It’s a standing joke among my friends. “It might only be February, but look, temperatures might reach double figures today, which means Jane’s out lighting the barbie...” The merest hint of a clear day and I’m out there coaxing the coals into life and mixing marinade for my boys’ favourite halloumi skewers. I think my family appreciate these efforts, and I like to remind them that they have always enjoyed our almostcold-enough-to-snow barbies just as much as the sweltering ones in the middle of August.
The fact that we’ve just had a brief heatwave helps of course, and we had a joyful family barbie the other day to mark Father’s Day –everyone gathering at a long table for salads and barbie staples in the sunshine, and a good old outdoor darts competition.
What is it about cooking and eating outside that is so joyful? I don’t really know, but as a child (long ago, before the idea of barbecues arrived in the UK) I loved a picnic, to the extent that I would ask for a tea of hard boiled eggs, sandwiches and cake outside in the garden next to the paddling pool.
People say it is barbecue flavours that people really relish, but I think that’s only part of the picture. As those long days of lockdown
Cover: Sea bream, page 34
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illustrated, humans need to be outside, and gathering family and friends around a long table in the garden brings out the Mediterranean in us all. So, no apologies for several barbecue recipes in this edition of Appetite, plus some lovely puds to serve afterwards.
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Jane Pikett, EditorTalking of afters, this is my last Appetite. 73 editions after we created this little magazine back in May 2010, when the Hairy Bikers graced the front cover, it’s time to move on to other things. During those years I’ve edited and written a lot of recipes, most of those drawn from or inspired by my late mother’s old kitchen notebooks. I hear her, my late aunt and my late stepmother, who was a caterer, in my mind when I write recipes, which I mentally run past all three of them before I press print. Three accomplished cooks who knew more about food than I will ever know, but I’ll keep working on it. Thank you dear reader for enjoying the fruits of my (and their) labours and I look forward to the talented Appetite team continuing to celebrate the region’s great cooks and producers for many more years yet.
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It’s barbie season, dear reader, and there is no better time to get out in the garden and grill!
Fancy a foodie offer on us? Look no further than these specials from some of our favourite people.
Simply cut out and keep or print from our website, and remember to quote ‘Appetite offer’.
To use these offers, please quote ‘Appetite offer’ when booking and take a copy of the offer with you (either cut out from the magazine or printed from www.appetitemag.co.uk/offers). All offers are subject to availability.
Appetite readers can purchase a children’s meal for just £3.50 including a free drink and Mr Whippy ice cream until August 31, 2023. Terms & conditions apply.
Riverview Bakery, 14 River View, Gateshead, NE17 7TL tel 01207 563 668, www.facebook.com/DessertHeavenNewcastle
Appetite readers receive 10% off online purchases at Northumberland Cheese until August 31, 2023. Excludes dairy days, drinks and other gifts. Use code APPETITE23. www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk
Appetite readers receive a free mini jar of Scottish Heather Honey with any jar of honey purchased until August 31, 2023. Subject to availability. Find Travelling Bee at Jesmond Food Market (first and third Sat every month), Bedale Market (Jul 2 & Aug 6), Hebburn Market (Jul 8) and Seaham Hall Food Festival (Aug 5-6). www.travellingbee.co.uk
Appetite readers can enjoy 10% off afternoon tea bookings at Leila Lily’s until August 31, 2023. Quote APPETITEMAG when booking.
Leila Lily’s, Grey Street Newcastle, NE1 6AE, tel 0191 230 6700, www.leilalilys.co.uk
Appetite readers receive a free copy of The World’s Shortest Wine Book by Simon Woods (worth £5) with every order over £40 (includes free local delivery). Quote FREEWINEBOOK when ordering online. Subject to availability. Celebrating 10 YEARS
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These dear little glossy berries, which hang low on bushes like scarlet pearls, are one of the prettiest and tastiest berries of summer, yet are generally under-used in the kitchen. This is probably because, unlike our much-loved strawberry and raspberry, they are too tart to be eaten straight from the bush. But they do have longevity, making for a sublime jelly you can serve with goose, venison and lamb all autumn and winter. And during hotter months, they add a deeper, tarter flavour to summer pudding. Try these tips:
• For a refreshing sorbet, stew 500g redcurrants in 2 tbsp water until soft, purée and stir through 2 tbsp elderflower cordial. Set aside. Now boil 150g caster sugar with 300ml water in a pan for 10 mins, add redcurrant and elderflower mix, return to a boil then simmer for 2 mins. Cool, freeze and serve.
• Top lemon cheesecake with redcurrants stewed until tender but not pulped with a tablespoon or two of water, caster sugar, fresh mint leaves, and vanilla seeds to taste.
• Stew redcurrants with a little water until tender but not pulped, cool and add to chocolate and biscuit fridge cake, or add to rocky road for extra tang.
It’s always good to see the region’s producers and chefs pop up on the telly, and we were pleased to see Restaurant Pine at Vallum near Hexham feature in Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars on BBC One. Gordon met Cal Byerley, chef patron of Michelin-starred Pine, who demonstrated his pastry skills with his pine-infused millefeuille. To have a go at the dessert, budding entrepreneurs had to scale 40ft trees to gather 100 pine needles and 25 pine cones each. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0fj0zr0
Congratulations to Ciccarelli Ice Cream in Blyth and South Shieldsbased Minchella & Co, which both won prizes at the 2023 National Ice Cream Championships. Ciccarelli earned gold for its Blackcurrant Sorbet and White Chocolate Gelato while Minchella & Co came top in the chocolate ice cream category. Ciccarelli’s Domenico Gregorio (pictured) said: “Last year I won the vanilla class. This year another two trophies for my Blackcurrant Sorbet and White Chocolate Gelato. I feel I am giving the people of Northumberland the best sorbets and ice cream I can make!”
Among the myriad delights at Dosa Kitchen, we’ve recently enjoyed the South Indian Sunday Sapaad Feast; a set menu (with omnivorous, veggie and kids’ options) which cover the six ayurvedic tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent – served with dosa, sambhar, chutney, rice, rasam, pickles, yoghurt and paapad (a selection of sides and sauces which can be enjoyed in various combinations). It’s good – just go! 7 Osborne Road, Jesmond Newcastle, NE2 2AE, tel 0191 250 9725, www.dosakitchen.co.uk
SERVES: 2
600g organic potatoes, coarsely grated
1 tbsp plain flour
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
METHOD
2 tbsp oil for frying
2 free range eggs
100g smoked salmon
1 tbsp chopped chives
Place the grated potatoes on a clean dry tea towel, fold up the corners to make a bag and squeeze to release the excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the flour, half the spring onions, and season well. Divide into 6 equal portions and use floured hands to shape into flat patties.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry 3 rosti for 3-4 mins each side until golden, repeat with the remaining rosti. Meanwhile, poach the eggs in boiling water for 2-3 mins.
Divide the rosti between 2 plates, top each with the smoked salmon and a poached egg. Sprinkle with the remaining spring onions and chives, and serve.
The rain didn’t spoil Bishop Auckland Food Festival, where celeb chefs and 140 food stalls served up a huge range of produce from burgers and curries to cheeses and chutneys. Looking forward to next year!
Okay, so we’re here a lot… and the scones (both cheese and fruit) are a huge favourite, particularly when there is space to sit outside in the old priory garden and watch the world go by. We also recommend the cakes, traybakes, coffee, light lunches, and the friendly team.
Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3NB, www.hexhamabbey.org.uk
SAMPHIRE
One of our favourite vegetables for its seaside flavour and satisfying crunch, samphire lifts the most simple meal to the next level. Generally simmered and tossed in butter as an accompaniment to fish of all types, we love it with eggs (poached on toast or in an omelette); stir-fried with garlic, lemon, and parmesan; and with spaghetti and prawns or clams with lots of garlic, lemon zest and cream.
We love a crab sandwich on the beach, and dressed crab served with egg mayo. Use crab in fish cakes; sautée it with lots of garlic and lemon and serve with pasta tossed in cream and fresh tarragon; and stir into pea and lemon risotto and serve with a few drops of Tabasco.
APPLES
All we want to eat in September are apples from the garden in all their home grown varieties. Core apples with an apple corer, fill centres with a mixture of muscovado sugar, raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon, top with a blob of butter, stand in a dish and bake for 20 mins or until cooked through. Serve with honey and vanilla ice cream.
Congratulations to Newcastle United chef Kyle Bowman, who has been named NECTA North East Chef of the Year. Five chefs reached the competition final at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Newcastle, each serving up a three-course menu showcasing North East produce. Kyle, who heads the fine dining operation on match days at NUFC, served a meal featuring whole North Shields crab; goat loin and curd from The Goat Company served with Northumbrian potatoes; and apple crumble starring fruit from Six Nine Orchard in Prudhoe, wild red clover petals, white chocolate, and wildflower honey from Northumberland Honey Company. He’ll go far, that lad...
As the Appetite team finished this summer edition, we enjoyed fantastic wines chosen by the team at Guest Wines to mark the Welsh and English wine weeks in June. Guest-stocked UK wines which make for a perfect summer evening treat include Lyme Bay Sandbar Bacchus 2021 from Devon (£16.95), an intense, aromatic wine with tropicality, minerality, and characteristic English hedgerow; and Anchor Hill’s orange wine from Monmouthshire in Wales (£24.80), a deep and savoury wine with nectarine, tangerine and lifted herbal notes. www.guestwines.com
Brocksbushes Farm Shop has partnered with Bays Leap Dairy Farm to offer organic milk and milkshakes via a milk vending machine.
The milk, produced eight miles from Brocksbushes, adds to the array of local produce here, which includes fruit from the farm.
Brocksbushes’ Harry Dickinson said: “We’ve been growing, making and sourcing local food and drink for the past 40 years, so it’s wonderful to be able to stock delicious, quality milk sourced so close to home. We’re proud to support Bays Leap’s commitment to topquality organic milk from happy cows.”
The vending machine serves bottles and cups of milk plus milkshakes in various flavours. Reusable glass bottles are available to purchase or you can bring your own, and the takeaway cups are recyclable. Brocksbushes Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland NE43 7UB, tel 1434 633 100, www.brocksbushes.co.uk
SummerTASTE THe At Blagdon
Restaurant group Tomahawk continues to grow with its latest venue in Morpeth’s New Market. Within weeks of opening, the Morpeth restaurant was among the group’s best-performing locations. Meanwhile, developments are underway at the group’s Ponteland location, with more news to come later this summer.
• AWARD-WINNING BUTCHERY – Huge range of delicious meats for the BBQ – burgers, sausages, skewers, steaks, -choose from beef, pork, lamb, chicken and venison.
• OUR OWN BAKEHOUSE – A selection of homemade pies and quiches. Mouth-watering range of freshly made desserts for summer.
• LOCAL PRODUCE - Local seasonal fruit and vegetables, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Wine, local beer and charcoal.
Open Tuesday-Thursday 10am-4pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm. Closed Monday (incl Bank Holidays) SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for up to date news and offers www.theblagdonfarmshop.co.uk Visit our website to order delicious meat BBQ packs and afternoon teas to collect
reviews the latest food titles
Imad’s Syrian Kitchen // Imad Alrnab £26
This is the first book from Imad Al Arnab, a renowned chef forced by war to flee Damascus and make his home in the UK. An exploration of 90 Syrian dishes, this proves how simple this superb cuisine can be. Alongside the recipes, Imad shares his story and celebrates food’s power to bring people together.
The Farmer’s Wife // Helen Rebanks £20
The wife of the Lake District farmer and author James Rebanks, Helen shares the days that have shaped her in a beautifully illustrated memoir set against one day at the farm, home to six sheepdogs, two ponies, 20 chickens, 50 cattle and 500 sheep. This is a rare opportunity to appreciate where our food comes from and who puts it on the table.
Time and Tide // Emily Scott £28
Emily Scott weaves together the strands that inspire her cooking, from the salt-scented air to the ever-changing shades of the sea to the shapes and textures of the wild fennel and tamarisk plants that crowd the Cornish coastal path. These elements make for dishes infused with flavour and a sense of place, from breakfasts of overnight oats and buttery crumpets to lunches of sea-herb focaccia and suppers of Cornish bouillabaisse. A journey into a Cornish world.
Simply Scandinavian // Trine Hahnemann £27
In a nod to the Scandinavian way of eating, Trine Hahnemann offers more than 80 unpretentious, straightforward, seasonal dishes, demonstrating how to get amazing flavours from a handful of good ingredients. This book includes solutions for easy breakfasts, mid-week meals and simple but impressive ways to entertain family and friends.
Chetan’s Indian Feasts // Chetna Makan £26
The queen of Indian home cooking serves up flavourpacked crowd-pleasers with supermarket-friendly ingredients. The delicious dishes are grouped by theme so you know how to pair your platters for a big celebration or a quick-fix family dinner.
Hungry Woman // Pauline Cox £27
As women suffer a hormonal rollercoaster from tricky puberty to menopausal symptoms and everything in-between, this book is all about eating your way to freeing yourself from the hormone trap. Nutritionist Pauline Cox is out to reset our hormones through these low-carb, easy recipes designed to balance hormones and optimise female health.
Congratulations to Ophelia, in Gosforth, Newcastle, for its muchdeserved listing in the Michelin Guide within months of opening. Led by the brilliantly talented chef Nick Grieves, the guide says of the French brasserie: “There is a pleasing lack of over-complication to the food at this slick neighbourhood brasserie that wears its French heart on its sleeve. Great care is put into the cooking by an on-view kitchen team and the Gallic influence can be seen across the range of thoroughly enjoyable dishes presented with a friendly smile. The French focus also extends to the low-intervention wine list.”
6-10 Bowsden Terrace, South Gosforth, Newcastle NE3 1RX, tel 0191 243 5240, www.opheliagosforth.co.uk
Every visit to North Acomb Farm Shop brings an opportunity to sample the best Northumbrian produce, and this summer’s Appetite barbecues have starred lamb reared yards from the farm shop door. Chops served on the bone are a staple, while burgers prepared by the Baty family and the team at North Acomb, featuring just a touch of mint, are a delight alongside a simple sauce of mint jelly with crushed garlic. North Acomb Farm Shop, Stocksfield NE43 7UF, www.northacombfarmshop.co.uk
The new weekend breakfast menu at the uber award-winning Khai Khai on Newcastle Quayside is proving quite the hit for its fresh flavours and hearty dishes.
The menu stars a full Indian breakfast of scrambled eggs, portobello mushrooms, mixed pepper chicken sausages, spiced beans, sourdough toast, and potatoes with turmeric, ginger and sweetcorn. There’s deep-fried wholewheat bread with potato curry and tomato relish, sweet egg-dipped Bombay toast with cinnamon and berries, lots of vegan and veggie options, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, lassis, morning cocktails, and teas and coffees. All follow the Khai Khai experience of fresh produce, tradition, and skillful, passionate cooking in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s served Sat-Sun 9am-11.30am.
29 Queen Street, Newcastle, NE1 3UG, tel 0191 261 4277 www.khaikhai.co.uk
Congratulations to the team at Morwick Dairy’s parlour, which has just celebrated its 20th birthday.
Opened in 2003 after Sand Queen (seen in Morwick’s logo) won Supreme Dairy Champion at the Royal Yorkshire Show and the Royal Highland show and got to meet Queen Elizabeth II - the parlour has been serving award-winning Morwick ice cream for two decades. It continues to be one of our favourite places to visit on a sunny afternoon for the best in local dairy ice cream.
Morwick Farm, Acklington, Morpeth, NE65 9DG tel 01665 711 210, www.morwickdairy.co.uk
LUNCH Tues-Sat 12 - 1.30pm PRIX
Three stars of MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off are set to headline Seaham Food Festival.
The event returns Saturday August 5 and Sunday August 6 with food and drink traders, family entertainment and live music. The open-air cookery theatre will host MasterChef 2023 champion Eddie Scott and Great British Bake Off 2022 winner Syabira Yusoff.
Vegan baker and Bake Off contestant Freya Cox and TV presenter Chris Bavin will also appear.
www.seahamfoodfestival.co.uk
British strawberries are the taste of summer in the Appetite kitchen and the team at Blagdon Farm Shop had some fantastic ones just in from Leadketty Farm in Perth on our last visit. As well as enjoying them on their own with black pepper (not sugar – just try it!) we also like them with the bakehouse team’s freshly made cheesecake and their amazing meringue roulade. We’ll be back for raspberries and blueberries as soon as they’re available.
Blagdon Farm Shop, Milkhope Centre, Berwick Hill Road Seaton Burn, NE13 6DA, tel 01670 789 924
www.theblagdonfarmshop.co.uk
Nice work on the part of the team at Walwick Hall near Hexham, which has been awarded four AA silver stars and two rosettes. Located in countryside just outside Hexham, Walwick Hall has 10 individually designed bedrooms, a luxury spa, and several dining areas. Meanwhile, less than a year since The Lord Crewe in Bamburgh reopened, the AA has awarded the hotel five stars for its accommodation, one rosette for culinary excellence, and an AA Breakfast Award.
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
It’s the most exciting time of the year when all the preparation and coaxing of seedlings is coming to fruition. There are few greater senses of anticipation than the thought of courgettes freshly picked, grated and served with lemon, feta and mint, and we have beautiful spheres of round courgette and vivid flowers tempting us to make tempura, stuffed, crispy and indulgent treats.
Meanwhile, the broad beans are flowering prolifically and the cut and come again kale is heaven.
We have upped the ante on the herbs we’re growing on the terrace and now have spearmint in pots in addition to sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary all thriving in the garden. By contrast, I have
dropped the ball on the micro herbs, and as for the pea shoots – well, I need to have a word with myself. They’re so easy to grow after all, and not to do so is just silly.
My favourite thing just now is the baby chard I have in a large pot. I planted it close together instead of the required foot or so between seedlings and I’m just eating them raw every time I go past (can’t resist). It is also beyond delicious when cooked; almost gelatinous in texture. It’s unusual to find something so delicious which actually does your body a favour, and I reckon they will pick and come again all year well into winter.
Here’s to a fully flavoursome and flourishing summer of fresh local produce – homegrown or not, every bit of it is to be savoured.
Rio Brazilian Steakhouse and JCT600 Newcastle, along with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães, have raised £10,000 for the Great North Children’s Hospital and given away the prize of a lifetime.
Organised by Rio co-owner Rodrigo Grassi, the prize draw was won by Joanne and Graham Cook from Gateshead, who were picked up in a Bentley, chauffeur-driven to Rio’s restaurant on Newcastle’s Quayside, and met with a flank of Ferraris, a red carpet, and Bruno, who presented them with a shirt signed by the team. Meanwhile, summery additions to the menu include prawn and mango salad, Spanish cured meats, and lobster biscuits. 95 Quayside, Newcastle NE1 3DH, tel 0191 244 9334, www.rio-steakhouse.co.uk/quayside
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
We love the historic setting of Newcastle’s Blackfriars Restaurant, and now owners Andy and Sam Hook and the team have completed a major renovation of the 780-year-old medieval Cloister Garden to create an all-weather space for dining, performances, markets and events. Three years were spent gaining the required permissions before contractors were allowed on site accompanied by a team of archaeologists. Careful consideration was given to the use of materials, drainage, lighting, seating and the remaining walnut tree – thought to be the finest specimen in the city – to ensure the new space harmonises with the surrounding medieval buildings. Friars Street, Newcastle, NE1 4XN, tel 0191 261 5945 www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk
The team at Northumberland Cheese have added a new glutenfree gift box to the brand’s online shop. It includes three cheeses –Northumberland Nettle, Northumberland Oak-smoked, and Elsdon Goat’s cheese; Inessence artisan cheese crisps; Olina’s Bakehouse wafer crackers; Kent & Fraser cracked black pepper and smoked sea salt cheese wafers; and Northumbrian Pantry spiced apricot and orange chutney. It also includes Sweet FA double choc chip cookies and is £35 from the online shop. The Cheese Loft Café at Northumberland Cheese HQ at Blagdon is also now open Mon-Sun all summer long. Green Lane, Blagdon, NE13 6BZ, tel 01670 789 798 www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk
Shaun Hurrell, chef patron of the award-winning taqueria Barrio Comida, has launched an intimate new fine dining space, La Mesa, in Durham. The dining room beneath Barrio Comida in the city centre seats up to 20 guests at a central dining table or the chef’s counter. The tasting menu showcases dishes inspired by Mexico’s vast culinary repertoire. Priced £59 per person, it includes ceviche of wild red prawn; and slow cooked spring lamb with fig leaf macha and heirloom tortillas. 34 Church Street, Durham, DH1 3DG, tel 0191 370 9688 www.lamesadurham.com
Congratulations to Newcastle’s iconic Punjabi restaurant Sachins, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Initially a regular diner at the restaurant, chef patron Kulmeet (Bob) Arora has managed Sachins for more than 20 years. He says his commitment to delivering an authentic, personal and memorable experience lies at the heart of the restaurant’s success. “Getting to know our customers is important and one of the job’s perks,” Bob said. “We also make all our spices in-house and use traditional cooking methods to give our customers a true Punjabi experience”. Sachins has recently launched its new Gourmet Meal for Two, offering a new taste of North Indian dishes. 14 Forth Banks, Newcastle, NE1 3SG, tel 0191 232 4660 www.sachins.co.uk
Every drop of
“Simply
Sachins’ chef patron Kulmeet (Bob) Arora shares his take on Laal Maas. This recipe is ideally made using a pressure cooker for speed, or you can use a heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid –just adjust cooking times accordingly.
SERVES 4
6-8 Kashmiri red chillies
750g lamb, cut into 1-inch chunks
6 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
4 tbsp ghee or vegtable oil
1 whole black cardamom pod
3-4 whole green
METHOD
It’s nice to see Tynemouth’s already superb food offering grow with an exceptional new Turkish/Mediterranean restaurant, Iztuzu, on vibrant Front Street. The family-run business is buzzing with rich Mediterranean flavours served up in mezzes, charcoal grilled dishes, seafood and sharing plates. 40 Front Street, Tynemouth NE30 4DZ, tel 0191 429 3900, www.iztuzu.co.uk
Ambitious Durham city centre restaurateurs Sam Gadd and Zak Newton are set to announce further developments for their Zen Group, which now numbers three venues.
The owners of Tango on Elvet Bridge bought Thai/pan-Asian restaurant Zen and 1920s-inspired Shanghai jazz supper club The Rabbit Hole, both formerly owned by Sam’s parents Nigel and Deborah, late last year. Their spokesperson said they will make an announcement re further developments later this summer.
cardamom pods
1 inch cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 bay leaf
4 medium white onions
chopped
¼ tsp garam masala
1 tbsp tomato purée
salt
chilli flakes
Soak the Kashmiri chillies in a bowl of water for at least 1 hour, place in a food processor and blitz to a paste.
Place the lamb in a large mixing bowl with the yoghurt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste. Mix and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Warm the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf. As soon as they begin to release their aromas, add the onions, stirring as they cook.
Once the onions are golden, add another 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste, stirring continually to prevent sticking. Allow the onions to cook for a further minute or so before adding the marinated lamb. Stir continually, and as the lamb begins to cook add water so that the meat is fully covered.
Put the lid on the pressure cooker and leave it to whistle 7-8 times before stirring in the garam masala and tomato purée. When the meat is cooked through, serve the curry with a garnish of chilli flakes and rice or naan bread.
Elder and Wolf, with its uber-arty interiors, outdoor space and big wood-fired pizzas, tacos and kebabs, is the place everyone talks about on the coast, home to big food, great cocktails and craft beers. Oh, and if you’re having a house or garden party, they’ll deliver everything you need, which is nice! 171 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2DN, tel 07599 833 611, www.elderandwolf.com
This general store and deli is home to artisan cheese, charcuterie, wine and craft beers. Our favourite thing at the moment is Afternoon Cheese, which comprises four artisan cheeses with cheesy puffs, cheese crackers, sourdough and a choice of house wine, available Fri-Sat 2pm-5pm. Bookings and walk-ins both welcome. 1A Bridge Street, Sunderland, tel 0191 447 1800, www.facebook.com/ fatunicornkitchen
Not just for sofas and dining suites, Gateshead’s new Barker & Stonehouse store is also home to an excellent Chadwick & Co Coffee House complete with suntrap terrace. Mediterranean flavours feature on the menu, which includes an excellent spanakopita spinach pie, chicken schnitzel with hand-cut chips and apple coleslaw, and Railtown coffee. Metro Park West Gibside Way, Gateshead, NE11 9XS, tel 0191 460 5755, www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk
This tiny Japanese-Asian street food café is all about fresh, authentic food served at speed for the hungry masses who drop by to take away or eat in. Everything is freshly made in front of you, often in minutes, and favourites include a range of sushi and Asian salads, chicken katsu, veg gyoza curry, and beef yaisoba. The queue is long, but the service is quick. Haymarket, Newcastle, NE1 7PF tel 0191 261 0654, www.shijocafe.co.uk
This award-winning artisan butcher and bottle shop in a restored Edwardian shop recently featured in TV’s Hairy Bikers Go North, Si King declaring it “the best butcher’s shop in the North East.” It specialises in whole carcass butchery of great local produce and stocks some 150 beers, natural and organic wines, plus cocktails made in Newcastle. All can be bought or enjoyed in the cosy back room with log burner and Scandi décor.
188 Heaton Road, Newcastle NE6 5HP, tel 0191 265 7955, www.blocknbottle.com
are five of our editor’s favourite things of the moment...
THE BEST ABERDEEN ANGUS BEEF, QUALITY MEAT, FRESHEST DAIRY PRODUCE AND VEGETABLES.
ABERDEEN ANGUS STEAK, SPRING LAMB, SAUSAGES & BURGERS FOR YOUR BBQ
Catering trailer with a choice of delicious produce direct from our farm shop - available for weddings, birthdays, sporting and corporate events
North Acomb Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland NE43 7UF TEL: 01661 843181
EMAIL: shop@northacomb.co.uk www.northacombfarmshop.co.uk
OPEN: Tues-Sat: 9.30am - 5pm, closed Sunday & Monday
Celebrating
A traditional Countryside Inn where a warm welcome awaits
Home cooked food using fresh local produce Chefs Specials and Weekly O ers PERFECT LOCATION FOR CYCLISTS, BIKERS AND WALKERS FAMILY AND DOG FRIENDLY SPACIOUS BEER GARDEN COSY EN-SUITE ACCOMMODATION
OPEN TUESDAY - SUNDAY FROM 12 NOON CLOSED MONDAYS (APART FROM BANK HOLIDAY)
People assume it’s all glamour, this restaurant critic lark, an Elysian Fields of five-star lunches attended by hot and cold running maitre d’s. And it is indeed pleasant, especially when it involves a carefree lunch in the sun at one of the finest French restaurants you will find anywhere.
What you may not consider, however, is the difficulty inherent in the regular reviewer dining incognito. I generally get away with it with the aid of a blonde wig, sunglasses and a bad German accent. However, incognito or not, I have to take decent photos without drawing attention. My technique is to waft a mobile phone over my plate with the nonchalant air of a young social media influencer (which I am not), and admittedly, this can have mixed results.
Thus, enjoying a first-class lunch at Bouchon Bistrot, I managed to place my fat thumb over the lens in one picture, and forget entirely to take a photo of pudding. So, detailed photographic evidence
somewhat lacking, you’re just going to have to take my word for the excellence of the experience.
A dozen years ago now, a TV programme called the F-Word, which Gordon Ramsay fronted, said this was the best French restaurant in the north. But I disagree – I think it is among the best in the country.
It is a cliché to describe this as a corner of France in Northumberland, but I have to do so because that is what it is. Indeed, relaxing on the sun-drenched terrace with views towards the Sele school and surrounding trees, a glass of fizz and a delicious entrée of asparagus, tenderstems, poached egg and wholegrain mustard, I felt myself rather French.
The owner, Gregory Bureau, has built Bouchon’s reputation on the traditional dishes he grew up with at his parents’ restaurant in Tours, France. He is also the consummate front of house man – offering considered recommendations based on a lifetime’s expertise and
what he knows to be his regulars’ preferences. Thus, the red wines he recommended proved to be consummate soulmates for our main courses. We savoured them with the finest steak frites and caramelised onions you will taste this side of Paris, and a richly succulent lamb navarin with ambrosial garlic pommes purée and exceptional cauliflower cheese. Heaven then arrived in the form of a sticky cannelé Bordelais with praline and hazelnut ice cream and salted caramel, and a sublime crème brûlée, its burnished sugar lid giving way with a satisfying snap to a seraphic indulgence of creamy vanilla custard.
Bouchon is as good as it’s always been, since we rocked up to its opening do in summer 2007, since Gordon Ramsay recognised it in 2011, and since our last lunch of soup du jour and steak frites not so long ago. Again, it’s among the best you will find – and you don’t need my dodgy photos to prove it.
The best kitchens are home to the finest ingredients and the highest-ranking kit. Like this...
We’ve just invested in one of these beautiful reconditioned wooden-handled herb choppers, available with both mezzaluna and square shaped blades. Essential, and very lovely. From £26 at RE, Bishops Yard, Main Street, Corbridge, NE45 5LA, tel 01434 634 567 and at www.re-foundobjects.com
Take your barbecue to another level with Meat Lust BBQ Mop marinades, stocked at Turnbull’s in Alnwick. In three flavours, BBQ, fiery buffalo, and ghost chilli, they’re good! Turnbull’s, 33-35 Market Street Alnwick, NE66 1SS
Northumbrian Food Hall & The Loft Unit 2, Willowburn Retail Park, Taylor Drive Alnwick, NE66 2DJ tel 01665 602 186 www.turnbullsfood.co.uk
We do like a glass of port, especially when we only have to go down the road to Corbridge (or turn on a laptop) to pick up a good bottle made in small batches in Portugal. This 50cl bottle of Corbridge ruby port is £35 at Corbridge Larder Hill Street, Corbridge NE45 5AA, tel 01434 632 948, and at www. corbridgelarder.co.uk
Harvested from wild heather moors and winner of a rare threestar Great Taste Award, Travelling Bee’s heather honeycomb section is deep in flavour and aroma and superb served with a cheeseboard. £20 at www. travellingbee.co.uk/shop#honey
Love avocado? Like growing your own? Then this is the thing for you – a ceramic crackle glazed avocado planter. Just add a jam jar and an avocado stone and you’re good to go. It comes with a handy, handdrawn booklet of avocado growing knowledge. £22.50 from the online shop at Linnels Farm, Hexham www.linnelsfarm.com
The supremely talented and brilliant Bev Stephenson at Newcastle-based North Chocolates has added to her sublime range of artisan chocolates with a new oat milk range which is dairy, gluten and soy-free. These oat milk bars in popping candy, raspberry and coconut, and spiced nut and seeds are the best dairy-free we’ve tasted (and we’ve tried a lot!). Go on, treat yourself!
£4.50 a bar at stockists regionwide and at www.northchocolates.co.uk
For beautiful, sustainable home interiors and dining accessories, Tynemouth-based North Star Home Edit’s online shop is the place to go. Our latest favourite from them is this sustainable acacia wood tapas board for its soft tones and eco credentials.
£37.95 at www.northstarhomeedit.com
Sea Banks cold-pressed rapeseed oil, made in small batches on the Northumberland coast where the rapeseed is grown, has long been a staple of the Appetite store cupboard. Now we’ve also invested in some of these pretty hand-thrown stoneware dipping bowls, available alongside the oils at the family-owned farm’s online shop. £9 at www.seabanks.co.uk
The freshest fish simply grilled, griddled or barbecued is one of the great tastes of summer. Try these easy recipes, made for eating (and if you like, cooking) outdoors
SERVES 2-4
INGREDIENTS
2 whole sea bream (or snapper)
1 lemon, halved + ½ lemon, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 piece fresh ginger (half thumb size), peeled
2 shallots
1 mild green chilli (or to your taste)
2 handfuls fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
To serve: olives, mild green chilli peppers, lemon wedges
METHOD
Gut the fish and rub all over the skin with half a lemon. Place on a chopping board.
Peel and finely chop the garlic, ginger and shallots; rinse, seed and finely chop the chilli; and place all in a mixing bowl with half the parsley, the lemon juice and olive oil, freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, and mix to a paste.
Spread the paste into the abdominal cavity of each fish. Slice half a lemon into thin slices and place on top of each fish, sprinkle with a little more chopped parsley. Place on a barbecue or a griddle pan and cook for 6-10 mins or so each side (time depends on the thickness of the fish and the heat of the pan/coals), until the fish eyes are white and the flesh feels firm to the touch. Serve garnished with olives, mild green chilli peppers and lemon wedges.
SERVES 2-4
INGREDIENTS
8 sardines, gutted
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper large handful fresh parsley, chopped lemon wedges, to serve
METHOD
Mix the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper, and half the parsley together. Place the sardines in a dish, pour the mixture over and use your hands to ensure each fish is properly coated on the outside and in the abdominal cavity. Put in the fridge to marinate for 30 mins. Spray oil over a barbecue grill or a griddle pan to prevent sticking and cook for 3-5 mins on each side, depending on thickness. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
SERVES 4
12 large prawns, shells on or off (to your taste)
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lime juice
Handful fresh coriander
4 lime wedges, to garnish
Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and lime juice together. Lay the prawns in a flat dish and pour over the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 mins. Place whole prawns on skewers presoaked in water so they do not burn, and place on a greased barbecue or griddle pan. Cook 3-5 mins each side until pink and serve with fresh lime wedges and coriander.
SERVES 2-4
INGREDIENTS
4 salmon steaks
handful fresh dill
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lemons
2 tsp red pepper flakes
sea salt and black pepper
cooking spray aioli
Cut the salmon into chunks and soak 4-6 wooden skewers in water to prevent burning. Place the salmon in a mixing bowl. Add half the dill, the garlic, the juice of half a lemon, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground salt and pepper. Toss until the fish is coated and put in the fridge to marinate for 20 mins.
Thinly slice a lemon and alternate salmon chunks and lemon slices on soaked skewers. Spray the barbecue grill with oil to prevent sticking and cook the skewers for 4-5 mins each side or until the fish is pink and firm. Remove from barbecue and serve with lemon wedges, dill and aioli.
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
Here at the national award winning Travelling Bee Company, our mission is to supply you with the highest quality honey - and that’s what we do. Our honeys are all 100% raw and unprocessed, nothing added, nothing infused, just the way the bees make it. At the Great Taste Awards 2021 & 2022 we received a host of awards including two of the rare 3 Star awards.
We produce honey from our bee hives across the North East of England, Northumberland and Scotland. In our constant search for the nest honeys we’ll even source honey from further a eld.
We rmly believe that happy bees make the best honey and the proof is in the jar’
it comes to quality
Safeguarding more than 140 years of tradition while evolving to satisfy ever-changing customer needs requires a sharp business mind, as Dean Bailey discovers when he meets a sixth-generation butcher
History and modernity are recurring themes on the streets of Alnwick. From the historic castle to the modern splendour of Alnwick Garden and its now iconic treehouse, old and new are combined to great effect.
This is also achieved by the town’s longestablished butcher, Turnbull’s. For more than 140 years, this family has brought the finest local meat to the people of Alnwick, first on Clayport Street, and since the 1950s on Market Street, where this traditional butcher’s shop continues to thrive.
In addition, on the outskirts of town is the epitome of modern retail. Opened in 2019, Turnbull’s Northumbrian Food Hall, next to retail giant Marks & Spencer, has been dubbed both the Home of Northumbrian Food and the Harrods of the North by locals and visitors. Home to skilled butchery, the food hall also brings together produce ranging from local beef and lamb purchased at Acklington Mart to artisan produce from the likes of Alnwick Brewery, Northumbrian Pantry, and The Mad Jam Woman.
Tasked with combining six generations of tradition with the bold development of the food hall is Dan Turnbull. Having joined the business in 2012 after graduating from university with a degree in physics, Dan leads the business alongside his father Mark, while his sister Lucy runs The Loft shop
above the food hall, and his grandfather John remains part of the team.
“The business has been a huge part of my life,” says Dan. “From the age of 12, I was in the shop learning from my dad and grandad. My dad was always keen for me to go to university, so I did that, but I wanted to be part of the business since I was a kid and I came into it properly at 21. I started at the entry level, following the same syllabus as the apprentices - making sausages and organising cellar fridges - before working my way up. There’s no short-cut to those 60hour weeks with a knife in your hand.”
While traditional butchery and relationships with local farmers going back generations remain at the heart of things, the business continues to adapt to customer needs. This includes developing ready-tocook meals, a hot food counter, and bringing baking and bacon smoking in-house.
“The heart of our business is in local produce from farms within a few miles of our door, and that hasn’t changed in more than 140 years,” says Dan. “But eating habits have changed, and people want a quality product that’s quick and easy. I grew up understanding where my food came from and how it was cooked, but not everyone does, and today it’s easy to grab a ready meal at the supermarket. But there’s a
middle ground, whether that’s a prepared dish which is cooked in full at home or a heat-to-eat product.”
The journey from joints to ready-to-eat dishes is illustrated in the food hall. Starting with a traditional counter of steaks and joints, we move to barbecue-ready chicken kebabs, then lamb and pork prepped and ready to pop in the oven. Past these lie pies and sausage rolls made in the bakery above the Market Street shop, before a hot food counter of steak pies, hog roast sausage rolls and hand-cut chunky chips ready for lunchtime.
“Simplicity for the customer is important,” says Dan. “That’s driven as much change in the last 10 years as in the 100 years before. People are time-pressed - they can’t do an hour’s prep and a mountain of dishes with every meal. But they still want to cook a well-rounded, healthy meal.”
Accommodating that market with ready-to-go meals in foil containers which go straight in the oven is essential, he says. “The next step, which we’re working on now, is elevating that experience with a heat-and-eat range of restaurant-quality food. We’ve invested in the best training for our team and the best equipment, including Rational ovens and sous vide machines, to offer customers high-quality produce, cooked to the highest standard, which they can take home, heat in the oven, and enjoy any night of the week.”
The Turnbulls have changed with the times, from purchasing Pitts drapers’ store next door to the shop on Market Street and expanding into greengrocery, to launching their bakery and delicatessen in 2007, and opening the Northumbrian Food Hall in 2019. “The food hall was a big risk, and it has been a massive change, but it’s a good one the family is proud of,” says Dan. “It’s now the biggest part of our business, thanks to its size, 200 parking spaces just off the A1, and being open seven days a week. We’ve embraced this while never neglecting our traditional customer who loves the experience of going to see their butcher, greengrocer and baker.
“One of the biggest benefits of diversification has been using more of the animals we buy. We’ve always sold all the fillet steaks, but now our waste is so much lower as we’re making all our meals to go and pies from those same animals. That’s good in terms of sustainability, ethics, and business.
“While we’re always adapting and developing, at our core we’re a traditional business. We buy whole animals from the local mart every week, just as we always have. The presentation of the produce changes over time, but the skills used and the focus on provenance and quality remains the same as it was when we started out.
“Steering a 140-plus-year-old business with 40-plus staff is always going to be stressful, but there’s also a lot of satisfaction in this job as well,” adds Dan, who still works on the butchery counter every day while developing the business.
“We work hard all week, filling the cases and fridges, and come 7am on Saturday morning we stand back and see this incredible display of produce which we know all about and have made the absolute most of. Come Monday morning, those are all empty, and we’re back in and all ready to go again.”
INGREDIENTS
4tbsp Dijon mustard
4tbsp Baste & Bray (Warkworth) rapeseed oil
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp thyme leaves
METHOD
Dan says: “Keeping this recipe nice and simple, using just a few ingredients and cooking it hot and fast, allows the flavour of the best Northumbrian lamb to really shine.”
2kg butterfly leg of lamb
½ tsp Maldon salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
In a small bowl, combine the mustard, oil, garlic and thyme.
Unfurl the lamb, cut away any excess sinew or fat, and place it into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and pepper, then massage gently to coat evenly. Spoon the mustard mixture over the lamb and massage to coat the meat fully. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight, in the fridge.
Preheat the barbecue with the coals banked on one side until smoking hot. Remove the lamb from the fridge, reserving the marinade, and allow it to return to room temperature before cooking. Put the lamb on the barbecue directly over the hot coals (or on the griddle) and leave for a few minutes to get some colour. Flip the lamb over to colour the other side.
Once browned, move it to the side of the barbecue with no coals. Cook for 18-20 mins for medium, turning and brushing every 5 mins with the marinade.
Once the lamb is cooked, take it off the heat and allow it to rest for 10 mins, loosely covered with foil. When ready to serve, carve and place on a serving platter before finishing with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of extra thyme.
Dan says: “Reverse searing is the best way to cook your tomahawk steak to perfection. The process involves cooking meat slowly, gradually bringing the temperature up, before searing it over extremely high heat. This gives you more accuracy than the conventional method of simply searing steak, which usually results in a pink centre and a brown crust. While this can produce beautiful results sometimes, too often you’re left with something either too rare or too tough.”
METHOD
Place the steak on a large cutting board and allow it to come up to room temperature (approx. 1 hour). While it rests, rub with a liberal amount of salt.
Start your grill. If you have a charcoal grill, you might need a little bit of time to allow the temperature to reach 100°C. Set up your charcoal grill for indirect grilling, or your gas grill with just one burner on at one end of the grill.
Place your steak on the grill, in the indirect zone. Insert a digital probe meat thermometer into the steak, close the lid, and leave to cook. Leave the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 50°C for medium-rare or 55°C for medium. The time this takes will depend on the size of your steak, but approx. 30-40 mins is a rough guide.
At this point, on a charcoal grill, open up the vents to allow greater airflow through the grill chamber, or add more coals and/ or wood chips to ramp up the temperature. If you’re using a gas grill, simply turn the heat up to a sear. Transfer the steak to directly over the heat. Flip every 20 secs for 3-4 mins, or until the outer layer develops your desired amount of crust.
Remove from heat and leave to rest for 10 mins before slicing.
Finish with butter and black pepper.
Dan says: “Asian flavours are some of my favourites and this recipe is great when you make it at home - or you can pick it up ready to grill from Turnbull’s.”
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2½ tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
METHOD
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 ½ tsp roasted and ground white sesame seeds
½ tsp whole roasted white sesame seeds
In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Heat over a medium to high heat until the sugar dissolves - approx. 3 mins. Stir constantly to help the sugar dissolve and prevent burning.
Allow the sauce to cool for 5-10 mins. Pour the sauce through a strainer and into a small bowl to separate and discard the garlic. Add the ground and whole sesame seeds to the strained sauce. Mix gently. Leave to cool before using (this can be stored in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge).
Marinade the pork tomahawks with the sauce for approx. 1 hour, then grill for 3-5mins on both sides before serving with rice and steamed veg.
Summer heralds light-as-air desserts packed with fresh seasonal flavours. Try these…
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
900g mixed soft fruit
150g caster sugar
½ (approx.) loaf white sliced bread
METHOD
Select a medley of any soft summer fruits available, including raspberries, blackberries, red or blackcurrants and cherries. Pick over the fruit, removing stalks and
stones. Put the fruit and sugar in a thick-bottomed pan over a gentle heat and stir occasionally until the fruit is tender and the juice has run. Set aside to cool and add more sugar if needed. Remove crusts from the bread and line the bottom of a soufflé dish or 900ml pudding basin, cutting the bread to fit neatly together. Cut more slices in fingers to fit closely, leaving no gaps. Half fill with fruit, cover with sliced bread, add remaining fruit and cover closely with more bread. Spoon over the remaining juice to soak the bread and just fill the dish. Reserve any surplus juice. Fit a small plate into the top of the dish, put on a 1kg weight and chill overnight.
To unmould, place a serving dish on top of the basin and invert both quickly. Carefully lift off the basin (some of the juice will run out onto the serving plate, which looks pretty. If there are any white patches of bread, spoon over some of the reserved juice. Serve with cream and fresh berries.
SERVES: 6
vegetable oil and caster sugar to line the tin
130g golden caster sugar, plus extra to dust
3 large eggs
130g plain flour
pinch Maldon salt
300ml double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
strawberry jam, for filling
fresh strawberries, for filling and garnish
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Brush a 33cm x 23cm Swiss roll tin with vegetable oil. Line with baking paper, brush with oil, dust with caster sugar, evenly covering base and sides, tapping out excess.
Place sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for approx. 10 mins until pale and volumised considerably. Test it has reached ribbon stage (lift out the whisk and run it across the top – it leaves a trail of mixture on top like a ribbon at this stage). Carefully sift the flour and salt into the mixture in stages, folding in gently with a metal tablespoon.
Pour mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top, and place in the oven for 10-12 mins until well risen, golden and baked throughout. Place a piece of baking paper slightly larger than the Swiss roll tin on a clean surface and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar. When cooked, remove sponge from the oven, run a knife carefully around the edges to loosen, and invert onto the sugar-coated paper. Using a knife, cut a line roughly 1 cm from the edge of one long side. Starting here, carefully roll the sponge, making sure to tuck the leading edge in tightly for a neat spiral. Once rolled, leave it with the paper on until cooled.
For the fillings, put the cream and icing sugar in a large bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Put the jam and 1 tbsp water in a bowl and mix to thin the jam. Roughly chop strawberries for the filling, leaving some whole for the top.
When the sponge is cool, carefully unroll it. Spread with the jam, sprinkle over chopped strawberries and top with a layer of cream (don’t make the filling too thick or it will be difficult to roll). Carefully re-roll the sponge. Using a sharp serrated knife, trim the ends, decorate with more cream, fresh strawberries and flowers.
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
Base:
250g digestive biscuits
110g melted butter
Filling:
500g full fat cream cheese
500g mascarpone cheese
50g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 lemon, zest and juice
Fruit sauce:
250g mixed summer fruits, finely chopped
3 tbsp orange or lemon juice
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
To garnish:
200g summer fruits and icing sugar
For the base, put the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash to a crumb with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the biscuit crumb and sugar and mix thoroughly. Press into the base of a loosebottomed 20cm cake tin and set aside in the fridge to set.
For the filling, preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and juice. Spoon into the base and smooth with a palate knife. Bake for 1 hour, then switch the oven off (without opening the door), leaving the cheesecake inside for a further 2 hours. Remove and allow to cool completely before removing from the tin.
For the sauce, place the ingredients in a food processor and whiz until smooth.
To serve, pour over the sauce, top with mixed berries, sieve over icing sugar, slice and serve.
BROCKSBUSHES
Relax with afternoon tea and views over the fruit fields. Choose your homemade scone and cakes with fresh sandwiches, or enjoy the glutenfree version with chocolate brownies. You can also enjoy berries picked yards from your table, or try the Scone of the Month (sweet or savoury) with cheese and chutney or jam and cream. Styford Roundabout Stocksfield, NE43 7UB, tel 01434 633 100, www.brocksbushes.co.uk
Receive the latest news, recipes, offers and more fresh from the Appetite kitchen in your email inbox every Friday morning. Sign up to Appetite Weekly at the Appetite website: www.appetitemag.co.uk
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This welcoming independent café is renowned for its tranquil garden and homemade afternoon tea with delicate finger sandwiches, scones and irresistible cakes. Plus, there’s a great daily menu of light lunches, snacks and sweet treats. 52 Newgate Street, Morpeth, NE61 1BE tel 01670 505 483, Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-4pm
CAFÉ MY PLACE
A neighbourhood café in the heart of Killingworth, Café MyPlace is a little piece of vintage heaven where you can spend hours enjoying tea, sandwiches and homemade scones in cosy surroundings. Expect a warm welcome and homemade food on every visit. White Swan Centre, Killingworth, NE12 6SS, tel 07733 895 579 www.facebook.com/pg/cafemyplace
LEILA LILY’S
This award-winning bar and restaurant on Newcastle’s Grey Street is a sanctuary far from the hustle and bustle of city life. Savoury afternoon tea options include goats’ cheese and caramelised onion quiche alongside a trio of finger sandwiches, while sweet treats include white chocolate and raspberry mousse, vanilla and pecan eclair, fruit scones and chocolate entremets. Add to the experience with a cocktail mixed for you at the bar. Grey Street, Newcastle, NE1 6AE tel 0191 230 6700, www.leilalilys.co.uk
JESMOND DENE HOUSE
For a quintessentially English afternoon tea, you must go to Jesmond Dene House. This grand Edwardian mansion in the heart of this famously lovely dene is home to elegant indoor and outdoor dining areas where afternoon tea features handcrafted sandwiches, fresh scones and exquisite pastries served on elegant three-tiered stands. You have a choice of premium loose-leaf teas and fizz, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available with 48 hours’ notice. Jesmond Dene Road, Newcastle, NE2 2EY, tel 0191 212 3000 www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk
Jesmond Dene House has recently introduced a children’s afternoon tea to its menu. The hotel, which is set in a stunning 19th-century mansion, is known for its exquisite food and exceptional service. The children’s afternoon tea menu includes a selection of finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam and cream, and a variety of delicious cakes and treats. The menu also features a choice of hot chocolate or fruit juice, making it an ideal treat for children of all ages. The Jesmond Dene House children’s afternoon tea is sure to be a hit with families looking for a special and memorable dining experience.
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
Matfen Hall’s tea lounge, The Orangery, is home to a unique afternoon tea experience. Offering flavours which are both familiar and exciting, the exquisite selection of sandwiches, pastries and cakes is accompanied by your choice of Newby Tea, Café du Monde, or Laurent-Perrier Champagne. Add the spectacular rural location of this 19th Century five-star hotel for an unforgettable experience. Matfen Hall Hotel, Matfen, NE20 0RH, tel 01661 886 500, www.matfenhall.com
MICHELANGELO’S
Popular neighbourhood Mediterranean restaurant Michelangelos serves afternoon tea daily with homemade treats including sandwiches, scones and wonderful cakes. Partnered with a glass of fizz and summer sunshine, what more could you ask for? Stella Road, Ryton NE21 4LU, tel 0191 413 2921, www.michelangelorestaurants.co.uk
is located on Front Street in the centre of the beautiful village of Tynemouth
Come and enjoy a warm welcome and hopefully some warm sunshine in our blooming, walled garden - a peaceful oasis!
Traditional Afternoon Tea at £16.95 or deluxe with Prosecco £21.00 - call to make a booking on 0191 257 3687
Tea Room & Garden open every weekend (Saturday & Sunday only) from 10.30am to 4.30pm
61 Front Street, Tynemouth, NE30 4BT
Tel: 0191 257 3687 Email: enquiries@no61.co.uk
www.no61.co.uk
TYNEMOUTH61 GUEST HOUSE AND TEA ROOM
For a day out at the coast and afternoon tea in a beautiful walled garden, the experience at Tynemouth61 includes a chunky sandwich of your choice, cheese or fruit and cherry scone, a cake or cheesecake of your choice, and tea or coffee with unlimited refills. You can also add a glass of prosecco and while away the whole afternoon. 61 Front Street Tynemouth, NE30 4BT, tel 0191 257 3687, www.no61.co.uk
WALWICK HALL
On Hadrian’s Wall near Hexham, Walwick Hall is an exquisite setting in which to linger over an elegantly sophisticated afternoon tea in luxurious surroundings. Served in the Drawing Room, a decadent selection of delicate finger sandwiches, fluffy scones and sweet treats created by the hotel’s expert pastry chef is complemented with loose-leaf tea or Laurent-Perrier Champagne. Humshaugh, Hexham, NE46 4BJ tel 0871 495 0013, www.walwickhall.com
Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa is offering Appetite readers the chance to win an overnight stay for two with dinner, bed and breakfast.
To enter, visit www.appetitemag.co.uk/category/competitions
Closing date for entries: Friday September 1, 2023
Set in 450 acres of prime Northumbrian parkland and woodland, Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa is a stunning location to stay, dine and relax.
Retreat to the magnificent Georgian property north of Newcastle, reached via an impressive driveway to the door, beyond which you’ll find a welcoming atmosphere, luxurious interiors and award-winning food.
This is a sublime escape from the day to day, offering fine dining, beauty therapy, a fitness room, spa bath, steam room, swimming pool, sun terrace and sun shower, in addition to a renowned 18-hole golf course.
The 50 guest bedrooms are individually and elegantly furnished with comfort in mind, and there is a choice of dining. The Dobson Restaurant has panoramic views of the Northumberland countryside and an extensive à la carte menu featuring the finest local produce, while the informal Linden Tree serves an excellent pub menu.
Built by Charles William Bigge in 1812, Linden Hall is one of the North East’s most popular country hotels. It has a reputation for outstanding service and surroundings, whether you’re relaxing in the spa, venturing out across the estate or enjoying an excellent meal. A true Northumbrian gem.
Prize includes a £30 per person dinner allowance in the Linden Tree Pub or hotel restaurant.
The prize is for the winner and a guest. It is not to be given away as a gift. The date of the prize is to be arranged directly with Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa and is subject to availability. A Saturday check-in supplement applies (if chosen). The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. All drinks and extras are to be paid for.
Prize to be taken before February, 2024.
The winner will be drawn at random and notified within three days of the closing date.
DURHAM
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
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What do you have for breakfast?
If I go out for breakfast, it has to be a really good eggs benedict with lashings of hollandaise sauce.
And your go-to guilty pleasure?
That would have to be a chicken kebab with chips, salad, and garlic and chilli sauce.
What would be your last meal on earth?
It would have to be roast lamb with all the trimmings, extra Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, and lashings of gravy. You can’t beat it!
What can I find in your home fridge right now?
I love to cook Asian food at home so there’s always onions, garlic, chilli and ginger in there. There’ll also be some beer.
What ingredient would you have, if you could only have one?
It would have to be butter. As James Martin says, everything tastes better with butter!
What is your most important piece of
equipment in the kitchen?
I’ll go for the Thermomixer as it’s so versatile. I also love my Japanese Konro Grill as it adds so much flavour to everything you cook on it.
What is your favourite cookbook?
Larousse Gastronomique –it’s the go-to encyclopaedia for all chefs.
What is your most important piece of advice in the kitchen?
Always be open to learning, no matter your age or experience. You can learn something from everyone working in a kitchen – age is no barrier.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
I’d probably be working in some form of construction, like the majority of my friends.
If you only had £10 to buy food, what would you get?
I’d get some chicken, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and soy, and put together something with an Asian flavour.
Who is the greatest cook ever?
For me, it has to be Gordon Ramsay.
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