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Tea

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56 High Road, Reigate, RH2 9ATcarolynne migh tea

The upside: One of the most interesting loose-leaf tea menus in Surrey!

The downside: Closed on Sundays

The flipside: A lovely independent selling a menu that embraces single blend teas with locally produced food

This café is as its name suggests is all about tea. Carolynne Farrer (a former HR specialist) always dreamed of owning her own tea business. Made redundant a few years ago she chatted with her sister about her idea. Convinced she was all talk her sister remarked that she would never actually do it. This was the challenge that Carolynne needed and TEA is now 1 year old.

Located in historical Reigate, on the High Road the interior has been playfully created to give a vintage retro feel. The counter is painted red and decorated with old knitting patterns. These are so evocative to me of childhood especially if you had a knitting crazy granny like me.

Tea Reigate kintting patterns

Here you will find that all aspects of the small but delightful menu have been carefully devised. The kitchen is very small so the menu reflects this. Tea (some organic) Organic coffee (from Beanberry) and proper hot chocolate dominate the drinks menu. On the food side its doorstop sandwiches featuring local cheeses. High Weald for Sister Sarah goats cheese and Sussex Charmer from Bookhams are just 2 examples.

Tea is the specialty here so I chose a pot of Chinese Jasmine Silver Needle. All teas are loose-leaf and placed intotea at migh tea an unbleached filter to brew. Each variety needs different times to infuse so are served with a timer and brew time advice. You can find a full description of all the teas on the website but staff here are keen to share their knowledge and discuss options. Tea comes from an independent tea merchant in Winchester who share their knowledge and passion for this unique drink with Carolynne. The tea menu is divided into normal (£2), special (£2.50) and superior (£3.75) for a generous pot. My tea was deliciously aromatic and soothingly smooth to drink.

To eat I selected a Welsh Rarebit made with one of my favourite cheeses Sussex Charmer (£3.75). The cheese here is combined with herb mustard and Worcester sauce and was deliciously satisfying. Bread is from the Chalet Bakery an independent business in Tadworth. My companion Sarah from ‘Little Spice’ had a doorstep sandwich with Sister Sarah goats cheese. This was served with a salad garnish and vegetable crisps (£5.25). The sandwich menu changes weekly featuring local produced ingredients. Other menu items include home-made soup (changing daily) with bread (£4.75) or a Ploughmans served with pickles, local fruit chutney and oatcakes (£6.75). Generous portions make this a value for money destination too!

food trio sandwiches

tea timer_migh tea

To finish Sarah chose a pot of Organic coffee and a rich chocolate brownie. So although this is a tea room coffee drinkers won’t be disappointed served in a cafetiere (my favourite style) as Carolynne didn’t want the aroma of coffee to dominate the venue. With coffee you get to choose your roast too! I had a slice of gluten free orange and polenta cake. It was rich, moist and intensely orangey. Made by a local baker the cakes change during the week and are displayed tantalisingly under glass cake stands (£2-£3.50) .

cake trio

If you like me get mightily fed up with predictable high street chains, Tea in Reigate will give you a refreshingly different experience.board outside shopFresh locally produced food, fabulous tea menu and lovely people, it is well worth a visit.

www.migh-tea.com

For high tea reservations call 01737246251

Thanks to Sarah from ‘Little Spice’ for introducing me to this great tea-house!

Spiced Chicken and Spinach Tray-bake

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There is nothing better for a midweek meal that throwing a load of chopped veggies in a tray with some seasoning. Ever since reviewing Sarah Lazell’s lovely spice mixes I have been adding the mixes she kindly gave me into lots of the dishes I have been cooking. And to great effect!

We served this dish with basmati rice but it would also work well with mash or new potatoes. The spices work beautifully with the vegetables and chicken thighs and was a huge hit with my crew. I particularly like the awesome pepper mix here as its punchier than regular but adds flavour layers rather than heat to a dish.

chicken with spices

Serves 4 

Download a print friendly pdf of the recipe Spicy Chicken and Spinach traybake

8 skin on free range chicken thighs, scored diagonally with a sharp knife

2 dessertspoons olive oil

4 teaspoons of just one more thing spice mix (sub smoked paprika if you don’t have this)

½ tsp awesome pepper (sub freshly ground black pepper)

3 red onions, roughly sliced

1 large red pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced

1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced

1 pack of baby spinach leaves, washed and drained

Some freshly cooked basmati rice to serve

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160°C/Gas 4-5.

First prepare the chicken by placing in a large bowl. Drizzle over 1 spoon of the olive and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of spice mix. Rub the oil and spices into the chicken and place on a plate. Add the rest of the oil and spice mix plus the pepper to the bowl and toss in the chopped vegetables apart from the spinach. Put the vegetables onto a roasting tin and top with the chicken. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and lift off the chicken. Place the spinach on top and give it a little mix. Put the chicken back on top of the spinach and return the tray to the oven for a further 10 minutes then serve with rice.

spice range little spice9x7

 

Cookie Bar

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1 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6TDcookie bar window

A brilliant local café & gift shop providing valuable work experience for pupils from Stepping Stones School.

The upside: Delicious fresh home made food which helps fund valuable social projects

The downside: Lunch is only served from 12-2.30pm but gorgeous cakes and cookies am and pm!

The flipside:  This is one of a growing number of fantastic social enterprises involving food that gives so much to those involved.

What a great arrival, an “EAT ME” display of tantalising cakes, cookies and scones intertwined with the aroma of fresh baking and coffee. Given a tip off by one of my favourite local ethical coffee roasters Gary from Coffee Real  (who supply the coffee here) I had an inkling I was going to like it. It’s also immediately evident that this cafe is well organised and spotlessly clean. A great selection of home-wares, foodie gifts and cards add to the overall interior feel, which is, bright, contemporary and colourful. Free Wi-Fi, the use of 2 Imacs and Ipads are also a welcome bonus. Lizzie Henderson who has worked for the cookie bar since it started in 2011 (also baker of my delicious slice of sticky toffee pudding cake) procured a cappuccino for me and we sat and chatted.

cookiebar shopfront 9x6_edited-2

This is no ordinary café and it’s this type of enterprise that fuels my passion for food education. Set up by the COINS Foundation to support and provide work experience for pupils from the Stepping Stones School it gives young people with mild to moderate disabilities a valid safe environment in which to gain proper work experience. It boosts self-esteem, develops skills and helps pupils engage in their local community. Pupils work with team of part time staff and volunteers who guide them through the day-to-day workings of a proper food business. All pupils age 8 and up who are able, come to the café to gain experience. From age 15 and up barista training is given and shifts in the kitchen preparing food. Some of the pupils choose to return and work when they are old enough. This has been pivotal for some in gaining work locally once they have graduated and is testimony to the value this enterprise brings.

cookie bar collage scone

On my first visit I shared a slice of home made quiche with salad and a slice of moist dense carrot cake with my partner in the small garden, which also has a play area. On my second visit I had a freshly baked cheese scone (£1.50), warm from the oven, it was delicious with knob of butter; these alongside sweet scones are baked daily. It was too early for lunch but the home made soup looked delicious, as did the panini selection. I also chose a slice of sticky toffee cake (£1.85) which just made, was impossible to resist. The fluffy butter icing had been spiked with caramel and sea salt, it was one of the best slices of cakes I have indulged in recently! Too big (the cake not me) to finish I took it home for later noting that a take-away service is available too.

cookie bar collage2

The food here (apart from being delicious) has the ultimate feel-good factor as profits are shared with the Stepping Stones School and other COINS foundation projects here and overseas. In addition to the café service the enterprise also runs a cookie subscription service. Companies can buy a one-year package and have fresh cookies delivered each month to a business of their choice. It’s a great way to support this charity, provide useful work for pupils and raise awareness of their work.

To find our more, take a look at the cookie bar website; this is a fantastic set up and well worth a visit. Plans are underway to open cookie bars affiliated with other schools and you may even be lucky enough to see their new training bus at events throughout the summer.

www.thecookiebar.co.uk

01428 608001

The Cock Inn

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Cock Inn Mark EvansChurch Lane, Headley, Surrey KT18 6LE

New gastro pub by dynamic independent food and drink family Red Mist 

The Upside: Great food and drink menu with a positive lean towards seasonal and local on both counts

The downside: A little inconsistency in dishes served on my recent visit

The flipside: This is a pub group with high standards so it’s likely that any teething problems will get swiftly sorted

Driving through some classic Surrey countryside the arrival at this newcomer to the Red Mist Group is full of anticipation! Some of you will already know the Queens Head in East Clandon (my local) and the Stag in Eashing Lane near Milford. If you do, it will come as no surprise that this venue has been treated to the same quality facelift as the other members of this growing family. A large working fireplace creates a focus to the bar room and the outside area has a deck for additional seating in good weather. They have shared menus within the chain but allow chefs to strut their own personal style with the ‘specials’. The PR team had told me that Head Chef, Mark Evans had spent a lot of his early career down-under so I was looking forward to an Antipodean influence on the menu.

cock in starter

I met up with fellow foodie Sally Iddles and as we perused the menu it felt familiar (we are both regulars at their other venues) but not identical. The specials menu, while lacking any promised Aussie vibe had fresh clams in white wine as a starter (my choice at £7.90) served with toasted Chalk Hills focaccia. We also selected the camembert and asparagus tart with roast tomato relish (£6.95). Fresh soup of the day was leek and potato (£5) served with bread and we already know the chicken liver paté with chutney (£7.90) is a winner. My clams were fresh, plump and cooked to perfection. They arrived at the table piping hot and with a surprise squeeze of fresh lemon. The bread on the side, although toasted, softened willingly in the clam broth. Whilst I was charmed with my starter the Camembert tart was failed to wow A moulded pastry case had been simply filled with camembert and left in the oven to melt. Topped with rocket leaves and served with a drizzle of basil oil and what seemed to be red onion jam and no sign of the asparagus.

camembert tart

For mains we ordered again one dish from the printed menu and the other from the specials board. My pork fillet with apricot and sage stuffing on fondant potato, stem broccoli, rhubarb chutney and Hazy Hog jus (£15.50) was a generous portion and plated with confidence. In contrast the fish from the specials board lacked finesse both in its presentation and execution. Torbay sole served with prawn and caper butter (£17.90) sounded like a great combination and the fish was served on the bone (which was good) but lacked the back-up attitude that capers can contribute. The poorest element was the crushed new potatoes that were overcooked. The fish itself was perfectly cooked, delicate and fresh and my pork dish was tender, tasty and melt-in-the-mouth.

main at the cock

Not deterred we moved on dessert selecting a baked cheesecake with vanilla ice-cream and a pannacotta (both £5.95). The cheesecake looked as though it could have been bought in but we were reassured that it had been made on site. Not oversweet it confirmed the ‘homemade’ label which was a definite ‘plus’ . The texture was firm and creamy but we both felt the accompanying ice-cream was an odd match. This was very sweet with a metallic twang and spoilt the overall taste profile. The panna cotta was served in its dish and too firm for my liking. Pannacotta is usually served out of its mould and should have real ‘wobble’ leading to a easily yielding creamy texture. We had coffee to finish and concluded that there had been some great elements to our meal.

cock in desserts

Chatting to Chef Mark Evans it was clear they are finding their feet in their new venue. I really like this small independent chain and love the fact they have local beer, use local products like Norbury-Blue Cheese (the only cheese made in Surrey), and prepare the majority of food from scratch in each venue. Mark is keen to bring in some of his culinary creativity from down-under but feels the business has to consolidate before they shake things up. He is, in his own words ‘playing-it-safe’.

It’s early days for this pub-dining venture and if they can iron out the wrinkles I am sure it will become as popular as their other dining rooms.

cockinnheadley.co.uk

01372 377258

red mist family

 

 

Luscious lemon and courgette cake

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(makes 12 generous portions)

This moist veg packed cake is adaptation of Flora’s famous courgette cake featured in Nigella Lawson’s ‘How to be a domestic goddess’. I added lemon zest to the cake mix to give it a citrus kick and tweaked some of the ingredients to fit our food ethos for the Pop up Café we ran in June. This is a great way to use a glut of courgettes when you have run out of savoury ideas and freezes beautifully (un-iced). We sourced our courgettes from Village Greens in Ockley who grow their own. I wanted a more substantial layered cake than the original recipe so increased the amounts given. You can bake this in three tins to give you an extra filling layer if you prefer. Courgettes release water when they are grated so make sure you squeeze them as dry as you can on kitchen towel otherwise it will make the cake mixture too wet. I used some dried cornflower petals to decorate this cake which Jane had bought me as a gift from a range on offer at Secretts farm shop in Milford. A healthy and natural alternative to sprinkles they look stunning.

Ingredients Courgette and lemon cake

185ml sunflower oil

3 free range eggs

225g castor sugar

350g self-raising flour

1 tsp of baking powder

The zest of 2 organic un-waxed lemons (juice for the icing)

90g  raisins, soaked overnight in water

375g courgettes, topped tailed and finely grated

For the icing

400g full fat cream cheese (beware low fat doesn’t work here as it breaks down and goes runny)

200g icing sugar

Juice of 1-2 lemons

Dried cornflower petals to decorate and freeze dried raspberry (optional)

Lemon Curd to fill about half a 350g jar

Method

Pre-heat the oven to Gas mark 4/ 180°c /fan 160°c. Line or grease 2 or 3 round 22cm baking tins.

  1.  Place the oil and eggs and sugar in the mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer or use an electric hand whisk and beat until pale and creamy.
  2. Combine the flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.
  3. Now fold in the lemon zest, courgettes and raisins. Divide the mixture between the three lined tins and bake in pre-heated for 30 minutes.
  4. Leave for 5 minutes then remove from the tins and allow to cool on a rack.
  5. Meanwhile make the icing by combining the ingredients until smooth, chill until required.
  6. Place the first layer on a serving platter and spread with lemon curd. Repeat this with the second and third cake leaving the top un-iced.
  7. Using a palette knife spread the cream cheese icing on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with petals or a decoration of your choice.

cornfower petals _duo

Text and images Shirlee
Text and images Shirlee

Toby Cottage Restaurant

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toby_cottage_exterior High Street, Ripley, GU23 6AF

 A charming, old-fashioned restaurant with a contemporary twist

 Go there for: Retro classics, heaps of fresh vegetables and flambé specials.

Avoid: Being influenced by the website, which suggests a more modern vibe.

Is it worth the calories?: You get a well-balanced plate here.

Tips: This is perfect for those who appreciate service and a dessert trolley.

Toby Cottage welcomes you to the food culture of the 1970s (the good bits), the era it opened. The sixteenth-century oak-beamed interior may be intact but subtle changes to the menu and a change of ownership have ensured its continued existence.

Classic flambé dishes Crêpes Suzette and Steak Diane are firm fixtures alongside a heaving dessert trolley.  Our amusing waiter Daniel (the flambé expert) was happy to tell us he’s been waiting tables here for 22 years – a rare loyalty that we saw as a jolly good sign. Choosing from the lunch menu (3 courses for £19.50 or 2 courses for £15.00), we kicked off with a tapas-style starter of chorizo cooked in red wine with olives. The chorizo was spicy and tender, suggesting authentic, quality ingredients. The plump olives added a satisfying richness to the piquant sauce. We used the fresh bread from our basket to mop it up. It was to good to see melba toast here too, another nod to a former culinary era.

toby_cottage_trio_1

We shared the starter so were ready to wade into our substantial mains. My calves’ liver was cooked pink as requested; and although the gravy may have had a run in with the gravy browning it was robust and complemented the meat. The crunchy bacon added texture and saltiness to the dish. My daughter’s salmon was perfectly cooked: moist, fresh and flaky and enhanced by a knob of herb butter and a heap of fresh rocket. The meal was fully elevated when the fresh vegetables arrived. These had clearly been cooked to order, arriving vibrant in colour and steaming.

toby cottage_main_dessert_trio

We so enjoyed our lunch that we decided to share a light dessert from the trolley of pudding heaven. Our crème caramel had been cooked in a slightly hot oven but had the ‘we made it from scratch’ flavours of a proper pudding. It wasn’t too sweet and had just the right amount of eggy resistance on the tongue. We could have gone for any of the chocolaty creations, a summer jelly or a fresh-fruit salad – perhaps next time.

Here you feast on more that just food. For me it brought backs lots of memories of eating out with my parents. My dad, who hated the pretention of modern fine dining (which I love), would have felt at home, particularly as he liked having food cooked for him at the table. Few waiters are trained to do this now.

When Spaniards Tony Trias and Tony Trillo bought The Toby Cottage as a going concern they decided that change was unnecessary.  With an established clientele and brisk trade this seems to have paid off; six years later they are pleased with the addition to their portfolio. Their ethos is to buy top-quality ingredients – Smithfield for meat and a fish supplier who delivers daily. Their regulars love Dover sole, sea bass and lobster from the à la carte menu.toby cottage_9x6

They don’t like to experiment too much with food here and that seems to be their selling point. However you will find some more modern classics (scallops and pea purèe) alongside more traditional dishes. If you can get past the Toby jugs and dated décor, it’s worth giving this eatery a try. I’m glad I did.

www.tobycottage.co.uk

Tel: 01483 224225

Shirlee Posner
Text and images Shirlee

 

 

Green Rooms of Godstone

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 Plum Cake Corner, Needles Bank, Godstone Green, Godstone, RH9 8DZsylvia_jeremy_godstone

 A super friendly café serving satisfying home cooking with a quirky edge

Upside: Sylvia’s eyelash-curling lemon drizzle cake and other baked delights.

Downside: Its a trek for me from Guildford but one I am prepared to take!

Flipside: This years (2015) award winner for best cafe in Surrey from Surrey Life Magazine!

Tips: On a sunny day you can eat al fresco, with a lovely view over the green.

green_rooms9x6

Sylvia met Jeremy when he worked at her family’s bakery. One thing led to another and they are now legally united with three lovely kids. The Park Bakery where their romance started was a legend in Wandsworth, serving locals and celebrity chefs for 32 years. Foodies who fell in love with miniature meal canapés from finger-food queen Lorna Wing (mini burger buns, bagels and other tiny delights) will be impressed to learn that they were made for her in this bakery. When Sylvia’s dad retired they wanted a fresh start out of London. They happened upon the Green Rooms; luckily they have the right mix of great home cooking and personality to make it a success.

godstone_soupSylvia is in charge of the kitchen and Jeremy does front of house. Charming and relaxed, he makes everyone feel at home. My son opted for the all-day breakfast (£6.95). Everything was freshly cooked to order – and local. Sausages and bacon come from Flower Farm Shop down the road and eggs are local too. The panini with goat’s cheese and caramelised onion (£5.95) was tempting, as was the Cumberland sausage and baby-spinach leaf sandwich (£4.95) but I was in the mood for soup. Sylvia had freshly made mushroom soup (£5.95); instead of bread I had a spinach salad with a tasty homemade balsamic dressing on the side. It was creamy, earthy, flavour-packed and delicious. The food ethos here is ‘humble, rustic and honest’: Sylvia’s words but I can vouch for their veracity. Refreshingly, these restaurateurs are happy to accommodate patrons’ preferences.

Whilst enjoying your meal, peruse the cookbooks on the shelves, which provide inspiration for the menu, or take a look at some of the unusual vinyl toys Sylvia collects. The décor here is a quirky mix of country-style and hip city café, bringing a bit of London edginess to Surrey.

godstone_green_rooms_interioR_SHOT_9X6

Last time I popped in for a coffee they had just launched their summer menu, which included salmon fish cakes with salad and pasta pesto with chicken (both £8.95). They also do a homemade tomato and vegetable sauce for paste penne (£4.95, which kids love) from a secret family recipe.

Sylvia’s started baking with her dad when she was eight, so it’s not surprising that she’s a dab hand. I sampled lemon drizzle, which is eyelash curling in a good way (£2.95 per slice), and whoopie pies (£2.45) – who can resist two delicious sponge discs held together with fresh cream? Other homemade treats include white chocolate cake, rocky road and cream teas with clotted cream and freshly baked scones. Following in her father’s footsteps Sylvia will also create a teatime feast of miniatures for your party (book in advance). Try a full spread of mini filled bagels, sandwiches, cakes and other gorgeous finger foods for a really special treat (£19.50 per person).

jgodstone_trio

The menu here is evolving and Sylvia and Jeremy are keen to listen to their customers and try new things.  They hold barbeques, supper evenings and other events: like their facebook page to see what’s coming up next.

www.greenroomsofgodstone.co.uk

Facebook page

Tel: 01883 740 407

Noel’s Farm Shop

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Sutton Green Garden Centre, Whitmoor Lane, Guildford Rd, Woking GU4 7QBnoel_portrait

A farm shop selling artisan products (some exclusive to the shop) and a great range of fresh produce and local meat.

The upside: Noel has to be one of the friendliest guys I know and will do anything (within reason) for his customers.

The downside: None here to report!

The flipside: An eclectic range of culinary treats for special occasions and ingredients to cook a whole family meal from scratch.

Noel Dobson arrived in Sutton Green Garden Centre four years ago and we are all the better for it. Fresh from a career as a care-home provider, he is embracing the world of food retailing to good effect. I visited when the shop first opened – a little early, maybe. Now the shop has expanded, the stock increased and he has a hard core following of local shoppers who love his helpful personality and range of fresh and packaged food on offer.

noel trio

 

This farm shop is part of a garden centre with land, so growing for the shop and pick your own is part of the bigger picture here. But this is also a shop where you can go and buy ingredients for cook-from-scratch meals. Free-range chicken, sausages, fresh vegetables, sauces and condiments are here for the taking! The provenance of the products makes this shop a local foodie destination as it stocks free-range eggs, local bacon and sour dough bread from the bread factory in London.

Noel ensures he buys provisions his customers want and his friendly personality is another draw. On my last visit we sampled lovely fresh apples just in from a farm in Sussex.

APPLES NOELS SHOP 9x6

Constantly looking for new products Noel listens to his customers and now has a comprehensive range of gluten free products.

Cheese from Surrey, Sussex and Kent form a great portfolio from local artisan producers. It was good to see Ellie’s goat cheeses alongside High Weald, Norbury Blue and Dunley Wood. Fresh meat, chicken and sausages are from local butcher, Wakeling’s.

The garden centre’s polytunnels supply fresh crops every morning during the growing season. Rhubarb, Swiss chard, salad onions and spinach were all in stock and had travelled around 400 metres to their selling point. Food miles may be less of an issue in the argument on climate change but veg is at its nutritional best when it has just been picked!

noels produce

This shop is a much needed resource in an area that is dominated by a large supermarket. It has a great location and ample parking: pop in and pick up a pint of milk or a loaf of fresh artisan bread but make sure you peruse the shelves – there are some real treats in store!

www.noelsfarmshop.co.uk

07908124603

Croissants chalk hills

Chalk Hills Bakery Shop and Cafe

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 75 Bell Street, Reigate, RH2 7ANChris & Rosie owners of Chalk Hills Bakery

A bakery and café delivering artisan bread and pastry magic to the lucky folk of Reigate.

Go there for: Handmade artisan bread, gorgeous pastries, tarts, and a bacon sandwich to shout about.

Avoid: Trying to resist anything in this café; it’s futile.

Is it worth the calories?: I should say so: this is the ultimate good food experience!

Tips: The sandwiches on the menu are fantastic but if you want a bespoke combination just ask.

Walking into Chalk Hill Bakery on a rainy autumn day to the smell of toasting bread and aromatic coffee is a truly uplifting experience.Chalk Hills Bakery shop front

Chris and Rosie Robinson sold their gastro pub, The Stephen Langton in Abinger Hammer, to start a proper artisan bakery. Coincidentally, Priory Farm had a kitchen to rent in the old tractor shed and in November 2010 the first loaves were sold in the Priory Farm shop.

Chris and his team make sour-dough bread by hand the old-fashioned way and let it rise naturally over a 2-day period to develop flavour and texture ­- don’t think of muttering Chorley Wood, dough improvers or high-speed mixing here. Sourcing fine ingredients such as Shipton Mill organic flour gives added provenance to their products. The long fermentation process means the bread stays fresh for longer and is easier to digest.

Chalk Hills Bakery produce 17 different loaves, including fig and walnut sour dough (£3.65), large rye (£2.75), and other classics such as ciabatta (£2.50) and focaccia with a selection of toppings (£3.95). They also make a Surrey bloomer (£1.75) and Italian sticks (£2.10). Even the yeasted breads have a flavour boost of sour dough starter and are slowly proved in a refrigerator. The full range of products is on sale at Priory Farm and at Chalk Hills Bakery every day. They sell wholesale to a handful of local businesses.

Artisan bread selection at Chalk HIlls

Chalk Hills Bakery has definitely got the X factor (but with classier music). It’s modern yet rustic, charming and friendly, and has a simple but innovative menu. They cleverly match their bread to the sandwich fillings so you get the best texture and flavour combination. In addition they make croissants, scones, sausage rolls (with free-range sausage meat from Bowles farm in Ewhurst). Ham and beef for their sandwiches are cooked in the bakery; meat comes from Robert and Edwards of Reigate. In fact everything on the menu is made at the bakery, even the soup.

The bread menu, sweet tarts and bacon sandwich on white bloomer

I tucked into their classic bacon sandwich made from Gloucester Old Spot free-range bacon on toasted Surrey Bloomer (£3.95). What a triumph! Crisp, salty bacon, sweet herb jelly and perfectly toasted bread. The Sage Jelly from local producer PickleCake Parma ham and mozzarella with sage jelly (produced locally by Picklecake) also caught my eye – next time! I rounded this off with a pot of Barry’s Irish tea. I’ve never heard of it but apparently if you are from Southern Ireland it’s the only tea to drink and Chris (who’s from Dublin) won’t sell anything else. Coffee comes from Union, a craft roaster in East London, and soft drinks from Luscombe organics in Devon.

Business has been booming ever since the bakery opened and they plan to open another shop. Just make a wish that it’s on your doorstep: I have.

www.chalkhillsbakery.com

01737669116

Pumpkin and pomegranate couscous

Roasted pumpkin couscous with pomegranate and mint

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Roasted pumpkin couscous with pomegranate and mintFresh mint and pomegranate seeds

1 red pepper, 1 red onion and 1 aubergine cut into bite-size chunks
Half a pumpkin or butternut squash peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
200g cherry or baby plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon *pomegranate molasses
250g couscous
300ml vegetable stock
I bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped
The seeds of I pomegranate

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C, Fan 200°C gas mark 6

Place all the vegetables in a mixing bowl with the garlic, olive oil, molasses and seasoning and mix well to coat. Tip the mixture into a large roasting tray and place in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes. Halfway through the roasting time turn the vegetables with a spatula. Meanwhile bring the vegetable stock to the boil and pour over the couscous. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid. Stir the couscous with a fork to separate and stir in the roasted vegetables and mint. Spoon the couscous into a serving dish and garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.

This is great accompaniment to grilled meat or fish. Serve leftovers cold as a salad with cubed goats cheese and a punchy dressing.

*Pomegranate molasses is a Middle Eastern ingredient that is becoming readily available in the UK  – it is often used to coat chicken or lamb before roasting and added to sauces and dressings as it adds a sour caramel note which is enhanced by the addition of sugar.

Roasted pumpkin couscous with pomegranate and mint

Text & Images Shirlee
Text & Images Shirlee