Frank Family Butchers offers the most amazing and wide range of locally sourced meats from either Thirsk auction or their family farm (Toft Gate Farm, Greenhow). Lucky lucky us, for Frank is now in its fourth year in Thirsk and just goes on extending its range with no lowering of quality. On the contrary, Frank’s rib of beef is something out of this world, and and let’s not forget the mince, and the big fat sausages… but I mustn’t go on though it would be so easy to do so, given the quality and choice.
Come along with me, as I need to tell you that their renovation which has just seen its first anniversary, has transformed the shop and made it so much easier for them, and us. Have a look.
Clearly a great deal of thought went into re-shaping the premises. Roll of drums: bring on the renovators: clatter clatter as everything was improved, from the tiles to the flooring, to the lighting, to the display counters, which were moved to form an L shape allowing more room for customers and making it easier for us to see ALL the pies at the end of the shop as well as ALL the meats. Honestly, it is a lesson in temptation. I can’t tell you how often I have gone in for just those big fat scrumptious sausages, and come out staggering under the weight of food I couldn’t resist.
The lack of resistance factor, sadly for my chubbiness, includes their pies. I am a sucker for crisp tasty pastry. Are you? If so, you will think you have entered a space called ‘happy’. My favourite pie is the pork and stilton. Or I think it is. It could just be the straight pork pie, or the pork with- No, I must stop. The only thing to do is to work your way from one end of the pie counter to the other. Probably take a year. No rush because you haven’t even started on the meats, and neither have you finished your conversation with Chief Honcho Simon Frank, who is serving you.
Eventually I move across to the meats, and start chatting to Jack, as I did yesterday. Don’t be fooled though, because all the while the customers are actually multi tasking. Yes, they are nodding and talking but are also eyeing the quite impossible to ignore cuts such as rib of beef, shoulder of lamb, chicken and on, and on but I’ve already mentioned the beef… I’m on a roll, you see.
One of the strengths of Frank Family Butchers is the prepared meals, and inevitably I gravitate to them because they make life so much easier. The choice is wide, so yesterday I picked out just one; the Italian Jobs. Jack had been busy earlier rustling up a few of these Italian treats and I felt sure they would be sublime. Naturally I needed to know the recipe, and how to actually make a good fist of cooking the chicken breasts. The real question was though, between you and me, could I possibly pass it off as my own work from start to finish? No? Oh, all right, you’re quite correct, my mother would be proud of you. ‘That’s fibbing, and not funny, nice or kind,’ she’d say.
However, this is what you would say, should you be tempted to claim all credit: lay out your chicken fillet , and fill with creamy mozzarella cheese, then wrap it in streaky bacon and finish with a light herby tomato marinade. And the cooking? Ah, easy peasy, just oven bake for 30 mins at 180 in the foil trays provided and enjoy with courgettes sauteed with rosemary tips, and sauteed potato, or salad. I’d suggest a glass of a decent Merlot would not go amiss. I confess I haven’t given it a go in an air fryer, but on a low heat I think it should be fine. Try it and see is the answer.
As for the Italian Jobs enjoyed yesterday evening. Honestly – perfection, and my family agreed. I cannot tell you if I fibbed or not. They could be reading this. But hooray for Frank Family Butchers. Great team and fabulous products. https://www.facebook.com/p/Frank-Family-Butchers-100083173420033/?locale=en_GB
