Despite many of the major chains in casual dining claiming last year that they would revert to charging full price for meals in 2012, Restaurant Magazine reports that New Year Resolutions didn't count for much!
(Big Hospitality, 11th January 2012)
Thursday, 12 January 2012
SoupOn Promotions
Despite many of the major chains in casual dining claiming last year that they would revert to charging full price for meals in 2012, Restaurant Magazine reports that New Year Resolutions didn't count for much!
(Big Hospitality, 11th January 2012)
PubCo Shenanigans (The saga reaches Parliament)
The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee of MPs is not happy with the government's fudge and have forced a debate on the whoe issue of the tie.
(Morning Advertiser, 11th January 2012)
Monday, 9 January 2012
The Posers Inn (Pub & Kitchen)
In two separate reports today in Big Hospitality's email digest, the homely new name features heavily.
The New Moon Pub Company (clever name as the principals' surnames are Newman & Mooney) is planning further openings in the North-West after the runaway success of The Lord Binning Pub & Kitchen at Kelsall, near Chester.
(Big Hospitality, 6th January 2012).
What's more, they've both got solid track records with some of the most successful brands in the industry.
In another story on the expansion of a new pub company, this one called Distinctive Inns, the centrepiece of the operation is a venue called The Riverside Pub & Kitchen, at Newark, near Nottingham. (Big Hospitality, 6th January 2012) .
Not quite so sure about this "joint venture" with Punch!
Toffee Pineapple in Rum Syrup
My first attempt at this dish was two thick slice of pineapples - trimmed, and one cored - sautéed in butter, and then flamed with a dash of dark rum.
When I made it for Hannah, to give a touch more "body" to the sauce, I added about a dessertspoon of golden syrup - after the fire had died down!
The slight crunch was intriguing - particularly with the Whisky & Ginger ice cream from the "Amazing Freezer Shop" in Old Swan (50p for 500ml; pineapple, 20p clearout at Asda; own label dark rum under a tenner from Morrisons)!
Saturday, 7 January 2012
PubCo Shenanigans (Continued)
Although Ed Davey, the government minister responsible, admitted to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee that the tied model "did not appear to be working", he and his bosses - David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Vince Cable - have taken the decision not to introduce a Statutory Code of Practice for the pub industry. Needless to say, there has been an uproar from tenants and lessees groups: Morning Advertiser, 5th January 2012
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Eurosceptic Beer
Tim Martin, the founder of Wetherspoons, seldom misses a trick! Enter "Veto Ale".
Morning Advertiser, 3rd January 2012
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Potato & Mushroom Dauphinoise
I made this to accompany simple baked salmon and steamed oriental vegetables.
For the Dauphinoise (and blue cheese sauce):
Two medium potatoes and one handful of sliced mushrooms per person. To soften the spuds you can either par-boil them or follow my cheat's tip and slice them first and then nuke for about 3-4 minutes in a closed casserole dish. They do not require any additional water as they steam in their own moisture.
Grease an ovenable dish and put in one layer of potatoes, followed by a layer of mushrooms, finishing with another of potatoes.
A friend - one of the most inspired chef-restaurateurs I have ever come across - had given me a tub of blue cheese and mushroom sauce, made with dolcelatte; it was getting close to the end of its natural life.
If I'd cooked this from scratch I would have made a basic white sauce - milk and cornflour, probably - and crumbled in some blue cheese; as the sauce I'd been given was quite strong I diluted 3 dessertspoons of it with an equal amount of double cream and poured this over the potatoes and mushrooms, making sure it seeped into the gaps. This was then baked in a hot oven for about 45 minutes.
When I first met Hannah she had a lifelong aversion to fish and carrots - she's still allergic to shellfish - but is now happy to eat salmon (and battered fish from the chippy).
The salmon was wrapped with one rasher of bacon each, secured with a cocktail stick, and baked in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.
Hannah also knew there was some shredded carrot in the vegetable bed but did not insist I pick the bits out before serving hers. I marinated a stir-fry mix from the supermarket in 1 dessertspoon of olive oil, the same of sesame oil; 1 dessertspoon of soy sauce, 1 tsp of ginger puree and 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar. After about half-an-hour I drained the veg and steamed for about 10 minutes (washing my steamer reservoir out afterwards).
For the Dauphinoise (and blue cheese sauce):
Two medium potatoes and one handful of sliced mushrooms per person. To soften the spuds you can either par-boil them or follow my cheat's tip and slice them first and then nuke for about 3-4 minutes in a closed casserole dish. They do not require any additional water as they steam in their own moisture.
Grease an ovenable dish and put in one layer of potatoes, followed by a layer of mushrooms, finishing with another of potatoes.
A friend - one of the most inspired chef-restaurateurs I have ever come across - had given me a tub of blue cheese and mushroom sauce, made with dolcelatte; it was getting close to the end of its natural life.
If I'd cooked this from scratch I would have made a basic white sauce - milk and cornflour, probably - and crumbled in some blue cheese; as the sauce I'd been given was quite strong I diluted 3 dessertspoons of it with an equal amount of double cream and poured this over the potatoes and mushrooms, making sure it seeped into the gaps. This was then baked in a hot oven for about 45 minutes.
When I first met Hannah she had a lifelong aversion to fish and carrots - she's still allergic to shellfish - but is now happy to eat salmon (and battered fish from the chippy).
The salmon was wrapped with one rasher of bacon each, secured with a cocktail stick, and baked in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.
Hannah also knew there was some shredded carrot in the vegetable bed but did not insist I pick the bits out before serving hers. I marinated a stir-fry mix from the supermarket in 1 dessertspoon of olive oil, the same of sesame oil; 1 dessertspoon of soy sauce, 1 tsp of ginger puree and 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar. After about half-an-hour I drained the veg and steamed for about 10 minutes (washing my steamer reservoir out afterwards).
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