insideKENT Magazine Issue 84 - March 2019 | Page 46

TOWNSPOTLIGHT
SPOTLIGHT ON CRANBROOK CONT.
Food & Drink
The George Hotel
This impressive building dates back to the 14th
century, and the winding passageways and wood
panelling certainly have that authentic feel. The
food served at the George Hotel, however, is anything
but dated – it is modern and memorable and
compliments the surroundings perfectly. The menu
includes dishes such as pan-fried scallops with pea
purée, chorizo, black pudding and a brie bon bon;
grilled venison sausages with a creamy butternut
squash and sweet potato mash, braised red cabbage
and apple and a rich red wine and onion gravy; and
traditional apple and blackberry crumble.
The Cloudberry
The Cloudberry likes to produce simple, honest food
that is seasonal and local. Stepping inside this
gorgeous place, you’ll see that gimmicks and twists
are most certainly not needed on a menu that includes
steamed mussels with Thai spiced broth; cauliflower
soup with queen scallops, crispy kale and curry oil;
chargrilled chicken with chermoula, rosemary
potatoes and seasonal veg; and grilled pineapple
with chilli syrup and vanilla ice cream.
Apicius
The menu at Apicius changes on a regular basis
since the chef is keen to use only the best seasonal
produce – sourced locally wherever possible. It is
always wise to book a table here if you are interested
in going, as space is limited and those in the know
will most certainly get there before you if you go in
on the off chance of being seated! Examples of the
food here include poached and roasted breast of
guinea fowl with Paris brown mushrooms, gnocchi
and Roscoff onions and white chocolate gateau. Larkins’ Ale House
This independent, family-run micropub is the first
of its kind in Cranbrook – a place where local ales
are served straight from the cask, along with a variety
of Kent ciders, wines, vodka, gin and soft drinks.
Delicious tapas is served on a Thursday evening,
and you can enjoy your drinks inside, or relax outside
in the beer garden.
The Small Holding
The Small Holding has been named as one of the
best restaurants in Kent, which is an impressive feat.
Everything that the chef strives to do comes down Cranbrook Apple Carnival // Oct
This year is the Apple Carnival’s 13th anniversary,
and this quirky – absolutely Kentish – event will be
as fun as always. At the fair there will be food stalls,
ST DUNSTAN’S CHURCH
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to three things: foraging, growing and cooking. It’s
an extraordinary place with extraordinary food
including ‘pork, cauliflower, sour cream’, ‘lamb,
pearl barley roots’ and ‘raspberry, yoghurt, potato’.
cider tasting, live music, a fancy dress competition,
Morris dancing, plenty of cider and much more.
Come and celebrate the county’s fruit!
Cranbrook Art Show // Nov
Now heading into its 27th year, the Cranbrook Art
Show attracts artists and art lovers from all over the
country and even across the world.
Cranbrook Literature Festival // Sep
Held every two years, the Cranbrook Literature
Festival is packed full of literary readings, book
signings, talks and book sellers. The next event will
be in 2020.
Top Spot
Cranbrook’s High Street is as Kentish as Kentish
can be, with a big dash of Wealden architecture
thrown in. There are dozens of different shops to
browse, as well as plenty of places to eat and
drink too.
Did You Know?
Annual Events
CRANBROOK SCHOOL
Daniel Defoe chose Cranbrook to hide in when King
George I grew displeased with him. He secretly lived
in a cottage on the outskirts of the town, and it is
here that he is said to have written Robinson Crusoe,
known as the first ever English novel.