Black Lion in 1999. This dynamism and risk-taking continues in his private life, now nearly 50 he has lost little of that nerve which has seen him doing the extreme bobsleigh of the Cresta Run in the Nineties, competing over the Grand National fences in the amateur horserace the Foxhunters’ Chase at Aintree. He is still a regular point-to-point rider and proficient polo player as well as crewing sailing boats, competing at Cowes every year and if that is not enough, still risks the waves kite-surfing. But his urbane side is tempered during the game season, very much the country gentleman at his shooting peg. Like his guests, he enjoys the finer things in life, albeit not so genteel in his case.

Ravenwood Hall Hotel, Rougham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
T: 01359 270345 W: ravenwoodhall.co.uk

The Wild Duck, South Beach, Heacham, Norfolk
W: thewildduck.net

Black Lion Hotel, The Green, Long Melford, Suffolk
T: 01787 312356 W: blacklionhotel.net

October 2008: Cafés

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:42:23 +0000

Photograph of the Barn Café by Steph Weekes

Six of our favourite cafés, from unpretentious eateries for light bites to pretty serious restaurants…

Elveden Estate Café Restaurant, South West Norfolk
A real foodie emporium, the Earl of Iveagh has created a relaxing spot perfect for a little ‘R & R’ after exploring the lavish retail courtyard and food hall.
Elveden near Thetford, Norfolk
T: 01842 898068 W: elveden.com

Mistley Quay Café, North East Essex
Part of a larger craft workshops complex, the Brunnings’ cordial vegetarian venue has quite a following with its special coastal setting by the river Stour.
Mistley Quay Workshops, Mistley near Manningtree
T: 01206 393884 W: mistleyquaycafe.co.uk

The Barn Café at Butley Barns, East Suffolk
A perfect lunchtime spot after a gentle ramble or bike ride through the Ore valley, it’s set in one of several converted barns in this arty pottery community.
Mill Lane, Butley near Woodbridge, Suffolk
T: 01394 450800 Read season's feature article on the Barn Café

The Orchard, Grantchester, Cambs
Come by foot, wheels, oars or punt, with 100 years of varsity and literary links, this charmingly simple tearooms still serves light lunches and classic afternoon tea in its 19th century pavilion.
45 – 47 Mill Way, Grantchester
T: 01223 845788 W: orchard-grantchester.com

Wiveton Hall Café, North Norfolk
With celebrated Norfolk chef-restaurateur Alison Yetman at the stove, it’s no surprise this spring to autumn destination buzzes with happy diners grazing on lots of home grown produce.
Wiveton, near Holt, Norfolk
T: 01263 740525 W: wivetonhall.co.uk

The Cut, Halesworth, North Suffolk
In the maltings behind the season offices and home to the Halesworth Arts festival (11-26 Oct), our lunchtime stop-off is set in the midst of the latest exhibition. Try Sue’s interesting daily specials and her legendary cheese scones.
New Cut, Halesworth
T: 01986 873285 W: newcut.org

In a squash together

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:40:29 +0000

As the days shorten its time to move on from the summer salads and concentrate on autumnal vegetables and orchard fruits.

In October us vegetable growers always start the month by harvesting the pumpkins and winter squash. A colourful trailer leaves the field full of these gargantuan member of the curcurbit family (big sisters of cucumbers, courgettes and marrows) with wonderful names such as Turks Turbans, Butternut, Onion Squash, Crown Prince as well as pumpkins of all sizes. The larger heading to be transformed by happy kids into the traditional lanterns at Halloween but the smaller are especially grown with the recipe books in mind.

In Britain the squashes are somewhat of a neglected vegetable, this is a real pity as they contain as much vitamin A as carrots and can be just as sweet and firm. They keep well and are really versatile too. The larger ones can serve as a cooking container as well as a basis for an exciting dish. Winter squash are usually peeled before being cut into cubes and cooked. At their best baked, but they can also be mashed or added to soups or stews.

Try a squash soup spiced with some of the ‘warmer’ spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg; add some tender autumn lamb to make a broth all served from the hollowed rind of your ready made vegetable tureen. A great ‘pumpkin pot’ can be made by combining lean, minced beef with rice, green beans and cabbage, layered, seasoned and baked in the pumpkin, moistened with a little white wine and butter. Make sure you scoop some of the delicious flesh into the dish when serving. Enjoy!

Sally Bendall co-owns Hollow Trees Farm Shop as well as finding time to chair FARMA, the National Farmers’ Retail and Markets Association.
Hollow Tree Farm Shop, A1141 Semer, Suffolk IP7 6HX
T: 01449 741247

Good game

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:39:37 +0000

With the summer (what summer?) becoming a distant damp memory and winter’s chill merely a few frosty mornings away, appetites are whetted in anticipation of autumn’s natural countryside harvest getting in full swing. Nothing is more wild and British at this time of year than game, the seasonal harvest of bird and beast.

Whether furred or feathered, one cannot go much better than eating game, a healthy choice low in fat and cholesterol, good value compared to farmed meat and above all environmentally friendly, with farmland maintained as verdant shooting habitat, benefiting all flora and fauna rather than increasing the spread of hostile arable prairies. Being such a versatile ingredient, with a variety of styles, cuts for all occasions, and great flexibility for a myriad of savoury recipes, game really can replace any other farmed meat with often tastier results.

Hopefully you live in the midst of the great East Anglian countryside with a cheerful farmer or even a local gamekeeper on good terms who you can befriend to get your game direct from the shoot, perhaps mucking in with the farmyard chores or beating for them in return. It is so easy to draw game ready for the pot but if you are squeamish and don’t fancy all that plucking, skinning and gutting, then you can buy relatively inexpensive prepared game from your local independent butchers or farm shop.

Most importantly with game is to know how old your bird or beastie is before buying so getting to know your supplier whether the farmer or butcher will pay dividends - young specimens can be cooked quickly and enjoyed un-gilded in all their juicy sweetness whereas the older ones need gentle slow cooking and stronger flavours of herb or fruit to get the best out of them.

GAME COOKERY TIPS

I really look forward to late autumn – once mid October is upon us, I know that I can start enjoying bags of wonderful game again, a perennial favourite (before then it can be pricey and skinny). Of course, throughout the year we can buy quail, pigeon, guinea fowl and other interesting meats but wild game, legally restricted to the autumn and winter months by its very limited window of opportunity is a real pleasure.

Game is so easy to cook, here are a few ideas and suggestions:

Timing – my cardinal rule is to serve oven roasted game rather pink so it is moist – being low fat can it become chewy if fully cooked through. If you prefer it well done, better to pot roast or slow braise it until tender and falling off the bone. Alternatively filleting it so it is boneless and quickly frying it until just pinkish grey is a good halfway house which will keep it relatively succulent.

Recipes – with all the global cuisines and cooking styles, whatever the conventional meat there is a suitable game to replace it. Pheasant and rabbit for chicken, partridge and pigeon for pork or lamb, wild duck instead of farmed duck, hare and venison for beef – give it a try.

Roasting – preheat the oven to 200c. Rub with butter or goose fat. Wrapping older birds in good fatty bacon or foil can help keep it moist and uncovering to brown at the end. Best to remove legs for slow braising or poaching in goose fat, wine or similar first, then roasting alongside the breasts.

Poaching – gently simmering in your favourite flavoured liquor on the stove can give very tender results for a lighter taste.

Flash Frying – sautéing boneless cuts such as breast fillets quickly seals in the juices and works well if serving on top of a good wild mushroom risotto or alongside your favourite light pasta dish such as a carbonara.

Stir-frying – proving game’s flexibility, one of my favourite ways is to eat game oriental style. Marinate thin strips of any furred or feathered game in a mix of cornflour, dark soy, sesame oil, rice wine, garlic, ginger and spring onion for 15 minutes, then quickly fry off in groundnut oil in a very hot wok until just browned. Remove to keep warm and add finely shredded vegetables into the pan. Once softened but still crunchy, bring to the simmer with more soy, wine and sesame oil also adding cooked noodles and the browned game, serve immediately once hot.

Pot roasting – cooking in a medium 180c oven covered in a snug casserole with a little liquid makes for a rich concentrated dish.

Slow braising – bathed in a good stock and wine medium for a long gentle stew makes even the oldest game toothsome and especially good for the furred game such as venison, rabbit and hare.

Stephen David is chef/patron of the Crown at Woodbridge, Thorpeness & Aldeburgh Hotels’ latest addition in Suffolk (T: 01394 384242 W: thecrownatwoodbridge.co.uk) as well as co-owner with his partner, Rebecca Mackenzie of Bungay’s Earsham Street Café and Bespoke Events (T: 01986 893103).

MY FAVOURITE OCTOBER GAME

Wild Duck – The first gamebirds to be widely available come the beginning of the season, I cooked my first oven ready brace of this year’s new season mallard within a few days of the start of September – pan frying the breasts and confit’ing the legs in goose fat. Although very different in size and appearance, from the tiny teal to the family size mallard, all wild duck cook and eat rather similarly. I love the widgeon and the pintail for a bit of variety, half a bird per person is a perfect portion. Roasting the breast crown, teal can take as little as five minutes to be perfectly pink and tender, while a good mallard can take up to twenty minutes. Conversely flash or stir-fry the breasts for a quick weekday supper.

Suggestions: All game goes well with earthy root vegetables such as beetroot or celeriac, the latter as fondant or puree is good instead of potato. I am not the greatest fan of meat and fruit but wild duck is an exception - blackberries or redcurrants make for a piquant sweet edge to the rich meat. Serve the light game juices instead of classic thickened gravy. Good greens are an essential counterpoint, why not try cavalo nero or good old English kale?

Partridge – Mid October will see shoots well in swing with their partridge days and they really are the perfect size, a single bird makes an indulgent feast per head. So long as they are young (as with all game), after browning them, oven roast for perhaps 10 -15 mins. Alternatively braise slowly for an hour or pot roast with a little concentrated wine or liquor for 40 – 50 mins, uncovering it for the last 15 minutes or so to brown.

Suggestions: I love partridge pot roasted English style with apples, savoy cabbage, onions, sage, wholegrain mustard and cider or French style with red onions, red cabbage, raisins, thyme, garlic and white wine. It also eats very well in Moroccan recipes gently braised as a spicy rich tagine with jewelled pomegranate couscous.

If you are looking for good oven ready East Anglian game, try our good friends at the Wild Meat Company near Saxmundham, one of Rick Stein’s Food Heroes. They can supply every type of game, whether it’s sausages (a trio of choices), boneless roulades, game pie and stewing mixes, venison joints and a plethora of whole birds and (un)furred game.
The Wild Meat Company - buy by mail order (T: 01728 663211 W: wildmeat.co.uk)

They regularly attend the following East Anglian farmers markets:
•    1st Saturday: Snape Maltings, Suffolk - Linton Village Hall, Suffolk/Cambs border
•    2nd Saturday: Woodbridge Community Hall, Suffolk - Barleylands nr Billericay, Essex
•    3rd Saturday: Alder Carr Farm, Needham Market, Suffolk
•    4th / Last Saturday: Marks Hall, nr Coggeshall, Essex - Easton Farm Park, nr Wickham Market, Suffolk – Woodbridge Community Hall, Suffolk – Barleylands nr Billericay, Essex.

Game, set and match

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:38:03 +0000

The start of the new school year marks the beginning of the game bird season. Being completely lily-livered, I have never despatched anything larger than an unfortunate fly, but I really look forward to being able to buy fresh, local game at the butchers here in Southwold. Wild game is the best and most natural produce that our beautiful countryside has to offer, a million miles away from factory farming, especially if you can buy produce from well-managed, natural shoots – Holkham Estate in North Norfolk is an admirable example.

As Autumn leaves begin to fall and the first bite of winter takes hold, we can look forward to a bounty of local produce to enjoy whilst cosily ensconced in front of a roaring fire. Game, of course, comes in many forms, hoofed, furred and feathered, and the accompaniments to game (such as rich stocks or berried sauces) will have a huge influence on the choice of wine to pair with it. The basic rules of food and wine matching remain true; a harmonious balance of texture, weight, sweetness, flavour and structure.

The classic vinous pairing with game is Pinot Noir – usually from its heartland in Burgundy. Pinot Noir’s wild, earthy character combined with savoury Autumnal red fruit flavours and silky structure is the natural partner with game. Some New World Pinots with vibrant raspberry and loganberry flavours are perfect served with berried sauces, as are rich fruit-packed Grenache / Shiraz blends from Australia.

For game soups, try a fruity Beaujolais, whose lightness and generous red fruits pair well with hearty stocks with carrots, onions and pearl barley. Game birds such as partridge and pheasant are delicious served with a good quality Chardonnay – they have great savoury flavour, so a rich, buttery, golden number has just the right weight and texture to match it perfectly. Try darker, richer meats, such as wild duck or wood pigeon, with oak-aged Rioja or Chianti, where there’s fruit and enough acidity to cut through the natural richness of the bird.

Rabbit is a lean meat, soft in texture although can be stronger in flavour so wines from the Rhône Valley are usually a great match. Look out for organic examples as these vineyards are often situated next to the wild ‘garrigue’ scrub – they provide herby flavours alongside the spice and raspberry flavours more normally associated with Syrah and the other native varieties. Partridge, too, is good with red wines from the Rhône, especially those that are made predominantly from Grenache. Beer can accompany some game dishes well – a rich fruity beer like Broadside goes well with light game dishes such as a savoury terrine with quince jelly.

Venison, depending on how long it has been hung, is probably the strongest in flavour of all the game mentioned. I always think that a majestic animal like deer needs something equal in stature in wine terms. Try a really good Shiraz from Australia, a top Zinfandel from California or a super Reserva from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Don’t go for anything too tannic though, as a chewy wine won’t suit the soft texture of good venison.

We are incredibly lucky to live in a region where game is accessible, and an increasing number of pubs and restaurants feature local meats on their seasonal menus. It’s quite possible to have a dish whose ingredients have only travelled a few miles from the field to the table, and these tend to be the healthiest and tastiest meals. We can all raise a glass to that.

Sarah Groves studied wine marketing at Roseworthy College, Australia’s foremost wine institution, and is part of the wine team at Adnams in Southwold. Visit one of their Cellar & Kitchen Stores in East Anglia and Richmond (W: adnams.co.uk or
T: 01502 727222 for details).

Food fest Norwich style

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:42:03 +0000

Surely the highlight in the county’s foodie calendar, the Bidwells Norwich and Norfolk Food Festival 2008 promises to be a glutton’s paradise. The festivities proper kick off on Wednesday 8 October at the city’s Forum followed by a whole week of foodie merriment, ending on Tuesday 14 October.

Norfolk’s huge agricultural heritage, strong support for any home-crafted produce from the county and a wealth of wonderful native foods hand crafted by proud artisans result in a fun packed calendar of events, here are just a few highlights.

Tuesday 7 October - The Big Norfolk Food Debate at the John Innes Centre, 6.30pm
In a ‘Question Time’ format, the audience will question a respected panel of food experts to discuss the burning issues affecting the county and the wider world.
T: 01603 257219 to book your place

Wednesday 8 October – The Lavender House’s Richard Hughes at Jarrolds, 6 for 6.30pm
An evening with one of the county’s best known chefs at Norwich’s leading department store, launching his new cookbook, Step by Step with Richard Hughes.
T: 01603 660661 W: jarrold.co.uk for tickets at £5 per head

Friday 10 October - Norfolk Food Fair – The Forum on Norwich’s Millennium Plain, 11am – 6pm
The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association presents an array of local producers with a huge variety of county fare.

Friday 10 October - John Lewis Cookery Theatre at The Forum, 9.30am-4pm
The county’s leading chefs celebrate the great tastes of Norfolk with continuous cookery demonstrations. Ingredients generously supplied by Waitrose Norwich.

Saturday 11 October - Battle of the Bangers outside the Forum, 9.30am – 4.30pm
The public help to judge the special festival bangers made by some of the region’s best butchers.

Sunday 12 October – the Food and Ale Fringe – at The Green Grocers, Earlham House Shopping Centre, 10am-7pm
In association with Produced in Norfolk, a jamboree of genuine Norfolk food and drink, high in taste and low in food miles. A marquee of food, ale, cider, wine and perry tastings, alongwith talks and demonstrations by local celebrities, live music and of course gorgeous refreshments on sale all day.

Sunday 12 October – Annual Scone Competition at Wroxham Barns, entrants by 2.30pm
The icon of a proper English afternoon tea, the hard pressed judges will be finding the best made morsels in four categories (plain, cheese, fruit and freestyle scones).
For more details and to download your entry form, visit W: wroxhambarns.co.uk or call them on T: 01603 783762

Monday 13 October – Animal Inns Charity Dinners Being held simultaneously at each
of Henry Watt’s four estimable establishments (the Wildebeest Arms, 1UP at the Mad Moose Arms, Mackintosh’s Canteen and the new Hunworth Bell), four charities will benefit from a night of benevolence and indulgence.
T: 01508 492497 W: animalinns.co.uk for details

Tuesday 14 October - Moveable Feast around Norwich City Centre, from 6pm
A charity fundraiser for Parkinson’s and now in its eight year, this is a magical mystery tour of Norwich’s eating places. Over an aperitif, you are allocated three different restaurants, taking one course in each, partying back at the Forum and then voting for your favourite.
T: 01603 617269 for tickets at £30 per head

Other events include celebrity chef dinners at the Hotel School, Norwich City College, grand cookbook sales at the Forum, recipe swapping in the Library, the children’s model farm, Jellyvision Schools Challenge, Food Film Programme at Cinema City and lots lots more…

Visit the Festival website W: norwichfoodfestival.co.uk or call T: 01603 727927