Best places to eat in Yorkshire with a festive atmosphere and Christmas traditions suggested by owners of Michelin restaurants Pipe and Glass and The Star Inn at Harome
The owners of Michelin-starred restaurants Pipe and Glass and The Star Inn at Harome have suggested their favourite places to eat in Yorkshire with a festive atmosphere.
Pipe and Glass offers a range of cuisine suitable for different times of the day, from a light lunch to an extensive Michelin-star experience.
The South Dalton-based restaurant caters for vegetarians, vegans and its menu include meals for children too.
The inn dates back to the 17th century as the original gatehouse to Dalton Park and the yew tree in the garden is thought to be at least 400 years old.
The pub was bought from the Hotham family by Hull’s Jackson family in the 1950s, who looked after the business until 2006 when James and Kate MacKenzie bought the freehold.
The Yorkshire Post has asked Mr Mackenzie what a typical Christmas Day is like in his household and what he cooks for dinner.
“The Christmas and new year period is always very busy at The Pipe and Glass, we are closed on the big day and Boxing Day so all our staff can enjoy their Christmas,” he said.
“It is a fairly quiet family day at home in South Dalton for us with Kate my wife, myself and our two children Toby and Molly, it's me cooking our dinner but more like Keith Floyd with a glass of wine by my side while cooking, very traditional dinner Turkey with all the trimmings, maybe controversial for some Yorky Puds and roast breast of goose.
“It’s only me that likes Christmas pudding and a chocolate pudding for the rest, followed by some great cheese later in the day.
“Boxing Day is a family long dog walk with our 3 black labs, maybe on Filey beach, followed by meeting up with family and friends.”
We also asked him what his Christmas treat was.
“My Christmas treat has to be some great wine apart from the obvious spending time with the family,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“My choice would be a nice bottle of white Burgundy and a rich red, with maybe a nightcap of vintage port.”
Mr Mackenzie’s best Christmas recipe is his ‘Christmas Tree Parkin’ which he has shared.
“I would recommend using a flexi non-stick Christmas tree mould, mine has six trees on each mould and this recipe will make about 18,” he said.
“However, the recipe can also be made in a lined cake tin.”
Ingredients
- 200g of self-raising flour
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 150g of oats
- 200g of golden syrup
- 50g black treacle
- 200g butter and extra for greasing
- 200g soft brown sugar
- Two eggs, beaten
Method
1 - Pre-heat your oven to 160C
2 - Add the oats to the flour and spices
3 - Put the syrup, butter, treacle and sugar in a saucepan and melt over a low heat
4 - Whilst the syrup mixture is heating, grease the Christmas tree moulds with butter
5 - When the syrup is hot, add the beaten eggs and oat mixture to the pan, and mix well with a wooden spoon
6 - Ladle into moulds, filling about three quarters full
The Star Inn is located in Harome, a small agricultural village on the edge of the North York Moors.
Local craftsman, Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson, took over the pub in the 1930s and in 1996, Andrew Pern bought it and saved it from closure.
Mr Pern has also shared his favourite Christmas traditions and places to eat.
“One of my favourite Christmas traditions is a trip to Whitby, my birthplace, for a walk on the beach with a bracing North Sea wind to blow away the cobwebs,” he said.
“[This is] followed by a snack such as a taco from Fish Cottage in Sandsend or a Pork and Stilton Pie or a Scotch Egg from Radford’s Butchers. Perfect!
“Pheasant Fricasse is one of the first recipes I ever cooked as a child, using pheasant from my parents’ farm and it remains a firm favourite. Great comfort food for a chilly day too!”
Mr Pern’s best Christmas recipe is a Fricasse of Loca Pheasant with orchard apples, young leeks, prunes and cider cream.
Ingredients
- Two breasts of pheasant, skin on and cut into 2cm dice
- Two eating apples, diced or balls
- 50ml game stock, reduced by two thirds
- 200ml whipping cream
- 10 pitted Agen prunes
- 200ml cider
- 50g diced onion
- Two rashers smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into lardons
- A splash of olive oil
- Seasoning
- Eight young leeks
Method
“In a little olive oil, sweat off the onion, pheasant and bacon, colouring until golden brown,” Mr Pern said.
“Add the cider, cream and game stock, reduce by half – cook for approximately 10 minutes.
“Add the apples, prunes and leeks, and warm through gently for 1 to 2 minutes, check seasoning. Serve immediately, with Celeriac Purée.”
Ingredients for the celeriac puree
- Half celeriac, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
- 200ml milk
- 200ml whipping cream
- 20g unsalted butter
- Seasoning (use ground white pepper)
Method
“Cover the celeriac in the cream and milk in a pan, and bring to the boil. Simmer until cooked, such that the liquid is absorbed into the vegetable.
“When soft, place in a blender and purée until smooth, season and add butter. Serve hot, as required.”