Page 47 - Phonebox Magazine 2013

Chicken is a great example. One large chicken can feed a family of four, three times over. Day one - Sunday Roast, remove the legs, roast the crown and carve. Day Two: cut each leg in two and marinade in red wine for Monday’s Coq Au Vin. Day Three: boil Sunday’s carcass with celery and leek to make a delicious chicken soup. So with some planning we CAN afford to buy a free range chicken from our local farm. It may have a dearer price tag but it will probably still work out cheaper than buying 4 small chicken breasts, a pack of chicken thighs and legs and a tub of soup!
Evans at Pastures Farm. Lamb from Brian Reynolds at Weston Underwood. Beef and pork from Woburn Country Foods, who only stock meat from accredited Bedfordshire farms. We think it is important to buy meat from sources where you can see the animals right up to the point of slaughter and in our case not long after....... as we do most of our own butchery from whole carcasses. As mentioned previously we also make all of our own sausages and burgers by mincing joints of meat ourselves so we know exactly what goes into everything that comes out on your plate.
Of course, these problems are not only confined to the supermarkets. Beefeater, and Brewers Fayre have all announced that they have unwittingly used processed meat products containing horse DNA. So how do restaurants and pubs ensure that what they are serving on the plate is what they want it to be? The answer is simple. Do not buy processed meat products. If you want to serve burgers and sausages make your own - something we have been doing at The Bull for the last three or four years. In the face of rising prices for raw ingredients, we all have a decision to make, do we slip into the trap of cheap processed, lasagne, chilli etc or do we buy and cook smart.
The answer then, is to take more care when purchasing food whether it be at home or in a restaurant. Look for farm shops where they breed their own animals, Pastures Farm or Browns of Stagsden to think of a couple. Alternatively use a local
butcher you can trust as we are lucky enough to have in Bennetts of Olney and don't put your money into the supermarkets processed food aisle!
At the Bull we are fortunate to have some terrific meat suppliers right on our doorstep. Poultry and duck from James
So rant over! As always, most of all.... enjoy your food!”
When it comes to restaurants, look for those that use local suppliers. Ourselves and the Bell & Bear at Emberton are two local examples. And look for shorter menus, as these are always a good guide to the likely freshness of the food (no restaurant with 30-40 choices can be cooking it freshly when they often only have 30-40 seats!)
Thanks James.
BRASSERIE
FREE COFFEE OFFER
Free Coffee Offer using our loyalty cards (not available 11.30 – 2.30 pm)
Great English Breakfast (all day)
Homemade Pies & Pasta
Freshly Made Salads, Ciabatta & Grills
Gluten Free Cakes & Pasta
Come and try our Guest Coffee every month from around the world
NEW Coffee Syrups & Marshmallows Cream Teas
GREAT VENUE FOR ALL YOUR PARTIES
AVAILABLE ANY EVENING OF THE WEEK FOR DETAILS PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE www.courtyardbrasserie.co.uk
Tel: 01234 713925 8/9 Rose Court, Olney
Mediterranean Restaurant
OLNEY
g Takeaway Service Available g
g Pizzas, Pastas & Grilled Food g g We Accommodate Large Parties g g Reservations Taken g
Monday – Saturday 11.30am–2.30pm & 6pm–10pm Sunday 12-3pm
LUNCH MENU
ONE COURSE ~ £5.00
TWO COURSES ~ £7.50 Served every day from 11.30am to 2.30pm
Now taking bookings for Mother’s Day
Phone 01234 714600 4 The Galleries, Market Place, Olney, Bucks MK46 4EA
Phonebox Magazine 47
Photo shows the Bull’s homemade chorizo, black pudding, belly pork and butter bean stew from their new Winter menu. Below is the homemade chorizo before it goes to hang.