Tag Archives: manchester

The Christmas Dinner that Spreads Joy

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secret santa

It’s only one day but what if you had nothing to look forward to over the Christmas period?

A lot of us might think of the elderly living alone, no-one to make their Christmas a special event but there are many people for whom Christmas can be a painful time. We may not give a passing thought to younger members of society yet many of them will be dreading Christmas too. And if it wasn’t for something that popped up on my Facebook feed I might still be guilty of that.

Facebook might be littered with photographs of what people had for dinner, indulgent cakes, cheesy cartoons and cute dogs – but now and then, among all the dross, something will catch your eye, as a friend’s Facebook post did mine. How would I like to be a Secret Santa? All I had to do was follow the link  to Amazon, choose a pressie and click. Simple yet stunning and I felt I had to share.

There are many young people leaving care, who may be living in B & Bs, bedsits, sleeping the streets or on friend’s sofas and many of them will be dreading Christmas. Lemn Sissay, award-winning official poet of London Olympics 2012 knows how that feels. He was a care leaver himself and he came up with this wonderful idea to make sure that those who are in a similar position have a fantastic Christmas.

Behold The Christmas Dinner  One big Christmas party when they can relax, have fun and be given gifts – this is where the Secret Santa comes in. A festive day for care leavers (those who are 18 – 25 who have been looked after by local authorities away from the home for at least thirteen weeks since the age of fourteen, as well as those with a background in care within the home).

The Christmas Dinner started in Manchester in 2013 but this year there will be similar events in Hackney, Leeds and Oxford.

I spoke with Jill Ambrazitis, who is organising The Christmas Dinner in Leeds to find out more about event and how to get involved.

How many people in the team to bring this sort of event to fruition?

The steering committee for the Leeds event comprised approximately 20 people.  We will also have additional volunteers assisting with set-up on Christmas Eve, more on Christmas Day to help with the actual event and then a further group on Boxing Day to assist with clear-up etc.

How many young people will receive gifts this year?

We anticipate that there will be 50 care leavers attending our event this year, all of whom will receive gifts.

Who devised the list, accepts delivery, wraps the presents etc?

Lemn suggested that we set up an Amazon wish list, (we believe Manchester and Hackney were already doing this).  I added the suggested gifts and required quantities to the Leeds Wish List on Amazon. All gifts purchased from the list will be delivered to me.  We have a group of volunteers participating in a marathon gift wrapping session on Saturday 17 December.

How can people get involved? 

At this stage, mostly by being Secret Santas and purchasing gifts via the Amazon Wish list using this link https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/1A1SAFC1KDL5B/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

Ideally, we would like to have as many of the gifts as possible delivered by 16 December (prior to the wrapping activity), however, having said that this does not mean that we would not accept contributions/donations thereafter!  In addition, our venue does not have any sofas/soft furnishings, so if there is anyone who has bean bags/sofas etc. that they are not using and would be prepared to lend/donate these to us  that would be amazing.

So, click on the link and choose your present. It’s quick and easy way of being Secret Santa and it will make someone’s day to receive a sackful of presents.

If anyone else is thinking of doing something similar you can find out exactly how to plan your event for 2017 on Lemn Sissay’s blog.

The Perfume Studio – Review by Talia Lee-Skudder

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If you’re looking for a unique and fun Christmas gift idea then the Perfume Studio masterclass should be at the top of your list.

The Perfume Studio invites you to spend a day learning about the art of perfumery and creating your own unique and bespoke scent. I attended their masterclass in Manchester last Saturday, and was enrolled on the Platinum Experience which meant I got to walk away with a 20ml bottle filled with my own signature scent.

 

Guests were welcomed with a glass of fizz, or orange juice for those who weren’t quite ready to start drinking at 11 am on a Saturday morning. Once everyone had settled at their tables, the perfume stylist, Freda Rogers, gave an insight into the world of perfumery. Freda provided a brief overview of the business that has been running for more than ten years, and that has brought with it the opportunity for many to blend their own fragrances and learn about the art of perfumery.

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After a brief introduction in which we were told we would be following in the footsteps of countless celebrities who have gone through a similar experience in the creation of their own fragrances, we started the process of choosing our own scents. Individual scent cards were handed out whilst Freda described the key notes in each sample. She informed us that fragrances consist of top note scents, middle notes and base notes and the importance of each category.

Starting with the base note, this range of blends ensure the longevity of your scent and it is these notes that last on your clothes. The blends include musk, woody and balsamic to name a few. We were then introduced to samples of the middle note which set the tone of the whole fragrance and include a number of floral based scents. Finally, we sampled the top scent. This is the blend that makes your perfume instantly recognisable; although it does not have the same longevity of the base note it is this blend that is most memorable.

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We each collected our favourite blends and decided what worked well together. It is important to remember however, that creating a fragrance is subjective – so resist the urge to be tempted by what others around you like and dislike. After much deliberation, I finally decided on what blend of scents I wanted and my bespoke fragrance included woody, musk, neroli, gentle floral and fruity. The perfume stylists create your fragrance while you wait or have your afternoon tea. The 20ml bottle of your perfume comes in a cream box emblazoned with the Perfume Studio logo, a lovely keepsake from a brilliant experience.

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You can attend the Perfume Studio masterclasses nationwide as well as at the flagship events held in London and Manchester. These are group experiences. However, private consultations and events are also offered. You can find more details at The Perfume Studio

The Perfume Studio masterclass is the ideal Christmas gift. It’s a great experience for you and a friend or even to do on your own. Not only is it fun and a fab insight into the world of perfumery, but you also get to create your own bespoke perfume blend. A definite must for your Christmas lists.

www.theperfumestudio.com

Brunch out at Gaucho with their impressive Electro Brunch

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Known for it’s unbeatable Argentinian fayre, Gaucho tops the list for exquisite steak and a wine list that would make Jilly Goolden weep. As if they couldn’t get any better, introducing the Gaucho Electro Brunch available 11-3pm every Saturday. We were chomping at the bit to try out this one and it really topped the list.

Eggs Benedict
With a menu worthy of a King, unlimited cocktails, Domaine Chandon and Bloody Mary’s we think this is quite possibly top of the Brunch. Steak lovers, prepare to face your ultimate fantasy, there is certainly plenty of Steak and with other menu items such as Avocado on Sourdough Bread, Pancakes with Dulce De Leche and Eggs Florentine, the menu has really been executed with every taste in mind featuring all your Brunch favourites.

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If you’re tee-total or if you just fancy a fresher option, fear not, the blend your own juice bar was a particular highlight. With a table of seasonal fruit and veg, just take your pick of whatever you like and voila, the fantastic hosts will mix you up a special custom juice in no time.

The menu has been designed for you to feast your way through every dish after all you do have a good 4 hours to enjoy everything. The Sandwich items are slightly larger if you would prefer a bigger dish, but we recommend trying out everything you can as many times as you can. We were thoroughly stuffed to the eyeballs when we had left but not gonna lie, definitely wished I had time to order at least 3 of the items again.

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The impressive feasting and the outrageously cool ambience of Gaucho are just a few reasons why everyone should pay them a visit at least once in their lifetime. But with a price tag of only £45pp Electro Brunch is a no-brainer. Eat, drink and be merry and let Gaucho’s Electro Brunch be the motivation which gets you out of bed on a Saturday.

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The Electro Brunch will take place every Saturday at Gaucho Piccadilly, Gaucho Chancery Lane and Gaucho Smithfield from 11am to 3pm with unlimited food and drinks included for a price of £45 per person.
For more information call Gaucho or visit: www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/piccadilly

All Hell Let Loose In World War 1 By Wendy Breckon

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THE UNTOLD STORY OF WILLIAM AND TOM so that we can give thanks to all those represented by the poppies planted in commemoration at the Tower before memory fades into the frenzy of Christmas.

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Patriotic fever, uncertainty and a touch of sadness are in the air. The year is 1915. Our country is at war. This is the moving story of two men, both connected to my family.

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The first, my great grandfather William Ralph Wootton, was born in 1877 in Ardwick Manchester.  The other, born in Bedfordshire in 1884 many miles away, Thomas Henry Seamer, my husband’s grandfather.

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Two young men leaving their families, not sure of their future, but that is where the similarity ends.  One returned and sadly one did not.

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The father of five sons, William Ralph, Lance Corporal Wootton (2748) of the 5/7th Lancashire Fusiliers was killed on the 9th August 1915 in Gallipoli.  He met his bloody end a few weeks after joining up in the battle of Krithie Vineyard.

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My poor great grandmother paid the price as he did, for the ‘Hell Let Loose’ campaign, (a term coined by one of the battalion survivors).  Now the repercussions started.  My grandfather, William Richard, the oldest son, had to go out to work to support the family.  As well as losing his dad, his dreams of further education as he was such a bright lad, were scuppered.  He never got over this and remained resentful.

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Years later, he and his brothers were working in a mill in Lancashire when Winston Churchill visited.  As they blamed him for their father’s death, due to the mishandling of the Gallipoli conflict, all five of then turned their backs on him and continued working, as Churchill walked down the aisles.  Each of the Wootton brothers had their pay docked for not switching off their machines.  Such feelings are understandable, as sadly they had all paid the price of growing up without their father.

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In my hand, there is a faded brown leather wallet, a bullet, and a selection of torn letters. Their owner was my husband’s late grandfather, Private Tom Henry Seamer of the 1/8 Middlesex Battalion who fought at Ypres in France.  One of these was from his little daughter Lizzie, saying ‘she looked like a toff in her new coat’ and ‘please come home soon daddy’.

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The other one was from his employer who owned a flour mill in Hertford.  The rich owner of the business, wrote from Falmouth on his honeymoon, to Tom in the trenches.

‘We are having a blissful time.  The weather is beautiful.   You wouldn’t have thought there was a war on here Seamer because all the men are away’.

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One evening whilst on active service, Tom took out his prayer book to read a psalm and noticed that… a stray bullet had penetrated the wallet which he kept in his breast pocket.

This had ripped through his letters and photographs but miraculously, because of its full contents, his life had been saved.

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Private Tom Henry Seamer did return to Hertford after the war to his wife and daughter, taking up his old job with the mill, driving a cart and his horse.  Life in the trenches was rarely talked about to friends and family.  Always at the back of his mind, he would have realised that he was a survivor, whilst too many of his friends were not. I suspect a great loneliness was his companion as he went through life.

 

 This article is dedicated to the memory of Lance Corporal Wootton and Private Seamer and written by Wendy Breckon, (nee Wootton) x

 

 

 

An Award Winning Cheesy Evening With Nigel Haworth & Colston Bassett At Northcote

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It may be a bit of a trek into the countryside from the centre of Manchester but when asked to visit a Michelin starred restaurant you don’t say no. Nigel Haworth of Northcote had teamed up with Colston Bassett dairy to create a food and wine paired menu using Colston Bassett’s awarding winning stilton and Shropshire blue.

We were greeted with tapioca crackers dusted with the Shropshire blue as well as two types of risotto balls with the stilton. The crackers were my favourite; they were light and fluffy with the lightest cheese flavour.

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The starter followed with onion caramel charred hangar steak, pickled artichokes and Colston Bassett stilton. Charred cabbage gave the dish a bitterness whilst the sweetness of the pickled artichokes balanced the dish. Paired with Ramos Pinto Adriano white reserva port to bring out the caramel notes of the steak I thought this worked superbly. Some weren’t keen on the charred cabbage finding it didn’t work with the dish but I liked the way it added something different to the dish as a whole.

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The main was Goosnargh cornfed guinea fowl, a Colston Bassett Shropshire blue cheese crumb, damsons, girolles and a Colston Bassett Shropshire blue cheese mash. Despite the inclusion of the cheese into many elements of this dish it was not overpowering with the meat cooked medium rare and the damsons providing a delightful tartness against the richness of the meat. Our wine expert for the evening Craig Bancroft explained that he could have easily paired this dish with a white wine but settled on the Chanson Le Bourgogne pinot noir as the raspberry, cherry and red berry notes worked too well with the guinea fowl to leave it out. He was right to and, considering I’m not really a lover of red wine, this one was beautifully smooth and highlighted the damsons really nicely.

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I wasn’t sure how Nigel would incorporate cheese into the dessert but the figs in port with stilton ice cream was incredible and easily my favourite dish of the night. The port had been reduced to a treacle toffee like consistency and when paired with the Ramos Pinto had a wonderfully fruity taste on the palate with enhanced the flavour of the figs.

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Colston Bassett have won numerous awards for their cheeses with their stilton being a rich cream colour with blue veining throughout. A smooth and creamy cheese there is no acidic taste whatsoever, just a beautiful mellow taste that melts in the mouth. The Shropshire blue is a similar story with the blue veins spread throughout. This cheese has a creamy taste and is milder than the stilton with a delicate sweetness which I love.

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Thanks to Northcote and Colston Bassett for putting the menu together and special thanks to Starlings Photography for the amazing photographs featured above.

You would think this exquisite meal was enough but no, petit fours followed with Turkish delight that melted in the mouth and mini eccles cakes that had a crispy pastry case finished off the event along with some Colston Bassett cheese to enjoy in their natural form.

 

 

Rosso, Manchester | Restaurant Review

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Last week I finally managed to visit Rosso, an Italian restaurant in Manchester that I haven’t stopped hearing about lately. It turns out that it’s with good reason – Rosso is a tasteful, inventive restaurant that’s clearly had a lot of thought put into both the food and the overall experience from the décor to the friendly, informative staff.

As is always the best way, my colleague and I began our evening with cocktails. I had the Old Fashioned which was smooth and well mixed. My colleague’s Bramble was a sweet and refreshing combination of gin and winter fruits.

Having whetted our appetites, we ate a trio of starters. To begin with we had seared king scallops with crisp pork belly and an apple and cider purée. The scallops were light but flavourful and were perfectly complemented by the apple. This was followed by a mixed vegetable antipasti platter. It was an excellent selection of true Italian delicacies and was our favourite of the starters. Particular praise must go to the selection of cheeses which had mature and confident flavours. Our final starter was orzo with sweet potato and char-grilled tuna steak. The steak was perfectly cooked and its saltiness was deliciously matched with the sweetness of the orzo.

Char-grilled tuna steak with orzo

For the main course we once again split three dishes; a decision that I will never regret but that will have permanently effected my waistline. First up was a home-made mushroom ravioli of the highest quality. It had an intense, rich mushroom flavour that was offset nicely by the sauce. This was followed by goose served over balsamic roasted plums with a hint of bitter chocolate. An appetising combination on paper, it sadly failed to live up to its promise. My colleague and I agreed that the problem with it, if we’re totally honest, is that it was a perfectly average dish in a restaurant of culinary delights. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, there was just nothing especially right about it either.

Which brings me on to a dish that deserves its own paragraph – the rack of lamb in a pistachio crust with a rosemary and treacle jus. Simply put, it was genius. The best dishes have bold and unexpected flavour combinations and this one has them in abundance. If you do visit Rosso I’d highly recommend that you order it.

Rack of lamb

To go with our food we had a Primitivo Dolinci from the organic red wine selection, a nice addition to the wine menu. It had an excellent nose and a subtle, fruity taste that was not too dry. I’m not normally a red wine drinker but I found it to be quite pleasant and a good match for our food.

Finally, my colleague had a gooseberry cheesecake that was a little bland, if technically well made. It was a good cheesecake, it just wasn’t a very good gooseberry cheesecake.

I had a chocolate tower made with valrhona chocolate (a particular favourite of mine) and layers of assorted raspberry accompaniments. Dark chocolate and raspberry is a classic combination and one that never fails to please me. I thought I was full before this dessert arrived but all notion of that disappeared after my first bite. Thank God for that extra pudding stomach we are all born with.

Chocolate stack

As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, I highly recommend Rosso. I think my colleague summed it up best when he said “It’s the sort of place I’d propose in”. If you’re looking for a restaurant for a special occasion or to really impress someone then Rosso is ideal.

Oscars, Manchester | Bar Review

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If you ever find yourself on Manchester’s Canal Street make sure you set aside time to visit the little gem that is Oscars. Although centred around musicals, it manages to avoid being a tacky themed bar (although themed it is) and instead celebrates vintage Hollywood with all the class and panache of Gene Kelly himself.

Inside you’ll find staff who truly care about the drinks that they serve, their ingredients and the flavour combinations. Whilst there I had the privilege to sample a variety of drinks from their extensive cocktail menu. A particular favourite of mine was the Pomegranate Bloom made with Bloom gin and, of course, pomegranate. Many of their Bloom goblets were light and fruity and more than palatable even to people who don’t normally like gin – me included.  Ones to watch out for if you fall into that category include the Summer Bloom and the English Bloom. Also on the menu was a delightful Opihr cocktail with notes of cardamom, cumin and ginger and the Mary Pickford cocktail which will satisfy even the sweetest tooth. Less successful for me were the Moulin Rouge and the rather bland Folies Bergere.

Bloom Gin Cocktail

Bloom Gin Cocktail

As for more traditional spirits, I recommend the West Rock rum mixed with Fentimans Ginger Ale. It was my favourite drink of the night and one that I will certainly be ordering again.

On the evening I was there, entertainment was provided by Paul Walker who sang  a selection of musical numbers from stage and screen. His choice of songs was spot on and his powerful voice and warm rapport with the crowd really added to the experience.

Oscars Bar Interior

Oscars Bar Interior

I can’t recommend Oscars highly enough. A word of warning though – it’s a small room so if you’re planning on going on a Friday or Saturday you might want to get there early to nab a table. If people know what’s good for them then it’ll be very busy.

 

The Watchmakers – Carpe Diem Music News

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The Watchmakers

Their new single on Loaded Soul Records
Illumination / Carpe Diem

Format: Limited Edition Vinyl & Digital Download

The Watchmakers Live

Combining the sounds of classic 60s psychedelia with The Verve, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Primal Scream, Manchester based four piece The Watchmakers have created a unique blend of psychedelic rock n roll. Their self-produced demos Before Questions Became and Waves earned the band high praise and airplay from the likes of John Kennedy at XFM and BBC Manchester Introducing, leading to seasoned music lovers and music industry insiders clamouring for more material.

Following headline appearances at two sold out Psychedelic Happenings in Manchester as well as playing with the likes of The Pretty Things, Jacco Gardner, Dark Bells and Exit Calm, The Watchmakers were invited to play a BBC Showcase in February 2014 where BBC 6 Music recommended them as ‘ones to watch’. June 2014 see the release of two new tracks – Illumination and Carpe Diem. The songs, the first release from the Manchester based label Loaded Soul Records, will be available on limited edition vinyl and digital download.

“Imagine if Noel Gallagher’s solo record had actually been willing to cut loose and explore its boundaries, and you might be arriving somewhere near to their sound”
Drowned In Sound