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Limewire
SPRING 2011
The
Pig Project
The Enchanted Forest
The Limewire debate
Stone with style.
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Limewire 01
02.
10.
11.
F
rom the depths of an ancient forest, the
new Lime Wood Group welcomes you
with our first Limewire publication
devoted to food, foraging, fun and
whatever takes our fancy – and hopefully
yours.
Contents
02. The Enchanted Forest
In praise of the forest and in particular
the New Forest.
05.
The New Forest is our marker, it surrounds us and
inspires us. As well as being a place of recreation it
gives us a sense of belonging in what we do and what
we plan. It has inspired our chefs and foragers who
head off into the green and come back laden with
fungi and leaves, berries and brambles – join them
one morning and enjoy their taste later. Head for the
Herb House and relax in warm waters and enjoy
being anointed with oils all made from natural
ingredients: head for the Mud House and wallow in
the different coloured muds... and then contemplate
our latest project – The Pig – now there’s an animal
who has made mud his friend.
Meet the locals – the butcher, Mr Alan Bartlett, the
model agent Sarah Doukas and the boat restorers at
Southampton. Meet the visitors performing at
Grange Park Opera or at the Chichester Festival, or
showing at Brockenhurst during the county show or
head for Alton and Austen (Jane of course)... and
when you want to go a little further head for
Ethiopia, a place of beauty as yet almost unspoiled.
The Foraging Foodie
Finding sustenance, joy and delicious new tastes
with Lime Wood’s forager and chef.
07.
The Limewire Debate
Have we arrived at the golden age of British
Cinema – again?
09.
The Master Butcher
The best of all bangers – Alan Bartlett’s roaring trade.
10.
The Herb House
A spa for all seasons, all types, all needs,
all glamour and all natural.
13.
A Storm in the Forest
The founder of Storm Model Agency, Sarah Doukas,
describes her enduring love for the New Forest.
15.
The Pig Project
Is it a restaurant? Is it a hotel? Is it a weekend retreat?
No, it’s a PIG.
17.
Boxing Clever
The new type of take-aways.
18.
Travel
The supreme wonder and beauty of Ethiopia.
21.
Forest Bumf
What’s new, what’s happening and where to go.
Publisher: David Elton.
Editor: Jo Foley.
Sub Editor: Maisie Lawrence.
Cover Photography: Tatiana Stratton.
For advertising enquiries contact:
[email protected].
Design and production: www.strattons.com
Published by: The Lime Wood Group, Beaulieu Rd, Lyndhurst, SO43.
© Lime Wood Group 2011
The Enchanted
Forest
Not only is the forest vital to our wellbeing but, it is also beautiful
and magical. The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts
of unenclosed pastureland, heath land and forest which has been
in existence from the Bronze Age onwards. Explore it, protect it,
love it.
Forest Facts
• All of our forests are vulnerable. Conservation
International estimate that up to 50% of all species
indigenous to forests will be extinct before 2050, due to
habitat destruction. That’s a rate of one every 20 minutes
• In Europe alone some 22,066 species are vulnerable
• These include the red squirrel, black grouse, common
kingfisher, Scottish wildcat, harvest mouse, wolf and bear
• In the New Forest the red squirrel could be found
until the 1970s
• But... the New Forest is home to the only cicada, native to
Great Britain along with our three native snakes – adder,
grass and the rare smooth snake. It also shelters rare plants
such as the marsh gentian and birds such as the red kite
and common buzzard
• We must all play our role in ensuring the survival
of the forest
“When one tugs at a single living thing in nature, one
finds it is attached to the rest of the world.” John Muir
Photography: Jason James Finnane of FINNimaje www.finnimaje.ie
Model: Naomi Cullen
“The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited
kindness and benevolence that makes no demands
for its sustenance and extends generously the
products of its life and activity; it affords protection
to all beings.”
Buddhist Sutra
Limewire 05
The Enchanted Forest
Foraging
Foodie
N
ot only does the forest provide life and shelter for flora,
fauna, birds, insects and animals it also provides food and
sustenance for us. Which is why the forager at Lime Wood,
Garry Eveleigh in conjunction with chef Luke Holder uses
the seasonal fruits of forest and seashore. This season some
favourites include wild salad leaves which bring freshness
and delicacy to any dish from the middle of April through May and June.
Not so easy to identify, but Garry the forager is Garry proficient. He returns
laden with wild garlic and hedge garlic, chickweed, bittercress, sorrel and
dandelion as well as hawthorn and beech leaves, clover, chives and nettle
tips – although the latter needs blanching to take the sting out of the taste.
Closer to the shore (the New Forest has some staggering 26 miles of coast) it
is easy to find sea beet and purslane early in the season, but from May onwards
the delicious sea samphire shoots up alongside such sea weeds as laverweed
and sea lettuce which bring a taste of salt and crunch to any number of dishes.
These latter can be found throughout the summer and even into autumn...
but the young shoots early in the season are the most welcome.
Wild mushrooms of course can be found throughout the year from as early as
March, depending on the season’s warmth. The earliest are oyster mushrooms
and St George’s just in time for his feast day in April, while throughout May
and June, beefsteak and chicken of the woods are plentiful. If June is
particularly wet you can find early chanterelles – there has to be some
compensation for the rain!
Foragers are keen hands at finding food for free in the New Forest, and using
the fruits of forest and shore on the return home.
Limewire 07
Limewire
Is this the golden age of British cinema?
W
ith the current success – both critical and commercial – of 127
Hours and The King’s Speech giving the British film industry
an enormous sense of pride, there is talk that the UK is
enjoying a ‘golden age’ of cinema. But are we getting a little bit carried
away here? Do a couple of well-received films such as The King’s Speech
and Slumdog Millionaire really herald the dawn of a new era or are we all
happily glugging away on the hype machine’s very own brand of Kool-Aid
(or champagne, darling!). We’ve long been a nation steeped in
filmmaking traditions and have a proud cinematic heritage dating back
decades so is this really the best we’ve ever been? Can’t this wide-eyed
optimism similarly be applied to Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) or Chariots
Of Fire (1981)?
Also what constitutes a ‘golden age’? Is it the legitimising of a project
through awards or the state of the industry as a whole? And does this
mean we’ve peaked or can our achievements exceed even higher?
FOR
AGAINST
Our films and industry are more celebrated than ever
For all our reputation, we seldom win the big awards
Back in 1981, actor Colin Welland famously declared “The British are coming,” while
picking up his Oscar for writing Chariots Of Fire. It may have taken us the best part of
30 years, but Welland’s declaration seems to be coming true. In the last few years the
Brits have enjoyed more award nominations – both Oscar and Bafta – than ever before.
Films like The Queen (6 Oscar & 10 Bafta), Atonement (6 & 12), Slumdog
Millionaire (10 & 11), An Education (3 & 9) and The King’s Speech (12 & 14) have
ensured that our nation has left a cultural impact on the world. And since the British
Academy pulled their bash ahead of their Hollywood rival in the awards calendar, the
Bafta’s credibility is riding high. Every year a veritable who’s who of A-list movie talent
grace the London red carpet and make gushing speeches about how important the
Baftas are.
Despite the obvious high esteem in which we Brits are held in Hollywood, the big
awards seldom come our way. Surely if this is a ‘golden age’, then our mantelpieces
should be festooned with trophies, but if you look at the significant Oscar wins over the
last five years our record isn’t great. We’ve won one Best Picture (Slumdog Millionaire),
one Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), two Best Actress (Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet)
and one Best Director (Danny Boyle) – those are hardly ‘golden age’ statistics. And
when you look at this year’s nominations, The King’s Speech aside, we weren’t overly
represented. Christopher Nolan wasn’t even nominated for Inception, arguably the
most creative and ‘directed’ film of the year. The best films don’t always win the awards,
but Oscar success is a sure fire way to build a legacy.
Despite the glowing reviews, UK box office is down
We’re bursting with emerging acting talent
With the old guard of Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Colin Firth all firmly rooted in
the public’s hearts, a massively talented group of up-and-coming actors look set to keep
the British reputation of churning out outstanding thespians strong. Among these are
Firth’s A Single Man co-star Nicholas Hoult, the vulnerable yet tough-as-nails Thomas
Turgoose, the delightfully sweet Felicity Jones and the already lauded star of The Social
Network Andrew Garfield. Throw the likes of established young ’uns Aaron Johnson
and Carey Mulligan into the mix and casting directors around the world look set to
have a tough time casting anyone who isn’t a Brit for the foreseeable future! And it
must say something about the calibre of our talent when three of the biggest roles in
Hollywood – those of Batman, Spider-Man and Superman – belong to actors raised in
Pembrokeshire, Surrey and Jersey.
Behind the camera we’re big players
It’s not just our actors who are wowing the world; our filmmakers aren’t doing too bad a
job either. Three of the biggest movies in the world last year were directed by Brits –
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse by David Spade, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part
1 by David Yates and Inception by Christopher Nolan. Between them these three films
took just over £1.5 billion around the globe – that’s not too shabby, I’m sure you’ll
agree. And let’s not forget those who have shunned Hollywood’s big budget
blockbusters – Mike Leigh enjoyed huge critical success in 2010 with Another Year,
while Ken Loach’s Route Irish received rave reviews at last year’s London Film Festival.
And with the likes of Richard Ayoade, Gareth Edwards and Ben Wheatley all cutting
their teeth to a positive buzz the future looks assured.
If we’re making such spectacular movies, why are less people going to the cinema to see
them? In 2009, the UK public spent £173.5 million going to the pictures. In 2010, they
spent £169.2 million over the same period. Any ‘golden age’ can’t just be about the
films we’re making – it has to encompass the health of the whole industry in general –
and if less people are going to the cinema, then that’s not a great sign. There are lots of
reasons why attendances are down, the main ones being the recession (although weirdly
the film industry seems to have ridden that storm reasonably well) and internet piracy
(there’s little doubt that more and more movies are being downloaded and watched at
home), but how can this be considered a great time for the cinema if less people are
actually going?
How many of these ‘classics’ will stand the test of time?
While the likes of The King’s Speech and Slumdog Millionaire have both been praised
and honoured through the roof, are they films people will still be watching over and
over again in years to come? The DVD explosion of the last decade means that movies
really can live forever, but are any ‘classics’ of the last few years destined to take pride of
place in people’s libraries 25 years from now? It seems unlikely. When you talk of
British classics, it’s films like The Third Man, Brief Encounter, Lawrence of Arabia,
The Red Shoes, The Ladykillers and The Italian Job that spring to mind. Add the word
‘modern’ to that description and step forward Trainspotting, Four Weddings And A
Funeral, The Full Monty and Withnail and I. Will Colin Firth’s stuttering monarch
join that illustrious list? I guess only time will tell but – and be honest – is The King’s
Speech really as memorable as any of the others on the list?
Spending cuts won’t help
UK production is on a high
It’s not just in front of the cameras that the British film industry is enjoying success – our
studios and the highly skilled folks who work there have never been busier. The likes of
Pinewood and Shepperton, while also playing host to a variety of UK productions, have
been raking it in thanks to some huge blockbusters taking advantage of their facilities.
During the last year, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, X-Men: First Class,
Hugo Cabret and Captain America have all called the UK home, while Alien prequel
Prometheus is set to take over most of Pinewood during 2011. And with the Harry
Potter franchise vacating Leavesden Studios after a decade-long residency, it’s been
confirmed that Warner Bros. have bought the place outright and intend to give it a
£100 million facelift in order to use it as their permanent base in the UK.
Back in July of last year, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that the UK
Film Council, the Government funded agency responsible for nurturing British cinema,
was to be scrapped. What a great way to crown this supposed ‘golden age’! By scrapping
the UKFC and its £15 million annual budget, it is no doubt going to save a pot load of
money but it hardly establishes the UK as a hotbed of creative and cinematic arts.
Admittedly, the UKFC did pump a lot of cash into some truly dreadful films but for
every Sex Lives Of The Potato Men or Donkey Punch, there was a Last King Of
Scotland or This Is England. And ironically one of their biggest successes was The
King’s Speech – the UKFC injected just over £1 million into the film’s budget – but its
success has come too late.
This debate is taken from In-Debate Magazine. www.in-debate.com
Limewire 09
The Master
Butcher
R
evered by chefs and vital to the tastes and stomachs of his customers, Alan Bartlett dispenses the
finest of meats and the best of bangers from his shop in New Milton.
Experts in any field are fascinating to listen to as they have a knowledge of such depth and an
enthusiasm to go with it, that they attract fans and aficionados almost seamlessly.
Alan Bartlett is one such expert – the third generation of a New Milton butcher
he is constantly developing new ways to deal with the locally produced meat that arrives in his High Street shop.
“All our meat is produced in the area and rarely no more than 20 miles from the shop,” he explains. The other
important note is “We always buy the whole carcass so that we can produce all cuts from tongue to tail”. He
knows how and what his animals are fed, where they were born and how they grew up, before he buys. “Our beef,
for instance, is New Forest mark and it is bred for us by farmer Stewart Morgan at Pennington, just a few miles
away. We buy the carcass and then hang it for three weeks before we attend to the cuts,” he says. His pork is
reared outdoors, vital he says to the tastes and quality he needs.
And it must be because of such detailed knowledge of all the bits of the carcass that has allowed him to produce
some of the best sausages in the county – although some would say in the country. James Golding of the PIG is
one such fan. He says:
“I love Hampshire Hogs because the butcher uses meat from all the organic farms in the New Forest so he knows
that the meat has been locally sourced from small holdings. My favourite are the plain pork sausages which have
no added herbs just a small amount of seasoning and roughly minced pork which means that they are really porky
and pure.”
But Alan also recognises the help he has received from chefs who work with him... they have encouraged him to
experiment and produce outstanding charcuterie. Lime Wood for instance, and its chef Luke Holder is a great
devotee of Bartlett’s chorizo. “It took us a bit of time to get the right taste and texture we were after, but everyone
seems to like it, particularly the kitchens and clients of the hotel. It joins the Bartlett group of sausages including
the original Hampshire Hog, the Lincolnshire with sage and black pepper, alongside pork and onion, beef,
chipolatas and venison bangers made from New Forest deer. Depending on the season between two and three
hundred pounds of sausages are made each week... and even more so now that the barbecue season is on its way.
Not only are all the cuts butchered and hung on the premises but all the sausages and charcuterie are too. One
of his latest and most popular offerings is the cured leg of pork which after careful curing, salting with spices, sugar
and salt and then drying for up to 12 months, would give the finest prosciutto a run for its money. Alan explains
that even customers who have moved away from the area, some even to live abroad, always return when back in
the country for his meat! Other developments include a bresaola, a coppa with fennel seeds, salami and a delicate
lomo with smoked paprika. “We are a bit out of the way down here in Hampshire, but we are beginning to catch
up,” Alan states modestly, although he does admit this latest foray into charcuterie under the brand A Pinch of
Salt is doing exceptionally well. While there are any number of greedy gourmets, plain food lovers and professional
chefs around the place who would drink to that.
10 Limewire
Lap of
Indulge
As well as a host of wraps, scrubs,
massages and facials the Herb House
has special treatments for couples,
mothers-to-be or the truly sybaritic
who just wish to pamper themselves,
lasting from one hour to almost three.
Luxury
Steam and Mud
You can steam inside or out in the fresh
air in a choice of steam rooms, hot
pools, hydro pools and great showers...
or head for the Mud Room and indulge
in three different types of mud, white
for the face, blue for the trunk, grey for
the rest of you!
T
he Herb House is possibly the most aptly named spa in the
country. For herbs and all things herbal make up the greater
part of its DNA. The products used within it are positively
bursting with the stuff (and none more so than the TriDosha Danwantari oil with 43 different ones in its mix),
Voya is made with sea essences, minerals plus herbs while
Bamford Body is composed of all things natural, floral and herbal. The
restaurant Raw and Cured, as-- its very name suggests, prepares and serves
herbs in its salads, main dishes, smoothies and teas.
But more than anything the crowning glory of the Herb House is the roof
planted with a plethora of herbs. Apart from a camomile lawn, each of the
seating areas has its own herbal theme, and is surrounded by them, from
bergamot to white lavender and catmint, added to which there are 20
different types of thyme and 15 different mints which include chocolate,
ginger, pineapple and even banana mints!
Welly Boot Camp
We have done our own take on boot
camp and hopefully it combines fun in
the forest with some serious fitness and
health focus. With cross country runs,
obstacle courses & detoxifying seaweed
wraps you will leave seriously fit but
also relaxed. £1500 for 4 nights.
And while it may sound intricate the planting is simple so that the roof
does not detract from the view of the forest and the feeling of being
wrapped in its arms. Also it has been carried out with particular emphasis
on the fragrance of each herb – from the camomile lawn to the verbena
and oregano bed enhancing the relaxation and meditation areas. Each
seating area is themed with different herb combinations to ensure a
different fragrance experience to aid relaxation and enjoyment of the fresh
forest air. The only extras on the roof are the old cast iron benches, ancient
dolly tubs and terracotta tom pots planted with more herbs and four gnarled
old olive trees (the only imports up there) and a central walkway lined with
bay trees.
Limewire 11
Eat, Drink, Love
On offer at Raw and Cured is some of
the most delicious locally sourced and
home-made foods. From home-made
muesli, to not-your-mother’s lentil
salad made with karma ham.
Try meats and fish from Lime Wood’s
own smoke-house, such as haddock
with apple, house-smoked duck with
girolles or pigeon carpaccio with feta
and pomegranate.
To drink, opt for ruby roots juice, a rich
blend of beetroot, red cabbage and
orange or the sweet and sour sensation
of rhubarb, ginger and plum.
There is always a wrap of the day,
home-made pastries, croissants and
cakes and any number of infusions
from chamomile to ginger to Lime
Wood’s own detox – not to mention
white teas, gren teas and perfectly
ordinary English Breakfast.
This is a place of pleasure so wines
are served by the glass and the
bottle, all English and including pink
and white sparkling varieties.
Herb House
Products
Bamford Body
The Herb House is
the first spa to offer
these treatments
outside the original
Daylesford Hay
Barn spa in
Gloucestershire.
The products all use
natural and organic
ingredients accredited
by the Soil
Association.
They are all GMO,
Parabens, SLS and
mineral oil free.
Voya
Inspired and made
on the northwest
coast of Ireland, these
products harness the
healing properties of
the sea and its plants
in a choice of wraps,
massages and bathing
experiences.
Tri-Dosha
Using the traditional
and authentic
elements of ayurveda
– the world’s oldest
medical discipline –
with its selection
of oils, skincare
products and
treatments.
Brandy Diet
A 12-day life-changing programme
from guru Gowrie Motha which sets
out to eliminate depression and
addictive behaviour, detox your body,
help weight loss and change habits –
and yes you do get to sip medicinal
quantities of the stuff! 1st July until the
12th of July. From £4,200. Individuals
are now able to call and book this diet.
For enquiries call 02380 286 999.
Nude
High performance
skincare founded and
developed by Bryan
Meehan (creator of
Fresh and Wild) with
Ali Hewson, Bono’s
wife, which also offers
a variety of facial
options including
some devoted to
anti-ageing and
cellular renewal.
Get moving
Not only is there a fully-equipped
state-of-the-art Technogym but the
Herb House also offers stretching and
pilates classes, yoga for all standards,
zumba, circuit training, aqua fitness,
tai chi qi gong and forest runs.
Limewire 13
A Storm in the
Forest
S
Sarah is good at spotting things, places, people – the latter have
included Kate Moss, Sophie Dahl, Carla Bruni and Lily Cole
among many others – and at a very early age she spotted the
beauty and wildness of everything that makes the New Forest
so special. “Even though my maternal grandmother’s family
have been associated with the forest since 1790 and another
grandparent was born in Valetta House near the Royal Oak in Minstead
I have never really strayed that far from the forest throughout my life”.
Sure she sloped off to live in Paris, London and California throughout
her youth but something always drew her back to Hampshire.
Initially it was her maternal grandmother whom she adored. “I even refused
to move north to Yorkshire with my parents, when my father got a job there.
I must have been about eleven, I wanted to stay with my grandmother and
we did everything together, rode, walked, helped on the farm, she would
even come and meet me from school.” It was this extraordinary woman who
helped imbue the DNA of the forest into the Doukas character.
Manor Farm was where the two lived, a place which her grandmother
worked and which is now Sarah’s family retreat with its menagerie
of animals – 46 cattle, three New Forest ponies, and extraordinary Poitou
donkey as well as a number of other donkeys and various cats and dogs. The
Poitou is one of a very rare breed which is now thought to be almost as
endangered as the panda. “They are so benign and so extraordinary looking
with their long curly brown hair that I love them. I think they were once
cross-bred with those big shire horses which is why they look this way...”
It seems Sarah knows every blade
of grass, piece of stone and animal
on her farm. For it is hers now. “My
poor grandmother who died at 98,
refused to make a will so when she
went everything was in a mess...
however, my husband and I found
the money and bought the place,
and we’ve been renovating it and
farming it ever since.” She spends
almost every weekend there,
working – fencing, harrowing,
looking after pigs and chickens
although her 86-year-old mother
now lives there with her and helps
with the horses and animal feeds.
“You should see how scruffy I am
when I get back to London on a
Monday morning... I definitely
need a manicure”.
Sarah Doukas
may well be one of the most
successful model agents ever,
with her Storm agency...
but her heart, most of her
soul and great chunks of her
energy and love are to be
found in the New Forest.
As proud as she is with Storm, the agency she started from scratch, she is
just as proud that as a farm owner she has certain rights as a forest
commoner: “I can’t collect firewood... but I can cut peat. And while I am
allowed to put out a certain number of pigs I can put out as many cattle as
I wish”.
All of this she discovered on a research trip to the Queen’s
House at Lyndhurst where all such rights and privileges are on record.
She is obviously proud of the international agency she has built up but she
is also justly proud of the knowledge she has of how the forest lives and
works. “I love the foresters, they are a real riding community, they are
extraordinary to listen to and to watch and in many ways are quite closed
off from what else goes on in the area. For instance the Forest Point to Point
is like no other, many of the men ride in green overalls and their wellies,
but most extraordinary they never tell anyone where it’s going to be until
the morning it happens!”
Sarah loves:
• Lyndhurst and Winchester markets
• Swimming in the cold sea near Milford
on Sea
• Riding with her daughter Poppy to lunch
at the Royal Oak
• Cooking for friends at the weekend
• Switching off her Blackberry
(“the only time I do”) at the Herb House
• The forest at all times of the year, each
season is so different, My husband and I
particularly love cold winter walks
• Her great-grandfather’s branding iron
The Pig
Project
Limewire 15
T
here has never been a country house hotel
like the PIG, which is why it’s not really a
hotel, simply kitchen garden food and rooms.
This new Limewood Group project opens
midsummer and will provide the ultimate in
easy living with a look that owes more to morphing than
designing. This place is all about the kitchen garden and
what it can do for you – freshly picked and sourced food in a
beautiful and natural environment, comfy and inspired
rooms, both inside and out. Huge chairs, sprawling sofas,
roaring fires in the winter, vast open windows in the summer.
It’s like your best friend’s country house, where you don’t
really have to dress up or down or even make an effort. It is
a place where you can simply be. Hidden in the forest, the
house was a hunting lodge once owned by the Queen’s
grandfather (on the Bowes-Lyon side), set amid lawns and
gardens with a gorgeous walled garden down by the stables
which are now gorgeous private rooms.
The walled garden which is planted with every type of fruit
and veg along with herbs and leaves all designated to be
delivered to the kitchen and eaten in season on site. New
plantings include medlars, damsons, quinces and mulberries.
And what cannot be found in the garden will be foraged
from the forest – fruits, nuts, wild leaves, edible flowers and
mushrooms galore. All of this highlights the key
components of the PIG – the gardener – Mike Kleyn, the
forager – Garry Eveleigh and the chef – James Golding,
between them the food provided and served be the freshest,
sourced on the spot, comfort and chic nosh in all of
Hampshire. Food will change with the season, dishes by the
day and yet there won’t be a hint of foodie fascism either in
the kitchen or in the greenhouse dining room.
The Pig is for troughing, but for troughing as you like it. It
is where you will recover the tastes of your childhood merged
with those of tomorrow... but best of all it’s where you will
arrive, kick off your shoes and flop. If you want to be active,
of course, you can hike and bike to your heart’s content and
play croquet or tennis. This has all the elements of a fab
place... but so low-key, so laid back, so easy.
A feast of a garden
Herbs of all types, fruits, some almost forgotten and every type
of vegetable will find a place in the garden.
Limewire 17
Boxing
Clever
T
he weekend will have been great – restful, enjoyable and
sybaritic, full of fresh air, relaxation and new experiences,
so the journey home needs to be approached gently and with
caution. For instance, what’s in the fridge for supper? Is there
milk for breakfast? Or must you stop on the way at a service
station to stock up on the essentials and call a takeaway once
home? All such thoughts are a thing of the past if you buy off the shelf at
Limewood,
and
although
the
weekend
may
be
over,
the taste lingers on.
Chef Luke Holder has been smoking, pickling,
marinating, curing, drying and baking so that many
of the feasts of the forests can be provided in a tuck
box for you to take home.
Milk, muesli (made in-house), jams and marmalades all made locally from
organically grown produce can be added to a take home box, as can fresh
hen, quail and duck eggs. Indeed one of the most popular items on the
Scullery menu are the quail scotch eggs – take a dozen of these with a bag
of wild or garden leaves for the perfect Sunday evening supper.
All you need then is homemade bread – again you can opt for the wholemeal
or the country style... but there will be a seasonal choice,
again depending on produce.
Locally sourced ingredients,
anointed and cured in-house,
all for the perfect tuck box.
Currently the smokehouse holds, salmon, pancetta,
the best chorizo this side of Budapest, lomo which is
lavender cured and a host of ham hocks and legs
which have been cured in molasses or treacle before
drying. Any one of these will have been monitored,
turned, cosseted even, for between nine and 12 months before being brought
to table. All the hams and salmon are locally sourced while the chorizo and
sausages are made on the premises – it’s a trade secret but the paprika is
brought straight from Budapest by a relative of someone on staff, and is the
most perfect glorious orange colour and yet is as subtle as swansdown.
The larder is a constantly changing array of chutneys and pickles, depending
on the season and what is available from the forest or garden. The pickled
mushrooms are a triumph, everything from baby chanterelles to ceps, while
the marinated peppers and salsify lift every taste bud. Added to these there
could be rhubarb pickle, apple cider chutney plus baby carrots, cauliflower
and red cabbage as you have never tasted them before. These are pickles
that don’t hang around the kitchen from Christmas to Michaelmas but tend
to be wolfed down within days.
Cheeses, again depend on what is available from local sources such as Lyburn
which is a two to four year old cheddar, a sort of Hampshire parmesan, while
the mozzarella comes from the buffalo herd at Laverstock. But there will
always be a supply to choose from.
So you could add bread with kale, with shallot and golden raisins, basil or
tomato. Just imagine arriving home for a Sunday evening supper with a
selection of charcuterie, some freshly made bread, a lump of cheese, a bag
of leaves... just add a bottle of wine and sit back and relax.
Tuck Box Takeaways
The Morning After Box – selection of bread, milk, muesli,
yogurt, eggs, bacon, sausages
The Lazy Limewood Box – choice of charcuterie,
salad leaves, cheese, pickles, chutneys, breads
Off the Scullery shelf – an array of pickles, jams, chutneys,
fresh pasta sauces, selection of charcuterie and cheeses... and
anything else chef can find to seduce your palate
18 Limewire
Ethiopia
Surprising, spiritual and heart-stoppingly beautiful
P
uzzled or envious? Those were the two reactions I had when I Set on a little plain and surrounded by mountains blue and heather in tone, and
announced I was off to Ethiopia on holiday. Some friends were so disappearing into infinity with just the occasional deep rift breaking the symmetry,
autemtovel
eum
iriure
dolor
in too,
hendrerit
in vulputate
velit is truly beautiful. But then the beauty of the place is one of the most
and wanted
know
if they
could
come
while others
excitedDuis
the location
thought
I
had
finally
lost
my
marbles.
Let’s
face
it,
what
most
of
surprising
esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla aspects of this country. And then of course there is the food – one of
us know about this vast country can be summed up in two words those subjects you try not to broach in a place known for its famines... but in this
facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui
– War and Famine. Admittedly a few, including me, knew about north-western area the tourist cafes and hotel serve simple soups and salads along
blandit
praesent
zzril
delenit
augue
the Rock churches
of Lalibela
and luptatum
the Bleeding
Heart
monkeys
of duis
the dolore
with thetenational dish. This is based on a grain called tef, which is served as a
Simien Mountains.feugait nulla facilisi.
large pancake, an injera, and which is used to scoop, roll and dip into the various
small spicy dishes which accompany it. What is most extraordinary about tef,
Photographs:
ipsumand a few more things may especially in a country which has suffered so much from food shortages, is its
Dig a little deeper into
your memoryLorem
or knowledge
come to mind about the one country in Africa which has never been colonised
(yes, the Italians did try – but failed) – the Ark of the Covenant for instance,
which is shrouded in mystery and housed in splendour in Axum, the spiritual
heart of the country and the holiest city in Ethiopia. A destination not just
for pilgrims, but for tourists, and especially for archaeologists, as more than
70% of it, is still to be investigated and excavated. To date, the Queen of
Sheba’s bath (actually a reservoir) and palace have been restored, while only
20 years ago, three farmers uncovered the Ezana Stone in a field. This is a
memorial stone inscribed in three languages – Greek, Sabean and Geez – and
in near perfect condition considering it is over 1,600 years old and known as
the Ethiopian Rosetta Stone. However, most visitors come to see the Stelae
Field Park, a jaw-dropping exhibition of monolithic obelisks, with the tallest nutritional content. It is composed of 82 per cent complex carbohydrates, has
standing over 20 metres high. The largest is lying on its side broken into five more fibre-rich bran than any other grain, 20 times more calcium and 15 per cent
pieces and weighing a mere 160 tons. In total there are some 3,002 monolithic more protein! No wonder they produce some of the greatest distant runners. It
tastes of very little which is why it is useful as a scoop but it does look like an old
stelaes in and around Axum.
boiled flannel. You just have to ignore that.
But Lalibela is the more astounding with its 11 rock-hewn churches each one
carved out of granite as a single monolith with its roof, level with the ground. And then of course there is the coffee – the best you will find anywhere –
Accessed via narrow passages, tunnels and walkways there is a sense of awe unsurprisingly, and while the beer is good the local wines have a long way to
about each one as you work your way down into the earth and out into the go, although the red is infinitely more palatable than the white.
wide trenches that surround them. All were decorated with carvings and
paintings but much has faded over the ensuing millennia. The most spectacular And don’t forget Gondar and its 17th century castles, Lake Tana with
monasteries hidden on tiny islands and then leading to the source of the Blue
is St George’s which is carved in the shape of a Greek cross.
Nile and the Blue Nile Falls. All of this in one small area of this vast country.
The little town itself is tiny with a number of cafes and restaurants, a weekly And did I mention Sylvia Pankhurst? Another surprise – her large grave is in
market selling everything from donkeys to dresses and a few internet cafes. Go prime position outside Addis Abba’s main cathedral. It seems rather a long way
during Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas and more than 300,000 pilgrims will from Manchester, but when the Italians, this time under Mussolini, had
join you. Each is swathed in the local white cotton shawl called a shama, which another go at trying to take hold of Ethiopia, Sylvia and her anti-fascist league
resembles a toga more than anything else and adds an extraordinary elegance rode to the rescue, fell in love with the country, befriended Haile Selassie’s
to the wearer. The pilgrims may have walked for days but their patience, daughter and stayed for the rest of her life. Her legacy lingers on – her son,
Richard, was born there and now heads up the History faculty at the main
perseverance and dignity throughout is heart-rending.
university. It’s that sort of place, it somehow grips your soul.
True travel is a rare experience –
find it now before Ethiopia hits
the tourist trail.
Lalibela Market
Lake Tana
Chickens, goats, donkeys, food and clothes all for sale
in this vibrant weekly market.
The largest lake in Ethiopia from where the Blue Nile begins its
journey and from where you visit the Blue Nile Falls – it’s surrounded
too by monasteries and churches.
Limewire 19
How to get there:
Africa Travel (0845 450 1520;
www.africatravel.co.uk)
Limewire 21
Forest
New Forest
Events
Bumf
W
hether it’s field, forest, sea
or culture, Hampshire has
something for everyone
throughout the year, while
Limewood provides the
ideal base from which to
enjoy some of the best attractions around. Riding
in the forest either on horseback or mountain bike
is easy to organise, hiking in the forest is a glorious
What’s On Locally
instead of New Forest
Events – run as many
as you can.
• Art and Design
Market,
Winchester,
19 June
way to spend a day... grab a picnic from the larder
and go. Further afield wonder at the cloth of gold
Daffodil Meadow at the end of April at Exbury
Gardens, or for something a little more cerebral
then you are in the right place for all things Jane
Austen. Both Alton and Chawton have any
number of events throughout the year which
celebrate the lady’s work and life – a reading, a
festival, a Regency fest or exhibition.
• Vintage Bus Rally,
buses of all shapes,
ages and sizes
Anstey Park, Alton,
17 July
Miranda Michels
A sculptor specialising in all types of
wildlife and equine sculptures. None are
cast and each is formed individually, every
feather on her bird sculptures are made
separately. You can see her hare, sheep and
deer throughout Lime Wood grounds but
enjoy more of her work at her Exhibition
at Lime Wood from 10th June – 22nd June.
• Cowes Week
Sailing Regatta 40
races daily from
6 August
• Goodwood Festival
of Speed
Glamorous Garden
Party with cars
30 June - 3rd July
Local Artistry Uncovered
• Bestival Music
Festival.
Three day music
fest from 8 Sept –
this year headlining
The Cure
• Southampton Boat
Show Yachties
book now, from
16 September
Laverstoke Park Farm & Shop
S
he looks great for her age – 77 – this
1930s classic ketch, the Alinda V has
just had a serious facelift and full
overhaul by the experts at
Southampton Yacht Services. A 78ft,
Mylne design, she was built in
Glasgow in 1934 by Alexander Stevens and Sons
and has spent much of her life in the eastern
Mediterranean, and while her hull structure was in
good shape the deck, interior and rigging had
suffered over the decades. Such a refit needs careful
thought and planning alongside sympathetic
workmanship, for the concept was to retain
Alinda’s classic features while adding every
modern comfort and necessity.
For instance, down below, the accommodation was
modified to incorporate en-suite heads for all three
guest cabins, the saloon updates and the galley
and crew cabins all needed remodelling.
And to be true to the period
lightweight granite and marble were used.
oak,
The real challenge came when dealing with the
sail plan so that the full 3,000 square feet could be
used. In order to accomplish this a whole set of new
hydraulic winches were fitted and four of the
original Gibb winches were refitted, while the
original windlass was converted to a hydraulically
powered one. And although modern electronic
equipment never looks really right on a classic
yacht, it was decided to put the main
communication and navigation equipment at the
forward end of the deckhouse covered by a
Tambour door. All of this helps maintain her
classic features and lines but allows her a re-entry
to the 21st century.
Former Grand Prix motor racing champion
Jody Scheckter founded this biodynamic
organic farm to produce food for himself and
his family, but just like Topsy it has grown...
and grown into one of the foremost organic
farms in the country. Visit the farm and visit
the farm shop for some of the best organic
meats, true buffalo mozzarella and organic ale.
It’s a short drive away at Overton.
• Secrets and
Suspicion – Jane
Austen style writing
workshop, Chawton,
21 June
• Chichester Theatre
Festival Singin’
in the Rain,
Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern are
Dead, Sweeney
Todd and a world
premier based on
Terence Rattigan’s
last screenplay.
The festival runs
from May to October
www.southamptonyachtservices.co.uk
Grange Park Opera
Alinda V
Claire Matthews
• The New Forest
and Hampshire
Country Show
Great three-day
agricultural show
held at New Park,
Brockenhurst
from 26 July
This year’s season runs from 2 June-12 July
and includes Rigoletto, Rusalka and
Tristan and Isolde as well as two recitals by
Bryn Terfel. For the last 13 years the
festival has established itself as one of the
finest in the UK summer opera season. The
Grange was the first Greek Revival House
in Europe, worth a visit for that alone.