Archive for September, 2007
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.
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