< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGPicture your venueTo promote your services callAngie Cooper on 01472 310302or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.ukThe China RoyalRestaurant6 Bridge Streets, Brigg, DN20 8LNTel: 01652 650688 (reservations)/654762 (takeaway)Web: www.chinaroyal.co.uk The intimate, warm surroundings of the ChinaRoyal are ideal for the most romantic dinner or thelargest banquet. Serving the best in Chinese cuisine, it has five stars on the doors, and is openthroughout all Bank Holidays. Table-booking available for Christmas and New YearThe George Hotel1 Boston Road, Spilsby, PE23 5HBTel: 01790 752528 Web: www.spilsby.info/georgehotelThe George Hotel guarantees a warm welcome and theperfect pub environment. Karaoke is on every Saturday night,and with live music held once a month and a large functionroom (available free of charge for parties), the George Hotel isthe perfect venue for entertaining. The accommodation boasts eight letting bedrooms with TV,tea and coffee making facilities and free Wi-Fi. Special Edition ChocolateWillingham Hall, Market Rasen, LN8 3RHTel: 01673 844073 Web: www.specialeditionchocolate.co.ukSpecial Edition Chocolate prides itself on award-winning handmade chocolate for everyone to enjoy.This includes chocolate suited for diabetics,coeliacs, vegans and other allergy sufferers – suchas nuts and dairy – as well as other specialdelicacies. They also specialise in chocolate gifts,making it the perfect place to get your friend or relative the perfect present. Winter warmersThe New Year may be here, but the days and nights are still cold. Why not try one ofthese winter warmers as we look forward to the spring months.GRIDDLEDSALMON ON A BEDOF BROCCOLI,SHALLOT ANDCHILLI STIRY FRYVery tasty and easy to prepare, the sweetness of the shallotscomplimenting the hot and crunchy broccoli, perfect for aninstant supper or when entertaining on a time budget.Serves: 4Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 15 minutesYou’ll need4 salmon fillets300g long stemmed broccoli1 large red chilli, finely chopped12 shallots, peeled and quartered50g almonds, toastedWhat to do1. Brush the salmon steaks with a little oil, griddle or pan fry forapproximately 5-7 minutes each side until cooked through, keepwarm.2. Steam the broccoli for 2 minutes, drain well. Heat the cleangriddle pan, toss the shallots in a little oil and cook, turningregularly until softened and beginning to brown at the edges.3. Add the chilli to a tablespoon of olive oil and toss into thetenderstem, add to the pan and cook with the shallots until justbeginning to show griddle marks, turning at regular intervals.Sprinkle in the toasted almonds.4. Divide the stir fry between 4 plates and top with a piece ofsalmon.Cook’s tip: Serve with steamed baby new potatoes and a goodsqueeze of lemon.Recipe provided by: www.ukshallot.com© Shutterstock/AGfoto50-51.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:01 Page 1The Hammer & Pincers pub is awelcoming, warm pub thatserves a great range of caskales, fantastic food and offersservice with a smile. It has aselection of meals availablethroughout the day, startingwith breakfast at 9.30am onweekdays, and then lunchesand dinners. Every Sunday itoffers a sumptuous carverywith a range of meats andvegetables to choose from. It alsooffers a range of entertainment and roomfor large parties. Hammer & Pincers now serve food allday on Saturday and Sunday.BT Sport and Sky Sports is shown onmultiscreen.Award winning restaurantDeliciously Deliciously LincolnshirePlatinumAwarded for outstanding quality and service byLincolnshireTodayawardWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETSwineshead Road, Boston, PE21 7JETel: 01205 361323Email: wayne.salmon@btconnect.com www.hammerandpincers-boston.co.ukLINCOLNSHIRETODAY51FOOD & DININGThe award winning Gingerbread House is a fantastic tea room in Humberston, offering a warm welcome and more importantly the best tea and coffee in the area. We have a wonderful menu for you all to enjoy, with a large selection ofhomemade cakes and pastries and not forgetting a menu for the little ones too.The Gingerbread House really is the place to be, come and enjoy our food and have abrowse in our library or have some retail therapy.The Cloisters, Church Lane, Humberston (formerly Humberston Library)Tel: 01472 456959 Email: humberstonhub@yahoo.co.ukTraditionaltearoom serving greatbreakfasts Open:Mon-Fri 09.00 - 17.00 Sat 09.30-16.00 Sun 10.00-15.30Serves: 4Prep: 10 minutesCooking: 1 hourFor the pie:1/2 x 85g bag of watercress, chopped1 onion, finely chopped1 celery stick, finely chopped1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped25g butter500g minced lamb1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce400g can chopped tomatoes1 tbsp tomato ketchup1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly choppedFor the mash:1/2 x 85g bag watercress, chopped1kg Desirée potatoes, peeled 25g buttersalt and freshly ground black pepper50g Cheddar, finely gratedWhat to do1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gasmark 6. For the pie, finely chop the onion,celery and carrot. Melt butter in a frying pan and gently fry thevegetable mixture for 8-10 minutes until tender. Remove fromthe pan and set aside.2. Add the lamb to the pan, turn up the heat and brown forabout 8-10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat, then add thevegetable mixture, the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes,ketchup and thyme. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes untilreduced then stir in half the watercress.3. Meanwhile, for the mash, cut the potatoes into even-sizedchunks and cook in boiling, salted water for 20 minutes. Drainand mash with butter and seasoning. Stir in half the Cheddarand the remaining watercress.4. Season the meat mixture and spoon into a shallowovenproof dish. Top with the Cheddar mash. Sprinkle over theremaining cheese and cook for 30 minutes until golden brownand hot.Recipe provided by: Watercress.co.uk SHEPHERD’S PIETOPPED WITHWATERCRESS ANDCHEDDAR MASH© Shutterstock/Margoe Edwards50-51.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:01 Page 252 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGTheSettlementCaistorThe perenniallypopular Settlementin Caistor has beenrecently refurbished,sporting brand newmanagement, menusand a fun livelyatmosphere. Westopped in on thegrand re-opening tosee it all forourselves first hand. 52-53.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:03 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53FOOD & DININGt was clear stepping into the newlyrefurbished restaurant that it hadundergone a makeover, with anelegant classical décor and a menu tomatch. My partner and I were firstgreeted with an extensive wine list, truly wewere spoiled for choice. Fortunately, the staffwere not just warm and welcoming, but alsodeeply knowledgeable, guiding us throughthe menu. To begin, I opted for a hearty vegetarianoption with the panko crumbed halloumi. Onits own this is already a delightful nibble butpaired with a dressed salad and a spicedtomato chutney resulted in the perfect starterthat we’d highly recommend. The flavourswere clean and full, with the kick of thechutney playing off the deliciously salty cheese. My partner went instead for the salmonand dill fishcakes served alongside pickledvegetables and tartare sauce. The batter wasboth beautifully light and crispy, concealingthe flavoursome filling. The pickledvegetables, meanwhile, offered acontrasting sharpness to the soft flavoursof the fishcake. Inspired by my partner’s starter, Iselected the pan-fried salmon for mymain. The fillet was cooked with precisionand poise, perfectly flaky and full offlavour. It was served with roast carrots,sautéd potatoes and a cherry tomatosauce which helped to tie all thoseflavours together. Of note was thebuttered kale offering a different textureand an earthy green counterpoint to therest of the dish. My partner, however, hungered after asteak – an 8oz sirloin to be specific. Thiswas served with a simple accompanimentof tomato, portabella mushroom andsweet potato fries, all the better to let thequality of the meat speak for itself. Thesteak was deliciously pink in the middle,enhanced by a velvety smooth peppercornsauce. When done well, sweet potato friesare the rival of their traditionalcounterparts, and these were somethingspecial indeed. Rounding off a meal with the rightdessert isn’t always easy, but as soon as Iclapped eyes on the lemon and limecheesecake, I knew exactly what I wanted.The deep cheesecake was creamy, spikedwith that citrus tartness one would expect,without ever being too sour. All of thisserved on a thin crunchy base with thickhomemade vanilla ice cream.Rather than going for a sweet dish, mypartner kept things traditional with acheese and biscuit platter. Here we hadbrie, stilton and smoked applewoodserved with chutney and celery. A moreunusual addition, and one we’ll definitelybe having again, was the frozen grapeswhich worked as a pallet cleanser beforethe next taste. The Settlement rightly retains its spot asone of Caistor’s very best establishments.Although we were fortunate enough tosample the new menu on opening night,the restaurant is open evenings fromThursdays to Sundays. So what are youwaiting for?To book a table for yourself, call 01472 851771email info@thesettlement.co.ukalso see www.thesettlement.co.ukI52-53.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:04 Page 254 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYOAKLANDS HALL HOTEL Q&ATell us a littleabout OaklandsHall Hotel.We are a 3-starhotel that is familyrun. The Underwoodfamily have ownedwith a partner since2011. Their aim wasto bring theOaklands back tosome former glorythrough décor andimprovements to thestructure of the building. The hotel sits in5 acres of landscaped gardens, perfectfor photos for weddings and corporateteam building events. We have 46bedrooms with a mix of doubles, twins,family rooms and a junior suite for anadded night of luxury. All the bedroomshave been refurbished since 2013 andare all a good quality. The in-houserestaurant The Comfy Duck holds an AArosette for food, which we are proud of.We have won numerous awards for thehotel in recent years including Hotel ofthe Year and Restaurant of the year. Weare always looking to develop the hotelso who knows what the future will hold.What challenges are there in thehospitality industry and how can thesebests be met?There are always going to bechallenges with the hospitality industrywith staffing levels, government decisionsfor living wage increases and a shortageof chefs coming into the industry. We arealways looking to take on workexperience students on, with a passionfor the industry and looking to get into aquality environment. We never try andchallenge the living wage or nationalminimum wage. We employ people fortheir passion for the industry, how wellthey will look after our customers and ifthey have some experience in theindustry. This does change with theposition that we may require filling. Withthe chef shortage we look towards thecollege to get work experience students,we would also look at inhouse teammembers wanting to change and if thereare any promotion opportunities foranyone. We also look at recruitmentagents if all else fails. There are manyother challenges but will keep it at that.What would you say are the mostsurprising aspects of working in thehospitality sector? I am always surprised by the variety ofpeople that I meet in this industry withteam members andcustomers. Everyoneis different andneeds to be dealtwith as an individual.I love the variety thateach day gives you,the opportunity tohave a variety ofconversations. Whatsurprises me most isthe level of passion Ihad 25 years ago hasnot left me. I lovethe industry for everything that it hastaught me with. I have always tried todeliver more than expected, as sales willgo and up and down, but service staysforever.For our ever-commuting businessreaders, does Oaklands Hall Hotelcater for overnight stays on the day,or is booking ahead always advised?We would always suggest booking inadvance to save disappointment. We dowelcome guests without a reservationand would always try to help where wecould. It may take longer to get to you ifyou are in the restaurant, if the hotel isfull we would always try to suggest ahotel that may have a room and assist ingetting you moving forward. It is alwaysabout the customer experience and if wedeal with a full hotel and the guestcomes looking and we divert them, theymay book in advance in the future asthey have been dealt with in aprofessional and friendly manner. Q&ABarry Flint, General Manager at Best Western Oaklands Hall HotelFor more information, visit www.oaklandshallhotel.co.uk,email reception@oaklandshallhotel.co.uk or call 01472 872 248.54-55.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:04 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY55OAKLANDS HALL HOTEL Q&APHOTO COURTESY BEST WESTERN54-55.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:04 Page 2RSPCA Charity BallHeld earlier this year at the Hilton Hotel in Lincoln, this charity ball was in aid of the Lincolnbranch of the RSPCA and the vital work it does for animal welfare and environmentalconservation. By all accounts it was a wonderful evening with attendees dressed to thenines in tuxedos and stunning ball gowns. CALLING ALL EVENT ORGANISERSIf you are holding an event and would like one of our photographers to come alongplease contact Michael Fisher at m.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukPaula Jones, Amy Farrell &Charlotte Childs56 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYSOCIAL SCENEPHOTOS: RICHARD PICKSLEY56.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:05 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY57I moved to Lincolnshire in 2002thinking it was all flat. Peddling out fromGrimsby only confirmed that. But I movedto Louth in 2016 and heading out southon a Sunday, I realised you should neversay Lincolnshire is flat. Around five milesfrom home, my lungs were asking “arewe there yet?”, never mind my heart. Butthe views were amazing, with thebuzzards circling above me and thebeautiful old gnarled oak trees which hadme imagining little owls laughing at myhuffing and puffing. Thankfully, the journey did level outand, after wiping the sweat from mybrow, saw the amazing sight of a whitepheasant in gorgeous backlight. With mybackpack off, I took a few shots with mycamera. It’s really no wonder Tennysonwrote about the Lincolnshire Wolds. I gazed at a little red tractor in afield as if viewing through the wrongend of binoculars as the valley was sosteep. There were further treats to be hadwith a Red Kite flying by. I didn’t think theday could get any better, but as I waspeddling home, there were peregrinesgoing around and round. Taking somemore pictures just about capped by dayoff. LoveLincolnshireWe love hearing from readers about what the county means to them. This monthwe chatted with Stephen Plant, a long-time reader and keen photographer, whorecently ventured out into the county with his camera and discovered first handthat Lincolnshire is far from flat. 57.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:06 Page 1SITUATED WITHIN THE HISTORIC BAILGATE45 STEEP HILL ILINCOLN ILN2 1LU01522 536035 ILOTTIESATIK.CO.UKFOR THATOLDFASHIONEDPERSONALSERVICE58 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYSTARTS WEDNESDAY 27TH December 10 am Fabulous discounts in every department EVE&RANSHAW Louth’s Department Store 1 Market Place, Louth LN11 9NT Tel: 01507 602902 www.eve-ranshaw.co.uk OUR WINTERSALEHorncastleCake Art & Hobby House Everything for the CrafterCake Decorations, Knitting,Crochet, Felt, Ribbons & morewww.horncastlecakeart.co.uk25 North Street, Horncastle,Lincs. LN9 5DXTel: 01507 525926/522659SOLE TRADER AND PARTNERSHIP ACCOUNTSLIMITED COMPANY ACCOUNTSSELF-ASSESSMENT AND CORPORATION TAX RETURNSWAGES, BOOKKEEPING AND VAT SERVICELITTLE AUDIT SERVICE Crossing Cottage, Station Road, Heckington.Telephone: (01529) 460407 email: admin@littleaudit.co.ukPartners: Sally Woodhead & Doug ScottSMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTANCY SPECIALISTS Established 1979 - 40 years in business10% OFFVOUCHER**OFFER TO BE USED ONLY ONCE PER CUSTOMERSUBJECT TO TERMS AND CONDITIONSCome visit our showroom at Princes Street, Brigg, DN20 8HGEmail: briggbeds@hotmail.co.ukwww.briggbeds.co.ukTEL: (01652) 651 828BRIGG BEDSWhether you are calling in for that special occasion meal, a satisfying snack or a socialdrink with friends, you will always receive the very warmest of welcomes.All our food is prepared in the restaurant kitchen using only locally sourced ingredients.As well as our À la Carte we also offer Early Bird, Lunch and Children's menus. We alsooffer a Chef's Specials menu on Friday and Saturday evenings. We provide the very bestin business buffet lunches as well as catering for charity functions and special occasions.Chef's specials are also available all week.To accompany your meal we have a wide selection of fine wines, draught & bottledbeers, cask ales, spirits and soft drinks.Great Fen Road, Wyberton Fen, Boston, Lincs PE21 7PB. Tel: 01205 362378Email: merrimans1@btconnect.com www.merrimansrestaurant.co.ukMERRIMANSLOUNGE & RESTAURANTDeliciously Deliciously LincolnshireGoldAwarded for outstanding quality and service byLincolnshireTodayawardWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET58-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 10:55 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY59FAMILY BUSINESSWithin Lincolnshire there is anabundance of family businesses andfirms, many going back generations –and some centuries. But what is it thatmakes family firms such powerful forces,and how do they continue to weatherthe storm, while others falter? The family business is a curious entity.In a sense they are the same as everyother company, and yet if you visit thewebsite of a family firm – that veryaspect is something they regularly boastabout. “A family firm for over thirtyyears,” or “your local family firm,”© Shutterstock/KingaFamilybusinessTo some, the idea of mixing family and business mightseem unusual, but family businesses mark some of theoldest and most celebrated names across Lincolnshire,and they are going from strength to strength. 60 Á58-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 10:56 Page 2Next >