Making a Mint and Loving It!

Many of life's little pleasures are derived from nature's own, from growing a garden to foraging, from collecting sea-shells to turning bits of driftwood into pieces of art. And to me, the humble mint just so happens to be one of those little pleasures!

The island of Corsica is particularly blessed when it comes to wild flora. And wild culinary herbs account for that blessing. Let's just name a few: marjoram, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, angelica, rosemary, garlic, onion and dill. On the family land I have been able to source an ever-ready supply of fresh mint. I fill (but don't overfill) a Tupperware tub with a few handfuls of mint that I cut with a pair of secateurs, making sure no roots are pulled. I leave the mint sprigs unwashed inside the tub. Then I pop a clean sheet of kitchen paper on top, seal the lid securely and off it goes in the fridge. Whenever I feel like it, I get a small handful of mint sprigs out, pop them in a cup or teapot, pour boiling water out of the kettle on top and leave to infuse for a few minutes. In this hot weather, I find it extraordinarily refreshing. It is also a great aid to digestion, after a heavy meal, or if feeling bloated.

And this fresh mint has nothing to envy to its cultivated counterparts. It will keep for at least two weeks in the fridge, whereas the shop-bought varieties will quickly wither, go brown and soggy, because they were forcefully grown, (over-)watered and possibly treated with fertilisers. Nature's own is a little fighter for it will have learnt to fend for itself, relying on sparse to zero water supply, and will have developed coarse leaves that retain moisture and diffuse a strong aroma that will make the cultivated varieties pale down in shame!

Maybe in your neck of the woods, there are wild culinary herbs waiting to be discovered or shared with others! If you are unsure, how about getting a wild flora book about your region, or join a local nature society (they tend to organise guided themed country walks), or enrol a local plant expert/ botanist into your adventure - and get your friends/ family/ neighbours to rally round - for the more the merrier! Have fun!

A Week-End Wonderweb 02-04 (White)

A symbol of peace, purity and virginity, a colour traditionally associated with weddings or funerals depending upon custom, white is also a lifestyle and design choice, or a refuge even, whenever one feels coloured out ad nauseam; stylish and timeless, white is back as the new black.

 Sources (top page down):

• Anthropologie, white porcelain tea service cookie stand
• Cox & Cox, glass bell jar on decorative Gesso board
• id, decorative Gesso boards, made from mango wood
• The White Company, 'Portobello' heart bowl.

Un Café à Bastia (Part 2)

My next secret address, L'Idéal is also at the back of the Société Générale bank, this time making your way down the Cours Pierangeli, and further down, heading for the Place du Marché, a little provincial gem of a square only a few yards away from the Vieux Port (the old fishing port). Straight in front of you, with the beautiful Saint-Jean-Baptiste church on your right, you will find the bar/ glacier, next to La Table du Marché restaurant.

Its discreet unassuming pale façade belies a tastefully decorated interior, small in size but incredibly charming. No doubt that the shaded terrace with its potted hydrangeas and quality wicker armchairs will equally tempt you, for an alfresco refreshment. But if you nip back indoors, you will probably get tempted by the marble cake and biscuits tastefully laid out in glass jars to accompany your café noisette (an espresso with a shot of foamy hot milk), reasonably priced at 1.2 Euros. Finding yourself in the town centre yet with this off-centre tranquility at the same time, you'll be able to take the town in, enjoy a breather and lose your thoughts into a daydream, while sipping a coffee... Which is what downtime should be all about.

If you don't want to miss any of the action, walk up towards the top of Rue César Campinchi, bearing left while heading towards the Palais de Justice (courts of justice). You will find Café Francesca: a haven of respite after all that shopping and strolling! Its contemporary design with soft clean lines, dominant cream tones softening the beautifully restored brick ceilings, and an inviting leather banquette, are bound to seduce you. Unless it is the inviting homemade mousses, creams and fruit desserts presented in glass verrines on show in the vitrine by the entrance!

For a break from the traditional, why not try one of the maison's herbal fruit teas? I recommend the Thé Bulgare (3 Euros), refreshing despite being served hot. Service is friendly and informal, and you will be tempted to linger and - who knows - by the light lunches (petite restauration) on offer, to be consumed either indoors or on the pavement terrace.

If you have transport, don't mind the bill, want a bit of bikini action and fancy indulgence with a definite holiday vibe, then you can push the boat out big time and head for Lido de la Marana, Bastia's closest beach resort (please note you can't walk there from Bastia town centre).

A short drive away from the hectic and congested RN193 (South Bastia's 'A' road cutting through residential suburbs, superstores and shopping parks) is a stretch of paradise sandwiched between a long sandy beach and protected marshes, aka the Cordon Lagunaire (laguna strip), host to Lido de la Marana and its welcoming Bar de la Plage, where a standard espresso will set you back 1.50 Euros (against the usual 1.0 to 1.20 Euros), but considering the exclusive view and jet-set undertones, you will understand it is quite cheap after all.

Comfortably sat on the deck over the golden combed sandy beach, with the Bastia coastline unfolding in the distance, and the protected marsh behind you, you will be able to get even closer to beach action (where loungers and parasols are laid out for the bar patrons). But before you take your kit off and take a dip, why not have a bite to eat, and prolong that Laguna Beach moment a tad longer...

Un Café à Bastia (Part 1)

Take a walk on the safe side of café culture in Bastia with I - your guide - and enjoy a moment's tranquility without compromising on style. To do so, let the town take you in its stride, preferably on a cool Spring or Autumn day (the best times of year to visit the Corsican town). Start off quite early in the day, or make a move later in the afternoon, in order to avoid rush-hour traffic. The town centre is compact enough for you to walk around without difficulty. However wear good shoes so as not to spoil the fun to be had (some of the streets are steep). Take a wander down the pavements, go on a mini-adventure, safe in the knowledge that you can't really get lost in Bastia!

The town itself is quite narrow in depth, roughly contained between the commercial/ ferry port, the train station/ Fango quarter (administrative area), the Palais de Justice/ Citadelle axis (old town) and the unmissable Place Saint-Nicolas (the main town square). The town centre (bar the old town itself) is organised almost as a grid system, a bit like a town from the New World. The two main shopping arteries, Boulevard Paoli and Rue César Campinchi run in parallel and their selection of mainstream shops, exclusive boutiques, enticing pâtisseries and quirky eateries should be enough to satisfy the label-obsessed, the price-conscious, the speciality seeker and the style hunter.

If we have to start somewhere, where better than from the epicentre of town, Place Saint-Nicolas? The wide spacious palm-tree-lined square overlooks the sea. Napoléon's pedestal proudly stands at the centre of the square, while behind him an example of remarkable 18th century architecture is spelt out on the frontons of a row of imposing apartment blocks. Sitting at a terrace, you will be able to embrace the continental pastime of café culture like a native. Just wear your shades, unfold your newspaper, light up a cigarette (if you may) and take in the atmosphere.

The countless cafés/ bars mean that you will be spoilt for choice, but if you really need my personal recommendation, then head for Café de la Paix: it has been there for as long as I remember. If indoors its rich 1970s wood panelling and brown leather décor has lost some of its panache and is crying for an uplift, the café is nevertheless - I believe - the place to be, at about 7:30am, in order to take the pulse of the town, as office workers and businessmen stop in for their daily Malongo café serré (Ristretto) and a croissant. The café crème is decent, the croissants are generous in size and will set you off 'till lunchtime, while the café's atmosphere will be upbeat enough to fill you with energy for the day.

For a more tranquil vibe and a more modern setting, away from the hub of the square, I recommend a choice of two cafés. Café Casale (named after the aviator, Jean Casale) on the street of the same name is a small quiet café tucked away at the back of the Société Générale bank (Rue Miot, visible from Place Saint-Nicolas).

Its décor, lay-out and drinks menu show that its owners pay attention to detail and the experience will be bound to appeal to style-aware urbanites. And for that little extra touch, tea and Illy coffee are served in good old-fashioned vintage crockery. You may prolong your experience with a spot of light lunch there. (to be continued)

Winter Comforts

For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, in places that are not blessed with the mild climate of California or North Africa, Summer is slowly turning into a distant memory, making way for the long Winter months ahead, spearheaded by the sparkle of the Christmas season that will fleetingly cast its glow over those long sultry nights to come…

Despite this, Winter is generally a drab affair between the bad weather and the shorter days, cutting short one’s enjoyment of the garden and most outdoor pursuits, and intensifying SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Nature goes into hibernation and so do we, in a way, seduced by nights in rather than nights out, and gorging our way through carbohydrates and a number of forbidden treats, the foods that comfort body and soul!

Bakewell, Derbyshire

In north-western England, Winter 2008-09 was a drag, in particular Jan/ Feb 09, when we suffered weeks of frost and black ice in a way I had never experienced in my 15 years’ residency in the country! I remember vividly slipping down the pavement in a spectacular manner, while walking from my car to workplace. As it happened, one of the local residents had had the not ingenuous idea of pouring hot water onto their car to defrost it and the water had quickly set into lethal ice!

Some of those early mornings were spent battling with the car door that was closed shut by the ice, then having to negotiate those deadly bendy roads around the estate that the City Council seems to overlook whenever road gritting is required… The climate situation inevitably put a strain on the major road infrastructures too, with traffic delays, accidents and car batteries giving up the ghost! Let’s just say that the start to the working day was a tad frayed for the unfortunate commuter!

Bail House Tea Rooms in Lincoln

However one would ‘miss the point’ if they only chose to remember Winter for its predicaments, for there are enjoyments to be had, providing of course that you are fortunate enough to afford the basics of comfort, like a warm home and a balanced diet. In my book, Winter is a state of mind:

• Winter is a time to clear the dead wood, quite literally, from the garden and your life. It is a time for introspection, it makes you take stock, and gives you time to think, about the physical and emotional clutter in your life, about things that need doing around the home and garden, and about the more metaphysical matters, if you are so inclined.
• Winter also makes you appreciate what you have and may be taking for granted, like the comfort of your home.
• Winter is an excuse for rallying the family around the fireplace and play a board game, join in a discussion, or light-heartedly share food, drinks, memories or good old gossip, cosied up on the sofa.
• Winter is an excuse for self-indulgence that goes beyond chocolates: candles, a warm bubble bath, your favourite book or film, something that will lift your spirits and make you appreciate your own surroundings, your own company and that of your closest and dearest.
• You need to experience the cold in order to appreciate the warmth! Brace yourself and go for a long countryside walk with your partner/ children/ dog. Then reward your bravery by going down to one of those cosy country pubs/ cafés and enjoy your favourite beverage, and – why not, a slice of cake or pack of nuts – comfortably sat by the fireplace if possible. Reminisce the moments of the walk when you were cold/ fed up/ tired: satisfaction guaranteed!

Bail House Tea Rooms in Lincoln

And if there is just one point to remember from this essay, this is it: like the Yin that only exists through its Yang opposite, Winter makes you appreciate Summer. If it were forever Summer, you probably wouldn’t be appreciating its glories as much!

T is for Tea

After dedicating a post to one of my staple food ingredients (sea salt), I thought I would take the liberty to explore with you another of my 'capsule wardrobe' ingredients, one which – should you knock on my front door unannounced – you will be assured is stored in my kitchen cupboard, no matter the day of week or time of month!

I may intermittently run out of essentials like bread, fruit juice or chocolate (who’s the culprit?!), but I’ll always be safe in the knowledge that my extensive collection of teas and herbal teas will last me for months. These are probably not everyone’s cup of tea (so to speak) but as far as hot drinks are concerned I like to keep my tea options open.

First I should perhaps clarify the fact that I am not a fan of ‘everyday’ English tea, the one that is spurn out in tea bags from the big brands off the supermarket, and needs to be drowned in milk and sugar to make it remotely palatable… I won’t give names but I’m sure you'll have an idea. Having said that, the irony is that I do store it in large quantities, due to the fact that my partner is an avid ‘everyday’ tea drinker…

However my personal selection of teas is eclectic and includes loose and bagged varieties, mainstream brands and the more connoisseur products. Just to give you an idea of what I have in store right this moment:

• Mainstream: Twinings Earl Grey; Tick Tock rooibos tea (with redbush, a caffeine-free alternative); supermarket own brand peppermint tea (admittedly a very poor alternative to the freshly-picked, freshly-crushed garden mint ingredient!); Twinings Digestif Tea (a mix of peppermint and fennel to aid digestion)
• Connoisseur: Earl Grey (from Stokes, a renowned tea and coffee house in Lincoln); ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ (a romantic blend of loose green tea and dried rose buds, purchased from Geels in Amsterdam).

Undoubtedly my moods and the availability from shops I visit influence my choices. In the last 12 months, the following were also part of my collection:

• Mainstream: Loose jasmine tea (supermarket own brand); Clipper’s white tea with raspberry-flavour; fruit infusions from Tetley
• Connoisseur: Brewhaha rose tea (a potent black tea, delightfully flavoured); a tiny tin of framboise tea from Geels (which I consumed in extreme moderation!); Farrer’s Lakeland Special Tea (a holiday present); bergamot tea from Imperial Teas of Lincoln (a specialist tea and coffee house on Steep Hill)…

If it is claimed that variety is the spice of life, the saying definitely applies to my approach to tea concoctions and infusions! Why stick with the one when you could enjoy more! And you needn’t feel guilty about those little pleasures, a little goes a long way, and they will therefore be cheaper than chocolate! Now on to some serious business: let’s put the kettle on…

Hot Shots!

Hot beverages needn't be restricted to coffee, tea, or that late-night mug of cocoa. There are various other ways to quench your thirst, or simply treat yourself. Here I will share with you my most unusual hot drink sensations, in no preferential order:

Hot Spiced Apple Juice:

The first time I had it was at the Manchester Craft & Design Centre’s café about 10 years ago. It was a crisp autumn afternoon and I’d met up with a friend. A quick glance at the menu convinced us to try the drink, served in tall latte glasses, and it couldn’t be easier to recreate at home. It was refreshing yet warming at the same time.

For 2 people: pour half a carton of good quality apple juice into a saucepan, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and gently warm up on the stove (do not boil). For added effect, omit the ground cinnamon, gently warm up the apple juice on its own, then pour into individual tall glasses and add a cinnamon quill per glass. Leave to infuse. Enjoy!

Masala Chai with Cardamom Seeds:

A Pakistani friend of mine, Mrs Anwar, gave me the recipe for this deliciously sweet milky tea years ago at her dinner party. I was surprised at how sweet and aromatic the tea was, the combination of milk and cardamom seeds lending it a caramel-like flavour and colour, while taking any of the tea bitterness away.

Steep one English breakfast tea bag (or Assam or black tea) per person into a saucepan of whole milk and water (a ratio of roughly two thirds milk for one third water). Add a good tablespoon of cardamom seeds per 2 drinkers, and bring to the boil. Allow the concoction to boil for a good couple of minutes before straining directly into mugs with a tea strainer. Sweeten to taste with Demerara sugar.

Fresh Mint Tea (Verse Muntthee):

The best mint tea I have ever tasted was last June in the heart of Amsterdam, at the Café de Jaren. The one and only ingredient (bar the hot water) couldn’t be simpler, I agree, but its quality, freshness, concentrated flavours and the overall presentation made it perfect. The clear glass tea cup held a handful of bushy mint twigs (not the paltry one or two that might have been expected) whose flavour gradually developed as I gently pressed my teaspoon against their leaves. The tea was incredibly tasty and crisp and was a pleasure for the senses. The commercially-available dry-powdered peppermint bags will definitely taste bland and vulgar after such an experience!

The mint from my herb garden!

I have tried to recreate the flavour at home with my organic home-grown mint, unfortunately the aphids and other garden pests which I found drowned in my cuppa were a bit of a turn-off, despite the twigs having been washed… Also it appears that my mint is just not as aromatic as the one from the café.

Café de Jaren, Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20, 1012 CP Amsterdam.

Hot Chocolate:

Travelling back in time again, a good decade ago to be precise, I experienced not just hot chocolate from the high street, but Café Thorntons’ hot chocolate, according to a method which they have since unfortunately streamlined. Back in the day, indulgence was the secret ingredient for this particular drink (I think it used to be called Continental Hot Chocolate, but don’t take my word for it!)

The hot chocolate was made pretty much like it is today, except that at the end of the process the café assistant would take a thimble-size chocolate cup out of the fridge, fill it up with double cream and then drop it gently into the hot chocolate, for that final oomph! And like today, the drink was accompanied by one of Thorntons' individual chocolate creations, boosting the total chocolate intake to chocolate heaven levels! I used to enjoy this as part of a weekly lunchtime treat, and would float on a chocolate high for the rest of the afternoon! Bring it (back) on, Mr Thornton!

Culinary Heritage - A Medley of Influences

Other influences happily converge to define who I am today and where I stand in relation to my tastes, habits, preferences and observations, whether in my own kitchen or at a restaurant.

Over the years, through work, studies or common interests, I have met people from different cultures and nationalities and enjoyed finding out about their way of life back home, including food. I have also travelled to a variety of European and overseas destinations, and discovered new foods and ways of preparing them.

My family heritage itself is very interesting, with my northern and southern roots. My southern (i.e. Corsican) ties reflect the fact that I come from a family of merchant seamen, who brought exotic produce (ex: bananas) back to the island from the Far East at a time when the mere mortal could not afford them. My great grandad also brought back Ceylon tea, which the family happily consumed, at a time when coffee was more largely available.

This spirit of discovery brings to mind mémé and mum’s adventurous and slightly intrepid cooking. And this quest for ‘something else’ is reflected further with my grandma’s great uncles moving to America towards the end of the 19th century. You then fathom the idea that fusion food does indeed mean something to us!

Influences are borne out of the path of destiny. They can happen in the most unusual places too. Life is punctuated with little snippets of experience to whoever is observant and willing to embrace their novelty and cherish them for the rest of their lives, for those little snippets turn into what happy memories are made of.

My best cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice was from a ramshackle roadside café in Cuba for US$1… The best insider visit of a Chinese food store was with my Taiwanese friend Chiachi in Paris’s Chinatown… My very first sloe gin was expertly blended by my partner, Andy, who used his magic to make it a refreshing experience, at the end of a long day re-decorating the kitchen.

How about you, dear readers? What would you say defines who you are, in terms of your culinary heritage? Do drop me a line, looking forward to reading you!

Culinary Heritage – Mémé

My dear grandma, mémé Angèle (who sadly passed away in 2006), was my friend. She spent the first 36 years of her life on the island of Corsica, in the family village, before emigrating to the north of France after WWII (and would return to the island every Summer). Her cuisine, although embracing the best of north and south, always had a hint of sunshine, sweetness and generosity to me, whether this was achieved with a dash of garlic, a touch of basil, an extra helping of butter, indulgent simmering over the stove, or simply with a grandmother’s know-how.

She would take me back in time to a bygone era of kitsch, whizzing up those delightfully 1950s Tiki desserts: Savarin Délicieux (pineapple sponge cake), Baba au Rhum (rum-infused sponge cake), Cake aux Fruits Confits (glacé cherry cake), or a rich Crème Pâtissière (entremets which she would finish off with a twirl of liquid caramel) served with Langues de Chats biscuits.

She concocted the best tomato sauce that dreams are made of, using carefully-chosen seasonal Corsican tomatoes, wild Corsican marjoram picked up the very same day, bay leaf from a nearby bay leaf tree, onion, garlic, touch of salt, one sugar lump (the magic ingredient that takes away the bitterness from the tomatoes) and ounces of patience, keeping an eye over the gently simmering saucepan, stirring when needed, with poise and a glint of joy. The whole house would bathe in the comforting aroma, and you - as a young person - would feel instantly hugged by it into a sense of security. You believed that the glorious home cooking from nanas like mémé would put the world to rights, keeping adversity and hunger at bay.

Mémé would provide me with home-comfort meals, as only a grandmother like her could: Oeufs Mimosa (hard-boiled eggs cut in half and stuffed with homemade mayonnaise and crumbled solid yolk), assortment of selected cold-cuts from the charcuterie (deli), creamy polenta (so golden, fluid and buttery it looked and tasted like a rich potato mash) served with Escalope de Veau (veal), aubergine ratatouille (fragranced with the intoxicating aroma of wild Corsican marjoram), and for afters Clafoutis aux Cerises (cherry flan) or Far Breton (prunes flan, a Brittany speciality).

Her odd but trusted larder staples included tapioca, angel hair pasta, chestnut flour (annual Christmas shipment from her Corsican cousins), salsify, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, tinned pineapple rings, Pain au Sésame (a sweet sesame bread), testimonies to post-war awakening to culinary indulgence and exotic influence. She also, like me but unlike my mum, had a penchant for tea.

Mémé was particular if not meticulous about her food shopping. Fruit and veg were always purchased from the local farmers’ market, while she was prepared to pay the price for the best Parma ham in town, from the Italian delicatessen, and would treat herself and immediate family to palate-pleasing delicacies from Pâtisserie Henri, an institution of indulgence back in the day! She would not suffer fools with sub-standard produce and her high standards certainly helped define my own.

Mémé would run her errands in style, wearing her trademark scarf, dainty low-heel court shoes and a matching millinery hat. Her attire made her look like a plumper shorter version of Marlene Dietrich (she would so disagree with me if she read this!), certainly a lady who took the best try-and-tested from a past era that suited her faultlessly. Mémé wasn’t rich but appearances and the way you present yourself to the outside world were everything to her, and I do respect this, especially in this age of slovenliness.

Mémé indeed is one of my main culinary influences: a lively and passionate people person, whose cooking delivered a twist of the exotic with gusto! She embraced life in style, her heart always in the right place. Her light-heartedness brightened the day, but behind those laughs stood one thoughtful and very sensitive woman. And although her values were steeped in tradition, they also had a tinge of modernity and quiet rebellion.