Top City restaurant invites the WI to help them create the perfect Christmas trifle

October 2012.   Christmas is a time for nostalgia and tradition and one top City restaurant is making sure that this is firmly on the menu, with many of its customers working right up to 25^th December.  High Timber invited Jessica Johnson from the Women’s Institute (WI) and the author of its newly released book ‘The WI Vintage Tea Time’ to teach Head Chef, Justin Saunders how to make the best English Sherry Trifle for the restaurant’s Christmas menu.

Jessica Johnson came armed with the WI’s most trusted Trifle recipe from 1982 to oversee Head Chef, Justin Saunders efforts.  Once created, the trifle was happily taste tested by the kitchen team and with Jessica’s approval; the trifle will be proudly featured on High Timber’s Christmas menu.

High Timber Head Chef, Justin Saunders comments; “With many of our customers working until Christmas Eve, it is important that the Christmas menu offers a true sense of home and traditional cooking.

“There is no more homely an institution than the WI and it was a complete delight to have Jessica in the kitchen, teaching us how to create the perfect traditional English trifle.”

To precede the Sherry Trifle, High Timber’s Christmas menu offers a range of beautifully executed dishes with a take on the traditional for customers to enjoy. Main courses include, aged Cumbrian Chateaubriand ‘Rossini’, Foie Gras, Truffle Sauce and Roasted Pheasant, Chestnut Puree, Sprouts, Shallots and Bacon. Justin Saunders is renowned for his innovative cooking that is rooted in traditional craft techniques.  As a consequence High Timber makes everything on site, from smoking its own salmon to curing its own hams and gammon.

Jessica Johnson from the WI comments; “Christmas is a time to celebrate with friends and family and food plays an important part throughout the festive period.  It was great fun working with the High Timber team and I’m sure that the tradition WI Sherry Trifle will make a wonderful addition to the Christmas menu.”