The Delicious Miss Dahl on Escapism

It'd be rude not to review this episode of the Delicious Miss Dahl. Initial, one week, scepticism on the series was promptly washed away by episode two. Now we're over half way so may as well see it to the end. This week's escapism theme may seem a little bit ironic as it coincides so neatly with the abrupt standstill of all airline traffic. But what I find so many of the Delicious Miss Dahl episodes about are dreamscapes and ignoring real life for thirty minutes. The food this week is pushing me to the brink of having to buy the book. I can see myself having far too many cookery books which I mainly look at the pictures in so hopefully I will be fairly rational as to whether or not it would be a good buy.

Sophie Dahl is good egg. I think the food comes from good meaning and she can't help having travelled the world. Probably a few times over. Fortunate enough to be able to try and fail/quit/nonchalantly-move-on from many a glamorous endeavour like acting, modelling, writing etc. I've said it before, and probably will say it again, I like the kitchen of the delicious miss Dahl. It's kitchen aid and le creuset, sure, gastro porn enough, but it's also trinckets and treasures like retro floral stove-top espresso makers and tin bowls. Ebay here I come.

Yes, I realise it's probably a studio or not really hers, but like I say little details and reality don't fathom much with the delicious miss Dahl.
The music in the Delicious Miss Dahl on Escapism was true to form. Very apt. This week took on something of an ethereal theme in keeping with escapism, and mainly featured airy female singer-songwriter. I think this week wasn't as good as the past, and she missed a trick a bit but I still enjoyed it.

My favourite choice was Far Away by Ingrid Michaelson, perfectly summarising East Coast america as I'd imagine it. Yes a little bit Dawson's Creek, but guilty pleasures are surely what escapism is for. Escapism for me is as much the dreaming as the actual doing.

"I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay.
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea,
And close to my heart he'll always stay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life."

Sophie Dahl talked about Martha's Vineyard, quite probably the most bizarre place-name, but somehow it's a part of the world I'd like to go to along with Cape Cod, ever since my Grandma went and brought back pictures of auburn topped trees and rows upon rows of pumpkins.

Sophie cooked up some awesome looking New England-style clam chowder with crunchy thyme breadcrumbs.

Other music featured included Goldfrapp's Little Bird and Aimee Mann's Great Beyond:

"Go, honey go -
Into the ocean
Go, honey go -
Into the great beyond
Til you're good and gone
And you can hide away for
When everything goes wrong
Honey - go"

Aimee Mann, Great Beyond.

Obviously the featured poem excerpt could not be without a mention, Leisure by William Henry Davies. It's a beautiful poem which just takes you away for few blissful moments.

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."

Leisure, William Henry Davies

Accompanying this audio indulgence is a sensory assault. The Mexican breakfast is fairly safe but looks great. I in fact am going to buy some tortillas right after this. I'm not sure what the mexican's would make of putting Tofu in your quesadillas. Not a lot I should think.

With black beans, an arsenal of spices and roasted pepper alongside a good smultz of guacamole it's pretty damned hot. She also made a veritable panacea for cold drizzly day with spiced hot chocolate and extolled the virtues of chocolate not difficult but also the Mexican's unabashed use of chocolate in savoury meals in a dark and mysterious manner. 

I'll skip over the Greek calamari and Chicory Salad to the Indian Supper of Dahl's Dhal. She was obviously born to make this. Or so named. Anyhoo, the rice was the star attraction for me, delicately fragranced with star anise, cinnamon, saffron and cardamom and cooked together with a good knob of butter. Butter and rice is actually a great thing as a Slovakian flat mate once taught me. I don't agree that rice should not be gloopy, sticky or lumpy. That is just how I like it.  How Sophie Dahl cooks the lentils quite as eloquently as she does is beyond me, mine always look like congealed brown goo akin to Dickensian slops but maybe the recipe will hold the key. And you literally cannot go wrong with sweet potato charred wedges. Distraction enough for any congealed goo.

Ahhh, 'til next time.

Mexican Food Made Simple

 

Having been to Mexico and experienced the food there, I am infactuated to say the least. However, I am now a foodie snob and scoff at many popular references to so called 'mexican food'. Food in Mexico is not just a commodity it is a huge part of their culture, history and pride. Tex-mex- It. Is. Not.

The food is rich and sumptuous. Offers at Day of the Dead, often include food- a sign of the most precious thing they can give. From the chocolate and chiles in Mole, to the  guacamole, corn tortillas, tamales, churros, horchata, tinga and esquite. The list is endless and a veritible feast for heart and soul. In Mexico I didn't manage to bring back a cookery book and looking here in England I thought I'd have to make another visit just to do so.

But Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers has come to my culinary rescue with Mexican Food Made Easy. Having spent a good deal of time in Mexico and now opening the slightly unfortunately named Wahaca....why it is not Oaxaca, I do not know...in London to rave reviews, she's now bought out a Mexican cooking book, Mexican Food Made Simple. When amazon faithfully delivered the hardback brick, I was amazed at how interesting and Mexican the recipes were.

They're also, true to the title, easy to follow and have some nice stories and musings to help it go down. A few of the recipes use a master-recipe of roasted tomata salsa. Using this I made the chicken and corn humble pie. The sauce has a good punch to it, the recipe is really quite flexible and good for left over chicken and it has a light corn-based topping. It went down well and 'pretty mexican' with my Mexican guest. Tlayudas are high up on my next-to-try list.

Mexican food made simple seems like a real winner for anyone who loves the authentic mexican food. Perfect for dinner parties too, which I like because Mexico is such a friendly interactive place and food is really central to social and family life. There's also a section on the types of chile and herbs to use and a directory of Mexican food shops in the UK. A long over due Mexican cooking book that allows me to lust after mexico once more.

Ñam!
8/10

Graffiti and Cupcakes in London

I love big contrasts. The things that smack pattern and conformity in the face. On a recent mooch in London I saw some lovely contrasts. A big city has a veritable plethora of visual loveliness I find.

Firstly I saw this graffiti near-by Brick Lane, the Indian corner of London. I quite like graffiti sometimes, because (i) it makes use of an other blank canvas, (ii) it's often subtly clever (iii) it's not money-making so it's really honest, (iv) it often represents a current social thought or feeling and (v) you never know when you might find it.

Then I went to the Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy, which incidentally is really good. It's a selection of Van Gogh's work across his working lifetime, alongside letters to and from his brother Theo up until a few days before he died. Anyway, really near to the Royal Academy in Piccadilly, is Fortnum and Mason. The epitome of all that is over-indulgent luxury. It's been going strong since 1707. I saw some cupcakes. I wanted to eat them. Instead I looked on longingly like a child in a toy-shop.

Finally, I'll share with you Leon. More culinary deliciousness. I stumbled across the one in Spitalfield's market. Disppointed the market wasn't on, I soon recovered on spotting Leon. It's great seasonal food at shiny lovely prices. It's light-shades are made of recycled oil cans, and the food is served in brown cardboard boxes. The food is simple, I took the chilli with a chunk of lemon and some pea and carrot coleslaw. Very wholesome and very easy to recommend. I bought the bookwritten by founder and resident foodie god Allegra McEvedy. I really like Allegra's style, in herself and her food. As a bonus, the packaging is recyclable, they use produce from local farms, and give left over food to charity. This is a great, pretty ethical whilst oozingly cool restaurant.