Advice To The Hotel Du Vin Brighton
Check that your salt and pepper pots are full before laying the tables, most especially (when asked for replacement ones) check that the replacements that you provide are actually full!:)
Restaurant Reviews
Restaurant Reviews and Food Musings
Text
Fed up with celebrity chefs drizzling sauces over undercooked pieces of meat? I am!
I regularly dine out and am happy to share my restaurant experiences, and musings on food with you.
Showing posts with label salt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salt. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Saltier Than The Sea
Saltier Than The Sea
In this age of "saltism" it comes as no surprise to learn that poor old Jamie Oliver has been on the receiving end of criticism from the anti salt brigade, re Jamie Oliver's pasta sauce.
Seemingly, if the hype is to be believed, it contains more salt that 10 bags of crisps and even the sea!
Frankly this criticism is a load of BS.
Salt is perfectly harmless to those in good health, indeed it is a necessary component of our diet.
Excess salt, in a healthy person, is easily excreted via sweat and urine.
It is a fuss over nothing, whipped up by ignorant pressure groups and the media.
The ingredient that does need to be cut down on in all our foods is sugar.
In this age of "saltism" it comes as no surprise to learn that poor old Jamie Oliver has been on the receiving end of criticism from the anti salt brigade, re Jamie Oliver's pasta sauce.
Seemingly, if the hype is to be believed, it contains more salt that 10 bags of crisps and even the sea!
Frankly this criticism is a load of BS.
Salt is perfectly harmless to those in good health, indeed it is a necessary component of our diet.
Excess salt, in a healthy person, is easily excreted via sweat and urine.
It is a fuss over nothing, whipped up by ignorant pressure groups and the media.
The ingredient that does need to be cut down on in all our foods is sugar.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Dangers of Sandwiches
The Dangers of Sandwiches
Last night's Dispatches programme on Channel 4 delivered a stinging critique of the British sandwich industry (worth £5BN).
Dispatches showed that sandwiches from some of the top retailers contain huge amounts of salt and fat; many are also bulked up with chemicals, water and starch.
"Proper thick ham", as described on the front of one packet of sandwiches, was in reality (as per the small print on the back) formed from pork products. This being rendered meat; whereby the carcass is subjected to a powerjet that removes all fat, gristle and meat which is then reformed into textured slices.
Nice!
The programme also secretly filmed the shockingly unhygienic practices at one factory that supplies small shops and garages.
Take a careful look at the ingredients next time you buy a sandwich. It is far better to make your own.
Last night's Dispatches programme on Channel 4 delivered a stinging critique of the British sandwich industry (worth £5BN).
Dispatches showed that sandwiches from some of the top retailers contain huge amounts of salt and fat; many are also bulked up with chemicals, water and starch.
"Proper thick ham", as described on the front of one packet of sandwiches, was in reality (as per the small print on the back) formed from pork products. This being rendered meat; whereby the carcass is subjected to a powerjet that removes all fat, gristle and meat which is then reformed into textured slices.
Nice!
The programme also secretly filmed the shockingly unhygienic practices at one factory that supplies small shops and garages.
Take a careful look at the ingredients next time you buy a sandwich. It is far better to make your own.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Delia In Trouble Again
Delia In Trouble Again
Delia Smith finds herself in trouble again over her use of ready made foods in her new TV series "How To Cheat at Cooking".
This time she has fallen foul of the anti salt brigade, championed by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash).
Cash claim that a single serving of one of the recipes, carbonara real quick, contained more than a whole day's recommended salt intake.
Maybe so, but an indulgence once in a while won't kill you.
Delia Smith finds herself in trouble again over her use of ready made foods in her new TV series "How To Cheat at Cooking".
This time she has fallen foul of the anti salt brigade, championed by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash).
Cash claim that a single serving of one of the recipes, carbonara real quick, contained more than a whole day's recommended salt intake.
Maybe so, but an indulgence once in a while won't kill you.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Traffic Lights
Traffic Lights
The government is going to push food firms into adopting a single system of nutritional labelling. Currently there are three different systems being used for products in the UK.
Around 20,000 food and drink items carry one system that shows guideline daily amounts of key nutrients, but which doesn't show the traffic light colour-coding system recommended by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) wants red, amber and green colours on all products to indicate the levels of fat, salt and sugar contained in processed foods.
Eight retailers, 16 manufacturers and four service providers are using this system.
The third system uses a mixture of guideline daily amounts and traffic light colours.
Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, will announce the need for a "single, simple and effective approach to food labelling used by the whole food industry".
The government is going to push food firms into adopting a single system of nutritional labelling. Currently there are three different systems being used for products in the UK.
Around 20,000 food and drink items carry one system that shows guideline daily amounts of key nutrients, but which doesn't show the traffic light colour-coding system recommended by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) wants red, amber and green colours on all products to indicate the levels of fat, salt and sugar contained in processed foods.
Eight retailers, 16 manufacturers and four service providers are using this system.
The third system uses a mixture of guideline daily amounts and traffic light colours.
Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, will announce the need for a "single, simple and effective approach to food labelling used by the whole food industry".
Monday, October 29, 2007
Bad Food Award
Bad Food Award
The Consumers International World Congress is meeting in Sydney this week, and will present on Tuesday its Bad Products Awards.
Quote:
"The 'awards' will be given to leading brand companies guilty of high profile examples of irresponsible behaviour."
Those companies that market products high in sugar and salt had best beware.
The Consumers International World Congress is meeting in Sydney this week, and will present on Tuesday its Bad Products Awards.
Quote:
"The 'awards' will be given to leading brand companies guilty of high profile examples of irresponsible behaviour."
Those companies that market products high in sugar and salt had best beware.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Restaurant 7 Portes
Restaurant 7 Portes
Paseig Isabel II
Barcelona
Spain
Phone 93 319 30 33
Website www.7portes.com
Overview
Whilst Eva and I were on holiday in Spain we took the opportunity to study the hotel guidebook of recommended restaurants, and Eva came across the Restaurant 7 Portes.
Here is how they describe themselves on their website:
"Originally called "Cafe de les 7 Portes", this establishment opened in 1836. Its over 150 years of excellence since then have made today's "Restaurant de les 7 Portes" the most classic of Barcelona's eating-places. It is housed in the "Portics d'en Xifre", a building declared a national monument that was, incidentally, the first place in Barcelona where running water was installed and the back drop for the first photograph ever taken in Spain, In 1942, it became the property of Paco Parellada, founder of one of the fore most dynasties of restaurateurs in all of Catalonia.
At "7 Portes", any time without interruption from one in the afternoon to one in the morning every day of the year, you can enjoy the finest Catalan cooking in an intimate setting or in one of the spacious banquet halls, accompanied by Spain's best wines and "cavas" (sparking wines) from the well-stocked cellar."
With a write up like that we simply had to go along and try it out for ourselves.
By the way, the list of famous diners is quite entertaining eg; Bo Derek, John Wayne and Yoko Ono have all dined there.
Ambience
We went along on a Friday evening, rather boldly without booking. We were a tad concerned on arriving to see that there was a queue of people waiting outside the restaurant, being marshaled by a doorman and head waiter. The restaurant, as could be seen through the window, was very large but also very full. The question dominating our thoughts was whether we would get in or not.
Within two minutes of arriving in the queue, the head waiter appeared and took our names and placed them on a list. Less than five minutes later, he came out again and called us to a table.
Excellent!
Quite clearly the flow through of people, and size of the restaurant means that waiting times are not at all excessive. The additional plus point being that 7 Portes is open until 1:00. However, I would recommend that if you are in a large group you make a reservation, just to be on the safe side.
The 7 Portes has a number of private dining rooms (accommodating from between 2 to 70 people) and the main public dining room, which is fashioned in the style of a grand Victorian cafe. Absolutely delightful, bright, cheerful, stylish and full of energy and life. Cafe style dining of the "old school".
The tables were laid with linen clothes and napkins, and the waiters dressed in the white uniforms reminiscent of ships' stewards. All adding to the atmosphere.
Menu
The menu offered a magnificent selection of Catalan dishes including; ham, "Esqueixada" (salt cod salad), cannelloni, salt cod fritters, Black rice Emporda style (with cuttle-fish and its ink), paella, Senyor Cortina's oven-baked langoustines, black or white sausage with haricot beans, roast suckling pig, roast shoulder of kid etc.
The portions were of the hearty variety, I am pleased to say.
I was therefore quite concerned to observe the English gentleman on the table next to us, meandering around a most excellent and succulent sirloin steak in a most unsatisfactory manner. This place is not for people with poor, unhealthy appetites.
Service
The service was absolutely first class, efficient, friendly and polite. As already noted, we were handled very professionally at the door even though we had not made a reservation. Our waitress was absolutely delightful, complementing me on my incredibly poor grasp of the basics of the Spanish language (yes, I am easily flattered).
She was also very helpful with regard to Eva's special request for a paella without seafood but with some chicken, this was no problem at all (even though it wasn't on the menu).
Full marks, we couldn't have had better service.
Food
I started with the cannelloni, which was made in the "Spanish way" with pork. I have to say, this was a delightful starter; a good sized portion of pork mince flavoured with herbs, rolled in pasta bathed (not drowned) in a light bechamel sauce.
Splendid!
I chose the roast shoulder of kid for my main course. This was heaven on a plate. A truly magnificent joint of meat was presented to me, slow cooked so that the meat fell off the bone but cooked in manner that the meat was not dry. It had been infused with rosemary, which complimented and brought out the flavour of the kid magnificently. It came with saute potatoes and assorted vegetables.
I thoroughly recommend this dish.
Eva chose the Torronada for her starter. This was rather a jolly dish consisting of fried egg and ham, served atop a mound of fried mashed potato. I thought this rather reminiscent of an English breakfast, which in my view often makes rather a good starter for dinner.
Eva then had the specially made paella, which was a vegetable based paella with chicken pieces. It was both filling and flavoursome, a nice version of paella if you or your stomach is a little tired of seafood.
The meal, including a bottle of Torres Del Veguer, came to 93Euros.
Overall Opinion
In our view this is one of the best restaurants we have dined, in whilst in Barcelona. It has everything that you could could wish for; ambience, good service, good food and energy.
Under no circumstances miss out on the opportunity of dining there, if you ever have the good fortune to be visiting Barcelona.
We most certainly will be coming back!
Paseig Isabel II
Barcelona
Spain
Phone 93 319 30 33
Website www.7portes.com
Overview
Whilst Eva and I were on holiday in Spain we took the opportunity to study the hotel guidebook of recommended restaurants, and Eva came across the Restaurant 7 Portes.
Here is how they describe themselves on their website:
"Originally called "Cafe de les 7 Portes", this establishment opened in 1836. Its over 150 years of excellence since then have made today's "Restaurant de les 7 Portes" the most classic of Barcelona's eating-places. It is housed in the "Portics d'en Xifre", a building declared a national monument that was, incidentally, the first place in Barcelona where running water was installed and the back drop for the first photograph ever taken in Spain, In 1942, it became the property of Paco Parellada, founder of one of the fore most dynasties of restaurateurs in all of Catalonia.
At "7 Portes", any time without interruption from one in the afternoon to one in the morning every day of the year, you can enjoy the finest Catalan cooking in an intimate setting or in one of the spacious banquet halls, accompanied by Spain's best wines and "cavas" (sparking wines) from the well-stocked cellar."
With a write up like that we simply had to go along and try it out for ourselves.
By the way, the list of famous diners is quite entertaining eg; Bo Derek, John Wayne and Yoko Ono have all dined there.
Ambience
We went along on a Friday evening, rather boldly without booking. We were a tad concerned on arriving to see that there was a queue of people waiting outside the restaurant, being marshaled by a doorman and head waiter. The restaurant, as could be seen through the window, was very large but also very full. The question dominating our thoughts was whether we would get in or not.
Within two minutes of arriving in the queue, the head waiter appeared and took our names and placed them on a list. Less than five minutes later, he came out again and called us to a table.
Excellent!
Quite clearly the flow through of people, and size of the restaurant means that waiting times are not at all excessive. The additional plus point being that 7 Portes is open until 1:00. However, I would recommend that if you are in a large group you make a reservation, just to be on the safe side.
The 7 Portes has a number of private dining rooms (accommodating from between 2 to 70 people) and the main public dining room, which is fashioned in the style of a grand Victorian cafe. Absolutely delightful, bright, cheerful, stylish and full of energy and life. Cafe style dining of the "old school".
The tables were laid with linen clothes and napkins, and the waiters dressed in the white uniforms reminiscent of ships' stewards. All adding to the atmosphere.
Menu
The menu offered a magnificent selection of Catalan dishes including; ham, "Esqueixada" (salt cod salad), cannelloni, salt cod fritters, Black rice Emporda style (with cuttle-fish and its ink), paella, Senyor Cortina's oven-baked langoustines, black or white sausage with haricot beans, roast suckling pig, roast shoulder of kid etc.
The portions were of the hearty variety, I am pleased to say.
I was therefore quite concerned to observe the English gentleman on the table next to us, meandering around a most excellent and succulent sirloin steak in a most unsatisfactory manner. This place is not for people with poor, unhealthy appetites.
Service
The service was absolutely first class, efficient, friendly and polite. As already noted, we were handled very professionally at the door even though we had not made a reservation. Our waitress was absolutely delightful, complementing me on my incredibly poor grasp of the basics of the Spanish language (yes, I am easily flattered).
She was also very helpful with regard to Eva's special request for a paella without seafood but with some chicken, this was no problem at all (even though it wasn't on the menu).
Full marks, we couldn't have had better service.
Food
I started with the cannelloni, which was made in the "Spanish way" with pork. I have to say, this was a delightful starter; a good sized portion of pork mince flavoured with herbs, rolled in pasta bathed (not drowned) in a light bechamel sauce.
Splendid!
I chose the roast shoulder of kid for my main course. This was heaven on a plate. A truly magnificent joint of meat was presented to me, slow cooked so that the meat fell off the bone but cooked in manner that the meat was not dry. It had been infused with rosemary, which complimented and brought out the flavour of the kid magnificently. It came with saute potatoes and assorted vegetables.
I thoroughly recommend this dish.
Eva chose the Torronada for her starter. This was rather a jolly dish consisting of fried egg and ham, served atop a mound of fried mashed potato. I thought this rather reminiscent of an English breakfast, which in my view often makes rather a good starter for dinner.
Eva then had the specially made paella, which was a vegetable based paella with chicken pieces. It was both filling and flavoursome, a nice version of paella if you or your stomach is a little tired of seafood.
The meal, including a bottle of Torres Del Veguer, came to 93Euros.
Overall Opinion
In our view this is one of the best restaurants we have dined, in whilst in Barcelona. It has everything that you could could wish for; ambience, good service, good food and energy.
Under no circumstances miss out on the opportunity of dining there, if you ever have the good fortune to be visiting Barcelona.
We most certainly will be coming back!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Restaurant Ria De Vigo
Restaurant Ria De Vigo
Sevilla 84
Barcelona
Spain
Phone 932 215 131
Overview
Eva and I were recently in Barcelona on a well deserved holiday. We decided to pop into Rio De Vigo, one of the numerous restaurants/cafes that are by the sea at Platja de Sant Miquel, for lunch.
It was a glorious sunny day, and we decided to sit at a table outside under one of the sun umbrellas.
Rio De Vigo serves a mixture of seafood and meat dishes, using local ingredients.
Ambience
Rio de Vigo is a pleasant restaurant near the seafront. The outside area, where we sat, was clean fresh and well shaded by the umbrellas. Although it was busy, the tables were not packed together too closely to make it feel unpleasant.
Menu
The menu provided an excellent selection of seafood and meat dishes including; the obligatory paella (in various guises), locally caught fish, steaks and pasta.
Service
The service was very friendly, efficient and courteous.
Food
I started with green peppers fried in olive oil and generously salted with sea salt. A most excellent dish, piquant and flavoursome.
I chose a sirloin steak for my main course, garnished with peppers and fires. The meat was of good quality, tender and had a decent layer of fat.
I have no complaints at all.
Eva started with fried prawns. This was a most excellent starter, consisting of a generous plateful of prawns in their shells that had been dipped in flour then fried in olive oil. The taste was piquant and fresh.
Eva then chose the veal escalope for her main course. This was covered in bread crumbs and fried, and garnished with fries and a salad. It was a reasonable effort, not the best that I have seen (as the meat was a little darker and drier than I would prefer); however, it was perfectly adequate.
The meal, which included a jug of Cava Sangria, a beer and two Irish coffees (well, it was our last day!), came to 88Euros.
Overall Opinion
A perfectly decent and fun seaside restaurant, worth visiting on a hot day.
Sevilla 84
Barcelona
Spain
Phone 932 215 131
Overview
Eva and I were recently in Barcelona on a well deserved holiday. We decided to pop into Rio De Vigo, one of the numerous restaurants/cafes that are by the sea at Platja de Sant Miquel, for lunch.
It was a glorious sunny day, and we decided to sit at a table outside under one of the sun umbrellas.
Rio De Vigo serves a mixture of seafood and meat dishes, using local ingredients.
Ambience
Rio de Vigo is a pleasant restaurant near the seafront. The outside area, where we sat, was clean fresh and well shaded by the umbrellas. Although it was busy, the tables were not packed together too closely to make it feel unpleasant.
Menu
The menu provided an excellent selection of seafood and meat dishes including; the obligatory paella (in various guises), locally caught fish, steaks and pasta.
Service
The service was very friendly, efficient and courteous.
Food
I started with green peppers fried in olive oil and generously salted with sea salt. A most excellent dish, piquant and flavoursome.
I chose a sirloin steak for my main course, garnished with peppers and fires. The meat was of good quality, tender and had a decent layer of fat.
I have no complaints at all.
Eva started with fried prawns. This was a most excellent starter, consisting of a generous plateful of prawns in their shells that had been dipped in flour then fried in olive oil. The taste was piquant and fresh.
Eva then chose the veal escalope for her main course. This was covered in bread crumbs and fried, and garnished with fries and a salad. It was a reasonable effort, not the best that I have seen (as the meat was a little darker and drier than I would prefer); however, it was perfectly adequate.
The meal, which included a jug of Cava Sangria, a beer and two Irish coffees (well, it was our last day!), came to 88Euros.
Overall Opinion
A perfectly decent and fun seaside restaurant, worth visiting on a hot day.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Meaty Mince Pies
Meaty Mince Pies
'Tis the season to be merry etc. In keeping with the season, I would like to share with you my recipe for Meaty Mince Pies (a welcome alternative to the sweet variety)
Ingredients
-Puff pastry
-1kg of pork mince
-250g homemade breadcrumbs
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped parsley
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped sage
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped rosemary
-1 egg
-Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste
Method
Combine all the ingredients (except for the pastry) in a large mixing bowl
Roll and cut circles of pastry to fill a greased mince pie baking tray (this should be enough for 24-30 pies).
Generously fill the pies with the mince mixture
Top off each with a pastry lid
Bake in a hot oven (180-200) for around 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Eat.
'Tis the season to be merry etc. In keeping with the season, I would like to share with you my recipe for Meaty Mince Pies (a welcome alternative to the sweet variety)
Ingredients
-Puff pastry
-1kg of pork mince
-250g homemade breadcrumbs
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped parsley
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped sage
-A good handful of fresh finely chopped rosemary
-1 egg
-Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste
Method
Combine all the ingredients (except for the pastry) in a large mixing bowl
Roll and cut circles of pastry to fill a greased mince pie baking tray (this should be enough for 24-30 pies).
Generously fill the pies with the mince mixture
Top off each with a pastry lid
Bake in a hot oven (180-200) for around 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Eat.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Fabada
Fabada
Continuing the temporary Spanish theme of this site, here is a simple fabada recipe that I have made a few times since we returned from holiday in Spain. It serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large tins (400g each) of cannellini beans, drained
4 medium sized chorizo, sliced thickly
2 Spanish blood puddings, sliced thickly
1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and chopped coarsely
Olive oil
4 thick slices of belly of pork, cut into thick cubes
Saffron
4 bayleaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Lightly saute the garlic, add the pork and chorizo.
Gently saute for a few minutes, then add the blood pudding and the beans.
Cover with water, adding the remaining ingredients
Simmer gently with the lid on for around 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Transfer into earthenware dishes, place these in a preheated oven (180 degrees) and bake for around 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately with bread.
Ideal for a late supper or as a hearty starter.
Continuing the temporary Spanish theme of this site, here is a simple fabada recipe that I have made a few times since we returned from holiday in Spain. It serves 4.
Ingredients
2 large tins (400g each) of cannellini beans, drained
4 medium sized chorizo, sliced thickly
2 Spanish blood puddings, sliced thickly
1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and chopped coarsely
Olive oil
4 thick slices of belly of pork, cut into thick cubes
Saffron
4 bayleaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Lightly saute the garlic, add the pork and chorizo.
Gently saute for a few minutes, then add the blood pudding and the beans.
Cover with water, adding the remaining ingredients
Simmer gently with the lid on for around 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Transfer into earthenware dishes, place these in a preheated oven (180 degrees) and bake for around 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately with bread.
Ideal for a late supper or as a hearty starter.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Summer Vegetable Recipe
Summer Vegetable Recipe
Now that summer is finally upon us, I thought that you may like to try this very simple summer vegetable recipe that is both colourful and tasty. I made a pot of it myself yesterday.
Ingredients
- 10 courgettes, washed and cut into thick slices
- 6 large tomatoes, cut coarsely
- 1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and chopped coarsely
- 4 medium onions, peeled and chopped coarsely
- olive oil, salt and black pepper
Method
- Lightly saute the onions and garlic witht he oil, until soft, in a large stew pot
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Season
- Simmer with the lid on for around 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the courgettes are soft
Serve with pork or chicken, or just enjoy a bowl of it as it is.
Now that summer is finally upon us, I thought that you may like to try this very simple summer vegetable recipe that is both colourful and tasty. I made a pot of it myself yesterday.
Ingredients
- 10 courgettes, washed and cut into thick slices
- 6 large tomatoes, cut coarsely
- 1 head of fresh garlic, peeled and chopped coarsely
- 4 medium onions, peeled and chopped coarsely
- olive oil, salt and black pepper
Method
- Lightly saute the onions and garlic witht he oil, until soft, in a large stew pot
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Season
- Simmer with the lid on for around 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the courgettes are soft
Serve with pork or chicken, or just enjoy a bowl of it as it is.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Cold Cure
Cold Cure
If you are suffering from a cold, and are in need of a little comfort food that may help you expel the bugs, try this simple recipe.
Get well soon!
If you are suffering from a cold, and are in need of a little comfort food that may help you expel the bugs, try this simple recipe.
- Take one medium onion, and peel it.
- Place it whole into a pan, and cover with cold water.
- Bring the water to the boil, and simmer with the lid on for around ten minutes until the onion is soft.
- Remove the onion from the pan, shake off excess water and place on a plate.
- Put a good sized knob of butter on the top, and season with salt and black pepper.
- Eat whilst hot.
Get well soon!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
The Rarest of Rarebits
The Rarest of Rarebits
Those of you who are fond of Welsh Rarebit (in effect cheese on toast), may find Master chef Tom Bridge's creation a little hard to digest.
He is in the process of creating a £345 a slice Welsh Rarebit using; £600 per lb white Umbrian truffles and £250 per lb matsutake Chinese mushrooms.
The dish is to be created for National Cheese on Toast Day on April 27.
Those of you who can't quite manage £345 per slice may prefer to try this simple recipe:
-Grated mature English cheddar
-Worcestershire sauce
-Tabasco sauce
-Salt/black pepper
-Egg yolk
-Tablespoon of milk
-Teaspoon of flour
-Tablespoon of ale or Guinness
-Teaspoon of English mustard powder
Mix the above together and spread on a slice of toast. Grill until the cheese is brown and bubbling.
Marvellous!
Those of you who are fond of Welsh Rarebit (in effect cheese on toast), may find Master chef Tom Bridge's creation a little hard to digest.
He is in the process of creating a £345 a slice Welsh Rarebit using; £600 per lb white Umbrian truffles and £250 per lb matsutake Chinese mushrooms.
The dish is to be created for National Cheese on Toast Day on April 27.
Those of you who can't quite manage £345 per slice may prefer to try this simple recipe:
-Grated mature English cheddar
-Worcestershire sauce
-Tabasco sauce
-Salt/black pepper
-Egg yolk
-Tablespoon of milk
-Teaspoon of flour
-Tablespoon of ale or Guinness
-Teaspoon of English mustard powder
Mix the above together and spread on a slice of toast. Grill until the cheese is brown and bubbling.
Marvellous!
Monday, February 20, 2006
BA's Shameful All Day Deli
BA's Shameful All Day Deli
I had the misfortune to fly by BA to Stockholm last week, and suffer the unpalatable and tasteless excuse for food that they insult their customers palates with.
BA is the national airline of Britain, yet in respect of its catering (performed by a third party company "Gate Gourmet", a title that most surely is a contradiction in terms) it more resembles British Rail's catering efforts of the seventies and eighties.
The in flight catering on the route consists of a boxed sandwich and some fruit in sugared water, this abomination in a box labours under the misnomer "all day deli".
Unlike many companies who have woken up to the idea that customers who are after all paying for the product deserve a choice, BA offered no choice on either the outward or inward bound flights that I took.
My outward bound "meal" was an egg mayonnaise sandwich.
This consisted of a small portion of chopped egg, a sad piece of lettuce and a hint of mayonnaise placed between two unbuttered pieces of brown bread.
The combination was bland, unpalatable and unsatisfying.
I fared no better on my return trip, again being offered no choice. This time my "meal" was a cheese and coleslaw soft roll.
I saw, nor tasted, any evidence of cheese.
Neither "meal" pack contained any salt or pepper to add life or luster to these culinary abominations.
I raised the issue as to lack of choice and poor quality with the very kind and service minded stewardess, she was very apologetic and said that the staff were embarrassed to serve them
She noted that they don't eat these "meals" themselves, and wished that someone would complain loudly enough to improve the situation. Indeed, she said that some of the food that they have served was in fact worse.
Let us hope that BA take note of this complaint this time. It is not the first time that I have had to chide them for their lamentable lack of culinary imagination or skill. They won the coveted "Worse Than Worthless Award" for their Ham and Cheese Bloomer in 2003.
I had the misfortune to fly by BA to Stockholm last week, and suffer the unpalatable and tasteless excuse for food that they insult their customers palates with.
BA is the national airline of Britain, yet in respect of its catering (performed by a third party company "Gate Gourmet", a title that most surely is a contradiction in terms) it more resembles British Rail's catering efforts of the seventies and eighties.
The in flight catering on the route consists of a boxed sandwich and some fruit in sugared water, this abomination in a box labours under the misnomer "all day deli".
Unlike many companies who have woken up to the idea that customers who are after all paying for the product deserve a choice, BA offered no choice on either the outward or inward bound flights that I took.
My outward bound "meal" was an egg mayonnaise sandwich.
This consisted of a small portion of chopped egg, a sad piece of lettuce and a hint of mayonnaise placed between two unbuttered pieces of brown bread.
The combination was bland, unpalatable and unsatisfying.
I fared no better on my return trip, again being offered no choice. This time my "meal" was a cheese and coleslaw soft roll.
I saw, nor tasted, any evidence of cheese.
Neither "meal" pack contained any salt or pepper to add life or luster to these culinary abominations.
I raised the issue as to lack of choice and poor quality with the very kind and service minded stewardess, she was very apologetic and said that the staff were embarrassed to serve them
She noted that they don't eat these "meals" themselves, and wished that someone would complain loudly enough to improve the situation. Indeed, she said that some of the food that they have served was in fact worse.
Let us hope that BA take note of this complaint this time. It is not the first time that I have had to chide them for their lamentable lack of culinary imagination or skill. They won the coveted "Worse Than Worthless Award" for their Ham and Cheese Bloomer in 2003.
Friday, December 02, 2005
The Dangers of Salads
The Dangers of Salads
Those of you who think that you are being virtuous by having a salad in a fast food establishment, may have to think again.
Tests by Which? of items bought at McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, have revealed that three salads were the saltiest options on the menus.
Each contained over 3g of salt per salad portion, this is over half the recommended maximum daily intake of 6g.
Which? also noted that the websites of Burger King and KFC were inaccurate, in respect of their food's nutrition content.
The report noted that there was in fact 19g of saturated fat in a Burger King Whopper and regular fries, which was 6g more than the 13g stated on the company website.
A KFC Zinger Crunch salad had 6.7g of saturated fat, almost treble the 2.4g stated by KFC. The company told Which? that discrepancies could be due to "over portioning" at some stores.
Which? editor Malcolm Coles said:
"Don't assume that a salad is always a healthy option - you could be getting a large helping of fat and salt on the side. Although fast food companies now offer more choice, it's hard to know what you're really getting."
Burger King said in a statement that the company website gave "typical" nutrition figures, intended as a guide for customers.
Fluctuations in ingredients used by staff could lead to some variations, it said.
The lesson here is, that if you are in fast food place, stick to the fries, burgers and chicken; at least you will feel full.
Those of you who think that you are being virtuous by having a salad in a fast food establishment, may have to think again.
Tests by Which? of items bought at McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, have revealed that three salads were the saltiest options on the menus.
Each contained over 3g of salt per salad portion, this is over half the recommended maximum daily intake of 6g.
Which? also noted that the websites of Burger King and KFC were inaccurate, in respect of their food's nutrition content.
The report noted that there was in fact 19g of saturated fat in a Burger King Whopper and regular fries, which was 6g more than the 13g stated on the company website.
A KFC Zinger Crunch salad had 6.7g of saturated fat, almost treble the 2.4g stated by KFC. The company told Which? that discrepancies could be due to "over portioning" at some stores.
Which? editor Malcolm Coles said:
"Don't assume that a salad is always a healthy option - you could be getting a large helping of fat and salt on the side. Although fast food companies now offer more choice, it's hard to know what you're really getting."
Burger King said in a statement that the company website gave "typical" nutrition figures, intended as a guide for customers.
Fluctuations in ingredients used by staff could lead to some variations, it said.
The lesson here is, that if you are in fast food place, stick to the fries, burgers and chicken; at least you will feel full.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Roast
Restaurant
Roast
The Floral Hall
Borough Market
Stoney Street
London
Phone:- 0207 940 1300
Website: www.roast-restaurant.com
Overview
Eva and I decided to try out the newly opened Roast restaurant in Borough Market last Friday.
Roast is the brainchild creation of Iqbal Wahhab, who founded The Cinnamon Club in Westminster. Roast has 120 seats, and is constructed on the site of Britain's oldest surviving food market, by London Bridge.
Edward Barry designed the Floral Hall in 1858, to house flowers for resale by the market traders; the upper floor now houses Roast, whilst the ground floor will house market traders.
Roast serves traditional British food in a modern lively setting, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I would advise you to book, as the restaurant was packed when we went there.
Ambience
Roast is situated on the first floor of the Floral Hall of Borough Market. It consists of a large split level dining room and open fronted spit roast kitchen, together with a bar placed mid centre of the main part of the dining room.
The building has been given a stunning frontage in the form of the portico of the old Covent Garden flower market, which offers diners views onto the market on one side and over into St Paul's Cathedral on the other.
If you like the colour scheme white, then you are in for a treat; white is the order of the day for the walls and high ceilings, together with the linen napkins and tablecloths.
This, coupled with the large glass windows, gives Roast an airy and spacious atmosphere.
The layout of the restaurant means that those diners who are placed on the upper split level by the windows are afforded an excellent view of the market and St Paul's, whilst many of those on the lower level are afforded an excellent view of the bar and kitchen.
I would therefore advise you to specify your preference when booking your table.
As noted the restaurant was very lively, bright and spacious; as such it may not be first choice for a romantic cosy meal for two.
We were given a very good table on the "upper deck" by the window. I was more than pleased to note that, despite the fact the restaurant has a high ceiling and large glass frontage, it was not cold.
Menu
The menu was unashamedly British, and contained a variety of traditional dishes such as; roast pork with black pudding, potted shrimps, roast pheasant, steak and fish.
However, rather bizarrely for a restaurant that calls itself Roast, the one dish that was missing was Roast Beef!
I find this omission to be more than a little daft, and indeed said as much to the staff.
I really would suggest that this dish, that is widely regarded as the national dish of Britain, should be included on Roast's menu as soon as possible.
One other point that I would suggest that Roast address, is the fact that their website does not at the time of writing have a sample menu uploaded. The key feature of any well designed restaurant website is the menu page.
Service
We were warmly greeted, and promptly shown to our table.
The staff were very friendly and efficient. The service and attention to detail was smooth and well co-ordinated as it needed to be, given the number of covers.
Eva's dropped butter knife, was replaced immediately without prompting.
Food
I started with the green split pea soup with salt beef and vegetables. This was a little too thin and watery for my taste; I have been brought up eating yellow split pea soup, which had a much thicker consistency.
I would also suggest that the split peas and vegetables could have benefited from being cooked for a little longer; as they were, to my view/taste, a touch underdone.
I chose the roast suckling pig with black pudding for my main course.
This consisted of several slices of good quality pork, a good cut with just the right amount of fat and crackling, served with a thin slice of black pudding which had been placed atop half an apple.
The pork was very good, the taste and texture was first class.
I would, however, make two observations:
Unlike the pork, they were hot.
The slices of roast pumpkin were splendid, and had been roasted to perfection.
Eva started with the potted shrimps, which came with a lemon wedge and a little toast. They were delightfully indulgent, rich, tasty and filling.
Eva then chose the roast pheasant for her main course, she chose mashed potatoes to accompany it.
The pheasant consisted of a generous portion of both breast and leg, served on top of sherry glazed parsnips. The bird had been well, but not over, cooked. It was succulent, tender and had a delicate game flavour. The size of the portion defeated Eva; so we made off with the remainder in a doggy bag, and had it the next day in a sandwich.
The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy, and had a better taste and consistency than many that we have had elsewhere.
The meal, which included a bottle of Pinot Grigio (unaccountably they had no Chablis on the wine list) and a liqueur, came to £100 including service.
Overall Opinion
We enjoyed our evening; once the few “teething” issues that I have raised above are addressed, Roast will enjoy commercial and culinary success.
Roast
The Floral Hall
Borough Market
Stoney Street
London
Phone:- 0207 940 1300
Website: www.roast-restaurant.com
Overview
Eva and I decided to try out the newly opened Roast restaurant in Borough Market last Friday.
Roast is the brainchild creation of Iqbal Wahhab, who founded The Cinnamon Club in Westminster. Roast has 120 seats, and is constructed on the site of Britain's oldest surviving food market, by London Bridge.
Edward Barry designed the Floral Hall in 1858, to house flowers for resale by the market traders; the upper floor now houses Roast, whilst the ground floor will house market traders.
Roast serves traditional British food in a modern lively setting, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I would advise you to book, as the restaurant was packed when we went there.
Ambience
Roast is situated on the first floor of the Floral Hall of Borough Market. It consists of a large split level dining room and open fronted spit roast kitchen, together with a bar placed mid centre of the main part of the dining room.
The building has been given a stunning frontage in the form of the portico of the old Covent Garden flower market, which offers diners views onto the market on one side and over into St Paul's Cathedral on the other.
If you like the colour scheme white, then you are in for a treat; white is the order of the day for the walls and high ceilings, together with the linen napkins and tablecloths.
This, coupled with the large glass windows, gives Roast an airy and spacious atmosphere.
The layout of the restaurant means that those diners who are placed on the upper split level by the windows are afforded an excellent view of the market and St Paul's, whilst many of those on the lower level are afforded an excellent view of the bar and kitchen.
I would therefore advise you to specify your preference when booking your table.
As noted the restaurant was very lively, bright and spacious; as such it may not be first choice for a romantic cosy meal for two.
We were given a very good table on the "upper deck" by the window. I was more than pleased to note that, despite the fact the restaurant has a high ceiling and large glass frontage, it was not cold.
Menu
The menu was unashamedly British, and contained a variety of traditional dishes such as; roast pork with black pudding, potted shrimps, roast pheasant, steak and fish.
However, rather bizarrely for a restaurant that calls itself Roast, the one dish that was missing was Roast Beef!
I find this omission to be more than a little daft, and indeed said as much to the staff.
I really would suggest that this dish, that is widely regarded as the national dish of Britain, should be included on Roast's menu as soon as possible.
One other point that I would suggest that Roast address, is the fact that their website does not at the time of writing have a sample menu uploaded. The key feature of any well designed restaurant website is the menu page.
Service
We were warmly greeted, and promptly shown to our table.
The staff were very friendly and efficient. The service and attention to detail was smooth and well co-ordinated as it needed to be, given the number of covers.
Eva's dropped butter knife, was replaced immediately without prompting.
Food
I started with the green split pea soup with salt beef and vegetables. This was a little too thin and watery for my taste; I have been brought up eating yellow split pea soup, which had a much thicker consistency.
I would also suggest that the split peas and vegetables could have benefited from being cooked for a little longer; as they were, to my view/taste, a touch underdone.
I chose the roast suckling pig with black pudding for my main course.
This consisted of several slices of good quality pork, a good cut with just the right amount of fat and crackling, served with a thin slice of black pudding which had been placed atop half an apple.
The pork was very good, the taste and texture was first class.
I would, however, make two observations:
- The majority of the crackling did not crackle
- The pork was luke warm rather than hot, I suspect that it had been left a little too long on the plate before being taken from the kitchen to our table
Unlike the pork, they were hot.
The slices of roast pumpkin were splendid, and had been roasted to perfection.
Eva started with the potted shrimps, which came with a lemon wedge and a little toast. They were delightfully indulgent, rich, tasty and filling.
Eva then chose the roast pheasant for her main course, she chose mashed potatoes to accompany it.
The pheasant consisted of a generous portion of both breast and leg, served on top of sherry glazed parsnips. The bird had been well, but not over, cooked. It was succulent, tender and had a delicate game flavour. The size of the portion defeated Eva; so we made off with the remainder in a doggy bag, and had it the next day in a sandwich.
The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy, and had a better taste and consistency than many that we have had elsewhere.
The meal, which included a bottle of Pinot Grigio (unaccountably they had no Chablis on the wine list) and a liqueur, came to £100 including service.
Overall Opinion
We enjoyed our evening; once the few “teething” issues that I have raised above are addressed, Roast will enjoy commercial and culinary success.
Monday, October 31, 2005
The World's Saltiest Lasagne
The World's Saltiest Lasagne
Eva and I were in Brighton yesterday, and popped into Donatello for an end of day pizza and pasta.
There, I had what I can only describe as the world's saltiest lasagne.
Message to the chef...way too much salt in your lasagne.
Eva and I were in Brighton yesterday, and popped into Donatello for an end of day pizza and pasta.
There, I had what I can only describe as the world's saltiest lasagne.
Message to the chef...way too much salt in your lasagne.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Ixxy's Hot Salt Beef Bagel
Ixxy's Hot Salt Beef Bagel
Those of you who fancy a nice hot salt beef bagel, whilst waiting for your train at London's Victoria station, should not bother buying one from Ixxy's Bagel Shop (owned by the Compass Group).
I tried one yesterday:
- The beef was reheated in a microwave, instead of being cut from a joint
- The beef was luke warm and bland, instead of being hot and tasty
- Ixxy's advertise that the hot beef bagel comes with mustard; I had to remind the girl behind the counter to put mustard in, after she had made the bagel. Thus she had to disassemble the bagel
- The bagel itself was dry
- The counter girl forgot the use of the phrases "please" and "thank you", and indeed how to smile
- The cost of this gastronomic disappointment, together with a can of fizzy sugared water, came to £5.99
Bottom line: if you want a tasty hot salt beef bagel, that is good value for money, don't go to Ixxy's.
Those of you who fancy a nice hot salt beef bagel, whilst waiting for your train at London's Victoria station, should not bother buying one from Ixxy's Bagel Shop (owned by the Compass Group).
I tried one yesterday:
- The beef was reheated in a microwave, instead of being cut from a joint
- The beef was luke warm and bland, instead of being hot and tasty
- Ixxy's advertise that the hot beef bagel comes with mustard; I had to remind the girl behind the counter to put mustard in, after she had made the bagel. Thus she had to disassemble the bagel
- The bagel itself was dry
- The counter girl forgot the use of the phrases "please" and "thank you", and indeed how to smile
- The cost of this gastronomic disappointment, together with a can of fizzy sugared water, came to £5.99
Bottom line: if you want a tasty hot salt beef bagel, that is good value for money, don't go to Ixxy's.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Pasties Go Mexican
Pasties Go Mexican
It seems that the traditional Cornish Pasty, once the staple diet of Cornish tin miners, has now become the staple diet of Mexican silver miners.
The pasty is now classified as a local delicacy, alongside tacos and beans.
There is of course a Mexican twist to the dish that normally contains meat, potatoes and swede; they have added a few chillis.
Those of you who wish to try out the Mexican version should go to Real del Monte in Mexico, where the pasty was first imported by Cornish tin miners in the 19th century.
Traditional Cornish Pasty Recipe
Cornish Pasties originated in Cornwall as a handy way for miners to take their lunch to work.
Shortcrust pastry encases a mixture of finely chopped meat and vegetables.
Ingredients
10 oz flour
A pinch of salt
4 oz of cold butter
1 to 3 tablespoons of water
8 oz of cubed beef
2 potatoes 1 swede/turnip
1 medium onion
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon of mustard
2 teaspoons of tomato sauce / ketchup (optional)
1 egg
Short Pastry
In a large bowl or food processor sift the flour and salt, cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour.
Rub the butter into the flour with your hands or using the food processor, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre and add sufficient water to mix to a firm dough.
Handle as little as possible as this prevents the pastry from becoming hard when it is baked.
Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Filling
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Put the cubed meat into a large bowl.
Chop the onion finely, and add to the meat.
Peel the potatoes and swede turnip, cut into very small cubes.
Mix thoroughly with the meat, add the seasonings (a little water may be added to moisten) and cover.
On a lightly floured bench or board roll the pastry out to around 1/8 inch thick.
Cut 6 rounds, using a 6 1/2 inch diameter plate as a guide.
Arrange the filling evenly in the centre of each round.
Lightly beat the egg and glaze the edge of each round with a pastry brush.
Lift the two opposite edges of the pastry and pull together over the filling.
Pinch at regular intervals along the edge to form a frill.
Brush each pasty with egg and place on a baking tray.
Bake for 3/4 to 1 hour.
Eat hot or cold.
It seems that the traditional Cornish Pasty, once the staple diet of Cornish tin miners, has now become the staple diet of Mexican silver miners.
The pasty is now classified as a local delicacy, alongside tacos and beans.
There is of course a Mexican twist to the dish that normally contains meat, potatoes and swede; they have added a few chillis.
Those of you who wish to try out the Mexican version should go to Real del Monte in Mexico, where the pasty was first imported by Cornish tin miners in the 19th century.
Traditional Cornish Pasty Recipe
Cornish Pasties originated in Cornwall as a handy way for miners to take their lunch to work.
Shortcrust pastry encases a mixture of finely chopped meat and vegetables.
Ingredients
10 oz flour
A pinch of salt
4 oz of cold butter
1 to 3 tablespoons of water
8 oz of cubed beef
2 potatoes 1 swede/turnip
1 medium onion
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon of mustard
2 teaspoons of tomato sauce / ketchup (optional)
1 egg
Short Pastry
In a large bowl or food processor sift the flour and salt, cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour.
Rub the butter into the flour with your hands or using the food processor, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre and add sufficient water to mix to a firm dough.
Handle as little as possible as this prevents the pastry from becoming hard when it is baked.
Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Filling
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Put the cubed meat into a large bowl.
Chop the onion finely, and add to the meat.
Peel the potatoes and swede turnip, cut into very small cubes.
Mix thoroughly with the meat, add the seasonings (a little water may be added to moisten) and cover.
On a lightly floured bench or board roll the pastry out to around 1/8 inch thick.
Cut 6 rounds, using a 6 1/2 inch diameter plate as a guide.
Arrange the filling evenly in the centre of each round.
Lightly beat the egg and glaze the edge of each round with a pastry brush.
Lift the two opposite edges of the pastry and pull together over the filling.
Pinch at regular intervals along the edge to form a frill.
Brush each pasty with egg and place on a baking tray.
Bake for 3/4 to 1 hour.
Eat hot or cold.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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
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
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