After months of trying to get hold of some gluten free lasagne sheets wholesale I think I’m finally in luck. It’s incredible that all the companies I contacted said I had to get it retail from my chemist or spend 3 grand with them ; it was like some weird conspiracy to stop me buying a case of lasagne by whatever means necessary. I started twitching, and looking over my shoulder. I deal with a few companies who source for me gluten free pasta , spelt, buckwheat and rice pasta in many shapes, everything in fact, except lasagne sheets! How strange , it must be the simplest type of pasta to manufacture , one of the most popular types eaten in the U.K yet its so hard to buy from a wholesaler , also its flippin’ more expensive than all the rest ! Anyway, subject to it tasting good, I should be able to offer gluten free Salvos Lasagne to those in need very soon .
When the Atkins and related diets kicked off we got a big spate of customers requesting gluten free pasta as part of their diet , I would always ask if they were coeliac or not because if they were we could not use our super turbo automatic, vegematic supermatic pasta boiling machine which will have had ordinary pasta cooked in it but have to get a pan on with fresh water , wait for it to boil etc adding at least 10 minutes to the dish which is why I asked . Through this interaction I began to realise there were hell of a lot of people i.e. coeliac who couldn’t tolerate gluten, which is the protein in flour which makes it luvverly and stretchy for the pizzas, so started offering a few gluten free pasta choices . It’s a shame that a lot of coeliac people are too scared to eat out because many restaurant staff don’t know what’s in their dishes , especially those that use a lot of convenience/processed food in their kitchens . Some restaurateurs also consider them a pain, or a bit, faddy or kooky but I discovered they were almost like you and me, y’know normal, with jobs and with spending money like everyone else!
More fool them ( the restaurants that is ) We will certainly welcome any coeliacs to come and spend their money at Salvo’s anytime as we extend our range of gluten free dishes over the next few months.

After an intense week ending with an outside function on Saturday I left the party in the capable hands of Luc and the team and shot home to slip on some dancing shoes and pick up a box of 45’s then headed to Town with my wife to join the Woodhouse Wanderers Christmas shindig in a cocktail bar under the Dark Arches. I have to say it was a brilliant party , seeing old friends I hadn’t seen for ages who had all managed to get babysitters on the same night it seems and intent on having a ball whatever the consequences ( and boy , were there some consequences . Safe to say everyone got absolutely smashed , great music by yours truly (lots of jazz ,soul and reggae ) and the inimitable George Evelyn from the mighty Nightmares on Wax whose speciality is rocking the living daylights out of any party on Earth . The motley crew of Soul Boys , Hooligans , Lounge Lizards and ne’er do wells kept the dance floor bouncing till early morning , we staggered to the City Station Taxi Rank for a half hour wait ( not bad at all) and entertainment provided by the queue who sang an assortment of slurred carols and cheeky songs . Top Night !

I took the opportunity for one last dinner out before the festive workfest and visited ‘El Gato Negro’ , Simon Shaws newly opened Tapas Bar next to his restaurant ‘The Junction’ in Ripponden . Some may remember him as one of the driving figures behind the burgeoning eating out scene in Leeds in the 80’s until he decamped to London to ply his trade . The restaurant serves up Modern British and European food ,similar in style to the Menus he created at Harvey Nicks restaurants in London and Leeds in crisp , casual surroundings but we opted to sit by the fire in the bar and try the tapas on offer . The dishes ranged from pork fillet with spicy paprika to Chorizo in cider from Asturias and Fresh sauté King Prawns . Its one of those places where you can order anything as it is all cooked so well whether it’s the fabulous tomato bread or the little individual tortillas . A real diamond of a place really and I’ve got to say me and my wife ordered everything in the name of research and devoured the lot with embarrassing gusto! Must have been the nine below weather or something . It’s a place worth a visit so choose a nice c.d for the ½ hour drive and check it out. Tell Chris , Simons partner, that Gip sent you and demand a glass of wine , he speaks 4 languages and can’t say no in any of them!
It is 20 miles or so down the M62 from Leeds exit 22 , turn right and 6 miles down the road on the right .
The Junction / El Gato Negro . 1 Oldham Rd , Ripponden . 01422 823 070

I suppose the Christmas season has definitely arrived as I ask myself , as do thousands of restaurateurs all over Great Britain , what on Earth causes otherwise sane and normal looking people to turn into embarrassing tossers after a few drinks at Christmas time . Surely they MUST realise what utter fools they make of themselves .
I’m typing this upstairs as a group of very middle aged men drunkenly slur Festive ditties and classic tunes and generally get on everybody nerves as they wink suggestively to the waitresses who look at them with utter contempt and they think they are entertaining everyone . Yeah , sure thing . So this is Christmas – roll on New Year .