< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGOK, it couldn’t feel less like Christmasat the moment. For most of us thenearest we’re getting to the depths ofwinter is when we dive into the freezer toget another ice lolly and given how rarelywe enjoy gloriously hot weather, most ofus doubtless want to savour it for as longas we can (with apologies if it’s alreadyrubbish again by the time you read this).But there is some sense in thinkingabout Christmas at the height of summer– honest! Planning your festiveentertainment now gives you first dibs onthe best venues, the most convenientdates and the hottest tickets, so if youdon’t want your festive occasion to berelocated to mid-January, you shouldmake your move as soon as you can.Lincolnshire has loads of fantastic venuesbut the very best of them are oftenbooked up months in advance, so don’tleave it too late!Doubtless many of us find it hard tothink about Christmas cheer while thesun is beating down so it’s a good thingmost of our region’s top venues havededicated staff who can help point you inthe right direction. Their aim is notsimply to roll out the same templateevery single party ever held in the venuehas followed to the letter, but to providethe backdrop for your own ideas. That’swhy a lot of venues now make use ofmarquees – to offer a completely blankcanvas that you can completely take overwith your vision. And don’t worry – evenif it’s freezing cold the marquee will betoasty warm, the modern marquee is aworld away from the flimsy structures ofthe past.A further benefit of arranging yourfestive entertainment at a time when thethoughts of most people are aimed52 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/CANDYBOX IMAGESSummerWITH SANTAYou may currently be savouring the Great British Summer, andChristmas is probably the last thing on your mind, but if you wantto make sure your festive season is as memorable, you’ll need tostart planning fast!50-52:Layout 1 15/7/13 13:53 Page 1 Local Ingredients & Beautiful RecipesFresh & Delicious Food Follow us on twitter @WhiteHartLN1 For more information, contact our Restaurant Teamt 01522 563 290 e restaurant@whitehart-lincoln.co.ukBailgate | Lincoln | Lincolnshire LN1 3AR | www.whitehart-lincoln.co.ukEnviable cocktails, extensive wine list, drinks from around the worldSuperb mouth watering dishes, fabulous atmosphere with the highest quality serviceProud to be a member of Select Lincolnshire continually using local produceWe deliver the quality that our customers have come to expect DeFresh Fooelicious od ound the worldom arfrextensive wine list, drinEnviable cocktails,boeLosihnLitlcPrSelec Lnolnstmemtdouo be a br P kststlbattsayqsfhighesqty uslueeotrrao tosewprobewtttuSur muh wtefoothat our customers e deliver the quW ssrth evicwetwi eegsendihs,haveality l n alprcposogntlyan coduccome to expect t LINCOLNSHIRETODAY51For more informationdonʼt hesitate to contact usNewark Road, Lincoln LN6 8SA Tel: 01522 882111 • www.rustonsclub.co.uk RustonSports & Social ClubRuston Sports & Social Club is aCommunity Amateur Sports Club withsome of the best sporting and socialfacilities in and around the City of Lincoln.Anyone can join and we welcomefamilies.Available for all Parties and Christenings,Business Conferences and Training Days,at a price YOU can afford!Please contact us for a demo discTel: 01427 615177 www.offlimitsband.co.ukLincolnshire’sPremier Party BandOFF LIMITSIf you are after a great, tight band that can playall types of music for your event or party thenOff Limits are the band for you. 50-52:Layout 1 15/7/13 13:53 Page 252 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGChristmas sparkleat LincolnshireShowgroundThe Lincolnshire Showground hostsshared party nights on Saturday 14thand Saturday 21st December for £42per person and private partiesthroughout the whole festive season.They even run in January for all whowork over Christmas, but still want tocelebrate in the New Year!You’ll be treated to a red carpetentrance and a good dose ofHollywood glamour. Expect a glass offizz, a three course meal with coffee, aDJ and live music from local band The Junction to really get theparty started!Remember, the Showground is only a ten minute drive fromLincoln’s city centre and partner with local hotels to offer a rangeof options from budget to four-star accommodation. They’re morethan happy to help with travel arrangements too - just ask amember of the friendly events team when you make yourbooking.What’s more, Take That 2 will be the entertainment on Friday20th December for one night of favourite Take That hits, fromPatience to Back for Good and a good dose of Christmas cheer. Call 01522 522900 oremail events@lincolnshireshowground.co.ukfor further information and to check date availabilitytowards the beach is that atthe moment, your soiree isthe hottest ticket in town –because it’s the only ticket!Hence any guests you invitewill hardly be able tosuggest they have otherplans as they probably haven’tplanned anything else yet.The one downside of doing this,mind, is that anyone receiving an inviteto a Christmas party in mid-August might not be able to RSVPstraight away and by the time the party season comes aroundcircumstances may have changed and they may well have, alas,forgotten all about it. That’s why it’s probably a good idea tosend out some “save the date” cards in advance, to get a feel forthe kind of numbers you’ll expect to get, and then send onproper invitations a bit nearer the time. The advantage of bookingearly too is that venues are likely to be far more flexible aboutcancellations and rearrangements The main thing to remember when you’re deciding on thespace you want to occupy is to ensure just too much room for thenumber of people going. That means you can cope if the oddgatecrasher turns up or someone suddenly finds that they canmake it at the last minute. You certainly don’t want to get thesituation of dancers continually tripping over diners so it’s best tobe fairly generous when deciding on the size of the room and thenumber of people.Christmas parties can be great fun but there’s always thedanger of your guests having their fill of turkey and tinsel in therun-up to the big day. By planning your do in advance, you canbe sure that your event will stand out from the rest – and then goback to enjoying the summer!By planningyour event inadvance, you can besure it’ll stand outfrom the rest – andthen you can go backto enjoying thesummer!50-52:Layout 1 15/7/13 13:53 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53FOOD & DININGThe Inn atWoodhall SpaFormerly the Woodhall Spa Hotel on thevillage’s Broadway, The Inn At Woodhall Spa hasundergone an amazing £2 million makeover andoverhaul. We pay the newly-regenerated venue avisit.Set right in the centre of Woodhall Spa and taking up an impressive amount ofspace, you’d be forgiven for wondering why The Inn at Woodhall Spa hasn’t beenthere forever. With a venue seemingly catering for any eventuality, we were at oncestruck before even entering at its new, sleek and modern look. Refurbished by the same team that own the glorious Dower House Hotel in thevillage, the Inn provides the village with a venue to be proud of. From the 26-roomhotel element to the varied dining options, you’ll want to experience it all. The hotel rooms are well-appointed, benefitting from interior decoration skills whichmirror the Dower House’s individual style but with a more contemporary twist. For those who want to while away an afternoon in the pub, the 617 offers an extensiverange of beers and ales and even boasts a carvery, which looked delicious and smelledfantastic. There’s also plenty to do for the little ones as there’s a large play area in theadjoining beer garden that looks lots of fun. We were lucky enough to be able to try the Lancaster Brasserie, which boasts fine diningand a cocktail bar which should provide either the perfect place for a celebration or just afantastic night out. We enjoyed the sumptuous starters which included a mushroom, egg andcrispy pancetta bruschetta which was a melding of some wonderful flavours in a delightfulpile. My dining partner’s Italian meatballs and tagliatelle were also impressive, with a subtletomato and herb sauce, the generous portions really hit the spot. For our main courses, weselected a pork chop which was of such a size we doubt we’ve seen larger elsewhere and afantastic duck confit. The duck came laced with a plum sauce that chimed perfectly withthe fresh vegetables served on the side. Dessert was similarly a revelation, with an indulgent chocolate brownie being one of themost moist and nutty we’ve ever tasted and the apple tart tatin providing a comforting,familiar taste that you might want to order on a cold winter’s afternoon to enjoy themost!We also found the selection of cocktails to be impressive, with an espresso martinibeing a particular highlight as well as a lime-infused mojito.We’d urge you to visit as soon as you can as this gem of a venue is alreadyproving popular.The Inn at Woodhall Spa is on Broadway, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6ST.To find out more or to book a table, call 01526 353231 or email info@theinnatwoodhallspa.co.uk 53:Layout 1 15/7/13 12:54 Page 1The unique element that the Sebastopol Innhas, other than that fantastic name, is immediatelyobvious when you start speaking to David andNick. That is simply, loving things local. TheSebastopol prides itself on championing localproducers and growers and this runs the gamut fromthe eggs from down the road, to the beer whichcomes from Lincolnshire breweries. “We’ve only strayed over the border once for thebeer, but that was only to Newark so we think that’s ok!”jokes David, “We always have a Batemans on tap andanother keg of a unique and local ale which we neverrepeat even if we think it is fantastic!”You can see the pump clips displayed around the bar andthey range from north to south, east to west and slightlybeyond, impressive to even a non-drinker.“Where we differ from most places is that everything we servehas been home made using local ingredients. Virtually the onlythings you'll see here that are bought in are the the Lincolnshirecheeses and the plum bread. We support local producers in thebest way possible by buying from them direct and making sureit’s from the county.”Indeed, even the bones for Nick’s stocks come from their meatfreshthinkingfreshthinkingFOOD & DININGThe Sebastopol, tucked away in thestunning surroundings of Minting nearHorncastle is a real county gem. We met upwith family owners David Reed and his sonand chef Nick to see what makes their foodworth travelling for.54-55:Layout 1 15/7/13 14:25 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY55FOOD & DININGThe Sebastopol Inn is on Church Lane, Minting, LN9 5RS. To find out more or to book a table,call 01507 578577 or log on to www.thesebastapol.comsupplier just down the road at the awardwinning Minting Park Farm and he evengoes to pains to bake his own bread andto lovingly make his own ice cream. Awhite chocolate flavour is actuallychurning away when we visit, ready for awedding in the sunshine at the weekend.Nick’s training came from an initialcovering shift at a local bar where he wasserving drinks. One shift was all it tookfor him to know he wanted to look intocooking for a living. This included spellsin fine dining in hotels and good foodagain and again. It’s important to us thathigh standards are met.“Everything that comes out of thekitchen is a representation of what we do,so we want it to be the best.“Our food is not complicated. Therearen't thirteen elements to my starters forexample. I believe in sourcing the finestingredients in the area and simplypreparing great quality dishes. Becausewe are relatively small and everything ismade to order I can ensure that the carethat goes into each dish is really high.”pubs such as The Swan in Southrop inthe Cotswolds. When the opportunity toown and run the Sebastopol came up,Nick and his family leapt at the chanceand have been producing someincredible food since.“We are all about quality. We think thatthe last thing you eat should be as goodas your first and we retain that quality allthe way through our food. We are hopingto find people who are looking for goodfood and we want them to come backSlow-cooked balsamic lamb shoulderIngredientsMethodDue to the long cooking time preparation should be planned.Firstly season the lamb well on all sides with salt and pepper, then evenly brown on all sides in a hotfrying pan with some sunflower oil. Once coloured, place the lamb into a casserole dish. Add wine, vinegar and chopped tomatoes to the frying pan. Using a spoon, scrape the bottom of thepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, pour this over the lamb and add the beef stock. Place a lid onand put in the oven for 12 hours at 100°C. Once the lamb is cooked, carefully remove it from the casserole onto a tray and rest under tin foil.Strain the cooking liquor, and leave for a few minutes for the fat to separate and settle on the top. Using aladle, skim off the fat.Chop the chorizo and sauté with a little sunflower oil in a sauce pan. Once coloured pour the cookingliquor into the pan and reduce on a high heat until the sauce is the consistency of single cream.In the meantime, boil the new potatoes in salted water and chop the herbs and spring onions. Gently heat the butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large pot, add the herbs and spring onions andsweat for a few minutes to allow the flavours to release. Do not colour them. Once the potatoes arecooked, drain them and add them to the herbs. Crush them with the back of a spoon and season to taste.Finally, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the sauce with the olives, simmer for three minutes.Cut your rested lamb shoulder into four and serve with the potatoes and sauce. Enjoy with a glass of goodRioja. 1kg boned lamb shoulder200ml balsamic vinegar1 can chopped tomatoes200ml red wine1 litre good quality beef stock800g new potatoes1 bunch of parsley1 bunch of mint1 bunch of chives1 bunch spring onions100g butter100ml extra virgin olive oil1 200g chorizo12 cherry tomatoes150g good quality olivesSunflower oil54-55:Layout 1 15/7/13 14:25 Page 256 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLOCAL PRODUCEPerfectPRODUCEWe’re of the opinion that if you buy local,you’re doing your best for the county’s smallerbusinesses. Here’s a list of some highlightsyou’ll want to put in your diaries.2ND AUGUSTFarmers’ Market – Castle Hill, Lincoln3RD AUGUSTFarmers’ Market – Market Place, Sleaford10TH AUGUSTFarmers’ and Speciality Market – Barton-Upon-Humber10TH AUGUSTFarmers’ Market – Marshall’s Yard, Gainsborough10TH AUGUSTCooking in the Kitchen Garden – Doddington Hall12TH TO 13TH SEPTEMBERLiving Heritage Craft and Food Fair – Burghley House, Stamford 14TH SEPTEMBERSausage, Beer and Jazz Festival – Uncle Henry’s, Kirton Lindsey21ST AND 22ND SEPTEMBERLincolnshire Food Festival - Meridian Park, Cleethorpes17TH TO 20TH OCTOBERBeer Festival – Gainsborough Old Hall26TH OCTOBERLincolnshire Sausage Festival – Lincoln CastlePictureYour VenueThe Mint LeafA46 Lincoln Road, NewarkTel: 01636 646994 www.mintleafuk.co.ukThe Mint Leaf, located just off the A46, is a fine example of stylishpan-Asian cuisine. Cuisine from the Indian subcontinent is served withpanache. With the best tastes of India combined with a hint of the Orientand elements of the West, it’s a must-visit dining experience.Comfortable catering for both large and small parties, The Mint Leaf isaccessible from across Lincolnshire.Exotic Thai Restaurant205 High Street, ScunthorpeTel: 01724 843204Exotic Thai Restaurant is a testament to traditional Thaicuisine. The only Thai restaurant in Scunthorpe, Exotic Thaican accommodate up to seventy guests for a delicious choiceof authentic starters, main courses and an impressiveselection of fish dishes along with a choice of tasty desserts.The Exotic Thai prides itself on authentic Thai cuisine with friendly service, giving a truetaste of the east.Yes Chef Cafe165 Hainton Avenue, GrimsbyTel: 07821 122850 www.facebook.com/yeschefcafeYes Chef Cafe is a local run family business,established in 2011. They offer a cosy, friendly serviceselling truly delicious home-made foods, with a 5 starrating.Yes Chef Café offer eat in, take away or a deliveryservice, and they pride themselves on sourcing their produce locally. They prepare all thefood fresh daily, and also offer catering for private and corporate events.Colosseo RistoranteRavendale Street North, ScunthorpeTel: 01724 271775 www.colosseorestaurant.comStep over the threshold of the Colosseo and discerningdiners are guaranteed a warm welcome in a sophisticatedristorante where everything is freshly prepared and made onthe premises.Since 1992, this hugely popular eating house, masterminded by husband and wife teamCarlo and Connie Catalano, has consistently maintained its fine reputation for menus – forthose who seek the undisputed flavour of Italy. To promote your services call Angie Cooper on 01472 310302or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.ukCarvers Fish &Chip Restaurant266-268 Ashby High Street, Scunthorpe, DN16 2RXTel: 01724 277831Carvers is the place to go for the best in traditional fish andchips. With fresh fish delivered daily and some of the mostdelicious chips you’re likely to taste at prices you’ll love, Carversis your local, friendly fish and chip shop and restaurant,established 1927 and under new management it’s a great meal out in Scunthorpe. 56:Layout 1 15/7/13 12:52 Page 11stissues only £1Great reasonsto subscribe...Each issue is brimming with a diverse topic range...• Heritage • Fashion • Hair & Beauty • Leisure • Homes & Gardens • County Motoring • Dining Out • What’s On • Free Reader Giveaways and much much more…First 3 issues only £1!FREE delivery to your doorReceive your copy before it hits the shopsORDER FORMYes, I would like to subscribe to Lincolnshire Today magazinefor the next 12 months, with the first 3 issues only being £1.Personal Details:First name:Last Name:Address:Town:County: Post Code:Tel: Mobile:Email:Payment by DEBIT/CREDIT cardName as it appears on card:Type of card: Mastercard / Visa / Visa Debit / OtherCard Number:Card Verification number (3 digits on signature strip):Expiry Date:Amount Authorised:Cheque enclosed YES / NO Please post this form back to: Subscriptions,Lincolnshire Today Magazine, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby. N.E. Lincolnshire DN31 2QEMake cheque payable to Business Link Magazine GroupCall now to subscribe on01472 310301 or visit www.lincolnshiretoday.net/341orScan QR Code4Looking for a great gift idea?A gift Subscriptionis the perfect present that lasts all year round!Total Price: £27.553£157:Layout 1 15/7/13 12:45 Page 158 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWADDINGTONThe 2013 RAF WaddingtonInternational Air Show will beremembered as one of the best ever –and certainly one of the hottest ever! Theweathermen managed to conjure up avirtually cloudless sky to create theperfect backdrop for the fantasticdisplays. The fabulous line-up, coupled with thestunning weather, ensured that ticketswere completely sold out on Saturday.On Sunday the Show had to competewith a certain tennis match, and therewere some traffic problems around thecounty, but tens of thousands still madeit to the venue. In fact total visitornumbers for the weekend were astaggering 148,000 – one of the largestturnouts ever in the long anddistinguished history of the event.As Paul Sall, the Air Show’s Director,told us, “This year’s RAF WaddingtonInternational Air Show has once againbeen an exciting opportunity for allmembers of the family to view fantasticflying displays, equally engaging were thevariety of ground exhibits showcasing thework of the RAF and its partnerorganisations.”Visitors could enjoy some seven hoursReachingnew heightsIt wasn’t just the aircraft that were hitting highs at Waddington –visitors also enjoyed soaring temperatures!PHOTOS BY MICHAEL LYNCH58-60:Layout 1 15/7/13 13:57 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY59WADDINGTONof flying displays on both days, includingLincolnshire favourites The Red Arrows, back intheir familiar nine-plane formation, while theseventieth anniversary of the Dambusters raid,which has particularly resonance in the county,was marked by the Battle of Britain MemorialFlight. The engineers deserved particular praisefor making sure the Lancaster was part of theflight after it developed a fault just before it wasdue to take off, but it made it and its flypast witha Tornado from the modern 617 squadron wasone of the highlights of the event.60 58-60:Layout 1 15/7/13 13:57 Page 2Next >