1Issue One • December 2014 • yorkonafork.com

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The MenuClick on the image to jump to an article.

4: The Kitchen. 6: Cosy Coffee Shops 7: York Food Bank.

8: Rye N’ Dry. 10: The Biltmore. 12: Filmore & Union.

16: Oshibi. 18: Village Spice. 20: Yak & Yeti.

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22: Brew & Brownie. 23: Vincent’s Guide to Coffee.

24: Melton’s.

26: Cafe No. 8. 30: Supper Clubs. 32: Bicis Y Mas.

34: The Star Inn The City.

38: Recipes. 42: The Market.

You’ve made a great decision to take a look at York on a Fork’s debut ezine! Since earlier in 2014 yorkonafork.com has been sharing thoughts on York’s many and varied places to eat while engaging in partnerships with other York foodies and bloggers. Seeing the amount of good content relating solely to food out there, it made perfect sense to partner up and get a bunch of people together under one umbrella. So here we are!

York has some excellent community sites that offer lots of content and do a brilliant job getting messages out and about to let people know what’s going on, but since the Evening Press axed restaurant reviews a while back, there’s been a lack of voice for those interested in eating out around our lovely city. Hopefully York on a Fork has redressed this balance a little, but there’s still more to eat, do and write!

Years of dedicated, selfless research has left me with a great appreciation of what makes a good meal out and I can knock together a pretty good range of meals at home, but recipe writing isn’t my strength. I could put them together, but in all honesty, to follow my instructions you’d probably have to already know how to cook that particular dish so I needed someone else to fill that gap. I wanted some interviews as well, but as an inveterate mumbler I needed more help there too.

Finally if all this wasn’t going to look like a random collection of words then I needed someone to pull this stuff together and make it look pretty. My artistic prowess is no greater than my aptitude for team sports (i.e. laughable) so that’s definitely a job for someone else. Enter a few other of York’s lovely bloggers with an experienced magazine designer…

Welcome toThe Kitchen

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Ben Thorpe – EditorFood obsessive, semi competent cook and culinary evangelist trying to share the joys of York - his adopted home.yorkonafork.com

Beth Vincent – WriterChampioning good food, ethical business and conducting interviews with local businesses take up some time but Beth somehow manages to find time to run a coffee business too. audacityoffood.co.uk

Grace Neal – Art DirectorGrace’s proper job is at Singletrack mountain biking magazine.graceneal.com @Grace_Neal

Jim HelsbyOwner and Proprietor of the York Beer & Wine shop on Fishergate, Jim’s expertise has been keeping the people of York in good beer for nearly 30 years. A long-time contributor to the York Press, it’s an honour to have him involved. yorkbeerandwineshop.co.uk

LucyfoodsnapsAn award winning food blogger based in York. lucyfoodsnaps.wordpress.com

Tom HiskeyYork-based coffee shop blogger.Cosy Coffee Shops has been helping people find fantastic independent coffee shops since 2006. cosycoffeeshops.co.uk

Cheers!Ben: Thank you to my wonderful supportive partner Tamsin Whitehead, all the people who make York a great place to live, my supportive friends across the Bar Billiards league and all the lovely people who’ve contributed to this project. Thank you! Beth: Thanks Des Clarke for my audio editing and tolerating me photographing every meal we have. Thanks to everyone I interviewed at The Biltmore, Star Inn and Bistro Guy.Grace: Thank you to Ben and Bethan for your complete commitment from the very beginning. Thank you Sim for teaching me how to design a magazine and how be a decent person when nobody but yourself meets a deadline. Finally thanks Joe and Jay for being the best cheer team there is.

Between the lot of us I think we’ve come up with some really nice content that you’ll enjoy. Above all I hope that you’ll get a few new ideas for places to treat yourself in our lovely city, or a few recipes to try. Drop us a line if you’ve any places you’d like to suggest we try but most of all, thank you for reading!

Email Ben: ben@benthorpe.co.uk.

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It was a cold winter’s day when I first visited The Perky Peacock, an established member of the York cafe scene. It’s a coffee shop with an eponymous hero, Nicola Peacock. I can’t vouch for her perkiness, but she’s a highly-regarded barista (a semi-finalist in the 2013 UK Barista Championships) and a passionate entrepreneur. The building and location are fantastic. Very York. Perky is tucked away beneath Lendal Bridge, in the petite, 800-year-old Postern Tower. It’s a coffee shop that can be hard to find if you’re not looking for it, though, thanks to its strong and growing reputation, it’s rarely short of visitors. Despite the popularity and diminutive size, there’s usually a free seat, as most of the trade is take- away. The food is good too, with sweet treats provided by none other than Nicola’s mother, a professional cake-smith. A second Perky popped up a couple of years ago on Gillygate. The building is a few centuries younger than its older sister, but it’s no less charming. Perky 2 is slightly more food-based, but the coffee is still some of the best in town. Both branches are well worth a visit. A terrific place, highly recommended.

As seasons go by, new coffee shops emerge in historic York. Now fairly established (it opened in 2011) is Spring Espresso, an independent café on Fossgate. The owners, Steve and Tracey, were formerly part of the Cafe2U franchise, selling coffee around the region from a bright red van. They left behind their lives on the road for a more static existence. Fossgate was the perfect choice to lay down some roots. A nice street, plenty of footfall (but not too central) and a bright, airy room. To this mix they’ve added some interesting furniture. Every piece has been restored just for Spring, and every piece has a story to tell, whether it’s a wheel from a disused Yorkshire mill or something equally intriguing. Ask Steve and he’ll happily point out the industrial notches. The furniture is a mark of Spring’s individuality, as is the rather cool branding. The logo’s wings allude to Steve’s former life in the Air Force. Like Nicola at the Perky Peacock, Steve has achieved some success in the UK Barista Championships – he’s reached the semi-finals. There’s an equal amount of passion for tea, with plenty available, along with cakes and savoury lunchtime options. Service can be mixed, but, on a good day, Spring is exceptional. It’s a popular, cosy, welcoming spot, with some of the best coffee in York.

cosycoffeeshops.co.uk

COSY COFFEE SHOPS

The Perky Peacock\\Lendal Bridge & Gillygate, York.

SpringEspressoFossgate, York.

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Words: Tom Hiskey.

It’s very clear that we’ve all been (well, most of us) under increased financial pressure over the last few years and this pressure has led to a struggle to make ends meet for a lot of people who’d never been faced with this situation. Couple this with an increasingly punitive benefits system and it probably shouldn’t be surprising that a need has arisen for a service like this. What this service certainly is not, is an easy option for anyone. This service is manifestly not about providing for people who’ve not shown the wherewithal to help themselves. Access to the food bank services is only through a voucher system, with access to those vouchers carefully restricted to those experiencing a crisis. If you’re still thinking this is an easy option for media invented stereotypes relying on a hand out after spending their allegedly generous benefits on booze n’ fags then kindly step away. Established 2 years ago in Acomb’s Gateway centre and affiliated with the local church, the food bank has been steadily growing through that time and extending it’s reach further toward those who need it. There are now access points for the food bank in Tang Hall, Clifton and Bell Farm alongside the original service and they stagger their opening to ensure that in extreme cases there’s no need to wait longer than 48 hours to be able to collect a food parcel. Those parcels are not a one size fits all response either, each voucher entitles the bearer to three days worth of food for their household and a couple of hours of discussion about how best to proceed. Just a conversation might not sound like a huge deal, but try and place yourself

in that position. Speaking personally, it’d surely feel a great help to have a safe and open conversation away from your circle of friends and family with someone who’s seen this situation before and may have even been there themselves. Again, we come back to stigmatising anyone who needs help and the implied failure that goes with that. Anything that can pull away from those negative connotations really deserves the fullest of support. All the stock that makes up these parcels comes from public donation and with York being a relatively affluent place donations are not, currently at least, a problem. In fact since January of this year donations have doubled, perhaps in part due to the installation of a permanent collection point in Tesco at Askham Bar. All this would be rather pointless without people to keep things moving though and 150 volunteers give up time to help. It speaks well of the service that a number of the volunteers are former service users. Every month around 150 vouchers are distributed, in a large number of cases in response to those suffering benefit sanctions, to an audience that includes many working age single men. I’ll reinforce my point again - this is not an easy option for anyone. That this service has to exist and is so well used is depressing in itself, in fact the greatest side effect of success would be to run itself out of existence. For the moment though donations of food or money are welcome and very much needed.

Check out york.foodbank.org.uk for info on how to help.

York Food Bank provides an invaluable service for ordinary people. What’s impossible to stress enough is the importance of the word ‘ordinary’ in that sentence. If you’ve any preconceptions left about who may or may not end up using a food bank then ditch them before you continue reading.

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Words: Ben Thorpe.

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The original Ilkley Brewery was founded in 1873, utilising the town’s pure spring waters, famous since Roman times. The brewery was taken over in 1923 by Hammond’s of Bradford and subsequently closed, the head brewer moving a few miles down the road to Keighley where he took up a new post at Timothy Taylor’s. It wasn’t until 2009 that brewing returned to the town. Demand for the beer quickly outstripped the initial eight-barrel plant, and in 2011 the brewery moved to new larger premises, allowing an upgrade to twenty barrels. About a year ago, the team at Ilkley were joined by American brewster, Christa Sandquist. Following her graduation in brewing at Edinburgh’s Heriott Watt University, Christa had spells with Whyte and McKay whisky, and Harviestoun Brewery in Clackmannanshire. Her latest contribution to the Ilkley range utilises both these experiences, using rye, the grain beloved of Bourbon whisky producers, to brew a beer in the German roggenbier style. The beer is amber in colour, with a good, frothy head, and a deep, fruity, malty aroma with vanilla, light floral hops and notes of pepper and candy sugar…all very appetising. In the mouth it’s very full-flavoured with plenty of malty intensity and some burnt caramel. There is a creamy toffee and orange after-taste with a robust tannic bitterness, and a gingery heat creeping into the long bitter-sweet finish. A generous, interesting and distinctive beer. Perhaps as a nod to its American ancestry, the brewery’s recommended food matches are fried chicken, cow pie and beans, and pancakes and syrup…presumably not all at once. Personally, I’d be happy to settle for a few pork scratchings.

@yorkbeerwine

abv 5.0%Words: Jim Helsby.

I first visited The Biltmore around the end of my degree, as I distinctly remember going in for celebratory cocktails (though my memories of leaving are a bit hazier!) I remember the space inside the bar being cavernous and full of happy drinkers, I had little idea though that they also served food. The space has very recently undergone a substantial cosmetic change, making the interior much more inviting to those seeking out a meal. However it still retains much of the glamour which has firmly cemented the bar as one of the most popular drinks locations in York. Having been impressed with the interior, which consists of a bar space/informal dining area downstairs and a more formal dining area upstairs, I was interested to see if the food on offer also lived up to the potential of the bar. In order to find out more, I met with the head chef Mark to discuss how he is putting The Biltmore firmly on the York food map with a focus on fusion flavours and a progressive menu! I was really impressed with Mark’s focus on making The Biltmore a democratic dining space where people can come for a luxurious/interesting, yet also unpretentious, meal. I also had the chance to try one of the most popular items on the menu -

Thai Seafood Trio. This dish consists of Marinated monkfish tail, king scallops, tiger prawns, sweet coconut rice, charred flatbread cone and a Thai inspired coconut & chilli curry sauce.” The dish was also garnished with micro herbs and edible flowers, both of which gave the dish a wonderful visual appeal. In fact, the presentation was quite stunning. However my only comment would be that the curry sauce and rice were rather far apart, making the dish a slight logistical challenge, though this distance is probably a sacrifice I am willing to make for aesthetic reasons. The flavours however were wonderfully balanced; I especially enjoyed the combination of sweet rice when combined with the aromatic curry sauce. The king prawns, monkfish and scallops were succulent and quite substantial - the monkfish was a beautiful counterpoint to the slightly spicy Thai sauce. I think that The Biltmore definitely does offer something different to York’s food scene, which is so often characterised by (extremely good) traditional English cuisine. I also do actually have a rather odd recommendation - I do think that it would make a great place for a first date as the dishes are as visually impressive as the venue.

The biltmore bar & grill

Swinegate, York.

It’s now been over a year since I graduated from university and ceased my student nights out into the city. Whilst York is hardly renowned for it’s clubbing scene, it does have a certain reputation when it comes to pubs and bars, with many different establishments to choose from.

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Words: Beth Vincent.

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Click here to listen to Beth’s interview

with chef Mark.

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While not the joyless flavour vacuum I might have wrongly suspected, there’s one notable absence from the evening menu here - gluten. You may have seen (or more likely not) in this post that there’s a seam of coeliac running through my family so I’m always on the lookout for places that properly understand how to cater for this and take into account cross-contamination issues that make me nervous at less specialised restaurants.  We met in the recently rejuvenated Judges Lodgings for a quick pre dinner drink before heading over to take up our table to get away from the hipster hangout we seemed to have infiltrated. The table we were shown to had a spectacular view along Petergate to the Minster, the windowsill making up two of the seats. We enjoyed the view hugely but the shallow windowsill would have posed a challenge for those with limited mobility. Menus arrived, choices were deliberated over and a good Viognier arrived to ease our decisions.

Filmore & UnionLow Petergate, York.

For some reason Filmore & Union has flown under my radar a bit the last few years. I’d preconceived ideas that it was a bit overpriced and served slightly preachy health conscious fare. I can’t really remember where I got those ideas but when some friends suggested it and I checked out the menu, it didn’t take long to realise I was hopelessly misguided, not for the first (or certainly last) time.

Words: Ben Thorpe.

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For starters we went for beef carpaccio, broccoli cakes and oak-smoked salmon with avocado to share between the four of us. Any lingering reservations about health concerns trumping flavour fell out the window as quickly as I would have given only a modest push. The salmon was rich, well dressed, accompanied with a sensible amount of leaves and set upon by smooth avocado while the beef was partnered superbly with smoked goats cheese. I’d love to comment on the broccoli cakes but the fact they were swallowed before I had a chance to ask for a taste probably speaks volumes. My only criticism would be of the dressing on the beef, a hint too much mustard distracting from meat, quite able to speak for itself. Moving onto our mains, we went for the open salmon and sea bass burger, sashimi tuna, roasted sea bass fillet and baked aubergine in breadcrumbs. The baked aubergine and the sea bass fillet enjoyed by our dining companions didn’t provoke much comment and I was too distracted to press them for opinions. That distraction was primarily courtesy of the tuna, a huge highlight of the meal for me. Perfectly seasoned with ginger and tamarind on a bed of kale, this dish was wonderful, I can think of no way to improve on it - texture, flavour, accompaniment all exceptionally well judged. The salmon and sea bass burger was a wonderful dish too: moist sweet potatoes and the tangily-dressed baby tomatoes complementing the fish superbly. To finish we went for Eton mess, chocolate cheesecake, crème Catalan and a cheeseboard. Not a fan of sweet things, I stayed within my cheesy comfort zone and was happy. The sweets were beautifully presented and prompted a period of silence to attest to the quality. A quick chat to confirm that gluten free status on the way out and a pause to shake the chef ’s hand in the open kitchen left us (me) contemplating why we’d not been there before. The bill was £115 for four people. In retrospect, we might have been a bit tight with the tip, but that’s not much more than an excuse to go back. In a sense I suppose there was a touch of foundation to my earlier prejudices, but I’d horribly misinterpreted how the ethos would manifest itself. The only thing missing here is gluten, which for many is far from a negative.

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When I started this blog my intention was to give a bit of publicity to local businesses and share the fruits of dedicated research into where to eat out in York. My latest subject presents a bit of a problem though, as further publicity will serve only to make it even more of a pain to get a table there. If I also point out that it’s very cheap, that’s potentially even more self-defeating as it could end up more expensive when I return. Still though, I have a duty to share of course so… go to Oshibi. You really won’t regret it.

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The many and varied places to eat on Fossgate and Walmgate are well documented but only a few yards away you can find another gem tucked in Franklins yard. Oshibi inhabits a small space with only a handful of tables in front of an open kitchen from which it serves fantastic Korean food. I’ve tried a couple of times to get a table without a reservation and always ended up standing slightly awkwardly amongst the diners who probably didn’t want me examining their dishes and surreptitiously enjoying the smells. It only took a few months for my brilliant organisational skills to get round to booking a table so it was more than a little excitement we arrived on Friday. The small dining room is brightly lit and informal, even though there’re only a few tables they mercifully aren’t invasively close to one another. Menus were deposited on the table in very short order and followed up, slightly too quickly for my decision making, by a request for a drink order. We ordered a bottle of the only red wine on the menu while we worked our way through the menu. In the absence of starters we went for the grilled pork belly with kimchi and rice and a salmon hotpot bibimbap accompanied by marinated leeks in sesame oil and chilli. The food arrived promptly, in spite of the waiter’s pre-emptive apology that as things were cooked to order there may be a delay, with a minimum of fuss and looked set to live up to expectations.

The crispy pork was brought into sharp relief by the kimchi and punched a kick of heat with each mouthful while the leeks, trimmed into neat batons, had a good crunch. Although the pork was excellent, the bibimbap (Such a pleasing word) was the star of the show for me. A layer of rice topped with vegetables and beautifully flavoured salmon fillets. Mixing these constituents together gave a wonderful variety of flavour combinations that varied with each bite while remaining underpinned by the warming sauce. I was a little concerned by the presence of only a single red wine on the menu but, while not utterly spectacular, it was a perfectly competent accompaniment. Cold beer will perhaps be a better choice to take the edge off of the spice when I return. It’s pretty rare to find the bill to be a highlight of a meal, but when the numbers written on it are this small, it’s nothing other than a nice surprise. Thirty five quid (plus tip) for a good meal and a bottle of wine? Seriously? Fantastic. I can’t recommend eating here enough, while racking my brain for criticisms all I can think of is that the lighting was perhaps a little bright. The future looks very bright for Oshibi as they look to expand upstairs and will shortly be neighboured by Ambiente, who are opening a new branch in the former MOR music shop. With the Rogues Atelier upholsterers and art studio as neighbours, there’s a real buzz going on here. The lucky thing is that the expansion for Oshibi removes any doubt I had about telling you how good it is. Go. It’s superb.

OshibiFranklins Yard, Fossgate, York. Words: Ben Thorpe.

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Bishopthorpe Road has excelled at becoming something of a destination in itself in York over the last 18 months or so with its main shopping run hosting Rice Style, Trinacria and Lal Quilla amongst others to interest those of us with a food obsession. If you head just a little further out of town though you’ll come across another curry house that’s been quietly going about its business and building a reputation. Village Spice is a thoroughly uncomplicated place. Strictly bring your own bottles and no unnecessary frills in the décor or service. It’s certainly not scruffy, but I guess you could construe that lack of effort as a negative. However, a clue to where the focus is can be found in the way the menu is structured. Generic dishes are relegated to the back page while the vast majority of dishes show a variety that suggests this is where attention is lavished. Suitably equipped with Polish beer from the adjacent store (and some rather curious looking ‘Chicken Salami’ that I’m yet to sample) we were seated quickly and realised happily that the race crowd from the day’s Ebor meeting hadn’t invaded. Starters, rice, chapatti, naan and three curries were requested and we engaged in furious debate about something or other very important indeed.

Taking the easy option to start with, we circumvented a decision with the Village Special Mix for four. Consisting of chicken tikka, lamb tikka, seekh kebab and chicken chaat served on a light bread we thought we might have made a mistake and overestimated our appetites. Well-seasoned meat that was colourful without being suspiciously luminous and a well-judged heat boded well for the mains, if we would be able to stretch out stomachs around them. Lamb saag was superb, as with the starters, nicely spiced without replacing flavour with sensation and generously filled with tender, slow-cooked meat. A sweet and mild chicken dish was soaked up the soft, fresh naan superbly and three dishes between four turned out to be perfect after that extravagant starter. The descriptions of heat levels on the menu were pleasingly close to my own interpretations, not challenging anyone too much. We accompanied these with a single naan, a single portion of mushroom rice and a couple of chapattis between four of us in an effort to not leave huge amounts uneaten (you can’t unorder stuff after all) and were pleasingly accurate with our prediction, heading off very full but not at undue risk of a Mr Creosote style catastrophe. I can’t say quite why it’s so cheap, perhaps that simple focus on food rather than surroundings, but for all that it came to £45 for four of us (obviously not including anything to drink). Well prepared, simple food at superb prices that I can’t recommend enough. If only every local curry was this focussed on what matters.

Village spiceBishopthorpe Road, York.

York’s curry houses have taken a bit of a battering in recent years as a variety of them have been subject to significant fines for food hygiene breaches. Thankfully we seem to be in something of a renaissance these days though as Coconut Lagoon seems to be making a traditionally tricky site work, Akbars remains consistent and offers those amusingly large naans and Viva Goa is receiving good word of mouth coverage.

Words: Ben Thorpe.

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Initial reports I heard in the early days of their opening weren’t massively encouraging but a very positive review from a colleague of my fiancé prompted a scan of Tripadvisor (always read the worst reviews, they’re probably no more accurate but more likely to be funny) which seemed to confirm this assessment via a series of recent glowing reviews. Initially planning a quick meal for two before a York Bar Billiards match, plans were expanded to also include a couple of team mates, one of whom I asked to book. We arrived a little out of breath as the booking was made for ten minutes after we left the office and also to include an extra seat “just in case”. Climbing the stairs to the restaurant from the unobtrusive entrance (now signposted rather more obviously than previously) I tried to remember what the place had looked like under its previous occupants…but failed. The Siam House was perfectly passable, but we were to find an experience surpassing that stewardship of the venue. A comfortable looking seating area with cushions and rugs greets you at the opening of a long, open room that’s flooded with light from the huge window overlooking Goodramgate, responsible for the sun being in my eyes for much of the meal. A fellow blogger mentioned that when she visited, she was so drunk all she could remember was the dodgy décor. While it would benefit from fancying up a bit, I’m not sure I’d go as far as to say it was dodgy. Gender stereotyping of priorities perhaps, I once lived in a house for three years before I noticed the walls were different colours above and below the dado rail. We were in a bit of a hurry to get to that Bar Billiards match at the Fulford Arms so asked for starters and mains to be delivered all together. It took a little bit of time to catch a waiter’s eye initially, but service for the rest of the meal was spot on and deserving of the large tip our poor maths would later prompt.

Yak & YetiGoodramgate, York.

The north of England is hardly awash with Nepalese cuisine. My rather half-hearted attempts to find any other than York’s Yak & Yeti turned up nowhere more northerly than Birmingham, so we certainly should be counting ourselves lucky with this entry. If you’ve the patience to run through more than three pages of Google results, feel free to correct me. The Yak & Yeti occupies a space vacated by The Siam House Thai restaurant on Goodramgate. I’m not sure of its origins, but perhaps we owe its presence in our city to the Gurkha squadron based at Imphal Barracks in York.

Words: Ben Thorpe.

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Poppadums were complimentary and served with an unidentified tomato-based dip that, while not as flavoursome as what was to come, served its purpose in moistening the crisps perfectly adequately. For starters we went for vegetable pakora, lamb momo and lamb kebab. The pakora was a very pleasant surprise as on initial inspection it looked like it might be a touch heavy, but the batter encompassing the shredded vegetables proved light and tasty while the momo was a treat. Reminiscent of gyoza or peirogi, these steamed dumplings were delicately meaty without being overwhelming and something I certainly suggest trying. I’ll be trying the pork and vegetable variants at some point, but perhaps it’d be nice to add a menu option to try all three in a single dish. The lamb kebab was the one duff note of the meal. While not bad enough to warrant a complaint, the meat was tough when compared with the high standards set elsewhere. Clearly good quality meat and not at all fatty, just a bit overcooked. Our main courses were chicken curry, lamb curry, Yak & Yeti beef, pork chilli and annapurna (spicy) chicken, all accompanied by Nepalese fried rice cooked in ghee and washed down with Nepali beers. My tolerance for spice in food is fairly pitiful so I was a touch nervous that I’d spend the rest of the evening sweating onto the Billiards table, but the strength was thankfully restrained. While there was enough to provoke interest in the dishes, it wasn’t at the expense of flavour in the case of anything we ordered. It’s worth noting that the portion sizes were smaller than one might expect for curries but unless

you’re a glutton, you’ll be fine. What was universally agreed upon was the quality of every dish. Tender meat, sauces that didn’t overwhelm or rely on overs-salting for flavour…everything was superb. My Yak and Yeti Beef exceeded expectations, but I felt the most distinguished dish was the chilli pork my partner ordered. Slightly reminiscent of sweet and sour, but without the cloying acidity or overwhelming flavour, the pork was perfectly cooked. We couldn’t quite put our fingers on all the elements of flavour, both unfamiliar and tantalisingly close to recognition. Both of us will debate who eats the lion’s share of this dish when we return. The more generically-titled curries were excellent also – luckily my authorship of this blog entitles me to dive onto any adjacent plate “just to check” and I would never be disappointed with one of these. Rice was also excellent, complementing the portion sizes to form a good meal. The final happy surprise was, for once, the bill. £83 to feed five people including three beers and a bottle of wine? Seriously? In retrospect I’m starting to wonder if they missed something off by mistake but unless the magnitude of that hypothetical error was colossal, this was a huge bargain. Unable to figure out a way of dividing the bill without resorting to messing around with convoluted maths or piles of change (despite the presence of a maths teacher) we rounded it up to a hundred quid (told you it was a good tip) and wondered how the evening could even improve further. It really didn’t, we lost that Bar Billiards match.

One of the newer additions to this scene is Brew and Brownie, who are (roughly now) celebrating their first anniversary. Slickly presented, friendly and comfortable, all the omens are good. With a year of service under its belt and a growing reputation, we felt lucky to get a table on a weekday morning, mindful of reports from friends bemoaning their inability to get a table at 11 on a Saturday morning! Quirkily decorated without pretension, everything feels functional without giving way to style over substance. Cute old cinema seats in particular make an appearance. The brown paper aesthetic of the menu fits in neatly!

Americano, toast with peanut butter and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon appeared after a short interval. The chunks of unscrambled yolk raised a few questions about how much time was given over to the actual scrambling but being perfectly seasoned and generously festooned with smoked salmon made things more than right.  A patty of neatly presented butter accompanied toast with peanut butter for my companion as we both appreciated the Haxby Bakehouse bread. If pushed I’d ask for a slightly ‘softer’ tasting coffee, the default being a touch harsh for my taste (I can’t abide milk in coffee so perhaps notice minor variations more, or am fussy) and a touch smaller portion but there’s no reason Brew and Brownie shouldn’t be one of York’s many default breakfast/coffee/elevenses/coffee choices. Here’s to many more years of success!

Brew & BrownieMuseum St, York.

It’s not hard to find a good cup of coffee in York. Award-winning baristas abound amongst quirky independent coffee shops all successfully chiselling out their own niche. Perky, Spring, Harlequins, Kafeneion and others all find a happy clientele while begging questions of those frequenting the chain coffee shops that otherwise overpopulate our towns.

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LIG

HT

DA

RK

Words: Ben Thorpe.

Vincent’s guide to

coffee

LIG

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FLORALS

PIC

E

FRUITY

NUTTY MOCHA

The lightest, most aromatic part of a taste, floral notes provide a delicate and refreshing counterpart to the darker, richer flavours of a coffee. Look for: Roses, Lilac, shading towards Heather and even Grass.

Most coffees have strong fruity flavours - the bean comes from a fruit after all - however these can become masked by

bitterness in poorly roasted and commercial blends. These notes can range from lighter citrus and pear flavours to rich

and sweet berries and plums. Different brewing times and techniques can affect these a lot; experimentation at home

can produce surprising and rewarding results. Look for: Lemon, Orange, Blackberry, Cucumber.

The darkest, warmest flavours of a coffee. In poorly constructed blends bitterness is often passed off as richness. True mocha flavours have a chocolatey smoothness which, while flirting with bitterness, never loses aromatic fullness. Look for: Chocolate, Honey, Blackcurrant.

There is a very large range of nutty flavours developed in a coffee. They are greatly affected by the amount of roasting - too little and they fail to develop, remaining woody and thin, too much and they can become burnt and lose richness. Sharing light, organic notes with the fruity flavours, but have a savoury tang which is both warming and refreshing. Look for: Peanut, Walnut, Almond, Hazelnut.

Forget gingerbread lattes, a well roasted coffee develops warm and magically subtle spicy notes all by itself. These can shade out of fragrant, woody flavours into cedar and pepper, softening into thyme and even cinnamon. Look for: Pine, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Tobacco.

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I’ve been told on occasion that I have terrible table manners. I lean my elbows on the table, wipe my mouth with my hands, slip out of my flip flops, eat from my knife, use my fingers and a present a litany of other petty openings for criticism. You may (or more likely may not) recall that my last visit to Melton’s first Saturday meal was marred somewhat by the presence of a gentleman a number of years in advance of mine who was intent on making sure that the whole restaurant, and indeed most of Scarcroft Road, were in the thrall of his wise words. Arriving for the seafood-themed menu, it was with dropping hearts that we realised the same gentleman was sat behind us, seemingly substituting his daughter and her fiancé as companions for his son and his new girlfriend. The upstairs room at Melton’s is small, though not uncomfortably crammed with tables, so it didn’t take long before we were exchanging pained expressions with the neighbouring tables’ occupants. Manners may be a (debatable) weak point of mine but English reserve apparently is not, so we endured.

Fortunately the food was, as expected, good enough to distract from our entitled friend. Bread arrived soon enough along with a carafe of Muscadet, though we had to wait a little longer for the first course of Moules Marinieres. In fact mere seconds after we were debating asking if we’d been forgotten, one of the proprietors appeared to apologise and reassure us that the delay was a reflection of fresh prep taking a touch longer than expected rather than forgetfulness. Not totally perfect but honesty remains a better policy than defensiveness. The mussels were completely devoid of grit and superbly seasoned, covered in a sauce perfect to soak up with fresh bread. The next course of scallops was also superbly presented: two pan-fried examples nestling over pea puree. Comparing inevitably to last Sunday’s meal at the Star the scallops were a touch over cooked, lacking a final few percent of taste and moisture in their core, but still a satisfying course sliced through with pea flavour.

Please don’t forget that all this time we’ve the simulacrum of superiority shouting in our ears, even drowning out our own attempts at conversation. Thoughts of the Sydney opera house, Australian wildlife and how best to obtain partial refunds on Wimbledon tickets hammered their way across the room. Sighing onwards, we tucked into lobster and fish: white fish and salmon, somehow miraculously boneless, resting amongst small cubes of carrot and celery, As with previous courses, the fish was topped with lovely sauce that didn’t rely on over-salting for taste. Further treatise on the state of the railways (“how much did you have to pay for your ticket?”, “Well I wouldn’t know would I”) woodpeckering into the brain jumped over the final course of seasonal fruits and wine granita (semi-frozen sugar and wine). Not really to my taste but the lemon shortbread and cream finished things off neatly without triggering my over-sensitivity to sweet flavours.

Cutting short any thoughts of coffee, we settled a seventy-five pound bill with an owner sympathetic to our whining about our load companion, contemplating thoughts of how to avoid him on subsequent visits. Considering this gentleman further, I suspect he’d be horrified by my habit of holding a knife and fork in a single hand while sipping wine or my lack of deference to cutlery convention but utterly unaware of his own negative impact on his surrounds. Can I suggest, on this basis, that if you’re irritated by the lack of convention observed at an adjacent table then that’s your problem, but if you can’t avoid the braying superiority next door than that’s certainly not your problem. Isn’t that what good manners really are? There’s a phrase I like, the provenance of which I can’t remember.

“Opinions are like arseholes. Everyone knows you have one, nobody wants to hear it.”

Melton’sRESTAURANTScarcroft Rd, York.

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Words: Ben Thorpe.

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If you follow their social media presence, you’ll have seen mention of ‘No 8 taking steps to branch out into home delivery services and cookery courses, the initial running of which have been offered at reduced rates. With the opportunity to try Welsh Wagyu sirloin, a headline attraction for me, it was a very easy £35 (per couple for the moment, to increase shortly) to spend. Inadvertently taking a tour of Escrick on the way, we turned up with at least a minute to spare, possibly two, but were saved the embarrassment of being last by a couple of stragglers. It must be said that the late arrivals suggest a need for the issuing of clearer directions. Coffee and water were provided as things kicked off around a beautiful selection of pieces meat and some instruction on the characteristics to look for when choosing cuts of beef. Sensibly pragmatic hygiene instruction followed before we got stuck into prodding the meat, feeling for texture and moisture… then the first piece was committed to the oven.  A joint went into the wonderfully hi tech looking appliance (why doesn’t my oven have touch screen controls?) and we went back to be instructed on butterflying and trimming.

Feather blade steaks and minute steaks came and went as we got into some significant whisking and stirring to throw together Béarnaise and blue cheese sauces before the sous vide came into play and the men in the room shoved to the front, enjoying a few approving noises over the gadgety vacuum packer. By this time the joint was ready to come out and rest (book yourself on so you too know why this is important!) and we got into grilling the now prepared steaks, accompanied by regular prodding to check firmness of course. With a healthy selection of meat now resting ready to serve, the star of the show came to play. Wagyu beef enjoys a legendary status (in my head anyway - beer-fed and regularly massaged cows? Sign me up for bovinification please) and has been on ‘the list’ for years without ever quite having come to fruition - if I cooked it myself and cocked it up the evening would be ruined - so a really good prod was in order. One of the more unusual cuts was Onglet. Sometimes classed as offal, the group’s interest was piqued and we were ready to get stuck in.

Cafe no. 8 Steak courseGillygate, York.Cafe No. 8 on GIllygate has been one of the most satisfying places to eat in York for years. Whether you’re after an extended evening meal in a relaxing surrounding or a leisurely (bargain-priced) breakfast, it tends to hit the spot. I’m sure I’ll not resist the temptation of blogging about their food for too long, but in the meantime I’ve taken a trip out to their development kitchen in Escrick to check out some beautiful steak and be humbled by the knowledge it takes to produce food to such a consistently high standard.

Words: Ben Thorpe.

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One by one the cuts were enjoyed with the sauces we’d made and the stunningly tasty gravy. The looks of ecstasy prompted were pretty extravagant, and discussion centred on favourite cuts. Points agreed by the group included that, while still fantastically tasty, the Wagyu didn’t deliver on the premium it commanded. Maybe the victim of its own reputation and our high expectations. The Onglet didn’t disappoint either, a rich flavour and initial comparison to kidney or liver gave way to impressions of game. Certainly a conversation piece to kick off a dinner party. Over the course of two hours we’d had a crack at some basic knife skills, learnt how to choose a good chunk of meat, tried and observed several cooking techniques, had the benefit of expert instruction, eaten

what was in effect a superb meal, had good company and, to top it all off, were left to barter amongst ourselves over which pieces of leftover meat each of us would take home. I can’t recommend booking yourself on enough, yes we had an astonishing bargain today but even if the price were doubled it would be a superb way to spend a couple of hours. Cafe No 8 is a superb place to eat and I had a nervousness about their branching out, fearing the restaurant would suffer. Having seen the resources and skill they can call upon, that fear is certainly allayed. The only regret I have right now is that I didn’t book a table there for dinner!

Check out their Facebook page for further dates and details.

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Generally hosted in someone’s home, a supper club lets you sample their food in return for a suggested donation - not a fee, that would imply compliance with hygiene rules incompatible with a domestic environment amongst other things - along with a few other lucky strangers. One of the features of the York Food Festival is a ‘Dine at my table’ option that lets York’s residents open up their homes and publicise it in conjunction with the wider festival. That publicity finally pushed me into getting on board. I selected Set the Table on the basis of the host’s training under Yotam Ottolenghi and quickly emailed a request for a seat. Slightly less quickly, I realised that it was clearly fully booked already… and hastily changed the date.  Conveniently located (for me) near Fulford School, we found ourselves rather early in our eagerness to eat. No problem though; a quick half in the Plough put us back on schedule, though sadly their pub cat wasn’t to be seen. A friendly welcome from hosts Becky and Matt assured us that we were in the right place as we got straight into canapés of roast beetroot, caramelised onion and fig tarts alongside delicately spiced lavosh (seeded crisp bread). The Viognier we’d picked up on the way from the York Beer & Wine shop proved superb, and a good basis for the evening was formed. More guests arrived in due course to make up the evening’s full complement of nine people and we took our seats.

The wooden clothes pegs securing our napkins were impossible to put down between courses, so thankfully we got our first plates quickly: carrot and butternut fritters with a sharp lemon and coriander yoghurt dressing that were quickly demolished by everyone and raised expectations of the next course even higher. Pleasant small talk pushed to one side, we got stuck into the mains: arancini formed of quinoa (go on, admit you can pronounce it)  and goats cheese… those expectations were easily beaten. With just dessert left to summit, I enjoyed the plum, pistachio and coconut cake, despite my pathological plum aversion. Coffee and chocolates rounded things out and we were away. Returning to the ugly issue of price… twenty five quid. There’s little point discussing value relative to a restaurant. Becky’s food speaks for itself and is comfortably on a par with anything I’ve had served in York, and the experience notably more intriguing. There’s of course an inherent risk that someone awful will turn up and ruin the whole evening but what’s risk without reward? Becky is clearly a talented cook and, based on our experience, these events seem unlikely to tempt the truly antisocial. A unique opportunity to meet new people over fantastic food that I can’t recommend attending enough!

Set the table Supper ClubBeing the vibrant sort of place that it is, York’s residents are often keen to share their culinary skill with fellow obsessives. As a result of that, there’re a variety of nice supper clubs around the city that I’ve singularly failed to take advantage of over the years, despite even living on the same street as a well regarded one for a while. As usual, I’m a couple of years behind the trend, but ready to start playing catch up.

Words: Ben Thorpe.

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“Bicisymas”“Bless you. Want a tissue?”“No, BICISYMAS”“Is that some religious festival I’ve not heard of?”

Minor pronunciation-based confusion aside, it’s not too hard to find Bicis y Mas on Walmgate; the latest addition to the street’s food scene comes from a slightly oblique trajectory. A bike shop and workshop that offers vegetarian food and continental beers (‘bikes and more’, literally) situated in the former GA White’s furniture store feels a slightly worrying collection of specialities to fill. We popped up early on a Saturday morning for breakfast and made a couple of easy choices to have a standard vegetarian breakfast and some spiced beans on toast. Service was a little bit on the slow side but when the food appeared, it was clear that the presentation and fresh preparation took a little bit of time. In the interim, a well balanced Americano and an Earl Grey tea (loose leaf ) kept us ticking over despite my partner’s difficulties with the mechanics of the teapot. The vegetarian breakfast was pleasingly hearty and varied in taste. A brace of perfectly fried eggs topped bubble n’ squeak, veggie sausage and a hash of tomato and mushroom while toast was served on the side (a mix of granary and white). The bubble n’ squeak was excellent, fried to a perfect crust and consistently tasty. It missed the pleasingly unpredictable nature of Sunday roast B&S leftovers, but this was a moist pleasure. Vegetarian sausages were a touch less overwhelmingly successful: butternut squash, sage and onion came through but none strongly enough to really replace a

more porcine offering. I’m still trying to place the flavour, but this was the one element which felt notably inferior to its fleshy counterpart. Tomato and mushroom chunks complemented everything well to negate the need for other sauces and I left satisfied. Those eggs in particular were notable. I’d not want to fight a hen laying eggs with yolks that size! Spiced baked beans was a more straightforward dish, though not to the detriment of flavour. Lemongrass flavours made their way through from the more generic spice and marked out an adventurously spiced portion. It was perhaps a touch too much so for my taste but (as mentioned before) that reflects me as much as the dish. The coffee was good, tea was good and came with an offering of lemon or milk, loose tea portions being left to one’s own devices to infuse (unless you get confused…), so everything worked. Having a sniff around the bikes, I found them more sensibly priced than I’d feared too. That name though. I can’t help but think that easy pronunciation of one’s name should be a priority when opening a new place. As we were leaving, we asked the staff how it should be pronounced and got a very mixed response. Still, if you can manage to arrange the meeting point and are open to vegetarian food, you’re onto a winner here.

Bicis y Mas\Walmgate, York. Words: Ben Thorpe.

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“I’d not want to Fight a hen laying eggs with yolks that size!”

The Star Inn THE CityMuseum Street, York.

When I started this blog just a few short months ago, the first place I chose to feature was The Star Inn the City. Its newness seemed a neat match to the beginnings of this site while expectations were high after previous visits to its elder sibling in Harome. Those high expectations were met, so I came away very impressed and determined to pop back as soon as time and funds permitted. However in trying to get round as many of York’s places to eat, my only repeat visits since then have amounted to breakfast and cold drinks on the terrace, So, when the Chef Manager Matt suggested I come back and take a run through of the updated menu, I was only too happy to accept the offer.

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Words: Ben Thorpe.

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The Star Inn THE CityMuseum Street, York.

There needs to be a clear disclaimer at this point. As I say, I was invited back and as such didn’t foot the bill. For context, the bill for two would have come to roughly £150 + tip. I hope if you’ve read anything else on here you’ll realise that, while I don’t make a point of finding criticisms for the sake of it, I’m honest enough to make constructive points. Receiving a warm welcome (predictably I guess given the invite) we took a drink in the bar before getting stuck into the food. The Yorkshire Lager is nicely refreshing and at only 4.2% doesn’t pack an undue punch or sacrifice flavour. Something I’ve previously proved in the hot sun on the terrace. For the sake of balance, on that occasion I had a good whinge on twitter about the slow and disorganised service. Before we took our table the Chef Manager, Matt, joined us to say hello and explain the thinking behind the dishes he’d picked and highlight the local provenance of the ingredients. Confirming that we’d no

dietary requirements or allergies our waiter, James, was introduced ready to pick a wine for us. Not having any idea what we were about to be served there seemed little point in trying to choose blind so James recommended a Portuguese Vinho Verdi that was “summer in a glass” Fortunately he was right and can therefore be forgiven the hyperbole. We started with summer herb soup, which was presented as its neatly-arranged constituent parts in a bowl over which broth was poured to complete the dish. The neat trick to this was the changing texture and flavour as the hot broth melts the chunks of goats cheese, further softening its flavour against the mint undertones and fresh peas. When curiosity got the better of us and we asked what herbs were in the soup, we were presented a few moments later with a comically-long list, comfortably topping twenty entries. The soup was elegantly topped with an edible nasturtium flower, slightly better to look at than swallow.

The presentation of the starters was immaculate; generous chunks of lobster scattered with soft-boiled quail eggs and French bread toasts (which it must be said seemed to bear more than a passing resemblance to the croutons in the soup) complemented the aioli beautifully. The lobster meat soft and tender, I can’t recall nicer lobster outside of that there London’s Burger and Lobster. The other starter was of seared scallops with braised pork cheek set against cauliflower puree and piccalilli. Initial concerns about this being a slightly eccentric flavour combination were very quickly allayed. Coming across as a modernist ‘Surf & Turf ’, the curry notes of the piccalilli brought out the moisture and textures of the scallops which were seared to perfection having clearly been subjected to a very high heat before a confident chef allowed the residual heat to cook them through. Pausing to consider the view of the Museum Gardens from our privileged table and the good weather, our main courses soon arrived, headlined by locally reared pork fillet and duck. The roast pork was presented on a bed of sage-y bubble and squeak and supported by black pudding faggots over which a cider gravy provided a sweet backdrop. I wasn’t a massive fan of the granny smith puree, but that’s more a reflection on my palate’s foibles than the dish. However, the ethos of using local ingredients was further reinforced by the use of sweet little Ampleforth apples. The pan-fried Beverly-reared duck breast was cooked to perfection and resplendent on a smear of carrot puree. The accompanying citrus sausage roll didn’t seem to shout about the citrus part of its description but was nevertheless well-seasoned. The pickled cherries were not really to my taste.

By this point, we were firmly entrenched at our table and firm friends with James, whose close but not overbearing attentions seemed to be replicated at the adjacent tables. One thing I certainly hadn’t expected was the appearance of two cocktails at this point. While I can appreciate the skill that goes into creating such generally objectionably tinted drinks, I’ve never had the slightest interest in trying them. Not being one to kick a gift horse in the teeth, I sacrificed my otherwise unfailingly masculine reputation and at least tried them. I may not be converted but the ‘Ouse Bank Collins’ with rose water, white wine and soda was light and refreshing. Accompanying these, a delightfully light raspberry sorbet was served over a few locally picked berries which formed an excellent palate cleanser. Moving onto the home stretch, belt notches loosened as required, we fought our way through the final course. You may have gathered by now that I’m not hugely keen on sweet flavours but the ‘York Coffee Emporium’ lived up to a touch more of James’ hyperbole, cream topping scattered with a few coffee beans giving way to ever darker flavours. The summer fruit terrine was equally well received by my partner: “This encapsulates everything that’s beautiful about an English summer!” she exclaimed.  As I tried to work up the enthusiasm to walk home over an espresso, Matt removed himself from the kitchen to chat things over and see what we thought, showing openness and enthusiasm as he discussed how they’d resolved earlier issues in the kitchen by changing the relative complexity of the starters and mains.

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It feels to me a little jarring that recent Tripadvisor reviews have felt pretty harsh to the staff here. As I type this, recent reviews are headlined: “way overpriced”, “just OK”, “good but not great”, “very satisfactory”, “atrocious”, “not bad but…” As a rule, I read only the worst reviews on Tripadvisor. At best, they highlight the author’s personality and as such give a better idea of what any problems might be and at worst they’re funny, or prompt an amusing indignant response from the owner. I was surprised to see such a range though and found this subsequently backed up by friends without agenda whose opinions I trust. I probably need to call into question my impartiality again at this point as I reiterate that I didn’t pay for any of this meal, but I can’t really see where they’re coming from. Perhaps the Star is striking into an awkward middle ground, neither presenting a hugely complex and

labour-intensive Michelin-starred experience or a back-to-basics focus on simplicity. Yes, it’s expensive and if I’d been assaulting my own wallet there’re a couple of things I’d have skipped, but don’t forget I have been here before on my own ticket and left feeling like the meal had been good value – something that hasn’t been the case on leaving other expensive York restaurants. I think that hitting that middle ground is the Star’s strength. This meal is at the extreme end of what they can offer but if you want to sit on the terrace for a quick pint, that’s fine. If you want a snack in the bar, then that’s fine too. Order one course in a hurry or get closely acquainted with the whole menu, it’s really up to you and from what I see here, the team are adamant that this flexibility joins a reliance on local sourcing policies as a bit of a trademark. I’ll certainly be back and keeping a curious eye on those Tripadvisor keyboard warriors.

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Method:

1. Dice your squash into bite sized chunks and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence – roast in the oven at 180ºc for around 25 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, drop your macaroni into boiling water and cook for 11 minutes – drain and leave to one side.

3. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan, then add the flour. Beat into a paste over the heat for a couple of minutes. Using a whisk, gradually add the milk to the mixture. If lumps appear keep rapidly whisking until you’re left with a smooth sauce. Add the grated cheese and sliced chilli, and salt to taste. (Save some cheese to sprinkle on top).

4. Remove the squash from the oven. Mix the macaroni and sauce together, then gently stir in the squash. Tip into an oven safe dish and top with reserved cheese.

5. Put the dish back into the oven (still at 180ºc). It’s ready when the top has caramelised and is bubbling nicely.

6. Serve straight away with the pumpkin or sunflower seeds sprinkled on top for a bit of crunch.

Ingredients:

400g butternut squash

100g macaroni

40g butter

40g plain flour

100g strong mature cheddar, grated

200ml milk

1 birdseye chilli, finely sliced

Heaped tsp. Herbes de Provence

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp. of sunflower/pumpkin seeds

Spicy Butternut Mac & Cheese

Serves 4.Words: Lucyfoodsnaps.The weather has turned. The bright sun is lower in the sky, trees are beginning to become golden and the damp air smells of woodland and fires; Autumn in coming, which is happy news in this house. Along with new smells and sights, Autumn brings a new season for pumpkin, squash and gourds. Vibrant orange, yolk yellow and stripy-evergreen veg starts to appear on the shelves in all shapes and sizes. It’s time to start racking your brain for recipes to keep up with the nobbly glut. My pumpkin of choice this time was the old reliable butternut squash – and after going slightly pasta mad in our last food shop (‘did you mean to order ten bags?!’), some kind of butternut bake was on the agenda. Having pondered, I landed on a pumpkin mac & cheese spiked with hot chilli, surely the most Autumnal dinners there is.

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Method:

1. Heat some olive oil in a griddle pan. Toss the diced chicken in all the herbs and spices and gently fry with the garlic.

2. Boil the kettle and pour it over the couscous and Bouillon. The water should be 1cm above the couscous.

3. Cover with cling film and leave it to swell up.

4. Uncover the couscous and add the spring onion, chilli, lemon juice, chopped apricot and black pepper. Stir through with a fork.

5. Plate up the couscous and put the spicy chicken on top. Garnish with a wedge of lemon, sour cream, chilli and some fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thigh fillets, diced

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1tsp. dried coriander

1 tbsp. hot chilli powder

1tsp. smoked paprika

2 cloves garlic olive oil

2 cups couscous

Juice of half a lemon

1tsp. vegetable bouillon

Handful of dried apricots

2 spring onions

Chopped red chilli to taste

Few grinds black pepper

Sour cream

2 lemon wedges

Fresh herbs

More chopped chilli

Moroccan Chickenwith Lemon and Apricot Couscous.Words: Lucyfoodsnaps. Serves 2.

The weather is in my bad books today. I don’t know about you but when it’s grey and overcast I get blue and moody. Throw in a poorly pooch and lost bank card and you’ve got one grumpy blogger! To remedy this woe-is-me situation I knocked up some Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Apricot Couscous. Instant sunshine and no more self pity. It’s my own personal chicken soup for the soul.

Having eaten this in front of a new E.P. of Nashville with a zingy candle burning, my mood has improved immeasurably. The stress of frantically searching for my bank card with a sick pup in the vets is a distant memory, thank gawd. And even better, he’s snoozing happily next to me. This Moroccan Chicken tastes as colourful as it looks, takes 15 minutes to whip up and has cheered me right up! Woo!

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