Endurance Boat Café

I opened the boat cafe in spring 2021 to fill a creative post-lockdown black hole and serious passion for cooking. It has been such an exciting and rewarding project, connecting with locals and providing a tranquil space for people to sit and enjoy the beautiful riverscape in the village of Sutton Courtenay, near Abingdon.

Saturdays are all about breakfast brioche and egg cups, and Sundays are for cake and savoury scones!

The boat itself is called Endurance after the fated Shackleton vessel of the same name. I am a distant relative and thought it would be a fun nod to the great Sir Ernest (just so long as the boat doesn’t meet the same watery end...!). https://metro.co.uk/2022/09/29/sir-ernest-shackletons-great-great-niece-resurrects-endurance-17470047/


Until fairly recently, I was running a monthly vegetarian supper club. This is currently on pause, but I am hoping to resume at some point later in the new year. I do offer private catering if you would like a meal prepared in your own home for a special event (for up to 10 guests). All ingredients are sourced as locally and as seasonally as possible, featuring wines and delicacies from across Oxfordshire. Example menus from previous supper clubs are below:

April Menu

Warm oregano focaccia made with Wessex Mill flour
Hendred Vineyard - Hendred Brut English sparkling wine

Highmoor & Witheridge cheese croquetas with chive & chilli aioli
Ollara Gran Reserva 2016 Rioja

Charred local purple sprouting on lemon butter bean purée with romesco and toasted Marconi almonds

Wild garlic & roasted leek heart risotto with Brightwell Ash goats cheese, hazelnuts and wild garlic flowers
Brightwell Vineyard - Oxford Gold

Grapefruit & vodka sorbet

Rhubarb tart tatin with village honey cream
Rhubarb & custard Abingdon gin sour

Coffee & homemade truffles

March Menu

Wild garlic brioche made with Wessex Mill flour
Hendred Vineyard - Hendred Brut English sparkling wine

Charred spring cabbage & Oxford blue dressing with walnuts
Brightwell Vineyard - Oxford Flint

Celeriac Anna with celeriac, white wine & tarragon broth

Beetroot ravioli with Brightwell Ash goats cheese and toasted hazelnuts
Valpolicella Ripasso 2015

Blood orange vodka sorbet

Rhubarb tarte tatin with local honey cream
Rhubarb Abingdon Gin sourCoffee & homemade truffles

February Menu

‘Dragon’s blood’ frozen berry cocktail with Takara Plum
Wessex Mill flour focaccia

Leek & Witheridge cheese tart with homemade puff pastry & local leaves
JoJo’s Vineyard Bacchus-Seyval Blanc

Charred spring cabbage with lemon parmesan dressing with toasted hazelnuts

Lions mane mushroom steak, truffled potato and cavolo nero
Navajas 2014 Rioja

Basil, lemon & vodka sorbet

Blood orange, homemade marmalade & cardamom soufra with honey cream
Blood orange whisky sour

Coffee & homemade truffles

December Menu

Hot cloudy apple & Wild Oxen spiced rum cocktail
Chilli, miso & garlic sprout bites

Rich mushroom parfait with brandy jelly and focaccia toasts
Brightwell Vineyard ‘Oxford Gold’

Butter poached carrots, spiced carrot purée, toasted hazelnuts and Brightwell Ash goats cheese

Chestnut ravioli in a red wine & porcini reduction with cavolo nero crisp
Médoc

Earl Grey poached pear sorbet

Chocolate orange soufflé with Endurance Boat Cafe marmalade ice cream
Old Luxter’s Blood Orange liqueur

Coffee and almond & pecan salted caramel brittle

November Menu

Shackleton whisky & Endurance Boat Cafe marmalade sour

Roasted fennel, celeriac & russet apple soup with caramelised onion brioche
Brightwell Vineyard - Oxford Gold

Deep fried blue oyster mushroom with kimchi mayonnaise and toasted sesame chilli dressing

Crown prince squash & aubergine pavé with Highmoor & tarragon cream sauce with pecans
Dogajolo ‘Super Tuscan’

Quince, lemon & vodka sorbet

Gooseberry meringue tart with basil ice cream
Old Luxter’s Wild Peach liqueur

Coffee & homemade truffles

October Menu

Passionfruit & Abingdon Gin cocktail
Warm homemade oregano brioche with garlic & chive goats butter

Pear & whipped Sinodun Hill goats cheese with herb oil

Shallot & thyme tatin
Hendred Rosé

Honeybear squash gnocchi in sage butter with toasted walnuts & Oxford Blue cheese
Brightwell Vineyard Regatta Red

Quince & lemon vodka ice

Warm St Clements almond cake with Endurance Boat Cafe marmalade ice cream
Old Luxter’s Blood Orange liqueur

Coffee & homemade truffles

Halloween Menu

‘Pixie Eggs’
Soy, ginger & chilli pickled quails eggs on black sesame & seaweed
Lychee eyeball cocktail with Kwai Feh and Empress gin

‘Sorcerer’s Couldron’
Spicy kabocha squash soup with creme fraiche and toasted pecans with homemade caramelised onion brioche
Brightwell Vineyard Bacchus white

‘Cockroach’
Oxford Blue stuffed Medjool dates

‘Witches Hair’
Confit tomato, pine nut & basil with thick, hand-cut homemade black pasta.
Rosso di Montepulciano 2017

‘Devilspawn’
Cucumber, lime & vodka pearls

‘Giant’s Eyeball’
Local honey & thyme panna cotta with raspberry coulis and almond biscuit shards
Old Luxter’s Raspberry Liqueur

‘Poisoned truffles’ with coffee

September

Warm Wessex Mill focaccia with olive oil

Aubergine Schnitzel with Norton & Yarrow Sinodun Hill whipped goats cheese with gremolata, lemon gel and toasted pine nuts

King oyster mushrooms in brandy miso sauce with toasted hazelnuts, cavolo nero and truffled creamed potato

Passionfruit semifreddo with white chocolate, Bacardi & lime sauce

Coffee & homemade truffles

August Menu

Lemon, borage & elderflower Empress Gin cocktail
Homemade Wessex Mill focaccia with nasturtium goats butter

Fried aubergine with oregano & black truffle honey

Courgette & mint rosti with whipped Norton & Yarrow goats curd
Brightwell Vineyard Bacchus white

Burnt leek, cannellini bean & lemon with pine nuts
Rizzardi Pojega 2019 Valpolicella

Giant baked Alaska with blackberry, raspberry & pistachio to share
Old Luxters Raspberry Liqueur

Coffee & homemade truffles

I hope to see you at the cafe soon!