My father in law has a very nice cast-iron wok. I’ve been looking for something similar for a while, but then Tanya went crazy and bought a Le Creuset for me as a combined house warming / Christmas / birthday-for-the-next-10-years present.
I cheated and bought a package of vegetable stir-fry from the Spar. ’twas good.
We had a black south easter blowing — lots of rain, from the south, which showed up at least three leaks that were not there with the prevailing rain from the north we’ve been having all winter. Soup weather.
Normally I would make snert, but I needed a quick recipe, and it also needed to be vegetarian.
Google turned up http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vegetarian-split-pea-soup-recipe.html
I added a turnip, and (vegetarian) bacon bits. And of course Worcester sauce.
The “add salt” hint works well. I put in at least four times the salt I normally would. Wow.
No, I’m not in competition with the Whimfields. Really.
I bought the Jungle Oats on Tuesday already, figuring I want to make either oatmeal cookies or bannocks. And then I read the posting by Laura-Jane, about how she can’t bake, yet, because of not having a kitchen. I feel for her, and I realise how much we’ve actually accomplished in the past seven months.
So I made oatmeal cookies. Simple, nothing like what Laura-Jane is capable of, to judge by her pictures, but a first for me, and we ate them all. The thermofan oven works well.
I then went on to make a lentil chili, without the chili (OK, I put in about a teaspoon of Tobasco sauce). I also added a bit of vegetable stock.
Comments from the omnivores :
Tamsyn : huh-uh, gimme some Marsala-less Marsala Chicken. (Tamsyn avoids vegetarian food on principle).
Tanya : It’s OK. Maybe a bit too tomato-ey.
Me : Yea, not bad.
Comments from the resident vegetarian :
Jessica : Oooh! Nice! Is there more? Nom nom nom.
So I guess I’ll hafta make it again.
I picked Alex’s Chicken Marsala as a candidate for supper last night.
Followed the recipe until I started looking for my bottle of Marsala — the one I’m sure I had, but couldn’t find. Either Tanya drank it while I wasn’t looking (or I helped her drink it and can’t remember, which is entirely likely) or I misremember (also entirely likely).
Substituted dry sherry and a bit of port.
With mash (three potatoes, one turnip), brussels and broccoli, it was great.
Some day I’ll make it again, with marsala.
Friday was a stuffup. I had to go through to Kommetjie, drop off the double mattress (we decided that Jessica would get the two single beds, not a double, so the mattress got sold back to the new owner of Tanya’s old place), pick up three bags of books and a wooden box, pick up the last of the kithen counters from Lumber City, and drop off the books at Tears animal shelter (they sell them for funds).
Got to Kommetjie, cleaning lady told me that the vacuum cleaner has a two pin plug and we took all the adapters with us. So I went to the cafe, spent an exorbitant amount (R26) on an adapter, went back to Tanya’s place, modified the adapter with my trusty Swiss Army knife (the vacuum cleaner uses the Euro two pin connector, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, consider yourself fortunate).
Got to Lumber City “You’re going to cut these yourself then? asks sales fellow”. “Erm, no, I ordered it cut”. “Oh yes I see, it’s written down here” “Indeed, make it happen, varlet!” (Well, something like that anyway). So I pay, ask a few questions, figuring they’re cutting the thing so I might as well learn stuph. Hah. Turns out they’re picking their noses waiting for me to come breathe down their necks before they’re going to do anything. Which I proceed to do, which they proceed to do, we eventually leave Lumber City after 9. Note that I do have a boss, and while he’s very understanding, the work doesn’t do itself.
Friday evening we went through again, picked up even more stuff, including Tanya’s clothes rack exercise bicycle. Also picked up Tamsyn’s bed from Tanya’s folks’ place.
I had to [1] go silhouette shooting on Saturday morning, and I took the opportunity to take the trailer back to Bellville. Came back as soon as possible, and fitted the short counter. I used an aliminium strip to join the two counters at a right angle, this is much easier than cutting the two counters (It seems easy with a jig, but I don’t have the jig, and with only one joint, there’s no sense). Liberally applied Woodoc 50 marine varnish to the cut particle board, and used lots of sealant.
On Sunday we bade Tanya’s brother Clive farewell at the airport, he’s off to the land of Oz to look for gold. Or at least a steady employment and a place to stay :-) After that we went to Makro where we spent *mumble* lots on all kinds of house-ey stuff. If you’re looking for curtain rails and the like, start here, not at Builders Warehouse or Hyperama — which is where we got the toothbrush holders, shower racks, toilet brushes & holders, towel rails, a bath mat and so forth and so on from.
Sunday evening I fitted the side panel by the kitchen entrance. It was 4mm too large at the top (the wall is skew) so I screwed a guide to it and used the router with the trim bit (the one with the bearing at the bottom) to trim the panel to size very neatly.
After this I attacked the shelves that are supposed to go in the top cupboard in the corner. They were a few millimeters too wide, the belt sander worked well. I also connected the washing machine to the outside tap and with an extension lead plugged in Tanya could do her first load of washing at the new house.
While I made the first cooked meal at the new house. Lentil and Rice pilaf with stuff.
Recipe from Diana’s Kitchen, modified to fit what I had.
Two small onions, sliced.
One green pepper, sliced.
Two medium carrots, sliced.
1/2 cup lentils, examined for sticks, stones and small furry creatures, and rinsed.
1/2 cup brown rice.
1 tomato.
Stock powder.
1 teaspoon dried thyme.
Salt & pepper.
Hoisin sauce (ran out of Worcester).
Fry onion, pepper and carrot in a bit of oil. Remove from pot. Bring two cups of water to boil, add stock powder, add lentils, cover and cook 5 minutes.
Add rice and onion, pepper and carrot mix. I added just a bit of Hoisin, since the kids are not as tolerant to chili as I am. Add pepper, thyme.
Simmer for as long as it takes to get the rice done (20-30 minutes). Check and add water as required.
That’s what Jessica had. To Tanya and Tamsyn’s portions, we added some diced pork chops we had left over from Friday’s braai. To mine, I added some shredded pork ribs also left over from Friday. Very nice smokey flavour, worked well.
Found during the move. A friend gave me this, years ago, saying that it reminded him of me.
Tanya and the kids think it’s hideous. Which obviously proves the friend’s point.
Suggestions please
This is the view of the kitchen from the living room. Ignoring the fact that it looks like a hurricane hit the place, what should we put over the sink? Or rather, we’re putting a cupboard with a built-in drying rack over the sink, what should the cupboard look like (all suggestions will most likely be ignored, but I’m looking for ideas).
And on the downside, the bloody bath drain is still leaking. I’ve asked Frank to chip the pipe out of the wall, this calls for Drastic Measures.
[1] Had to, because to keep my licences I need to be a dedicated sport shooter, and to be dedicated I have to shoot a lot. ‘stroo.
She posted her Vegetarian 100. While I’m still trying to catch up to the Omnivore 100. *sigh*
The Vegetarian Hundred :
Strikeout : What I won’t eat
Bold : What I have had
Bold and Strikeout : Have had, never again
1. Real macaroni and cheese, made from scratch and baked – Tanya makes great mac&cheese — Oh dear, I hope you don’t mean I need to make the macaroni and / or the cheese from scratch?
2. Tabouleh
3. Freshly baked bread, straight from the oven (preferably with homemade strawberry jam) — Sure, in a black pot on a campfire, many times.
4. Fresh figs — had a tree at my parents’ home.
5. Fresh pomegranate — at Tannie Lizzie’s place (Esterheim) in Montagu, many moons ago.
6. Indian dal of any sort
7. Imam bayildi
8. Pressed spiced Chinese tofu
9. Freshly made hummus
10. Tahini
11. Kimchi
12. Miso
13. Falafel — takeaway only.
14. Potato and pea filled samosas
15. Homemade yogurt
16. Muhammara
17. Brie en croute
18. Spanikopita — Aaah yes, the ex used to make these. Took up the whole kitchen and the whole day, but my oh my.
19. Fresh, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes
20. Insalata caprese
21. Stir-fried greens (gai lan, bok choi, pea shoots, kale, chard or collards)
22. Freshly made salsa
23. Freshly made guacamole
24. Creme brulee — I like the Marie Claire Flavours recipe (Recipezaar link)
25. Fava beans
26. Chinese cold sesame peanut noodles
27. Fattoush
28. New potatoes
29. Coleslaw
30. Ratatouille
31. Baba ganoush
32. Winter squash — Butternuts cooked, in foil in the coals, in soup (better than straight pumpkin soup), gems cooked, gems in foil on the fire…
33. Roasted beets
34. Baked sweet potatoes — in tinfoil in the coals, oooh yes.
35. Plantains
36. Chocolate truffles — there’s a nice chocolaterie outside Tulbagh…
37. Garlic mashed potatoes
38. Fresh water chestnuts
39. Steel cut oats — rolled, yes. Steel cut, no.
40. Quinoa — I’ve only recently heard about this, but it seems the rage on the USA side of the ocean.
41. Grilled portabello mushrooms
42. Chipotle en adobo
43. Stone ground whole grain cornmeal
44. Freshly made corn or wheat tortillas
45. Frittata — my ex used to make these often.
46. Basil pesto — and this, when the basil bushes reached the level of the wall.
47. Roasted garlic — what’s a roast without garlic?
48. Raita of any type
49. Mango lassi
50. Jasmine rice (white or brown)
51. Thai vegetarian coconut milk curry
52. Pumpkin in any form other than pie — in SA we know every form except pie :-)
53. Fresh apple pear or plum gallette
54. Quince in any form — had a tree in the garden at Amperbo.
55. Escarole, endive or arugula
56. Sprouts other than mung bean — all kinds available here.
57. Naturally brewed soy sauce
58. Dried shiitake mushrooms — to give body to veg stews.
59. Unusually colored vegetables (purple cauliflower, blue potatoes, chocolate bell peppers…)
60. Fresh peach ice cream
61. Chevre — locavore delight.
62. Medjool dates
63. Kheer
64. Flourless chocolate cake
65. Grilled corn on the cob — often. We’re South African. We braai!
66. Black bean (or any other bean) vegetarian chili
67. Tempeh
68. Seitan or wheat gluten
69. Gorgonzola or any other blue veined cheese
70. Sweet potato fries
71. Homemade au gratin potatoes
72. Cream of asparagus soup
73. Artichoke-Parmesan dip
74. Mushroom risotto
75. Fermented black beans
76. Garlic scapes
77. Fresh new baby peas
78. Kalamata olives
79. Preserved lemons
80. Fried green tomatoes
81. Chinese scallion pancakes
82. Cheese souffle
83. Fried apples
84. Homemade frijoles refritos
85. Pasta fagiole
86. Macadamia nuts in any form
87. Paw paw in any form — don’t like it much.
88. Grilled cheese sandwich of any kind — with Marmite! Yeah!
89. Paneer cheese
90. Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian style–no pork!)
91. Fresh pasta in any form — made lasagna once. I’ll get better if I practiced.
92. Grilled leeks, scallions or ramps
93. Green papaya salad
94. Baked grain and vegetable stuffed tomatoes
95. Pickled ginger
96. Methi greens
97. Aloo paratha
98. Kedgeree — Tanya’s daughter is vegetarian but eats fish. So… yeah. I quite like the stuff. Edit : Barbara meant the vegetarian version, never heard of it. will hafta research & try.
99. Okra
100. Roasted brussels sprouts — Tried it the other night, maybe I need to practice, but I prefer boiled.
Not only because the cabinets are coming together nicely…
… but also because the cupboards are being filled with all kinds of exotic goodies I’m picking up in anticipation.
I went shopping in the Waterfront the other night, saw that they had juniper berries and star aniseed, and that sort of started it. The star aniseed is for making creme brulee, from the Marie Claire Flavours book. I’ve seen exactly the same recipe online, will find and post a link.
Then came yesterday’s shopping trip. The cover story is that I need a wok. The folks-in-law have a cast iron wok that really works well. I can get something similar from Le Creuset in Cavendish, but it’s rather expensive, as Le Creuset tends to be. So I said that at some stage I’ll go to the Chinese/Japanese/Oriental shops and have a look-see.
The second story comes from a conversation I had with a friend (CH) a few months ago, which went something like this :
<me> I want to make Barbara’s Sichuan Shredded Chicken.
<CH> And you are going to get black vinegar where?
But the real reason I went Chinese shopping yesterday is all Barbara’s fault. In particular, #76, baijiu. I couldn’t believe it’s as horrible as the wiki indicates. To quote, “There are a number of accounts in English which comment unfavorably on the taste of baijiu, comparing it with rubbing alcohol or diesel fuel“.
So I went to Mainland China near Cavendish in Claremont, found 500ml of Er Gou Tou for R18.75 (note : this is less than the cost of a sixpack of beer). I also got the black vinegar, some Tom Yum paste, and an intriguing bottle of “Confucious Family Liquor” which was the most expensive of the lot, R43.80 the bottle (note : R40 is what a relatively decent everyday drinking red sets me back most of the time. Just to put things into context for non-local readers).
So now, I feel that I’m qualified to speak. And I can tell you that baijiu tastes nothing like rubbing alcohol or diesel fuel. No, it’s closer to acetone, although I must admit there’s a slight diesel fuel aroma to it — but on the nose only, not the palate.
After the first few sips (yes, I’m brave) one becomes used to the taste. Maybe because by then, my taste buds had decamped and moved south for the duration. It also has a not-so-nice aftertaste, courtesy no doubt of overly brave taste buds who make the return journey too soon.
I’m sure my Land-Rover will run on it though.
One has to admire the packaging. This is the Confucius Family Liquor, and I have no idea what it is or what it tastes like. Time will tell, I’m sure :-)
OK, back to the kitchen. As you can see from the very first picture, I eventually got the right size panel to close the front of the cabinet that goes up against the wall in the corner.
Julian originally designed the unit with a standard (left-opening) door, but I figured that the cupboard would be more accessible if the door opened the other way, so I picked up two “blind corner” hinges and used that to hang the door. The gas bottle is going into the corner, so I need the access.
With this unit now bolted to the wall, I could measure the exact size of the countertops I need. Aluta Continua.
Barbara Fischer linked to Andrew’s list and instructions :
Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food – but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.
Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
I added Bold and Crossed to indicate stuff I’ve tried but have no intention of eating ever again, unless I’m starving.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros – on the menu at Mugg & Bean, but as soon as my kitchen’s operational I’ll try Deb’s recipe, it sounds much nicer.
4. Steak tartare – Read all about it.
5. Crocodile – yea, once, in Oudtshoorn – I was not impressed.
6. Black pudding – sounds horrible, but I’ll try almost anything once.
7. Cheese fondue – nice idea for a party, we also had The Real Thing (raclette?) in France.
8. Carp – Goldfeesh are carp, no?
9. Borscht – I want to make this sometime.
10. Baba ghanoush – first time I’ve heard of it.
11. Calamari – Tanya likes the takeaway Calamari at Muizenberg market,
12. Pho – Barbara mentioned Pho, maybe someday I’ll make it.
13. PB&J sandwich – over here, “jelly” is the stuff you mix from a powder and serve with custard or put in a trifle. I think you mean “jam”. I prefer maple syrup, but golden syrup works too. Or honey.
14. Aloo gobi – looks like something that should be on my “to try” recipe list.
15. Hot dog from a street cart – all the time. But here we call ’em “boerie rolls” and we use wors, not wieners, mostly.
16. Epoisses – maybe next time I’m in France.
17. Black truffle – my brother likes using truffle oil. For this kind of money I’d rather be buying expensive liquor.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes – Hmmm, it’s cherry picking season in Ceres again soon…
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes – I might be missing something, but in this context, “heirloom” means “grown in your own garden” like my grandfather used to do?
22. Fresh wild berries – depends on your definition of wild, I guess.
23. Foie gras – not common here, expensive.
24. Rice and beans – Moros y Christianos, lekker.
25. Brawn, or head cheese – We call it “silt” and it sucks.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – does pickled Habanero count?
27. Dulce de leche – this is what you get when you heat condensed milk? Maybe I should try the real recipe.
28. Oysters – Bloemendal has a yearly champagne and oyster festival. Oysters are overrated but the bubbly’s nice.
29. Baklava – the Ocean Basket in Long Beach Mall has a Greek owner. This makes this particular franchise… a bit different from the rest.
30. Bagna cauda – looks interesting.
31. Wasabi peas – I like wasabi with sushi, must try it with peas.
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi – and here I thought Lassy was a dog… Edit: Salted lassi (2008-09-02). I can get to like this stuff, and the sweet version should be nice too. Recipe here.
34. Sauerkraut – Oh yes, goes well with eisbein (Nag’s Head in Noordhoek. Recommended). I’ve also braised it.
35. Root beer float – Root beer is not something we get in South Africa. Have had many coke floats though.
36. Cognac with a fat cigar – Remy rocks. But I don’t smoke.
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O – Yes, if Peachtree Schnapps counts.
39. Gumbo – that I made myself, not authentic – will change if I ever visit the bayou.
40. Oxtail – many times. Popular dish in South Africa.
41. Curried goat – can’t say I’ve seen this on the menu anywhere.
42. Whole insects – You mean on purpose, not accidentally?
43. Phaal – oooh! *makes note*
44. Goat’s milk – well, Fairview makes it into quite nice cheese, if that counts.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more – been there, done that, single malt doesn’t do it for me, I prefer Remy or even Jim Beam Black.
46. Fugu – Chances are the stuff I can afford is cut a little close to the gland.
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear – we make it into witblits which is a noble destiny.
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone – We used to eat lots back before the whole poaching problem started.
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal – had McDonalds once, when they opened their first branch in South Africa, at the insistence of the (then not) ex. Life’s too short.
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini – Martini, yes. With olive juice, no.
58. Beer above 8% ABV – Belgian beer rawks!
59. Poutine – I should like this, seeing how I really took to the Belgian mayonnaise thing.
60. Carob chips – chips as in crisps? I only know carob-erzatz-chocolate.
61. S’mores – have roasted marshmellows but that’s about it.
62. Sweetbreads – I remember trying something with a sweetbread sauce once. Can’t recall being very impressed.
63. Kaolin – they mine the stuff in Noordhoek, there was a whole controversy over it, but I havn’t felt a great need to taste the stuff.
64. Currywurst – not yet, but Marko’s convinced me I need to make a plan. Edit : currywurst, at the AAD show (2008-09-20). Recommended.
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis – I think I need to drop more hints for an invite from the Cape Town Burns Supper Club. But then I’d need to recite poetry, and that could be… scary.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho – on the list next to Borscht.
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe – and also Pernod.
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill – Around here, this would be either a cat or a dog, or the occasional pedestrian. Maybe if someone hits a kudu hard enough I’ll change my mind.
76. Baijiu – wiki says “after drinking it, most people screw up their faces in an involuntary expression of pain and some even yell out.” – I HAVE to try this stuff! Edit: Baijiu (2008-09-03).
77. Hostess Fruit Pie – no idea what this is? Brand name in the ‘states? Probably.
78. Snail – popular starter at many restaurants.
79. Lapsang souchong – if Twinnings tea bags count.
80. Bellini – Kir Royale is as close as I’ve got.
81. Tom yum – I order hot & sour soup almost every time we eat chinese/taiwanese. Simply Asia in Lakeside and Sea Palace in the Waterfront.
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky – chocolate covered pretzel sticks, sure, but not the brand name Real Thing.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash – I have several recipes.
88. Flowers – I always taste the garnish in lah-de-dah restaurants. Nasturtium, mostly.
89. Horse – Tanya couldn’t figure out why they put pictures of horses on the meat packages in France…
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish – In Zambia.
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox – I don’t think this travels well. I’ll have to visit New York
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta – on my “recipes to try” list.
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake – Badger, badger, badger, badger…
Thanks, Andrew!
Edit : I’m regarding this list as a challenge. Starting with the stuff I can make or find locally (the Michelin restaurant will have to wait).
Valiant word oud. Net soos sy fans, so ons kan relate.
Anywayz, it’s still pissing down in Cape Town. Cold as well, the car thermometer read 5 degrees C going over Ou Kaapse Weg around 1800 last night. (Note to self : my “computer room” area of the garage needs an insulated ceiling).
So it’s Gluhwein time.
The last time I made Gluhwein was probably around 10 years ago, and we used those little bags of stuff that Delheim and others sold. And it wasn’t half bad.
Lacking the little bag, I googled this recipe, halved it (two bottles of wine between the two of us? I don’t think so), and it was great. Better than I remember from years ago.
So, basically :
Stick wine in pot, on very low heat. I used a simmer plate on the gas stove. (Edit, for CH : Some people add water to the pot, I didn’t. I guess it depends on how cold you’re feeling).
Since I was only using one orange, I sliced it and stuck cloves in it. I also only used one lemon, sliced, a small stick of cinnamon, about a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, and two tablespoons honey.
You want this concoction to start steaming, but not to boil. And then keep it there for a quarter of an hour or more.
And then grab a ladle and serve.
Sorta-kinda review.
My in-laws invited us, or we invited them (I’m not too clear on this) to the Foodbarn in Noordhoek. I had a look at their online menu and was not that impressed. Too many ‘porcini’ and ‘verde’ and ‘civet’ type things in quotes (And BTW, I send in a request to El Bulli every year, I’m not squicked by words like veloute or jus on a menu, this specific menu just looked… wrong, with all those quotes).
Anywayz, so we got there (after putting up the small wall between the bath and our bedroom, but that’s another story) to find a completely different menu. Yay!
They actually have two menus. The first is the Bistro menu, a sort of a set menu with about five choices each for starter, main and dessert. With a glass (one glass. One? Are they serious?) of wine-of-your-choice. For R165 per head. All in all the Bistro menu looks good, and we decide to go for it. Oh — the catch is that these are all half portions (no problem, sez I, gives me the opportunity to work through the menu twice. Grootbek).
Well, fair enough, Tanya recently converted to red (and since drinkable red is cheaper than drinkable white (I’m a white wine snob and a red wine slut) this is not a Bad Thing (unlike when I taught her to prefer Cap Classique over Cold Duck. But that’s a different story)), so we order four glasses of white (chenin) and pass them all on to Mr H (Mr H being Tanya’s father). And we order a bottle of Groot Constantia Merlot (Mrs H (you should be able to figure this one out) likes Merlot. Yes I know. Let it go).
First item on the starter menu is bouillabaisse. I read no further (well, actually, I do, because I’m curious, but that’s not the point. Bouillabaisse it is). Tanya ordered something with herbed goats’ cheese, Mr H picked the duck livers. Now for the mains. Oh my. Choices are line fish, a gnocchi based vegetarian dish, steak tartare, lamb cutlets, and roasted pork belly.
Now I have to say that in general, at a restaurant, Tanya orders the steak. Medium to well done. In the case of steak tartare, this is Just Not On (although there is a tale in the family of Mr H ordering well done steak tartare once, but that, again, is a different story). En hier word Wouter se ogies groter as sy magie, and I go somewhat apeshit. I suggest that Tanya orders the steak tartare, I order the lamb, and Tanya also orders the ribeye steak from the a la carte menu. This confused the waitress a bit, but not as much as it would have had Tanya ordered the steak tartare well done, I’m sure.
Oh, BTW, the Foodbarn is run by Franck and Pete. Franck’s been the chef over at La Colombe for the past ten years or so, and incidentally, that’s where I last had steak tartare. And it was probably rather close to the start of Franck’s tenure there, I will have to go find my notes (no, I don’t throw things away, why do you ask?) of that experience (which, of course, is another story).
OK, bouillabaisse. Great. Bit of a strange texture, those crazy Michelin fellows would probably have had much to say, but I’m closer to the other Michelin fellow, so… Mr H raved about the duck livers, and Tanya quite liked the cheese and aubergine thing (of which I tasted a bit, nice). I’d peg Tanya’s starter at a half portion but both the duck livers and the bouillabaisse were most definitely full portions, IMO.
Steak tartare arrives first. Mince, with an egg yolk in the half shell balanced on top, with fried potato slices and a very interesting sauce and four lines of… call it salsa… onion, gherkin, olive and parsley (I think. But hey, I’m not Remy, so if one of you guys from the Foodbarn google across this blog, please leave a comment to tell me what you really put in there :-). So I start the taste exploration, with comments from Tanya on whether I’m doing this The Right Way. I of course feel that my way is the right way and if you don’t like it, order your own portion. Bit of this, bit of that, I find that the sauce goes well with the olives and a bit of egg, the egg goes well with the onion, hey, I’m having fun. Guy on the other side of the room is mixing everything on his plate into one big frikkadel and proceeding from there, but who cares (Tanya cares, that’s who. Like the time in France with the fondue which was actually raclette, but… different story).
Next up, the lamb. Two small cutlets, and some sausage-ey stuff (that’s a technical term used by people like me who don’t speak haute cuisine, OK?) in pastry, on a sauce. Very nice, but the sauce is extremely rich. I just could not finish it.
Now as an aside, Tanya and I tend to swap plates, so that we both taste what we both ordered. Although most of the time this is more a case of me finishing what she ordered. And in this case, she had a bit of steak left, and I would have loved to taste it, but I just could not face any more meat (it must have been around 150 grams steak tartare, and the cutlets were small — and as an aside I often kill an eisbein at the Nag’s Head right next door to the Foodbarn — but I think it’s the sauce, and the bouillabaisse, that sunk me).
Anyway, Tanya liked the steak a lot, but she did report that her potato slices were somewhat burnt. The in-laws had Good Things to say about the line fish (yellowtail) as well.
Of course my choice of dessert was never uncertain — I’m not much for sweet stuff, and there’s a cheese platter on the menu, and of course they have port, so, call me Larry. Four cheeses, three of them excellent, the camembert just… camembert. With some very nice preserves, and the port was Bredells, very good.
Tanya and Mrs H ordered the dark chocolate samoosas, which are interesting, but the difference in texture between the samoosa crust and the melted chocolate is a bit… strange. Mr H was somewhat indifferent to his millefeuille, which maybe looked better on the menu than on the plate.
So, a good time was had by all, and the grand total for the evening, tip included, was just that… a grand. Not something I’d do that often, but it’s nice to have a somewhat upmarket restaurant in our neck of the woods.