Field to fork, nose to tail in Sedbergh
The Three Hares Café, Bistro and Bakery on the High Street in Sedbergh has been run by James Ratcliffe and Nina Matsunga since October 2014. Their menu is innovative and seasonal with an emphasis on ‘field to fork’and ‘nose to tail’ dining. The location provides them with some great produce, from the local fells, woodland and meadows, the North West coast and the vegetable and fruit growers of the North. Their beef is also sourced from farms in the Sedbergh area.
Quality, locally sourced, no waste
James and Nina’s ‘nose to tail’ ethos sees them taking the whole animal, with the menu changing according to the next cuts available. One moment it may be brisket, the next fillet and then ox heart. Game is also a major influence on the menu. Local shoots and stalkers appear with new specials and James often catches his own rabbits using traditional methods. They experiment with home smoking, curing and fermentation, creating dishes such as ‘Sedbergh Ham’, a cured lamb or mutton. To accompany, and star in their vegetarian dishes, is quality British produce such as Yorkshire’s famous rhubarb and Lancashire’s world-class potatoes.
They offer over 50 craft beers, mostly British, some local, some national but all chosen for flavour. Some are even brewed with seaweed and cloudberry. An independent, carefully chosen wine list reflects the same philosophy seen throughout what they offer. Their coffee, selected from quality roasters Farrers in Kendal, is alongside Italian hot chocolate and quality ‘Yorkshire Tea’.
Fresh bread is made on the premises daily by Nina who trained in Germany and later with some of England’s increasingly regarded ‘New Wave’ bakers. Her Sourdough is a blend from a 100-year-old German starter she acquired, revitalising it along the way. She even takes it away on holiday with her to keep it performing at its best. Nina, who has a Masters in food policy, also bakes mouthwatering cakes and pastries from ones using stout and chocolate, to raspberry frangipane to cinnamon swirls to traditional cheese scones.
One guest wrote after a visit ‘watch this little restaurant rise…’, and that’s how James and Nina feel. They’ve come a long way in a short time but there’s still a lot more to come…
Sample menus
Lunch
- Wild venison and wild boar stew with bread and butter
- Blood cake and fried egg
- Pure Galloway barbeque beef brisket, homemade brioche and chips
- Rough Fell lamb’s kidneys on toast
- Soup and sandwich on homemade bread
- Sedbergh Ham, capers and sourdough
Dinner
- Soft shell crab spring rolls with chilli jam
- Lamb’s tongue and salsa verde
- Duck egg, asparagus, celery and toasted hazelnut salad
- Berkshire pork loin with juniper, caraway, couscous and pickled rhubarb
- Slow cooked Pure Galloway short rib with pearl barley and beetroot risotto
- Hay baked Rough Fell hogget with wild garlic and heritage tomato salsa
For further information, call James Ratcliffe on 015396 21058 or visit www.threeharescafe.co.uk
