Christmas food and drink ideas in England's Northwest
From the stunning scenery of the Lake District to buzzing cities such as Liverpool and Manchester, England's northwest has it all. Below are just a few ideas to make your mouth water this Christmas.
New Year, New You?
New Year’s Eve is, but a distant memory. Or perhaps it’s still a throb somewhere in the central cortex? Repent and make amends by enrolling on a special course with Lucy Cooks – a brand new, stylish interactive cookery school at Staveley near Kendal, which deserves its own television series. It’s led by the impressive Lucy Nicholson – mastermind of the award-winning Lake District restaurants, Lucy’s On a Plate and Lucy Four in Ambleside.
Lucy won the BBC Good Food Magazine and Waitrose “Best Independent Food Shop Award in 2006,” and what’s more her Opulent Christmas Cake was so in demand that a reputed figure in the British Film industry personally requested 29 of the nine-inch creations to send to various friends in Hollywood.
January 3rd sees a new course begin called Bulging Over – The Road to Recovery. Explains Lucy: “We’ll help kick your New Year’s resolutions off to a positive start with some delicious diet dishes that will leave you feeling virtuous and healthy.” Start polishing your halos!
Christmas Cookery Breaks
Master Christmas cakes, puddings and mince pies with two special courses run by Ashes Barn B&B in New Hutton, a tiny hamlet fringed by the Lake District on one side and the Eastern Yorkshire Dales on the other. Gillian Wray of Ashes Barn will help you take the strain out of Christmas with a special holiday package tailored to your needs and perfect for mastering the Aga.
Three Fishes – Winner of Taste of England’s Northwest 2006
The Three Fishes in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley has been declared the winner of the Taste of England’s Northwest category at the England’s Northwest Tourism Awards 2006. Judges were looking for innovation and creativity in the use or production of local produce, as well as the offer of a unique visitor experience. The Three Fishes met the criteria with ease, offering the freshest local produce, almost totally sourced from local suppliers.
Sheila Dillon, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme and one of the judges, said:
“The Three Fishes is a real Lancashire gem - eat there and you know you're in a region with a long history of appreciating the best food. The cooking is first-rate and unpretentious. The menu alone is worth the price of a meal – linking each delicious dish to a map that traces all the suppliers. Beautiful black and white photographs of the suppliers line the walls and it’s all packed into a simple, good-looking, welcoming pub. No region in France could do it better.”
