An Edible Voyage

June 2021 One of the pubs at the top of my list for visiting post lockdown was The White Horse in King's Sutton.  I first went the day I went to look around the house I ended up buying in a nearby village, and the horsebox cafe they had going over lockdown reminded me what a great place it is.   Set on the green of a quintessential village, just over the Oxfordshire border in West Northamptonshire, it draws you in with its inviting village pub looks.  And once inside, it gets better and better.  A traditional bar, cosy wood panelling and squishy arm chairs in front of log fires mean you'll never want to leave.  The food is exceptional.  Kicking off with home baked loaves, warm from the oven and served with home made butter, the small but perfectly formed menu showcases the best of the seasons.  With an emphasis on reducing food miles and supporting local producers, dishes are as inventive as they are flavoursome.  Pies seem to be a particular...

June 2021 Cooked rice, kimchi, an egg, gruyere.  That's all you need for kimchi fritters.  They don't look much but make the most delicious snack, fancy starter, or main event of a meal served alongside salad. I saw these on the Instagram page of a pub I've never been to in Australia.  Ottolenghi also has a recipe.  I keep things simple.  Heat a pan with a little oil, mix a few generous spoonfuls of kimchi, an egg and lots of chunks of gruyere (the more, the better is my motto when it comes to cheese) in to a portion of cooked rice, spoon blobs of your desired fritter size in to the hot pan, flip once the bottom is set and crispy - the crispy bits make a delightful contrast to the gooey centres so don't skimp on the pan time! Enjoy on their own or with a mint, yogurt and cucumber dip.

September 2020 Whilst on a leisurely weekend bike ride from Maenclochog to Newport, through the beautiful Cwm Gwaun valley in north Pembrokeshire, my friend, a born and bred local, suddenly announced that he thought we were approaching Bessie.  Bessie?! Tell me more! It transpired that the characterful land lady of the Dyffryn Arms in Pontfaen, Bessie, is quite the legend, and the pub is now somewhat of an institution, with beer served in jugs from the parlour of an old farmhouse as it has been by Bessie and her family since the 1840s.  Of course we had to pay a visit! A must stop on any trip through Cwm Gwaun.  Find the Dyffryn Arms on the roadside in Pontfaen. 

December 2020 Alongside the platform of the former Rosebush station is a red, corrugated zinc shed.  What the industrial exterior lacks in cosiness is more than made of for by the homely interior.  Walls adorned with an eclectic array of pictures and sporting memorabilia, straw floors, and soft lighting from the small windows creates an atmosphere where you’ll want to settle in with your locally brewed pint or your hot chocolate laced with the Welsh cream liqueur Merlyn from the Penderyn distillery.