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So what's the special ingredient then John?

16/ 5/2008

REPORTER Bethan Dorsett hits the streets with prize-winning butcher John Howarth to tempt shoppers with a very special new banger ...

REPORTS of the sausages which swept the board during a national competition certainly induced a few hunger pangs in our office of food lovers.

We were so excited at the thought of the Welsh Twizler – the produce which recently won butcher John Howarth the coveted title of national specialist sausage champion – that we asked him to create a sausage just for us.

John, who was still in a celebratory mood after his win at the recent Foodex Meatex exhibition previously reported in Metro News, was only too happy to oblige and I arrived at PJ Howarth and Sons to find a dish full of the sausages – called Metro Twizzle Sticks – waiting for me.

A peppery pork sausage made with coriander, ginger, chilli, leeks and an all-important secret ingredient, the sausages both looked and smelt delicious.

Sadly, I was told we had to share the goods so John, our equally-hungry snapper Phil and I took to the streets to put the Metro Twizzle Stick to the test.

Predictably, the response was more than favourable.

First to take up our offer of a free sausage were Sybil and Tony McGivney, both loyal customers to the Flixton Road store.

Sybil said: "They’re spicy but I like that – they taste lovely."

For inexplicable reasons some other passers-by were not so keen on trying the produce (who doesn’t like sausages for pity’s sake?) but others were more than keen.

Lee McIlvenny and Gary Taylor were on their way to the gym but looked set to abort their plan when they discovered that they would not only get their names in the paper but also some free food.

"That’s quite tasty," Lee told us in between mouthfulls. I’m quite hungry so I’ll need this for the gym."

Rachel Milner was also impressed with the sausage, as was her two-year-old son Rob who enjoyed at least two mouthfulls, which according to his mum was a very good sign.

And Jakki Forman declared it "was a great sausage".

Within half an hour, all the sausages had disappeared bar two, though these were swiftly wolfed by both Phil and I.

And the verdict from ourselves was of course a big thumbs-up.

Having sampled the dish myself, I was keen to find out from John what really makes an award-winning banger.

"It’s a little bit of trial and error and just knowing what ingredients will go together," he said. "I try to add at between one and three flavours and try to keep it simple. The Metro Twizzle Stick has a peppery taste and would probably go well with a casserole or a risotto.

"To bring out the flavour, fry the sausage on a low heat."

Impressed with the reaction from the public, the store will be selling the Metro Twizzle Stick this weekend.