England August 2012 day 6 and River Cottage Canteen

Thursday

 We had contacted  friends to see if they fancied going out for lunch alas they had ordered a new fridge and had to wait in. So we headed off by ourselves to visit first Yeovil and then onto Axminster for lunch, yes you guessed it, to River Cottage Canteen.

What we didn’t realise it was also market day.

So after driving a couple of times around the town (it isn’t all that big) we got a car park just around the corner from Trinity square.

It was just after lunch so a lot of people had already eaten and just leaving. We got shown to a our table and all most immediately along came the waitress (who we later found out was called Steffi), what a nice friendly lass, nothing was too much bother for her, if she didn’t know she went and asked the kitchen brigade. She told us all about the history of the building, how it had started life as the church hall and after being used as store rooms, workshops and ever changing uses was eventually bought by Hugh and transformed into the River Cottage canteen and Deli.

The daily changing menu was up on a blackboard and was very diverse (I think it also shows Hughs new vegetarian direction)

Linda ordered the char grilled peppers, tomatoes, mozzarella, hazel nuts and fregola

I had the Cornish mussels cooked with leek in a Cornish cider. It was served with home baked bread, walnut spelt and a poppy seed spelt. I ordered a bottle of dry cider and ate the bread before the mussels came so had to order some more.

Well what can you say about a salad, mussels, and chips if they can’t get that right then they shouldn’t be in the cooking trade, it was very nice and the mussels plump and juicy, the broth was very tasty and I was greatful for the extra bread to mop it up with. The chips big chunky and very tasty (not your frites normally associated with Moule frites)

Linda enjoyed the salad ,never having had fegola, she asked Steffi what it was, who went and asked the chef, we all now know it is little pasta balls, that originated in Sicily.

We thanked Steffi (did I tell you, a lovely helpful lass) paid the bill and went to the deli in the front as Linda wanted some cakes and other fattening stuff, the pies and pasties called out to me, but I resisted.

As we left our table the waiting que had once again formed, but what a happy bunch of staff Hugh has put together.

We went outside and visited the Church grounds which is also in Trinity Square.

We thought it would be a good idea to pop into Lyme Regis, you will by now know all about my good ideas, well some of them turn out not to be all that good. This was one of those that turned out simply rotten. We reached the hill down into Lyme Regis (you know the one, very, very steep and passes Mark Hix’s place. It took us best part of 40 minutes to reach the harbour, bumper to bumper, it was RNLI day, now having been in the Navy I have a lot of time for the Life Boats and their crews, but there place is saving us mariners at sea, not blocking up the narrow streets of Lyme Regis, causing traffic jams and grid lock. If they must do it well not when I am passing through. By the time we got through we thought we may as well head back to Dorchester. Which we did and got in just in time for a nice cuppa.

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