News & views

Posted on: 05/07/10

Bramble Torre Open Garden by Sally Vincent

We opened our Dittisham garden in June this year for the second time in aid of the National Garden Scheme. We passed the stringent test after following those strict instructions to “Weed, weed, weed” and here we are in the Yellow Book once more.

Oh my, have I weeded. Borders were trimmed, flowerbeds tended, vegetables planted out, poly tunnel tidied, grass cut and cut again. The embothrium remained in flower obligingly late, shining scarlet against a blue sky. Roses exploded into bloom in the blistering sun. I begged the poppies to hang on and the delphiniums to hurry up. The iris lasted the week and the poor winter damaged ceanothus managed a few more blue clusters, even a sweet pea or two showed an early flower.

It’s been a difficult year with everything very late. The unusually cold winter hit so many plants; some struggled through and slowly came into leaf and flower. Many simply vanished as drought followed ice and snow. The lack of rain this spring has been bad for the garden but much worse for pasture. Like our neighbouring farmers, we are moving ewes and lambs round and round as a little growth appears in each field.

I can’t believe ten years have passed since we were ravaged by flood, water crashing through the valley devastating all in its path. I look with horror at pictures of the battered landscape when the water had subsided, our work destroyed. I can still smell the rank mud. I remember my old goose floating in his water filled house, banging his head on the roof before rescue arrived, chickens quickly learning to swim, our huge old tractor sliding and aquaplaning in the yard, sheep fleeing safely up the hill and donkeys paddling in their stables.

Ten years on and a peaceful garden runs along the bottom of the valley. The stream, very low now, trickles beside the vegetable garden. Chickens peck happily in the orchard. All the while I do my best to hold on to my cultivated strip through the centre, holding back the wilderness. It is the wildness I love; the contrast of the wild and cultivated thrills me as each harmoniously march side by side from house to farmyard. I love the silence broken only by shouting birds, fat clouds scudding on blue sky, long grass blowing in the wind, changing light, changing seasons, sheep grazing quietly, donkeys eeyoring for tea. And above all I love having the opportunity to share this small part of the valley for two days of the year with anyone who cares to look.

And the visitors flocked in; no rain this year, no lorry stuck for hours in the lane by the gate. Thanks to all our friends who helped with teas and parking, we had time to walk around and do our best to answer the many, many questions about house and garden.

A garden stroll completed and an afternoon-long orderly queue formed for cream teas. We set tables and chairs in the now tidy farmyard amongst tubs of lavender and daisies. Plate after plate of scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam flew out of our make shift kitchen. Will, from the wonderful Anchorstone Cafe in Dittisham, generously baked piles and piles of gloriously light golden scones. Of course the cream debate re-emerged; in Devon, jam then cream, in Cornwall, cream then jam or is that the other way round? My roots are Devonshire, my husband, a Cornishman; the arguing continues but the teas were a triumph!

You can read more of Sally’s garden and see lots of photos and recipes on her website

http://www.rainingsideways.com

Posted on: 05/07/10

Slow Food In The Balaerics by Colin Hawkins

On our May visit this year to Mallorca Bini and I sought to find out if the Slow Food Movement had penetrated to that corner of the Mediterranean.
A little research led us to the tiny but charming hamlet of Caimari in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains. In a discreet sidestreet is the restaurant Ca Na Toneta, run by the sisters Maria and Teresa Solinellas. Maria is the chef and also vice president of Slow Food in the Balearics. Sister Teresa is front of house.
Ca Na Toneta is only open on Friday nights and weekends, which allows them to do their day job of catering for parties and festivals.
You might expect foodies like the sisters to have a go at international cuisine but no, their theme is to enliven the normally very dreary local favorites. We had the six course tasting menu for 30 Euros, not including wine, using ingredients all sourced locally, including olives grown and preserved by their own mother.
It was in the best Slow Food tradition. One course in particular stood out, a kind of gaspatcho soup, cold and consisting of creamed spinach, pine nuts with a few slices of strawberry, fantastic.
Apparently, the Slow Food movement in Mallorca is struggling to find members prepared to actually do something rather than simply belong, a familiar cry.

P.S. A note about the wines of Mallorca. There is more and more wine grown on the island, most of it irrigated. Two reliable producers are Jose Ferrer of Binisalem and Macia Batle of nearby Santa Maria. A decent white we have yet to find, the summers may be too hot for these more delicate grapes. Generally speaking the so called Crianza wines which have by law to have been oak aged in a barrel are always preferable but understandably somewhat dearer. The best red that we have found on the island, if you can run to 14 or 15 Euros, is Son Bordils from Inca, it is powerful stuff. This vineyard is unique in growing the more familiar to us varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and shiraz rather than the traditional local ones.

Posted on: 02/07/10

Topsham Food Festival and Nello’s Longest Table

On Sunday June 20th, more than 2000 people sat down at a ‘single table’ stretching almost the whole length of Topsham to enjoy a feast of local and locally sourced foods in honour of Topsham restaurateur Nello Ghezzo, who died in 1999. Hundreds more were strolling around just taking in the spectacle. The sun was shining gloriously and the animation of so many people simply there to enjoy themselves through the sharing of food, wine and friends was absolutely wonderful.

Nello’s Longest Table was the highlight of the Topsham Food Festival, a homegrown 3-day food festival that included the screening of food films, chef’s and producer’s demonstrations, an international cheese challenge, beer and wine tastings, talks and masterclasses and more, taking place at various venues throughout the town, notably The Globe Hotel, Darts Farm and the Pebblebed Tasting Cellar. On Saturday evening there was an outdoor evening of food and music on Topsham Quay that brought hundreds out in the sunshine.

The Festival was organised by Slow Food Devon members Marc and Kim Millon and Liz Hodges of The Globe Hotel. Slow Food Devon was at the heart of activities throughout the weekend, with Slow Food Devon co-leader James Dart organising a varied range of events at Darts Farm and a hog roast on Topsham Quay on Saturday. Freddie Dudbridge was at Nello’s Longest Table with Slow Food committee members Colin and Bini Hawkins and Natacha du Pont de Bie. Other Slow Food members included Peter and Henri Greig of Piper’s Farm, broadcaster Sally Sedgman, Devon caterer Antonia Makeig-Jones, and Phil Sweeney, co-leader of
Slow Food Bristol, who came down especially for the event.

www.topshamfoodfestival.org.uk