February 12, 2008 • 1:45 pm 0
Writing about http://imdb.com/title/tt0401383/Â and http://www.lescaphandre-lefilm.com/
I am not articulate enough to express how I felt about this film, other than to urge you all to go and see it (with plenty of tissues and a strong stomach). A huge thank you to Paul & Sarah who took us to see it at the gorgeous Queen’s Film Theatre.
August 31, 2007 • 11:25 am 3
We had a fabulous time, and marched our way around the churches and museums and ate our way round the foccaherias, gelaterias, mercado, trattorias and ristoranti!
My top food places of the trip were:
The most memorable meal of the week – not least because I hadn’t quite got my Italian tongue in yet. We queued briefly for a table and were then seated between a family of Italians and a French couple.
The waiter opened a 2-litre straw covered bottle of chianti for the table that we were sharing with the French couple and then asked us whether we wanted apperitivo. I thought that he meant apperatifs so tried to order some and failed. He then asked whether we wanted apperitivo or soup or pasta, we went for apperativo to give us some thinking space. I was getting a bit worried by this point.
Anyway a wonderful mezze of different appetiser dishes started to appear: beutiful fresh milky soft mozerella with ripe tomatoes, chicken liver crostinis, melon and prosciutto and a grain salad. Meanwhile I was asking the French lady whether she had understood the deal with the wine as none of us had touched it. She caught the waiter’s attention and asked him in French – it was being charged for by the glass so we tucked in.
The apperitivo plates were cleared and I has started to settle down assuming that a menu would soon be provided. But no, to my alarm, another waiter came back and asked us whether we wanted soup or pasta next! The whole meal continued in this way – it certainly kept us on our toes but the food and the atmosphere were wonderful!
Then papa, for this was a family-run restaurant, was finally found to give us the bill. He arrived at the table and our waited came up to recite, from memory, what we had had (right down to the correct number of glasses of wine)! €70!
For chilling, masses of free apperitivo (on a held-yourself basis), seeing and being seen and for Negronis. I am now waging a campaign to bring back Campari to the masses – it’s not all Luton Airport and Lorraine Chase you know!
Wonderful plate of meats including a smoked lard. Fabulous piece of roasted pork rolled with sage – served with potatoes that had been roasted under the pork!
I do regret not having had a Bistecca alla Fiorentina though – especially after having read this review.
Never mind I have stroked the porcellino so I am destined to return to Florence and I can expand my knowledge then.
Filed under: Birthday, Cocktails, Food, Himself, Holiday, Italian, Language, Uncategorized
January 29, 2007 • 1:56 pm 6
Follow-up to Retox Weekend from Casey’s Blog
But on the downside I need to loose a gajillion stone before this Saturday….
My Great Auntie Lil might be at my uncle’s 50th party…
Oh, Casey love, what happened – you were doing so well?
(Auntie Lil, circa 5 years ago, at one of my Grandparent’s BBQs.)
• 1:23 pm 3
You
can’t say that we don’t do it in style. Celebrating out tenth year with
a weekend in the Wold (as Rachel is wont to call Southwold).
We spent a night in The Swan (v swanky but freezing Garden Room) and a night in the Crown (slightly less swanky and v overheated room).
And needless to say we pigged out from the moment we arrived (see
Cream Tea in the Drawing Room at the Swan – which was lovely once the
be-wellied Tabitha and St. John has left with their screaming hoards).
They don’t call it Chelsea-on-sea for nothing – so if Himself looks
slightly less than impressed in the photo you know why!
The mitigating factor to our sheer greed was the massive amount of
walking we did – up and down the front and in a huge loop round
Walberswick.
Anyway – the main event foodwise was a fabulous meal at the Swan on Friday night:
Served with wild rocket, capers and lemon oil
Served with carrot and swede puree, curly kale, roasted beetroot, chestnuts, pancetta lardons and juniper infused jus
served wirth caramel syrup, compote of Griottine cherries, bitter chocolate sorbet and sesame nougatine
Absolutely
divine – I was practically hugging myself Mutley-style with each
mouthful. And Himself swears I was purring at my plate like Sparka
purrs at her food bowl.
Everything was perfect from the kir apperatif made with Adnams Fizz down to the homemade petit fours served with coffee.
Other culinary highlights included:
I did tell you it was a piggy weekend… A selection of photos.
We are now, as ever, desperately in love with Southwold and
calculate that if we sell our house we could afford a small number of
beach huts (yes, seriously, the first time I visited I saw one for sale
in an estate agent’s window for £40K!).
November 23, 2006 • 6:14 pm 11
It’s been a bit busy at work what with one thing and another
recently. I think I now understand a bit when people say “Oh, I’m too
busy to keep a blog.” I’ve always been adamant that writing a blog
entry takes no longer than sending an email – but I think actually it’s
about finding the headspace to think things through rather than finding
the time to write things down.
Anyway…
I ridiculously forgot to pack my camera when Himself and I went to visit P and S for a long weekend last weekend.
(Happy 30th P – and thank you both for having us should you chance across this blog entry.)
It was a weekend of revelation – I never knew that Northern Ireland was so pretty.
Crawfordsburn Country Park was a poem of different shades of golden
leaves on your right and rocky searing blue cormarent-covered sea on
the left. (See other people’s pictures of the waterfall and the beach and the viaduct)
Holywood was picture-postcard material with its own maypole and bagging a snug in the National Trust-owned Crown Bar for an entire evening with P’s family and friends was perfect.*
Best of all though I was introduced to the “Ulster Fry” – this
really is a fry-up with gilded knobs on! It was, in my first experience:
The last three, in Northern Ireland, all come in a special “Fry
Pack” from Tescos – 2 of each. I’ll be starting immediately to campaign
that that genius concept is brought over here.
And just to be really utterly greedy I’d probably add white and black pudding!
Finally, I’m reliably informed that in some places in Scotland a
kind of a fried malt loaf slice is also added. Does anyone know any
more about this? (Just to complete my study into hangover heart-attacks
on a plate!)
*You can read even more about the Crown Bar and its history at www.thecrownbar.com
September 18, 2006 • 7:52 pm 2
Follow-up to Quiero pedir una cena ahora. from Casey’s Blog
About a stone heavier, not noticably tanned but very happy and with much improved Spanish!
I unreservedly recommend a trip to Seville to everyone – we had the loveliest time.
I took hundreds of photos – but you’ll be relieved to know that I could only be bothered to resize and upload these few…
This
evening we had a spanish-inspired dish of potatoes, cavello nero, broad
beans and chorizo to try and eke out our holiday even further. (The
chorizo was bathed in cider.)
And I’m about to go
downstairs and make a decidedly more British apple and blackberry
crumble – comfort food because we both have to go back to work
tomorrow… It’ll be ready for when Himself gets back from college.
August 23, 2006 • 2:13 pm 4
Writing about web page http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2006/08/barcelona_favorites.php
I’m making a shortlist of places to visit. And, being me, I’m starting with the food!
Bar Giralda (c/Mateus Gagos 1).
One of Seville’s most famous bars which was originally a Moorish
bathhouse. Offers a huge selection of tapas. The Espinacas con
Garbanzos and
Patatas a la importancia have been recommended.
El Rinconcillo (c/Gerona 32).
This is Seville’s oldest bar (founded in 1670). An atmospheric locale offering a limited but good selection of tapas.
Bar Eslava (c/Eslava 3–5).
Great tapas bar near the church of San Lorenzo. Try the cordero con miel (lamb with honey). Good restaurant next door.
Bar Santa Marta (aka: Los Azahares) (Plaza San Andrés)
Possibly the world’s largest flamenquin. What is a flamenquin? It’s
pork wrapped in ham and filled with cheese that is deep fried. This one
is at least a foot long. Other recommended dishes include solomillo
whisky, arroz (on Saturdays and Sundays), and the frito variado. Very
large with plenty of people passing by, and a church as the backdrop.
Lizarran (corner of c/ Aponte and c/Trajano)
A chain restaurant – hmm. But apparently you get a seat at the bar or a
table and grab a plate. Then help yourself, literally, to anything you
want to eat. There are a number of cold tapas along the bar as the hot
ones come out of the kitchen. Waiters bring the hot ones around to
everyone. Everything is on a slice of bread with a toothpick. At the
end they count the toothpicks – the flat ones cost less than the round
ones – and give you your bill. The tapas are supposed to be good and
apparently there is loads to choose from…
Bar la Estrella (c/ Estrella)
Tucked away in a back street and a favorite with locals. Sounds like a good enough recommendation for me!
Bar La Manchega (c/ Diamante and Avda de Doctor Fedriani)
A long way off the well–trodden tourist paths. We’ll have to be brave!
Apparently worth it though…. Note: closed on Saturday – open on Sunday.
I’ll have to make a thorough study of exploresville later.
Or how about a Tapas Tour of Seville?
¿Que nos recomienda?
• 8:32 am 0
Follow-up to Chocolate & Guinness Cake from Casey’s Blog
Accompanied by vigorous gestures…. the light, she does not work.
Until today that was the only Spanish that I knew – Himself dredged it up from half a term of Spanish in year 3 at school.
And
my complete anal retention means that I must learn at least rudimentary
Spanish for our trip to Seville (about which I am still very excited).
So – today’s phrases are (the emergency ones):
I’ll keep you updated with my progress!
