CityLife

Digest: National Chip Week, Dockers, cupcakes...

It is National Chip Week and among the promotional blurb, with statistics galore extolling the virtues of the humble food (a portion of chip shop chips has less fat than a prawn mayo sarnie, don’t you know!) is one startling fact. In London, more than a quarter of people have never eaten a chip butty! We in Manchester obviously know the joy of melted butter running down your wrist while tucking into thick doorsteps of them – 94 per cent as a matter of fact. The national winner of the week’s Perfect Portion Award, literally battering hundreds of chippies across the land, is not far away – Skippers, of Euxton, near Chorley. For more information about the week go to www.lovechips.co.uk.

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Meanwhile, Prestwich chippy Dockers has opened up an outlet in The Printworks in the city centre. It is run by former executive chef at Sam’s and Tom’s chop houses, Stuart Norman, who promises top quality chippy teas. He is using Massey potatoes from Cheshire, fish from Smithfield market in Openshaw and offers bespoke sausages that include chilli, pork and leek and old English varieties.

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If your comfort food needs to be sweet, you’ll be pleased to hear of yet another cupcake venture starting up. It seems that the only businesses immune from the recession are investment banks and iced sponge makers! Ella MacDonald creates the cakes in her Sale home to order for special occasions and organises delivery. She does themed versions, too, including St Patrick’s Day cakes in March. For information visit www.awaywiththefairiescupcakery.co.uk.