It's The End Of The Year

Thank You
Well, another year draws to a close – and we’d just like to say thank you to all our customers for making 2011 very enjoyable (despite the world’s economic woes).  We hope your visits to The Maltsters have gone some way to making the year’s trials and tribulations more bearable for you!

Where’s My Card?!
In case you’re wondering, we’re not sending out Christmas cards this year – instead all the money we’d normally have spent has gone to Macmillan Cancer Support.  Taking this and all our other fund-raising events over the year together, we’ve raised over £1,400 for the charity in the last 12 months.  We reckon that’s pretty good going indeed and the generosity of everyone who’s supported us in this is much appreciated.  I guess the target for 2012 is to beat that ...

People Like Us!
Another highlight of the year has been our promotion from ‘lucky dip’ to ‘recommended’ in the Good Pub Guide, and it’s nice to see some great feedback coming our way from visitors writing reviews on Trip Advisor.   If you’re one of those very kind people who’ve contributed to these, we’ve very grateful.  Here are the links if you’d like to read further:

The Good Pub Guide

Trip Advisor

On  The Food Front
On the food front,  the departure of one of our team of two chefs, Paul, for pastures new necessarily made for some changes.  However, we’re very pleased to say Geoff (formerly of the Stag and Huntsman) has fitted in really well. Working closely with Karl, the last few months have seen the new team introduce some fresh treats on the menu as well as the old favourites, all of which have gone down very well with you, our customers.  Helped by a new local game supplier, we like to think our food has gone from strength to strength over the last 12 months. (And that’s not to mention those fresh French ingredients that we bring back from our trips over the ditch.)

And I think that’s about it for this last mailing of the year.  So, in lieu of a card – ‘Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year’ – and many thanks again for all your custom and support over the past year. Here’s to 2012.

See you soon.


Peter and Helen

French Success (Despite the costumes!)

For reasons that I don't quite understand, the males in the team here at the Maltsters don't frighten everyone away on our "French Nights".  I'm very pleased to be able to say that, instead, they're always a resounding success, and the latest one was no exception. (Perhaps it's the females ...)

We were booked solid again (62 covers) and the fresh French food we'd brought back from our last trip was very enthusiastically consumed ...

Here's to the next one!

Scallops. Fresh Scallops!

As regulars will know, whenever we go to France we bring back scallops if we can.

We’ve just been to France and yes, fresh King Scallops (which we collected directly from fisherman at the Port Of Ouistreham, near Caen in Normandy) are on the menu from the 22nd November.

There are two dishes to pick from:

* King Scallops in their shells, “AuGratin” baked in the oven with béchamel sauce and Parmesan.

or

* Scallops wrapped in streaky bacon and served with potato cake and black pudding.

Both are priced at £14.95.  As always, they’ll be available only until the run out – and supplies are limited. (Please note that this offer cannot be used with any discount vouchers.)

And Also ...

While we’re writing – I’m sure you don’t need to be told that Christmas is looming! We’ve a great menu this year including a two-course option, so do book your Christmas meal or party very soon as we’re getting quite full up now. Full details are here.


Looking forward to seeing you soon.


Peter and Helen

Quiz Night Success!

Our quiz night on the 13th November was a great success. Thanks to everyone who took part - all 15 teams!

From the entrance fee and the raffle we raised £300 for Macmillan Cancer Support and the winners, the Belchers and Syretts, very kindly donated the £50 first prize back to the charity.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out - and, again, many thanks to everyone for their support.


Peter

November Offer: Order Two Courses, Get Twenty Percent Off!

Enjoy a two course meal with us, and you’ll enjoy a 20% discount off your food bill. Any time, lunch or evening or both, Monday-Thursday, throughout November, as often as you like!

Just download the voucher from the web site and present it to us when placing your order.  It’s as simple as that.  You’d be mad not to!

See you soon.

Peter

The 13th November Is Quiz Night

Just a quick note to say that the 13th November will see us open on Sunday evening (again!) for a special quiz night.

In aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, entry is just £10 per team (up to five people) with all proceeds going to the charity.

It should be a lot of fun and it's all for a good cause so I hope to see you there.  Doors open at 7.30 for an 8.00 start.

Start reading up on your general knowledge now!

Music! At The Maltsters! On A Sunday Evening!

Sunday, 30th October sees us hosting a music night in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.  With six singers booked already it promises to be great fun – and we’re including an ‘open mic’ segment to the evening too, so if you’ve have a musical talent you’d like to show off, we’d love to hear you!

As I write this it’s feeling like autumn already and the clocks will be going back on the weekend of the 29th/30th, so we hope you’ll agree with us in thinking this charity evening should be a very good way to fight back against the gloom of those darker winter evenings!

So, we really hope to see you on Sunday 30th for a good time doing something just a bit different ...    There won’t be any food on the evening (being Sunday) but of course there’ll be drink, good company and a raffle for Macmillan – and the music!

There’s no admission fee and no need to book – just turn up and enjoy yourself, for a good cause.

See you soon


Peter & Helen

Oh No, Not More Sports Fans!

Karina from New Zealand and Phil from London are our 'live in' couple. They have been with us for seven months now, working the front of house. Karina - who is also our resident bagpiper! - has great expectations for the rugby world cup, just as any Kiwi. Phil meanwhile is a serious cricketer who, despite his Kiwi partner, always wears the English Rose. Brave man!

The Puddings Are Coming Back

Well, we promised a return of the Steak and Kidney Puddings - and we keep our promises.

We’re delighted to confirm that from next week our home made Steak and Kidney puddings will be back on the menu. We only make them once a week, for serving on Tuesdays.   Yes, that means the 4th October is the big day!

These puddings  are homemade and, as experts will know, they have to be properly steamed to be really good. That means there’s only a limited number available on the Tuesdays – 24 to be precise – and once they’re gone for the day that’s it.  There’s no ‘microwave magic’ here!

So, if you’re keen (and who could blame you?) do feel free to book a table and a pudding in advance (01491 628400). If you’re more of a risk-taker  just make sure to get here early, whether it’s for lunch or dinner.

We hope to see you soon – and on a Tuesday if you’re after a really gorgeous Steak and Kidney Pudding.

Peter and Helen

PS:  I know, I know, but don’t forget Christmas.  We’ve a great menu this year, so do book your Christmas meal or party soon. Full details are here.

Goodbye Paul, Hello Geoff

One of our team of two chefs, Paul, has decided to move on to pastures new after 12 years; we're sorry to see him go but, of course, we wish him well. Don't worry - Karl remains, and is now joined by Geoff, formerly of the Stag and Huntsman at Hambleden.  The new team is working together to produce some fresh treats for our menus ... while keeping the old favourites!

Do Nothing. Enjoy Christmas.

All Christmas parties should be fun and hassle free – yours included!

It’s fashionable to moan about the Christmas season but we like it.  It’s really satisfying to be able to make Christmas parties enjoyable.  All of us here, the staff in the kitchen, the staff waiting on tables and the staff behind the bar, are anything but ‘humbug’.

And, of course, for us, organising a party isn’t a hassle – it’s something we do all year round.  Have your Christmas party at The Maltsters and it won’t be a hassle for you either!

So, whether you’re thinking about a small office party or a bigger ‘works do’; a festive night out with your club or society or just a nice Christmas meal with a group of friends, come to The Maltsters for your celebration, knowing  you’ll  be able to relax and enjoy an evening provided by a team that’s dedicated to making sure everything is just as it should be.

This year we’re offering a two- or three-course menu, with both versions offering some really tasty festive-themed treats.  Full details and how to book are now on the web site – click here for more information.

As always, spaces are limited and December can fill up rather quickly, so we hope to hear from you soon.

Instant or Delayed?

Let’s start with the Instant – and no, I don’t mean micro-waved meals. I mean instant gratification in the form of an offer you can start using right away.

As what passed for Summer seems to be slipping very rapidly in to Autumn already, we thought we’d make September a little better for everyone by offering 20% off all food on Thursdays until the end of the month. All you need to do is download and print your free voucher from the Special Events Page on the web site, and present it with your order. Simple.

You can make use of this offer on as many Thursdays as you want to – and you can even come in for lunch and dinner. Just print off as many copies of the voucher as you need!

And delayed?

Well, with Autumn comes the need for some heartier fare than summer and yes, that means Steak and Kidney puddings. We’ve already had a couple of fans asking whether they’re going to be coming back and this is just to reassure everyone who’s keen that the answer is a very definite ‘yes’. We promise you they’ll be on the menu again in October. More details when the time is nearer.

We hope to see you soon.



Peter and Helen

Two Specials

First Up – something for the weekend.


It just so happens we have some rather nice mussels at the moment.  We thought it would be nice to do something special with them and we’ve come up with this tempting little treat:

Between now and the end of the Bank Holiday weekend (or until we’ve sold out) pop up any lunch time or evening and treat yourself to some “Moules-frites” and we’ll give you a free glass of white or rose wine for accompaniment.  As simple as that!

Secondly, a year-long special.


Sorry, we should have mentioned this before, but better late than never.  We are members of the ‘Eat Out Locally’ scheme, which entitles members to a special discount on all food (excluding other offers), Monday-Thursday, on an ongoing basis.  To join costs £10 a year, you can use the discount as often as you like and, all in all, it’s good value.  (There are loads of other local pubs and restaurants in the scheme too, but why you’d want to visit them rather than the Maltsters we just don’t know!)  To join, visit their web site:  http://www.eatoutlocally.com/

Our Fame Spreads!

One of the recent additions to our newsletter mailing list:

"Good Morning from South Florida.  Do you send your news letter via email? Your pub is my brother and sister-in-law's favourite. They live in Henley.  I along with my counsin will be visiting next year in May. As an ex-chef I am always interested in places with great food ...  [it's] a long way away but worth looking forward too."

We've had many a visitor to Henley and the area calling in before now, but this is our first international newsletter sign-up!

The Best Food For Summer

For August, bring along your special offer voucher on Wednesdays and claim a free pudding to go with your fish ‘n’ chips.  Come along as many Wednesdays as you want to, lunch and dinner! 

We were thinking, warm weather is a bit odd in that it makes you want to get out and do things to work up an appetite, but it also tends to put you off big, heavy meals. So, what’s good summer food?

Last month our Seafood Extravaganza was a real success and we know that seafood and summer do go together well, but we thought doing another seafood special in August would be a bit dull ... So, in a fit of brilliance, we’ve decided to feature fish ‘n’ chips for the month.

What that means is that for every Wednesday in August, starting the 3rd, if you order fish ‘n’ chips for lunch or dinner and present us with the free August voucher, you can also enjoy a free pudding. It’s as simple as that. We think that combination should be just about spot-on for warm summer days.

To claim your free pudding just bring along the August Offer Voucher, downloadable here.

Now, all we need are some warm summer days!

See you soon.



Peter and Helen

There's Light And There's Light!

Just a quick entry to show you regulars John and Joyce tucking into our pork mixed grill - all sourced from Windmill Farm in Watlington, just up the road. We sell this as a "light bite" but I have to say John and Joyce didn't go for a pudding afterwards!

Cheeky!

Once in a while we try to get away from it all, and so just the other week I found myself in London's oldest restaurant, 'Rules', where I tried a very old-fashioned dish of Braised Pork Cheeks and Black Pudding in Cider Sauce.

Wow!

I decided there and then that we must try this back at the pub and, after managing to source some cheeks from my butcher, chef Karl has now created this really fantastic dish. It's on the Specials Board as I write ... try it!

If you can’t be at the seaside ...

We were thinking, if you can’t be at the seaside in summer then the next best thing has to be enjoying some gorgeous seafood.

So, from the 4th to the 31st July, we’re running what can only be called a Seafood Extravaganza. Yes, an Extravaganza! Not a promotion and certainly not a common-or-garden special offer!

On the menu there’ll be Moules Marinière à la Crème (with skinny fries), Fish Smorgasbord and Fresh ‘Brixham’ dressed crab salad. If you download the voucher from the website here and present it to us when you order, then you can enjoy any one of those treats for just £12.95 – AND we’ll give you a free 175ml glass of chilled rose or dry white wine – the perfect refreshing accompaniment.

And if that’s not an extravaganza, then it’s certainly being extravagant with our wine cellar!

So, come on up and enjoy some really good seafood dishes anytime from the 4th to the 31st July, as many times as you like. Looking forward to seeing you.


Peter and Helen

Father’s Day

We’re not sure why, but Father’s Day is one of those dates that – despite coming around every year – tends to sneak up on us. And it’s not just us – talking to our regulars, they all say the same thing.

So, in case you’d forgotten – Father’s Day is this coming Sunday!

This time around, rather than inflict yet another pair of socks or – unthinkable – a novelty tie on the man in your life, why not let us buy him a drink! Yes, we’ll buy Dad a drink with any main meal ordered. All you have to do is download the voucher on this page and present it to us when you place your order. Simple – and a welcome change for Dad.


See you Sunday.

Celebrate! It’s Thursday!

If you ponder it, Thursdays are, well, a bit odd. Some will tell you that 'Thursday is the new Friday' but we’re not convinced by that. It doesn't get the favouritism that Mondays enjoy, with all those Bank Holidays, and it's not a milestone for the middle of the week either. All in all, it can be a bit limp really.

So, we thought, let's try and rectify that! After all, we should all try and enjoy every day really, not just weekends, high days and holidays. To that end, to help, for all the Thursdays in June we’ve decided to offer 20% off all food bills, and we’re reducing the price of our (very drinkable) house wine to £10.00 a bottle.

To take advantage, all you need to do is download the free voucher available on this page and present it when you pay. It's as simple as that.

So, whoever you are, whatever you do and without any 'special' reason at all, you can now celebrate Thursdays. Why not?



Thanks for reading – and see you soon.




Peter & Helen

Being A Sporting Man ...

Of course, everyone knows that my prime sporting passion is cricket. Nevertheless, I am able to understand the passion that leads football fans to get excited about Reading’s upcoming play-off match this coming Friday.

I can even forgive them for cancelling their bookings for my French Country Cuisine special that same Friday.

What that does mean though, is that I’ve gone from being fully booked to having a couple of tables going free!

So, if you fancy a really nice French-themed evening meal menu, with treats ranging from cauliflower soup with Roquefort cheese to Calvados and apple sorbet; from rabbit stew to sole fillets with a green and red grape sauce ... and lots more besides, then there’s a newly available opportunity that you really ought to take.

There are full details including a downloadable menu on the web site here. The newly-free tables are very limited so do book as soon as you can -  01491 628400.

One To Share

We like to do things for charity when we can and this Easter we had a huge (and I mean 4.5kg’s worth of ‘huge’) chocolate egg to raffle. The winner was Malika Stubbs ... whose mum says she’ll be taking the egg to preschool to share. Whether Malika agrees with that I’m not sure!

In total the raffle for the egg raised £390 for Macmillan,  so many thanks to everyone for taking part. It's appreciated.

Captain Britannia

The 23rd was St George’s Day and for the sixth year running we had one of our now famous – or should that be infamous? – dinners to mark the occasion. There were 30 guys dressed appropriately, and the staff all looked the part too. I started off in my blazer but somehow ended the evening as Captain Britannia for reasons that aren’t entirely clear ...  The music went on late into the night, with far too many repeats of 'Land of Hope and Glory' and 'Rule Britannia'. Helen, very sensibly, held the fort throughout and ended up driving the last of the late-nighters home at something like 2.30 am.

 

WARNING: WHAT FOLLOWS IS NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART!

 (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

Friday The 13th

No, we're not superstitious!

Friday the 13th May is the date of our next French themed evening - with a menu featuring a really tasty selection of what I'd call country French cuisine. I hope there's something for everyone - we've treats ranging from cauliflower soup with Roquefort cheese to Calvados and apple sorbet; from rabbit stew to sole fillets with a green and red grape sauce ... and lots more besides.

There are full details including a downloadable menu on the web site here.

As always, tables are limited so do book as soon as you can -  01491 628400.

Taken at our last French evening!

That's What I Call A Cake!

For a regular customer's birthday party the other day, we were asked for a profiterole birthday cake with fireworks!  Well, who are we to say no ... 

Second chef Paul created this masterpiece and a good time was had by all - twenty two guests and the birthday boy himself.

Seafood Time Again

(Which reminds me of that old joke, to be told whilst tucking in: I'm on a see-food diet. How does that work then?  See food and eat it.) (Sorry!)

Yes, I'm just back from  a trip over to France with a fresh supply of scallops. I love 'em. Customers love 'em ... which means they'll sell out fairly sharply as I can only bring back so many at a time. So, if you're a fan of seafood, do call in soon.

Coming Up In April

Just a quick summary of what's coming up in April:


Mother's Day

Yes, the dates seem like they are all a bit squiffy this year, but Mother's Day is next Sunday, 3rd April. As always we're doing two sittings for our celebrated Sunday Lunch, and at the time of writing there are still a couple of places left. Don't leave it to chance - book now! It's the least you can do for all the mothers in your family.

Scallops Time Again

From about the middle of April we should have a new import of wonderfully tasty fresh French scallops.  How do we know how fresh they are?  Because we go and get them ourselves!  Keep an eye out on the web site or this blog for precise details - we can only bring back a limited supply and once they're gone they're gone. An absolute 'must' for seafood lovers.

Easter

And then before we know it, Easter will be upon us. We'll be open over the long weekend (22nd-25th) as normal and hope you can join us for a drink, a meal or both! We'll have our regular menu and our ever-changing specials board, and I'm sure the team in the kitchen will be pulling out all the stops to mark the double bank-holiday. Just because we can, this year we'll have an absolute abundance of Easter Eggs in the pub, so any children visiting will be getting a free treat.

All that, lighter evenings and warmer weather too. Can't be bad!

The Maltsters Grand Prix

Last weekend saw The Maltsters Grand Prix and leaving party for our Australian couple.  We had 24 drivers compete and this year Murray Hughes took the title for the first time, with a fault free 20 laps in the final.

Sadly, the Landlord never made the final ...  a (friendly) hand gesture to one of his locals resulted in a black flag and disqualification!

Watch this blog for the next event ...

Now That's What I Call A Trout

Local and regular Roger Nurse may be in his 80s but that doesn't stop his fly fishing, and he's just landed this magnificent 10lb Rainbow Trout (below), only just short of the largest ever caught in the lake he was fishing.  And, yes, it'll soon be appearing on our Specials Board as 'Smoked Trout' - it's at the smokehouse now. My mouth is watering just writing this ...

March is Mussels Month at the Maltsters

Well, we did say the scallops were in limited supply - they've now all gone. BUT the good news is that March is Mussels Month at the Maltsters! (Sorry, we just couldn't resist that.) Whether you fancy them Marinière, à la Crème or in Spicy Chilli Butter, they're sure to be sumptuous, and they're all at just £10.95. What's more, that price includes a Free Glass of Sauvignon Blanc!

 If you like sea food you'd be mad to miss out.

Fresh Scallops

I'm just back from France, and I've brought back supplies of absolutely gorgeous fresh scallops. Regular customers will know just how good they are ...

Once they're gone they're gone!

More details on our "Seasonal" page here.

Coming Up - Book Soon!

St Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us and, as always, we'll be open that Monday evening with our regular menu and specials board. Of course, the landlord will be on hand for any Crepe Suzettes or Flambé Toffee Bananas at the table but please do ask him ... as he’s quiet shy!

And talking of flambes, Tuesday 8th March is Shrove Tuesday and I will be hard at work flambéing Pancakes for all, so do join us in the evening.

As always, we only have limited spaces, so do book up early.

Inaugural Burns Supper

We were full before the blink of an eye and so, gladly, didn’t have to advertise our first Burns Supper. Unfortunately that did mean some had to miss out ... and miss out they did! The evening was a roaring success from the arrival of the piper, Bernie Atkin, to the parading of the haggis by the chef throughout the pub and the addressing of the haggis by John Clifford, who recited Robbie Burns beautifully.

The evening went on late into the night with a few whiskies being downed, not least because I wanted to thank all the staff for their efforts that evening. They'd all looked very smart with their tartan sashes on ... not to mention myself in the full regalia! It’s the first time for me in a kilt and I must say that, with an easterly wind that evening, it will be a while before I wear one again.

Our new arrival Cocoa has become quite the little celebrity at the Maltsters and takes it all in her stride - including the sight of haggis and me in a kilt. (She's doing very well and is now 11 weeks old so not too far away from her first walk, once she has her last injections.)

Burns Supper, 28th January

Just to say our Burns Supper is already selling out fast, so book now or miss out on a very fine special menu!

More details are on our "Seasonal and Special Events" page.

New attractions

The exciting news is we have a new addition to the staff, an eight week old (at the time of writing) Chocolate Labrador puppy named Cocoa, who's proving to be more popular than the Landlord. (Me? Jealous?)

The other new attraction is giving our Aussie barman Kevin some (good natured) stick over the Ashes. Kevin does know his cricket ... and to his credit is taking all the banter in good humour. (I think there must be some English in him.)

PS: don't forget to take advantage of our January-February offers if you're calling in during the week!

The end of 2010

Looking back on the end of last year, I have to say that the run-up to Christmas was rather spoilt by the snow as far as business was concerned. However, we had a great Christmas Eve draw and managed to raise £150 for the Air Ambulance, which can't be bad.

The spell after Christmas up to the New Year was packed, with families out walking and our own Honey Roasted Ham, Eggs and Chips were flying out the door after all the Christmas festivities.

We had happy news just before Christmas with the birth of Oscar Visser. Mum and Dad Annie and Brad (locals and neighbours ) are over the moon and have introduced him to the Maltsters already - it's good to start as you mean to go on!

The year ended really well with our New Year's Eve dinner and dance. It was an enormous success (as it is evey year!), with the chefs preparing some great fillet steaks stuffed with local Barkham Blue cheese. Later on in the evening the music tempted some regulars onto the dance floor to cut some interesting moves!  (I'm saying nothing more!) The music finished at 2.30 am with the last stragglers leaving at 4am. New Year's Day saw us all back for an incredibly busy lunch: we did 110 covers which kept us busy til 5pm, after which we shut and all went to bed.

January and February Offers

This time of year is always a bit hard-going, not helped by dull days and Christmas bills! To try and make life a bit easier for everyone, we've come up some offers on eating that we hope you'll find cheer things up a bit!

On Tuesdays our Homemade Steak and Kidney Suet Puddings come with a free glass of claret. Wednesday sees our Freshly Battered Cod, Chips and Mushy Peas accompanied by a free dessert. And Thursday is steak night, where you can order a 10oz Scotch Ribeye or Sirloin Steak for two for just £25.00 the pair.

To claim on any - or all - of these offers, you just need to download and print out the Special Offer Voucher from the web site, and bring it along when you place your order.

Click here for your voucher.