The Junction Inn Groombridge
Following a gluten free diet doesn't mean you have to for-go days out and a trip to the local pub for a quick bite to eat - or a full evening meal. And if you are over in Groomsbridge then The Junction Inn is most definitely the place to try. Catering for the gluten free eater, they also make their own gluten free cakes - perfect for a sunny afternoon tea-break.
Catherine and Dave have been at The Junction Inn since March 2010 and are doing their utmost to make sure that no one gets left out when it comes to family fun and restricted diets. We popped in after a morning walk with the dogs - in search of a refreshing drink, a little shade and some gluten free lunch. With a personal and friendly welcome from everyone, from the moment we stepped inside, they did their best and catered to our free-from needs.
Not only were we delighted to find that a gluten free baguette was readily available to enjoy with our meal, we were also stunned to be given tips on how to prepare it perfectly for dipping in some scrummy olive oil. Catherine shared her secret on how she prepared our baguette; which came from the Sainsbury's free from range. Having tried these before we were not expecting it to be anything to write about but prepared Catherine's way it is safe to say we were more than surprised and delighted.
The trick appears to be in freezing these baguettes as soon as you buy them. Then re-heat them frozen into a hot oven for about 11minutes. This enables the outside to bond and crust while the inner bread remains soft by way of being steamed. The Junctin Inn offers take-away pizzas to the village as well as providing home-made cakes and shortbread, all gluten free. Since moving in they have added two new additions - Wally the Collie and Betty the Staffy/Whippet cross.
With such an amazing welcome from our neighbours and Groombridge as a whole, we have loved getting involved in so many aspects of village life. Groombridge is a beautiful village, always planning the next event, cricket match, birthday party, play or charity do- there is never a dull moment! We are proud that The Junction Inn is a family friendly hub of the village, with fresh, homemade food, a great welcome and quality drinks, not to mention our upcoming events that are bound to get the village talking! We at the Junction Inn believe that food does not need to be over complicated or indeed over priced. We value quality produce, prepared freshly and simply allowing the flavours to do the talking. Having developed and honed our menu since we arrived, we feel that Catherine's commitment to making dishes from scratch using as many local, seasonal products as possible has led to great final products; from our homemade baked Limerick ham to our unctuous sticky toffee pudding.