Stray Kitchen is our monthly column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie studied at Craven College, Skipton. She then did a work placement at London’s five-star hotel/restaurant, The Dorchester. Stephanie was offered a full-time job, where she worked for world-famous chef, Anton Mosimann.
In the spirit of Autumn and Halloween, Stephanie’s first column will be talking about the delicious ways of using apples in various dishes.
I love this time of year. Our region has a real history with the Great British Apple. Did you know the Ribston Pippin was grown back in 1708 from apple pips which were sent to Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall? This was the runner up of the Cox’s Orange Pippin.
In Little Ribston, there is still a Ribston Pippin tree growing in the grounds. Nick Smith, the Director of the Harrogate Flower Show, took me along to cook the apples under the tree years ago. This was filmed for Look North. I created my version of an 18th Century recipe ‘A Fraze of Pippins’ (basically a batter-like pancake, heavy on the spices with lots of apples). It was great fun.
Do you have an Apple glut?
My advice is to invest in an ‘apfelschaler’; a plastic contraption (you can get metal ones too) that peels an apple in seconds whilst you wind the handle. When you literally have kilos to peel it really helps.
The apfelschaler peeling an apple.
My Dad gets given boxes of apples and I help him to cook through an apple mountain (not even an exaggeration). We peel, cook the apples and place them in take away pots, lots of apple sauce, and freeze them. I now have a whole shelf of apple sauce in my freezer that is not mine.
Chutney made with apples is mind-blowingly good and great for Christmas gifts. If you make batches it becomes easy (just watch out for apple volcanos), then you cook the chutney as a hit with some boiling hot apple chutney will smart.
But perhaps you have no apples?
If you are lucky enough to look around villages surrounding Harrogate, they give them away for free by the side of the road. Local farm shops and fruit and vegetable shops have fruit racks that are groaning under the strain with every variety – much better than the supermarket fruits that can sometimes be months old.
Stephanie cooking.
There is always the plan to let someone else do the work. Nothing beats an Elite Meat pork and apple burger, a Taylor’s apple cinnamon tea or a Rosebud Preserves wild crab apple jelly.
Can you Adam and Eve it?
Till next time!
For more information on Stephanie Moon’s career in food click here.
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One incredible Harrogate man cooks 6,000 charity meals
An incredible Harrogate man who really stepped up to the plate has single handedly cooked more than 6,000 meals for charity since the start of the pandemic.
Paul Welch started by cooking meals for his daughters who both work in the NHS. But he wanted to help more people so partnered with Supporting Older People (SOP).
Those behind SOP were delighted to work with Paul. The small and local charity was able to use its connections and experience to distribute the meals to those most in need.
Kate Rogata, the director of SOP, told the Stray Ferret:
“There is a lot of hidden poverty in Harrogate. The coronavirus pandemic has really excacerbated the problem. For some people Paul’s meals have been a lifeline. It’s not just older people that we help but anyone who is vulnerable and in need of a helping hand.”
The Supporting Older People team celebrating with Paul Welch as he passed the 5,000 meal milestone. Photo: Ernesto Rogata
There is no sign of stopping for 58-year-old Paul who uses a wheelchair after a paragliding accident 20 years ago. He spends 10 hours every day preparing, cooking and freezing food.
He has recently been reinvigorated after a major donation of £10,000 from Techbuyer, which has its UK base in Harrogate. That money will help him cook many more meals.
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It will also go towards one of his new projects. With Christmas looking like it will be particularly difficult for many this year, he wants to cook a three course dinner for more than 250 people.
He said, on reaching his major milestone, that he has “been thrilled to help people, particularly older people, then it’s definitely worthwhile.”
Supporting Older People had to adapt at the start of the pandemic. Instead of its usual meet ups and home visits the charity had to move online and by phone.
The charity also used its network of volunteers, which has grown to 200 during the pandemic, to deliver free weekly Asda essential hampers.
It also hopes, in the next couple of weeks, to establish coronavirus secure afternoon tea for up to six people.
Mrs Rogata added that while telephone calls help with loneliness that many still miss meeting up with people face to face.
New giant book will light up Harrogate this weekendA new book unlike any you have seen before will light up the Library Gardens in Harrogate for this weekend only.
The light installation will shine bright as authors take to the digital stage for the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.
As the sun sets the pages will turn and share well-known tales as well as the story of Harrogate.
The free exhibition will also feature ten-word stories from best-selling authors and Harrogate residents – the same as those that have been popping up around town on posters.
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The organisers Harrogate Festivals International say there will be plenty of room for watching the book and they will also ensure social distancing measures are followed.
Harrogate’s literature festival is now in its 12th year but will, like many events, be online due to social distancing requirements.
The festival will run from today until Sunday. It will be streamed on HIF Player on the Harrogate International Festivals’ website.
It comes at a difficult time for the organisation, which has been forced to cut more than half of its jobs.
Harrogate International Festivals said it made the cuts after missing out on an estimated £850,000 due to coronavirus. The arts charity, which was set up in 1966, now has just four staff remaining.
Highfield pupils earn ‘eco-points’ for walking and cycling to schoolPupils at Highfield Prep School in Harrogate have been competing for ‘eco-points’ by walking, cycling, and scooting to school as part of an initiative to improve the environment.
The school, which caters for children aged 4-11, organised the Move to School initiative this term to encourage children and their families not to travel to school by car.
The class with the most eco-points at the end of the term will win an eco-trophy.
Lizzie Fee, social media manager at Highfield, which is part of Harrogate Ladies College, said the scheme is about improving the children’s awareness of how their actions affect the world around them.
She said:
“This is a great way to encourage the children to become aware of their impact on their environment, and that everyone can make a difference no matter how small. It all helps!”
For families who travel by car from further afield, the school has encouraged parents to shorten their journeys and walk the remainder of the way.
Ms Fee added:
“We are very proud of the children’s commitment and enthusiasm to eco-initiatives and green activities and we will be promoting six Move to School weeks every term.”
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- Western Primary School urges council to tackle road fears
- Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?
There is a national project gaining momentum called School Streets, which bans vehicles from outside school gates during pick-up and drop-off times.
The project aims to make streets near schools safer places for children, increase opportunities for them to walk or cycle and reduce their exposure to toxic air pollution.
School Streets was pioneered in the London borough of Hackney in 2017 and has since expanded across the country, including Yorkshire primary schools in Halifax, York, Leeds and Sheffield.
North Yorkshire County Council has not said it will introduce School Streets but its Open Harrogate project – which encourages active travel – said on Twitter the possibility was being explored.
Sneak peek at Italian restaurant opening in HarrogateA new Italian restaurant is opening in Harrogate tomorrow to serve up fresh pasta and speciality wines.
Pranzo Italian, at 31-33 Cold Bath Road, is the second restaurant from chef Marco Greco. He opened his first in Ilkley two and a half years ago.
Marco cooking up a mafalde with four-hour braised beef shin ragu.
This new Harrogate restaurant will be open every day from 12pm to 10pm except on Sundays when it will close at 6pm.
Although it has meat, fish and vegetarian options, Pranzo Harrogate does not have a large menu. It believes in serving a few dishes it can perfect.
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As the restaurant has a large kitchen space downstairs, the chefs will be able to make fresh pasta each and every day.
Marco Greco, on the eve of Pranzo Harrogate’s opening, told the Stray Ferret:
“I have been looking for a new place for about a year. I know it is not the best time to open a new business, it was a bit crazy. But we are already fully booked for the opening night so it is looking good and I think it will be worth it.”
Pranzo Harrogate is the new Italian restaurant on Cold Bath Road.
Pranzo Ilkley is rated as the number two restaurant in the town on TripAdvisor.
Mr Greco has Italian heritage, learned to cook with his grandmother and followed in the footsteps of his dad who also opened an Italian restaurant.
He worked in his dad’s restaurant as soon as he left school and always dreamed of opening his own place.
Pranzo Harrogate has space for 30 people inside the restaurant and a further 20 outside under current covid restrictions.
It has employed 10 staff and intends to recruit more in the future.
Harrogate and Knaresborough pedestrianisation extendedNorth Yorkshire County Council is extending temporary pedestrianisation measures in Harrogate and Knaresborough until next year.
Parking suspensions and road closures have become a familiar sight and the council confirmed today they will remain until at least January 31.
To improve the look of the scheme, traffic cones on Albert Street and James Street in Harrogate will make way for planters.
The planters will be funded by Harrogate Borough Council through the government’s £50m reopening high streets safely fund.
The two councils hope the move will reassure the public it is safe to shop in the towns.
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However, some business owners on James Street have warned of empty shops to come if the county council persisted with pedestrianisation.
The county council said in response it had listened to those views and will keep the measures under review.
Cllr Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access at the county council, said:
“We are committed to supporting the county’s recovery while ensuring people can visit shops safely and buy local. We hope that these measures are making shoppers feel confident to visit our high streets as we approach the Christmas shopping period.”
Cllr Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said:
“Feedback from both businesses and visitors alike has been positive and I’m glad these measures have encouraged people back to the high street that it so desperately needs.”
Parking spaces between Princes Square and West Park on the A61 in Harrogate will be reopened, it was also announced.
The full list of measures in Harrogate:
- Albert Street – parking bays suspended
- Commercial Street – some parking bays suspended
- James Street – parking bays suspended
- Montpellier Hill – some parking bays suspended
- The Ginnel – closed between 5pm and 11pm Wednesday to Saturday and from 1pm to 11pm on Sundays
The full list of measures in Knaresborough:
- High Street – barriers in place to widen sections of footpath
- Market Place – closed on market day between 6am and 5pm on Wednesday
- Castlegate – partly closed on market day between 6am and 5pm on Wednesday
An organisation that combats fuel poverty in North Yorkshire has warned it expects a “huge rise” in referrals this winter, especially in the Harrogate district.
Warm and Well, which is a partnership project between public, private and voluntary sector organisations to reduce the the number of cold deaths, said referrals increased by 196% between July and the end of September compared to last year.
The Harrogate district was responsible for 28% of these referrals in what are usually the quietest months for Warm and Well, which believes the surge in referrals reflects the financial impact of the pandemic.
The organisation said in a statement it “expects a huge rise in referrals this winter as the financial effects of the coronavirus take hold across the region”.
Julia Priestnall, project coordinator for Warm and Well in North Yorkshire, said:
“Our specialist advisers are working very hard to reach out to vulnerable people who are really struggling across the region. As the furlough comes to an end and the inevitable rise in redundancies there is a perfect storm of fuel poverty gathering.
“We have managed to help families in rural areas with properties that are ‘off the grid’ heat their homes when they have had no one else to turn to.”
Project coordinator Julia Priestnall
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Warm and Well, which is managed by Citizens Advice Mid-North Yorkshire and funded by North Yorkshire County Council, helps people deal with energy debt, switching suppliers or applying for emergency energy support.
Its #GearUpForWinter campaign focuses on fuel poverty within rural areas.
The organisation has visited parts of the Yorkshire Dales to help people keep their home warm during the colder season.
To refer yourself of someone you know to Warm and Well in North Yorkshire, click here.
Harrogate couple open town centre jewellery shopA couple from Harrogate with an online jewellery business are to open their first physical store in the town’s Victoria Shopping Centre this weekend.
Sam McDermid and Neil Thompson set up Infinity & Co in 2014 selling jewellery gifts.
On Sunday they will open a shop under the same name in the former vaping store Tobacco Not Included in the shopping centre.
Ms McDermid said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be opening our first store in my hometown of Harrogate.
“I started my career in retail and it has always been a dream of mine to open my own shop.”
Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce has helped Victoria Shopping Centre to promote retail space for local organisations needing a boost during the pandemic.
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James White, Victoria Shopping Centre manager, said he was “thrilled” to welcome Infinity & Co, adding:
“We are very keen to play our part in the recovery of the retail and hospitality sector in Harrogate.
“We would love to hear from anyone who feels we might be able to help them, especially if they are interested in taking on a pop-up store or window display.”
Infinity & Co is giving away a pair of earrings worth £45 with every purchase during its first week.
Why is Harrogate the ‘best place to work from home’?Harrogate was named as the best place to work from home in a survey published yesterday.
Fast broadband, green space and low crime rates were among the factors that earned the town top spot — but who knows better than the people who live here? So we headed to the Stray to ask Harrogate residents if they agreed with the finding.
Covid has forced many people to work from home and a fifth of people said they wanted to do it more often when the pandemic is over.
Harrogate’s new full-time coronavirus testing site opened this afternoon with 57 appointments made available.
The site in the Dragon Road car park, which is run by the Department of Health and Social Care, is capable of testing up to 320 people a day.
The number was expected to be lower during the initial pilot period.
After the pilot period, the facility will be open between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.
Appointments are available to book online and officials expect the site to be used predominantly by Harrogate residents.
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Forty-four covid cases were confirmed in the district in the last 24 hours, according to Public Health England figures today.
The total number of cases in Harrogate since the start of the pandemic now stands at 1,805.
A further 207 positive cases have been reported across North Yorkshire.