WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW...

Scunthorpe Telegraph 28th December 2004

The sprout is a descendant of the wild cabbage and was first planted 700 years ago in Belgium, from where it earns its 'Brussels' prefix The hardy vegetable belongs to the brassica group alongside other favourites including the cabbage and cauliflower
Virtually impervious to harsh British frosts, the crop has flourished since it was first introduced in Bedfordshire. Today, more than 3,000 hectares of sprouts are grown in England and Wales, and harvested from September to March
A survey by the NFU found 52 per cent of people overcooked their sprouts, with 11 per cent boiling them for a merciless 20 minutes! In fact, they need just eight
Cooking sprouts properly not only ensures the best taste and texture, but also retains the nutrients that make this low-calorie, high-fibre vegetable good for eyes, teeth, bones and fighting infection
Germaine Schwab, proprietor of the renowned Winteringham Fields restaurant, said it would not be Christmas without a sprout dish on the menu
Guests will be able to sample the delights of Grilled cod Viennoise, on a fricassee of sprouts and chestnuts, which will be available during the festive season
For anyone wishing to do something different for dinner over the festive period, Germaine offered a few simple suggestions, including glazing them with maple syrup, or in delicious goose fat
Alternatively he said try a sprout gratin. Cook the sprouts, slice them, cover in bechamel sauce and Gruyere cheese, pop it under the grill for a short while, just to colour the cheese, and serve with a nice medallion of turkey.

PEACE AND QUITE NOT SO GOLDEN

Scunthorpe Telegraph 27th December 2004

Silence may be golden, but it has taken some getting used to for one London chef, who, after coming to live in North Lincolnshire, admitted the peace and quiet was stopping him getting to sleep at night.
Steve Lock has come to the region to lead the cooking team at the region's first totally organic restaurant. The new venture is due to open in January at Lincolnshire Organics, Holme Hall. And Mr Lock admitted compared to London's bustling East End, his new Winteringham home is so quiet at night he has had trouble sleeping.
The chef has moved to the region to cook up a storm at the Holme-based business and will offer diners a range of finest quality organic and home-grown food, including steak and chips, pork stroganoff and steak and kidney pie.
The new purpose-built restaurant is part of a £250,000 redevelopment at the award-winning business, which will also be renamed as the Pink Pig Organic Farm Shop and Restaurant
Other new attractions opening in Easter include an animal trail for children with an area where youngsters can play with some of the farm animals.
Owners Sally and Andrew Jackson said they were opening the restaurant to expand the range of food they offered, and believed it would be a big hit.
Mr Lock, meanwhile, said he was also really looking forward to opening the new eaterie, but had taken a while to get used to the quieter North Lincolnshire lifestyle.
He said: "We came up here to get out of the rat race and it is a million miles away from where we used to live.
"In the East End at night you get used to all the background noise such as police helicopters flying around all the time.
"It is so quiet here at night though, it has taken a while for us to get used to it."
The chef said he was now living in Winteringham with daughter Ella (one) and wife Diane, who has relatives in Winterton.
He added the family had come up to North Lincolnshire in June. Mr Lock said he and Diane had brought their daughter to the region to give her a better lifestyle.
Adding he had managed three fine dining restaurants in London, Mr Lock said one of his restaurants had been in the heart of the city.
"We were right in the city and opposite the Old Bailey so we used to get the lawyers and businessmen coming in. It was very different and hectic compared to here," he said.
The chef said the new restaurant would offer a selection of good food using the freshest ingredients, and he believed the eaterie would be popular.
He added: "Organic food is great to work with and the difference is in the taste.
"The atmosphere will be friendly, but the food will be very good."
Mrs Jackson said they had decided to open the restaurant after their cafe had become too cramped.
She said: "We wanted to expand for some time and then it came to us we may as well go the whole hog and open a restaurant."
Mrs Jackson said the restaurant would be serving simple wholesome food, which would be prepared with the best quality ingredients and very well cooked.
Adding they thought the business would be popular, she said they were looking forward to the opening.
"It's going to be fantastic. This is something we have wanted to do for a long time and we think it will do well," she said.

THREE INJURED IN HEAD-ON SMASH

Scunthorpe Telegraph 22nd December 2004

Two women and a two-year-old girl were detained in hospital after a head-on collision on a notorious North Lincolnshire road yesterday.
Emergency services were called out to the A1077, about a quarter of a mile west of the Mere Crossroads near Winterton, just after 9.30am. The incident, involving an R-registered green Nissan Micra and a silver Mercedes, resulted in the road being closed to traffic from Mere Crossroads to the Winterton turn-off for about five hours.
Humberside Police spokeswoman Kim Prewer said the green Nissan Mica was travelling from Scunthorpe towards Barton and the silver Mercedes SLK was travelling in the opposite direction when a head-on collision occurred.
Cones were put in place and motorists were diverted through Winteringham as three ambulance and four fire crews dealt with the situation.
Both female drivers were cut out of the vehicles by fire and rescue personnel using hydraulic rescue equipment.
The 19-year-old driver of the Nissan Micra, from Scunthorpe, suffered serious injuries to both her legs.
The driver of the Mercedes, a 53-year-old Barton woman, suffered injuries to her right ankle, shock and chest pains.
The two-year-old Barton girl, travelling in the front seat of the Mercedes, suffered facial injuries.
All three casualties were taken by ambulance to Scunthorpe General Hospital, where they were yesterday detained. Their conditions were not known this morning.
The road was eventually reopened to the public at about 2.30pm.
The police spokeswoman said officers at the scene described the road conditions as 'icy'.
A resident living near the scene of the accident said he had not seen the results of the collision but had seen a volume of traffic travelling through the village of Winteringham.
"They diverted it all through the village. There were lots of emergency service vehicles going through," said the resident, who did not wish to be named.
Insp Steve Page, of Humberside Police, advised motorists to take certain measures to avoid becoming the victim of a road accident in the icy conditions.
"The first thing is to watch the weather forecast," said Insp Page.
"When you have determined it's cold, you have got to get out of the house that bit earlier. You have got to spend the time clearing all your windows and allow extra time for this.
"Two of the principle causes of accidents are steering and braking and the answer is don't drive too fast and don't get up close to the car in front."
He added: "Be careful with breaking and steering, especially on minor roads, which may not have been treated."
Humberside Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident. Anyone who saw the collision is asked to contact Scunthorpe Police on (01724) 282888.

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU ... IN THE NAVY

Scunthorpe Telegraph 14th December 2004

It Is a little known fact, but a career as a Royal Navy chef could produce cooks good enough to produce food for the stars - and that's according to one of the finest restaurants in Britain.
The owners of top North Lincolnshire restaurant Winteringham Fields believe the military training provided by the navy could even produce the next Gordon Ramsay. The thumbs-up from restaurateur Annie Schwab - wife of leading chef Germain Schwab - follows a new navy initiative designed to attract more chefs to the forces, as part of a major recruitment drive.
Chefs from the service visited North Lindsey College earlier this week to give NVQ Level Two students a taste of what life could be like on the ocean waves.
Royal Navy chef class one Chris Mann (23) showed teenagers studying catering courses how to prepare smoked salmon, naval chocolate mousse and a range of other specialities, as part of the day.
The chef, who is from Boston, Lincolnshire, and serves on the frigate HMS Montrose, said being in the forces was a great career.
"The best thing about the job is the variety," he said. "You could be doing everything from preparing an officer's banquet to good old fashioned home cooking."
The chef said he joined the navy from college in Boston and had thoroughly enjoyed his career at sea.
Adding students who joined the service with an NVQ level two could shave weeks off their training time, he said the job could be challenging but very worthwhile
"Preparing eggs for a crew in a Force eight gale is certainly something of an experience.
"It is great to get the reaction from the crew, though, when you serve them food," he added.
Eileen Potter, a lecturer at North Lindsey College, said the visit had been beneficial for their students.
"It is very good for them to have visits like this, as it gives them an idea of what life is like out there in the wider world," she said.
"We have had visits from the army and in the future we will be having more chefs in."
Student Laura Price (17), from Scawby, said she was not sure what she wanted to do with her future but was interested by the visit.
"I am keeping my options open but I'm ruling nothing out. It has been really interesting to have the navy here," she said.
Annie Schwab, co-owner of Winteringham Fields restaurant, said her and her husband would certainly consider employing a Royal Navy chef with the right skills.
"Some of the army and navy pastry chefs are among the best in the UK," she said.
"The one thing they do teach in the navy is discipline and that is essential if you have to cook in a top kitchen.
"If you could get someone from the navy to work in the kitchens for a couple of days, we would be happy to take them on to prove it."
Leading Seaman Nigel Drewery (34), from Scunthorpe, said the Royal Navy had to someone to offer everyone.
He said; "It is not just a job, it is an adventure. It is an amazing life.
"I would ask people to join up and be part of something."

WITNESSES SOUGHT

Scunthorpe Telegraph 14th December 2004

A Motorist lost control of a car, which careered into a field and overturned this morning, police said.
Humberside Police said the accident happened on the A1077 between South Ferriby and Winteringham, just before 8.50am. Lincolnshire Ambulance Service were called to the accident, but the extent of the male driver's injuries were not known at the time of going to press.
Scunthorpe Police are now investigating the accident and officers are appealing for witnesses to contact them on (01724) 282888

POPPY APPEAL RECORD SUM

Scunthorpe Telegraph 10th December 2004

Generous donations managed to raise a record sum for this year's poppy appeal in the Winterton area.
Members of the Winterton and District Royal British Legion collected £4,000, and organisers said this week it was £800 more than the total raised during previous years. The collection took place in Appleby, Alkborough, Whitton, Winterton and Winteringham and organisers wanted to thank everybody for their contribution.

RESTAURANT PAIR TO FIGHT RISING RATES

Scunthorpe Telegraph 7th December 2004

The owners of North Lincolnshire's top restaurant, Winteringham Fields, have lodged an appeal against a decision to increase the rate bill for the premises almost six-fold to a staggering £62,500 a year.
Germain and Annie Schwab, who opened the business 17 years ago, have already warned their 35-staff if they have to pay the bill they will close the restaurant. Their appeal will be heard by a Valuation Tribunal in Lincoln on December 17, when the couple will be represented by Christie and Co, surveyors, valuers and agents.
Claire Carvello, the spokeswoman for the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), said: "On this occasion we cannot comment with regard to this particular case due to the fact the appeal will be heard on December 17.
"The Valuation Tribunal is a judicial body, wholly independent of the VOA, and we would not want to be involved in anything prior to December 17 which may prejudice the outcome of the case."
The business rates are re-assessed every five years and are based on the market value of Winteringham Fields, which was on sale last year for a reported £1.3-million.
Mrs Schwab said in 2000 the business rates were set at £11,000 a year, but following structural alterations the bill was raised to £11,500 in August 2001.
From September 2 this year however the couple have been presented with a bill for £39,500 for the period until April 1, 2005.
Mrs Schwab said that figure would rise to £62,500 in April next year.
She said: "If the challenge on December 17 fails then the business will shut - it is as simple as that.
"We are not working 18 hours a day for nothing."
Winteringham Fields, which is the only establishment in the North of England to be awarded Michelin stars, has earned North Lincolnshire worldwide attention.
Among the patrons are top British singer Robbie Williams.
Over the weekend BBC TV screened The Politics Show live from The Fields at 12.30am.

PLAYGROUP FESTIVE FAIR

Scunthorpe Telegraph 2nd December 2004

Winteringham under-fives play group is holding its Christmas fair on Sunday.
The event starts at 2pm and admission is free. There will be a cake stall, tombola, a raffle and children's games. Father Christmas will also be making an appearance.
There will be a stall selling wooden toys and another staffed by Lu-B-Lu boutique.
Seasonal refreshments will also be available.
For more information, contact Lindsay on (01724) 734791