Vrroom vroom... Come on June!

May is gone

And June is here

Wonderful, This time of year.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Goodwood is a unique sporting Estate set in 12,000 acres of beautiful West Sussex countryside. Owned by the Dukes of Richmond since 1697, it is has become famous for its thrilling motorsport events and spectacular horse-racing.

An intoxicating mix of cars, stars and motorsport royalty come together over four superb days for the Festival of Speed. The largest event of its kind in the world, the Festival gathers together the planet’s rarest and most glamorous cars.

Figura Bespoke Kitchens.....the thrill of speed, and beautiful, inspired design!

And since we are focusing on Goodwood this month, how about checking out their sustainable and exciting new restaurant...Farmer, Butcher, Chef.

Farmer, Butcher, Chef

Farmer, Butcher, Chef on the Goodwood Estate is a unique dining experience that celebrates the award-winning beef, pork and lamb reared on Goodwood Home Farm. They believe they are unique in being able to control every aspect of their produce, from the fields where their livestock graze to their in-house butchery and eventually to the kitchen – where the dishes are created. The farmer, butcher and chef are the personalities behind the story.

Steeped in history and yet not formal, dining at Farmer, Butcher, Chef is about enjoying delicious Goodwood food in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. The building dates back to 1780 and was once a coaching inn used to accommodate the many guests of Goodwood House. Today it prides itself on being a place for family get-togethers, long Sunday lunches and mid-week dinners with friends.

Spiced Haunch of Lamb with anchovies, broad beans, baby beets and smoked bacon.

THE MENU

Nowhere else can control every aspect of their produce in the way they can. The butcher is directly involved in designing dishes according to what cuts are available. An original approach that means nothing is wasted. The Butcher’s Boards are an imaginative way to enjoy our beef, pork and lamb: they highlight different cuts served in a variety of tasty dishes. The frequently changing menu champions seasonal English fare, showcasing their own produce along with selected ingredients from local suppliers.

Oregano Rubbed Pig Jowl with Fennel, Celery & Raisins

Rhubarb

This is the time of year to indulge our love of rhubarb. Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable (it's related to sorrel and dock) but its thick, fleshy stalks are treated as a fruit, despite their tart flavour. To choose the best go for firm, crisp, plump stalks and perky leaves with good colour.

Use it as a topping on granola, layer with custard for a delicious summer dessert, make your own rhubarb gin or stick with a traditional, crowd pleasing crumble.

Figura bespoke kitchen design with Quartzite island...and rhubarb!

An Impressive Front Door

Again this month we have been talking to Katherine Watters at house. about the importance of first impressions when buying and selling property.

Katherine told us that "the first few seconds of viewing a property are key and presentation counts. A first impression is one that will stay with buyers long after they have left the property; houses these days are more about “feel” and lifestyle and less about bricks and mortar. For many today in an ever increasingly hectic world, mindfulness and the ability to connect to something are tools people are turning to more and more. So it is key that your emotional reaction when walking up to a property you are viewing for the first time is a positive one. A beautiful or striking front door will immediately give a sense of excitement of what lays behind it."

For Katherine, this is perfectly demonstrated at The Old House in Westcott, which house. are currently marketing for £3m. The prominent house in the village, it is quintessential in its architecture, with wisteria trailing along the white Georgian front. But what stands out as you walk up to it, is the front door. Originally sourced by the owners from an architectural salvage yard, it is Italian in origin and believed to have been an internal door of a former palace. The carvings at the top of the door are thought to be the King and Queen of Italy of the time and the remainder of the intricate carvings are of former Popes. As Katherine stood to knock on it for the first time to meet the owners, she couldn’t help but wonder who else had stood in front of that door and the stories it could tell.

"A front door creates an impression, so make sure it counts."

Kate Avery: Luxury Floral Design

We were delighted to find another creative, luxury and bespoke business located near to our showroom in the village of Chiddingfold, Surrey. From her garden workshop Kate Avery offers a luxury floral design service that is completely bespoke. She has been flowering from her garden workshop since 2005 and in 2014 won the "Best Wedding Florist" in the National Wedding Industry Awards.

Kate told us that she "absolutely LOVES planning flowers for weddings and events" She wouldn't change her job for anything. Being workshop based means that she can concentrate entirely on your required, buying specifically for your event. Personally handpicking the most stunning blooms just for you.

Workshop photo credit: Sophie Duckworth

Kate also offers seasonal flower workshops throughout the year. So if you are feeling inspired or would like to learn a new skill, get in touch.

New Designers - Hannah Tounsend, One Year On

New Designers is recognised as the most important design event in the UK, ensuring the life cycle of the design industry continues and thrives.

Entering its 32nd edition, the New Designers exhibition brings together design education, design consumers and the design industry to celebrate and recognise and the next generation of graduate designers.

New Designers is on at the Business Design Centre, Islington from 28th June - 8th July.

We caught up with New Designers One Year On Award Winner, Hannah Tounsend to see how her practise has progressed since exhibiting in One Year On and how New Designers has helped her on her creative journey. Hannah won her award for her stunning ceramics.

Hannah combines ceramics and printmaking to create collections of sensitively realised vessel forms and subtly layered monoprints. The repeatedly worked surfaces of clay and print are inspired by the sea-washed, weatherworn landscape of the British coastline. We particularly like the ones inspired by Porthminster Beach, St Ives.

Taurus Wine

Once again this month we asked Rupert Pritchett from Taurus Wines for his recommendations This time to go with the oregano rubbed pigs jowl and the spiced haunch of lamb selected from the Farmer, Butcher, Chef menu.

For the Oregano Rubbed Pig Jowl:

There’s a lot going on in this herby pork dish, with the aniseed of the fennel and the celery complementing the juicy fatness of the pig jowl. I’d recommend La Forge Marsanne (£9.99) from the Languedoc region of France. It’s a flavoursome wine, with overtones of peachy gingeriness that will more than stand up to the herbs and fennel in the dish. There’s quite a bit of honey on the finish, too, which will go perfectly with the sweetness of the pork.

For the haunch of lamb:

There’s nothing quite like going to a vineyard to really understand the wine, and when we visited the home of Los Cantos (£13.99) in the Ribero del Duero in Spain we ate smoked charcuterie, slowly braised lamb and plenty of olive and anchovy tapenade with the owners – flavours that are all represented in this delicious dish. This oaked wine will really bring out the smokiness in the bacon, while its red-berry fruit will go with the delicious slow-cooked lamb.

Our favourite picks of the unique and handcrafted from the interiors magazines this month...

From left to right

Caroline Hurley: Natural Moons Runner, Monique Relander: Crystal Jugs, Hans K: Y5 Bar Stool, Laurence Brabant: Coloured Decorations

Conran Shop: Pineapple Block Print Napkin, Popham Design: Handmade Tiles, Salvatori: 'Omaggio a morandi' Marble Bottles, SCP: Palissade Lounge Chair

Svenskt Tenn: Hamaca Rojo Cushion, Partridges: Chelsea Flower Gin, Talking Tables: Giant Garden Flower, George Smith: Stella

Discover London's Secret Gardens

On 17th and 18th June more than 200 gardens will unlock their gates for a weekend to take part in this annual event, held in association with the National Trust. Spanning 27 boroughs, the gardens take in all sorts of spaces, from traditional squares to roof terraces and allotments, as well as gardens belonging to historic buildings, schools, shops and cafes.

138 of the gardens taking part this year are normally closed to the public. A range of walking and cycle tours, special garden tours, family activities, art trails and poetry events will be announced closer to the weekend.

Top Local Gin

British gin has been having a bit of a moment recently, drawing on it's strong and vibrant history. From its European inspiration in the 17th century, gin has been a regular fixture for the discerning British drinker. More recently the UK's taste for gin has reached new heights.

It wasn't that long ago that gin was just gin – a single drink that came with tonic and a slice of lemon. Today – after a remarkable renaissance that has led to scores of different options and flavours – gin is the spirit leading a cocktail revolution. Here are a few of our local favourites.

1 June 2017