tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8653122242249953662024-03-12T22:01:59.287-07:00The Lambshank RedemptionNeil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.comBlogger274125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-77265326759763444192017-06-27T07:16:00.001-07:002017-06-27T07:16:30.581-07:00Calculating Pie <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8VPapcFU3QAyouhSxV4DOC4P_7E7M3BICQrjFhpBOjHArlKjjBJCxS-0LsOBLavWOxcGxQcR5gqkyw8_wbHVulOG_n1s1Ilv_wDKg_XGoWlt0tqRQmuRaBWorbbUU6GfpYOCSM9rBZw/s1600/Pot+Pie+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8VPapcFU3QAyouhSxV4DOC4P_7E7M3BICQrjFhpBOjHArlKjjBJCxS-0LsOBLavWOxcGxQcR5gqkyw8_wbHVulOG_n1s1Ilv_wDKg_XGoWlt0tqRQmuRaBWorbbUU6GfpYOCSM9rBZw/s640/Pot+Pie+sign.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may have seen the below video before - it certainly did the rounds on Facebook for a while. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was reminded of it early on our second morning in Chicago. James, unable to sleep - jet lag and two dinners will do that - had gone for a walk by the lake, watched the sun come up (ask to see his photos sometime, they're lovely) and had done a little more deep dish plotting, hence this dropped into WhatsApp at silly o'clock with the note "bowl pizza". The rest was somewhat inevitable... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dnl0HEBU8jM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dnl0HEBU8jM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder is one of the city's more unusual spots. Founded by a lawyer - the origin story <a href="http://chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/menu/" target="_blank">can be found here</a> if you're interested - .it's cash only, no bookings and run by a man who, should catering not work out, could perform feats of memory on the cabaret circuit. We inquire about a table. He tells us 45 minutes. He asks for a name. James gives him his. Nothing is written down. We loiter outside for a few minutes - there's a waiting area, with beer shelf, so it's all jolly civilised - before a space becomes free at the bar. We're into our second <a href="http://www.gooseisland.com/" target="_blank">Goose Island</a> when the main man appears, addresses James by name and takes us to our table. It's taken 46 minutes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our table, like all the tables, is somewhat cosy - low of ceiling and a booth not designed for, well, anyone who eats any sort of deep dish, frankly. The "Grinder", incidentally, is a 10", fresh Italian sub. They are, we're told very popular but have they had their own YouTube video? Exactly. We're there, like most of the tables we can see, for the "pizza pot pie". Our server explains... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We start with a ceramic bowl, and we layer the bottom with fresh Wisconsin brick cheese. Then we add sauce –
either the home made vegetarian, or the meat sauce, which is the vegetarian
sauce with pork sausage ground in. We add fresh whole mushrooms.
Then we cover the bowl in a triple raised Sicilian white or wholemeal dough to
make the crust. The pizzas bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, when they’re
baked, I pick it up, flip it onto the crust, the cheese is on the top, and you
have you own personal pizza pot pie."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsMB9H9-5bjntO10r6YekSRyA1uzMS-iuGk39XyNhGzVnjBiMbgipbC1b08bUu-kLQfOi3ug2QoZJQx3DfvCRaFCcso_gGSbPZqeOJWGUI7DlXDx5tmGeUSsMZvKuNO-g1i_FT70l5gA/s1600/10000lb+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsMB9H9-5bjntO10r6YekSRyA1uzMS-iuGk39XyNhGzVnjBiMbgipbC1b08bUu-kLQfOi3ug2QoZJQx3DfvCRaFCcso_gGSbPZqeOJWGUI7DlXDx5tmGeUSsMZvKuNO-g1i_FT70l5gA/s640/10000lb+sign.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, some 30, 40 minutes later, we do. Well, one between three - quite how you could take down a personal one AND squeeze out of those booths is a mystery (although it might explain the above sign). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F7Cq6emj2FeHwBlsRkSWZkjhyphenhyphenFRuIlfwbDP-u3shtPPuO1IcmIX0cDXa8IDEVCB5VNVXIz2bPUcg-KXs5M4GLjt4lN52nUx3VOSKTgpIRIqSqn2pBHXrjzDC0dlx82EmWCNNC377rbM/s1600/Pot+PIe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F7Cq6emj2FeHwBlsRkSWZkjhyphenhyphenFRuIlfwbDP-u3shtPPuO1IcmIX0cDXa8IDEVCB5VNVXIz2bPUcg-KXs5M4GLjt4lN52nUx3VOSKTgpIRIqSqn2pBHXrjzDC0dlx82EmWCNNC377rbM/s640/Pot+PIe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we watch our own pie emerge from the bowl, Thom whispers that it's like watching something giving birth. He's not wrong. As mentioned in the <a href="https://www.foodism.co.uk/chicago-deep-dish-pizza/" target="_blank">"official report"</a> it's a little more like lasagne than a deep dish, but that's not necessarily a complaint. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-53763801232554683422017-06-16T05:31:00.002-07:002017-06-16T05:31:36.499-07:00Everyone's A Wiener<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU6gsRCAYGDbzDr7Ts0ow7rC7gbFmYlRrJPkxpUSbRa4aQMuXc7IuREznv-kY6h4s9eC6ZB2m_zWN6lHY9fdxLLrt-6gklKU9gOIFXWAqDs0ZNTum80Txk0VKxsiKkjQr_-WIqlPu8HA/s1600/Wiener+Sign+Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1357" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPU6gsRCAYGDbzDr7Ts0ow7rC7gbFmYlRrJPkxpUSbRa4aQMuXc7IuREznv-kY6h4s9eC6ZB2m_zWN6lHY9fdxLLrt-6gklKU9gOIFXWAqDs0ZNTum80Txk0VKxsiKkjQr_-WIqlPu8HA/s640/Wiener+Sign+Edit.jpg" width="542" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Sometime ago, James "Pizza Pilgrim" Elliot and I were in St John's, eating random bits of animal with a couple of chefs and fellow food people (NOT "foodies", NEVER "foodies") and discussing the merits of certain pizzas. The joys - or otherwise - of the Hawaiian caused great debate, and then we got onto the subject of the deep dish. James admitted he'd never been to Chicago. I had to say the same. And thus an idea was born... </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took about two years to make the trip a reality and you can <a href="https://www.foodism.co.uk/chicago-deep-dish-pizza/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=jun17" target="_blank">read all about it in the current issue of Foodism</a>. And you should. It was a fun, if calorie-heavy few days. The thing is, there were several things I had to cut from the original draft, some for length, some because they just didn't sit with the key theme of the story. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last couple of months, I've run into a surprising number of people (i.e., more than one, and not related to me) who asked why I didn't blog any more. There were various reasons for that but they'd all make a <i>very</i> boring, self-indulgent post so I'd suggest plying me with Guinness if you want to know those. However, three years on, feeling a bit more established, and having had those people say very nice things about how they missed it, I thought... yeah, why not? Not least because it's an outlet I control, which means I don't have to edit for length, can write about stuff I like without having to find a commission AND that I have a home for all those anecdotes that don't quite work elsewhere. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Two in Chicago was a full-on experience. James, his brother Thom and I had our list of deep dish targets to hit and figured, well, if we tick them all off asap, that's the "obligations" done, which frees up the rest of the week to explore other local recommendations. It also made the comparison between these pies slightly easier although that sounds a lot more professional and organised than it actually was.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between Pequod's and Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder, however, we found ourselves in Lincoln Park, home to another Chicago legend: The Wiener's Circle. You can't turn down a hot dog in such circumstances, even if we were a little early for their peak time of queues and comedy abuse. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnXY8ZAMPD4XH7qDVUnQFOocMdvcXevrmFpFsASbOzkb0j34KLLMs1ZDFj6cjhl-Goo_HHg4B77nBD41Oj1Xm-G2MwNyQBzrEcjgE2VLJB-iOkLTzO3b3iiABdElLiVszqez2XUHaNLk/s1600/Wiener+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1293" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnXY8ZAMPD4XH7qDVUnQFOocMdvcXevrmFpFsASbOzkb0j34KLLMs1ZDFj6cjhl-Goo_HHg4B77nBD41Oj1Xm-G2MwNyQBzrEcjgE2VLJB-iOkLTzO3b3iiABdElLiVszqez2XUHaNLk/s640/Wiener+2.jpg" width="515" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ordered the char dog, a Wiener's classic. On the counter, there's a "tank" of Heinz Tomato Sauce: think five litres' worth with a pump-action dispenser. James looks at the dog, and looks at the sauce. He looks at us. He looks at the lady behind the counter. Do we? Don't we? The ketchup is clearly there for a reason so, perhaps, we should... </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our server fixes James with a look so withering it would have folded lesser men. I don't recall if she was wearing glasses but , if she was, this is the point she would have been looking disapprovingly over them. And then, with a shake of the head, she spoke and, in doing so, gave us a catchphrase for the trip and the six months since, and a lesson for life. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You gonna fuck it up with ketchup." </span></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-10117909519864678852014-08-22T07:33:00.001-07:002014-08-22T07:46:46.379-07:00Mazi Star<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="mobile-photo">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A couple of months ago I was invited to dinner in Notting Hill, specifically at a Greek restaurant called </span><a href="http://www.mazi.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">Mazi</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
<div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRDNHoSRZTPzFDn44h0gkvxu7uZwHXOfcnTXSwLaHgZabymNfNSpQQusUav2HXXc5hVv4FDO53LTaZhBxycyNvXo1RoMzMjy5p-l4obFZVgSGQ1SwfIpWiSx36ZpA5xxDDIuPiPVGn4o/s1600/WP_20140623_016-709445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRDNHoSRZTPzFDn44h0gkvxu7uZwHXOfcnTXSwLaHgZabymNfNSpQQusUav2HXXc5hVv4FDO53LTaZhBxycyNvXo1RoMzMjy5p-l4obFZVgSGQ1SwfIpWiSx36ZpA5xxDDIuPiPVGn4o/s320/WP_20140623_016-709445.jpg" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6050397785416743330" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">THAT Feta Tempura...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This was a good thing for two reasons. First, just the week before a friend had been raving about the feta tempura she'd enjoyed at this great neighborhood Greek place in Notting Hill... And secondly it gave me the opportunity to relive my early 90s youth and link <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWvEXChflEE" target="_blank">to this</a> , via my preferred medium of the dodgy pun. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The feta tempura was every bit as good as id been led to believe, a triumph of textures and flavours - it's accompanied by caper meringue and lemon marmalade - and the crunch of the delicate batter and the soft, salty, melty innards was testament to the kitchen's frying and sourcing skills. Even better though, it wasn't the high point of the meal. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Nestled in their charming, and totally unexpected, garden, we grazed and supped, supped and grazed... Even a huge downpour didn't disturb the gentle gluttony, as there's a retractable canopy protecting most of the seating area from the elements. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpn9zLkvAzmyIh-4PdVOCOFfWOolB6j4OgonywfhDfNU03ZYVCZjMQ3_ovIkrUa4TXeOfs4MUXQj4vo9ktPIBw6uHLBjsNuCBguf1_RpWjUh2nlEj3NapTfutaQ6CP9DLkfBLynXC7Hk/s1600/WP_20140623_002-702837.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpn9zLkvAzmyIh-4PdVOCOFfWOolB6j4OgonywfhDfNU03ZYVCZjMQ3_ovIkrUa4TXeOfs4MUXQj4vo9ktPIBw6uHLBjsNuCBguf1_RpWjUh2nlEj3NapTfutaQ6CP9DLkfBLynXC7Hk/s320/WP_20140623_002-702837.jpg" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6050397753274572658" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The Tzatziki Martini</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="mobile-photo">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">There's some very clever ideas here, and several twists on the Hellenic theme. Happily, unlike a few places I could mention, they're twists that work,not just novelty acts. The tzatziki Martini is a fine case in point, but then so is the shredded rabbit stifado, the grilled aubergine with soy and thyme honey, the squid ink fava bean puree with the fried calamari, the lemon caviar boost to the fish roe mousse...</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is Greek, alright, but not as you know it. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; padding: 6px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKwwkGUk28qFQFs_18XV1iTMvcfOFYuOcXH9K-ywG23D5Q3vg7UxMZHcrARG10KLdyc3sg06A72OBUn2fHcyiBJlyEhwzoi6Q6GPfRCVJlg3m3zP_iBcjIw3Mp7yQVyjDUxRZllGETRo/s1600/WP_20140623_007-706188.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKwwkGUk28qFQFs_18XV1iTMvcfOFYuOcXH9K-ywG23D5Q3vg7UxMZHcrARG10KLdyc3sg06A72OBUn2fHcyiBJlyEhwzoi6Q6GPfRCVJlg3m3zP_iBcjIw3Mp7yQVyjDUxRZllGETRo/s320/WP_20140623_007-706188.jpg" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6050397767618471298" style="cursor: move;" width="360" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Grilled aubergine with soy and thyme honey</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW7jXHFVDn7JH376VlGydvwYLxLKnmKh3Q9ZxBtH5wduIZyFrMKsXxjaiiCQ1g1tvkYt4upo6qDSnH_tfee9DkuugHFNYOEpeGj4S3FN0mkrZ1bXY9V_icn7ht4IKHO6hC3wInK9GLT4/s1600/WP_20140623_029-721720.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW7jXHFVDn7JH376VlGydvwYLxLKnmKh3Q9ZxBtH5wduIZyFrMKsXxjaiiCQ1g1tvkYt4upo6qDSnH_tfee9DkuugHFNYOEpeGj4S3FN0mkrZ1bXY9V_icn7ht4IKHO6hC3wInK9GLT4/s320/WP_20140623_029-721720.jpg" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6050397835880831250" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Shredded rabbit stifado and pearl onion cream</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">In simple terms, what Mazi does is just great cooking, from a team that understands ingredients, the heritage of the cuisine, the fashions of modern dining and old school hospitality. And who then top it all off with loukmades,lavender honey and chocolate sorbet. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMYsApNwqZorVUCdYigbo9XfRp88AOcrG6N5PwqPoDGqiwrbg18ldxWrVYGTlFO7wDDswe4Cz-9wRDVlXv0MLbUmUaN84JNL0XDvdqiJOFbUEfbAAYqwwLkCxQFMrh6QdEr1A5ZWxVFM/s1600/WP_20140623_032-718957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMYsApNwqZorVUCdYigbo9XfRp88AOcrG6N5PwqPoDGqiwrbg18ldxWrVYGTlFO7wDDswe4Cz-9wRDVlXv0MLbUmUaN84JNL0XDvdqiJOFbUEfbAAYqwwLkCxQFMrh6QdEr1A5ZWxVFM/s320/WP_20140623_032-718957.jpg" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6050397821867619538" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;">Loukmades, lavender honey, chocolate sorbet</span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Apparently they've been voted the best doughnuts in London. I don't know who sits on that panel but they're probably right in this instance: its a superb, lighter than you'd expect, smartly executed pudding. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I've probably mentioned before that I find it increasingly hard to answer that "what's the best restaurant in London?" question,and so typically have a list of about five places I recommend to those who ask, a mix of stalwarts, the unexpected, and some neighborhood secrets. Mazi is now on the list and I suspect it'll be there for some time to come. </span></span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-23804264359669212962014-07-17T04:28:00.003-07:002014-07-17T04:28:53.701-07:00Waitrose Wine Challenge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, some very nice people from <a href="http://www.waitrosecellar.com/" target="_blank">Waitrose Cellar</a> contacted me. Would I like to try and pair one of their wines with a somewhat more unusual dish? I'm not one to shrink from a challenge - well, unless it involves physical pain. I'm certainly not one to shrink from a challenge when the challenger is offering to send me several bottles of wines to choose my pairing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Contrary to evidence / opinion, I'm not a massive drinker these days so decided to leave this one to fate. Other bloggers were, I'm told, being challenged so I said I'd just take whatever bottle was left... which is how I got to try and match something different with a bottle of Moss Wood Amy's Blend 2011, from Australia's Margaret River. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtqpV4M2b0s1cUOIu7aXzoUZHNAIJlFRzBHq8r1hH-2d-hZMb0hhzGiOqOxZfVtY4uLbefNNsufS_dx1ZsNeWr8aFCLq6WHyRsE8Rk87W9AXOV7oudTe94pzvQzTMMXMDR0ToTlzBzKc/s1600/Waitrose+Label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtqpV4M2b0s1cUOIu7aXzoUZHNAIJlFRzBHq8r1hH-2d-hZMb0hhzGiOqOxZfVtY4uLbefNNsufS_dx1ZsNeWr8aFCLq6WHyRsE8Rk87W9AXOV7oudTe94pzvQzTMMXMDR0ToTlzBzKc/s1600/Waitrose+Label.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to the official tasting notes, “This blend of classic Bordeaux grape varieties [Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot]</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> displays
ripe plum and cassis fruit with an enjoyable, long finish. Seldom do wines
bestow such luscious, sweet tannins as this delightful red. Try with a roast rib
of beef with all the trimmings.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elsewhere on the web, it was a similar story. All the tasting notes I found talked of dark fruits - plum, mulberry,
blackcurrant – the classically Australian Cabernet Sauvignon hint of
menthol and to quaff Amy's Blend with roast meats. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two problems there. It's summer and a straightforward, hearty Sunday lunch didn't really appeal. Also - and more importantly - a roast isn't really what you'd call unusual, is it? I needed to do some lateral thinking but, happily, tangents are one of the things I do best. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thinking of Australia, my dad often tells mouth-watering tales of spit roasted lamb and vast feasts put
together by my step-sister’s Eastern European in-laws in Adelaide. With the Amy's Blend being
an Aussie wine with European influence, I got to thinking of other European
influences on that country, and Italian sprang to mind. Lamb and pasta - now
there’s a combination on which to build a recipe. But, you know, it's still not that unusual. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hitting another tangent, I quickly went from "Australia" to "barbecue". While I'm a little barbecued out at the moment (see next month's <a href="http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/" target="_blank">delicious</a> as to part of the reason why) I have been salivating recently over Francis Mallman’s excellent Argentine cook book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Fires-Francis-Mallmann/dp/1579653545" target="_blank">Seven Fires</a>. In there, there’s a glorious recipe of rolled lamb shoulder, stuffed
with confit lemon, parsley and rosemary, slow-cooked to melting perfection in a
bottle or two of Malbec, and served in a reduction of said cooking wine. I made the dish a few weeks ago and it was good, although I'm in no rush to make confit lemon again. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the fact that it had lemon was a surprise. Lemon with red wine? That's not an obvious pairing to my mind but exactly what I was looking for here and so now I had lamb, pasta and lemon to work with. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favourite lamb recipes is an old <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/lamb-recipes/incredible-roasted-shoulder-of-lamb-with-smashed-veg-and-greens" target="_blank">Jamie Oliver one</a>,
which is served with fresh mint and chopped capers, instead of mint sauce. The
acidity of the capers, the punch of the fresh mint – particularly with the
menthol of the Cab Sauv - is a combination that sings alongside the unctuous
fatty lumps of lamb. Also, I really like the vinegary hit. In a lot of my
cooking recently - probably the barbecue influece - I’ve been playing around with the use of different vinegars
to bring out flavours rather than an over reliance of salt and pepper, and I
love that little tingle it gives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Y-SM0sn6n81jx2mZ6K_qstiTaxhVrB_w4Hc0CuIanRTswtg9iFoI8q31bX4VDKmGU_jBQJM2lEuVjNZuvfrL89g5-SH_9wTrUSJkHkuEZ2In0-g-PJfa-XhMTdQ9OgUU5b6_XhrUMpg/s1600/Lambshank+-+broadbeans+uncooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Y-SM0sn6n81jx2mZ6K_qstiTaxhVrB_w4Hc0CuIanRTswtg9iFoI8q31bX4VDKmGU_jBQJM2lEuVjNZuvfrL89g5-SH_9wTrUSJkHkuEZ2In0-g-PJfa-XhMTdQ9OgUU5b6_XhrUMpg/s1600/Lambshank+-+broadbeans+uncooked.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, I couldn't help but think that broad beans needed to feature. This is partly because I absolutely adore them, partly because they're bang in season at the point of writing, partly because the dish was crying out for a splash of colour and a little texture, but mostly because we've got hundreds of the things at the allotment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus was born this pasta dish which is vibrant and light enough to
eat in the garden over summer, but hearty enough to run through the colder
months too. Most of all though, I think it sets the (delicious) Moss Wood Amy’s Blend off
a treat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0zM9tP0pQt0uhhvU0taNZ1Atpg3CtJaeaj_gn7Z507FWA5xq-k5RNlzZdGNBLHWuqwCjOGLef5MjLhPHoXDph5e7vPq5-EpxeDaxeKfxA7eeeW203Sdw6O7s-m2W9pSksqn2Kg8quEo/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0zM9tP0pQt0uhhvU0taNZ1Atpg3CtJaeaj_gn7Z507FWA5xq-k5RNlzZdGNBLHWuqwCjOGLef5MjLhPHoXDph5e7vPq5-EpxeDaxeKfxA7eeeW203Sdw6O7s-m2W9pSksqn2Kg8quEo/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+finished.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Pasta with slow-roast
shoulder of lamb ragu, broad beans, mint, capers and lemon </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the shoulder of lamb – best prepared a day or two ahead.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One shoulder of lamb – bone in, bone out, whatever you
prefer. As for the size? How many are you feeding? Do you like leftovers?
Shredded bits of slow-roasted lamb are one of the best things to have in the
freezer at any given moment, as they defrost quickly and are terribly
versatile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garlic – several bulbs, peeled and cut into decent slivers</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rosemary – several sprigs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lemon Thyme – might as well get that lemon flavour going
now, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I'd also usually add anchovies – say, half a dozen, chopped into 1cm pieces - but forgot to pick them up this time.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Method<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XjDEW99nATVBlmsx-CsdF3H3vx8Doq0E7OTJNp9LyEWHv4oEn_2brA436jzV90c-GTBy4frQLXwEapUn4mR2KsgDxDWnEIqeEx6SuK9oNx1NeYz4waP8W8mUhqm2UoP0_rIiSe8TxEQ/s1600/Lambshank+-+lamb+shoulder+seasoned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XjDEW99nATVBlmsx-CsdF3H3vx8Doq0E7OTJNp9LyEWHv4oEn_2brA436jzV90c-GTBy4frQLXwEapUn4mR2KsgDxDWnEIqeEx6SuK9oNx1NeYz4waP8W8mUhqm2UoP0_rIiSe8TxEQ/s1600/Lambshank+-+lamb+shoulder+seasoned.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-heat oven to the highest setting. With a small sharp
knife, take out all your frustrations on the fatty side of the lamb shoulder
and stab several holes in it, all over (but be careful if you’ve got a bone-in
piece because it hurts when you stab in the wrong place). Take your sprigs of rosemary and lemon thyme, your chunks of garlic and
your slivers of anchovy (if you've got them) and stuff the holes with all of these / a few /
whatever you can fit. Rub a little olive oil all over the lamb, season
generously with salt and black pepper. Stick it in a roasting tin – if you’ve still
got lemon thyme and rosemary, lay the lamb on more sprigs of these - cover it
with tin foil making sure everything is properly sealed, and then put it in the
oven. As soon as it goes in, turn the oven down to 170 degrees C / 325 degrees
F / gas mark 3 and set the alarm for at least four hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After four hours, remove from the oven
and check how it’s looking. By this point, much of the fat should have melted
away and you’ll be able to pull the lamb apart easily with a fork or your fingers.
Shred it into reasonable chunks and strands, put a fist sized portion aside per
person and freeze the rest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the ragu (serves approximately four)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lemon zest <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Four fistfuls of shredded lamb shoulder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One onion<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Garlic – one, two, more cloves depending on your taste,
thinly sliced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olive oil <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 tomatoes (quartered) or 20+ cherry tomatoes (halved). You could use tinned, of course, but I prefer the real thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broad beans – fresh or from frozen (or, indeed, peas)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mint – chopped leaves, about 2 tbsp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parsley – optional, about 1 tbsp if you fancy it though<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Capers – chopped, 1-2 tbsp depending on taste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pasta – I particularly like pappardelle for something like
this, lots of surface area and relatively easy to eat in a garden chair using
just a fork. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parmesan Cheese <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKLFZOMaC2WO8Rh_1JcVf0lZQZUwJsT2QWNA-8T-I9pTQJ9LqNJy_lGGb7Ms78qmLT6V8a6rQylKsO0Kxy9WGWCIv5iKLzAzuyNO6xh7f7ZOzwcIwbMvO9vsJbYM6KVoIHOb7ormna0Q/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+tomatoes+and+onions+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKLFZOMaC2WO8Rh_1JcVf0lZQZUwJsT2QWNA-8T-I9pTQJ9LqNJy_lGGb7Ms78qmLT6V8a6rQylKsO0Kxy9WGWCIv5iKLzAzuyNO6xh7f7ZOzwcIwbMvO9vsJbYM6KVoIHOb7ormna0Q/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+tomatoes+and+onions+cooking.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a saucepan, heat a little oil and then add the diced
onion. Sweat it down for a few minutes – low heat, a pinch of salt, small
saucepan lid over the onion works a treat – then add the garlic and your
tomatoes. Let the tomatoes warm through so that they start to pop. As the
liquid fills the pan, add the meat and warm it all through, stirring
occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can, if you want, grate or peel the tomatoes but I quite
like the texture of those little rolls of skin in the finished dish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nuqfAzTcR-583VPHsnd6k0CuA3GxMoDMlZT1pubAEStph28fqgSgDcdSNMEbtHinDs3RhnMjC6fHT3RaOGQKofzyt2WtaAmKpyOwRu4cDv4L9h1QWfDFTXhfBLFW5FYk24qH3KFMQek/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nuqfAzTcR-583VPHsnd6k0CuA3GxMoDMlZT1pubAEStph28fqgSgDcdSNMEbtHinDs3RhnMjC6fHT3RaOGQKofzyt2WtaAmKpyOwRu4cDv4L9h1QWfDFTXhfBLFW5FYk24qH3KFMQek/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+cooking.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re adding broad beans, steam them separately for no
more than three minutes or until the outer “jacket” on some start to peel away
of their own accord. Pod them straight away – trust me, it’s SO much easier to
do this when they’re still warm. Do keep the little outer jackets though: chopped
up and sautéed with garlic and butter or added to a curry, they’re absolutely
delicious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMcSVcKsHxHNfNbWs8PjHqOuGTyOnKtC-r7jrWtLvb8ltIks6ZrsVS_TgYMeTvVDxX3v5wiFi0LiSvX8KuiEcmX63pS3C5fmPM4QOaV6BTxPn1IUFtLLT90eOvtnv-tK0gvdeHMTWr1Q/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+broadbeans+cooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMcSVcKsHxHNfNbWs8PjHqOuGTyOnKtC-r7jrWtLvb8ltIks6ZrsVS_TgYMeTvVDxX3v5wiFi0LiSvX8KuiEcmX63pS3C5fmPM4QOaV6BTxPn1IUFtLLT90eOvtnv-tK0gvdeHMTWr1Q/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+broadbeans+cooked.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While you’re at it, boil the pasta in accordance with the
packet instructions. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the
ragu, but drain the rest. Toss with a little butter and salt and pepper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the capers to the ragu so that they warm through. (If you’re using
frozen peas, add to the ragu now so that they cook through.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0zM9tP0pQt0uhhvU0taNZ1Atpg3CtJaeaj_gn7Z507FWA5xq-k5RNlzZdGNBLHWuqwCjOGLef5MjLhPHoXDph5e7vPq5-EpxeDaxeKfxA7eeeW203Sdw6O7s-m2W9pSksqn2Kg8quEo/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0zM9tP0pQt0uhhvU0taNZ1Atpg3CtJaeaj_gn7Z507FWA5xq-k5RNlzZdGNBLHWuqwCjOGLef5MjLhPHoXDph5e7vPq5-EpxeDaxeKfxA7eeeW203Sdw6O7s-m2W9pSksqn2Kg8quEo/s1600/Lambshank+-+Ragu+finished.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, same pic again. But come on, look at it... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toss the cooked,
buttered pasta into the ragu and stir so that the strands are well coated. Add
the broad beans at this point, the mint (and the parsley, if using). Stir
through gently. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with a little lemon zest and some
grated parmesan (and more mint and capers to taste) and a generous grind of salt and pepper. Pour large glass of Moss Wood Amy’s
Blend. H</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ope for good weather… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-81865106353610640382014-07-11T05:29:00.004-07:002014-07-11T05:29:55.556-07:00Pan Handled<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are perks to doing this blog. Some will argue morality and such like, while I think my stance on such matters is well documented elsewhere here. Basically though, I like the perks. Hell, when one of your hobbies is pretty much the same as what you do for a living, you come to feel you deserve the occasional perk. Saying that, I don't accept most of the invitations I receive but, every now and again, somebody makes you an offer you simply can't refuse. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, <a href="http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/" target="_blank">Le Creuset</a> e mailed me asking if I'd like to test drive one of their new <a href="http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product/le-creuset-products/Material-/Toughened-Non-Stick/" target="_blank">"toughened non-stick"</a> pans. The timing couldn't have been better. We're in the process of replacing a lot of cookware - much of it being wedding presents that thus date back to 1996 and have suffered 18 years of regular use - and, thanks to a moment of abject idiocy from yours truly (alright, yes, another moment of regular abject idiocy), proper non-stick had a lot of appeal. If you've never tried scrubbing a milk pan that's been put back on a hob that's still on, I really wouldn't recommend it. That skin that forms? That looks so delicate? Yeah, that moulds to the crevices of a pan and becomes about as hard to get through as Kevlar. Hell for all I know that could be how they make Kevlar... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, a few days later, a lovely shiny, <a href="http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Toughened-Non-Stick-Open-Saute-Pan.aspx#.U7_NivldWgA" target="_blank">20cm saute pan</a> arrived with the instruction to put it through its paces. So I did. I took to the project with rare zeal or, more accurately, the zeal of a man who's generally only allowed down to the allotment to destroy things. Burning stuff? Breaking things? I'm good at those. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pan appeared a worthy opponent. It's satisfyingly hefty and as well made as you'd expect from Le Creuset plus the sturdy metal handle means it can be used from hob to oven and grill and back again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After treating the inside as per the instructions - a little conditioning with vegetable oil - it was time to attack. In a manner of speaking. At this point, it basically looked like this: spotless, oddly threatening and solid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first project was a gentle one as, actually it was time for breakfast, so let's see how it would fare as a cooking utensil. Not so surprisingly, it worked superbly, conducting heat evenly and quickly, and crisping bacon up a treat. I left it to cool - as per the instructions - dumped it in the sink, gave it a wipe around and, in the space of about five seconds it went from crusted with fat to, basically, looking like this: </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next up was barbecue sauce. Molasses. Fried things. Sugar. That'll show it who's boss. We'll come to that particular sauce in a future post. With the liquid decanted, the pan was a mess of melted syrupy things... and some five seconds later, it looked like this: </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can probably tell where this is going. As with the <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/swiss-diamonds-are-girls-best-friend.html" target="_blank">Swiss Diamond</a> post of last year it's clear that non-stick surfaces have come a long way since the days of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsNwtBv3PI0" target="_blank">scientists with big foreheads</a>. They're now pretty much the culinary equivalent of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ydmTjUwVpM" target="_blank">Tonka Toys</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For another imminent post - a look at <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Almond-Bar-Delicious-Syrian-Recipes/dp/1909342572" target="_blank">Sharon Salloum's Syrian cookbook Almond Bar</a> - I had my first attempt at making falafel. While this made for a very appealing Instagram moment</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcr3mj0DMI_IOQu_6LPyYSisph5Bk7EKHL-vZiOvy7pWmqyp5RmDpZ6OTn5qyGi5keb0__A_xt4utEA_vJxX9OCEkqJdkmfFtXmbdNhTXPI3e5nXJutHzi-LQXhxXSCsYP05FCC0B5sCg/s1600/Creuset+-+falafel+instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcr3mj0DMI_IOQu_6LPyYSisph5Bk7EKHL-vZiOvy7pWmqyp5RmDpZ6OTn5qyGi5keb0__A_xt4utEA_vJxX9OCEkqJdkmfFtXmbdNhTXPI3e5nXJutHzi-LQXhxXSCsYP05FCC0B5sCg/s1600/Creuset+-+falafel+instagram.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it was damned near inedible, hence this first attempt was followed 24 hours by my second attempt, but that's not important right now. What is important is that for this recipe, the Le Creuset became a deep fat frier... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMSP2CUbgxAhNFsm3a46otXpn9TUBT_mnUEYDX3qBURaXDNwnBpjcr5znq3wH6VgQNoJ-erxnRr_5qfW5d5XXDKb4bpYpaxuERmoGF8HSzGfgtXYj1AGMJ-turOINQveCc_iksGu37iY/s1600/Creuset+-+deep+frier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMSP2CUbgxAhNFsm3a46otXpn9TUBT_mnUEYDX3qBURaXDNwnBpjcr5znq3wH6VgQNoJ-erxnRr_5qfW5d5XXDKb4bpYpaxuERmoGF8HSzGfgtXYj1AGMJ-turOINQveCc_iksGu37iY/s1600/Creuset+-+deep+frier.jpg" height="410" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then, a few seconds later, oil decanted out and after a few seconds in hot soapy water, it looked like this. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the final test - and for yet another imminent blogpost about online beer retailers <a href="http://honestbrew.co.uk/" target="_blank">Honest Brew</a> and, particularly, their milk stout <a href="http://honestbrew.co.uk/shop/honest-brew-cool-for-cats/" target="_blank">Cool For Cats</a> - I decided to glaze a ham. The recipe I tend to fall back on these days is one from Waitrose's Christmas magazine last year and involves lots stout and various other things in the cooking stock, and a glaze of all sorts of sticky things. Last year, when I didn't have all the ingredients for the glaze, I improvised with some date syrup from one of our local Middle Eastern supermarkets and it was a revelation, so that - plus a little sugar, grain mustard and other odds and ends - are what got slathered over this piece of meat every eight minutes or so for about half an hour. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMeWPzvi9GCXSaXtdDDwN0Engs5kQkSKxdZkEKwj-ZJF2Cm6PSDUY53udAqEyOD6F4UG7tRWSNNKtzCVwLe7Mso7CBVrSSLxsDUvZEo-IG0Oqh4TJH4YEXX-wtvh3dG9R6wre_o-vjSs/s1600/Creuset+-+ham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMeWPzvi9GCXSaXtdDDwN0Engs5kQkSKxdZkEKwj-ZJF2Cm6PSDUY53udAqEyOD6F4UG7tRWSNNKtzCVwLe7Mso7CBVrSSLxsDUvZEo-IG0Oqh4TJH4YEXX-wtvh3dG9R6wre_o-vjSs/s1600/Creuset+-+ham.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There will be more on this shortly but for now, let's look at the vessel. Within minutes, the base was covered in thick, bubbling, sugary tar, the sort of thing that, yes, sure, will dissolve over time, but usually requires a bit of chiselling, a lot of patience and a whole load of piping hot water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyelgILogidwVgANCDTDRaio7rdhKOQlaSqlTpaVom5lwio1R742cV2zjhLVZJr6UPbRxm3a8DTkPYKlrC8vPvgL0BdnXSuthXHYKh0al8GL-ITQYsflmec1dpgtXmPTeEYjjmP_R150/s1600/Creuset+-+ham+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyelgILogidwVgANCDTDRaio7rdhKOQlaSqlTpaVom5lwio1R742cV2zjhLVZJr6UPbRxm3a8DTkPYKlrC8vPvgL0BdnXSuthXHYKh0al8GL-ITQYsflmec1dpgtXmPTeEYjjmP_R150/s1600/Creuset+-+ham+2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After it had cooled, the Le Creuset was run under the tap... and, basically, the entire set, formerly sticky mess, mostly lifted clean out. The one bit that stuck required an extra couple of seconds of attention before - shall we do this once more? - the pan looked like this: </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dpugnROqzSnUqJFM3IMyRu4KcaPtZMaS7m35CtdSGDrHT9raz5KhgMlRWeNQdgwN6L1qxDzsNArRpWHrqlEgkDdu3HsVkAWo9KQKmtYvOQ68j8JfysnQud_iHpiPsp6rxsAxyuoNgbA/s1600/Creuset+-+pan+clean.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pan currently retails for around £57. Is that a lot? I don't know. I've not kept up with the saucepan price index in the last two decades. However, in these four "experiments", I'd estimate the total washing up time of the pan has been maybe a minute, while our previous pan would have taken about 40 minutes (and would probably still be soaking in bicarb and vinegar). I don't know what you charge as an hourly rate, dear reader, but I suspect, over the course of its life, this pan is going to pay for itself many times over. It's a fine piece of kit. I imagine it'd also make <a href="http://supportyourlocalgunfighter.com/wp-content/uploads/Hit-with-a-frying-pan1.jpg" target="_blank">a highly effective weapon a la many cartoons in the 1970s</a> but I'm in no rush to find out. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-59056692166797148992014-05-28T14:45:00.004-07:002014-05-28T15:08:41.974-07:00Bowled Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRsh1C_of_1g-kCA_SRBrdVc5TAMIZD6jWNf6mXXQRsIvipO4qPNpyGc47kXEOdZ4TPMgb4NQ-HynprUTgc-iIOQ3-dGIvJf-lcHz-_NrN3zBW9DqMa95-uo1tADPmYvCu2afVAjw_nI/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRsh1C_of_1g-kCA_SRBrdVc5TAMIZD6jWNf6mXXQRsIvipO4qPNpyGc47kXEOdZ4TPMgb4NQ-HynprUTgc-iIOQ3-dGIvJf-lcHz-_NrN3zBW9DqMa95-uo1tADPmYvCu2afVAjw_nI/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+outside.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another day, another supposed catch-up... and another couple of hours spent skimming through photos when I should really have been working. Whoops. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the Boston trip last year - as in the last post - I popped down to DC for a few days for another feature. As I'd discovered the year before, DC is far easier to negotiate via internal flights than international ones. People take the mickey out of Luton and Gatwick being classified as "London" airports but hell, at least you can get sensibly priced public transport into "proper" London. Dulles is bloody miles and an expensive cab ride from the city.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3IQftc31zxCf-ZdvN_qIjfcfyoMg6ubSQqVV89rPBiHq-8VNgJxlCb6VdIo8o2uM6_a2JXLBuYen3snP4qhVBamJcvJ7qZLtWR6mGTfTcQ7pnf-xlDXmXzYFiGRYmAFZWvHN7YHirtk/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+board+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3IQftc31zxCf-ZdvN_qIjfcfyoMg6ubSQqVV89rPBiHq-8VNgJxlCb6VdIo8o2uM6_a2JXLBuYen3snP4qhVBamJcvJ7qZLtWR6mGTfTcQ7pnf-xlDXmXzYFiGRYmAFZWvHN7YHirtk/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+board+2.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, that's not important right now. What is more important is that the food in DC is some of the best I've found in the US. Over the last few years, more and more people have moved back into the city and that's inspired an impressive renaissance in the restaurant scene. One of these days I might write a post on some of the newer places I visited (including <a href="http://kapnosdc.com/" target="_blank">Kapnos</a>, possibly the best laid out restaurant I've ever seen). I might write something on the brilliant <a href="http://www.burgertapshake.com/burgertap.html" target="_blank">Burger Tap & Shake</a> (two visits to DC, four visits to BTS should tell you something). But, with thoughts of <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/better-shoppe-around.html" target="_blank">Charlie's</a> still on my mind, it's one of DC's more vintage / legendary spots that's prompted this post - and, happily, unlike Charlie's, it's unlikely to close anytime soon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPba1qmXV4dmTBSNm8uBzGOMNs8An7Tx_IydKCyWtiXobkixU3JyheJECJH-rhIEhrY3MqC53N4_hZ3YGbtUF21pPp_DWqW1080xoiCCT5jsztcNG6RvGmQM4AALTjG8mk_AtaBinX9gQ/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPba1qmXV4dmTBSNm8uBzGOMNs8An7Tx_IydKCyWtiXobkixU3JyheJECJH-rhIEhrY3MqC53N4_hZ3YGbtUF21pPp_DWqW1080xoiCCT5jsztcNG6RvGmQM4AALTjG8mk_AtaBinX9gQ/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+board.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://benschilibowl.com/about/" target="_blank">Ben's Chilli Bowl</a> is a DC fixture. The counter, booths and stalls date from opening day in 1958 and the chilli is still made to founder Ben Ali's recipe. It's a fantastic example of a place that doesn't do anything spectacularly clever but does what it does brilliantly. Bill Cosby has been a fan for years and his favourite - the original chilli half smoke - carries his name and was the "must have" dish recommended by the customers either side of me. For a long time, Cosby was the only name on the restaurant's "List of Who Eats Free", a piece of A4 taped to the wall. In 2008 though, he was <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/12/obama-family-makes-the-eat-free-list-at-bens.html" target="_blank">joined by President Obama and his family</a>. It's a policy reflected in the rather brilliant mural outside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHk3ubtyqlw5tBrHZhgElkItKZ0gR36G4ZJ1Wnp5QSkm95HurLwuigyDhueLChhLVAY2GmJembP6FcOp4jAFwoVbUkQaSJAOoe7D-m94k0HqXEC_Fp9wFhC3xzoj_HuM5TnSEtP-BERM/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+Chilli+Bowl+Food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHk3ubtyqlw5tBrHZhgElkItKZ0gR36G4ZJ1Wnp5QSkm95HurLwuigyDhueLChhLVAY2GmJembP6FcOp4jAFwoVbUkQaSJAOoe7D-m94k0HqXEC_Fp9wFhC3xzoj_HuM5TnSEtP-BERM/s1600/Lambshank+-+Bens+Chilli+Bowl+Food.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was, inevitably, bloody marvellous. The chilli is rich, with a little bite and the sausage - half pork, half beef - had a textbook snap and a hint of smoke. The plan had been couple of bites, move on - and, contrary to appearances, I'm actually pretty disciplined on these various food research trips. The reality was I inhaled the thing and walked the two miles or so back to my hotel to try and justify it. </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-64338589529012651352014-05-13T14:08:00.000-07:002014-05-13T14:08:23.473-07:00Better Shoppe Around<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8g8Kmibpnytq7L0fM5vbmj1NlUwEW4htRbBuf_z0IWOSJiNucpeupVCMxDfTwRuUgV2ix0sFnICEhjLo35dDpKZarfQ9H7l5BI2ypI5Oy1R_MN8ZIgp00vcKGqbnYkTtGJR-lQUwokg/s1600/Lambshank+-+welcome+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8g8Kmibpnytq7L0fM5vbmj1NlUwEW4htRbBuf_z0IWOSJiNucpeupVCMxDfTwRuUgV2ix0sFnICEhjLo35dDpKZarfQ9H7l5BI2ypI5Oy1R_MN8ZIgp00vcKGqbnYkTtGJR-lQUwokg/s1600/Lambshank+-+welcome+sign.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
This week I've been tidying up notes and suchlike from some recent travels, with a vow to clear the decks of previous travel features before I head to Cornwall next week for Escapism Magazine. Yeah, I know, we'll see how long that vow lasts... </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One bonus though (while the diligence lasts) is taking a look back at photos and menus and my random jottings from trips. While there's the inevitable initial panic (Jesus, how many calories did I consume in that week?), there's a lot of good memories in there too, particularly from the impromptu moments, those points where I either slipped away from the planned itinerary of the group trip or, on solo journeys, reacted to a tip-off from, most often, a waiter or a barman. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0eoaijSVMvLH_AowYrmzCNFDh3PlnWzv_ob0VOD8m8zcf7TlfTGW2vD0EobataaBU9EptgKTKfAFacBz4yPRa4ptqDQHitFZ-tVXWZ_RPJtYJlR8hyphenhyphenPt6RvoMp_k60dJeTrV94sZFq4/s1600/Lambshank+-+Turner+Fisheries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0eoaijSVMvLH_AowYrmzCNFDh3PlnWzv_ob0VOD8m8zcf7TlfTGW2vD0EobataaBU9EptgKTKfAFacBz4yPRa4ptqDQHitFZ-tVXWZ_RPJtYJlR8hyphenhyphenPt6RvoMp_k60dJeTrV94sZFq4/s1600/Lambshank+-+Turner+Fisheries.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One such moment happened in Boston last year, where a very nice waiter at Turner Fisheries chatted happily about community gardens, Boston politics and also brought me this: a Lobster BLT. Yes. I know. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVLO70PeVVa6bVnPQ1koBnUxHG1B019nYVLMNRRklEKg1f8BjXIpiUnAcF5fVLzXstzFpGuwCdVduzo_yCXp_kY_CgBv6zhgf4Pr8s-PnSqDRfQ2Wd8dZTaO0YnZip7qRt38SX7tcDUM/s1600/Lambshank+-+hash+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBgzhbhPl9lybekL5a1Eek8GqE1EdBvp3Y0qOlu8TvK214-SCZdJSaUzqRYqU9rCVEBUuwoCoi3KFAB9NHnLpU5bEoQ3d3blnIDZ8TzVr2YJCy7URrsviUwJr-XaC0E21qjboMhV1UpM/s1600/Lambshank+-+hash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBgzhbhPl9lybekL5a1Eek8GqE1EdBvp3Y0qOlu8TvK214-SCZdJSaUzqRYqU9rCVEBUuwoCoi3KFAB9NHnLpU5bEoQ3d3blnIDZ8TzVr2YJCy7URrsviUwJr-XaC0E21qjboMhV1UpM/s1600/Lambshank+-+hash.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We got chatting about great sandwiches and "proper" Boston food which is when the subject of Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe came up. If that wasn't on my list, he said, it really should be which is why a couple of days later, I took an early morning stroll, took a seat at the counter and enjoyed a proper slice of Boston food history. It was a quiet morning and I got chatting to the staff - well, the family that have run it for years - and the other customer at the counter. The family gave me a few highlights of the diner's illustrious 86 year history. The other customer told me in no uncertain terms that if this was my first and probably only visit, I had to have the turkey hash. No ifs, no buts, that's the dish, end of. He was, of course, right. It was peppery, meaty, comforting and, with a cup of black, seriously kick-ass coffee, the sort of carb and protein and caffeine boost with which any cold November day in Boston should start.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yesterday, via Twitter and the Boston Globe, I discovered that, after 87 years,<a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/05/13/charlies-sandwich-shoppe-in-south-end-closing-after-87-years/" target="_blank"> it's closing on June 28</a>. Current owner Arthur Manjourides has decided that he'd like to walk out, not be carried out and, sad as it is, when you're 73 and have worked there since you were 12, you're probably entitled to go out on a high. While a tribute from a man who visited once doesn't mean much when you've been open for nine decades, it's still heartfelt and so Arthur et al, thanks for the hash, thanks for the <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/05/12/charlie-sandwich-shoppe-close/F4POs0sUoiUTnBPxg85V4M/picture.html" target="_blank">history</a> - and have a happy retirement. It's much deserved. </span></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-60265708642599923742014-04-21T04:55:00.002-07:002014-04-21T04:55:40.164-07:00Simple Pleasures, Number 20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoCgarHaIpQxC2JeTu-2e6evGAnlnnTXJ3vnXceqC9uscnvypNDOv1WUBNuVh725BS3F6ie-QvYzYuUTQZUZAoIWe3YkOTwkK5c2L_PUwlM8B7jphcy0ujaAUPOPENgo9cvEIIB7e3gs/s1600/Lambshank+Terrys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoCgarHaIpQxC2JeTu-2e6evGAnlnnTXJ3vnXceqC9uscnvypNDOv1WUBNuVh725BS3F6ie-QvYzYuUTQZUZAoIWe3YkOTwkK5c2L_PUwlM8B7jphcy0ujaAUPOPENgo9cvEIIB7e3gs/s1600/Lambshank+Terrys.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
I joked on Twitter the other day that, for a man who's written <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bluffers-Guide-Chocolate-Guides/dp/1909937045" target="_blank">a book about chocolate</a> - which I might have mentioned <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-small-celebration.html" target="_blank">once or twice</a> - you might have thought <i>somebody</i> would have given me an Easter egg but no, the chocolatey treats are only noticeable y their absence. There was some salvation though, courtesy of Mrs L's lovely Auntie Sheila who, I discovered, has a tradition that highdays and holidays should be marked with the giving of Terry's Chocolate Oranges. I can't remember the last time I had one of these and, yes, sure, as the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bluffers-Guide-Chocolate-Guides/dp/1909937045" target="_blank">a book about chocolate</a> that I might have mentioned <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-small-celebration.html" target="_blank">once or twice</a>, maybe I should be marking this weekend with something by <a href="http://www.amedei.it/en/" target="_blank">Amedei</a> or <a href="http://en.valrhona.com/accueil.aspx" target="_blank">Valrhona</a> or <a href="http://www.rococochocolates.com/Rococo-Milk-Easter-Egg-no-3/dp/B005UZ2GZ2" target="_blank">one of Rococo's finest</a>, but: a) you should never look gift chocolate in the mouth; and b) one segment in, and it was like being a kid again. Like the <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/simple-pleasures-grated-cheese-roll.html" target="_blank">cheese roll</a> in the previous Simple Pleasures post, it's remarkable how quickly smell and taste take hold of your emotions. You could easily argue that the Chocolate Orange is too sweet or too artificial and you'd probably be right, but that's missing the point. It's fun, I'm struggling to resist <i>just</i> one more segment and I'm grinning from ear to ear. All of that and it's probably one of my five-a-day, right? Thank you, Terry's - and thank you Auntie Sheila. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoCgarHaIpQxC2JeTu-2e6evGAnlnnTXJ3vnXceqC9uscnvypNDOv1WUBNuVh725BS3F6ie-QvYzYuUTQZUZAoIWe3YkOTwkK5c2L_PUwlM8B7jphcy0ujaAUPOPENgo9cvEIIB7e3gs/s1600/Lambshank+Terrys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
</span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-30339882665301629012014-04-12T14:19:00.001-07:002014-04-12T14:20:16.370-07:00A Flavour of Spring. Finally.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5dGaCczJblFNZkcrwPFyK5tYjO3g_ESmKkGcw6Bpr8sEqnuOD7LzUzyKbr_I3v5SamSIrKEXD1ey8f5LR0tvrUyG3hCvm_3FvvLOkc7mWHtmOrMBT19eN0RBSdIHaGZvOojKfbMh8nY/s1600/Maldon+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5dGaCczJblFNZkcrwPFyK5tYjO3g_ESmKkGcw6Bpr8sEqnuOD7LzUzyKbr_I3v5SamSIrKEXD1ey8f5LR0tvrUyG3hCvm_3FvvLOkc7mWHtmOrMBT19eN0RBSdIHaGZvOojKfbMh8nY/s1600/Maldon+1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further to the <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/food-adventures.html" target="_blank">last post</a> - and a fascinating Twitter conversation about ASA Standards - this one could seem a little familiar. It certainly touches on the ethical nature of the last post, but also returns to the earlier post about <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/making-bacon.html" target="_blank">making bacon</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxU6l-CGXSBKiLvgjvu13MRcN0fhdV2GhqyVvawSuqk4QFljlHkW2KrAONif2IeKbHpqPD1-WmM4Wcgw8qjXVzwFBmP8kaNJL2Mp-crRUEz5jnlsd7F4wCHc8b3X-5Y7JhHgoAyB2FKM/s1600/Maldon+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxU6l-CGXSBKiLvgjvu13MRcN0fhdV2GhqyVvawSuqk4QFljlHkW2KrAONif2IeKbHpqPD1-WmM4Wcgw8qjXVzwFBmP8kaNJL2Mp-crRUEz5jnlsd7F4wCHc8b3X-5Y7JhHgoAyB2FKM/s1600/Maldon+2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As mentioned then, I was approached by <a href="http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/" target="_blank">Maldon Salt</a> with promises of free salt and tickets to the Edible Garden Show, in return for a bit of cooking, a few words and a little bit of photography, under the banner or "Flavours of Spring". The best entry - and you can see the rest under the #flavoursofspring hashtag - would also win a couple of nights at River Cottage. It sounded like a pretty sweet deal to me... but then there was the predictable spanner / works situation. On the weekend of the Edible Garden Show, I was at the rather lovely <a href="http://www.ledomaine.es/default-en.html" target="_blank">Abadia Retuerta Le Domaine</a> with some <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/ferran-adria-culinary-conclave/33114" target="_blank"><i>serious</i> journalistic types</a> discussing<a href="http://food.uk.msn.com/chefs/ferran-adrias-future-of-gastronomy" target="_blank"> the last 20 years of gastronomy</a> with - NAME DROPPING KLAXON - Ferran Adria. That's not the sort of invite you can really so "no" to, is it? More importantly though, the shopping world was somewhat lacking in actual flavours of spring. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbthq8jUV4PWn42sOmGc5cfXINXvHF_KRv0WAdJAksGTQ08gOIZgtF9W6Cj5tc5z7y8qIc1jr70587INb1cl6AFkKV_HaBfgjFQlxcnoiX6mOHJTQDgAo-_QnckBZG0xF2JwE5l3FsB0/s1600/Maldon+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbthq8jUV4PWn42sOmGc5cfXINXvHF_KRv0WAdJAksGTQ08gOIZgtF9W6Cj5tc5z7y8qIc1jr70587INb1cl6AFkKV_HaBfgjFQlxcnoiX6mOHJTQDgAo-_QnckBZG0xF2JwE5l3FsB0/s1600/Maldon+3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By which I mean <i>British</i> flavours of spring. I could find Brazilian and Mexican asparagus but the glorious British stuff was notable by its absence. Similarly, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-26123519" target="_blank">the rain earlier this year has delayed Jersey Royal season</a>. While some restaurants have been championing the arrival of peas and broad beans, surely these are summer crops? My plans then, save for the home cured bacon that I've already <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/making-bacon.html" target="_blank">gone on and on about</a>, were looking pretty much scuppered and another "can't say no" trip to Spain last weekend - a preview of <a href="http://www.themacallan.com/the-moment/2014/04/the-macallan-masters-of-taste-with-the-world%E2%80%99s-best-restaurant-el-celler-de-can-roca/" target="_blank">this at El Celler de Can Roca</a> - meant I missed last weekend's competition deadline. And yes, I know, that's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAlTOfl9F2w" target="_blank">the sound of the world's smallest violin</a>... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP5iN85zIRAMyRJyrmNIr7whRpGe2Q15EIeb-IlDb2nnOm1mqsS3KTaxRbVuGuNyuuC1py4seq2gKjcXU1nMEjEnbTHOGD5FqFNVjUm2C7SsY0w6bCNHsaaZSZJBvz37d4pLoSoenw8s/s1600/Maldon+4+Split+Yolk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP5iN85zIRAMyRJyrmNIr7whRpGe2Q15EIeb-IlDb2nnOm1mqsS3KTaxRbVuGuNyuuC1py4seq2gKjcXU1nMEjEnbTHOGD5FqFNVjUm2C7SsY0w6bCNHsaaZSZJBvz37d4pLoSoenw8s/s1600/Maldon+4+Split+Yolk.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then this morning, down at Borough Market, I finally found some proper, sweet, vibrantly green British asparagus and, competition deadline or no, supper was sorted. Steamed asparagus, a soft poached <a href="http://www.clarencecourt.co.uk/our-range/burford-browns/" target="_blank">Burford Brown</a>, a sprinkling of diced Maldon Salt-and-maple-syrup-cured bacon, a pinch of Maldon's <a href="http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/Products-Maldon-Smoked-Salt.html" target="_blank">smoked salt</a> had long been the plan and it was every bit as good - and as golden - as I'd imagined. There was also late inspiration from the counter of my old beloved employer <a href="http://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Neal's Yard Dairy</a> in the form of <a href="http://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/cheeses/Sleightlett.pdf" target="_blank">Sleightlett</a>, Mary Holbrook's brilliant charcoal-covered fresh cheese which was probably still in a goat about this time last week. And if that doesn't qualify as a flavour of spring, I don't know what does. So, the River Cottage might not be an option but man was it worth the wait... </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-85293370960756208032014-04-05T13:06:00.004-07:002014-04-05T14:54:06.717-07:00Food Adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week has been a bit of an epic. Even by my belt-straining standards, it's been epic. Last weekend, I was in Spain as part of <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/ferran-adria-culinary-conclave/33114" target="_blank">a group of journalists discussing the last 20 years of gastronomy with Ferran Adria</a>. Well, that was the intention, it was more being part of the group of journalists in the same room as Ferran Adria as Ferran Adria went off at tangents, wrote lists and left us mostly happily baffled. More on that another time. Possibly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From there, I had 12 hours at home before heading up to Glasgow and Edinburgh for five days of grazing for a couple of features. And tomorrow I head back to Spain with <a href="http://www.themacallan.com/" target="_blank">The Macallan</a> for two-and-a-bit more days of eating. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMBpsOa7e3H7-LQ9M4RLO98X5Dt2lfyRtM44NbZnffGM_2UAXWuxYheDJL1sWdbZGSGNK0S7Zgk5z8m9GNcBg_0MATYl4ZLHa9Fh5uzqDXD_EPw5r85ttR3iQXerCuWkGn6gO4T7u3eY/s1600/P1320365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMBpsOa7e3H7-LQ9M4RLO98X5Dt2lfyRtM44NbZnffGM_2UAXWuxYheDJL1sWdbZGSGNK0S7Zgk5z8m9GNcBg_0MATYl4ZLHa9Fh5uzqDXD_EPw5r85ttR3iQXerCuWkGn6gO4T7u3eY/s1600/P1320365.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And right now, I'm back at home with a fun obligation to fulfill and, as it happens, one that's going to restore a little balance. A few weeks ago, <a href="http://www.lurpak.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lurpak</a> approached me to ask if I'd be interested in a little bit of advertorial and take part in something called "Food Adventures" (or #FoodAdventures for those on Twitter) and a chance to try something from their new <a href="http://www.lurpak.co.uk/uk/our-products/cooks-range/" target="_blank">Cook's Range</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVmhoSbO5GSxJ_j2GNsUvQUCDYPhkLNfOC3mMyoFb1yYhq3FHDCjZZTwSKqRgGCQD3Iw3CzJke7LoAaOAagnPBG_K_V821SP3764NH7FVQCsMCA1-R3ySFLaFEwMf_KvzTw0dHeZhdg4/s1600/P1320377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVmhoSbO5GSxJ_j2GNsUvQUCDYPhkLNfOC3mMyoFb1yYhq3FHDCjZZTwSKqRgGCQD3Iw3CzJke7LoAaOAagnPBG_K_V821SP3764NH7FVQCsMCA1-R3ySFLaFEwMf_KvzTw0dHeZhdg4/s1600/P1320377.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The range includes Clarified Butter, Cooking Liquid, Baking Butter (blended so it's soft straight from the fridge - though quite why you wouldn't just keep regular butter OUT of the fridge like normal people remains to be answered) and Cooking Mist. Yes. Indeed. That was the mystery one and It was the one that came in my box of goodies, together with some cinnamon sticks and four glossy red chillies. The challenge? Make something with the ingredients. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Cooking Mist is, apparently, designed for glazing or basting (or for greasing pans and baking tins), which I'll test at some point I'm sure. However, I was looking at it as a way of lightly frying stuff: it's a blend of rape seed oil and Lurpak butter in an aerosol, so it seemed a good way of coating a pan evenly and maybe cutting down on a little bit of fat intake. Yes, it's a small gesture but they all count, right? Plus, frankly, I've <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/simple-pleasures-part-1.html" target="_blank">written enough about roasting chickens in the past</a>... and wasn't really sure how to get cinnamon into that one and make it edible. No, whenever I see chillies and cinnamon sticks together, my thoughts go straight to <a href="http://www.simonmajumdar.com/" target="_blank">Simon Majumdar</a> and his brilliant <a href="http://www.doshermanos.co.uk/2010/04/life-saving-dahl-that-recipe-one-more.html" target="_blank">"Life Saving Dahl"</a> recipe. And, while I've tried to be sensible over the last few days - yomping uphill around Edinburgh is always a good calorie burner - plates of jamon, dishes like haggis and Cumberland sausage hash with whisky sauce and an Aberdeen butterie with home made marmalade do leave you feeling a little... The precise word escapes me but an "oof" like noise should give the idea. Accordingly, a week or so of a healthy, hearty vegetarian dish finished with lots of lemon juice sounded like a perfect solution all round. And yes, while Simon's recipe calls for green chillies, I'm sure even he'd agree with the concept that if life gives you, er, red chillies, you make red chilli paste. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having made this a few times, I tend to get a little free and easy with the ingredients and quantities in general. But here's Simon's original. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One cup of red lentils (toasted first in a dry pan. I use my fingers to stir and when it is too hot to touch, it is done)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSQ5wD3tl_YmdLi8zWXORSgJvlfCcWiOfU_IVrHzYnVu0lAplm-hUYTNNpTeSgyINQkXpE94vgxMVBTTWNbf_2chNNOQvytVN1JpXlRCP-OhGKubGI4RsYjgwgU4u5woWE6lv8HDZ4fw/s1600/P1330346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSQ5wD3tl_YmdLi8zWXORSgJvlfCcWiOfU_IVrHzYnVu0lAplm-hUYTNNpTeSgyINQkXpE94vgxMVBTTWNbf_2chNNOQvytVN1JpXlRCP-OhGKubGI4RsYjgwgU4u5woWE6lv8HDZ4fw/s1600/P1330346.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a>One unwaxed lemon chopped in quarters</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One onion sliced</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacYBkHSc6YR_2W-AB2Qo0IhoOPXlv4tYCrOMUxJGnWIYrJTBMmffj-hR2AOzA9-i2LBlKG5ljSQAbhmZTJOYTWkp8r4RGMzIlQH6VDd9y4NC5cEOJNtpzwDPaRqtQlugORumi0YoaBnw/s1600/Lurpak+Cinnamon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacYBkHSc6YR_2W-AB2Qo0IhoOPXlv4tYCrOMUxJGnWIYrJTBMmffj-hR2AOzA9-i2LBlKG5ljSQAbhmZTJOYTWkp8r4RGMzIlQH6VDd9y4NC5cEOJNtpzwDPaRqtQlugORumi0YoaBnw/s1600/Lurpak+Cinnamon.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Two cardamom pods</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Two cloves</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One cinnamon stick</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOY0eD3sw7X3A88LrSzwTC4K7VAtUrwOK7azUlE0CQejfMWAjheZhjA1N1qH3nc1z1C3ryTWAoxbPhYQD3jVHZOFHdF8c_nbzrDNwAcM4WBzXNxXEknEfQoJJgHTs6b4S1UhAj_uFr3A/s1600/P1330359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOY0eD3sw7X3A88LrSzwTC4K7VAtUrwOK7azUlE0CQejfMWAjheZhjA1N1qH3nc1z1C3ryTWAoxbPhYQD3jVHZOFHdF8c_nbzrDNwAcM4WBzXNxXEknEfQoJJgHTs6b4S1UhAj_uFr3A/s1600/P1330359.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Three cloves garlic</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Three fresh green chillies (or red, if someone's sent you some. Obviously.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Two inches of fresh ginger</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGpmD2Pq7gN_orxxRW1GZGIy4L4DIFYLz8xv-uuxdr7xGtWD5-36OFPbx5vjhZmHJT5BTCxvQ6uvmY3vjS-ziSWrgW7unLwaum4GqSm2_dZBtcjzJRKJ_7unc5QEZW6C6V5iElz2Dgu4/s1600/P1330387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGpmD2Pq7gN_orxxRW1GZGIy4L4DIFYLz8xv-uuxdr7xGtWD5-36OFPbx5vjhZmHJT5BTCxvQ6uvmY3vjS-ziSWrgW7unLwaum4GqSm2_dZBtcjzJRKJ_7unc5QEZW6C6V5iElz2Dgu4/s1600/P1330387.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One teaspoon each of ground turmeric / ginger / cumin / coriander seed / hot chilli powder</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Half a teaspoon of salt</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One teaspoon sugar</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One-and-a-half pints of water, chicken or vegetable stock</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">One bag of spinach ( washed )</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Method</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjHzDMcco85uaNoQnK7s0tAybO71ysMdufXgAe9e5LCXT_GkNqCE9yeEFM9uFt1fO8wGn33KYqPbw4neQ_KYrSSwNEfHGIQkVMus8K5tWKe7hbkiGFDKH8S3epyRDdz0T8njmfwABuKQ/s1600/P1330391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3DrNtL7wgB-Wfl0mruLDX7jtCpcsU3lGtrIpZYxuvDRslluBa21SKgyP7KrX1E-EpBp3dqnhky5R0lIx_cuhp0_5HziLLaLRXxtlioD1CatdEH4e165ZEl1fp_x7IJb05eROHxzVK2c/s1600/P1330380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1SI8l5E7i_6Fbkix6AxlEYGoYngiYD3-3oO4r_6FLVZq-HhKNpBgR5HL9tdx0PaMmOLz0AqknWiAa48L_JxsbRx0PDXe5vm1c4qb0fNytPHgpFALEfFINoEvEuPKsytNRvWD39HRhtE/s1600/P1330374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1SI8l5E7i_6Fbkix6AxlEYGoYngiYD3-3oO4r_6FLVZq-HhKNpBgR5HL9tdx0PaMmOLz0AqknWiAa48L_JxsbRx0PDXe5vm1c4qb0fNytPHgpFALEfFINoEvEuPKsytNRvWD39HRhtE/s1600/P1330374.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make a paste by blending the ginger, garlic and fresh chilli with a little salt and water.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Put two tablespoons of oil into a hot pan and when it comes to heat, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook for one minute on a low heat until they release their flavour. In the circumstances, I switched out the vegetable oil for the Cooking Mist and it seemed to work well. I love the smells of this stage... </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;" /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3DrNtL7wgB-Wfl0mruLDX7jtCpcsU3lGtrIpZYxuvDRslluBa21SKgyP7KrX1E-EpBp3dqnhky5R0lIx_cuhp0_5HziLLaLRXxtlioD1CatdEH4e165ZEl1fp_x7IJb05eROHxzVK2c/s1600/P1330380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3DrNtL7wgB-Wfl0mruLDX7jtCpcsU3lGtrIpZYxuvDRslluBa21SKgyP7KrX1E-EpBp3dqnhky5R0lIx_cuhp0_5HziLLaLRXxtlioD1CatdEH4e165ZEl1fp_x7IJb05eROHxzVK2c/s1600/P1330380.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Add the onion and cook on a low heat until it begins to soften and turn golden. Don't rush this, you want the natural sweetness of the onions to be released.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjHzDMcco85uaNoQnK7s0tAybO71ysMdufXgAe9e5LCXT_GkNqCE9yeEFM9uFt1fO8wGn33KYqPbw4neQ_KYrSSwNEfHGIQkVMus8K5tWKe7hbkiGFDKH8S3epyRDdz0T8njmfwABuKQ/s1600/P1330391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjHzDMcco85uaNoQnK7s0tAybO71ysMdufXgAe9e5LCXT_GkNqCE9yeEFM9uFt1fO8wGn33KYqPbw4neQ_KYrSSwNEfHGIQkVMus8K5tWKe7hbkiGFDKH8S3epyRDdz0T8njmfwABuKQ/s1600/P1330391.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Gg4fXEzbXO_M_Cwg4-0EmZNINmCTEu1w0Cl0sEZjQE2A3C5ve4t7_T9VCXbEDVKS6yzhAvHyVWga8u8ZXdI-oaJ12fAdzeX_zSn7YewoDnJ6NfK_DFpEBVU_PJH7FD50yswDXL9Fh4I/s1600/P1330401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfeouLfayZ_vIYsVIvdTT9XzEl96WkxJ9q3vAIHzeKIyxqEtE8HDCmTsLJFTPclPVG4xtWBK3IdZZB4hnJpoKO8oVp6hi7E2A1mrEdAG1Zm8HUyM1gvffauQ0F8Guu3rykRYUCgFv5edY/s1600/P1330397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ADG5ZX2MO8PnkUNeNp0oolMd2tlc8C6GQCm5CqVZeTpaK27CD_ErRLSgziQ9E6Z1rH-5cdiYQRERHC13VQGLh2Rsiiwwi5oswqgTbqpfcHVtnDV-Xl0X5uksu0NTsmDBHs8XM9Id708/s1600/P1330395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ADG5ZX2MO8PnkUNeNp0oolMd2tlc8C6GQCm5CqVZeTpaK27CD_ErRLSgziQ9E6Z1rH-5cdiYQRERHC13VQGLh2Rsiiwwi5oswqgTbqpfcHVtnDV-Xl0X5uksu0NTsmDBHs8XM9Id708/s1600/P1330395.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the ginger/chilli/garlic paste and cook for two to four minutes until it l</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">oses its rawness.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzCGBwxaNe0JmngRxOWHj8vSTgry1ggULI2If5hAC_rP-eBfOX4tEVArsijekqkG6o4E74teP9VszxIuSzemfr31sm5bse27x954Wzrd5yJuKrGFESt0hiJ5xWf-RohzN3Jhws3Skjl8/s1600/P1330409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6fNOfbROXfQVr74gF79v_yd8G7tQRxewa_HuyuIiwHtJATg2V5WLfiU-9bL6VDVrfLHpzSzCKP5GtKlPdEPpcBVuYp5RX9IwZi58Fue-B6cF4lygVlMKKTqXRZwsRO5nm-KTe-S0va0/s1600/P1330405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the ground spices, sugar and salt and mix well with the onions and cook out <span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">for four minutes until the spices lose their rawness. If the mixture begins </span><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">to stick add a little water.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfeouLfayZ_vIYsVIvdTT9XzEl96WkxJ9q3vAIHzeKIyxqEtE8HDCmTsLJFTPclPVG4xtWBK3IdZZB4hnJpoKO8oVp6hi7E2A1mrEdAG1Zm8HUyM1gvffauQ0F8Guu3rykRYUCgFv5edY/s1600/P1330397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfeouLfayZ_vIYsVIvdTT9XzEl96WkxJ9q3vAIHzeKIyxqEtE8HDCmTsLJFTPclPVG4xtWBK3IdZZB4hnJpoKO8oVp6hi7E2A1mrEdAG1Zm8HUyM1gvffauQ0F8Guu3rykRYUCgFv5edY/s1600/P1330397.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Add the lentils and mix well so all the pulses are covered with the mixture.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;" /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6fNOfbROXfQVr74gF79v_yd8G7tQRxewa_HuyuIiwHtJATg2V5WLfiU-9bL6VDVrfLHpzSzCKP5GtKlPdEPpcBVuYp5RX9IwZi58Fue-B6cF4lygVlMKKTqXRZwsRO5nm-KTe-S0va0/s1600/P1330405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6fNOfbROXfQVr74gF79v_yd8G7tQRxewa_HuyuIiwHtJATg2V5WLfiU-9bL6VDVrfLHpzSzCKP5GtKlPdEPpcBVuYp5RX9IwZi58Fue-B6cF4lygVlMKKTqXRZwsRO5nm-KTe-S0va0/s1600/P1330405.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzCGBwxaNe0JmngRxOWHj8vSTgry1ggULI2If5hAC_rP-eBfOX4tEVArsijekqkG6o4E74teP9VszxIuSzemfr31sm5bse27x954Wzrd5yJuKrGFESt0hiJ5xWf-RohzN3Jhws3Skjl8/s1600/P1330409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzCGBwxaNe0JmngRxOWHj8vSTgry1ggULI2If5hAC_rP-eBfOX4tEVArsijekqkG6o4E74teP9VszxIuSzemfr31sm5bse27x954Wzrd5yJuKrGFESt0hiJ5xWf-RohzN3Jhws3Skjl8/s1600/P1330409.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">The next step is where, typically, Simon and I part ways. He says "add water / stock and the quartered lemons and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils have broken down. Add more water if it sticks. Some lentils may take a little longer." I'd agree with the quantities and that some of the lentils take a little longer but I leave out the lemons at this stage and put everything into the slow cooker for, well, hours or days. Adding the lemons and then slow cooking makes the dish incredibly bitter - a mistake you only make once as there's no way to pull it back from that particular disaster.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">If you're adding spinach, add it right at the end, cover and allow to wilt into the lentils. It's only missing because I forgot about it in my rush to take a photo. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJFQEFySyylu7H8q-4DdXdexopSqL0-Oafm4B4zCtEYG0b1hnmhF89mHD2EIocttIjg1VLDwonqZoyaJXIUuoZVtJljm9Qv_vre2PJqB-hNG3EFR4Wka0_QczWuHCqfhLrBPF_R80rlQ/s1600/LSD+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.672000885009766px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJFQEFySyylu7H8q-4DdXdexopSqL0-Oafm4B4zCtEYG0b1hnmhF89mHD2EIocttIjg1VLDwonqZoyaJXIUuoZVtJljm9Qv_vre2PJqB-hNG3EFR4Wka0_QczWuHCqfhLrBPF_R80rlQ/s1600/LSD+final.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Serve over a halved hard boiled egg, with a big squeeze of lemon juice. It's also good with a handful of fresh coriander, sliced green chillies, a spoon of yoghurt, your favourite chutney, all of the above... </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.672000885009766px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.672000885009766px;">Actually, whatever you do to it, it's just good. Damned good. There's some heat - and the red chilli switch out didn't appear to make any difference to my tastebuds - but the spicing is the proper kind, a back note of warmth and depth of flavour and that burst of lemon juice is bloody genius. After a few days of self-inflicted (well, professional) excess, this is as glorious a restorative dish as I know. </span></span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-2692914228485727232014-03-23T10:57:00.000-07:002014-03-24T09:44:14.427-07:00Making Bacon. Part II. The Sandwich. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Xk-ajIDavHksXjfwRBnPzDAV2bkB1yUcB89G91oODKesHxh8V60YIOx0Liv4ZHh32ccyfXpC5hlE_OZPmz1mdnImTcG5Ochkr8Ys56TggYOdLJeyt-2xFguZBAdyZLBCTTLfVUc7pg8/s1600/Bacon+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Xk-ajIDavHksXjfwRBnPzDAV2bkB1yUcB89G91oODKesHxh8V60YIOx0Liv4ZHh32ccyfXpC5hlE_OZPmz1mdnImTcG5Ochkr8Ys56TggYOdLJeyt-2xFguZBAdyZLBCTTLfVUc7pg8/s1600/Bacon+blog+2.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Freshly sliced, properly pink prompting the reaction "well, it LOOKS like bacon..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, the main point of Bacon 2.0: Sunday breakfast... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As discovered previously, even with a really good knife, a lump of bacon - even one as small as this test batch - is a bugger to slice. For Bacon 3.0, I'm headed to a local butcher for the pork as they've also agreed to slice it when it's done. This time though, it was cut as thin as I could manage, pan fried, nestled between two bits of excellent sour dough, adorned with a little HP and ketchup and inhaled in a matter of seconds. The excess saltiness that marred the previous attempt was gone. Instead it was just plain bloody wonderful: meaty and dense with a hint of gaminess and an underlying sweetness and a rich hint of maple. In fact, why am I writing this when I could be having another sandwich? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAD-PLEVpR4AP8OAYOedP3cnB349MUCiL3_4Ppdqbzd95eFFywfHOQccdtFCjADQv9H6zzbo-jyGAuHJCQj0r16taCEBkUIw3b1VjefAYjV0WMbxb0Eu3ykPQnwyWkWXnzkxmA7nolrE/s1600/Bacon+blog+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAD-PLEVpR4AP8OAYOedP3cnB349MUCiL3_4Ppdqbzd95eFFywfHOQccdtFCjADQv9H6zzbo-jyGAuHJCQj0r16taCEBkUIw3b1VjefAYjV0WMbxb0Eu3ykPQnwyWkWXnzkxmA7nolrE/s1600/Bacon+blog+4.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">That'll do, pig. That'll do. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-90341211363421503532014-03-22T08:45:00.000-07:002014-03-22T08:45:10.480-07:00Making Bacon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love it when a plan comes together... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typically, following on from that post touching on integrity and the like, this one's all about the freebies. <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/ham-and-cheese.html" target="_blank">As I've said before</a>, I've never really claimed integrity but also don't accept everything I get offered as - splutter - a <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/gauthier-soho-has-ranted-against-food-blaggers--so-can-we-really-trust-online-reviews-9190926.html" target="_blank">"respected"</a> blogger. With certain products and items though, I'm very open to suggestion. As someone once said, we're all whores, we're just negotiating on price. My price, it transpires, is a box of meat and some free salt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The meat in question came from <a href="http://www.wellhungmeat.com/" target="_blank">The Well Hung Meat Co</a> (arf arf) who contacted me to see if I'd be interested in sampling one of their nifty <a href="http://www.wellhungmeat.com/buy/the-new-thrifty-box_457.htm" target="_blank">"Thrifty Meat Boxes"</a>? As the name suggests, this is a compilation package of traditionally cheaper cuts, plus an organic chicken. And as anyone who's ever come here for Sunday lunch will know, long slow cooking is one of my favourite things so offers of brisket, hogget shoulder and pork shoulder or belly will generally be met with a thumbs up. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZOBSPEjAs7qVS0UUWOTDqCldX4vG1AM1Mp_Nq5IB33BTHeWw-Yh4PBhTLZ4vxL7VyV-P81E-QGRAwPt9dNlchcjTIO1vgJdPruEjNVpf_Kt_vYdRRtNpvczuWxSzdd84ufhPYghE-Wk/s1600/P1320341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZOBSPEjAs7qVS0UUWOTDqCldX4vG1AM1Mp_Nq5IB33BTHeWw-Yh4PBhTLZ4vxL7VyV-P81E-QGRAwPt9dNlchcjTIO1vgJdPruEjNVpf_Kt_vYdRRtNpvczuWxSzdd84ufhPYghE-Wk/s1600/P1320341.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yep. Maldon do pepper as well... </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The salt in question came from <a href="http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/" target="_blank">Maldon Sea Salt</a>. Would I like to participate in their "Flavour of Spring" competition in return for some free salt and a couple of tickets to <a href="http://www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Edible Garden Show</a> at Ally Pally next month? As a keen amateur cook who's rarely without a box of Maldon in the kitchen and an allotment holder, again the thumb's up was always likely. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll get on to the proper Flavour of Spring thing in due course when there's some slightly more interesting veg around or when, at least, the asparagus in the shops is British rather than Mexican. In the meantime though, I had other plans... and, with a distinct lack of freezer space for large lumps of meat, it was a good excuse to crack on with them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One confession. The chicken was seasoned liberally, drizzled in lemon juice, basted in butter and roasted in the now standard fashion (take a bow, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1494939/Simon-Hopkinsons-perfect-roast-chicken.html" target="_blank">Mr Hopkinson</a>) and thoroughly demolished. So enthusiastically, in fact, that I forgot to take a picture - doh - but it was golden and lovely and salty and crispy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e9n7zH2R_9xCUNlAOsMdke3dBQdcF_ngtA0Z7lSmTgzMUHjvEEEYFFfQJgzJqHD8-sjYnCE47WVkjSnftysx3e1TgocLf5L3TJh60Omc4sr58exnypgoVOqArR3UlnURJWEPIJAxPSQ/s1600/P1320151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e9n7zH2R_9xCUNlAOsMdke3dBQdcF_ngtA0Z7lSmTgzMUHjvEEEYFFfQJgzJqHD8-sjYnCE47WVkjSnftysx3e1TgocLf5L3TJh60Omc4sr58exnypgoVOqArR3UlnURJWEPIJAxPSQ/s1600/P1320151.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Heat + Time + Hogget = utter joy<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The camera was on hand though for the hogget shoulder - stabbed, stuffed with lumps of garlic, generously seasoned (it's good having free salt), and left to its own foil-wrapped devices for about four, five hours whereupon it fell apart like North London football teams against Chelsea. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i8lcr7XnmzT_0559VheN6ACvMkAlNa1wihwTbSLxCgha9tDHQEmcKizV8L_ZO02vRcWJpGphOiMty_radypj2AOdH58Mf1LxdqDRt3YmQ8fEqVBbE2-uH08dlOWbUAx4b6Tcg7d5GpQ/s1600/P1320104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i8lcr7XnmzT_0559VheN6ACvMkAlNa1wihwTbSLxCgha9tDHQEmcKizV8L_ZO02vRcWJpGphOiMty_radypj2AOdH58Mf1LxdqDRt3YmQ8fEqVBbE2-uH08dlOWbUAx4b6Tcg7d5GpQ/s1600/P1320104.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The whole piece of shoulder<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then there was the pork. I had two things in mind. First up, I wanted to have another crack at <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/dec/19/recipes.foodanddrink" target="_blank">Tim Hayward's home cured bacon recipe </a>as we'd recently finished the last few rashers from version one. That piece had been a little too salty on the fresh slices but much better post-freezing. This time round, I though I might have the patience to soak it for a couple of hours when out of the cure. Pork shoulder o</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ption two was to test a pulled pork recipe for a barbecue feature I'm working on - more on that at a later date. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97YzU9su0OJmtE6YDoOm2IrXEikJvzGM1Suf6XR7EK3iKcS1Jp7hzp3CdYCNfII8jqpdZNHYfHMArLV8KiQAO1FeV4TDf46oeBG_BCixlQ_nQSZOCwqPfpj4f2aMS5rZWAYpPqUAGjFo/s1600/P1320126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97YzU9su0OJmtE6YDoOm2IrXEikJvzGM1Suf6XR7EK3iKcS1Jp7hzp3CdYCNfII8jqpdZNHYfHMArLV8KiQAO1FeV4TDf46oeBG_BCixlQ_nQSZOCwqPfpj4f2aMS5rZWAYpPqUAGjFo/s1600/P1320126.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Future pulled pork - post-marinade, pre oven<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happily the piece of shoulder received was big enough to attempt both. Sliced in half, that left just about enough fat to warrant the lower chunk spending a week in maple syrup and Maldon salt flakes while the top slab, with the bone, would get 24 hours of marinating and a few hours in a moderately hot oven. With a little fork action, that turned into a bowl full of unctuous pleasures... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkU9Np0ekx_bfxDXv2ILpvlBuOvYxlm-Klik1CdxhleBbu20NAlF03r0U5KrY9QpBvHmu2in4_lA7hiFUh-YhA-31TePwGX348rhPoSZw6eyX_sZT9FLQDHloqELq7w1r9mRQ55AEPZr4/s1600/P1320140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkU9Np0ekx_bfxDXv2ILpvlBuOvYxlm-Klik1CdxhleBbu20NAlF03r0U5KrY9QpBvHmu2in4_lA7hiFUh-YhA-31TePwGX348rhPoSZw6eyX_sZT9FLQDHloqELq7w1r9mRQ55AEPZr4/s1600/P1320140.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Heat + Time + Pork Shoulder = oh you get the point<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, in the fridge, this was happening. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhSV8BHWe_VGvPkNWuKSdQl_ytM9e9_DXDeK_osJdqeLG5gbVbflXcCCZc5OcROBLxCrWLF5EkshvgKYWvOWIURFZvwekzpqX8P0FZf3XJUgop8ipM343xtN46daK95lKL2wlSDQPTJc/s1600/P1320324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhSV8BHWe_VGvPkNWuKSdQl_ytM9e9_DXDeK_osJdqeLG5gbVbflXcCCZc5OcROBLxCrWLF5EkshvgKYWvOWIURFZvwekzpqX8P0FZf3XJUgop8ipM343xtN46daK95lKL2wlSDQPTJc/s1600/P1320324.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Maple syrup, smoked and plain salt and about a week from being bacon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll spare you all the details - not least as Tim said it first and better - and most of the photos came out pretty much identical: there is only so much you can do to make a slab of meat in an enamel tray and covered in maple syrup and salt look different from day to day. Even going for a mix of Maldon Sea Salt and Maldon Smoked Sea Salt flakes didn't make it any more photogenic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAiXlrHcqTh7P_JySnA1enqLmK710Mgw5Or_XbO8JKvxHMWC6S59jpVXUKzkqBZnS4HrIyET3-JqHvmZQ5bqmuEJYEdmDpSXAB3XsDqooJl0i0M6TyQWgFmrYIBu4GGuMiXDe0UoTQFU/s1600/P1320336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAiXlrHcqTh7P_JySnA1enqLmK710Mgw5Or_XbO8JKvxHMWC6S59jpVXUKzkqBZnS4HrIyET3-JqHvmZQ5bqmuEJYEdmDpSXAB3XsDqooJl0i0M6TyQWgFmrYIBu4GGuMiXDe0UoTQFU/s1600/P1320336.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomorrow this will be sandwiches. Oh yes. It WILL be sandwiches... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the daily turning and massaging was oddly therapeutic - I do like a bit of ritual with my food - and, as I write this, Bacon 2.0 is out of the syrup and sitting in water to try and reduce some of the saltiness found in Bacon 1.0. It's then being left to mature for a day whereupon it's going to be the key ingredient in tomorrow's Sunday breakfast. Obviously. Do you think there might be a photo or two posted tomorrow? Yeah, I think you're probably right...</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-51827525088793283302014-03-15T05:24:00.000-07:002014-03-15T05:25:09.429-07:00The Debate Ragezzzzz...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another day, another chapter in the same old debate: can you be impartial if someone's invited you along to review a meal? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can read all about the latest developments <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/gauthier-soho-has-ranted-against-food-blaggers--so-can-we-really-trust-online-reviews-9190926.html" target="_blank">here in Jamie Merrill's piece for The Independent</a> following Jay Rayner's latest outburst over bloggers and yet another heated debate over the same old same old. I try not to be drawn on such things - particularly as the debate surfaces every couple of months or so - but, having been mentioned as, ahem, one of the "well respected" ones (stop sniggering at the back), I thought I might chip in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saying that, I might just leave it to the excellent - and "tricky" - Fiona Beckett for <a href="http://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/blog/does-complementary-mean-complimentary-these-days/" target="_blank">this marvellous post</a> yesterday which, together with Kavey's comments below it, pretty much cover everything. Then again, there are a few points I'd like to raise that haven't quite been covered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, Kavey mentions travel as an area where we don't expect journalists to cover their costs and write unbiased prose on comped experiences. I'd like to go further. Film critics don't pay to see film previews. Theatre critics don't pay for their tickets. Beauty journalists receive make-up, unguents of all descriptions, hair products, haircuts, massages, etc... and they're not expected to pay for any of it. Music critics receive CDs and gig tickets and yep, all gratis. Home entertainment critics get DVDs and Blu-Rays. Technology critics get sent computers and gadgets to review. I've done all of the above - yes, even the beauty stuff, seriously stop bloody sniggering at the back - so can speak from authority. Are we supposed to thus discount everything they've / I've ever written because, well, you know, it's all bribery and we're clearly in the pay of the PR? What about motoring correspondents? Have we got to take that review with a pinch of salt because the person writing it didn't spend </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">£165,000 on the vehicle in question? So why single out people who write - paid or otherwise - about food? Or are are saying that only multi-millionaires are now allowed to be journalists?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the likes of Mr Rayner... I love Jay's writing. I've been a fan for years (to the extent I once offered to let him have my lamb shoulder at a Borough Market butchers when it turned out I'd got the last one and he was second in the queue). But he's not exactly anonymous is he? I've been in a few kitchens where, in anticipation of visits from the nationals' reviewers, they've had A4 photos of Gill, Giles, Jay et al on display to help staff spot them. And, with all due respect to Jay, he's not paying for his own meals either. Well, I assume that's the case - if he's not expensing it all, I apologise. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As is often cited in these instances, the only reviewer who's generally anonymous is <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/profile/marina-oloughlin" target="_blank">Marina O'Loughlin</a> in The Guardian. This is frequently rolled out as proof that you can take her word as gospel and yes, you can, provided that you like the same things that she does. And, in several cases, I don't. That doesn't stop me reading the column week in, week out though. Similarly I don't drop friends or argue with them because they really liked a restaurant where I had a bad experience or vice versa. Palates are different. Perceptions are different. And experiences in any restaurant several weeks apart can be very different. Christ, in the case of Lanes of London, has it occurred to anyone that the kitchen read Jay's comments and upped their game before <a href="http://samphireandsalsify.com/" target="_blank">Samphire & Salsify</a> came in? Isn't that what a sensible chef would do if they incurred the wrath of a respected reviewer?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem in the incident documented in Jamie Merrill's piece is the blagging, a scenario that's a little disturbing. However, it's not limited to bloggers or, indeed, writers of any description. As the article mentions, there are punters who threaten abuse on TripAdvisor and such like if they're not given special treatment. How we stop that is anyone's guess. I guess we could just ignore TripAdvisor? Oh, that's right. Most of us do that already... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bottom line though is that the "trust" questioned in this particular version of the debate can exist. You just need to find the voice - or voices - that appear to share your outlook. I've mentioned the notion of PITs - Palates I Trust - before. I don't care if they're a chef talking about their own food, the world's most important paid restaurant reviewer, a member of my own family, a friend, or even someone with zero social skills whose company I can't stand. If they've regularly put me onto something that's good to eat, I'll listen to them. The joy of the internet - be it Twitter, a national newspaper website or yes, a blog - is that it's now so much easier to access so many opinions. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The downside is that it's also given some right pillocks a soapbox. Still, that's surely a small price to pay?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-32608818012497358112014-02-27T02:06:00.000-08:002014-02-27T02:06:04.651-08:00Simple Pleasures - The Grated Cheese Roll <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNAl1ZCPG3BkdRcRSgxt_3V5UsQOvA_fdX2dqsqNkrSUAZcSkYl-oYh0SWE1rVq4XH7TKVTEwizmysv-z-eWujkCnB4WJeoh4Gg0pwwklcANf_1-UGuIzg0oYTZw-T3yFYDUPV1uFWC0/s1600/Simple+Pleasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNAl1ZCPG3BkdRcRSgxt_3V5UsQOvA_fdX2dqsqNkrSUAZcSkYl-oYh0SWE1rVq4XH7TKVTEwizmysv-z-eWujkCnB4WJeoh4Gg0pwwklcANf_1-UGuIzg0oYTZw-T3yFYDUPV1uFWC0/s1600/Simple+Pleasures.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just add smell of chlorine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know what? This might be my favourite "Simple Pleasures" post so far. It's certainly the one with the most nostalgia. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent months, in an attempt to undo the, er, professional excesses of this "career", I've been doing a lot more exercise, as has Mrs L. She's taken to yoga like a duck to the proverbial, and that even includes a painfully early Thursday session at 7am. So, most weeks - all but one, in fact - I drag myself off to the gym at a time when sensible people are just contemplating coffee. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning I managed a pretty decent work out and a quick swim and, while easing up and down the pool, my thoughts turned to breakfast... and then, pretty rapidly, to Sunday mornings as a kid, when we'd go for a splash around at Staines swimming pool and then, with wet hair (because, yes, I had some in those days) and smelling of chlorine, we'd be allowed a grated cheese crusty roll. And once that idea is planted, even some four decades on, well, there was only one breakfast choice today. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an ideal world it would have been accompanied with a packet of those really thin, ready salted, stick-cut crisps - can anyone remember what they were called and who made them? - but, regardless, this has left me beaming like an idiot. Simple pleasures and good memories. You really can't beat that combination. </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-4665148282268054952014-02-21T08:58:00.004-08:002014-02-21T09:02:00.400-08:00Full of Beans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPQNYVSirai8r6r0DN7RqXjuwllu_eqbWwRgWhYbNbg07BTQId8xqcLmLagKxjmQ-KVMm8s1TnhcUMuQMQlajhJXEQVzNYtC8Lo58_E5CXsfHpGVyYZdl9vQxm5KlaNjQCeUi-RqAQPQ/s1600/Lambshank+Steam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPQNYVSirai8r6r0DN7RqXjuwllu_eqbWwRgWhYbNbg07BTQId8xqcLmLagKxjmQ-KVMm8s1TnhcUMuQMQlajhJXEQVzNYtC8Lo58_E5CXsfHpGVyYZdl9vQxm5KlaNjQCeUi-RqAQPQ/s1600/Lambshank+Steam.jpg" height="640" width="444" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Finchley isn't exactly famed for its wildlife - we don't get many visitors here doing a safari - we're lucky. Our flats have lovely gardens and a fair bit of greenery, and the school we overlook has some beautiful, long established trees on its borders. Most mornings then, doing the washing up, we get a charming procession of playful squirrels, tits great, blue and long-tailed, wrens, a nesting pair of mistle thrushes and a few rarities: this winter's odd weather has seen a couple of redwings turn up and I once had to stop the car as there was a green woodpecker sunning itself on the tarmac. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've now got a couple of bird feeders stuck to the window and I've already had to get up twice writing this to stop the big sodding jay eating all the peanuts, the greedy pink bastard. Right now, there's a blue tit helping himself to seeds and a robin pecking at a fat ball. It's all rather lovely. Some mornings, we even get a woodpecker - greater spotted or lesser spotted this time, I've not worked out which yet - popping across for breakfast. The power in its neck is quite remarkable: if the window's open and he's attacking the tree, it's like someone's using a power drill. When he attacks the fat ball, it sounds like someone's breaking in. This is either a charming distraction from work or the cause of much swearing. The difference? Coffee. If I've had my morning caffeine, it's brilliant and aren't we lucky? If I've not, whether he's greater or lesser spotted isn't questioned, oh no, I've got a whole wealth of words to describe him (although, to be fair, one does sound a <i>little</i> like "pecker"). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right. I'll stop being David blooming Attenborough and get to the point. Yes, coffee and journalism is a bit of a cliche but with good reason: I work a whole lot better on caffeine. More than that though, I love the stuff. I don't think I've done a "simple pleasure" photo of coffee yet but that's pure oversight, there are few greater joys in daily life than a really good, well made, espresso-based drink. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple of years ago, <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/no-mug.html" target="_blank">Lavazza</a> kindly offered me one of their capsule machines to test. It made pretty good coffee as it happens, although I ended up mostly using the milk steamer as, for various reasons, I had loads of coffee beans to get through, and had gone back to using my trusty old, pleasingly chipped, properly browned <a href="http://www.bialetti.com/" target="_blank">Bialetti</a>. When the milk steamer packed up - no idea why, I followed all the pernickity cleaning instructions - I just went back to the milk pan for less frothy results. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be honest, with a domestically made coffee, I'm not that fussed about appearance or elaborate <a href="http://thedesigninspiration.com/articles/50-fancy-and-pretty-arts-of-coffee-foam/" target="_blank">foam art</a>. I just want it to taste good. And it does: I use good beans and I use fantastically fatty, utterly delicious Jersey milk or, more recently, the <a href="http://www.hookandson.co.uk/" target="_blank">superb raw milk from Hook & Son</a>. As mentioned in that <a href="http://thelambshankredemption.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/no-mug.html" target="_blank">Lavazza</a> post, I like the ritual - the grinding of the beans, the slow percolation of the Bialetti, the smell - but most of all I like the 15 minutes away from my desk. That switch of focus is almost Zen-like and many's the time I've returned to the keyboard with the perfect opening / closing line or a solution to some other problem. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I'm always up for trying new things, so when another random e mail hit the inbox asking if I'd like to roadtest a </span><a href="http://www.panasonic.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Panasonic</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> espresso maker, I didn't need to be asked twice. Between that e mail though and delivery, in my mind I was agreeing to test a Nespresso machine. What turned up was around 800 pounds worth of </span><a href="http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/home-appliances/breakfast-set/espresso-machine/nc-za1.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">NCZA1</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a serious, domestic, fully programmable, touchscreen-operated "bean-to-cup" coffee maker. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczFE9By2DHScTh-EAnbaxlhEZrt7sSMUxk-1T9VKdrnhWAf9XmGPCAErH74ti9_wUGnPEjuj0WOCZWKlOZ5aow45Hw-zAJuuofzGlK7IDf7f8l9kiTEKQhHlRdMeurKDKHXUXg-pz7cg/s1600/P1300819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczFE9By2DHScTh-EAnbaxlhEZrt7sSMUxk-1T9VKdrnhWAf9XmGPCAErH74ti9_wUGnPEjuj0WOCZWKlOZ5aow45Hw-zAJuuofzGlK7IDf7f8l9kiTEKQhHlRdMeurKDKHXUXg-pz7cg/s1600/P1300819.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panasonic... with some of the drawers and bits showing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happily it was pretty instinctive to use, and the instruction manual - about half an inch thick - covered many languages, so wasn't anywhere near as daunting as it first looked. In a very neat touch, the machine comes with the key instructions / explanations on a couple of bits of plastic that slot conveniently into the top of the machine. And, after a few minutes of washing up, simple assembly and playing with the click-in / click-out drip tray, it was plugged in, the water tank was full, the beans were in the grinder, the long plastic hose was dropped into the milk container and we were off. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The level of choice is remarkable. As well as the basic selections - espresso, black coffee, latte, cappuccino, hot milk - each item is fully customisable, from length of shot to richness of milk foam, via adjustable milk/coffee ratio, strength of coffee, etc. In addition, the grinder has three settings - fine, medium, coarse - depending on the roast of the bean. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nB1jez9EnLOJtnm3HuU2Wqd12cMTh7en1Q-fwf6pJC1JaceWlHrICy_VEYt89V-IEhppfW0NF5zgNL1yvhIQnT1xbEh-cNEiC34GktFqgjc2kPzYY8tYiycOXYJ5u9EONULxMFAgIEA/s1600/P1300845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nB1jez9EnLOJtnm3HuU2Wqd12cMTh7en1Q-fwf6pJC1JaceWlHrICy_VEYt89V-IEhppfW0NF5zgNL1yvhIQnT1xbEh-cNEiC34GktFqgjc2kPzYY8tYiycOXYJ5u9EONULxMFAgIEA/s1600/P1300845.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot milk... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somewhat inevitably then, the first coffee wasn't great. It was better than instant but still considerable distance from Monmouth's finest. The second - with an adjustment on the grind, and a little less froth - was better. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcv6KcWqArhaEHGrqYMK4pCg7IG35QHTAJgUSG-dBGbfJeoc9TwI4wZMg0d5OqNP3KOGFSKGFCLZ0-rxPerQEbxWgKcAa2Le2-ky4X2Br118HVTWOSXVzSISC42kyFiNKRtmRDl7yB1U/s1600/P1300818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcv6KcWqArhaEHGrqYMK4pCg7IG35QHTAJgUSG-dBGbfJeoc9TwI4wZMg0d5OqNP3KOGFSKGFCLZ0-rxPerQEbxWgKcAa2Le2-ky4X2Br118HVTWOSXVzSISC42kyFiNKRtmRDl7yB1U/s1600/P1300818.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basic display... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All told, it took me about a week to get the balance right for my tastes, and a further week to impress Mrs L (or LSA as some people this week suggested I refer to her). I'll give you a minute or two to insert your own joke here... Finished? Good. There are good reasons for this though. First of all, I just can't handle too much coffee these days so was only making a couple each morning and then picking up the experiment 24 hours later. As for Mrs L, she has a proper job - hence I can be the flighty media one - has to leave the house early and thus only got to try a coffee every two or three days. Plus, it transpires, what she wants isn't so much your classic latte as a lot of hot milk, a couple of espressos and a bit more foamy milk on top, so it wasn't particularly a reflection on the NCZA1 and its more conventionally proportioned drinks. That combination was easy to do with a few button presses. My own preferences, once sorted, were easily stored in the machine's memory and thus could be easily recreated time and again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyX8M_tSPe4ch3nT7xf3lnZCwqFh0t155k2XHaTZ6umPow910b0uUnSZR_r4rMVJ8S1i8SLWRoatXs5a5462V-0uJtqm69bn2BqJld8A317P1_chm7E1XCRZ-dTUd0YaSPy8bL9bjeE0w/s1600/P1300805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyX8M_tSPe4ch3nT7xf3lnZCwqFh0t155k2XHaTZ6umPow910b0uUnSZR_r4rMVJ8S1i8SLWRoatXs5a5462V-0uJtqm69bn2BqJld8A317P1_chm7E1XCRZ-dTUd0YaSPy8bL9bjeE0w/s1600/P1300805.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot glass not my usual morning weapon of choice... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actually, in retrospect, the biggest leap in quality came from changing the beans to a stronger roast: I found Monmouth's organic espresso particularly good in the machine, though for my tastes <a href="http://www.workshopcoffee.com/" target="_blank">Workshop Coffee</a>'s Yukro was outstanding (and, I fear, the start of a major addiction). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My biggest concern with the NCZA1, especially after the relatively quick death of the Lavazza, was keeping it clean. Would I remember to do all the necessary maintenance? I needn't have worried. As I should have suspected from a machine that, as part of the set-up, asks you to test water hardness (there's a testing strip in the box) and adjust the machine accordingly, cleanliness is part of the ritual. When you turn it on, the first process is a cleaning shot, so that you're starting afresh with sparkling pipes. When you turn it off, there are instructions to flush out the milk hose after use (they even include a bottle of the relevant detergent) and then rinse through with clean water, all of which is done with a single button press. There are </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">alerts whenever the waste tray needs emptying and, in the case of the main filter getting jammed, a warning flashes on screen, you slide it out, loosen it with the special tool provided and are good to go again. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsDvxHLipfvSaYEIyoIBQIAX6lYHl3tCAjntEdlHsogOJjISuyqX9BQaN6Kc0i1jZuGz-DXyW4aZYJud6iH7eo6NeSLEgzMD3rtwHTlD3HU23rqyGzR1cgJ_hWfNwnwCqadHnnVx6ACA/s1600/P1300882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsDvxHLipfvSaYEIyoIBQIAX6lYHl3tCAjntEdlHsogOJjISuyqX9BQaN6Kc0i1jZuGz-DXyW4aZYJud6iH7eo6NeSLEgzMD3rtwHTlD3HU23rqyGzR1cgJ_hWfNwnwCqadHnnVx6ACA/s1600/P1300882.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cleaning ritual... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the end of the month or so it was in the kitchen, I'd got the Panasonic churning out pretty damned decent espresso although I didn't generally make it in a shot glass, that's just to show off the crema. If I'm being particularly purist, the milk was a little more froth and a little less "microbubble" than you'd get via other methods, and the foam dissolved pretty quickly, regardless of milk used. I also found it hard to monitor just how many beans I was getting through each time. Some days it seemed to be eating the things, other days it was if the tank atop the machine was magically replenishing itself. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; padding: 6px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhgysneU_fBvWVk6GwvAfZcwnytimiA_BioZtmXj9UzfvjTSlszlPzqMmnVwCY59LsXxIavO2GIjNA2GJM_RqjHQMCiju8g5WofGY_Ak1SfNIVWUIF7PnNe4V_jVSSmmqMj9oFJhuUNQ/s1600/P1300811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhgysneU_fBvWVk6GwvAfZcwnytimiA_BioZtmXj9UzfvjTSlszlPzqMmnVwCY59LsXxIavO2GIjNA2GJM_RqjHQMCiju8g5WofGY_Ak1SfNIVWUIF7PnNe4V_jVSSmmqMj9oFJhuUNQ/s1600/P1300811.JPG" height="640" style="cursor: move;" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Yeah. Pretty decent crema, I'd say... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, to the big question... would I spend £800 on one? And the answer is... probably not. To put that into perspective though, apart from an oven and, obviously, a Thermomix, I wouldn't spend that sort of money on any piece of kitchen equipment. The NCZA1 is a smart looking, neat machine and the results - for the majority of the country who just want a decent cup of coffee and a lack of faff - are surprisingly good. As mentioned above, the memory setting is easy and I also liked the option to make a pot of espresso, which is a very convenient dinner party trick. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a personal note, I think I'm just slightly too set in my coffee making ways. The Panasonic requires a similar level of devotion but I think I'm just too </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attached to my long-standing coffee-making ritual to change this dramatically. I also find more pleasure </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from grinding beans, not to mention the sense of anticipation from that eye-popping, just-ground-coffee-bean aroma, than I do from flushing out milk hoses, as satisfying as that could be. No. Really. But hey, when my Euromillions numbers come up later this year (as they surely will). I'd happily put one of these in at least one of my houses...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The wonderful blue mug, by the way, was made by my friend <a href="http://www.markwalford.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mark</a>, who's a quite excellent and very friendly potter. Do buy things from him, he does lovely work and he'd be very grateful...)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-89798506618772959762014-02-13T07:26:00.003-08:002014-02-13T07:52:47.116-08:00I'll Get My Côtes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltZQ_JPc81wlrTziFCFOV6U0yTCcp5wV1fjiMgD5wWWE-JfZ4k_eeRYSo1xDV7GpHB8NSpdssgryLin4V2QDyu-lXI5pKioNJcnH4AKba9YDyimlUfW22i5kuWE4KVSFeIEYHuHt5jKg/s1600/P1300718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltZQ_JPc81wlrTziFCFOV6U0yTCcp5wV1fjiMgD5wWWE-JfZ4k_eeRYSo1xDV7GpHB8NSpdssgryLin4V2QDyu-lXI5pKioNJcnH4AKba9YDyimlUfW22i5kuWE4KVSFeIEYHuHt5jKg/s1600/P1300718.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturday Night TV... with a taste test. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may recall last year, a challenge was thrown down to a few bloggers to match the wines of Chablis to a few takeaway dishes. As it happened, I won that one - if you'll excuse me, I think a "woot" may be in order - and was promptly dispatched to Chablis for a couple of nights to sample more classically crisp whites and roam the vineyards. Literally, in fact: the centrepiece of the prize was to take part in the "Balade Gourmande", a roving picnic across 12km of glorious (if wet and muddy) countryside. Stupidly I didn't blog about it, partly because of work commitments but mostly because, well, nutmegsseven won the previous year and <a href="http://www.nutmegsseven.co.uk/2012/05/venturing-into-viticulture-my-weekend.html" target="_blank">blogged about it so blooming expertly</a>, I couldn't possibly have competed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regardless, the same PR contacted me again a few weeks ago. Did I fancy doing a similar challenge with <a href="http://www.rhone-wines.com/" target="_blank">Côtes du Rh</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rhone-wines.com/" target="_blank">ô</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rhone-wines.com/" target="_blank">ne</a>? It was much the same deal. We'll send you two bottles of wine, you see how they fare with a Chinese takeaway. No, it's not an obvious pairing. And, er, yes, that's kind of the point, CdR wanting to show that, actually, they're a lot more adaptable than you might presume. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wines in question were a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-160379-Jean%2525252DLuc+Colombo+La+Redonne+C%C3%B4tes+du+Rh%C3%B4ne" target="_blank">Jean-Luc Colombo La Redonne Côtes du Rhône</a> (which you can find, as per the link, in Waitrose for £12.99) and the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.alain-voge.com/gb/vins/fiche4.cfm?id=11" target="_blank">Côtes-du-Rhône Les Peyrouses Syrah, Domaine Voge 2011</a>. This was available via <a href="http://www.thewinesociety.com/" target="_blank">The Wine Society</a> at £11.50 however it appears to have sold out: had I known it was going to be that popular / that much of a bargain, I might not have done this challenge and instead have stuck my bottle on eBay. Possibly while <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6YdtrOi5o" target="_blank">twirling my moustache and making "bouahahaha! noises</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, where to start with a couple of unfamiliar wines and our local takeaway's menu? Unsurprisingly, the answer was "the internet" and a look at some expert tasting notes and cross reference a few suggestions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to various sources, the Colombo was a light straw colour (agreed) with a floral and fruity bouquet (ditto), a crisp, fresh, food-friendly wine that's 70% Viognier, 30% Marsanne. The former was of use - Viognier's classic stone fruit / apricots thing is one of the few wine-y notes I can remember - but Marsanne? Complete mystery to me, mate. Google threw up things such as "pear" and "white peach" plus surprises like "nuts" and "honeydew melon". To be fair, I couldn't pick up much of that from my insensitive nosing but, for what my two penn'orth is worth (approximately two pennies then, I'd guess), it was a fine, crisp, refreshing drop. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3hu145l-n68ucszLLIO2wum_AwP71_HvZ3U-FMj8dKi0F0yjvHqJNwz8EOXZvauUtH9J0SEMTsTMa5P0gZopjb9iyKQ7_LZaaomz8Qso4d6HUWqrMvNwUbaPkwW10WcFGgMlTKy4oMw/s1600/P1300766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3hu145l-n68ucszLLIO2wum_AwP71_HvZ3U-FMj8dKi0F0yjvHqJNwz8EOXZvauUtH9J0SEMTsTMa5P0gZopjb9iyKQ7_LZaaomz8Qso4d6HUWqrMvNwUbaPkwW10WcFGgMlTKy4oMw/s1600/P1300766.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choose your weapons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the red corner, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Domaine Voge was declared online as "showcasing the full potential of the Syrah grape" and, particularly pleasing to this writer, "inky purple". As you might expect, the 100% Syrah thing resulted in red fruit, floral notes and a spicy, peppery finish. Wine Spectator even suggested a hint of "plum sauce" in the make-up, which seemed highly appropriate in this test case. We were always likely to order a quarter of duck for this experiment, that just made our minds up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, with white chilling and red breathing, a call was made to <a href="http://www.xian-restaurant.co.uk/" target="_blank">Xian</a> in Finchley. We're not short of takeaways in Finchley but 18 years of testing has put Xian top of the list for Chinese plus, while big on the stalwart dishes, there's a little creativity in the kitchen, and a couple of surprises on the menu: prawns with lily bulb and mango anyone? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The order was: a) far too large for two people ( but then what did Mrs L expect when she left me to my own devices, eh?); b) a fair old mix of things that I thought might challenge the wines and things that I thought would work. So, alongside the aromatic duck, we had Golden Sand King Prawns with Garlic, Beef Fillet with Black Pepper sauce, the Vegetable Trio (mushroom, aubergine, tofu) in Black Bean Sauce, a Special Fried Rice and the aforementioned Prawns with Lily Bulb and Mango, partly because I was thinking "flowery" re the white, but mostly because I've never eaten a lily bulb. And also partly because it reminded me of a very silly joke*</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2JNbV2svs0L00bkY_83gWQdbjzW33uzMXreahUdLVHMKJO-E7qaZrWdKkWMZ1Yn8cKWw5N46zXaTpZCz4nGi0fiCKbfENQKp-fEHJ9zDyOxCzFgITWCC2_s5uWtcQd0C5cnqX5NC5rg/s1600/P1300719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2JNbV2svs0L00bkY_83gWQdbjzW33uzMXreahUdLVHMKJO-E7qaZrWdKkWMZ1Yn8cKWw5N46zXaTpZCz4nGi0fiCKbfENQKp-fEHJ9zDyOxCzFgITWCC2_s5uWtcQd0C5cnqX5NC5rg/s1600/P1300719.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damned good duck, as it happens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I digress (yeah, does make a change, etc., etc.,) so back to the matching / clashing / not causing offence-ing. As it happened, the duck - Xian's is a remarkably aromatic, nicely cooked, star anise-wafting version of the classic - sat very nicely with the red, that "plum sauce" quality doing everything you'd pretty much expect. However, possibly because of the spring onion and cucumber, we both thought the white was the stand out pairing here. The red improved as it warmed up, although it wasn't as if we were serving it from the fridge, just from a regular cupboard in February in Britain. I'm still declaring victory for the white here. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVVcCsBftDi2tFyKLDQAbM-3v-2AwIo-_96a9-tmwwnGtmbNaB33VBpF0QWwPW-g6TGB6ClwSW8mlTyahmT46h5piciUcJfb9RQyzhEqt1kxy9w25kJFpKYdxdbfKeFcxs33-7koPvg4/s1600/P1300731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVVcCsBftDi2tFyKLDQAbM-3v-2AwIo-_96a9-tmwwnGtmbNaB33VBpF0QWwPW-g6TGB6ClwSW8mlTyahmT46h5piciUcJfb9RQyzhEqt1kxy9w25kJFpKYdxdbfKeFcxs33-7koPvg4/s1600/P1300731.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If anyone needs any garlic for a week or so... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Golden Sand King Prawn proved, as I suspected, a big challenge for both bottles. It's the first time we've ordered the dish and won't be the last, as it comes atop a vast pile of crispy, diced, fried garlic which we kept and lobbed onto salads and things on toast for the following day or three. The garlic made this dish deeply unpleasant against the Les Peyrouses Syrah. The La Redonne fared better and almost held up, and the slight acidity cut through the fat, a feat the Syrah didn't but this was not a classic (or a pairing to be repeated) by anyone's standards. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgXxOaf1aQJucL7Qa87xsNDtTbET-iT8vvBbUv_2sp7sk87QLxol0X9CqwjAiPe9NgQIuU8tdW5HFvUUt7GJvq8tAPDwAzKfvHWaGSz05cYWebfpzo_E76Fr090svYhuGhmcqziumdZc/s1600/P1300774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgXxOaf1aQJucL7Qa87xsNDtTbET-iT8vvBbUv_2sp7sk87QLxol0X9CqwjAiPe9NgQIuU8tdW5HFvUUt7GJvq8tAPDwAzKfvHWaGSz05cYWebfpzo_E76Fr090svYhuGhmcqziumdZc/s1600/P1300774.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prawn, lily bulb and mango. And, oddly, a single rogue pea I don't remember... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It probably won't come as a huge surprise then that the red also struggled with the prawns, lily bulb and mango - I'll pause here while you make "dur" noises at me - while the white, well, sang. For me, this was the best pairing of the evening. It was also the most designed to go well, so perhaps that shouldn't count? We can thrash out the morals another time. My notes have two ticks by the La Redonne for this one... and two big XXs against the Syrah. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXM7ZRj9NbTV6TYSxyIa85luZPulsw3-jM5RouScrpIrhDDW091t6-gGh54hPmJ-fv6FVxV1C0NPt_SKvh8yREzPzeauaVUfkljnoV2DpTMNGFnuUEoqsVwO1SbSl3kvlSYmrGY76UiI/s1600/P1300781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXM7ZRj9NbTV6TYSxyIa85luZPulsw3-jM5RouScrpIrhDDW091t6-gGh54hPmJ-fv6FVxV1C0NPt_SKvh8yREzPzeauaVUfkljnoV2DpTMNGFnuUEoqsVwO1SbSl3kvlSYmrGY76UiI/s1600/P1300781.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the best beef I've ever had from a takeaway. He says,. damning Xian with the faintest of praise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still, the Syrah would have its moment with the final dishes. Both wines did sterling work with the rice - the white against the rich, fatty nature of the dish as a whole, the red with the meatier content - but the La Redonne didn't really stand a chance against anything in a black bean sauce. Les Peyrouses though bounced happily off and around the vegetable and tofu mix, the aubergine being a particularly harmonious affair. The white briefly impressed with the addition of chilli oil and soy to the dish, but the plaudits still go to the Syrah. The same, somewhat inevitably, happened with the beef. It's not that the white was unpleasant, but Xian used some pretty damn tender, very well marinated meat and the Syrah was basically unstoppable. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq_q_Z9XjXDjjjhx_ABd3G6DK_edW5bKH7QstxdiJTdeaCjdo7wD9MwNNAdl8Y7IiW6Osay4mr5VhSEUtTQu0yGZqhrWIDIgJd0TC-ZuDGmM8wvHmW8W0ibS3F4XFytXgtkTZU2GI6BA/s1600/P1300794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq_q_Z9XjXDjjjhx_ABd3G6DK_edW5bKH7QstxdiJTdeaCjdo7wD9MwNNAdl8Y7IiW6Osay4mr5VhSEUtTQu0yGZqhrWIDIgJd0TC-ZuDGmM8wvHmW8W0ibS3F4XFytXgtkTZU2GI6BA/s1600/P1300794.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not Britain's most photogenic dish. Sorry. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">All told then, a pretty interesting experiment and one that will probably kick us out of our usual Chinese food and Gewurtztraminer / Riesling / etc., predictability. Cheers then, Rhone Valley. Was a fun "assignment."</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">*oh, yes, nearly forgot. A man walks into the pub, looking exhausted. "Are you alright, mate?" asks the barman. "Just been a hell of a day," the man replies. "My wife was cooking herself some lunch and she reached for what she thought were onions, and it turns out they were daffodil bulbs and the daffodil bulbs are poisonous. She collapsed, my kids found her, called an ambulance and they got her to hospital." "Blimey," says the barman, "how is she?" "Well, it wasn't looking good," replies the man. "They had to pump her stomach, she's been on a drip, and we were all worried. But she's been responding to treatment and they expect her to be out in the Spring..." </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Yeah. I'll get my coat. </span></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-44886937758619750652014-02-04T12:48:00.003-08:002014-02-04T12:48:55.565-08:00Bowled Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the most part, I really like Twitter. There are days when all the snide cliquey stuff can get a little too much, and I feel an essay brewing on one particular aspect of that... which will: a) probably require a completely new blog; b) lose me loads of followers; and c) get me reported to some self-appointed arbiter of Twittery good taste. Er, again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the positive side though, Twitter does enable people to connect with people they'd probably never otherwise meet. For example, me and Stephen Argent, the founder, chef and, in this instance, delivery driver for <a href="http://www.soupologie.com/" target="_blank">Soupologie</a>. You'll never guess what they make... </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh. You did.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mzyTqGvacNu8V7gbbD3Vtf0SqygynLV01GCjV3uX949sUuqH_2-QuR17GHV9qR2JCG0kOIIxHWvOOsAAbmiGhAYrTOlKpiyF56FnqMss-HX9v-QkUqspEUFrHp7stTXVQlr2V1oG3tw/s1600/Lambshank+Soup+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mzyTqGvacNu8V7gbbD3Vtf0SqygynLV01GCjV3uX949sUuqH_2-QuR17GHV9qR2JCG0kOIIxHWvOOsAAbmiGhAYrTOlKpiyF56FnqMss-HX9v-QkUqspEUFrHp7stTXVQlr2V1oG3tw/s1600/Lambshank+Soup+1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Butternut & Pepper. Plus a few props (see below)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Now, to be fair, if you've got a blender, a basic knowledge of flavours and the willingness to make good stocks, the idea of buying soup is probably completely alien. Except, of course, for Heinz Cream of Tomato because, well, it's Heinz Cream of Tomato, innit? However, I figured there were two good reasons to give Soupologie a try. First, their <a href="http://www.soupologie.com/retail-products/" target="_blank">flavours sounded intriguing</a>. Secondly, like me Stephen used to have a "real" job before jacking it all in to give something more enjoyable a go. He was a Chartered Accountant, cooking for friends and family, and was persuaded to sell some of his soup at a Christmas Fair in 2011. Flash forward two-and-a-bit years and he's supplying his range to Whole Foods, Planet Organic, As Nature Intended, Partridges, assorted London delis and even has three exclusive flavours in Fortnum and Mason. They're also lactose-free, gluten-free and contain no added sugar,making them bang on message for 2014's latest bit of food based paranoia. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoeUlJc9i62CBdK8rb9t9jaWcojYe37ON1Q3gkigzQH9Sa-1sUZFlKRoba2mQVFGeuDUfPbpseoGWK_WFz23JXRUuUWLwsBehxGYz18xRLy0VlK-uCH8tLOG4Tm9w4TszL_WX_cCwKsc/s1600/Lambshank+Soup+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoeUlJc9i62CBdK8rb9t9jaWcojYe37ON1Q3gkigzQH9Sa-1sUZFlKRoba2mQVFGeuDUfPbpseoGWK_WFz23JXRUuUWLwsBehxGYz18xRLy0VlK-uCH8tLOG4Tm9w4TszL_WX_cCwKsc/s1600/Lambshank+Soup+II.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broccoli with Matcha Green Tea. And more props (you know the drill)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">As this blog and my silhouette demonstrate, such things aren't exactly high on my checklist. No, the main reason I'm giving them blog space is because they're bloody tasty. The Roasted Butternut and Pepper was good. Surprisingly, as much as it sounds something from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Modern_Parents" target="_blank">The Modern Parents</a> or <a href="http://www.compulink.co.uk/~stevemann/strips.htm" target="_blank">It's Grim Up North London</a>, the Broccoli with Matcha Green Tea was even better. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">A word on the pictures. The chillies are partly there to feed <a href="http://food.uk.msn.com/food/eating-the-worlds-hottest-chillies" target="_blank">my well-documented addiction</a> but mostly to make the photos more interesting: the soups as they come need no tweaks and modifications flavour-wise. However, w</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">hile a proper photographer could no doubt make them look good straight from the saucepan, in my hands without a little cosmetic tweaking and a swirl of cream, we were looking at a big bowl of orange and a big bowl of green. As for the egg, that's mostly there as a bit of window dressing, partly to show off the fact that I've finally sussed how to do a decent poached egg but also because </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">there is something to be said for the silkiness of a yolk in pretty much anything soup-related, isn't there? </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-14367622698536703202014-02-02T06:42:00.001-08:002014-02-02T06:42:45.803-08:00A Small Celebration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcf1ODcPuxS12Go5eith3SwMAbsbjjFxjHP9w8fA0M5QkwqfnpVav0BywpdV5lRCHG_QOScTmIM0_1kOnftQnKUDiq7L_LSXAxiXWBp8u0iFYGyME7IwtSGZjxIGVlDSXsBcZqPJ88dU/s1600/Lambshank+Book+Celebration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcf1ODcPuxS12Go5eith3SwMAbsbjjFxjHP9w8fA0M5QkwqfnpVav0BywpdV5lRCHG_QOScTmIM0_1kOnftQnKUDiq7L_LSXAxiXWBp8u0iFYGyME7IwtSGZjxIGVlDSXsBcZqPJ88dU/s1600/Lambshank+Book+Celebration.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm the first to accept all allegations of smugness but I trust you might forgive me this slightly gratuitous cake photo. In the foreground, a diet-busting, gargantuan slice of celebratory Victoria Sponge, purchased earlier today from Ally Pally Farmers Market. To the right, a coffee made with the Panasonic NC-ZA1 I was recently sent to have a play with (and am slowly falling in with). And then, all artistically blurry at the back... the book what I wrote, what got published yesterday. I believe the current favoured internet expression in such circumstances is "squee"? </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-55136610234386775322014-01-19T15:53:00.002-08:002014-01-19T15:53:33.947-08:00It's A Soul Thing... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">I've written, rewritten, deleted and rewritten the start of this post many times. Should I explain my connection to Iqbal Wahhab, who hosted the lunch in question? Should I explain why I was at his flat to experience the food that's going to feature at his next restaurant venture? Should I talk about the chef, Wyatt Shevloff, who cooked it? Should I talk about all the lovely people that were also in attendance and what brought us all together? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYbHerXOwT-kJXjIqAGRQc5QO2AYCL5In8m5-6IQK81rTomNend9K_NGhnSKOqJGTpp3JatMF6GS4koL4uQvkuwscc7B_XRx3_ubTICTUV_D5Tc4dso_pgcBZ_nzW1gwxk3oDk4zqlFQ/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Devilled+Eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYbHerXOwT-kJXjIqAGRQc5QO2AYCL5In8m5-6IQK81rTomNend9K_NGhnSKOqJGTpp3JatMF6GS4koL4uQvkuwscc7B_XRx3_ubTICTUV_D5Tc4dso_pgcBZ_nzW1gwxk3oDk4zqlFQ/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Devilled+Eggs.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devilled eggs... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtgg2pDLryLirwZcqyZsfJmBMAIHrw7wOOfGz9vclj7ewztI_nXN_a_Y5hAj7CydxRIXlDFi7UtctKN_ceSwvh1mjRty2-h1BXwZayh0flfYDA2BBgOj-FrfRJr_C_9wbXJQnlp8YJj8/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Pickled+Grapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOtgg2pDLryLirwZcqyZsfJmBMAIHrw7wOOfGz9vclj7ewztI_nXN_a_Y5hAj7CydxRIXlDFi7UtctKN_ceSwvh1mjRty2-h1BXwZayh0flfYDA2BBgOj-FrfRJr_C_9wbXJQnlp8YJj8/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Pickled+Grapes.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickled grapes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I thought bugger it. The food is what matters. If you want to know any of the above, buy me a drink and I'll fill you in or, indeed, follow me on Twitter or Instagram - DineHard in both instances - and you can pick up on all the food friendships and / or experience serous food envy in a few weeks when we all hit Carolina. H</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e adds smugly... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAbA9Nwl0xwZL3z4ITA-PuX1VOtLbV_V2wwrIuOHcJuDh02AN9EOKm8viBgMRpF4IHuZmHZFuqYlkxKR2njDqB-Laj1rECkwQTwWB2ER8HbAoFkMkp646jVQ4EccD8DeQMbYqzZNVlZw/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Bourbon+Pickled+Jalapenos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAbA9Nwl0xwZL3z4ITA-PuX1VOtLbV_V2wwrIuOHcJuDh02AN9EOKm8viBgMRpF4IHuZmHZFuqYlkxKR2njDqB-Laj1rECkwQTwWB2ER8HbAoFkMkp646jVQ4EccD8DeQMbYqzZNVlZw/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Bourbon+Pickled+Jalapenos.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourbon pickled jalapenos... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik04P2Ui7sviZc9BKk_LWhxF-S33TSxM3zbhT9PR-C3y6m7BXm1fA1gnz9rNu9TOcly3z_oo_i-4fYvtHjwsMO_rbBIIPTybzz-HSX16qyRVe8l6qYPWD6AhyGXbvVxViqFGF4GcanSuQ/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Napkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik04P2Ui7sviZc9BKk_LWhxF-S33TSxM3zbhT9PR-C3y6m7BXm1fA1gnz9rNu9TOcly3z_oo_i-4fYvtHjwsMO_rbBIIPTybzz-HSX16qyRVe8l6qYPWD6AhyGXbvVxViqFGF4GcanSuQ/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Napkin.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah. Cool napkins. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwtkc0JG_l4CN3t6MrA5aXc8aQoOF0NQz46yyTiCd_v2jHPcDBJ3GvvTBBSAgaWN4RiWfduqA16bs70ZGsiJIJROHJ82Hn84wjBiegMSi2g0oCnO62KJf8SBWou7nHGKJLSWyGcrMXCI/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Watermelon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwtkc0JG_l4CN3t6MrA5aXc8aQoOF0NQz46yyTiCd_v2jHPcDBJ3GvvTBBSAgaWN4RiWfduqA16bs70ZGsiJIJROHJ82Hn84wjBiegMSi2g0oCnO62KJf8SBWou7nHGKJLSWyGcrMXCI/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Watermelon.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickled watermelon rind<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziK1lNuEAdfWxObyAvNRZyxTLkCHFLSdHBdMmXn_tBXuTiEAL0T2vClLAkcyar2fO_TNAwd_TjwRESJpljCJes642KuNN2rDznPDyMkasq1u3em4nKOUwIxhdDPpm-EfWkYOo9v65dSY/s1600/Hickory+Pit+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziK1lNuEAdfWxObyAvNRZyxTLkCHFLSdHBdMmXn_tBXuTiEAL0T2vClLAkcyar2fO_TNAwd_TjwRESJpljCJes642KuNN2rDznPDyMkasq1u3em4nKOUwIxhdDPpm-EfWkYOo9v65dSY/s1600/Hickory+Pit+chicken.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The "regular"chicken. Even better than it looks. I may have whimpered. Southern ladies ditto.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Basically, Iqbal founded The Cinnamon Club. Then he founded Roast. If all goes to plan, his next project will be The Hickory Pit, an American restaurant that, on the evidence of today's lunch, is going to widdle all over everything else vaguely similar that's opened in London in the last two years. And don't just take my word for it. I found myself sitting opposite an American from the southern states who declared Wyatt's gumbo as "the truth" which, I'm assured, is a very good thing. She also did that silent nodding thing / gesturing with a knife when the fried chicken came out which suggests yeah, this is GOOD chicken. To be fair she did pick holes in a couple of things - the mac n cheese, the pecan bourbon tart "which might work better as a topping on a cheesecake" - but that just means she knows her stuff. She's not a "yes" person and that the earlier positives have more value. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsCRv_0bnU0IlJvWMYbliS1MdMEPWbeM5E69ph8k3Pa9vSCr8qFMw_9LKXFPdV0q1yZd2XaGWTepodBcDDu3GY9erjWDlCpkS3-sRN6gdDIf3NgZDn-Aa4FoPQJog2xK7DxjZeDbyoD0/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Gumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsCRv_0bnU0IlJvWMYbliS1MdMEPWbeM5E69ph8k3Pa9vSCr8qFMw_9LKXFPdV0q1yZd2XaGWTepodBcDDu3GY9erjWDlCpkS3-sRN6gdDIf3NgZDn-Aa4FoPQJog2xK7DxjZeDbyoD0/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Gumbo.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The Truth. Apparently. Or "Gumbo" depending on how you look at it...<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaNnugsJtkW31mJWzuNsTxxw_Y8TvKuYZGWITRkJh7_-oZEvZic2Ra9U6bqjwgqMOrANZL5iFnFmcvsgF398dGnShqSRnbJEJmh5wz_oMil5UuO727BbXrP8Y18XOWYMA3Bu8Fq3RnWE/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Nashville+Sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghaNnugsJtkW31mJWzuNsTxxw_Y8TvKuYZGWITRkJh7_-oZEvZic2Ra9U6bqjwgqMOrANZL5iFnFmcvsgF398dGnShqSRnbJEJmh5wz_oMil5UuO727BbXrP8Y18XOWYMA3Bu8Fq3RnWE/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Nashville+Sauce.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Straight out of Nashville... fruity, hot and with an annoyingly cool label<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All I'm adding is that, if all goes to plan, The Hickory Pit will be open for business early 2014. And that, frankly, is a very good thing.... The fact that this feature is going to feel like a photo essay? Sorry. But man do you have a treat in store. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifICXOopoEPUgGyn26mvVGrRppZ8kwTQpkzWj2wEGZSr4Oei9PnK0Rh0K-zKKjbBCYUacIVELOVt-iGcYZqYZKGzgYQ7Se46vWLrH2bU6OZkXk3rTe9WilPSImPp_tF7502Kv3V5G_t6s/s1600/Hickory+Pit+wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifICXOopoEPUgGyn26mvVGrRppZ8kwTQpkzWj2wEGZSr4Oei9PnK0Rh0K-zKKjbBCYUacIVELOVt-iGcYZqYZKGzgYQ7Se46vWLrH2bU6OZkXk3rTe9WilPSImPp_tF7502Kv3V5G_t6s/s1600/Hickory+Pit+wings.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV62jXWx0LS2bnhNwfux0hSeXMWn9OumYytmqj0TLxBZvNgd8EodARp6GqHewbo71maagEqXz7HEE1qDxzIhnh1GXAT-i5Sr6oOmfcBCQAttMhZUHakTmFMT0IKLpgFVpGK-YDJk0IY94/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Bourbon+Pecan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV62jXWx0LS2bnhNwfux0hSeXMWn9OumYytmqj0TLxBZvNgd8EodARp6GqHewbo71maagEqXz7HEE1qDxzIhnh1GXAT-i5Sr6oOmfcBCQAttMhZUHakTmFMT0IKLpgFVpGK-YDJk0IY94/s1600/Hickory+Pit+Bourbon+Pecan.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Great pastry, vast quantities of bourbon, slightly caramelised pecans... as filthy as you'd expect, and doubly delicious.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifICXOopoEPUgGyn26mvVGrRppZ8kwTQpkzWj2wEGZSr4Oei9PnK0Rh0K-zKKjbBCYUacIVELOVt-iGcYZqYZKGzgYQ7Se46vWLrH2bU6OZkXk3rTe9WilPSImPp_tF7502Kv3V5G_t6s/s1600/Hickory+Pit+wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-37144879474780375042014-01-13T14:20:00.001-08:002014-01-31T04:42:40.507-08:00Magnetic Attraction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www8.glam.com/js/widgets/glam_author_logo.act?afid=1654708754;postadid=5000158993" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years, I've often joked here about integrity or, indeed, my gleeful lack of it. My usual stance is to say that my place on the moral highground was sold off years ago to build flats with a lovely view of the moral lowground... It is though meant as a joke. While I'll happily take all accusations of smugness on the chin (or, yes, chins), in my defence I would say: a) I kind of travel the world, eat and meet famous people for a living, who wouldn't be smug? and b) actually, I turn down a lot more than I accept. I also wouldn't do anything here on the blog that I didn't believe in as, to some extent, it's "my" publication. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, that's a rambling bit of background as to why I'm now about to write about kitchens, rather than food. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was recently approached about doing a post on </span><a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">Magnet Kitchens</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Ordinarily, I probably wouldn't but their timing was pretty damn spooky as their e mail appeared in my inbox a few minutes after discussing "should we get a new kitchen, or add a stand alone cupboard and get new doors?" with Mrs L. I read out the e mail with some amusement and the odd "I think we're being bugged" comment which is when Angela pointed out it was even more of a coincidence as our current kitchen - installed in 1994 before we'd even met - is a Magnet one. And, for the most part, it's still going strong. Sure, a couple of draw runners have had to be repaired but hell, that's hardly grounds for a compensation claim after two decades of insanely heavy use. No, our need is a combination of the cosmetic - after 20 years, the doors are looking a bit dull - and storage necessity brought about by all the kitchen gadgetry you get sent as a food writer. Ahem. As Kavey has just pointed out in </span><a href="http://www.kaveyeats.com/2014/01/whats-this-sous-vide-cooking-all-about.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">her excellent post</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Sous Vide machines (for example) are a lovely bit of kit but blimey they take up some space...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUSpyOJY09AFdSkUAW16FeLn6basF5JMncTocY-zeNxRVZTmV7xvB1nkK8w0U2DPK9BuK8j5xgTOILkcVMBJx_V22zA2yZlVQXoJL1dwaBynW7SluGDhmt0GBO0B8yIBQ5drg2eZkg-A/s1600/P1300276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUSpyOJY09AFdSkUAW16FeLn6basF5JMncTocY-zeNxRVZTmV7xvB1nkK8w0U2DPK9BuK8j5xgTOILkcVMBJx_V22zA2yZlVQXoJL1dwaBynW7SluGDhmt0GBO0B8yIBQ5drg2eZkg-A/s640/P1300276.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Magnet Showroom. Our kitchen doesn't look quite as neat as this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which is even more rambling to explain why earlier this week I spent a very interesting hour or so at Magnet's showrooms on - inevitably - Wigmore Street (seriously why is that the kitchen showroom capital of London?). To say that kitchen design has moved on since 1994 is a little bit of an understatement... </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHT-f3B-d0K9fTkPRn-zqAgKRWlO1o_ySajM56_uOX1fbQLna4jaN2j07gFX3g4uMPr-eVQGJop5POc7Af2c3BcrIXtkLG5n0bFGN3dqMN5CTRF3XZY1qOizjSvx8wZxoHQsNBZPcwc/s1600/P1300277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuHT-f3B-d0K9fTkPRn-zqAgKRWlO1o_ySajM56_uOX1fbQLna4jaN2j07gFX3g4uMPr-eVQGJop5POc7Af2c3BcrIXtkLG5n0bFGN3dqMN5CTRF3XZY1qOizjSvx8wZxoHQsNBZPcwc/s640/P1300277.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grey stripe in the cabinets? That's the Sound Bar - and surprisingly loud it is too. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The purpose of the visit was to look at a couple of Magnet's latest innovations, <a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/products/the-sound-bar" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">the Sound Bar</a> and <a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/products/illusion-sink" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">the Illusion Sink</a>. The net outcome was a serious case of kitchen lust, an exchange of business cards, promises to get Mrs L in for a chat asap and wandering back out onto Wigmore Street internally debating the merits of the <a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/kitchen-ranges/all-kitchens/Integra%20Astral%20Grey" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">Integra Astral Grey</a> kitchen vs the <a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/kitchen-ranges/all-kitchens/Leighton%20Grey" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">Leighton Grey</a>. I mean, the former is sleek, handle-free and uncluttered but the latter's probably more suited to a flat in a 1930s block plus it sounds like a 1930s matinee idol.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaelyYcSX2LyjeDPUxdFcWimHgop9yo3a30uZPoJKAju4MJjbACARFVWmMOfLNCFAFt06e33s121eo0tg0vR6RoNogLlQ906zLsN44Iwk3wz1rIhJgYGh8wjxdODeP5pnUGDzzHuKpZD0/s1600/P1300257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaelyYcSX2LyjeDPUxdFcWimHgop9yo3a30uZPoJKAju4MJjbACARFVWmMOfLNCFAFt06e33s121eo0tg0vR6RoNogLlQ906zLsN44Iwk3wz1rIhJgYGh8wjxdODeP5pnUGDzzHuKpZD0/s640/P1300257.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Illusion Sink. Now you see it... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c18sOqa7kvktTRaMi2u4yjQCuUO16jclZ6X3OvKeLUQzzjSSfyzzTYyifYfgVdp1VEFvj3l8q4lfIsmmfHrxnrXTO4SYUd8Fz6nMDOQmwDFIZjppLIhdIaMMjItESriAQm9YqhXrp3Y/s1600/P1300260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c18sOqa7kvktTRaMi2u4yjQCuUO16jclZ6X3OvKeLUQzzjSSfyzzTYyifYfgVdp1VEFvj3l8q4lfIsmmfHrxnrXTO4SYUd8Fz6nMDOQmwDFIZjppLIhdIaMMjItESriAQm9YqhXrp3Y/s640/P1300260.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and now you don't<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sound Bar is a great piece of kit, a Bluetooth speaker that sits between cabinets - so often a bit of dead space - and means you can play music / radio off your phone. The "Illusion Sink" isn't that magical but it's a clever way of pulling back worktop space: the tap collapses and there's a lid that slides into place to cover the sink. To be honest I'm not sure we'd use either but then I was distracted by <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/434667801505484599/" target="_blank">lateral opening larders</a> and - be still my beating heart - <a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/Accessories/Accessories/Internal%20Storage" target="_blank"rel="nofollow">pan drawers</a>. Hmm. I guess you know you're finally a grown up when pan drawers get you all flustered... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may have noticed that there's no photo of either our kitchen or, indeed, the EU gadget mountain that needs storage. There's a reason for that. Give us a few months though and a couple more visits to Magnet and you never know. </span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magnet provides a flexible full circle service that includes a smart design service, a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 year cabinet guarantee, free home survey and the unique Smart Care </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">service. The Sound Bar system is a system that can not only be incorporated into </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Integra Astral Grey kitchen, it can also be fitted with many other Magnet </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">kitchens.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To find out more about Magnet’s range of kitchens or to locate your nearest store, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">visit www.magnet.co.uk</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<a href="http://www.magnet.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdgEq_-e2KmIwFT6DZHpwIqLUElgdKAfQ-KUNEQCOpTbZw_RAjwKZpHahhBBeup6bHSFGPOnpA_kFj_OTY5tYw3MNJYjVrlo-Yag6f93RhNJJWQCWQE0GkEg2zNQKYOklj2O0n57Hy7I/s1600/Magnet_Logo.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Magnet via Glam Media. The opinions </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">positions of Magnet.</i></div>Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-14633609327015261902014-01-12T08:44:00.001-08:002014-01-12T08:45:45.036-08:00Taking Stock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While checking Simon Hopkinson's excellent <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roast-Chicken-Stories-Paperback-Cookery/dp/009187100X" target="_blank">Roast Chicken & Other Stories</a> for Christmas lunch idea, I came across a bookmark I'd placed there probably a couple of years ago. The marked recipe was the one for meat glaze, a base stock I'd been aiming to make since first flicking through the book. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJL_5zG_luIP57TIHE0nZhLIB_B7kUiXft9BmLQvRN9nNIeXOUnrATP3KUtOTheB47PUPFIxgNR5PqXeWkRPS-VOVFauEqZLhaj3Rlx2VLgggDXrdwfUxuBePQEmhC7ebNuydzJBrfTM/s1600/P1300236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJL_5zG_luIP57TIHE0nZhLIB_B7kUiXft9BmLQvRN9nNIeXOUnrATP3KUtOTheB47PUPFIxgNR5PqXeWkRPS-VOVFauEqZLhaj3Rlx2VLgggDXrdwfUxuBePQEmhC7ebNuydzJBrfTM/s1600/P1300236.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thoughts turned back to that recipe this morning while chatting to the charming "<a href="http://morgansbrecon.co.uk/" target="_blank">Welsh Butcher</a>" at Alexandra Palace Farmers Market and noticing the bags of bones he had for sale. When I got home, I realised the recipe calls for veal shin bones and a pound of beef but I figured, well, the spirit is surely to use what you have to hand? Hence there's now a pan full of beef marrow bones, odd joints of pig and assorted bits of veg bubbling away on the stove. It might not be the full Hopkinson but it smells bloody good... </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-85449326558504605322014-01-10T12:58:00.000-08:002014-01-10T12:59:12.287-08:00Brine Teaser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaRg_2LZwRfPT6mBV2IbLJ8U3KQENayltYS9sFfk-XfnCCGXc57s9PZwjBSeqc5ogeTKMKVnD2i0bEGfHrFjEoFHvPtfCdmbSUoOauD7hokSRYzX33tqxXE0kt-yhg7BOlhLGG3ULkPk/s1600/Brine+47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaRg_2LZwRfPT6mBV2IbLJ8U3KQENayltYS9sFfk-XfnCCGXc57s9PZwjBSeqc5ogeTKMKVnD2i0bEGfHrFjEoFHvPtfCdmbSUoOauD7hokSRYzX33tqxXE0kt-yhg7BOlhLGG3ULkPk/s1600/Brine+47.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What makes a great restaurant? It's a debate that didn't so much rage as bubble along amiably on Twitter recently, in response to </span><a href="http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/cheese-and-biscuits-restaurant-of-year.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Chris Pople's fine "restaurant of the year"</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> post and a general conclusion - well, at least by him, me and </span><a href="http://www.kaveyeats.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Kavey</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - that, while dining fireworks are marvellous, sometimes it's more about having a reliably good time. As it happens, my favourite meal of 2013 was a rather lovely combination of culinary fireworks, simple pleasures and feeling completely looked after. The location? A restaurant called </span><a href="http://brineoyster.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Brine</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, in the charming Massachusetts town of Newburyport. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgBX_RecOdKTud_49mwYZJWy4OOc-HdPMEeYBhJzB63okUB9hAnIZeX3kDhnkClpX7VN70cPhTNBJQ_WbORgoO2uGqZcbyUYjVOLxL4m0m7Lhs7bU-3Kt8k5GbbZiQzk6DWjf9YeRMrU/s1600/Brine+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgBX_RecOdKTud_49mwYZJWy4OOc-HdPMEeYBhJzB63okUB9hAnIZeX3kDhnkClpX7VN70cPhTNBJQ_WbORgoO2uGqZcbyUYjVOLxL4m0m7Lhs7bU-3Kt8k5GbbZiQzk6DWjf9YeRMrU/s1600/Brine+6.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">A small selection of oysters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Located a 50 minute (very pretty, "leaf-peeping" New England-in-the-fall) train ride from Boston, Newburyport is the sort of small town that <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lost-Continent-Travels-America/dp/0552998087" target="_blank">Bill Bryson</a> was once looking for but one that seems to be holding onto its values while also marching happily into the 21st Century. This is no doubt a tad simplified and a bit pink-spectacled - clearly many in the region are feeling the pinch of the global economic climate - but for the most part Newburyport, as demonstrated by an <a href="http://www.capeannfoodietours.com/our-tours/taste-newburyport/" target="_blank">excellent food walking tour the following morning</a>, seems to be ticking along very nicely, with lots of great and interesting businesses providing great and interesting products. </span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygQDoAbkOspdYsBGjkX-RAQBtQ8LSD_PwrfJKGccMN1J12ewhTu0uBag0-rtphOutlGqP_RoTGjPz2n5V2EpJt_orNMm1x6C0-pBzvkmgOENhAK57_n8Of8eBqpUGz-QA1ZXHrv7HCdU/s1600/Brine+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygQDoAbkOspdYsBGjkX-RAQBtQ8LSD_PwrfJKGccMN1J12ewhTu0uBag0-rtphOutlGqP_RoTGjPz2n5V2EpJt_orNMm1x6C0-pBzvkmgOENhAK57_n8Of8eBqpUGz-QA1ZXHrv7HCdU/s1600/Brine+26.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squid, spicy pork sausage, eggplant caponata, pine nuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The nature of Newburyport and the pleasures of living there first came up early that evening over a couple of beers with a complete stranger while sitting at the bar at <a href="http://ceiakitchenbar.com/" target="_blank">Ceia</a>. I'd slightly misjudged the length of time it was going to take me to walk from my lovely room at <a href="http://www.garrisoninn.com/home.html" target="_blank">The Garrison Inn</a> to Brine, so my "find somewhere nice for a quick pre-dinner drink" turned into "find somewhere nice and nestle in for a while." Ceia a) looked inviting and b) is pretty much opposite Brine so looked like a good bet. It was. Funnily enough, it turns out it's owned by the same people as Brine but, as it happens, the interior also brought to mind the classic American model borrowed so beautifully by Chris's 2013 pick, <a href="http://www.burgerandlobster.com/" target="_blank">Burger & Lobster</a>. However the citizens of Newburyport are considerably friendlier than your average Londoner and hence I soon found myself discussing local beers, the region's fish and assorted other topics with the chap to my right. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6y1PXdYGjintjr2VylLTyJDSTVpq_OiiserMpYTfu38p50pau8E-ZRs8V1izNgA8_G9-eyDFNyiYAbIrwBElgZpekk_Fossmi-myC0UpOOBV8XBZfdn_hTlAQu4LCElx73rL5uOHleM/s1600/Brine+39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6y1PXdYGjintjr2VylLTyJDSTVpq_OiiserMpYTfu38p50pau8E-ZRs8V1izNgA8_G9-eyDFNyiYAbIrwBElgZpekk_Fossmi-myC0UpOOBV8XBZfdn_hTlAQu4LCElx73rL5uOHleM/s1600/Brine+39.jpg" height="362" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prime Ribeye, charred onion soubise, beech mushrooms, tomato marmalade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier that day I'd been to Finz in Salem (see last post) and had ploughed through a huge amount of oysters and clams and other local delights. It had left me very happy indeed but really craving meat so when my chatty co-drinker's burger arrived - "the best burger in the area" he declared between mouthfuls and it looked it too - I was making vague plans to cut my evening at Brine short and sneak back over the road for a sandwich... plans that drifted happily away within about 10 minutes of sitting down at Brine. </span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbUkqcwCa4GSBa3AvHHCcE3M3MGeCs2ktjh3gyXnkc4nB1yZW65FrUqK_p7raJperStL3jes4OqX-eM6zEy4fJwG68aj0gNp7Itww9KO3XTyxdbstgZFbVz8JUgvJsMZ1eVQdi0n8xiM/s1600/Brine+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbUkqcwCa4GSBa3AvHHCcE3M3MGeCs2ktjh3gyXnkc4nB1yZW65FrUqK_p7raJperStL3jes4OqX-eM6zEy4fJwG68aj0gNp7Itww9KO3XTyxdbstgZFbVz8JUgvJsMZ1eVQdi0n8xiM/s1600/Brine+8.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Halibut Crudo, beetroot, mustard vinaigrette, walnuts, dill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I may have mentioned here in the past (and as friends to whom I've sent copies of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink will confirm) I'm a great believer in gut instinct. And, a couple of sips in and four great oysters down, Brine felt a lot like home, which possibly explains why, instead of sneaking across to Ceia for a burger, some four hours later, I was still sipping red, grinning like an idiot and starting to work out how I could throw my 50th birthday party at Brine in 2018. </span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO8SQuwCxqj4Dq1e8Tfdb4N4h_PQDzE6EJ5Ma9Cv6ZDhSSh0IT4WU6j3PaKvjZg4UxTeeIcNDHUZOANhTK3FPRPFaOTsrCHdphkeTXokxnbHhlBPtBMDVpF2E_L_nkIf07EYDpUrQZ6I/s1600/Brine+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO8SQuwCxqj4Dq1e8Tfdb4N4h_PQDzE6EJ5Ma9Cv6ZDhSSh0IT4WU6j3PaKvjZg4UxTeeIcNDHUZOANhTK3FPRPFaOTsrCHdphkeTXokxnbHhlBPtBMDVpF2E_L_nkIf07EYDpUrQZ6I/s1600/Brine+18.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clam Chowder. With extra bits of crispy pork belly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chef is <a href="http://brineoyster.com/our-crew/corey-marcoux/" target="_blank">Corey Marcoux</a> and, towards the end of the evening, he joined me for a chat, talking me through some of the dishes, his ideas and other Boston recommendations, a conversation that: a) continued via Twitter during the rest of my visit; and b) prompted my wife to describe it as a "bromance" and ask "oh, is it another message from your boyfriend?". She may just have been taking the mickey but, actually, Corey is one of those people you just click with and the front of house staff - under the guidance of the <a href="http://brineoyster.com/our-crew/bryanna-tebbetts/" target="_blank">Bryanna Tebbetts</a> - are similarly lovely. </span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi25I8gK6hxcioKjk_qZyRElmHZlq8E0O9fiHFov9dwxzwS1CUk_dHx9VN2oL6IZn6IxPuKuwF94hI_w64XrmTbhzJ7SNG-KKtPSOHR6W141uMjAHKc8BTBShruYao5g-pmz6G0vp5fV0/s1600/Brine+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi25I8gK6hxcioKjk_qZyRElmHZlq8E0O9fiHFov9dwxzwS1CUk_dHx9VN2oL6IZn6IxPuKuwF94hI_w64XrmTbhzJ7SNG-KKtPSOHR6W141uMjAHKc8BTBShruYao5g-pmz6G0vp5fV0/s1600/Brine+23.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bacon & Egg. And fried oysters. And brined green tomato. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Am I gushing? Probably. But, in basic terms, Brine (which, as you may have spotted from their website, is subtitled "Oysters Crudo Chops") just ticked all my boxes. A glance at the pictures shows off Corey's smart presentation, while a read of the captions gives a hint at the craft of the menu. This is a restaurant that can serve you something gloriously sophisticated and involved such as poached lobster, with gnocchi, sweetbreads, cauliflower, seabeans and currants, but also offers a daily "Sausage de la Casa" sandwich. If that wasn't reason enough to visit, they also </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">serve the best damn Clam Chowder I've ever had (pork stock, crisp discs of potato and lumps of pork belly perfection) AND the best single, simple dish I had all year (and, probably, longer). Its name? Bacon and Egg. No. Really. We are, however, talking their own house-made bacon, spiced, thickly sliced and served with fried oysters, a soft poached egg and brined green tomato. "People sometimes order it for dessert," explained my waitress. I wanted to reply "I'm not surprised" but by that point my eyes were rolling backwards in my head and I was probably making noises only species of small terriers can hear. Photos - particularly mine - don't do it justice. Words don't do it justice. You could argue that this dish - simple but creative, familiar but unusual, comforting but with a twist - encapsulates the whole Brine experience and ethos but that's obvious even by my standards. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8rKakXZL7L4etSh50wMqCP5RwSSawcPZVPo_9UpeIgcZtSHokoh-4RiOe4IwIwLNIVA80_h2nyk2T30NwWs_i-aX2a8XXDNKibt5ldYp2eTnI8WdiW_3Y8fH3SXpluGsSu5vDJQMXcs/s1600/Brine+43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8rKakXZL7L4etSh50wMqCP5RwSSawcPZVPo_9UpeIgcZtSHokoh-4RiOe4IwIwLNIVA80_h2nyk2T30NwWs_i-aX2a8XXDNKibt5ldYp2eTnI8WdiW_3Y8fH3SXpluGsSu5vDJQMXcs/s1600/Brine+43.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chocolate dessert. Called, cunningly, Chocolate. It doesn't really tell the whole story...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">While eating, I Tweeted several photos of Brine, prompting one friend to Google the menu. She then sent me a message as I was laying down my fork, asking what the hell is going on with the Chocolate dessert. She had a point: the menu describes it as "Chocolate, Brioche, Shiitake, Brown Butter, Hops, Smoke." Her curiosity, Corey's explanation and my, er, thoroughness when it comes to culinary research* meant there was only one possible outcome. The fork needed to come out one more time and dear God am I grateful it did. If I remember correctly - and there had been a few West Coast reds and East Coast beers consumed by that point so I probably don't - the brown butter came in the form of the ice cream, and those little blobs of jelly were where the hops and smoke were lurking. But I could be wrong. Whatever, individually, the elements on the plate were curious, together they were dazzling, and this dish was an interesting counterpoint to the simplicity of what had gone before. This is a chef that knows how to be clever but, better, when to leave things alone. If Corey's presence was the only good thing about Brine, then it would still be a place worth visiting. With this room, this menu, this front of house team and Corey and his entire brigade? Brine may be as close to my idea of a "perfect" restaurant as I've ever visited. People of Newburyport, I hope you know how lucky you are. And if you could just keep it all ticking along until February 2018, until I win the lottery or until I get another commission to visit the East Coast, that would be grand. Cheers. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* yeah, alright. I meant "greed". </span></div>
</div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-32205144573993319732014-01-06T12:36:00.002-08:002014-01-06T12:38:22.137-08:00Mei Mei - The Force Be With You...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxD-Gn4g73kvOpZ8aTpXtX7AubwpEFV8lJJoA4HXHhY9sWYqe7X4SrviuGLuTgglh_H9d57Asd7NzlfT_GE0HLmdOkBnTHgqEjXNahx5ksqu2yeI30yWKkE5GqNKqc2SeW7WfdWap3lk/s1600/Mei+Mei+Menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxD-Gn4g73kvOpZ8aTpXtX7AubwpEFV8lJJoA4HXHhY9sWYqe7X4SrviuGLuTgglh_H9d57Asd7NzlfT_GE0HLmdOkBnTHgqEjXNahx5ksqu2yeI30yWKkE5GqNKqc2SeW7WfdWap3lk/s1600/Mei+Mei+Menu.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Menu at Mei Mei Street Kitchen. Rarely has a sandwich been more accurately named... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's somewhat inevitable that, come December 31, you find yourself looking back over the highs (and lows) of the year. And it's similarly inevitable that this first blogpost of the year (insert own irregular gag here) will: a) focus on the best things consumed in 2013; and b) come across as monumentally smug even by my own high standards. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In short, 2013 was quite a year. Professionally, it was a year of real progress. I wrote two books for <a href="http://bluffers.com/" target="_blank">The Bluffer's Guides</a> people (<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/405859467/bluffers-guide-to-chocolate-chocoholics-unite/posts" target="_blank">The Bluffer's Guide to Chocolate</a> is published February 2014, and The Bluffer's Guide to Food is due April 2014), and also started contributing "gourmet destination guides" to <a href="http://www.escapismmagazine.com/" target="_blank">Escapism Magazine</a>, a new national travel magazine: m</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">y first piece for them - on Seattle - appeared in November. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of the books, I vowed that this year wouldn't be such a big one for travel... and, yes, I was only fooling myself. As well as Seattle, I went to <a href="http://issuu.com/squareupmedia/docs/sm83" target="_blank">Beijing</a> to drive the new Bentley (which was, er, interesting as the euphemism has it), Singapore, squeezed in a weekend in Amsterdam, hit Texas (yes, again) for more BBQ research (and that feature is coming, really it is), had a week in <a href="http://issuu.com/squareupmedia/docs/sm84" target="_blank">St Lucia</a> at two of the most remarkable hotels I've ever stayed in and, in October / November, spent the best part of two weeks eating my way through Boston and Washington DC. And many days in the gym since attempting to get back into the six shirts I bought in Austin... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb1nWOfb51y48WI0rFYhaq-F0RK1kft84AaptwJ5nZMCIHQz3jd-6mhJ6PxeQ6H-jFI-d_AoSPBEmvDFZh-35dCCwWPIqf2UPzZsT0GjaoiV0UXdmwSncunBhC80nf7aLQmU8x6_JZT4/s1600/Craig+Jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb1nWOfb51y48WI0rFYhaq-F0RK1kft84AaptwJ5nZMCIHQz3jd-6mhJ6PxeQ6H-jFI-d_AoSPBEmvDFZh-35dCCwWPIqf2UPzZsT0GjaoiV0UXdmwSncunBhC80nf7aLQmU8x6_JZT4/s1600/Craig+Jones.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basically unforgettable Craig Jones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The highlights then are too numerous (and way too smug) to mention in detail. I have particularly fond memories of a morning spent with Craig Jones, the white, Welsh, Rastafarian, power-lifting chef at Cap Maison in St Lucia (if ever a man was memorable...), pottering around the remarkable Castries Market and then cooking jerk lobster in my, ahem, villa. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4XhyphenhyphenBaDjP9o37sx8oExBmTrYdesVK4G19rOje-s2vDv-AkhteBQdFGcV984ilid9ng0JhzVesck5do5l3pIoFEmUKGAUrZoudeD1pPvyZj4GA-kBRjVZpm6MX4Hjc4P-Y9FSJNTUwzg/s1600/Jerk+Lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4XhyphenhyphenBaDjP9o37sx8oExBmTrYdesVK4G19rOje-s2vDv-AkhteBQdFGcV984ilid9ng0JhzVesck5do5l3pIoFEmUKGAUrZoudeD1pPvyZj4GA-kBRjVZpm6MX4Hjc4P-Y9FSJNTUwzg/s1600/Jerk+Lobster.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerk Lobster. Oh yes. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Singapore was incredible and, while the World Street Food Congress was to world street food what the World Series is to international baseball, much of the food consumed was terrific and the company - in the form of <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/jun/10/street-food-singapore-style-model-worth-copying" target="_blank">Richard Johnson</a> and Ed Smith and two fabulous French ladies - was always thoroughly enjoyable. I'm writing that one up for Escapism shortly but I'll be pushed to do better than Ed who blogged about the week brilliantly <a href="http://www.rocketandsquash.com/singapore-hawker-food-2/" target="_blank">over at Rocket & Squash</a>. DC's thriving food scene is also worthy of note - for example, the formerly best avoided 14th Street has seen 25 restaurants open and mostly succeed in the last 18 months. One of these, <a href="http://kapnosdc.com/" target="_blank">Kapnos</a>, is certainly in my top three for the year. Hell, any restaurant where the first thing you see as you walk in is a row of spits slowly roasting lambs, goats and pork shoulders is always going to get my vote.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo60p1b_UGwiHXvO6BbdQ_FY4jLzX23U1IeLjNwqs9891G11SyZKPuKn0lr7RWmoUlJRGJZylV1ADryirMrNOhOBH42sDF-qAMLZTMGy7UD_0qOibRdvZy0FGrJy1LCV98Sz-AN3N4Yg0/s1600/Flour+Sticky+Bun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo60p1b_UGwiHXvO6BbdQ_FY4jLzX23U1IeLjNwqs9891G11SyZKPuKn0lr7RWmoUlJRGJZylV1ADryirMrNOhOBH42sDF-qAMLZTMGy7UD_0qOibRdvZy0FGrJy1LCV98Sz-AN3N4Yg0/s1600/Flour+Sticky+Bun.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THAT Sticky Bun, c/o Flour in Boston. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_9zts6vTm_UKLse6BUYrl6g1pvTlpRxGGvDZ53FJnOrizYtxOMX3wKX0OMTJ-kBXSWJeXjyAVbGI94QT7tn1kDFFRj9WXDlnvCPyPEMl53jfA8seQF9yfiGEf_ELuUTcd0V7qQyuiuI/s1600/Finz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_9zts6vTm_UKLse6BUYrl6g1pvTlpRxGGvDZ53FJnOrizYtxOMX3wKX0OMTJ-kBXSWJeXjyAVbGI94QT7tn1kDFFRj9WXDlnvCPyPEMl53jfA8seQF9yfiGEf_ELuUTcd0V7qQyuiuI/s1600/Finz.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small selection - cough - from the raw bar at Finz, Salem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the place that really stole my heart in 2013? Boston... and the surrounding area. I'd explored the East Coast a little last year for <a href="http://food.uk.msn.com/food/east-coast-america-foodies" target="_blank">MSN</a>, but was very aware I'd barely scratched the surface. That's probably still the case as there are many places and towns on my list that I didn't reach (and Portland Maine you're top of that list) but, as my waistline and straining shirts can testify, my research was thorough. It was a trip full of great highlights - Joanne Chang's sticky buns at <a href="http://flourbakery.com/" target="_blank">Flour</a>, the cosy joys of <a href="http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/" target="_blank">Union Oyster House</a>, the impeccable raw bar at <a href="http://hipfinz.com/" target="_blank">Finz</a> in Salem, a brilliant Seven Deadly Sins menu on Halloween at Barbara Lynch's small-but-perfectly-formed <a href="http://stirboston.com/" target="_blank">Stir</a> to name but a few - but two places stand out above the rest. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlG6qom1_5JpAnJvwDygqDubwtgBibZ7xU0TgUIYfT6ibB9IXBW1sQmXgAfJVOrLBwLP0wF0rzfr3-CnePNnoQ5mf085j7mWiMPGFPFMebXQziOYHXJVphEHGEiBZEvh0ycW1H9IYTFSo/s1600/Stir+Boston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlG6qom1_5JpAnJvwDygqDubwtgBibZ7xU0TgUIYfT6ibB9IXBW1sQmXgAfJVOrLBwLP0wF0rzfr3-CnePNnoQ5mf085j7mWiMPGFPFMebXQziOYHXJVphEHGEiBZEvh0ycW1H9IYTFSo/s1600/Stir+Boston.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dining room / school / table at Stir. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7mB4tU5ZKuS1rMv-E_vMwoUPIGa0Azqdt55uVJ7MI_L_GWxsgn12HVkQLkOl6Xf9k3yrtbBFGuKG_3Bd7djMjer9sZ7IgqzuVDZiPnUzft71p2z98p3MfIdIaEcnPXuinXngS0cCx5M/s1600/Stir+Egg+Dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7mB4tU5ZKuS1rMv-E_vMwoUPIGa0Azqdt55uVJ7MI_L_GWxsgn12HVkQLkOl6Xf9k3yrtbBFGuKG_3Bd7djMjer9sZ7IgqzuVDZiPnUzft71p2z98p3MfIdIaEcnPXuinXngS0cCx5M/s1600/Stir+Egg+Dish.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Envy" at Stir's Seven Deadly Sins meal. Why envy? Every diner had a different variety or style of egg. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAwlKMEpJUEh6zrQiA7wDcvXtEpnga0M88hMekBSz-mBK1RSN3mufLxz2_h_R8xEHDIftmHQ5h-zLpaNsOHf5DrX9jymnSP8plQtTZTZWcyTHt_KnIUTcbc_A4JydUpjgAAtw2y_EVc0/s1600/Mei+Mei+Double+Awesome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAwlKMEpJUEh6zrQiA7wDcvXtEpnga0M88hMekBSz-mBK1RSN3mufLxz2_h_R8xEHDIftmHQ5h-zLpaNsOHf5DrX9jymnSP8plQtTZTZWcyTHt_KnIUTcbc_A4JydUpjgAAtw2y_EVc0/s1600/Mei+Mei+Double+Awesome.jpg" height="482" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Double Awesome. Oh my. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://meimeiboston.com/" target="_blank">Mei Mei Street Kitchen</a> is a Boston foodtruck owned and run by three siblings (and the story is told in much better detail <a href="http://meimeiboston.com/about-mmsk/" target="_blank">here</a>). In November - and I was fortunate enough to be there for the soft opening - they launched Mei Mei the restaurant, offering the street food menu at lunch time and a few more options for dinner. Their philosophy is sound, sustainable and locally sourced. More importantly, the food is superb, a delicious, hearty and healthy take on American Chinese food and ingredients and, in the form of the Double Awesome, one of the finest (and most accurately named) sandwiches I've ever consumed. Seriously, every time I see these guys Tweet about today's location for the truck, I find myself craving one. On paper it seems so simple - a pesto made from local greens, Vermont Cheddar and a poached-then-fried egg served in a spring onion pancake. In the mouth, it's like every comforting dish you've ever had, rolled into one, and made, well, doubly awesome by the presence of the crispy-but-oh-so-soft egg oozing warm yolk into the melting cheese and vibrant greens. Christ, I'm drooling just thinking about it.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2bkcnKUig5LtZBJzdxnm1GheCoP1HkNwJNvZK9gkAg5cmwe1MbOmqhipfoviKAdAg-ow6-yN_UX6hsdY6QZyLSh8lAOsAhyhdimN1ppnjypgjE1xodOtMi2tpJwpFELg6leb1yABaiM/s1600/Mei+Mei+Fat+Schantz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2bkcnKUig5LtZBJzdxnm1GheCoP1HkNwJNvZK9gkAg5cmwe1MbOmqhipfoviKAdAg-ow6-yN_UX6hsdY6QZyLSh8lAOsAhyhdimN1ppnjypgjE1xodOtMi2tpJwpFELg6leb1yABaiM/s1600/Mei+Mei+Fat+Schantz.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fat Schantz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In retrospect, some of the other dishes are just as good, if not better. There's not a wintery day that a pot of 24 Carrot Soup couldn't improve (the garnish of house pickles, local sea-brined feta and crispy garlic panko is genius) while the Fat Schantz - roast beef, potato salad, sliced apple, cranberry hoisin sauce and greens on another one of those pancakes - is every bit as glorious as it sounds. But my heart will always belong to the Double Awesome. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4orEW-1hlBoXj7HtkgVp21JLGq3O0FDCzr5FHaQH9IaZA_4N3g2Og69MfN2fOXqv3CN_5eErUTytvqRHlow0iVgdhanTFxZeOylA8ODx3HpMjOMVtBeHVKo46zn-4y8o0PfuaLd0x5s/s1600/Mei+Mei+Soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4orEW-1hlBoXj7HtkgVp21JLGq3O0FDCzr5FHaQH9IaZA_4N3g2Og69MfN2fOXqv3CN_5eErUTytvqRHlow0iVgdhanTFxZeOylA8ODx3HpMjOMVtBeHVKo46zn-4y8o0PfuaLd0x5s/s1600/Mei+Mei+Soup.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 24 Carrot Soup. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the best meal of 2013? <a href="https://twitter.com/DineHard" target="_blank">Twitter</a> followers may have already worked it out (I've gone on about it enough) but I think I'll leave that to another day partly so I can come up with a better pun / Boston reference for the title but mostly because the Double Awesome deserves its own post. Mei Mei, I salute you. And if you do find a way to ship Double Awsomes to London, well, you know where to find me... </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-24809089927263928752013-11-30T05:16:00.001-08:002013-11-30T05:16:30.941-08:00Swiss Diamonds Are A Girl's* Best Friend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Standard apology for being a rubbish. irregular blogger. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Extra bigger apology to the lovely people at Swiss Diamond who sent me "Covered Square Casserole" ages ago to write about. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) * when I say "a girl's" I mean " "everybody's"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wm-hZzpspamK7sWxEHUIb4NDkfR3NEMpR1MSltxZX7Yvkgbts27W_3bHFRCNCWCNyXKHhLGIXbhQYvGvTMgJ9L0YdZOG8iSgssIxjvE-9VIC5ZQhsLclHIJtGS3MooXM0joEYZG13uI/s1600/P1300124+for+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wm-hZzpspamK7sWxEHUIb4NDkfR3NEMpR1MSltxZX7Yvkgbts27W_3bHFRCNCWCNyXKHhLGIXbhQYvGvTMgJ9L0YdZOG8iSgssIxjvE-9VIC5ZQhsLclHIJtGS3MooXM0joEYZG13uI/s640/P1300124+for+Blog.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could make the usual excuses (work, travel, travel for work) and I'd have a point. However, there's no excuse not to update here more so consider it - should anyone give a flying one - top of my 2014 agenda / list of resolutions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, yes, <a href="http://www.swissdiamondstore.co.uk/" target="_blank">Swiss Diamond</a>. I got contacted out of the blue offering me something from their range several months ago, with a view to reviewing and offering a competition and such like. Hopefully that's still the case but, being 80% useless (obviously), I'll get to that in due course: hell, a second post is the least they deserve. Not just because of the "casserole bribery" (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm cheap but not that cheap) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but because the <a href="http://www.swissdiamondstore.co.uk/sd/casseroles/non-stick-square-casserole-5-lt-28-x-28-cm.html" target="_blank">Swiss Diamond 6628-2 Covered Square Casserole</a> (to give it the full name) has become one of my go-to pieces of kitchen equipment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you'll excuse the tea towel fluff in the pictures, this has become a ludicrously useful piece of kit. The capacity is great - most recently I've been using it as a generous frying pan to make the first stage of several day's worth of <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jun/09/illness-flu-cold-food-recipes" target="_blank">Simon Majumdar's life-saving dahl</a> while I attempt to undo the excess of three weeks in the US. The flat bottom means it sits very neatly on the hob. The size means it sits very neatly in the oven too - even with the handles, it's oven-safe up to 260 degrees C. I can't comment on the specifics of its diamond-coated interior and what that brings to the table (or hob or oven), but it does seem to cook and conduct heat fantastically evenly and, best of all, it's really blooming easy to clean. It does really good things to stews, bits of slow-cooked pork belly, the dahl... eveything I've thrown at it, basically. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, yes, I'm gushing but what the hell. Makes a change from my usual <a href="https://twitter.com/DineHard" target="_blank">grumpy cynicism</a>. I shall check with the powers-that-be regarding the competition so watch this space. I'd offer to give mine away but, frankly, you're not having it. </span></div>
Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-865312224224995366.post-39620295794751759892013-09-22T10:25:00.001-07:002013-09-22T10:25:56.200-07:00Just What It Says On The Label...<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgof18lst9AM9R-CCx4rOtTpgCKMoho6nK-6QqJoM8cl6dlVWSqT65uuO3ITLbs1Smyut1llg1Bb_gA27ELYbAs9bWOpK14y1E3jhcRep4Rlue3SX0jrY_OIJr13Lu9E6vlQbwq5lK50Hc/s1600/WP_20130922_003-756200.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgof18lst9AM9R-CCx4rOtTpgCKMoho6nK-6QqJoM8cl6dlVWSqT65uuO3ITLbs1Smyut1llg1Bb_gA27ELYbAs9bWOpK14y1E3jhcRep4Rlue3SX0jrY_OIJr13Lu9E6vlQbwq5lK50Hc/s320/WP_20130922_003-756200.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5926499771933126786" /></a></p><div> <div style="FONT-SIZE:11pt;FONT-FAMILY:Calibri,sans-serif">A final beer in St Lucia, with the backdrop that inspired it. Been quite a week... <br></div></div>Neil Daveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588842859218765012noreply@blogger.com1