On a warm summer evening, surrounded by the open Hertfordshire countryside, Ember brought its fire-led cooking to the market garden at Tewinbury Farm for the first Roots dinner of the summer.
The setting instantly transports you away from the usual restaurant experience. Beneath a sweeping canvas canopy, one long table was prepared for the evening, with the gardens, polytunnels and chefs cooking in full view. The space they have created is charming, with the easy welcome of somewhere you might discover while on holiday. Comfortable armchairs, hay bales and softly glowing strings of lights make it wonderfully relaxing, while the clear evening sky did well to provide a rather perfect backdrop.
After arriving you will soon find yourself seated amongst an eclectic collection of guests, all there to enjoy great food and delightful wine. Introductions quickly became easy conversation and then great stories. Before long, there were plenty of bouts of laughter around the long farmhouse-style table.
Each plate was paired with a wine selected by Humble Grape. The evening moved through a characterful collection of bottles, including Château Landonnet Bordeaux and Corsale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Our wonderful host and sommelier, Pearl Oliver-Mbumba, introduced each pairing with insights into their origin and producer, while Ember’s incredible and modest head chef, Oliver D’Arcy, shared the inspiration behind the dishes.
This was perhaps one of the loveliest parts of the evening. Rather than telling us what we should taste, Pearl encouraged us to consider how our response to wine is shaped by our own character and memories and of course life experience. The same flavour might remind one person of a childhood fruit and another of a particular place or meal, with neither interpretation more correct than the other.
It gave everyone a moment to pause and consider what each glass brought to mind, and naturally led to some brilliant recollections and reminiscences. Personally, I found this a wonderfully natural way to enjoy the meal. The wine pairing was engaging and personal, stepping away from the formality that can sometimes surround wine.
Oliver’s menu began with ancienne sourdough and a rich, salty and wonderfully moreish Marmite butter. This was followed by smacked cucumber with chilli and tofu dressing, and hummus served with black garlic noisette, mint and warm laffa bread. It is always exciting to see familiar ingredients approached with imagination. Each dish was bold in flavour without losing sight of the produce.
The hake Kiev with English peas was a highlight. Crisp on the outside with a rich, buttery centre, tickling all the nostalgic senses. Lamb rump with courgette and anchovy followed, allowing the deeper flavours expected from Ember’s open-fire cooking to shine. Sweet summer peach, mascarpone, a gentle warmth from the bourbon and the crunch of pecan made for a decadent and balanced final course. A beautifully considered menu and quite honestly, superb.
As if to try and compliment the meal even more, the sunlight slowly faded over the market garden. Glasses were refilled with our delicious wines and stories continued across the table. There was something rather special about sharing such a considered meal with people who had been strangers only a few hours earlier.
The Roots series continues throughout the summer with 29 August and Mel Brown from The Laundry, Brixton, on 5 September. The season concludes with Late Summer Roots in October, marking the transition towards warm breads, deeper flavours and the beginning of autumn.
Roots is farm-to-fork dining at its most enjoyable, thoughtful food, carefully chosen wine and a long summer evening shared around one very memorable table.
Wine: Pearl Oliver-Mbumba – Humble Grape
Chef: Oliver D’Arcy – Ember
