Monmouthshire Supper Club

Paul Fosh pictured in action and below

The Inn at Penallt

Paul Fosh Auctions may be the biggest and best but we know that we can do even better...

egular readers of this page in Monmouthshire County Life will know that I am a keen runner. Not ordinary running though but the more, how do I say, unconventional type. It was therefore far from unusual that the other week I found myself in the depths of mid Wales ready for the off. I was taking part in a 50-mile Might Contain Nuts organised run starting out from the idyllic mid Wales town of Langurig and ending at Glasbury, near the border town of Hay on Wye. The route roughly followed the River Wye, starting near its source but including a cheeky little diversion into the Elan Valley. These runs are up and down and over and even under everything that is in your path covering a sinew stretching, muscle gnawing, and lung heaving 50 miles. The route rises some 2,000 metres over its length which about twice the height of Snowden (from sea level). The run is such a long distance and over such testing terrain that it requires as much mental strength as well as physical (some would say more).

This was my first 50 mile event. The winner covered the distance in around an amazing seven-and-a-half hours while others came home around midnight having taken 16 hours to cover the course. I came somewhere just the wrong side of the middle of the 100 entrant field. I was pleased to have completed the gruelling event but not so pleased with my position. I would have preferred to have come further up the field than I did and in a faster time. Ive done well and achieved target or PBs in other events and was comfortable in my achievements. However, and heres my point, I didnt want to carry on with these events secure in my repeated success but wanted and needed to test myself on more challenging events and across longer distances, continually pushing to improve. I am now targeting a 100 mile event next year. Paul Fosh Auctions is always striving to do better, to reach the next milestone in our progress and development. We are recognised as the biggest and most successful auction house in Wales and thats great. Its a solid and recognised achievement but were not one to rest on our laurels. We could sit in our lofty position and feel very happy with our position and rest but thats not for us. Were always looking to improve to go one better to achieve more and be even better for us as a business and for our customers both sellers and buyers. We constantly look at new ways to reach fresh business highs through the use of new technology, social media and marketing. Through this we strive to serve our existing customers even better and also to reach out to new areas of potential business growth which may, for example, be developing even now on the back of the UK Governments newly introduced Help to Buy scheme.

THE Monmouthshire Supper Club was on its travels again recently when we were very grateful guests at the Newport Food Festival Supper and were able to sample Michelin starred chef Hywel Jones cooking. Hywel, who lives in Newport (which, if youre asking, and as everyone local knows used to be in the county of Monmouthshire), is head chef at Lucknam Park and is a patron of the citys food festival. The evening got off to a really sparkling start when we were greeted at the main entrance to Newports distinctive indoor market with a glass of sparkling Monmouthshiremade perry and a mini feast of tasty and intricate canaps made by Hywel himself. The upstairs of the indoor market, which is in the process of having a rejuvenating facelift, was the remarkable venue for the festival supper. Confit of salmon, Hywels take on the traditional gravlax, salad of autumn vegetables cobnut praline and truffle mayonnaise, started us off before a truly stupendous fillet of Welsh black beef braised oxtail and Carmarthenshire ham, potato terrine, smoked onions and wild mushrooms which were all sourced form the suppliers just downstairs in the market hall, was presented as the main course. The dessert, a medley of sticky toffee pudding like youve never seen, bitter chocolate bar, cannelloni of roast apples with Captain Morgan rum and raising ice cream was a revelation. The delicate macaroons served with the coffee was the ultimate piece de rsistance. How did Hywel Jones and his local team, drawn from Coleg Gwent catering students, manage to deliver such a sumptuous, five star feast in the challenging surroundings of the indoor market? Frankly, I dont know but he and they did and whats more they did it with aplomb. Well done. It was a memorable fabulous evening enjoyed by all. Monmouthshire Supper Club was also at large in the heart of the current county of Monmouthshire recently when some of our number did something a little bit different by experiencing a tasting menu with a twist at the wonderful pub restaurant The Inn at Penallt between Chepstow and Monmouth. This establishment is the end result of owners Jackie and Andrew Murphy spending a full three years searching the length and breadth of the Wye Valley, seeking out a pub with potential to become the traditional pub and restaurant they wanted to run serving locally sourced produce. The inn, in the heart of the Wye Valley, staged a Humble by Nature evening with produce from near neighbour TV personality and naturalist Kate Humble. The produce for the evenings meal, at the two AA rosette inn, was all created using produce from Kates Monmouthshire farm or from leaves and other natural and native stuff that had been foraged in the fields and hedgerows nearby. So it was that we all enjoyed meals such as wild nettle soup, glazed with curry cream, smoked goose breast from nearby Madgetts farm, Elderflower sorbet and cheese from Lower Gockett Farm as well as lamb produced from Kates farm. The evening was a huge success with the food excellent along with the warm and welcoming general ambiance of the place. Bon apetit and au revoir. www.paulfoshauctions.com