THE WALCOT, BATH COTSWOLDS BAILLIAGE WINTER LUNCHEON - FEBRUARY 2023 For our first event of 2023, the Bailliage held a luncheon at The Walcot, in Bath. This stylish restaurant, set in a former bakery, combines warm hospitality with, as the restaurant describes, a nose-to-tail approach to cooking which is wholesome and flavour led.

Members and guests gathered together for an informal reception and enjoyed chatting over a glass of Les Bulles de Paul, Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France 2018 which in blind testing compares favourably with Champagne. We then went through to The Conservatory where Sommelier Yoann Camail introduced the wines which he had handpicked for our event. An amuse-bouche of crab rarebit and pickled shallot was thoroughly enjoyed and was nicely paired with another glass of the Crémant. We moved on to a tasty and well-presented salmon & hake fishcake with saffron aioli and pickled fennel served with an excellent Christoph Bauer, Gruner Veltliner, Niederosterreich 2020 which complemented the fish beautifully. Delicious slow cooked lamb shoulder, truffle mash and salsa verde followed and was accompanied by a fruity Langhe, Elvio Tintero, Nebbiolo Piemonte 2020. A wonderfully light and flavoursome dessert of caramel tart, apple miso caramel and crème fraiche completed the meal and was perfectly balanced with a La Fleur d’Or Sauternes 2016. We all agreed over coffee and petit fours that our 2023 programme had got off to a great start after such a splendid lunch. Our thanks to Events Manager Ruby Brown for her help in arranging the luncheon, to Chefs Luke Doidge and Piero Boi, for producing an excellent menu, Sommelier Yoann Camail for selecting the wines and the waiting staff for their kind attention and efficient service. I think I can safely say that it won’t be too long before the Bailliage makes a return visit to The Walcot!

Joanne Cook Vice-Chargée de Presse