Flavour Magazine London April 2011

flavour for people who love local food

London | Issue 1 | April 2011

ÂŁ3 (Where sold)

new

to london!

Hip Hops

Is real ale on the rise?

Sweet Treats Delicious ideas for Easter from Hummingbird Bakery

Michel Roux senior Why British service has a long way to go

www.flavourmagazine.com

Discover new & rare ingredients from Gourmelli!

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For further information, please contact 01823 666 297 email: knight@themanorsomerset.co.uk www.themanorsomerset.co.uk

welcome

Editor: Holly Aurelius-Haddock Email: holly@flavourmagazine.com Deputy Editor: Faye Allen Email: faye@flavourmagazine.com Art Director: Richard Cook Email: design@flavourmagazine.com Advertising: Hayley Francomb, Director Email: hayley@flavourmagazine.com Miranda Coller, Director of Sales Email: miranda@flavourmagazine.com Charlotte Amos, Sales Account Manager Email: charlotte@flavourmagazine.com Jamie Ford, Sales Account Manager Email: jamie@flavourmagazine.com Photography: Eamonn McCabe Contributors: Cheryl Cohen, Ren Behan, Nick Harman, Philip Lowery, Duncan Shine, Zeren Wilson Flavour Magazine 151-153 Wick Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4HH Tel: 01179 779188 Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com/london

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For competition entries: Email: competitions@flavourmagazine.com © Copyright 2011 flavourmagazine.com All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission of flavour. While we take care to ensure that reports, reviews and features are accurate, flavourmagazine.com accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed or advice given are the views of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of flavourmagazine.com

For more information, please contact Peter Francomb Tel: 01179 779188 Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com Visit: www.flavourmagazine.com Competition Terms & Conditions In addition to any specifically stated terms and conditions, the following applies to all competitions.

All information forms part of the rules. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules and agree to be bound by them. The winner will be the first entry drawn at random from all the entries sent back after the closing date and will be notified by either post, email or telephone. The prizes are as stated; they are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. All entrants must be at least 18 years old. Competitions are open to UK residents only. One entry per person. Proof of postage is not proof of entry. flavour accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post. Entrants agree to take part in any publicity material relating to the competition. The name of the winner will be published in the next edition. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Prizes do not include unspecified extras (such as travel). All prizes are subject to availability.

Please state if you do not wish to receive any further correspondence from flavour or competition organisers. You may be required to collect your prize.

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In the interest of setting out our stall, flavour could be defined as a hybrid of the following food legends...

Elizabeth David. Quite a statement granted, but rather than comparing ourselves to perhaps Britain’s greatest food writer of the 20th century, I’m referring instead to a shared hunger for finding new ways of cooking.

Kindred spirits seeking unusual and exciting ingredients for the store cupboard should turn to PAGE 54 for inspiration. Incidentally, Elizabeth’s love of French country cooking would no doubt be matched by the charming Michel Roux Senior in his interview on PAGE 14.

For general enquiries: Peter Francomb Email: peter@flavourmagazine.com

flavour magazine provides effective communication through design. We specialise in brochures, corporate identity, advertising, direct mail, marketing and design for print.

We have a reputation for clear, creative solutions to communication problems for a number of corporate, sports, financial, charity and leisure industry clients.

We maintain the highest of standards, throughout each individual project and our client relationship.

We pride ourselves on delivering distinctive designs and ideas that will get you noticed.

The last three years have been good to us in the South West, and such has been people’s desire to read about the journey from plot to plate, we’re very excited to bring you the launch issue of flavour London!

contents 10 In Season Cheryl Cohen from London Farmers’ Markets brings you the best of the season’s produce 7 WIN!

A luxury break at Lucknam Park!

14 Michel Roux Senior

Why British service has a long way to go 26 Sweet Treats Delicious ideas for Easter from Hummingbird Bakery 42 Hip Hops Is real ale on the rise?

Cover photography taken from Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days, courtesy of Harper Collins.

Then we have Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Based in the South West’s idyllic county of Dorset, Hugh’s tireless campaign to discuss the wider implications of the food we choose to eat is only to be admired. Not unsurprisingly, the author and subsequent star of River Cottage was among the first high-profile advocates of the Sustainable Restaurant Association - hear from their newly-appointed leader on PAGE 62.

And last but not least, you’ll find the occasional sprinkling of Anthony Bourdain throughout our pages. Anyone who’s read his compelling autobiography Kitchen Confidential will know all too well this guy’s knack for overturning universal truths within the food industry, something which columnist Nick Harman is also known to do on a good day. Turn to PAGE 66 and you’ll see what I mean.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we’ve enjoyed making it.

Happy Eating!

Holly Aurelius-Haddock

> flavour news

If you have any news or events that you would like to share with us here at flavour then email enquiries@flavourmagazine.com

this month The competition to find the Deli of the Year 2011 - the delicatessen with more deli attitude than any other - is being run for a second year by Dorset food producer Olives Et Al. This year the competition is also being championed by The Guild of Fine Food, which represents the interests of over 1,300 fine food retailers and producers the length and breadth of Britain. Bob Farrand, Guild director commented: “We are really throwing our weight behind the Deli of the Year competition as this sector is the bedrock of our organisation.

The idea is sound and Olives Et Al has put tremendous energy and resources into a brilliant but simple concept…”

NEW MenuS FOR NOPI Yotam Ottolenghi has introduced some rather special additions to his breakfast and lunch menus at his new all-day restaurant NOPI, which cannot be missed.

As well as sharing the à la carte menu, the team has also introduced an ‘In and Out’ menu consisting of four or five larger dishes. This means that guests on the go can have their filling within the hour and feel recharged for the rest of the day. www.nopi-restaurant.com

If you’re planning a meal out in London or anywhere else in the UK, don’t forget to check out toptable.com where you can browse and book from thousands of restaurants and even enjoy some not-to-be missed offers! It’s a great opportunity to trade up to a high-end restaurant or just to try something new.

www.toptable.com

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Nominations and voting begins on 4 April 2011 at www.delioftheyear.co.uk

VOLUME CONTROL Heineken UK plans to reduce the alcoholic level of one of its key brands as part of its commitment to the government’s responsibility deal on alcohol. The cut is thought to come from Strongbow but this, nor the exact abv reduction can be confirmed.

Stefan Orlowski, managing director of Heineken UK commented: “The government’s responsibility deal is to be welcomed, and the partnership gives us an opportunity to build on our existing responsible drinking programme.”

> flavour news

La Fromagerie Fish Fight Success!

There is good news for all those that have been keeping up with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight. Princes, the largest tinned tuna supplier in the UK, have committed to making a dramatic change in the way they source their tuna. They will stop relying on purse seine fishing of fish aggregation devices (FADS) which is responsible for huge amounts of bycatch. Now all their tinned tuna will be caught by either pole and line of FAD-free purse seine nets. Princes now join Sainsburys, Marks & Specer, Waitrose and now Tesco in the fight to go FAD free.

The campaign is fighting hard to convince John West and Morrisons to follow in the same footsteps. www.fishfight.net

Stylish and unconventional, enjoy some of the best biscuits with your cheese from one of London’s best-loved cheese emporiums…

The Caraway Biscuit ENJOY WITH GOUDA, GRUYERE AND WASHED RIND CHEESES From pungent washed rind southern Irish cheeses, to the classic Epoisses, hard mountain Gruyere and matured farmhouse Gouda, the caraway works perfectly. Perfect with blond beer or a chilled Riesling style wine. Enjoy alongside mild breakfast style cheeses with smoked ham and fresh, ripe tomatoes.

The Charcoal Biscuit ENJOY WITH GOATS CHEESE, CAMEBERT AND CREAMY BLUES Pairs beautifully with all styles of goat’s cheese and white wines from the Loire such as Sancerre, complemented by fresh hazelnuts and grapes. Bloomy rind cheeses like Camembert with a dry Pinot Noir. Delicious with creamy blue cheese such as Gorgonzola paired with a full bodied, fruity Barbera from Piedmont.

NEW WORLD ORDER

The Oat Biscuit

Matthew Clark, the on-trade drinks supplier, are proud to introduce 200 new wines to this years wine list – some brand new to the UK and exclusive, which were on display at their recent London wine tasting last month at Fishmongers Hall.

ENJOY WITH MATURE CHEDDAR, STILTON AND BRIE DE MEAUX Pairs perfectly with full flavoured farmhouse cheeses such as Cheddar and Lancashire; serve with crisp apples and dry cider or malty ales and beers. Also with a good Stilton and port or bloomy rind cheeses such as Brie de Meaux paired with a red Bordeaux.

Particularly enjoyable with a cup of tea too.

The New World additions including Argentina, California and South Africa, are key changes this year - all countries which are in growth in the UK. Ian Smith, Matthew Clark’s commercial director discusses some of the new wines and suppliers which will strengthen Matthew Clark’s already comprehensive wine list: “A big focus this year has been the expansion of our Argentinean range and we welcome, for the first time as suppliers, D&D Wines who are providing us with the new on-trade exclusive Callia range from the Salentein Estate and some new varietals for Matthew Clark from Argentina, the Portillo Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.”

The 100% Rye Biscuit ENJOY WITH BEAUFORT, EWE’S MILK AND WASHED RINDS Comte d’Estive and our signature cheese, Beaufort Chalet d’Alpage make an elegant pairing with a delicate moussey Champagne or creamy Chardonnay, accompanied by raw almonds. Sweet earthy ewe’s milk cheeses such as Ossau Iraty paired with a fruity Syrah.

For the more adventurous, pair pungent washed rind cheeses with a lighter style single malt whisky. www.lafromagerie.co.uk

www.matthewclark.co.uk

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>

> flavour news

Take a Trip to

Daylesford summer Festival Prepare your weekend for the annual summer festival from Daylesford Organic.

A day of family fun awaits as well as a chance to take in the breathtaking Gloucestershire countryside and mouthwatering products. Enjoy a day of farm tours and walks as well as the opportunity to meet local, artisan producers and enjoy cookery demonstrations from Daylesford cookery school and farm school.

RUMOUR HAS IT As the Royal wedding draws nearer, rumours are rife as to what we can expect for the big day. Revealing a tantalising taste however, Mark Flanagan, the Royal chef, has promised an all-British menu for the day. Just like the dress, we cannot wait to see what will be revealed. What would you like to see on the menu? Write in and let us know your thoughts to info@ flavourmagazine.com and we promise to print the best suggestions in the next issue.

For the dedicated foodie, there will be plenty of opportunity to spend some time in the farmer’s market where you can hunt down delicious, seasonal ingredients from the farm and meeting the artisan breadmaker and cheesemaker. www.daylesfordorganic.com

FANCY A PINT?

If you’re searching for the best place to meet up with friends, family or colleagues, then this new iPhone app is the perfect addition to your smart phone. Use online or offline, this app shows you the best pubs nearest to where you are and you can then view them on a map. Easy to use with comprehensive reviews, contact details, pub facilities and photos. Visit itunes to download it now!

CARROT GOLD Artisan du Chocolat’s playful carrot bags are the perfect addition to an Easter egg hunt.

These bright bags filled with mini eggs will stand out amongst the greenery of your garden. We also like to think they will count as one of your five-a-day fruit and vegetable portions! www.artisanduchocolat.com

WIN A luxury break at Lucknam Park!

Lucknam Park is an unspoilt, country house hotel set in 500 acres of stunning parkland with newly refurbished, luxurious rooms, one of the UK’s finest spas, a new informal brasserie, a renowned Michelin-starred restaurant and a top-of-the-range equestrian centre.

Six miles from Bath, Lucknam Park is one of the UK’s leading country house hotels and a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group.

Many awards testify to its excellence - Michelin star, AA Hotel of The Year, Caterer and Hotelkeeper Independent Hotel of the Year and the Visit Britain Gold Award.

Get away from it all and spend a weekend in seamless luxury with this month’s competition. Spoil yourself with dinner, bed & breakfast with full use of the spa facilities. For your chance to win, simply email competitions@flavourmagazine.com stating your name, address and phone number and where you got your copy of the magazine. Good luck! www.lucknampark.co.uk

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> flavour news

wordtorneet the s As the weather warms up and the evenings grow longer, celebrate in style with April’s hottest new openings…

The St John Hotel Saturday 2 April 1 Leicester Street, WC2H 7BL 0203 301 8069 Nose-to-tail eating makes a tremendous return with the infamous Fergus Henderson and Trevow Gulliver.

Pollen St Social Monday 18 April 8 Pollen Street, Mayfair W1S 1NQ 0207 290 7600 Former El-Bulli and Gordon Ramsay wizard, Jason Atherton opens his first solo venture promising ‘fine dining with a twist’.

WINE NOT? The popular Peyton and Byrne’s recently launched Restaurant at the Royal Academy of Arts has announced the arrival of an exclusive collection of wines featuring special edition labels designed by famous artists and Royal Academicians Tracey Emin and Gary Hume.

The wines vary in price and have been carefully selected by Peyton and Byrne owner Oliver Peyton and his team to demonstrate excellent quality and value for money.

Emin’s design appears on the label of Bordeaux, Graves, France 2009 priced at £36 a bottle whilst Hume has been responsible for creating labels on bottles of Sauvignon & Vermentino, Pays d’Oc, France 2010 and Merlot & Cabernet, Pays d’Oc, France 2009, both priced at £17.50 a bottle. All three bottles can be purchased at the restaurant.

Riding House Café Early April 43-51 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7PQ 0207 357 6672 An all-day brasserie from the same team behind Village East and The Garrison.

The Real Food Festival

Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar Saturday 2 April 16 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5BY 0207 7998 0555

Now in its fifth year, the Real Food Festival is built around the idea of bringing great tasting, sustainably and ethically produced food to as many people as possible.

Expect exceptional cooking with Roman chef Massimo Riccioli at the five-star Corinthia Palace.

www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk

The festival will be bursting at the seams with more than 500 of the finest artisan producers, hours of family fun entertainment and cookery demos to learn and be inspired from.

The ever-popular Real Food Theatre will again be packed with top chefs including Giorgio Locatelli, Jason Atherton, Valentine Warner and Silvana Rowe and the Real Food Cookery-school offers both children and adults the chance to hone their skills in the kitchen.

For more information and to book your tickets visit www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

JosÉ Sherry & Tapas Bar April 104 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3UB Jose Pizarro, the man behind Borough Market’s Tapas Brindisa, is now opening his own sherry and tapas joint, a perfect way to toast the sunshine.

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> flavour fab xxxxxxx foodie reads

fab foodie reads For bookworms who love nothing more than cooking up a feast for family and friends, our monthly selection of new releases is enough to keep anyone entertained!

Supper Club Kerstin Rodgers Collins £25

Whether you are in on the secret or the whispers haven’t quite reached your ears, there is a new underground food revolution taking place that you should definitely be familiar with.

With roots in the centre of London, the supper club phenomenon has been pushing culinary boundaries and challenging the concept of restaurant dining since its birth in 2009. Author and owner of London’s famous Underground Restaurant, Kerstin Rodgers is well known in the capital for her extraordinary dining events and creative food. Now you can recreate it for yourself with Kerstin’s down-to-earth advice and show-stopping recipes. Intrigued? Then search out a copy for yourself.

Good Things to Eat

By Lucas Hollweg Collins, £20

Keen followers of Lucas Hollweg who writes with wit and enthusiam for The Sunday Times, will be happy to see his new book Good Things to Eat hit the shelves this April. Born and bred in Somerset, Lucas is a strong advocate for delicious, fresh produce put to use in easy-to-make, laid back dishes. Giving up a life in the office as a food editor and features journalist, Lucas now spends many a happy afternoon experimenting in the kitchen. Recipes include a bowl of quails with spiced yoghurt, scallops ceviche, plum and ginger flapjack pudding and raspberry and basil sorbet. Lucas also talks you through the basics such as a hollandaise sauce and some gorgeous cocktails. Enjoy!

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Two Greedy Italians

By Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo Quadrille, £20

Old friends Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo met, worked and established themselves as leading authorities on Italian cooking within British shores. Accompanying the BBC 2 series, Two Greedy Italians showcases the best recipes that this character and colourful duo uncovered on their trip back to their homeland. Here they reconnect with their culinary heritage, exploring past and present traditions and revealing along the way the very soul of Italian gastronomy. Written with heart and soul, this beautifully illustrated book is full of Italian charm and a sentimental touch so take your pick from over 100 mouthwatering recipes and be the Mamma of your kitchen!

The Sorcerer’s Apprentices A season at El Bulli Lisa Abend Simon and Schuster, £17.99

El Bulli is not only the most famous restaurant in the world, but arguably the most significant and influential.

Based in Catalonia, the restaurant is the laboratory of Ferran Adrià who has achieved a near-mythic reputation for culinary wizardry. Behind each of the 30 or more courses that make up a meal at El Bulli is a small army of young cooks who do the work of executing Adrià’s vision in exchange for nothing more than the opportunity to learn from the master.

Journalist and food writer Lisa Abend takes us behind the scenes to give a vivid account of life inside the world famous kitchen. A fascinating insight into a restaurant that’s about to close its doors in 2011.

> flavour xxxxxxx

for lovers of good food...

At Gourmelli we specialise in hard to find ingredients for discerning gourmet cooks. Over the years we have developed a real passion for food and want to share some of the foods we have found with you. Please visit our website www.Gourmelli.com and get a taste of what’s to come. We have started with just over 200 items for you to choose from with many more to follow!

Colatura - the REAL essence of anchovies – we first saw this on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and we found a traditional artisan producer in Sicily!

Le Comptoir de Mathilde Rum Baba – these small bun shaped caps have been soaked in rum and presented in a lovely jar. Choose from nine flavours and use with desserts, eat with coffee or just indulge whenever the mood takes you!

Truffle Caviar – this is incredible – made from the juice of black winter truffles and pearlised! The exquisite taste of truffles and the sophisticated texture and colour of caviar...Its culinary potential is limited only by your imagination.

Mille et Une Huiles Almond Oil – this Almond Oil has a sweet fragrance that is suitable for marinades.

Perfect with raw salmon with dill or basil, trout and pastas.

Also try in pistachio, peanut and argan.

Bergamot Panettone – we stock a range of Bergamot products from Italy, marmalade, Bergamaretti, chocolates…but as Easter is coming the Bergamot Panettone is something else. Why not try it?

a passion for food

+44 (0)1234 240000 Gourmelli | The Old Coach House | Turvey | Beds | MK43 8EN | United Kingdom

visit www.Gourmelli.com

*Terms & Conditions apply

✁ 10% off

your first order plus free gift with every order dispatched before 30th April 2011* Code: FLONAPR11 25

> flavour in season

At their best Every month our seasonal selections come from Cheryl Cohen, director of London Farmer’s Markets which runs 18 weekly markets throughout the city. She is on the board of London Food, works closely with the Farmers' Markets Retail association and with London Food Links.

right WILD GARLIC AND POLLOCK GYOZA Makes about 25

>Wild garlic It’s getting to be a cliché, but that’s no reason not to love wild garlic. One of the first signs of spring is finding swathes of wild garlic leaves in woodlands. It’s one of the easiest crops to forage, just follow the scent.

Unlike garlic bulbs, it’s the leaves of wild garlic that are used although the whole plant from flower to bulb is edible. At our markets, you’ll find fat bunches on Alham Wood Organics’ stalls, where the leaves are wrapped around their little lambors buffalo milk cheese. These delicious little dumplings in this recipe make a great starter or canapé.

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Put 500g of pollock fillets, skinned and cut into manageable pieces into a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add 4 tbsp of matzo meal, ½ tsp of sesame oil, 1 tsp of finely grated ginger, 1 tsp of caster sugar and seasoning. Blend briefly until mixed through.

Chop a handful of wild garlic leaves and stir in. Don’t process the fish with the wild garlic unless you want a green mixture. A pure white fish ball with flecks of green looks nicer. If you want to check the seasoning, take a teaspoon of mixture, form into a ball and sauté or steam

for 10 minutes. Form a teaspoon of mixture into an oval and place in the centre of a dim sum wrapper (available from a Chinese shops). Wet the edge, bring the dim sum wrapper edges into the centre and crimp to seal, like miniature pasties. Put a slick of oil in a frying pan that has a lid. When hot, add the parcels base side down and fry until the bases are crisp.

Remove any excess oil and add enough boiling water to the base of the frying pan to coat it. Put on the lid immediately so that the gyoza can steam for a couple of minutes. Watch that the water doesn’t dry out. Test one to see that it’s cooked through and serve at once with your choice of dipping sauce.

>Milk For more information contact: www.lfm.org.uk www.twitter.com/londonfarmers

now >Wild rabbit We have the Romans to thank for introducing rabbits to our country. Wild rabbits are plentiful and cheap and if it’s not in your pot, it’s likely to be damaging crops! You should be able to find rabbits at your local farmers’ market or butcher. It usually comes with its liver and kidneys intact so don’t throw them away.

I usually freeze the livers and make pâté when I have stockpiled enough. Wild rabbit is very lean, so it needs slow cooking, or extra fat to compensate. This is one of my favourite methods of cooking rabbit and is adapted from Claudia Rodan’s Food of Italy. April is also the time for St George’s mushrooms to appear. If you’re lucky enough to find them for sale, slice a generous handful and add them in for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

SWEET AND SOUR RABBIT, SICILIAN STYLE Serves 4 Portion out 1 large rabbit and coat the pieces in 2 tbsp of seasoned flour. Brown them in a wide pan with 2-3 tbsp of oil (I use cold pressed rapeseed oil) and set aside.

In a casserole dish large enough to take the rabbit pieces, sauté 1 sliced onion, 1 sliced stcik of celery, 1 diced carrot and 1 finely chopped clove of garlic with 1 tsp of fennel seeds until translucent. Add the rabbit pieces, 1 bay leaf and a small handful of rosemary and cover with 300ml of red wine. Add 200ml of vegetable stock if the wine doesn’t quite cover the pieces of rabbit. Put the lid on and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of raisins and 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar and increase the heat for a few minutes to reduce the liquid. Add more sugar or vinegar to balance the taste if necessary.

Serve with steamed spring greens and mashed potatoes. Any leftovers can be picked off the bones and served as a pasta sauce with tagliatelli. In fact, I often cook this dish for just that purpose.

Yes, milk has seasons too!

Milk develops subtly different characteristics throughout the year. In winter, milk is richer in butterfat as the fibre in the cows’ diet increases. Spring is crucial for dairy farmers. With the first growth of lush green meadows, sugars are rising in plants and sunny days make a big difference.

The sweetness comes through in the milk and it has a stronger colour too. Floral flavours can also be detected in the cheese. Butter changes colour in spring and becomes more vibrant as the year progresses from the beta-carotene in grasses. I’ve taken the aniseed flavours of dandelion and burdock, a traditional springtime drink, to flavour this milk-based pudding.

Just don’t be tempted to use skimmed milk!

STAR ANISE AND CINNAMON MILK JELLY WITH DANDELION AND BURDOCK POACHED PEARS Makes 4 For the poached pears: Peel, cut in half and core 4 firm Comice pears. Place 500ml of Fentimans dandelion and burdock in a small pan and bring to the boil.

Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce slightly, then add the halved pears and simmer gently for about 20-30 minutes until tender.

Remove the pears to a dish and reduce the remaining liquid until it’s syrupy. Pour over the pears and chill.

For the milk jelly: Put 400ml of milk in a small saucepan and add 3 star anise and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve.

Put 4 tbsp of sugar, 5 sheets of gelatine leaves and 100ml of water in a heatproof bowl. When it starts to soften, put over a pan of simmering water until the mixture has melted. Strain through a fine sieve and add to the milk mixture.

Divide between 4 ramekins or cups and when cool, chill for at least 5 hours until set. Turn out onto plates and serve with the syrup and a crisp biscuit.

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> flavour loves

Vanilla Thriller LittlePod is an East-Devon company that sells premium vanilla and chocolate ingredients. Their delicious natural vanilla paste means you don’t have to split and scrape pods to get the intense flavour of Madagascan vanilla into your dishes. For recipes, cooking tips and more, visit their website.

01395 511243 www.littlepod.co.uk

Sweetie Pies This hearty pie company has revolutionised pie eating for many of us, so much so that our pie and mash will never be the same again. Now for the sweet tooth’s sitting amongst us, Pieminister have released a whole batch of sweet pie delights. Try the Royal pear pie which contains glorious poached pears, run and fairtrade chocolate. Dig in! www.pieminister.co.uk

flavour THIS MONTH’S MUST DO, BUY & SEE...

oL ves Stewed!

Bim’s Kitchen Born out of a passion for cooking and a love of African spices, Bim’s Kitchen is an innovative and versatile range of African inspired sauces, condiments and spice blends which are hand prepared in small batches using only natural ingredients. Regularly available at Borough Market, Alexandra Palace Farmers Market and Palmers Green Community Market, Bim’s Kitchen’s full range can also be purchased from The De Beauvoir Deli Co and their website www.bimskitchen.com

Stewed! is a funky range of premium, ready made stews which are as close to home-made as you can get without putting on a pinny. Preservative, additive and gluten free, crazily low in calories, yet generously packed with top notch ingredients and a richness of flavour that only slow-cooking can produce. www.steweduk.co.uk Tweet: @stewed

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> flavour michel roux

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> flavour michel roux

michel roux Having just returned from Bangkok, flavour Editor Holly AureliusHaddock catches up with Michel Roux Senior to talk about food of the past, food of the future and his beloved nephew…

I travel extensively all over the world and cook in around 12 different countries.

One of my most interesting meals over the last six months was in Bangkok. It was by an Australian chef called David Thompson cooking Thai food in Nahm at The Metropolitan Hotel. His cooking is typically Thai but he pushes the spices a little further than normal. I love his food, it’s very creative.

I don’t wish to appear blasé but at 70 years old, it’s very hard for me to get the shock of my life anymore. But I have to say I love Thai food. There’s something about the delicacy of it; it’s so gentle. They use spices in a very nice way – it’s light and you don’t put on weight. There are a lot of fresh herbs, a little spice and generally good produce.

Normandy was my mother’s home and I loved that type of food. Our food is more Lyonnais because I was born in Charolles.

Mother cooked at home and cooked a lot of food from Normandy. One of my favourite dishes is the blancette de veau which is a lovely veal stew that mother used to cook for us. We used to have tripe too, not for everyone but we enjoyed it and we didn’t know any different!

Mimi [Michel Roux Junior] is a wonderful young man who has priorities exactly right; first and foremost you must be recognised by your peers as a chef before you even consider television.

For young chefs who really want to get to the top it’s so important to travel. It’s like singing, painting, acting – there are so many people in the world practicing an art of some kind that you can’t just be complacent and look at how it’s done in your country. When you’ve got a strong culinary heritage like the French there’s a danger of becoming locked in, but that’s

only if you don’t get out of your normal environment.

My brother Albert and myself have trained over 800 chefs in the UK over the last 35 years and our sons are now doing the same. Alain has been at Le Gavroche for nine years upholding the three stars – he has 24 chefs and half of them are British. We’ve haven’t trained them all but at least 50 per cent of the top chefs in the UK, what I would call the backbone of the restaurant business, come from our stable. I’m not surprised that Michelin are awarding more stars, British chefs are now far more serious in their approach and are bringing their own stamp to the nation’s food.

I’m very proud of my nephew Michel Roux Junior. As his uncle and godfather I helped him to find his first job as a pastry chef in Paris with some of my colleagues and he blossomed from there. He is just over 50 and hasn’t started television too early.

Mimi is a wonderful young man who has priorities exactly right; first and foremost you must be recognised by your peers as a chef before you even consider television.

The service industry in the UK has a long way to come and it’s because British people don’t generally want to serve. The best service is by far the Italians followed by the French. The British mentality to service needs to change before we’ll see them come up to the same kind of standards, and hopefully Michel’s programme Service has played a part in that. ■

French Country Cooking by the Roux brothers is published this month and is available in all good book shops.

Published by Quadrille, RRP £25 15

. . . e n i v e p a r G

> flavour on the grapevine

Onthe

A food writer and wine consultant, Zeren Wilson will leave no stone unturned in his quest to find the hidden gems of London’s food scene and bring it to you on a plate. Check out Zeren’s restaurant review site for a taste of what he has to offer: www.bittenandwritten.com

Ping Pong Ping Pong heralded the Year of the Rabbit with a month of dim sum feasting, and development chef Khin Vong treated us to some of the frequently changing intricacies of the wide-ranging menu. Crab roll now comes with a punchy goji berry and apricot sauce, carrot pastry encases a seafood dumpling of king prawn, crab and scallop, and seabass dumplings are made with red cabbage to add a colourful twist to the table.

We particulary enjoyed the saketinis, charged with saké, vodka and elderflower cordial.

An elegant take on a classic Martini. Potent! www.pingpongdimsum.com

Whitechapel Gallery

anaemic, industrial-tasting caper mayonnaise.

Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room has re-opened with the steady hand of Angela Hartnett guiding the menu as consultant.

Head chef Diego Cardoso is working with Hartnett on a daily changing menu, with an emphasis on homely cooking and big flavours, influenced by Hartnett’s Italian heritage.

The space is more “school canteen” than restaurant, but this helps the casual feel of the place and the menu, a short list of small and larger plates designed for sharing.

Devilled kidneys with butter beans are beautifully executed, cooked until juicy yet still pink within. Veal meatballs are a nod to Hartnett’s Italian grandmother, perfectly seasoned, sitting in a gutsy tomato ragù.

Less successful are the crispy squid, studded pleasingly with fennel seeds, but veering into rubber band territory and an

Pricing is sensitive with small plates from £4.50-£5.85, and larger dishes from £10.50.

Whitechapel High Road may look a bit grim, but this is something of an oasis and a decent stop-off for lunch. www.whitechapelgallery.org

Momofuku Cookbook David Chang has a potty mouth.

His Momofuku cookbook has more “F Bombs”, as he likes to call them, than any cookbook ever published. The Korean American chef has achieved adulation with his restaurants in New York, the pinnacle of his achievement being the wildly addictive Pork Buns.

His recipes are a clever combination of Japanese and Korean influences, mixed with a bit of Americana, ramen noodle dishes and Korean kimchi alongside fried chicken. His bossäm recipe sums it up: pork shoulder roasted, served with kimchi, rice, spring onions and lettuce leaves to wrap it all up in oysters served on the side.

His restaurants are refreshingly relaxed and simple, almost “anti-restaurant”, and the book has a directness which mirrors this: “Season it. Sear it. Roast it. Baste it. Rest it. Slice it.

Eat it.”

Momofuku Cookbook is available in Waterstones, RRP £25 17

> flavour xxxxxxx

newman arms A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real ale and traditional cider. He’s also editor of the website britishpubguide.com

There is something wonderfully and uniquely British about a pie and a pint, isn’t there?

fat, processed from suet. They have a much better use for suet these days, but more anon.

It puts you in mind of hearty meals after a long day’s travelling, of replenishing the body and soul after a hard shift at the market, in the field or at the docks, of speaking to a ‘stout yeoman’ and having the food brought to you by a ‘serving wench’. Never mind that we have thankfully moved on from sexist staff stereotypes - and no matter that the pie is probably an invention of the pre-dynastic Ancient Egyptians - it just feels British.

As with so many pubs in this part of London, there is a rich literary tradition to the place, with tales of the likes of Dylan Thomas and George Orwell being regular visitors.

And there are few better places to enjoy a pie and a pint than the Newman Arms in Fitzrovia. I first discovered it by accident.

After a customer meeting in Newman Street, I ducked down an alleyway looking for a short cut back to the tube. I never found a short cut, but instead found myself outside this unassuming 18th-century pub.

I’m glad I did.

Newman Arms 23 Rathbone Street Fitzrovia London W1T 1NG 0207 636 1127 www.newmanarms.co.uk 18

Although it’s only been a pub for 150 years or so, the building dates back to when George II was fresh on the throne, with Walpole his Prime Minister. It was variously used as a brothel, an ironmonger (not at the same time, one assumes), and, perhaps prophetically, as a place where candles were made from beef or mutton

> flavour xxxxxxx

Raise a glass to...

Fuller’s London Pride (4.1%) Nowadays one of Britain’s most famous beers, still brewed at the old Fuller brewery in Chiswick. It’s sold as a classic best bitter and the flavour sits surprisingly well with the undercurrent of bitter fruitiness.

Gale’s Seafarer (3.6%) Transferred from the old Gale’s Brewery near Portsmouth, this is a real thirst-quencher of an ale.

Amber in colour and with a nice hoppy flavour, this is one of those beers that seems to change as you drink it, so it’s only after you’ve swallowed that you sense that fruity, almost peach tang that cunningly clears your palate ready for your next drink.

In addition to the pies, the Newman Arms also offers a nice line in savoury suet puddings. Steamed puddings in a suet casing give a scrumptiously soft exterior and are dangerously addictive.

The portobello mushroom and mature stilton complements the casing beautifully.

Of course, a pie and a pint requires the right pint to go with the pie. At the Newman, Fuller’s London Pride is the ideal beer to go with the steak, beef and lamb-based pies. As a classic best bitter, it sits beautifully with the darker meats and really completes the meal.

While a varied history and literati connections are far from unique in this part of the city, the Newman Arms’ status as a family-run pub is very unusual these days. The Bird family are attentive hosts, and they take their pies very seriously. It is always worth booking a table upstairs in the Pie Room to avoid disappointment.

Moreover, as all pies are freshly made for that day’s diners, it is well worth ringing ahead to check your desired filling is available and set aside for you.

A risk of ‘speciality’ restaurants – especially within pubs – is that they get so obsessed with creating exotic varieties of

their chosen meal that the food becomes overly pretentious and esoteric.

No such concerns here. The pies available have a consistent simplicity about them so, yes, there is steak and kidney; beef and Guinness; chicken, gammon and leek; and a vegetarian option. Getting these ‘standard’ offerings just right seems to be more important than loading the pies with exotic ingredients just for the sake of the name. That said, there are usually a couple of interesting seasonal specials on the board. I’m a bit of a lamb fiend and, on my visit, the lamb & rosemary pie with tomatoes and shallots was just divine.

For Poultry fillings, and many of the vegetarian options, a paler, crisper beer such as Gale’s Seafarer Ale has a lightness of touch and feel that stops what is always a substantial meal from becoming overwhelming. This session bitter also has an uncanny knack of clearing the palate, so is ideal for finishing off the pie before moving on to the desserts!

The Newman Arms is open from Monday to Friday. The restaurant upstairs is open from 12-3pm and 6-10pm each day, but ring and book ahead to grab a table and ensure you don’t miss out. ■

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> flavour the hoxton apprentice

MEET THE TEAM

Heartfelt food For those who prefer the taste of food that has been cooked with love, make your way to Shoreditch on the edge of the city (round the corner from Jamie’s Fifteen) and soak up the good-willed atmosphere of the Hoxton Apprentice...

Approaching its seventh birthday this May, The Hoxton Apprentice is a commercially run restaurant with a social and environmental conscience. Owned by the charity Training for Life, this social enterprise delivers two promises; exceptional European food (at very forgiving prices by the way) and training to the long-term unemployed.

The restaurant was the brainchild of the award-winning social entrepreneur, Gordon D’Silva and the celebrated TV chef and restaurateur, Prue Leith. Set in a former Victorian primary school, the duo rejuvenated the building, breathing a new lease of life and love into the area and forming the base of a stylish and prosperous new venture.

Since its opening, the Hoxton Apprentice has trained more than 450 unemployed people and over 70 per cent of them have got jobs in some of London’s top restaurants as well as with international hospitality groups such as Hilton, Compass Group and even Buckingham Palace. With a huge focus on not only helping candidates find a job, the scheme fights hard to continue

Leon Seraphin Head Chef Leon’s school in Hackney was closed down when he was 13 and no alternative provision worked for him.

Along with a lot of his friends, he ran in and out of trouble with the law so wanting to turn his life around, Leon came to Hoxton Apprentice when he was 23. Leon says: “It has totally turned my life around. I’ve now got skills, a job I’m proud of, and a future to be excited about.” Leon’s ambition is to open his own multicultural restaurant with food influences from all over the world and training opportunities for all.

offering support and guidance so they can keep it. An objective fulfilled with 80 per cent still in work six months after getting a job.

What is also noteworthy is that all of the company’s net profits are reinvested to help more people to become better cooks, waiters and managers, a practice made possible by Training for Life which since 1995, has returned over 12,000 people back to full-time employment.

Those who turn to Hoxton have often been unemployed for at least six months, experienced homelessness or are living in hostel accommodation or have left school without any formal qualifications.

Their six-month learning journey culminates with a period of real paid work experience within the restaurant.

The journey equips them with the skills and qualifications they need for a smooth re-entry into the workplace.

The quick bite or lounging lunch you’re likely to enjoy at Hoxton is sure to fulfil you in a few more ways then the usual high street choice, leaving a far more satisfying taste in your mouth. ■

Suleyman Kahraman Senior Sous Chef Suleyman left Turkey in 2000 without a command of the English language and with no qualifications.

He came to this country as a refugee and did an apprenticeship at Hoxton.

Graduating with a good command of the language and an NVQ2 qualification, Suleyman went on to work as a commis chef at Locanda Locatelli, then as a chef de partie at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Grill under Jason Atherton and with Raymond Blanc at the Emirates Stadium.

He hopes to run his own kitchens by the age of 30.

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> flavour lovely lamb

The signs and traditions of spring are all around, not least the seasonal British lamb which is making its way into our favourite butchers across the country. Why not try something new this Easter with these modern alternatives to impress everyone around the dinner table...

lovely lamb

Lamb, shallot and citrus kebabs with soy and honey dipping sauce Serves 4 Ingredients For the lamb kebabs: 450g leg of lamb cut into 3cm dice 24 medium shallots peeled 8 bayleaves 2 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking For the marinade: 2 large oranges, rind grated and then juiced 1 lime, rind grated and then juiced 2tbsp sweet chilli sauce 2tbsp dark soy sauce 3tbsp hoisin sauce 1tbsp vegetable oil 1tbsp tomato ketchup 8 whole star anise 22

2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed into a paste Freshly ground black pepper For the dipping sauce: 1 red chilli diced finely without the seeds A handful of coriander finely chopped 1 tbsp of runny honey 1tbsp of dark soy sauce 1tbsp of light soy sauce A dash of sesame seed oil The juice of two limes Method 1 Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade stirring well. Soak the skewers in hot water to prevent them from burning during cooking.

2 Thread a bay leaf onto the first skewer

and then alternate the shallots and the lamb onto the wooden skewer and repeat with all skewers. Lay the kebabs in a shallow dish and then pour over the marinade and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, if possible overnight, in a fridge.

3 Heat a heavy based grill pan or a frying pan, drizzle with the oil, heat well then place the kebabs in the pan and fry on medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes on each side brushing the kebabs with remaining marinade throughout the cooking process.

Take care not to have the heat too high or you will burn the marinade.

4 Meanwhile for the dipping sauce mix all the ingredients together.

5 Serve with a green salad, basmati rice and little pots of the dipping sauce.

> flavour lovely lamb

Roasted leg of lamb with a shallot and chorizo stuffing Serves 6 Ingredients For the leg of lamb: 1.13 kg boneless leg of lamb, butterflied 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1 tbsp rosemary leaves 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp small mint leaves (or torn larger leaves) 2 tbsp rapeseed oil ½ lemon, juiced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

mint and parsley and combine well. Taste for seasoning.

5 To cook the lamb, preheat the oven to 175°C. Season the lamb on both sides with sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Lay the meat on a cutting board, fat side down and open like a book. Spoon as much of the chorizo stuffing as you can (about half or a little more) on the right side of the lamb. Fold the left side over the stuffing, as if you’re closing a book. Tie the lamb with butcher’s string at 2-inch

intervals to hold it together while roasting.

Carefully place the lamb on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan.

6 Put the remaining chorizo stuffing into a small dish and set aside. Roast the lamb for 1 hour and 20 minutes, rest for 20 minutes. While lamb is resting put the rest of the stuffing in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

7 To serve, slice the lamb and serve with oven baked cherry tomatoes.

For the chorizo stuffing: 150g breadcrumbs 4 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 sprig rosemary 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 8 shallots, peeled and diced 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped 1 tsp thyme leaves Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 150g fresh Mexican chorizo, skinned and chopped into small chunks 2 tbsp mint, chopped 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped Method 1 To prepare the lamb, place the lamb in a baking dish and coat it well on all sides with the smashed garlic, rosemary, chopped parsley, mint, oil, lemon and cracked black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Take the lamb out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes before stuffing it, to bring it to room temperature.

2 To make the stuffing, toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp rapeseed oil.

Spread them on a baking sheet and toast for 6-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are golden brown.

3 Heat a medium pot over high heat for 1 minute. Add the remaining rapeseed oil, the rosemary and the chilli; let them sizzle in the oil about 1 minute. Stir in the shallots, garlic and thyme and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Turn the heat down to medium and cook about 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and discard the rosemary. While the shallots are cooking, heat a medium sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes.

4 Crumble the chorizo into the pan, and sauté about 8 minutes, until the sausage is crisp and cooked through. Drain the chorizo of excess oil and add it to the bowl with the onions. Stir in the breadcrumbs, 23

Borough Market plays a vital role in the development of small food businesses in London, providing them with a means to establish themselves amongst a vast and diverse network of fellow traders.

In the enviable position of being a worldrenowned centre of excellence for food and drink, the market is driven by the commitment and hard work of the exceptional farmers, producers, artisans and merchants trading at the market.

As part of our duty to protect their livelihoods, and in doing so secure the future of the market for generations to come, we take great care in welcoming a wide range of shoppers.

In practice this means that local residents, chefs, families, restaurateurs and keen cooks alike can make their purchases confident of both the provenance and the value of the wonderful produce on offer.

Glenis Reagon Borough Market Managing Director

Pic by Dominic Gigler

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ThE Parma ham and mozzarElla sTall I love the architecture of the place, the buildings, the market structures, the viaducts. I’ve worked at other markets, and nothing else compares.

Trading at Borough Market may seem like a far step from managing museums and art galleries across the world but for Philip Crouch, it was a welcome one: “I worked for 20 years in the industry and in hindsight, I think I was simply done with this part of my life. I wanted something of my own and I wanted it in London.”

Just as well because The Parma Ham and Mozzarella Stall now sells what Philip believes to be the best Parma ham to be found outside of Italy, sourced directly from the producer Saint Ilario.

Philip is a well-respected member of the Borough Market community, dedicated to the stall on every market day. “I may have become a part of the furniture here but I have also been a Trader Representative for a few years, trying to secure the best possible environment for stall holders

during a complicated and challenging time, so I do get around a bit!”

Philip explains that his love of what he does stems from the market itself.

“I love the architecture of the place, the buildings, the market structures, the viaducts. I’ve worked at other markets, and nothing else compares.”

Stopping off at the stall is worth a visit alone for their cured Culatello di Montagna but the real treat is the mozzarella di bufala, and prosciutto di Parma. Philip explains: “We’ve managed to find the absolute best examples of these products which can be for most people a bit of a revelation when it comes to tasting it!”

Trading Thursday, Friday and Saturday you will find the stall in the Green Market.

England PrEsErvEs It’s great that we have such a mixed clientele. We have a map in the office with pins in telling us where our jams have ended up across the world!”

Since 2004 Kai Knutson and partner Sky Cracknell have been producing country tastes right in the heart of the city with England Preserves, a colourful and stunning selection of fruit jams, preserves and chutneys.

“We source all of our ingredients exclusively within the UK, our one exception being the oranges for the marmalade which come from Spain.

Every producer I use I have found through the market itself and the ingredients are all seasonal.” Within weeks of opening, tourists and foodies alike were flocking to the stand, spreading England Preserves’ good work across the globe: “It’s great that we have such a mixed clientele.

We have a map in the office with pins in telling us where our jams have ended up across the world!”

The team’s jams stand apart from the competition as they are not boiled or full of sugar to preserve them and the seasonal ingredients are straight from the farmer’s stock. This means that the jams have a high percentage of chunky fruit to enjoy. Because of all of the fruity goodness and lack of sugar, these delicious jams have to be used within a month of opening.

Not a problem once you realise the change this will make to your morning breakfast.

The range is traditional and reasonablysized at 12 jams and four chutneys, meaning all of their love can be poured into a perfect selection of preserves.

Choose from strawberries and vanilla made from authentic vanilla pods or damsons.

Trading Thursday, Friday and Saturday you will find the stall in the Jubilee Market.

Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL

Kai and Sky rely heavily on passionate team members such as Martin Maclachlan pictured above

www.boroughmarket.org.uk 25

> flavour hummingbird bakery

Since its arrival on Portobello Road in early 2004, The Hummingbird Bakery has taken London by a sinfully sweet storm with fluffy frosting, delightful designs and succulent sponges. For anyone who loves their sweet treats as much as us, here’s a selection of the best recipes from their new cookbook just in time for Easter!

hummingbird bakery Walnut and Honey Loaf Serves 8-10 190g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 190g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 190g caster sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 25g plain yoghurt 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 tbsp runny honey 60g walnuts, roughly chopped One 8.5 x 17.5cm (3½ x 7in) loaf tin with 7.5cm (3in) sides 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C, then grease the loaf tin with butter and dust with flour.

Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Break in the eggs one at a time, whisking well.

2 Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add these dry ingredients to the batter in two stages and mix on a low speed until just incorporated. Mix in the yoghurt, vanilla essence and half the honey, then stir in the walnuts by hand.

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the sponge is firm and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean of any uncooked batter.

3 While the cake is cooking, place the remaining honey in a small saucepan with 50ml of water and bring to the boil, allowing the syrup to reduce by about half.

Pour the warm syrup over the cake when it comes out of the oven, then leave to cool in the tin before turning out on to a wire rack and allowing to cool completely before serving.

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> flavour hummingbird bakery

Photography by Kate Whitaker

Marbled Cupcakes Makes 12–16 cupcakes For the chocolate and vanilla sponges 80g unsalted butter, softened 280g caster sugar 240g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 20g cocoa powder 2 large eggs 240ml whole milk ½ tsp vanilla essence For the chocolate frosting 200g icing sugar 50g cocoa powder 80g unsalted butter, softened 25ml whole milk For the vanilla frosting 250g icing sugar 80g unsalted butter, softened 25ml whole milk ½ tsp vanilla essence One or two 12-hole deep muffin tins 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.

First make the flavoured sponges, beginning with the chocolate one. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together half each of the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, along with all of the cocoa powder, on a low speed until resembling fine breadcrumbs.

2 Whisk the eggs with the milk by hand in a jug, then pour half of this mixture into a second jug and set aside for the vanilla sponge. Take the first jug with the egg mixture, pour three-quarters of it into the dry chocolate sponge ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Adjust the speed to medium and continue mixing until smooth and thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining quarter of egg mixture from the first jug

and continue to mix on a medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth once again.

3 For the vanilla sponge, repeat step 1 with the remaining half of the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, but this time no cocoa powder. Take the second jug of egg mixture, whisk in the vanilla essence, then repeat the step, pouring it into the dry vanilla sponge ingredients and mixing as described.

4 Divide the chocolate batter between the muffin cases, filling each by about a third.

Top with the same quantity of vanilla batter and use a teaspoon handle to swirl the two mixtures together. If any batter remains, use it to fill more cases in a separate muffin tin. Place in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes or until well risen and

springy to the touch. Let the cupcakes cool then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

5 To make the chocolate frosting, whisk the icing sugar with the cocoa powder and butter on a low speed, until the mixture is sandy in consistency. Pour in the milk, still mixing on a low speed, then increase the speed to high and whisk the frosting until soft and fluffy. Repeat this step for the vanilla frosting, but omitting the cocoa powder and mixing the vanilla essence with the milk before adding it to the frosting.

6 When the cupcakes have cooled, spread 1 tbsp of each frosting onto each cake using a palette knife, then swirl the two for a marbled effect.

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> flavour hummingbird bakery

Blood Orange Cheesecake Serves 8–12 For the biscuit base 220g digestive biscuits 100g unsalted butter, melted ½ tsp finely grated blood orange zest For the cheesecake topping 700g full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia) 100g ricotta cheese 120g caster sugar 2 tbsp finely grated blood orange zest 3 large eggs For the orange jelly 100ml blood orange juice, strained 2 leaves of gelatine One 20cm diameter spring-form cake tin

1 First line the base of the cake tin with baking parchment. In a food processor with the blade attachment, blitz the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs. Or place the biscuits in a plastic bag, seal it closed and crush with a rolling pin. Pour the biscuit crumbs into a bowl, add the melted butter and orange zest and mix together with a spoon. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin, pressing it into the base with the back of the spoon, and leave in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to cool and set.

2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C and make the cheesecake topping. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, or a hand-held electric whisk, beat together the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and orange zest until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.

3 Pour the cheesecake onto the chilled biscuit base and place in a roasting tin.

Fill this with water so that it comes to about 5mm from the top of the cake tin,

Top tip To prevent any water leaking into the cheesecake while it is baking, place the filled cake tin on a large piece of foil and fold it up around the sides of the tin. Then place the cake tin in the roasting tin and fill with water.

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creating a water bath (or bain marie) for the cheesecake to bake in so that it doesn’t dry out.

4 Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the cheesecake is a light golden colour, especially around the edges, and firm to the touch, with only a slight wobble in the middle. Allow the cheesecake to cool down to room temperature while still in the tin, and then place in the fridge to set for a few hours, or preferably overnight.

5 Before serving make the orange jelly to go on top of the cheesecake. In a small saucepan, gently heat the orange juice and then remove from the hob. Soften the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water, then drain and dissolve the softened gelatine in the warm orange juice. Allow the jelly to cool slightly before pouring over the cheesecake, then place in the fridge to set for approximately 1 hour.

> flavour hummingbird bakery

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes Makes 12–16 cupcakes For the sponge 80g unsalted butter, softened 280g caster sugar 240g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 2 large eggs 240ml whole milk For the filling and frosting 200g caster sugar 4 egg whites 70g lemon curd One or two 12-hole deep muffin tins Cook’s blowtorch (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a muffin tin with muffin cases. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest on a low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated and resemble fine breadcrumbs.

2 Break the eggs into a jug, add the milk and whisk together by hand. Pour threequarters of the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and keep beating until smooth and thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. Pour in the remaining milk and eggs and continue to mix on a medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.

3 Spoon the batter into the paper cases, filling each by about two-thirds. If any batter is left over, use it to fill up to four more cases in a second tin. Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before you frost them.

4 To make the frosting, put the sugar into a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites until just foamy.

5 Allow the sugar to boil for 5–10 minutes or until it has reached the soft-ball stage, then increase the mixer speed to medium and pour the sugar onto the egg whites.

(Be careful as the sugar is extremely hot.) When all the sugar has been added,

increase the speed to high and whisk until the underside of the bowl feels lukewarm.

The meringue should have quadrupled in size and be very white, smooth and fairly shiny.

6 Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, lay them out on a tray and hollow out the middle of each cake using a sharp knife. Make the hole about 2cm deep and 2cm wide and keep each cut-out piece of sponge. Using a teaspoon, fill the holes about half full with the lemon curd and place the cut-out piece of sponge back on top, trimming to fit if needed. Top the cupcakes with the prepared meringue, using a tablespoon and swirling the frosting to resemble the top of a lemon meringue pie. Using a cook’s blowtorch, lightly brown the meringue to give it a baked appearance. If you don’t have a blowtorch, simply pop the frosted cupcakes under a hot grill for a few seconds to brown them.

Top tip To check whether your sugar syrup has reached the soft-ball stage,use a spoon to drop a small amount into a bowl of very cold water. If the syrup has been cooked to the correct heat, it will form a soft ball in the water. Removed from the cold water, this ball won’t retain its shape but will flatten in your hand.

The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days is published by Harper Collins, RRP £20 29

> flavour mitch tonks

Mitch Tonks, who owns two restaurants in Devon and one in Bristol, has written four fish cookery books and launched the first ever Iphone app dedicated to seafood.

When he’s not making an appearance on Saturday Kitchen, Mitch loves writing about his greatest passion. His most recent book Fish covers buying, cooking and eating the best seafood, as well as how it’s caught. He is working on his fifth book due for publication in Spring 2012. www.mitchtonks.co.uk

With Channel Four’s recent Fish Fight having brewed a storm in a teacup, award-winning chef and flavour columnist Mitch Tonks examines the importance of having crystal clear objectives for sustainable fishing...

In a year when the public has become more conscious of the state of our oceans through projects such as The End of the Line film and Hugh’s Fish Fight, the mere thought of pulling the very last fish from the ocean should be enough to make anyone sit up and take a stance on sustainability.

Sustainability is a relatively new agenda; when I started in the fish game 15 years ago, it certainly wasn’t talked about then and I think it has really accelerated over the last five years. Whilst any good chef and restaurateur will want to make sure they are using sustainable ingredients (it’s a big part of the profession these days) many consumers on the high street look towards their brand of choice or retailer to have taken care of all those problems for them. Frustratingly there have been a lot of people and organisations who have jumped on the bandwagon to publicise the sustainability cause who have left a mass of confusion behind them.

There are so many stakeholders in our seas campaigning for their own individual causes: fishermen, environmental groups, food businesses, energy producers, leisure users and so on. All of us fundamentally want the same thing – well-managed oceans and a future for fish.

But the communication of what fish we should and shouldn’t eat has been a disaster that’s left many ordinary people in

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a spin. Shock tactics by campaign groups may be an obvious route to headlines but putting these in front of the everyday consumer can have an entirely negative effect. Confronted by complicated ‘no more fish in the sea’ type messages, I suspect many people might choose to forego eating seafood rather than make an informed choice. But abstinence is not the way forward - we need to continue to consume fish in order to sustain a decent industry that is in good enough shape to be properly managed.

Sustainable behaviours are becoming an imperative in so many aspects of our lives.

It is vital that everyone in the industry plays their part and employs impeccable practice. I spend my life buying and cooking seafood most of which comes from our fishing fleet in the South West and see many sides of the debate. Real change will come when consumers together with the big and small seafood companies all play an active role in this.

At least in seafood we’re starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. With bigger brands and retailers realising that long-term success isn’t just about PR and marketing but about real action, and consumers engaging more and more actively in the conversation, we might just find that 2011 is the year when fish turns the corner to become a truly buoyant food industry. ■

> flavour mitch tonks

Abstinence is not the way forward – we need to continue to consume fish in order to sustain a decent industry that is in good enough shape to be properly managed

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> flavour fox & anchor

The Fox & Anchor

Fox & Anchor 115 Charterhouse Street London EC1M 6AA 0207 250 1300 www.foxandanchor.com 32

> flavour fox & anchor

Breakfast like a King takes on a whole new meaning this month as Nick Harman calls into the Fox & Anchor in Clerkenwell...

London’s Smithfield Market has been the centre of London’s meat trade for over 140 years but its roots go back much further than that. Originally located just outside the city boundaries, where the noise of the animals, as well as their smell, wouldn’t upset the town dwellers, as time passed it became absorbed into London itself.

A dark area, this was where Wat Tyler, the leader of the Peasants’ Revolt, was executed, as well as Scottish hero William Wallace Today Smithfield is far more genteel, but the meat market still functions the same, even if the meat arrives in refrigerated lorries and not on the hoof. Work has always started early in Smithfield and up until the 1980s the meat porters would have finished work by 8 or 9 am and be looking for sustenance and beer.

The Fox & Anchor; located down a Dickensian side street, has embraced the concept of the big breakfast but adapted it for the modern office worker. Restored to its late Victorian splendour the pub offers simple but excellent food all day and even rooms for the night, but we went for the breakfast at a more civilised 9:30 am.

The décor is classic London pub with anaglypta wallpaper, etched glass, shiny metalwork, old photos and deeply polished wood. It all feels wonderfully warm and cosy as you settle down for ‘The City Big Boy Breakfast’. On the menu is (deep breath) sweet cured bacon, pork and leek sausage, eggs any style, grilled tomato, white and black pudding, hash browns, minute steak, lambs’ kidneys, baked beans, fried bread, chicken liver and mushrooms. Oh and a pint of cold stout.

Not bad for £15, but you’d better be hungry as you don’t want to waste a single morsel.

The quality of ingredients is outstanding because, of course, the meat comes straight from the finest butchers in the country just a hundred yards away. The cooking is equally good, each component cooked with the same care and attention the kitchen gives to its lunch and evening menu.

I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a breakfast so much in ages and washing it down with a pint of cold stout made it even better.

The kidneys are plump and delicious, the fried bread crisp and not greasy, the minute steak perfect, the black pudding lovely. The bacon has no water to plump it up; it’s bacon as it used to be. It was good to see poached eggs that were perfectly spherical and just meltingly soft inside and the liver was stand out superb. And if you’ve never had steak for breakfast then this could be what convinces you to make it a regular Sunday treat.

I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a breakfast so much in ages and washing it down with a pint of cold stout made it even better.

If you’re a local worker or a tourist looking for an early start, great food, a piece of history and enough grub to fuel you for a day and beyond, then the Fox & Anchor has just what you’re looking for. ■ 33

Enjoy the sublime simplicity of Italian food with these delicious recipes from Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo...

THE ITALIAN

family way

In Italy, food and family go together.

The kitchen is the heart of the home where mamma rolls out fresh pasta dough, and nonna stirs the bubbling sauce on the stove. Nonno snoozes in his favourite armchair and a brigade of happy children plays in the courtyard.

The traditional Italian family had many children and everyone, even elderly parents, lived together under the same roof. The husband, very much head of the household, went out to work and his wife stayed at home, in charge of everything else. Over the last 30 years, however, much has changed. Today’s modern family consists of parents and perhaps only one or two children.

As the demographic of the Italian family has changed, so too have the most basic attitudes to food. Once, girls would have learnt the basics from their mother.

Now, with mamma probably out earning a living, many young women have no idea how to cook; they have missed out on what many see as the ultimate intimacy of Italian family, learning to make, say, tortellini together…

Older generations, even in the cities, frown upon the new way of eating, and it 34

is not unusual for grandparents to invite their children and grandchildren for lunch on Sunday and special feasts like Christmas, and to cook the traditional three- or four-course meal. I see this with my own family in Italy when my sister cooks for everyone on Sunday. This is the time when families sit together to eat, an unshakeable Italian tradition. It is still unheard of that children eat earlier; even babies are encouraged to join in and taste. And as far as ingredients are concerned, they will be of good quality, and will taste good! Even if some are bought-in rather than homemade, they will be of a quality Italians have been brought up to expect. I firmly believe that however radically things might change in Italy, the fast-food culture of other countries will never be adopted or accepted.

For Italians still enjoy good, home-cooked food and the favourite topic of conversation is food: when friends meet after being on holiday, the question most often asked is, ‘Come avete mangiato?’ (How was the food?), even before asking what the weather was like!

A love of food may be inbred in Italians, but one wonders if, with all these changes in family life, it will manage to survive into the

next generations. Will they still be making fresh pasta or gnocchi at home in 20 years’ time? Will family recipes continue to be passed down from mother to daughter?

And what about that special celebration cake nonna made each year for the grandchildren’s birthdays? Might it just be easier to go to the pasticceria (pastry shop) and buy one?

As in most western countries, life moves on at incredible speed, and families have to adapt. It is no different in Italy, but it would be extremely hard to imagine an Italy without the strong presence of family ties allied with a passion for food. ■

Two Greedy Italians is published

by Quadrille, RRP £20

Pollo con carciofini, cipolle, patate rosemarino Chicken with artichokes, onions, potatoes and rosemary This simple recipe is perfect for a Sunday family lunch. Once prepared and put together, it can be left to the perfect cook, which is the oven! The dish is very versatile – the chicken can be substituted with rabbit (very good indeed), or by any other light meat (slivers of veal for instance, or even lamb cutlets). Do ensure, however, that you use the tender hearts of baby artichokes – which are available in spring and early summer – as the larger ones will be too tough.

Ingredients 8 small artichokes (you could use those preserved in water, not brine, which you find in jars), prepared and quartered 1.8kg good-quality chicken, cut into chunks 1 large white onion, chopped 1kg new potatoes, scrubbed and halved or cut into chunks (depending on size) 2 tsp rosemary needles, plus a few sprigs for garnish 6 tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

2 Put the chicken pieces, artichokes, onion and potatoes into a large roasting dish. Sprinkle with the rosemary needles, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands so that every piece of meat is coated well.

3 Put into the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Take out, mix all the ingredients together well (using a spoon this time!) and return to the oven for another 30 minutes, after which the chicken should be cooked through and the potatoes should be tender.

4 Serve immediately, finished with a few sprigs of rosemary and accompanied with a simple green salad.

Pesche ubriache

Fresh white peaches in red wine

When I was in a restaurant in France once, my guests were drinking a very good claret. I saw some attractive peaches on a board nearby and ended up chopping some of them into a glass, adding a little sugar and some of the wine, to create this simple, delicious dessert. I thought I was being very creative, but learnt later that the French do it all the time! This dessert is so easy to prepare, but you must have white peaches (they can be found occasionally), and the wine must be strong (something like an Amarone).

Ingredients 800g ripe white-fleshed peaches (or nectarines) 500ml red wine 150g caster sugar

flesh into small chunks and place in a bowl. Pour over the wine and sugar, mix and leave to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, for the flavours to combine.

Method 1 Peel the peaches, then cut them in half and remove the stones. Cut the

2 Serve this extremely enjoyable seasonal treat either on its own or with a dollop of double cream.

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> flavour Morretti

Birra Moretti: The story behind the label

The quality of Birra Moretti beer is guaranteed by the man on the label, a moustached gentleman who has long been synonymous with the drink.

How this figurehead came into being however is an interesting tale to say the least...In 1942, Birra Moretti had already been a popular drink all over Friuli for more than 80 years. One day, brewery owner Commander Lao Menazzi Moretti saw a pleasantlooking old man with a moustache sitting at a little table in the Boschetti di Tricesimo Inn. He was just the kind of character Moretti had been looking for to represent the qualities and character of his beer: wholesome, traditional and authentic. Commander Moretti didn’t let him get away so approached the man and asked him if he’d agree to be photographed and also what he’d like in return. “Cal mi dedi di bevi, mi baste” – answered the man in Friuli dialect, which means “Get me a drink, that’ll do.” If only all models were so easily pleased!

The simple pleasures

food, family and When Luigi Moretti sold his first bottle of beer back in the summer of 1860, he could not have imagined how it would grow in the future...

Born into a family of wealthy merchants, Luigi was already familiar with wholesale trading in cereals, wine, spirits, foodstuffs and beer, which his family purchased from nearby Austria. His “beer and ice factory”, founded in Italy’s northeastern region of Friuli, used machinery that was ahead of its time even back then, operated by a small and industrious workforce who took great care to produce the finest end result.

With a distinct feeling of nostalgia, award-winning chef

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Giancarlo Caldesi (pictured right) recalls his first memories of the beer in his home country: “As a boy I remember Birra Moretti being sold in big baskets along with Orangina and traditional lemonade – it was always considered a real treat.

During harvest time we would stop our work at lunchtime and drink it on bails of hay while we ate together.”

Even today Italian culture is founded on the simple pleasures of good food and good conversation spent in the company of loved ones. For those who want to experience a real taste of Italy, opening a bottle of Moretti is the perfect place to start.

In celebration of life’s simple pleasures, this spring Moretti have teamed up with the Caldesi family to develop a series of mouthwatering recipes for you to cook and enjoy at home, starting with a showstopping dessert - buon appetito! >

I love this exciting combination of flavours that we found in Milan... the sweet gooey dates are offset by the tongue-tingling fizz of the beer jelly Giancarlo Caldesi

in life:

friends Gelatina di Birra Moretti con datteri e crema pasticcera This is one of my favourite desserts - it’s easy to make and can be made in advance so it’s great for entertaining too.

Ingredients Serves 6

For the beer jelly: 1 bottle of Birra Moretti 4 heaped teaspoons of caster sugar 2 leaves of gelatine For the custard: 600ml milk 1 vanilla pod split into two or a few drops of vanilla extract 80g caster sugar 50g cornflour 6 egg yolks For the cream: 150ml double cream 25g caster sugar For the date base: 250g medjool dates 100ml water

Method First make the jelly by soaking the gelatine sheets in cold water for a few minutes.

Pour roughly half a bottle of Birra Moretti into a saucepan and add the sugar. Heat the beer through stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Squeeze the sheets of gelatine gently to get rid of the excess water. Add the sheets to the pan of warm beer and stir through until dissolved. Pour into a cold bowl and add the rest of the beer.

Stir through and leave to set.

Next make the custard. Put the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod and bring to a gentle boil. Mix together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl using a whisk. When the milk is just boiling, remove from the heat and add a ladleful at a time to the egg mixture whisking constantly until half of it is incorporated.

Pour the mixture back into the rest of the milk in the saucepan. Return to the heat for a few minutes to thicken, keep

Date, custard and beer jelly trifle whisking. Remove from the heat and transfer the custard to a cold bowl, cover the surface with cling film or damp baking parchment to prevent a skin forming.

Allow to cool with the vanilla pod still inside. While the custard is cooling whip up the double cream to soft peaks and fold in the sugar. When the custard is cool, discard the vanilla pod and mix in the whipped cream. Cool in the fridge until the jelly is set.

Stone the dates and put them together with the water into a saucepan. Warm them through and stir until they become a paste. Remove from the heat and transfer to a cool bowl, allow to cool.

Assemble the trifle by dividing the date mixture between six glasses spooning it into the bottom of each one. Top each glass with the custard as the second layer and then spoon over the jelly.

Serve straight away or chill until needed.

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city e scapes Is the sight of the Gherkin doing your swede? Then pack your bags and get away to enjoy a bit more of an edible landscape that you can enjoy…

the manor

Totally exclusive and highly private, The Manor is one of the country’s finest examples of medieval England, showing England’s wonderful history and glory through the ages. The atmosphere of this most welcoming Manor will make you and your guests feel totally relaxed and revitalised, providing you with one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

The Manor can accommodate up to 24 guests and your every need or want is provided for making for a completely stress-free, relaxing getaway. Choose to stay on either a self-catered basis with a fully equipped kitchen (including a country Aga) or a fully-catered basis.

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Many guests combine the two and take advantage of the renowned fine dining to make that special occasion or simply that excuse to take a break, a touch more memorable.

The ultimate venue for the ultimate event, steeped in 750 years of history, The Manor is more than happy to open their doors – and close them right behind you - for parties wishing for a wholly private, extraordinary and magical stay.

The Manor Gerbestone Lane, West Buckland Wellington, Somerset. TA21 9PJ 01823 666297 knight@themonorsomerset.co.uk www.themanorsomerset.co.uk

> flavour

city(e)scapes

tracy park Renowned in the region as a “golfers paradise�, Tracy Park Golf and Country Club makes for a perfect, sporting getaway.

Tracy Park has 24 en-suite bedrooms, extensively refurbished from the old stables, which date back to 1856.

Every one of their rooms has oodles of character, having been entirely renovated in a chic, enduring, contemporary style. Feather and down bed toppers make for heavenly comfort. Superb showers, luxury toiletries, flat-screen televisions and free, unlimited, secure broadband with Wi-Fi connectivity also feature in every room.

Tracy Park is the perfect venue for your Society or Charity Golf Day. With their value for money packages, tailor made service and fantastic location, Tracy Park can tempt you with an array of offers, whatever your budget.

Rest assured, Tracy Park puts your comfort first. When you book a society package you can be assured of a warm welcome and exceptional, attentive service in spectacular, historical surroundings.

Tracy Park Golf and Country Club Bath Road Wick BS30 5RN 01179 371800 www.tracypark.co.uk 39

lucknam park With Michelin’s dominance being increasingly called into question, flavour pays a visit to Lucknam Park to see whether there is still a place for tradition.

> flavour

for the sixth consecutive year. I was keen to brave the sensitive subject of the Michelin guide with Hywel, and after a deliciously sinful cream tea amidst the grandeur of the hotel’s drawing room, I was informed that ‘Chef’ was available at my convenience.

Spurred on by good food, good company and a good supply of even better wine, I recently found myself engaged in a post dinner debate about the British nation as collective force for change, no less. A friend offered the time old cliché that, unlike our hot-blooded continental cousins, Brits aren’t capable of more than an emphatic ‘tut’ when things don’t go our way. I couldn’t have disagreed more, because if anything positive can be taken from last year’s expenses scandal or the widespread criticism of overpaid bankers, it’s our liberal tradition of questioning those in power at the first sign of foul play.

Similar public scrutiny has been levelled at the food industry’s revered superstructure The Michelin Guide. Seen by some as a potentially outmoded institution, it has been known in some cases to drive chefs to the point of obsessive distraction, making them lose sight of why they decided to don an apron in the first place, It was with this polemic in mind that I approached the mile-long drive of Lucknam Park, a 5 star Country House Hotel located just outside Bath. Boasting an idyllic 500-acre estate, a stunning spa complex, opulent décor throughout and an unquestionable level of service, it’s not difficult to see why it’s regarded as the very epitome of English gentility.

The jewel in Lucknam’s crown is undoubtedly The Park Restaurant, headed up by Executive Chef Hywel Jones (pictured left) who is responsible for earning its Michelin star, a star that has just been re-awarded

Outside the celebrity world, chefs tend to be an introverted bunch who feel most comfortable behind closed kitchen doors, yet Hywel has an incredibly natural way about him; he talks warmly to waiting staff who clearly respond to him with respect rather than fear. Here is a man whose entire brigade followed him without question from one prestigious London restaurant to another; no mean feat in such transient circles. His nurturing leadership also saw his Number Two Hrishiesh Desai win the coveted Roux Scholarship back in 2009, and his current Senior Sous Chef Richard Edwards a strong prospect for this year’s prize.

Any chef who says he doesn’t care about Michelin is lying

city(e)scapes

twist. The flawless presentation of each dish in the tasting menu, the unmistakable quality of every ingredient on the plate and the thoughtful way in which each course led into the next was to some degree to be expected. Yet what struck me most about the meal was the profound understanding of how flavours were matched so that they might bring the very best out of one another.

And despite all the other flourishes, this is what enables a chef to achieve excellence at any level.

“The only time it becomes complicated with Michelin cooking is when egos come into play,” Hywel explains, “as long as you never forget that it’s the customer you’re cooking for, you’ll always keep things in the right perspective.” I’m still undecided about the whole Michelin debate, but if there is one ambassador it should be proud of it is Hywel. He is truly an asset to Lucknam Park and indeed the South West, so for those wanting to experience first class food in a first class hotel, you now know where to find it.

“Any chef who says he doesn’t care about Michelin is lying,” he says bluntly.

“Whichever way you cut it, it’s the highest benchmark in our trade and something we all aspire to.” For someone who has worked as hard as Hywel, it’s not surprising that he wants to defend what represents the culmination of his life’s achievements to date. It’s also highly unlikely that when Hywel worked closely under Marco Pierre-White, that he was the jaded Michelin critic he is now.

It’s difficult to be anything but wholeheartedly impressed by the food being produced in Lucknam’s kitchen. Take just as an example my loin of Andrew Morgan’s Brecon venison, whose delicate flavour was at once enhanced by the sweetness of pumpkin and sage risotto fritters and then duly tempered by the bitterness of a sloe gin and dark chocolate sauce. Or my iced honeycomb parfait, banana crumble and banana and chocolate sorbet, which deconstructed the happy marriage of flavours in a banoffee pie with a fine dining

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa Colerne Chippenham Wiltshire SN14 8AZ 01225 742777 www.lucknampark.co.uk 41

> flavour real ale

� hip hops �

REAL ALE ON THE RISE A regular contributor to CAMRA magazine Pints West, Duncan Shine champions the virtues of real ale and traditional cider. He’s also Editor of the website britishpubguide.com

Economic doom and gloom is assailing us from all sides, whole countries need bail-out loans, house prices are still not recovering, unemployment rising. And as if that isn’t bad enough, the whole country was brought to a standstill this winter by arctic conditions, flight cancellations and road closures. Honestly, it’s enough to turn you to drink.

But not just any drink if a recent report is anything to go by. The 4th annual Cask Report, on the state of the Real Ale market in Britain, shows that cask beer is thriving and bucking the overall downward trend in pub and alcohol revenues. Whereas beer overall has seen a 2% decline in market value over the past year, cask-conditioned beer value has grown by 5%.

So why is Real Ale making such a comeback?

Well, one reason is a concerted campaign by brewers, distributors and pub companies, to re-brand real ale a traditional, crafted British product – and to move it away from the stereotypical image it once had.

It’s not merely a case of rebranding: an advert here, or a new pump clip design there. A significant factor in the resurgence of real ale has been brought about by the brewers offering and promoting a wider range of cask ales to appeal to

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all sections of the drinking community. And that’s traditionally been a problem. Many people hear the words Real Ale and assume it’s just one product, just one taste, just one flavour.

CAMRA was set up in the early 1970s to campaign for the preservation of Real Ale in response to the massive growth in processed beers. It was cheaper, quicker and easier to mass produce beers in the brewery, then take all the yeast out, pasteurise the beer and seal it into kegs. This meant the beer kept for longer and was easier to look after. The problem was that it also took out most of the flavours and aromas that make beer so unique. It also massively reduced the scope for variety that could appeal to different palates.

That variety had been there for centuries and, more and more, it is returning. It’s not just the ‘standard’ Best Bitter. There are Pale Ales, Golden Ales, Barley Wines, Milds, Stouts, Porters, Old Ales, even ‘Real’ Lagers.

The good news is that more and more people are being introduced to this flavour-fest of choice.

The Cask Report shows an increase of 17% in the number of 18-24 year olds drinking real ale; and the number of women who’ve sampled the delights of real ale has doubled from 16% to 32%. It also helps that real ales are on offer in an increasing number of restaurants; in chic and stylish wine bars, in hotels and night clubs.

There are now over 750 breweries producing real ales in the UK, with over 100 of these in the South East; from traditional Victorian breweries such as

> flavour real ale

Facts Over 8.5 million people in Britain now drink cask ale, and it now has a larger share (15.8%) of the on-trade beer market than at any time since the turn of the millennium The Cask Report revealed that 68% of people consider real ale to be Britain’s

national drink

The number of women who’ve sampled the delights of real ale has doubled from 16% to 32%

If you want to start with something a little less rich, how about a real Czech style Lager Beer?

Far more flavourful than the fizzy processed fayre widely advertised on TV, Zerodegrees Black Lager makes use of roasted and caramelized malts to give a rich, deep wintery zing.

Maybe something light and golden to quench a raging thirst or transport you to the heady days of summer. Wandle Ale from the aforementioned Sambrook’s brewery, the colour of burnished gold, using the relatively rare Boadicea hops to give a distinctive hoppy taste.

❝

Many people hear the words real , ale and assume it s just one product, just one taste, just one flavour

❞

Fuller, Smith & Turner in Chiswick. through established local breweries such as ZeroDegrees in Blackheath, to newer micro-breweries such as Redemption in Tottenham and Sambrook’s in Battersea.

Actually, Sambrook’s is a great example.

Founded by three university friends who were concerned at the lack of London beers available at the 2006 Great British Beer Festival at Earl’s Court. Brewing in earnest began in 2008 and the eponymous Duncan Sambrook

and his business partner David Welsh now run a successful brewing operation in the heart of London at Battersea. Sambrook’s beers: the golden session beer Wandle Ale, and Junction Ale, a spicy premium beer, are available at a number of pubs in Wimbledon, Kensington and South and West London.

All of which is very encouraging to the converted, who already enjoy real ale but, if you are new to the wonders of secondary fermentation, what are the best beers to try to introduce yourself to the tastes and colours that await you?

Well, let’s start something to warm you up when it’s icy outside. How about something rich, dark and creamy with a hint of mocha? A glass of Urban Dusk from Redemption in Tottenham should do that for you. Take a sip and let it swirl round your mouth and you’ll find a new warmth spreads through you as if by magic. Although quite strong (4.6% abv), it tastes very smooth and utterly satisfying.

Another type of beer that many people imagine when real ale is mentioned is the classic I.P.A. The Meantime Brewery in Greenwich produces an absolute gem in this field, London Pale Ale. The combination of hops (Cascade and Centennial) and Kentish Goldings give a mix of citrusy bite and thirst-quenching bitterness.

London Pale Ale also illustrates one of the joys of the variety of real ales available.

There are plenty of other styles to try – barley wines, stouts and porters, traditional pale ales, speciality wheat or fruit beers - and each beer is unique so there is bound to be one to suit even the most selective of palates.

The pub trade is still having a hard time, thanks to short-sighted government legislation and tax policy, to the tough economic climate and the inexorable march of cheap booze deals at semi-local supermarkets, but real ale remains a thriving oasis of quality that continues to attract people to the pubs and bars that take the trouble to look after it well.

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> flavour xxxxxxx

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> flavour

valentine warner

10 questions with…

Valentine Warner

With spring in full bloom, we caught up with the king of the countryside, Valentine Warner to talk TV, travel and tattoos…

When did you realise that good food was going to become a way of life?

From an early age I was fascinated by all kitchen goings on and also my mother’s cookbooks. I seemed to try and understand the world by trying to cram everything in my mouth. Although I went on to train as an artist, switching to cooking was the one of the clearest and most immediate decisions of my life.

What are your fondest food memories as a boy?

Making Sunday breakfast as a family we all had a little job to do. I was normally on hot milk and the whole operation was like a well-oiled machine. My first real cup of coffee was pretty important too. Whereas before I had only smelt it, the taste blew me away – at 13 it also made me feel very grown up. Eating my Dad’s saffron-yellow prawn curry, my brother and I counted the prawns in our bowls and only Dad was allowed to have more than us!

Your roots are firmly based in the countryside, how does that influence your cooking style?

There’s so much tradition thriving in the countryside. You’re always aware of the link between the kitchen, wildlife and farming.

It’s the outside brought inside and turned into something good. Food tends to be more in touch with the rhythms of nature. It’s a place where I’m repeatedly delighted to find things that I thought were gone forever. I like a sense of history and simplicity in cooking and that’s often found in regional country cookbooks.

Did it make you a more adventurous eater?

Being lucky enough to grow up drinking unpasteurised milk and eating dishes like

Food tends to be more in touch with the rhythms of nature. It’s a place where I’m repeatedly delighted to find things that I thought were gone forever 46

> flavour

valentine warner

jugged hare meant I was never squeamish, so the mushrooms, berries, rabbits and trout I was shown would be in a pan in a flash.

How did you end up with a television series?

It was a very lengthy process, Optomen approached me and then screen tested me for four years. They said ‘you’re a little strange but keep in touch’, we got there in the end though!

Was it daunting being in front of the camera at first or were you a natural?

It was daunting at first, there’s so much to learn – how to get information across to viewers, making sure you finish your sentences, looking at the camera etc. It’s not always easy and there were things that I wish I could have said again, but I really enjoy it and want to get better.

What have been your most memorable meals from around the globe?

I have travelled quite a bit, and my parents were good at taking us out to restaurants on holiday when we were children. There are too many good meals to mention, but I remember eating a very young goat in Greece that had been cooked in a charcoal pit as the sun was going down, that was amazing! We cut the meat and ate with penknives.

Who do you admire in the foodie world?

Simon Hopkinson – his cooking makes so much sense, with a wonderful respect for the old stuff. Alistair Little who I learnt under was the master of shortcuts, and a truly inspiring chef who helped me to discover the kind of cooking I wanted to be involved in. There are so many, and food writers too like Elizabeth David and Jeremy Round whose work I could never tire of reading. The Dock Kitchen, Stevie Parle’s new place in West London is amazing too.

If you had to cook a meal that represented the best of British produce, what would you choose?

Pork would have to be on the menu, we should be proud of our pigs. Cheeses would definitely make the final cut too – British cheeses are so underrated but fantastic.

And to drink it would have to be cider, no one makes it like we do.

Tell us something about yourself that our readers wouldn't know unless they met you in person.

Apart from the tattoo of a giant squid fighting a whale that covers my back and arms, there’s not really anything which springs to mind…

VALENTINE’S PEA, GOAT’S CHEESE AND MINT SALAD This delightfully easy, quick and fresh lunch can be thrown together with peckish impatience in minutes.

Serves 2–3 Ingredients 200g freshly podded peas 1 long red chilli 1 garlic clove Juice of ½ lemon ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 100g fresh soft goat’s cheese Flaked sea salt and ground black pepper Small handful of fresh mint leaves Method 1 Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the peas and return to the boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then

plunge the peas into a large bowl of iced water and leave until cold.

2 Deseed the chilli and chop into tiny pieces. Rubber gloves here would be a wise protection from wandering chilli fingers. Peel the garlic and cut into tiny pieces.

3 Drain the peas and put in a serving bowl. Add the chilli, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and toss together thoroughly.

4 Break the strained yoghurt (or cheese) into mouthfuls and scatter over the peas. Add the mint leaves, roughly torn. Turn through the peas until lightly mixed and serve.

For more recipes and to keep up with Valentine’s latest adventures, visit www.valentinewarner.com or follow @ValentineWarner on Twitter

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> flavour real food

A pioneer for sustainable and honest food, founder of the Real Food Festival Philip Lowery, reveals the truth behind the nation’s diet…

The truth about food?

fat chance

How would you feel if everything you thought you knew about the fundamentals of a healthy diet were wrong and the principles that you thought you understood were actually the opposite of what you should be doing?

For decades the public in the industrialised world has been advised about what to eat by government departments, usually advised by scientists and researchers. In the UK, that job until recently has been the responsibility of the FSA. That advice over the last few decades has been very consistent such as, eat less saturated fat and much more starchy food such as potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread. The eatwell plate recommended by the FSA advises us to cut down on saturated fat as it ‘can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.’ In the US, the Food Pyramid has a pretty similar message, yet one thing we are clear on is the increase in obesity, diabetes and other diet-related illnesses.

Over the last decade or so there has been increasing division in the scientific community as more and more researchers and scientists are beginning to question the science and the thinking that got us to where we are now. In particular, some of the key data that was used back in the ‘50s to explain why the incidence of heart disease was supposedly increasing is being seriously questioned.

One of the key movers in the drive to point the finger at saturated fat was an American scientist named Ancel Keyes who studied the influence of diet on health. His now famous ‘Seven Countries Study’ suggested that serum cholesterol was strongly related to coronary heart

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disease (CHD) and actively promoted this to an increasingly health-conscious public. In essence, Keyes looked at the statistics for CHD in seven countries and plotted this against the intake of saturated fat in the diet, drawing the conclusion that if you ate more saturated fat you were more likely to get CHD.

So if the science that was used to base the next 60 years of food policy and advice was unsound, where is the good science?

What is astonishing however, is that Keyes had data on 22 countries, but chose only to use the 7 that fitted his hypothesis. 15 countries pointed to a different conclusion. Ever since this hypothesis began to become accepted, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in scientific research to try to prove these links once and for all and for the last 50 years there has never been any compelling evidence that a low fat diet will protect a healthy person from obesity or CHD. So if the science that was used to base the following 60 years of food policy and advice was unsound, where is the good science and what does it say about how we should be eating?

Gary Taubes is an American science writer who has been diligently reviewing the science around this subject for over a decade. He has two basic problems with the idea that weight can be managed by calorie

control. Firstly he argues that this equation doesn’t say anything about the cause. At some point the obese person has consumed more calories than they have expended but this tells you nothing about why that has happened.

Secondly Taubes argues that calories in and calories out are not independent of each other but rather are dependent variables. It is now pretty well established and understood that semi-starvation diets cause the body to slow its metabolic rate and to conserve energy.

So what seems to be going on?

Unfortunately, the regulation of appetite and weight in the human body is almost inconceivably complex and the experimental tools we have to study it are still almost completely inadequate. Nevertheless, it seems that the real culprit behind the last 30 years of increased obesity could very well be the very starchy carbohydrates that we have been advised to eat more of.

So where does that leave us?

Increasing numbers of scientists and increasing numbers of reputable studies are adding to the body of evidence that is telling us that carbs are the problem, not fats. However, very little of this information is being authoritatively communicated to the public. We now have a multibillion food industry that is built around the model of selling us cheap processed carbs and low fat alternatives to real foods that is supported by the advice handed out by the government, the health service and countless nutritionists and journalists.

But the simple fact is the low-fat, high-carb hypothesis was in fact never based on any good evidence and decades later we have a stack of epidemiological evidence and many intervention studies that show this approach does not work and is actually likely to be detrimental to your health. ■

The Real Food Market goes weekly!

To support the campaign for real food that you can trust, get involved with your local food markets. The Real Food Market on London’s Southbank has become a real food lover’s destination and from May it is being held every week from Friday to Sunday. You’ll pick up everything from artisan breads and cheeses, slow-reared meat, a mountain of fresh seasonal fruit and veg, sustainably-caught fish as well as cakes, charcuterie, preserves and fine wine.

The aim of the market is to offer people a real alternative to the dominant supermarket model, allowing people to not only meet the farmers and growers themselves, but also to buy direct from the people who produce their food.

Philip Lowery commented: “Initiatives like this are really important for London’s food supply. The location is fantastic and the enthusiasm of everyone at Southbank Centre has really helped us to create a thriving market.”

In keeping with the core principles of the Real Food Festival, The Real Food Market at Southbank Centre creates an experience around entertainment, education and fun offering talks and live kitchen demonstrations from the likes of Henry Dimbleby, Cass Titcombe and Marco Torri along with the market’s producers. www.realfoodfestival.co.uk 49

> flavour dean street townhouse

dean street townhouse This month Ren Behan finds classic British comfort food and a menu packed with fresh, seasonal flavours at Dean Street Townhouse.

A short walk into Soho and the Dean Street Townhouse greets you with its classical Georgian style. The Townhouse’s exterior is clean and beautifully imposing, with large sash windows. Even on a Tuesday evening the popularity of this non-members Soho House Group hotel, bar and dining room is obvious, with a line of people being turned away at the door. It is a hotspot for visitors, unashamedly fashionable both in décor and destination.

Dean Street Townhouse 69-71 Dean Street London W1D 3SE 0207 434 1775 www.deanstreettownhouse.com 50

Once inside, the main floor is classic American dining room meets French bistro. The long bar complete with low hanging lamps and tall bar stools dominates the edge of the dining room.

Striking red-leather benches and booths contrast with immaculate linen-covered tables, polished silver and dark mahogany chairs. The area plays host to the local in-crowd, sinking beer from traditional dimpled pint glasses or sipping classic cocktails and champagne. At the front of the dining room are roomier tables with velvet-covered lounge chairs depicting quintessentially vintage British members’ club chic.

The dining room is low lit and the atmosphere buzzing and lively with waiters providing a slick and attentive service. The Townhouse menu is given

its particular edge by the influence of Cornish-raised experienced Head Chef Stephen Tonkin, who has enjoyed stints at The Ivy and Le Caprice. A protégé of Brian Turner, his food is classically British with a huge emphasis on seasonal food.

Comfort food and childhood nostalgia is high on the agenda, with macaroni cheese, roast chicken and puddings such as jam roly poly and lemon meringue more than holding their own on the menu.

Handmade fish fingers and delightful Scotch eggs provide a popular snack for the 4pm crowd.

The menu changes fortnightly to showcase more modern seasonal ingredients.

Standout starters are the ever-popular, delicate yet decadent twice-baked smoked haddock soufflé (£8.75). We couldn’t miss the much-talked-about mince and potatoes (£11.50), presented as a bowl of mince with a side of boiled potatoes, each mouthful is packed solid with flavour and ends with an almost sweet note. This sort of dish is a perfect example of Steven Tonkin’s confidence in simplicity and exactly what keeps people coming back.

Whether you’re lucky enough to get a table or a seat at the bar, Dean Street Townhouse guarantees high quality food in stylish surroundings. ■

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> flavour chef profile

chef profile Name: Stephen Tonkin Originally from: Bournemouth, Dorset Head chefs at: Dean Street Townhouse Throughout my career I’ve been influenced by many chefs. In my earlier years I trained in patisserie under the Austrian Chef Karl Loderer as well as with Brian Turner who taught me about the importance of good quality ingredients and classic British cooking. I have also worked with Mark Hix, Tim Hughes and Alan Bird who continue to be a huge inspiration to me. I opened up the Dean Street Townhouse for the Soho House Group to great reviews, winning the BMW Best New Restaurant Award in Spring 2010.

Aside from all the other great chefs I have worked with, I most admire Marcus Wareing, a fantastic exponent of British cooking who pays great attention to detail.

I also admire Anthony Demetre at Arbutus and Fergus Henderson at St John with his back-to-basics approach.

Dean Street Townhouse 69-71 Dean Street Soho London W1D 3SE

Our menu at Dean Street Townhouse is inspired by good quality ingredients and British seasonal food. Much of it is gleaned through the interaction and relationships we build with our suppliers.

As a hotel as well as a restaurant we have menus which are available all day from

breakfast through to dinner, including afternoon tea and high tea, much of which is inspired by the food of our childhood.

We enjoy taking classic British dishes and bringing them up-to-date.

My favourite produce to work with in April is new season salt marsh lamb from Romley, Yorkshire rhubarb, purple sprouting broccoli and foraged wild garlic leaf. Further into spring, we look forward to wonderful English asparagus; its freshness can’t be beaten.

I encourage all my chefs to learn and move around the kitchen and understand the produce we work with by consulting British ingredient books such as The Oxford Companion to Food, The Forager Handbook, A Taste of Britain and Mrs Beeton’s.

The restaurants I would most like to dine at are El Bulli with Ferran Adrià or The French Laundry with Thomas Keller. A bit like Heston Blumenthal, they’ve pushed the boundaries of cooking to something that people can only dream of. You would only need to go there once with the intention of being blown away! ■

0207 434 1775 www.deanstreettownhouse.com 53

> flavour gourmelli

discover new & rare ingredients

To find to see out more an d a fu Gourm elli ran ll list of the ge, www.g ourme please visit lli.co.u k

It's a great feeling to stumble on new ingredients to impress friends and family, so we’ve unearthed a great online company devoted to bringing rare and exquisite products to your table...

G

Stephen continues to scour the world for new items for his customers, and to add to his list of countries as diverse as Italy, France, Denmark, Canada, Madagascar and Java. He said: "We want to introduce our customers to some of the best-kept secrets of the food world, to offer them those magical extras that can turn a meal into a treat, and to delight them with first-class customer service."

Akesson's Gourmet Peppers

This range of exquisite peppers includes green, white and black varieties from Madagascar, Java and Indonesia. Like fine wine, each one has its own individual characteristics.

There is even a variety which refuses to be tamed and is harvested from the jungle canopy!

Price: £8.20-£11.22 Weight: 22g-50g

>

After years of working in the food business, managing director Stephen Briggs turned his attention to sourcing an exceptional range of speciality foods from all over the world and bringing them to the UK market. His passion for good food and drink is equalled only by his determination to provide exceptional customer service.

>

ourmelli offers a huge variety of top quality, speciality foods for the discerning customer, many of which are unobtainable elsewhere. From single estate peppers, oils, wines and salt plates for cooking and serving, there is a host of unusual, easy-to-use items which are sure to bring new tastes to your kitchen for special occasions and every day. Many items make terrific gifts for foodies and several of the products have been featured on television by celebrity chefs.

Sulpizio Tartufi Truffles and Mushrooms This delicious blend is a great way of imparting the bighitting flavour of black truffles to your dishes. Add to pasta, antipasti or even to a breakfast omelette. A little goes a long way!

Price: £5.10, Weight: 80g

Himalayan Salt Tile a passion for food

All of the above products are pictured on these beautiful slabs of pink Himalayan salt tiles which promise to amaze your guests. Heat in the oven, place on the dining table and cook meat, fish or other foods as you serve it. Place raw fish on the surface and the salt will cure it as you watch. The food will gently absorb the salt enhancing the flavour. Ideal for restaurants to serve unsalted butter. Easy to clean and long-lasting. Several sizes available.

Price: £9.95 Size: 100mm x 100mm x 25mm Weight: 550g

Gourmelli, Cranes Yard, Turvey, Bedfordshire MK43 8EN

Village Bay Lobster Oil

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Prawns with Lobster Oil and Garlic

The rich and delicate flavour of lobster sealed in a bottle to use anytime! Add to fish dishes, substitute for all or part of standard cooking oils, drizzle over salads or pastas or just use as a dip.

Price: £14.28, Weight: 250ml

L'Artigiano > della ‘nduja A brilliant idea featured on BBC's Saturday Kitchen - this delicious spreadable chorizo makes an easy Italian starter - just spread on your favourite bread or biscuit, or mix in with your pasta sauce.

Price: £6.75, Weight: 200g

Prawns and garlic are a match made in heaven, but the addition of lobster oil gives a burst of flavour that takes it to the sublime. Adjust the amount of garlic to your taste and for a real treat try one of our selections from Akesson's range of gourmet pepper, available online.

Great served with plenty of good bread for dipping.

Ingredients 12 large prawns, tiger or king 2 tablespoons Village Bay Lobster Oil 4 small garlic cloves Zest and juice of one lemon Chopped parsley Salt and pepper Method 1 Heat lobster oil over medium heat in large frying pan and dry prawns with kitchen paper if necessary. Add prawns and cook for about 1 minute each side. Remove and keep warm.

2 Add garlic to the pan and cook over low heat for about 1 minute. Add lemon zest and juice and reduce for 1 minute.

3 Return prawns to pan to finish cooking, season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate up, drizzling remaining oil over the prawns and serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley. Enjoy!

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> flavour xxxxxxx

the living room 56

> flavour the living room

The Living Room opened its doors in autumn 2005 on the site of a former post office, tucked behind the grandeur of Regent Street. Since its opening it has been the ideal place to do business over a leisurely lunch or to recharge your batteries after a hard day’s shopping.

It has gained notoriety for its fantastic drinks, excellent bar staff and slick and stylish surroundings where central London’s socialites sip expertly-mixed cocktails and enjoy great, freshly-prepared food.

Wine has always been important to The Living Room and quality bottles have always been available. However, until fairly recently, the wine list has always played second fiddle to the incredibly well designed cocktail menu. These days, with a new wine menu on the tables, customers are finding great examples of the usual favourites listed alongside some really interesting boutique wines sourced from all corners of the globe.

So this month flavour has been sampling some of these gems and we have picked out a few of our favourites that will suit the warmer weather that we hope is right round the corner!

A2O Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain As the days get longer and the sun comes out we start to look towards light, refreshing whites to quench our thirst. The A2O Albarino from Galicia is just the ticket. Albarino has become a very trendy wine in recent years and for very good reason. Its principle features are its wonderfully zesty minerality and its delicate, aromatic fruit.

This particular wine leaps out of the glass with its fresh, apricot-scented nose and over-delivers on the palate with a long, lingering finish.

It is a perfect wine to drink with seafood. Try it with the Living Room’s grilled sardine fillets or pan-seared scallops.

Springfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc Special Cuvee, Robertson, South Africa

Alois Lageder Moscato Giallo, Alto Adige, Italy

Another hugely popular wine in recent years has been Sauvignon Blanc. The tropical-tasting versions from New Zealand’s Marlborough Valley have led the way but in the Springfield Estate Special Cuvee there is the opportunity to try something very different.

The flavours here are more measured and more refined.

The current vintage of this wine was a particularly good one in South Africa and as a result we get fantastically grassy, nettly aromas and a clean, zesty finish. Try this wine with the whole, grilled lemon sole – heaven!

In our opinion, any wine list with one or more wines from iconic winemaker Alois Lageder deserves attention. He makes his wines in a solarpowered, state-ofthe-art winery in the mountainous region of Alto Adige and he produces some outstanding varieties.

The Moscato Giallo is one of the best. It is extremely delicate with a delightfully floral aroma and a honeyed finish.

As in all of Lageder’s wines there is a perfect balance of acidity and clean, pronounced fruit.

On a recent visit, one person in the group said it was like a bright, spring day in a glass. What more could you want at this time of year? Enjoy!

d’Arenberg Hermit Crab Viognier/ Marsanne, MacLaren Vale, Australia From the ever-popular Sauvignon Blanc to a couple of lesser-known, but no less exciting, grape varieties. The Hermit Crab, from legendary winemaker Chester Osborne at d’Arenberg, is a heady and wonderfully aromatic blend of Viognier and Marsanne.

The wine is refreshing and zesty and at the same time full bodied and complex. The foremost flavours are peach, apricot and pear but after a few sips you start to notice some background notes of ginger, sweet spice and toasted pine nuts. Order a bottle of this and a seared breast of guinea fowl and you will be very, very happy!

The Living Room W1 3–9 Heddon Street London W1B 4BE 0207 292 0570 www.thelivingroom.co.uk

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THE POWER OF Dulled out by fine dining? Luckily London has something for everyone and right now there are three ’small-plate’ restaurants that everyone is gagging to get into. Nick Harman gives a heads-up on some must-eats in London...

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> flavour the power of 3

BRAWN

VERN A T A R E P O Pictured left page

O SPUNTIN

Forget going upstairs at Opera Tavern – sure there’s a nice restaurant up there but the real action in this former Covent Garden pub is downstairs. The bar has the feel of a proper tapas place as you fight to get a stool and start ordering…

For those not into offal the name brawn might not mean much. Be warned; it’s another name for a seasoned jellied loaf made from the head of a pig.

The tough name nails Brawn’s colours to the mast, they like meat in Brawn and you should like it too. Located in the flower market of Columbia Road in the trendy East End, this is a partner restaurant to Terroirs the eternally packed out place near Charing Cross. Despite being in Bethnal Green, and so a bit off the radar for some, Brawn is rammed most nights.

The good news is that you don’t actually have to have meat. The rather irritatingly cutesy menu – Taste Ticklers, Pig, Plancha, Clean and Slow-Cook has something for everyone. A starter of Rillette, the awesomely fatty coarse pâté, is like buttering your excellent, locally baked sourdough bread with lard, but believe me that’s not a criticism.

Dorset Palourde clams cooked in Manzanilla sherry are delightful, these super shellfish have an iodine flavour that the sherry makes the most of.

Seared Cornish squid, blackly scarred from the grill and topped with gremolata is a dish you’ll have had elsewhere but here it seems to be in its unpretentious element. And a stew of sausage and beans transcends its mundane sounding ingredients with real panache.

There’s a lot to try at Brawn so go mobhanded to get a real selection, or plan to make several visits to satisfy what will soon become an obsession.

Brawn 49 Columbia Rd. London E2 7RG www.brawn.co.uk

With a theatre opposite Opera Tavern pulls in punters of all types, from out-oftowners wanting to eat before a show to local office workers off the leash and in the mood for grilled meats and chilled beers.

Opera Tavern is from the same people that brought us Dehesa and Salt Yard, both very successful Spanish restaurants and they certainly have the magic touch for this kind of dining. The best dishes come from the highly visible Robata grill, with meats expertly cooked over charcoal and served in seconds to rapacious customers.

The Iberian pork burger is already the stuff of legend, hot off the grill and served in a teeny tiny bun with a dab of foie gras, it’s eaten in two bites but the memory lingers.

Nibbles of pork scratchings, in this case pig’s ears, are salty and more-ish although some threaten to break your teeth.

A very un-Spanish Scotch egg shows how these things can transcend the bad memories of family picnics, the exterior is smooth and the egg inside is just set into wobbly perfection. Grilled skewer of flank steak with ceps again benefits from the Robata magic, turning an often-overlooked piece of cow into something you’ll willingly eat again anytime. And Spanish means veggies can also enjoy themselves, baby peppers stuffed with puréed smoked aubergine and tomato are delightful while courgette flowers, deep-fried with goat’s cheese and topped with honey make you mmm and ahh with delight.

You’ll find your bill gets bigger as the evening extends but try not to worry, you’ll be singing Opera Tavern’s praises on the way home.

Opera Tavern 23 Catherine Street, Covent Garden WC2B 5JS www.operatavern.co.uk

Okay so it’s not a nice name, sounding like something an Italian might shout at you after you ran off with his wife, but the latest space from the all-dominating Norman Russell of Polpo and Polpetto fame is already so busy you’ll have to queue to get in.

That’s partly down to Russell’s clever marketing nous, together with a no reservations policy that inevitably fuels foodies’ desire to go there. But it’s also a case of right style, right vibe, right food, right time. Based on Lower East Side New York-style places it’s vibrant, noisy and crowded and probably not the best place to take your granny.

She certainly wouldn’t recognise the macaroni cheese, here named Mac & Cheese because New Yorkers are far too busy to use whole words. This replaces the usual mousetrap cheddar with mozzarella, Parmesan and fontina and topped with breadcrumbs. It’s very cheesy, very nice and cosily comforting too.

Fast becoming the dish to choose is the truffled egg toast, a slice of bread that’s been excavated out and the hole filled with two egg yolks, fontina cheese and then baked in the oven with some truffle oil. Whilst your heart cries out for a green salad injection, your head cries out for more.

Finish at Spuntino with a ‘peanut butter and jelly sandwich’. It isn’t of course and I won’t spoil the surprise, but you’ll be saluting the Stars and Stripes after you’ve eaten it.

Spuntino 61 Rupert Street, London. W1D 7PW www.spuntino.co.uk 59

drops by

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flavour

> flavour the meat wagon

Think of street food and you might picture a bustling hive of people in Bangkok, the air filled with fragrant herbs, bubbling curries and vibrant soups, or maybe New York where the streets are loaded with so much variety the Vendy Street Awards sprung up back in 2005. Think of England and youd be right to imagine a street food culture growing day-by-day thanks to enthusiastic entrepreneurs like Yianni Papoutsis, the brains behind London’s most talked about street cart, The Meat Wagon.

Never giving much more than 48 hours’ notice to tweet where they’ll be pulling into next, the Meat Wagon’s guerilla grilling attracts a loyal crowd of people before the team even arrive at their chosen destination.

So what’s all the hype about? It could be something to do with the fact that once you try one of these freshly madeto-order burgers, it’s likely to be the best example you have ever teeth into. The secret ingredients, the meticulous and perfected method of preparation and assembly right through to the timely cooking, have all earned Yianni the rightful reputation as one of the best burger vans in London, and let’s face it, this side of the Atlantic.

Breaking away from a life as a touring technician for a ballet company, Yanni found himself travelling once more across America, eating his way from diner to burger joint to steak house all in the name of research: “America is burger country. I wanted to see the diners where you can sit at the counter, talk to the waitress and speak to the grill man in the kitchen.”

Sadly however, Christmas brought woeful news as the wagon was ruthlessly stolen from its Peckham home and has yet to be found. This was a devastating blow for Yianni who had to think quickly about a new venture. “The wagon is my livelihood, this theft hit hard.” The Meat Wagon then transformed into #Meateasy.

An opportunity became available above the Goldsmiths Tavern in South East London where the team reproduces exactly the same mouth-watering burgers and thanks to a bigger kitchen, the menu has expanded: “We’ve been full every night since opening and we don’t take bookings. We want to get back on the road as soon as we can and this is to help us raise the cash to do so.”

the meat wagon 61

“When it comes to burgers, we take the utmost care over every tiny detail. Whether that’s the way the meat is prepared, the bread recipe we use (which took three months to get right) or the way the onions are cut.” Yianni continues: “Starting as a handful of raw, freshly-grounded meat, we smash the burger onto the griddle with nothing added apart from a bit of salt and pepper.” www.themeatwagon.co.uk or follow on Twitter @#Meateasy

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Since being set up in March of last year, the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s pledge to clean up the hospitality industry has gained widespread support from leading food figures and progressive restaurateurs alike. Here we talk to newly-appointed managing director Mark Linehan about his plans to build on the organisation’s impressive first year‌

SRA 62

> flavour

Is it fair to say that the SRA has gained a lot of momentum in the last year?

Absolutely. To go from a standing start to 500 members in nine months is really encouraging. When the SRA was dreamt up a significant overwhelming majority of people felt that restaurants didn’t do enough and if some did more than others, those would be the ones they’d be more inclined to visit. It’s absolutely clear it’s what the public want, and as a result more restaurants undertake our pledge to do things differently.

What services do you provide restaurateurs with in practice?

A lot of it is very practical. On joining, restaurants sign a pledge to do three things they’re not doing already – we’re not an organisation a restaurant can join and sit still. For us, sustainability isn’t just about the sourcing of food, it’s about the environmental impact and also about how restaurants work with the community, treat their staff and so on. We hope that a restaurant joining us is on some kind of journey that we facilitate with as much support, communication and information as we can offer.

Surely most high-end restaurants already adhere to some sustainable food practices?

Our members range from small, local restaurants to chains and fine dining establishments. Their sustainable practices are all incredibly diverse with no direct correlation to available resources.

I don’t think you can really generalise too much. Each local authority will naturally have its own regulations too, but we’re trying to encourage members to go beyond the minimum.

sustainable restaurant association

We recently met with people from the Netherlands to discuss how we might be able to offer them some guidance…We want British restaurants to be setting the standards for sustainability across the board

It is a buzzword but it isn’t going to go away.

What we’re trying to make restaurants see over time is that being sustainable is not only the right thing to do, but the market will also continue to evolve to make it a competitive decision. More and more legislation is going to come in for restaurants and if we can be there to help them anticipate it, then it’s a very valuable service that we’ll be providing.

Are there any similar models to the SRA worldwide that you consult with?

What is your vision for the SRA in the next five years?

In America there’s something called The Green Restaurant Association with whom we share many of the same principles and we’ve looked at what they do. Interestingly in the short time we’ve been established we’ve been contacted by three different countries to look at the model we’ve adopted and what lessons can be learnt – we recently met with people from the Netherlands to discuss how we might be able to offer them some guidance. We want British restaurants to be setting the standards for sustainability across the board.

I would like to see firstly that becoming a member restaurant is the default position and if they’re not, people will ask why.

Secondly, I would like membership of the SRA to be a deciding factor in where people choose to dine out. It’s difficult for someone who cares about sustainability to know whether the place they choose to eat in shares the same principles. You can ask the waiter, by which time it’s probably too late, or limit your choice from the menu based on his answers. You could phone ahead but that can be awkward if you’re dining out with friends. We want to give people the shortcut to that decision. Lastly, I’d like to think that in five years’ time, we’d have made a real difference to how restaurants do things, not just at the exclusive end but on the high street too.

How can consumers become more involved with your work?

As well as our member restaurants we have an initiative called ‘Friends of the SRA’ where they can sign up to our newsletter for free and demonstrate their support for what we’re doing as a way of applying

gentle pressure on restaurants to sign up by making it clear that they have an expectation for these issues to be addressed.

Sustainability has become something of a buzzword across various sectors – how will you continue to ensure your message is heard loud and clear?

For more information on the SRA or to find out whether your local restaurant is a member, visit www.thesra.org 63

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SRA

MEMBER PROFILE

Richard Bell, The Three Stags Growing up, I remember our house being the local hub of the community. My mum was always cooking for half the street, she was a huge influence behind my decision to get into the industry. In the late 80’s I trained at Thanet Tech and I remember Gary Rhodes well who was in the year above me. There were as many talented students as there were teachers. Gary was so talented by the time he was in the third year he was already like a celebrity.

I really enjoyed chefing but had a real love for front of house.

I managed many bars, restaurants and clubs in London throughout the 80’s and 90’s from the mighty Prince of Wales in Blackeath, The Well in Clerkenwell to Club Aquarium. Even though I have a few good stories to tell from the time, I always knew I wanted to break away and run my own business. The Three Stags opened in Jan 2008. I had my heart set on it thanks to the great location and amazing space.

67-69 Kennington Road City of London SE1 7PZ 0207 928 5974 www.thethreestags.org

Sustainability and integrity have always been core values in my life.

I have always had an interest in anthropology and ecology, constantly questioning the impact we have on the environment. I’ve travelled and lived in many countries throughout my life and I am always fascinated to learn how other cultures continue to respect and utilise what is around them to maximum effect.

I was thrilled to learn there was an organisation that was bringing

together liked-minded individuals with the same mission and values, but also addressing it from an operational point of view.

As soon as I found this out, I joined immediately. As a member of the SRA we have to fulfill pledges and milestones. They help keep us on track to reach our goals.

The SRA gives the business momentum as well as support and recognition of what we stand for: unfussy, unpretentious food with a conscience. It gives my team, our customers and me a framework to understand what we are trying to do.

I would recommend the SRA to other restaurants but it has to come from within. The SRA is about education, information and networking. It's about helping us as a business attract the right customers and send the signal we are a place that you can trust while enjoying great food. It is a serious commitment, but with a plethora of rewards.

The food we cook represents integrity. It's simple, unfussy but cooked with passion. We are very proud of the fact there is no intensely farmed ingredients in any of our dishes. We also wanted to create an environment where you can feel comfortable in.

I want to know I have created something that lives beyond me.

I want to know I have some kind of difference and that I have inspired some people along the way.

> flavour the dinner queue

the dinner queue Are the now occasional lukewarm reviews of Heston Blumentahl’s Dinner a reflection of too much anticipation? With the waiting list for a table now stretching into months, Nick Harman asks whether people are simply getting too wound up to appreciate their long-awaited meal...

When I was 25 my girlfriend and I got tickets to see Joni Mitchell. It would have been our first time and we waited the long months before the concert in a lather of excitement.

When the day finally came and La Belle Joni walked on stage I turned around to find the girlfriend flapping about on the floor like a landed tuna. She’d had a fainting fit, the excitement of the moment had been too much for her. Being a gentleman of the old school I knew exactly what to do.

However after the third song it seemed clear that loudly and repeatedly asking, ‘You all right love?’ wasn’t going to bring about a speedy recovery so with heavy heart I dragged her off to the first aid station. Here we spent the rest of the concert listening to the booming echo of Joni’s voice relayed down a mile of corridors. Anticipation had effectively ruined our evening.

By the same token, if you wait three months for a table at Dinner and then spend the best part of £150 per head, will you truly enjoy it? Will you faint?

There is surely a sense of feeling obliged to like it an awful lot, anything else would mean admitting you’d been at best rather silly.

Some brave souls I meet however are now saying ‘meeurgh...’ when asked what they thought of their meal at Dinner. They are acknowledging that while it was very good, it simply wasn’t the ‘amaaaaayzing’ evening that anticipation and bloggers had led them to expect it to be. They discovered that, after all, it’s just a very

Heston’s Meat Fruit – chicken liver parfait encased by a mandarin orange facade – has been the talk of the town

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good restaurant not a life changing experience.

It’s a symptom of London’s extreme foodie foolishness that some people chase after novelty, almost literally camping out on the pavement in order to be the first to try a new restaurant. They create a ridiculous hysteria that restaurants could well do without. It may fill tables in the short term but long-term it’s bad for business.

Heston probably doesn’t worry too much about that, after all he has a TV career and it’s not actually his restaurant anyway, but it would be nice if people could just back off a bit and let Dinner quietly do its job.

Then maybe everyone will get a table in a reasonable time frame and it will actually be worth the wait to eat there. ■

Nick Harman is editor of www.foodepedia. co.uk and was shortlisted last year for The Guild of Food Writer’s Restaurant Reviewer of the Year.

It’s a symptom of London’s extreme foodie foolishness that some people chase after novelty... they create a ridiculous hysteria that restaurants could well do without

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