Everybody Need a Potnas...

The bank holiday weekend entailed a visit from our Manchester Potnas, and we got stuck in to the aperitifs with gusto.  The Potnas turned up on Friday evening bearing shrimp and white wine, a hilarious reference to the Beaver Boys and a source of much amusement: 
http://video.adultswim.com/tim-and-eric-awesome-show-great-job/beaver-boys-emergency.html
We enjoyed a fun and functional supper of moreish honey, ginger and soy sauce marinaded chicken wings, home made coleslaw and potato wedges, and stodgy Sainsburys garlic bread.  Perfectly nice, but really just ballast for a Friday booze-fest.

On Saturday the gourmet element deteriorated further, with a suspicious amount of scotch eggs and wotsits hanging around.  Following my traumatic experience of having my hair curled by a bloke called Barry whilst enduring a not insubstantial hangover (note to self, don't go to dodgy local hairdresser's for the first time after a heavy night) we retired to The Greyhound on Ashbourne Road; an appropriate location for some hair of the dog.

The Greyhound is a recently refurbished boozer on Friargate, run by the Derby Brewing Company.  
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Greyhound-bites-brewery-completes-facelift/article-2184974-detail/article.html
After a few restorative shandies, our thoughts turned to food.  All the Potnas had burgers, which looked delish, whilst I went for ham and gruyere cheese on a Spanish style baguette, served with a side salad and a bowl of chips.  The unanimous verdict was thumbs up, not the cheapest but a hand cut chip above standard pub grub.

Sunday was the highlight gourmet wise.  The boys foraged for a beautiful slab of topside beef from the Bryer's Heritage Farm on Markeaton Lane (Tel 01332 343689).  The farm shop is a hidden gem open 7 days a week and well stocked with farm reared meat and other quality produce (the pies are good).  There is also a Team Room, where they apparently do a very good breakfast, and you can also take a trip around the farm and look at the little piglets and baa-lambs you're about to devour.

The preparation of this roast was one of those day long affairs, helped along by a couple of crates of wife beater.  The ladies did offer their assistance, but spent much of the day guzzling gin and tonic in the garden.  The weekend finale was a resounding success, see picture for some happy Potnas.  Please come again!