EXCLUSIVE: Strawbs frontman FOOD & DRINK Kent Life Garden of the year award DAVE COUSINS AWARDS FINALISTS celebrations on why he loves Deal Chislehurst to Canterbury and photos

kent-life.co.uk November 2014 Small is beautiful Literary life In Dover, Fordwich, Writers in Canterbury, Faversham, Folkestone and Herne and Romney Marsh Tunbridge Wells reveal all

IN THE COUNTY Lucky balls Weald of Kent The county’s green heart How the National Lottery has benefited Birchington, Westerham Broadstairs and Rochester and Biggin Hill History, heroes and Spitfires Edenbridge Through the keyhole in 10 good reasons to visit Challock

£3.25 Hear all the buzz Meet Horsmonden beekeeper James Green, 11

kent-life.co.uk Bough Beech reservoir, near Edenbridge, by Brendan Waterman GOURMET LIFE

RECIPE Traditional Christmas Pudding Ingredients 50g self-raising flour 1 tsp ground mixed spice 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon 225g dark brown soft sugar 110g shredded suet 110g fresh white breadcrumbs 110g sultanas 110g raisins 275g currants 50g whole peeled almonds 25g candied mixed peel 1/2 zest and juice of an orange 1/2 zest and juice of a lemon 1 small cooking apple peeled and grated 75ml barley wine 75ml stout or Guinness Cooking 2 tbsp rum 2 whole eggs Method with Andy Sift the flour into a large bowl add the mixed spice, grated nutmeg, cinnamon, soft brown sugar, suet Chef Andy McLeish might not have bought his presents and breadcrumbs. yet but he is getting ready for Christmas in the kitchen Add the mixed fruit, almonds, candied peel and zest of the orange and lemon. WORDS BY: ANDY MCLEISH PICTURE BY: MING TANG-EVANS Into a small bowl mix the alcohol, eggs, the juice of the orange and lemon and the grated apple then e still have more than can start making now, which means one combine all the ingredients a month to go before less thing for you to do on the big day, plus together. Christmas but you may it will give the pudding time to mature. Leave the mix in the refrigerator be fooled into thinking I would love to say this recipe was overnight. it was already here handed down from my grandma’s withW all the sparkly lights and decorations grandma, but unfortunately she took The following day grease a large on the high street and the oversized her age-old recipe with her to the grave. bowl and pack the mix into it. turkeys on the supermarket shelves. However, this recipe was given to me a Cover and steam for eight hours. We all have those friends who every few years ago by my head chef’s girlfriend, When cooked allow to cool and store until Christmas Day. year are prepared weeks or months ahead Lisa and it’s so easy you will never buy a of the big day: presents already bought and shop-bought pudding again. wrapped, Christmas decorations and the I could never say that it is better than tree up on the first of the month, essential my gran’s but it certainly is close and if food and alcohol stored in their cupboards. I put my nostalgic feelings aside you may OK, I admit I may be a little jealous. No even get a more honest reply. matter how hard I try I’ll always be found While we’re on the subject of preparing on Christmas Eve rushing around to get the for Christmas, I will be holding a cookery last bits. Every year I start out with good class on 23 December at Chapter One. intentions but seem to get caught out. When you book you can order the size of When it comes to Christmas Day lunch, the turkey you require. On the day, you will Find out more however, it’s another matter. I make sure prepare, stuff and dress the turkey with me Chapter One, Farnborough I prepare as much as I can beforehand. so it’s ready for the oven on Christmas day. Common, Locksbottom There is nothing worse than spending all After all your hard work, you will then BR6 8NF day in the kitchen and missing the essential sit down and enjoy a lovely Christmas 01689 854848 time with the family. Isn’t that what lunch and I will demonstrate the best way www.chapteronerestaurant.co.uk Follow Andy on @andy23471 Christmas is supposed to be about? to carve your turkey. This class is a great I’ve heard so many people say that the way to kick-start your festive celebrations, Next month: Andy cooks a best thing about Christmas is when it’s as well as complete another job on your traditional turkey centrepiece over. I promise you, it doesn’t have to be long Christmas list of things to do. plus a ham hock terrine as your that stressful. This month’s recipe is a To book a place on our turkey cookery festive starter traditional Christmas pudding, which you course, please contact the restaurant. ■ kent-life.co.uk KENT LIFE November 2014 89 GOURMET LIFE

Sponsored by: Tom Biddle’s guinea fowl main course (see p87) Meet the fnalists: part two

From the huge volume of nominations for the second Kent Life and Kent on Sunday Food & Drink Awards, our judges have shortlisted three finalists per category

COMPILED BY: HOLLY EELS AND SARAH STURT PICTURES BY: MANU PALOMEQUE, MING TANG-EVANS, PAUL WINCH-FURNESS AND COURTESY OF THE FINALISTS kent-life.co.uk KENT LIFE November 2014 79 GOURMET LIFE

Farm Shop of the Year Sponsored by:

The Hop Shop, Shoreham Harvel House Farm Shop, Harvel Stanhill Farm Shop, Wilmington We are so delighted to be nominated for this It is fantastic to be nominated for this award. We very much enjoy being a part of the local award, it makes all our work worthwhile! It When we were told we had been shortlisted community and we value our customers’ is a real family farm and everyone in the for Best Farm Shop of the Year it was the first continued loyalty and support. It makes all the team works so hard, especially during the time we had heard of these awards. hard work and effort we put in worthwhile. busy lavender and Christmas seasons. We have not in any way encouraged people We are delighted to be nominated for the Farming and stewardship of the land is our to vote for us, however it does makes it all the second year running and hopefully this year passion and we produce as much as possible more gratifying that customers have taken the we can go one better and come first place! direct from the farm, including lavender, trouble to write in. We think we have been nominated for Farm hops, pumpkins, dried flowers and honey. As to why people chose to vote for us we Shop of the Year because we pride ourselves The Hop Shop has always quietly led the cannot really say, other than we do the best on selling good-quality produce at reasonable field: the first to market decorative hop bines, we can for our customers so perhaps they prices, together with a friendly service. produce a lavender food essence and a Natural wanted to do the best they could for us too. We grow more than 30 different varieties of Sleep range based on lavender and hops. In the end, however, despite it being great to fruit and vegetables, which we sell in our farm Most shop customers learn about us by be shortlisted, it is not the awards that count shop and through our veg box delivery service. word of mouth but we have an international for us. It is customers that matter and their Customers like to know that much of what reputation too and many visitors wanting a partnership with us in a very local food chain. they are buying has been sourced directly tour of the UK’s largest acreage of lavender. Thank you for your support. from the farm. Thank you for your support. Caroline Alexander Steve Jones Max Williams

Chef of the Year Sponsored by:

The West House, Biddenden Chapter One, Locksbottom Ambrette, Canterbury and Margate To say I was shocked about winning the When I found out I was nominated for this We are a Kentish restaurant and as a Kent Chef of the Year award last year would be award I was honestly gobsmacked. It is a great chef it is a great honour to be recognised for an understatement; so to be nominated again achievement, not only for me but for the team such a prestigious award. I believe we always feels just incredible, it was a massive surprise. and I’m privileged to share my kitchen with showcase fantastic local produce and fly the Even though I was making jokes saying it such talented chefs. I never wanted to become flag for Kentish suppliers; we also expand a would be great to get Restaurant of the a chef to win awards or gain Michelin stars. I little further with various other forums. Year this time, I just didn’t think I would only wanted to do something I was passionate We have such a strong following in the south get nominated for Chef of the Year again. about and if people can see my passion on a east and these factors must have attributed I am so grateful to everyone who has taken plate of food then that’s amazing. to your readers nominating us. If we won this the time and effort to nominate me, it is really I hope readers have seen my dedication in award it would be a massive encouragement nice and means a lot. I am truly grateful to supporting Kentish producers. That’s very for my team and myself. everyone who took the trouble to do so. important to me and we are proud to be in I would like to thank each and every one of It makes you feel quite humble really, as Kent and want to celebrate all it has to offer. your readers from the bottom of my heart. no one ever tells you that they are nominating The county is overflowing with quality food, so Winning would make a big difference to the you, so the phone call with the news came why go anywhere else? I would also hope that restaurant and is a great morale boost for the completely out the blue. our customers enjoy what we offer, so much team, and it will help encourage us to promote Thank you again to all my customers. so that they took the time to nominate us. Kent produce even more. Thank you! Graham Garrett Andrew McLeish Dev Biswal

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