England August 2012 (days 3-5) first visit to Chesil Beach Cafe

Monday

We left the Mullions and Sheringham, heading towards Cromer as I wished to collect some crabs for my Brother and Sister-in –Law (they are both lovers of seafood). We had a bit of a walk around Cromer, I had forgotten how pretty some of the old streets in Cromer were.

We headed down to the top of the harbour and took a few photographs along the beach and of the pier.



Picked up the crabs and then headed out along the coast towards Hunstanton and Kings Lynne, we had decided not to go via motorways but across country via Cambridge, Northampton and Oxford, then down to Dorchester, we stopped and had scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam, now this is a rare occasion as I, being a diabetic, with a few exceptions never eat cakes or jams, this being another exception after yesterday’s exception of the cake, if this carries on it will soon become the rule.

We arrived in Dorchester and a friend of my SiL having no car but a garage (I know, I know don’t ask) had very kindly given us the use of it during our stay.

As usual Manuela had prepared one of her Spanish dishes for evening meal, tortilla that wonderful Spanish potato omelette. We settled down and chatted about families and this and that and t’other. It was time for bed before we knew it.

Tuesday

Up and about early and after breakfast we decided that we would have rest day, We went around Dorchester (they have a smashing new cookery shop) but I find that Dorchester is a wonderful shopping town with loads of real shops, alas my favorite second hand bookshop has closed, but there are still at least another four.

That evening we were taken to a wonderful little Thai restaurant, http://www.thainakorn.co.uk/, my brother and sister-in-law had befriended the owners and had been invited to the wedding of the pair and also to the christening of their first born. 

Both Linda and I had a nice starter of Thai fishcakes in a spicy, sweet chilli dipping sauce

I had a very tasty chicken Pad Thai for my main, while Linda had a spicy Thai  chicken stir fry.

Manuela had the Satay Gai  followed by prawn green curry

and John the Tom Yam soup followed by a duck red curry.

A very ice evening with very nice food and good pleasant service with no attention detail spared, well done.

Wednesday

We wanted to do a bit of shopping  at the Wednesday market and then head out to Weymouth for the carnival and the Olympian parade in the open topped coach. It poured, most of the stall holders had decided to pack up early, but I got a couple of packs of wild rabbit, some strong coastal Chedder and Blue Vinney to take back to Germany. We then went to Portland and by the time we arrived the rain was just starting to let up, parking up at the Dorset Nature Trust at the Fleet and start of Chesil beach.

Linda I do believe I have found the cafe

We went into have lunch at Mat Follas’s new venture at the Trusts beach centre. It is a café and sight should not be lost of this, no plush table clothes, no linen napkins or polished silver, just wonderful tasty fresh food.  Do not expect high end dining, this is not who it is aimed at, though they will of course be welcomed, this is for the bird watchers, the anglers and sunbathers  that come to visit the fleet, we entered like two drowned rats, but that is normal and we were among friends.

We ordered from the small but comprehensive menu that doubles for a place mat, they also have a daily changing black board

 and waited, but not for long, but long enough to take in the kitchen and head chef.

I had the starter of pork pie, piccalilli and salad followed by the Vongole, linguine in a rich ham, chorizo cream sauce, the shellfish being razor clams and mussels.

Linda had the mixed fish starter with a light tartar and mixed salad. Her main being a roast onion tart tatin with a goat’s cheese sauce, boiled new potatoes and a fresh green salad.

All of the food was perfectly cooked and the quality of the produce came shining through.

After feeding ourselves we went outside and watched the waterfowl feeding themselves, it just the turn of the tide so a great number were partaking at Neptune’s table. 

Jumping into the car we headed back into Weymouth, parking up at the Swannery  car park, took a few photographs of the waiting ducks and headed to the front.  

By this time the sun had come out and the promenade and beach was starting to fill up, very quickly and very full, though not many in their bathing attire.

I certainly hope they are

We walked along the front, I got my fix of whelks and Linda took a photo of her fix but didn't buy any. 

and then onto the harbour. The little rowing boat ferries doing a very brisk trade (there is a bridge about 200mtrs up river and it is free)

I do like harbours, I have seen a few in my life but they still have an attraction that draws me like a magnet. 

We needed a Loo so satisfied this desire by popping into a nice make believe pub (a plastic seaman’s pub of yester-year) to have one of those and also an apple juice and coffee. They have a nice touch for those that a cannot or will not have a large pud!

We thought that by the time the parade reached here in 4 hrs time, we could be off to Westbay , to find out if any fishing boats were taking anglers out to the deep marks alas that was not to be.

So we had to be content with a walk around the harbour (this is always a pleasure) and to take in a nice views of the Jurassic coast.

Then off back to brother John’s and watch the parade on tele so that is what we did.

England - August 2012 (day 2) The Wildfood Picnic

Sunday and the Picnic

We arrived at the car park at Blickling Hall in glorious sunshine, parked up, we started to quarter the car park in search of other Wildfood revellers, I saw a very well loaded car, surrounded by a gaggle of people, I think it was Suffs who spotted me and there was no mistaking the rest of the Wildfoodies. Though Jim had left his parrot at home, had his ships dog with him, 'arry the Jock killing machine.

'arry

I must say I was most impressed with the pirates’ booty; he had everything except the kitchen sink. Niceties exchanged (doffing of forelocks, pecking of cheeks etc.) We had a discussion where to set up the banquette. A car park attendant came to the rescue; he pointed us in the direction of a group of picnic tables, within visability but not smelling distance of the toilets, Perfect. Jim started unpacking his trolley full of equipment (those watching obviously thought we were all off our trollies), first the tablecloth came out to adorn the table.

Ma Chinch, Chinch, Suffs, Jim lad, Linda and Kath all discussing the tablecloth

we then started unpacking all of the food, it then became obvious that with all of the food on the table there was no place for us. A rapid rethink, we moved the table, alongside another one and piled all of the grub on that one allowing us enough space on the other one for plates and cutlery (all supplied by the Pirate and his Moll).

Just as we finished the food part, the drinks department arrived, in the form of our friends Carol and Bill. So we had wonderful weather, wonderful food, wonderful wine but most of all wonderful company.

The food of course was far, far too much, the amount would have served a battleship full of starving matelots, never mind 11 Gourmands. But we tried, we did very hard, the bill of fare (in no particular order) was as follows:

Scotch Eggs
Pullets Eggs
Quails Eggs
3 different Quiche’s
Cheeses (I do like my cheese now)
Rabbit rillettes
Cromer Crab
Smoked Salmon
Smoked Trout
Potato salad
Green salad
Tomatoes
Roasted Piedmont Peppers
Breads of every manufacture (about 4 different) and Normandy butter
Pickled onions and various mixed pickles
Corned beef, potato and onion pie
Bacon, sausage and egg pie
Smoked German black pudding
German Würstsalat
Smoked sprats
Cakes and other sweetmeats (I very rarely eat cake, but I made an exception and tasted a fantastic one baked by Alison)
Some very nice wines, (I did enjoy the Sancerre, Carol) juices and water for the drivers and light weights.

I may have forgotten something, but if I have it is only because I never got around to sampling it. It was a veritable feast, it was Wunderbar, and it was a fantastic feast for a fantastic day.

As we had had no need to pack up any food for home, Linda took the pie around the other picnickers at the other tables. Which they devoured with great gusto

Alas all things must come to an end, we cleared the decks, loaded up the victualing barges and I walked carol and Bill back to their car to swap goodies (Carol had made me some pickled eggs), they had also passed on the entrance badges for Blickling Hall. Linda and I had decided that as we had the chance we would do a tour of the wonderful grounds and gardens.

Blickling Hall and Linda

 The entrance to the Hall

The perfect lawns, borders anf bushes

Some wonderful double borders ( I only know that is what they are called because that is what it said on the lables)

 The fountain in tne centre of one of the many finely manacured lawns

Some flower or other, pretty, but unedible I'm sure

The giant chess set quietly waiting for a giant chess player

A flock of geese sheltering from the sweltering

The lake, if the geese had any sense they would have been in there cooling off

And leaving the hall for the car park and then to Sheringham

We then returned to our B&B in Sheringham"The Mullions", this was once again a pearl, what a find, it is not in the centre of town, but that was just what we wanted, but it had everything anyone could wish for, friendly hosts, a wonderful bedroom with mineral water and coffee/tea and biscuits at hand. Perfect!

We had a snooze and then decided to pop into town for a look around, we popped into the Lobster Pot pub for a pint and a crab sandwich, the pint was ok, but Linda found so much crab shell in her sandwich that she couldn’t eat it, I, by making sure I passed the well chewed food between my teeth and tongue managed to filter the shell and membrane out of mine. But it was a pretty poor showing and not a place that I would or could recommend to eat crab sandwiches at.

As we had been up early we decided to head back to the Mullions and watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics, I found it was absolutely fantastic, I know what the putting on of such a show entails having been on the production team of the Berlin Tattoos and military shows in the Waldbühne.

I watched it enthralled, I enjoyed every minute of it, even if some of the music wasn’t to my taste, it all came across wonderfully, well done and a fitting end to a wonderful Olympics.

We had arranged to have breakfast at 08:30, as we were heading across country to Dorset and My Brother and Sister in law to spend a week with them in Dorchester.

The full English was just that bacon, eggs, sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes and fried bread. We had started with müsli and fruit juice, but there was also all manner of cereals on offer as well as fruit. This is one B&B I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone wanting a quite (it is in a secluded cul-de-sac) stay on the North Norfolk coast. Well done Jeff and Annie, you are the most friendly hosts that I have met in a B&B for many a long year, you get the Gold Medal from me. Wildfood

England - August 2012 (day 1) Constable Country and the Kings Head Laxfield

Constable Country

Leaving NRW at midnight, we headed for the Ferry at Dunkirk, after a few false turns we had decided in our own minds that we wouldn’t make the 06:00 ferry, on arrival this was confirmed at the friendly woman in the booking in booths, we passed through passport control and boot inspection and proceeded to the loading lanes, just before arriving at the entrance to park up lanes, we got directed directly onto the ferry, we got on to the ferry as the last vehicle.

So we arrived at those white chalk cliffs, prompt and discharged into a sunny English morning, we headed up the M20 and through the Dartford tunnel.  A few months ago while planning the tour Linda had said that she had never been to Constable Country, I had been in this area many times in the past and Flatford Mill is a particular favourite of mine, so on leaving the ferry put East Bourgolt into the Sat Nav. Linda said why are we going there, I replied that she had requested it, her not knowing that hamlet of Flatford on the river Stour, where the millers son Constable had painted  quite a few of his most famous paintings, lay at the end of a winding lane  from that village. It was not until we had parked up and on leaving the car park that it clicked, this was the epicentre of Constable Country.


swifts catching damselflys over the river Stour at flatford

We spent a couple of blissful hours, wandering in and around the area surrounding the mill, the lock and the cottages.

We visited the hide on the edge of lake, spending a good half an hour watching grebes, mergansers, ducks tufted, pintail and ruddy, swifts hunting, a cormorant up in the trees as well as many butterflies and other flying insects.

We rounded the field containing some polka dotted fat tailed sheep,

 returning to the actual mill buildings

One final look into the Constable exhibition in Bridge Cottage and then up to the car park.  On arrival there where very few cars in the car park, upon leaving it was filling up quite quickly.

We headed up via the coast to our first nights’ accommodation, this was in a small village called Laxfield, we has been directed here by a friend from the wildfood board a website on which I contribute. She used to live here and when I asked if anyone knew of a reasonable B&B in the area, she came to the rescue, suggesting the “Kings Head”, http://www.laxfieldkingshead.co.uk/ this is an old, no, an ancient pub, complete with oak beams, low ceilings, scrubbed deal tables, a fantastic  garden.

We got our baggage out of the car and up into our room in annex.

We had a snooze and then popped down for a spot of grub, we elected to sit out in the wonderful garden, it was a happy garden, the kids and dogs could play and tumble about on the large lawn, plenty of seating and even a small pavilion for those that didn’t like to eat with Al Fresco.

Linda fancied a G&T and I had a pint of “Special” from the tap room. We settled down on our table and a chirpy young lass came to take our order.

The Menu was small but well diversified, a bit of everything for everyone.

I selected, the warm pigeon breast and bacon salad for starters and Linda the goats’ cheese and beetroot.
My pigeon breast was tender and still juicy and pink, the crispy fried lardoons of local bacon a wonderful foil, the small salad with a nice fruity dressing and a wedge of whole meal cob. Linda was in raptures over her warm goats’ cheese and beetroot.

The mains were Gressingham duck breast dressed in a five spice sauce with game chips and spiced red cabbage for me and Linda had the Fish of the day, this was filet of cod with a herb crust, new potatoes and sauce tartar.

My main course of Gressingham duck, succulent slices of wonderfully moist breast, lacquered with an oriental five spice Hoisin sauce, game chips (a little too thick) and a crunchy delicately spiced red cabbage accompaniment . Linda had ordered seasonal vegetables to accompany her Pesto crusted cod tail filet, I snaffled some of these as well. She said that this was cooked to perfection and the Pesto crust was very nice and subtle but not overpowering.

They were both served with seasonal vegetables, carrots and beans.

I must say I did have to get up once to see Mo win the 5000m on a television that had set up in the smoker’s area adjacent to the tap room.

As it was by this time turning dark we went and sat in front room (the pub has no bar, you either order from the staff or go yourself into the taproom),

some of the locals came in and joined us at the scrubbed deal table, we chatted for a good hour, I seated next to an interesting 92 year old young lady, she chatted about her time in Germany just after the war and her daughter who was with her had been born in BMH Hanover 62 years previously. An interesting evening and very interesting chit chat (you learn a lot about village life in these old hostelries).

We had, had a very long enjoyable day, and a weary person, plonked his head onto the pillows and was fast asleep in no time at all.

Sunday morning the day of the picnic.

I was up bright and early, the sun was already warming the ground, so pulling on a pair of shorts and a polo shirt I went out into the early morning air. The Kings Head is situated across from the Medieval Church; it has a square tower much vaunted by churches of the 13^th century.

The present church of All Saints was finished in 1488 sits on the site of a prior Saxon Church, this is born out from the very rare baptismal font dated pre 1460.

Like many of the churches in this strong puritan area, this church suffered at hands of first the reformation at the end of Henry VIII reign and finally during the rule of Cromwell under the hammer of one William Dowsing, who removed all remaining ornaments and Roman Catholic symbols of high church worship.



I returned just as Bob the Landlord was taking his two dogs out for a walk, we had a chat about nothing in particular, as one does in these parts (Lol). I then went and sat in the garden and watched the martins flashing across the lawn before soaring up into the bright blue sky, a tree full of coal and blue tits was a cacophony of chirping. The pigeons, billing and cooing, it would seem that they had decided to make up their numbers again for the one I had eaten yesterday evening. I went up to our room, well, well Linda was up and ready, we decided to load up the car ready for a quick get-a-way after breakfast.
Linda went for a walk and Bob came around the corner to say that if I cared to go into the dining room I could start, now I had been informed by Alison that the Low-House breakfast is a one that sets you up for the rest of the day, but I had arranged with Bob the previous evening that I would be having kippers, well it isn’t every Sunday morning I get to have kippers without stinking out my apartment.

I texted Linda that breakfast was being served so she ordered bacon, eggs and grilled tomatoes. What could be better a bowl of cereal, a fresh brewed cup of coffee and a grilled kipper with granary bread?

We had phoned ahead to our next B&B to see if we could drop our things off before going on to Blickling for the Picnic of the year 2012, the answer was if we arrived before 11:30 it would be no problem, so into the car and then off up to the North Norfolk coast and Sheringham. Bags unloaded and a quick turn-a-round out to Blickling hall grounds and gardens.

I will continue tomorrow.