Not Another Foodie.

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Tom's Kitchen, Chelsea, London

Tom's is bigger and better than mine. His kitchen that is. Hidden in the heart of Chelsea, Tom's Kitchen is the kind of place you take your friends, Burberry Jacket and most importantly, your appetite.

©Christopher Bacon

Given its location, the food is reasonably priced and the cosy yet bustling atmosphere is enough to draw the crowds in from a chilly London's eve. I've only ever been there in the midst of winter which is something I'm entirely grateful for. It meant I was able to indulge in all the rich comfort foods for which Tom's Kitchen has become so popular.

Living away from home, I can see why my sister makes regular visits to this place. It's home cooking on steroids and the perfect substitute for a mother's meal. The macaroni cheese is one of the best I've ever had (yours included mum, sorry!) and the shepherds pie is phenomenal. My sister's favourite, and mine by association, is the spaghetti with tomato sauce, fresh basil and parmesan.

I'm almost certain my sister is known as Oliver there. She certainly does her best rendition when asking for not one, but two extra bowls of sauce. Luckily the waitstaff are a lot friendlier than Mr Bumble and they oblige.

Be sure to do what you would at home and always make room for dessert. The chocolate hot pot with pistachio ice-cream is worth undoing your top bottom for!

toms kitchen chelsea london macaroni cheese

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Amphibious Ice Cream Truck Makes a Splash in the UK

If Mr Whippy doesn't float your boat then the HMS Flake 99 is sure to leave a good impression. Forget Greensleeves, this multi-finctional vehicle blasts a crooning Rod Stewart to mark its presence.

Commissioned by UK ice cream company Fredericks to mark National Ice Cream Week, it also aimed to draw attention to the dwindling numbers of ice creams vans. Read more about HMS Flake 99 here.

Image: www.designboom.com

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Pasta alla Siciliana

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Roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, ricotta, basil and olives all come together to make a seriously delicious and healthy pasta Sicilian style!

What you will need:

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3 baby eggplants
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
4 mushrooms
bunch of basil
300g ricotta cheese
1 small container of kalamata olives
2 cloves of garlic
2 cans of diced tomatoes
pasta of choice (I like rigatoni or penne for this dish)

Heat the oven to 200ºC and boil water for the pasta. Halve the eggplants lengthways, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and then roast with the unpeeled garlic cloves for 20 minutes or until soft.

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Heat a dash of olive oil in a deep pan, cut the mushrooms into chunks and then add to the pan along with the cherry tomatoes. Cook on medium heat until they brown, add the diced tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a simmer. Cook the pasta. Chop the roasted eggplant, scoop out the garlic and combine with the sauce.

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Add the olives and chopped or torn basil (leave enough to garnish).

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Drain the pasta and serve. Top with a generous dollop of ricotta and a sprinkle of basil.

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Friday, 17 June 2011

Forget Flowers, Say it With Toast!

I absolutely love this Toast Messenger by Sasha Tseng. It lets you "toast" reminders, sweet nothings or rude scribbles on your (or someone else's) breakfast. Burnt bread just got so much more exciting!

Image: Yanko Design

Thursday, 16 June 2011

Onion & Red Wine Gravy served with Beef Sausages, Mash and Almond Broccolini

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This is a ridiculously easy French classic. Perfect with steak or sausages, it has all the flavour of a restaurant without the associated price tag.

What you need:

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Gravy

2 brown onions
butter
1 cup red wine (don't spend too much on this)
1 1/2 cups of beef stock

Rest of the meal

1 bunch of broccolini
potatoes
sausages
slivered almonds
milk
butter
lemon

Finely chop the onions, heat the pan and melt 30-50 grams of butter in the pan. Cook the onions on medium to low heat until golden brown. Boil the potatoes for the mash.

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Add the red wine and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then add the beef stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes. While you are waiting for this to reduce, make the mash (adding butter, milk and seasoning to taste) and grill the sausages.

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Just before you're ready to serve, cook (boil or steam) the broccolini and roast the almonds. Serve the broccolini with a dollop of butter, drizzle of lemon and a sprinkle of almonds. Place the sausages atop a generous helping of mash and drown with the delicious gravy. Enjoy with the leftover wine!

Sunday, 12 June 2011

"Sanchilatas" aka Mexican San Choy Bau

What do you do with leftover burrito mince?

I decided to fuse Chinese and Mexican to create "sanchilatas" - seasoned mince with capsicum, coriander and lime served in a lettuce shell. It may sound boring but I think it's pretty damn tasty and great when you feel like something a little healthier than a taco!

What you need:

iceberg lettuce
burrito mince (cooked according to burrito seasoning directions)
capsicum
coriander
lime

Reheat the seasoned mince (or cook if you don't have it as leftovers). Tear the lettuce trying to keep whole pieces so that you have a bowl shaped leaf. Dice the capsicum, chop the coriander and wedge the lime. Serve according to the photo below.

Friday, 10 June 2011

Lego Food

Who didn't love Lego as a child? Or even as an adult? Between us my sister and I had a hospital, a medieval castle, an airport, a racing car track and numerous other vehicles, structures and little Lego people - we just couldn't get enough. These impressive "Lego food" creations have inspired me to pull out those little bricks and get building all over again!