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Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way! I wish I had a relish dish. I've put out assortments of pickled items (mm .. peppadews!) in lots of little dishes, but I could also see using such a dish for olives and bits of cheese, nuts, snack mixes, four different kinds of olives .. whatever. I've never had a super bowl party, so I don't know about fanciness for that, but I'd def use something like this for wine and cheese/snacks kind of party.
Cook the Book: Sweet and Sour Vietnamese Wings
@Michele Humes
@kw12345
My fault, I wasn't clear enough -- I'm not opposed to buying/drinking the nectar, and the recipe sounds delicious as is. It's just that I was trying to think if I could replicate the flavor (more or less) with something I already had. I was wondering if anyone else had the same thought .. :)
Thanks for your suggestions!
-m
Where to Eat in London?
Glad to help!
Re: Brick Lane .. if you're set on that, by all means go, but .. I really don't think that that is the best place to get decent Indian. I also don't like the atmosphere -- but then, I hate people coming up to me in the street and aggressively touting their restaurant. I know it doesn't bother everyone. Either way, if you have a specific destination in mind, something that's been recommended to you, then you know more than me :)
If, on the other hand, you aren't set on a place and are just looking for a great curry house, I recommend Lahore Kebab House, just off Commercial Rd (2 Umberston Street) in Whitechapel. Also, I've never been, but I've heard great things about Tayyab (I think that's the name) nearby Brick Lane, near Aldgate East tube.
High brow curry: Red Fort in Soho is wonderful.
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Serious Efforts: Recipe for Chinese-Style Braised Rabbit
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The famous no-knead bread: does it work for everyone?
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Cambridge UK Recommendations
I agree with @ChristineB, but there is the Rainbow Cafe on Kings Parade. I haven't been there in a long time but I seem to remember that it was good, even for omnivores.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way! I wish I had a relish dish. I've put out assortments of pickled items (mm .. peppadews!) in lots of little dishes, but I could also see using such a dish for olives and bits of cheese, nuts, snack mixes, four different kinds of olives .. whatever. I've never had a super bowl party, so I don't know about fanciness for that, but I'd def use something like this for wine and cheese/snacks kind of party.
Cook the Book: Sweet and Sour Vietnamese Wings
@Michele Humes
@kw12345
My fault, I wasn't clear enough -- I'm not opposed to buying/drinking the nectar, and the recipe sounds delicious as is. It's just that I was trying to think if I could replicate the flavor (more or less) with something I already had. I was wondering if anyone else had the same thought .. :)
Thanks for your suggestions!
-m
Where to Eat in London?
Glad to help!
Re: Brick Lane .. if you're set on that, by all means go, but .. I really don't think that that is the best place to get decent Indian. I also don't like the atmosphere -- but then, I hate people coming up to me in the street and aggressively touting their restaurant. I know it doesn't bother everyone. Either way, if you have a specific destination in mind, something that's been recommended to you, then you know more than me :)
If, on the other hand, you aren't set on a place and are just looking for a great curry house, I recommend Lahore Kebab House, just off Commercial Rd (2 Umberston Street) in Whitechapel. Also, I've never been, but I've heard great things about Tayyab (I think that's the name) nearby Brick Lane, near Aldgate East tube.
High brow curry: Red Fort in Soho is wonderful.
Where to Eat in London?
Do you mean, less expensive but still "gourmet"? Or seriously inexpensive places to stop for a quick bite? And what kind of food do you like? Are you planning your holiday around food, or the other way around?
For instance, you could start your morning at Borough Market near London Bridge on a Friday or Saturday, get a Monmouth coffee and a bite at one of the stalls, then saunter east along the river to Gorden Ramsey's The Narrow Pub in Limehouse (get back to the center on the DLR). Although I was underwhelmed by the food there, most everyone else seems to like it and it is seasonal, classic, well-done pub food etc etc. Great view of the river, can be very crowded, possibly a good idea to book. They do a weird but good mojito if you're into that.
Or, if you're in South Ken for the museums, there's the Oratory between the V&A and Harrods. Good wine list, good (inexpensive) food.
Wild Honey and Arbutus are both very chef-y, seasonal restaurants (tasty and unordinary food) run by the same people. They are both fairly expensive, but both run a pre-theater menu (order up till 7pm, I think) which is a bargin (3 courses for about £20).
I really like Wahaca in Covent Garden for inexpensive yummy Mexican street food, and I've heard good things about Great Queen Street (a pub in that area) as well. By the way, the London Transport Museum rocks!
If you are just looking for basic, decent and cheap, then I guess the Wagamama or Leon chains work. They're certainly convenient, but nothing you couldn't get easily in the states (this may also hold true for Wahaca, my opinion is easily swayed because I'm so desperate for decent Mexican).
You could also check Time Out for London, and the London Eating websites.
Hope that helps!
Cook the Book: Sweet and Sour Vietnamese Wings
Sounds great, but I'd love to be able to make these without having to buy mango/guava/papaya nectar. Anyone have any substitute suggestions? I'm guessing a citrus fruit would be too acidic? What about apple puree?
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks
Sirloin -- chewing is fun!
Who wants to wok and roll?
Totally not gourmet, quick & easy peanut noodles for 1:
1 T Peanut Butter
1 T warm water
mix vigorously until emulsified. Add sprinkling of hot chili flakes to taste. Mix. Add
1/2 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 T soy sauce
1/2 T sugar
Mix again.
Mix in 1 portion of cooked rice noodles. Thin with a little extra water/vinegar/soy, depending. Also, vary proportions of soy:vinegar:sugar to your taste.
(I know you said you've got soba, so that might work, but I think the soba taste is a bit strong for peanut noodles)
Confession: I am a mustard junkie. What are you addicted to?
Hot sauces! I'm on a quest to have one for each pepper/region. My favorite so far: Marie Sharp Green Habanero.
(also, since it's come up, medicated chapstick. I import it from the US every time I go home. If I don't have some with me, I feel uncomfortable and prickly. I need a support group)
A Visit to London's Borough Market
I love Borough Market for imported cheese and Monmouth coffee, but I do sometimes feel like I'm in a crowed, touristy, open-air Waitrose. For guaranteed local food, it pays to visit one of London's Farmer's Markets, where everything has to come from within 100 miles of London. Mmmm .. lots of sprouts and Jerusalem artichokes just now.
Photo of the Day: Hot Chocolate Haiku
cocoa in munich
why does it taste so funny?
damn that mulled wine stand!
Why don't professional chefs use a garlic press?
It's definitely been my experience that garlic put through a press or grated tastes stronger and rawer. Also, when I've experimented with sauteing grated/pressed garlic, it never comes out properly. I use my press for salad dressings and paste making only -- applications where I want an aggressive taste or where the garlic is squished with something else before cooking. Otherwise, I find individual bits behave better and taste nicer when sliced/diced/minced.
Healthy Banana Bread Recipes?
I have the same problem with banana bread -- most of the recipes I've found are loaded with (yummy but evil) fat and sugar. The one I've been using recently comes from the FatFree archive:
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/breads-quick/banana-bread-9
The recipe is super simple, and is dense but tasty, particularly toasted the next day. I know you asked for one with no sweetener, and this one calls for 1 C of sugar, but I regularly cut that to 2/3 C or 1/2 C and it still comes out fine. I'm not sure eliminating the sugar entirely would work out so well, but my food chemistry is weak. OTOH, you only have 3 bananas, so if you cut it in half and reduce the sugar, you're down to about 2T ...
In Videos: Weird Al Yankovic's 'Eat It'
Oh, please warn us furriners in advance when things won't play outside the US .. I had my hopes all up and everything [slowly expiring from lack of Weird Al fix] ..
Black Treacle Toffee: Scary or Delicious?
I substitute black treacle for molasses regularly with no ill effects. But, like you, I've never had access to both at the same time, so I can't say for sure how they compare. I've also tried golden syrup for corn syrup but that doesn't work as well :(
Things that make you go AAAAAAARGH!
1. Have you ever eaten horseradish? Yes
2. If yes, what would you put it on? Almost anything in one way or another.
3. Where do you shop for special meal ingredients? Farmers markets, specialty markets
4. Would you order ingredients online? If so, which sites? No
5. 1 to 10 scale, how adventurous are you at trying new foods? 9
6. How far have you driven to eat-out? I don't drive. But I've flown to another country, does that count?
7. How often do you prepare meals each week? 5 or 6 times a week, 2-3 meals a day.
8. What colors come to mind associated with adventure? Red
9. Do you consume artificial sweeteners? No
Do you wear an apron?
I love aprons! Retro and sexy. High heels a plus but only if you have an admirer around and no desire to get any actual cooking done.
For actual cooking protection, my favorite is this heavy duty number:
http://www.tate.org.uk/shop/product.do?id=25121
How could you not like them? Yet another opportunity to accesorize ;)
The First Meal of a Vacation
I'm always a little perplexed by the 'humane lobster-killing' debate. From a biological complexity point of view, lobsters are about as brainy as a mosquito or a tick. Why don't we have debates about the pain levels of a fly swatter versus the newspaper? Or turpentine versus a lit match? Even weirder to me, oyster eaters never seem bothered that raw oysters are still alive when eaten. To me, as long as you're paying attention to overfishing problems, and chosing your lobster accordingly, it makes not one bit of difference how you kill it.
What fruit could you eat every day for the rest of your life?
mangosteens, omg. but more realistically (for me): cherries! even more realistically (given English climate): blackberries.
Grocery shopping confessions...
Geez leave a country for a year or so and things change completely. What the hell is Fage yoghurt?
In my cart:
Ryvita Rye Crispbreads
Chicken thighs
Avocados
Carrots
Smoked Salmon
Where do you go for dim sum in Chinatown (NYC)?
I used to go to Jing Fong, but now I like Golden Bridge even better. The enterence is on the Bowery. The salt and peper squid is fantastic.
Milkshake: make mine______
Babe Ruth or Peanut Butter from the Nifty Fifty's diner in/near Chester, PA. I haven't had one in about 6 years and I'm still craving them ...
Gun to your head: 3 Favorite Sauces...
Aioli, pesto & sweet chili sauce.
Though one wonders: jam probably doesn't count as a sauce, but what about chutney? At one point does a dip/marinade/spread become a sauce?
want to make a special seafood dinner for that special someone...would love to get some of your favorite, most delicious, uncommon seafood recipes.
How about salmon in puff pastry? There must be about a billion different variations on this theme, but I particularly like Delia Smith's slightly Asian take:
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/thai-salmon-filo-parcels,1730,RC.html
Do food writing fads annoy you?
I don't know if this counts as food 'writing' per se, but I can't STAND menu items described as "[verb] to perfection", eg. spiced to perfection, grilled to perfection, etc. I mean .. as opposed to what? 'Mostly well grilled'? 'Spiced fairly accurately'?
Where to Eat in London?
There are Vietnamese restaurants all over London, but the area of Hackney, specifically the Kingsland road has a high concentration of Vietnamese eateries.
One of my fav Viet places is Viet Grill in Soho, address -
Viet Grill
24 Greek Street
Soho
Where to Eat in London?
you could look at http://www.tumsguide.co.uk
its a bit odd but they seem to go to places most tourists miss.
Cambridge UK Recommendations
If you don't mind walking a little, I think the Black Cat Cafe (on Mill Road, over the bridge) is very veggie-friendly for lunch and cake.
I second the suggestion of the Rainbow Cafe on King's Parade, but check the menu online because I seem to remember it being quite vegetable-heavy.
The Italian restaurant that ChristineB is referring to is called La Margherita and it is fabulous - by far the best Italian restaurant left in Cambridge.
Varsity on Regent street does a nice Veggie Meze set menu.
Where to Eat in London?
If you're looking for a niche restaurant that's going to give you a proper British experience, then I'd go to Mother Mash. In fact, I already did! Their menu is pretty simple - you order in 3 steps. Step 1, choose your mash (original, cheesy, etc). Step 2, choose your sausage/pie (vegetarian, pork & leek, etc). Step 3, choose your gravy (red onion, vegetarian etc). I don't eat meat but I loved this place.
Mother Mash
26 Ganton Street
(near Oxford Circus tube)
http://www.mothermash.co.uk/
Where to Eat in London?
Hi there, I'm in the process of applying to SOAS of the University of London, and was wondering similarly about where to eat in London. Since I'll (hopefully) be back in university, I would be interested in cheap eats such as cafes and inexpensive curry houses (the Lahore Kebab sounds lovely), especially any in the Bloomsbury area.
I would also love unique restaurant picks as well, since my desired MA programme is Anthropology of Food. It would be nice to find inspiration for my studies in local dining areas.
Also, are there any good Vietnamese places in London?
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
@Perky, I did get the joke, I only eat the junk in the hospital if I'm desperately starved, and nowhere else! I imagine it's a staple because it's mushy and easy to digest, though I'd rather have extra fake mashed potatoes, I must admit I find those tasty, given the environment served in.
No, I wouldn't be topping my precious NY Style Cheesecake with it!! haha. eck. And while my mom is pretty frittata creative, if I saw a Jello frittata, I'd send her to my specialists!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way - I love a relish tray! But then, I love pickles and olives. When my family has a holiday, my sister puts out a relish tray just for me (or so she says) but EVERYONE eats from it - she just doesn't realize it because they eat from it while I'm making it up instead of at the table.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Jerzee, please provide us with the history of the relish tray and its effect on pop culture in recent years. Thanks so much, ;)
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
WAY and you can still get the relish tray at Lenny's in Clearwater, FL. It's a great breakfast and lunch place right off 19. The veggies take the edge off my appetite. They have tomato salad, beets, cole slaw, and cucumber salad. My favorite relish tray item was chick pea salad from Richelieu restaurant on 18th Avenue and 65th street in Brooklyn way back in the 70's and early 80's.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
WAY! I love my antique divided dishes, cut glass and flower-etched glass varieties. I usually use them for olives, spiced almonds, candies, and other non-relish items. I did break them out recently for my retro dinner party, which featured devilled eggs, tomato aspic, three bean salad, and of course the divided dishes with gherkins, beetroot cubes, sour onions, and bread and butter pickles. A hit!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Absolutely WAY! I use them all the time and I don't even need an occasion. I like to read a book and have a cheese and olive tray there to snack on. It's always so much nicer if you present everything as nicely for yourself as you would for a party. I'm very big on "the presentation is everything".
I do it for the kids and their friends after school too. With fruits and veggies and grilled cheese triangles. Their friends love it.
And what Lemons said about Jello on the hospital tray. I was on a clear liquids only diet once and really came to look forward to the one "solid" thing I got to eat. That and sherbet, who knew that counted as a clear liquid?
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
We're definitely a relish tray family if you've ever met one. We fill our metal pan with a divider with pickkle spears, black olives and green olives. We don't have family functions without them!
Hillary
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way! And I get a little help and keep one or two of the guests occupied by setting out the jars and asking them to arrange the trays. They help with the bread tray too. I believe in kitchen participation.
Before my Mom handed down her cut glass, which came to her as a shower present, to me, I purchased some stainless steel (Dansk) divided dishes and dip service pieces for relishes and crudities. I'll put them all on the same table if needed!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Fostoria was a company that made glass. And gelatin is a staple on hospital trays because it's considered a clear liquid, which is often the diet used first after surgeries. No, it's not a fabulous food, but it gets some calories and a little protein in, sits lightly on a stomach, and is often well tolerated. That is to say tolerated by the body, as opposed to, oh, say, my opinion of it personally, which is that I don't care for it much. Let's not get into the whole hospital nutrition thing, or I'll start telling people who get their families to bring in Jack-In-The-Box tacos to have for them as they wake up from a gall bladder surgery.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way, there aren't many gathering at our house that pickles, olives and assorted other num nums aren't out as a finger food option...
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way because the relish tray - mine is really more like a veggie tray (carrots, celery, radishes, pepper strips, olives, pickles, etc.) - is usually the only way guests at my parties will get anything other than meat and cheese.
Will serve these items in those old-fashioned glass trays. My mom gave me a few and I think they have a certain charm, no matter the occasion.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
@bobcatsteph ~ clarification here. When I say (repeating what someone once said to me btw), "You want I should bring a box of jell-o?", it means I'm bringing the box with the bag of sugar that stains everything inside. Not the cold quivering already set stuff, so use it however you'd like! Would I eat it if served? Sure. Would I make it for myself? Nope. Still can't figure out why it's a staple on hospital trays. 'Tis a puzzlement.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
SOOO totally way. In a huge way, I'm a fan. I would play to your crowd Perky. If you think they would enjoy and appreciate it, then I say no-it isn't too fancy. If you think otherwise, then I wouldn't do it.
I usually make food that plays to my "audience." I don't make "fancy" foods for people I know really don't care/appreciate.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
I'm a way too! I've been collecting relish trays of various shapes, sizes and colors for years. I use them all year round, for all occasions, and would use them for the super bowl if I were hosting this year. They are also great for salad bar items, and condiments!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Love to put antipasto type yummies in mine...roasted red peppers, chunks of salami and mozzarella balls...ooh!...
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Extreme WAY here too Perk!
In all instances of entertaining this is a must for me.
On my relish trays I like to include:
• Gherkens (sliced in spears)
• Pickled pearl onions
• Kalamatas
• Green Stuffed Olives
• Roasted Red Peppers in EVOO (from the deli counter)
• Pickled beets
I've even got a couple fancy plates for this. I don't normally buy fancy plates but I make these often enough that it's worth it!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
I say WAY...they're so civilized. Bring 'em back.
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Way, my mom has a few of the same plates. We use them for olives, cheese, other antipasta type things, mustard pickle, hmmm love me some baby corn!
Pickles (cucumbers) tend to make me quite ill, my stomach finds it unneccessary to digest certain foods, but I do enjoy them, and if I'm eating a lot of other things I can usually have a few. Always wanted to try a "kool-aid" pickle, but think throwing up pink might be a bit much! Sorry to be gross!
And Perky, brunch at our house is around noon-1 on Sundays, this one happens to be my dad's b'day, so your "jello" would be a welcome treat to the Prime Rib roast I'm making him for dinner! Maybe I'll top my cheesecake with it! ;-) Or I'll just have mom mix it in her frittata!
Relish Tray: Way or No Way?
Just yesterday, I found TWO cut glass relish trays at a thrift store. For a whopping 3.50 I got a lovely cut glass tray and a very simple, almost plain one. They also had a pretty, round one that had quarter circle dishes that fit around a plain platter. I was tired of using ramekins as I never have enough to cover my selection of relishes.
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Serious Efforts: Recipe for Chinese-Style Braised Rabbit
Posted by LondonM, June 8, 2009 at 7:03 AM
The famous no-knead bread: does it work for everyone?
Posted by LondonM, March 30, 2007 at 6:46 AM
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I agree with @ChristineB, but there is the Rainbow Cafe on Kings Parade. I haven't been there in a long time but I seem to remember that it was good, even for omnivores.