Monday lunch time saw me entering the opulent venue of the Jali restaurant in Blackpool as the team of highly skilled chefs attempted to break the world record for stacking poppadums.
Entering the restaurant we are greeted by the excited, but anxious front of house team who deftly escort us into the restaurant and ply us with drinks as we await the main event. The subtle aroma of indian spices can be smelt in the air and the venue is full of authentic indian artifacts.
In true “practice what you preach style”, the LBTB team decided to mark Producers’ Month in October by having their own product sampling in Lancashire.
Over one week in October, staff were invited to produce something to eat or drink and bring it in for the rest of the team to sample. Kitchens across Lancashire (and even into Merseyside, formerly Lancashire!) saw a bustle of culinary activity which produced many a delicious speciality. Offerings included Fair Trade white chocolate and cranberry cookies, flapjacks, fish pate, Hallowe’en biscuits shaped as bats, ghosts and cats as well as a home grown pumpkin lantern to light our way to the goodies and autumn punch, made from damsons, pears, apples and mint from the “producer’s” garden.
The LBTB team will find any excuse for an opportunity to eat out in Lancashire and so saying farewell to the tourist board's very own PR Guru Adrian gave us a good reason to visit the recently opened Clog and Billycock in Pleasington.
The road to the Clog and Billycock was dark and seemingly never ending, but this latest incarnation from Ribble Valley Inns welcomed us in like a Beacon on the moor with a roaring fire and cosy bar. Whilst waiting for everyone to arrive we sampled some of the nibbles on the menu. The Battered Cauliflower fritters with curried mayonnaise was a surprise hit and although we also got stuck into the Deep Fried Bloomin' Onion, the latter was tasty but a little messy to eat with your fingers!
Being of Irish extraction, I was sure to enjoy Murphy’s Guy’s 17th Oyster Festival Seafood Luncheon at Guy’s Thatched Hamlet at Bilsborrow near Garstang.
A tour with chilling ghost stories followed by a warming hot pot at one of Clitheroe's award winning restaurants sounded like the perfect excuse to brave the blustery September weather. So we grabbed our wellies and umbrellas and set off looking forward to an evening with a difference.
Continue reading "A walk on the dark side of Clitheroe... " »
We recently ran a competition on this website and in Lancashire County Council’s Vision newspaper, inviting the public to tell us about a great eating out experience in Lancashire. Now let’s hear what you have to say about Lancashire’s fine array of places to eat…
Well that was the intention as the media launch for the third Pennine Lancashire Festival of Food and Culture took place beside majestic Pendle Hill. Plan A was for the mayors and chief execs (including our own chief exec of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, Mike Wilkinson, and Elevate's Kathleen Houghton) to have a dinner at the top of our most famous hill, dressed in formal black and white or nice dresses, of course!
Continue reading "The hills are alive with the sound of munching" »
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n true British style LBTB staff celebrated Lancashire picnic month in the office rather than brave the torrential rain pounding the Chorley streets. From chicken sandwiches and home baked bread (from Rossendale) to pork pies and olives (bought from a Lancashire supermarket) - we all enjoyed a lovely LBTB lunch!
School’s out at last so, first week of August, we decided to have a family day out on a Panopticons Picnic and visited three of these four 21st century landmarks, having a picnic at each. The great thing is, although I’ve spent the last four months promoting August as Picnic Month in Lancashire, I can honestly say, it wasn’t my idea, it was Granny’s!
Not only does the area of Garstang have a reputation for serving up some of Lancashire's finest produce but it is also a twice Gold winner of Britain in Bloom and yesterday hosted a visit by the judges of the European equivalent - The Entente Florale!
Adrian and I joined the hard working horticulturalists of Garstang and the European judges at the Garstang Country Hotel & Golf club last night to celebrate the blooming achievement of this Lancashire village.
