It’s Our Birthday!

We’re huge fans of birthdays, big ones or small! It’s important to

Meet Head Chef

Le Club
celebrate all of life’s milestones so we’re celebrating one this
month – 6 months of the Black Bull Country Inn & Restaurant Paul Sutton
being open. Six months may not seem like a lot, but in
‘Restaurant Years’ it’s like a decade! A restaurant isn’t just the food, it’s also about
We opened on December 7th and one week later the worst snow the people – and in some cases it’s both!

Newslette
in 30 years hit. Many people couldn’t get out of their yards, Meet Paul Sutton, our Head Chef.
never mind all the way out to Rimington! We did have some
hardy souls who hiked in from over the hills and our fantastic Paul started his career at the Ritz, was trained
Rimington Residents and Le Club members were very supportive by Gary Rhodes, won Young Welsh Chef of the
throughout the entire winter. After five weeks of snow things
year – all before he was 25. Since then he has
began to pick up and now 6 months in, we’re enjoying much

r
spent time developing his skills at well-known
better weather and seeing many new and returning customers.
It’s time for a celebration and a thank you! places like the Boxtree at Ilkley and
Hazelwood Castle. He’s also spent time
So we’re inviting you to our birthday party. We’re putting on a cooking in more exotic locations around the
selection of tasty bites – samples of starters, mains and desserts
world like on the luxury cruise liners the
for everyone! The date – May 20th, 6 p.m. onwards! (And while
Hebridean Princess and the Seven Seas
you’re here, wish our Jess a Happy Birthday. She’s turning 25 –
where did that time go?!) Navigator ensuring that the discerning
passengers aboard those ships were well-fed.
Having cooked high standard and French food
throughout his career made Paul a good fit
May Schedule of Events for the Black Bull.
Supper Club
May 5 – Beef Carbonade (Beef marinated in beer) For Steve and I, the relationship with a Head
May 12 – Soup de Poisson (Famous Provence fish soup with Chef is an important one. As one of our key
traditional toasted croutons, grated Gruyere and sauce rouille)
team members, in addition to cooking well,
May 19 – Kidneys Turbigo with Dauphinois Potatoes
May 26 – Poule au Pot (Chicken slow simmered in a pot)
he has to be willing to exchange ideas with us,
work very well with customers and be able to
Lunch Club lead a team of chefs. The role of head chef in
Tuesdays 12 to 3 – A Lovely Evening Out – At Lunch! a restaurant like ours is multifaceted and one Rimington Lane
Fridays 12 to 3 - Moules and Frites Friday where a good chef can take a real leadership
position. Of course all of this is in addition to Rimington
Vin, Pain et Boursin BB7 4DS
producing delicious food!
A bottle of wine, home-made bread & a cheese (or meat)) platter
for 2 at 19.95. 7 to 9 on Thursdays
So the next time you’re in and you see a man
Reservations: 01200 415 960
A Birthday Party! coming to your table in chef’s whites, that’s Website:
Come and celebrate our first six months – May 20th from 6:00 Paul Sutton and he’s very interested in how
onwards! you like your food!
www.theblackbullrimington.com
 ’Reviewing’ Our Progress
Check out this month’s Live Ribble Valley World Cup Watchers &
Magazine for a very nice review of the food, the
wine and the experience of dining at the Black World Cup Widows
Bull. Now, you Le Club Members are already
ahead of the game when it comes to the ‘Black When I (Katherine) first came to England in
Bull experience’, but sometimes it takes the media 2002, I was amazed at the turnout for the World
a little while to catch up on what our discerning Cup. The pubs and restaurants were filled with
diners already know! excited fans. People spilled out into the streets and
the amount of support for the England team was
All kidding aside, it was a real treat to have fantastic!
Simon of Simon’s Suppers, his wife Judith and
their friend Gareth come to visit. The notion of a World Cup 2010 is here again and now we’re
critic’s review is a scary one for new excited to put on our own event!
restauranteurs because, to be quite honest, when England Group Games (Guaranteed dates and times)
you’re new they can make or break your business
– and when you’ve put your heart and soul into Saturday 12 June  ENGLAND  v  USA  19.30
that business you hope that the person doing the Friday 18 June         ENGLAND  v  ALGERIA      19.30
review takes their responsibility seriously. Simon Weds 23 June     ENGLAND  v  SLOVENIA   15.00
clearly took his role very seriously and was For this important event, I’ve broken my no
thorough and thoughtful in his approach to the television rule and went a bit OTT. So there will be a
evening and to the review. 50” telly for viewing the England games! It is a
It was a fantastic first review and made all of ticketed event and we’re offering two meal choices:
those hours we’ve put into working on the food, Moules & Frites or Toulouse Sausage Bagettes and
the service and the atmosphere worthwhile! A Frites and a pitcher of beer per person - £15
couple of highlights, “The menu didn’t disappoint
Three-course ‘box seat’ meal (entertain your work
– it contained a varied and exciting choice of
colleagues & clients!) with wine (one bottle of house
traditional classic French dishes and caused us wine between two) - £30
many problems in making our decisions. The
wines were equally problematic with a For the World Cup Widows, we’re also offering
comprehensive list of wines chosen by the something special – a football free zone where you
management, to offer great value and superb can have a delicious two or three course meal with a
choice” and “ My vanilla crème brulee was to die glass of wine for 12.95 / 16.95. Bring a group of your
for and Gareth’s rich and decadent pave au girlfriends and have a well-deserved and relaxing
chocolate epitomised a meal experience we all ladies night out!
felt privileged to enjoy.” (We have run out of space quickly on
some recent events and feel very bad
The rest of the review can be found in the May
if people cannot get in so if this is
issue of Live Ribble Valley or you will find it something you would like to attend,
proudly framed and displayed on our wall when please book early.)
we see you next!
 A Note from Steve & Katherine Weddings, Anniversaries, and Fond
Memories – A Reunion
When looking at the calendar the other day, we
realised that May marks the Black Bull being open for 6 Almost every day someone will come in and tell us
whole months – where did the time go! It seems like just how 40 years ago they were married at the Black Bull
minutes ago that we were toodling along on the tandem or 10 years ago they had a very special wedding
and now we’re fully engaged in the quest to produce anniversary. So many folks fondly remember coming
‘really nice food’. for Sunday Tea with their parents as a child or as
young parents themselves.
And I think that summarises our approach to food.
Really nice food is the kind of food that you take a bite of Many people also bring in their old photos of
and turn to your partner and say, “This is delicious, you special parties at the Bull and fondly remember
have to try it!” In addition to the food, we’ve also parties or special dinners, particularly in Le Shed our
focused on creating a nice atmosphere where it’s second restaurant / function room. We’ve seen some
comfortable to come in for a plate of Moules and Frites wonderful pictures of happy events here through the
in your jeans or for Chateaubriand in your sparkles. years. And the stories of the all the good times
The third area that we think is very important and one people have had here – just fascinating!
that we’re finding scarce in today’s less personal society There have been so many stories and so many folks
is having a relationship with one’s customers. It’s sad to telling us what great times they’ve had here that
go into a place five or six times, be waited on by the we’ve decided to hold a Black Bull Reunion! This is a
same person and not recognised when you come back. special event for couples and families who have had
When Steve & I dine out, we count the number of smiles
special events here – a special night to remember and
we get and it’s amazing how few they are. Of course,
celebrate your special memories.
there’s also a lot of personal responsibility that comes
with personalised service - it’s really tough to avoid The evening will consist of a special four-course
feedback when customers know exactly who you are – menu created by Head Chef Paul with a new twist on
there’s no hiding from them! And perhaps it is easier not some old favourites and will start out with a
to attempt to remember your customers (there’s all that
work of remembering names and faces), but we think
Early Announcement welcoming Champagne reception. Come and relive
your memories of your special times at the Black Bull,
something very special is lost when that doesn’t happen. for June Events: come and create some new ones.
Our customers enjoy it when we remember them and
why wouldn’t we try to? They’re the most important So if you have had ‘one of life’s special events’ or
part of our business! •Black Bull Reunion – June 24 just fond childhood (or adult) memories of coming
here with family and friends, join us for a reunion. Or
May means springtime (and hopefully we won’t see
if someone you know has had their special event
any of that nasty snow for a very long time!). The sun is
out and so are our patio tables. Lots of folks are out for
•World Cup Watchers (including ‘Box here, please pass on an invite to this reunion!
a country drive, a walk or a bike ride, and are stopping Seats’) & World Cup Widows Nights (Enjoy The Black Bull Reunion will be held on Thursday,
off for a bite or some home-made ice cream. We’ve the games with a meal or enjoy a meal in a June 24 from 7:00 onwards (Four-course dinner for
planned some enjoyable (and tasty) events for both May two with a bottle of wine and tea, coffee and
and June. game-free zone – something for both him chocolate truffles – £65). Reservations essential.
Looking forward to seeing you soon! and her!). Early bookings advised.
01200 415 960
Katherine & Steve
 Beat the Clock Chef’s Table Inaugural
April saw the launch of the Chef’s Table, with our
Tuesday evenings are now ‘Beat the Clock’ night very first Chef’s Table diners being the ladies from
with a fun twist on early evening dining! 5:30 to Cosgrove’s House of Fashion! Dorothy, Sue and
7:00 on Tuesdays is Beat the Clock time – order Helen joined Katherine for a meal in La Petite Salle,
your main from our special menu and the time our private dining room.
you place your order is the amount that you
pay! Place your order at 5:45 and your main is Prior to the meal, Head Chef Paul Sutton called
£5.45, order at 6:30 and you pay £6.30. Here’s Dorothy to talk through what her preferences were
one place where you’re in control! for the meal. After understanding her likes and
dislikes, Paul designed a 6-course menu made
specially for her. With Paul’s menu created,
So join us early Tuesday evenings and have fun
Katherine then selected wines to match the
playing ‘Beat the Clock’! different courses.

The evening commenced with an amuse bouche

which Paul named ‘Summer in a Glass’ followed by
Creating the Cheese Plate a house-made carpaccio. Both courses were
matched with a Boizel Rose’ champagne. The third
With over 1,000 French cheeses, we’re not spoiled for course was pan-seared scallop and belly pork with
choice, but overwhelmed trying to pick just a few! When coral risotto with a vanilla dressing and mustard
building our cheese platters, we try to combine cheeses foam matched with a Maison Champy Bourgogne
that are well-known with those you may not have seen
Chardonnay. Duck cooked two ways (confit leg and
before, the tried and true with risky, and the mild with the
honey roasted breast) in a black cherry and port
very pungent (or as Steve says, the stinky)!
wine reduction followed and the Cannonbagh
If you’re just getting started on making your own French Bridge Grenach Mouvdre proved to be a perfect
cheese platters, here are a few to get you started: match. A Mas Aimel Maury (an unusual red dessert
•Camembert wine) was lovely with both the cheese and the
•Brie de Meaux chocolate four ways (frozen chocolate and pistachio
•Roquefort parfait, chocolate mousse flavoured with mint,
•Boursin chocolate milkshake and home made chocolate
•Reblochon truffles).
•Munster
•Pont l'Evèque
To have a meal specially designed for you, just give
•Epoisses
•Chèvre
us a call and expect to hear back from Chef Paul!
•Tomme de Savoie
Or try a platter for two on Wine & Cheese Thursdays! Bon Appetit!