As the season changes, Waddesdon Manor’s historic gardens transform into a winter spectacle, so why not plan a visit?
Waddesdon’s striking French Renaissance-style château is surrounded by expansive parkland and manicured gardens, originally designed in the late 19th century for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. Each season brings its own charm, but winter holds a special magic with early spring-flowering snowdrops, striking winter shrubs, and picturesque views that are only visible before the trees come into leaf.
Image: Chris Lacey
This February, swathes of snowdrops will create impressive displays across Waddesdon’s gardens, including at the top of Daffodil Valley, the Tulip Patch and Baron’s Walk, where both single and double-flowering varieties flourish in the secluded woodland. A particularly poignant feature is the expanse of 83,000 snowdrop bulbs planted in 2019 in memory of the late Lady Rothschild—one thousand bulbs for each year of her life—forming a magnificent tribute between the Aviary Garden, Rose Garden, and Tay Bridge that continues to captivate visitors.
For those eager to explore further, Waddesdon’s wider estate includes Eythrope, a private Rothschild garden boasting more than 70 different snowdrop varieties. Introduced in the early 1990s, these delicate blooms flourish near the walled kitchen garden and in naturalised drifts beneath the trees in the parkland and woodland garden. Exclusive Eythrope Parkland Spring Tours provide an opportunity to enjoy these displays, available by guided tour only and including lunch and Grounds admission to Waddesdon.
Did you know…
In 2019, an additional 83,000 snowdrop bulbs were planted in Waddesdon’s gardens in memory of the late Lady Rothschild.
Over 100,000 daffodil bulbs transform Daffodil Valley into carpet of yellow each year.
For Spring 2025, nearly 20,000 daffodil, tulip, and hyacinth bulbs, along with over 19,000 bedding plants, will create seasonal formal bedding displays at the Parterre, Aviary, and North Avenue.
Join Thames Valley Gay Chorus for a special performance on 5th April at Reading Minster. Peter Anderson tells us more about this supportive LGBTQIA+ choir
There’s no place like home… Thames Valley Gay Chorus will explore this through song at Reading Minster in St Mary’s Butts on 5th April, conducted by their musical director, Christopher Wray.
The choir will take the audience through popular songs from recent decades, including Stand By Me, Downtown & Chosen Family.
Thames Valley Gay Chorus are a dedicated LGBTQIA+ choir who seek to foster a safe space for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. They have sung for the Reading Trans Day of Remembrance Service on many occasions. In 2023, they were hosted in recording for this by the Minster Church, and for the service in 2024, they finished by backing trans soloist Asifa Lahore, singing Stand by Me.
When the theme was picked for this concert last autumn, home seemed to be a recurrent theme that ran through many of the songs in their repertoire. They had little idea that a sanctuary and safe place for trans and non-binary people could be so important in the way things have developed on the world stage.
For the There’s No Place Like Home spring concert, Thames Valley Gay Chorus are supporting with Stonewall Housing whose team have been celebrating 40 years of support for LGBTQIA+ community who are experiencing homelessness.
Get in touch
For more about the choir & to book tickets, visit thamesvalleygaychorus.org.uk. Also visit stonewallhousing.org or text FORTY to 70450 to donate £10.
The Castle Hotel, Windsor, will welcome British food writer and critic Tom Parker Bowles for an exclusive Q&A event on 6th March, following the release of his latest book, Cooking & The Crown. We caught up with him about our favourite subject… FOOD!
Tom Parker Bowles will star in an intimate evening of food, drink, and storytelling on Thursday, 6th March, at The Castle Hotel, just steps from Windsor’s iconic castle.
The Castle Hotel, Windsor
Ticket-holders can enjoy a sneak taste of Tom’s celebrated ninth cookbook, which draws back the curtain on the royals and their eating habits, from Queen Victoria to King Charles III.
Following extensive research, including at the Royal Archives in Windsor, Tom has documented recipes from extravagant Victorian high teas to his mother Camilla’s simple yet delicious cooking….
Q. Hello Tom. Your new – ninth – cookbook Cooking & the Crown sounds fascinating. Whose eating habits did you find the most fascinating and why? “Edward VII was a world-class trencherman, and an inspiration too. It was not just the range of food he loved, from the starriest peaks of haute cuisine to great British classics like roast beef, game pie and potted shrimps. But the sheer volume of food he could eat. A vast breakfast (if he was racing or shooting, which was quite a lot), elevenses of a lobster cocktail, or flask of turtle soup; lunch ran to 14 courses, tea a mighty spread, and dinner another 14 or so courses of foie gras filled, butter and cream-soaked magnificence.”
Cover of Tom’s new book
Q. Please could you tell us your first memories of food? “I grew up in the country, and my mother was a good cook, my father a great gardener. We ate very well. Classic British food – lamb chops, baked trout, roast chicken, shepherd’s pie in winter. Then in the summer we’d go for two weeks to the island of Ischia, just off Naples, and eat some of the most wonderful south Italian food. But despite all this lovely seasonal, local and organic eating, what my sister and me really craved was cheap white bread, Ice Magic, and Monster Munch from the Chippenham Sainsbury’s. That, for us, was the real magic.”
Q. Do you still enjoy the simple, delicious cooking as cooked by your mother The Queen? “She no longer cooks, save occasionally scrambled eggs when we’re staying with her after Christmas. She makes very good scrambled egg.”
Q. Which is your favourite meal of the day & why? “Lunch. As it is so full of potential and possibility. Dinner is finite, whereas lunch can lead into dinner and beyond. There is no finer meal than lunch. Brunch, on the other hand, is a horrible abomination. Urgh.”
Q. Is there anything you don’t eat or drink, and why? “I’ve eaten pretty much everything over the past 25 years, from insects and cold blood soup to pig’s penis and dog stew. I really would not recommend that last one. But it’s goat’s cheese I really can’t bear. And it annoys me, as I love every other kind of cheese. But it tastes like licking the farmyard floor. I am, though, trying to love it. Without much success.”
Q. Please tell us a little about your love for Windsor? “I spent five very happy years just over the bridge. I did seem to spend rather too much time in McDonald’s, as well as various pubs. The Crispin, when I was 14, was a favourite, as they would serve underage boys. It was a hell of a walk away, though. As we got older, the pubs we visited grew closer to the centre. In my final years, I loved The Two Brewers, at the entrance to the Long Walk. And The Old Trout, just over the bridge.”
Q. Also, do you visit Oxford much, and if so what are your favourite pubs or restaurants? “Yup. Love Oxford. I was at prep school there, and university too. Brown’s is, sadly, a shadow of its former self. But Kopitiam, in Summertown does great Malaysian food. Bhoomi Kitchen in Headington does excellent Southern Indian, while Oli’s Thai [in Magdalen Road, East Oxford] is a cracking place for real Thai food. Then there’s the ever wonderful Pompette, in Summertown, for really classic French bistro cooking, And, of course, the magnificent Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, for some of the best food in the country.”
Q. Is there a particular ingredient or foodstuff you’re borderline obsessed with? I’m thinking Pot Noodle or similar maybe..? “Hot sauce, and anything with chilli, I can’t live without it. I also love cheap ‘cheese’ slices and most brands of instant noodles, especially Indomie and Buldak 2 x Spicy.”
Q. Who were your foodie heroes growing up? “Keith Floyd and Delia.”
Q. Have you ever been star struck? “Endlessly.”
Q. What’s your essential bit of kitchen kit? “A good knife, a wooden spoon and a Netherton Foundry frying pan.”
Q. What’s one thing about restaurant life behind the scenes you wish diners knew? “What hard work it is to run a successful restaurant. You have to do it for love, not the thought of making cash.”
Q. If you had a magic wand what would you wish for? “My own taco stand, flown in from Mexico City. Oh, and world peace. Obvs.”
*Tickets, £25pp, will include a welcome glass of fizz, canapés, a signed copy of Cooking and the Crown, and access to the Q&A session.
Indie Oxford is turning 10 and the team are inviting you to their biggest party yet, a 12-hour celebration at Tap Social Movement’s Botley on Saturday, 22nd March
You’re all invited to this celebration of Oxfordshire’s incredible independent scene, with an exciting lineup of live music, DJs, workshops, activities and pop-ups.
Collaborating with Wood Festival, Divine Schism, Tap Social, Simple and Young Women’s Music Project, Indie Oxford is bringing together the best of Oxfordshire’s music and indie scene all under one roof.
Expect:
Brilliant live local bands throughout the day
DJs from 8pm to keep the party going
Creative kids’ activities from Caper bookshop in collaboration with Wood Festival
A singing workshop with Elena Harris
A pop-up record store from Flow Records
Coffee from Missing Bean
Backgammon with Hoyle’s of Oxford
Fitness fun with The Project PT and Every Body Studio
Rosie Jacobs, co-founder of Indie Oxford, says: “This festival is a celebration of everything Indie Oxford stands for – community, creativity, and collaboration. Over the past decade, we’ve supported and championed Oxfordshire’s indie business scene, and this event is my way of saying thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey. We can’t wait to party with you all!”
Tess Taylor, co-founder of Tap Social, adds: “Tap Social is all about bringing people together through great beer, music and community events, so we’re thrilled to be hosting the Indie Oxford Festival. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase and celebrate the independent businesses and artists that make Oxford so special.”
Claire Bennett, festival manager of Wood Festival, says: “Wood Festival has always been about sustainability, community and incredible music, and we’re excited to be part of this milestone event and bring a little of Wood’s magic to the city for the day!”
Rosa’s Thai is the new kid on the block at Jackson’s Corner in Reading…. We popped by to sample the sizzling menu and hear from the inspiring founder, Saiphin Moore.
February oozes the usual grey gloom. But the good news is that Rosa’s Thai has landed in Reading to provide some welcome helpings of colour and flavour!
So… what’s on the menu? Dorothy Geteloma visited the new branch to find out more about the team’s viral 56 Chilli Challenge (they put 56 chillies in their papaya salad, one for each of Saiphin’s birthdays) and tuck into must-try favourites, including the incredible pad thai and (Saiphin’s favourite) Pad Kra Pow.
Rosa’s Thai was co-founded by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who brought dishes from Saiphin’s native Thailand to London when they opened a market stall in Brick Lane in 2007. A year later, they took over Rosa’s Cafe in Spitalfields and opened the first Rosa’s Thai restaurant—keeping the Rosa’s sign on the building’s façade as testament to what stood before. Now, more than 17 years later, Rosa’s Thai is celebrated for bringing signature Thai hospitality and fresh, vibrant cooking to neighbourhoods across the UK.
“When I first saw the Jackson’s Corner site, I was immediately taken with the history of the building,” says Saiphin. “It reminded me of when we opened our first restaurant and kept the sign to honour the previous owners. To have the opportunity to open a Rosa’s Thai in such a historic Reading landmark is truly an honour. We are excited to bring our authentic Thai flavours and warm hospitality to this vibrant community and become a part of its ongoing story.”
While settling in to enjoy a spicy chili cocktail (the thirst-quenching Thai-inspired cocktails menu also includes the Kopiko Espresso Martini and Chilli Lageritas, as well as bubble teas, wine, Singha on tap, house “Thai-PA”, Mai Mao beers, and Thai iced teas) we loved hearing about. Saiphin’s passion for her motherland.
Spice fans are sure to love the four Hot Right Now dishes, including Guaytiew Kee Mao Drunken Noodles, packed with Thai basil, krachai, and fresh chillies; Gaeng Kiew Wan Green Curry’ (thick, creamy, spicy and aromatic, made with Rosa’s own curry paste – not for the faint-hearted!) and Som Tum’ Green Papaya Salad andPad Kra Prow Chilli & Basil Stir Fry.
Other highlights include Crispy Pork Bites, a classic beer snack, served with homemade Sriracha chilli sauce; Tod Mun Goong Prawn Doughnuts, and Rosa’s Pad Thai noodles which utilises a special recipe for the sauce, using tamarind grown from Saiphin’s hometown (trust us, this sauce takes things to another level!). The Rosa’s Thai menu also features an extensive selection of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, with spice levels ranging from “a bit of a kick” to “Thai spicy”, allowing guests to customise their meals. Families will love the Little Rosa’s children’s menu, and food will be available for delivery, click-and-collect, and takeaway.
As impossible as it sounds, make sure to leave some room for pudding! Rosa’s Thai’s brownie and coconut ice cream is divine – their homemade tamarind sauce took it to another level.
This open-plan restaurant is a welcome addition to reading’s foodie scene, with its duck-egg blue exterior, large windows flooding the space with natural light and offering a view of the bustling town centre, while neon lighting and wall art add touches of Bangkok café culture.
Lovely Bit of Crumpet is winning fans all over the UK thanks to Bucks-based baker Judith Bonne whose artisan goodies include an array of sweet & savoury flavours too
Cousin to the English muffin, crumpets can be classified as small griddle breads… “However, they are not wholeheartedly accepted within the bread category and are often compared to their American relative, the pancake,” says lawyer turned crumpet baker Judith Bonne.
Judith is on a mission to make sure crumpets are revered, not just as members of the bread family but as the upper crust. Her artisan crumpets – sold online at lovelybitofcrumpet.com & delivered fresh to foodies’ doorsteps since February 2023 – have been winning fans all over the nation. And since November, these crumpets – available in classic, cheese, chocolate and cinnamon and raisin flavours – have been selling like hot cakes in the bakery and farmshop in Manor Stables, Long Crendon.
“The idea for Lovely Bit of Crumpet was hatched a few years ago following a tête-à-tête about the virtues and versatility of the crumpet,” says Judith, who lives in nearby Quainton with her husband Greg, children Billy and Rose and chocolate labrador Atticus. They are keen members of Chinnor Rugby Club, where Greg is the coach for U7 and U6s, alongside others who volunteer their time.
“Our crumpets are handmade using locally sourced ingredients to guarantee texture and taste,” adds Judith, an alumna of Dr Challoner’s. “With reduced salt and no added preservatives, our artisan crumpets never compromise on quality. We make them fresh every day, with online deliveries sent next-day delivery on Wednesday, guaranteeing a crumpety weekend brunch, tea or supper. Sweet or savoury, crumpets are the ultimate comfort food, Britain’s unsung baking heroes.
“Made from a batter of flour and yeast, their unique, hole-riddled structure makes them easily identifiable and gives them an edge over your more usual bread or pancake. Indeed, it’s these glorious hollows that make the crumpet the perfect vehicle for butter, and any of the usual toast, bagel, pancake, muffin toppings you might be familiar with. Sweet or savoury shouldn’t be a question. Both. Sometimes at the same time. Crumpets are wonderful with any jam, syrup or sweet topping, make beautiful desserts and are an excellent alternative to a scone. Equally delicious as a savoury option, crumpets and eggs are natural bedfellows, but topped with any kind of cheese (and chutney) or encasing a juicy burger are also popular options. Not forgetting Marmite!
“Toasted and topped, the crumpet delivers every time and yet no two crumpets are the same, with their individual ‘fingerprint’ holes. Crumpets are the most versatile of breakfast produce. So versatile, in fact, that their potential extends beyond the first meal of the day and should be enjoyed at any meal possible. Including elevenses!
Shop for crumpets, hampers, crumpet making kits & more, which make great Mother’s Day gifts, atlovelybitofcrumpet.com
You’re all invited to admire the screenprints, etchings, paintings and textiles of Mary Moser at The Kendrew Barn, St John’s College, OX1 3JP, from 28th February until 9th March
This exhibition celebrates the extensive artistic output of Mary Moser (1921-2022).
The visual world around her gave her immense pleasure. Reflections in a puddle or a glass-fronted office block; the beauty of industrial landscapes; the juxtaposition of the old and the new, the natural and the man-made. Electric pylons – which many find an eyesore – she saw as figures dancing across the countryside. Her artwork – screenprints, paintings, etchings and textiles – captures these things beautifully. The exhibition includes works inspired by Mary’s extensive travels – buildings and landscapes in Hong Kong, Bali, the Australian outback and Japanese temples. Music was another great influence in her life: her husband Claus was Chairman of the Royal Opera House for many years and she often attended rehearsals. They also hosted chamber music gatherings at their home, and at both she would sit and sketch musicians. The exhibition includes sketches and monoprints of musicians captured in the moment. Also included will be several works with an Oxfordshire theme. But rather than images of iconic Oxford buildings you`ll see instead screenprints of the Cowley works and Didcot Power Station!
Mary spent much of her childhood living in the Swiss Alps, then returning to London where she spent most of her life. She studied at the London School of Economics during the war after which she trained as a Psychiatric Social Worker. She was elected to Holborn Council in 1945 as the youngest Labour councillor in the country. Throughout her life Mary combined art with her various other work and family commitments. This continued when she moved to Oxford in 1984, when her husband Claus became Warden of Wadham College.
Mary had a major role with Oxfordshire Artweeks, taking on the role of chair for many years until 2001. During this period, she oversaw the organisation’s development from a struggling festival to arguably the most successful open studio visual arts festival in the country, and she always considered her role in Artweeks to be one of her proudest achievements. During Artweeks she also exhibited her own work in various settings, including at Wadham College and Sutton Courtney Abbey.
During her years as chair of Artweeks Mary particularly loved meeting artists for whom art was not their first career. This led to the establishment in 2003 of the Mary Moser award – a prize given to an artist exhibiting in Artweeks who had taken up art later in life as a second career. It continues to be awarded annually.
As chair of Artweeks Mary was instrumental in developing their educational work, widening access to art by setting up both Kids@Art and Art4Age. These local projects involved artist residencies in schools and care homes.
Liz Nicholls chats to dad and Chelsea & Gardeners’ World star Adam Frost whose new book For The Love Of Plants is out on 13th March ahead of his spring UK tour
Q. Hello again Adam, lovely to talk to you again! Last time we spoke about mental health… how are you? “Hi Liz! I’m ok thank you. I always struggle those first couple of weeks at the start of January… Actually part of this tour is about what happened to my mental health. With me, I need to be out doing things, and I keep busy. As my old Nan would say: busy hands…”
Q. How’s your garden now? “Yeah it’s all right; I was out over the weekend. The bulbs are about to pop up; the leaves on some tulips are coming , I’ve seen some Iris Reticulata. Things are just starting to push through the ground, so give it a few weeks and that first flush of bulbs will come alive. They provide a smile don’t they?”
Q. Tell us how your grandparents’ allotment inspired your love of gardening… “I had quite a difficult childhood so my grandparents played a massive part in my life. I had Tidy Nan and Scruffy Nan. Tidy Nan had that a classic allotment, rectangular 1970s lawn, little rockery, concrete path, washing line. She was a bit of a control freak, so she’d tie everything up within an inch of its life. But it was a safe place to be. If I wasn’t with them, I was across the road with Scruffy Nan. They both had quite high-flying jobs: Grandad was a gun engineer. At the weekends they lived quite a bohemian existence, they were on the wild side, also never threw anything away. Nan had these Belfast sinks all over the place that were these little worlds, you know? There was freedom there; we were allowed to be out until dark. Mrs Frost says I’m scruffy but I’m always tidy in my head!”
Q. Are you still on a mission to help youngsters get into gardening? I know you weren’t happy at school…. “Yes, I’m dyslexic. I was that kid; I was told you can join the Army, be a chef or be a gardener, because you’re not going to equate to a lot else. Horticulture is often sold to the less academic kids like me, the ones the education system has failed, which I find bizarre, in the sense that not only is it a career that you can go into and train as a horticulturalist and end up in the sciences, in the arts, in retail. But also why does anything that’s done with your hands have to be given to someone who doesn’t fit the system? I always say to young people: if you don’t know what to do, go and train in horticulture for a few years because you’re learning a skill set that’s going to lead you through life in various different directions. Saying that, it is getting better; we’ve got more people going into horticulture – interestingly – from geography. Biology in our schools is mostly animal-centric, whereas actually we don’t learn much about plants. I think it’s a great industry to get involved in. Let’s face it most of the young people leaving school are going to be working until they’re nearly 80; learn how to look after a garden, how to grow your own food. These are going to be of value in your life, even if you go and drift off to do something else. I keep shouting about it and keep spreading the word!”
Q. Tell us about your book! “Well, I did the last tour, the first one (I thought it was like a big joke, I didn’t think anyone was going to turn up! Well, they did!) Anyway, that tour finished, and at that time we were going through a lot as a family. My wife had been poorly and one of my littl’uns had been poorly, then the wheels came off me. We moved house, and this moving house became quite a big thing in the media world; the papers were phoning up, asking ‘why are you leaving this big farmhouse with massive garden?’ The reality is, I got locked in a room with Covid, and I was sat with a psychiatrist, and he said you’ve got burn-out and depression. So I finished the last tour being honest with people on stage. We start the book locked in a room with the psychiatrist. Also I’ve got this huge connection with music: I’ve used music all the way through my life. The book really is about moving, creating a new garden, but each part’s got a song attached to it, and there’s 150 plants in it. I look upon them as old friends. It bounces about, the book, and that will become the stage show, with some naughty stories, places I’ve been, the pickles I’ve got myself into along the way. The book’s quite personal; I’m halfway through doing it as an audio, which is a bizarre experience… mate!”
Q. What would young Adam say about you doing all this now, doing audiobooks, being on stage? “’You’re having a laugh!’ At school, in English, they’d be coming round the classroom asking you to read out loud…. At the time didn’t realise I was dyslexic, so all I was thinking was ‘how do I get out of this classroom?! I will do anything! I’d rather have the slipper from the headmaster than read out loud’. Fast forward 30 years and here I am doing this book, literally, reading out loud, thinking ‘what am I doing?!’ Ultimately, I finished the book eight months ago so it’s been a nice way to go back in, but it’s exhausting. Being dyslexic, your mind bounces about. It’s been crackers. That’s the other thing about me going into schools now, and even with my kids. One thing the psychiatrist said to me at one point was ‘I reckon statistically you don’t exist’. I said what? He said ‘think about your past, where you come from, what you’re doing now… if you were fired into a computer system, statistically there’s such a small percentage [of the old you] that you wouldn’t even show up on a graph!’ I don’t think the young me would have believed any of it. I never set out to do it. I left home at 16 and all I wanted was life to be a bit better than it was. And the harder I worked, the better life got. When I was ill, I learned that if you don’t change those survival habits you have as a youngster, by the time you get into your late 40s, early 50s, those habits start to unpick you. That’s been fascinating, understanding how the brain works, and how we are as human beings.”
Q. You’re exploring your love of music in the tour too, aren’t you? What piece of music lifts your mood? “I asked the family group chat: ‘what’s one song that gets you going’ and they all came back with Mr Brightside by The Killers. We’ve seen them live, there’s pictures of us going absolutely crackers. Wherever my kids were, if they were at a party they’d be jumping up and down to that song. Mrs Frost, too. It’s a great song, for my family. Just for me? Probably an old one: Johnny Nash, I Can See Clearly Now. I’ve always loved the lyrics, how you can relate to parts of your life. But it’s endless, I get totally lost in music!”
Q. Do you watch much telly? “Not loads but yeah. For us it’s that 9 o’clock drama, sit down and watch for an hour… well, whatever her ladyship, known as Mrs Frost, decides! She tells me. As you can see behind me is a picture of Peaky Blinders in our snug room… Mrs Frost loves a naughty boy!”
Q. Do women still proposition you in the supermarket? “Yeah! And she just throws me under the bus, she finds it hilarious, while I’m [miming] ‘help!’ I come across as confident but I get so shy! One lady said something about me doing audiobooks that I can’t repeat! It was along the lines of how my voice did… certain things to her and she’d like to take the audiobooks to bed at night.. I came out with something like ‘oh that’s nice’ but I could feel my heart getting quicker. Life’s mad!”
Q. Have you ever been star struck? “I’ve met loads of people who have blown me away and lots of talented people I class as friends now. But people are people! Apparently one of the reasons I get sent to do interviews, like The King, Adam Clayton from U2, is because I talk to everybody the same. Having said that, we went to Jools Holland’s Hootenanny and it blew my mind! So much talent in one room: Bob Geldof, Roger Taylor, Jungle, CMAT, Ruby Taylor – who I love – said she couldn’t believe she’d met her favourite gardener! (I asked her to repeat that for Mrs Frost). Now we’re going to Ronnie Scott’s later this year. Musicians are magical people.”
Q. What’s your essential bit of gardening kit? “I got some secateurs while in Japan 10 or 15 years ago; they’re not expensive out there. Also a little Dutch planting trail which I always get asked about, as well as Ash the cat!”
Q. If you had a magic wand what would you wish for? “Just to live in a nicer world. To put the news on and hear that all was good with the world…. I’d need some magic wand, wouldn’t I?! Hence going into the garden and losing myself.”
You can win a copy of Adam’s book, For The Love of Plantshere.
James Graham, talented head chef at The Bell at Ramsbury shares two gorgeous recipes to make and tuck into at home
Baked egg custard tart (makes eight portions)
Ingredients: For the sweet pastry case: • 125g cold butter • 85g icing sugar • One egg • 200g plain flour • A pinch of salt
For the custard: • Nine egg yolks • 195g caster sugar • 750g double cream • Vanilla essence to taste • Nutmeg
Method:
For the sweet pastry 1. Lightly cream together the butter & sugar 2. Gradually add the eggs mixing well in between each addition 3. Add the flour & salt until you have a dough 4. Wrap in cling film and rest in a fridge for at least 30 minutes 5. Roll it on floured surface to 2mm thick 6. Line tart case and blind bake at 170C for 20 minutes
For the custard 1. Boil the cream 2. Whisk eggs & sugar together 3. Pour cream onto egg/sugar mixture 4. Seal base of tart case with egg wash 5. Pour mixture into the case 6. Finely great nutmeg over the tart 7. Bake at 110C until it sets
Banana caramel souffle (makes six)
Ingredients:
For pure base: • 180g ripe bananas • 50g set caramel (200g caster sugar + 80g water)
For meringue: • Four egg whites • 70g caster sugar • Juice of half a lemon
Method:
Steam the bananas in their skins for about 40 minutes
Make caramel: cook sugar until caramelised, put on heatproof tray, allow to cool, break into pieces
Blitz banana & caramel mix to form pure base
To make meringue: whisk egg whites, sugar & lemon juice until soft peaks
Place 150g of pure in a bowl and add meringue in two stages folding between additions
Line ramekins with soften butter using a brush (brushing upwards)
Coat inside of buttered ramekins with caster sugar (shake off excess)
Place souffle mix in piping bag, pipe in circular motion until filled
Scrape top to flatten
Score the edge of the bowl with tip of your thumb
Bake at 180C for five or six minutes
Situated in the heart of the idyllic East Wiltshire village of Ramsbury, near Marlborough, The Bell is owned by the surrounding 19,000-acre Ramsbury Estate which supplies the pub with beer, gin and vodka at its own award-winning brewery and distillery and served from its light and airy bar with wood-burning stove. On its daily changing à la carte, farm-to-fork menus with innovative twists and a range of elevated pub classics, multi-award winning head chef James Graham showcases abundant, homegrown and seasonally relevant estate produce with vegetarian and vegan options always available.
Fellow tea addicts Giles Oakley & Mark Lawson tell us about their epic round-the-world journey that led them back to Bucks, and to creating Two Spoons Tea
Chances are, you’re slurping on a cup of tea as you read this… After all, we Brits drink 100 million cups of the stuff every day. Well, next time you’re making a brew, slinging that used teabag away, spare a thought for the thousands of expert tastebuds that helped perfect your brew…
“I wish people knew how much effort went in to producing tea!” says married dad of two Giles (AKA “Big Spoon” at Two Spoons Tea towers) who lives in Penn. “Some 14 million people are involved in the trade worldwide – in the field, factory, warehouse, trucking, shipping, buying, selling, marketing. Did you know your tea gets tasted as many as seven times on its journey before it gets to you?”
Giles and his fellow tea addict Mark (“Little Spoon”, who is married with three sons and lives in Pednor) are on a mission to spill the tea about, well… tea! As well as their award-winning teas, which are sold at twospoons.co.uk and served at Peterley Manor Farm and Little Wren in Missenden, A Lovely Bit of Crumpet in Long Crendon, Norsk in Haddenham, P.E. Mead and Son’s in Tring and Kitchen Larder in Chalfont St Peter, the pair often give talks at local WI groups, and collaborated on a gin, with Amersham’s Griffiths Brothers (featured here in January).
“We’re ardent fans of tea and never get tired of talking about it!” says Giles. “Tea is refreshing, good for you, comes from some beautiful places, has a fascinating history and traditions, but – perhaps most importantly – it brings people together. If everyone drank one more cup of tea a day, the world would definitely be a better place… And don’t get hung up on green tea – black tea is just as beneficial!”
Both spoons’ journey began in 1998, thanks to a job advert that read: “TRAINEE TEA TASTER WANTED – MUST BE PREPARED TO TRAVEL THE WORLD”. Both applied… “We got through (somehow!) and one million cups later, here we are. We each spent a year living overseas in tea-producing countries. We visited plantations, tea factories, warehouses and ports. We bought in tea auctions, met the tea trade and made some great friends. We learnt that, wherever you go in the world, people are incredibly passionate about this amazing product. At Two Spoons, we want to showcase great tea, the passion and the stories we’ve accumulated along the way.”
“I’ve always loved tea: it must be the Irish roots,” adds Giles. “My favourite cuppa? I’ve got three: an Assam, second flush, malty and jammy (with a bacon sarnie). Masala Chai, drunk on the streets of Kolkata from a clay cup. And anything made by my kids: yes, it might not taste great and it comes round once in a blue moon – sorry boys! – but it’s made with love! I’ve travelled all over the world during my 25 years in tea, from Pakistan and Papua New Guinea to India and Indonesia. This has offered a series of brilliant experiences, meeting passionate people involved in the production of an amazing crop.”
Mark & Giles are delighted that tea is now being appreciated in the same way as coffee. “Coffee has evolved from the instant offering we saw 25+ years ago. There is now more access to diverse, better quality coffee. Whilst both have caffeine (tea has half that of coffee), tea also has a great compound called theanine, which has a relaxing effect. We describe the impact tea has as giving ‘calm alertness’.”
“The five years of training were fantastic,” adds Giles. “We spent a year at origin. I lived in India, Kenya and Malawi where I visited estates, auctions and learnt from some of the best tasters in the world. Tasting alongside them meant trying thousands of cups every day. I then came back and did a year or so on blending. This is a real skill because you have to take all these different teas, mix them together and come out with a consistent blend. People don’t realise how much tea can vary because of growing, weather and factory conditions. At the end of the training, we were given our cherished spoons… silver-plated and engraved.
“Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas was epic. I have a bit of family history in the region; my great, great uncle Freddie was a tea planter here. The views are idyllic, the tea is incredible, the people so hospitable. I visited the factory in the middle of the night whilst processing was happening. I drank the same tea at 6am as the sun was coming up over the mountains: an experience I’ll never forget.”
Did you know that China produces more tea than anywhere else in the world? Tapping two fingers on the table after being poured tea is a sign of gratitude in the country. The people of Turkey drink more tea per head than anyone else. The first advert for tea in England appeared in 1658 and handles were first put on teacups at the end of the 17th century. And – a fun local fact for you! – Anna Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford and inventor of afternoon tea, is buried at Chenies.
“We set up Two Spoons Tea four years ago and it probably took a while to adjust to being our own bosses,” they add. “We do everything from creating blends to emptying the bins! There are great spots for afternoon tea all over Bucks and The Chilterns. If they are serving Two Spoons Tea, they are almost certainly worth visiting!
“It seems crazy to think that there are ¾ of a million cups of our Two Spoons tea being drunk every year now. On our horizon – other than world domination – we’ll be launching a couple of loose leaf products this year and hopefully visiting the tea estates again soon.”
