Tom Kerridge & The Hand & Flowers

Early October saw Cheltenham Literature Festival return to our home turf. As usual, the brochure was jam packed full of exciting events and big names, which inevitably makes our jobs harder in trying to choose who to go and see. With a limited budget, The Chap and I could only really get tickets for a handful of things, but the No.1 priority was to snag Tom Kerridge's 'Best Ever Dishes' promo talk.

The nation fell in love with him from the start; a big burly chap with a cheeky grin, an infectious laugh, a thick West Country accent, and the ability to produce mouth-watering gutsy pub food that pleases everyone, including those ruthless Michelin inspectors! In 2011, The Hand and Flowers became the first pub to receive two stars in The Michelin Guide. It also proudly holds four AA rosettes and is currently voted number one UK restaurant by Restaurant Magazine - blimey!

Even though Tom's literally half the man he used to be, his charm was exactly the same at the event; we creased up laughing at some of his childhood tales, swooned over stories about him and his wife (the talented Beth Cullen Kerridge), and drooled at the descriptions of his recipes. We needn't have been too envious of all the delicious sounding food though, The Chap and I had a reservation at his pub, The Hand & Flowers, the following month!

It had been a LONG time coming; we booked it in January and could only get in in November! It was pencilled in as a belated anniversary trip, but thanks to a crazy turn of events, it turned out to be more of an extended engagement celebration. We stayed nearby at Danesfield House - George Clooney had a second wedding party here don't you know - and they were SUPER generous in helping us celebrate such a momentous event... Frankly, it was perfect.

I won't go into all the details of what we ate, you really only need to see how utterly awesome each course was. The food at Hand & Flowers makes no apologies for it's rich indulgence, and as a result, we could only manage one dessert between two. Whilst I'd normally stew in my own disappointment after situations like this, I'm in the fortunate position of having another reservation at the pub for my Dad's birthday next year. I'll make it my mission to make up for it.

We arrived early so we could have a couple of drinks at the bar; The Chap tried out the H&F beer, whilst I had the house G&T. In Tom's previous TV series, he went to The Ginstitute in London to create his own gin to serve at the pub, and this is it; I honestly consider it to be one of the best G&Ts I've ever had. With herbs and celery nestled in the glass, it was fresh and distinctly savoury. I also had a Monkey 47 with lingonberries, which was nice, but the first was so unusual it couldn't be beaten. 

Appetizers of sourdough and whitebait cured our munchies whilst we made tough choices on the menu (and scowled at neighbouring tables already tucking into their dinner). 

Not often choosing the soup option, I went against the grain and plumped for Lovage Soup with Bramley Apple, Smoked Eel, and Ham and Cheese Tortellini (£9.50).

The chap had Crispy Pig’s Head with Spiced Date Puree, Apple, Plum and Pancetta (£10.50), and I had a little piggy jealousy.

My main course was Barrow Farm Partridge with Black Pudding Purée, Morello Cherry Ketchup, Frosted Almond and Game Pie (£35.00) - perfect for this time of year.

The Chap had Essex Lamb “Bun” with Sweetbreads and Salsa Verde (£27.00) with a side of Hand & Flowers Chips (£4.50). This lamb bun was something else (at the back of the photo), and it needs explaining. A sphere of brioche/pastry with a cutlet bone proudly sticking out of the top; inside is a layer of cabbage encasing slow cooked lamb and sweetbreads and a final joyous nugget of lamb in the centre. Sat lonely on a giant plate, it didn't look like much, but boy was it deceptive; those cylindrical chips were never destined to be polished off!

For dessert we shared Blueberry Soufflé with Parma Violet Ice Cream and Lemon Verbena Syrup (£9.50). It was light, sweet, floral and a little sharp; and although we were forcing ourselves to fit it in, it was much needed after all the rich, salty food. YUM.

Our wine choice was Saumur-Champigny, Domaine des Roches Neuves - Loire, France 2013 (£40.50). Predominantly Cabernet Franc, it had layers of red and black fruits, elevated acidity, young tannins, and a seductive savoury earthiness. It felt like a very food friendly wine; its depth and intriguing quality complimented each of our courses wonderfully.

For me, The Hand & Flowers was a game changer; it's a completely different experience to any other Michelin starred restaurant I've ever been to. A meat-eater's heaven, the food is big - in flavour and richness - yet it still has the finesse that you expect from somewhere carrying two stars. 

It's not cheap, but after waiting 9 months to get a table, you really don't care; it totally lived up to all my expectations. And the finishing touch? Our doggy bag of leftover chips, which we scoffed the next day.

Cheers H&F, see you again in March!