VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE….

22 Dec

Any person planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for those being transported and the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

 

Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs …are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks.

 

The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

 

Following last year’s well-publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr R Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

 

Whilst it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered with Management, regardless of value. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of precious materials (e.g. gold) are specifically prohibited and must immediately be handed over to Management, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins and special ointments that may provoke allergic reactions.

 

Finally, in the recent instance of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

 

Merry Christmas From Jonathan, Martina, Oliver, Luke, Charlotte, Alex, Steven, Manon, Saul I, Seb & Saul II At The Red Pump Inn xxxx

New Tour Photos….September 2011

15 Sep

Have a little look around why don’t you! Some new pictures of the inn after the little refurb!

So What Happened in August Then?

15 Sep

It’s always one of those months….. August…. the anticipation of scorching hot days and long balmy nights, sitting under big protective canopies and sipping iced Pimms and nibbling on dinky canapes of potted venison or home made hummus…….watching the late sun go down and leaving its promise of a spectacular night sky….. well…. let me be brutally honest with you….. this fairy-tale didn’t happen in Bashall Eaves!

We had the central heating on very regularly, we were inundated for comfort food and had the winter quilts out for the guest rooms!

The topsy turvy upside down madness of August!

So after a swift week in the sun to bring the internal temperatures back to normal for the time of year we are mid way through September and the air has turned decidedly autumnal with blankets of dew under the low mist across the fells and chilly morning air lasting until around 1pm when the sun can summon enough energy to warm it away!

The weather has played havoc with our menu this year!

But one thing is for sure…..we are entering the time of year that The Red Pump Inn comes into its happier-more at-home mode…… it’s a time of year when we can’t decide which goodies to put on the menu because we have that much to choose from…..our ideas for sumptuous suppers are brimming over and we change the menu, therefore, rather regularly!

From October…..I’m talking pheasants, partridge, teal, rabbit, venison, mallard…..all delicious locally reared and shot game which will feature on our menu up until around about early February! We love this time of year!

It’s everything we are…. cosy snugs with a roaring fire…. potted venison followed by pot roasted pheasant with root vegetables and a delicious slab of sticky toffee pudding to follow…..dark, cosy, warm, comforting in the twinkling candle-light…….with the dark nights peeking through the huge windows….

Bring it on…….

Summer….pah!

TTFN

Comfort Food…Psychological profiling and sausage and mash!

29 Jul

ROASTED CHICKEN, GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES, VEGETABLES AND PROPER CHICKEN GRAVY…… I’M SORRY BUT THIS IS THE BEST COMFORT FOOD IN THE WORLD! …….DISAGREE?….

You don’t normally correlate July and August with being a time of year particularly associated with comfort food….. but we are noticing a significant increase in the amount of our “comfort food” dishes selling out!

We commented on it recently…..and then the debate began.

We tend to have rather lengthy debates here at The Red Pump Inn (given that there are only usually 8-10 of us here all week long) to pass the time and generate conversations which usually tend to focus around food in one way or another!

The latest debate and information gathering was around comfort food, when Mr Innkeeper and I were commenting on the fact that the comfort food dishes haven’t slowed down in their sales as they usually do by this time of year…. indicative of the inherent need during economic woe to turn to comfort food as a pacifier of some kind!

Fish and chips, pies, casseroles, cheesy-topped things, dishes with mash….. in fact if we don’t have them on the menu at the moment, people will actually ask for them…even if it is scrorching outside!

Usually it’s delicious salads which make the taste buds explode and the eyes widen with their colour and flavours….. but this year it’s the dishes that give us that cozy comforted feeling of being hugged that are selling out faster than any other year we can remember!

I’d love to know if there is a direct link between economic squeezing and the types of food we choose to eat! Some professor of psychological profiling somewhere in the civilised world will no doubt have studied the behaviours of diners….. they should really just ask the people that see them day in and day out!….. it’s the same with the different dates in a month too!……spend more at the beginning of a month….less in the middle….. more risky, impulse spending just before payday!…..

It is endlessly fascinating to us to note the behaviours of dining folk……. we see so many people passing through our doors that it’s a priviledge to behold the many facets of personalities, which then conform in their own way with specific similarities such as spending habits or dining habits!

However the absolutely unanimous choice for our own comfort dish is roasted chicken! Hands down, each and every time……..you agree surely don’t you?

Ice Cream…. Frozen Yoghurt….. Just waiting on the sun now!

29 Jul

We’ve had our ice cream competition this last two weeks.

Basically, we invite all and sundry to forward their suggestions for the additions to the ice cream list through the summer.

We do usually get some crackers…… such as banana & custard flavour…. dandilion & burdock…. gin & tonic….. and to be honest we do actually try most of them out to see if they work before we cast them aside or in the “crazy flavours” bin!.

I’m a bit of a purist though and enjoy only a really good vanilla ice cream; it feels so decadent to me and to be fair it is still the ice cream that is mostly purchased from us during the summer months (except for the fantastic licorice ice cream which is powerfully addictive!).

I’ve taken to making a load of frozen yoghurts this summer too…. I make fresh yoghurt every day anyway for the resident guests’ breakfast so making a little extra and churning it for a frozen scoopable variant seems appropriate

I’ve excelled at the Greek yoghurt with honey and fresh mint which is so delicious frozen and dolloped over some fresh strawberries, also some mixed berry ripple frozen yoghurt has proven rather popular in the cornet department with weight-watching adults whilst the children tuck into full fat ice cream!

The first ice cream I ever made was vanilla flavour and I didn’t have an ice cream maker or churner and was lucky enough to be handed the recipe by a retauranteur in a beautiful little restaurant in Pollensa old town, who had moved there some 15 years before and was still wowwing the locals and visitors with his delicious simple vanilla ice cream (and I’m going back 20 years now…. so a long time ago!…. not sure he’s still there….but worth a trip to the old town nevertheless).

I still use this recipe today and it is really easy……

Try it yourself, but please note; 2 good quality fresh vanilla pods will give the excellent flavour we need for a good vanilla ice cream; extract just isn’t good enough in my opinion!

No need even for a churner or ice cream maker with this recipe as it doesn’t use milk which crystallises in the freezing process and demands churning to make it smooth….. but the odd stir will help this version through so don’t be selfish….

500ml/16fl oz double cream

70g/3oz sugar

3 egg yolks

  1. Halve the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add the pods to the cream and bring to the boil, then add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl then slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture.
  3. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl and whisk in the vanilla seeds. Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container and freeze for 2-3 hours, or until set.
  4. Slice into bricks and place between old fashioned sandwich wafers……everyone will love this!

Slice some strawberries into this slices and place on top of the ice cream bricks before you put into wafers for a gorgeous ice cream sandwich!

We’re just waiting for the sun to pop back out now!

TTFN

M.

Macaroons….. the ultimate deadly addiction…..

24 Jun

It’s safe to say that on a trip to Harrods a couple of years ago when I was doing the dutiful auntie role with eager13 years old niece, we both developed a deadly addiction to Laduree macaroons and rose tea and spent far too much time than should be allowed loitering in the Laduree tea rooms at the store……… since then I have tried to sate this deadly penchant for these delightfully melty little morsels via mail order, sneaky isolated trips of my own and even trying to make the delicate little mouthfuls of gorgeousness myself.

It is enough to make this grown woman cry……the desire to achieve the perfect macaroon…… I know that dedicated French pastry chefs train for decades in this elusive art of creating colourful little amuse bouche of almondy deliciousness and so why should I, a good-for-nothing restaurant owner demand that I should be unfailing in this difficult culinary quest? I actually have sleepless nights over my failure……

I set James, our Head Chef, onto the task of creating these little macaroons for me….. (which incidentally isn’t a bad thing to do when you are drip fed macaroons on a regular basis whilst he tries out various methods to achieve the perfect mouthful)…..he’s still trying…. even though his attempts are actually very good, I still crave those lovely smooth pastel Laduree biscuits…..

However, there is always a silver lining when it comes to good food…..

What we have stumbled upon is a lovely dessert for our new menu….. a macaroon mille feuille with creme patissiere and berries…..

……. I think I am about to start another addiction during this summer…..

TTFN,

M

x

Rosemary-scented rabbit

14 Jun

Just around about this time of year we spend a fair bit of time outside…. Usually serving light lunches to passers by who happen upon us in our rural hideaway!….. and also in our herb gardens and veg patches making sure that they are in tip-top condition to supply the restaurant for the remainder of the summer and autumn and be strong enough for planting again for next years’ yield!

 

Neither myself or Mr Innkeeper are accomplished gardeners by the way! But we do know how to cultivate edibles……and have a wonderful array of herbs which go in great bunches in our lovely food at theInn….

 

However, on heading out to the “rosemary quarter” (a section of the herb gardens which is designated only to a dozen or so rosemary plants) we noticed all of the plants were completely stripped of the fleshy elongated rosemary leaves…. Every single one of them…stripped bare! 6 years of loving care and nurturing of these magestic plants gobbled up!

It’s safe to say that we are devasted and are now buying up lots of rosemary plants to replace the scraggily stalks we currently have……

 

….and so on to a little quick and simple recipe for rosemary-scented rabbit casserole!…..

(I kid you not…. If only we could get our hands on the little blighters this is what we’d cook!….already beautifully flavoured with rosemary is an option not a necessity for this delicious taste of old!)

 

One whole rabbit; joint it and season it before putting it into a casserole dish

Add a couple cloves of garlic, some carrots, onion, celery, bay leaf, lots of rosemary and other garden herbs.

Add a litre of cider, some chicken stock to cover the meat & veg, salt, pepper & dash of Lea&Perrins, cover it up and put in the oven on a low heat (gas 4-5) for 2 hours until the delicate rabbity meat falls off the bones!

 Serve with some potato wedges roasted in the oven at the same time to save energy!

 TTFN,

M.

 

Best wishes,

From the Innkeeper!

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