Who said a dish couldn't be full of life?

(Image courtesy of Chef André's Facebook page)

Are we coming or going?

I hear the word "trend" in about every third sentence when trying to discuss food culture. I don't think we have trends as much as we do fads. Wikipedia tells us the difference:
"A fad is any form of behavior that develops among a large population and is collectively followed with enthusiasm for some period, generally as a result of the behavior's being perceived as novel in some way. A fad is said to "catch on" when the number of people adopting it begins to increase rapidly. The behavior will normally fade quickly once the perception of novelty is gone.
The specific nature of the behavior associated with a fad can be of any type including language usage, apparel, financial investment, and even food. Apart from general novelty, fads may be driven by mass media programming, emotional excitement, peer pressure, or even a desire to be outside social norms (counterculture). Though the term trend may be used interchangeably with fad, a fad is generally considered a fleeting behavior whereas a trend is considered to be a behavior that evolves into a relatively permanent change."

I guess this would explain the sometimes almost schizoid declarations in the press about what good food actually is. There are clearly heavy driving forces here, such as peer pressure resulting in brand snobbism: eating foul-smelling (tasting?) food is clearly all right if it is the right kind of shit (literally), but not if it comes in a paper bag bearing a logo of a large corporation, although I'm sure one of the two has some sort of FDA approval.
Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. So who do you rely on for directions in this veritable wildwood of fads? I guess it all depends on if you know what you want and how you want it.
But don't take my word for it.

(image from google.com)

It runs in the family

This is a ticket issued to my great-grandfather to attend Baltiska Utställningen (the occasion for which Pildammsparken was built) in 1914. Skulking around the park obviously runs in the family. It can now be viewed (under Igi's watchful eye) at Bloom.

Hues and nuance

(Image from wikipedia.com)

"The people want pink, so give them rosé"!
Just when I thought I'd heard (and tasted) the worst of it I've been introduced to the concept of "sauvignon noir". No, of course there's no such thing. It's simply sauvignon blanc dyed red. Some people use kola seeds. They say that's specifically for the Chinese, we westerners can apparently make do with cochineal-tinted beverages. I guess it's organic and biodynamic and what-have-you either way, but it probably won't detract from the fact that, just like all other novelty wines, it's strong suits lie not in the taste.

Aims and destinations

Who wrote "I am the answer to every man's question, his aim and destination"? I have a feeling it was something about single malt whisky, but slightly amended that quote could be applied to rosé wine and your average restaurant patron at this time of year. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, necessarily. It's just that I personally don't particularly like rosé. I think it has something to do with the fact that the rosé generally available in Sweden is not so much an experience as an indecent exposure. I'm referring to the boxed bastardizations called things like "zinful" of course. The packaging may or may not be pink, display images of amorous couples or come with fanciful labels adorned with freesias. However, if more than one of the above are true, I'd refrain from using it for anything but cooking.
It's funny, wine is such a great conversation starter. I recently met an amazing Argentinian chef (a woman!) who like me had been very indecently exposed (or should I say assaulted) by a horrible wine called "Barefoot" when in Florida recently. Imagine the worst wine in the world, and then imagine that it's been dyed pink. That's Barefoot for you. Tastes like sweaty feet, which I should have surmised. The really funny thing was that I was trying very hard to come up with a rosé that I like, and just as I'd figured it out, the chef says "I was in Spain recently and had an excellent Prieto picudo rosé". Which was precisely the example I had struggled so hard to come up with. All good things....
Anyway. We'll be bringing you fabulous summer wines of every hue this summer. So make sure to drop by soon.

Shacking up

Say hello to The Shack, our newest addition to the Bloom family. Stop by to try some of the best gourmet street food in town - for hot sunny days we've got the best home-made ice cream! Shack up with us, you know you want to.

Firsts

There are so many things I'd like to share right now, but I seem to have exhausted most of that capacity. I'll do my best.

I got a call a few days ago. An unexpected call, in contrast to all the other calls I've had for the last couple of months, which have been spent waiting for news on test results and hoping and praying and trying to function in my day-to-day life despite ravaging side-effects of my treatment. My bloodwork is clear, my scans are clear. I'm in the clear. At least for now. And now is all that matters. That metallic taste I've had in my mouth for the last couple of months is gone: right now the first grilled langoustines of the year are sweet and fresh and take me no place other than the very glorious present.

I've gotten to know myself much better during this experience, and what I really take away is this: life is too short to not indulge. After all, no one else has to live with your choices. So this is what's going to happen: I'm going to recover from my treatment, and then I'm going to focus all my attention on doing things that I love in the order I find appropriate. Right now that means finishing up my Ph.D (which, by the way, will first and foremostly be dedicated to Igi, without his support I would not know whether I was coming or going), and in my free time I'll be learning all I can about wine. Which means you'll probably be seeing more of me on the floor this summer. Starting on Sunday of this week in fact. How do you feel about warm breezes in Pildammarna, with jazz, a glass of bubbles and some canapés? That's what Sundays are going to be all about during the summer. I'll make my first prediction for quite some time and say that it will be the place to be in Malmö. Why don't you join us?