• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Published Articles
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

A weekend at Littlecote House, Wiltshire

October 23, 2019 2 Comments Filed Under: Baking, Food, Gardens, Recipes, Travel, UK, Uncategorized

  • blackberry and liquorice steamed pudding pic:Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Readers may recall that my parents had their diamond wedding anniversary earlier this year in Provence. The celebrations aren’t finished! Sixty guests, one for every year, were invited to a Tudor manor, Littlecote House Hotel, on the border between Berkshire and Wiltshire for the weekend.

Originally my sister and I were supposed to share a room; less than ideal as:

1 ) Both of us snore like trucks, being overweight with short necks.

2) My sister is both accident-prone and incredibly untidy, within minutes every surface is covered. She’s what I call a ‘spreader’. This drives me mad.

3) She likes dark, warm (stuffy) rooms and I like cold, airy rooms.

“I wouldn’t worry” said my dad.”I’m sure at least one guest will die before October and then you won’t have to share.”

When you are in your 80s, friends and relatives die with regularity. My parents’ main social life is attending funerals. And so it proved…we ended up with separate rooms.

  • Little Cote house, Wiltshire, UK pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Littlecote is a two hour drive from London. The clientele is mostly quite old. You drive through five disabled carparks before you get to an able-bodied one at the far end. The birthday cards in the gift shop start from a sprightly 60 years old, up to full centenarian status. You can hire a Zimmer frame or an electric wheelchair. I had a go on one.

The house has a history: it’s where Henry VIII wooed his third wife Jane Seymour. The gardens are stylish and rather French, in the style of The Draughtsmen’s Contract, all conical topiary, autumnal pathways, trout streams, greenhouses, a pergola, sheep, a roman mosaic. Scarlet Virginia Creeper strangles the walls and leaded Tudor windows. I picked fresh raspberries in the kitchen garden: sweetly ripe and acidic.

  • Rodgers rifles littlecote, pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
  • archery at Little Cote pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

For the price of half board, there are free lessons in archery, air-rifle shooting and Nordic walking. I tried all three: my archery needs practice but the air rifles were fun. Nordic walking, where you learn to walk with two sticks, meaning there is less pressure on your knees, was a great workout. I’m doing the Camino de Santiago in Spain this November so it was good to discover more about walking with sticks.

  • the old house at Little Cote, pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Entertainment in the evenings was cheesy but fun: a chubby white Jackson 5 with exhausting dance moves and a boy band, The Four Ds, with excellent harmonies. You just have to throw yourself into it.

  • Little Cote gardens and my dad in country gear pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Food however was a disappointment. A dark brown badly-lit dining room and a buffet service. It was like bad cruise food. Dishes were tasteless, reheated, from catering pouches. There was clearly a no-salt policy meaning food didn’t even taste of itself. My niece tried the gratin dauphinois and it was off; the cream had curdled. All a bit worrying when the clientele tend to have lowered immune systems.

  • Little Cote house pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

Service was careless, many of the staff didn’t speak good English. Although my Polish waiter was honest: “Don’t order the pavlova”. My parent’s careful table plan for 60 guests, sent by recorded delivery, was first lost then ignored. So we never sat down together for a meal, it felt bitty and uncohesive.

  • gardens at Little Cote pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
  • birthday cards,  little cote gardens pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

On the Sunday, my parents wanted a champagne and canapé reception to gather everyone together. The card from the Queen and the Arsenal football team was stuck on the wall. But the private room was not set up properly. The canapés were changed into really badly made sandwiches, because the waiter said, and I quote, “canapés are a lot of work”.

  • The cake collapsing pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com

My sister-in-law, niece and boyfriend (all bakers and chefs) decorated the home-made two tier 60th anniversary cake in their hotel bedroom, whipping up buttercream, with palette knife plastering and piping. As they could not chill it, it collapsed within five minutes after being carefully wheeled on a luggage trolley through the hotel.

My dad gave a speech: how he met my mum at Eel Pie Island at a trad jazz concert and asked her to dance. She said no. This made him like her more.

He asked a mutual friend what he could do to get her to go out with him: “Take off the sharp suits and wear jeans and a scruffy fisherman’s sweater” he was advised. This seemed to do the trick.

It’s a shame that the food and service are not up to the standard of the house and location. It cost my dad a lot of money and it felt like they couldn’t be bothered.

  • virginia creeper and secret gardens, littlecote house, pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
  • roman mosaic at Littlecote pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
    Roman mosaic in the grounds
blackcurrant and liquorice steamed pudding pic: Kerstin rodgers/msmarmitelover.com
Print

Blackberry and liquorice steamed pudding recipe

This was one of the few nice items on the menu. So I've tried to recreate it. It's dark, deep and delicious.
Course Dessert, Pudding
Cuisine English
Keyword Blackberry, Liquorice, Steamed pudding
Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 250 g blackberries
  • 1 tbp liquorice syrup, https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/concentrated-liquorice-flavour
  • 1 tbsp black treacle, heaped
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 175g butter, softened (salty or unsalted)
  • 175 g self-raising flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 stick vanilla, split and seeds scraped out

Instructions

  • Turn over the pudding bowl and cut a circle the size of the top of the bowl, with a large margin of 4 cms (2 inches) in both the parchment and the kitchen foil. Pleat both pieces of paper/foil down the centre, a centimetre (1/2 inch) overlapping.
  • Butter (well) a pudding bowl, size 36 or 24.
  • Put the blackberries, liquorice and syrups into a small pan and poach the berries for a few minutes, but keep them whole. Pour the berries into the bottom of the pudding bowl. Keep the liquoricey liquid aside.
  • Cream the sugar and butter together. Then add the flour slowly, then the eggs. Add the vanilla. Do not overmix.
  • Pour into the pudding bowl on top of the blackberries.
  • Cover the top of the bowl with the parchment paper, then the foil and cut a piece of kitchen string so that it fits the circumference of the bowl under the lip and has enough to make a handle.
  • Knot the string around the circumference and tie the extra string to the other side of the bowl to make the handle for lifting out the bowl.
  • Place a saucer in the bottom of a large lidded saucepan and place the bowl on top.
  • Boil a kettle and fill carefully until the water reaches half way up the bowl in the saucepan.
  • Bring to the boil then simmer with the lid on for 2.5 hours.
  • Check every so often that the water hasn't evaporated. If it's low, top it up.
  • When you put a skewer through the paper/foil lid and it comes out clean, it's ready.
  • Lift the pudding up out of the saucepan and,after loosening with a palette knife arouund the edges, up-end on a plate or cake stand
  • Pour the remaining liquoricey sauce over the top.
  • Serve with cream or icecream.

Recent posts

Christmas present suggestions for foodies 2023

December 5, 2023

Yeni Raki dinner at Ruya, London

November 26, 2023

La Clique, a spiegeltent show in Leicester Square, London and a late dinner at Wong Kei

November 21, 2023

Previous Post: « Learning to sail in Porto Rafael, Sardinia
Next Post: Spanish Persimon Halloween supper club in pictures and recipes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margaret

    October 23, 2019 at 8:01 pm

    You have been unfair regarding the food. I dont eat meat but the various roast veg and deserts were excellent. Everyone who was not vegetarian said how much they enjoyed the food. Ir is traditional British fare. Being Vegetarian is still unusual as far as most hotels and restaurants are concerned.
    Where I agree wholeheartedly was the very poor show made by the staff for the important 60 years celebration in the Orangery. They had months of notice and ruined our day.
    It was an insult to us and our guests. Warners are let down by some of their staff.

    Reply
  2. John Rodgers

    October 23, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    The food in the dining hall was much better than you described and most guests enjoyed it. But it is true that the management did little to make our private celebration run smoothly.
    I did not meet your mother at Eel Pie island since I was not a lover of trad jazz at the time. I was a bopper and we met at the jazz club under the Mapleton Restaurant in Coventry St. London W1 which changed its name from Club M to the Flamingo depending on the night.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
I visited the sandstone hued town of Marsala in Si I visited the sandstone hued town of Marsala in Sicily where the famous fortified wine comes from. Just like Port, Marsala became a fortified wine because of a Liverpudlian - in this case John Woodhouse from Liverpool. We do like our sweet wines with extra alcohol. This year is the 250th anniversary of Marsala wine. In the reel you will see citrus, called cedra, which is used in pasta there but in the UK is mostly found candied as ‘citron’. The wine labels are beautifully art nouveau. I also saw a baker making artisanal panettone. Which takes a month, in a back room of a coffee bar. #marsala #sicily #fortifiedwine
Just bought a beautiful fresh wreath on Kilburn hi Just bought a beautiful fresh wreath on Kilburn high road- £10! Bargain. I’m home now but will be posting more from my Italian adventures over the next few days #christmasdecor #christmas #christmaswreath
The ancient village of Erice near trapani in Sicil The ancient village of Erice near trapani in Sicily. I scratched my hire car going up a one way street by mistake. On one side you have the sea, the other rocky outcrops. The bells toll, cats slink from doors, I ate marzipan fruits and drank coffee. In winter there are no tourists which is a relief. Nativity scenes are tucked into every niche, the baby Jesus nestled upon highly decorated cakes. You can eat busiate the local pasta shape, twisted among a nest of almonds- pesto trapanese. My nonna Carmela made rag rugs. I never met her.  #sicily #erice #travelandfood
Christmas present suggestions for food lovers and Christmas present suggestions for food lovers and cooks. Swipe right. More details in my blog: https://msmarmitelover.com/2023/12/christmas-present-suggestions-for-foodies-2023.html to suit all budgets. From a £4.50 @dunelmuk rubber spatula to a £220 hot sand maker with all the plate options from @brunohotplateuk . Rice cookers and panettone from @souschefuk, an incredible dairy hamper from @hollismeadorganicdairy, British hand crafted copper and cast iron from @nethertonfoundry, a wine puzzle from @gingerfoxuk, a tinned fish subscription from @thetinnedfishmarket and windup digital scales from @lakelanduk #christmas #gifts #cooks #christmaspresents🎁
Visiting another Etnean village, Bronte, which is Visiting another Etnean village, Bronte, which is celebrated for the pistachio. Around the snowy crater, you see twisted gnarled branches of ancient pistachio trees. In Bronte you can buy pistachio cream, pistachio pesto, pistachio cannoli, pancakes, pistachio coffee, panettone, you name it. The pistachio is red on the outside and green on the inside. I’d love to visit during the harvest. In October when they have a pistachio festival. Pistachios are related to cashews and mangos. #italy #sicily #solotravel
Yesterday I visited Noto in Sicily. It’s famous Yesterday I visited Noto in Sicily. It’s famous for baroque architecture. The churches, shops and streets are ready for Christmas, with nativity scenes, lights and wrapped presents. The light is beautiful, softly golden, as it is in all of these villages under the eaves of Mount Etna, puffing innocently in the background. Sicily has so much to discover. Of course I had an orange, olive and fennel salad. #citrus #travel #sicily #noto
Went to see the orange groves of @la_.deliziosa_ i Went to see the orange groves of @la_.deliziosa_ in Sicily, under the eaves of mount Etna which is glowing orange with streams of lava making their way down the snowy verges. The air smells of charcoal, smoke and occasionally sulphur. This grove is seven years old. The oranges 🍊 have stretch marks like the swollen belly of a pregnant woman. They will be ready to pick in two weeks. #citrusseason #sicily
The most brilliant focaccia from the Puglia region The most brilliant focaccia from the Puglia region, hot, oily, crispy, with sweet cherry 🍒 tomatoes, green olives and plenty of salt- which we ate in the fields with the farmers. Food always tastes better when eaten outside. @commissioneuvadatavola
More bits done to my dining room. Painting the bar More bits done to my dining room. Painting the bare woodwork in @littlegreenepaintcompany, moving furniture around, building a spice cupboard. Tablecloth from @dunelmuk I’m off to Naples and Sicily today so it’s all a bit rushed. More tidying, painting organising on my return. Hey interiors people, paint companies, homeware and tableware companies- I’m up for collabs! #tablescape #crockery #kitchens #diningrooms #pantry #reclaimedwindows #spicecupboards #scallops #stripes #rawplaster #london
I went to an amazing @yenirakiglobal lunch today @ I went to an amazing @yenirakiglobal lunch today @ruyalondon a gorgeous Turkish restaurant just off Park lLne. It was hosted by the lovely drink expert @douglasblyde (Evening Standard drinks columnist). It was nice to see some old faces from the blogging world. I loved the ‘Istanbul- bull’ cocktail made from elderflower ginger beer and Rami with a sliver of cucumber. We had a demonstration on how to make khachapuri Turkish style. In turkey they say ‘let’s go for a raki’ meaning shots of raki with mezze. The sea bass with a pistachio crust was a great match as was the smoked salmon with pink peppercorns. Raki goes great with fish. I also loved the ‘lonely’ dip ‘rafik’ which is something you order when you are lonely- then everybody joins you.  Raki is sometimes referred to as ‘lions milk’ because it goes white when you add water and it puts hairs on your chest. Raki is made from wild fennel and grape way de vie. Fennel, like liquorice, is 13  times sweeter than sugar. First week of December is #worldrakiday #raki #turkey #turkishfood
Christmas present suggestions for foodies: a month Christmas present suggestions for foodies: a monthly subscription to @thetinnedfishmarket I love the packaging, it’s so useful to have in the pantry for last minute meals. The top three tins are from the November selection: tuna, sardines and mackerel. The bottom 3 tins are anchovies, stuffed calamari and smoked oysters. I recently used their tinned smoked tuna in a recipe- it’s a revelation. I often buy my daughter tinned fish for birthday or Christmas #christmasgiftsideas #subscriptions #christmasforfoodies #tinnedfish #foodpackaging
Berenjenas de la abuela con miel. This is my Sagit Berenjenas de la abuela con miel. This is my Sagittarian recipe for @holidaygoddessguide sag loves fiery hot fried food, purple is Jupiter’s colour, and Spain a sag country. This tapas recipe is a dead cert for the archer. Topped with Venusian honey… #astrology #planetarydiet #recipes #tapas
I made Mas Huni, a Maldivian breakfast dish, using I made Mas Huni, a Maldivian breakfast dish, using smoked tuna from @thetinnedfishmarket I like a savoury breakfast and this hits the spot. I have a post up on the blog tomorrow by Mary Wedgewood who has just spent a year teaching in the Maldives- a very different experience from the sun, sand and luxury you get in the resorts. #tinnedfish #maldives #mashuni
Last night I went to see @lacliquetheshow in a spi Last night I went to see @lacliquetheshow in a spiegeltent (a kind of wooden tent) in Leicester Square, London. A series of neo-circus acts, some rather saucy with a wonderful torch singer with top bants entertained us. A real Christmas treat- it’s only on for 8 weeks. Probably not for children although I recall my parents taking me and my younger brother and sister to see the original cast of the Rocky Horror Show in kings road. Us kids were gob smacked yet inspired.  @multitudemedia thank you  #cabaret #circus #christmastheatre #london
A quick butternut squash soup in the @vitamixuk wi A quick butternut squash soup in the @vitamixuk with Austrian pumpkin oil and pistachios as I’d run out of pumpkin seeds. Served in enamel mugs (I love enamel, it’s lightweight and unbreakable . The chips just give it more character. #soup #autumn #enamelware
I went to the most fabulous dinner tonight in this I went to the most fabulous dinner tonight in this old theatre near London Bridge, with actors playing the roles of famous French cheeses. The food was great, the company charming, the atmosphere, like being at the Kit Kat club in cabaret, and le fromage divine. #enjoyitsfromeurope #cheeseatheart #cheesesfromfrance #frenchloveaffair
Lebu or Bengali lemon in Whitechapel. These are so Lebu or Bengali lemon in Whitechapel. These are so floral. You just use the zest, there isn’t much juice or flesh. A pound each which is cheap. Just turn left out of Whitechapel station and most of the greengrocers have them. Do not confuse with lime. These are big and knobbly. #london #citrus #elizabethline #bengalifood
Incredibly cute single grilled sandwich maker made Incredibly cute single grilled sandwich maker made in Singapore @brunohotplateuk it comes in pink, lilac and red. It has multiple attachments for donuts, tarts, waffles, taiyaki fish waffles. Going to try it out tomorrow. Love the design and colours, it’s sturdiness- it’s metal. It’s sort of barbie industrial. #kaiwai #kitchengadgets #design #toasties #taiyaki #
Home grown poblano chillies. They didn’t reach t Home grown poblano chillies. They didn’t reach the size of one’s from Mexico, which are more like bell papers. But it’s virtually impossible to get fresh poblanos in the UK. It’s a shame as they are very mild, a more interesting flavour than bell peppers. They are wonderful stuffed, in soup or to make the Mexican national dish - poblanos with walnut sauce. #londongarden #londonmexicanfood
I’ve been doing the tube game, no cheating, no c I’ve been doing the tube game, no cheating, no conferring. This score means I’m officially a nerd according to @helenlewisposts I’ve always thought if I were kidnapped and held in solitary Terry Waite style, that this is how I’d pass my time, remembering every stop on the London Underground. They should do one for the paris metro. I lived in paris for 5 years so I wonder how I’d do with that. This is the link if you want to have a go: https://london.metro-memory.com
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2023 msmarmitelover