These managa-inspired plates from Mika Tsutai of Kyoto are amazing and would be so much fun to plan a meal with! More can be found and purchased at
.
Brains
When someone says they’ll tell you what’s on your plate after you’ve eaten it, most people will instinctively feel either excited or apprehensive about what has been set before them. The statement in itself lets you know that something unusual is there. I had already deeply inhaled the Testa in Cassette di Ligure presented before me and noticed a strong oily aroma and managed to simultaneously state and exhale, “Well it’s offal isn’t it?” “It’s brain....and heart, tongue and other offal,” came the response. I’ve tried tongue and find it rather tasty, however the bite that I took was admittedly smaller than the one I would have taken after the word ‘brain’ caused an involuntary image of 1950s black and white zombies to flash before my eyes. The Testa had a matte sheen, a strong aroma and the flavour was a bit briny (this is a 100% unintentional pun, I swear). The slices had a firm texture despite being wafer thin and were lacking the rich salt and meat flavours that I look forward to from salumi.
While in San Remo, Italy a pink, white and red salumi caught my eye at a deli and reminded me of a marble that I photographed at the Pantheon in September:
"That one looks nice," I said and we took several slices of Testa in Cassette di Ligure, a salami typically found in Liguria made of pig’s head, tongue, muscle and heart. Known as headcheese in English it translates as ‘head in box’ and the components are encased in strips of beef and cooked until cured. I enjoyed the Testa’s cellular beauty that comes from the traditional culinary techniques that endeavors to use all of the animal more than the flavour itself and luckily there are countless cured meats to be discovered.
Mont D’Or
Q: Do you want to eat something really fattening?
A: Yes, why yes I do.
Mont D'Or is an unpastuerised French cheese available from September to April only. Every last bit of this rich, creamy, ever-so-slightly nutty delight was warmed and eaten with bread and washed down with wine.
Carciofi
The Ligurian variety of artichokes (carciofi) are one of the many exquisite local land offerings. The diversity of foods from the Ligurian region in Northern Italy are owed to it's borders of Piedmont, France, the Alps and the Mediterranean. What's found here provides a plethora of foodstuffs such as
olive oil, basil, pesto, focaccia,
seafood, chestnuts, game, mushrooms and artichokes. I first grew to love artichokes in New Orleans where I often ate them stuffed, fried or in oyster and artichoke soup. In Liguria I enjoyed them by simply peeling and dipping them in delicious Ligurian olive oil and the best balsamic vinegar I have ever tasted. The waxy, spiny thorn at the end of each petal is plucked and held while the pulpy end of the petal is dipped and eaten, using the teeth to scrape the tender flesh. The further you go into the body or choke of the artichoke the more tender the leaf becomes. I love the taste of artichoke paired with crispy and creamy but eating them in their pure form was a revelation - clean, with a texture of newborn vegetables, a bit like a fresh chestnut that has been spread upon a leaf, bit of celery. It was like eating them for the first time but without all the pomp and circumstance.
Chillblains
After being in Orford for a few days I got a bit blasé thinking it wasn’t all that cold outside and popping outside with just slippers on. A few days later I suddenly felt that my feet were on fire, it was as if each toe had worn an expensive but ill-fitting new pair of shoes and went out dancing all night without me knowing about it and my toes had blisters surrounding each toe. Someone suggested it sounded like chillblains which are a mild version of frostbite that can occur when going from very cold to warm environments. When I asked how long it would last I was told that the pain and discomfort can last from a few days to several months! Two days of self-Google-diagnosing the situation I read in several places that a home remedy was to walk barefoot in the snow. Later that evening and after two different creams provided no relief I ran across the garden in the freshly fallen snow and am pleased to report that it instantly relieved almost all the burning and over the next day I walked barefoot a further two times and they ceased to hurt at all. The lesson of this story is to protect your feet from the cold by wearing proper footwear and to warm them up slowly should they get cold and if all else fails and you do get chillblains, you had better hope you have snow nearby.
Muffin Moons
I couldn't decide what to have on some muffins so I took four muffins, buttered liberally then added greengage jam, blackberry jam, gooseberry and green tea jam and finally black cherry and black pepper preserve. Then I cut each one in half and Doctor Jamkensteined them together so that two muffins featured all four flavours (from left; greengage jam, blackberry jam, gooseberry and green tea jam and finally black cherry and black pepper preserve). What will you put on your muffin moons?
These Were a Few of My Favourite Things
Happy New Year!
Last night I moved out of my flat after five long years. Or perhaps I should say I moved out this morning as I spent my New Years Eve cleaning until 2AM with a good friend, both of us high on cleaning fluids. I have loved living in this neighbourhood but it is time to move on. The building used to be a "small box" manufacturers as well as housing for it's workers. It's across from Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant and Westland Place Studios. Around here has always felt to me like not really Hoxton or Shoreditch, on the outskirts of Hackney, straddling the central, north and east quadrants of London. I have loved living here for the location and the space has allowed me space to live, laugh, make chutney and store thousands of glass jars. When I first moved in it was a pretty alright deal but the rent has been raised almost £600 in the past three years. It was the sort of flat that people ooh and aah over when they visit and also a dying breed as it's a massive open plan warehouse space. In five years an empty shell became full of DIY projects, furniture, paintings, plants from Columbia Rd and items that I found or have been gifted to me by Angus.
However much I loved living in this flat the last year it has been an albatross around my neck. It has been sad to dismantle five years of my life in Pickwick House, but I am excited to simplify and start a new chapter somewhere else. Since I've been here they have encased the building in flats and put a two-story conversion on top and the neighbourhood has changed so much in my short five years here. Having to turn in my keys for 1 January 2013 and packing up during my busiest time of the year has been stressful. So I'm taking a break and heading to Orford, Suffolk to breathe some fresh country air, spend some time with my family, do some research and figure out where in London I'd like to come back to. Wherever I end up may not be as cosy or central but it
should
definitely be cheaper and allow me to throw myself into Smy Chutney and the many exciting adventures that are already underfoot for 2013.
Here are a few of the many things I have enjoyed having on my doorstep:
De Beauvoir Christmas Fair 2012
I'll be at the De Beauvoir Christmas Fair this Saturday which has been organised by the
and last year there were loads of fantastic arts, crafts and more on offer. I will have lots of homemade chutney, jelly and jam and gift boxes. Hope to see you there!
and remember...
it's not your chutney...
it's Smy Chutney.
please follow us on
and
and if you haven't seen it already, here's a little video made by
about Smy Chutney:
Nag's Head Christmas Extravaganza 2012
Last year's event was one of my favourite events of last year so I'm looking forward to the 2012
Nag's Head Christmas Extravaganza
-
Sunday 25 November, 11.30-5.30pm
, Holloway Road. Huge free street festival on closed-off section of Holloway Road between Camden Road and Parkhurst Road. Last year there were lots of different activities, music, dancers, fun stuff, I met loads of great people and there were reindeer! Even scrooge would find himself in the Christmas spirit with the turning on of the lights and reindeer...and the mulled wine always helps as well now that I remember correctly. I'll have lots of new flavours, gift boxes and more so do come down for a taste of some homemade chutney, jelly, jam and more:
or just come along for a taste of some Christmas action which includes:
- chance to meet Santa’s real reindeer
- visiting craft and food market
- exciting funfair rides and climbing wall
- six hours of live music and dance on the community stage
- awesome street performers
- free children’s activities such as face painting and story-telling
- Christmas lights switch-on at 4.30pm
The extravaganza is organised by the Nag's Head Town Centre Management Group in partnership with local businesses, Islington Council, City and Islington College and Arsenal, and has been sponsored by the Nag's Head Shopping Centre, Unite, Breyer and Drivers and Norris.
For more details visit:
and remember...
it's not your chutney...
it's Smy Chutney.
please follow us on
and
and if you haven't seen it already, here's a little video made by
about Smy Chutney:
