Amazing walks, rummaging in rock pools, ice creams, and being attacked by seagulls – just some of the first things I associate with summer time in Cornwall!
The start of summer always signifies the beginning of the busy time in Rock, and for most of Cornwall, a very seasonal tourist destination. Luckily for myself and chefs alike, an abundance of great produce is about and creating dishes could never be more enjoyable.
Line caught sea bass and line caught mackerel are just two of the amazing fish featured on our menus at the moment. Line caught off the North Cornish coast, such fantastic fish – so fresh and worth every penny. These fish are only around for 3 months or 4 if you’re lucky, and we always look forward to having them on the menu. We’ve also had some brilliant wild sea trout, which has just popped up near Looe, off the east coast. Wild sea trout has a delicious, unique flavour; simply pan fried with crispy skin, I’m not sure you need anything more than a wedge of lemon to enjoy it.
The summer berries that are around are absolutely delicious at the moment and are great for making quick simple desserts. On my menu I have a ‘Summer Mess’, where I use Cornish cherries, raspberries, and gooseberries, all fantastic in their own right and needing very little work to turn them in to a great seasonal dish. We use them in The Seafood & Grill for a summer berry crumble with clotted cream, which customers absolutely love. It is just so full of flavour and always reminds me of Sunday lunch with my family when I was young. My mum would normally make a cherry crumble from frozen cherries, even though there were fresh raspberries and cherries growing in a field 10 minutes away. It did still taste great!
Cornwall is definitely a great destination in summer, and the food on offer is just one of the great selling points. When I look out from the restaurant’s terrace over the Camel estuary on a hot summer’s day, with no clouds in sight, it’s hard not to think I’m in the Mediterranean somewhere.
We look forward to seeing you here too this year!
