Alan Cookman

visits The Huntsman, Cheadle

ONCE touched the Titanic.

I hope you're impressed because this is not something I divulge at the drop of a hat.

It's reserved for special occasions, like the fact that I once sang on the stage of the London Palladium.

When I say that I touched the Titanic, I mean that I touched a three-tonne section of the liner's hull that had been dredged up from the bottom of the Atlantic.

It was an unnerving experience. The ugly, black chunk of ship was on show at the Science Museum in London along with other, more intimate, relics recovered from the wreck of the unsinkable liner.

I thought of them when I heard that The Huntsman was serving a meal based on the last dinner set before passengers on the Titanic.

The reason for this is that the pub at Brookhouse has added locally-brewed Titanic beers to its range of real ales.

Connoisseurs of distinctive brews must sometimes reflect that if Hanley-born Captain Edward Smith had not skippered the great vessel to her doom, Titanic beers would never have existed.

It's an ill wind, I expect they muse.

The special menu is also by way of a tribute to the galley and kitchen staff who were lost when the Titanic went down.

Anyway, I couldn't resist the chance to sit down to a replica of the meal that was served on the evening of April 14, 1912, especially since it was served on cobalt blue and gold plates bearing the crest of the White Star Line, the bone china service having been made in Stoke-on-Trent by Spode for use in the first class dining room and private dining suites.

Dinner on the night of the tragedy ran to 11 courses and about 20 dishes, and several of them appear in some form on The Huntsman's menu.

Second class was markedly less opulent, of course, and third class passengers had to make do with gruel, corned beef and cabbage, cheese and cabin biscuits.

They serve more appetising last meals on Death Row.

For starters we were offered consommé fermier, cock-a-leekie soup or grilled sardines in a dressed citrus salad.

Unable to establish the content of the consommé, Herself ordered the cock-a-leekie, while The Son & Heir and I opted for the sardines.

I'd expected whole fish, freshly grilled with heads and tails intact, but we got fillets of sardine which looked like herrings waiting to be rolled and soused, a bland substitute for what is usually a favourite starter.

Herself thought the cock-a-leekie a bit gloopy, and a tad Oriental, but by no means deficient in chicken and leeks. Mains are filets mignons lili, sautéed chicken Lyonnaise, leg of lamb steak and roast half duckling, all served with chateau potatoes.

Herself and The Son & Heir wisely ordered the filets mignon, a trio of melt-in-the mouth medallions of beef fillet with a delicious reduction of brandy, mushrooms and onions.

They drooled and swooned and generally gave the impression that they would go happily to a watery grave after such a magnificent dish.

By comparison my roast duckling was moist and tasty, but rather overdone.

The chateau potatoes were roast potatoes, and in addition we were given parmentier potatoes – little cubes of sautéed potato – peas, broccoli, carrot, mangetout and (don't ask me why) boiled rice too. We all found the dessert – chocolate and vanilla éclairs with fresh whipped cream, something of a let-down. The choux pastry was the consistency of cardboard, and not as tasty.

If this seems harsh, we still felt that the meal was exceptional value at £15 a head, especially since the filets mignon were worth more than £15. The meal was sweetly served and well-presented, and The Huntsman is one of those pubs whose mellow atmosphere makes you want to linger.

There's a regular à la carte menu, but be warned – the Titanic special is due to hit the iceberg on Sunday.