The “One-Up” on the Open Night & Charity Auction this friday!

This Friday, we are having a bit of a do….. a massive, tender, tasty Gazegill Organics piggy, roasted whole over a rather terrifying looking spit-roaster that starts cooking the delicious beast around 8am on Friday morning!!

We are also having a charity auction and, quite a few people have already been in touch to see if I could let them know what some of the items coming up for auction are likely to be!

Here are a few….. you know where we are if you want to make us a ridiculous offer we couldn’t possibly refuse!

The charity is Derian House, a place which provides comfort, rest, respite and a service which I hope absolutely none of you have to use, but know some will have to sadly.

A children’s hospice dedicated to caring for children who have life-shortening illnesses, they rely completely on donations and do a totally amazing job.

Some of our excellent customers, friends, family, suppliers and local businesses have already given a huge amount for us to auction on Friday…… here’s a little heads-up on some of the items!

 

http://www.justgiving.com/martina-myerscough

or text “PIGS55 followed by the donation amount” to 70070

eg PIGS55 £5

 

Have a little peep…….. it’s heart-warming…. 

 

The Auction Lots

LOT 1:  Bob Kay, the very best local taxi-driver in the 1Ribble Valley, will ferry up to 4 people to & from anywhere in the RV….(But preferably to & from The Red Pump Inn he says J ).. Estimated value £priceless!! Contact Bob Kay from High Life Travel on the dedicated number 01200 400129

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LOT 2:  Colin Burbidge, from the most excellent Lancashire Wine School, is offering a place on a Saturday Wine Tasting Experience. Slosh, swoosh, taste & spit to your hearts’ content with the very best of Lancashire talent! Estimated value £75…..  www.thelancashirewineschool.com

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LOT 3:  Rachel Howarth, A Ribble Valley Holistic Therapist, specializing in Reiki, reflexology, Indian Head Massage is offering a course of 4 reflexology session in her Billington “White Tiger Healing” Centre. Estimated value over £100! Check Rachel out on www.whitetigerhealing.co.uk

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“LOTS” OF BEER!!!! (geddit geddit???)

LOT 4a:  2 x bottled beers from Moorhouses Brewery! Premier Bitter & Black Cat Bottled ales….. we’ve got 4 of them! Check out Moorhouses Burnley on http://www.moorhouses.co.uk

LOT 4b:  Selection of bottled beers from Tirril Brewery! 3 x bottles, Brewsters, Penine Pilsner and Old Faithful! Check Tirril out at www.tirrilales.co.uk

LOT 4c: Selection of bottled ales from Ilkley Brewery. 2 bottles, one each of Stout Mary and Mary Jane, with a presentation glass too! www.ilkleybrewery.co.uk

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LOT 5:  John Garrod from Ribble Valley’s own Ology Coaching is a Business Growth Consultant & Leadership Coach & he is offering a 2.5 hour business coaching session to get your business on track and you focused for its growth. Estimated Value £250…. Wow! Top Guy!…. Www.ologycoaching.co.uk

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LOT 6:  The divine Maurizio and Cinzia at La Locanda authentic Italian restaurant in Gisburn, have offered to tickle the tastebuds of two guests with dinner…. Estimated value £40…. Yum yum yum! www.lalocanda.co.uk

LOT 7:  Alan & Sue Humphries, Bone Fide fully paid-up members of the East Lancs TVR Club and all-round good-eggs are offering two lucky peeps, not one but two TVRs to ferry them around the RV for a couple of hours, preferably ending up here at the Red Pump Inn for a spot of lunch!…. £priceless!

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LOT 8:  The Magnificent Simon Entwistle, Winner of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2012-13 and now nominated in the National Tourism Awards as a National Superstar! He is the only person to go to for historical tours of Lancashire is offering two people a Ghost Walk of either Clitheroe or Whalley! Estimated Value £priceless! Visit www.tophattours.co.uk

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LOT 9:  Sarah Hopkins from the lovely Igloo in Clitheroe. IGLOO is 3 floors of eclectic gifts and design led furniture for the home and also provides a local one stop destination if you need a gift for a wedding, birthday or just want to indulge yourself! . Sarah @ Igloo has 4 lots

9a: Keep Calm Union Jack Hamper value £30

9b: 4 x Cath Kidson mugs Value £24

9c: Gorgeous Bashful Bear. Value £25

9d: wonderfully indulgent ladies hamper of goodies! Value £0

Check out Igloo at www.facebook.com/igloointeriors

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LOT 10:  Award winning Lancashire Floral Designer Angela Coulson from Petal & Twig, has designed a special display for tonight’s charity do….. Petal & Twig’s mission is about creative natural floral design, promoting seasonal flowers and local sourcing whenever we can. They can advise on more sustainable sourcing of floral decorations for customers looking for more eco-friendly options too! Check this out for a magnificent centre-piece on the table this weekend! Value £100 Contact Angela on www.petalandtwig.co.uk

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LOT 11:  Townson’s family butchers in Brierfield have put together a delicious hamper of excellent Lancashire produce! Eat Local Peeps! J. Value £55    www.townsonbutchers.com 01282 614925

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LOT 12:  The gorgeous Susan Watson, presents some gorgeous hand-made jewelry for auction. Wow!

LOT 13:  Master Chimney Sweeper Ian Lancaster of Acorn Chimney Sweeps in Burnley is offering a full sweep for your solid fuel chimney up to £55…..  Visit Ian or if the winning bidder does not has a solid fuel fire, a gas service on a boiler or gas fire. Value £45. Check Ian and Cheryl out on www.acornchimneys.co.uk

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LOT 14:  Ian & Emma at Gazegill Organic Farm in Rimington have donated a cracking hamper of their deliciously wonderful meats…. Estimated value £100 visit www.gazegillorganics.co.uk to have a look around their fabulous farm and shop! Eat Local Peeps! J

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LOT 15:  Judith Dawson of Dawson’s in Clitheroe, has donated a pair of Darlington Crystal Red Wine Glasses. Estimated value £25…. www.dawsonsdepartmentstore.co.uk

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LOT 16:  Chipping’s very own farmer and Master butcher Bob Robinson has donated a hamper of yumminess! Est. value £50 Chck out www.robinsonsbutcherschipping.co.uk oooh and the sister company http://www.unclebobsicecream.co.uk Eat Local Peeps! J

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LOT 17:  Steven Mansell from Mansell’s Café in the Swan Courtyard in Clitheroe makes the most amazing cakes. We have a chocolate wonder here tonight.  Est.value £priceless!!!. Mansell’s Coffee Shop, 3 Swan Courtyard, Castle Street, Clitheroe, BB7 2DQ  01200 425129

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LOT 18:  A divine hamper of luxurious goodies from the lovely Melt Candles at Backridge….including a £20 gift voucher. Total est. value at £75…. http://www.themeltco.com

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LOT 19:  The lovely peeps at Automotion in Clitheroe, have donated a super cool black JDBug Scooter! £80!  These guys are for all your motoring, leisure & cycling needs! www.automotionuk.net

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LOT 20:  ORDER! ORDER! Our Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Nigel Evans has donated a bottle of House Of Commons Claret! Top Guy! Est. value £ priceless!

LOT 21: Jonathan Myerscough…..The host with the most, has offered up his prized, beloved, framed Esso coin collection of the 1970 World Cup England Squad…….  Est. value £35…… check out Jon’s other stuff in the Coach-House of the Red Pump Inn….. gorgeous hand-restored quirky antiques with modern fabrics and unique twists! Please have a look at www.facebook.com/turnleg

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LOT 22:  A divine, lovingly hand-made, fleece-backed, patchwork quilt by the lovely Mrs R. McWilliams in Chipping……. Est value £ absolutely priceless!

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LOT 23:  Tedd Walmsley, Managing Director at Live Magazines has donated a single page advert space in either Live Ribble Valley or Live Preston and Fylde or indeed a half page in both for auction. Est value is £575. www.live-magazines.co.uk 20,000 published & circulated!

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LOT 24: A magnificent collection of travel guides from the guru of seriously good travelling in the UK and World, Alastair Sawday’s, who have featured the Red Pump Inn in their Special Places Of Britain Guides since 2008 have come up trumps with this fab set for the serious traveller! www.sawdays.co.uk Value £ WOW!

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LOT 25: A foody goody-hamper, made by the fair hands of Martina Myerscough, General Dogsbody @ TRPI

Smoked salmon pate with mascarpone and fennel

All-butter shortbread biscuit bundle, poppy-seed biscuit bundle & a lavender biscuit bundle.

Home-made dukkah (a totally addictive blend of mixed nuts, seeds and spices) for bread-dipping, salads or adding crunch to a chicken! Also a pineapple and sweet chili relish and some caramelized red onion marmalade

Hand-made peppermint creams dipped in dark chocolate & some home-made garlic & rosemary sea salt.

This hamper will be made whenever you want it so it is totally fresh and exclusive. The winning bidder can nominate the date for collection; 3 days’ notice is required!

We are feeding around 150 people on Friday night and hope to raise a bob or two….. if you can’t join us….. give a quid to Derian House….. xx bless you!

 

Singer tables and the Cecil Aldin’s…….

 The Singer table now flanked by two Cecil Aldins……

 Yes, that’s right, we moved the lambing chair!…..

 He didn’t go into a pie as far as we know, but what a splendid pie he would have made!….

 Warm, cosy, quiet corners, large tables for lots of friends, the old larger restaurant is now a big informal dining-chilling-cup-of-coffee-&-a-cake type of place…..

 The antique lambing chair is now looked over by another Cecil Aldin……. room for one only in this big corner by the French doors into the garden…… it’s a bit like the sentry-post chair!

 

 Tiny room, crammed by the fire…… the books, the wood, the coal and the antlers…… and views out to Pendle Hill. The closest proximity to the long bar!

 For a 260 year old girl, she’s still pretty good-looking……

 

 Jonathan’s furniture is being used up everywhere…….. thankfully he’s been busy and still has plenty to fill the Coach house (the shed as he calls it……..)

 It’s snowing outside now…….. but keep this pic in your mind………. x

 Considering he’s just decorated the whole of this inn in the last 3 weeks on his own, he’s looking alright on it!

 Naughty naughty……… only in the men’s though!

 See you soon, lovelies……… the new menu will be posted asap…..

 

TTFN.

M.

x

Pigeon, venison, rabbit & fish pie.

It’s been a while since we had a bet as to what customers were going to order during a particular service……, but it was so quiet this lunchtime that we decided to do just that…… the snow was forecast for precisely 5pm to hit us, and the whole of the Ribble Valley & beyond had clearly gone into hibernation as a consequence of the weather forecast.
Those that did brave the chill, were rewarded with a roaring fire and the job of taste testing a couple of new puds for the new seasons’ menu!

We did only 14 covers at lunch on this chilly mid-week, mid-January day & we were grateful for every one of them, given the news is so depressing about closures of big chain stores and hundreds of people losing their jobs, there is still the hardy bunch that must meet up with girl / boy friends and natter over good food.
Every one that did have lunch with us thoroughly enjoyed it and we even got a mid-week wedding “do” for 80 guests out of it for early March which was a bonus…… anyway, ……. more importantly, I won the bet.

The pigeon and black-pudding starter, with a few candied walnuts, a little apricot jus and some parsnip crisps won the most-dishes-ordered-during this service, with 6 people out of the 14 diners having it for their starter!
The fabulous venison loin with beetroot Carpaccio, skinny chips and a jug of redcurrant and red wine jus was the next best seller, with 5 main courses being chosen, that’s excellent for a mid-week mid-Jan choice as far as we’re concerned!
In third place, the delicious rabbit ragout starter, with “still-warm” soda bread & whipped butter, but only made it into this position because a lady ordered 2 portions as a main course instead of a starter…… sneaky little ladder-climber……
Next was fish pie with cheesy-mash top and buttered greens……. sometimes you really cannot beat a delicious mixed fish pie on a chilly day…….

Puds? Well, mulled pear and my home-made thick yoghurt with spiced syrup & cinder toffee clearly showed us that people were considerate about waistlines at one end of the social scoffing spectrum, but the other side of it devoured the banana cake with peanut butter parfait, caramelised bananas and toffee sauce…….generally this group were giving a two-fingered salute to enforced January dieting.

……… Now,…. we’ve closed up early as the inn is surrounded by a soft blanket of snow which has descended in the last hour and is forecast to continue for the rest of the weekend……. guests who are booked into the rooms this weekend have already contacted us to find out if our roads are passable, worried that they might get stuck here…….

January is a funny time…….. the extremes of food choices, the diet dilemmas, the busy-one-minute-dead-the-next…… the usual headaches of having a short menu which is completely freshly made to order and running out of stuff so early in the week!

But hey, stay warm, go give your beloved a cuddle, give your doggie a chew-stick, throw a snowball at the wheelie-bin, but most of all, hold-hands-and-play-nice, with everyone………. the world isn’t that nice a place at times, but when it’s good, it’s really really good.

Have a look around our inn…. we’ve been decorating……
I’ll post the new menu too so you can have a wee look!

Bye for now, take care scoffers
TTFN.
M.
x

Covered in “Mouses Back”…..

Hello…… I write this covered in lashings of Farrow and Ball (no….. I haven’t been reading “Fifty”, I genuinely mean I am splattered with “Mouses Back”……)

We took it upon ourselves to redecorate this building…… Every inch of it…… In and out….. Up and down……we decided to do this instead of taking a well earned holiday somewhere hot and sunny which we have done in January for the last 7 winters whilst occupying this old inn……..

I think we may have regretted that decision somewhere around the 5th hour of the first of 10 straight days of decorating…… Because once you start you just can’t stop can you?

Anyway, whilst I run a bath of paint stripper for solitary immersion, I will contemplate how we will photograph this epic task for your visual pleasure……..and post the verdict on here as soon as I have!

In addition to this decorating marathon we decided to give the menu a facelift too….. And this bit we really enjoy! The trying of combinations of dishes that you know you will watch people enjoy for a couple of months is particularly satisfying for any restaurant owner…….
Of particular note is the sublime hot smoked mackerel pâté, the pigeon and black pudding salad and then the divine nut & mushroom strudel……. Topped off with the heavenly rhubarb and ginger pannacotta with ginger crumble and poached rhubarb……….. In fact, I think I might add that to my list of things to take to the bath with me……. (No, I honestly haven’t read “Fifty”!)……

TTFN
M
X

We’re all game if you are……. nudge nudge, wink wink…. say no more!

What’s the point of the blog if I can’t prostitute it now and again!

Game Fest…… Our 7th Annual Game Fest no less……… 2nd 3rd and 4th of November…….

Did we mention we were mentioned by the Times Newspaper as one of the top 10 places to eat game?……..

STARTERS

 Venison ravioli with sauté wild mushrooms and garlic butter £6.50

 Pan seared pigeon breast with red onion marmalade, apricot puree, blackberry jus and sweet potato crisp £6.95

 Potted venison with spiced plum chutney £5.95

 Mixed game broth with fresh bread £4.95

 MAINS

 Pan seared venison loin, celeriac puree, sweet potato and thyme rosti, candied bacon and balsamic beets £19.95

 Hare; pan seared hare loin with a mini jugged hare ballontine, fondant potato, elderberry and red wine sauce, a duo of beans and beetroot carpaccio  £18.95

 Roasted breast of mallard with a sloe gin sauce, fondant potato, roasted fig and plum compote and cabbage £14.95

 Pan roasted breast of pheasant with gooseberry sauce, fondant potato and cabbage £13.95

 The Game Fest Dish; confit legs of mallard and pheasant, mini venison and beetroot pie and ballontine of hare, game gravy, game chips and cabbage £16.95

Game Fest weekend each year kickstarts our autumn and winter menu changes…… we usually enlist the help of customers to let us know which game fest dishes they particularly liked and use these for the rest of the season on the main menu…….

It’s healthy comfort food……… who’d have thought!

TTFN.x

PS sorry for not posting much this year!….. I’m such a rubbish blogger!….. but then, I do have a business to run and all that!

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE….

Any person planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for those being transported and the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

 

Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs …are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks.

 

The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

 

Following last year’s well-publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr R Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

 

Whilst it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered with Management, regardless of value. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of precious materials (e.g. gold) are specifically prohibited and must immediately be handed over to Management, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins and special ointments that may provoke allergic reactions.

 

Finally, in the recent instance of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

 

Merry Christmas From Jonathan, Martina, Oliver, Luke, Charlotte, Alex, Steven, Manon, Saul I, Seb & Saul II At The Red Pump Inn xxxx

New Tour Photos….September 2011

Have a little look around why don’t you! Some new pictures of the inn after the little refurb!

So What Happened in August Then?

It’s always one of those months….. August…. the anticipation of scorching hot days and long balmy nights, sitting under big protective canopies and sipping iced Pimms and nibbling on dinky canapes of potted venison or home made hummus…….watching the late sun go down and leaving its promise of a spectacular night sky….. well…. let me be brutally honest with you….. this fairy-tale didn’t happen in Bashall Eaves!

We had the central heating on very regularly, we were inundated for comfort food and had the winter quilts out for the guest rooms!

The topsy turvy upside down madness of August!

So after a swift week in the sun to bring the internal temperatures back to normal for the time of year we are mid way through September and the air has turned decidedly autumnal with blankets of dew under the low mist across the fells and chilly morning air lasting until around 1pm when the sun can summon enough energy to warm it away!

The weather has played havoc with our menu this year!

But one thing is for sure…..we are entering the time of year that The Red Pump Inn comes into its happier-more at-home mode…… it’s a time of year when we can’t decide which goodies to put on the menu because we have that much to choose from…..our ideas for sumptuous suppers are brimming over and we change the menu, therefore, rather regularly!

From October…..I’m talking pheasants, partridge, teal, rabbit, venison, mallard…..all delicious locally reared and shot game which will feature on our menu up until around about early February! We love this time of year!

It’s everything we are…. cosy snugs with a roaring fire…. potted venison followed by pot roasted pheasant with root vegetables and a delicious slab of sticky toffee pudding to follow…..dark, cosy, warm, comforting in the twinkling candle-light…….with the dark nights peeking through the huge windows….

Bring it on…….

Summer….pah!

TTFN

Comfort Food…Psychological profiling and sausage and mash!

ROASTED CHICKEN, GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES, VEGETABLES AND PROPER CHICKEN GRAVY…… I’M SORRY BUT THIS IS THE BEST COMFORT FOOD IN THE WORLD! …….DISAGREE?….

You don’t normally correlate July and August with being a time of year particularly associated with comfort food….. but we are noticing a significant increase in the amount of our “comfort food” dishes selling out!

We commented on it recently…..and then the debate began.

We tend to have rather lengthy debates here at The Red Pump Inn (given that there are only usually 8-10 of us here all week long) to pass the time and generate conversations which usually tend to focus around food in one way or another!

The latest debate and information gathering was around comfort food, when Mr Innkeeper and I were commenting on the fact that the comfort food dishes haven’t slowed down in their sales as they usually do by this time of year…. indicative of the inherent need during economic woe to turn to comfort food as a pacifier of some kind!

Fish and chips, pies, casseroles, cheesy-topped things, dishes with mash….. in fact if we don’t have them on the menu at the moment, people will actually ask for them…even if it is scrorching outside!

Usually it’s delicious salads which make the taste buds explode and the eyes widen with their colour and flavours….. but this year it’s the dishes that give us that cozy comforted feeling of being hugged that are selling out faster than any other year we can remember!

I’d love to know if there is a direct link between economic squeezing and the types of food we choose to eat! Some professor of psychological profiling somewhere in the civilised world will no doubt have studied the behaviours of diners….. they should really just ask the people that see them day in and day out!….. it’s the same with the different dates in a month too!……spend more at the beginning of a month….less in the middle….. more risky, impulse spending just before payday!…..

It is endlessly fascinating to us to note the behaviours of dining folk……. we see so many people passing through our doors that it’s a priviledge to behold the many facets of personalities, which then conform in their own way with specific similarities such as spending habits or dining habits!

However the absolutely unanimous choice for our own comfort dish is roasted chicken! Hands down, each and every time……..you agree surely don’t you?

Ice Cream…. Frozen Yoghurt….. Just waiting on the sun now!

We’ve had our ice cream competition this last two weeks.

Basically, we invite all and sundry to forward their suggestions for the additions to the ice cream list through the summer.

We do usually get some crackers…… such as banana & custard flavour…. dandilion & burdock…. gin & tonic….. and to be honest we do actually try most of them out to see if they work before we cast them aside or in the “crazy flavours” bin!.

I’m a bit of a purist though and enjoy only a really good vanilla ice cream; it feels so decadent to me and to be fair it is still the ice cream that is mostly purchased from us during the summer months (except for the fantastic licorice ice cream which is powerfully addictive!).

I’ve taken to making a load of frozen yoghurts this summer too…. I make fresh yoghurt every day anyway for the resident guests’ breakfast so making a little extra and churning it for a frozen scoopable variant seems appropriate

I’ve excelled at the Greek yoghurt with honey and fresh mint which is so delicious frozen and dolloped over some fresh strawberries, also some mixed berry ripple frozen yoghurt has proven rather popular in the cornet department with weight-watching adults whilst the children tuck into full fat ice cream!

The first ice cream I ever made was vanilla flavour and I didn’t have an ice cream maker or churner and was lucky enough to be handed the recipe by a retauranteur in a beautiful little restaurant in Pollensa old town, who had moved there some 15 years before and was still wowwing the locals and visitors with his delicious simple vanilla ice cream (and I’m going back 20 years now…. so a long time ago!…. not sure he’s still there….but worth a trip to the old town nevertheless).

I still use this recipe today and it is really easy……

Try it yourself, but please note; 2 good quality fresh vanilla pods will give the excellent flavour we need for a good vanilla ice cream; extract just isn’t good enough in my opinion!

No need even for a churner or ice cream maker with this recipe as it doesn’t use milk which crystallises in the freezing process and demands churning to make it smooth….. but the odd stir will help this version through so don’t be selfish….

500ml/16fl oz double cream

70g/3oz sugar

3 egg yolks

1. Halve the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add the pods to the cream and bring to the boil, then add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl then slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl and whisk in the vanilla seeds. Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container and freeze for 2-3 hours, or until set.
4. Slice into bricks and place between old fashioned sandwich wafers……everyone will love this!

Slice some strawberries into this slices and place on top of the ice cream bricks before you put into wafers for a gorgeous ice cream sandwich!

We’re just waiting for the sun to pop back out now!

TTFN

M.