Tag: cider

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Pork Chop in a Cider Sauce

Pork Chop in a Cider Sauce

When venturing down to Exeter or South Devon, one of my usual places to stop, mainly to charge the car, but also for a refreshment break, is Darts Farm, which also has a quite incredible farm shop.

I was there charging the car, so first I stopped to have an iced coffee (it was one of those really hot days) I then took a wander around the farm shop. One of the items I did buy that day was a pork chop from their butcher counter.

To cook the pork chop, I got a hot frying pan, and added a splash of olive oil. I seared both sides of the pork chop and also cooked the pork chop side to render the fat and crisp up the crackling. I then added some salt and pepper, butter, herbs and garlic and basted the chop for a few minutes before placing in a hot oven to finish cooked. I poured the butter onto the chop. 

While the chop was finishing off in the oven, in the hot pan, I added some pancetta, once that was nearly cooked, I added some finely chopped onion. When the onion was softened I added some chopped mushrooms.

I then added some cider to the pan, which I then reduced. I took the pork chop out of the oven and let it rest. With the cider sauce reduced, I added some crème fraîche and freshly chopping parsley.

I added the sauce to a plate, and then placed the pork chop on top.

The sauce was really nice, full of flavour. The pork chop was excellent. Tender, moist and full of flavour. I would certainly get the chop again from Darts.

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Railway Mixed Grill

To celebrate a birthday we headed over to Sandford for a meal at The Railway Inn. Sandford is on the A368 between Weston and Churchill. The Railway Inn  is owned by the Thatchers cider company who are also based in the village. I remember passing this many times before it was taken over by Thatchers and refurbished. I have been there before for drinks, but this was the first time I had been there for a meal.

The main part of the pub is the bar area. A large mainly wooden extension was added to provide a restaurant area. We had booked, but the place wasn’t busy, and we were given a great table.

I had looked over the menu online, but it was a sample menu. They say on the menu:

Our dishes change with the seasons and the fresh local produce that goes into each and every one of them.

So I was prepared for a different menu, however I had liked the sound of some of the specials.

The menu we had at the table was different to the one online (as expected). I did think about having one of the specials, however in the end I decided I would have the Railway Mixed Grill. The menu didn’t describe what would be in the grill, so did wonder what I would get.

The food was cooked fresh to order and my plate arrived.

On my mixed grill I had a steak, lamb chop, chicken, gammon, and sausages. Alongside was a grilled field mushroom, a herby tomato. I had chosen a heritage tomato salad as my side.

Now I wasn’t to keen on the presentation, but then again it was a mixed grill. The steak was excellent, nicely cooked, good char on the outside and pink in the middle. The lamb chop was small, but nice. The gammon was rather salty, probably a little too salty for me. The chicken was slightly overcooked.

I liked the heritage tomato salad, which was fresh and tasty.

Alongside I had a flight of cider, three small glasses of different ciders.

The Railway Inn, as you might expect had an excellent range of draft ciders. I like the idea of a flight, enabling a range of ciders to be tasted.

Upon reflection and seeing the plate of food that a neighbouring table received, I think I should have gone with one of the specials. The pork special looked really good. I do plan to visit the Railway Inn again in the future.

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Giving cider another go

I am not really a fan of cider, I think it boils down to drinking stupid amounts of Merrydown Cider when I was student in York and not drinking it for a really long time.

I remember in 2006 accidentally ordering and drinking a Magners cider in Edinburgh, I don’t think I finished it.

Now living down in the South West (where everyone seems to drink cider) I have recently decided to give cider another go and looking over the supermarket shelves decided to try out a bottle of Henry Weston Vintage Cider.

Henry Weston Vintage Cider

I really quite enjoyed it, which surprised even me. I enjoyed the dryness of the drink and found it rather refreshing.