Profile: The Leopard's spot
AFTER ONE of the soggiest summers on record and with many areas still struggling to mop up the flood waters, it is no surprise that UK barbecues have been put on a bit of a backburner.
However, never a nation to be put off, Britain¹s die-hard grill-fresco fans have been defying the downpour and going for it, including those at the Leopard Inn in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
Licensees Phil Jackson and Yolande Rankin have refused to let the rain dampen their spirits. Since April, they have hoisted up their jumbo umbrella and held no less than six roaring barbies in a bid keep things sizzling whatever the weather.
After four years at the Leopard Inn, the pair had banked on a glorious summer. Refusing to veer from the plan, the pub has continued with its scheduled barbies, offering everything from marinated pork fillet and beef joints to chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables.
³We have a large al fresco dining area complete with a full canopy and barbecue that proves very popular during the summer months,² says Phil.
The Met Office¹s prediction for late August, when a large wedding party is booked in, is more optimistic.
Should precipitation prevail, however, the Leopard¹s indoor contingency plan has things covered.
Customers have the pick of a varied menu, from Spanish tapas to traditional sausage and mash with gravy. Regular theme nights, meanwhile, incorporate dishes from all over the world, and at a recent Mexican night, fajitas, enchiladas, chilli con carne and a host of other authentic meals were dished up.
Indoors or outdoors, one thing Phil and Yolande are enjoying trialling is the new apple-based Heinz BBQ Sauce, which they say has enhanced the barbecue menu no end.
Offering versatility it can be used for dipping, marinating, basting and grilling customers are automatically offered it as an extra to side dishes for that authentic barbecue kick and forms a trusted ingredient.
Phil says: ³It really is a great all-rounder and we use it to garnish burgers, enhance fajita sauces, and in marinating and grilling cuts of meat such as steak and chicken.
³Yolande and I receive many compliments on our standards of service and quality of food and feel that by using products from widely respected companies such as Heinz we are able to build on these standards while also introducing a product we can trust.
³The product has an authentic smoked taste and complements cuts of meat perfectly. It enhances the taste of many of our dishes and, with the easy to use plastic container, there is no wastage.² Heinz Foodservice¹s range of barbecue sauces also includes new front-of-house hickory-style HP BBQ Sauce and peppery HP Steak Sauce.
