Good afternoon everyone,
First of all, a pastry update, showcasing seasonal fruit in all its glory, the following hit the counter next week: Bakewell financier vibes with almonds and Styan cherries, Swiss roll with summer berries, and a bun filled with a truly emblematic English confection, gooseberry fool.
On the cold plate we can strongly recommend an extremely moreish batch of Tomme de Savoie, the texture just so between yielding and bouncy, the flavours gentle but persistent. Sinodun Hill is also on top form, and we welcome back Yoredale, perhaps our favourite Wensleydale.
The summer socialising continued this week as we piled the Hamblin team into two cars and headed to deepest darkest Kent. Charles, of Food and Forest fame, king of nuts and oracle of agroforestry was hosting a lunch in the cobnut orchards for the bakeries he supplies. So not only did we get to spend a glorious day in the sunshine weaving through woodland and learning about Charles' work helping to restore the neglected cobnut platts, but we also got to catch up with some of our favourite baker colleagues from Quince, Nova, Small Food, Eric's and Esther's, over lunch in a clearing in the trees. Idyllic doesn't even begin to cover it. This baker's life sure does have its perks. Charles is one of those dynamic individuals who never stands still, extremely driven and someone whose knowledge and enthusiasm is infectious. We have once again vowed to get behind Charles' mission to reintroduce the Kentish cobnut to British cuisine, and this is now in writing, so watch the counter this autumn. If anyone is interested in this subject, Charles is running orchard lunches throughout the summer and we can thoroughly recommend it as a way to spend a day.
Now, as promised last week, selected highlights from our Provence and south of France wine tasting.
Bruno Duchene, La Luna Blanc 2024
As something of an acid freak, at least when it comes to white wine (ref. Muscadet, Riesling, Loire Chenin, racy Chardonnay etc.), I've approached southern french whites seldom and with caution. Often one encounters heavy, flabby, alcoholic wines which can be somewhat overwhelming. Bruno Duchene is in Banyuls in Roussillon, his vines within sight of the Mediterranean and La Luna Blanc is a great example of a hot climate wine with abundant freshness that still speaks eloquently of its origins. What does this mean? Well, try it! It positively leaps out of the glass - perhaps there's a very slight prickle of CO², alongside citrus, almonds and a saline twist on the finish. You can feel the sun, the sea, the rocks, and the scent of garrigue on the breeze. Or so it seemed at the time!
Gaël Petit, Tavel La Combe des Rieu 2023
Tavel was the first appellation for rosé, when the AOC system was established in the 30s. Traditionally a blend of red and white grapes, and more reminiscent of a light red than the modern super pale rosé, it was considered a truly fine wine, complex and age-worthy. In recent decades the reputation of the region declined considerably, with mass produced, heavily sulphured wines made for the export market largely to blame. Gaël Petit, whose family roots in Tavel go back to the 1600s, is one of a small band of growers eschewing chemicals and allowing the superb terroir to shine in wines like La Combe des Rieu. This really wowed on the night, somehow conveying lightness and depth, with gentle tannins, lovely freshness, herbs and ripe fruit. One to have just slightly chilled and great with any Mediterranean food.
Eric Bouletin, Pichot Roucas 2022
Most of Eric's wines are labelled as Vacqueyras, including his excellent rosé, but this is his baby red, an everyday table wine that represents amazing value. Unmistakably Mediterranean in character, with spicy, dark fruit, ripe tannins and full-bodied, it is also supple and very easy to drink. Last word to Eric, describing his philosophy in true Gallic style:
"...remain free, live off the land – these were my great ideas starting out and remain so. I’ve had to build my own path, find my own way in a world where image and marketing are everything and truth has so little importance. I would like to say how lucky I am to have such an ungrateful and severe land, a land that once transcended allows me to make a wine that speaks to people, to their souls, and that people enjoy. That’s all I wish for."
Hear, hear!
Thanks for reading and see you next week,
Kate and Hugo