Royal wedding!

With all the build up to the Royal Wedding and the secrecy about everything! I just wondered what everyone was eating to celebrate?

Please leave your comments of what you are having today!

Shackletons Garden & Lifestyle

Just outside the village of Chatburn lies Shackletons Garden & Lifestyle and The Pavilion Coffee shop & Brasserie.

You could easily spend an afternoon here.

The garden center sells everything you need and they have a fantastic array of plants and shrubs including an amazing topiary tree of a racehorse!

In the Lifestyle section you can buy everything to make your home & outdoor living space fantastic! Outdoor dining, patio furniture (out of the ordinary) all singing barbeques and drink coolers. Indoor furniture, scrumptious settees, cushions, paintings and Farrow & Ball paint and wallpaper. Gifts for all ages, books, jewelry and cards.

Then on to The Pavilion! Here they serve everything to suit your mood - glass of wine and nibbles, pannini's, and full main meals on their daily specials board. they have wonderful coffees and teas, cakes, cream scones and kids food. The busy restaurant with leather settees and an outdoor dining area has a great atmosphere. It is a really nice place to visit for either just a coffee or for a full meal and the prices are reasonable. The staff are polite and helpful and the food is excellent. It is licensed with a good selection of wine by the glass or bottle and beer on draught. On some evenings during the year they have themed nights which are very popular.

Another good reason to visist is they have just started selling Huntleys of Salmesburys amazing ice-cream Moo2You.

Plenty of parking, beautiful views and a kids play area - there is something for everyone and is well worth a visit!

Shop local and save money!

As well as supporting your local butcher also think about your other food and groceries.

Wellgate Fisheries in Clitheroe is a great plaice! Run by Giles and his knowledgeable, helpful staff nothing is too much trouble for them as they will prepare your fish for you. They stock a fantastic selection of fish from the normal to the exotic all at good prices. They also have a stall on Clitheroe market which is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Wellgate Fisheries also supply to a large number of restaurants and pubs in the area from their purpose built unit on the outskirts of town.

If you go to Clitheroe market pay a visit to one of the fruit & veg stalls to buy locally grown produce again at great prices.

Also on the market you will find good butchers, cooked meats, Cheese stalls (again selling local produce) and many more. You could buy everything that you needed from here rather than at a supermarket in a nice environment and saving money!

Then a trip to the multi-award winning D Byrne & Co for a perusal around their amazing wine cellar. A unbelievable selection of wine at great prices. They also stock a massive choice of Single Malts along with most spirits and beers & ciders. You can also purchase freshly ground coffee (or beans if you prefer) and loose tea from around the world. Again the owners and staff are extremely knowledgeable and it is like stepping back in time.

We have many other great shops in Clitheroe and will find out more about them another time.

Look out for produce that is in season this month:

New Potatoes
Asparagus
Watercress
Lettuce
Spring Lamb (just arriving in butchers now)
Pigeon
Rabbit
Crabs
Lobster
Shrimps
Wild Salmon and Sea Trout
Rhubarb

Support your local butcher

I have, for sometime, refused to buy meat from Supermarkets (with the exception of Booths!) and have chosen to buy from local butchers.

The quality and the price is far and away better than any of the big supermarkets.

Last night we had Italian Pork Sausage from Roy Porters in Chatburn and for £2.85 a pound not only where they a bargain they tasted fantastic too! Served with creamy mash and onion gravy was a quick, cheap and tasty Friday night supper.

Today I went to Countrystyle Meats based (permanently) at the auction site at Clitheroe. Alan & Heather try to source locally and have a blackboard to advise you where the Pork, Lamb etc has come from. They also sell game.

From there I bought 4lb of chicken breasts for £12 and 5lb of quality beef mince for £7.50! They will pack into whatever size you want and will vacpac if required. As daughter is at uni we stock up there for her with mince vacpacked in to 1/2lb bags and individual chicken breast etc.

So support your local butcher and you will get superior, tastier quality meat and you will also know where it has come from.

Deli now added!

Have now added a Deli section to my store where you can buy a range of Ham's, salamis, smoked salmon,caviar. Also Oils & vinegars and some lovely Pates!

Will be adding new products on a daily basis so please bookmark and check back regularly!

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/ribblevalleygourmet-21

The Middle Earth Bear Festival

On 28th - 30th April The Aspinall Arms are holding the 3rd Middle Earth Beer Festival.

This is being held in Hurst Green Village Hall near Clitheroe in Lancashire.

There will be 40 Real Ales & Ciders and food is being served.

The featured bands are King Creosote, The Swing Commanders and Ram Bunk Shus!

Tickets available from The Aspinall Arms or online at

Will well be worth a visit!

Hellifield Highland Beef

Robert & Wendy Philip rear Highland Cattle on their farm in Hellifield. All around the village you are met with the wonderful sight of, all ages, of these fantastic cattle grazing.

The meat is hung for a minimum of three weeks and can be purchased from their farm shop (phone first) or online at www.hellifieldhighlandbeef.co.uk. They sell everything from Joints and Steaks to Sausage and Burgers.

I can vouch that the meat is fantastic, the rump steak we had last night was superb!

Ribble Valley Food Trail

This food and drink trail, produced by Ribble Valley Borough Council, visits 36 outlets in the area.

This is not an exhaustive list and there are many more top-quality establishments here.

http://www.ribblevalleyfoodtrail.com/

Just to note that Waterfields Foods is no longer on Whalley Road as they are now specialising in superior ready meals. Www.waterfields-foods.co.uk

Also the chocolate shop Cocomayo has now closed down.

Please follow me on Twitter!

Tea!

So! Having had an excellent tea at mum & dads, consisting of turkey, ham, sausage, salad,potatoes and lots of other lovely things. We had a really nice time!

What have you done today?

Mothers Day!

Is anyone eating out in the Ribble Valley today for Mothers Day?

If so let me know where and what you have eaten!

Happy Mothers Day to all mothers out there.

Chicken Curry

When we were on holiday in Goa we went to Aprora market one evening, what a place that was! You could buy anything there. There was a very strange atmosphere to the place with the loud music and the smell of drugs in the air! Bartering was a must and you could buy things at about 10% of the original asking price. 

Whilst we were there we bought a lot of spices some premixed and ground and others whole. Kept in an air tight tin they keep their flavour for a long time. I tend to use these spices in my curries but have included others if you don't have access to spices from Goa! Most can be purchased from you local Asian supermarket.

4 Chicken Breasts - diced

1 Onion - sliced

Tin of Coconut Milk

Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds - Ground

1/2 tsp Fenugreek - Ground

6 Cardamon Pods

Fresh Chili finely sliced (to taste)

1 Clove of garlic

Tablespoon of Curry Leaves

Fresh Corriander to serve

In a large frying pan heat some oil and add the mustard seeds until they begin to pop. Add the onions, cumin, fenugreek, cardamon, garlic and chilli - fry gently for a few minutes until the onions are soft.

Stir in the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring regularly.

Add the coconut, tomatoes and curry leaves and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chopped corriander and serve with Basmati Rice and Naan Bread.

Enjoy with a glass of Kingfisher Beer.

James Martin comes to Lancashire!

James Martin is the special guest at the Lancashire Food Festival which is at Accrington Town Hall 9th - 10th April. James is only on on the Sunday.

Further details on www.lancashirefoodfestival.co.uk

Biltong!

As Biltong is very addictive (and takes time to make) it is advisable to make it in large quantities!

Depending on if you like it lean or fatty will determine the meat that you decide to use. Most cuts of meat can be used for Biltong, I personally prefer venison but beef is also very good, it is all personal preference.In South Africa it is made from various game. Also it is trail and error with the spices so if you like it hot add more chili etc.

5lb meat, all sinew removed

Biltong Spice: (mix all ingredients together)

3oz each of Sea Salt, crushed Black Pepper, Coriander Seeds (all finely ground)

Garlic and Chili flakes to personal taste

1/4 Vinegar 

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda (inhibits mold and tenderises the meat)

Cut the meat into long strips keeping a uniform thickness so that it dries evenly. Cut with the grain not against it.

Rub the Biltong Spice into the meat so that it is well covered and place in a plastic container in a cool place for about 12 hours.

Remove the meat and place on a cooling tray to let the excess drip off. Hang in a well ventilated place (with the pieces not touching each other) and leave to dry. This will take around 3-4 days.

Then just sit back and watch it vanish!

Enjoy

Biltong or BBQ'd Leg of Lamb?

When we were on holiday in South Africa we were introduced to Biltong, a fantastic cured meat eaten as a snack. We could not get enough of it!

Also when we were there we had barbecued meat (of various origins) which was fantastic but I have adapted it to work with Lamb.

Which recipe would you like to see?

Let me know.