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Now, while I’m loathed to let others roam my plate with their fork (but more than happy to invade their meal) even I can’t get away from the fact that eating fondue is not meant to be a solitary endeavour.
So thank goodness I had photographer pal Charlotte with me when I headed out to experience The Marquis’ Winter Terrace in Upper Layham this week – because there’s fat chance I’d have been able to plough through the feast alone.
We turned up on a frightfully chilly afternoon, with the threat of incoming snow forecast.
After posing for snaps in the little ‘selfie’ area in the hotel-restaurant's tunnel (in place to block view of the ongoing spa building work) we emerged onto the upper terrace, just as the sun was dipping.
“It looks gorgeous as the sun sets, with all the lights twinkling,” a member of staff told us.
In summer this entire area buzzes with guests, dining and drinking cocktails while enjoying some of the most scenic views in south Suffolk.
The Winter Terrace has been festooned with festive glitz – including a Christmas tree – and while it’s open to the elements at the side, there are plenty of halogen heaters to keep you toastie, and super fluffy blankets for snuggling. Do, though, dress up warm. This is not the place to show off your new Jimmy Choos or little black dress!
While inside executive chef Tom is busy working through a season of Christmas parties and the inventive a la carte menu, outside has been dedicated to much simpler fare – chiefly those aforementioned fondues.
But we started our meal with a glass of mulled wine, garnished with a sliver of dried orange. Just the thing to start getting those cockles warmed.
Other speciality drinks available include a luxury hot chocolate, candy cane margarita and gingerbread espresso martini.
There are nibbles too, from olives and nuts, to bread – but we got cracking on the main event from the get-go.
It’s £20 per person (minimum of two) for the fondue. All you need do is decide whether you’d like a platter of charcuterie or veg and pickles on the side. There is the option to ‘pimp it up’ with chilli, crispy onions, or even truffle oil. And to pay a little extra for chips – mercy!
We combined the meat and veg options, and were presented with an enormous, beautifully arranged wooden platter, laden with continental meats, piquant little balsamic onions, tender artichokes, baby carrots, radishes, tomatoes and more – scattered with cubes of sourdough and grissini sticks.
On the side was a bowl of additional bread and breadsticks.
The fondue itself came in a pretty copper-clad pot with a burner underneath which could be slightly controlled by wiggling a bit of the mechanism, or clamped out if things got a bit too hot on the cheese front.
Over the course of 40 minutes the glorious concoction of Emmenthal, Gouda, kirsch and white wine never once congealed into a big fat mess – as it often does at home – retaining its silky, creamy, savoury potency throughout. Just the right texture to cling to and ooze from every dunking of bread.
We lapped it up.
After, even though there really wasn’t room, we sampled the milk chocolate fondue (£16 per person), which was pretty as a picture – and has made good use of the pastry chef’s (who formerly worked at The George Hotel’s tearoom in Colchester) skills. There was an unending pot of melty, not-too-sickly-sweet chocolate, and teensy forks for dipping the house made chocolate chip cookies, mallows, gingerbread cubes and coconut macarons. What a treat!
If you want to get together with friends and family for a bit of fun and foodie theatre, this could be just the spot for you this winter.
The terrace is open throughout December and into January. Find out more and book via themarquissuffolk.co.uk
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