Cucumber fritters and Sancerre

I think I’ve found the perfect match for Sancerre - and the perfect Sancerre to drink with them!

It’s cucumber fritters, a summer speciality of my good friend Stephen Markwick of Culinaria in Bristol. They’re served in a light, salty batter with dill-flavoured cream and some lightly dressed salad leaves and flowers including peashoots and nasturtiums which Stephen gets from Arne Herbs. I’d give you the recipe but it’s part of the collection that is going into the next cookbook I’m collaborating on with Stephen which will be out this autumn. (The first being A Very Honest Cook)

The Sancerre was great too: a 2008 from Pierre Riffault of Domaine du Carroir-Perrin which was wonderfully pure and mineral with just a hint of gooseberry fruit, elegant and restrained. It came from a local Bristol wine merchant, Vine Trail and you can read the full description here on their site.

Other Sauvignon Blancs would do but the more overt styles I think would overwhelm the delicacy of this quintessentially summery dish.