Although I’ve lived and work all over the world – I never forget that I am a Yorkshire lass born and bred.
We have the very best of everything in God’s own county, including our produce. Although I had difficulty in Western Australia making Yorkshire Puddings, because of the flour out there, I did introduce my friends to Yorkshire Parkin, Lemon Curd, Fat Rascals, Beef Dripping Chips, Season Pudding and Yorkshire Curd Tart! They loved it – so much so I had to print out recipes of those and other real Yorkshire recipes mum sent me!
So when I finally came back to my beautiful county it was no surprise that I was amazed why we didn’t make more of our produce and culinary heritage up here in Yorkshire.
As a restaurant reviewer I go to every type of restaurant in our city, experience all types of cuisine and have seen Yorkshire dishes creeping on the menus. But not everyone wants to eat out to experience some haute cuisine of Yorkshire.
Small plates and tapas are in the in thing at the moment on the dining scene from Spain and Italy and other countries.
But how about extending the fashion to home dining? Has anyone ever thought of that? We seen every ethnic food in the aisles of our supermarkets why not a sign saying Yorkshire alongside Indian, Italian and Chinese?
Well my prayers have been answered with the launch of Yorkshire Tapas by our old Yorkshire friend Morrison’s Supermarkets.
Morrison’s prides itself in creating “localness”. It listens to its customers – oh have I been overheard extolling the Yorkshire products they already stock I ask myself, as I scour the shelves for items made in our county or bearing the Union flag sign.
It is no secret that this retailer has a real passion for nurturing relationships with local suppliers and therefore supporting the local economy and after all Morrisons started life in Yorkshire!
Yorkshire Tapas have been created using ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers and is the first Yorkshire-inspired ready meals range.
Their chef’s have scoured the county’s pubs, restaurants and cafes – and I suspect maybe looked at their gran’s cookery books – and come up with some mouth watering dishes.
“One of our priorities is to offer customers the local foods that matter to them. Yorkshire has its own distinctive food trends and we listened hard for what customers are eating when they developed this range”, says Morrison’s Development Chef, Richard Jones.
“ We hope that by sourcing the best that Yorkshire has to offer we have created dishes that become customers’ tea time And by gum he’s right! The range comprises 12 dishes catering for all tastes from Beef Dripping Chips with Fountains Gold Cheese and Bacon, Treacle Pigs in Blankets with Blue Wensleydale Dippy Mash and Yorkshire Rarebit Mac & Cheese to Yorkshire Stout Cottage Pie with Beef Dripping Mash and of course Filled Yorkshire Pudding with Yorkshire Beef Rib, Smoked Mash and Parsnip Crisps.
Ideal to use as a Yorkshire tapas night party food or when friends call round, supper snacks or a quick snack or light meal they are good value – of course us Yorkshire folk need them to be! The 12 dishes, and I’ve tried them all since the launch on Yorkshire Day, are available at 58 of Morrisons Yorkshire Stores.