Freemasons at Wiswell

Tucked away in the Ribble Valley, Wiswell is a multiple winner of best-kept village awards, and makes a peaceful, placid and fine setting for this old inn, secreted up a narrow side street. The interior style is traditional country pub: flagstone floors,  beams, plaid curtains, hunting prints and scrubbed tables. It’s welcoming and unpretentious, with a polished menu that majors on local produce and upscaled British classics interspersed with world flavours – all interpreted by the long-serving head chef Matt Smith, who is now in sole charge of the kitchen.

There are contemporary references too (house-pickled and fermented vegetables, sea herbs, Japanese milk bread), although the kitchen is better-known for its reworking of Lancashire faves ranging from wild rabbit and Old Spot pie to well-aged Lancashire beef with onion and horseradish purée – not forgetting teacakes as a popular post-dessert treat. Beef fat is a dominant ingredient in 'cruffins' (served in lieu of bread), although these have provoked mixed opinions (likewise the Marmite butter).

A velouté of Isle of Wight tomatoes, spiked with drops of white balsamic jelliy and topped with a luscious, creamy fondue of Mrs Kirkham’s fabled Lancashire cheese was a standout when we visited, and it's worth keeping an eye out for seasonal variations. Likewise, chicken liver parfait wrapped in heritage beetroot with port and raspberry jelly, radicchio, pickled and crushed walnuts was a joyful, colour-coordinated summery starter. Less successful was a stodgy Nidderdale lamb suet pudding, and we were also underwhelmed by the various overworked desserts. There’s a well-chosen selection of wine to match the food: our yardstick Chilean Merlot was a superior, smooth blend of berry and crème de cassis flavours.