The Granary Grill at Weston Park

Weston Park, the stately home on the Shrosphire/Staffordshire border, is opening its exciting new restaurnat this weekend. Opening on Saturday May 1st, the Granary Grill, Bar & Restaurant is a 70-seater restaurant situated in the old malting house of the Granary building.
A split-level seating area provides diners with views over Church Pool and the estate cottages. The state-of-the-art open plan kitchen is a new build between the end of the west-wing of the building and the former slaughter houses – which have been transformed into prep areas.

As well as sourcing great local food we have applied the same principles to fitting out the building. All the crockery, cutlery and glassware have been sourced from a local company in Birmingham, the furniture is being made in Stoke-on-Trent, draught organic lager comes from the Freedom micro-brewery in Staffordshire, farm pressed apple juice from Herefordshire and ales and ciders from Warwickshire.

The Mezzanine at the Granary Grill at Weston Park

Olivier Ansquer, “food & beverage operations manager at the Granary says: “As far as the meat is concerned, we are sourcing beef from Shropshire and Staffordshire, UK assured and from the famous Buccleuch estate in Scotland. All other meats are also locally sourced through our farm shop butcher; in season we will offer lamb from the Weston Park estate.  It’s all about fresh, quality food, simply cooked!”

To book a table call (01952) 852107.

www.weston-park.com

Shropshire's Ed Jenkins in his new salad garden in Wollerton Old Hall

A wonderful new salad garden is being unveiled to the public this weekend. It sits within the already famous Wollerton Old Hall Garden near Market Drayton, north Shropshire and is the realisation of a dream by grower Ed Jenkins to grow and sell fresh, delicious popular and rarer varieties of salad.
Wollerton Old Hall Garden has been designed and developed by by Ed’s parents Lesley and John Jenkins since 1984. It is set around a 16th Century hall house, and has developed into an important modern garden in the English Garden tradition with echoes of Arts and Crafts.

Location: Wollerton Old Hall Garden, Wollerton, Market Drayton TF9 3NA 

Opening times: 12pm – 5.30pm; Friday 30th April, Sunday 2nd May and Monday 3rd May.

Contact details:

Ed Jenkins
Tel (01630) 685760
info@wollertonoldhallgarden.com
www.wollertonoldhallgarden.com

Brilliant Shropshire chef and great supporter of sourcing local food and Michel Nijsten, head chef at Albright Hussey hotel and restaurant, was a guest speaker at the launch of British Food Fortnight in London last week. This year the fortnight will the late Autumn.

The Duchess of Cornwall has championed “woefully under-rated” British produce and criticised major food companies for ignoring seasonal produce. Speaking at an event to launch British Food Fortnight, the duchess said jokes about British food being “dull, turgid and over-boiled” were “utter rubbish, reports the BBC.
Camilla said she loved food that “followed the seasons”, not the “whims” of “multinational food conglomerates”.
Free range chicken and “spanking fresh” mackerel were her favourites, she said.
In her first appearance since she broke her leg hill-walking in Scotland at the beginning of April, the duchess, who was in a wheelchair, told the industry it was wrong that British food was seen “as some sort of international culinary joke”.  She said: “I have always loved food and really enjoy cooking simple dishes with the best British ingredients. “That, for me, is what British food is really about; a chicken, that has lived a natural life, pecking and scratching about in the yard, roasted until golden brown. Or a spanking fresh mackerel, grilled until the skin is crisp. The first British asparagus, just shooting up now. Food that follows the seasons, rather than the whims of some vast multinational food conglomerates.”

Midland food awards

Michel will also be part of a Brigade of Chefs creating a six course meal using some of the region’s finest produce at the Heart of England fine foods Diamond Awards Gala Dinner on Saturday 15 May. There are several nominees from Shropshire including Bonbonnaire Chocolate and Gill’s Pudding (Baking & Confectionery); Heather’s Harvest (Condiments & Preserves); Mr Moyden’s Handmade Cheese (Dairy); Gill’s Puddings (Desserts), and The Wood Brewery, Ludlow Vineyard and Wenlock Spring (Drinks); Maynard’s Farm Bacon (Meat). Special categories include ‘Grow’ in which Great Ness Oil and Wenlock Spring are nominated; ‘Innovate’ (Alternative Meats) and ‘Excel’, Gill’s Puddings. Well done to all the nominess who’ll have to wait under mid-May to see how they have done!

Makes 4 burgers

 You’ll need:

650g venison mince
5 tbsp double cream
cloves garlic, crushed
½  tbsp flat leaved parsley, chopped
½ tbsp chopped chives
4 crushed juniper berries
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g blue cheese
16 shallots
Olive oil for frying

 Method:

1.         Place the mince in a bowl.  Season well.  Using your hands or a fork, gently combine the seasoned meat with the cream, garlic, parsley, chives and juniper berries.  Do not over mix, as the cooked burgers will be tough. 

2.         Gently shape the meat into 4 patties, or divide the meat and push each portion into a 10cm pastry cutter to make 4 burgers.  Make a slight indentation in the top of each with your fingers. 

3.         Divide the cheese into 4 and shape each piece into a ball.  Insert the cheese into the centre of the burgers and pull the meat back over the top to seal in the cheese. 

4.         Peel and thinly cut the shallots into rings. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and fry the shallots until crispy. 

5.         Preheat a heavy ridged griddle pan or barbeque until very hot.  If using a pan, put in a little olive oil, and sear the burgers to seal in the juices.  Cook for 2 minutes on each side, so that the cheese melts in the middle.

6.         Serve the burger on lightly toasted rolls, topped with the shallots, along with slices of tomatoes, red onion and pickled gherkin or with a green salad.

Only 1,000 bottles of the 1,000 Flavours ales has been brewed

I have, and it’s delicious!  The new limited edition Real Ale has been launched celebrating the high quality food and drink found all around the county of Shropshire. The County of a Thousand Flavours Ale has been brewed using one single hop variety, ‘Progress’, often used to add a richer flavour to the beers, as well as malted barley and malted wheat. With an alcoholic volume of 4.7%, it is a crisp, sparkling light ale with a hint of lime, a pleasant hoppy aftertaste and a well-balanced bitterness.
The Ale will be available in all Wood’s usual outlets including the Farm Shop at Battlefield 1403. But as only 1,000 bottles have been brewed it is expected that stocks won’t last long!

Fresh asparagus ready for the kitchen

Serves 4

PREPARATION:  5 minutes, plus pre-heating griddle pan

Cook: 5-7 minutes

YOU’LL NEED:

1 bundle British asparagus spears (300g)
1 bunch spring onions
1tbs sunflower or groundnut oil
1 lime
Flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)

METHOD:

1. Heat a griddle pan to hot, about 10 minutes or light the barbeque
2. Wash the asparagus and trim off the wooden end. Wash the spring onions and peel off the outer layer, if necessary, leaving the root attached.
3. Brush the vegetables with a little sunflower or groundnut oil and lay across the smoking hot griddle. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, or until the asparagus and spring onions are tender and blackened a little. The thin ends of the spring onions will get quite chargrilled and crispy – this is fine, they will taste great.
4. Remove to a serving plate, squeeze over the juice of the lime and season generously with flakes of sea salt. Eat immediately.