July 2009
With the arrival of July, we finally immerse ourselves in the many joys of summer and all that is right with the world! We are enveloped in long balmy days and velvet nights and we become enriched by simple outdoor pleasures: fields of swaying crops; swallows dive-bombing from overhead power lines; and, streams of colour through overgrown hedgerows. Of course we turn our attention to the great highlights of English summers with Wimbledon tennis; Henley Regatta; cut grass on village greens, picnic hampers at summer concerts, music festivals and Country Shows.
One of the best things about summer is the re-awakening of our taste buds with the glorious abundance of fresh produce, sun-ripened vegetables and luscious summer fruits allowing us to indulge our cravings for evocative food and drink: fresh crisp salads and succulent fruits; cooling ice creams; iced jugs of minted Pimm’s; chilled West Country cider; and of course perfect English strawberries.
For what seems like endless months in this newsletter, we refer to the waiting game our chefs must play throughout the long hungry-gap – making the most of whatever they can lay their hands on as we buy almost 90% of our food within a 30 Mile Zone of Tetbury. However, July delivers a welcome breath of fresh air and sumptuous Cotswold offerings of fresh seasonal food and fruit. Our team can now enjoy devising new dishes, salads and sauces. Fresh succulent berries now play a star role in salad dressings and desserts: gooseberries; blueberries; plump juicy cherries; and, delicate pink raspberries. Red, black and white currants will also be playing an important role in the coming weeks. Gloucestershire-grown tomatoes are now at their taste-high, superb in salads or as a fresh pizza topping. The Home Farm in Tetbury and Over Farm in Gloucester are reaching their over-loaded time of year and will supply us with broad beans, runner beans, peas, courgettes, aubergines, creamy spinach and fennel as well as succulent tomatoes and nutritious salad leaves.
Our summer menus and certain pizzas feature some delicious local charcuterie. We are lucky enough to be able to buy from Tuck’s Butcher in Sherston and Trealy Farm in Monmouthshire. Andrew and Julie Werrit from Tuck’s diversified their farming skills 5 years ago into a now thriving butcher/farm shop selling their own meat and produce from their farms in Luckington and Didmarton, and from other local sources. The annual influx of Argentinian polo players resulted in one regular customer passing on a recipe for salami which Andrew tried…and has never looked back. They use the highest quality free range pork, venison from the Beaufort Estate and local wild boar which all contribute to the salami, chorizo and bresaola that we now buy from Andrew. By the way – the discerning polo player now prefers the Sherston salami to the ones he eats at home!
James Swift and Graham Waddington from Trealy Farm use exclusively locally raised, traditional breed, free range animals. By limiting their supply to traditional breeds, they help to continue those breeds and ensure that local farmers get a decent price for their animals. In return they are guaranteed pigs with beautifully marbled meat, an intense flavour and perfect texture. Meat such as this is the first step in ensuring the finest quality charcuterie products. The Duchy Home Farm, Tetbury (who originally had to send their meat to Italy to produce good dried meats) is one of their suppliers. We buy delicious air-dried products for you to enjoy - salamis, ham, loins (lomo), shoulder (coppa) and bresaola. How fabulous that such people are devoting their energy and passions to drive the British Food Revolution - allowing us to buy truly authentic artisan charcuterie made entirely in Britain. You can buy Trealy Farm’s products at The Stroud Market on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.
Please come and enjoy some Somerset cider in The Priory Inn’s cider tent at Tetbury’s Fiesta on Sunday 12th July between 11am and 9pm and help contribute to the great charities being supported this year. We shall be serving Thatcher’s ciders: Gold (sparkling cider); Heritage; and Cheddar Valley (which are traditional draught ciders). Katy Rosé will also make a welcome appearance (she is developing a great following at our bar) – a medium Rosé Cider which has been blended and blushed from the rosiest Katy apples.
Live music has become an integral part of our product here at The Priory Inn. This month, we welcome Martin Curtis on July 5th – all the way from New Zealand – he is a singer/songwriter and bush poet singing mainly about New Zealand and the ways of life there. On 12th we welcome Pete Gill again with his keyboard and some great jazz. Steve Degutis will be with us on 19th July – a really popular local musician and on 26th we have Out of The Blues with a vocalist, saxophone and guitar.
Click here for more information on all our musicians and for a full list of forthcoming singer/songwriters. The music starts shortly after 7pm and entry is free - we hope you will join us.
TL Kelly 01/07/2009
