feast among the foliage

just below richmond hill lies the enclave of petersham.  mick jagger and eric clapton have mansions on richmond hill; the rest of the very well-to-do have big homes behind stone walls in petersham.  the view from the apex of richmond hill includes not only a wind-y portion of the thames, but petersham meadows, where 9 months out of the year, spotted cows graze.  it's such a pastoral scene that it almost appears fabricated for that purpose.  maybe it is.

we walk from our home around the thames and through the meadows (about a 1 1/2 miles) the sunday before christmas.  at the southern edge of the meadow is a black gate.  beyond the gate is a dirt path that follows straight into petersham nurseries.  petersham nurseries is a combination standard plant nursery with a cafe and a restaurant that serves only lunch.  the chef of the restaurant writes a column in the sunday independent and the restaurant is so regarded highly it requires booking a table 2 months in advance.  the food for the week we visit includes very herb-y, tweaked takes on lamb, guinea fowl and fish. the waitstaff creates a rhubarb puree to add to our sparkling wine.  it's a festive table.  what i like best is that we actually eat in a green house with a dirt floor and rustic furnishings.  the waitstaff troops around in tall hunter wellies, as do several of the patrons.  it's a lovely lunch.