Winter wonderland

Having spoken with various locals, we have come to the conclusion that it has been nearly 42 years since we have seen snow like this - I appreciate that most of the country is also in the grip of the conditions and that with christmas around the corner, the disruption is not all that welcome - still, we plough on and make the best of it.

Children In Need

Congratulations

A big congratulations to our local egg supplier in receiving their National Trust Produce Award, details of which were announced in this North Wales Weekly News - hopefully we will soon have them for sale for our customers! Well done to trefor and Marian Roberts and daughters, Elin and Mari or Ochr Cefn Isa Farm, Ysbyty Ifan

menu details

Autumn/Winter 2010

Starters

Pan Fried Menai Strait Mussels Marinier

with Llanrwst smoked bacon

Japanese Crumb Smoked Haddock and Spring Onion Fish Cakes

tartar sauce and frisse

Slow Cooked Confit Leg of Local Wild Rabbit

vanilla pod risotto & port wine syrup

Crispy Welsh Belly Pork & Seared King Scallops

apple & blackpudding

Fanned Galia Melon & Sliced Figs

air dried Carmarthenshire ham

Pressed Local Feathered Seasonal Game Terrine

beetroot & orange chutney

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

with an apple & walnut scone

Main Courses

Chefs Celebration of Local Game

please ask your server for today’s selection

Noisette of Famous Conwy Valley Lamb

carrot & caraway gateaux, pea puree & fondant potato

Lightly Grilled Fillet of Wild Llandudno Sea Bass

confit fennel, mussel & lemon broth

Baked Fillet of Codling wrapped in Pancetta

fine cut ratatouille , goats cheese & basil croquettes

Chargrilled 10oz Sirloin of Welsh Beef

chunky chips, mushroom, onion rings & vine tomatoes

Roast Rhug Farm Organic Welsh Chicken Breast

apricot & cranberry stuffing, sage & onion pudding

Roasted Wild Ruabon Moor Partridge

pear tartan & butternut squash puree

(v) Vegetarian Assiette

ask your server for todays selection

All our game dishes may contain shot

Desserts

(Compliment your dessert with Brown Brothers Late Harvest Orange Dessert Wine

125ml Glass £6.00 375ml Bottle £15.95)

Terrine of Bread & Bara Brith Pudding

made with gold award winning Llanrwst bara brith

Cinnamon Poached Pear

chocolate, brandy sauce & Fortes vanilla ice cream

Vanilla Pod Pannacotta

honey glazed figs

Hot Chocolate Fondant Pudding with Caramel Centre

clotted cream ice cream

(please allow 20 minutes cooking time)

Welsh Cream Liqueur Cheesecake

on a crunchy ginger nut biscuit base

Selection of Specialty Welsh Farmhouse Cheese

with Ty Hwnt ir Bont bara brith & savoury biscuits

2 Course £25.00

3 Course £32.50

New Seasonal Dining Room Menu

As the season changes, so does the availability of produce and so must our change menu. This year, we have sourced quality Venison from the Cefyn Estate in Denbighshire as well as Rhug Farm Organic Chicken, reportedly in common with "Le Manoir" but without the journey! These new additions accompany last years newcomers of local wild Mallard, rabbit, Partridge and Pheasant.

BBC News Article - our history

Please follow the attached link which I would hope you would find interesting about our artistic past.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northwestwales/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_9131000/9131480.stm

Today's Sunday seasonal lunch

Sunday Lunch Menu

2 Course – £11.95 3 Course £13.95

Served from noon onwards

Starters

Fanned Wedge of Galia Melon with Parma Ham & Fig

Fricassee of Button Mushrooms in a Garlic Cream Sauce

Chicken & Game Liver Parfait. Mixed Leaves & Crostini

Grilled Breast of Bodnant Pigeon on Pine nut & Orange Salad

Cream of Fresh Vegetable Soup

Mains

Prime Roast Welsh Beef, Yorkshire Pudding

Roast Loin of Glouceshire Old Spot Pork, Bramley Apple Sauce, Sausage Stuffing

Breast of Grilled Caer Rhun Pheasant wrapped in Bacon

on Caramelised Red Cabbage, Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

Pair of Handmade Venison & Redcurrant Sausages, Creamy Mash Potatoes, Onion Gravy

Lightly Grilled Salmon, Cherry Tomato, Red Onion & Basil Compote

Huntsman Pot Pie, Hand Cut Fat Chips

(v) Mushroom & Vegetable Stroganoff with Basmati Rice

(Our Game dishes may contain shot)

Desserts

Double Chocolate Trifle

Italian Style Tiramisu

Chefs Ruthin Apple Pie with Custard

Vanilla Panacotta with Banana & Toffee Sauce

Traditional Steamed Jam Sponge & Custard

Orchard Fruit Crumble with Creamy Custard

Fortes Llandudno Ice Cream

CHildren In Need

This year for children in need, we are planning a very exciting way of raising money. We are looking for 40 staff members to take part in the first ever Yr Styg Challenge at Cerygydriddion. We will be taking the names of staff who are willing to pay the minimal starting donation of £10, and if there are over forty people who are interested, who ever is willing to donate more to Children in Need, will be taken along.

What is Yr Styg challenge?

The most charitable people will have a place in the Cerygydriddion go kart circuit, where, they will have a 10 lap warm up, to get used to the track, after that, the action starts. Yr Styg ™ will be given the head start and everyone will be let loose shortly after him. And if he laps you, or should I say WHEN he laps you, you’re out! Or if you can survive 10 laps with him on your tail and you are in the top 5 racers, you go through to the next round. The fastest racers from across the day will compete to be the last racer standing! The day will be split into 20 racers in the morning, of which 5 will go through after 3 heats and 5 from the afternoon group of 20, of which another 5 will go into the Grande Finale!

The event is intended as a staff “thank you” and are first choice for this charity shindig, so put your names forward to your line manager as soon as you can. Transport will have to be arranged off your own backs, and be sure to bring your cameras for this fun day out. We are also looking for one budding video camera operator – volunteers please – free place, lunch and tea and coffee provided. All names to your line manager by 24^th October 2010.

Remember everyone, this is a charity event so please be generous in your donations and lets raise all the money we can.

Arts Festival

Well, its off to a fantastic start, even if I say so myself. Everyone who attended really seemed to enjoy the sparkly, canapes, the art work and performances. Rachel Hall was fantastic and as for Coastal voices, they were a revelation - what an unexpected event - the acoustics really seemed to work as well. Many thanks to Jon and Rosemary, our Chair, for her hard work and patience over the year; really hope she can sit back and enjoy the weekend.

Top Article

For those interested petrol-heads, we were graced by the presence of some serious horsepower last month when the Top Gear crew turned up and stayed with us. A great bunch of people who made some of the teams' day by giving them a run in the odd Lambo Gallardo, even if it was green - a bit obvious but who cares!! The article is at http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/top-gear-magazine-september-2010?imageNo=0 and its this months September issue.

Congratulations

The Hotels are delighted to congratulate members of the kitchen teams in passing recent food safety courses, namely level 3 in Supervising Food Safety in Catering. WELL DONE to all. We are very lucky of the experience we already have but it is fantastic to see this formally recognised by these awards. The kitchens have really applied themselves in coming to task with recent changes in food safety legislation and what is now expected in terms of paperwork and structured management. With the "Scores on the Doors" system implementation, it is essential that the hard work undertaken on a day to day basis is recognised, something that is completely different to the quality and local produce we source and present everyday.

The complete picture

Some more additional images !

Time For a Change

Not the most title given the Valentine's week ahead but as they say, with change comes opportunity as well as chaos!

I thought that you would like to see how the recent redecoration of the Reception and Cocktail bar evolved last month, finishing precisely on time on Friday 28th January - as the builders walked off site, the first customers walked in to be seated - a seamless handover! My thanks to Harry Roberts, Dave Bradley, Mike Pearson, Neville and all of their colleagues and sun-contractors for thier application over the 4 weeks.

I should also mention Richard Williams of Snowdonia Slate and Stone for supplying the fantastic slate top - measuring 50mm (that's about 2 inches in old money) and sourced from the quarries in Blaenau Ffestiniog in traditional blue/grey stone, it is a lovely piece. Visit http://www.snowdoniaslate.co.uk for further details.

Today's lunch menu

Daily Lunch Menu
Two Courses £10.95 Three Courses £13.50
served from 12- 2.30pm
Starters

Melon & Fresh Fruit Cocktail

Chefs Smooth Game Liver, Redcurrant & Orange Parfait

Fricassee of Garlic Butter Mushrooms in White Wine Cream Sauce

Tartlet of Llandudno Smoked Salmon with Lemon Zest & Parsley

Pressed Terrine of Chicken & Parma Ham

Cream of Vegetable Soup

Main Course


Roast Welsh Beef with Yorkshire Pudding

Local Leg of Traditional Roast Pork, Sage Stuffing
Royal Oak Speciality; Creamy Game Pie
with Mustard Glazed Short Crust Pastry

Supreme of Salmon on Creamy Winter Cabbage, Lemon Cream Sauce

Pot-Roasted ½ Pentrefoelas Pheasant in Smokey Bacon Vegetable Gravy

(V) Mushroom & Vegetable Stroganoff on Basmati Rice

Sweets


Traditional Rhubarb and Apple Crumble with Custard

Lemon Meringue Pie

Cinnamon Panacotta with Honeyed Figs

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Rich Chocolate Fudge Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

8th February

We all busy catching up after a busy weekend and our first wedding of the year - there was a fantastic atmosphere with plenty of high spirits, laughter and happiness without any over indulgence!!

The weather seems set fair albeit cold and fresh - perfect winter weather - let's hope its a precursor to a perfect summer.

Welcome Back

A happy new year to you all - a distant memory for some, I'm sure. So much has taken place since we last wrote, we will try and break it down. Our staff have all preformed really well and the feedback we have had through our monitoring, both internal and external, has been fantastic - a thank you to all.

The game season is drawing to a close but it has far exceeded our expectations - we are already planning next seasons'! Especially successful dishes have included our own smoked pheasant, delicious creamy and tender mustard glazed game pie as well as a very fine game liver parfait. We have also served a stunning pan fried loin of Pentrefoelas Hare with mushroom risotto.

We are just attending to our first wedding of the year in our newly refurbished reception and lounge area and are looking forward to the half term and valentine's next week.