Fast Food Stories #2 (and Food Stories on the Channel 4 website!)
UPDATE: I was very pleased to receive a phone call this morning from Lex (my sincere apologies if I have your name wrong) at Abel and Cole. He informed me that firstly, he reads my blog (I was very flattered and also very surprised!) and secondly, that the mystery vegetable is indeed red kale. So thank you very much to Abel and Cole who have restored themselves to being all-round brilliant and also to everyone who chipped in with ideas (well done Kathryn and JenBlossom for getting it right).
Sorry for the delay folks. I was surprised at how many e-mails I received asking when I would post the weekly round-up, after just one week! OK, so I only got two e-mails but it was still enough to shock me into a mini fluster over just why the hell I forget my camera all the time. If only the iphone camera was any good instead of completely pointless, it could have bailed me out on many occasions.
Anyway, here’s the shiz. Above is my weekly delivery box from Abel and Cole. You can see that I received parsnips, a swede, kale, ‘mixed oriental salad leaves’, mushrooms, bananas, apples, oranges, onions and, and - just what is that vegetable on the bottom right? If anyone can enlighten me I shall be very grateful. I e-mailed Abel and Cole who are usually incredibly helpful (I cast my mind back to the spring greens mystery). On this occasion however, they wrote back to say that it was ‘mixed oriental leaf salad’. I replied that I have the mixed salad (and very nice it was too) but that I was referring to something bigger, tougher and altogether different. Alas, no response, which means I must turn this one over to you, dear readers. Pretty please?
And here’s what I’ve been eating this week, sadly not reflecting much of what I wanted to show you…(must, try, harder). Funny thing is, when I’ve used stuff from the veg box, I’ve forgotten to photograph it – even when the camera was in the same room. I’m pretty useless I admit it.
From top left: toast drizzled with Good Oil, vegetable curry, poached eggs (VERY annoyed I overcooked them, someone at the door – how rude!), catfish at Champor Champor (overcooked and bland), noodles at Champor Champor (fine), red pepper soup with falafel sandwich (again, fine), another falafel sandwich but made by me (delicious), a better poached egg but no money shot (drizzled with Good Oil), roasted vegetable salad, rice and peas with salt mackerel, sausage, mushroom and lentil stew (delish!), stir fry (bad, long story..), fruit with cherry yoghurt, chorizo sandwich, tuna and bean salad with radicchio, an impromptu dinner at Ping Pong with fellow food and wine bloggers after a Brazilian wine tasting at Guanabara, more tuna and bean salad, mixed salad with spicy bean burger (yes, all in that pot), anchovies marinaded in garlic, meatballs and a chunky black olive tapenade. I’ve also been mildly obsessed with roasting root vegetables in honey, wholegrain mustard and thyme. YUM.
Before you go, please allow me to draw your attention to a couple of things. Firstly, there’s an article about me and some of my favourite food places on the Channel 4 website! Read the article here. Secondly, remember that Good Oil dinner party I went to? Well they’ve only gone and made me a personalised Good Oil pizza recipe. Another fine way to consume that fabulous oil, as if I needed any encouragement – I’m 3/4 through the bottle already….
Category: Fast Food Stories (monthly-ish round-ups), News, Press 18 comments »
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I can’t quite see the stems – but my first thought was cavalo nero?
December 4th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Not kale is it?
As last blog post..Filthy Dukes vs White Lies
December 4th, 2008 at 1:54 am
I can’t help you with the vegetable …am I not a big help in that department…but having a pizza designed for you is cool:D
Bellini Vallis last blog post..Spanakopita "Inspired"Burgers with Greek "Tude"
December 4th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Kathryn – Ah yes, it could be couldn’t it? I don’t think I’ve cooked with it before, so you could be right there.
A – No, kale is the one to the left…thanks for your suggestion though.
Bellini Valli – Yes, it is very cool indeed! Can’t wait to try it out…
December 4th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Oh! Liking your weekly roundups!
I have yet to really tackle the Good Oil. This weekend I will. I’ve got a pork belly recipe to share.
Niamhs last blog post..An evening with Ferran Adria
December 4th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Kathryn – Hi again, I’ve just remembered that I have use cavolo nero and I think the leaves were a different shape, much more tightly curled at the edges I think..These are more floppy and wider.
Niamh – I can’t wait for that prok belly recipe – share the love! Mmm, porky goodness
December 4th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I’ve had that leafy stuff before and very nice it is too. I know that the sturdy one on the left has already been identified as kale, but I *think* that the one on the bottom right with the faint pink tinge is also a type of kale but russian kale…
Your lunches and dinners all look lovely Helen. It’s making me hungry just looking at them!
Sophies last blog post..Ultimate leftovers – chicken casserole with lemon and rosemary dumplings
December 4th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
This is a good picture of cavalo nero. Which is also a type of kale – black Russian I think.
I would be lovely in a ribollita, or just cooked up with lots of garlic and good olive oil.
December 4th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
That is fantastic Helen! Congrats!
December 5th, 2008 at 2:47 am
That is so great Helen, i sooo love the food you have here!
Foodista.coms last blog post..Homemade Chai Tea
December 5th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
That all looks delicious, and nice to see such fresh veg in your box.
Great article on Channel 4!
Nicismes last blog post..BBC Good Food Show – part 2
December 6th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Do you work from home? You have such good light in so many of those pictures! So jealous. I cook and eat in the dark constantly just now.
Congratulations of the C4 article!
Wendys last blog post..Back with Bean Balls
December 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Hi Helen, enjoyed this. I also met Andrew and took him to temporary restaurant ‘Flash’ for his odyssey. (http://douglas-wine.blogspot.com/2008/11/tv-taco.html – if you’re interested). Douglas.
December 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Discovered your site recently and love it – the writing, the humor and the recipes. I loved this entry seeing what you eat all week, at home and out. You are inspirational!
I would be thrilled if you would visit my fairly new blog!
December 7th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Sophie – You also got it right and I didn’t acknowledge you – sorry about that! I am sure that people will know your nutritional knowledge credentials anyhow
kathryn – I am liking the idea of cooking it with lots of garlic, my immune system could do with it right now too…
Jenn – Thank you very much!
Foodista – me too, i have to say
Nicisme – Thanks – Abel and Cole come highly recommended, the veg is always very fresh.
Wendy – I do work from home sometimes, yes and many of the other pictures are taken during the day either at work or out and about. In the evenings, I use a light – albeit in a very cowboy-like and haphazard manner!
Douglas – Yes, I read your article before I arranged to do mine and very good it was too. He was a lovely guy wasn’t he? I liked the bit about you being reluctant to give up your top tip…
Jamie – Why, thank you! I will certainly check out your blog
December 18th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I still am a lovely guy!
Thanks for your time Helen and you Douglas, hope you both enjoyed it. Wishing you all a merry Xmas.
…and just a note to say that in the New Year were going ‘big on the pig’ at channel 4 (like we did on Chickens last year), so I’ve been busy with all things pork.
I spent last week filming a butcher take apart a pig – very interesting it was too – now in the new year I’ll be sallying forth once more to take all the bits of the animal to various chefs around the UK – So I’ve got to ask, who cooked your favourite pork dish and what was it?
Roast pork? Chitterlings at St John? Baby back ribs? If anyone’s got any suggestions I’d love to hear them. bigfoodmap@channel4.com
Cheers
Andrew
March 17th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Mmm… Pizza!
Run Like Hells last blog post..Does Glucosamine MSM Complex Help With Sore Knees From Running?
September 10th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts.:D
I just added you to my Google News Reader.
Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.