Transported to Italy at The School of Artisan Food
What better way to spend a sunny Sunday in July than cooking up some wonderful Italian dishes at the fabulous School of Artisan Food in north Nottinghamshire? Can’t think of many. The School of Artisan Food is a favourite of Great Food Club, located in the former fire stables of the Welbeck Estate in the […]
Thinking of starting a small food business? Then head to The School of Artisan Food
I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of my favourite places in Nottinghamshire, The School of Artisan Food on the glorious Welbeck Estate near Sherwood Forest in the north of the county. The School opened in 2006 and has developed an outstanding reputation for its training and courses, from bread-making, cheesemaking, brewing and butchery […]
“The worms were a challenge”
GFC Nottinghamshire editor Abby Brennan has been eating insects “Thai street-food style” as part of a BBC news programme… It was a Sunday like any other, except it wasn’t, as I was on my way to London on behalf of Great Food Club as a guest of BBC East Midlands’ Inside Out programme to experience […]
Johnny Pusztai’s Nottingham “restaurant within a butcher’s shop” comes a step closer
Guardian food writer Mathew Fort once described Johnny Pusztai as a “a ham-curing, bacon-smoking, sausage-making force of nature”. As a past holder of The Observer Food Monthly’s prestigious Producer of the Year award, and with a host of other awards and recommendations to his name, Johnny is something of a celebrity in the world of […]
“Sourcing from the best farms is only justified if followed by the best abattoir”
Q&A with Oliver Stubbins, manager of Welbeck Farm Shop in Nottinghamshire, which was shortlisted in the Great Food Club Awards 2017/18… Tell us about the history of the Welbeck Farm Shop? The idea of opening a farm shop here was sparked in the most wonderful fashion – over a couple of pints in the local […]
Review: Smoking Goat, Soho
Nestled between any number of musical instrument shops on Denmark Street, Soho, is the unassuming frontage of Smoking Goat. The ‘Goat describes itself as a “Thai Barbecue, Dive Bar and Dining Room” and specialises in using rare-breed British meat as well as more unusual cuts (beef bavette for example, frequently found in France but rarely […]
Review: The Oystermen, Covent Garden
If, like me, you are a bit of an ostreophile (oyster lover), then checking out one of the newer additions to Covent Garden’s restaurant scene is a must. The Oystermen is located on Henrietta St just beside Covent Garden Market. It is boutique (or small) as in maybe 20ish covers? But it is perfectly formed. […]
On a ‘culinary masterclass’ at Ye Old Bell in Barnby Moor
What better than a ‘culinary masterclass’? Especially when it’s held at Ye Old Bell in the village of Barnby Moor on the border of Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The Bell is a 59-room hotel that dates back to the 17th century. It has a fascinating history, rising to prominence as a pit stop between Edinburgh and […]
Chatsworth’s Flying Childers. Possibly the best Afternoon Tea in the world
The Flying Childers Restaurant at glorious Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is the latest foodie option to open on the Estate. It is not what you might expect. Named after a prize-winning stallion acquired by the second Duke of Devonshire in 1719, the restaurant offers only Afternoon Tea and brunch. That’s it, a brunch and Afternoon Tea […]
In a pickle at the School of Artisan Food
“Fermentation is, let’s face it, a staging post on the road to rot.” So said our tutor for the day, food writer and cook Lindy Wildsmith, as we began a day of pickling and fermenting at the fabulous School of Artisan Food. If you don’t know the School, it is situated on the beautiful Welbeck […]
Johnny Pusztai plans to open restaurant next door to his Nottingham butcher’s shop
PHOTO: http://livingheritagefoodfestivals.co.uk/ “So, what have you got on today, mum?” “Well, I am going to have breakfast with a Master Butcher and then meet his pigs.” “Cool, see ya.” That was kind of how my day with the award-winning Johnny Pusztai, the Master Butcher of Nottingham’s Mansfield Road, started. You know how sometimes you come across […]
Why everyone should try raw milk
Just when you think there is nothing much new under the sun, you discover there is. Well, not new exactly, but you get my drift… I grew up in rural Lincolnshire but unlike just about everyone who has contacted me since I announced my conversion, I don’t think I ever drank raw (unpasteurised) milk. I […]
Will this derelict Nottingham building soon be the UK’s most exciting restaurant?
More exciting things are happening on the Nottingham restaurant scene. The city has a dynamic and varied food and drink offer, with chains and independents competing for increasingly discerning customers. Amongst all the noise and hustle and bustle, something very exciting indeed is emerging on Nottingham’s Derby Road. Alex Bond has worked in kitchens since he […]
We visit Eglantine Vineyard in Nottinghamshire
It is a lovely warm, sunny and slightly breezy autumn morning, and I am standing on the top of a hill overlooking rolling countryside surrounded by vines and ripening grapes. In fact, there are vines on this hillside as far as the eye can see. I know you are perhaps envying the life of a […]
Nottingham start-up Freshly Spiced wants to transform your cooking
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the charming Tom Ali for coffee. Tom is the brains and creative force behind Freshly Spiced, which he launched in February 2016 and is currently based at Tom’s family home in Nottingham. Tom roasts, blends and mixes a range of fresh spices. Setting up a spice company is a bit […]
True artisan distilling: Redsmith of Nottinghamshire’s London Dry Gin
We visit Nottinghamshire’s first gin distillery since around 1860, hidden away in rural Ruddington…
Blog: Making the most of World Gin Day
Abby Brennan tastes craft gins at 11am on a Saturday morning. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it…
Blog – Nottingham Castle Food & Drink Festival
“A great day out, a great setting and, for once, worth every penny,” says Notts editor Abby Brennan…
Travelling Gastronomers bring street-food vibe to Sneinton Market
The Travelling Gastronomers land in Nottingham as part of their project to export London’s street-food vibe across England…
The Artisan School cooks up nutritious Food For Thought
The School of Artisan Food’s annual ‘Food For Thought’ lectures inspire GFC’s Nottinghamshire editor Abby Brennan…
Review: Purecraft Bar & Kitchen, Nottingham
Nottingham’s latest craft beer venue gets the once over from Abby Brennan…
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