Legend has it in 1958 Nico Harris, a US Army chef injured in France in the war and now living in Teesside, took a large tenderised chicken breast, rolled it in breadcrumbs, covered it in bechamel sauce and grated cheese, popped it in the oven for 30 minutes at his American Grill restaurant on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough and just like that the parmo was born. However, don’t mention that it’s Borge in Stockton that are the current unofficial parmo world champions! The Tees Valley has a rich culinary heritage, much of it originating in the post-war years when a number of ex-servicemen and POWs settled in the area.
There is a strong Italian influence and, as such, ice cream features heavily. In Redcar, Pacitto’s have perfected their Lemon Tops – an ice cream cone with whipped ice cream topped with smooth lemon sorbet – at their ice cream parlour on the seafront. Singer Chris Rea’s parents, Italian-born dad Camillo and Irish mother Winifred, also had a number of coffee bars and ice cream parlours throughout Middlesbrough, Redcar and Guisborough, while Romeo Capaldi built up a network of 27 ice cream vans in the post-war decades selling traditional Italian ices.
Going further back, a jubilee banquet in Middlesbrough in 1881 served up rooster, mutton, tongue and turtle, and a meaty history still presides today. Ask anyone about Newboulds Butchers or Upex Pies and chances are they will go misty eyed with memories of matchdays gone, family Sunday lunches or landmark events that were often celebrated with a pie.
Food and socialising have always been an integral part of life in the region
The region is dotted with market towns that grew alongside the railway industry and the Quakers’ philanthropic ethos and influence in the area, so food and socialising have always been an integral part of life in the region. Darlington’s historic market square has, for centuries, been a focal point for locals and businessmen alike. The indoor market sold its first leg of lamb in 1864 to Mr Wrightson of the Sun Inn, while the outdoor version trades on Saturdays and Mondays as it has for over 400 years. The town has been one of the Bishop’s Boroughs – giving it the right to hold markets – since the 12th Century.
In Hartlepool, the old Headland was the original fishing village and even today fish features heavily on local menus, while the town’s rich maritime history meant that by the time the fish quay opened in 1910 it had already become the main dropping off point in the region for imported fish from Whitby, while the local Ice House provided ice for the outgoing vessels.
Nowadays, the region is firmly embracing the vegan revolution and local farmers continue to produce the finest quality fruit and vegetables which can be found at the same markets, while farm shops and cafes, new markets and outlets across Tees Valley have embraced a renewed appetite for locally sourced food and the street food revolution respectively.
Find out more about Tees Valley’s culinary delights, with hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bars included in the Tees Valley Guide.