By Keith Kellett

Outside the newly renovated Hare and Hounds

When I drove through Bowland Bridge, in Cumbria last year, I was saddened to see one of my favourite pubs, Hare and Hounds, abandoned forlorn and boarded up. I wasn’t really surprised, though. Pleasant as it was, Bowland Bridge is a small community of half a dozen houses and is miles from anywhere. It was accessed by only a minor road, served by one bus a week. The only other public facility there is a small Post Office and a general store.

In the past, the Hare and Hounds had a prosperous farming clientele, In those days, any hostelry within walking distance was recognised as one’s “local” and those farmers were prepared to walk a fair distance for a drink and a bit of a craic* with their friends.

However, much has changed in the pub habits of the average Briton. Much of the blame has been laid on television, greater mobility, stricter drink-drive laws and the British Government’s habit to tax anything pleasurable to a fare-thee-well. People rarely just go for a drink these days. To survive, a pub needs to offer something else; a large-screen television, live entertainment and great food. Most places serve food. To stay ahead of the game, pubs must really serve better fare than the opposition. Nuking a pre-cooked, frozen meal in the microwave just isn’t on any more. “Locally Sourced” is a phrase we’re hearing more and more in the realms of pub grub.

Hare and Hounds Cumbria Sausage

You can imagine my delight when I heard from a friend that the Hare and Hounds was back in business–with that locally accessed produce! It was smaller than it used to be, because some of the building was sold to make private residences. But, fresh whitewash, a trim garden and an inviting patio sort of smiled a welcome.

Inside there is an old-world look without looking contrived. The menu won me over with one proviso; please be patient, because each meal was cooked to order, not in bulk. Most of us had ham and eggs, but, as I always do in these parts, ordered Cumberland pork sausage.Yes, you can get Cumberland sausage elsewhere in the UK, but it does taste better in its area of origin. OK, Bowland Bridge was in Westmorland (it’s all Cumbria now, anyway) but we still like our Cumberland sausage. There are those who say true Cumberland sausage comes in a continuous spiral, rather than the more usual links. I don’t really think it matters, as long as the right blend of meat and spices are used; the taste is just the same.

Inside Hare and Hound.

The sausages came on a bed of mashed potato; some say this is the only way to serve them. But, with the potatoes came a delicious onion gravy that really complemented the potatoes and the sausages. And, I made a discovery. As the “designated driver,” I chose apple juice instead of ale. It goes really well with these sausages. In fact, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before — after all, we often eat apple sauce with pork.

Writing about hidden, secret places  such as this of often means it doesn’t stay secret for long. But, better to mention the reopened pub than have it remain  secret … and out of business.

Hare and Hounds
Bowland Bridge
Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6NN
Telephone: 08721 077 077

*craic is originally a Gaelic term and means a bit of music and fun with great conversation.
Keith Kellett is globalfoodie’s UK correspondent. His email is: Keith@globalfoodie.com

by Keith Kellett

I have it on pretty good authority that mice don’t really care about cheese one way or the other; apparently, peanut butter is far more efficacious bait for mousetraps. Were I a mouse who didn’t know this fact I’d have thought I’d died and gone to heaven after entering the Dairy Products Hall at this year’s Royal Bath and West Show.

Bath is in Somerset; so is the village of Cheddar, so, naturally, the great majority of dairy products on show were cheese. And, the greater proportion of that cheese was cheddar.

Now, cheese doesn’t have to be produced in Cheddar to be called cheddar. I’ve seen Irish cheddar, Australian cheddar and Canadian cheddar. Cheddar has become widely used internationally, and does not currently have a Protected Designator of Origin (PDO). However, the European Union does recognise West Country Farmhouse Cheddar as a PDO.

To be called West Country Farmhouse Cheddar – the real stuff – it must be made on a farm, and that farm is within the four counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. Those four make up the south-west of England.

Even in the old days, people said that only cheese produced within a thirty-mile radius of Wells Cathedral should be called cheddar.

A certain process must be used, too. After heating, the resulting curds are kneaded with salt. This is then cut into cubes to drain the whey. The cheese is then wrapped in cloth, and stored, and turned at intervals. The longer it’s matured, the better it is. It can be released for sale after three months; but mature cheddar usually starts at around 15 months. It can be stored for up to five years, after which time, I’d suppose you need to eat it quickly, before it eats your cracker!

Most of cheddar cheese country is in limestone country, which means there are plenty of natural caves to store the cheese. These are ideal, because, winter and summer, the temperature in a limestone cave remains constant. Even show-caves, such as those in the Cheddar Gorge and at Wookey Hole have side-caves for storing Cheddar.

While cheddar is usually made from cow’s milk, one stall offered me a goat’s milk cheddar. “Can you still call it cheddar?” I asked. I was told “yes; it’s made in Somerset, and the ‘cheddaring’ process is used.”

Cheesemakers throughout the country also brought their products. Double Gloucester, Stilton; Wensleydale (my favourite!) and Caerphilly, were among countless offerings. Some offered morsels of their cheese – even for those entered in the ‘Smelliest Cheese’ category.

Of these cheeses, I particularly liked ‘Stinking Bishop,” and I wondered, if, like some beers, they give unattractive names to the good stuff to discourage those who don’t know, and leave more for those of us who do?

For more information:
Royal Bath and West of England Society
Royal Bath and West Show
www.bathandwest.com

Cheddar Cheese:
www.farmhousecheesemakers