taste2taste

February 9, 2017

East London Cool Cafe Review – The Good Egg

I have been travelling to California recently and had some great foodie experiences in San Francisco which I will be writing about soon. Back home I have been meaning to visit East London where my ancestors & parents grew up. I too am an ‘honorary cockney’ having been born in Homerton, Hackney where the Bow Bells could just about be heard if the wind is blowing in the right direction! I have seen some great photos & feedback on The Good Egg (@thegoodegg_ , http://www.thegoodeggco.com) from Michael Zee, creator of the fantastic Instagram phenomenon @symmetrybreakfast (#symmetrybreakfast , http://www.symmetrybreakfast.com) & Felicity Spector (@FelicitySpector, Chief Writer of Channel 4 News, food lover & writer) so had to check it out for myself.

Cafe Life in Stoke Newington

Stoke Newington Church Street has some great independent shops reminding me of Cow Hollow or Hayes Valley areas in San Francisco or Boerum Hill or Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, New York. I arrived just after 2pm on Monday & the place was full with a buzzy vibe – always a good sign. I had a quick chat with Thom & Carmen and after a few minutes wait, got a table. The Brunch menu has a Middle Eastern/ Israeli influence with a twist. The owners (Joel, Oded & partners) were inspired to open the cafe after eating in delis & cafes in Montreal, Tel Aviv, California & New York. The cafe has been open since November 2015 and is a welcome addition to the local food scene.

Late lunch & chat

After the usual chat that “I’m a food blogger, what would you recommend to eat?” I decided not to go for Shakshuka – the dish that put The Good Egg on the food map.

Foodie cafe design

I went with Carmen’s suggestion and ordered the whipped feta, fresh blood orange, dukkah, thyme honey along with a warm toasted flatbread, that had been lightly brushed with honey & a sprinkling of za’ atar. For those not as familiar with the spice mixes of the region dukkah is a mixture of herbs, nuts ( usually hazelnuts) & spices from Egypt and traditionally used as a dip with bread or vegetables as a starter/ appetiser. Za’atar is actually wild thyme but also a traditional Lebanese spice mix of thyme, sesame seeds, sumac and salt, although there are many variations around too.

Toasted flatbread & whipped feta, blood orange, dukkah, thyme honey

Enough spice facts – how did it taste? One word – delicious – a great combo of salty feta, tangy blood orange, a sweet hint from the honey, and savoury layers of flavour and texture from the dukkah & flatbread. I then had the Iraqi aubergine pita (Photo at the top). A beautifully presented dish of warm pitta & fried aubergine, perfectly cooked soft boiled egg topped with dak dak salad (Israeli salad of cucumber, tomato, lightly pickled red onion rings, pickled cucumber & herbs). The dish was served with Amba – a tangy mango pickle condiment (yellow dish in the photo) and Zhoug (green chilli, parsley, coriander, garlic & spices – green dish in the photo). Again a fab combo of tastes, textures & temperatures – the slightly warm aubergine & egg with the crunchy cool salad, and the tahini & amba meshing all the flavours together. It was one of the best vegetarian dishes I’ve eaten in a long time! I was pretty full but had seen the chocolate & pecan & date babkas sitting on the counter.

Oded’s Chocolate Babka

I had an interesting foodie chat with Fi about the Melbourne food scene & she mentioned that Oded, one of the chef/owners, makes it everyday from his mum’s recipe. So it did not take too much persuasion to have a slice of the chocolate one along with an Americano ably prepared by Harry. Buttery, chocolatey and yummy! I was going to take a bite and take the rest home, but magically managed to eat the lot! I really enjoyed my visit to The Good Egg, with chefs Gianluca, Matt & Jesper, doing a fab job with some great tasting food, Harry making a great coffee & Thom, Carmen & Fi providing welcoming, friendly & efficient customer service. The cocktail list – both alcoholic & non alcoholic looked interesting too so I will have to return soon.

The Good Egg – go there!

February 3, 2017

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Superbowl 2017 Super Snack – Bruschetta & Beer Combo

Another great American Sporting Weekend is upon us, as, this Sunday, The New England Patriots do battle for the ultimate football prize against the Atlanta Falcons

For those of you who’ve been following us for a while, you might know that Boston was my home town when I first came to the US. So, sorry Falcons fans, I’ll be rooting for the Patriots this time around

Ingredients for your Bruschetta

However, you cannot watch the Superbowl without a snack and a beer. Whether at a Superbowl Party, or hanging out with the football fans in front of the TV, it’s part of the experience

When looking for inspiration, I found myself leafing through a couple of cook books in my collection focusing on Italian cuisine, from the famed River Cafe and Carluccio in London. I hear you say, “Pizza?” Not this year folks! the Italians have a perfect fresh toasty snack which is delicious, quick to make and savory and in my view just perfect for this most

American of games. Bruschetta, of course!

Ingredients (for 4)

Topping prepared

Half a dozen large plum tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic (finely dice 2, cut the other in half and set aside)
Half a dozen fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
A dozen chunky slices of fresh ciabatta bread sliced at a 3o degree angle
1 tsp of Balsamic Vinegar
2-3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp of roughly ground black pepper

Method

Brush that Ciabatta with Olive Oil

Blanch the plum tomatoes (prick skin, pop in around a quart of boiled water – remove and peel skins)
Remove seeds and dice the tomatoes into roughly 1/2″ / 1.25 cm size cubes
Mix the chopped tomatoes, basil, chopped garlic (not the clove set aside), balsamic vinegar and seasoning in a bowl
Toast the sliced ciabatta bread on a baking sheet at 450 f / 220c until the edges toast (around 2-3 minutes), remove from the oven
Rub the face of each slice with the pieces of garlic set aside, then brush each slice with the olive oil
Spoon the chopped tomato mix onto the top of each slice of the toast and serve immediately

Just Fabulous!

I served my Bruschetta with a glass of Mermaid Pilsner from Coney Island Brewing Co in Brooklyn. A light bodied, straw colored, crisp drinking German lager style brew, with a slightly earthy taste and a hint of rye. Easy drinking for the Superbowl.

Go Pats!!!!!

Go Pats!!!!!!!!!

February 3, 2017

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Vegan Cafe Review- Ahimsa, The Vegan Cafe, Pinner, UK

This year has got off to a hectic and exciting start as Simon & I continue to meet & write about some interesting foodies in USA & UK. #Veganuary may have come & gone but lots of people are interested in reducing their meat intake (#meatfreemonday), embracing a healthier lifestyle and the number of people becoming #Vegetarian or #Vegan continues to grow globally. My foodie friend Meredith (www.foodatheart.co.uk) mentioned the Ahimsa Vegan Cafe in Pinner, my local village, as she is supplying them with her handmade vegan chocolates. So I had to go and check it out.

Some tasty fillings – what to choose?

I met JayJay (Jayshree), one of the 4 partners ( along with main partner Vijay, and other partners Mita & Rajshri) who met at a local meditation group. The name Ahimsa, is a Sanskrit word meaning non-violence. The inspiration behind the cafe is the spiritual guide Mohanji, whose picture sits proudly above the door. Whilst on his travels raising awareness he could not find suitable and reasonable places serving vegan food. The Ahimsa team took this on board and also share a philosophy of having an awareness of life, connecting with their surroundings, being compassionate and showing kindness to all living beings. Together with a chef from the Hilton Group and Indian chef, writer & entrepreneur Anuradha Sawney devising the menu the team have developed the concept of a vegan cafe to provide tasty, healthy fast food in an accessible affordable way. The first cafe opened in Shirdi, about 2 hours drive from Mumbai, India in May 2016 with Ahimsa Pinner opening on 20 December, 2016 to great local excitement. My good friends’ daughter Maisie was one of them, having become a vegan 2 years ago, and now has a local hangout on her doorstep.

Home made falafel and salad wrap being made

So what about the food? I visited for lunch, choosing a home made falafel, hummus and salad wrap which was adeptly prepared whilst I waited . A good combination of crisp, crunchy salad and tasty , herby falafel with hummus & tangy tomato salsa.

Home made falafel, hummus & salad wrap

The cafe was busy with the lunchtime rush so JayJay suggested I come back for an interview early morning whilst the team are preparing for lunch, as everything is made fresh each day.

I watched as she made fresh carrot, beetroot & ginger juice (picture, below left) and also celery, green apple, cucumber & lime juice (picture, below right) which both looked good so I had to taste both – and they did!

Freshly squeezed juices made daily

Blueberry muffin

I also sampled a homemade date and polenta chocolate brownie- indulgent & chocolatey & a blueberry muffin – a fruity sweet treat. The cafe has just started opening for breakfast at 09.00 until 18.00 for all day dining – mid morning drinks & cake, lunch, afternoon tea & early supper. I enjoyed meeting JayJay and the team for some tasty vegan food and warm hospitable customer service. Ahimsa, the Vegan Cafe is a welcome addition to Pinner.

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