Tag Archives: Lincoln

Crafty cakes and James Martin

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This week on Food for Thought I interviewed the people behind Lincoln’s crafterie and cafe shop, Rock Paper Scissors, and also a chat with the celebrity chef James Martin.

Sound interesting? Then you can listen to the podcast here:

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Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper Scissors on Guildhall Street in Lincoln | Photo: Charlotte Reid

Something a little bit different has recently opened up on Lincoln’s High Street. You can instantly tell that Rock Paper Scissors is different to the rest of the high street. Outside there is a chair with an open sign propped on it to invite people in and the design on the shop window is hand drawn.

The shop, run by Elizabeth Dimmock and Michelle Forrest Beckett, sells arts and crafts and also holds workshops where they teach people new skills such as knitting. The food part, the most important part for Food for Thought, is you can grab a slice of home made cake or a cup of tea at the same time.

This might sound like a slightly old fashioned way to spend the day but in the short time they have been open a whole age range of people have visited. Elizabeth says: “We’ve had some older women coming in who did knitting the first time round and are coming back to learn things.

“Young people are coming in and picking it up. It’s becoming cool apparently.”

Michelle says there is a good reason for these hobbies to be popular: “I think there’s just something feel good factor about making something with your own hands. Its a nice way to pass the time.”

You can listen to the interview with Elizabeth and Michelle here:

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James Martin

Chef James Martin | Photo: Gin Soak via FlickrWhen I mentioned that I was going to be interviewing James Martin for Food for Thought all sorts of people who I never even expected to be interested in cookery shows wanted to know more.

Sam Pidoux, who regularly helps out on the show, was far too excited so it would have been mean to not allow her to also interview the celebrity chef.

It was a chance for James to chat about his new TV show, United Cakes of America, but we also got chatting about a few other topics. In particular his thoughts on the revelation that in the UK beef has been cross contaminated with horse meat.

Listen to the interview with James Martin here:

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Windmills and takeaway cake

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On this week’s programme I find out about an alternative takeaway company in Lincoln called Crunchie Munchies. I also have a tour of the Ellis Mill to see how flour is made.

Listen to this week’s show here:

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Crunchie Munchies

A Crunchie Munchies leaflet | Photo: Charlotte ReidI have been presenting Food for Thought for almost a year and every week I have managed to find a different person to chat to about the food that Lincoln has to offer. I think one of the reasons why there are new people to chat is students leaving either of the universities in the city and coming up with creative business ideas.

This is certainly the case with Crunchie Munchies, set up by graduates from Bishop Grosseteste. Stephanie Milner, one of the co-directors of the alternative takeaway company, came to the Siren studios to tell me more.

Crunchie Munchies sells cakes, sweets and treats with the profits going to community projects. Stephanie studied drama at university and also works as a drama facilitator. She says she took up baking as a way to fund drama projects: “The drama work is something that is definitely needed round the community but its very expensive so we were trying to find a way to sustain it for ourselves and make it more affordable for lots of different people throughout the local community.”

Listen to the interview with Crunchie Munchies in full here:

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Ellis Mill

I have lived in Lincoln a while and regularly see the Ellis Mill on the horizon. Yet I only made a point of visiting it last weekend.

Windmills were used to make flour, until it was realised that machines could do it more efficiently. The Ellis Mill was closed down in the 1940s but was reopened as a working mill in 1981. I was given a tour by the chairman of the Ellis Mill volunteers, Barry Brooke, who demonstrated how the mill works which you can listen to below.

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If you have enjoyed this podcast then you should listen to Siren FM on Wednesdays at 2pm to hear the show live. And if you have suggestions or thoughts for the show — tweet me @charlottereid.

Welcome to America

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Ribs 'n' Bibs logo | Photo: Ribs 'n' BibsHelpfully for my food show a new restaurant has just opened up in Lincoln. Ribs’n’Bibs wants to bring the American food and dining experiencing to the city. I met up with the manager Adam Wallhead to talk about how they came up with the idea of the restaurant.

Also a number of the places I have spoken to for the show are based on Burton Road, so I went to find out more about this food community in Lincoln.

Listen to this week’s show via the player below:

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If you have ever watched Man vs Food, then you would have had either one of two reactions. You’ve either looked at the amount of food that the host Adam Richman is attempting to eat and changed the channel. Or you’re getting hungry and planning that road trip to America. Well if you live in Lincoln there is no longer a need to travel far. In fact just to the bottom of Steep Hill. They even have a food challenge.

Ribs’n’Bibs is a real American smokehouse restaurant providing something a little bit different for the city. I met up with the manager, Adam Wallhead, a week before they opened to find how the idea of the restaurant came about.

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New restaurant for Lincoln | Photo: Charlotte Reid

I visited the restaurant a week before it was due to open and although people were working hard to make sure everything was going to plan, they were quite relaxed about it. I was even given a quick tour and got to see the decorating taking place as well as the chefs trying out the smoker ovens.

The surprising thing about Ribs’n’Bibs is how popular the idea of the restaurant is to the people of Lincoln. I first found out about the place opening on Twitter, and their first few nights were booked up using their influence on Twitter and Facebook. But when things have calmed down I definitely need to try it out.

I have been quite organised recently and the next few episodes of Food for Thought are already planned. Next week I find out about a cake takeaway company in Lincoln and visit the Ellis windmill to learn about how flour is made.

Also coming up on Food for Thought, hopefully, is an interview with the celebrity chef James Martin. So don’t miss out and listen to Siren 107.3 FM on Wednesdays at 2pm.

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Lincolnshire tapas and gluten free pancakes

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Gluten and soya milk pancakes | Photo: Jon CresswellThe beauty of small, independent restaurants is discovering the owner’s passion to make great food. In this week’s case it was Joanne Bycroft from The Bowl Full Tapas Bar. She is interested in Spanish food and culture and has found a way to combine that with traditional Lincolnshire food.

Also on this week’s show I want to make sure that everyone is prepared for Pancake Day. Even though a pancake recipe is simple I wanted to see if gluten-free and soya milk alternatives worked as well.

You can listen to this week’s podcast below:

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The Bowl Full Tapas Bar | Photo: Charlotte Reid

The Bowl Full Tapas Bar is tucked away, just out of the centre of Lincoln, on West Parade. Yet inbetween the houses is a restaurant packed with Spanish art and cookbooks as well as an impressive authentic menu. Joanne Bycroft, who runs and owns the restaurant, has always been interested in the country and combined her passions to make the place.

She also thinks it is important to reflect the community in her work, which is another Spanish trait. So her food has Lincolnshire flavours and ideas as well.

You can listen to my interview with Joanne in full right here:

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Gluten free American pancakes | Photo: Jon Cresswell

Pancakes are a delicious treat that we seem to save up for that one special day in the year — Shrove Tuesday. All you need to make them is milk, flour and eggs but even that small collection of ingredients can cause some problems if you are allergic to milk or flour. To find out if everyone can enjoy a decent pancake I was joined in the kitchen by Food for Thought regulars Sam Pidoux and Jon Cresswell.

You can listen to our cookery attempts right here:

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If that has inspired you then just head over to the Food for Thought page on the Siren website to get all those recipes in full.

If you liked this podcast then why not try listening to the show live. Food for Thought goes out on Wednesday at 2pm on Siren FM.

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And the winner is…

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One of Lincoln’s fish and chip shops, the Burton Road Chippy, put themselves forward to compete for the best fish and chip shop restaurant in the UK. This was their first time in the competition and after qualification, mystery shoppers and impressing the judges they made it into the top 10. The winner would be announced at an awards ceremony in London.

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In this documentary I follow the owners, Des Anastasiou and Lesley Graves from a week before the results were announced. In the run up to the awards ceremony I met up with Des to find out how he was preparing for the awards ceremony and what it had been like to get to this stage.

You can listen to my special documentary ‘And the winner is…’ here:

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The Burton Road Chippy, who tweet their customers regularly, kept them informed about their time in London.

fish and chip 8The awards ceremony was held at the London Lancaster Hotel and hosted by comedian and impressionist Rory Bremner.

These awards were the 25th of their kind and as one of the judges, Mick Bacon who works for Seafish, said it is a good chance for the restaurant owners to relax.

The night began by celebrating all 10 nominations for the best fish and chip restaurants by giving out the awards and with a video of all the finalists in their restaurants.

The first award of the night was the Fish and Chip Feast Fundraiser Award which the Burton Road Chippy won. The category was sponsored by the charity Seafarers UK who look after sailors and their families.


Throughout the night there were a number of awards all to celebrate the best young frier, contributions to the local community and recognition for staff training.

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Everything though was running up to the main award of the night. Unfortunately the Lincoln chippy did not win the best overall title. Instead the big award of the night went to The Bay in Aberdeenshire.

After the awards Lesley said she is proud of her team and their achievements and said they are still winners. She also said that they would be running in the competition again next time.

So see you all next year.

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Food for Thought serves up haggis and chips

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Burton Road Chippy logoIt’s been a while since a new episode of Food for Thought. I’ve been relaxing since creating my Christmas specials, but now I am ready to continue finding out about the best food in Lincoln.

Over the past year the Burton Road Chippy have been talked about a lot across the city. After winning the title of best fish and chip restaurant in the East of England they are now preparing for Fish and Chip Awards final in London. I went up to the restaurant to talk to the owner Des Anastasiou to see what it takes to be one of the top 10 chippys in the UK.

Also on this week’s programme, how Burns Night is celebrated in Lincoln. The poetry of Robert Burns is celebrated on Burns Night in Scotland with a traditional meal, usually including haggis. The Vice Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste has organised an evening to honour the poet, and I went to find out why.

You can listen to this week’s podcast right here:

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Burton Road Chippy in Lincoln | Photo: Charlotte Reid

The excitement is building for the Burton Road Chippy as they will soon find out if they are the best fish and chip restaurant in the UK. To get to the finals the chippy had to compete in regional competitions. So to be in the final in London they are already the best restaurant in the East of England.

To find out more about the nomination process I went up to the Burton Road Chippy to meet up with owner Des Anastasiou.

Listen to the interview with Des below:

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Next week’s Food for Thought will be following the Burton Road Chippy down to London to see how they do and find out more about the industry too.

St Andrews flag | Photo: Katie Dalton via FlickrThis week also sees Burns Night, a day to celebrate the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns. To commemorate the day it is usual for people in Scotland to have a Burns Supper but this tradition also takes place in England sometimes too.

The Vice Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste, Professor Muriel Robinson, has introduced a Burns Supper to the university campus and this year’s is the biggest celebration so far. I spoke to Professor Robinson to find out how this tradition started.

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If you have enjoyed this episode of Food for Thought then make sure you listen to Siren FM on Wednesdays at 2pm.

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