The Ethicurean

Very rarely, back home in New Zealand, do you come across a restaurant, which grows and uses its own produce, onsite.  The whole ‘Organic’ and ‘locally produced’ market in the food industry has blown up all around the world, especially here in the UK.  I love the ideal of chemical-free, natural food ingredients, and I’m passionate about using them in my own cooking, so you can understand my excitement when I was told about The Ethicurean; organic restaurant in the English Countryside, who grow their own produce on the land surrounding the restaurant. 

It was a short twenty-minute drive from where I’m living in Cheddar, Somerset; perched on a hillside, overlooking the gorgeous countryside.  Upon arriving I was mesmerized, and the best part was that I hadn’t seen the half of it yet!  Walking through rows of beautifully planted gardens and produce was building up my excitement for what was to come on their menu. 

The day was gorgeous and warm, so we opted to sit outside overlooking the gardens and the English countryside. 

The menu consisted of fresh, complex-sounding dishes; it was hard to make a decision.  But after giving the waitress a round of twenty-one questions, we had come to a decision.  My aunt ordered the Pear Cider and Ewe’s Cheese Pearl Barley with Rainbow Chard and Mushroom Jelly, I ordered the Leg of Carver Duck with Dressed Leaves and Tomato and Onion Chutney, as side orders we chose the Walled Garden Salad and Artisan Bread with Apple Balsamic and Rapeseed Oil and each a glass of still Elderflower.

Firstly let me say, if you have not tried Elderflower you are missing out! I had heard of elderflower before, but had no idea what to expect when I decided to give it a try.  Its refreshing and light, and all around amazing! Not too sweet, and definitely not sour, almost a perfect balance of the two.  After my first sip it had become my new favourite drink. 

Now about the food, it was, in one word, remarkable.  When you think about what has actually gone on to produce this dish before you, you appreciate it so much more.  After the first cut into my duck and I was drooling; it was falling off the bone literally, cooked to perfection unlike anything id had before.  The side salad had been dressed with a beautiful and fragrant light, summer dressing, which complimented both dishes.  The homemade artisan breads were exceptional, one type was obviously made of ground up nuts, seeds and grains, giving it a subtle nutty flavor and adding extra nutritional benefits too (just what we like!).  My Aunts dish however was the downfall of the lot, possibly because it was a vegetarian dish (no offence to vegetarian cuisine), but it lacked the vibrant uplifting flavours of the other dishes. 

Overall, the food was impeccable, and the location was out of this world.  Being able to wander through the vegetable gardens and literally see what I was eating was something every foodie enjoys doing.  Cannot wait to go back sometime soon!