Spitfire - a great beer with rich Kent history

Spitfire ABV 4.5%

My favourite of the Shepherd Neame beers is Spitfire with its big and bold malty, hoppy taste. It looks good with a decent foam and has a lovely long linger in the mouth.  A cask conditioned ale it has an ABV of 4.2%. It is naturally at home in this historical corner of Kent, where Spitfire planes and their fighter pilots soared over the White Cliffs of Dover. A replica Spitfire plane is to be seen at the National Memorial to the Few cared for by the charity The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust at the top of the Dover Cliffs at Capel le Ferne. Other Spitfire planes can be seen at a truly remarkable and comprehensive exhibition of the lives of fighter pilots: the planes, the missions, the letters and the stories of those fighting in WW1 and WW2 at the volunteer-run  Kent Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge.

Bright lights at The King's Head, Deal

Daffodils about to bloom

Recently Spitfire has made a splash with its tongue in cheek advertising which can be found throughout Shepherd Neame pubs, and published in a small booklet, a copy of which was kindly given to me by Graham Stiles of the family run King's Head in Deal. This is a very special pub indeed, with great hospitality, good food, a real love and commitment to Deal, and of course some very fine Spitfire ale. It looks great throughout the year, from Spring until the dark Winter months it is festooned with flowers, and from December through until the end of February it clads its ceilings in thousands of fairy lights, which certainly helps to dispel the Winter gloom. During the Summer it gets together with the nearby Dunkerley Hotel and the Port Arms, to provide music in the sea-facing outside courtyard. It's well worth a visit, and with the Channel View guest house attached, it's worth booking in for a night or two.

Early Spring in a seaside garden

Hamamelis Pallida

Primroses

Spring time seems to have taken hold in the garden, and I now have a range of sunshine yellow blooms including bright narcissus, mellow primroses, and a zingy witchhazel. I am really pleased that the witchhazel has decided to bloom this year as it's been with me for at least three years, and despite having promising buds, they have come to nothing. So obviously it takes a little time to settle in.

These plants are joined by white crocus with a yolky stamen, hellebore foetidus and purple hellebores. The native hellebore foetidus (or it's rather unflatteringly name of Stinking Hellebore) is very happy down by the coast. It has meandered alongside the under-belly of a laurel hedge that I have and has an acid green flower, fringed with purple at this time of year. 

 Hellebore Foetidus

Purple Hellebore

 I have a really narrow shingle garden so try to make the most of the space, so was delighted when I found some rather ingenious plant holders that attach to the side of the fence. I have six now, and will change the plants through the year, starting with the narcissus and then moving through to trailing plants. I may try a bit of a veg theme with tumbling tomatoes, interspersed with chives or maybe even basil in the warmer summer months. 

Narcissus attached to fence

Friday's Rosemary Loaf

Friday's Rosemary Loaf

I only make bread once a week, and tend to do this on a Friday to be enjoyed with homemade marmalade or our own allotment jam, over the weekend. I've mentioned some of the plants that survive in our garden, near the sea, but there are many others that simply love it here. Fennel is one, it grows like mad in the gardens and on the beach itself. It's great in the summer when you can take handfuls and stuff them into locally caught fish, or soak the stalks in water for 10 mins and then use them as a bed for a barbecue. The other herb which luxuriates in this corner of Kent is Rosemary. We have well established bushes of Rosemary Officinalis Mrs Jessop's which gives us a ready supply of stalks for scenting a fire, for adding to stocks or for chopping and adding to meals. I know that Elizabeth David hated the herb, saying it would never touch any of her food, but we cook with it all the time. Today, I've added a handful to my Friday loaf. I am using my usual easy recipe of 500g strong flour (i've used 400 white and 100g wholemeal), with one sachet of dried yeast, 350ml of warm water and kneaded for around 5 mins in our food mixer. It needs to rise for around 3 hours and then bake in the oven for 40 mins, with the last 5 mins out of the tin.  We bake at 200 degrees centigrade pretty much most of the time, and adjust times to suit. This bread has a hard crust and is nice and chewy - it will last the weekend and go on longer if kept wrapped in tin foil. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance and has been used in recipes for funeral feasts to celebrate the life of the deceased. It adds a real depth of flavour to a loaf, smells fantastic when cooking so give it a try. I can assure you it will be a loaf to remember.

Some top sandy beaches in Kent

Kent may not be famed for its sandy beaches, but there are a few which are fantastic at this time of year - great expanses of sand at low tide, often only populated by isolated dog walkers. One of my favourites is Dymchurch beach where you can see all the way to Dungeness to the West and Folkestone to the East. There is plenty of room for family fun, whether flying a power kite, kicking a football, or just chasing the waves. Dymchurch is somewhat of a faded seaside town at this time of year, but there are plenty of cafes to warm up in or pubs and amusement arcades if that is your fancy. 

Cornerlia Parker Mermaid 2011

Sunny Sands Beach Folkestone

Travelling East and you'll go past the shingle beaches of Hythe, Sandgate and Folkestone but, at the end of the inner harbour at Folkestone there is the family friendly Sunny Sands beach flanked by chalk cliffs. This site was prominent in the triennial art festival that Folkestone holds (next one not until 2014) but if you fancy a hunt for artistic treasure you will find a bronze baby shoe made by the artist Tracey Emin, at the foot of some of the steps leading to the sea (below the cafe) and will see Folkestone's own life-sized bronze mermaid made by Artist Cornelia Parker and inspired by the famous Little Mermaid in Copenhagen. A variety of seafood is readily available here, from the freshest of cockles and prawns through to delicious hot seafood, inspired noodle dishes, locally caught crabs and lobsters, through to the new fish and chip Bistro, and acclaimed Rock Salt restaurant.

Botany Bay

Botany Bay

  Finally, is a beach that I've written about before, at Botany Bay, Kingsgate. The beaches distinctive sea-tunnelled chalk cliff arches, rock pools and blue-flag certified sea makes it a very family friendly site, with a nearby kiosk serving snacks and hot drinks.


The only downside of ALL of these beaches is that they are only shared by the sea at low tide. And, if you aren't familiar with the beach, you do need to check on the tide, as the sea does snatch the beach back pretty quickly, so be careful not to get cut off. For useful information about these British Beaches including tide times, and for the weather, have a look on these sites. This weekend the lowest tides are early in the morning and late in the afternoon, so if you have a spring in your step with the promise of warmer weather, take a stroll down to one of these beaches. You won't be disappointed.

A Master Brewer's View of Bishop's Finger and cheeses that complement

To recap, my sister-in-law is a Master Brewer, which is fitting given that she has married into a family of Brewer's. She was former Head of Sensory at the Brewing Research Industry (BRI) so has all the expertise to take me through an introductory masterclass in what to look for in a beer. Having looked at Spitfire in an earlier post, we are now tasting Bishop's Finger - a strong Kentish Ale from Shepherd Neame with an ABV of 5.4%. The four criteria that we used for judging are: 

• Appearance
• Aroma
• Flavour
• Linger

This has a tawny chestnut colour, with more 'lag', coating the sides of the glass. It is cloudier than Spitfire, and has a creamy off-white foam.

The flavour is toffee-ish, sweeter than Spitfire, with a raisin-like fruity taste. It is more malty, more fruity and less hoppy. Unlike the Spitfire, this is less of a session beer (you wouldn't drink too many of an evening) but a beer that you can enjoy.

We felt that it had more of a silky mouth coating, and a long linger. Our Master Brewer felt that it was almost wine like in its richness.

Our sense was that this would be an excellent choice of beer to have with food, complimenting a chocolate dessert or cheese at the end of the meal. To put this into action, we did taste it with some rich chocolate brownies and it was amazing how the Bishop's Finger helped to cut through the sweetness of the brownies, and in some way the strength of both the dessert and the beer were better balanced.

But the star combination had to be with a strong cheese. It worked beautifully with some local cheeses, the Kingsdown  Black Pig Butcher and Delicatessen Smoked Cheese with its distinctive smoky-bacon taste, and rich creamy texture was a delicious combination whilst the strong, chalky creaminess of  JC Rook & Sons Kentish Hard Cheddar was a perfect match for the strength of this rich, malty and fruity beer. In my opinion a perfect end to any meal.

But that's my view, I would love to know what other think about what Kentish cheese would complement this particularly fine ale?

Some top tips for testing beer:

• Always check that the bottled beers are well within the sell by date
• Beers should be served at cell temperature, so cool but not too cold
• Start with the lightest beers and travel through to the darker beer
• When tasting, use unflavoured crackers and water to clean the palate before each new taste
• Did you know that without bread we wouldn't have beer? it was through making bread that people began to understand the action of yeast and sugar.

A Master Brewer's view of Spitfire bottled beer

As a family of Brewer's it is suitably apt that we have a Master Brewer amongst our ranks. As the former Head of Sensory at the BRI Brewing Research International, which carries out scientific and technical support to the brewing industry worldwide, my sister-in-law knows a thing or two about beer and cider. Armed with a couple of Shepherd Neame beers, we met for an introductory Masterclass in what to look for in a bottled beer. The criteria that we judged against was:

Spitifire 4.5% ABV

• Appearance
• Aroma
• Flavour
• Linger

First up, was one of my favourites, Spitfire 4.5% ABV (alcohol by value). Immediately this was descibed as a "session beer", a beer which has an ABV less than 5% and is the drink of choice over a period of time.

We first looked at the colour which was described as a rich, orangy/amber. The effervescence (or bubbles and coating that these give to the sides of the glass) was descibed as 'lacy', with a mild 'lag' on the sides and a thin foam on top.

Next was the aroma which was toffee-ish and malty. The hops had a very pleasant resonance, clean, with no off-notes or cheesiness (a descriptor given to hops that have started to go off).

Thirdly (and maybe the best bit) is the taste (combining flavour and linger) which you do by sipping and swallowing. I was expertly informed that the taste detectors, or receptors that taste 'bitter" are placed at the back of the throat so unlike wine, beer has to be swallowed to be analysed and diagnosed. The biscuity, malty taste is well balanced and refreshing, with a long linger (the taste stays in the mouth for a long time)

To sum up, our Master Brewer said Spitfire is:

"well balanced, refreshing, has a good flavour with no off-notes. A very pleasant beer". 

And, I have to agree.

Some top tips:

• Always check that the bottled beers are well within the sell by date
• Beers should be served at cell temperature, so cool but not too cold
• Start with the lightest beers and travel through to the darker beer
• When tasting, use unflavoured crackers and water to clean the palate before each new taste
• Did you know that without bread we wouldn't have beer? it was through making bread that people began to understand the action of yeast and sugar.

The next beer to come under the spotlight will be Bishop's Finger. Come back to see what our Master Brewer thought of this and what food compliments it beautifully.

Favourite fireside pubs in Kent



The Rising Sun, Kingsdown

The chilly snap seems to be abating in this South Eastern corner of Kent. The thermometer is showing temperatures above zero which is very welcome. But, it's still cold and pubs offering a real fire are a real treat. Some of my favourites are The Rising Sun in Kingsdown, which has roaring log fire, serves good pub food and has the hugest ginger tom-cat that you will ever see. Called "Tom", he is a well known character in the area, he is often found lounging on the tables or sitting in welcome at the door.

Although he is partial to a little tickle, he is just as apt to give you a nip or a swipe if he's not in the mood. Needless to say, he loves the fire.

Wood burner at The Crispin Inn, Worth



Slightly more inland, near the medieval town of Sandwich, and nestled near a duck pond in Worth is the 15th century The Crispin Inn. This is a sleepy town, with great walking nearby. The menu changes regularly, and there is a good range of entertainment in the evenings - the Sunday roasts look fantastic. Warming the Inn is a lovely woodburner which faces diners on two sides, belting out heat throughout the pub. This is a lovely place to stay for a night or two, with no need to drive, as great food, drink, lovely countryside are just a moment away.

My final fireside pub has been mentioned before in the post about the Turner exhibition at Margate. The Cider and Ale House called the Lifeboat in Margate. This pub has a huge range of beers and ciders, all pulled from casks in the back room. You can accompany your beer with a varied choice of pies, pickles, cheeses and seafood. I had the Rolveden blue top at 4.8% it was creamy and really hoppy. The fire dominates one back wall in the smallish back room which is furnished with trestle tables and two comfy fireside chairs.

Open fire at The Lifeboat

On the trail of Hattie Jacques and John Le Mesurier in Kent

Yesterday, we did a road trip that joined various sites which linked Hattie Jacques and John Le Mesurier's time here on the Kent coast.
We started by driving down to Sandgate where Hattie was born and brought up. Her house is marked by a blue plaque and is on the High Street and looks oddly squeezed between the other houses. Around the back, you realise it opens out into a quite big house, now modernised. It goes without saying it has fantastic views of the English Channel.

Back of the sea facing house

Hattie, born in Sandgate

Dipping into Graham McCann's bio of her husband John Le Mesurier, she sounds like a very complex character. She trained as a hairdresser, and was a nurse and was also a welder in the war.  Hattie began her acting career at The Players Club, under the arches at Charing Cross Station. Always known as Jo, as here real name was Josephine, she first met John Le Mesurier when he went to see a performance at the Players theatre; she was 25 years old and he was 10 years older.

They married on 10 November 1949 and lived in her house at Eardley Cresent, Earl's Court which was known for being full of people, and always attracting 'poppers in'. Although most of their married life was spent in London, they did also live in Margate in the 60s, but interestingly, the excellent Graham McCann book on John Le Mesurier makes no mention of this nor anything about their life in Margate.

John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques lived in the 60s in Margate

Their house in Margate was the next stop on our road trip. ?It is just off Trinity Square. Another blue  plaque bears witness to the time that they spent there. The house is quite unusual but a bit sad looking now and is only 5 mins away from the new Turner Gallery, so worth popping up and having a look if in the area.
The marriage fell apart in a famous menage a trois, but they remained friends and had respect for each other right until the end. John Le Mesurier's coastal connections continued as his third wife, Joan Malin was from Ramsgate. He sold his house in Baron's Court, London and they relocated to Ramsgate in the late 60s. At this time, John was filming Dad's Army and playing the role of Seargant Wilson, which he is known and loved for today.

There isn't a plaque on any of his two houses in Ramsgate but something much sadder. He died on 15 November 1983 in Ramsgate hospital (now gentrified into flats) and in the local church's graveyard - which has a huge distinctive tower that can be seen from all parts of the town -  there is a stone marker with the inscription - Beloved Actor Resting. The obituary in the Times, simply says "he conked out". The stone marker in the cemetary is hard to find, and it is rather fitting for such a modest man, that it is so simple and unadorned.

Walmer yachts whistling in the wind

The artic freeze continues and boy, is it cold out today. The snow lingers on the beach, and just listening to the wind whistling through the yacht masts is enough to give you a chill. I know that people swim in the sea all year but can you imagine!


Beached



Charles Dickens and Hattie Jaques



Charles Dickens

Hattie Jacques, comedy actress

Although divided by 110 years, both author Charles Dickens and actress Hattie Jaques of Carry On fame, shared the same birthday. Dicken's was born 200 years ago on 7 February 1812 whilst Jacques was born 90 years ago in 1922. Both shared a love of coastal Kent. Dicken's spent much of his time in the seaside town of Broadstairs, staying in his seaside residence (see below) which has since been named Bleak House. The town is also home to a Dickens museum, and will be celebrating the 200th anniversary with the Broadstairs Dickens Festival runing from June 16-22. Hattie, meanwhile (you feel that you can call her that, whereas you couldn't say Charles) was born in the South Kent coastal town of Sandgate, but spent many years living in Margate in the 1960s, when married to John Le Mesurier, of Dad's Army fame. Both Margate and Sandgate have commerative blue plaques to Hattie where she lived.

Broadstairs, Dickens seaside residence

Friday's olive bread loaf

I've used a basic Brewer's yeast bread recipe from a Moro's cookbook for years. It never lets me down, it's really simple to make, only one rise for up to 3 hours and then in the oven for around an hour. Recently I was given a Dan Lepard cookbook Short and Sweet. So, having absorbed his wisdom about the temparature of ingredients, when to knead and when to leave, I've decided to experiment with my basic recipe and add some other ingredients. First up has been a handful of green olives, combining 300g of strong white flour with 200g of strong wholemeal flour (mix with 1 tsp of ground sea salt, 350ml of warm water and one sachet of dried yeast ). Having first worried that the saltiness of the olives had killed the yeast (apprently too much salt does do that), it did rise when left overnight. The resulting loaf was rather good - good crumb like texture and nice firm crust.

My green olive bread

It needed to cook for about 40 mins in a 1lb loaf tin and then for 20 mins out of the tin. We have an Everhot electric range, which is the pride and joy of our kitchen. There are two ovens which can be set to whatever temperature that you want. We have the larger top oven set at 200 degrees and the lower at 100 degrees centigrade, which suits us and suits most recipes, with a little adjustment for the cooking times. It is easy to alter the temperatures in both ovens, and the bottom right hand warming oven helps to keep food from spoiling. Anyway that is a long-winded way of saying that the exact cooking time for loaves, or anything for that matter, is that it's ready when it's ready.

Everhot Electric Range

Kissing in Kent

Botany Bay, Deal Pier, Turner Contemporary...top kissing spots

St Valentine's Day in only a week away. Apparently the origins of this day began in the court circles of England and France in the 14th century and it is thought that it linked in with the coupling of birds. Whether you love or loathe it, it is a time to think about doing something different. So, I've given some thought to good spots for  "kissing in Kent" and have a few suggestions which can be enjoyed if you fancy being romantic, or visited at other times of the year.

Botany Bay near Kingsgate in Kent

Botany Bay, Kingsgate, Kent

This is a stunning sandy beach, with sheer white chalk cliffs, which have been tunnelled out by the sea, forming natural white arches perfect for a kiss. Although beware the nesting seagulls overhead, and take particular note of the tide, as these cliffs and the beach become cut off at high tide.

Sandy beach at Botany Bay

If this beach looks familiar, you may have seen it on the advertising for Kent at St Pancras International and on the London tubes. Now, with the High Speed trains from London to Ramsgate and Margate, our corner of East Kent is more accessible than ever.

Deal pier
At over 1026 feet in length, you can take a stroll down Deal's pier, passing the fishermen on route, and steal a kiss at the furthest end. On a clear day you should be able to see France, and if the tide is right you may see the waves breaking on the six mile stretch of the Goodwin sands - home to a colony of seals and the death of many a ship which has become caught in it's sinking sandy banks.

The licensed restaurant at the end of of the pier - Jasin's Restaurant - is a RIBA awarded Best Constructed Building in Kent, and serves food all day, so if you fancy a full-English, excellent fish and chips, or one of the specials, and love gazing at the sea, this is a special spot.

Turner Contemporary, Margate
What could be more symbolic of Valentine's Day than the Auguste Rodin marble sculpture, The Kiss. Prominently featured at the art gallery, framed by the sun-like art installation with the sea as a backdrop, this is well worth a visit. The cafe has excellent food, lovely teas including Jasmine Pearl from Teapigs, delicious seafood and ever so tempting range of cakes.

A snowy beach walk to Walmer, Kent

Walmer beach on a snowy Sunday in February

In the need to find cider for a Simon Hopkinson recipe with pork and endives, we donned several layers of clothes, hats and gloves and took to the beach-side path that runs between Kingsdown and Walmer, past Walmer Castle, where the Queen Mother was Head of the Cinque Ports when she was alive. This is a really pretty coastal walk, with summer wild flowers including pink and white valerian, poppies and sea cabbage, tons of fennel, and garden orphans including loads of hot pokers. But, today's newly emerging plants are hidden under a deep sweep of snow. The native evergreen Holm Oaks which have been widely written about have taken a blast from the North East, leaving their South West flanks green.

Beach Holm Oaks in the snow at Walmer

This is around a two mile walk each way, and there are a number of watering holes at either end. The Stag is a popular pub serving some good ales including Bombadier, Sussex Best and Black Sheep. On a Sunday, the hospitality extends to free nibbles of crisps and some very welcome hot and crispy roast potatoes. This pub is particularly popular with the locals.

The Stag, Walmer by the sea

Kingsdown in deep snow

Snow covered beach huts at Kingsdown

Wow! the weather forecasters were right, we have had around 16cm of snow overnight. The whole of Kingsdown area is blanketted and in some places the snow is up to knee level where it has drifted.

Zetland Arms, the beachside pub at Kingsdown

The Zetland Arms, our beachside pub will no doubt be a warm refuge for many walkers and residents later on this wintry Sunday.

Icicles are dangling from windows, and it doesn't look as if there will be a thaw today, as temperatures are around -3 degrees centigrade.

Icicles and a snow covered garden

Brilliant, this is what a proper snow storm is all about.

Turner Contemporary at Margate

Snow Storm - Steam boat off a Harbour's Mouth, exhibited 1842 and seen by me today

I think that the Turner Contemporary, the new Art Gallery in Margate is one of the best thing's that has happened to the town for a very long time. It shows the commitment of the local people, the council, and funders to the belief that Margate can once again have a heyday as a fine seaside town. New to the Gallery is an impressive array of Turner paintings taking you on a journey through Turner's fascination with the four elements: air, earth, fire and water. I've always loved Turner paintings, particularly the turbulent sea scenes where water and air boil and mash together. This scene if my favourite from the new exhibition and I hope that many people visit, stroll along the sandy beach, and maybe visit the Lifeboat for a fine pie and a selection of even finer ales and cider. 

Sara's Chocolates, Deal

Flora Mayflower Oriental Tea at Sara's Chocolates

This is a fantastic chocolate-shop-come cafe, with a delicious range of hand-picked chocolates that are beautifully packaged in a wide variety of boxes, perfect for presents or for a treat for yourself. Sara also prepares really thick, warming hot chocolates (both dark and milk) which warm you from head to toe, as well as tasty homemade soups and specials such as hot camenbert which was served today. But, new to the shop is a range of teas, from Flora Tea, which have to be seen to be believed. Starting as an unprepossessing walnut-shaped ball, which then unfurls when seeped in boiling water to  reveal an inner flower surrounded by fronds of green tea leaves, combined with other herbs. I had a Mayflower Oriental tea, which was just beautiful. I could have been 200 metres deep diving on a coral reef with anenome fronds and orange/peachy flowers. If you love something a bit unusual, love the  delicate taste of green tea infused with herbs, and are happy to immerse yourself in the visual experience of watching this tea grow into an underwater garden, then you'll love this. [Sara's Chocoates is at 71 Middle Street in the historic town of Deal.]

Gardening on a chalk bed

Gardening on a chalk-bed

Zephirine-drouhin, loved by the bees too

What I've learnt from over 10 years of seaside gardening, is that most plants will survive if given some care when planting, so lots of compost and plant food, and plenty of water. If they can last the first year, then they have a good chance of staying the distance. So I have some newly planted roses,  William Lobb Rose, the new Rhapsody in blue which is featured prominently at Wisley RHS,  Souvenir du Docteur Jamain Red Rose,  Veilchenblau and an established Zephirine-drouhin rose  and a very vigorous Seagull-Rambler-Rose. The ramblers and climbers have been here for over anywhere between 5-10 years, so I only hope that the new roses do just as well.