May 18th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Bars on the top floor of a hotel are usually not my thing. A bar in the basement, yes. Which seems to sum up my preference to eating and drinking establishments. More of an ass man, so to speak. I prefer the down trodden, less glamourous places…
Continue reading at Huffington Post UK.
April 28th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
It was around this exact same time a year ago that I spent the weekend scribbling down notes and deciding on a name for what is now Open Sandwich. I’d come to know a lot of people in the area who have great attitudes to food and production, many of them work within the food industry in Dorset and some just have an abundance of enthusiasm about this wide, varied and constantly changing subject. Often, some of the most interesting people I’d meet, would not be aware of the guy who owns a coffee shop with an amazing attention to detail, or the lady who makes the most fantastic bagels. Wouldn’t it be great if there was some way in bringing them all together, these like minded people, to kick back and enjoy some nice food and a few drinks. A year later and five Open Sandwich evenings under the belt, it is encouraging to see the evenings still met with the same enthusiasm and growing attendance every time. It has created a community, friendships have been made, advice shared and collaborations formed. Whether people work within food, or just like to eat it, there’s a whole mix of interesting people that have been coming to the events and numbers at Open Sandwich five tickled the forty mark, which is really great for a laid back little shin-dig on a rainy Wednesday evening. Laid back is the operative word, most evenings are a chance to have a few drinks and catch up with other food obsessed people in the area, but for Open Sandwich five we stepped it up a little.
It’s easy to forget, whilst we stand in a room eating, talking about, and thinking about food, that there are others who certainly think about food, but in a whole other way. I thought it would be a good idea to give a bit of purpose to Open Sandwich and after speaking to Matt at Poppy Mae, who was the host of Open Sandwich 5, we put together a food quiz and an auction of prizes, to raise money for Action Against Hunger. The aforementioned community of local food businesses were all incredibly generous and donated not only prizes, but their time with masterclasses in cocktails, coffee and butchery.
The quiz seemed to be a good bit of fun, there was a few blank stares but everyone did well, and I’d imagine learnt something too. It was close, but well done to team Pen & Spoon who won the quiz and took home some books from both Quadrille and Octopus.
First, of all, I’d like to say a massive thank you to Matt and Laura at Poppy Mae who hosted the evening, they looked after us incredibly well and laid on some really wonderful food; the ox cheek and black pudding was my favourite. Thank you to all the local food businesses who donated and equally to those who donated, you were all immensely generous. Together we managed to raise a total of £501.50 for Action Against Hunger, which goes a huge distance, from emergency nutritional packs to water pumps which provide permanent and lasting access to safe drinking water. We all did remarkably well; hope the wallets don’t hurt too much.
Thanks to Luscombe, Quadrille Publishing and Octopus Publishing for their support. Local badass photographer and videographer Toby Lewis Thomas dropped by to document the evening and has kindly let me use some of his photos here.
Here’s to the second year of Open Sandwich.
April 23rd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
There’s nothing quite so charming, fortifying and so unapologetically British than a generously filled pie. It’s a rudimentary meal, but one we should be incredibly proud of.
Continue reading at Lovefood.com here.
April 13th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink
After the long winter hiatus, Open Sandwich is back for a fifth installment, this time hosted by Matt at Poppy Mae in Westbourne. I feel very lucky to have somewhere like Poppy Mae just a short walk from my flat. The coffee is always outstanding and the brewed coffee, my current little interest, changes regularly which keeps things interesting and new. Matt’s been in his current location for a few years now, first moving onto the slightly larger shop next door, and just last week has now knocked through back into his old shop creating a larger, even more powerful, super Poppy Mae. Well that’s how I see it anyway. It’s really cool to see a place like Poppy Mae grow from a small shop knocking out consistently good coffee, to a much larger operation which now includes a really interesting, down to earth menu.
So where were we, ah yes, Open Sandwich 5. Previous Open Sandwich evennts have revolved around east Dorset’s food lovers, from enthusiasts, obsesives and those building a career within the food and drink industry. That all sounds quite serious but in essence, we’ve just chewed each others ears off whilst having drinks and some food. If the events have coincided with an opening or some sort of promotion then even better. For 2012 though, we wanted to build on what we have, which I like to think of as a growing supportive community; which sounds very hippy. So we are going to try out holding a food quiz and use the evenings to not only have a good natter, catch up and drinks; that banter will obviously continue, but we’re also going to try and raise money for Action Against Hunger.
The quiz has a picture round and Matt will be making something for us to have an edible round too, more on that on the night. I’ve been busy writing and re-writing the questions and it should be a well balanced fun bit of food trivia. I’ve already announced that tickets are £1 per person to enter, which is absurdly cheap, but we have some donation pots from Action Against Hunger so any further donations or change spared would be great.
To finish the night off, and to raise a little more money for Action Against Hunger, we are going to have an auction. We’ve had a lot of support from local food businesses who have kindly donated some amazing gifts a full list of which are below. As mentioned, all money from the quiz and the auction will go to Action Against Hunger so please be as generous as you can. I have my eye on a lot or two myself.
Dinner for 2 on the opening night of The Tickled Pig
From the guys behind The Hungry Black Dog supper club, Matt Davey and Jez Barfoot’s restaurant The Tickled Pig is set to open mid May and we are the first to offer a meal for two on their opening night. With Matt formerly of The Museum in Farnham and Jez having competed in BBC’s Masterchef, expect great things to come from their new kitchen in Wimborne.
Full Paella Kit from Idelica
Having the right kit makes cooking so much easier. Especially when knocking up a decent paella. For instance, only Spanish calasparra rice will absorb up to eight times it’s own bodyweight in fluid, which means your saffron infused stock, that the juices and flavours from your shellfish, chorizo and chicken will all impart fully into each grain of rice. A full paella kit with everything you need has been donated by Idelica. Pretty spot on for some summer cooking.
Sherry Masterclass at The Larderhouse
James and his team at Southbourne’s Larderhouse have become nationally recognised as one of the premier places to enjoy the complexeties of sherry. Forget the Bristol cream your nan has kept at the back of the cupboard, The Larderhouse boys will explain the processes of production, and perhaps share a story or two from their trip to Jerez last year.
Latte Art Masterclass at Poppy Mae
Cosmin, Barista at Poppy Mae, came 4th in this years UK Latte Art Competition and will give you an in depth education in latte art. From why we steam the milk and how best to, to delivering the attractive patterns just like the pros
From Dorset With Love Jam & Chutney Hamper
From the heart of Dorset, Chrissy and Karl Regler produce an impressive array of chutneys, jams and condiments. Award winners no less! In my opinion they make the best strawberry jam on the market and a hamper of their produce is exactly the kind of thing you need to keep you going through spring and into summer. I’d be all over it like jam on scone, however you choose to pronounce it.
Cocktail Matserclass at Eau de Vie
One of the south’s most sophisticated speakeasies, Eau de Vie have an enviable back bar filled with some of the most sought after spirits in the game. Learn some of the classic cocktails. Gain insider tips and some of the history behind the drinks themselves. From the perfect Old Fashioned to an expert Martini, learn when to muddle and which bitters go in what. When you’re done, make mine a Negroni.
Coffee brewing Masterclass at Boscanova
Learn to know your beans and how to get the most from them at home without the ludicrously expensive espresso machine. Joe and Luke will explain why it’s best to grind fresh, what makes ratios so important and take you through different brew methods from Aeropress to Chemex and the pour over. Joe and Boscanova were recently mentioned in a really amazing article in The Times on filter and brewed coffee, maybe you saw it…
Brunch for 2 at The Living Room
Owned by Anna and Andy, two of the most positive and happy people around and armed with Tansy Austin in the kitchen, The Living Room is an awesome cafe serving breakfast and brunch. This brunch for 2 is up for grabs so whether you want The Living Room Breakfast, Ham Hock Hash or their amazing French Toast, get onto it.
A vegbox from BoxedVeg.tv
Cheeky fella Oli Peron has been operating his veg box scheme for quite some time now. He bounces around collating the very best of what is naturally available and pools it into his weekly veg boxes. If you weren’t already aware of Boxedveg, get yourself over to www.boxedveg.tv and see not only what is in the coming weeks box, but see the videos of what he makes from them.
Books, Books and more books
The kind people at Quadrille Food have donated a selection of new titles for the food quiz winners but there is a couple left over. So amongst these and some other books publishers keep sending me they will also be available to bid on.
Don’t forget all these amazing gifts have been donated to help us raise money for Action Against Hunger. Don’t make me get Bob Geldof on your ass, or Bono, can’t stand Bono.
So when is this shindig? Get yourselves to Poppy Mae in Westbourne for 7pm on Wednesday 25th April 2012, or earlier. For those that want something a bit stronger than coffee, remember Poppy Mae is licensed, so there’ll be plenty of wine and beer available to help lubricate yourselves.
Open Sandwich #5
7pm – Wed 25th April
Poppy Mae
48 Poole Road,
Westbourne
April 12th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Had I known the duck’s feet were raw before I put them in my mouth, perhaps I would have been better prepared. These de-boned and de-cartilaged ducks webbing were not only raw but must’ve been left in a vat of horseradish for over a month.
To continue reading over at Huffington Post UK, click here.
March 30th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Sometimes. Often. It’s not the fancy food that impresses me. It’s the rugged. The picture above is of a can of beer, I like this beer. It’s not small batch by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it bespoke or craft. It’s just a can of cheap tasty beer. A PBR. Next to it, in that red and white cardboard tray, is an order of onion rings. Nothing fancy. Not an heirloom variety of the allium, just regular deep fried onion rings. From a bag I’d imagine. I can find a great deal of pleasure in this little combination, not in an ironic way that some food obsessives might do with a McDonalds, but in a laid back, care free, is-what-it-is kind of way. I’d welcome other ‘special’ beers and similarly I’d like to try heirloom onion rings made with a house-made batter, but that won’t take away the charm of the duo above.
It all has to be taken in context though. The price for a start; if you’re paying much more than a couple of quid for onion rings and a can of beer, then you’re probably not going to feel like you got value for money, no matter how good or convenient the location and no matter how cute the girl behind the counter is. To be honest, if you order something like the above picture and you’re offered the option to pay by card, your in the wrong place. Overcomplicating things doesn’t make up for a higher price tag unless you’re offering something extra. There’s only so much customers are willing to pay for a plate of onion rings, no matter where the onions come from. I’m not fetishising rugged, cheap, hole-in-the-wall style food and saying it has to fit into certain parameters, just that I don’t believe it can be mimicked or developed. There’s a place for certain dirty foods and in an ocean of people who take food, at times, a little too seriously, It’s nice to have that place to escape to.
March 21st, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
I’ve been a bit stagnant on here for a while. There’s a reason for that though. I’ve been flogging my writing for money. I should probably have listened to the words of Hemmingway and the like, but alas, I have continued down this bi-polar existence. The joy of a new commission, replaced the moment that piece is filed by a shadow of self-doubt and the realisation you need to work like a commission-only telesales representative to secure your next sale. I’d been waiting for the past month to find out the response on a gig I was really hoping to get. I didn’t get my hopes up, but shit, I really wanted to bag it. Anyway, the call came in today that I was unsuccessful and so I did what was expected of me and headed down the pub. I’m judging a writing competition at the moment and one of the books is on the British pub. I’d read in detail only this morning of how the pub used to be the pillar of the community. A place to celebrate, commiserate and generally find any excuse to cram a drink or two into the day. In this moment of self pity I’d decided to console myself with a pint, a few actually. I tell you what though, 2pm on a weekday is not really the time to visit a pub. Fuck me, it’s depressing. Several tables were occupied, but only by quiet, sombre, solitary drinkers. There was a dog with one guy, but he looked pissed off too. A room full of misery isn’t really the best place to spend a sunny afternoon in March, so I retired to my kitchen back home to get the dinner on.
So with that exciting chunk of work now smouldering on the bonfire, I’m back home working on other far less exciting ones and figuring out how to visit all the cities and countries I want to go and eat in. I’m hankering for meat juices dribbling down my chin and sticking parts of my beard together, hoping to disintegrate my palate with exotic blends of spices and inevitably contract some form of dysentery along the way. Right now though, its the plan I need to devise. Whether I can earn my passage with written features for the press, or obtain it by smuggling contraband up an unsavoury part of my anatomy, dysentery is surely on the cards. While I ponder on my imminent future and look to recruit a Director of Operations to help me work it all out, here’s a few things that I’ve found troublesome today:
- Right now I have few commissions in and even less chicken stock in my freezer which means something has got to give.
- An article on fermented foods, has nothing in common whatsoever with a feature that ran last year on chutney.
- If I read the words ‘meltingly tender’, or any such drivel again, I might be sick on myself.
- I am clean out of gin.
Here’s a few things that are kind of cool:
- We are no longer short of tea bags. Giant box of Yorkshire Tea secured.
- I’ve managed to get a freezer drawer full of proper Mexican corn tortillas. So enjoying dishes I haven’t had since we lived in Mexico.
- I have sausages for dinner
March 12th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Since Noma took the number one spot in The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards in 2010, foraging has been brought to the fore. Many a chef and keen cook now don a par of wellington boots and venture out for some of nature’s wild bounty. From March through until June, ramsons, or wild garlic as they are more commonly known,
To continue reading at lovefood.com, click here.
March 9th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
I wrote a feature on filter coffee for The Times last week, if you have breached the paywall, or subscribe, you can read the feature here. (My editor told me it was the 4th most read article on the whole Times website) If not, then I’ll publish it on this blog at some point in the near future.
February 27th, 2012 § 1 comment § permalink
In the days before refrigeration, charcuterie was an essential method of preserving meat that could not be eaten immediately. Bacons, hams and all manner of tasty salted pig parts are the result of this wonderful craft. For a long time we have looked to the continent for our saucisson, Parma ham and chorizo, but here in the UK we are preserving meat in equally exciting ways.
To continue reading click here.
