Three new dishes for the cold
Glenn Fraser has changed a third of the board for the cold months. A parsnip soup, a lamb and rosemary pie and a pear and ginger pudding are all new.
What Glenn's been up to
Glenn tests every new dish on the staff before anyone else, and on a bad day that can mean a hundred small pies. This season he served each of the three to the whole rota on separate nights, and each of us wrote one honest comment on a card. Mine was 'more, please'.
The scallop pie stays, of course, as does the honey pudding, but three older dishes made way for the newcomers. Glenn thanked each of them on the board before he rubbed them out, which is just like him.
The newcomers
Parsnip and apple soup
Roasted parsnip and a sharp green apple blended into something sweet, earthy and surprisingly bright, finished with a swirl of cream and crisp parsnip chips. It comes with warm bread and, I'm told, tastes of an orchard in the middle of winter.
Lamb and rosemary pie
Slow-braised lamb shoulder with rosemary, garlic and a little redcurrant, under a flaky pastry lid. It arrives with mash and green beans, and the gravy's made from the same braise, so nothing is wasted.
Pear and ginger pudding
A steamed sponge with poached pear and stem ginger, turned out onto a plate and served with hot custard. It replaced the winter trifle, which was loved but too heavy to follow a pie.
What stays
The scallop pie, the salmon, the honey pudding, the scones and the tea haven't moved, and I wouldn't dare suggest otherwise. Glenn changes things, not essentials.
Come in this week and try at least one of them. Tell Glenn what you thought; he's honestly interested, and he'll take a polite 'too much ginger' in his stride.
Glenn says the secret of all three is time. The soup's roasted for an hour before it's blended, the pie braise sits overnight, and the pudding's steamed in small basins so each one rises evenly. He's never once been tempted to hurry, and the results speak for themselves.