Issuu

AUTUMN / WINTER

NO 9

2026

Hogwash THE SEASONAL DISPATCH

15 FABULOUS YEARS Look back on the journey so far Local stories from our trusted suppliers Step inside our exciting new PIG!

+ hotel guide + news + outings + recipes HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER

PIGGY BITS

It’s been a long time coming… WE’RE INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO SHARE the latest on our very special project, THE PIG-on the farm, set just outside Stratford-upon-Avon. After quietly waiting in the wings for a few years, this new addition to the PIG litter has been evolving behind the scenes – and will be opening its doors in late summer 2027! If you’ve been following the journey for a while, thank you for sticking with us. This has truly been one of the most sensitive planning journeys we’ve ever undertaken at THE PIG, and we have been working carefully through every detail to make sure we do this extraordinary property justice. The good news? It’s going to be so worth the wait. Nestled within Warwickshire pasture and farmland, this is a proper working farm at heart, with a beautiful old farmhouse that’s watched over the land for centuries. It’s the sort of place that already has a soul; we’re simply lucky enough to become its next custodians. When you arrive, the first thing you’ll see is the Kitchen Garden – it felt only right that the beating heart of THE PIG should take pride of place. From there, you’ll wander into one of the most special restaurants we’ve ever created – and the biggest! – housed within a beautifully restored farm barn. And the bedrooms will be tucked throughout the farmhouse and surrounding buildings – each one full of the sort of character that only centuriesold buildings can offer. There’s still plenty to do. But after waiting so patiently, we thought you deserved to read a sneak peek from behind the doors by the women at the helm of our newest home (on page 4). Thank you for coming along for the ride! To be first in line to book a visit, sign up to our newsletter at thepighotel.com

Let’s get together At THE PIG, we love nothing more than welcoming everyone over to ours – especially at the most wonderful time of the year. So, round up the gang and come inside to our cosy corners where we’re putting on a fantastic line-up of unmissable events across the patches we call home, from wild foraging to wreath-making. We’d love for you to join us; find out more and book your space at thepighotel.com/events. Looking to host your own shindig? You’ve still come to the right place. We have heaps of special PIG spaces for private hire this winter – find your perfect spot on our Gather & Celebrate page at thepighotel.com

LOCAL GUIDE: TURN TO THE CENTRE PAGES FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ENJOY YOUR STAY. ALL YOUR ESSENTIAL

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

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WINTER SQUASH

It’s the season for...

While winter squash can take a long time to grow, our gardening teams will proudly tell you that this versatile veggie is well worth the wait. Sure, it’s a real workhorse for our kitchens and gardens throughout the colder months… but, truthfully, there’s nothing quite like the joyful surprise of finding these harvest-ready fruits in our veg beds on a frosty morning walk. Our PIGs’ teams plant many varieties of fabulously named winter squash: from Crown Prince and Spaghetti to Candy Roaster and Goosebumps; Polar Bear and Blue Hubbard to Piacenza Beret and Musquee de Provence. Each one can be worked into soups, stews, gratins and tarts, mixed with grains and salads, or simply enjoyed on its own. See what else we’re growing across our patches right now, with a free guided tour of our Kitchen Gardens. We’re always happy to show you around and answer any questions you have – especially if you’re a secret squash obsessive like us. Speak to our reception team or visit thepighotel.com/events/kitchen-garden-tours-at-the-pigs

Growing your own Squash is a masterclass in the importance of patience – and a good rest Start in spring If you sow squash seeds in April, you can expect a good harvest throughout October. At THE PIG, we sow our seeds in 9cm pots and let them germinate in the greenhouse. After about a week, we move them outside into garden cold frames to grow a little bigger and, in the meantime, we prepare their beds ready for planting in June. Preparation is key Winter squash is big, hungry and thirsty, so make sure you prepare its planting area well. Dig a hole and fill with a generous amount of manure (it’s rich in nitrogen and the squash roots find their way towards it), and cover with a mound of compost. Plant the veg on top of this. Don’t forget to hydrate Your squash will grow through the heat of summer and will need lots of water. If you have a small patch, you can water by hand. For our larger plots, we use drip line irrigation pipes to slowly soak the ground.

SO IT’S AL ON EAS THE S G… INDIN FOR F

, winter b apples a r c , s ip eh rt, ries, ros ennywo Sloe ber rooms, p h s u , m s e e ell tercr s chanter hairy bit t, o o r h is ing horserad lic, sting ered gar n r o -c e s e thr wer gorse flo nettles,

Room to breathe Squash are sprawling plants that need a lot of space. One trick our gardeners use is to to lean wooden pallets against a post to help give the vines something to climb up.

Your gift list, sorted

Need some inspiration for a gift or two? Our online PIG Market is full of some serious treats for true PIG fans that they’ll love to unwrap this winter. From gift vouchers to redeem during a stay, a supper or a seriously relaxing Potting Shed treatment, to exclusive Bramley bathroom goodies you’ll only find at THE PIGs – give them something to really look forward to when they need it most. Visit gifts.thepighotel.com

Here comes the cure After harvesting your squash in autumn, the trick is to give it time to cure – this really enhances the flavour to its full potential. Let it rest in a warm, well-ventilated area at about 27-29°C for around a month. The skins will harden and protect the flesh inside from rotting, helping your squash last for months.

HOTEL INFORMATION, ROOM GUIDE, TOP TIPS FROM OUR PIG TEAM, THE BEST OUTINGS, LOCAL HEROES AND THINGS TO DO.

HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER

W O R K I N PRO G RE S S

Bet the farm on it “IT’S WHAT THE PIG teams do best, really; we make those old buildings sing like they used to,” says Nancy Neville, Lead Interior Architect at THE PIGs. She’s chatting about the ongoing teamwork that she has been a big part of, in order to bring guests our soon-to-be newest member of the family, THE PIG-on the farm. This unique and genuinely extraordinary property just outside Stratford-upon-Avon will bring a mid-16th-century listed stone manor house back to life. Set in 53 acres, our exciting new PIG was once a proper working farm, and includes part of a deserted medieval village and a major tributary to the River Dene. “This is quite different from any site we’ve ever done before, because it really is on a farm, rather than simply being a country house. The restaurant is a stand-alone building, in a big old former cattle barn with huge high ceilings,” explains Nancy. “It was particularly challenging because we began with a dilapidated farmhouse in extreme disrepair, but clearly with lots of beautiful architectural details to uncover. The main house can now be seen for what it is: really beautiful, with windows and floors that are a little wonky, and big exposed timber beams everywhere. The ground floor is going to be the reception, and the upstairs will have incredible views. Some of the other bedrooms are housed in newly converted stable blocks.” “What I find most exciting about this property is that it already has such a strong identity,” says Nancy’s colleague Lauren Radford, our PIG Interior Designer. “The surrounding landscape and its agricultural heritage gave us a really rich starting point, so rather than imposing a design style, our focus was on uncovering what was already there and translating that into the interiors.” “Lauren is a very visual person, who can imagine a space as it could be and help others to do the same,” says Nancy. “I think part of the PIG

We can’t wait to open THE PIG-on the farm, just south of Stratfordupon-Avon – possibly our most epic PIG transformation yet

ethos is not overdesigning, but having a good instinct for the feeling you get from a place and sourcing these items and antiques to make each PIG feel like a home away from home.” The pair worked closely with other team members, including THE PIG’s Head of Property, Gemma May-Brown, on this new addition to our litter. “We’re always designing through the eyes of the guest,” adds Lauren. “We think about how someone arrives, where they’ll have their morning coffee, where they’ll gather with friends or quietly retreat with a book. Those seemingly small moments are what make a place memorable. For me, the most beautiful room in the world doesn’t work if people don’t want to sit in it, linger in it and come back to it.” As for how she achieves that in practice? “A big part of my role is sourcing and curating furniture, lighting and objects that give each space its own personality. We use a mix of vintage, reclaimed and bespoke pieces because they bring a level of individuality and imperfection that’s almost impossible to manufacture. They help the interiors feel as though they’ve been collected over many years, rather than installed all at once, which is such an important part of creating an authentic sense of place.” Ultimately, says Nancy, “Working with these kinds of heritage buildings means reinstating them and making them a public entity once again, so that everyone can enjoy them. There is so much joy to be found in the details of a historic site and the details of the craftsmanship. It’s lovely to reinstate those crafts.” The project is also close to her heart in another way: “My brother actually lives on the next farm over, so I know this landscape well. It’s so distinctly British, and I just know that guests are going to absolutely love discovering this setting and how these buildings have been transformed into a PIG.” THE PIG-on the farm is due to open in late summer 2027. Discover more and sign up to our mailing list for updates at thepighotel.com/on-the-farm

“There is so much joy to be found in the details of a historic site”

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

GUEST BO OK

Guest Book w i th F earne C otton The b road c aster, p od c aster and au thor on how she k eep s thi ng s c ool and c osy i n the au tu m n and w i nter m onths – i nc l u d i ng w i th p al s at THE P IG - on the b eac h A musician I like to listen to as the seasons change is Joshua Burnside. He is a brilliant Northern Irish artist who has such beautiful lyrics and atmosphere in his songs. The Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi is also good for any changing season, somehow. I love Seven Days Walking [his project of seven volumes of music released over seven months, in 2019] especially Campfire Day 4. What brings me happiness around the kitchen table is having loads of mates over on a Sunday. You just need good wine, lots of sharing dishes and music playing. I first stayed at a PIG during a Glastonbury weekend, so my memory of that is a little blurry. I’ve since had many a gorgeous meal at THE PIG-on the beach. Me and my girlfriends stayed there and laughed until we couldn’t breathe. What fun! In the colder months, my must-have dish on the 25 Mile Menu is anything hearty, comforting and veggie. THE PIG has so many good veggie dishes. My kids love the piggy bits, too.

I’ve been known to host some very long lunches. My last started with bellinis at midday and finished at 10pm! I felt very rough the next day and had Joseph Fiennes to interview first thing. Not my usual style, as I think of myself as organised and professional, but the lunch was too much fun – Rylan wouldn’t leave. The outfit that brings me joy in party season is anything with sequins on. I’m a clichéd mid-forties magpie. I love sparkly dresses, trousers, tops, bags – half my wardrobe is sequins that I don’t wear as I don’t go out enough. That needs to change. Read along with Fearne’s Happy Place Book Club at happyplaceofficial. co.uk/pages/happy-place-book-club-fearne-cotton. Look out for a special Happy Place Book Club event coming to THE PIG-near Bath this October

My go-to tipple at the bar is a negroni. And my friends and I discovered a cocktail we love at THE PIG-on the beach called Electric Daisy. The daisies are hand-picked from the Kitchen Garden, which makes it even more special. One must-do tip for a PIG guest is to go on a huge walk. I’m always ready for a big old walk after breakfast. Coming back to THE PIG afterwards is always the cosiest experience and you really feel you have earned a nice glass of wine. The travel essentials I always pack relate to me being a bad sleeper. So I bring my Tempur pillow, eye mask, ear plugs and various sleeping vitamins. I’m also common as muck and have always preferred instant coffee to regular, so I bring that too. Judge as you will. My favourite book to delve into as the nights draw in is usually a big new fiction release. Past favourites include All Fours by Miranda July and Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. 6

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE; OUR ELECTRIC DAISY COCKTAIL; FEARNE RELISHES A COSY PIG INTERIOR IN THE COLDER MONTHS; FEARNE LOVES THE PIG’S HEARTY VEGGIE FARE; SINGER-SONGWRITER JOSHUA BURNSIDE; THE PIG-ON THE BEACH

INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ SOMERSET CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON LOCAL DISTILLERIES PSYCHOPOMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE

We lc o m e t o

NOWHERE ELSE MARRIES MELLOW ENGLISH countryside and buzzing creative energy quite like Somerset, where a dairy farmer invented the world’s most famous music festival and cutting-edge galleries sit amid dreamy meadows. The local cheese isn’t bad, either. THE PIG’s suitably laid-back and impossibly romantic home here is Hunstrete House, a Grade II listed building built in creamy Bath stone and set in 30 acres of deer park. Known hereabouts as The Lodge, it dates from 1820, but the estate’s roots lie far deeper. In the Anglo-Saxon era, it belonged to the Abbey of Glastonbury – reputed resting place of King Arthur – and it was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The origin of the name Huntstrete is unclear, but might derive from the Old English hund (hound) and street. And the area has been inhabited since the earliest times, as confirmed by a flint axe head found in Common Wood. A manor house was first mentioned in 1258, and at the start of the 17th century, the estate was acquired by the family of Sir John Popham. While we find The Lodge more than comfortable, Sir John’s descendants evidently wanted something grander – look out from our gardens and you’ll see the ruined arches of a mansion they tried (but ultimately failed) to add here in the 19th century. The family owned Hunstrete House until 1977, when it was sold to John and Thea Dupays, who converted it into a hotel. The features in the Kitchen Garden at our Somerset PIG, including the original greenhouses, were lovingly renovated by our team – ensuring the design laid out by gardeners past was not lost. The Kitchen Garden has also grown with demand for its wonderful produce, and is now double the size it was when we opened in 2014. Our historic property is definitely enjoying a whole new chapter.

BATH THE PIG - NEAR

THE PIG-NE AR BATH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER

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Wa n d er i n to th e w a lled K i tch en G a r d en ... ... through the raised beds, out past our berry house and fruit cages, and into our warm, rustic retreats: the two Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm, and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full-body and facial treatments using products by Tribe517, a family-run natural skincare brand that handcrafts its products in the beautiful South Wales countryside. Like us, Tribe517 is passionate about using homegrown or botanical ingredients that care for the planet as well as mind and body – and is dedicated to recycling and using up everything it can.

G ood to k n ow Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.

PIG PICKS

LOCAL TOP TIPS FROM OUR

R ec ep ti on Team WHAT WE LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS AREA IN AUTUMN AND WINTER is when it’s a cold day and the fires are roaring, seeing guests come back from a long local walk and make themselves totally at home. We also love the PIG menu at this time of year – it’s game season, so there is lots of local game and hearty root vegetable dishes, soups, risottos and stews. OUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THIS PIG is the people: our guests and the whole PIG team. OUR GO-TO DISH ON THE 25 MILE MENU is a good, hearty gardener’s broth. A MUST-VISIT LOCAL PUB is The Compton Inn – it’s within walking distance, does a good pint and is really quaint in its own charming way. A LOCAL GEM is The Beckford Bottle Shop in Bath. It’s a real find, on a lovely little side street called Saville Row. It has a great selection of wine and amazing small plates to share. WINTER WILDLIFE TO LOOK OUT FOR includes starling murmurations, bitterns (known as “booming bitterns” for their loud call), red kites and lapwings. The best place to see them nearby is Avalon Marshes. BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW that Anna Chancellor (aka Duckface from Four Weddings and a Funeral) was part of the family that owned this hotel for many years.

SHED MEETS SPA S H E

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Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the décor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. It was dreamt up by THE PIG’s former Creative Director, Judy Hutson, whose vision was to “ﬁll the shelves with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have. Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs – and, of course, no shed is complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”

THE PIG - NE AR BATH \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

Spirited away How a Bristol-based former doctor went from gin-making hobbyist to national award-winner with his fabulously named distilleries, Psychopomp and Circumstance

LIAM HIRT HAS BEEN CRAFTING interesting and innovative spirits for almost two decades. Perhaps unusually in his current line of work, Liam is a former cardiologist. Having begun as an amateur distiller, making limitededition batches of seasonal gins using a makeshift still in the basement of his house, he soon found that he could sell out of his stock almost instantly. This was in 2014, some years before the large-scale craft gin boom was even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. It wasn’t long before the hobbyist needed to licence his cellar. “Back then, that was pretty unusual,” he grins. “The operation certainly grew quickly from that point and my wife soon kicked me out of the basement, arguing that if I was going to do this, I had to do it properly.” In 2016, Liam bought a little premises on St Michael’s Hill in Bristol. He installed two stills, and Psychopomp Microdistillery was born (the trippy-sounding name comes from the ancient Greek word for a mythological spirit guide). He and his small team continued to focus on gin – their signature gin, Woden, remains extremely popular – but they also began to up the experimentation. Alongside what they believe is the first English aquavit, and a punchy

AN ARRAY OF CRAFT GINS (TOP). PSYCHOPOMP’S HOME ON ST MICHAEL’S HILL, BEHIND AN OLD SHOPFRONT (ABOVE). THE PIG’S FAVOURITE COFFEE DIGESTIF (LEFT )

THE PIG-NE AR BATH \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER

LIAM HIRT (FAR LEFT ) AND THE TOOLS OF HIS TRADE (LEFT )

“If you’ve got an excellent spirit going into the cask to start with, you don’t need to wait 20 years” Bristolian absinthe, they also created an extraordinary single-origin coffee digestif that we’ve been serving here at THE PIG-near Bath for about as long as we can remember. “We don’t put sugar in anything.” says Liam, careful to stress that, for this reason, the spirit in question is not a liqueur. “We use single-origin coffee beans and a really gentle extraction process similar to cold brew, so that you get the coffee flavours and a little bit of the sugars from the bean without getting the bitterness. Once you start adding the heat and the pressure, the bitter flavours start to disappear, and without those there’s no great need to chuck in a load of sugar. Plus, we use a wheat spirit, which is quite sweet anyway.” Liam would likely say it’s best served neat over ice, which we do highly recommend, but we also use it in our espresso martinis or even poured over vanilla ice cream for an elevated affogato. In 2018, Liam founded Psychopomp’s sister distillery, Circumstance, in order to expand into whisky production. “There is very little snobbery in English whisky,” he says, “and we make whiskies that mix well and that bartenders enjoy working with.” Indeed, the distillery’s “flavour first” philosophy depends on the freedom to experiment with fermentation times, ageing techniques, hybrid stills, lesser-known cereals, AI and machine learning. It’s an approach that seems to be working: Circumstance was named Best New English Distillery at the English Whisky Awards 2026.

“We focus on the new make spirit [unaged whisky] and making sure that is as flavoursome as possible,” says Liam. “If you’ve got an excellent spirit going into the cask to start with, you don’t need to wait 20 years and then finish it off with a Pedro Ximénez to make it taste great. Our three-year-old whisky goes up against 12-year-old Speyside [a Scottish region for whisky] and often comes out on top.” It’s a brave new world in spirits, and Liam and his team have worked hard to be a key part of it. Here at the PIGs, we also couldn’t help but notice Psychopomp’s impressive response to the COVD-19 pandemic. In 2020, they pivoted to gin-based hand sanitiser to combat nationwide shortages. “There must have been very few people in the world who owned a distillery and had the medical expertise to make a safe and effective hand sanitiser. We were the first distillery in the world to do it and showed others the way,” says Liam. “As a result, I worked with governments and distilleries as far afield as Canada and Oman to switch their production to hand sanitiser.” Liam says he was proud that these efforts “not only aided communities in need but also sparked legislative change”. It all comes back to the same values that remain at the heart of the small Bristol-based business today. “The experience reinforced our belief in the power of compassion – and the power of innovation.” Try Psychopomp’s Single Origin Coffee Digestif at the bar or when you eat with us here at THE PIG-near Bath. Learn more about Pschopomp at microdistillery.co.uk

THE PIG - NE AR BATH \ HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

GET EXPLORING... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.

QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website

Download three of our favourite walking routes

ST ORIES FRO M 1 5 YEA RS O F T HE P IG

MAGIC NUMBERS: TABLE FL AGS HAVE BEEN A HALLMARK OF OUTDOOR DINING AT THE PIG-ON THE BEACH SINCE IT OPENED

Flying the flag The quirky handmade flags that mark your table at THE PIG-on the beach are handmade with care, repurposing fabrics from across all of our PIG hotels in loving, sustainable style WHEN THE PIG-ON THE BEACH OPENED back in 2014, it was an instant hit. Such a hit, in fact, that there were always more people trying to get a table for lunch than there were spaces. Hardly surprising – there are few lovelier ways to while away an afternoon than gazing out at Old Harry Rocks from the hotel’s sunny lawn. The wood-fired pizzas from the Garden Oven were especially popular, so we hit upon the idea of letting people bring a picnic rug and be served on the grass if all the tables were full. As Beach, as everyone calls our gingerbread house perched above Studland Bay, is all about old-fashioned English charm, our original interior design queen, Judy Hutson, came up with the idea of beach-inspired numbered flags, and the system instantly became part of the hotel’s relaxed, seaside vibe. A decade (and many thousands of pizzas) later, those original, hastily made flags were looking a little the worse for wear, so Darryl Harris, one of the team at THE PIG-at Bridge Place, came up with an inspired plan to update them. “I’ve worked for THE PIG for 13 years,” he explains, “and I was working with Judy, before she retired, as part of the interiors team, so I got a peek behind the curtain and saw her process – the thousand details that make THE PIG what it is,” he says. He decided that, with another busy summer approaching, the flags needed a reboot. Darryl’s idea was to re-use remnants of fabrics used in PIG interiors to make the new flags. “It might seem like a small detail,” he says, “but to me it tells a story about what THE PIG’s all about.” To kick off, he tracked down as many old broom handles as he could. Next, “I spent the day going through the fabric store at our New Forest HQ – an Aladdin’s cave of PIG! I piled it all into my car and drove back to Bridge.”

Darryl remembered that Siahn, the partner of THE PIG-at Bridge Place’s Restaurant Manager, Liam, was a very good seamstress. He got in touch and, although the job needed turning around in just two weeks, Siahn was delighted to help. “I love projects like this,” she says. “I was so excited, I stayed up the first night till 12, working out the pattern and the best way of doing it.” Taught to hand-stitch by her stepmother, Siahn has always loved sewing and now, alongside her day job working for a dancewear company, she often does her own craft projects. “I gave Siahn some little rectangles of fabric that were used in the very first hotel and at THE PIG-in-the-wall,” says Darryl. “Then there were fabrics from our newest hotel in the Cotswolds and the new bedrooms at Bath. A particular favourite is one we used in the bedrooms in the New Forest – Judy chose it because she thought the bird looked cheeky!” Just ten days later the flags were ready to collect – all 35 of them. In a gorgeous array of PIG fabrics, with the numbers hand-stencilled on by Darryl, and stiffened with lollipop sticks inside so they would stand proud, the flags were delivered to THE PIG-on the beach and immediately put to use. “Guests love them,” says Darryl. “A few people have even asked if they could buy them, or recognised a fabric from a bedroom they’ve stayed in. If you lay all 35 on the floor, you can walk through the story of THE PIG chronologically.” Darryl would love to work with Siahn again. “She’s so talented. And I love the fact it was a way of keeping it in the family. We could have got one of our fabric suppliers to make them, but why wouldn’t I go to the Restaurant Manager’s partner? That’s the PIG way!” Look out for our flags when you sit down to eat with us at THE PIG-on the beach

“It tells a story about what THE PIG is all about”

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In a P i c k l e Serves 1 · 40ml Sapling Gin · 20ml Cocchi Extra Dry Vermouth · 15ml cucumber juice (this

the skin) or simply muddle a couple of 1cm-thick discs of fresh cucumber in the cocktail shaker, and double-strain to remove the skin at the end.

lasts 2 days in the fridge – add a little citric acid to extend the life to 4 days) · 5ml pickle brine (juice from shop-bought pickles works) · 2 drops dill oil (recipe below. Alternatively, infuse

For the dill oil, blitz a good handful of fresh dill with extra virgin olive oil in a blender (add in a little spinach if you want this extra green) and strain through a coffee filter.

some of the vermouth with a little dill for 2 days beforehand)

This is our homegrown spin on a classic martini – nice and savoury with great flavour pairings and freshness! To make the cucumber juice, either put a cucumber through a juicer (which will remove

Then place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake hard and finely strain to serve straight up in a chilled Nick and Nora cocktail glass or a classic martini glass. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon. Learn how to rustle up even more of our simple PIG classics by watching our YouTube series PIG Tales – visit youtube.com/ @ThePigHotel/videos

Makes 12 For the ham hock

For the breadcrumb coating

• 1 ham hock

• 100g ﬂour

• 4 pig cheeks

• 2 eggs, whisked

• ½ onion, ½ leek, ½ carrot,

• 100g breadcrumbs

and ½ stick celery, chopped • 1 bay leaf • 1 thyme sprig • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns • a good pinch chopped parsley • salt and pepper

For the Brock eggs

• a sprinkle of celery salt

For the mustard dressing • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon Colman’s mustard • 250ml rapeseed oil • salt and pepper

• 12 quail eggs • salt

Put the ham hock and pig cheeks in a large pan with the veg, herbs and peppercorns, and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer on a medium heat for 2½ hours or until the meat falls off the bone. Remove from the heat and leave the ham to cool in the cooking liquor for about 30 minutes – until it is cool enough to touch. Drain and discard the veg. You can keep the stock to use in other dishes, for instance to enhance a soup or sauce.

What to drink with this dish…

While the meat is cooking, place the quail eggs in a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 2½ minutes. Then place them in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. When they’ve cooled, peel off the shells, taking care not to split them open.

Our PIG Group Beverage Director, Luke Harbor, recommends three perfect pairings for these tasty bites

Once the ham has cooled enough to touch, pick off the meat and shred it by hand into a large bowl (don’t eat it all now!). Add the chopped parsley and season to taste.

P i not N ero B ressan, 2 0 2 1

Divide the meat into 12 pieces, then spread out each piece into a thin circular shape, about the size of a saucer, on your work surface. Very gently wrap the quail eggs in the meat, being extra careful not to squeeze them.

Earthy, savoury and a little bit wild – just the thing for ham hock, pig cheek and crispy crumbs. This is a red with enough freshness to keep these Brock eggs properly moreish.

P anorá m i c o “ O” B l anc o R i oj a, 2 0 1 4

These are everyone’s favourite. They were on our first menu 15 years ago – and we still get through thousands each month! Back when we were coming up with the idea of little nibbles to eat with a drink – which we now call piggy bits – we had a crack at making the ultimate Scotch egg. We do a punchy Colman’s dressing to go with them, as there’s nothing better than a Scotch egg with mustard.

Leave to set on a tray in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Golden, textured and nutty, this white rioja loves the richness of the meat and the punch of mustard. A unique wine for one of our legendary little dishes.

Now for the breadcrumb coating. Roll each ball in flour then dunk it in the whisked egg, roll in the breadcrumbs and deep fry. If you want, you can also colour them in a non-stick pan and flash through the oven, if needed.

C hap el D ow n “ K i t’s C oty ” B l anc d e B l anc s, K ent 2 0 1 4

When they’re crispy, season with celery salt and serve with the mustard dressing.

An extremely special English fizz from a historic Kent vineyard. Bright, chalky and toasty, you’d be forgiven for thinking it had come from our neighbours over in the Côte des Blancs.

To make the dressing, put the vinegar and mustard in a food processor and, while mixing slowly, add the oil until it starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and put a nice big dollop under the Brock eggs.

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

E THO S

OUR

PIG

PEOPLE ARE THE FUTURE OF

C A R IN G A N D C ON S I D E R E D HOS P I TA L I T Y AT HEART, THE PIGs are restaurants with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden. Our gardeners and chefs work hand in hand to create menus brimful of the freshest seasonal flavours. What we can’t grow ourselves, we source from our local heroes – the best farmers, fishermen and foragers we know, who are the foundation of our 25 mile menu. We are obsessive recyclers and restorers: from vintage fabrics and china to DIY on-site smokeries and upcycled chicken sheds, we love anything homemade and ultra-local. Each of our PIGs is totally different – we always go with the grain of the place, taking our lead from the spirit of the building to create somewhere that feels lived in and well loved. The bedrooms are pretty comfy, too! Rooted in some of the most stunning parts of the English countryside, the places that we are lucky enough to call home are pretty special – with endless things to do and see, tight-knit communities and loads of talent all around. It’s important to us to play a positive role, whether it’s providing employment, sourcing local ingredients, forging links with nearby schools and charities, or simply being the go-to place for our neighbours to celebrate their special moments. It’s a privilege to work so collaboratively with all of these local heroes that we count as friends and to play our part in these strong, supportive local communities. Our PIG people are what really make us tick. We believe that our team of almost 1,000 talented professionals working across the hotels – chefs, kitchen gardeners, waiters, sommeliers, bar staff, housekeepers and everyone behind the scenes – is helping to shape the future of caring and considered hospitality. From the newest apprentice to the most experienced manager, they are what make THE PIGs a happy place to be and the reason our guests enjoy their time with us. We couldn’t be more proud of them – and you couldn’t be more welcome here! 14

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER

THE PIG IN In 2 0 2 6 , w e p rou d l y m ai ntai ned ou r three- star F ood M ad e G ood rati ng from The S u stai nab l e R estau rant A ssoc i ati on

5,000 The nu m b er of trees ( to d ate) that w e hav e p l anted b y w ork i ng w i th ou r g rou p sp i ri t p artner, S ap l i ng

S · NE

· NE

Together against hunger

NUMBERS

300, 000 Ov er

Here at THE PIGs, we are long-standing supporters (14 years and counting!) of Action Against Hunger – a global humanitarian organisation dedicated to ending world hunger. One of the ways that we at THE PIGs offer our support is by getting behind the charity’s annual Restaurants Against Hunger campaign. Every September and October, we add a voluntary £1 donation to all restaurant bills, offering our guests a simple and accessible way to make a meaningful difference. For the 2025 campaign alone, our guests’ generosity helped raise £25,506, contributing to the charity’s vital work in preventing hunger and malnutrition. So, when you head down to one of our cosy restaurants this autumn, as well as enjoying some wholesome and hearty homegrown dishes from our kitchen, you can also help to make a positive impact as a force for good.

seed l i ng s p rod u c ed at ou r C entral N u rsery i n 2 0 2 5

1 7 0 ,7 6 2

THE P IG s’ l i feti m e c ontri b u ti on i n £ to ou r g rou p c hari ty p artners, A c ti on A g ai nst Hu ng er HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER

THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay

THE PIG-at Combe

THE PIG-on the farm

THE PIG-in the Cotswolds

THE PIG-near Bath

THE PIG-in the wall

THE PIG-in the South Downs

Designed and edited by Uncommonly, 30 - 32 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU (uncommonly.co.uk). Printed in East Sussex by Pureprint, a CarbonNeutral ® Company. The paper is carbon balanced with the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity. With special thanks to all of our partners and those in THE PIG team that have contributed to this issue.

THE PIG in the New Forest

THE PIG-on the beach

nd out more here

THE PIG-at Bridge Place

OVER AND OUT

HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER