New newsletter – February 2025
February 11, 2025
Read in newsletter format, here … or read on, below
NO PRESSURE AT ALL …
When my mentor/guiding light/inspiration said that she was coming to London, of course, I dropped everything. The restaurant kitchen was on high alert, as were the Campden Street shop team and dining room staff. Everything had to be as perfect as we could make it – from the blossoms in the vases, to the hellebores on the tables. The menus had to be perfectly balanced in every way – written to reflect a mid-winter week, the crescent moon, and the first of the snowdrops.
What could be more complicated or stress-inducing? The answer to that is Alice Waters @chezpanisse … was not only in London, but staying in my house, too!
considering the seasons – Alice Waters, Feb 2025
But Alice being Alice was so easy to please. A dish of radishes with their leaves in a pot of chilled water; a mammole artichoke served whole, slightly warm with sea salt and Tuscan olive oil for dipping; a simple pasta dish with purple sprouting broccoli from the farmers’ market finished with a touch of cream, grated aged Parmesan and chopped fresh walnuts. Even with all this, the one thing she commented on every day was the extraordinary quality of the @cacklebean_eggs from Cackleberry Farm in Gloucestershire, which I served her for breakfast. She was astounded by the colour of the yolks, the texture of the whites, the look and the ‘feel’ – she was ‘blown away’ by them. We tried in vain to make a trip to Gloucestershire to see the Cackleberry Farm hens, but sadly time got the better of us (next visit, perhaps)!
Alice’s favourite
Cacklebean poached egg with purple sprouting broccoli – at home
beautiful pink rhubarb from Yorkshire in the winter sun
~ and below ~
leafy lemons with more beautiful rhubarb
Next …
With those 10 precious (scary) days behind me, I can now re-focus on the work at hand and my never ending (and ever changing) list of priorities!
First up – the menu writing at the restaurant – and making sure that all the ‘fruits’ of the season are being put to fabulous use; puntarelle, morel mushrooms, blood and Seville oranges (more about them later!), artichokes, pink rhubarb from Yorkshire and the first shoots of wild garlic.
blood oranges captured in situ at our Campden Street shop
The Shop and Clarke’s Corner Cafe
Across the road from the restaurant, Clarke’s Corner Cafe is enjoying a slow, soft and very gentle opening! Do come in for a coffee or hot chocolate to sip with your fabulous @babelle canele or @stephen_cottage (affectionately known as ‘the scone man’) scone. Soon we will be offering mini bowls of soup, Ploughman’s Lunch, a slice of the BEST chicken pie, or a delightful salad (with a side salad on the side!) … or simply choose from the counter and we will deliver it to your rustic iron table (which took ages to travel from Romania, but at least they are here now!).
so very close …
The Restaurant …
Back at the restaurant we were thrilled to bits with the fabulous Luberon-inspired Dinner that we served to a packed house, in tandem with the fabulous Constance and Lawrence Slaughter of @chateau_de_mille. Their delicious wines were served alongside Michele and Gab’s delicious menu of pissaladiere, slow-roasted lamb with rosemary and anchovies, soft cheeses, and blood orange sorbet with homemade (the BEST) calissons … even Alice was there and she LOVED it too!
blood oranges ready for sorbet
Back to the Shop and back in the Shop
Speaking of oranges – we are making regular (but small) batches of our famous Seville Orange Marmalade in the restaurant kitchens. Hand-cut peel, hand-made and hand-stirred to the perfect point of set – not too set and not too soft – it’s an art in itself to get this right. Plus it’s vital to get the balance/ratio of peel and jelly JUST RIGHT! So many ‘just rights’ to meet to make it perfect and … it is … you have to come in and get yours before it’s gone.
literally flying off the shelves and possibly the best ever
Our stock of vin d’orange ran out a few weeks ago so we have a new batch macerating now which will be ready for serving in the restaurant and for bottling to sell in the Campden Street Shop. Look out for reminders around late March/early April!
the theme is orange/s – with the very best of the season
next batch of vin d’orange macerating – ready for spring
‘let them eat Osso Buco …’ March 1989
and looking very much the same in November 2024
Set lunch menuÂ
For those who have not heard … our Set Lunch Menu is even better than before! We offer 3 courses for £45 plus service and the menu changes every day. Items chosen to shine this month so far have been fresh pasta with cime di rapa and anchovy, roasted fillet of Cornish mackerel with green olive tapenade and fregola, panettone bread and butter pudding with spring rhubarb … and on it goes! Warming, comforting, and delicious! Call us, book online, or drop in if you are passing – there will be a welcoming smile at the door for you!
 
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 perfect winter salad for your supper
 
Valentine’s Day
Looking ahead please be reminded that the 14th is a special night. We have only a FEW early or late tables for 2 left … so grab a friend or 2 and make up a table for 4 (or 6 ) PLEASE! Call us (020 7221 9225) as the online bookings are now blocked!
March 30th
Mothering Sunday Lunch we are open!! Bring the family – there will be something on the menu to suit all appetites and tastes – call us or book online. We are open from noon and last orders will be taken at 2.30pm.
winter blooms will be all out for Mothering Sunday
Easter
This year we will be open all week for lunch and dinner (closed Easter Sunday and Monday) and the Shop opposite will remain open throughout.
Please note the opening times below for the Restaurant and the Campden Street Shop.
Restaurant
Open Tuesday – Saturday
Lunch from 12.30
Dinner from 6pm
Reservations are available sallyclarke.com, or call 020 7221 9225
Campden Street Shop and Clarke’s Corner Cafe
Open all week 7.30am – 4pm
Sunday 8.30am – 3.30pm
Online orders are available sallyclarke.com for pick up or delivery. Or call 020 7229 2190 with your enquiry. We are here to answer your queries!
 
Rachel Johnson’s ‘Difficult Women’
Have you caught Sally’s first podcast interview for Rachel Johnson’s ‘Difficult Women’? It’s a great listen – nothing difficult about it and you may find out things you didn’t know before! Aired – 3rd February 2025.
 
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We look forward to seeing you soon
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magnificent canele from Babelle available in the shop
– even special Valentine’s canele –
and incredible scones from ‘The Scone Man’ – fruit, plain, and cheese
