Archives for category: Food

Eating in the Streets

October 8, 2013 //

This week the British Street Food Awards 2013 were announced and there has been a lot going on since I talked about these awards last year.

Street Food has long been the centre of food creativity in many many countries, most especially in the Far East and India. But since it hit the avenues and promenades of the US it has taken on a marketing slant, defining a whole new way of eating. New York quickly tagged on but it was in LA that I really got it. I fondly remember being in Abbot Kinney and experiencing First Friday – a hyper street of food trucks on the first Friday of every month. The food truck is where the city discovered chefs like Roy Choi and his Kogi tacos and in the same way, so young pretenders came into the fold in the UK.

I have spoken a lot about Pitt Cue co. who started in an airstream trailer under Hungerford Bridge and now they are permanently placed in their restaurant near Carnaby Street. The mobile food truck was the birthplace of other now permanent places such as MEATliquor, Yum Bun, Homeslice and Daisy Green. This formula of trying out a concept in a more secure and less costly format has worked for many.

As individual traders, it is hard to know the best sites to go to and so it is important for people to find ways of pulling together and create a big street in which to eat. My first experience in Britain was at Eat St in Kings Cross, now under the brand KERB. The team cherry pick the best of the best for their offering every week at the ever growing enclave that surrounds the Kings Cross development. It is such a great place to chill and the mobile offering is a clever position for people discovering all that is in the area.

Specially commissioned by the clan at Trinity Kitchen

Last weekend I was up at home and my Mum took me to see the new Trinity Centre in Leeds city centre. It is quite a development, most fitting for such an important UK city, and then I learned about Trinity Kitchen. Those clever people at the centre decided to embrace the whole street food trend and put mobile trucks on the food floor of their impressive mall, supported by 5 pop up traders to add variety. This team have really understood the fashion and so it was no surprise to see them sponsoring the British Street Food Awards and celebrating the winner with these specially commissioned biscuits.

So who won this year? well the top prize went to Bristol based duo from Katie and Kim’s Kitchen. Their stovies, oatcakes and toasted cheese scones were all highly commended in different categories and overall, this added up to the big prize.

Here comes the book…

Entries covered the whole world in cuisine with offerings from across Europe, Taiwan, Mexico and the US. People really have figured out the truck concept and the quality of food is now better than ever. True to form, previous winner Ginger’s Comfort Emporium won again with their incredible ice cream and the one to watch went to Best Young Trader Stan’s Snow Cones. This 13 year old discovered People’s Pops in New York and brought the concept back to Lewes to create his wonderful snow cones. Clever boy.

Tags British Street Food Awards, Daisy Green, Homeslice, Katie and Kims Kitchen, KERB, Kogi, Meatliquor, People's pops, Pitt Cue co., Roy Choi, Stans Snow Cones, Trinity Kitchen, Yum Bun

Categories British, Food

Inspector Gadget

September 29, 2013 //

I was reading Olive magazine this weekend as I do every month. Somehow, the magazine goes through phases of having lots of interesting snippets and then being very dull. At the moment it is pretty dull, even though this issue was celebrating its 10th year anniversary. There were lots of top tens: recipes, restaurants, places to visit, chef’s hairstyles! (apparently Jean Christophe Novelli tops this list), chefs we would like to have dinner with, food scares, ingredients and finally pieces of kitchen kit we can’t live without.

Now I don’t mean to sound as arrogant as I know this will, but I can honestly say that I didn’t agree with any of these lists and found most of them pretty outdated in parts. Take the kitchen kit, for example. Their list was:

– a brightly coloured stand mixer

– a santoku knife

– colour coded boards for food prep

– a mandolin

– silicone bakeware

– a bundt tin

– microplane grater

– muffin tins

– icing bags and nozzles

– plastic squeezy bottles

Now believe me, I get the Kenwood Mixer. Of course I do. I wrote about the copper version some time ago and still dream about that centre stage to any kitchen I create.

But the first essentials of any kitchen are in my opinion a great set of pans and a really good knife which is suited to your own personal hand and style. At the moment, I am coveting copper pans, preferably of the Mauviel variety, not only for their stunning looks but also for their ability to conduct heat so evenly. As for knives, I agree with the Japanese sourcing. Mine is of medium size and weight, bought at a food fair and kept in its sheath to protect the blade. I take it wherever I am going to cook as it really is the making of great cooking. ..and very easy to sharpen on a soft block.

As for the Olive list, I was mostly surprised by the squeezy bottles and bundt tin. I can honestly say I would be very happy to live a long time without either of these and squeezy bottle lines of varying sauces seems so passe.

Alongside my knife and pans, I would add the following for my must have kitchen list:

– good toaster to take full size poilane bread slices for the perfect meal any time, simply toasted and topped with most yummy things

– microplane grater ideal for perfect zesting along with everything else it grates

– potato ricer: an essential for perfect mashed potato, and every kitchen needs to be producing lump free mashed potato

– really good blender to make silky smooth soups, amongst other things, along with a small pot attachment to blend sauces such as pesto or fresh mayo

– enamelware tins because they look great, bake great and wash up great too

– mandolin only because it is ideal for pommes boulangeres and all those dishes that benefit from consistent and thin slices of fruit or veg

– sturdy wooden chopping board. I know this is controversial as wood is difficult to clean, but I really hate the noise and feel from any other board. Wood is the best for me.

– reusable baking parchment, or magic non-stick liner, as it is called on Lakeland. Not only is Lakeland a dream place for anyone interested in kitchen paraphernalia but it is also great value. The Lakeland range should really be on the list in its entirety but that can’t really count as a kitchen kit. It is simply a kitchen lovers destination and certainly something we can’t live without.

Tags enamelware, Kenwood mixer, Lakeland, mauviel pans, Olive magazine, potato ricer

Categories Food, Retail

Fair’s fair

September 11, 2013 //

I can’t believe it is already September and that the dark nights are rolling in. Another sure sign that this month has arrived is my annual trip to the Speciality & Fine Food Fair. This event is a good gauge of the artisan food business in the UK as it showcases the winners of the Great Taste Awards as well as housing over 600 stands of premium small producers. I am always amazed at the range of products and collection of empassioned producers who are working exceptionally hard to maintain a foothold in the food market.

Lauden Chocolates

There were of course the usual suspects in much the same place as last year, sitting alongside the speciality chocolate fair, which is always an enjoyable collection of products. I especially enjoy catching up with the wonderful Lauden chocolate team when I am there. They are thankfully going from strength to strength. Who knew when I searched ‘chocolatier, Leeds’ on Google for a project I was doing a few years ago that my path would cross with such superb people at an early phase of their chocolate empire building.

Steven persuaded Sun to join him in sunny Leeds from her home in Singapore….the rest is historic chocolate and much much more.

It’s couples like Steven and Sun who epitomise the commitment that is needed to build a food business. To this day, Steven is still working at his full time job which he has continued to keep his head above water whilst also supporting his dynamic wife and their growing chocolate business in the other half of his 20 odd hour working day. It is so pleasing to see their Marc de Champagne chocolates awarded the lucrative 3 stars at the Great Taste Awards, sitting alongside the passion fruit chocolate that also won 3 stars in 2010. These are without doubt the best chocolates on sale at the moment.

The other sweet treat that seemed to be more featured than ever is the marshmallow. I think there were four stands selling the fluffy stuff, all hand made by women who have created their brand and range somewhere on the kitchen table. Copper and Cane won my heart because founder Hazel Wright toasted her creations on a mini campfire reassured that she had just the right texture to maintain its shape whilst getting the perfect charred treatment.

I was first won over by marshmallows at the City Bakery in New York when I saw the hunks of the white stuff top their signature hot chocolate. It seemed only marginally more popular than their incredible chocolate cookies. Now the marshmallow has a career of its own. I still think it is best in a hot chocolate and that every cafe should have a signature version of that.

Talking of hot chocolate, I also enjoyed meeting the team from Hasslachers hot chocolate. This hunk of a chocolate bar encapsulates the best of Colombian chocolate and you can melt two squares in hot milk and sweeten with their organic cane sugar for an authentic chocolate experience.

I realise that I have only written about sweet things this time and that is not really a reflection of the many many wonderful products that I saw this week. So to restore an element of balance, I will end with one other beautiful creation which was presented so well at the show. These sample tubes were so very visual and I loved the packaging of this whole range of oils and balms (balsamic vinegars with honey). So I leave you with hot paprika seed oil.

Tags City Bakery, Copper and Cane, Great taste awards, Hasslachers, Lauden chocolate, paprika seed oil, Speciality & Fine Foods

Categories Food, Retail

Chicory Chick

September 2, 2013 //

I love it when a meal comes together.

Beautifully caramelised chicory to bring out the sweetness

I had a Dutch friend over this weekend and she was somewhat bemused to find I had chicory in the fridge. Apparently she has never met a Brit who would ever have purchased such a thing as it is generally perceived as very bitter. I grew up with my Mum liking chicory so I guess I was just more used to the flavour or something. Well happily this unloved plant came into its own at home tonight.

I really fancied trying to make something a bit different and tasty for dinner and the focus on the bitter stuff brought to mind a favourite recipe of mine. It is Ottolenghi’s Caramelised Endive with Serrano Ham.

I kind of adapted it tonight so that I could use up a few bits that were already on hand. But the result was as good as ever. I was particularly pleased to be able to slice up some more of that wonderful Cotswold Curer pancetta which I bought a few weeks ago at Stroud market. It amazes me how inspired I can be by something so simple, but honestly, this stuff is just wonderful and that small piece goes a long long way. Much nicer than the Serrano ham in the recipe. I also managed to use up some panko breadcrumbs which were loitering in the cupboard (I know – it says a lot that my cupboards have that loitering) and grana padano instead of parmesan…but the result ladies and gentlemen…..sitting alongside a nicely dressed green salad …. just yum.

It’s possibly a bit well done for some, but I like well toasted!

Caramelised endive with Serrano ham

Extract from Sami Tamimi and Yotam Ottolenghi’s Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Published in 2008 by Ebury Press

Serves 6

Nir Feller, who’s got the most infectious zeal for food, helped develop this dish when running our kitchen in Notting Hill. It’s ideal for preparing ahead of time. Have it ready in the baking dish and put it in the oven when you need it. It makes an impressive starter for a cold winter night.

Ingredients

6 endives, cut in half lengthways
40g unsalted butter
4tsp caster sugar
50g sourdough breadcrumbs
70g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2tbsp thyme leaves
120ml whipping cream
12 thin slices of Serrano ham
Olive oil for drizzling
2tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/gas mark 6. Begin by caramelising the endive. You will probably have to do it in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your largest frying pan; the endive halves need to fit lying flat without overlapping. If working in two batches, put half the butter and half the sugar in the pan and place over a high heat.

Stir to mix. As soon as the butter starts to bubble, place six endive halves facing down in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden. You might need to press them down slightly. Don’t worry if the butter goes slightly brown. Remove and repeat the process with the remaining butter, sugar and six endive halves.

Line a tray with baking parchment and arrange the endives on it, caramelised side up. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, cream, a quarter of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spoon this mixture over the endives and top each one with a slice of ham. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the endives feel soft when poked with a knife. Serve hot or warm, drizzled with some olive oil and sprinkled with the chopped parsley, if using.

Tags chicory, Ottolenghi, The Cotswold Curer

Categories Food

Eating in the Streets

Inspector Gadget

Fair’s fair

Chicory Chick

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