Intros from Deanna...

So, it’s all been said very eloquently in the two blogs mentioned. All it really leaves me to say, as someone who just loves food, wine and great company, is that this Supper Club ticked all of the boxes. After being greeted on arrival with fizz and canapes – poppy seeded macaroons filled with smoked salmon and cream cheese, and rabbit empanadas – we felt that this might not be a vegetarian feast. Both were amazingly delicious – the sweetness of the macaroons at first tasted quite at odds with the well, salmony tasting salmon, but within no time, had me wondering why I’d never considered these flavours together before. And the rabbit empanadas – well, let’s just say I’m glad I wasn’t coming home to look Peter Rabbit in the eye. Delicious. Gone too quickly. And, hence no photographs…

Each course was accompanied by two glasses of complementary wines – it all seemed very decadent, especially when genial wine connisseur, Joe, from The Diablo Supper Club kept refilling the glasses, but again, like the macaroons and the salmon, something we quickly got used to.

So, what did we have to eat and drink? For starters, a trio of scallops on a bed of puy lentils and tomatoes, sitting in a pool of shimmering Chardonnay sauce, accompanied by a Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay and a Reserva Privada Sauvignon Blanc, the former being the perfect partner.

North Star Deli, Chorlton

The main course was a winter delight – although, again vegetarians may want to look away at this point. Thick, juicy and succulent slices – and when I say slices, I mean a good sized four or five slices per person – of venison, which had been marinading in Cabernet Sauvignon prior to cooking, sitting on top of a bed of savoy cabbage and with a rich red wine sauce and accompanied by a Venison Hunter’s Pie, topped with mashed celeriac. Seriously, divine. And washed down with perfectly temperate Shiraz and Carmenere, the latter being the hit on our table.

North Star Deli, Chorlton

Dessert was sublime – a Blood Orange Tart, which we were warned was sweet. Very sweet. And accompanied by a dessert wine, which was making its UK debut – the Casillero del Diablo Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. I expected a sugar rush, but was pleasantly surprised that my teeth didn’t fall out and that dessert and wine were in fact – perfect.

So, all in all a real treat of a night. Fabulous food. Wonderful wine. And lovely company spent with old friends and putting some faces to some familiar Twitter names. Huge thanks to Deanna and the team at North Star Deli and Joe and Briony from the Diablo Supper Club.

North Star Deli & Diablo Supper Club

It also involved some very gorgeous weather and some bracing walks. Here’s what we saw, away from the city -

En route...

Roadworks & a rainbow...

Durham Cathedral...

The North East Coastline...

Boxing Day by the sea...

Tynemouth Priory...

The Tyne Bridge...

Boxing Day beach...

Boxing Day beach...

Tynemouth Harbour...

Big sky...

Ullswater

Windermere from Kirkstone Pass...

Lake Windermere...

Lake Windermere...

Merry Christmas

Just a little festive message to wish readers and followers of our Didsbury Life blog a very Happy Christmas. We might squeeze in another before 2012, but if not, wishing you a very Happy New Year too

Helen, Pete & the Didsbury Life Team x

You might also think that a company who you pay money to, on a regular basis, for said internet, would hopefully provide it on a basis which is slightly more than erratic. Or, when there is a fault, that the people employed by that company might a) be arsed about the problem and b) have a smidgen of knowledge that might help resolve the problem.

But, no. Because we’re talking about Virgin Media. Now they’re probably no worse – and no better – than any other company out there, so I’m not specifically having a go at them. It’s just that we have the misfortune of having inherited them (or rather NTL who were then taken over) when we bought the house. So, this could probably be about any of them, because I guess they all have a similar attitude to their customers.

So, anyway to cut a long story short. We have broadband. We don’t have broadband. Reboot. No change. Call call centre. Reboot. No change. Request engineer. Virgin Media don’t do engineers. Bang head off wall. Repeat process. Repeatedly.

But tonight – a breakthrough! After going through the steps above – AGAIN – with my new friends at the call centre, I happened to mention that this problem didn’t seem to be isolated to just us. Having spoken to neighbours, they were experiencing similar.

Neighbours? Neighbours you say? – the call centre was almost alight. And why? Well, this was PROOF that it couldn’t possibly be anything to do with Virgin Media. It was all down to INTERFERENCE from our neighbours… Or, possibly because the person on the other end of the phone felt that they needed to offer slightly more proof, it could also be due to interference from our… washing machine.

So now you know. If you are experiencing an interruption in your broadband service, do not be silly enough to think it could have anything to do with the provider. No, the fault is all yours…and your own interference

Trove Foods

Trove Foods

Anyone who has visited any of the local markets in South Manchester, may have come across Trove Foods. Run by now-husband-and-wife-team, Katy & Marcus, Trove’s aim is to supply food made from fresh, seasonal and organic produce. From their market stall, they sell jams, preserves and chutneys and often a soup of the day. This was how we first got to know Katy & Marcus. On a cold March day, their spicy soup was the order of the day – and we never forget a good taste! Their stalls are always utterly gorgeous – recycled jars filled with their produce, sitting in apple crates and often with jars of wild flowers, supplied by… of course, Bud Garden Centre. If you follow our blogs, you’ll know that collaboration is our most favourite word – and Bud and Trove do just that

So, when we found out that Katy & Marcus were looking for premises, we were very excited for them. We also had an inkling what it might look like – and when it opened last week, on Stockport Road in Levenshulme, we weren’t disappointed. Across the road from the big antiques centre, you can’t really miss Trove as their original Citroen van is usually parked outside…

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

The interior is just perfect. White washed walls, stripped floorboards, railway sleeper shelves, metro tiles, subtle colours – and a huge centrepiece table, made by Marcus, out of reclaimed boards. The menu is currently very simple and rustic. On the day we went, there were two soups – Mushroom and Beetroot & Stilton – homemade savoury tarts and homemade bread. Both varieties of soup were simply stunning – and served in big bowls with generous slices of sourdough bread. There was no scrimping going on here!

Hopefully, the addition of Trove will help to continue the resurgence of the A6 corridor through Levenshulme. We can’t recommend enough heading over and sampling some really gorgeous rustic, simple (in the best way possible) & home made food…

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Beetroot & Stilton Soup, Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Mushroom Soup, Trove Foods, Stockport Road, Levenshulme

Trove Foods can be found at 1032 Stockport Road, Levenshulme M19 3EX

If you are at a loose end tomorrow 9.30am for 30 mins, come to see our Y5/6 show. It’s amazing, very very different…

From the school that put on CavFest, this was a bit tempting. So, with seasonal snow falling, I once again found myself in a school hall, watching an end of term concert. Years 5 & 6 were buzzing with that kind of excitement that can only eminate from primary school kids – even the cutest of cute Year 7 pupil has usually started, out of necessity, to become a bit “cool” by the time Xmas rolls round.

This concert focused on the WW1 Christmas Day ceasefire, with the children singing carols in English, French & German, to a backdrop of very poignant images, and pop up narrators telling the story. The final song – “All Together Now” – said it all really…

Cavendish Primary School, Christmas Concert 2011

Cavendish Primary School, Christmas Concert 2011

Cavendish Primary School, Christmas Concert 2011

Cavendish Primary School, Christmas Concert 2011

Cavendish Primary School, Christmas Concert 2011

*images taken with permission of school

Let me explain why we were there and give a bit of context. Our niece Ruth, is an amazingly talented singer. But she didn’t choose an easy route. She graduated from Trinity College of Music (TCM) where she studied Historical Performance with Timothy Travers-Brown and Philip Thorby.  Ruth is now studying at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of The Hague, NL with Gerda Van Zelm and Jill Feldman. She also plays the mediæval Harp and is receiving training in mediæval languages and music from Belinda Sykes with whose group, Joglaresa, she regularly appears.

And this is why we were in the audience at The RNCM last night. And, I tell you what. If you want to see REAL talent – whether it’s your musical taste or not, check out Ruth’s website, close your eyes. And listen…

Ruth Fraser - with Joglaresa at The Royal Northern College of Music

So, when Carla mentioned an idea that she’d been chatting with her good friend, Claire, about, we loved it. Because initially it seemed mad. But a great idea if we could pull it off…

And so the Festive Garden Sale came into being! Carla is an interior designer & has a garage full of upcycled, renovated and restored pieces of amazing furniture – selling them in her garden on Burton Road seemed a perfect idea, but we felt we could develop this idea. The lovely Bud Garden Centre was approached – Xmas trees, eco gifts and decorations boxed off. Juliette Hamilton, Didsbury based willow designer extraordinaire, was there with her beautiful handmade willow weavings, Mike from Urban Coppice was on hand, carving amazing kitchen utensils, Bod showcased his copper fire bowls and mulled wine and mice pies were a-plenty.

All-in-all, an event that seemed to exude real Christmas spirit. And, in true West Didsbury spirit, it still went ahead despite torrential downpours…

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Festive Garden Sale, West Didsbury

Love2Eat Deli, West Didsbury

Love2Eat Deli, on Burton Road, West Didsbury is one of those places that feels like home. It’s small and intimate – and so when a friend has birthday, on the same night that another friend is doing one of his poetry nights, you know pretty much that the place will be filled with friends. And it was, on Friday evening. It was a really lovely occasion, with hearty winter warming food, lots of wine flowing and much chatter and laughter.

Love2Eat Deli, West Didsbury

Love2Eat Deli, West Didsbury

And, as he has done at numerous other events, Mike performed his poetry…

Mike Garry, Love2Eat Deli, West Didsbury

Mike Garry, Love2Eat Deli, West Didsbury

This time though, Mike did something different at the end. He put down his poetry book and picked up his Mac and read his latest blog. If you want to know why our evening at Love2Eat Deli was life affirming, have a read…