Le Club Newsletter
Tel: 01200 415 960
Hello Le Club Members!
Can you believe it? We’re half way through the summer! Why
did the winter seem sooooo long and the summer is just flying
by?!
Both the 4th of July and Bastille Day Buffet were big hits! We
had a great turnout for each and thanks to all of you who
helped me celebrate on the 4 th! It’s a big day in my country
and you were all great sports for joining in. The Bastille Day
Buffet was our first public buffet, it was a big hit and there
were many requests for us to do something similar again.
Christmas must be on people’s minds in July because half of
the weekends in December now have functions booked and
Christmas Day is already 25% booked! And although the
weather has been a bit half and half, we’ve had several
evenings where the patio was well filled. And the Lobster and
Chablis night proved that lobster is very popular indeed here in
the Ribble Valley (and yes, we will do another Lobster Night!).
Many of you are keeping up to date with what’s going on on
the Black Bull blog on our website. I’m honoured to have been
invited to write a blog for Lancashire Life Magazine. It’s called
Luscious Lancashire and it’s (surprise!) about food! You can
find it at: http:// lancashire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/
community/blogs/
Business update – it’s gotten much busier out here and we
regularly have a crowd in. That’s good for all of us. I’ve said all
along that it takes a whole lot more than just Steve & I to bring
this pub & restaurant back to life. And many of you have
twigged the fact that introducing folks to the Bull, helping to
grow a group of Black Bull food lovers results in the treats that
I’m able to share with you. That’s where the £1 glass of wine
comes from on Wednesdays, the amuse bouche on Saturdays,
the complimentary starters or desserts that periodically appear
here and our taster evenings - all extra special things (and
thanks) for you Le Club members.
I promised to let you know first when the new dishes are
added to the menu! We’ve added a variety of delicious new
starters, mains & desserts. Available from the 1 st of August!
And finally, this is not just about growing a business, it’s about
giving back – check out Miracle Mondays!
See you next time! Katherine & Steve
August, 2010
New Menu Items
Chef Paul has been busy in the kitchen coming up with
new dishes for the menu. One of the great things about
my job is I get to taste all of his new creations (lucky the
French paradox applies here (you can eat French food and
not get fat) at the Bull - I can eat wonderful food all the
time and not gain an ounce!). And lucky for me most of
his creations are ones that I say, “Oh, that’s fabulous, can
we put it on the menu?” To which he says, “You can’t have
everything on the menu, you know”.
The process of creating new menu items is an interesting
one. We start out by paying attention to the existing menu
– what do many people really enjoy and what do just a few
people enjoy. We look at preparation and what can be
prepared in a smooth, well-executed way and what things
are less reliable – both from a preparation and a supplier
point. If we put something on the menu, we have to be
able to rely on the supplier to provide it, consistently.
Understanding that, we can begin to think about new
menu items. There is a constant discussion between Paul
and I about new dishes, guest preferences and what’s in
season that we could make the most of. Paul will try out
each new dish, either on me, at our Supper Club (another
good reason to visit on a Wednesday!) , or as a daily
special. That’s why we always check to see how you
enjoyed the meal, not just to make sure that it’s done to
your liking, but also to gauge how much you’re enjoying a
dish that we’re trialling, or deciding to keep or remove a
dish from the menu.
If a dish passes the initial tasting and guest test phase, we
review all successful dishes in terms of their preparation
and seasonality and select the successful ones as new
menu items – like a contest where the best dish wins!
From the first week in August our latest new dishes will be
on the menu! Bon Apetit!
 Wine & Women
Sounds very enticing, doesn’t it? It is, but not in the way you
think! August marks the first wine evening and we’re
beginning with Wine & Women.
Why a wines class just for women? That’s not fair, I hear you
say! Actually it is. Women traditionally receive little education
about wine and therefore are often unsure about what wines
there are, what they go with and how to pick a decent one.
Now this is very interesting considering that in many
households women not only select and prepare the meals, but
also, while shopping for the meal, purchase the wine.
This is an introductory wine class given by Katherine, who has
selected all of the wines on the Black Bull wine list. Making no
claims to be a wine expert, as a wine lover Katherine does have
a variety of techniques for selecting a good wine for drinking
and for enjoying with meal.
This course is designed to introduce you to a variety of wines,
to share hints on finding a good wine for you, and to show in
quite a dramatic way what a difference the right wine with the
right food makes. It’s about what types of wines provide what
tastes and how those tastes go with what you’re making (or
ordering).
(Katherine will also share one of the industry’s best kept secrets
for matching food and wine, which will help you pick a good
wine for your meal virtually every time!)
So join us at the Bull on Thursday, August 19th for an evening of
Wine & Women – a tasting, an introduction to wines, and some
thoughts on how to pick a good wine for your meal! (Special
Price for Le Club Members - £20)
On Organic Wines
Is it true there’s no headache with organic wines?
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if that were true?! Drinking
too much of any wine will give you a hangover, but
often people (especially women) find they get a
headache from even a moderate amount of red wine.
Organic wine, drunk in moderation, is less likely to
give a headache than non-organic wines. To prevent
deterioration, all wines are treated with sulphur
dioxide, but most organic winemakers tend to add far
less. Since many people react badly to sulphur, it is
fair to say that organic wine is less likely than normal
winea to
"Wine makes give youofa aheadache.
symphony good meal.“ Fernande Garvin, 'The Art of French Cooking'
August Supper Club
August 4th - Navarin of Lamb with Herb Roasted Potatoes –
Tender lamb & vegetables in a rich wine gravy
August 11th - Poached Chicken & Wild Mushrooms in White
Wine Sauce
August 18th - Salmon in a Tarragon Pernod Cream Sauce with
Sauteed Potatoes
August 25th – Crepes! Filled with Ham Hock Strips & Leeks
topped with a Cheese Cream Sauce & Frites!
Miracle Mondays
Now that we’re moving out of totally life-consuming start
up phase and have a few minutes a day to lift our heads
above the parapet, there’s something in the Year 1 Plan
that we can now begin. You’ll have read earlier how
important we think it is to give back – both to our
customers and to the community . That’s why this month
is the beginning of Community Mondays.
10% of the takings on Mondays will go to a charity or
charitable organisations – that’s Miracle Mondays,
working towards creating miracles. Each week a fund-
raising group or individual can sign up to have their
special cause receive 10% of that Monday’s proceeds.
We’ll work with the fund raiser to promote the cause and
on how to create a good turnout for their Monday.
We are currently scheduling in charities and community
groups for upcoming Mondays. If you have a charity
which you wish to raise funds for, call Katherine to get
your charity booked in for a Miracle Monday!
Christmas Party or Function?
Are you planning that family or work Christmas
party? If you’ve seen the function room at the
Bull, you know it’s a great room for a special
party and if you’ve eaten here before you
already know about the food! Holding up to 60
people for a sit-down meal or up to 100 for a
buffet – the Bull offers a great sized, beautifully
decorated room (one of the few in the area) and
a delicious Christmas lunch or dinner. People
started booking their parties at the Bull in June,
available booking dates filling fast!
(P.S. We’re 50%
booked for
Christmas Day!)
 Black Bull Events
August 2010
SUN MON TUES WEDS THURS FRI SAT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Miracle Beat the Clock – Supper Club - The Gourmet
Monday (10% 5:30 to 7:00 Navarin of Lunch – 5
of proceeds to Lamb Courses for
charitable £25
groups)

8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Miracle Beat the Clock – Supper Club - The Gourmet
Monday 5:30 to 7:00 Chicken with Lunch – 5
(10% of Wild Courses for
proceeds to Mushrooms £25
charitable
groups)

15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Miracle Beat the Clock – Supper Club- The Gourmet
Monday 5:30 to 7:00 Salmon in a Lunch – 5
(10% of Tarragon Courses for
proceeds to Pernod £25
charitable Cream Sauce Women &
groups) Wine 7-9

22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Miracle Beat the Clock – Supper Club – The Gourmet
Monday 5:30 to 7:00 Ham & Leek Lunch – 5
(10% of Crepes! Courses for
proceeds to £25
charitable
groups)

29 30 31
Summer Miracle Beat the Clock –
Monday 5:30 to 7:00
Charity
(10% of
Ball! proceeds to
charitable
groups)
 Summer Charity Ball
An Evening of Dining &
Dancing
at
The Black Bull - Rimington
A delicious event and fund raiser for the Children’s Cancer Research -
£5 from every ticket goes towards discovering a cure for children’s
cancer!
Tickets
£34.95 pp
Menu
Gazpacho & Tomato Water Shot
~~~ Sunday, August
Platter of Salmon & Avacado 29th
Terrine of Confit Chicken & Wild Mushrooms
~~~
Dinner served from
Beef Medallion with Creamed Leeks, Bacon & Red Wine 7:00 to 9:00
Chicken Breast filled with Spinach & Goats Cheese Mousse, a Rich Followed by dancing till
Tomato Sauce & Provencal Vegetables late
~~~
Crème Brulee, Shortbread & Summer Fruit Compote
Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Sauce Sorbet Rimington BB7 4DS T: 01200 415 960

Gourmet Lunch Coming Soon!

- Rooms! You’ve been asking for
Thursdays in August bring them and they’re ALMOST ready!
back our very popular Gourmet Official opening date to be
announced in the September
Lunch. Join us on Thursdays newsletter.
& treat yourself to a delicious
- Online Gift Vouchers! For easy
5-course lunch - £25. This and convenient gift shopping (yes,
offer is for Le Club Members Christmas is coming!) our gift
Only! vouchers will shortly be available for
you on the Black Bull website –