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On the trail of Dick Turpin

A country pub restaurant provides a satisfying evening for food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne

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A place in the country

Richard Cawthorne reports on the continuing transformation of Offley Place over lunch with owner Hamid Sabahipour

Official launch for Chez Mumtaj

AN evening of French-Asian delicacies greeted guests at the official launch of Chez Mumtaj

Making dining a novel experience

Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne goes all Spanish in the heart of Welwyn

A polished performance

Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne delves behind the Jaguar showroom to uncover a â€˜hidden jewelâ€™...

Unpretentious style

An aggressive marketing campaign draws food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne to an 18th century hideaway in Harpenden

Still keeping simple

The TV chef and former child actor Paul Bloxham talks to food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne about running a restaurant during a credit crunch

Sopwell feast launches food festival

SOPWELL House and executive chef, James Chapman are in the spotlight as the first St Albans Food and Drink Festival is launched

Hertfordshire hotel & restaurant guide

From bespoke boutique hotels to quaint tea rooms we pick the best of the bunch in Hertfordshire to compile the definitive guide to the finest hotels and rtestaurants in Hertfordshire....

More choice at the Rabbitâ€™s Foot

THE Rabbitâ€™s Foot, formerly the Jolly Waggoner, at Ardeley, near Stevenage, where Broni Cuff and Debs Weetman took over in October, is expanding its food offering this summer to include a childrenâ€™s menu and bar snacks

Unlocking the Cabinet

Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne heads deep into the countryside to explore a restaurant with a past

Trio of pan fried scallops

Harry Schenk at The Fox and Hounds shares his recipe for trio of pan fried scallops on a tarragon potato cake and baby spinach with apricot and fennel marmalade and sautÃ©ed girolle mushrooms

St Albans Chamber of Commerce Awards

HERTFORDSHIRE Life has joined forces with St Albans Chamber of Commerce to become one of the sponsors of its new Business Awards. Read for details of how to nominate your favourite Hertfordshire restaurant.

The great outdoors at the Tilbury

CELEBRITY chef Paul Bloxham is betting on good weather and promising a summer of al fresco eating at the Tilbury Pub & Dining Rooms in Datchworth.

Potted home smoked Mackerel

Robert Brown, at Savoro presents his recipe for Potted home smoked Mackerel with fresh horseradish and warm toast

Relaxez-vous at Le Rendez-vous

A small French restaurantâ€™s reputation precedes it as food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne heads for Ware to find out more

Knots of sole and red onion marmalade

Ricky Valla at The Bean Tree shares his recipe for knots of sole and red onion marmalade with tomato sauce and oregano oil

Top award for Cellar Door

A ST Albans company has been named Independent Wine Retailer of the Year in the 2008 Drinks Retailing Association awards.

Service with a smile

When things start to go wrong, a good waitress can make all the difference, as food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne discovered on a visit to The Peppercorn

A seamless display of fine cooking

Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne enjoys lunch with chef Julian Ward

Venison stew with thyme and juniper dumplings

Mark Alan Jones at Down Hall Hotel shares his recipe for venison stew with thyme and juniper dumplings

Redcoats Valentine chocolate baked Alaska

Scott Liversedge at Redcoats Farmhouse Hotel and Restaurant shares his recipe for Redcoats Valentine chocolate baked Alaska with brandy soaked blackcherry compote

The hairdresser who became a chef

HERTFORDSHIRE hairdresser Terry Calvert donned chefâ€™s whites to grace the cover of a new cookbook

Roast loin of venison

Dominic Smith of Offley Place offers up his recipe for roast loin of venison with celeriac mash, wilted spinach and wild mushrooms

White Horse back in the running

THE White Horse in historic Shenley, near Radlett, has reopened after a major refurbishment by the Warwickshire-based Classic Country Pub Design Company

Bengeo is fair game

THE Hillside Restaurant in Bengeo, Hertford, is celebrating the success of the first of a planned series of special events which will continue throughout 2008.

Crab and salmon fish cakes

Harry Schenk at The Fox and Hounds in Barley shares his recipe for crab and salmon fish cakes

Thai green curry with chicken

Chef Nid at The Blue Orchid in Berkhamsted conjures up a traditional dish

Novelli cooks up school funds

CELEBRITY chef Jean Christophe Novelli helped cook up money for charity after he was â€˜boughtâ€™ by a school pupil

Barley Risotto with Roast Butternut Squash

Stuart Smith at Brookmans Park offers a truly tempting dish designed to keep you feeling warm

Italian delights from Sohoâ€™s Little sister

Richard Cawthorne finds how Nolita, the sibling of London restaurant Little Italy, is living up to expectation

Wanted: your apples and pears

SMALL local growers of great tasting apples and pears are being sought by specialist food shop, The English Grocer in Buntingford.

Tastes of Success

Clare Bourke enjoys lunch with Grant Young at Restaurant 65 in Hemel Hempstead

A veritable fusion of flavours

Different tastes at Darcys in St Albans

Bringing home the bacon

How one family business is making sure it stays a cut above

Dylan celebrates two AA Rosettes

DYLAN Murray, owner of Dylanâ€™s Restaurant in Barnet is understandably over the moon having recently been awarded two AA rosettes

Infectious charm of lunchtime treats

Enjoying lunch with Melissa Chai at Sukawatee in Hitchin

Pan-fried red mullet on roquette lasagne

David Morris at Shendish Manor shares one of his tasty recipes

Goong Mae-Naam Chu Chi

Narongsak Bualamphan at Baan Thitiya Thai Cuisine delights with a traditional dish

Growing needs natural solution

John and Caroline Jones show how keeping it simple has led to their success story

Subtle flavours of the Orient

Lunch with Tony Chan at The East in Stanborough

Suckling pig with black pudding mash

Sunday roast gets a Scrumpy twist from Julian Ward at Hertford House Hotel

Local beer sales soar

Sales of local beer have increased by almost 100 per cent year-on-year, as more people choose to enjoy local produce

Wily Fox offers lunchtime charm

Tasty delights on offer at The Fox in Harpenden

A city oasis of calm

For Japanese charm, Sukiyaki fits the bill

A real taste of Italy

A flavour of the continent at lunch with Fabrizio Cruciani at Strada

Bagels take a healthy turn

BAGEL lovers worried about putting on weight are being tempted by a new low-fat or no-fat range from The Natural Bagel Company.

Pollo funghi

Jason Emery at The Crown in Aston End shares his recipe for chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, wrapped in bacon and finished with a red wine, onion and mushroom gravy

recipe with

Kashu joins St Albans line-up

Boxing clever

Saving the earth â€“ food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne checks out a Harpenden coupleâ€™s venture into the world of organic products

Belly of pork with octopus

Doug Palfreeman at Majestic Catering shares his recipe for an alternative 'surf and turf'

The Clarendon aims for the heights

HERTFORDSHIRE could soon be home to the best restaurant in Britain, if David Cowham has his way.

Peas on earth

FANS of British produce have welcomed the start of the official Bean and Pea Season, which lasts until September

A wine for all seasons

Internet marketing is proving a best seller for a Braughing-based husband and wife team. Richard Cawthorne reports

All in the family

Very cosy and very English â€“ the historic White Hart in Welwyn makes an impression on food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne

Trio of pan fried scallops

Harry Schenk at The Fox and Hounds shares his recipe for Trio of pan fried scallops on a tarragon potato cake and baby spinach with apricot and fennel marmalade and sautÃ©ed girolle mushrooms

A welcome for everybody

The imposing Brookmans building at Bradmore Green is undergoing big changes as a new team sets about creating a gastro-pub with a difference. Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne has lunch with Alastair Bramley to find out more

Tastings galore at the Cowper Arms

A BEER tasting evening on June 5 and a wine tasting on July 17 are among special events this summer at the Cowper Arms in Cole Green, Hertford

Risotto of Devon crab

Chad Rahman, at Chez Mumtaj shares his recipe for Risotto of Devon crab with tandoored king prawns, basil and truffle foam and smoked aubergine caviar

Tomato power at Waitrose

THE new Waitrose shop in Rickmansworth is being provided with all its electricity through tomatoes.

On parade with the spice master

Thereâ€™s a lot more to Indian food than meets the eye, as Richard Cawthorne found out over lunch with Imran Chowdhury at Le Spice Merchant

Asparagus ascendant

ASPARAGUS fans are preparing for the 2008 season, traditionally running from May 1 for eight weeks but likely to be early this year because of the warm weather. The British crop is hailed as the best in the world because the climate allows the stems to develop slowly, producing a full, sweet flavour and fine texture.

Medallion of local pork tenderloin

Claude Paillet at the Nags Head prepares Medallion of local pork tenderloin wrapped in smoked bacon with confit of pork belly and a cider jus

Out of the ashes

Lunch with Peter Roads at The Catherine Wheel

Saba's fillet of beef

Erick Moboti from Saba shares his recipe for fillet of beef with wild mushroom pithiviers

Sebastian steps up at Hunton Park

HUNTON Park in Hunton Bridge village has named Sebastian Lewandowski head chef

Friends create a winning combination

Food and drink editor Richard Cawthorne enjoys lunch at Aqua Ristorante in Old Welwyn

Packing them in, Vintage style

Good prices and satisfied customers â€“ Richard Cawthorne investigates the appeal of Vintage Inns at The Royal Oak in Langley

Bricklayers first for food

THE 18th century Bricklayers Arms in Flaunden was voted the best pub in which to eat in Hertfordshire

New life for old Offley

CLASSICAL British dishes with a modern twist plus continental favourites are among the attractions at Offley Place, at Great Offley, near Hitchin, a country mansion house which has been restored as a hotel to the tune of Â£2million

Zodiac is among the stars

Richard Cawthorne enjoys lunch with William Boulton-Smith at Hanbury Manor

Reflections on quality

Richard Cawthorne takes up a readerâ€™s recommendation and enjoys dinner at St James in Bushey

Contemporary twist on an old classic

Enjoying lunch with Ben Charlton at The Pink Geranium in Melbourn

Yellow Onion Squash and Spinach Paella

IT may be cold outside but at The Stable Door in Welwyn village there is a permanent warm Mediterranean feel

Cook book celebrates Ware flavours

A NEW cook book has been produced to celebrate the success of Ware chefs and retailers and the variety of good food available in the town.

Tastes of the Med hit town

HITCHIN and Watford have both welcomed Mediterranean flavours with the opening of two new Que Pasa bars.

Chicken Edward IV with braised rice

Julian Nielson at The George & Dragon serves up one of his favourite dishes

The Greatest Steak and Ale Pudding

Paul Bloxham at The Tilbury shares one of his traditional recipes

Dine in style on river cruise

ARTIST Annie Newman has launched a floating restaurant to cruise the Hertfordshire/Essex border

Cherry tomato and olive bruschetta

Hitcham Rerhraye at Sazio Restaurant delights with two recipes full of Italian flavours

A tempting welcome in the Hillside

Relaxed quality on offer in Bengeo

British tastes at their best

Lunch with Luke and Sue Fishpool at The Lemon Tree

Paupiette of corn fed chicken

Claude Paillet at The Bricklayers Arms shares one of his tasty creations

New lease of life for pub

The Cowper Arms has benefited from a Â£450,000 refurbishment

Buttermilk and vanilla pannacotta

A sweet treat for dessert lovers from Leigh Diggens at Sopwell House

Foodie delights at The English Grocer

Buntingfords's new food shop, The English Grocer, is a very British affair

Italian tastes with plenty of heart

Old town appeal with a modern flourish at Aqua Ristorante

Rump of new season Lamb Nicoise

Summer fusion delight from Adrian McCormack at The Waggoners

A taste of Goa with Vijay Singh, Le Spice Merchant

Ghalina Cafreal â€“ Chicken Fillets marinated in fresh Herbs, Ginger, Garlic and Whole Spices

Lunch with...

Lunch with Mennel Welch at Tewin Bury Farm Hotel