Sunshine, Strawberries and Cream, Primms... it must be Wimbledon!

Okay, the sunshine might not last … but let’s enjoy it while we can!

It is the middle of summer and Wimbledon is very much upon us.

The drink most associated with Wimbledon is, of course, Pimms.

Even if you aren’t a tennis fan, this slightly spicy and refreshingly tangy tipple is worth discovering this summer.

 The Pimm’s Cup’s origins date back to 1832, when London oyster bar owner James Pimm started offering guests a gin-based beverage containing quinine and a secret blend of spices. The elixir was dubbed as a digestion aid, and served to patrons in small tankards known as “No. 1 Cups”.

The drink’s popularity quickly grew, and by the end of the 19th century it was ubiquitous all over the United Kingdom. The first Pimm’s bar opened at the 1971 Wimbledon tournament and today over 80,000 pints of Pimm’s and lemonade are sold there to spectators each year.

Although there have been six variations over the years, each with a different spirit base, the No 1 cup remains the most popular, with No 6 (Vodka based) and a re-branding of the No 3 cup (Brandy based) as the Winter Warmer in 2004 also available.

And the other de rigueur beverage at the renowned tennis championships, by the way, is Champagne.

Pimms can be enjoyed simply with soda water or lemonade with no embellishments.

However, common garnishes include cucumber, lemon and mint sprigs or leaves.

The cup can be mixed in a punch bowl or in individual glasses … and should always be served with ice as it’s intended to be a summer refresher!

And if you’re amongst friends … we will gladly make you up a Pitcher of Pimms! Cheers!

Are you ready for some much deserved indulgence?

Let’s face it; this summer hasn’t really lived up to its name!

So, we think it’s time for you to look forward to something special and … put a smile on your face!

For your pleasure the next Gourmet evening is planned for Wednesday 27^th June.

 And, as before the three course menu has been prepared at a very reasonable £26.75!

You can also enjoy a complimentary glass of Prosecco upon your arrival.

We shall continue to offer our wine pairings and the chefs may even produce some petit fours to nibble after the meal …

It was a huge success last time, with everyone enjoying themselves.

With that in mind we are urging you to book early … in that way you won’t miss out on what should be a fabulous evening here at the Shepherd & Flock.

The glass of Prosecco will be served on your arrival (if you are driving, then it’s a soft drink)

And then to whet your appetite and tickle your taste buds … here’s your choices!

Starters

Secretts farm asparagus with a poached quails egg and hollandaise sauce (v)

Smoked Barbary duck breast, duck liver parfait with Cumberland sauce and toasted brioche

Seafood salad with sweet pickled vegetables

Mains

Roast rack of South Downs lamb with a herb crust, lamb jus, dauphinoise potatoes and baby vegetables

Pan fried sea trout, samphire, saffron potatoes, tomato and broad beans

Homemade Goats cheese ravioli, cauliflower beignets with a sweet tomato and chilli salsa (v)

Dessert

Summer pudding with clotted cream

Chocolate fondant with vanilla seed ice cream

Roasted hazelnut meringue with chocolate and raspberry sauce

 All three courses @ £26.75

A cheese board to follow the meal £7.50 or with a glass of port @ £2.00

 

I’m getting hungry just thinking about this gourmet feast!

To secure your place …. Please book early!

 

Does a fine wine need a fine glass?

Most wine glasses will have a base, a stem, and a bowl.

• The base, obviously, allows your glass to stand upright.
• The stem allows you to hold your wine
  glass without the heat from your hands warming your wine, and without creating smudges on the bowl which will distract from the visual enjoyment of your wine.
• The bowl serves a very important purpose and it is here you will find most of the variation in wine glasses.

Champagne Glass
Champagne glasses have the smallest mouths and long bowls to retain the carbonation
and keep the wine sparkling longer.

Narrow Mouthed White Wine Glasses
For lighter, fresher white wines where oxidization is less desirable, narrow mouthed glasses are used reducing the surface area, keeping the wine crisp and clean.

Wide Mouthed White Wine Glasses
Wide mouthed glasses are used for wines that need rapid oxidization altering the flavor
of the wine. These glasses are best used on wines such as oaky Chardonnays. 

Bordeaux Glass
A Bordeaux glass has a broad bowl that is designed for full-bodied red wines that directs the wine to the back of the mouth. This is best for Cabernet and Syrah.  

Burgundy glass
A Burgundy glass is wider at the base and narrower at the top to focus on the delicate
wine aromatics.

Dessert wine glass
A dessert wine glass should be smaller to direct the wine to the back of the mouth so the
sweetness doesn’t overwhelm. Dessert wines generally have a higher alcohol content,
making the small glass perfect for a smaller serving.

Boccalino
A Boccalino is a mug used in Ticino, Switzerland, to drink local wine (Merlot or similar). It has a volume of 0.2 litres. The Boccalino is also a popular souvenir for tourists.

In truth most wines can be enjoyed – anytime, anywhere and in good company many fine moments are enjoyed! Cheers!  

So when is the perfect time to drink a rosé?

Rosé wines are perfect for spring and summer, as they are served chilled and can be a refreshing accompaniment to a variety of warm weather fare.

Rosé wines also top the charts for food-friendly versatility. So, if you are opting for "surf 'n turf" rest assured that a rosé can handle both the seafood and the steak in one fell sip. 

 It's also a great picnic wine, as it tends to have both a lighter body and more delicate flavours on the palate, presenting a great wine partner for a ham, chicken or roast beef sandwich, along with a fruit, potato or egg salad and can even handle a variety of chips and dips.

Rosés are also the perfect guest for a barbecue, tackling hamburgers, hot dogs and even French fries and ketchup with ease.

Flavor Profile of Rosé Wine

The flavors of rosé wines tends to be more subtle versions of their red wine varietal counterparts.

The fruit expectations lean towards strawberry, cherry, and raspberry with some citrus and watermelon presenting on a regular basis.

Wine lovers and wine makers are both the better for it! Rose wine sales are on the rise as savvy wine lovers have discovered that many of these pink wines are not the sugary sweet wines of old, but rather sophisticated summer sisters of many red wine varietals.

Here at the Shepherd & Flock we have several varieties of rosés … including a Humboldt Coast Rosé (California) which is very sweet and made from Zinfandel grapes and a Sancerre ‘La Perriere’ Rosé (France) which is light pink in colour with a slight hint of raspberry, very refreshing to drink and a Sommelier Silver award winner in 2010.

Enjoy summer, enjoy Rosé!

‘Flock to the Flock’ for the Diamond Jubilee … this Weekend!

The Queen is marking her Diamond Jubilee this year and celebrations are about to reach a peak over this coming weekend.

Not least, we have an extended 4 day weekend starting on Saturday 2^nd June and going right through to Tuesday 5^th June.

Here’s a couple of Royal facts for you …

Did You Know?

If you ever get the opportunity to meet the Queen, there is no code of behaviour that you have to abide by except to be courteous. However, if you wish to follow the traditional forms of greeting, it is customary for men to do a neck bow and for women to do a small curtsy. When presented to the Queen, the correct formal address is ‘Your Majesty’ and then ‘Ma’am’.

 
And if you feel inclined to write to The Queen on her Diamond Jubilee, you can write to Her Majesty at the following address:
Her Majesty The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA

And, don’t forget our events here at the Shepherd & Flock.

Monday 4^th June: The Savanna Cider campervan is visiting us and they have giveaways to promote their popular South African cider.

The Savanna cider tour started with the Oxford Cambridge boat race.
Remember it might be dry but you can drink it!

Tuesday 5^th June: Forget the cooking as we put on one of our famous all day BBQs.

There will also be live music on Tuesday of the Jubilee weekend to go with our BBQ.

·         Well-known local musician Vic Cracknell (singer/pianist/guitarist) is performing at lunchtime, hopefully outside in the back garden … weather permitting.

We are also serving a Tiger, 4.8 draught lager originally from Singapore.

It is a huge hit in the current hot weather and very popular with our younger customers … but that’s not exclusive!

And here’s a further …

Did You Know?

Singapore’s own Tiger Beer is one of the most popular beers on the planet. Available in more than 60 countries, Tiger Beer has been brewed since 1932 and is now produced in 11 countries in Asia, more than any other beer on the continent.

Beware of Cannibals … it’s time to put the ‘barbie’ on!

Prompted by the thought of our all day BBQ … on Tuesday 4^th June I thought it was time to investigate further what has become a bit of a national obsession for us Brits!

There are several popular theories of the origin of the term “barbecue”

One centers on a wealthy Texas rancher accustomed to throwing huge shindigs for his pals, cooking whole sheep, hogs, and cattle over open pits. Depending on whom you believe, his name was either Bernard Quayle or Barnaby Quinn, but with either, his ranch branding iron had the letters BQ, with a line underneath, reading “Bar-BQ”.

Another has the English word barbecue deriving from the Spanish word barbacoa, which wordsmiths say came from babracot, a word referring to the greenwood (probably allspice) sticks used to form a cooking grill in the Haitian Taino dialect of the Arawak-Carib language. This is the version favored by etymologists. Texans prefer the branding iron version.

A popular cooking magazine insists that the word came from an extinct tribe of cannibalistic Indians in Guyana thought to barbecue their enemies...!

Others maintain it came from the French term “barbe a queue”, meaning “from whiskers to the tail” …a direct reference to barbecuing whole pigs or cows they say.

Last but not least, a source in North Carolina claims it came from a 19th century advertisement for a joint that served many purposes: whiskey bar, beer hall, pool cue hall, serving roast pig. It was known, so says the story, as the Bar-Beer-Cue-Pig. Texans completely disregard versions referring to cannibals, the French, or North Carolina as transparent hogwash.

Make it a Jubilee Weekend to remember …

It’s less than 3 weeks to go now before the nation gets to celebrate what is set to be a truly unique and memorable extended weekend of celebrations ….

At the time of writing this, I am looking out across a windswept and drenched car park.

So my first thought and wish is that – for everyone’s sake – we have some early summer weather to help lift the mood and ensure all the celebrations go off with a real bang … and I don’t mean accompanying thunder claps!

Here at the Shepherd & Flock we’ve put together a couple of events to enhance your enjoyment over the bank holiday period.

 

 Monday 4^th June: The Savanna Cider campervan is visiting us and they have giveaways to promote their popular South African cider.

The Savanna cider tour started with the Oxford Cambridge boat race.
Situated @The Rocket in Putney, the Savanna camper rocked up with the team who were giving away goodies and sampling this dry South African cider. Although the sun didn't make much of an appearance the Savanna flowed.
Remember it might be dry but you can drink it!

Tuesday 5^th June:  This will be a day to completely forget the cooking as we put on one of our famous all day BBQ s.

And, to get you into the spirit of things we shall be introducing a range of Jubilee real ales during the week leading up to the events.

Come rain or shine, it should be a fantastic way to help you celebrate the Jubilee holiday period and I look forward to welcoming you all at some stage during the proceedings!