dionysus january-february-issue 2

ON SALE NOW! CRETAN GOLD OUR NEW OLIVE OIL WHO’S ON PERIWIG PARADE SEE PAGE 9

Tasty Recipesfrom The Group

Executive Chef!see page 16

See who made a Guest appearance at The Prince Rupert, Newark

What’s in a name Our pubs names explained

Frustrations and ferver ofgrowing grapes in sunny old England

CustomerProfile Meet Lauriesee page 6

Smith’s Stablesmakeover complete!

DionysusThe Ancient Greek God of Fertility and WineIssue 2 | Jan-Feb 2013

A MAGAZINE BASED AROUND OUR SMALL GROUP OF PUBS

FREE! Please take a copy.

So first things first – Happy New Year to oneand all – may this year be filled with fun,happiness and merriment for each andeveryone of you. Christmas seems to havewhizzed by in a blink of an eye. No soonerhad we decorated the pubs, drank copiousamounts of mulled wine / cider and used anyexcuse for a Christmas drink possible it allseems to be over.

I dont know about you but January always seems to bring outa new organised me – i have written lists of "to do's", miles ofnew years resolutions (which just seem to revolve around theidea of becoming more organised, drinking less of courselosing weight and saying no a little more often.)… Justreading it back now does make me feel a little excited /apprehensive – the diet is always starting tomorrow or nextMonday or like my friend said to me the other day next new year!!

So if like me you need a little bit of excitement andencouragement to keep the January blues at bay have no fearwe have lots of things happening across the pubs to makeeverything feel that little bit better. The Sunday night pubquiz's are back just to make the weekends last a little longer.We have got an interesting article from our Master of Wine,John Atkinson, on growing grapes in England.

A few guest appearances from actual celebrities and a greatpub recommendation which could be added to your things todo for 2013. So grab a pint and relax with our little magazineor just look at all the phots from the Periwig Parade and have

a chuckle at the antics of the youth of today!!

SophiaEditorSophia Whitaker – [email protected]

PublisherMichael Thurlby – [email protected]

Magazine DesignMark Buttress Creative Design – [email protected]

PhotographersTim Scrivener – Agriphoto.comNigel McMillan – www.photo43.com

Disclaimer: Copyright (c) The Thurlby Group. all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or bestored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from The Thurlby Group. Any views oropinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Thurlby Group or its affiliates.Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the informationcontained in this publication at the time of going to press, The Thurlby Group and its affiliates assume noresponsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable forany errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statementcontained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material whichthey submit to us and for ensuring that the material complies with applicable laws. The Thurlby Group and itsaffiliates are not responsible for any error, ommission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liablefor any damages arising from any use of products or services or any services or any action or ommissions takenin reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement isnot intended to endorse any views expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoringthe advertisement.

ContentsWhat’s Happening Across The PubsThe Tobie Norris 5The Lord Nelson 5The Prince Rupert 7The Periwig and Parade 8Smith’s of Bourne 10Jubilee Garage 12

Customer ProfileMeet Laurie a regular fixture at The Tobie Norris 6

Cretan Gold – The Thurlby Group Olive OilFind out how it all began 14

Recipes from our Chef’sNick’s End of Season Asian Baked Mussels 16

Wine of the monthRoss Dykes chooses the perfect accompaniment to Nick’s mussels 16

Have you tried…Falkland Arms at Great Tew, Oxfordshire 17

Life on The FarmThe cows are now all settled in there new home… 19

What’s in a nameOur pub names explained 20

Frustrations and ferver of growing grapes in sunny old England 21

Work With Us / How to Contact Us 22

3Dionysus – Jan-Feb 2013

Whether you are looking for your ideas made real or something entirely new, we can set you on the right path.

Mark Buttress Creative Design services:

• Branding Solutions • Email Marketing

• Company Literature • Website Design

• Exhibition Design • Cost-effective Print

MAGAZINEDESIGN AND PRINTSOLUTIONS

tel: 01780 [email protected]

The biggest thing happening over the next 2 months in four of our sites is the free bottle of wine offer… either a free bottle of Chileanmerlot or Chilean Sauvignon blanc.

Vouchers are available in our magazines and also will be e-mailedto all our customers on our database. However don't worry if youhaven't got a voucher as there are plenty available behind thebars!! – No downloading necessary....!!!

Just ask a member of our team and they will be happy to assist –all we require is your name and email address so we can continueto let you know what's happening across our pubs in the future.

John Atkinson our master of wine has specifically chosen bothChilean wines to compliment the offer both for their quality andtaste..... So rest assured it isn't some dodgy cheap stuff Michaelhas brought in bulk from Aldi!!

As we aren't fans of rules and regulations -this offer can be takenup during all serving times!! The only drawback being we can notdo it in conjunction with any other offers…

Come as many times over January and February as you like justleave us a different email address – sons/daughters/grans. As weare trying to build a database to incorporate all our customerswhereby we can inform you of what's happening without the needfor paper etc.

Don't forget if you are looking for a more romantic night out or catch up with friends – the 2 Not So Large Pizza's and bottle of wine for £19.95 deal is always available at The Lord Nelson, The Prince Rupert and The Tobie Norris. And 2 meals and a bottle of wine for £19.95 at Smiths.

What’s Happening Across The Pubs

t. 01778 422190 [email protected] www.thethurlbygroup.co.uk

Get A FREE* Bottleof Chilean Merlot or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc when you order four or more main courses

at one of our venues shown below

Wine offer available throughout January and February 2013 during all food serving times*

Please fill out the following information to validate the voucher and hand to a member of staff when ordering your food to receive a free bottle of wine. From time to time we will send you exclusive email offers and news of what’s happening in our pubs. If you’d prefer not to be added to our database then please tick this box.

Stamfordt. 01780 753800 [email protected]

Oakhamt. 01572 868340

[email protected]

Bournet. 01778 426819

[email protected]

Newarkt. 01636 918121

[email protected]

*This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers.

Full Name: Email:

Our wine offer is available at…

Dionysus – Jan-Feb 20134

✃

The Tobie NorrisWith all the competition and a new pubopening weekly in Stamford the Tobie never failsto surprise us. With its olde worlde charm andgreat atmosphere it brings new customers inweekly. Throughout Christmas the 12th centuryarchway room has proved a great success withparties and functions. Which families, groups and businesseshave all enjoyed.

Please ask Will for further details ifyou are planning on having afunction of any kind as this roomreally lends itself to informalgatherings with a fantastic buffetstyle menu.

A famous face frequented TheTobie Norris and made for a veryexcited Tim (as you can see fromthe smile on his face). Lee Sharpepopped in for a pint – And whilstwe let him drink it in peace wecouldn't help but ask for acheeky photo as he was leaving.


Former Man Untied footballerLee Sharpe with Tim Chantrell

12th Century archway room

The Lord NelsonThis is our newest pub and we held a small party to celebrate its first year at the beginningof December.

Overall the pub has traded above our expectations and our teamover there are doing a fabulous job. We have learnt and listened toour customers and adopted the needs of the business to suit theneeds of the town and think we have settled in nicely.

Our first Christmas was hectic but great fun – In the evening ofOakham's Christmas market Adam stood dutifully by the door witha table set up offering mulled cider and wine accompanied bymince pies – he even adjourned a Santa's hat for the occasion. Wehad a Wedding Reception on the 28th December for Richard andFaye..... which was great fun. They had a buffet laid out upstairs fortheir guests and once the room was decked out to their taste itlooked really romantic and intimate as you can tell from thephotos (bottom right).

For the New Year we areintroducing a quiz night(every third Sunday) in thehope of making the lastday of the weekend a bitless of a drag and giveyou even more reason tohave one last drink beforeits end.

And don't forget thatWednesday is "JugNight" just £10 for 4pints servedunsurprisingly in a 4 pintjug – great for sharingwith or without a pizza!!


Smoky McNab who entertained the crowds at our New Year’s Eve party


Full Name: Lawrence Charles Connell

D.O.B: 16th August 1923

Born: Shoreditch, London

Favourite Pub: The Tobie Norris

Favourite Drink: Guinness

Favourite Meal: HungarianGoulash

Favourite Music: Classical

Most Famous Passenger:Dame Margot Fontaine

Laurie can always be found on a Wednesday and Friday eveningsitting on the settle next to the bar towards the kitchen. Michaeloften comments that: “Laurie is our most realistic pub prop and Iwould pay a fortune for him at an antiques fare!!“ He is ever readyto give up his seat for anyone else and always has a cheery smileand warm welcome. In fact you could say he is the perfectgentleman!!

He is always willing to chat or just watch the world go by and so wethought we would delve into his life history and find out about hiscolourful past. As it turns out it was a history that makes you feelproud to be British and fully realise and appreciate the sacrificesmade by men and women like Laurie throughout the Second WorldWar and the memories they carry with them to today.

Laurie started work at the mere age of 13 for a printing companyand here he became a member of the St Clements Sea Cadets inThe Strand. Which has now been demolished and turned in a RAFRoyal Church. When the war broke out Laurie was not yet oldenough to join the army but he was asked to join the Ministry ofInformation. (Now a University of London Building). He spent histime running messages for a famous commander. When he finallyreached the tender age of just 17 he went to join the Navy but wasrefused for being short sighted. So he picked up his coat andwalked all the way to Holloway where he volunteered for the armyand received his 1 Shilling to form his contract.

Laurie was put into training until his was 18 and was made toguard the airfields at Homchurch/North Weald. However thingsstepped up a gear in 1942 when he found himself being tested formechanical mind – which to his surprise he was told he had. Hewas immediately sent off to Catterick Camp in Yorkshire in order tolearn how to drive a Churchill tank, weighing a mere 50tonnes.Laurie said “I thought it was a block of flats when I first saw one!”.All the time he was there he knew they were training for a bigpurpose but little did he know that purpose would be something asterrifying as D-Day.

In 1944 – Laurie together with the rest of his menfrom the 34th Tank Brigade were dropped onSword beach. A beach being shared by the Britishand the Canadians. From the first day they werethrown in right at the deep end and Laurie’sBrigade were tasked with holding a bridge headfor 6 weeks, East of Cairn, waiting for the back upto arrive. During Laurie’s fighting on the front linehe showed enormous courage, strength andbravery. Twice he rescued his fellow soldiers fromthe clutches of death. He re-entered a battle zone to save hisSergeant and remained relentless in his fight to help others surviveas well as himself. Finally, he was wounded too severely and had tobe taken to safety to be treated for 2nd and 3rd degree burns onhis arms and hands.

Laurie was awardedfor his bravery withvarious medals, butI think the mostimportant andastounding areprobably him winning the Crois de Guerre (from the French) for hisbravery and he also received a Dispatches from the King.

As the war came to a close, Laurie still hadn’t served his full termand still had work to do. He was sent into Germany and had theterrible task of trying to help the dis-placed and dis-possessed inBelson prison of war camp. The Jewish people that were left hadno identification papers nor were they recognised by the Russianswho had taken over their countries of origin. Through all this horrorand destruction Laurie managed to meet and fall in love with alady named Klara, who had been forced into the camp andreceived terrible treatment at the hands of medical examiners, inthe pursuit of sterilising all Jewish women.

When Laurie returned to England and left the army, he neverforgot Klara. He began working for a Jewish man in Covent Gardenmarket, who upon hearing Laurie’s story agreed to have Klaraflown to England under the guise of becoming his au pair. Thecouple were married in 1949 but the marriage only lasted 10yearsas Klara’s mental and physical health failed her and she waseventually admitted to an asylum.

Laurie continued working hard on the market and he comments,“Whilst it was long, hard hours…. It felt like pure luxury when I hadbeen used to sleeping rough for 5years.” His market stall was wherethe Punch and Judy pub now sits in Covent Garden. Laurie soonrealised he would have to take another job and so became a ticketrunner. Where he would run theatre tickets across London to thecustomers in their hotels. In return, Laurie was given free tickets tothe Royal Opera House and Ballet and from here his passion for

Classical music and theatre was born!!

In between all this Laurie knew that he had tofind a better and easier way of making a livingand so he began to study to become a Londontaxi driver in the evenings. Which he successfullyachieved and carried on to do until the age ofretirement. Even now he knows London like theback of his hand!!!

After many years, Laurie went on to marry againand had 2 children of whom he is extremely close

to and proud of. He now has a granddaughter whom he loves tobaby-sit and dote on. Laurie has only been in Stamford for 6yearsand has really got to know and fall in love with the town – and Iam sure you will all agree we have pretty much fallen in love withhim too.

This issue we wanted to introduce you topossibly our oldest customer and one of ourfavourite regulars at The Tobie Norris. His fullname is Lawrence Charles Connell but he isknown as Laurie to pretty much everyone elsebut his passport and drivers license.

Customer Profile

The Prince RupertThe Prince Rupert has gone from strength tostrength with a 10-12% increase in businesshelped by the new venue room which wefinished in the spring of last year.

Tony and Heidi are busy planning events and Michael is busythinking of ideas to revamp the garden area. As we speak our inhouse maintenance guy, Matt Turner, is busy with his brushesbrightening the walls and re-covering the stairs -after 3years (inmarch) of hard ware.

Heidi and tony have got together with 3 other pubs and organisedan exciting beer festival from the 24th – 27th January. It is aptlynamed "Beermuda Triangle" and includes The Prince Rupert, JustBeer, The Castle and The Fox & Crown. Tony has been busysourcing different and exciting beers for us all to try and havinghad a peak at his list it is promising to be a good one!!!

And finally, some famous faces… Well one in the form of DavidGuest. Lucky for him he happened across the best pub in Newark –his words not ours!! He launched into a Zambuca competition withTony and Heidi. Hence the fuzzy photograph below.


A Guest Appearance


Heidi and Tony with the one and only David Guest


Jimmy is really looking forward to the RBS 6nations rugby after building up a greatfollowing of supporters for the SouthernHemisphere matches. What a great place itwas to see England finally beat the (not so)mighty All Blacks.

Tries from Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt and a star turn fromcentre Manu Tuilagi saw England storm to a 38-21 victoryover New Zealand for the first time since 2008, ending the AllBlacks' 20-game unbeaten streak. Three tries in ten minutesfrom Ashton, Barritt and Tuilagi saw England jump to a 32-14lead in the 60th minute, leaving an off-form New Zealand notime to recover.

We cant wait to watch England in the 6 Nations especiallywith our new found motivation to spur us on.

Don’t forget that throughout all the football and rugby games we are offering £10 4 pint pitchers on Carlsberg, JHB and Thatcher's – so why not come down and support yourfavourite team!!!

You can also hire the top floor of the periwig for all yourspecial occasions with private bar and toilets available…

Contact Jimmy or Naomi by [email protected] for moreinformation and price.

LIVE RUGBY

Saturday 2nd February 1:30pmWales v Ireland

Saturday 2nd February 4:00pmEngland v Scotland

Sunday 3rd February 3:00pmItaly v France

Saturday 9th February 2:30pmScotland v Italy

Saturday 9th February 5:00pmFrance v Wales

Sunday 10th February 3:00pmIreland v England

Saturday 23rd February, 2:30pmItaly v Wales

Saturday 23rd February, 5:00pmEngland v France

Sunday 24th February, 2:00pmScotland v Ireland

Saturday 9th March, 2:30pmScotland v Wales

Saturday 9th March, 5:00pmIreland v France

Sunday 10th March, 3:00pmEngland v Italy

Saturday 16th March, 2:30pmItaly v Ireland

Saturday 16th March, 5:00pmWales v England

Saturday 16th March, 8:00pmFrance v Scotland

We will be showing all of the RBS 6 NationsRugby games live. Below is a full fixtures list. Come on down and support our boys!!

FOOD DEALSAny two classic meals for £10

Classic Burger or Hot Dog and a

pint of Carlsberg, JHB ale,

Thatcher’s cider or a draught

soft drink for just £7.95


9

Here are just some of ourfavourites from Christmas, New Years Eve and not forgettingour Movember night!!

Blackmail and bribes are taken for anythingyou don't want to be seen!! If you want toget in on the deal forward any of yourphotos to the periwig [email protected] your chance to be spotted!!!

eriwig Parade?


Follow @The_Periwig on twitterLike ‘The-Periwig’ on facebook

Who’s on…

Smith’s makeover is completeWhat’s Happening Across The Pubs


The refurbished stables are now complete. Gone are the Lloyd loomtables and chairs and the coffee shop image is banished forever!!

We have taken it back to a more traditional pub style within a stable theme. Pews, lanterns,carts, agriculture bygones and harnesses all adjourn the area. The rest of the pub has had aslight makeover as well – look out for the horses names which are above the tables when youare ordering your food!! Each table has been named after one of the working horses off ourfarm in the 1930's. We particularly like white foot as every farm must have had a shire with3x dark feet and 1x white one.

We are busy acquiring books and suitablereads for the Stores room (top front room).We have set up a mini book club withwhich we want you take a browse, swap abook, read a book, bring a book and justgenerally enjoy it. As the year progresseswe are going to endeavour to turn thisroom into more loungey feel completewith sofa's and comfy chairs.

11

Happy HourMonday – Friday 5pm-7pm

Buy One Get One FreeOn Selected Bottled Beers

Every Wednesday from 7pm-Close

Jug NightEvery Thursday from 7pm-Close

Any 4 Pint Jug of Real Ale Just £10


The whole of January and Februarykids eat free!! And our new "build yourown burger"menu is now available…

Our kids burgers are now larger increasing from2ounce to 4ounce and we have decided to let youguys build your own burger with a choice of various toppings.

We have also installed a new pool table upstairsand an Xbox downstairs where you can play anygames of your choice. We just ask for a £5 depositwhilst you are using the handsets – which you getback once they are returned. We are offering freegames of pool on Monday and Tuesday and arelooking at joining the Bourne pool league!!!

Mondays & Tuesday from 6pm 'Oil Change'. Buy 2 meals from our selected menu for only

£11 and free pool

Wednesday from 6pm Jug and Wine night.

4 pint pitcher of Carlsberg, Blackthorn or real ale for £10. Buy 2 large glasses of wine and get the rest of the bottle free.

Thursday from 6pm Buy one cocktail and get one £1

Every other Sundayfrom 8pm Pub Quiz

During all live football, rugby and Formula 1. 4 pint pitchers of Carlsberg, Blackthorn and

Real ale for £10

Burger and Beer every day just £7.95

Our regular weekly offers

Kids Eat FreeJanuary & February



We have moved our live musicacross the road from Smith’sto the Jubilee as we think it is a better venue both space wise and acoustically and willhopefully make for a morepleasurable experience for our customers.

The bands throughout January andFebruary are listed below:

Dates of bands:12/1/13 Tee Dymond

19/1/13 Acoustic Vibes

26/1/13 Govannen

02/2/13 Joel and Martha

09/2/13 Adam Ellis

16/2/13 Darren and Mee

23/2/13 Calder and Hartmann

See our website for detailed informationwww.jubileegaragebourne.com


Stamfordt. 01780 753800 email: [email protected]

Oakhamt. 01572 868340 email: [email protected]

Newarkt. 01636 918 121 email: [email protected]

from

£10per person

25 North Street, BourneLincolnshire, PE10 9AE

t. 01778 426 819 [email protected]

Pizza Partiesand much, much more!

Buffet menu is available for £13.95 per headA selection of breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Bell Peppers stuffed with Feta Cheese

Bruschetta Marinated tomato, basil and red onion served on garlic rubbed Italian bread.

Scottish Smoked Salmon Hand carved smoked salmon served with wild watercress,

Swiss chard and lemon dressing.

Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Insalata Torn buffalo mozzarella with sliced beef tomatoes,

fresh basil and balsamic reduction.

Chicken Caesar SaladSeasoned pan-fried chicken breast served on cos lettuce with Grana

Padano cheese, freshly toasted ciabatta croutons and our caesar dressing.

Goats’ Cheese Crostini Ripened goats’ cheese melted on toasted ciabatta.

A Selection of stone baked pizzas with a variety of toppings to include:

Mozzarella, Parma Ham, Sun Blushed Tomatoes, Chorizo, Goats’ Cheese,Anchovies, Basil Pesto, Free-Range Chicken, Stilton, Free-Range Egg,

Fresh Rocket as well as the more traditional pizza toppings.

If you wish to add a dessert buffet to your order thenthis is available for a £2.00 supplement per head. Desserts include: Our Chef’s homemade chocolate brownie

and fresh strawberries and cream.

Our selection of stone baked pizzas and garlic breads are available alone for a set price of £10.

Get together with friends, family or colleaguesOur buffets are designed for large groups over 12. This menu

includes private hire in one of our enchanting roomsdeveloped as an informal way of dining for an occasion,

a celebration or equally business conference.

Tallington Sausages and MashSausages produced from our Tallington farm with a homemade Yorkshire pudding, sage and leek gravy, wholegrain mustard mash and roasted greens.

Lincolnshire HotpotSlow cooked locally raised Tallington Lamb,

winter root vegetables with sliced roast potato and Lincolnshire poacher topping, served with roasted greens.

Sweet Chilli SalmonRoasted sweet chilli salmon fillet topped with

sesame seeds served with stir fried bean sprouts on crushed new potato, ginger and coriander cake.

Liver and BaconStrips of pan fried lambs liver and crispy bacon on redcurrant mash with homemade onion gravy.

Spicy Bean StackA burger of spiced kidney beans stacked with a

basil pesto patty, melted goats’ cheese and grilled field mushroom then finished with a chunky tomato salsa.

Wholetail ScampiWholetail Scampi served with a mixed leaf salad,

accompanied with skinny chips and homemade tartare sauce.

House WineLobo Loco Macaebo

Lobo Loco Tempranillo

Available Monday to Friday 6pm-7pm

Early Bird MenuTwo meals and a bottle of house wine £19.95

14

Feature | Cretan Gold – The Thurlby Group Olive Oil

Michael has been holidaying in Crete onoff for many years and even looked atbuying a home here with his close friend and local builder Dave Popple at one time.He became very friendly with a local familywho own a restaurant and bar in a smalltown called Agia Marina – Which is calledElectri and run by 3 brothers. The restaurant is actually the old familyhome and the terrace is beautifully lit withtee lights throughout the vines over head –all of the brothers work in the restaurantand all have a different role to play.

From Michael’s seat at their bar theybegan to talk about their histories andrealised that not only did they have barsand restaurants in common but they allalso originated from farming stock. Thefamily have an olive grove high on the hillsoverlooking the Mediterranean.

After a number of visits and constant talksof us trying to import their delicious oliveoil we have finally managed to get it here.The oil is truly delicious and un-like any youhave tried before. It is almost too good tocook with and perfect as a drizzling oil withcrusty bread or in a variety of salads.

We are using it in all our pubs and also

bottling it for anyone that would like totake it home or even give to someone asan exquisite gift. We have decided to call itCretan Gold as the Cretans often refer toolive oil as their Gold. You can buy a 250mlbottle for just £3.95..

We also thought we would share with youthe history and techniques that go intomaking our olive oil and hopefully showwhy it is such an impressive and wonderfulproduct. As its always nice to know wherewe are sourcing our products from and justhow we find them.

Christo, the youngest brother stillmaintains and harvests the olive grovesthat his father nurtured when he was ayoung boy. They believe in keeping the oilunfiltered which can make it a little cloudyalthough over a period of a few monthsthe sediment settles -This is just the smallpieces of olive pith that remain from notfiltering. They believe that this makes theoil more tasty and more nutritious asnothing is taken out. The oil is also slightlythicker unfiltered than when it is filteredand it is always between 0-1 % acidity.

Christo used to go with his father as asmall boy – watching and helping him thus

After many years of trying, we have finally managed to import our very own olive oil from Crete. We will be using it throughout all our establishments and really urge you to have a try. It has a really fantastic taste and we guarantee that once you taste it you willwant some for home. We are selling it in 250ml bottles throughout allour pubs for the introductory price of just £3.95. It is a product that wereally believe in and have close ties too - and so we thought we wouldshare with you just how we came to happen upo this "Cretan Gold"and just why we love it so much!!!

goldentouch


The Thurlby Group’s Cretan Gold

CRETAN GOLDOLIVE OILOn sale now throughout all our establishments

Introductory price of just

£3.95

15

he learnt the techniques of harvesting theolives at a very young age. He now takeshis own two young boys – They mostly runaround and play but they also have a go atbanging the trees with what they call the“devils fork”. They love it!! And so Christohopes that they too will continue doing theolives when they are older. As you areprobably aware olive oil is consumedgreatly in Crete and just for their ownhousehold needs they consumeapproximately 150 litres a year!!!!

Since antiquity, the concepts of “TheMediterranean” and “the olive” have beeninterwoven. According to Mediterraneanhistorian, F. Brodel, “The Mediterraneanbegins where the first olive trees bloomand finishes where the first palm-treeforests line the African continent.”

During prehistory, humankind decided thatcollecting the fruit of wild olive trees didnot suffice to fulfil its needs, and thusbegan the systematic production of theolive crop by initially domesticating theindigenous, wild tree and subsequentlycreating olive groves.

This long-drawn, laborious process iswidely held to have begun on Crete!!

In Crete and indeed Greece olive oil is usedfor everything – cooking, drizzling, beautytreatments and hair care. Recognized asone of the healthiest diets in the world, theMediterranean diet is not a creation ofsome doctor or nutritionist, nor is it apassing fad, it’s a centuries-old eatinglifestyle originally followed by the peopleliving in the Mediterranean basin. Wethought we would just list some of themany benefits from consuming olive oil,especially our very own Cretan Gold!!!

Health Benefits of Cretan Gold Olive OilThe health benefits of olive oil areextensive with new positive attributesdiscovered all the time. At present it isbelieved that in addition to bolstering theimmune system and helping to protectagainst viruses, olive oil is also effective in

fighting against diseases such as: HeartDisease, Oxidant stress, Cancer, BloodPressure, Diabetes, Obesity, Rheumatoidarthritis and Osteoporosis.

Cretan Gold and Skin CareSince ancient times olive oil has been usedas a way to moisturize and help rejuvenatedamaged skin.

As we age our skin deteriorates and itsinner and outer layers (dermis andepidermis) grow much thinner. Thestresses and strains of aging also cause theskin to lose elasticity, which soon becomesnoticeable as wrinkles. External factors,such as the suns rays can also speed up theaging process by generating what arecalled ‘free radicals’. The good news is thatit’s possible to reduce the damage done tocells by using ‘inhibitors’ that lower therisk. There are many creams and lotions onthe market that can help with this but ifyou’re looking for a natural ‘inhibitor’, youneed look no further than olive oil, whichhas a lipid profile very close to that ofhuman skin.

Olive oil has a large proportion of vitaminsA, D, and K, as well as vitamin E, which is akey source of protein needed in the fightagainst free radicals. This makes olive oilparticularly helpful in the fight against skindisorders such as acne, psoriasis, andseborrheic eczemas.

More generally, olive oil can be used dailyto improve the condition of skin in thefollowing ways:

As an exfoliator: Mixing olive oil with seasalt and massaging into an affected areahelps remove dead skin and enrich thehealthier layers below it. Adding oil to abath also helps moisturize the whole body.

In nail and cuticle care: Extra virgin olive oilis a simple solution for dry nails andcuticles. By rubbing a few drops into thecuticle area and around the nail, cuticlesstay moist, and nails respond with anatural shine.

As an eye makeup remover: A drop or twoof extra virgin olive oil on a cotton padhelps to gently and effectively remove eyemakeup without irritating the delicate skin.Olive oil also helps to smooth wrinkles that can form around the eyes.

Cooking with Cretan GoldAs a finish and condiment, high qualityCretan Gold olive oil is poured overeverything from rices, potatoes vegetablesand beans to meats, poultry and fish.

Olive oil is a versatile ingredient that hasbeen used in cooking for thousands ofyears. It has broken down a lot ofboundaries in recent times, becoming astaple in kitchens well beyond the area ofits Mediterranean roots. Not only can youcook just about anything with olive oil, youshould cook just about everything with itinstead of using less healthy fats or butter.

Our Cretan Gold olive oil is perfect forcooking seafood, to make marinades, or onstrongly flavoured ingredients such aspeppers or garlic. It is also delicious withmozzarella and for dipping bread, forfrying and sautéing. It works well whenused in baking too!!

The flavour of fresh olive fruit will shinethrough adding a new sublime dimensionto all your creations.

We hope you enjoy it and let us know anyfeed back you have [email protected]


16 Dionysus – Jan-Feb 2013

Recipesfrom our Chef’s

✃

Method: 1. Pre heat the oven to 220

2. If you buy the mussels pre-cleaned: Place the mussels in a colander andrinse well with cold water.

If not, Scrub the mussels and pull off any beards. Rinse in several changesof cold water, then discard any that are open and do not close whentapped against the side of the sink.

3. Take a large mixing bowl and add the mussels, carrots ,sweet peppers,ginger, lime leaf ,garlic, chilli, water, soy and lime juice. Gently stir with awooden spoon to infuse the flavours.

4. Transfer the ingredients on to a large baking tray and cover with tin foilor a lid to let the mussels steam.

5. Place in the oven for 25minutes – all of the mussels should be open bythis time, if any are not discard them.

6. Meanwhile, Crush the cashew nuts in a clean tea towel, with a rollingpin, and place on a tray under the grill. They are done when golden andfragrant – 5-10 minutes.

7. Place the mussels in your serving bowl and stir in the bean sprouts, freshmint and coriander.

8. Finally, top with the toasted cashew nuts and serve immediately –-Not forgetting the warm crusty bread for dipping in the yummy juice.

• 2kg of fresh black mussels • 3 red chillies roughly

chopped • 2 cloves of smoked garlic

sliced thinly • 50g of grated fresh ginger • 3 lime leaf torn in to

small pieces• 1 1/2 large carrots sliced

thinly long-ways

• 4 mini sweet peppers slicedthinly long-ways

• 100ml of Lime juice • 100ml of water • 100ml of sweet soy sauce

(kecap manis)• 20 g of toasted and crushed

cashew nut • 100g Bean sprouts • A good handful of chopped

Ingredients:End of Season Asian Baked MusselsThis is a great little dish for entertaining. If you’re looking for easymeal ideas or impressive appetizers and starters, mussels fit thebill perfectly. Beginner cooks can prepare these with confidenceand they make an impressive, tasty dish with little effort.

Download this menu from our website www.thethurlbygroup.co.uk

Wine/Grape: Gruner Veltliner Producer: Josef EhmoserCountry: Austria Region: WagramVintage 2010

Grüner Veltliner, or Gru-Vee, as it has been dubbed, is the latestcraze. It’s Austria’s own white variety: although lots of attentionhas focused on Austrian Riesling, there’s actually an awful lotmore Gru-Vee planted (by a factor of 10). Now it’s rightfullyregarded as the centrepiece of Austria’s wine industry.

So if Austrian white’s, and Grüner Veltliners in particular, are sogood, how come we haven’t seen many of them here in the UK?

Austria still seems to have a cloud over the country ever since theantifreeze incidents in the mid 80’s, which still is talked abouttoday. Trust me there is none in this wine!! The main reasonthey’ve not been better known abroad is because the domesticmarket greedily snaps up most of the good stuff, and keeps theprices high across the board. Indeed, Austria doesn’t actuallymake that much wine. But the word is out, and Grüner Veltliner isgaining more of the attention that it deserves. With its foodfriendliness, versatility and in many cases a capacity to gaincomplexity with age, Grüner looks set to gain more friends.

Much of the hype surroundingGrüner Veltliner comes from aseries of blind tastings (therehave been three so far) put on bya Swiss aficionado of Austrianwines, of which the bestpublicized was held in the UK atthe invitation of MWs JancisRobinson and Tim Atkin. In thisshoot-out, Austria’s leading Grüner Veltliners and Chardonnayswere pitched against top Chardonnays from around the world,including some very, very stylish white Burgundies. Remarkably,the panel of illustrious judges voted the Austrian wines intoseven of the top 10 places. Grüner Veltliner was the clear winner.

Grüner has a variety of expressions. Cropped at high yields it canmake a pleasant but light quaffing white, but if growers take alittle more care it is capable of making complex, full flavoured,spicy whites often with a distinctive white flower and crackedpepper edge to them.

This wine is a perfect accompaniment with Nick’s mussel dish,Asian styles of cooking and all types of fish dishes. It is zestyand spicy with delicate fruit and an excellent structure. Enjoy!!

Wine of the month review by Ross Dykes

Dionysus – Jan-Feb 2013 17

The Falkland Arms at Great Tew, Oxfordshire This issue we would like to introduce you to The Falkland Arms at GreatTew. A quaint little pub nestled in a charming village in the Cotswold'sOxfordshire. Just by looking from the outside you can tell it’s a real gem.

Feature | Have you tried…

Recently Michael and I embarked on a road trip taking inBedford, Bath, Bristol and the Arboretum in just 5days. Our aimwas to look at as many different pubs and groups as we couldand hopefully try and learn something new and exciting that wecould introduce back into The Thurlby Group. Michael suggestedthat we should make The Falkland Arms at Great Tew our firststop over as it is probably one of his most favourite pubs andone that he has invariably popped back to throughout the years.

The Falkland Arms ticks all the boxes as a traditional English pub– The flagstone floors, oak beams and inglenook fireplacetogether with the settles and potties adorning the ceilings(sound familiar??) are cosy in winter and the beautiful gardensare enjoyed on sunny days throughout the year.

It has been taken over by Wadsworths in recent years but do notlet this discourage you – Kathryn Partridge and Richard Bennettare the perfect hosts and do a fantastic job of retaining abeautiful 16th Century building as a traditional, local pub. Theyare famed for a large selection of fine real ales, malt whiskiesand an extensive wine list offered by both the glass and bottle.

Whether you are popping in for a 'quick drink', a bite to eat orlooking for somewhere to stay, The Falkland Arms offers a warmwelcome to all and is the perfect place to snatch a few momentsof tranquillity.

Their team of Chefs, headed up by Richard caters for all tastes infood, by providing a traditional Inn menu and always insistingon extremely high standards. All their food is homemade andingredients are sourced locally wherever possible. Witheverything from light bites through to fantastic feasts! They arealso open to non-residents for Breakfast and MorningTea/Coffees, perfect if you have been for an early morningramble around the village or embarked on one of the stunningwalks through the arboretum.

The bedrooms, themselves retain the charm of the 16th Centurybuilding and are perfect for a relaxing getaway. Enjoy delightfulb&b accommodation, in the peace of a beautiful Oxfordshirevillage (think Midsomer Murders), on the edge of the Cotswolds.Each room has recently been refurbished but the old charm hasstill been kept with low ceilings, traditional leaded windows andstunning views.

They have 6 rooms available including 5 double rooms and 1single room. All rooms have en suite facilities and a colourtelevision. A hospitality tray (kettle, tea, coffee, biscuits) isprovided, so you can make yourself drinks during the day.

We cannot recommend it highly enough – full of charm pairedwith great hosts and a fantastic atmosphere. They also have livefolk music every Sunday evening for those that are looking for alivelier end to the weekend. If you happen to make it over weknow you will not be disappointed.

They are currently running a special offer throughoutJanuary and February:

Stay two nights Monday – Thursday for £138 bed andbreakfast and receive a £20 voucher for food and drink!!

Tel: 01608 683653 (Reservations daily) Email: [email protected]

18 Dionysus – Jan-Feb 2013

The cows are now all settled in there warm newhome…The shed!

We only bring in the breeding cows. The young stock, because theyare a hardy old English breed, we leave outside. There rations forthe winter are hay and silage made on the farm, plus locallysourced wheat, of which we roll ourselves, combined with a fewsupplementary nuts to supply vitamins and a balanced diet. Thesheep stay out throughout winter gnawing off excess autumngrass and will be housed in the middle of February ready forlambing around the 20th February.

Winter is the season when you might think farmers have a rest butyou would be wrong. Every month has its dedicated tasks and oneof the most ancient and rewarding is winter hedgelaying,coppicing and maintenance. It is vital for both efficient stockmanagement and wildlife habitats. We have been out and abouton the farm laying our hedges as you can see from the pictureabove.

The aim of hedge-laying is to encourage growth at the bottom ofthe hedge to give it a new lease of life. Over the centuries, differentparts of the UK developed their own distinctive styles of hedgelaying, all based on the same basic theory. We use the Midlandstyle /also known as Bullock style. This hedge was designed to keepbig heavy bullocks in their field. This style is mainly found inLeicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire –traditional beef rearing areas.

The typical features are:• Stake sides face road or plough land. • Brush is on the animal side to stop them from eating newgrowth

• Hedge slopes towards the animals, as stakes are driven in behindthe line of the roots.

• Strong binding is below the top of the hedge (so that bullockscannot twist it off with their horns).

The hedges need to be laid now so they are all grown and inplace when the livestock are released back into the fields.


Life on The Farm


Well let me assure it is no accident orrandom choice -All our pub names dohave significant meaning to either thebuilding or the area and therefore webelieve give our pubs not justindividuality but remain true to theirbeginnings… What ever theirbeginnings may be.

This issue we are starting with The TobieNorris and are going to divulge a littleinformation of who he was and why wedecided to name the pub after him. Thepub was in fact a house before webrought it and dates back to 1280. Ithas had a very colourful and variedhistory throughout the years but thestory of Tobie Norris was the one thatreally stood out to us.

Tobie Norris purchased 12, St PaulsStreet, Stamford in 1617. He was borncirca 1558, The son of Matthew Norris ofLeicester. It is thought that Matthew wasthe founder of the bell making businessand his son followed in his footstepsmaking the bells at their home.

The earliest Tobie Norris bell is actually inOrton Waterville in Peterborough anddates back to 1606. He continued tocast bells of Stamford until his death in1626, at the age of 41.

Tobie had two sons, Tobie II andThomas . Tobie II was admitted freedomof the tower in 1628 as a bell founderbut does not appear to have taken anactive part in the foundry business.

Thomas Norris grew his fathers business

and is known to have cast over a 100bells between 1628 and 1678. He alsosat on the Alderrmanic bench until heresigned on 29th August 1678. Heobjected to the idea of going out withthe local award to ensure no one enteredStamford during the night whilst theplague was running rife in Peterboroughand the surrounding areas. After itsrestoration it is believed that Thomasretired to Rutland, probably Barrowden.

It is interesting to note that during thecivil war, Thomas only made two or threebells a year but in 1660, the year afterthe war finished he had a surge andmade nine!!

Thomas had a son Tobie Norris III. TobieIII married Susanna Madlesdon, a localheiress. Tobie and his wife managed toremodel the family home at 12 St PaulsStreet. The present frontage wasintroduced on to the exiting timberframe building. They also installed theoak panelling in the hallway, which webelieve would have been purchasedsecond hand from somewhere else in the town.

Tobie Norris took over the familybusiness in 1673 -The year his motherdied. Tobie III was a hard drinking bellfounder (well all that bell making mosthave been thirsty work!!) During his timein charge of the foundry 106 bells areknown to have been cast by him.Unfortunately Tobie III was not verygood with his money and had a series ofmortgages against the property in 1689,

to Robert Smith who was master of theboys school nearby.

So now we come to why is the "N"backwards – well there are a couple oftheories but i think it is probably acombination of them all. The firstexplanation, Most people at the timewould have been illiterate and thereforeTobie himself might have just made amistake as he was unable read or write.However there are bells in existencewhere the "N" is the correct way round.

The second theory is it could have beenhis signature trademark and not amistake at all. However the most likelyexplanation is that when they werecasting the bell – The mould for the "N"was a mirror image. Before the final layerof moulding material has been bakedhard, the mould is coated in graphite(this prevents the molten metal fromburning the moulding loam) and anyinscription or decoration is stamped intothe mould in the reverse. Theseindentations provide a reversed reliefinscription on the finished bell.

What ever the reason the plaquededicated to Tobie Norris in St Mary'sChurch in Stamford actually shows the"N" backwards – so i guess it is up to youto decide which explanation you prefer!!

We couldn't think of a better name forthe pub – one that celebrates acolourful family, its traditions andencapsulates the heart of the buildingand i am sure you will agree.

Have you ever wondered why our pubs are called what they are? I mean who on earth is TobieNorris? Why is the “N” back to front? Why did we change our pub in Newark from The Woolpack toThe Prince Rupert and where on earth did The Lord Nelson or Periwig come from?

What’s in a nameThe back to front “N” on The Tobie Norris building


Frustrations and Ferverof Growing Grapes inSunny Old Englandby John Atkinson, Master of Wine

Feature | Frustrations and ferver of growing grapes in sunny old England

The Champagne region canseem feudal. Behind thehandsome architectural facadesof Reims and Epernay is asubterranean world of hardlabour: kilometre-after-kilometre of cellars lined floor toceiling with millions of bottles,all stacked by-hand, and laidone on top of another, like logsin a woodpile.

Within the cellars the climate is brilliantlypoised for producing fine wine:temperatures rarely budge from 11 Celsius;there is no natural light; and the humiditymeans the enclosed populations of jellifiedmoulds and fungi want for nothing. This isthe world caveman left behind to stand talland blonde beneath the warming rays ofthe strengthening Holocene sun, yet theprimitive instinct for dark enclosure is stillenacted by Champagne’s Morlock-gangsof bottle stackers, disgorgers and riddlers.

Through the Marne winter, you can tracethe tapering trails of smoke back to solitaryvineyard workers. The relentless round ofpre-pruning, pruning and tying-downreminds you of the Marxist maxim thatwork can become alienating by itsrepetition alone. One good man can prune7,000 vines a day, but the spitefully lowcordons rapidly take their toll on adultjoints. Like Cossack dancing, someone inChampagne (perhaps a German) justseems to have taken an absurdly wrongstep in deciding that grown men should goabout their daily business sunk down ontheir haunches.

Champagne’s separation betweenproduction and consumption is stark,though one needs to be careful aboutcrass interpretations of class. The one-man-band viticulteur with 3 hectares ofland is worth millions, whilst the assets ofthe sharp-suited brand ambassador mayultimately lodge with the bank. Moreover,there is a genuine sense of fraternity inFrance, an underlying loyalty to the largernational project of “Team France”. I pointall this out because as drinkers rather thanmakers of wine, we (in the UK) inevitablyview its production through the agreeableobfuscation of consumption. Grapegrowing is mistakenly seen by many asbucolic, transcendental and quaint.

We (Farmer David Whattoff; John AtkinsonMW) began planting Tixover vineyard inMay 2005, with the help of a small teamof local villagers. Today’s “villagers” aren’tthe strong-limbed young men of yore;they’re middleclass and middle-aged, withmuscles pulped by long stretches atkeyboards and steering wheels. Togetherwe planted 750 vines in a day, and the rainnever stopped. Thus began my morevisceral and intense relationship with theEnglish weather and its ugly greychurnings. With a full-time job, vineyardwork is necessarily squeezed intoweekends. At the outset, I had pictured thefull magnitude of space brightly drawninto the blue-domed sky above me; but thereality has been more Glastonbury thanWoodstock. My imagined idyll has beenhijacked by the weather. Just as FreddyKrueger crept into the innocent sleep ofchildren, so frost, deluge and wind haveterrorized my winter visits to the vines.

This Blog, then, is about my struggle togrow grapes on a limestone sub-soil at anunlikely 52 degrees north. I have had tolearn about chemistry and botany, and Inow realise what the historical differencebetween production and consumptionreally is. The sense that I listened to all thewrong teachers at school, andconcentrated on all the wrong subjects hasgrown along with the vines. Too many menof my age find they want to re-connectwith their youth, yet the incarnation thatoften emerges from our past is not theenergetic, uninhibited self we’d preparedfor, but a kind of body of ill-fitting parts, alist of congenital ailments – spondylitis in

my case – revealed by a slackening ofmuscle and sinew. Yet, back problemsaside, viticulture keeps me healthy, if notfit. I know what I’m capable of, and I’vedeveloped a synergy of sorts with thevines: Pinot Noir, I have discovered, cantake most of what Nature throws at itwithout chucking in the towel, and, just likeme, it can be kidded by a warm summer’sday into believing that all things arepossible.

Master of Wine: John Atkinson

Date became a Master of Wine: 1999

Current Employer:Billecarte-Salmon (UK) Ltd

Relationship with The Thulrby Group: Writes our wine lists

Technical: Cool Climate Viticulture

The Tobie NorrisManager: Will Fry 12 St. Pauls Street, Stamford PE9 2BEt. 01780 753 [email protected]

The PeriwigManager: Jimmy Pease & Naomi Schein7 All Saints' Place,Stamford, PE9 2AGt. 01780 762 169

[email protected]

Smith’s of BourneManager: Pat & Jane Taylor25 North Street, Bourne PE10 9AEt. 01778 [email protected]

Jubilee GarageManager: Samantha Waddingham30 North Street, Bourne, PE10 9ABt. 01778 [email protected]

The Lord NelsonManager: Adam Dale11, Market place, Oakham, LE15 6DTt. 01572 [email protected]

The Prince RupertManager: Tony & Heidi Yale46, Stodman Street, Newark, NG24 1AWt. 01636 [email protected]

Contact UsWork With Us


GP PLASTERINGPlastering & Coving

No Job Too Small. Call Gary.Tel: 01778 347275

Mob: 07941 173649

Be social. Stay in touch!The fastest, simplest way to stay close toeverything we are doing!! Find out what’s

happening, right now, within our organizations.

Our Twitter and Facebook accounts connect you to the latest stories, ideas,opinions and news within our pubs.

You can see photos, videos and conversationsdirectly and all in one place.

Social networks are listed below for each pub:

Follow @TobieNorris on twitter

Follow @The_Lord_Nelson on twitter

Follow @SmithsOfBourne_ on twitterLike smiths.bourne.5 on facebook

Follow @JubileeBourne on twitterLike thejubilee on facebook

Follow @The_Periwig on twitterLike The-Periwig on facebook

Current VacanciesThe Lord Nelson:– Full-time trainee chef

Tobie Norris, Smith's & The Lord Nelson:– Part-time & Full-time chefs

Please email your CV and covering letter [email protected]

Head Chef RequiredThis is an excellent opportunity for a

qualified and experienced head chef to workin this well respected Public House in the

popular market town of Bourne. Smith’s hasan eclectic and varied seasonal menu usinglocal produce with a high attention to detail.The successful head chef will be motivated,determined and passionate about working

with quality ingredients to produce quality pub food.

Please email your CV and covering letter [email protected]

dionysus january-february-issue 2

Documents

thurlby group

little magazineor

group executive chef

happy new year

small group of pubsfree

lauriesee page

periwig parade

things todo