We disembarked from our cruise Sunday morning, headed to Heathrow to pick up Sam flying in from LA, and headed north several hours to the UK's Peak District for a 3 day visit to an area we have sadly missed duirng our visits here the past 30 years. It's a beautiful hilly region with lots of things to do and of course many dining options. We wanted to dine at FISHER's at Baslow Hall which is a magnificent country home converted to a hotel and one-Michelin star dining establishment where Chef Adam has truly brought out the best of the region and countries cuisine in a modern English mode. We were staying just an 8 minute drive down the road and one of the folks at our hotel mentioned that Chef Adam was her best friend and phoned ahead; needless to say, we were greeted with a wave from him in the kitchen as we arrived.
We sat in the magnificent gardens and enjoyed some super "snacks" or amuses:
Garden grown Radishes(those red and white French varietals) were topped with a French onion cream and black Garlic.
Steamed Bun with veggies for Sam and Devon Crab for us that just melted in your mouth.
We ordered our wine with Neil, who it turns out is the owner's son, and heading inside for the rest our our amuses:
Cheese & Walnut Toastie Rarebit was a great play on the traditional dish in miniature with a fab mustard spice finish. The final amuse which I failed to photograph for Facebook(the rest is there) was the yummy Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute with a Curry Cream and foam with a load of pickled Shimeji Mushrooms in the soup--how amazing and wonderful that was.
Our white wine arrived as Neil sad the Montagny 2019 from Phillipe Colon was a winner, and he was spot on as it has a creamy finish with great minerality. The Bread and Butter arrived and was an irresistible crunchy sourdough with a Lincolnshire Poacher Butter made as a byproduct of cheese!!
Three courses followed with an optional cheese and desserts after that and the whole meal costs 95pounds per person($120US!!).
For the First course Sam & I had the Aged Carnaroli Rice with a puree of Fresh English peas from the garden, Girolles and Crispy Sorrel with Wild Garlic & Dill oil--a creation indeed from heaven. Will was just as thrilled with his Loch Duart Smoked & Cured Salmon with Brown Shrimp & Sea Buckthorn.
Next came a Yukon Gold Potato with Broad Beans and Lovage for Will & Sam, but the veggie version had a crispy potato skin and Will's a crispy chicken skin al topped with crispy shallots. My Cornish Stone Bass was cooked a la plancha to perfections with a crispy skin, Kohlrabi & Oysters, a bone sauce, trout roe and seaweed. This was the ocean of England on my plate.
We switched to the last bottle of red Neil said was awesome and boy was he right with the 2015 Okanagan Panted Rock Shiraz from British Columbia, a place we would never think of buying wine from in the UK, even though we know the wines are brilliant from there. This wine had legs and was amazing with the main we ordered:
Creedy Carver Suck from Surry coming in three forms: breast, confit of leg and liver pate with Almonds, Broccoli Puree, Orange and Sherry Vinegar Sauce with Lemon and Spices. Another brilliant dish offering a little of everything with some of the most beautiful duck in the kingdom.
For the main course Sam had the veggie option of Pot Roast Cauliflower, Passionfruit, Beurre Noisette, Coriander & Aubergine, while he discovered a new beer-Green Mountain IPA.
Cheese--well, of course!! We opted to split one cheese course (4 cheeses for 20pounds=$25, or 25pounds for 6). Our four were amazing and new treats for us that came with all kinds of breads, and grape chutney:
VALENCAY-French unpasturised goat with charcoal powder
LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER DOUBLE BARREL--as in the butter above is an aged unpasturised matured 2-3 years and I describe as "cheddar on crack."
BARKHAM BLUE is a mix of Guernsey & Jersey mil and is so smooth it melts in your mouth
BATH SOFT is a brie style with an earthy flavour
Dessert for Will was Passionfruit, Cow's Milk, Meringue and Oat with dacquoise and syrup(ooops can't read the name).
I had the Brillat Savarin custard with Garden Rhubarb gel, English Strawberries and Sable.
After dinner the chef invited us all into the kitchen for a photo and we left so thrilled we made it to this wonderful dining spot, only to learn the next day that the family has put the entire estate up for sale and this will likely mean the end of FISHER's!! I hope Chef Adam keeps us posted on wherever he roams, as we will follow.
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