hemispheres 2011
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HemisphepheresUNCOVERSTOCKHOLMIN THREEPERFECT DAYS
THE FIRST ANNUALFOOD ISSUEA FOODIES TOUROF SINGAPORE
FINDING (AND EATING)THE WORLDSHOTTEST PEPPER
THEHEMIQ&A WITH ALICEWATERS GODMOTHEROF ORGANIC FOOD
JEFF BRIDGES NEWALBUM THE OBAMASIN IRELAND ANDTHE BEST HOTELSFOR STARGAZING
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COTSWOLDS, ENGLAN D
Country CookingRussells, an English country eatery, offersa heartfelt tribute to the comfort cuisine and thehearty souls of the Cotswolds region
BY MATTHEW WEXLER
FRESH HEIR
An appetizer withwatermelon saladfeta cheese and fig
IN AN AGED BUILDING set in the town of Broadway, amid the rolling
hills of west-central England, Russells feels a lile bit like the seing
of a pastoral novel from a century ago. The landscape is doed with
grazing sheep and honey-stoned co
ages, and the keys to each of thepropertys seven guest rooms are of the old-style skeleton variety. But
the main araction of this charming spot (the full name of which is actu-
ally Russells, a restaurant with rooms) is a dining experience, neither
historical nor modern, in which local ingredients are used to provide a
new perspective on countryside classics.
Russells is housed in the former workshop of one Sir Gordon
Russell, a furniture designer of the Arts and Cras school who
was raised in this Cotswolds town more than a century ago, and
who drew his aesthetic inspiration in part from his experi-
ences on the front lines during World War I. He opened
his workshop here in 1923. Years later, he recalled
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM AUGUST 2011 27
PHOTOGRAPHBTYWINFRIEDHEINZE
FOOD & DRINK
COTSWOLDS, ENGLAND
Russells, an English country eatery, offersa heartfelt tribute to the comfort cuisine and thehearty souls of the Cotswolds region
BY MATTHEW WEXLER
FRESH HEIR
An appetizer withwatermelon saladfeta cheese and fig
IN AN AGED BUILDING set in the town of Broadway, amid the rolling
ills of west-central England, Russells feels a lile bit like the seing
of a pastoral novel from a century ago. The landscape is doed with
razing sheep and honey-stoned co
ages, and the keys to each of thepropertys seven guest rooms are of the old-style skeleton variety. But
he main araction of this charming spot (the full name of which is act -
ally Russells, a restaurant with rooms) is a dining experience, neither
istorical nor modern, in which local ingredients are used to provide a
new perspective on countryside classics.
Russells is housed in the former workshop of one Sir Gordon
Russell, a furniture designer of the Arts and Cras school who
was raised in this Cotswolds town more than a century ago, and
who drew his aesthetic inspiration in part from his experi-
ences on the front lines during World War I. He opened
his workshop here in 1923. Years later, he recalled
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CULTURE SHOCK
Dont miss out on thesecheesy attractions
The cheesemakers of
the Cotswolds despite
being few in number
have performedadmirably at the
annual British
Cheese Awards.
Charles Martell for
instance has ridden his Single
and Double Gloucester as well
as his Stinking Bishop (a well-
deserved name derived from the
type of pear liquor used to wash
the rind) to multiple honors.
Martell has been instrumental in
preserving the Gloucestershire
heritage cattle used to make
the cheeses with the Single
variety holding the
coveted European
Unions ProtectedDesignation of Origin.
Another local
favorite last years
Supreme Champion
is Golden Cenarth an organic
soft cows milk cheese. This
particular blend was an accident
discovered when cheesemaker
thinking that my generation, which
had destroyed so much lovely work,
had a constructive duty to hand on to
those coming aer us good things of our
own creation.
Its a charge Russells owner BarryHancox and his business partner
Andrew Riley took very
seriously when they
began refurbishing
Russells derelict show-
rooms, workshops and
offices in 2003. After
more than a year of
hard work, we had a
great feel for the prop-
erty, says Hancox. It had a great vibe.
Originally it was going to be a restau-
rant, but we had the rooms upstairs and
it evolved into something greater thanwe ever anticipated.
Hancox and Reilly enlisted the
services of chef Matthew Laughton,
described by Hancox as a family chap
who really loves food, to oversee the
menu, which features dishes like a
roast Cornish pollock with clams and
samphire emulsion, and beef and horse-
radish sausages with mustard mash and
red onion gravy. Laughton also oversees
the newly launched Workshop, a more
casual venue offering decidedly throw-
back British culinary experiences. Menu
items include a retro-style Canteenroast lunch, featuring a fish or meat
of the day, a filet of haddock baered
and fried and served on a bed of crispy
chips, and vintage throwbacks like beef
drippings and parsley on toasta nod
to resourceful men and women making
the best of hard times. Laughton uses
produce from nearby farms to create
his dishes, along with tasty house-made
condiments like spiced-apple chutney
and chili jam presented plainly along-
side local cheeses like Shropshire Blue
and St. Oswald.
While the menu is stocked withnostalgic creations, the point of this
so-called comeback cuisine goes well
beyond the food itself. Russell once
said of the Cotswolds, I never cease
to be grateful to the builders of these
lile towns and villages. They taught
me to try to apply the searching test of
honesty to all work and actions. Thats
a philosophy worthy of a comeback.
Rhapsodyin BrewLocal beermakers concoct really real ale
CASK ALEor real ale, as its come to be known, thanks in part tothe U.K.-wide Campaign for Real Aleis brewed from traditional
ingredients, conditioned in casks, unpasteurized and free from added
bubble-producing carbon dioxide. Unsurprisingly, few places have
CHELTENHAM
SEVERN VALE
BREWING CO.
COTSWOLD SPRING
BREWERY
FESTIVAL BREWERY
STANWAY BREWERY
NORTH COTSWOLD
BREWERY
GLOUCESTER
M5
NAILSWORTH
BREWERY
STROUD BREWERY
BATTLEDOWN
BREWERY
THE STINKING BISHOP
PHOTOGRAPHBYMATTHEWW
EXLER(STINKINGBISHOP)heritag
the
28 AUGUST 2011 HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
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adopted the Real Ale ethos as avidly as
the Cotswolds.
In Gloucestershire, a push by an
alliance of brewers to get pubs to serve
local beer made in small batches from
organic, local ingredients has paid off,
resulting in what is now known as the
Gloucestershire Ale Trail (see map).
Visitors looking to get real can swing by
Baledown Brewery, Cotswold Spring
Brewery, Festival Brewery, Nailsworth
Brewery, North Cotswold Brewery,Severn Vale Brewing Company, Stan-
way Brewery and/or Stroud Brewery
to sample the good stuff. Booms up!
a mysterious culture growing on a
wheel of Caerli a recipe passed
down from his great-grandmother.
Seductively pungent the cheese
ranges from soft in the summer
months to firmer and more robust in
the winter.
While these stinky newcomers
are gaining ground cheddar remainsking and visitors would be remiss
not to try any of the local varieties
such as the Extra Mature Cheddar
from JA & E Montgomery.
Wherever you go make sure to
bring sealable bags if you plan on
taking some home or the Bishop
wont be the only thing stinking.
RAISE A GLASSAbove the brewhouse
at Stroud Breweryopposite Jon Kemp of
Nailsworth Brewery
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