Wednesday 2 May 2007

Danesfield House, Buckinghamshire

Gourmet Guide
Any time is perfect to visit Danesfield House Hotel, although Spring is especially splendid. This Country House hotel positively glows as it welcomes non-residents and boasts a beautiful 65 acres of sweeping estate grounds. Arriving into the grounds, you’re immediately swept back in time, Victorian time. Danesfield House is mighty impressive, with its sweeping driveway and crunchy gravelled parking leading to this castellated mansion boasting longing views of the Thames. Anticipation builds from the moment you glimpse the Grand Hall from reception. The Grand Hall is a vast oak panelled span bedecked with fresh flowers and an enormous fireplace, giving an insight into the grandeur offered by this hotel.
My partner and I were met by a charismatic John Verstraeten, Front of House Manager, who offers a huge depth of knowledge (and the occasional discrete gossip) garnered from his 9 years of hosting at Danesfield. Making us feel immediately welcome, he showed us through to the cocktail bar to unwind and peruse the menu over a glass of sherry. This bar is striking and traditional with leather tan and green chesterfield seating, tapestry wall dressings hosting parkland scenes, rich oak wall panelling and handsome leaded French doors leading into the leafy glass Victorian conservatory– all very Hercule Poiret.
We were soon being shown into the Oak Room for our Supper – this really is the prettiest room you could imagine. Fresh lilies adorning a magnificent fireplace, opulent gilt framed oil paintings, candle lit mirrored sconces, high ceilings. The elegant tables are perfectly set with crisp white linen, and an abundance of solid silver – from the candlestick to the butter dish and cutlery. To finish the table, it was highlighted with seasonal flower arrangements of delicate snowdrops and lavender.
An asparagus pre-starter arrived which was light and creamy, arousing the palate in anticipation. To start I had ordered Warm Boudin – which as I found out, is a tasty traditional French black pudding. This entire article could easily be devoted to this single dish, it was astounding with a ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ mousse like texture accompanied by a wonderful combination of sweet and sharp bite from specially cured pickled onions and a granny smith’s apple vinaigrette. My fiancé opted for Comfit Rabbit set in Gewurtztraminer Jelly with a salad of Roasted Rabbit Fillet, stating that it was beautifully delicate with a refreshing jelly and excellent contrasting flavours.
As a main act, we selected the Roasted Corn fed chicken with fresh pasta and Truffles (rich yet light and the truffells distinctive but not overpowering) and the Anjou Pigeon with Bitter chocolate, golden sultanas and nabbed Coco. The combination of strong bitter cocoa, unadulterated black chocolate, and pigeon provided an excellent and memorable dish.
By this point, the food had been so perfect it was hopeless to try to resist dessert and a pre-dessert of blueberry soup accompanied by a comprehensive but keenly-priced champagne/ dessert wine menu arrived as we were choosing which dish we would share. First, my choice – a dazzling and refreshing Sabayon of Oranges and grand Marnier with Blood orange Granita. My partner chose the memorable assiette of Lemon and Basil – this offered a delicate balance of zingy iced flavours with soft, rounded herbed jellies – truly awesome.
Obvious to late to resist anything by now, we finished with delicious coffee and home made petit fours. This provided the perfect time to reflect on a seasonally changing menu that is refreshingly uncomplicated, with the emphasis on the finest produce. The dishes at Danesfield have traditional origins, but with an inventive, light and creative edge, making them honed to perfection by the executive Chef Damian Broom.
Whilst the Grand Hall is open all year round for mid morning coffee and traditional afternoon tea, the hotel also offers the Orangery restaurant, along with an extensive terrace for outside dining in the summer. We found each area to have a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, with each room having its own character. From now until the end of the year, you can enjoy the benefits of the estate grounds and have a relaxing stroll, taking in the incredible scenery over looking the River Thames. The Wisteria each year is not to be missed, and I have it on good authority (our Host showing those 9 years of experience) that it’s at its most magnificent in late April – early May, and smells incredible.
Our visit from the magical castellated beginning, to the satiated finish, was wonderful in every way, the food was breathtaking, the service pristine, yet informal and the venue was staggering. All in all a wonderful, luscious evening, and a warm memory.

Tuesday 1 May 2007

The Vanilla Pod. Marlow, Buckinghamshire

French Kissing. It was with a sense of occasion that my partner and I had our first date with The Vanilla Pod in Marlow on Thames. Would it be love at first bite? Michael McDonald the owner and chef has worked alongside Gordon Ramsey at La Tante Clair and Chez Nico, before spending the latter years as the Head Chef at Danesfield House in Marlow earning a high profile reputation and rave reviews. The restaurant is pleasingly chic and intimate, a mix of traditional honeyed walls, deep old beams and a concave brick fireplace. It becomes more contempory as the restaurant opens up, the walls becoming a selection of graduated sunset colours, fresh lemon to a warming burnt orange. It smells comforting, crisp and subtle and the lighting is very pretty due to small spotlights imbedded into the ceiling like night stars. Unsurprised to find this restaurant already bustling with diners, I liked the lack of music that allowed the soft background of voices and laughter to create truly congenial, informal atmosphere. Any lingering doubt about the calibre of treat waiting you is firmly dispelled when cosseted alongside the softest linen napkins and the sparkling array of glasses. A delicious aroma announced the arrival of warm, fresh bread that accompanied our menus - perfect timing for us to finalise food and wine choices. At the Vanilla Pod, the truly innovative dishes are seasonally balanced and our sommelier, Manuela, originating from Brittany, offered real enthusiasm in assisting with wine to complement a sophisticated array of dishes for the evening – she confirmed our instincts for the Fleurie.
Each dish is presented with a flourish and explained with passion. First to arrive was our pan-fried mackerel on compote of rhubarb and celeric, wonderfully light and set stylishly upon square white ceramics. My pressed ham hock terrine with cola jelly and aged balsamic vinegar - looked delightful; I loved the colourful layers of vegetables against the pinkness of the ham and I found it surprisingly chilled, making it cold and welcoming on the tongue. My partners choice was the delicious sounding risotto of confit duck and cep veloute, with of course, that trademark hint of vanilla; he declared it “the best he has ever tasted,” high praise indeed! We continued with Pan-fired scallops, vanilla poached pears and red wine shallots with vanilla, the nuttiness of the meat worked wonderfully with the sauce. Michael really has achieved the ability to load a dish with flavours in such a way that they seem to hit the tongue one by one as if on parade. Little solider flavours in a queue.
Throughout supper the service was wonderfully discreet and professional yet it was ‘as if by magic’ that the wine glasses were replenished, dishes cleared, and bread replaced.
For the main course I had ordered fillet of venison with a dried fruit sauce on a bed of parsnips (a much under-rated vegetable) it was predictably divine, with the jus leaving that gorgeous sticky lips feeling, heaven on earth. My partner opted for the cannon of lamb, orange crust, white cabbage and asparagus, and with a delirious smile the plate was soon bare. The pre desserts of melon, crème fraishe and ginger were genius, arriving in a test-tube shaped glass and providing a refreshing, zingy, kaleidoscope of flavours. Of course it was impossible to resist the dessert, my fresh mint panna cotta, crushed raspberry compote and peppered meringue was a total wow – although undetectable to the eye I truly could see, feel and smell the actually furry green mint leaves. Content, warm and satiated we asked for our coffee and petit fours to be served to us in the deep seats of the bar.
This Vanilla Pod really is an all over experience. Just like the ideal first date it is not only the anticipation of the event or the way it leaves your head swimming with intoxicating memories, but the urgency to re-live the feelings as soon as possible ……I think, for us, this could be the start of a beautiful relationship! PB

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