Snapshots from Home

In mid-July we took a week off work and flew back home. Days were filled with long walks (and runs), beautiful food, amazing wine, and so much love, laughter, hugs, and smiles. Being back at home and in our old London stomping grounds fills my heart with so much joy, and inevitably makes me question why we ever moved away. But really I know why, and there's so many opportunities, discoveries, and adventures to be had over in this crazy country too. That doesn't make leaving any easier, that doesn't mean that I miss home any less than I did in our first day in this busy, hectic city, and that doesn't mean that I don't dream of returning one day (not quite) soon (enough). 

But for now, we are where we are. We live in the present and make vague future plans, not clinging to them, allowing them to change, and flowing through the weeks that come and go in the blink of an eye. 

These are just a few snapshots from some of our most adored UK spaces: home (my home), maman's veggie patch, Broadway Market, Regent's Canal (and the Towpath Café), Pavilion Café, Bar Termini (a new discovery for us), and, of course the space and countryside that shone beautifully on a perfect British summer's day.

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Hambleton Hall

Writing this blog post has been on my to-do list for two months. I don't normally put things off, but this I have. My first excuse was that writing and thinking about this afternoon made me too homesick. It still does, but now to a more manageable level. My second was that I wasn't sure my words could do justice to this incredibly special, beautifully British, almost magical (at least it seems that way as I remember it from my basement apartment in Brooklyn) place. But the time has finally come to share the amazing meal we had at Hambleton Hall in late December to celebrate papa's birthday.

Fancy outfits were dug out from the back of the cupboard (or the bottom of the suitcase if you're me and B). Grey skies and heavy mists hung in the air. An eerie, mysterious British winter day. Stepping into the comforting, welcoming, country house-style interior of Hambleton Hall is like walking into a warm hug. A fireplace flickers in the corner, a Christmas tree towers above you, someone reaches for your jackets and scarves, and before you know it you've been swept through the corridors into the lounge, you've settled into the plush sofas with a view looking out over the gardens, and a glass of Champagne is in your hand.

A tray of gougères and tapioca and squid ink crisps topped with the the prettiest treats then come flying towards you. If I could preserve this moment and live it for the rest of my life, I would be wonderfully happy.

But soon, after you've chosen from the menu, it's time to move. But don't worry, you're not going far. Take your seat, and admire the many, many wine glasses laid out in front of you. A selection of bread will be offered, and you have to make a tricky decision: choose just one. Freshly whipped butter topped with seaweed and sea salt is slathered on top. Wine is poured and the food circus begins...

Root vegetable terrine, which looks like a piece of art to start. Shavings of truffles and artichoke ice cream share the plate for an explosion of textures and deep, savory tastes.

The table then split in two, between those who eat foie gras and those who don't. For the foie gras people there was a tower of the rich, creamy pâté, with cubes of green apple, perfectly sliced blackberries, and dabs of zingy lime green jelly. For the non-foie-gras amongst us there was a hamhock terrine topped with chutney, and a colorful salad of crunchy vegetables and bright piccalilli.

Sea bass with charred fennel, watermelon, barely smashed peas, samphire, and a rich, deep, dark, sticky glaze turned the elegant fish into a hearty, comforting dish.

Venison with chocolate tortellini, cauliflower purée and kale divided our opinions. I adored the mini chocolate pasta pockets, and others really didn't. But something we could all agree on was how perfectly the meat was cooked.

Finally it was time for the my sweet-toothed ecstasy. The most beautiful fluffy, light, airy, prune and Armagnac soufflé. Once we'd carved out a hole in the middle we dropped in the ice cream and watched it seep into the pudding.

As if we hadn't eaten enough, we then returned to the sofas for coffee, fresh mint tea, and petits fours— accompanied by a few card games — before we finally left this haven and headed home.

Hambleton Hall, Hambleton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8TH

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The Three Horseshoes, Madingley

You may or may not know that my family have always and forever been in the hotel and restaurant business. This probably goes quite far in explaining why I now seem to manage to make a living by talking about everything we eat. Anyway, many moons ago, The Three Horseshoes at Madingley was run, managed, designed, and owned by maman and papa. They since sold it, but it has now boomeranged back into their hands, and they are working night and day to transform what has become a slightly out of control, dilapidated space, back to its former glory. Unsurprisingly, they are doing a magical job.

Last Wednesday lunchtime, the sun came out and we all filled a colorful picnic bench in the green garden behind the thatched roof restaurant. We had yoga in the evening, so no drinking was allowed, but we made up for it imbibing our annual allowance of San Pellegrino in one fell swoop. To accompany the water were squares of rosemary focaccia, dipped in zingy olive oil, and citrusy, nutty Sicilian Nocellara olives.

We then all shared one of the most simple yet flavor-packed dishes I've eaten in a long time: A tin of swanky sardines served with toasted sourdough and a spoonful of paprika. The idea is that you recreate the classic, ever-reliable, well-loved meal of sardines on toast. Sometimes simplicity is best, and you really can't go wrong by starting your meal like this.

We then ordered a large portion of the menu, and the typical Hoskins-family rigorous tasting of everybody else's plate of food commenced. An elegant crab brik (spelling mistake intentional) was crunchy and crisp on the outside, and revealed a perfectly spiced, seafood interior.

Peaches and prosciutto was as perfect a summer lunch as you are currently imagining. Grilled sweet peaches, salty prosciutto, and purple basil created a real taste of Italian summer enjoyed in a British garden.

Corn and baby mushroom tagliatelle was doused in a beautiful amount of butter, coated with herbs, and scattered with soft cheese. The combination of crunchy summer corn, al dente strands of pasta, salty cheese, fresh herbs, woody mushrooms, and rich butter combined a range of flavors and textures to create an incredibly addictive and more-ish meal.

Giant couscous salad with fresh peas, broad beans, pea shoots, sunflower seeds, parsley, mint, and edible flowers was as tasty as it was pretty: Instagram fodder with plenty of flavor supporting it.

We finished our leisurely weekday lunch sitting in the deck chairs sipping on espresso and trying to resist eating too many of these gorgeous, giant, dark chocolate truffles. If only every Wednesday afternoon could be spent this way.

The Three Horseshoes, High Street, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AB

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