Showing posts with label heston blumenthal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heston blumenthal. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Heston Misses The Point
It depends on several factors:
1 Does the taking of the photo annoy other diners?
2 Does the taking of the photo delay/cause problems for the staff?
3 What is the reason for taking photo (eg you write food blogs, or you think it was great/awful and want to tell others)?
If 1 and 2 are not an issue, and the reason for taking the photo is not to show off, then I don't see a problem.
The real problem for restaurants is the use by diners of mobiles for social media when eating etc.
A long established New York restaurant wondered why its serving times/table turnover had slowed down. They realised that since the advent of the mobile phone people were spending time looking at facebook etc, instead of ordering/eating the food. Hence delays in serving and table turnover.
Photographing the food is not the problem, reading emails etc is the issue!
Monday, August 24, 2015
Heston's Scratched Record
Have we heard Heston's new story before? http://t.co/ArkLs9IIlp pic.twitter.com/3YwHNbDoNh
— Londoner's Diary (@StandardDiary) August 24, 2015Heston has become rather a scratched record, repeating itself time and time again.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Demise of The Olympic Breakfast
Little Chef, home of the "Olympic Breakfast", is to shut around 70 of its restaurants and lose around 600 staff.
The attempt to revamp the brand three years ago, using Heston Blumenthal, has not been enough to save the brand in its current form.
Around 90 restaurants are expected to continue to operate, with the roll out of the "drive through" concept continuing.
The attempt to revamp the brand three years ago, using Heston Blumenthal, has not been enough to save the brand in its current form.
Around 90 restaurants are expected to continue to operate, with the roll out of the "drive through" concept continuing.
Friday, April 01, 2011
The Royal Wedding Trifle (aka The Royal Trifle)
Following on from the recipe for the Unbaked Chocolate Biscuit Cake (similar to the one being served at the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton) that I featured on this site a few days ago, here is a version of the Heston Blumenthal Royal Wedding Trifle (soon to be sold by Waitrose under the name of The Royal Trifle).
Ingredients
- Between 1/2 - 1 pint of double cream (note: the amount of cream depends on how rich you like your Royal Trifle)
- A teaspoon of saffron (crushed to a fine powder)
- 1lb of strawberries (destalked and halved)
- 1 vanilla pod split lengthways
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon of kirsch
- A packet of Amaretti biscuits (crumbled, not crushed)
- A slug of brandy (Heston uses Marc de Champagne)
- 6-8 large meringues (broken roughly)
- a few rose petals (washed thoroughly, make sure also they have never had chemicals sprayed on them)
- Dried strawberries
- Caramel almonds
Method
- Mix the saffron into the cream, and leave in the fridge overnight to infuse
- The next day heat a heavy frying pan, add the vanilla pod and heat for 20 seconds
- Add the strawberries and heat for another 30 seconds
- Add the sugar and gently fold into the strawberries with a large spoon. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the kirsch and heat for another 30 seconds.
- Remove the vanilla pod
- Remove the mixture from the pan and place in a clean container. Leave to cool, then place in the fridge to chill for 2-3 hours
- Place the strawberry compote (for that is what the above has made) into a suitable glass trifle serving bowl
- Add the slug of brandy to the biscuits and allow to soak for 10 minutes
- Add the soaked biscuits to the strawberry compote
- Whip the cream until it is stiff and spoon onto the top of the compote
- Pile the broken meringues on top of the cream
- Scatter the dried strawberries, almonds and rose petals on top
Voila!
Note: if you want to vary the look of the Royal Trifle, then do not mix the biscuits with the compote; instead spoon the whipped cream on top of the compote, then scatter the biscuits over the cream before topping off with the meringues.
The "look" of the Royal Trifle is very much up to the artistic licence of the chef!
Don't forget to visit Accountants Can Cook which contains anecdotes of my travels around the world, together with 120 of my favourite recipes amassed during 40 years of travelling, eating and cooking.
Ingredients
- Between 1/2 - 1 pint of double cream (note: the amount of cream depends on how rich you like your Royal Trifle)
- A teaspoon of saffron (crushed to a fine powder)
- 1lb of strawberries (destalked and halved)
- 1 vanilla pod split lengthways
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon of kirsch
- A packet of Amaretti biscuits (crumbled, not crushed)
- A slug of brandy (Heston uses Marc de Champagne)
- 6-8 large meringues (broken roughly)
- a few rose petals (washed thoroughly, make sure also they have never had chemicals sprayed on them)
- Dried strawberries
- Caramel almonds
Method
- Mix the saffron into the cream, and leave in the fridge overnight to infuse
- The next day heat a heavy frying pan, add the vanilla pod and heat for 20 seconds
- Add the strawberries and heat for another 30 seconds
- Add the sugar and gently fold into the strawberries with a large spoon. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the kirsch and heat for another 30 seconds.
- Remove the vanilla pod
- Remove the mixture from the pan and place in a clean container. Leave to cool, then place in the fridge to chill for 2-3 hours
- Place the strawberry compote (for that is what the above has made) into a suitable glass trifle serving bowl
- Add the slug of brandy to the biscuits and allow to soak for 10 minutes
- Add the soaked biscuits to the strawberry compote
- Whip the cream until it is stiff and spoon onto the top of the compote
- Pile the broken meringues on top of the cream
- Scatter the dried strawberries, almonds and rose petals on top
Voila!
Note: if you want to vary the look of the Royal Trifle, then do not mix the biscuits with the compote; instead spoon the whipped cream on top of the compote, then scatter the biscuits over the cream before topping off with the meringues.
The "look" of the Royal Trifle is very much up to the artistic licence of the chef!
Don't forget to visit Accountants Can Cook which contains anecdotes of my travels around the world, together with 120 of my favourite recipes amassed during 40 years of travelling, eating and cooking.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Sprout Shortage?
Sprout Shortage?
In much that same way as there was a rumoured "shortage" of Heston Blumenthal's Christmas puddings, it seems that the food industry is trying to cook up a "shortage" of that much loved Christmas staple sprouts.
The media have published warnings from farmers that the current heavy frosts (which are actually very good for sprouts) have caused problems with mechanical harvesting, thus leading to the possibility of a shortage this festive season.
Hmmm...I will believe that when I see it!
I guarantee that there will be more sprouts available on the dining tables of Britain than people are able to/want to eat this festive season.
In much that same way as there was a rumoured "shortage" of Heston Blumenthal's Christmas puddings, it seems that the food industry is trying to cook up a "shortage" of that much loved Christmas staple sprouts.
The media have published warnings from farmers that the current heavy frosts (which are actually very good for sprouts) have caused problems with mechanical harvesting, thus leading to the possibility of a shortage this festive season.
Hmmm...I will believe that when I see it!
I guarantee that there will be more sprouts available on the dining tables of Britain than people are able to/want to eat this festive season.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Madness II
Madness II
Those people who were suckered into bidding on ebay (bids are currently standing at £129) for a Waitrose Heston Blumenthal Christmas pudding (with an orange in the middle) may well be feeling rather foolish today.
Unsurprisingly, the alleged "shortage" of puddings has been resolved.
How?
Simple, Waitrose put more on the shelves!
Could it be that the temporary "shortage" was nothing more than a marketing ploy, designed to maximise publicity and boost sales?
Surely not?
Those people who were suckered into bidding on ebay (bids are currently standing at £129) for a Waitrose Heston Blumenthal Christmas pudding (with an orange in the middle) may well be feeling rather foolish today.
Unsurprisingly, the alleged "shortage" of puddings has been resolved.
How?
Simple, Waitrose put more on the shelves!
Could it be that the temporary "shortage" was nothing more than a marketing ploy, designed to maximise publicity and boost sales?
Surely not?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Madness
Madness
The Telegraph reports that demand for Heston Blumenthal's £13.99 Waitrose Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding is so high, that the supermarket has almost run out and the pudding is now on e-bay with bids currently standing at £77.
It's a farking Christmas pudding for fark's sake!
Get a life people!
The Telegraph reports that demand for Heston Blumenthal's £13.99 Waitrose Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding is so high, that the supermarket has almost run out and the pudding is now on e-bay with bids currently standing at £77.
It's a farking Christmas pudding for fark's sake!
Get a life people!
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Fat Apology
The Fat Apology
Good news for the 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, who went down with food poisoning in January-February this year as a result of eating oysters contaminated with sewage.
They have now (some 7/8 months after the event, and following on from a critical report issued by health investigators) been offered a free meal.
Blumenthal has written to affected diners apologising for the "bad experience".
It is surprising that he took so long to make such an offer.
Good news for the 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, who went down with food poisoning in January-February this year as a result of eating oysters contaminated with sewage.
They have now (some 7/8 months after the event, and following on from a critical report issued by health investigators) been offered a free meal.
Blumenthal has written to affected diners apologising for the "bad experience".
It is surprising that he took so long to make such an offer.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Fat Duck Food Poisoning
Fat Duck Food Poisoning
It seems that the much publicised food poisoning outbreak that caused illness to more than 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, in Berkshire, was probably caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage.
Inspectors from the Health Protection Agency have released a report that highlights the probable cause, and criticises the food safety standards in the kitchens.
Sick staff continued to work and handle the shellfish. Unsuitable products were also said to have been used to clean kitchen surfaces.
The HPA stated:
"Oysters were served raw; razor clams may not have been appropriately handled or cooked; tracing of shellfish to source showed evidence of contamination and there have been reports of illness in other establishments associated with oysters from the same source."
It seems that the much publicised food poisoning outbreak that caused illness to more than 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant, in Berkshire, was probably caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage.
Inspectors from the Health Protection Agency have released a report that highlights the probable cause, and criticises the food safety standards in the kitchens.
Sick staff continued to work and handle the shellfish. Unsuitable products were also said to have been used to clean kitchen surfaces.
The HPA stated:
"Oysters were served raw; razor clams may not have been appropriately handled or cooked; tracing of shellfish to source showed evidence of contamination and there have been reports of illness in other establishments associated with oysters from the same source."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Perfect 10
The Perfect 10
Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire has topped the 2010 Good Food Guide, despite a health scare earlier this year.
The restaurant was shut for more than two weeks from 24 February after 400 diners complained of having fallen ill from norovirus was to blame.
The Fat Duck scored a perfect 10 for the second year, beating Gordon Ramsay's restaurant Chelsea.
Now the only way it can go is down!
Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire has topped the 2010 Good Food Guide, despite a health scare earlier this year.
The restaurant was shut for more than two weeks from 24 February after 400 diners complained of having fallen ill from norovirus was to blame.
The Fat Duck scored a perfect 10 for the second year, beating Gordon Ramsay's restaurant Chelsea.
Now the only way it can go is down!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
The Fat Duck
The Fat Duck
Good news for all you British foodies, who have laboured under the delusion that British cuisine and cooking was not highly rated by the rest of the world.
Heston Blumenthal's restaurant, The Fat Duck in Bray Berkshire, has been crowned the best in the world by a panel of 600 international chefs and critics.
Blumenthal's award winning dishes include, smoked bacon and egg ice cream and green tea and lime mousse dipped in liquid nitrogen.
The Fat Duck, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, also won the Best in Europe accolade.
Blumenthal reportedly said:
"There are so many very good chefs in the world I cannot believe my name is even in the running for the top. It is fantastic for Britain, though this is all down to the Roux brothers, who first put England on the gastronomic map..".
Adding:
"I like to experiment with different tastes and flavours of sweet and savoury and show they have no boundaries. People expect ice-cream to be sweet, but the Victorians ate it savoury. Cucumber ice, for example, with fresh cucumber was common as a starter or deappetiser in a meal. Crab ice-cream was also popular and I have a recipe dated 1800 for parmesan ice-cream,"..
Quote:
"The award is the culmination of what has been happening to cooking in Britain since the mid-1990s and makes it now the best place to eat, especially in London and just outside. You can still get appalling food in restaurants outside London. I just don?t think there is a good food culture here as there is in France and Italy. But food trends trickle down from restaurants and some time that will trickle down to people?s own kitchens."
Good news for all you British foodies, who have laboured under the delusion that British cuisine and cooking was not highly rated by the rest of the world.
Heston Blumenthal's restaurant, The Fat Duck in Bray Berkshire, has been crowned the best in the world by a panel of 600 international chefs and critics.
Blumenthal's award winning dishes include, smoked bacon and egg ice cream and green tea and lime mousse dipped in liquid nitrogen.
The Fat Duck, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, also won the Best in Europe accolade.
Blumenthal reportedly said:
"There are so many very good chefs in the world I cannot believe my name is even in the running for the top. It is fantastic for Britain, though this is all down to the Roux brothers, who first put England on the gastronomic map..".
Adding:
"I like to experiment with different tastes and flavours of sweet and savoury and show they have no boundaries. People expect ice-cream to be sweet, but the Victorians ate it savoury. Cucumber ice, for example, with fresh cucumber was common as a starter or deappetiser in a meal. Crab ice-cream was also popular and I have a recipe dated 1800 for parmesan ice-cream,"..
Quote:
"The award is the culmination of what has been happening to cooking in Britain since the mid-1990s and makes it now the best place to eat, especially in London and just outside. You can still get appalling food in restaurants outside London. I just don?t think there is a good food culture here as there is in France and Italy. But food trends trickle down from restaurants and some time that will trickle down to people?s own kitchens."
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