Just a little cheese!

Crottin.... (french goat's cheese).  I just like the picture. And love the cheese.

Antica Osteria de la Valle

Truffled pecorino fondue makes for the centre-piece in this antipasti.

This is just a little taster - an amuse-bouche of a post shall we say - to give you an idea what I spent my time eating in Umbria in September. As a result, I have become somewhat obsessed with the culinary delights of Umbria.....truffles, pecorino cheeses, Norcian meats, Sagrantino wines. This antipasti selection was served up to us in Antica Osteria de la Valle in Todi, a very Umbrian restaurant run by a very Cumbrian gentleman chef called John!

Drive by photo shoot!

I couldn't fit all the pumpkins in the picture!

Last week foisted the reality of Christmas in retail on me again, although in fairness we have been talking about it since June or so!  Two of us from work got the opportunity to go check out our Christmas product and displays in London and to do a pretty extensive tour of our sister Caffe's.  Fortunately the 48 hours of food (oh the pain) was not all work.  We managed a twenty minute spin through Wholefoods in Kensington and another twenty through the Borough Market. Both are fantastic for the senses... from the freshly baked breads as you walk in the door of Wholefoods to the walls of cheese in the Neal's Yard Dairy shop  down in the Borough.  Wholefoods emphasise seasonality and it is impressive....they didn't hold back on the pumpkins!  Indeed they do not hold back on anything as minimalists they are not. Sure why would you bother? Check out this example  below of 'big is beautiful'  from Neal's Yard.

Neal's Yard Dairy, The Borough Market

Neal's Yard Dairy

A masterclass in merchandising at Neal's Yard Dairy, Covent Garden!  Speaks for itself. I could smell the store before I could see it, and it smelt good.

The Most Simple of Summer Salads

There is always place at my table for a mozzarella and tomato salad but this extra little bit of heat and sun over the last couple of weeks has made it even more desirable.  I get my buffalo mozzarella in Carluccio's, Fallon and Byrne and most recently Taste of Emilia...yes over the northside!  All provide excellent examples of this southern Italian delicacy.  I do my best to match the mozzarella with some good tomatoes, which are also a little easier to come by with the better weather.  After that a few leaves of fresh basil, some cracked pepper and a good extra virgin olive oil and bob's your uncle!  Oh, and some bread to soak up the flavours. 

Sheridans Food Fair

I'm not long in the door from a trip to Carnaross on the Meath/Cavan border with Mum and Dad.  Sheridans Cheesemongers held a food fair today at their new supply depot and store just by the old Virginia road train station.  They did a fine job!  There was a real buzzy atmosphere with many of Ireland's best food producers selling their wares, and it gave me the opportunity to catch up with some of them.

David Tiernan from Glebe Brethan Farm is as always welcoming and does the north-east proud with consistency of flavour and texture from his gruyere style cows milk cheese.  Fingal and his mum Giana Ferguson from Gubbeen Farm never seem to forget a face and their generosity of advice and interest in food is heartening.  Fingal's fresh chorizo sausage is a very useful ingredient and is a staple in my fridge to fry up and flavour pastas, sauces and casseroles. (Claire loves to push the point that many of my favourite producers are from West Cork.  Not 'Cork'..... West Cork!)  


There were so many wonderful stands to visit but Mum and I were very happy to find Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese as we had both gone mad for their goats cheese pesto when we tasted it at the Crafts Fair in the RDS at Christmas.  It is not easy to come by and I have nearly finished my jar already....on Mum's brown bread of course.  I hadn't seen this goat log by Knockdrinna before. It's worth a try and I think I can make good use of it either crumbled on a salad or grilled onto a little toasted ciabatta bread.