What are we talking about here?
A shotgun blasted moorland fowl bred for the pleasures of rich men. These chaps from all over Europe stalk the moors bagging the birds from the 12 August onwards, occasionally downing the odd game-keeper by accident. They all dress like Bond villains and drive old fashioned Rollers.
You've lost me. Which bird again?
A grouse, sir.
And the gents pay well over £10k a day for the privilege of blowing them out of the sky.
Where are these grouse in Manchester?
The Mark Addy, that bastion of beautifully vigorous British cooking. As far as I'm aware it's the only place in the city that is providing grouse.
How much?
£30.
Isn't that a lot?
Well you get a proper feast and also it's a snip compared to London prices. The price will come down considerably as the season continues and availability improves.
What do get with the grouse?
Well, the bird is covered in bacon and pan-roasted, so all the juices mingle and increase in flavour. Spuds are roasted with the meaty bits and thus match the other flavours wonderfully. There are green bits and bobs poised in shot cartridges to add necessary roughage, plus very thinly sliced crisps. Under the bird there's fried bread spread with a pâté made from the grouse's innards. There's also a gorgeously rich gravy and a proper bread sauce. Wash this lot down with a bottle of the ballsy Rioja and you can't go wrong.
Sounds like a food 'wow' moment in Manchester
It is. The whole thing is the best 'roast' you'll have for weeks. The distinctive flavour of the grouse - young plump breasts, chunky legs, meat to be prised out of nooks and crannies - is gamey but not overpoweringly so.
It will appeal to those who like variety in their diet.
You don't get grouse very often given the limited shooting season, and almost nobody now bothers with it outside the plump London City boys whooping it up in-between bonus-collecting.
Well done to the team at the Mark Addy for allowing us an opportunity to get some grouse action.
The Mark Addy is at Stanley St Salford, M3 5EJ, 0161 832 4080, just over the from Spinningfields in the city centre.
You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter here @JonathSchofield
Four grouse - one for each of the diners
