Pheasant season: the game is on

In the 14th century, pheasant meat was so prized that, during a banquet, you were more likely to be served swan or peacock. Originally from China and East Asia, pheasant was the preserve of kings and dukes.

Since then, these game birds have thrived on our islands, enjoying both farm and woodland, where they are most at home. Living in the wild, these colourful birds forage on berries, insects, seeds, grains and sometimes even small animals.

It’s tempting to wax poetic about the majesty of the pheasant, but my role as co-founder of the Eat Game Awards compels me to focus on another of its traits: its taste.

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Their meat is characterised by layers of deep, aromatic flavour, and today’s chefs agree with the legendary 19th century food writer Mrs Beeton that pheasant must be cooked fast and furious, and served just pink.

Mrs Beeton’s suggestion of dishing it up with slices of liver, truffle and glazed croûtes of fried bread may have aged less well, but it is no more outlandish than our modern day chefs conjuring up pheasant bonbons, pithiviers, burgers, sliders, croquettes, bhajis, sausages or even having it Scandi-style - curing or fermenting it.

When it comes to game, the common theme down the centuries is creativity - great examples of which can be seen across the capital, not least at the Cinnamon Club, an institution in the world Indian fine dining.

Perhaps even more fitting for fresh pheasant dishes are the UK’s rural restaurants - the Mytton and Mermaid on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury offers dishes like pheasant wrapped in parma ham, alongside sweet tomato & shallot chutney.

If we heed warnings to eat less meat, what we do consume should be nutritious, tasty, free range and local - and pheasant ticks all the boxes. And with the pheasant shooting season running from 1 October to 1 February, there is no better time to enjoy this meat.

Nothing gives more oomph to a business than an award, so now’s the time to be nominating great chefs, restaurants, pubs, butchers, retailers, farmers’ market and street food stalls – all championing game in the 2019 Eat Game Awards.

Pheasant is readily available through local butchers, along with an increasing numbers of supermarkets, farmer’s markets, street food stalls, delis, farm shops, and online game specialists.

To nominate your favourite chef, restaurant, pub, farmer’s market or street food stall, game meat product, retailer (big or small), butcher and hero – all specialising in game – go to www.eatgameawards.co.uk/nomination until 1 November.

Finalist voting runs from 15 November to 10 January 2020 www.eatgameawards.co.uk/vote

The best spots to enjoy game in the UK:

• Cinnamon Club, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant & best chef)
• Elystan Street, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• Harwood Arms, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant & best chef)
• Mac and Wild, London & Scotland (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• Maggie Jones, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• Ox Barn at Thyme, Southrop, Cotswolds (2019 nominee for best chef)
• Quo Vadis, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant & game hero)
• Rabbit Restaurant, London (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• Rothay Manor, Ambleside, Lake District (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• The Caddy Mann, Mounthooly, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• The Dorset Arms, Buckhurst Park, Withyham, East Sussex (2019 nominee for best pub)
• The Froize, Chillesford, Suffolk (2019 nominee for best restaurant & best chef)
• The Game Bird at The Stafford, London (2019 nominee for game hero)
• The Hardwick, Abergavenny, Wales (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• The Inn at Whitewell, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire (2019 nominee for best pub)
• The Kitchin, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland (2019 nominee for best restaurant & best chef)
• The Mytton and Mermaid, Atcham, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (2019 nominee for best restaurant & best chef)
• The Peacock, Rowsley, Derbyshire (2019 nominee for best restaurant)
• The Woodsman, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (2019 nominee for best restaurant)