To the Pipe & Glass in the Wolds for a ‘dry run’ (not so dry as it turns out) for Sue and Aidan Nelson’s newly formed Yorkshire Food Finder. The idea is to start and end at a great pub/restaurant in a specific corner of the county and during the day visit and sample some of our best food producers and makers. We had a warm welcome on a grisly foggy morning from the Nelsons and the lovely James Mackenzie, smiling as ever (so would you be if you’d landed a Michelin star). Sausage baps and good coffee were plentiful and set the bar for the quality of food we’d enjoy throughout the day.
First stop the Top Wold Brewery in Wold Newton in Hockneyland. Owner Tom Mellor explained the science of brewing then of course we got to sample half a dozen of his beers; Scarborough Fair being my fave. A magnificent cold lunch provided by James included black pudding sausage rolls, charcuterie, poached salmon and one of the best potato salads I’ve ever had.
Onwards to James White’s butchery in Hutton Cranswick where we learned the dark art of sausage making, with hilarious (but edible) results. The weather was still wretched so it was a relief to get back to the glowing Pipe & Glass in time to listen to local character farmer/stock car racer Rob Gibbon tell us how he started making cider by accident. And a further sampling, naturally. There was hardly time to catch your breath before a whistle stop tour round James’s shiny kitchen. Fascinating. Finally we sat down to a cracking dinner in the candle lit conservatory: terrine with spelt toast followed by meltingly tender beef and James’s signature hot spicy red cabbage. Is there room for three ways with apple? You bet. Especially when there are little white jugs of foaming creme anglais to pass round. All in all a grand day out. We wish the Nelsons well in their endeavour – we’re all for banging the Yorkshire produce drum.