News

This Manchester restaurant has launched an entire menu dedicated to cauliflower cheese

There's six different flavours to choose from as part of Ducie Street's new roast, including a cauliflower-macaroni cheese hybrid that offers the best of both worlds

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 22nd September 2021

Cauliflower cheese lovers, this one is for you.

Cauliflower has become all things nowadays – rice, ‘chicken’ wings, ‘steaks.’ It’s even become a popular roast replacement, rubbed with herbs and grilled whole for your table’s centerpiece.

But we think we can all agree it is at its very best encased in cheesy bechamel, slightly charred on top and gooey in the middle, fresh out of the oven.

It seems that the team at Ducie Street agree, because they’ve gone and created an entire menu dedicated to the good stuff – and we’re absolutely here for it.

image: The Manc Eats
image: The Manc Eats

Launched as part of the restaurant’s new Sunday roast menu, the dedicated cauliflower cheese section spans a whopping six different choices.

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From bacon fizzle-topped cauliflower to an umami-rich truffled option, there are some mouth-watering options to choose from.

Think cauliflower cheese made with traditional vintage cheddar, or richened up with funky blue cheese for the most indulgent cheesey side you can imagine.

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Alternatively, for lovers of macaroni cheese, there’s something for you too – a cauliflower, macaroni cheese hybrid that offers the very best of both worlds. They’ve not forgotten about vegans, either, with a plant-based option included on the menu here too.

The new cauliflower cheese menu has been created as part of Ducie Street’s new roast dinner offering, which also features the likes of dry-aged shorthorn beef sirloin, roast supreme of corn
fed chicken, rosemary roasted leg of lamb, free-range gammon, and a weekly-changing vegan roast.

image: The Manc Eats
image: The Manc Eats

As well as ordering classic mains combos with sides, guests can also opt for a carvery-style order featuring a slice of each of the four meats with all the usual trimmings. Further side choices, meanwhile, include Cumbrian pigs-in-blankets, honey roasted heirloom carrots and minted sugar snap peas.

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Launching on Sunday 26 September, all plated roasts will be served with roast potatoes from Massey’s local Cheshire farm, homemade giant Yorkshire’s, seasonal veg and a choice of meat or vegan gravy.

To find out more and book your table, visit the Ducie Street website here.

News

‘No suspicious circumstances’ ruled as body found in search for missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Fundraiser launched to find missing 'beautiful soul' Adeo Alston

A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei.

The 25-year-old was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm on Friday 16 May, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.

Multiple lines of enquiry were being explored by police, and some CCTV footage of his last-known movements was released to the public earlier this month.

At the time of the CCTV footage being released, a spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.

Adeo missing man Fletcher Moss Park Didsbury
A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei / Credit: GMP / Family Handout

“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”

Now, after over a month of dedicated searches by all involved, detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed they recovered a body on Schools Hill in Cheadle last week.

Whilst formal identification is still to take place, the body is believed to be that of Adeo.

Police say Adeo’s family have been informed of this development, and continue to be supported through this extremely difficult time.

“We would like to thank everyone who has shared our appeals and passed their well wishes onto Adeo’s loved ones throughout this extensive search,” GMP said in a formal statement. “We would now ask that the family be allowed privacy.”

Read more:

It was also confirmed that there appears to be ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding Adeo’s death, and a file will now be passed to the coroner.

Featured Image – GMP

News

Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time

Danny Jones Danny Jones

More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.

As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.

The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.

Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…

rare african ducklings hatched at chester zoo
‘It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die‘ (Credit: Chester Zoo)

If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.

As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”

These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.

As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.

However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.

Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.

rare african ducks chester zoo
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.
maccao ducks chester zoo
Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.
As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)

The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,

“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.

“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”

Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.

Read more:

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Featured Images — Chester Zoo (supplied)

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