Tag Archives: shirlee posner

White chocolate eclairs with hedgerow preserve and mascarpone custard

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I wrote this recipe for a Mothers Day feature for Local Food Britain who like me champion local artisan food and drink producers here in Surrey. As the festive season is creeping up on us I thought it would be a good time to share it here too! They look as good as they taste and the choux pastries can be made in advance and frozen. You can substitute whipped cream or mascarpone for the filling but the custard is just delicious so it’s worth giving it a whirl. Its essential to make the custard the day before you need it so it can set overnight in the refrigerator. I used Wild at Heart Hedgerow preserve as it has lovely little berries and a unique flavour but I have also used home-made berry jams in its place (they need to be firm set though).

Mascarpone and vanilla custard

Download a print friendly pdf of the recipe White chocolate eclairs and mascarpone custard

white choc eclairs 6x9

2 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod or ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
250g mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
150ml whipped double cream
I jar of Wild at Heart Hedgerow preserve

Method
 In a large heat-proof bowl beat the egg yolks, vanilla seeds and sugar together until they are thick and creamy (an electric hand beater is indispensable here). Place the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Continue beating as the eggs start to cook this should take around 7-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk for another minute. Put the mascarpone in a small mixing bowl and beat until smooth with a rubber spatula combine with the whipped cream. Fold this into the custard until smooth and lump free. Place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

White Chocolate Ganache
The topping for the éclairs needs to be made before you make the choux pastry. This way it will be the perfect consistency to use once the choux pastry has cooled.

100g white chocolate, broken into pieces
75ml Double cream

Place the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl and cook on high power in a microwave for 30-45 seconds. Remove from the oven and stir thoroughly until all the chocolate has melted. Cover the mixture and set-aside until later.

Choux pastry

Pre-heat the oven to 200°c /180°c fan.

Draw 12 x10 cm lines on the back of a sheet of non-stick baking paper and place on a large baking tray.

Heat 125ml water with 85g chopped salted butter in a medium size saucepan. Briskly stir in 100g plain white flour and keep mixing until a dough has formed which leaves the side of the pan. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. At this point you can use a mixer or continue to mix by hand. Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and lightly beat. Gradually add the egg mixture to the dough it will be difficult to incorporate at first but it will mix in. Add all the egg to form a shiny thick batter. Scoop the batter into a piping bag with a large circular nozzle around 1.5cm in diameter. Pipe the mixture onto the lines on the baking paper and cook in the oven for 25 -30 mins. They should be firm to touch, puffed up and golden brown. Cool on a rack completely, before filling.

white choc eclairs9x6

Decorations

This is where you can let your imagination take hold. I used a combination of crystallised rose and violet petals from Secretts in Milford. Nuts, dried fruit, sprinkles or and cake decorations would work well here.

With a small sharp knife cut a slit across each éclair. Spread each inside on the bottom with a teaspoon of preserve. Fill a piping bag with the mascarpone custard and fill each éclair. Carefully dip the top of each éclair in White chocolate ganache or spread on top with a spoon. Now decorate with your selected topping and leave to set in the refrigerator for 1 hour when they will be ready to serve.

Local Stockists: I bought crystallized rose and violet petals from Secretts at Milford. They come from a company called Uncle Roys Commestible Concoctions who also sell online.

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

 

Little Spice

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A new food start up based in Surrey selling a range of beautifully balanced spice mixes.

I met Sarah Lazell on twitter! It’s been a brilliant place to meet and connect with other Surrey based food lovers. Sarah sent me some samplessarah lazell little spice 6x9
to try and then a few weeks later we decided to meet in a lovely independent teashop, in Reigate. Meeting people behind the brands is a really important element of my reviews, plus of course there is always food and cooking as a shared interest.

After taking a degree in Advertising Sarah enjoyed a busy working life before her son was born. In time that daily commute into London suddenly lost its appeal and Sarah decided to realise her dream of starting her own business. Combining spices had always been a hobby so it soon became the focus of her new adventure and she had plenty of encouragement from her friends who already loved her mixes. Sarah grew up in a family who were creative with food and it seemed natural to carry this in to her own home. Loving the ability spices have to enhance natural flavours in food she started to create her own signature combinations. Spices we agreed can totally lift a meal without compromising the healthfulness of a dish in a way that other ingredients can’t match.

Happy to start small with a young family she spent time researching and blending her mixes until she was 100% happy with them. Friends and family became testers and their valuable feedback used to tweak the recipes. For example combining three different types of pepper in her awesome pepper mix demonstrates admirably that pepper is not just pepper and each different variety adds new flavour compounds. This has a direct impact of the way this blend can work with different foods.

spice range little spice9x7

 

Launching last June as ‘Little Spice’ Sarah has six spice mixes in her range and will add seasonal products too! I have been trying out these mixes for the last couple of weeks and love the results.

I have added ‘just one more thing’ a chili mix to stuffing for roast chicken and sprinkled it on cottage cheese and labneh (strained yogurt). The addition of smoked paprika, chipotle and cinnamon has just the right attitude and punch. Just as Sarah intended it adds a flavour boost and kick to get your taste buds twitching (in a good way). I used English Country Garden mixed with polenta to coat some chicken fillets, pan fried and cut into strips they topped a coleslaw seasoned with Glitterati (a mix of pink salt, white pepper and pink peppercorns) and some toasted pumpkin seeds: huge success.

little spice trio

Spirit of Herbs went on a joint of pork and its fennel and lemon peel notes mixed with rosemary, thyme and garlic balanced the fattiness of the meat and I have never seen crackling disappear so fast. Awesome pepper is a combination of pink, long and black pepper ground to a slightly crunchy finish, which adds texture too and gives a much more complex taste sensation on the palate, this I teamed with fresh vine ripened tomatoes

I have to say when I first looked at these products on the Little Spice website I was skeptical. However I know never to dismiss any food product until you have sampled. That was a good call as I have been surprised at how good these blends are. Well priced too, at just £3 as if you had to go and buy all the spices individually it would be inhibitive. A perfect size for stocking fillers, hampers, inspiring lazy cooks or just for adding an extra pizzazz to family favourites. You can buy these online, or at events (see website for details).

http://www.little-spice.co.uk

Surrey Food and Drink Network

Sarah runs a closed Facebook page for small food producers or those who are thinking of starting up to support each other and share information. If you would like to join please contact Sarah via her website.

Find my recipe for Spiced Chicken Traybake using Sarah’s spices here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Village Greens Farm Shops

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Award winning ethical farm shops in Ockley and Dorking run by owners Catherine and James Dampier who have stuck hard to their founding principles 

The upside: This is ethical trading at it’s finest with all suppliers fully researched before products are listed 

The downside: Be prepared to pay for quality and integrity but its totally worth it

The flip-side: Both shops are in lovely locations and at Ockley you can enjoy a take-away coffee in their very own bee garden across the road

Full details of both shops are listed below

James and Catherine Dampier gave up successful jobs to start their food business and through hard work and determination have made their mark. In a climate where spurring food retailers are eager to undercut each other and suppliers how did a business set up on ethical principles fare?. Its eight years since the first Village Greens shop opened in Ockley near Dorking. They wowed locals with their well sourced range of preserves, chutneys, local cheeses and meat. Word of mouth, local press, social media and a changing perception of food buying have all played a part and with two shops under their belts and a loyal following this business is thriving. James and Catherine are the first to admit this hasn’t been easy but this creative innovative couple have dug their heels in and stayed the course where others have not.

With their first shop in Ockley they also have an acre of land to grow their own produce and flowers. In the summer months they sell their home own salad leaves, fresh herbs, courgettes, beans, kohl rabi and fruit. What they are not able to supply themselves is sourced locally from within a 30 miles radius of the shop. Currently they have eighteen suppliers who are within ten miles who provide beef, lamb, chicken, sausages, ice cream, wine, chocolates, bread, milk, cream, cheese, cakes and more. Providing a fair deal to their suppliers is part of their winning ethos as is employing local people to help in the shops. This also extends to using local materials and tradespeople proving that with a little extra thought and care this is an achievable aim.

At Denbies they also grow vegetables and flowers in the walled garden on the site loaned to them by the owners for this purpose. This means that in season the produce for both shops has travelled metres to be sold. In addition to the farm shop they also sell garden plants including herbs. This shop also has a deli counter where cheese and charcuterie can be cut to order rather than just pre-packed items.

It’s the food here of course that creates the winning element for me and I just wished I lived a little closer to be a more regular shopper. Those lucky enough to do so can take part in the vegetable box scheme too. These are prepared every Friday for pick up at either of the two shops are for delivery providing you live between Ockley and Dorking. Both shops boast a eclectic stock of cooking ingredients, fresh free range poultry from Etherley farm, sausages from Bangers Galore. Luxury chocolate comes from a selection of local producers such as Cocoa Bonbon and Kokoh, artisan bread from Chalk Hills and Capel Bakery.

 

 

Village Greens hosts a  meet the producers days at their food fairs held every year and samples are a regular feature! last time I was lucky enough to sample Silent Pool Gin which is fabulous (and coming from a non gin drinker this is epic) and perfect lemon drizzle cake from Chalk Hills Bakery. On each visit you’ll find new stock, nibbles and a friendly knowledgable welcome. This venue gets a highly recommended from me!

Village Greens Farm Shops are located at:

Coles Lane
Ockley
Dorking, RH5 5LS
01306 713474

Denbies Wine Estate
London Road
Dorking, RH5 6AA
013606 880720

www.vgfarmshop.com

Beetroot salad with lemon oil and pomegranate dressing

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Sadly I have nearly come to the end of my home-grown beetroot!  I cooked a few of my precious crop the other day and left them peeled, chopped beetroot 6x8 and ready to go in the fridge. Lunch arrived so I chucked in some other cooked veggies left over from a couple of meals, and in a tic whipped up a lovely autumn salad with lots of flavour. Salads for me need to have a great dressing and this one, combining the acidic caramel tones of pomegranate molasses with lemony olive oil was spot on.My crush on Carluccio’s lemon oil emerged recently having been given a bottle as part of a review for their Woking restaurant where I had a brilliant breakfast a few weeks ago. Even though my blog is all about independents occasionally I dabble in a chain, and there are a few good ones around such as Côte too.

beetrootsaladtrio6x9

Carluccio’s has a great food shop in each of their restaurants and sell some great products such as gluten-free spaghetti (one of the best I have ever tried). They have oils, dried mushrooms, pasta, sauces and some fresh products and patisserie. I also spied bottles of Vin Santo which served with a few Cantucci biscuits makes a wonderful effortless dessert.

The vegetables to compliment the beetroot used in this salad can be swapped and substituted depending on availability and I would make this with corn, fine green beans or baby runners too. I served this with a dollop of fat free Greek Yogurt sprinkled with sumac and a little of the lemon oil.

Salad
5 medium cooked beetroot peeled and roughly chopped
150g cooked broad beans
150g cooked tenderstem broccoli, chopped
2-3 fresh nasturtium flowers (optional)

Dressing
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives (or other fresh herbs such as mint)
1 dessertspoon lemon olive oil
1 dessertspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the vegetables together in a mixing bowl and (apart from the flowers). Spoon the dressing ingredients straight on the salad and mix well. Place on a serving dish and decorate with flowers if you have them. If I was to serve this in the evening I would add a few finely chopped salad onions and a clove of crushed smoked garlic.

beetrrot salad with pom dressing

Lime and coconut cake

Little Barn Café

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Stacey’s Farm, Thursley Road, Elstead, Godalming, Surrey GU8 6DGLBCafesign6x9

The upside: Creative cooking using some lovely local produce too!

The downside: The café is shut on Mondays and just from 10.00am-2.30pm on Sundays.

The flipside: One of the most delicious and unusual menus for a small café in the county!

If you want a gorgeous spin on home baking, feisty salads and something that your great aunt will recognize on the menu; this café is for you. Opening its doors in January 2015 this unassuming business already has a big fan base. Dedicated to fresh homemade food with an innovative twist creative chef/owner Sarah has a winning formula and a Time Out Award under her belt from a previous business she ran in London. Starting in Surrey with a pop up café which soon outgrew its temporary venue, they found a new home in Elstead. With her husband Mark they have transformed this barn into a thriving eaterie after giving the room some much needed TLC. With a growing family they entrust some of the cake creation to their fabulous baker Vicky and meals to chef Caroline who along with the waitresses complete the team. Shutting on Sunday and Monday means they get the family and business balance right too.

LBC - dining room

 

This small café has a brilliant menu and also boasts local suppliers for much of the menu! Eggs and dairy products come from Great Hookley Farm, produce from Teasels and meat from Prides farm shop all in and around Elstead. Emphasis here too is also on great baking, quiches, pies and cakes but also unusual salads and veg packed soups. Specials include Moroccan lamb tagine with roasted aubergine and minted yogurt (£8), tomato and basil soup with bread (£4) and grilled goats cheese on puy lentils with red onion and mint (£6.50). Their freshly baked quiches are supersized and served with salad too.

LBC savoury trio

 

On my last visit my daughter chose a cooked breakfast (which is served all day) I was a bit miffed as there were so many delicious options on the specials board to try. My daughter gave it full marks and was delighted with her choice a snip at £6.50. I chose from the specials menu and also enjoyed a board of vegetarian kofta’s, tomato salsa and hummus with salad leaves. A tasty combination which worked especially well with the creamy hummus and piquant salsa.

LBC CAKES TRIO

Cake is important here so we also shared two slices (£2.30 each) These were; “calling Ibiza” a coconut and lime combo which had a deliciously zingy lime curd filling and “Dear Prudence” a prune, chocolate and blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting, rich, fruity and moist. I keep looking at the picture I took of the other cakes and wondering what if? It will have to be for another visit! Having watched Sarah and her team posting their wonderful cakes on social media the display on offer did not disappoint. The cakes form a focal point in the café laid out on the sideboard and its makes such a refreshing change from typical offerings of brownies, carrot cake and chocolate fudge. For the more traditional eaters there are options for a cream tea (using locally produced preserves) and other less quirky menu items too.

One of my mantras has always been ‘strive to be different’ and the Little Barn Café has achieved just that. In a competitive market it’s a great attitude to have and one that sets this super café way up the list of my current recommendations.

01252 705023

www.thelittlebarncafe.co.uk

 

Tuscan Kale and Smoked Garlic Pesto

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I have grown kale for the first time this year and it’s a roaring success. From the minute I planted the seeds in my greenhouse this super-food kale 15 weeks 6x9took off (literally). Seedlings emerged after three days and four weeks later I planted them into a raised bed. Just two weeks later  I started to pick baby kale for smoothies and now we just can’t eat it fast enough; its amazing how fast it grows. In addition to smoothies we chop and wilt into stir- fries, chili, frittatas and pasta dishes;  we have embraced our kale wholeheartedly and its now  part of the family. I wanted to make pesto for dinner the other night and we had run out of basil, so kale came to the rescue. It’s a punchy version of this classic sauce with the lovely undertones of Isle of Wight smoked garlic (my current other food crush). Kale’s uses are many and it’s got that added good for you vibe plus this pesto is dead easy to make, providing you have a food processor.

1- 2  large cloves smoked garlic

75g cashew nuts (almonds, pine nuts or walnuts would also work here)

50g kale or baby kale, rinsed and roughly chopped

75g Pecorino Romano (or any Italian style hard cheese) cheese, grated

100ml extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper and sea salt (smoked is even better- I use Maldon)

  1. Toast the cashews in a hot, dry frying pan till just golden and set aside to cool. Rinse and finely chop the kale.
  2. Blitz the cooled cashews and the kale in a food processor with the garlic, olive oil and cheese. Season and taste then and add more garlic if it needs it. Now take a look at it and add a little more oil if too thick to make sure you can to stir it into soup, mix it with pasta or spread on bread.

This versatile little number will last for 4-5 days if refrigerated but no longer; remember the kale is raw in this.

kale collage

 

kale at 6 weeks 9x6

I originally wrote this recipe for the Dorking Advertiser where it first appeared in August 2015

You can buy Isle of Wight smoked garlic at many independent retailers in Surrey. I get mine from Joe’s Farm Shop and Noels Farm Shop both near Guildford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simply Scones Tea Room & Walled Garden Shop

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The Grange Centre, Rectory Lane, Great Bookham, Leatherhead, Surrey KT23 4DZ

Cream teas, yummy fudge and home grown produce for sale!

The upside: A changing menu of innovative scones and proper pots of tea!

The downside: The tea-room is only open on Tuesdays.

The flipside: Having tea here is a real treat with the added bonus of visiting the Walled Garden Shop too!

Sitting in an ornate Victorian conservatory sipping fresh brewed tea accompanied by a freshly baked scone, home-made berry jam from the garden with a dollop of fresh cream is my idea of work. Even the freak hail storm rattling onto the glass roof couldn’t dampen the feel good aura of the afternoon. It was pure chance that I was introduced to this tea room and confirms the ethos of my blog that some of the best places to eat out in Surrey are hidden away and definitely not on the high street!

Going to an annual social media event in Guildford each year to update my skill set is also a great networking opportunity. This year was no exception as it was here that I met the Grange marketing manager Gill Caldwell who thought I might be interested in how food education is used to help residents at her workplace learn valuable life skills. Open to the public for just one afternoon a week she invited me to ‘Simply Scones’ a pop-up tea room set up and run by residents with disabilities. Under the guidance of support staff, residents learn a range of food service and productions skills. So here everything is made fresh on the day apart from the jam! However this is made with fruit grown in their acre walled garden which also houses a shop. In season you can buy fruit, vegetables, garden plants and even their own honey. Running these enterprises provides much needed confidence-building and self-esteem raising experiences. In turn this enables for many, future employment opportunities.

grange flowers and produce

During tea I learnt more about The Grange and its fascinating story. Set up in 1927 by a pioneer of training provision for the disabled Julia Sweet (originally for nurses injured during the first world war to continue to earn a living) as the School of Stitchery and Lace in Leicestershire. The charity moved to its current home in Bookham in 1938. While needlework and crafts skills are taught here the charity has modernised and developed into an educational centre for men and women living with disabilities. Whilst the activities of the original charity has a more contemporary outlook the philosophy and aims of providing vocational training is very much in tact.

A social enterprise that uses food production as part of its curriculum is such a brilliant concept. All you have to do is book a delicious home-made cream tea in their weekly pop-up tea room, buy home-made fudge online or visit their walled garden shop for home-grown produce and garden plants. By default you will also be supporting the work of this community and provide much needed footfall and experience in customer relations.

grange tea room9X6

Getting back to the cream tea (regardless of the venue) this menu can hold its own. Fresh and delicious from steaming pots of tea to light oven warm scones the eating experience is faultless. The scones change regularly as innovative new recipes such as New York Cheesecake and even gluten free lemon and sultana scones (to order) are available. Popular recipes are even published on their blog for you to reproduce at home. Slices of fresh baked cake are also on sale such as coffee and walnut and classic Victoria Sandwich (tea and cake or scone £3.50). In addition to the food the service is friendly and welcoming and it’s just a pleasure to support such a great project.

SIMPLY SCONES COLLAGE

A few weeks after my visit for tea I returned to visit the walled garden. By now the first crops of lovingly tended fruits and vegetables were winging their way into the shop to be sold to the public. As well as being used in the kitchens of the Grange for on site meals and being sold to residents who self-cater excess produce is up for sale. I bought a bag of red-currants, a few courgettes and some freshly dug spuds.

grage flowers

This was just a glimpse of what they grow in the gardens here but of course it’s seasonal. I had just missed the blackcurrants and first show of raspberries and the green beans and sweet corn weren’t quite ready to harvest. Luckily Gill posts a list of produce on the website each day to let customers know what will be in stock. Last time I looked Swiss chard, runner beans and carrots were being harvested.

Grange collage

In addition to horticulture and running the tea-room there is an online fudge business and a craft shop selling handicrafts such as tea cosies in shop price listtheir gift shop in Dorking. For a full description of what the Grange has to offer make sure you visit their website. To visit for tea on a Tuesday afternoon bookings must be made in advance. The walled garden shop is open every day during the week for produce and plants.

Book for Simply Scones 01372 452608

Walled Garden Shop (check the website for produce for sale prior to visiting)

www.grangecentre.org.uk

 

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.

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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