Country Images dines at a hidden gem in Little Eaton
Sunshine on a Plate at The Little Kitchen On a grey October afternoon in the picturesque Derbyshire village of Little Eaton, we stumbled upon a true ray of sunshine — The Little Kitchen, a welcoming café with heart, soul, and seriously good food. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with a warm smile from Emily, who showed us to our table and handed over the menu — a surprisingly extensive offering for such a cosy spot. From hearty breakfasts and vibrant lunches to indulgent homemade cakes, traybakes, and an impressive children’s menu, there was something for everyone. My companion chose the Eggs Benedict, served atop thick-cut, toasted granary bread. The plate arrived generously stacked with crisp bacon, perfectly poached eggs, and a rich, velvety hollandaise sauce — a well-executed classic that didn’t disappoint. I opted for the aptly named “Posh Toast” — toasted granary bread layered with smooth cream cheese, topped with silky smoked salmon and fresh avocado. Beautifully balanced and presented with care, it was my first time trying this dish — and certainly not my last. Both plates were served warm, straight from the open kitchen, which added to the sense of freshness and attention to detail that The Little Kitchen clearly takes pride in. Naturally, we couldn’t resist dessert. The impressive display of homemade cakes and traybakes — all baked in-house daily by Donna and Sarah — made it nearly impossible to choose. My companion selected the Strawberry & Apple Bakewell Tart, served with custard. With a delicate crumb and a generous topping of sweet fruit and almonds, it was a perfect end to the meal. I went for the fruit scone, complete with clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam — and dare I say, it might be the best scone I’ve ever tasted, even rivaling those found in Devon. The Little Kitchen isn’t just a café — it’s a hub of the local community. Homely, dog-friendly, and full of heart, it reflects the dedication of its owners, Donna and Dave Baxter. Back in 2014, the couple ran Baxter’s Newsagents. When the COVID pandemic hit, they responded with kindness and creativity: selling out of freshly made sandwich rolls, delivering afternoon teas to vulnerable villagers for free, and even launching homemade pizzas that quickly became local favourites. At the urging of loyal customers, they extended the building and officially opened The Little Kitchen. Since then, it’s become a beloved gathering spot for locals and visitors alike. The personal touch is ever-present. One former staff member, Sue, still visits weekly — and if she misses a visit, Donna checks in on her personally. That kind of care is rare, and deeply felt. Today, The Little Kitchen is known not only for its daily offerings but also for Fish Fridays, Bistro Nights, and bespoke catering services. Donna also creates grazing tables, platters, and custom birthday cakes for private and corporate events. With a new website launching soon and exciting plans on the horizon, The Little Kitchen continues to evolve — but never loses the warmth and sincerity that made it so special to begin with. What began as a grey October day turned into a delightful discovery. We’ll most certainly be back — in fact, our next team meeting is already being planned around a return visit. Thank you to Donna, Dave, and all the team at The Little Kitchen — a true village treasure. 00
Celebrity Interview – Steve Orme Interviews KYM MARSH
Kym Marsh is going through a stellar phase of her career, what she calls her “villain era”. And she’s about to undertake possibly her most challenging role to date. After playing Alex Forrest in a stage tour of Fatal Attraction – the character can alternatively be described as a villain or a victim – she took on the role of Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians: The Musical which toured the UK and Ireland last year. Now she’s really excited to be appearing in Single White Female, an updated version of the 1992 thriller which “blends psychological tension and eerie intimacy, creating a chilling portrait of obsession and identity”. Kym came to prominence as a singer with the band Hear’Say who won the television talent show Popstars in 2001. After pursuing a solo career she went into acting, appearing in Coronation Street for 13 years. On stage she’s been in musicals as well as dramas. So why did she want to be involved with Single White Female? “Who wouldn’t want to? What an absolute classic. It stemmed from when I was in Fatal Attraction. I got such a buzz from playing the villain. The idea of Single White Female was floated and it’s finally coming to fruition. “It’s never been done on stage before. It’s been rewritten and reimagined by Rebecca Reid who’s a fantastic author and it’s been updated so we’re seeing it more in the modern day. The way it adapts to now is actually really brilliant.” Kym reveals she didn’t have to audition for the role – the producers wanted her in the show because of her performance in Fatal Attraction. She explains that the way audiences view stories now is very different to how they looked at them in the 1990s. “We live in a very different world, a different place. We don’t speak the same language. With Fatal Attraction it was very much a man’s world at that point and the woman was the villain of the piece. But actually the man was just as culpable in a lot of ways. He still had a part to play in what happened and yet he walked off into the sunset and everything was fine for him. “I think the characters I play are very damaged individuals, shall we say, and I think it will be the same with this one.” Kym explains the plot of Single White Female: “Allie is a recently divorced woman, she’s a single parent, she’s trying to get ahead in the world but she’s struggling for money, so she advertises for a lodger. “In walks my character Hedra (also known as Hedy) who comes in to save the day, or so it would seem. Life becomes intertwined and things get complicated. “Hedra is certainly a very multi-faceted individual. I’m looking forward to playing that part because there are lots of layers to peel back.” Kym who has been married three times and has three children is quick to dispel any thoughts that she brings plenty of her own life experience to the role. “I’m nothing like Hedra at all! There’s not much similarity in me and her. I think that’s the beauty of playing these characters that are so far removed from you – you have to dig deep and try to find ways in which you can empathise. “There are obviously lots of sides to her that are nowhere near me. It’s going to be a challenge, that’s for sure.” When Kym saw the film Single White Female in the cinema she was “totally gripped” by it and didn’t imagine she would be appearing in the world premiere of the stage production. Fans of the film will be delighted to know the stilettos which played such a prominent part on the big screen haven’t been booted out. More than 30 years after Jennifer Jason Leigh played Hedra in the film, Kym is able to play the character in a fresh way. “The actual story is different. What Hedy does for a living in the movie is not what Hedy does for a living in the play. So there are only certain aspects of the character that I can bring, which is why it’s so exciting because there’s a clean slate for me. It’s a great opportunity to be able to bring something new.” The tour of Single White Female will start in January and the second venue will be the Theatre Royal in Nottingham. At the moment the tour is scheduled to continue until the middle of June, something that’s not fazing Kym. “I’m used to touring. I’ve toured for the last three years with one thing or another. This is probably the longest thing I’ve done on a tour. But I wanted to do the whole tour because it’s something I’m quite passionate about. “Living out of a suitcase is always a challenge. But I’m away for five days and at home for two, so there are a lot of similarities with ordinary, everyday life, I guess. And I’m never that far away from home. No matter where I am I could get back if I wanted to. “I’ve also got a very supportive family network. My daughter will come and stay with me when she’s on school holidays. She’s nearly 15 now. “There are also a lot of venues where I can commute from home, so I’ll be staying at home when I can.” Kimberley Gail Marsh was born on 13 June 1976 in Whiston, Merseyside. She went to stage school in Liverpool before becoming a session singer. When she auditioned for the show Popstars she was chosen with Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan to be in the group Hear’Say. Their first single Pure And Simple went to number one. After less than two years the band split up. Kym made her television acting debut in 2005 in an episode of the BBC One series Doctors and also appeared in the Channel 4 soap
Celebrity Interview – Griff Rhys Jones: The Cat’s Pyjamas
‘The jokes come faster than the rapids on the River Tay’ The Guardian Multi award-winning comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter Griff Rhys Jones is set to embark on a national stand-up tour this autumn with the second leg of his sell-out 2024 show ‘The Cat’s Pyjamas’. Sharing witty observations and rambling comic stories, Griff’s funny anecdotes have covered an astonishingly diverse range of subjects: from TV travel, his childhood, Welsh family, age, fraud, late night trains and nostalgia to the TikTok generation, crocodile smuggling, and opal noodling in Australia. Questions and improvised interaction with the audience mean the show varies from night to night. And takes him from adventures, holidays, dog sitting, burning boats, drink and anger-management, to meetings with rock celebrities and royalty. Wherever his associations wander. GRIFF RHYS JONES: THE CAT’S PYJAMAS What can fans expect from the show? It’s the fourth show I’ve done where I tell stories from my life – about myself and things I’ve been involved in. Trouble is, some of the stories get longer and longer and longer. I start out with list of about 20 and end up with a list of about two. If you come to see me early in a tour you tend to get all the stories. If you come late in the tour, a lot of them have gone by the wayside. There was one show on one tour where I was on stage at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, talking about my family and things like that. I looked into the wings and my stage manager was tapping his watch signalling the end of the first half and I hadn’t even properly started the show at all by that point. What’s the significance of the title The Cat’s Pyjamas? I just like the sound of it. Funnily enough my daughter said ‘You can’t call it that’ and when I asked her why not she said ‘Because it means you have to be good!’ But as I say, I like how it sounds. Also ‘the cat’s pyjamas’ is a very interesting phrase and I might talk about how it started in the 1920s in New York. Apparently there was a famous society hostess who used to take her cats for a walk along Fifth Avenue and she would wear pyjamas when doing so. But really what I’m saying at the start of the show is that it’s you the audience who are the cat’s pyjamas. I start with egregious flattery of my audience. After all these years, do you still get nervous before going on stage or indeed during a performance? I get nervous in the early stages because I’m wondering what I’m going to be saying once a tour starts. It’s never a walk in the park. It’s fun if it’s more of a walk on a tightrope. I did work with one stage manager who said to me ‘It’s amazing because what you do, Griff, is different every night’. After one show he told me ‘You left out the big punchlines tonight’. Some nights I’d be so keen on moving on to something else that I never got to the resolution of the very first story that I started, which left people wondering what on earth was supposed to be happening. Some people go on stage and they perform exactly what they’ve written every night. I’m sure that would be a much better way of doing it but I don’t always do it myself. I get sidetracked by talking about things like what happened to me in the car park on the way to the theatre. I once had a Birdman moment where I went to get a shirt out of the car and I couldn’t get back into the theatre unless I walked in with the audience. A woman turned to me and said ‘I hope you’re going to be good tonight’ and I replied ‘Well, I’ll do my best!’ Isn’t throwing it open to audience questions asking for trouble? Not really because I put up a list of topics for people to ask me about, although I don’t know if I’ll stick with it. That’s in the second half of the show and often it starts with people asking me about Not The Nine O’Clock News, which was so long ago can’t I can’t remember it, let alone answer questions about it. And if you play a really big theatre you have difficulty actually hearing the questions and you have to clamber down off the stage to find out what the question is. But I do put up a list which I scribble out in the dressing room before I go on and it’s a list of things that are currently on my mind. Is there a question you definitely don’t want to be asked? Probably but I don’t know quite what they’d be until I’m asked them. But it’s unlikely because what I usually do is sort of sidestep it by saying ‘I can’t answer that question’. Sometimes it might remind me of something else and off we go. One time I got into talking about Africa with the intention of moving on to killer bees. I got so bogged down in the story of the railways in Africa, which is the story of colonialism. When I looked at my watch I realised I’d taken the entire second half of the show just trying to explain colonialism. I’d been wondering why I hadn’t been getting as many laughs as usual. Is comedy harder in the current woke climate? I get asked that a lot and the honest answer is I don’t know because I don’t play the comedy scene. I don’t go to Edinburgh and all that stuff. So I honestly have no idea. It’s never affected me in any way whatsoever. With the idea that I might be canceled, for the most part my audience probably don’t know what being canceled means. I do tell quite a lot of jokes but
Dining at Yassou Greek Kitchen, Little Eaton
YASSOU! Hiya, hello, good health! All lovely warm greetings that encapsulate the friendly welcome we received mid week at YASSOU Greek restaurant in long Eaton. Family owned and family run with traditional dishes cooked in their own kitchen by Sabu who has brought new magic to their dishes. This authentic Greek restaurant conjures up the essence of sun and seaside holidays. The decor is simple as you would expect from a taverna. The staff are extremely pleasant and will give you accurate descriptions of dishes as well as advice. The menu is split into starters, cold mezzo, hot mezzo and desserts. To say we were excited to be back here is not an exaggeration, and maybe we got a little carried away ordering….. but there was so much on the menu that we liked it was difficult to know when to stop! Firstly though, we were served with drinks while we looked through the menu. We were out for the evening with good friends, which is I think the perfect way to enjoy this relaxed form of dining. It also makes for variety as everyone adds their own favourite dishes which takes you out of your comfort zone. A platter of warm pitta bread arrived first with three delicious dips, the aubergine was particularly good and the whipped feta was sharp and clean although we each had our favourites. From here, as each dish was cooked it arrived from the kitchen. We selected fish dishes, lamb and chicken dishes. Then as a side, a large dish of crisp, fresh Greek salad topped with triangles of quite a mild feta. Our Calamari was in a crisp light batter and tender, very ‘moorish’. The prawns were in a delicious sauce with sweet baby tomatoes and tangy red drop peppers. The Macaroni Mekima was a new dish to me, minced lamb baked with macaroni and topped with butternut squash, subtly flavoured with herbs, an exceptional dish, as was the moussaka. Served in a deep dish with slices of aubergine peeping through the sauce gently browning at the edges and sprinkled with pomegranate, yep another favourite. We probably shouldn’t have had a dessert but decided that the chocolate filled baklava was perfect to share and was a good sweet to end our evening with. Surprised that time had passed so quickly it was time to head for home. We all agreed that this is a really healthy way to eat, good ingredient, freshly prepared and very sociable. Thank you to everyone at YASSOU, those we met front of house, and those working behind the scenes. A genuinely lovely evening. We will be back and soon. Booking early is vital as they get booked pretty well in advance. Call 07368 483725 00
Anila Indian Dining, Belper
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Walk Derbyshire – Beeley Moor & Chatsworth
This is one of the places you may have driven past in recent years, seen the usual ice cream van and lots of cars but thought “I wonder what they are doing.” We have thought this and then carried our drive down the hill in to Beeley and onto Chatsworth for our usual walks. (Sadly the road down into Beeley is closed and has been for some time so this is no longer a cut through). Here on the corner of Beeley Lane / Chesterfield Road you will see cars, always have and always will. When you try this walk you will wonder why you hadn’t been before. It is beautiful with panoramic views of the moorland and down into Beeley past a river and small waterfalls. Our children would come here on their residential school trips and they actually let them have fun(!) and play sliding down the slope into the river. This walk takes in hills, roads and fields and makes a lovelyafternoon out. Remember to take some water and food as you will only pass the pub in Beeley if you happen to stay on the long route. (It is worth it for that!). Parking is free along the roadside but be mindful of not blocking the road for emergency services. THE WALK We start the walk from the corner of Beeley Lane where all the cars are usually parked. At the stone wall on the left you will see a little gap and we head through there and slowly amble down. We head to the bottom of the path and you will see that you can go left or right. We head left here and start to head into the woods. From here a little way down again, you will see a route taking you either left or turning right. We want to head right and start to go down the path. You will know you are on the right path if after a little while you see the river on your right hand side. Many times we’ve had fun having a paddle in this water or even the children deciding they would try to walk through that path instead of the more sensible one we were on. Why not – you are only young once. So here is really pretty. Don’t rush but enjoy the lovely water views and the pretty trees on your left. It is quite a straight forward route so no getting lost – unless you want to. The trees at the bottom are quite magical. Eventually you will hit where the river crosses the footpath – in the summer this is perfect as you can just hop across. However, if you come after much rainfall, this becomes really slippery and shimmying across a log or hopping over the stepping stones provides much fun – especially when your nephew takes an epic fall for the team. Continue down the path in front of you and when you open the gate you have two choices – one is to immediately turn up the road to the right and basically head back on yourself but going up the road so a different route. If you just want a shorter walk that is pretty then this is for you. However, we are heading straight down and we come out at Beeley. This is a gorgeous little village with the houses painted in the Chatsworth Estate blue. It is one of those villages that you just want to live in and enjoy peaceful afternoons pottering in the garden. (Maybe that’s just me!) Head through the village and you can continue to The Devonshire Arms for a swift pint. They do have a beer garden to the left hand side. Or there is the Old Smithy cafe too. After a refreshing drink and a packet of crisps – time to head back out and finish the walk. We are over half way at this point. We head out of the pub and go slight right past the houses immediately in front of you up Chapel Hill. We pass a kids play park on your left hand side and the Old Smithy on your right. When we get to the top of this road there are a couple of chocolate box cottages in front of you – take your pick for your dream house. You will see a footpath heading up a hill on your right hand side. The last time we did this walk there was a horse in the field but it was not in the slightest bit interested in us so don’t worry! Now it gets fun! Head up the hill and through a little gate. This is a steep hill so take your time. When you get to the top – take a breather and look back at the amazing view. We head up the hill and follow the footpath diagonaly all the way up to the farm. The footpath heads through the farmers track only for a short while but sometimes the cows are out. No don’t worry – these are the most well kept cows and during the winter they are in the barns, they have opera music playing and fish in their water to keep them entertained. Go through the farmers gate and after about 100 feet you will see a footpath sign on your right. Head through the small field and back out onto the track. Go straight over the track and off up a steep incline that takes you though some amazing ferns. Once at the top, you’ll come out at a track where we go right. But make sure you stop and admire the amazing views first. Now we follow the track all the way and it is a long way. Just take lots of rests it isn’t a hard walk at this point but a meander up hill. Eventually, you will come back to a part you recognise to be the beginning of the walk. And
Dining In Derbyshire – The Bulls Head, Holymoorside
Nestled in the centre of Holymoorside on the west side of Chesterfield. The Bulls Head, has over the past 9 years become the go to place for fine dining. Travelling there on a sunny Saturday evening we passed along country lanes Nestled in the centre of Holymoorside on the west side of Chesterfield. The Bulls Head, has over the past 9 years become the go to place for fine dining. Travelling there on a sunny Saturday evening we passed along country lanes with names such as, Cotton Mill Hill, Bage Hill, Loads Road and Chandler Hill Lane all hinting at the fact that we were arriving at a village with real history. Just around the corner from The Bulls Head, which first opened its doors in 1881, was the Manlove owned Cotton mill which made cotton thread spun onto its own bobbins. Sadly the sound of the mill wheel turning no longer exists as the village throbs to the new sounds of its residents. And so we arrived at this lovely village that holds so many childhood memories for me. We were booked in at 6:00, knowing that to fully enjoy the experience we needed the whole evening. A 9 course tasting menu is very different from any other way of dining out I can think of. If you are put off by the thoughts of 9 courses being too much, then don’t be. The idea is to enjoy small plates of differing dishes, prepared and presented by an excellent chef, and to learn about the intriguing and sophisticated methods and ingredients that are used to prepare and present them. We sat in the bar, a rustic area which still very much has the feel of the old Bulls Head, and scanned the menu for the evening. We realised at this point that to fully appreciate the experience we needed the input of the well informed staff. If you enjoy a good wine then the thirty nine page drinks menu will really delight you. I asked Mark and then Tom our waiter, to recommend a wine and their choice was superb. The choice of wines from a round the world is truly amazing, with descriptions of taste and provenance on each page. With a good glass of red in hand, in our case a very smooth 7 grape variety, we were served with 2 thin slices of Spanish style chorizo and 2 slices of bresaola, both made in house and hung for 3/4 months. My favourite dish followed next; flaked Cornish crab with lemon, sweet and fresh with saffron wild rice and a pear and gooseberry dressing, Cavair and sprinkled with foraged petals. Then came my husband’s favourite; a dish of ham and egg, the egg very runny with a toasted brioche to dip, and crunchy smoked bacon crumbs on top. Sea trout followed; lightly barbecued with tomatoes serve in every way imaginable. The sea fingers added a salty crunch and the Nduja sauce brought the whole dish together. Nduja by the way is a south Italian sausage with fennel and chilli, this really was an education. I noticed that like myself, many of the diners were unfamiliar with hoggot. Hoggot, is born as lamb then becomes mutton at 12 months, then becomes hoggot when it’s had itsfirst children, as it’s raised for breeding it has a far better quality of life and flavour. Cooked slowly on the barbecue this was a meat that melted in your mouth. The minted pea purée and pearl drop of burnt lemon gel enough accompaniment with a dark jus which had a hint of cardamom. Moving to desserts and a refined take on rice pudding, cooked in coconut milk, Fig Leaf and orange this formed a base for the blackcurrant sorbet. Yogurt with pine infused sugar provided the final flourish executed by the chef at the table. Cooled to minus 200 degrees it immediately froze to be crushed into a yogurt crumble, leaving a great fresh and clean taste to the palate. And finally a chocoholics delight, decorated with edible gold and glazed hazelnuts, filled with white and dark chocolate. A strong coffee finished the evening perfectly with Petit Fours. Each course is served with an explanation of the dish which really does enhance your enjoyment and helps you to identify all the subtle nuances of flavours. The dishes vary according to both the season and what is available to be foraged and so the menu is varied. In addition to the 9 course taster menu there is a reduced version of 5 courses as well which is great. For a full breakdown of the Signature tasting, A La carte and Sunday lunch menus please visit the web site. The Bulls Head is in the Michelin guide and has 3 AA rosettes. Mark Aisthorpe is patron chef who in 2022 appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu reaching the regional final. His enthusiasm is contagious and his passion inspirational. His staff are well trained , polite and very friendly which makes for a relaxed and pleasant experience. After our meal Mark invited us into the engine room of the business to see how things work backstage and show us how the recently installed gleaming new stainless steel kitchen, functioned. It always amazes us how so much can be produced for a room full of diners in such a short time. Having all the equipment obviously helps but you need the staff to pull it all together on time and it was great to see them all at the end of a busy evening, albeit looking a bit tired, but satisfied with a job well done. 00
