Cooks’ tour of London

LAST WEEK we headed off to London with a group of teachers from the cookery school. We were on our school tour, a fact-finding mission to check out and experience the London food scene. It’s amazing what can be crammed into two days when you are on a mission.

When we arrived on Friday evening we headed straight for one of London’s best known gastropubs, Anchor & Hope off Blackfriars Road. The menu changes twice daily. It’s totally seasonal, simple uncluttered food. They are particularly well known for their shared dishes such as a shoulder of salt marsh lamb cooked for five hours with gratin dauphinoise, or a slow-cooked stuffed duck or chicken.

That night, it was roast kid with hand-cut chips and home made aioli. These dishes are served to parties of two, four and six. I’ll shock you by telling you that I started with crispy pig’s tail with aioli. It was so good and was such a hit with the customers that at seven o’clock mine was the last portion on the menu.