HAGGIS - BURNS BABY BURNS

DESPITE THE SNOW ON FRIDAY 25TH. THE CROWN AT MANFIELD (WHERE WE WENT FOR OUR BURN'S NIGHT DO) WAS PACKED FULL WITH DINERS EAGERLY AWAITING THEIR HAGGIS, NEAPS AND TATTIES.

THE PIPER BRAVING THE ELEMENTS TO WELCOME US INTO THE CROWN WAS NONE OTHER THAN MY VERY OWN FATHER IN LAW! 

SNOW, WHAT SNOW? A SCOTSMAN LAUGHS IN THE FACE OF SNOW.  

HERE'S A FATHER IN LAW AND SON IN LAW BONDING PICTURE - WHILST, I ENJOY THE GENTLE SOOTHING WAIL OF THE BAGPIPES.

ANYWAY, HAGGIS THE ALE AS OPPOSED TO THE FOODSTUFF WENT OUT TO THE FOLLOWING FINE ESTABLISHMENTS:

THE OLD WELL, BARNARD CASTLE
HEARTH OF THE RAM, RAMSBOTTOM
THE GRAND HOTEL, BISHOP AUCKLAND
THE CROWN INN, MANFIELD
THE BLACK BULL, MELSONBY
THE DERBY ARMS, ORMSKIRK
THE QUAKERHOUSE, DARLINGTON
THE FROG AND FERRET, SPENNYMOOR
THE FOUR ALLS, OVINGTON
THE STANWICK INN, ALDBROUGH ST JOHN
THE JOINERS ARMS, HUNWICK

ENJOYED!

THE FOUR ALLS AT OVINGTON THAI WEEKEND - 25TH AND 26TH JANUARY

If Haggis is not your thing, the Four All's has Thai cuisine on offer this weekend (Friday and Saturday). It is cooked by a Thai lady who has worked in several restaurants around County Durham and Darlington over the last few years

The Thai evenings are becoming increasingly popular so get your booking in early!! Thai food is not all hot and spicy - there is a wide variety on offer and their Thai chef can tailor your meal to your palate, so there is no excuse not to try it!! Consider their offering as part of your culinary education.

For Thai evenings the starters range from £4.50 to £5.75 and main courses from £9.50 to £12.95. Standard dessert (£4.95) and coffee (£1.95) charges apply , if you have room!

A takeaway option for the Thai is also available  - and we had an amazing takeaway in November (there was no December Thai due to the chef being on holiday).   Enjoy!

BURNS NIGHT DO'S AT VOODOO CAFE, DARLINGTON AND THE CROWN INN, MANFIELD

Places are going quick and indeed may now be a sell out - however if you are looking for something to do for 'Burn's night' you couldn't go far wrong with either of the following events:

(1) THURSDAY 24TH JANUARY

Join us at the Voodoo Cafe for a Burns Night that combines tradition with Latin spice and includes a traditional haggis dinner with Whiskey toasts to the 'Bard'.

The haggis has been awarded first prize in Scotland's 'best haggis' awards and... comes from our chef' family butchers in Selkirk, Scotland.

Celebrants are asked to bring a reading; either Robert Burns poetry or a favourite poem or reading that you would like to share.
Dinner is £25 for three courses including Whiskey toasts.

Booking is essential. Please contact Voodoo Cafe telephone 01325 467555 and ask for booking details to be forwarded (email address required). Gathering begins at 7pm prompt.

A number of CAMRA friends highly recommended this night, they went last year and are going this year too. Would have loved to go as the atmosphere and food at the Voodoo are always great - but already committed to:

(2) FRIDAY 25TH JANUARY  

The Crown also has a Burns night with two course menu and a piper to entertain at a bargainous £14.00 per head.

The menu includes cock a leekie soup, haggis, neeps and tatties and a traditional scottish steak pie.

Gathering from 7.00pm  ring for more details on 01325 374243

I've been to this event a number of times and always enjoyed it. This will be the first year that my father in law has been the 'piper to entertain' - hope he's not expecting a tip, I normally get to hear him for free! 

cheers

THINGS TO DO IN THE SNOW - GO ALONG TO YOUR MATE'S INDUCTION AS VICAR TO THEIR NEW PARISH

TODAY I GAVE UP MY OWN USUAL SUNDAY MINISTRY, ATTENDING TO MY FELLOW BEER DRINKER'S IN THE STANWICK INN. INSTEAD I WAS OFF TO ST MARY'S CHURCH, COCKERTON WHERE OUR GOOD FRIEND FR. DAMON BAGE WAS INDUCTED AS THE NEW VICAR OF THE PARISH.

FR. BAGE YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO HEAR IS PARTIAL TO THE DELIGHTS OF REAL ALE. WHILST, SO FAR HE HAS ONLY HAD THE TIME TO TAKE IN THE TRAVELLER'S REST,  COCKERTON WMC AND THE COUNTY (ON WORK RELATED TRAVELS HONEST GUV) . HE IS COMMITTED TO IMBIBING IN THE BEST THAT DARLINGTON HAS TO OFFER.

IF YOU SEE FR BAGE IN ANY LOCAL HOSTELRIES PLEASE GUIDE HIM TO THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSALE.

ENJOYED THE GLASS OF HOUSE RED AT THE REFRESHMENTS AFTER AND ALSO A VERY FINE BUFFET.

ALL THE BEST TO THE BAGE'S IN THEIR NEW HOUSEHOLD -

CHEERS!

THINGS TO DO IN THE SNOW - WALK YOUR DOG TO THE NEAREST PUB

APOLOGIES FOR THE FUZZY IMAGE - A COMBINATION OF FADING BLACKBERRY WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED MONTHS BACK AND SNOW GLARE.

ANYWAY, WHEN SNOWED IN WHAT BETTER WAY TO SPEND THE DAY THAN WALK OUT (FAR SAFER THAN DRIVING) AND HEAD TO THE NEAREST PUB TO AVAIL YOURSELF OF THEIR ROARING FIRE, LUNCHTIME MENU AND BEER.

MY NEAREST PUB IS THE STANWICK IN ALDBROUGH ST JOHN (BEHIND THE PARKED CARS IN THE PICTURE). LUCKILY THERE ARE PLENTY OF  OTHER EXCELLENT TOWN AND COUNTRY PUBS WITHIN EASY WALKING DISTANCE IN DARLINGTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - NO BEER IN THE BREWERY

JUST AS WELL I WENT TO THE PUB  ALOT OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR. (THERE'S A SURPRISE) BECAUSE THERE CERTAINLY WASN'T ANY BEER LEFT AT HOME FOR ME TO DRINK. THE CHILL ROOM WAS BARE. 

FORTUNATELY, I DID GET A BOTTLE OF LEFFE FROM THE BROTHER IN LAW, AND  WON A CASE OF CARLSBERG LAGER IN A NUMBERS DRAW (NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT REMAINS UNDRUNK).

ANYWAY, I BETTER GET OFF THIS BLOG AND BACK TO THE BREWING.

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO DRANK THE BREWERY DRY - YOUR CUSTOM AND LOYALTY IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - CAMRA TRIP ON THE 11TH JANUARY

YES, I KNOW IT'S A TENUOUS LINK TO THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS.

THE 11TH JANUARY  IS THE NEXT MONTHLY CAMRA REAL ALE TRIP. FIRST STOP OF THE NIGHT WILL BE THE STANWICK, ALDBROUGH ST JOHN

FOLLOWED BY THE GEORGE AT PIERCEBRIDGE

NEXT STOP  WILL BE THE CROWN INN AT MANFIELD

THEN FOLLOWED BY THE KING WILLIAM IV AT BARTON, AND

THE HALF MOON AT BARTON - PITY THE VILLAGE STORE WON'T BE OPEN, BY THIS TIME A TAYLOR'S PIE OR A SANDWICH WOULD GO DOWN NICELY.  

FINAL STOP OF THE NIGHT IS THE BLACK BULL IN MELSONBY.  I WON'T HAVE FAR TO TRAVEL HOME - MAY EVEN POP INTO THE BREWERY FOR A NIGHT CAP.

THERE'S ONLY FOUR SEATS LEFT ON THE 16 SEATER MINI BUS - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GOING NEXT FRIDAY LET ME KNOW - THIS IS ALWAYS A POPULAR TRIP (I WONDER WHY?)  

PICTURES USED COURTESY OF PUBS GALORE - FOR PICTURES AND REVIEWS OF LOCAL PUBS http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk

THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - SPOT THE CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER BACK ON

WE'VE HAD X FACTOR, STRICTLY, JUNGLE, DANCING ON ICE IS BACK AND NOW COMES THE ONE WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR - SPOT THE CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER.

IF YOU NEEDED AN EXCUSE TO GET BACK DOWN THE PUB, ENJOY CONVIVIAL COMPANY, GOOD ALE AND SANITY HERE IT IS - REMEMBER YOUR PUB IS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS!

THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - WILL WE EVER SEE THE HOBBIT?

THERE WAS NOTHING POSTED FOR LAST NIGHT AS I WAS HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE TRYING TO BOOK TICKETS TO SEE THE HOBBIT IN 2D AT THE STATION CINEMA, RICHMOND.

UNFORTUNATELY, EVERYONE ELSE MUST HAVE HAD THE SAME IDEA AND LATER IN THE EVENING THE CINEMA POSTED ON FACEBOOK THAT IT WAS NOW SOLD OUT.

NOW SPENDING TODAY TRYING TO BOOK AGAIN, AFTER A TRIP OUT THIS MORNING - BUT BOX OFFICE DIDN'T OPEN TIL 1.00PM.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT PERHAPS LET ME KNOW WHETHER

(1) IT'S WORTH THIS CARRY ON, AND
(2) SHOULD I JUST GO TO A 3D SCREENING

CHEERS

THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - LUCKY 13

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GOOD START TO THE YEAR! 

WE HAD AN EXCELLENT NIGHT,  WHICH WENT INTO THE  EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING AT THE STANWICK INN.  FOLLOWED BY A DAY OF TV AND GRAZING THE REST OF THE CHRISTMAS FOOD.

BUT I'M BACK TO NORMAL WORKING HOURS TOMORROW, THE FIRST MITHRIL ALE FOR 2013 IS 'LUCKY 13' - A DARK FESTIVE BROWN ALE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING FINE ALE HOUSES:

THE OLD WELL, BARNARD CASTLE
THE CROWN, MANFIELD
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WELBURY
THE MARSKE CRICKET CLUB, MARSKE
THE HORSESHOE INN, WEST ROUNTON
THE QUAKERHOUSE, DARLINGTON
THE RED LION, COTHERSTONE
THE BRIDGE, WHORLTON
THE FOUR ALLS, OVINGTON
THE STANWICK INN, ALDBROUGH ST JOHN
THE SNOOKER CLUB, DARLINGTON
THE GRAND HOTEL, BISHOP AUCKLAND

ENJOY!