Foodie Twitter list started

A lot of people seem to find their way to this blog via Twitter – the microblogging tool I’ve been a big user of for a couple of years now, and which I find invaluable for introducing me to all sorts of foodies and other great contacts to do with my regular work as a journalist.

The platform has recently rolled out the ability to create lists which looks like an easy way to create a group of share interests which will help me keep up and share all the latest foodie news and views.

It’s called ‘fellow foodies’ and can be seen here.

As you can see, it’s small a perfectly formed at the moment with some of the food tweeters I follow most closely, mostly, but not exclusively, from the north of England.

It’s a work in progress so, if you’re  a foodie who should be included, tweet me and let me know.

Wartime lessons for the modern cook

Rationing

This seemed a fitting thing to blog about on Remembrance Sunday, a cookbook which teaches a lesson about making do and reminds us that the kitchen hasn’t always been about cling-wrapped, imported abundance.

The Thrifty Kitchen is now on sale offering traditional, tried and tested recipes that are far from being austere, but instead manage to gently remind us about the importance of seasonal food and creative use of what’s available.

In the forward to the book, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall explains further:

“Housewives were proud to play their part in helping the war effort. Many, self-taught, embraced the art of cooking enthusiastically. They used the limited resources ingeniously, respecting the available ingredients and avoiding waste. Above all they were prepared to put the time in to get a good meal out.”

She goes on to refer to an event when a group called the London Housewives’ Association gathered in Trafalgar Square in 1954 to burn a giant replica of a ration book in celebration at the end of rationing.

The Thrifty Kitchen

So the book maybe something of a tribute to the wartime cooks’ fortitude, but it most certainly isn’t dull.

In the starters, how about the wild garlic soup from Darina Allen (of Irish slow food fame), followed by Mark Hix’s roast cauliflower with devilled lamb’s kidneys and who could resist blackberry and apple brumble from Rebecca Law.

As well as great savoury dishes, there’s also recipes for some indulgent looking cakes, jams and juices which have been donated for publication by cooks at all levels -  from big names such as Delia, right down to my own debut appearance in a cookbook. (My recipe is for Cullen Skink which is a traditional Scottish smoked fish soup).

As well as celebrating those wartime cooks, and remembering some of the traditional recipes which have been served up across the UK for decades (think delights such as scouse, faggots and lemon curd), the book has been put together to raise money for the charity Independent Age.

Independent Age works to keep thousands of older people independent and out of poverty by providing them with practical support, financial help and lifelong friendship.

It’s a charity which is making a difference to the lives of many who actually lived through the hardships of the wars we remember today.

I was happy to support them in my small way – and I hope you are to.

The Thrifty Kitchen, Wartime Lessons for the Modern Cook is published by Independent Age and costs £9.99.

Please note, if you order the book via the links in this blog post (perhaps a perfect Christmas present for the cook in your life!) it should trigger an affiliate micropayment to myself, which I will donate to the Independent Age charity too).

@ Season’s Restaurant, Richmond, North Yorkshire

Fish and chips, large

The kindest thing I can think to say about this experience was that the presentation was pretty impressive – just look at that large, rectangular plate and the obvious attention to detail put into the way everything is displayed.

But it’s a pity the person who spent the time placing each of those potato fingers in such a neat stack hadn’t spotted the fact that just about everything on the plate was burnt, to help them out for the future – that brown done-to-a-crisp glow is usually a bit of a give away.

Anyway we gave it our best shot and here’s what we found.

Batter: When you were a kid did your grandparents ever give you nut brittle? It looked so exciting but, even if your tooth enamel survived the experience, was surprisingly uninteresting. Little reward for effort exerted. Well the memories came flooding back. A solid experience and a challenge to get through, this had something of the heat lamp about it.

Fish: Overcooked to the point of spoiled. Once the barrier batter had been broken through, there was a small chance the fish inside might have survived but it was pretty dry. Such a shame as it looked a nice big portion.

Peas: Too sweet, too small, too smooth and too colourful. Oh dear.

Chips: They may be (called) chips, but they’re not as we know it. Squares of skin-on potato which appeared to have been baked. There was no crispness, just a warm, flaccid thing which managed to be filling without being fulfilling. Maybe a lashing or three of vinegar would have pepped it up but none was on offer.

Verdict: On the plus side, the restaurant serves a really good selection of teas so our pots of peppermint were very welcome. As I’ve mentioned previously on this blog, this venue in The Station building provides a relaxed atmosphere and there’s a lot on the menu to enjoy. Just not the fish and chips going by this experience and at £8.95 it’s far from cheap.

Seasons Restaurant and Cafe Bar is at The Station, Richmond, North Yorkshire.

The best gravy – who’d have thought

This story seems to be getting plenty mileage on UK newspaper websites today - How to make the best gravy……according to scientists.

I’ll save you the click;

The Royal Society of Chemistry found the ideal mix was juice from a beef joint and leftover water from boiled cabbage.

Well I never!

Who thinks up these research questions – and perhaps more importantly, why?

Although the RSC sounds like a very serious scientific body, its blog post on the subject today reveals that this gravy discovery;

“….. follows the success of last year’s ideal Yorkshire puddings (popovers to our American friends) – and the decree that they cannot be named so unless they rise to four inches or higher.”

Entertaining on the cheap: Become a bunny boiler

What is it with us English and the humble rabbit? While the rest of Europe put this delicate meat at heart of a host of dishes, we seem to shy away from using it.

I blame Watership Down, or maybe it’s the way it’s butchered in the UK which tends to leave unsymmetrical portions of bits and bobs.

Once tasted, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s difficult to understand why rabbit isn’t a regular dinner time feature – it’s tasty, very lean and, if you select wild, has lived out its life in the green and pleasant lands plus it’s very cheap!

In the same town where an organic free-range chicken commands a £17 price tag, the going price for a whole rabbit is just £3.

Cut into pieces by my obliging local butcher, it cooked up with enough to feed 6.

Do the math and give it a try. The recipe below is from The Silver Spoon and I picked it for its simplicity – basically cooks itself while you get on with preparing other stuff for your guests.

What you need
One rabbit.
Crushed garlic glove.
One chopped spring onion.
Sprig of rosemary, chopped.
Few marjoram leaves.
Sprig of fresh lat leaf parsley.
One bay leaf.
Two tablespoons of strong mustard (I used wholegrain).
Slug of olive oil.
Juice of one lemon.
Salt and pepper.
1/3 bottle of wine.

What you do
Rub the portions with olive oil and a generous helping of salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in a large pan and brown all over.
Add all the other ingredients except the mustard and boil for about 50mins or an hour.
Stir in the mustard and cook for a further ten minutes.

Serve with mashed potato.

Enjoy!

And if you still don’t believe me about the virtues of bunny, it’s not just me that enjoyed this recipe – I found this  food blogger has also tried it out too

Why chefs should eat out

Quite simply so that they don’t serve this up.

Tempura vegetables. Not

I’ve never met the person responsible for producing this, but I’m pretty sure they don’t eat out much.

Anyone who has ever had tempura vegetables surely couldn’t send this out to a customer.

Battered veg with lashings of bottled sweet chili sauce would have been more accurate!

This lunchtime special from The Kings Head Hotel in Richmond is a world away from the Japanese delicacy where a light and lacy batter kisses and whispers across a flash-fried ingredient.

“Tempura embodies qualities Japanese cooks hold dear: fresh ingredients, precision cooking and beautiful presentation” as they say in Australia.

Sadly this dish of chunks of overcooked veg in a thick and greasy batter left me remembering a similar offering back in the days of the staff canteen of the Press & Journal where the cook treated me to a vegetarian kebab – complete with deep-fried battered Brussels sprout!

Six best places to eat in Richmond, North Yorkshire

My whistlestop guide to the best eating on offer in the lovely market town of Richmond. For walkers, this is the half-way point on the Coast to Coast meaning you’re sure to be hungry when you arrive so best to plan ahead.

Pub grub

Meaty: Lamb steak

The Black Lion Hotel in Finkle Street is hard to beat. A good selection of traditional specials as well as a blackboard full of regular favourites – everything from cheese and onion tart, to lamb shank and mash or halibut streak. Everything is well-cooked, unfussy and attractively presented with large portions the norm. The interior of the pub has retained a traditional feel, mostly set out as dining areas but it is also possible to have food served in the bar. It isn’t the cheapest place to eat in the town (expect to pay between £9 and £14 a main course) but the food is of a consistently high standard and the atmosphere welcoming. Call: 01748 826217.

Home-cooked food

Comforting: Haddock and prawn gratin

The Cross View Tea Rooms is possibly the only cafe I’ve ever known where you’d be recommended to book for a wet Wednesday lunch-time! It’s regularly so busy that locals in-the-know book tables well in advance. The reason – the biggest  (the lemon meringue pie peaks always look as if they should form mountaineering training), freshest homemade cakes in town  but also because they serve traditional meals like you’d get at home such as fish pie or sausage and mash. It’s also good for a fry-up breakfast or just a cup of tea. Good value with prices to suit all pockets and special promotions through the ShopLocal scheme. Call:01748 825897

Fine dining

Frothy: Guinea fowl with truffle foam

(Sadly) There’s only one place in town which passes muster for formal dining and that’s The Frenchgate Restaurant and Hotel. It’s the sort of place to get dressed up for a special occasion and provides a personal service which will typically see you greeted by name on arrival, offered a pre-dinner drink in the elegant lounge while perusing what can be a fairly ambitious menu. The cuisine falls into a modern European style and expect to find the menu (rather pretentiously, imho) adorned with “jus”, “foam” and such like. It is worth finding time to spend the evening on the experience and be sure to save some space for the regional cheese board which boasts some interesting options. On the pricey side at three courses for £34. Sample menu here. Call:0174 8822087.

Smart lunch
The venue makes this one. The former station building has been transformed from the massive and delightfully hodch-potch hardware store it was some years ago (think Two Ronnies “four candles sketch”) to the award-winning, airy building it is now. As well as housing a cinema and some specialist food shops, The Station is home to the Seasons Restaurant which is smart place to lunch with an interesting brasserie style menu utilising local produce. With daily specials, free wi-fi and wide selection of teas and coffees it’s also a good place for any business related meet-ups. Call: 01748 825340.

Fish and chips
The room above Barker’s take-away in the Trinity Square has been given a bright and smart make-over to give diners a licensed eat-in option which includes lighter options such as large plate salads as well as the favourite cod, chips and mushy. And the good old usual is done well here with crispy batter, plentiful fluffy chips and a hearty serving of peas. A few pounds more than the take-away price for friendly service a stone’s throw from the castle and the chance to sup a reviving cuppa. Call:01748 825768.

Take-away

The Delhi-cious kitchen maybe on the outskirts of town, but those who haven’t yet made it to the door can always order a delivery and judging by the frequency the signwritted car is seen around town, plenty do. Easily the best Indian food in town, anyone wanting a quick cookery lesson can do worse than popping along to Cutpurse Lane to watch the chefs at work through the large glass window separating the waiting area from the kitchen. They do offer some unusual specialities such as whole tandoori trout and I’ve been particularly impressed with the vegetarian selection with dishes ranging from the mildest tarka dhall to a hot a spicy chana massala. Call 01748 824916.

20 different cuisines in one day of Leeds eating

How many different cuisines would you expect to find in the average UK city?

OK you’d expect to find various European and Asian options but what about Ethiopian or Cuban?

Intrepid food blogger Katie of LeedsGrub has come up with restaurants dishing up dinners from 20 different countries and is soon to embark on a voyage of foodie discovery by visiting each of them – in one day.

On the Facebook page for the venture, she explains why a small and determined group are taking this worldly challenge:

“Our challenge will take the form of an around the world backpacking tour where we visit the restaurants of Leeds and Bradford sampling cuisine from a huge range of international specialities. The rules are that we have to eat or drink one thing in each one of the 20 restaurants we hope to visit!

“We think you might be surprised and delighted at just how many different nationalities and cultures are represented in the restaurants around town!”

And I think she’s probably right – just see the itinerary penned so far which I’ve posted on the bottom of this page to see the wide range.

But this feat won’t be carried out for gluttony’s sake alone – the group will also be raising cash for the charity The Smile Train which provides free surgery for children with cleft  palates.

Donate here;  http://www.justgiving.com/homefortea/

By Land, Air and Sea but Still Home for Tea! takes place on Thursday, September, 17. For updates about the event and to see what happens on the day follow @headingthere @culturevultures and @leedsgrub on twitter.

Provisional Itinerary, subject to revision:

Start 10am ease into it gently with coffee and croissants:
Ditsch, Commercial St (Germany)
Café Rouge (France)
Casa Mia (Italy)

11am
Ditsch, Commercial St (Germany)
Merkato, Merrion Market (Ethiopia)

12pm
Saffran (Iran)
Ephesus Mangal (Turkey)

Then we hope to hop on the Trans Siberian Railway to…
(or the 12.37 to Sowerby Bridge)
The Russian Restaurant, Bradford (Russia)
Temujin, Sowerby Bridge (Mongolia)

Chinese Restaurant TBA
Pakistani Restaurant TBA (Prob do these in Bradford)

By this time it will prob be about 5.30pm
Hansas Guajarati (India)
Thai Cottage (Thailand)
Sesame (Japan)
Tampopo (The rest of SE Asia)

7.30pm
Walkabout (Australia)
River Plate (Argentina)
Las Iguanas (South America)
Sandinista *Confirmed*(Cuba/Latin America)

9pm
Salsa Mexicana *Confirmed* (Mexico)
Dutch Pot (Caribbean)

Prohibition (North America)

Making sloe gin for Christmas

Pricking the sloes

According to the sloe forum (strapline, there’s no biz like sloe.biz!), the August fruits from the blackthorn bush are too early for picking to make the traditional gin drink.

But, having been presented with a carrier bag of the little black beauties, along with a handy bottle of mother’s ruin and a bag of sugar this week (thanks mum) it would seem foolish not to give it a go.

So today saw my first attempt at ‘making’ sloe gin. It all appears to be straightforward enough.

1. Wash and prick all the sloes with a fork.

2. Half fill a container (mine was 1.5 litres) with the sloes.

3. Add a wine glass of sugar.

4. Fill container with gin (this made a delicious gurgurly glugging sound as the liquid filtered through the fruits).

Sloe gin: Day 1

The mix has since settled into layers of a, sugar and fruit, b. fruit and c. gin which will gradually meld together over the coming weeks.

The experience left me with with black-stained hands and a vague whiff of the distillery about me. In fact, for the first time in my life I feel like a true Daily Mail housewife!

Now all that remains to be done is to ‘agitate’ the mix every week.

Having only ever tasted sloe gin once before (a lingering memory of delight) I shall be relying on my Christmas dinner guests to pass judgement. In the meantime, any tips to ensure it’s success most welcome.

links for 2009-08-22

• The world’s best falafel | Syria News Wire
  Eating Yassine’s creation is like being in Damascus. No, it actually might be better. The sandwich has just the right mixture of salad, tahini and hummus. And the falafels themselves are mouthwatering. Soft, delicate, fluffy – and most important of all – fresh.
  (tags: falafel)