Blog
20th July
Really busy month and so so many apologies for not keeping you all updated. We have so many things happening at the moment: compiling the new wine list, organising new menus and, most exciting of all, putting the plans in place for a big refurbishment towards the end of the year. We are also launching our new website in October and have almost completed the 2011 Cookery School brochure! So, as you can see, we are not lazing around in this heatwave - the kitchen is cooking in more ways than one! Last week we welcomed Alasdair from his allotment in Strumpshaw to one of our Tuesday Evening Cookery Demonstrations. It was really good to meet the man behind all the fantastic produce that we receive on a daily basis. This followed Mrs Temple's visit, when she brought the complete range of her fabulous cheeses for us to try.
The following day we were all excited as we had the President of Sierra Leone booked in for dinner. We endured three visits from security, moved the table three times, and then he cancelled 15 minutes after he was supposed to arrive! These things only happen in the world of hospitality!
I've also been busy judging the great and good for the Guild of Food Writers' Cookery Book of the Year (the winner was Warm Bread and Honey Cake) and the Catey Menu of the Year. This year's winner was Corrigans in Mayfair, the affable irishman Richard Corrigan being a worthy winner! Wait until you see our new menus, wine list and refurb in the coming months - I'm sure we will be next year's winners!!! Best wishes, Richard Hughes
20th April
With the smell of onion bhajis wafting down Brundall high street, it could only mean one thing - Mr Hughes' Curry Workshop. Another sell out "Hands On" Kitchen class, and as usual the participants left 3 lbs heavier and with bags of freshly made goodies to enjoy for their tea! There have been a few extra classes added over the summer, so make sure you check out the Cookery School page for more details.
We're always looking for new ideas, so when given the opportunity to go and eat at another restaurant, us guys in the kitchen jump at the chance. Last week saw a group of chefs from The Lavender House and The Pigs visit L'Autre Pied and The Drapers Arms, both in the capital city. The food was superb and it was inspiring to enjoy such simple food cooked to perfection! Back in the kitchen at Lavender House HQ we're working on some great new dishes for the menu change in the next few weeks, taking ideas and techniques that we've been reading up on.
A highlight of next week's food surely has to include the artichokes my mum has grown in her garden! I'm sure they will find their way onto the menu, maybe as a little soup with some black truffle? We're more than happy to take any excess produce off your hands, whether it's a herb or fruit we'll certainly have a look at it! And I'm sure we'll offer a reward to anyone who can bring us the first bag of wild garlic to the kitchen door!
That leads me on to mention Alasdair, our vegetable supplier. He and his wife have been growing vegetables for the past couple of years for the restaurant, and we took a trip down to have a look at his greenhouse last week. The greenhouse has to be 100 metres long, and along both sides are the signs of early growth - the lettuces stand about 15 cm tall and the rainbow chard are just tiny shoots. I'm sure that you won't have forgotten the edible flowers we were using? Well, they all came from Alistair and we're told that we'll have more this year! Jon
18th March
With the sun beaming through the Lavender House office window as I write this, it would be hard not to suspect that Spring is well and truly upon us! It's time to say goodbye to stews and casseroles, and welcome in slightly lighter, fresher tasting dishes. However, we're still a little way off from greenhouse tomatoes, and asparagus, so we're somewhere in the middle!
For you guys at home there are plenty of things out there to get you into the kitchen. Mackerel for example is bang in season, and the "Step by Step" book has a lovely recipe for grilled mackerel with pickled vegetables, which makes a great speedy tea after a busy day. Or try the mustard and apple salad for a little starter at your next dinner party.
Here at The Lavender House mackerel has pride of place on our starter menu, with a puree of beetroot and horseradish, a tartare of mackerel and beetroot foam. It has to be one of the most exciting dishes we've created in a long time!
There are loads of fresh vegetables at the farm shop, and we're spoilt for choice: we hate the decision of what NOT to put on the menu! We've got celeriac, butternut squash, red onions, leeks and ratte potatoes, just to mention a few. We're extremely lucky to be able to get fresh vegetables daily, and pick them out ourselves - making sure that if it's not seasonal we're not serving it! An interesting fact for you: broccoli bought in Tesco's in May will have twice as much Vitamin C as the same product bought in December - just shows that when we import we lose so much flavour, and nutrition!
We all enjoyed a busy Mother's Day, and did notice a few spoilt mums that day - so for all you hard-working dads, make sure you put 20th June in your diaries so you can start dropping hints for Father's Day! Look forward to seeing you soon. Jon