Edible Magazine Brighton - Issue 5 by Edible Magazine Ltd

issue 5

The FREE foodie magazine for Brighton & Hove | winter 2011

the comfort issue! 1 heritage food | sparkling wine | tea | preserving | breakfasts & more

comfort eating... The nights have drawn in and there’s a nip in the air so it’s time to light the fire, make yourself a cuppa and snuggle up with the winter edition of edible. At this time of year it’s important to set yourself up for the day with a decent breakfast, so we bravely ate more than our fair share just so we could bring you a review of the of finest the city has to offer. We also took a leisurely stroll down Richardson Road, one of Hove’s hidden treasures, to speak to some of its shopkeepers about the importance of keeping it local. We’ll be taking a look at what seasonal treats are in store for us, as well as going back in time to explore some unusual heritage vegetables. After braving the cold to shop for all your locally sourced produce, what could be better than a restorative drink? We give you the heads up on the city’s cosiest pubs. But, if you really can’t bear to leave the house, then we’ve some great ideas to keep you busy in the kitchen, such as homebrewing and making jam, a delicious celeriac soup recipe, and the ultimate comfort food – cottage pie. There’s also a feature on some of the amazing wines made right here in Sussex, so why not invite some friends over and make a night of it? So, let’s indulge in everything our fine city has to offer during the food lover’s favourite season. the edible team

features:

regulars:

recipes:

Secret supper clubs........... 7

News......................................... 4

What to eat now................. 9

Amuse bouche.................... 6

Celeriac soup with crispy pancetta..................10

Heritage produce............. 14

Letters . ................................... 6

Speciality tea....................... 16

Local hero ..........................23

English sparkling wine... 20

Restau”RANT”.....................25

Venison with fig and Marsala......................... 13

Jams & homebrewing....28

Map directory.....................26

Cottage pie..........................47

Richardson Road...............32

Cosy winter pubs.............35

Breakfast review................39

Edible loves.........................36

Food for thought............. 44

Winter gardening..............46

Q&A: Jamie Oliver........... 50

Working lunch....................49

Chestnut and mushroom pilaf................. 11

word of mouth

etc•

www.ediblemagazine.co.uk General enquiries: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk Creative/editorial director: Amy Johnston t: +44 (0)7983 430079 amy@ediblemagazine.co.uk Assisting director: Steve Buckland t: +44 (0)7968 449559 steve@ediblemagazine.co.uk Features photographer: Emma Gutteridge t: +44 (0)7702 340727 emma@ediblemagazine.co.uk Thanks to our contributors: Ann Baldridge, Simon Broad, Timothy Carroll, Sarah Cheeseman, Carlie Dragone, Roberta Emmott, Kerrith Bell, Jon Goldsmith, Robert Griffin, Michael Harwood, Alan Tomlins, Danny Vice-Holt, Sarah Waters, Vera Zakharov. When you’ve finished with this magazine, please recycle it or give it to someone else to enjoy. Printed on FSC mixed source paper using vegetable based inks. ©2011 Edible Magazine Limited. All rights reserved. No part of Edible magazine may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, stored electronically, 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.

ediblemag

http://ediblemagazine.blogspot.com

Next issue out Spring 2012

issue 5 winter

Sussex food in the city Thorne’s Foods on Upper Gardner Street offers a revolutionary local, fresh food concept, bringing together a Sussex farmers market, café and restaurant spread over three floors. The ground floor of the superbly refurbished and characterful antiques auction house is Foods Jason Hurwitz of Thorne’s a bustling, atmospheric farm shop, offering customers a choice of carefully-sourced local deli products, meat, fish, groceries, bread, flowers and wine, with late opening hours for busy workers seven days a week. Head upstairs to find a contemporary café by day and restaurant by night, both of which draw on delicious local produce for their menus with tasty lunchtime bites, scrummy afternoon teas and wholesome British cuisine in the evenings. Local Sussex suppliers include Westedene Butchers, Stopham Vineyard, High Weald Dairy Cheesemakers, Besmoke Garlic, Hepworth Brewery, Gran Stead’s Ginger, Flint Owl Bakery, Wobblegate apple juice and many more. Find out more at www.thornesfoods.co.uk

for your little monkeys... If you’re looking for a foodie way to keep the kids entertained, Hungry Monkey in Hove is holding free children’s Thai cooking classes. Visit www.hungrymonkey-uk.com congratulations to... Koba voted runner-up, Best Sunday Lunch in the Observer Food Monthly Awards 2011. Temptation Café named as one of the top 100 employers in the National Apprentice Awards Scheme. Riverford Organics have won Best Online Retailer 2011 in the Observer Ethical Awards.

chocolate buttons

After finding a box filled with her nana’s old buttons, Keeley from Audrey’s Chocolates knew instantly that they had to recreate jars of them using their awardwinning chocolate. www.audreyschocolates.co.uk

The Kemp Town pie-oneer Tweed clad Victorian gentlemen cycling around town with baskets of pies may sound like the stuff of a madman’s dream, but thankfully it has recently become a reality. Having kept the patrons at the Hand In Hand pub well fed for the past couple of years, Mr Hairs Pie Factory has now branched out into home delivery. To find out more visit www.mrhairspiefactory.com ould you like to advertise in our next issue? For more details W call Amy on 07983 430079 email amy@ediblemagazine.co.uk

My! it’s a brand new batch...

Fine & dandi

Hove based coffee roasters Small Batch Coffee have announced they will be opening a new central Brighton store on the ground floor of Myhotel in Jubilee Street. Designed by Brighton’s Chalk Architecture, the store will be a hub for all things coffee... with a full espresso menu, coffee syphon brew bar, bean and brewing equipment sales and on site coffee roasting. There’ll also be a training space for coffee lovers to take brewing classes and conduct tasting sessions with a light breakfast and lunch menu served daily. For more details visit www.smallbatchcoffee.co.uk

Set up by Hove resident Alexi Christopoulos, The Dandelion Deli sustainably provides fresh, healthy lunch pots, snacks and breakfasts to commuters and local businesses in the city. All of their food is less than 24 hours old, with most items being prepared on the morning of sale. The ingredients are simple and nutritious, and the deliciously fresh and tasty lunch pots, snacks and breakfasts offer a great alternative to regular lunch options. All the packaging is compostable, and they do a pick up service, so used containers can be taken to compost rather than landfill. Pop into one of the Small Batch outlets to try a breakfast, or, if you’d like delivery to your workplace then go to www.thedandeliondeli.com

Join the Land Army! Roast. Baked. Mashed. However you serve them, potatoes are a firm British favourite. In the early 1940s the Women’s Land Army planted a mile of potatoes in Brighton as part of the war effort. Now a new Land Army, led by The Green Centre and the Craven Vale Children’s allotment Melanie Rees from The Gree n plan to recreate the mile of potatoes across the Centre with Izzy Cabble city. There are 5,280 feet in a mile so they need 5,280 potato plants to recreate this. To get involved, email spuds@thegreencentre.co.uk or www.thegreencentre.co.uk

tantalise your tastebuds & tickle your cheeky side The Medicine Chest is offering 2 tickets to The Burlesque Supper Club - a fantastic night of mouth watering signature dishes and burlesque performance by Divine Decadence. For a chance to win, simply answer the following question: The Medicine Chest philosophy is “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” which physician is accredited with this phrase? Email your answer to: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk, with subject: ‘medicine’.

Cooking on fire is as old as the hills... Head Chef Ollie Newton and his team at The Coal Shed believe the simple way is the best way – cooking good quality, local, sustainable ingredients over real charcoal. They’ve invested in a specialised indoor barbecue grill called a ‘Josper’ which can generate heats of up to 500ºc. The intensity of the heat and the taste of the burning charcoal is the perfect way to cook their carefully sourced produce supplied by Garlic Wood Farm, to keep the meat and fish succulent and full of flavour. Whilst steak and fish are the Coal Shed’s signature dishes, other varied delights are also available. www.coalshed-restaurant.co.uk

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Brighton’s hot new restaurant

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E E T • B R I G H TO N • E

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happy 1st birthday! The Townhouse in Kemp Town opened its doors one year ago and has gone from strength to strength. thetownhousekemptown.co.uk To celebrate their 10th anniversary Indian Summer have created three new chutneys, all made from traditional recipes which can be brought from their restaurant. www.indiansummer.org.uk 5

your letters

amuse

bouche

win

Fondest foodie memories... “My Dad’s one pot special on a rainy day fishing at Loch Awe as a kid... Take one camping gas burner, one pot, add... a can of mince, a can of meatballs, a can of new pots, a can of baked beans, a can of goblin burgers in gravy. Stir well and enjoy. I wouldn’t have it now but it was great at the time”

“White truffle you gotta love Italy”

“The most amazing dish I ever had was in San Fransisco... homemade tagliatelle with gorgonzola & walnut sauce. simple, tasty, Italian... delicious”

Dan proposing to me over a ‘romantic’ burger in Texas... “I’ve been & got a ring and everything, and I think we should get married”

“Being about 7 years old & eating prawn cocktail, a huge steak and frites, a big bowl of chocolate mousse, then some French cheeses in a chateau in France on holiday with my family... these were not child portions... what a glutton!”

Do you have any funny foodie stories? We’d love to hear from you: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk 6

issue 5 winter

Email us at info@ediblemagazine.co.uk for a chance to win a hamper of goodies worth £25 kindly supplied by local specialist ingredients retailer Healthy Supplies. Hi edible, Your magazine is packed with interesting articles and I particularly enjoyed the one on Omega 3 fats and oily fish. Living in Hove with all the fresh fish available, we eat lots and love it, but I am pregnant at the moment and have read that pregnant women should limit their intake of oily fish to no more than two portions a week because of high levels of contaminants. Does the same risk apply to babies and young children? My 18 month old daughter won’t eat meat but loves salmon, mackerel (smoked and fresh) and sardines. If she eats these five or six times a week is she also at risk from contaminants? Thank you very much, Flora. Hi Flora, It’s great that your daughter loves fish. With regards to mercury contamination; in general, the bigger the fish, the higher the level of contamination. The Food Standards Agency advises that pregnant women should limit their intake of tuna to four cans or two fresh tuna steaks per week (tinned tuna contains negligible amounts of essential fats). Avoid shark, marlin and swordfish, as these have higher levels of contamination. Try alternatives such as mackerel, herring, pilchard, sardine, trout or salmon. Advice on mercury in fish can be found at www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/faq/mercuryfish. If you want to make sure your daughter gets enough essential fats in her diet, supplements could also be an option. Oh, and congratulations! You win a hamper of goodies from Fishy Fishy for the best letter! Dear edible, I’m from Tunbridge Wells and have an ongoing campaign to convince my partner to move myself and our two children down to Brighton. I come down often as I’m a pescetarian and find the food in Brighton must have been made for me. Having had a truly amazing meal in Terre a Terre last week I was given your magazine whilst buying their book on my way out. I must congratulate you on a wonderful array of news and information on what Brighton has to offer on the food and drink scene. However I hope you can also offer me some sympathy as this has now made me long for a life in Brighton even more so. Sarah Bickerton. Hi Sarah, We’re very glad edible is reaching out to locals and non-locals alike, we live in an amazingly foodie city and we want to shout it from the rooftops. Having had a stint in London, I can completely sympathise – it’s tough to be living away from the city you love and that is filled with such delights, but keep going and hopefully he’ll cave in!

Love Poppy n

Cantina Brighto

table manners

- Carlie Dragone

Ever wondered what it would be like to combine the cosy familiarity of eating in with the luxury of eating out? If so, the new wave of ‘secret supper clubs’ may just be what you’ve been waiting for. Secret supper clubs, underground restaurants and pop up restaurants are all about talented foodloving hosts and hostesses opening up their homes to a random but select group of people serving anything from a simple three course meal to an eight course banquet. Dinners are usually announced a few weeks before via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter or through personal blogs where attendees can buy tickets ahead of time. The suggested fee aims to cover the cost of the food and drink and any entertainment is normally thrown is as a courtesy from the host (rumours abound about supper clubs being host to Burlesque accordion players, magicians and sword swallowers!)

‘Green Onions’ (one of the Sunday Times Top 10 London Supper Clubs) is the brainchild of a selfproclaimed dynamic duo looking to serve up “nonpretentious, home-cooked seasonal food.” They arrange dinners, “food raves” and secret picnics and describe themselves as “just two kids from Yorkshire cooking food that we like or think other people will like - with a few laughs thrown in.” Expect locally picked greens, ham and parsley jelly, followed by braised rabbit with summer vegetables and jersey potatoes all washed down with rhubarb prosecco. Kirsten Rodgers AKA Miss Marmite Lover is probably the best known of all the supper club hostesses and started opening up her home back in January 2009

and has been so successful she has recently attracted the attention of main stream press including the Guardian and the BBC. She has also published her first cookbook “Supper Club” which is packed with recipes from her wildly popular “Underground Restaurant”. And so, like most things, it didn’t take long for the habits of the capital to filter down to us Brightonians and recently a number of similar supper clubs have started to pop up in and around the city. If you want to find out more about events being held in your area or fancy getting some tips before hosting your own visit: www.supperclub fangroup.ning.com www.marmitelover.blogspot.com www.lovepoppy.co.uk www.cantinabrighton.co.uk www.locodining.com 7

what to eat now

issue 5 winter

season to taste -

Emma Gutteridge

A winter wonderland of seasonal ingredients... Beetroot Beetroot is a very powerful liver cleanser. And if you think about how it looks, you’ll remember what it’s good for – cleansing the blood. Don’t let that put you off though – juice it with some ginger and carrot or roast with root vegetables. You could also make an amazing borscht. Just be sure to embrace it’s detoxifying properties, especially if you’ve been partying lots.

Goose Goose is slightly higher in fat content than chicken or turkey but less than beef or lamb. Not only is it delicious, but you also get the added sense of tradition when eating goose! You’ll need a deep meat tin to cook a goose and we recommend allowing 15 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes at 200°c/Gas 6.

Satsumas Ah, satsumas! Also full of antioxidants, the easy peel orange is a good source of fibre and of course, vitamin C. It also has a low glycaemic index for those watching your blood sugar. We love satsumas on their own but they also make excellent sauces (again, particularly good with game) and compotes.

Celeriac This large, knobbly vegetable is the most commonly left over vegetable from vegetables boxes (in our experience anyway). It is derived from wild celery and contains a number of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium and phosphorous. Celeriac works really well in stews and is excellent with meat.

Venison Venison is the name given to any deer meat sold in the UK. Pomegranate Venison is a lean, red meat and is Pomegranate is another nutritional hero of this season. It’s full of flavour. The most common utterly packed with anti-oxidants varieties are Red, Fallow and Roe. There are two classifications of and vitamin C. I don’t care what venison: wild or park deer (reared Jamie Oliver says, they’re not in herds that roam parklands) or easy to handle but the benefits farmed deer (which varies from are way worth it. Use in salads, free range to intensive). Check make into a syrupy sauce for duck and game or have on top of with your butcher which one desserts. The options are endless. you’re getting before you buy.

Where to buy local & seasonal produce Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales at Hove lagoon stock a wide range of fresh fish and seafood, plus frozen produce & condiments. Try Kevin’s of Hove in Richardson Road for locally caught fresh & smoked fish. The Brighton Smokehouse under the arches sells delicious mackerel & kippers. Try their scrumptious hot mackerel sandwiches, heart warming homemade fish soups, dressed crab & pâtés. Bramptons in Kemp Town produce their own recipe gluten free sausages, additive free pork & chicken, as well as selling South Downs Lamb. Archer’s in Hanover provide locally sourced, free range & additive free meat. RC Secker on Richardson Road, and Canham & Sons on Church Road, both supply locally produced meat & poultry, plus seasonal game. Visit Brighton Farm Market on North Road every Saturday for local meat, veg, eggs, fish, fruit, cheese & baked goods, as well as a yummy hog roast. Thorne’s Foods on Upper Gardner Street offers local produce all under one roof including a butcher, grocer, deli, & local wine shop. For vegetable box deliveries www.hankhamorganics.co.uk or www.riverford.co.uk 10

issue 5 winter

Celeriac soup with crispy pancetta This wondrous and warming soup is perfect for those chilly winter days and evenings Serves 4-6 Make sure you have a sharp knife for dicing the celeriac.

• Add the celeriac and fry for a further 3 mins.

1 large white onion, finely chopped

• Add the stock, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes (until the celeriac is tender). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°c.

One pack of smoked bacon 3 large garlic cloves, chopped 1 white leek, finely chopped

• Now transfer to a blender (in batches if necessary) and blend 3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only mixture into a smooth paste. 2 pints chicken stock • Stir in the cream or crème fraiche, cover and leave to stand. 3 large tablespoons cream or crème fraiche • Place pancetta into a flat oven proof dish and cover with a dish Salt and pepper to taste around the same size and place • Fry the onion and bacon in a in your preheated oven for deep pan until browning and about 7 mins. Garnish soup with add the garlic, leek, celery and salt, pepper and thyme and thyme and fry until everything then crumble in your pancetta. starts to soften (about 4 mins). 1 stick celery, finely chopped

Serves 2 250g chestnuts 120g brown basmati rice 1 large white onion, chopped

Chestnut & mushroom pilaf A really earthy, seasonal dish that’s easier to make than you might think

200g mushrooms (button, chestnut or shiitake), sliced 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped 2 inch root ginger, peeled and finely chopped ½ pint stock – chicken, vegetable or mushroom 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp olive oil Sprig of fresh thyme for garnishing Preparing the chestnuts: With a small sharp knife, make a cross on the flat side of the chestnuts and add to a pan of boiling water. After about 15 mins, working as quickly as possible (you may want to wear clean rubber gloves because of the heat) shell the chestnuts with your fingers or a sharp knife. • Heat olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan that has a lid and fry the rice until it starts to change in colour (about 3 mins). • Add the garlic and ginger, stir then add the onion. Cook for 2 mins and then add the mushrooms. • Cook for a further 4 mins and then stir in the stock and chestnuts. Add the soy sauce and cover and simmer for around 30 mins. Check along the way that the pilaf has sufficient liquid. • Garnish with the thyme and serve with steamed kale or leeks.

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

Venison with fig & marsala This recipe compliments the beautiful flavours of lean venison. I’d suggest serving it with mustard mash and green vegetables. 1 fig, peeled and cut into small pieces 350ml stock (game is preferable but if not, use chicken) 250ml marsala wine

• Place the fig, stock, marsala, balsamic vinegar and honey into a small saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, this took me about 20 minutes but may take up to 30 minutes. •H eat a large sauté or frying pan and add the butter. •A dd the venison and sauté each side for 3-4 minutes each until medium rare.

A good knob of butter

emove the venison and set aside under some foil to keep •R warm. Then pour in the marsala reduction and spoon in the redcurrant jelly. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce becomes syrupy.

350g venison loin cut into 3cm thick medallions

•R eturn the venison to the pan and turn to coat only – about 1-2 minutes in total.

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

• Serve and enjoy.

Dash of balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp honey

Vintage veg A long, long time ago, before huge, scary supermarkets roamed the earth, vegetables came in all shapes and sizes and were a much more colourful bunch than they are today.

Michael Harwood

Carrots could be purple, yellow, white or orange and rare and exotic varieties such as cardoons and salsify were as common then as frozen peas are now. However, after the widespread industrialisation of agriculture, crops could be grown on a scale never before thought possible. But with that development came the fact that huge corporations would need to concentrate on crops that would grow quickly, resist pesticides and withstand long periods of refrigerated transportation. Almost overnight variety and flavour were sacrificed on the altar of consistency and speed of growth.

issue 5 winter

Huge swathes of vegetable varieties were wiped from the British diet simply because they were deemed unsuitable for mass production, and generations of children were introduced to a diet of plastic wrapped freakishly identical vegetables free of dirt and of flavour. But all that is starting to change, as people keen to experience a taste of the past are discovering these lost treasures through planting their own heirloom vegetables from heritage seed stock. To be an heirloom, a plant must be openpollinated meaning that it is pollinated naturally by birds, wind or insects.

Open pollination also allows the same cultivar to be grown from seed for many generations giving the process the name ‘heirloom’. Historically, seeds were handed down from one generation of gardeners to the next as well as traded between families. According to the Heritage Seed Library a seed must originate from before 1950 to be officially classed as heritage. So what exactly have we been missing in the last 60 years?

A cousin of the globe artichoke, they are grown for the stems and the flowers discarded whereas it’s the other way round with artichokes. I have scoured my recipe books for ideas about what to do with them but so consigned are they to the compost bin of history that it’s easier to take the lead from the Italians who are still enthusiastic about them and serve them either raw as a crudité or cut small and added to soups and stews.

Mentioned earlier, whilst still popular in Northern Italy where they fill the market stalls in the winter months, cardoons that are virtually unheard of in the UK. But cardoons are as British as they come and their long and thick stems and big beautiful purple tinged flower heads would have been a familiar sight in most kitchen gardens at the turn of the 20th century.

Looking through the list of heritage seeds on the ‘Magic Garden Seeds’ (www. magicgardenseeds.com) is a strangely poetic experience with names like ‘Goats beard’ (described as similar to a wild asparagus) and ‘Crown Prince’ (apparently a prince amongst pumpkins) making them sound more like characters from an historical novel than a seed catalogue. But it was after

a bit of digging around that I discovered that if it’s variety you are looking for the humble carrot is hard to beat. From Altrincham Old English to Zino there is a carrot variety for every letter of the alphabet.

“to be an heirloom, a plant must be openpollinated, meaning that it is pollinated naturally by birds, wind or insects” So if you have space to grown your own and fancy a change from boring broad beans and predictable peas check out one of the many online seed catalogues and help bring back to life some of the old and forgotten varieties of British vegetables.

comfort in a cuppa With grim inevitability, winter has arrived and along with it wet weekends and dreary afternoons. Gone are the summer months of barbecues and cocktails, and with the nights drawing in we find ourselves turning instinctively to a nice cup of tea for comfort and familiarity. - Alan Tomlins

“when it comes to tea we stick to what we know, imbibing only our traditional strong black tea and often dousing it in milk and sugar”

images ©Jing

issue 5 winter

Whether tired or emotional, relaxed or hungover our national recourse is to reach for the kettle: We are a nation of tea drinkers, fiercely passionate about our favourite brand (Yorkshire Tea), preferred methodology (tea, then sugar then milk) and desired strength (strong but not too strong). George Orwell even went as far as to lay down an eleven point manifesto on the best way to prepare what he called one of the ‘mainstays of civilisation in this country’. In an increasingly gourmet society we take great interest in the provenance and variety of our wine, beer, whisky and coffee. Yet when it comes to tea we stick to what we know, imbibing only our traditional strong black tea and often dousing it in milk and sugar. Yet tea, just like wine or cheese or any other food or beverage has a huge range of varieties and flavours, suitable for vastly differing times and occasions. There are four basic types of tea Black, White, Green and Oolong, all of which are harvested from the same plant - Camellia sinesis but treated and processed in different ways.

Black tea is the most commonly drunk tea in the western world and is produced primarily in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. Stronger in flavour and caffeine content than other types of tea, black teas are allowed to ferment and oxidise before they are heated in an oven where they take on their colour. There are several notable varieties of black tea, Assam being the most popular. Hailing from the Indian province of the same name Assam teas are hugely popular in English breakfast blends and known for strong bold flavours. Darjeeling by contrast is a more refined tea usually drunk without milk and closer in flavour to a delicate Oolong. Lapsang Souchong from Fujian Province in China has a unique smokey flavour that comes from drying the tea over pinewood fires while the famous Earl Grey owes its taste to the addition of oil from Bergamot oranges. While black tea has traditionally dominated in the western hemisphere, green tea consumption has risen sharply here in the last few decades.

The tea of choice throughout most of Asia, green teas are plucked, then roasted or steamed before being dried to maintain their freshness. Green tea has become popular because of its many health benefits, including aiding weight loss and helping to prevent heart disease. If green tea is an everyday drink, then Oolong or Blue teas from China and Taiwan are often the choice of the connoisseur. The leaves of special Oolong cultivars are allowed to partially ferment before being dried in an oven to create a mixed tea with flavours of both green and black teas. This style of preparation and detail allow different Oolong teas to have wildly different flavours, from light and floral to roasted and woody. Oolong may be the most unique tea but it’s the white teas that are the most revered and expensive. White tea is said to be the purest and most delicate form of tea; prepared almost exclusively in China and harvested in the spring the youngest shoots are simply picked and left to dry in the open air. Silver needle is the most famous and expensive type of white tea, harvested only in the ‘first flush’ or flowering of the season, and only on a sunny morning to ensure there is no residual moisture.

Silver Needle is prized for the fleshy hairs that adhere to the leaves and for its sweet and delicate flavour profile, a taste that’ s a million miles away from PG Tips. Brewing the tea can be just as important as the quality of the leaves you use: In the essay A Nice Cup of Tea, Orwell held Chinese tea in some disdain saying “there is no stimulation in it”, but his method for making perfect English tea is not a million miles from a Japanese tea ceremony in its details. Water temperature must be right, the leaves must be loose and the pot small. There will be always be a place for a nice proper cup of tea. A delicate cup of Silver Needle is hardly likely to get you up and running on a rainy monday, but the wider world of tea is so varied and expansive that it seems a shame to confine ourselves to one small corner of it. Indeed whether it’s a tea with milk and two sugars or a pot of Dong Ding Oolong it’s worth taking the time on a cold wet day to make yourself a proper cup of tea.

George Orwell’s 11 rules for making a cup of tea - from the essay A Nice Cup of Tea 1 Use Indian or Sri Lankan tea 2 Use a small pot 3 Pre heat the teapot 4 The tea should be strong 5 Use loose leaf tea 6 The water must be boiling hot 7 Shake the pot 8 Use a mug not a cup 9 Don’t use the cream of the milk 10 Tea first, then milk 11 Do not add sugar

01273 888600 | www.drurysouthern.co.uk |12-16 Richardson Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5RB

Ask us ABOut Our CHrIstmAs PArty LuNCHes, DINNers AND PrIVAte HIre

! e m I t y e k It’s tur We’re now taking orders for sussex meats for Christmas – give us a call or ask at our Westdene Butchery counter in-store.

01273 573 660 • www.ThornesFoods.co.uk • Twitter @ThornesFoods 18

issue 5 winter

Brit pop You may be excused for thinking there’s nothing particularly comfortable about sparkling wine, especially on the wallet... Simon Broad takes us for a tour of the wine country - it’s closer than you think!

images ©Bolney Wine Estate

issue 5 winter

It’s difficult to deny that there is something magical about a glass of bubbly, something that makes everything seem in its right place; and when we’re talking about the local stuff, we can certainly take some comfort in the fact that English sparkling wine is fast becoming recognised for its quality. It’s now generally accepted (perhaps even in France) that the process of getting bubbles into wine was... invented may be too strong a word, but certainly first documented here in England. In 1662, Christopher Merrett presented a paper to the Royal Society, describing the process of adding sugar to a still wine to encourage refermentation in the bottle, making the wine ‘brisk and sparkling’; and it was coal-powered factories here that first enabled glass bottles to be strong enough to survive the process. In fact, before then, sparkling

wine was considered not just a fault, but a hazard, with exploding bottles widely recognised as a danger of working in the wine trade! These English innovations occurred long before Dom Perignon, traditionally recognised as inventing sparkling wine, was even in Champagne. In actual fact he spent most of his life trying to stop the still wines of Champagne from becoming fizzy. So, is English fizz really any good? Well, yes, it can be. After numerous prestigious awards and gleeful tales of the French being gazumped in blind tastings, it seems that the high quality of English sparkling wine these days is common knowledge; indeed last Christmas, in our shop at least, the local stuff significantly outsold Champagne. Let’s think about Champagne for a second. The region is seriously north France when it comes to

producing quality wine, in fact further north than any other significant wine region - except England. Cooler weather equals crisp, high acidity, which you need to make good quality fizz, because the process of making it softens the final result. Another major factor resulting in the quality of Champagne is the predominantly chalky soil, contributing to that light, fresh, famous finesse. Now, think of England, particularly the south-east, and its chalk hills rolling along the length of the Downs and through Kent you guessed it, pretty much the same soil conditions. And one of the consequences of global warming is that we’re now getting warm enough to rival the French for quality. In fact, the fear on the other side of the channel is that Champagne will soon be too warm to maintain that acidity; so much so that a number of Champagne houses are starting to buy land over here. Whereas the majority of English wine has traditionally been made with various German varieties, we are now becoming able to properly ripen Chardonnay

and Pinot Noir, the staples of Champagne, and finding that the resulting oomph from these varieties are perfectly suited to show off the potential quality of our wines. What’s more, the best examples are not merely carbon copies of good Champagne, they also express what is unique about the land they are growing in here, uniquely English, floral, delicate notes, with a crisp, fresh, lively and mouthwatering taste.

Though land costs are cheaper here than in Champagne, high labour costs, low yields due to cold and unpredictable weather, and those good old British taxes, mean that the good quality examples can rival Champagne for price. It’s undoubtedly an exciting time for English winemaking, particularly sparkling; a more and more favourable climate for quality vines and a rapidly growing body of knowledge

“Sparkling wine was considered not just a fault, but a hazard, with exploding bottles widely recognised as a danger of working in the wine trade!” Unfortunately, local doesn’t always mean more comfortable on the wallet. Without getting technical, the process of getting bubbles into wine in a way that leaves them sophisticated, elegant, and completely in harmony (using the ‘traditional’ method) is unique, and uniquely labour-intensive; from the blending to the fermentation to the bottling, it simply costs more to produce quality sparkling wine.

and experience has led to some seriously good products, whilst a trend for all things local when it comes to food and drink has simultaneously created a large demand. If you’d like to try some of these out for yourself, names to look out for include: Bolney Wine Estate, Carr-Taylor Vineyards, Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Breaky Bottom, Court Garden, Blackboys, and Plumpton Estate.

Doctor’s orders - Timothy Carroll Why not mix yourself a warming toddy to see off the winter blues... There may be no better medicine than sipping a hot toddy to keep a sniffle at bay or beat the chill after a brisk winter walk, but the best thing about this classic hot drink is that recreational use is just as acceptable a practice. The real fun with toddies is getting creative and breaking from the traditional mould. There’s something deliciously simple about their construction which allows for seemingly limitless tailoring. The formula to follow is elementary, and goes a little bit like this... Take your favourite mug and add to it a glug of your

issue 5 winter

favourite spirit. You’ll want to add the water at this point, and I would recommend about four or five times as much water as spirit, ensuring that the toddy is not too explosive. Next, choose something to sweeten your brew: traditional honey, agave syrup or sugar. Practically anything will do, and you’ll want to sweeten it to taste. My favourite is Sloe Gin toddy and since the gin is already sweetened, almost like a liqueur, it doesn’t really require any further confection. Finally you’ll need fruit and spice. The third dimension and the personal complexity

is added to the drink at this stage and it’s imperative that you experiment to find your favourite combination. To my Sloe Gin toddy I always add the zest of a lemon, expressing the oils out onto the surface of the toddy before dropping it in. To that I add a whole star anise and a pungent cinnamon stick, allowing the infusion to get underway before drinking in the goodness. Hippocrates once said, “Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always”. With such essential medical advice in hand, I reckon it’s time to put the kettle on.

local hero With over 30 years experience in baking and bread making between them, Tony and Cathy proudly run this artisan bakery in Hove. They hand mould all of the rolls, pastries and cakes daily, ensuring their loyal customers get only the freshest baked goods. On Saturdays they offer an extended range of speciality breads including Focaccia and Pugliese, but you need to be quick as they sell out fast! This is no surprise when the bread is often still warm by the time you get it home. For giving us our daily bread... Hove Patisserie, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re our local hero! 11 Hove Park Villas, Hove, open: Mon-Fri 6.30am-4pm; Sat 7.30am-2pm. 23

fresh fish daily experienced staff trade prices free parking extended opening hours pre-orders taken

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BNFS Fish

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RANT

Our resident Maître d’ recounts why he has left the restaurant business That’s it I’ve quit. Thrown in the towel, had enough, called it a day. The fat lady has not only sung but dressed up as Elvis and left the building. 17 years of working in restaurants, cocktail bars, and clubs dealing with petty, small minded, arrogant, difficult, argumentative, sorry excuses for human beings who stunk of cheap stale booze and even cheaper staler aftershave. And that was just the staff, don’t even get me started on the customers. I am running a bar in the woods at gothic folk festival (don’t ask). I say a bar, it’s more of a claustrophobic metal box container with a plywood bar counter at the front. We had been performing herculean feats of service to work our way through the massive queue that had formed at the front of the bar. As a fey tall moody teenager with an even taller fey moodier boyfriend got to the front of the front of the queue, I heard him loudly pronounce the immortal words:

“We have been queuing for 20 minutes, WE are next”

“No but I can sell you two double shot rum cocktails made with ginger beer at £6.50 each (£13)”

I carried this game on for a few more minutes watching him get more and more irritated

What proceeds to follow is a five minute discussion with Mr. Emo as I try to explain that

“WE ARE NEXT” he wailed, close to tears.

I am offering him a better deal then he was asking for.

“Yes sir what can I get you?” I asked the man again

Do you think that coming to the front of a busy bar and slagging off the bartenders before you have been served was a wise idea, sir? “Do you think that coming to the front of a busy bar and slagging off the bartenders before you have been served was a wise idea, sir?” A bead of sweat rolled down his face

As I place the drinks on the bar counter Mr. Emo proceeds to knock one of the drinks over.

“I was only joking”

“The drink has spilt”

“It didn’t sound like you were joking to me”

“Yes, sir, you knocked it over”

“I was being, err, sarcastic”

“Well what?”

“Again, I could notice no inflection of sarcasm, no change in the tonality of your voice, no wry raising of an eyebrow, no smile on your face”

“Aren’t you going to make us a new one?”

“Whose next?” I asked, knowing full well that it was the Emo couple.

A long argument ensued over the nature of sarcasm, communication and the human condition ensued. Eventually I got bored and decided to serve them:

“We are”

“Right what can I get you?”

“How can I help?” I asked the man standing behind them.

“Can you sell us 2 double rums (£12) and two cans of ginger (£3) for £14”.

“The service here is shit”.

“We were next”

Eventually Mrs. Emo helps to make it clear with use of visual aids and by talking very, very slowly.

“Well?”

“Yes that will be £6.50”. As he opens his mouth to argue I vault screaming over the front of the bar and go running off in to the woods never to be seen again. PS. I am currently earning a living as a communication coach. At least the last 17 years haven’t been a total waste of time. 25

County Cricket Ground

Davig

Chur ch Rd

St. Ann’s Well Gardens

. www.actioncat.co.uk

Weste rn Rd

King sway

place settings

King

1 Albertoli 20 Richardson Road, Hove BN3 5RB 2 Audreys Chocolates 28 Holland Road, Hove BN3 1JJ & East Street Arcade, Brighton BN1 1HR 3 Billies Café 34 Hampton Place, Brighton BN1 3DD 4 Brighton Bystander 1 Terminus Road, Brighton BN1 3PD 5 Brighton Farm Market Diplocks Yard, 73 North Road, Brighton BN1 1YD 6 Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales Basin Road, South Portslade, Brighton BN41 1WF 7 Buon Appetito 81 Western Road, Hove BN3 2JQ 8 Chambers Old Town Hall, High Street, Shoreham-by-sea BN43 5DD 9 Chilli Pepper Pete 73 Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4EB 10 Drury 12-16 Richardson Road Hove, East Sussex BN3 5RB 11 Ethels Kitchen 59 Blatchington Road, Hove BN3 3YJ 12 Fine Eat 32 Western Road, Town Centre, Hove BN3 1AF 13 The Foragers Pub 3 Stirling Place, Hove BN3 3YU 14 Foxy’s Roast & Grill 90 Goldstone Villas, Hove BN3 3RU 15 Hove Patisserie 1 Hove Park Villas, Hove BN3 6HP 16 Indian Summer 69 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HQ 17 Inside Out Café 95 Gloucester Road, Brighton BN1 4AP 18 Langlees 30 York Place, Brighton BN1 4GU 19 Le Gourmet Deli 133 Dyke Road, Seven Dials, Brighton BN3 1TJ 20 Middle Farm Firle, Lewes BN8 6LJ 26

issue 5 winter

Pres ton

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29 Grand

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elie r Rd

Ho ve St

Hove Town Hall

Chur ch Rd

dor Rd

ntp

Blatc hing ton R d

swick

New

Crom well Rd

Shor eham Road

Brun

Port land Rd Sackv ille Rd

Richa rdson Rd

Old

Hove 15 Station

’s Rd

West Pier

Viad uct R d

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North Laine

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North Rd

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28 Rd

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Elm Grove

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Ditchling Rd

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Queens Park

West St

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Pavilion

Edwa rd S

St. Ja

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Fre shfi eld

Brighton Dome

Churchill Sq

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Royal Sussex County Hospital

Mari

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Mad

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Palace Pier

Driv e

21 Mitre Tavern 13 Baker Street, Brighton BN1 4JN 22 Mixology Group The Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Powis Road, Brighton BN1 3HJ 23 RC Seckers 7 Richardson Road, Hove BN3 5RB 24 Recipease 72 - 73 Western Road, Brighton BN1 2HA 25 Sam’s of Seven Dials 1 Buckingham Place, Brighton BN1 3TD 26 Small Batch Coffee Company 68 Goldstone Villas, Hove BN3 3RU 67c Church Road, Hove (corner of Church Road and Wilbury Road) & Brighton & Hove Stations 27 The Town House 81-82 St James Street, Kemptown, Brighton BN2 1PA 28 Thorne’s Foods 39 upper Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 4AN 29 Unithai 10 Church Road, Hove BN3 2FL 30 Viva Verde 4 Richardson Road, Hove BN3 5RB 31 Visitor Information Centre Royal Pavilion Shop, Royal Pavilion, 4-5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton BN1 1EE 32 Wooden Belly 2 Egremont Place, Brighton BN2 0GA

To feature on our map, email us: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk 27

the preservation society - Ann Baldridge / Roberta Emmott Nothing says comfort like a piece of toast smothered in butter and home-made jam. It’s like wrapping your taste buds up in your favourite sweater. Preserves, in their many forms, help us save a bit of summer sun for the colder months. Nothing warms you up on a chilly day like a lovely, bright jam, spiced chutney, or a winter warmer made with sloe or fruit-infused gin, rum or vodka. Preserving in itself is a cosy activity. On a cold day, nothing beats hanging out in your toasty kitchen, pot bubbling away on the stove. Even better if you’re warming up after having gone out to forage or pick your fruit, or collect it from your local market or shop. Once you get your preserves potted up there’s more fun to be had with making your labels, and they also make lovely gifts (if you don’t stash them all away for yourself!). We’re so lucky in Sussex to have a wealth of fruit available both in the hedgerows and from local farms that is perfect for making preserves.

issue 5 winter

The hedgerows are abundant with blackberries, crab apples, sloes, damsons and rosehips, and there’s a great array of autumn fruit like apples and pears available too. And don’t forget that produce from allotments and gardens can be preserved – courgettes, marrows, green tomatoes and runner beans just to name a few.

“We’re so lucky to have a wealth of fruit available both in the hedgerows and from local farms that’s perfect for making preserves” If you’re out walking, check out the hedgerows and see what’s available – just remember to leave some for the birds! Or stop into the farmers’ markets to stock up and give preserving a go.

Home brewing for beginners Home brewing is another perfect way to use gluts of seasonal fruit and veg, and you can make at home for little cost. If you have access to an allotment, garden or hedgerow, it’s a crying shame not to give this a go. Until recently, the nearest I’d come to making my own booze had been infusing cheap gin with sloe berries. While this is always a total winner, I’ve started to branch out and make my own wine. I was inspired by a course I went on called Garden Shed Brewing at Whitehawk Community Food Project where Simon Powell demystified the wine making process. With a stripped-back approach, my first batch of greengage wine has been made ‘au natural’ with as few ingredients as possible. Following Simon’s advice, I allowed the wild yeast to activate so I haven’t even needed to add the storebought version.

There are various schools of thought about adding yeast, yeast nutrients, clearing agents, etc; but I’ve gone for the simplest method which involves dissolving sugar in water, adding fruit, and leaving in a sealed bucket for a week. Stir twice a day and then rack off (strain and transfer) into a demijohn. Can it really be this simple? From what I gather (no pun intended), it seems possible to make wine from nearly any fruit or vegetable including herbs and flowers. Berries, parsnips and plums seem to be popular, and of course they are readily available in the city. In a bid to reduce fresh produce going to waste, Harvest Brighton and Hove have started a Harvest share scheme, where people can donate their excess produce to nearby community centres and groups. We also work in partnership with Brighton Permaculture Trust who run the Scrumping Project, harvesting unwanted fruit from around the city.

You can volunteer to help scrump and in return take fruit away with you. There seems to be a boom in interest in this area as the self-sufficiency revival continues. It’s worth noting that while it’s legal to brew your own wine, distilling spirits is not! Potato wine is fine, Potcheen is not! It might turn out that my friends get greengage vinegar for Christmas this year, but I’m feeling hopeful, beginners luck and all that! If you’re looking for some recipe inspiration, visit www.harvest-bh.org.uk/recipes or try www.hedgerowharvest. org.uk. If you’re new to preserving and want to learn more about this fun and rewarding skill, Harvest will be running courses on preserving seasonal ingredients this autumn and winter. Look out for course dates at: www.harvest-bh.org.uk/events. www.thefoodproject.org

issue 5 winter

Naughty but nice? Vegans love comfort food too!

- Danny Vice-Holt So we say farewell once again to our British summer. That keep fit DVD used to maintain your beach body is stuffed into the cupboard for another year, asparagus is nothing but a sweet, distant memory on our tongues and our thoughts turn to longer nights by the fire with a big bowl of blackberry crumble or jam roly poly smothered with piping hot custard. (I can feel the pounds piling on already!) But what if like me, you’re vegan where dairy isn’t a part of your meals? Well surely those types of wintery comfort foods are out of the question? Wrong! Just because there’s no dairy doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy something delicious that sends the pleasure centres of our brains into overdrive when we indulge in the creamy goodness of a rich, moist chocolate fudge cake or even a good old fashioned ribsticking rice pudding stuffed with toasted almonds and plump sultanas. Actually, there are a myriad of fantastic egg and dairy free cake recipes out there, many of which are indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts. One of my favourites is a gooey winter berry chocolate mousse made with silken tofu, maple syrup, very dark chocolate and Cognac. Or how about a delicious bread & butter pudding? Instead of milk and egg, you add sugar, vanilla seeds, allspice, vine fruit, ground almonds and a sprinkle of saffron to coconut milk and pour it over your bread. The great thing about dairy-free comfort foods is that a lot of them contain less saturated fat and cholesterol making them better for your health and your waistline without compromising on taste so next time you have a vegan to dinner, whip them up a chocolate mousse; they’ll love you for it and you just might love it too. If you’d like to read more from Danny, visit his website: www.thecapertree.com

Latest news from Farm For those of you who can’t get enough of our weekly Saturday markets, Fridays at Farm is now open fortnightly from 14 October, 11am-5pm, and is a delicious mix of existing stallholders, plus some exciting new stalls. The popular Farm Kitchen is selling tasty hot and cold food and drinks in our alfresco dining area (using produce from our own farm), whilst the Jolly Green Café is selling wholesome vegan and vegetarian food and drinks to eat-in or grab and go. ‘The Yard’ Sunday Market - every 2nd and 4th Sunday in the the month from 11am-5pm. The Yard is a vintage and makers market, selling a beautiful array of one-off designs that make perfect presents for you and your loved ones. The Farm Kitchen is also open to warm you up while you shop nearing the festive season.

BRIGHTON FARM MARKET

EVERY SAT: 9.30-5PM Local fish & meat, artisan bread, freerange eggs, honey, cheeses, raw milk, charcuterie, home-baked pies & cakes, Hog Roast & Vegan Café

CARLY’S FRESH PRODUCE: TUES-FRI 11-5PM

FRIDAY MARKET: FORTNIGHTLY FROM 14TH OCT

SUNDAY MARKET ‘THE YARD’ EVERY 2 ND AND 4TH SUN

Diplocks Yard, 73 North Rd, Brighton www.brightonfarmmarket.co.uk 31

a quality street Robert Griffin

Local photographer Robert Griffin takes a stroll down one of Hove’s hidden treasures - Richardson Road to meets some of its shopkeepers.

The barista Elaine - Drury

“The genuine friendliness of customers, alongside the close-knit community spirit from neighbouring businesses is what makes Richardson Road so unique”

The butcher

John - RC Secker

“The street has a a real village feel - we all look out for each other, and each shop serves a specific purpose”

issue 5 winter

The grocer

Carlo - Albertoli

“The community spirit is what makes this such a great place - it’s Hove’s best kept secret, but it really shouldn’t be”

The florist

Lynette - Viva Verde

“It’s a real pleasure to be part of such a vibrant community here - seeing families grow and where customers become friends”

The fishmonger Kevin - Kevin’s of Hove

“I’ve been here for 24 years - when I arrived, nine of the twelve shops were up for sale so I was part of the rejuvenation of the street”

The

Foragers pub T

T T Celebrate

the festive season with us T

Now taking bookings for Christmas lunch/dinner Choose from 2 courses for £20 (lunch only) 3 courses for £25 / £30 with glass of Prosecco To book call 01273 733134 or email info@theforagerspub.co.uk

BEST FOOD PUB 3rd PLACE

Thanks to everyone who voted for us!

Children’s & bar snack menus now available DJs on Friday & Saturday nights in the front bar Pub quiz every 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month Our back bar is available for private functions For exclusive offers follow us on Twitter & Facebook 3 Stirling Place • Hove • East Sussex • BN3 3YU • www.theforagerspub.co.uk

If there’s one good thing about the colder months, it’s meeting up in a warm cosy pub and having a few winter warmers! Generally one doesn’t want to wander too far in this weather, but if you do, make sure to check out some of these...

The Connaught Hove Street, Hove Although a large interior, it does boast a very nice real fire at one end and feels welcoming. In the colder months with good food, wine and beer, it’s a great place to while away a few hours with friends.

COSY

WINTER PUBS -

Steve Buckland Basketmakers Arms Laine Gloucester Road, North ton, A firm favourite in Brigh a place that always seems a lively Coopers C bustling with activity and ask and le tab Tavern Farm / The Farm a atmosphere. Find Street, Hove e ny fin Either one o choose one of their ma f th lled ese ‘just-ove mu or the-border’ ales (around eight) pubs are sple rtry s, kle coc se tho rm ndid – small, cosy wine. Wa an and wonderful ro d both with some of their great food as s.... se tin Coopers Cas ts on a Sunday. check out what’s in tho k Lion and Lobster music nights has some great to keep those Sillwood Street, Brighton warm ears h ap Another popular place Tavern provi py. The Farm full des solace an of character, there’s often warmth for d yo ur dog too! The Setting Sun a warming pot of mulled Windmill Street, Hanover wine or cider! A welcomi ng atmosphere, lots of hid Hanover is brimming with den corners, comfy seats, and excellent pubs, this is a fine a real fire... pop in for one and example of one, with comfy leave quite a few later. sofas, scrumptious food and what’s more an amazing view over the rest of Brighton probably popping to a local cosy s me Ja int Sa The n pub near them – a guaranteed Tow mp Ke , St James’s Street downhill walk home from here... the rm wa What better way to their 80+ soul... Pop in for one of of ales. The Foundry rums or a good selection ca, Tua er off to b Foundry Street, North pu al The origin Laine crowd... Tucked between the ho there’s always a vibrant uses i food, on Foundry Street, this Enjoy some yummy Tha pub ular DJ is terrific this time of yea and good music with reg r. from An old style pub with a nights playing anything real od ‘ol fire, comfy seats and gre Hawaiian surf tunes to go at music. There’s often live rock and roll! bands playing a good mi x of acoustic delights, from Irish to Am ericana. If you’d like to join us for the next ale trail...

email us at: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk

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Cooks measure

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Chain up your Chablis £19.99 England at Home www.englandathome.com 01273 738270

Preserving jars Get in a pickle £1.45 - £1.75 Bert’s Homestore www.bertshomestore.co.uk 01273 732770 36

issue 5 winter

French carafe & tumblers

Stack ‘em for hands free carrying £18.95 Rume www.rume.co.uk 01273 777810

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Vivienne Westwood meets the Queen £39.50 Pussy www.pussyhomeboutique.co.uk 01273 604861

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From Absinth to Zinfandel... £13.99 England at Home www.englandathome.com 01273 738270 s Customised ‘keep cups’

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s Terrorist teapot

Infuse, confuse & diffuse with this novel balaclava tea cosy (cups not included) £23.99 England at Home www.englandathome.com 01273 738270 Stackable mugs s Cool recycled stuff

This set of 4 grenadier mugs will really stand to attention £13.95 Bert’s Homestore www.bertshomestore.co.uk 01273 732770

Grolsch bottle goblets £12 pair Champagne label coasters £6.50 each - both from Eco logic cool www.ecologiccool.com 01273 606077

Knot cheese knife set

The perfect pair for cheese lovers £22.95 Abode www.abodeliving.co.uk 01273 621116 37

D E L I C AT E S S A N , TA K E A W AY & C A T E R E R S M A S S I V E S E L E C T I O N O F PA N E T TO N E A N D OT H E R C H R I S T M A S G O O D I E S C H R I S T M A S H A M P E R S M A D E TO O R D E R C O N T I N E N TA L & L O C A L P R O D U C E , H O M E M A D E PA S TA SAUCES, MEALS & SALADS.EXCEPTIONAL OLIVE OILS, V I N E G A R S & C O F F E E , C O L D M E AT S & C H E E S E

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issue 5 winter

Pick of the brunch Whether it’s a traditional English or a continental, we all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Our readers review some the city’s finest offerings... Sam’s of Seven Dials

Billie’s Café

1 Buckingham Place, Seven Dials, Brighton BN1 3TD Open: Sat & Sundays 10am - 3pm Price: £6-£8 Sam’s at Seven Dials is known as a place for fine dining so heading there on a Sunday morning for brekkie seems a decadent way to rid yourself of your hangover, and it is, but at £7 for perfect Eggs Benedict; it’s an inexpensive treat. Following a Saturday night out with a tuaca too many my friends and I decided to try the ‘weekend brunch menu’ which the restaurant started doing earlier this year. The menu includes full English (£8); eggs benedict, florentine and royale or you can even have boiled eggs with marmite soldiers! The eggs were poached to perfection, and the ham and hollandaise sauce delicious. There’s the usual teas, coffees and fruit juices or you can order a Bucks Fizz or Bloody Mary if you’re feeling more indulgent. It was a perfect, sunny Sunday morning, we sat out on the terrace and the service and setting were great. If it’s a greasy spoon full fry up you’re after, this is not for you. But for a delicious and perfectly cooked breakfast; it’s the ideal way to start your Sunday. Anna McEvoy, BN3

34 Hampton Place, Brighton BN1 3DD Open: 7 days a week, 9am-4pm Price: Jumbo breakfast £6.25; hash breakfast £7.30 (no variations, but extras are reasonably priced - tea or coffee not included, tea is only £1) In a town full of fine breakfast places, Billie’s has long had a reputation for serving one of the best. It’s as if someone drew their ideal cafe - cozy little tables with cheesecloth tablecloths, fresh flowers in vases, bright big windows so you can gaze at passers-by - the perfect spot for a morning after restoration or some quiet intimacy over a morning paper. There’s often a queue, not just down to the size of the place but because the food is simply excellent. The jumbo full english is as big as it sounds, with good ingredients perfectly cooked. But Billie’s USP is its breakfast hash. I had the ‘Farmhouse’, a mound of potato, peppered with sausage, bacon, mushrooms, beans and cheese, with an egg on top. It looks messy, tastes fantastic, and it’s guaranteed to fill you up. Not classy, just straightforward quality. Jon Simmons, BN2 39

Inside Out Café 95 Gloucester Road Brighton BN2 4AP Open: 8am-5.30pm Mon-Sat; 10am-5pm Sun Price: Bubbalicious £6.25 Chances are, even if you haven’t noticed the rather unassuming name sign, you have certainly glanced at the colourful undulating tilework façade and funky metal railing of this popular North Laine café. The decor transports you to Barcelona, while the menu tempts your palate with continental and exotic twists on breakfast classics. I opted for Bubbalicious on the advice of friends who have gone before. It was carefully presented in layers of spicy tomato and pepper sauce, crispy yet tender bubble and squeak, local cured bacon, perfectly runny poached egg and a garnish of rocket. The spicy kick was a welcome addition to a classic British fry-up dish. With every bite, it felt like we were transported to the Mediterranean, so we didn’t mind paying a little extra for a filling brunch. A special occasion for sure, but well worth the trip. PS – the one-way window in the loo with views of fellow diners is another trip all its own! Vera Zakharov, BN2

Wooden Belly 32 Egremont Place, Brighton BN2 0GA Open: Tue-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm Price: £3-10, £6.95 for full breakfast Entering Wooden Belly, I was struck by the calm décor and relaxed, vintage atmosphere of the deli/café (there’s also a Quiet Zone downstairs). I enjoyed the full breakfast: a fat, handmade herby sausage, thick slice of bacon, mushrooms, perfect fried egg, generous portion of fried potatoes and fried tomato, with homemade toasted bread. The bread was delicious, and quite smothered in butter. For the price paid, the portion seemed just right. Overall, the level of butter/oil made me think the chef cares more about flavour than making a greasefree, ‘healthy’ breakfast, but that suits me as breakfast out should be a treat and all about the taste. Aside from breakfast and pick n mix deli platters, Wooden Belly offers a huge range of homemade deserts and cakes, as well as a produce table selling local eggs, loaves, and a decent range of the Tea Pigs tea, amongst other delicious looking items. Eatin or takeaway with plenty of vegetarian options. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable: I will be going back to try some of their cake soon! Kyra Clode, BN1

Seven Bees Café 7b Ship Street Gardens Brighton BN1 1AJ Open: Tue, Thu-Fri 9am-

2.30pm; Sat & Sun 9am-4pm Price: Big £4.50; Bigger £5.95; Biggest £7.50; Veggie £5 This has been a regular little cafe of mine for a while now, so I jumped at the chance to review it. It’s often busy and sometimes you have to wait a while (a small price to pay for freshly cooked food) but it’s certainly worth it. Iain and the team source all their produce locally using Sussex farms and the cooking is consistently good. The breakfasts come in three sizes, big, bigger and biggest and either veggie or meat. I had the bigger with lovely sausages and bacon, great mushrooms, beans, yummy egg, toast or bread and a potato latke. The veggie option looked good too but I love the sausage and bacon too much to try it. They also make a good coffee/tea for a £1 extra to top it off! Stevio Bee, BN3

issue 5 winter

Fine Eat

Thorne’s Foods

32 Western Road, Hove BN3 1AF Open: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm Price: Full English breakfast £4.95; salad box £3.95; speciality sandwiches £3.50; speciality baguettes £3.80 (includes steak & tofu) This small, unpretentious family-run café is tempting city tastebuds with breakfast and lunch fare. Speciality sandwiches and baguettes are on offer alongside salad boxes for the carb-shy. Sunshine had me sitting out the back in a kind of bijou wooden atrium. Tables and chairs matched the decking, and the short walkway was flanked by some pleasant shrubbery. My full English breakfast took 15 minutes to arrive. I had stipulated on order that I didn’t want baked beans so was not best pleased to see a plate replete with the steaming orange fiends heading toward me. Replate and replace were commendably swift. The fried eggs were of good size and consistency, complemented perfectly by the locally baked seeded bread. The sausages were plump and meaty, with mixed herbs giving a fresh but not overpowering flavour. The tomato slice was equally fresh with a sharp sweetness. The light and fluffy hash brown was quickly devoured, followed by three very crispy yet succulent slices of bacon. At £6.25 with a cup of tea and profuse apologies for baked bean gate and the wait, I call that a pretty fine eat. Amanda Hodgson, BN3

39 Upper Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 4AN Open: 7 days per week 9.30am-7pm SunThurs 9.30am-10pm Fri-Sat. Breakfast only served from 9.30am-11am at present but they do plan to serve until midday when they are fully open. Price: Very reasonable and great value for money - all breakfasts are £7.50 or under. The canteen style of the restaurant is just what you want for a relaxing breakfast or brunch, coupled with attentive, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Traditional, continental and child favourites are all available; of particular interest was the ‘egg and Marmite soldiers’! However, being a breakfast review we ordered the traditional fare of Eggs Benedict Royal and The Sussex. We were served our food on piping hot plates and to be honest it took all my restraint not to jump straight in; we had photos to take! My eggs were cooked to perfection and the smoked salmon full of flavour and not too oily. The Sussex represents excellent value for money. The extra touch of home-made baked beans and bubble and squeak really does make a difference. With this attention to taste and quality on a breakfast menu I can’t wait to go back for an evening meal. Thank you Thorne’s I have finally found a great Breakfast in Brighton! Holly Stockbridge, BN3

The Brighton Bystander

Langlees Restaurant

1 Terminus Road, Brighton BN1 3PD Open: Mon-Sun 8am-midnight After being tipped off that the Brighton Bystander was a bit of an institution I was keen to try their breakfast. At a very reasonble £5.45 the eclectic selection of 2 eggs, 2 bacon, sausage, beans, mushroom, hash brown, black pudding, tomato and toast (I swapped mine for a fried slice at no extra cost), seemed very appealing. The service with a smile and bright, comfortable dining area left me eager with anticipation. However, the proof was definitely in the rather dry slice of black pudding perched on a sea of beans (the classic breakfast filler). Only one of the eggs was even slightly runny and the bacon was underdone for my taste. The 5 token pieces of mushroom were a bit slimy and the cheap sausage - although tasty - was overcooked and a bit dry. The lonely half tomato seemed a bit lost and by this point even the near perfect fried bread and faultless hash brown couldn’t save the most important meal of the day. Sadly it was a decidedly mediocre effort that I felt I could have done better myself. Voytek Stanley, BN1

30 York Place, Brighton BN1 4GU Price: Continental breakfast: £3.20 Open: Mon-Sat 8am-5pm; Sun 10am-5pm Where can you find a comfortable, well decorated venue in Brighton that does a variation of all-day breakfasts, has a friendly atmosphere and offers value for money? The answer to this question is Langlees. Located in York Place, (right next to the Hobgoblin pub), they offer the usual greasy spoon, full English, a vegetarian option, American style pancakes and a continental breakfast. The latter includes a lovely meal with fresh ingredients. Made up of a warmed croissant – making the inside soft and fluffy - pot of jam and butter, generous portion of natural yoghurt and sliced strawberries that were wonderfully sweet. The meal, which even included a free cup of tea or coffee and biscuit, looked a good deal beforehand, but an absolute bargain after. Recently celebrating its one year anniversary, and including a licensed bar, expect this establishment to be here for many years to come. Adam Joseph, BN1

In the next issue... we tuck into steak. Would you like to be on our review panel? email: amy@ediblemagazine.co.uk 42

issue 5 winter

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FINALISTS

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T Bringing a real taste of Italy to Hove 81 WESTERN ROAD • PALMERIA SQUARE • HOVE 01273 204848 • buonappetitohove@hotmail.com

This month, I have mostly been eating... French bread

- Kerrith Bell

With the change in the weather I’ve been afflicted by an irresistible urge for meals that involve turning on the oven (probably so I can sit by it). Beef stewed with pearly onions and wine that I’ve mopped up with hunks of baguette. Chicken roasted with tarragon and butter, which I’ve carved into its juices then scooped into hollowed crusts. I’ve toasted stale slices of baguette, rubbed them with garlic and launched them into bowls of French onion soup to slowly drip their cargoes of Gruyère over the side. There’s just one problem, I haven’t been eating French bread... (needle skids off Edith Piaf record)... I’ve been eating English French bread. Where you imagined a burnished crust snapping to scatter a meteor shower of flecks, see instead anaemic loaves that bend as limply as geriatric legs in the hands of the physiotherapist. If you anticipated a centre of large textured bubbles, firm yet yielding, find instead a semi set foam, just the other side of dough. For this claggy muck in rubber crust, dear reader is the truth about French sticks in Blighty. One reason the French have better bread is that every neighbourhood has its own bakery. If it’s not coming up with the crust they just walk a few streets down and join the queue outside the better one. Hove has a few bakeries so I’ve been shopping for a loaf you can eat with meals without ruining your appetite. And I found some pretty near approximations. We have some great bakers making great bread, but it wasn’t French bread. The reason I couldn’t find a genuine French stick is probably that I wasn’t in France (for a comprehensive discussion of reasons see www.askafrenchman.net). So maybe it’s simply a case of when in England... In which case Sugardough make an eponymous loaf with an enriched butter crust that has firm sinewy bubbles coated in a toothsome crust redolent of fried bread. It’s not baguette but it is possibly the most delicious bread known to man. As for French bread? Now high streets the world over have the same shops it’s nice some things are resisting standardisation. That’s why we go abroad, innit. 43

Are cravings driving you crazy? It’s 6.30pm, you’ve just got in from work and you literally cannot resist a biscuit, one biscuit turns into half the packet. You’ve had the day from hell, everything has gone wrong, and you would kill for a drink.

- Sarah Cheeseman

The more you give into your sugar cravings, the more your body will drive you to keep on consuming the white stuff.

issue 5 winter

Sound familiar? I’m talking about food cravings – the enemy of healthy eaters everywhere. Most of us suffer from them on a regular basis. They are proof of our complex relationship with food, and can be generated to satisfy a variety of biochemical and psychological needs. One theory is that cravings are the body’s way of telling us what it needs. For example, if you crave chocolate, your body may need magnesium, which is actually found in nuts and seeds, wholegrains and carob, a chocolate alternative. If you crave salty foods such as crisps, you may be lacking sodium (which isn’t the same as table salt found in crisps) or the iodine found in natural sea salt.

In Chinese medicine, the foods you crave can point to an organ system that may be out of balance. Each organ system has a taste associated with it. For example, sweet is the taste associated with the spleen, the organ of digestion in the Chinese medicine. Therefore craving sweet foods is a sign that your spleen is overworked. However, eating bags of Haribo will only strain it further. Salty foods are associated with the kidneys, and sour is associated with the liver.

There is another interesting theory that we crave the foods that we are intolerant or allergic to. According to William Philpott, a clinical ecologist from Oklahoma, who has written extensively on food intolerance Craving fatty foods can mean and addiction, eating a food to a deficiency of calcium (found in which we are intolerant causes the release of an opioid called leafy green vegetables, broccoli, Enkephalin in the brain, which is sesame seeds and cheese), or as addictive as any narcotic you essential fats, such as might find on a dodgy street those found in oily corner. Continuing to eat these fish, nuts foods can produce a huge variety and seeds. of unpleasant symptoms such as depression, anxiety, palpitations, water retention, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.

food for thought

But in terms of cravings, the prime suspect and the substance with which we all have a love/hate relationship, must be sugar. Thanks to our in built reward system, a survival mechanism from our caveman days that means that we get a hit of lovely cuddly dopamine when we have sugar (cannabis, alcohol, heroin and cocaine also stimulate the dopamine pathway), we are all predisposed to be addicted to sugar. However, some people may be more prone to addictions than others. It seems that there’s a gene called A1LL, which is more common in alcoholics. Having this gene means that a person has less receptor sites in their brain for mood enhancing dopamine, and therefore has to ‘self-medicate’ with larger amounts of substances such as sugar or alcohol in order to get the good feeling associated with this neurotransmitter. The more you give into your sugar cravings, the more your body will drive you to keep on consuming the white stuff.

A surge of sugar hitting the blood stream prompts the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin, which quickly packs the sugar away into the cells. The resulting sugar dip drives you to crave those quick-fix naughty carbs again. This doesn’t happen if you focus instead on slow release, complex carbohydrates such as oats, wholewheat, quinoa, etc. Don’t underestimate the addictiveness of sugar, the withdrawal can be as profound as that from any other drug. The glycaemic load (GL) of a food will give you an indication of how well your body will deal with it, in terms of whether it will prompt a surge of insulin and resulting cravings. GL tells us how quickly the carbohydrate from a food is released into the bloodstream. The lower the GL, the slower the carbs are released, making you feel more satisfied and energetic.

So, if you need that sweet fix, instead of sugar, try sweetening foods and drinks with Xylitol, a granulated low GL sugar alternative, or agave syrup. Both are available in most supermarkets and health food shops. Dried fruit can also be blended with nuts and rolled into balls to produce a variety of delicious sweet treats. Carob is a great chocolate alternative. Try this recipe for carob spread from Kate Wood’s Raw recipe book: Break down 2 bananas in a food processor. Add 60g of almond butter, 2 tbsp of carob powder, and whizz again in food processor until the mixture is a thick paste. Spread on rice cakes, corn cakes, oat cakes or wholemeal bread. If it must be chocolate, dark chocolate (70% and above) is low GL, or try raw chocolate, It’s full of antioxidants and (in moderation) actually good for you!

Sarah runs Pure Nutrition. Contact her on 07772 719213 enquiries@pure-nutrition.net. www.pure-nutrition.net. 45

Winter gardening tips: - Sarah Waters - Harvest Growing Officer The gardening year may be slowing down but there are still crops to sow and plenty to do over the winter. Sow hardy peas and broad beans in November for earlier crops ready to harvest next May and June. Protect them with horticultural fleece or cloches as harsh weather can damage the plants. Use hardy varieties suited to winter conditions, for broad beans try Aquadulce and The Sutton, for peas Feltham First and Meteor. Onions, shallots and garlic sets can all be planted in November. Again, choose hardy varieties. Protect crops. Cover brassicas such as brussel sprouts and broccoli with netting to prevent attacks from hungry birds. Winter weather can damage some plants so cover winter lettuces and oriental leaves with fleece. Root crops such as winter radishes and celeriac can have the tops damaged by frost and snow. Either lift and store them in November or cover them with a few inches of bracken, soil, straw and old sweet corn stems.

Mitre Tavern

13 BAKER STREET • BRIGHTON • BN1 4JN 01273 683173

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. 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.

viva verde stylish & creative floristr y

Feed the soil. Spreading well-rotted manure over the surface of beds during the winter gives it plenty of time to start breaking down into the soil ready for feeding next season’s hungry plants. Covering the manure with cardboard, thick paper or landscape fabric will prevent it from running off the beds in bad weather and help it break down quicker. The winter months offer a break to get round to those DIY jobs that were put on hold during the busier months. So take your time, it’s a perfect opportunity to build new raised beds, mend fences and fix the shed.

weddings & special occasions flowers, plants, herbs & gifts 4 Richardson Road • Hove • East Sussex BN3 5RB tel/fax: 01273 733321 e: viva@viva-verde.com

www.viva-verde.com 46

issue 5 winter

Love food hate waste - an ode to cottage pie - Vera Zakharov How do I love thee, cottage pie? Let me count the ways... A comfort food, a British heritage dish, and an ingenious way to use up potatoes (the most wasted food in the UK), tired veg and Sunday roast leftovers. It’s so versatile that meat-lovers and vegans alike will be sated. You’re pondering the contents of your kitchen already...

What’s in a name? Cottage pie is made with beef, while shepherd’s pie is made with mutton or lamb. Cumberland pie is a variation with breadcrumbs on top, and fish pie is, well, you get it. In fact, countries all over the world have their own versions, with their own delicious names. I can still recall my first time trying Kartofelnaya Zapekanka as a little girl in Russia. It was love at first bite.

Creative crusts: Some people add cream cheese or cheddar to the mash, others add parsnips to the mash.

The beauty of the mashed potato pie is that you can substitute ingredients, and use up whatever you’ve got!

Latin flair: Why not try a sweet potato crust, with a spicy filling of sweetcorn, black beans, red peppers, tomatoes, spices (and beef if you like), and serve with soured cream and spring onions on top. You can find more recipes at www.bhfood.org.uk and www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Basic pie: The crust is made of mashed potatoes, butter, milk, and salt, while the layer below contains meat (or veg mince) cooked with carrots, onions, herbs, tinned tomatoes & stock.

Fun with fillings: Many people get creative with fillings, using mushrooms, root veg, or even lentils instead of meat. Whatever veg you’ve got at the bottom of the fridge, chances are you can add it to the bottom of the pie!

local hero

HOVE’S TRADITIONAL FAMILY BUTCHER & POULTERER • We make 25 varieties of sausage, including gluten free varieties. • We stock top-quality Scotch beef, local lamb and free-range pork. • We also have a range of cooked meats, cheeses and eggs. • We take great pride in the quality of our products and the quality of our 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 48 seckers_half_page_edible.indd issue 5 winter

21/09/2011 13:32

working lunch This issue we visit Hove for some of our favourite lunchtime venues Unithai 10 Church Road, BN3 2FL 01273 733 246 *Cash only

Albertoli 20 Richardson Rd, BN3 5RB 01273 722481 www.albertoli.co.uk

Ethel’s Kitchen 59 Blatchington Road BN3 3YJ 01273 203204 www.ethelskitchen.co.uk

We almost don’t want to write about Unithai in case it gets even more popular, but then it wouldn’t be fair not to share. Unithai is primarily an Asian supermarket selling a fantastic range of oriental ingredients, but it does have the most amazing little noodle bar tucked away at the back of the shop. Décor is basic, with only about half a dozen miss-matched tables but the food is the best authentic Thai street food you will get in the city. Everything on the simple but delicious menu is fantastic, so give it a try. Prices are very reasonable, but it can get busy so be prepared to wait.

This great little deli sells regional specialities from Italy, Sussex and beyond. The food is cooked fresh on the premises daily, and includes home made panini, beef lasagne, ‘Pollo della Casa’, pastas served with various sauces, as well as roasted meats which can be served with a tempting selection of fresh breads. The menu changes every week so you’ll never get bored. To avoid long waits at busy times, you can also phone in your order before 11am. They also cater for office events, and private parties, and the chefs can even cook at your home.

Ethel’s is larger than it first appears, with a downstairs section and seating outside but it does get busy at lunchtimes. It’s a treasure of a café with delicious homemade cakes served on vintage china tea sets with silver cake forks, (the raspberry and rosewater sponge is a delight). There’s a large menu of freshly prepared dishes, which include an all-day breakfast section, the Welsh rarebit is a favourite and the homemade chips are not to be missed. The lattes are smooth and ethically traded and there are freshly pressed juices and fruit smoothies. The Rosebud tea is also one to try from the large selection of loose teas, which looks as pretty as it tastes.

If you have a lunctime foodie favourite that you’d like to recommend email us at: info@ediblemagazine.co.uk 49

last orders Q&A

You’ve done some amazing work with the schools, do you have any other projects you’d like to tackle? Thanks for the kind words. I’m certainly not finished with schools! We’re only just halfway through what needs to be done to ensure that all schools have the kitchens and the trained staff and the dining area to make sure school meals are an exciting as well as a nutritious option for kids. I’m also starting work on a project that will hopefully get more kitchen gardens into schools. This is because I believe it’s very important that kids learn about where food comes from, and how they can grow it, as well as cook it. I also want to expand the Ministry of Food centres which are doing such great work in the north of England. Your ideal meal at home? Depends on the time of year and what’s in the garden. Right now we’re getting into shorter days and chillier weather so I’m getting into slow-roasts like pork shoulder. 50

issue 5 winter

We already know Italy really inspires you but do you have another favourite type of food? I love all kinds of food and you may have noticed that over the years I’ve explored all kinds of food across Europe and America and had a chance to enjoy so much beautiful stuff. I’ve been surprised by places like Sweden, which you might not think of first when you think of great food destinations, but then that turned out to be one of the most exciting discoveries for me. They’ve got great food and a fantastic, thriving food culture. But right now, I’m in love with British food because I’ve just been doing a book and TV series on it – about time. Do you have a favourite Brighton food haunt? I’ll be honest. I don’t come to Brighton very often and when I do, I usually go to Jamie’s Italian or Recipease. But I’d love to try Dermot’s place because he’s a good guy.

Jamie Oliver, MBE, Naked Chef, Essex Boy, dad of four and all round cheeky chappy has singlehandedly knocked school dinners into shape, made turkey twizzlers a thing of the past and taught us all the meaning of the word ‘pukka’. In between training disadvantaged young people through his award winning ‘Fifteen Foundation’ and picking fights with the government over their fishing policies he found a few minutes to have a chat with edible. What is your favourite/ weirdest kitchen gadget? My favourite is my speedpeeler which is a very simple, inexpensive piece of kit, but one which I use every day. Do you have any pet hates when eating out? This isn’t a pet hate really, it’s more of an “Oh no!” moment. It doesn’t happen in the UK too much, but sometimes when I’m overseas and staying at a hotel, the hotel chef will come over and say he’s a big fan – which is humbling, of course – and then he’ll want to cook me everything on the menu. Of course that’s a lovely thought, but it’s not really what I want when I’m just after a light supper and a good night’s sleep. But, like I said – it’s still flattering. Who would you most like to cook for - dead or alive? Elvis. Probably 1950s Elvis before his food tastes went off the rails.

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Recipease by Jamie Oliver 72-73 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2HA 01273 311 338 / No bookings required www.recipease.com