When the Plans Change…
The weather forecast was showing grey or grey and rainy days for almost the entire week.
The week in which we had Easter and also it happened to be my birthday. Our initial intention was to go to the continent, as you say here in England, to Normandy to be precise. A trip we had been planning and plotting almost forever, but as it often happens in life, there has never been enough time, too far to go or the need to travel in the opposite direction. Being in London at the moment makes for a perfect opportunity; we just need to book the Channel Tunnel ticket, take the car and drive to France, not a lengthy distance for us this time. Unfortunately, the weather was going to be not exactly travel friendly not only in the UK. I believe almost the whole continent was under a bad spell over the Easter period. Subsequently, we didn’t go to Normandy. „Another time, but soon”, we said.
As it turned out, something that happens often here, the initial weather predictions were quite far off from the truth and we had a few beautiful and blissful days in London.
We had no plans for Easter, well, almost. You see, The Good Friday was also my birthday and the Dégustateur swiftly booked counter seats (our favourite – you can watch the chefs at work), at Zuma. A pair of heels and a dress on, a few glasses of rosé champagne by the bar first (it used the be a very happening bar and it still is) for a small toast, followed by the best Japanese food I believe there is in London at the moment. We live very close to Zuma but going there is always a spacial treat for us, most importantly because the food quality and its choice has not changed over the years and recent difficult moments for the hospitality industry.
Green Park & Smoked Haddock
When I arrived in London to our little house, a pied-à-terre to be precise, whilst cooking and preparing our evening meals I started putting Zucchero’s playlist on youtube, among a couple of other Italian artists. It would always cheer me up and the Dégustatuer soon became a fan of his. One evening when my hands were busy chopping and stirring in the kitchen I asked the Dégustateur to check for any upcoming concerts of Zucchero in Italy. He on the other hand replied: „Listen to this! He will be performing at The Royal Albert Hall for three evenings at the end of March, starting his world tour in London”. We kept that in mind and since we had said a definitive no to the Normandy trip we were lucky to get a pair of tickets to the concert. It was just perfect. After an early dinner at home we strolled to the venue. It didn’t rain and the atmosphere started to build up once we were approaching The Royal Albert Hall. All you could hear was the Italian language all around us.
We had a glass of champagne at the bar and the second one in our box (we treated it as my birthday weekend), and then we were just taken away by the great show that Zucchero and his team put on, with myself dancing almost the entire evening along with the rest of the public.
Oh!, I almost forgot: my birthday cake – Tarte Tropézienne – we got it from The Birley Bakery in Chelsea Green. They add an orange blossom water to it and it’s the best one I’ve ever had. It’s also sold per slice, really worthwhile paying a visit if you would like a real treat.
Cooking is my passion and I spend more time in the kitchen than in any other room. It’s where I try new recipes, cook again our firm favourites, where I flip through cook books (I also do it in bed before falling asleep) searching for something different to try, it’s where I have most of my conversations with the Dégustateur, over the dining table and by candle light- not because we are extremely romantic but because I really loathe the lighting we have in our rented house. My solution to the problem was to buy a few side lamps and lots of candlesticks. Subsequently the atmosphere over a meal is much nicer, calmer and yes, more romantic, plus everything and everybody looks better in a flickering soft candle light. Our kitchen is also the room with the poorest source of natural light, and if you know London a little, you will know what I intend to say. It’s also the reason why I almost never take any pictures in there. There will be a new place in the future and a new kitchen to come, something to look forward to.
I’d usually plan a day or two ahead what to cook, but this Easter, however, I left it to play by ear.
I decided just to go the shops and see what caught my eye. In London most of the grocery shops and food halls were open anyway, so why not take the advantage of it? For the Sunday late breakfast (after the concert) we had eggs with smoked haddock and chives. I was only poaching the haddock just after 11am, but that is what I truly love about slow mornings, which don’t happen that often. I made us a very simplified, nonetheless very comforting and delicious take on the Arnold Bennett omelette. In fact I prepared scrambled eggs with some flakes of poached smoked haddock (poached in milk with some garlic and bay leaf), crunchy baguette with lashings of good butter and lots of Earl Grey tea.
Thyme & Mustard Roast Poussin
We had a beautiful sun pouring through the dining and living room, the morning clouds burned off and we fancied a walk. We took the back streets along distinctive crescents and townhouses which are homes mainly to embassies or the super wealthy, who are hardly ever there, making the streets and pavements peaceful, slow paced and enjoyable to amble along. We reached Hyde Park Corner, passed along the newly opened Peninsula hotel and crossed towards Green Park. Glowing yellow daffodils, blue skies, verdant green grass, happy faces of passing crowds and very oddly, just a couple of squirrels around (they must have gone back into hibernation, it was rather bitterly cold before Easter) searching for food. We passed The Ritz and walked to the Fortnum & Mason food hall to buy more tea, and then to our favourite book store, Hatchards, right next to it.
I accidentally found a book that I hadn’t been able to trace a few years back: „A Month in Siena” by Hisham Matar. I’ve just finished reading it and in case you were thinking of getting a copy as well, it’s not a guided story describing daily life in Siena, but it’s a moving exploration of an impact of Sienese art on the author’s life and his grief over the loss of his father.
After I made my happy purchase we walked through St James’s passing Britain’s oldest wine & spirit merchant Berry Bros, where you could also have your wine stored, heading towards Pall Mall and from there through a sneaky passage back to Green Park. Just before returning home we stopped at our local pub „The Grenadier” (the images of it are in my previous post), we were finally able to stand outside, in the sun and sheltered from the wind, we watched the world go by, we had a little Guinness each and a few sausages with strong mustard, as you would often do in a pub. For a little while we’ve swapped a glass of wine for a small Guinness. È la vita!
This surprising and very welcomed change in weather dictated what I wanted to cook. Something nutritious, delicate but still with some character- a sun kissed proper dinner, eaten by candle light of course. We relished golden in colour mustard and thyme roast poussins, which I had marinated for half of the day. They were roasting snuggly in a baking dish surrounded by pre-cooked potatoes, which would gain a hint of mustard, garlic and thyme too. They were a dream served with a tomato, thinly sliced shallot and parsley salad (drizzled with a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing). And whilst the baby chickens were getting ready in the oven we nibbled on black olive and parmesan biscuits I had just baked, something very different to my usual repertoire and with all honesty – I regret not having baked them earlier, sipping a glass of wine. At home it’s always a bottle of wine, mostly red, Guinness I leave for an occasional visit to a pub. Salute !
