Craster kippers

Craster is about an hours drive north from Newcastle, The Little Idiot and I went for a windy picnic a few weeks ago. We ate on the harbour huddled behind the high harbour wall and then took a windy walk along to Dunstanburgh Castle. I'd like to describe a wonderful home-made picnic of pies and salads and ginger beer, but it was bad pots of salad from Tesco as it was a last minute decision. They were tasteless and full of regret...

Craster is famous for it's kippers, just a short walk up from the harbour brings you to the main smoke houses, where thousands of kippers are smoked daily. The herring are caught locally and oak smoked and distributed all over the country. I have read that the Royal family are partial to them for breakfast.

So if it's good enough for them then it's good enough for TLI and I on a sunny Sunday morning in May. Simply grill the kippers on each side for about 4 or 5 minutes and serve with a wedge of lemon and some buttered brown toast.