First published in Cheshire Life, November 2007

A woolly scarve around our necks, two pairs of socks, warm jumper, coat and gloves, and we’re off to our local fireworks display. A pitch black night with our breath visible in the cold air, and as we approach, there’s that wonderful cooking smell before the display begins. Whether you’re having a gathering at home or going to one of the many organised displays in Cheshire or Merseyside, eating outdoors while you write your name in the air with a sparkler is pretty much a tradition. There could be jacket potatoes in the embers of the bonfire or some tomato soup, but for me November 5^th means sausages cooked on a barbecue in the dark.

If you are going to buy sausages, there are some easy-to-follow guidelines and you’re in luck because the north west probably produces the best in the country. It might be tempting to buy the cheap brands from supermarket shelves, but take a look at the back of the packet and check the ingredients. If there is a long list of things you’ve never heard of, they will be so processed and finely minced there’ll be no texture at all. These are also likely to contain a lot of fat and connective tissue, which can legally be classified as ‘pork’.

If the packet doesn’t say “reared outdoors”, then the meat is probably from pigs reared in crowded factory conditions. The best farms now feed their pigs on wheatgerm and good quality milk, and you can see them roaming free. Their sausages have a meat content of between 80 - 95%, using prime shoulder and belly pork trimmed of fat. The remainder may be fresh herbs, wine or garlic, but definitely no preservatives and no colouring. The filling will look consistent with some texture, but no clumps of meat or fat and no air bubbles, and the skin will be slightly shiny. An excellent pig breed for sausages is the Gloucestershire Old Spot as their meat is well-marbled and sweet tasting.

Obviously the outdoor taste of barbecued sizzling sausages is simply marvellous, especially sandwiched between some bread with fried onions, a good quality mustard or some tomato ketchup. But if you are providing food from your kitchen, there is only one way to cook sausages – roasted on a low heat slowly in the oven (say 170ºC for 45 minutes) and don’t prick the skins so the taste and moisture is retained. They will brown evenly and the smell let alone the taste, will be delicious. Try the plain Pork Sausage from Tatton Park’s House Keeper’s Store. Produced from animals reared on the Park’s estate they are moist with a herbiness that doesn’t overpower. They make great venison sausages too.  Also try the award winning sausages from Cheerbrook Farm in Nantwich and F.B. Taylor in Sale.

House Keeper’s Store - Tatton Park, Knutsford

Phone: 01625 534400 Website: www.tattonpark.org.uk

Cheerbrook Farm – Newcastle Road, Nantwich

Phone: 01270 666431 Website: www.cheerbrook.co.uk

F.B.Taylor – Northernden Road, Sale

Phone: 0161 973 3480 Website: www.taylorsbutchers.co.uk