Places: Fosbury – a culinary haven

I am very lucky in that I live in a beautiful area of the country, which provides inspiration and sparks creativity in me every day.

Deep within the Wiltshire countryside and nestled in the bosom of a valley, is a tiny hamlet which goes by the name of Fosbury. It’s a small unassuming place with fields, mud, sheep and game birds a plenty. Chickens are popular, very popular, in fact I do believe they outnumber human inhabitants, but who doesn’t enjoy a freshly laid egg? What it lacks in size it makes up for in culinary connections, it’s almost like someone stuck a pin in a map of the UK and labelled it mini food utopia. I’m not even sure where to start but let’s begin with the residents.

My neighbour is a wonderful gentleman called Tony, who also happens to be a gamekeeper on the Fosbury Estate. It’s not uncommon for him to bequeath me with little gifts of game which he will leave on my doorstop. Pigeon, plump breasted and iron rich in flavour; corn-fed partridge straight from the fields; beady eyed pheasant, their feathers a myriad of colours; fresh venison, rich and warming in flavour.  It’s fair to say I’m spoilt for choice.

Then there is my other neighbour, Rupert Marriage. Master Miller at Doves Farm who produce a wide range of specialist and gourmet organic flour and foods. Before the Marriages moved in, the house was second home to the mother of the delicious and talented Valentine Warner. I have to confess I was quite excited on finding this out and spent a lot of time looking out the window whenever a car pulled into the drive in the hope it was the great man himself. I like to think this wasn’t the reason for her moving on.

A bit further up the road resides the Hon. Erskine Guinness – farmer, chicken owner and member of a renowned family noted for their accomplishments in brewing, banking and politics but in particular for producing the ‘black stuff’ Guinness Beer, which they still own to this day.

In the opposite direction lives Angela Pryce, my good friend and one of the UK’s leading tea experts. Having spent 14 years working for Twinings she now offers herself as a consultant, blending her own teas and creating parings with food and alcohol (her tea cocktails are legendary in the village).

Further down still  (ok and not technically in Fosbury but in a neighbouring village called Upton) live Sarah and John Mills who own Parsonage Farm, producers of award winning charcuterie and air-dried meat. All their products are produced using organically-reared meat from their farm, which is also incidentally where Matt and I chose to get married. I will delve into more detail about these wonderful individuals in later posts but for now let me continue.

The area itself is just breathtaking, green fields form part of an undulating landscape that stretches on for the eye to see. Forests of bluebells make for perfect picnic spots in the spring and the Fosbury fort offers eye-wateringly beautiful views all year round. There is just so much to discover and take in that it just inspires me every day get creative in the kitchen. I not only feel excited to play around with the exceptional local produce but endeavour always to try and reflect some of the imagery, colours and vistas that I can see in the countryside around me. I feel very blessed and proud to be a Wiltshire lass.