3 Course Local Fish Lunch

Friday May 18th – 11.30am-2pm, with wine to match. Learn how to buy, and prepare the best local produce from your fishmonger. Cook and then eat a 3 course meal, that you can then recreate at home. 6 places available. £ 55 per person.

3 Course Local Lamb Lunch

Friday May 25th – 11.30am-2.30pm, with wine to match. Jack will teach you how to create a sumptuous 3 course lunch at home, using wonderful local produce available to all. 6 places available. £ 65 per person.

This offer is available between Sunday and Thursday till the end of June 2012.

Give us a call on 01643 862259 or use our booking form.

As you can imagine when you work (in Hospitality anyway) in London you come across a vast array of different people from different cultures and they bring with them a range of inputs and influences.

My love of Chinese and the big influences on my cooking of it come from one of my big friend Yong Zu. Yong was the fishmonger at Fishworks when I was there and we made friends immediately and became big buddies both in and out of work.

Obviously being in London we had Chinatown on our doorstep and whilst there is a vast array of restaurants here Yong always guided me to the authentic ones! He could do this as he actually knew a lot of the owners and players here. This gave me a great insight into their love of food and the theatre that goes with it.

Yong also introduced me to a very exotic restaurant in Bethnal Green where only the Chinese ate and learnt much about different aspects of Chinese food. Did you know for example that the Chinese love Tripe?

So when you come to our Chinese evening you will understand where my main influences come from. I am particularly excited about my take on the good ‘ol Peking duck. Crispy confit duck leg cooked slowly in duck fat, seared duck breast marinated with soy, Chinese 5 spice and honey and duck liver kebabs.

Also If you like ‘sweet and sour’ you must try my sweet and sour chicken Hong Kong style with roasted pineapple combined with bay sweet and sour chicken balls. Taste those different textures. So they’re just a couple of items to whet the appetite, have a look at the whole menu.

Of course the real joy for me being at The Culbone is whilst I have the freedom to indulge in all these exotic foods I also get to work with this marvelous local produce, some of the best I’ve worked with ever!

So remember when you bite into that succulent crispy beef dish it might evoke images of China to you but it will still remind me of our beloved Exmoor.

Cheers folks, hope to see you there on the night and If you need any more details just drop Nina our Hostess for the night an

I come from Hungary which is a very beautiful country and we are a very proud and friendly people. I hope some of you have visited my country and naturally you will have visited our beautiful capital Budapest.

We are famous for many things but in particular there is a huge historical tradition of folk art and when you visit the markets in the towns and cities you will find the most elaborately decorated items, very beautiful.

Of course we always associate Hungary with Transylvania and of course the notorious Count Dracula. Don’t worry I don’t plan to invite any vampires to join us at the table.

We also have a big tradition in football, I am sure you all remember the great Hungarian players from the late fifties and early sixties, particularly Puskas!

Did you know that matches are a Hungarian invention and of course the most famous puzzle of all time comes from Hungary, the Rubic Cube.

We also have a strong tradition in music and I have used this extract from Wikipedia to give you an example:

Hungarian classical music has long been an “experiment, made from Hungarian antedecents and on Hungarian soil, to create a conscious musical culture [using the] musical world of the folk song”. Although the Hungarian upper class has long had cultural and political connections with the rest of Europe, leading to an influx of European musical ideas, the rural peasants maintained their own traditions such that by the end of the 19th century Hungarian composers could draw on rural peasant music to (re)create a Hungarian classical style. For example, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, two of Hungary’s most famous composers, are known for using folk themes in their music. Bartók collected folk songs from across Eastern Europe, including Romania and Slovakia, whilst Kodály was more interested in creating a distinctively Hungarian musical style.

To compliment these wonderful dishes we will be offering Palinka which is a traditional type of clear spirit that comes in many flavours including apple, pear and peach and is from Hungary and Transylvania. Tokaji is a historical wine that comes from North Eastern Hungary a region called Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hegyalja means foothills in Hungarian and so literally comes from the foothills of Tokaj.

The food that I have chosen for the menu is very traditional, so of course there will be a delicious Goulash, which in Hungarian literally means stew. Also we will be using the finest Hungarian pork from a beautiful Pig. The Mangalitza, which we are fortunate enough to have sourced here on Exmoor!

I am hoping that most of my menu will be a new experience for you. Certainly I would recommend the Goose crackling with pickled red onion and sour dough to start followed by the Herb Crumbed Whole Roasted (rainbow) Trout with dill, new potatoes and black almond butter and finished off with “Gundel” Pancake with hot chocolate sauce and caramelized walnut and brandy.

But don’t just try what I say, have a look at the menu. We look forward to offering you a warm Hungarian welcome and a wonderful evening.

Norbert 

Throughtout the world most people think of Mexican cuisine as tacos and fajitas, but it holds a wealth of amazing seafood dishes that are subtle and infused with delicate flavours. Mexican street food rivals any of that found in Thailand or Vietnam. With empanadas, little crisp pockets filled with tasty meats, seafood and vegetables; and flautas, crisp tubes of tortillas stuffed with succulent fillings, all washed down with the potent Mexican staple Tequilla, or a cold Corona for anyone who wants to remember the night before!

Check out the menu.

Choose your favourite ingredients to build your own burger – starting with a beef, chicken or veggie patty. Options include great Exmoor produce such as blue cheese, bacon, mushrooms, seafood…

Pips Club members enjoy 20% off and enjoy a free burger on every 6th visit.

Also, why not enter our competition to create “The Culbone Burger of the week”. The winner eats for free!

I’m delighted to announce that we are now a proud sponsor of Minehead Bowling Club. All members of the club can now enjoy the same benefits that Pips Club Member enjoy at The Culbone:

1.       10% off dinner food bill, Sunday – Thursday nights

2.       50% off their taxi fare when dining, any evening*

3.       50% off Bed and Breakfast for mid-week stays

4.       Invitations to special World Food Nights

* Minimum table of 4 from Porlock, table of 6 from Minehead and Lynton/Lynmouth

Cookery School is open!

The local team of carpenters and kitchen fitters have worked their magic (thanks Danny), and the Cookery School is open! We have built an intimate cookery room at The Culbone, which replicates a home kitchen. Please do pop in to see the fantastic new room.

Jack Scarterfield our fantastic Chef (born in Bath), is one of the owners of The Culbone. His journey in search of excellent produce has taken him all over the world. He returned to Somerset to share his passion with you. The fabulous cooking skills (and secrets) of Jack Scarterfield can now be yours!

Our dream is to be involved with all members of the local community. The Cookery Room will be available for local people to hold their own courses and will have Lessons and Cook and Dine experiences to suit all budgets. Come and talk to us about this flexible new community room.

The sessions mix demonstration, practical experience and a real social experience. The emphasis is on being comfortable and having fun with the best local Exmoor produce. Your wine glass will be near to hand and permanently attended to (just like at home – ours at least).

I believe wholeheartedly in supporting our local community. I was approached by one of our members and asked to help raise funds. The funds will go towards a Clock Tower in Minehead to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

To support the project, I have agreed to hold a fund raising afternoon at The Culbone on Saturday 28th of April. Will you help me to put our community in the national eye?

Jack will be cooking a fantastic Hog Roast and BBQ. The cost will be £13.95 per adult and £7.95 for children under 13 years of age. Half of all the proceeds will go towards supporting the Clock Tower.

We will also offer discount on local beers and cocktails for this event!

A TASTE OF THE EAST, COME AND ENJOY AN AUTHENTIC THAI MEAL COOKED BY OUR HEAD CHEF JACK WHO SPENT TWO YEARS IN THAILAND.

Book Now on 01643 862259 

SAMPLE MENU…

STARTERS

Tempura soft shell crab with homemade chilli jam £6.50

Papaya salad with peanuts, chilli and lime £5.50

Tom yum goong (hot and sour soup, with fresh shrimps £6.50

Roasted scallops with green curry butter, and Thai basil £2.50 each

MAINS

Cornish monkfish fillet, with Thai green curry, coconut and coriander £14.50

Pad Thai (classic noodles with shrimps, chicken, peanuts, egg and basil) £11.50

Seared duck breast with Thai red curry, lychees and basil £11.50

Thai jungle curry with sweet potatoes, wild mushrooms and roasted shallots £9.50

Whole snapper, steamed with lime leaves, chilli, lemon grass and ginger £16.50

Pad kaprow (minced pork with chilli, Thai basil, oyster sauce and fried duck egg) £12.00

All served with jasmine coconut rice and morning glory (Thai greens with garlic and oyster sauce)

DESSERTS

Fresh mango and coconut ice cream £5.00

Banana fritters with toffee sauce £5.50

Vanilla and lime leaves crème brûleé £6.50