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Season’s eatingsOddfellows’ chefRichardPhillipskeeps it simple

JULY 2010

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2 Tuesday, July 13, 2010

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Tara says: "I'm the opposite of mostpeople as I have to eat a lot otherwise Ilose weight and can look very thin. Peoplehave often wrongly said I have an eatingdisorder, but the reality is that I have anextremely fast metabolism and just burnoff the pounds."

She's 5ft 8in, a size six, and weighs nineand a half stone and she keeps fit withregular sessions with a personal trainerand dance classes.

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3Tuesday, July 13, 2010

NotsuchanoddfellowMichelinchefRichardPhillipstellsJadeWrightthatthesecrettosuccessisseasonalingredients

RICHARD PHILLIPS is anOddfellow, and hedoesn’t care who knowsit . . . The TV chef isbringing his magic – and

Michelin starred expertise – toOddfellows, the Chester boutiquehotel, restaurant and members’club.

“I’m loving every minute,” smilesRichard. “My ethos is all aboutsimple local, seasonal produce, andthis part of the world is great forthat.

“If you buy food, you don’t need todo much to it. The problem comeswhen you start putting strawberrieson the menu in November. You flythem halfway across the world andthey taste of nothing. They cost afortune and you end up passing thaton to the customer.

“But, if you plan your menus andthink about seasonal food you canget nearby, it’s cheaper and a lottastier.”

Richard doesn’t do things byhalves. His first job was at the SavoyHotel in London, going on to workalongside the Roux Brothers at LeGavroche and then becoming headchef for Marco Pierre White at TheCriterion, Mirabelle and LesSaveurs.

His first restaurant of his own,Thackeray's, won him a Michelinstar at the age of 29.

While he’s also still running hisother restaurants, and appearing onGMTV and Ready Steady Cook, hispost as consultant chef at Oddfellowsis very much a “hands-on” operation– made possible by the latesttechnology. As well as his weeklytrips to Chester, he’s also able tocommunicate with his team of chefsat Oddfellows via kitchen webcams,allowing frequent changes of themenu and up-to-the-minuteconsultation.

“We have a great team of chefs, ledby head chef Adrian Bailey,” heexplains. “We all have the samegoals, so it works out well.

“I knew Ken Roscoe, who openedthe hotel, from when he and hiscompany Lister Carter designedThackeray’s. They are one of the bestrestaurant designers around, and sowhen they told me that they wereopening Oddfellows, I was keen tofind out more. After a year or so,they were looking to make somechanges, so they asked me to comein. That first conversation was a yearago, and it’s all happened veryquickly.”

As you might expect from arestaurant opened by designers,Oddfellows is packed with quirkytouches.

Based in the landmark 17th-century Guild house, formerlyOddfellows Hall in Chester’s LowerBridge Street, it is filled withmirrors and cuckoo clocks informingdiners of World Time Zones and evena stag’s head bearing a bowler hat.

The hall was built in 1676 by a

wealthy widow called Dame Mary,who had outlived her husband, SirHugh, by 57 years. She paid a fine of£20 to the City Assembly to have therows removed from the front of themansion. She was very much thecity’s socialite and built her houseprimarily to entertain the upperechelons of Chester society.

Suspended tea cup lights give anAlice in Wonderland atmosphere andgold high back chairs add thefinishing touch.

The brasserie has tables withrelaxing views of the gardens andopulent, oversized Chesterfields.

Outside, in the walled garden,there are Bedouin tents for al frescoprivate dining.

Showcasing modern Britishcuisine with seasonal, flavoursome

ingredients, the daily market lunchmenu (served from Monday toSaturday, 12 noon - 3pm and 5pm –8pm or Sunday 12 noon - 9pm) costs£10.95 for two or £12.95 for threecourses.

The a la carte Menu, served from5pm-10pm, Monday to Saturday,embraces North-West sourced

ingredients, with typical startersincluding potted confit duck withthyme butter, toasted country breadand Cumberland sauce or the superbOddfellows’ charcuterie platefeaturing warm Cheshire brie and aselection of cured meats.

Sample main courses include roastrib of local British beef with sautéed

garlic scented woodland mushroomsand Cheshire blue cheesedauphinoise.

Head chef Adrian explains: “Ourmeat comes from Cheshire andLancashire, and it’s the best I’vetasted. There’s no need to importmeat when you can get this qualityon your doorstep.”

The eccentric pantry offersafternoon tea (served daily from3-5pm) and light lunches, the streetlevel all day Bistro overlooks thepicturesque centre of Chester.

“Chester is becoming a fooddestination,” says Adrian. “You haveplaces like ABode opening up, andrather than competing, we’re allworking together. There’s space foreveryone, and we’re finding thatwe’re getting busier than ever.”

menuchef’s table

Quirky lighting and decoration, atOddfellows restaurant, Chester

Richard Phillips,above, lovinglyprepares a dishfor Oddfellowsrestaurant, left

READEROFFERODDFELLOWS would like to offerLiverpool Daily Post readers aglass of sparkling wine with theircompliments with Afternoon Tea

Bookings. This offer is valid untilAugust 31 upon presentation ofthis article. Please mention theDaily Post when booking.

4 Tuesday, July 13, 2010

JadeWrightmeetstheWirralrestaurateursdiggingforvictoryandgrowingtheirownfruitandvegetables

Grow your own

Howthegoodlifejustkeepsgettingbetter

GONE are the days whengrowing your own was thepreserve of old chaps in flatcaps. Now, the new breed ofgardener is more likely to be

younger, female and seeking a moreeco-friendly lifestyle.

But, while more and more of us areturning over sections of our gardens to plantedible crops, and even joining the ever-growing allotment waiting lists, few of us arehaving to feed 30 hungry mouths everynight.

But that’s exactly what Kay Featherstoneand Kate Allinson, at Cromwells restaurant,have bravely taken on.

“We started to grow our own courgettes inthe garden,” explains Kay, who works as theIrby restaurant’s front-of-house manager.“And before we knew it we’d dug up the bedsand devoted them to more than 30 varietiesof fruit and veg.

“We were always looking for the freshestproduce from the local area to use in therestaurant – and now we’re actually growingit.”

So now, in addition to working full-time inthe restaurant, Kay and Kate – therestaurant’s head chef – are up before dawnplanting, sowing, weeding and harvesting.

“It’s exhausting, but we love it,” laughsKay, 24. “We’re out there at silly o’clockpicking things. But then it’s all worth itwhen you see the look on the customers’faces. It makes you so proud that not onlyhas it been cooked here, but it’s been grownin our own garden.”

The current early evening menu(Wednesday to Saturday, before 7pm, twocourses £10.95 or three courses for £12.95,after 7pm two courses are £12.95 and threeare £14.95) offers a variety of home-grownproduce.

“We’ve got onions, French beans,butternut squash, courgettes, beetroot,gooseberries, red currants,blackcurrants – you name it, we’ve prettymuch got it.”

It all started a few years ago – we hada regular customer who asked us tocome and help her get rid of the rhubarbthat was taking over her garden. We putit on the menu, everyone loved it, and itgot us thinking.

“There’s no greater provenance thanactually growing it yourself. There’s noreal supply chain, it’s the simplest wayit could possibly be, and I think that’swhy it works.”

Kate, 39, opened Cromwells 10 yearsago. As well as their own fruit andvegetables, she works hard to keep all ofthe produce used in the kitchen aslocally sourced as possible.

Their meat is from Derek Massey &Son Butchers, in Heswall, their eggsare free range & organic and aresourced from Hillside Farm,Thurstaston, the cheeses are from TheChester Cheese Shop, Chester, andtheir ice cream comes from CheshireFarm Ice Cream.

“We really care about where the foodcomes from,” says Kay. “Most of ourbusiness comes from returningcustomers, so it’s in our interest aswell as theirs to make sure that wehave the best food for them every timethey come. We believe that quality offood is here on the Wirral – that’s whyWirral is having its year of food and

drink – to showcase just how good the foodcommunity is doing here at the moment.”

Next year, though, Kay and Kate haveplans to expand.

“We’re going to dig over the whole lawnnext year,” says Kay. “This year, we’ve triedit and it’s been great, but next year we wantto do more. Soon we’ll have no garden left.”

Kay has been posting pictures of theproduce on Flickr, and posting updates onTwitter.

“Flickr and Twitter have been great forus,” says Kay. “Every night we have at leastone new table of people who have come justbecause they’ve seen us on Twitter.

“With something like that, you get to seethe real us, as well as hear about the food.We post about what we’re up to in thekitchen or the garden, and people share thesame things with us.

“We’ve had some great tips from peoplewe’ve met on there, and loads have been in tomeet us in the restaurant. It’s great whenthey come in, like meeting up with an oldfriend, except you’ve never been in the sameroom before.”

Kay has been posting a picture a day of thegarden on her Flickr account, and theresults are impressive.

“People are so supportive,” smiles Kay.“Gardening, like cooking, is something thatlots of people share a love for, and we’ve hada fantastic response. It just keeps gettingbetter.”

■ CROMWELLS Restaurant, 19,Thingwall Road, Irby Village, Wirral,CH61 3UA. Tel: 0151 648 9898,[email protected]; Twitter:@cromwellswirral

Beetroot grown at Cromwells restaurant in Irby

5Tuesday, July 13, 2010

EVERYBODY knows Henrythe vacuum cleaner. Nowthe household favouritehas been cast as a noveltymug.

Too cute for words, wethink. Find Henry atwww.gettingpersonal.co.uk, priced£5.95.

TIRED of having to keepyour Champagne andwine bottles stuck in astationary ice bucket?Well, now you can carryyour favourite tipplewith you wherever yougo! This ice bag isperfect for outdoorevents and picnics. Findit at www.drinkstuff.com priced£4.99 for one or £27.87for six.

WEAR your heart onyour table with thisbeautiful heart-shapedsilver sand castaluminum salad bowl.

It makes a quirkyaddition to any dinnertable or a perfect giftfor newlyweds. Priced£44.99 frompressies4princesseswww.pressies4princesses.co.uk

Some of the homegrownfruit and vegetables readyto be whipped up intotasty dishes at Cromwells

menu

Howthegoodlifejustkeepsgettingbetter cupboard love

The interior ofCromwellsrestaurant, in Irby

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6 Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Food facts

AidengoesoutonaLymmAidenByrneistheyoungestUKchefevertowinaMichelinstar.EmmaJohnsonfindshimatworkinhisnewCheshireeaterie

One of Aiden’s delicious work-of-art style dishes, above; and, right,the Church Green offers a fabulous outdoor dining area

THE Church Green, HigherLane, Lymm, WA13 0AP.

Tel: 01925 752068

ww.thechurchgreen.co.uk

Interior: Stylish and airycountry pub. Has a ratherfabulous conservatory and agreat outside dining area.

Service: The helpful andwell-informed staff are ableto talk you through thesometimes complicateddishes.

Disabled access: Yes.

Value: The a la carte menu ison the pricey side, but it istop-quality fare.

Bill: For two with a bottle ofwine, £115.70

Award-winning chef AidenByrne – born in Liverpool

menu eatingout

THE term gastropub is atad over-used these days.Unheard of a few yearsago, it seems to havebecome a catch-all term

for any hostelry that offers morethan one wine by the glass andparfait, rather than paté.

Chef Aiden Byrne’s first diningventure may technically be a publichouse, but it’s more gourmet pubthan gastropub.

If his name sounds familiar, itshould. Kirkby-born Aiden becamethe UK’s youngest Michelin star chefwhen he was awarded the prestigiousaccolade aged just 22.

Two years ago, the formerRuffwood Comp pupil took on thehigh-profile role of head chef atLondon’s renowned Dorchester Grill,only to turn his back on the big cityand come back up north to open theChurch Green in the leafy Cheshireoutpost of Lymm.

The restaurant has barely beenopen 18 months, but already theplaudits are pouring in.

It was named best newcomer at theNorthern Hospitality Awards and isthe proud owner of three AArosettes, which means it ranksamong the top 10% of restaurants inthe UK and is just one rosette behindthe Michelin-starred ChesterGrosvenor.

So, it is fair to say that when myhusband and I rocked up there oneSunday evening, we had rather highexpectations.

While its chef patron boastssparkling credentials, there isnothing flashy about the ChurchGreen.

Its style is very much your simplecountry pub with no bells andwhistles – well, unless you count therather fabulous al fresco dining area.

We hadn’t booked a table and whenwe arrived were asked whether wewanted bar food or to dine a la

carte. It seemed wrong to come allthis way and not have the full AidenByrne experience, so we opted forthe a la carte.

As well as the bar and a la cartemenus, the Church Green also offersa lunch menu, Sunday roast menu,young person’s menu and a seven-course tasting menu at £68 perperson, or £98 with accompanying

wines.The menus change daily

and, as you might expect fromsuch a decorated chef, aredesigned to make the most offresh seasonal produce.

On our visit, starters in-cluded hand-dived scallop withslow-cooked pork belly andnew season onions (£15) andpoached red mullet with frogs’legs and watercress soup(£13.50).

I’d like to say I wentstraight for the frogs’ legs, butI’m afraid my palate is notthat cultured.

Instead, I ordered theglazed quail with pickledcarrots and lemongrass sauce(£13) while my husband chosethe chicken, artichoke andhazelnut terrine with foiegras parfait (£11).

To drink, a bottle of ItalianMastri, Pinot Grigio (£21.50)was recommended.

As we were sampling this,a charming amuse bouche

arrived of truffle potato soup withfois gras.

I don’t know about you but I amnot generally a fan of this amusebouche business.

Most of the time the dishes are tooover the top and I am grateful thatthere is so little of them.

However, I would have happilyeaten a full-sized portion of this one.

The AA’s review of the ChurchGreen mentions “excellent andintelligent service” and how rightthat is. With each of our courses, onewaiter placed the dishes whileanother explained their intricacies.

Which is just as well because, asanyone who saw him at work on theGreat British Menu programme willattest, Aiden’s dishes are mini worksof art.

My quail arrived on slate with aglass of something distinctlycustard-like which ourhelpful waiter informed mewas lemongrass and carrotvinaigrette soup with quailegg. It was an unexpectedaddition to the dish and, I amafraid, one which got thebetter of my palate. Thegloopy texture was simplynot for me.

The quail itself, though,could not have been better; it wastender and rich in flavour and peeledaway from the bone.

My husband’s terrine lookedterrific and tasted great, and Aidenmust have worked quite some magicbecause it was the first time I haveseen my other half sing liver’spraises.

For my main course, I was tornbetween the roasted wild sea basswith native lobster ravioli and peas ala française (£30) and the loin andbreast of lamb with new seasonalmonds (£27) apricots and cous cous.But when my other half started aspirited defence of why he shouldhave the lamb I switched and orderedthe breast and leg of cornfed chickenwith figs, rosemary and lemon (£24).Sides of seasonal vegetables (£3) andchunky chips (£3.50) were alsoprocured.

I hadn’t been sure what to expectof my main course. I don’t normallylike fruit with savoury dishes, so hadconcerns about the figs.

I need not haveworried. It wasmarvellous.

The cubes of chickencame with some sort ofgnocchi, mixed amid thefigs, drizzled in lemonand flavoured with sweet-smelling rosemary.

The effect was sweetand sticky and rich andsurprisingly filling given

the portion size.Once again, though, the real show

was going on across the table fromme. The lamb was quite the star.

In one bowl sat strips of tenderlamb with the apricots and cous couswhile to the side was more lamb atopa hunk of roasted garlic. The garlictheme carried through to the

steaming bowl of mashwhich also accompanied the dish.

The whole thing smelled divineand tasted even better. Somewhere inthe mix was a sprinkling ofanchovies which you would notthink work with lamb, but in factcomplemented it perfectly.

In the interests of giving a fullreview, we could not leave withouttrying the desserts.

As much as I should probably havefound out what white chocolate andyoghurt cannelloni tastes like, I wasswayed by an old favourite andordered the sticky toffee puddingfrom the bar menu.

My husband, who was impressedto see Aiden touring the restaurantwhile I was in the ladies, chose thechocolate and strawberry sundae(both £5.95).

The sundae was jam-packed withstrawberries and chocolate chips,and if there is a better sticky toffeepudding to be had in the North West,I’ve yet to taste it.

The desserts were a simple butsatisfying end to a stunning meal,and we left the Church Greenunderstanding why so much praisehas been heaped upon the young MrByrne.

I look forward to sampling hiscooking again, and with his eyecurrently on expanding his diningempire, something tells me I may nothave to go all the way to Lymm nexttime.

Its style iscountrypub,nobellsandwhistles

7Tuesday, July 13, 2010

bestbarnone

OFFERING Teppanyaki-stylecooking and chilled-out loungedrinking in Liverpool's businessquarter, Sakura opened its doorsin May in a glitzy £1.2m launch.

The venue is tucked away inthe impressive Exchange Flagssquare, looking out onto ourimposing Town Hall.

A large wooden decking areasplays out at the front which isalready proving popular, giventhe recent summer sunshine,while inside Sakura has an air ofcool sophistication, all polishedmarble, softened ambient beats,and large bubbling fish tanks.

And what an array of drinksthey have on offer. For the beerlovers, it's Asahi and Tiger on

draught (both £3.50), and winestarts at around £4.75 a glass. Butit's the cocktails and spirits whereSakura comes into its own.

There are 28 different vodkas,16 gins, 25 rums, five differentcachacas (fantastic for thosecaipirinhas), 11 tequilas . . . thelist goes on and on.

Some 60 whiskies are describedin detail, including a 30-year-oldbottle of Glenfiddich, Speyside,which would lighten your pocketto the tune of a cool £1,680, aJohnnie Walker Blue label and aKing George V Edition, Scotland,at £2,240!

■ SAKURA Unit 8, ExchangeFlags, Liverpool, L2 3YL; Tel0151-236 2113

Sakura, in Exchange Flags, opened in May

menuthe wine list

Mathew Sloane

ILIVE in the Caribbean. It'sbrilliant. I'd love to have the,er, bravery to leave thingsthere, but my editor is ascharming as she is

demanding, and I also hear shecan stop hurricanes with a word.

With that in mind, I shall try notto gloat excessively and maybe offera word or two in support andhonour of our most excellent friend– the humble yet ever so noblegrape.

I've journeyed over to the CaymanIslands with the hope of furnishingthe superb people of these beautifulplaces with some excellent boozeand even better banter. I have begunto terrorise my new dining roomwith my trademark haphazardfervour and a newly-found Englishresolve which has yet to win favourwith the rather relaxed localattitude.

My first major assault shall bethe divisive subject of dessert wine.I love the stuff. When it's good,dessert can make a swift dart for thetaxi rank and the wine will suffice.

A good bottle of Sauternes sharedwith an attractive and carefreecompanion can make a man proud,righteous and poetic. We can drift toOlympus and take our place in thepantheon of the old gods, assured ofour boundless knowledge and loveof all things upon which our brotherApollo's sun may shine.

Our beloved, sweet wine is mostlymade from late harvested grapesand some of the finest musthave fallen prey to noble rot.Despite its rather horrificappearance, the old grey rothelps to concentrate sugarsin the grapes allowing forfine sorcerers to createthe marvellous honeyedwines of Tokaji,Sauternes and so on.

As much as it isoutrageous fun to sipyour way through abottle, untainted with acheeky pudding, there are

some stupendous marriages outthere that must be tried.

A budding young chef andacquaintance of mine has suggesteda blinding dancing partner forHungary's finest export, TokajiAszu. You may have a tough timefinding a finding a decent bottle,might I suggest calling KellyWarner at Vinea – 0151 707 8962 andshe may be able to help you.

Tokaji is wildly rich, very sweetand pours like honey. It wants to bechilled for about an hour in yourfridge, or 15 minutes on ice.

It also wants a fierce bedfellow todeal with all that liquid heaven. Ourambitious chef, Karen, has advisedme to try a slice of chocolate chillicake, a glass of Tokaji and a Smith'salbum – a quality dining partner isalso a must. Unfortunately, I havenot yet found any of the requiredingredients in my tropical outpostbut I have been assured by theestimable Karen that the marriagewas full of love and vitality withhints of magic and danger. Cosmic.

I shall briefly offer some tried andtested pairings that should makeyour British, ahem, summer passwith happiness into the loomingcold.

Sauternes demands foie gras, atthe very least a good homemadepaté; my favourite dessert wine,eiswein, made from frozen grapes inGermany, Canada and Austria, isbest enjoyed with a delicate, fruit-laden pasty or somethingmeringuey; Australian orangeMuscat will forever be your best palif you give it anything involvingtoffee or caramel – I once had theinsane pleasure of tasting it with a

brioche, toffee and chocolateravioli at Liverpool's templeof gastronomy, 60 HopeStreet, I floated home onclouds of godliness anddeclared pudding to bethe greatest invention

since women.Next month – more

gloating.

FOR the first time in its300-year history,Fortnum & Mason willbe venturing outside thecapital to host three

restaurants at the greatestgardening show of the North.

The Queen’s grocer will besetting up home at the RoyalHorticultural Society’s Show atTatton Park, from July 21-25.

This event of the season takesplace in the grounds of thebeautiful stately home atMereheath Lane, Knutsford, one ofCheshire’s Gardens of Distinction.

The Piccadilly food emporiumwill bring its incredible edibles,terrific teas and luscious lunchesto the show in three dining rooms.

Indulge in light snacks andclassic Viennoiserie in TheParlour, a mirror of the Piccadillyrestaurant of the same name, orthe RHS Show Tatton Club whilethe Brasserie offers lunch andafternoon tea throughout the show.

To be in with a chance ofwinning a VIP glorious summerday out with a pair of tickets to theshow and a traditional afternoontea for two from Fortnum & Masonincluding finger sandwiches,scones and Fortnum preserves, justanswer this question:

How many restaurants willFortnum & Mason be hosting at theRHS Show Tatton Park?

To enter, send a postcard to JadeWright, Menu competition,Liverpool Daily Post, Old HallStreet, Liverpool, L69 3EB. Entriesmust be received by 9am on Friday,July 16.

Usual Daily Post competitionrules apply.

■ Tickets to the RHS Show TattonPark 2010 are now on sale. Advancebooking is recommended 0844 3887528 to save £5 on the ticket price.■ To book, call or visitwww.rhs.org.uk/tatton■ To reserve lunch or afternoontea with Fortnum & Mason, call0845 602 5699 or emailtattonpark@fortnumandmason,co.uk or visitwww.fortnumandmason.com/rhstattonshow.

AfternoonteafitforaQueen

WirralFarmers’MarketwinnersWIRRAL FarmersMarket has announcedits awards for theProducers of the Year.

Voted for by customers,these foodie Oscars arenow an annual awardceremony, held as part ofthe market’s birthdaycelebrations.

Cllr Alan Jennings, theMayor of Wirral,presented the awards atthe market along with theMayoress, and theyreceived plants fromMagills Nurseries.

The Mayor andMayoress also got achance to sample some of

the products along theway and enjoyed a breakat the tea bar, which isrun by volunteers andparents from GroveStreet Primary School.

The school uses themoney raised at themarket to improve theschool environment,including starting theirown allotments.

This year, the mostunusual product awardwas won by RS Irelandfor their chilli andvegetarian blackpudding.

Best product was theextra virgin olive oil sold

by Bebington-based ElOlivar, who bottle the oilfrom their own olivegroves in Spain.

The runner-up in thiscategory was the BlueStilton cheese from MrsKirkham.

The best presentedstall was won by BeefDirect, who also won bestcustomer service andbest overall producer.

Runner-up in the bestpresented stall wasCottage Cakes, anenterprise run byKathryn Crocker, fromWirral.

The best customer

service section was atightly-fought contest,with shoppers eventuallyawarding the runner’s-upaward to High SeasSeafood.

Chairman of WirralFarmers Market, AnneBenson, said: “This is agreat way to thank everyone of our producers whowork so hard and helpmake the market a greatcustomer service and funshopping experience.

“They create and makefantastic produce, and weare delighted the marketcontinues to grow and besuccessful.”

You could be enjoying afternoon tea at Tatton Park, courtesyof the Queen’s grocers, Fortnum and Mason

8 Tuesday, July 13, 2010