Menu October 2010

8
THE DAILY POST FOOD & DRINK GUIDE Game for anything 60 Hope Street joins the partridge family OCTOBER 2010 menu menu GENTLEMEN’S AFTERNOON TEA LA BOHEME COOKING WITH CHESTNUTS

description

LDP food supplement.

Transcript of Menu October 2010

Page 1: Menu October 2010

THEDAILYPOSTFOOD&DRINKGUIDE

Game for anything60HopeStreet joins thepartridgefamily

OCTOBER 2010

menumenu

GENTLEMEN’SAFTERNOONTEALABOHEMECOOKINGWITHCHESTNUTS

Page 2: Menu October 2010

from£199for 3 nights

KrakowCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Krakow

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 2-nts central 3H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£229for 3 nights

4H BerlinCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Berlin

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 2-nts central 4H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£299for 3 nights

4H ParisCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Paris

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 2-nts central 4H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£199for 3 nights

BarcelonaCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Barcelona

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 2-nts central 2H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£299for 3 nights

4H RomeCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Manchester to Rome

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage

• 2-nts at a central 4H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts available at a supplement

from£299for 3 nights

4HCopenhagenCity BreakTravel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Manchester to Copenhagen

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage

• 2-nts central 4H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts available at a supplement

from£199for 5 nights

MaltaWinter Sunshine Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Malta

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 5-nts central 3H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – FREE upgrade to 4* hotel

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£299for 4 nights

4H MadridCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Liverpool to Madrid

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage per person

• 3-nts central 4H hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 4th nt FREE

• Extra nts and hotel upgrades available at a supplement

from£289for 3 nights

5H BudapestCity Break

Travel until March 2011

• Return direct flights from Manchester to Budapest

• Airport taxes and one piece of checked luggage

• 2-nts at a central 5H Hotel with breakfast

• Selected dates – 3rd nt FREE

• Extra nts available at a supplement

readertravelholidays.com

To book call free: 0800 652 1063 Or visit: www.citiesdirect.co.ukOpening hours Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm and Sat 9am to 4pm

Holidays operated by Cities Direct ATOL 5501 protected. All prices are from, per person, subject to availability and based on two sharing a twin room. Single rooms at a supplement. Hotel upgrades, extra and free nightssubject to limited selected dates. Travel insurance is not included but strongly recommended

DAILY POST Tuesday, October 19, 20102

Page 3: Menu October 2010

3Tuesday, October 19, 2010

OntopoftheirgameJadeWrightmeetstheteamputtinggamebackonthemenuinLiverpool’srestaurants

Roastvenisonwithportandredcurrantsauce

Dan Weston and Paul Hevey, of Lakes Speciality Foods, Staveley, Cumbria, supply game to anumber of Liverpool restaurants

ONCE considered thepreserve of stuffy oldmen in stuffier tweedsuits, game is enjoyingsomething of a

renaissance on restaurant menus.The ultimate seasonal meat feast,it includes rabbit, venison,partridge and pheasant.

The meat is low in fat and, giventhat the animals are wild, couldn't bemuch more free range.

The flavour is, admittedly,characteristic (OK, pretty strong),but cooked well, it can be delicious.

“Game is wild, natural and freerange with a distinctive flavourmaking it a great alternative to beef,pork, lamb and chicken,” explainsPaul Hevey, owner of LakesSpeciality Food, game suppliers tosome of Liverpool’s finestrestaurants, including 60 Hope Streetand Puschka.

Lakes Speciality Foods is one ofthe fastest growing meat companiesin England. Their master butchershave more than two centuries’ worthof experience among the farming,meat and catering industry sectors.

“As it’s low in cholesterol and highin protein, game isone of the healthiestmeats available,”continues Paul.

“For example,venison, with itsextra lean meat, isperfect for anyone ona low fat diet.”

And, as Paulexplains, this time ofyear is the best timeto try it.

“Game can only beshot during specifictimes of the years,” hesays.

“Grouse can only beshot between August12, the GloriousTwelfth, and December10, pheasant fromOctober 1 to February1, and so on. At themoment you get it atits best, butincreasingly frozengame meat is availableyear round.”

The last year hasseen an increase in thepopularity of game onMerseyside restaurantmenus anddelicatessens.

“Game has becomevery fashionable onmenus as it’s seasonal,it has a natural appeal,”says Paul.

“Consumers are nowstarting to try something different asour taste buds are looking forsomething different.

“Game has seen an increasingdemand, and is now available in allsectors of the supply chain, andespecially when bought from local

butchers or supermarkets in pre-cutportioned packs – it gives consumersthe chance to try something easy tocook at home.

“Venison steaks, game bird breastsare easy places to start. Whole birds,though easy to cook, can be a little

difficult to eat or carve.Apart from the usualcasseroles, breasts, whole

birds and portions – chefs are nowcreating different recipes such asterrines, soups, gamekeeper’s piesand meat toppings for pasta.”

As well as eating more game, itseems more people are trying theirhand at shooting it, too.

“The sport of game shooting hasbecome increasingly popular, and the

gentlemen’s club and countryexclusive attitude has radicallydisappeared in the last decade.

“Some of the best shots are nowwomen, and it’s not uncommon tosee women standing at shoots next tomen and holding their own.”

As a strong flavour, game shouldbe pared with equally robust wines.At the game evening at 60 HopeStreet last week, Gary Manningpaired Lakes Speciality Foods’ game

with full-bodied red wines: “Some-times whisky is used to flavour thesauce or cooking,” says Paul. “But,like everything, it comes down totaste. Cider has become a popularaddition.”■ 60 HOPE Street, Liverpool, 0151707 6060, [email protected].■ PUSCHKA, 16 Rodney St,Liverpool L1 2TE, 0151 708 8698.

Ingredients

One rack of venison,ideally with 7-8 cutlets,Olive oilDijon mustardFreshly ground blackpepper1 tbsp juniper berries,crushed3 cloves garlic, finelychopped290ml red wine/port4 good tbsp good qualityredcurrant jelly orcranberry sauce

2 tbsp WorcestershiresauceZest and juice of anorange

Method

Spread 1 tbsp mustardover the venison.Mix together the pepper,crushed juniper berriesand cloves of garlic andpress into the mustard.Place the racks in aroasting tin and seal ona high heat in the top of

the oven at 200°C/Gas 6for 7-8 mins.Lower the heat to180°C/Gas 4 and cookthe venison racks for afurther 15-20 mins.Remove from the ovenand allow to stand for 10mins.Pour off the cookingjuices.

Port & RedcurrantSauce

Place the reserved

menuchef’s table

cooking juices in asaucepan.Add the red wine andport mix, bring to theboil and reduce by athird.Whisk in the redcurrantjelly, Worcestershiresauce, mustard andorange zest and juice.Taste and adjust theseasoning.Simmer for 10 mins andserve, with seasonalvegetables and a goodstrong red wine.

Page 4: Menu October 2010

4 Tuesday, October 19, 2010

JadeWrightmeetsthechapsrevivingthespiritofthegentleman’sclub,withagourmettwist

afternoon tea

Whygentlemenpreferafternoontea

IT’S hard to beat the pleasure ofafternoon tea with in its splendour –tiny crustless sandwiches, freshscones with clotted cream and jam,chocolate-dipped strawberries and a

glass of Champagne.This great British tradition is enjoying a

huge revival, with ladies who lunch eager tospread out the fun long into the afternoon.

But how about the chaps? Surely all thosedainty finger sandwiches and thimble-sizedchina cups are just too feminine for thosealpha males out there?

Well, it seems that’s not the case any more,and the sophisticated man-about-town is aslikely to be seen ordering a bespoke afternoontea as downing a double espresso in a coffeeshop.

In response, the Chester Grosvenor haslaunched an afternoon tea for gentlemenwhere hearty fare, strong tea and good malecompany are on the menu.

The Arkle Bar and Lounge hosts discerningmenfolk keen to enjoy afternoon tea with adistinctive masculine slant for £23.50 perperson.

They’ve ousted thetraditional femininefinger food anddelicate Frenchpastries in favour ofcrusty doorstepsandwiches andchunky chips.

Classic afternoon teaturned on its head,offering a range ofwhiskies, as well asChampagne. There’s agourmet cheese platter,alongside hearty beefand horseradish,chicken or eggmayonnaisesandwiches.

Restaurant managerMark Bevan said:“Afternoon tea is a firmfavourite with groupsof female friends anddaughters who treattheir mums. But wethink there’s a definiteappetite for anafternoon tea tailored toour male customers,too, so we’ve let the menmuscle in on this hotelfavourite.

“The men at theGrosvenor got theirheads together andcome up with their idealmenu of things they’dlike to eat at Afternoon Tea. Thick slabs offruit cake and really strong Appleby’sCheddar were high on the list, as were thick-cut sandwiches.

“Gentlemen have always enjoyed ourtraditional afternoon tea, but this is analternative for them. It’s a perfect opportunityto treat your devoted dad or get together withyour male friends in a relaxing but masculineenvironment.”

Pastry chef Luke Frost cooks up homemaderich fruit cake and rocky road crunch bars tocater for a male appetite.

A selection of newspapers is available forchaps to peruse, and a backgammon set willbe available for gentleman with a competitivestreak.

But, in a surprise turn, women have beeneschewing the traditional afternoon tea inplace of the new gentlemen’s menu.

“The ladies love our afternoon tea forgentlemen – you don’t have to be a man toorder it,” laughs Mark.

“We have one lady who comes in once aweek and always orders the gentlemen’sversion. It’s something a bit different andbecause it’s a bit more savoury than sweetand it has chips with it, it’s been a real hit.

“We had no idea that it would be thispopular – it’s exceeded our expectations. Ourfemale customers tell us that because there’san afternoon tea option for their boyfriends,husbands or other male companions, theyreally enjoy coming with them instead ofleaving them at home.”

In Liverpool city centre, the Novotel haslaunched its Men’s Afternoon Tea for today’sheteropolitan man about town.

Heteropolitan? I hear you ask. Yes, I had tolook it up, too. Apparently this is a new breedof new man – neither lager-loving sexistsobsessed with football nor excessivelymoisturised effeminates. This is the kind ofchap who’s expected at the Novotel’s men’snetworking events, which begin next month.

There, he’ll quaff mint and cranberrywellness shooters while enjoying a range ofmasculine finger food including smokedsalmon and lemon mascarpone mille feuille,

cured beef andhorseradish bruschettaand grilled artichoke andham frittata with a confitof vine tomato, servedwith a selection of poshsandwiches, chips andsalads.

If that’s all too healthy,there are two puddingseach, includingprofiteroles and chocolatebrownies.

Geniene Reese,business developmentmanager at Novotel,explains: “I’m all infavour of men onlynetworking events. Infact, I’m surprised theyhaven't been organisedbefore now as women'snetworking has beenpopular for some timeThat said, I see thisHeteropolitan initiativelaunching at our hotel asmen acknowledging that,just as they enjoy beingtogether in the pubwatching, say, football atthe weekends.

“The only difference isthat they'll be indulgingin surroundingsconducive to doing deals,with crisps and nuts

being substituted for more refined eating,plus a glass of Cava or a whisky as a specialtoast to winning new business.”

So, whether it’s a business meeting, a treatfor your partner or even a Christmas gift, teawith the boys has never been so suave.

■ AFTERNOON Tea for Gentlemen isserved at the Grosvenor between noon and4.30pm daily. Add a tipple, such as anEastgate Ale or a gin and tonic, to havealongside your tea for just £32.50. Forreservations, please contact Ann Wigginson 01244 895618 or e-mail:[email protected].

■ MEN’S Afternoon Tea and Networkinglaunches at Novotel Liverpool onWednesday, November 24, at 5pm. Ticketsare £12.95 per person for the standardpackage, £14.95 with Champagne and£18.95 with select whisky. To book tickets,email [email protected] or call0151 703 0917

Novotel has added agourmet twist to itsGentlemen’s Lunch

For further information and a FREE brochure call:

0151 227 5987To make a booking call:

01524 511780OPENING TIMES: MON-FRI 8.30-19.30 SAT 8.45-15.30 SUN 10.00-15.00or visit: www.liverpool.reader.travel

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: TRINITY MIRROR NORTH WEST AND NORTH WALESIN CONJUNCTION WITH: OMEGA HOLIDAYS. ABTA V4782. ATOL PROTECTED 6081. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.

Price includes:• Return flight fromManchester to Rovaniemi & airport taxes• Hot buffet lunch, airport transfers and use of thermal clothing• The chance tomeet Santa Claus• Participation in all activities offered including snowmobiles,toboggan rides, reindeer drawn sleigh rides, husky dog drivesandwalks in the snowywoods

LaplandThe home of Santa ClausA Great Value Day Excursion18 December 2010, from Manchester Airport

Please note: due to the cold temperatures in the Arctic Circle, travel to Lapland is not advised for any children under 3 years old.

Come bring the whole family to Lapland, the home of Santa Claus,and enjoy a fun-filled and festive timein a magical Winter Wonderland . . .

from£399.95pp

readertravelholidays.com

Page 5: Menu October 2010

5Tuesday, October 19, 2010

THE new cassis Le Creusetcast-iron collection hasarrived at John Lewis.Each piece is hand-craftedin an individual sandmould to ensuredurability.

It’s not cheap, rangingfrom £76-£116 per item,but with a lifetimeguarantee you’ll certainlyget plenty of use out of itfor years to come.

MAKE the most ofautumn produce withhomemade sloe gin andcordials. There'ssomething appealinglyold-fashioned about thispair of bottles (£3.99each from Lakeland),which hark back to daysgone by.

Perfect forhome-made lemonade,ginger ale and sloe gin,or herb-infused oils andvinaigrettes.

CHEAT your way togourmet with HestonBlumenthal’s newWaitrose range. ThisVanilla Mayonnaise (£3for 210g) has to betasted to be believed.

Heston says: “This isa wonderfully fragrantmayonnaise, fleckedwith Madagascanvanilla seeds.” Wecouldn’t agree more.

INGREDIENTS

125g/4½oz soft unsaltedbutter

300g/10½oz best-qualitydark chocolate, brokeninto pieces

3 tbsp golden syrup

200g/7¼oz rich teabiscuits

100g/3½oz minimarshmallows

2 tsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Heat the butter, chocolate

and golden syrup in aheavy-based saucepanover a gentle heat.

Remove from the heat,scoop out about125ml/4½fl oz of themelted mixture and setaside in a bowl.

Place the biscuits into aplastic freezer bag andsmash them with a rollingpin until some haveturned to crumbs butthere are still largerpieces of biscuitremaining too.

Fold the biscuit piecesand crumbs into the

melted chocolate mixturein the saucepan, then addthe marshmallows.

Tip the mixture into a24cm/9in square bakingtin and smooth the topwith a wet spatula.

Pour over theremaining 125ml/4½fl ozof the melted chocolatemixture and smooth thetop with a wet spatula.

Refrigerate for abouttwo hours or overnight.

To serve, cut into 12large or 24 small fingersand dust with icing sugar.Enjoy . . .

Not just for men! TheGentlemen’s Afternoon Teaat Liverpool’s Novotel hasbeen a hit with femalediners, too

Recipe: Rocky road crunch bars

menu

Whygentlemenpreferafternoontea cupboard love

£50 Reward voucher forChristmas

Party Bookings

Bookings now being taken!Call 0151 705 3005 for further details

www.sapporo.co.ukTerms & Conditions: For all Christmas Party bookings of 10 or more, the party organiser will receive a

£50 Reward voucher to dine with us in January 2011.

Bookings must be confirmed by 31st October 2010 to qualify for £50 Reward voucher. This £50Reward voucher is only available for Sapporo Liverpool bookings and cannot be used in conjunction

with any other offer or discount. Quote ‘Daily Post’ at the time of booking.

Page 6: Menu October 2010

6 Tuesday, October 19, 2010

La BohemeFood Facts

TheartofSundaylunchTinaMilesdecidestostopwaitingforaspecialoccasiontoexperiencethefineFrenchfoodatLymm’sLaBoheme

The fabulous family-owned restaurant La Boheme, in Lymm, Cheshire, presents traditional Frenchcuisine for a special occasion or just as a treat

LA BOHEME, 3 Mill Lane,Heatley, Lymm, Cheshire,WA13 9SD.

Tel: 01925 753657

www.laboheme.co.uk

Interior: Elegant andwelcoming. Dim lightinggives the restaurant a cosyfeel. There is also a separatebar area.

Service: The young staffoffer a friendly and attentiveservice.

Disabled access: Yes

Value: The Le “Sunday Menu”is excellent value for money.Top quality meal producedwith fresh ingredients.

Bill: For two with soft drinksand tea, £50.

Food at La Boheme, inLymm, has a strong Frenchinfluence

menu eatingout

THERE is a danger thatSunday lunch can becomesomewhat of a chore, withtime spent either slavingaway at home in front of a

hot stove or visiting the (safe butnot very adventurous) local pub.

So, for anyone who wants to taketheir meal to another (fabulous)level, you can’t go far wrong with avisit to La Boheme, in Lymm.

I had heard a lot of great thingsabout the cuisine at this family-owned restaurant, which is led byOlivier Troalen, the head chef, andhis wife Adele.

But every time my fiance and Ihad talked about dining at theelegant eatery in leafy Cheshire, wepromised to book for a specialoccasion.

We had never considered it assomewhere to pop out to on a Sunday.That was until last week.

Our visit came about afterreceiving an email from my bestfriend. You know the ones that arecirculated and encourage thereceiver to forward it on to friendsand family.

This time, it was advice passed onfrom supposedly a 90-year-oldAmerican woman who had compiled45 lessons life had taught her.

I have to admit I don’t normallytake much notice of those kind ofemails, but there at number 21 was“Burn the candles, use the nicesheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’tsave it for a special occasion. Todayis special.”

Surely that applied to restaurants,too? So, with that in mind, I made areservation for our Sunday lunch atLa Boheme.

I was pleased we had booked inadvance because when we arrivedthe restaurant was bustling.

We were pleasantly surprised tosee every diner was given the Le“Sunday Menu” to order from, whichstarted at a very reasonable £14.50for two courses.

It seemed wrong to come all thisway and not try the deliciousdesserts we had heard about, so weopted for the three-course deal at£18.50 per person.

The menu had a strong Frenchinfluence and was made up of eightstarters and eight maincourse options – most ofwhich we would have beenhappy to order.

The menu runs fromnoon to 9pm on Sundaysand during our visit dishesincluded pan fried lambrump, creamy wildmushroom risotto, grilledfillet of seabass andGressingham duck breast.

We arrived just minutesbefore our preferred time of7pm, and we were greeted by afriendly woman who said our tablewas ready and asked if we werehappy to be seated.

There was just one dish off themenu that evening, which was

salmon, and I was impressed thiswas announced on the board in thebar area and was reiterated to us atfront of house (to prevent thosefrustrating moments when you haveto select another dish after ordering).

Within minutes, we had chosenour drinks and were goingthrough the menu.

I ordered Salade Boheme,which consisted of pieces ofgrilled Cajun chicken,sun-dried tomatoes andstrips of bacon.

I wouldn’t ordinarilyorder a salad as a starterbut I was glad I did. Thechicken was succulent andthe bacon was nice andcrispy. The meat came on abed of fresh salad leaves

bound in a tasty Boheme Caesardressing. It was garnished withparmesan, which added to theflavour, and small crunchy croutons.I’m not usually a fan of croutons but

I enjoyed them and they added to thetexture of the dish. My partner wentfor the Fromage De Chevre A LaNicoise – that’s grilled goat’s cheeseon ciabatta bread to you and I.

Before it arrived, he joked Icouldn’t share it, but it was soappetising he had polished off the lotbefore I even had a chance to ask fora taste.

The starter was served on a bed ofchilled chargrilled vegetables with asweet honey and basil dressing.

As well as the flavourful dishes, wealso noted how meticulouslypresented they were.

The portion sizes weren’tover-facing and they whet ourappetites for what was to come.

For the main course, I was tornbetween four or five of the options.

But by the time my meal arrived Iwas more than satisfied with mychoice.

My 8oz rib eye steak came with agenerous serving of creamy pepper

sauce and was cooked exactly to myliking (medium to well done).

The steak could not have beenbetter – it was tender and was servedon top of a deep fried potato rouladeand a small portion of chunkyseasonal vegetables.

There was an extra £2 for thisdish, which was on the menu asSteak Au Poivre, but it was wellworth the extra pounds.

My other half ’s roasted pork filletlooked terrific.

He was originally tempted by thelamb, but had seen the meal beingserved to a nearby table and haddiscreetly asked our helpful waitresswhich dish it was. After sheobligingly checked the order with thekitchen, she reported back it was theRoulade de Porc Aux FruitsAromatiques.

The pork was stuffed witharomatic fruits and wrapped insmoked bacon and tasted as good asit looked.

The meat was perfectlycomplemented by the red cabbageand caramelised shallot jus and apotato cake also accompanied thedish.

But the star of the meal for us,who both have a sweet tooth, was thedesserts.

My fiance was swayed by hisfavourite and ordered the stickytoffee pudding.

He said the dessert, which wasserved with honeycomb ice creamand toffee sauce, was great comfortfood.

Again, I couldn’t decide between afew options but I went for thechocolate platter for chocolate lovers.My eyes lit up when the richchocolate tart, Ferrero Rocher icecream and profiteroles garnishedwith chocolate sauce was put in frontof me. It was a delicious end to asuperb meal. And I decided this foodwas not something to be reservedjust for special occasions.

‘Don’tsave it foraspecialoccasion.Today isspecial’

Page 7: Menu October 2010

7Tuesday, October 19, 2010

bestbarnone

BE WARNED! The suited andbooted are frowned upon atthe Shipping Forecast, writesLUKE TRAYNOR.

That “just-left-the-office”look just doesn’t wash with thelads on the door of SlaterStreet’s latest nightspot.

It was a dress code some ofmy work colleagues fell foul ofon a recent leaving do whentheir crisp collars and cufflinksjust didn’t pass muster.

The official line is theShipping Forecast managementwant to promote an easygoing,relaxed student vibe.

It appears to work with ayoung,unpretentiouscrowd in thishaunt whichhas goneunder manyguises inrecent years.

Flares,Guynans, andWonderbarare the pastmonikers thatcome to mindfor thisprominentlate bar at theheart ofLiverpool’snightlife.

But this isanaltogetherdifferentbeast.

It’s very cool inside with aUSA-diner feel evidenced bythe old-fashioned long hangingspotlamps, the Art-Decowooden sideboard, transistorradios on the shelves and theopen-hatch serving stationswhich whack out good staplebar food at a rate of knots.

The best comparison of TheShipping Forecast, in terms ofits clientele and surroundings,is an old Korova with a slightlymore stylish customer.

No disrespect to SlaterStreet, which definitely holdsits colourful place on theLiverpool nightlife scene, butthis bar seems something of adeparture for this part of town,with the emphasis more onrelaxed drinking thanhelter-skelter boozing.

There’s a good list of

cocktails, split up into mojito,mule and Mary’s categories, atthe slightly high price of £5.95,and an impressive list ofbottled beers, although noteverything on the menu isactually available in thefridges.

I’ve heard good things aboutthe Mexican Pacifico, but thatwas missing, which was ashame, although thechocolatey Brooklyn lagereased the blow.

At 9pm on Saturday, whenwe arrived, the bar waspleasantly busy without beingtoo rammed. Surprisingly, by

11pm, numbershad dropped offconsiderably.

But once themidnight belltolled, puntersrolled in off thestreet, cardigansand trainers on theblokes and heelson the ladies, andit’s a good fewminutes’ wait toget served at thebar.

Another plus forthe bar is itstendency to linkup with bigLiverpool clubnights likeChibuku, Circusand Evol andacclaimed city DJs

are primed to take the stage incoming months.

So, why the ShippingForecast? The only pointer fromour visit is the rather bizarreRadio 4-style nauticalcommentary coming over thespeakers in the toilets.

Well, that’s what the missusreported, anyhow. Maybe thegents would have a slightlydifferent seafaring theme.

Early in the night, drinkerstraipse inside from the SlaterStreet entrance, but as thehours progress, that door isclosed and access is onlygained by an inconspicuousdoor up one of the side streets.

It’s where the no-suit rulebouncers roam, so think on.

■ THE Shipping Forecast, 15Slater Street Liverpool L1 4BW.Tel: 0151 709 6901

The interior of The Shipping Forecast, on Slater StreetPictures: GAVIN TRAFFORD

menuchestnuts

THE schoolboys may beknocking the last of theconkers from the trees, andlazily kicking the leavesunderneath in the hope of

finding one or two unclaimed, butfor seasonal foodies the real treatlies not in the horse chestnuts, butin their sweeter, edible cousins.

For, while conkers are inedible,sweet chestnuts are a gourmet autumntreat. The French devour marronglacé, and in London, street sellersroast them in open braziers and sellthem in paper bags.

But for a real treat, try harvestingyour own, and baking them in a hotoven, or in the embers of an open fire.

Late October is a great time to go onthe hunt as the chestnuts are at theirripest, but make sure you take thickgloves – the shells are pricklier thanconkers and will puncture even thetoughest of hands.

They are usually slightly smallerthan those brought from the Continentinto the supermarkets. They can bestored for Christmas and, best of all,won’t cost you a penny.

Indeed, their use as a food source iswhy they dot our landscape: theRomans brought the sweet chestnut toBritain to provide a ready supply ofchestnut flour, which was a staple ofthe legionaries’ diet.

Be careful not to confuse the nutswith conkers. Sweet chestnuts are in ahairy-looking pod, covered inneedle-like spikes, whereas inedibleconkers have a thick, smooth shellwith shorter, rounder spikes.

While you’re out, the WoodlandTrust in Merseyside is appealing forthe public to help them find thecounty’s oldest trees, so it can lobbyfor greater protection and monitorcurrent threats.

So far, two sweet chestnut trees havebeen recorded in Merseyside, with thelargest – having a girth of six metres –

found in Calderstones Park, Allerton.Edward Parker, the Ancient Tree Huntproject manager at the WoodlandTrust, says: “We know there will bemany more out there, so are urgingpeople to help us gain more data.Ancient sweet chestnuts havedistinctively twisted, spiral-liketrunks when they grow old, so theyare easily recognisable to the public,especially at this time of the yearwhile the nuts are available. It’s also agreat way of stocking up on free foodfor traditional autumn or Christmasdishes with the family.”

Debra Williams, Woodland Trustvolunteer from Liverpool, adds:“Foraging is fantastic fun and wouldmake a great day’s activity over half-term; and you’ll be doing a veryworthwhile job if you can find someancient sweet chestnut trees at thesame time. It’s a huge task to find allthe UK’s ancient trees, but until weknow where they are it’s difficult forthe Woodland Trust to protect them.”

■ TO FIND out how to spot anancient tree and to register it onthe Ancient Tree Hunt website,please visit www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk

by JADE WRIGHT

Makethemostoftheseoldchestnuts

Chestnut Bourguignon pie from TheVegetarian SocietyPreparation time: 30 mins to 1 hour.Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours. Serves 4

Ingredients125g/4oz dried chestnuts, soaked for6-8 hours2 bay leaves1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp/5mldried rosemary210ml/7fl oz vegetarian red wine300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock or water25g/1oz butter or soya margarine8 small pickling onions or shallots,peeled125g/4oz chestnut mushrooms, wiped125g/4oz button mushrooms, wiped2 tsp Dijon mustard2-3 tbsp tamari or soy sauceFreshly ground black pepperFresh parsley, finely chopped225g/8oz vegetarian puff pastry,thawed if frozenPre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

MethodPlace the soaked chestnuts, herbs and150ml/5fl oz of wine in a saucepanwith vegetable stock to cover and cookuntil just tender – approximately 50-60minutes. Drain the chestnuts,reserving the liquid.Melt the butter in a frying pan andsauté the onions until slightlybrowned. Add the mushrooms andcook for a further 4-5 minutes.Add the chestnuts, the remaining redwine and sufficient chestnut cookingliquor to cover.Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30minutes to reduce the liquid a little.Stir in the mustard, tamari and blackpepper to taste. Cook for a further 5minutes. Check seasoning and adjustas necessary.Spoon the mixture into a pie dish. Rollout the pastry on a floured surface andplace on top of filling. Bake for about20 minutes until golden.

Chestnuts are now in season, and taste great in this chestnut bourguignon pie

Why not try going foraging foryour own chestnuts?

The Shipping Forecast,Slater Street, Liverpool

Page 8: Menu October 2010

8 Tuesday, October 19, 2010