Food Adventures - Jellied Eels

Over the last few months I've had a couple of friends (Hi Ray and Joe!) come an visit me and I took them to my favorite fish and chips shop: Poppies.  It is an amazing diner in Spitalfields with a 1950's vibe and a variety of fish to choose from.

http://hereisthecity.com/

First off:  the fish is amazing.  The appetizers (UK: entrees) on the other hand are less desirable.  Joe and I tried Jellied Eels the last time I frequented this purveyor of fish.  We didn't know jellied eels was a dish that originated in the 18th century and had been a favorite fast food in the East End for hundreds of years.  What we got was a bowl full of fishy jelly with bits of eel and a bottle of chili vinegar to put on top.  The waitress explained you cut up the slimy freshwater eel and boil it for hours.  The slime from the eel turns the water into a gelatinous mixture once it cools.  Yum?

Food Adventures- Cuttlefish

In November I went to Barcelona to celebrate my friend Robert's birthday.  Hopefully I'll get around to writing a post about it soon, but first I wanted to tell you about the famous 4 Gats.  4 Gats is a restaurant that has been open for over 100 years and made famous by Pablo Picasso's many visits.  He even made paintings in honor of the restaurant.

Why am I telling you this?  Well, this is where Robert want to go for his birthday dinner.  We went in and decided to be adventurous.  We ordered some appetizers, entrees, and a dessert.  The apps were tasteless, my entree was okay, and the puff pastry dessert contained no puff pastry.  We started to think that someone played a horrible trick on 4 Gats by miss translating their menu.  The real kicker was Robert's entree: Cassoleta de sípia de platja amb picada or Cuttlefish Casserole.  We had no idea what cuttlefish was but Robert and I are from the midwest.  We know casserole.  What came out was not a casserole; instead it was a stew!  A stew with tentacles and a weird white protein covered in something brown.  After watching Robert struggle to take a few bites we switched plates.  After a couple bites I gave up, too.  Later that night we looked up what a cuttlefish actually was:

Yep, we ate that and mysteriously two days later I ended up with the flu.  Coincidence?  I'll let you decide.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!?

Guess what?  My mom is in London this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my big three oh!!  I am ecstatic that she is here!  We had fun experiencing Salzburg for a weekend and now she's been exploring London while I've been at work.  

But today is the the big day.  The big Turkey day.  It is the first time in 7 years that we've been able to celebrate Thanksgiving together.  Back in Michigan we would have enormous Thanksgiving dinners.  It wasn't uncommon to have 25-30 people over and to have them seated on a table that snaked from the dining room, living room, and ending in the foyer.  The day would begin by rolling out of bed to watch the Detroit's America Thanksgiving Parade on the TV (FYI it has been going on longer than the Macy's Parade), followed by Miracle on 34th Street, and while cooking the food watching Holiday Inn or White Christmas.  Thanksgiving was our day to spend together lounging and cooking food.  Well, that is until having our house filled with family members.

We finally get to celebrate Thanksgiving together again in London!  Where they don't celebrate Thanksgiving or eat Turkey on any day other than Christmas day.  English coworkers told me not to worry, that you can find turkey in the supermarket.  For the past week I have found turkey cutlets, turkey legs (yes the kind you eat at the Renaissance fair), and a big empty spot above the label for "Turkey Crowns" (aka Turkey without the legs or wings). "No problem!" I told myself, "I have over a week for them to be restocked.  I'll just go by Tesco everyday until I get one."  So, I went everyday looking for a turkey crown and finally the sign and the empty spot for turkey crowns disappeared.  

No problem!  I'll just find a place that normally serves turkey on their menu and we'll go there.  Lo and behold there weren't andy restaurants that normally serve turkey, but there were restaurants that were having special Thanksgiving dinners for American expats.  AWESOME!  There were even two restaurants near the Panto theater where we would be on Thanksgiving night.  I sent my mom the menus, we selected the restaurant, and they were booked until 10:45pm, both restaurants were booked .  .   .  Fine.  I didn't want your turkey anyway.  

No problem!  I heard you could order a turkey from Whole Foods.  I found the perfect pre-made turkey dinner with stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes.  The first available pickup was on Saturday which was fine.  My mom and I would just go to Bath and Stonehenge on Friday.  I would work from home on Saturday and we would celebrate Thanksgiving Saturday afternoon.  We selected our mini pies and hit purchase.  What!?  I can only pickup the food up late on Saturday night.  So late that we won't have time to cook the turkey before my mom leaves on Sunday morning.  Okay,  well I really did want that pumpkin pie but I guess it won't work out.

No problem!  I'll order from Salisbury, thaw the delivered turkey breast overnight, cook everything from scratch, and it will only cost 10 pounds for a meal for two.  Wait.  There is a minimum order of 25 pounds, I don't have room in the kitchen for that much food and I'm too stressed out to even try to pick another 15 pounds worth of food.

No problem!  We'll go to KFC and have chicken, mashed potatoes, and maybe they'll even have stuffing.  I looked up the KFC UK website to find out that yes the do have chicken, but instead of mashed potatoes that have chips (aka fries) and over cooked corn on the cob.  Dammit England!!  

No problem? My mom suggests we have a roast, but of course you can only get roasts on Sunday because Sunday is Sunday Roast Day.  At this point I may have thrown a bit of a pity party for myself.  I give up.

That is until I wake up the next day to go to work on Thanksgiving Day.  I tell myself it's a good day.  My mom is here, the sun is behind clouds but it isn't raining, and tonight we're going to go see a play.  I get to Chelmsford and order my morning coffee when something in the display catches my eye.   Plan H has come through. No problem! Thanksgiving is saved!!  

Happy Thanksgiving from a country that does not celebrate Thanksgiving!

"Sliced succulent turkey breast, beechwood smoked bacon from British farms with stuffing
in a seasoned mayonnaise and sweet cranberry sauce on malted bread"

Food Adventures - Scottish Egg

While on an evening walk along the Thames I worked up an appetite.  I went to store after store but nothing sounded appealing to me.  Just as I was about to give up I saw a cute little stand selling Scottish Eggs.  Sure I had no idea what a Scottish Egg was but figure what the heck.  This is what I received:

Basically it is a soft boiled egg, covered in sausage, and then deep fried in bread crumbs.  It is served cold, sliced with a bit of mustard on top.  It was yummy!!  I can see this being a big hit with the drunks making there way home after a night on the town.  By the way, people drink here All. The. Time. Seeing someone get sick next to the train station in a business suit on a Thursday at 4 pm isn't an uncommon sight.  I'm still trying to get used to it!  PS don't worry it wasn't me in the business suit next to the train.  :)

Food Adventures - Haggis

(Sorry I thought I had posted this a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't work!)

Before heading to Scotland I started to look up the traditional Scottish fare.  Haggis, neeps, tatties, rollmops, crappit heid, and potted hough all came up in my search.  Of course I had no idea what any of those were or how they were made.  Then I turned to my UK coworkers and asked them what I should try while in Scotland.  The answer: Scotch and Haggis.  I had no problem with the first, but on further inspection I was nervous about the haggis.  Sure I've tried the traditional mushy peas that go with the fish and chips, but they ware just mashed up, bland peas.  Haggis on the other hand is scary.  It is made with a she eps stomach, heart and lunch of one lamb, onion, spices, and oatmeal.  That's it.  Sounds tasty doesn’t it?

Looks yummy doesn't it?  What is up with these Brits and their mushed up food?  I have a confession to make to you.  I hope you aren't offended.  I love haggis!!!  It is so flavorful and goes perfectly with neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes).  If you ever get a chance make sure you try it and if you're vegetarian don't worry.  They make vegetarian haggis , too!

Food Adventures - Pigeon

When I'm at a new restaurant I love to try things I've never had before.  I'm trying to keep that same mentality over here.  On my first work trip to Chelmsford I tried "Pigeon and Pear Salad."  Not squab, but pigeon.  I ordered it and kept trying to think of doves or ducks which are quite tasty.  (WOW!  British English is rubbing off on me. Did you see I just used the word quite!?!)  Anyway, my salad came out and the meat on top looked like pieces of well done steak and tasted like pork.  It actually tasted okay but was a bit greasy for my liking.  At some point I started to think about what I was eating, flying rats, and couldn't take another bite.  At least I tried!  Next time I'd be willing to eat the dish as long as the call it squab.  That way I won't realize what it really is.   :)

Food Adventures- Mushy Peas

When ordering fish and chips be mindful that you order mushy peas.  If you do not head my warning you may find yourself accidentally inhaling a pea, coughing hard to dislodge said pea, and depositing rouge pea into ones nasal cavity.  You have been warned.

Acceptable:

Unacceptable: