I tasted this mythical black pudding at Bistro21 - one of Durham's top restaurants. I've eaten plenty of black pudding in my time; most not very good; some OK; some really rather good - and a couple that are sublime. The Bistro21 black pudding falls into this category. I was lucky enough to meet up with the chef at Bistro21 and he told me they got it from a wholesalers - Warren Butterworth catering butchers. I duly visited Butterworth's web-site, found the product and enquired after it. "We don't deliver in Crook." came the deeply uninterested reply. That's all. No: "We supply it to these people; you might be able to get it from them." Or ""Sorry, we can't supply it - try the makers." Just, in effect: " b****r off".
I stuck at it. Found out that they got it from Vale of Mowbray, in Yorkshire. I got on to Vale of Mowbray. similar response: "It's on sale in lots of supermarkets." It's not. I spent an afternoon on the web and calling all the local supermarkets. None had it. Morrisons were the most helpful, FYI.
It's the complete lack of interest that really gets me. Don't they WANT to sell the stuff?
Anyway, happy ending. I post my dilemma on FaceBook. Back comes Rachael Jewson, of Knitsley Farm Shop, near Consett.