Quintessentially British

Ask Tom Kerridge what he would buy if he had only £10 to spend on food and the Gloucester born chef would say: an amazing Cornish pasty from any little bakery based in Padstow or St Ives and a pint of Sharp's Doom Bar ale. “I would enjoy my meal while sitting on a beach in winter and just look at the seagulls and watch the fishing boats come in,” shares Kerridge. His simple choices sum up his attitude towards food perfectly.

This is the approach that he brings to Hands and Flowers, a homey pub in Marlow, London, where he is chef patron. The menu is filled with robust English dishes such as the smoked haddock and parmesan omelette, a Roast Chateaubriand of Lancashire Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and the quintessential fish and chips. Although these are no ordinary “chippies”: trisol is used for the batter of the fish to achieve a non greasy crust; special frying potatoes are first steamed, deep fried at 140°C and then finished at 180°C so they are crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, and they are served with tartare sauce made from homemade mayonnaise.
Excerpt from the June issue of epicure.