Ale & Hearty

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Here at Round & About Magazine, we are passionate supporters of local pubs, restaurants and producers. After all, anyone working in the food and drinks industry will know it takes a lot of hard graft to help punters relax!

We have so many to mention that are especially beautiful in summer. For starters, top picks for a romantic meal include Kinghams in Shere (GU5 9HE, once known as Hangman’s Cottage) and Jodie Kidd’s wondrous Half Moon in Kirdford, RH14 0LT, (check out the events and sun terrace!). The March Hare in Guildford, (GU1 3SY), hits all the right gastro notes and The Dog & Pheasant in Brook, GU8 5UJ, is famed for its amazing roasts and garden – for free-range children. The roof terrace at Guildford’s Thai Terrace (GU1 3RW) is perfect for tom yum and cocktails while The Windmill in Ewhurst (GU6 7NN), offers great views. Oliver Reed’s old boozer, The Plough Inn at Leigh Hill (RH5 5RZ) might just be the quintessential village pub, especially when a summer cricket match is on, with its own brewery.

Speaking of breweries, hoppy bunnies are spoilt for choice. For tours, tastings and hearty ales, check out Hogs Back Brewery in Tongham (GU10 1DE), hand-batched brews at Windsor & Eton Brewery (SL4 1SE ) and Alton’s Pride and other award-winners from Triple fff in Four Marks (GU34 5HN). Cheers also to the teams at Ascot Brewing Company in Camberley (GU15 3DX), the Crafty Brewery Company in Dunsfold, Tillingbourne Brewery near Guildford and Surrey Hills Brewery (creator of the Shere Drop and Albury Ruby) based at Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking (RH5 6AA). We’re also smitten with the Sussex Dry Gin by artisan creators Blackdown Cellar in Lurgashall (GU28 9HA). High spirits indeed!

So, we’d like to know; what’s your favourite pub, and your favourite brewery, and leave a comment below!

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Stir Crazy with Ching He Huang

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We asked Ching He Huang, one of the many chefs starring at Woking Food Festival 31st August – 2nd September, about her kitchen faves

Q: What’s your favourite kitchen gadget?
“My Lotus Wok is a one-tool wonder; you can braise, steam, shallow fry, deep fry and make pop corn in it. Woks have thousands of years of history, but this humble tool is in danger of extinction as Chinese embrace western cooking equipment like the oven!”

Q. What’s your favourite summer dish?
“I love a noodle salad. A Chinese-style salsa verde with ginger, spring onion, sichuan pepper chilli oil tossed with courgetti noodles, sliced radishes, basil and fresh hand-picked Cornish crab – British produce with a slight Chinese twist.”

Q. Do you have a favourite food supplier?
“My husband’s family have taken me to visit Garsons Farm recently – you can pick blackberries and sugarsnap peas. I love the farm shop there; you can get organic milk from Goodwood Estate and Woodhall’s ham, which is perfect sliced and stir fried with scallops and black rice vinegar.”

Q. What’s your fave summer fruit and tipple?
“Strawberries – my garden patch has produced quite a bit this year so I’m delighted! They’re perfect in a glass of Pimm’s, of course…”

Visit www.wokingfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk

Stir Crazy by Ching He Huang
Stir Crazy by Ching He Huang

Round & About Magazine has a signed copy of Ching’s book, Stir Crazy, and one of her Lotus Woks to give away. Simply answer the following phrase: Which ingredient would you find in Ching’s noodle salad…
a: Homegrown Strawberries
b: Cornish Crab
c. Woodhall’s ham











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    Wine quench marks

    Cherry Butler

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    We uncork some of our favourites food and drink places to enjoy this summer, starting with Cherry Butler’s visit to one of Bentley’s sparkling wine-producing beauty…

    Once home to hops, the fields at Jenkyn Place are now filled with vines – although at one point, it could have been Christmas trees. After buying the Hampshire estate in 1997, property entrepreneur Simon Bladon considered farming festive firs. Then he tasted some “Champagne” that turned out to be from West Sussex which he enjoyed so much he set about growing grapes.

    Simon Jenkyn
    Simon Jenkyn

    Judging by the delicate, fruity rosé I tried (and found especially moreish), this was a wise decision. Jenkyn Place has won numerous awards, its brut cuvée scoring gold several times. Since 2016, the vineyard has produced vintage sparkling wines every year, as long as the grapes pass muster. The North Hampshire Downs climate and chalky “greensand” soil is ideal for growing the classic Champagne varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.

    Cherry Butler Vine Planting
    Cherry Butler Vine Planting

    Camilla, Simon’s daughter, manages the business, with dogs Bertie and Oscar and brothers Freddie and Jack lending a hand/paw. Heat killed a fifth of the first vines in 2004, when the fledgling viticulturists planted them before laying down polythene sheeting. Rebecca, Simon’s wife, informed him that of course they should have laid down the poly first (like Nigel Pargetter just had on The Archers). Despite this, they let me – a rookie – plant a new vine; I hope to return one day to taste the fruit of my labour!

    Right at the top of the first field, a wooden gazebo provides a sheltered spot to take in the view, and some wine. On the north side of the Wey Valley, the sloping site is carefully landscaped. Oak trees form a windbreak; and each row of vines is bookended by roses, which act as a “canary in the mine”, picking up any pests or diseases before the vines do. An 18th-century red-brick house and walled garden with a fountain complete the English country scene.

    Roses at the end of each vine row
    Roses at the end of each vine row

    Anyone can visit, since Simon and his winemakers offer tours on selected dates. Wine buffs will appreciate the chance to see how the grapes are produced and ask questions, while casual enthusiasts can have fun soaking up the setting and tasters. Bottles to take home are available at a discount. Happily, Jenkyn Place is a five-minute taxi ride or half-hour walk from Bentley station, so there’s no need for a designated driver.

    It’s said that if Wimbledon fortnight is sunny, the autumn harvest will be good, so we wine-lovers – and the Jenkyns team – should be able to reap the rewards of a particularly fine 2018 harvest.

    Tour & tasting sessions £15. Visit www.jenkynplace.com

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    Booze & Bites in Surrey

    Liz Nicholls

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    We live in a rich and fertile part of the country with many hard-working food & drink producers to appetise you! Here are some nibbles…

    The Hampton Estate produces mouth-watering grass-fed beef from their pedigree cows which graze the southern slopes of the Hog’s Back. The meat is hung for three weeks to mature and is sold directly from the farm at the famous monthly Hampton beef days. Also check out the Hampton Herby sausages, beef bangers and wild estate venison. To order email [email protected] or call 01483 810465.

    Cordon Bleu-trained chef/proprietor Suzanne Rose has been delighting fellow foodies with her Lavender Hen Catering Company catering services in the Virginia Water area for 30 years. Suzanne has worked at prestigious establishments in the UK and honed her craft around the world, too. Her Supper Club is well worth checking out for five-course feasts in a beautiful summer house setting and BYOB booze (no corkage). Visit www.thelavenderhen.co.uk

    Planning a summer bash? Wrights of Farnham has been operating since the 1950s and is now the area’s longest-standing family-owned off-licence and wholesale outlet, catering for all your liquid needs! The business has a fresh look but the same vintage charm and ample parking. Lion Brewery, GU9 7AB; 01252 715749 www.wrightsoffarnham.co.uk

    Some saucy news for health-conscious foodies! Henry Kay and Nick Briggs, local founders of In The Buff, launched their Sweet Paprika Ketchup in May and it’s not only delicious (we’re addicted) but made with all-natural ingredients, high in fibre, amino acids, vitamins A, E and B6 and iron, suitable for vegans and coeliacs and has anti-inflammatory properties. www.in-the-buff.uk

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    Alex James: feast of fun

    Liz Nicholls

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    Liz Nicholls chats to musician, cheese maker and dad Alex James, 49, ahead of The Big Feastival which takes place 24th-26th August, in the Cotswolds

    Q: How do you start planning each new Big Feastival?
    “The first thing we do is invite The Cuban Brothers and Justin Fletcher; then we’ve got a party. Justin turns up and marches on stage with his little red nose on to sing One Man Went To Mow and brings the house down, without fail, every year. As time goes on it gets easier to attract the big stars. I’m delighted Marco [Pierre White] is involved this year; the whole British food revival started with him. Raymond Blanc and Pierre Koffmann complete the trio of culinary granddaddies.”

    Q. Do you love the local food scene?
    “Totally. We’re lucky with such a brilliant culture of food, starting with Daylesford just up the road and that’s drawn loads of brilliant chefs to the area. I love all the great pop-ups, farmers, producers…”

    Q. Do you get to enjoy the festival once all the hard prep work is done?
    “Yes; it takes all my charms and the odd cheese parcel, as well as loads of hard work. But when the sun’s shining and everyone’s jumping up and down, having a good time, it’s worth it. I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun as this – it’s an absolute scream. I get the whole family involved; everyone’s got a role.”

    Q. You make parenting look easy, with your big brood!
    “Haha! Yeah but I do get stressed too, man. Having a big family teaches you to roll with the punches, focus on the horizon, keep pushing.”

    Q. You seem very productive?
    “I’ve made five children, six cheeses and seven records. That’s the only reason I can do a food, music and family festival. You’ve got to care to make it happen.”

    Q. How do you stay so svelte, making so much cheese!?
    “Thanks for saying; I don’t feel it! I’ve got two new cheeses out this year so each one is quite a bit of time in the gym. It’s difficult not to invent cheese without eating loads of f***ing cheese!”

    Q. Where do you want to travel next?
    “Marco and I were talking about this the other day – he wants to go round Europe. South America, for me, is mind-blowing. The last time I was in Chile with the band I had a great meal and there wasn’t one ingredient I recognised. There’s interest in doing a festival down there, actually. I love travelling as a family; it’s so easy to travel in the 21st century.”

    Q. Do you still love astronomy?
    “Yeah; I watch lots of videos on YouTube; science, physics. It’s a good way to zone out at the end of a long day. Since the kids arrived I’ve got more down-to-earth concerns but my love of astronomy has gone into a more abstract realm of higher maths.”

    Q. Who’s your favourite author?
    “I like to re-read those books I’ve always loved, especially Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson.”

    Visit www.thebigfeastival.com

    Hurry! Enter for our The Big Feastival Competition – ends Friday, 27th July

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    Super natural photography

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    Local photographer and wildlife enthusiast Ewan Jones shares his love of all creatures great and small, right on our doorstep

    Feathered, furry, scaly or smooth, I love animals of all shapes and sizes. As a small boy, my bookshelf was full of monumental wildlife encyclopedias.

    Growing up in Dorchester on Thames and moving to Clifton Hampden at the age of eleven, I was blessed with seeing countless creatures that many from my generation have not had the privilege of.

    I distinctly remember one Sunday morning, my parents excitedly whispering across the kitchen to alert me to the spectacle in the garden. There, in all its splendour, was a tiny weasel running back and forth to the garden shed, climbing up the walls, crawling underneath it, at a pace that even made a child tired. I think I fell in love.

    As a young adult, I shared my nature passion with a special friend. We’d go on walks together in the hope of seeing mustelids, especially weasels or stoats… Any nature-lover could have told you I was practically hoping to win the lottery. My friend had a camera, a pretty good Canon with a decent lens. While I was looking on, in the hope of a miracle, they’d stop at every tree, attempting a snap of any bird or butterfly that crossed our trail.

    At first I was rather unimpressed by their slowing of my searches, but when I saw their results when we got home, my preferences quickly began to change. It was no longer all about the mustelids, it was about the joy and the beauty of all the creatures, and capturing them in a moment of perfection. It was time I got myself a camera.

    Many pass-me-downs and purchases later, I am a well-prepared twitcher. I’ll travel far and wide to get a chance of adding new bird species to my collection. I’m lucky to have a Spanish mother so I can travel to the country, which is simply jam-packed with African migrant species.

    Yes, I have a life list. Yes, I have my favourites. But to me, wildlife photography is about capturing the perfect posture, in perfect colour, in exquisite detail. Only then, is that beautiful creature yours.

    Ewan’s tips!

    Photography is subjective; everybody has a different view on what makes a beautiful photo. If you are a fan of colourful lighting, get yourself up at the crack of dawn for the early-morning sunlight. If you’re a fan of scientific accuracy and crisp detail, save up your pennies and splash out on quality gear. To locate rare species, especially local birds, I highly recommend www.oxonbirding.blogspot.co.uk. My humble advice to anyone wishing to take wonderful photos of nature is to start simple, put the hours in, explore your passion. Just get out there and take photos of everything that moves…. Oh, and a little photography course won’t go amiss, either.

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    Energy Alton and renewable energy

    Round & About

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    The future is renewable, and it is affordable, say the people of Energy Alton

    In 2016, a quarter of the UK’s electricity was generated from renewable sources – solar, wind (onshore and offshore) and tidal power. On many days in summer 2017, over half of the UK’s electricity generation was renewable. With its high level of sunlight, Hampshire is the largest producer of solar photovoltaic energy in the UK and capacity continues to increase.

    The cost of solar panels has fallen 99% since 1977 (that’s not a typo!) and in many parts of the world solar power is now cheaper, without any subsidy, than fossil fuels. Large-scale battery storage facilities are developing fast.

    Community group Energy Alton strongly supports renewable energy locally to help allay serious climate change and reduce pollution. In 2014 they won an award from the National Energy Foundation for installing a solar photovoltaic system on Alton Library. They are now encouraging local schools to install solar panels.

    Free energy advice

    Energy Alton is not just about renewable energy. The team can help you save energy and money, and increase your comfort. Run entirely by volunteers, the group has no commercial interest – just the public’s interest. They offer:

    • Free home energy surveys and, in winter, thermal imaging surveys
    • Advice on lighting, insulation, damp problems, renewable energy

    There are public talks on a wide range of environmental issues, such as climate change and plastic waste.

    Electric vehicles have arrived

    It’s not just in the home, but on the road, that Energy Alton can help, especially as the Government annouces plans to ban all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040, amid fears that air pollution from vehicle emissions poses a major risk to public health. Electric cars have zero tailpipe emissions which is crucial in the fight against climate change.

    Costs are falling – calculated over four years, electric cars in the UK are now cheaper than petrol or diesel, taking into account both purchase and running costs. The mileage from one battery charge is now up to 150+ miles and even 250 + miles for some models. Charge points are becoming much more widely available, too.

    Get involved!

    If this subject has intrigued, and you want to hear more about Energy Alton, come to one of their monthly meetings, from 7.30pm, in Alton Community Centre, GU34 1HN. This is a free event with a bar. Why not become a member – it’s only £3 a year? Or get in touch about volunteering, the work is interesting and you don’t need to be an energy expert, just passionate about the future of energy.

    Contact them on [email protected] or 07811 462659 or visit www.energyalton.org.uk

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    Magic markers: Morgan & West

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    Time-travelling gentlemen Morgan & West are touring their magic show. Peter Anderson caught up with the duo…

    Q. Who inspired you [Rhys Morgan and Robert West] to get into magic?
    Rhys: “Of course, like all of Britain, I grew up watching Paul Daniels on television on a Saturday night. Then I was a big fan of Derren Brown and I loved going to see his live shows. I bought his book Tricks of the Mind one Christmas when I was 20 and there were a few little tricks in it – coin vanishes and such. I started learning those and got hooked.”
    Robert: “I spent much of my youth learning to juggle
    different things and enjoyed learning new ‘tricks’. Magic was a logical, if somewhat backwards, progression from this when I was at university [Christ Church College]. That and fancy card shuffles were good to make it look like was really good at poker when playing with friends.”

    Q. When did you both decide to work together?
    Rhys: “We met at university doing a play.”
    Robert: “Yes; a student production of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters.”
    Rhys: “I was The Fool and you were Hwel the dwarf, as I recall. We bonded over a shared sense of humour and also how the lighting design wasn’t great.”
    Robert: “I spent a lot of time in college doing technical theatre so
    Rhys asked me to light his next show.”

    Q. Is there somewhere where you’d love to perform your magic act?
    Rhys: “I think we’d both love to have our own West End run.”
    Robert: “Successful West End run!”
    Rhys: “Yes, I suppose anyone can just hire a theatre and do a show to an empty room. That would be awful.”

     

    Time Travelling Magicians: Morgan & West

    Q. How did you come up with the concept for this new Time-Travelling Magicians show of yours, and what can the audience expect?
    Rhys: “Morgan & West started life as a very serious, Victorian-style act but we quickly realised that we liked being silly.”
    Robert: “And Victorians, as people imagine them, weren’t silly…” Rhys: “They were not amused. So, the idea of keeping the look, which we really liked, whilst bringing the act to the modern day appealed. And thus, the time-travelling escapades of Morgan & West came into being.”
    Robert: “So, the shows themselves are full of really good magic, lots of our own takes on classic tricks and also plenty of new stuff too. All topped off with silliness, humour, and charm.”

    Q. You are also presenting a children’s magic show. What advice would you give to any child who wants to follow you and have a career in magic?
    Rhys: “Spend your time learning from all art forms – literature, film, pictures, theatre – the lot. Join an am-dram group. Learn to perform. The tricks are actually secondary.”
    Robert: “And have a fall-back plan. We can still teach if everything goes belly-up!”

    For more information about these spiffing chaps, including other live dates, see www.morganandwest.co.uk

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    Just my type

    Round & About

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    Chiswick artist Keira Rathbone owns 40 typewriters; but she doesn’t use them to put together modern art installations, she creates unique prints by using them the traditional way…she types

    From pet portraiture to prints of Putney Bridge, Keira Rathbone’s art has captured plenty of attention – she’s even appeared on The One Show and national radio.

    Keira Rathbone travelling and working

    So how did Keira discover she could create artwork using a simple typewriter?

    “I was at art school in Bristol and I saw someone typing at a typewriter in our studios,” she says. “It reminded me that I had previously purchased a little orange portable one for £5 from a charity shop and I made a note to dig it out when I was next at my parents house.”

    At home with the typewriter, Keira’s words dried up: “But I just typed anyway, repeatedly hitting the same characters, actually avoiding creating words. I felt set free and started to enjoy fashioning the distinctive shapes and textures, how they look sitting next to each other or overlapping, experimenting with soft and hard keystrokes.”

    Landscapes, city scenes, even celebrities have all been Keira’s subjects, but why not just use a pen or pencil?

    Putney Bridge by Keira Rathbone typewriter artist
    Putney Bridge by Keira Rathbone typewriter artist

    “I like the typewriter because of its simple mechanism, she replies. “I stand a slight chance of being able to fix its minor problems. I’m not really into makes and models, as long as they work well and I can fit them in my pannier, suitcase, rucksack or under the buggy, ready for when inspiration strikes.” Keira doesn’t even sketch her subject first: “I don’t really want to know how an impression will turn out before I start, other than a vague composition.”

    If you want to know more about Keira’s art and perhaps commission her, there’s more information on her website at www.keirarathbone.com

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    Mock and roll

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    Old Woodstock in Oxfordshire is the setting for a centuries old fun-filled tradition of electing a Mock Mayor. Join the fun on Saturday, 21st July, writes Rachel Thompson

    The tradition dates back to the 18th century with its origins in making fun of neighbouring New Woodstock with its fancy town hall.

    After a break in the early 20th century, the festival was revived with enthusiasm in the 1980s. Last year’s event could not go ahead but the committee is back this year with a new chairman; Damian Thompson (the 2013 Mock Mayor) and enthusiastic new committee members!

    After a procession of the outgoing Mayor and his officials in fancy dress, with a town crier at The Black Prince, candidates make speeches before the committee elects its new Mayor for the year, forming a procession across Blenheim Park to the New Woodstock Town Hall for dancing with Morris men and the real Mayor of Woodstock…then the Mock Mayor is ducked in the River Glyme and a good time is had by all!

    With traditional games, stalls, tug-of-war, Punch & Judy and a children’s entertainer before live music from Woodstock’s Unsociable Media and Indie Zone and a barbecue later, the event (2.30-5.30pm for the ceremony and fete and 6-10.30pm for the evening) promises fun for all.

    www.facebook.com/mockmayor

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