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Yemi’s Food Stories: A visit to Rudding Park’s kitchen garden

Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food and sharing cooking tips– please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

If you are looking for recommendations for a place to go for a special occasion, spa or golf days or an amazing meal, Rudding Park hotel always makes the list and quite often is at the top of the list. It’s the reason my 49th birthday celebration was there.

Multi award winning Rudding Park, set amongst 300 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens and woodland with stunning sculptural pieces, is one of the most beautiful hotels in Harrogate offering 90 stylish bedrooms, award winning spa, three AA Rosette Horto Restaurant, and two AA Rosette Clocktower Restaurant, kitchen garden, gym, private cinema, golf course and events venue.

With a Best Fine Dining Restaurant amongst its many awards, I was intrigued by the kitchen garden, which plays a key role in making great dishes happen.

Horto Restaurant offers contemporary fine dining using ingredients from Rudding Park Kitchen Garden with the menu prescribed by nature, the creativity of the chef and the skill of the gardener.

Spending the day with Emma Pugh, kitchen gardener, was eye opening. I was impressed by the pivot from her previous career as a physiotherapist to becoming a gardener, from lifting limbs to lifting plant pots and helping them to grow or recover. Her passion for nurturing and growing things shone through.

Working closely with the chefs, the gardeners influence their dishes by supplying them with in-season produces or growing new plants for fresh ideas and they reward their hard work by creating stunning dishes for the guests who enjoy the results of this collaboration.

There was so much to learn about the different plants that were in season with my mind blown by many varieties of produces that are out there. There were plants that Emma was still learning about and some she was growing for the first time.

I loved tasting the different plants to identify the flavours, notes and coming up with ideas on how they might be used for a sweet or savoury dish with some drawing raised eyebrows and different facial expressions from Emma.

Yemi and Emma exploring the kitchen garden

I discovered Orach which reminded me of Swiss chard but with a slightly salty taste, and can be used to replace spinach in recipes or stuffed like cabbage leaves. I love cooking coarsely blended red peppers, onions, chilli and garlic with olive oil and seasonings until all the water is evaporated and the sauce is well fried releasing all the oils before adding my spinach.

Spinach releases a lot of water when cooked so to reduce this, I rub the leaves with some coarse sea salt to draw out the moisture before rinsing and squeezing out the juices. Orach would work really well in this recipe.

I was introduced to ying-yang beans, and red and green borlotti beans which I had only ever seen the canned versions before.

Sweet Sicily was an interesting herb to taste with the seeds, leaves, flowers, and roots all edible. The young leaves would bring a fresh taste to a salad and can be added to sauces whilst the root can be used as a sweetener. The flavour profile reminded me of fennel, anise seed and liquorice.

This plant would make for a nourishing cup of tea with health properties that are said to help with asthma, breathing problems, digestion issues, cough, chest and throat infections and urinary tract infections.

Sea Kale and Okahijiki (land sea weed) were plants that I had never used before and found them eye-opening. Okahijiki is often used for sushi, and can be added to a salad to introduce pops of saltiness and it would pair well with fish and white meat. I would suggest adding them to sauces just before serving so the crisp texture is retained. I reckon the pops of light saltiness they provide would provide contrast and relief from overly rich and sweet sauces.

I love showcasing colours in my food and cooking with chillies and peppers in many of my sweet and savoury dishes so I was particularly excited to see Hungarian black and purple peppers. I will definitely attempt to grow some of these to elevate the colour and flavour profiles of my dishes.

I left Rudding Kitchen Garden with my head full of new ideas for sweet and savoury dishes, herbs and garnishes. From blue Kuri squashes, butterfly sorrel, purple sage, blackcurrant sage and apple marigold which I think would make great dessert flavours to the weird and wacky looking ice plant.

Nature and great produces inspire chefs to curate new, exciting and delicious menus creating award winning dining experiences. This and so much more is what is waiting for you at Rudding Park hotel.

Next week, I will be writing about my day at Betty’s Cookery School.

I’m also checking out Samira Effa’s new menu at Bar & Restaurant EightyEight at Grantley Hall and going behind the scenes at Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, so look out for these posts in the coming weeks.

Yemi’s Food Stories: Memorable weddings with Blossom Tree Cake Company

It was love at ‘hello’ when Kean Ong opened the door to the Harrogate-based kitchen design studio which immediately transported me into a timeless, elegant, classic and stunning space that set the perfect scene for what was to come.

Kean grew up in Malaysia and worked in Singapore as a chef before relocating to the UK where he continued to hone his skills working in pan Asian, French and modern European kitchens including the Marriot Group, where he discovered a love and passion for pastry.

Picking up a best-in-year award for the advanced diploma in culinary arts patisserie and confectionary at Westminster Kingsway College was the beginning of a truly amazing career at some of London’s finest restaurants including Albert Roux’s The Brasserie at Sofitel St James, Quo Vadis in Soho, Inamo at Wardour Street and St James near Piccadilly.

At Blossom Tree Cake Company He is half of a brilliant duo with Stephen, who I can only describe as the heartwarming ‘behind the scenes yet keeping the show on the road’ main man, and Kean credits Stephen for being a key enabler to their success story.

The name Blossom Tree was inspired by a tree in their front garden and the oriental influences of Kean’s background.

Despite having had an enviable career, Kean says making wedding cakes is what he loves the most. He considers being a part of a couple’s big day a privilege that he pays back by creating the most beautiful, elegant, contemporary and delicious cakes to match their important occasion.

He makes cakes that look as good as they taste on the inside and he wants couples to look back years later still happy with their timeless cake design.

As a food lover, Kean is driven by passion and quality which have translated into him making quality, ethical and traceability choices including growing his own fruits and herbs and moving from fresh flowers to hand crafting life-like flowers for his cakes.

The flavours in his cakes are created using the freshest ingredients, with every element homemade, minimal use of food colouring and the cakes are infused with his signature syrups that keep them moist and light without being overly sweet.

For the tasting, Kean made me three flavours including a new one which he will be unveiling for the next wedding season.

The Chocolate Salted-Caramel cake was a delight with the lightest chocolate sponge perfectly balanced with the salted caramel buttercream. As a non-chocolate cake lover, I was an easy convert by the delicate flavour which didn’t smack me in the face with chocolate.

Kean explained that he kept the flavour light because people would have been eating all day and wouldn’t want a cake that is heavy or overly sweet.

Yemi and Kean Ong with some of his creations

I moved on to the most popular flavour of Passion Fruit curd, Vanilla buttercream and White Chocolate sponge and could immediately see why this is popular, with most couples asking for a layer. The passion fruit curd was sublime cutting through the white chocolate sponge making me want to go for yet another bite.

My favourite all time cake remains a well made Victoria sponge cake and the new flavour that I tasted took it to another level. We are often told the classics are classic for a reason and should be untouched, but I counter that by saying sometimes a classic needs a facelift in the hands of a craftsman.

That’s exactly what Kean has done with his twist on this well loved classic featuring quintessentially British ingredients, capturing the smells of summer and champagne.

Each flavour was the front runner until I tasted the next one; I left without being able to decide my favourite but I remain partial to his latest creation.

Kean puts his heart and soul into his work; his artistic flair, skill, experience and training as a pastry chef was rewarded with four Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards in 2022 for his Elderflower & Blackcurrant, Raspberry velvet, zesty Lime, and Pistachio & Plum flavours.

Another three awards were added in 2023 for Zesty lemon, Chocolate & Cherry and Lychee, Raspberry & Rose flavours.

Blossom Tree Cake Company’s creations have been featured in many magazines and is the preferred partner for many venues including Goldsborough Hall, Grantley Hall, Ripley Castle and Rudding Park in Harrogate.

Bookings are taken a year in advance with tastings done over the winter period. Tailored consultations result in your wedding cake complimenting and being a talking point on your big day.

With a warm welcome, cakes that look like artworks and creatively delicious flavour profiles, I left Blossom Tree Cakes still in love and armed with tips and inspirations to take my own baking to the next level. Kudos to this dynamic duo.

How to get around Harrogate during the Great Yorkshire Show

This story is sponsored by Harrogate BID.

Anyone needing to get around Harrogate and the surrounding areas is being advised to plan ahead this week.

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected at the Great Yorkshire Show across its four days, and there will be changes on some routes to accommodate the additional traffic.

North Yorkshire Council’s highways area manager, Melisa Burnham, said:

“We work closely with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, its traffic management company and National Highways to agree a traffic management plan.

“We always ensure that roadworks on the main routes are kept to a minimum, with only emergency work permitted. Highways officers will monitor traffic on the routes and are available should they need to support the traffic management company.

“Whilst every effort is made to ensure that traffic flows efficiently, visitors to Harrogate should expect delays at peak times and plan their journeys accordingly.”

Here is your handy guide to the key points to remember from Tuesday, July 11 to Friday, July 15 – whether or not you’re going to the show.

Roads

A661 Wetherby Road: one way westbound from the Kestrel roundabout to Rudding Lane from 6.30am on each day of the show. This reverses in the afternoon from 2pm until 8pm, taking traffic away from the showground. If traffic eases earlier, the one-way system may be taken down before then.

A658: One way inbound towards the showground from Thistle Hill near Knaresborough to the Kestrel roundabout, from 6.30am for the mornings only. No one-way system during the afternoon.

B6164: Traffic arriving from the north via the A1(M) will be directed off at junction 46, before going through Kirk Deighton and on to North Deighton on the B6164. It will then turn right onto the A661 near Spofforth and follow the road to the showground.

A59 Skipton Road: Show visitors will be directed from the Curious Cow roundabout onto the B6161 to Beckwithshaw, where they will turn onto the B6162 Otley Road.

Parking

Traffic approaching from the west and north will follow the ‘blue zone’ directions to the car parks via Hookstone Drive.

Those coming from the east via the A661 will be directed down Rudding Lane into the ‘green zone’ car parks.

Traffic arriving from the south will follow ‘brown zone’ directions along the A658 towards Rudding Lane and into the car parks from there.

Public transport

A free shuttle bus operates every 10 minutes from the bus station in central Harrogate to the white gate at the showground. It begins at 7.20am and runs until 7pm.

Passengers arriving in Harrogate by train will be able to catch the shuttle bus. Those arriving at Hornbeam Park can follow a signposted walking route to the showground gates.

Walking and cycling

Pedestrians can follow signs from Hornbeam Park to the showground.

There is secure cycle parking at the blue and white gates for people arriving on two wheels.

Hotels in Harrogate district jump on rising ‘ecotherapy’ trend

In the past few weeks, three local hotels have opened new outdoor spa experiences to customers.

Swinton Estate, Grantley Hall and Rudding Park are hoping to attract guests with the promise of ‘reconnecting with nature’.

In June, Swinton Estate offered up a new wild swimming experience in its private lake at the heart of the hotel’s grounds.

A week later Grantley Hall opened a ‘Nordic spa garden’ complete with outdoor ice baths and a sauna for immersion therapy.

Gillian McGraffin, spa and wellness manager at Grantley Hall’s Three Graces Spa, said:

“With the increasing trend of cold-water immersion therapy making more noise in the wellness space recently, we knew that we wanted to offer guests something new that had many incredible health benefits.”

Shortly after Grantley announced this new spa addition, Rudding Park opened a woodland spring bathing experience, equipped with mineral-enriched freshwater tubs.

Sarah Johnson, head of the hotel’s spa, said:

“Woodland spring bathing is a wonderful way to relax; the stillness of the water promotes a sense of calm, heightening the connection with nature.

“Offering guests something new and embracing our natural environment is really important.”

All three additions demonstrate the increasingly popularity of outdoor spa and wellness experiences – often referred to under the broader term of ‘ecotherapy’.

It encompasses a number of therapies and practices which promote interactions with nature as valuable tools for improving psychological and physiological health.

The demand for outdoor spa experiences has grown significantly since covid.

According to data collected by the People and Nature Survey last year, nearly half of adults in England spent more time outdoors than they did before the pandemic. Meanwhile, 39% also said that after the pandemic, nature and wildlife had become more important than ever to their well-being

Commenting on the trend, Ms Johnson told the Stray Ferret:

“The popularity of embracing the outdoors to boost well-being shows no sign of slowing down.”

Yemi’s Food Stories: My highlights of the Harrogate Food and Drink Festival

Summer is always agog with loads of food festivals and I was looking forward to the Harrogate Food and Drink Festival this year. It’s always exciting to see the range of local artisan products from charcuteries, honeys, chilli jams, chutneys, balsamic vinegars to different bakes and cakes.

I got to sample salt from Yorkshire Sea Salt company and was privileged to get my hands on one of their upcoming products. The salt was quite intense in flavour and a little goes a long way; the texture is perfect for crumbling between fingers, adding to salt grinders or used as a finishing salt. Richard explained their process and how it differs from other companies’ processes. I found someone who was as passionate about salt as I am.

I tasted some incredible balsamic vinegars – original flavour, white balsamic, pomegranate balsamic and apple balsamic – and I could immediately see how they could elevate marinades, salad dressings or be used to finish roasted vegetables.

Highlights from the two day event included the food demonstrations by various chefs including Scott Masey from Leeds Cookery School, Stephanie Moon from All Things Food, Owen Diaram from MasterChef UK 2023, Whaheed Rojan from Round Table Dining, Babna from Babna’s Patisserie, Norman Musa who is a chef, author and TV host, award winning Bobby Geetha from Fleur in Leeds and I get to throw myself into that mix as I did a demo on the Saturday.

What I love most about the demonstrations is the diverse and eclectic range of dishes from summer spring rolls celebrating the produces from Rudding Park Hotel Gardens by Stephanie, surprising Asian prawn noodle dish from Bobby, spicy Malaysian curry from Norman, cooking with whole chicken and chicken curry from Scott, Turmeric rice, Massaman Curry and Salmon rolled in seaweed dish from Whaheed, Mongolian sweet chilli chicken with sticky Jasmine rice from Owen and my Nigerian Jollof rice, fried plantain and Salmon with a red sauce.

The dishes were a celebration of flavours and cultures with surprising twists.

Desserts included Brioche soaked in berries from Steph and show stopping Paris-Brest, a French dessert made from choux pastry and praline flavoured cream from Babna. She created two flavours including the traditional hazel nut and almond version and a more modern one with pistachios and rose petals.

Taking part in the demo gave me an opportunity to talk about some incredible spices that aren’t commonly used such as Grains of Selim and Grains of Paradise.

Grains of Selim known by many names including African pepper, Negro pepper, Guinea pepper is from the seeds of the shrub Xylopia aethiopica and it has a musky flavour. This is toasted to release the aromas and features in Nigerian Jollof rice, pepper soup and other stews.

Yemi’s demo dish – Jollof rice, fried plantain and pepper sauce

Grains of paradise is an aromatic spice originating from West Africa with notes of cardamom, coriander, citrus, ginger, nutmeg and juniper rolled into one. It looks like black peppercorns but the more complex flavour means it is versatile for both sweet and savoury dishes.

My other highlight was connecting with fellow chefs and foodies whose passions for their crafts have resulted in change of careers, training and competing at the highest levels whilst still being really grounded.

I made some new friends and I can’t wait for next year’s event.

In the meantime, I look forward to sharing some of the recipes, new food ideas and my Jollof rice recipe with you in the coming months.

From left – chef Norman Musa, Babna from Babna’s patisserie, Yemi, and Scot Massey from Leeds School of Cookery at the back.

Rudding Park unveils golf and country club renovation plan

Rudding Park Hotel and Spa in Harrogate has unveiled plans to renovate its golf and country club and restore its walled garden.

The hotel has drawn up the plans with planning consultants, Carter Jonas, as part of a refurbishment of its estate.

They include proposals to replace the current golf club, upgrade its family hub and the creation of outdoor tennis courts and a pavilion.

It would also see the county’s first five-star country club created.

The plans also seek to restore the estate’s walled garden.

Masterplan of the renovations as proposed by Rudding Park.

Designs for the renovation were unveiled at a consultation event at Rudding Park on Friday (February 23).

Sarah Cox, partner at Carter Jonas, said:

“We are keen to show that you have owners here who are keen to invest in the site.”

She added that the move to restore the site would also see 10,000 trees planted and three wetland areas created.

The consultants estimate that the proposals could generate an economic benefit of £14 million a year to Harrogate and create 75 new jobs.

In its proposals, Rudding Park said:

“Over the last 50 years, Rudding Park has become the standard bearer for quality hospitality in Harrogate, and positions Harrogate as a UK wide and international tourist destination.

“To build on that legacy the business must evolve.”

An outline planning application will be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council later this month.

You can find out more information on the plans at Rudding Park here.

Rudding Park installs 12 new electric vehicle charging points

Rudding Park in Harrogate has commissioned 12 new electric vehicle charging points as part of a £50,000 investment.

The charging points will be available to the public and will be powered from the Rudding Park Energy Centre.

The hotel and spa teamed up with Yorkshire-based Utley-EV in order to design and install the facilities.

Managers at the hotel and spa said they intend to increase the number of charging points at the site in order to accommodate drivers of electric vehicles.

Matthew Mackaness, Rudding Park director said:

“As a responsible business it is vital we do our bit and ensure the environment is at the heart of all business decisions.

“The way to give people confidence to switch to electric is to increase the provision of chargers across the district.

“We are therefore delighted to welcome Harrogate residents and visitors to use our EV chargers.”

Mr Mackaness added that the charging points can be activated on a “tap and go” basis, rather than drivers requiring a mobile app to use the facilities.

Meanwhile, Adam Utley, director Utley-EV said:

“As an independent local business like Rudding Park, we are pleased to support them with their EV charge point design and installation roll out and look forward to working with them in the future.”

Rudding Park 10k race to return in spring

Rudding Park‘s 10k multi-terrain trail race is to return in May after a successful inaugural event last year.

Olympic triathlon gold medallist Jonny Brownlee started last year’s Rudding ParkRace, in which more than 300 runners navigated their way through 18th century parkland at the privately-owned Harrogate resort.

This year’s event, which will be held on May 9, will raise money in support of former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow’s Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal.

There are 450 places available and the entry fee is £25 for affiliated runners and £27 for non-affiliated runner.

Nicola Richmond and SuperFan of Jonny Brownlee! Rudding Park Race 10k

Jonny Brownlee at last year’s event.

Nuno César de Sá, Rudding Park hotel manager, said the 2022 race had a “great vibe”, adding:

“Rudding House made the perfect backdrop for the finish line where the prize giving took place as guests enjoyed music, hog roast and refreshments as the sun set.

“We were thrilled to raise over £4,000 for the Queen’s Green Canopy and this year we are super excited to be supporting Rob Burrow and his family whose tireless campaign to raise awareness and funds to support families living with MND is inspiring.”

The start of last year’s race.

Last year’s winner was Nathan Edmonson from Ilkley Harriers, who recorded a time of 34 mins 25 secs. The fastest female was Charlotte Mason from City of York AC in a time of 41 mins 29 secs.

More information is available here.

Follifoot pupils help bury time-capsule to mark 50-year Rudding Park anniversary

Schoolchildren from Follifoot have helped to bury a time-capsule to mark 50 years since the Mackaness family bought Rudding Park.

The capsule was placed in the ground alongside a time-capsule planted in 1997 to mark the 25th anniversary of the family’s ownership of the estate.

Replicating the format from 1997, schoolchildren from Years 1-6 at Follifoot C of E Primary School were invited to enter a competition to create a piece of artwork which depicted a winter’s day in Follifoot. The winning entries would be included in the time-capsule, and this time round, the winners would also be invited to private cinema and pizza party.

Seven winners, William, Imogen, Alex, Florence, Olive, Florence and Beatrice, were selected, and came along to see the time-capsule being planted.

Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park, said:

“As a local business, we recognise the importance of reaching out to our local community. Children at the school helped us plant our first time-capsule in 1997 and we made a promise to invite the next generation of schoolchildren to help us mark the next 25 years, so to see that come to fruition is quite something.

“The children created some fantastic entries and it was very difficult to make a decision, however were delighted to welcome the winners to help us plant the time-capsule today.”

Winning entries were placed inside the capsule, along with a number of Rudding Park branded items to reflect the times including: a face covering, Christmas bauble, a medal from the inaugural Rudding Park Race 10K, a silk scarf work by the reception team, and a copy of the Rudding Review – a newspaper with an overview of 2022.

Rebecca Holland, headteacher at Follifoot Church of England Primary School, said:

“We are extremely lucky to have Rudding Park on our door-step. They have generously supported the school with numerous fundraising activities over the years, so to be approached to involve the children one again in such an important milestone was an absolute thrill.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship and hope to be invited to plant a third time-capsule marking their 75th anniversary.”

Council to consider creating public path in Crimple valley

Plans to join two public footpaths separated by five metres of land could take a step forward on Friday.

North Yorkshire County Council is looking at whether a public path creation order could be used in the Crimple valley in south Harrogate.

It aims to link up bridleways 61 and 129 via a stretch of former railway line on the Rudding Park estate, creating a circular route near the viaduct.

Although its owners agreed in 2014 the land could be used as a bridleway, the owners of a small stretch of land required to complete the route have objected to the plans.

However, a consultation last year received more than 100 responses in support, including from nearby parish councils. A second consultation, carried out after an error in legal referencing was found in the first, received support from 58 of the same people, as well as four new.

Now, a proposal will go before the county council’s corporate director for highways and transportation, Karl Battersby, and executive member Cllr Keane Duncan, to consider making a public path creation order, which could have to be approved by the Secretary of State.

The report, to be considered on Friday afternoon, said:

“The creation agreement envisaged that the two routes would connect to make a circular route.

“The ‘need’ for the route is satisfied in that it acts to connect existing routes to make a circular route, in the absence of the proposed route the existing routes end in a cul de sac which is an unsatisfactory and illogical position.

“The pre-order consultation responses clearly demonstrated public support for the making of a creation order to connect the bridleways and indicated that the route would ‘add to the convenience or enjoyment of a substantial section of the public, or to the convenience of persons resident in the area’.

“The viaduct is a high value feature of the landscape and enhances the views along the length of both existing bridleways. A circular route would undoubtedly add to the convenience and enjoyment not only of persons residing in the area but also to the wider public of North Yorkshire, surrounding areas and tourists.”

The landowners and tenant farmers of the affected piece of land were among four people to object to the plans during the consultation.

One pointed out that people already divert from the existing bridleways during wet weather to avoid waterlogged stretches, straying onto land used for livestock.

The objections also raised concerns about dog fouling, damage to the land and fencing, and inconsiderate parking nearby, all of which could be exacerbated by creating a new circular route, they said.

One opponent added:

“We have a situation whereby the public seem to treat the fields as parkland, literally wandering wherever they choose, which constantly damages the land by walking over grass used for grazing and twice yearly harvesting for winter feed.”

However, the report due to be considered by NYCC on Friday said it does not expect there to be any “significant increase” in users of the bridleway.

The report also reveals that the Rudding Park estate has said it will withdraw consent for the bridleway on the former railway line if the circular route cannot be created.

If the county council decides to make the public path creation order, it would have to issue a notice of doing so to all local landowners and other organisations affected. If any objections are received, they would have to be considered by the Secretary of State before the order could be confirmed.

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