Lunch at L'Ortolan yesterday, the Michelin-starred Berkshire restaurant run by Alan Murchison, who had a funny story to tell about local sourcing. The occasion was a meeting with Steelite International, to get their feedback on current tableware trends.
Alan has just taken over the site of Claude Bosi's Hibiscus restaurant in Ludlow, and opened his new La Becasse restaurant there. He's been bowled over by the profusion and quality of local produce in the area, and amazed by the level of detail he receives about its provenance. For instance, the local farm that supplies his duck eggs pops a piece of card in each delivery with the name of the bird that produced them.
Apparently, diners at La Becasse last Sunday enjoyed their eggs, courtesy of Denise the duck!