MENU THE DAILY POST FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE JANUARY 2010
Eat the Chef TV cook Simon Rimmer on his new internet venture
Star quality
It passed the Michelin test –will willFraiche Fraichepass passours? ours?
Super food Eat yourself well this month
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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chef’s Table
Simon’s taste of the future Jade Wright talks to Wirral chef and TV star Simon Rimmer about his plans to get us all cooking via the web
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ESTAURATEUR, presenter, author and entrepreneur . . . is there anything Simon Rimmer can’t do, if he puts his hand to it? Now the Wallasey chef is working on an innovative new video website that allows foodies to share recipes – and see how they turn out in a real kitchen, away from the halo of studio lights. Eatthechef.com is a new website that lets cooking enthusiasts show off their skills from the comfort of their own kitchen. It’s the brainchild of the Something for the Weekend chef and Liverpool businessmen, Omar Saeed and Paul Finnegan. “It’s great to see the enthusiasm people have for food,” says Simon. “We’re still suffering from three generations of adults that were never taught to cook properly. We turn to junk food and ready meals, because often we don't realise how quick and easy it is to make things that are much nicer from scratch. “I've been approached by similar projects in the past, but what I like about this is that it is user generated. It's a slower grow, it'd be quicker and easier to buy 15,000 videos in, but you wouldn't get the kind of videos people are posting.” The site offers foodies the chance to record themselves making their favourite dishes, submit their videos, and then watch their recipes go global. “This is real cooking, by real people, for real people,” says Simon. “If you’re hungry, you’ll be able to go online and find a video of how to cook everything from a humble bacon sandwich to a sophisticated sauce. Plus, you get to see other people's kitchens. What's better than nosy parkering in somebody else's house?” The site launched just before Christmas and already foodies are putting up their own signature dishes – they're not all making cordon bleu creations, though. “Someone has done a video of themselves making beans on toast
Simon Rimmer, centre – with Liverpool businessmen Omar Saeed, left, and Paul Finnegan – wants to encourage us all to cook better with his new website that's hilarious,” laughs Simon. “Food can be taken too seriously. We want to be a little bit cheeky. We've got the biscuit dunking championship, we want a dry cracker eating competition. “There are ham and cheese toasties, and then there are some really complicated dishes as well. Whatever you want to make, someone else has already made it, and they can show you what it actually looks like. “I've got some of my mates to do it, some people off the telly, some from home. “I've done six videos so far. My favourite is a really easy banana bread and butter pudding, and there's one of my fail-safe cheats' dinner party recipes. It's a sea bass
Dinner date
that looks like you've spent hours and actually takes about 10 minutes. “As it develops, we're seeing that certain people are building up a really good reputation. When we get tens of thousands of videos, you might get 50 chicken curry recipes. Then you might choose the one from the person who you saw on the site last time making a cracking jam roly-poly.” On Something for the Weekend, Simon is used to viewers sending in their photographs of dishes they've made at home. “People are really keen to show you what they've made,” he smiles. “I love that. When we first started, we'd get about 10 pictures a week, now we get 200. “I haven’t been classically trained
so I didn’t know what the rules were, and we went completely by instinct. Good food isn't about snobbery. It's just about enjoying cooking and what you eat.” Simon now lives in Manchester with wife Alison and his two children, but he's back and forth to Liverpool every couple of weeks. “My parents still live in Wallasey and I come back for the match,” says the Liverpool FC fan. “I went for a meal in Wallasey the other night actually, in a little curry house. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was really good. “The food and drink scene in Liverpool is really strong now. You've got restaurants like London Carriageworks – that's one of my favourites – and I've always loved
The food and drink scene in Liverpool is really strong now
the Everyman Bistro. You get really good hearty soups in there – perfect for this weather. “Restaurant Bar and Grill has a good menu – I've had some great meals in there. And I love the pubs. I could sit in the Fly and the Loaf on Hardman Street all day, then walk up to the Philharmonic and spend the evening there. “Baltic Fleet does great beer, and they're doing a beautiful cheese now. It's made by an old friend of the landlord's, who happens to be a cheesemaker. She finishes it off by rolling it in Baltic Fleet beer. Great beer and great cheese. What more do you want?” ■ SEE Simon's website at www.eatthechef.com
Anton Powers is a DJ on Juice FM and a music producer with dance act Cahill
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Simon Cowell, Chris Evans, Duncan Ferguson, Steve Coogan (as Alan Partridge), Alesha Dixon, right, Jay Z and Cheryl Cole.
What would be the topic of conversation? God only knows with a table of guests this random!
Anton Powers
What would you serve? To start, it would be a selection of
Who would be your nightmare guest? Definitely Perez Hilton.
seafood from garlic king prawns to fresh mussels mariniere. For the main – you can’t go wrong with Italian, so I would keep everyone happy with a tasty spicy pasta accompanied with a roasted pepper bruschetta. For dessert it would have to
be my favourite – banoffee pie. What would you all drink? Vodka lemons all round, with Amaretto and Coke to finish. Who would do the washing up? Cheryl and Alesha. Imagine those two in Marigolds and pinnies.
jade.wright @liverpool.com
DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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Superfoods come to Jade Wright finds out that January doesn’t have to be all about abstinence. Choose the right foods and you can eat well and healthily
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Franklins Deli, in St Paul’s Square, Liverpool, is proving popular with health-conscious city workers looking for lunches which taste good and do them Pictures: COLIN LANE/ cl150110franklindeli-10 good
Blundell Street
the supper club
JANUARY SALE
1 in 4 dines FREE! Fri & Sat Sat NEIL Amazing as 23rd McHALE Michael Jackson Fri TONY 29th BLAZE
ANUARY is a contrary month. On one hand, it’s a time of rebirth, healing and clean living; on the other, the weather is so bad that all most of us want to do is hide under the covers and eat chocolate digestives. Comfort food beckons – pies, pasta, biscuits and crusty bread – to bring sweetness and stodge into the dark days. But now is the time, almost more than any other, to make sure you've got some superfoods in your larder, ingredients that will build you up, boost your energy levels and immune system, and keep you hearty until spring breaks out again. And there is such a thing as healthy comfort food, but it just takes a bit of thought, says Adam Franklin, owner of Franklins, in St Paul’s Square. “January is like no other month for food – people start thinking about becoming more healthy at this time of year and your diet is an important part of that,” says Adam, from West Derby. The deli has a menu packed with healthy treats to cater for customers who are trying to revitalise their bodies and generally improve their health. Adam was head chef at Daphne’s restaurant in London, and worked as operations director for Frankie & Benny’s owner City Centre Restaurants. Franklins only opened last month, but already word has spread about the New Yorkstyle deli with its flavour-packed salads, soups, sandwiches and wraps. “We’re selling out of our salads as quickly as we can make them,” says Adam, 38. “We’d expected that they’d be slower growers, really picking up in the spring and summer, but already people are wanting something lighter and healthier. “It’s the same with our freshly squeezed orange juice. Before Christmas we might sell 10 litres a day, now it’s 40 or 50. “The soups have really taken off, too, we’re doing 60 litres a day now. People are keen to eat as healthily as they can, especially as they don’t need to sacrifice the flavour in the process. And it’s not just women who are thinking about their diets. “We’re right in the middle of the business district and we get an equal split of men and women,” says Adam. “There’s no real difference in what they order. You might expect women to be more health-conscious, but these days you
get just as many men thinking about the food they eat.” One of Franklins biggest sellers is their beetroot salad (£2.25 regular/£3.25 large). Apart from the various anti-carcinogens that beetroot is thought to contain, it has beta-carotene and betacyanin, powerful antioxidants which are said to help improve liver detoxification. It is also high in folic acid, essential for a healthy pregnancy. Impressively versatile, beetroot is a great cleansing January food. “Some people get put off beetroot – either they have it in vinegar and it tastes, well, just like vinegar, or they have it roasted badly and it tastes like soil,” explains Adam. “But if you do it well, it’s sweet and fresh and absolutely delicious. Our beetroot salad flies out of the salad bar every day.” Adam combines it with garlic, another powerful punch of goodness in its own right. It’s an anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent. It also has blood-thinning properties that can help reduce the risk of blood clots and several studies have found that it can lower blood pressure and suppress cholesterol production by the liver. And it tastes good, too . . . “It may be January, but no-one is going to spend a month eating food they don’t like,” says Adam. “These are foods that taste good and make you feel good. There’s no compromise.” Another healthy, tasty treat is their North African cous cous (£2.25 regular/£3.25 large), with raw spinach and roasted peppers. Spinach has been linked to lower rates of cancer. It also contains folic acid, iron and folates, a deficiency in which can cause fatigue and anaemia. “Cous cous is a great hearty food for this time of year,” says Adam. “I serve it at home with spiced slow roasted lamb and drizzle some of the meat juice over it. That’s a real winter warmer. “The Harissa makes a real difference. I get mine from Harvey Nichols, they do a good spicy paste and it lasts forever. That’s the secret with all of these recipes. If you use good quality ingredients, they taste out of this world.” ■ FRANKLINS Deli, 1, St Paul’s Square, Liverpool, L1 3SJ 0151 227 5976 www.franklinsdeli.com jade.wright@liverpool.com
Tasty treats
Soul & Motown favourites
Sat MIKE 30th McCARDLE
The sounds of Vegas (Rat Pack & Elvis)
23rd Jan - THE GRAND
SUNDAY LUNCH
5-piece band making a name for themselves, with their roots in American and Alternative Country
Blundell Street, Liverpool L1 OAJ
2 Courses
£9.95 (Opp Echo Arena)
Reservations 0151 709 5779
Website: www.blundellstreetliverpool.com
BEETROOT SALAD (serves one)
SUPERFOOD COUS COUS (serves two)
Ingredients One large beetroot, peeled and quartered One good tablespoon olive oil Half a clove of garlic, finely chopped One small banana shallot, finely chopped Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients
Method Boil the beetroot for 25 minutes, until thoroughly cooked. In the meantime, combine the other ingredients in a pestle and grind with a mortar until it’s all mushed up – about the consistency of pesto. Finally, rub the beetroot with the mixture and serve.
500g cooked cous cous One red pepper and one green pepper, chopped, deseeded and slow roasted A handful of raw baby spinach, finely chopped One large finely diced red onion Three tablespoons, olive oil 75g of plump golden sultanas A teaspoon of Harissa Method Throw all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. It’s best served warm, so pop it in the microwave for 40 seconds – any longer and the sultanas will get too hot.
Franklins beetroot salad
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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
o the rescue
Cupboard love IT LOOKS like a precious antique, but this cute floral jug will cost you the princely sum of just £12. Perfect for posh afternoon teas or showing off when the inlaws call around, you will find it at Berry Red (www.berryred.co.uk)
IF YOU are on a January health kick, a blender is an essential bit of kit for all those soups and smoothies. If you’re not, then it’s ideal for making frozen margaritas. This professional quality Model 908 blender from Hamilton Beach is used in professional kitchens all over the world. Priced £214.89, at www.drinkstuff.com
Adam Franklin spreads the word on superfoods in his deli Code: cl150110franklindeli-11
HOW cute are these? Tom, Dick and Harry, as they are known, must be the quirkiest way to store your condiments. Tom stores your tea and Dick holds the coffee while Harry keeps the sugar, each one preserved perfectly along with a spoon. Find them at www. prezzybox.com, priced £29.95
stanley park anfield road liverpool l4 0td telephone: 0151 263 0363 info@theislagladstone.co.uk www.theislagladstone.co.uk
Situated in the recently restored Stanley Park, Kemps Bistro at the The Isla Gladstone Conservatory is perfectly located for enjoying lazy Sundays in the park. With free parking, and acres of beautiful gardens it’s the ideal place to go and unwind. You will be delighted with everything we have to offer, with our delicious, home~made, locally sourced, organic, freshly prepared food.
Sunday Lunch
served 12.00 - 4.00pm
£7.95 ~ 1 course £10.95 ~ 2 courses £12.95 ~ 3 courses
open daily
9.30am - 4.30pm book now on:
0151 263 0363 Superfood cous cous
DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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Eating Out
A little taste of luxury
Vicki Kellaway visits Fraiche in Oxton to sample some Michelinstarred excellence
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We gossiped and zipped through the courses, but relished all of them
TATUS symbols are strange things. The right shoes, bag, sunglasses . . . the right shade of tan. They’ve all had their moments. But it seems none of them are quite so in vogue as paying a lot of money to eat . . . foam. I’m mildly sceptical, I’m afraid. I fear the day when a chef turns to me, laughs and mutters something that sounds suspiciously like “Emperor’s new clothes”. (I won’t reply – it’s rude to speak with your mouth full of chemical froth, you know). But seriously, I like to play the Lord as much as anyone, so when the chance arose to visit Merseyside’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, I couldn’t resist. I say “arose”, but I had to book our Friday night table at Fraiche, in Oxton, a whopping six months ago – they were in demand and I thought that would give us time to save. When the big day finally arrived, I could barely eat my breakfast for fear of ruining my appetite. After such a long wait, walking into this tiny restaurant was almost a shock – even though I knew it barely seats into the double figures. Two smiling waitresses guided us through a tiny lounge and into a dining space where our table occupied one corner. Beside us were another couple and opposite just three – seven diners in a fully booked restaurant. It was like eating in someone’s living room, albeit a sophisticated one with discreet lighting, trendy glass wall hangings and cream carpets throughout (brave). I’ll admit the place had that intimate, you-must-whisper feel at first, but we soon relaxed – probably because the waitresses were so friendly yet clearly proud of the food they were serving. We chose the restaurant’s sixcourse Concepts menu for £48 above its three-course Elements one, which is £38. The wine list started around £19 for a bottle, with some £4.50 glasses, but with one driver (him) and the other food obsessed (me) we coped with a bitter lemon (£1.75) sparkling water (£3) and a £4.35 gin and tonic. We had the teasers first – the delicious spiced pecan nuts, the brittle parmesan “crisp” and a crunchy poppy and maple biscuit plus several flavours of bread bun served with seaweed butter. But soon it was time for the main event, and first up was . . . foam. Ah. Except it wasn’t really, it was artichoke mousse masquerading as foam – all frothy and green served with hazelnut and creme fraiche.
Marc Wilkinson’s roast cod fillet with sea urchin salad, at Fraiche fancy stars. I was in a very good mood at this point. I was full. I’d eaten lots of random flavours. I’d felt like a smug Masterchef judge as I’d unearthed each new treat on my plate. Then the waitress arrived with our next course – a dessert, so likely to make my favourite list. “This,” she said, with a flourish, “Is the lemongrass panna cotta served with sour cherry foam.” I almost groaned. The boyfriend laughed. He shook his head and handed me my spoon. I was cross. Fraiche was fun and different – unpretentious yet ambitious – yet here was . . . foam. Except, annoyingly, I might have been a tiny bit wrong (tell no-one) I adore panna cotta. I love it. And here was a tangy foamy interloper making this light lemongrass “cooked cream” taste even better. Hmmph. You can have that one. The finale couldn’t fail either. It was a chaotic chocolate orange sprawl – everything from slender slabs of chocolate to the boldest orange ice-cream I’ve ever tasted. Fraiche is not a restaurant where you should dress up to be seen – all people spotting and paparazzi. No, this a temple to food – where the passion oozes from every plate and you’ll enjoy the odd surprise. Just book quickly, before the wait leaves you foaming at the mouth.
Simple, yet stylish: the interior of Fraiche It was fun and beautifully presented, but we wolfed it far too quickly, eager for the light taste. The same could not be said for the artisan foie gras. We were served a generous lump of the stuff which was much easier to savour. It was gorgeous and it’s worth noting the artisan variety of this fatty liver is produced the most humanely. We gossiped and zipped through the courses, but relished all of them – every plate was beautifully presented, every detail perfected. Frequently, our waitress would
announce an ingredient and leave us flummoxed – either because we failed to spot a familiar favourite, or because we’d never before tasted the item mentioned. But that’s the whole point of a restaurant like Fraiche. It might take a chef or a scientist to fully appreciate its brilliance – but, hey, there’s still plenty on every plate to discuss and dissect. Now, call me a Philistine, but I was underwhelmed by the fish course – the wild brill fillet with its seaweed and discs of radish. It was nice, perfectly cooked I’m
sure – it just seemed to lack the wow factor. Unlike the next course, the Goosnargh duck. Delicious – if I hadn’t been so full by then, I’m sure I could have eaten it three times. Everything on the plate worked together. The duck was superbly cooked; the plump little cylinder of fondant potato was exactly the right size and bursting with creaminess, even the parsley cream was understated yet ideal to dribble over your fork. I believe this is why they hand out those
vicki.kellaway@liverpool.com
Food facts FRAICHE, 11 Rose Mount, Oxton, Wirral. Tel: 0151-652 2914 Email: contact@restaurant fraiche.com Service: Excellent Value: £110 for two people, which did not include wine. Expensive, but worth it for a treat.
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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sommelier – Mathew Sloane
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APPY New Year! May 2010 bring us all joyous quaffing, outrageous carousing and regrettable dalliances. I feel that this new decade could be the dawn of a new age – an age when bold men will make increasingly bold adventures into the torrid world of catering and hospitality. Each new day in our fair city brings rumour upon rumour of mad culinary warlocks constructing fresh strongholds of decadence to tempt us ever further into spiralling debt and forgotten trouser sizes. It is during these revolutionary times that jaded professionals such as myself demand challenge and invention – in lascivious fashion, to spawn new devils of delight to enrich our moribund palates. I bring three tales – one bold, one beautiful and one terrifying. My new jousting ground, The Noble House, Brunswick Street, sets the scene for my first chapter. We have listed a divine New Zealand gargler – Mount Cass Gewurztraminer – a luscious, fruity, floral, harlot of a wine that would normally suggest a tidy bit of Thai or some cheeky Chinese but, for reasons better known to old Bacchus, I had a feeling it’d be a right belter with a whack of homemade pork crackling. Our chef roasts the good stuff and seasons with some five spice – it’s one of the most welcome matches I’ve ever tried. I hate turkey. Let’s get that out there. The old bird just doesn’t move me like she used to. Aware of my growing feelings of distaste and increasing propensity towards random violence, my old pal at Vinea, Albert Dock, James McGrory, suggested I tried calming down my shouting chakra with a spot of Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir. Jimbo claimed it would
make a prince out of any turkey, so with boundless trepidation I saddled up, settled down and raised a glass of this Californian, purple number with the admittedly impressive partridge and duck stuffed turkey. How swiftly my fickle soul can turn. The wine is, simply, incredible – ripe, juicy, smooth, complex, sexy, challenging – a perfect bedfellow for the earthy, rustic feel to a great British dinner. Imagine suddenly discovering Audrey Tatou on this writer’s arm – at first every fibre of your soul fights and screams at such an incongruous image, until you see the divine purpose in such a perfect marriage. Finally, and I thought for a while it may have been the last thing to ever grace my highly trained cakehole. A brief visit to Rigby’s, on Dale Street, led to a chance meeting with Fiona, Lady of said manor and recent visitor to Iceland – returning with husband intact, horsemeat cured and shark meat . . . putrefied. A palatable exchange with the recently thawedout Dominic led swiftly into a quick taste of the surprisingly delicious cured Dobbin, a firm couple of pints gifted us the courage to delve into the undiscovered world of longrotten fish. As instructed, we prepared for this sensual assault by slugging down a load of the equally alien Brennivin – a local spirit, presumably distilled from Kryptonite and ravens’ tears. Undoubtedly the most unique flavours I’ve ever experienced, in the same way that heartbreak can teach a man a lot about himself, rotten shark and fermented demon eye taught me a harshly learned yet immensely valuable lesson – when in Iceland, do as in Rome.
Best bar none
Blundell Street restaurant and bar OFFERING a diverse blend of food, drink, entertainment and music, Blundell Street is one of Liverpool’s favourite cabaret restaurants. Housed in a former shipping warehouse and ideally located opposite the Echo Arena and Kings Dock, it is a popular destination venue for big nights out. Inspired by the “Rat Pack” and the lounge bar era of the 50s and 60s, the restaurant serves international cuisine and can accommodate up to 160 diners either downstairs near the stage or up on the mezzanine level, plus there is a large bar area, should you just want to drop in for drinks.
A bustling live music venue, Blundell Street offers all types of music from soul to Motown to swing, with appearances from tribute acts and crooners on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and on Sundays they offer a Sunday lunch followed by a songwriters’ showcase. If you are celebrating or on a night out with a big group, then Blundell Street is perfect for you, while, if you are looking for somewhere for pre-concert drinks, they offer a discounted dinner to make sure you don’t miss your show. ■ BLUNDELL Street, 63-65, Blundell Street, Liverpool. L1 0AJ. Tel: 0151 709 5779. Thursday - 5pm to 1am, Friday and Saturday - 5pm to 2am.
Jalons Bridewell Restaurant
Jalons Restaurant
0151 709 4195
0151 734 0329
Campbell Square • L1 5BL
Live Music from our Boston Piano every Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat Traditional Sunday Lunch Starter & Main (early doors) £13.95 every day up till 7pm
Smithdown Road • L15 5AE
~ Monday Night - A Night of Sinatra ~ First Tuesday of every month Gary Potter ~ Sunday - Wednesday Starter & Main - £12.95 all evening
www.jalons.co.uk ~ www.myspace.com/jalonslive
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DAILY POST Tuesday, January 19, 2010
0151 263 6886
facebook: blush liverpool email: blushcocktailbar@hotmail.com