Ploughman's Lunch Reviews

The site for Ploughman's Lunch reviews.

Ploughman's lunch served on a plate with cheese, bread, salad, and fruit, placed on a stone wall with a scenic countryside view in the background

Ploughman’s Lunch Reviews

The image is a top-down view of a classic Ploughman’s lunch served on a wooden board at The Woolpack in Sopley. On the left side of the board, several slices of thick, tender ham are arranged neatly. To the left of the ham, a small white dish filled with dark, chunky chutney adds a tangy, sweet element to the meal. In the center of the board, a fresh and colorful mixed salad features vibrant greens, sliced red bell peppers, and juicy tomato wedges. Thin slices of crisp red and green apples are fanned out beside the salad, adding a refreshing crunch. Adjacent to the salad, a small dish contains a bright yellow mustard pickle relish for extra flavor. To the right of the salad, a few sticks of fresh celery and a cluster of small pickled onions offer a sharp, crunchy accompaniment. Two neatly wrapped butter pats sit beside them. The bottom of the board features a golden, crusty baguette, split open to reveal a soft, airy interior. To the right of the baguette, a thick wedge of mature cheddar cheese, pale and crumbly, waits to be paired with the bread and ham. Off to the side, a bowl of golden, crispy French fries adds an indulgent touch to the meal, making this a hearty and satisfying pub lunch. The wooden board and rustic table setting complete the traditional pub atmosphere, while personal items like glasses and condiments scattered in the background hint at a cozy, leisurely meal.
Flatlay of Ploughman’s lunch Wollpack Sopley

The romance of Merry Olde England

Ploughman’s lunch evokes images of times past. The age of working rural England. Sunny afternoons in harvest, people gathered in the field for a fine repast of fresh bread and local cheese. Maybe pickles out of a jar, or a new season apple, all washed down with Ale or cider from a flagon, surrounded by stooks of golden straw.

Maybe even a ploughman, horses with nosebag of oats, taking luncheon from a bag at his side. A fresh early spring scene with bird singing of summer ahead.

Cheese – Lots of Cheese

I feel in love with Ploughman’s lunches in my early teenage years. As a hungry young lad a meal what seems to have an irresponsible quantity of cheese as standard was an attractive proposition.

I loved cheese, and this dish was entirely based around a lump of cheese big enough for a small family. This love continues, and I hope you share this with me.

A rustic wooden board set with a round wheel of pale yellow cheese, neatly cut into wedges, surrounded by slices of crusty bread and bunches of fresh red and green grapes. The setting evokes a homely, countryside feel, perfect for a traditional Ploughman’s-style spread.
A really big cheese

The real history of Ploughman’s lunch

I could put it in my own words, but i’m not going to. Read Curious Questions: Who invented the Ploughman’s Lunch? – could not do better than this excellent article.

This is a thing of beauty.

I would probably give top marks if I was given a large lump of good cheese, some fresh rustic bread with some good local butter, an apple and a couple of pickles, and a stone jar of cider (or IPA beer). Ideally eaten in a meadow, or a straw-filled barn, with halcyon views and told to go over there.

This is unlikely to happen.

Ploughman’s lunches tend to be a sit-down lunch affair, often in a pub, sometimes in a cafe or Tea room.

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However, What I REALLY want is YOUR REVIEWS.

Please visit out Submit a Review page for the resources to submit a review for publication. help me cover the whole country and spread the joy of a ploughman’s lunch. Reviews can be fully credited with back-links, or completely anonymous.

We need standards. National standards, and I aim to set them.

So welcome to the good and the bad of ploughman’s lunches. 

This is not a serious site, the intention is to be a light-hearted look at a dish that I, and many others, enjoy a great deal. I want to help promote good quality food, local producers and seasonality.

I know others enjoy a ploughman’s because they have told me! 

Look out for Ploughman’s Lunch-related events on Roaming the Paths.

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