The Nut Tree Inn

Chef – Mike North (1 Michelin Star)

Our Review – 2009

I guess you could call this a gastro-pub, but the Nut Tree Inn is an affordable pub with fantastic food. Tipped for good things in the near future, here you have the chance to sample Michelin food at a good pub price!

We had a 3 course meal and thoroughly enjoyed it. You wont get the full Michelin experience of some big restaurants, but you do get looked after and some really good food.

Downsides

Whereas the food is great and fully deserves the award, the premises did not live up to the same standard a bit untidy on the day we went in places, but you soon forgive that when you taste the food.

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The Fat Duck, Bray

Chef – Heston Blumenthal (3 Michelin Stars)

Our Review – 2010

We ate Heston’s taster menu all washed down with Taittinger Champagne! In a small dining room in an unassuming property on the side of the road in Bray, we were served a meal that was a fabulous assault on our senses. Things we thought were hot were cold and things we thought were desserts were not, all in all it was a great evening, fantastic staff that attended to our every need, we really did not have to ask for anything. The food was beautiful (even the snail porridge) and prepared immaculately and delivered with pure theatre (lots of liquid nitrogen). Not cheap but in this case we did get what we paid for, we would recommend anyone to visit and try.

Downsides

Having to wait so long to get a table!

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Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons

Chef Patron- Raymond Blanc (2 Michelin Stars)

Our Review – 2010

We had already visited Raymond’s Brasserie in Oxford with our kids and were really impressed at the great menu, reasonable prices and how welcoming they were to children. With this in mind we tried Le Manoir, what an impressive building and location, you feel really grand entering the place and you are made to feel really welcome. It was a lovely summers day when we went so we had pre-dinner drinks sitting in the impressive garden before tucking into the taster menu. The atmosphere was more relaxed than some places we have been (service wise), but the food was exceptional. After the meal we were able to wander freely around the grounds and walk through Raymond’s impressive veg patch (which is bigger than a football pitch) and you are never rushed to leave, in fact they want you to stay and getting away took us a little over 3.5 hours! Great place to eat very reasonable menu options, kids are welcome and a must for anyone to try.

Downsides

None I can think of, that’s why we are planning a return trip soon.

Our Review – 2nd visit May 2011

We finally had some time off and took full advantage by returning to ‘Le Manoir’. This time we decided to treat our two kids (13 + 9 years old) again the food and service was spectacular, our eldest joined us in the 5 course taster menu which was fabulous, while our youngest enjoyed the kids menu (all delivered in a child friendly way with good humour for the kids).

They loved it all, after the meal we wandered the gardens again in the sunshine and took tea on the lawn, before we were treated by Pim Wolfs (Host Manager) to a tour of the kitchen and cookery school. We were there for over 4 hours and loved it all. We love to visit new places, but this venue keeps drawing us back and it’s virtually on our doorstep, so we will certainly be back to sample some more of the great atmosphere and food.

Downsides

As before not one we can think of, maybe that we had to go home!.

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Lasan Indian Restaurant

Chef – Aktar Islam (Winner of ‘The F Word’)

Our Review – 2011

We saw this place on Gordon Ramsey’s F Word programme and naturally they won it, the trophy has pride of place in their foyer. What can we say about this restaurant, simply it’s the best Indian food we have  ever had and we’ve tried quite a few in our lives. The food is beautifully presented and not the traditional Indian flavours you would expect, they have fused the flavours with a western twist to create some of the best food you will ever taste (which is why we had 3 desserts!). Great staff very patient and a fantastic modern interior all created a great experience for us.

Downsides

None, we will be back to give it another try – you wont be disappointed.

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The Waterside Inn, Bray

Chef – Alain Roux (3 Michelin Stars)

Our Review – 2011

A beautiful location just down the road from Heston’s restaurant in fact. We pulled up to be met by a doormen wearing a suit and hat, who dutifully took our keys and went off to park our car between two Bentley’s !! We were greeted and shown our room which had a balcony overlooking the Thames and we thought what could be better … the answer, the food. We ate their taster menu and had some of the best food we have ever eaten in our lives, you can see why they have maintained 3 stars for so many years.

The dining room seemed a little busy with all the staff flying around, not as tranquil as some places we have been but nevertheless it was a nice atmosphere. We chose to have the wine to compliment the meal and by the time we retired to our room we were very full and very merry!. To make the trip even better we were invited to view the kitchen the next morning where we met Alain and Michel Roux Jnr as they filmed for a new TV series, how wonderful.

Downsides

Dining room seemed a little too crowded with staff but that’s being picky as we cannot really fault anything about the place, well worth a try.

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Viners, Newquay Cornwall

Chef – Kevin Viner (AA Chef of the year)

Our Review – 2011

Tucked away on the outskirst of Newquay, Kevin is a winner of some of Britain’s renowned professional cooking competitions including UK National Chef of the Year in 1998 and the AA’s Chef of the Year in 1999, voted by his peers and colleague chefs throughout the trade. He was also nominated as one of the ‘Top ten chefs of the last decade’ by the A.A.

The atmosphere is not stuffy and you are made to feel part of the family from the moment you arrive. We ate there twice in fact once with our children and then again with just adults. We ate amongst other things, oysters, mackerel, scallops, chicken, souffles, and various other dishes. All we can say is wonderful!

The food is fantastic, we highly recommend them, when we are next in Cornwall we will be back.

Downsides

Not sure there are any as far as the food is concerned, it’s a shame though that the entrance is used as a drying area for tea towels very tacky look, get rid of them and think what people first see would be our advice.

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The Butchers Arms, Priors Hardwick

Chef – Adam Newman

Our Review – 2012

Lino, Peter and Helen Pires head up a team of dedicated staff with their prime objective – to look after you during your visit.

A lovely building awaits as you approach it in the village of Priors Hardwick, Warwickshire. We have eaten here many times over the years with friends and even our children every Christmas Day. We have never been disappointed.

The menu is extensive with an option to suit all tastes and budgets. The staff are always attentive but relaxed and you never feel rushed into finishing your meal. Whenever we visit we are never out of the place in less than 3 hours!

The service is relaxed and not too stuffy and they cannot do enough for you, to the extent that one new years eve when our taxi failed to show, one of the staff drove us home, half an hour away!!

The food is well presented and always delicious, and we have tried just about all of it over the years. They have a huge wine/champagne stock as well as lovely beers, so allround very impressive set up.

Well worth a visit (if not for the dessert trolley alone) you will not be disappointed.

Downsides

Never enough opportunity to go I guess, there’s nothing to fuss about really, if we were pushed to think of something we may say less raunchy posters in the gents as it ruins your aim!!!

We have just posted some new Adult Group Class Dates right up to the end of July.

For full details of the classes we have on offer just click here.

Pudding Pie Cookery School, teaching skills that will last a lifetime.

Our January Newsletter is now available to read on-line for the next 30 days.

We have news on the new Forever Plan Diet, plus a delicious Healthy Meatball dish to start the new year. Enjoy the read!

Packed with all the latest news from Pudding Pie Cookery School.

A great healthy recipe to start the New Year, enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

200g minced beef or pork (preferably lean or organic)

50g fresh white breadcrumbs

2tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1tbsp tomato puree

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

½ tsp turmeric

1 tin of plum tomatoes, chopped

2tbsp red wine

Salt & pepper

2 tsp basil leaves, chopped

2tsp rosemary, chopped

1 egg

Method

• In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese, tomato puree, garlic, shallots, egg, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 12 to 15 firm balls.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for several minutes or until browned on all sides.
• Add the tomatoes, wine, basil and rosemary. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Pudding Pie Cookery School, would like to wish all our customers past and present a very happy New Year.

If you received a voucher for Christmas don’t forget to book something within 6 months, we cannot extend vouchers past this time, as long as you have booked something, that’s fine.

We are all looking forward to some new developments this year, more details will follow soon.

Pudding Pie Cookery School, always cooking up something new!

A very quick dish, it tastes really fantastic too, enjoy !

This months recipe is also available as a video, click here to watch

Ingredients                                                         serves 4

2 cloves garlic, chopped
750g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut in half
3 tsp ground turmeric
1 onion finely grated
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
400g chopped tomatoes
30g ghee
3 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
30g fresh coriander, leaves roughly chopped
oil for cooking

Method

•    Heat up about 2 tbsp of oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes over high heat.
•    Mix in the chicken, turmeric, chili powder and salt. Gently fry for 5-10 minutes or until golden, turning the chicken frequently.
•    Mix in the tomatoes, cover and stir fry over medium heat up for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 10 minutes to let all the excess liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken.
•    Mix in the ghee or oil, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and fresh coriander and simmer  for 5-7 minutes or until the fat separates out from the thick sauce.

If you have left your Christmas shopping to the last minute and are struggling for a great gift this year, don’t worry!

Our Cookery School Gift Vouchers make a lovely gift and can be used for any of our services. We can even email them to you to print, right up to the 24th December.

Buy yours here now.

Merry Christmas.

Had great fun at the Eco Day with Oxford City Council Recycle Team at the Co-Op store in Cowley.

Cooking up some treats that can easily be made from everyday food leftovers.

We are running more events with the Co-Op in January and will post details nearer the time.

The Forever Plan Diet Trails have started. The volunteers have now been on the diet for the past 2 days.

Some are finding it easy and some are having the odd headache and withdrawal symptoms from certain foods, but that’s to be expected.

The main thing is they are all giving it a go and things are going well. We start with some recipe demo’s next week, so all good fun!

Watch this space.

Watch the video here. Or you can follow the recipe below:

Makes about 8-12 pies
25g suet
25g mixed peel, chopped
25g currants
25g sultanas
25g raisins
25g apples, chopped
25g soft brown sugar
½ tsp mixed spice
½ lemon, grated zest and juice
½ orange, grated zest and juice
15ml rum
15ml brandy
350g sweet short crust pastry

Method
•    Roll the pastry out and using a cookie cutter cut out some rounds and carefully put them in a Yorkshire pudding tin.
•    Also cut out some smaller rounds or shapes such as stars to go on top.
•    Mix all the other ingredients together and fill the pastry about half full.
•    Put the top on, brush with a little egg wash.
•    Place in a pre heated oven of 200 degrees C for about 15 minutes or until golden.

As a result of overwhelming requests for our popular Edible Gifts Class, we have squeezed in another date before Christmas.

Come along and learn how to make some deliciously beautiful Christmas gifts on the Tuesday 29th November from 10am – 12.30pm at £70 per person.

This includes all the food, packaging, recipes, refreshments and tuition.

You can check out all our classes here.

The new Forever Plan diet website has just gone live. Not long now until the trials start, we are busy getting together meal plans, samples of food etc and we will be all ready on time!

A huge thank you to Tjobbe Andrews for all his help in designing this site and getting it working so quickly.

More news as we have it.

You still have time to make your Christmas Pudding …. just.

Check out our latest video recipe and enjoy your pudding in time for Christmas.

Pudding Pie Cookery School, cooking up some treats for Christmas!

Just finished an Edible Gifts class, everyone left with lots of lovely looking food gifts to give away.

We have another one before Christmas on the 22nd November, why not make your own gifts this year and have some great fun at the same time?