One day while at the Edible London culinary adventure created by members of London Les Dames, we divided into two Country Tours groups, I chose The Newt in Somerset, a working estate with acres of  gardens, woodland, farmland and cider orchards.

After  exploring the grounds, we headed to the café for a communal lunch.

On the table already was their sourdough bread made with apple waste, topped with hangop with garden veggies. Hangop is strained yogurt, literally meaning ‘hang up’ that we had watched Cheesemaker, Margaretha Van Dam, make at her creamery alongside the railway tracks.

Our main dish was the spiced roasted whole cauliflower with fermented leaves, English grown green lentils with almonds and coriander garnished with additional onion, chard, hangop, peas & beans shallot pistachio.

They also served a side — yes, a side—  of braised beef and glasshouse tomato

Dessert of sweet Somerset salted strawberries with sorbet was a perfect ending before heading back to London.

Garden Café at The Newt
Hadspen, A359,
Bruton BA7 7NG, United Kingdom
+44 1963 577777
thenewtinsomerset.com/restaurants/