The joys of overindulging

No recipes in this blog, just a celebration of great food done well- and good company! As I mentioned in my last post, I went to the Cotswolds, the lovely area at the intersection of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. This area of beautiful old golden stone buildings, small peaceful villages, rolling countryside and rivers is one of my favorite places in the world. I went with one of my favorite people in the world, my good friend Kristina, musician, Reiki-master, and fellow foodie, to eat, drink and be merrie!

We started off far too early by catching the train from Luxembourg to Bruxelles and then got the Eurostar across to Ebbsfleet International, the train stop before London. We picked up our car and headed west, trying to scoot around the jammed M25 by using country roads. I'm not sure that it worked terribly well, we joined the motorway in the end.

First stop was The Trout Inn, just outside Oxford. I had been before with my family and it was as gorgeous as I remembered. The river rushes past the back garden which was inhabited by a stunning peacock that seemed to be trying to charm us! Well, we were easy targets- we were ready to be charmed by everything at that moment! It wasn't warm enough to eat outdoors (February is warmer in the UK, but not that warm!) so we had our meal sitting in big overstuffed chairs next to the bar. I've forgotten which beer I drank, but the salad was unforgettable. A large slice of soft goats cheese was baked and placed on a salad of rocket and garnished with a poached fresh fig and some pickled onions. Really, an amazing combination of tastes- and honestly, not complicated. It was just the quality of the ingredients. Kristina had a curried smoked chicken salad with peanuts and avacado which was really lovely as well. Then it was on to find the Knights Templar at Temple Guiting!

Actually, on our way to the Knights, I should mention that my GPS took us down a very narrow lane to go to Kineton. This was fine, I lived in the UK for several years and feel quite comfortable on the small roads. However, around a corner was a ford- this means you drive through a river. Now, I've done that before too. The last time I stayed in the Cotswolds, we had to cross at a ford to get to our cottage and we did it with no problems each time. This one, though, was running a bit fast and deep, but there was no way around it except to go all the way back to the main road- and there was no sign that we saw that it wasn't passable, so we took a photo of me in our tiny rental car and then I drove through. By the time I got to the other side, my engine was smoking. After a bit of worrying smell, the smoke died down and we continued on and actually had no other problems. However, at the end of the road on the further side of the ford, we finally came upon the sign "Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles". I have to say, I'm getting tired of the trouble I get into by not being clairvoyent. Ah, well- "All's well that end's well" as the great bard said!

Dinner that night was in Stow on the Wold at The Old Butcher. It was good food, but a bit sterile and I wanted a good local beer on tap, but settled for a bottle of Hooky from Hook Norton as they had Staropramen on their tap. This is a great Czech beer, but I wanted local!! I had a fantastic piece of local lamb on ratatouille, though, and that really made up for it. The fat (yes, I know we're not supposed to eat it, but I couldn't help it!) was so crispy and the meat delicately pink and tender. Kristina had marinated British venison that really stood out for the flavor of the meat. Our starters though, were less interesting. Kristina had a Tartiflette which we know well as it comes from Alsace, just south of us. Maybe if we hadn't already known what a great tartiflette would be (potatoes, onions, and smoky lardons with very ripe Munster cheese put under the grill until brown and bubbly) we would have liked their version (almost the same, but without enough cheese and not crusty/bubbly enough- it was just kind of soft). Mine was a beetroot, smoked eel, and horseradish salad- very good, but not memorable. It took me a long time to remember what I had! Gernerally, the restaurant was good overall, but I wouldn't go with kids so I probably won't be back soon. Kids are normally part of my travel plan...

The next day, after a gigantic fry up of local bacon, sausages and eggs, berries and yogurt and homemade marmalade on toast with gallons of tea (provided by Kiloran, owner of The Wren House B and B in Donnington where we were staying- gorgeous place!!) we headed off on our walk through some of my favorite villages. We started in Bourton on the Water, a stunning town with lots of little bridges crossing the river that runs through the center. Actually, it took a while to get going as Kristina has a penguin obsession and so we had to make a detour to check out the penguins at Birdland. Ultimately, it was a great diversion as the penguins seemed to fall for Kristina and came to the glass and splashed us, jumped, dove, and generally seemed to want to charm us. Hey, is this some sort of theme of this trip...? When we finally tore ourselves away, we only had to make a final stop to buy some lime cremes- chocolate covered, lime flavoured fondants- which seemed a perfect way to help us continue on to our final destination.

We wandered out of Bourton on the Water and crossed the large road to find the Warden's Way, a lovely path that runs along a small river up to the village of Lower Slaughter. There we stopped at the Old Mill shop, a place my family always goes to in this area. I didn't buy anything this time, but I'm back in the area at Easter, so I've got plans... The path then continues to Upper Slaughter, a less picturesque village only in that is is not laid out for views. But the church was very pretty and the old Norman panels which were pointed out to us by a very agreeable gentleman who was visiting the church with his wife on their wedding anniversary were easy to miss but facinating. To touch something so ancient and feel so connected to the past!

After this, we had a harder trek. We wandered down the Warden's Way past fields and a small river, then across open pasture and a barn full of very curious cows and finally descended to see the village of Naunton through the trees. We stopped at The Black Horse pub on the edge of the village and each had a chicken, mushroom and tarragon pie. Fantastic! And a half of Hooky gold for me and a half of cider for Kristina later, we decided- walking is fabulous and we wanted a cab back to our car. So when our silver Jaguar picked us up (this is actually true- what is his second job, we wondered?) we felt rather spoiled as he drove us back around to our starting point. A bit of shopping, a nap at the B and B and we went for dinner.

Now we were getting desperate. This was to be the potential highlight meal of our stay, but could we do it? We were at The Horse and Groom in Bourton on the Hill and had heard great reviews. But as we entered, we were still full... But of course we pulled it off! Kristina had a potato and leek soup and a horseradish crusted hake that was really an interesting combination of creamy sauce and sharp taste. I had another beetroot salad, this time with grilled haloumi. However, we though that my hamburger, made from local cattle, with an onion jam- no bun, none needed- was perhaps the best thing we had that night. Absolutely tender and juicy, a few herbs flecked throughout, this was what I had been waiting for! All this and the atmosphere was lively and entertaining and the owners were there and enjoyed talking to their customers. And their beers were the best of the trip- I will certainly be here when I return in a few weeks!!

The last day in the area was our Indian Head Massage and Reflexology course. So of course, we should have been detoxing, but seemed unable to start! Another cooked brekkie, and we were off for the Farncombe Estate near Moreton in Marsh. The estate is huge and runs down the valley in the green and lush countryside. We came to the place where the courses run and found our room. The whole day was wonderful, we smelled good after and had learned so much about aromatherapy as well as the massage we signed up for. Luckily, the school's lunch provided an opportunity for eating healthy and I took it! Because then we were on a mission to find a place for dinner. We had signed up to go to the Fiddle On folk instrument evening at the institute which included dinner, but neither of us really felt like staying. It was our last evening and we wanted to explore!

So we headed to Moreton in Marsh and looked for a place for dinner. We wandered the streets and found Indian, Thai, and Italian, but we wanted one last Great British Dinner. Finally, we called the Horse and Groom again, thinking that might be our best option, but, unless we wanted to eat immediately, they were full. At the last moment, we came upon the Redesdale Arms, a restaurant attatched to a hotel in the center of town. The menu looked quite good and we agreed to try. We managed to get the last table and returned a couple hours later.

A very cute and cheerful girl was our waitress and she made me laugh hysterically (hopefully she didn't think it was at her) when she offered me a Hooky Gold saying (compared to the Hooky) it was a "Ladies beer". If you've ever seen the sketch comedy show "Little Britain", you'll understand my fit of laughter, if not, check it out- unless you're easily offended! The beer was excellent, though, and I'll look for it again.

Kristina had a roasted pepper soup which seemed mild to start, but then, as the white pepper kicked in, became more intense. I had a wood pidgeon terrine which I found too mild. They served it with macerated grapes, I think with the idea they would intensify the flavour of the mild pigeon but instead they overwhelmed it. Our dinners were fabulous though. Kristina's Cornish haddock with chips and mushy peas was perfectly done and I had my first experience with the touted Gloucester Old Spot pork. It really is something unlike other pork that you might eat. Even Kristina, who only rarely eats pork, tried a bite and agreed that is something really unusual and special. The flavour is simply not comparable to grocery store meat!

Now, I have to confess, I couldn't finish. And I left.... the crackling. This is anaethema to anyone who is a devoted British food fan and my husband was really horrified. This is the salted and crispy edge of a pork roast, done well it resembles pork scratchings but still attached to the meat. And it was wonderfully done, but I simply had to choose what not to eat and it was that. So why did we decide to have a lemon merangue pie? Because this was a birthday trip for Kristina and she had lemon merangue pie instead of a birthday cake every year growing up. And it was worth it! It was more like a flourless almond cake on bottom, very eggy lemon filling next and merangue on top.

That night we paid for it, Kristina spent an hour feeling nauseous and I had terrible heartburn, but we discovered the answer to "How much can we eat in 3 days?" and it was "Just a little less than what we just did." I don't think I'll do that again, I feel much better when I'm more sensible, but it isn't often I'm off with a like-minded friend, sans kids and husband with no one to please but myself. And enjoyed every minute of it!! Thanks Kristina, and happy birthday!!