Charity challenge sees hungry eaters tackle 2lb pig in blanket

12-Dec-2019 - Last updated on 12-Dec-2019 at 15:35 GMT

A good cause: publican sets up a culinary charity challenge in aid of a local foodbank

Despite national reports of a seasonal shortage of festive favourites pigs in blankets, a Cumbrian gastropub is out to discredit this fear in a culinary charity challenge.

On 15 December, the Commodore Inn at Grange-over-Sands is serving a whopping 2lb pig in blanket on top of a giant 12-inch Yorkshire pudding, piled high with a full Christmas dinner.

The feast will be offered to its hungriest of diners to see if they can conquer the colossal challenge while raising funds for a local foodbank.

Former journalist Jonathan Lee, who indulged in a pre-taster, said: “Did I finish it? Yes!”

Every, last mouthful

Lee continued: “It was a unique and memorable experience. All the food - the turkey, the two types of potato, the four types of veg, the Yorkshire pudding, the gravy, and of course, the whopping pig in blanket - was absolutely delicious.

“I can heartily recommend it to anyone. And the location of the Commodore’s restaurant, looking out over Morecambe Bay, is amazing.

“I finished every last mouthful at 9pm on Tuesday, 3 December in front of Phillip Schofield’s ‘How To Spend It Well at Christmas’ on the TV at home.”

Everyone who manages to finish their 2lb pig in blanket Christmas meal with a clean plate will receive a special seasonal certificate.

And the person to finish the fastest will receive their money back and a £50 prize to be spent at the Commodore or any of Lakeland Inns’ other restaurants, including the Sun Inn at Ulverston and the Black Cock Inn at Broughton-in-Furness.

A real buzz

Commodore Inn general manager Charlotte Hargan organised the special event to find the country’s champion Christmas Diner Of The Year.

She said: “The charity challenge has really captured everyone’s imaginations. There’s a real buzz about it already. Everyone is talking about it.

“Our customers love the quality of our food, and we are extremely proud of all our dishes. We thought this would be a unique way of celebrating Christmas here at the Commodore and having fun with our customers old and new.

“And it’s all in aid of a good cause, with all profits from the dish going to raise money to spend on food for the local foodbank to help those less fortunate this Christmas.”