Welcome to the November / December update from Northcote.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a great December, a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year !

In this months newsletter ...

1. Festival of Food & Wine
2. The Three Fishes at Christmas
3. Festive entertaining at Northcote
4. Competition winners
5. Northcote Manor scoops top prize in National Food & Wine Matching Competition
6. Academy of Culinary Arts – 100th anniversary
7. Waitrose Food Illustrated – vegetarian food in restaurants
8. Christmas Cheer Mulled Wine
9. Champagne Cocktail
10. Twice Baked Christmas Pudding soufflé

Northcote Offsite The ultimate in festive outside catering, bring the famed kitchens of Northcote Manor to your chosen venue or home. northcoteoffsite.com Please contact 01254 691919

1.Festival of Food & Wine Monday 24th January – Sunday 30th January 2005

The response has been incredible and we have limited places now left on selected evenings, so if you would like to join us on an evening throughout the festival, you will need to be quick!

Eric Chavot The Capital, Knightsbridge, London Monday 24th January 2005	Sat Baines Restaurant Sat Baines at Hotel Des Clos Tuesday 25th January 2005
Dieter Koschina Vila Joya, Portugal Wednesday 26th January 2005	Roy Brett The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow Thursday 27th January 2005
Phil Howard The Square, London Friday 28th January 2005	Richard Corrigan Lindsay House Restaurant, London Saturday 29th January 2005
Nigel Haworth Northcote Manor Sunday 30th January 2005

For detailed information on this and previous Festivals please click here

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The Three Fishes A Ribble Valley Inn. Visit the regions new traditional non-smoking pub. For informal celebration this Christmas. A real pub with real values! Real Food! & Real People! thethreefishes.com

2.The Three Fishes at Christmas

We would be delighted to welcome you to our first Christmas at The Three Fishes.
Experience 'Real Christmas Spirit' !

Roaring log fires! Traditional British food, classic beers and wines Christmas Party Menu for parties of 8 or more throughout December Boxing Day & New Year's Day Special Celebration Menu New Year's Eve Party!

www.thethreefishes.com
View the new web site fully launched this month, which illustrates Christmas menus and special opening times over the festive period.

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For the perfect gift-The answers online click here Ideal for those who enjoy indulging in food and wine. Birthday dinner with champagne, Anniversary Gourmet Break. A Cookery Course Experience. A tutored wine tasting event. Lunch to say sorry! The ideal way to say thank-you.

3.Festive Entertaining at Northcote

Northcote Manor is at its best at Christmas,
the intimacy of Northcote just seems to capture the charm of Christmas.
We believe there is no better way to celebrate,
than with fine food and wine in the company of friends and family.

Click to view the festive menus and special events at www.northcotemanor.com

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4.Competition winners

We are delighted to announce the following winners of this quarters prize draws;

• Friends of The Manor
  Yvonne Withers - Hale
  Has won a gourmet lunch or dinner for 2 at Northcote Manor
  
  
• Friends of The Three Fishes
  Erika White - Bashall Eaves
  Has won a meal for 4 at The Three Fishes
  
  
• Three Fishes “Draw a fish” competition
  Kate age 9 - Old Langho
  Has won a professional art kit
  

  Kate age 9

  
  Click here to view all "Draw a fish" competition entries

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5.Northcote Manor scoops top prize in National Food & Wine Matching Competition

Great news, as Craig celebrates another success after last month’s star prize for the Best North West Champagne List with Trophee Gosset Celebris. This month, Northcote Manor has beaten hotels and restaurants nationwide to win the French Wines Match 2004 competition. The final was held at Westminster Catering College, when Craig battled it out against the country’s elite, to become this year’s King of the gourmands.

Proving his prowess as a food and wine expert, Craig selected three French wines from a choice of 30, chosen to represent the diversity of France’s wine producing regions, and matched them to the starter, main course and dessert of a complex menu prepared by Richard Corrigan of the award winning Lindsay House Restaurant in London – who will be appearing at Northcote’s Festival in January

“When looking to match food and wine, the sheer breadth and depth of French wines is where they sing. Thanks to an impressive new wave of affordable French wines, they are now really accessible to one and all and if you are looking for a real treat, you can’t go wrong with one of the great French classics.”

The menu was designed by Richard Corrigan, with wines matched by Craig.
We are delighted to welcome Richard as one of our guest chefs at the Festival in January.

Cream of Chic Pea & Steamed Langoustine
Chateau Clement Thermes 2003 (an unusual grape variety – Mauzac)
Gaillac – David Maitre

Cutlet of suckling Pig with Apricot and Honey
Terre de Argence 2003
Vin de Pays du Gard – Mourgues de Gres – Fr Collard

Cashel Blue with Fig Ice Cream
Tardives les Vendanges 2002
Vin de Table – Maurel-Vedeau

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6.Academy of culinary Arts – A Celebration of the Entente Cordiale Culinaire 100th Anniversary

Nigel was honoured to be asked to join a celebrity brigade of chefs at this fund raising dinner in aid of the Master of Culinary Arts.

This was a unique occasion to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and Britain on 30th October 2004 at The Royal Automobile Club which is one of the most beautiful dining rooms in London and provides an exceptional and privileged setting for this 'one-off' event.

A team of star chefs from France cooked alongside a team of star chefs from Britain (all Academicians); and, at the same time, to launch the Master of Culinary Arts 2005 (MCA). This event will be supported with exceptional wines from Laurent Perrier and the Crus Classés de Graves.

For your interest, this is the stunning menu delivered on the evening

Amuse bouches
Pierre Gagnaire/Brian J. Turner CBE/John Williams/Philip Corrick
Laurent Perrier 1996

Noix de St. Jacques dorés au sabayon à l’estragon
Michel Roth MOF/Rick Stein OBE
Ch Bouscaut 2001
Ch Olivier 2000
Ch Couhins Lurton 1999

Crème cresson de source au Sevruga
Philippe Legendre MOF/Henry Harris
Ch Carbonnieux 1998
Ch Latour Martillac 1996
Ch Laville Haut Brion 1990

Le filet de pigeon rôti, sa cuisse farcie á l’ancienne, fricassée de blé aux morilles, jus relevé de réglisse
Jacques & Laurent Pourcel/Nigel Haworth
Ch Malartic Lagraviere 1999
Ch Haut Bailly 1998
Domaine de Chevalier 1997 En Magnum
Ch Fieuzal 1996

Les Fromages
by H & B Food Provisions
Ch La Mission Haut Brion 1995
Ch Pape Clement 1990
Ch Smith Haut Lafitte 1990 En Magnum

Assiette moelleux chocolat orange, sorbet mandarine
Philippe Joannes MOF/William Curley

Coffee & Petits Fours

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7.Waitrose Food Illustrated – vegetarian Food In restaurants

We were thrilled with a recent review in Waitrose Food Illustrated, by Nikki Smith, which highly recommended our vegetarian menus.

“ Generally vegetarian food in restaurants is bulky and fatty and you can usually predict what you’ll be offered: risotto, goat’s cheese, something with Halloumi. Thus, there is a danger that when presented with an interesting meat-free menu one is so grateful that all criticism is suspended. But even with my analytical faculties fully functioning, I was delighted with Northcote Manor.

Chef Nigel Haworth has been working at Northcote, which he co-owns, for 20 years. Together with Gardener Andrew Mellom, Haworth has developed a garden that bursts with produce on which his dishes are based. During my meal, I actually saw a chef sprint to the plot and return with something leafy!

Northcote offers a full vegetarian menu beside its conventional one and, in addition there’s the set five-course gourmet vegetarian menu (£40) that I chose.

The joy of Haworth’s meat-free cooking is its immediacy and freshness, and the complete lack of veggie clichés. Instead I feasted on gorgeous, delicate food: an amuse bouche of crushed broad beans in a pastry shell with a basil dip; delicate baby fennel with a paprika cream; a cauliflower cheese soufflé that captured the essence of the classic combination, but made it light as air; the most intense and silky carrot and coriander soup I’ve ever tasted, local asparagus; wild berries and some very interesting cheese, including Blacksticks, a buttery local blu. You can choose a well recommended wine to accompany each course; the mouth filling Concha y Toro Gewurtztraminer, which matched up to the cauliflower cheese, was particularly memorable.

Haworth is frank “Vegetarians are grumbled about by chefs, but that’s because vegetarian food is difficult to do well” I’m not sure whether that’s true, but Haworth certainly knows what he’s doing. Rather than just dropping the meat out of a dish and replacing it with cheese, he starts from the ingredients up, combining them in creative and delicious ways.

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8.Christmas Cheer Mulled wine

If you make mulled wine with very poor wine, you will end up with a poor mulled wine, certainly do not use your best cellar reserve! But a good bodied Cotes de Rhone or Syrah grape will work perfectly.

Do not be tempted to over alcohol with spirits, or the inevitable hangover will be one of the worst you have ever experienced!!

Ingredients

• 4 Bottles Red Wine
• 1 Pint Water
• ¼ Bottle Dark Rum (cooking)
• ¼ Bottle Port (cooking)
• 1 Lemon – studded with 12 cloves
• 2 Whole Cinnamon Sticks - broken into pieces
• 6 Star Anise - bruised in a pestle and mortor
• 1lb Granulated Sugar
• 4 Lemons – cut into quarters and sliced
• 4 Oranges – cut into quarters and sliced
• Nutmeg – to grate

Method:

1. Bake the lemon with the cloves for 20 minutes at 350 f / gas 4, until caramelised, then place in wine with any juices.
2. Heat the wine, rum, water, port, cinnamon sticks – broken and star anise – bruised in pestle, together with the cut fruit and the studied cloved lemon.
3. Bring to just before boiling and simmer for 15 minutes, to infuse flavours.
4. Add sugar and grated nutmeg to the mixture and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
5. Taste and sweeten to your liking and add more water, if you feel the wine is too strong.
6. Pass through a sieve into a serving jug.
7. Serve in a stemmed wine glass, with a quarter slice lemon and orange with a touch of ground cinnamon to garnish.

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9.CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

This cocktail carries the 'Bancroft Government Health Warning' more than two I would clearly describe as dangerous but they are guaranteed to start your party with a bang! If your budget does not allow champagne, Sparkling wine can be an good alternative to champagne, however choose one that is dry

Ingredients

• Castor Sugar
• 1 Sugar lump
• 2 drops Angostura Bitters
• Dash Cointreau
• Dash VSOP Brandy
• Champagne
• ¼ Slice of orange

Method:

1. Place a little of the cointreau in a saucer, along side a separate saucer with caster sugar.
2. Place the rim of champagne glass in the cointreau, tap with your finger to remove excess cointreau and then place in the saucer of sugar, resulting in a sugared rim from your cocktail, an optional enhancement, not compulsory.
3. Place the lump of sugar in the bottom of the glass (non-quick dissolving type is best) add 2 drops of Angostura Bitters to soak the sugar lump, add a dash of Cointreau and VSOP Brandy, in equal parts to cover the lump completely.
4. Very carefully pour the well chilled champagne into the glass (be careful that the mousse does not rise to disturb the sugar frosting, carefully place the slice of orange and serve.
5. You can top with fresh champagne after the first cocktail, which will still hold a hint of the flavour without having the alcoholic effect.

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10.Twice Baked Christmas Pudding Soufflé

Serves 6

• 240 ml Milk
• 15 gms Caster sugar
• 190 gms Christmas pudding
• 1 small punnet Raspberries
• 6 Mint Leaves
• 160 ml Egg whites (approximately 5 eggs)
• 6 tsp Caster sugar
• 20 ml Brandy
• 25 gms Butter
• 35 gms Sieved Plain Flour

Method to make the Pastry Cream:

1. Place the milk and 15 gms sugar in a pan and bring to the boil.
2. In a thick bottom pan, make a roux, by melting the butter and adding the flour, cook for 1 minute without colour.
3. Slowly add the boiling milk and sugar, stirring constantly until a smooth paste is formed.
4. Remove from the pan and place into a clean bowl.

Method to make the Soufflé:

1. In a bowl mix the Christmas pudding and brandy, this will break down to a paste. Add the pastry cream to the Christmas pudding, mix in well.
2. Whisk the egg whites up to a soft peak, and then slowly add the caster sugar, a teaspoon at a time, making sure the sugar is fully incorporated.
3. Fold the egg whites a little at a time into the Christmas pudding mixture (be careful not to knock the air out of the egg whites by over mixing the mixture).
4. Line the ramekin dishes with butter and sugar and place in the soufflé mixture.
5. Place in a bain marie and cook for 15 minutes @ 170°c.
6. Remove from the oven; allow cooling for 5 minutes and carefully removing from the ramekins and placing on silicon paper in a refrigerator until required. (Nb. The Soufflés will keep for up to 3 days in a refrigerator at 5°c.

Baileys and Brandy Cream:

Ingredients

• 150 ml Cream
• 3 tsp Butter
• 1 tsp Brandy
• 2 tspns Baileys
• 15 gsm Icing sugar

Add all the ingredients together and whip the to soft peak

To Serve:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c.
2. Using a non-stick tray or line with silicon paper, place on the soufflés and cook for 6 - 8 minutes until the Soufflé is hot.
3. Take a large white plate, spoon on with Baileys Cream, add a few Raspberries and a plush of mint. Dust with icing sugar.
4. When the Soufflé is ready place onto the garnished plates and serve.

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Northcote Manor
Northcote Road, Langho, Blackburn, Lancs
BB6 8BE
Tel: 01254 240555 Fax: 01254 246568
E-mail: maureen@northcotemanor.com
Web: www.northcotemanor.com