Dionysus July-August-Issue 5

Cretan Gold Olive Oil & Modena Red Balsamic Vinegar now available to purchase in all our pubs!

Tasty Recipesfrom The Group’s

Executive Chef! see page 18

Smith’s Pantry is open for business

Meet The Neighbour –Miss Pickering

Modena Red our own balsamic vinegarnow on sale throughout all of our sites

Meet TheLandlord Adam Dalesee page 7

Try one of our fabulous picnicsinside or out in our gardens

DionysusThe Ancient Greek God of Fertility and WineIssue 5 | July-Aug 2013

A MAGAZINE BASED AROUND OUR SMALL GROUP OF PUBS

FREE! Please take a copy.

2 Dionysus –May-June 2013

So it is finally here in all its glory …Summer!! The kids will soon be free from school, the sunwill be shining and the bbq's on over drive… Well maybe!!

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be even getting off theground this year – each positively warm day is overcast andeach sunny day has a wind chill factor of seemingly near -10!!Oh well we are british and we will embrace this summer likeevery other I can remember with staunch determination toget out there in our shorts and have a seemingly great timeeven in the rain.

Well luckily, we have made provisions for said weather fauxpas, the Smith’s beer festival will indeed have tents and ourpicnic can be enjoyed just as easily inside as outside. In factjust like Wimbledon the show really must go on… Pimm’s bythe jug tastes great no matter what!!

This issue we have so much happening throughout each pubwe will definitely help the next couple of months feel blazingno matter what – Beer festivals, new menus, summer drinkspecials combined with bands and a new deli not to mentionour new range of exciting products to take home.

So grab a pint or glass of wine and sit back and relaxright here with us!!

SophiaEditorSophia Thurlby – [email protected]

PublisherMichael Thurlby – [email protected]

Magazine Designmb creative – [email protected]

PhotographersRobin Stewart – www.realfoodphotography.coTim Scrivener – Agriphoto.comNigel McMillan – www.photo43.com

Disclaimer: Copyright (c) The Thurlby Group. all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or bestored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from The Thurlby Group. Any views oropinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Thurlby Group or its affiliates.Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the informationcontained in this publication at the time of going to press, The Thurlby Group and its affiliates assume noresponsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable forany errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statementcontained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material whichthey submit to us and for ensuring that the material complies with applicable laws. The Thurlby Group and itsaffiliates are not responsible for any error, ommission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liablefor any damages arising from any use of products or services or any services or any action or ommissions takenin reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement isnot intended to endorse any views expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoringthe advertisement.

ContentsWhat’s Happening Across The Pubs 4The Tobie Norris 5The Lord Nelson 8The Prince Rupert 9The Periwig 10Smith’s of Bourne 12Jubilee Garage 13

Homecoming of the Uffington Cyclists 6The team arrive back to crowds of people

Meet The Landlord 7Adam Dale landlord at The Lord Nelson, Oakham

Fuller’s Brewery Tour 11The Thurlby Group Managers day out

Modena Red 14Our new balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy

From Our Pantry 15Purchase some of our products to take home

What’s in a name? 16Find out how The Periwig got its name

Have you tried… 17Heidi & Tony from The Prince Rupert visit Manchester

Recipes from our chefs 18Harissa Leg of Lamb with Moroccan crushed potatoes

Wine of the issue 18Ross Dykes reviews the Le Notaire range – Our new House Wine!

Life on the farm 19News about what has been happening since the last issue

‘Meet the neighbour’ 20Miss Pickering

Raising funds for The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice 21The Thurlby Group will be raising money throughout July & August

Work With Us / How to Contact Us 22

3Dionysus – July-Aug 2013

What’s HappeningAcross The Pubs

What’s Happening Across The Pubs

Employeeof theissueThe Thurlby Group comprises of a hugenumber of people and sometimes it isdifficult to recognise each and everyoneof them but we are aware of all ourstaff's contributions and know that theorganisation wouldn't be half as goodwithout them.

We have got together with Carlsberg togive one of our employees a well deservedthank you for all their hard work andcontinued support of the business. We willbe giving each winner some Carlsberggoodies and a voucher for £50.00 to beused in any of our establishments.

This issue we have chosen Nikki Booth tobe employee of the month. Nikki is amember of the team at The Prince Rupertin Newark. She works behind the bar andfront of house and is a valuable memberto them. She is consistently happy andchatty with customers, offeringsuggestions with beers/wines and food.She is always punctual and willing to coverany extra shifts if necessary.

4 Dionysus – July-Aug 2013

Nikki Booth

Jugs ofPimm’sjust £12

Summer Drinks at The Thurlby Group Summer is finally here and to officially mark it we have sourced some delicious new drinksto tantalise your taste buds and hopefully refresh you from the heat wave that we areanticipating. Here are just a few that you need to keep a look out for:

Rekorderlig Cider in Bottles – First created in 1999 with the purest spring water from Vimmerby, Sweden. It is still brewed there today by Abro Bryggeri.

Bitburger – Brewers of one of Germany’s finest beers founded in 1817 by Johann Wallenborn and it is now available in both The Tobie Norris and The Prince Rupert.

Pimm’s – what screams English Summer better than a jug of Pimm’s – It will be just £12 ajug and if you want to step away from the traditional we have the New Pimm’s Blackberry& Elderflower served over lemonade.

These are now in stock in all of our sites with a wide range of flavours (where applicable)served over ice so don’t forget to have a try!

Also we will be offering fresh, ripe English strawberries served with clotted cream togetherwith a glass of our Three Choirs Sparkling Wine. Three Choirs Classic Cuvee is a traditionallymade sparkling wine of very high quality. It is dry and subtle – very similar to a goodchampagne at a fraction of the price!! It is produced at one of the countries largestvineyards in Gloucestershire – so look out for this exciting promotion that will be running inall our pubs.

Each pub has been getting ready for the summer in its very ownway so check out their individual pages to see what is happeningin your favourite local!!


The Tobie Norris, 12 St. Pauls Street, Stamford PE9 2BE t. 01780 753 800 5Dionysus – July-Aug 2013

Try Our TallingtonLamb Specials

© Rob

in Stewart –www.re

alfood

photog

raph

y.co

The Tobie NorrisThe new menu is now firmly in place and best of all it is using the Lamb fresh from our farm inTallington!! You really must try our Celebrationof Tallington Lamb.

Will has been busy organising his breweries of choice for July andAugust. During July we are organising a mini Beer Festival with allthe beer being from Dark Star Brewery which will be starting onJuly 22nd.

The Dark Star Brewing Company was born in 1994 in the cellar ofThe Evening Star Pub, in Brighton and has been going fromstrength to strength ever since. We will be showcasing some of ourfavourites such as Dark Star Original and Hophead combined withsome of their Seasonal Beers like Hylder Blonde and Sunburst.

In August it is the turn of Castle Rock Brewery which will start onAugust 19th. Castle Rock is a pub group and brewery based inNottingham, With a varying range of core beers and a expansiverange of seasonal and specials, They brew something for all tastesso we are sure you will not be disappointed.

Also The Tobie Norris team is running the Great EasternHalf marathon this October to raise money andawareness for Anna’s Hope charity, dressed as fairies! Ifyou would like to sponsor them please contact Will or askat the bar for further details.

In total, the team cycled over 500 miles in 5 days, and visited 6iconic test venues. On the Thursday, the team cycled fromUffington to Lords, and then to the Oval finishing at about 9.30pmafter a mammoth 15hrs in the saddle. The Friday saw torrentialrain, high winds, cold temperatures and 3 different punctures asthe boys battled from Watford to Birmingham to visit Edgbaston.Thankfully the sun came out on the Saturday for a wholly morepleasant ride from Birmingham to Old Trafford, Manchester, eventhough the scenery around Stoke wasn't quite as pleasant as theChilterns on Day 2! Day 4 was extremely tough due to theundulating nature of the ride from Manchester to Leeds, but thereward at the end was a visit to Headingley whilst the England vNew Zealand Test Match was in full flow. The team were eveninvited into the Test Match Special commentary box for a briefinterview with Jonathan Agnew and Michael Vaughan, a momentwhich won't be forgotten.

On the final day, the team powered the 90 miles home fromRotherham to a rousing reception in Uffington. Team leader WillFry said 'At the start of the challenge, I wasn't sure we'd all make itback. Thankfully, everyone completed the ride, and I'm proud ofwhat everyone has achieved. We owe a lot to the help of thesupport team (Shelley Burton and Rachel Fry), and also kit sponsorsPrecision Sports, Rutland Water Cycling and Ian Williams buildingcontractors.'

The team have raised over £3000 so far, and would welcome any further donations to www.sponsor-uffington.co.uk – All proceeds willgo to the building of their new pavilion.

The team arrived back to a crowd of over 60 people at 3pm on Bank Holiday Monday, having earlierleft Rotherham at 5am, and also having visited Trent Bridge that day.

‘Homecoming’ of the Uffington cyclistsWhat’s Happening Across The Pubs


From left to right: Rachel Fry, Simon Larter, Dean Evans, Will Fry, Woofington, Jon Tyrell, Jak Garner, Dean Cornish, John Burton, Shelly Burton

Full Name: Adam James Dale

Age: 29

Born: Crosspool, Sheffield

Favourite Pub: Trent Bridge Inn, Nottingham

Favourite Restaurant: Trattoria Antonio,Nottingham

Favourite Meal: A steak cooked rare!

Hobbies:Football, Cricket, Golf & Cycling

Favourite Drink:Betty Stogs from Skinners Brewery

In this issue we have decided to introduce youto our Landlord of The Lord Nelson, Adam Dale

Adam is a relatively young Landlord and he has really grown andevolved with the pub and has created a great team around him.This is the first pub he has ever managed and we are really pleasedwith how things have developed – he has a great way withcustomers and staff and is really popular with all that meet him.

Adam was born in Crosspool, Sheffield but moved down to Ryhallwhen he was about 5 years old with his parents and older brother.He attended Casterton School until 16 and after joined HindmarchGarage as an apprentice to learn Mechanics. However he becamefed up with the monotony and grease so decided to move on. Hisnext venture was working for City Dispense installing the beerpumps and cellar equipment for pubs. He worked here for six yearsand had some really exciting projects to work on. One of his firmfavourites was installing the cellar equipment at the new Wembleystadium. Where he even got to have a kick about with none otherthan Jamie Redknapp. He also was staying in the same hotel asJohn Virgo where much to the disgust of John’s wife he got into aSambuca drinking competition!! However he found that he wasworking away from home so much and covering an area thatseemed to ever increase including Oxfordshire, Norwich and SouthEnd. So decided to start looking for a new career.

It was at this point in time that we were looking for a Manager /Landlord for The Lord Nelson. Adam had been working on and offat The Periwig throughout his working career and so we knew hewas a sociable hard working character who would be ideal for thejob. However it all happened a bit by chance – Ross and Nick werehaving a drink in Opus Dai when they bumped into a slightly merryAdam. They chatted about the vacancy at The Lord Nelson andAdam expressed an interest, the next day he came across andlooked at the pub and the rest is history. He has been working atThe Lord Nelson from the very beginning and even helped in thecleaning stages and team selection – this has proven to be sopositive in helping him learn and grow into his role.

Adam admits that before he joined us he wasn’t really a Real Aledrinker but he is slowly being converted and really enjoyingdiscovering new breweries and beers. He prefers the lighter beersand is struggling with the “dark stuff”.

Adam is really keen on his sports both playing and following – hesupports Sheffield Wednesday and tries to get to as many gamesas possible. He also plays for Ryhall United as a Centre Back. In thesummer he plays cricket for Ketton who are rivals to Uffington (WillFry’s Team) who strangely both drink at The Tobie. He has alsoplayed a couple of games for Oakham Cricket Team as The LordNelson is sponsoring them this year. He describes himself as a

good fielder and average batter!! He likes to play golf at RutlandCounty Ground and has recently taken to cycling after his girlfriendCharlotte brought him a bike for his birthday.

Adam loves to go to St Ives in Cornwall,where he has been going since he was achild. He likes to hire a cottage withCharlotte and their dog Buzz. Where theygo for lots of walks along the beautifulbeaches and always call into The SloopInn. However he also likes a good partyand has been to Ibiza no less than threetimes – Where he loves to go to Café DelMar and watch the sunset over SanAntonio Bay whilst listening to hisfavourite style of music – Hed Kandi.

Food is another passion for Adam – he likes to cook at home andhis speciality is Yorkshire Pudding!! He says he likes to eateverything except banana’s.

So lastly as always we asked Adam the pros and cons of workingwithin the industry and where he sees himself in 5 years time. Hesays “The pros are definitely the social – meeting customers,making new friends and having a really great team around me.”

He especially wanted to acknowledge Lee,who is his number two and is always onhand and backs him up in all aspects. Thecons are the hours and not being able togo out at weekends – although he did turnthis into a positive saying that it hasenabled him to save money!!

Within the next 5 years Adam wants to help the pub growfrom strength to strength – he definitely wants to remainin the industry and is hoping that Michael will buy a pubdown in Cornwall which he will be only too happy to run –So watch this space!!

Meet The Landlord

QUICK FIRE FACTS


Ryhall United – Adam Dale front row second from right

Buzz

Lee


The Lord Nelson

Within our industry we have many staff come and go and whilst we were very sad to lose our HeadChef at The Lord Nelson in June we have replaced him and two others with a very exciting andstrong team with a wealth of experience.

Tom Fraser has been working withinkitchens since he left school. He has spentthree years gaining his qualifications atcollege and in between time has beengaining valuable work experience asCommis Chef at The Black Bull inWymondon. He was also working at Jim’sYard, Barnsdale Hall and the Chequersbefore joining us.

Our newest addition to the team is Zsolt,who is originally from Hungary and has

been working and living in England for sixyears. In his last job he was Head Chef atThe Whipper Inn and before this spentthree years at The Fox and Hounds atExton. We also have Hannah Earp who hasjust completed a years work placement inItaly. So we look forward to some excitingcreations coming from the kitchen!!

Adam has been busy organising breweriesto focus on throughout July & August. Hewill be show casing beers from Nene Valley

brewery in July – who are a small microbrewery based in Oundle. They are brewingsome really great and exciting new beersfrom their state of the art brewery andshop in Oundle.

For August Adam has chosen to gofor a local favourite Oakham Ales –having all your old favourites such asJHB, Scarlett Macaw and Citra on thebar – so make sure you nip down andgive them a try!!

The Lord Nelson Chefs Tom Fraser (left) and Zsolt (right)

The Lord Nelson, 11 Market place, Oakham, LE15 6DT t. 01572 868340Dionysus – July-Aug 20138

Any Occasion, Any Size, Any Excuse, Any PartyFrom Birthday parties to leaving do’s, corporate events to big nights out, we’ll make sure

your party will be one to remember. Your favourite Rupert Pizza, tapas and anti pasta

party or a classic fork buffet with something for everyone. Ask at the bar for details.

Private Parties at The Prince Rupert

The Prince RupertThe new menu is now firmly in place at The Prince Rupert and whilst it has some ofyour old favourites still on there we have alsoimplemented some exciting new elements in the form of our “Liberty Menu”.

You really must try the Lincoln Red Beef Bourguignon Pie on our main menu too.

All of the Lamb and beef on the menu is coming directly fromour own farm in Tallington – we are sure you will be impressedwith the quality and taste!!


© Rob


alfood

photog

raph

y.co

New Menu 2 Not So Large

pizzas, 2 toppings

and a bottle of white,

red or rosé house wine

£21.95 Mon-Sat 6pm-7pm

1 Not So Large pizza with 2 toppings and a pint of selected beer, 175ml of house wine or selected soft drinkfor just £9.95Mon-Sat 6pm-7pm

Sunday 7 July, 9pm Easy Company (acoustic duo)

Wednesday 24 July, 9pmPlatform 58 (young local blues bands –

these guys are 15/16 years old and very talented)

Sunday 28 July, 8pmJuly (covers duo)

Wednesday 7 August, 9pm

Cornerstone (Jazz/punk band travelling from Austria)

Live Bands

9Dionysus – July-Aug 2013The Prince Rupert, 46, Stodman Street, Newark, NG24 1AW t. 01636 918121

Dionysus – July-Aug 201310


The Periwig, 7 All Saints' Place, Stamford, PE9 2AG t. 01780 762 169

The Periwig is the only venue in Stamfordwhich will be showing all of your favouritesporting events throughout July & Augustcoupled with some brilliant deals on Beer,Wine and the odd jug of Pimm’s.

We will also be showing all of the Ashes Cricket Live from10th July-25th August so why not order a 4 pint pitcher ofCarlsberg, JHB or Thatchers for just £10.

For all of you whom have been stuck at home revising for thelast couple of months you can now finally breathe a hugesigh of relief that it is now all over!! A Level results night fallson the 15th August which just so happens to be a Thursdaywhich means only one thing POUNDED!!!

Free entry all night, Dj playing all the latest tunes andshout outs from 10pm!

Have Your Party With UsIf you would like to celebrate with us for any

special occasion don’t

forget you can hire the entire top floor complete with its own private bar.

We are also now hiring a booth for the evening – So battling the

crowds and saving seats will become a thing of the past!!

Contact Jimmy or Naomi for further details!!

Contact Jimmy or Naomi by [email protected]

for more information and price.

We have another bank holiday to lookforward to at the end of August and we aregoing to help you celebrate.

• Starting on Thursday with POUNDED!!!• Friday double up for a £1 on all mainspirits, jägerbombs £2 all night.

• Saturday Dance the night away with ourresident DJ form 10pm, Sour shots £2

• Sunday double up for a £1 on all mainspirits, and FREE entry all weekend#rockingyourbankholiday

Follow @The_Periwig on twitterLike The-Periwig on facebook


Fuller’s Brewery TourIt isn't very often that we all get to go out andrelax as a team and really meet each otheroutside of work. This is especially true forour site Managers who all do a superbjob at their respective pubs but rarelyget to see or speak to each other anddiscuss ideas.

This is why when Fullers asked if we would like to takeall our Managers from each site down to their breweryin London and have a tour round some of their pubs wereadily agreed. It took quite a while to firm up a date thatsuited everyone but finally on the 23rd April we all came together

and headed down to London for a long overdue day out!!

After Michael insisted the brewery tour be kept very brief (so as notto bore us all) we were all pleasantly surprised at just howinteresting it was- each of us has a varying degree of interest in

beer but when you are constantly surrounded by it, it becomeshard pressed not to find the whole process intriguing. Beer has

been brewed on Fullers Cheswick site for over 350 years – asfar back as the era of Oliver Cromwell. The brewery ishuge and state of the art – we all had a fascinating tripround learning the process of brewing beer on such alarge scale.

After the brewery we were taken on a tour of someof their favourite pubs in London including TheChurchill Arms and Ye Olde Mitre – it was reallyinteresting to see how another pub group is adapting

to an ever changing market and for all the staff to lookaround for ideas and discuss things as a group altogether.

Needless to say lots of beer was consumed and a great day hadby all – Everyone got back at varying stages of the night but we allmade it home and had a great day out!!!

So we would just like to say a huge Thank You toFullers and look forward to the next trip!!

Feature | Managers Brewery Tour

The Thurlby Group Landlords and Managers

Smith’s Pantry is open for business!


In the last issue of Dionysus we were telling you of our plans totransform the middle bar into a new deli section – and as you cansee from the photos the changes are now complete. “Smith’sPantry” is now open for business – Offering baguettes,sandwiches, cakes and much, much more!!

We decided to change this area as our lunch trade is extremely busy and often this canmean a little slow. The Pantry is self service (order at the bar and collect from the pantry) –enabling people to pop in for a quick snack on their lunch breaks without the wait from thekitchen. We will also be showcasing select products for you to take home – Our Cretan GoldOlive Oil and Modena Red Balsamic Vinegar will be for sale alongside our Ken ForresterWines and even some locally made fudge from Market Deeping!!

Smiths kitchen will be running their normal lunchtime service alongside the Pantry menu soyou will have the option of either choosing a snack or a freshly cooked meal depending onwhat you fancy!!

The kitchen has a new menu for lunch times and evenings – it is very differentfrom our old style and has been designed in keeping with most of our othersites ie. The Tobie Norris and The Lord Nelson. The food is all freshly preparedon site and has our Executive Chef, Nick Buttress’ twist which we have all cometo know and love.

Dionysus – July-Aug 201312 Smith’s of Bourne, 25 North Street, Bourne PE10 9AE t. 01778 426819

Smith’s and Jubilee Garage will be holding

The 7th AnnualBeer Festival

Starts 5pm, Thursday 11th until Sunday 14th July

20 Real Ales including beers from Hopshackle, Dark Star,

Saltaire and more…

Sunday 14th will be a CharityFamily Fun Day. There will be a

BBQ from 2.30pm.

Live Music All Weekend!Friday 12th from 9pm – Bearded Theory

Saturday 13th from 9pm – B.R.MSunday 14th from 3pm – Pennyless

The Jubilee is looking forward to the start of the football season on the19th August but until then we have got plenty of sporting action for you!!

The Ashes 2013 cricket Bilateral Series will start on July 10th andthe last match of the tournament will be held on August 25th,2013. We are expecting this series to be more exciting than anyother recent Ashes since the British team has been performing verywell in every format of the Cricket for the last couple of years. Sowhy not come down and support England throughout!!

The Jubilee is also setting up its own sporting teams – We havenow joined the Bourne Pool League with our Assistant ManagerMatt Towers as Captain – So we will keep you posted of our success.

We are also looking to join the Darts League so if anyone isinterested in joining our team please contact either Sam or Mattwho will be delighted to have you on board.

Lastly, we always like to keep you posted on who has been in thepubs especially if they are famous. This one has a special meaningfor us as it was a Peterborough United Player – Grant McCann.Michael has supported “The Posh” for years and so was very excitedto learn that none other than a Peterborough United playerfrequented the pub on occasion. Unfortunately when weapproached Mr McCann for a photo he was drowning his sorrowsafter Peterborough United had been relegated in the most cruel ofcircumstances by a goal in the 90th minute of their final match ofthe Championship season (May 4) against Crystal Palace. To say hewas a little reluctant was an understatement but we are very, veryglad he did!!

Sport Crazy


Sam (Jubilee Manager) meetsPeterborough United’s Grant McCann

The Kid’s Play Area

Jubilee Garage, 30 North Street, Bourne, PE10 9AB t. 01778 392700 13Dionysus – July-Aug 2013

a Yorkshire Brewery Showcase this October

14

Feature | Modena Red Balsamic Vinegar

Unfortunately we do not have manycontacts in Modena, Italy and so had touse our own trial and error tactics. Luckilymy Step Grandfather, Nonno Giuseppe, isfrom Sicily and is an avid expert in allthings Italian especially if they derive fromthe grape!! Therefore we sat him downand made him consume huge quantitiesof balsamic vinegar in a quest to find thebest tasting balsamic at a price that wont make you bulk.

Nonno Jo has decreed that Modena Red is one of the best tastingBalsamic vinegar’s he has ever tried within the price range we wereworking with !! This is no mean feat as many of you will be awareBalsamic vinegar is a lot like wine and varies vastly in quality andtaste. Modena Red is a product that is exclusive to The ThurlbyGroup, sourced in Modena and imported by the same man NonnoJo buys his grapes for wine making from, Antonio Bosco. We areselling it throughout the pubs in 250ml bottles for just £2.95 sowhy not pick up a bottle and try it for yourself!!

Short History of Balsamic Vinegar:With all this in mind we thought it might be quite interesting toshare with you some of the history of Balsamic Vinegar and whytrue balsamic is only made in Modena, Italy.

Until approximately 25 years ago in the late 1970’s, true balsamicvinegar or “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale” as it is called in Italian,was an Italian artisan product relatively unknown outside of Italy.

The same country that brought you such notable artists asMichelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, as part of the Renaissance,also provides a culinary artistry that offers incomparable qualityand taste – including the wonderfully adaptable aged balsamicvinegar, aceto balsamico di Modena. Balsamic vinegar can only beproduced in the regions of Modena and Reggio in Italy. Traditionalbalsamic vinegar originates from Modena, Italy, where familieshave been using the same techniques for generations.

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale has actually been being made for nearly a thousand years, butnever for commercial use. It was a well kept family secret to therest of the world and relatively unknown even to other Italians.Instead families from Modena would pass it on as an heirloom,give it away in very small vials to friends, or bequeath it to adaughter as part of her dowry.

The first historical reference to balsamic vinegar dates back to1046, when a bottle of balsamic vinegar was reportedly given toEmperor Enrico III of Franconia as a gift. In the Middle Ages, it wasused as a disinfectant. It also had a reputation as a miracle cure –good for everything from sore throats to labour pains.

UsesHowever these days we think it is best used for salad dressings,sauces and gravies. Sprinkle on cooked meats to add flavour andaroma; season salad, vegetables strawberries, peaches and melons;or simply dip into it with warm crusty bread.

At last we have found a balsamic vinegar that we think is a worthy partner for our Cretan GoldOlive Oil. It has taken us a while as we wanted to get it right and make sure that the twocomplimented each other perfectly.

Modena Red


????

Nonno Giuseppe

£2.95per bottle

Dionysus – July-Aug 2013 15

Cretan Gold Olive Oil – £3.95 per bottlePerfect for drizzling on salads & bread dipping

Modena Red Balsamic Vinegar – £2.95 per bottlePerfect for drizzling on salads & bread dipping

Ken Forrester Petit Range Presentation Box – £25.00 per boxIncludes; bottle of Petit Chenin, bottle PetitPinotage & bottle Petit Cabernet/Merlot

Homemade Fudge & Jute Shopping BagsComing Soon…

From Our PantryWe are trying to get a different and exciting range of products together that you can purchase asgifts or simply use in your very own home.

We started it all off with our Cretan Gold olive oil and have now found a balsamic vinegar, Modena Red, that compliments it

beautifully. We have also selected a fabulous range of South African wine from Ken Forrester, which can be purchased by the bottle or

in a gift pack of three - perfect for a BBQ/Party or just simply to enjoy with your dinner. Our next items to be added will be a Jute bag

so you can carry all your selection home with you but also use them when shopping in general, and for all those with a sweet tooth we

have some fudge that is made just down the road in Market Deeping.

We have spent time carefully selecting each product to make sure it is that little bit different but also delicious in every sense. We hope

you enjoy and look forward to introducing more products to you in the future.

On saleThroughout

The Thurlby Group.

Buy some today!

This month we thought it should be the turnof The Periwig in Stamford as this was thesecond pub Michael ever brought and ourfirst in the group as it stands today. The Periwig, formerly The Marsh Harrier was bought by Michaelback in 1996 and he has extended it over the years, to nowaccommodate three floors. It has been through manytransformations in this time alone: a local’s bar and real ale pub; arugby led pub with a lively evening trade and now more of ayounger person’s late night bar and sports venue.

The name The Periwig was narrowed down from Four – It waseither going to be The Balloon, The Pineapple, Whittington's Cator The Naked Boy & Periwig which stood on High Street in the1740's. All of these were original names of pubs in Stamfordthroughout history and all of which Michael was very fond of. Theonly reason he swung to The Periwig was that he felt it soundeddifferent and would appeal to the younger crowd he was trying toentice. However now he somewhat wishes he had chosen ThePineapple or Whittington's Cat!!

When Michael acquired the premise it was a pub trading as theMarsh Harrier but Michael didn't feel any affiliation to the name orthat it suited the pub or had any historical overtone as it was onlycalled this in the late 70's - he wanted something that was morehistorically relevant. However about a year ago he did manage tosnap up an original sherry sign from the pub as it was in the 70'sand we now have it on the wall in the Tallington room of The TobieNorris.

So as for the history of the building itself- it has had varioustransformations through the years going from William Smith /Paten & Co. Wine Merchants / Marsh Harrier and eventually endingup as The Periwig. It all began in 1837 when William Smith tookover a large 18th Century three-storey building opposite TheCrown, for the purpose of dealing in wine and spirits. The buildinghad been constructed between 1791 and 1798 on two plots (oneon Crown Street and another on Red Lion Street) by William Baker,

a schoolmaster: the main plot was leased from Browne's Hospital.The frontage facing into Red Lion Square featured a fashionablerendered Regency bay above the shop front. This still survives,although it was altered in the 1930's when the pseudo - timberframing was added. Contemporary bays, dated 1793, can be seenat no. 16 All Saints Place. The building, which had extensivecellarage and a Robert Adam- style plaster ceiling in the mainroom on the first floor (still visible), later came into the ownershipof Stamford Corporation and was valued at £315 at the time ofSmith's takeover.

By 1843, Smith was also operating The Vaults at No.4 Red LionSquare. In 1872, the business was being run by Smith's widow ordaughter, Mrs Elizabeth Ann Smith. She continued there until1906. In 1909, the business was taken over by Paten & Co, brewersand Wine and Spirit Merchants of Peterborough. During the1930's, they added the decorative timber framing and replacedthe old shop front with a bold design of Dalton faience tiles andstained glass. They also demolished the Red Lion Street range andbuilt a single-storey off-sales shop and store entrance. A carvedstone Paten's logo still survives above the entrance from Red LionStreet.

The building only became a public house in the early 1970's whenit took the name the Marsh Harrier.The pub was altered in the early1990's from a traditional "locals"establishment into a modern bar.When Michael bought The Harrierin 1996 he re-built the single-storeyRed Lion Street frontage over threestories in a mock timber framestyle, the interior was opened up tocreate an internal first floor gallery,and the original entrances onto AllSaints’ Place and Red Lion Streetwere reinstated. The interior hasbeen refurbished in 2003 and2006 and has remainedunchanged since this time.


What’s in a name?Robert Adam style plaster ceiling

Original Paten & Co sherry sign fromThe Periwig now in The Tobie Norris


Palace HotelFeature | Have you tried…

After a relatively short journey from Newark to Nottingham toManchester by train, we checked into the aptly named PalaceHotel, found again for a fair price “ont tinterweb”! Well worth astay here, impressive entrance, centrally located and literallyaround the corner from the station.

First port of call and only across the road was The Salisbury AleHouse, a warmly decorated pub focused more towards youngerstudent types and music lovers with a good selection of big namesand micros on the hand pumps. We opted (as we do) for a verywell kept half of Old Peculiar at a reasonable price. Duchars andLandlord were also on offer.

After a pleasant walk in the sun along the riverside and thru “thegay village”, we came to The City Arms and Vine Inn pubs,conveniently located next door to each other and worth a visiteach in their own way. The City was a lot more interesting beerwise, with a good range of over 8 handpumps.

Next up, near “China Town”, there are 3 pubs in a row: The OldMonkey which is a “Weatherspoony type” Holts owned boozeraimed at families and OAPs – didn’t stay there for long! We movedonto The Circus Tavern, reputed to have the smallest bar in Europe.It was certainly tiny as we were instantly offered table service whenthe bar was swamped by the 2 guys that had walked in before us.There was a well kept Tetleys cask on offer and Robinson’s DizzyBlonde.

A quick nip next door was The Old Grey Horse, a good oldtraditional pub and the best of the three with a range of Hydesbeers and a few guests. The Hydes Original was in good form forour visit.

The final leg of our Manchester oddessy finds us in The MarbleArch area in search of The Marble Brewery Tap but on the way wefind The Angel – a lovely well renovated old pub with a good rangeof ales and a piano player entertaining his fellow punters at agrand piano. The Belgium Kriek beer on tap was definitely worth a pint!

And now the grande finale “The Marble Arch” – as soon as youenter you are struck by how vibrant and lively the atmosphere is inthis fantastic pub with very traditional Victorian tiles decoratingalmost the entire room. There were Romanesque mosaic tiles onthe floor which leads at a gentle but definite slope to the heart ofthe matter – the bar! A wondrous procession of 11 hand pullswheels out Marble’s entire range of standard and seasonal beersoffering mind bending choice. With rare survival instinct kicking in,I chose the Lagonda IPA at 5% rather than the Double IPA at 7%.

I found it to be a mouth watering example of the style. Heidi chosea Belgian fruit beer from the 3 craft beers on a chrome triple fontalmost hidden in a dark corner at the end of the bar. There are alsono commercial lagers to be seen. The food offering looked good,but as we had eaten well earlier at Sam’s Chophouse that was thelast thing on our minds. The IPA was quickly followed by theglorious Chocolate Marble Stout at 5.5% - a fabulous way tocelebrate what is in my view one of the best brewery/pubcombinations in the country.

If you would like further information or to booka room at the Palace Hotel, Manchester:Visit www.palace-hotel-manchester.co.uk

Oxford Street, Manchester, M60 7HA, UK

Oxford St, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M60 7HA

The Manchester Crawl – Tony & Heidi ofThe Prince Rupert visit Marble Breweryand all things beer in Manchester.

Tony in The Salisbury Ale House The Palace Hotel on Oxford Street

The City Arms and Vine Inn

The Marble Arch InnHeidi at The Circus Tavern – the smallest bar in Europe

Recipes

Download this menu fromwww.thethurlbygroup.co.uk

2011 Le Notaire GrenacheDark ruby red in the glass with hints of plumjam and raisins. Light and moreish withexcellent balance and ripe, soft tannins.Great with spicy dishes and meat. Greataccompaniment to the Indian Burger.

2011 Le NotaireCarignan RoséPale pink in the glass withelements of freshstrawberries. Light andmoreish with excellentbalance. Great with tomatobased Pasta dishes.

2012 Le Notaire ColombardStarbright, pale lemon yellow in theglass, with hints of apples, grapefruitand mown grass. A light, crisp palatewith bracing freshness. Great withsalad dishes or fish dishes.

Currently on sale acrossThe Thurlby Group pubs

Review by Ross Dykes

Wine of the issue


Recipe created by Nick Buttress

from our chefs

Harissa Leg of Lamb:

• 1-1.25kg boneless

shoulder of lamb

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 2 teaspoons of

ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons of

ground coriander

• 2 teaspoons of harissa paste

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

• 2 cm of fresh ginger diced

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes

• handful of picked fresh mint

• 1 red onion

Crushed Moroccan spiced potatoes:

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1cm of fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon

ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground

coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon

ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 350 grams on

cooked new potatoes

Ingredients

Cooking methodHarissa Leg of LambPeel and cut the red onion into small chunks. Add the onion, garlic, harissapaste and mint to the food processer and blitz until course, then add all thedry ingredients and the olive oil then blitz again until it is mixed well and putto one side. Take the lamb and with a sharp knife, score the outside of themeat and with your hand massage the mixture into the lamb ensuring youcover the whole leg. Place onto a roasting tray and place in the oven set toaround 230 oC for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 160 oC for afurther 50 minutes . Remove the lamb from the tray and rest for 20 minutesin a warm place.

Crushed Moroccan spiced potatoes

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat, add all the spices in tothe hot oil and fry for 30 seconds. With the back of a fork, crush thepotatoes in a mixing bowl, then add to the frying pan. Cook until thepotatoes soak up most of the olive and spices,and have turned a rich dark colour. I personallylike to overcook the potatoes to add a bit ofcrispy texture to the dish.

Thinly slice the lamb and serve with Moroccanpotatoes, minted yoghurt and couscous salad.

Harissa Leg of Lamb withMoroccan crushed potatoes

Country: FranceProducer: Le NotaireRegion: Languedoc Roussillon

Over the last few years we have built up a fabulousrelationship with Fontclayeur who are a co operative inSouth West France near Carcassone supplying ourhouse wines to the majority of our pubs.

The introduction was formed by John Atkinson MW, who got afew like minded people together – Bistrot Pierre, The Flying Kiwiand ourselves from which our own wine importing business wasformed and called Angleterroir. However with the growth in allof our businesses, Angleterroir has become difficult to manageso we have taken the decision to carry on with these fabulousranges of wines but purchase them through our own dedicatedwine supplier. The only difference to you, the customer is thelabel on the bottle. Here are the tasting notes on each to helpyou in your future enjoyment.

It has not been the easiest of processes for any farmer this yearwhat with the horrendous weather conditions and the price of foodrocketing. Just as we turned the lambs out into the field we had acold snap and snow settled on the ground for over a week, alsowhen we eventually sheared the sheep it seemed to do nothingbut rain. However we have all persevered and it is looking like it haspaid off. The lambs are now big and strong and eating over 4 bagsof food a day!!

We began lambing slightly earlier this year as we wanted our lambto be ready before the majority of other farms – the price of lambremains high until around now however soon the market becomessaturated and the price inevitably drops!!

The process of sorting the lambs is quite labour intensive – eachlamb has to be individually caught and weighed. If they are toolight they are released back into the field but if they are the rightweight they are loaded on to the trailer and taken to market.However this has to be done on the morning of the market as ifthey are stressed or taken away from the field the night beforethey can stop eating and may lose weight which in turn loses us money!!

We still have over 100 lambs left in the fields that we are fatteningup and getting ready – so the job is not yet complete.

We have also brought 10 stock cows from Duncan Mitchell over inEaston On The Hill, comprising of 2 Continental Cross & 8Traditional Hereford Cows (brown & white.) We have done this asour herd was not big enough to sustain the demand from thekitchens. We will fatten them up over the summer on our Tallingtongrass and then slowly take them to slaughter and introduce theminto restaurants.

Our main herd of LincolnReds is ever increasing withthe birth of two new calves.We are hand rearing one ofthem as its mother couldn’tproduce milk properly andhe is becoming really tameand a bit like a family pet asyou can see from thephoto. The cows aregrazing out in the fields andwill be out until the Wintertime so will get plenty ofgrass and nutrients insidethem before they have tocome back into the sheds.

It doesn’t seem like five minutes since we were telling you all about lambing seasonjust getting under way – now just 3 months on we have already sent over 40 lambs toMelton Market and 50 have been to our slaughterhouse and prepared for use withinour pubs. It is an interesting process watching how quickly the lambs turn from tinywhite balls of cuteness into big strong animals weighing in many cases over 45kg.

Life on The Farm

© Rob


alfood

photog

raph

y.co

Sophie feeds the new calf

Dionysus – July-Aug 2013 19

‘Meet the neighbour’This is issue we focus on a neighbour of The Tobie Norris, Miss Pickering…

Meet the neighbour | Miss Pickering

We are the florist, just 3 doors downfrom The Tobie Norris, the one withthe stuffed heron in the window.

“We” are Miss Pickering, former StamfordHigh School girl, returned to Stamford 7years ago, via London, Paris and Milan, andThe Hound. Our resident shop dog, asaluki-cross lurcher, who you may haveseen in the pub once or twice...

The 15th century shop is a cavern offlowers, vases, and vintage finds. The joy ofhaving your own shop is that you can buythe flowers you love the most yourself. Iam a huge fan of scent, so summer seesbunches of stocks, peonies, garden rosestied together with rosemary, fennel, sage,mock orange and mint. The herbs I growmyself, and we source the very best flowersfrom local growers and Aalsmeer. Our styleis natural, wild and gardeny, whether it is asimple little posy for an end of termpresent or a wedding at Claridges.

Weddings are a big part of shop life, I lovethem, decorating the church, venue,creating the bridal bouquet, it is an honourto be part of such a special day, although

not without it’s very early starts and latenights. The nature of the product meansyou can’t start weeks before, it all has tobe done in the days leading up to thewedding, which entirely suits a last minuteAnnie like myself.

Flowers are such emotive things, sent andreceived at times of great joy, hatches andmatches, but also at times of sadness, thedispatches, or the awkward, a forgottenanniversary, an apology. I have alwaysjoked that floristry is 10% flowers and90% therapist. Valentine’s Day is anextraordinary insight into the differencebetween the male and female psyche, andi am known for proffering a little advice onflower choice or the message. Always put amessage on the flowers, of course she willknow who they are from, but womenalways want a little love note too. We aredemanding creatures. Men often ask forbirthday flowers to be delivered at the endof the day “that way she’ll think I haveforgotten and then be surprised” Shewon’t, she’ll think you have forgotten herbirthday, and be cursing you. One day ishall write a book....

One of my great loves is teaching, and wehold full day flower schools in the shop.People come from all over the world, L.A.South Korea and Australia to sample a sliceof life in an English flower shop. We alllunch at the Tobie Norris, flowers, pizza,The Hound and Mediaeval buildings are awinning combination. Over the summer weare running evening classes, informalworkshops in the shop, making bouquets,takeaway pizza from the pub, pop into theshop or visit the website for further details.

Miss Pickering, 7 St. Paul’s Street,Stamford, PE9 2BEwww.misspickering.com or visit our blog atwww.misspickering.blogspot.com



Local people have answered the rallying call to help build a newhospice at Thorpe Hall with the totaliser sitting at more than£1.25 million after just three months.

A £6 million appeal was launched in March by healthcare charitySue Ryder to fund the building of a state of the art new hospice toserve the region. With money already in the bank, the first phase ofwork has begun on the site adjacent to the current Thorpe HallHospice in Longthorpe, Peterborough.

With a two year deadline to raise the cash, there has been a flurryof activity to support the appeal.

Already the first appeal shop has been opened in Peterborough’sQueensgate shopping centre with shoppers coming in droves tosnap up bargains which have included a Vera Wang dress and aCalvin Klein leather jacket. Nine more shops will follow in thecoming months.

There is a host of fundraising events and challenges being heldright across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Leicestershire,Derbyshire, Norfolk and Northamptonshire. Supporters are bikingthe length of the country, running marathons, shaving their heads,abseiling, go-karting and hosting vintage tea parties to raisemoney,

“The response to the appeal has been fantastic,” said regionalfundraiser Alison Toomey. “So many people in this area have anaffinity with Thorpe Hall Hospice and they understand how vitalthe service is that we provide. That has translated into action forwhich we are so grateful.”

Thorpe Hall is a 17th century mansion house which looks stunningbut is not fit for purpose. The new Thorpe Hall Hospice will bemodern, state-of-the-art, homely and efficient. Patients will enjoyprivate, ground floor rooms with garden access and en suitefacilities. Medical equipment will be camouflaged as much aspossible and medical staff will have the very best surroundings toprovide the incredible care every patient deserves.

Allison Mann is the head of care services. She had a hand indesigning the new hospice and said: “I can’t always put into wordswhat I do; it’s a vocation, not a job, and I feel so very, very proudand privileged to work at Thorpe Hall. The new hospice will give usthe space and the time we need, in order to take our care to thenext level, allowing us to deliver the kind of personalised treatmentthat is so important at the end of someone’s life.”

There are a number of ways to get involved:• Shop in one of our stores

• Donate unwanted items for us to sell

• Join in one of our events

• Organise your own event

• Donate money

• To donate £3 text ‘Thorpe’ to 70007

Throughout both July & August we have decided to donate £1 from every pizzadeal* sold at The Tobie Norris & The Lord Nelson to the Sue Ryder Charity – wehave always tried to support Sue Ryder wherever possible as it is a charity closeto all our hearts and we think they do a superb job in the face of adversity. Weare sure many of you are aware of the great work of Sue Ryder and are aware ofsomeone they have helped and cared for, However here is just a brief snippet ofthe work they do and an idea of just what the money donated will be spent on.

Help Us Raise Funds For The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice

For inspiration and information about getting involvedvisit the website www.thorpehall.org or find us onFacebook at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

£1 from Every Pizza Deal*sold at The Tobie Norris & The Lord Nelsonthroughout July & August will be donated to

The Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

*Pizza Deal Monday-Saturday, 6pm-7pm

*Pizza Deal2 Not So Large pizzas, 2 toppings and a bottle of white, red or rosé house wine£21.95 Mon-Sat 6pm-7pm

The Tobie NorrisManager: Will Fry 12 St. Pauls Street, Stamford PE9 2BEt. 01780 753 [email protected]

The PeriwigManager: Jimmy Pease & Naomi Schein7 All Saints' Place,Stamford, PE9 2AGt. 01780 762 169

[email protected]

Smith’s of BourneManager: Pat & Jane Taylor25 North Street, Bourne PE10 9AEt. 01778 [email protected]

Jubilee GarageManager: Samantha Waddingham30 North Street, Bourne, PE10 9ABt. 01778 [email protected]

The Lord NelsonManager: Adam Dale11 Market place, Oakham, LE15 6DTt. 01572 [email protected]

The Prince RupertManager: Tony & Heidi Yale46, Stodman Street, Newark, NG24 1AWt. 01636 [email protected]

Contact Us

Work With Us – Current Vacancies


Be social. Stay in touch!

The fastest, simplest way to stay close to everything we are doing!! Find out

what’s happening, right now, within our organizations.

Our Twitter and Facebook accounts connect you to the latest stories, ideas,opinions and news within our pubs.

You can see photos, videos andconversations directly and all in one place.

Social networks are listed below for each pub:

Follow @TobieNorris on twitter

Follow @The_Lord_Nelson on twitter

Follow @SmithsOfBourne_ on twitterLike Smiths-Of-Bourne on facebook

Follow @JubileeBourne on twitterLike thejubilee on facebook

Follow @The_Periwig on twitterLike The-Periwig on facebook

Smith’s, Tobie Norris & The Lord Nelson:Part-time & Full-time chefs. Please email your CV and covering letter [email protected]


Documents

Dionysus July-August-Issue 5