Good afternoon everybody,
Well, those two weeks have flown by. In the Hamblin household it's been nappies, naps, night feeds and tantrums, interspersed with trips back and forth to the bakery and the Covered Market to deal with fussy fridges (broken), ornery ovens (fixed, thank goodness), peeling paint (Iffley Rd redecorated and feeling much smarter) and parched ply (the wooden fixtures and fittings lovingly restored by the wonderful Curtis with his Osmo oil).
We did manage to fit in a weekend in one of our happiest places, Presteigne. On the Saturday our dear friend Dani treated us to pizza from his gem of a restaurant, Daphne's, washed down with Skyborry Cider which he makes in partnership with his brother, Adam. After a very convivial evening the Thurston Hamblin family repaired to the nearby Radnorshire Arms, where we had booked a room for the night. With all of the pressures facing the whole of the hospitality industry, it was great to stay somewhere that was obviously thriving and very busy, built on qualities that will never go out of date - friendliness, warmth, efficiency - the true spirit of hospitality. We rounded off the weekend the next day with a leisurely walk and a Sunday lunch before a very pleasant drive home through Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, looking lovely in late summer evening sunshine.
On the pastry counter this week top billing must surely go to the return of the Walnut Tart. This is a truly decadent treat, consisting as it does of a crisp, sweet pastry shell filled with walnuts from Périgord in Southwest France, set in rich caramel. It's not for the faint hearted but by god it's good. Goes well with creme fraiche, black coffee, Calvados...take your pick. As well as all your usual favourites there will also be our nostalgic cream buns with raspberry jam and a weekend special of Viennese whirls with blackcurrant.
On the cheese counter we're pleased to introduce Punch, new in from Fen Farm dairy. Although we haven't tasted it yet, our spies tell us to expect all that gooey, savoury goodness you can expect from a washed rind cheese. There will also be Pevensey Blue, bringing sweet, boozy Gorgonzola vibes by way of East Sussex, and the subtle, sessionable charm of Yoredale.
That's all for this week. Thanks as always for reading and we look forward greatly to seeing you in the bakery soon,
Hugo and Kate