Tag Archives: Surrey

Platform 3 – The smallest pub in Britain

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Brightwater Brewery, Platform 3, The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PN

The upside: Lovingly crafted small batch beer available to drink in or take-away!

The downside: This pub is really small with short opening hours

The flipside: This really is the smallest pub in Britain selling a range of their own unique beers

If you turn into the parade towards Claygate Station in Surrey you’ll get a welcome surprise. As you venture forward independent retailers are on either side with traditional butchers, a fruit and veg shop, a top end traditional fishmongers, wine shop, deli, bakery and café. To top it all, right at the end next to the station is a tiny pub. Platform 3 has just enough standing room inside for two people, so when it is open guests rely on some outdoor tables with umbrellas to protect against the elements. This doesn’t stop the constant flow of customers coming to take a pint to drink straight away or take out for later. Everyone who comes in seems to know the owners and a strong sense of community is evident.

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Alex started making beer with his dad when he was a teenager. Not, he says emphatically, with kits but from scratch with proper ingredients. He carried this on as a serious hobby during his IT career. When he was made redundant is 2012 he took six months off to recharge his batteries assuming he would just find another similar role to the one he had left. Economic turndown and age he suspected were not on his side. After six months he felt ready to attach himself to the world of work again and this time it was to start his own business. It seemed natural to him that a serious hobby that he had lots of expertise in and loved could become a full time job.

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First he set about equipping his brewery a huge research project but worth it to get it just right. This is housed in his garage at home with stainless steel professional equipment and is an official bonded warehouse. This is a government requirement for anybody who produces alcoholic drinks where duty is payable. Alex makes five beers on rotation from different recipes that produce golden, amber or dark ales. He lists availability on his website and these are available to drink in or take away. He reckons his beers are at their best at 3-4 weeks old and will only sell when they are in peak condition. To maintain this he brews batches to meet demand and as I discovered is a stickler for maintaining the drinking quality.

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Alex is the perfect landlord, chatty a beer aficionado plus he is extremely personable. In fact it would seem that this is the perfect career for him. He runs the business with his partner Sue (a business buff) so it’s a symbiotic combination of creativity and business acumen here too. The fact that all the beer he sells in the pub is his own brew is a real pull. Not just for the pints he serves but because he wouldn’t serve anyone a duff pint and he knows the stuff he sells from hops upwards. Whilst I was in the pub there was an endless stream of customers buying a pint to drink outside or to take away a firkin to share with friends later. Everyone is on first name terms and there is a sense of excitement that they are buying into something really unique.

Each of the beers on the menu currently in production have been through diligent recipe testing from the ambient temperature at which they are made to the type of hops and the ferment period. Beer, Alex confides is temperamental and there are many competing factors in getting each batch right such as your local water supply. No two batches will taste exactly the same because this is craft beer made by hand and each brew varies slightly with time of year and the affects of temperature, the raw ingredients and natural yeasts. This is part of the fun and like wine some brews are better than others but probably more so (I suspect) to an expert palate. Alex says that managing beer production is like bringing up a ‘petulant child’.

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Of the beers Alex makes, ‘Daisy Gold’ is the best seller (he named it after his dog who is apparently as ‘good as gold’). This light golden flavour packed beer is like others on his menu at around 4% volume. Alex specializes in what he calls session beer. It’s healthier and means you can enjoy a few pints in an evening and still walk home! This is particularly good for older drinkers and in line with current drinking advice from health professionals. In addition these beers are worthy of a more considered drinking session and deserve as such to be slowly imbibed.

Although golden ales are the most popular Alex also produces ‘Top Notch’ an amber ale which he makes with 2 different malts and dark-beer-claygateanother variety of hops. Citra is Brightwaters other golden ale, which gets its name from the hops used to make it. Known for its fresh lemony finish to beers ‘Citra’ has a zingier finish to ‘Daisy Gold’. This brewery also produces a rather unusual dark stout type beer called ‘Wild Orchid’. The use of black malt gives this its dark colour but by putting Madagascan Vanilla pods in each cask its also has a subtle hint of vanilla which doesn’t dominate but adds a lovely finish to the overall taste.

 

If you are a fan of craft beers I highly recommend a visit to Platform 3 it’s in a class of its own. With guest beers also on offer and other drinks for non-beer fans it’s a great afternoon out. Take-out, delivery for parties and ready bottled beer for gifts are also available. Go for the beer but also for the novelty value because this is the smallest pub in Britain!

Tel: 01372 462 334

Mob: 07802 316 389

Twitter @SmallestPubinUK

This review was originally published in Essence Magazine in February 2016

 

 

Tante Marie Restaurant

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For the well-heeled young in post war Britain who weren’t suited to academic life it was often a choice (for young ladies in particular) of learning secretarial or cooking skills. On the cooking front selection usually came down to two venues in England, the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London or the Tante Marie Culinary Academy in Woking. Nowadays Leith’s and other great colleges have joined the party and there are a wealth of courses to choose from. Recently Tante Marie’s move to a new purpose built venue means they are topping the leader board again. The academy (the first of its kind in the UK) is famous for its professional chef courses, celebrity graduates as the incredible skill set that students leave the school with unlocks many doors into the foodie world. Being part of the local community is also high on the agenda for Tante Marie Management and with a new restaurant and plethora of short courses open to the public they are gaining loyal following. Want to do a season cooking in a ski chalet or luxury yacht then this could be your passport too.

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Tante Marie has changed ownership three times since opening in 1954 under the tutelage of cookery writer Irish Syrett who died in 1964. Today former chef and deputy principal Andrew Maxwell and Gordon Ramsay Holdings own the academy. With a new lease of life and investment the school moved from an old red brick Victorian building to a new purpose built site in central Woking in 2015. In addition to the culinary academy there is also a modern European restaurant, staffed by graduates of the Cordon Bleu Diploma. Here they work for one year to gain a Level 5 Diploma in Culinary and Hospitality Management. I have dined here twice now and have been impressed by the delightful service, innovative and professionally dispatched menu. The attention to detail in the food and service is faultless as overseen by tutor manager Marco Di-Michele.

amuse bouche trio

The restaurant food is fresh, seasonal, locally sourced where possible, skilfully prepared and presented. To give staff the full range of food service skills, Amuse-bouche accompanies menu selections as does hand made bread (orange and thyme or caraway last visit). Appetising nibbles on offer include smoked mackerel pate on melba toast or shot glasses of leek and potato soup with truffle oil.

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Starters on the seasonal menu may include scallops and black pudding (£10.50) or crab rarebit (£7.25). For mains we chose beef fillet anchovy butter served with creamy mash (£19.95) and pan-fried sea bass (£15.95). The fish was served on a bed of pearl barley risotto intensely green from the addition of baby spinach with contrast in taste and texture of spicy chorizo.

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Both dishes arrived swiftly from the kitchen on stylish hot plates and were cooked and seasoned faultlessly. Desserts (£6.50) included pear and frangipane tart with clotted cream (light and buttery) and a rhubarb fool with hand made biscuits. The food is so good here it’s hard to believe the staff are all new graduates.

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Well run and managed; the space is modern, clean and comfortable. Wine is reasonably priced (starting at £20 per bottle) and offered by the glass too. It was good to see local gin Silent Pool on offer here and some English wines. We started with a glass of Prosecco each at £7 each.

Located centrally in Woking in a newly regenerated area Tante Marie and other newcomers have really started to put Woking on the map as a foodie destination. This is in part due to incentives from the council to make this a reality.

With so many gastro pubs churning out the same predictable menus its refreshing to to find a menu that really is a bit different!

Tante Marie Culinary Academy
57-61 Commercial Way, Woking GU21 6HN

01483 726957

www.tantemarie.co.uk

I was invited by Woking Shopping’s PR company to review this restaurant. Having already been once I was keen to return. The food and standard of service was as good as it was on my first visit. I am looking forward to doing one of their 1 day cookery courses on Indonesian food in late May.

Mrs B’s Bees

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I have been meaning to write about locally produced Surrey honey for a while. I will only buy mine from various beekeepers I meet on my rounds of farm shops and farmers markets. They all taste different and it’s fascinating to know that the source was wildflowers, chestnuts, heather or even oil seed rape. Luckily for me a recent visit to Milford Farmers Market gave me the inspiration I needed, thanks to Bee Keeper Debbie Burton. Her stall was stocked not only with honey but also associated products of beeswax candles, honeycomb and beeswax polish. As I was looking at the products I could hear Debbie talking to a customer so passionately about bees I was sucked in! A walking encyclopedia of bee knowledge this producer also has a fascinating story to share.

mixed honey

 

Debbie lived in Romania for a few years where her first husband was teaching young men how to become farriers. Years of fighting and fatalities during the Ceausescu regime left many communities without tradesmen to pass on their traditional skills to the next generation. Picking up the language easily Debbie and young son Tex were fascinated by their neighbours garden beehives particularly when the colonies started swarming. Beekeeping in Romania is practiced commonly and most gardens at that time Debbie recalls had at least one hive. Finding beekeeping really interesting Debbie and her son learnt as much as they could and when they returned to the UK in 2006 they started to keep their own. They gradually built their colonies and now have hives in Surrey, Hampshire and East Sussex. In fact Tex is one of the youngest stewards in the UK to judge Honey at events. Honey is categorized by where the nectar has been harvested and has many classes and categories. Crystalline, runny or set the resulting style is dependent on which plant the bees collected the nectar.

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I noticed that Debbie has different types of honey for sale and asked how she could know if they were wildflower, heather or borage. It turns out that if you want different types of honey in your portfolio you take the bees on a gourmet vacation! Each season this enterprising beekeeper loads up 20 hives at a time onto a trailer and takes them to area of woodland where there is a concentration of blossom or flowers. In the New Forest for example there is an abundance of heather so when it’s the right time to collect nectar the bees are taken there for 3 months. Debbie has permits to leave her hives in certain locations at certain times of the year. This practice is called migratory beekeeping and is a practice a lot of smaller keepers are able to manage. Because bees will only travel as far as they have to collect nectar and pollen for the hive you can be sure that if a large source is close to the hives then your source is guaranteed. The colour and texture of the honey harvested will later confirm this. What it is difficult to do is claim for honey to be organic as bees are free flying agents and may not stick solely to one area of collection.

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There are three seasons each year for harvesting honey and you can collect a different style of honey each time. Borage honey is known for its light colour and runniness. Heather honey is darker, thicker and much harder to extract from the comb. Where borage can be extracted easily by centrifugal activity heather honey has to extracted by breaking the comb and then separating the wax from the honey. The wax can then be used for candles and polish.

Sustainability is also high on the agenda for Debbie’s honey. I had heard that sugar syrup is given to bee’s which she agreed does happen in commercial production. For those who produce honey naturally the key is to make sure you have a healthy, large colony of hard working bees. If the hive is working well the bees naturally produce excess honey, which can be harvested without harming the colonies survival. This honey will be of a superior quality, texture and flavour. Experienced beekeepers know how much honey to leave for the colony particularly over winter when activity in the hive is low. In commercial farming the majority of the honey is taken and the hives fed with sugar syrup. Evidence has shown that this is detrimental to bee health and leaves them more susceptible to disease.

Declining bee populations have been well documented over the last few years with the neonicotinoid pesticides identified as a possible cause in addition to disease. I asked Debbie her view as an experienced beekeeper who currently has many healthy honey producing hives. It’s this; farmers struggle to produce the yields required without the use of some pesticides from time to time or risk losing entire crops. With this in mind she feels its better to continue with neonicotinoids which are now better understood because the replacement may be far worse. Of course there are plenty of different views on this contentious matter and this is just one.

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If you like supporting local food producers buying local honey is a brilliant way to do this. Buying from a market trader like Debbie means you have direct contact with the producer and for me it’s just a brilliant way to go shopping. The money goes straight into her pocket and as she says making money out of honey production on small scale is really tough. Last year they had high yields but because we had such unusual weather this summer the yields are a third of what they were. The commercial honey sold in supermarkets is no match for as artisan produced product and its well worth the extra couple of pounds.

My jar of heather honey has pride of place on my shelf. Spread on some local artisan bread with local butter it couldn’t be more satisfying. If you are interesting in keeping bees Debbie says to work first with a local bee club or apiary. As a beekeeper be prepared for hard work, investing in some expensive kit plus you have to be patient and prepared for heavy lifting. But she also says it’s a wonderful job and immensely satisfying. Her enthusiasm and jars of gorgeous honey are proof enough for me.

You’ll find Debbie at all the Surrey farmers Markets which are listed on their website http://surreyfarmersmarkets.org

www.mrsbsbees.co.uk

This article first appeared in the November 2015 issue of Essence of Surrey Magazine

Eton Mess with Blackberry Gin Cordial

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This has to be the easiest emergency dessert to make providing you have the right ingredients. It’s fast, effective and difficult not to love. Fruit infused gins are lovely for providing an alcoholic kick to an otherwise innocent classic. The *gin cordials from Silent Pool are perfect here.

 Eton Mess with Blackberry Gineton-mess-6x9

Makes 4 large or 6 medium dessert glasses

500 grams mixed berries, hulled and chopped

120ml of blackberry, damson or strawberry gin or *cordial

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

250ml whipping cream

250ml double cream

3-4 small meringue nests (home or ready-made), lightly crushed

A few berries and fresh thyme to decorate

Put the berries into a mixing bowl. Pour over 120ml of flavoured gin and stir in the sugar. I used blackberry but damson or strawberry would also work well here. Leave the berries to macerate while you prepare the cream. Pour the whipping and double cream into mixing bowl and whisk until it visibly thickens. You want a soft whip here not solid so the meringue will easily fold in. Fold the crushed meringue into the cream. Lay out the glasses or a large serving dish. At this stage you can mix the fruit mixture into the cream but I layered mine. Its purely personal but I like the look of the layers. Start with a fruit layer followed by the meringue cream, spooning the gin in with each layer. Finish with meringue cream and decorate with a few berries and a sprig of thyme. Can be made a few hours or a day ahead. Refrigerate until required.

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This recipe first appeared in Essence Magazine in the December/January Issue and was also featured in Local Food Britain.

 

 

 

Silent Pool Gin

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Silent Pool; an astonishingly good gin from a true master of potions on the Albury Estate

I didn’t think I liked gin. But that was before I sampled some at a farm shop last May. I had heard of Silent Pool a new local distiller in Surrey so I put my previous prejudice aside to give this one a try. I was bowled over; its aromatic, full of flavour notes, lavender, juniper, coriander, chamomile, rose and so many more. It’s also drinkable straight, in sips. Meeting James their sales manager at Milford farmers market at Secretts convinced me that I had to find out more. As a born again gin drinker, I’ll tell you all I know.

When Ian McCulloch (a former commercial director at ITV) decided to start a distillery producing craft gin cory-james6x9in 2013 he can’t possibly have foreseen its success. With a commercial background he understood that branding and product were of equal importance and worked hard from the outset on both. For him his journey started out by searching for a great distiller, a path that took him to Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh. There they run the only MSc in Brewing and Distilling in the world, as you might expect from the home of Whiskey. The stars were clearly in his favour, as whilst he was there he was introduced to Cory Mason a graduate of the course who was undertaking some research. From their first meeting Cory and Ian decided to work together and enlisted a current student Tom Hutchings who for his dissertation then worked on gin botanicals (the flavour enhancers) helping to put together a blueprint for what is now an award winning gin. Most London dry gins (which Silent Pool is have 3-4 botanicals but this one has over 20) Remarkably this gin has achieved the sales in months that most new brands take years to reach.

Cory Mason must be one of the coolest guys I have met in a while, a native Californian he had been running art and music venues in New York. He is a person who stands out, in so many ways. Tall in stature with a trademark moustache, twisted at the ends and fixed with glue, perfect portrait material. Dabbling in restaurant ownership, cocktail mixology and bootleg distilling on the way. At this time there was no venue or distillery. So while Cory and Tom started to develop the gin (a complicated process if you want to be top of your game) Ian headed back to Surrey to find a venue.

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Hearing of a building available on the Albury Estate owned by the Duke of Northumberland, Ian a Surrey Hills resident took Cory and Tom to visit. They were all enchanted by the name Silent Pool, which locals know as a beauty spot for a walk in the summer months. When there is good rainfall and the pools are full they have a lovely blue hue. They really started to get excited when they were told there was an underground source of spring water fed from an artisanal spring supplied from deep in the chalk downs. Cory and Tom also found wild chamomile growing on the site which they immediately added to the recipe.

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In addition to the location the site also carries a legend. Apparently a woodcutter’s daughter was bathing in the pool when a nobleman on a horse spotted her. Concerned by his advances she moved further into the centre of the pool but he followed her on his horse and she drowned. When her father found her body he also recovered the horseman’s hat, which had dropped into the water. Embroidered onto it was the crest of Prince John. Ever since that time locals talked of eeriness around the ponds. This intoxicating story, the fabulous location and name sealed the deal ending in an easy decision to build the distillery at Silent Pool. Today the distillery at the back opens up onto a deck overlooking the pool where the team keep a BBQ to cook their lunch.

The distiller itself is remarkable too. Built in Holstein in southern Germany from copper it was bought to wood burning stovethe UK in parts and built on site. Cory says it’s not the Rolls Royce of distillers but the end results better as the process can be more flexible. Without getting too academic here Silent Pool gin combines infusion and vapour techniques for building its unique taste. Many gins use either technique but rarely both. The distiller is powered by a reclaimed and renovated 1970’s Barford Invicta Major wood burning stove which sits in the wood shed next to the distillery. Fuel (wood) comes from a sustainable source on the estate. Cory and Toms first job in the morning is to chop wood and fire up the stove. The wood, Cory says affects the temperature rise in the distiller and because it varies each batch of gin is slightly different. This he says is a hand made product in every way; there are no computers or digital timers just skill. Cory and Tom love their job they feel it gives them a chance to perform magic with a perfect mix of science, art and craft.

Silent Pool took a year to develop and by the time Cory and Tom had completed their 35th test run Ian decided it was time to stop experimenting and drinking and go to launch. They used an artist to come up with their bottle design which features the botanicals used and decided on the blue glass to represent the summer water at the pool.The bottle also comes with a blue glass stopper which is so much classier than a plastic screw top.

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The bottle is distinctive standing out from competitors, which is essential in a crowded marketplace. By default of its location Silent Pool has a fantastic brand story and name too. Exceeding sales by 1000% in its first year Silent Pool Gin is a core product sold internationally (even in China) but the creativity doesn’t stop here. Cory and Tom also produce Albury limited release which is made in small batches and gin cordials. The fruit cordials are only made when local fresh fruit like strawberries and blackberries are in season. Fruit is macerated in gin and the pulp discarded once the juice has been extracted. In addition they currently have a plum and apricot eau de vie a (clear fruit brandy) again small batch and seasonal. Because they have all their skills in-house and run their own distillers this company can diversify easily and respond to seasonality. This James Shelbourne says they do because as a small company they can. In the future they are also contemplating vodka and whisky but pointed out gin was better to start with as its ready to drink immediately whereas whiskey has to mature.

In addition to creating their own product range they recently worked with Raymond Blanc to create a gin to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of Eurostar. For a new brand to gain such notoriety in its first year is testimony to the tight professional team behind the creative force here and impressive. It’s clear with the founding partners skill mix and the ability of their team they are a company to watch. I can’t wait to see what they will produce next.

Their current product range is available directly from them in person at the distillery or online shop or from suppliers nationwide. Check the website for stockists. If you are interested in meeting the team and seeing gin being made which I highly recommend, why not buy a distillery tour (details on the Silent Pool website).

www.silentpooldistillers.com

This article first appeared in the December/January Issue of Essence Magazine 2015

As a footnote: I asked Cory what tonic he recommended as the rise in craft gins has also elicited a rise in tonic waters. He says that since Schweppes is most commonly available they did much of their testing with it. He does suggest that any good tonic will do but steer away from lite versions which are made with artificial sweeteners.

 

 

 

 

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper and Butterbean Dip

Bakery, Blog, Recipes, Vegetarian, , , , ,

Vegan and full of smoky punchy flavours this dip is wonderful served alongside  Farretti bakery breadsticks with pre-dinner drinks .
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I used freshly roasted peppers that I skinned and deseeded but a tin of smoked Piquillo peppers (well drained) would work well in their place.

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Download a print friendly pdf of the recipe smoky red pepper and butterbean dip

1 large or two small red peppers roasted, cooled and skin removed (or 1 tin of red peppers)

1 large clove of smoked garlic, crushed

1 x 400g can butterbeans, drained

1 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika

2 tablespoons of cold pressed rape seed oil

Smoked Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pack of Farretti artisan bread sticks heated in a hot oven for 5 minutes

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor starting with the oil. Process until smooth.

Decorate with olives or fresh herbs and serve with warm bread sticks.

smoky-butterbean-dip

 

A Night of Food & Agony with Jay Rayner!

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Jazz & Comedy

If you have been following my blog for a while you know that I only write about things I really like. I sometimes get invited by PR companies to review restaurants and I am always totally honest with them. Yes, I am happy to go as your guest; but if I don’t think its worth a review it won’t get one. If I do go as a guest and write about it I always make it clear in my reviews too! I only publish positive reviews which means my site is less content rich than it could be plus it’s cost me a small fortune.  Sometimes I wish I was Jay Rayner as I believe passionately that if you open a business and invite people off the street to come in a pay for what you offer it had better be fantastic. And quite rightly the more you charge for it, the satisfaction level, should go up on a sliding scale. I have learnt to be disappointed and love the eureka times more because of it. I choose not to write negative reviews but Jay Rayner has made a career out of it. In fact is seems the more scathing and totally brutal they are the more they are revered.

jay rayner header

Last week I was contacted by the agents representing Jay Rayner who in addition to writing some of the funniest, observant and cutting restaurant reviews you’ll ever read is also a jazz musician! His latest tour combines his musings as a restaurant reviewer with a performance by him and his jazz band playing a food themed 60 minute set. The reviews of his band and the fact that he has just played his first gig and legendary Ronnie Scotts in Soho to great acclaim make this a guaranteed great night out. Would I be interested in writing a blog post to help promote his latest tour for a couple of tickets they said. I thought about it for a millisecond,  You see I am one of his biggest (actually at just a fraction over five foot one of his smallest) fans. I had missed his last event in Surrey at Farnham Malting’s last year to go to a pop up supper club (which was fantastic) so seeing him was on my bucket list.

Jay Rayner is my kind of writer, bold, brash and totally honest.  I wish I had the same wit, energy, humour and ferocity of language that he applies to every review he writes. I love the way he starts a review by setting a scene before getting down to the nitty gritty. His recent list of the 12 worst things that restaurants do were pretty close to mine too! Particularly his observation that the bill is always given to the man if you are out as a couple. I often buy my husband dinner after all he pays most of the bills and is currently carrying the burden of our daughter’s university adventure. When the waiter/waitress heads for my man I wish I had the courage to say;

 “don’t you ever, ever, ever again give the bill to the only person on the table who happens to possess testicles. You have no idea who’s paying for dinner. Put the bill in the middle of that table and walk away” 

This latest tour kicks off on the 23rd January in Wavendon and is in Surrey for one night at the Rose Theatre in Kingston on the 23rd February 2016.

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Smoky Gravad Lax

Blog, Food producers, Recipe review, Recipes, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My family have roots in Eastern Europe so I grew up with Gravad Lax, a cured salmon dish. It’s little lighter than smoked salmon and very easy to make. Because you are curing not cooking you must start off with very fresh fish. I usually fillet my own but get the fishmonger to do it for you if it’s easier. You could also buy a ready prepared fillet of salmon or salmon trout. Just run your finger down the fillet to feel if any bones are still intact, if so remove them (I have special fish tweezers but use you fingers if you don’t have any). It is essential for slicing that you retain the skin. This is a recipe that uses a ratio and it’s this; for each 450g of fish use 25g sugar and 25g salt. To give mine a luxuriously smoky finish I used some smoked salt I bought in France but Smoked Maldon sea salt will do just as well and this year for the very first time smoked sugar too. I saw a tweet about this lovely new product and contacted the producer who kindly sent me a tin to try. Made is small batches its described on the company website thus

“Handcrafted in Scotland by a kilted Highlander, Smoky Brae Smoked Sugar is lovingly cold smoked low and slow using a secret blend of hardwoods to achieve a unique rich full bodied SMOKY flavour to compliment cocktails, cooking and confection.  The demerara cane sugar produces sweet caramel flavours“.

Its the first time I have come across smoked sugar and I love it. Plus it’s a versatile product which would go wonderfully on a cocktail glass ( something with a chocolate liqueur or Cointreau would be gorgeous) or use it on crème brûlée or in savoury dishes like me.

Gravad Laxsalmon canapes
1 fillet of fresh salmon or salmon trout (skin intact)
25g of sugar and 25g salt mixed to each 450g of fish
I large bunch chopped dill (optional)

Pat the fish dry with some paper towel and then place cut side down in a large dish big enough to lay it flat. Sprinkle over half the curing mix and rub it gently into the skin. Flip the fish over and rub the cut side with the remaining cure. If you are using dill press it onto the fish. Cover the dish in cling film and leave to cure for 48 hours turning every 12 hours. During this time the salt and sugar will draw the water out of the fish. Its perfectly safe to eat without cooking as the salt kills off any bacteria and removing the water also makes it an impossible environment for them to survive. After 48 hours remove the fish from the cure and discard the liquid. Place the fish on a chopping board and cut into very thin slices as required. This will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator but will also freeze really well too.

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I use Gravad Lax to make canapés for the festive season or when entertaining. If you want to keep the calories down use slices of fresh cucumber for a base and top with salmon and a garnish. I use seasoned crème fraiche, whole grain mustard, chives, thyme and fish roe amongst other things. I also love fresh flower seasoning from Uncle Roy’s Commestible Concoctions they look great plus they are dried so always in stock and ready to use.

If I serve the fish as a starter with some salad leaves I would use a whole grain mustard dressing and serve with some warm fresh brown bread.

Gravad Lax Dressing

2 tbsp wholegrain Dijon mustard
1 tbsp caster sugar or Smoky Brae smoked sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the ingredients together thoroughly and leave to stand allowing the sugar to dissolve in the liquids before using to garnish the salmon.

Please note whilst  I was sent this product by the producer to review I only write and publish reviews of products I really like! Quite honestly anything smoked gets a big thumbs up from me.

You can buy this product online and it should be in some delicatessens and farm shops in Surrey soon.

Fresh Windfall Apple Buns

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This recipe is great for a quick afternoon tea treat on a cool autumn day. Delicious eaten warm, leftovers are perfect for lunch boxes too! I make apples buns raw_6x9mine in a stand mixer but they are easily made by hand.

Ingredients (to make 12 buns)
200g stone-ground wholemeal flour
25g milled flaxseed
A pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
175g butter, at room temperature
2 medium size garden apples, washed and grated
50g chopped dried cranberries
25g pumpkin seeds
50g golden castor sugar
1 egg, beaten

Method:

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 /190ºC/ fan 170ºC/ 375F

Download a printable PDF of the recipe here for  fresh windfall apple buns

apples buns2_9x6

Combine the flour, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well together using a wooden spoon. Stir in the beaten egg to form sticky dough, taking care not to overwork the mixture. Spoon the dough into 12 heaps on a lined baking sheet and place in the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes and serve with big mugs of tea.

Variations: replace the apricots with sultanas, raisins,chopped dates, or sunflower seeds

apples buns duo

 

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

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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.

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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.