Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold - "The cookery book to end all cookery books"

Released in March 2011 - you'll be hard-pressed to find a copy of this monumental book anywhere!

Here's the stats: 2,438 pages, 21 Kg in weight, 1500 copies sold out in days costing over $1Million to print, and and a recommended retail price of £400, that is if you can actually find one to buy. I saw a copy on Amazon.co.uk for £696.95 - ouch!

Heralded by many high profile chef's including Ferran Adrià of El Bulli, who contributed a foreword to the book, claiming "This book will change the way we understand the kitchen."

The book is an encyclopedia and a guide to the science of contemporary cooking. The 6 volumes cover history and fundamentals, techniques and equipment, animals and plants, ingredients and preparation, plated dish recipes and one last volume, the kitchen manual.


This book has already divided opinion - but I can't wait to get my hands on one - though I think I will have to wait until the price drops slightly...

The world's hottest chilli - the Infinity chilli

I am a bit of a chilli wimp but since this international food achievement is so close to home, it was almost inevitable that I would post about it. Seasoned foodies may well be aware of this one, but the world's hottest chilli comes from Grantham in Lincolnshire UK. The 'Infinity' chilli is considerably hotter than other contenders for the fiery crown including the Bhut Jolokia and the Dorset Naga - the former is used in Indian military hand grenades. The title for World's Hottest Chilli, is a tightly fought contest and I'm sure it won't be long until an even hotter chilli is found - I certainly won't be in a hurry to sample one.

Updated: I stand corrected - an even hotter chilli has been found - the Naga Viper... from Cumbria, UK.

If only I could find it in the UK... Tasso Ham

Not the most visually appealing thing in the world but Tasso ham was one of the most delicious discoveries from my time cheffing in the US. Having had the pleasure of working with an excellent chef with roots from New Orleans, Louisiana - I was introduced to many different dishes, recipes and ingredients that I had never been exposed to. One of which was Tasso ham, a specialty of Cajun cuisine. It is a spicy, peppery version of smoked pork made from salt cured pork shoulder. The meat is left to cure briefly, only three or four hours, then rinsed, rubbed with a spice mixture containing Cayenne pepper and garlic, and hot-smoked until cooked through. I have yet to find this most incredibly tasty meat in the UK - I am sure I will have try to recreate my own version at home (not sure where I would find room for hot smoking though...).

Cauliflower - comes in all shapes and size (and even colour)

Now, everyone's seen a cauliflower, but how about an orange one? a green one? or even a purple one? All natural - but incredibly vibrant, these different coloured cauliflowers would be great for brightening up any meal from your usual sunday roast to an experimental curry. You may spot one of these at a farmer's market, or farm shop - but I wouldn't be surprised to find them in a supermarket in the near future either. Particularly as the different coloured varieties featured on BBC TV's Great British Food Revival recently - raising the profile of this occasionally unfavoured vegetable.

Fiddleheads - Delicious, Nutritious and Rarely Used in the UK

These odd looking shoots are indeed edible. I first encountered this very visual and unique vegetable when I worked as a Chef in New Hampshire, USA. They are not cultivated, and  are actually the furled fronds of a young fern, another very seasonal Spring vegetable.


Fiddleheads have antioxidant activity, are a source of Omega 3 and Omega 6, and are high in iron and fibre. They are typically steamed or boiled before being eaten hot, with hollandaise sauce or butter and lemon, or chilled, in salad or with mayonnaise.


I imagine it's only a matter of time before the UK discovers this somewhat specialist vegetable, so keep your eyes peeled - one for keen foragers to look out for!

Wahaca - Mexican Street Food in London

Visited this Mexican street food concept restaurant last week in White City, London. Light hearted and informal - think Wagamama's meets Mexico. I loved this place because it does way more than the average mexican food we are often subjected to in the UK, it's certainly not all about fajitas on sizzling hot plates, nachos and enchiladas. There are fantastic small bite dishes including Pork pibil (slow cooked pork in a special Yucatecan marinade served in a soft corn taco), Black Bean Tostadas, Taquitos, Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, Seafood Ceviche, and freshly grilled meat and fish. I have yet to have the pleasure of visiting the streets of Mexico - however having spent some time in the southern states of the US and frequented a couple of back street authentic mexican eateries I can honestly say - finally we have something more exciting and representative of Mexican cuisine.

Definitely reccomended for a good cheap eat in London.
Check out the website: http://www.wahaca.co.uk/

Everybody is doing it!

La Tasca, spanish Tapas restaurant chain in the UK, has developed a range of cooking sauce to launch into the retail food market. The latest in a string of chains to make the move from restaurant to retail, Pizza Express have been arguably the biggest players in the transfer, with its retail product portfolio ranging from Pizzas, Pasta Sauces, Salad Dressings to tins of Passata! Nando's, Harry Ramsdens, Crank's and Wagamama have also made the ambitious move.

La Tasca's sauces include: Bravas, a spicy tomato and garlic sauce; Marbella, a white wine, garlic and red pepper sauce; Jardinera, a chunky tomato, garlic and herb sauce and Pimienta, a smokey tomato, paprika and red bell pepper sauce. These sauces perhaps recognise the increasing prominence of Spanish cuisine within the UK market.