Eats

Stockport County’s viral Christmas dinner in a cup is back for 2024

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 19th December 2024

The big day is literally just around the corner and while we’re looking forward to unwrapping our presents and diving face-first into a mountain of food, there’s one festive foodie gift we can’t stop thinking about: Stockport County’s Christmas dinner in a cup.

Yes, the mother of all Sunday roasts is probably the best meal of the year but do you know the next best thing? A portable one that you can take with you to the game.

For the uninitiated, a couple of years ago Stockport County had the ingenious idea to level up matchday scran by swapping out the humble chips and gravy, Rollover hotdog or a simple pie to serve up an absolutely stuffed-to-bursting cup of the Christmas dinner with a bunch of trimmings.

No Yorkshire pudding just but we’re sure they’re working on it; maybe they can use that as the cup next time? Nevermind – check how good this looks:

As you can see, beyond just getting a bit of meat and carbs with some moisture (the bare minimum you want to consume inside the stadium), the Hatters are serving a fair few of your five a day, lovely roasted turkey, pigs in blankets and even stuffing to top off their festive special.

Since debuting back in 2022, the idea has been a rousing success and even those who might have raised an eyebrow at a mini portable roast, selling out pretty much every week during the previous holiday season too.

Now back for just the third year running, they’ve had 12 whole months to perfect the recipe and while the product may be even better this December, it will still only set you back just £4.50.

Absolutely unreal value for money, as we’re sure the Footy Scran admin would agree, especially given the cost of living these days.

Head Chef John Rose, who served us up a healthy tray of them in 2023 and the year prior, even managed to rope in right-back Macauley Southam-Hales to serve the first few portions up to the staff and players earlier this month.

At this point, County are becoming just as synonymous with the Christmas dinner in a cup as they are hats…

‘Macca’, now the second longest-serving player behind goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe, was understandably impressed with John’s no-spill cooking skills and given that this mobile meal delivers pretty much every food group a growing boy needs, we’re fairly sure he’s allowed this one the diet sheet.

Once again, this PCD (Portable Christmas Dinner) costs less than a fiver and is much healthier, both in portion size and actual nutritional value, than you’ll find at virtually any other football ground in Greater Manchester.

Available exclusively at the County Courtyard fan zone at Edgeley Park throughout the festive period, plenty of fans have already been lining their stomach with the Christmas dinner in a cup and with two home games left – counting the New Year’s Day fixture – you’ve still got chance to grab one.

Consider that your Merry Christmas from SCFC.

Read more:

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals. 

The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them. 

This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester. 

Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men. 

And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering. 

Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.

Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthday
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthday
Pen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
Pen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG

The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long. 

On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night. 

Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm. 

All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.

Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years! 

“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”

Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE. 

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.

Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway. 

That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.

Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.

The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.

First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips. 

Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.

Banana Tree is giving away 1000 free katsu curries to celebrate its launch in Salford
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree

With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.

To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.

Read more:

The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.

Featured Image – Banana Tree

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