Tuck & Vine

#blogeatblog

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:21:00 +0000

A great thing has been taking place down at Brick lane these last few weeks. The clever chap behind Big Apple Hotdogs decided that it was time that bloggers put their reputation where their mouth is.

In an open invitation to the blogging community, Abiye, founder of Big Apple Hotdogs sought to pit blogger against blogger in a 'winner takes all' competition. The objective, to devise the best hotdog topping for his dogs. No limits.

The reception has been fantastic. Bloggers from all fields have spent time and money carefully crafting their recipes, turning up on a Sunday afternoon and even stepping up to serve their topping to hoards of hungry hungry hipsters.

Always up for a challenge, I decided to enter and for Heat #2 (alongside Ian, Simon and Adam) devised a devilish Smoked Beetroot Mayo partnered with Kiwi Pinot Reduction.

On the day, the competition was tough but the sauces were well received. The winners of heat 2 are still being decided. With any luck i'll have the chance to try my hand in the impending final.

For those who haven't made it down, there's good news - you haven't missed out yet. There are still a few rounds of the competition left, not to mention the grand finale (date still TBC). To find out when and where, follow Big Apple Hotdogs on twitter or tune in to the twitter hashtag #blogeatblog. Until then, enjoy the photos from the first 3 heats. See you at the next one.

Vudu Cafe Queenstown - why can't all Brunches be this good?

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:27:00 +0000

In many ways Vudu Cafe, Queenstown is the quintessential New Zealand Cafe. Situated on a busy street in the heart of Queenstown, the Cafe has served both locals and tourists since 1997.

Upon entering, every visitor is given a genuine welcome before being directed to take a seat. The decor doesn't seem to have changed since they opened and could probably do with an update. This does however function to communicate a definite 'no-fuss' atmosphere. There's another, newer and more fashion conscious branch just around the corner, but let's not worry about that now, this one is old, pokey and red. Very red.

I bet you're already thinking 'So what?'. Open the menu and you'll find Housemade toasted Muesli. Perhaps I can tempt you with a bagel and cream cheese? How about some Banana bread?

Actually, how about that Banana bread? And not just Banana bread but lashings of Marscarpone. Marscarpone and Banana bread! And Marmellata. I'm not even sure what that is, but it's got figs and lemons and a good whack of sugar. Oh my days.

Please stop that now.

'No fuss' Coffee and Banana Bread

Turning the focus back to London for a moment. The 'Coffee renaissance' which is currently sweeping the capital has brought with it a number of interesting Antipodean-styled concepts.

These range from the (micro) man with a van through to the (macro) no-expense-spared 'Coffee temples' complete with espresso bar, Uberboiler and syphon rack. 'High-concept coffee' is the USP of such establishments, and whilst I have no argument with this at all there is, however another concept of Cafe which I believe to be an extremely successful model.

It is probably London scene - it's called great Coffee and bloody good food. And when these two meet, that's when you know you've found a real jem.

Vudu Cafe
23 Beach Street
Queenstown
New Zealand

Lucky Chip host Halloween Horror party tomorrow night

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Fresh off the heels from last weeks Tweat-up, the burger boys at Lucky Chip are doing it again.

To celebrate the passing of All Hallows evening, they've decided to get together with the frightfully kind folk from Off Broadway and conjure up a truckload of treats for those who love meat and liquor.

On the drinks front, the team from Off Broadway will be pulling pints and slinging shots. They've also produced a special edition Zombie Punch which will have you screaming for more.

Ben from Lucky Chip has also summoned a fiendishly delicious burger inspired by the legendary Nightmare on Elm Street series.

The Freddy Krueger features an aged beef patty topped with a mind blowing Bloody Mary sauce, children’s fingers (pork), bacon topped with all American cheese.

Get down and get your claws into it or forever live in purgatory.

Lucky Chip
Netil Market

E8 3RL

Single specialism Scotch Egg

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:23:00 +0000

Single specialism menu's are really doing well in London at the moment. I mean you've got pop-up Burger joints around every corner, Fried Chicken shacks down every other side street and even a Lobster Roll place every now and then. It was therefore without too much surprise that the Scotch Egg, a stalwart of the British menu, has been the latest item to be elevated to the peerage of 'single specialism dishes'.

What started as whisperings on Twitter soon developed into a full blown renaissance. This culminated in the 'Scotch Egg Challenge' held at the Ship, Wandsworth which i'm sure you've all read about since even national newspapers took time to report this.

The Tsuru Scotch Egg

Following on from this trend set by the seminal Scotch Egg Challenge event, Tsuru Sushi and Ramen decided a Japanese take on the Scotch Egg was just the thing which was missing from their menu. And who am I to doubt them? With two branches in close proximity to the Square Mile, there is no other better late night leveler than a pint of Asahi and a nice yolky egg encased in fried meat.

And weren't they good? Panko Breadcrumbs, soft beef mince, ginger, scallions, done just the right side of yolky. All of this helped along by a walloping of Katsu curry sauce and shards of sea salt (for those who like to self season).

And that was more or less it. It's not a complex thing at all. And therein lies its beauty. Tsuru start offering their scotch eggs this week. Cost? A pitiful 3.25. Who said that eating in the city was expensive?

Tsuru Sushi - Mansion House
10 Queen Street
EC4N 1TX

Closest tube: Mansion House or Bank

Tweat Up Chili Stand Off

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:23:00 +0000

Tweat Up Chili Stand Off took the best out of me this weekend.

Had a great time serving up the Chili, met loads of peeps, ate chili until it hurt.

Team Gizzi for life!

Here's how it all happened...

Giraffe, Soho Restaurant Review

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:44:00 +0000

I didn't even need to look up from my desk to see the sneers from my colleagues. 'You're going where'? 'Giraffe' I replied sheepishly. 'Soho' I quickly added with a hint of confidence. For the uninitiated, Giraffe is a 'family restaurant' which serves a rainbow of burgers, flatbreads, skewers and grilled meats to buggy wielding mothers and screaming children. Or so I thought.

Upstairs (photo Mystery)

As I walked through the doors I was immediately struck by the design and fit out (imagined by Mystery). This was not the Giraffe I knew. In place of snotty offspring and space buggy parks were twenty somethings and handpainted murals. Bare brick, piping and venting like it was going out of fashion. Officially Soho friendly. The upstairs area looked even better and I have no doubt is heaving most nights of the week. Unfortunately Soho on a Saturday afternoon can be a bit quiet at times. I dread to think how much rent they pay.

Michelle @tweetygourmet had kindly organised for myself and Jeanne @cooksisterblog to visit Giraffe 'Bar and Grill' in Soho, opened earlier this year. We were greeted by a team of fresh faced, but clearly spooked staff. They had been forewarned of our arrival, either that or rocking up to lunch with a couple of lenses and a DSLR isn't as conspicuous as it used to be.

Mimosa Punch

'Why not start with a cocktail?'. Yes please. That is, after all what Saturday afternoon's in Soho are all about. I browsed the list and then started again. Clearly whomever developed the cocktail list did so with 22 year old PR's in mind. Fruit, fruit, fruit, champagne.

I decided on the Bramble. The drink that arrived at the table was not a Bramble but a fruity syrup mash which looked like it had recently been revived from cryogenic storage. The monumental mountain of ice which had been erected in the middle bobbed up and down. The effects of cryogenic storage were fast wearing off and slowly emerging from their slushy existence onto the table. I (conspiculously) tried to scoop the offending ice mountain into another glass, but was spotted by one of the eagle eyed brigade assigned to keep a watch over us.

'Everything ok?' She asked nervously. 'Umm, yes. just a bit of overflow here'. I half considered sending it back. After glancing back at the 'Short and Serious' section of the cocktail list, I decided that there was indeed some cruel joke being played here, the list was indeed seriously short. I decided not to resurrect any more fruit and stuck with my lot.

Platter

J was running late, so we finally gave in to the insistent requests of the staff and opted for a rather tasty sounding sharing platter (17.95). Chicken satay, lime and coriander tiger prawns, teriyaki mushrooms and tofu, yakitori chicken plus nachos, crispy calamari and various dips. When the platter arrived I was soon thinking how it was possible to stray so far from the original brief. This was simple pub stuff surely, throw it on the grill or in the deep frier and we're done right?

Mo platter

Whilst I can't fault the presentation, almost all of the food on the platter suffered some kind of ailment. The corn chips were cast into place, solidified cheese holding them prisoner. Chicken was dry, calamari rings bounced and the mushrooms whilst succulent came with a patina of teriyaki which quickly gained adhesive qualities as it cooled. I nodded and smiled at the waitress, even gave her a thumbs up. Everything was just dandy.

Steak

Mains arrived and we were yet again mobbed by waiters, calling our dishes like it was bingo night. This one always gets me, how is it possible to get all of the dishes to the wrong people at a table of three? All the more so when you've just asked me how I would like my steak done and even brought me along a steak knife. Top tip waiters out there - draw a picture, write a description even - 'brown guy'.

The sides were excellent. Crispy onion rings, greasy, arterial. Slaw with poppy seeds, a stroke of brilliance. Sweet potato fries had us praising sweet baby Jesus.

With food piled high we swapped dishes. The Beef Short ribs (9.95) were done just right. Falling off the bone and came with a soy-honey sauce packed with umami but of the same consistency as the teriyaki patina we experienced before, messy.

The vege Burrito (8.95) was also done well, no need for meat here, although it doesn't quite match up to the amazing offers from both Wahaca and Poncho 8 just around the corner who between the two of them in my opinion have the Soho burrito market wrapped up.

Being a Bar and Grill I thought I'd check the quality of the meat and went with the 28 day Sirloin (15.95), ordered med rare this came out in shades of pink ranging from the desired med-rare at one end through to med-well at the other. An interesting gamut of 'doneness', but not quite what I was after. The Bearnaise didn't help this, a tepid, out of the pack remedy was slick and greasy.

Crumble

I longed for dessert. J went for the Toffee Apple Crumble (5.95), enough for two but i'd probably say that after a full meal this would easily do 4. Great value here. I polished a rather tasty cheesecake.

It's 8pm on a Thursday in Soho, you've just finished work and have arranged an impromptu night out with 4 mates. You're hungry and need somewhere to eat but also to drink, for 4, in Soho. Spuntino? And queue for 2 hours? crazy. Wahaca? too expensive, too popular.

Whilst the food may not be a foodies first choice, and the drinks sometimes missing the mark. Giraffe fills a gap in the market for those requiring a prompt meal and a place to start the evening in style.

Giraffe Soho

Service: 8
Fitout: 9
Food: 6
Drinks: 6

Superette Saturdays pop up on Broadway Market

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:17:00 +0000

This is all I know right now. More information in due course

October shots

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:18:00 +0000

It must be something to do with the end of summer, but all of a sudden some amazing shots have started to crop up once again on the 'Film' section of Flickr.

It has certainly been a while since I found so many great shots in such a short space.

Enjoy

Click here to see them large

Sushi and Natural wine @ Tsuru

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:46:00 +0000

I love Japanese food. Really love it, as in 'could eat it every day for lunch and dinner and maybe breakfast too' (but only if I can have super-thick toast). Unfortunately up until this point, almost every Japanese food experience which i've had in the UK has been marbled with disappointment. This certainly hasn't been from lack of adventure. I've tried it all, frozen 'made in Iceland' supermarket sushi, soggy street samples and - worst of all - overpriced, poorly executed 'high end' Japanese complete with smiling Sake waiter.

It was thus with a certain amount of apprehension that I accepted the invitation to a Sushi and Natural Wine evening hosted at Tsuru Sushi, Mansion House. I read the invitation again, 'Natural Wines on the evening supplied by Les Caves de Pyrene'. Natural Wines. Another grain of salt. Having being schooled in the wonders of sulphur rinse and winery sanitation at Stonyridge Vineyard, I was all too familiar with the horror stories told to me by the winemaker of oxidised, brown and funky wine that natural ferments can produce.

Phil

Phil from Les Caves de Pyrene and our host for the tasting was there to set the record straight. Natural wine doesn't just differ in the way that it is produced - it completely refuses to align itself to conventional wine at all, not in colour, aroma nor flavour.

In fact, it was these unusual and 'funky' elements which made all of these wines unique. As you'll see noted in the tasting notes above 'Haziness is natural!'.

The first wine was a Prosecco di Conegilano from Veneto, Italy. With a cloudy appearence and a nose of mineral, citrus and rock, this wine had nothing to do with the superlatively sweet examples better suited to the 'Hair of the dog Mimosa'. The match was Salmon and Avocado Uramaki, delicious and served at the right temperature - crucial. A simple match done well. We were off to a good start.

The Verdicchio dei Castelli de Jesi Clasico 'Gino' 2010, Fattoria San Lorenzo, Italy, or 'Gino' for short is a biodynamic white wine made to age. Even at such a young stage its nose of nutty apricot and nectarine foretold a creamy palate and a finish which reminded me of freshly baked biscotti. This was well matched with seared Asparagus and Prawns in garlic butter - the Verdicchio a wine made with food in mind.

Fast-forwarding to the reds, Phil pulled out a strong (like a farmyard) smelling 2010 Morgon from producer Marcel Lapierre. On it's own I wouldn't give rave reviews to this wine - it was well made, and delivered as you would expect from young Beaujolais - honest, light fruity, friendly, juicy. What really made this wine sing was the Karage chicken which came fresh from the deep fryer. Needless to say, this didn't last long. Slathered with a bit of fatty 'QP' Japanese mayo the chefs at Tsuru had once again managed to come up with a winning pairing. No photo of the Karage, but i'm sure you can imagine how pieces of fried chicken might look.

The night progressed quickly. Conversation was diverted away from the provisions in front of us and onto inappropriate topics including diets, marathons and other such slander. Sensing a gap, Phil quickly took the opportunity and grabbed our attention one last time to introduce the final act. Describing the Estezargues Les Galets Rouge 2010 from the Rhone valley as 'Unfiltered, unsulphured and unfined', I braced myself for a puckeringly tannic experience. It never came, the Grenache Syrah blend, although slightly cloudy in appearance was fresh and soft with a eucalyptus character which I could swear was a bit of cabernet thrown into the mix. The dessert match served up was powerful, minute chunks of brownie. Perhaps not the best match of the night, but definitely heading along the right track.

And all of a sudden it was time to go. Being a 'school night' I fought the temptation to remain and finish off the rest of the bottles, although I am assured they didn't go to waste.

The wrap

Tsuru was founded on the principle that Japanese food should be good quality, affordable and fresh. I'm happy to report that it is indeed all of the above, I was impressed both by the quality and authenticity of the food, especially given the reasonable price point. On the wine side, Phil from Les Caves did an amazing job of choosing the right wines to match the dishes. As I noted above this is notoriously difficult and i'd be remiss to claim that all of the dishes were perfect matches for the wine. Nevertheless I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Japanese and likes to drink without breaking the bank.

The brave Japanese and natural wine matchers among you will be pleased to know that the wines we tasted are now on offer at all Tsuru branches across the capital. In addition, the team at Tsuru have a full event series planned in the coming months, for more information about tastings and sushi making classes, check the events section of their website.

The next time you have a hankering for Wagamama's or a salaryman's Japanese blowout on Brewer Street, do yourself a favour, save the expense on food and get some great wine to pair with it instead.

Tsuru Sushi - Mansion House
10 Queen Street
EC4N 1TX

Closest tube: Mansion House or Bank

The return of Dante Fried Chicken x LDN Taco Shack - because once is never enough

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Just as I was ruing my decision to remain in London for the August bank holiday weekend things started to look up.

Firstly - There was a brewery opening around the corner with enough beer and pizza to sink a ship.
Secondly - The fine folks over at Earnest Endeavours and Black Atlantic decided to hold a huge 'off-carnival' shin dig mere minutes away from the brewery. Parties don't get more convenient than this.

On show alongside Alexander Nut, The Blessings and someone from the Numbers crew was Dante Gonzales aka Dante Fried Chicken - LA's most notorious street food extraordinaire.

Dante and his adoring fans

His mission (which he completely dominated) was to deliver his trade mark fried chicken and authentic homestyle sides to an audience of hundreds, which he did so with deft skill despite power cuts and frier malfunctions. The food? Imagine your mum cooking you a homestyle all american southern fried chicken meal. Not only was the chicken next level, the sides - the mac & cheese, cornbread and salad were all on point.

For those of you who were napping, there's good news. Dante has joined up with the team at Protein to set up a 3-day pop up taco shack at their Hewett Street HQ. Dante will be serving up Mexican street food with a Dante Fried Chicken twist. On the menu is Sock-It-To-Me Fried Chicken Tacos, Blueberry Guinness Smoked Brisket and Tamales, serious stuff.

The pop up shack starts Friday 2nd September at noon and is on till Sunday 4th. See below for more details.

DFC weekend menu

Dante Fried Chicken LDN Taco Shack
18 Hewett Street
London
EC2A 3NN

Closest transport: Old Street or Liverpool Street

Opening Times:
Friday 2nd September: 12pm - 4pm / 6pm - 11 pm
Saturday 3rd September: 12pm - 4pm / 6pm - 11pm
Sunday 4th September: 12pm - 7pm

Meat N16 - Butcher in the front Liquor in the back

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:21:00 +0000

As the media struggled to digest the new ruling from the EU about water content in Bacon last month, a new retailer opened its doors without much of a fuss, promising to forever change the way that residents of Stoke Newington think about animal flesh and fermented grape juice.

Located on the main stretch of Church Street, 'Meat N16' is a unique retail concept combining a Butcher and Wine merchant, an almost natural match which I've not yet seen done well in London.

Three walls of glossy white tiles are the first thing you see upon entering, one could be mistaken that they might have walked into the wrong end of the shop. However this is all part of plan to bring the customer centre-stage, creating an unexpected but welcome surprise. I marvelled as large slabs of aged beef were hauled from cooled display cabinets and sliced to my preferred thickness, all right in front of me.

Service is the name of the game here, and under the careful guidance of the friendly and knowledgeable butcher, I was soon convinced that only a 3" thick-28 day aged sirloin steak would suffice for dinner (which it did very well).

The Wine Store

If you can manage to make it through the 'meat theater' and to the back of the shop, you'll find shelf upon shelf of quality wine, carefully chosen by Mark from Planet of the Grapes. Organised with the wine illiterate in mind, the Wine is categorised according to its best meat match (rather than country or price). This is a simple adjustment, but one which will hopefully see consumers stepping outside their regional or varietal comfort zones and trying something different.

Included in the range are bins from renown produces from all the usual producing countries, and importantly, available at a reasonable price. If in doubt, a cheerful Bitten & Written can usually be found nearby to assist with selection.

All of this has popped up rather quickly and is proving a hit already. Meal N16 isn't standing still however, with plans for further development of a cafe and restaurant already in the works. This will see further use made of the basement and outdoor area, opening as a butcher, wine merchant and cafe in the Spring of 2012.

Meat N16
104 Stoke Newington Church Street,
Hackney N160LA

Closest transport: Stoke Newington Overground

Homeslice creates a movable feast of wood-fired pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Homeslice: A new concept from three kiwi friends of mine who have decided that London is in desperate need of quality wood-fired pizza, available by the slice.

Much more info to follow on this one, but for the moment check the show above to see some mouthwatering shots of the pies they've been cooking this weekend at the London Fields Brewery Launch.

Homeslice Website and Twitter

London Fields Brewery launches this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:43:00 +0000

'Two blokes, one brewery, some great grains and hops. Bringing you some fantastic beers'

This weekend marks the official launch of the London Fields Brewery. Set up by long time beer enthusiasts and local food entrepreneurs Jules and Ian (who also owns Climpson and Sons on Broadway Market), London Fields Brewery follows the inspiration set by Campaign for Real Ale - brewing preservative free pale ales and 'proper' lager, unfiltered and using the finest hops and grain they could lay hands on.

The crowd yesterday

When a brewery opens up less than a ten minute walk from your house, there isn't much more selling required other than the fact that they have beer. I headed down yesterday around midday to see what was going on and was met by a throng of revelers who had already been there for hours sampling the breweries first batches.

If you're still around London this weekend I strongly suggest heading down. The 'launch' runs until Monday 29th. Each day there's live jazz, blues and folk music as well as gorgeous fresh food – log fired pizza (courtesy of Homeslice), a bbq cooking up halloumi, chicken and sausage wraps with salads and, most importantly 5 types of ale in addition to their flagship London Fields Lager.

The London Fields Brewery
374 Helmsley Place E8 3SB
Hackney

Closest transport: London Fields, Bethnal Green or Hackney Central

Giant Robot - Monday mini-post

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 06:02:00 +0000

Giant Robot menu

There's a fair amount to be written about Giant Robot, Clerkenwell. I could write about the amazing fit out, raw girders, gritty floors, gilded ceilings. I could write about their simple but wonderful food: meatballs, sauces, sliders, crostini, small plates. I could also write about their extensive and original cocktail menu which I didn't even look at because I was to busy drinking Lagerita's.

However, sometimes it's just best to go somewhere and see these things for oneself.

GIANT ROBOT
45-47 Clerkenwell Road
City of London EC1M 5RS

Closest tube: Farrington

The Do Over brings a package of LA summer vibes to London BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:41:00 +0000

The word spread quickly on Twitter: The Do Over was bringing their legendary Los Angeles summer party to London for one day only. Since 2005, this Sunday session has seen everyone ranging from Flying Lotus through to Quantic and Jazzy Jeff grace the decks for afternoons of sun, fun, food and music. After RSVPing the only thing left to do was to grab some beers, head down early and pray for decent weather.

Warming up slowly, the numbers rose rapidly and, in true British style a line the length of Rivington Street quickly formed.

With the beats blasting, the beer flowing and the sun setting, it seemed much more fun to stand at the back and watch it all unfold, although once Gaslamp Killer was up it was time to head in.

Gaslamp Killer

The 'line-up' crew was as dedicated as ever and many duly queued for hours in the hope of seeing some of the action. I'm not sure if any of these poor folks pictured above actually made it in, such was the demand.

A nice way to spend the afternoon really. I hope they decide to Do it Over again next year.

The Do Over London, a set on Flickr.

August

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:48:00 +0000

It's been a minute since the last Tuck & Vine update. Here are some nice shots from Flickr that i've come across recently.

Dawn to Dusk and the arrival of BBQ weather in London

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Dawn

For some odd reason I woke up at 5am on Saturday. Perhaps it was my body telling me to make the most of the stunning weather which has graced the UK for the last few days. Rather than trying to shut out the light and catch some more sleep I decided instead to take the bike out for a spin and see what was happening in East London at this witching hour.

First stop was Hackney Wick, where the Hackney WickED festival was still taking place from the night before. The streets were strewn with bottles and revelers from the night previous, wandering around in a dazed trying to escape by any means possible.

Continuing down and alongside the Olympic Park, I stopped to catch a glimpse of the Stadium and the half finished Anish Kapoor Orbit which is slowly but determindly rising above the rest of east London.

After circling around the neglected streets of Newham and Tower Hamlets (and through the fortress that is Canary Wharf), I was back at London Fields where those whose days were both finishing and starting came together in a slightly awkward way.

Dusk

The evening was all about an impromptu BBQ in Clapton. Hailing from Hackney Central we were naturally treated with suspicion and classed as outsiders. However our obliging hosts served up an amazing feast which involved a fair amount of Halloumi and more inspiration from Mr Ottolenghi.

Skewers

Oh my Maille! Ms Marmite brings a mustardy feast to Spitalfields market

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:57:00 +0000

'Seven courses of mustard' the invitation read (the feint palated and mustard atheists among you might want avert your eyes). Ms Marmite was once again at the forefront of the Supper Club movement, this time by collaborating with the ubiquitously French mustard brand Maille which opened the doors of its Mustard Boutique for a few days last month to showcase their new range of mustards.

Ms Marmite had taken on the challenge of hosting the Maille supper club events in an attempt to showcase this divisive substance in seven different ways. Arriving last I was seated amongst a clutch of bloggers and other media at the end of the long Mustard Bar, complete with mustard pump. As expected, Kerstin (aka Ms Marmite) was centre-stage conducting affairs with both pomp and precision.

Mustardy Mary

'Here you go love', a Mustardy Mary complete with celery and mustard seeds was thrust into my hands. Forget Bombay Martini's, this drink had real potential for an aperitif, hair of the dog and everything else in between.

Gravadlax

A minute had not yet passed and my other hand was suddenly holding a an endive leaf filled with Gravadlax. This is a wonderful way to eat salmon and made me think that those poor Scandinavians who broadly have yet to discover the joys of honey mustard paired with cured salmon.

Artichoke

It wouldn't be a Ms Marmite meal without a bit of ceremony. This came in the form of steamed artichokes which a surprising amount of attendees had never encountered in their entire form.

Dijon

Using our hands, we worked our way towards the sweet spot hidden away in the centre of the flower, pausing along the way to slather the leaves in heavenly Dijon. Ponderings about the fat content of this particular Mustard were soon replaced by a realisation that finishing this dish might actually be unattainable. Most of my counterparts retired early, preferring to save themselves for further courses, but missing out on the real treasure found at the heart.

Haddock & Asian greens

Limited oven space meant we were allowed a short pause before tacking the main event - Smoked Haddock with wholegrain mustard and cheese, accompanied by Asian mustard greens. The Haddock / wholegrain partnership was bewitching and got me thinking that I don't have enough of these three in my diet. The Asian greens also seemed to be an unusual pairing but worked in concert with the fish, two mustard elements in a single dish, another one for the notebook.

Cheese and pastry

Cheeses courtesy of Mons cheesemongers followed. The others had been saving themselves for this. I immediately set upon the Moustardier, doubling it with the Mustard palmiers which Ms Marmite had freshly baked.

Intrigued to see what part mustard would play in the final course, I ignored the brain signals that keep most people thin and soldiered on. Candied mustard fruit was intricately laced into the homemade Tutti frutti ice cream. Despite the protest of full stomachs entire bowls of this soon disappeared.

All of a sudden it was time to go, the hours had whizzed by thanks to good company, hearty mustardy fare and excellent wine courtesy of Ten Green Bottles and the sounds of the French countryside brought to us by the talented Tom Baker on accordian. As a parting gift we were handed Ms Marmite's recently released book 'Supper Club' which I later perused whilst eating some Maille Congac mustard straight out of the jar.

Salmon, honey mustard salad

The following evening, I decided to continue the mustard trip. Using the first course as inspiration, I threw together a quick salad with salmon, potatoes dill and some Maille honey mustard. It was a real hit with my friends and ended up finishing half the jar mostly by using it to dip new potatoes into.

The Ms Marmite x Maille collaboration was a huge success, for no other condiment (with perhaps the exception of ketchup) would this be possible, no feat to be sniffed at.

Finally, for anyone considering purchasing Supper Club, I thoroughly recommend it. Combining recipes with an intriguing narrative about the joint origins and evolution of this recently popularised phenomenon, Supper Club leaves the reader both informed and exited about their future - which will without a doubt involve more brand collaborations of this sort.

London weekend food and wine adventures 30-31 July

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Summer really seems to have hit its stride with a cluster of events all taking place over the course of this weekend. Below is a quick overview of just three based around South and West London ensuring that you won't go hungry. Lets just hope that the weather behaves itself.

The Vintner @ Vintage, Southbank

Real Street Food Festival, Southbank

An essential part of the 'Vintage at Southbank Centre' celebrations currently taking place in Waterloo this weekend, the Real Street Food Festival has brought together a set of distinctive and authentic vendors to serve up their best quality products. See their webpage here.

If you do stop by, I highly recommend checking out The Vintner, (the wine merchant from Chelsea) who have brought along their recently refurbished Citroën H Van 'Hugo' to serve up some excellent summer tipples including some Henri Fave Champagne, some zingy Prosecco and some lovey Rose from the Languedoc which is killer when chilled.

Foodies Festival, Battersea Park

Described as 'Taste of London on a small scale', this festival run by Foodies Magazine brings together award winning chefs, small producers and drinks brands for a three day celebration in Battersea Park.

Chef lineup

I took a quick look in this afternoon and things looked pretty quiet, although the line-up of chefs for the weekend looked pretty impressive. Also worth a mention is the Hendricks Gin stand, where they've gone all out with the speakeasy / curios theme handing out G&T's to thirsty festival goers.

Cloudy Bay shack 2010

Cloudy Bay Shack, Parsons Green

Finally the legendary New Zealand winery Cloudy Bay have decided to re-run their hugely successful pop-up 'shack', camped on Parsons Green, West London for this weekend only. I visited the shack last year and found it too easy to try my way through the range of wines they had brought along to match with the menu which this year has been designed by Skye Gyngell from Petersham Nurseries.

To find out more check out Facebook for all the details.

The Sunday Club Cupping Class

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Somewhere in the last twelve months or so London went and got all geeky with its coffee. There are now more cafe's than ever and in true London fashion there is healthy competition between them all for the titles of most interesting blend, best atmosphere, tastiest food and of course the best brew.

I attribute much of this growth to my fellow countrymen (and maybe a few Aussies), tired of the overheated bitter sludge offered up around the capital, they have have sought to import a small bit of the vibrant Cafe culture back home, roasting and brewing their socks off to improve coffee standards in the UK.

Latching onto this enthusiasm, ex Tapped and Packed manager and all around knowledgeable chap Victor Frankowski has teamed up with colleague Rob Dunne to offer Cupping and Brewing classes to Coffee Enthusiasts from all around London under the title 'The Sunday Club'.

The club exists to 'attract like minded people who love coffee, food and flavours for a fun and educational experience'. Being a bit of a wine person myself, the idea of understanding a little more about tasting Coffee really appeals to me. As I stood outside the door to the Disappearing Dining Club, I felt a little daunted by the face that I had no idea whatsoever about how to actually taste coffee.

Notes

Having run the club for a good few months now, Victor has refined the experience into a laid back, but extremely informative two hour session which covers the origins of Coffee, palate calibration and tasting tutorial along with the actual cupping session.

Aroma test

Following a short introduction to Coffee, where and how it is made and its origins, we were invited to enliven our noses, identifying the contents of three glasses of liquid - Cinnamon, Vanilla and Aniseed - all found in the nose of a good blend.

Sensitivity

Next up was the sensitivity test, where we shut off our noses and relied on our tongues to ascertain yet more anonymous liquids in glasses. The identification of acidity, sweetness and bitterness are all key components in wine tasting which are regularly used when judging the balance and quality of a wine. Vic did a good job of stripping back these sensations making us drink lemon water, salty water, coke and soy to identify where they landed on the tongue.

Flavour

Using the knowledge gleaned from the first two tests, the class was then directed to graze from the platter of delights in the centre of the table to assist our flavour profiling. Consuming food in this way is key to training ones palate, and not at all a chore!

Texture

More unidentified liquids followed as we turned our attention to texture and weight. Closing our noses, we focused on viscosity and palate weight by trying skim, full fat and condensed milk.

Cupping

Finally, we were ready for the Cupping session. Measuring the coffee in grams and the brews in seconds, cupping is a precise exercise which takes place in complete silence over the course of 20 minutes. Since coffee evolves as it cools, the practice requires participants to taste and re-taste, noting the aromas, flavours and textures which emerge and decline as time passes.

Crust

A key component to ensuring that the brews are consistent is to ensure that each example has equal amounts of exposure and extraction (hence the timing and the weighing). Once a few minutes have passed, and the liquid has cooled and extracted sufficiently the tasting begins. This is done with large spoons, spitoons and loud sips followed by much contemplation and further slurping.

The Cupping was definitely one of the most unique events i've been to in London so far and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you get the chance I really recommend that you check them out. You'll leave a changed person.

To take a look at the full set of photos, use the slideshow above or use this link

For more information visit The Sunday Club London where full details of all forthcoming tastings and sessions are posted along with timings and prices.

The Sunday Club
held at
Disappearing Dining Club
31 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 2BJ

Nearest tube: Old Street

Coffee Shots - Notes Music & Coffee sounds like decent coffee in Central London

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Cortado

Who would have thought a smart, quiet and aesthetically pleasing space could exist just minutes away from the roaming European tourist hoards of Leicester and Trafalgar Squares. Even more shocking, who would have thought that at this place there would be decent coffee available at a fair price? Welcome to Notes, Music & Coffee

A novel idea for a cafe, Notes uses its well designed interior as a retail space for DVD's, CD's and sheet music whilst serving up top class coffee (Square Mile). Like all good coffee places in London, there is a distinctly antipodean feeling about the whole place, there is a quiet buzz and good vibe about the place which can keep one there for hours, oblivious to the jostle and hustle of the streets of London.

Add caption

The menu is diverse enough so that European customers can find their regular brew, cortardo's sit alongside piccolo's and flat whites. We found the barista's to be knowledgeable but humble people with a steak of nerdiness about them (I spotted a syphon coffee being prepared for another customer).

The food looked tasty although I didn't have the time to sample any, i'd happily return at a later date to do so.

Notes Music & Coffee
31 St. Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4ER

Nearest tube: Charing Cross

Coffee Shots - Climpson and Sons, Broadway Market, London Fields

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:08:00 +0000

The blends @ Climpsons

It's been a short hiatus, but Coffee Shots are back!

Climpsons is one of my all time favourite London cafe's, they've been around for donkey's years (As far as London cafe's go), roast their own coffee and are staffed by a team of friendly Antipodeans (mostly).

As well as the shop on Broadway market, Climpsons have a separate roastery where they toil over steaming vats to perfect seasonal blends which supply a number of trade outlets as well as customers who buy from their webshop.

Recently, the roasters have been cupping their hears out and have just last month announced their 'Summer Blend' made up of Ethiopian Sidamo and Brasil Daterra Estate Santa Colomba available in their webshop here or in store.

Food-wise, if the stomach is grumbling, their sandwiches are second to none. I can recommend their aubergine and feta or their legendary Hummus, Tomato and Halloumi which has market regulars leaving the leftovers at home. More images after the jump

Flats

Clients

Sandwiches

George

Flat art

The grinder

Fin and Flounder Supper Club

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Hailing from a nation which provides visitors with with hundreds of opportunities to eat amazing seafood, I was pretty disappointed when I arrived on these fair shores to discover that Britain really wasn't up to the mark when it came to selling quality seafood. I sighed at Sainsbury's and wept at Waitrose when approaching the fish counter - all to often a sorry looking ice bucket filled with opaque slices of relatively cheap but unsustainable varieties.

You can imagine how my heart leapt with joy when I discovered the Fin and Flounder on Broadway market, a neat little fishmonger dedicated to supplying high quality and sustainable fish. This happiness was once again rekindled when Fin and Flounder announced that they would be establishing their own supper club, using only produce available in the shop on Broadway Market.

Taking over F Cooke’s Pie and Mash Shop at the bottom end of Broadway Market, the Fin and Flounder gang planned to substitute Jellied eels and mash for a full throttle seven course seafood soiree. To read about each of the dishes we were served up, the lovely lass Gin & Crumpets has written up a blow by blow account of the entire meal.

The inaugural event was a total hit and the guys have supper club events lined up until the end of summer. Their next event, a mexican feast is this coming Thursday and you can buy tickets for it here.

Here are a few photos of the dishes from the night

The Menu

Amuse - potted shrimp, salmon pate

Scallop Ceviche

Pickled Mackerel

Crab salad and Samphire

Roast whiting, triple cooked chips

Oysters!

Gooseberry crumble

Richard, Fin and Flounder founder

Honourable mention must go out to the chefs Adam from Fin and Flounder and Shed Likes Food who were busy all day making sure that everything would be just right on the evening.

Glynde Food Festival champions English Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:59:00 +0000

English Sparkling, still and rose

I visited Glynde Food and English Wine Festival for the first time this weekend. Set in the beautiful and historic grounds of Glynde Place - a 16th century country house in the heart of the South Downs - the festival offers the biggest English wine gathering in the country, and has become a key platform for the English wine industry to showcase their best wines to consumers from across the UK and particularly the South-East.

English wine masterclasses were held on both days which headed up by Stephen Skelton MW and wine judge Joe Wadsack. The tasting sessions allowed participants to taste five wines including English sparkling, white and rose.

The best part of the masterclass was where we served two wines blind, one Champagne and one English Sparkling and asked the audience to see if they could discern one from the other. Participants were surprised at the high quality and I was personally enlightened to see such great examples being produced right here in England.

Starting with just one small tent the festival has grown quickly and next year will no doubt be a key focus for the English Wine industry with the 2012 Olympics taking place around the same time.

For more information visit the Glynde Food Festival website.

This is how twitter looks from the sky over London

noreply@blogger.com (Louis) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:50:00 +0000

See something or say something: London, a photo by Eric Fischer on Flickr.

Seen this yet? Tweets in blue, Flickrs in red, white = both.