Cara travels to the countryside for the once-a-month garden-to-table Sunday dining experience at Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate.

Even us Londoners sometimes feel like we’ve seen it all and we need is a countryside break. Specifically for those occasions and more, in summer months there are garden-to-table meals also known as garden to table.

Such early dinner under the name of The Woodland Table, can be found at Down Hall Hotel, Spa, Estate a county hotel that has reinvented Sunday late lunch, so anyone can join and recharge.

The concept is simple, outdoor open fire cooking led by Executive Chef Robert Pearce influenced by what’s grown in the two-acre kitchen garden and neighboring farms.

By 2pm, we are here and ready, drink in hand. The afternoon begins with a choice of cocktails: sunshine-hued Pornstar Martinis to match the warmth of the sun, or refreshing strawberry gins, expertly shaken by a lovely member of staff at a dedicated timber table.

The event takes place in the garden, organic wooden long table for sharing, fresh flowers on the table, live music and canapes. The tables are of course shaded to avoid the scorching heat.

For canapés we have a stunning sticky BBQ pork belly prepared in the Egg style BBQ.

Tender meat with layers of mellow fat, although my guest finds it a bit too fatty but that’s pork for you and their farmed diet.

Another canapé that’s also going round is compressed watermelon, a trend that’s picking up fast.

In short the watermelon is vacuum-sealed, which changes the texture to be denser and almost tuna-like. When sealed the tiny air pockets inside the watermelon expand and escape, once the pressure returns, the fruit collapses into itself.

Resulting in tightly packed bites, some compare it to tuna even. It has an interesting flavour too, almost fermented but not quite our cup of tea.

For a more classical bite mini bruschettas on crisp bread are also going around. It’s quite nice wondering around the garden and allotment with a drink in hand.

There are even a few ripe raspberries, which we may or may not have picked. 

Once seated we continue with a similar concept of sharing, from creamy hummus that goes very well with pardon peppers, we just dunk them in.

Slightly bitter from the char, smoky and a little grassy they are perfect partner for the chickpeas. No cutlery needed to enjoy them.

On our table we also have creamy leak gratin which travels just a couple of meters from the garden behind us to the kitchen and then to the table here.

We share that too, sat across my guest the idea is all to share except for the starter and main.

Our starter is vegetarian cubes of feta on a bed of broad beans and freshly sliced courgette. Buttery beans and crunchy courgettes, it’s light and summery dish with plenty of textures and no dressing. Just flavour as the nature intended.

For the mains the guests can select between vegan, pescetarian and carnivore, ours is the latter – beef fillet from the neighbouring farm, side pesto and micro cress salad from the garden.

The meat is very tender with lovely charred notes thanks to the open fire cooking. To accompany are very healthy sides of chunky circles of carrots and artichoke and roasted new herb potatoes.

Followed by fire-roasted peach with crème fraîche — a combination I keep coming back to. There is something truly special about a peach cooked over fire until it becomes so soft and luscious it can be eaten with a spoon.

The flames bring out its natural sweetness and create a caramelised depth, while the cool, creamy crème fraîche brings everything together. A true highlight to our evening.

Since we both drove for the Sunday here we steer clear of more drinks, instead it’s mint tea and you guessed it from the garden again.

As the evening drew to a close, I left feeling refreshed and reminded that the simplest pleasures—fresh air, seasonal food and good company—often make for the most memorable dining experiences.

The Woodland Table is available to pre-book here, it’s taking place across three 19th July, 16th August and 6th September.

Down Hall Hotel, Spa, Estate, Matching Rd, Hatfield Heath, Bishop’s Stortford CM22 7AS