Poached venison may have been Nottinghamshire's best-known dish back in the days of Robin Hood, but a pub is now aiming to update the county's place on the culinary map.
Roy Wood, licensee of the Waggon & Horses in Halam, near Southwell, has created Nottinghamshire Pie, which he believes will give the county a speciality dish with an appeal to locals and visitors alike.
The four key ingredients are beef, leeks, potatoes and stilton. "They are all produced within the county," said Roy, "and work together perfectly to create a wonderful dish."
The inspiration came to Roy when he set out to serve up a local dish on the pub's menu. "There's Nottinghamshire pudding, which is basically baked apple and custard, but for a main course, I came up a blank. With so much interest in local food these days, I thought I'd better create my own regional dish."
The pie went on the menu at the Waggon & Horses at the start of October, and already accounts for 30 per cent of food sales at the Thwaites pub. "The response to a Nottinghamshire dish has been incredible," said Roy.
The recipe now has the backing of Professor John Heeley, chief executive of Experience Nottingham, which markets the county to visitors. Roy will be serving the pie at a Taste of Nottingham event next month to other businesses and organisations involved in the area's tourist industry.
"It will hopefully be taken on by other pubs, as well as restaurants, schools, canteens and hotels within the county," said Roy. "In years to come we could reach the dizzy heights of Lancashire hotpot, Devon cream teas, and Cornish Pasties.
"Tradition has to start sometime, so why not now?"
- The Waggon & Horses is a finalist in the Classic Food Pub of the Year category at The Publican Food & Drink Awards 2008 The Publican Food & Drink Awards. To try Roy's recipe, use the link on the right.