Book to mark 10 years of Langho food festival (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Book to mark 10 years of Langho food festival

1:47pm Monday 22nd March 2010

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FIFTY-four leading chefs from around the world who have graced the kitchens of Lancashire’s only Michelin starred restaurant are sharing their obsession for food.

For 10 years, Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft have welcomed some of the most famous names in the culinary world to their annual food and drink festival at Northcote, Langho.

Every year the festival is a total sell-out, with foodies clamouring to get a seat and sample the menus prepared by genuine masterchefs.

And now food lovers across East Lancashire will have the chance to prepare some of their gourmet-style meals in their own homes.

Obsession is a beautifully illustrated record of Northcote’s own celebration of food.

It features 128 recipes and contributors read like a Who’s Who of the culinary world.

TV chefs such Heston Blumenthal, Ken Hom and Brian Turner and influential figures such as Michel Roux Jr and Pierre Koffman have all graced the festival.

Every chef who has appeared at Northcote has contributed one recipe from the courses they served at the restaurant.

These range from the weird to the sublime, including poached egg yolk, smoked haddock milk foam, cornflakes, curry oil and pigeon tea with warm game canapes.

The chefs have also supplied recipes to cookat home, including exquisite versions of family favourites including lamb shank, home-style pizza and pancakes.

A comprehensive wine directory compiled by Craig is featured at the back of the book and shows how carefully the chefs have chosen the correct wine to go be the perfect accompaniment for the food.

“It’s just amazing. We started this 10 years ago and my first thought is — where did those 10 years go? said Nigel Haworth, who has spent 25 years overseeing the rise of Northcote.

“I think of all the chefs that have visited Northcote and become part of this national event, and I am extremely honoured to have had these great cooks and friends in my kitchen.”

Nigel and Craig were inspired to introduce a festival after a visit to a similar event in California A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the charity Hospitality Action.

Food writer and critic Matthew Fort, one of the judges on the TV series Great British Menu, says in the foreword to the book: “The fact that they have all come and cooked and conquered at Northcote speaks volumes about the magic of the place, and of the respect with which Nigel Howarth and Craig Bancroft are held.

“They are two men with a passion for food, if ever there were.”

l Nigel Haworth’s Obsession is priced £35.