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With summer fast approaching, we asked our friends at Thyme to put us in the mood for the (hopefully!) balmy months ahead. They had the perfect answer. Greek-inspired orange, almond and olive oil cake – what could be more Mediterranean?
Serves 8
4 free range eggs
300g + an extra 50g golden caster sugar
250g whole blanched almonds
120g plain flour
180ml olive oil (you can use light or extra virgin – extra virgin gives a more distinctive flavour)
2 oranges (we used blood oranges as this was created in winter but use good quality normal oranges any time)
100g golden caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C (normal) | 160°C (fan) | gas mark 4 and line a 24cm / 9” cake tin with parchment paper.
For the cake, beat the eggs and 300g sugar until light, fluffy and doubled in volume – 10 minutes should do it. Then, grind the almonds in a food processor until fine. Grinding your own almonds gives better texture to the cake as opposed to shop-bought ground almonds. Sift the flour into the egg mixture and fold together along with the almonds with a spoon (if you use the mixer, you’ll bash out all the air). Fold through the olive oil to finish the cake batter.
Slice one of the oranges very thinly with a sharp knife and line the base of the tin in circular rings. Scatter over the other 50g of the caster sugar, then fill the tin with the batter. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Check the cake with a skewer or tip of a paring knife; if it comes out clean the cake is ready. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning out.
For the syrup, combine the juice of the remaining orange with 100g of caster sugar. Bring it to a boil over a medium heat then turn off the heat. Turn the cake out carefully onto a large plate, removing the parchment, and gently pour over the syrup.
Serve with plenty of whipped cream.
The Ox Barn at Thyme is open all week for lunch and dinner.
Click here to see a Charlie Hibbert recipe for a delicious light lunch recipe.
Image courtesy of Thyme.
With a glut of pumpkins in the gardens at this time of year, we are championing them. Paired with creamy goat's curd and a favourite store cupboard staple, Laoganma's crispy chilli in oil. Drop the chilli and switch the radicchio for some delicious broccoli to make this family-friendly.
Serves 2
Prep & cooking time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
4 thick slices of pumpkin – crown prince, delica or similar
1 onion
½ head of radicchio
A handful of hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
2 tbsp of goat's curd (or ricotta)
2 tbsp Laoganma’s crispy chilli in oil
A couple of pinches of chopped parsley
Splash of vegetable oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (normal) | 180°C (fan) | gas mark 6
Cut the onion in half and place on a roasting tray with the pumpkin slices.
Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, turn the pumpkin and cook for a further 10 minutes, until coloured and soft.
Oil a griddle pan, and grill the radicchio, cut side down, over a medium heat until browned and wilted.
Place a spoonful of goat’s curd onto each plate and tumble over the pumpkin, onion and radicchio.
Finish with a large tablespoon of crispy chilli oil, a scattering of hazelnuts and a pinch of chopped parsley.
Images: Kirstie Young Photography
Head Chef Charlie Hibbert from Thyme's Ox Barn restaurant is back bringing us more delicious recipes. This week he brings us the perfect autumnal dessert for entertaining. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser this meringue cake with poached pears and cream is the ultimate indulgence.
Growing up, Granny would always make meringue cake and crème caramel for a special Sunday lunch. Maybe it sounds extravagant to have two puddings but they were always eaten. She made this particular combination so that no bit of egg was left over. She was a stickler for not wasting anything, the egg whites are used in the meringue cake and the yolks in the crème caramel. Granny’s recipes for meringue cake and crème caramel were adapted from the original Cordon Bleu Monthly Cookery Course; my recipes are a bit different but are still essential for any special Sunday lunch.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 egg whites, approximately 150g
300g caster sugar
½ tsp cider or white wine vinegar
1 level tsp cornflour
To serve
Cream, gently whipped
Poached pears, see below, cut into quarters
A handful of blanched and toasted almonds (Valencia almonds are best), chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 100°C | 80°C fan | gas mark ¼. In a mixer, beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean and dry bowl, until they form stiff peaks. Bit by bit, begin to slowly pour in the sugar until the mix is stiff and glossy. Then add the vinegar and the cornflour and beat it until it is incorporated (no more than 5-10 seconds). Gently spoon the mixture onto an oven-safe plate of your choice or a tray covered with a piece of baking paper and bake in the oven for an hour before taking it out of the oven and letting it cool completely. Top it with whipped cream, poached pears and almonds.
When the pears have been eaten, don’t discard the syrup. Cook more pears in the liquid, use it as a cordial or drink with Champagne.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 pears
1 lemon, rind peeled into strips, juice reserved
500ml of white wine
500ml water
350g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
3 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
Method
Peel the pears and add the lemon juice to prevent the pears from browning. Put all of the ingredients except for the pears into a pot. Bring to a simmer and carefully drop the pears in. Cut a round of baking paper and cover the pears so that they stay under the surface and allow them to gently soften. Don’t let the liquid boil as that will cause the pears to break apart. After about 20 minutes, test the pears with a paring knife, they should be soft to the core but holding their shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Thyme includes 32 bedrooms situated in the Georgian rectory, The Lodge, The Farmhouse and the cottages around the courtyard; the Ox Barn restaurant (62 seater); Baa bar; meadow spa, orchid house, pool, botanical bothy & Bertioli beauty products; balcony room & piggery boutiques selling Bertioli silk wear, tableware & bespoke homeware; cookery school; farm, kitchen gardens, orchards & water meadows; Old Walls self-catered cottage; Tithe Barn for private events
Thyme’s room rates currently start at £335 (midweek) / £395 (Fri, Sat) per night. These room rates include breakfast
Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Southrop, Gloucestershire, GL7 3PW
www.thyme.co.uk | 01367 850 174 | reception@thyme.co.uk
From the sun-soaked parasols of the Amalfi coast to crumpled sweetshop bags on the English Riviera, stripes are everywhere. They always have been, in various forms, but their presence feels particularly loud right now.
Perhaps it's because we crave their unabashed joy in the midst of gloomy national and international developments, or because we’ve been busy whole-heartedly embracing summer after years of restriction. Whatever the reason, manifestations of this versatile pattern range from classic to retro.
Stripes have not always stood for beauty and joy, though. During medieval Europe, they actually signified an outcast and those condemned to wear stripes included hangmen and court jesters. This was mostly down to a bible passage which dictated: “You will not wear upon yourself a garment that is made of two.” Christians interpreted this to mean clothing of two contrasting colours. Because of their simple and obvious nature, stripes drew attention and demonstrated 'otherness.' To this day, prisoners around the world wear stripy uniforms to hinder their chances of escaping unnoticed.
The turning point for the pattern came at the end of the 18th Century. Tastemakers were exhausted by the heavily ornate rococo and chinoiserie styles that had dominated up until then. With the enlightenment came a countermovement - neoclassicism - and with neoclassicism came a newfound love for stripes. Stripes now stood for simple elegance and a sense of order that stemmed from classical architecture.
This was the era of the Regency stripe - a wide stripe in one colour flanked by two or more narrower ones in a contrasting shade. Still popular today, this classic stripe works anywhere from clothing to upholstery. Across the channel, French seamen wore woven shirts featuring 21 navy stripes - one for each of Napoleon’s victories. This classic nautical stripe would later inspire the iconic Breton shirt, and so begun fashion’s love affair with the pattern.
Fast forward to the 1920s and stripes were now appearing on all sorts of clothing; suits and ties, cricket and rowing blazers, and even candy-striped swimwear. Once the 20th Century had weathered two world wars, no advert for the seaside was complete without a swimsuit bearing the pattern.
It wasn't just fashion that started to harness the power of stripes, but hospitality too. Wide ‘awning stripes’ get their name from the shops and restaurants that sported them, becoming synonymous with a warm welcome. Throughout history, stripes have offered a joyous antidote.
The stripe has been through many guises, and not all of them were purely driven by aesthetic. Ticking refers to the dense woven cloth that once covered mattresses, designed to protect you from harsh fillings like straw and horsehair. The cloth featured a uniform pattern of wide and narrow stripes, usually in a muted palette of black, blue or red.
Despite its humble origins, mattress ticking has had a monumental ripple effect in the design world. Fabric houses from Chelsea Textiles to Colefax & Fowler have released their own versions, while other traders specialise in original antique cloths.
Indeed, ticking stripes have become a distinctive marker of English country house style, where they decorate anything from sofas to valances. Ticking is a shining example of how stripes can feel refined, with a timeless appeal that weathers passing trends.
Striped cloth dates back to the ancient Egyptians, making it one of the oldest patterns on record. The wildly different ways we've embraced them over the centuries goes to show just how versatile they are. This simple pattern is the building block of plaids and checks, as well as geometric designs.
When we think of stripes in interiors, fresh nautical schemes often spring to mind. Certainly, lots of striped fabric instantly brings a relaxed beach house feel to a garden room or shepherd’s hut. Outside, too, nothing evokes nostalgia quite like a stripy deckchair or parasol.
But stripes do have their place in more traditional environments as well. After all, they first came to the fore in opulent French drawing rooms and classic English country houses. Upholstery fabric is perhaps the most obvious use, and one that allows a lot of room for personal interpretation. A classic Howard & Sons sofa or armchair, for example, remains understated and elegant with a Regency stripe fabric, or gets a heady lift with a bright awning stripe.
Stripes don’t have to be the only pattern in a room, either. In fact, they layer beautifully with fluid, ornate patterns like toile de jouy. A simply striped sofa in front of a chinoiserie wallpaper, or a striped Swedish flatweave in amongst chintzy upholstery, is the sort of bold decorating that really pays off. Statement walls painted with lemon yellow stripes, or a more traditional striped wallpaper, can transform the feel of a room.
If you’re not quite ready to paint candy stripes across an entire wall, the pattern works just as well in small doses. Striped valances and headboards bring a light-hearted joyfulness to the bedroom setting without feeling overwhelming, for instance. Scatter cushions have the same effect, offering a good opportunity to blend different types of stripe in one setting.
Even if an interior appears to have no stripes at all, a closer look often reveals their powerful presence. For instance, a simple border around an otherwise plain rug draws the rest of the room in - conversing with other geometry in the room to create a considered feel. Lampshades in bright, contrasting stripes, or with subtler top and tail trims, can add a little or a lot of this chic pattern to a space.
When it comes to this ubiquitous pattern, no home or personal style is off-limits. With autumn well on its way, look to the humble stripe to keep the joy of balmy summer days alive.
Shop the look, visit our lookbook 'For the love of stripes'.
A Conversation with Stefano Giordano about his latest work and ‘the work behind the work’ for his upcoming solo show ‘Untitled (green)’ which will be on view at Lorfords.
15 September- 13 October
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Stefano Giordano: Nostalgic simplicity… I like that. The idea for this series of paintings started from a friend buying a colouring book for my 35th birthday. A silly joke, kind of ‘oh you are an artist, so you can colour this’, which made me think of my childhood. When I was little all I had in my bedroom were pictures of [the cartoon] Snoopy hugging a big heart or chilling on the beach, while in the living room were my grandfather’s still life and landscape oil paintings. So I thought that taking inspiration from those images might be a way forward in my work.
I have been attracted to the black line for a while now; I’m attracted to its simplicity, elegance and to the fact that it connects to [so many] other things. It breaks and creates space at the same time. They are a human invention, things of the mind.
I like the paintings to have a structure behind them, something they can hold onto. Plus they became somehow monumental when they are composited in that way, without a narrative.
I have always enjoyed going to the National Gallery looking at Piero della Francesca, Pollaioulo or Da Messina’s paintings and the way they split the space in a painting with a cross. One of my favourite painting is Da Messina’s Christ Crucified, it’s such a little painting but the space in it is infinite.
The things you refer to remind me of the experience of being in a church which I guess makes sense with me being Italian, having spent so much time in churches. I do think that painting has to do with some kind of spirituality, if we can call it that.
When I was at college a tutor called Frances Richardson suggested that my work is “deep in light way” and I still think a lot about that sentence.
In the process of painting the black lines are made and destroyed, leaving traces of the process coming through the colours which are applied after a satisfying result has been achieved. Black lines could be seen as a metaphor for our social conventions and rules, and somehow we live our lives filling the space between these rules established by something bigger.
I always liked to think of painting as a way to think about life; the paintings have some sort of violence, pain and destruction together with love, naivety, fun and beauty.
I love direct, simple imagery which invites you in, that wants desperately to be liked but at the same time it tells you to fuck off and keep a distance!
When I started thinking about this project, I was looking for images of colouring books that I loved. I have always liked the landscape made into minimal shapes, just enough to understand that what you look at is a simplified landscape and then I thought, it was necessary to enlarge it.
In regard to the idea of space [travel], that is [an] adult dream now too! The space paintings followed the landscapes, and after reading 12 Bytes by Jeannette Winterson, I got interested in Elon Musk’s space program and how these “boys” want to colonise space instead of cleaning up the mess here on planet earth.
S G : I struggle for sometime to make clear in mind what is it that I want to do. Researching painters and paintings that interest me is an important part of the process. I make preparatory drawings to work through composition and marks, using images that speak to me at the time. I play around with them digitally, then I make small works having researched materials, paints and supports. These are then photographed , and coloured in on an iPad to have an idea of how I want them to look. All the while during the process of making, ideas for another series will come up. I already have an idea for my next project and I’m very excited.
K W: The use of an iPad to plan the colour is really interesting in that you are now working with digital colouring in ‘books’ and an iPad screen does give backlit colour, so the sense of light coming through is very much a planned element to your work?
SG: I always put my paintings or drawings through the “digital” in the making process; I like to think that they live a life similar to ours before coming to completion. When I started colouring the paintings digitally I loved the floating blocks of colours; two thin layers of colours activate each other, plus the blue light of the screen made the whole experience very seductive. I then tried to recreate the effect of having the ‘light coming from within’ on canvas; the process always influence the product and vice versa.
Paintings are made of actions and choices through time; this process is left visible through the materials on the support. In painting one cannot avoid time. One artist who understood that fully was On Kawara, making time the subject of his paintings.
3 painters. 2 dead. 1 alive.
Raoul de Keyser for his informal and intimate way of painting. He also played around with the idea of a work of art being unfinished but completed at the same time.
Sigmar Polke for his continuous inventions, bravado and intelligence with dealing with popular contemporary culture and the history of paintings; in his work he touched almost on every subject you can think of and experimented with a variety of materials. A real artist.
Carroll Dunham for his reinterpretation of classical themes into a comic painting style combined with abstract expressionism and minimalism.
But I’m trying to misunderstand them as best as I can.
Partly green was in other paintings I made in the last couple of years, but on the sides or in the details, and so I decided to amplify it to the max! Another reason for going green and black is because I loved the combination of these two colours in the painting Payasage by Miró.
That’s right when we think about the landscape we think green, however I love when children colour things with dissociated colours. A green sky is something you can find in science fiction, while a green space somehow takes us back to the landscape which I find quiet poetic.
I think about these paintings as MULTIMONOCHROME, they are all greens but different.
When I was little I wanted to be a professional snowboarder, but I never got on a snowboard in my life.
I have too many for different kind of reasons; this is an impossible question…
I have a recycling bin in my studio and I try not to waste paint/ pour paint into the sink. But to be fully environmentally friendly I should probably stop using the paint that I use now and find a “green” one.
Untitled (Paysage 3)
Untitled (Paysage 4)
Untitled (Paysage 5)
Untitled (Paysage 6)
Untitled (Paysage 7)
Untitled (Paysage 1)
Untitled (Stars and Moon 1)
Untitled (Paysage 2)
Untitled (Clock)
Untitled (Space Shuttle)
Untitled (Astronaut)
For any enquiries, please email gallery@lorfords.com
The art of collecting antiques is a diverse one, spanning everything from film memorabilia to 18th Century mahogany furniture. The areas that often fascinate the most are those that relate to the lives of everyday people - from their cooking and eating habits to their romantic lives. Apothecaries, with their promise to heal one’s aches and pains before the dawn of modern medicine, have left behind objects that offer a unique insight into the lives of our forebears.
What was would be a better question, as despite their best efforts to brand themselves as pharmacies, the modern-day equivalent would shrink from the association.
The word apothecary comes from apotheca - a place where wine, spices and herbs were stored - and it first came into our language in the 13th Century. Somewhat confusingly, 'apothecary' refers both to the salesperson and to their shop. For a long time, apothecaries were lumped in with grocers, spicers, and all manner of merchants. They were simply another group trying to sell their wares.
Medieval medicine was based, for the most part, on the supernatural and superstitious. Apothecaries would swear that concoctions such as ‘Oil of Scorpion’ or ‘Balsam of Life’ could cure anything from boils to baldness. Their medical advice revolved around 'humoral theory' - the idea that we have four liquid humours in the body, and when these are out of balance you get disease.
‘Oil of Earthworms’ is an infamous example, promising to fix all manner of joint issues like arthritis and rickets. As the name suggests, it involved boiling earthworms in olive oil to apply to affected areas. While the oil was helpful, the role of the earthworms is dubious at best. It is perhaps not surprising then, that apothecaries were accused of 'quack medicine.' This phrase comes from the Dutch word quacksalver, meaning someone who falsely claimed medical knowledge in order to sell their wares.
The lucky break for these early chemists came in 1617. That was the year ‘The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London’ - tricky to squeeze onto a business card - was formally incorporated by royal charter. King James I not only recognised apothecaries but separated them from grocers and gave them a level of medical credibility. This royal approval was driven partly by King James I’s fondness for his own apothecary, and he wasn’t alone - Samuel Pepys writes of loyally following the instructions of his when struck by illness.
Apothecaries didn't stop there - in 1704 the society won a lawsuit against the Royal College of Physicians in the House of Lords. The ruling declared that apothecaries could prescribe and dispense medicines - a significant turning point for the group. The Apothecaries Act of 1815 then gave the society the right to carry out examinations and grant medical licenses in England and Wales.
While it’s easy to dismiss this early medical practice as nonsense, that would be an oversimplification. The trial and error during these centuries undoubtedly paved the way for later breakthroughs. Many of those who worked in the apothecary trade were earnest in their pursuit of cures, and closely involved with botany. For example, the apothecary society founded the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1673 for the purpose of growing medicinal plants. Some of the most awe-inspiring botanicals that decorate our walls today were by eminent apothecaries - including those of Basilius Besler.
Before you even set foot inside one of these establishments, a rather unique window display might have caught your eye. The ‘chemist’s carboy’ became a must-have for apothecaries in the 18th and 19th centuries.
These voluptuous glass bottles, often with elaborate cut glass stoppers, boomed in popularity alongside advances in glass production. While they were similar to the vessels you'd see inside, carboys were purely for advertising purposes. The owner would fill them with brightly coloured liquids to mimic chemical solutions and indicate their trade.
Carboys are a popular collector's item today, and they make for majestic decorative pieces. Leave them empty or fill them with corks, and keep them in the window to really pay homage to the apothecary.
Once inside the apothecary, cacophonous sound would greet you. The apothecary trade revolved around grinding, pulverising and stirring to create its potions and lotions. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the objects we commonly associate with medical history is the humble pestle and mortar. Still a stalwart of today’s country kitchen, these are as decorative as they are useful.
The apothecary himself would be stood behind a counter, likely with a set of measuring scales in front of him. Indeed, scales are so synonymous with the trade that a measuring system was named after them - ‘apothecaries’ weights and measures.’ Many of these T-shaped balancing systems survive today and they bring quirky character to a kitchen.
It’s not just the tools of the trade that appeal to collectors. Unique apothecary furniture is highly desirable for injecting personality into interiors. Apothecary cabinets seem to trap the magic of the trade in their many drawers, with the remains of old labels for all things weird and wonderful. Countertops pummelled by hard work, a deep-aged patina, and a curious history - what more could you want for a soulful interior? Use these as a decorative sideboard, or make use of the drawers in a painting or textiles studio.
Cupboards, too, were essential furniture for apothecaries. Some of these charming cabinets feature remains of old paint, while others are simple brown wood. All offer a welcome alternative to fitted kitchen or pantry cabinets.
Perhaps the most enduring legacy of apothecaries is the many bottles and jars that have lived to tell the tale. Glass was used for making apothecary bottles from the 1600s onwards. These range from clear glass, to humble brown, to azure blue. Apothecaries favoured coloured glass over clear to protect the contents from sunlight. They come in different shapes and sizes which can, to the discerning eye, give hints of their former purpose. For example, apothecaries used wide-necked bottles for syrups, so the stopper wouldn't stick to the viscous liquid. These are just a few examples of how yesterday's pragmatism has become today's beauty.
Collectors pore over the remains of labels, which were often a shimmering gold with black print. The idea of ornate medical bottles seems absurd today, but it indicates the pride and showmanship that accompanied this trade. These labels revealed the contents, usually in full or abbreviated Latin. A coveted example, such as ‘Oil of Earthworm’, is a momentous find for the serious collector. Apothecary travelling chests are also popular. These portable cabinets were the first aid kit of yesteryear, containing several bottles of solutions the traveller couldn't go without. They often had fine wood exteriors and plush silk or velvet interiors.
But the wonderful thing about apothecary antiques is that the mundane is often just as desirable as the historically significant. Fill a cluster of simple, aged apothecary bottles with garden flowers to bring whimsical charm to kitchen or bathroom shelves. Alternatively, go for the ‘en masse’ approach, with reams of apothecary bottles assembled on open shelving for dramatic impact.
Apothecaries peaked in the 1700s, but soon gave way to Victorian chemists around the turn of the century. As medicine became a more serious discipline and industrial revolution transformed production, apothecaries faded into the history books. While 'Oil of Scorpion' may not be a go-to remedy in our local pharmacy - thankfully - we can still celebrate the charming relics of this bygone era.
Shop the look and browse our collection of apothecary antiques, from grand cabinets to humble jars, here.
Charlie Hibbert, our Thyme chef correspondent, is mad about picnics. With a fascinating French political association, the pique-nique was brought to England by escaping 'high-society' from the Revolution. In 1801, the Pic Nic society was formed in London where extravagant gatherings required each attendant to bring a dish and six bottles of wine! After dinner there was singing, dancing, gambling, and a play... somewhat less innocent and 'genteel' than the countryside connotation we now have!
Concentrating on the food, Charlie keeps to the original spirit by erring on the side of excess when it comes to catering for them, but he likes to keep things simple to reduce any potential stress from prepping.
(Image: Romas Foord)
Charlie says "This summery dish is exactly what I want to eat on a warm day. Creamy burrata, crisp vegetables, bitter leaves and salty almonds, all good things. If you can’t get hold of burrata, you could use a good buffalo mozzarella."
Serves 4
A good handful of blanched almonds (Valencia almonds are best), roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled & grated
½ a lemon, zest (for the almonds) and juice (for the dressing)
2 courgettes, peeled with a vegetable peeler into strips
1 head of fennel, cut into thin strips with a spiralizer or knife, put the fennel in iced water until you are ready to assemble the dish (this keeps it nice and crunchy)
A good handful of bitter leaves, like rocket, nasturtium leaves or something similar
4 balls of burrata
Best extra virgin olive oil
Maldon salt flakes & pepper
Fry the almonds in a pan on a medium heat with the vegetable oil until they start to turn golden. Just before they are ready to come off the heat, add the grated garlic, a couple of grinds of black pepper and the lemon zest, and toss through the nuts. Carefully tip the almonds out of the pan onto a paper towel to drain.
If you can keep the dressing, almonds and rest apart until you get to the picnic – that’s the best way round, so nothing goes soggy. Just remember to take a good sized bowl with you to mix and serve it in. When you’re ready to serve, dress the courgette and fennel with plenty of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and gently combine with the bitter leaves. Tear the burrata open and season. Tumble over the courgette and fennel, scatter over the almonds and dress with a little olive oil.
For more recipes, please click here.
Charlie’s lunch and dinner menus at Thyme reflect all the goodness to be found in the gardens at Thyme, so if it really is too soggy to picnic and you happen to be in the Cotswolds – bag yourself a table at the Ox Barn for a lazy lunch.
Charlie Hibbert at Thyme has been telling us his secrets for success when it comes to barbecues. Check out these barbecue tips, they will make your summers sizzle.
You can try Charlie Hibbert’s food at the Ox Barn at Thyme and in the not-too-distant future, at the re-furbished Swan at Southrop (we’ll be bringing you more about that in a future edition) www.thyme.co.uk/eat or take one of Thyme’s cookery courses: www.thyme.co.uk/happenings/cookery-classes
To check out some of Charlie Hibbert's mouth-watering recipes for L-Shaped, please click here.
Choosing a favourite was tricky. Dessert tuition was intense in the Hibbert household, and one that has become a perennial favourite is Granny’s meringue cake – the perfect vehicle for seasonal fruit throughout the year, served with lashings of cream. Chocolate mousse, crème caramel, lemon cream puff and all the tarts (quince, custard, Tatin) were all serious contenders, but it was his strawberry shortcake that won the day.
He thinks that the Queen would rather enjoy eating this. Nothing says Great British like strawberries, and we have a sneaking suspicion that Charlie may be right.
Serves 4 (freeze any spare shortcake mix for future use)
Method
Next...
Method
Place a small dot of cream on the plate and push a shortcake into it. The cream will stop any slipping. Next add a small spoonful of cream and a scoop of ice cream. Arrange the strawberries around the ice cream, then top everything with a spoonful of lemon curd and an extra spoonful of cream. Finish with a second shortcake to complete the sandwich, dust with a touch of icing sugar, adorn with a flower or two and serve. Et voilà, your strawberry shortcake may be served.
Assuming that other British favourite – the weather – is on side for the Queen’s Jubilee, the Ox Barn terrace at Thyme will be swinging into action. Tables on the terrace are not bookable – they’re available on a first come, first served basis, but prioritised for people who’ve booked in to dine. Open for lunch and dinner, Monday to Sunday, book the Ox Barn at www.thyme.co.uk | 01367850174 | reservations@thyme.co.uk
To see other delicious recipes, please click here.
We’re happy to have Thyme back in L-Shaped this month and to celebrate, Chef Director, Charlie Hibbert has given us a fresh and vibrant late spring recipe of pea shoots, asparagus, coppa, soft boiled egg, which will be featuring on his new lunch menu at Thyme’s Ox Barn.
The new menu at Thyme this season is bursting with land-to-mouth deliciousness and the idea behind it is for people to share dishes. So, for your perfect spring gathering, start with nibbles like white asparagus and ricotta crostini, marinated anchovies and warm, crusty home-baked sourdough and butter. For a wonderful, stand-out spring dish, use the recipe below to create Charlie's perfect lunch.
Serves 4
4 free range eggs
12 slices of coppa ham*
12 asparagus spears
120g ricotta
4 slices of sourdough
½ lemon, juice
25ml olive oil with a little extra for brushing
Salt and pepper
500g pea shoots
Bring a pot of water to the boil over a high heat. When it is up to temperature, put the eggs into the water and boil for 6 ½ minutes. When the timer goes off immediately dunk them into iced water and allow the eggs to chill.
Next, bring the water in the pot back to the boil, this time with a good pinch of salt in the water. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and cook them for 2 minutes, until just cooked. Lift them out and place them on a plate to cool.
Place a pan over a medium heat and brush the bread with a little olive oil. Fry each slice of bread for 2 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden. Spread each with a little ricotta and put them on a plate. Next put the leaves into a bowl. Slice the asparagus lengthwise into strips and add to the pea shoots. Dress in the lemon and olive oil, with a little seasoning. Tumble the salad over the toasts. Finally peel the eggs and slice them in half. Season them and put two halves onto each salad. Lay a few slices of coppa onto the salads and serve.
* The coppa Charlie uses comes from a local supplier, based in Chipping Norton – the Saltpig Curing Company – who hand-make award-winning artisan charcuterie using whole, rare breed, mature pigs.
Image credits: Kirstie Young (Pea shoots, asparagus, coppa and soft boiled egg recipe dish) and GBCHEFS (Charlie)
The Ox Barn at Thyme is open all week for lunch and dinner.
Click here to see a Charlie Hibbert recipe for a delicious dessert option: Lemon Cream Puffs.
There is a wonderful team of people behind the scenes at Lorfords, many of which you don't get to see. What better way to introduce them than with their top picks in our Lorfords Christmas Gift Guide! From thoughtful gifts to extra seating, we're getting you ready for the festivities.
Scottish Oak Daybed or Psychiatrist's Couch
Gustavian Period Bureau Cabinet
Omersa Leather Elephant Foot Stall
19th Century Gilt Convex Mirror with Eagle Crest
Pair of French Early 19th Century Botanical Engravings
Italian Round Silver Cocktail Tray
Collection of Nine British Tree Engravings
English Mahogany Wing Armchair
Early 20th Century Jali Screen
Large Dutch Still Life Oil on Canvas
Set of Five Mid Century Dining Chairs
19th Century Bavarian Painted Cupboard
Pair of 19th Century 'Bejewelled' Candlebras
Set of Five Danish 'Uncle Harald's' Trains
Large Barley Twist Waterfall Shelves
French 19th Century Chandelier
Original 1950's Route 66 Neon Café Sign
Original 1970's Gucci Light Sign
18th Century West Country Windsor Armchair
Pair of Bristol Chemist Bottles
Swedish 20th Century Pine Desk
Large Mid 20th Century Terracotta Canova Lion
A fresh and delicious winter salad that delivers a wonderful crunch. Charlie Hibbert, the Head Chef at Thyme's Ox Barn restaurant shares a light and refreshing salad recipe perfect for dinner parties or a light lunch.
'This is an easy, fresh salad with plenty of crunch from fresh vegetables and my favourite bitter leaves, full of interest. We buy our hams from a local Cotswold company – Saltpig Curing Co – and the speck is a wonderful stalwart on the menu, amongst other fine things from them. You will need a vegetable turner or mandolin for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can use a sharp knife, but it is harder to cut the vegetables into wafer-thin slices which fold through the salad.'
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 eating apple
1 kohlrabi
1 fennel bulb
8 slices of speck
60g hazelnuts
Assortment of bitter leaves, such as puntarelle, castelfranco, radicchio, tardivo etc
1 lemon
Olive oil for dressing
Sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (normal) | 140°C (fan) | gas mark 3.
Chop the hazelnuts and put them into the oven to toast for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Once done, put them to one side and allow them to cool.
Meanwhile prep and wash the leaves, allowing them to drain in a colander.
Now, peel the outer skin of the kohlrabi away. Using your vegetable turner, cut the kohlrabi and then the fennel into lovely thin strips and dink them into iced water.
Finally, halve and core the apple. Slice it into thin half-moons using a sharp knife.
Ensure all your salad ingredients are well-drained before assembly.
Place all the vegetable ingredients in a bowl and dress with lemon juice and olive oil, a good crack of pepper and salt.
Tear through the speck and scatter the nuts over the leaves then toss the salad.
Gently tumble the salad onto your waiting plates, serve and enjoy.
Andrea, who owns and leads Last Drop Wines on the King's Road in Chelsea, recommends two wines to accompany this fresh and delicious salad. Read her advice here.
Thyme includes 32 bedrooms situated throughout the Georgian rectory, The Lodge, The Tallet and the buildings around the courtyard and gardens. Ox Barn (seats 62) offers a wonderful dining experience, with its own twist on seasonal British food.
Thyme also offers the Baa bar, meadow spa, pool, orchid house and botanical bothy. The piggery and balcony room boutiques stock Bertioli by Thyme's range of silkwear, tableware and bespoke homeware.
If that's not enough, their 'village within a village' also contains a cookery school, floristry and drawing classes, farm, kitchen gardens, orchards and water meadows. Cottages are available for private hire and you can also book the Tithe Barn for private events.
You can view our collection of Thyme recipes and our interview with Charlie Hibbert on L-Shaped.
Thyme’s room rates currently start at £335 (midweek) / £395 (Fri, Sat) per night. These are room rates include breakfast.
Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Southrop, Gloucestershire, GL7 3PW
www.thyme.co.uk | 01367 850 174 | reception@thyme.co.uk