Cicchetti, the italian cookery book you have all been waiting for.

Cicchetti

co authored by Lindy Wildsmith and Valentina Harris

the cookbook that a lot of people have been waiting for.

Available at all good bookshops and Amazon as of the 15th August 2013

http://www.amazon.com/Cicchetti-Delicious-Italian-Food-Share/dp/1937994155

The sales of this book must be going through the roof, as of today, July 8th 2013 there are only 18 copies left on Amazon, and it has yet to be officially published. there is also a note saying that more are on the way, so don't worry, just click on the above link to order your one.

This book is written by two people, firstly there is  Lindy Wildsmith who brought us the definitive guide on curing meat in the book, cleverly entitled,"Cured" and Valentina Harris who anyone with a slight interest in food will have heard about due in part to her infectious knowledge about Italian food. 

So here we have a marriage of like minds and the issue from the partnership is truly one of the best food books I have seen in a while. There is something very homely about the writing and the food, giving a feel of achievability, something a look of cookery books don't seem to care about. With this one if you are unable to make everything in it then really perhaps cooking really isn't for you. Just sit back and enjoy the endeavours of others . As the whole point of Chicchetti is to have just a small amount, there is, as you would imagine rather a lot to choose from. Cleverly broken down into regions of the country you get to choose from everything not just from the region that owns the name Cicchetti. Everyone will have their favourites, I know I do already but I will be also making some of the ones I am not too sure about, that is the great thing about this book, you don't have to make a vast quantity to see what its like. Genius idea.

There is at the start of the book a step by step guide on the ways to fry and the use of polenta in recipes and a whole raft of useful tips that will make the preparation that much easier if you are not altogether used to the terminology of Italian cookery. In fact, the book is peppered with nuggets of stories that make it a good read as well. Also  the names of the dishes make so much more sense when they have been translated for you, as in Agnello a scottadito literally meaning "burn your fingers" so the cutlets have to be piping hot and eaten with the fingers, the book is full of such gems.

I once spent the whole summer in Italy, way down south below Naples and this book has brought back so many memories of my time there and reminded me of the amazing food and hospitality of the people of the region. There was not one day that I didnt have something like this to eat

Where possible, use food that you have grown yourself as it adds to the pride you have in offering your food to friends, just knowing that you have delivered, literally from field to plate makes a huge difference, and the flavour is usually in a class of its own too.

These two make a great partnership and hopefully there will be more coming from them in the future as they have nbeen able to produce a book of note. its the sort of book you should buy two copies of one for yourself and another for a really good friend so you can share the love of the food.

Unitas Team Builing

The chefs involved.

Ed Baines, John Burton Race and Martin Blunos

There are two words that put the fear of death into me, those being, Team Building. The very idea of being in a situation, not of my making, and having to perform a task I may not be good a,t and therefore embarrass myself in front of work colleagues, really is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat. So what I am about to tell you should make you realise how good the evening was. Well firstly the evening was run by Massimo Montone, who in a previous life was one of the best restaurant managers around Londons tip top West End and he has now managed to top that by starting these team building events in conjunction with Unitas Events. 

Admittedly the evening I went to was the first dummy run that they did, although you wouldn't have known as everything was seamless. The only difference being that all three of the Unitas celebrity chefs were there (although, you too could if you wanted to) for the evening so we all were divided up into groups. The Starter group (in more ways than one!) had Ed Baines and promptly started to make a crab salad. I was in the main group with John Burton Race, who, whilst being very forthright on how the dish should be put together was great fun whilst we were actually trying to do it. And the losing group, sorry the winning group, though God knows how are with Martin Blunos and make an apple tart,, that quite frankly my ten year old God-daughter would have made a better attempt at and ye, somehow, they won.

My initial reaction to this was incredulity, after all hadn't we followed Chef Burton Race to the letter? wasn't it the most difficult dish to cook?  well the answers were yes and yes, but the whole point of the exercise is to look at how you worked as a team and whilst we managed to make the dish, it was not really in the most team focused way. And that is where this event comes into its own as they have someone to analize your performance and help to explain how you can take the experience into your work life.

I have to say that the other teams seemed to have as much fun as we did with Chef Burton Race, so whoever you choose, you are bound to be in for a good time. There is just one thing though that they couldn't really explain, and that was why we didn't win!!!

To make a booking, please call Massimo on

Contact details for booking

Massimo Montone

Business Development & Events Manager

Tel: +44 (0)20 7617 7969

Mob: +44 (0)7952 096 213

Email: massimo@unitas-uk.com

3rd Floor

197 - 199 City Road

London

EC1V 1JN

United Kingdom

www.unitas-uk.com

Unitas Consultancy Services 

CHEF CONSULTANCY / TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

PRODUCT SOURCING / CONCEPTS

BUSINESS CONSULTANCY / COMMUNICATION 

Bloggerview with Martin Constable

Name Martin Constable

Occupation Retired

What would you like to plug The kitchen sink

Name your three dessert island ingredients Olive oil, Garlic, tomatoes

What would I find in your fridge that I might find odd? Patum Pepperum

Food stuffs that you would put in room 101 Sausage meat made from mechanically recovered meat

What would you like to have for your last supper? Tournedo Rossini

What cook book do you use the most? Jamie Oliver

Your favourite spice is ….. cinnamon

What was your tea time treat as a child? “College Tea” – poached egg on baked beans, on toast

What was the first thing you learnt to cook? Boeuf Bourguignon

And what was the first thing you taught your children to cook? Chicken korma

What was your mother’s signature dish, and do you try to copy it? Boeuf Bourguignon; yes

What dish gets you out of a tricky situation with your partner? Nothing!!!

What would you say was your most memorable meal? Memorable not best, spaghetti in Venice

And what would be your biggest disaster? Not sure

What do you wish you had never eaten, but had to? Slugs in Japan

What do you consider to be the Best of British? Beef

What do you think are the best and worst things about London restaurants? Variety, noise

In your opinion what do you think will be the next big thing, food wise? I have no time for food fads

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Favourite tipple Bloody Mary

Favourite restaurant Zanelli’s in Uzes http://www.uzes-tourisme.com/restaurant-le-zanelli/uzes/tabid/18566/offreid/23805540-c2b4-4d62-a1e0-f2024847fee8/detail.aspx

Nigella or Delia Neither

Museli or fry up. Fry up

KFC or Burger King Burger King

Gin or Vodka Vodka

Wine or beer Wine

Food Villain The Food Network channel – vulgar!

Food Hero  Simon Hopkinson

And finally your top tip for cooking Turn the oven on

The Great Escape. The George and the Dragon, High Street, Rowde, Devizes, Wiltshire

The George and Dragon

High Street

Rowde

Devizes

Wiltshire

http://www.thegeorgeanddragonrowde.co.uk/

Every weekend  thousands of people are desperate to get out of London and enjoy a more relaxing time in the country, personally, I usually go and stay with my sister who lives in The Cotswolds and I can be sure that the weekend will be exactly that. That is not to say however that the opportunity of an hotel weekend break doesn't appeal also......  a weekend of doing nothing does have a certain appeal to it.

Well, if you don't have a willing relative, the next best thing in my mind is "The George and Dragon" in Rowde, Wiltshire. Run by three good friends, who all have a catering history in London and have brought all their knowledge with them. The partnership works well, as they all have their own fiefdom that they oversee. Territories are all, but when they meet up, they manage to make you feel that you are part of the family and that the family just has a VERY busy dining room and have some very interesting people popping in for a drink all which makes for a very lovely weekend.

The chef in charge is Chris Day, better known to some as Podge of Soho House, who caters for a very discerning crowd. The G and D has made a well deserved name for itself as having a reputation for fish dishes, the fish come fresh, daily, from Cornwall and is served simply with outstanding side dishes of locally sourced produce.
I have to say that one of the dishes, the potted crab, has to be one of my all time favourites and is worthy of a trip to The G and D on its own, served warm with a cheesy topping, describing it as thus really does not do it justice but as hard as I tried he was not going to let me into the secret, as indeed he shouldn't, but if I was a food buyer from one of the smarter supermarkets i.e. Waitrose, I would be getting him to make enough to stock the shelves with.

The restaurant is country basic but is enriched with the addition of some very savvy locals who work there. They certainly know their onions from their shallots when it comes to whats on the menu and no question goes unanswered or with the classic, I will be back in a moment, I will just ask the chef. Indeed on one occasion I overheard one of the girls asking Chris what the vegetarian options were and if he could do anything else as she knew that one of the bookings was a regular and indeed a vegetarian, who had been in a lot recently so she was trying to please her before she even got there. That attention to detail sums this place up, nothing is too much trouble.

The bar looks like it was a set for an old British movie along the lines of Went the Day Well, the classic Ealing wartime drama. This might have something to do with the fact that there has been a pub on this site since the fifteen hundreds so is steeped with history. The drinks on offer are however completely up to date and if you love a Negroni you will not be disappointed. They have everything that you could possibly want. The bar is manned by Phil and the restaurant and, indeed, the bedrooms are overseen by Michelle.

The three rooms that they have are all individually designed and have the most comfortable beds you can imagine. There is also a vast collection of DVD's for you to choose from should you find yourself having the spare couple of hours, which I doubt as there are some fantastic walks to go on and there are lots of National Trust properties around.



At this time of year April/ May you have the added attraction of one of the most beautiful bluebell woods I have ever seen at West Wood Forest, near the village of Lockeridge, a short drive away, the bluebells reach as far as the eye can see in all directions and really is a wonder of nature. I had the most amazing weekend, really nothing bad to say about it at all. I wonder how long it will be before I give in and go for some more potted crab?

copyright Caroline Richards

For other high lights in the area please have a look at this link http://www.thegeorgeanddragonrowde.co.uk/index.php/local-area/

Home made lemon barley water

You will need

2oz pearl barley
Rind and juice of 2 lemons
4 pints of water
10 lumps of sugar

Wash the barley and put into a pan with the water.

Put the thinly paired rind and juice into a jug with the sugar.

Bring the water and the barley slowly to the boil, and simmer for 5 minuets.

Then pour the contents of the pan into the jug.

When cold, strain off and use.

Hardeep Singh Kohli brings Burn's night to supperclub

Is Hardeep a true Scotsman? 

well you can find out at Supperclub

Chef Hardeep Singh Kohli Brings Burn's night to supperclub

Celebrated chef Hardeep Singh Kohli is back by popular demand and will cook an exquisite Burn's supper on Friday 18th January at supperclub with a perfectly themed Scottish evening of entertainment.

Diners on the 18th January will all enjoy the same four course culinary journey which will include traditional and unique dishes from Hardeep, such as Cullen skink, Balmoral chicken and Cranachan.
In honour of Hardeep's Scottish roots, supperclub will be themed in true Scottish style, guests will be whisked away to the heart of the highlands. The staff will be dressed in tartan and kilts and there will be some fantastic ceilidh dancing to get the party started.

An experimental creative platform of dancers, singers, musician and acrobats will involve and inspire guests from the moment supperclub Burn's supper starts. There will be a musical feast later on in the evening with Internationally acclaimed DJs taking to the decks.


Friday, 18th January
£49 for four courses
Times: 7.30pm  till late!

To reserve a table please book on number below

supperclub12 Acklam Road,
London, W10 5QZ
T: 020 8964 6600
W: www.supperclub.comT: www.twitter.com/supperclub_lndnF: www.facebook.com/supperclublondon

Seville oranges are here, start making Marmalade.

Seville Oranges are the only fruit of the moment.

Its that time of year again when you can make your own jars of sunshine to have for breakfast.

Seville Orange Marmalade recipe

You will need

1 dozen Seville oranges

Cold water

Preserving sugar 

Piece of Muslin

You will see in the recipe exactly how much sugar and water you will need as it comes down to weight.......

Wipe the oranges clean, quarter them, remove all the pips and put aside, dont throw them away as you will need them later. and then cut the quarters into thin or thick slices depending on preference. Weigh this pulp, and measure 3 pints of cold water to every pound of pulp.

Tie the pips into the piece of muslin and put all the pulp and water into a large bowl and leave to stand for 24 hours. 

Place everything into your preserving pan and simmer until the peel is thoroughly soft. This will take about an hour. To check the peel is ready just cut a piece and if there is no resistence to the knife then its ready. Pour the mixture back into the bowl you were using to soak and leave for 12 hours, including the muslin with the pips.

Weigh the pulp and allow 1lb of preserving sugar to every pound of pulp, if you like a lot of jelly with the fruit in your marmalade then up the quantity of sugar to 1 1/4 pound of the preserving sugar. 

Bring to the boil slowly stirring it as it goes to dissolve the sugar, once it is boiling, skim off any froth that rises to the surface. (If you don't your marmalade will be cloudy.) Leave at a fast boil for 15 minutes. Remove a tablespoon of the marmalade, put it on a plate, and pop it into the fridge for a few minutes. If a thick skin forms on the surface of the refrigerated marmalade, then it is ready and you can switch the pan off. If the tester is still liquid, then let the marmalade boil for longer. Test every 10 to 15 minutes. Some mixtures can take up to 50 minutes to reach setting consistency. 

Ladle into the sterilised pots and seal immediately. 

Make sure that the jars are warmed before you decant the marmalade, do this by popping them into a warm oven for a couple of mins.

Top tip

The colour of the marmalade will be improved if the preserving pan is rubbed over with a lemon before you start, this will give a lovely clarity to the end product. Don't ask me how, but it does.