Jewish News Summer Dining Supplement 962

Jewish

4 August 2016

Drive out and dine

Kosher know-how

DINING SUMMER & a soupรงon of fun โ ขRestaurants not kosher unless stated

Lions & tigers & bears

Picnic like a sabra

Edited by Brigit Grant

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The Jewish News 4 August 2016

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SUMMER DINING

KOSHER KNOW-HOW Don’t just dismiss a delicious dish if it doesn’t fit your kosher diet. Jenni Frazer has found a way around the rules

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ow often have you leafed enviously through the latest “must-have” cookbook and decided not to buy it, because the non-kosher recipes – and ingredients – outnumber those you can make with a clear, kosher conscience?

It’s a common experience for kosher cooks, and in recent years, the solution has been a flowering of kosher cookbooks. Another answer – mainly in America, although there are signs of it happening here in a smaller way – is for companies to develop kosher versions of avowedly non-kosher products.

Most famous of all of these are the bacon substitutes, usually turkey or beef, which have been highly smoked, to try to give the distinctive “umami” flavour that bacon-eaters love.

One company, Jack’s Gourmet, in New York, makes

The author of The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen, she says: “My philosophy is to not think in terms of substitutes, but to seek dishes and components that are naturally appropriate to the laws of kashrut. ‘Substitute’ too often creates a sense of settling for second-best.

“Desserts, of course, often pose the biggest hurdles.

Instead of using margarine or non-dairy toppings to make a butter-based recipe compatible with a meat meal, try instead to make cakes that call for flavourful, healthy oils, and whose chemistry has alAmelia Saltsman’s olive oil and polenta blood orange upside-down cake ready been worked out to produce the best results. desserts in place of cream. Emma says: “If you Olive oil cakes, for instance, are traditional in pop a can of coconut milk in the fridge for olive and wine-growing regions. The oil is a 24 hours, then remove only the hard solids key flavour component, not simply a fat from the top and whip with sugar, you have (I have a recipe for an olive oil and a great cream alternative. I make a nice polenta blood orange upside-down banofee sundae with it as a parev cake in my book). dessert.”

Jack’s Gourmet ‘Facon’ – ‘bacon’ made from beef “Similarly, walnut oil is an amazing Sometimes the substitution is fat that produces a delicate nut flavour to try to replicate the depth facon, a kosher cured-beef alternative to bacon that is in cakes (as in my semolina walnut oil of flavour in a dish: mushnow one of its best-selling products. Jack Silberstein, cake with coffee hawaij). This is a very rooms are often suggested the company’s chief executive, says: “It’s the same different approach from courgette or in exchange for bacon in process as you would do with pork, but we do honey cakes that use bland vegetable a recipe. But Emma sugit with beef. We dry cure it over a period of time so oil as a substitute for butter. I recomgests swapping we’re actually pulling moisture out and concentrating mend avocado oil when one is looking aubergine for red the flavour, so that when you do cook it you get that for buttery flavour and mouthfeel. meat, useful for really crispy effect. It is a little salty, just like bacon.”

Coconut oil is also popular, but be sure both kosher and Another answer may lie with scientists at Oregon it is compatible with the flavours of vegetarian cooks.

State University, who have patented a red algae seayour recipe. Coconut cream whips weed, called dulse, which apparently tastes just like… and holds peaks, so it can be used in bacon. Israeli chefs are compatible desserts. interested in this, because “On the savoury the deep-fried dulse repliside, I again turn to SHARON LURIE, cates bacon flavour and, traditional compofamous for her unlike facon, remains nents that naturally book Cooking With vegetarian. comply. To mimic the The Kosher These products are not, qualities bacon has Butcher’s Wife, is so far, available in the UK, (meaty, fat-rich, salty, based in South and sometimes, the urge smoky), use Africa and says that to make something a bit gribenes, smoked substitution “plays different leads to ingenious onions, smoked salt, a big part in SA answers. smoked and dried food”. For “mock We spoke to four of the tomatoes, smoked crayfish,” Sharon best-known kosher cookery fish, smoked duck says: “I've had great writers who were in London breast, goose prosuccess with Scotthis summer to take part in sciutto, beef or lamb tish or Norwegian salmon and a little haddock the annual Gefiltefest food sausage. Also, added (your smoked cod). Now a tip from my A red algae seaweed known as dulse tastes like bacon caramelised onions festival. Each had tricks up mother (what’s a kosher recipe without a tip from her sleeve to change the are a classic Middle a mother?)... Microwaving or steaming the fish profane into the edible, and were full of ideas for the Eastern and Persian element to bring parev whole or, rather deboned, and placed side by side, adventurous kosher cook. ‘umami’ quality to dairy dishes”. then allowing it to firm up in the fridge, helps to keep the fish looking like flakes of fish and not a mush.”

As befits a kosher butcher’s wife – she really is – Sharon says most of her First up was AMELIA EMMA SPITZER family are lactose intolerant and also SALTSMAN, the Calwas a finalist in eat only gluten-free food. “I do a huge ifornia-based daughMasterChef 2015 amount of substituting,” she says. ter of a Romanian and now runs a She’s a fan of Rich’s non-dairy mother and Iraqi company offering creamer and Alpro soy cream, but father, who met in private catering. often substitutes coconut milk or the Israeli army and Like Amelia, she cream for regular milk in soups, cakes emigrated to Los is also a fan of and desserts. “It’s also great for creamed Angeles, where coconut milk, broccoli or cauliflower.

Amelia grew up. which she uses in “I substitute cornflour in a lot of dishes when

,

,

,

I need them to be gluten-free. I always use tapioca and potato flour as a batter for my fried fish, never regular flour – so puffy and crispy.

I use almond flour in my biscuits instead of regular flour, which keeps them gluten-free.

I always substitute cornflakes for breadcrumbs and in fruit salads, I use Sprite instead of orange juice, as it keeps it fresher and crispier longer.”

, JUDI ROSE is a cookery writer whose name is one of the most famous in the world of kosher cuisine. She is the daughter of the late Evelyn Rose, the doyenne of Jewish cookbook writers, but has had a long career in her own right in food writing and teaching, mainly in New York.

Judi’s now back living and working in the UK and says that food substitution for the kosher cook is dependent on three things: flavour, texture and appearance.

As far as bacon goes, Judi’s substitutes vary according to the part bacon plays in the dish. “If you want, for example, to reproduce bacon sprinkles, then try frying shiitake mushrooms crisped in olive oil and butter and with smoked paprika added. Or you could try breadcrumbs with smoked paprika, or sautéed crispy shallots.”

Aware of aping the customs of the non-Jew, Judi says that in some cases you might just want to make something else. It’s not necessary, she believes, to make diners believe they are actually eating lobster or pork. In recipes for seafood, where it’s important to offer texture, Judi suggests substituting tuna or a soft white fish that flakes easily, if you’d like to serve New England crab cakes.

In place of lobster, she thinks halibut would work, or for prawns or scallops, you could try halibut, bream or hake. Recipes with chicken and yogurt get the coconut milk treatment from Judi, who adds lime or lemon juice.

For dishes such as coq au vin, Judi recommends sliced kosher salami to provide a strong flavour base, “but you could do equally well with olives, anchovies, or slow roasted tomatoes,” she says.

And, like Emma Spitzer, Judi is a fan of aubergine to replace meat, “particularly if you are trying to achieve a structural effect”. If you want to make a mean kosher moussaka, she recommends dark chicken thigh meat and coconut milk – “you can get very close to the original”.

Like all the other cooks, Judi reckons there is a kosher answer to almost every non-kosher problem. So maybe it’s time, with these tips in mind, to go back to the Delias and the Jamies, and see where a bit of imaginative substitution can take you.

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4 August 2016 The Jewish News

JUDI ROSE’S CHICKEN AND CHORIZO PAELLA INGREDIENTS

4 baby aubergines – quartered 1 tsp fine sea salt 4 tbsp olive oil 600g/1lb 5oz chicken thigh fillets freshly ground black pepper 150g/ 5oz button mushrooms 1 pointed sweet red pepper – sliced 3 cloves of garlic

150g/5oz sliced chorizo 1 onion – finely chopped 2 bay leaves 1 large tomato – chopped pinch saffron threads 2 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp hot paprika, or a tsp cayenne 350g/12oz paella rice 1 chicken stock cube

Serves 6-8

1 litre /1 3/4 strained chicken soup or chicken stock 2 tbsp broad beans 100ml /3fl oz (large glug) dry sherry 6-8 colouful baby tomatoes – halved 2 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives 75g/2 oz (a handful) samphire lemon – thinly sliced

PEACH WITH PAVLOVA AND RASPBERRY SAUCE

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Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

For the pavlova 2 egg whites – at room temperature 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon vinegar or strained lemon juice 1 teaspoon cornstarch 4 tablespoons boiling water

For the sauce 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 2 half-pint baskets raspberries Juice of 1 orange 2 teaspoons kirsch (optional) 4 or 5 large ripe peaches 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

METHOD

1.Toss the aubergines with a teaspoon of salt (this reduces the amount of oil they absorb when fried).

2. Preheat a large deep frying pan, ideally 28cm/11 inch in diameter, for 3 minutes then add the oil. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper, then add to the hot oil, and fry over high heat until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. Add the mushrooms and aubergines (cut side down) to the pan, then sauté over high heat until the aubergine is soft and golden brown, adding more oil if the pan gets dry.

Add the red pepper and one clove of the garlic and stir fry for a minute. Transfer all the vegetables to the chicken plate.

4. Add the chorizo and onion to the pan, and cook gently until the onion is soft, then add the bay leaves, chopped tomato, remaining garlic crushed in a press, saffron and both paprikas.

Add the rice and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. The recipe can be prepared to this stage up to two hours ahead.

5. Bring the stock to a simmer. Add the broad beans, hot stock and sherry to the rice and season with half the sea salt and 10 grinds of black pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 14 minutes or until the rice is tender but still has some bite, and most but not all

METHOD

of the liquid has evaporated; add a little more sherry or water if it gets dry before the rice is ready.

6. Check the seasoning and add salt, pepper or hot paprika to taste, nestle chicken pieces in the rice and arrange the cooked vegetables, baby tomatoes and olives on top. Reheat until steaming, then cover and rest for 10 to 15 mins.

7. While the rice is resting, blanch the samphire in boiling water for a minute, drain and rinse with cold water.

8. Before serving, scatter the samphire over the paella, garnish with lemon slices, and serve with chilled rosé.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil, shiny side down. Place all the meringue ingredients in an impeccably clean bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on high speed until very stiff and glossy, 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the power of your mixer. Working quickly, and using a spatula, spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet into a circle or oval about 10 inches in diameter, swirling the edges of the meringue into free-form peaks and creating a “valley” in the centre. Or, for individual shells, spoon 10 dollops of meringue mixture several inches apart on the pan, and shape as directed.

2. Bake for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to 120/130°C (250°F). Bake a large pavlova for 45 minutes longer in an electric oven, or for 1 hour longer in a gas oven. Bake individual shells 30 or 45 minutes, respectively. Allow to cool completely in the oven with the oven door ajar, about three hours or up to overnight, then peel the foil away. The shell(s) may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

3. To make the sauce, in a small pot, heat the granulated sugar and water over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, about one minute. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Put the sugar syrup, berries, orange juice, and kirsch in a blender and process until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have about 1 1/2 cups.

4. To assemble the dessert, peel the peaches and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place in a bowl, stir in the granulated sugar, and let stand, or macerate, until the juices run, 30 to 60 minutes. Place the large shell on a platter, or the smaller shells on individual plates. Spread the centre with the whipped cream and pile the peaches on top, allowing some to tumble onto the edge of the plate. Cut the large pavlova into wedges to serve. Pour raspberry sauce over, or around, each serving.

Adapted with permission from The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman (2007, Blenheim Press)

PROMOTION Sundays from 8pm onwards, £19.95 per person Whetstone branch open all day Sunday from midday Whetstone Restaurant t: 020 8445 1882 Mill Hill Restaurant t: 020 8906 8504 Info@elvaquero.co.uk www.elvaquero.co.uk

Whetstone

Mill Hill

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The Jewish News 4 August 2016

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SUMMER DINING

RULING THE

ROOST “I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.” That’s the message pasted across a poster on the wall of the men’s toilet at Pecking Order of a chicken mid-cross. It amused my husband no end and all the more so because Pecking Order, as the name suggests, is a restaurant in Stanmore that’s all about chicken.

The humour doesn’t stop in the loo, however. Owners Dhilon and Vish, who met at university in Kingston-upon-Thames, have extended the wit and laughter to their menu and cocktail list and, most obviously, on the faces of the waitresses, who are some of the loveliest table servers you will ever meet.

All this contributes to a relaxed, effortless dining experience in a Belgo-like setting with rough walls, an open kitchen and more line drawings of poultry than you would expect. “Everyone dreams of owning a bar or a restaurant,” says Vish, who actually followed his dream alongside Dhilon after a lengthy search for the right

Brigit Grant took her family to a laughter-filled Stanmore local eatery

place to open a restaurant that served simple food really well. And that is exactly what Pecking Order is, from the Quick Fixes (among them, chicken wings served buffalo hot, smoked in chilli honey chipotle or Coca Cola hickory BBQ; fish tacos and crumbed mushrooms) to the chicken mains done on the rotisserie or Southern-style.

As a salad fan, I went for the quinoa superfood version, a generous helping of red and white quinoa, roasted butternut squash, pomegranate, raisins and radish dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette.

Eating healthily isn’t a sacrifice when it’s

this tasty, although I found myself battling poultry envy when I saw the Southern-style fried chicken tray my husband and daughter shared. With pieces and strips, together with house slaw, corn on the cob and skinny fries, the temptation to rifle their tray was overwhelming. Sadly, painkillers for a trapped nerve also prevented me from sampling the cocktails that night, but the Gingerbread Manhattan, labelled as Hansel and Gretel’s favourite, has my name on it the next time we visit.

Brunch is one of the best reasons to return (weekends 10am to 4pm) as Pecking Order serves dishes such as smashed avocado with sourdough, poached egg, truffle oil and chilli flakes, and salmon smorrebrod, which has the oak-aged salmon beside a hard-boiled egg, cracked black pepper and lemon labneh.

Dhilon or Vish are always in-house to make sure all is as it should be and when they open another Pecking Order, as they plan, one will always be there ruling the roost and keeping the team smiling.

SUSHI WORTH SHARING HA5’S TURKISH DELIGHT With hungry family in tow, Debra Barnes was ready for Izgara

When food this good is available locally, go spread the word, says Brigit Grant My daughter has an annoying habit of taking the salmon off her nigiri roll. Left to her own devices, she would work her way through a plate of sushi, removing tops and bottoms from the various combinations to suit her taste. This will seem criminal to sushi lovers, but we’re just glad she likes it enough for us to eat Japanese food, which we’ve been doing more of since Zushi Sushi opened down the road.

Executive chef May Thu is the commanderin-chief at this clean, cool and convenient eatin/take-away cafe that offers a vast array of innovative, quality sushi dishes. All ingredients are sourced by top-grade suppliers and delivered fresh to the store daily. Israeli co-owner Tomer Vanunu is usually found at Zushi Sushi after the gym and admits his desire to eat healthier food brings him here all the time.

The consumption of sushi dates back to the second century AD in South-East Asia, when there was a need to keep food fresh without

refrigeration. This was achieved by wrapping the food in rice and leaving it to ferment for several months. The idea spread eventually through China and then to Japan, where their cured-fishand-rice sushi would be fermented with Japanese rice wine, or sake.

In the 1820s, chefs started using raw fish in their dishes. This is known as Edo-style sushi and is the style chef Thu offers at Zushi Sushi.

Starters at the restaurant include wakame salad, which contains Japanese seaweed served in a light dressing, and miso aubergine, which is a grilled aubergine dressed in miso vinegar sauce. There is also the delicious tuna tataki, which is tuna sashimi fried in batter with coriander sauce. Because sushi is so moreish, the Zushi platters are the best value and what you don’t eat will keep for next day’s lunch if you order a Zushi Uramaki Selection, which consists of two of everything, including salmon avocado and chicken teriyaki.

The salmon avocado burger is also a treat, with its mix of beetroot, mayo and rice paper, which is much better for you than any regular burger. From lollypop nigiri to hot donburi dishes, Zushi Sushi has a menu Japanese food fans will never tire of and with a new branch due to open in Market Place in Hampstead Garden Suburb in September, local residents will soon be saluting chef May Thu. Order at zushisushi.co.uk or call Mill Hill 020 8906 2705 or Market Place 020 3758 9334 from September

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ith front windows opening up completely to a large decked area where you can enjoy fresh juices or home-made lemonade, Izgara is made especially for August evenings. Needless to say, when I visited, it was windy and raining so the windows were shut, but that didn’t spoil the experience at this great new local eatery.

The latest addition to the Izgara group has moved away from the format of the other restaurants. “At Hatch End, we have taken Izgara to the next level,” said manager Shukur of a restaurant as far removed from the corner kebab shop as you can imagine. It has modern stylish decor, low lighting and a quiet sophisticated ambiance. “Our Edgware branch is hugely popular, so it would be silly to change it, but this new venue in Hatch End is quite different,” Shukur added.

One big difference is that the BBQ is hidden away in the kitchen, so some may miss the distraction of watching the skewers of meat being

grilled along with the accompanying delicious smell. The menu is smaller than that of the other branches, too, but it was still difficult to make a choice. We went for a selection of starters, including a delicious tabbouleh salad and sigara borek, which are basically cigar-shaped borekas made with filo rather than puff pastry and filled with halloumi cheese, spinach and fresh herbs.

The mixed shish was beautifully presented and both the chicken and lamb were melt-inthe-mouth soft. “We only use the prime cuts of meat,” Shukur explained. We hadn’t felt the need to order any rice and I was just thinking how it had been a pretty healthy and fat-free dinner when the chocolate soufflé desert arrived. Clearly not a typical Turkish pud, but one of the most popular – and for good reason, as the melting middle was spot-on, whereas I always manage to overcook it. A glass of mint tea to finish and we were sorted.

The restaurant is deceptively large and has five round tables, one of which comfortably seats up to 10 people, so is ideal for a gathering. The friendly and attentive staff will happily package up any leftovers for you to take home, or there is always the option of take-away.

Izgara is at 302 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End HA5 4HR. Reservations: 020 8421 1525. izgara.uk

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4 August 2016 The Jewish News

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MEAT N’ GREET

If you thought you had to go to Argentina for table carving, think again says Brigit Grant

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here aren’t many restaurants in north-west London where food is a spectacle. Sure, there are multiple mezze in Greek eateries and an endless supply of Chinese locals with dishes served on a lazy susan, but for real main course entertainment El Vaquero is the place.

With two large, airy locations in Mill Hill and Whetstone, El Vaquero (which means cowboy in Spanish) is as close as you can get to dining in Rio or Buenos Aires via the Northern Line.

Just ask Tomer Vanunu, the Israeli co-owner, who darts between the two restaurants endlessly and when not in either of them can be found breakfasting at Michael’s Brasserie in Woodside Park, having lunch at Tomeli’s in the Upper Mall at Brent Cross, taking tea at Sunny Hill Park café in Hendon or perhaps indulging in a sushi supper at Zushi in Mill Hill.

Tomer is part-owner of all of them and of course enthuses about them individually, but it is at El Vaquero that we met and there is much to

say, as you’ll appreciate if you have eaten at either one.

When El Vaquero opened in 2008, the South American dining experience was based unusually in Frith Manor Equestrian Centre. Passing stallions in the paddock on your way to dinner is a novelty that continued at the table where, after loading our plates with fresh salad, we were introduced to the passadors.

Passadors are meat carvers and, armed with large skewers filled with roasted meats and chicken, they serve diners individually. I remember being impressed by the originality of the concept, which continues now at the two official restaurants, only now the passadors fly between

the tables that are filled with large parties of people from 6pm to 11pm on weekdays and until 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

In the kitchen at Mill Hill, it is female chef Manana from Georgia, Russia, who is responsible for the scintillating marinades on the lamb, beef and chicken, but those who eat only fish are well catered for, along with vegetarians, who are too frequently an afterthought elsewhere.

The salad buffet counters would keep most diners satisfied, but then there’s the rice, the beans, the potatoes. There’s no denying that the meat is the big attraction, as it is grilled on the spit to keep it succulent and the passadors will carve according to your preferences from rare to well done. If you find these guys – many of whom are rather handsome – are being overly attentive and popping up with honey and mustard chicken just seconds after serving Argentinian beef, then it’s because the traffic light on your table is on green.

Even the keenest carnivores need a small breather at a £23.95 all-you-

can-eat barbecue, and flicking your light to red will provide it.

“The success of a restaurant relies on you listening to your customers,” says Tomer, who reveals that asking diners about their eating habits and taste preferences shaped the El Vaquero menu.

“You adapt from the beginning and we hope to open another El Vaquero,” adds Tomer, who credits the loyal custom of the Jewish community for building the north-west success. “We have a lot of regulars who love the food and the speed at which it arrives. Jewish people don’t like to wait too long.”

Although El Vaquero is a long way from being a Brazilian version of Blooms, where the waiting staff often delivered and removed plates at speed, it is a place to bump into friends and indulge in great food.

It is also the only place I know that serves grilled pineapple as a dessert, and a smile at the right passador will keep that fruit coming.

Visit : elvaquero.co.uk

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We will assign you an experienced event coordinator and if dining is required, then our award winning chefs at Ampersand can work to your brief creating delicious dishes.

We would love to talk to you about your events, please do call the team on 0207 449 6265 or email functions@zsl.org By holding your event with us all profits will go directly into helping the conservation of wild animals and their habitats around the world.

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The Jewish News 4 August 2016

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SUMMER DINING

THE OUT OF TOWNERS So far this isn’t shaping up to be a summer we hoped for, but the longer, brighter days are good for getting out of London for lunch, tea and dinner, says Louisa Walters BREAKFAST/LUNCH

Petersham Nurseries, Richmond

This is a truly special place. It’s like sitting in a wild The Grocer, Amersham country garden in Provence, dotted with rickety There are two outposts of The Grocer in the wooden tables and mismatched chairs, with plants pretty High Street in Old Amersham. At one end and flowers clambering up trellises and winding is the original – The Grocer at 91 – a cute, doggyaround pillars, as well as in pots large and small. friendly coffee shop serving delicious sandwiches, You’re inside, but you absolutely wouldn’t know toasties and a few salads, it, especially as the floor is sandy, plus a great selection of uneven concrete. The menu has a coffees and a mouthstrong leaning towards Italian dishes, watering choice of homeflavoured with herbs cultivated on made cakes. The Grocer site. The de rigeur sourdough at 15 is a larger premises dipped in the best tasting olive oil at the other end of the I have ever come across – rich, deep High Street. This is more and spicy (so good, in fact, that of a restaurant, with one I bought a bottle despite the £17 huge wooden table and price tag) is just the beginning of benches, a few smaller a wonderful food journey. Zucchini cosy tables and bar stools fritti, generously coated in batter and at the window. There is a fried to a perfect crisp. Ravioli filled Worth driving for a Grocer sandwich with beetroot and goat’s cheese. bigger menu with amazing breakfast choices, fabCarta de Musica – a take on ulous Ottolenghi-style salads, sandwiches, bagels bruschetta featuring a crispbread topped with and more of those wonderful cakes. Specialities tomatoes and flavoured with marjoram. Seabass, include toasted avocado bread with Greek pan-fried and served on a bed of soft, sweet Sicilyoghurt and blueberries, and roasted aubergine ian red peppers, topped with green beans and with buttermilk, za’atar and pomegranate. There’s flavoured with garden hyssop and salmoriglio a good selection for veggies and those on (Italy’s answer to za’atar). A delicious summery gluten-free diets. Old Amersham is full of lovely dish, good sized portion – really filling. A creamy, shops to visit while walking off your indulgences. tangy lemon posset, light-as-a-feather sugary

doghnuts filled with vanilla cream, olive oil ice cream with honeycomb and chocolate sauce.

A wander around the shop and nursery afterwards won’t work off those calories, but does make this into a lovely outing.

SUNDAY LUNCH The Bricklayers Arms, Flaunden

DINNER The Hand and Flowers, Marlow A pretty, scenic drive along winding country lanes for a lazy Sunday lunch at The Bricklayers Arms in Flaunden is what summer weekends are all about.

This is a delightful pub serving really, really good food. The chilly days we’ve had this summer means that a roast with all the trimmings – if you aren’t kosher – is very welcome, but there are good fish options, too. I don’t usually go for roast potatoes but these are fantastic - crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside - and the Yorkshire pudding is superb too. If you’re a sticky toffee pudding fan this version is up there with the best I’ve ever tried.

TEA The Bingham, Richmond

Woody Allen used Petersham Nurseries as a location in the film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

hotel so if you decided to make a weekend of it you could venture into town for a glass (or two!) of wine at a really cool, airy bar called 1 Duke Street, followed by supper at Chez Lindsay, a charming and cosy French Eggs at The Bingham bistro with as-goodas-it-gets onion soup, plus lots of other traditional French dishes. If you do stay over, you’ll have the chance to sample the fantastic eggs Florentine at breakfast – super sumptuous yet light at the same time.

The Bingham is a charming little hotel on the river.

I was blessed with glorious weather when I went, but even under grey skies the setting is beautiful.

Afternoon tea (served on the terrace on sunny days) is a hark back to the traditional – dainty finger sandwiches (cucumber, cheese and pickle, smoked salmon and cream cheese), scones, Victoria sponge cake, mini peach trifle plus yummy blueberry macaroons. Charming, attentive service and a delightfully relaxed ambience, The Bingham is a

Yes, it’s frightfully expensive, yes you have to book a year in advance, but yes, yes, yes it’s worth it.

And no, it’s not too far to go for dinner – takes less time than driving to the West End in traffic. It’s a gorgeous pub with lots of beams and cosy nooks, low ceilings, little windows and wooden tables.

The menu is varied and easy to choose from.

A perfectly chilled glass of Prosecco and we were off...

Soft, satisfyingly chewy white sourdough and nutty brown soda bread, both with the crustiest of crusts. A complimentary portion of deep fried jumbo whitebait with Marie Rose dip. A velvety sweetcorn soup (how do they get it so smooth?) with spring onion, lime and toasted sweetcorn.

A cottage pie comprising rich, tender, flavoursome braised beef encased in fine shortcrust pastry with caramelised onion on top. We ordered a portion of the renowned chips – light and fluffy inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside. Perfect? You bet!

Dessert was a white peach soufflé with rosemary custard and tea sorbet – how could I not? Hubby's blackberry fool with oat crumble and buttermilk ice cream was a light, summery take on a traditional autumn dessert. We had a pot of tea in the bar with a portion of caramelised white chocolate pebbles – these have to be tasted to be believed.

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4 August 2016 The Jewish News

LIKE A After watching Israelis picnic on the beach, unbothered by sand, sun or seawater, Mia Serra shares the secrets that only sabras know

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aving lived in Tel Aviv for three years, it’s hard to imagine that I used to come here on holiday from London and spend 90 percent of my time at the hotel pool. On the occasions I did venture to the beach, it was always too hot and too sandy to be pleasant, especially with young children.

Being in Tel Aviv all year round makes you realise the beach has a seasonal rhythm. In summer and on Jewish holidays, it is packed with tourists. In autumn and winter, it is all but deserted, but the winter sunshine provides the perfect playground, even if the water is too cold to swim. My favourite beach month is November, with temperatures in the low twenties and miles of undulating sand to contemplate.

If you ask Israelis what time their children go to bed, they will ask you to clarify whether you mean in the winter or summer. In the summer, children stay up late to enjoy the long (slightly) cooler evenings. The best time of day on the beach in summer for families is late afternoon and evening, with kids playing in the less intense heat and parents enjoying the sunset.

Yet you do see families enjoying a picnic together on the weekend, often with three generations sitting together. How, you may ask, do they manage to enjoy this experience at the hottest time of the day and year? Well, wonder no longer, here’s my guide to picnicking like a sabra.

1. Stuff: when you look over at an Israeli family having a picnic, you will marvel at how much stuff they have managed to transport to the beach.

For them, it’s a home from home and packing for it is a serious operation.

Essential items are: a. Chairs: Israeli families sit on chairs to have a picnic. Whether folding chairs, plastic beach chairs (low chairs are favoured).

They do not lay down towels or picnic blankets.

Those are for amateurs. b. Shade: Chairs are arranged in a circle under an umbrella, under a wooden beach gazebo or some type of canopy they have rigged up. There is a great new canvas shade you can buy, which is weighed down by sand bags that totally trumps the traditional umbrella. Whatever you choose, shade is essential. c. Tables: Yes, some people even bring tables, or some use the little beach tables. I told you they take this seriously. d. Great location: If you’ve got children with you, you are going to need to be right by the sea so they can paddle and dig nearby. If you don’t see a space, don’t be afraid of squeezing in front of someone. Or stalking a family who are leaving

SABRA

shortly. In Israel, personal space takes a back seat to getting what you need. e. Picnic basket: Professional canvas picnic baskets with aluminium frames are available in homeware stores and are the only thing to transport your lunch in and keep it cool.

2. What’s inside the basket ? a. Watermelon – In high summer, this is the number one picnic food for the beach. Just cut it up and serve, but don’t forget your plastic forks. Israelis know that s a n d y hands and watermelon don’t mix. b. Bamba – The national peanut snack renowned for quieting crying babies and bribing children with. c. Bissli – Jaw-breaking, high calorie and strangely moreish, this is the snack for older children to fight over. d.Israeli salad – What meal would be complete without katsutz – a refreshing chopped salad of tomato and cucumber? e. Humous and pita – This pair of Israeli staples are never far away when a meal is being served.

Choose from family vats or smaller “restaurant” style. f. Soft drinks – The big bottles of cola and other synthetic drinks, such as iced tea, are somehow lugged over to the beach (and, again, are useful for bribing children). g. Shluki – If you’re super organised, you will have a box of frozen ice pops to hand out to the children – yours and other people’s. In Israel, no one’s afraid to ask for what they want. Including kids. Be warned. h. Optional – sound system with 80s classics or pumping Mizrahi tunes, guitar, matkot (bat and ball game), nargila and bucket and spades. When I first came to Israel, I labelled our beach toys.

Now I know these items are for sharing.

Beware, though, of the parent announcing that his child really wants to help dig that hole with you and your kids and then sneaking off for a smoke/ nap. i. Secret sabra tip – Apparently some Israelis use talcum power to get rid of sand on their hands instead of going back and forth to the sea to wash it off. One to try. Yalla.

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SUMMER DINING

LADIES (& GENTS)

WHO BRUNCH

Either you got up too late for breakfast, or you simply can’t wait until lunch‌ either way, brunch is the new buzzword and there is a plethora of places to go get the stuff. Louisa Walters samples brunch at seven tasty eateries GREENBERRY This Primrose Hill cafÊ is seriously popular for weekend brunches, plus it’s doggy friendly so you can take the entire family! Rustic and cosy, it’s a lot bigger than it seems from the outside, but booking is advisable. The breakfast menu is served from 9am to 3pm and features a range of dishes with fruit and grains (porridge, granola, pancakes), interesting egg dishes – waffle with avocado and poached egg, for example – and sourdough toast with lots of interesting toppings.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Portobello mushrooms, poached egg, hollandaise and truffle. www.greenberrycafe.co.uk

CHILTERN FIREHOUSE A calm, civilised oasis just a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Baker Street, this is a place that very much has the feel, at breakfast, of ‘the morning after the night before’. As you sit in this bright space with creamy paint colours, mirrored panels and marble-topped tables in every colour of the rainbow, you can imagine it transformed at night with a well-dressed crowd, the chink of glassware and the flicker of candlelight. Brunch choices include eggs royale on toasted brioche, fluffy pancakes with the usual toppings and smoked mackerel. Complimentary toast is a nice touch. There is a gorgeous courtyard garden for warmer days.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Eggs Florentine – cheese muffin, heirloom tomatoes and spinach. www.chilternfirehouse.com

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BEANY GREEN Australian chain Beany Green is dotted in various locations around London and showcases a rather different brunch to the usual London offerings – but this is to be expected of a brunch from the other side of the world. The interior of the Little Venice branch is bright, with rustic wooden tables and colourful metal chairs, which provide the perfect backdrop for the food – each dish looks like a work of art. Avocado on charcoal sourdough (black sourdough – who knew?!) and broccoli and corn fritters are just two of the standout dishes on the exciting, innovative menu. Bottomless brunch available at weekends.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Coconut bread French toast (gluten-free) served with thick Greek yogurt, berries, griddled mango, shaved coconut and maple syrup. www.daisygreenfood.com

EDITH’S HOUSE Devised and run by two actors, Edith’s House, near Crouch End, is a unique and quirky concept inspired by the owners’ grandmas. It represents a home, having separate rooms including a bedroom and bathroom where customers can sit to eat and drink. It is totally as you imagine ‘grandma’s place’ with board games and knickknacks, a comfy armchair and even a frilly toilet seat! The menu is inspired by dishes from a bygone era, with a modern twist, and the owners’ passion for baking is evident.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Breakfast bundle – smoked salmon, avocado and egg with chilli oil on sourdough.

020 8347 8861 (no website) TEATRO The new Teatro restaurant at The Radlett Centre, managed by brother-and-sister team Robert and Sue, has had consistently good reports and has very quickly become a much-loved destination in the locality. The delicious healthy smoothies and egg dishes (scrambled eggs with smoked salmon are particularly good) nicely balance out the fabulous home-made cakes. Simple home cooking using quality ingredients in a bright, modern setting with easy parking make this place a winner.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Welsh Rarebit www.teatro-radlett.co.uk

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CAFÉ LOREN Traditionally a Middle-Eastern dish, shakshuka has become a brunch staple here and Lee and Or left their homes in Israel to show Londoners how it’s done. They opened CafÊ Loren in the Stables Market in Camden last year. Using only fresh tomatoes plus sweet peppers, onions, garlic and eggs, this place really is a cut above when it comes to this tasty, spicy breakfast dish. CafÊ Loren offers several varieties of shakshuka and even a shakshuka sandwich in home-made beetroot bread. There is fresh coffee, juices, smoothies and home-made bread and pastries, too.

The rustic interior is lined with attractive exposed brick walls, embellished with old hanging crates filled with fruit. Smokers and dog walkers can enjoy sitting in the covered outside space.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Balkan Shakshuka – a medium spiced shakshuka with creamy feta www.cafeloren.com

BOYDENS With locations in New Barnet and Friern Barnet, Boydens prides itself on wholesome comfort food served in a rustic setting on tin plates or wooden boards. Perfect for indulgent brunches, recent specials have included poached peaches on brioche with rose crème fraiche and pistachios, but the less adventurous will be happy with the regular menu, which includes pancakes, French toast and egg dishes.

RECOMMENDED DISH: Big veggie breakfast, featuring toasted muffin with guacamole, hummus, mushrooms, roast tomatoes, avocado and poached eggs (add crumbled feta as an option). www.boydenskitchen.com

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4 August 2016 The Jewish News

FOCUS ON THE CAB Debra Barnes hails a ride with some snappy cabbies hile some Londoners on the go may have found a four-letter word they like more than ‘Taxi’ (and if you don’t know it, I’m not telling you); for many of us, a cabbie with real knowledge and an opinion on everything is still the way to go.

For starters, there’s the spacious back seat and big windows, but the real joy is not having to stop a Sat Nav-reliant driver from circling Hyde Park three times. And for those who have grown up with a black cab on the drive, there’s that reassuring feeling that once inside a taxi you’re among family – particularly on a rainy night. There have been plenty of rainy nights not that long ago but, with more summer nights hopefully still ahead, you need inspiration.

Enter the black taxi or two black taxis, driven

by Adam Soller and Perry Somers, who have set up the London Photo Taxi Tour company offering themed rides around the London you’ve yet to discover. Rather than using a taxi to get from A to B, LPTT customers are encouraged to think of the ride as part of their evening’s enjoyment.

“Our customers hire the taxi for the night and decide where to go and what to see,” said Adam.

“We can pick them up from a restaurant after dinner, take them on a fantastic tour of London and drop them off at a hotel for coffee or take them home.”

While this sounds pretty much like any old taxi ride, there are, however, two main differences, which Adam explained. “Perry and I are both really interested in history and know some great quirky and amusing stories and facts about our town, which most Londoners would never know. For example, we can show you the only Nazi memorial in the capital (it really does have an entertaining story behind it!), as well as the smallest statue, library and police station, a miniature St Paul’s Cathedral, the first street in London or the only building in the world outside of Israel to have been a church, a synagogue and a mosque.”

For those who like a fascinating capital fact these are your go-to cabbies –

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particularly if you have friends from abroad in town who want photographic keepsakes.

But there’s more, says Adam. “We are both keen photographers and, as I only got my badge as a licensed cabbie in 2014, after spending three years of my life studying the Knowledge, I promised myself after I passed that I would go back to it. I’ve done several courses since and I always have my camera in the cab with me. Perry and I both know our way around a DSLR camera and where to get the best and most unusual shots of London, whether it is the iconic sights or street photography which I particularly enjoy.”

The guys are happy to help customers get the best photos from their tour, whether they are using a Nikon or an iPhone or, alternatively, they will take the photos and email them on.

There are a number of suggested tours on their website, but flexibility really is key. “We can change the route, make a stop and, of course, they get to see London in comfort and style,” says Perry. “Our prices are very competitive, too, particularly if there is a group of four or five and if your summer dining experience is a celebration, the London Photo Taxi Tour company can design you the perfect tour to suit personal interests, be it rock ‘n’ roll shrines, literary characters, movie locations, Jewish London, or maybe something really unusual, which is going to make us dig deep into our knowledge of London.”

So much for that other four-letter ride.

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SUMMER DINING

ZOOTOPIA Brigit Grant finds more than a few surprises down at the zoo

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ne of the greatest and most terrifying moments of my life was in London Zoo. It was 1997 and I’d been invited to interview actor Michael Palin about the film Fierce Creatures, in which he played an insect specialist. Although I had no problem rescuing a spider from the bath, when it came to tarantulas, I was a total princess.

Or so I thought, for within minutes of meeting Palin the intrepid Python, he had me holding a huge black hairy arachnid.

I haven’t held one since, as tarantulas in Totteridge tubs are a rarity, but being at London Zoo ahead of opening time was a riot, although any time inside one of the world’s oldest scientific zoos is splendid and worth repeating as a family.

With a collection of 756 species and 17,480 individuals, seeing them all on a first visit takes dedication,

so you need to go back and back again to hang with the giraffes, zebras, okapis, warthogs and African hunting dogs, to name but a few.

Great things happen at the zoo all the time and, in July, two critically-endangered cubs joined their seven-year-old mum, Melati the Sumatran tigress, for the first time in public. To see these two newborns explore their domain up close is the sort of highlight you might enjoy on a Zoo Keeper Experience day. A variety of animal encounters (and mucking-out activities) are included on the day, along with a complimentary lunch, refreshments and car

parking, a special T-shirt and 20 percent off admission for friends and family. There are many individual experiences to be had, and also new for 2016 is the chance to stay on-site in the Gir Lion Lodges, where guests will bed down for the night in beautifully decorated lodges inspired by hotels on the lion’s native Gir Forest home in India. As well as accommodation, there’s a two-course dinner and full English breakfast the next day, along with early morning or sunset tours led

by the hosts. The experience runs six nights a week right through to December, with designated family-friendly and adult only nights.

From 6 to 10 September, London Zoo will be running Silent Cinema, kicking off with the classic adventure flick Jumanji, followed by Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, the ‘80s classic G orillas in the Mist and Disney’s The Lion King.

Ahead of the screenings, the zoo’s safari guides take guests on a pre-movie twilight tour around specially-chosen enclosures. With the animals in bed, film fans will get to sample an eclectic range of food stalls and then kick back in front of a huge screen with headphones on, so the residents aren’t disturbed. Tickets for adults cost £29.99/members £24.99 and for children £22.99/ member’s child £17.99. I know this is just the sort of zoo event that my daughter will love.

I may even take her to see that tarantula.

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I KNOW WHAT YOU’LL DO Brigit Grant reveals the ways you and the kids can have fun during August

THIS SUMMER... placed in giant 6ft jars. The trail will run until 31 August, then the jars will be auctioned in aid of Save the Children and Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children's Charity. JW3 is also marking Dahl’s birthday from Monday 15 to Friday 19 August with Develop Language Through Roald Dahl, specially designed to support children with their language skills and have fun at the same time.

Hard as it is to believe that four years have passed since we were the torch bearers, it’s now Rio’s turn to samba and here are ways you can join in.....

London Bridge City Summer Festival takes place between Tower Bridge and London Bridge and, along with all the general live entertainment, food and drink, from 6 August the Official Team GB FanZone will be active and creating the atmosphere of the Rio Games while supporting GB athletes in their quest for Olympic glory. The FanZone will show live coverage of the Games at selected times and there will be an opportunity to participate in some Olympic sports. Visit: lbcsummerfestival.com

You may go there to shop, but until 4 September, your children can build sandcastles on The Beach at Brent Cross. With 350 tonnes of sand to play with, there’s also a helter skelter, water sprays and other new rides, as well as a Tiki bar for the adults.

And in keeping with the Rio vibe, there are Brazilian Samba dancers to teach you the moves and get you doing the limbo. Stilt walkers and fire eaters will

They are also getting into the spirit of the games at JW3 on the Finchley Road with the Mind Sports Olympiad from Sunday, 21 to Monday, 29 August.

Moving the action off the running track to the board, this Olympics for the mind has 60 board game tournaments held alongside free Learn to Play sessions for newcomers and families. Competitions range from classics like chess, to newer games, such as Settlers of Catan and Coal Baron.

Card games are included, with an amateur poker world championship and bridge, along with a general knowledge quiz, stratego, shogi and dominoes. The most prestigious title is the Pentamind World Championship, which is awarded to the competitor who has the best results from five different competitions. Visit: msoworld.com Although it has yet to be an Olympic sport, Rio is the theme of the Crazy Golf in the JW3 piazza. The familyfriendly course is open until 4 September and you can book a game in advance online (for up to four people), or via the box office (for up to 12 people), on 020 7433 8988 or just turn up, pay and play. jw3.org.uk/crazygolf

AWAY FROM THE GAMES also entertain the crowd, although these skills are best left to the professionals. At £3 for entry, you’ll never experience Brazil this cheaply. thebeachbrentcross. com

To mark the release of Steven Spielberg’s BFG movie and Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday, giant magical dream jars have been placed in key locations in London and around the UK. The PhizzWhizzing art trail will see the childhood dreams of celebrities and top artists such as Spielberg, Quentin Blake and Sophie Dahl (the inspiration for the Sophie character in the book) have been

Horrible Histories (5 August to 3 September) is on at the Apollo Theatre, in Shaftesbury Avenue. Marking its fifth year in the West End with a ‘Best Of’ anniversary production, the stage adaptation of Terry Deary’s books, which wow kids with their gory retelling of British history is hilarious, gory and memorable.

From Boadicea at her bolshiest to Burke and Hare, this is a riot for the whole family (excluding toddlers).

THE CINEMA is a haven of inspiration regardless of the season and UK Jewish film have some really splendid films on repeat this month at JW3.

Monday, 8 August 6.30pm DELI MAN directed by Eric Anjou is a history of the Jewish nosh eateries of America delivered by thirdgeneration deli owner Ziggy Gruber.

Sunday, 21 August 8.45pm WE’LL NEVER HAVE PARIS directed, written and starring Simon Helberg (who is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory) tells the story of a neurotic man who travels to Paris to track down the woman he always wanted.

Sunday, 28 August 8.45pm MR GAGA is director Tomer Heymann’s brilliant film about Ohad Naharin, the prominent Israeli choreographer or ‘the man who dances like a cat’ as he travels around the world working with dance companies.

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Rio Boteco (London Fields E8 ) is a pop-up restaurant showcasing Brazilian gastronomy – inspired by the bohemian ‘botecos’ (traditional grocery stores).

The brainchild of events company MargoCamilo, whose founding members are both Brazilian, it offers traditional tapas and charcuterie, as well as fusion dishes created in collaboration with renowned chefs such as Roberta Ciasca from Rio’s restaurants Miam Miam and Oui Oui. rioboteco.co.uk

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