FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS AT LANGAR HALL

Photographs taken at Langar in March have recently appeared in fashion pages of magazines all over the world. The front cover of Mood Europe International trade magazine is a great version of the second picture here. The editorial brings tears to my eyes:

"Everything is British: from the location, Langar Hall elegant country house hotel near Nottingham, to the mood of the collections. From the Union Jack right down to the photographer himself who surprisingly and for the first time, is the designer himself

"I decided to take photos of where I stay when working on new collections. I adore this place. Its like a home for me and is perfect for creating a natural atmosphere, a kind of meeting beteen friends, having fun."

Amazing praise ! Those few words sums up Langar Hall as I know it. "Not posh" as Paul would say. And certainly not corporate.

Do look at the Paul Smith blog on his web site. It is inspirational. And if you are in Nottingham a visit to his shop, Willoughby House, will make you feel special. Even if you don't splash out on a new suit/dress, you might be tempted to treat yourself to one of the little Christmas presents.

I can't resist the socks !

Just back from Goa, getting over jet lag and now I have a cold caught from that ghastly cold air con on the flight. I flew direct from Goa to Nottingham East Midlands, 10 hours non stop. Pretty good. You can see my Goan version of Langar on this web site. It is not a hotel, just simple, clean comfortable beach shacks, very good food and interesting customers. Friendly and fun. The rooms cost from £25-£30 which this year includes hot water showers en suite! The sea is bath water warm, safe and clean, 7 mile of unspoilt beach where the few beach loungers and all sign of tourism was cleared away by the cyclone. Now that was some experience!

I am off to Goa for a couple of weeks sunshine, back on 21st November all ready for Christmas.
It has been a beautiful autumn. This is a picture of 'Kent's man' Stuart clearing the golden leaves.
All will carry on smoothly here with out me. I get very forgetful these days!

Langar and Sikhism

Today I was honoured to be invited with my daughter Louise to celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak Sahib at Langar Hall, Church street, Lenton. Guru Nanak Sahib started the practice of Langar that prevails today in the Gurdwaras all over the world.

LANGAR is an institution of fundamental importance in Sikhism. It is sitting together to partake of food from a common kitchen regardless of caste, creed, sex, age or social status.

Eating together must take precedence over meeting together. ( nothing changes)

Langar is a Sanskrit word. In Saxon times Langar was a place of pilgrimage when Langar Hall was situated a mile to the north of the church, by the river Smite, the pilgrims walked up the hill to the 11th century church and then on towards Colston Bassett where the priory of St Ethelburgers was a place of pilgrimage 'to where great multitudes resort'

Draw a line on the map from the Observatory in Edinborough to Grenwich and you will find the line goes straight through reception and out through the study.

There is something very special about Langar.

These gooles welcomed a few guests on arrival on Saturday night and did a little tour of the dining room. We gave them all one cornetto to go away. They left this pumpkin on the desk. It was a good night with three birthday parties in private rooms and a full dining room. Well that's over for another year. I forgot the flash so the pictures came out darker than they should be.

sunday October 25 09

Beetroot soup


Here is Ross. He is very serious about food and cooking. Tonight he has brought me a plate of steamed fillet of lemon sole with lobster sauce and a tiny 'lasagna' of shrimps and crab. No photograph because the camera battery is flat and the charger lost. That is the story of my life. BUT here comes Lila and Pascal to help me through the maze of understanding this 'cool' new apple mac book pro. Impressed?

We have returned to our good value Sunday night menu. Two courses £20 plus any dessert for £5.00. Everyone relaxed and happy, not too busy with around 25 in the restaurant. And you may stay the night in any room at single rate including breakfasts. This is to tempt customers away from Saturday night when we are full to bursting.

I know all the menus on our web are out of date and I will get on and change them. Six months ago I promised a news letter. Its also on the way..in the post? Trouble is that the special events we planned are all b

ooked up, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve. Pascal and I are busy dreaming up some good things for 2010. Here is a picture of the last of the beetroot soup

Now Ross is making pumpkin and lentil soup with creme fraiche and pine nuts. Its a treat!

FENNEL & PARSNIP BREAD

A few temptations! With my lovely new computer I am just wondering how this blog will come out. I spent all Sunday evening doing it only to find that nothing appeared. Now I am filling in the time on reception. Its Monday night, 30 in for dinner, everyone happy, shooting party tucking into Ross's butter poached lobster, the lovers in a corner of the candle lit dining room are sharing the last of the hot damson soufflees. Just looking at the picture of that Stilton cheese and fennel bread makes me hungry.


STILTON CHEESE




News? All those comforting puddings are back on the lunch menu. Sticky toffee, crumbles, bread and butter. Then the steak and ale pie, the dumplings and suet puddings are here to get us through autumn and winter. We have enjoyed some perfect sunny autumn days this October which promises to be a record month for visitors. With thanks to all our customers for keeping wolves from the door.





HAND CUT CHIPS

PETIT FOURS served with coffee

Welcome to October. Sunshine all day. Thank goodness Pascal and head chef Garry are back from their holidays. The last couple of weeks without them caused the first well deserved complaints for 2009 and I am glad to report that they have solved the problems.

Santosh arrived from The Oberoi in Jaipur and Charlton house Somerset (where he played cricket for the county on his days off) He is helping Pascal with the running of the restaurant adding a bit of that Oberoi polish to the service. I get told off if I interfere.

The Times lunch voucher promotion was a great success. I grumbled about it for the first week until got the hang of what was expected. Now I am working on an autumn lunch voucher, friendly menu, for all our guests...that means I will have to remember to change the menus on the web. Check it!

We got a good report in the 2010 Good Food Guide and Good Hotel Guide and Hardens. Those are genuine guides. The customers write the reports and we are not able to buy a place there or say how wonderful we are..

The sheep in the photograph will not appear on the menu. Well perhaps as boiled mutton with caper sauce in a few years time when it is not so sweet. Meanwhile it comes to work every day eating fallen leaves on the lawn.

Grouse and Partridge

Grouse was on the menu at Langar during the last two weeks of August and the first two weeks of September, (sorry you may have missed it.) Those who were persuaded to try it served simply, roast, then the breast taken off the bone, were delighted and will no doubt order it again next year. This reminds me of the first French chef I employed circa 1990 when I brought him the first locally shot partridge he threw it in the bin saying it was 'vermin' ! I battled on and after a few years, customers became familiar with this delicious game bird.
The first shoot this season at Belvoir will bring us partridge on the menu next week, then it is on the menu until after Christmas. We serve it off the bone, not too pink and not too gamey. Can't better plain roast with bread sauce and bacon.
All the 7 chefs in the kitchen are local English boys, all home trained making the youngest and best team Langar has ever had. Customers give them great praise and only occasionally complain about the service. Now the students have gone back to university we are advertising for a 'hands on head waiter-assistant restaurant manager'
We have enjoyed a truely lovely Indian Summer these past two weeks. Don't mention Christmas. Oh dear! I have just remembered I am on the bar tonight. Will choose some photos later. Imogen

Did you recognise Langar in The Sunday Times colour supplement? And again in September Tatler and Vogue ? Pictures taken by Paul Smith when he chose Langar for the winter fashion shoot. Goodness that was fun. Here are our versions taken at the time. Thank you Paul!

Take a look at http://www.paulsmith.com/ and his blog. It's brilliant, up to date and there you will find even better pictures of Langar.

Autumn already! What happened to those summer days? Sorry I skipped the August blog.

Thanks to our lovely customers and our exceptional team of young chefs in the kitchen, we have been so so busy. Students and school children kept the service going in the dining room while staff took holidays. I expect it is against the law to employ 14 year olds but if they enjoy it and do well, I shall carry on encouraging the young. What were you doing when you were 14?

We have been working on our autumn-winter menus and Christmas party menus. Partridge, pheasant, venison, more pigeon of course, goose, turkey, beef and pork. Stocking up on Bordeaux, ordering Christmas crackers and jolly awful Xmas paper napkins.

Christmas time is filling up so get in touch quickly if you would like to come then otherwise we hope you will book in for a winter break, party or any excuse to escape and celebrate.

Pascal is now going to show me how to get to read your comments. Hope there are some!

Langar is in the centre of the Stilton Cheese making area. You can walk through the fields to Colston Basset. Cropwell Bishop & Long Clwson are just a few miles away. All have delightful little shops in their reception area where you can buy small cheeses or whole ones to take home. Then at Welbeck in North Nottinghamshire there is a new dairy who are bravely making the only unpasturised cheese. This has to be called Stichelton to protect the other dairies who are obliged to pasturise their cheeses. Now that was a very sad story, nothing to do with the actural cheese and a long time ago. I'll tell you when you ask.

Langar is busy every lunch time, every dinner time, and the rooms too. I have never known so many genuine compliments about the food and the place especially from those customers who travel and dine all over the world.

I am delighted. I love all the young chefs in the kitchen team who work long hours with enthusiasm and never shout or swear. I have to do all that for them. Then there is Pascal and Mikey who say their job is to look after me when they are not looking after all of you. Next week I shall take a photograph of the team. Of course half of them will be off on holiday!

Oh yes its the Game Fair at Belvoir next week. If you come here by car from the Melton/ Grantham area avoid the country roads.

Ross's new Luscious Lobster dish 'Butter poached lobster, girolles, basil, lobster broth' is absolutely delicious. It is on the menu as a starter. I like it as a main course with a dish of aparagus on the side. On the right is Garry's turbot with tarragon gnocci, braised little gem and mussel sauce. Just thinking about this makes me hungry.
Next week I shall put the puddings on.

Steve Davies, photographer, happened to call in for lunch one day when he was staying with his sister and returned to spend a day photographing in the kitchen and the garden. So now I have some new pictures to put on each week.


These perfect summers days are pure joy. Guests sit in the garden, eat in the shade of the weeping lime tree, children play happily on the trampline while parents and friends down a few of our 'special' Pimms. Everyone is happy.

See you soon. Best wishes Imogen

A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS WHO VOTED FOR LANGAR HALL IN THE NOTTINGHAM RESTAURANT AWARDS. We won Best out of Town restaurant for the second year running. To tell the truth we had given up all hope of winning anything as you don't get to win two years running easily and the competition is hot. I was sad that our young chef Paul did not win Young chef of the year as he is so good. Then when were not even nominated for Best local produce I gave up hope and downed that fatal third glass of wine which I regretted when the announcement came. Michael and Pascal helped me up on to the stage where I insisted on making a speech to thank our customers. Then just as I was feeling like 'partying' Michael and Pascal threaded me into a taxi home at 2.30am. My taxi driver came from Afghanistan.
Well, that was a great night shared with hundreds of other restaurant people enjoying the service at Colwick Hall where the wine flowed too generously. No I won't go into the story of Lord Byron and his first love Mary Chaworth at Colwick Hall when he was at the height of his popularity, but if you ask me when you are next here its a great story.
Tickets are selling well for SHAKESPEARE IN THE GARDEN ON SUNDAY AUGUST 16th
This year it is THE MERCHANT OF VENICE performed by the Festival Players. Starting at 3pm.Bring a picnic or this year we are doing a sandwich and wine bar instead of the usual buffet. What do you think about that idea? Good if you want a picnic but forget to make the sandwiches? Please telephone reception for tickets or buy them next time you are here. Its a great day out even when it rains.
News from the garden: Asparagus is finishing now, no more rhubarb but goosberries are filling the gap with delicious goosberry custard tart. The cabbages grown on the new plot are amazing. Beautiful lettuces, broad beans, fresh picked 'wet' garlic, baby leeks, red currants, herbs. Its bonanza time in the kitchen garden where I like to pick sweet peas & cornflowers in the morning for the reception desk.
I was too distracted to do the blog last week when we had the great footballer's wedding. This was an unexpected joy. The guests were delightful and we loved looking after them.
Then Sir Paul Smith was awarded the Queens prize for export last thursday. We are very proud of him and his association with Langar Hall not to mention our invitation to that 'Do' in lovely Willoughby house, his special shop in Nottingham. Pascal and Michael are wearing new Paul Smith shirts, pink with spots. The shirts not the boys.
I still don't know how to read your replies to this blog. Do telephone me if you write one and tell me how to get into your comments. Any bad comments I shall of course learn how to delete!
This is the best time to visit Langar Hall. It is an Island of beauty, trees, pastures, water, flowers and good food and wine. Now lets try to put in a new photo.
Imogen

The Glorious First of June 1794 Admiral Lord Howe of Langar defeated the French fleet off Ushant in the Bay of Biscay. I won't go on about that because we are rather busy just now. We celebrate the victory every year with a lunch party. Today I invited some distinguished naval men from the 1805 club and the Nelson society, their wives, some Americans (their grain ships sailing to relieve famine in France caused the battle) a descendant of the Admiral, and Pascal representing the French. He refused to have anything to do with the celebrations and like his countrymen before him, fled from the British, shrugging his shoulders in disapproval.

On these perfect summers days people arrive to enjoy sitting in the garden with a glass of wine and stay on for lunch, tea, snacks or dinner. No one wants to leave. The lunch party last sunday stayed until the sun went down. Everyone is happy when the sun shines.

The garden is a dream of poppies, peonies, geraniums, valerium, old roses and now sweet peas. Simply beautiful and all the work of my daughter Louise who is out in all weathers in her wellies and wheelbarrow making it appear absolutely natural. Then there is the kitchen garden with lovely lettuces grown for the salads, herbs and other goodies to come later.

So what news? Nothing much because those special room rates I did last month have been so successful that we are keeping them on. Quite frankly I think £100 a night is just about right for two people including breakfast and £85 for single business men. I really missed the business men in January and Febuary and I am very pleased they are back again. They are the most appreciative guests, no trouble to any one and being regular guests become part of the family.

We had a long visit from the head of Belgium tourism. I told him there was nothing to do here and then thinking again made this list:

Belvoir castle, Belton House, Burleigh, Isaac Newtons birth place, Newak and Swinderby antiqu fairs, Nottingham cricket, football and theatres, Langar wild flower farm, Lincoln catherdral and Southwell Minster, Doddington hall for its farm shop, restaurant and gardens. Then an hour away, Chatsworth, Haddon and Hardwick. Not forgetting that you can be back in London within an hour from Grantham station or soon in Scotland going in the oposite direction. So you see, although I never recognised Langar as a tourist spot, suddenly I realise it is the centre of the best things to visit in the East Midlands. Do come and stay it is just so beautiful just now.

Next week Lila (grandaughter) promises to show me how to read your comments.

Here is wishing you all many happy sunny summer days. Imogen

P.S. We just had a cancellation for the whole house for the duration of the Game Fair at Belvoir so if you would like to go and can't find a room please telephone us asap.

Here is a picture of Bill and Harry, the great vegetable gardeners and purveyors of pigeons, rabbits.

Just now the wall flowers are at their best, there are vases of them and flowering rosemary in the dining room.

I wish I had taken a photograph of the famous Hairy Bikers who stayed here with their team while filming and cooking in the Vale of Belvoir. The programme will be on TV in the autumn. They paid us a great compliment saying that Langar Hall was top favorite out of the many hotels they had stayed in during their last filming. The chefs were praised as 'way up there with the top 3 chefs in restaurants they had visited. I really love bikers. And I like the 'real food' they cook in unexpected places all over the world.

I also enjoyed a three day stay and conference of top professors and doctors from all over the world. The sun shone, they were relaxed and happy and we were sorry to see them go. These whole house bookings are a joy for us and the customers apreciate the unique beauty of this place, the easy quick lunches, the home made almond biscuits and the dinner at night.

So I am glad to report that Langar Hall is flourishing. We have been surprisingly busy over the bank holiday with couples escaping their children for a night away and family parties for every kind of birthday or any excuse for a celebration including loads of children playing on the trampoline and swings.

May can be perfectly beautiful in England. The best days are when lunch guests sit in the garden for drinks and coffee even though sometimes they stay there until I have to sweep them out at 7pm.

Now here is a new blog for you to try. later I'll have it added to somwhere on the web page.

http://www.lodging-world.com/

Hello again. I looked up some other hotel blogs and realise this space is for selling. Now let's think what will tempt you to visit Langar Hall ? Asparagus is coming into season and our lamb is on the menu. They are also frolicking in the field. Don't cry. They have a short and happy life.

The £160 dinner bed and breakfast for two 'special' has had an amazing response. This is monday night, the hotel & the restaurant are full of couples escaping.

I do miss some of the business men who frequented this place on weeknights before the 'crunch'. Perhaps their budgets have been cut or they are told to drive home. May I remind them of the special rate for single people doing business in the area...£75-85 room & good breakfast. Quote this blog when you book.

No where in the world is better than England on a day like today. The the sun shone, guests sat around in the garden, spring flowers bloomed and the lime trees in the avenue are at their new, lime green best. The beauty of this unique place is what I have to sell today.

Thanks to help from my grand daughter I have managed to do this second blog. Why do they ask so many personal questions? I put Afghanistan down as my country so don't pay any attention to that if you find the questions. Bingham is the centre of my Nottinghamshire English world.
Easter dull and cloudy as usual. May bank holiday is usually worse. But thanks to many loyal and new customers we have had a great weekend rushing around the dining room. We are lucky to have great customers who make every service a joyfull reunion or party.
Those who had time and inclination for a walk found the blossom blooming in the garden, daffs on their way out now, trees coming into leaf. This is the most hopeful time of the year.
On the wireless the other day a very old man who had survived 3 concentration camps during the war was asked how he managed to stay alive. He replied "Hope, cunning and grim determination" That could be a good motto to adopt in these hard times.
All year I have been collecting email addresses, promising to send out a monthly newsletter. Three months later one will be sent off next week. If you don't receive it and would like to be on the email address list just email pascal@langarhall.co.uk
Then if you are messing about on your computer with time to spare please log onto http://www.nottinghamrestaurantawards.co.uk/ and vote for Langar Hall for whatever catagory you think fits. Preferably best out of Town.
Does anyone read these blogs? I'd rather like to read someone else's. Will ask Lila aged 14 how to do that now.

First blog entry.

Hello! This is my first and very exciting blog experience.
Its Monday again and just when I was having a day off, in walk a lot of extra lunches. I left Pascal looking after a party from the local prison. Now they really know how to enjoy themselves and I am not talking about the prisoners. The best customers for general enjoyment and no complaints are criminal barristers, funeral directors, orthopedic surgeons, doctors and anyone else who experience the dark side of life during their working hours. They meet their customers during the bad times of life while I meet my customers at their best. All dressed up and happily expecting to enjoy themselves. And I am glad to say that they almost always do just that.
The sun is shining, spring is threatening to come at last and of course that brings people out to Langar where they can enjoy views of the garden without feeling guilty about mowing the lawn.
Yesterday people even sat in the garden for coffee. The sheep and lambs have had plenty of children visiting them and they are tame enough to submit to stroking. That's enough for now. Proper news later. Please blog back if you know how to do it.
Imogen

Langar Hall 2009 Special Events

Lunch For Even Less!
February - June 2009 - Monday - Friday

Visit www.langarhall.com for more details