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Guide to the best country pubs: Pt 3

24th March, 2011

PART THREE: CHARNWOOD By Matt Wright CRITERIA USED TO SELECT PUBS: 1) RURAL LOCATION 2) EXCELLENT, COSY AMBIENCE 3) REPUTATION FOR DECENT FOOD 4) GOOD RANGE OF REAL ALES 5) INDIVIDUAL AND SPECIAL ——————————————— THE WHEATSHEAF, Woodhouse Eaves With its ancient trees and buildings made from Swithland slate and distinctive local granite, beautiful Woodhouse Eaves […]

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Entrepreneurial farmer goes for it!

22nd March, 2011

Who needs Kate Humble?! The real Lambing Live is taking place this weekend at Brooksby College. Why not take a picnic and watch from the comfort of your car? This sign was spotted by the side of the A607 between East Goscote and Rearsby. Brooksby College.

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Guide to the best country pubs: Pt 2

18th March, 2011

PART TWO: RUTLAND By Matt Wright CRITERIA USED TO SELECT PUBS: 1) RURAL LOCATION 2) EXCELLENT, COSY AMBIENCE 3) REPUTATION FOR DECENT FOOD 4) GOOD RANGE OF REAL ALES 5) INDIVIDUAL AND SPECIAL ——————————————— OLIVE BRANCH, Clipsham What can we say about this pub that hasn’t been said already? Not a lot, except that when […]

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Northfield Farm and Clarissa on BBC2

17th March, 2011

By Matt Wright Northfield Farm, located at Cold Overton on the Leicestershire/Rutland border, specialises in rearing British heritage rare breed meat. Recently the BBC2 cameras visited Northfield Farm, along with Clarissa Dickson Wright, to film an episode of Great British Food Revival. The focus was on Northfield’s pork, particularly their very rare British Lops (pictured below). […]

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St Paddy’s Day recipes from Sean Hope

17th March, 2011

Happy St Patrick’s Day! Hogget casserole Serves 4-6 * 1.5kg diced hogget leg or shoulder * 3 large carrots, peeled and cut in half * 2 cloves garlic, crushed * 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped * 1 bay leaf * 1 sprig rosemary * 1 sprig thyme * Chopped parsley * 1 lamb stock cube […]

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Clarissa Dickson Wright’s roast pork

17th March, 2011

By Clarissa Dickson Wright Shoulder is a reasonably priced cut of pork and, with the British Lop or heritage breeds in general, there will be enough fat to give you good crackling. You can, if you prefer, stuff a cut of the leg instead. You can vary the stuffing to suit your taste and store […]

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Guide to the best country pubs: Pt 1

16th March, 2011

PART ONE: VALE OF BELVOIR By Matt Wright CRITERIA USED TO SELECT PUBS: 1) RURAL LOCATION 2) EXCELLENT, COSY AMBIENCE 3) REPUTATION FOR DECENT FOOD 4) GOOD RANGE OF REAL ALES 5) INDIVIDUAL AND SPECIAL ——————————————— CHEQUERS, Woolsthorpe by Belvoir On opening a front door plastered with food/pub/Michelin/Sawday’s guide stickers, a blast of warmth from […]

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What makes a brand truly exceptional?

14th March, 2011

By Helen Chantrey I’ve been working with a business who recently asked me what makes a brand great. I pondered this while on my grand tour to find my top three local pies (see below), and came up with four key things. The word brand began simply as a way to tell one farmer’s cattle […]

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Photos of the day: Meet Rutland Tea Co

11th March, 2011

By Matt Wright These photos were taken on March 9 for an upcoming feature in the magazine. Anna and Richard Wench are the couple behind the Rutland Tea Company, which is mainly an online business but also has a small area in Fords of Oakham (Church St). Anna’s from the Ukraine and is utterly passionate […]

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Weekend recipe: Salmon and Pea Pie

11th March, 2011

This is by Rachel Green, TV chef and Ambassador for Leicester Market. “This is a really comforting fish pie recipe,” says Rachel. “I recommend getting the salmon and prawns from Leicester Market’s brilliant and fantastically comprehensive fish section. It has some of the best seafood stalls I’ve come across.” As well as starring in various […]

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Stamford Cookery School launches

9th March, 2011

Stamford Cookery School has been launched by local businesswoman Denise Taylor and French chef Thierry Daugeron. Located on Brownlow Street, Stamford, it will offer all kinds of cookery lessons, from French patisserie to basic skills. Denise and Thierry have teamed up with around 20 local partners, including Jollydale Cyder, Riverford, The Pickled Village, Amphora Wines, […]

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Blog: It’s Lent. And I’ve got it licked

9th March, 2011

By Joanne Grew So today is Ash Wednesday. Not only is it the day we never fail to feel ill after over-indulging in pancakes the night before, it is also the first day of Lent. Like most years, I will give up chicken for the 40 days because thanks to its versatility, it ends up […]

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Review: The Woodhouse

8th March, 2011

By Tim Burke It’s always a pleasant drive to the Charnwood forest-fringed village of Woodhouse Eaves. Finding this restaurant at the end of your journey makes it just about perfect. Smart but not stuffy, chic but welcoming, The Woodhouse hits plenty of right notes from the beginning. Tastebuds were awoken by a terrific turnip and […]

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March 3: squeezing limes at Maiyango

3rd March, 2011

Foodie photos of the day By Matt Wright A regular feature in Great Food Leicestershire & Rutland magazine is ‘Your Dream Dish’, where a reader names their ideal meal and Maiyango’s head chef Phil Sharpe cooks it up. It’s a great feature to photograph as Phil is totally passionate about what he’s doing and always […]

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Editor’s blog: food fight fatigue

2nd March, 2011

By Matt Wright I feel bad. In recent Tweets I’ve been slightly critical of Hugh F-W’s Big Fish Fight and had a small pop at the Hospital Food Fight. Why, I hear you cry? Surely these are worthy causes. Well, yes they are, and that’s why I feel guilty. These campaigns have their hearts in […]

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Review: The Crown Inn at Sproxton

2nd March, 2011

NB. The Crown at Sproxton is currently closed. This review is from 2011… By Rachel Quine You’d be forgiven for missing signs to Sproxton (between Melton Mowbray and Grantham) but, as locals know, it is well worth seeking out the Crown Inn. Busy new manager Daisy Storey made time to give us a hearty welcome. […]

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NEW FEATURE: Photo of the day

2nd March, 2011

By Matt Wright San Carlo restaurant, Leicester, February 9, 2011 San Carlo manager Fabio Vassallo from Sicily (left) and head chef Mauro Vitali from Rome (right) tuck into traditional Sicilian dish, Pasta con le Sarde. The food was prepared by Mauro for a recipe that appears in the spring issue of Great Food. As you can […]

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NEW FEATURE: Photo of the day

1st March, 2011

By Matt Wright In the kitchen at The Olive Branch, Clipsham, February 21, 2011. This photo (and the ones below) were taken last Monday lunchtime but the Olive Branch was absolutely heaving. The kitchen’s quite small so I was getting under everyone’s feet. Seeing the OB’s kitchen and front-of-house teams in action is a real […]

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Weekend recipe: Lucy’s lemon chicken

25th February, 2011

Serves 4 FOR THE ONION BASE (Makes 12 tablespoons) * 4 onions, chopped * 3 sticks celery, chopped finely * 8 cloves garlic, chopped finely * 2 tbsp olive oil * 2 tbsp vegetable oil * 3 tbsp water BASE SAUCE METHOD 1 Put onion and other ingredients into thick-bottomed saucepan and cover with tight-fitting […]

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Producer profile: Lubcloud Dairy

24th February, 2011

By Matt Wright Do you remember ‘top of the milk’? We used to fight over it in our house at breakfast time. It was our phrase for the very top layer of milk in the bottle, the part that was creamiest and most delicious, which made even Shreddies taste nice. It was so good and […]

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Recipe: Barnsdale Lodge’s Granola

23rd February, 2011

“This has become a favourite with breakfasters here at Barnsdale Lodge Hotel near Rutland Water,” says head chef Paul Freeman. “So much so that people began asking to take some home – so we started selling it in packets.” It’s rich and packed with energy. Makes around five portions * 150g porridge oats * 25g […]

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Blog: why our farmers’ markets must change

14th February, 2011

By Matt Gregory. On the face of it, anyone interested in food, its production or provenance welcomes farmers’ markets with open arms. The Farmers’ Retail and Markets Association (FARMA) states: “The prime aim of the market must be to develop a vibrant environment where consumers and producers are brought together and the farmers’ market principles […]

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Weekend recipe: make your own mustard

11th February, 2011

Jam Jar Shop is the UK’s leading online retailer of jam-making kit. It’s run by passionate jam-maker (and Great Food contributor) Rosemary Jameson. Last year, Jam Jar Shop fulfilled orders for more than one million jam jars, which were dispatched around the globe! Here’s Rosemary’s recipe for mustard with beer… To make 6-7 smaller jars (225g size) […]

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Market piazza set to open on April 8

10th February, 2011

Leicester Market’s food piazza will open on April 8, 2011. The open-air square – with space for 20 stalls plus seating – will have Continental-style umbrellas providing cover. The aim of the piazza is to provide a space in which people will shop, sit, eat and drink. It’s the result of £600,000 of City Council funding. […]

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Foodie Gift Hunter’s Valentine’s Day tips

9th February, 2011

Don’t panic. There’s still time to get your true love a great Valentine’s Day gift… 1) Welland Valley bubbly: It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some fizz, but avoid the French stuff, reduce your food miles and buy them Steeplechase from Welland Valley Vineyard, just a few miles south west of Market Harborough. Crisp, fruity, not […]

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Recipe: venison with beetroot & parsnips

4th February, 2011

An earthy venison dish shared by James Goss, head chef at the King’s Arms in Wing, Rutland…

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Supporting the THIRTYfor30 Challenge

1st February, 2011

Great Food is a proud supporter of local charity Coping with Cancer’s THIRTYfor30 fundraising challenge. We will be providing publicity and donating £3 of every subscription taken out between now and April 30, 2011 to the cause. More here. The THIRTYfor30 challenge aims to find 30 businesses or organisations in Leicestershire & Rutland who each raise […]

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Profile: Hambleton Farms Fine Foods

31st January, 2011

If you’re ever strolling through Oakham, nip down Gaol Street. On one side of the road is Hambleton Bakery – selling delicious, locally-baked breads, cakes and pasta – and on the other is Hambleton Fine Foods – offering an awe-inspiring array of meats and a fine deli counter. They’re both superb, but the only other thing the […]

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Blog: On holiday ten miles from home

30th January, 2011

Editor Matt Wright travels 10 miles from home and has a short food and drink-packed break in Rutland…

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The Insider: the year’s food trends predicted

25th January, 2011

I’m something of a cheese and pie addict, writes Helen Chantrey. So it was a stroke of fortune when my fiancé’s job led us to settle near Melton Mowbray. I’ve been amazed by how many fantastic food businesses are on our doorstep. We find ourselves planning weekends wholly around delis, restaurants and farm shops. In […]

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