Edible Magazine Brighton - Issue 2 by Edible Magazine Ltd

issue 2

The FREE foodie magazine for Brighton & Hove | winter 2010

the festive issue! grow your own | wine tasting | pie review | recipes & more1

The

Foragers pub Our award-winning meat & poultry is free range, organic and reared on one local farm. Our seafood is sustainably caught from the south coast. Cheeses & dairy are locally made, our vegetables are organic or locally sourced, with our greens wild & hand foraged. From wild rabbit to snuffled truffles, freshly caught crab to smoked wild mackerel - only the finest local produce makes it to the table.

Now taking Christmas bookings For more information call 01273 733134 visit www.theforagerspub.co.uk 3 Stirling Place • Hove • East Sussex • BN3 3YU • info@theforagerspub.co.uk

greetings... from Brighton & Hove’s free foodie magazine! What a season it’s been. Our first issue has been warmly received and we thank you for your kind words and wishes. We’ve had so much going on in the last three months; the Brighton and Hove Food Festival throughout September, the Foodie Awards, and some great new farm shops opening offering a fine array of fresh local food to our city. It’s been really warming and inspiring to see that so many of you share the same passion for all things “foodie” in our city. We’re now heading towards an exciting season, so we’re all gearing up for the festive period, feeling the need to eat substantial heart-warming meals and possibly drink a little more than usual! But never fear, we’ve done it before and we can get back on track for January and February. We’re even giving you a helping hand with some great nutritional advice on pages 41-43. We have some great wine tips for you, some yummy kids’ recipes, another ale trail and some brilliant advice on growing your own produce (however small your garden or window box). We also chat to Norman Cook, bring you the next great instalment on what’s in season and we eat all the pies! Enjoy the festive season and may we be the first to wish you a very happy 2011.

the edible team

features:

regulars:

recipes:

What to eat now...........9/10

News..................................... 4/5

Grow your own...........14/15

Your letters ........................... 6

Haddock in prosciutto & mediterranean veg......10

Our local markets....... 16/17

Local hero ..........................18

Pie review...................... 21/23

Restau”RANT”..................... 19

Wine tasting................. 30/31

On the map..................24/25

Deep fried brie...................34

Cheap eats...........................33

Edible loves.................. 26/27

Toad in the apple..............35

School diners............... 34/35

Ale trail...................................29

Meringue snowmen........35

Food for thought....... 41/43

Bob the builder.................. 37

Festive soup........................ 37

Q & A: Norman Cook......46

Working lunch....................45

Hangover buster...............39

Duck & pomegranate...... 11 Rhubarb & ginger jam....12

word of mouth

let the festivities begin! etc• Real ice skating can be found at the Royal Pavilion gardens for the first time, on now until 16 January 2011.

Edible Magazine Limited. www.ediblemagazine.co.uk General enquiries info@ediblemagazine.co.uk Managing editor Steve Buckland t: +44 (0)7968 449559 steve@ediblemagazine.co.uk Creative director & designer Amy Johnston t: +44 (0)7983 430079 amy@ediblemagazine.co.uk Editorial director & photographer Emma Gutteridge t: +44 (0)7702 340727 emma@ediblemagazine.co.uk Contributors: Bruno Cernecca Sarah Cheeseman Danaliese Crawford Jess Crocker, Gary Jenner Sarah Waters © 2010 edible magazine limited. All rights reserved. Edible magazine is edited, designed, and published by edible magazine. No part of edible magazine may be reproduced, transmitted, stored electronically, distributed, or copied, in whole or part without the prior written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or edible magazine. Printed by MCR, using paper from sustainable sources & vegetablebased inks.

The only Christmas rink in the country with its own pre-school crèche, beginners’ area and ‘penguin’ skate aids especially for youngsters, this is great for all ages both young and old.

Coupled with a rink-side licensed restaurant by Due South serving from 9am to midnight, it’s great for Christmas parties too. Tickets from £9.50-£11 for adults & £6.50-£7.50 for children under 12 , the one-hour skate times run from 10am to 10.15pm daily, on sale at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 847 2352.

come dine... competition Get your oven gloves ready! Your kitchen will be sizzling after watching Come Dine With Me – The Tasty Bits with exclusive footage too saucy for TV. Expect jawdropping, never before seen footage including full frontal nudity, crazy antics and sexual innuendos from familiar faces. For a chance to win 1 of 5 DVDs (courtesy of ITV Studios Home Entertainment), send your naughtiest food related story to info@ediblemagazine.co.uk.

Aloka wins an award Congratulations to Aloka who won the crown of Best Eating Out restaurant at the Vegetarian Society Awards. Aloka launched their ‘living cuisine’ menu in September and having eaten at Aloka, we can vouch for the amazing menu that will blow any preconceptions you may have about raw food out of the water. www.aloka.aura-soma.net

Join the discussions, write on our wall or just be our friend: www.facebook.com/EdibleMag Tweet us at: www.twitter.com/EdibleMag

When you have finished with this magazine, please recycle it or pass it on for someone else to enjoy.

issue 2 winter

On the blog... Get involved, comment, and try some of the recipes. http://ediblemagazine.blogspot.com/

word of mouth

friendly food The new Food for Friends restaurant cookbook offers an inspiring and practical approach to cooking meals that are meat-free, or cater for special dietary requirements such as dairy or gluten-free diets. Their signature mix of ingredients, colours, textures and flavours attracts all lovers of good food. Over seventy per cent of Food for Friends’ customers are not vegetarians. They simply enjoy vegetarian food as an independent style of cooking. The 100 or so recipes in this stunning collection encapsulate Jane and Ramin’s eclectic and meticulous style. Pick up a copy from the restaurant or buy online at www.foodforfriends.com

open kitchen The Hove Kitchen is now open on the sunny side of Western Road at 102105. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with locally sourced food, Hove roasted coffees by day and scrummy innovative cocktails by night. For reservations tel: 01273 725495. Open Tues-Sat 9am – late, Sun-Mon 9am – 6pm.

Rushfields shop Rushfields Farm Shop is open! There’s a fresh meat counter with a huge selection, and Paul their butcher is on hand to give advice. There’s also a fantastic selection of cheeses to choose from as well as pickles, preserves, ice cream, fruit, veg, cooked meats and ham. You’ll be assured a warm welcome from Rachel and the team. Open 7 days a week from 9am -5.30pm www.rushfields.com

marina market & 1950s grotto The Marina plays host to a Christmas covered market in Marina Square. Open every weekend in December, it includes handmade gifts, food hampers, lights and decorations, cards, food stalls and gift stalls too numerous to mention. Listen to the sounds of the ‘50s while you shop. All the best from the great rock and roll era will help you enjoy your day even more. www.visitbrighton.com

Coriander Deli in Hove is hosting a mini Christmas market every weekend throughout December. Enjoy English sausages or Boererwors from the BBQ, a free mug of Glühwein, taste their cheeses and meats, and sample some chocolates and gifts. They’ll be offering discount on Kelly Bronze turkeys & local geese orders, and all customers will be entered into a prize draw to win a Christmas hamper worth £100. Visit www. corianderbrighton.co.uk for more details. To receive a free glass of wine, simply mention edible magazine!

chesthunt! You’re hungry, you’re cold and you’ve been shopping for hours. You need some protein, preferably of the salty variety – well, edible has the answer! Yes, it’s that time of year where you can spot cheerful Brian selling his hot chestnuts. He’s usually around the Bond Street area, but he’s known to move about the Lanes too, listen out for his little bell!

christmas stocking... Find almost everything you need at the Farm Christmas Market, 73 North Road. Pick your perfect turkey, sample irresistible cupcakes, sumptuous Christmas puds, Sussex cheeses, home-baked pies, preserves and chutneys, tasty salamis and game, fresh salmon and even Christmas Trees! Open Saturdays & every day from 16 - 23 Dec. 5

amuse

bouche

your letters Email us at: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk with your favourite tricks, tips, pics & comments, as well as your suggestions for all things edible.

“My mate had to make a sarnie for an American... my English pal dutifully obliged with peanut butter & jelly sarnie... he went nuts at the wobbling mass!”

Really well thought out. Perfect pocket size, great photos, clean design, down to earth reviews. In the words of Oliver, “Please, sir, can I have some more?” Alex Bamford – via Facebook Thank you Alex, glad you enjoyed it. Here is your “more”! Hi Edible, I just wanted to say how brilliant the first Edible magazine was. I loved the courgette cake recipe and made it for a friend’s birthday. I adapted it slightly with mascarpone and blueberry jam filling and a limey zesty white icing on top, along with a white rose (the suggestion of fresh flowers was spot on). I also loved the article on keeping chickens, it’s great to read about some urban farmers in our midst. It would be good to hear more such news and also some more allotment advice as I grow my own veg. Your RestauRANT also made me giggle as you don’t normally read about if a restaurant is shoddy. I hope it gives the premises in question a boost to turn it around. Thanks again and keep up the good work. Bron – via email

“A friend of mine made some wheat-free bread but couldn’t remember what flour he used. “Was it Spelt?” I asked, he replied: “I can’t remember what it was so I don’t know how it’s spelled.”

“When living in Russia I went to a local restaurant for a meal with my fellow students. When we asked for the bill, we discovered we’d been charged for the food and drinks... and the tablecloth, the cutlery, the candles, the flowers... even the keyboard player who’d serenaded us with Casio versions of ‘80s power ballads all evening. We questioned it and they brought the heavies in, so we paid.”

Thanks Bron, hopefully you’ll enjoy the feature on growing your own, and there’s plenty more yummy recipes to try! Hi Edible, Do you know why when eating out, group bookings (sometimes as little as six) have an automatic service charge added to the bill? We always tip but would prefer to do it at our discretion, we may sometimes tip more than the standard 10% if especially good service, they will miss out on this! Ray – via email Good question Ray. One of the reasons for this is having to get all the starters and mains out to a large party at the same time can make it difficult for the kitchen to fulfil all the other orders in a timely manner. Also, other diners don’t always wish to be in a restaurant when large groups are present, so sometimes choose to go elsewhere.

“Excuse me waiter which country is this Port from?”

issue 2 winter

write to us and win! ©Adam King

Do you have any amusing foodie anecdotes you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk

The best letter next issue will win a cream tea for two at the fabulous Metro Deco Parisian style 1930’s tea shop in Kemp Town.

word of mouth

issue 2 winter

season’s eatings -

Emma Gutteridge

We look at what’s in season - make sure you don’t miss out on this bounty of festive winter delights... Pomegranate

Jerusalem artichoke

Pomegranates are not only colourful and delicious, they’re also very nutritious. Containing oodles of antioxidants and a good amount of vitamin C, there couldn’t be a more perfect fruit for this season. Sprinkle onto salads, juice, make into sorbet, put into crumbles, anything goes.

Despite its name, this knobbly vegetable isn’t actually from Jerusalem. The flesh of a peeled artichoke can discolour so cook straight after peeling. Treat artichokes like a potato - sauté, mash, roast or soup.

Rhubarb The ultimate crumble filling but Rhubarb is also excellent in cakes and chutneys. On its own, Rhubarb can be quite tart; add sugar, honey or agave syrup to bring out the sweetness. It’s in season from about January. Leeks

Kale Kale is jam packed with nutrients, providing good amounts of anti-oxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium. Delicious steam fried in a small amount of butter. Brussels sprouts Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Brussels are in abundance this time of year and contain sulphur which may help one of the liver’s detoxification pathways. Don’t overcook Brussels, they’re best with a slight bit of crunch left in them.

The leek is a member of the onion family and is characterised by its long appearance and layers of leaves. Particularly good in a soup but also try roasted and finishing by topping with Haddock grated cheese and grilling for A massively versatile fish, a few minutes. haddock is low cost and easy to get hold of. Try in soups, risottos and fish pies. 9

Haddock in prosciutto with Mediterranean vegetables This is a light recipe that fills the room with a beautiful aroma. You can swap and change the vegetables depending on what you have in your vegetable box. 2 medium haddock fillets, skinned and boned (you may need to buy one large fillet and cut in two) 4 slices prosciutto or Parma ham 1 red pepper, chopped 1 red onion, chopped coarsely 2 leeks, sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 5 tomatoes, chopped a few tablespoons of pitted kalamata olives a teaspoon of capers salt and pepper olive oil • Preheat oven to 190°c, gas mark 5. • Wrap each haddock fillet with the Parma ham and set aside. • Place all the rest of the ingredients in a large roaster, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Then add the haddock fillets and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. • Serve on own or with potatoes sautéed or roasted with some rosemary.

issue 2 winter

Where to buy your seasonal produce Hankham Organics grow everything local and all of their produce is from Sussex. They supply Infinity Foods and also do an amazing vegetable box that is very flexible. Call them on 01323 741000.

Duck with pomegranate Serves 2 (double up on ingredients for 4 people) 2 duck breasts ½ carton pomegranate juice 1 tablespoon sugar Seeds from 1 pomegranate 1 onion, sliced Knob of butter Salt and pepper • Preheat oven to 190°c/ gas mark 5. • Heat the butter in a saucepan and add onion until slightly browned then add the pomegranate juice and sugar, bring to the boil to reduce, stirring regularly. • While the sauce reduces, make 4 deep slits along the skin on top of the duck breasts, ensuring you’re not cutting into the meat and rub salt into the slits.

• Making sure you’re keeping an eye on your sauce, use a griddle or frying pan to fry each side of the duck breasts for 4 minutes each and then transfer to a roasting tray. Cook for 8-12 minutes depending on the size of the breasts. When cooked, remove from oven and transfer to a chopping board to rest for at least 5 minutes. • By now your sauce should be reducing nicely. Season and you can thicken sauce with a small amount of flour mixed into cold water if required. • Add pomegranate seeds a few minutes prior to serving. • Serve duck on a pile of cooked Puy lentils or braised cabbage and pour over your pomegranate sauce.

Riverford also offer an excellent box scheme – we particularly like being able to log on to the website and adding things to the order before it goes out. The fish hut near the King Alfred is your must stop shop for all your fresh fish, it’s caught that morning and the service is second to none. Tony and his team are full of passion - ask them what to do with your fish, they’re full of ideas. Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales can be found at the beginning of Shoreham Harbour (Basin Road South) and are open Mon-Sat 8am-4pm. Archer’s in Hanover is a butcher who is committed to providing locally sourced, free range and additive free meat. He’s tucked away on Islingword Road in Hanover (parallel to Elm Grove) and is open 8am-5.30pm Mon-Fri and 7.30am-4pm on a Saturday. In Hove you can find R.C Seckers on Richardson Road. Seckers stock locally produced meat and poultry, plus seasonal game. 11

Rhubarb & ginger jam This warming jam is so easy and cheap to make and it tastes delicious. Rhubarb is available in abundance early on in the year and you can keep lots of cooked rhubarb in the freezer so you can make this all year round. You can easily double up the ingredients to make more to give as gifts. Makes about 3lbs of jam.

2lb rhubarb 2lb caster sugar 1½ ounces of root ginger, peeled Grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon • Wash, trim and wipe the rhubarb and slice into 2cm lengths. Put into a dish and sprinkle with all the sugar. Cover and leave overnight so the sugar soaks into the rhubarb. • Pour into a pan and add the lemon zest • Wrap the ginger in some muslin and knock slightly with a wooden spoon or something similar to bring out the flavour of the ginger. • Place the muslin wrapped ginger into the pan with the rhubarb and bring to the boil carefully, stirring occasionally until the sugar has melted. • Now boil rapidly until the jam sets. You may have a bit of residue, remove this and then pot the jam into sterilised jars.

issue 2 winter

the

good l fe Let’s face it, outdoor space in Brighton properties is limited, this doesn’t mean you’re not able to grow your own produce though. Sarah and Jess from Harvest talk about making the most of small spaces and getting involved in community projects. Why grow your own? Some may think it’s just a passing trend but there are loads of reasons why we reckon home-grown produce is here to stay. Firstly, the taste of a freshly-picked tomato is so much better than their pale and watery cousins in the supermarket. Plus growing your own means you can grow varieties of food that are expensive or even unavailable in shops – from artichokes and asparagus to purple carrots and black chillies. And to top it all off, you could be healthier and happier from eating all that fresh produce, exercising in the garden and hopefully making a few new friends in the process! What if I don’t have much space? With so many people on the allotment waiting list it could be a while before you can get a plot and many new growers can find a new allotment overwhelming or too time consuming for 14

issue 2 winter

our busy modern lives. Why not look for other ways to access land? There are lots of community allotments where you can volunteer and take home some of the harvest. The local Grow Your Neighbour’s Own scheme matches up garden owners who aren’t using their land with keen gardeners who are looking for space. You could find a plot yourself – why not find out who owns that vacant lot or green space in your neighbourhood and see if you can get growing there? Don’t forget to have a good look at the space you have already. You can grow a surprising amount even in a small patio, balcony or windowsill. Growing in small spaces Small spaces can be very productive! Even balconies and window boxes can produce a surprising amount of food. Take advantage of any bare walls by growing upwards using trellises, fences

and archways to train climbing plants. Chillies, beans, lettuce, radishes, carrots, courgettes, and tomatoes are a few things that can be grown in small spaces and in remarkable quantity. If you don’t have a balcony or garden, a sunny window can also work. Herbs such as parsley, thyme, chervil, sage and rosemary are all easy to grow outdoors in a windowbox and can be harvested all year round. Growing a range of chilli peppers in a sunny spot indoors can also provide an abundant harvest from only a few plants. Growing ‘cut-and-comeagain’ salad containers is one of the best options for a small space. Try planting varieties of leaves that are hard to find or expensive in the shops. Even if you only have space for a small container you can still use a few leaves to spice up a boring salad. Ready-made mixed leaf seed packets are available in

most garden centres or online, or try individual packets of mustard, mizuna, rocket, pea shoots or pak choi. Once the plants are about three inches tall, simply cut off the top, leaving at least an inch behind, or just pick the outer leaves, and the plant will grow back for two more pickings. You could also include a few varieties of edible flowers, such as nasturtium, calendula or violets for decorating summer salads.

To-do list for the winter:

How do I get started?

• As the weather warms up in March the busy growing season begins. Early potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic and salads can all be started outside then.

If you’re growing in containers the most important thing is to pick the right size, if the pot is too small or too shallow you won’t get the harvest you are hoping for. Save money and create a more unique look by using recycled containers like buckets, dustbins, teapots, wellies and more – but don’t forget to make some holes for drainage in the bottom. If you are new to gardening you can buy young plants from garden centres and online. Raising plants from seed will save you money but will take more time and care. If you’re sowing seeds yourself, read the packet instructions to make sure you don’t sow too deeply or too many seeds at once! Keep your growing plants moist and feed them regularly with a good fertiliser.

• Sit down with a seed catalogue and a glass of mulled wine to plan next season’s crops. • Start using a compost bin or wormery to provide fertiliser for next year’s crops. • Plant new fruit trees and bushes in mild weather when the ground isn’t frozen. • Start sowing seeds indoors for your greenhouse crops in February.

These are just the basics of how to get started – there is lots more information out there! Check out the Harvest website for monthly growing tips, case studies on some of the ways people are growing their own, links to more information and training courses. Harvest is part of the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and you can find out about them at: www.harvest-bh.org.uk

our local super In light of the very successful Farm Market, Danaliese Crawford writes about her hopes for a U-turn in consumer buying. The market in my hometown is one of my earliest memories. I’d go there every Saturday with my mother. The outer circle had stalls selling clothes, make-up, pots and pans, but the inner circle was where the real excitement happened - here lay the fruit and vegetable stalls. It was a sight to behold; bright produce stacked high with a robust man loudly trumpeting their prices, the Saturday jobbers rushing to and fro with teetering trays of fruit. But for many years I have had to buy tasteless vegetables and boring cheese from the supermarket - over processed, over packaged and with hyperbolic amounts of food miles to boot.

issue 2 winter

However, food markets are back with a vengeance in Brighton and Hove, selling quality, local produce. We’re surrounded by a superabundance of farms of all types, shapes and sizes, many of whom are organic and some even biodynamic.

seasonal, tasty produce that doesn’t have to adhere to supermarket guidelines of what a vegetable should look like. We can support local farmers, there’s the advantage that produce has a low carbon-footprint, you can ‘try before you buy’ and information on the produce is readily available - just try chatting to the sellers.

Farmers’ markets have provided consumers with a route directly to these producers and vice-versa. This “We have a need for a win-win situation closer link to our food and means that producers where it comes from” have more profit and consumers get fresh, The Farm Market on North Road is a perfect example. Started by Jessup’s, the oldest farm in Sussex and owner of the awesome café ‘Farm’, the market offers local vegetables, fish, cheese, eggs, cakes and bread. Their café with a hog roast is the icing on the cake.

markets Every market in every town is a representative of that town. What I see happening in Brighton and Hove today is this unfolding before my eyes: a convergence of our love of making and eating good food, our awareness of food provenance and it’s earthly impact and our hearty support for Sussex, it’s farmers and independent sellers. We have a need for a closer link to our food and where it comes from, rather than buying it, wrapped in cellophane, from the sanitised aisles of the supermarket. More and more of us are embracing local, independent and sustainable. As I sit in the open air café at Farm Market one sunny winter day, I ponder the thought that dodging screaming children and unwieldy trolleys during the stressful trip to the supermarket could be a thing of the past. Now there’s a pleasing thought.

Brighton Farm Market 73 North Road, Brighton. 01273 696010. See page 5 for details. www.brightonfarmmarket.co.uk Fair Trade Fair & Farmers Market 11-4pm, every third Saturday. Friends’ Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton. 01273 675778 www.lovethatstuff.co.uk Rushfields Farm Shop Mon- Sun 9am - 5-30pm Henfield Road, Poynings, BN45 7AY. 01273 857445 www.rushfields.com Upper Gardner Street Market Every Saturday from 9am www.brightonstreetmarket.co.uk Open Market Marshall’s Row – off London Road. Monday 7am-1pm, Tues/Wes/Fri 7am5pm, Fri/Sat 7am-6pm Churchill Square Farmer’s Market Every Wednesday 10am-4pm. Gorgeous George Street Artisan’s Market Last Saturday of the month 10am-2pm. George St, Hove. 01273 470900 17

local hero It was 13 years ago when John O’Connell took on RC Secker butchers on Richardson Road, Hove. However, he’s been butchering since 1964 when he was employed by a man who now works at Secker’s. That’s 46 years to perfect his trade, and perfecting is just what he’s done. So much so, that he’s a proud member of the Worshipful Company of Butchers – one of the oldest London livery companies. There’s a lovely vibe when you go into Secker’s - John has a great relationship with his staff and in turn his customers can’t help but join in the banter. All the meat is sourced locally from South Downs – a cooperative that protect the South Downs landscape and strive for quality, naturally produced meat. You’d be a fool to not visit Secker’s, especially if you’re lacking in inspiration – they know their stuff and care about what they do. They’re open from 6.30am-5pm Tues-Fri and 6.30am-3.30pm Sat. For his passion and striving to keep his trade alive – John, you’re our hero. Do you have a local hero? Tell us about them at info@ediblemagazine.co.uk 18

issue 2 winter

restau

RANT

The truth about the service charge... London hospitality guru, Bruno Cernecca shares his thoughts.

now try and find that money from other areas of the business. The gloomy times have arrived. Put up the prices? Really! The customers won’t have that, they want discounts, special offers, BOGOFs... families are screaming, their babies are hungry... no way!! The few places that put up prices are now closing down, the customers got clever, websites and phone apps are cashing in and telling you where to get the bargains! Fixed costs like rent and bills continue to rise. The only option is to reduce headcount and the cost of food. Brilliant, From 2010, everyone was to be paid let’s do that then! minimum wage. The waiters were Customers, patrons, you’ve been done again: the chains triumphant... Viva la revolution! entice you in and guarantee you an acceptable experience “We’ve been caught! We’re interests at heart, and were (1 out of 3 times will do) but... re-distributing the charges doomed” I shuddered, and honestly, and most importantly, don’t you ever have the feeling then I thought “I may be the that they are understaffed? legally. The waiters were lucky one (it was 8 o’clock in And that the amount of cheap, the morning after all) unveiling earning very well in our company. They have a hard job frozen, long-life bagged dishes first hand the action of this compared to ‘freshly made on and work unsociable hours, reckless journalist: this had to be damaging for the company”. but, believe me, some of them premises’ is taking over? This situation hits your were earning more than the It was. service: the customer pays. In the following weeks our manager. Average national Don’t be fooled, the big boys wage: yep, well over that, too! managing director suffered always find a way! But the reality is; the such a hit from the story that I leave you with these restaurant experience that you on many occasion he briefed thoughts, as I’m out with a would expect from “higher” us on how this story depicted friend you see, who is a waiter, paid waiters now lacks basic the high street chains as evil. driving to lunch at the Ritz in customer service, timing and This story came from a waiter his Mercedes. going to the press to blow the quality. With the introduction Life is good. of minimum wage for their whistle (and he wasn’t even waiters, the restaurateurs must working for us!). During my time as the manager of a well known café chain, I always enjoyed the Sunday morning ritual of a coffee and a glance at the paper before my shift. That was, until I opened the page to see a huge image of my boss caricaturised as an ogre, stuffing his face with an enormous pizza. The title was condemning: the boss was getting fat on the “service charge” system - poor waiters, for them there was famine and perdition while the company profit was at an all time high.

The industry was under scrutiny. Supplementing a sub-minimum-wage with “service charge” or credit card tips was no longer acceptable to the public. A year later it became law. From 2010 everyone was to be paid minimum wage. The waiters were triumphant. Viva la revolution! But, I think we are missing a big point here. A few establishments were taking advantage of the system and were pocketing the dosh, but the majority had their staff’s

win! win! win! win! win! When it comes to the perfect breakfast, we deliver! Bonjour Breakfast is the first and only Brighton based company to bring the finest breakfast produce directly to your door. Whether you have guests, want to impress, wish to celebrate or treat yourselves - our eco-friendly breakfast boxes will hit the spot. From superb pastries and jams to Champagne, newspapers and flowers - we will make your breakfast really special. Think of Bonjour Breakfast as posh hotel room service to your house or holiday rental no fuss, no preparation you don’t even need to get dressed! We supply local produce wherever possible. Stockists include award-winning French Patisserie Cocoa, Paynes Sussex honey and award-winning EllesBelles sausages. Edible readers can win a bumper weekend breakfast box for two by answering the following question: Which postcode area does Bonjour Breakfast deliver to FREE of charge? Please send your answers in to info@ediblemagazine.co.uk by Fri 17 December 2010.

For celebrations, business meetings, light lunches or simply a cup of our speciality tea. Visit us for a little taste of luxury. 38 Upper St James St Brighton BN2 1JN www.metro-deco.com

©Adam King

For further information please call 0844 335 8445 or visit www.bonjourbreakfast.com

Metrodeco is Kemptown’s art deco style tearoom

issue 2 winter

the pie charts We’ve literally been eating all the pies! We review six of the best... The Constant Service 96 Islingword Road, Hanover BN2 9SJ Price: All pies £6.95 (Monday 6-9pm £8.50 with free drink) Open: Mon – Fri 6-9pm, Sat – 12-9pm; Sun roasts only 12-6ish “You’re doing a pie review?” She said “Well you had better go down to The Constant Service then, they do pie!” And indeed they do - very tasty ones at that. We were greeted with a nice atmosphere; a great bar with a unique nicely lit 3D street scene surrounding the top shelf drinks and best of all, the music was coming from a vinyl turntable! The pies are all handmade by Big Tom (their chef ), using mostly locally sourced ingredients and are accompanied by a lovely creamy mash and cabbage with a red wine or meaty gravy. There’s a choice of 7 pies with 3 veggie options; I plumped for the Flaming Hombre – a meaty Mexican chilli topped with jalapenos and cheddar. It was superb and filling! The pastry was cooked just right and had ample filling. We were advised too that Monday is pie night, with loads more options. I’ll be heading back for there for a Monday feast! Stevio - BN3

Coriander Restaurant & Deli 5 Hove Street, Hove BN3 2TR Price: £9 Open: Lunch 7 days a week/Dinner Wed – Sat Coriander is somewhere that I’ve often heard recommended, but other than a visit about 4 years ago where Saturday dinner was a bit disappointing, I hadn’t re-ventured. However, I’m all for a second chance, the blackboard outside had ‘smoked bacon, chicken & potato pie’ on it, and mmm, I love pie me, so in we went for lunch. Coriander is half deli, half restaurant & we were greeted like old friends as we entered via the deli. Being a Friday lunchtime, in a quieter part of Hove, it wasn’t busy but there was a nice buzzy atmosphere. The specials menu (where the pie came from), varies according to season and local availability. The pie looked a treat on arrival, and although the filling was a little salty for my taste buds, the lovely buttery pastry topping was delicious, and the way I was offered gravy, made me feel like I was their most important customer. The mash was just how I like it and the braised red cabbage very tasty. They are strong on ‘organic’ and ‘locally sourced’, which meant that the price was a little higher than I had expected, but it was worth the visit and grabbed some fantastic goodies from their deli at the same time! Annali - BN3

Royal Sovereign 66 Preston Street, Brighton BN1 2HE Price: Under a tenner Open: Mon – Thurs 12pm-12am; Fri – Sun 12pm-1am As it was half term I took my 8 year old daughter with me on a Friday lunchtime. The Sovereign has quite a traditional feel to it, and that time of day was quiet, but playing some chilled blues and jazz. Although this pub isn’t particularly geared towards kids, they were very accommodating when I asked if they could do kids portions. The usual wine list and local ales were available. The menu chalked on the board had a good selection of light meals/starters and mains under a tenner. There were a few veggie options, and some particularly tempting non-veggie options such as a “bowl of crackling” probably not the low fat dish of the day! I went for the pie of the week, chicken and leek £9.50 and I enjoyed it very much, although ideally I would have been happier to pay around £8. It came with couscous and cabbage which were a bit over salted and could have been more generous, but nevertheless I devoured quite happily. The pie came with a puff pastry topping, there wasn’t masses of chicken inside but made up for by great flavour. Overall I was very impressed by the food we ordered and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who fancies some good quality pub grub. Especially as its just near enough to walk from the centre of town but far enough to escape the madding crowds. Enjoy! Suzannah - BN2 22

issue 2 winter

Duke of Norfolk 113-114 Western Road, Brighton BN1 2AB Price: £7.95 for pie, mash and gravy Open: Food served daily 12pm-9am I have to say I love pies. There is nothing more satisfying than cutting through a golden crust to access the steaming goodness inside. So, I was a wee bit excited at seeing the pie menu up on the walls. Anywhere that has a menu just for pies is starting off on the right foot. The pies are Pieminister pies - a “gourmet” pie supplier, whose wares have even been sampled by the Queen. There’s 10 pies to choose from, ranging from traditional steak and kidney to Thai chicken pie. You pick your pie and then you pick your type of mash (again a great selection) and which type of gravy. You can also pay 95p extra for some veg. My order was the pork, cider and apple with cheddar mash and apple cider and sage gravy, while my wife tucked into the steak, chorizo and butter bean with sweet potato mash and red onion and garlic gravy. The crusts were delicious, the filling was perfect, as you would expect from a premade Pieminister pie. The pork and apple was nice and zingy, while the steak, chorizo and butter bean had a lovely depth of flavour. The added points all came from the mash and gravy which was lovely, however if I had to quibble there could have been more mash. The selection of beers could also have been better, with only two average ales on tap, but it was a pleasant place to eat, and fairly quiet on a Saturday lunchtime. Ewan - BN3

L’Eglise Restaurant 196 Church Road, Hove BN3 2DJ Prices: Starters from £3.50, mains from £10.50, express menu (12pm-6pm) 2 courses £9.95, 3 courses £13.95 A pie in a French restaurant? I’m expecting something a little different, but not too much I hope! We’re greeted warmly at this family run establishment. There’s a pleasant ‘French bistro/café style’ feel here with background music and a busy enough atmosphere to enjoy that fine, perhaps intimate meal. The menu lists cured meats, onion soup, local caught fish, steaks of all shapes and sizes and a blackboard full of specials! Unfortunately no particular vegetarian meals listed, but there are some choices and the chef explained he assembles a vegetarian dish of the day, popular with his regulars. The pie, hand built especially for us here at Edible and available on the ‘specials’ board throughout December, came with a separate jug of jus to pour into the vent hole on top of this crusty case and was a welcome novelty! Cutting open, the French influence is apparent with wine soaked tender boeuf chunks (Welsh sourced Longhorn beef), carrot, onion and mushroom - adding your own jus kept the tasty, well textured shortcrust pastry crisp and firm; with the fine mash and green beans finishing off a lovely meal. We had the house red - a fruity Ventoux priced at £14.50. Divine! A taste sensation that could rock the nation - well Hove actually!

Richy - BN1

Bangers Baker Street, Brighton BN1 4JN Price: Single portion pies £1.40; large pies around £3, sweet pies - £1.50 Open: Mon 7.30am-1.30pm; Tues/Weds/ Thurs/Fri 7.30am-3pm; Sat 7.30 -1pm ‘Bangers’ is exactly what you want a takeaway pie shop to be – they serve up (better than) homemade pies at very reasonable prices with a village-shop friendliness and no pretentious frills. The pies range from yer’ standard chicken and mushroom to the more adventurous chilli beef. Fruit pies and quiches are also available as well as the Christmas Pie - layers of turkey, gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce. The pies are cooked on the premises every morning so it’s guaranteed fresh. Some of the pies are hot but some aren’t so you will have to re-heat at home. The service is top-notch friendly, welcoming and happy to answer any questions you have. As a veggie, I had the only veggie pie - ‘vegetable’, whilst meat-eating hubby went for ‘lamb & mint’. The vegetable pie wasn’t what I was expecting - the pastry was amazing but the contents were veggies in a tomato sauce. I thought it would be a traditional gravybased sauce so it didn’t really go with the mash and gravy that accompanied it. The lamb & mint pie went down a lot better hubby murmuring superlatives through mouthfuls. A meat-eaters heaven for sure, the best pastry I’ve had in a long time but more for veggies please! Danaliese - BN1

in the next issue... pizza 23

Crom well Rd

Sackv ille Rd

New

Blatc hing ton R d

County Cricket Ground

Chur ch Rd

St. Ann’s Well Garden

Chur ch Rd

Lan dsd own e

Hove Town Hall

5 Weste rn Rd

Ave

Ho ve St

swick

King sway

. www.actioncat.co.uk

place settings If you would like to feature on our map, please contact us at: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk for more details 1 Add the Colour 64 North Road Brighton BN1 1YD 01273 819532 2 Bangers 14 Baker Street Brighton BN1 4JN 01273 698044

5 Coriander 5 Hove Street, Hove BN3 2TR 01273 730850 6 Duke of Norfolk 114 Western Road Brighton BN1 2AB 01273 726 057

3 Blenio Bistro 87 - 93 Dyke Road Brighton BN1 3JE Tel: 01273 220220

7 Fresh Fish on the Beach Kingsway, Hove (Just behind Hove & Kingsway Bowling Club) 07889 913519

4 Cloud 9 cupcakes Unit 15, Brighton Place Brighton BN1 1HJ 01273 723020

8 Foxy’s Roast & Grill 90 Goldstone Villas Hove BN3 3RU 01273 776661

issue 2 winter

Grand

Shor eham Roa

Brun

Richa rdson Rd

Port land Rd

21 13

Old

Hove Station

9 L’Eglise 196 Church Road Hove BN3 2DJ 01273 220868 10 Middle Farm Firle, Lewes East Sussex BN8 6LJ 11 Mitre Tavern 13 Baker Street Brighton BN1 4JN 01273 683173 12 Nia Café Brighton 87- 88 Trafalgar Street Brighton BN1 4ER 01273 671371

Viad uct R d

Seven Dials

ens Que

Queens Park

Brighton Dome

rth

19 No

West St

k sP n’

North Rd

ton Pres

elie r Rd

North Laine

Mo ntp

ar St

Churchill Sq

’s Rd

ho ut

Trafa lg

Dyke

King

Brighton 20 Station

York Pl

Elm Grove

Edwa rd S

Pavilion

Fre shfi eld

dor Rd

Le w es

on nd Lo

Davig

10 Ditchling R d

St. Ja

mes’s St.

West Pier

Mari

ne P arad

13 RC Secker 7 Richardson Road Hove BN3 5RB 01273 731502 14 Recipease 72 - 73 Western Road Brighton BN1 2HA 01273 311 338

Palace Pier

19 The Wine Shop & Tasting Room 9 Jubilee Street Brighton BN1 1GE 01273 567176

15 Small Batch Coffee 68 Goldstone Villas Hove BN3 3RU 01273 220246

17 The Foragers Pub 3 Stirling Place Hove BN3 3YU 01273 733134

20 St Martin Vintners Brighton Station Wine Cellars Trafalgar Street Brighton BN1 4FQ 01273 777788

16 The Constant Service 96 Islingword Road Brighton BN2 2SJ 01273 607058

18 The Royal Sovereign 66 Preston Street Brighton BN1 2HE 01273 323289

21 Viva Verde 4 Richardson Road Hove BN3 5RB 01273 733321 25

edible loves... We scoured Brighton & Hove for our favourite foodie and festive reds.

Silicone heart moulds Bake your loved one some hearty muffins! £12.99 each Things at Home www.thingsathome.com t: 01273 236424

Sardines forever

Giclee print (edition of 100) £50 www.cardigan.ltd.uk t: 01273 671390 s Happy man bottle stopper

This happy little chap is sturdy and functional, and guaranteed to raise a smile! £5.95 LUST! www.lust.co.uk t: 01273 699 344 Chilli plants gift box

Grow five different types of chilli plants, including one of the world’s hottest varieties, in your own home £12.99 England at Home www.englandathome.com t: 01273 738270

Alessi corkscrew A boyfriend for the now legendary Alessi Anna corkscrew £23.00 Caz Systems www.cazsystems.com t: 01273 326471

Soldier egg cup & toast cutter Celebrate your inner child - Use the cutter to assemble your army! £7.50 England at Home www.englandathome.com t: 01273 738270 26

issue 2 winter

Decorative wreath Adorn your home with these made to order festive wreaths from £15 to £35 Viva Verde www.viva-verde.com t: 01273 733321

Hang it, place it, pin it for some festive cheer £1.99 Bert’s Homestore www.bertshomestore.co.uk t: 01273 774212

Mariskooli bowl

Add impact to any dinner party fill this jewel-like bowl with tasty goodies or a dessert £69 Abode www.abodeliving.co.uk t: 01273 621116

Pantone electric scales

Scales so good, our photographer bought the ones from the shoot! £14.95 Bert’s Homestore www.bertshomestore.co.uk t: 01273 774212

Fondue set

Christmas star

Tea towel

This Marimekko Lumimarja design will make drying the dishes more fun £9 Abode www.abodeliving.co.uk t: 01273 621116

Wine tote

Perfect for parties, this will incorporate fun and food £9.99 from Bert’s Homestore www.bertshomestore.co.uk t: 01273 774212

Minimise risk from the horror of broken bottle syndrome! £13.9 Caz Systems www.cazsystems.com t: 01273 326471 Voodoo knife block

Designed by Italian psychopath Raffaele Iannello, this comes with five razor sharp blades and a magnetic suspension system £84.99 England at Home www.englandathome.com t: 01273 738270 27

Mitre Tavern

13 BAKER STREET • BRIGHTON • BN1 4JN 01273 683173

Chic, fun and friendly bistro, with the highest quality food at affordable prices. An inviting haven for food lovers created by Roux Brothers Patron chef Pete Bruschi and Paula Black - from candle lit dinners, relaxed Sunday lunch or alfresco dining. Private parties and weddings all tailored with style!

Mitre tavern Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) • Cask Marque accredited The Mitre Tavern is a small, friendly local pub in the heart of Brighton. It prides itself on the quality of the beer it sells, including a selection of lager, cider, Guinness and five different Harveys of Lewes ales at a time.

www.bleniobistro.com • 01273 220220 87-93 Dyke Road • Brighton • BN1 3JE

issue 2 winter

Cooked food 6 days a week 11.30am – 2.00pm The Mitre boasts an outdoor heated smoking garden, a men’s and ladies’ darts teams and a football team.

We had our destination and a plan of pubs to visit, all we needed were ale drinkers, and they came! Thanks to all our friends and readers who joined us, here’s a diary of a rather tipsy afternoon. Remember - please drink sensibly!

ALE trail HOVE

Poet’s Corner

33 Montgomery

Street, BN3 5BF

Traditional pub wi

th good food.

*Ancient MRda,riBNn3er5FE

Ales: Harveys Best 4% £3.10; Harveys Armada Ale 4.5% £3.20; Harveys Old Ale 4.3 % £3.20; Harveys Hadlow 3.5% £2.90 ; Harveys Dark Mild 3% £2.90; Gu est (Bonfire Boy) Best bits: Harveys pub, ‘proper pub’ feel about it, good Sunday roast, comedy and music events.

59 Rutland

mosphere. with good at Often busy st 4% Brighton Be Ales: W J King Dark d ha e st ales, w £3.25; 3 Gue .25 £3 2% 4. de Blon Star Hylder ood food with Best bits: G ndly. u, family frie sausage men

Friendly pub with local feel. Ales: Harveys Best 4% £3; Bass 4% £3.10; Ringwood Fortyniner 4.9% £3.10; Hobgoblin 4.5% £3.10

The Connaught

ad, BN3 5QJ recently re fi tted fam pizzeria ily and pub . Ales: Ha rveys Be st 4 Brakspe ar Oxford % £3.20; Gold 4% Brakspe £2.75; ar B Ringwoo itter 3.4% £2.75 ; d FortyN iner 4.9% Best bit £3.20; s: S (8pm Su erving pizza till 9.30pm ndays), lo g fire.

ALE trail

5DN

with good Large pub split into two . ting food and comfy sea 15; Ales: Harveys Best 4% £3. 45 £3. % 5.8 ) est (Gu Bonfire Boy f, hal ond sec Best bits: Large pshades! family friendly, rabbit lam

agers The For lace, BN3 3YU

P 3 Sterling garden. with sun astro pub g ly d n e Fri % £3.20 eys Best 4 al Ales: Harv , occasion ndly staff e ri F s: it Best b od. c, great fo live musi

The Westbourne

90 Portland Road, BN3

Best bits: Live music some nights and quiz on Wednesday.

48 Hove Street, BN3 2DH

*Large

neham

land Ro

HOVE

The Bell

15-17 Belfast Street, BN3 3YS

The Sto

153 Port

The Red Lion

Busy large family-friendly pub serving good food. Ales: Harveys Best 4% £3.20; Brakspear Oxford Gold 4% £2.95; Brakspear Bitter 3.4% £2.75; Ringwood Fortyniner 4.9% £3.20 Best bits: Sunday night quiz, real fire, beer garden.

2RG 1 Hove Place, BN3 d away close to Relaxing pub tucke Hove seafront. £3; Ales: Harveys 4% The Neptune £3 m fro t es Gu 2WB 10 Victoria Terrace, BN3 ts, Best bits: Sky spor with great Great little drinking pub pool table & front. sea off just . sic, sic mu mu good 4.5% £3; Ales: Old Speckled Hen s Best 4% Abbot Ale 5% £3; Harvey £3; % 3.8 ad phe £3; Ho Harveys Old Ale 4.3% £3 ays and Best bits: Live music Frid y, great Sundays and 2nd Monda layed. music photography disp

In the next issue we visit Kemptown.

tasting notes Wine and winter go hand in hand, so we asked wine expert Gary Jenner of St Martin Vintners to advise you what to drink this season. Stocking up the cupboards for the forthcoming festive season needs some consideration, which also includes filling the wine rack.

“No festive season is complete without a glass of fizz or two”

What better than a glass of Manzanilla? A very dry nutty fortified wine from Sherry country in southern Spain. Ideal with thick country style soups, made from root vegetables, such as parsnip, carrot and swede. With slightly higher alcohol than standard table wine, it gives a warming punch to kick start the taste buds. It will withstand a nice addition of sweet chilli or a few twists of cracked black pepper. You could add a dash to the soup and/or enjoy a small glass with it. The winter months are a time to bring out the hearty foods such as pies, puddings and cobblers, stews with dumplings, casseroles and gamey meats. All these typical seasonal dishes need warm and flavoursome wines. On the white front, try a rich Chardonnay from South Africa with a butteriness derived from being oak-aged. Or choose a big tropical flavoured Viognier from the south of France. This will give a slight sweetness from the

issue 2 winter

flavours of peach and apricot, but they are dry and the acidity will blend with the fruit to balance the wine out. If you’re lucky enough, source an aged Semillon from Australia, though most are blended with a bit of Sauvignon Blanc, they give a great aromatic nose and big deep flavours which develop in the glass as the wine warms up. For the red wine drinkers, there’s a plethora of choice as the tendency for higher alcohol gives bigger flavour and texture. Spicier flavoured stews or casseroles require earthy textured wines like southern French Tannat or Syrah. For lamb dishes, one of the quintessential partners, Rioja. Why not try some of the other lesser known areas of Spain that use the Garnacha and Tempranillo varietals, such as Toro or Ribera del Duero in the west. These regions produce hearty wines with immense flavour and grippy tannins to take hold of the fattier aspect of lamb. Beef is another winter favourite and a classic Pauillac from Bordeaux, with its full flavoured style and intense blackberry cassis flavour, is an ideal match.

tasting notes

No festive season is complete without a glass of fizz or two. If the pockets can stretch to it then Champagne is still king. But believe it or not, the cellars are looking a bit short on stock. Even with 350 million bottles in their underground cellars around Reims and Epernay, the prices might start to make a move higher. So what are the alternatives? Cava, from Spain, has for many years has been the value fizz, but even though it’s been around for many years Prosecco has now made its mark. A recent move towards stronger legislation in Northern Italy, where Prosecco has its roots, means you can longer get Prosecco Rose. As Prosecco is a white skin grape variety you can’t physically make a red or rose wine from it, unless you blend it, and then it’s not Prosecco. The softer acidity and rounder fruit has moved it into the spotlight over the last couple of years and sales are going skywards at a great rate. It represents very good value from under £10. Elsewhere, take a look at some of the French regional sparklers, such as Blanquette de Limoux from south west

France or Cremant d’Alsace from the north. The New World also has some good bubbly coming through, especially from the South Americas. The investment in Argentina, Chile and even Brazil is producing some stunning examples of excellent fruit and fresh acidity. To finish with there is nothing better, on a cold, dark night in front of the fire, than a glass of something special. Something that warms you up as it slides down, something that makes the world seem a more contented place. Something like Port. Often seen as a wine

like the style of wine. Go up a level to the vintage characters and you find a deeper slightly drier more complex wine. The ultimate bottle is a true vintage of the house style. This will need decanting as vintage port is a living item, developing in the bottle and not having been filtered. Your patience in storing, preparing and decanting will be rewarded with a wine of immense character and flavour. Smooth with rich sweet fruit flavour, mixed with hints of liquorice and damsons. Such is the memory of many an empty decanter! With so many wines to

“With so many wines to choose from it’s very worthwhile speaking to your local independent wine merchant” (and yes, it is a wine) for Christmas, Port has found a new market with the younger element of wine drinkers today. After a couple of decades in the doldrums the product range for Port is wider than ever, but there are so many styles it’s often confusing. Try a basic ruby as your first step, to see if you

choose from it’s worthwhile speaking to your local independent wine merchant. They will offer a number of choices for any event, occasion or particular meal. The knowledge and passion they have and options they impart will undoubtedly enhance your enjoyment of wine.

viva verde stylish & creativ e floristr y

t for N u o h Watc NUT MA ST When in season CHE

Box containing mixed seasonal fresh vegetables Fantastic value From:

£12

Web page soon flowers, plants & gif ts 4 Richardson Road • Hove • East Sussex BN3 5RB tel/fax: 01273 733321 e: viva@viva-verde.com www.viva-verde.com

or: email your name, address & telephone number to:

samsonsproduce@yahoo.com

A new shop and bar in the heart of Brighton dedicated to the enjoyment of great wine and food • Unique wines direct from the vineyard • Great wines by the glass from £2.95, bottles to take home from £5.99 • Simple food from the best ingredients • Over 250 wines to choose from Think of us for Christmas: Wine tasting events, gift vouchers, a great range of bubbly, or just advice on what to match with Christmas dinner! 32

issue 2 winter

9 Jubilee Street, BN1 1GE 01273 567 176 tengreenbottles.com

cheap eats Winter can be a testing time for many money wise with pressies to buy (nudge, nudge) and parties to attend so our chief purse string puller, Emma Gutteridge, runs down her favourite nosh for under a tenner. Sukhothai 62 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL t: 01273 748448 Sukhothai is a lovely little Thai on Middle Street. What I love about Sukhothai is they hold their traditions very dear and the girls serving are insanely sweet and humble. The food itself is really impressive for the price and I have never had a bad meal there despite many, many visits. The lunch menu is even more impressive – 2 courses for a fiver and you get loads of food. You can’t grumble at that. Pompoko 110 Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UD t: 07796 001927 The ultimate in skint eating, Pompoko is a traditional Japanese café and you can get a rather un-modest size bowl full of delicious food for under a fiver. The café itself is no frills but that adds to the experience. Also located opposite the Dome, perfect for pre show eats. Côte 115-116 Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UD t: 01273 687541 Côte offers a really good set menu before 7pm, the portions are generous and the food is of good standard.

The food is French, with a good emphasis on fish and steaks. Côte also feels quite lavish with its high ceilings and its classy furnishings. Hop Poles 13 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL t: 01273 710444 I love the Hop Poles menu. It’s fresh, it’s local, it’s cooked to order and you get loads of food. Plus, it provides a humorous read while you wait for your friends to decide what they want to eat. The staff in the Hop Poles are really friendly too and although sometimes a little too loud, the music selection is good. Expect a good choice of hearty food – just as pub grub should be. The Hartington 41 Whippingham Rd, Brighton BN2 3PF t: 08721 077077 The Hartington was a bit of a word of mouth discovery for me. The pub itself, located just off Elm Grove, is a bit of a nothingness on arrival but the menu brings this pub into the ranks of a hidden treasure. The food on offer is your usual pub fare, burgers and such, but the standard is really good. I had a halloumi salad and it was large and tasty. Ace. 33

kids’ recipes

school diners We believe edible should be for everyone – the thrifty, the big spenders, the young and the old. We want everyone to be involved! We asked three youngsters to submit their favourite recipes.

Starter: Deep fried brie Serves 4 people Ingredients: One small wedge of brie (not soft brie it’s best to get French as it’s harder). Plain Flour 1 Egg Salad – I prefer a mixed bag of rocket and baby leaf.

Gregory Cowens - age 11

Breadcrumbs – Ready-made golden breadcrumbs, or make your own. Redcurrant jelly or cranberry jelly, (not the ones with bits in) Vegetable oil for deep frying or can shallow fry if preferred. • Slice brie into four pieces. It isn’t necessary to take the white outside off but it’s your preference. • Get three small plates, put a couple of tablespoons of flour on one plate. • Whisk egg on another plate • Breadcrumbs on another plate • Dip the Brie into flour so it covers all of the brie, then dip in egg, then dip in breadcrumbs making sure that the whole of the brie is covered otherwise it will leak.

issue 2 winter

• Best to put in fridge for 30 minutes, meanwhile prepare the salad, but you can fry immediately if you so wish. • Test the oil with a small piece of bread to see if it bubbles instantly. • Fry brie for approximately 5 minutes or until they go light brown. • Drain on kitchen roll • Serve on a bed of salad and accompany with redcurrant jelly.

Main: Toad in the apple Serves 4 people Ingredients: 1 pack of pork and apple sausages 100g flour A pinch of salt 1 egg ½ pint of milk • Put flour in bowl • Add egg and a pinch of salt • Add milk slowly & whisk thoroughly • Put in fridge for a bit

• Pre heat oven to 220oc • Put sausages in pan with oil • Cook for 10 mins

George age 12

• Add batter and sprinkle sage • Cook for 30 mins until brown • Serve with mushroom gravy and kurly kale and peas from mum’s allotment!

Dessert: Meringue snowmen Serves 4 people Start in the morning, takes 4-5 hours to cook Ingredients: 3 eggs 100g (4oz) caster sugar Pinch of salt Raisins Candied orange slices • Set oven to 75oc • Cut out a square of baking paper the same size as your baking tray and place on top. • Crack the eggs in half and separate the egg white from the yolk by letting the egg white fall into your mixing bowl.

• Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until they form stiff peaks. This is really important; don’t mix the sugar until the meringue is really stiff! • Whisk the sugar into the mixing bowl, a little at a time until you have used all the sugar. • On your baking tray, put a teaspoonful of meringue for the head and a tablespoonful for the body. Then decorate with raisons and the orange slices. • Bake in the oven for 4-5 hours until your snowmen are firm, then put onto a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Farhannah age 13

HOVE’S TRADITIONAL FAMILY BUTCHER & POULTERER

• We make 25 varieties of sausage, including gluten free varieties. We also make gluten free burgers. • We stock top-quality Scotch beef, local lamb and free-range pork. • We also have a range of cooked meats, cheeses and eggs.

• We are all about quality of product and quality of service. • We have friendly knowledgeable staff - ask them how to cook our meat if you don’t know how. • We cut meat to your requirements, not to the supermarkets.

CHRISTMAS ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN

7 Richardson Rd, Hove, East Sussex BN3 5RB. Tel: 01273 731502 seckers_half_page_edible.indd 1

issue 2 winter

11/11/2010 13:02

Bob the Builder’s

POWER LUNCH Festive soup in a bowl (with broken cheese) Real festive mood food - get in! 1 leftover turkey/ chicken carcass 2 litre of water 1 litre of chicken stock 4 chopped carrots 4 chopped celery sticks 1 onion 1 parsnip

1 swede 1 potato (you can peel, but I prefer to use the skins) 1 sweet potato (you can peel, but I prefer to use the skins) salt & pepper thyme bay leaf

Pop this in your thermos and take to work, it’s fantastic for your own central heating This is jam packed full of goodness and great to keep you warm on site, cheap to make… this seriously gets you in the festive mood. Pop this in your Thermos and take to work, it’s fantastic for your own central heating. Feel free to add a touch of chili to suit your own taste buds, you can blitz this soup with a blender before adding meat but I find it heartier to keep it chunky! • Pop turkey/chicken carcass with 2 litres water, 2 sticks chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped onion, 2 teaspoons salt, thyme and bay leaf in a deep saucepan. Bring to the boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer for 11/2 hours. Strain stock and bin boiled veg. Skim off fat. Pick meat off bones when cooled. • Add chopped swede, 1 chopped potato, 1 chopped sweet potato, 1 chopped parsnip. Chop up 2 more carrots, 2 chopped celery sticks, salt, pepper, to strained stock and then add your chicken stock, simmer until vegetables are soft. • Add chopped turkey/chicken meat; cook until heated through, then pour over your favourite cheese that you’ve broken up in the bowl – it’s like a hidden bonus at the bottom. Its amazing, mop up with some chunky wholegrain bread. LEGEND! Pop on your favourite winter film and get in the festive mood.

Gardening tips: the winter plot By Sarah Waters, Growing Officer for Harvest www.harvest-bh.org.uk It might be cold outside but take advantage of bright, winter mornings and work up an appetite by preparing your plot for great crops next year. et some exercise by •G digging out tough weeds and clearing away any garden debris that can shelter slugs and snails. •C overing winter greens with netting keeps the birds off but you can help them survive the leaner months with bird feeders. • Keep composting but remember that your compost pile is a hibernation haven for wildlife so keep on adding but don’t turn it over until spring. ild and dry winter days are •M a good time to plant new fruit trees and soft fruit such as gooseberries and currants. You can also prune your established trees and bushes to encourage new growth and bigger and better fruit. • By late February spring is just around the corner so if you have the growing itch make early sowings now. Start summer cabbage, salads and spinach in an unheated greenhouse and plant broad beans outside under cloches. Enjoy your winter gardening. Spring tips coming next issue! 37

Fresh fish on the beach Fresh fish caught daily from our local boats Open Wednesday - Sunday 9am - 2pm Retail & wholesale supplies Friendly service & advice Visit us on the beach or call: 07889 913519 KINGSWAY (JUST BEHIND HOVE KINGSWAY BOWLING CLUB)

Learn to cook like Jamie Oliver at Recipease Whether you’re a total beginner, a seasoned cook or just looking to have a laugh we’ve got cooking lessons to suit everyone. You can even sign up for kids’ classes or group parties. Current classes include: - American-style green chilli - Unbeatable filled pasta - Fragrant Thai green curry - Formula One risotto Classes start from £20 per person. For a full list of classes and to book, visit www.recipease.com 72-73 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2HA

issue 2 winter

hangover buster It’s the party season and because we love you we’d thought we’d give you a helping hand with those hangovers. The large amount of protein on this plate will help heal, and the salmon and eggs contain essential fats that you’ll be needing. Eggs contain sulphur, which can help to detoxify the liver. Add to that, the mushrooms are a super food, containing antioxidants that protect your cells against free radicals. But science isn’t what you need the morning after the night

before – you need a plate full of delicious food. I baked the mushrooms for 15 minutes, adding the Parma ham after 5 minutes. While cooking, I folded smoked salmon into beaten eggs while cooking in a pan, you may wish to use some butter here. Then I piled it all on some wholemeal bread and pondered about some hair of the dog.

Emma Gutteridge

at Middle Farm

Winter Warmers Timeless Treasures... When the nights draw in and the temperature drops, take time to relax and relish the gentle pleasure, the warming hedgerow hedonism of sloe gin, elderberry port or bramble liqueur. Bask in the mellow radiance of an orchardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essence with a lovingly crafted cider brandy or apple vodka. Succumb to the sheer sensuality of a glowing goblet of golden mead. Revive flagging spirits with a steaming jug of rich mulled cider.

â&#x20AC;Śtried and tested for centuries. MIDDLE FARM, FIRLE, LEWES, EAST SUSSEX, BN8 6LJ telephone 01323 811411 email info@middlefarm.com 40

issue 2 winter

food for thought

A liver is for life, not just for Christmas Nutritional therapist Sarah Cheeseman helps you survive the festive season with some advice about keeping your liver happy and how to overcome the lack of vitamin D. The liver is really quite astonishing. It is estimated that the liver performs over 5000 reactions in your body, only about 200 of which are understood. Every minute it cleans 1.7 litres of blood, and could still perform adequately with only one third of it’s function left. But for the purpose of this article, we’re just going to talk about the role the liver plays in detoxification. This isn’t just another article about ‘New Year Detox’. I won’t even tell you to live off of water and juiced veg for a month, but perhaps you could start thinking about adding in some liver loving nutrients to offset the Christmas splurge. The liver has to work harder now then ever before, as changes in our environment and diet have added greatly to our body’s ‘toxic load’. The liver has two phases of detoxification, and during these processes it uses many vitamins and minerals to do its job; such as magnesium, zinc, copper, vitamin C and all the B vitamins.

So, what can you do to help your liver? Reduce the load! Your liver hates saturated fats and sugar, empty calories from junk foods require nutrients from the liver to process them, but give nothing back. Substances such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, burnt or barbecued food and caffeine also put extra load onto your liver. Eat lots of antioxidant rich foods. Antioxidants buffer damage from free radicals, which are nasty little unstable atoms that will cause cell damage if left free to wreak havoc in your body (no, they’re not just something L’Oreal made up to sell skin cream!) Fruits and vegetables are the best source of antioxidants, and a good rule of thumb is to ‘eat a rainbow’ - that means lots of differently coloured fruits and veg. Try adding a handful of blueberries onto your breakfast cereal to give yourself a morning boost.

Dandelion stimulates bile, so try some tasty dandelion coffee for a change from your normal tipple (no, really!) Garlic and beetroot are fabulous, as are green leafy and cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and watercress. You could also try drinking green tea. A study in 2008 (jin et al), showed that men who drink more than 10 cups of green tea per day were less likely to develop liver disorders. Herbs such as milk thistle and turmeric enhance liver detoxification. Turmeric is also an antioxidant and antiinflammatory.

Many plants aid specific ‘pathways’ of liver detoxification: 41

Have a truly happy Christmas this year Protect yourself from the winter blues with vitamin D. Vitamin D is a common deficiency in the UK brought about by low sun exposure through the winter. Nutritional Therapist for edible Sarah Cheeseman Dip.CNM HND MICHT explains how to make sure you get yours. The shortest days of the year are upon us, which means wooly cardies and cosy nights in with the curtains shut against the dark. Unfortunately it also means that for many of us, sunlight is something that we only see out of the office window, as it is long gone by the time we leave work.

It’s easy to see how the drab days can make you feel sluggish, but there is actually a biochemical reason for winter mood disorders

issue 2 winter

Many of us feel a bit low during the winter months, but for some more severe depression can set in, usually diagnosed as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It’s easy to see how the drab days can make you feel sluggish, but there is actually a biochemical reason for winter mood disorders. Exposure to sunlight stimulates our skin to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin as we can produce it in the body, but we need at least 15 minutes exposure on our arms and legs in order

to get our daily dose. Winter sunlight is usually not strong enough to stimulate the vitamin D making process, so even if we can get out in the sun during the day, it won’t affect our vitamin D status. Vitamin D is a bit of a hero in my book. It has important roles in mood. Deficiency has been linked to depression (the main symptom of SAD). In a clinical trial conducted by Gloth et al and published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Ageing in 1999, participants with SAD were either given high dose vitamin D supplementation or Broad spectrum light therapy (the standard treatment for SAD). After 1 month the subjects were asked to assess their depression, and those who had received vitamin D reported much greater improvements in symptoms compared to those who received light therapy. Vitamin D is also important for bone health, it regulates the absorption of calcium necessary for strong bones. It modulates the immune system, and supplementation can be of huge help in cases of autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis.

food for thought It also controls the healthy growth and development of cells, guarding against cancer, which occurs when cells mutate instead of developing normally. In the case of Psoriasis, vitamin D can help stop the over-proliferation of skin cells, which is the cause of this distressing condition. Considering all you have just learnt about vitamin D, it may surprise you to learn that vitamin D deficiency is pretty common. Research conducted by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research in 2006 found that 36% of healthy Americans were deficient, and estimated the European levels of deficiency to be much higher. Risk factors It is difficult for us to get enough vitamin D through food, therefore our main source is sunlight exposure. This explains why winter deficiency can be such a problem. Other risk factors for deficiency can be poor diet, following a vegetarian or vegan diet, being elderly, darker skin pigmentation, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease, kidney or liver problems and fat malabsorption (through gall bladder problems or diet pills). People who have immigrated to Britain from a sunnier country tend to be more prone to SAD.

Food sources

Supplementation

The main food source of vitamin D is fish; salmon (by far the best source), herring, mackerel, oysters, fresh tuna and sardines. Cottage cheese and eggs are also sources. The above are also good sources of omega 3 fats, which also have an important role in mood and brain function. A good rule of thumb is to eat oily fish three times a week.

Through winter I would also recommend a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D3 is the active form, and a supplement in the form of liquid drops will maximise absorption. The recommended daily dose for adults is 400iu (international units), although the dose needed can be considerably higher in those already suffering from SAD or other vitamin D deficiency related conditions. Vitamin D can be toxic in too high dosage, so if you are worried please consult a nutritional therapist.

It’s easier than you may think to get your vitamin D meals in. Here’s some simple ideas: • Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon

Sarah runs Pure Nutrition in central Brighton and you can contact her on 07772 719213 or enquiries@pure-nutrition. net. Visit her website www.pure-nutrition.net.

• Sardines on toast • Mackerel, tuna or tinned salmon salad • Kedgeree (see recipe) • Fresh tuna or salmon stir fry • Frittata or omelette with whatever you fancy added • Sandwiches with tinned or smoked salmon • Cottage cheese on rice cakes, oatcakes or wholemeal bread

simple stupid! Chris Mirrlees from Foxy’s Roast & Grill in Hove shares his knowledge...

Have the ‘brine’ of your life this Christmas! The chemistry behind brining is actually pretty simple. Meat already contains salt water. By immersing meats into a liquid with a higher concentration of salt, the brine is absorbed into the meat. Any flavouring added to the brine such as herbs or fruit will be carried into the meat with the saltwater mixture. Because the meat is now loaded with extra moisture it will stay that way while it cooks. The process of brining is easy but takes some planning. Depending on the size of what you want to brine it can take up to 24 hours of more. If brining whole poultry you will also want an additional 6 to 12 hours between brining and cooking. If you want your poultry to have a golden, crispy skin, it needs to sit in the refrigerator for several hours after you remove it from the brine so that the meat can absorb the moisture from the skin. The most basic process of brining is to take approximately 273g of salt (no iodine or other additives) to 1 gallon of water. You will need enough brine to completely submerge the meat without any part being out of the liquid. Brine meat for about an hour per pound. Remove from brine (don’t re-use the brine), rinse to remove any excess salt and cook. 44

issue 2 winter

working lunch Each issue, an area of Brighton is in the spotlight and we talk about our favourite three. This issue edible visits the buzzing North Laine Temptation 56 Gardner St

Iydea 17 Kensington Gardens

Add the Colour 64-65 North Road

Temptation is where it’s at. Found just at the beginning of Gardner St a few doors down from the corner of Church Rd, this deli/café/ restaurant serves and sells local produce. The venue itself is deceiving from the front, you’ll miss it if you blink, but Temptation opens up at the back into a spacious, relaxing area to take some time out from your busy day or to meet friends. Expect friendly service, delicious food from an award-winning chef. The menu is varied with breakfast items, ciabattas and scrumptious salads. There’s even a kids menu – something for everyone. Highly recommended.

Iydea is bloomin’ great, especially if you have food sensitivities. With a good range of food on offer including vegan and gluten free, there’s something for everyone. The deal is you buy your main and you go small or large, small allowing you two side salads of your choice and large four side salads of your choice. You can choose pie, falafel, roti’s and many other delicious things and the side salads are dense mixes of pulses, greek salad etc. Iydea also do an excellent range of juices and explain which each one can do for you. It does get busy though so expect a little wait for a seat at peak times.

Add the Colour have done a fabulous job with converting the old parking office into an exciting café stroke photographic gallery. It almost makes up for us having to trek to Hove to pick up our visitors permits. Add the Colour is bright and modern with creative people bustling about throughout the day. There’s a good choice of food - baguettes, pork pies, quiche, brownies and cakes - all locally made and produced by people that are simply passionate about food. Talk to Dan about coffee too, he knows his stuff and you’ll be impressed with what he has to offer. Check out the local photography talent while you’re there or take advantage of the superfast broadband. 45

last orders Q & A From a Housemartin to world famous producer and DJ, Norman Cook has had an interesting life. Nowadays he’s involved in various projects and is a real foodie with a love of Japanese food. He part owns Oki-Nami and while still playing records around the world, he likes to be back at home and cooking for the family. He takes time to chat with us and proves he really is a ‘Cook’ and is more slim than fat!

Who wears the pinny in your What is your favourite food? house, and who is the best cook? Shabu Shabu. A Japanese I do pretty much all the cooking. one pot broth that you dunk I enjoy it and Zoë doesn’t at thinly sliced kobe beef in to all - (plus she’s not very good.) cook it at the table fondue She does the washing, I do the style. cooking, that’s the deal. What 3 ingredients are always in your household? What is your best kitchen gadget? Olive oil, rosemary and sesame oil. A steel pole with a heavy ball that you drop down it onto a hat Is there any food/drink that sits on top of a soft boiled you miss when out of the egg. It cracks the lid off the egg country or on tour? in a clean straight line so you No. I tend to eat better when can dunk soldiers with no mess. I’m on tour and love trying Brilliant. out strange foreign food. What is your weirdest kitchen gadget? A strange, industrial type meat thermometer.

Maybe a good Sunday roast. What’s a Norman signature dish? Braised oxtail or risotto.

the FREE foodie magazine for Brighton & Hove

What’s a Zoë signature dish? Shepherd’s pie. Who would you most like to cook for - dead or alive? My nan. She worked as a chef all her life and sadly didn’t live long enough to eat anything I cooked or meet my children. I started both these hobbies late in life! Do you have any pet hates about Brighton nightlife? Everyone is far too young these days. Okay one last question... What would be your favourite album to cook to? I make special cooking CD mixtapes!

Next issue out March 2011!

For competitive advertising rates call Steve on 07968 449559 or Amy on 07983 430079 or email info@ediblemagazine.co.uk 46

issue 2 winter

CALL: 01273 776661 WWW.FOXYSBRIGHTON.COM TEXT ‘FOXYS’ TO 60777 FOR A MOBILE MENU

90 GOLDSTONE VILLAS, HOVE BN3 3RU. (JUST DOWN FROM HOVE STATION)

ALL YEAR ROUND FOXY’S DELIVERS SUNDAY ROAST EVERY DAY! IN DECEMBER, WE DELIVER

CHRISTMAS LUNCH TO YOUR DOOR EVERY DAY INCLUDING CHRISTMAS DAY!

ALL HOME - MADE, LOCAL & FRESH ALL FOOD DELIVERED TO ORDER • HOME CATERING • PARTIES • BUFFETS