STYLE | Food
Foraged food feast
Pop up restaurants are increasingly common on the Island but heading for a seven course tasting menu incorporating foraged food at the unusual location of Newport’s Pet Centre café certainly promised something a little different
The scallop starter, a mouth-watering and colourful opener, was followed by wild mushroom and pearl barley risotto, featuring the surprising ingredient of hedgehog powder. We were quickly assured this was simply freeze dried and ground hedgehog mushrooms. Mushroom ketchup added a sweet, moist element to this autumnal dish.
F 60
or years, chef Paul Noakes has been running foraging walks while working at, and supplying foraged produce to the Island’s finest eateries.
Here at his first communal fine dining event, we were eager to discover how the ingredients in nature’s cupboard can be utilised to delicious effect.
First to the table, and setting the scene for the evening, was green butter, coloured from sea beet and purslane. This provided a striking accompaniment for the artisan bread, made using elderflowers as yeast.
styleofwight.co.uk
Wild sea greens were served with the local and perfectly cooked pan-fried red, and braised grey mullet, which was followed by refreshing palate cleanser of elderflower and gin sorbet.
The main course, of tender fillet steak, was complemented by tangy damson and red wine jus, marsh samphire and purslane crisps.
For dessert, the sea buckthorn custard tart had a delicate and unique fruity flavour. We learnt that the branches are taken home and frozen, before the delicate, sour berries can be shaken off for use. Paul’s experimental cobnut pastry worked
well, and his blackberry leather tasted like pure blackberry essence.
After coffee and handmade chocolates, Paul received a well- earned round of applause from all the impressed diners.
The ingredients, flavours, texture and colour of each dish was obviously considered carefully, and executed very well. Wine was selected to complement each course, and the communal table ensured a convivial atmosphere. With no food too unusual to tackle, it was an eye opener in using ingredients we would usually pass by. The whole evening worked brilliantly as a social, educational and very enjoyable experience.
If you want to learn more about Paul’s passion for foraging, or find out when the next pop up event will take place, visit fruitofthelandiow on Facebook or email paulnoakesfruitoftheland@
outlook.com for any updates.
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