Matron in Hog Heaven!

 Growing my own food has somewhat spoiled me as far as restaurant dining is concerned.  When you have picked and eaten your own home grown produce straight from the garden then from my point of view, most restaurants don't live up to the standard I am used to.   When I say MOST restaurants, that is until I visited THE PIG at Brockenhurst, Hampshire this week.

 For this is no ordinary restaurant, it has its own walled kitchen garden where seasonal fruit and veggies are picked and brought to the kitchen each day.  Genuine, fine dining using the best and the freshest picked produce (oh and its own smokehouse on site too!).

 One of the really endearing parts of the whole dining experience was the cozy, Victorian kitchen, parlour atmosphere. Functional, lived-in country kitchen tables, chairs and furniture made me feel right at home.  Somehow an ultra-modern, spot lighted, designer feel would have been way out of place here.

 I am completely hooked on lemon and nettle tea now!

 and part of my lovely dining experience at The Pig was a tour of the walled kitchen garden, by Chef James Golding himself.  Think of it... a chef who knows his way around a veggie garden!! Matron was in hog heaven!

 Speaking of hog heaven.... the resident Tamworth pigs were enjoying life on the premises as well.

 You have to admire the dedication and enthusiasm of Chef James Golding don't you.  Just in case he gets his chaps mixed up with his chops... he has a little map just where he needs it!

Now where in the world would you find one of these?...  A perfect end to a perfect day.  If you find yourself wandering around the New Forest in Hampshire any time... drop along for a plate of 'piggy bits'!