Appetite #72 - Spring 2023

COPY WITH YOU

On a bowl

Welcoming spring with Jane Lovett’s deliciously simple dishes

Plus Cheesy does it with Moz Murphy // The Last Word with Kelvyn Guest // Eat North Tyneside Win A break at Michelangelo’s, Ryton

In a (turnip) stew

Editor ponders the political flash in the pan that was turnipgate

So dear reader, where do you stand when it comes to the humble turnip? A friend of mine who lives in France swears by them in tartiflette instead of potatoes. That’s turnip, onion and smoked bacon layered with crème fraîche and Reblochon cheese, if you please (not so humble after all, then...) and if you haven’t had it, I can recommend it as a significant step up from the raw variety beloved of the long-suffering manservant Baldrick in TV’s Blackadder Whichever political colour you wear, the furore which ensued when, in the face of The Great Cucumber Famine of 2023, environment secretary Therese Coffey suggested that the great British public might do well to cherish seasonal produce, including the humble turnip, was not only hilarious in all its moral outrage, but it also caused a run on turnips in the shops.

And that’s no bad thing, because turnips, dear reader, are actually very palatable. While Ms Coffey (and that other victim of tabloid turnip teasing, the hapless one-time England

football manager Graham ‘Turnip’ Taylor) may never wish to see one again, I commend this humble root vegetable to you with lamb in a hotpot; or simply roasted with onion and garlic; and at the heart of a mixed root vegetable gratin.

Just one thing, however, the turnip is not a swede, despite being commonly mis-identified for its larger, yellow cousin, particularly here in the North East. The turnip is in fact a much smaller white ball with a purple blush. Very thinly sliced, they make a surprisingly tasty and nicely textured addition to a stir-fry. Or, pan fried in lots of oil and butter with garlic, salt and thyme and then, before serving, sprinkled with breadcrumbs they are delicious. I’m sad to say that Turnipgate was over almost before it began, and now everyone’s gone back to wondering where their greenhouse/imported salad is. This is a shame, because the turnip is a fine vegetable and I recommend it in all its myriad forms (if not raw, Baldrick-style).

Jane Pikett, Editor

@appetitemaguk

@appetitemaguk

Cover: Jane Lovett’s bibimap, page 34

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OFFERS

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COMPLIMENTARY CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE

Appetite readers can enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee with lunch until May 31, 2023. Offer valid Tuesday-Friday lunchtimes when two courses are purchased. One tea/coffee per voucher.

Hinnies Restaurant, 10 East Parade, Whitley Bay, NE26 1AP, tel 0191 447 0500, www.hinnies.co.uk

FREE GIFT ON YOUR FIRST VISIT

Appetite readers receive a free pack of crackers or oatcakes with their first purchase at grate until June 9, 2023. Just mention ‘Appetite’ when you visit. Subject to availability, gluten-free available. grate, 252 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, NE2 1LD, tel 0191 649 2528 www.gratenewcastle.co.uk

10% off online orders

Appetite readers receive 10% off online purchases from Northumberland Cheese until May 31, 2023. Excludes dairy days, drinks and other gifts. Use code APPETITE23.

www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk

FREE GLASS OF WINE

Carruthers & Kent is offering a free glass of house red or white wine to Appetite readers who order an antipasti plate. One complimentary glass per person aged 18 or over. Offer available until June 9, 2023 on presentation of this voucher only. Open for drinks and boards from noon Thurs-Sun (close 6pm Thurs, 9pm Fri and Sat, and 5pm Sun).

Carruthers & Kent, 3a Elmfield Road, Gosforth, NE3 4AY , tel 0191 213 1818, www.carruthersandkent.com

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WHAT DO I DO WITH..?

WILD NETTLES

They take over your garden as soon as look at you, they sting, and they’re ugly, but wild nettles have much to recommend them in the kitchen. Obviously, they’re free, they don’t sting when they’re cooked, they’re tasty with an earthy flavour like spinach, and you can use them in any recipe that calls for spinach or wild garlic. Soups, risottos, and smoothies all figure in our nettle repertoire, they make for a good pesto, and are fantastic stirred through warm pasta with sautéed prawns and lemon juice. More here:

• Firstly, wear rubber gloves to pick young leaves from the tips. Lay on a tray to wilt or wash in hot water. Once they are wilted they don’t sting.

• Blanch in simmering water, drain thoroughly and stir through quiche filling for a seasonal take on your favourite savoury tart.

• Again, blanch and drain, then whiz in a food processor with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts and parmesan cheese for an earthy, robust pesto.

• For a quick soup, sauté onion, celery and carrot until softened, add thinly sliced potatoes, blanched nettle leaves and stock, then season and simmer down. Add lemon juice and cream to your taste, season and serve sprinkled with fresh mint.

A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Michelin-starred Pine near Hexham now has a chef’s table for up to three guests who can get up close to members of the team as they prepare, plate and serve their dishes. The menu showcases the best locally sourced and foraged ingredients and the chef's table is available on selected evenings and Saturday afternoons.

Pine, Vallum Farm, Military Road, East Wallhouses, Newcastle NE18 0LL, 01434 671 202, www.restaurantpine.co.uk

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED

Preparations are well underway at Blagdon Farm Shop ahead of Easter in April and the coronation in May.

For Easter, the team is planning homemade afternoon teas, simnel cakes and desserts, in addition to main course ingredients such as Northumbrian lamb and local veg. Meanwhile, the coronation weekend in May will herald picinic boxes filled with handmade pies, quiches and desserts made with the best local produce. If you're firing up the barbecue for the occasion, there will be specially prepared BBQ packs for 4-6 people featuring Blagdon and local meats.

Blagdon Farm Shop, Milkhope Centre, Berwick Hill Road, Seaton Burn, NE13 6DA, tel 01670 789 924, www.theblagdonfarmshop.co.uk

© Joe Taylor Photography

WE'VE BEEN TO

RECIPE CAPONATA

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS

extra virgin olive oil

3 large aubergines, cut into

2cm chunks

sea salt

1 red onion, peeled and thickly sliced

4 celery stalks, cut into 1cm slices

200ml passata

75g capers, drained and rinsed

METHOD

THE NATURAL GROCER MARKET & SOCIAL, HEXHAM

This deli/grocer, café and weekend tapas bar celebrates all that is local. Indeed, the owners believe they are the largest retailer of local produce in Northumberland. The daily menu includes breakfasts, sharing boards with Northumberland cheeses and charcuterie, small plates, cakes and scones. There are regular wine tastings and you can hire the 40-cover upstairs lounge. Cattle Market, Hexham tel 07833 609 530, www.thenaturalgrocer.uk

KHAI KHAI, NEWCASTLE

We've also been to one of our favourite and most innovative restaurants, Khai Khai, which was recognised as Best in the North East at the prestigious British Curry Awards. Not that we need any excuse to go along for Khai Khai’s legendary dishes prepared over hot stones, coals, and wood fires. Khai Khai, 29 Queen Street Newcastle, NE1 3UG, tel 0191 221 0601, khaikhai.co.uk

150g kalamata olives, pitted and halved

50g sugar

50-75ml red wine vinegar

To serve:

seeded sourdough, toasted buffalo mozzarella

50g pine nuts, toasted fresh basil

Heat 5cm oil in a deep, heavy-based frying pan until hot. Fry the diced aubergine in batches until golden brown and soft. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Wipe out the frying pan and add 4 tbsp oil. Heat over a mediumlow heat then add the onion and celery and cook for 8 mins. Add the passata and cook for another 5 mins, then stir in the capers and olives.

Add the sugar and vinegar to the pan, allowing the sugar to dissolve in the heat. Stir and cook for 5 mins, tasting to see if it needs more sugar or vinegar. Turn off the heat, add the aubergines and gently mix together.

Serve in bowls with grilled sourdough on the side, or serve on grilled sourdough and top with torn mozzarella, pine nuts and basil leaves.

COOK!

Light bites

CHEERS TO THAT

Ad Gefrin, the new £14m Anglo-Saxon visitor experience and whisky distillery in Wooler, Northumberland, is all set to open on March 25. This follows the release of its first whisky blend, Tácnbora, which combines Scottish and Irish whiskies.

Ad Gefrin reveals the fascinating history of Northumberland’s Anglo-Saxon Golden Age, showcasing the court of the 7th Century Northumbrian kings and queens. Its whisky distillery is Northumberland’s first (legal) distillery in 200 years. Tácnbora – meaning standard bearer in Old English – is a fitting name for its first release, a whisky blend which will pave the way for the distillery’s Ad Gefrin Single Malt in years to come.

On the nose, Tácnbora has notes of honey, vanilla, candied citrus peel and spices, backed up on the palate with the flavours of sultanas, cream soda and nutmeg. The finish lingers with the tastes of honey, vanilla and sweet citrus.

Tácnbora (£42.50/70cl) is available to purchase online at www.adgefrin.co.uk

ON THE LIST

Nice work from three of the region’s restaurants included in the 2023 Harden’s Guide. They are Michelin-starred Pine, near Hexham (10th), Hjem, Wall, near Hexham (15th), and the Michelin-starred House of Tides, Newcastle (43rd).

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Renowned for its gorgeous south Indian soul food, the new menu at Dosa Kitchen in Jesmond, Newcastle, has been causing quite the stir. Serving up small and large plates, dosas with a range of fillings, and tuk tuk kothu paratha (torn flaky paratha bread griddled with onions, tomatoes, chilies and spices and served with fillings), last year Hairy Biker Si King listed this in his top five Newcastle restaurants. Praise indeed... Dosa Kitchen, 7 Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2AE, tel 0191 250 9725, www.dosakitchen.co.uk

Meanwhile, The Rat, Anick, near Hexham (26th), and The Broad Chare, Newcastle (44th) are in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list. The new SquareMeal Top 100 UK list includes Pine (6th), Kenny Atkinson’s Newcastle venue Solstice (17th), Hjem (20th), House of Tides (54th), Peace & Loaf (81st), and Route (94th).

The distillery team at Ad Gefrin (©Sally Ann Norman)

The Broad Chare

A SISTER FOR PATRICIA

Chef Nick Grieves, owner of one of our favourite restaurants, The Patricia in Jesmond, Newcastle, has launched a second venue, Ophelia, in neighbouring Gosforth.

Ophelia is described as a traditional French neighbourhood brasserie with a small menu of classic dishes and local ingredients. Nick describes his menu as “thoughtful comfort food”, hence dishes such as plaice paupiette with ratte potatoes, spinach and prawn bisque; chicken fricassee with mushrooms and vin jaune; and dauphinoise potato and wild mushroom pithivier with braised greens and black truffle. The wine list features natural and organic French wines, which can be enjoyed at the bar with a bar menu. Nick and his business partner Dan Smyth also plan to open more new venues in the near future, so watch this space.

Meanwhile, The Patricia is now Vinny’s at The Patricia, serving up a New York city-inspired set menu which includes tagliatelle with roast pork, fennel and San Marzano tomato; chickpea gnocchi with milk, rosemary and lemon; and spicy sausage and Castelluccio lentils

Ophelia, 6-10 Bowsden Terrace, Gosforth, NE3 1RX www.opheliagosforth.co.uk

The Patricia, 139 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, NE2 1JY tel 0191 281 4443, www.the-patricia.com

TO A TEA

The former Quilliam Brothers tea house on the Newcastle University campus is to reopen as Claremont Tea House after being taken over by Northumberland Restaurant Company.

The group owns or coowns several outlets including Dotbagel, and Lovage in Jesmond, and in addition to serving a range of teas, the tea house will also offer an extensive selection of coffees and bakery items from Dotbagel and others. Both brunch and lunch will be served, and the menu will include a selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. As we went to press it was said to be within days of opening.

MARCH

WILD GARLIC

Our favourite free food of the season, gather it in wet woodland and serve the young, tender leaves in salad; or use it instead of or with basil in pesto. It’s great stirred through pasta with a little olive oil, lemon, salt and pine nuts; or use it instead of garlic bulbs in chicken Kiev. We like it stirred through warm potato salad, and we use it instead of watercress in a green quiche.

APRIL

BRITISH ASPARAGUS

The British asparagus season officially begins around April 23, St. George’s Day. Snap tender stalks where they break naturally, grill or boil lightly and serve with butter, lemon juice and salt; or drizzle with olive oil, throw in crushed garlic and a little lemon zest, and roast at 220C/Gas 7 for 15 mins; or sauté in a pan, add beaten eggs and cook to an omelette, best served drizzled with pesto (made with wild garlic if you still have it).

MAY

WOOD PIGEON

Renowned as the tastiest wild pigeon, now is the time for young, tender birds roasted with Chinese five spice, orange zest, demerara sugar and dry white wine. Alternatively, stuff with woody herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary, add crushed garlic, brown in a sauté pan, put in an oven tin with a glass of red wine and roast in the oven at 220C/Gas 7 for 20 mins, then rest for 10 mins and serve with fried bread.

CIAO, VECCHIO AMICO!

Restaurateur Terry Laybourne has reopened his Newcastle wine bar and restaurant St Vincent after a three-year covid hiatus.  Martin Malinowski, who has worked in several of Terry’s restaurants over the years, will head the kitchen at the Franco/Italian-inspired wine bar, which will feature a concise, ever-changing seasonal menu influenced by the punchy flavours of southern France and Italy. Next door to Live Theatre, St Vincent will also serve up pre-theatre drinks and food, with a fixed price menu when the theatre has a production on. The wine menu will feature small independent producers, many of them organic, some bio-dynamic, and others natural. In addition, there will be classic cocktails and vermouths as well as craft beers. St Vincent, Broad Chare, Newcastle, NE1 3DQ, tel 0191 232 1331, www.stvincentnewcastle.co.uk

MASTER CHEF ON THE MOVE

STEAK, NOT JUST FOR DINNER!

We usually head to Tomahawk steakhouse, which is about to open a new branch in Morpeth, when we’re in the mood for, well... steak (surprise) but recently we’ve enjoyed the new breakfast menu. It includes these American pancakes with caramelised banana, strawberries and salted toffee sauce; there’s a superb full English; Mexican-style scrambled eggs with tomato and spring onion salsa and guacamole; and steak (naturally) – a 5oz flat iron with two fried eggs and crispy potatoes. And if that doesn’t set you up for the day, we don’t know what will. Tomahawk, Newcastle Quayside, and Higham Dykes Ponteland, www.tomahawk-steakhouse.co.uk

Readers who like to follow noted chefs around the place may wish to drop by at Leila Lily’s in Newcastle, where Jim Hall, one of just 140 chefs in the country to hold a Master Chef of Great Britain title, recently took over the kitchen. Jim - who joins the venue from the four AA star Lumley Castle Hotel – describes his food as a creative, contemporary take on classic British cuisine, all served up in a modern British and Asian-inspired menu.

He says: “Newcastle is a wonderfully diverse and multicultural city and our menus reflect and celebrate that. So, while customers can enjoy quintessentially British flavours such as the steaks and grills we cook on our Mibrasa charcoal oven, they can also experience Asian tastes and textures along with vegan dishes we believe to be among the best in the city.”

Leila Lily’s, 2-12 Grey Street, Newcastle, NE1 6AE tel 0191 230 6700 www.leilalilys.co.uk

l-r, Martin Malinowski, Terry Laybourne and Matt Clarkson

• Delicious grass fed Blagdon beef, succulent Northumbrian lamb, free range chickens and local game.

• Fresh puddings, pies and quiches prepared with the best ingredients in our Bakehouse. Available to order in family sizes.

• Locally sourced cheese, bread, milk and fresh vegetables. Visit our

BOOKS

BOOKS FOR COOKS

Helen Stanton of Forum Books in Corbridge, The Bound, Whitley Bay, and The Accidental Bookshop, Alnwick, reviews the latest food titles

The Pepperpot Diaries // Andi Oliver // £27 // Dorling Kindersley The ingredients in Caribbean cookery tell a story, and it’s a huge, swirling tale. This is Andi Oliver’s long-awaited first cookbook and it showcases both traditional and new recipes for simple yet sensational dishes that bring the unbeatable flavours of Caribbean cooking to your table.

Sweet Enough // Alison Roman // £28 // Hardie Grant Thought you couldn’t do puddings? You can now, with this collection of simple yet sublime sweets (like how to make jam in the oven, then turn that jam into a dessert by swirling it into ice cream or folding it into easy one-bowl cake batter). Quick and easy classics include salted lemon pie; toasted rice pudding; and caramelised maple tart.

Mother Tongue // Gurdeep Loyal // £26 // 4th Estate With recipes for everything from coconut crab crumpets to kasundi keema lasagne rolls, Loyal celebrates the hybrid cooking of second-generation migrants. Food has allowed him to embrace the delicious contradictions of his British-Indian identity and here he explores a culinary upbringing that combined homecooked Punjabi food with curry house tikka masala.

Dark Rye and Honey Cake // Regula Ysewjin // £26 // Murdoch Books In this follow-up to Oats in the North, Wheat from the South, Ysewijn turns to the baking traditions of Belgium, revealing through stunning photos and recipes a year of rustic bakes. There are waffles and winter breads for Christmas, pancakes for Candlemas and Carnival, pretzels for Lent, vlaai and fried dough for Kermis.

Anything You Can Cook, I Can Cook Vegan // Richard Makin // £25 // Bloomsbury A guide to truly creative plant-based cooking with zero sacrifice, here are more than 100 innovative recipes to get you confident in a plant-based kitchen. Imagine a world with limitless vegan options. Mac ‘n’ cheese? Proper English fry-up? Decadent ice cream sundae? Imagine no more...

Love is a Pink Cake // Claire Ptak // £27 // Square Peg

A northern California native who now runs the wildly successful Violet Bakery in London, Ptak shares 75 sweet and savory creations, including Huckleberry basil sugar scones; peaches and cream angel food cake; and a strawberry-coconut meringue cake. A treasure trove of baking.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVAGE

Congrats to Lovage, Jesmond, the bustling bistro which has been listed in the respected Michelin Guide just five months after opening. Of chef/co-owner Kleo Tabaku’s Mediterranean menu, the guide says: “There is a welcome lack of fussiness to the cooking – dishes burst with flavour and are designed for sharing; with sensibly priced wines from across Europe being an added plus.”

Albanian-born Kleo’s weekly changing menu focuses on the best local produce served in vibrant and flavourful Mediterranean-inspired dishes with delicious small plates and generous sharing plates. The front of house is looked after by Kleo’s partner Lisa Hide and the menu has recently included such gems as cauliflower, spinach & foraged wild garlic fritters, minted yoghurt; stone bass, sweet potato, feta and sea veg salad; and wildflower honey mascarpone, poached Yorkshire rhubarb, biscotti, and pistachio.

Lovage, 115 St George’s Terrace, Jesmond, NE2 2DN tel 0191 429 3750, www.lovagejesmond.co.uk

CHEESY DOES IT!

Nice work on the part of Northumberland Cheese Company, which has launched two new cheeses – Chesterwood and Tynedale. The latest gem from the multi-award-winning cheesemaker, Chesterwood is a silky goats’ milk cheese matured for 2-3 months and lightly smoked to encase the sweet, rich notes of the brand’s Elsdon goats’ cheese. Meanwhile, Tynedale is a strong, full-flavoured cheese with a smooth cheddar texture. You can buy them and the rest of the company’s range online and at the shop and Cheese Loft Café. The Cheese Farm, Green Lane, Blagdon, Northumberland NE13 6BZ, tel 01670 789 798, www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk

BEEFING IT UP

As we went to press, the Argentine steak restaurant chain Gaucho was gearing up to open in Newcastle, where it promised to serve the first carbon-neutral beef in the North East.

Gaucho serves beef from natural grass-fed Argentinian Black Angus cattle. Not just for steak lovers, while the lunch and dinner menus include a range of steaks, they also include the likes of vegan beetroot tartare with mango ‘yolk’, avocado, sourdough crisp and buttermilk dressing; tuna tiradito with coconut milk dressing, lime and plantain crisp; cauliflower steak with chive oil and lemon; and beef and malbec pie with cheddar pastry.

Housed in a Grade II-listed building on Pilgrim Street, the new venue features a glamorous cocktail bar stocked with organic wines and sustainable cocktails.

Gaucho, 2-6 Market Street, Newcastle, NE1 6JF www.gauchorestaurants.com

DURHAM-BOUND

A husband and wife team have left leading roles at the Michelinstarred House of Tides on Newcastle Quayside to open their own fine dining venue in Durham city. Former House of Tides head chef Jake Siddle (pictured) and front of house manager Laura Siddle are working on the creation of Faru in Durham. They are planning a seasonal tasting menu at the restaurant, which will have 10 tables and an open kitchen. Laura said: “We’ve spent years learning the ropes and working alongside Kenny Atkinson, and thankfully he is really supportive of what we’re doing.” Faru, 29 Silver Street Durham, www.facebook.com/restaurantfaru

ALL POINTS NORTH

The much-talked about new beachfront restaurant North, overlooking Seaburn’s golden sands, has officially opened following a £250,000 investment.

And so to kitchen design news, and the team at InHouse Inspired Room Design in Hexham tell us neutral tones are in vogue thanks to the trend for leaving the turbulence of the external world outside in favour of retreating to the comfort of home.

Calming neutral colour palettes are key to the trend, with warming beiges providing a clean, calming slate for both country and contemporary kitchen styles. Textured finishes such as high gloss, marble, slate, concrete effects and natural wood maintain interest while utilising stand-out elements which complement your overall look. InHouse Inspired Room Design, Bridge End Industrial Estate Hexham, NE46 4DQ, tel 01434 400 070, www.inhouseltd.co.uk

NEW NEUTRALS NATURAL BEAUTY

The expert team at RH Stone Surfaces tell us granite, marble and quartzites are becoming increasingly popular choices as people are turning back to Mother Nature’s natural beauty.

Requiring years of specialist skill to work with, the stone sourced by the team is both stunning and unique to each end use, ensuring your kitchen will stand out from the crowd. In porcelain ranges, the coming months will see Techlam, Neolith, Dekton and Caestone all launching new ranges which will be stocked at RH Stone Surfaces. RH Stone Surfaces, Elswick Way Industrial Estate, Newcastle Road South Shields, NE34 0LW, tel 0191 454 5600 www.rhstonesurfaces.co.uk

The latest venture by restaurateurs Ben Wall and Neil Bassett takes over the historic Bay Shelter on Seaburn’s Lower Promenade, yards from the North Sea. The menu of modern fish and seafood, meat and veggie dishes and small plates includes bouillabaisse with red bream, monkfish and mussels; flank steak with chimichurri and grilled veg; grilled sardines, sun-dried tomato, and garlic pesto & focaccia croutons; and buratta with fried breadcrumbs, basil oil and tomato. There are natural wines and craft beers on the menu too.

North is the latest hospitality venture launched by Ben and Neil following their success with award-winning venues Mexico 70 and The Ship Isis. North, Whitburn Bents Road, Sunderland, SR6 8AD www.facebook.com/North-Seaburn

THAT’S THE SPIRIT!

Time to head to Durham, where the new home of Durham Gin, Durham Vodka, and Durham Whisky is open to the public. The small-batch craft distillery, which moved into its new premises under the streets of Durham late last year, is about to start distillery tours, following the success of its recently launched drinks classes, including a gin-making class with the chance to pick and mix your own botanicals and take home your own bespoke gin.

Bookings are now being taken via the website for a 90-minute distillery tour which begins with a welcome G&T or soft drink, followed by a tour of the breath-taking subterranean facility, and ending with a classic cocktail.

Durham Distillery, Prince Bishops Place, 30-31 High Street Durham, DH1 3UL, www.durhamdistillery.co.uk

Durham Distillery founder Jon Chadwick

Roma Imperial Quartzite

SPRING IS SPRUNG

The new menu at Fern, Jesmond Dene House welcomes spring with the finest local produce in dishes inspired by the rhythm of the seasons. Highlights include Whitby crab, watermelon and Isle of Wight cherry tomatoes; lamb rump, dauphinoise potatoes, lettuce, peas and bacon; and vanilla crème brûlée with shortbread. Afternoon tea is served in fine bone china with three-tiered stands overflowing with cakes, dainty finger sandwiches and scones warm from the oven.

Meanwhile, in May the hotel’s secret garden will provide the perfect setting for a barbecue with live music and a talk from Hepple Gin experts on how to make the perfect G&T and summer gin cocktails. Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond Dene Road, Newcastle NE2 2EY, tel 0191 212 6060, www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk

THE ROOT OF ALL JOY

Vicky Moffitt, of Vallum Farm on Hadrian’s Wall, shares the trials and tribulations of the Kitchen Garden which supplies produce to the farm’s weddings and events marquee, and Restaurant Pine. Vallum, Military Road, Newcastle, NE18 0LL tel 01434 672 652, www.vallumfarm.co.uk

We’ve been chatting beetroot today. All things from baby beets boiled in the pan to bigger ones roasted in the oven. We were at The Black Swan at Oldstead for my birthday in January – a hard time of year for chefs producewise – and they did a whole course of beetroot, which was incredible. And I still remember an incredible bowl of borscht I had at a little restaurant in New York years ago. It was one of the best nights of my life.

Beet is so versatile and we’re going to plant a variety this year. It’s at its best used simply, so last night we roasted some, cling filmed the cooling tray and then slipped the skins off (way easier than pink fingered peeling!) and served them with lots of dill and a little white balsamic vinegar. If I’d had it, I would have popped a dollop of sour cream on top, but it was amazing all the same.

We’ve also been talking courgettes. I was googling Italian

courgette salads for a bride we have this summer (her mum is Italian) and I found a recipe that asks for white courgettes. Weirdly, as I write this we’re on holiday in Lanzarote and lo and behold the supermarket here sells them! They’re now on the list to be grown this year and we’re planning to have them tonight with a barbecued rib of beef. God, I love food!

I’ve got to educate myself about how they grow things in the black volcanic soil here. It’s the strangest thing, like someone’s put big rocks into a rock muncher to make tiny rocks they call soil. It’s so weird. I know from O-Level geography years ago that it’s super fertile, but it still seems like magic to me.

We’re also enjoying fantastic wine here and what with that, the food and the sun, I’m in Lanzarote heaven, while at home there is spring snow. Roll on summer!

ROOM AT THE INNS

In what we hope indicates an upturn for the hospitality sector, North East-based Inn Collection Group, which operates venues across the UK, is set to re-open 12 sites this year, creating nearly 1,000 jobs. The group, which owns venues including The Lindisfarne Inn, The Amble Inn, and the Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses, will grow its properties by almost a third this year as it completes refurbishments across venues in Tyne & Wear, Cumbria, Lancashire, North Wales and North Yorkshire. The company will increase staff numbers to nearly 2,000. Applications are being invited for a wide range of roles.

Sean Donkin, MD, Inn Collection Group

RECIPE HEARTY ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely diced

1 large carrot, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

150g pancetta, streaky bacon or chorizo

400g spicy sausage, casings removed and cut into rough chunks

400g tin chopped tomatoes

METHOD

400g tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

1 litre chicken stock

250g orzo or similar small pasta

½ tsp crushed chillies

2 bay leaves

1 tsp oregano black pepper

1 large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped parmesan to serve

Heat 2tbsp olive oil in deep frying pan or casserole, add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside. Immediately add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden. Remove from the pan and add to the vegetable mixture.

Add the sausage to the pan and cook until golden. Add the vegetables and pancetta, the tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock, orzo, chilies, bay leaves, oregano and black pepper. Give the whole thing a good stir, put the lid on and simmer for around 20 mins.

When the pasta is cooked, the soup is ready. Now you can either serve it immediately as it is or leave it with the lid on for another 10 mins or so. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid and it will become less soupy, more like the texture of risotto. Either way, serve with chopped parsley and grated parmesan.

RESTAURANT WEEK SERVES UP A MILLION-POUND BOOST

Great work on the part of the latest NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week, which boosted the city’s economy by more than £1m, breaking all previous records for the event.

As well as a record £1,008,955 in takings, the event attracted more diners to more participating restaurants than at any time in its 12-year history. The event, which ran January 16-22, saw 119 restaurants take part, with more than 58,000 diners enjoying special menus priced at £10, £15 and £20 per person.

Inspired by a similar scheme in New York, the biannual NE1 Newcastle Restaurant Week was the first of its kind in the UK. Its success has influenced many other UK cities to follow suit. www.getintonewcastle.co.uk/ne1-events/restaurant-week

GO MIDDLE EAST

Ponteland is now home to chic restaurant Ateesh, which promises the taste of the Middle East with an emphasis on natural, sustainable food in family dishes passed down through the generations.

Mezze dishes include mirza ghasemi - coal-cooked aubergine with egg, minced garlic and saffron emulsion served with barbari flatbread with sesame and nigella seeds; and sucuk – grilled Turkish beef sausage infused with Antolian herbs. Hot cola kabobs from the charcoal grill include Persian kobideh – skewers of minced lamb marinated in a traditional recipe; and barg – marinated thin sliced lamb loin fillet with Persian-inspired ingredients.

There is fish, including monkfish tagine and salmon kebab, a range of steaks, and a vegan and veggie selection including a coal-cooked vegetable skewer. Ateesh, 4-6 Main Street, Ponteland NE20 9SS, tel 01661 823 945 www.ateesh.co.uk

Blackfriars

Six generations of Northumbrian Food

Since 1880

LUNCH SPECIALS

Two course Sunday lunch special £16

Soup of the day or Potato skins

Yorkshire pudding

Roast potatoes & Fresh vegetables

Choice of beef, lamb, chicken or belly pork

Three course lunch special £13

Soup of the day or potato skins

Any pasta or pizza from the menu

Ice cream or Cona coffee - available 12-4pm

WALK-INS, BOOKING & DELIVERY AVAILABLE

Ring or see our facebook for menu details

The hidden gem of Corbridge, Casa Rosso is a cosy Italian restaurant offering authentic Italian cuisine, paired with fine wines and classic desserts in a family friendly atmosphere.

Willowburn Retail Park, Alnwick, NE66 2DJ www.turnbullsfood.co.uk | 01665 602186

Justoff the A1!

THE GREATEST SHOW

The North East Chef of the Year will be named at the North East Culinary and Trade Association (NECTA) event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Newcastle on May 3-4.

The programme also features the NECTA Hospitality Salon – a competition open to students and regional college teams, showcasing talent and raising aspirations for the industry. The region’s most prominent culinary and catering exhibition will be open to the industry and the public as part of the broader HITS Expo (Hospitality, Innovation, Tourism, Supply Chain) – a celebration of tourism and hospitality across the North of the Tyne. Details at: www.fadne.org

FROM TREE TO CUP

In a treat for coffee lovers keen to learn more about coffee with a conscience, Baristocracy Coffee is hosting an event with Jim Wilkinson of Omwani Coffee Co – the African importer committed to transparent connections from producers to roasters. Jim will speak about the coffee industry in East Africa and Baristocracy roaster Alex Forsyth will lead a tasting at the event on Saturday April 15 11am-1.30pm. The event – From Tree to Cup: Speciality Coffee Production in East Africa – will focus on the unique challenges growers face and will be followed with nibbles and the chance to chat with Jim and Alex about all things coffee. Profits from the event will support Omwani projects in coffee-growing communities. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-tree-to-cupspeciality-coffee-production-in-east-africa-tickets-523586720977 Baristocracy, Unit 2, Larch Court, West Chirton North Industrial Estate, North Shields, NE29 8SG, www.baristocracycoffee.com

CHEERS!

The first full flow Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival since the pandemic hit takes place March 29-April 1 at Northumbria Students Union in Newcastle.

Serving up some of the UK’s finest, and possibly most weird and wonderful, craft beers and ciders, a selection of beers has been brewed exclusively for the festival and others will be premiered at the event. Some 100 beers and 50 ciders will be on tap and for the first time there will be a spirits bar with rum, whisky and gin. Bands will play throughout the festival, which will support St Oswald’s Hospice, Women’s Detection of Cancer and the Great Air Ambulance. On Thursday, festival-goers are encouraged to wear a hat, the more unusual the better, and anyone who doesn’t have one can buy one from the St Oswald’s stall. For info, go to: www.nclbeerfest.uk

CELEB CHEFS HEAD NORTH

Bishop Auckland Food Festival has confirmed a trio of celebrity chefs to headline the event which runs Saturday April 22- Sunday April 23. Saturday’s star appearances include chef Phil Vickery. A regular on ITV’s This Morning, he is also a leading authority on gluten-free products and is the National Food Ambassador for Coeliac UK.  He will share Saturday’s stage with Rachel Allen, a bestselling writer, TV chef and teacher at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork. Saturday continues with Janusz Domagala, semifinalist in 2022’s Great British Bake Off. An LGBT+ activist, Janusz was a guest in the Christmas special of Channel 4’s The Last Leg www.bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk

Take 5

Seeking foodie inspiration? Here are five of our editor’s favourite things of the moment...

Food from local farms and this pub’s own garden guarantee the local seasonal flavour to the menu, which stars produce from the likes of Morwick Dairy, Doddington’s cheese, Hodgson’s Fish, and meat from Turnbull’s in Alnwick. Friday night is steak night, Sunday is for roast dinners, and the menu is kind to all-comers – pescatarians, carnivores, veggies and vegans alike. A gem. 3 Clayport Street, Alnwick, NE66 1LA tel 01665 517 330, www.adamandevealnwick.co.uk

BURDS CAFE

With a gorgeous terrace, allday brunch, cakes, pastries, and room for your dog, Burds attracts lots of attention for its good, honest food and its stylish décor. Try the shakshuka, the fish finger brioche, or the smoked salmon, poached eggs and avo on toasted sourdough from the amazing FAB Bakery in Fenham. Gatehouse, Fleming Building, Jesmond, Newcastle, NE2 3AE www.facebook.com/Burds

BEADNELL TOWERS

FORK IN THE ROSE

ADAM AND EVE REBEL

Our green-fingered editor is in love with this plant shop and brunch spot. The meat is from the excellent Block and Bottle nearby, the vegan breakfast is sublime, and the hot honey baked feta, avocado and pea smash with confit tomatoes on toasted sourdough with balsamic glaze and micro herbs is unforgettable. And you can take plants home too – what’s not to like?

63 Heaton Road, Newcastle, NE6 5HE tel 0191 250 8487, www.forkintherose.co.uk

Michelin Guide-approved Rebel chef-patron Lindsay Rushton serves up a superb seasonal tasting menu focused on ingredients from small local producers. The menu changes constantly, but you might be served mallard and rhubarb; cod and celeriac; or, as in the picture, mackerel, turnip, and sea buckthorn and shoots.

150 Heaton Park Road, Heaton, NE6 5NR tel 0191 691 2720, www.restaurantrebel.co.uk

For great local produce, head to Beadnell Towers. Suppliers include Morwick Dairies, butchers R Carter Bamburgh and R Green Longframlington, and Bread & Roses Bakery, Alnwick. Try crab linguine with chilli, parmesan and lime; Northumbrian venison burger, beetroot chutney, Yellison goats cheese and fries; and burnt Northumberland cream, Lindisfarne Mead poached plumbs and shortbread. Stay over if you’re too full to move afterwards.

The Wynding, Beadnell NE67 5AY, tel 01665 721 211 www.beadnelltowers.co.uk

Grate expectations

Moz Murphy - cheesemonger to star chefs, suburban foodies and skateboarding students - shares how a lockdown launch has become a major success with Dean Bailey

Pictures Nicky Rogerson

The shopping experience is different for every individual. For some, it is a chore best done as efficiently as possible. For others, it is a full-day event to be savoured in all its many facets – from browsing to chatting to sampling and then browsing again. The best shopping is found in those places which cater to all the elements of the experience and shape themselves in order to deliver the most joy possible.

That magical experience is what Moz Murphy – a veteran of some of the North East’s best food businesses – has created over the last two-and-a-half years at her cheesemonger’s shop, grate Newcastle.

Born in Dublin and a 20-year-plus resident of the North East, Moz exudes passion for food, from the science behind it to the experience of eating. Having worked in London as a fishmonger (starting every day at 2am at Billingsgate Market) and then on a cheese counter, where she first fell in love with cheese, she moved to the North East just as food trends from the capital were beginning to drift north.

She shopped at, and later worked in, Newcastle city centre’s mmm… Glug shop –“a trailblazer for what food could be in the North East, and the only place which sold the things I wanted to cook having been introduced to them in London,” says selfconfessed food nerd Moz, who also worked at Fenwick and at Vallum Farm’s tea room and deli. “The people who were doing really good stuff here at that time – particularly Simone and Ian at mmm… Glug – blazed a trail for everyone that followed, including me. Those experiences gave me the confidence to be nerdy about food, talk to people about it the way I had in London, and build friendships with similarly passionate people

which are still going strong today.

“They all – from the people I worked with to those I met, like Tim and Tom at Papa Ganoush, Anna Hedworth at Cook House, and Katie and Steven at Block & Bottle –showed me this could be a career and gave me the confidence to open the business I’d always wanted to visit as a customer.”

And why a cheese shop? “The infinite variety of such a simple product, made from the same four ingredients, fascinates me,” says Moz. “It never gets boring, elements of it are wonderfully seasonal, and there’s always somebody, somewhere doing something new. Being able to source and stock cheses as fast as I’m able to is truly empowering and fulfilling.

“I want to be part of the movement to a full and proper appreciation of British and Irish cheese, which is performing incredibly well internationally with four top-16 Super Gold spots in the World Cheese Awards 2022-23. I’m proud that 80% of my stock is from here. If it’s good I’ll go for a British and Irish alternative, whether that’s Tunworth instead of Camembert or Beauvale instead of Gorgonzola. If it’s also local that’s brilliant, so we work with the likes of Doddington Dairy and Weardale Cheese as well as Northumbrian Pantry and Calder’s Kitchen.”

In our couple of hours of chatting in her Jesmond shop, she’s greeted every individual through the door with genuine warmth. From the star of Morrisons’ customer training videos turned delivery driver; to a student who pops his skateboard under his arm on the way through the door in search of advice on taking a carbonara to a new level (and gets a tip on grating parmesan straight from the freezer so it never goes

off); to a friend of a friend with a vague brief on a cheese she has to try (an Alpine-inspired one from Scotland, it turns out); to a jogger on his way home after picking up bread from local councillor-turned lockdown baker David Hardman – every one is greeted with warmth and an eagerness to talk cheese.

Moz’s knowledge - which she continues to share with her small, but equally passionate team - is astounding. The shop is filled with cheeses of every possible colour, texture and flavour, and Moz knows every story. From “the OG” of North East cheese, Doddington, to that Alpine-inspired one from the Orkney Islands, which comes from a farm with just eight cows and is sent to IJ Mellis in Edinburgh to be affinaged (refined and matured) – everything is chosen with passion and skill.

“I love being in the shop,” Moz says. “We spend the day tasting cheese, talking about it, and inspiring people to try it. When you visit a cheesemonger you can try anything and walk out with something new every time you visit. My advice to anyone daunted by it is just to start at one end and work your way along the counter.”

Since launching grate between lockdowns in October 2020, she has grown to work with a who’s who of chefs including Dave Coulson at Peace & Loaf down the road; Anna Hedworth at Long Friday; Kleo Tabaku at Lovage; and Nick Grieves at The Patricia nearby and now at Ophelia in Gosforth.

The next 12 months will see further growth. “The shop is at a good place, and we’ve got a monthly subscription service, which is a lovely way to build a partnership with customers. I love working with Bud Couriers on local, zeroemission delivery too, and I’m passionate about being part of the local community, where so many people have supported me. We minimise food waste, working with FoodCycle [where there is a food processor, The Mozerator, named after Moz which was funded by donations from grate customers] to utilise anything they can make use of.

“We’re planning events and pop-ups and I’m super-excited to be working with Shynara from FAB Bakery on monthly pop-ups in her shop in Newcastle. I’ve also got pairing events coming up at The Punchbowl and The Free Trade and there’s a bespoke wedding cheese ‘cake’ service in the works.”

From creating a business between lockdowns to becoming cheesemonger to star chefs and a big part of her local neighbourhood, Moz has proven to herself, and to everyone else, that good eating isn’t just for food nerds, and cheese can always be chosen to please.

VENISON BURGERS WITH BLUE CHEESE

MAKES 6

INGREDIENTS

olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

700g minced venison (or minced beef)

4 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped

100g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 egg, beaten

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

150g blue cheese, crumbled – Moz

recommends Doddington Darling Blue, which she says is wonderful with meat

6 brioche buns

mixed salad leaves

METHOD

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat, add the onion and garlic and sweat over a medium heat for 5 mins until softening. Place the mince, bacon, parsley and cumin in a mixing bowl and add the onion/garlic mix. Add the egg and mix to combine. Divide meat into six equal portions and shape into patties. Brush with oil and season with salt. Grill on a hot griddle, turning the burgers when they have dark griddle marks. They will take around 5 mins each side, depending on how well done you like them. Remove burgers from the pan, set aside to keep warm, and brown the cut side of each bun in the oily pan over a low heat. Place mixed leaves on the bottom half of each bun, add a burger to each, top with crumbled blue cheese and let it melt with the heat of the burger. Top with the top half of the bun and serve.

CAULIFLOWER SUPER-CHEESE

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

160g good quality bacon lardons

1 large cauliflower, leaves removed, broken into pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

300ml whole milk

300ml double cream

1 onion, peeled and halved

2 bay leaves

50g butter

50g plain flour

2 tsp English mustard or mustard powder

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

200g cheese, grated – Moz suggests Lincolnshire Poacher or Doddington (original)

2-3 tbsp white breadcrumbs

METHOD

Preheat oven to 190C/Gas 5. Place bacon lardons in a sauté pan with 1 tsp vegetable oil and fry over a low heat for 5 mins until lightly browned. Remove bacon and set aside for later.

Place the cauliflower in a shallow baking dish, brush lightly with grease from the bacon pan (adding a little olive oil if you run short), season with salt and pepper, place in the oven and roast for 20 mins until browning. Remove from the oven and set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, mix together the milk and cream in a small pan. Place over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the onion and bay leaves, and set aside to infuse for 20 mins.

In another pan, melt the butter over a low heat, add the flour and stir to a paste (roux) with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring, over the heat for 2 mins.

Remove the onion and bay leaves from the infused milk/cream and gradually add milk/cream to the roux, using a balloon whisk to mix to a smooth sauce. Keep stirring over the heat until thickened.

Season and stir through mustard and nutmeg. Add ¾ of the cheese (reserving some to top the dish) and, keeping the pan over a low heat, stir through until the cheese melts.

Place the roast cauliflower in a shallow oven dish, scatter over the bacon lardons, pour the sauce over the top, scatter over the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs, and bake for 20-30 mins until bubbling.

GOATS’ CHEESE, PEA AND ASPARAGUS SOUFFLE

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

50g butter

30g walnuts, crushed

300g British asparagus

200g peas

200ml whole milk

2 tbsp flour

3 eggs

100g goats’ cheese – Moz recommends Ticklemore sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Melt half the butter and use it to brush the inside of 6 ramekins. Sprinkle the walnuts into the ramekins and tap around the edge so they stick to the butter. Place dishes on a baking sheet and set aside.

Snap the asparagus into 1cm pieces. Place them and the peas in boiling salted water and blanch until tender. Drain and purée to a coarse paste with a hand blender or food processor. Set aside.

Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to a paste (roux) and cook for 1 min. Whisk in the milk a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat.

Chop the goats’ cheese into cubes and stir through the sauce with the puréed asparagus and peas. Season generously.

Separate the eggs carefully, tipping the yolks into the sauce and the whites into a clean metal bowl. Stir the yolks through the sauce to mix well.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fluffy. Don’t over whisk as they will be too dry to fold through the cheese sauce.

Take a large spoon of the egg white and stir it vigorously into the sauce, then very gently pour the sauce into the egg whites. Using a large metal spoon fold the sauce extremely gently through the egg whites.

Spoon the mixture very gently into the prepared ramekins and bake in the oven for 20 mins. Resist opening the oven door while they’re cooking as they will collapse.

Serve immediately with green salad.

Every drop of spurreli icecream is made with passion and enthusiasm from start to finish. So take your time and enjoy!

“Simply Incredible” Jean-Christophe Novelli

“Just so smooth, amazing. 10 out of 10!” Antonio Carluccio

The Old Chandlery, Coquet Street, Amble, Northumberland, NE65 0DJ

Opening Hours: 10am – Early Evening | 7 days a week

E: hello@spurreli.com | T: 01665 710890 | www.spurreli.com

JOIN US IN OUR SECRET GARDEN FOR A BBQ WITH HEPPLE GIN ON SUNDAY 14TH MAY.

Our garden soiree will include a casual talk from Hepple Gin & Marlish Water on how to make the perfect G&T and gin summer cocktails. There will be live acoustic music and a Jesmond Dene House style BBQ.

Tickets are £35 per person, inclusive of two Hepple Gin Cocktails, Gourmet BBQ Burger or Bratwurst Sausage with Salad Bu et and live music. 2pm – 5.30pm in The Secret Garden at Jesmond Dene House

Pre-booking is essential, please call 0191 212 6060 or email events@jesmonddenehouse.co.uk

JESMOND DENE HOUSE - Jesmond Dene Road – Newcastle – NE2 2EY

T: 0191 212 3000 E: info@jesmonddenehouse.co.uk W: www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk

Easy does it

Jane Pikett meets Jane Lovett to talk about her new cookbook, from which we showcase three simple bowl recipes

Chatting to Jane Lovett, author of four bestselling recipe books, I realise I am allowing my mind to drift into imagining how nice it must be to be her house guest. Perhaps even what it would be like to live in her house and never have to cook again.

We have drifted into chatting about having family and friends to stay and how she enjoys planning all the meals ahead; making sure everything is on the table when it should be, planning around trips out. “But I enjoy that,” she says. “That’s why I include get-ahead tips with my recipes. If you’ve all been out for the day you need dinner on the table within half an hour of getting back. It just takes a little planning.”

She’s right, of course; I’d just like to be the person to benefit from her hard work, rather than being the one in the kitchen worrying about getting everyone fed on time. I suspect that while I’m a frazzled mess by the time I serve dinner (late) to my patient house guests, Jane is the epitome of grace and culinary style. That, and despite the fact that she cooks for her job, she enjoys it, which is quite the feat of endurance, bearing in mind, for instance, that her latest book contains more than 100 recipes which have each been through several iterations and been tested to the limit by Jane herself.

Her new book, Deliciously Simple, is her fourth. It is full of her signature stress-free, straightforward recipes and is set to follow in the successful footsteps of the three books which preceded it – Make It Easy, The Get Ahead Cook, and Just One Pan. Not that she has a lot of time to think about the release of this new volume, as when we speak on the eve of publication she is close to deadline for book five. While that is a story for another day, what this demonstrates is that Jane has achieved that very rare thing – she is an indemand cookbook author.

It is notoriously difficult to get a publisher in any genre, and cookbooks are one of the toughest nuts to crack, so Jane’s success is noteworthy. But she is entirely modest about

it, putting her success down to good fortune. She was first published, she says, when an editor turned up at one of her cookery demos in London and offered her a book deal there and then. “I honestly couldn’t believe it,” she says. “I was very fortunate on that occasion, and because prior to that someone who had come to a demo had kindly put me in touch with an agent.”

Jane’s books are loved for her delicious yet straightforward dishes and the get-ahead tips that can make life so easy, even when you have a house full of hungry mouths to feed. Fortunately for someone in such demand by her publisher, she loves what she does. “I can’t look at an ingredient and not want to make a recipe out of it,” she says. “I’ve always done it.”

Having trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, over the years she has run her own successful London catering business, taught at Leith’s School of Food & Wine in London, and spent some years testing recipes and styling photo shoots for cookbooks and magazines in the capital. Moving to Northumberland years ago with three young children, after a while she started putting on classes, as she had in London but on smaller scale, and things grew from there.

Deliciously Simple is a collection of delicious, deceptively straightforward, quick recipes. From pan suppers (meatballs with honey and mustard sauce; spicy coconut chicken); to oven dishes (spicy one-pan Spanish chicken; haddock, potato and fennel traybake); it also includes sharing platters (cheat’s Coronation chicken; roasted spiced cauliflower with butternut squash and maftoul salad); speedy side dishes, quick nibbles and easy drinks.

Jane says that while she learnt much at Le Cordon Bleu, it was actually at Leith’s Good Food (Prue’s City of London catering company) where she really got stuck in, as she puts it. “I turned up at 8am on day one and was told to roll up chocolate roulades for 100 people. I’d been to Le Cordon Bleu,

where I’d never had to deal with large quantities. Yet within the first week at Leith’s I was making vast vats of mayonnaise. That’s when I got stuck in to cooking.”

As a home economist and food stylist, she tested and refined recipes, and styled dishes for photographers. She did this for well-known authors’ books, including one by Prue Leith which took over a year, she says, as every step of each recipe had to be photographed. “It took forever!” she remembers.

Jane’s ethos is simple. “I’ve spent my life trying to make recipes easy,” she says. “I absolutely love food. I’m greedy; to be honest it’s all I ever think about. I like growing food in the garden and I like going out and buying ingredients. I love everything to do with food and I want to share it so that everyone cooks from scratch, which to me is a no-brainer. I can see that with busy lives people might turn to ready meals, but cooking from scratch can be so quick, a lot healthier and much cheaper. I make a batch of soup to last the week and that’s lunch every day. It’s not a lot of effort. I just want to encourage people to cook and enjoy it. We all get a sense of achievement from that. And cooking for someone else is an act of love.”

The new book includes suppers all done on the hob, there are sides and salads, nibbles, cocktails in jugs, delicious things on toast, and delicious bowl food, as featured on the following pages. Meanwhile, the puddings in the book, she says, are so simple that, “some of them can’t really be described as a recipe as such, and they can all be prepared in advance.”

After much thought, she says her favourite food is North Sea crab, which she gets from her fish man in a van who arrives at the door every Thursday morning. And she loves chicory braised or in salad with blue cheese and walnut. Her husband John does not cook (why would he?). “Not a clue!” she says. “But he can do a nice scrambled egg, and when I’m away his thing is chicken legs coated with harissa paste. All he has to do is coat them and then put them in a dish lined with foil (to save washing up), drizzle them in olive oil and salt, roast them and serve with a roast potato. Hot ham is another favourite. If I’m away I buy a joint called a half horsehshoe; he knows to put it in the bottom right oven of the Aga (I leave a note telling him for how long) and it will last him all week.”

Fortunately for John, Jane is never bored of cooking, which is useful when you consider how many iterations each recipe in a book may go through.

“Sometimes they work pretty much first time around, but some take ages,” she says.

“The thing is, when I get an idea for a recipe, I simply have to do it right there and then. Fortunately, I love it.”

Deliciously Simple by Jane Lovett is published by Headline Home and is out now, priced £26

Jane Lovett (photo, Tony Briscoe)

RECIPES: JANE LOVETT

BIBIMBAP

Probably the most well-known of Korean dishes, Bibimbap is quite simply delicious. I certainly don’t claim this adaptation to be authentic; however, as the essence of the recipe is a rice bowl topped with meat, a fried egg, and/or vegetables, it conforms to that, and of course, includes gochujang, the vital ingredient that brings all the other components together. Gochujang is a hot, sweet, spicy and slightly addictive chilli paste and is available from Asian supermarkets, most large supermarkets and online.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

1 x 225g-250g steak (I like rib-eye) dark soy sauce, for coating

125g raw basmati rice (or 1 x 250g ready-cooked pouch basmati rice)

salt and freshly ground black pepper sesame oil for coating and cooking

150g shiitake (or other) mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 carrot, peeled and grated or shredded into thin strips with a mandolin or by hand

150g young or regular spinach leaves

2 eggs

2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally

mixed black and white sesame seeds

For the pickled cucumber:

¼ cucumber, thinly sliced (I use a mandolin)

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

For the sauce:

2 tbsp gochujang paste

½ tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted

METHOD

Mix the pickled cucumber ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl, adding ½ tbsp water and set aside. Rub the steak all over with a little soy sauce and set aside.

Cook the raw rice with ½ tsp salt according to the packet instructions, or heat the pouch of rice according to the packet instructions. Divide between two bowls and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a small, dry frying pan. Rub a little sesame oil over the steak and cook in the pan on a high heat for 2-3 mins on each side (or until cooked to your liking). Transfer to a plate and leave to rest somewhere warm.

Add the mushrooms and some seasoning to the pan and fry on a high heat in the residual fat from the steak (add a splash of sesame oil if the fat is scarce) until beginning to brown. Divide the mushrooms between each bowl, spooned into a clump on top of the rice.

Add a small splash of sesame oil to the pan and fry the carrot strips with a little salt on a high heat just until they begin to wilt, about 1 min. Add to the rice bowls in another clump.

Add the spinach to the pan with a pinch of salt and a splash of water and cook on a high heat for a minute until wilted. Drain, squeeze out the excess liquid with the back of a spoon and add to the rice bowls in another clump.

Lift the pickled cucumber out of its liquid with a spoon, leaving the liquid behind, and add to the rice bowls as before, then spoon over a little of the liquid (discard the remainder).

Slice the steak on an angle and divide between the bowls in a final clump. Divide any beef juices between the bowls.

Lastly, fry the two eggs in a little sesame oil (the yolks should be runny), then transfer one to each bowl, followed by a small dollop of the sauce to the side. Scatter with the spring onions and a few mixed sesame seeds and serve. Traditionally, the runny egg yolk is broken and mixed with the sauce, which in turn is mixed into everything else. Serve the remaining sauce separately.

From Deliciously Simple by Jane Lovett, published by Headline Home, priced £26

RECIPES: JANE LOVETT

SALMON POKE BOWL

Bursting with flavour, so good largely thanks to two tasty sauces, and originating from Hawaii, poke is raw fish salad, or sushi in a bowl by any other description. Typically, quality raw fish such as tuna or salmon is marinated and arranged over bowls of sushi rice with fresh and pickled vegetables, avocado and spicy mayonnaise. Anything goes (the ingredients are variable), so poke bowls are a good way of using up leftover vegetables, meat and poultry. Try tofu for a change, and don’t forget the chopsticks!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

150g sushi (sticky) or jasmine rice, rinsed under cold water in a sieve until the water runs clear

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

75g frozen (podded) edamame beans

salt

150g very fresh salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1.5cm cubes

1 small carrot, peeled and shredded or grated pickled cucumber, or pickled red cabbage, red onion or ginger, or other pickles from a jar

1 ripe avocado, halved, stoned and thinly sliced within its skin

2 spring onions, trimmed and thin sliced diagonally mixed black and white sesame seeds, toasted

For the marinade:

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tbsp rice wine vinegar

½ tbsp toasted sesame oil

small pinch dried chilli flakes

For the sauce:

2 tbsp thick mayonnaise

½ tsp dark soy sauce

¼ tsp sesame oil sriracha sauce, to taste

METHOD

Put the rice in a small pan with 180ml cold water, put the lid on and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for 13 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to steam for 10 mins, lid on.

Remove lid and stir in the rice wine vinegar. Divide between two bowls.

Meanwhile, cook the edamame beans in a separate small pan of boiling well-salted water for 3 mins, then drain and cool. Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and stir in the salmon. Set aside. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl and set aside.

Arrange the carrot, edamame beans and pickled cucumber (or other pickles) with a little of its juice, in groups over the rice around the

edge of the bowls. Add the salmon with its marinade. Remove the avocado halves from their skin with a large spoon, fan out the slices and arrange on the rice.

Drizzle the sauce in lines over the top of the bowls, or spoon it over. Scatter with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve.

GET AHEAD

• The rice can be cooked the day before. Cool quickly, cover and chill, then serve cold, or reheat to serve (reheat until hot throughout). The edamame beans, carrot, pickled cucumber and spring onions

can be prepared the day before, as can the marinade and sauce; cover and chill separately.

HINTS & TIPS

• Traditionally, the rice is served warm and the toppings at room temperature. However, the rice doesn’t have to be warm, it can be served hot or cold.

• I love making poke bowls for picnics. They can be prepared in advance, are transportable, and everyone has their own container.

From Deliciously Simple by Jane Lovett, published by Headline Home, priced £26

RECIPES: JANE LOVETT

CHICKEN RAMEN

Your ramen, or Japanese noodle soup, will be as good as the stock you use. It goes without saying that homemade stock is best, but as this is a quicker version of ramen, the best quality ready-made stock you can find will be fine. There are some very good stocks available, either fresh or in pouches with a long shelf life. I usually make ramen when I’ve got leftover cooked meat or poultry to use up, but it’s worth buying steak or chicken thigh fillets for this satisfying, inexpensive bowl of goodness and warmth.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

1 litre chicken stock

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp ginger purée

3-4 tbsp dark soy sauce (depending on the strength of the stock) dried chilli flakes, to taste

4 x 50g/55g nests dried egg/rice noodles

4 handfuls baby spinach leaves

400g (approx) cooked chicken, shredded

2 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally black and white sesame seeds, toasted 4 soft-boiled eggs (cooked for 6½ mins in boiling water, cooled in cold water), peeled and halved

METHOD

Put the stock in a saucepan with the garlic, ginger, 3 tbsp soy sauce and a small pinch of chilli flakes. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 5 mins. Check the seasoning and adjust if need be –you may like to add more soy and/or

chilli flakes. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and divide between four warmed bowls, followed by a handful of spinach leaves in each. Bring the broth back to the boil and ladle into the bowls over the spinach. Top with the chicken, scatter over spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and arrange egg halves to one side of each bowl. Serve immediately – with napkins!

HINTS & TIPS

•Cooked vegetables such as pak choi, tenderstem broccoli, shredded kale and chard can be added to the ramen, as can beansprouts.

• Substitute chicken for cooked pork, beef or lamb. Or snip 4 raw skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets into strips and cook in the simmering broth for 3-4 mins. Remove from the broth with a slotted spoon and divide between the bowls. Or, cook 1-2 beef steaks rare, slice thinly and divide between the bowls in place of the chicken.

• For vegetarians, in place of the chicken stock and chicken, use vegetable stock and 400g mushrooms (any type), sliced and fried in a splash of vegetable oil with salt and pepper, or use a handful or two of cooked leftover green veggies.

• Use sachets of ‘straight-to-wok noodles’ (or similar), if you prefer. If using chilled fresh noodles, you’ll need about 550g for the four servings. From Deliciously Simple by Jane Lovett, published by Headline Home, priced £26

Coastal adventure

We pay a visit to some of the best delis, cafés, restaurants and producers of North Tyneside

An established and highly respected taste of international coffee culture, Baristocracy is popular with lovers of a seriously good brew, while cafés, restaurants and retailers make Baristocracy their roastery of choice. Aussie coffee roaster Alex Forsyth and his Tyneside-born partner Kate Hudson have built a reputation for sourcing and roasting some the region’s best coffee, while their events are sure to offer something for novices through to coffee connoisseurs. Unit 2, Larch Court West Chirton North Industrial Estate, North Shields, NE29 8SG tel 07908 007 726, www.baristocracycoffee.com

A stone’s throw from Whitley Bay links and beach, Crab & Waltzer is home to great food and a fun atmosphere complete with real waltzer cars. There are traditional breakfasts as well as all-day pancakes and waffles, while, as the name suggests, fresh crab stars on the main menu. Dogs are made so welcome, they each get a free sausage, and for the humans you’ll also find hearty burgers and sandwiches. Scones, coffee and deluxe hot chocolate are all a welcome reward after a walk along the beach. The team can also cater for private parties, weddings, engagements, and funerals. 5-7 Marine Avenue, Whitley Bay NE26 1LX, tel 0191 429 0734, www.facebook.com/crabandwaltzer

Roxburgh house Whitley Bay NE26 1DS

BARISTOCRACY COFFEE

CRAB & WALTZER

DI MEO’S

Rain or shine, a visit to Whitley Bay isn’t complete without popping into the multi-award-winning Di Meo’s for traditional Italian gelato. Drop by for a proper Italian pizza or top-notch coffee too, and one of the friendliest Italian family welcomes you’ll find anywhere on Tyneside.

9 Marine Avenue, Whitley Bay, NE26 1LX, tel 0191 252 3814 www.dimeos.co.uk

HINNIES

Head to Hinnies for a rustic Geordie-influenced menu on the seafront. Lunch and dinner are served Tuesday to Saturday as well as weekend brunch and Sunday roasts, and on the menu you’ll find favourites including North Sea soup; forager’s tart with wild leeks, garlic, mushroom and Northumberland cheese; pan haggerty, summer greens and poached egg; and slow-cooked belly pork, sauerkraut, new potatoes and Brown Ale jus. Hinnies strives to reduce environmental impact and the chefs head to North Shields fish market in their electric van almost every day. 10 East Parade, Whitley Bay, Newcastle, NE26 1AP tel 0191 447 0500, www.hinnies.co.uk

For great tasting fish and chips it has to be Fisherman’s Bay.

The restaurant and takeaway is the latest development in the North East and the beautifully appointed eatery is a testament to the passion the family have for providing their customers with great tasting food, that is sustainably sourced and has minimal impact on the environment.

The menu at Fisherman’s Bay has been meticulously put together to represent all the great food associated with life at the coast. At Fisherman’s Bay, they strive to make the British classic, fish and chips to perfection.

6 East Parade, Seafront Promenade, Whitley Bay, NE26 1AP

www.fishermansbay.co.uk

Tel: 0191 447 4774

catchus@fishermansbay.co.uk

FISHERMAN’S BAY

This seafront restaurant and takeaway, named in the top 10 in the National Fish and Chip Awards 2023, serves great fish and chips and ice cream which you can order in person or via the app. Headed by the Dhillon family, the team draws on more than 25 years of fish and chip experience to deliver a new twist on old favourites. As well as serving great food, the team is passionate about the local area, supporting environmentally conscious initiatives including regular beach cleans and serving all its takeaways in biodegradable packaging.

6 East Parade, Whitley Bay, NE26 1AP, tel 0191 447 4774, www.fishermansbay.co.uk

Ciao! Welcome to Pranzo, Whitley Bay Modern Italian cuisine at the highest level

The family-run deli & trattoria is located in the heart of Whitley Bay, o ering Italian pasta, pizza and street food in the restaurant, on the alfresco terrace or as take away. Pranzo works closely with local producers, as well as speciality Italian artisans, to create a menu that can be enjoyed by all of the family. The wine list is sourced directly from Italian vineyards. Whether it’s a drink after work with friends to wind down or a meal out, come and join the sta and owners, Pablo and Louise! Check our website/facebook/instagram for weekly menu updates

BREAKFAST - AUTHENTIC PIZZA - DESSERTS - WINE - COCKTAILS

Pranzo is a celebration of authentic italian food

16 Station Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2RA Tel: 0191 676 7062

Wed-Fri: Breakfast & Lunch 12 noon - 2:30pm / Dinner 5pm - 8:45pm

Weekend: Breakfast & Lunch 9am - 2:30pm / Dinner: 5pm - 8:45pm

www.pranzopizzeria.com

PRANZO

Pranzo Trattoria & Deli is authentically Italian, offering regional nights on Wednesdays and Thursdays with tastes of the different areas of Italy with starters, pastas and pizzas and homemade desserts. There’s a newly extended wine list and co-owner Pablo has fantastic knowledge of the wines and their history. Whether it’s a drink after work with friends or a meal out, join the team and owners Pablo and Louise to enjoy the best of Italy inside and out on the terrace. 16 Station Road, Whitley Bay NE26 2RA, tel 0191 676 7062, www.pranzopizzeria.com

PUREKNEAD

A cornerstone of Whitley Bay’s food scene, PureKnead artisan bakery remains a gem of North East baking brilliance. Home to artisan breads and cakes and a very warm welcome, the bread is excellent while the beautifully crafted cakes, exquisite patisserie and sweet treats are worthy partners for a cup of excellent Square Mile Coffee. No visit to the coast is complete without popping in. 111 Park View, Whitley Bay NE26 3RH, tel 07964 864 181, www.pure-knead.co.uk

Alex Forsyth learned the art of specialty coffee roasting from his dad, in Sydney, before bringing those skills to our North East Super high quality coffee. Sourced from all over the world. Grown by fairly paid farmers. Expertly roasted here in North Shields. Come along to the roastery for coffee by the cup & bag, find us in some of the best cafes and delis in the region or order online at Baristocracycoffee.com

THE DELI AROUND THE CORNER

The Deli Around the Corner has been a must-visit since 2005 for fresh bread and patisserie, local meat and poultry, more than 50 cheeses and hundreds of products from local producers. Just off Front Street in Tynemouth, the team are renowned for their excellent outside catering and buffets, while inside the shop we love the fresh sandwiches, homemade soups and salad boxes, cakes, scones and everything else we’re able to carry. 61 Hotspur Street, Tynemouth, NE30 4EE tel 0191 259 0086, www.thedeliaroundthecorner.co.uk

Roxburgh owner and head chef Gary Dall has won high praise for his modern British cooking since setting down roots in Whitley Bay after a career as a touring chef and working in leading kitchens overseas. Seasonal, sustainable, and innovativbe dishes (such as the innovative kids’ cereal and artichoke dish in the photo above) are the order of the day here, with good food reared locally, caught in the North Sea or picked from the garden. There’s also great wine, and an eclectic playlist. Park Avenue, Whitley Bay, NE26 1DJ, tel 0191 253 1661 www.theroxburgh.co.uk

THE ROXBURGH

You need this...

Every kitchen deseres the best kit and ingredients. Here’s our pick of the month

GOOD EGGS

These days, it’s the little things that really lift the spirits, and these maple wood eggs and egg cups are delightfully tactile. They’re each turned from a single piece of wood, they’re durable, and so pretty and practical. From just £1.50 at RE, Bishops Yard, Main Street Corbridge, NE45 5LA, tel 01434 634 567, www.re-foundobjects.com

LA DOLCE VITA

These gorgeous Bodrato chocolate selection boxes by the Fine Cheese Company are filled with Italian cherries from Garbagna in Piedmont macerated slowly and generously in Piedmont grappa and dipped in the highest quality milk, white and dark chocolate. Just to die for! Carruthers & Kent, 3A Elmfield Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, NE3 4AY, tel 0191 213 1818, www.carruthersandkent.com

TOP TABLE

Add a splash of stunning lime and white to your table with this gorgeous table cloth, hand block printed in Jaipur India. It’s 100% cotton and available in four sizes, from £55 at Ibbi Direct, Vallum, Military Road East Wallhouses, NE18 0LL www.ibbidirect.co.uk

NAME THAT TUNE

Who says a pizza cutter can’t be stylish? We like this Kikkerland guitar shaped cutter, £14.99 at La Cookshop, Milkhope Centre Berwick Hill Road, Seaton Burn Newcastle, NE13 6DA, tel 01670 789 142, www.lacookshop.co.uk

THREE CHEERS FOR THE KING

01670 512 458, www.rutherfordsofmorpeth.co.uk

TAKE A RIDE

Love hard seltzer (that’s fruity alcoholic sparkling water)? Us too, particularly Ride, from the team at the brilliant Allendale Brew Co. Crafted and canned in small batches in the Northumbrian Pennines, Ride is crisp, clean and refreshing. This mixed case of 12 comes with a Ride glass, £28 at www.ridedrinks.com

FUDGE IT

Well, here’s a treat and a half. A 9” almond protein fudge - high protein, low carb, gluten-free and vegan, great for sharing, handmade in Newcastle and available to order from Naked Deli. £25 at www.thenakeddeli.co.uk

WE’VE STRUCK OIL

This delightful little gift set of five flavoured olive oils from organically grown Arbequina olives feature basil, garlic, chilli, orange and lemon for a much deeper flavour than an ordinary infused oil. £13.90 at La Casa Delicatessen, Grainger Market, Newcastle tel 07594 793 494, and at www.lacasadelicatessen. com

BON APPÉTIT

No, they’re not exotic birds’ eggs or billiard balls, but exquisite hand-painted artisan chocolate bon bons. In divine flavours including ginger, pistachio, caramelised apple, orange and more, they range in price from £9.80 for six to £35 for 24 at the scrumptious Studio 28 Patisserie, Cobblestone Court, Hoults Yard, Newcastle NE6 2HL and at www.studio28patisserie.co.uk

Coronation fever has begun folks, and where would we be without an Emma Bridgewater celebration mug? These are from a range at Rutherfords, 10-16 Bridge Street, Morpeth, NE61 1NJ tel

CANDLESTICK HUES

Give your dining décor a new lease of life with a gorgeous Sheva olive green candlestick, £20 (on sale from £30 as we went to press) at Robinson’s, 45 Bondgate Within, Alnwick, NE66 1SX, tel 01665 602 282, www.robinsonsalnwick.co.uk

HOT NEWS

Keep your coffee hot and do your bit for the planet with this gorgeous Fosh planetfriendly vacuum-insulated coffee beaker, £22 at Matthias Winter, 15 Hallstile Bank Hexham, NE46 3PG, tel 07518 057 112 www.matthiaswinter.co.uk

LIGHT TOUCH

Not just the home of amazing artisan breads, patisserie and cakes, PureKnead now has gorgeous candles produced in collaboration with Tynemouth-based Isle Handcrafted – a gorgeous addition to your kitchen or dining room. PureKnead 111 Park View, Whitley Bay, NE26 3RH tel 07964 864 181, and at 38 Dean Street Newcastle, NE1 1PG, tel 0191 230 5857 www.pure-knead.co.uk

Sycamore is at the heart of Corbridge, providing nourishment & comfort. Shelter from the world outside and let us look after you.

Exceptional local food created in the beautiful village of Corbridge, Northumberland. Serving brunch, lunch & dinner we showcase the very best seasonal offerings, sourced from a close network of local small farmers & suppliers.

Everything is made in-house wherever possible, but if it’s not, you can be assured someone nearby made it. Cocktails and remarkable wines complete our offering.

Attentive but informal, simple but sophisticated.

Princes St, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5AD | Tel: 01434 239454 | info@sycamorecorbridge.com www.sycamorecorbridge.com

Every time you visit there is the opportunity to enjoy something new! Mon - Wed 12pm - 11pm, Thurs 9.30am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 9.30am -

BOOK ONLINE AT: WWW.TOMAHAWK-STEAKHOUSE.CO.UK

NEWCASTLE #1 RATED RESTAURANT ON TRIPADVISOR!

MIDDLESBROUGH #1 RATED RESTAURANT ON TRIPADVISOR!

DURHAM #1 RATED RESTAURANT ON TRIPADVISOR!

BOOK ONLINE AT WW.RIO-STEAKHOUSE.CO.UK

NEWCASTLE / PONTELAND / YORK / ACKLAM / YARM / POTTO / DARLINGTON / SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA DURHAM / BEVERLEY / STOCKTON HEATH / CHESTER / NOTTINGHAM / MORPETH

Win a break for two

AT MICHELANGELO’S, RYTON

Michelangelo’s, Ryton is offering Appetite readers the chance to win a three-course dinner for two, and bed and breakfast at the Tyne Valley restaurant and hotel.

To enter, visit www.appetitemag.co.uk/category/competitions

Closing date for entries is June 8, 2023.

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city just a short drive out of Newcastle along the Tyne Valley, and take in everything which makes Michelangelo’s so special.

Twice hosts to TV’s Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi, the team at Michelangelo’s, led by Paolo and Giacomo Pieri, offer an incredibly warm, Italian welcome on every visit.

The heartbeat of the experience, the restaurant is home to traditional Mediterranean dishes inspired by family recipes and regular visits to Italy. Each is cooked with exceptional local produce, including herbs from the garden and wild garlic picked in the four acres of woods around the restaurant and rooms when in season. The friendly service, akin to spending time with old friends, is renowned among regular visitors. The bar, stocked with an excellent selection

of real ales, craft beers and lagers on tap as well as an extensive selection of good wines and spirits, ensures there’s always something to suit every taste.

The service and quality continues in the 10 bedrooms. With single to family-sized rooms for four avaible, there is space to suit every need, from walkers and cyclists venturing along the Tyne at the foot of the hill, to visitors wanting to be within easy reach of Newcastle without being too close to the city. Cooked and continental breakfasts ensure you start the following day well.

With two rave reviews from Alex following her visits, the latter of which aired on Channel 5 in August 2022 (see the link on the bottom of the Michelangelo’s website homepage) - there’s no surprise visitors to Michelangelo’s come here time and time again to eat, drink and relax.

Terms & conditions

The prize is for the winner and a guest, not to be given away as a gift. The date of the prize is to be arranged directly with Michelangelo’s and is subject to availability. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. All drinks and extras to be paid for. Prize to be taken Mon-Thurs before September 30, 2023. The winner will be drawn at random and notified within three days of the closing date.

LAST WORD

Kelvyn Guest

DIRECTOR, GUEST WINES

What do you have for breakfast?

My absolute favourite is toasted stilton and tomato on wholemeal sourdough with a strong black coffee.

What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?

A demi-sec Champagne or English sparkling wine offers a lovely balance of sugar and acidity, which gives a fullness and weight to the wine that is so moreish. They go really well with treacle pudding and custard too. Pure indulgence!

What would be your last drink on earth?

I love Fino sherry, but for a final drink I’d go for a top-end pinot noir from Mornington Peninsula in Australia. The aromas are incredible and just keep going and going.

What’s in your home fridge?

Lots of vegetables, salads and fruits, with a little tofu for me and some poultry and fish for my wife and son. There’s also a good few bottles of wine in there.

And what about your wine rack?

It’s looking a little depleted at the moment, but there’s some exciting bottles in there to try. There are some natural wines in there from France, along with some really interesting wines from Poland, which is very new to us and something we’re really enjoying exploring. There’s also some English sparkling to try as we head into spring.

What’s your most important piece of kitchen kit?

A corkscrew, a fridge, and something to play music on are essential.

What’s your favourite wine book?

On a geeky level, Harold McGee’s Nose Dive is a brilliant book which explores smells, flavours and where they come from. To read and enjoy, I recommend Patricia Atkinson’s The Ripening Sun, about her move to Bordeaux and making wine. It’s a fascinating journey through family life alongside winemaking.

What’s your most important piece of advice when buying wine?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People want to share their knowledge and help you choose something which you’ll enjoy. Wine tastings are always a good starting point as you can try a selection of wines in an evening, develop your vocabulary and begin understanding what you like and don’t like.

What would you be doing if you weren’t working in wine?

I’m a part-owner of a vintage locomotive, and that scale of engineering has always fascinated me, so something like that?

If you only had £10 to spend on food and drink, what would you buy?

I hope that would still stretch to a decent plant-based burger and an easy-going, fruity Argentinian Malbec.

Who is the greatest wine expert/ writer ever?

For science and the technical side, Jamie Goode and Jancis Robinson are great for information. For entertainment, Oz Clarke rambles in such a lovely way and I can almost taste the wines myself when I’m reading his stories about them.

Guest Wines, www.guestwines.com

Welcome to Beadnell Kitchen

Our aim is to bring local produce and food heritage to your plate with confident, simple cooking. We excel in local quality ales, bespoke spirits and fine wines with a relaxed, Northumberland welcome. KITCHEN

“Northumberland is full of amazing food heritage, quality ingredients and top producers. Here at Beadnell Kitchen we aim to showcase the best that the season has to offer”

Paul Johnson - Executive Chef

Beadnell Kitchen serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, along with Bar Snacks & a full Takeaway Menu.

Breakfast | 8am-11am

Lunch | 12pm-3pm Dinner | 5pm-9pm

Sunday Lunch | 12pm-3.30pm

Beadnell Towers