Out & About June 2017

To everything there is a season... The Crown and Garter at Inkpen offers a menu of ever- changing delights, says ROMILLA ARBER, whose team of chefs make sure that what’s on offer reflects the time of year

We also appreciate that many of our customers are regulars and so it is pleasing for them to experience a variation to the menu. It does, however, put pressure on the kitchen to keep thinking ahead, but it is a challenge that the chefs, on the whole, relish. We have five chefs in our kitchen and our apprentice Trevor Sheldon who helps out there and also in the bakery. It is a rewarding part of the business for me to see someone like him developing and learning new skills. Talking of chefs, we are very pleased to be able to welcome back Matthew Ambrose, who was our head chef when we first opened. He is a talent in the kitchen and is helping to develop the wholesale range for our shops. The Crown and Garter has been open for nearly three years and it has been a rollercoaster of experiences for everyone involved. It is always a challenge opening something new and although the pub had stood for many years, we were trying to do something a little different there while keeping the essence of a country pub. It is an idyllic setting, especially in the spring when the lambs are in the field. The garden really is a relaxing and pretty place in which to sit and socialise. This year we are hoping to make more of our BBQ, and Alex Zompetti our manager is going to be preparing some really lovely meals for our customers outside. The first BBQ night sold out very quickly. Alex has a grand reputation for outdoor cooking, so do come along and try one evening. This year the Crown and Garter will once again be hosting the Walbury Hill Climb. Local cycling enthusiasts are being encouraged to enter this year. You don’t have to be a member of a cycle club so if you fancy yourself as the next Bradley Wiggins do give it a go. The farmers this year have very kindly offered us the field at the back of the garden to

alleviate traffic problems. We will be serving lunch and refreshments to all takers and there will be some stalls showcasing local small producers. It should be a fun event so do come along. If you want more details please do email on: info@honestygroup.co.uk

A t the time of writing, winter is definitely over and we have survived the late chills that came through at the end of April, reminding us that summer is often just a fragile promise in late spring. Early summer’s approach is, however, always a heartening time of year, especially when one cooks to the seasons. The chefs in the Crown and Garter have had their fill of cabbage and leeks, as I am sure have the customers, and we can now all look forward to some dishes that make the most of all that is abundant in the beautiful British Isles during the spring and summer months. Britain rarely disappoints in this regard. From the early wild garlic, rhubarb and asparagus that has already featured on our menu to the sea trout and new-season lamb, there is much to get the taste buds going. It is always with some excitement that the first strawberries go on the menu. I meet with the chefs at the restaurant every two weeks to discuss menu changes. We try to change three or four things every month and in this respect we are unusual for a small restaurant. Most establishments tend to keep the same menu largely unchanged for each season. Changing the menu is essential at the Crown and Garter because we do only use seasonal produce.

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