Summer Beer Fete @ North, Leeds

...And so the summer season of beer festivals rolls on. It's too distracting, I tell ya...anyway, perennial TGS fave North laid on a beer festival specifically aimed at lighter 'summer' beers and mighty fine it was, too.

I started the session with Anglo-Dutch's Yorkshire Wit. I'm usually impressed by AD's brews, and this was no exception - massively citrussy (Grapefruit mainly) and supremely thirst-quenching, sold as chilled as it was. A little spice on the palate, I really could have drunk a lot more of this - but then my head was turned by Outlaw's Amarillo. I'm really keen on single-hop beers, particularly ones from the Outlaw/Roosters stable. The Amarillo was, as you'd expect, clean and grassy, with subtle, sweet malts coming through on the palate.

I'm sure I had read Jon waxing lyrical about Harviestoun's Schiehallion before, so that came my next. And a pleasant surprise it was, too - A yeasty aroma, with some great orange/lemon notes, and a biscuity, full-bodied taste. Lagered ales are a strange beast, but this really did hit the spot and it's the one beer of the festival I will actively seek out again.

Beers from Mordue, Salamander and Kelham Island were available, along with the usual range of North regulars - Sierra Nevada, Roosters, Outlaw and Mort Subite to name a few.

See you at the Winter Beer Festival!

Bacon & Cheese Croquetas with Naylor's Pinnacle Blonde

I love tapas, I really do. Although little morsels of goodness can range from easy to time-consuming to make, you very rarely get any result other than delicious. This week, we gave Croquetas a go.
I used bacon and smoked cheese to fill mine, but you can use fish, shellfish (crab is really good) or chicken. In fact, you can pretty much use any filling you like. I knocked up another couple of side-dishes using what was in the fridge at the time, and I'll share those with you too. All the measures for the ingredients are rough - I just use handfuls here and there, to be honest. Go with what you think. Sorry!
Ps - you can use mashed potato to fill these with - I just prefer the denser bechamel filling.

Bacon and Cheese Croquetas

You will need:
About 100g smoked cheese - I used Swaledales' Smoked
4 rashers of smoked bacon, streaky.
A panful of Bechamel sauce (probably about 400g)
Some fresh breadcrumbs (white bread)
Parsley, crushed black pepper to season.
1 beaten egg.
Oil to fry in.

Ok - easy recipe - but you need to do it in stages.
1. Make the bechamel as you would normally do - add plain flour to melted butter to make a roux, then add milk. You want to keep it thick; not runny. Add the cheese, combine, then season the mix with the herbs and pepper. Leave to cool - at least an hour.
2. Slice the bacon into small chunks and fry off in a little oil. Add these to your mix.

There you go - the filling is done. But it must be left to cool because you can't handle it hot. The bechamel will thicken, and turn into a kind of dough. That's why it needs to be thick!
In the meantime, you can beat the egg in a bowl and blitz your stale bread into breadcrumbs.

3. When cool, use your hands to grap a chunk of the mixture, shape into balls or a sausage shape. Dip in the egg, then roll in the crumbs. Set on a plate and repeat until finished. I had about 12.
4. Place the croquetas in the fridge and leave to set - the longer the better. I left them for an hour.
5. When ready to eat, heat your oil and deep fry until golden. Leave to drain and serve!

Now, I used up some fridge-food to make some little sides for this. We made a salad of Avocado, fresh Plum tomatoes and Jalepeno chillies. Also, we sauteed some slices of Chorizo in olive oil and garlic, adding a sliced Onion to bulk it up. Once the onions had softened, a splash of Balsamic vinegar went in.
Secondly, we sauteed some Prawns and Mussels in olive oil, a touch of butter,loads more Garlic and a splash of lemon juice. This made the second side-dish.

And to drink - Naylor's Pinnacle Blonde. In my opinion, their best beer, this bottle-conditioned gem has a underlying sweet caramel and toffee aroma, but surprises on the palate with some firm fruit qualities - think peach, if that makes sense. The little wheat that it has in it really smoothes the body out, making this a perfect match for the bold flavours of the meal.

Go Team GB!

Ok, I confess. I’m a sports nerd. I love nothing more than to pair a pint with a good sporting event on the screen; preferably footy (my love of Leeds United has been more than adequately logged here).
Recently, I’ve been watching the Olympics as default – getting behind Team GB as they rack up what can only be described as an impressive medal haul. I’m loving it. Really.

But one thing really made me smile today . Enjoying a pint of Castle Rock Mole (and a very nice pint at that...) at lunch in Foley’s I read in...lets just say a popular, red-top tabloid – that “...Despite winning Yngling Gold, sailor Pippa Wilson has found time to make bread for the British Team down in Quingdao so they can enjoy Jam Sandwiches”.

I guffawed and raised my pint. Bread's an effort on it's own without knowing you've got to go out and win an Olympic gold, for Christ's sake! Well done, Team GB, and keep up the British End, so to speak.
Jam Sarnies. Priceless.

Mr Foley's Beer Festival

I dropped into Mr Foley's over the weekend to see how the Beer Festival was going. With a second bar rigged up in the back room, this gave us interested drinkers a chance to enjoy some different ales to the norm in decent surroundings (I really didn't miss the sports-hall vibe)!!

Despite missing the 'Meet the Brewer' event, Andy Whalley (York Brewery), was more than happy to spend an hour or with myself discussing many topics from the USA craft beer scene to how the beer industry are coping with the (temporary, we hope) hop shortage. And a very nice bloke he was too, showing the enthusiasm one would expect from one of the main men at York.

Dean, the manager of Foley's, explained that the festival was going very well, and hopefully we should see more of the same in the upcoming year. Ale sales are going strong too, as evidenced by the addition (at the expense of Lager taps) of yet more pumps dedicated to beer. And the beer itself? Well, of the many sampled over the weekend, Dean recommended Vale Breweries Black Swan - an excellent mild; full of big roasted-malt flavour and a dry hoppiness. Despite being perfectly happy to have stayed on this all evening, I jumped over to the Red Squirrell London Porter; another excellent example of the style - big red fruit and chocolate character with a sharp dryness coming through. Dark Side of the Moose was as excellent as ever, and Kelham's pale and fruity Golden Eagle made the 'Friday after-work pint' slot all its own.

The festival runs all week, so get yourself down there and try something different.

Animals, Dragons and Beer - A News Roundup

Mr Foley's Cask Ale House, York Breweries' first Leeds Pub, will hold The Noah's Ark Beer Festival from Friday 15th August until Thursday the 21st August, with over 40 beers, on 16 pumps, for 7 days.

One interesting event will be the Meet The Brewer (Sunday 17th, 2pm) with Andrew Whalley, director of Brewing for York Brewery and Chairman of SIBA North. There will also be 'The Great Pub Quiz' (Monday 18th, 7pm, Free entry and a Gallon of beer for the winning team), Live Acoustic Blues and Folk (Tuesday 19th, 7pm), Fancy Dress Night (Wednesday 20th, 7pm) where Foley's invite you to dress as your favourite animal - A free pint for every animal, and a gallon of beer prize for the best costume...And finally, A CAMRA Evening (Thursday 21st, 7pm) -£2 a pint for all CAMRA members and a free buffet!

Sure to be some decent beer on offer - although i'll be giving the fancy dress night a miss...

Mr Foley's Cask Ale House: 159 The Headrow,

Leeds LS1 5RG 0113 2429674

Also, Skipton's Copper Dragon Brewery are busy at work building a brand new £4 million brewery & headquarters on Snaygill Industrial Estate. It'll include an 11,000 square foot brewhouse and the refurbishment of their new 22,000 square foot visitor centre, bistro and offices.

Always nice to see an independent enjoying healthy growth.

Help!

I'm looking to overhaul the blog in the next couple of weeks and make it a bit more individual than the standard blogger templates - if anyone knows anyone who would like to do this for me, for nothing other than kudos and credit (or a beer if they are in the vicinity!) - drop me an e-mail at the address on the right there.
I know there are loads of 'Free Blog Templates' out there, but what can I say - I want something custom.
Thanks!

The Midweek - Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA

This week's midweek tipple came in the form of Belhaven's Twisted Thistle. An IPA in the more traditional sense, it's got a great grassy, sharp nose and those Cascade and Challenger hops are the dominant flavours; dry and fruity. Not anywhere near as extreme as some of the other 'New' IPA's out there, I'd reccommend this for those who want to dip their toe into more hopped beers.

I also thought this would be a great beer to pair with food; although I didn't have anything cooking at the time. Off the top of my head, I think Twisted Thistle would sit really well with a Thai Green Curry, Lemon & Chilli -Spiced Chicken or Calamari.

http://www.belhaven.co.uk/

Yorkshire Day - As Good A Reason As Any...

.

Yep, we deemed the first of August Yorkshire Day, and pubs across the city took that as an excellent reason to focus on local beers. Not that any of the pubs I visited ever really have an issue with stocking locals, but we Yorkshiremen (and women) are a proud bunch.

So, off the The Adelphi to start, with pints of TT's Landlord and Leeds Best in cracking condition. Then a quick amble down to The Palace, which is one of my favourite drinkers in Leeds. Rooster's perennial favourite Yankee was on offer, and despite the weather turning a little grey outside one sip of this refreshing, golden ale with its tropical fruit aromas made you feel truly summery. Beers from Little Valley, Daleside, Elland and Fernandes were proving popular too.

We followed that with Saltaire's Yorkshire Pale; a truly moreish pint; smooth, hoppy and packed with Citrussy notes. This was the third pint of Saltaire's beer I've had in two weeks - and I have to say I've been impressed with them all.

Yep, supping beer on a lazy afternoon. Gotta love Yorkshire Day.

http://www.theadelphi.co.uk/

The Palace, Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ

Tel; 01132445882

Landlord's Fish Bites

Beer-battered Fish is a beercooking classic – and rightly so. This isn’t an original recipe by a long shot but is easy and tastes great. Cook in as large quantities as you need for guests at a gathering. Serve –of course – with handcut, beef-fat fried chips.

You will need (to serve four):
Three large fillets of white fish, cut into hearty chunks – (Cod,Haddock or Pollock are good)
250g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
¾ pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord Pale Ale (well chilled)
Pinch of salt
3 tsps of baking powder
A pinch of chilli flakes, a pinch of black pepper and a good sprinkle of paprika
Sunflower oil to fry in – I mix half oil with half dripping or even goose fat!

1. To make the Batter, simply sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the beer and stir well. You want a thick emulsion – but not too thick. You’ll know when it’s ready.
Heat up your oil – it needs to be good and hot – about 160c. To test, simply fry a chunk of bread. If it fries cleanly and floats to the top, you’re done.
2. On another plate, sprinkle some of the flour and season this with pepper, chilli flakes and paprika. Dust the fish in this before dredging through the batter.
3. Drop the fish into the oil (away from you) and fry for about 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown. Don’t overcrowd the pan – only do a couple of pieces at a time. Take care not to overcook – you want the fish to stay moist.
4. When ready simply leave to drain for a minute or so on some kitchen paper. Serve with slices of lemon and a good dose of salt and vinegar!

I've used Timothy Taylor's Landlord here because it's an assertive beer that punches through the batter. However, any beer that you feel fits this bill will do. Experiment! I can also recommend Moorhouses's Pendle Witches Brew for good beer-batter, too.

The Midweek: Wylam's Northern Kite

I have this compulsion in Beer where I'll get seriously hooked on one brewer, and as soon as I see thier pump clip gleaming up at me from a just-wiped bar, I gotta have it, regardless of style or mood. Last month it was Elland - this month it's Wylam.

I simply have yet to taste a less than excellent beer of thiers. Northern Kite is no exception. Wylam bill this luscious beer are a Ruby Ale, and in some respects I can see where they are coming from. Northern Kite is a mahogany, soft-tasting beer with a massive malt character and not much hops coming through. In that respect, I actually likened it to a mild, but one with a bigger a.b.v at 4.5%. This is one pint I could drink a lot of.

Wylam are a family-run brewery, and have been about since 2000. Long may they continue. Cheers.

I enjoyed this pint, and many others, in great nick at my local, The Abbey, in Leeds. I'll be reporting on this fine establishment in greater detail in the upcoming weeks.

Breakfast of Champions

Good Coffee. Two warm, sticky Baklava. Holiday Breakfast.

The Midweek: A Couple from Cairngorm

A relative of mine recently brought me back a couple of gems from a touring trip to Scotland - Cairngorm's Wildcat and Stag beers.

I've never tried Cairngorm's stuff before, but based on this bottled sampling, it'll be one brewery i'll keep an eye out for. My favourite, Wildcat (5.1abv) was the tastiest; a clear, bright ruby beer that had a well-rounded, fruity malt taste with a long, bitter finish. The stronger of the two, Wildcat's alcohol kick doesn't come through until the end, resulting in a supremely drinkable and lively pint. Stag (4.1abv) was quieter in profile -darker in colour, with a much softer malt palate than its' colourful cousin. Much more caramel comes through, and this means a longer, quaffable beer.

Both were very welcome at the end of a long day and I can certainly recommend Cairngorm's wares. I understand their Trade Winds to be worth seeking out, also.

Cairngorm Brewery

Easy Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potato and Garlic Mash

...Does what it says on the tin. Chicken's one of those meats that lends itself to being marinated the hell out of, and this is one of my favourite 'easy' recipes - perfect when you don't have much time, but want to create something impressive.

Serves two.

You will need:

Free Range Chicken Breasts, skin on, please.

Marinade: A couple of teaspoons of turmeric, ground coriander, a good chunk of chopped fresh ginger, some chilli flakes (as many as you like), a dash of lemon juice, a little olive oil, and a little ground black pepper and some salt.

1. Firstly, make some slashes in the chicken breast, and cover liberally in the marinade above and leave to rest in a large dish or bowl for at least an hour. The longer, the better.

Meanwhile, you can make the mash:

Peel four large redskin sweet potatoes, and chop into roast-sized chunks. Arrange in a roasting dish with a good drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of good salt and a little fresh Rosemary. Add the whole cloves of garlic, and make sure the skins are left on.

Roast the sweet potato and garlic for about 30 minutes; they will turn pulpy when done.

Then, whack the chicken breasts under a hot grill and cook until done. When the meat is ready and resting, you can pull the veg from the oven, place in a bowl and mash. Pop the garlic from thier jackets and work this into the sweet, orange mash.

Arrange as you like and you're done.

Not only does this meal look like a lot of effort but if you're a garlic lover (who isn't?) it's heavenly. The sweet mash compliments the sweet notes in the chicken marinade, and isn't too heavy a meal either. As a beer match I chose William's Red, a fruity- peppery, full-on beer that is robust enough to take on all that garlic and spice and still come through.

This recipe was inspired by A Merrier World's campaign to heighten awareness of the importance of buying free-range chicken. For the record, I buy my chicken at Hunt's Game & Poultry in Leeds Kirkgate Market. We all know the importance of buying free-range meat, not just from a moral standpoint but from a quality one, too. It simply tastes better, and the people that produce free-range meat - and independent food and drink producers in general - need our support wherever possible. Without them, we'd be in a really depressing state.

A Postcard from Bulgaria #2 - So, What's to Eat?

So, there’s not much out there about food in Bulgaria worth reading, so I thought I’d cobble together a few words and pictures, should any of you ever visit.

Food in Bulgaria is a strange mix – the heat and the setting feels distinctly Mediterranean – indeed the first glances at menus reveal kebabs, souvlaki, fresh salads, grilled meat and fish – but then you’ll also get a wide range of soups and stews. This reminds you with a jolt that you are in fact in the Balkans.

First up, the salads. Why do tomatoes always taste better in the sun? Shopska Salad, a Bulgarian version of ‘Greek’ salad, with tomatoes, onions, cucumber and mild, creamy sheeps’ cheese, is actually – gulp – nice. Very nice, in fact, I formed a slight addiction whilst over there. And I generally don’t eat salads on their own.

One thing that surprised me greatly was the seafood – the quality of the fish where we were based (the very bottom of the Black Sea coast) was excellent, and much better than our recent forays to Greece and the sadly depleted Med. The Bulgarian classic ‘Fish On A Roof Tile’ (translated) was an outstanding example of Bulgarian cuisine. Whole fish, usually Mackerel, laid in an earthenware, trough-shaped tile, topped with a rich, red-wine and shallot sauce, then slow baked. Like a fish Stifado, if you will. And possibly one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. It’ll pop up here sometime soon as I try to recreate it in my own cack-handed way.

However, the real deal for me was lightly battered and quick-fried clams, mussels and squid – doused in lashings of salt and squeezed lemon. Lip tingingly good. A bowl of this in an open-air seafood place and the sun going down...that’s me. Kill me there and then, I’m done. All that was missing was a good, zingy Weisse to wash it down with. Clams and smoked, sweet bacon were often stirred into fried rice with tonnes of fennel and parley, to result in a kind of Balkan risotto. Wonderful.

As if that wasn’t enough, pork was often eaten chopped, fried in a huge pan with gherkins, mushrooms, peppers, and topped with smoked cheese. Then delivered to your table, spitting all over you but you don’t care because it’s a loaded skillet of pork and smoked cheese. I didn’t make a note of what this dish was called – if anyone knows, help me out!

I’m slightly obsessed with Gyro; but we found that Bulgarian gyro tends to have sour cream instead of tzatziki, and use chicken and pork instead of lamb. For me, although a great snack, the garlic and fennel suckerpunch of Greek tzatziki was missing, big time.

Sozopol is divided into two parts; new and old town. All the best restaurants are in the Old town; Check out Neptune for the best seafood (in fact, the best food) on the Island, although Rusalka runs a close second. The Windmill offers a great dining area and good, hearty soups and stews, and Tavern Chuchura for the sizzling pork/cheese skillet. Finally, El Greco (next to Rusalka) does an amazing creamy seafood pasta, and has wonderful fresh Anchovies.

....And as for Beer...well, forget it. Nothing at all except generic Bulgarian lager that goes down ok when you’re baking alive reading Dave Gorman’s America Unchained on the beach. Instead, opt for Bulgarian wine – it’s damn good and maybe slightly unappreciated. Mavrud is a really good red grape variety unique to Bulgaria (I think –I’m a beer obsessive, not wine!) and the Traminers and Chardonnays from nearby Pomorie were not only reasonably priced but delicious too.

Leeds Brewery Are Now Bottling...

...And they win the award for 'July's Sexiest Label'! Mock Copperwork? Yes, please!

A Cheeky Bit of News

...It's taken a while, but the winners of the Leeds Beer Festival have been announced, and are as follows: Beer of The Festival - 1st: Hopstar Smokey Joe's Black Ale, 2nd: TSA Highland Fling...Mild of the Festival - 1st: Milton's Minotaur Mild, 2nd: Hobson's Mild.
Well done all - and i'll be there next year.
Another haunt of mine, Foley's Cask Ale House in Leeds are holding their First beerfest - it'll be happening on the 15th - 21st of August and I'll keep you updated if I find out more...If in Leeds, pick up a copy of Leeds CAMRA's Full Measure Magazine...there's now a food and beer column hosted by yours truly...and finally, happy 10th anniversary to Beer-Ritz - keep up the stellar work, chaps.

Beers of The Year - Six Months In...

Ok, the year is halfway through and I've found myself in a reflective mood this morning. Here's what I've enjoyed this year, out of all those pints of sweet (and some not so) sweet ale....

1. Leeds Brewery: Midnight Bell. Looks like there's not only me who has been astounded by these guy's ascent in 2008 - A Swift One is also a big fan and so it seems, is the rest of Yorkshire. Midnight Bell is, in my opinion, their best - a sweet, light, malty mild in the true sense of the word.

2. Purple Moose's Dark Side of The Moose - seems everyone likes this, too! Again, another flavoursome and seriously moreish dark mild, in excellent nick at the Camra Leeds Beer Festival.

3. Kelham Island Brooklyn Smoked Porter - I think I said it all here.

4. Brasserie Lefebvre Blanche De Bruxelles - It's not all been dark for 2008! I thought this fresh, citrus-loaded Wit was in excellent form at North's Belgian Fest.

5. ...And bottled - well, Cain's Raisin Beer. A bit of a surprise, maybe, but i really do like this stuff. It's not one to drink a lot of, but the fruitiness of it makes for an intruiging pint that has grown on me in 2008.

Let me know what's been going down well in 2008 for you - what should be looking out for?

A Postcard from Bulgaria # 1 - Crepes At Any Time

Our first morning in Sozopol, Bulgaria. An almighty thunderstorm woke us early, and there was nothing to do but lay in bed in the darkness and wait for the next inevitable blue flash to illuminate the room and jar us from our interrupted sleep.
When the storm moved upwards along the coast and left us with a blue sky again, the people of Sozopol emerged from their houses and opened their businesses. Newspaper stands are brought out onto freshly-swept and rapidly drying pavement, those early-morning cigarettes dangling from downturned mouths, the fruit stands stock up, the displays and menus for the tavernas placed in windows.
Then the crepe-lady appeared.
Her tiny crepe stall sat directly opposite our hotel. No seating, just a serving hatch straight onto the street. Upfront, two oiled crepe-pans smoked, and jars of preserves and toppings were placed on the sill, every colour you could imagine.
I took a seat on the balcony with a coffee and watched the first customer appear – a smartly-dressed man, on his way to work no doubt. A few words, then the show begins. The pan is oiled. A dollop of batter dropped onto the middle, and spread effortlessly out in ever-increasing circles until its paper-thin edge runs out. A little while, then with a deft flick of a pallet-knife the crepe is on its back; a new, crisp bullseye adorning the cooked side. Then, another movement of the long knife, the crepe is flipped onto a traditionally-painted dish to be spread with whatever topping the customer wanted. Cheese, ham, chocolate, sugar, honey, preserves... We opted for Chocolate or Fig preserve – the Fig preserve seemed to be very popular.
More customers arrived, some queuing patiently, other walking past, then back, and then ordering. It’s hard to pass a crepe stand without ordering, isn’t it? The stand opened before 8am, and often didn’t close until after 22.00. Everyone, it seems, loves crepes. The town didn’t seem awake until it had scoffed its morning pancake.

And yes, they tasted as good as they looked.

Kelham Island Brewery

A few weeks back, I posted this article waxing lyrical about The Hunter's Inn, a pub that truly made my day. More particularly, a certain beer that I enjoyed there made my day.
Kelham Island's Brooklyn Smoked Porter really knocked me for six. I have tasted beers with the word 'smoked' in the title before and found the majority of them to be shocking. If you're going to accentuate a smoked aspect of a beer, then it's got to be balanced; I find this small, yet vital, point is missed all too often,. There's nothing worse than a pint that tastes likes a packet of Bacon Fries.
But this is balanced. Wonderfully so, in fact. The smoke comes through the initial bone-dry coffee and bitter chocolate hit - not on top of it. As you would expect form a porter, it packs a hefty 6.5 abv - although you would never know from the taste. Give me a pint of this and a slice of Chocolate Brownie on a cold day ( a strange thought to have on a summer's day but bear with me) and I'm laughing.
I know taste is subjective, but this truly was a gorgeous pint - and surely a flagship for this well-known Sheffield Brewery. Seek it out.

* By the way, any brewery that has a couple of beers named after Springsteen songs are OK with me. Whoops, just outed myself as a fan of The Boss.

Easy Calzone

Calzones, contrary to popular belief, are easy to make (with a little forward planning), and don't have to be the bloated, over-filled monstrosities you often get from restaurants that require the next day off work simply to digest. At their best they can be filled with anything, slammed in the oven and, when drizzled with some catch-all tomato sauce, an easy dinner. So here's what to do:

First, make your tomato sauce. I prefer mine as garlicky as possible: Simply drop some tomatoes with their tops scored (about a pound of small ones, or four or five large ones) into some boiling water and leave for five minutes. The skin will then peel off easily. Split, take out the seeds, and then dice. Chop five large garlic cloves and dice an onion. Put the tomatoes and onion into some warm olive oil in a pan, and gently simmer. When broken down, add the garlic, along with loads of black pepper, a good pinch of salt, sugar and some fresh herbs - I like Oregano, Thyme and Basil. Rosemary works well too. Simmer gently, and then leave for a as long as you like. This sauce is just my basic one - you can add chilli, roasted vegetables or anything you like. I make this a day in advance - trust me, it's worth it. You can leave it chunky or blend it to make it a little smoother - the latter works best for this dish.

Right, onto the Calzones: To start, a pizza dough can be made by sifting 500g of strong plain flour, 2 teaspoons of easy-blend yeast and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl. add about 300g of lukewarm water and a good glug of olive oil - about 3 teaspoons. Using your hands, mix it up gently, then turn onto a floured surface and knead for about five minutes. Once its looking good, return the the bowl (greased with olive oil) and leave somewhere warm to rise for about an hour.

I made two, with different fillings in each - one had some sauteed Squid and Anchovies with Mozzarella cheese, the other with Prosciutto, Parma Ham, Salami and a little smoked cheese along with the mozzarella. I actually find that most cheeses work here - just match the flavours with what you like. To assemble, just roll your dough into any shape you like (Don't worry about that classic half-moon shape - as long as it tastes good, that's all that counts. Life's too short.)

Pre-heat the oven to pizza-blasting temperature, about 200-220c, and, using a spatula, slide your Calzones onto a greased baking tray (I've started using Polenta instead of oil on baking trays - it's great - give it a whirl), and bake until golden.

To serve, warm through some of that tomato sauce and drizzle over those awesome, split Calzones.

I washed the good stuff down with a bottle of Eggenberg's HopfenKonig Pils - a sweet, light Austrian Pils that refreshed after the powerful garlic and smoked meat flavours of my Calzone. Nothing spectacular, but a good alternative to the slew of Italian lagers one might find to accompany Italian.