Delicious locally caught hake

Bacon wrapped hake loin with Cornish cider and a summer vegetable broth

Head Chef, Tom Milby, shares one of his favourite fish recipes...

Serves 4 people

This time of year, our specials board is crammed with local fresh fish. Hake it great to cook with as it’s so firm, with big fresh flakes, and it’s extremely popular. This dish takes a bit of work, but it is really worth it, so have a go. Do try and buy your hake from a reputable fishmonger rather than a supermarket, it will be much fresher and tastier. Our hake comes from Stevenson’s at Newlyn. I visited their operation a month or so ago and was really impressed with what they produce - more on that in a later blog! Most of the veg used in this recipe came from Pete at Lizard Leaves, who grows fabulous organic greens just up the road from the Pandora.

Tom’s Tip:

I think it’s always best to prepare things in advance then you’re less likely to get in a panic or miss out something from the recipe. Timing on this dish is also quite important, so planning ahead is a good idea! I also always say ‘taste as you go’ - check your seasoning as you add ingredients.

Ingredients

• 4 x 180/200gm hake loin portions
• 200g smoked streaky bacon
• 2-3 large potatoes, diced into 1cm cubes
• 1 large leek (white part only) finely chopped
• 1 large banana shallot finely chopped
• 150gm Cornish asparagus roughly chopped
• 2cm chunk of fresh root ginger
• Zest and juice of one lime
• 1 pint good quality orchard cider - preferably Cornish!
• 300ml good fish stock
• ½ kilo fresh Cornish mussels
• 1 tbsp honey 

Method

1. Wrap each piece of hake in bacon and refrigerate.  Ideally, you want to do this a couple of hours in advance
2. In a large saucepan, bring the cider to the boil and add the fish stock
3. Infuse with the ginger, lime and honey
4. Take a non-stick frying pan and get it nice and hot. Put the pieces of fish in, one at a time, skin side down. Hold each one down gently with your fingers until you feel it ‘rest’ a little, and then turn the heat down to medium
5. Check the stock, add the potatoes and leave them to simmer for 8 minutes, while the hake cooks
6. Add the mussels to the stock and boil for 3 minutes making sure all the mussel shells open, discard any that don’t
7. At this point, flip the hake loins over (I reckon the skin side of the fish should always get 70% of the cooking time)
8. Add the asparagus, leek and shallots to the stock and turn down the heat, simmer for a further 3 minutes
9. The hake should now be perfect, so check the seasoning and serve in a deep bowl, with the hake sitting on top of the vegetable broth, with the crispy skin uppermost

Summer drink specials…

The sun is out, the sky is blue - it must be cocktail time! We have a range of special summer drinks available that are just perfect for all the lovely sunny days we are SURE to get this summer. We also have a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail on offer too, plus all our usual range of soft drinks, including local producer Frobishers’ fabulously fruity Fusion range…

Sloe Boat £6

A measure of Plymouth Sloe Gin topped up with sparkling Prosecco

Peach Bellini £6

A shot of Archers Peach Liqueur topped up with sparkling Prosecco

Gin Fizz £6

A shot of Tanqueray Special Gin, a splash of lemonade and topped up with sparkling Prosecco

Martini Royale £5

Martini Bianco, white wine, topped with soda water and served over ice

Pimms & Pressé £5

The new blackcurrant & elderflower Pimms, topped with Belvoir elderflower press

and served over ice

Elderflower Fizz (non-alcoholic) £2.50

A dash of Bottlegreen Elderflower cordial, a splash of apple juice topped up with lemonade and served with a slice of cucumber

Gin – is in!

Did you know we stock 10 types of gin? Interest in gin has grown hugely over the last decade with independent producers flourishing. Among our extensive collection we stock THREE local gins – Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, Plymouth Gin and Plymouth Sloe Gin. We also bring you Fevertree tonic as an alternative to Schweppes – a perfect pairing.

Here's our full list of gins – there is sure to be at least one to suit you!

Williams GB Extra Dry 

A family distillery in Herefordshire, using infused juniper buds and berries giving a zesty citrus with warm spicy notes.

Bombay Sapphire
Launched in 1987 it’s name recognises the popularity of Gin in India during the British Raj. The sapphire in question is the Star of Bombay and the flavouring comes from a mix of ten botanical ingredients.

Gordon’s
First produced in 1769 by Alexander Gordon, a Londoner of Scottish descent. The special London dry gin he developed was so successful that the recipe remains unchanged to this day!

Hendrick’s 

Launched in 1999 and rapidly becoming the connoisseur’s gin of choice. As well as using Juniper they also use Bulgarian rose and cucumber to add flavour.

Whitley Neill 

Slightly softer than more traditional gins and very smooth, with rich juniper and citrus, pot pourri and exotic spices.

Tarquin’s Cornish Gin 

A contemporary take on a classic London dry, using fragrant, handpicked Devon violets and fresh orange zest to deliver an aromatic sensation unlike any other.

Plymouth Gin

A unique gin produced in Plymouth since 1793 in the oldest functioning gin distillery in the country – and the only gin to have Protected Designation of Origin status.

Plymouth Sloe Gin

Made by steeping the finest sloes in Plymouth Gin and soft pure Dartmouth water. The winner of several award, try this gin topped up with delicious, sparkling Prosecco or a tangy bitter lemon.

Sipsmiths 

Established in London in 2009 the first copper pot distillery to open in London for nearly two centuries and based around a classic London dry gin recipe using ten botanicals to create its complex flavour.

Tanqueray 

Launched in the 1830s and with a fiercely guarded secret recipe thought to contain only four botanicals. An easily drinkable gin – it makes a cracking G&T!

Keeping it local - Wines from our region

At the Pandora, we pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and producers, be it locally caught fish, organic veg grown just up the road or fantastic wines produced in this region. We stock no fewer than EIGHT local wines on our extensive wine list.

The British consumer has spent many years ridiculing wines made within our own isles but the truth is, English (and Welsh) wine production has come on leaps and bounds over recent years and the quality keeps getting better and better. We now boast over 400 producers with an annual production of 2 million bottles, even the French are trying to buy our land so we must be doing something right!

Here’s a little more detail about the local wines we stock:

Dart Valley Reserve, Sharpham, 2011 Devon

Super full-flavoured, zippy Estate wine. Energetic and with all the structure for a long and happy life. (2) 11% vol. Bottle £20.00

Madeleine Angevine, Knightor Winery, 2013 Cornwall

Elegant, crisp and immensely quaffable wine from a local winery based at Trethurgy near St. Austell. It is reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc with delicate floral and citrus character. Simply delicious. (1) 10.5% vol. Bottle £21.00

Camel Valley Rosé, Camel Valley, 2013 Cornwall

A light, dry rose with intense strawberry aromas. Refreshing aciditiy and bright red fruit, this is perfect for sipping ‘al fresco’. (2) 12% vol, Bottle £25.00

Bacchus Dry, Camel Valley 2013 Cornwall

Light, floral and delicate with apple blossom and a racy edge. A really vibrant, dry wine that shows the potential of our English vineyards.
(1) 12% vol. Bottle £27.50

 

Sharpham Vineyard in South Devon.

Sharpham Brut, Sharpham Vineyard, 2010 Devon

This early harvested wine expresses a delightful spritz with a vibrant citrus mouthfeel. Fresh fruit flavours make for an excellent aperitif or as a superb accompaniment to seafood. Simply delicious. (2) 12% vol. Bottle £36.00

Knightor Brut, Knightor Winery, NV Cornwall

Winemaker James Thomas grew up on his family’s vineyard on the magical Isles of Scilly and completed his wine training in Australia. This English sparkling wine is made by the traditional method. It is well balanced with good depth of fruit flavour, and subtle complexity from lees ageing in bottle. Perfect for any celebration. (1) 12% vol. Bottle £39.00

Camel Valley Brut, 2012 Camel Valley, Cornwall

Superb golden sparkler with elegant fizz and full, ripe flavour, packed with elderflower and hedgerow notes yet truly brut. (1) 12.5% vol. Bottle £42.00

Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut, 2012 Camel Valley, Cornwall

A lovely floral and delicate strawberry fruit nose that drives into a brioche, fresh bread yeastiness supported by crisp acidity and a finish of great finesse. Excellent aperitif or with Cornish seafood. (1) 12.5% vol. Bottle £44.00

Pandora Inn is finalist in Tourism Pub of the Year in national VisitEngland Awards!

The Pandora Inn has been named as a finalist in the Tourism Pub of the Year category of the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014.

“We are absolutely delighted!” said Steve Bellman who, with John Milan has been at the helm of the Pandora since 1999. “This means we are one of the top five tourism pubs in the whole country. This is a massive achievement for the Pandora team led by managers Lester and Catherine Croft and chef Tom Milby.”

The Pandora Inn has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, winning a string of top awards. It is currently Cornwall Tourism Pub of The Year, South West Tourism Excellence Pub of the Year Gold award winner, Cornwall Life Best Gastro Pub and St Austell Brewery’s Food Pub of the year.

The Pandora will have to wait until the awards ceremony on 12 May to find out which award it has won. All finalists are guaranteed to receive either a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended Award.

Keeping it green and keeping it local at the Pandora…

How much do you value your ‘local’? Do you still have a local? Depending on where you live, you may not even have many pubs left in your area. Fortunately, in this part of the world, we still have pubs a-plenty and the Pandora, as well as being an immensely popular watering hole for visitors, is also a much-loved local.

Pubs play a key role within local communities – holding social events, supporting local charities, employing local people and buying services and products from local businesses. And in today’s climate, we also have to work hard at addressing issues of sustainability by adopting ‘green’ practices in relation to energy management, recycling and waste and water consumption. All this is double important, and harder to achieve, when you are in a location as idyllic and ‘off the beaten track’ as the Pandora!

Almost everything we purchase is from companies based in Cornwall which ensures that what we spend creates employment for other local businesses. We actively look for locally produced alternatives to the more commonly seen national alternatives – for example, sell Frobisher's Fusions instead of brand leader J2O.

100% of the staff we employ live within 12 miles of the pub with over 50% living within walking distance which dramatically reduces our carbon footprint. We work closely with other local businesses to mutual benefit including cross selling our services with local B&Bs, holiday cottages and the Falmouth Water Taxi.

Regular fund raising events have enabled us to support local Cornish charities with donations totalling over £3,000 in 2013, including a popular decision to donate the 1p per pint reduction in beer duty to charity! Using our large Facebook following we canvassed our friends, along with our staff, as to who we should support.

We have a robust waste management policy and have achieved a 60% reduction in landfill by recycling cardboard, paper, plastic, metal and glass. Food waste is collected separately for composting and waste oil is made into bio-diesel. We have waterless urinals and movement sensor taps in the gentlemen's toilets and all commercial equipment, including the pub’s boiler, are modern and low energy rated. We have low energy light fittings throughout the building and have installed light sensors in low traffic areas.

You’ll find a dedicated sustainability tab on our website that details our aims and achievements along with links to local businesses and suppliers and a 'how to get to us' section promoting alternative ways of reaching the pub other than by car

We are always looking to improve our green credentials, so if you have any ideas, do please let us know, we value your feedback on all aspects of the Pandora.

Access for all at the Pandora

Did you know that our core menu and wine list are available in different formats?

To try and ensure access for everyone, we have produced large print and Braille versions of our menu. In addition, our staff are also happy to read out the menu and specials boards if that’s more convenient for you.

We have tried to make the Pandora itself as accessible as possible – with a disabled parking bay right outside the main entrance to the pub, plus a disabled toilet – but the building’s age and listing restrictions means that we are limited in what we can do.

For people with special dietary requirements, we have gluten-free and dairy-free versions of our menu available. Our staff are familiar with all the dishes on the menu and will be happy to discuss choices with you.

Please just ask at the bar for help with any of these options. If you think there’s more we could do, or we’ve missed something obvious, do please let us know. We value your feedback and want to make all your visits to the Pandora memorable experiences – for all the right reasons!

For more details, you’ll find our full access statement on the home page of the website and you can download copies of our menus and wine list there too.