TASTE
FIRST EVER ISSUE! FIRST EVER ISSUE! FIRST EVER ISSUE! FIRST EVER ISSUE! FIRST EVER ISSUE! Issue 1 Summer 2010
EXCLUSIVE interview with Simon Rimmer A Stone’s Throw from Chester
Chester Food Trail
The Best Places to Eat
Cooling Summer Cocktails
Brilliant BBQ’s This Seasons Upcoming Events £1.95
WIN A SUMMER HAMPER! WIN A SUMMER HAMPER!
Welcome to Taste...
Contents
Chester Food Trail
4
The Great British Barbeque
6
Cooling Cocktails
7
Kevin Williams and The Cheese Wedge
8
This season’s top restaurant
10
EXCLUSIVE: Simon Rimmer tells all!
11
A stone’s throw from Chester
13
Events and competition
14
SUMMER is upon us and with it comes the first issue of Taste, your comprehensive guide to all the wonderful produce Chester has to offer. At Taste we select only the best places to go, shops, restaurants and recipes so that you and the whole family can enjoy this summer together while making the most of what you have just on your doorstep. Don’t be put off if you live outside of Chester though, we also feature a quarterly selection of places to visit around Cheshire so whether you fancy a day out with the kids or just a few hours with a loved one sipping locally produced alcohol this summer, Taste can give you all you need and more. This issue we have been lucky enough to meet the fabulous Simon Rimmer who has even divulged a few vegetarian favourites from his award winning restaurant. So welcome to a brand new Taste – enjoy a good read and be inspired to get out and rediscover what Chester has to offer. Sarah Bottomley Editor
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Chester F
Showing you the best local p
The Cheese Shop 116 Northgate Street CH1 2HT 01244 314659 The award winning Cheese Shop offers the finest cheeses, wines and much more produce from across the North West.
Chez Jules 71 Northgate Street CH1 2HQ 01244 400 014 This French style restaurant offers diners a daily-changing menu packed full of fresh produce and mouth-watering courses.
Corks Out 21 Watergate Street 01244 310 455 Corks Out provides a wide selection of locally produced wines and spirits as well as your high street favourites.
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Food Trail
produce Chester has to offer
Chester Whisky and Liqueur 59 Bridge Street Row East. CH1 1NW 01244 347 806 chesterwhisky.com Chester Whisky and Liqueur present spirits to suit any taste, including Welsh whisky, a full range of My Gineration – a Cheshire based company – and an in house blend of Chester Cross Blended Scotch Whisky.
Chester Market 6 Princess Street CH1 2HH 01244 402 340 www.chestermarket.com Chester’s Market houses a huge variety of stalls with fresh, locally produced goods as well as hand reared meats and vegetables.
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THE GREAT BRITISH BBQ
A great British instiution, much like fish and chips, cups of tea and rainy summers, is the great British barbeque. The sun comes out, the shorts go on and the fires are lit awaiting unimaginable amounts of chargrilled sausages and burgers! AS SURE as the rain coming on the august bank holiday weekend, the people of Britain love a good barbeque. Around May every year we start to dig out the old utensils that have been hidden away for the last nine months and prepare for a feast of more meat than can possibly be eaten and huge summer salads.
Don’t worry though, none of these meals are any more difficult than your usual barbeque ritual but the tastes are sensational.
Of course, no barbeque would be complete without marsh-mellows on skewers being warmed over the dying embers as the sun disappears from the sky.
Here are just a few ideas to help spice up your family meals and social gatherings.
This summer Taste is challenging its readers to do something a little different with their barbeques.
Chinese Chicken 3tbsp Tomatoe Sauce 3tbsp Honey 3tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce 3tbsp Soy Sauce 2tspn Five Spice 4 Chicken Breasts Method: Simply put all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add extra honey an sweet chilli sauce to taste. Score the chicken and put into the bowl. Cover the chicken with marinade and leave in the refridgerator for 2 - 4 hours to allow the marinade to infuse with the chicken. Cook on the barbeque and enjoy!
As the man of the house takes over the fire handling duties, insisting he knows how to handle it better than any other, it may feel like you have no control over what happens at this mealtime.
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Taste has a way to change that. This summer why not try using your barbeque to cook up some more exotic meals, like chilli and garlic king prawns, chicken in Chinese marinade, or rosemary and thyme new potatoes.
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Chilli and Garlic King Prawns 1 Red Chilli 2 Garlic Cloves 200g King Prawns 1 tbsp Olive Oil Method: Finely chop the chilli, ensuring all the seeds are removed. Place in a bowl and crush in the garlic. Mix in the oil and place the prawns in the bowl. Cover the prawns in the marinade, cover, and leave in the refridgerator for 2 - 4 hours for the marinade to infuse with the prawns. Before cooking put the prawns on skewers, then simply cook and enjoy!
COOLING COCKTAILS
No summer would be complete without a perfect cocktail to cool you down on those long hot days so we put our heads together and after a little experient and tasting session, we have put together this recipe list so that you can relax in the sun with perfectly cooling summer cocktails! Sex on the Beach 25ml Vodka 25ml Archers 125ml Orange Juice 75ml Cranberry Juice Method: Pour spirits and orange juice in to a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously. Pour in to a glass with lashings of ice and pour over the cranberry juice. Garnish with orange and enjoy!
Blue Lagoon 25ml Blue Curaco 25ml Vodka 200ml Lemonade Method: Measure vodka and blue curaco in to a glass filled with ice. Add lemonade and enjoy!
Alternative Long Island Iced Tea 12.5ml Vodka 12.5ml Triple Sec 12.5ml Bacardi 12.5ml Gin Lemon and lime wedges 2 tsp Brown sugar 200ml Cranberry juice Method: Pour the spirits and brown sugar in to a cocktail shaker. Squeeze in 2-3 wedges of lemon and lime. Add ice, seal and shake vigorously until the shaker is cold to the touch. Pour in to a glass with plenty of ice. Top with cranberry juice, pouring down the side of the glass to ensure the two components are separated. Garish with lime and enjoy! Of course, we at Taste understand not everyone likes to drink and the kids always want to join in, so here is your very own summer mocktail. Summer on the Beach 150ml Orange Juice 100ml Cranberry Juice Lime to garnish Method: Pour the orange and cranberry juice in to a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously. Pour in to a glass with lashings of ice and pour over the cranberry juice. Garnish with lime and enjoy! Taste
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KEVIN WILLIAMS & The Cheese Wedge
SITUATED in the heart of the Chester Market is a little known stall that offers the people of Chester something a little special. The Cheese Wedge has over 150
cheeses from across the world as well as an assortment of other tasty, locally produced goods.
Kevin Williams has owned and worked on the stall for over 10 years and is now expanding his delicious business to offer catering in hotels, café’s and guest houses across the Northwest. “After years of selling produce in Chester it just feels like it’s time to move further afield and offer fresh produce to people across the Northwest” Kevin explains. Of course, it is not just cheeses
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that The Cheese Wedge has to offer. The stall holds a whole host of local jams, pickles and preserves to suit every palate. “I get deliveries of produce three times a week so it’s always fresh for the customer. “We also get local free-range and barn eggs from Ashcroft Eggs in Frodsham, as well as duck eggs and Leghorn White Eggs.”
As well as all of this you can pick up Kevins speciality ‘doubleyolkers’ so no matter how you like your eggs The Cheese Wedge will
have something to suit you. Kevin has seen the market grow to offer even more and better produce to the people of Chester. He argues that all the food in the market is just as good if not better than anywhere else and walking around the stall, it is clear to see why The Cheese Wedge is so popular.
friend of mine said he had an idea for a new business and it all took off from there. “I have always loved locally produced food. It just tastes so much better and fresher than mass produced goods. “My favourite has got to be the blue cheeses. They hold so much flavour in every mouthfull and, in my eyes, really can’t be beaten.” This cheese conneisuer offers so much choice its hard to decide what to take home!
The fresh cheeses send the tastebuds tingling and the flavour is simply divine. Alternatively, if cheese isn’t your first choice of foods why not use fresh chutney with your next curry or grab some jam or eggs for your breakfast. “I don’t really know what it was that got me in to this business. A
“I have always loved locally produced food. It just tastes so much better and fresher than mass produced foods.” It’s not just day to day shopping that you can go to The Cheese Wedge for.
friend or loved ones tastes, which isn’t always easy!” From all this it’s obvious that Kevin really does offer something for everyone, but do be sure to try the selection of Cheshire cheeses, especially The Burner, although it is not made for the faint hearted! Of course, don’t just take our word for it. Take a trip to The Cheese Wedge in Chester Market to experience the tastes and smells of truly fresh produce every day of the week.
“If you have a special occasion coming up we can make up baskets and hampers to suit everyone, and I find gifts like that have a more personal touch because you are catering to a
The Cheese Wedge B25/26 Market Hall Chester CH4 2HH 01244 325458 Taste
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THIS SEASONS TOP RESTAURANT...
JOSEPH BENJAMIN
TWO TIME WINNERS of the Best Small Restaurant Joseph Benjamin really is a cut above the rest.
The restaurant and delicatessen located in the heart of Chester city is run by brothers Ben and Joe Wright and has recently expanded to offer customers even more! Joe, the head chef, has now won Cheshire Young Chef of the Year five times so you know the food is going to be outstanding. Unveiled in December 2009, the newly expanded Joseph Benjamin offers only the best in carefully prepared, locally sourced, seasonal food. It now also has a bar stocked full of your favourite wines and spirits as well as some rather special British prepared extras including
award winning champagne style fizz from Kent’s Chapel Down Winery and Welsh vodka.
“It’s not about sourcing locally for the sake of it – first and foremost a product must be seriously good”: Ben Wright Other local produce includes artisan breads from three local bakers, a range of cured salamis from all over the Northwest, and Cheshire apple juice. This restaurant truly is one of a kind for Chester and offers home grown and British produce from around the country, as well as giving diners a truly unforgettable experience with delicacies such as the tantalising Roast Loin of Welsh Lamb and the aptly named Local Plate which features a selection of in house
and North West specialities.
For dessert why not delve in to a gorgeous selection of locally produced chesses from Chester’s award winning Cheese Shop accompanied by mouth-watering homemade chutneys. As well as an exquisite selection of food and drink the accompanying shop offers a huge range of cookware, including knives, pans and utensils – all you could possibly need this summer to keep your own kitchen full of vibrant colours and sensational flavours. Quite simply Joseph Benjamin provides visitors with a truly great atmosphere with award winning food and indulgent but taste-tingling drink to boot. Walk in or book for a lunch that will satisfy any shopper, or call to book the perfect table between 6pm and 10pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday to experience this truly remarkable food. Alternatively book Joseph Benjamin for your next special occasion or office party. The dining room is available for private hire and can accommodate groups of up to 18.
Joseph Benjamin 140 Northgate Street Chester CH1 2HT 01244 344295 www.josephbenjamin.co.uk 10
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THIS SEASONS CELEBRITY CHEF...
SIMON RIMMER
One of this year’s Chester Food Festival’s special guests was Britain’s own Simon Rimmer. Journalist SARAH BOTTOMLEY was lucky enough to catch up with him after his cooking demonstration. AT THE TENDER age of 27 Simon Rimmer, armed with only two cookbooks and no idea how to cook, took over vegetarian restaurant Greens, in Manchester. Although not actually a vegetarian himself he choose to continue with Greens vegetarian theme and two years on it was described by The Guardian as one of the most exciting new restaurants in the UK! “We (myself and my business partner Simon Connolly) bought the restaurant because we wanted somewhere cheap but never really put much thought into it. “I became quite obsessed with creating a really good vegetarian restaurant, which wasn’t an easy task seeing as I couldn’t cook back then!” In 2006 Simon opened his second restaurant Earle, in Hale, Cheshire. He now has several awards and four books, as well
as being a feature chef on several television programmes. Now that summer is upon us it’s about time we find out what Simons views are on the perfect vegetarian summer meals. “I think something very simple such as marinated vegetable kebabs is great for the barbeque because you can just see what’s in your local greengrocers. “You could also try aubergine satay skewers. Just mix up some stock with fresh coconut and chilli and marinade the aubergines.” Of course, we all know its hard to get kids to eat their greens unless
they are disguised so what is the best meal to get your children eating vegetables? “Try them on vegetable nuggets – they’re so easy to make and taste amazing. Roast some sweet potato and then finely chop some green beans and red peppers. Mash it all up with a fork and mould them in to nuggets. Roll them in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and grill them.” After meeting Simon its clear to see why he has been so successful. Not only is he hugely talented but also a genuinely nice guy. What more could you want on your television at the weekend? Taste
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A STONES THROW
Just outside of Chester are a wide variety of places to go. Perfect days out that will not only keep the whole family entertained but also teach you all about producing food locally. Heres just a few you could visit this summer... Hawarden Farm Shop, Hawarden Castle Hawarden, Deeside. CH5 3NZ 01244 533 442 www.hawardenestate.co.uk
County Cuisines Farm Shop & Kitchen No’s 1 & 2 Gadbrook Mews, Gadbrook Park Nr. Northwich. CW9 7UW 01606 359299 www.countycuisines.co.uk
WITH approximately 20 acres of land, Hawarden Farm Shop has a team of people who grow, source and sell someof the best food Britain has to offer.
COUNTY Cuisines Farm Shop and Kitchen offer visitors a very different dining experience.
A trip to Hawarden Farm Shop is not only an experience for the whole family but also for all the senses. Events take place throughout the year so keep checking the website to make sure you don’t miss out.
The perfect place to stock up on freshly made ready meals, local meats and milk and much much more. As well as this you could go next door to the cafe to be served a huge variety of food throughout the day or alternatively choose what you want and take it away to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
Next up is The Art of Cooking Asparagus on May 20th, and don’t miss the Cider, Beer and Barbeque evening on June 25th.
To make your experience with County Cuisines last even longer why not visit their website where you can order their fresh produce and home-made goods online to be delivered direct to your door!
Cheshire Farm Ice Cream, Newton Lane Chester . CH3 9NE 01829 770 446 www.cheshirefarmicecream.co.uk
The Hollies Little Budworth, Forest Road Little Budworth. CW6 9ES 01829 760414
WITH 30 different variations of ice cream and sorbets all produced on the farm Cheshire Farm has something for the whole family to enjoy!
Lower Stretton Northwich Road, Lower Stretton Warrington. WA4 4PG 01925 730976
The farm also holds an outdoor play area, an animal corner, duck pond and even a milking parlour viewing gallery!
HAVING won over 15 awards it is clear that The Hollies have something quite amazing to offer.
Of course if your sweet tooth is making it difficult for you to choose which ice cream to try you could always buy some to takeaway and enjoy at home.
With a shop, cafe, garden centre and caravan park The Hollies is the perfect place to visit whether it’s for a few hours or a few days!
Come rain or shine there is plenty to see and do at Cheshire Farm Ice Cream and it is definatly worth a visit this summer!
With its brand new holiday park with log cabins and hideaways it is an ideal place to spend some time with the family enjoying walks and bike rides while surrounded by beautiful secluded woodland. Taste
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May
1st-27th June 1st -31st October 1st- 30th August 5th 6th 7th 19th 22nd 23rd
June
11th-14th July 19th-20th 25th 26th 26th-27th 30th-14th July
July
3rd-5th 9th 10th 27th
EVENTS Modern Painters: Contemporary Art A Taste of Chester Walking Tour Mountains and Molehills: Habitats in Cheshire Totesport Cup Day Boodles Ladies Day Boodles City Day Sportsmans Lunch – World Cup Heroes Roman Day FIFA World Cup Qualifying Dinner
Grosvenor Museum Chester Grosvenor Museum Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse
Chestival Midsummer Watch Parade Ladies Evening Midsummer Meeting Tom Rolt Centenary Celebrations Chester Summer Music Festival
Chester Chester Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Chester
British Masters Show Jumping Ladies’ and Gents’ Evening Totesport Day Cheshire’s Young Talented Chef and Young Host Evening
Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester Racecourse Chester
WIN YOUR OWN SUMMER HAMPER! Simply send your name, address and contact number on a postcard headed ‘Summer Hamper Competition’ to Taste Magazine, PO BOX 3844, Chester, CH3 5DT. Don’t miss your chance! 14
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NEXT ISSUE
MARCO PIERRE WHITE
reveals all about his journey to the top, new hit television shows AND gives us a behind the scenes look at his new steakhouse restaurant!
PLUS...
Even more recipes, events and compeitions to keep you going through autumn.
DON’T MISS IT!!! Taste
Summer Issue
15
For healthy, happy babies...