Two little piggies go to market

I've always been fascinated by sibling relationships. Love them or hate them, our siblings form a distinct part of who we are. Being the youngest of four, the only-child phenomenon has always amazed me. What would it be like to always be the centre of attention and favorite? A question my 2 brothers and sister often ask me (winkwink).

While spending my formative years in a state of “I’m telling mom,” MCB’s recent visit reminded me that even though the distances may be great (3 continents), visits less frequent than trips to the dentist, and life’s paths as different as the intelligence levels of Paris Hilton and Albert Einstein, our siblings are part and parcel of who we are.

Now, the reality of this is that what you share with one sibling might be different from the others. In the case of MCB, straight away I was reminded of the passion we both have for all things food-related. Next to our family and friends it’s probably what we love most. This was completely encapsulated in his 35 year-old face when taking in Borough Market for the first time. Recognizing the look on his face as one I’ve had many times before, the sheer joy and aplomb at seeing London’s oldest food market was completely telling. I knew what I was seeing – pure delight and excitement and being surrounded by such gastronomic bliss.

Even though MCB’s stay was a mere 60 hours we managed to eat and drink our way through most of London. Some highlights:

1. Al Hamra, my favorite Lebanese restaurant in Shepherd’s Market. WARNING: The garlic will stay with you for at least 36 hours. Honest.

2. A slightly drunken whistle stop tour of Chinatown which involved Peking duck, soft shell crab and a bizarre dish consisting of pork and eel (this last one, not so much folks).

3. Neal’s Yard Dairy:

• Dana: (swooning): “Shall we get a little bit of cheese to snack on before dinner.”


• MCB: “Sure, how about a little bit of 3 different kinds”.


• Dana: (as the cheesemonger is slicing away): “Oh, no. Too much! Less, please."


• MCB: “Oh, it's fine. Let's get it all. I’ll eat it – don’t worry.”

For the record, MCB ate a teensy nibble of the cheese and left me (the cheese lover who’s trying to give it up) a fridge full of stinky and sticky glorious cheese. Somehow even as grown-ups he's managed to tease me unfairly. So what if now the taunts are with cheese?

4. Tamarind in Mayfair (rated 26 for food in Zagat) was our “big meal out.” It’s meant to be an outstanding upscale Indian restaurant. While our food was good, MCB and I decided that, quite simply, Indian’s not meant to be upscale. We would've been just as happy with a dirty curry that cost ¼ the price. It also didn’t help that neither one of us was particularly hungry from all the food we'd eaten at Borough Market earlier that day.

Truth? At the point we were heading to dinner I was still so full all I really wanted to do was stay in and not eat for another 2 days. Alas, when big brother is paying one can always find room for just a wee bit more...

Nuts for Islington (and pecans) PART 2

Two thumbs up, a high-five, and a gold star go to MCB, who made a celebrity whistle-stop tour to London this weekend. He gets a massive shout out for the gargantuan amount of pecans he brought me from the States. It’s true; they really do make things bigger in the States. I think just one of those bags of pecans makes up the entire pecan community in supermarkets in North London.

Nuts for Islington (and pecans) PART 1

Last Sunday was just another example of why I am head over heels for North London. I know there's a very strong argument for the wide variety of other neighborhoods in the city. If I’d randomly ended up living in one of these places instead, like I did here - it would probably be the fixation of my appreciation too.

In the morning I headed out into the sunshine for Islington’s farmer’s market. In typical London form it started raining 10 minutes into my walk. Of course I was wearing sunnies and not thought to bring an umbrella. C'est la vie, I suppose.

The market is peanut-sized and open from 10-2 on Sundays. Whilst itsybitsy, it really has everything you need for the makings of the utmost Sunday supper. Combine that with the most quintessential and lovely British farmers and bakers who are passionate about the work they do and the food they sell, I spent nearly 2 hours tasting and chatting away about the current state of farming affairs (not so good) and Londoners love of farmer’s markets (quite good). This was all while hunched under their 2 inches of awning that covered their wares.

One thing (not surprisingly) I couldn’t get at the farmer’s market were pecans, which I needed for my Hidden Treasures (recipe below). Still, I certainly thought I’d find them at my local Tesco or Morrison’s. Nope. I had to go to three supermarkets to find pecans. Now, for anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis (hi mom) you’ll know I’ve a slight obsession with pecans in my baked goods. Cashews and pine nuts are great for savory, but when it comes to sweet, if a nut is waiting in the wings, I want to see that pecan centre stage. Apparently the walnut is the prima ballerina in the baking aisle of the supermarkets here in the UK. I don’t dislike the walnut, but have never really understood the big fuss.

Note: I’d just like to add that after all of this (chatting with the farmers and scavenger hunting for pecans), the rain did stop and the sun came back out...

...about 10 minutes after returning home. I was happy as a lark, but soaked and looking like a drowned rat.

For dinner that night I made a luscious roast chicken with some Maris Piper potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli, all purchased at the farmer’s market. The potatoes were of rock-star quality.

Roasted Maris Piper potatoes with garlic, truffle oil, and parmesan
1. Par-boil 4-5 small potatoes per person, drain water
2. Cut potatoes into small pieces and toss them with equal parts olive oil and truffle oil (I was making for 3 so used about 1 tbsp of each)
3. Finely chop 4 cloves of garlic (the more the merrier) and add to potatoes with ½ tsp sea salt
4. Cook potatoes in a pan under the roast chicken (so juices drips on top)
5. Stir frequently and cook until potatoes are of your crisp-level preference (even being par-broiled I had mine in the oven for nearly 1 ½ hours to get them perfectly browned)

Hidden Treasures
These cookies are very similar to a Mexican tea cookie. In fact, since I couldn't hunt down my grandmother's recipe I followed the one below from epicurious.com.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105939

The main difference which provides the name "Hidden Treasure" is that inside the cookie you'll find a hidden luscious piece of chocolate. Historically this chocolate should be a Hershey's Kiss. Since these can't be found in the UK, I ended up using some Belgian praline chocolates that a friend had given me as a gift instead. Really, any chocolate will do. Next time, might give the cookies a go with some Buttons.

One word versus two

Coffeecake.

Coffee + Cake.

Last night I met LM for a special early screening of a popular chick flick that’s coming out in a few weeks time. In order to have a bit of time for the goss, we decided to meet earlier to catch up over some coffee and maybe cake. I’d told her I’d do one better…I would make some homemade coffeecake and bring it along.

This brings me to an interesting dichotomy (yet another) between food in the UK vs. food in the US. This time the difference is simple, Coffeecake versus Coffee + Cake.

In the UK, apparently only Coffee + Cake exists. Rummaging around the BBC food website I found no entries for Coffeecake and 5 for Coffee + Cake. The thing is, all of these recipes involved both cake and coffee in some way. Makes sense I guess, but for people who are familiar with Coffeecake (a lovely light cake often prepared with cinnamon and nuts but rarely with actual coffee as an ingredient), it was a complete 180 from what I'd been searching for (e.g. 10-minute cappuccino trifles was 1 of the 5 recipes that appeared).

Bringing the leftover cake into work today, I had this confirmed by at least half a dozen friends. Every single time someone asked what kind of cake it was I had to go into this drawn-out schpiel about how technically it was called Coffeecake, but please folks - don't expect a coffee taste...bladeeblahblah. Over and over again.

So, what I've learned is that Coffeecake, as it lives and breathes in the US doesn’t have an England stamp in it's passport. However, I'm proud to say that I'm educating the British public. There are now at least 6 British friends who can tell the 1 to 2 word difference.

Sour Cream and Apricot Coffee Cake (adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook)

2 sticks butter (225 grams)

2¾ granulated sugar

2 beaten eggs

2 cups flour

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

11/2 tsps vanilla extract

11/2 cups chopped pecans

2 tbs cinnamon

¾ cup apricot preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

2. Grease a bundt or cake pan and dust with flour

3. Cream butter and 2 cups sugar. Add eggs and then sour cream and vanilla.

4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture.

5. In a separate bowl, combine remaining sugar, nuts, and cinnamon.

6. Pour half of batter into pan. Drop half of apricot preserves in spoonfuls around pan. Sprinkle half of sugar and pecan mixture on top.

7. Add remaining batter, remaining jam, and remaining sugar and nuts.

8. Place in middle of oven and bake for 60-70 minutes (check after 55). Tester should come out clean when inserted into middle.