With the opening of Roost as Fearrington Village’s Beer Garden, I'd like to explain one of the dishes that is seen adorning its chalk board menu: the Ploughman's Platter. Growing up in England, there were many times I ate one, a simple combination of cold foods and yet such a classic British dish. I always ate it in a country pub, enjoying the rustic pleasures of true “pub grub”, and the local cheeses of that region, and washing it down with a cold pint of the local ale.
I also imagined that the Ploughman’s Lunch originated far back in time. I imagined farmers opening up their lunch of sliced roast meats, farm house cheese, pickles/chutney and bread, while propping themselves up under a tree, overlooking the fields they had just worked.
When creating this dish for Roost, I decided to research it, and soon discovered some unfortunate news: the farmers of my dreams never ate such a meal, instead it is rumored to have been created by The Milk Marketing Board in the late 1950’s, to boost sales of cheese! A similar rumor says it was created to promote the sales of the Branston pickle, an English Chutney. Regardless of its exact origin, this is still a truly great meal that should not be missed.
Having read this, I hope you will come down and try a platter of this British cultural icon for yourself with our local beer - a pint of Carolina Brewery Beer. You will find Regional Cheese, Vegetable Chutney, Sliced Roast Pork, Pickled Onion and a Rustic Baguette baked at The Fearrington House Restaurant with your name on it!