Latest news with #RedLeicester
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Greggs announces it is bringing 'stunning' new item to over 1,700 stores - as fans say it's 'unreal'
Greggs has revealed it is adding a popular trial food item to its summer menu, with taste testers having previously described it as 'unreal'. The bakery has announced it will be rolling out its highly sought-after Mac and Cheese across UK branches - with more than 1,750 locations set to stock the dish by the end of July. The new product features freshly cooked pasta combined with a decadent sauce made from a blend of cheddar and red Leicester cheese and topped with a delicious ciabatta crumb. The cheese-packed pasta dish was first launched in Manchester stores in November 2024 as part of a trial to test out new menu items. First impressions from foodies were positive, with dozens hailing its 'incredible' flavour. The pre-prepared pasta first hit shelves in 10 different shops across the northern city, where it proved a hit among customers. Following its initial success, Greggs later expanded to a number a further 300 shops across the country. Of the chain's 2,600 eateries, more than half are set to make the scrumptious pasta a permanent feature of their menus. The Mac and Cheese quickly became a hit among foodies who rushed to snaffle up the cheesy treat before it was briefly swept from shelves at the end of it's trial. The budget-bakery has announced that it will be rolling out its highly sought-after Mac and Cheese across UK branches - with more than 1,750 locations set to stock the dish by the end of July Included as part of the bakery's new summer menu, the creamy pasta will be available to purchase as a single item for £4.55, or can be scooped up with a drink as part of a meal for £5.75. Describing the dish, the budget bakery described: 'Baked fresh in shops every day, Greggs' Mac & Cheese consists of delicious pasta smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, topped with a soul-comforting blend of Cheddar and Red Leicester, a crunchy layer of ciabatta breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parsley to form a divine golden crumb. When it was first rolled out across Manchester outlets, foodies left rave reviews of the decadent cheesy dinner. In a video posted to its social media accounts in February earlier this year, Greggs received three million views and thousands of comments, with fans hailing the scrumptious new offering. The bakery captioned the viral video: 'New love triangle just dropped. You, Greggs, Mac & Cheese.' Alongside other videos posted by mac and cheese devotees, dozens were awe-struck by the new find with one writing: 'Oh my gosh I need that mac and cheese.' 'Tried it a few days ago and omg it is great. Wowie,' a second said. 'Oh wow that looks insane,' another wrote. Initial taste testers left rave reviews for when the product was first rolled out 'This looks unreal,' one remarked. 'Wowzers, this looks stunning,' one person wrote. 'My jaw dropped. I'm running to Greggs first thing tomorrow,' another person commented. Another satisfied taster said: 'I bought one for the first time today and I enjoyed it, so I'm going to get another tomorrow and a triple chocolate doughnut.' However - not everyone was as impressed by the new offering, with some remarking on the price-tag and others suspecting it would be 'dry' from sitting under the instore hot-lights. One perturbed tester wrote: 'It's absolutely disgusting had it yesterday! £4.55 as well it was all stuck together slip.' Another clip posted by the social media influencer, Carmie Sellitto, amassed a whopping 1.5 million views from viewers. Despite having sampled some of the nation's most expensive and sought-after foods, the food influencer had only positive things to say about Greggs' pasta dish. 'Wow! I actually ate this so quickly I couldn't take a second to breathe, I was so excited!' he said in the video. The Mac & Cheese will expand from its current 300 shops to over 1,750 locations nationwide by July's end. Those keen to get their hands of the dish can also order via Click+Collect on the Greggs App, which is free to download. Where will the Mac and Cheese be available from? It will be available in Aberdeenshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bridgend, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Caerphilly, Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Cheshire, County Durham, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon Dundee, East Lothian, East Riding of Yorkshire, Edinburgh, Essex, Falkirk, Fife, Flintshire, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, from several locations in Greater London and in Great Manchester, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Inverclyde, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside and Midlothian. It will also be available in Neath Port Talbot, Newport and Norfolk, North Lanarkshire, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Renfrewshire, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Shropshire, Somerset, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Swansea, Torfea, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, West Lothian, West Midlands, West Sussex, West Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Wrexham.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Greggs to open new branch outside major football stadium
The bakery chain now has more than 2,600 stores Fans of football and steak bakes are in for a treat as Greggs is opening a new branch outside a major London football stadium. The popular bakery chain is opening a new shop on Wembley Park Boulevard next month. The group has confirmed it will be launching four new shops with opening dates "soon" while the launch date for the new Wembley branch now set. The new store will launch in Unit 4 of The Hive complex next to Wembley Stadium, on May 10. Wembley is the national football stadium for England, with the 90,000-seat venue often hosting England national games as well as the FA Cup final. Wembley Park Boulevard is home to many other shops and includes the London Designer Outlet shopping centre, which features many major chains such as Adidas, Marks & Spencer and Next. The nearest Greggs to the new branch is just five minutes' walk away, on High Road in Wembley. The bakery chain also has branches in nearby areas of north London, including in Harrow and in Kingsbury. Greggs says it wants to have 140 to 150 net openings this year, including 50 relocations. The chain had 2,618 shops as of December 2024, with long-term ambitions to reach 3,000 branches across the UK. The chain has also confirmed it will soon be opening branches at these three locations: Peterborough - Padholme Road East. Huddersfield - Unit 2, Queensgate Retail Park Chorley - Unit B1, Knowles Way. Greggs recently announced it will expand its offering as it will be rolling out its Mac & Cheese across many more of its chains. The pasta treat initially launched across 10 Manchester shops in November 2024 and then expanded to 300 locations earlier this year. Now more than 1,750 shops will stock the item. The official page for Greggs said: "Baked fresh in shops every day, Greggs' Mac & Cheese consists of delicious pasta smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, topped with a soul-comforting blend of Cheddar and Red Leicester, a crunchy layer of ciabatta breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parsley to form a divine golden crumb." The Mac & Cheese costs £4.55 but you can get a meal deal if you buy it with a drink, from £5.75.
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
From anchovy butter to a chilli cheese smash burger, the best recipes from Thomas Straker's debut cookbook
HISPI CABBAGE WITH ANCHOVY BUTTER Proof that vegetables are not boring. SERVES 4 2 hispi cabbages, halved lengthways if small, or quartered if large 50ml extra virgin olive oil 200g anchovy butter (see recipe below) sea salt flakes 1 Drizzle the cabbage halves or quarters with a little olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt flakes. 2 Set a large frying pan – for which you have a lid – over a high heat. Colour the cabbage sections on all their cut sides, then remove and spread all the anchovy butter between the cabbage leaves as well as on their cut surfaces (use about 50g butter per cabbage half or 25g butter per quarter). 3 Put all the cabbage wedges back into the pan, and set over a high heat once more and add a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes to steam and finish cooking through. ANCHOVY BUTTER Try this in a sandwich with leftover roast lamb. It also pairs perfectly with all brassicas, including cabbage, broccoli or purple sprouting broccoli. MAKES about 300g 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes 50g Cantabrian anchovy fillets, or other good-quality anchovies, drained weight sea salt and 10 grinds of black pepper 1 Put the butter, anchovies and black pepper in a food processor and blend until combined. Check for seasoning and add salt to taste. SWEETCORN, TUNA, TOMATO AND FENNEL A full-on summer salad. When sweetcorn arrives, it arrives in abundance and this is a fantastic way to make the most of the glut. SERVES 4 as a light lunch or starter ½ red onion, very thinly sliced 2 ears of corn 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandoline 180g cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tbsp capers, drained 2 x 250g cans of excellent-quality tuna in olive oil, drained leaves from a small 15g bunch of basil leaves from a small 15g bunch of mint 6 radishes, quartered 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil juice of 2 lemons sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper 1 Put the sliced red onion in a bowl and scrunch with a pinch of salt to soften. Set aside. 2 Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the sweetcorn and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then cut off the kernels. To do this, stand a cob on its end and run a large sharp knife down its length. Rotate the cob and repeat until all the kernels have been removed. 3 In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweetcorn and drained red onion with the remaining ingredients. Dress with the olive oil and lemon juice, then season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. CHILLI CHEESE SMASH BURGER 'Another burger?', you may well ask, but trust me, this is on another level: double-stacked sweet and spicy patties made with super-fatty minced beef. SERVES 4 800g high fat-content (20%) minced beef 4 brioche burger buns 10g unsalted butter vegetable oil 8 slices of Red Leicester cheese For the pickled chillies 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 red chillies, thinly sliced 6 fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 100ml red wine vinegar 2 tbsp sugar For the burger sauce 1 shallot, very finely chopped 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish 90g mayonnaise 2 tbsp yellow American mustard, such as French's pinch of cayenne pepper sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper 1 Start with the pickled chillies. Put the olive oil in a saucepan and set over a medium heat. Add the chillies and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook down for 2 minutes, before adding the vinegar and sugar. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then cool and keep in the fridge until ready to use. 2 Next, put all the burger sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Season to taste with sea salt flakes. 3 On to the burgers. Split the minced beef into 8 portions, shape each into a ball and place on a plate. Set a large and wide cast-iron skillet or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cut the burger buns in half and add the butter to the skillet or pan. Toast the buns in the butter on both sides until golden brown, then keep warm until ready to assemble the burgers. 4 Add a good glug of vegetable oil to the pan and, once hot, season 4 of the minced beef balls well and put in the pan. Use a spatula to smash them down flat, then season generously with salt and pepper. When coloured on one side, flip over and top each with a slice of Red Leicester. Add the top of a bun to 2 of the patties, then add a splash of water to the pan and cover to steam and melt the cheese. Repeat this process to cook the remaining burgers. 5 To assemble, put the bottom of the burger buns on plates and add some burger sauce, followed by a burger patty. Top that with a spoonful of pickled chillies, then finish with another patty topped already with the bun lid, adding a little more burger sauce if you like. Serve immediately. CRAB TAGLIOLINI My all-time favourite pasta. You just can't beat the combination of super-fresh crab meat with a bit of heat from chilli and zing from lemon. Needless to say it ranks as one of the best-selling dishes at my restaurant. 2 red chillies 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 25g unsalted butter 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 100ml white wine 160ml chicken stock 160g brown crab meat 240g white crab meat 400g dried tagliolini leaves from a 30g bunch of parsley, finely chopped finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and juice of 2 lemons fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Bring a large pan of heavily salted water to the boil. 2 Burn the chillies over an open flame, or in a dry, hot pan, until blackened. (You may want to close the kitchen door and switch on the extractor fan for this.) Leave to cool, before removing most of the blackened skin along with the stalks and finely chopping the flesh. 3 Heat the extra virgin olive oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the shallots, celery and fennel with a generous pinch of salt and cook gently for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and chopped burnt chilli and cook for a further 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and stock and reduce by half. 4 Add the crab meat and reduce the heat to low: you want to warm the sauce slowly while the pasta cooks. 5 In a large saucepan, cook the pasta until al dente, according to the packet instructions, then transfer to the crab-sauce pan with the parsley and lemon juice and toss well, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce. Serve with a grating of lemon zest and grindings of black pepper. PAN CON TOMATE For me, this simple Spanish toast really does signify summer. It is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I would eat it for all three. Serve with anchovies, jamon Iberico or a fried egg. 2 large, ripe beefsteak-type tomatoes 120ml of your best extra virgin olive oil 4 slices of sourdough bread, cut about 1.5cm thick 1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole 8 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, or other good-quality anchovies handful of chives, finely chopped (optional) sea salt flakes 1 Cut the tomatoes in half and grate into a bowl using the coarse side of a box grater. Add half the olive oil, then season to taste with salt. 2 Set a griddle pan over a high heat and brush each slice of bread on both sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill on both sides until nicely charred. Remove from the pan and rub with the garlic clove. 3 Spoon the tomato pulp over the bread, drape over the anchovy fillets, scatter with chives, if you like, and serve. CHERRY AND ALMOND CLAFOUTIS A French-inspired pudding of cherries baked in a custard batter with almonds. You can use blueberries when cherries are out of season, or even a mixture of seasonal fruits. 125g unsalted butter, plus more for the dish 2 tbsp demerara sugar 200ml whole milk 125ml double cream 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped out, or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste 1 whole egg, plus 2 egg yolks 100g caster sugar 70g plain flour ½ tsp fine sea salt 70g ground almonds 400g cherries, pitted 30g flaked almonds To serve icing sugar crème fraîche 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 30cm ovenproof dish well, then sprinkle the demerara all over to coat. 2 Put the milk in a saucepan with the remaining butter, cream and vanilla pod and seeds, if using, and bring to the boil, then pick out the vanilla pod pieces. Whisk the egg with the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined and thickened, adding the vanilla bean paste, if using instead of the pod and seeds. 3 Whisking continuously, slowly stream the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mix until well combined. Add the flour, salt and ground almonds and fold together. 4 Put the cherries in the prepared buttered and sugared dish, then evenly pour over the batter. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds, then bake for 35 minutes. 5 Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then dust generously with icing sugar. Serve with crème fraîche. AUBERGINES WITH PINE NUTS AND MINT A great recipe for a summer barbecue, with shedloads of sass. 30g pine nuts 2 aubergines, cut into 5mm slices lengthways or widthways, depending on shape extra virgin olive oil leaves from a small bunch (15g) of mint, roughly chopped finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon 1 garlic clove, finely grated sea salt flakes 2 heaped tbsp thick Greek yogurt, to serve (optional) 1 Put the pine nuts in a small dry frying pan and set over a medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, tossing often, until toasted. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. 2 Set a griddle pan over a high heat. Or, if you are doing this on the barbecue, set the cooking rack about 10cm above the embers. Put the aubergine slices in a large bowl and toss well with olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt flakes. 3 Once the pan or barbecue is hot, lay on the aubergine slices and grill them for a couple of minutes on each side, until softened and nicely charred. 4 Meanwhile, add the mint to the pine nut bowl with the lemon zest and juice, garlic and 2 tablespoons more olive oil, mix well and season to taste with sea salt flakes. 5 Once all the aubergine slices are cooked, put them in the pine nut dressing and toss well to distribute evenly. 6 To serve, spread the yogurt, if using, over a large plate or platter. Top with the aubergine slices and finish with a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and pinch of sea salt flakes. COD WITH TOMATOES AND PEPPERS A lovely quick and easy fish dish, you can make this from start to finish when you get home after a long day of work. SERVES 4 2 red peppers extra virgin olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 400g cherry tomatoes small bunch (15g) of basil 4 x 200g skinless cod fillets sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper To serve pangrattato (see recipe below) 20g chives, finely chopped 1 lemon, quartered, plus finely grated unwaxed lemon zest lemon mayonnaise 1 Char the red peppers until blackened all over: you can do this over an open flame, or in a hot, dry frying pan. Make sure you turn them regularly, cooking for 10-15 minutes. (If you're doing this in the kitchen, you might want to close the door and turn on the extractor fan.) When they are charred all over, put them in a bowl and cover, so they steam. When they're cool enough to handle, their skins should just slip off. Open them up and discard the stalks, ribs and seeds, then slice the peppers into strips. 2 Put a good glug of olive oil in a wide-based frying pan for which you have a lid and set over a medium heat. Add the shallots with a generous pinch of salt and sweat down for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes. 3 Next, add the cherry tomatoes and half the basil sprigs and cook for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are softened but still holding their shape. Use a wooden spoon to squash the softened cherry tomatoes in the frying pan so they release their juices into the sauce, then tip in the sliced peppers. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. 4 Drizzle the cod fillets with a little olive oil and sprinkle over some salt. Gently nestle them into the tomato and red pepper stew and cover with a lid. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Rest for 2 minutes. 5 Serve the cod with the tomato and pepper sauce, sprinkled with pangrattato, chives and lemon zest and serve with lemon wedges and lemon mayonnaise. PANGRATTATO Use this to provide crunch for salads and any vegetable dish you desire. MAKES 250g 200g sourdough bread, cut into 1.5cm chunks 60ml extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bashed with the side of a blade 1 Preheat the oven to 195C/175C fan/gas 5½. Toss the sourdough chunks with the olive oil, then add the garlic cloves. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes, until nicely golden brown, then remove from the oven and cool. 2 Remove the garlic cloves, then transfer the cooled bread to a food processor and blitz into crumbs. 3 Store in a sealed contained until ready to use. It should keep for up to 2 weeks.
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Greggs confirms beloved menu item is coming back after customers beg
Greggs has confirmed that a tried and tested cheesy delight will be added to its menu at 1,750 Greggs shops around the country - it comes after fans have been obsessed with the 'velvety goodness' Greggs has confirmed that a trial food item will officially become a permanent staple on its menu this summer – after customers obsessed over the "velvety goodness". It had given them even more reason to visit the outlet (other than the tasty sausage rolls, doughnuts and coffee). Bakery giant Greggs confirmed that its viral Mac and Cheese will be rolled out across its chains by the end of July. The treat was launched in 10 Manchester shops in November in 2024 as a trial – and was subsequently rolled out to 300 locations earlier this year. Now, over 1750 Greggs shops - of the 2,600 nationwide - will serve the Mac & Cheese. It comes after customers begged for it be a permanent menu staple. The mouth-watering pasta box sent social media into a "meltdown", states Greggs, following a series of viral videos. Food influencer Carmie Sellitto shared a video which generated over 1.5 million views, with Carmie telling fans: "Wow! I actually ate this so quickly I couldn't take a second to breathe, I was so excited!" Plus, @lifeofmanraj said it "looks really nice and tastes even better". "It's a perfect balance and cheesiness and creaminess," he added. @ said she is "obsessed" with it. Greggs also shared a video of the cheesy treat, which has now been watched over three million times. The official page said: "Baked fresh in shops every day, Greggs' Mac & Cheese consists of delicious pasta smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, topped with a soul-comforting blend of Cheddar and Red Leicester, a crunchy layer of ciabatta breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parsley to form a divine golden crumb." In response, one foodie gushed: "I have been influenced, thank you." And another said: "When I thought Greggs couldn't get any better..." The treat will set you back £4.55, however if you want to make a meal of it, you can grab a Mac & Cheese and any drink from just £5.75. It available in Aberdeenshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bridgend, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Caerphilly, Cambridgeshire, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Cheshire, County Durham, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon Dundee, East Lothian, East Riding of Yorkshire, Edinburgh, Essex, Falkirk, Fife, Flintshire, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, several locations in Greater London, plenty of locations in Great Manchester, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Inverclyde, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Midlothian, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Norfolk, North Lanarkshire, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Renfrewshire, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Shropshire, Somerset, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Swansea, Torfea, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, West Lothian, West Midlands, West Sussex, West Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Wrexham. Customers will be able to get their hands on the cheesy menu item through delivery on JustEat and UberEats, and through Click + Collect on the Greggs App. It's not the only menu shake-up Greggs has carried out recently. The bakery chain recently launched a new lunchtime snack - Veggie Feast Pizza - much to the delight of fans.
Western Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Greggs to launch viral Mac & Cheese across UK this summer
Following a successful trial in 10 Greater Manchester shops in November 2024 and a subsequent rollout to 300 UK locations earlier this year, Greggs will launch its Mac & Cheese nationwide in all shops that have Hot To Go units by the end of July. The pasta box excited Greggs fans on social media following a series of viral videos, including a TikTok post by food influencer Carmie Sellitto, which generated more than 1.5 million views, with Carmie telling fans: 'Wow! I actually ate this so quickly I couldn't take a second to breathe, I was so excited!' Greggs also shared a video of the Mac & Cheese box which has now been watched three million times. Baked fresh in shops every day, Greggs' Mac & Cheese consists of pasta covered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, topped with a blend of Cheddar and Red Leicester, a crunchy layer of ciabatta breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parsley to form a golden crumb. When will Greggs' viral Mac & Cheese be available across the UK? The warm pasta box is available from £4.55 with customers being able to combine a Mac & Cheese and any drink from £5.75. The Mac & Cheese aims to give Greggs customers even more choice and variety from its menu, adding to its current options. The Mac & Cheese is now available in more than 300 shops and will roll out to more than 1,750 shops nationwide by the end of July. Recommended reading: Customers can also try the Mac & Cheese via Click+Collect on the Greggs App which is free to download and gives access to a variety of rewards. For every nine purchases in different categories (including hot drinks, sandwiches, bakes and sweet treats) app users can get one free. New users of the Greggs App also get a free hot drink of their choice when they register and they'll get a free sweet treat to celebrate their birthday each year.
