tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395643584353556982024-02-19T22:50:12.391-08:00Beyond The BowlJenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-1394388791033143792013-04-18T05:20:00.002-07:002013-04-18T05:20:43.585-07:00Pop Art & Pot BelliesRecently I went to visit the Lichtenstein exhibition at the Tate Modern. I managed to scrape through A level Art all those years ago, and unfortunately all this left me with was a vague interest in modern art. Unfortunately I cannot profess to be a culture vulture and hadn't been to the Tate for years.<br />
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I dragged along two buddies who did Art A level with me (probably to a much better standard than me, those A level years are a haze of doing as little as possible and having far too much fun) and we mooched around the exhibition, choosing our favourite in each room and, despite Annie's best efforts at intelligent comments and knowledge, not taking ourselves too seriously. Proven by the decision to lie on the floor of the Turbine Hall and a bit of impromptu yoga training from Luce....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Lucy and Annie</td></tr>
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After more culture than we could bear, we hopped across the Millenium Bridge for something to eat and a much needed glass of wine (ok ok I was the one desperate for the wine - it was well after noon on a Saturday after all). I'd been into Bread Street Kitchen a couple of times just for a drink or two, so I was looking forward to chowing down on their burger.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit goes to Annie (I scoffed mine)</td></tr>
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It didn't disappoint. It was a juicy, meaty treat. Really nice amount of cheese and good pickles. I normally really dislike ketchup on anything, especially burgers which is a bit controversial but this was just the right amount to compliment the burger. I blame my parents for the summer trips to France for my obsession with mayo on chips. Anyway, the burger was delicious, as was the homemade mayo I had with the enormous chips. I normally prefer slightly less wedge-like chips but these were fluffy and crispy. My only criticism is that the burger doesn't come with chips, so £16 for burger and chips isn't cheap but it's worth it. For a much better review, have a look at <a href="http://www.burgerac.com/2012/07/bread-street-kitchen-short-rib-burger.html#more" target="_blank">what Burgerac thought. </a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh hi St Pauls, don't you look beaut</td></tr>
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After we had decided we couldn't eat another thing, we decided we could definitely fit in some more beverages so we headed upstairs to Madison. I should add that we were right opposite St Paul's in a complex - for want of a much better word! - that houses Bread Street, Barbecoa, and lots of shops and restaurants called One New Change. On the top floor is Madison, a large bar and restaurant with pretty dam good views. I'd been up before but you would not know this was here unless you had the inside track, and quite a few people do. <a href="http://www.designmynight.com/london" target="_blank">DesignMyNight.com</a> always help me out and they introduced me to Madison.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite the view</td></tr>
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As the sun went down over St Pauls, we decided to go in search of Disco Bistro because we hadn't eaten enough... Thanks to my iPhone we found it - above a closed pub with only a sign to lead us to this fabled place. You would not know it's there unless you go looking, which is kinda the point.<br />
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I ran up the stairs to suss it out as I didn't imagine it was going to be that busy at 6.30 on a Saturday - and I was right. Running up the stairs, I passed who I now realise was Carl Clarke, who is at the helm of this much-reviewed, much-loved pop up. He offered chicken wings and cocktails and I managed to persuade the girls to give it a run. We got straight into a cosy little table in the corner and commenced the consumption of a few too many cocktails called something like 'Live East Die' - champagne & gin, you can't go wrong.<br />
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There was no way I was leaving without some wings, having read numerous blogs about their fabulousness. So we chowed down and they were truly fabulous. I'm not a massive fan of wings normally but I find myself scouring my diary for a time when I can return before this amazing pop up closes on 26th May.<br />
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Sadly, there are no pictures of the wings as they were gone before you could say 'Another round of Live East Die please' but we did order more. Annie's one true love is white chocolate, so a basket of doughnuts with white chocolate and rhubarb sauces were ordered.<br />
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Being devoid of a sweet tooth, I ordered 'Cheese Crackers'. These came.<br />
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Probably the best 'Cheese Crackers' I've ever had. Cashel Blue, micro herbs, and a strange but delicious miniature broccoli type veggie. They were amazing, I loved them. I can still taste them now!<br />
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If you can get to Disco Bistro, I would really recommend it. I've heard it gets very busy and becomes as much a Disco as a Bistro... I've heard their burgers aren't too shabby either.<br />
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After paying the bill, which was really not much considering the cocktails we'd consumed, we disappeared into the night with full bellies and happy thoughts of a fantabulous day spent with lovely friends.<br />
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<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-82177451302549732102013-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:002013-04-08T05:30:00.409-07:00The First Dinner Party of 2013I absolutely love dinner parties, hosting them at our shack and going to friends. As no-one ever has any money for a big night out like we seemed to be able to manage in those fabled days of our early 20's, it's the perfect solution to eating good food, 'punishing the red grape' as my gorgeous friend Branchy says, and seeing lovely people without breaking the bank.<br />
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I have long relied on a slow-roasted lamb shoulder as my dinner party staple, so it was time to switch it up and attempt something else. I also decided to take the chance of some well-needed days off to make my own cheese. My bro got me a cheese-making kit for Christmas and after reading and re-reading the instructions, I thought I could manage it. </div>
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Good old Jamie has a tasty little marinated mozzarella recipe, which is really nice in the summer (optimistic). Never mind the weather, this was an easy 'recipe' that I can do before everyone arrives and the Prosecco starts flowing. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricotta is up next...</td></tr>
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It actually took two hours to do this - but it is easy. You need 8 pints of milk but everything else is in the box. The instructions are really clear and it did work. It looks pretty disgusting after the rennet (vegetarian) has worked it's cheesy magic, but as the instructions say, persevere. My main issue with it was that it wasn't really stretching like it shows in the instructions, so I kept microwaving it - I think this meant I got rid of too much whey and it became a bit hard.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About as stretchy as a pair of Spanx</td></tr>
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I bought some back up Buffalo mozzarella at my local farm shop, as this did not turn out as well as I was hoping. Everyone enjoyed the dish, but my mozzarella left something to be desired (despite one of my overly-kind buddies telling me he preferred mine. He's far too good a liar). </div>
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Next on my list was dessert - I'm really no baker but to be honest who needs to be with big Betty C helping you out? I grabbed the ingredients for Slutty Brownies and decided, thanks to Sarah from <a href="http://www.amilliondresses.com/" target="_blank">A Million Dresses</a>, I added some Rolos. I couldn't find the salted caramel sauce, but I think we would have all fallen into a food coma. </div>
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Yes that is cookie mix on the bottom, a layer of Oreos and Rolos and I was about to add the layer of brownie mix. I got this all ready so that by the end of dinner, I can throw these in the oven and carry on punishing the red grape (and punish it we did).<br />
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For main course, we had a standard menu change. Even the gorgeous Sambo commented on her excitement at the change - I really should try harder. My infamous Chorizo & Fennel spaghetti made it onto the menu - The Scouser's favourite.<br />
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<b>Here comes the science part: </b><br />
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It's a Jamie recipe, no surprises there - it does require proper chorizo sausage, which I get from Aldi. You may frown at Aldi, but once you get passed the random offerings of garden ornaments and deep fat fryers (yes I do not lie), there is some amazing stuff in there. A large chorizo sausage is £1.99, and this is comparable to at least £3 in M&S.<br />
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I've also started buying slightly better quality spaghetti as I think it actually makes a real difference. So you need 100g of spaghetti and I would say half a chorizo sausage per person. You'll also need a bulb of fennel which can be expensive unfortunately. Finally you'll need two tins of chopped tomatoes, teaspoon of fennel seeds, chilli flakes and garlic.<br />
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Slice the garlic and crack the fennel seeds in a pestle & mortar, through them into a pan with some olive oil - not too much as the chorizo will render it's own oil into the pan in a sec. For the chorizo cut it into slices, then in half again. You'll need to cut up the fennel too and I try and make it the same size as my chorizo (long thin pieces). Let the garlic fry gently, then throw in the chorizo with the chilli flakes - as much or as little as you like. Turn the heat up so the chorizo fries and then add the fennel after say 3-4 minutes. Stir it all up and let it fry for another 3-4 minutes. Turn the hat down and add two tins of chopped tomatoes. Leave to simmer until you are left with a nice thick silky sauce, normally about 30 minutes.<br />
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Obviously you'll need to cook your spaghetti. Always best not to drain this too much until it's bone dry, as the excess pasta water loosens up the sauce and makes it mix well. Thanks to my lovely mum, I now have a large pan that I can do the mixing in - sometimes I serve the pasta then throw the sauce on top, but with this it's better to mix it all then serve. I kept some chorizo to the side to make sure everyone got plenty of the good stuff.<br />
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As a final fancy schmancy addition, you can add the green fennel tops to the dish. If you really want to, you can make pangrattato - fried crispy breadcrumbs which sounds completely odd on top of pasta but I tell you it works. You need some chunks of bread, made into breadcrumbs. You can add to that whatever you like - I whizz mine up in a food processor/blender, so add some herbs like rosemary, dried chillies, anchovies, garlic, lemon zest, whatever you fancy. Fry the breadcrumbs in a splash of olive oil until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper and just sprinkle over the dish.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No pictures of the food, so here is Pippa the dog waiting for the guests to arrive</td></tr>
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My love for dinner parties continues and soon it will be time for BBQs - homemade burgers, chicken eaten with your fingers and beers in buckets of ice. This weather needs to be buck it's ideas up.<br />
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Little Note: You can now social network my posts to the max using the buttons at the bottom of this post, perhaps a like on Facebook or a tweet on Twitter? I'm also now on Bloglovin' if you want to get involved there too - <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6859241/?claim=qm5rcagavhx">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a> </div>
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Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-42210674002510334712013-04-08T04:33:00.001-07:002013-04-08T05:27:14.820-07:00Follow me on Bloglovin'<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6859241/?claim=qm5rcagavhx">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-56259084339838415232012-11-19T01:44:00.000-08:002012-11-19T01:44:50.328-08:00Birthday BingesIt's a family tradition to go for lunch or dinner on your birthday. We've been doing it for far too long, and now me and the bro are older, we seem to have far more expensive tastes in food. I blame my parents for introducing us to all kinds of food at a young age. But it's so rare we see each other now (even though I live 5 minutes away!) that we continue this tradition with a die-hard commitment.<br />
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I was a little late to the Brasserie Zedel party so for my 21-again birthday this year this place was my choice. It's a innocuous place, just off Piccadilly Circus, where TGIs and Angus Steak House make their money so not the first choice for the owners of The Ivy and The Wolseley to set up shop.<br />
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The entrance area is not exciting, but I thought it had an authentic Frenchy feel. We went downstairs and I loved the decor. Similar to the Wolseley, but more ostentatious, very art deco.<br />
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The waiters were suitably rude - I actually felt bad for being indecisive over my choice, and according to my lovely family, our server actually rolled his eyes at me. If you convince yourself this is the authentic French way, it makes you feel better.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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Unfortunately this is where my poor photography efforts fail. I had some amazingly garlicky snails and a large seabass. I won't rave over this place as I didn't think the food was rave-worthy, but I did really enjoy it for more than the food. The atmosphere is great, the menu is really reasonably priced and the people watching is fantastic. You really should share both the chocolate mousse and creme brulee for dessert, both are enormous and wonderful. I will go back soon.<br />
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Next up was the bro's birthday and if that was my 21-again birthday, his would be 18-again birthday. Although I know he wouldn't have chosen 'nose-to-tail' eating at 18. St John has been around for a while and serves up all the parts of animals that you wouldn't necessarily want to eat - until they slap a Michelin star onto it. So this was the destination of choice for Sunday and it did not disappoint. It's a very simple place, it used to be a smokehouse and the owners haven't messed with it much apart from installing a bar and a bakery (which provides such an amazing smell). </div>
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After downing a glass of St John's lovely white wine, we sat down and struggled over our orders. I had to go for bone marrow - I've never had it and I was being adventurous. It's very fatty but I convinced myself it must be good for me in some weird way. Unfortunately it doesn't look the most appetising dish but it was very tasty, the salad was the perfect match - reminds me to make parsley, capers and onions more. (And yes I took the bones home for lunatic dog)<br />
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After some seriously tasty starters, I was so excited for my main course. A bit controversial, I'd ordered kid goat. I'm as far from a vegetarian you'll ever get and I don't feel guilty - all thoughts of bouncy goats were pushed from my mind. I wasn't disappointed, I absolutely loved it. The aioli it came with was perfect too.<br />
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Every single mouthful was so tasty, better than lamb and not chewy as I had feared after a bad goat curry at Carnival. The presentation is not the selling point here, the plates are plain, as is the whole dining room. Don't go expecting flouncy towers of precariously balanced food. I love it.<br />
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Special mention has to go to my dad, the tripe-loving fiend he is for ordering this. I don't know how he eats this, let alone loves it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">what absolute tripe</td></tr>
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For dessert, we were all so full but had loved the food so much we couldn't deny the salted caramel tart.<br />
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This was without doubt the best dessert I've ever had. It was so rich I could never have one alone (well, maybe) but honestly I could not believe how good it was. The bro ordered 12 Madeleines to take home - the smell of these is something I will never be able to describe but if you go, you have to bring some home.<br />
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I loved St John, it was the best meal out I've had in some time (excluding Roscioli from the previous post). It probably helped that I hadn't seen my beloved family in a while and we were all so happy to be in each other's company for once, but the food and the service were fantastic. Best of all, you can buy the wine I loved to take home so I will enjoy that over Christmas. If it lasts that long at the Barchester.<br />
<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-75324359448893425062012-11-16T03:16:00.000-08:002012-11-16T03:16:12.481-08:00Bad Blogger - Still EatingI may have been missing in action (work had taken over my whole life) but fortunately I still managed to eat. Instead of blogging about every single thing I've scoffed separately, I thought I'd do a run down of my last few months in food.<br />
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Firstly, what seems like an age ago, I went to Exmouth Market and sampled the delights of Medcalf. This is a simple restaurant, in a beautiful street tucked away somewhere not-so-near Kings Cross. Think wooden floors, big tables and craft beers. Despite this being some months back, I can still remember how great this beef was...<br />
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The pies didn't look too bad either and the fish was gloriously crunchy. I would really recommend this place for a leisurely weekend feast. The service was a little odd, the waiter didn't seem to speak English but this didn't detract from the amazing food. </div>
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Onto the next highlight - my best friend's delivery of red velvet cake. Just what I needed after a long and particularly tricky day at work. Waiting on my doorstep for me when I got home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annie's Red Velvet Gift</td></tr>
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Next up, me and two of my lovely chums headed east as we were lucky enough to snap up a ticket to Ginstock - an amazing event organised with the British Street Food awards, by Tweat Up (if you don't know about them you should - http://www.facebook.com/TweatUp)<br />
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I managed to snag a stalker photo with Gennaro who I adore. He was hilarious and even more excited than me to be there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR1stNMbUGR_9EoeZPRMB-7f4_A3fwe-1e45_L1NI94AmkQTZNB1j7N7wMfQKEYJQr4PatH4vRG1YDnEuHZQM1OWNTyY9tgqS4A5xWeJjql_rKwsLhLNC-ik1RRy1piYz4JkxZUD-85c/s1600/IMG_2807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR1stNMbUGR_9EoeZPRMB-7f4_A3fwe-1e45_L1NI94AmkQTZNB1j7N7wMfQKEYJQr4PatH4vRG1YDnEuHZQM1OWNTyY9tgqS4A5xWeJjql_rKwsLhLNC-ik1RRy1piYz4JkxZUD-85c/s320/IMG_2807.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gennaro Contaldo</td></tr>
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We didn't manage to eat as much as I would have liked, as the gin took over (and didn't I feel it the next day) but we managed some oysters from Mussel Men and a cheeky Mackerel burger - the bun was way too big but the contents were amazing. All in all a fabulous and very messy day in the sun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not your average day in London</td></tr>
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During this time, I have managed to cook myself some food, although mostly it's been 'oven on, shovel it in' - I got this joint of lamb from my favourite butchers in Ross on Wye and it was so tasty. Not cheap, but worth it. I rubbed it with a herby butter and it exploded a bit in the oven - but we like a mess at the Barchester. I am totally crap at making gravy, so this jar of gelatinous stuff has been sent from the gods to satisfy The Scouser's gravy addiction.<br />
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Because I'm lucky enough to travel with my job, I jetted off to San Francisco for a week or so of hard work - and a night out thrown in. Below is my hangover feast from 'Super Duper Burger'. If you've read this blog before, you'll know I'm a fan of burgers - this is no Meat Liquor but I tell you what, it was pretty dam close. The garlic fries were out of this world, and despite then being unable to go within three metres of anyone, I had no regrets! If you're in San Fran (and why wouldn't you be, it's an amazing city), you have to try it - <a href="http://www.superdupersf.com/" target="_blank">the details are here</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Duper Burger</td></tr>
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After my work was finished, I went for dinner with some of my new US friends at Hope & Anchor. I found some fellow oyster-lovers and we went 'around the world'. My friend Doug introduced me to this - ordering 3 of every oyster they have, each trying one, then we each choose our favourites and have the final one. The best way I've ever eaten oysters!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdYan0qfEm2xjxrUFCp-Of2Bhh4Hcj8QR8PSZfDYmXISav9cZVfG30oEebodq5xj5M1L-bA8l0h-xOsVIh-WSgxk8HCBbBJHvIgoqN7Y8srRNWlnSJ5qraSo0bYwLgU_U0za7O1BP5HM/s1600/IMG_3125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdYan0qfEm2xjxrUFCp-Of2Bhh4Hcj8QR8PSZfDYmXISav9cZVfG30oEebodq5xj5M1L-bA8l0h-xOsVIh-WSgxk8HCBbBJHvIgoqN7Y8srRNWlnSJ5qraSo0bYwLgU_U0za7O1BP5HM/s320/IMG_3125.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around The World</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWgVS0tfv06gIDfq9xg0N1YOMKK9EtUU2hzjjrllXP7gza0dxVOjjCpPXCkraKEbZTOk7E34uY0Q8Q1tG8ncPpDB-j0WwbaVjdE65bLNRZOzHdbaek-cQVRgpHOAgFdPN4eKnhcY0QEI/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWgVS0tfv06gIDfq9xg0N1YOMKK9EtUU2hzjjrllXP7gza0dxVOjjCpPXCkraKEbZTOk7E34uY0Q8Q1tG8ncPpDB-j0WwbaVjdE65bLNRZOzHdbaek-cQVRgpHOAgFdPN4eKnhcY0QEI/s400/IMG_3114.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a truly unforgettable work trip</td></tr>
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My most recent trip has been to Rome, for pleasure not business. Italians treat eating like a sport and I love Italy and everything Italian, especially the food and wine. One night, The Scouser and I went to <a href="http://www.salumeriaroscioli.com/" target="_blank">Roscioli</a>, on recommendation from <a href="http://www.parlafood.com/" target="_blank">Katie Parla</a> - if you are going to Rome, download her app and read her blog as it's so helpful in cutting through the tonnes of advice, recommendations and 'oh you HAVE to go here' you'll get.<br />
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Roscioli is south of Piazza Navona and it's a small delicatessen with a restaurant placed around the large fridges. I was a little reluctant to sit in the deli but as the evening went on, I realised it was the best spot. You can see everything the chefs prepare, and admire the amazing cheese selection (which I then heartily indulged in).<br />
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I had six of the best oysters I have ever had, and then the tagliata - The Scouser had the most amazing carpaccio I've ever seen and in fact tasted. For 'dessert', I had a plate of the stinkiest cheese that has ever existed. Definitely up there with the best birthday meals of all time!<br />
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And so here ends the foodie run down of the last few months. I've eaten some amazing food and so had to make a heroic but painful return to boot camp last night, ready to eat my body weight in cheese and other such delights this Christmas. This weekend I am hibernating - roasting some kind of pork joint (attempting amazing crackling with help from my new Ginger Pig Meat Book) and try to create some chocolate mousse from scratch.Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-90265939275460870172012-09-20T05:11:00.000-07:002012-09-20T05:11:24.695-07:00Yes to YashinLast week I visited Yashin sushi in Kensington for my mum's birthday. It's a family tradition that we all meet up for dinner or lunch on our birthdays (especially important now we never see each other). The Scouser doesn't like too much raw fish, but this place has a different approach to sushi. The first one being 'no soy sauce'. I know, I thought it was a bit odd - but we definitely didn't miss it in the end. <br />
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As the chefs prepare the food at the bar, the welcome is very enthusiastic. The Scouser nearly fell through the door as everyone shouted something that must be similar to 'welcome' in Japanese.<br />
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We ordered our starters and there was so much I wanted, including oysters. Despite my love of the oysters, I went for soft shell crab - another big favourite. It was amazing and I think I won the best starter. Dad was making very happy noises over his tuna with truffle, but it was a little vinegary for me. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71gIFOtLpH7_mUOTLrmjZ6aJn01VgXmW9nNdmxGT-Tvv0uNTajyOONtOqRDyJm0EVmnDnWCTqJkXtl3nIfZ387VCTYPpC9EiIeWm59SlO_3EnWuKfO8ii45QwUzuuyi7pChcK_On-4bs/s1600/IMG_2775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71gIFOtLpH7_mUOTLrmjZ6aJn01VgXmW9nNdmxGT-Tvv0uNTajyOONtOqRDyJm0EVmnDnWCTqJkXtl3nIfZ387VCTYPpC9EiIeWm59SlO_3EnWuKfO8ii45QwUzuuyi7pChcK_On-4bs/s320/IMG_2775.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft Shell Crab</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuna with Truffle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef</td></tr>
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Mum got a little special happy birthday plate and was suitably embarrassed as the whole place (including the chefs) sang happy birthday. She's a little bit shy - it doesn't run in the family.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdmJK-CPm_Rw8Ep1SyMt3I4KxF-DtfBlnIgKhF_CyJQR0dlnJdra5g-Za7XkByXQ4jC-YtnSQVBcQtaxrCc__VOILdzS7ESYvb4Ny6o8H-KnDohxs_rxz6GfFXmNlVihniRvfzSIMuQs/s1600/IMG_2773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdmJK-CPm_Rw8Ep1SyMt3I4KxF-DtfBlnIgKhF_CyJQR0dlnJdra5g-Za7XkByXQ4jC-YtnSQVBcQtaxrCc__VOILdzS7ESYvb4Ny6o8H-KnDohxs_rxz6GfFXmNlVihniRvfzSIMuQs/s320/IMG_2773.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What better way to say Happy Birthday than with scallops?</td></tr>
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Onto main course, where we all had eight pieces of nigiri with a different fish on each. Now having had a glass or two of wine by this point, I can't remember each fish - safe to say, they were all really tasty. Some more fishy than others, and the crunchy roll topped with tuna was my faraway favourite (it's the top left in the picture below).<br />
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Mum was also a little intoxicated by this point - Dad apparently couldn't refuse her demand for pre-dinner cocktails - and so we ordered some sashimi, her 'favourite', she said. Well, when it came it was very impressive. And it certainly matched that in taste. All of the sushi was so fresh and more interestingly presented and created than normal sushi restaurants.<br />
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I absolutely love sashimi and could eat it all day long but mum wasn't so sure - this may have been more to do with the wine than the sushi...<br />
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I am not sure this is better than Dinings (<a href="http://www.dinings.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a> if you don't know about it) but I think they've changed their menu since I last went. Japanese tapas? Stick to what you do best I say. Unfortunately The Scouser still isn't totally converted to the sushi way of life but I will always love the slivers of fish and their pillows of rice.<br />
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You can find Yashin here - <a href="http://www.yashinsushi.com/" target="_blank">www.yashinsushi.com</a> Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-10425376816756724932012-08-28T10:17:00.002-07:002012-08-28T10:17:16.508-07:00The Perfect Steak & its place in The Manwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everyone who knows me knows that I love steak. In fact, all red meat is probably my food of choice. Apart from cheese. Cheese and steak - I would hate to think of my cholesterol. Recently, I found out I was deficient in vitamin B12 which isn't present in many foods, apart from red meat which has loads of it. Despite my love of the red stuff, I have to have a little injection to keep me topped up every three months. When the doctor asked me if I was vegetarian, you can imagine my reaction. I must be the least vegetarian person in the world. <br />
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If there is a steak on the menu, you can be sure I will order it. I have to physically stop myself doing this. At Barbecoa earlier this year, The Scouser and I had the best steak I've probably ever had (and coincidentally, the best table in the restaurant - the service was amazing. Don't listen to the people who slate it). On a par with that would be Gaucho. I'm yet to go to Hawksmoor, but it's on the list, amongst at least 20 other restaurants.<br />
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I recently read an article on <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/19/perfect-steak-sirloin-rump-fillet" target="_blank">The Perfect Steak</a>, courtesy of the Ginger Pig (whose cookbook I want too). I realised how I hadn't tried so many of the different steaks in that article, so I'm going to start. I think my butchers could supply with everything there. Then it's just the cooking to worry about. Maybe I'll have to invest in this meat lover's cookbook after all...what a shame.<br />
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Normally I favour the ribeye. When it's a good cut, it's so tasty and stays juicy. Although when you eat it like I do, it's barely stopped moving let alone lost it's juiciness. I have managed to bring The Scouser into this way of thinking too, not entirely kicking and screaming... But a sirloin can be lovely too. Especially when it's featuring in The Manwich.<br />
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This is a discovery I have made on a blog I've become a little more than obsessed with - <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/" target="_blank">The Londoner</a>. Rose blogs about all kinds, but she has some amazing recipes (need I remind you of the Slutty Brownies?) Having spent more hours than I'd care to admit browsing through her blog, I stumbled across something I knew I would love by the name alone - <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2012/01/manwich.html" target="_blank">The Manwich</a>. It's got two types of cheese, loads of steak and a nice carb-overload. Are you salivating already?<br />
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It's simple. You need the above (chips are for the more greedy amongst us - we had been decorating all day. That's our excuse and we're sticking to it). Plus mustard and cheddar cheese. Have a look at Rose's picture and her ingredients list, she's much more organised with her photography and instructions. The bread is important here, you need it to be big and thick. You'll need a griddle pan too, for those nice grill lines on the steak.<br />
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Get everything ready - the steak cooks fast, and you need to shove it in your gob asap once it's ready. While I was waiting for the pan to heat up (because it needs to be SMOKING hot), I cut the bread up and laid it in the pan to toast it a little. So grate your cheese, get everything opened up, plates out (it's all going a bit Jamie Oliver 30 Minute Meals isn't it? This is easier. promise). <br />
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Once the steaks are cooked, get them out and let them rest. I find this so hard because I just want to eat the steak right there and then but no you must wait like an impatient child on Christmas morning. When you can wait no more, slice it up like so...<br />
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Quickly layer up as much steak as you want, or until The Manwich can take no more, and sprinkle cheese over the top. Get the top piece of bread and squash it all down and tuck in quickly. My mouth was watering at this point, but I managed to hold back to get a picture of my beloved Manwich. The Scouser said it was the best sandwich he'd ever eaten. And he eats a lot of sandwiches. Just not many Manwiches. <br />
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<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-63194957396759164022012-08-17T03:55:00.000-07:002012-08-17T03:55:07.364-07:00Relaxing in Ross-on-WyeRecently The Scouser and I visited Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. It's a beautiful part of the world, all sleepy villages and lots of local food to discover. We ate out as well as in to avoid bankruptcy - but we definitely made the most of all the food on offer.<br />
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We got there and went around the different shops to fill up the fridge. First stop - Andy Callwood's butcher shop for the famed ham hocks. These are the best ham, without doubt, you'll ever eat. They cost £2-3, worth every penny. It's like a knuckle of meat, the bone in and they cook them for hours - then you can just slice some off when you fancy. So much better than that horrible pre-packed sliced ham from supermarkets! I also got some amazing tomato & basil sausages and bacon that could be used as a doorstop (but much much tastier). <br />
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Next stop, my favourite - the delicatessen called Truffles. This place isn't cheap, but it has a mass of cheese and exciting things in jars like chutneys and jams. I got some of the local cheese called Hereford Hop which is tastier than cheddar, as it's coated in hops which give it the rich flavour. I also got Black Bomber cheddar - this is the best cheddar ever. Ever. It's not local to Herefordshire, so if you see it, buy it. I also got some of my favourite pate made by family company Patchwork Pate - excuse my raving over everything, but this is the best pate and I would love to be able to get mine as good as this. They have all kinds of flavours, mainly with booze like tequila - sounds vile, tastes amazing.<br />
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Back we went with the haul to feast away...<br />
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This lasted us for the four days we were there which is shocking considering how I cannot resist cheese if it's right there every time I open the fridge.<br />
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In the centre of Ross on Wye there aren't that many nice cosy pubs - when I say nice, I'm talking good lager on tap and a good wine list, because we are massive snobs. Maybe when we win the lottery, we'll go and open what would be our idea of the perfect pub in the town centre. Anyway, we got a taxi to the Kilcot Inn to find the kind of pub we like.<br />
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It was a lovely pub, nice and cosy. The menu wasn't massive, but we had the 'love it or hate it' Welsh Rarebit. It was the most cheesiest thing I've ever eaten and that is saying something. Surprisingly, we both had steak for main - just for a change... Mine was cooked rare, and really tasty. I'd definitely go back here - we even got to watch Mo Farah win the 10,000m race and Jess win her Heptathlon.<br />
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We also went for dinner at Wilton Court, a riverside restaurant with rooms. Now this might be one of the strangest places I've been to eat. We walked in to an enthusiastic welcome from a guy who loves his job and rushed around all night - then chatted to us for ages after our meal! Something us city people aren't used to... The decor in this place is more than a bit weird - bright yellow walls that remind me of the 80's. But the conservatory is nice and the food was really really good.<br />
<br />
To compensate for all this eating, we went to Symonds Yat, a village in the Forest of Dean with a very steep hill (I would say mountain) that we walked up. I was exhausted but the views were amazing. We probably ruined all this exercise with a cream tea when we got back down to earth. I don't have a sweet tooth unless it involves a scone, clotted cream and sticky jam. If only Broome Farm had been open for one of their notorious cream teas - more cream and jam than you could shake a stick at.<br />
<br />
Ross on Wye, we'll be back!<br />
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Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-82638190762602620672012-08-09T04:53:00.000-07:002012-08-10T00:44:02.143-07:00Dinner Party featuring Slutty Brownies<a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/" target="_blank"></a>I have had a fair few parties at my house, not always managing to consume dinner. As I get older and wiser (yes, it's true) I find I can't go out until 4am and drink myself into oblivion. So I tend to stay in and drink myself into oblivion and somehow it ends up being 3am - so perhaps not that old or wise.<br />
<br />
Staying in, in my world, is definitely the new going out. I love going out, I love nothing more than an anticipated dinner at a restaurant that has been on my wish list for months. I love meeting up with my dinner-mates early for a drink or three, the anticipation of a fabulous dinner and hours of chatting and laughing. But I also like attempting my own feast and as I haven't won the Euro Millions yet, it's a good thing too.<br />
<br />
My most recent dinner party consisted of my lovely newly-wed friends back from their honeymoon with tans and happiness sparkling in their eyes, and Pippa the dog's favourite auntie and her Swedish boyfriend, visiting for the weekend. Much discussion was had over the menu, but not as much as we discussed the alcohol. The newlyweds arrived with bags full of booze and the freezer was promptly jammed full and we set about the gin.<br />
<br />
Now, since I have very little self control, I have to make sure everything is as ready as possible because I know when the alcohol arrives, all the concern over serving dinner dissipates and I fill myself with gin and Prosecco. So the slow roast lamb shoulder I am always banging on about is perfect - throw it in the oven about 4 hours before you want to serve it up and Bob is your proverbial uncle.<br />
<br />
I also chopped, mixed and prepped everything - the antipasti plates were laid out, I mixed the mixture for the <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/baked-mushrooms-stuffed-with-ricotta-fun" target="_blank">ricotta mushrooms</a>, and my brownies were ready for the oven to be served warm (more on that later).<br />
<br />
I used to be a little scared of dinner parties, as our kitchen is also where the table goes, so you drag everyone in to sit down then they watch as you flap about in the final moments. Unfortunately this fear didn't go unfounded as I did manage to pour a whole jug of very hot red wine sauce over a friend's crotch once (after too much Prosecco) so don't get over confident or you could be preventing your friend's future child-bearing capabilities.<br />
<br />
Normally, if you are well-prepared and have cooked what you're serving up before, then it will be fine. And they are your friends, so they won't be too harsh...right? Well, let's not mention the time my friend decided it would be hilarious to bring her video camera and film everyone's review a la Come Dine With Me. I still have nightmares about those scathing videos turning up online.<br />
<br />
Anyway, this time everything went without too much a hitch and there were no crotch-scolding spillages. I did drop a ricotta-filled mushroom but it was onto one half of the newlyweds, so he didn't mind too much. He even described my lamb as 'meat heroin' the following day, so he is firmly in the good books. I even managed to enjoy plenty of food myself and I have to say I did myself proud.<br />
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Now, I have to give special mention to the Slutty Brownies we had for dessert. I have become just slightly addicted to <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/" target="_blank">The Londoner</a> a blog by a rather beautiful London girl, who's life you will want a piece of. These <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html" target="_blank">Slutty Brownies</a> are without doubt the best dinner party dessert. They take 15 minutes to make and 30 minutes to cook. You do have to cheat and get Betty Crocker's finest, but when you've slaved over everything else, an easy dessert is key in my book. They went down an absolute treat and I tried to avoid the credit for these - so easy and so delicious. I urge you to try them - and I promise I haven't exaggerated the ease of cooking!<br />
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and I can't really explain why - cheesy meaty sloppy goodness and a
frequent hangover cure of choice. I've been to Meat Market and Meat
Liquor, as well as Honest in Brixton who all peddle some amazing burgers
that I would highly recommend. <br />
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<br />
Making burgers at home is
never the same, but I always give it a go. The best way to cook those
bad boys is on a BBQ - just a shame the weather means that sometimes you
have to cook under an umbrella.<br />
<br />
I get a load of mince -
500g will make two massive burgers, or three reasonably sized ones.
Squidge it all up in a bowl and add whatever you fancy. I add loads of
garlic, sometimes some herbs and spice, definitely plenty of seasoning
and an egg too - to make it all stick together. Mix it up, with a fork
if you need to squash it, and then make a round ball of mincey mix for
each burger. They will shrink a little when you cook them, and try and
pack them tight so they don't fall apart.<br />
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<br />
Dab a bit of olive oil on each side so they don't stick to the
BBQ when you are cooking them, then turn them only once. Leave them on
the grill for 5-10 minutes before you turn them. A burger is best with a
crispy outside and a juicy inside.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Slap some cheese on top of the burger - my choice is those lovely
little cheese slices that look bright orange and probably aren't cheese
at all. But you can have whatever you like - The Scouse has been
enjoying some 'Mexican' cheese that seems to be cheddar with jalapenos
in...<br />
<br />
<br />
Making your own burgers is fair more satisfying than buying those
horrid burgers from the BBQ aisle at the supermarket. And easy and
cheaper! <br />
<br />
If you are also a little obsessed with burgers and where to eat the best ones, have a look at these blogs:<br />
<a href="http://burgaffair.com/" target="_blank">Burgaffair</a> - these guys are on a mission around London to try the burgers everyone is raving about and then create their own league table<br />
<a href="http://www.burgerac.com/" target="_blank">Burgerac</a> - the most comprehensive burger blog, everything is about burgers here and not just limited to London<br />
<a href="http://youngandfoodish.com/london/top-10-burgers-in-london/" target="_blank">Young & Foodish's Top 10 Burgers in London</a> - this list has recently been rejigged by foodie afficonado Daniel Young and I'm yet to visit these. Widely considered the burger expert!Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-12282132663249492952012-07-23T08:23:00.001-07:002012-07-23T08:24:52.309-07:00Can Cook, Does Cook: Home Cooking at The BarchesterDespite having an unhealthy addiction - when it comes to my bank balance that is - to eating out at restaurants here there and everywhere, I do love to cook at home. My cookbook collection is ever-expanding and if you have a look back through my posts, I'm always wittering on about my new book and which recipes I may attempt/pour over/ruin.<br />
<br />
However I find that some of the things I cook the most come from either something my mum has made or something I've decided to try based on the extensive flicking through said books. As I've mentioned before, my mum can probably cook anything and probably has, thanks to my dad's strange and adventurous food tastes - snails, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andouillette" target="_blank">Andouillette sausages</a>, pigs trotters... The list goes on. In fact dad once deep fried pigs ears, served them up without telling us what they were and dared us to try. Needless to say, we haven't tried that again. <br />
<br />
My mum taught me 95% of what I know when it comes to cooking and luckily enough my parents would treat us to a lovely dinner out and about more often than me and Bro probably deserved. So my foody ways have to be blamed on them both - now they do benefit these days as I try to cook for them, with some considerable success if I do say so myself. <br />
<br />
Mum taught me this next recipe and it's very easy and cheap. You can do it from store cupboard and freezer items - I always have a stash of sausages in the freezer because The Scouser would do almost anything for a sausage and bacon sandwich (my bribe of choice). <br />
<br />
<b>Sausage Ragu (feeds 4 if you aren't too hungry)</b><br />
<br />
You will need the following:<br />
1 onion<br />
bunch of sage (or dried if you can't get it - I never can!)<br />
6 sausages (don't need to be posh, the cheaper the better)<br />
a few cloves of garlic (I have an obsession and so add loads)<br />
tomato puree<br />
little bit of red wine (normally as much as I can spare from the bottle I inevitably open)<br />
100ml whole milk (semi-skimmed at a push, but you'll need more)<br />
pasta <br />
Parmesan, if you fancy it<br />
<br />
Chop the onion, garlic and the sage - throw it all in a frying pan with some olive oil and a bit of salt. Fry this off until it's softened, but not brown. Meanwhile you need to skin the sausages - slide the knife down the sausage and peel it's skin away. Break the meat up if you can (cheaper ones can be a little sticky!) Now chuck all the meat into the sauce pan and mix it in - don't have the heat too high and try to break the meat down. You want it to be slightly larger than mince.<br />
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Once it's broken down, put approximately 2 tbsp of tomato puree in. I add a bit more but it depends on how much sauce you want. Stir and stir until the sausage meat is all covered in lovely redness. Let this cook for a minute, then throw in some red wine. I like it quite wine-y but can never bear to spare too much wine - don't put in more than a large glass. Let it cook down, turn the heat down to medium-low and add half the milk. Now this is a bit weird to add milk but don't worry - you won't taste or see it, it's to richen the sauce. Give it a final stir and let it cook for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is quite rich and thick. Serve it up on top of pasta and with some Parmesan if you're using it. Nice homely food that won't break the bank.<br />
<br />
<b>Mushrooms on Toast (feeds as many as you want)</b><br />
<br />
You will need:<br />
a slice per person of nice bread of your choice<br />
some wild mushrooms if you can get them<br />
cream<br />
butter<br />
<br />
This is not a healthy one! You don't have to use much cream or butter as somehow the mushrooms release some lovely juiciness that makes the sauce creamy - the cream is just to add a bit extra. I can get wild mushrooms from the market near my office, and as they become totes fashionable then they will be in supermarkets. Tesco do <a href="http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=272866906" target="_blank">these</a> which aren't that cheap as I can get them for £1.50/200g. I've tried this with chestnut mushrooms and it's nearly as good (and cheaper still!)<br />
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<br />
Anyway, brush off any dirt and chop up the larger mushrooms. Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan and throw your mushrooms in with some salt and pepper. They won't need much cooking, so once they've started giving up their juice, pour a little cream in and keep stirring them. Put your toast on, and once everything is warm and you have enough sauce to soak into the bread, serve it up and enjoy immediately. An easy starter or quick main if you're on your own!<br />
<br />
<b>Pizza </b><br />
<br />
Because we're totally zany and really know how to live, me and The Scouser decided to have a pizza making competition this weekend. I know, we really know how to live... I've been following the escapades of <a href="http://www.theskintfoodie.com/" target="_blank">The Skint Foodie</a> since he started his blog in December 2011. He's recently been featured in Observer Food Monthly - a fascinating guy with a <a href="http://www.theskintfoodie.com/about.html" target="_blank">story </a>to tell. He lives off £40 a week for food and he has some amazing recipes, I encourage you to browse. He has published a pizza dough recipe (and pizza base sauce too) so we used this for our bases. <a href="http://www.theskintfoodie.com/pizza-dough.html" target="_blank">It's here if you want it</a><br />
<br />
The dough was easy to make. It doesn't look like you'd get four pizzas from it but it grew! My only tip for the dough would be to roll it a lot thinner than you would like it - it expands quite considerably during cooking. We thought we would get thin crusts but ended up with deep pan!<br />
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We bought loads of toppings from Aldi & Tesco. I know, Aldi. They have an amazing selection of pre-packed meats, including parma ham, bresaola and chorizo, which is much cheaper than the overpriced Tesco offerings. As a cheese fiend, I had mozzarella and goats cheese...and maybe some cheddar. The Scouser found some spicy Mexican cheese (that was very spicy) and we got cracking...<br />
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Can you guess that mine is the cheese feast to the right of this picture? During the cooking, the cheese slid off a little - so cheese fiends, beware. As mentioned, our bases were way too thick and so could have done with a little more oven time and a little less cheese overload. But they were still tasty, the dough was so easy and this is definitely much cheaper than your generic pizza takeaway shack. Much nicer too! I'd really recommend this if you have the hour and half it takes for the dough to prove and I bet kiddies would love making their own pizza. <br />
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The other half of the dough is now in the freezer ready for the next pizza competition. It pains me to say it, but The Scouser won round one.Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-40953704666389061792012-07-19T01:08:00.000-07:002012-07-19T01:08:14.875-07:00Holy Shucks BatmanI heard on the technological grapevine named Twitter of a new pop up on Portobello Road serving oysters and Prosecco (amongst other alcoholic delights) called 'The Mother Shuckers' (what a name). I love Portbello Road, even though it's rammed with tourists and it takes about an hour to walk the length of it. There is so much to see and spend your cash on - antiques, food, fruit and veggies, all manor of crazy things like coconut water from an actual coconut for £4.<br />
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Anyway I digress. I was meeting friends on Saturday and so I roped one of my follow oyster lovers (few and far between) into coming with me, with the promise of Prosecco - she's addicted to the stuff and so not much roping required. I had been tweeting <a href="https://twitter.com/holyshuck" target="_blank">@holyshuck</a> already and with my excitement piqued, we battled through the torrential rain and meandering tourists to <a href="http://www.themuseat269.com/" target="_blank">The Muse Gallery</a>. Little note - go to Ladbroke Grove tube station as it's much closer than Notting Hill Gate - this does mean that you miss the fun of the fair...<br />
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Firstly I must say the gallery is amazing. It's owned by one of the Mother Shucker's family members and the artwork was fabulous. As it was pouring with rain, we took up a little spot inside and the Mother Shuckers Melissa & Theresa brought us all manor of treats.<br />
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We started with six oysters, with their three main accompaniments - Tabasco & lemon, shallots and red wine vinegar (my favourite) and wasabi & home-pickled ginger by the Mother Shuckers themselves (a close second!).<br />
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These were some of the best oysters I've ever had - each one tasted different. Some were creamy, some more salty than others. And the accompaniments were perfect too.<br />
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We enjoyed a couple of glasses of Prosecco, a Bloody Mary (always a must for me) with the horseradish infused vodka, and a rather adventurous shot - sake, with spring onion and habanero chilli and a whole oyster. The sake was amazing and it was an experience! Not for the faint hearted.<br />
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I guess that you may be able to tell by the tone of this blog entry that I absolutely loved this pop up. We ended up having 18 oysters, not including the one in my drink, and considering how expensive oysters can be, it was very reasonable. I think the Mother Shuckers actually undercharged us so I will without doubt return to buy them both a drink - or maybe some oysters?<br />
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If you love oysters, or maybe you're an oyster virgin and this has intrigued you, get down to see them - they will ease you into oyster-lovin' gently, I promise. <br />
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The Important Stuff: The Mother Shuckers are at The Muse Gallery every Saturday in July from 1pm. The nearest tube stations are Ladbroke Grove (for ease) or Notting Hill Gate (for a nice walk through Portobello Market). They're having a break in August but will be back in September. Follow them on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/holyshuck" target="_blank">@holyshuck</a> for more details. They will also come along and shuck away at your events, you can email them for more details here: info@mothershuckers.co.ukJenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-27012263928332130332012-07-16T04:33:00.000-07:002012-07-16T04:33:33.987-07:00Meat MarketLast week I took some time off work to enjoy this wonderful British Summer we're having. Well that was the plan anyway! I think the sun shone for a whole hour. We had plenty planned, kicking off with a day in the big smoke with friends. Being friends with people who love to eat, I suggested Meat Market - the bastard lovechild of Meat Liquor. I have been but I won't flood the internet with yet another blog about that place. Safe to say, I love their burgers.<br />
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So Meat Market, tucked away in the Jubilee Market in Covent Garden. You wouldn't know it was there unless you were looking for it. And I recommend you do go look for it. You can find the address <a href="http://www.themeatmarket.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Firstly, let me say - do not go here if you are a veggie. I think they probably have 1-2 things you'll be able to eat on the menu. As the sign below clearly states, they've got beef with veggies, and frankly so have I!<br />
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The menu is simple and there isn't much variety in the burgers. But they all sounded amazing, I struggled to decide and settled for the Black Palace. We all had chips - definitely something you can share after we saw the humongous burgers that arrived! They were juicy and ever so delightfully greasy. Mine fell apart a little but I didn't mind, I'm the messiest eater anyway so that was my excuse. The picture below does not do this beast justice - I was too eager to get my chops around it. <br />
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I love the way this food is served, rough and ready on trays and plenty of kitchen roll. It's very messy and you just have to get on with it. We went on a Wednesday afternoon around 3pm and it was empty so don't be scared by the rumour of queues - just pick a sensible time to go. It'd be worth the wait anyway!<br />
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Again, my photography skills showing me up here - it's very modern American diner inside, rough and ready like the servings. We had some Jalapeno Poppaz that quite literally exploded in our mouths, for me a little too hot. Make sure you get some of the 'Government Juice' (water).<br />
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After we'd all got thoroughly greased up, we had to try to Miami Nice. A combination of two different 'slushies' - Pina Colada and Strawberry Daquiri. Not for the faint hearted or if you're a bit of a lightweight. These were powerful rum cocktails that were just what we needed to start off our afternoon of boozing! <br />
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So in conclusion, the burgers here aren't as nice as Meat Liquor. However, they were greasy, quick and still very tasty. The Jalapeno Poppaz are too hot but delightfully gooey all the same. The beer is still too expensive - £3.80 for a can is expensive by London standards. But I'd go back - if only for the Miami Nice.<br />
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<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-49090511275223968942012-07-09T03:51:00.000-07:002012-07-19T02:07:01.086-07:00PolpoPolpo directly translated means octopus in Italian.<span style="padding-bottom: 14px; padding-right: 15px;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="padding-bottom: 14px; padding-right: 15px;"><i>oc·to·pus</i></span><span style="font: smaller 'Doulos SIL','Gentum','TITUS Cyberbit Basic','Junicode','Aborigonal Serif','Arial Unicode MS','Lucida Sans Unicode','Chrysanthi Unicode'; padding-bottom: 7px;">/ˈäktəpəs/</span><span class="speaker-icon-listen-off" id="speaker_icon" style="margin: 0px;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="color: #666666; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="80px">Noun:</td><td style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top"><table class="ts"><tbody>
<tr><td><ol style="padding-left: 19px;">
<li style="list-style-type: decimal;">A
cephalopod (Octopus and other genera, order Octopoda) with eight
sucker-bearing arms, a soft saclike body, strong beaklike jaws, and no internal shell</li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal;">An organization or system perceived to have far-reaching and typically harmful effect</li>
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I have wanted to visit Polpo for some time since I first saw it's little sister, Da Polpo in Covent Garden. It's a funny little place that looks like it's only for the most high-fashion Londoners, but it's actually got an air of cool welcome. Russell Norman, the owner, is a fascinating man - go and google him.<br />
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His fantastic creation in the heart of London certainly fits with a couple of the definitions above No internal shell - the inside of Polpo is a vintage lover's haven with bare walls and purposefully rough and ready furniture. However, the sucker-bearing arms - yes, they drag you into this little haven with an air of fascination. It's not the warmest of welcomes, it's busy and I got the feeling you're meant to feel a little 'well, what are you doing here?' I think some people would be a little snobby about this but it doesn't bother me.<br />
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The rather unassuming exterior</div>
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We arrived and squeezed in at the bar. I'd booked a table, which you can only do at lunchtime. It's not a place for big groups and they say as much on their website - seating more than four people might be tricky. The tables are close together which gives a warm feeling, not like your fellow diners are looking over your shoulder. We were sat at the back on a high table - an excellent vantage point for the people watching. <br />
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The drinks are not overly cheap. £4 for a Birra Morretti that, even though it's The Scouse's favourite beer, seems a little overpriced for a bottle. I had a glass of Prosecco that was nice but I wouldn't have wanted more. I swiftly ordered a glass of the house white, something I never do as I pretend to be a wine snob. It's Polpo's own, a Pinot Bianco. I thought it was £6 for a glass, but that was large - my little cups were £3! Had I known, I would have drank considerably more. It was chilled and I thought it was more than drinkable. <br />
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The menu is your placemat so you have plenty of time to browse through it and then decide if you want something extra. We asked the waitress about what we should order and she recommended 2-3 dishes each. We got some cichetti first - tiny bites - to start us off. The arancini was amazing and my brother informs me his chopped liver crostini was fantastic too. I would recommend getting one per diner as it's not easy to share these.<br />
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Then we had a bit of a feast - we managed to order two dishes each, but I could have gone for a lot more. My favourite was the buffalo mozzarella with broad beans - it was the best mozzarella I've ever eaten and the salad was so tasty. I would also highly recommend the meatballs - The Scouse had lamb and mint and they smelt as good as they tasted. I really enjoyed the mackerel tartare too - way too much cucumber but once you got that out of the way, the fish was salty, citrusy and smooth. We had the meat platter to keep us going. The only thing we weren't impressed with was the scallops - very small and not many scallops, more pancetta and peas with the broth. Don't order this if you want big juicy scallops! <br />
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Mackerel Tartare</div>
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Unfortunately we didn't have dessert as we were nicely full - not bursting. I could have ordered 1-2 more plates between us three fattys! I shall be making sure I have room next time, especially as they have a cheese plate. <br />
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Russell Norman has just brought out the Polpo 'cookbook of sorts'. I can't wait to pour over it's pages - whether I can create the foody treats is another thing. The book looks beautiful. <br />
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This organisation will without doubt have far-reaching effects but they certainly won't be harmful. You should really go and you can find more information about the Polpo restaurants (certainly not a 'chain') here - <a href="http://polpo.co.uk/?referrer=clear" target="_blank">polpo.co.uk</a>. I've heard great things about Mishkin's, the older, more brash kosher brother, from my new favourite blogger <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/12/mishkins.html" target="_blank">Rosie The Londoner</a><br />
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<b>Footnote</b>: I've been back to Polpo since this visit. The welcome has far-improved (seems I wasn't the only one who mentioned it). We arrived at 7pm on a Saturday night to a bustling restaurant and a full bar area and were seated immediately. The service was impeccable and I think this might be one of the best places I've ever eaten. The menu has changed from the above but you must order the steak dish we had this time around (especially if it comes with truffle cream - get extra bread too). I hope to blog about the others in the Polpo family soon.<br />
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<b>One more footnote</b>: I am thrilled that Russell Norman read this blog when I tweeted him about it. Just wanted to boast a little.<br />
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<table class="ts"><tbody></tbody></table>Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-90746028267072621312012-07-06T04:14:00.000-07:002012-07-06T05:34:53.579-07:00Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?I am absolutely unconditionally awful at this blogging marlarkey. I talk about food approximately 89% of the time, yet find it hard to put these conversations, thoughts and desires into words! I shan't make paltry excuses about time, workload, general not-eating (unfortunately it's probably all of the eating that gets in the way). I like writing and so I will see if over the next couple of months I can try a little harder before my job gets truly crazy once again.<br />
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It's not like I don't have much to say is it? Plenty to write about - I even keep a list of things I want to write about here. Well, maybe my absence will now make your heart grow fonder of this erratic blog.<br />
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Last night I was at my parents house, as I like to retreat there with the dog when The Scouser is working his shifts and the house feels a little empty. The dog runs around like a maniac and I indulge in an attention that only your parents can give you. I do like to hear the sound of my own voice but I'm not sure everyone else does. Even more of a treat, my auntie was there and she asked me about my job - a surefire way, when around family, to get me yabbering on for hours. <br />
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The Marigolds I bought for Marion</div>
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So we had a favourite of mine, as ever produced by my amazing cook of a mother who has taught me a lot about cooking, amongst other things - <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/seafood-recipes/spaghetti-with-prawns-rocket-spaghet" target="_blank">spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola</a>. It is very easy - I used it for a dinner party and it's good for lining the stomachs because at my house, the wine does tend to flow quite freely. <br />
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Anyway, after dinner we got into a conversation about all the recipes we love and our 'go to' chefs. If you've read this poorly-maintained blog before, you will know mine is Jamie Oliver. I have a lot of his books and it's always a success. My faves would be the Spicy Salami with Fennel pasta dish, and the <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/lamb-recipes/incredible-roasted-shoulder-of-lamb-with" target="_blank">Incredible Roasted Shoulder of Lamb</a> (another dinner party fave). I will post the spicy salami recipe in due course, I can't find it on his website. My mum says her chef is Delia Smith and so ensued a very amusing conversation from my auntie about how my cousin thinks that Delia is 'a bit of a goer once the cameras are off'.<br />
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In danger of it all going a little '50 Shades of Grey', we continued to discuss recipes and I extolled the virtues of Mr. N. Slater and his newest book (I think) called Appetite. I urge you to go and buy this book as I think it's the best book I've got. It needs a bit of reading so you can understand how it's written - no measurements (control-freak-chefs avoid), lots of ideas and guidance towards making something you like rather than tricky recipes that go on for pages. You can tell he is a food writer.<br />
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What else can I witter on about?<br />
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MEATLiquor perhaps. Undoubtedly the best burgers in London, a hotly contended accolade. I shan't attempt to describe their meaty goodness as if you google the restaurant/bar/hole, you will be overcome by hundreds of bloggers and their photos of these beauts. Just go, it's cheap (I haven't spent more than £15 a head in there, with drinks) and the queue really isn't that bad. Just don't be silly and go at 8pm on a Saturday night. And when you do get in, have the fried pickles, they are wondrous.<br />
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I'm off to their 'bastard lovechild' MEATMarket next Wednesday to see what that's like - substantially lighter and quieter I expect. They appear to have alcoholic milkshakes so it's already a winner in my books. Have a look here for something a little more explanatory - <a href="http://londoneater.com/2012/05/30/meatmarket/" target="_blank">a much better blog about MM</a><br />
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Then next Saturday I'm going back to Polpo. I'm going to write a separate blog about this dream of a restaurant. I went with The Scouser and my brother. We very much enjoyed it - not overly cheap but the quality was excellent and it's got a really good vibe (god, I hate myself for saying vibe).<br />
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Next week, as me and The Scouser have some time off together we'll go to the <a href="http://www.twobrewerswindsor.co.uk/" target="_blank">Two Brewers</a> in Windsor for one of their fantastic steak sandwiches. They allow dogs so we all head off for a very middle class walk down the Long Walk then cosy up in this lovely cave of a pub with very reasonably priced and tasty wine. <br />
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Finally, before I risk sending you to sleep, The Scouser and I will be going to Rome for my birthday in October. It's all booked and I'm already salivating over the food, planning how much I can eat in three days. If you've been, tell me where you went and where you loved.<br />
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Thank you for reading this, I'm glad you got this far. I'll treat you with a picture of the orchid my mum has grown. Not sure how she's done it, and neither is she!<br />
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<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-63781520192974064092012-04-02T04:11:00.002-07:002012-04-02T04:12:19.531-07:00Noccellara del Belice OlivesAnother obsession - these olives are unbelievably amazing. The best olives I've eaten, and that's quite something. The colour is a vibrant green and the only way I can describe them is 'meaty'. They have such strong, juicy flavour, I order them wherever I see them!<br />
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They sell them at Jamie's Italian - named the best olives in the
world, I think. You don't get many, but they are probably the best I've
tried in a restaurant.<br />
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They also offer them in Zizzi's
and Carluccio's now - they aren't on the menu by the name above. I
believe Zizzi's call them 'Goddess Olives'. Not an exaggeration! <br />
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I have bought some from a tiny deli in Brixton (where my brother lives, seemingly an unexpected wealth of foody experiences!) and they weren't too expensive. I ate them all in one sitting.<br />
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I've searched online and every offering of these beauts seems to be wildly expensive, with high shipping costs. If anyone reading this knows where I can get them, please do get in touch via Twitter (@Jenbo36). I will give you a mention on my widely-read, highly regarded blog.Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-58289448534915258582012-03-30T07:47:00.003-07:002012-03-30T07:47:44.128-07:00Garlic - An ObsessionGoodness, I am completely rubbish at this blogging malarkey aren't I? I have resolved to improve. And then maybe people might read it, if it was more regular - instead of once a year.<br />
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So I've made a list of things to write about and I will do one a week. There are things to keep me going, such a bit about burgers in London - Meat Liquor vs. Honest of Brixton, my quest for Nocellera Del Belice olives that don't cost the earth, making gravadlax with my mum, and things I've been cooking.<br />
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Firstly, an obsession that is slightly strange. I love garlic. It's probably my most-used ingredient, as I put it in just about everything. I always have at least two bulbs in my fruit bowl (which should be renamed a garlic bowl as we never have fruit) and I have been known to roast a whole bulb and eat the soft squidgy cloves, or spread it on some bread.<br />
<br />That's really good by the way - you just need to cut the top off the bulb, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and leave it in the oven. Keep an eye on it as it can burn easily, but leave it for 10-15 mins in a hot oven. Leave it for longer if the cloves don't seem squashy. The result will be soft cloves full of taste without the pungent kick of garlic - and it doesn't make your breath smell as bad. I don't however recommend it for the first meal you cook your new beau.<br />
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My other favourite thing to do with garlic is to bash it into some butter and make garlic butter (durr). This is very easy. Get a pack of butter - now it doesn't need to be posh, butter is SO expensive now but make sure it's the one wrapped in paper, not in a tub - and leave it to get to room temperature. It will be harder to blend if it's straight from the fridge.<br />
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Now whack it into a blender (or a mixing bowl if you fancy a workout for the bingo wings) and add whatever you like - I like it strong, so probably use 8-10 peeled cloves for a whole pack of butter. I also add some dried herbs, bit of salt as it helps to dull the garlic taste slightly, and maybe some dried chilli, rosemary from the garden (the only plant that I haven't killed). Whizz it all together and spoon it onto a sheet of cling film. Roll it into a sausage shape and put it in the freezer for 30 mins.<br />
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Take it out and unwrap it - the shape is important, as when you cut it. it's nice to have circular pieces. I put it on top of cooked steaks, to melt over the steak instead of a sauce. I also use it to make my creamy mushrooms - watch out for the recipe to that soon.<br />
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Finally, I wanted to tell you about a more recent garlic discovery - fresh garlic. They sell it on Kingston market, which has been an absolute revelation for me. A market selling every type of fruit and veg, as well as a good selection of herbs too is just amazing. So anyway one of my favourite stalls started stocking fresh garlic - it looks a bit like a fat, short spring spring onion. The smell is very strong, but when added to food it doesn't seem as strong as dried garlic. The fresh stuff isn't separated into cloves, again it's a bit like an onion with lots of layers.<br />
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I have bought some today and I'm going to try it in the garlic butter to see what The Scouser thinks to it all. I'll let you know! <br />
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<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-52584472099827577292011-12-20T06:21:00.000-08:002011-12-20T06:21:39.647-08:00Christmas Time, Mistletoe & Wine (and cheese...and oysters...)It's that time of year when everyone goes a little bit crazy in many different ways, some not as positive as others, and hopefully celebrates with loved ones. I will certainly be celebrating with said loved ones - mum, dad, not-so-little brother, Big G (also known as Grandma), two family friends AND my lovely Scouser - on the big day.<br />
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Needless to say, Christmas Day is a big event in our house. I cannot imagine being anywhere other than the house I grew up in, opening my massive stocking, giving out presents and getting very excited when I realise even though I didn't tell mum and dad what I wanted, I got some lovely stuff.<br />
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Of this big event, food plays a big part. Obviously! We start on the champagne at 12 noon (not a second later if I have anything to do with it) but this year we are commencing with a bloody mary on arrival - at 10.30. After me and The Scouse go out all afternoon on Christmas Eve, and take the hour and a half walk to my parents with our mutt, this will be much needed. When we went to Masterchef Live, my dad bought some bloody mary vodka, which you can buy here - <a href="http://www.littledevilspices.com/#/-bloodshot/-the-original-bloody-vodka-spirit/" target="_blank">littledevilspices.com</a> - it's a spicy vodka mix that makes the best bloody marys and we will be indulging. Don't worry, we're still doing the champers too! <br />
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I have taken the drastic measure this year to introduce one of my true loves into the day's proceedings - not cheese, that comes later, but oysters. I've ordered them from Rosemore Oysters - <a href="http://www.oysters.co.uk/#/oyster-advice/4530739967" target="_blank">www.oysters.co.uk</a> - and I have a selection of Jersey Rock and Loch Ryan being delivered on Friday ready for Sunday. I am slightly nervous about cracking them open, but I've done it before with a knife. I like them with lemon only, but I know my little friend Jamie O has a good recipe for a few different dressings which I might try if I find some time... <br />
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For the main event, the lunch, which ends up happening around 2pm after the champers runs out, we start with a starter, as you might expect! Most have smoked salmon (one of my real faves) but mother has to do another option now, for the fussy men, of a platter of cold meats. It actually catches my eye and I sometimes manage to steal a slice of bresoala or parma ham if I'm really lucky. <br />
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The only thing I'm not overly excited about at Christmas is the turkey. We had a goose one year and it was absolutely wondrous. But we'd need two geese to feed eight people, so I won't give my mother a hard time. Dad demands the largest turkey that will fit in the oven so I try to avoid the family home post-Christmas Day to avoid the very-Bridget-Jones turkey curry.<br />
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Now, to the cheese. Anyone who reads this blog that knows me reasonably well (i.e. gone for lunch with me at least once) will know that my true love - after The Scouse and our mutt - is cheese. The smellier, the better. I will regularly roast a Camembert, I will hunt for new cheeses, eat old ones that smell like feet, I don't much like crackers getting in the way and I've spent sometime perusing this year's options. Even though another guest has been tasked with bringing the cheese platter... This year, I'm going for Epoisses, possibly the stinkiest and strangest cheese ever. It has to stay in it's box otherwise it would be the size of a dinner plate, it's that ripe. I am also hunting for some Blacksticks Blue. I saw it wrapped up looking all squigdy (a word I reserve for cheese) but M&S Kingston seem to have sold out - I'm taking my search to the streets, watch this space. <br />
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Readers may now realise I am not a lady with a big sweet tooth. I would prefer two courses of cheese. However, my darling mum does make a chocolate log, courtesy a la Delia. My grandma makes a traditional Christmas cake and of course there's always the Christmas pudding, made originally by my late Granny, now the reins have been taken by my mother. I do not eat these things. Normally, I do end up sticking with the cheese. <br />
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The evening normally consists of post-nap Baileys and more cheese - for me. Mum always manages to crack out a retro prawn cocktail and endless slices of bread.<br />
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Goodness me, I just cannot wait.Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-28893285641271007082011-12-19T03:41:00.000-08:002011-12-19T03:41:24.204-08:00Wow...Have a little read of this - an interesting take on how to be a foodie without much cash.<br />
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http://www.facebook.com/theskintfoodie/posts/205445906203689<br />Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-56870364634440021092011-11-24T02:14:00.001-08:002011-11-24T02:31:38.367-08:00New CookbooksI've added some new cookbooks to my collection recently, but have had no time to read them, let alone start cooking properly...<br />
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<li>Jamie Does...: Another treat from Jamie Oliver. Accompanying his TV show where he travelled through various countries - Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, Morocco - it showcases some amazing recipes with the usual Jamie slant. Most of the recipes look relatively easy and definitely things we'd eat in the House of Barchester. After a quick flick, the faves on the list are Calamari (I bought some squid on a recent trip to Weymouth) and the Steak Tartare. </li>
<li>Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey: Having recently enjoyed cooking Thai Green Curry, I thought we should branch out at the Barchester and try some different things. The food has so many ingredients, I'm not sure where I'd start but there's loads of interesting noodle soups and though I'm sure this food isn't necessarily meant to be eaten in Winter, they will keep us warm in our single-glazed box when it starts snowing</li>
<li>Appetite (Nigel Slater): Having watched ol' Nige on the TV with his highly annoying yet somehow addictive voice, I came to love his food and especially how he cooks. This book is more of an encyclopedia rather than a recipe book. Every seemingly simple recipe has bullet points on how to mix it up and add to it. It's an amazing book and will definitely become a big favourite of mine. Just need to find the time to spend reading it and learning it...Why wasn't I so interested in 'revising' at school? </li>
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I'll keep you updated my achievements and failures. This weekend, I'm cooking a duck crown - a first for me. I've seen a recipe online about cooking some honey down with water and spreading it over the skin to crisp it up. I quite like duck on it's own but The Scouser will want some sauce - perhaps I'll try Nige's gravy recipe... Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-23769497688953514712011-11-15T04:39:00.001-08:002011-11-15T04:43:28.979-08:00Thai Green CurryI made the thai green curry from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food book. I've made it before but without a food processor - trust me, it takes an age to chop everything up into small enough pices to make it really paste-y.<br />
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I used loads more coriander this time - nearly two bunches (saved some for the rice). It was reallty tasty and The Scouse loved it. I used two green chillies and he does say to put one raw red one in but I think that would have blown my head off.<br />
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The only issue with this is that it is time consuming and not especially cost efficient. From making the paste and buying all the fresh ingredients... It's worth it but definitely not an every-week addition to my repetoire. Unfortunately!Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-86889953115291655992011-11-14T07:40:00.000-08:002011-11-14T07:40:02.780-08:00Masterchef Live & The Wine ShowI went to Masterchef Live, which incorporated The Wine Show, with my family on Friday 11th November as we got some cheap tickets through one of those voucher sites. We were all a bit dubious, but having just come back from 11 long days of work and not much fun, I needed to do something fun that would keep me from sleeping all day.<br />
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I don't wish to bore you endlessly so here are my points about the whole thing...<br />
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<ul><li>The oysters from the east coast were amazing. I will be doing a mail order in the future (when I've saved up)</li>
<li>John the wine man - he tried his hardest, sweated through the whole thing, but we didn't buy any wine from him as the minimum was 12 bottles. Can you honestly tell me that there's enough people attending these events to spend 240 quid to make it worth this company's while to buy a large stand? I work in events and I know these stands aren't cheap. Sorry John, I did like the Pinot Noir. </li>
<li>Jesus meat - my dad bought some dried meat called Jesus, because the shape of this salami-type meat is like Jesus wrapped in swaddling. Hmmm... Anyway it was lovely, but expensive. My brother and I went for the less expensive versions. We're still enjoying them!</li>
<li>Bloody Marys - I love a good bloody mary (not too spicy) and my dad bought a bottle of this amazing mix made from all kinds of juicy stuff, like vodka (no brainer), balsamic vinegar, spices and it was lovely. It will definitely be making an appearance this Christmas!</li>
<li>All the wine - by the time, we got around the wine show it was all a bit bewildering...I do know that Marks & Spencer have some great wines and I think I will be splashing out on their delights more often. </li>
</ul>Would I go back? Yes, if the ticket was 11 pounds next year. And I had a little bit more cash to splash. Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-79268906416925948602011-11-14T07:16:00.000-08:002011-11-14T07:16:10.884-08:00Reveal the Veal! (or something equally cheesy...)I had veal for the first time this weekend. I bought it from a responsible supplier at the Masterchef Live show (more on that later) and that was the only reason I broke my promise to avoid eating it.<br />
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I roasted it quickly and in a not-too-hot oven, about 170 degrees without the fan on. That would dry it out. It was topside so needed to be rare as I hate dry meat and don't like gravy that much. And I could eat a piece of meat still twitching!<br />
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I read that it needed to be rested for some time, so gave it as long as I could before I was too scared it would be cold - 20 minutes. It was a little tricky to slice, but much easier than it would have been if I hadn't rested it. Resting tip - cover it in foil tightly and then lay a tea towel over the top. Keeps even more heat in.<br />
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My verdict - it was nice, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra cost and I'd probably prefer to eat older cows who have had a nice life (don't worry, that isn't me swaying towards vegetarianism).<br />
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Scouser's verdict - he loved it. So watch this space for more poor veal puns.Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-10344840987842934172011-10-17T06:14:00.000-07:002011-10-17T08:56:30.058-07:00Roast Lamb ShoulderLast night I cooked another roast dinner, this time a lamb shoulder. This is quite a cheap cut, but cooked for a long time it tastes fantastic.<br />
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As it's on the bone, the meat stays juicy - cooked for four hours, the meat falls off the bone easily. The recipe for this is in the Jamie at Home cookbook, however it's very easy.<br />
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Slash the fat side of the joint with a sharp knife, cutting through to the meat. Rub the shoulder with olive oil, salt and pepper, getting it in the slash marks too.Get a load of garlic cloves and rosemary and put half of it in the bottom of the baking tray. Put the joint in and then put the rest of the garlic and rosemary on top of it. Cover it tightly with foil - this is important to keep the joint protected from the strong heat of the oven.<br />
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Leave it for four hours. Seriously, don't touch it.<br />
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Then get it out of the oven, keep the foil on and put a tea towel over it, let it rest for 10 minutes. Put it on a big plate and let everyone - or just you and your dining partner - rip into it.<br />
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Mr Oliver suggests serving it with smashed up veggies, but just have whatever you fancy or whatever is in season. My one recommendation having now made this twice is to get the joint from your local butcher. It is more expensive but far superior to the joint I bought in Tesco yesterday (even if The Scouser and I gobbled it up!)Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-439564358435355698.post-38991948550020446032011-10-14T03:59:00.000-07:002011-10-14T03:59:50.380-07:00Weekend EatingLast weekend I finally got to cook my little socks off. Thought I'd do a little run down of last weekend's eating.<br />
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Friday night: One-Pot Wonder of Chicken Thighs, Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes - from the Jamie at Home cookbook. Now I'm not a massive fan of this cookbook, it's lovely to look at and I love to flick through it, but the food is a little tricky for an after-work meal. This recipe is a good 'un though - very easy and cheap. You have to use chicken thighs, it says fillets, but I used boned as fillets are tricky to find and more expensive so it doesn't make any difference. The red wine vinegar and juice from tomatoes make a sweet yet thin sauce and the chicken is succulent as thighs normally are (well mine are anyway...!). <br />
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Saturday night: Spicy Sausage & Fennel Pasta - another Jamie Oliver special! From his second book, this recipe is one of The Scouser's big faves. You need a bulb of fennel which can be expensive but luckily I'm close to a veg market where it's always available and not extortionate. I use chorizo in 'sausage' form, which is more economical as you get much more value for money than buying slices in a pack. It's easy to make - throw everything in a pan and cook it down. The dried chilli adds a nice kick without burning your mouth off.<br />
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Sunday night: Good old Roast Chicken - as the nights are drawing in and it's getting chilly, I'm so happy to be able to have roasts again! I rub mine in a mixture of butter, garlic and whatever other random ingredients are at hand - fennel seeds, dried chilli, sundried tomatoes, smoked paprika... Smear it all over the bits with skin and even under the skin on the breast as it then flavours the meat too. Save a bit for the potatoes too, the butter makes them nice and crispy.<br />
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So definitely not a weekend of watching the calories. It never is for us!Jenbo2610http://www.blogger.com/profile/16252786779486731848noreply@blogger.com0