It has been our annual trip to the North of England in late Autumn for a few years now, as my Husband was born in near Clithroe , Lancashire ,and his parents were lived there all their lives, it is always nice to visit his childhood home town and listening his memory of t places and food.
Amazingly a lot of places are still standing still and not changed at all. Such as butcher, wine shop and pubs .
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| Fish and Chips at Magpie, Whitby |
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| Smoked salmon with sour cream ice cream |
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| Sausages at Cowman's in Clithroe |
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| Whitby |
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| Yorkshire sculpture park |
It has been our annual trip to the North of England in late Autumn for a few years now, as my Husband was born in near Clithroe , Lancashire ,and his parents were lived there all their lives, it is always nice to visit his childhood home town and listening his memory of t places and food.
Amazingly a lot of places are still standing still and not changed at all. Such as butcher, wine shop and pubs .
We love this kind of a short break with no plan, drive , stop and eat as we wish through beautiful country road in the North west of England.
This year we visited Yorkshire sculpture park to see Art in the wild field. Luckily Henley Moor's exhibition was still on, Seeing all familiar long bodied and small face sculptures in the field was such a great pleasure. Walking through Autumn coloured field with this huge but beautiful art works, Wow!!
Amazing feeling ! grateful and thinking art is for every one not just for the chosen few.
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| Ulls water Lake |
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| Yorkshire Sculpture Park |
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| Wild mushroom with poached egg |
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| Calf's liver with mashed potato at Free Masons |
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| Lobster tail at Free Masons |
Whitby was a surprise for me, somehow I thought Whitby is busy fishing port with not much expectation or charm, but it was such a pleasure to find small but rather charming port with nice walkway along the water. Loved to see all the nice looking and inviting fish restaurants. has to eat at the legendry Fish and chips , Magpie. even out of holiday season , was quite busy, with local customers which means still has good food .
Of course we had to have fish and chips , oyster and crab salad. fish and chips was good with crispy but thin batter, cooked very well, nothing worst than thick batter with over cooked fish and chips.
Magpie's reputation will be carry on for a long time, If they cooked like this.
Finally checked in the nice charming Country hotel near by and had long drinks at the bar by the log fire , needed after this long drive, thinking drive to the Lakes in the early tomorrow morning.
Rainy cold Autumn morning to drive to the Lake district was not an ideal but we were looking forward to see small Ulls water lake. we were there many years ago, windy wild ,cold weather makes more dramatic scene I was expecting. It was when we arrived at the lake after drove through long and winding narrow road with rain, it was worth it. Loved this kind of dark side of scene, grey sky black mountain on the side, autumn leaves are on the tree, what a view! Loved it.
After scenic Lake side drive, we checked in another country Hotel near Clithroe, which was Neil's old local when he was an young 20 years old man, Now this local pub and inn became very stylish Country Hotel, comfortable and very modern , large room and spacious bath room with such a style.
Still rainy , as usual we explore to his old home town Clithroe. old wine shop still there, huge wine cellar in the basement, Cowman's butcher, still making one of best sausages in the North, nearly 50 kind of, some unusual but we love their pork and Cumberland sausages. As usual bought 1 kg each to freeze at home. Down to the my favourite hard ware and kitchen shop, Dawson's. I am coming here for 33 years now, whenever I visit to the North, always something to buy there, such a nice kitchen shop.
Drive to Whally, actual Neil's family had a cottage for a while , small village with nice little independent shops. My husband did not forget to mention, one ice cream shop made best ice cream in the world but sadly this time it was gone, now became very expensive boutique, walked to the Whally Abby, where my mother in law's ash was buried.
Very emotional moment for us.
Finally we arrived Neil's childhood home in Wiswell, Free Masons which became one of best pub restaurant in the Country, ( once ranked no. 1 in the Good Food Guide) it was his homecoming, His dad also had run this pub 50 years ago for a few years and all family lived here, as soon as we got in , he said it looks nearly same except bar is the other side, he seemed at home, and even proud be in his old house which became well known pub. they offered the guide tour as well. so welcoming,
Menu looks very good , priced as best pub restaurant's price as London. But I was surprised to see miso butter, kelp, and even kimchi mayonnaise. How strange to see these kind of Asian culinary words at the little village pub in the corner of Lancashire. I was very curious ,decided meet the head chef to ask .
We had Smoked salmon with sour cream ice cream, very unusual combination but elegant dish. actually sour cream ice cream goes so well with salmon, specially salmon is thick cut not like paper thin , capers and lemony sauce, lightly smoked salmon with cold cream. I will steal this idea . biting salmon with cold ice cream was sensational !
My husband main was calf's liver and mashed potato which looked like rather liver steak than thin piece of liver, when he cut ,it was lovely medium rare, what a good idea ! It was more like fine dinning dish, Neil said it was one of best calf's liver dish he had.
Mine was grilled lobster with new potato, perfectly cooked.
Finally I had chance to talk to the head chef, Steven Smith, even he invite me to the kitchen, he said he makes his own kimchi, and make kimchi mayo for the prawn tempura dish. I know a lots of Japanese restaurants in London serve kimchi and kimchi mayo but never expected in the Lancashire. But why not? The world is getting smaller and world food travels fast too.
How pleased to see Korean food travelled well to the North of England .
Dinner at Free Masons was our high light , what a lovely surprise.
Last day we had lunch at Tree Fishes near village which has a good reputation, owned by well known chef, Nigel Haworth. very smart pub.
Had Lancashire hot pot which is Neil's favourite comfort food , I often make when the weather is cold.
Tender lamb meat with buttery potatoes and sharp red cabbage pickle, it was perfect meal before the end our memory lane and foodie trip. Specially sky was grey and rainy !
We are already looking forward to make this trip next year but would like to make it longer.
Rainy cold Autumn morning to drive to the Lake district was not an ideal but we were looking forward to see small Ulls water lake. we were there many years ago, windy wild ,cold weather makes more dramatic scene I was expecting. It was when we arrived at the lake after drove through long and winding narrow road with rain, it was worth it. Loved this kind of dark side of scene, grey sky black mountain on the side, autumn leaves are on the tree, what a view! Loved it.
After scenic Lake side drive, we checked in another country Hotel near Clithroe, which was Neil's old local when he was an young 20 years old man, Now this local pub and inn became very stylish Country Hotel, comfortable and very modern , large room and spacious bath room with such a style.
Still rainy , as usual we explore to his old home town Clithroe. old wine shop still there, huge wine cellar in the basement, Cowman's butcher, still making one of best sausages in the North, nearly 50 kind of, some unusual but we love their pork and Cumberland sausages. As usual bought 1 kg each to freeze at home. Down to the my favourite hard ware and kitchen shop, Dawson's. I am coming here for 33 years now, whenever I visit to the North, always something to buy there, such a nice kitchen shop.
Drive to Whally, actual Neil's family had a cottage for a while , small village with nice little independent shops. My husband did not forget to mention, one ice cream shop made best ice cream in the world but sadly this time it was gone, now became very expensive boutique, walked to the Whally Abby, where my mother in law's ash was buried.
Very emotional moment for us.
Finally we arrived Neil's childhood home in Wiswell, Free Masons which became one of best pub restaurant in the Country, ( once ranked no. 1 in the Good Food Guide) it was his homecoming, His dad also had run this pub 50 years ago for a few years and all family lived here, as soon as we got in , he said it looks nearly same except bar is the other side, he seemed at home, and even proud be in his old house which became well known pub. they offered the guide tour as well. so welcoming,
Menu looks very good , priced as best pub restaurant's price as London. But I was surprised to see miso butter, kelp, and even kimchi mayonnaise. How strange to see these kind of Asian culinary words at the little village pub in the corner of Lancashire. I was very curious ,decided meet the head chef to ask .
We had Smoked salmon with sour cream ice cream, very unusual combination but elegant dish. actually sour cream ice cream goes so well with salmon, specially salmon is thick cut not like paper thin , capers and lemony sauce, lightly smoked salmon with cold cream. I will steal this idea . biting salmon with cold ice cream was sensational !
My husband main was calf's liver and mashed potato which looked like rather liver steak than thin piece of liver, when he cut ,it was lovely medium rare, what a good idea ! It was more like fine dinning dish, Neil said it was one of best calf's liver dish he had.
Mine was grilled lobster with new potato, perfectly cooked.
Finally I had chance to talk to the head chef, Steven Smith, even he invite me to the kitchen, he said he makes his own kimchi, and make kimchi mayo for the prawn tempura dish. I know a lots of Japanese restaurants in London serve kimchi and kimchi mayo but never expected in the Lancashire. But why not? The world is getting smaller and world food travels fast too.
How pleased to see Korean food travelled well to the North of England .
Dinner at Free Masons was our high light , what a lovely surprise.
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| FreeMasons, Wiswell |
Last day we had lunch at Tree Fishes near village which has a good reputation, owned by well known chef, Nigel Haworth. very smart pub.
Had Lancashire hot pot which is Neil's favourite comfort food , I often make when the weather is cold.
Tender lamb meat with buttery potatoes and sharp red cabbage pickle, it was perfect meal before the end our memory lane and foodie trip. Specially sky was grey and rainy !
We are already looking forward to make this trip next year but would like to make it longer.
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| Lancashire hot pot at Three Fishes FREEMASONS: 8Vicarage Fold, Wiswell, Lancashire, BB7 9DF TEL: 01254 822218 |
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| Three Fishes |
