Fresh Fish From The Lobster Pot

Problem
Fresh fish - affordable fish or special fish?

Answer
Next door to Cobbs Farm shop, as usual we stepped into The Lobster Pot to check the available fish. Nowadays whether you are in restaurant or fishmongers or supermarket, Dover sole is expensive (because it is rare) and lemon sole cheaper but still not cheap.

We opted to buy plaice. We were served by fishmonger Keith Morgan. We spotted that the name Morgan is Welsh, the name Keith is Welsh, but he is English.

Another branch of his shop is in Swindon.

I picked up the business card. On the back of the Lobster Card with ten copies of the picture of a lobster. When it is full, says the car, you get a free special offer fish of £5 off your next purchase. We had forgotten to get our card marked. However, if you only visit once a year, it would take you ten years to earn your free fish and you'd have to remember your card and hope they didn't discontinue the card. (I am a keen loyalty card collector.)

If you are a regular, and go every week, ask if the loyalty card is still operating.

The card says they are open for fish Tuesday-Sunday.
The Lobster Pot
Cobbs Farm Shop, Bath Road, Hungerford RG17 OSP.
Tel:01488 688311.

Cobbs Farm Shop for Fresh Food, Different Drinks, Wine Cheese

What can you buy? Food, drink and lots of amusing items.

Problem
Where can I buy fresh farm food? Where can I see something different?

Answers
Cobbs Farm shop has a huge variety of interesting things to see and buy. Park outside and look at the plants and pot on the way in. Fresh vegetables are in racks.

Here's an idea - oatcakes for a Scottish Supper.

Orange marmalade cake - I took a photo to remind me to put it on my wishlist for my next visit. My other wishlist item is Raspberry Bakewell.

Another reminder - stop for tea and cake.

Cheeses
Inside are breads and cheeses. We were offered teeny tastes of cheese. 

We looked at the colourful eye-catching cheese. Solid orange colour. In London supermarkets I like to buy cheese with cranberries, enticing to look at, soft and flavourful. (I also bought some in Singapore from a supermarket in HillV2.) At Cobbs Farm shop we tried the cheese with orange. Little visible orange bits in it. Strong orange flavour like marmalade.

Cakes looked lovely. I had my eye on the almond cake. About six pounds something.  We settled for frozen croissants which you cook yourself, at 40p each.

A cafe. Toilets.

Meat.

Some of the prices are high. You need to shop around. They have a discount card which gives you 10% off.

Next door is a fishmongers.

Cobbs Farm Shop
Bath Road, Hungerford
RG17 OSP
Tel: 01488 686770.

Their website gives details of a playbarn where you can hold children's parties. I also liked the page of recipes including easy strawberry ice cream.

Where is it on the way to and from?
We were going to and from The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant. Cobbs is on the road past The Bear at Hungerford pub and hotel, on the old road to the West country. It's off the M4.

We drove from Harrow in NW London. Because we diverted to avoid two delays on the M4 the journey was 2 hours each way.

I praticularly liked the Red Wine Farmer cheese, as a novelty. Dee-lish!

Useful website
http://cobbsfarmshop.co.uk

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Michelin Meal at The Harrow at Little Bedwyn

We drove from London on the M4 which goes to Wales to the Harrow at Little Bedwyn, a restaurant that is run by the Jones family, Sue and Roger, the chef. Jones is a Welsh name.

The road took us through Hungerford, passing The Bear Hotel where we stayed on a previous visit to The Harrow At Little Bedwyn. When we saw the Cobbs farm shop we knew we should take the next turning left.

Driving through fields, along narrow lanes, just wide enough for one or two careful cars, we were going further away from the stresses of city life, into the calm and quiet of the countryside.

Finally, amongst some old houses, there's the building containing our quarry, the restaurant.

We had booked a meal with matching wines. I took a trip through the building to the back, posing windowsills and shelves displaying with Riedel carafes in fancy curved shapes on sale, and the Jones own label bottles, new this year.

The Ladies seemed even better than on my last visit. Pink and white, with spirals of pink flannels to dry your hands.

The meal started with a mixture of olives, fresh white garlic cloves and gherkins. The pink salmon contrasting with green was a delight for the eye as well as fun flavours. Tastes that tickle your tongue.

I loved the salmon which looked raw but was melt in the mouth soft, like everything else.

The most memorable dish was the surprise of the boiled egg with soldier, which turned out to be not savoury but sweet with mango at the base. We discussed two kinds of meringue, set solid, or creamy like the one here.

Our other topic of conversation was a joke about selling up so we could move nearer and eat here every day.

We indulged in an upgrade of £15 so one person could try different wines as a contrast. We also added one double espresso coffee to keep the driver awake. I was quite happy to be smiling and slightly sleepy.

Get on their mailing list and you will get to hear of lower price and high price meals, plus wines for sale.

Their website suggests accommodation if you are coming from afar. More information about the area from posts I wrote in previous visits. Read about Reading which we saw on the way home.

Sue Jones with the new wine.

The Harrow at Little Bedwyn
Little Bedwyn
Near Marlborough
Wiltshire
SN8 3JP
Tel: 01672 870871
www.theharrowatlittlebedwyn.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Prepare for Pancake Day, shrove Tuesday February 17 - Cobbs farm shop display

What do you need to know about preparing for pancake day? You could make pancakes from a pancake mix but it's so simple that even a small child can mix the mixture using items most people stock in their kitchen. Toppings can be lemon and sugar, or maple syrup.

This picture is from Cobbs farm shop. I am so glad and grateful that they reminded me. 

I am on the Cobbs mailing list so I expect to be sent regular updates of events and promotions. If you fill up their form giving your address and email address their discount card is posted to you.