BARCOMBE NURSERIES UK5 G2272 VEGETABLE GROWERS LOCAL ORGANIC BOX SCHEME free delivery to your door Mill Lane, Barcombe, Nr <strong>Lewes</strong>, BN8 5TH. Teleph<strong>on</strong>e: 01273 400011 www.barcombenurseries.com barcombenurseries@tiscali.co.uk
Ben Sulst<strong>on</strong> has <strong>on</strong>ly been at the Rainbow in Cooksbridge for a couple of m<strong>on</strong>ths when we meet him, but his ideas are already starting to permeate the walls of this historic S<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex pub... Tell me about your cooking experience? I was at Ockenden Manor before joining the Rainbow, but much of my thoughts <strong>on</strong> food were developed when I was lucky enough to work ‘stages’ in some fantastic kitchens, including The Fat Duck and Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Sais<strong>on</strong>s. I <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e fresh, seas<strong>on</strong>al, local produce whenever possible, and believe that you shouldn’t over-complicate a dish - let the flavours speak for themselves. How is this reflected in your menu? Our menu is seas<strong>on</strong>al, and at the moment (mid Aug<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t), girolle m<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hrooms and greengages are key ingredients <strong>on</strong> the menu. We aim to source the best available local ingredients - the m<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hrooms are hand-foraged, and all of the fish is line-caught - <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ually earlier that morning. S<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>tainability is a key part of our philosophy. How does that reflect in your prices? We provide high quality food at extremely competitive prices. For example, our daily set menu, offers two courses for £12.50 or three for £15. The à la carte is equally fairly priced, (prices start from £5 for a starter and £11 for a main) and we always offer a choice of 6 starters, mains and desserts. Your Specials Board looks interesting… We believe the specials should be j<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t that - special. We always feature a steak, from a local farm, and the best line-caught fish available that day. A recent example of our specials was a beautiful Hebridean Hoggett from Townings Farm, which we served as a piece of cheF coNFideNTial ................................................................... BeN sUlsToN A D V E r t o r I A l loin, crispy belly and shepherd’s pie. As a chef it’s exciting to work with such fantastic ingredients. Any vegetarian opti<strong>on</strong>s? We always have a couple of vegetarian starters and <strong>on</strong>e main <strong>on</strong> the menu. [Wild M<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hroom & Mozzarella Arancini the day we looked]. Any pub grub? Head in to the fr<strong>on</strong>t bar and we’ll serve you a S<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex glazed ham and homemade piccalilli sandwich or a homemade sa<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>age roll. What’s your favourite dish so far? It’s hard to pick j<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t <strong>on</strong>e! The hogget was fantastic, but I was also very happy during the asparag<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> seas<strong>on</strong> with a sea bass served with homemade gnocchi, chorizo, asparag<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> and butternut squash. A recent lunch favourite m<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t be the homemade venis<strong>on</strong> sa<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ages served with S<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex beetroot and pickled girolles. Any special events coming up? We put <strong>on</strong> regular tasting men<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>, to enable our c<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>tomers to try seas<strong>on</strong>ally available treats. In September, we’ll be celebrating apples; while in November there will be a game-based menu. The aim, as always, is to serve everything at its freshest and best. Can I get my hands <strong>on</strong> these ingredients? We’re j<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>t about to start a m<strong>on</strong>thly produce market, and <strong>on</strong> the first Saturday morning of the m<strong>on</strong>th (starting Sept 4) our main suppliers will be selling their range of produce out the fr<strong>on</strong>t of the pub. Give a top tip to our readers: Buy fresh ingredients and treat them with respect. Interview by Nick Williams If you would like to be kept up to date with events coming up at The Rainbow you can sign up for their m<strong>on</strong>thly e-newsletter via ben@rainbows<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex.co.uk 6 7
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