Bill's Basics Public Tour

Bill Granger
Bill’s Basics Book Tour
September – December 2010


Bill Granger, hugely popular Australian food writer, television chef and restaurateur has worked his particular magic on over 100 of his favourite classic dishes, bringing them effortlessly into the twenty-first century. Bill’s Basics is a cheat’s guide to making the recipes that every home cook wants to master. Bill has simplified techniques, minimised fussy ingredient lists and given these core dishes a modern twist that’s in tune with our busy lives and passion for fresh and healthy flavours.

Bill will be touring around the UK, stopping off at some of his favourite gastronomic locations- Abergavenny, Bath and his new home town, London. Members of the public will be able to watch Bill demonstrate recipes, have copies of his book Bill’s Basics signed & dedicated and taste Bill’s cooking at specially designed meals- brunch, lunch and dinner.

Selected Events from the Bill’s Basics Tour

LONDON
Saturday 11th September - SOLD OUT

Bill Granger Brunch at Hereford Road

Address: 3 Hereford Road (Opposite Leinster Square)
London
W2 4AB

Time: 11am – 12.30 pm
Tickets: £12.50 for adults including a glass of Prosecco.
£7 for children.
To book your place contact 020 7727 1144 or info@herefordroad.org
www.herefordroad.org

Bill Granger will be preparing a selection of small portions and canapés at Notting Hill neighbourhood restaurant, Hereford Road. Expect to see dishes such as Bill’s famous Ricotta hotcakes and Corn Fritters during an informal, sociable brunch. Children welcome.

BATH
Thursday 16th September

It’s Time for Elevenses- Bill Granger at The Glove Factory

Address: The Glove Factory
Brook Lane
Holt
Bradford upon Avon
BA14 6RL

Time: From 11am
Tickets: £10
To book your place contact 01225 784080
www.glovefactorystudios.com

Dynamic cultural hub, The Glove Factory, will play host to a late morning Tea and Cake Session with Bill Granger, who will be singing copies of his new book, Bill’s Basics.


ABERGAVENNY, WALES
Sunday 19th September

Bill Granger in conversation with Henry Dimbleby at the Abergavenny Food Festival

Address: Borough theatre
Market St
Abergavenny
NP7 5XZ

Time: 2pm – 3pm
Tickets: £6.00. Tickets available online from Abergavenny Food Festival Website
www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com


LONDON
Wednesday 22nd September - SOLD OUT

Bill Granger Master Class and Dinner at HIX Restaurant and Champagne Bar

Address: Selfridges
400 Oxford Street
London
W1A 1AB

Time: 7pm - 11pm
Tickets: £60.00 each includes a 3 course dinner, half a bottle of wine and service charge
To book your place contact Augusta on 01689 855 390

Bill Granger will be the first chef to kick off the master classes at Hix Restaurant and Champagne Bar. Bill will be demonstrating one of the recipes from his new book Bill's Basics, followed by a 3 course dinner.


Bill’s Basics Public Events


Saturday 11th September / LONDON
TIME: 11-12:30
Hereford Road Brunch
3 Hereford Road (Opposite Leinster Square)
London
W2 4AB
Tickets: £12.50 for adults including a glass of Prosecco
£7 for children
For more information: www.herefordroad.org


Sunday 12th September / LONDON
TIME: 11.00 – 13.30 High Road House
Brunch at High Road House
162-166 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 1PR
Tickets: TBC
For more information: www.highroadhouse.co.uk


Monday 13th September / LONDON - SOLD OUT
TIME: From 19:00 La Fromagerie
Hosted dinner at La Fromagerie
2-6 Moxon Street
Marylebone
London
W1U 4EW
Tickets: £70.00pp including wines
For more information: www.lafromagerie.co.uk


Wednesday 15th September / BATH
TIME: From 19:00 Babington House
Dinner and Accommodation at Babington House
Babington House
Babington near Frome
Somerset
BA11 3RW
Tickets: £350 Dinner and Accommodation Package for 2 people
For more information: www.babingtonhouse.co.uk


Thursday 16th September / BATH
TIME: From 11:00 The Glove Factory
Tea & cakes at The Glove Factory
The Glove Factory
Brook Lane
Holt
Bradford upon Avon
BA14 6RL
Tickets: £10
For more information: www.glovefactorystudios.com


Thursday 16th September / BATH
TIME: 19.45 for 20:00 talk Toppings
Bill Granger in conversation
The Paragon
Bath
BA1 5LS
Tickets: £7 with £7 off the book
For more information: www.toppingbooks.co.uk


Sunday 19th September / Abergavenny, WALES
TIME: 14.00 – 15.00 Abergavenny Food Festival
Bill Granger in conversation with Henry Dimbleby
Borough Theatre
Market St
Abergavenny
NP7 5XZ
Tickets: £6.00 available online from Abergavenny Food Festival Website
For more information: www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com


Wednesday 22nd September / LONDON - SOLD OUT
TIME: 19:00 –23:00 Hix Selfridges
Hosted dinner at Hix Selfridges
400 Oxford Street
London
W1A 1AB
Tickets: £60 each includes a 3 course dinner, half a bottle of wine and service charge.
For more information: www.hixatselfridges.co.uk


Thursday 23rd September / LONDON
TIME: 17.00 – 20.30 Whole Foods Kensington
Thirsty Thursday inspired by Bills Basics
The Barkers Building
63-97 Kensington High Street
London
For more information: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/storesbeta/kensington


Thursday 30th September / LONDON - SOLD OUT
TIME: 18.30-19.15 Waterstones Piccadilly
Cooking demonstration at Waterstones Piccadilly
203-205 Piccadilly
London
W1J 9HD
Tickets: £6
For more information: www.waterstones.com

Sunday 28th November / BIRMINGHAM
National Exhibition Centre BBC Good Food Show
Birmingham Cooking demonstrations
For more information: http://www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/


Friday 3rd December / LONDON
ExCeL London Taste of Christmas
Cooking demonstration at the ExCel Centre
Royal Victoria Dock
London
E16 1XL
For more information: www.tasteofchristmas.com

The Loft Project hosts Sydney sensation, Mark Best of Marque restaurant for a singular supper club

ONE NIGHT ONLY
Thursday 16th September 2010

For one night only, acclaimed chef Mark Best will be cooking a very special degustation dinner at Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel, as part of a collaboration with The Loft Project.

Mark Best started by discovering the stoves accidentally and ended up becoming an unquestionable symbol of the new Australian Cuisine. His perseverance and his ‘eternal dissatisfaction’ (as he calls it himself) are the vitamins for his spectacular professional development.

On Thursday 16th September, the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Award Breakthrough winner 2010, holder of ‘Three Hats’, Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Chef of the Year’, and Time Out Sydney’s ‘Restaurant of the Year, will be serving dinner to 12 guests on one large table in the De Montfort Suite.

Guests will be able to sample a culinary exploration echoing the menu at Marque, Mark Best’s award winning Sydney restaurant. Each course from the proposed menu which is laid out below is subject to Mark Best’s market visit, to be undertaken as soon as he touches down in the UK. He will amend his dishes to make use of the best in local seasonal ingredients available in London. Mark’s resolute ethos is such that only the very best of ingredients have a place in his food. The resulting dishes are delicious, harmonious and aesthetic, where the technique is hidden and the ingredients shine.

This is the first time Mark has showcased his cooking in the UK and is a unique opportunity to sample his eclectic and boundary-breaking style.

Location: The De Montfort Suite
Town Hall Hotel
8 Patriot Square
Bethnal Green
London
E2 9NF

Time: 7.30pm
Price: £160 including all food and wine.
To reserve a place: Please contact Clarise Faria at theloftproject.co.uk
clarise@theloftproject.co.uk 44 (0) 7956 205 005

Mark Best of Marque restaurant
Hosted by The Loft Project
At
Town Hall Hotel
Thursday 16 September 2010

Menu

Chaud-Froid Free Range Egg Alain Passard 1998


Almond Jelly with Blue Swimmer Crab, Almond Gazpacho, Sweet Corn & Avruga

2008 Weingut Knoll, Loibner Grüner Veltliner, Federspiel, Wachau, Austria


Mackerel with Smoked Foie Gras, Lardo, Mustard & Gherkin

2005 Domaine des Baumard, Clos du Papillon, Chenin blanc, Savennières, France


West Australian Marron with Lemon Curd, Vadouvan, Cos Lettuce and Burnt Fennel

2004 Georg Breuer Berg Roseneck Riesling, Rheingau, Germany


Crab Custard


Organic Root Vegetables with Peas & Ham Consommé

2008 Pierre-Marie Chermette Les Griottes Beaujolais, Burgundy, France


Roast Muscovy Duck with Steamed Eggplant, Yoghurt and Dried Scallop

2008 Archaval Ferrer, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina


Lacquered Roast Grouse with Beetroot, Radicchio, Cocoa, Hazelnut and Vanilla

2006 Sutton Grange Winery Estate, Shiraz, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia


Vacca Rossa Reggiano with Black Truffle & PotatoŒEn Cocotte


Chestnut Fizz


Sauternes Custard


Chocolate Mousse Écrasé, Eucalyptus & Coconut Provençal Musketeer


Salted Caramel Chocolates, Lemon Drops & Bitter Bon Bons


Note – the wines listed are what they would use in Australia and are included as an indication of style for the sommelier.



Editor’s Notes

For more information on Mark Best and Marque Restaurant please contact Sarah Canet:
Sarah@spoon-pr.com +44 20 7610 9821

For more information on Town Hall Hotel please contact Louise Moore:
Louise@purplepr.com +44 207 434 7062

The Loft Project

The Loft Project is the brainchild of acclaimed chef Nuno Mendes. Originally set up as a temporary supper club and personal test kitchen, The Loft soon evolved and became a ‘chef’s gallery’ where specially chosen guest chefs take up residency to showcase their food. An experiment in hospitality, The Loft Project brings food, drink, art and people together, set within an intimate and considered environment in East London.
www.theloftproject.co.uk

For more information on The Loft Project please contact Gemma Bell:
Gemma@gemmabell.com +44 7957134595

Sneaky Peek at The Hardwick's New Rooms

This is The Hardwick's new accommodation block and courtyard in the lovely summer rain…

All set to open on 13th September!

A GOURMET GETAWAY WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART COMFORT: THE HARDWICK, ABERGAVENNY TO OPEN 8 LUXURY BEDROOMS IN SEPTEMBER

Stephen Terry’s critically acclaimed restaurant, The Hardwick in Abergavenny, is set to open 8 beautiful bedrooms in time for the Abergavenny Food Festival in September.

This is the first accommodation venture for internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Stephen Terry, owner of The Hardwick. Known for its mighty reputation as an outstanding place to eat and drink, Terry’s restaurant has now been expanded to offer visitors an astounding place to stay. The result is a gastronomic hideaway in the heart of Wales’ lush, verdant hills.

The restaurant remains at the heart of this idyllic escape and the understated, natural elegance of the accommodation blends perfectly with the restaurant’s simple and honest philosophy. Terry’s cleverly remodelled building, though contemporary it is thoroughly sympathetic to its tranquil countryside setting and its Welsh identity. Within The Hardwick’s beautiful oak-clad building, 8 contemporary double bedrooms have been created, combining elegant, understated design with historic Welsh charm. Hand-crafted oak doors, desks and shutters and Welsh slate floors sit comfortably against luxurious en-suite bathrooms, crisp white sheets and modern comforts, such as HD TV, Wi-Fi and a Roberts DAB Radio with iPod and iPhone connections, making it the ultimate escape from the city.

The Hardwick’s award winning restaurant offers exceptional food and drinks and is a convivial place for guests and visitors alike to meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From Ham, Egg and Chips to a beautiful piece of roasted Gower Peninsula Sea Bass, the restaurant is recognised for using the highest quality locally sourced, seasonal produce. In addition, an elegant mini-bar containing good half bottles of wine and champagne, bottled water, milk and a selection of truffles by chocolatier Damian Allsop is available in each bedroom- creating not only the smartest but also the tastiest accommodation in Wales.

Located in beautiful countryside overlooking the Brecon Beacons National Park, this rural retreat provides an excellent base for touring the Wye Valley, an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” and for exploring nearby picturesque market town Abergavenny. Abergavenny, famed for its annual Food Festival, is steeped in history and enjoys an enviable position in the South Eastern corner of Wales, only 20 miles from the English border.

FACTS

Opening- September 2010

Reservations number: 01873 854220

Address: The Hardwick

Old Raglan Road

Abergavenny

Monmouthshire

Wales

NP7 9AA

Email: info@thehardwick.co.uk

Website: www.thehardwick.co.uk

FOOD AT THE HARDWICK

The Hardwick is a country pub which very much leans towards being a restaurant. This is largely due to the owner, critically acclaimed chef Stephen Terry, being a cook by nature and not a publican. A place where everybody is made to feel welcome, whether it be for a quick pint or meeting friends and family for lunch or dinner, The Hardwick has a simple & honest philosophy- to source, cook and serve to the best of its abilities at all times.

Produce is treated with the respect it deserves and served with the minimum of fuss and maximum of flavour, using seasonal produce that allows customers and staff alike to look forward to certain ingredients throughout the year.

Creating The Hardwick has been a labour of love for Stephen, with the combination of his honest and intelligent food with The Hardwick’s relaxed, unstuffy atmosphere earning it the reputation as one of the best restaurants in the country.

In 2007, The Hardwick was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, it has retained it every year since and is currently the only restaurant in Wales to hold one. Two years on, The Hardwick was named runner-up for the Best Restaurant in the Observer Food Monthly awards and feted for having the UK’s “Best Use of Local Produce” by the Good Food Guide. Last year, ranking 51st in the top 100 restaurants at the National Restaurant Awards 2009, this “highly recommended” establishment was crowned “Best Dining Pub in Wales” (Good Pub Guide 2010).

Stephen Terry

Chef- proprietor Stephen Terry has a great pedigree. From starting off his career with Marco Pierre White to achieving a Michelin star (for the second time) at The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny, Stephen’s talents have recently been witnessed on TV courtesy of The Great British Menu. Stephen’s arrival at The Hardwick has been a long and interesting journey.

After training with Marco at his first restaurant, Harvey’s, Stephen went to Le Gavroche where his introduction to classic French cooking became an integral part of the foundation of his philosophy to cooking. His next stop was Scotland as Sous Chef at The Breaval Old Mill, followed by a journey back to London where he opened The Canteen in Chelsea Harbour for Marco and Michael Caine and was awarded his first Michelin star, at the age of 25.

After two years at The Canteen, it was time for a sabbatical and France beckoned. Following six months in the South of France at a one star Relais chateau Le Roches, Stephen spent a further successful six months at Parisian two star Michelin L’Arpege led by inspirational Chef Alain Passard, eventually leaving to take up an offer from Oliver Peyton to be head Chef at his new restaurant, Coast in Mayfair, London – still remembered as one of the most cutting edge restaurants of the late nineties.

After Coast, Stephen travelled a little, taking in Australia and parts of North America and was then approached by Francesco Taruschio to purchase The Walnut Tree Inn. In 2002, a year after opening, Stephen won a Michelin star. Two years later, he returned to London to a position as Head Chef consultant at Cecconis, the legendary Italian restaurant in Mayfair that was in need of a little inspiration. From Cecconis it was on to another consultancy at The Pear Tree Inn, Whitley, Wiltshire, which was then awarded Best Pub in England by the AA Guide in 2005. It was whilst commuting from home in South Wales that The Horse & Jockey Pub came on the market. With a new lease of life and the help and support of friends and family, The Hardwick was born within four weeks of purchase.

Bill Granger's Christmas Coleslaw

At heart I’ll always be a Sydney boy, and whatever the weather, I crave salads. I need that crisp, refreshing, healthy-tasting hit and I find it hard to eat a meal that doesn’t have some kind of crunch. I always find an excuse to include a ‘slaw. Maybe it’s the buried memory of a youthful guilty pleasure…those little fast-food tubs of coleslaw!

I always make a version of coleslaw for the hot Australian summer Christmas. Now we are in England, I make a great winter version- a red cabbage salad with toasted pine nuts and fried onions rather than raw- that can again be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.

Bill’s Basics published by Quadrille £25
www.bills.com.au

A DIY Christmas for Chocoholics

In France, it is tradition to give beautiful boxes of chocolates to friends and neighbours at Christmas. In her Chocolate Maker’s Kit, a collection of tools of the trade and a specially created English version of her chocolate recipe book Chocolate Atelier, chocolate-lover Trish Deseine shares her recipes for creating perfect hand-made truffles and glossy miniature chocolates to give away.

And what better way to spoil your guests at the end of a meal than a home-made tray of chocolate biscotti or chocolate shortbread? Last-minute Christmas stocking ideas are also taken care of with recipes for chocolate lolli-pops and tips for personalising mendiants.

Trish’s top tips for creating DIY chocolate presents for Christmas;

“Try to find the best chocolate you can. High and pure cocoa-butter content, rather than high cocoa-solids content, is the way to go. The cocoa butter means the chocolate has a good base of flavour, will be smooth on the palate and easy to melt.”

Chocolate Kit £25.00
Kit plus bag of Chocolate by Trish chocolate £29.95
Available from www.selfridges.com

AND A HOPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO!

Rod Jones, The Old Brewery’s on-site brewer shares his tips for a Beer Lovers’ Christmas menu.

To start off the day’s celebrations, a glass of Meantime’s cloudy, golden-orange Bavarian-style Wheat Beer with its moderately dense white head and zesty aromas provides a beautiful accompaniment to a light, elegant smoked salmon starter.

The full bodied hoppy nature of the India Pale Ale would be an ideal match for a fine turkey and would also stand up to the sharpness of the cranberry sauce. Its unusual, slick bottle would also look far more interesting on the Christmas Dinner table than a bottle of wine!

Meantime’s rich and rewarding Chocolate Porter-style Ale blossoms with rich fruity desserts so is a perfect match for Christmas pudding.
Meantime beers available from Sainsbury’s and good independent retailers nationwide.

www.meantimebrewing.com

I Saw U-MAMMA Kissing Santa Claus

An Alternative Christmas from Spoon PR

I saw U-mamma Kissing Santa Claus
Especially for Christmas, Umami Queen Laura Santtini has put together some tips for an Umami-packed Christmas feast.

-Try rubbing a bit of porcini butter underneath the skin of the turkey for a truly easy, tasty bird.

-Add a dash of Taste #5 Umami Paste to your usual gravy recipe for an extra flavour punch.

-Lift red cabbage by combining with high glutamate ingredients such as bacon and balsamic vinegar.

-Sprinkle shavings of Parmesan cheese over parsnips for a truly moreish side dish.

-Coat cocktail sausages with Taste #5 Umami Paste and wrap in Prosciutto or Parma ham.

-Turn your stuffing balls into flavour bombs by adding mortadella, Prosciutto cotto, tasty sausage meat, grated Parmesan cheese, pistachio nuts and dried apricots.

-Taste #5 Umami Paste available from Ocado, Waitrose, Selfridges £2.99 – The perfect stocking filler www.laurasanttini.com

Have Yourself a Medieval Christmas

One of England’s oldest national dishes, Frumentry, a type of spicy porridge with dried fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon and almonds, was a popular dish in Western European medieval cuisine and laid the foundation for today’s Christmas pudding. Made with almond milk, Rude Health’s Fruity Date porridge is perfect for a Christmas morning treat, with its hot sticky dates and apples and hint of cinnamon for sweetness.

www.rudehealth.com

Christmas Cheers from The Old Brewery

For hard to please fathers, Meantime Brewing Company’s The Old Brewery in Greenwich has come up with the ultimate beer-lover’s gift. Perfect for true beer connoisseurs or those who just enjoy a good pint and an interesting night out, the evening Brewery Tours run from Monday till Thursday, with Meantime’s on-site brewer, being able to accommodate 2 – 6 people comfortably on his hour-long historical tour of the site. The tours cost £40 per head including beer sampling and a three course meal from their acclaimed restaurant menu.

www.oldbrewerygreenwich.com

And a DIY Christmas to you, too!

In time for Christmas, Trish Deseine has created a Chocolate Making Kit with a selection of basic tools of the trade, beautifully formed chocolate moulds and a specially created English version of one of her chocolate recipe books, Chocolate Atelier. A perfect present for a chocoholic or an excellent investment for those looking for satisfying and creative present suggestions to fill up stockings and gaps under the tree. The kits contain tips and tools to make the hottest chocolate gifts from homemade boxes of truffles, personalised mendiants, chocolate covered dried fruit and florentines to hints for creating professional looking chocolate decorations.

Chocolate Kit £25.00 http://www.selfridges.com/
Special Offer - Kit plus bag of Chocolate By Trish chocolate £29.95

chocolatebytrish.com

Stocking Fillers from Laura Santtini Spellbinding Flavours

"An entire Italian Christmas hamper, cleverly squeezed into one delicious tube!"


For an ideal unisex and utilitarian stocking filler for any in-the-know foodie, Laura Santtini has gathered the ingredients from an entire Italian Christmas hamper and cleverly squeezed them into one delicious tube. The phenomenal Taste #5 Umami Paste is a taste-sensation using the finest umami-rich Italian ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, anchovies, Porcini mushrooms and Balsamic vinegar. An inexpensive flavour-bomb that has all the allure of a luxury beauty cream, all that’s missing is the panetone!

For a truly enchanting Christmas, Laura Santtini Spellbinding Flavours Alchemical Larder makes a heart-racing gift. Packaged in dazzling jewel coloured glass jars, the captivating kits contain 16 magical ingredients such as aphrodisiacal cacao nibs, devils penis chilli and grains of paradise. Commence an exploration of alchemy and a seductive voyage of taste.

Alchemic Larder £25 www.selfridges.com
Taste #5 Umami Paste £2.99 www.ocado.com
www.laurasanttini.com

Tips for a "No Worries" Christmas from Bill Granger

‘No Worries’ Christmas

This September, in time for the busiest season of the year, Bill Granger, Australian restaurateur, food writer, television chef and busy father has worked his particular magic on over 100 of his favourite classic dishes. Bill’s Basics is a straightforward guide to making the recipes that every home cook wants to master and includes his Christmas Favourite, Gravalax.

“People think curing fish must be complicated, but it couldn’t be easier: the fridge does all the work and you take all the credit. This makes a nice Scandinavian change to smoked salmon and is an impressive dish to serve to a big group of friends, especially at Christmas.”

Bill’s Basics published by Quadrille £25
http://www.bills.com.au/

Spoon hits the BBQ with Hare's Moor

Spoon's intrepid Eva Fiedler (currently tandeming around a finest in Poland) recently took to the BBQ with a helping hand from Hare's Moor's new BBQ Kits (and her boyfriend Steve) Chicken Tikka Skewers and Shish Kebabs were big hitters with comments such as 'mmmmmm', 'delicious' and 'this chicken tastes better than in an indian restaurant.'

www.haresmoor.com

SPOON NEW CLIENT: STEPHEN TERRY AND THE HARDWICK

We are proud to announce that Spoon's newest client, Stephen Terry’s critically acclaimed restaurant The Hardwick in Abergavenny, is to open 8 luxury bedrooms in time for the Abergavenny Food Festival in September. The ultimate gourmet getaway with state-of-the-art comfort. Watch this space for more news...

http://www.thehardwick.co.uk/