Church Inn recognised!

The-ChurchpoemWe are delighted to announce that our lovely Church Inn in Mobberley has been recognised as the UK’s ‘New Pub of the Year 2014-15’ by the Good Pub Guide!

We re-opened the Church Inn just over a year ago following major restoration and refurbishment works. The Church Inn dates back to at least 1753 and we are proud of its standing in the village of Mobberley. There is plenty of history associated with the pub and this award recognises the efforts of many people.

We have to mention our landlord Simon, Head Chef Lloyd and the team who have endless enthusiasm and passion for the business and try their best at all times. Our customers who have supported the pub so well in its first year since re-opening. Our owners Tim and Mary who, despite owning the Bulls Head also in Mobberley, had the vision and courage to see the opportunity for a differentiated pub style so close to their already award winning Bulls Head and last but by no means least all our wonderful suppliers who have helped us achieve this award.

The award is for all the people associated with the Church Inn to celebrate, enjoy and raise a glass to.

Well done everyone!!!

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Laura Trott’s perfect weekend

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LAURA TROTT became a household name by scooping two gold medals at her first Olympic Games in London in 2012. Here she opens up about her weekends and obsession for EastEnders.

Track and road cyclist Laura Trott OBE began her cycling career at the age of eight.

Laura_CraigforthA four-time world team pursuit champion, she became a household name by scooping two gold medals at her first Olympic Games in London in 2012. More recently, she was crowned women’s 2014 British Cycling Road champion. Laura, 22, will take part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next week. She lives in Stockport with her Olympic gold-winning cyclist boyfriend Jason Kenny.

“I train six days a week and it’s pretty intense, with early starts and late finishes. So when I do have a rest weekend, I like to put my feet up. On Friday nights, Jason will cook. He’s not bad in the kitchen, although more often than not we’ll have his staple pasta and tuna dish. Then we’ll watch EastEnders – I’m obsessed and can’t miss an episode!

“I like to be in bed by 10pm. I get grumpy if I haven’t had a good 10-hour sleep. In an ideal world I’d have a lie-in, but our two dogs never allow us to sleep late. They’re gorgeous little sproodles [a cross between a springer spaniel and a poodle] called Sprolo and Pringle and they’re yapping and full of energy by 8am. So Jason and I will go for a cycle and they’ll run alongside us around the country lanes near where we live.

“In the afternoon, we’ll go over to Jason’s parents’ house. They’ll make us bacon sandwiches for lunch and we’ll stay for the whole afternoon. His dad makes a mean curry for dinner too and we’ll watch TV. I love the Outnumbered box set, I find it hilarious.

“Sunday is a lazy day. We’ll spend most of the morning in our pyjamas, before taking the dogs for a walk and then head over to our favourite pub, The Church Inn, Mobberley, for a roast lunch. Jason loves motor racing, so if there’s a Grand Prix on TV we have to be back in time to watch it. In the evening, we’ll relax with a film, but there are always arguments. Jason loves action films – I’d rather watch a romantic comedy. Then it’s off to bed, as we’ll both be up at the crack of dawn for training.

“I’ve a lot on at the moment, with the Commonwealth Games, and I’m taking part in the Prudential RideLondon event in August, too.”

New seasonal dishes arrive at the Church Inn in Mobberley.

Our Head Chef Lloyd and his team of chefs introduce some lovely new dishes for our ‘summer in to autumn’ menu. Below are the highlights….

New starters include…

  • Beetroot Cured Salmon, with sauce Gribiche, cucumber ribbons and rye bread £6.95
  • Endive, Wirral Watercress and Apple Salad, creamy lemon and shallot dressing £5.25
  • Crayfish and Crab Lemon Mayonnaise ‘Martini’ with spiced mango, avocado and gin purée £6.95
  • Locally Shot Pigeon, pan fried with a potato rosti and ‘blood peach’ chutney £7.50

On the new seasonal main courses we have..

  • Roast Breast of Chicken, tarragon stuffing, crushed herb potatoes with a white wine, cream sauce and Wirral watercress £14.95
  • Cheshire Lamb Rump wrapped in Cumbrian cured ham, with Bury black pudding, creamed cabbage and a heritage tomato and oregano compote £16.95
  • Roasted Aubergine and Globe Artichoke Tart, sautéed potatoes, dressed rocket leaves and sauce verte £11.95
  • The Mobberley Nicoise! Grilled Salmon, fine beans, poached quail eggs, cherry tomato, pea shoots, black olives and apple balsamic dressing. £13.95

On the new ‘Tavern Favourite’ main courses we have..

  • Lambs Liver sautéed with onions and bacon and served with creamy mashed potato and buttered greens £13.95
  • The Church Inn’s Deep Dish Pie served with chips and Yorkshire peas £14.00
  • 28 Day Salt aged Rose County Cote de Boeuf, chips, watercress salad and your choice of either Béarnaise butter or a green peppercorn sauce £24.95

and for new homemade puddings we have…….

  • The Queen of Puddings £5.50
  • Plum Crumble and vanilla ice cream £5.00

For the full menu click here.

For the Sunday menu Click here

For the full Light Lunch menu click here

Other things to enjoy at the Church Inn…..

Brunch on Sundays
From 10.30 am until 12.00 pm every Sunday
Relax, read the papers and enjoy brunch with friends before that gruelling pub walk!

Private Dining
We have two private dining rooms at the Church Inn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for details

Wine Tasting?
We offer wine tasting evenings on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays.

Clare completes the Cheshire Cat ‘Quad’ Cycle ride

Outside the Church Inn in Mobberley

Outside the Church Inn in Mobberley

Regular customer Clare and cycling buddy Paul are the first customers to complete what is now called the Cheshire Cat Quad. They cycled between our four Cheshire Pubs and the total distance they cycled on Friday was 62.2 miles at an average speed of 17.1mph. The duration of the ride was just under 5 hours with a 30 minute refuel break of bananas, toast and tea at our Cholmondeley Arms pub near Malpas and a 20 minute puncture stop on the A49 at Bartington!!!

They were somewhat hampered from the start on the navigation front as they could not set the route on Paul’s new Garmin so had to wing it on memory!! This meant Clare and Paul probably did not go the most direct route!

They left our Three Greyhounds Inn in Allostock near Holmes Chapel at 8.30am heading towards the A556 through Northwich and Hartford(!) before hitting the A51 and then picking up the A49 at Oakmere. They then took a quiet route through Eaton village before climbing the Wrenbury road and arriving 29 miles later at our Cholmondeley Arms pub.

The return journey was repeated until they once again arrived at Oakmere but then they continued on the A49 past Weaverham up to Bartington and the puncture repair stop. Once on familiar turf they went on quieter roads through Comberbach , Great Budworth and on to Knutsford. The final leg was turning left onto the B5085 to our Church Inn pub in Mobberley for a quick photo before a downhill finish to The Bulls Head for 1.30pm to meet their family and have a much needed lunch and relax in the sunny beer garden.

On arrival at the Bulls Head Clare told us…..

“Paul and I both felt elated and relieved to have completed the ‘Cheshire Cat Quad’ especially as our navigation failed due to our inability to programme it correctly rather than technological failure! We had a brilliant cycle with favourable weather conditions and warm hospitality shown at all of Tim and Mary’s pubs. We will be by no means the fastest but at least we are the first to complete what will be a great cycle ride for many”

“Thank you for setting up a most enjoyable challenge”

Previously loyal customer and very keen cyclist Jonathon was the first of our cycling customers to complete the ‘Cheshire Cat Pub to Pub to Pub (Trio) Challenge’ last winter 2013 when we had just three pubs in Cheshire.

If you are a keen cyclist and want to be listed as a ‘Cheshire Cat Quad Cycling Challenge beater’ then let us know by emailing us at info@cheshirecatpubsandbars.co.uk We can then help you plan your trip and ensure your photo is taken with your trusty bike at each pub. You will get your photo in our ‘hall of fame’ and we will welcome you at the final pub with a drink on the house!!

Rambling Rector Summer Ale is on its way!!

PumprectorSimon our landlord has been working behind the scenes to bring a new ale to the Church Inn from the Wincle Brewery for the summer months. The ale is a hoppy amber to blonde ale with a refreshing aftertaste. Our Reverend Ian Blay has ‘blessed’ the ale and it features him on the badge.

A Rambling Rector is of course a wild rose climbing plant but the words are very much suited to our rector as he too likes to ramble across the fields of Mobberley and is often to be found in a flowery shirt as the badge reflects!!

Ian is known as our ‘man of the froth’ because of his undying love for cask ale. He has been known to ‘ramble’ after a pint or two in the speaking sense too!! Big thanks to Ian for his support of what promises to become a favourite ale of many.

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New Sherries arrive

NEW-SHERRIES-ARRIVE!!Four new sherries have arrived here at the Church Inn to help celebrate our ‘Grape’ range. With over 50 wines, 14 Ports, 10 Brandies and now 10 sherries the grape is truly celebrated here. Sherry is back in vogue and can be enjoyed with ice as an aperitif or even at different stages of a meal or you can enjoy sherry in your Bloody Mary instead of Vodka for a far more classic taste.

The first of our new sherries is Pedro’s Fino which is bone dry, the Intense floral character is complemented by almond and fresh apple notes giving a fresh finish. An excellent match for our whitebait nibble or Crayfish Cocktail.

Then we have the Oloroso which is warm and rounded in style. Full-bodied, with a nutty complexity; expansive on the palate. Excellent with rich foods such as our Shepherd’s Pie or our Pot Roast shoulder of lamb.

The third sherry is an Amontillado, the subtle and delicate bouquet, suggests notes of hazelnut on the nose, yet with light reminders of yeast but smooth on the palate giving a fresh finish. This is a dry to medium sherry and would work with our Pork Belly dish or indeed a cheeseboard.

Finally we have a Palo Cortado, a dry sherry from the Palomino grape. This wine combines the richness on the palate of the Oloroso with the delicacy on nose of the Amontillado. From the cellar of Cayetano del Pino, this is a truly magnificent example of the style and would work wonderfully with our Duck main course.

All these sherries from Jerez have wonderful labels that are full of colour and atmosphere. So maybe as the weather gets warmer you can enjoy a cool Fino on the terrace here at The Church Inn!!

Ginger donates local Mobberley pig!!!

GINGEROur ‘Nose to Tail’ week celebrates the local Mobberley pig with our Head Chef Lloyd and his kitchen team cooking up some great dishes for everyone to enjoy alongside our normal menu.

‘Ginger’ who is pictured enjoys a very happy life with many offspring at Foden Lane Nursery in Mobberley where visitors are very welcome. Ginger produces pigs for us to enjoy and only one or two make it to the dinner table the rest live happily together with Ginger keeping an eye on them at the nursery.

Hopefully happy pigs will lead to happy customers…