Concerning seasonal eating.

Featuring; The last roast. Farewell, Friday is Pie Day! Welcome, Smoking Sunday`s, including, `Cold & Hot!`, a guide to both cold, and hot smoking.

Here at Bottle & Board, we have always considered eating and drinking to be a seasonally based undertaking. The food should match the drink. whether that be beer, wine or cider, and the drink should reflect the weather, if not necessarily the season.

Around the world, and before the invention of refrigeration, brewers produced various types of beer in line with the seasons, often brewing during the colder months, and leaving their beers to mature during the Summer, in caves where the temperature remained fairly constant all year round.

For nearly twenty years Gina and I worked at London`s Borough Market, (Indeed at the time of writing that is where Gina is today.) and during that time we got to know a number of farmers and producers and we came to understand and value the concept of seasonal eating. (Waiting for the first of the English asparagus to emerge.)

The last roast!

Sunday the 22nd of March was the last Sunday of the year before the clocks were put forwards by one hour to herald in British Summer time. For over twenty years now this has meant that we have cooked the last roast dinner for the next 6 months. or so. In reality, if the weather remains warm and dry enough in October, then the various BBQ`s, Cobbs, and hot & cold smokers dotted around the house and garden will be kept in operation until the day that it becomes too dark,damp and depressing to continue. At this point we will once again delight in preparing the Toad in the holes with mashed potatoes and onion gravy, the pies, suet puddings and Sunday roasts that we last sat down to back in March!

The final roast of Winter is always the same as the first full roast dinner of Autumn. English fore-rib of beef cooked, (barely!) and served, on the bone.

Rare roast fore rib of beef on the bone.

The last Yorkies till Autumn.

Sunday 29th March; British Summertime begins.

I returned home following Smoked Salmon Sunday, ready for the first Cobbing session of the Summer, I had already spent an afternoon of servicing and maintenance, and so I was already to go.

A Cobb BBQ & Smoking system, ready for another Summer!

Cobbed Organic Chicken; with Lemon & Garlic.

For a light Summery taste, the Chicken has lemon wedges, garlic cloves and knobs of butter placed in the body cavity. The breast and legs are brushed with olive oil and liberally seasoned with FGBP and sea salt. More lemons, garlic and a glass of dry white wine are added to the Cobb`s moat.

Coals are hot, and the Chicken is well seasoned.

Fresh Lemon wedges, crushed garlic cloves & dry white wine are placed in the moat to provide moisture and flavour.

Cooking. Not looking!

The Cobb`s stainless steel dome is placed over the Chicken to create an oven. The bird is then left to cook for 100 minutes, before resting.

Cobb roasted, organic chicken. 100 mins at woodmark 3.

Serving suggestion!

We retained the breast meat for another meal and served the legs & wings with BBQ new potatoes and a jalapeno slaw. Unfortunately! I was overcome by the aromas issuing forth from the Chicken, and therefore failed to take any photographs.

The Cobbed Chicken Cold Cuts!

On Tuesday evening, Gina served up most of the retained breast meat* in a Mexican, toasted tortilla salad, made up of shredded Chicken, roasted red peppers, grated carrot, raw hispi cabbage, sliced radishes, pickled jalapenos, spring onions and avacados. In line with a much lighter, Summer eating style, Gina food matched the salad with Sierra Nevada Spring fest IPA.

*Pepper, consumed a fair amount.

Chicken tortilla salad & Sierra Nevada Springfest.

Hot versus Cold smoking.

The very basic difference is time & temperature. Cold smoking (Low& Slow.) is a preserving technique.

The food is often cured to reduce the moisture content, then held at <65 degrees in a cold smoke environment for 12-16 hours. Some cold smoked foods, i.e. smoked salmon, cheese, eggs, nuts, olives, chilies etc, etc can then be safely eaten. Nearly all other meat items, sausages, pork ribs, Duck, Turkey & Chicken will require additional cooking before being safe to eat.

Hot smoking (Hot & Fast.) is a cooking technique. Food is cooked at a higher temperature >72 for between two and two and a half hours.

Hot smoking works very well for Duck, Chicken, Pork belly, Beef brisket, Mackerel and Trout.

Smoked Salmon Monday. May bank holiday 4th May.

Woodston Smoked Salmon will be available as small plates between the hours of 14.00 and 16.00.

Cheers Chums!