tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388969852009-11-05T20:42:55.522ZAbulafianoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125Subscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSatges on life's gastronomic way.tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-12555373652903058352009-11-05T15:10:00.003Z2009-11-05T16:04:35.104Z

L’Ecrivain3 course lunch for two1 glass of Prova Regia white wine (fresh, fruity, good length, good balance of acidity)1 glass of house Prosecco1 coffee12% optional service charge included.€75Pro’s: Everything. Service, price, atmosphere, food.Cons: Slight oversalting, to my palate (on the veloute, pithivier, and chicken).Is cucumber jelly a one taste pony?Uninspiring risotto option on the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/11/lunch-for-two-at-lecrivain-set-lunch.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-40269654640688029052009-11-02T21:41:00.005Z2009-11-02T22:25:37.250Z

OK....so, now that idleness has thrust it's happy self upon me, thank you credit crunch, financial wizards, Wolfean Masters of the Universe, and lax city regulation....I've some time on my hands. Several months worth of the stuff. And damned tricky stuff to handle it is too, I don't mind telling you. Daytime drinking only gets you so far.However, I don't miss the chest tightening terror that

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/11/idleness-has-thrust-its-happy-self-upon.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-18512163161292999932009-10-31T09:53:00.001Z2009-11-03T11:39:24.532Z

Video for Herve This style Chocolate Chantilly - dairy free chocolate mousse.

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/chocolate-chantilly.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-44223566496857280022009-10-27T20:16:00.004Z2009-10-31T10:04:15.757Z

Herve This style., or so, of entirely unexpected cooking. A kind of year of cooking dangerously, or so I had imagined it before the Julie and Julia film came out.....I've ordered the chemicals, picked out the recipes, made a list, and the next months are to be spent cracking open pigs skulls, pressing pates, whipping up oddly flavoured spheres, caviars, and counter instinctual constructions. And

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/chocolate-mousse.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-91041307527411269832009-10-26T15:10:00.001Z2009-11-03T11:39:24.533Z

Rosehip syrup, recipe below.....

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/rosehip-syrup_26.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-55752328618718499012009-10-26T10:44:00.009Z2009-10-26T15:09:14.801Z

As October has shortened it's days, in these past few weeks, the hedgerows have become fat with berries. Sloes, purple dusted, clustered like unsung grapes......blackberries, bursting with sweet and apple flavours picked glistening with rain from the bushes, fat hips blushing in crowded communion on their thorny bushes....It's been a good autumn, the late sun has brought out the best in them. We

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/rosehip-syrup.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-65435081573887015882009-10-15T12:21:00.001+01:002009-11-03T11:39:24.534Z

Fresh Pasta from Scratch

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/pastafresca-0001.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-66376097690894927492009-10-15T11:21:00.007+01:002009-10-15T12:27:24.573+01:00

After making cream cheese on the stove top, and cooking up some onion jam, we put together some fresh pasta from scratch, and put the whole lot together into cannelloni, with chard from the garden...Autumn already, and still such ample and delicious bounty blowsily lounging in their beds......I've found 8 large leaves, harvested from the outside of the plant (twist the stalk at the base, near the

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/fresh-pasta.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-5097015161195327422009-10-14T21:26:00.004+01:002009-10-14T21:45:38.093+01:00

To go with the cream cheese, served fresh on plain bread. Delicious. Also had it with last nights bangers and mash, a classic combination wth all things porcine. Cold with cheese it coils up in candied stickysweet mounds of caramelised onion, with the deep taste of port, and a little Rosemary humming just underneath everything else.Ingredients3 medium sized Red onions, very thinly sliced. As much

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/onion-jam.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-2585044798068560532009-10-14T13:21:00.001+01:002009-11-03T11:39:24.535Z

Homemade cream cheese video

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/homemadecreamcheese_14.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-15128958250961474662009-10-14T13:17:00.003+01:002009-10-14T13:23:19.237+01:00

It's simple, quick, cheap and easy. Almost curiously unmysterious. And, with thirty minutes of your time, you can cook up a half kilo of creamy and uncomplicated deliciousness. Unsalted, unsweetened, and with no additives.2 litres of goats cheese, badly strained, yielded about half a kilo of cream cheeese. The texture was smooth, melting nicely in the mouth, no graininess, and fatty enough to

Keithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16827613928281997774noreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2009/10/homemadecreamcheese.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-15964200518525809082008-11-16T15:11:00.005Z2008-11-16T15:41:48.837Z

Taken, once again, from the Murphy's Ice Cream book,(full recipe availabe at the link) Earl Grey Ice Cream (photo to follow).Quite delicious apparently. Apparently, as I am not a huge fan. Others enthusiastically were though, and the plans for utter Christmas domination can continue apace. It's part of a series of experiments geared up towards an unorthodox Christmas treat. Breakfast for

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com3http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/11/blinde-by-simplicity.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-7733739604228821852008-10-25T12:19:00.004+01:002008-11-05T22:31:17.442Z

A quick, somewhat grim video (culled from Ruhlman's blog), detailing the making of Testa, (also called Copa Di Testa, or Headcheese in America, or, in these parts , Brawn). Warning, the video contains a skinned pigs head being boiled and broken down for meat. The squeamish may not be pleased.....Pigs heads are available for about a fiver, ears intact, from Buckleys on Moore Street, and I may

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/10/linkfest-and-list-of-culinary-to-dos.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-84712403632465342432008-10-15T21:14:00.006+01:002008-10-16T19:50:02.067+01:00

Physics, chemistry and cream. To egg or not to egg. That is the question.Heres the short version. For some of the science see below.....Lessons learned....Custard based creams are definitely smoother.Strain the custard, gently.Small containers are best.Watch the custard like the family priest at a kindergarten.Stir the custard, stir the mix.Powerfreeze is the boss. Minus 25. Minus 18 is the bare

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com1http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/10/experiments-in-theatre-of-ice-cream.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-77071052164154131722008-10-15T20:35:00.004+01:002008-10-15T21:04:18.211+01:00

A heartwarming, deepdown, soul hugger of a little soup. One for cold days, one for rain streaked windows. One for wind, and wet. Cook for someone you love. It's that kind of soup.Puy lentil soup, straight out of the North of Italy. This one is lifted and slightly adapted from Giorgio Locatelli (the pheasant ravioli video is fantastic), and his Made in Italy (free recipes at this link) book. A

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/10/one-for-fluffy-bunnies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-41713323803899567272008-10-04T16:16:00.004+01:002008-10-04T16:46:09.589+01:00

From China, and Persia, to our modern plates.Once again, taken quite happily from Falling Cloudberries, Caramel Ice-Cream. It's a simple to make, low maintainance ice cream. Good without, and, more importantly, without an ice cream machine. Of the various recipes I've tried so far, it's turned out to be the easiest, and, so far, quite reliable. Howvere, a little more experimentation is required

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/10/caramel-ice-cream.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-82079975136249268352008-09-30T20:28:00.004+01:002008-09-30T21:55:16.878+01:00

terrible joke. Terrible. Recipe number two from the triumphant return of the gorgeous C. Though somewhat selfishly made (C is somewhat of a.....regretful non meat eater.) I'm fairly sure Lor over at Italian foodies has cooked this one up before me. Or maybe it was Bibliocook. Still. Who am I to look gift content in the mouth.Ok then. Spanakopita.Greek/Cypriot filo parcels, again from Falling

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-wing-and-prayerokok.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-59624962778842048242008-09-29T19:25:00.005+01:002008-09-29T20:18:15.346+01:00

Seems like time spirals away from one. So ensconced in work that I have not had time to cook....Still. Here's to resolutions, eh?Below, please note, an eclectic spread prepared for the triumphant return of the Gorgeous C. Mainly lifted from Tessa Kiros's Falling Cloudberries........Please excuse the photo quality.To wit, spanakopita, bottom right hand corner. Baked leaks in Bechamel, an

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com3http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2008/09/great-rooted-blossomers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-57246832582292472982008-02-08T22:45:00.000Z2008-02-08T22:52:57.126Z

Ish.Thinking more and more about the theory and thought behind how I cook.This perfection thing is tricky. Thinking about the difference between a good commercial kitchen, and a talented home chef is perhaps useful.Lets put aside the more obvious things. Dedicated staff, equipment. Budget. Prep chefs. These are all limitations that the home chef has to overcome.Repetition. I'm guessing a starter

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com4http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/12/in-search-of-perfection.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-63837910942181222962007-12-05T13:18:00.000Z2008-02-08T22:54:23.455Z

Always an interesting site. Just hit the search button. Shows closure and improvement orders served over the last several months to food outlets around the country. From those fine people at the FSA. Look up and embarass food service outlets in your area with awkward questions.Michael Ruhlman has started up a new blog to complement his just released book, the Elements of Cooking. I've got a copy

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/12/random-noise.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-16010209880302289222007-09-26T19:36:00.000+01:002008-11-13T04:14:40.430Z

Simplicity itself, lifted straight from the encylopaedic pages of the Silver Spoon. Measurements will be vague, imprecise, and guesstimated wherever included.I'm a lover, not a baker.Ingredients.A packet of leeks. My packet of leeks contained three.For the bechamelMilkFlour (very circa 60g)Butter (again, circa 60 g)NutmegSaltBlack pepperCheese (Emmental and Parmesan), grated.Breadcrumbs.Bring a

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com6http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/09/baked-leeks-with-bechamel.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-6054598991930798162007-09-26T18:04:00.000+01:002007-09-28T11:17:41.606+01:00

I'm at the circular table, sitting in the two tone cream and burning orange kitchen, my chair jammed up against the corner. The smallest space. Being the youngest I could most easily wriggle into it. My fathers 3/4 pint mug filled. A plate of toast. Pots of Fruitfield marmalade with slivers of zest. Everyday orange juice. A lifetime of sqeez. It's faintly powdery taste remains with me. In the

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com6http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/09/memories-mk2.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-16099746332568864502007-09-25T18:32:00.000+01:002007-09-25T19:10:33.443+01:00

Reading Nigel Slater's post in this weeks Observer, publicising his new book.Interesting idea - the actual, real food that characterises the British food identity, past and present. Jammie Dodgers, tea cakes - those glutinously addictive marshmallow and chocolate wafer domes. The perfect way to eat a kit kat. Obsessively. Keeping the tin foil perfectly unruffled. And nibbling off the chocolate

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com2http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/09/memories.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38896985.post-28923491957480865852007-09-22T10:27:00.000+01:002007-09-22T10:30:28.938+01:00

For my own reference. Me mouthing off on the Guardian website, about this story.It's Ode On a Grecian Urn.And it's no trip through the daisies. It begins with a nascent classical rape scene, which has yet to happen.And it arguably gets increasingly, and cantankerously bitter as it continues, meditating on death, the cold immortality of art, and the essential hollow fleetingness of all endeavour.

Abulafianoreply@blogger.com0http://eat-me-drink-me.blogspot.com/2007/09/post-on-guardian.html