The new River Cottage Kitchen & Store has officially launched.

A stone's throw from the River Cottage Farmhouse (aka River Cottage HQ) on the Devon/Dorset border, the casual eatery gives people the chance to taste the amazing food River Cottage has to offer, even if they're not taking part in a course or attending an event.

The River Cottage Kitchen & Store menu champions organic, local and seasonal food with a farm to fork ethos.

Depending on the season and availability of produce, expect delicious dishes such as:

Hot smoked onions, roast mushroom, organic mozzarella, River Cottage spicy kraut and beetchup on seeded sourdough  £9

Organic English lentil, squash and cauliflower patties with citrusy hummus, salsa verde and dukka  £15

Organic chorizo meatballs, spicy tomato and bean sauce, herby bashed celeriac and spuds  £16

“OffShore” rope grown mussels lightly curried with leeks, River Cottage Cider, apples and cream with seeded sourdough  £17

(As seen on the latest TV series; River Cottage Reunited)

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Chelsea bun and organic sun-dried apricot bread and butter pudding with organic vanilla ice cream  £7.90

Pear, apple and ginger fumble  £7.90

Organic chocolate, beetroot and Somerset cider brandy torte, roast plum compote, sunflower seed cream  £7.90

The new menu has been developed by Gelf Alderson, Culinary Director of River Cottage for more than 10 years. 

The River Cottage Kitchen & Store is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within East Devon's rolling hills. It is only a few miles away from the Jurassic Coast, which remains the first and only natural World Heritage Site in England. The Kitchen & Store has a large outdoor terrace where diners can enjoy stunning views across the valley, and there's plenty of parking available.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said: “I'm very excited about our brand new Kitchen & Store at River Cottage HQ which is now open. It's a casual space for breakfast, lunch, drinks and cakes as well as a store where you can buy our River Cottage products and books. We're not currently taking bookings so you – and your dogs! – can simply drop in to check it out and see the beautiful views across the valley.

“It's a beautiful space in a beautiful location – at the top of the hill from the farm, but not on the farm itself - and I hope to see some of you here soon.”

Formerly based in Axminster town centre, the new Kitchen & Store brings the River Cottage experience together into one foodie hub. In keeping with River Cottage's environmentally conscious ethos, materials, fixtures and fittings from the Axminster site have been upcycled or recycled. Where new materials have been necessary, they have been chosen for their high environmental standards.

Visitors will be able to purchase a wide range of products from the store, including some of the many fantastic cookbooks written by Hugh and the team, local food and drink, and homeware. Also on offer will be the River Cottage Organic range of products which now includes; ketchup, kombucha, vegetable stock, cider, beer, sparkling wine, award-winning yoghurt, kefir as well as soaps and balms - made in conjunction with local producers. 

Open 9am-5pm, seven days a week, with breakfast served 9am-11.30am and lunch served 12pm-3pm, the casual, dog-friendly space is the perfect spot to drop by for a bite to eat and enjoy incredible views. The Kitchen & Store is found at the top of the hill by the spacious car park.

If you want to extend your stay past lunch, there is stunning bed and breakfast accommodation available at The Farmhouse, with a twin room starting at £95 a night, and a double room starting at £125 a night. Or discover other nearby accommodation.

For a little taste of Gelf's wonderful cooking in your own home ahead of visiting, try this recipe.

Recipe: Fennel, celery and apple salad with creamy almond dressing, by Gelf Alderson

Hold on to the last hints of summer sunshine with this fabulous fennel, celery and apple salad with creamy almond dressing, found in Gelf Alderson's new cookbook, River Cottage Great Salads (£20, published by Bloomsbury). Crispy and creamy all in one, it's a serving of summer on a plate.

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

Ingredients

• 50g almonds (skin on), roughly chopped
• 2 crisp eating apples, such as Gala or Cox
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 5 celery sticks
• A handful of pea shoots (about 40g)

For the almond dressing:

• 100g almonds (skin on)
• 150ml almond milk or water
• 1 orange
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil
• 30ml cider vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. First make the dressing, a day ahead if you can. Put the almonds into a bowl, pour on the almond milk or water, cover and leave to soak overnight. Or, put the almonds in a pan with the liquid, cover & place over a low heat for 15–20 minutes to slightly soften them then leave to cool.
2. Cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of the orange then stand it on a board and slice off the skin and white pith. Cut the orange segments out from between the membranes, remove any pips then place in a jug blender.
3. Add the olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic and softened almonds to the blender along with any remaining soaking liquor. Blitz to form a smooth dressing. If it's a little too thick, add almond milk or water, 1tbsp at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. Place a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the chopped almonds and heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to take on some colour and release their nutty aroma. Tip onto a plate and allow to cool.
5. Quarter, core and dice the apples into very small cubes and place in a large bowl. Quarter the fennel bulbs, cut into 5mm thick slices and add to the bowl. Finely slice the celery into 5mm slices and add these too. Add half of the pea shoots to the salad, then trickle over the dressing and toss until all the veg are nicely coated.
6. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and scatter over the remaining pea shoots and toasted almonds to serve.

To keep up to date with the latest River Cottage news, visit www.rivercottage.net, find Hugh and the team on Instagram (rivercottagehq), Facebook (rivercottagehq), Twitter (@rivercottage), Pinterest (rivercottagehq) and YouTube (River Cottage).

-ENDS-

For more information or high-res images, please contact Hanna China: hanna@rawfoodanddrinkpr.co.uk | 07702 031956

Notes to editors

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall first brought his famous food ethos to Channel 4 in 1999. He is committed to seasonal, organic, ethically produced food and protecting the environment.

Over the years he has fronted hard-hitting campaigns such as Hugh's Fish Fight, which brought changes in fisheries law at European level; Hugh's War on Waste; Chicken Out!, to achieve better welfare for millions of chickens in the UK; Britain's Fat Fight, tackling the national obesity crisis; and War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita.

Since the first show, Hugh has published 14 cookbooks, including The River Cottage Cookbook, River Cottage Meat Book, and River Cottage Veg Everyday. His new book, River Cottage Good Comfort, has just been released.

River Cottage HQ is a food lovers' destination, found on the Devon and Dorset border. This is the base for the Cookery School, unique dining experiences, B&B accommodation and memorable events.

The newly launched Kitchen & Store at River Cottage HQ serves breakfast, lunch, drinks and cakes, along with incredible views. Open seven days a week, you can also pop into the store to buy River Cottage products and books. Location: River Cottage, Park Farm, Trinity Hill Road, Devon, EX13 8TB

River Cottage stands for food integrity and shares its passion for local, seasonal organic produce with its community across the globe.