HOT MEALS: The Burrito has landed

Tomorrow (August 25) the burrito will land in Bath.

Mission Burrito is opening the doors of Bath's first burrito-dedicated restaurant in Kingsmead Square.

And that's not all. To celebrate its launch Mission Burrito will be handing out free burritos between 12pm and 3pm. I think it's fairly safe to assume there will be a bit of a queue! But not to worry, the clever people at Burrito HQ have planned ahead and there will be a Mariachi Mexteca to entertain the waiting crowds and transform Kingsmead Square into a Mexican fiesta.

For those who don't know burritos are handheld food found mostly in Mexico and America – a kind of exotic take on a sandwich.

A tightly wrapped Mission Burrito - wait until tomorrow to see what's inside!

They are made from grilled flour tortillas wrapped around a combination of ingredients including rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, guacamole, cheese and sour cream – and at Mission Burrito you can be sure that every single thing that goes into your burrito is really, really fresh. In fact, many of the ingredients are made from scratch to ensure that they deliver the level of flavour and quality that makes a Mission Burrito so special.

There is an art to a properly crafted burrito – an art that everyone at Mission Burrito has now perfected.

The tortilla must be grilled to soften it, and it should be tightly rolled around ingredients that meld together to create a unified taste.

Getting messy is all part of the enjoyment of munching on a burrito, but an expertly made burrito should not explode or leak all over you. Which is good because you don't want to ruin your clothes, or waste a single morsel of the delicious fillings.

And a Mission Burrito is no measly mouthful, oh no. A Mission Burrito will be at least 1lb of mouth-watering yumminess.

Jan Rasmussen

Husband and wife team, Jan and Sharon Rasmussen launched Mission Burrito in 2008 when they imported the burrito fromMexico, via San Francisco and opened a small 20 seat restaurant in Oxford.

They thought there was a gap in the market, which turned out to be correct as Bath will be their fifth store, hot on the heels of a recent opening in Park Street in Bristol.

Mission Burrito in Bath can seat 24 people indoors, with a bit of outdoor seating for the odd occasion when it's actually sunny.

For customers in a hurry there is the facility to pre-order online to avoid queues during peak times and there is also

the option to takeaway. Mission Burrito also offers outside catering for private functions and festivals and will be at Bath's Love Food Bath Event on Sunday October 9 at Green Park Station.

For more information about Mission Burrito visit www.missionburrito.co.uk.

For more on Bath's Love Food events see my previous posts:

http://hotbathuk.blogspot.com/2011/08/hot-meals-love-food-festival-comes-to.html

http://hotbathuk.blogspot.com/2011/06/hot-bath-why-i-loved-baths-love-food.html

HOT MEALS: Love Food Festival comes to Dyrham Park

It's great news that the Love Food Festival is coming back to the Bath area.

After the success of the event in Green Park Station back in June, this time Lorna Knapman's foodie event is coming to the beautiful surroundings of Dyrham Park.

Dyrham House

Lorna founded Love Food in 2008 with the aim of making top quality local food and drink available to the community as well as bringing children (and adults) out into the countryside learning about how and where our food should come from, how to grow and cook their own food and generally try to spark an interest in the topic through various mediums including hands on experience, tasting, art, movement and storytelling.

The venture began in Bristol, but now Lorna is keen to spread the word further and the Bath area is her next target.

Which is why, on September 11, between 10am and 4.30pm, the grounds of the National Trust's Dyrham Park will be filled with more than 30 producers selling a wide range of delicious goods including venison from the Dyrham estate, fresh bread, local fruit and vegetables, artisan cheese, charcuterie, jam, cakes, honey, cream and much more.

Cookery demonstrations from some superb chefs will show how to make the best of all the fantastic produce available in the market.

There will also be seasonal children’s activites, music, nature walks, story telling and a picnic area with street food, barbecue and a cafe and entry to the market will be free.

Lorna said: “I’m delighted to be working with the National Trust on this exciting project. I’m a huge fan of the work they do and Dyrham is absolutely stunning.”

I very much hope that people will make the effort to make the trip out to Dyrham Park.

I really feel that it's important to support local food producers. Not only is the food they sell almost certainly infinitely more tasty than that which you buy from the supermarket, but you can also find exactly what is in it and how it is made - you can find out for sure if the the vegetables really are organic or if the animals have been well looked after before being butchered and it's genuinely interesting to talk to producers about the goods because they have a real passion for them and their enthusiasm invariably shines through.

And, in a world where global warming and environmental affairs are becoming increasingly important, I think that it's important to buy local whenever possible to keep the food miles down.

Cath Pye, Operations Manager at Dyrham states “We are really excited to be working with Love Food at Dyrham Park. The National Trust shares the vision of the festival to get people out into the countryside to learn where our food comes from. It is great to be able to support an initiative which we hope will grow to be an important local event.”

The festival is the perfect excuse for a day out enjoying not only some delicious food, but also all the delights that the National Trust Property has to offer.

It sounds like a foodie paradise and I can't wait!

For more information visit www.lovefoodfestival.com.

Love Food will also be returning to it’s Paintworks home in Bristol on September 25 for a harvest celebration and to Bath on October 9 at Green Park Station.

HOT MEALS: Market - possibly the best burgers in Bath

If you bite into a burger and the toppings don't end up all over your face then I don't think it counts as a proper burger.

At Market in Saw Close in Bath they definitely know how to create a proper burger.

By the time I had finished munching I had a reassuringly large amount of goat's cheese, relish and burger juices covering my face and hands. And very satisfying it was too.

A shout out on twitter to gauge opinion on where to get the best burgers in Bath had led me to Market.

It's in a slightly odd location, tucked in beside Gala bingo opposite the Theatre Royal, and when sitting in the outside area you do feel rather as if you're sitting in a car park – but in a city where any outside space is at a premium you can't really complain.

And anyway, the food is top.

Market in Bath

Inside the vibe is very relaxed. It reminded me of bars and restaurants I have visited in New York's Lower East Side – the kind of place where up and coming rock stars might hang out.

There's absolutely nothing pretentious about the place. There's no table cloths or fancy uniforms for the staff. Tables are ready prepared with baskets of cutlery and sauces and jugs of water and glasses and the staff are cool, but friendly.

The menu is mainly burgers, pizza, salads and a couple of options from the grill.

The burger menu is extensive – there's everything from your classic cheeseburger, to Mexican style burgers with salsa and guacamole to chorizo from the local The Bath Pig – who in my opinion make the best chorizo in the world. And all the bread comes from the Thoughtful Bread Company which is based in Farrington Gurney and has a regular stall at Green Park next to Sainsbury's.

Our burgers - Goats's cheese, caramelised onions and rocket, and the Mexican

If you fancy something a bit different, or want to give th chefs a challenge then they are also willing to make something up for you then and there.

Which is what they did for me. My burger was loaded with goat's cheese and caramelised onions which made an excellent combination. The burgers are well cooked, juicy and a good thickness. The goat's cheese was tangy, but not overpowering and the sweetness of the onions balanced it out very well. I believe it may be making its way on to the menu very soon.

I can highly recommend it.

Market makes excellent nachos

Before our burgers we tucked into a plate of nachos. Nachos are up there as one of my favourite snacks so I was looking forward to Market's take on them.

I was not disappointed. The cheese, instead of just being on the top leaving rather dry tortilla chips underneath, ran right through the pile. And the salsa, gucamole and sour cream came on the side so there was no risk of ending up with soggy piles of chips around the edge which have been over-smothered in sauce. So it was a big thumbs up for them too.

Banoffee pie

The dessert menu is small - in fact there isn't even a menu, you just ask what they have. There will probably be two or three options, like cheesecake and banoffee pie. Feeling rather stuffed after our feast of nachos and burgers we decided to share a banoffee pie. It was creamy and sweet, with a good crunchy base and made an excellent end to the meal.

Drinks are fairly standard Bath prices and there is a good selection of beer, wine and cider.

For a relaxed night hanging out with friends, and for a great burger, I'm convinced it's the best in Bath.

For more information about Market, including special 2-4-1 deals visit www.marketbath.com.

HOT BATH: Getting inspired by the Taste of the West

Watching anyone at the top of their game, doing the thing that they love is always inspiring. Whether it's a sportsman, singer, dancer, craftsman......or chef.

Hywel Jones with one of the dishes he prepared

And that was one of the really great things about the weekend's Taste of the West festival in Milsom Place in Bath – the theatre kitchen in the Octagon which gave people the chance to watch some of the area's top chefs in action.

Now I feel about chefs the way that other people feel about pop stars or premiership footballers – I am more or less completely starstruck, and totally in awe of what they do.

So for me, the opportunity to see them preparing remarkable dishes up close was very exciting.

In this area we are very lucky with the great range of local produce available, and the amazing talent that exists to turn it into delicious meals.

Having watched the Great British Menu I was familiar with Hywel Jones, Executive Chef, at Lucknam Park in Colerne. I found myself transfixed watching the quiet ease with which he handled the ingredients, expertly assembling the dishes while still maintaining a rapport with the audience and bantering with his assistant. 

Rachel Demuth, owner of Demuths vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Bath, and head chef at the restaurant, Richard Buckley, created some stunning and vibrant dishes which proved that vegetarian food does not have to be boring. I am lucky enough to have worked with Rachel before at her vegetarian cookery school, and I know how passionate she is about vegetarian cookery and about sharing her skills and this shone through.

But it was Sam Moody from The Bath Priory that really blew me away.

At just 26 years old he already heads up a kitchen, working in a team of 17, and is regarded as one of the top chefs under 30 in the country.

Over the past few years I have been cooking more and more, and I now consider myself a pretty decent cook. But still not even close to this young talent.

It was genuinely inspiring to see someone so young, who had clearly found his calling in life, working and talking about the thing that he is most passionate about.

The Bath Priory is now top of the list on my places to go to eat – as soon as I've saved enough pennies!

Outside the Octagon, throughout Milsom Place were dozens of stalls selling everything from brownies to duck sausages, to wine – but all had one thing in common. They were locally produced.

The more I eat, the more discerning I have become about where my food is sourced from and I genuinely believe that local food, produced with love, with always taste better than anything plucked from the shelf of a supermarket.

It's great to see so many people locally producing such a wide range of products, and it made me realise that you can get almost anything you want from the area, as long as you look hard enough.

One of the things I love about these types of events is just being around people who obviously love and care about food as much as I do.

It's genuinely inspirational.

HOT MEALS: Grazing at Gascoyne Place

Gascoyne Place is now serving up a grazing menu.

This pleases me for two reasons.

Firstly, I just love that style of eating. Tapas, mezze, anything like that with little plates of deliciousness to share which give my taste buds a work out is alright by me. For me it's the perfect way of eating because I never have to narrow my choices down to one, and then don't have to spend a meal trying to steal food from my partner's plate without him noticing.

And secondly, on the menu are sliders. I discovered sliders on a relatively recent visit to the states and instantly fell in love.

But sadly there is a distinct lack of them here back across the pond.

For those who don't know, sliders are basically mini burgers. Usually served as a trio they come with a selection of toppings, thus removing the need to choose what style of burger you're after, and they work equally well as a main for one, or as part of a sharing experience.

So anyway, they are on the new grazing menu at Gascoyne's which had me very excited.

Sliders

And frankly, there wasn't any option when we visited. They were definitely going to feature on our menu selection.

And very good they were too. The patties were well made, not overcooked and very tasty, and topped with a nice selection of ingredients – beetroot, blue cheese and classic American. It was a real taste of New York. More places in Bath should serve sliders. I would eat there for sure.



Charcuterie



Along with the sliders we chose the charcuterie plate which came with bread and pickles. It was a reasonable selection - nothing particularly out of the ordinary, but a good, safe, tasty choice.

We also decided to try the butternut squash risotto balls with red pepper oil. Little bite-sized balls – crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with the delicious nutty sweetness of the squash sitting perfectly with the creamy rice. I could happily have eaten more of them!

Our selection from the Grazing menu

I've always thought that the menu at Gascoyne Place was a bit serious, so it's great that there is now this lighter, slightly more fun option. Divided into small plates, large plates and something sweet it's easy to choose something to suit your appetite. It's perfect if you just want a snack with drinks, and it works equally well for lunch and dinner.

I think it is a very welcome addition to the full menu – especially those sliders!
 www.gascoyneplace.co.uk

HOT DRINKS: Door 34 - a cut above the rest

You could go into a cocktail bar, pick up a menu and order your drink from the usual selection – Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Dark and Stormy etc etc.

Or, you could go to Door 34 on Monmouth Street.

Of course they serve up all the classics, but when you have bartenders this good, where's the fun in that?

Instead, put your faith in the experts and let them do what they do best. All you need to do is give them a clue – something with bourbon, something spicy, something pink, whatever takes your fancy – and after just a moment's thought they will spring into action and create something special.

Door 34 really is a cut above your usual cocktail bar. But when you look at the credentials of the men behind it, it's not really surprising.

The bar is the brainchild of award winning cocktail makers Craig Edney and Andy Walsh.

Craig has opened bars and run events all over the world, he trains the bar staff for Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant chain and has run events for high profile clients such as Kofi Annan, Dizzy Rascal and F1 motor racing teams.

Bartending has taken Andy around the world. He has tended to the needs of the fashionable and elite in venues such as the award winning Callooh Callay in Shoreditch to Tony's Stars Kitten Club on the other side of the world in Melbourne. Along the way he has picked up a host of awards from the UK Bartenders Guild, Beefeater Gin and Glenfiddich, to name just a few.

Door 34 really is all about the drinks. It's not trying to be uber cool, or filled with gimmicks, it's just about creating great drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

And it does have a great vibe. It is small enough to feel intimate, but large enough not to feel instantly crowded.

Craig's vision for the bar was to create somewhere with the feel of a 1920s speakeasy. The kind of place you hear about from those in the know. And I think it works. It's warm and chic and the staff are friendly and happy to talk you through how they make the drinks.

Craig said: “This is a bar for good measured drinking, using the best fresh ingredients, local and globally sourced spirits, a place for grown ups to drink.

“If you want to come and have a nice drink then this is the place for you.”

I think it's the place for me.

For more information visit www.door34.co.uk, email drinks@door34.co.uk or call 01225 444770.

HOT MEALS: Going veggie at the Vegetarian Cookery School

I've always been a good girl and eaten up all my vegetables.

It's a different story however for the boyfriend. Peas are OK, and beans. And maybe peppers, but not much else. Unless it's chopped up really, really small and it barely recognisable, then I might just get away with it.

So, even though neither of us are vegetarians I thought learning to cook some really good vegetarian dishes might just convince him that not all vegetables are evil.

And where better to learn than at the Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath which is run by the owner of the award-winning vegetarian restaurant Demuths, Rachel Demuth, along with other vegetarian cookery experts – many of them former chefs at Demuths.

The school offers a range of courses, both evening classes and full day courses, in all sorts of different styles of cookery, from meals that can be prepared in just 30 minutes, to pasta making, and masterclasses with visiting experts.

Having visited both Spain and Morocco in the past year, and fallen in love with the food there, the Spanish and Moroccan course seemed like the perfect choice.

Helping Rachel lead the class was Jo Ingleby, who was head chef at Demuths for three years and has also spent time living in Spain where she developed a real passion for the local cuisine.

I was excited to learn how to make some authentic tapas dishes, and a fragrant Moroccan tagine that would hopefully show how delicious fresh, seasonal vegetables can taste, and convert the boyfriend.

I wasn't disappointed. What we managed to squeeze into six hours was amazing.

At no point did I feel rushed or pressured, and there was even time for Jo to show us some knife skills so now I can chop away like the best of the television chefs!

Salmorejo and Moorish bread stick

Harissa - made from plenty of fresh chillies

Broad bean and pumpkin seed bissara

Somehow, we managed to make almendras con sal picante (spiced almonds), salmorejo (gazpacho style dip), tortilla de patatas (traditional potato tortilla), Piementos de padron (fried green peppers), patatas bravas y alioli (potatoes with garlic mayonnaise), Moorish semolina bread, broad bean and pumpkin seed bissara, Moroccan tagine with harissa, toasted almond and mint cous cous and Moroccan orange and sultana salad, almond and orange cake and almond and rose water fruit pastries – and find plenty of time to eat as well!

Moorish bread

Jo turns out the Spanish tortilla

Some dishes we made from start to finish, others we contributed certain elements to, and a couple we just watched, but thanks to the great tuition I feel completely confident in making them at home. Even those that were made while we were busy cooking or eating we were made to feel involved with, with Rachel and Jo constantly keeping us informed about what they were doing, and showing us the progress of each dish every step of the way.

The class had been well thought out, and just about all the equipment we used was the sort of thing that most people would have in their kitchen, and Jo and Rachel's enthusiasm for what they were doing was infectious, and the enthusiasm for sharing their knowledge with people really shone through.

My spicy Moroccan tagine

The tagine was where we were given an almost free hand to make our own version of the traditional Moroccan dish.

Working in pairs we were given the recipe and a set of instructions. And while Jo and Rachel were on hand to offer advice if we needed it, we were left to interpret the dish in our own way.

Fortunately my partner and I both shared a love of spicy food, and the result was a wonderfully fragrant and spicy dish that I was very proud of.

Not being a vegetarian I thought that I might miss the meat element, but I can say hand-on-heart that I really didn't.

The tagine was as flavourful as any I had tried in Marrakech and all the tapas dishes tasted so fresh and were so colourful and vibrant looking that I believe that even the most hardened carnivore would have loved them.

Ornage and almond cake

Fortunately there were plenty of breaks timetabled into the day for us to enjoy what we were making, and the whole day ended with the whole group sitting round a table and enjoying the fruits of our labours along with some excellent Spanish wine (all vegetarian of course!).

There seemed to be a range of different cooking abilities on the course, but it was pitched so well that no-one seemed to be left behind, or getting bored, and Jo and Ruth seemed to be able to read exactly the right level to pitch the lessons at, and instinctively knew when someone might need some help, but without ever being patronising.

Toasting our efforts!

It was such a fun day, and I came away feeling inspired.

While I can't say I'm a complete convert to the vegetarian way of life the day did leave me feeling inspired and I shall definitely be trying not only to recreate the dishes that I learned on that day, but other vegetarian dishes.

And as for the boyfriend, I think there will always be a certain amount of vegetable suspicion, but I'll keep you posted!

For more information on the Vegetarian Cookery School visit http://www.vegetariancookeryschool.com/ or to find out more about Demuths restaurant visit http://www.demuths.co.uk/.

HOT DRINKS: Getting Cosy in Bath - the latest new bar/restaurant in the city

A much needed sparkle has been added to Bath's Southgate shopping centre in the shape of the Cosy Club.

Despite a small spattering of restaurants, the streets have remained eerily quiet at night, but now this hot new restaurant/bar should add a buzz to the area and give people a reason to visit.

The Cosy Club is full of character

I say “should” because if you don't visit this latest addition to the city's list of evening hotspots then you really will be missing out.

Lack of character is certainly not a criticism you could level at the Cosy Club.

It might be part of a chain (albeit a small one) but there's absolutely no sense of generic styling.

And that's because a big part of the Cosy Club “brand” - if you could even call it that – is the sense of individuality. No two will look the same. Even the Cosy Club logo will vary slightly from branch to branch.

Quirky, unqiue design sets the Cosy Club apart

The furnishings and decorations are sourced from everywhere from eBay to specialist stores.

Think old fashioned gentleman's club meets Cath Kidston-esque shabby chic and you'll be somewhere close to the resulting style. It's quirky, welcoming and, as the name suggests, cosy. It's the kind of place where you'll drop in for lunch, or an afternoon drink and find you love it so much that you'll end up staying well into the evening.

While the interior is charming (both in the quaint country cottage, and sexy silver-fox kind of way) the Cosy Club can boast that Holy Grail of bars in Bath – an outside space.

The balcony at the Cosy Club

The interior spills out on to a stunning balcony overlooking the shopping area.

The Cosy Club balcony overlooks Southgate

Majestic columns and touches of greenery create an oasis of calm in the heart of the city, and its elevated position means that it feels like an escape from the hustle and bustle of the shops, while still being part of the buzz of the city centre.

There's a wide range of food available at the Cosy Club, from brunch, to salads and sandwiches, to more substantial main courses such as burgers, pasta and fish and chips, and tapas-style plates – perfect for sharing.

Tasty tapas at the Cosy Club

We tried a selection of tapas. All were very tasty and I particularly enjoyed the shredded five-spice pork with honey glaze, pork and thyme meatballs and Thai mushrooms with chilli, lemongrass and ginger.

At just £3 a plate, or three for £8, they are very affordable and great value for money.

According to manager Melvin the ethos behind the menu is that it is accessible and affordable, with dishes to suit every palate and pocket.

Cosy Club bar

Drinks are fairly typical Bath prices, with a large glass of wine around the £4 mark, a pint of Becks Vier £3.30, a large Cappuccino is £2.20 and cocktails come in at around £6.50.

But while the food and drinks are great, what really sets Cosy Club apart from its competitors is the atmosphere.

It's so different from anywhere else in Bath and it's so quirky and interesting that I don't think I'd ever get bored just looking around. The staff seem to genuinely love it too and I always think that's very important.

If the people who work there are having a good time then people visiting there will probably have an even better time.

The perfect hang-out spot any time of the day or night I think it may be my new favourite place in Bath and I'm foreseeing spending many hours there!

The Cosy Club officially opens tomorrow (June 20.)

HOT BATH: Why I loved Bath's Love Food Festival

It was great to see so many people turning out for Bath's Love Food Festival.

It would have been easy to just stay in and stay dry, but clearly there are plenty of people with a passion for good food because despite the downpours Green Park Station was buzzing.

I had been looking forward to the festival for some time, and I wasn't disappointed.

The range of stalls on offer was very good, selling everything from boxes pre-packed by Chilli Elephant with hard-to-come-by exotic herbs and spices and recipe cards to help recreate tasty South East Asian recipes at home, to tasty British made chorizo by The Bath Pig used by Raymond Blanc in his dishes at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, to cakes and pastries, fresh fruit and veg, cheese, tasty sauces and marinades, a dazzling array of herbs and wine in interesting and refreshing flavours such as lemon and ginger.

Yes, there was plenty to suit every palette, and at the end of the day I walked home with a bag bulging with goodies, and more due to be delivered, and I'm certain there were plenty more people like me.

Not only was the food on offer really great, but the thing that I really loved about the festival was the chance to speak to stallholders who had a genuine passion and belief in their products.

I firmly believe that food cooked with love tastes better, and now I also believe that food produced with love also tastes better.

HOT MEALS: Cote opens in Bath - Review

The latest addition to Bath’s restaurant scene opened its doors to the public for the first time last night.

Since the sudden closure of the Moon and Sixpence in March, the reopening of the Milsom Street premises as French restaurant Cote, has been hotly anticipated.

I went along to see if it had been worth the wait.

First impressions were very good.

Cote in Bath is bright and airy

The structure had changed very little. The upstairs was bright and airy, and seemed a little lighter than before.

I was pleased to see that the outside area had been kept, as it was always one of my favourite places in Bath for an al fresco drink.

Sadly there’s no option to just go for a drink, but if summer ever arrives it will be a lovely location for a sunny lunch.

Downstairs the atmosphere is perhaps a little more cosy and intimate – better for the winter months I think. And there’s an open plan kitchen which I always like.

We were immediately greeted by smiling staff who showed us to a table which made the most of the last of the day’s almost sunshine through the full length windows.

Unfortunately it in the line of fire from an air conditioning unit which was blasting out cold air, but when we mentioned it to the waitress she immediately offered to turn it off or let us have another table, so absolutely no complaints there.

We began the meal with my favourite of all drinks – a Kir Royal – which at £3.95 was very reasonably priced.

Kir Royal at Cote

We were also brought a carafe of filtered water without having to ask, a nice touch which is always appreciated.

Pissaladiere with rebochon

There’s a good selection of nibbles on the menu – we opted for the Pissaladiere, a traditional flatbread from Nice, topped with reblochon and thyme.

I’m a massive fan of Nice and its cuisine anyway and it didn’t disappoint.

The caramelised onions were soft and sweet but without crossing into marmalade territory, and the nuttiness of the cheese was perfectly complemented by the thyme.

There was a nice range of starters on offer, including several fish and vegetarian options, ranging from £4.50 to £7.95.

Steak tartare at Cote

I started with a steak tartare (£6.75). The meat was tender and had been mixed with shallots, capers, cornichons, egg yolk and cognac. It was very tasty, but my only criticism would be that it had been slightly over seasoned, but that’s a personal preference and in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the dish.

Smoked salmon

My partner’s smoked salmon (£6.25) came on a large plate – definite value for money. The crème fraiche drizzled over the fish cut through the richness beautifully and the capers were a good addition.

I selected my main course of veal cutlet (£13.25) off the specials menu, along with accompaniments of gratin potatoes (£2.95) and French green beans (£2.95).

The staff were knowledgeable about the products, and were able to tell me that the veal was raised at the same place as their steaks, in the Peak District.

Steak hache a cheval

It was encouraging to see that even though it may not have been “local” they were using British products. Not only does it cut down on the air miles but I could be assured that it had been ethically produced. I am still not sure however why the chicken has to come from Brittany. Apparently it is an area renowned for its poultry, but as I didn’t try any I couldn’t say if it was in any way superior to our home-grown produce!

The veal was moist and tender, and the accompanying sauce rich and buttery. The green beans were perfectly cooked, retaining a bit of crunch, and the gratin potatoes were divine. The sauce was the perfect balance of cheese, cream and garlic and every mouthful felt delightfully decadent.

My partner selected the steak hache a cheval (£9.75) which was basically a posh burger, without the bun. It was well cooked, with the meat remaining moist and the seasoning was spot on, elevating it above a ‘normal’ burger.

The selection of main courses was good, although the vegetarian options mostly appeared on the ‘light mains’ section so if you’re a hungry veggie you might be out of luck.

I was a little disappointed that the French classic Moules did not make an appearance. There were plenty of fish items, but as a dish which is, I think, synonymous with France, I would have like to see it there, perhaps in place of the seafood linguine, which, while it looked absolutely delicious, is less authentic I think.

The Cote speciality - creme caramel

The dessert menu was full of tempting treats. I chose the Cote speciality of Crème Caramel £4.50). It was infinitely superior to the lifeless versions found on supermarket shelves. It was smooth and creamy, almost like a crème brulee without the crunchy top, but at the same time light. The perfect end to the meal.

My partner chose iced berries with white chocolate sauce (£4.50). The cool, sharp berries coated in the warm white chocolate sauce were just delicious with the bursts of sharpness from the juice of the berries softened and almost cuddled by the creamy sauce.

Iced berries with white chocolate sauce

The wine selection was good – all French of course – with bottles starting from £14.50.

The menu is wide enough to have something to suit every palette and budget, and they also do great lunch and early evening deals.

The food is excellent value for the size and quality, and the staff were all friendly and knowledgeable which made for a great evening.

I would certainly recommend the new Bath branch of Cote to anyone.

HOT BATH: Charming afternoon of Charleston and china

“Utterly charming” is the perfect way to describe last Saturday afternoon.

I mean, how else could I possibly describe a 1920s-style tea party, complete with vintage china, finger sandwiches and scones and lessons in how to dance the Charleston?

It may not be the most usual way to spend a weekend in Bath, but by golly it was fun.

Charlie Albers won best-dressed for her authentic styling

From far and wide (OK, perhaps not that far or wide, but certainly from around Bath!) girls dressed in their vintage finery – and one token man who deserves a special mention for being the only one brave enough to accompany his partner – descended on a top secret location in Bath to join in Mrs Stokes’ Secret Tea Party.

The charming Mrs Stokes

The gorgeously girly afternoon was organised by the equally gorgeous fan-of-all-things-vintage, Mrs Stokes, who had planned the party to perfection, only revealing the location of the gathering once tickets had been bought.

It was a case of “costumes optional but encouraged”, but to be honest it didn’t really seem as if us girls needed much encouragement as almost everyone had made the effort to at least dress in a nod to the style of the era.

And if anyone needed any help, Pop-Up Parlour was on hand to transform hair and make-up into 20s fashion, and Bath’s fashion boutique Vintage to Vogue was on hand to offer styling tips.

Learning to dance the Charleston

Afternoon tea from Mrs Stokes' vintage china

We must have made quite a sight as we attempted to learn the Charleston with the help of Hoppin’ Mad, aka award-winning dancers Ann and Graeme (dancing was strictly optional btw – don’t want to scare off any future attendees!) and then sipping tea and nibbling cakes and sandwiches from Mrs Stokes’ Vintage China but fortunately unless you knew where to look we were largely hidden from view!

The whole delightful escapade was rounded off with a raffle bursting with prizes and an impromptu poetry reading by the fabulous Muriel Lavender.

Frankly dahling, the whole thing was simply lovely and I can’t wait for the next one!

To add yourself to the Mrs Stokes’ Secret Tea Party mailing list email secretteaparty@mrsstokes.com or visit the Secret Tea Party Facebook page.

All photos by Christina Sim (justsofashion.blogspot.com)

Other contacts:

www.mrsstokes.com/

secretteaparty@mrsstokes.com

www.itsdarlingfair.co.uk/

www.vintagetovoguebath.co.uk/

popupparlour@hotmail.com

justsofashion.blogspot.com
veryvintagethings@yahoo.co.uk

muriel@muriel-lavender.com

www.purplesparkle.co.uk/

www.fairyglass.co.uk/

www.hoppinmad.co.uk

HOT MEALS: Paying tribute to a culinary great at the Hop Pole Supper Club

I'm a fairly modern girl with fairly modern tastes, so when I decided to go to the first Supper Club evening at the Hop Pole in Bath, with a menu inspired by 1960s chef Elizabeth David, I wasn't really sure what to expect.

But as it turns out this is a woman who really knew her stuff, and the dishes had certainly stood the test of time, and could rival many of those produced at top restaurants today in terms of inventiveness.

Elizabeth David, was the chef credited with popularising, in the mid 20^th century, many European dishes and ingredients which are now taken for granted in the UK, such as pasta olive oil and courgettes.

The idea for the monthly supper club came from head chef and manager Alice Bowyer, and her partner Sarah Greenwell, who together run the pub on the Lower Bristol Road.

The Dining Room at the Hop Pole

They moved from London to take over the pub 18 months ago, and in September gave the dining room a refurbishment, and since then have been trying to grow the food side of the business.

And it was this space that started the ball rolling for the Supper Club.

Alice said: “We were thinking of things we could do to make use of the restaurant, and to fill it up, and the idea was born from that.

“And I though Food Heroes would be a good theme.”

“On theme for our monthly supper club of our food heroes, it made sense to start at the beginning with Elizabeth David CBE.

“I first came across one of her books, An Introduction to Mediterranean Food, a fair few years ago upon my own journey as a cook. Self taught, I took up as much education as I could and looking back now, what an education from David.

“Much of the influence on my cooking comes from her ethos and chefs who were, in turn, inspired by her writing.

“I appreciate her style – narrative and opinionated rather than listing recipes. We can learn the historic stories of the dish, the ingredients, her travel tales, all in one.

“She brought a romance to food that can't help but make you want to cook. In a time where chef's skills have been on the decline, a culture of pre-packaged foods being served in pubs and restaurants, I urge chefs and indeed anyone to read her books and fall in love with food again.”

And it is a testament that 60 years on, and in a time when chefs seem to be becoming increasingly experimental with the use of unusual ingredients and techniques, that David's recipes can still hold there own.

When preparing the food Alice was insistent that the recipes were followed as closely to the letter as possible in order to make the finished result as authentic as it could be.

And the results were certainly not disappointing.

Salmon trout, horseradish and watercress

The starter of baked salmon trout, horseradish and watercress, (taken from At Elizabeth David's Table) was an intriguing melange of flavours which burst on to the taste buds.

The salmon was moist and accompanied by a perfectly crisp piece of skin, which added a crunch to the dish, and the saltiness was a good contrast to the almost sweetness of the fish.

The horseradish and watercress sauce was an exciting little surprise and not at all what I was expecting. Served warm it was buttery, and almost creamy in texture, but with a hint of peppery freshness from the watercress, a slight warmth from the horseradish, and I was sure that I had detected the tang of wild garlic creeping through as well.

The main coarse of pot roast chicken, Biarritz potatoes and tarragon sauce (French Country Cooking) may not have sounded overly inspiring but was an absolute delight.

Pot roast chicken, Biarritz potatoes and tarragon sauce

The tarragon had completely permeated the chicken giving it a depth of flavour so often missing in chicken. The tarragon sauce was creamy and perfectly seasoned so that the tarragon did not over power the chicken.

I had never eaten Biarritz potatoes so was not sure what to expect. It turns out that Biarritz potatoes are potatoes mashed with ham hock and red peppers and they were delicious. The red peppers added a sweetness, perfectly complimented by the slight saltiness of the ham.

I am not usually a huge fan of desserts but on this occasion the dessert, a chocolate and almond cake with espresso ice cream (Italian Food and Social History of Ice and Ices) was the hero of the evening.

Chocolate and almond cake and espresso ice cream

The cake was soft and velvety, with a texture hovering somewhere between an brownie and chocolate fondant.

Looking at the ice cream, which was pale cream – almost indistinguishable from vanilla ice cream – there was no idea of the taste explosion which was to come.

It had the deep, almost bitter, warming flavour of a freshly roasted coffee bean while at the same time the silky creaminess of home made ice cream. It was a taste sensation which was both surprising and charming.

I wasn't sure if recipes from the 60s would be able to hold their own with today's modern palette, but I am pleased to say that I was proved entirely wrong.

Alice's passion for food and cooking is obvious and she clearly love sharing her passion with people coming out of the kitchen at the end of the evening to talk to the diners about the dishes.

And even before them, everyone was given an insight into the evening ahead with a carefully prepared dossier with some information about Elizabeth David, the food, and even the recipes.

When asked about future Supper Club evenings and which food heroes might inspire them Alice's face lights up.

“There's so many,” she said. “Rose Gray, Simon Hopkinson, Alastair Little, Jane Grigson. I'm not sure which will be next. It would make sense to do it chronologically, but I'm not sure.”

And in between the Supper Club evenings Alice will be concentrating on the pub's main menu.

Sarah Greenwell and Alice Bowyer

Since moving in to the pub Alice and Sarah have been trying to grow the food side of the business. Alice works in the kitchen, while Sarah is front of house meeting and greeting the customers while working behind the bar.

“It's been going well,” said Alice. “It's nice to exceed expectations. We know we are a pub, not a restaurant, but there are a lot of very average restaurants in Bath - it doesn't matter if we are serving fish and chips or bangers and mash, we want to do it the best it can be.”

The Supper Club will be help on the last Thursday of each month and costs £20 a head for a three course meal, excluding drinks.

Find the Hop Pole at:

7 Albion Buildings,
Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AR
T 01225 446327
E hoppole@bathales.co.uk

www.bathales.com/pubs/hop-pole.html