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Join the tea partyLiverpool’sLeafteashopandcafeturnsone

NOVEMBER 2011

menumenu

COTTAGELOAFREVIEWCHRISTMASFOODMATHEWSLOANE

2 Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A True Italian Experience

Serving the best in Italian food

48a Castle Street, LiverpoolTel: 0151 236 3375 • Fax: 0151 236 7260 • www.francosliverpool.com

Franco’s Restaurant issituated at 48a Castle Streetin the heart of Liverpool

Also available for Business Lunches • Birthdays • Parties • Celebrations • Office FunctionsMonday to Friday 11.30am-3.00pm • Tuesday to Saturday 5.30-11.00pm

Franco’s RistoranteWhere Italians love to eat

ChristmasFayreLunch

Egg Mayonnaiseor

Home MadeVegetable Soup

• • •Roast Turkey

orLasagne

orSalmon Sambuca

Seasonal Vegetables• • •

Choice of sweet• • •

Lunch £19.95Coffee & Mints

£2.25 extra

bookings now being taken atbookings@francosliverpool.comA non refundable deposit of £5 per personis required to secure bookings

Mr. Franco Colangeli...and

his team warmly invites you

book in his superb Italian

Restaurant, enjoy the finest

of Italian cuisine. Attentive

service, beautiful setting and

a glowing atmosphere.

Ciao a Presto FRANCO

FRANCOS

DinnerSeafood Cocktail

orEgg Mayonnaise

orHome Made

Vegetable Soup• • •

Roast Turkeyor

Salmon Sambucaor

Entrocote SteakChasseur

orany Pasta of your choiceSeasonal Vegetables

• • •Choice of sweet

Dinner £22.95Coffee & Mints

£2.25 extra

3Tuesday, November 15, 2011

CelebratinganewLeafAsitturnsone,JadeWrightmeetstheteambehindLiverpool’sawardwinningteashop

Leaflemontart

Leaf’s owner, Natalie Haywood, is celebrating a year at the Bold Street site with a week of birthday parties

WHEN most of usthink of a tea shop,what springs tomind is anold-fashioned cafe,

filled with doilies and ladies of acertain age.

But Leaf on Bold Street is one of anew generation of tea shops that’s aslikely to attract students aspensioners. Looking around the busyground floor, it’s packed with all agegroups, tucking into artisan teas anddelicious homemade cakes.

“We wanted to create a space thatcould be used all day and through intothe evening by all kinds of people,”explains owner Natalie Haywood, 29.

“We’re open from 9am until 2am alot of days, so in that time you getpeople coming in for all sorts ofreasons. Some might want breakfastand a coffee, others will come in fortea and cake during the afternoon, orhave dinner on their way to a gig or afilm. Then there’s another crowd whomight just come in for drinks in theevening, and for them it’s more like abar.”

Natalie set up the first incarnationof Leaf at the Roscoe gallery five yearsago – at the tender age of 24. She cuther teeth with Korova Corporation,promoting venues such as Alma deCuba and Baby Cream. In 2009 Leafmoved to Upper Parliament Street,before upping sticks again to itscurrent base on Bold Street.

The tea shop celebrates its firstanniversary on Bold Street this monthwith three birthday themed events –starting with nibbles and treats toease into birthday shenanigans at theopen mic night with Johnny Sands onThursday November 22.

That will be followed by nine-piece,New Orleans style brass bandBrassroots on Friday November 25,and it finishes with a very specialedition of the regular pudding club onMonday November 28.

“It’s going to be a great week,” grinsNatalie. “We’re really excited about it.Plus, it’s going to be extra special forme, because it’s my 30th birthday thenight Brassroots play, so I’m claimingthat as my party too!”

The 29-strong team at Leaf havemore than enough reason to celebrate– in the last year they’ve won a clutchof awards, including the Hippest of theHipsters in the BBC Olive AlternativeFood Awards, Best New Business fromthe Morgan Foundation, and beennamed in the Top 10 Multi-PurposeVenues in Britain by the Guardianand the Top 50 Tea Rooms in the UK inthe Independent.

“We’ve been amazed at theresponse,” says Natalie.

“Since we moved, it’s like it’s allfallen into place for us. We’re getting alot more custom.

“The Upper Parliament Street sitewas good, but people just couldn’t findus or easily walk there.

“Now we get a lot of passing trade,and once people come once and enjoy

it, they tend to come back. We’vekept a lot of friends from those days,though.

“One of the highlights of this yearwas hosting The Wombats’ albumlaunch party. They used to have therehearsal room above us for twoyears, so we got to know them prettywell and when they were thinkingabout venues they came to us, whichwas great.”

As well its core business, Leafhosts daily events, putting oneverything from open mic nights toart classes.

“The life drawing sessions havebeen very popular,” says Natalie. “Weweren’t sure how it would work, butpeople have really gone for it.

“We have a regular pudding club,and that is usually fully booked.Once people come once, they tend tobook again and again.

“There are also the Craft Creativeworkshops, which feature live music,as well as a different craft subjecteach time. They’ve been a realsuccess.

“We’re really lucky. Almosteverything we’ve tried, people have

embraced. It helps that we have areally good team. It takes a certaintype of person to work at Leaf. Theyneed to have a real passion for whatwe do, and I’m so lucky that we havefound the right people.”

As well as the right people, Natalieworks hard to make sure they offerthe right menu.

“We had to make sure we knewwhat we were and what we weren’t,”she says. “We offer good value formoney, home made, fresh accessiblefood. We call it creative comfort food.We aren’t a special occasion place.

we’re somewhere that you can popinto to have your tea without feelinglike you have to dress up.”

Inside, the decor is quirky andwelcoming, with stripped woodenfloors and vintage lampshades.

It’s the kind of place you couldhappily laze away an afternoonbrowsing the papers andpeople-watching with a glass of wine.

“We get some people who come inevery day,” adds Natalie. “A lot comein just for the cakes. The brownies,carrot cake, lemon tart andcheesecakes just fly out. We have tomake so many every day because weknow there’s demand.”

Natalie has spent the last fiveyears building up Leaf. Now, beforethe age of 30 she’s amassed a thrivingbusiness and a mantelpiece full ofawards.

“I’d like to have achieved morebefore I hit the big 30,” she laughs.“But I’ve got a few plans up mysleeve. I’ve done some consultancythis year, which I really enjoyed.

“At some point I’d like to open upanother Leaf. I don’t think we’d do itin the city centre, and it wont be justyet, but it would be nice to haveanother shop somewhere. I alwayslike to have another goal and anotherproject on the horizon. It gives yousomething to aim for.”■ LEAF, 65-67, Bold Street, L14EZ, www.thisisleaf.co.uk. Tel:0151 707 7747.

INGREDIENTS250g plain flour100g icing sugar100g cold unsaltedbutter11 Eggs4 lemons – zest andjuice300mls double cream375g caster sugar

Method1. Sieve the flour andsugar on a clean surface.Make a well in themiddle.2. Throw in diced butter

and start to crumblewith fingers.Mix two of the eggs in.When mixture is rolledout, chill it in the fridge.3. Put the pastry into amedium sized flan dish.Blind bake at 200ºC forapprox 20 minutes, untilpastry is golden brownand well done.4. Zest the lemon andsqueeze the juice out.Mix the sugar and theremaining nine eggs tocombine.

5. Slightly whip thecream. Add lemon juiceand zest to the egg mix.Combine with cream.Let it chill for 30 mins.6. Pour the lemon mixover the cooked tartand cook in the oven forapprox one hour at150°c. The tart shouldstill be runny in themiddle, but will set as itcools.7. To serve, dust withicing sugar and glazewith a blowtorch.

menutea time

4 Tuesday, November 15, 2011

JadeWrightsamplesalternativeChristmasmenusthatwilltemptyourtastebudsthispartyseason

Even the most modest ofparties take a bit ofplanning. Here are our toptips for a foolproof officemeal.

1. Make it a team effort.Ask your colleagues whatthey want. Take into accountdietary, religious and socialrequirements. Then divide upthe responsibilities soeveryone gets a say and youdon’t get too swamped.

2. Be creative. Don’t feelthat you have to do thesame thing every year. Anddon’t feel that you have tohave food and dancing. Forsmaller groups it can bebetter to stay at therestaurant all evening andtalk over coffees and drinks.

3. Don't leave everythinguntil the last minute. Popularvenues get booked up early.

4. Be flexible. A lot of

restaurants offer good dealsearlier in the week. Youmight be able to get a slot ona Wednesday in December,even if you can’t get a Fridaynight booking.

5. Drive a hard bargain.Restaurants will be keen foryour trade this Christmas – soshop around, and see ifthey’ll throw in a free glassof mulled wine or canapes onarrival.

6. Ask for jugs of icedwater on the table, servedwith lemon or fresh mintleaves. Some people mightwant to drink a lot of alcohol,others won’t, but by slowingdown the drinking there’ll beless chance of anyone havingmore than they realise overdinner.

7. For set menus you’llprobably need to order inadvance. Make a note of

what everyone has chosenand take it with you sothere’s no confusion on thenight.

8. Get your deposits inearly – most places won’tconfirm your booking untilthey have the money. Again,keep a record of all thedeposits taken, and checkthat they come off your billat the end.

9. Ask the restaurant ifyou can pay for your drinksseparately at the bar. Thatway, there’s no confusionover who has had what, andno-one is landed with anunexpectedly large bill atthe end of the night.

10. Remember to havefun, and enjoy your meal.Don’t get so caught up inorganising it all that youforget to relax and enjoyyour party.

Angela Brennan with her daughter Katey at Skinni Malinx

Christmas party planning tips

alternative Christmas party food

Ringinthechangesforthisyear’

IT’S that time of the year again.Christmas is less than six weeksaway and, if you haven’t already, it’stime to think about booking theoffice party.

Then you can sit back and look forward toa hassle-free feast. But don’t limit yourself totired turkey and stale stuffing – reinvigorateyour celebration by trying something newthis year.

Many offices have cut back on throwingofficial Christmas parties these days, somore and more of us are organisinginformal meals with colleagues to mark thefestive season.

It’s a great way to bond with colleagues,and there’s a huge amount of choice outthere, so there’s a venue, and indeed a menu,to suit every group.

One menu which has taken even itscreators by surprise with its popularity isthe Perfect Christmas Party at SkinniMalinx.

Owners Angela Brennan and KateyHawtin launched their diet cafe last year, butthis is the first time they’ve opened in theevenings with a special low calorieChristmas offering.

“We launched the menu a few weeks agoand we can’t believe how popular it hasbeen,” explains Katey, 27. “We’ve already hadto get more copies printed as they all wentwithin the first few days.”

The Castle Street cafe serves deliciousfood, with low calorie counts – and they putthe Weight Watchers pro points, SlimmingWorld syns, calories and grams of fat onevery dish.

“The menu starts with a variety of soups –which are all point and syn free,” says Katey.“Then there’s a healthy main course,followed by a very low fat pudding and thencoffee and mince pies.

“Altogether, you can have a really goodthree courses for less than 10 pro points.Then you can bring your own wine, beer orspirits and we provide free corkage. Lots ofpeople are saying they’re going to enjoy aglass of wine because they’ve saved so manypoints or syns on the actual meal.”

The £14.95 menu has been hugely popular,but there are still some evenings left, as thecafe normally only opens during the day.

“Weight Watchers and Slimming World

groups have really got behind the idea, saysKatey. They like the fact that they cancelebrate together without being surroundedby temptation.

“Eating healthily isn’t about starvingyourself or only eating green salads. Wewant people to be able to enjoy their mealsas they lose weight.

“A lot of our customers are worried they’llwreck their diets over Christmas and have tostart again in January, but this way they canstill have a Christmas party with good foodand wine without feeling guilty.”

Similarly, The Brink, the new adult drybar on Parr Street is offering a completelyalcohol free Christmas party menu.

“We have worked hard to find ingredientsthat work wonderfully as alternatives to theflavours of rum, brandy and whiskey thatare traditionally found in Christmas fare,using cinnamon, cloves and allspice,” saysgeneral manager Carl Alderdice.

“We are confident that our customers willreally appreciate the difference.

“We’re really looking forward to our firstChristmas, and to welcome festive foodiesfrom across the region. Our seasonal menuhas been designed to be everything aChristmas menu should be: full of Yuletideflavour.

“Everything from the main courses to ourrange of festive puddings and hot winterydrinks will warm the cockles of your soul.”

If you’re looking for great valuevegetarian food, the Egg Cafe on Newingtonis offering three courses for £9.75 across thefestive season.

“It’s very popular with groups,” says chefCyrus Gerrish. “At the weekends it gets verybusy, so we advise groups of six or more tobook as far in advance as they can.”

All of the food at the cafe is vegetarian,and a lot is vegan, which means it’s suitablefor people who don’t eat dairy products oreggs.

The menu offers soup, a hearty maincourse, a pudding and tea or coffee. Dinerscan bring their own wine or beer for £1corkage per head.

“Christmas is always a busy time,” saysCyrus. “People like being able to bring theirown drinks in. It’s good value and they get tochoose exactly what they want.”

If you’re looking for a more informal

One of Wirral’s Finest

Visit our website atwww.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Open Tuesday to Saturday EveningsSmall (40 max) private parties catered

0151 632 624120 BIRKENHEAD ROAD HOYLAKE WIRRAL CH47 3BW

www.solobiketour4cancer.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER MARKET MENUAlso Available

Makes a Great Christmas PresentJulian’s popular

COOKERYMASTERCLASSCOOKERYMASTERCLASSPLEASE RING FOR DETAILS

BUFFETS & BESPOKE OUTSIDE CATERINGTo suit all budgets

Tuesday - Thursday £12.95

Friday & Saturday £14.95

November Two Course Table D’Hote Menu

Findus on

Intern

ational&

Modern

British

Cuisine

Christmas Table D'Hote MenuChristmas Table D'Hote MenuTues-Thurs - 2 Course £16.95, 3 Course £21.40Tues-Thurs - 2 Course £16.95, 3 Course £21.40Fri & Sat - 2 Course £19.95, 3 Course £24.40Fri & Sat - 2 Course £19.95, 3 Course £24.40

Book Your Table NowBook Your Table Now

5Tuesday, November 15, 2011

IF YOU’D rather skip the bakingstage, try the TraditionalGingerbread House Kit (£11.99from Lakeland). Itsgingerbread is made inGermany, by the Pertzbornfamily, to a recipepassed down throughgenerations, readyto be boundtogether with icing anddecorated with sweets.

ICE biscuits and cakeswith greater precisionwith the Judge easy touse traditional icingsyringe set (£3.25, www.judgecookware.co.uk). Ithas eight nozzles forcreating differentpatterns, which areeasily interchangeable.The syringe mechanismis easy to control soperfect for getting thefamily involved.

RESEARCH from BBC GoodFood Magazine says more ofus are planning to make andbake more presents thanever this year. Get thewhole family in the kitchenwith these Cuisipro cookiecutters. The set of five snapfit Christmas cutters (£7.99from www.amazon.co.uk)make seamless cuts.

Host’s Christmasmenu Asiansharing platter

menu

Ringinthechangesforthisyear’sfestivities cupboard love

Christmas meal, without the turkey andstuffing, Host on Hope Street has a menubased around sharing, using Thai, Chineseand Japanese inspired cuisines.

Diners sit on large wooden benches atcanteen style tables, with glasses andchopsticks already set out – and knives andforks always on hand for less dexterousdiners.

The menu features large sharing plattersof chicken satay, crisp fried squid, deep friedham hock, spring roll and onion bhajis,alongside more substantial sweet cured porksirloin, seafood udon noodles and beefPenang curry.

“At Host we thought we’d offer a greatalternative to your traditional Christmasmenus for those after something a littledifferent,” says co-owner Gary Manning.

“We’ve taken traditional festiveingredients such as Cranberries for exampleand given them a Pan Asian twist. The Asianplatter has something for everyone andreally incorporates the sharing, family feelof a Christmas dinner. For the main we haveput a spin on the traditional roast with asweet chilli chicken or the braised beefpenang curry and rice.

“Then for dessert, we wanted to includecranberries, as it’s a traditional Christmasingredient and so we created a festivecranberry and orange pannacotta. If you’reafter something to spice up your Christmas,then Host has the menu for you.”

So, if you and your colleagues want thepick of the best party places, get crackingnow. Otherwise, it'll be a case of no room atthe inn.

The Brink, Parr Street, Liverpool, L1 4JN. Tel: 0151-703 0582The Egg Cafe, Top Floor, 16 - 18, L1 4ED. Tel: 0151 707 2755Skinni Malinx, 21 Castle Street. Tel: 0151 236 6116.Host, 31 Hope St, Liverpool L1 9XH. Tel: 0151 708 5831

Take onemasala chaitea bag placein a large cupor heat proofglass, fill with1/3 of boilinghot water.

Sprinkle ina tiny pinchof driedcrushed chilli

Allow toinfuse for 2min.

Fill withhot milk,garnish andserve with astick ofcinnamonleaving teabag in toallow flavourto build.

Chilli chai latté from The Brink DIRECTIONS: Wash and finely slice the artichokes. Sweat off the artichokes in alittle butter until they start to soften. At this point add half a pint of whipping creamand cook until soft. When soft, place in a food processor and blend until smooth.Adjust seasoning to taste and leave to one side. (This could be made 24 hrsin advance)

Slice the potato thinly on a mandolin and brush with butter. Bake between two heavyflat trays for 20 mins at 160 degrees centigrade or until golden brown.

Peel the baby onions and baby turnips and cook in boiling salted water until tender.Refresh in ice water and drain. Set aside until ready to serve.

Cut the pancetta slices into lardons (strips about 3mm wide).

To cook the pheasant breasts, colour both sides and place under a medium grill, usethe same principles as when cooking chicken. Be careful as pheasant will easilyovercook and become dry. (In the restaurant we cook the pheasant in a temperaturecontrolled water bath to help prevent it from overcooking)

When ready to serve, sauté off the spinach in a little oil and reheat the vegetables inboiling water. Reheat the artichoke puree and fry off the pancetta lardons until crispy.Place the cooked chestnuts in the pheasant jus to warm through (a good quality beefjus will suffice).

To Plate, place the pheasant breast on top of the spinach and drag a spoonful ofartichoke puree across the plate. Add one baby turnip and 1 Baby onion along withthe crispy bacon and spoon over the chestnut jus. To finish, garnish with the potatocrisp. (In the restaurant we top the crisp with mashed potato and chopped sautéedchicken livers)

David’s Diary

Contact: The Lawns Restaurant at Thornton Hall HotelNeston Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral. CH63 1JF

“This week I would like to share one of my favourite locally sourceddishes - Leverhulme Estate Pheasant, Jerusalem Artichokes &

Chestnuts. At The Lawns we believe in using as many local suppliersas possible, both to help stimulate the local economy and cut down

on our carbon footprint.”

David Gillmore is Executive Chef at the multi AA Rosette winning The LawnsRestaurant at Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa. He has a background working insome of the most exclusive venues in the country and has trained at Michelinstarred kitchens across Europe. David uses his wealth of experience to create aselection of fantastic menus suited to all occasions - together with the ambienceof The Lawns - an unparalleled dining experience is created.

Leverhulme EstatePheasant, Jerusalem

Artichokes & Chestnuts

Serves 4:4 x Pheasant Breasts

4 x slices pancetta8 x cooked chestnuts

4 x baby turnips4x baby onions

250g Jerusalem Artichokes1 x large Maris Piper

200g spinach200ml Pheasant Jus (optional)

Tel: 0151 336 3938www.lawnsrestaurant.co.uk

6 Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Diningdetails

LoafingaroundinWirralJadeWrightenjoysatraditionalSundaylunchattheCottageLoaf,inThurstaston

The Cottage Loaf in Thursaston offers an impressive Sunday lunch

Cottage Loaf, 338 TelegraphRoad, Thurstaston, Wirral, CH610HJ. Contact tel: 0151 6482837Website: www.cottage-loaf-pub-wirral.co.uk

Bill: £50.57 for two, for threecourses and coffees, plus twopints of beer and a glass ofwine

Service: Excellent. Very friendlyand helpful.

Value for money: Excellent. Areal surprise given its primelocation for walkers andbeautiful setting. Look out formidweek deals too.

menu eatingout

IT’S hard to beat a goodSunday lunch. It’s the one dayof the week when I get to sitdown and relax over a greatmeal, rather than eating a

hurried sandwich at my desk.But at home it’s the product of

hours of slaving away in the kitchen,as I spend the afternoon parboilingand roasting, ready for hordes ofhungry friends and family todescend and eat it all.

So I’ve realised the best thing to dois to let someone else do the hardwork and instead focus my energieson a long, lazy lunch, and maybeeven a nap before dinner.

But finding a good Sunday lunch isharder than I’d thought. I’veexhausted most of the city centreofferings – and been largelydisappointed.

But over the water, it seems thestandard is much higher, withpicturesque rural pubs vying forcustom with high quality food andvery reasonable prices.

The Cottage Loaf is a perfectexample of this. Set in the pleasantsurroundings of ThurstastonCommon, it’s ideal to enjoy heartyfare after a ramble along the WirralWay.

Admittedly, for this visit we’d beenat the Remembrance Sunday serviceat St George’s Hall, rather than outrambling for hours, but we’d stillworked up an appetite, so we droveover to Thurstaston to try theirSunday offering.

The dining room is large and airy,with plenty of space between tables.

Approaching 2pm, the Sundaylunch rush was in full swing, therewere a number of diners at tablesand the bar area was busy.

But the staff still found time togreet us with a smile and quicklyfind us a table.

We ordered a couple of drinkswhile we perused the menu. Asdesignated driver, I opted for a limeand soda (£1.05) and my boyfriendwent for a pint of Becks (£2.90).

For those looking for light bites,there is an extensive selection ofsalads, fish dishes and gourmetburgers. If you’re in need ofsomething hearty, there are 28-daymatured black Angus steaks with arange of sauces or simpleyet tasty classics likebangers and mash, gammonand shepherds’ pie.

But we’d come out for aproper Sunday lunch, andhaving seen a selectioncarried to other tables, wecouldn’t be swayed.

To start, I orderedseasonal soup of the daywith rustic bread andbutter (£3.19), which turnedout to be tomato.

My boyfriend orderedoven-baked stuffedmushrooms withShropshire Blue cheese andmushroom filling on a bedof rocket with balsamic glaze (£3.99).For our mains we ordered a beefroast and a nut roast (both £8.49).

Our starters arrived swiftly, and

piping hot, to the table. Thepresentation was impressive. Themushrooms were drizzled artfullywith balsamic reduction and thesoup was served with a huge wedgeof granary bread and a ramekin ofsoftened butter. The little touchesshowed a chef that takes real pride inthe food.

The mushrooms were soft andobviously slow-roasted for sometime. The blue cheese didn’t crowdout the flavoursome but subtle

mushrooms. The bed ofrocket and balsamicvinegar gave a sweetcontrast and pepperyflavour to the finish.

My soup was chunkyand obviously homemade. It was a light startto the meal, and wequickly polished off ourstarters.

Almost as soon as ourplates were taken away,the mains arrived.

The beef was thicklycut, which is a bonuswhere Sunday publunches are concerned,as there’s a temptation to

slice it wafer thin. However, it was inparts slightly gristly, and could havedone with being a bit hotter when itarrived at the table. But nonetheless,

the portions were very generous.The vegetables were a triumph –

lovely fresh carrot and cabbage,garden peas, roast potatoes andreally tasty mash. Both dishesarrived with a large Yorkshirepudding, sage and onion stuffing andlashings of gravy.

The nut roast was packed withcashews and cranberries, but wasn’tcrispy enough. Rather than a solidslice, it arrived more as a largedollop on one side of the plate. Iapplaud them for serving avegetarian roast – so many placesdon’t even try – but the executioncould have been better.

Nevertheless, both roasts wereneatly polished off, and despite theirimpressive size, we were determinedto try a couple of dishes from thetempting pudding menu.

My boyfriend is something of acheeseboard obsessive – he’s tried agood proportion of the city centreofferings, and now he’s lookingfurther afield. So, unsurprisingly, hecouldn’t be swayed from theAward-winning cheese platter (£4.69).I opted for the waitress’recommendation of oven-bakedcrumble of the day (£4.69), whichturned out to be blackberry andgooseberry.

We ordered a cappuccino (£2.10)and a glass of Merlot (£2.90) from the

bar to drink with our puddings. Thewine was too brawny and highlytannic for my taste, but the Illy coffeewas good. After a few minutes asecond cappuccino arrived. Therehad been a mix up in the kitchen, soour friendly waitress insisted we hadthe second one for free.

The cheese board was a real

success. The Wensleydale wascreamy but crumbly, while the“tickler” Cheddar was, if not reallythat ticklish, very tasty.

The wedges of each were some ofthe biggest offerings on any cheeseboard we’ve seen, and it was a goodthing. The highlight was theShropshire blue, and my boyfriendwas delighted that there was noshortage of crackers. The cheeseboard alone, with its generousallocation of grapes and celery togive some watery refreshment to thecleanse the palate, could easily makefor a light lunch in its own right.

On my side of the table, thecrumble was equally well received.The two berries ensured the rightbalance of acidity and sugariness,making a splendidly tangysweet-sharp filling, topped withfluffy crumble. It was served with apretty little jug of rich, thick custard.

As we finished the last of ourdrinks, the staff were in no rush tohurry us out. I suppose that’s thebenefit of having a large diningroom, and plenty of staff.

Mention must go to the excellentservice – the waiting-on is promptand thoughtful and the staff have agood knowledge of the menu.

As we finally waddled out into thefresh air, sleepy and satisfied, weresolved to

I applaudthemforservingavegetarianroast– somanyplacesdon’teventry

7Tuesday, November 15, 2011

bestbarnone:PolarBar

WHEN I heard the premisebehind Polar Bar, I wasn’t surewhat to expect.

Billed as the city’s first popup winter bar, I had visions ofthe igloo bars in London, wherethe walls, bar, tables and eventhe glasses are made of ice,harvested from Sweden.

Sadly, it’s not quite that hightech. It’s more of a nicelydecorated marquee, filled withcosy winter decor.

But it is well worth a stop offduring your Christmas shop, ifonly for their hot cocktails.

The Liverpool Mulled Wine(£3.50) is a real treat, packedwith warming spices and a hintof cherry, although we can’twork out what the Liverpoollink is...

Winter Crumble is a warmmixture of vodka, caramelisedapple juice and cinnamon(£3.50), and there’s a classic hottoddy, which uses Jameson’sinfused with honey, lemonjuice and cloves (£3.50).

If you want somethingheartier, check out the hotspecials menu. On the day wevisited it had spiced rum punch(£4.50), which was golden rumbrewed with fruit juices andwinter spices.

The heartiest drink on themenu is probably La Mumba(£4.50), which sees Courvoisierbrandy with dark crème decacao and rich, creamy hotchocolate. It’s like a hug in aglass, but beware – they’restronger than they taste.

If you’re looking for anon-alcoholic treat, try therange of Illy coffee.

Toast the season withanything from a mint hotchocolate to a cinnamon lattefrom the specially concocted

Illy coffee winter drinks range.As well as the drinks, there’salso a range of Winter pies,made by Pickled Walnutcaterers. There’s traditionalScouse, or the intriguinglynamed duck shepherd’s pie,served with parsnip mash andspiced pickled cabbage (whichmakes me think of a shepherdherding ducks).

Or try smoked haddock withtruffled leeks, spinach andcheese puff pastry

But best of all, try wildmushroom ragout, served withsweet potato mash and pinekernel crust.

All pies are £3.95.Daytime family fun is hosted

by Parky, the Polar Bar's 8ftpolar bear. Then there’s thePolar Bar photo booth,brimming with winter props toensure everyone has theperfect photo for the Christmasmantelpiece.

You'll also find fun andgames for all the family fromgiant Connect Four to giantJenga.

The bar is next to LiverpoolOne's Christmas grotto andparents can relax after treatingthe kids with 50% off Illycoffee following a visit toSanta.

In the evening, the bartransforms into a music venue,with secret gigs and liveevents. They’re planningBoxing Day and New Year's Eveevents, so get your ticketsearly. After all, who wouldn’twant to usher in 2012 at thecoolest new bar in town – evenif your glasses aren’t made byMr Frosty.

■ The Polar Bar, Chevasse Park,Liverpool One.www.thepolarbar.co.uk.

Stay cosy at Liverpool’s winter pop-up bar – Polar Bar

menuthe wine list

MathewSloane

I’M NOT growing a moustache. Ithink they are noble things andwould happily wear one at anyother time of the year withastounding panache and fearsomeintent.

But, the existentialist in mecries out against joining themultitude of worthy types who willbe sporting a temporaryadornment for a truly wonderfulcause.

It is this inner demon whichoften gets me into trouble, itpushes me far from the masses anddemands that I create a world ofmy own volition, my own desiresand not follow trend or ever becompelled to drift, quietly, into aconsensual abyss and thus lose mysteely quest for individuality.

It is this virulent spirit thatstands forward whenever it is timefor me to choose a wine for aspecific meal. ‘White wine withfish!’ cries middle England,‘Cabernet with steak’ shout thestuffed shirts from seedygentleman’s clubs in Sohobackstreets.

Nonsense…all of it.I was recently engaged in

preparing a menu with some topplonk , a fine dinner in honour of afine gentleman’s 65th birthday.

Living on a remote and beautifulCaribbean island obviously hassome good points – today I wasmaking cocktails from variousbobbins plucked from trees andbushes in my backyard and onMonday we’ll sail the shortjourney to an even more remoteisland for a spot of fishing, lots ofdrinking and no doubt someill-advised bonfire making.

That said, the remoteness of theplace can make it difficult to get

one’s mitts on some half decenttucker, which is why I was doublyamazed when our rather brilliantchefs, Mark and Cesar of theCaptain’s Table provided us withfour stunning courses which reallybrought out some serious flavoursfrom some top wines.

Booting off with some excellentonion soup we sparked open theLouis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse, 2006,after recovering from thatstunning little combo we barreledthrough some snapper ceviche anda cheeky swig of Kim Crawford’samazing Marlborough SauvignonBlanc.

The challenge was all in themain course – stuffed pork loinwith pine nuts, spinach and a darkand sexy Bordelaise sauce.

I could think of one or twosturdy, German whites thatcould possibly handle thebig flavours but decided togo large and head towardsAustralia and SouthAfrica reach for the bigguns.

I’ve been banging onabout Cape Mentelle for aslong as I’ve beenwriting this columnand once again, RobMann and the chapsdidn’t let us down.

His very cleverlypricedCabernet/Merlotblend was asgigantic asusual andalthough itmurdered thepork a little, it dida cheeky little tangowith the sauce anddanced around our

gobs like Travolta and that madbird.

The old friend from MargaretRiver was a tough act to follow, so,with lips all of a quiver, weembraced an evocative soundinglittle lady called The Gypsy.

A South AfricanGrenache/Shiraz blend with morefirepower than a Kentuckywedding. At first it was a little tooboisterous, jumping and shoutingall about the place, demandingrather than earning our attention.

A little later into the evening shesettled down, opened up, andtreated our lucky palates to asymphony of beautiful berries anda really sexy finish, leaving alingering heat and a distinct lackof regret. Marvelous stuff.

It managed to knock the spotsoff the Cape Mentelle and, my

cohorts, that doesn’t happenoften. It was a fine dinner, witheven finer company, achallenging menu and somesuperlative wine.

Be bold when choosing winewith food, glory in the

adventure of it andlook forward to

the rewards.March

forward on theworld of wineandgastronomywith pride andlustful design,my fellowwarriors, andplant flags oflove and glory

where once layfields of loveless

marriages andill-tempered virtue.

Getsetfor ‘stirupSunday’

DAILY Post food writer JadeWright has launched a newblog dedicated to the thrivingMerseyside food and drinkcommunity.

From field to fork. glass tograin, it aims to look at allaspects of eating and drinkingfrom farmers’ markets to topend restaurants. There’s alsocompetitions and exclusivediscounts.

Jade says: “It’s a real pleasureto be able to write more aboutour burgeoning food and drink

sector. Over the next fewmonths we’ll be rolling out ourguest bloggers, as well aslooking for readers’recommendations for theirfavourite restaurants, bars,markets and producers in theregion.”

Jade will be updatingregularly, keeping you in touchwith the hottest new places toeat and drink.■ LOG on to www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views to check it out.

Checkoutournewfoodblog

ROLL up your sleeves and get readyfor stir up Sunday this weekend.It’s traditionally the day to mixyour Christmas pudding to makesure it’s perfect for the big day.

This year, John Lewis haspartnered with the NationalFederation of Women’s Institutes torevive the Christmas ritual ofprevious generations.

The WI has adapted an originalChristmas Pudding recipe, whichfirst appeared in Women’s InstituteComplete Christmas, especially forJohn Lewis.

The recipe has been tried andtested by some of the most seniorWI members including AnneHarrison, WI Vice Chair, formerjudge on Celebrity Master Chef andhome cooking expert.

Today at 1pm there’s a freehour-long masterclass in theLiverpool store, hosted by AnneHarrison and John Lewis HeadChef Tony Sim.

Tony says: “It’s great to be a partof Stir Up Sunday, a tradition whichhas been enjoyed by generations. Itis a fantastic way to unite familiesduring the festive season by gettingeveryone involved in theirChristmas dinner. The Masterclasswill give our shoppers expertguidance on how to create theultimate Christmas Pudding thisyear.”

Originally a method to help

preserve meat, it was in the 15thcentury that the chief ancestor ofthe pudding, Plum Pottage, a sloppymix of meat, vegetables and fruit,was served at the start of a meal.

In the 18th century the savouryelement diminished and the sweetcontent, such as fruits, sugar andspices, increased. The Pottage wasincreasingly referred to as PlumPudding and in 1830 became moreassociated with Christmas.

Anne Harrison, NFWI ViceChair, adds: “Food has long been apart of the WI’s history; the WI wasfounded in 1915, with one of theaims being to encourage women to

become more involved in producingfood during the First World War.Making a Christmas Pudding doestake time and careful planning –there are a variety of methods andtechniques which all help to createthe perfect pudding.”

Christmas pudding

Ingredients300g of sultanas300g currants200g raisins100g of mixed peel175ml of brandy150ml of sherry150ml of rum1 apple2 oranges, zest and juice6 eggs250g shredded suet350g muscovado300g breadcrumbs200g of self-raising flour1tsp of mixed spice

Method1. Mix together all the fruit andbrandy, rum and sherry and stirthoroughly.2. Lave all the mix to soak with thealcohol in a large container toallow the flavours to enhance.3. Once the mix is ready, add theother ingredients, stir thoroughly.Place in a suitable container andsteam for three and a half-hours.4. Serve with brandy sauce.

This weekend is the time tomake your Christmas pud

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BarcelonaChristmas MarketsDecember 2011Enjoy all the magic of one of Europe’s ‘must-see’ destinations, including stylishshopping, the famous Gaudi monuments, a great atmosphere and somefascinating Catalan-flavoured Christmas markets, on this wonderful break.

Price includes:• Return flights to Barcelona from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester airport• Airport to hotel transfers• One suitcase allowance per person• Three nights’ bed and continental breakfast accommodation at the three-star Hotel

Rialto (four-star Ayre Hotel Caspe available at a supplement)• Visit to the Fira de Santa Llucia Christmas Market• Guided City Tour• The services of a friendly, professional Tour Manager

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from£319.00for 4 days Bath ChristmasMarket & the Cotswolds25 November & 3 December 2011Look no further for a couple of festive days away and join us on this great valuebreak to Bath’s famous Christmas Market. Combining the very best of seasonalshopping and entertainment with Bath’s spectacular Christmas lights. It’s ayuletide experience to remember!

Price includes:• Return coach travel• One night’s bed and English breakfast accommodation at the Express by Holiday

Inn, Swindon• A visit to Bath Christmas Market• A short tour of the Cotswolds• The services of a Tour Manager

from£79.95for 2 days Berlin’sChristmas MarketsNovember & December 2011Some sixty traditional Christmas markets offering festive wares, delicacies andunusual goods, a vast range of shops and some fascinating sightseeingopportunities ensure this is an unforgettable festive few days.Price includes:• Return flights to Berlin from Liverpool John Lennon• Airport to hotel transfers• One suitcase allowance per person• Three nights’ bed and continental breakfast accommodation at the three-star

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• Guided City Tour• The services of a friendly, professional Tour Manager

from£319.00for 4 days

Bronte Country& Haworth Christmas Market19 November 2011One-time home of the famous Brontë sisters, the beautiful Yorkshire village ofHaworth, with its cosy tearooms, cobbled streets and Victorian ChristmasMarket, provides the backdrop for this wonderful festive break.

Price includes:• Coach travel throughout• One night’s bed and English breakfast accommodation in a good hotel

in the Leeds area• A visit to the Victorian Christmas Market in Haworth• A visit to Christkindlemarkt, Leeds• Services of a Tour Manager

from£79.95for 2 days Brussels & BrugesChristmas Markets9 December 2011Visit two of Belgium’s most famous cities and soak up all the magic of theirenchanting Christmas markets! Brussels is flooded with festive cheer as 240traditional wooden chalets adorn the streets, and you simply couldn’t get amore beautiful setting for a Christmas market than medieval Bruges.

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from£135.00for 3 days EdinburghChristmas Shopping3 December 2011Treat yourself to a festive break in fabulous Edinburgh this Christmastime. Visitthe Castle and Holyrood Palace or some of the city’s excellent museums andart galleries, explore the lanes and wynds of the famous Royal Mile or make themost of the superb shopping on Princes Street.

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from£79.95for 2 days

Jersey’sChristmas MarketsDecember 2011Spend a festive few days in delightful St Helier, enjoying some of Jersey’sseasonal events. Excellent accommodation, transfers and a guided island tourare all part of this wonderful break.

Price includes:• Return Economy Class flights from Liverpool John Lennon or Manchester to Jersey• Three nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at the three-star Hotel Mayfair, St

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from£289.00for 4 days LincolnChristmas Market3 December 2011Soak up some Yuletide cheer and get the Christmas shopping off to a flyingstart on this festive break to Lincoln's famous and much-loved ChristmasMarket. With over 300 stalls selling anything and everything for the festiveseason you're sure to find some interesting and unusual presents.

Price includes:• Return coach travel• One night’s bed and English breakfast accommodation at a good quality hotel• Entrance to the Denby Visitor Centre• A visit to Lincoln Christmas Market• The services of a Tour Manager

from£79.95for 2 days SwissChristmas MarketsNovember & December 2011Enjoy all the festive magic of an alpine resort, and visit Montreux’s colourfullakeside market.

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- European Christmas Markets by Coach & Air

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