November 2014 - Phil Keenan aka Foody Phil - Bite Network and bitelocal.co.uk

This months featured foodie is none other than Phil Keenan, who I first met several years ago on a Slow Food event - foraging for wild foods. Foody Phil is going to introduce himself in a break from tradition before answering our usual Quick bite questions. So over to Phil......

Although proudly born in Yorkshire, I've been ensconced in Lancashire for over 30 years now; brought up to appreciate good quality ingredients and tasty home cooked food, I'm happy to say that my migration has been made all the more enjoyable by being in a county and region that's home to such a fantastic array of fabulous produce… I love to cook, I love to eat and I love to find great tasting ingredients. For me, food isn't about fussy and flashy (although I do appreciate a nice treat now and then); food is all about great flavours, sharing and enjoyment.

No matter what your budget, there are few things that could be better than sitting down to a delicious plate full of fresh, lovingly prepared food with family and friends. The North West is full of amazing ingredients; succulent meat; fresh, crunchy vegetables; lovely cheeses and lots more, and this is also the case with many of our other fabulous regions throughout the UK. I appreciate that many people are busy juggling their work and personal lives nowadays, but I also believe that many of us have more time to step out from the supermarket aisles every now and then and search out these, often, better quality, nicer tasting ingredients.

My aim with Bite Local is to provide you with the incentives and inspiration to do just that, to take a walk down your local high street, to visit your local market or monthly farmers market, and to enjoy the excellent produce you rarely find on a supermarket shelf. I’d also love for you to give me your suggestions; if you don’t see something listed on here that you know to be a really good foodie find; a delicious deli, a brilliant butcher, or a phenomenal fishmonger, get in touch and let us know about it at Bite. Let’s share it with everyone else…

You can contact Bite here, and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook

If you want to follow and chat with me directly on Twitter, you can find me at @foodyphil.

Thanks Phil for your intro, so on to your questions

·         What is your favourite cookery or food book or publication ?

I very rarely return to any single one on a regular basis, as I prefer to enjoy a variety of cooking styles, and I often search out most of my new inspiration on the internet, nowadays. I suppose Madhur Jaffrey first got me excited about cooking Indian cuisine and good old Delia inspired me a lot in the early days with other dishes.

·         What sentence sums up Lancashire Food to you ?

A county full of the most amazing selection of top quality produce, look no further folks!

·         If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you like to be ?

Something outdoors, I love the simple things like fresh air, nice landscapes and views. As long as there’s a good meal waiting afterwards!

·         Which piece of kit could you not do without ?

Knives, you’ve got to have good, sharp knives.

·         Who would join you at your ultimate dinner party and why?

It would have to be someone with a sense of humour, none of that serious conversation stuff. Living where I do, it’d probably have to be Eric Morecambe – so funny!

·         What advice would you give to your younger self ?

Have confidence, you’re capable of more than you’d ever imagine.

·        Describe your style in three words

Relaxed, logical, positive

·        What was your latest foodie gadget purchase ?

I’m not big on gadgets for gadgets sake and haven’t bought any recently. A good food processor is as gadgety as I’ve got. As long as you have good quality basics: pans, knives, etc.

·         What is your greatest achievement to date ?

I’d have to say, being where I am today. I’ve achieved a lot of things that I’m happy about over the years and they’ve all resulted in having a lovely family, being happy and enjoying doing what I do.

·         What is the worst mistake you’ve made ?

I never look back and regret things, they’re all just life lessons, learn from them and move on.

·         Tell us a secret about yourself, maybe something we wouldn’t expect

I’m a reincarnation of a Yorkshire Terrier called Fraser