Welcome to Table Talk #27. On the face of it, a fairly unremarkable number but on reflection, one that indicates weâve been talking all things food and drink for six whole months. Thatâs six months of combinations that shouldnât work but just do (#2), six months of pulling back the curtain on the world of wine (#12) and six months of making a little bit more room around the table each and every week as our numbers slowly swell.
Thank you for continuing to read, continuing to spread the good word and for continuing to share your weird and wonderful dinner table conversations with me. Long may it continue.
đ Your Favourite Restaurant Youâve Never Been To đ
If I asked you to make a checklist of any self-respecting gastropub these days, it would probably look a little something like this: blackboard menu, open fire, pastel shades and a drinks list populated by locally-sourced ales and biodynamic wines. So far, so good.
Were you to visit such an establishment, youâre unlikely to go too far wrong as you know what youâre in for; conversely, youâre probably going to feel like youâve been there before. Not so, when it comes to The Bull Inn in Totnes, Devon - the brainchild of organic pub entrepreneur, Geetie Singh-Watson. Whilst it certainly ticks all those boxes, put that checklist away, this is an entirely different beast all togetherâŠ
Geetie Singh-Watson outside her Devon creation
Growing up in a commune and arguably the ultimate product of the âschool of lifeâ, Singh-Watson credits her upbringing for endowing her with skills her peers didnât have at a young age - âI knew how to think critically and to challenge preconceptions. I knew how to collaborate, how to communicate, even how to lead. All of that came from communal living.â
Itâs this ability and desire to see things differently that, in my mind, makes The Bull Inn so special. A brief glance at their website showcases their âNo Bullâ policies, which extend to how they approach their cooking, the partners they trade with and the team they employ. Zeroing in on the food, they place vegetables at the heart of every dish and champion those around them with their âfield grown not flownâ policy.
Of course there are others who take a similar approach, but itâs the willingness to put this at the heart of everything they do, and to shout so loudly about it, that pulls me towards the South West and a hopefully hearty lunch at The Bull Inn someday soonâŠ
đ Who Knew That Was The Story Behind?! đ
I know what youâre thinking - it was only last week that we covered the background of the latest culturally and culinary significant institution (#26), namely barbecue. Instead of moving on from that this week, Iâm taking this opportunity to build on last weekâs musings and issue a correction of sorts, having realised the moment I hit send that there wasnât a single mention of Australian barbecue culture, perhaps one of the most recognisable the world over. Quoting one particularly direct commentator - âwe have big backyards, an enviable summer and an outdoor spirit that exudes a lifestyle-first philosophy.â
First come, first served
Delving deeper into Australian âbarbieâ culture, there seems to be legions of articles centred around the importance of the Bring Your Own culture which typify barbecues the world over. Thinking about it, there arenât many instances when you rock up at someoneâs house, almost certainly inappropriately dressed, and hand them a load of uncooked food with the expectation that youâll get it, or someone elseâs, back and cooked, in an hour or two.
Itâs plausible to suggest the uniqueness of this institution extends to the cooking itself, as itâs deemed perfectly acceptable to relentlessly quiz whoever happens to be standing over the grill as to their approach and if they want you to take over⊠Itâs this collectivism and this tribalism that is so innate to barbecues that makes them so special in my opinion, and potentially, the answer as to what differentiates the act of âhaving a barbecueâ from the act of âgoing for Barbecueâ (#26).
đ Final Thoughts đ
- Sometimes you donât want a bottle of wine, you just fancy a glass. Check out these spots for the perfect midweek pitstop.
- Indulge in this fantastic article about chefs sharing their talents with their families during lockdown.
- Lockdown meant lots of things to lots of people, but binge-watching TV was certainly up there for most. Take a trip down memory lane with the last surviving Blockbuster store.
Look forward to seeing you again next week,
Luke
PS. Donât want to wait a week for our next edition? Check us out on Instagram (@wednesdaysdomaine).