Fine Dining with Cumbria On A Plate

Welcome to Cumbria On A Plate's Fine Dining Club. If you love eating out and would like an expert to find the restaurant, book the date, design the menu, choose the wines and arrange accommodation so you can enjoy the whole evening, then read on ...........

Annette Gibbons has run a Dining Club throughout Cumbria for over 12 years and the Club is an excellent way to dine out on Cumbria's finest food, learn more about the ingredients and wine from expert speakers and to meet new friends.

You can enjoy an exclusive menu with accompanying wines organised by Annette at a special price for Club members.  Experienced chefs devise these seasonal menus using delicious ingredients bought from Cumbrian farms and producers close by.  Annette talks about the dishes chosen and a wine expert  tutors the wine tasting.  The evenings are fun and informal with lots of friendly chat.  Come with a partner or on your own. Accommodation is provided at most venues. Scroll down to see pictures of previous events - and recipes and feedback!

Annual membership is just £25 per person. 

Forthcoming Dinners include:

The Jumble Room in Grasmere will be our venue for Tuesday 16th March when Chrissy and Andy Hill host us at their congenial restaurant.  They are opening especially for Cumbria On A Plate on this particular evening for an exclusive treat!

Chrissy along with David Clay, head chef who trained at the Wordsworth, The Box Tree and Manoir au 4 Saison in Oxford with Raymond Blanc, have devised a superb menu at £65 per person - Irene has the details as well as for accommodation nearby.

Thursdays 6^th & 13^th May Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel, Windermere

Holbeck have achieved their 10^th consecutive Michelin star with Chef David McLaughlin. From their website you will see our gourmet dinner offers incredible value for money at £86 per person to include all wines as usual.  Accommodation is reserved for us at Holbeck Ghyll.

Thursday 17^th June Castle Green Hotel, Kendal. (with pool and spa)

I have requested a Classic French Menu to allow Executive chef, Justin Wood's young brigade to show off their expertise. We have the Kendal Suite with private garden terrace for a summer's evening and have reserved some of the suites in the older part of the house for accommodation.  

Saturday 19^th June Lyzzick Hall Country House Hotel, Keswick

We're having traditional Roast Sirloin of Beef lunch served untraditionally on a Saturday – to include 3 courses, Kir Royale on arrival and Senor de Cascante, Grand Reserva from Navarra, with coffee and sweetmeats. Arrive at 12.30 for 1 p.m. Lunch.  Price: £34 per person

Thursday 8^th July Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, Melrose, Scottish Borders.

A Gourmet Dinner with bed and breakfast in this lovely hotel on the River Tweed. Outstanding chef Mark Greenaway will produce a seasonal menu for us.

Friday 3^rd & 10^th September David's Restaurant, Carlisle.

Our city centre elegant Georgian town house David's will host us in September where Chef Chris Austin promises an inventive menu with wines from Corkscrew, Carlisle.

Tuesdays 7^th and 14^th Sunday 19^th December Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel.

Our wonderful end of year dining celebration at another Cumbrian Michelin starred hotel restaurant, where Nico Chieze has promised us a fun wine quiz with a famous Sharrow bottle for the winner.

The Fine Dining Club is administered by Irene Moralee who will give you full details and organise your booking. 

Ring her on 07835 951 534 or email finediningirene@hotmail.com to request a membership applicaton form.

Here are a few snap shots of some recent Fine Dining Events.

 November  and December  2009 we spent three wonderful days and evenings with the excellent staff at Sharrow Bay  on Ullswater.

We were treated to an interesting and informative cookery demonstration in the afternoon when Sharrow's chef's David and Mark showed us the artistry of pastries.  (It didn't put me off eating croissant at breakfast - I just forgot the amount of beautiful butter that was used!)

Once again Nico Chieze was the perfect host and sommelier to Colin Akrigg's kitchen brigade who served a faultless seven course celebration for Christmas.  The local ingredients included Belted Galloway beef as a Carpaccio; Roasted Saddle of Rabbit (the most succulent ever) with Herb Gnocchi and Herdwick Lamb as the main course.  Delightful.

The Orange and Chocolate Dessert was another gem, discs of dark chocolate layered with chocolate orange mousse and served with a compote of clementines.

and finally the morning mist was ethereal.

Thank you Sharrow Bay for making a wonderful finale to our 2009 dining.

In September we visited Crosby Lodge Hotel just north of Carlisle and Pippa Sedgwick was her usual ebullient self and gave us great detail about the wide range of wines that we enjoyed, including two reds with the main course.

Drinks in the bar beforehand were enjoyed by our friends from Brampton.

And the fish course was "seared west coast king scallops on parsnip and pea puree garnished, rather unusually, but deliciously with crispy chicken skin".  The textures with the flavours were superb.

Thursday 28th May and 11th June at Miller Howe overlooking Windermere we tasted wonderful Millom crab served with hot and cold avocado plus for main course a selection of Richard Woodalls pork.

The view from the restaurant.

The Tasting of Mr. Woodall's Cumbrian Pork, Roast Fillet, Braised Cheek and Confit Belly with Spring Greens, Pease Pudding, Caramelised Pear and Andy's Black Pudding Cone.

The recipe for the Avocado Icecream was much sort after and Andy Beaton was happy to share it with us. 

100g sugar

85ml medium white wine

60g liquid glucose

75ml cup water

2 ripe avocados

juice of 1 lemon

75ml milk

Gently heat together the sugar, wine and liquid glucose in a pan over a low flame.  Don't let this boil.

Peel the avocados and mash them with the juice of the lemon and milk and pour in the wine mix.  Blend this thoroughly and pass it through a fine sieve before chilling completely.  Freeze in an ice-cream machine or place in the deep freeze overnight and mash with a fork every so often.

Serve with fresh crab and grapefruit and orange segments.

Strawberry and Vanilla Delice, Strawberry Sorbet, with Marinated Strawberries and Mint.

 Many thanks Andy and your Brigade as well as Nigel and his staff for a wonderfully tasty and well organised event at Miller Howe.