It’s something many preach about but do not often do: cut the food miles… the distance between farm and plate.
But that is exactly what food producers and restauranteurs in one part of England are doing.
The county is Herefordshire and it deserves praise for its effort to “do its bit” for the local and global environmental cause.
It is a bit of England that in sometimes overlooked and that probably suites Herefordians just fine.
It’s also one reason the county can continue doing what it does best without some of the stresses and strain placed on arguably more “fashionable” British tourist destinations like Cornwall or the Lake District. One of the several things it does very well is offer top class eating out opportunities, both for locals and visitors.
The county has a rich agricultural heritage and rich farmland so it should come as a surprise that it is also big (and good) on food and drink.
Anyone visiting this lovely county will be spoilt for choice when it comes to sampling the quite wonderful local produce and food on offer, be it north, south, east or west.
In the south (at Woolhope),for instance, is The Crown, a terrific pub/resto run for some years by a very friendly Herefordian, Annalisa Slocombe.
The eatery, which has recently been very tastefully refurbished, serves a great mix of pub classics,like good old fish and chips, and offers some lovely local beers to wash down a very satisfying meal.
Located in a tiny village (est.200 dwellings) the menu (like the pub) is constantly evolving (weekly) but as Annalisa explains, faves like steak remain “to avoid a customer revolt.”
From the end of this month, she hopes to have 8 en-suite rooms available too.
Crickets lovers will feel particularly at home here as there’s plenty of cricket memorabilia on the wall, including a bat used at the England v New Zealand Test in 1999 and a quite wonderful collection of Wisden books,dating from 1988. It may be a small place but the village supports not one, but two, cricket teams.
Another fab place, this time in Hereford, and also a real success story is The Beefy Boys. The Hereford venue was the first to open in what has since become a fast-growing chain (the latest is scheduled for Cambridge later this month) and, if you sample the very tasty burgers here, it’s easy to see why.
The county is renowned world-wide for the quality of its beef and that, along with some great service, this is one big reason why the burgers at The Beefy Boys are on another level to most other places (worth noting that the meat is sourced from just the one, local, farm).
The Beefy Boys story all started in Hereford and the venue has expanded in recent times to now accommodate up to 250.
Assistant general manager Kai says, “Even midweek it is bustling here and we’re still growing.”
Travel not too far away and you will find another culinary gem, L’Ecole des Amis, which serves some refined French cuisine in a wonderfully-restored old school house.
The two men at the helm of this highly popular resto are the very bubbly Cedric L’herbier, who hails from le Touquet in France, and his business partner Bruce Havard.
Cedric, who’s had over 40 years experience in the resto trade at some top places, both in the UK and France, recalls how the rundown building was badly in need in “some real TLC” when they came by it.
Some quick fire restoration work – it was transformed in the space of just 12 months – has resulted in a lovely, informal place to enjoy top class cuisine that Cedric accurately describes as “unsophisticated and unpretentious.”
They change just a couple of dishes every couple of weeks and there’s also a brasserie-style lunch menu.
On the opening night, an estimated 80percent of the customers travelled from where Cedric used to work in another part of the county, some 18miles away, and he and Bruce still command a loyal customer base (including those same former clients).
It is mostly all down to the fab fresh food, cooked with real care and which certainly makes one French man gratified that he took the plunge for “one last adventure” in his working life.
Back in Hereford city centre, the county’s entrepreneurial spirit is certainly alive and kicking at The Yard, an ambitious collective of small-scaled eateries.
Overseeing things here are a couple of go-ahead brothers, Edwin and Dorian Kirk who offer vital mentoring skills to would-be local start-ups, a great idea in these hard-strapped times.
The welcoming and friendly Ed says, “We help people who are just starting out to build up their own business and become owners themselves. In a way, it is all about achieving their dreams just as me and Dorian have managed to do.”
After trekking round all morning, it’s a great place for a filling, very tasty but affordable light lunch (be it pizza, burger or, if you are especially hungry, steak) and a drink (there are some fab local ales available). As with so many places here, it is all about cutting food miles – the distance food travels from its source to a resto – and “buying local”.
Here in Herefordshire, they don’t just talk about such things they really do put them into practice.
So, at this place and so many others, much of the lovely food is sourced directly from local products and local producers, which naturally helps the local economy no end.
If you happen to visit The Yard in late October, the space transforms for Oktoberfest, complete with Bavarian beers and music.
The good foodie vibe starts early here with some fab breakfasts available at various place, including the lovely Castle House Hotel in Hereford.
It serves a wholesome breakfast to both guests and non guests (it also has an interesting Benelux connection as it was once owned by Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in The Netherlands).
Further north you’ll find a terrific, multi award-winning Lowe Farm and B&B, set in rolling Herefordshire countryside, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year.
The place is lovingly overseen by Juliet Williams, a larger-than-life character who serves up very yummy and healthy breakfasts sourced almost entirely from local products and producers.
Juliet, who is nearing 70 but still full of energy and enthusiasm for what she does, has pulled in a staggering 27,000 guests since opening (including the Spanish ambassador to the UK and coachloads of Japanese tourists), 60 per cent of them repeat visitors which is a clear sign of the quality of service she provides.
Juliet and hubby Clive also boast a minor Belgian link: the best man at their wedding was from Belgium. This bubbly character takes great pride in sourcing her products locally and cooking only healthy ingredients, some sourced from the same local butcher used by famous TV chef James Martin.
One excellent way of finding out more about this creative county is via the Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, a leading independent destination marketing company.
Its supports not only Herefordshire’s food and drink businesses, accommodation providers, activities, leisure venues and pursuits and events but promotes the county’s crafts, creatives and artisans.
In tandem with The Beefy Boys, it also produces a brilliant guide – The Herefoodie – to help steer visitors to places to eat and drink in Hereford.
This ranges from Hereford burger and cocktail bars to Herefordshire country pubs, best restaurants, takeaways and coffee shops.
There are also tips on where to sample a great Herefordshire breakfast or go Cider Tasting and more besides.
Further info:
www.
