Canary in a Coalmine

"It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop"

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Weekend in Siena

Last weekend we travelled to Siena (Tuscany) for a long weekend of food, wine and shopping. We all needed a change of scenery. On Friday we decided to drive across the regions of Veneto, Emilia, reaching Tuscany just on time for dinner. Our friends in Siena were very kind to let us stay at their place: a very large apartment near the door of via Camolia, one of the ancient doors leading to the hearth of this medieval town.

We had a very good time: weather was very good - especially all day saturday - and temperatures reached 20C° and above. After buying prosciutto, cheese and bread we stopped for an aperitive in a small osteria: glass of Morellino di Scansano quenched the more immediate thirst for Tuscan wine. Lunch next.

Lunch was substantial and we thought it better to go for a stroll and visit Villa di Geggiano than falling asleep on the sofas. Andrea, the owner and winemaker, showed us around this wonderful XIV century house, with its frescos and precious rooms, wonderful park and elegant vegetable garden.  It is located in the Chianti area and Andrea and his family produce a fine Chianti Classico and pleasant IGTs, Bandinello & Geggiaiolo. Needless to say we sampled the IGTs and brought some home with us.

Finally, on the way back to the flat, we briefly stopped at another friend - Stefano, Brunello winemaker (Sesta di Sopra) - ‘cause it was there and we could not avoid stopping. I know Stefano since 1999, the first year I bought his superb Brunello di Montalcino, and have been a faithfull consumer of his wines. I was after some younger and not too full body wine and Stefano suggested his Rosso di Montalcino and also the Sangiovese IGT they produce.

It was about dinner time when we arrived at the flat: the children and the adults were all fairly hungry. The Trattoria was a pleasant stroll from the flat: the menu made everyone happy. Starter of cured meat and olives, then pici with wild boar ragu, fettuccine with truffle, homemade soups and then a feast of meat: tagliata on a bed of rocket, grilled t-bone steaks, grilled pork chops, lamb cutlets, rosted vegetables. Brunello, then coffee and finally grappa. Fabulous.

It has been a very nice weekend: good company, good food, wonderful photo opportunities, excellent wine.

Filed under Siena Tuscany wine food travels pici truffle Sesta di Sopra Villa di Geggiano brunello di montalcino sangiovese

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Where to eat during the British summer of the Olympics I just finished reading a nice review for food enthusiasts visiting London during this summer Olympic Games. You are really spoilt for choice in London and when you have tried the classic roast beef and Yorkshire pudding there is everything you can imagine and more. This year, the city’s culinary landscape, bolstered by a whole score of new openings, is as international as its visitors — from the Russian Mari Vanna to the Peruvian Lima and Ceviche, there’s bound to be something for everyone. Visitors don’t have far to go either. Right outside the main Olympic Stadium is the recently opened Westfield Shopping Centre, offering a small cluster of eateries. The likes of Franco Manca, Pho and Comptoir Libanais, all part of small chains, wave the flag for good food at accessible prices. Read the full article here The list, courtesy of DJConstable: Franco MancaThe BalconyWestfield Stratford City, LondonE20 1ES0208 522 6669£15 PhoThe BalconyWestfield Stratford City, LondonE20 1ES0208 555 5737£15 – 2 courses, no dessert option Comptoir LibanaisThe BalconyWestfield Stratford City, LondonE20 1ES0208 811 2222£15 Viajante and Corner Room both at Town Hall Hotel and Apartments, Patriot Square, LondonE2 9NF0207 871 0461Viajante from £65 for six-course tasting menu, Corner Room £20 Callooh Callay65 Rivington Street, LondonEC2A 3AYCocktails around £9, bar snacks available Nightjar129 City Road, LondonEC1V 1JB0207 253 4101Cocktails around £9, bar snacks available DegoPortland House, 4 Great Portland Street, Market Place Area, LondonW1W 8QJ£40 Terroirs5 William IV Street, LondonWC2N 4DW0207 036 0660£30 NOPI21-22 Warwick Street, LondonW1B 5NE0207 494 9584£40 – mix of small plates HIX66-70, Brewer Street, LondonW1F 9UP0207 292 3518£40 Polpo41 Beak Street, LondonW1F 9SB0207 734 4479£35 – mix of small plates Bob Bob Ricard1 Upper James Street, LondonW1F 9DF0203 145 1000£45 Yauatcha15-17 Broadwick Street, LondonW1F 0DL0207 494 8888£30 – mix of small plates The Ledbury127 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, LondonW11 2AQ0207 792 9090£80 St. John Bar and Restaurant26 St. John Street, LondonEC1M 4AY0203 301 8069£50 Hibiscus29 Maddox Street, LondonW1S 2PA0207 629 2999£80 Roganic19, Blandford Street, LondonW1U 3DH0207 486 0380£55 – 6 course tasting menu Dinner by Heston BlumenthalMandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, LondonSW1X 7LA0207 201 3833£55 Rules35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, LondonWC2E 7LB020 7836 5314£50

Where to eat during the British summer of the Olympics

I just finished reading a nice review for food enthusiasts visiting London during this summer Olympic Games. You are really spoilt for choice in London and when you have tried the classic roast beef and Yorkshire pudding there is everything you can imagine and more.

This year, the city’s culinary landscape, bolstered by a whole score of new openings, is as international as its visitors — from the Russian Mari Vanna to the Peruvian Lima and Ceviche, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

Visitors don’t have far to go either. Right outside the main Olympic Stadium is the recently opened Westfield Shopping Centre, offering a small cluster of eateries. The likes of Franco Manca, Pho and Comptoir Libanais, all part of small chains, wave the flag for good food at accessible prices.

Read the full article here

The list, courtesy of DJConstable:

Franco Manca
The Balcony
Westfield Stratford City, London
E20 1ES
0208 522 6669
£15

Pho
The Balcony
Westfield Stratford City, London
E20 1ES
0208 555 5737
£15 – 2 courses, no dessert option

Comptoir Libanais
The Balcony
Westfield Stratford City, London
E20 1ES
0208 811 2222
£15

Viajante and Corner Room
both at Town Hall Hotel and Apartments, Patriot Square, London
E2 9NF
0207 871 0461
Viajante from £65 for six-course tasting menu, Corner Room £20

Callooh Callay
65 Rivington Street, London
EC2A 3AY
Cocktails around £9, bar snacks available

Nightjar
129 City Road, London
EC1V 1JB
0207 253 4101
Cocktails around £9, bar snacks available

Dego
Portland House, 4 Great Portland Street, Market Place Area, London
W1W 8QJ
£40

Terroirs
5 William IV Street, London
WC2N 4DW
0207 036 0660
£30

NOPI
21-22 Warwick Street, London
W1B 5NE
0207 494 9584
£40 – mix of small plates

HIX
66-70, Brewer Street, London
W1F 9UP
0207 292 3518
£40

Polpo
41 Beak Street, London
W1F 9SB
0207 734 4479
£35 – mix of small plates

Bob Bob Ricard
1 Upper James Street, London
W1F 9DF
0203 145 1000
£45

Yauatcha
15-17 Broadwick Street, London
W1F 0DL
0207 494 8888
£30 – mix of small plates

The Ledbury
127 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, London
W11 2AQ
0207 792 9090
£80

St. John Bar and Restaurant
26 St. John Street, London
EC1M 4AY
0203 301 8069
£50

Hibiscus
29 Maddox Street, London
W1S 2PA
0207 629 2999
£80

Roganic
19, Blandford Street, London
W1U 3DH
0207 486 0380
£55 – 6 course tasting menu

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London
SW1X 7LA
0207 201 3833
£55

Rules
35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London
WC2E 7LB
020 7836 5314
£50

Filed under Olympics food London eating out British summer

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Valentine’s baked eggs

I found this egg recipe on the Secret Larder blog.

It’s a wonderful, romantic and simple way to say I love you to your dearest this morning.

For me one of the most decadent and delicious breakfast dishes is eggs benedict. Is there a better way to say ‘good morning, I love you’ than toasted muffin, crisp pork, and soft poached eggs bespattered with silky hollandaise? Arguably not.

But it’s quite an involved dish, requiring several components that need to come together simultaneously. Not what you want on Valentine’s when you should be cooing and eye-fluttering. Romance rarely arose from a hunched lover sweating and gurning over a crowded hob. No, the placid cook is the best romancer.

This recipe offers the same level of creamy indulgence as eggs benedict without the headache. And we all know the effects of an unexpected headache can have on passion’s early flickerings.

Serves 2. Obviously.

Butter, about 15g (steady, Marlon)
2 slices of brioche
2 slices of smoked ham
2 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs
100ml double cream
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

***

     Preheat the oven to 200C.

       Generously butter two ramekins. Trim the brioche to fit in the bottom and gently thumb it in. Do the same with the ham. Break the eggs over the top and finish with the cream.

       Scatter with parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper.

       Bake for 12 minutes until the egg is just set.

Serve with toast and a kiss.

Filed under Valentine's day recipe eggs food food recipes

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Cranberry and orange Christmas Tree cakes

So looking forward to trying this recipe!

Cranberry and orange Christmas Tree cakes (makes two cakes to fit two Lakeland Christmas tree moulds, or 2 x 20cm round cakes - halve the recipe to make just one cake):

500g unsalted butter, softened
300g caster sugar
200g light brown soft sugar
Grated zest of 4 oranges
150ml orange juice
8 eggs, beaten
500g self-raising flour, sifted
200g fresh cranberries
Icing sugar, silver balls and a clementine, to decorate

Pre-heat the oven to 170C/fan 160C. If using normal cake tins, grease and line them.

Beat the butter, zest and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (this should take around 5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and adding 1tbsp of the flour each time. Finally, fold in the flour and slowly mix in the orange juice. Fold in the cranberries.

Pour the mixture into the tins and bake for around 45 minutes, or until they spring back when touched and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

When the cakes have cooled thoroughly, remove from their tins (if using metal tins). Mix icing sugar with a little clementine juice to form a fairly runny white icing, then drizzle this over the cake. Stick silver balls to the icing.

I suggest opening a bottle of Picolit to compliment this mouthwatering cake.

(source nutmegs,seven)

Filed under Christmas recipes food christmas cake cranberry Cranberry and orange Christmas Tree cakes