We are on the Costa del Sol with new old friends ( none of us old you understand) to enjoy the sunshine and the golf and some sightseeing as well ( currently it is raining” Cats and Dogs” and has been all night) The rain has curtailed our trip To Cadiz the oldest inhabited settlement in Europe .
Sausages and hams.One of the Axarquia villages, in the hills away from MalagaTotters, tongue and tripe!
However we have been to Malaga, to the old city and had a driving tour of the old villages of Axarquia . Very pretty white Peubla villages nestled in the mountains up very steep and narrow roads.
Growing up a neighbour ( and mother of an old boyfriend) used to come to this part of Spain, she had the bleached blond hair with the dark roots showing and skin like leather. My Mother ” tut tutted” and talked about the Costa Del Crime. I think over the years the area has had a bad rap. True the unfinished developments are there to be seen and from parts of the freeway one could be forgiven for thinking that one was in the outskirts of Delhi or another developing country. But away from this the countryside is beautiful and Malaga city centre is fascinating, the narrow streets, the cafés spilling out onto the streets and the Market!
Olives galore !
The market is housed in a beautiful 19 th Century Iron Clad building in the middle of the old town with the original Moorish gate, that once connected the town to the port. and is open daily ( 8- 2 but not Sunday’s ) we were there late morning along with the rest of Malaga, but these were real people and not the tourists and ” foodies” of Borough Market fame. These were local people doing their weekend shop. And Oh I could have bought everything there, the fish, the snails, the clams, the meat, the sausages, the olives, the mushrooms, the spices, oh the list is endless! And the prices! Compared to London, as cheap as could be! Look at the pictures and decide for yourself .
The Art Deco Market buildingMushroom seasonMonk fish @ €13 a kiloThe Moorish gate of the market hall
Whilst here, wehave been sampling the local food ( and wine)! Just down the road from where we are staying is a restaurant called ElJinete, there you can dine outside and have a three course meal for €17 (€22 on Thursday and Saturday when they have live music) the entrecôte steak is excellent. Further along the coast is a restaurant called Da Bruno, again eat out under the stars, the service is excellent as is the food. And the wine was extra special.
Filet of sea bream on a bed of wild mushroomsClams with chanterelleTagliatelle. With wild mushroomsWhole sea bream baked in salt crustSautéed giant prawns
A short while ago, we were treated by Old friends ( friends that we have known for a long time, and not old at all) to a wonderful dinner at Chez Bruce in Wandsworth ( London). Not my neck of the woods at all, and in fact in all the years that I have been connected in some way or another, have never been to that part of London! After all, it is south of the river! South of the river means transportation is just that little bit more difficult. So difficult in fact, it meant we had to drive! Quelle Horreur! But the friends and the restaurant made it all worth while.
Fish cake starterblack fig starter
Chez Bruce is one of the three restaurants run by Chef Bruce Poole .
Chez Bruce opened for business in 1995. Nigel ( Nigel Platts Martin business partner and owner of the Ledbury and the Square) and Bruce added The Glasshouse, in Kew in 1999; and La Trompette, in Chiswick in 2001 to the London-based group.
We have been many times to La Trompette which is a very affordable Michelin starred restaurant in a back street Chiswick ( London W4). Likewise the Glasshouse in Kew ( handily next to the tube station).
Côte de BoeufRed MulletCod
However this was our first visit to Chez Bruce, and I have to say that it lived up to it’s hype as far as food was concerned. BUT himself felt that the service let it down. One time he was fiddling with his wine glass, with maybe a soupçon of very quaffable wine left in it, when the waiter descended and said “shall I take that away?” and before himself could protest, away it was gone. Later on, after dessert, again the waiter came with a “Are you done with that?” not so much the words but the tone, and then the lights went on, bright lights, I was almost expecting the chairs to be put on the table ( we were not the last by any means).
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE DESSERTICE CREAM
But as I said, the food was very good indeed and you can judge for yourself.
Today , we took a trip to Borough Market, which is by London Bridge Tube/Railway Station. I really like going to this markets, but then I love markets. However, this has gone really upmarket in recent years and I have not been for a while and was really surprised by how much more upmarket it has become. There are in fact less market type stalls, many specialist food stalls, especially olive oil, and truffle olive oils. Not so many fruit and vegetable type stands anymore but oodles of food stands, anything from melted cheese to bratwurst with all the trimmings to vegetarian hamburgers to venison sausages to Thai curries to Japanese noodles, the list is endless. If you are ever in London and at a loose end then it is worth the visit. It is now open Wednesday through Saturday, with Saturday being the busiest day. If you want to shop then it is almost impossible as it is now really a “destination” place for ( on the whole) standing and eating. So trying to “shop with shopping trolley in tow, pushing past punters with plates of steaming Paella is near nigh impossible. Likewise on the other open days, avoid lunch times as again it is really busy.
the oil, vinegar and mustard standmushroom seasonjust one of the butcherssandwiches galore!saucissons french styleFishmongerCakes and pastriesThe Hog roast
We are on Lundy, for those of you who do not know, nor have never listened to an English shipping forecast,I suggest you Google it. The English shipping forecast goes like this,
Dover, Wight ,Plymouth Portsmouth , Lundy, Fastnet, etc etc
Lundy is described as remote, tranquil peaceful and that it surely is. It is owned by the National Trust and is run by the Landmark trust. For over twenty years they undertook the restoration of many of the buildings there which they now rent.
Lundy is recognised as an ecologically sensitive area with designations such as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), Nature Conservation Zone and an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
During the shipping season ( April to October) the island is reached by boat from either Ilfracombe of Bideford in Devon, it is about 15 miles from either and the trip takes about 2 hours. So far all I can say is our outbound trip was calm but beware it is in the reaches of the Bristol Channel ( which has the 2 nd highest tidal rise an fall in the world) so as it is currently blowing hard I am keeping the seasick pills handy for the return journey! The landmark Trust has 20 properties to let on the island ranging from a cottage for one to the beautiful Millcombe house for 12.
During the winter months the island is only reached by Helicopter!
arrival on LundyA lump of Granite
So why are we here? Are we Twitchers( bird watchers)? Are we crazy cold water divers? Mountaineers? Flora and fauna experts? None of those! Himself declared a few months ago that he wanted to become a hermit! ( the most unlikely person to become a hermit, .apart from me that is) so I sourced a likely location, but then he was reluctant to be a real hermit, so now we are hermits à deux,
To be fair, there is accommodation for 70 people +a camp site ( and there were 260 on our boat, as it is also possible to be a day tripper) plus the residents who run the island, the farming, the shop, the Pub (+/-28) so not totally isolated, though one could be!
The accommodation is in old, refurbished cottages/houses, some with beds for 12 or others with only one bed. Some with central heating, others with wood burning stoves and one with no electricity and gas lamps! We are in the Square Cottage, and yes it is square, small bedroom, living and kitchen upstairs and fabulous views and main bed and bath downstairs, it is a stones throw from the tavern and shop, so perfectly located.
The tavern serves breakfast from 8.30 lunch and dinner until 9 but never closes so you can spend all night there if you so wish. There is no wifi here and very spasmodic signal for your mobile and Yes, mobiles lap tops and tablets are banned in the tavern! Hermitage, uh no, but vegging out time yes!
Filet of beef and Wild Soay
Food in the tavern is not gourmet but has a wide menu ( just me being picky I guess) And they are very accommodating . Sunday evening menu consisted of vegetarian Lasagne, fried whitebait, scampi and chips and of course roast dinners, roast pork or roast SOAY. As we had to ask about SOAY, I am sure you will too, so for your information, it wild sheep. Himself had to try it of course, the verdict, very tasty BUT, there was so much on the plate that it need to be a smaller portion on same size plate or a larger plate. The dessert menu was fairly substantial, ranging from cheese and biscuits to treacle pudding, syllabub cheesecake, Black Forest cake to strawberries and cream. I did not see any left overs!
Some of the locals
So in our three days, I think we saw every rock and every blade of grass on an Island 1/2 mile wide and 3 miles wide. There are three lighthouses, the first one built in the middle of the island ( hence there were lots of wreaks in the area) and now there are two modern ones, at either end of the island. Did I forget to say, there are no beaches, Lundy is a lump of granite on the edge of the Atlantic, and as such the sea pounds the rocks and the wind blows. Surprisingly there is an airstrip, properly marked out with white rocks and sheep. Apparently before landing small planes have to “Buzz” the strip, to make the sheep move on. Himself is not about to take me there for a bite to eat, on a ‘Fly Day’!
So on balance a good place to go, different maybe, but good nonetheless !
The plus point for me was that I could order some Lundy Lamb, cut and delivered to my front door ( it has not arrived yet, I hasten to add) The lambs in the flock of sheep are born and reared on the island without the pressures of modern intensive methods, on a diet of their mother’s milk and pastures of traditional grasses and herbs such as yarrow, vetches, meddick and clover which all improves the taste. So I am awaiting eagerly the arrival of my Lamb, So watch this space.
A few weeks ago, I was taken by himself to one of my favourite restaurants, Le Manoir auxQuat’Saisons, a beautiful manor house set in the
Le Manoir
Oxfordshire countryside. This is Raymond Blanc’s wonderful two Michelin star restaurant and hotel. I have eaten there several times and it never fails to impress. We have been there for retirement dinners as well as for the Ladies who Lunch. Once upon a time Raymond Blanc teamed up with the Royal Horticultural Society to have a lunch and view the organic gardens. It was very reasonably priced and a group of 12 of us went on a beautiful summers day, we had cocktails outside, a wonderful lunch and then tea and coffee was taken outside. I remember they, served some fantastic petits-fours, I bit into one and gasped and promptly ordered and extra 11 so that we could all enjoy the one that I had just bitten into( almost orgasmic). Strangely enough, Raymonds eldest son, Oliver, ( Olly) was in the same French class, as my eldest daughter!, when it came to “remplir les blancs” ( fill in the blanks), the teacher always thought he was being a great wit by saying “Remplir les Ollies”, Very funny Not!!
So on our recent visit, it was for lunch and again the sun shone, and again we sat outside for cocktails, before adjourning for lunch.
The menu
More menu
To start with we had a soupe à l’ail followed by either Riz de Veau ( delicious) or the oeuf de poule with asparagus, again, no faults there.
Our starter
For my main course I chose the Filet of Cornish Turbot and himself the Rognons de Veau. When I saw the menu, I knew straight away that is what he would choos, it is so rare to find Veal Kidneys on a menu. All were absolutely delicious.
oeuf de pouleRiz de VeauRognons de VeauFilet of Turbot with Wasabi
We skipped dessert but then a plate of goodies arrived,
birthday treat!
Yes it was my birthday and so thank you very much!. Again we went outside for our coffee and a wander around the beautiful gardens.
There were several children in the restaurant and I was interested to see the following note on the menu page. Well done Raymond!
Children enjoying lunchChildren are welcome
Another note on the Menu, there is no service charge at the Manoir, this is very interesting as there seems to be a trend in the Uk ( maybe London) of Minimum spend. I read recently of one hotel bar charging £75 for 2 glasses of water, because it was past 6 pm and the minimum spend kicked in. Well done again Raymond, go for it and set the trend!
A few years ago, himself decided that I needed to learn to cook, so he sent me to the Manoir for a class. It was great fun, not sure how much I learnt, but it was fun and I would encourage anyone to go for the day. Here you will learn that not all professional kitchens are a hotbed of shouting and swearing! At Le Manoir it is an Oasis of calm.
Next time, we go to Belgium, the home of French Fries!
In May we went on a weekend trip to Padstow in Cornwall. Many in the region and elsewhere call it Padstein as it would appear that Rick Stein has almost a monopoly in the town, with various restaurants, gift shops, fish shops, you name it he has it! We however, gave him a miss and honed in on Number 6, which is the jewel in the crown of Paul Ainsworth, he has a second more fun restaurant just around the corner,Rojanos, which is an affordable Italian.
However it was to Number 6 that we went, a smallish intimate restaurant where the 8 of us had small room to ourselves. Paul Ainsworth started out under the tutelage of Gary Rhodes, Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsey, and was awarded in 2013 his first Michelin star. He has also appeared on BBC in the Great British Menu, where he showcased his pièce de resistance, the Fairground.
Haddock with poached egg and black puddingPlate of oysters with escabeche
On the menu, there are 6 starters, 6 mains and 6 desserts, I had the oysters ( can never resist) and they were excellent. Himself, can never resist smoked Haddock, which came with a poached egg and black pudding, right up his street.Another choice was the torched cornish mackerel which came with celeriac remoulade, parma ham and cucumber. All were good choices.
Torched Cornish Mackerel
For our main courses the following were chosen, Shallot Tart, Roast cod, Monkfish which came with bone marrow and wild garlic, and the lamb rump, which was roasted in hay. Again all were excellent and no complaints there.
Monkfish with bone marrowRoast rump of lamb
Then we came to dessert. Two of us chose the Fairground, not sure what anyone else had ( if indeed they had anything). To my mind the Fairground dessert ( which is for 2) was something way over the top and too gimmicky for words. It was served on a miniature trolley and included peanut popcorn, toffee apples, doughnuts, marshmallows and honeycomb lollipops. For me the best part was the honeycomb lollipops, these reminded m of Crunchie bars, something that I have not eaten since I was a child!, Overall though, I wish that we had chosen something different. would not eat it again and would not recommend it to anyone.
Award winning dessert The Fairground
However, if it were not so far away, I would return, even though it is on the pricey side, the cheapest main, the shallot tart came in at £28.
The next day we went on a little walk ( about 10 miles or so), around the headland , this was quiet beautiful and certainly worked up an appetite for our next dining adventure. We headed over to Rock, across the estuary, but not to Nathan Outlaws at the St. Enodoc Hotel ( where he has had 2 Michelin Stars for the past four years, but to a restaurant called The Dining Room. from the outside, we were I have to admit a little dubious about our choice, it seemed almost like a clapboard small bungalow, not a restaurant at all.
The menu at The Dining Room, Rock
Just a little extra ” off the menu” starter!
Crab salad
Starter salad with asparagus morels and confit yolk
Salad of mackerel
Loin and confit leg of rabbit
Fillet of turbot with saffron velouté
Roast fillet of cod with cauliflower dumplings and curry sauce
Roasted chump and confit shoulder of lamb
Bitter chocolate ganache with fresh mint ice cream and Greek yoghurt
But we were in a for a Big surprise. we had the most amazing meal, prepared by Fred, the head ( and only ) chef and served by Donna, his long suffering partner, fiancee ( they have been dating for over 10 years!) see the menu below and the prices! and a picture of Fred. We could not fault anything, the service was impeccable and the food remarkable, I wish he were nearer London, I would go every week!
Yes, although I have decamped from London , my mind is still there.
Last week, I strolled along to Connaught Square/Connaught Village, the enclave near Marble Arch, bordered by the Edgware Road to the East, Bayswater to the West, Paddington and Sussex Gardens to the North and Hyde Park to the South. I once telephoned a real estate agent about a Des. Res that he had for sale in the area, “Where is it?” I enquired, Sussex Gardens was the reply. What? says I, the Hooker Street? well it is up and coming was the reply!
Well I guess it arrived along with the Blairs, he of Perma tan fame and their entourage of 4 policemen who guard then 24 hours a day, it was my stomping ground,my neck of the woods, my”hood” but I quickly moved on. But once in a while I go back, mainly to see the lovely Dion my hairdresser and to have a look around the old neighbourhood.
Well was I in for a surprise this visit, things have changed and for the better. Marcus, the coffee merchant is still there filling the air with coffee aroma, whilst he roasts his beans, as is the Duke of Kendal, which was our local pub, where on a Sunday night, June plays on the honky-tonk, whilst the locals take it in turn to sing their solo ” You can play with my cucumbers, but don’t touch me cabbages” being one of my favourites. Along with “My old man is a dustman” and “It is a long way to Tipperary”. Once when we were there, I wondered where all these kids who could sing came from? Well it was a Sunday night and all the cast of FAME turned out.
Argentian deli Arbusto
The Victoria ( another pub is still there) along with Noor-Jhan 2, obviously an Indian restaurant and Stuccico , a small Italian. An old favourite changed hands and is now an Argentinian called Malevo, and the wine merchant has become an Argentinian Deli called Abasto, whilst the dry-cleaners has become a Pain Quotidian and the pizza chain of Zizi has become a Japanese. This is interesting, it is labeled a IZAKYA, which apparently means “Roof of Alcohol” ( will have to check this with my Japanese friend).In Japan, many men work in the city, very long hours, and will sleep there in crowded almost dormitory type accommodation, they will drink in an izakaya, which also serves mediocre food which is usually salty and fatty.However the word izakaya has developed a different meaning in London, as Japanese casual dining with plates of food designed to share.
KUROBUTA, a Japanese Izakaya!
So KUROBUTA has arrived in Connaught Village, and the head chef is from Nobu, so it sounds good, will have to try it.
Another one to try is MaxiMini, it is owned whole or partly ( I am not sure) by Mr. Jimmy Choo. Are you surprised that there really is a Jimmy Choo? Did you think that it was Tamara Mellon who started the shoe company. Well, wrong, Jimmy Choo is alive and kicking and makes the most beautiful shoes, but custom-made for you. Somehow or other Tamara Mellon got his name and his ready to wear business but he is now Jimmy Choo Couture. So anyway he has a restaurant and it is called Maximini, it is a blend of Chinese and Malay cuisines and declares itself to be fine dining Chinese. The restaurant itself is simplistic and chic with old-fashioned colonial style and the menu looks great.
Cocomaya
Then there is the tailors, which is now Cocomaya, a coffee shop come patisserie, it has become so successful that it has also taken over the premises of the greasy spoon next door, which shut, when the owner Mr. Singh ran off with his wife’s sister, leaving huge debts, or something like that according to local gossip.
Cocomaya the home of the Cronut, but they can not call them that as it is patented by the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York. A Cronut is a cross between a croissant and a doughnut. It is croissant dough made to look like a doughnut and is deep-fried, and then filled and glazed. Other bakers have made similar products, the Dosants or the Doughssants, or Mister croissant Donut. Apparently at one stage these calorie filled extravaganzas were selling for over $100 each, whereas the original price tag was already hefty $5! So watch out Krispy Kremes, there are other sinful delights out there
CroNuts4th July Cronut Specials
.
So, from upscale Argentinian, to upscale Chinese to upscale Japanese the neighbourhood has indeed improved, but a good old faithful is till there.Colbeh is a tiny family run persian restaurant, which serves very good food, bring your own bottle and at this time of the year be prepared to wait for a table, if you come after the setting of the sun, it is Ramadan and the usual influx of people from the gulf know too well that this a great place to eat. A must have is their version of pita ? Bread, you watch it being rolled out, holes being put in and then flung against the inside of a very hot oven
Colbeh, the best secret in town
Oh, I almost forgot the most exciting news, this picture tells a story, Jimmy is re-opening his shoe shop! Yippee! Not that I can afford them( but thank you #2 daughter who bought them for me)!
Last week, as I mentioned, I read Giles Coren’s review in the Times on La Blanchette in Soho, dashed off there for lunch and was suitably impressed. However this week, he is writing from the Algarve.
Funny , he was staying at the Conrad , which is a short hop from Faro airport. I was there with a bunch of lady golfers. At my club, we are truly spoilt, the ladies have a “tour” just like the men, and this is duly organised by the noble soul who is Lady captain at the time. So far we have been to Northern France, Brazil, Rome, Switzerland, Normandy, Florence, Germany, Turkey, Morocco, Spain, Austria and this year to Portugal.
We too stayed at the Conrad, which was perfect for us, placed as it is amidst a bunch of top golf courses. I agree with him, insomuch as, it is a modern hotel, beautifully landscaped, with lots of pools,I could not fault the rooms, beautiful and functional. He went there with children, which I am not sure I would do, true they have kids clubs etc, and apparently great kids food, but for me this is an adult type of place. It is a couple of miles from the beach , which is beautiful, but the only way to get there ( if you do not have a car) is on the hotel shuttle bus, which runs hourly from 10 am until 4 pm. To my mind Kids need beaches.
Breakfast was the highlight of the day at the Conrad. We sat outside, we could have the buffet ( hotel buffets usually fill me with horror, ) this was amazing and something for everyone, and Nothing there you fancy, well then a la carte was also available. Attentive service, great staff. We too ate in the GUSTO restaurant, “cheffed” by Heinz Beck. Fo us it was a superb meal, and we were the only diners there. However, for me the only complaint about the hotel were the stairs, or rather the lack of them. Our room was at the end of the first floor, but the only way to get up or own was via the elevator. My room-mate and I tried every which way Not to use the elevator, all to no avail, we found routes to the rear of the bar, to an office and outside but to the lobby, No! there were stairs leading from the lobby down, but not up and where there should have been stairs, there was a weird art installation. check out the picture and judge for yourself.
art installation, where the staircase should bethe pool at the Algarve Conrad
Lady Captain with Matt and Steve
View of the beach from a Golf course28 lady golfers on tour
However we were there for golf. The highlight of our golf experience was a day at Monte rei, about an hours drive from the resort. This was Millionaires golf, the service was impeccable,as was the course. Clubs were cleaned for us, loaded onto carts for us, course Marshall duly kept the four grumpy men following 28 ladies, at bay and the sun shone. After golf we had a drink on the terrace, and had our daily prize giving. This was done in style as Matt Pinsent and Steve Redgrave did the honours for us. Grumpy men beware, when following 28 ladies, is all I can say!
What Giles Coren, also said on Saturday, was “Don’t go to the Algarve for Tapas, go to Wapping”. Well he was correct in the Don’t go to the Algarve bit for Tapas, as Tapas, are as we all know ( but not Giles Coren, or so it would seem), are Spanish and not Portuguese. Petiscos are the Portuguese equivalent of Tapas .There are Tapas bars in Portugal, but they’re an adaptation of the Spanish fare and not interchangeable with Petiscos. Petiscos, like Tapas, aren’t easy to define. A good example would be bifanas (thin pork sandwiches) or snail soup, the difference between a Tapa and Petisco is also in the seasoning of the dishes. Spain colonised mainly in the West, Central and South America whereas Portugal went east to Goa, to China and to Africa.However the one spice that really distinguishes Portuguese food from its Spain is their use of Piri-Piri, made from African Bird’s Eye Chili Peppers. So Chicken Piri Piri, is a real Portuguese dish and not just something that Nando’s or Marks and Spencers ready meals have decided to call their own.
The BIG dining out experience that Mr. Coren missed out was a trip to Sr. Frango. Cheap and Cheerful with the best chicken in town. Kid friendly and lady golfer friendly to boot. ( his kids would have loved it,So eat your heart out Mr. Coren, you had better get over to Wapping to eat your Tapas, whilst enjoyed Portuguese chicken. Oh I forgot, he gets paid to write his reviews, Ah well never mind!
Well. I have not forgotten Mexico, but there is such a lot in London. This week saw us try a new restaurant in Soho, well new to me, it has been opened for 6 months only. Giles Coran reviewed it in the Times last week and declared it like the Apple genius Bar, but with food. ( for those of you are not Apple…. computer fans, might not understand this reference… All Apple shops have a what they call a genius bar, where super geeks, greet you with a smile, solve any of your computer/phone/tablet problems with a blink of an eyelid and are happy to have been of help…. all not very English really)
So long time London mate and I decided to check it out, and what a find it was. Funky and fun and cheap. The menu is very simple, there is Charcuterie ( it looked ample for a Lady who lunches) and cheese as well as the menu. There were 5 choices in each section, Fish, Meat and Vegetables, all priced around the £7-8 mark. We were told that the portions were small so we ordered something extra. We had and shared the Moules, which were delicious and being an Ex Belgian, Moules have to have Frites with them, and they were excellent, hand cut, double fried and crispy( not like the frozen ones being delivered daily to Nando’s or McD’s a stones throw from my house . They were accompanied by a béarnaise sauce, and not the normal Belgian way of mayonnaise.
Salmon and LentilsDuck SaladLa Blanchette inside
This was followed by, friend choosing the smoked duck salad and myself the warm confit of Salmon with puy Lentils. Both dishes were excellent and I would have been happy with anything from the menu, all looked really good. A large Perrier and 2 cafe lattes completed our lunch and cost £20 each, which included a generous tip. Will go back, the staff were cheerful, friendly and funky. Oh what fun.
I LOVE markets, Flower Markets, fruit and Veg. markets, fish markets, bird markets, In Hong Kong, Singapore, Majorca, Barcelona,South Africa, Belgium, Flea Markets, Mexico, ( more on those later) Oh how I love markets.
So, my love of markets led us to an early morning trip to Billingsgate fish Market, which lies in the shadow of Canary Wharf, London’s new financial district, it of Sky scrapers to rival the best.Billingsgate is the United Kingdom’s largest inland fish market. An average of 25,000 tonnes of fish and fish products are sold through its merchants each year. The Market covers an area of 13 acres and is entirely self-contained. The ground floor of the building comprises a large trading hall with 98 stands and 30 shops, including two cafes; a number of individual cold rooms; an 800 tonne freezer store. The market is policed daily by an inspector who ensures that all the produce on sale, whether it be fresh or frozen, meets the required standards of freshness, quality and if frozen, the temperature it is kept at.
Opening hours are from 4.0am until 9.am, Tuesday to Saturday. Parking is on site, or Docklands light rail road will take you there. Black Plastic bags are supplied, so you can carry your fish home. Shopping trolleys can be left at the door. I saw some today were secured by Bicycle locks, don’t want to have that nicked, when you have just purchased tons of fish! Also on site, but upstairs is
Billingsgate Seafood Training School
A cooking school, by any other name, and when I attended a class there it was given by by C.J. Jackson who is the Director of the Billingsgate Seafood Training School and she is a hugely experienced teacher who has worked at the Cordon Bleu School, Leiths School of Food and Wine, where she was Vice Principal and now at the Training School. She has written two books about fish, Leiths Fish Bible and The Billingsgate Market Cookbook.
The other thing we did in the wee small hours this morning, was to visit, Smithfield Market, or London central Market
Smithfield Market is located in the City of London and is close to landmarks such as the Barbican, St Paul’s Cathedral and St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
The markets at Smithfield are open MONDAY to FRIDAY from 3am but are closed on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays, but buyers should arrive no later than 7am. Smithfield Market is over 140 years old but has been on the site for almost one thousand years, is a fully EU approved wholesale market. As with Billingsgate, this is where the retailers buy their produce and so as you might expect the prices are CHEAP, the downside of course buying is in bulk, 30 Sea Bass=£30 orAustralian/Scottish/Argentinan Ribeye +/- £15 a kilo!
I am delaying the continuation of all things Mexican. There is so much to tell, but meanwhile back in London, there has also been a lot going on. This week, has seen us eating at the iconic restaurant that is known as the IVY as well as Côte in Islington, Quantus in Chiswick and Memories of China in Kensington.
So for starters, we had a house guest who had never been to the IVY, so we went. It belongs to Caprice holdings, which owns/runs many London restaurants, including La Caprice, Daphne’s, J. Sheekey, Annabels, Harrys Bar, as well as Côte, Grillshack and Balthazar, and until recently Wentworth. All I can say is that the service in all of these establishments is impeccable, but not at all stuffy, friendly and professional.
The Ivy is the ultimate people watching venue, and we were lucky enough to be facing into the room ( himself faced the window/wall, poor thing). As far as I could see, there were no rich and famous to focus on, but some American business men with their escorts ( Indonesian and female) and some English, boy next door types, with their English escorts ( Dusty Springfield look alikes, have not seen backcombed Beehives in years).
I and house guest ate the fois gras, which was divine,whilst himself had the steak tartare( raw meat to you and me), his disappointment was that he could not mix it himself. for mains they chose the calf’s liver and bacon whilst I had the dressed Dorset crab , with a side portion of chips. The crab salad was lovely but I have to say that I had to send the chips back, if I am going to have chips ( which I shouldn’t) then they have to be perfect, and the first ones were on the soggy side and only luke warm. I have to say that 2nd time around, they were perfect, crisp and hot.
Fois Gras
Liver and bacon
For dessert,Herself, chose the sticky toffee pudding, which she declared half way through, “I should not have, I can not finish it”, and himself had the frozen berries with hot white chocolate sauce. this is such a splendid pud and sooo easy to make. The Food at the Ivy would not be called fine dining, BUT the menu is very eclectic, that it is very hard to decide what to have, so much to choose from and then every two weeks they change some of the dishes out, so even if you are dreaming of the fish cakes, or fish pie, or the best hamburger, it might not just be on the menu when you get there. That just means you have to go again, and why not!
Côte I have written about previously, a good place to go for lunch with girlfriends, or breakfast with hubby, pre theatre, post theatre, the standard is consistent, the quality good, the service excellent and the price is right.There are now 47 Côte locations with 24 of them being in the London area, so if there is one near you, do check it out.
Onto, last night, I went to a wine tasting event held by Naked Wines.
Naked Wines is an online wine retailer which launched in the UK on 1 December 2008 and founded by Rowan Gormley.
They fund independent winemakers from around the world, in return for exclusive wines at wholesale prices – and they currently ship wine throughout the UK, the USA and Australia.To get the best price from this company, you have to become an Angel. This costs only £20 a month and it remains you money, as every time you buy, the £20 is deducted from your bill. Some of the discounts are up 40-50% so well worth the investment. Anyway, I went with friends, tasted some excellent wines and then had dinner in a great Chinese restaurant called “Memories of China” This is Ken Lo’s restaurant which opened 30 years ago, and although the food was good, I think it is probably a little jaded. With so many other restaurants in London, it will have to up it’s appeal as on a Saturday night it was fairly empty. Our waitress who was from Nepal, was charming.
So if you like fine wine, from small independent producers, check out NAKED WINES> you will not be disappointed! Back to Mexico, next time!
On leaving the Yucatan we headed to San Miguel de Allende a city far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It is 274 km from Mexico City or a three-hour drive ( or if #1 daughter is driving make that just 2 hours)! Historically, the town is important as being the birthplace of Ignacio Allende, whose name was added 1826. However, the prosperity of the town waned during and after the war of independence, and at the beginning of the 20th century was in danger of becoming a ghost town. However its colonial structures were “discovered” by foreign artists who moved in and began art and cultural institutes.
View of San Miguel from the Terrace
This attracted foreign art students, and a very large number of foreign retirees,North Americans, especially those wishing to escape the freezing temperatures of the North America, artists, writers and tourists, which is shifting the area’s economy commerce catering to outside visitors and residents.
View of the Cathedral
The main attraction of the town is its well-preserved historic center, filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The town was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 2008.
Another historic church
We rented a house overlooking the town and the main cathedral, with Bougainvillea all around. It was Semana Santa, or Holy Week, or Easter, and as such there were parades almost all day. Deeply religious and almost shocking in their intensity we witnessed enormous parades, with children dressed in white carrying various forms of crucifix or statues of bloodied martyrs.
Pastries at Cumpanio
The restaurant scene here is very much alive and kicking and I have to admit that we ate out every day. For breakfast, we ran down the hill ( we always took a cab back up, I hasten to add) and went to a restaurant by the name of Cumpanio. It is famous for the pastries as well as the wonderful breakfasts.
Huevos Poche En Cazuela
Crepas De Chicharron
Huevos Poche, are poached eggs in a small casserole, with either a red sauce or green sauce, and cheese, but meanwhile the crepas de chicarron, is pork scratchings in a crepe with again a red sauce over it. Himself said, OK BUT! Meanwhile, I tried the stuffed cactus, convinced that if I tried it enough times I would eventually say, “YEAH!” but so far I have not.
Breakfast cactus stuffed with string cheese
Moving swiftly on, #1 daughter and I enrolled in a cooking class. This class has been featured in several publications, including Texas Monthly, Austin Home & Living, Travel Lady Magazine, the Miami Herald and The Washington Post.
The school is called La Cocina, and the classes are conducted in English and Spanish with the chef, being Mexican. The school is in the centre of San Miguel in a beautiful old building, lovingly restored with a central courtyard. There were about 12 of us in the class, predominately Americans some of whom were expats making the most of cheaper living in San Miguel. Also in our group were some tourists like us, a honeymoon couple and a couple from Canada. We started out with a trip to the local market to buy our supplies, including a ready roasted chicken, interestingly the spit roasted chicken which we purchased had no skin on (not sure how they do it). So, a skinny bird!
Market in San Miguel de Allende
Hard at work in the kitchen
Between us we cooked a number of different dishes, including a smoked salsa, stewed cactus, Guacamole (wonderful to get an abundance of ready to eat avocados) the best we can do here in the UK either a local ethnic market, where some of the produce can be a bit iffy, or a supermarket, where likewise it can be a hit and miss experience. Sometimes when it says “ready to eat”, it really means “ready to eat next year, not today”!
Some of our work
We spent a long morning at the cooking school and was a good experience, we learnt a lot and it was mostly a “hands on experience”. This really depended on how pushy one could be, one American woman always seemed to be the first to put her hand up or grab the apron or smush the avocados. For me that was fine, but # 1 daughter only managed to chop the cactus! Maybe this did not appeal greatly to pushy woman.
Daughter allowed to chop Cactus
Finally everything was ready and we ate lunch, ample quantities of everything including margaritas and strawberry daiquiris. Now that is what I call a cooking school!
Lunch time
We finally caught up with husbands and small ones, who it seemed had spent the day touring the toy museum and eating pastries and ice cream! More on that next time…
oystersandchampagne 
