A l’image des livres de voyage que l’on se plait à feuilleter, rêvant de paysages et de terres encore inconnues à nos yeux, la cuisine est une source d’évasion pour nos papilles avides de nouvelles sensations et de saveurs venues d’ailleurs. Les livres de cuisine nous plongent dans des univers culinaires dont on soupçonnait parfois à peine l’existence.

A travers les pages, on découvre des plats encore inconnus venus d’Afrique, d’Asie, d’Amérique Central ou encore d’Italie, de Grèce ou de Turquie dont les images suffisent à mettre nos sens en éveil.

Commence alors un nouveau voyage – culinaire – qui nous transporte vers un monde où les épices et les ingrédients se combinent à leur manière pour donner naissance à la spécialité du pays. En l’espace de quelques heures, de nouveaux arômes envahissent la cuisine et chacun se prend à s’imaginer déambulant dans le zouk du Caire, dégustant une pizza à Rome ou respirant l’odeur émanant des marchands ambulants de Bali.

Destination la Turquie et son incroyable richesse culinaire pour cette recette de poivrons farcis appelé ‘Biber dolması’.
La cuisine turque tient ses origines de l’héritage ottoman, à la croisée des chemins entre saveurs asiatiques, orientales et méditerranéennes. Considérée comme l’une des plus variées dans le monde, elle s’est enrichie grâce aux migrations des Turcs qui se sont inspirés de leur périple entre Asie centrale et Europe.

Cette cuisine cosmopolite est un véritable mariage de saveurs d’une subtilité rare où les traditionnels Mezzé dansent la valse avec les plats de viandes et de poissons, sans oublier les fameux ‘Turkish Delights’ plus connus sous le nom de Loukoum. Et quoi de mieux que de vivre cette expérience en déambulant dans les rues animées d’Istanbul : Istanbul, Ville aux milles délices.

Poivrons farcis – Etli Biber Dolmasi
5 poivrons
10 cl d’eau
200g de riz, bien rincé
5 oignons finement coupés
1 tomate
60 ml de pignons
125 ml de petits raisins secs
2 cuillerées à café de sucre

Emincer les oignons et les faire revenir dans une cuillère à soupe d’huile d’olive.
Lorsqu’ils commencent à prendre une belle couleur dorée, ajouter le riz préalablement rincé et faire rissoler le riz avec l’oignon tout en remuant de temps en temps pendant une dizaine de minutes sur feu moyen.
Ajouter les raisins, les pignons hachés, ½ cuillère à soupe de sel et de poivre et laisser revenir encore quelques minutes.
Ajouter 20 cl d’eau bouillante, le sucre et mélanger le tout.
Couvrir et laisser cuire pendant une quinzaine de minute jusqu’à ce que toute l’eau soit absorbée.
Découper avec la pointe d’un couteau autour de la base de la queue.
Retirer les graines de l’intérieur, laver et égoutter les poivrons.
Couper en quatre les tomates.
Farcir les poivrons et recouvrir avec un morceau de tomate tout en la coinçant sous la peau du poivrons (opération un peu délicate).
Disposer les poivrons farcis dans une casserole en les faisant tenir debout (la meilleure option est de les coincer dans des ramequins.
Verser de l’eau jusqu’à mi-hauteur des poivrons, une cuillère à soupe d’huile et une demi-cuillère à soupe de sucre.
Couvrir et laisser cuire 1h30 à  feu doux. Les poivrons sont prêts lorsque la chair est bien tendre.

Giving without expecting anything in return, working numerous hours without counting – nor billing, being involved in a team project without competing against each other, switching off your computer with the satisfaction of having achieved something good.

Should the definition of a perfect world be where all you get for your hard work is a rewarding big smile on people’s faces?

Imagine a world where you don’t go to work just for the sake of work, where your main objective isn’t keeping your boss or client happy and where productivity and stress are pleasant notions.

A utopia, you would think. Let’s call it a dream. A dream that you can make come true. And we did.

On November 15th, based on an idea and the perseverance of Eatlikeagirl, food bloggers organised a Blagger’s Banquet at Hawksmoor to raise funds for Action Against Hunger. During two weeks, bloggers blagged in their spare time and over nights to collect ingredients for the menu and prizes for the auction. On the day itself, the persevering bloggers dedicated their Sunday to cook, serve and entertain the 50 guests who attended this first-of-kind event.

The result? More than £3,000 collected for charity on the night, happy and thankful guests, and a bunch of bloggers tired but proud of their achievement.

So, yes, we can.
Life is not just about money and making our big productive machine of world go round. Life is also about dedicating time to others and lending a hand to deserving causes. We can make this dream come true and we did.

But the dream wouldn’t have been possible without the help of food and wine suppliers, restaurants, PR companies and all the people that provided prizes for the auction.

The dinner wouldn’t have happened without wonderful cooks, terrific barmen and sommeliers, an efficient front-of-house team, queens of goodie-bags, motivated blaggers and generous donators.

But, before all, the event wouldn’t have seen the light without the strength and will of Eatlikeagirl

Bravo, Niamh, du fond du cœur.

I remember that movie about a boy wishing for a better world, where he dreamt of people holding a candle and passing it on.

That night, brands, restaurants, musicians and bloggers combined all their forces for Action Against Hunger.

That night, I got involved in my first ever charity action.

That night, I was proud of the world.

Thank you everybody. You made a dream come true.

It is now your turn to pass it on. Go to auction.

—————

Blaggers Banquet Menu
15 November 2009

Menu conceived by Signe Skaimsgard Johansen with Danny Kingston, Charlie Nelson, Neil Rankin

—

š Canapés and table nibbles š

Fresh goats’ cheese and pomegranate crispbreads with a salty vanilla twist and fresh chives
(Brockhall Farm, Abel & Cole, Peter’s Yard and Halon Mon)
Buffalo mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil brochettes with a pesto dip
(Laverstoke Park, Abel &Cole and Purely Pesto)
Crispy chicken skin bites (Silfield Farm)
Cheddar Gougeres with thyme (Barbers 1833, Abel & Cole)
Spicy Bar Mix (Munchy Seeds)

The canapés were offered with a choice of the following
(also available throughout the evening from the bar):

Chapel Down Pinot Reserve 2004
Albarino Laga de Bouza 2007 (The Wineaux)
Sipsmith’s Gin martini
Sipsmith’s Vodka Martini
Sipsmith’s Gin or Vodka and Fevertree tonic
The Blaggertini (Sipsmith’s vodka, Chegworth Valley Apple and Raspberry juice, Galliano Balsamico)
Cornish Cocktail (Bramley & Gage Quince Liqueur, Chapel Down Sparkling Wine)
Black Velvet (Chapel Down Sparkling Wine and Porter)
Marston’s Pedigree
Innis & Gunn
Fullers London Pride
Daas White
Chapel Down Brut
Chapel Down Porter
Firefly Tonics
Chegworth Valley Apple Juice
Chegworth Valley Apple and Blackberry Juice

—

š Starter š

Monkfish and beetroot tartare with tomato salsa
(Fish for Thought, Abel & Cole)

Brewery Hill Chardonnay/Viognier 2008 (Naked Wines)

—

š Main Course š

Grilled buffalo steaks with bearnaise sauce (Laverstoke Park)
Winter Beef Stew (Donald Russell)
Lamb hotpot (Donald Russell)

served with a selection of seasonal vegetables from Riverford organic
and handmade sourdough bread from St John Restaurant

Quinta do Lagoalva 2004 (Casa Leal and Viniportugal)
The Pastor’s Blend Journey’s End 2007

—

š Dessert š

Golden Chocolate Fondant served with Crème Fraiche
(Trish Deseine, Easy Tasty Magic and Sainsbury’s So Organic)
Titillating Jellies from Bompas & Parr

Lorca Fantasia Malbec 2008 (Naked Wines)
Castello Romitorio Morellino di Scansano 2007 (The Wineaux)

—

š Cheese š

Barbers 1833 Vintage Cheddar
Brockhall Farm Chive Goats Cheese
Trethowans Dairy Gorwydd Caerphilly
A selection of deliciously fragrant cheese from Pong’s

Served with Peter’s Yard crispbread and a selection of seasonal fruit from Abel & Cole

Albarino Laga de Bouza 2007 (The Wineaux)

š And…

Coffee from Square Mile with milks from Sainsburysn,
Brockhall Farm and Lahloo Tea
Chocolate truffle by Lahloo tea and Damian Allsop

We also used ingredients throughout the menu donated by the following:
Abel & Cole – herbs
Billingtons – sugar
Halen Mon – flavoured salts
Hill Farm – extra virgin rapeseed oil
Maldon Salt – salt and pepper
Riverford Organic – assorted vegetables
Sainsbury’s – all dairy produce except cheeses and goats milk
Silfield Farm – chicken used for stock

Having the chance to attend a Dine with Dos Hermanos dinner is an experience in itself. With more than 300 people on the waiting list, the quest for the golden ticket requires an efficient alarm-clock and a reliable Internet connection. Once past the ultimate test, Simon Majumdar will offer his guests an unforgettable evening, where the love for food and a keen interest for meeting new people come together to create a delightful atmosphere.

The prize of the coveted golden ticket is the right of entrance to a carefully prepared feast in some of the best restaurants in London which even Vatel would have loved to offer, each chef treating their guests to a celebrations of quality and freshness in the form of perfectly prepared food.

The evening usually starts with an endless selection of canapés followed by the best dishes made especially for the evening. As Simon makes the point to look after every detail, the wine is meticulously chosen to match the menu, creating the perfect pairing for each dish that you wouldn’t find on the traditional menu.

This time, our wonderful host organised a memorable evening at Bentley’s, an Oyster Bar & Grill with head chef Richard Corrigan. The pair worked on a wonderful menu that was going to blow away up from beginning to end. While socializing with the attendees, we were served Foie Gras canapés with Apple Chutney and Deep Fried Chilli Shrimp.

Once everybody had taken their seat, waiters arrived with the most beautiful and diverse fish plate, containing Sally Barnes Smoked Salmon, Smoked Tuna, Smoked Eel and Smoked Mackerel, all to be enjoyed with delicious Blinis, Soda Bread and Potted Shrimp. In the meantime, plates of Smoked Herring Roe on toast, coated with a Silky Bearnaise Sauce were passed along the tables.

After such a treat, it was now time for the main course: a very tasty Fish Pie with Haddock, Scallops, Salmon and Prawns, incredibly tender Beef Cheeks cooked down in oyster stout and one of the best Mashed Potatoes ever!

The main courses were served with a Nepenthe, Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and Nepenthe, Charleston Pinot Noir, 2007. According to Robert McIntosh – Wine Conversation, our wine specialist, the “Sauvignon Blanc worked very well with the strong flavours of the smoked fish and the smoky flavours of the fish pie. The body of the wine was enough to stand up to the big flavours and the fruit balanced nicely with the fish and smoke to taste very fresh.

“The Pinot Noir was a little fruity in combination with the VERY earthy cheeks, but it was a decent, very drinkable wine, especially for the price!” (£9.99 – Both wines are available in Majestic).

The rich Sticky Toffee Pudding, served with jars of Roddas Clotted Cream and a Thick Toffee Sauce was the perfect conclusion to this delightful meal.

The dessert was served with Skillogalee Liqueur Muscat offered by Wine Unearthed, a wine tasting and retailing business. The high acidity, in combination with the sweet liquid raisin and treacle flavours, complemented the Sticky Toffee Pudding very well.

The goodie bags were the final cherry on the cake of this amazing evening, lighting the final spark to this dream-evening come true. Given with kindness by efficient PR companies and their clients, they contain an impressive selection of food and beverage from all around the world.

Like children unwrapping gifts on Christmas eve, secretly praying that Santa Clause made their wish come true, everybody carried home a few kilos of extra pleasure, looking forward to tasting their new toys that included a View Card; Easy Tasty Magic range – Taste No. 5 ™ – Umami Paste; Fruity Date porridge; Nudo olive oils; avoucher for the Fire & Knives magazine; The Foodie Handbook; Candia milk bottle; Casillero Del Diablo wine; Lucozade Energy – Cherry; Marmite cereal bar; Bar of Divine Dark Chocolate with Raspberries; Jordans cereal bars; Burts Chips; Sweet Thing’s Cupcake; Billington’s unrefined sugar; Bigham’s delicacies; Bar of Paul A. Young Chocolate and Pulp Fruit pouches of blended fruits.

Hats off the Dos Hermanos team for offering us such an incredible culinary experience. It is always a delicious experience to attend your dinners. I’m now looking forward to the next time my alarm-clock will ring!

Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill
11-15 Swallow St
London, W1B
020 7734 4756
www.bentleys.org

A cookbook in its purest form.
A bedside story book for the last read before falling asleep.
A Who’s Who of the most exciting talents working in kitchens today, honoured in colour.
An encyclopaedia teaching you everything you need to know before going to dinner in some of the world’s best restaurants… despite being a bit heavy to carry though!
A database that gives you an idea of what a sexy figure report should look like.
A dictionary that explains every culinary definition you never dared ask for.
A culinary novel that will transport you to a dream world.
A must-have bible for all the passionate people about food without the metaphors.
A culinary fairy tale that has come true.

The Coco book introduced as ‘10 world leading masters choose 100 contemporary chefs’, in an unusual book in the publishing world. But, like all the great dishes we would have loved to have created, the idea seems so simple but it’s all a matter of thinking it first!

And yet, the Coco book recipe is very simple. In a bowl, mix 100 contemporary culinary talents all together, picked with care by ten international chef curators, from Ferran Adria and Fergus Henderson to Alain Ducasse and Yoshihiro Murata. Add colourful a sprinkling images, a handful of interesting – and some eulogistic – biographies, a healthy dose of recipes from the best chefs and, finally, a dash of tasting menus. Voila, you have the signature dish that every foodie has always dreamt of.

What makes the dish unique is the creativity behind it. Unique in its genre, Coco is hard to define, as it combines different types of information in one book. Shall we call it an UFO of the publishing industry? Maybe. But one that we are very excited to welcome!

To celebrate the launch of the book featuring the best chefs of the moment, what would be better than organizing a restaurant crawl to enjoy their cuisine?

As an appetizer to that wonderful evening shared with an excited bunch of food bloggers, Lyndy Redding and the Absolute Taste team treated the crowd with the best canapés the catering world has ever imagined: Salt & pepper crusted beef skewers with horseradish cream – Parmesan haddock goujons with a caper aioli – Tuna tataki with radish, apple and mustard served on chopsticks – Pea, feta and mint tartlets -Parmesan shortbread with buffalo, mozzarella topped with slow roasted cherry tomato and homemade pesto – Extra long cheese straws, steak tartare on a game chip.

Lyndy managed to put so many flavours in such small pieces that every bite was a new experience and a delicate surprise. “Coco is a passionate foodie book as well as good foodie travel guide and I am honoured to be chosen by Gordon Ramsay. I have always dreamt of becoming a chef and now that I have made that dream come true, I have to build up my business concentrating on being the best in our area,” explained Lyndy Redding. “I think the next chef to watch is Nathan Outlaw who runs a Michelin Star Restaurant in Fowey Cornwall.”

After such a treat, it was time to enjoy the creativity of Jason Atherton, head chef at Maze, one of Gordon’s Ramzay restaurants. The place was crowded, a sign of the popularity and the fame of Jason who felt very honoured to be featured in the Coco.

“In a snap shot, Coco shows the culinary talent of this generation. It is an important document that shows how far Britain has come and I feel privileged to be representing the country in a book of this importance. When I was a kid, my secret dream was to become some sort of sporting hero!! But I am very happy that I found my path to become a chef. The next step for me is now to carry on developing as a chef and to carry on being creative with my cooking… that is a working progress and always will be!”

The chef, known for his small Asian-influenced French dishes, who always uses olive oil, sald and lemon in his cooking,  served a Cornish red mullet, rabbit Bolognese, cuttlefish tagliatelle, squid paint and asparagus.

This starter was actually more than just one meal. In the plate, three different dishes were competing against each other: a delicate mullet that still tasted of the sea as if it had been freshly fished; a meaty and intense rabbit Bolognese; and when you mixed both, a rabbit Bolognese with a fishy twist. When the dish arrived, the first reaction was immediate: ‘it’s not going to work together’. Well it did, surprisingly, without creating the desired ‘Woo’ effect as the rabbit Bolognese, as expected, overpowered the fish taste.

According to Jason, the next chefs now to watch are “the current sous chefs, in my kitchen alone. I have many talents that have the potential to progress into something fantastic. My advice to them?  Spend time reading and researching, to gain as much knowledge as they can about the industry.”

The main course was under the Italian influence of Theo Randall who performs at the Intercontinental.
Despite the imposing building, the restaurant was beautifully decorated and  spacious, with a view on the kitchen – a high-class cantine at its best.

The coda di Rospo al Forno – Wood roasted Cornish monkfish with parsley, capers, Roseval potatoes, globe artichokes and prosciutto di Parma – was a perfect example of the right combination of ingredients, each one bringing its own touch to the other.

The potatoes and, especially, the architockes were very well cooked and tender melting immediately in the mouth after each forkful. The meaty monkfish was quite dense with a texture that almost resembled chicken. The prosciutto gave a very nice salty and intense taste to the monkfish as it appeared to be a bit bland when eaten by itself.
The dish was served with a light white wine St Soave, Alpha Zeta, Veneto, Italy 2007.

In the relaxed and quiet atmosphere of the Launceston Place where Tristan Welch, known for his British classics with a twist, revealed his talents for dessert. On a table, a Coco book was there, as a prize that the recently rewarded chef was proud to expose, as a real achievement for his carreer. “I have always dreamt of being a chef, although becoming the new James Bond could have been a good alternative.”

“The Coco is the Who’s Who in the culinary world. It includes some chefs whom I haven’t heard before and that I’m happy to discover. Having been chosen by Gordon Ramsay to be featured in Coco is a real honour. I’m very pleased and such a great compliment is an achievement in my career. The next step is now to keep on focusing on the quality of the products we use and give cooking what it deserves the best.”

The ‘Assiette of desserts’ was a symphony of delights, a remarkable way of celebrating texture and flavours at their best. On a long dark plate, consider the Rice pudding soufflé – the Raspberry ripple ice cream; the Lavender cream, violets, raspberry – The Apple parfait, toffee, walnut – The Dark chocolate, iced milk, crumble – The Set custard cream, caramel and praline, malt ice cream and the Banana sticky toffee pudding, Guinness ice cream made by Steve Grove. The presented selection was using all its charms to tempt our palates, which didn’t put up much resistance at all.

The star of this unforgettable moment was definitely the amazing and intense Apple tart with homemade clotted cream. DE-LI-CIOUS!

Always curious about the evolution of the culinary world, Tristan has a quite good idea about the next chef to watch “Raymond Blanc,  a talented and creative cook.”

We enjoyed these delights with a light and fruity Jurançon, Domaine Cauhape, 2004 made from Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng grapes in the south west of France. The Jurançon is called Symphonie de Novembre as the fruits are picked that month. The rich flavors of apricot, peach and ripe pear backed by fresh acidity worked very well with the different treats without being too sugary.

Bravo and long life to these amazing and creative chefs!  You’re doing a wonderful job to turn our dinners into an incredible culinary experience.

Absolute Taste Ltd
14 Edgel Street
London
SW18 1SR
0208 870 5151
www.absolutetaste.com

Maze
13-15 Grosvenor Square
London, W1K 6
020 7107 0000
www.gordonramsay.com/maze

Theo Randall
1 Hamilton Pl
London, W1J 7QY
020 7318 8747
www.theorandall.com

Launceston Place
1 Launceston Pl
London, W8 5RL
020 7937 6912.
www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk

Finding a beer in London after a day at work or an exhausting shopping afternoon is an easy task. With more than 7,000 pubs in the city, the quest for a refreshing beverage usually never lasts more than ten minutes.
That said, finding a unique beer that your palate has never experimented and which can’t be found in every fifth bar down the street is another story altogether. Ask a pub in London if they serve the Italian Birra Moretti or the German Flenaburger Pilsener and the barman may wonder if you are lost.

Any yet, the third world’s most popular drink overall after water and tea has quite a lot to offer beyond the traditional English ales and lagers.

Willing to celebrate beer as it should be, the ‘good people who brought the Westbridge in Battersea’, have just opened a new place The Draft House with one idea: introduce people to beers they don’t know, made by unique and individual brands. If you’ve had your fill of bars and the common drinks they serve, the Draft House is the place to go to discover a unique and excellent choice of beers… which will match the food in your plate as well.

According to Charlie McVeigh, “one of our most popular national drinks, draft beer demands to be taken seriously in terms of choice with a large selection, sourcing, cellaring and serving.” It is now time to honour beer as it deserves!

Run by experienced people, passionate about beverage and food and who take their cellaring and serving  very seriously, the Draft House is on the map to become  the next trendy place to go enjoy some of the best beers from around the world. With 17 draft beers, 3 real ales, 2 stouts and varying ambers and darks, you’re bound to find one for you.

The Draft House is the first London pub to sell Budvar Half & Half on its own. This fresh & tasty dark large beer from Czech Republic is composed of Half Budvar Lager & Half Budvar Dark. The three distinct varieties of Barley Malt, roasted at the brewery, give the beer its rich toasted flavour and add to the density of the beer.

For those who don’t like the bitter taste of beer (hands up please – Ok, mine first!), the Rosarda is the perfect alternative. This fruity and refreshing Belgian rose beer starts with a wheat beer base before a selection of berries are added during the brewing process. But shhh, the recipe is still a close guarded family secret!

The Schremser Bio Roggenbier offers a completely different taste. This Austrian organic beer has a much lower gluten content than wheat or barley. For the story, the brewery decided about 7 years ago to try a new style of beer using the famously difficult rye grain. Rye produces a deep earthly richness in this beer which is long lasting and slightly fruity. Top-fermented like real ale, the beer matches very well with strong cheeses and fatty meats such as duck and pork.

My other choice goes to Speight’s, a Kiwi brown ale. Due to its southern latitude, New Zealand supposedly holds some of the purest water on the planet which aids in making their beer … the best (who would doubt it!). Moderately dry and not too bitter, the Speight’s works well with game and dark meats.

The Draft House also looks after giving people the opportunity to learn more about pairing food with beer. A matching menu based on “Good and honest food” features a  lot of sharing plates and English classics – with a twist -  including the interesting Ox Tongue Fritters with Horseradish and Beetroot or Roasted Tuscan Sausages with Puy Lentils, Fennel that, of course, you can’t enjoy without the right pint.

The night before its official opening, the Draft House still smelled of fresh paint and a few posters were missing on the walls, but you could already feel the warmth and friendly atmosphere the place is sure to become known for.

Long life to the Draft House and congratulations to all the team!

The Draft House Northcote Road
94 Northcote Road
London SW11 6QW
02079241814
northcote@drafthouse.co.uk

Most will concede that Italians have a natural propensity to talk. That said, when it comes to describing their love for their cuisine – their quest for perfection, their passion for local producers and ingredients, their respect for family traditions and culinary secrets – the dictionary doesn’t seem to contain the right words, or enough of them, to truly express their feelings anymore and even the most loquacious among them is reduced to humble awe.

Ask Ghigo Berni, co-owner of San Lorenzo Fuoriporta in Wimbledon, to describe Italian cuisine and, within two hours, you’ll believe that only now will you be able to enjoy a plate of pasta as it should be.

Ghigo grew up in his parent’s well-established Knightsbridge trattoria, San Lorenzo, walking in the shadows of the ‘60’s cinema stars, refugees of the infamous Cinecittà strike. However, this world of wonders and celebrity didn’t make the boy forget his first passion for food, though, and when he moved to Wimbledon to open the South Western cousin of San Lorenzo (Fuoriporta meaning “outside the walls”), he made a point to always look for what he calls: the perfection of simplicity.

“This simplicity comes from necessity and poverty. When peasants had the chance to enjoy a piece of meat, they wanted to make the most of it; a dish that would bring out all the flavours. All the basic ingredients used in Italian cuisine – garlic, oil, rice, tomatoes, mushrooms – come from the ground, the earth. They carry with them a spirit and every Italian dish is elaborated to celebrate what nature gives us.”

The starters were an apt introduction to that idea of simplicity. The Bufala, avocado e pomodoro – Buffalo mozzarella, plum tomatoes and avocado – was the essence of Italian cuisine itself: fresh and tasty ingredients, a pinch of black pepper and salt with just a drop of seasoning. By mixing the three, this light dish was the perfect preamble to Italian cuisine in national colours.

The Melanzane Alla Fuoriporta was intense; the grilled aubergines melted in the mouth with the buffalo mozzarella, while the Parma added a salty overtone, even though it could be enjoyed just as well with the delicious homemade Foccacia bread served on the table.

The Polenta taragno con calamari is spring dish celebrating the natural combination of calamari and peas. Although it looked quite heavy, the polenta with buckwheat was actually quite light.  The texture was enhanced by the tender braised calamari, tomato sauce and green peas.

We soon moved on to the definition of food and how what used to be a primary need became a way of life. “Food is comfort, memory, emotion, history, culture. Food has always been at the centre of discussion, a component of a relationship that brings people together.” Things seemed to have changed with the generations, though. “Now cuisine has become a cult, an elitist thing, a sign of sophistication. People discover food with culture and emancipation.”

The conversation lead to interesting redefinitions, and metaphors: “Food is following the same evolution as music. Like classical musicians, looking for the original perfection of a piece of music, people usually start cooking classical, practicing to achieve that same perfection they first tasted. But very quickly, they want to add their own touch, to create something new. Experimentation is important but it can become too confusing. It is important to go back to where we come from and where the food comes from. As the French in Indochina, they tried to create something that will reflect their national identity while using local ingredients. And that’s how the whole French Asian trend started.”

We returned to true Italian dishes for the main course, though; traditional risotto, fish and meat which Ghigo described with love and passion.

The Gamberoni alla Fuoriporta – grilled Indian Ocean king prawns with wholegrain risotto. Having grown up in seawater, the prawns are juicy and generous in taste. Fried with a drop of oil and lemon before being placed under a grill, the prawns are placed on wholegrain risotto and served with a delicate sauce of stock, white wine and garlic. The dish was properly balanced between the rice and the copious amount of king prawns, avoiding any frustration in terms of quantity.

The Salsiccia piccante con Lenticchie – Spicy sausages grilled and braised with Italian lentils, garlic and white wine, served on mashed potatoes – was a first experience of Italian lentils. The dish was rich with flavours and yet not too spicy. The lentils were first cooked with garlic, rosemary, stock and olive oil, while the sausages grilled with pork fat, salt, chilli, garlic and wine. Once done, the sausages were braised with the lentils and then topped with olive oil before serving onto the mashed potatoes. The sausages were delicious, spicy and not too greasy. The lentils had absorbed the grease of the sausages, infusing the lentils with a nice spicy taste. A simple and comfortable dish with many flavours that worked well together.

An elegant and soft Valpolicella Superiore 2007 was served to pair with these very different dishes. “Italian wines are regionally connected to the dish you eat. Italy has very rustic and diverse wines coming from grapevines that grow up on very specific volcanic soils. This makes the wines only appropriate to the regional food: a merlot with Sicilian food doesn’t make sense. Wine should always be married with food and the variety has to match.”

After a long discussion, it was time for dessert. What else but Tiramisu? Meaning ‘pick me up’ in Italian, this most popular of Italian desserts is aptly named as it combines ingredients among which everybody is bound to find a favourite: chocolate, espresso coffee, mascarpone, sugar, sponge cake and rum. Tiramisu is one of the only desserts that marries sombre strength of coffee with the purity of vanilla. Even though I prefer a creamier Tiramisu, this one had a pleasant density to it and coffee lovers would appreciate the sensation of having had a sip of true coffee with every spoonful.

The Italian experience wouldn’t have been complete without a glass of Grappa Di Nebbiolo by Sibona. Originally made to prevent waste by using leftovers, wine producers cook the pomace and second pressing of the grapes to create a potent brandy. One bottle of grappa requires the equivalent of ten bottles of wine. To drink with moderation!

As the talented food blogger, WorldFoodieguide, once told me, “enjoyment of food and individual dishes is such a personal and subjective thing. Even being in a bad mood can affect the entire meal.”  I would add: the enjoyment of food can only be multiplied by the time we spend learning the history of each dish or cuisine, and listening to the passion of those who cook them. Salute!

San Lorenzo Fuoriporta
38 Wimbledon Hill
London SW19 7PA
020 8946 8463

Certains le considèrent comme le parfait échappatoire après une journée bien chargée, beaucoup apprécient sa force de caractère et sa singularité tandis que d’autres voient en lui une épaule réconfortante. Un brin séducteur, il sait se faire remarquer tout en prenant soin de ses hôtes dans la plus grande tradition que l’on attend … d’un pub.

Autrefois appelé ‘Public House’ jusqu’à l’époque Victorienne, le pub anglais détient ce pouvoir d’attraction unique que l’on ne retrouve nulle part ailleurs.

Difficile de décrire cette ambiance si particulière que l’on ressent dès que l’on passe la porte de cette institution anglaise. Est-ce les canapés vieillissants mais si confortables en face du feu de cheminée qui crépitent en hiver qui fait son charme ou le jeu de fléchette accroché au coin du mur ? A moins que ce ne soient ces poutres apparentes ou encore cette odeur de bière dont sont imprégnés les murs qui créent cette atmosphère insolite.

Reconnaissable de loin par son enseigne en fer forgé, le pub nous accueille dans son antre les bras ouverts, prêt à offrir une parenthèse de détente à des vies bien stressantes. Dans un pub, le temps s’arrête et chacun vit à son rythme. Les commandes se passent au bar, laissant ainsi ses occupants le libre choix de se restaurer et de s’abreuver à leur convenance.

Les jours de la semaine voient défiler hommes et femmes à la recherche d’un lieu de détente à la sortie du travail tandis que le dimanche midi est réservé au traditionnel ‘Roast Dinner’ qu’aucune famille anglaise ne manquerait pour rien au monde. Viande rôtie et légumes de saison accompagnés de Yorkshire Pudding compose ce repas dominical que l’on partage autour d’une bonne bière.

Ce lieu vieux de deux cents ans est un héritage des romains qui, lors de leur passage sur le sol anglais allaient se rafraichir et se restaurer dans des ‘tavernes’. Avec leur départ, ces tavernes disparaissent mais les Anglos-Saxons conservent l’idée et fondent des maisons à bière adjacentes aux résidences principales. Pour indiquer à la population que le breuvage était prêt à être consommer, on accrochait un buisson vert à un poteau.  Le voisinage affluait alors pour se désaltérer, partager les derniers potins du village et prendre les décisions relatives à la communauté. Le pub était né !

English Pie – 4 personnes
Inspirée de la recette de notre cher Jamie Oliver
500g de viande hachée
3 carottes
3 bâtons de céleri
2 oignons
3 branches de romarin frais
3 feuilles de laurier
75 cl de bouillon de poulet
500g de pâte brisée
1 cuillère à soupe de sauce Worcestershire
1 cuillère à soupe de moutarde
2 cuillères à soupe de farine
Huile d’olive
Sel, poivre

Peler et émincer les oignons, les carottes et le céleri.
Emincer le romarin.
Dans un fait tout sur feu fort, faire chauffer l’huile d’olive et ajouter les légumes, le romarin et les feuilles de laurier.
Faire revenir pendant 10 mn ou jusqu’à ce que les légumes deviennent tendres.
Ajouter la viande hachée, mélanger quelques instants.
Ajouter la moutarde, la sauce Worcestershire et deux cuillères à soupe de farine.
Dissoudre le cube de bouillon de volaille dans 75 cl d’eau et verser dans le fait-tout.
Baisser le feu et laisser revenir pendant une heure en mélangeant de temps en temps.
Si cela devient trop liquide, rajouter de la Maïzena.

Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
Verser le mijoté de viande dans un plat rond allant au four.
Etalez la pâte pour former un cercle d’1 cm d’épaisseur, de la largeur du plat.
Avec les doigts, faire légèrement entrer la pâte entre le mélange et les cotés du plat.
Avec un couteau, enlever l’excès de pâte.
Utiliser une fourchette pour aplatir les cotés.
Faire un trou au milieu de la pâte en utilisant la pointe d’un couteau.
Dorer toute la surface avec le jaune d’œuf battu ou un peu de lait, à l’aide d’un pinceau.
Faire cuire au four pendant 40 mn. Servir.