Now you can buy his much missed roast chicken butter and freshly baked sourdough
Back in July, we revealed that celebrated chef Aiden Byrne had decided to pull out of all his other projects to focus on operations at his family pub, The Church Green in Lymm.
Not being one to stay still for too long, Byrne has kept himself busy during the recent lockdown period. He started making the pub’s signature pies for a few neighbours. Once word got round, most of Lymm started putting orders in.
If you want to take something with you to eat right away, Aiden and his team will make you a sandwich
Aiden and his wife Sarah have also been working very hard on improving the pub’s outside space to accommodate the new Government guidelines on social distancing. Part of that work involved converting a disused garage connected to the front of The Church Green to create a brand new deli.
Now the public can buy Aiden’s homemade charcuterie along with a selection of freshly made bread, chutneys, local cheese, ice cream and of course, The Church Green’s legendary freshly baked pies.
We went to check out the new deli on the first day it opened to have a look. Aiden Byrne and his wife Sarah were manning the shop floor so we asked them to show us round and tell us more.
Fans of Aiden’s former city centre venue Restaurant MCR will be happy to discover they can now buy a selection of the chef’s fantastic blended butters including his roast chicken skin butter and a brand new concoction, croissant butter.
“We take all the trimmings from baking the croissants and then blend them with butter and a little bit of Maldon sea salt,” explains Byrne before pointing to pots of roast onion butter, truffle butter and a garlic and herb butter – all £4 for 100g.
Displayed in prime position is a range of Aiden’s own charcuterie. You’ll find 8-month cured ham, paprika cured lomo, black pepper cured coppa, honey marmalade Cheshire ham, fennel salami and the intriguing sounding hazelnut and cider salami as well as a block of silky chicken liver parfait.
“There’s a bit of everything really,” says Aiden. “We’ve had to up our order, buying two pigs every two weeks to make our hams and things like these little black pudding Scotch eggs which, like the pies, are all on the menu in the pub.”
The new Church Green deli will offer some of the most popular pies that have been on the pub menu over the years. We spotted cheese and potato, cottage pie, fish pie, chicken and mushroom pie and slow cooked beef and Nicky Nook cheese pie all made with Aiden’s fantastic crispy pastry and topped with signature flourishes.
The deli will also offer a number of regional cheeses, “except for one little rogue one from the Cotswolds which is just stunning,” Aiden enthused about Rollright, a washed rind soft cheese from King Stone dairy. “It’s almost like a beautiful Brie, quite strong in flavour.
You’ll also find black and green olive tapenades, freshly blended basil pesto and Kilner jars full of Aiden’s chutneys and pickles.
A display of freshly baked sourdough, baguettes and milk loaves line the back wall next to a number of carefully chosen bottles of wine. On top of the counter are piles of fresh croissants, pain au chocolate and banana breads. On the floor you’ll find baskets full of seasonal vegetables such as huge locally grown beetroot or heritage carrots.
If you want to take something with you to eat right away, Aiden and his team will make you a sandwich. We split a whopping great brioche sub stuffed with lobster and crab and ate it while walking round the picturesque Lymm Dam next to the pub.
They’ve installed a coffee machine in the new deli with beans supplied by Exchange Coffee and a deli freezer displays a variety of ice creams from Movenpick. Cold drinks and a few ambient goods like fancy crisps, oils and crackers fill the shelves and you can also buy one of Aiden’s cookery books – he might even sign your copy if he’s there.
Opening hours Thursday – Monday 8am – 7pm (the deli will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.)
The Church Green Deli, Higher Lane Lymm WA13 0AP. Phone: 01925 752068
