Do you ever have a moment where you feel so blessed you have to pinch yourself? That is exactly how The Man Bird and I felt when the invitation came through from Barry Lewis at Amber Valley Vineyards asking if we would like to join him in his stunning orchard for a live butchery demonstration with ‘The Wild Chef’ (aka Ralph Skripek of The Butler’s Pantry), followed by a feast of open-fire-cooked meats and accompaniments, and refreshments from Amber Valley Vineyards? Needless to say, we jumped at the chance!
It was a gorgeous evening; the temperature was pleasant (a warmer layer would be needed for after sun-down) and the birds were singing their little hearts out. Ralph and Reuben (his assistant for the evening) had already set up the demonstration area as we, and the other guests, took our seats under burgeoning Apple trees, with glasses of fizz in our hands. What a charmed life, eh?.
As Ralph began to butcher the Muntjac deer that had been hunted a couple of days previously, he talked us through the best area to place your kill-shot to minimise damage and/or contamination of the meat. With breath-taking skill and dexterity, Ralph removed the pelt of the deer and its head, before talking us through the location of the varying meat cuts and their best use.
Nothing goes to waste; the trimmings go into making the Venison Burgers, and smaller pieces can be utilised in pies or stews. Unlike some species of deer, Muntjac can be hunted year-round, so provide a reliable food source: one that is very flavoursome. As Ralph removed the kidneys, I cheekily asked if he would cook me one over the charcoal grill to have later, and he obligingly did.
One of the best things about Muntjac is that they are extremely lean, due to being on-the-go so much and not particularly strong group formers. Fallow deer, for example, tend to be fattier (though still comparatively lean next to other red meats) as they tend to form bigger herds and stand around more with some members acting as look-outs. Although Ralph demonstrated the butchery of a Muntjac, we were to be savouring Fallow meat, as they are bigger and serve more folks.
Whilst we had all been engrossed by Ralph, Barry had been quietly setting out the long tables and pouring glasses of red and white wine for each person in another area of the orchard. There was something quite magical about sitting under the trees, making friends with adjacent guests whilst supping and dining. The atmosphere was very convivial, with a lively bubble of chatter along the line as we all made our way to the serving tables. Ralph and Reuben served everyone with a Skewer, a Burger, and a Steak (all venison, obviously) and then we helped ourselves to what we fancied from the Roasted Vegetables, Tomato and Feta Salad,
Potato Salad with Chorizo, and Iceberg Lettuce Quarters with smooth Blue Cheese Dressing and Walnuts. Separate bowls of Minted Yoghurt, and ready-sliced Baguette and individual butter portions were right at the end of the table, available if wanted.
If you haven’t had Venison before, I do urge you to try it; surprisingly tasty and tender, this meat is rich in Vitamin B12 and various minerals. Ralph had seasoned the Skewer chunks with a Cajun spice blend, dry-rubbed the Steaks with Herbs and dipped them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and the Burgers contained 12.5% Pork meat to bring more dimension on the palate. Without exception, all the morsels were deliciously juicy and flavoursome, and they were very satiating let me tell you!
His Nibs and I have previously had the Millstone White wine from Amber Valley Vineyards, and were delighted to be drinking it again. Crisp and dry with a pleasing fruitiness, this went beautifully with the venison and the selection of salads Ralph had prepared. Just as fabulous was the [Amara] red wine which came from grapes of a Warwickshire vineyard that no longer exists, sadly. In conjunction with Three Choirs, Barry produced Amara, a red wine that isn’t too heavy in the mouth – even for those that don’t ‘do’ red wines. Always a generous host, Barry also treated guests to some French red wine with the main course.
Ralph had informed us that there would be dessert before we’d all sat down: a mouth-watering sounding Vanilla and Gingerbread Cheesecake with a Creme and fresh Hedgerow Fruits. We have eaten many Cheesecakes in our time, but this one was absolutely top-tier! The base was warming with Ginger and had a nice density that didn’t disintegrate into crumbs, and the body was indulgently rich and silky. Bringing balance was the gentle tang of the Creme and the vibrant bounce of the fruits, making this a thoroughly stunning dessert. Barry had paired the Cheesecake with an Australian dessert wine, as a special touch, and then we all retired to sit around the fire-pit and talk about the evening, under the gaze of the full Hunter’s Moon.
As well as award-winning wines, the talented Mr Lewis also produces Ciders at his Wessington orchard: Wessington Wildcat (a still variety) and Fat Cat, a bottle-fermented sparkling Cider. Fat Cat was a collaborative tipple between Barry and Kieran Atkinson from Renishaw Hall and English Wine Project. Both are scrummy, and we bought some to bring home *maybe* accompanied by a bottle of Millstone white. For those of you who like to know the provenance of your consumables and strive to support local businesses, I shall just say that the Wessington Wildcat Cider is produced from Apples grown in the orchard, pressed in the orchard, bottled in the orchard, and even labelled up in the orchard... you aren’t going to get much more local than that!
All too soon, it was time to bid everyone farewell and return home...but what an incredible time we’d had! For all the latest information on orchard events, farmers markets, and wine tastings, visit www.ambervalleyvineyards.co.uk. or call 07920 484207. If you’d like Ralph to cater for your party, event or private-chef at your home, visit www.butlerspantryderby.co.uk or call 01332 519007. Both Amber Valley Vineyard and The Butler’s Pantry have Facebook pages too; if you want to follow them I’m sure they’d appreciate the support.
