Markham Farm British Asparagus at The Lucky Onion

As the weather starts to warm up and the evenings begin to get lighter, we mark the sign of an exciting new season. Gone are those hearty winter stews with comforting carbs aplenty, now's the time to put a spring in your step and embrace all things green and fresh. And other than the sight of little lambs leaping around the nearby fields, I can't think of anything more synonymous with this change than the first bite of British asparagus.

It can be such a struggle to eat the seasons when supermarkets are saturated with fruit and veg from across the globe, but seeing the healthy glow of the fat British spears in comparison to the limp or woody kinds you get throughout the rest of the year, it's pretty obvious why we should.

And so we come to The Lucky Onion, who are no strangers in promoting seasonality to their Cotswold customers. Last summer we were treated to an offer for lobster, chips and fizz, in autumn there was partridge and port, at the start of 2017 saw six Wright Bros oysters and a glass of Nyetimber, and now we have a celebration of all things asparagus.

Director of food Ronnie Bonnetti, ex River Café and Soho House, has created a selection of dishes with locally grown Markham Farm asparagus as the focus. Until July you can go to any of The Lucky Onion establishments and pick one, alongside a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, for just £15 (though The Tavern's not included). Perfect lunch material.

Just before the offer launched in April, a whole bunch of fellow food lovers were invited to No. 38 The Park to test out the menu, and with the Cloudy Bay wine supplier on hand, we were definitely well watered too. Sauvignon Blanc is a classic pairing with asparagus - they often share similar grassy flavours - and New Zealand's Marlborough region is probably the most popular choice. We're all familiar with it, right? 

Grapes packed with punchy, crisp acidity can be an assault on the senses after a while, so I was so chuffed to find that we were being treated to other Cloudy Bay vinos too. Never-ending coupes of Pelorus non-vintage fizz were served before supper; 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, it had a quenching citrusy spritz more akin to an English Sparkling Wine over a toasty Champagne or sweet Prosecco. One I'll keep an eye out for. There was also a lovely Pinot later on in the evening; vibrant, youthful and perfect for drinking in the sunshine.

But back to the food... The first to come out was asparagus with Cacklebean poached egg and hollandaise. Those eggs (along with the chickens) are like local celebrities round here, and the rich orange glow from the runny yolk in contrast to the pastel coloured hollandaise is a thing of beauty. It tastes pretty beautiful too, just make sure you save some bread to mop every last morsel up off the plate; it's messy business.

Next was asparagus with brown shrimp butter. Pretty self explanatory. For something so small, brown shrimp sure make themselves known, and whilst I loved the flavour, there was something that didn't sit quite right with me. A few spears of asparagus don't get the chance to stay hot for too long, meaning the butter never really has the opportunity to melt. Don't get me wrong, I'm usually the first to be having bread with my butter, but I couldn't help but think a more liquidy shrimp butter would be better.

Saving the best until last, out came the asparagus with air dried beef, pea shoots and parmesan. The bresaola, from London charcutiers Cannon & Cannon, is nothing like the stiff cardboard kind you get pre-packed in the supermarket. It has such a clean flavour that it almost tastes sweet against the salty tang of the parmesan, and together with the greens it sings of spring. A total delight.

Now whilst you could just choose one dish to have with your glass of wine, it can be very tricky to make such a decision, so let me pose this idea to you... Chances are that you won't be dining alone, but if you were thinking of it be sure to grab a friend. Order all three dishes and get the three measures of Sauvignon Blanc put into a carafe, get a side of fries and have an asparagus sharesies feast fit for a king (or queen). It's a good idea, trust me. 

So be sure to visit No.131, The Chequers, The Wheatsheaf Inn and The Wild Duck soon to take advantage of The Lucky Onion's Markham Farm offer, but in the meantime here are some pointless asparagus facts...

• Asparagus can help cure hangovers and protect the liver against toxins… Though I can confirm that it did not prevent an almighty hangover the day after ALL THE CLOUDY BAY WINE. Ouch.
  
• Dubbed the Usain Bolt of the veg world, British asparagus can grow up to 10cm in one day!
  
• And apparently it can improve your libido. Let's just end it there.

The Lucky Onion Club Presents: Sunday Lunch with The Ethicurean

Have you heard about the secret garden on the outskirts of Bristol? Okay, it's not that secret, its restaurant has won a number of awards in its time, but it's still a little off-the-beaten-track destination that rewards you with beautiful food and a magical Victorian walled garden for your efforts.

The Ethicurean has been on my list of 'restaurants to go to' for absolutely ages; it's not even that far, but for some reason I've never quite made it. So, imagine my excitement when our local food and drink pioneers, The Lucky Onion, announced that The Ethicurean head chefs Iain and Matthew Pennington were bringing their culinary delights to Cheltenham for a one off supper club at No. 131 The Promenade.

The Lucky Onion certainly know how to host the best events; we still talk about our Lunch with Fergus Henderson back in April (THAT pig's head and potato pie… *drool*), and also dancing with Gregory Porter until the early hours of the morning at The Ultimate Jazz House Party, as part of Cheltenham Jazz Festival. Insufficient funds meant that we missed pop ups with Valentine Warner and Sabrina Ghayour (this still haunts me - her book Persiana is one of my favourites), but there was no chance that we were missing out on Sunday Lunch with a restaurant that we've been itching to go to for ages, especially when it's right on our doorstep!

If you don't know about The Ethicurean, they're purveyors of entirely seasonal, local and ethical British produce. Sure, these are the kind of things that we have to take with a pinch of salt when see them printed on pretty much every single menu in every single food establishment across the country; but here it's different.

It's all about giving food a sense of place; The Ethicurean strives to look for alternatives to all the imported fresh produce and constantly look close to  home for the best ingredients. These are often foraged or shot a stones throw away from the walled garden, or grown within, giving them a true connection to the land. Every dish that leaves the restaurant's kitchen, therefore, has a story.

So, August 16th saw 'Sunday Lunch with The Ethicurean' at 131 The Promenade, and as all good Sunday's should start, we began with a Bloody Mary. Made in house, the heady, spicy, Worcestershire Sauce concoction, which had been left for a few days to develop the flavours, was mixed with Ketel One Vodka and tomato juice, then garnished with celery. It's a classic.

All the diners were invited to sit down at the long table, and it was time to get to know one another. We luckily had some great people either side of us, and with everyone enthusiastic about food and drink, conversation was easy. A brief introduction to Iain and Matthew Pennington, and the five course feast was under way.

First up; Ewe's Curd Courgette Flowers, Anise Gel and Sherbet. I'm guessing the big courgette flowers that we all imagined we'd be getting, stuffed with curd, were impossible to get hold of, as it was more of a courgette ribbon salad with ewe's curd, adorned with tiny orange leafy petals. I didn't mind, the combination of ingredients were still all there, and what a combination it was! The balls of mellow, ricotta like cheese were brought to life by blobs of aniseed-y gel, and the dusting of sherbet... Well. I'd never think to put sherbet over savoury dishes - surely it's just for Dip Dabs or Sherbet Fountains - but the fizz really added to the freshness, and it was bloody brilliant!

Next, the jazziest eggs I've ever seen. In fact, famous foodie Felicity Spector (who was also at the event) described them perfectly as 'disco eggs'. Gigha Halibut, Beet Kvass Fermented Egg, Tidal Greens. Thin slices of delicately smoked and cured halibut lay at the bottom, with the vibrant violet eggs and salty sea greens lovingly placed on top. 'Peackles' - lacto-fermented lovage peas - were the finishing touch, offering little bursts of acidity. The rich orange yolks in contrast to the other worldly purple stained whites made for an incredibly photogenic dish, and a damn tasty one too.

Lucky Onion Sommelier, Lionel Periner, had carefully matched wines to the dishes, so with this we had IGP d'Herault, Viognier, Domaine du Petit Roubie, France 2014. 'Ripe peach and pear and a touch of floral. Medium body with a perfect freshness and balance.' I'm a big fan of Viognier, and with the smoked fish, it was a great shout.

Main course was Beef Bavette, Burnt Aubergine Ferment, Mushroom Ketchup and Onion Powder. Just look at the juicy slices of beef; need I say more? The mushroom ketchup was deep and earthy, whilst still retaining the zippy sweetness that you find in your familiar Heinz brand, and the burnt aubergine and onion powder added extra layers of flavour as you chomped your way through the meat.

We had a glass of Pinot Noir, Collectable, Marlborough, New Zealand 2014 to go with it. Pinot and light meaty dishes go together like a dream - well, Pinot any time is a dream for me - and this, with 'cooked dark fruit flavours, smooth tannins and a juicy finish' matched the elegance of the dish exactly.

Our pre-dessert was a single marshmallow, but not as you know it. The Nigella and Anise Marshmallow was one of the best sweet things I've eaten for ages. Every experience I've had in toasting a marshmallow results in the same way; you wait for ages to get that desirable blackened char on the outside, and just as it starts to happen, you decide it's prime time to tuck in. Either you get the disappointment of it not being gooey enough, or you have a molten-stringy-sugar-beast to contend with. This cube of genius was neither. A torched crust encased a moussey mallow centre that my spoon glided through, and the salt, anise and nigella seeds made you sit up straight and take notice. I'll remember this for a long time.

Last but not least, a signature pudding from The Ethicurean; Sticky Toffee Apple, Clotted Cream and The Collector Vermouth. The guys at at the restaurant love Vermouth so much they've made their own using English wine, caramel, and a collection of twenty botanicals including herbs from the walled garden. They suggested either drinking The Collector alongside or pouring it over to create a boozy sauce - I drank mine, desperately praying for them to pour out some more... They didn't, but I wont hold it against them.

It was a giant sized square of sticky toffee apple cake, served with an outstanding clotted cream ice cream; it had that seductive squidge that requires you to start forcing it into your face as soon as it's put in front of you. It's exactly the kind of heart warming comfort food that you need at the end of your Sunday lunch, one which makes you want to retire to the sofa and snuggle up in front of a crappy black and white film on the telly. Perfect Sunday material.

To be honest, I was hoping that by going to this event I could tick off The Ethicurean from my ever-increasing list, however it's had quite the opposite effect. All the inventive dishes, featuring quality ingredients, quirky techniques and inspiring additions, has made me crave more; I must go and visit the secret garden for myself, and prepare to be wowed all over again.

The Lucky Onion Club presents Sunday Lunch with The Ethicurean from The Lucky Onion on Vimeo.

The Lucky Onion Presents: Sunday Lunch with Fergus Henderson

Sunday 19th April saw an exciting event in Cheltenham. They don’t come around too often, especially none of this calibre. It was hosted by The Lucky Onion at 131 The Promenade and I consider myself an extremely lucky onion to have been able to attend.

If you hadn’t have heard by now, Fergus Henderson was in town. Yes. FERGUS HENDERSON. And if you don’t know who he is, then you’re clearly not a proper foodie. Either that or you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 20 years his famous St. John Restaurant has been open for. Though maybe I’m being unkind, you could be a veggie/vegan, in which case you probably shouldn’t read on.

Photo Credit: The Lucky Onion

Mr Henderson, with his ‘nose to tail’ eating, has achieved legendary status, and St. John isn’t just a restaurant, it’s an institution. Two decades is really quite something in restaurant years, particularly in London where there’s an endless stream of new openings, pop ups, street food stalls, cuisines and fashionable food fad joints. So how has he managed to keep going? By staying true to his food philosophy, that’s how. And having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the late nineties, Henderson’s 20 years of St. John seem to be even more exceptional. He’s proved that major obstacles can be overcome, and with such an intriguing enthusiasm and a thirst for 'the good life', he is surely one of the most popular chefs in living memory.

Photo Credit: The Lucky Onion

Now I’ve been itching to go to St. John every time I venture to the capital, but somehow I’ve never quite made it. The closest I’ve been is peeping through Clerkenwell’s window during a busy Saturday night service, and drooling over the doughnuts and welsh rarebits at Maltby Street Market, cursing myself for not being hungry, then doubly cursing for not thinking of getting something to save for later.

Sure, Henderson’s appearance is a little eccentric – small round glasses and pinstripe suits – and to many his food might be seen in that way too, but to me it’s anything but. He’s somehow charmed us into eating all the parts of the animal that we’d have otherwise ignored. It’s respectful, honest, gutsy (literally), and generally quite simply put together – none of that razzle dazzle liquid nitrogen faff!

Such bold plates of food are definitely worthy of Sunday status, and The Lucky Onion tapped into that with gusto. ‘Lunch with Fergus’ was a five course feast for 40 hungry guests, on one long table in the Crazy Eights part of 131 The Prom.

Excitement was through the roof in the lead up to the event, and as I strolled over to the grand hotel, nerves took over. Who was going to be there? What will I say? How was the afternoon going to pan out?... As soon as I walked in, Henderson’s familiar face was there. Trying my best not to make an idiot of myself or gawk at him in awe, I did manage to ask just one question without spurting some star struck ramblings. What he was drinking? Campari and white wine; otherwise known as a Bicyclette. Classic.

A cold glass of Nyetimber calmed my nerves, but I still felt like a very small fish in a flippin’ big pond. There were a couple of faces that I recognised, and everyone was being far too casual about the whole situation. Frankly, I just wanted to jump up and down with glee.

The Lucky Onion kitchen team were not only joined by Mr St. John himself, but also by St. John chef Giles Edwards, and it all kicked off with Brown Shrimp & White Cabbage. Little brown shrimp are never going to win in the beauty stakes, but they sure pack a lot of flavour. Sweet and salty, they were tangled up in the weaves of shredded white cabbage along with capers and herbs. The whole dish had a coating of lemon juice and olive oil, and it was a fresh, crunchy, and altogether quite a healthy first course.

Accompanying our lunch was some of Henderson’s own wine made from old vineyards in the Minervois, France; Boulevard Napoléon Granache Gris and Cabernet Franc, both 2012 and both a whopping 14.5%. I'm a big lover of a decent Cab Franc, which is exactly what this was, but it was the Granache Gris that really stood out. Clean and fresh, with a rich and creamy texture, it had a lovely smoky liquorice edge on the finish. I'll be hunting this one down.

Next on the menu was his 'signature dish'; Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad. Many wows were expressed as giant plates of the slowly roasted bones were brought out, and Fergus then came out to explain how we should construct our "happy bone moment". With big gestural movements, we understood that we were to get a slice of toast, scoop the bone marrow out onto it, top it with the parsley salad, and finally sprinkle over some wet salt. (Wet salt is the layer of salt beneath Fleur de Sel; it's greyer in appearance and has a more minerally taste.)

Voted as one of the greatest dishes of all times by food writer Tom Parker Bowles, the bone marrow (which I think were veal shin bones - but don't quote me on that) had a creamy jelly like consistency, somewhere between a paté and a panna cotta, and they were packed full of meaty flavour. The parsley salad, spiked with lemon, capers and thinly sliced shallots cut through it's fattiness, with the toast adding a desirable charred crunch. The salt made me salivate, after each mouthful I craved another bite, and the DIY aspect was not only fun, but got everyone talking.

The main course was another St. John fave; Pig's Head & Potato Pie. I guess anyone who's ever been to a hog roast in their time, has had experience of seeing some scorched porker's face; all the meat gets taken from the body with the head left in tact, which is inevitably later discarded - it's all for show. Well, none of that business here, the head's the star ingredient. Not just fleshy, not just fat, it made prime pie filling material. Then combined with potatoes and encased in the most buttery pastry, I'd say it was a pork pie made for the gods. A simple vinegary salad of watercress and roasted red onions is all that was needed to accompany it, and not a drop of gravy in sight!

To seduce our sweet side, we had a single scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream; truffle-rich, bittersweet and indulgent, a scoop is all that was needed! I've read about his FIVE DAY ice cream recipe for St. John, so I'm guessing this was it? Either way, it was divine.

Coffee and the most marvelous Madeleines rounded everything off. Having been bought a Madeleine tin for Christmas, I've been trying various recipes out, but none have tasted anywhere near as good as these. Fresh out of the oven, the light and springy sponges had a sweet honey butter taste, and the scalloped edges and recognisable 'nipple' on the back never cease to crack a smile. I fear I ate more than my fair share.

Clearly The Lucky Onion sure know how to host a soirée, and although I might have spent the next day in bed with a sore tum having pigged out so much, literally (my cursed IBD, nothing to do with the amazing chef skills!), I can put this down as one of my all time favourite foodie experiences. I can only hope that I get to go to another!

The above photos are from The Lucky Onion's Facebook Page. Check out Kirstie Young's blog post and also this snazzy video..

The Lucky Onion Club presents Sunday Lunch with Fergus Henderson from The Lucky Onion on Vimeo.

Here's to 2015...

2014 has been quite the year.

Firstly, I joined the magnificent Vinspire team, writing about all things drinks related. I also went on a Hobbs House bread making course, which changed my life forever; I'm still nurturing my beloved sourdough starter and churning out loaves every weekend - yesssss. I've made numerous trips to London for foodie fun times, and I finally made the trek up to Scotland, where I discovered a love for whisky and ate in some Glasgow greats.

2014 has also been the year where I managed to get a table at Tom Kerridge's Hand & Flowers - phwoar - and I visited a firm favourite, Le Champignon Sauvage, not once but twice! (we'll get to that second trip in a bit..)

The biggest news of this year has to be down to Beards Jewellers. Back in September The Great Diamond Rush descended on Cheltenham; ten diamonds - each worth £1000 - were hidden around the town, and keen hunters had to purchase special treasure maps in order to locate the gems. Celebrating 200 years in business, Beards organised the event, and all the money raised went straight to Maggie's Cancer charity. The Chap and I fancied our chances, and after hours of raiding various venues, and almost admitting defeat, it seemed our luck was in. Nestled in a leafy trellis outside Crazy Eight's at 131 The Prom, there it was, and my lovely man found it!

As exciting as that was in itself, it got better... When we returned to Beards to have a look at our sparkly diamond, The Chap only bloody proposed! Eek! Obviously I said yes, it would've been pretty awkward otherwise. Cotswolds TV have a wonderful video of the event and the moment it happened, which you can view here. We celebrated over a late lunch and an AMAZING bottle of fizz; a 1998 Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs. I still dream of those biscuity bubbles.

Two months later, after numerous design ideas, it was time to pick up our diamond rush ring, which had generously been paid for by Beards themselves. The date was set for a Saturday, and The Chap had booked a surprise dinner for the night before to mark the occasion. That surprise turned out to be Le Champignon Sauvage, where we ate the Chef's Tasting Menu; dear Lord it was good, and I'll fill you in on the details in the next couple of days.

The surprise didn't stop there though did it; I really should have seen it coming. The sneak had only gone and got the ring early, and when I came home - thanks to the help of his mum - there it was with a huge bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champers.

It was EVERYTHING I could have hoped for and more. Sophie at Beards has done such a wonderful job in designing it. Both Scott and I couldn't be happier with the result; it's PERFECT. Yey!

To round these series of events off, we organised an engagement party/unveiling of the ring back at the scene of the crime, Crazy Eights. We had a gorgeous dinner with family and close friends, then celebrated with many more chums and more wine that I care to mention! It was spectacular.

I'm not sure how 2015 will top all of this, but I'll most certainly try. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!