Irish Coffees

Irish Coffees

Those of you with a penchant for Irish coffees, as I do, could do a lot worse than pay a visit to Mae Ping a Thai restaurant in Croydon.

The preparation of the coffee is a most enjoyable performance to watch, as the waiter brings a trolley to your table and then begins the show.

-The rim of the glass is dipped in liqueur and then in sugar

-A small stove on the trolley is lit, and the sugar caramelised in the flame

-Whisky is flamed in a ladle and poured, with a flourish, into the glass

-A coffee liqueur is then flamed and poured

-After which the coffee itself is poured

-Finally the cream added

I would hasten to add that the Irish coffee looks, and tastes as good, as the performance leading up to it.

Therefore Mae Ping is worth visiting for the Irish coffees alone. The food, atmosphere and service are also good!

Mae Ping
16-18 South End
Croydon
0208 760 0278

Cocktails Are Good For You

Cocktails Are Good For You

Finally the news that we have all been waiting for; cocktails are good for you!

US and Thai researchers have discovered that adding fruit such as strawberries and blackberries to eg rum, vodka, tequila and other spirits boosts the antioxidant nutrients in the strawberries and blackberries.

The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture say that any coloured fruit might be made even more healthy by the addition of alcohol.

I'll drink to that!

Cooking At Google

Cooking At Google

Normally staff canteens do not rate that highly in the world of gastronomy.

However, as with many things, Google aims to be a world leader; and in respect of providing its employees with good food, for free, it aims to be the best.

Google's chef, Charlie Ayers who once cooked for the Grateful, has left Google to start his own chain of restaurants.

Google are now looking for two new chefs, and have advertised as such. They say that the chefs would oversee menus "from vegan entrees to pad Thai, grilled burgers, and wood-fired pizza all while using organic ingredients whenever possible."

Google said it would sponsor a cook-off between its top four applicants, selecting the best two out of the four.

Standard Google fayre includes sweet potato jalapeno bisque with corn, and grilled petite New York sirloins seasoned with Creole spices.

Better than many restaurants in my view.

Japanese Food Invasion

Japanese Food Invasion

Japanese restaurants are reportedly taking off in the UK.

The number of restaurants grew 20% last year, making Japanese cuisine one of the fastest growing segments of the ethnic food market, along with Thai.

Peter Grove, editor of Menu, a trade magazine for Asian restaurateurs, said:

"Japanese restaurants in the UK are now where Thai restaurants were four years ago. The industry is on the verge of a major breakthrough in terms of size and popularity."

Veg Out In Salt Lake City

Veg Out In Salt Lake City

Andrea Mather, the author of "VegOut" a vegetarian restaurant guide for Denver and Salt Lake City, has proclaimed that Salt Lake area restaurants are more vegetarian friendly than at first supposed.

In addition to vegetarian meals, they also offer vegan options (made without meat, eggs or dairy products).

Quote:

"The vegan consciousness in Salt Lake far surpasses the Denver-Boulder area...It's a great food town; it's easy to eat your way through it, which is what I did."

Her top Salt Lake City Vegetarian restaurants, as listed in her book, are:

-Bangkok Thai, 1400 S. Foothill Drive
-Blue Iguana, 155 S. West Temple
-Bombay House, 1615 S. Foothill Drive
-Cafe Shambala, 382 E. 4th Ave.
-Caffe Molise, 55 W. 100 South
-Frank Granato Importing Co., 1391 S. 300 West
-Ginza, 209 W. 200 South
-Mazza Mediterranean Restaurant, 1515 S. 1500 East
-Noodles & Company, (downtown, Murray, Sugar House and Layton)
-Oasis Cafe, 151 S. 500 East
-One World Cafe, 41 S. 300 East
-Pinon Market & Cafe, 2095 E. 1300 South
-Red Iguana, 736 W. North Temple
-Morning Ray Cafe, 255 Mountain St., Park City
-Royal India, 10263 S. 1300 East