Food at the Blue Raddle
Anyone who is familiar with dining at The Blue Raddle will know all culinary delights on offer are the personal work of Chris the Landlady. Every meal is a masterpiece in home cooking for the family. The meals service is truly domestic in scale as Chris prepares her stews, casseroles, pies, bakes, cakes and puddings for the pleasure of small numbers.
The menu consists of a blackboard situated above one of the fireplaces and choice varies from day to day depending on what Chris has decided to concoct from ingredients available and sourced locally. Choices for vegetarians, vegans and those with other dietary needs are always provided for. Examples of Chris’s concoctions and the traditional pub fayre she serves are listed below:
Pork, not pork, steak and kidney, steak and ale, chicken and mushroom or Quorn pies
Beer battered haddock or cod
Breaded scampi
Fish Pie
Pork or venison sausages
Minute or gammon steaks
Game, venison or mixed bean casseroles
Broccoli or leek and bacon pasta bakes
Vegetable, bean or lamb goulash
Chickpea or chicken curry
Chickpea or fish cakes
Vegetarian or beef chilli con carne
Seasonal salads
Dorset apple cake
Old fashion bread pudding
Guinness and ginger cake
Dorset cheeses
Beers and Wines at the Blue Raddle
Real Ales
The Blue Raddle is famous for serving real ales at their best and has been selected as West Dorset pub of the year by CAMRA on three occasions. Five different ales are available at all times with each hand pull pump (beer engine) being devoted to a brewery offering ales form each brewery’s range. Breweries supported are local, regional and national. Occasional guest ales are available. Listed below are the current beers on offer (updated by the Landlord August 2020):
St Austell Brewery-Tribute (ABV 4.2%) REGULARLY AVAILABLE
St Austell beers are popular throughout the region and beyond. The Brewery celebrated 160 years of brewing in 2010 having been founded by Walter Hicks in 1851. The Brewery is still family owned and operating out of the original buildings located in the Cornish town of St Austell.
A Supreme Champion Ale of Cornwall as voted by CAMRA*, and the South West’s Favourite cask beer**, Tribute is a popular favourite with locals and visitors to Cornwall, as well as being a much sought after brand throughout the rest of the UK. It is brewed using specially grown Cornish Gold Malt. For foodies, Tribute is a perfect accompaniment to chicken, gammon or fish. It’s the ideal alternative to a fine white wine.
Dartmoor Brewery-Jail Ale (ABV 4.8%) REGULARLY AVAILABLE
Dartmoor Brewery have been brewing since 1994 and it is now the second largest brewery in Devon. An award winning full bodied deep golden brown beer, Jail Ale has a well-rounded flavour and a rich moreish aftertaste.
Palmers Brewery-Copper (ABV 3.7%) REGULARLY AVAILABLE
Palmers have been brewing beer at the original Old Brewery in Bridport since 1794. Copper, named after the original brewery copper which is still in use, is a copper-coloured session ale with good citrus fruit and a hoppy aroma brewed with Maris Otter malt and whole leaf First Gold aroma hops.
Cerne Abbas Brewery-Blonde (ABV 4.2%)
Head Brewer Vic Irvine and Jodie Moore joined forces in 2014 to found the Cerne Abbas Brewery where they brew beers of the highest quality using local water from the chalky hills of the surrounding Dorset countryside. Blonde evolved into a single hopped beer where use of Jester hops results in an aromatic citrussy brew easy to drink.
Other Draft Keg Beers
Asahi Super Dry (Japan) ABV 5.2%
Mahou Pilsner (Spain) ABV 5.1%
Carlsberg Lager (Denmark) ABV 3.8%
Brooklyn Lager (USA) ABV 5.2%
A range of bottled beers are also available.
Ciders
Complementing the real ales on offer a trip to The Raddle would not be complete without sampling the wide range of ciders, local and regional available. Listed below are the current ciders on offer:
Perry’s-Barn Owl (ABV 5.5%)
A farmhouse crisp refreshing cider combining natural ferments, wild yeasts and traditional apple varieties.
Thatchers Cider Company-Dry (ABV 4.8%), Gold (ABV 4.8%),
As draft keg ciders go those produced by The Thatchers Cider Company are top notch. The Company was founded by William, John Thatcher in 1904 being originally set up at the family farm in Somerset and is still run by family members. Dry and Gold are dry and medium tasting respectively with a refreshing smooth appley taste and a bright sparkle.
We also serve Locally Produced Non Pasteurised Ciders (ABV 6% plus) for which we have dedicated one hand pump. Again check Twitter for details and updates.
Wines
Offering a wide selection of quality wines by the glass or bottle has always been a hallmark of The Raddle. Red, white and rose wines from all over the world are available encompassing most popular grape varieties. A selection of fine wines including champagne are offered by the bottle and not by the glass.
Spirits
A pub wouldn’t be a pub without a decent selection of well known and specialist whiskies, gins and vodkas to choose from. There’s plenty of choice at The Raddle!