After seven months of keeping the locals happy at legendary Ancoats pub the Crown and Kettle, Mira’s saucy Neapolitan sandwiches have found a new home just around the corner.
The team will be moving intoAncoats General Store on 2 March, taking over from fellow sandwich slingers Bada Bing.
Mira built up a loyal fanbase during the pandemic for their saucy ‘Cuzzetiello’ sandwiches, inspired by the Italian region of Naples.
A cult staple of Napoli street food, the Cuzzetiello is a natural evolution of the simple act of tearing the end off a loaf of fresh bread to scoop up hot, home-cooked ragu.
Image: Mira
Crude but incredibly satisfying, it’s become quite the hit with locals who’ve fallen for these stuffed, saucy sandwiches in their droves.
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Mira owners Mike and Rhea first fell in love with the rich flavours, culture and history behind the sandwich whilst travelling and felt compelled to bring it home to Manchester.
Popular fillings at Mira include slow-cooked Genovese beef brisket with onions, parmesan and salami; Italian meatballs in a slow-cooked ragu with fresh basil and mozzarella and a vegan-friendly juicy aubergine parmigiana sandwich with rich tomato sauce, cashew cheese and. basil.
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The menu also features a regularly changing ‘wild card’ option – like the salsiccia, made with chilli sausage, spianata, marinara, garlic greens, parmesan and chopped olives.
The Salsiccia, made with chilli sausage, spianata, marinara, garlic greens, parmesan and chopped olives. / Image: Mira
To celebrate the move to Ancoats General Store, Mira will be giving away free sandwiches all day on opening day from 8am – 4pm (or until they run out).
To start with, Mira will just be serving its classics until they get settled in to the new space. Wild cards will then be reintroduced to the menu once they’ve got their feet firmly under the table.
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Speaking on the move, co-owner Mike said:
“We’re buzzing to join the Ancoats General Store family and can’t wait to introduce more people to the Cuzzetiello.
“It’s a food that people in Napoli seem proud to keep sacred and we like to reflect that by cooking mainly old school Neapolitan recipes, with our Wildcard specials added occasionally to mix things up.
“Ancoats feels like home to us, and considering it’s Manchester’s ‘Little Italy’, our new residency with General Store is a perfect fit. See you next Wednesday for sandwiches on us!”
Mira will join Ancoats General Store from Wednesday 2 March until early June.
Feature image – Mira
News
A literacy charity is making its way to Manchester bringing lots of FREE books
Thomas Melia
A charity dedicated to literacy is coming to Manchester in May providing families and individuals with plenty of free books.
Led by Bookbanks, this London-founded organisation was set up in line with food banks to provide people with access to free books and now they’re coming all the way to Manchester.
This charity started in 2022 all thanks to writer and journalist Emily Rhodes, who has read her fair share of books and wants to give this privilege to anyone who might not be able to get their hands on any.
The charity has seen widespread positive reception quickly expanding into Norfolk and is now partnering with various food banks in Manchester, marking the organisation’s first Northern venture.
Bookbanks gives out an average of 30 books per week, per site and has distributed over 5,000 books so far at food banks.
Crates being organised in Manchester food bank.Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
Titled Bookbanks after the fact that they work very closely with food banks to provide books far and wide to food banks across the UK, they also host a range of interactive events.
Alongside all the fantastic work the team do, there’s a handful of free workshops and author events on offer for all ages and backgrounds, to further build the connection between people and their books.
Currently, there are two famous figures backing this book-based charity, Elizabeth Day and Andrew O’Hagan, both of which are no stranger to a pen and paper.
Day is an award-winning author who has written nine fiction and non-fiction books to date, while O’Hagan is Booker Prize nominated and is London Review of Books’ Editor-at-Large.
Bookbanks relies on the general public to spread their message further and there’s even a section on their website detailing how you can get involved to continue distributing books within food banks.
One of Bookbank’s many free author events, some of which will hopefully take place in Manchester.Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
Whether you’re an avid runner or keen to try something new why not raise money for and be sponsored by Bookbanks, knowing you’ve done your bit to bring books to those who need them most.
If you don’t fancy lacing up those trainers and heading out for a run, why not donate any old books you’ve finished reading to this book-focused charity and allow others to discover a whole new world of reading.
Bookbanks first official Manchester site will launch on Friday 2 May at Manchester Central Food bank and a second site is already in talks at Greater Together Manchester’s Social Supermarket in Miles Platting.
To find out more ways to get involved as a company, publisher, member of public and more, you can find all information on their official site HERE.
Featured Image: Publicity Picture via Annabelle Williams
News
Touching tribute paid to man and his dog who died together in fatal collision
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man who was killed in a fatal collision last month, alongside his beloved dog, have paid tribute to him.
Andrew Old, 61, had been walking along Greenwood Road in Wythenshawe when he was struck by a vehicle that had been involved in a collision.
He had been waking his ‘lovely’ dog, Liddy, who also died at the scene.
Emergency services rushed to the scene on Sunday 9 March but tragically both Andrew and his beloved pet passed away.
Paying tribute to him, Andrew’s family said: “Andrew was our happy go lucky brother and he is so sadly missed by us all.
“We miss his smiles, his laughter, his jokes and his hourly phone calls.
“Words cannot describe the shock and disbelief that we feel due to the loss of Andrew, we are absolutely devastated.
“Andrew tragically died only metres from his home, whilst walking his lovely dog Liddy.
“The only solace we have is that Andrew and Liddy were not alone at such a horrific time and that they were together. Andrew and Liddy will always be in our hearts.”
Georgina Pellant -
23rd February 2022 
