How do you take your olive oil? Pure, virgin, extra-virgin, hand-picked, first cold press, single estate, non-filtered, Greek, Tuscan, Andalusian, Carbonell, Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Il Padrone, Masia el Altet, Tesco’s finest? Boof, here at yumblog we have bespoke olive oil! Olive oil personally pressed and kindly donated by a handsomely moustachioed Frenchman who goes by the moniker of J-P. A …
June 2009
In Search of…the Perfect Pasta Sauce No 1
Butter & Tomato Sauce A recent trip to the magnificent St John led to a visit to their website which in turn resulted in the purchase of a Fergus Henderson-endorsed cookbook called The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. It’s perfect bedtime reading and has an intriguing section on simple tomato-based sauces for pasta – with three ingredients …
Become a TV Star
Michelin Mums Maverick TV, the company that makes ‘How to Look Good Naked’ and ’10 Years Younger’, is looking for friends who are up for a fun cooking challenge. If you would like to take part in some filming for a Channel 4 pilot could one person in your group please email a.walsh@mavericktv.co.uk with a contact name and an evening …
Fresh & Friendly
In the light of ongoing shenanigans at Westminster and with the desire to be always open and transparent with you, dear reader, perhaps this posting should be called an ‘Advertorial’ or possibly a ‘Blogvert’. This is because the mixed organic fruit’n’veg box below was supplied to us completely free of charge; in a complimentary manner; gratis; or if you like, …
Stinking Bishop with Jersey Royals
A couple of weeks ago we had a slap up anniversary feed at St John in Smithfield, and this dish was on the menu. Obviously visiting the home of ‘Nose to Tail eating’ and plumping for the vegetarian option is like… (Note to Blogger-D: Please insert apt and amusing analogy here.) (Note to Blogger-R: Can’t think of one. Don’t worry, …
Savoury Rhubarb Soup
I know what you are thinking. Rhubarb soup? Savoury rhubarb soup? Never heard of that before. Sounds intriguing. Could be tasty. Could be unpleasant. Could be a toxic coupling of sour fruit and salty meaty water. Must get some rhubarb and give it a go. Well that’s what I thought anyway. Besides, the recipe was in Colin Spencer’s ‘Vegetable Book’ …
In Praise of…Proper Eggs
A weekend with a sister who keeps 4 exceedingly pampered chickens (Dolores, Fifi, Jolene and Daphne) afforded us with a dozen beautiful, tasty, fresh very-free-range eggs, some of which are shown below. Special thanks to Daphne who laid the one in the middle. Not bad handwriting for a chicken.
Baked Herbed Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes
The plan is at some stage to make our own Ricotta from the whey left over from Yumblog Amalgamated Dairy Industries yoghurt-making enterprise. However I suspect the quantities involved will be minute and certainly a lot smaller than our massive combined appetites.
Labne
The obsession with yoghurt continues – this time using it to fashion a traditional Middle Eastern-style cheese called Labne. Once made it is rolled into small balls, coated with fresh herbs, placed in a jar and covered with olive oil. Simple and delicious.
Potato, Carrot & Feta Rosti with Herbed Yoghurt Sauce
I got this recipe from an article called ‘Five ways with potatoes’ in this months OFM. Nigel Slater calls it ‘Potato pancakes with herb and youghurt sauce‘ but I changed the name as for me the feta was the main event and therefore deserved higher billing. I’m also not sure my brain can accommodate yet another variation on the spelling …
We Have a WINNER!
It was a star-studded glitzy night at the first annual yumblog ‘Taste of London‘ ticket giveaway awards, held in the magnificent Princess Diana memorial banqueting suite at yumblog corporate headquarters in the heart of London’s fashionable West End. From the spectacular opening sequence by dance troupe sensation ‘Diversity’ to the closing rendition of ‘Anyone Can Fall in Love’ by curly-haired …
L2B 2009
Once again Team Yumblog will be slipping sexily into lycra cycling breeches and pedalling the 54 miles from the heart of London’s Clapham Common all the way down to Brighton. There is a specially designed team t-shirt available here which anyone is welcome to buy should the urge grab them. A full size version of the graphic can be viewed …