Christopher Gray finally gets into the festive mood on a visit with friends to the 18th-century Plough in Finstock

Sedulous in dismissing all thoughts of Christmas until the start of December, Rosemarie and I were abruptly introduced to festive frolics on the very first day of the month on a trip to the Plough at Finstock.

And it was indeed the trip that set the seasonal tone, this being a cab ride from Oxford with pals Joe and Martin – not forgetting their yellow Labrador Bella – in an Angela’s Taxis seven-seater estate lavishly bedecked with Christmas bling.

With yards of tinsel above us and a miniature Christmas tree twinkling on the dashboard, it was impossible not to join in the cheesy hits of Wizzard, Slade and the rest that poured from driver Andy’s sound system.

Homeward bound it was the same, with generous quantities of the Plough’s wine – the reason, of course, for our mode of transport – adding a further dimension to the fun. In between came dinner, and a very delicious one too, laid on by landlord Guy Wallis and his head chef (and son) Jordan Wallis.

Guy has been in charge of this lovely 18th-century thatched pub for a couple of years. His predecessors were the aforementioned Joe (McCorry) and Martin (Range) who put in seven years, respectively, in the kitchen and front of house.

Theirs was a reunion visit, made at my suggestion once I decided to review there. A nostalgic outing it proved for them, with old customers present in good number.

For me, too, the Plough is a place of memories, my first being of a pumpkin pie contest I helped judge there some 40 years ago.

On many later visits I sampled lots of the real ales for which the pub was and is famous. Last week the choice was from Old Hooky, Adnam’s Broadside and Jennings’ Cumberland golden ale.

Our preference tonight, though, was for wine, South Africa’s Kleinhoof Chenin Blanc supplying the lubrication as we studied the blackboard menu.

As usual, I shall first mention some dishes we didn’t try, including baked garlic and thyme mushrooms, a muffin with poached egg and chorizo, and a charcuterie board, plus main courses of sirloin steak, mushroom and tarragon linguine, breaded chicken, and cod and chips.

The last was available (as it is every Tuesday) as a two-for-the price-of-one offer, the price being £11.50. ‘Fizzing Fridays’ bring half-price champagne and prosecco.

Chocolate and Baileys cheese cake, warm chocolate brownie and ice creams with fruit coulis were among the desserts.

I started with a prawn and crayfish cocktail – packed with seafood in a tasty Marie Rose sauce.

Rosemarie was enjoying a bowl of soup, which was today pea and – no, not ham but streaky bacon, a clever riff on a kitchen classic.

For Joe and Martin there was a shared dish of baked camembert served in its wooden packaging. This, too, had a twist on the usual, with the pungent, runny cheese studded with rosemary and chunks of garlic. It came with a cranberry dip and focaccia.

Venison, the meat of kings, was my main course choice. Two thick pink slices of tender loin meat, from a locally-shot roe deer, were served with juniper jus, roast garlic and spring onion mash and tenderstem. It was fabulous, and the wine we had switched to – Rioja Reserva Conde de Valdemar – proved an ideal accompaniment.

Oxford Mail:

  • Landlord Guy Wallis (second left) with staff and guests

Rosemarie chose sausage and mash. The trio of bangers were supplied by the excellent Baker’s butchers’ shop in Witney – plain pork, pork with sage, and pork with leek. They came with creamy mash, onion gravy and peas.

Joe gave an emphatic thumbs-up to his home-made steakburger, which came with a topping of Monterey Jack cheese, with bacon, lettuce and tomato in a sourdough bun, with a little pot of coleslaw and a big pot of yummy triple-cooked chips (we all pinched some!).

For Martin there was pan-fried fillet of sea bream, served on a spinach and pea risotto with pea and mint oil. He continued with a pudding of poached pear with chocolate sauce and praline, while the rest of us tucked into a splendid cheese board, featuring big chunks of Canterbury Ashmore hand-made cheddar, Blacksticks Blue, Cotswold Blue brie and Flower Marie, a soft cheese made with ewe’s milk.

DETAILS
The Plough, The Bottom, Finstock,
OX7 3BY
Telephone: 01993 868333. theplough-inn.co.uk

Food served Tues to Sat noon-2pm, 6.30-9pm; Sun noon-4pm
Key personnel – owner Guy Wallis, head chef Jordan Wallis, sous chef Tom Wilson
Do try . . . pea and bacon soup (£4.95), prawn and crayfish cocktail (£6.95), venison loin (£17.95), steakburger (£12.95), fillet of sea bream (£13.95), poached pear (£5.50), cheese board (£11.95 – but it’s big!)