Licensees pull out the stars and stripes for July 4 events
History inspired menu
At the Boot Inn, Orleton, Herefordshire, a garden party with BBQ is being hosted. The menu features dishes including the Lincolns Burger; General Lee’s chicken-Southern fried chicken; Custer’s hot dog; Tennessee whiskey spiced barbeque ribs and Congress steak sandwich.
At Columbo Group’s Blues Kitchen in London’s Camden and Shoreditch a hot dog eating competition will mark the event. The site is also hosting live rhythm and blues music and American-style supper throughout the evening. American customers will get a free drink.
Licensee Julie Scotney at Shepherd Neame pub the Red Lion in rural Charing Heath, near Ashford, in Kent is hosting an open-air festival in the pub’s garden, featuring an Elvis tribute act. The food offer will feature burgers, Southern fried chicken, barbecued spare ribs & chips (£12.50) from 6pm on Friday 4 July. Dishes come with coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob and salad garnish.
Ex-pat celebrations
Andrew Fishwick, owner of the Truscott Arms in Maida Vale, is making the most of the freehold’s location, close to the American School in London. The pub is becoming increasingly popular with American ex-pats and the success of last year’s Truscott Thanksgiving festivities has encouraged Fishwick and his enterprising team to extend their transatlantic celebrations.
A group of 30 guests who have booked the newly refurbished Denbury room for the 4 July celebrations will be offered the Independence Day menu, which will also be served in the pub’s garden and main dining room.
Kicking off with a Manhattan cocktail, this four-course celebration of iconic American fare will include strip steak, devilled eggs, grilled chicken, potato salad, baked Alaska and Key lime pie, all served in an informal family style “with a Truscott twist”, accompanied by USA-themed music from a brass band.
Awesome beers
At the White Horse in Parsons Green, Fulham, west London, an annual American Beer Festival in early July is the seventh of its type run by the Mitchells and Butlers managed house is expected to double usual revenue over the four days, with around 2,000 additional customers anticipated alongside regular trade.
The event will run Thursday-Saturday from 11am to midnight, and on Sunday from 11am to 11.30pm, featuring live bands including The High Town Crows on Friday. A classic American barbecue in the pub garden will offer hot-dogs, burgers, grilled chicken and corn, priced up to £10.
Following recent well-received tastings featuring beers from Pennsylvania-based Victory Brewing Company, and Founders Brewing, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the pub team plans to welcome back some “awesome beers” from across the pond, including brews from microbrewery Moylans in Novato, California; and Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, Colorado. Cask beer will also be available from many English brewers such as Windsor & Eton, and Magic Rock, boasting an American influence in hop form.
Colonial approach
At Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head pub in Bray, Berkshire, a six-course British Colonial tasting menu (£95) is being offered, created by head chef Kevin Love. Dishes on offer include ‘Royale’ of chickens liver; sweetcorn cream and cornmeal muffin; crawfish soup with crawfish and quail scotch egg; Colonial smoked pork ribeye, cod cheek, soured cabbage, wild mushrooms and bacon.
The desserts are Boston ‘Afternoon’ Tea Party - Earl grey syllabub, cheesecake finger sandwich and Sussex Pond Pudding with lemon and nut sauce, and vanilla ice cream and coffee and petit fours.
