Sunshine at last – if short lived!

For the first time this year we experienced heat and sunshine with last Friday’s very acceptable 23C.  Time for an evening on the patio with a big plate of verdure fritte (deep fried courgette and cauliflower in batter) and a glass of ice cold Italian Falanghina. (M&S £5.99). 

Verdure Fritte

The next day it was back to normal – 11C and cloudy. 

“Taste of Grampian” – Watching the Experts

Saturday lunchtime found us about 140 miles north of home at the “Taste of Grampian” food festival just outside Inverurie.   As well as looking forward to investigating the wares of the various exhibitors we’d booked tickets to see 2 well known chefs in action; Simon Rimmer commonly known for his weekly appearances on Sunday morning’s “Something for the Weekend” and Jean-Christophe Novelli, a very well known Michelin star chef.

A Well Deserved 2 Michelin Stars – Nathan Outlaw

Hadn’t realised until a few hours ago than Nathan Outlaw had gained a whopping 2 Michelin Stars in January for his restaurant at Rock in Cornwall.

We’ve holidayed in Cornwall the past 2 summers and eaten at Nathan’s previous Michelin starred restaurant at Fowey and then last year at his new establishment at Rock.  At that time he’d no stars at all, so getting 2 straight off is some achievement.  Really pleased because on both occasions the food was superb and we were treated very well by the superb staff.  Both dinners have been our top 2 favourites of all time.

Well done Nathan and staff!

A very brief review from last years visit

Vague and Vaguer visit WoodWinters Wine, Bridge of Allan

“…and what type of wine do you like?”

Sigh.  Every time we go into a wine shop we hit the same problem.  “Red and wet” is generally our best attempt at an answer.  Maybe it would be better if we could be more precise.  You can almost taste the sense of despair coming from the shop owner as we appear to contradict ourselves every time we open our mouths.  Even when they drop to the ultimate fallback, “…any particular country?” they’re met with fixed smiles and shrugs.

Krua Thai – Manor Street, Falkirk

I’m actually happy!

That being the case I’d better push on with the writing before the novelty wears off.

For the first time in many years I’ve been to a restaurant in Falkirk and come away with a smile on my face.  Having aspired to undemanding culinary mediocrity for many years Falkirk has inadvertently produced what I consider to be a wee gem…albeit with a few qualifications.

Torture is…starting a food blog whilst on a diet.

Torture is…starting a food blog whilst on a diet.

As I scan web page after web page of food blogs, twitter links and Facebook pages, my stomach tells my brain that a lot more should be happening on the consumption front.  Somewhat unconvincingly my brain responds by telling my stomach to stop being such a wimp and to get on with digesting material for the blog.  The stomach, somewhat piqued by the brain’s apparent lack of sympathy, responds by claiming that the lack of food is having a detrimental effect on blog inspiration.

Making a Fresh Start

Making a Fresh Start

A quick search of my decaying memory banks reminded me that I used to do such things as make bread, jam, paté, wafer paper prawns, oyster sauce bean curd roll, the list goes on…but it’s a long while since I attempted to do much by way of serious cooking or baking and as a result my dubious culinary talents have been stagnating. 

Pet Hate No.1 – “Best Fish and Chip Shop” award

Pet Hate No.1 –  “Best Fish and Chip Shop” award

I don’t get it.

Sadly, my lifetime experience of Scottish fish and chip shops has never turned up anything approaching decent quality.  In fact the only time I’ve had an outstanding “fish supper” take-away was from a semi-permanent mobile fish and chip van in a wee town called Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, where everything was cooked to order.  Our meal of halibut and chips and a portion of prawns still lingers favourably in the memory.   

A Mention for “Barca” – Princes Court, Buchanan St., Glasgow

Follow the escalators all the way up into the atrium of Princes Court then follow your garlic nose – all the way along to Barca Cava and Tapas Bar.  Sit “outside” above the shoppers in Princes Court under the comfort of the glass ceiling and watch life go by and eat some rather splendid Spanish tapas.

Taste of Grampian

Taste of Grampian food festival is on at Inverurie (nr Aberdeen) on Saturday 4th June.  I reckon this will be our first food festival since…oh…the late 1970′s

There are cookery demonstrations by chefs Simon Rimmer (Chef Patron of Greens and Earle and co-presenter of  BBC2’s Something for the Weekend) and by Jean-Christophe Novelli, a Michellin and 5AA Rosette award winning chef.