Now, I'm not sure that this fits the criteria at all. But I'm including it to show that other types of cider are available other than Thatcher's Gold ...
It's Sunday, a visit to a National Trust property is on the cards. But which one? The decision is easy. The only local one open this early in the year is Knightshaye Court in Devon. We pile into the car and set off.
There was a time I would have laughed myself silly at the thought of ever being a paid-up member of the National Trust. But old age dulls the mind, and a love of mansions, ancient artefacts and (in the case of the twenty-ager) cream teas means I'm a regular visitor. And so after a stroll around the house we decide to try the cafe ... where I am delighted to discover that the National Trust have kept their word - "Many of the products we use are sourced locally and are regional specialities" - and on sale here they have bottles of Luscombe Devon cider. Luscombe have been making cider for about 20 years, but now seem to be better known primarily as a soft-drink manufacturer - particularly organic apple juice. They've not lost their touch when it comes to cider though! It's dry, it's light and it's refreshing ... and full marks for the National Trust for managing something most pubs can't - serving a decent cider.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
The George Hotel, Frome
The twenty-ager is home from Uni and she needs to be entertained ... I visited Frome for the first time in January following a recommendation from a friend and I have to say I wasn't disappointed - even though most of the rather wonderfully eclectic shops were shut for the month! Frome seemed to be just the sort of place to take a discerning twenty-ager ...
The Farmers' Market had a lovely selection of flavoured cheddar cheeses, some lovely smoked salmon and a nice pot of Guernsey cream to tempt me. And the cake shop offered an array of cakes suitable for afternoon tea. My mind was made up ... this evening I would prepare a selection of sandwiches (salmon and cream cheese, tuna and red onion, cucumber and egg mayonnaise) all with the crusts cut off, followed by cakes and cream!
So when it came to having a spot of lunch and knowing that the twenty-ager would want something reasonably "normal" (as opposed to some of the more fancier foods available in the more upmarket catering establishments in the town) the decision was taken to go into The George for a pub lunch.
The George is a Wadworths pub, so it offers an array of beer products ... but when it comes to cider ... Thatcher's Gold it is - despite peering over the bar I couldn't even see any bottled ciders to offer an alternative!
The food menu seemed to comprise of three separate menus, one detailing the "main menu", one for specials, and one for lunch ...however, it took a trip to three different tables to ensure we got one of each! The lunch menu offered a tuna and red onion baguette, which I have to admit was very tempting, but mindful of my afternoon tea plan I thought I'd give it a miss and have "Catch of the Day" instead. The order was taken at the table by a young lady who also took the next drinks order, and claimed to have changed the beer barrel - leading to us wondering if she was also doing the cooking or if there were other members of staff. On arrival "Catch of the Day" proved to be haddock, the food was hot, plentiful and filled a gap.
The George also offers accommodation - it is a Hotel after all - but it knows its place, the menu isn't pretentious, the place is clean and the service is good - when you want a pint and a bite to eat as a break from shopping it does the job. I imagine there are other pubs in Frome that offer the more genuine "real pub atmosphere", but I wasn't looking for that today, although to be fair we were seated in what was more of a dining area than the bar.
Cider - 2
Tuna - (0) but 3 for my meal
Atmosphere - 2 (more of an eatery than a pub)
The Farmers' Market had a lovely selection of flavoured cheddar cheeses, some lovely smoked salmon and a nice pot of Guernsey cream to tempt me. And the cake shop offered an array of cakes suitable for afternoon tea. My mind was made up ... this evening I would prepare a selection of sandwiches (salmon and cream cheese, tuna and red onion, cucumber and egg mayonnaise) all with the crusts cut off, followed by cakes and cream!
So when it came to having a spot of lunch and knowing that the twenty-ager would want something reasonably "normal" (as opposed to some of the more fancier foods available in the more upmarket catering establishments in the town) the decision was taken to go into The George for a pub lunch.
The George is a Wadworths pub, so it offers an array of beer products ... but when it comes to cider ... Thatcher's Gold it is - despite peering over the bar I couldn't even see any bottled ciders to offer an alternative!
The food menu seemed to comprise of three separate menus, one detailing the "main menu", one for specials, and one for lunch ...however, it took a trip to three different tables to ensure we got one of each! The lunch menu offered a tuna and red onion baguette, which I have to admit was very tempting, but mindful of my afternoon tea plan I thought I'd give it a miss and have "Catch of the Day" instead. The order was taken at the table by a young lady who also took the next drinks order, and claimed to have changed the beer barrel - leading to us wondering if she was also doing the cooking or if there were other members of staff. On arrival "Catch of the Day" proved to be haddock, the food was hot, plentiful and filled a gap.
The George also offers accommodation - it is a Hotel after all - but it knows its place, the menu isn't pretentious, the place is clean and the service is good - when you want a pint and a bite to eat as a break from shopping it does the job. I imagine there are other pubs in Frome that offer the more genuine "real pub atmosphere", but I wasn't looking for that today, although to be fair we were seated in what was more of a dining area than the bar.
Cider - 2
Tuna - (0) but 3 for my meal
Atmosphere - 2 (more of an eatery than a pub)
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Lamb and Flag, Cribbs, Bristol.
It’s Tuesday. I’ve been shopping at The Mall. I’ve a couple of hours to waste before going to the 02 Academy.
Pop in here and have a bite to eat and a drink maybe?
It looks like a pub … but it’s a Harvester. Harvesters like to pass themselves off as pubs. But they’re not. Not by any stretch of the imagination
For example … the only cider they offer is draught Strongbow or Blackthorn or perhaps a tempting bottle of Magners. Original or Pear. Bleugh. Stop it now.
A gaggle of shop workers come and join me at the bar, this is obviously a regular stop off on the way home. Poor dears.
But perhaps, despite the bar, it’s a pub-food serving restaurant? Maybe. But what’s all this about “as much salad as you can eat”? What sort of respectable pub-goer wants to eat salad?
And there’s no jacket potatoes or sandwiches on the menu … it’s all steak, grills and combos. It’s monstrous and I want to leave right now.
At the table behind me sit a couple of young men. One of them asks the waiter if he can “Get a spit roast please” … and then he and his partner go back to discussing the benefits of cruising. It’s a few moments before I realise that they mean the high seas variety! But it’s sad that this was the highlight of my visit – and purely down to my childish sense of humour …
Cider 0
Food 0
Atmosphere 0
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Pyne’s Bar, The Bedford Hotel, Sidmouth
This year I won’t be staying at my usual hotel for Sidmouth for Folk Fest. Instead I’m going to save some money and have booked somewhere cheaper. However, being wary that the place might turn out to be not of my normal standard the decision was taken to go on a recce this weekend to check it out …
And so it is that I find myself getting blown along the Promenade at Sidmouth. Seriously, it’s incredibly windy, the waves are angry and I’m starting to get cold … Having reached the end of the Prom I’m really looking forward to the walk back, when the wind won’t be in my face! After being forced up Jacob’s Ladder (a very high and open set of steps that lead me to whinge all the way up that I might get blown away) I manage to get out of the wind to admire the Connaught Gardens and then it’s back to the cold of the Prom again. And now it’s also starting to rain … time to seek shelter.
Normally when I come to Sidmouth my pub of choice is The Ship in Old Fore Street – the food and choice of cider are excellent. But today I’m persuaded that a window seat in The Bedford Hotel with a view of the sea would be a perfect way to enjoy the town without getting cold and wet.
I’ve been to The Bedford before a few times, it’s a reasonable enough venue during Folk Fest – I’ve never had occasion to eat here though, eating is more of an afterthought when you are concentrating on the music and taking photographs of the sock and sandal combinations …
And so to the bar … I must admit that I usually frequent The Bedford later on in the evening when I visit Sidmouth, and by then I’ve already sampled a variety of ciders in the other establishments in town. So it comes as a shock to discover that the only cider on offer is … Thatcher’s Gold. I’m seriously starting to dislike the sight of that name on a pump now. Gold seems to be taking over from Strongbow and Blackthorn as the must-have cider for Landlords. And whilst anything has to be better than the aforementioned fizzy rubbish it does seem to be at the expense of some of Thatcher’s other offerings – Katy for example. Why do so many pubs seem to think having a cider on draught and some bottles of Magners and Bulmers is enough to keep the cider drinkers happy?
And breathe and relax, I take a seat by the window from where I can survey the weather buffeting the more hardier souls and consult the menu. It’s a very posh menu – smoked haddock served on a bed of spinach, golden fried fish and chips with peas and tartare sauce or soup served with a cheese sandwich for the princely sum of £8.00. There’s a selection of sandwiches too – but of course, we are now in Lyme Bay … so no Tuna on the menu. Instead it’s crab. It arrives promptly, with a nice dressed salad garnish and a handful of crisps. All jolly tasty, but not tuna … I do like my tuna. Ah well ... roll on July when I can get back to The Ship and decent cider!
Cider – 2 (I’m getting totally fed up of Gold)
Tuna 0 – but (3) for my crab sandwich
Atmosphere 2 – the pensioners seem to love it, but for me it’s not the same without the sound of flute, ukulele and bodhran.
Friday, 4 February 2011
My local ...
A chalkboard in the entrance to my local proudly boasts that they have nine ciders on sale. It's a Somerset pub in the heart of cider-producing territory so you would hope they have a decent offering. Let's take a closer look ...
On draught we have
1. Strongbow
2. Blackthorn
Both of which are mass-produced carbonated rubbish.
In bottles:-
3. Bulmers
4. Magners (Irish cider ... Hmmph)
Another couple of mass-produced, over-carbonated pop masquerading as cider.
5. WKD Core
6. Brothers Strawberry
I don't know how they can call either of these cider.
7. Aspalls Draught
8. Aspalls Dry
Not Somerset produced, and not a traditional cloudy scrumpy, but in the absence of anything better I like a bottle of Aspalls, particularly the 7% dry. It's got quite a distinct apple taste - not too sharp and not too dry. And the best bit is ... I'm one of the few people trusted with the special Aspalls glass!
9. Aspalls Blush
Although they don't actually have amy of this in at the moment, nor space on the shelves. Which doesn't bother me. The time I tried some it reminded me of being a teenager and drinking 'cider'n'black' on a nearby town's practically derelict pier and almost falling through the planking on the way home. Before being jolly ill.
Tonight the rugby is on, the place is packed, so far Enfland are winning. Everyone seems happy ... It's very noisy - the sort of cacophony you get when men get over-excited, but it's nice to see the place busy.
Later I shall probably venture forth for a kebab. The chef here tries his best, there are ham or cheese rolls behind the bar and the specials board features lamb shank or grilled bacon and everything comes with chips. But judging from the smell that emanates from the kitchen they don't seem to change the chip fat very often and that has always put me off grabbing a bite to eat here.
Cider - 3.5 (that score is purely for the Aspalls but then this place is not a free house, so I suppose they are doing their best!) Tuna - 0 (but the kebab is always good) Atmosphere - 5. It's my local after all.
On draught we have
1. Strongbow
2. Blackthorn
Both of which are mass-produced carbonated rubbish.
In bottles:-
3. Bulmers
4. Magners (Irish cider ... Hmmph)
Another couple of mass-produced, over-carbonated pop masquerading as cider.
5. WKD Core
6. Brothers Strawberry
I don't know how they can call either of these cider.
7. Aspalls Draught
8. Aspalls Dry
Not Somerset produced, and not a traditional cloudy scrumpy, but in the absence of anything better I like a bottle of Aspalls, particularly the 7% dry. It's got quite a distinct apple taste - not too sharp and not too dry. And the best bit is ... I'm one of the few people trusted with the special Aspalls glass!
9. Aspalls Blush
Although they don't actually have amy of this in at the moment, nor space on the shelves. Which doesn't bother me. The time I tried some it reminded me of being a teenager and drinking 'cider'n'black' on a nearby town's practically derelict pier and almost falling through the planking on the way home. Before being jolly ill.
Tonight the rugby is on, the place is packed, so far Enfland are winning. Everyone seems happy ... It's very noisy - the sort of cacophony you get when men get over-excited, but it's nice to see the place busy.
Later I shall probably venture forth for a kebab. The chef here tries his best, there are ham or cheese rolls behind the bar and the specials board features lamb shank or grilled bacon and everything comes with chips. But judging from the smell that emanates from the kitchen they don't seem to change the chip fat very often and that has always put me off grabbing a bite to eat here.
Cider - 3.5 (that score is purely for the Aspalls but then this place is not a free house, so I suppose they are doing their best!) Tuna - 0 (but the kebab is always good) Atmosphere - 5. It's my local after all.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
The New Inn, Priddy
Ooh la la. It’s Sunday and it’s busy - locals and outdoor loving geology student types, it’s a bit late for food – this was an afterthought after all, but the cider, ohhhhhhh … the cider.
How many varieties are there? Goodness ... six on draught, 10 in boxes and about another seven bottled. Every product produced by Bristol based Original Cider Company and Glastonbury based Orchard Pig is on sale here. So much choice – so little time and then there’s the driving home to consider …
I settle for a half of Bristol Port (rich, ruby and with the slight port taste that comes from standing in old port barrels for a while) and scan the bar area, to my left is the entrance to “The Cider Barn” – an area of the pub set aside for cider drinkers, complete with straw, barrels and decorated with shelf loads of empty cider bottles. Over the other side of the bar the geology students are finishing their lunch before embarking on another outdoor pursuit and behind me a bunch of locals are discussing their hangovers from the night before.
The chap I assume to be the Landlord must have had a heavy week – he certainly seems to have had a sense of humour bypass and has the air of someone who can’t wait to close up for the day. Which is a shame, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for today.
A glass of InnCider next – well it seemed rude not to, after all this is a cider created especially for the New Inn by Orchard Pig. It’s not bad, but it soon becomes apparent that I’m really not going to be able to sample everything on the cider menu – the chauffeur is complaining that he hates being in a pub and not being able to drink …
Well, we could always return for The Priddy Folk Festival I suggest – except there is a slight snag with that idea. I don’t do camping. And I’m not allowed to buy the VW campervan that I covet … maybe if I bring him out here a few more times and he realises that he’s still not going to be able to sample all the ciders he might relent and the VW will be mine …
Score
Cider – 5 Tuna – (0) not sampled this time! Atmosphere – 1 (grumpy landlord today)
Well worthy of a second visit to up the score methinks …
The Bear Inn, Wiveliscombe
It's another cold January Saturday. I'm totally fed up of being indoors and so we decide that a car ride is in order. It's my turn to choose the destination. I think about local places I've never been to. And settle on Wellington. It's not far and it might be interesting ...
It's not. It reminds me of my home town, charity shops, cafes, supermarkets and boarded up town centre shops - although they do still have a couple of gift shops which is more than we do! There is a lovely looking fish and game shop, but I'm not allowed to buy the Arbroath smokies because I won't have time to eat them in the morning.
We walk around the town centre, admiring some of the buildings and reading the plaques adorned to some of them detailing the history of the property. However, when we seem to have seen everything it's still a bit early for lunch. We head back to the car and decide to drive to Wiveliscombe.
A short time later we park the car and wander up the hill to what I assume must be the centre. There's a co-op, a library with empty book shelves, an antiques shop, a butchers, a gun shop and The Old Courthouse - a small three storey department store which looks both outside and inside like a mini version of Liberty. It seems an odd combination of shops, but then this is Somerset and when I think about it all needs are covered!
Wiveliscombe is home to two breweries - Cotleigh and Exmoor and it was once able to boast that it had 28 pubs. Some of the previous 28 sites form The Brewery Plaque Trail, and these premises are marked with ceramic and glass tiles to denote their previous existence as a pub - The Anchor is depicted by a fish, The Bristol by the SS Great Britain and so on. Spotting the plaques makes for a great game! But the wind chill is getting up and it's time to decide which of the three pubs to visit.
The Old Court House has a cellar bar, The White Hart is big and ... white and The Bear Inn looks to have a higgledy-piggledy feel to it. The Bear it is then! Locals are sat playing crib, reading papers, chatting and availing themselves of the cheap-to-pensioners lunches. It's really busy in here and so nice to see people partaking of the old-fashioned form of entertainment. I try to remember how to play cribbage, I used to play with my Grandfather when I was younger, but the rules and aims of the game have sadly completely slipped from my memory.
As befits a freehouse set twixt two breweries they offer both Cotleigh and Exmoor Ales, but when it comes to cider it's Gold on offer. Not to worry. One day I will find a pub with something different on sale. The menu is proper pub food - ham, egg, and chips, steak and ale pie and proper steak and kidney pudding and the specials board includes pork and leek sausages with mash. Amongst the jacket potatoes and sandwich filllings I spy tuna and mayonnaise and choose to have it in a granary baguette.
It arrives with a very small salad garnish and I commence cutting it into manageable pieces. The bread is delicious, the filling less so - the tuna has not been drained fully and there's not enough mayo to disguise the brine. I set to work with cucumber and salad cream to try to take away some of the salty taste. It works! I save half for later and have a chat with the pensioners to my left about the fact that due to Somerset County Council's threat to close of the library (in common with several libaries in the county) the residents have checked all the books out, hence the empty shelves!
This is the sort of place that I'd like to return to on a warmer day, to spend longer strolling around the street admiring the buildings, if I run out of places to visit I'll be back.
Score:- Cider - 2 Baguette - 2 Atmosphere - 4
It's not. It reminds me of my home town, charity shops, cafes, supermarkets and boarded up town centre shops - although they do still have a couple of gift shops which is more than we do! There is a lovely looking fish and game shop, but I'm not allowed to buy the Arbroath smokies because I won't have time to eat them in the morning.
We walk around the town centre, admiring some of the buildings and reading the plaques adorned to some of them detailing the history of the property. However, when we seem to have seen everything it's still a bit early for lunch. We head back to the car and decide to drive to Wiveliscombe.
A short time later we park the car and wander up the hill to what I assume must be the centre. There's a co-op, a library with empty book shelves, an antiques shop, a butchers, a gun shop and The Old Courthouse - a small three storey department store which looks both outside and inside like a mini version of Liberty. It seems an odd combination of shops, but then this is Somerset and when I think about it all needs are covered!
Wiveliscombe is home to two breweries - Cotleigh and Exmoor and it was once able to boast that it had 28 pubs. Some of the previous 28 sites form The Brewery Plaque Trail, and these premises are marked with ceramic and glass tiles to denote their previous existence as a pub - The Anchor is depicted by a fish, The Bristol by the SS Great Britain and so on. Spotting the plaques makes for a great game! But the wind chill is getting up and it's time to decide which of the three pubs to visit.
The Old Court House has a cellar bar, The White Hart is big and ... white and The Bear Inn looks to have a higgledy-piggledy feel to it. The Bear it is then! Locals are sat playing crib, reading papers, chatting and availing themselves of the cheap-to-pensioners lunches. It's really busy in here and so nice to see people partaking of the old-fashioned form of entertainment. I try to remember how to play cribbage, I used to play with my Grandfather when I was younger, but the rules and aims of the game have sadly completely slipped from my memory.
As befits a freehouse set twixt two breweries they offer both Cotleigh and Exmoor Ales, but when it comes to cider it's Gold on offer. Not to worry. One day I will find a pub with something different on sale. The menu is proper pub food - ham, egg, and chips, steak and ale pie and proper steak and kidney pudding and the specials board includes pork and leek sausages with mash. Amongst the jacket potatoes and sandwich filllings I spy tuna and mayonnaise and choose to have it in a granary baguette.
It arrives with a very small salad garnish and I commence cutting it into manageable pieces. The bread is delicious, the filling less so - the tuna has not been drained fully and there's not enough mayo to disguise the brine. I set to work with cucumber and salad cream to try to take away some of the salty taste. It works! I save half for later and have a chat with the pensioners to my left about the fact that due to Somerset County Council's threat to close of the library (in common with several libaries in the county) the residents have checked all the books out, hence the empty shelves!
This is the sort of place that I'd like to return to on a warmer day, to spend longer strolling around the street admiring the buildings, if I run out of places to visit I'll be back.
Score:- Cider - 2 Baguette - 2 Atmosphere - 4
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