Filed under: Blog, Culture, Food News | Tags: Alex James, Boston, fat, obesity, Observer Food Monthly, skinny, smoking, thin
My other half is not a big fan of Blur bass player turned cheesemaker Alex James. He says that he is a rude word and hates the fact that he has been able to make money writing rubbish in newspapers. I had always suspected, however, that this view was based more on the fact that all the girls at school fancied him than on his aptitude for quality journalism. Until now.
Yesterday, I opened my copy of the Observer Food Monthly to find Alex waxing lyrical about obesity. For those of you who missed it, or who can’t be bothered to click the link I shall précis: “Everyone in Britain is fat. Being fat is bad for you. I like to eat a lot, but I am not fat because I do exercise. Lots of it. I have the time because I don’t have to work very much, you see? And what’s more I have given up smoking, which makes me thin and virtuous. *?!@ you, suckers!”
Last year, I wrote my Masters dissertation on ways in which the British press sensationalises obesity. I found that we not only make regular reference to ‘fatness’ and ‘obesity’ directly in our subject matter, but that these words are used to express our disgust about all manner of unrelated topics. Obesity is not just a state of health, it is a state of mind and negativity that has crept covertly into our culture. Alex James’ “king-sized fat storm” which has snuck up on us in all its blubbery nastiness in “fun-sized chunks”, is a perfect example of the clever wordplay that feeds the obesity metaphor. See what I did there? We can’t help it!
But what about the facts? Take the opening of James’ attack on all things obese. After extensive research and production of supporting material, our skinny runner has concluded that not only does being overweight make you dead, it is worse for you than both class-A drug addiction and smoking.
“There are old heroin addicts. There are old tramps, old soldiers and even old smokers. But there are absolutely no old fat people.”
Really Alex, none? So logic would suggest then that in Boston, Lincolnshire, where, we are told, one in three people is clinically obese, 66% of the population is under 40?
Ooh, how I wish I’d had this column to pore over while I was doing my research. It positively drips with scorn and self-congratulation. You can almost imagine Alex lording around the school playground, cackling as he pokes the fat kid with a stick. And what sage advice he gives to all those fatties out there:
“If you really hate the idea of running, there’s fasting..”
Thanks Alex, great, we’ll all go out and give that a try.
Makes Kate Moss seem like a poet.
Filed under: Culture, The Leither | Tags: Aya Sofia, baklava, Blue Mosque, Bosphorus, European Capital of Culture, Galata Bridge, Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Istanbul Modern, kebabs, nargileh, Sultanahmet, tea, Topkapi Palace, Turkey
Greetings Leithers! This January I bring you goodwill for the New Year from our brand new European Capital of Culture 2010, Istanbul.
My festive escape began back in December and since then I have seen only one Christmas tree, a solitary inflatable Santa and a mere spattering of ‘2010’ scrawled awkwardly across shop windows in spray-on snow. Bliss.
So what of the beginning of Istanbul’s cultural showcase? With its roots dating back to 1,000BC and legacies of Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman rule, the city certainly has plenty to work with. A boat trip on the Bosphorus will give you an idea of the sheer scale of the place – with layer upon layer of apartment buildings, art deco houses, waterside restaurants and high-domed mosques spilling over the hills on both the European and Asian sides of the city.
Projects running over the course of the Capital of Culture year span theatre, film and visual arts, of which the Istanbul Modern Art Gallery forms a central venue. With a permanent exhibition of contemporary Turkish art, largely produced in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and regular temporary exhibitions of internationally exhibited work, Istanbul Modern is most definitely up to the minute.
Pressed suits and shepherds
Its converted shipyard structure and waterside location draw instant comparisons with London’s Tate Modern in terms of its location. But the architectural similarity with its British counterpart is where the comparison ends. Inside it is clear that Turkish artists do not consider themselves fully part of the European scene. A hilarious film entitled The Road to Tate Modern makes the point. In it, the artist and his friend embark on a Don Quixote-style expedition to London through the rocky Turkish countryside on a donkey. Beginning their journey full of hope in freshly pressed suits, the explorers are soon left deflated when a lonely shepherd points them in the direction of the mountains and informs them that the Tate Modern is in fact “very, very far”.
Foreigners looking daft
It is also very, very far from the tourist centre of town, in the district of Sultanahmet. Here you will find many of the big sites one would be expected to ‘do’ in Istanbul – the historic and majestically beautiful Aya Sofia and its imposing rival The Blue Mosque, which sits directly opposite the church just a couple of hundred metres away. Behind this is the Sultan’s old house at Topkapi Palace and nearby is the carpet-haggling centre of the elaborate ceilinged Grand Bazaar. And if you fancy spending at least fifty quid on a slightly uncomfortable rub down in a hamam by a man in a loincloth, this area is your best bet.
During the day, Sultanahmet throngs with tourists and tour buses from Turkey and further afield. At night, however, it is clear that this area is not a truly living breathing part of the city. After about 8pm, if it weren’t for the repetitive entreaties from Turkish waiters for the “nice couple” to “come try Turkish menu very nice”, you could hear a pin drop, despite the bustling streets that snake down towards the water just ten minutes walk away.
Venture beyond the home of English menus and souvenirs and it is easy to discover parts of the city where people really live, work and relax. On the Galata Bridge, hoards of fisherman huddle together for a spot, selling the tiddlers from their catch to others as bait. Beneath the bridge identical restaurants serve identical fish dishes, and by the ferry ports, small stallholders fry fillets of herring in front of you, and then stuff them into crusty white bread. In the northern European quarter of the city is the fashionable shopping and drinking street of Itsikal Caddesi. Restaurants, bars and takeaway places are dotted along the mile and a half long street and the options include both traditional mezze and glasses of raki as well as European wines, pizzas and mojitos.
In Sultanahmet it would be easy to assume that Turkish tea and baklava are defunct delicacies for visitors only. But çay, a strong and tasty brew served in small glasses to which I am becoming addicted and the sweet nutty squares of filo pastry that accompany it are also clearly local favourites. Even bubbling, sweet smoky water-pipes, also known as nargileh, are not just for tourists.
In fact it seems to be only Turkish people who can make them look cool – even when reclining amid traditional woven cushions and carpets, us foreigners still manage to look a bit daft. I hope that as well as trendy arty projects and venues, Istanbul may also celebrate these more traditional elements of its culture in 2010, as the easy blend between old and new is what makes the city so appealing.
Finally, a word about kebabs, they are eaten sober, for lunch or dinner with chips and rice, bread, salad and chilli sauce. And do you want to know the best thing? Believe it or not, the doners are actually made out of real meat! Genuine fillets of proper flesh, compressed together on to a spit – now that, my friends, is culture.
Published in The Leither January 2010
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Edinburgh, Food News, Reviews | Tags: British, cocktails, Edinburgh, retro, style bar, The Westroom, wine
With the wealth of eating and drinking options available in Edinburgh’s West End, you’d be forgiven for thinking the area could probably live without another style bar. Fortunately though, The Westroom, the latest venture from the team behind Sygn and Monteiths, is offering diners and drinkers something a little bit different.
With giant floral lampshades and wood panelling, the mood at The Westroom is trendy; but comfortable and homely rather than too-cool-for-school. And this is the perfect complement to the menu, which focuses on fresh, simple and hearty British retro fare served up at exceptionally reasonable prices.
I was out with the world’s biggest cheese fan again and, true to form, he ordered as much fromage as he could get his hands on. Crunchy pear, blue cheese and endive salad (£4) balanced sweet, fresh and creamy flavours; and a main course of cauliflower cheese with clava brie and toasted cashews (£5) was winter comfort food of the highest order. Served straight from the pan on a wooden trivet, we could almost have been eating at home in front of the fire.
I opted for dishes at the lighter end of the spectrum, and these proved to be just as flavoursome. A starter of mushrooms on toast (£3) was wholesome and tasty and the fillet of salmon on beetroot and pea shoot salad (£6) was beautifully moist and perfectly balanced. Topped off with a dessert of fruity and decadent Eton Mess (£3.50), you’d struggle to do much better, especially for the price.
But it wasn’t over yet. Following the deliciously rich and smooth Argentinean red that accompanied our meal, we couldn’t possibly have ventured outside without sampling the winter cocktail menu. Continuing the South American theme, my Añejo Espresso (£6.50) combined coffee with Venezuelan rum, and warming orange and cinnamon to make the perfect cold-weather digestif. The cheese monster’s Paloma (£6.50) was a fresh, zingy blend of tequila, pink grapefruit and lime which is apparently all the rage in Mexico.
Reasonable priced, delicious food, a cracking wine list and well thought out cocktails; The Westroom certainly has all its bases covered as a venue for an after-work tipple or a slap-up meal. Quite simply, style and substance. Go West!
3 Melville Place, Edinburgh, EH3 7PR, 0131 629 9868
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Ethical Eating, Food News | Tags: British, Fife Diet, food, fresh, local food, nutrients, Observer Food Monthly, Scotland, seasonal food, shopping
Walking along the supermarket aisles this winter, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be shorts and t-shirt weather outside. British summertime favourites like strawberries and tomatoes are available now because they are grown overseas in warmer climates. They arrive along with exotic offerings from all over the world which have been picked early, chilled and flown across huge distances.
In recent years, the concept of seasonal eating has grown in prominence. Local, seasonal food has a shorter distance to travel which makes for better quality, freshness and price. Produce which has been allowed to ripen naturally also contains the most nutrients.
But how many of us consider what’s in season when we’re shopping? Particularly at this time of year, there is a tendency to think of home grown fruit and veg as bland and stodgy. But food doesn’t have to be brightly coloured to be exotic. British winters may be renowned for turnips and potatoes, but we also produce unique flavours such as Jerusalem artichokes and celeriac. It’s a shame these are less common in supermarkets, but it’s because many of us simply ignore them.
This month’s What’s in Season column features rhubarb, a classic British pudding ingredient. But with its popularity in decline in favour of imported food, less and less farmers are growing it. By buying local and seasonal food, you are not only protecting your environment and ensuring your food is great quality; you are also supporting local people and their businesses.
Media attention around seasonal food projects is growing. Here in Scotland, the Fife Diet, a project which endeavours to avoid supermarkets and ready meals in favour of local, home-prepared meals, has received coverage nationwide and received an Observer Food Monthly ‘Ethical Contribution’ award.
While shunning the supermarket and cooking all your meals from scratch may not be for everyone, it’s not difficult to make a few small changes to increase the amount of local, seasonal food you eat. Buy British goods in supermarkets when you can and try and support local farmers at markets or farm shops. With fresh ingredients on your plate, not only will your local area reap the rewards, your taste buds will too.
Published in Bite Magazine January 2010
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Recipes, What's in season... | Tags: chutney, crumble, forced rhubarb, jam, Recipes, rhubarb
You may have thought rhubarb only appears in Spring, but in the 19th century, a London gardener had an accident. He covered up his rhubarb plants in Autumn and, when he uncovered them in January, found they had grown full sized. And so forced rhubarb, at its sweet and delicate best right now, was born.
The sharp flavour of rhubarb needs some added sweetness, but it works just as well in savoury sauces and chutneys as it does in jams and desserts. Serve it in a crumble; stewed with custard; or as a fool, folded through whipped cream. Rhubarb also makes a tasty sponge pudding, but if hours of cooking are not your thing then the cheat’s microwave recipe below will give you the same results in minutes.
With more and more imported tropical fruit available and the cost of farming by hand rising, production of forced rhubarb is in decline. In West Yorkshire, traditionally the best region for growing forced rhubarb, farmers are attempting to revive and protect this delicious and versatile ingredient. So why not support them by trying some warming recipes to keep the January blues at bay? But remember not to eat the leaves – they’re poisonous.
Quick Rhubarb and Ginger Pudding
(serves 4-6)
Ingredients
For the rhubarb
400g chopped rhubarb
75g caster sugar
15g preserved stem ginger
1tbsp syrup from ginger jar
For the pudding
150g butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour
1tbsp milk
Method
Warm a saucepan on the hob and add the rhubarb, sugar, ginger and syrup.
Cover and simmer gently until the rhubarb is soft, around 10 minutes.
Cream the butter and sugar together well. This can be done by hand or in a food processor.
Mix in the eggs one by one. Stir in the flour and, finally, the milk.
Place the cooked rhubarb into the bottom of a greased and floured microwave-safe basin and top with the pudding mixture.
Cover with a microwaveable plate and cook on MEDIUM for 8-10 minutes until the pudding is well risen and the top is spongy and light. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Run a palette knife around the edge and turn out on to a plate.
Serve hot with cream, custard or ice cream.
Published in Bite Magazine January 2010
Filed under: The Leither | Tags: Duisdale, Glengarry, Highlands, honeymoon, hotel, Skye
Now you’re probably thinking that us newlyweds have only one thing on our minds on honeymoon. You’d be right, but without going into too much detail, let’s just say that relaxing and sleeping off the stresses of the big day feature heavily. The Scottish Highlands may not be the obvious choice of honeymoon destination, but having been brave enough for a winter wedding on Skye, the misty hills, choppy waters and biting winds weren’t going to spoil a few days of relaxation.
Particularly as I had been sure to book dinner, bed and breakfast in the plushest, fanciest most decadent accommodation I could find. I’m a sucker for a luxury hotel at the best of times, much to the chagrin of my partner and the delight of my credit card company. But if you can’t blow the hotel budget on your honeymoon, when can you?
I first experienced traditional Scottish country house hospitality a couple of years ago, after climbing Ben Nevis. We arrived aching and windswept through wrought iron gates on to a long gravel drive where the Victorian Glengarry Castle Hotel, on the shores of Loch Oich, was waiting.
The interior was a haven of glorious tartan-clad chintz like I had never seen before and have never seen since. During our four course set dinner, a middle aged woman and her very senior mother surreptitiously smuggled leftovers into a plastic bag for the following day’s lunch while pipe music crackled over wall-mounted speakers. It was like stepping back in time to a world of aperitifs in the library and coffee and petits fours by an open log fire. The fact that there was nothing else to do and nowhere else to go was bliss – I was hooked.
Glengarry might not be to everyone’s tastes, however. The carpets and wall hangings were so heavily patterned as to send you cross-eyed, especially after a couple of post-dinner malts; and the food menu was retro almost to the point of a time warp. For my honeymoon, I managed to find something more in line with the expectations of us city folk – a boutique country house just a stone’s throw from our wedding venue.
Duisdale House is a modern, minimalist yet sumptuous country house hotel on the southern coast of Skye. Easily reached from the road bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh, via a brand new European funded road, this little piece of luxury is only a few hours drive from Leith. And the fact that I’m writing about it in advertising copy speak must mean I really, really liked it. I really, really did.
Crisp linen sheets and a flat screen telly in the bedroom; his and hers bathrobes and fancy aromatic shower gel in the bathroom; and in the lounge, boldly printed walls, dark wood and inviting, oversized leather sofas. Every evening, large gin and tonics are served by exceptionally friendly waiters on shiny red coasters while you peruse the dinner menu.
And what a menu. Here in Leith we may have a few Michelin stars on our doorstep, but there are more to be found outside of the city. Duisdale’s Head Chef, Graham Campbell, earned his first Michelin star at the Ballachulish Hotel last year and will be hoping to do the same again on Skye. Locals had assured us that Duisdale’s scallop dishes were something special and we were not disappointed – hand dived from Loch Sconser and served with a beautifully light and sweet crab consommé. Seared loin of local venison or baked fillet of cod for main course; rich and delicate chocolate torte or cheese and roasted figs for afters.
And the luxury food isn’t just on the menu at dinnertime. If you’re looking for a Michelin-starred fry up then this is the place to come. With a perfectly round poached egg, perched atop homemade potato scone and a hand-topped disc of black pudding; a greasy spoon breakfast this is not. Duisdale House has successfully taken luxurious and decadent Scottish country house holidaying and made it trendy. There is still that wonderful sense of having nowhere to go and nothing to do, but in a sleek, contemporary setting.
This should probably be the point at which I mention recessions and credit crunches and that horrible bastardisation of the English language that is the ‘staycation’. However, none of these are reasons to go – not only is Duisdale reassuringly expensive, as befits my luxury hotel addiction; it is also not a substitute for a holiday further afield. I may have ended up on a country house honeymoon because I crawled there from the excesses of my wedding, but I wouldn’t think twice about crossing a few borders to go back.
Photography by Lynn Macdonald
Published in The Leither December 2009
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Recipes, What's in season... | Tags: brussels sprouts, bubble and squeak, Christmas, Recipes, vegetables
These harmless looking baby cabbages are perhaps the vegetable most likely to divide the nation. Apparently, the horrible sulphurous smell they produce when boiled only happens when they are overcooked; but for me it brings back some pretty unpleasant memories of primary school Christmas dinners.
But they are packed with goodness; including iron, potassium and vitamins A and C. They are also a great source of fibre. The freshest sprouts have the greenest leaves and buying them still on the stalk will preserve that freshness for longer. Store them unwashed and then remove the outer leaves and rinse before cooking. Cutting a cross in the base before boiling will ensure they cook evenly.
Love them or loath them, the British are the biggest consumers of Brussels sprouts in the world. We tend to stick to boiling them in salted water, but they are actually more versatile than you might think. Frying your sprouts in butter with bacon lardons and chopped, cooked chestnuts makes a tasty accompaniment to a roast dinner. In France they are also popular served warm with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette which adds a slightly sweet and zingy punch to their bitter, iron-rich flavour.
For a more traditionally British way with sprouts, why not try this recipe for bubble and squeak? Not only is it a delicious alternative to bland boiled veg, it is also a fantastic way to use up leftovers and do your bit to prevent food waste.
Bubble and squeak
(serves 2)
Ingredients
1 small white onion, chopped
25g butter
3 rashers bacon, thinly sliced (optional)
1 portion cooked Brussels sprouts or cabbage
1 portion leftover roast, boiled or steamed vegetables, chopped into chunks
1 portion cooked potato, roughly mashed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed frying pan, add the bacon, if using, and fry until crispy.
Add the onion and cook until soft.
Stir in the leftover vegetables and sprouts or cabbage until they are coated in butter.
Add the mashed potato, heat in through and add seasoning to taste. Then, pat the potato into the pan around the rest of the vegetables to form a thick pancake.
Fry the pancake on each side until golden brown.
Serve cut into wedges.
Published in Bite Magazine December 2009
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Food News, Recipes | Tags: carp, Christmas, Deli Polonia, Leith Walk, Poland, Recipes
Christmas time is steeped in tradition; the tree, the presents, but most of all, the food. But not everyone’s Christmas feast consists of turkey, stuffing and brandy-soaked pudding. In Poland, the menu is very different; and, with quality fresh Polish food becoming more and more readily available, perhaps this is the year to give it a try.
Polish foods are often available in supermarkets, but it is in delicatessens where the best quality and range of products can be found. Deli Polonia, towards the bottom of Leith Walk stocks well-known brands alongside a wide variety of fresh sausages, dumplings, meats and cheeses; and some delicious Polish cakes.
This is perfect place to stock up on ingredients for ‘Vigilia’, which takes place on 24th December and is the most sacred day of the Polish Christmas festivities and includes a twelve course meat-free meal.
Before the feast begins, pieces of a decorated wafer called ‘oplatek’ are shared in rememberance of anyone not present.The dinner then begins with borscht, beetroot soup known in Polish as ‘barszcz’. This is followed by a variety of filled dumplings, ‘pierogi’; fresh and pickled vegetables and a selection of traditional dishes made with herring, pike and carp. Dessert consists of poppyseed and honey cake and fruit compote.
Feeling adventurous? Why not give the recipe below a try? It is also made with pike, but would easily work with sole or any white fish.
Polish style carp in horseradish sauce
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
1.5l vegetable stock
1kg carp (or other fish), filleted
50g butter
50g flour
200ml creamed horseradish
1tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
150ml soured cream
3 eggs, hardboiled and passed through a sieve
Method
Cook the fish in the stock for 5-10 mins, arrange on a plate and chill in the fridge.
Reserve around a cupful of the stock.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a roux. Gradually add the stock and keep stirring to make a thick, smooth sauce.
Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining ingredients and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Pour over the chilled fish fillets and serve with shredded lettuce.
Deli Polonia is at 237 Leith Walk, Edinburgh. Tel. 0131 555 1281.
Published in Bite Magazine December 2009
Filed under: Bite Magazine, Ethical Eating, Food News | Tags: Cadbury, chocolate, Christmas, Dairy Milk, Divine, Fairtrade, Ghana
Christmas is the time of year for a little bit of over-indulgence, and that means chocolate. From advent calenders, to tree decorations, to truffles; the average Brit eats around 7kg of chocolate every year. But did you know that most of the farmers who pick the cocoa beans that make it have never tasted the finished product?
In Central and South America, chocolate has been considered a delicacy since around 1200BC where it was revered for it health-giving properties. Spanish conquerors brought cocoa to Europe and by the eighteenth century it had become and upper class breakfast drink, touted by some as an aphrodisiac. But it wasn’t until the invention of the chocolate bar in the nineteenth century, that the nation really fell in love. Tasty, portable and cheap, chocolate became something everyone could enjoy; and we keep going back for more.
Last month we questioned whether Fairtrade products really represent a straightforward ethical choice; and with supermarket shelves packed from floor to ceiling with novelty chocolate figures, giant selection boxes and handmade delicacies, what to choose may seem complicated enough. However, our propensity to scoff one too many strawberry creams during the festive season makes the contrast between us and those who’ve never eaten chocolate even starker.
Buying Fairtrade has got even easier. Back in March, the hugely popular chocolate maker Cadbury announced that all its big-selling Dairy Milk bars would be Fairtrade by the summer. Their beans are sourced from Ghana, where the demand for Fairtrade cocoa beans has now tripled. At the moment, the farmers benefiting from this increased demand are all members of the Kuapa Kokoo Union which was established in 1993 in partnership with a UK company and also produces beans for the well known Fairtrade brand, Divine.
As a result of this enormous increase in demand, Kuapa Kokoo hopes to open up opportunities for even more Ghanian farmers to join the Fairtrade scheme, which, in addition to consistently higher returns on their beans, also pays an extra $150 per tonne sold to community projects. The support of brands like Dairy Milk also suggests that Fairtrade products are becoming increasingly mainstream. And, during the season of goodwill to all men, surely this can only be positive.
Published in Bite Magazine December 2009
So I have just joined Twitter. Now what do I do? I have found some people to follow, conspicuously Charlie Brooker who was the only famous person other than Stephen Fry that popped into my head to choose and my pal told me his tweets were boring.
Anyhow, my first tweet is on this page, but now I’m stuck. Looking at it I’m beginning to wish I’d written something about the squirrel I saw getting run over this morning and the way its tail twitched violently before it passed. But I probably wouldn’t have had enough categories and now I’ve mentioned it here it’s defunct, surely?
RIP quivery tailed squirrel with no roadsense.
