Charles Lotter

Tea found its way into Europe, via Venice, in the 1560’s, but it was the Portuguese who first began shipping it in commercial quantities. Charles II, while in exile in Holland after the beheading of his father, became a confirmed tea drinker and brought the habit with him when restored to the throne in 1660. A few months after his coronation the famous English diarist Samuel Pepys first mentioned drinking tea in his entry for 25 September 1660. He wrote that he had been discussing foreign affairs with some friends, ‘And afterwards did send for a Cupp of Tee (a China drink) of which I never drank before’.

When Charles married Catherine de Braganza of Portugal two years later tea mania began gripping the country, taking its cue from the royal court – it became the beverage of choice in English high society, replacing ale as the national drink. What’s more, British merchants gained access to the tea trade through the Portuguese colonies. Part of Catherine’s dowry included the city of Bombay (now Mumbai), which he rented to the East India Company. They rapidly exploited his patronage and their monopoly to create a huge volume of trade from Asia that included everything from tea to spices.

The exorbitant level of import duty levied by the government, and the fact the East India Company, with a monopoly, kept prices artificially high, soon created a huge trade in smuggled tea. Highly-organised smuggling networks were developed and the popularity of tea-drinking meant that many people were prepared to turn a blind eye to their ruthless brutality. By the later eighteenth century it is estimated that more tea was smuggled into Britain than was brought in legally!

While tea was part of the staple diet of the poor, among the rich tea-drinking was evolving into an elaborate social occasion. Afternoon teas probably had their roots in the ladies tea-parties of the seventeenth centuries, but evolved during the eighteenth century into something of a national institution.

Enjoy Afternoon Tea in the Garden

Tradition has it that afternoon tea was ‘invented’ by Anna Maria, the wife of the seventh Duke of Bedford, who in 1841 started drinking tea and having a bite to eat in the mid-afternoon, to tide her over during the long gap between lunch (eaten at about 1 o’clock) and dinner (eaten at around 7 o’clock). This swiftly developed into a social occasion, and soon the Duchess was inviting guests to join her for afternoon tea at 5 o’clock.

By the 1860s the fashion for afternoon tea had become widespread. Such teas were elegant affairs, with the best china and small amounts of food presented perfectly on dainty little plates.

Cakes

As with any fashion, the hostesses did their best to outdo each other. Bread and butter were soon replaced by sandwiches filled with exotic ingredients such as lobster, smoked salmon and roast beef, served alongside scones, crumpets, teacakes, and English muffins. By the late 1800’s no well brought up young English woman could consider herself socially acceptable unless she knew how to make and present Afternoon Tea.

Summer Lodge transports you back to this golden era – the house is much as it was at the turn of the 19th century, and the Drawing Room, in which it is generally served, was designed at that time by Thomas Hardy himself (his first profession was that of an architect). As Henry James remarked “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea” – and few settings as perfect for indulging in that unique pleasure as the beautifully peaceful surroundings of this genteel Victorian Dower House. Whether you take Traditional Afternoon Tea, Cream Tea or Champagne Tea, the experience is one you are sure to treasure for many a year to come.

Steven Titman

Christmas Pudding is an essential part of the festivities in Britain. Its origins can be traced back to the 1420s, when it was not a dessert at all, but a way of preserving meat at the end of the season. Because of shortages of fodder, all surplus livestock were slaughtered in the autumn. The meat was then kept in a pastry case along with dried fruits acting as a preservative. The resultant large “mince pies” could then be used to feed groups of people, particularly at the festive season.

The chief ancestor of the modern pudding, however, was the pottage, a meat and vegetable concoction originating in Roman times. This was prepared in a large cauldron, the ingredients being slow cooked, with dried fruits, sugar and spices added.

The earliest reference to the “standing pottage” dates to 1420s, a dish of preserved veal, mutton or chicken, thickened with bread, reddened with sandalwood and full of currants. By the time of Elizabeth I, prunes were added to this basic concoction. This became so popular that the dish was known from this point forward as Plum Pottage.

At the end of the English Civil War the victorious Puritans under Oliver Cromwell banned the celebration of Christmas and the eating of plum pudding, mainly because of the richness of the ingredients. The Puritans described it as “unfit for God-fearing people”, while the Quakers, not to be outdone in the killjoy stakes, referred to it as “the invention of the scarlet whore of Babylon “! Despite the fact that this age of misery was septet aside with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Christmas Pudding never quite reached its former popularity again until King George I overturned the ban and ordered it to be served on Christmas Day in 1714.

By the eighteenth century, as techniques for meat preserving improved, the savoury element of both the mince pie and the plum pottage diminished as the sweet content increased. By the 1830s the cannon-ball of flour, fruits, suet, sugar and spices, all topped with holly, makes a definite appearance, with the help of Prince Albert, who was a big fan.

Having said that, everyone has their own favourite recipe. Here’s the one I use:

Summer Lodge Christmas Pudding

Makes 8 ¼ pound Puddings

110g Shredded Suet
50g S R Flour
110g White Breadcrumbs
1tsp Mixed Spice
¼ tsp Fresh grated Nutmeg
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
225g Soft Dark Brown Sugar
110g Sultanas
110g Raisins
275g Currants
25g Mixed Peel
1 Apple (Peeled and Diced)
½ Orange Zested
½ Lemon Zested
11 tbsp Black Treacle
3 tbsp Brandy
3 tbsp Rum
150ml Stout
2 Eggs

Mix together the Sultanas, Raisin, Currants, Mixed Peel, Apple, and Zests with the Brandy, Rum, Treacle and Stout. Leave to macerate in the fridge for 2 days.

Mix together all the dry ingredients with the eggs and then mix into the fruit.

Cover and leave in the fridge for a further day, then spoon into the moulds. To serve, cover and steam for approx 2 hours.

Tips

You can vary the ingredients to suit your personal taste – if you like cherries and walnuts, or whatever, add them in!

If the ingredients look a little dry once you’ve mixed everything together don’t be shy about adding more alcohol – the more the merrier….

To serve, warm a spoon brandy or rum, pour over the pudding at, then set alight at the table. At Summer Lodge our pudding is accompanied by brandy sauce (a brandy custard) and brandy butter (whipped butter, icing sugar and brandy). Personally, however, I like my pudding with plain cream.

Christmas at Summer Lodge promises to be an extra special one this year – we’ve already had our first taste of the snow! For further details of all that we’ve got planned for guests contact the hotel on 01935 48 2000.

It’s been a very good year for young Clement Robert. On the 28th of April he came third in the 2010 Champagne Piper-Heidsieck UK Sommelier of the Year awards, and as youngest contestant to make the final he was named their Young Sommelier of the Year. On Thursday 27th May he then triumphed in the 3rd annual UK final of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs International Young Sommelier Competition.

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1950, is devoted to promoting fine dining and preserving the camaraderie and pleasures of the table. It is based on the traditions and practices of the old French royal guild of goose roasters. With a written history dating back to 1248, and granted a royal charter in 1610, it is a very venerable organisation and its awards are much coveted.

A few days after Clement won the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs award he was interviewed at Summer Lodge on what it takes to triumph in competitions of this nature. He also explained that in just two days he was flying out to Spain to compete in the world final of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs International Young Sommelier of the Year competition in Santander, Northern Spain.

Commenting after the event Clement says “The questions were very tough, very challenging. Also the other contestants were of an extremely high standard. The representative from the USA, who was placed second, he came third in their senior competition this year. And the person representing China, he is something of a celebrity back in his home country.” Despite all this he came out ahead and was named Chaîne des Rôtisseurs International Young Sommelier of the Year.

You can watch Clement’s interview here:

Clement started out as a trainee sommelier at a Michelin starred restaurant in the Loire, then became Assistant Head Sommelier of the Hotel Du Vin in Brighton, then Winchester, before becoming Head Sommelier of the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge. In July 2009 he became Assistant Sommelier to Eric Zweibel, Master Sommelier, at the five star Summer Lodge, a member of Relais et Chateaux.

Clement’s success is just one of several prestigious awards that have been showered on Summer Lodge this year. It was voted one of the best three hotels in the UK for food in the 2010 Condé Nast Traveller Gold List and winner of the ‘Best British Cheeseboard 2010‘ by The British Cheese Awards.

Dover Sole, as the name suggests, is not a fish one catches off the steeply shelving coast of South Africa, but one that prefers the shallow continental water of the English Channel and North Sea.

I first encountered this delicacy when we moved to London in the mid-seventies, and very quickly developed a passion for it, either grilled or meunière. As with all fish dishes you need to find the best possible raw materials, then let the natural flavours speak for themselves – simple as this sounds in theory, it takes practice to perfect!

There are several little tricks that must be mastered. First, and perhaps most important of all, you must never overcook it. Secondly, and slightly contrary to the first tip, both sides must be as crispy as possible.

So, how to achieve the crispiness without spoiling the gorgeous melt-in-your-mouth moistness of the delicate flesh?

Start by lightly seasoning it with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. Next, brush both sides with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Then place it on a hot char-grill (or a ridged cast iron pan) for just 90 seconds (no more!), then carefully turn it at a 90° angle, on the same side, for a further 90 seconds to achieve a lovely diamond cross-hatching effect. Turn it over with a metal spatula (carefully!) and do the same again. Then gently transfer it onto a baking dish and place in the oven at 180°C for 8-10 minutes. The fish is done when the bones move easily away from the flesh when you delicately insert a fork.

It’s best served with simple accompaniments – home made tartare sauce, freshly squeezed lemon juice and boiled new potatoes (tossed with a touch of butter, olive oil and chopped parsley). Done properly, it’s a taste of pure heaven, and one that one never seems to get tired of.

That’s why it’s a regular feature on the menu at some of our hotels, and why I’ve included it in my cook book – entitled “A Life in Food” it celebrates those recipes which are enduring favourites with our guests.  All proceeds, excluding postage and packaging, will be donated to my favourite charities – The Startlight Foundation and The Tick Tock Club in the UK.