Quail, grouse, venison, lambs kidneys, wild mushrooms, blackberries, damsons and figs...there's all sorts of delicious Autumn Gameyness on this menu. It declares its honourable local intentions by highlighting the relevant items with two stars for Wyken produced food and one star for those from either Norfolk or Suffolk. We had a friendly, interested and well-informed waitress to help us get to the nitty-gritty of the provenance and anyway we saw the fantastic fig trees on the way in and we know it's true; Wyken has a long and proven reputation. The hits of the meal were the grouse (not starred) served off the bone and as tender as any we have ever had, and the damson trifle (two stars). The meat eaters seemed more favoured tham vegetarians with bigger portions (we didn't all have the grouse - we shared...) and red cabbage on two of the dishes is a bit of a short cut in the kitchen. But for just under £50 a head for three courses, including an on-trend aperitif - Prosecco with Campari and bitters - and a glass of their excellent and award-winning wine, we were happy. As the farmer among us pointed out, why not provide that unctious, golden Hillfarm rapeseed oil to dip the bread in, instead of importing the olive, and then we will send all our Suffolk visitors here.
As the glut of homegrown fruit and vegetables reaches its' peak, here is a good way to preserve fresh basil leaves in the fridge for a week or two. Pick the fresh basil leaves and layer in an empty jam jar, with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt between the leaves and some very good olive or rapeseed oil to cover. The basil will retain a vibrant green colour and the oil a lovely flavour, both can be used in pesto or salads.
Our Dish of the Day is Adam, selling his fresh Lowestoft fish of the day. Find him on Thursdays in Long Melford 2.30pm - 5.00pm. On Fridays at Clare Market Hill 8.00am - 10.00am, Lavenham Market Place 11.00am - 1.00pm and Depden Farm Shop 2.00pm -5.00pm. On Saturdays he is at Willow Farm Shop, Glemsford from 9.00am to 1.00pm
Well they chose the right name for this! As suffolkfoodie had complimentary tickets we went to take a look at Meatopia at London's Tobacco Dock, and taste everything of course. At £5 a go for small portions it was hard on the pocket but once we had fought our way through the smokers, the smoking barbecues and the hacking of bones we found the most exciting thing there...whole Somerset goats wrapped in chicken wire on the outdoor fire pit ... and a very long queue for the roast ox which was going to be at least another four hours according to the woman basting it every few minutes. Great delicious tasting food - but now all I really want is some lentils.
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Cutting up the goat meat
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Goat wrap with chili
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marrow bone and curry sauce
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marshmallows
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the ox roast...
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still going...
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smoked pig cheek with foie gras
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spatchocok chicken and mustard sauce
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the Tobacco Dock
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One of my best meals this week. Chinese Pork and Halloumi Cheese, cooked on the washing machine drum barbeque at the AlsYaGal scrap heap caff.
Pouring with rain all day but the ackee and saltfish, curry goat and jerk chicken keeps on coming at Notting Hill Carnival.
I took Johny Cakes out for a cup of tea today to one of my favourite, unconventional tea rooms in Norfolk. Caroline Dwen runs the quirky and tiny Rosy Lee's Tea Room in Loddon. Expect the warmest of welcomes, an enormous snack menu, local crab sandwiches and homemade cakes freshly baked by the W.I. Caroline suggested tea in the secret garden, across the road. Jack delivered the tea in a hamper basket. The pot of tea for two with two big slices of cake was £5.60.
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It's still there, it's still worth a day out and so I went with Dad and we had Lemon Sole and chips twice. And very crispy batter and moist fish it was too (he told me to write that, but it's true)
Oysters, Scallops and Prosecco - that's my kind of market
Written by Claire
Borough Market that is, I thought it would be jaded and expensive but was totally wrong. The best walnut and gorgonzola pasta ever (£3.50) fresh oysters shucked while you wait - next door to a Prosecco stand, scallops fried to order and mountains of other things too tasty to mention.
In what appears to be one of the most expensive towns in the region we are looking for lunch. The Cafe CouCou has a window full of fab cakes and we can see some home-made quiches so we take a seat. After a bit of confused waitressing about whether the falafel had been made there or not, and if there was any leek and bacon quiche left or not, and if the pear and frangipani tart was still on the menu or not, we order the falafel which came with flat bread, tzaziki and lots and lots of leaves, and a goats cheese and beetroot flan with olives and lots and lots of leaves. Both were fresh, home-made and really nice. A more interesting choice of accompanying salads would have taken it to the £10 per dish level it was, and although slates to serve it on are clearly still fashionable in Essex, give me a plate that the food doesn't fall off and a well informed waitress every time.
More...
Look at some of these grate spellings, collected from a variety of establishments over a surprisingly short period of time. Do people not proof read anymore?
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According to the Independent this weekend - everything Putin needs arrives by plane - Russian cooks, Russian waiters, Russian ingredients - and teams of diplomats who negotiate what he will be eating with the host country. He cannot be served milk products but no-one (except him?) knows why. He might be lactose intolerant but could just be terrified of poisoning. He cannot consume any foreigh foodstuffs that haven't been cleared by the Kremlin, and the cooking of any of his (Russian) ingredients by local cooks has to be supervised and approved by his 'Special Services'.
And I thought asking for a large espresso with hot milk on the side was fussy!?
Want to learn how to prepare and cook fish? Billingsgate Market staff are running a Summer Seafood School for families with children aged 7 to 13 on mornings and afternoons in August. But they do all kinds of other events and training too...I feel a SuffolkFoodie outing coming on...
At suffolkfoodie hq we have decided to have our AGM on Monday. A full day - packed with policy, planning, procedure, blue sky thinking and getting our ducks in a row. Our shareholders and directors will be anxious that we get it right. Good thing there are only the two of us.