måndag 27 september 2010

Tasting Notes

I’ve never really been much of a hobbyist or collector. Although my now dwindling collection of high heels were once a contender for Imelda Marcos and, budget permitting, I enjoy staking out new additions to my collection of Diane von Furstenberg dresses, I confess to being a bit of an under achiever in the hoarding stakes. However, the beauty of living with a collector is that you can partake in the pleasure, without feeling the guilt that comes with accumulation of too many posessions.

I’ve chosen to collect cookbooks vicariously. As the kitchen is out-of-bounds (my “My macaron moment” post may give clues to why I’ve been relegated to washing up duties) cook books are of absolutely no use to me, but like a cleptomaniac, I no longer seem able to leave a restaurant without a copy (preferably signed) of its cookbook in my hand as a gift for my foodie sambo.

I used to glance bemusedly at those who chronicled their every gastronomic experience via their Nikons, but as I have tapped into this savvy marketing ploy employed by restaurateurs, I understand that the recording of a beautifully prepared starter is like capturing the image of an exotic sunset. Each visual souvenir holds special memories. Take Mark Hix’s British Regional Food, a lavish pictorial guide to the the best British fayre and its producers. Ravishing images of Welsh onion cake, or Norfolk treacle cake topped with an indulgent dollop of extra thick clotted cream conjure up memories of the chef’s wonderful summer vegetable salad with runner beans and girolles enjoyed in the company of my family, rather than the bland, non-descript cuisine of my youth.

However, I’m not content with the images, I want to know the secret behind the magic. My latest purchase is Yes Chef!, prompted by a fabulous lunch at Alan Murchisan’s La Becasse in Ludlow. Featuring 100 recipes submitted by 20 of the UK’s most exciting chefs, including La Becasse’s Will Holland. Like a watercolour brought home from a loved holiday, you cannot recapture all the unique elements that attracted you when first experienced in its natural surroundings, but it can inspire the memories of a special moment in time. I am fortunate enough to be able to experience the pleasure of Bloom on a regular basis, but for the sake of the many diners who make a special excursion to experience the sights, smells and extraodinary taste of Bloom, I sincerely hope that Igi and Titti will too publish their own culinary tome soon.

tisdag 21 september 2010

Ludlow Knows Best


As I began to write this post, I looked out over the verdant pastures of Ludlow in Shropshire, the place where I was born and where Igi ran the restaurant, Overton Grange, prior to his emigration to Malmö. However, my return (for the first time in 39 years) was not so much a sentimental journey, but one of curiosity. We visited the Ludlow Food Festival to discover why a region that boasts more four-legged residents than two-legged has become a foodie capital and the birthplace of the UK’s slowfood movement. As we wound our way through the many stalls, through the throngs of gourmands and other curious visitors, trying freshly cooked local sausages, liquers made from fruits from nearby orchards and hearty vegetable stews, it’s easy to understand why the food is rated so highly, but why, historically has this quiet unspoilt region, been a favourite of the Michelin guide? Ludlow and nearby villages boast no fewer than three Michelin star restaurants: La Bécasse, Mr Underhill’s and the nearby Stag Inn. As the French manager of La Bécasse explained “Everything is produced locally here, so nothing travels very far. This is still very much an agricultural area.”

Farming is not an industry in the region, it is a way of life. As we walked around St Laurence’s church in the town centre, I saw boxes of produce laid at the alter, like the boxes that I once delivered to the elderly during the harvest festival as a schoolgirl. The food that is grown, bred and harvested locally is as integral to the community as religion. This is why restaurants such as La Becasse and indeed, Bloom excel, not just for the culinary skill of master (or mistress) chefs Will Holland and Titti, respectively, but for tapping into local resources, following the way of our ancestors.

fredag 10 september 2010

The Carnival Came to Town

So the Malmö carnival came and went, heralding the end of the holiday season. The week-long carnival has become a popular event, celebrating the diversity of this growing cosmopolitan city. In a city in which almost half the population (including myself and, of course, Igi) are not of Swedish origin, a walk around the food stalls of Gustav Adolf’s Torg offers clues to the many cultures of Malmö’s inhabitants. The korv wagons, falafel vans and noodle stands that pitch up for the week may reflect the cultural influences and changing tastes of Sweden’s youths (after all, Malmö does boast more falafel stands per capita than any other city in Sweden), but local restaurateurs like Igi believe that there was one vital element missing within the main area during the festivities – healthy, locally produced cuisine. Where were the cloudberries, or locally farmed organic meats?

In addition to the local producers, “Why the absence of the city’s fine dining restaurants?” I asked. “Fine dining is all about the experience” responded Igi, and it’s true. Why does a simple club sandwich at Le Ritz in Paris leave such an indelible memory, while an outstanding meal can be tainted by its presentation and surroundings? Food is more than mere energy, it’s a sensorial experience, one of the greatest pleasures in life. If our body is a temple, then each meal is a veritable sacrifice that should be offered with passion.

Igi’s second argument was that Malmö Karnevalen is a celebration of a city, so why should it be segregated to one small area, when there are so many outstanding sights to see throughout the city, Pildammsparken being a prime example “Why should visitors be subjected to the chaos of one small area, when this is a celebration of the city? Why can’t the organizers offer tours, including culinary tours, taking the visitor beyond the stigma of Sweden’s falafel capital.” Is Mr Vidal possibly laying down the gauntlet for next year?