Wow, what a year it’s been and in just over a week’s time we will be opening up the doors of Dinner at the Manor for 2012!

We want to bring some Mexican Sunshine for a dull, blustery January and we will be cooking up a storm of zingy, zesty, spicy flavours all inspired from Tomasina Mier’s Mexican Food Made Simple. 

We are so excited about this one – we want to show that Mexican food is more than just chilli con carne and fajitas! We cooked up the pork main and the tequila flan over New Year and I have to say they were some of the nicest things I ate over the festive season!

Can’t wait!

If any of the dishes above whet your appetite, remember, we still have places left at our Mrs Beeton event in March.

Rather ignorantly I had never heard of L’Enclume when a friend requested we go there for her 40th birthday celebrations. However, once she had sent me over the link I then saw the place everywhere, from Masterchef to the Great British Menu, where chef Simon Rogan won the dessert course and had all of his other courses in the top three. Fellow supperclubbers had also been and reported back positive experiences so I was quite excited about my trip there.

L’Enclume in the Cumbrian village of Cartmel

L’Enclume is situated in the beautifully quaint Cumbrian village of Cartmel (made famous by its sticky toffee pudding!) and is home to many of Rogan’s other hospitality ventures – he’s the Rick Stein of the Lakes! We, a group of 10 excited foodies, arrived with much childlike delight and energy. L’Enclume does not advertise a menu so we had absolutely no idea what to expect other than innovative dishes made with locally foraged and unusual ingredients. We made a classy and modest entrance when the person at the front of our group fell dramatically off her heels and on to the polished concrete floor of the restaurant lobby. She was rather embarrassed!

We started with fun oyster pebbles!

I’ve heard complaints in the past that the restaurant can feel cold and clinical. This is certainly not how we felt when we were there. It’s housed in some very old cottages that have been sympathetically modernised from within. We were sat in an old part so our surroundings were light and airy, but still with evidence of their past – such as lovely old exposed wooden beams, juxtaposed with modern sculptures that mirror the natural world Rogan is so passionate about.

More appetisers of cream cheese wafers

Our waiting staff explained that the chef had chosen the menu for us as well as some wine pairings for the evening so we had little more to do than sit back, relax and enjoy! We later learned that the menu was brand new for that night and Simon Rogan himself was cooking it for us! We had opted for the 12 course menu, but this was started off with some appetisers that were added extras. The first of these was an edible pebble flavoured with oyster and apple. Visually, this was exciting but the fishy sweetness was not my favourite thing to eat and was a bit of a shock to the system to start with! However, this was more than made up for by a croquette of smoked eel and cheese, which tasted like something you’d find at a chic seventies cocktail party – it was warming and comforting.

Asparagus bay shrimp in ceramic bags

The thought and attention that is put into all of the courses is astounding, from the way that they are presented, to the unique delicate flavours that are used, to the one off crockery that they are served in – which apparently are made for the restaurant by the University of Lancaster. It’s also apparent that the waiting staff get great pleasure from serving such unusual food and seeing the looks of amazement and excitement on guests’ faces.

Cod ‘yolk’, sage cream, salt and vinegar

It would probably be an extremely boring (and even longer) blog if I go into too much detail about all of the courses we ate – it took about 4 hours just to eat them and then a whole weekend of dissecting them with everyone else! I’ll let Richard’s photos do the talking and pick out some of our favourite and least favourite ones to discuss.

Kohlrabi dumplings in Westcombe, hyssop and purple sprouting

A favourite for the table was the ceramic bags of asparagus with a mousse and crispy bay shrimp at the bottom. This was full of delectable different textures and one diner described the shrimp as tasting like the best Chinese she’d ever had. The ceramic bags made it a fun, interactive way of eating and they came propped up in some fun volcanic style stone ridges.

Valley venison, charcoal oil, mustard and fennel

I think everyone’s favourite (apart from our vegetarian diner!) was the valley venison with charcoal oil and fennel. The venison came as tartare and was so soft it melted in the mouth. The bizarre charcoal oil made it taste like it had been barbecued. It was such a good experience we are all now obsessed with creating our own charcoal oil! The fennel came as little caramelised spheres. I burst mine all over the venison and it added to the illusion that the meat was cooked. This was the course we were still talking about by Monday!

Sea scallop with spiced strawberry, grilled cauliflower and coastal leaves

Our least favourite was the frozen lobster, which came as a granita. It wasn’t obvious that the flavour was lobster and for me it was a little gritty. It came with lots of different types of cucumber, which I tried despite my cumber aversion. An element we did approve of was the rat tails, which are edible pod radishes. They were extremely refreshing with a subtle spiciness. Overall the dish was a bit wet and bizarre for us – however we could still see it as innovative and it got us talking. Not everyone is going to be pleased with every course when there is more than 12 of them on offer! At least I can now say that I’ve tried lobster granita.

Cucumbers, pineapple weed, frozen lobster and rat tails

Reg’s guinea hen and offal, turnip and elderflower

For dessert we had not one, not two but three treats on offer. The palate cleanser was an exciting chamomile sorbet with celery. It was light and cooling after so many strong flavours. Next up was cherries with meadowsweet and a fennel and apple granita. This worked well as it was a well-balanced concotion of sweet, sour, crumbly, soft and some iciness. The meadowsweet came mixed with yoghurt and had marshmallow qualities – it was yummy! Our final dessert offering was small pieces of spicy gingerbread with iced watermint. Again, an unusual combination but one which worked very well. It came in little pots that had wobbly bottoms! I could have easily eaten 10, had I not just eaten 12 other courses!

Iced chamomile, spruce, celery and black pepper

Cherries with meadowsweet, hazlenut and apple

Gingerbread and iced watermint

Thinking back on the meal it is amazing that each course came out with such huge attention to detail and with its own identity. As a diner it is easy to take all the food for granted, especially when so many courses are coming out. The menu is extremely good value for money as the obvious skill and passion that goes into the food is priceless. It is also very well pitched in terms of different flavours and ingredients. Plus I didn’t leave having stuffed myself too far, nor did I feel hungry. Perhaps this is the future of dining – being able to appreciate individual flavours and ingredients in small but many portions?

The menu

If I had one criticism it was for our wine. We had pre-arranged a wine package to match our food. This was about 5 or 6 different wines served over the course of the evening. Our sommelier was obviously very busy and barely had time to pour our wine let alone explain what it was or why it had been selected. That aside, the wine was plentiful and all very enjoyable so it’s just a small gripe. Another small issue was that we, as naive townies, had not ordered a taxi back to our holiday home early enough and so were faced with a 2 hour wait in Cartmel (til 1am!) before being driven back the 5 miles. I don’t think there is even anything to do in Cartmel til 1am! Luckily a local friend came and got us and diverted the crisis. If you’re planning a trip to L’Enclume then do book your taxi asap or stay in one of their on site bedrooms.

So is it all worth the hype? In a word, yes! I’m already planning my next trip back, or even a trip to Rogans where you can sample the full Great British Menu meal! L’Enclume is truly exciting, innovative, British and great value for money, hooray!

We took an impromptu trip to the Yorkshire Wolds last bank holiday weekend. I was drawn in by the Hockney paintings and features on Countryfile. We decided that we’d tackle the awful weather by cheering ourselves up with some lovely countryside and top food.

We were staying not too far from the pleasant town of Beverley so a trip to the Michelin starred Pipe and Glass was obligatory. Because it was a bank holiday weekend the gastro pub had very odd opening hours, meaning we could only go at lunchtime. This was fine, however our Bed and breakfast (the very glamorous Kilham Hall) served one of the most tasty and substantial breakfasts I have experienced in a long time so I was not entirely sure that I was ready for yet more rich food. You’ll be pleased to know that I soldiered on!

The Pipe and Glass, South Dalton, East Yorkshire

The Pipe and Glass is in the picturesque village of South Dalton and is very quaint and idyllic itself. Inside it is a maze of well renovated rooms. The decor is quite simple, but clean, cosy and full of comforting dark and warm colours. We had a lovely and roomy gnarled wooden table that was in the main restaurant. The pub has operated in its current guise since 2006 and is the proud owner of East Yorkshire’s one and only Michelin star.

The menu was full of good British classics, using local Wolds ingredients. We opted to avoid starters to optimistically have room for a pudding. I went for the roast rump of lamb, with summer vegetables, crispy mutton belly and crushed heritage potatoes. The lamb was soft and pink and was cooked in a tongue tingling mint glaze that gave the meal a really fresh hit, rather than being rich and cloying. The crispy mutton belly was heaven – like a substantial piece of salty crackling. The veg were nice and crunchy and again helped to lift a potentially heavy dish. Richard went for the fish cakes which were huge and fluffy. We can’t remember what fish it was and annoyingly the menu I brought home with me does not list them! I can, however, confirm that the cakes were accompanied by a tasty smoked mackerel and potato salad. They were both hearty portions, so we were glad that we’d avoided starters! Other dishes that came out also looked good. Of note was the three onion and goats cheese tart – a lovely summery dish that came with pretty roasted beets. Also, another fish dish (the halibut I think) was served to make it look like the fish was jumping out of water. It smelled good and looked like lots of fun!

Roast rump of lamb

We just about had room for pud, and we both went for the classic sticky toffee pudding. It was as you would expect for a decent STP - dark and fluffy sponge with lashings of sticky, caramel sauce. It was served with a stout ice cream, which was subtle but you could still get some of the stout’s smokiness if you really tried. Atop the ice cream was a walnut brittle which gave some great texture and chewiness. To the side of the pudding came a fun little beer glass of stout. I got to have Richard’s too as he’s not a fan of proper beer! All in all it rounded off a good meal.

Sticky toffee pudding with stout ice cream

I don’t know what I was expecting from the Pipe and Glass. I think I probably entered feeling a bit complacent about it all, because of its excellent reputation. A pub can be gastro, and a gastro pub can have a Michelin star, but ultimately they will always still be pubs and I wonder if this can limit how good they can be? Therefore I think because of this my expectations were lower than they should have been. As it happens the food was of a high standard, tasty and faultless. The service was professional and attentive and our surroundings were extremely pleasant. I will certainly go back for a full evening meal next time and explore the ales some more. The Pipe and Glass have confirmed for me that they deserve the good reputation that they have and this has put my faith back in the gastro pub.

To round off my gastro-tour of Scotland I had an obligatory trip to Edinburgh, which readers of the blog will know is one of my favourite cities to visit. Having made friends with fellow food blogger My Monkfish at last year’s My Home Supperclub I was keen for her to recommend to me some eateries for us to check out when we hit the Burgh.

Her first tip off was the brand spanking new Gardeners Cottage, which opened earlier this summer. Housed in (you guessed it) an ex-gardeners cottage within the Royal Terrace gardens on London road, it was a hop skip and a jump from where we staying in the Georgian New Town. Plus it had had a fairly decent review from the Guardian’s Jay Rayner the week before so we were happy to pop down for a feed. It’s run by Scottish chef friends Edward and Dale who have chefed in a number of famous Edinburgh eateries that include the Atrium, the Kitchin; as well working for Mark Hix in London.

The Gardener’s Cottage

The venue itself is the last thing you would expect within the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh’s urban centre. Slightly set back from the main road it’s a cute little dwelling surrounded by neatly planted flowers and vegetables. The internal decor was the last thing I expected. Raw white washed walls were complemented by rough and worn wooden floorboards. Our table, which was shared with the other diners, was a great hulking piece of gnarled wood and our places were set with vintage china and cutlery. It was a bit of a shock at first but completely charming and evocative of another era – cemented even more so by an old record playing retro tunes to us.

Our set menu for the evening

The menu was set for us and our only choice was to decide whether or not we had the wine pairings for each course, which we did. The food is all about fresh, seasonal Scottish ingredients, a lot of which have been grown in the grounds of the restaurant or procured from community producers. To start us off we had some deliciously crusty sourdough bread with smokey kipper butter to dip into it. This was accompanied by a less humble glass of French champagne. It was a simple yet effective canape as I loved the contrast of the crunchy bread with the soft, creamy dip. This was followed by soft boiled egg and a remoulade of kohlrabi and celeriac.

Our fish course was a subtly fishy herring that was crumbed with oatmeal and served with apples and red fir potatoes. The crumb gave a fantastic texture to the fish and was really nutty and salty. The apples cut through the oiliness of the fish perfectly although we both agreed that the potato was a bit of gooseberry on the plate and we did not really need it.

Herring with oatmeal

For mains it was a beautifully presented hare ravioli with roast pigeon, turnip tops and nasturtium leaves. The ravioli was lovely and moist with a lovely livery flavour. The turnip tops and leaves were a fun addition and I loved the sustainability of using up everything and throwing away nothing. The pigeon, unfortunately, was a little tough for me, but I know how hard it is to cook and get right.

Roast pigeon and hare ravioli

The courses were all very small but it was great to have a little taster of ingredients we wouldn’t necessarily choose in an everyday situation. This also meant that we had room for cheese, which was a tangy and tongue tingling Lanark white – a cross between a cheddar and a brie, apparently. It was a lovely pairing with some crispy homemade rye crackers. This was followed by a simple yet tasty dessert of chocolate puff pastry, roasted plums, and clove ice cream. The pastry was buttery and sweet and the ice cream clovey in a pleasant rather than an overpowering way.

As a diner, you get the impression that the Gardeners Cottage is the brainchild of a couple of friends who’ve got together – through a passion for real and good food and who have stuck up two fingers to the typical posh dining experience. In the cottage it’s all rough and ready, old fashioned and chipped china – but in the best possible way indeed. I loved the fact that I wasn’t in a ‘proper’ restaurant and given that the place was rammed on a Monday night, other people felt the same way as me. Plus I’ll let you into a secret, our five courses of delectable delights was only £25, that’s cheaper than our supperclub!

Nothing goes to waste!

So if you fancy some food that’s made with love; food that’s sustainable and completely anti-globalisation; meals that use ingredients from days gone by and which test your food boundaries a bit – then get on down to the Gardeners Cottage! It’s simple and unpretentious and extremely satisfying for the stomach and the wallet!

We ended our foodie expedition of Scotland with a splurge meal at Edinburgh’s Castle Terrace, a modern British restaurant influenced by classic French techniques and driven by a passion for seasonal Scottish ingredients. I’d previously had a fantastic meal at Leith’s The Kitchin, which is the sister restaurant of Castle Terrace, plus I had heard good things from fellow food blogger My Monkfish. Chef patron Dominic Jack is a close friend of Tom Kitchin’s having met him whilst cheffing in Edinburgh when they were both teenagers. Kichin’s influence throughout the restaurant is obvious from the dark and luxurious decor, professional and attentive staff to the ethos of ‘nature to plate’ food.

My Monkfish had put in a good word for us ahead of our visit and so on arrival we were mysteriously ushered down to the kitchen to meet chef Dominic. Set up in a corner of the warm but quiet kitchen was a ‘chef’s table’ where we were seated and given complimentary champagne, canapes and menus to peruse, whilst watching the chefs go about their business. It was fascinating to see the inner workings of such a prestigious restaurant. It was controlled, thoughtful and precise. Everybody was working studiously and effectively under the watchful eye of Dominic. The atmosphere was so peaceful and serene that you could have heard a pin drop. It was almost a bit embarrassing being sat there as we felt like complete intruders! We joked with the waiting staff about how it wouldn’t normally be so ordered, but I genuinely was impressed by how unchaotic and tranquil it all was.

Canapes at the Chef’s table!

Our canapes were a mini Margherita pizza, salt cod barbajuan and a caeser salad that was in liquid form and had been spherified. These were so delicate and colourful, that they were true works of art. As we sat dazzled by these wonders and taking in the atmosphere of the kitchen we agreed that we would have the surprise tasting menu and the accompanying wine matches. With our decisions made we were taken back up into the relaxed restaurant and sat down to some more champagne. I admit now that having started drinking on an empty stomach we were a little tipsy by this point!

The tasting menu typically consists of 7 courses of seasonal fish, meat and dessert, with the option of upgrading to cheese. Ours seemed to have an extra eighth course, which was lovely but very disorienting as we had no idea how much food was left to come or what was even due next. At one point, towards the end of the meal we were so full with loveliness that we literally pleaded with our waiter to promise not to bring us any cheese!

Something that really took us aback was that although we had both requested the tasting menu, we both ended up with completely different meals on every single course. This means that between us the kitchen had prepared around 16 different plates of food, which was absolutely astounding. At first this didn’t sit amazingly well with my control freak nature as I wanted to try everything. However I soon eased in and relaxed. I’ll pick out a couple of stand out dishes that really amazed us for their flavour and innovativeness.

For me the best dish was a spelt risotto with crispy ox tongue and veal heart. Apparently this is a house speciality and I could see why. The risotto retained a fantastic bite and had obviously been made with a high quality and rich stock. The tiny cubes of crispy tongue were packed full of beefy flavour and I savoured every single one. The dish was so comforting and yet so elegant at the same time I think that it really sums up the ethos of the restaurant amazingly well – offal can be stylish!

Risotto of organic spelt, served with fresh summer peas, crispy ox tongue and veal heart

About 50% of our menu was delicious fish which included the biggest and juiciest scallop I have experienced served with a cannelloni of tarragon and lemon. My ‘marmite’ course was a challenging chilled oyster soup – full of deep sea flavour. This sat atop a fragrant cucumber jelly. I battled with the cold slimy textures as actually my tastebuds were telling me how brilliant it was. It was truly an odd and exhilarating experience to be faced with food where I had no idea how my mind or body would react. It left me ready to expect the unexpected!

Seared hand-dived Orkney scallops, served with a cannelloni of tarragon and lemon

Wild Scottish salmon tartare from the River Tweed, served sushi style

Tartare of line caught mackerel from Eyemouth, served with apple and ginger

Our main course of grouse was very seasonal and came complete with girolles and game chips. As is often my criticism of tasting menus it felt like it came just a little bit too late on the menu. Without a doubt it was intended to be the standout component of the night, and whilst it was lovely we were just too full to really appreciate it.

Roast grouse from the Scottish borders, served with sautéed Perthshire girolles, bread sauce and watercress

Luckily desserts were much smaller than the enormous ones we could see coming out of the kitchen for guests on the ala carte menu. Between us we enjoyed a caramel and chocolate souffle with pop corn ice cream. This was as fun and as tasty as it sounds, full of hot, sweet enjoyment. I had the strawberry pannacotta complete with coriander jelly and strawberry soup. Refreshing as it was I was slightly disappointed that the coriander was not very strong. As it’s a bit of an odd ingredient to have in a pudding I would have liked there to have been more evidence of it.

Caramel and chocolate soufflé, served with popcorn ice cream

Panna cotta of strawberries from Blacketyside Farm, served with coriander jelly and a chilled strawberry soup

Fit to bursting we ended on coffees and petit four. For me the petit four summed up the whole meal – that something so small and potentially insignificant can be so full of flavour. By now it was obvious to us that no shortcut was taken in any of the courses. In fact the same skill and dedication was applied to every single morsel of food and this was commendable. For both of us the salted caramel chocolate was out of this world, oozing sweet and salty gold into our mouths. We were both lost for words at how good it really was.

Our trip to Castle Terrace was potentially the best meal I have ever had. The star treatment we received at the start was completely unexpected but absolutely brilliant for someone so into food and eating out. It was like having a good old nose around a celebrity’s home! The surprise element of the whole tasting menu kept us guessing and excited for the entire meal. And once the food did arrive, you will see from the (less than perfect) photos just how stunning they really were with intricate garnishes, unusual ingredients and colourful additions. The waiting staff were unintrusive and yet the moment that a napkin was out of place or a glass of water half full then they would swing straight into action to make everything perfect. For one embarrassing moment Richard went to the loo just as the hake arrived. Closhes were immediately retrieved and then we waited for Richard to return so that the food could be revealed – I’m glad it was a quick loo trip!

The meal was a perfect end to a great Scottish holiday, we left full of food (and full of wine considering we’d had 8 glasses paired to all the lovely food!). We enjoyed the walk back to our apartment as it was a fresh and crisp evening and our bellies appreciated it. I did feel a bit too full but sometimes it’s good to indulge a bit, especially as I won’t be having food as good as that for a while. So if you fancy a bit of star treatment and food that will keep you guessing, then why not give it a go and then you can be king of the castle too!

We don’t hide the fact we have a massive love for all things Nigella – so much so we’ve decided to hold a second event in her honour and theme our Christmas event around her. Think glitz and glamour, coupled with relaxed entertaining!

We’ve picked through our favourite festive dishes from a selection of her books and created a menu which we hope will keep our guests excited!

Let us know what you think.

We’re very busy pottering away at the Manor in anticipation of our Nigellic Christmas event this weekend, however we’re also busy planning away for a private vintage Christmas afternoon tea we’re holding a week later! We’ve agreed on the menu so we thought you’d like to peruse the savoury and sweet treats we’ll be providing our guests to get them in the Christmas spirit!

There’s no particular theme for this one, rather a selection of traditional and modern flavours in a vintage Victorian setting!

If you’re interested in holding a private event at the Manor, do get in touch

Yes, we’re all stuffed from the copious amounts of food and booze of December but what better way to welcome January 2013 at the Manor but with more food and drink!

We’re bringing tastes and flavours from sunnier climes next month, using Thomasina Miers’ second Mexican cookbook, Wahaca – Mexican food at home.

Dan and I have scoured the recipes and have created a menu which will get our guests’ tastebuds tingling! I can feel the spice already!

Enjoy!

One of my surprise favourite books from last year was River Cottage’s homage to veg, which was headed by a healthy eating campaign that saw a very svelte and wholesome Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall appear from nowhere! The book is a lovely one to work with, full of lots of colourful photography, making veg look fun and innovative. We always try and cater for all dietary needs but do like to put a full on veggie event at least once a year. Having said that around only 2 of our 14 guests were official full-time vegetarians, which says a lot for how far veggie food has come in the last 20 years. As a recovering vegetarian myself I eat meat-free often and so putting together a full menu of veggie delights was a pleasure rather than a chore. We also had a gluten-free guest and so, on the whole, tried to pick things that she could eat with the whole group rather than single her out.

Our guests were welcomed with a rustic blackberry mule cocktail. This was a sweet and tangy concoction that included blackberry puree, homemade blackberry vodka, lime juice and ginger beer. Our canapes, rustled up by Susie, included moreish mini potato and swede pasties. These were spiked with tangy mature cheddar cheese and came encased in Susie’s homemade buttery puff pastry. Next up were crostini topped with Cambodian wedding dip which is a bizarre but extremely tasty spread made from mushrooms, coconut milk, spices and peanut butter (amongst other things). It was warm and spicy and extremely comforting to eat. The final canape was a mini cup of parsnip and ginger soup, this was velvety and full of warmth from the ginger.

There’s a whole section on raw food in River Cottage Veg – you can make chocolate mousse out of avocados if you really want to! We acknowledged raw food by offering an amouse bouche in the form of a shot of spicy bloody mary. As well as the typical tomato juice, vodka and Worcester sauce we pimped this morsel with heaps of tabasco sauce and lime juice – tangy and spicy!

I personally think that the cook book is perfect for lots of little light bites and tasty treats. This meant that offering a mezze plate for the starter was the sensible choice. This consisted of a creamy cannellini bean hummus, which seemed a lot lighter than its chickpea counterpart. Garlic, lemon and thyme pita breads accompanied this (although I’ll admit now to using Dan Lepard’s recipe for this as you can’t beat his bread!). The third and final element was a spelt salad spiked with roasted peppers, fennel, walnuts and various herbs. The spelt was chewy and nutty and even the gluten-free guest was able to try this as whilst it is not completely gluten-free it is low in gluten and so is worth a dare if you’re not 100% coeliac. Hope she’s not been ill though!!

Main courses were whole pumpkins baked with leeks, Gruyère cheese and creme fraiche. These took Susie a good few hours hollowing out! Once in the oven they filled the kitchen with delicious cheesy aromas. To cut through the creamy decadence of this meal Susie served them up with a raw winter salad of shaved celeriac, mouli and radish. Excitement descended on the dining room as these arrived, and guests had to wait in anticipation to see which kind of pumpkin they would be served – I think the little orange pumpkins were the most coveted!

To give our palette cleanser a veggie twist Susie experimented with a carrot and orange sorbet, and it did not disappoint. It was deliciously fresh and the leftovers kept us going out in the kitchen as we were so hot!

The dessert was a rich and gooey chocolate and chestnut cake (which actually comes from the River Cottage Year Book as the veg book is very low on decent puds). This was partnered with a scoop of beetroot and chocolate ice cream. Now I’m not the biggest fan of beetroot and I have to say that when I was making this I gave it a taste and was shocked by how much the unmistakable earthy taste of beetroot shone through. Having said that, it wasn’t entirely disgusting – just an acquired and odd taste! We were glad to be staying true to the veggie theme! Guests were then stuffed full by this point so we offered teas and coffees and brought out Susie’s cupcakes, which this time were passionfruit curd meringue cakes – beautiful to look at and to eat.

There was a really lovely atmosphere at the Manor at this event. Guests were really up for meeting new people and from the outset were chatting away like old friends, which was lovely. We enjoyed taking part in the discussions, which included food snobbery, horse-gate and the merits of setting up new supperclubs. One of our regulars is umming and ahhing about setting up his own supperclub, which we think would be a great idea – so watch this space!! We’re back in another four weeks when we’ll be going all French with Rachel Khoo for inspiration. Until then au revoir…

We’re going all French later this month in homage to Rachel Khoo and her popular book of 2012 The Little Paris Kitchen.

Her modern take on French classics are a refreshing change – we used her book for a couple of private events we’ve held at the Manor and we’ve been so impressed that decided to dust it off again!

With the weather taking (we hope!) a turn for the better we’ve created a menu with a springtime theme to it.

We hope our guests enjoy!

We’re pleased to share with you our menu for our May Jerusalem event.

We can’t believe how quickly this event has come around, it feels like only 2 minutes since our last one!

Avid readers will know we’re slightly obsessed with Yotam Ottolenghi. We love his relaxed attitude to food and we love even more his amazing summery flavours.

Expect fun Middle Eastern flavours and a few surprises thrown in…

Roll on the 11th!

I had an impromptu trip to the North Wales coast this weekend. Without going into too much boring detail, I was all set for a holiday to the Basque country (I was packed and everything) when I realised my sodding passport had gone AWOL. I am now probably the leading expert in replacing passports in the whole of West Leeds. Needless to say travel to Spain had to be cancelled. Having said that I was all hyped up for a trip away and had no intention of returning to work, and so we picked a destination that was pleasant and close enough to the Liverpool passport office! The small saving grace was that the weather in Wales was actually far nicer than what was being forecast in our foreign destination, what a relief!

So, North Wales… land of castles, Anglesey salt, slate (for using as plates) and BLACK BOMBER CHEESE, mmmmmm. An unexpected foodie paradise I am sure you will agree. We kick started our weekend at the newly opened Welsh Farm Food Centre, housed in an old farm on the edge of Colwyn Bay. Beautifully renovated, it’s home to a massive farm shop, bee centre, tea room, restaurant, cookery school and overnight accommodation – lovely! I rinsed the farm shop buying local ales, mustard, honey, cheeses, biscuits, fudge and reasonably priced crockery. The meat counter also looked first class, but sadly we didn’t need any meat and so there seemed no point in browsing further if I couldn’t buy any.

Their Hayloft Restaurant is a bit of a destination dinner spot. It won’t get much footfall and so will rely on those who know that the farm shop exists. We decided to book for later in our trip after we’d visited the shop. As it’s all newly renovated the spaces are absolutely gorgeous and dripping in luxurious fabrics and furniture that reflect the colours and shapes of the natural world.  We perused our menus whilst sat in the quiet bar area. I ordered a local Welsh white wine to slurp as I chose. Unfortunately this was sold out so I went for a French counterpart, which was a bit disappointing. In hindsight I guess it’s the wrong time of year to expect local wine – especially after last year’s summer.

The Hayloft Bar

The dining room was similarly gorgeous, with views out over the Colwyn valley. It wasn’t overly busy – but then it was a random Monday evening in early May. The lighting slightly let down the venue (it was a bit dark). Luckily we were sat right by a window and so could see our food! Also, there was no music or background noise, which made it slightly excruciating. On some evenings they host a piano player, and this would be amazing to experience in the venue.

The Hayloft Dining Room

For starters I opted for a fish and a chips salad. If I’m honest this was just a mini portion of fish and chips served with some salad leaves. The pickled fennel tartare sauce was gorgeously crisp and piquante but I was kicking myself that I didn’t go for the prawns with a burnt orange, chilli and whisky reduction, which looked wonderful. Plus, no sooner had the food been put down and the fire alarm went off! Luckily we weren’t delayed for too long as it was a false alarm, however it was slightly irritating and it would have been nice to be offered a drink as compensation.

Fish and chip salad with pickled fennel tartar sauce

The main courses were mainly meat based. I would have loved to have gone for the lamb cutlets but I didn’t fancy the sound of the butterbean cassoulet or citrus crème fraiche they came served with. I’d already seen the steaks and they were humongous, so I didn’t fancy that either. In the end I opted for a far lighter pork belly dish. This came with steamed greens, locally foraged mushrooms and a sweet cider broth. The plate looked stunning, but sadly was also a bit disappointing. The textures from the mushrooms and pork were not quite right – everso slightly slimy and chewy. I admit that the dish was adorned with thin strips of homemade crackling – however, horror of horrors, they were chewy and not crisp (worst crime ever). The flavour of the scratchings was amazing, I think they must have used lots of powdered Anglesey salt – which was beautiful. Despite the chewy nature of them I still ate them but the lack of crispness was devastating.

Cider and honey glazed pork belly with greens, mushrooms and scratchings

Anyway because I’d had such a light main I felt impelled to do dessert. Part of the reason I wanted to dine here was because I’d seen their homemade raspberry sorbet in the farm shop and it looked out of this world – rich ruby red, creamy and tangy. As a result I went for the leaning tower of desserts, a meringue nest topped with lemon curd, dressed berries, whipped cream and a scoop of the aforementioned sorbet. This was a nice and refreshing end to the meal. The meringue could have down with a bit more chew, however the sorbet and berry combo was heaven in the mouth. I’ve no idea how they make their sorbet so creamy, must have sold their soul to the devil or something.

Meringue nest, lemon curd, dressed berries, raspberry sorbet

Overall this wasn’t an expensive meal given that we had three courses and wine each. The service was attentive and efficient. Yes the food wasn’t perfect but the restaurant is still new and I commend them for paying homage to local food production. A few tweaks and this meal would have been just right, and for that I would be prepared to come back and give it another go. If you’re in North Wales then do pay a visit as the combination of beautiful location and use of local food is a good experience, despite the teething problems.

p.s the holiday hasn’t been entirely ruined. I’m off to France today!

Coming up in 3 weeks’ time is our Indian Summer event. We love the alchemy of spices and the wonderful flavours of India and they’re coming to the Manor soon!

Just like our our Chinese event, the food will be served up family style which will make the evening fun and interactive.

We’ll be splitting the evening into two parts – starting off with an array of Indian street food snacks, all of which vegetarian. The mains will be a selection of “curry classics” but with the usual Dinner at the Manor twists.

Have a look at the menu and let us know what you think! What are your favourite Indian dishes?

Just when we thought we might get the glimmer of some kind of summer, the Great British weather comes and puts a dampener on it! Nonetheless in three week’s time we will be hosting a wonderful summer themed afternoon tea!

Expect fruity, fresh flavours, homemade bread, jams, pastries and cakes and all the fun of the Manor!

We’ve also procured a new gadget at the Manor so we’ll be showcasing our own smoked trout! Exciting! (Well, it is for us!)

Let us know what you think!

Right, best get back to planning for our Indian Summer event this Saturday!

I’m proud of Leeds. Over the past few years it has really embraced the alternative foodie scene. It’s the birthplace of Clandestine Cake Club and Homage to Fromage. Is home to countless supperclubs, including ourselves. And is now seeing the launch of exciting pop up restaurants. Loiners are really up for trying new culinary adventures and we love that we’re a part of it.

The latest addition to this vibrant and growing scene is ‘We the Animals’ (WTA)  - a Leeds collective of food and drink experts who have been running meal ‘experiences’ for the past couple of months. Their inaugural event was in the Trinity church (you know the one, famous for the shopping centre). We couldn’t go to that due to other plans but had not really heard much about it in the run up or after and so the mystery of WTA deepened. When it was announced that the follow up events would be held in the prison cells of Leeds Town Hall we jumped on the tickets!

The Bridewell Cells

I have to admit that I had very low expectations for eating in a cell. My previous visit to there and  they had been dank, dark and smelly. Not somewhere I wanted to sit for a few hours eating and chatting. Having said that, on arrival the Town Hall was all lit up with candles and fairy lights. We were shown to a secret doorway that led straight to the cells. The cells had been freshened up with a lick of paint, more lighting and a fan to keep us cool. The large dining table was set with hessian and menus and looked inviting. About 3 cells were set up for diners, each with about 9-10 places set out. A room next door was the ‘bar’ with a great range of local beers (gravy quaffer from Shipley), gin (Portobello Road of Jake’s Bar fame) and lots of fun wines. We had a chilled Beaujolais, which was very refreshing for the balmy evening. We were welcomed with a jam jar of pimms, spiked with elderflower that was lovely and cooling.

The Bar

As we took to our seats and met our fellow guests my initial thought was that some background music would have been nice. The cells were potentially quite isolating places and so if we hadn’t all been chatting then it would have felt stiflingly quiet. Fear not though, everyone was game and most were previous Manor guests anyway! Glancing at the menu we noticed that we were being served 15 courses, which was exciting! I wondered how on earth they got all the food out, given that they had already done a previous sitting three hours prior to us.

First up was one of my favourites of the night – whole radishes with salted butter and homemade focaccia and sourdough bread. It’s always the simple things that work! The radishes were lovely and crunchy, the focaccia professionally made with enough salt and richness from the oil and herbs.

Our Table

The jam jars made a reappearance filled with gazpacho. Despite the obvious appearance of cucumber I downed this! Very much needed on a hot summer’s night, in prison! The food continued to come now and was largely served family style for us to take what we wanted. Whilst the menu spoke of 15 courses it was actually small plates of everything, some being the main event and some being side dishes to accompany. Our enthusiastic waitress explained that all the dishes consisted of just three ingredients. This made me think of River Cottage, and actually a lot of the dishes seemed like River Cottage recipes, so perhaps Hugh FW was an inspiration for this event? I couldn’t really see any link between the food and the prison theme, which was a shame. A lot had been done to build up the atmosphere for the venue, in terms of the marketing beforehand and then decorating on the day – it would have been great to see this carried through to the food.

Anyway, our ‘starters’  were charred spring onions with a lovely romesco sauce; beautiful heritage tomatoes with own smoked anchovies; and courgettes with a lemon dressing. Also on offer were the controversial crispy pigs ears, which we actually served at our second ever event! Hats off to everyone round the table as despite misgivings they all tried them (with enough for us to have seconds!). These were as a I remembered, slightly oily calamari. WTA served theirs with kohlrabi and capers which was very clean after the oily pig ear.

Mains were similarly rustic, well balanced and full of flavour. One of my favourites of the night was a skewer of lambs liver that came just cooked and crusted with cumin. This was not too livery and was smooth and melt in the mouth. This was served with a tabbouleh salad full of aromatics from fresh herbs; runner beans with shallots and thyme; and curried ratte potatoes with crispy chickpeas – this was another favourite, really salty and spicy, I could imagine eating this as part of an amazing hangover breakfast! Finally a pallet cleanser of lettuce with vinegar and crispy garlic came round, it certainly cleansed the palate but people agreed it was a bit odd.

It was at this point that we were invited to go back outside, get some fresh air and prepare ourselves for dessert. It was at this point that, as I was reflecting on the menu, I realised how clever WTA had been in picking very cheap ingredients and then adding lots of flavour and style to make them more appealing. The majority of the menu had been vegetables and the only meat we’d eaten had been liver and pigs ears! It was quite satisfying really as I was nice and full and yet I knew I’d been eating lots of wholesome things, so the meal didn’t feel too naughty.

Desserts were less intriguing than the mains. First off a large dish filled with ice and cherries was brought round, This seemed odd but worked as the cherries were so fresh and seasonal. The longer they stayed in the ice the more they started to turn into individual pops of sorbet! Next up was a platter of fresh berries and mini madelines. This was calling out for some cream, lemon curd or chocolate sauce – it didn’t feel naughty enough at all. Finally the infamous jars were back, this time filled with a strawberry gazpacho. This was my least favourite course of the day. It lacked sweetness or tang and would have been much nicer in a cocktail or frozen as sorbet. Whilst these came round the friendly chap from Laynes coffee popped into our cell to tell us about his coffee. He passed round little glasses of authentic Ethiopian coffee which we were not allowed milk or sugar with. It was light and fruity and almost like a tea, most unlike the coffee we’re used to, we all approved!

The highlight of the evening was the ascent from the cells up to the Leeds clock tower. How on earth they risk assessed this I have no idea, given that we’d all had a few bottles of wine. Despite the 225 steps the view from the top was worth it. Leeds was full of lights and gearing up for a Saturday night. A lovely breeze cooled us down ready for us to go back down to our hot cell.

So the overall WTA experience was great. The venue was exciting and atmospheric. The food was plentiful and whilst basic at some points, challenged people’s boundaries at others. The value for money is exceptional given that we had all that food, a welcome drink and a fun location. The staff were passionate and enthusiastic making the whole event seem very special. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for future dinners as the fact that it moves around venues will keep it very fresh and interesting. Plus we got a little take home treat of oaty, raisin cookies, which is always a winner!

Our big US inspired event is coming in a few weeks time and we can’t wait to share the menu with you all!

At Dinner at the Manor we love a bit (a lot!) of Man vs Food and this menu is a homage to all things U S of A! We’ve been playing with smoke, meat and cheese to recreate some unique flavours. Our guests are in for a real treat endurance test!

We’d love to know what you all think. I’m salivating already!

Don’t forget, if this tickles your tastebuds, we’ll be announcing our next wave of events on Thursday 1st August at 7pm!

I have a bit of an obsession with Edinburgh. It’s my top city break destination in the UK, above even London. The mixt of elegant and majestic architecture paired with breath taking natural scenery, chilled out scots and a vibrant food and drink scene make it my undoubted second home. I like to pop up on the East Coast mainline a few times a year. Since the discovery of Gardeners Cottage last year I’ve been looking for a new venue to take the mantle of best new eatery in the Burgh. This comes in the shape of the Scran and Scallie, a pub with restaurant, which is the newest addition to the Stockbridge foodie scene.

Table setting

The Scran and Scallie is the latest dining (ad)venture from the team behind Edinburgh’s outstanding restaurants The Kitchin and Castle Terrace. In fact The Kitchin was the first ever restaurant review that we did for this fair old site! The Scran has the same ethos as its sister venues – to serve food from nature to plate. And so we expected lots of seasonal Scottish produce with some nose to tail eating thrown in for good measure.

Despite it being a pub one can book ahead, which is reassuring when you’ve travelled a few hundred miles to be there! The outside of the restaurant has been updated, painted in an honest and welcoming grey/blue that reflects the wild and wet weather of Scotland! The restaurant interior is full of nature as well – lots of wood, antlers and wool – reminiscent of a modern Scottish hunting lodge, with a definite splash of Scandinavia. I’d read the menu ahead of our visit and was slightly worried about the prominence of offal and suchlike. I needn’t have worried as my dining partners were up for anything, despite one of them being over 45 minutes late (the restaurant were reassuringly relaxed about this).

Bone Marrow before…

We sipped from pint mugs of red cuillin (Skye) as we perused the not extensive menu. This is split into starters, meat mains, veggie items, sides and desserts. For starters two of us opted for the roast bone marrow with parsley and shallot and the other a mackerel ceviche. Once starter orders were in then little baskets of bread with butter descended upon us. The bread was heavy, wholesome and filling. It was lovely but we probably didn’t need it! The marrow came within huge beef bones. These are apparently cut in half by the butcher for the kitchen. They are then soaked in running water overnight to remove the bloodiness. Before serving they are blasted in the hottest oven to roast them to perfection and then drizzled with a gravy that takes three whole days to make! The result is a decadent, rich goo that can be spread on rounds of toast. This felt extremely naughty to eat but the grassy parsley and sharp shallot cut through the fattiness perfectly. I didn’t get to try the ceviche but its presentation was beautiful in its own right.

Bone Marrow after…

For our mains we were equally adventurous. I opted for the rich and flavourful calves liver. What I love about calves liver is that you get the lovely creamy texture without the usual iron overkill of typical liver. Having said that it came served with mounds of wilted spinach so there was no danger of me becoming anaemic! My dining partners went for the slow roasted hoggart shoulder, which came as a perfectly round ball of soft, pulled meat atop a beautiful vivid green stew of fresh garden peas. Also on offer was crispy confit duck legs atop a pear barley risotto – amazingly fresh and light.

Calves Liver

Hoggart

Desserts were obligatory to complete the review. I had a warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. This came served in a cute mini frying pan. It probably wins no awards for complex desserts, however the comforting flavours were much appreciated and it wasn’t too big a portion after a heavy, meaty meal. My partners went for the gooseberry fool – perhaps less fashionable these days but deliciously sharp, creamy and refreshing.

Gooseberry Fool

Warm cookie and ice cream

With our food we enjoyed a bottle of tempranillo – a light enough red to suit most of the meals that night. The restaurant’s wine choice was good actually. We opted for one of the cheaper options but felt confident that no choice would have been a bad choice. What’s more, the wines also come in caraffes so you can have whatever volume of wine you desire.

Overall our three course meal with wine, ale and a tip came to £45 each. Perhaps a bit steep for a pub, but given the quality of the food and the surrounds we did not grumble. The Scran and Sallie is an obvious hit for Stockbridge. The place was full the whole time we were there and diners jostled for tables – and this was a random Wednesday! The service was well informed, friendly and appreciated. The atmosphere that is created is one that is relaxed and informal and this is a clever move by the Kitchin team, who already have two formal dining rooms under their belts. I look forward to returning to the Scran and Scallie to watch how the menu evolves with the seasons.

It seems like forever since our last event – we’ve probably seen the back of Summer but then again our first Autumn event brings cuisine from the more exotic climes of the Lebanese Republic.

We’ve based the event on Salma Hage’s Lebanese Kitchen – a huge book on all things Lebanese and I have to admit it took us a while to finally agree on the menu. We love Middle Eastern cuisine and can’t wait to cook up a feast for our guests. Let’s hope they love the menu as much as we do!

How time flies when you’re having food fun!? Dan and I have been running Dinner at the Manor now for almost two years! It seems like yesterday when we opened up the door to our first guests. We were hooked!

To celebrate, we’ve created an extravagant 7 course menu (with a few added surprises!) that we feel epitomises mine and Dan’s cooking styles. This is the first time we’re going it alone without a cookbook and cuisin to rely on, exciting and scary at the same time! The food will be fun and hopefully something different for our guests old and new!

Get the champers and party poppers out, it’s going to be a party!

Two years ago I hit the big 3-0 and as part of a ‘things to do before I’m 30′ list I thought I’d copy the likes of London and start up my own supperclub. It seemed far too a frightening thing to do all by myself and so I partnered up with my baking champ friend Sticky Pinny. People either thought we were bonkers for inviting strangers into my house and charging them for food, or they were completely intrigued by it. Now over 26 events, around 500 guests, and about 4000 plates of food later we’re still going strong and celebrating our two years as Leeds’ longest running secret supperclub.

Last year to celebrate our first anniversary we got blog readers to vote for what we should cook based on some of our most popular dishes from the past year of cooking. This year, however, we thought we’d give our own recipes a go. Readers will know that usually we base our events around a single cookbook in order to give them some use away from our cram packed book shelves! Anyway it’s our birthday so we thought it was our turn to shine!

If I had to sum up our menu then it was modern British with a French influence. We have great food suppliers in the shape of Leeds Market and Keelham Hall Farm shop, so we are always influenced by what is abundant, in season and what we would want to eat ourselves. What’s more, in honour of our celebration we added two more  courses in the shape of fish and cheese!

Our guests were a good mix of old and new. It does hearten me that there are still lots of people who are new to the supperclub scene and who are keen to come and dine with us. It’s lovely to have our repeat diners back again but new faces keep it interesting as one of the main reasons we do this is to meet new friends and fellow foodies.

First up I designed a cocktail that would sum up the Manor in a glass. This was a lightly sparkling elderflower, blackberry and gin fizz spiked with homemade blackberry puree. This was accompanied by Susie’s delicate and elegant canapés. These came in the shape of cubes of cheesy polenta topped with seared beef and a red chilli salsa – an pop of spice, tender meat and crunch in one bite. A quail smoked salmon scotch egg that was made using salmon that had been smoked in our own smoker (over hickory chips), delicate but with a crunchy exterior. Finally, as Susie is well known for her cupcakes, she thought it would be fun to design a savoury cupcake. This came in the form of a pear and walnut cake topped with a Yorkshire Blue mousse – classic flavours in one cupcake.

The amouse bouche was a pumpkin veloute with sage oil and sage crisps – an autumnal mouthful in one little cup, that whetted the appetite for the feast of food!

Our starter was a chicken liver parfait that I had been keen to try my hand at. Sautéed chicken livers were blended with lots of cream, butter and madeira to make a smooth and velvety mousse. Before serving this was brûléed (Heston style!) to give a sweet and crunchy topping. This was served in mini pots with homemade bread and slow roasted tomatoes that were served in a bloody Mary dressing.

We turned to our smoker again to inspire the fish course. This was a home smoked trout salad with fennel, rocket and pumpkin. The beautiful trout from was from Leeds market. They were only smoked for 15 mins and this produced the most succulent, creamy flesh.This was served on top of a salad of finely chopped fennel, rocket, red onion, roast pumpkin and crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds. A dressing of sour cream, horseradish and lemon bound this all together for a light but elegant dish.

Readers will know that our favourite meat to serve is a nice bit of pork and so Susie prepared pork three ways – pork belly, which was brined overnight slow roasted until meltingley tender. A pork cheek “bon bon” – shredded confit pork cheeks, breadcrumbed and fried to created contrasting textures. The third piece of pork was a pan fried pork fillet. This was served with two types of cauliflower – velvety puree and crunchy roasted florets that were spiced with cumin. Salsa verde added freshness and tang, whilst roasted beetroots gave a sweet earthy flavour.

Over the past two years, based on guest feedback, we’ve really scaled back on our portion sizes in order to give our guests the room to try as many of our treats as possible. As a result we didn’t feel too guilty pulling out a cheese course as an extra treat for our guests. I always like the idea of a cheese course but never have any room for it! I was keen to showcase a local cheese, which came in the form of Adel Blue, a creation of our friend and fellow supperclub owner Mario Olianas. Mario runs a market stall at the farmers markets in Leeds and sells an array of his homemade Italian goodies, which includes his own cheeses. He makes pecorino style cheeses using raw sheep milk from Leeds. Some of my favourites include his matured pecorino and this gorgeously tangy blue. This was served atop homemade oatcakes and homemade gooseberry jam which I thought would be a good contrast to the salty, tangy cheese.

After all that food Susie brought out a deliciously sour and refreshing morello cherry sorbet with a hit of lime – great for balancing out the palate after all those contrasting flavours.

For desserts I wanted to design a mini trio of treats to showcase a range of seasonal flavours. One of our most popular desserts from the last year was a mango and ginger crème brûlée that I made for our Chinese event. One guest even proclaimed it as (probably) the best crème brulee in Yorkshire! To make it I scalded cream with lime zest, ginger root and vanilla. Egg yolks were whipped up with sugar and ground ginger and then combined with the cream to make a custard. At the bottom of the brûlée was a mango and lime puree. Once baked and brûléed this made a very comforting dessert indeed, full of warmth and depth of flavour. Also on the trio was a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. I took inspiration from Ina Garten for this, although I simplified her recipe as I think she has far too many unnecessary stages. It’s a very dirty recipe full of cream and sugar! Of all the people I’ve served it to I’ve never come across anyone who does not like it! The final element to the trio was a crunchy and buttery almond sable biscuit topped with blackberry curd and pistachios. The curd was made up of blackberries I’d picked earlier in the year. The sharp berries and creamy curd are an interesting taste sensation.

To accompany coffee and teas were delicate little chocolate biscuits that were topped with a chocolate ganache that was spiked with fresh raspberries and sloe gin. These were melt in the mouth and the freshness of the berries were a good contrast to the heavy cocoa flavour.

Finally, as if that wasn’t enough, Susie prepared cupcakes as a take home treat for the guests – two varieties were on offer. The first was a spiced carrot and pistachio, topped with a fluffy, orange and cream cheese frosting. The other was a cocoa rich chocolate cupcake, topped with ganache and one of Susie’s homemade salted caramel chocolate truffles. Both cakes were inspired by the Great British Bake off, which you can read more about, here.

What I didn’t mention was that on our second of the two celebration events, our friend and comedy song writer Jo Stephenson joined us for some fun entertainment. She even managed to get guests to join in! So a big thank you to Jo for helping to make the night special with her funny foodie songs. Other thanks go to Mario for his cheese, and to Kerstin Rodgers for inspiring us to do this in the first place, and of course our guests.

Running a supperclub is hard on top of a full time job. Both Susie and I have been unbelievably busy these past few weeks and with the supperclub thrown in as well we fell into deep sleeps as soon as the last guests left! However we still love doing this as a hobby and as long as we still love doing it we’ll find the time to fit it in. We don’t run it as a money making scheme, it’s a pleasure to do it so long as we have good ingredients to cook with and hungry mouths to feed.

Anyway we’ll be releasing some new dates on 1st November so keep your eyes peeled! To whet your appetite we’re thinking about doing events inspired by Tom Kerridge, Rick Stein’s India and Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries II. We’re even bringing back the alcohol pairings and planning a partnership with Ilkley Brewery. If this sounds like your cup of tea (or pint of beer) then be sure to sign up and follow this blog to be the first in line for tickets when they go on sale.