Cooking The Books?
How cool is this? (via Boing Boing)
Not sure it'll catch on... but it might catch fire though!
Hampered and Hampers
Well, it's been about a hundred years since I last posted, or at least it feels that way! The truth is that we've been suffering from the curse of small businesses worldwide... we've just been too darn busy to get anything done! The shop has been busy, busy, busy, the catering likewise, and our thriving wholesale supply has kept the kitchen staff ever on their toes.
Add to that the arrival and processing of the Christmas stock (ooh, we've got some seriously lovely stuff for you!), a few personnel changes and a trip to New York (me only, not the deli!) it's no wonder that blogging here has been slipping down the priority lists. Nevertheless, here's a couple of important notices for your information....
- Christmas Cakes - We're taking orders for Deanna's amazing Christmas Cakes, hand-make, hand decorated, stuffed full of booze and fruit and nuts, each one unique! They're priced at £25.00 each and will be a major talking point of any Christmas celebration. Phone us or ask in-store for details.
- Hampers - Hampers make a fine gift for the gourmand and we're offering a number of types this Christmas. You can make them up for yourselves or have one of our knowledgeable staff help you chose from our extensive premium product range. We'll wrap and decorate the hamper for you, making it a gift that will really be cherished and appreciated.
Adam’s China Trip Report #4
‘Do not remove a fly from your friend's head with a hatchet’ -- Chinese proverb
The Quingzang railway was completed July, 2006. It connects Xining, Qinghai province to Lhasa,Tibet Autonomous Region nearly 2000 kilometres away.
The line passes through the Fenghuoshan Tunnel, at 4905 meters, the world’s highest, before spanning the Tanggula pass at 5231 meters, the highest railway in the world. A large section of the track is laid on permafrost which is kept solid during summer by liquid nitrogen fed through concrete pillars sunk deep into the ground. The carriages are pressurized to prevent passengers passing out due to lack of oxygen at altitude, the water in the toilets is heated to prevent it freezing, and earthquake monitors are installed along the track. Passengers are required to complete a health registration card before embarkation.
This is a serious train, an engineering marvel, the embodiment of Beijing’s unshakable will to harness the vast south west. And yet, before this trip, I’d never heard of it.
Before boarding we meet Liang, Lee, & Aries, who will be sharing our six-berth sleeper. I’m delighted to see my suitcase again, but dismayed to see it wheeled away by a small figure clad in red civara; the traditional robes of priesthood. This is no case of case theft, but my first experience of Buddhist hospitality, for the monk is none other than Zhong Nan Shi, acolyte of The Master, an abbot from Lanzhou partaking holy pilgrimage to Tibet. The Master radiates a calm benevolence. He has, as the Chinese say ‘Fuo xiang’, meaning "charisma of the Buddha". I take in his presence. His prolific ear lobes, Jenny explains, signify a personage of great fortune and wisdom. I’m immensely honoured to meet a lama of such high repute, and extend my hand in greeting. The Master bows, palms together in a gesture of namasté. A brief comedy moment ensues, as I hurriedly adopt the same posture, only for The Master to simultaneously offer me his handshake. The Master has no English, but appreciates the joke, as does everyone else. I feel like a pillock.
The Quingzang train glides away from Lanzhou to begin it’s twenty-nine hour ascent. The compartment is Spartan, but comfortable. It’s about lunchtime, and we decide to investigate the dining car. The steward shakes his head. It turns out the entire restaurant has been pre-booked by a party of Germans. Unbelievable. It’s a wonder the chairs aren’t strewn with beach towels.
Back in our cabin, we dine on cucumber, noodle soup, and tea. I unfurl my travel games board. What better way to pass the journey than teaching Jenny the intricacies of chess and checkers? Best to start with checkers, shouldn’t be too difficult for her to pick up. Ten minutes after explaining the rules to her, she’s slaughtered me. Beginner’s luck. We play again. Same crushing result.
I explain the rules of chess. We play. I rapidly lose my queen and several major pieces, having taken two pawns. It must be the altitude effecting my judgement, I explain. Jenny points out we’ve only been travelling for two hours.
Outside, urban sprawl gradually gives way to distant tundra, as the official song of the Qing-Tibet railway is played repeatedly over the speakers.
Aside from myself, the aforementioned Germans, and a carriage of native Tibetans, most of the passengers appear to be Han Chinese tourists, businessmen, and assorted officials. The new railway is the subject of some controversy. Some fear that Beijing’s aim is to effect the erosion of Tibetan national identity by encouraging a huge influx of Han tourism and investment. Where once the Red Guard came to physically smash the icons of Tibetan culture, will families and entrepreneurs from China finish the job? I’m curious to see for myself what effect the new tourism is having.
We’re already at 4000 meters. It’s said that ‘four seasons in one journey’ are experienced on the Quingzang railway. Beyond the frosted window, icy wilderness broadens to mountains fringing the darkening horizon. Occasional silhouettes emerge of rabbits, goats, and lone eagles. A mesh fence bobs and weaves for hundreds of miles alongside.
My companions are from Beijing, tourists curious to understand Tibet. It turns out they were all students in Manchester! We consider the parallels and tangents of our cultures. As we chat in the crepuscular fade, the rhythm of the track lulls. I recline on my hard bunk, under a thin blanket. Five hours later, I wake with an altitude headache. The scene passing by outside is transformed; Vivid sunlight unmediated through spotless Himalayan sky, vast plains and pastures, leather tepees, and yaks. Hundreds & hundreds of yaks…
Deanna on the Radio #4
I was asked to go on BBC Radio Manchester again recently (no clip this time - sorry!) Tuesday afternoons seem to be North Star Delicatessen's regular moment of media glory- do you think Nigella should be watching her back? This time, they asked me to come up with the subject matter, so I had to think about something that was close to my heart - Superfoods.
It bothers me that the show's host Becky Want, and many people like her, don't cook, so instead of just giving out a load of recipes, I wanted to explain what she could get out of it if she put in a bit of effort.
I thought I'd try and get across the unknown health benefits that many seemingly ordinary foods have. It's my aim to persuade people that cooking and eating healthily needn't be boring, expensive or time consuming and some foods that we take for granted could be working magic on your body and mind.
Below is a list of common foods and their beneficial properties regarding certain conditions. Most of this information comes from one of my favourite books Superfoods
Things you didn't know about....
Apples - Pectin and vitamin C help keep cholesterol levels stable. Pectin also helps protect us from the ravages of pollution, binding to heavy metals like lead and mercury in the body and carrying them safely out.
Garlic - Amazingly effective against cancer, heart problems, lung infections ranging from colds to bronchitis, rheumatism, arthritis and gout.
Lentils - About 100g supplies about two-thirds of an active man's daily protein needs (eat with something containing vitamin c in the same meal to improve absorption). They also contain good amounts of B complex vitamins which help avoid poor memory, irritability and other signs of nervous wear and tear. (try our own puy lentil salad with feta, red onion, parsley and sunshine tomatoes.)
Pineapples - Cures digestive problems as it contains an enzyme, bromelin, which can digest many times its own weight of protein in a few minutes. It breaks down only food and dead tissue leaving our guts miraculously unassailed.
Basically, if you can manage to make small changes in your diet like having brown rice and wholegrain bread instead of white, eat porridge for breakfast and snack on foods like grapes, nuts and seeds, you stand a better chance of being the best you can be.
Deanna on the Radio #3
The third time's a charm so they say! Here she is again, our Deanna, having been asked back to appear for a third time on Becky Want's Retail Therapy on good old BBC Radio Manchester.
With a little forethought for this appearance, it seemed to make a lot of sense to tie the discussion subject into our blog, and so this is actually a chance to hear Deanna chat about the previous post - interesting listening, reading and eating. What a bargain! Enjoy! (Thanks yet again to Sam for the clip)
Deanna’s Recipe(s) of the Week #9 - One Chicken = Three Meals.
I’m on the radio again this week and will be talking about budget food shopping and cooking tips.
It seems to me that this is the perfect subject for this time of year given that students are now starting or returning to university, and some folks will away from home for the first time. Eating properly is so important, especially if you need to keep your brain power at its optimum, and good eating does not have to entail lots of time or lots of money.
Here are a few useful tips that will help you to eat well on a budget.
Shopping
1) Seek out local ethnic shops. For Mancunians,here are some wonderful and amazing Indian shops in Chorlton, Cheetham Hill and Rusholme and they'll usually have a superb range of fresh vegetables and fruit at a fraction of supermarket prices. Fresh herbs are especially good value. Buy as much veg as you think you’ll need, but avoid the pre-packaged ones - you can’t test their quality anyway.
2) The Chinese supermarkets are great value too (we love the Wing Yip), and as well as a wide range of really fascinating snacks and sauces, they often sell bargain boxes of Chinese beer (but remember to drink responsibly). These stores are also the best places to buy great value frozen seafood.
3) Buy in bulk if you can afford it. You’re bound to go through a sack of rice in a term for example, and you could always split the cost with your house mates.
4) Everybody knows which are the cheaper supermarkets but whichever chain your local is, look for special offers like discounts on the meat and fish counter. The best time to go is in the evening when things are reduced, especially on a Sunday.
5) Buying from independent delis isn’t always more expensive - you can just buy the amount of meat, cheese and salads you want instead of having to buy a bigger tub. Some also have regular sampling and promotions, or reduce the price of things like fresh bread at the end of the day.
6) MOST IMPORTANTLY – decide on your weekly shopping budget and stick to it!
Cooking
There are loads of ways to eat delicious, healthy food on a budget, but here's how to make a chicken last a good few delicious meals.
Buy the biggest chicken you can afford - I’d love to wax lyrical about organic, hormone-free, farmer-friendly birds here, but let's save that for another blog entry.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about an hour and a half in a medium hot oven, basting with the juices every now and then. I like to pour a little bit of hot water into the bottom of the roasting tin to keep it moist and help with the gravy. Serve with delicious veg, roast potatoes and gravy.
The next day, assuming you have any left, strip the meat off the carcass. I’m not really sympathetic with people who are happy to eat food, but not handle it - pretend you're a caveman or Henry VIII and get into the spirit! Discard the skin, put the bones in a pan and the meat in a separate bowl.
It's easy to make some chicken stock with the bones. Add a chopped onion, carrot, stick of celery, parsley, bay leaf and a few whole peppercorns. Cover with water, bring to the boil and then turn it down to its lowest heat. Simmer for about an hour and a half, skimming off any scum with a metal spoon. We’re going to use this as a base for a soup. (If you want to make a Chinese style soup, add a knob of ginger and some spring onions instead of the veg listed above.)
Drain the liquid into a bowl and, after it has cooled, refrigerate if not using immediately.
To make a Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup, in a pan, gently fry some roughly chopped onions, carrots, celery, peppers – whatever veg you want really, add a can of chopped tomatoes, the chicken stock, some dried herbs like oregano or thyme and cook for about 25 mins. You can also add a can of drained beans if you like, or some chilli to make it spicy. Add salt and pepper (and a pinch of sugar if it needs it), some of the chopped up chicken (leaving half for the recipe below!) and serve with bread.
This last recipe is a delicious Chicken Stir Fried Rice. if you have left over chopped bacon or a few frozen prawns, you can turn it into Special Fried Rice.
For this, you’ll need about 400g of cold cooked rice (great for leftovers) – oddly, this doesn’t work so well with rice that has just been cooked. Cook about 100g of frozen peas in the microwave covered with water for about 3 minutes. Heat about 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok until really hot. Stir fry the rice for about a minute, then add the drained peas and the chicken (plus the bacon &etc. if you're going for the full "special" version!).
Continue to stir fry over a high heat for about 5 mins. Add 2 beaten eggs and about 100g of fresh beansprouts and continue to stir fry for a couple of minutes or until the eggs have set. Sprinkle over some soy sauce and garnish with chopped spring onions. There’s no reason why you can’t throw in some other vegetables too.
So there you go - three fulsome, hearty meals from a single chicken - good eating, good value... and good luck!
Heaton Mersey Market
The North Star road show pitched up a stall at the Heaton Mersey Farmer's Market last Sunday and had a great day.
Deanna and Adam set up a colourful two-table stall, featuring some of the wonderful produce we sell in the shop. Specials on offer were the fantastic range of Peanut Butter & Co. American peanut butter (as featured in this very early blog post) and also our range of truly excellent juices from Chegworth Valley, a favourite supplier of ours and one we've been stocking (and selling out of!) since we opened four years ago.
Other stock highlights from the shop also made an appearance and were soon selling strongly, but by far the best sellers on the day were the pies and cakes that we make and sell at the delicatessen. Our Burgundy Beef, Welsh Lamb and Thai Chicken pies sold by the crate load, as did our home-made chocolate, coffee and walnut and carrot cakes, chocolate brownies, caramel pecan blondies and raspberry and blueberry bakewells.
I bet you're sorry you weren't there, aren't you! Well don't despair... these treats are all available daily at the delicatessen, along with the best cup of coffee available for miles around!
She’s at it Again!! Deanna on the Radio #2
Having clearly not disgraced herself with her previous appearance (see here), the folks at BBC Radio Manchester asked Deanna to come into the studio last Tuesday to take part in the Becky Want Show and to talk a little on the subject of women chefs. I'm sure you'll agree our girl comes across brilliantly. (Thanks again to Sam for the clip)
A Corking Success
Our main wine supplier, Boutinot, had a nice feature this week on the web site of the Manchester Evening News and I make no apologies for shamelessly nicking their strap-line, which frankly I couldn't improve upon! In return, here's a link to their article which is a testament to this excellent wine supplier - a local supplier, note - and highlights the very reasons we use them.
Chorlton Food Festival 2007
We're delighted to both support and be a part of this year's Chorlton Fringe Food and Drink Festival, and we've lined up some fabulous foodie events and special offers for the duration of the event, which takes place from Friday October 5th through to Monday October 15th. For further information on the festival, visit www.chorltonfringe.com
Throughout the festival we have a fantastic sandwich special offer for hungry folks looking for a great value and hugely satisfying lunch. You can order any one of our three super-stuffed North Star Club sandwiches, combined with any of our cakes and a soft drink from our wide range of juices and sodas for the bargain price of only £10.00.
Friday 5th October
A chance for everyone to come and taste a wide variety of different Spanish wines, including sherry. Advice on Spanish food and wine matching and festival discounts on offer.
Saturday 6th October
Cheese experts on hand in store to give detailed descriptions of some interesting and lesser-known English cheeses. See why Britain can really give the French a run for their money when it comes to cheese making. Tastings and festival discounts in store.
Sunday 7th October
Atkins and Potts - We're so excited about this supplier. They have an amazing range of products all produced in small batches in their own kitchens - savoury jams, condiments, dressings, salsa, marinades, sauces, relishes, chocolate spreads and dessert accompaniments. Tastings and festival discounts in store. See this blog entry for some of the products we already carry.
Friday 12th October
Australian House Wines - Easy drinking, well priced, good quality Aussie wines in store for tasting. Food and wine matching available as well as festival discounts.
Saturday 13th October
Chegworth Valley Juices - This company have the most fabulous range of pure apple and pear juices. We stocked these babies since we opened nearly four years ago because they are the best. Here's a chance to learn about and compare different varieties of apples. Tastings and promotions in store.
Sunday 14th October
Olives Et Al - Your chance to try a wide selection of amazing olives and snacks from this great supplier. Discounts available throughout the festival.
Deanna on the Radio!
Deanna appeared on the radio last Saturday as a guest on BBC Radio Manchester's Becky Want's Retail Therapy show, live from The Trafford Centre. Amid the hustle and bustle of the Saturday morning shoppers, Deanna valiantly plugged the deli and spoke knowledgeably about cheeses and meats and whatnot, and generally did us proud. If you didn't hear it, the clip is below. (My grateful thanks to the ever helpful Sam Tonge for the clip).
Adam’s China Trip Report #3
Day 2: “A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” Laozi
As we attempt to check in for the two hour flight to Lanzhou, Jenny’s fractious conversation with the desk attendant signals a problem. By now, I’ve learned not to ask her to translate whilst she’s arguing with somebody in Chinese, as this inevitably leads to a simultaneous row with me. I wait until she strides away in exasperation before asking her what’s up. Apparently, they closed the desk two minutes before we arrived there. Twenty feet beyond, I can see the gate, and the queue waiting to board our flight.
Our luggage is on the plane and can’t be offloaded. Suddenly, the thought of being without spare underpants fills me with dread (I’m still a novice at the stand-up Chinese toilet routine). In a one-party state, the trains (and planes) run on time. Not necessarily a bad thing, unless your smalls end up 750 miles away. It won’t be my only encounter with pedantic officialdom during the holiday.
We get refunds for the missed flight, and book a cheaper one leaving in a couple of hours. The rest of our party in Lanzhou collect our suitcases and arrange to meet us at the train station.
Bisected by the Yellow River, and chaffed by the sands of the Gobi Desert, Lanzhou is at China’s geographic centre. On arrival, unencumbered by luggage, we decide to walk from the airport bus stop to the train station. We take lunch in a noodle bar. For the equivalent of £2.00, we enjoy noodle soup, a salad of pickled vegetables, sliced roast beef, fried chicken and beer. The staff gather obtrusively to examine my chopstick technique. I do not disappoint, but there is incomprehension when I request a spoon.
Unsure as to the dining arrangements on the train, we decide to stock up with provisions for the 28 hour journey to Lhasa. The proprietor of the local version of Spar adjusts his string vest, drags on a cigarette, and gestures to the food section, before coughing into a spittoon. The shelves are replete with vacuum-packed delights such as chicken’s feet (good with a beer, apparently), dried donkey (described as ‘spicy ass meat’), yak jerky, chilli jellyfish, spicy bean curd, pickled quails eggs, and vacuum-packed hog’s face. We leave with bottled water, instant noodles and cookies.
The main road to the train station has a distinctly local feel. Hawkers line the route specializing in dismembered preserved animals; monkey paws, bear’s teeth, dried heads, pelts and tails. I’m told these sad items hold some esoteric medicinal or spiritual value, but it’s all rather depressing.
We stop at an impressive fruit stall to buy water melon, bananas, cherries, and melon-pear; a fruit I’ve never seen before.
Laden with provisions, we arrive at the station to meet our travelling companions for the 29 hour journey to Lhasa.
Coffee Definitions
This via Boing Boing...
Sometimes there can be confusion at the counter as to what each coffee on our menu actually is. Not everyone has the same definition of what a cappuccino or a latte should be and if you're not a coffee aficionado (and certainly it is not a requirement) all those fancy sounding names can be a little confusing and pretentious. If you are a coffee expert and thus used to all the jargon and terminology, you should keep in mind that the language of coffee is open to some interpretation.
I liked very much this well designed chart system of coffee definitions ... though to illustrate my point above, I'm not sure I see any discernable difference between what they're calling a "latte" and "cappuccino" - the North Star latte is more of what they're calling a "Flat White". But a lady who called in to the deli last week and asked for a "Flat White" was horrified when we suggested she might want a latte! It's the same darn thing madam!
The perfect cuppa…
This via Boing Boing...Only yesterday I selflessly offered to make tea for the staff - admittedly a rare, if unprecedented occasion - but all the same, I was a little irritated when the complaints at my handiwork flooded back.
"It's too milky."
"It's too strong."
"It's not strong enough."
Wish I'd had one of these mugs, available for both coffee and tea from Suck UK.
Deanna’s Recipe of the Week #8 Green Beans with Coconut
It's not been a great year weather-wise for us to start growing our own vegetables at home, but our scarlet runner beans seem to be thriving. I've still not run out of things to do with them but this has been my favourite recipe so far and is based on one from Meena Pathak's book 'Flavours of India'.
Incidentally, can anyone explain why things seem to grow more successfully in Chorlton than practically anywhere else in Manchester? The tomatoes in our hanging baskets in the deli are coming on a treat but all the ones I've seen in Wilmslow are really slow. Our passion flower is like something out of 'The Day of the Triffids'!
Green Beans with Coconut (Serves 4)
2 tbsp Veg oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 dried red chillies
8-10 curry leaves
1 small onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
400g green beans, cut into 1 in lengths (You could also use French beans or mange tout if you prefer.)
salt
75g grated coconut
juice of 1/2 lemon
Heat the oil in a pan until hot and add the mustard seeds, dried chillies and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the onion and green chilli. Increase the heat and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the green beans and salt. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 5-10mins until the beans are cooked but still crunchy.
Sprinkle over the grated coconut and lemon juice. Mix together well and serve hot.
Deanna’s Recipe of the Week #7 Smoked Salmon Fishcakes
Oh you lucky people! Deanna's clearly gone bonkers, and is allowing one of our best recipes to be published online! The North Star Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes have been on our menu since the day we opened and remain both a top seller and perennial favourite with customers who can cause a stir if we've sold out. And these babies sell out faster than we can make them!
The key ingredient, by the way, is the flaky hot smoked salmon from the Salar Smokehouse up in the Orkney's - a producer with a string of accolades and famous admirers. We order whole sides of this delicious product to cook with, though we often have it available in retail packs too. Their web site has some truly mouth-watering recipes, but here's one of Deanna's very own!
Smoked Salmon Fishcakes
We make these in quite large quantities so I've tried to scale it down a bit. This should make about eight or nine. Incidentally, they freeze well, so it's worth making more than you need as the smell of frying fishcakes does pervade the home somewhat. Spot the understatement! You will need :-
1 pack of Salar Smoked Salmon
Approx 1.5kg potatoes (use a relatively dry one like Marphona)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
20g Butter
1 tbsp creamed horseradish
1 bunch spring onion, chopped finely
About 25g chopped flat leaf parsley
Plain flour to coat
2 beaten eggs
Breadcrumbs (make your own by toasting unwanted crusts of bread to dry them out and blitzing them in a food processor)
Vegetable oil for frying
Method : Peel the potatoes, cut into medium sized chunks and put them in a pan of cold water with some salt. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain immediately in a colander and put them back in the pan. Whilst they are still warm, mash them together thoroughly with the butter, lemon juice and rind and the horseradish.
Leave until they are cool enough to handle. Stir in the spring onions, chopped parsley and flaked smoked salmon. Mix thoroughly. Weigh out the mix into 150g balls, press them down slightly and place them on a baking tray.
Prepare 3 containers, one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with breadcrumbs. Coat a fishcake with flour with one hand, use the other hand to dip it in the egg, and use the first hand to roll it in the breadcrumbs - this way, you don't end up with big breadcrummy fingers! We call this game "Wet Hand, Dry Hand". Carry on until all the fishcakes are coated.
Pour the oil into a wide pan so it reaches a level equal to half way up the fishcake. Turn on the heat. When you think it may be hot enough (about 180 degrees) pop in a breadcrumb. If it starts to bubble and comes to the surface, it's ready. Fry the fishcakes in batches on both sides - make sure there's enough room to turn them. They should be a nice golden brown. Drain them on a baking tray covered with kitchen roll to absorb any extra oil.
Note - you could vary this recipe by substituting half the potato for sweet potato, the salmon for cooked smoked haddock, the lemon for lime and the parsley for coriander. There you go - that's two recipes for the price of one!!!
North Star Named Checked #2
A nice mention for North Star in the 19th of July issue of the South Manchester Reporter - with photo - in an article detailing our nomination for two awards in the forthcoming Manchester Food & Drink Festival. The article features an interview with Deanna who comments on Chorlton having become a really wonderful destination for Manchester foodies.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Manchester Town Hall on October 15th.
If you've not already voted (for us, obviously!) please do so via the link on the right. We sincerely appreciate your support.
Adam’s China Trip Report #2
Day 1(Still): "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
On the highway back to Beijing we passed what looked like a huge concrete bird’s nest. "That’s known locally as the huge concrete bird’s nest," explained Jenny. Beijing is beset with construction projects for the 2008 Olympics, & the National Stadium is a truly magnificent structure.
We were due to leave the city early next morning; not enough time on this visit to take in the Summer Palace or the Forbidden City. We opted for Tiananmen Square, at 440,000 square meters, the largest urban space in the world. Waving away swarms of rickshaws descending amongst the flagging tourists, we undertook the long march towards Mao’s huge portrait.
At 6pm precisely, the Five Starred Red Flag was struck by an honour guard in front of the Tian’an Gate. Impressive, but power in China increasingly resides in the office blocks of the financial districts. As the sun retreated over the Gate of Heavenly Peace, and the Chairman’s countenance faded into dusk, my thoughts turned inevitably to dinner. Jenny’s thoughts turned inevitably to shopping.
We compromised with a visit to the Oriental Plaza. Beneath gleaming frontages flaunting western brands, its vast subterranean food hall is a cornucopia of culinary traditions. Cities and provinces were represented, from Shanghai to Szechwan, as well as Japanese and Thai foods. Sushi, dumplings, seafood, noodles and curries all jostled for attention under the bright lights. The USA had colonised an ignored corner from where McDonalds and KFC glowered like Nixon. I had a Big Mac & fries. Not. Jenny wanted to take me to her favourite Szechwan restaurant, so we hopped on a bus.
At Jin Shan Cheng I enjoyed the best Chinese food I’ve ever had. The menu was extraordinary, featuring such items as boiled cow frog with chilli pepper; river turtle with Chinese prickly ash; braised fresh deer tendon; frozen fungus; crystal jelly fish; smoked rabbit tea flavour; crispy iced algae and braised sea cucumber. I’d been awake for 36 hours and it was all getting a little surreal. I gazed hollow-eyed at the swimming images.
"How about the frog?" enquired Jenny.
"Just get me chicken or lamb."
"It’s farmed frog, it’s nice."
"Chicken or Lamb. And a beer."
Crispy lamb shank, and chicken sautéed with red chilli & peppercorns arrived at the table with spinach & pine nuts, cold potato noodles, & boiled rice. The lamb was tender and fragrant, the volcanic chicken one of the best (& hottest) dishes I’ve ever eaten. For desert - white dark yin yang bean curd cakes, sweet rice congee, and turtle shell jelly. The jelly, a medicinal delicacy, tasted vile, it’s bitterness unassuaged by the tablespoon of honey I’d added to help it down. The entire meal cost less than the equivalent of twelve pounds.
A taxi to the hotel, a deep and dreamless sleep, and a morning trip to the airport. Destination Lanzhou, from where we take the Quingzang train over the mountains to Tibet, and the holy city of Lhasa…
“And the Winner is…”
Okay - it's not the Oscars, perhaps, but North Star has been nominated in two categories in this year's Manchester Food and Drink Awards! Far better for us than an Oscar would be!
We're up for Best Coffee Bar and Casual Dining Venue and Best Food and Drink Outlet and we're very chuffed to be nominated along with some really great foodie places. Note that Chorlton features heavily!
We'd be even more chuffed to actually win - but for that to happen, we'll need your vote. You'll see a box on the right hand side of your screen with the festival logo - give it a click while your here and follow the links. We really appreciate your custom and your support.
North Star Birthday Cakes
Ahh! Deanna's daughter, our very own Katie Bo, had her first birthday on Saturday, and mummy laid on a fantastic party. Here is the centre-piece of the spread - a cake every bit as delicious and pretty as the birthday girl herself!
North Star Delicatessen really excels at producing bespoke, home-made cakes for any occasion. Our fantastic, freshly made in-store cakes - carrot cake, chocolate cake, the gluten free lemon almond & polenta cake and our coffee and walnut cake - are all available to order whole. Just as easily we can create pretty much any flavour cake you like and ice and decorate it to your specifications. All we require is at least 24 hours notice.
So, if you're looking for a real talking point for your party table, why not contact us directly?
Adam’s China Trip Report #1
I've recently returned from a trip to China. Over the next few weeks you can read about some of the amazing culinary experiences I enjoyed during my travels.
Day 1: Brunch in Beijing
After a comfortable flight, we arrived at Beijing. Our time in the city would be brief, so a drive through the early morning rush-hour took us straight from the airport to The Great Wall.
Wanting to stretch our legs after an eight hour flight, we opted to walk up. At 4000 miles, The Great Wall is the longest human-made structure, and some sections date from as early as 200 BC. Seemed to me like a lot of trouble just to keep the Scots out! Nevertheless, it made for a steep and tiring two hour climb in the humid noon sun. At the top we had our photo taken next to a sign quoting Mao's proclamation that any who had managed to reach this point without collapsing were heroes. Bolstered by this, we decided to take the cable car back down and head back to the city for brunch.
Like many of you, I've been enjoying Chinese cuisine in the UK for years. How, I wondered, would it differ in its eponymous homeland? Jenny Li, my delectable and erudite travelling companion, hails from Beijing, & was eager for me to sample its culinary diversity. She took me to one of her favourite restaurants specialising in crab recipes.
Even in a city as large and cosmopolitan as Beijing, If you don't speak Mandarin (which I don't yet), you're lost. I was presented with a menu without a word of English. No matter, Jenny ordered a local beer to keep me occupied whilst she perused the carte du jour. Minutes later the waitress set a huge live crab in front of me at the table.
Not wanting to offend local custom by leaping out of my chair, I tactfully nodded my appreciation. What to do... make friends with it? Jenny said that the staff merely wanted to assure us that the food is fresh. Fresh? It's grabbing my shirt! To the Chinese, she explained, the concept of eating seafood that has been dead for an indeterminable period is distasteful, so it's kept alive until the moment of preparation... which sounds very sensible to me.
The crab waved goodbye to us as it was taken away. It returned ten minutes later in a pan with leeks, shallots, chillies, coriander, and star anise. Accompanying dishes were boiled rice, and one of my favourites - Chinese spinach. There were several cold dishes too; thinly-sliced braised beef, pickled mixed vegetables, & green beans.
The meal was spicy, & delicious, but the beer reminded my brain that it was, by my body-clock, five o'clock in the morning. No time for sleep yet, though, the city awaits…
Deanna’s Recipe of the Week #6 Rustic Fish Soup
Rustic Fish Soup
People are always curious about what I cook at home for dinner. This is really popular in my house because it's tasty and low fat. I always make it when we go away on holiday too(self catering of course!) with what we've found at the local fish market. Chrolton locals are well advised to visit Out of the Blue on Wilbraham Road - how lucky we are to have such a fantastic fishmonger on our doorstep!
Once you've put the white fish in, you can use any seafood you like, even frozen packs of mussels, prawns and squid. Below is just what I used the other day but it varies.
This should serve 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, sliced
1 bulb fennel, chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, squashed then chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
1 red pepper
tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 glass red wine
1pt fish stock
Handful fresh basil leaves
250g large prawns
500g any flaky white fish (I sometimes use those frozen blocks of cod and pop them in straight from the freezer)
1 jar/tin of mussels or clams
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Cut the red pepper into quarters, remove the seeds and place on a tray under a hot grill, skin side up until blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with cling film or a plate. leave to go cool and then remove the skin. Roughly chop the peppers.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a soup pan and add the red onions.
Cook for 5 minutes then add the thyme, chilli, garlic and fennel.
Cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the roasted and skinned pepper, wine, the tin of tomatoes, tomato puree and fish stock. Cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the fresh basil and blend (you can leave it a little chunky if you prefer)
Add the fish (from fresh or frozen it doesn't matter) and cook until the white fish disintegrates, about 20 mins.
Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and finish with the chopped parsley.
Serve with bread. It's nice to have toasted baguette slices topped with freshly made basil pesto.
Beijing’s Penis Emporium
Adam is enjoying a well-earned holiday at the moment, visiting China and Tibet. He has promised to hunt down some interesting foods and will hopefully report his expereinces here on this blog in due course.
Meantime, on the subject of indigenous foodstuffs, I've uncovered this article of, shall we say... questionable taste?... on the BBC web site. I think it might give Adam some pause for thought before wolfing down whatever delicacies are set before him!
I'm seriously thinking of becoming a vegetarian!
Top 10 Uses for Used Coffee Grounds
This from Curbly via Lifehacker...
I don't have a clue how much North Star produces in coffee grounds over the course of a year - but thinking about it, we go through a good few kilos of coffee per week and all those grounds just get tipped into the bin. I've often thought that there must be some sort of use that all this waste can be put to (to be fair, I was aware that they made decent compost, but then again, I don't have a garden!) ... so here is a definitive list entitled "The Top Ten Uses for Used Coffee Grounds".
It's a shame they're all a bit lame! I was hoping for some alchemical method of turning them into gold dust!
Deanna’s Recipe of The Week #5 Nana’s Ginger Cake
Ginger Cake
Sticking to the theme of Nanas recipes (see my second Recipe of the Week), I thought I'd share another one with you. It's her absolutely fantastic ginger cake, a family tradition and one that deserves a wider audience. I had to do a bit of conversion as I found the recipe scrawled on the back of an old bill and it was all in vague measurements (eg "a glass of oil" &etc.)
This is a true classic. It makes 3 cakes which will freeze beautifully. I also like it because you can just throw everything together - there's no equipment needed apart from bowls, jugs and mixing spoons.
You could eat these as they are or sandwich two together with lemon or stem ginger buttercream.
Ingredients
450g self raising flour
450g golden syrup
225g caster sugar
300ml Boiling water
4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp each of mixed spice, cinnamon and Bicarbonate of soda
3 eggs
250ml vegetable or sunflower oil
Beat the eggs and the sugar. Add the dry ingredients (except bicarb). Add the oil and then the syrup and mix. Mix in the boiling water leaving a small amount. Mix this remaining water with the bicarbonate of soda and add to the mixture.
Pour into 3 x 8 inch cake tins which have been lined with baking paper or paper cases - NOTE - is essential that you line the tins. These cakes will be very soft and moist - they'll never come out of unlined tins!
Bake for 1 hour at 300f/150c/Gas 2
North Star Name-checked (Kind Of)
We had nice mention in The South Manchester Reporter on Thursday June 7th. In the Who's Who section Beth Buxton, 26, a local resident involved with the Chorlton Arts Festival was asked in an interview ....
Where is your favourite place in south Manchester?
"I absolutely love food [replied Beth], so I have two favourite places, The North Star Delhi [sic] and Barbakan. The North Star Delhi do the most amazing goats cheese, rocket and honey bagel..."
Later on Beth was asked...
How would you spend a perfect day in Manchester?
"I'd get up in the morning and go to the North Star Delhi for a really nice breakfast..."
Thanks Beth for those nice words (I owe you a coffee next time you're in!), but a note to the reporter, the copy editor and, indeed, the editor of The South Manchester Reporter... It may surprise you to learn that "Delhi" is not the diminutive for the word "delicatessen", but is in fact India's second largest city and you should all hang your heads in shame at such a pitiful copy error.
Let us know of any North Star name checks you spot, won't you - even if they're spelt wrong!
New Products 9/6/07
We've recently stocked in some wonderful new products from Atkins & Potts - a manufacturer and supplier of premium food lines that you won't find in the multiples and a company I discovered at last year's Speciality Fine Food Fair in London. These delicious products are all perfect for your summer BBQ, garden party or just for snacking in the sun and are available in-store now.
- Red Onion & Jaleno Relish - A crunchy and spicy relish of red onions and white wine vinegar with the heat of red and green jalapenos. Perfect for dipping tortillas and nachos, great for glazing sausages and absolutely essential at a barbecue.
- Fennel Relish - A fresh, clean and crunchy relish with the delicate aniseed flavour of fennel. Perfect with Parma or Serrano ham and superb with fish.
- Rhubarb and Ginger Chutney - A fantastically tangy combination of traditional food partners. Rhubarb and shredded ginger blended together to accompany your favourite cheeses, cold meats and pies.
- Hot Mango Salsa - Sweet and hot, all the flavour of a good fruity salsa with plenty of chillies. Fantastic with tortillas and all Mexican dishes. The perfect partner for chicken kebabs as well as grilled or barbecued fish and prawns.
- Dark Chocolate Sauce with Limoncello - Bitter dark Belgian chocolate sweetened with a good measure of Limoncello, the classic lemon liqueur originally from Sicily
- Milk Chocolate Sauce with Orange & Cardomon - Rich Belgian milk chocolate infused with cardomon and orange oil.
- White Chocolate Sauce with Lemongrass & Ginger - Creamy white Belgian chocolate invigorated with lemongrass and ginger
These mouth-watering gourmet sauces will compliment your pancakes and waffles, and 'sex-up' any fresh fruit or ice cream. And when the summer is over (assuming you have any left!) try stirring into hot milk for a luxurious and indulgent hot drink.
What The World Eats
Once again via Boing, Boing (that superb repository for endlessly fascinating things) this wonderful link to a series of photographs at Time.com depicting the weekly grocery shop for various families all over the world. These photographs are from a book called Hungry Planet: What The World Eats
What is particularly striking is the extraordinary varience in packaging used in the different parts of the world - there's no doubt we use far too much here in the UK.
Above is my genuine favourite of the sixteen pics featured in the link - The Batsuuri family of Ulaanbaatar - all this food, feeding entire family for an entire week for just over $40.00 USD (or 41,985.85 togrogs!). Given the projected profit margins, I'm forthwith cancelling our expansion plans for a Mongolian branch of North Star!