An Edible Voyage

August 2021 Agrodolce. That addictive, lip-smacking Italian goodness, the epitome of Mediterranean cuisine. It's so good in fact, even challenging fennel submits to the most delicate and delicious of dinners. Heat the oil from the anchovies, fry finely chopped garlic, pine nuts and slivered fennel, before stirring in honey, raisins, red wine vinegar and the anchovies.  Simmer until the liquid evaporates and, at the last moment, toss through fresh dill.  Serve on flatbread - if you want to go homemade, see below for the softest, fluffiest, moorish, yet super simple flatbread around. Quick Flatbread Melt 50g butter in 3/4 cup warm milk.   Add 2 cups plain flour.  Knead for 2 mins.  Rest for 30 mins.  Divide in to 4.  Roll in to rounds approx 0.3cm thick.  Cook one at a time in an oiled pan over medium heat for around 90 secs on each side, or until it bubbles up and turns golden

Spring and Winter 2019 As soon as I arrived at The Free Company, I feel in love with the place.  Accessed via lots of wiggly country lanes, culminating in a farm track, I was welcomed by fairy lights and benches around a fire pit, before being ushered in to a cosy, log burner warmed bunker for cocktails. What a start to an evening!  The concept is simple, you pay what you think the evening is worth - 6 courses showcasing the best of the farm's organic produce that season, served at communal tables in the barn's rustic loft.   A highlight for me is always the bread which is baked moments before serving.  For winter, pork rendered focaccia with St Andrews Cheddar and mushroom duxelle - rich, luxurious, and delightfully naughty tasting.  For spring, yogurt flatbreads warm from the fire, the silky honey butter and crunchy smoked hazelnut dukkah pairing wonderfully with the light charring - a taste and texture sensation! Fazzoletti (handke...

April 2020 D'Ambrosi Deli's salad are 'posh' salads made with passion.  Previously a chef at several highly acclaimed restaurants around the world, Andrew D'Ambrosi knows how to pack bags of flavour into meagre salads.  Charred aubergine, tofu, tahini and coriander crema, and piquillo peppers is smoky, earthy and rich; cauliflower with capers, raisins, pine nuts and grapes is sweet, salty and nutty, and I loved the pop of biting through a juicy grape.  Simple, homemade flat breads, served warm from the pan were quick to make and perfect for scooping up the salads.