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Spring produce tasting
What a fantastic evening we had celebrating the best of the spring produce. It was a sell out and more importantly it was great fun. We tasted loads of food, managed to hold a bit of a quiz in the middle and consumed a fair amount of wine along the way. It kind of had the feeling of being at a wedding, we will certainly be looking to host more events like this. Watch this space.
Tags: Evening with Gregg; Gregg Wallace; tomatoes; asparagus; strawberries, Gregg; Evening with Gregg; spring produce
Cranachan
Great, asparagus is on the menu, I’m now looking forward to broad beans, Jerseys and raspberries, may have to convince chef to put on a cranachan. Cranachan is right up there alongside rhubarb crumble as my all time fave pud. Actually as a passionate Englishman it hurts me to say the best raspberries in the world are from Scotland, contrary to popular belief raspberries do not like red hot summers. If you look closely at a raspberry you will see it has many fine white hairs, that’s how it gets its name, raspy, meaning hairy.
That’s your biology lesson over, enjoy the café, enjoy the food, enjoy the sunshine.
Stuck in Tenerife
It’s great that the sun’s come out, it means we can sit outside, nothing better as far as I’m concerned, eating al fresco with a bottle of chilled. Do you know how al fresco translates? In the fresh, I like that.
There’s obviously a lot of spring produce on its way and I’m personally looking forward to working with chef to highlight the best of the crop.
But at time of writing I’m stuck in Tenerife, not a bad place to be stuck I suppose. I’ve got Heidi and the kids here with me, but stuck we are, unable to get a flight. As soon as we do I’ll be back at the cafe, wandering from table to table with a glass in my hand, see you soon.
Tags: Gregg, Gregg Wallace
I’m Back
I’ve been away, you don’t want to hear that I’m sure, the last thing you want to know as you struggle through the British winter is the thought of some fat bloke slobbing about on a beach in the Caribbean.
Still, that’s where I’ve been, sorry.
Now I’m back I’ve noticed that the sun is shining here as well, as far as I’m concerned that means one thing, spring is on its way, I could almost hear the plump cuckoos.
With spring comes fantastic produce from the farm, beautiful little leaves, lots of crunchy baby vegetables and of course asparagus. It’s been difficult to showcase great veg in the middle of winter, it always is, but now the weather seems to have broken, it can’t be long till we fill the café to brimming with a bumper spring harvest.
Do expect to find the management team in the café with large glasses of white wine, new menu planning is no easy job. See ya Wednesday night.
Mint sauce?
I am really enjoying myself at the café right now, we’ve still got a bit of work to do, sure, but I really believe we’re starting to find our feet. I get really nervous every time I walk in, I think, “is everything ok? Are people enjoying it?” and then what always happens as I sit there, is loads of people come in and start eating and I mean loads.
I managed to get down three times last week, I’m in for at least one lunch this week, I think Wednesday. I like the layout of the new menu and I really like the piles of vegetables outside.
I had a tremendous supper on Thursday night with an old mate from the BBC. We ate chorizo quiche, Scotch egg, gravalax and a ham terrine and that was starters! Then, good lamb chops with dauphinoise. Me and Tim argue about mint sauce, I was brought up with lamb and mint, Tim doesn’t approve. I made my point by offering my mint sauce to the chap next to me eating lamb, “oh yes please” he said. See Tim.
I’d eaten so much food I ended up giving my knickerbocker glory away to two ladies sitting opposite. I enjoy myself down there, I enjoy chatting to the customers, see you soon, I’m always up for a chat.
The wine’s good too…
Our chef and my old mate Tim is coming into his own. We’ve been open a couple of weeks and the food is getting better and better, now we’ve got the hang of things, Tim is going to start to put new dishes on the menu. I came down for lunch on Thursday and found a cracking cock a leekie bubbling away on the counter.
I want some lamb chops on, with a bit of mint sauce, but then I’m such a square old traditionalist. Actually wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of fish and chips, we’ll see, it’s all developing nicely. When you’re in and you see me, give me your menu ideas.
Our challenge now is to give the front of the café more of a bar feel in the evening, Tim’s going to knock up some bar snacks. I know we have good food, but we’ve got really good affordable wines on as well. I want to see people having a drink and enjoying a nibble, maybe I’ll pop down, open a crate and see if anybody wants to join me.
Pies, pies, pies
I’m at the café as much as I can, although now we’re starting to film the Masterchef semi-finals. Still I’m down about three or four days a week.
My favourite dishes are the iman biyaldi, the quiches, pies and the puddings. Sadly none of my partners seem to like my saffron cauliflower, I will get my revenge. Poor Tim, the chef, is almost on his knees and said he’s never made so many pies in his life.
We are busier than we planned to be, so we’ve drafted in some talent, especially at the front. I’ve now been told off a couple of times by the assistant manager for getting in the way and messing the systems up. I can’t help it, I like joining in. He suggested I just chat to people instead and don’t do anything complex or professional looking.
I am looking forward to changing the look slightly at the front, we want to introduce more veg for sale and I think a few jars of tasty goodies would go down well. Spring is just around the corner, loads of great veg, hurry up Mr blue sky.
Tags: Gregg, Masterchef, pies
We are open for business
What a buzz, lots of people are coming in, drinking the wine and eating the food. I know that’s what they were supposed to do, but you never really know if anyone is going to do it. As the café dream becomes reality, you wonder if you’ve got it right. I shouldn’t have worried, it’s working fine. We’re a big happy team, we just don’t seem to have enough time now to sit down and celebrate.
I had a go at being a waiter on Friday, I’m not very skilful, but I think I made up for it with enthusiasm. I was so happy by the end of the night that I started giving away rhubarb panacottas.
Would you believe at about 8.30pm, when we were absolutely heaving and barely keeping control, Fay Maschler walked in. OMG that was the last thing I needed, still she got a table and she got some nice food, fingers crossed she liked it.
We still need to do a little bit of work, I think we can build a bigger display of veg. Terrible I know, but I can’t wait for spring to start, wait till you see our produce then.
Till then, I will be in for lunch or dinner throughout the week, if you fancy a chat, come and say hello. If you fancy a long chat, say hello holding a bottle.
Gregg tasting Tim’s shepherd’s pie mix in the kitchen at Wallace & Co.
Up, up and away
Very exciting to be able to serve up our food to people at last. OK, so they were friends and they didn’t have to pay, but still, I think we did a very good job. I was completely hyper two hours before the guests arrived, like a small child at Christmas. I just bounced around in circles.
After the excitement, I got really nervous, I’d invited so many people, I couldn’t possibly be a decent host to all of them. Then I kept wondering whether the service was sharp enough, then I got anxious that they wouldn’t like the food. I shouldn’t have worried, everybody thought the place was wonderful.
We’ve got friends coming all weekend and where am I? Buried underneath an arctic snowdrift on the Kent coast. We officially open on Tuesday, I can’t wait to get back down there and play. I love having a place I can call mine, or at least ours.
Very much look forward to meeting all our new customers, my advice if you’re planning a visit, sample the treacle tart!