Mad Squirrel St A & Harpenden

Published in The Herts Advertiser July 2019

I have written about the site in Heritage Close next to Lussmann’s quite a few times over the years; the latest incarnation is a craft beer bar, and it already looks very popular and busy.

Mad Squirrel opened at the start of the summer, and the tree-lined terrace with views of the Cathedral and Vintry Garden has to be one of the best locations in St Albans. If you manage to grab a table, this is the perfect spot to enjoy an after-work beer.

I went along one busy Friday evening when the heavens opened so we had to stay inside (the bar is over two floors) and it was pretty rammed. I had to wait at the bar for a while and was overlooked a couple of times for taller male customers, but managed to order a pint of their bestseller Sumo (an APA) beer, which was excellent.

Mad Squirrel have their own brewery in Potten End, and their list includes Zealous (a pils), a pale ale HopFest, a milk stout De La Creme and a London porter as well as various seasonal specials. You can get around 25 beers on tap in the bar which is a mixture of their own brews and guest beers from other independent producers. They also sell wine, spirits, ciders and prosecco (my pals wanted that so they do cater for all customers!). There is a short pizza menu and the ones I saw going past looked great; I need to go back and try them.

We went upstairs in search of a table and it didn’t seem to have much furniture up there; it might work better as a dining area? Or a private space for parties? We decided to stay downstairs which had a better atmosphere.

Mad Squirrel is growing fast, and they opened a bar in Harpenden just before Christmas, which is at the top of the High Street with a terrace overlooking St Nicholas Church. Both the Harpenden and St Albans bars hold live music and comedy events, so keep an eye out for those on their insta feed. The next one being advertised is on Saturday 31^st August in St Albans – Kirsty Fuller who sings blues, soul and roots.

Tim Hickford from Mad Squirrel told me: ‘St Albans is a prominent and historic beer city and we are absolutely thrilled to be contributing to that reputation and lineage in our own small way. We have been blown away with the positive response from customers, this has definitely been our highest profile opening to date. We can’t wait to become embedded in the local community and for residents and visitors of St. Albans to become acquainted with our broad range of unfiltered, unpasteurised, vegan-friendly beers.’

The brewery has only been producing beer since 2010 but has grown dramatically and now produces around 2 million pints annually. It holds the title of Hertfordshire’s best brewery in the RateBeer awards. As well as in their own bars and shops (they have a shop at the brewery) Mad Squirrel also sell in shops, hotels, pubs, bars and cafes in the area; you have probably seen their distinctive cans. You can book tours of the brewery for 25 a person which includes six tastings and pizza.

Mad Squirrel just had a very busy weekend at the UK Strongest Man competition in Verulamium park, and I am sure we will see them pop up at more local events and festivals now they have recovered from their two new openings.

Both the St Albans and Harpenden bars are open every day (check the website for specific times), so go along and support one of our local brewers!

The George of Harpenden

Published in The Herts Advertiser July 2019

The George of Harpenden

You will have seen the building work taking place at The George on Harpenden High Street in the last few months, and at last the scaffolding is down and it’s open. It’s quite a transformation!

Dating back to the late 19^th century, it was originally known as The George Hotel, and it now has a slightly more aspirational name: The George of Harpenden.

I hadn’t been in for years, and the new look is dramatic; it’s a really large pub and they have created a lovely open feel, with areas for drinks at the front, booth seating, a large dining space near the open kitchen, a conservatory area (‘the garden room’), and outside seating too. And it’s open all day, from morning coffee through to dinner, so I think it will be a really useful addition to the town. Family friendly, which it needs to be in Harpenden, but you can also find a quiet corner if you want to work during the day or have a child-free drink. The styling reminds me of The Ivy in St Albans, with jungly wallpaper and swish seating; they have clearly spent a fortune. The open kitchen with a huge pizza oven and Josper grill is at the heart of the pub, which gives the place a buzz.

We went in for a midweek lunch; it isn’t clear when you walk in where you are meant to go (maybe someone at the door would help?) but the bartender was friendly and helpful. The menu is extensive, with sourdough pizzas, sharing meze plates, a ‘fire’ menu, steaks, burgers, pub classics, as well as a brunch menu, so I am sure you will find something you like. A huge menu is usually a bad sign, but they seem equipped to handle it, with plenty of staff walking around, and a busy kitchen.

The Josper grill menu has its own introduction (400C coals, everything roasted to perfection etc) so we ordered Moroccan spiced cauliflower steak, which came with tabbouleh and saffron soya yoghurt sauce (12.5). This was a generous, delicious lunch. Roasted lamb shank and tuna steaks sound good too, and I am sure suit the grill approach, although at 17.00, a bit pricey. Sides are extra.

I chose a pub classic to see if they can do that well too, and my cod and chips was lovely and well presented, with grilled lemon, pea purée, and a tartare sauce made with samphire and pickled cucumber. At 15.00 it’s quite pricey for the area. We sat near the bar at the front of the pub, not realising that there was a huge dining area at the back, but we weren’t forgotten and service was good.

You can definitely just go in for drinks; the cocktail and gin menus include all the classics, and there is a sensible wine list too – nothing hugely exciting, but absolutely fine for a pub of this size. The beer menu focuses on bottled beers but they do have Meantime pale ale on draft, which went well with my fish and chips.

Brunch and breakfast is available 8 until 3 (8–11 on Sundays) and sounds great, with cooked breakfasts, granola, pastries, smoothie bowl, shakshuka, eggs benedict and bubble and squeak. I have to mention the vegan English, as everything else is self-explanatory, and I haven’t seen this elsewhere locally – you get vegan sausages, tofu scramble, Josper-roasted tomatoes, bubble and squeak and butterbeans in tomato sauce. I think that sounds amazing, whether veggie/vegan or not. Sunday lunch will be hugely popular here, and they have plenty of large tables, ideal for groups. They serve the pub classics, and also mushroom wellington, rib-eye beef, lemon chicken and pork belly with prune and brandy stuffing. You can book online or ring, and I think weekend booking will be essential.

A lovely transformation, and I hope it can maintain its great first impression!

The Old Cock Inn

Published in The Herts Advertiser 23 May 2019

Harpenden seems to be having a bit of a moment – I wait years for new places to open, and then lots come along at once! I had never been in The Old Cock Inn right on the High Street, even though its been there since the 16^th century – have you?

I’m not sure what the regulars make of it, but it is now all very swish, with a huge new extension making the most of the beautiful views of St Nicholas Church to the back. Inside is now bright and spacious with red and blue Sanderson wallpaper, funky lampshades and a lot of chicken-themed artworks. We went for lunch on a sunny day and the terrace is lovely – some of the tables are reserved for those eating, but there is an area outside if you just want a drink too. I noticed a real fire in the main rooms, so I am sure it will be cosy in winter too.

Owned by the Charles Wells group, the beers on tap come from them, of course, such as Echo Beach Red Ale, Bombardier and Sharp’s Altlantic. Appropriately for Harpenden there is an extensive gin, wine and cocktail list. The pub is open all day, and they have a decent coffee machine and brunch menu for the weekends. There are six boutique bedrooms (we had a peak, very smart), so they will be feeding guests too. Brunch seems pretty reasonable for the area, with poached eggs and avocado for 7.00, a veggie cooked for 8.00, as well as meaty options.

Lunch has many options, with a sandwich menu, set menu and all the pub classics you might expect. For around a tenner you can choose fishfinger sandwiches, crayfish and chilli and minute steak sandwiches; I spotted one on a nearby table and it looked a little small, but nicely toasty.

I liked the look of the set menu, with two courses for 13.50. My roasted red pepper and sweetcorn croquettes with wild garlic cream was a nice starter; I couldn’t really taste the garlic, but that is probably a good thing at lunch. A few fresh garlic flowers would have made it more cheffy, as they are in season. The Malaysian-style vegetable and lime leaf curry with coconut rice (also on the main menu) was a little bland, although perfectly ok – a few lentils would have upped the protein for a more useful lunch, and it could have been a larger portion. I couldn’t taste the coconut in the rice. I noticed that on the main menu you could pay extra to add chicken, prawns or halloumi – I’m sure the chicken and prawns would work well, but halloumi seems a bit odd.

My pal chose the Thai Edamame bean burger with vegan aioli and fries, which was more successful; there were whole edamame beans in the burger and it had a nice crunchy coating.

The pub classics might be safer choices: they do cod and chips, roasted pork with Jersey royals, chicken pie, steak, bass with mushroom and pak choi and much more. With main courses from 13.50 to 25.00, it is quite expensive for a chain pub, but I imagine they think Harpenden can handle it. You are really paying for the lovely location, and for that I think it is well worth a visit. And if you have visiting relations and pals who need a room, then this is a good option. Parking is very limited, but it is the town centre, and reflects the history of the building.

A funky new addition to Harpenden!

Orexi!

Published in The Herts Advertiser April 2019

Harpenden celebrity chef Theo Michaels has written a wonderful book inspired by the flavours of Greece and Cyprus – perfect timing for any of us craving a trip to a warmer country!

Beautiful food sings from the pages of Orexi! (which means ‘good appetite’), with chapters called Meze, Sea, Land, Sun, Fire and Sundowners, which capture the Greek way of life. I like that many of the recipes are simple – in a departure for this column I’ve included a recipe as I think that will give you a real taste of the book.

Theo works locally and in London as a private chef after he changed career after MasterChef in 2014. He also appears regularly on This Morning, writes a weekly food column for Best magazine, and has presented at our own Food & Drink Festival. He is known for cooking ‘elegant village food’ inspired by the flavours of Greece and Cyprus for pop-up suppers too.

The Meze chapter features small sharing plates such as dips, cheeses and meatballs. Sea shows how you can get lots of flavour into simply cooked fish. Meat is a huge part of the Greek diet, with cooking over charcoal part of daily life so if you need ideas to make your barbecues more interesting, this is a useful chapter. Salads and vegetables reflect the warm climate, with peppers, herbs and tomatoes. Horta was new to me, which is steamed green vegetables with plenty of lemon juice, and would go with meat or fish or part of a shared meze lunch. There are also lamb recipes if you want something interesting for Easter, or a pork dish which is more traditional in Greece and Cyprus.

A lovely taste of summer!

RED PEPPER & FETA SALSA

peperia kai feta salsa

A classic Greek dip of roasted sweet peppers complementing the tangy feta. I add a fresh tomato to give it a sweet sharpness that I feel brings it all alive, but if you want something a little more sultry, you can use a sun-dried one. Like many dips, this also works really well as a marinade. I’ll also admit to adding some store-bought chilli sauce to it and pasting it over fish to roast in the oven.

2 red (bell) peppers, halved, pith and seeds removed

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice

a small pinch of cayenne pepper

1 ripe vine tomato (or 2 baby plum tomatoes)

100 g feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

SERVES 6

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6. Place the pepper halves onto a baking sheet with a garlic clove and sprig of thyme under each one.

Drizzle with olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until they start to char.

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and drop them into the cup of a blender, followed by the roasted peppers, half the olive oil, the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and tomato. Blend to a pulp. Pour out the mixture, add the crumbled feta, the remaining olive oil and the chopped parsley, and fold through.I

Orexi! Photographer Mowie Kay, Publisher Ryland Peters & Small, Price £16.99.

The Harpenden Arms

Published in The Herts Advertiser, Jan 2019

I thought I’d focus on a pub for my January column. I realise that many of you are doing ‘dry January’ so I’ve picked a pub that has a good reputation for food, The Harpenden Arms. And if you aren’t, then it’s very good for drinks too!

January is always a quiet time for pubs; many of us are trying to drink less or save money. With the recent issues with business rate hikes, this can be a tough month for pubs in our area. I like that The Harpenden Arms is trying to counter this with a special offer in Jan – if you go to their website and sign up you can get 20% off your food and drink bill. Even if you are drinking less this month, it can be good to get out and socialise, so why not treat yourself to lunch or dinner and try a new soft drink instead. When I popped in recently, the log fire was very welcoming on a grey afternoon, and we had a walk around the pretty common beforehand.

The Harpenden Arms is a large pub, and they have divided up the space well. On the left hand side is the more traditional bar area, with plenty of space for just going in for a drink or a coffee. There are comfy seating areas too, and we bagged the sofa near the fire. The interior is quirky, with funky hanging baskets and you can order bar food and lunch to eat in this area. The large room “The Orangery” to the right is used mainly for dining, and it gets very busy on weekends, especially for Sunday lunch. It has also hosted many big birthday and work celebrations; it is one of the largest and lightest dining rooms in Harpenden. As it needs to be in Harpenden, it is welcoming to children of all ages too. There are rooms upstairs that get hired out for book events, private dining and work drinks; it is a hard-working pub!

I had a veggie chilli with rice which came with guacamole and pea shoots on top. The chilli was perfectly nice and had a good flavour. The portion size was small compared to my partner’s parpadelle and ragu and the guacamole wasn’t super-fresh, although it tasted fine. Service was friendly and efficient. I like the sound of the build your own salad, where you choose your protein (halloumi, lemon chicken or salmon) and then add a salad such as smokey aubergine and rocket or baby gem and minted pea; I would want two or three of them though! You can also get a decent sandwich for under 8.00, such as fish finger or prawn and crayfish. If you prefer a classic such as fish and chips, you might like to know that they use Fuller’s own beer Frontier in the batter; probably worth getting a half to go with it.

I like that the pub is also aware of the eat less meat movement that is so popular at the moment; if you are trying veganuary they have introduced some new vegan dishes such as BBQ pulled jackfruit tacos with mango salsa. Jackfruit is a fruit that grows in many warm countries including India and Australia. It pulls apart when cooked which is why we are seeing it pop up as an alternative to pulled pork and similar dishes. The puy lentil and mushroom ‘meatballs’ sounds good too. I like that they are using smaller, independent companies such as Laverstock farm to supply their ingredients; the chocolate and coconut vegan ice cream sounds good.

The Harpenden Arms is a Fuller’s pub so their beer reflects that, with London Pride, Oliver’s Island and Cornish Orchards cider (which is also vegan by the way!).

If you are getting together with pals this January, you might like to know that you can get 2-for-1 cocktails between 6-9pm. They also sell a good range of gins, along with the new non-alcoholic Seedlip ‘gin’ which is well worth a try. January can be a long month to not go out, so why not treat yourself and visit one of our local pubs?

Clothes and coffee

Purple Coffee Shop

Published in The Herts Advertiser Feb 2019

The indie coffee shop craze hasn’t quite swept Harpenden in the same way it has in St Albans; Costa and Cafe Nero seem to have quite a stronghold. But I’d like to tell you about a new coffee shop that unless you are out shopping for men’s clothes, you might have missed.

Eight Ounces opened in November as part of Purple menswear, just up near Godfrey’s. Owned by Paul Monks, it is a stylish stop that sells designer menswear at the front (including a range by David Beckham) and has a Menspire barber shop at the back. The coffee shop is in the middle, and has seating for about 10 people, and more when the weather is good, as it has a great little secret garden area.

Paul won Young Entrepreneur of the Year in a local business awards last year, and has been featured in Drapers. His sense of style is evident in the coffee shop. It is a bright room, with funky green banquettes and a large vintage-style mirror which makes the most of the space.

They sell Campbell & Syme coffee, which is roasted and ground in King’s Langley. My partner’s flat white was perfect. It is the same coffee that Hatch in St Albans sell, and Fred and Ginger in Berkhamstead. Paul told me that they serve glasses of tap water with coffee too, in the Italian style. I chose a Moroccan mint tea, which was by Brew Co Tea – it had a good flavour but needed to be served in a small teapot which is usual for that brand; then you can get two cups out of it. The coffee and tea prices are good, with most at the 2.00-2.70 mark, which is similar to the chain coffee shops. I like the smart coffee cup branding.

There is a small range of pressed juices too and I was intrigued by the charcoal lemonade, which contains lemon, lavender and activated charcoal.

Due to the proximity of the clothes shop and barber shop, Paul has decided not to sell hot food, and I think that makes perfect sense for this small shop. Instead, they sell a small range of filled bagels, yoghurt pots and cake slices. I like that the bagels are made fresh each day by Silver Palate, just a few streets away. Paul calls them each day to order for the next day. When I went in they had tuna melt bagels, turkey and cheese and ham. I was surprised not to see a veggie/vegan option and Paul explained that they usually have a hummus, aubergine, red pepper and spinach bagel, but had sold out. They offered to toast the bagels, and ours was nicely served on chequered paper in a paper box.

The cakes were mostly chocolate-based, which isn’t a problem for me. You could choose millionaire shortbread, fridge cake, cornflake cake or Italian filled twists. Something gluten-free or lemony would be a good option.

There is a small selection of branded tote bags and sweatshirts with the Eight Ounce logo on, I guess for any teen customers popping in, and a few reusable coffee cups for sale too. I was pleased to see that they are supplying paper straws and napkins made from recycled paper. The bathroom needs a good clean – hey, this is Harpenden, and people are going to notice.

A useful addition to Harpenden High Street, that supports local suppliers. This is the way to keep shoppers visiting small, indie retail spaces as we shop more and more online; making it a lifestyle space to visit often, whether you want to buy a gift, get a whole new spring wardrobe, or just pop in for coffee. A clever idea.