shepherd's pie & venison

No, not the promised-but-yet-appear Shepherd's Pie as cooked in India care of Mr Rick Stein, but Shepherd's Pie as cooked in Wandsworth Common care of Mrs Jude Judy Judith Hawes. And yes, that's actual deer, as shot in Northampton by Mr Pat Hawes Esquire, together on the same plate, at the same time!

Yes yes, times are a-changing this weekend as the usual Saturday fandango gets realigned to accommodate the beginning of the rugby season. The most immediate and obvious change is the fact we've moved onto eating two evening meals a night now.

Kinda. Tonight we're out visiting the delightful Hawes', who's very marvellousness goes up a notch when it's revealed not only is there Shepherd's Pie, red cabbage and peas for dinner, there's also fillet of deer with boulangerie potatoes. Even better, it's not an either/or choice - and that's a situation we both embrace.

The pie was particularly delicious, rich and moist with a lovely slightly-crispy potato topping, but more surprising was the deer. Ana's never had it, and I've only had really really irony venison in a restaurant in Exeter so initially we were only being polite. However it was beautiful. Not too strong, tender and really hearty. I think by dint of fact we both had seconds of the venison, we may become converts to the Game erm game.

Obviously realising having only two main meals might leave us a bit peckish, Jude followed it up with a mango and raspberry pav, and some chocolate muffins whilst Pat had to retire to digest. Two dinners a night, I definitely recommend it.

Although thinking back, given I had three portions of pie and two venison steaks, that would make five dinners a night. Good job it's the rugby season...