When I heard that Luis Marcoleta of Rioja Vega was visiting Lancaster House with Tony Jackson and Sandy Potts of Lakeland Vintners, the diary was cleared for the afternoon so that I could join the celebration of wines from this delightful part of the world.

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Lancaster House is proud of the region’s rich food history and heritage. Indeed, our Foodworks Restaurant pays homage to the tradition of good

honest food eaten by the ordinary working class families of the area. The flat cap is synonymous with the workers of the north and can be traced as far back as the 14^th Century. In 1571, an Act of Parliament, designed to stimulate the woollen trade, decreed that all males over 6 years of age (non-noble) were to wear woollen caps or pay a fine of three farthings per day. Needless to say, the fashion caught on.
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In their quest to taste and treasure the best cheeses that Lancashire has to offer, Lancaster House Head Chef, Damian Ng, and Food & Beverage Manager, Gary Tennant, spent some time at Grandma Singleton’s dairy, which produces one of the strongest Traditional Lancashire cheeses available, and then at the farm which supplies the milk for their sheep’s cheese.

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Lancaster House Head Chef, Damian Ng, and Food & Beverage Manager, Gary Tennant, have been out and about on the Lancashire Cheese Trails, sharing a few recipes using local cheeses and discovering new and innovate flavours from the local artisan cheese makers. There are three trails – Crumbly, Tasty and Creamy – beautiful walks in the Lancashire countryside that pass the door of no less than seven dairies producing world class cheese.  (more…)

Celebrating Chocolate Week

Lancaster House Head Chef, Damien,he has generously agreed to share his recipes with us. For some of us, chocolate pudding will always be the ‘best bit’ of the meal.

Hot Chocolate Fondant, Clotted Cream & Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients

• 50g melted butter to prepare ramekins
• 120g good quality dark chocolate
• 100g butter
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 75g caster sugar

Method

1. Brush the inside of four ramekins with the melted butter and then refrigerate (brushing from base to top edge helps fondants to rise).
2. In a bowl over a pan of boiling water, melt the chocolate and butter. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water as this will burn the chocolate.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until they triple in volume and turn pale.
4. Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate with a metal slotted spoon.
5. Take the ramekins from the fridge and gently dust the inside with caster sugar. Spoon in the chocolate mixture and return to the fridge for 1 hour until set.
6. Pre-heat oven to 180 degC
7. Place the fondants on a tray in the centre of the oven for 11 minutes until risen. Finally, dust the tops with icing sugar and serve on a plate with clotted cream and sliced strawberries.

… or Damien will cook it for you

This dish, along with other chocolate-inspired recipes will be available throughout Chocolate Week, 10th – 16th October at Lancaster House Foodworks restaurant. Booking a table couldn’t be easier using our online booking system or just call 01524 844822.