The Lancashire Riviera

On Sunday we dropped small son off at a paint-balling birthday event between Carnforth and Silverdale, and used the two-and-a-half hours productively, walking to the coast and along past Jack Scout. A friend staying in Juan-les-Pins texted to say it was 22 degreess there, and lots of punters on the beach. I replied it was 20 degrees in the South Lakes and no punters. Amazing return of the Indian summer when we had been warned of deadly blizzards.

On our return I overcooked (i.e. to medium rather than rare) a piece of sirloin of Aberdeen Angus from Rowntree Farms. Foolishly I followed the divine Delia's method instead of my usual slavish adherence to HF-W as regards meat. Saw an edition of the latter's veg thing later. Again a table of cut-glass-accented and very photogenic gardeners/helpers, but can forgive him for the way he does in the end inspire. Never yet felt like cooking something Jamie Oliver fries off (his phrase not mine), and it generally seems to be fried. Likewise Delia, though she does always inform, and Rick Stein, again educational and never less than interesting, but not inspirational. Nigel Slater's presentation on TV so low-key as to induce sleep, pity as in spite of annoying writing style (see below) he often has good ideas and sound views.

Hendrick's Press Trip

One of the real perks of my newish career is the occasional press trip. This month they've done the London bus trick, so I'm feeling a bit tired. Not tired and emotional, just tired. Back this lunchtime from a two-day thing with Hendrick's Gin, as well run and enjoyable as the Glenfiddich event last week. As ever the tasting and distillery visit the core of the trip, but I loved the gin and literature presentation by Damien Barr who was also a very amusing dinner companion and turned out to be a fellow chicken keeper. Wodehouse, chickens, the horrors of the ortolan, delights of the bullshot, beef Kobe and Argentine and the culinary wonders of Lyon just some of the topics covered in my area while the table of journos PR people and Wm Grant personnel was getting outside excellent food.

I remain, however, less than convinced by the whole cocktail revolution (are we on part 5 now?). Best servings of the gin for me were in a simple G&T with a slice of cucumber to bring out its cucumber essence (one of its likeable quirks along with the rose essence and use of two different still types), though I must admit the White Lady and Martinez both more than passable. Hendricks is actually a gin that would repay I think chilling down to drink neat, an experiment I will try sometime soon. Right now, though, I'm not in a rush to sip any gin for several days. Well done to the company btw for using recycled glass in its bottles, smart move as they look stylish too. And well done for smoothly run and amusing trip.

One Day You Will

Just back from the One Day You Will 'summit' at Glenfiddich, a very different sort of event (for me at least). To celebrate the pioneering aspect of the brand (currently repositioning itself) they laid on speakers who in their own fields are pioneers. Digital interactive artist Marek Bereza was a revelation, which given I was expecting something like videos of sawn up shoes was surprising. Brilliant and beautiful use of computer images, with no little wit thrown in that made his stuff entertaining as well as artistic. And a very humble and shy speaker. Bit of a contrast with polar explorer Pen Hadow (I'm still not sure why taking a deliberately difficult pathway to somewhere reached many times before should be considered exploring) who was  definitely not humble, and for this listener not entertaining either. Given the length of his presentation he didn't share that opinion. Eben Klemm, a molecular biologist turned mixologist, was another I had awaited with some trepidation, but he was fascinating: he has a scientific approach to flavours, isolating them, enhancing, matching, that was genuinely educational and revelatory. And a great guy to chat with. He had deconstructed various Glenfiddichs with a clever cold distillation technique, enabling us to experience specific elements of its make-up. Terrific. Many thanks to the Glenfiddich team at the distillery and in London, and the Future Laboratory guys.

Global Warming in the Allotment

This is not a cheer or even half one for global warming. Jeremy Clarkson is amusing but very dim as regards that topic: that it was cold yesterday doesn't disprove the lengthy scientific studies nearly all pointing us up s..t creek. Another tiny proof up here in the wilds of Lancashire is the harvest this weekend on our allotment: four open-air grown baby cucumbers; plenty of courgettes; and even a handful of raspberries. The spinach in our garden still looks healthy and youthful. It's mid-October. The baby cucumbers were very welcome, one part of Ruth's salad box for lunch today. Not so the courgettes, so eagerly awaited in early summer but by now hanging around like a bad smell or a foolish government minister trying to avoid resignation.

Speaking of which, Liam Fox finally accepted the inevitable. I had harsh words with one of my friends the other day, who has never taken me on a foreign trip with him and whose office I have never visited. Perhaps it's because I don't know what transactional advantage even means.

The Divine Hugh

New Hugh F-W series began last night, and was disappointed enough to wander off to do stuff elsewhere halfway through. He is my favourite food writer of modern times at least, David and Grigson (Jane not Sophie) vying for all-time top spot. HF-W is thought-provoking and environmentally aware, which balances the ridiculously posh accents of his team of photogenic gardeners. It began badly with the trail, which stated something like: "Britain is a nation of carnivores and River Cottage led the way." Am reasonably sure we ate meat before it appeared as a topic on bookshelves and TV screens. And the stunt of giving up meat entirely for a period was as annoying as someone's kid screaming 'look at me.' There was something very condescending about giving the veg packs to builders too.

I'll still buy the book as he always has good ideas and has a cosily relaxed writing style (see previous blog for my rather different views on Nigel Slater's) but maybe he should take a break from TV and stop to think about his output more. That's me off the list of potential contributors then.

Timely Reminder

The competition in lovethegarden.com for a favourite tomato recipe is a timely reminder to use up the last of the Tumbler tomatoes trying in vain to ripen near the back door. Though decidedly unripe they have a nice earthy flavour and are already sweet, and as luck would have it there are also the last (likewise earthy) Ring of Fire chilli and about 30 coriander seeds the chickens and my picking for drying have missed.  The three green ingredients needed to make my hot salsa. The toms - about 20 ranging from overgrown pea to underfed golf ball - are chopped roughly. Then the seeds-and-all chilli, coriander, six peppercorns, two garlic cloves and a big pinch of coarse salt are machine-zapped to a paste to which the juice of half a lemon and a good glug of cheap olive oil is added (I defy anyone to tell own-brand from super-ultra-extra-virgin in such a mixture). Mix the Tumblers with the by now thin paste, breath deeply to enjoy in advance, and then cover with clingfilm and leave to mature in the fridge for at least six hours(though I'll take it out to warm to room temperature before using). It will spice up this evening's autumnal supper of pork chops and Turk's Turban squash, and any left will go nicely on toast - or if you live in Kensington, bruschetta.

Nuts to Squirrels

We decided to leave our cobnuts to ripen a bit longer a week ago. Tactical error. Today I went to pick them and it was a rapid process. Same number of nuts as a eunach. There had been I'd guess about 3kg in total over four little trees, all nicely wrapped in little leafy bits. I was going to dry and blitz them to make cakes and bread, but that is a tad difficult now. Somewhere near our allotment there is a squirrel telling itself it's just a bit of fat for the winter, and grey always makes you look a bit bloated anyway. They are, as the phrase goes, rats with good PR.

At least we got four big Turk's Turban squashes, the other thing I was there to pick. And one tiny patty pan - lots of late courgettes too. In 2010 we grew loads of Jack-be-Little pumpkins, about 1/2lb each, perfect for adding to mash or soup or stews, but for some reason they failed totally this year. One Turk's T will make a dish on November 5, the others I will try very hard to use up before then as I am not sure how well they will keep. They look good though.

(Chinese) Chicken Tonight

Is it wrong to want to disembowel people who use the spelling 'tonite'?

A chicken leg leftover from yesterday's meal will be the basis of tonight's chicken noodle dish. Lunch was a cold sausage butty, the bangers cooked at breakfast and superfluous to appetite then. I wonder how many households bother to foil-wrap such stuff and pop it in the fridge when cold? We have become a civilisation of waste in the West.

Talking of chickens, ours are currently erratic in their laying. Ruth thumbing lists of hit-men and making elaborate plans for killing the birds, I am trying to coach them to get their game together, about as effectively as Kevin Keegan with England. They look very healthy, all nice and red on their combs. Having fresh eggs daily has been a boon to the cook for the last year and a half, I hope they will pick up before arguments against their continued survival lose all power.

Last of the Summer - Whine

Saturday, the first day of October (and as ever of the rest of our lives), another BBQ, if anything finer than the midweek effort. Again ours the lone smoke signal in the neighbourhood, which seems like finding gold in the garden and not bothering to pick it up. Could Strictly X-Factor's Got Apprentice Talent be worth missing such a pleasurable hour or two outside?

With my aversion to additives and to paying dear for sub-par factory stuff, I bought mince  and made three burgers with only salt, plenty of pepper, and a glug of olive oil. Would have been a drizzle but I'm a cook not a cock. Shaped in clean wet hands and into the holdy thing to grill over greying coals. Crunchy salad including our own beetroot and cucumber, the last of the season, skewers of courgette (ditto) and mushrooms, and time to eat slowly in the warm evening. My compliments to Doc Myers who introduced me to the value of toasting your buns/baps or other double-entendre baked goods on the barbie. A hint of extra crispness to the proceedings.

It was distressing to hear over the weekend of the rise in numbers of those needing food handouts. Hats off to the food companies providing supplies. Had to wonder how many among the recipients would have a better chance with more basic cookery skills though. Fresh, unprocessed (thus cheaper) foods seen in supermarket trolleys in direct proportion to perceived income of the shopper. Hats on to schools teaching food science and marketing for the last 20 years instead of cooking.