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!

Outside at last!!

Published in The Herts Advertiser June 2019

I’m writing this with the rain lashing against the windows, but I am an optimist, and am pretty sure by the time you read this, the sun will be out! So, here is my round-up of some of the new and exciting places to go out and enjoy this summer.

St Michael’s Manor, down on lovely Fishpool Street has opened an outdoor bar for the summer. Located by the lake on the lawn, there is an outdoor bar and huge pizza oven, with seating for about 30 people. I went with the family one Sunday afternoon, and it felt as if we were on holiday; it is such a quiet and secluded part of the city, yet just a few minutes walk down from the Clock Tower. We shared a really good margarita pizza, served in a box, so you can take them onto the lawns or sit by the lake if you like; it’s very relaxed. The bar had a couple of beers on draft, Champagne and Prosecco and a good selection of gins. As they hold private functions at the weekends, the bar is only open to non-residents on Thursday and Sundays at the moment.

St Albans Vegan Market returns on Sunday 7^th July on St Peter’s Street, and there will be over 60 stalls, including lots of street food. Local companies The Green Kitchen and Tara’s Vegan Treats will be there, along with some new names to try: Cake me Happy, Global Fusion Vegan Creole, Replete Flatbreads, April’s Table, Raw Spirit Chocolate Company, Greek Vegan Deli, Home Kitchen Indian, Sun and Moon Juice and The Green Grill. The market is free entry and open 10.30–4.

Darlish ice cream near the Clock Tower is always busy on a sunny day. Have you tried their Persian-inspired ice cream yet? They have just opened a pop-up shop in Covent Garden on Long Acre, which I spotted last week. It is a smart little shop, similar to their St Albans branch, and will be open until the end of September. I love the saffron, pistachio and rose, and the baklava ice cream sandwich is the instragram must-try.

The Childwickbury Arts fair returns on 5-7 July. They always have a quirky selection of pop-up food trucks, along with live music and some seating areas, so you can make a day trip of it. I like the sound of the Dotty Mares, who will be selling gin and Pimms from their converted horse box. Now Now Bunny Chow, MasterCrepes, The Split Screen Ice cream Co, Fired Up Pizza will also be there, along with Harpenden favourites Parker & Vine. Their salads and quiches are always delicious.

The new Mad Squirrel bar in St Albans has just opened, and has a lovely outdoor patio strung with white lights. It has to be one of the best locations in the city, with amazing views of the Cathedral. You will find it next door to Lussmann’s, both upstairs and downstairs. Mad Squirrel specialise in craft beer, including their own Mister Squirrel, Roadkill and Zealous which they brew over near Hemel. Mad Squirrel also have a bar in Harpenden; more on them in this column soon.

See you out there!

Tara’s vegan treats

Published in The Herts Advertiser May 2019

Vegan food is so popular now, with the stats showing that even people who don’t label themselves as vegan are choosing to eat plant-based food more often. If you think cooking vegan food is a hassle, then buying it ready-made for you is a really easy option. The rainbow-coloured Tara’s Vegan Treats stall in St Albans market is hard to miss, as is the queue that forms each Wednesday and Saturday.

I went along to buy lunch from Tara, and I loved the curry I chose, which was a generous box of spiced chickpeas, sweet potatoes, spinach, peppers, green beans, ginger, garlic and lemongrass in coconut sauce (7.00). It came with light and crispy paratha or poppadoms if you want a gluten-free option.

Tara told me that people often buy her food to take home, and although she is busiest at lunchtime when everyone escapes their offices, people buy from the stall from the moment it opens, as they can reheat it at work or home; dinner sorted.

Tara told me that she varies the menu according to the weather, but she tries to keep on the favourites as people miss them otherwise. Mac n’ cheese is always popular, as are the meatless meatballs. She also aims to make a vegetable-based dish too, for anyone who doesn’t like ‘mock’ meats; the Tex-mex chilli and coconut curry are popular. There is always a gluten-free option.

Tara is well-known for her puds, and you do have to get to the stall quickly as once they are gone, that’s it! Her bestseller is the Warm salted caramel pudding and people often request it for their own parties and buy it by the tray. It is a gooey, caramel sponge soaked in salted caramel syrup, topped with dollops of caramel icing, white chocolate chips and melted fudge. It is served with vanilla whip. How amazing does that sound?

I asked Tara how the stall has been received in St Albans, and Tara told me that she started the stall around a year ago, and has now been able to make it her full-time job. She is now so busy that she does two days on the market, as well as food festivals (I saw her at the Sustainable St Albans Market Takeover) and Vegan Nights in London. Between market days Tara does cooking for private clients, for dinner parties, birthdays and weddings. She cooked for the Lush Christmas party and has just made 1300 pud pots for clothing giant Asos; they chose the After Eight, Lemon Cheesecake and Bounty pots.

You can buy the pud pots at the market stall, and they can be frozen at home or eaten straightaway; they don’t contain any eggs or dairy so store easily. The After Eight pot has a bottom layer of chocolate biscuit, then fudgy tiffin, with a top layer of dark chocolate ganache made with coconut milk.

Tara is hosting a supper club at Hatch on the Hill, which has already sold out so follow them both on instagram for any future dates. The set menu sounds great, with tikka pasty with raita or Notzarella sticks with tomato chutney for starters and a Hearty cottage pie or teriyaki ‘duck’ with noodles and mini pakoras for mains. Puds sound amazing with chocolate fudge cake, Snickers torte or a trio of eton mess, key lime pie or tiramisu. Vegan (and organic) wine will be supplied by Cellar Door, based on London Road.

Long-term, Tara would love to open aim a St Albans-based cafe or restaurant, so watch this space!

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.

Fade to Black

I’ve lived near the Quadrant shops in St Albans for many years and I don’t think I’ve eaten lunch there, or been for a coffee; living just five minutes walk away makes it hard to justify! A new cafe has changed that, and I have now been three times to Fade to Black, as everyone seems curious to try it.

Fade to Black is owned by locals Vicky and Lee, who also own a cafe in Hanwell. The cafe has a great look, with dark grey painted walls, an exposed concrete ceiling, reclaimed wood counter and old school chairs. The space is larger than I expected, and there is seating for about 30 people, and when I went in one morning it was pretty full, with people having breakfast or working away at their laptops. It has a nice family-friendly feel too, and there is a large chalkboard on the wall near the loos that will amuse kids (or adults, of course!) for a while, as well as a box of toys.

Coffee is by Ozone who are based in Shoreditch and it’s great; a good depth of flavour and with the all-important crema. You can get all the usual coffees including flat whites, espressos, long black, cappuccino and latte and my long mac was perfect. They do a good range of teas and turmeric chai latte too; I had a rooibos one afternoon and it came in a smart pot that made enough for two good cupfuls. Prices compare well with the city centre coffee shops.

There is a nice selection of cakes and pastries on the counter; I noticed a gluten-free toffee cake, as well as brownies, flapjacks and carrot cake, and my caramel slice was excellent. Cakes and bakes are made locally by Lucy O’Reilly, and Jane’s Bakes in Wheathamstead.

They can make fresh juices while you wait, and they keep the menu simple, so no staring at an over-complicated menu trying to work out what the green goddess is. Simply choose one, two, or three juices from the list of orange, grapefruit, apple, carrot, beetroot, cucumber and spinach. You can add a shot of ginger or turmeric too. My orange and grapefruit juice was delicious.

The all day food menu has a really sensible range for what they can make in their open kitchen and I think is great value with most things under a fiver. It is mainly toasties, sandwiches and wraps, and my chilli smashed avocado on toasted sourdough for 4.20 was generous and the avos were perfectly ripe. I’ll choose the toasted tuna with tomato, paprika and rocket next time; I’ve never thought to pair tuna with paprika but it sounds good! Service has been good each time I’ve been in.

Meat-lovers might choose the croissant with ham and cheese, or the pastrami, swiss, pickles and mustard – a taste of New York right here in the Quadrant. As we go into spring, the two salads on the menu are bound to be popular too; they do a Greek-ish salad with feta, spinach leaves, tomato, olives and cucumber, and the mozzarella and basil salad, with avocado and pesto oil dressing sounds good, and again, both are under a fiver. Dolce Forne supply the breads, and ES Hulse & Son, the vegetables and fruits.

Vicky explained that they chose the name Fade to Black as the plan is to open in the evenings too, and the cafe does have a bar feel; keep an eye on how that develops. They already sell some almost-alcohol cocktails during the day including Seedlip-based English Garden and Citrus Zest.

Fade to Black is a great new addition to the Quadrant and I am sure I will be back.

The Refill Pantry

Published in The Herts Advertiser February 2019

Are you horrified by the amount of single-use plastic that you bring home from the supermarket (or comes in via Ocado)? Did you watch the Blue Planet documentary that showed how our sea life is being killed by plastic? If you would like to reduce the amount of plastic that you buy (recycling is good, though reducing the amount we use is better), you should check out The Refill Pantry on London Road, up near The Peahen. It is a brilliant idea for a shop; you take in your own containers to refill with dried foods, or use the paper or fabric bags that are supplied. You can buy as little or as much as you like, so its ideal for trying something new, or buying just a small amount which helps to cut down on food waste.

Neighbours Celina Mendoza and Tania Trovatello had the idea for the shop after visiting similar places, in particular, one in Totnes owned by former Manchester United player Richard Eckersley. It’s a really stylish shop, with the food beautifully displayed around the walls including rice, nuts, cereals, pasta as well as herbs, oils and vinegars. It’s fun to turn the handles and get what you need; you then weigh it and pay at the counter. I thought the prices were very good and the quality is excellent – my cashews were crisp and far nicer than the last bag I bought in a supermarket, which went soft quickly. My chocolate buttons were divine and it felt nicely old-fashioned to have a little paper bagful to take home; the labelling is smart so I think would make a nice gift too.

I was really pleased to see so many local suppliers represented, including Dizzy Bee Granola, rapeseed oil from Sawbridgeworth, teas from Bishop Stortford, coffee from the Hertfordshire Coffee Lab in Hitchin and flour from Redbournbury Mill, along with many more. Tania showed me the large 25kg paper sacks many of the ingredients arrive in; they must save the equivalent of thousands of plastic food packets each year. I was amazed to see that some of the lentils are grown in Hertfordshire!

I really liked the baking corner which contained all sort of things from mixed peel to goji berries. It is ideal if you like to make your own muesli or want to try a new recipe without buying a whole bagful of something. I must go back and buy some nutritional yeast flakes, which I’ve never tried; apparently they sell well to veggies and vegans and you can sprinkle them over mac and cheese, pizza, pasta etc.

Tables around the shop sell well-priced eco-friendly products including water bottles, beeswax wraps, bamboo toothbrushes, fabric pads, bamboo cotton buds, deodorants, washing liquids, bath and beauty products.

They don’t mind what containers or bags you bring in to use; Tania told me that one customer made fabric bags that she uses, but jam jars, old plastic wrappers, cereal boxes, kilner jars, oil bottles and anything else you can think of work just fine. The Refill Pantry was shortlisted for the Chamber of Commerce Community Business Awards in the category of Green Business 2018.

If you live or work in the city centre then shopping at The Refill Pantry is a no-brainer. Parking might be a little tricky if you want to buy a lot, although it isn’t far from the Maltings car park. You can find The Refill Pantry at 26 London Road St Albans AL1 1NG. It is open every day.

The Reading Rooms

Published in The Herts Advertiser, August 2018

Have you spotted the new micropub The Reading Rooms in Wheathampstead, right on the high street? It is a very cool addition to the village and could have come straight from Hoxton. It’s run by Nick and Matt, the Farr Brewery duo who brew their award-winning beers in nearby Coleman Green Lane. You might also recognise Ellis Tofalli who runs the micropub day to day and is the niece of Christo at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks and used to work there. It only opened in June and has already proved very popular with the village.

The Reading Rooms is a micropub (and it is tiny, with three small rooms) that serves their own Farr Brew beers on draft, as well as cider, wine and a few spirits, so there is something for everyone. It also sells bottled beers and wines to take away and their own draft beers in various size containers. The Farr Brew beers on tap including Golden, Chief Jester, both great summer beers, and also Black Listed which was created for the Fighting Cocks.

The building is a lovely Grade 2 listed former shop, so took over a year to sort out the redevelopment. I love the feel of the place; there are books and papers to read so you can pop in on your own, but there are also cosy places to sit with pals. You can probably only seat about 10 in the downstairs bar, and maybe 15 upstairs so don’t all rush there at once! Ellis told me that they already have regulars who buy the beer to take away, rather than go to the brewery, so it is ideal for summer barbecues and parties.

I went with two pals to a gin tasting evening which was held in the lovely upstairs room, full of comfy armchairs and a sofa. It was a very warm night and they had packed the room with gin enthusiasts, but we enjoyed the presentation and tastings by new local gin distillery Black Bridge, who are based just up the road. We tried four gins and a moonshine, which was a first for me. The gin is sold by the bottle or glass at The Reading Rooms, as well as at local indie shops including The Fleetville Larder, Tomoka Spirits and Carpenters. We loved the signature house gin which had grapefruit flavours without the strong gin kick – lovely with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic. The Blue Admiral was a big hit too (it changes colour as you add tonic). The moonshine is a potent whisky with quite a vegetal aroma, which my pal loved, but might have been the reason for my dizzy head that night! Black Bridge make a bespoke gin for the pub called A Bridge to Farr, so maybe choose that one if popping in to The Reading Rooms. Black Bridge only started this year so is a very new company and everything is made by the small team so they sell out quickly.

If you need something to eat the pub does a few freshly baked sausage rolls, pasties and scotch eggs which are made locally again in Wheathamstead by Brimarks Butchers. I’d always love a veggie option so didn’t try them but others said the sausage rolls were excellent.

Situated next to the church at 36 High Street, in what I think was the florist, The Reading Rooms is open 12–9.30. It is a terrific addition to the village, and well worth the short taxi ride from Harpenden and St Albans.

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.