Christmas Dinner at The Green Dragon

Christmas dinner should be one of the nicest meals of the year.  For me, as much as I love cooking it, I have no love for the clean up afterwards nor for the hours of roasting and prep.  On the big day, I like to be firmly planted in my chair with a glass of Scotch in one hand and a mince pie in other.  However, more often than not, I am found sitting on the floor assembling Legos and playing dolls.  Either way, it is nice to have a meal out, provided one is guaranteed of it being something truly special.  So, for this Christmas, my recommendation is The Green Dragon pub in Cockleford near Cowley.


Tucked away in a quiet hamlet surrounded by woods, a pond, and the best countryside, this 17th century pub is well known for it's outstanding local food, great pints, gorgeous location and it's mice (more on these later).  Food is local, usually organic and often is freshly caught that very morning in the case of pheasant and venison.  The chefs are of an extremely high standard- this is not 'pub grub' but the height of English country cuisine.  There are three roaring fireplaces and the beauty of the old, traditional country pub has been carefully maintained throughout.  


For the drinkers, real ale abounds, there is an excellent wine list, as well as a fine selection of malt whisky.


The Christmas Day (2010) Menu, £59.95 per person and £39.95 under 12’s, is as follows:

Eggs Benedict (Toasted English Muffin with Home Cooked Ham, Poached Egg & Hollandaise Sauce)

A Salad of Roasted Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries with a Sweet Onion Dressing

Smoked Trout, Smoked halibut & Smoked Salmon Terrine with a Tomato & Lime Salsa

Leek & Potato Soup with Crispy Lardons of Smoked Bacon

Champagne Sorbet

Traditional Roast Breast of Turkey with Chestnut & Cranberry Stuffing, Bacon wrapped Chipolata, Cranberry Sauce & Gravy

Pan Fried Baby Lamb Fillets in Rosemary Butter served with Cauliflower Puree and Pear & Mint Salsa

Whole roasted Partridge filled with Pork Sausage meat & Granny Smith Apples wrapped in Pancetta with a rich Merlot Jus

Monkfish Tails marinated in Moroccan Spices with a Sweet Pimento & Red Pepper Fondue & Tempura King Prawns

Arborio Risotto with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips in a Rosemary & Black Pepper Cream

All served with Roast Potatoes, Buttered Carrots, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts & Honey Glazed Parsnips

Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

Tian of Rice Pudding cooked with Nutmeg & Thick Double Cream served with a Fruit Compote

Cheese & Biscuits

White and Dark Chocolate Marble Cheesecake with Champagne Cream

Coffee & Petit Fours

Sounds alright to me!  Please do make sure to call in advance and book, as The Green Dragon is very popular and will fill up fast.  Contact details are:

The Green Dragon Inn

Cockleford, Nr Cowley, 

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 9NW, 

Tel: +44 (0)1242 870 271, Fax: +44 (0)1242 870 171

Email: green-dragon@buccaneer.co.uk

Website: http://www.green-dragon-inn.co.uk/

See it & Explore the Area on Google Street Map: http://bit.ly/eLHUha

As for the mice, I was referring to the those carved into various bits of furniture, all of which was made for the pub by famous craftsman Robert Thompson, "The Mouse Man of Kilburn."