Latest news with #Oxfordshire
BBC News
an hour ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Aunt Sally world champion targets back-to-back world titles
The reigning Aunt Sally world champion has said it would be "amazing" to retain his title, and win it for a record fourth Goodall, from Kidlington, is hoping to win back-to-back world championships during the competition at the Charlbury Beer Festival on 55-year-old told the BBC that he would need "a lot of luck" and "a few beers on the day" to extend his record of three Sally is a pub game, played almost exclusively in Oxfordshire, which involves throwing sticks to knock a small wooden block, called a dolly, off a short metal pole. Explaining the game, Mr Goodall said it was "completely different" to the often compared fair ground game coconut said he had "brilliant memories" of being introduced to it by his Dad when he was aged "about 12 or 13"."I was instantly hooked," he added. The Aunt Sally World Championship began at the Charlbury Beer Festival in 2011, with Mr Goodall winning it three times since then - in 2015, 2017 and his chances this year, he said: "There's a lot of good players there so you just need a bit of luck on the day, a bit of luck in the drawer and how players play against you on the day.""It would be amazing [to win it], it was amazing winning it last year for the third time, and Saturday would be just as good," he asked if he had any tips for budding Aunt Sally players, he said it was "difficult to explain how to hold a stick, or how to throw it - because everybody's got a different action, different throwing technique". The game sees players take part in three legs, with each having six attempts each leg to knock the dolly from a metal pole, called the iron, from 30ft (9.1m) origins are somewhat debated, with some theories suggesting it dates back to the 17th century or even earlier. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Blenheim Palace unveils plans for new summer music festival
Plans for a new five-day music and arts festival at Blenheim Palace have been the event, organisers said it would feature an "eclectic line-up of global superstars, award-winning artists, and emerging talent".The palace's chief executive, Dominic Hare, said the festival, which will first be held in summer 2026, "marks a new chapter" for the Unesco World Heritage this week, Nocturne Live Oxfordshire revealed that, after ten years, it would no longer be staging its outdoor music festival at the stately home. "Our historic landscape will offer a spectacular backdrop for a new kind of festival – one that's rooted in tradition but designed for the future," Mr Hare said."Blenheim has been synonymous with hosting live music events for over 20 years and we hope that the new collaboration will continue that tradition." Mr Hare also thanked those involved with "successfully" organising Nocturne Live over the past begun in 2015, Nocturne Live saw artists including Kylie Minogue, Lionel Richie and Elton John play to crowds of thousands in the palace's event marked its final edition at the palace last weekend with performances from Nile Rogers and Chic, The Corrs, Richard Ashcroft and Gary its plans, Blenheim Palace Festival said the new festival would "showcase immersive cultural programming and innovative culinary experiences" alongside the musical is a collaboration between leading live music promoters Cuffe & Taylor, a Live Nation company, and event producers IMG Arts & Entertainment."This is an extraordinary moment for live events in the UK," Peter Taylor, from Cuffe & Taylor, said."Blenheim Palace is one of the most extraordinary locations in the country - to launch a major new festival here is incredibly exciting," he added. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Times
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
What Tom Kerridge and Raymond Blanc take on a picnic
Tartan blanket? Tick. Plastic cups for Pimm's? Tick. Cool box crammed with an exhaustive selection of picky bits? Tick, tick, tick. It's officially picnic season, and if you find yourself wondering what to pack for your alfresco feast this weekend then you're halfway there — having a reliably sunny day is most of the battle. Which only leaves you with the job of deciding what kind of spread to lay out on that blanket. There are some rules about what does and doesn't do well à la mat, however. Raymond Blanc, who hosts an annual Bastille Day picnic at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, his Oxfordshire manor, always makes sure he has pork pies and scotch eggs, which he buys from a deli in a nearby village. Lasse Petersen, the executive chef at the buzzing southeast London wine bar and deli Lulu's, stresses it's important to consider what temperature different foods taste their best at. He always packs an ice cooler in his basket, or a bag of ice wrapped in a tea towel. 'Go for things that are nice at room temperature so you don't have to worry about keeping them super cold: cold roast chicken; cooked and cooled salmon,' he says. As for salads, he prefers to take them to the picnic undressed and bring the dressings in an old jam jar. 'Soggy, wilted salads are a big no-no.' The Spanish maestro José Pizarro avoids mayonnaise dressings for this reason, as well as stinky cheeses that don't look or smell good when left out in the warm sun. What does he always buy rather than make himself? 'You just can't go wrong picking up some good quality bread and charcuterie.' Here are the sandwiches, dips and salads that top chefs whip up at home to take on a great British picnic. When I host picnics, like the ones I do every July at Le Manoir to celebrate Bastille Day, I am always inspired by the Wild Pig ( a lovely little farm shop not far from us. They have a great deli that sells scotch eggs and pork pies — two picnic essentials. If I have time, there are some things that I will also make to snack on: crudités with a chive and yoghurt dip; strawberries; a baguette with some cheese — and I will often make this Comté cheese and chard tart. Serves 8 • Ready-made shortcrust pastry, rolled out into a sheet• 30g unsalted butter• 2 medium Swiss chard stalks (200g), cut into 2cm batons• 60ml water• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper• 2 free-range medium eggs• 100ml whole milk• 100ml whipping cream• 200g Comté, grated 1. Place a round tart ring on a flat tray lined with greaseproof paper. Ease the pastry into the ring with your fingers and then tuck the dough into the edges, ensuring it is neatly moulded into the shape of the ring. Trim the edges of the tart by rolling a rolling pin over the top of the ring. Push the pastry edge gently up by pressing between your index finger and thumb all around the side of the tart ring, to raise the edge 2mm above the ring. With a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the pastry case. Place the tart case in the fridge for 30 min to firm up the pastry. 2. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3. Place a baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven. 3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium low heat, then add the chard batons, water and some salt and pepper. Stir, then cover and cook gently for 10 min until the chard pieces are soft and melting but still holding their shape. Drain and set to one side. 4. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk and cream and season with salt and pepper. 5. Scatter the chard evenly over the base of the tart case, then slide the tart directly onto the hot baking tray in the oven. Gently pour in the creamy egg mixture and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. 6. Bake for 30 min until lightly souffléd and golden brown. Leave to rest and cool slightly for 10 min before serving. Le Manoir's summer picnic costs £195 for two and includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Vintage and a picnic of charcuterie, sandwiches, scones and macaroons (available Mon-Wed, • Raymond Blanc: 'A chef once hit me in the face with a frying pan' Couscous is not always loved by everyone, and I fear that's mostly because many people don't know how to cook it and impart real flavour to it. This flavour combination is an explosion in the mouth, and it's a great dish for a picnic because it's super quick to make and works just as well served hot or cold. Serves 4 • 100g couscous• 2 tbsp dried chives (or dried parsley, oregano or marjoram)• 2 tbsp tomato puree• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)• 1 tbsp good quality olive oil• Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper• 150ml boiling water• 150g semi-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and each cut in half• Generous squeeze of lemon juice 1. Put the couscous, chives, tomato puree, paprika, chilli flakes (if using), olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and, using a fork, mix together until evenly combined. 2. Pour over the boiling water and stir quickly. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to stand for 5 min. 3. Remove the clingfilm and use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Add the tomatoes and lemon juice and stir in carefully. Allow to cool then refrigerate until you're ready to eat. • Read more restaurant reviews and recipes from our food experts A load of good-quality bread and some charcuterie are my picnic non-negotiables. But the thing you'll find on my blanket every time is my tortilla de patatas. It's great for picnics because it transfers well and is just as delicious hot or cold, so you don't need to worry about keeping it cool. Serves 4 • 300ml olive oil• 1 large Spanish onion (or white onion), finely sliced• 2 thyme sprigs• 500g semi-waxy potatoes, thinly sliced using a mandoline• 6 free-range eggs• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1. Heat the olive oil in a deep non-stick pan, ensuring it is no more than a third full, over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions along with the thyme sprigs, and fry gently for 15-20 min until golden. 2. Tip in the potatoes and cook gently for 10 min until tender but not falling apart. Drain well (reserving the oil to chill and keep to make your next tortilla). 3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season well, then add the hot cooked onions and potatoes, mixing well to coat. 4. Heat the 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a 20cm cast iron or non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Pour in the tortilla mixture and swirl until the outside starts to set. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 4-5 min until starting to set; the bottom and sides should be golden and the centre loose. 5. Put a board wider than the pan over the top and invert the tortilla onto it. Carefully slide the tortilla back into the pan and set over a low heat. 6. Cook for another 2-3 min (the centre should still be a bit runny), then turn out onto a board and leave to stand for 5 min before serving. • José Pizarro: easy Spanish recipes that he cooks at home Serves 6 • For the hummus:• 240g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and then cooked, or two 400g tins chickpeas• Pinch of bicarbonate of soda• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled• 1 tsp table salt• ½ tsp cumin seeds• 2⅓ tbsp lemon juice• 55g tahini • For the chickpea topping:• 1 tbsp lemon juice• Drizzle of olive oil• Small bunch of parsley leaves, chopped• Small handful of pine nuts 1. Drain the chickpeas and make sure to keep the cooking liquid, or aquafaba. You will need about 110ml for this recipe. Reserve 4 tbsp of chickpeas for the topping. 2. Put the remaining chickpeas, bicarbonate of soda, garlic, lemon juice, cumin seeds, aquafaba and salt in a blender and blitz until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the jug a few times. This could take 5–10 min. 3. Add the tahini and blend for a few more minutes, then taste and check for seasoning, adjusting as needed. The hummus should have a silky-smooth texture. It will thicken in the fridge. 4. For the dressed chickpeas, take the reserved chickpeas and pine nuts and coat with the lemon juice, olive oil and parsley. Mix well and set aside. 5. To serve, spread the hummus on a plate topped with the dressed chickpeas. Bubala's latest restaurant is in Kings Cross, London ( • The best Italian pasta recipes to serve when it's hot If you can make a cold potato salad, couscous or a simple chilled pasta with summer vegetables through it, it works really nicely at a picnic. And if you can make your own sausage roll, I would argue it is even better than a sandwich. Desserts are difficult eaten in the park on a blanket outside, so I always prefer to choose seasonal fruit like some fresh strawberries or a punnet of cherries. Serves 6 • 1.2kg Jersey royal potatoes, well washed• Bunch of rosemary, pre-soaked in water• 100g butter• 1 banana shallot, finely diced• 50ml extra virgin olive oil• 2 heaped tsp Dijon mustard• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar• Salt and freshly ground pepper• 20 cornichons, sliced• 3 tbsp baby capers• 8 pickled green chillies (from a jar), sliced• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley• 3 tbsp finely chopped chives 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Add the Jersey royals to a pan of boiling salted water, bring to the boil and cook for about 10-12 min until just tender. Drain well. 2. Put the wet rosemary sprigs directly into a casserole dish, place the boiled potatoes on top, put the lid on the dish and place in the oven for 5 min. Remove, then leave to cool. 3. Put the butter into a small heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Once melted, add the shallot and cook until softened, and the butter has turned a nutty golden brown. Take the pan off the heat and add the extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard and sherry vinegar. Whisk well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. 4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them and tip into a bowl. Pour on the warm dressing and add the cornichons, capers, chillies and chopped herbs. Toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste. The BBQ Book by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £22) • Tom Kerridge's grab-and-go picnic recipes I'm always up for a cocktail, but the problem is keeping them sufficiently chilled. That's why my most treasured picnic accessory is a large, wide-mouthed Thermos flask. I fill it with ice and simply add my cocktail of choice. I'm a negroni drinker, but that's got too much of an alcoholic whack on a hot day, so on those occasions I switch to its summer cousin, the bicicletta, which is 3 parts white wine and 2 parts Campari, with a splash of sparkling water and a twist of orange to finish. Perfect. • The best picnic wines to drink alfresco 'Everything is always worth making yourself, but it's not realistic with time constraints,' says Petersen, who is also executive chef at Llewelyn's as well as Lulu's next door in Herne Hill, south London. 'Having said that, there are lots of nice spreads and dips available these days at supermarkets that are worth buying: taramasalata, muhammara, baba ganoush, labneh. Good crisps are always a must, and making a good sandwich filling for a baguette makes a huge difference.' Serves 4 • 4 bagels• 1 tbsp raisins, soaked in boiling water for 20 min• 2 tbsp good-quality mango chutney• 2 tsp tomato paste• 6 tbsp of good quality mayonnaise• 2 tbsp of crème fraîche• 1 tbsp of curry powder• 1 tbsp of toasted flaked almonds• ½ tsp of cayenne pepper• Pinch of dried chilli flakes• Salt and freshly ground pepper• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced• Handful of coriander, leaves picked• Handful of watercress 1. Mix everything except the eggs and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. 2. Add the chopped egg into the mixture. Add the coronation mixture to the bagel, top with the coriander and watercress, and serve. Serves 4 • 1 large baguette• 10 slices of jamon or prosciutto • 10 slices of blue cheese • 10 good-quality anchovies, sliced lengthways• Generous serving of aioli (shop-bought is fine)• 100g rocket • For the salsa:• ½ red onion, finely diced • Jar of roasted peppers, drained and sliced • 4 pickled green chillis (shop-bought), thinly sliced • Good pinch of ground cumin• Good pinch of dried oregano• 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar• 8 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil• Salt and freshly ground pepper 1. Mix together the ingredients for the salsa and season with salt and pepper. 2. Slice the baguette open. Spread the aioli generously on the bottom half of the baguette, then assemble the sandwich ingredients in this order: blue cheese, anchovies, jamon/prosciutto, salsa, rocket. 3. Cut the baguette into four portions and serve. Serves 4 • 360g cream cheese• ½ shallot, finely chopped • 25g capers, chopped• 25g cornichons, chopped• 1½ tsp smoked paprika• 1 tsp ground caraway• ½ tsp garlic powder • Good turn of black pepper• ½ tsp English mustard powder• 2 tsp Dijon mustard• Good pinch of sea salt, to taste• Jarred pickles, to serve (optional) Mix all of the ingredients together aside from the pickles (if using) until well incorporated. This will keep for about five days in the fridge. When you're ready to assemble, strain the jarred pickles well before adding at the end on top of the cream cheese filling. Sausage rolls are pure nostalgic comfort food. Sage, onion and mace is a classic flavour combination, but the key to these tasting amazing is using fresh herbs rather than dried, and always the best meat you can afford. Makes 16 • 300g sausagemeat• 150g unsmoked streaky bacon, very finely chopped• 1 onion, finely diced• 1 tsp chopped fresh sage• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, leaves only• 1 tsp English mustard powder• ½ tsp ground mace• Salt and freshly ground pepper• 225g ready to roll puff pastry• 1 egg, beaten 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sausagemeat, bacon, onion, sage, thyme, mustard powder and mace. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator. 2. On a floured surface, roll the pastry out into three 10cm wide strips, about 3mm thick. Mould the sausagemeat filling into three sausage shapes about 2.5cm thick. 3. Put each sausage on a pastry strip about 2cm from the edge of the pastry. Brush the other side of the pastry with some of the beaten egg and then fold the pastry over the meat while rolling it. 4. Leave a slight overlap of pastry so that the roll is sealed securely. Carefully turn the rolls so that the seal is on the base and cut them into 5cm rolls. Transfer the rolls to a greased baking tray, brush with more of the egg and bake for 25-30 min until golden and crispy. Serve Eggleton co-owns the Pony, Chew Valley, Somerset (
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Woman in her 70s dies after crash with truck on A316 near Burford
A woman in her 70s was killed when her Range Rover was involved in a crash with a recovery crash at about 15:20 BST on Thursday resulted in the closure of the A361 near Burford, Oxfordshire, but it has since Range Rover's driver, from Oxfordshire, was given emergency medical treatment but she died at the recovery truck's driver, a man in his 20s, who is also from Oxfordshire, was taken to hospital and remains in a serious condition. PC Harry Welch, from Thames Valley Police, asked anyone who saw the crash to contact officers. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Derby-winning trainer Paul Cole announces his retirement
Legendary trainer Paul Cole has announced his retirement from horse training and will pass over the running of his yard to his son Oliver. The 83-year-old notched up 21 Royal Ascot successes, plus one in his recent partnership with Oliver and over 1,500 British winners, many out of his yard at Whatcombe in Oxfordshire, where he'd moved in 1987. Those included Generous, who gave Cole some great days, adding both the Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes to his Epsom triumph. Speaking to The Sun, Cole said: "I looked out at a horse this morning and just thought the time has come for me to retire. I've been sharing the licence with my son Oliver since 2020, and I'm just very old now. "Oliver knows what he's doing and is more than capable." At one time recognised for his prowess with juveniles, Cole won the 1990 St Leger with Snurge and also landed the 2003 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with Mr Dinos. No stranger to success abroad, he won the 1992 Washington DC International with Zoman, plus two Italian Derbys and an Irish Oaks. He nominated Generous as the best horse he had trained. Cole attributed his success down to luck, determination and help from his late wife Vanessa who passed away in May of last year. He also revealed the best horse he ever trained was Generous who stormed to victory in the Derby in 1991. He said: "I have loved training but it was a way of earning some money, be able to get married and be able to educate the children. That's why we travelled the horses so much. So we could earn people money who owned the horses. "Generous was like Roy Rogers' famous animal Trigger in that he was a flashy chestnut and by Caerleon who wasn't that popular. "We did have to go above budget, to 200,000 Irish guineas, but we got him. Generous was the best I trained. He had an incredible turn of foot – he won over 5f first time out. "When he kicked nothing was going to pass him."
