FOODIES

      NEWSLETTER NO 6

 

      JANUARY 2008

 

CHRIS’S CRUMBS

Chris Hunt

 

Here we are, three weeks into 2008 and I wonder how many of you have made New Year’s resolutions and broken them already.  I certainly have – I usually lapse on about the 2nd January and this year is no exception!  One thing you could all resolve to do is to communicate with each other via the pages of our quarterly newsletter.  What about all you prize-draw winners?  How about letting us have some feedback on your winnings?  If anyone has any comments or suggestions about local and maybe national food issues that they would like published, please email me on hunchris@aol.com.  I will be happy to pass them on.  You can also write to me c/o Allie Clark at Teignbridge District Council, Forde House in Newton Abbot.

 

South Devon and Dartmoor Food and Drink has been approached by South Hams Food & Drink with a view to amalgamating the two groups.  Discussions are currently underway, but no decision has been taken yet.  I will, of course, keep you posted on any developments.  One thing, however, is clear.  It is the wish of the group that the foodies should continue in their present form.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

ODE, 21 FORE STREET, SHALDON

 

As those of you who were at Old Forde House in November will remember, this is the restaurant that won Taste of the West South West Restaurant of the Year in last year’s awards, and we are very pleased to have them as a member of South Devon and Dartmoor Food & Drink.

 

Ode is a small and intimate restaurant (24 covers) housed in a three-storey Georgian townhouse.  Owners Tim and Clare Bouget are passionate about sourcing only the finest seasonal ingredients from line-caught fish and regional meats to organic fruit and vegetables, flours, butter, coffee etc.  Approximately 90% of what they use is local (South West regional) produce, with the remaining 10% of mainly dry goods being sourced from further afield.  They have also been very aware of their impact on the environment during the refurbishment of the restaurant.  The wooden dining tables were made on Dartmoor, the seats are renovated Paris bistro chairs and the napkins were made locally from organic hemp and linen.  The restaurant also uses eco-friendly cleaning products.

 

Tim, the chef, is Devon born and bred.  He grew up in Crediton and went to college in Exeter.  His first post was at 90 Park Lane, Grosvenor House Hotel.  Tim did not enjoy living in London and so he wrote to the Roux Brothers in Bray to ask if they had any vacancies.  He was invited along for a day’s trial and immediately offered a job.  After approximately three years there, he was bitten by the travel bug.  Overseas work has included a three-year post in Barbados.  His task there was to upgrade the food and acquire management skills to help train the sixty chefs, who were cooking for celebrities paying £1000 a night.  Challenges included the lack of electricity and running water, and difficulty in understanding the local patois!

 

He progressed to working for Orient Express Hotels in South Africa, with the responsibility for the opening of The Westcliff, followed by a privately owned hotel called The Saxon.  The latter is in the building that was Nelson Mandela’s home after his release from prison and the place where he wrote “The Long Road to Freedom”.  From here it was on to the Middle East and North Africa, again training locals at a hotel on the Red Sea in Egypt.  Next came a two-year spell in Los Angeles working on another restaurant project.  It was here that Tim and Clare, who he had met and married during his travels, really became interested in organics and healthy dining, working with great produce.  While here, Tim was approached to work in Bali, re-branding a Destination Spa.  And now Tim and Clare find themselves in exotic Shaldon …

 

Ode serves innovative cuisine with a healthy twist, using flavours from around the world.  Prices vary from Sunday brunches (11.00 – 1.30) when everything costs under £10, through light lunches (2 courses £15.95, 3 courses £19.95), to the full evening menu which, including drinks, could cost £50.00 per person.  The one thing that does not change is that the restaurant always strives for perfection and never compromises on quality.  Continuing their commitment to bridging the skills gap, Tim and Clare have taken on Grant, an apprentice from Teignmouth.  They also hand over the restaurant on occasional Tuesdays to their other two employees, Roger and Anita, to run for the night.  With Tim and Clare in the background, Roger and Anita plan a menu and work out the costings, then cook and serve.  The two course meal, described by Tim as refined comfort food, costs £16.50 per person. 

 

To find out more about what is on offer at Ode, visit their website www.odetruefood.co.uk or telephone 01626 873977 to make your booking.  You are sure of a warm welcome.  Your name can be added to their mailing list by emailing info@odetruefood.co.uk. 

 

 

RED ROCK BREWERY, BISHOPSTEIGNTON

 

John Parkes is a man with a passion for beer.  As an A-level student he secured a place on a Brewing Technology degree course at Sheffield University but decided instead to study Chemical Engineering in Manchester.  Given the propensity for students to consume large quantities of alcohol, he wryly remarked that it might have led to him drinking himself to death!  He has, however, brewed beer at home for many years.  John’s son, Lewis, is obviously a chip off the old block and for a while he worked for a local brewery, but was unfortunately made redundant.  One day following a game of golf with some friends, John remarked that he would love to set up a micro-brewery, both for his own satisfaction and to provide a job for Lewis.  Happily, his friends all expressed an interest in investing.  After serious discussions and some financial input from his family, he eventually went into partnership with one of those friends, Martin Griggs - and so Red Rock Brewery came into being.

 

The first problem was to locate premises.  John approached a friend at Higher Humber Farm near Bishopsteignton, and was able to take over a barn that had previously been used for storing Scouting equipment.  In February 2006 the renovation work began, taking three to four months.  John had recently retrained as a primary school teacher, after running an ICT training centre at Broadmeadow Sports Centre for several years, and for one term he was teaching and brewing.  On 24th July the first of several trial brews was made.  From starting the brewing process to drinking the beer is a three-week process and, by mid-August John, Martin and Lewis realised that their first attempt was not up to scratch.  Undeterred, they modified the recipe and tried and tried again until a satisfactory brew was produced.  On September 6th they made their first sale.  The first two beers to be launched were Red Rock and Back Beach.  This month they made their 200th brew.

 

Red Rock beers got off to a flying start, reaching break-even level by the end of the first few months.  After such a promising start, I asked John when the brewery is expected to make its first million (!).  Apparently this will not be in the foreseeable future (if ever) as all profits are ploughed back into the business.  The brew-house has been extended twice.  Having started with three fermentation vessels the brewery now has five, meaning they can brew on five days per week, and a new bottling line is to be installed in February.

 

The emphasis is now on producing bottle-conditioned ales, although the beers are also available in firkins, pins and polypins.  The brewery regularly produces six beers – Red Rock, Dark Ness, Back Beach, Drift Wood, Break Water and Humber Down, together with occasional special brews.  It is sold mainly through small retail outlets, farmers markets and special events such as the SDDFD markets at Haldon.  One beer is sold in three Southwest branches of Waitrose, and Red Rock will soon be producing two own-label beers for the National Trust at Buckland Abbey.  In November, the brewery took on an additional member of staff, Simon, who has responsibility for sales and general promotion, so we can probably expect to see Red Rock beers appearing in more retail outlets as time goes by.

 

If you are a fan of Red Rock beers and are having a party to celebrate a special occasion, did you know that you can have personalised labels on your beer bottles?  Contact the brewery by emailing john@redrockbrewery.co.uk or phoning 07894 035094.  Any beer devotees wishing to visit the brewery should also telephone in advance to make sure there will be someone there.

 

Finally, if you want to read more about the brewery and see some photographs of the renovations, visit the website www.redrockbrewery.co.uk.  Cheers!

 

QUARTERLY PRIZE DRAW

 

If you have read the above, it will not come as a surprise to you that the first prize in this quarter’s draw is a £50 voucher to be spent at Ode.  The lucky winners are Linda and John Dewis.

 

The second prize, a selection box of Red Rock beers, goes to Helen Saunders.

 

Thanks to Lesley Dawe of Old Walls Vineyard for making the draw.  I visited the vineyard on a beautiful sunny afternoon and the views from the deck outside the winery were stunning.  If you fancy going up there to have a look yourself and to sample the wine, have a cup of coffee or a light lunch, winter opening hours are Thursdays – Sundays, 11.00 – 3.30.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

 

We are giving you plenty of advance notice about a competition to be judged in June.  The theme is Delicious Devon.  Photographs should reflect an aspect of the great food and drink that is available in our county.  That’s the only rule.  Entry details will be published in the April newsletter but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t start thinking about this now.

 

The prize will be a voucher to be redeemed at any one of the members’ shops, restaurants or outlets - you choose where you want to spend the money.  What have you got to lose?  We also hope to get the winning picture published by a foodie magazine or in our annual brochure.

 

 

MINI WINE TASTING TOUR

 

Several of you have mentioned that you would like to make a tour of our three member vineyards.  I am happy to organise an event during the first fortnight in July if there is sufficient interest.

 

The plan is to hire a minibus that would pick participants up from various locations and take us to the first vineyard, Old Walls in Bishopsteignton.  As well as looking around the vineyard and tasting some Old Walls wine, we could have lunch there.  (Old Walls is the only vineyard with catering arrangements in place.)  We could then visit Kenton and Manstree vineyards.  At Manstree there would also be the opportunity to pick soft fruit in season.  An additional option is to visit Taverners Farm Shop for afternoon tea, or maybe some delicious Orange Elephant ice cream, before returning home.

 

Please let me know in the near future if you are interested.  I also need to know if you are able to take part during the week, or if this would have to be a weekend event.  If we are hiring a minibus, having lunch etc, there will obviously be a charge.  Once I know what the response is, I will work out the cost per person and get back to you.