range of food that takes all the work out of entertaining.

Food Love are also offering a ‘ready to reheat’ individual luxury Christmas dinner made to restaurant quality.  Simply heat through in the oven and serve. The dinner comprises ‘two-bird’ roast turkey & chicken breast, homemade stuffing, chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon, potatoes roasted in duck fat, creamy mashed potato, crushed carrot and swede, Brussels sprouts and Madeira wine gravy -all for only £9.50.

You can also order individual portions of Keith’s ‘very special’ Christmas pudding with homemade custard for £4.50 each.

We are used to hosting these evenings knowing the majority of our guests on the night, with a few new faces thrown in.  This was going to be completely different – we would only know four out of the 24 guests invited.  The pressure was on!  Not only that, but the happy couple all but entrusted the composition of the menu to us, only suggesting a few items to be included and one of these should be a profiterole tower!

The evening began with a parma ham, fig and parmesan salad, an unusual combination of ingredients that work excellently together.  This was followed by ham hock terrine with asparagus spears running through it served with an apple & mustard chutney.  Next up were tiger prawns in pernod & sweet chilli sauce with sticky rice, the final starter served was mini pepper grillsticks with hot & spicy roasted new potatoes.

When asking the guests which starter they enjoyed the most, the overwhelming response was that it was difficult to choose as they were all so different and equally delicious.

Main course was a choice of tempura beer battered haddock goujons with twice cooked chunky chips and mushy peas or a home cured french trimmed bacon chop served on a bed of creamy peppered mushrooms with a poached duck egg on top and a helping of parmentier potatoes. (see picture).

Desserts began with Keith’s own creation – de-constructed strawberry cheesecake served on curly spoons – apparently ‘to die for’.  Guests then had a choice of four desserts all handmade by Keith, starting with a rich duck egg custard pie, white chocolate & raspberry trifles with Kirsch, sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce & ice cream and of course the highly anticipated profiterole tower.

The previous record held by a guest for eating three desserts was broken wih one guest managing to eat all four – I think that speaks for itself!

All in all, a wonderful night was had by all, with four of the invited guests wanting to book fo New Year’s Eve & many more wanting to come back to future restaurant evening.  With comments such as ‘better than any of the top restaurants in Manchester’, we were over the moon with response.

Diane & Ralph, congratulations on 40 years of marriage, may you have 40 more. (Ican’t believe I have know you for about 25 of those!!!!

They thoroughly enjoyed the menu where guests were served with a Parma ham, fig & parmesan salad with croutons, Keith’s homemade chicken liver pate with toasted brioche. This was followed by pepper grill sticks and hot & spicy potato wedges. The starters were rounded off with line caught natural smoked haddock goujons in tempura batter with a sweet chilli dip.

Main courses were a choice of pan fried sea bass on a bed of creamed leeks with parmentier potatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar or home cured French trimmed bacon chops with poached egg, twice cooked chunky chips and creamy pepper mushrooms.

The line-up of desserts began with de-constructed strawberry cheesecake served on curly sppons. This was followed with cherry baked Alaska, white chocolate & raspberry trifles with Kirsch, croissant & blueberry butter pudding with whisky custard and chocolate creme brulees with a hint of Amaretto. (We always find a good pudding needs some booze!)

Guests had such a good night they even had an impromtu ‘sing song’.

Well house is back to normal now for another few weeks!

Don’t forget about our ‘Festive Food to Order’ menu for those who want to impress their guests over the Festive Period.

Last orders for Christmas puddings is 30 November 2012.

The main course choices were either slow cooked lamb shank with root vegetables and creamy mashed potato or pan fried Sea Bass with Mediterranean vegetables.

Pre-dessert was deconstructed cherry cheesecake served on curly spoons.

Diners had a choice of four homemade desserts (some managing to try all four!), these consisted of luxury baked egg custard, lemon meringue pie, fruit terrine with lime sauce and sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce & vanilla pod ice cream.

Baked egg custard is Keith’s most popular dessert, however this was matched last night by the sticky toffee pudding with Keith being told that his is the best people have ever tasted.

Keith was described by a new guest last night as a ‘food wizard’, a title with which he is over the moon about.

We now have diners waiting for dates for 2013 to book in!

Keith has created a selection of food that is ready to serve / reheat prepared and cooked to his usual high standard to enable to you to have hassle free entertaining over the Christmas.

Top of the list is his ‘Very special’ Christmas pudding made to his own secret recipe with fresh fruit and brandy and nutured right up until you collect it; then there is his ‘oven ready’ two bird boneless roast with turkey & chicken topped with a streaky bacon lattice; roast potatoes cooked in duck fat, homemade cranberry & apricot stuffing.

For boxing day/ New Year parties there are items such as a spiced ham terrine with apple & mustard chutney, confit salmon terrine with dill mayonnaise and a range of sumptuous desserts.

Email or ring for a copy of the menu & price list.

Menus to be uploaded onto website shortly, but please email or contact us for details in the meantime.

So that Keith can ensure he is providing the best food to his own very high standards to his customers, we have decided to change direction and concentrate on the outside catering aspect of our operation.

Consequently we have decided to move to a new kitchen where the emphasis will be on sandwich and business lunch deliveries to local businesses, leaving Keith more time to expand and develop the outside catering area of the business at which he excels.

To this end, we have brought out brand new menus for both sandwich deliveries and business lunch buffets – the website will be updated over the next few days but please ring or email us in the meantime for a copy.

The telephone number remains the same – 01942 812308.

Remember – free delivery to local businesses – within 3 mile radius of Westhoughton (minimum orders apply – please ring for details)

holidays, Sandwich Deliveries, Buffets and Business lunches will continue as normal.

Please contact Keith on 01942 812308 / 07779 140159 for any orders &/or queries.

Local businesses that usually collect orders from shop, please ring for a free delivery.

On Saturday 21 July Food Love  hosted an evening of fine food all handmade from start to

finish by Keith.

There were 5 Tapas style starters for each diner, comprising:

A Parma Ham, fig and Parmesan salad with a balsamic dressing;

Ham Hock terrine with a mustard and aple dressing;

Hot king prawn, coriander and lime patties with Jap sauce;

Chicken liver parfait with cranberries served with fresh baked crusty rolls;

Smoked haddock goujons in tempura batter with a sweet chilli dip.

There was a choice of  a fish or meat main course, the meat option was slow braised Lamb

Shank served with root vegetables and creamy mashed potato.  The fish option was pan

fried Silver Hake with Sandefjord sauce served with saffron new potatoes, asparagus spears

and baby leeks.

A tantalising selection of mouthwatering desserts followed with diners being able to try

as many or as few as they could eat starting with deconstructed strawberry cheesecake

served on curly spoons.

The main desserts were:

Individual Black Forrest gateau;

Baked egg custard;

Croissant, blueberry and whiskey butter pudding;

Raspberry & vodka jellies with lime sauce.

 To top the evening off, there was an impromptu performance by Food Love’s neighbour, Frances Pye, 1st violinist with

the BBC Philarmonic orchestra in Manchester and her friend. (See video clip at top).

Raspberry & vodka jelly with lime sauce

Baked egg custard

Individual Black Forrest Gateau