(Un)Sportsman(like)

A wonderful menu.

Photo ©Anne-Marie Minhall

It's Uncle M's birthday & I'm on a train to Faversham for a special Sunday lunch at a unique pub.

http://thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/tasting.php

This is an amazing place to eat. In their own words:

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The first evidence of an inn at the site dates back to 1642 but the surrounding area of Seasalter was entered in the Domesday Book as belonging to the kitchens of Canterbury Cathedral. Even then it was an area of food production, farmed by the monks, supplying produce for the influx of religious tourists after the murder of Thomas Beckett in 1170.

We took over The Sportsman in November 1999 with the intention of serving good food in relaxed and informal surroundings. We have held a Michelin star since 2008.

Following the monks’ example we let the area around the pub dictate what we cook.  Behind us, the Thames Estuary, leading out to the North Sea, provides oysters and fish, and in front, marshland, woods and fertile soils give us meat, vegetables and game. We also grow some ingredients ourselves. A small kitchen garden and now polytunnel, mean we can cook with fruit and vegetables that benefit from being picked only moments before use.

In Borowart lath, there lies a small borough named Sesaltre [Seasalter], which properly belongs to the kitchen of the archbishop. There is a church and eight fisheries... wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth twenty-five shillings, and now one hundred shillings. Survey of Seasalter in the Domesday Book, 1086

**

I've been lucky enough to eat here on a couple of occasions before & the food & service have been exemplary.

We were fortunate enough to get a table for five, (you have to book well in advance). We begin with some home grown bubbles, a bottle of Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs, 2014, Appledore, England.

Then, as we're perusing the menu & many discussions & choices are happening, an amuse-bouche of an oyster & a pork scratching bacon rind arrive.

Photo ©Anne-Marie Minhall

Food orders in.

Power off.

What?

W H A T?

No one's fault, only an electrical one, obviously.

The staff were so good at keeping everyone informed as much as they were able to:

"The electrician is on his way, it'll be half an hour until he gets here." ..

"Ok, our man is stuck in traffic, we're now looking at an hour & a half till his arrival & then he's got to fix the problem. Oh, and then the kitchen's got to get up to speed with the orders." ..

ME:

"That's me out my darlings. I'm booked on a London train in an hour." ..

The four members of the family went on to eat here:

https://www.albiontaverna.com/menus

Blessings to The Sportsman who did not charge us for anything & could not apologise enough.

We will be back.

My Sunday meal that day, thanks to my local Spanish eatery, was spicy garlic marinated chicken, served with piquillo peppers, almond flakes and an almond Romesco sauce.

AMM