Breakfast at Kippings

Breakfast at Kippings, maybe a nice film title? Or a great restaurant?

I was invited to Kippings Bistro & Wine bar in Wheathampstead a couple of miles from where I live in St Albans.  They have been open about 6 months now and even though I have driven past loads of times it never occurred to me to stop by.
 

 

I am however, very glad I did today. Mr R and I were up early and weeding on the allotment and brunch was our reward .
 

We were greeted by Patricia and introduced to her husband Barry and head chef Jack. They were all welcoming and very hospitable.

The decor is modern and uncluttered and the inside is small enough to be intimate but large enough not to feel claustrophobic.

 

 

 

There is a well stocked bar and a 'library' area which makes a lovely meeting place for coffee with friends, a quiet coffee and newspaper or magazine or just to catch up on tweets!

 

 

The library is a great place to relax with a friend over a coffee

 

 

or sit outside in the little sun garden with a cool drink.

 

 

Mr R and I both had the full English breakfast, I had my eggs scrambled and he had sunny side up. We both remarked that our eggs were perfectly cooked, the bacon thick and tender (not dry or overcooked) and the sausage and black pudding tasty.

 

 

Mr R is the king of brunch mushrooms but he certainly has a rival and chef Jack may steal the title!!

 

 

The toast was served on a piece of wood with more than enough butter (often you have to try to make a small amount reach both pieces of toast) and was unsalted with a few flakes of crunch sea salt sprinkled on top.
 

The coffee was lovely and smooth without any bitter taste which always pleases me.

We weren't rushed and were made to feel very welcome. Looking at the Menu board I think I will be back for dinner very soon!
 

Many thanks to Patricia and Barry at Kippings for a relaxed brunch. You can check out their website here, follow them on Twitter or phone (01582 833122) to make a reservation.

 

If you are in Hertfordshire or lower Bedfordshire take a trip to Kippings! 

From the Shores of Clonakilty with Clonakilty Black Pudding!

There is nothing like Irish hospitality and the lunch I was invited to was no exception.  At the invitation of Clonakilty Black Pudding I set off to West London for the Chiswick Moran Hotel to attend their celebration at launching their black pudding in the UK.

When offered black pudding in the past I always would say "no, it's disgusting" or "yuck I couldn't eat that". But in fact I had never even tried it.  In September I attended the Speciality Fine Food Show in London and there I met Brenda at the Clonakilty Black Pudding stand.  I wasn't planning on trying any but I decided that as I was at the show I should enter into the spirit and try everything.

Well, let me say I was pleasantly surprised.  I liked it!!  When Brenda invited me to attend the launch lunch I was only too pleased to.

I met some lovely people including Collette Twomey, the Managing Director of the firm in Clonakilty, West Cork, Ireland.  Collette is the only person who currently knows the secret mix of spices, mixing them in private ready for each batch to be made.

Over 20 tonnes of Clonakilty black Pudding are produced every week using local ingredients such as Irish beef and pork, onions from West Cork and Flahavan's pin head oats.  Their butcher shop has been in the town centre for over 130 years and has very strong links to the community supporting local businesses, clubs and sports.

Clonakilty also produce award winning bacon and sausages. For Christmas 2012 I wanted to make the stuffing for the turkey a little differently than I usually do.  I mixed the sausage meat from their sausages (I skinned them first) with some bread crumbs and finely chopped black pudding. I mixed all this together and then spooned it into my 12 cup muffin pan which I had lined with Clonakilty bacon. I put this all in the oven for about 20 minutes and when cooked had 12 individual stuffing parcels.  They went down very well with our turkey and the rest of the Christmas meal.

You can purchase Clonakilty Black Pudding in England now in selected stores including Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and branches of Tesco and Budgens supermarkets.

I really hope to visit Ireland in 2013 and a visit to the shores of Clonakilty will definitely be on the agenda!

(Clonakilty provided me with the black pudding, bacon and sausages)