Love Gluten Free Goes on Tour

Over the last week and a bit I have been away and whilst I do enjoy travelling I do so with a little trepidation. I am always concerned about what I am going to eat. This is the question that weighs on my mind wherever I go, especially when it is somewhere new.

But this time I am travelling on familiar ground and only packed a few snacks for the plane trip - some habits die hard. I am currently in New York however last week I was in London and then Salisbury and ate up a storm. I have been logging most meals along the way.

The highlight of the last week has been visiting The River Cottage Canteen in Axminster in Devon. The trip was in the sometimes pouring rain on narrow winding country roads which was occasionally a little on the hairy side but fun. The novelty and prettiness of the English countryside never bores me. When we arrived in Axminster we had not been very prepared and did not have the address of the restaurant but everyone was very helpful and friendly and we were soon in the queue for a table.

The staff were very apologetic about the wait and fed us cheese while engaging in a little small talk. There was free beer to be sampled but not gluten free. The cheese was a great mix of a cheddar with blue cheese mixed through. An interesting combination that works very nicely and would make a delicious toasted cheese sandwich.

After about a ten minute wait we were seated in the front of the restaurant, there is a much larger space at the back of the canteen past the kitchen which was full of bunting and happy eaters. Our waitperson was lovely and so helpful in knowing what was and was not gluten free. To my delight almost everything on the menu was. I had found my food nirvana!

The menu changes daily using the fresh, local produce that they can buy at the market and also using the remains of what they have in the fridge.

We settled on getting three courses as well as a salad and thought it best to share so we could taste everything. This was a real novelty.

Entrees were: Parsley Soup with Lemon Oil (above right) and Bobby Beans, Baby Carrots, Beetroot, Orange and Asparagus Pesto (picture above).
Mains were: Beetroot Frittata, Lavistock Mozzarella, Cous Cous (served on a separate plate, which my husband ate), Trill Farm Leaves (picture below right - part way through eating before taking the pic oops!) and Beef and Fennel Curry, Flatbread (served on a separate plate) and Mint Yoghurt (picture on right ditto re taking the pic).
Dessert was Poached Gooseberries, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta and Shortbread Crumbs (not included in my serving, picture below).
Drinks were water, a locally produced apple juice and a pot of tea with dessert.

The dishes were so simple and incredibly fresh. The flavours were out of this world. The Orange and Asparagus Pesto was amazing, the nuts in the pesto, I think walnuts, had been roasted and gave such a wonderful flavour.
The flavour of the soup was a subtle parsley and a hint of chilli and the lemon oil gave a lovely lift. The curry was very delicious the bread would have been the perfect accompaniment but alas it was not meant to be! The frittata was packed full of beautiful, fresh as can be vegetables, again such simple meals and so delicious as it was beautifully prepared. The panna cotta was perfection. The right balance of sweet and vanilla bean with the tartness of the gooseberries.

What can I say beyond if you are in the area you must visit this place even for a quick cup of tea or to visit the deli - they had gluten free vegetable pasties while we were there. And whilst I felt like I was going to burst I was severely tempted to buy one for have on the drive home, but soon thought that this was really not a practical option due to the fullness of my tummy. For us, it was well worth the drive from Salisbury and was definitely a highlight of our trip.


River Cottage Canteen
Trinity Square, Axminster, Devon
+44 1297 631862

A Warming Dessert

When the weather is cold nothing beats a lovely apple crumble topped with cream.  

The recipe that I use is my variation of the one that I learnt in Grade 8 Home Economics class with Mrs Walker - so many years ago now but still delicious but now with a few tweaks of my own to make it even better now that it is gluten free.  
This crumble has the fruit freshly diced and put into the baking dish, rather than 
pre-cooking the fruit allowing faster preparation time.

 Apple and Pear Crumble

3 granny smith apples peeled and diced
3 pears peeled and diced
2 teaspoons of white sugar
zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of water
140g gluten free plain flour
100g unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
A few small bits of unsalted butter as an optional extra

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan forced.  Grease an oven proof oven dish and place the peeled and diced apples and pears in the bottom with the water.  Sprinkle half of the sugar over the fruit and stir through, then add the rest of the sugar and the zest and stir this through to allow them to be evenly distributed.  If you wish to add the few extra bits of butter drop them on top of the fruit all over - about six-eight small pieces should do it.

In a food processor put the gluten free plain flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and the softened butter.  Blitz until everything together for a minute or two until it resembles fine bread crumbs.  Don't let it blitz for too long or else it will become more combined like a dough - this you need to avoid.  

Once you have the crumble finished, sprinkle this over the top of your fruit allowing some of the fruit to poke through as they will cook beautifully.  Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes until it is golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges a little.  The water and the butter will combine and create a lovely sweet, fruity sauce. 

Serve immediately with cream.

And yes my presentation is terrible but it tastes great!