Gergovie Wines and Food

Gergovie Wines

GO HERE FOR A 2013 REVIEW OF 40 MALTBY STREET

The popularity of underground 'supper clubs' is evidence of the appetite for a different experience in dining out.  Eating in a stranger's private home, knee-to-knee with a bunch of people you don't know is proving a hit with some diners.  So what's the appeal of supper clubs? 

Well, I guess there's the thrill of the unknown, the daring to be different, and the hope that you will strike up new friendships.  It's adventurous, sociable and intimate in a way that a restaurant usually isn't.  Paying £25-35 each you don't know what the menu is going to be or how good the food will be yet you'll take along a bottle of wine in the hope it will be a reasonable match for whatever comes out of the kitchen.  The scene is changing though as some high profile chefs get in on the act by opening up their own homes and charging up to £100 a head.

There is a third way - take a south London railway arch, an open kitchen and bar, a welcoming and enthusiastic owner and a good professional chef, add carefully sourced ingredients and natural wines matching the food.  A run of trestle tables, a few vases of flowers, lots of candles, delicious aromas and adventruous people turn an unpromising Bermondsey railway arch into a cathedral-like dining space.  This is Gergovie Wines *Friday night dinners - SEE UPDATE BELOW.
 
Gergovie is introducing a new generation of natural winemakers from the South-East France/Northern Italy/Slovenia winegrowing areas.  Employing ethical methods of growing, some organically or biodynamically, with little intervention in the development of the wine, produces some interesting and surprising results.  The yield from these growers is small, hence the labels on offer at Gergovie are ever-changing as they find more good, artisan winemakers.

The ethos of the business is heavily influenced by Raef Hodgson's Neal's Yard Dairy/Monmouth Coffee background.  Hodgson, having worked with business partner Harry Lester (ex-Eagle in Clerkenwell and Anchor & Hope in Waterloo) and in the kitchens of similar beacons of straightforward cooking, has teamed up with Lester to set up a new venture in this Bermondsey railway arch.  When Harry isn’t cooking there himself, the talented Dave (with experience at Moro and Bocca di Lupo) is manning the stove.  Athough Raef leads the wine side of the business, he knows exactly what he wants from the food to complement his carefully sourced bottles.  The team is completed by brother Kit's skills in the kitchen and Harry Darby's front of house expertise.

The food subscribes to the admirable philosophy that if you are going to eat an animal you should pay it the respect of not wasting any of it (cf Fergus Henderson's Nose to Tail Eating).  At a recent dinner we were welcomed with breaded deep-fried olives stuffed with minced pork over a glass of refreshing cidery, Pignoletto Frizzante from Alberto Tedeschi.  Around 40 of us sat down at two tables to a starter of chard with ewes milk cheese followed by warm salad of lamb "pluck" (the heart, liver, and  lungs - there may have been kidney too but, it being a communal dish, I possibly missed it).  Then the main course -platters of tender and sweet roast suckling lamb, new potatoes and spring greens.  Next came cheeses - all excellent but the Lincolnshire Poacher stood out.  Bowls of simple, zingingly fresh leaves of bitter chicory with an AgroDolce and olive oil dressing cleared the palate.  Caffeine cravings were satisfied by sensational soft, intense espresso biscuits served with a creamy hazelnut pudding with a contrasting jellied layer.

Taking Raef and Harry D's advice, we drank wines by the glass - apart from the Pignoletto, I don't recall the wine names but I enjoyed each well-matched glass.  A herby Grappa-like digestif brought the meal to a satisfying end.

The guys are lovely, the food and wine is great, the setting atmospheric, and the diners a mixed bag (which in my book is far more appealing than "just like us"). Oh, and it will cost you £25 per head plus wine (by the glass or bottle). 

On Saturday mornings you might find Dave at a trestle table rolling fresh pasta to make the most of anything which wasn't used the night before, married to fresh fruit and veg from Tony Booth's arch 100 metres away. Last Saturday, lunch at the bar included Corned Beef Hash, Pappardelle with Beef Cheek, Lentils with All-spice and Goats Cheese, a Frittata, and New Season French Peas in a basil-scented broth, as well as Gergovie's own charcuterie and Neal's Yard and Mons cheese plates.  All of the meats come from trusted sources, fruit and vegetables mostly from Tony Booth and bread from St John Bakery round the corner.

I love it and think you will too.  Book ahead for dinner as word is getting out, or turn up for a glass and a plate on Saturdays late morning/early afternoon, when lots of the food arches are open, and maybe take away a bottle or two, or more.


Gergovie Wines
40 Maltby Street
London SE1 3PA
Currently open Thursday and Friday evening
Saturday currently from about 10.00 to late afternoon (just turn up)
http://www.gergoviewines.com/
http://www.maltbystreet.com/
* Update: the format is now drop-in bar with food - now open Thursday & Friday evenings and 10-5pm Saturday.  No booking required.

Gergovie Wines Update - Food Find

From 24 June 2011 Gergovie Wines change the Friday night formula from a sit-down set dinner to wines with food at the bar from 5.30pm.  I anticipate a scaled-up version of their popular Saturday (from 10.00) bar-with- food so you get more opportunity to taste the expanding range of natural, organic and biodynamic wines.  Expect high quality seasonal food matched to the excellent wines.

Gergovie Wines

Early autumn foods

Still life with crabs at
Gergovie Wines

The days have shortened and the sun has lost some of its heat but the food larder just gets more interesting.  Jars of jams, bottled beetroots, compotes and candied fruits all await their moment when, in the depth of winter, a twist of the wrist releases those heady summer fragrances.

Apples and pears have arrived a little early this year, perfumed Norfolk Royal Russets and silky Red Beurre Hardy pears are amongst the first.  Wet walnuts, sweet chestnuts in their spiky overcoats and luscious purple figs have arrived from France.  Greengages and other plums have been fleeting this year but Damsons are still available for making into crumbles or Brown Betty.  Ceps and chanterelles are appearing at market, the latter being particularly abundant right now and, consequently, well priced.  Game birds and venison are plentiful, and cuts of pork come back into favour, all pairing well with our varied autumn fruits. 

The photograph above of a dish of crabs on the bar at Gergovie Wines  (now additionally open Thursday evenings) at the weekend speaks for the beauty of our shellfish at this time.  Simply boiled and served with mayonnaise as it was here, it beats lobster hands-down for me.  According to Fergus Henderson, cooking time (from boiling point) is roughly 15 minutes for the first 500g then 5 minutes per further 500g.  He also warns against boiling your crab in insufficiently salty water (it "must be as salty as the sea") or it can result in a wet flesh to the crab.  Jane Grigson advises salting the water until an egg will float.  When cold, pull away the main shell and remove the fluffy greyish gills either side of the body (the' dead mens' fingers') and discard.  St John Bread and Wine serve a deliciously simple dish of brown crabmeat on toast with mayonnaise, which requires only a squeeze of lemon to make it perfect.

As September rolls on, pumpkins and squashes are just beginning to make an appearance, but let's not rush things.  The mellow days of autumn have only just begun.

Gergovie Wines
40 Maltby Street
London SE1 3PA
Currently open Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday  10.00 to 5pm
http://www.gergoviewines.com/
http://www.maltbystreet.com/

St John Bread & Wine
94-96 Commercial Street
London E1 6LZ
http://www.stjohnbreadandwine.com/

Terroirs - Natural Wine Bar

I finally got round to trying Terroirs when I met a friend who was staying in a hotel between the Strand and the river and we needed somewhere local to eat and catch up.  This was the opportunity to enjoy more, natural wines and, after all, I had enjoyed Brawn over on Columbia Road.

Terroirs was buzzing and the crowd had spilled out onto the pavement in one of the most unlikely streets around Trafalgar Square for a good wine bar. After stepping down into the basement room I was struck immediately by the weight of the leather clad wine list handed across the bar.  As I struggled to select a suitable red, a friendly voice from the other side of the bar invited me to try an unusual blush white which they had decanted and which reminded me of the cidery “nose” often found on natural whites at Gergovie Wines.  With advice and a tasting to confirm, I selected an Italian red (Trinchero) from Piedmont and we were set for a good evening.

The food menu was short but interesting with small and larger plates.  As I had heard, the charcuterie was good.  The freshest sardines were served whole with a salsa to cut the oiliness of the fish.  Fegato Veneziana came with a side dish of soft polenta.   One gripe I had was that bread and butter (and not the greatest bread), a staple accompaniment to charcuterie, was extra, and a request for more incurred a further charge.  Note to restauranteurs: parsimony is not an attractive trait.   

All in all it was an enjoyable experience, too noisy for a quiet chat, but another triumph for natural wines and the culture of enthusiasm and knowledge they seem to engender.  Of the 200 wines on offer, there was little under £20 a bottle.  The bill for two - four dishes, wine and service (and not forgetting the bread and butter) - came in at £90 including service.  Well, it is the west end so you can expect west end prices.  Making the inevitable comparison with Gergovie Wines, I will be back at my seat at the bar at 40 Maltby Street in Bermondsey, next opportunity.

Terroirs
5 William IV Street
London WC2N 4DW
Tel: 020 7036 0660
http://www.terroirswinebar.com/index.htm

Gergovie Wines - Food Find

In the railway arch 40 Maltby Street is a new addition to my Bermondsey Trail.  Raef Hodgson and Harry Lester have created a great wine bar/tasting room showcasing a new generation of natural winemakers.  Open Saturdays only, there is also an expanding range of food and off-sales. 

Gergovie Wines

Where to eat in London in 2012

Crabs at Gergovie Wines
@ 40 Maltby Street

I love visiting other European towns and cities.  The food I eat is almost almost always the local style, and that is what I want.  It is just as well because, with the exception of Berlin and Paris, local cuisine is mostly what's on offer.  International hotel restaurants, serving standard "European dishes they fondly believe we visitors want, and the inevitable burger chains hold no appeal for me.  Good as 'local' usually is, if I were to stay longer than a few weeks I'm pretty sure I'd be scouring the back alleys for something a bit different.  That is, I think, the result of living in London.  London is different.  Here you can eat your way across the globe in a few square miles.  That's not to say British food isn't desirable.  The bad reputation it acquired after the 1940's has long gone but we do seem to be uniquely open-minded in our food tastes.  There's good food to meet all budgets in London, if you know where to look, and your palate need never be jaded. 

You do need a little help to sort the wheat from the chaff though.  Of the printed guides, Hardens is pretty good as the reviews are based on punters' reports as as well as those of the editors.  It's the one I mostly find myself agreeing with.  Food blogs give a more personal view and an internet search can turn up some very up-to-date reports, which is what we really want.  Here is my personal view looking back over 2011together with places on my radar for 2012.

2011 has seen Bermondsey Street blossom into a great place to find good food at fair prices - Josẽ and Pizarro, Zucca, The Garrison, and more.  London has developed an appetite for both Mexican and Vietnamese food but the rise in popularity of Street Food, Pop-ups and Supper Clubs was the big story of 2011.  Closely, and laudably, aligned with an interest in foraging and food miles, they have a fleeting existence in any one place - which adds to the excitement.  It has to be said they are a mixed bunch, spawning some crackers along with the inevitable duds.  The writer Richard Johnson's site is worth checking out for its annual Street Food Awards.

The biggest buzz has probably been around the collaboration named Young Turks - being James Lowe (former head-chef at St John Bread & Wine), Issac McHale (a spell at Copenhagen's Noma and development chef at The Ledbury), and Ben Greeno (Noma and Sat Bains in Nottingham).  Currently offering £39 set four-courses at The Ten Bells pub in Spitalfields until 25 February.  Celebrated Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes is exciting similar interest with his Loft Project.  Though even these outfits divide opinion. It's an ever-changing picture and part of the appeal is finding out where they'll pop-up next.  The Mexican street food van Luardos is parked at Whitecross Street market each weekday 11-3. La Grotta Ices superb freshly made ice creams are sold from a tiny Piaggio van on Maltby Street some Saturdays (check site for updates).  Last, but far from least, is Street Kitchen.  Chefs Jun Tanaka and Mark Jankel park thier Airstream van in the heart of the City on Finsbury Avenue Square EC2 and have a second home, The Hatch by Ransome's Dock SW11 - both Monday-Friday lunchtimes. 

As I'm looking back here as well as forward, it's a good excuse to use my favourite photograph of those I took in 2011.  This is apt as it was taken in the place which has served me the most consistently good food and wine this year.  So, where to eat in London in 2012?

The places in London I'm certain to return to regularly in 2012:

Gergovie Wines at 40 Maltby Street Natural wines and David Cook's food.  Consistently good.

Pizarro  Jose Pizarro in the kitchen, in Bermondsey - this makes me very happy

St John Bread & Wine  for when you need steadying in Spitalfields

Zucca  River Cafe style at Bermondsey prices

Arbutus  Great value unfussy Michelin * lunch in the heart of Soho


The places I hope to visit more often in 2012:

Bocca di Lupo  Jacob Kenedy's exceptionally good Italian-influenced food in Soho

Brawn  Straight-up unpretentious British/French/Italian food in Bethnal Green

Barrafina Arguably London's best Spanish tapas bar in the heart of Soho

Roti Chai  Unpretentious Street Food from around India re-located to Marble Arch

Gauthier Soho  Seasonal, great flavours, good value classic French Michelin * from Alexis Gauthier

Le Gavroche  Michelin ** in Mayfair, Michel Roux Jnr in the kitchen.  Exceptional value 3 course set-lunch menu but book ahead.


Places I want to try in 2012:

Magdalen  So many friends have recommended this one in Bermondsey

Tinello  Giorgio Locatelli's influence but more affordable prices in Pimlico

Duck Soup  Natural wines and simple food in Soho - sounds tempting

Elliot's  Showcasing Borough Market traders - I like the ethos here

Pied a Terre  Fitzrovia Michelin **.  Straying from the good value set-lunch menu may call for someone else's wallet


If you get to any of these before me, let me know what you think.  Meanwhile,

Happy New Year

New season garlic - Food Find

What a lift to find the new season garlic on sale at biodynamic grower Fern Verrow at Bermondsey this weekend.  Known as wet or green garlic, this mild, sweet member of the allium family is delicious as puréed confit of garlic with goat's curd on croûtes as we enjoyed at Gergovie Wines on Saturday. 


http://www.maltbystreet.com/
http://www.gergoviewines.com/
http://fernverrow.com/

General Store, Peckham

General Store
Peckham

The opening of any independent grocery store is something to be celebrated.  Almost 4 years ago to the day I wrote about Leila's Shop in Spitalfields and said "every neighbourhood should have a shop like this".  Back then, as much as I wanted to see it happen, it seemed a bit of a forlorn hope. The grip of the supermarkets was vice-like and becoming ever-more insidious as they moved into corner-shop territory with smaller neighbourhood stores.  Now the big 3 are facing their own competition and shoppers are realising there are alternatives involving not only other multiples but small and local too.

Small independents are never going to be able to compete line-by-line with supermarkets on price, but that doesn't mean they can't have better prices on individual items.  With good quality they can offer better value.  They can also identify and form close personal relationships with local producers and specialist suppliers and this is the direction that General Store in Peckham has chosen. Actively seeking out the locally produced wherever possible, there's a commitment to supporting other small business allied with a commitment to quality and provenance.

On the shelves
at General Store

So, what is on the shelves?  London produce includes sourdough Cafone loaves from Bridget Hugo's BreadBread bakery in Brixton; breads and pastries from Bermondsey-based The Little Bread Pedlar; Coffee from the Clerkenwell roastery of Workshop Coffee; fine British and French cheeses from Neal's Yard Dairy and Mons Cheesemongers, matured under railway arches in South London; jars of honey from Bermondsey's The London Honey Company; some of the best preserves in the capital from Lily O'Brien's Hackney-based London Borough of Jam; and bottled beers from Kernel Brewery who were at the vanguard of London's recent micro-brewery movement; and natural wines are now available from Gergovie Wines too. Then, there's a good range of Spanish foods from importer Brindisa; rice from The Real Basmati Rice Co; organic flours from Shipton Mill; chocolate from bean-to-bar makers Pump Street Bakery in Suffolk sit alongside bars from influential Mast Brothers of Brooklyn; and, always, a selection of top quality seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Breads
at General Store

Then there's the service.  The young owners, Merlin and Genevieve, get the balance just right.  If you're happy to browse, that's fine.  If you want help or advice, it's knowledgeable, and friendly. Look out for their 'Meet the Supplier' events.  As see from a flyer that in the run-up to Christmas you'll find Neal's Yard Dairy setting up table outside on 6th December, followed by Mons Cheesemongers on the 7th.  Christmas orders can be placed up to the 15th December with specials like smoked salmon from Hansen & Lydersen's Stoke Newington smokery; Melrose & Morgan Christmas Puddings and Cakes; and special prices on wines and beers by the case.

Peckham is up-and-coming but still rough around the edges so perfect hunting ground for those looking for more bang for their buck property-wise.  The General Store is a great addition to the Asian, African and Caribbean stores. Shops like Persepolis, bring A taste of Persia to Peckham. There is also traditional British butchers Flock and Herd.  For more about food shops in Peckham, The Skint Foodie has a great list.

Fruit & vegetables
at General Store

Trying to compete directly with supermarkets is still a road to nowhere.  Independent grocery stores are a different breed from what they used to be but, little by little, they are returning to a neighbourhood near you - grocers for the way we live now.

General Store
174 Bellenden Road
Peckham
London SE15 4BW
Tel: 0207 642 2129

Café Deco, Bloomsbury

Café Deco, Bloomsbury

Who would open a restaurant in 2020?  Anna Tobias quietly opened the doors of Café Deco towards the end of November,  In Bloomsbury, long a dining desert in a rather lovely part of town.  That 'takeaway lunch/wine shop/traiteur' set-up that so many restaurants have morphed into to be able to survive in this craziest of years was the necessary starting point here, rather than the bar/restaurant intended.  Since 4 December, lockdowns permitting, you can book for lunch and dinner.  There was no flinging open the doors with a fanfare - though I doubt that was ever the intention for this beautiful, understated space that has the backing of the team behind the influential 40 Maltby Street.

Anna Tobias already has a solid following in London, having worked with Jeremy Lee at the Blueprint Café, at the River Café, as head chef at Rochelle Canteen, and then P.Franco plus many ‘stages’.  Highly influenced by the likes of Simon Hopkinson, Jane Grigson and Elizabeth David, and with a deep understanding of middle European cuisines, it’s no wonder I love her food.  She’s one of those chefs you know is worth following around and, here, she can cook what she wants to.  Though, like all kitchens right now, there will be some figuring out of what people want and what can be achieved in these strange stop-start times. Tobias has already said there will be changes to the food and how it’s offered over the first few months but having eaten here twice, and bought several takeaways here’s an idea of what to expect.

Minestrone Soup at Café Deco, Bloomsbury

A simple egg mayonnaise was punchy with really good mayo; Sweet & sour onions & radicchio could have tasted of nothing but pickle in lesser hands but the sweet/sour/bitter juices were mopped up greedily with good ‘Stockholm’ bread from E5 Bakery; a bowl of Winter Minestrone came thick with the season’s root veg, white and borlotti beans and their cooking stock, finished with twirly Spigariello broccoli and olive oil - deeply satisfying on a bitterly cold day.  Mains included a bowl of Fish Stew (hake and mussels), fennel, and potatoes topped with a dollop of aioli and a shower of parsley that was not just there for decoration but for its pronounced flavour; Roast Duck, swede cake & watercress was a beautifully light dish of meltingly tender pink duck accompanied by thinly sliced swede cooked slowly in stock, a spoonful of translucent crab apple jelly on the side.  

Sweet & sour onions and radicchio at Café Deco, Bloomsbury

For pudding, were the classic Caramelised Oranges; a light, crunchy Apple Galette served with the best Jersey Cream; and a dense-with-dates Sticky Toffee pudding & vanilla ice cream – heaven for this pudding lover

Fish Stew at Café Deco, Bloomsbury

Some of the wines will be familiar if you either visit 40 Maltby Street or order from Gergovie Wines but, as with the food, Anna Tobias is forging her own path   and there are plenty of others, many by the glass  Notable amongst the reds is a 1.9.8.4. Bodega La Senda, 2019 (Bierzo) and, on the After Dinner list, El Peluso, Verdevique, 1988.

Sticky Toffee Pudding at Café Deco, Bloomsbury

Café Deco may be all hard surfaces but the colours are soft and the lighting warm.  And raise your eyes above door height to take in the beautiful frieze running around the ground floor room, applied with the lightest of touches by artists Harry Darby and Anna Hodgson.  A downstairs room by the kitchen and outdoor seating are to come later.

If you can’t get in to eat at this restrictive time, there are lovely things to take away like Mortadella in focaccia, the deepest, most flavourful frittata you are ever likely to encounter, mince pies, tarts, biscuits, wine and, of course, the kind of store cupboard things we’ve become familiar with seeing in café/restaurants this year.   Yes, only the brave would be opening a restaurant in 2020 but I’ve a strong feeling this one will endure.  

Café Deco

43 Store Street

London WC1E 7DB

Tel: +44 (0)208 091 2108

At time of writing:

Takeway lunch, wine shop & Traiteur Tues-Fri 12-6pm

Lunch Wed-Sat

Dinner Tues-Sat

Maltby Street Award winning traders are on the move

Phase 1 of Maltby Street
traders move 31 March 2012

The Observer Food Awards 2011 Maltby Street traders are to start their phased move from the Bermondsy railway arches on 31 March 2012.  Moving just a few minutes walk further up the railway line out of London Bridge will place them handily just 5 minutes from Bermondsey Underground station.  The traders mentioned in my 'Bermondsey Trail' will be occupying arches and units centred around the disused Spa Road London to Greenwich railway terminus.  Not everyone will be moving in phase 1 on 31 March but as of that date you'll find your favourite traders at the following.

Malby Street & Spa Terminus
(Note retail trade Saturdays - core hours 9am-2pm - some stay open later) 
Phase 1 move Saturday 31 March 2012:

60 Druid Street
Tayshaw Ltd (Tony Booth Fruit & Veg) - unchanged by phase 1

34-36 Maltby Street
Monmouth Coffee Company - unchanged by phase 1
La Grotta Ices - unchanged by phase 1

40 Maltby Streeet
40 Maltby Street/Gergovie Wines - unchanged by phase 1 (Thurs & Fri from 5.30pm, Sat 10-5.30pm)

72 Druid Street
St John Bakery - unchanged by phase 1

104 Druid Street
Topolski - unchanged by phase 1
Kase Swiss - unchanged by phase 1
Boerenkass - unchanged by phase 1
Jacob's Ladder Farms - unchanged by phase 1

Unit 1 Voyager Business Park, SE16
Kappacasein - unchanged, already trading
Neal's Yard Dairy - new location

Unit 2 Voyager Business Park, SE16
Mons Fromager - new location
Aubert & Mascoli - new location

Unit 3 Voyager Business Park, SE16
South East Fruits - unchanged, already trading

Unit 4 Voyager Business Park, SE16
The Ice Cream Union - unchanged, already trading

Unit 5 Dockley Road, SE16
The Little Bread Pedlar - unchanged but now opening for Saturday retail from 31 March
Coleman Coffee Roasters - new location

Unit 6 Dockley Road, SE16
The London Honey Company - new location

Unit 10 Dockley Road, SE16
Fern Verrow - new location

Arch 11 Dockley Road, SE16
The Butchery Ltd - new location
The Kernel Brewery - new location

Arch 10 Dockley Road, SE16
The Ham & Cheese Co - new location

Dates for the move of those traders unchanged by the phase 1 move are to be advised later.  This will be a more settled home for the award winning traders who have worked so hard to build their businesses and serve us with some of the best produce in London.  You can pick up a copy of the flyer photographed above from The Ham & Cheese Company at 1 Ropewalk on 17 or 24 March.

I expect http://www.maltbystreet.com/ will be updated soon.  If you already know 'Maltby Street', I hope this information helps you find your favourite traders.  If you haven't discovered it yet, you'll find some of the best produce in London here.

GO HERE FOR AN UPDATE ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRADING 31 MARCH 2012

Zucca Restaurant SE1

Zucca Restaurant

Zucca is a spin-off from the nearby Maltings Cafe on Tower Bridge Road.  They say they aim to serve "good food at moderate prices".  I call it very good value for money, especially when you know the chef/proprietor is ex-River Cafe and Bibendum chef Sam Harris.  The influences on the food are clear but, thankfully, not on the prices.

Plain white tables and chairs, exposed concrete, the whole softened by a little wood.  Brown carpeting dampens down any clatter from the open kitchen, and the colour palette is enlivened with the orange of glass beakers and, of course, pumpkins (zucca in Italy).  Zucca is relaxing, rather than relaxed.  Staff are happy to see you, work well together and maintain focus right to the end of service.  There is great attention to detail and the prices are low for food of this quality.  It's fresh, it's seasonal, it's simple, and that's just what I want. 

Excellent fresh Italian breads - three types including a wonderful crispy focaccia - were brought to the table with a good grassy Planeta olive oil for dipping.  Generously a fresh basket of bread was offered (and accepted).  The food is big on seasonality and in its portions.  Starters are £3.95-£4.95.  Sardines in Saor were exceptionally good, a generous plate of Zucca Fritti - thick slices of pumpkin and whole sage leaves dipped in a beautifully light tempura batter were crisply fried and perfectly salted.  The carpaccio of veal disappointed only in that we expected it to be thinly sliced, rather than diced like a tartare, which results in quite a different texture, I think.  Mains are priced around  £14.00.  The veal chop looked delicious but we tried Ox Liver with lentils and chicoria topped with a punchy herb salsa verde, and Pollock with Cime di Rapa and Fennel in a light herby broth.  Both were more than good, in fact the Pollock was the best I have had and finally converted me to this much championed substitute for cod.  Our puddings were generous - a slice of  light Almond Cake with a blood orange reduction, and a good Affogato.  Both were well worth making room for.  With 3 glasses Falanghina and 1 of Volpolo the bill came to £72.00 excluding service but we could have spent less.

Maltings Cafe is about a 10 minutes walk away at 169 Tower Bridge Road.  It's a neighbourhood cafe which is open from breakfast until the end of the working day. The menu is limited - a pasta dish, a frittata and, perhaps a lamb Kofta alongside sandwiches on good bread - but it's a great place to eat-in or take-out. 

With Gergovie Wines already open in Maltby Street, and the imminent arrival of José Pizarro's sherry and tapas bar on Bermondsey Street, only a few doors along from Zucca, Bermondsey is becoming ever more interesting.

http://www.zuccalondon.com/

Ten Christmas Gifts for Food-Lovers

Ulcigrai Family
Pannetone

OK, so this is actually a list of what I would like for Christmas, but it might give you ideas if you have a food-lover in your life.

An Ulcigrai Pannetone £16
From a small family bakery in Trieste.  Available from Leila's, Monmouth Coffee, or 104 Druid Street, London SE1 Saturdays 9-2pm.

A pouch of Sencha tea £7 for 30g
from My Cup of Tea with a spoon infuser £3, or a glass teapot £22.
Buy on-line or from their wholesale arch at 96 Druid Street, London SE1 Saturdays 9-2pm.

Four bars of Marou Vietnamese chocolate at £4 each.
If you're going to Monmouth Coffee for your Christmas supplies, pick up these chocolate bars.  Didn't know Vietnam produced chocolate?  Neither did I, but Marou are bean-to-bar chocolate makers and it tastes great.  Bars range from 72-78% cocoa solids.  Go here for more stockists and info on the renaissance of the Vietnamese cocoa industry.

Hario Skerton hand coffee burr-grinder c£40
from Japan.  Available at many independent coffee shops and on-line

Selection of Cheeses from Neal's Yard Dairy c£25
My current choice for Christmas would be Stichelton; Hafod Cheddar; Cardo; Haye-on-Wye

Apron £20-£24
from Thornback & Peel On-line or from their shop at 7 Rugby Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1

Bottle of Sparkling Tricot Bulleversante 2011 (Auvergne) £17 
from Gergovie Wines 40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey, London (check website for opening). Take care opening this lively, natural wine.

A Truffle Slicer around £15
from good cookware shops.  Continental truffles are expensive, so you really need a slicer.  Then, of course, there's English black truffles.  Yes, they are out there.  Learn more at The English Truffle Company

Polpo A Venetian cookbook (of sorts) by Russell Norman £25
This one of my 'six of the best books 2012'.  It's already had its second print run and is a worthy winner of Waterstones Book of the Year 2012.

Porcelain Pestle & Mortar 
If you (or someone you know) have been admiring that pestle and mortar Nigel Slater handles so lovingly on his TV programmes you could take a look at John Julian Design for a similar one.  No price, but expect it to be expensive.   Alternatively, find a potter and commission a truly one-off version.

Happy shopping.

Christmas Gifts for Food Lovers 2013

Tea towels at Thornback & Peel

As usual, most of my suggestions for Christmas gifts re modestly priced with one exception for anyone wanting to push the boat out. Many can be bought on-line but, living in London myself, I've given information for where you can buy directly in the capital.  I hope you find this list inspirational however much you want to spend:


Cotton Tea Towels from Thornback & Peel.  These 60% linen/40% cotton towels are British designed and made.  These deliciously quirky and humorous designs by Julia Thornback and Della Peel will brighten your day.  £12.00-12.95 each

Preserves from England Preserves.  Selection is highly seasonal and, from their Bermondsey HQ, priced around £4-£4.50 per jar or £10 for 3.  Right now I'd recommend the Swan's Egg Pear & Aniseed Butter.  If you can shop at their Bermondsey base, they also have a lovely Paul Nash design cotton tea towel at £12.00 each.

Nyeri Gichatha-ini Kenyan Coffee Beans from the Gikanda Farmers Society at Monmouth Coffee.  Delicious redcurrant and plum flavours with grapefruit acidity.  Price £3.60 per 100g.

A bottle of Bermondsey London Dry Gin from Jensen Gin (73cl, 43% proof). An original London gin, priced around £25.

Original Beans Chocolate 4-Bar Gift Library.  Filled chocolates have their place but, for me, nothing beats the pure taste of a good bar of chocolate.  Last year I recommended Marou chocolate bars and I'm really pleased to see this Vietnamese chocolate has gained in popularity.  Marou is still on my shopping list, but this year I find myself again returning to Original Beans rare cacaos from sustainable farming.  Price £16.95 (280g) from Natoora

Appleby's Cheshire Cheese.  At Neal's Yard Dairy right now this is tasting so perfect I'm recommending this one cheese rather than a selection this year.  It's an unpasteurised cow's milk cheese with a moist, crumbly texture and a savoury, minerally flavour with a cool lactic tang.   Prices vary depending on weight but less than £30 kg.

Wynad Black Peppercorns.  Prized as the world's best these highly fragrant single estate peppercorns are grown completely free of artificial fertilisers, ripened on the vine and hand-harvested.  You can buy them from my favourite spice merchant Spice Mountain on-line or at Borough Market at £4.50 for 75g.

Tiffin Box from Divertimenti.  A 3-compartment stainless steel tiffin, or dabbas, lunch box set.  Lovely to look at and practical.  Price £18.95.

Ulcigrai Panettone.  The Ulcigrai family panettone from Trieste is still unbeatable for me.  Available at Leila's Shop in Shoreditch and also sold at Monmouth Coffee's Covent Garden and Borough Market shops.  Priced at £17 it is far from the most expensive around but I believe it is the best.

Stemless Riedel varietal wine glasses from John Lewis.  I like these for their practicality on the dinner table.  Price £20-25 depending on size for a box of 2.

A bottle of natural wine from Gergovie Wines.  Take Raef Hodgson's advice but perhaps a sparkler for Christmas morning such as Domaine Les Hautes Terres Josephine, Cremant de Limoux priced around £19.

Duralex Lys Stacking Bowls. These chip resistant tempered glass bowls are attractive and incredibly durable.  Available in 6's at Leila's Shop or individually at Heals in sizes 9cm/14cm/26cm priced at £2/£3/£8.

A Jesus Salami from The Ham & Cheese Company on-line or from their maturing rooms in Bermondsey on 14, 21 & 23 December (normally open every Saturday)  Price around  £25.

My luxury suggestion this year is a traditional Japanese Chazutsu Tea Caddy from the Kaikado company of Kyoto, the oldest maker in the world.  In materials of brass, tin or copper, these exquisite containers have been made in Japan by the Yagi family for generations.  Normally made to order, Margaret Howell on Wigmore Street, London W1 have a small number in stock.  Over time the caddies take on beautiful patinas from regular handling.  Priced from £110 up to £235 for a boxwood-handled version.

My final suggestion is to buy and plant a native tree.  Cost negligible, pleasure rating enormous.

HAPPY SHOPPING

Maltby Street & Spa Terminus - the doors open

The Butchery
Arch 11 Dockley Road
Spa Terminus

There was an air of excitement, expectation and a little trepidation amongst the Maltby Street traders as the doors opened on their new Spa Terminus location on Saturday.  Excitement that they now have arches with secure leases which give them control over their environment.  Expectation of welcoming customers old and new to their new homes, and a little trepidation that those treasured customers might not find their way. 

The Ham & Cheese Co
Arch 10 Dockley Road
Spa Terminus

All concerns proved unfounded.  There was a great turn-out of existing customers, mingling with a large number of locals checking out the new Saturday food shopping scene on their doorstep.  Just five minutes walk east from the traders' old arches which were centred around Maltby Street, the new ones are now a five minute walk from Bermondsey Tube station.

Whilst a few of the Maltby Steet award winning traders will not be moving until later in 2012, phase 1 has seen over half of the traders move home.  From Spa Terminus they run their wholesale businesses, supplying some of the best restaurants and food shops in the UK.  On Saturdays only (9-2pm) their doors are opened to retail customers. 

The area is spread over Voyager Business Park and Dockley Road.  Just as at Maltby Street, to cover all the arches at 'Spa Terminus' you need to move from the north side of the railway line to the south side.  At Voyager, you will find Kappacasein serving up their unbeatable toasted cheese sandwiches and Raclette alongside Neal's Yard Dairy.  Their neighbours are Mons Fromages, selling quality French cheeses, sharing an arch with Aubert & Mascoli, specialising in French and Italian wines.  Alongside you will find South East Fruits and Ice Cream Union.

The Little Bread Pedlar
Unit 5 Dockley Road
Spa Terminus

A walk under the bridge to the other side of the railway line brings you to a narrow gateway to the Dockley Road part of 'Spa Terminus'.   Here you can follow the aroma of baking to the unit housing The Little Bread Pedlar for some of the best croissant and brownies (and other treats) in London. The London Honey Company is alongside for all things apiarian, and close by is Fern Verrow for top quality biodynamic fruit, vegetables and meats.  Arch 10 is the new home of The Ham & Cheese Co, selling a fantastic selection of Italian and Basque cured meats, mozarella and the very best parmesan cheese.  The Kernel micro-brewery is right next door, brewing and serving up excellent pale ales, stouts, porters and more.  Last but far from least, is the arch housing The Butchery.  Here Nathan and Ruth run their 'nose to tail' butchery, buying in whole rare-breed and free-range carcasses to prepare for the counter.  You can even learn butchery skills on one of Nathan's courses.

If week one was anything to go by, Spa Terminus is now the place for your Saturday food shopping.  Don't forget, Spa Terminus is only five minutes from Maltby Street.  You can still find Tayshaw (Tony Booth fruit & veg), Monmouth Coffee, 40 Maltby Street/Gergovie Wines, St John Bakery, Jacob's Ladder Farms, selling fantastic biodynamic and organic meats, Topolski for Polish products, Kase Swiss, and Boerenkass for Swiss and Dutch cheeses, at their old locations on Druid Street and Maltby Street until they move to Spa Terminus later in 2012. 

UPDATE AUG 2012 - Monmouth Coffee pop-up now at Unit 3 Spa Arches Northside

Here's a map

Spa Terminus, Bermondsey SE16 :
Kappacasein
Neal's Yard Dairy
Unit 1 Voyager Business Park SE16

Mons Fromages
Aubert  Mascoli
Unit 2 Voyager Business Park

South East Fruits
Unit 3 Voyager Business Park

Ice Cream Union
Unit 4 Voyager Business Park

The Little Bread Pedlar
Coleman Coffee
Unit 5 Dockley Road

The London Honey Company
Unit 6 Dockley Road

Fern Verrow
Unit 10 Dockley Road

The Ham & Cheese Co
Arch 10 Dockley Road

The Kernel Brewery    

Arch 11 Dockley Road

The Butchery

Arch 11, Dockley Road

Bristol fashion

Ox cheek ragu with ricotta & sorrel dumplings
at Bell's Diner, Bristol

It had been a while, but the first Bristol Food Connections 11-day festival this month was the perfect excuse to pay another visit.  The format appealed because it necessitated visiting different areas of the city instead of the usual crowded events around the quayside.  It was a day-trip which meant we couldn't stay for any of the organised evening events; not even a tempting Cheese School event at Hart's Bakery.  With names like Joe Schneider of Stichelton Dairy; Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy; Charlie Westhead of Neal's Yard Creamery; and Todd Trethowan of Trethowan's Dairy plus The Wild Beer Company and Raef Hodgson of 40 Maltby Street/Gergovie Wines, it was not an easy prospect to pass up.  But let's start where we did, with breakfast at Hart's Bakery.

Hart's Bakery, Bristol

Tucked under the arches of the approach to Temple Meads railway station, its location couldn't be handier for a train traveller.  Two minutes off the London to Bristol service we were nursing cortados made with locally roasted Extract Coffee and tucking into toasted spiced, fruity, Festival Loaf with muscovado butter; light, moist, lemon cake and apple crumble slice.  With the bakery occupying the far end of the arch space, there's the irresistible aroma of baking breads and croissants, cakes and tarts, pasties and sausage rolls to lure the hungry traveller.  The front space is taken up by a shop counter and cafe.  The feel is more like being invited into someone's kitchen than a commercial space and it's all the better for it.  Good coffee, great food, lovely service, a welcoming atmosphere and you get to take home a damn fine loaf of bread.  I know for sure that next time I visit Bristol, not breakfasting at Laura Hart's Bakery is unthinkable.  

Bristol is a city made for walking.  Gorgeous Georgian architecture, green squares, candy-coloured terraced house overlooking a revitalised harbour side, and thankfully there are plenty of good independent coffee shops and restaurants in between.  I was never going to stick to my usual 2 cups of coffee  a day in this city so we stopped off at Full Court Press (FCP), supplied, amongst others, by Clifton Coffee Roasters (already familiar thanks to its recent weekend guest appearance at Kaffeine).  The skilled and knowledgeable barista was happy to share local knowledge as well as good coffee.  We found FCP was just around the corner from Small Street Espresso which was also on our hit list so, sadly, had to give that a miss - next time for sure as this is the place that kick-started speciality coffee in Bristol.  Later we made it to Didn't You Do Well on Park Row which hadn't been on our list but came up in conversation on the day.  It proved to be a good recommendation - HasBean coffee, shots pulled on a Slayer Seattle-made machine in a beautiful, calm, pared-back room.

Didn't You Do Well
Bristol

So where to lunch?  There were lots of recommendations so the final choice was made on proximity to where we found ourselves at the right time.  Bell's Diner, in the Montpelier district, won out. We checked with locals several times en-route to make sure we were going in the right direction and every single person said "Oh, Bell's Diner, it's great", and it was.  At lunch it's that, lately much-derided, 'small dishes' kind of place and it's a formula I like.  A dish of fresh peas in their pods came with slices of Manchego; Imam Bayildi was tender, smokey and silky; succulent, sweet scallops on cauliflower puree were topped with earthy morels and brown butter; and ox-cheek ragu was suitably melting beneath a trio of featherlight ricotta and sorrel dumplings.  I can't comment on the puddings as we didn't get that far but Prosecco was on tap and a house Molino red was an easy-drinking bargain.

Scallops with morels & cauliflower puree
Bell's Diner, Bristol

There were so many more places on our list.  Apart from Small Street Espresso there's The Lido; Flinty Red; Wallfish Bistro; The Rummer; Edna's Kitchen.  I'm also very keen to get back to Bristol soon to eat at newly-opened BIRCH in Southville for simple, locally sourced and home-grown food. OK, I admit I know owners Sam and Beccy, but believe me you too need to go.

My go-to person for Bristol food recommendations is local food blogger Food With Mustard. She's a mine of information and all round good egg.

Now, if only Hart's Bakery was open beyond 3pm (to fuel the journey home)  Bristol would be getting dangerously near to perfect.

February is the leanest month - so cook Sausage Ragu

Sausage Ragu
with gnocchi

There is no doubt that February is the leanest month in the culinary calendar, but by definition that makes it the most hopeful month (sometimes it pays to be a glass half-full type of person).  It will be another 6 weeks before I start planting in my allotment but my plan of action is ready and the seeds are ordered.  It will be late spring before I start harvesting my own crops so, as I eke out the remains of last year's garlic harvest, this is the time I rely heavily on my favourite shops and markets.  It's the one time of year when I'm happy to embrace some seasonal fruits from warmer climes.  I draw the line at imported blueberries, cherries and apricots - it's just so wrong in winter, and so tasteless - but sweet jewel-like pomegranite seeds and zingy bitter Seville orange are very welcome in my kitchen right now.

The sky may be grey but just think of all the uplifting foods which are just round the corner.  Blood oranges and forced rhubarb are already in the shops, and before we know it Alphonse mangoes will be appearing.  Artichokes, leeks, parsnips and, this year, some frankly disappointing winter cabbages (too mild?) will soon be eased out by broad beans, peas, and green garlic.  Wild garlic leaves and Jersey Royal potatoes will soon follow.  The fish and shellfish on offer is changing from oysters and sea bass to crabs, sardines, mackerel and scallops whilst venison and pork is joined by hoggett and, soon, tender spring lamb.  The best part is that, other than the oranges and mangoes, all of these will be British grown or raised.   Given the strange winter we have had this year, we may see some of these sooner than we expect.

We are on the cusp of of swapping the filling, warming foods of winter for the lighter, uplifting dishes of spring.  But we're not quite there yet, so here's an easy economical winter dish of pork sausages filled out with pillowy gnocchi, fragranced with fennel seeds and warmed by the heat of dried chilli.  It's inspired by a dish I've eaten more than once prepared by Dave Cook at Gergovie Wines/40 Maltby Street in Bermondsey and a version appears in Bocca the Cookbook. 

You can prepare the gnocchi a few hours ahead of time if you wish, then you don't want to have too much going on at once.  If you're short of time, I'm sure a short pasta such as penne would work well.  This is the perfect dish to keep the February blues at bay.

Sausage ragù with gnocchi
(serves 4)

FOR THE RAGÚ:
4 best quality pork sausages
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1-2 small dried, deseeded, chillies (depending on strength)
Half a tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
Half a tablespoon of fennel seeds, crushed
800g tin of plum tomatoes

Fry the sausages to brown lightly, then slice into rounds and keep warm.  Fry the garlic, chllies, fennel seed and rosemary for 1 minute then add the tomatoes and bring to the boil.  Add the sliced sausages and simmer very gently, uncovered, for at least 45 minutes until the sauce is quite thick and dark.

FOR THE GNOCCHI:
300g (12oz) of cooked floury potato, eg King Edward (about 400g raw)
50g (2oz) plain flour
1 small egg, lightly beaten
A little nutmeg to taste
Salt and pepper

Steam the potatoes in their skins (this keeps the mash dry).  Bring a pan of water to the boil and salt it.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, skin them and put through a ricer or mouli or mash well.  While still warm, mix in the flour, egg, nutmeg and seasoning lightly.  Take a small piece and drop it into the boiling water.  It should float to the suface without breaking up.  If it separates, add a little extra flour to your mix.  Take pieces and roll by hand into lengths, roughly the thickness of your middle finger (use a little extra flour if you need it only to stop it sticking to the work surface but handle gently).  Cut into 1cm lengths. Drop into the boiling water and once they float to the surface, cook for 2 minutes. 

Drain the gnocchi and add to the finished ragù (if you are preparing them ahead of time, spread them in a single layer on an oiled plate and chill and warm them through in the sauce for a couple of minutes when you're ready).  Serve with grated parmesan or pecorino.