Eating 2019 – memorable meals of last year
2019, the last year of another decade, how did the last 10 years fly by so quickly? I’m sure many of us think the same thing. A new year always feels so full of promise and opportunity and I really like the quiet days of January after the chaos of Christmas, a chance to reflect, take stock and plan the next adventures. 2019 was a busy year for me with some major changes but still plenty of time for good food. Lots of good food. At home, out and about, with friends and family. Often its not just the food, its the setting, how its shared and with who. Food is culture, love, family, friends, memories and so much more than just fuel. Here are my most memorable meals of the last year.
Traipsing around endless ‘potentials’ and listening to estate agents’ desperately positive sales pitches was not an experience I’m keen to repeat anytime soon, especially during cold grey winter days. Life kind of goes on hold when you are moving home which I found quite hard to deal with. Lunch in this small restaurant, a recommendation from one estate agent after a rather dismal viewing, was just what was needed at a rather dark moment. On an icy January weekend it was packed but we managed to sneak a table for two next to the steamed up windows overlooking the square. A perfectly cooked lunch perked up our jaded souls and the outstanding service almost made us reconsider the houses we had just viewed, wondering just what could be so bad if you had a local restaurant this good on your doorstep.
The oldest restaurant in London (opened in 1798) and a specialist in old school British cuisine such as game, beef, pies and puddings. Like a very old London pub, the interior is all flock wallpaper littered with historical artefacts from frequent (and usually well off) benefactors surrounding tables of stiff linen and expensive wine. I had the pleasure of an invitation to dinner in one of the private rooms, a glimpse of a different world, like stepping into an adult Narnia of privilege and private schools. The food was traditional but expertly cooked and the service impeccable. Its quite a sight to see a giant rib of beef atop a silver platter being carved at the table. It was grand theatre and real treat to experience. I’m sure I quaffed some amazing wine too but was very happy not to pay the bill.
A crazy week in the French Ardennes with old and new friends in a beautiful 18th house filled with history, trompe l'oeil wall paper and rumours of bats in the rafters (there was a scary cellar too). Mornings were spent shopping and arguing over recipes at the local Carrefour in preparation for elaborate nightly feasts where music played and huge amounts of wine consumed. Dinners around the huge oak table were epic and we even managed a BBQ with an enormous punchbowl of Pimms. When it finally stopped raining we walked through the trees surrounding the twists and turns of the river picking wild garlic by the bagful and scaring each other with tales of rogue wild boar. We got drunk and we laughed until we hurt (and then we had to find a way of discretely recycling the empty bottles…but that’s another story).
A sunny but icy winter weekend on the coast after months of rain so we were keen to drink in as much of the outside as we could before the greyness returned. Setting off early on coastal walks and desperate for good coffee we stopped here first for bloody marvellous espressos and Portuguese custard tarts. A minuscule coffee shop literally on the edge of the North Sea, its tiny interior swamped by the magnificent view of the waves. Works by local artists hang on the walls and baskets of blankets encourage you to perch on the bench outside. Fantastic coffee right on the beach, its perfect, surely that’s all you need? I'd happily sit here for days.
Overlooking the marshes between Blakeney and Cley-next-the-Sea, this café is set on a working farm, using the best local produce. We walked here after a cloud studded few hours exploring Cley beach and managed to grab a table for lunch. The house salad seemed the sensible option for a lighter lunch (we'd eaten a fair few fish and chips the previous days). It was good, very good, so much so we came back for breakfast the next day. They also sold probably the best mince pies I’ve had this Christmas (believe me, I’ve put many hours of research into this). Deep filled with mincemeat so alcoholic you probably shouldn’t drive after consuming one (or maybe I had two).
Sadly, this truck was only setting up as we passed through La Isleta on our trek to San Jose. It looked amazing, fresh octopus from this tiny fishing village in the Cabo de Gata, simmering in a huge dish of rice. We had miles to cover so couldn't wait around but I haven't forgotten and I may just have to go back.
So here’s a toast to more food adventures to come. Lots to do, lots to discover and some plans have already been made so watch this space. Happy New Year, I hope 2020 will be a good year for everyone.
'People who love to eat are always the best people'
Julia Child
Italian Market Kitchen, Rothwell, Northamptonshire
Traipsing around endless ‘potentials’ and listening to estate agents’ desperately positive sales pitches was not an experience I’m keen to repeat anytime soon, especially during cold grey winter days. Life kind of goes on hold when you are moving home which I found quite hard to deal with. Lunch in this small restaurant, a recommendation from one estate agent after a rather dismal viewing, was just what was needed at a rather dark moment. On an icy January weekend it was packed but we managed to sneak a table for two next to the steamed up windows overlooking the square. A perfectly cooked lunch perked up our jaded souls and the outstanding service almost made us reconsider the houses we had just viewed, wondering just what could be so bad if you had a local restaurant this good on your doorstep.
Dr Legumes, Folkestone, Kent
Set in a refurbished shipping container situated on a windblown car park on the harbour arm of Folkestone, this tiny restaurant is surprisingly cosy. Inside, away from the brisk coastal winds, twinkly lights and wooden seats welcome you. The short but inventive menu of vegan dishes is inspiring and decision making was difficult. Carnivores will find plenty to delight here, don’t feel like you’ll be missing out. Dessert was definitely a highlight, simple but delicious and I had to resist the urge to slip one of the lovely plates into a pocket to take home. A perfect dinner with lovely friends and yes, I'm massively very envious of their seaside home.
Rules, Covent Garden, London
The oldest restaurant in London (opened in 1798) and a specialist in old school British cuisine such as game, beef, pies and puddings. Like a very old London pub, the interior is all flock wallpaper littered with historical artefacts from frequent (and usually well off) benefactors surrounding tables of stiff linen and expensive wine. I had the pleasure of an invitation to dinner in one of the private rooms, a glimpse of a different world, like stepping into an adult Narnia of privilege and private schools. The food was traditional but expertly cooked and the service impeccable. Its quite a sight to see a giant rib of beef atop a silver platter being carved at the table. It was grand theatre and real treat to experience. I’m sure I quaffed some amazing wine too but was very happy not to pay the bill.
La Fumacienne, Fumay, France
A crazy week in the French Ardennes with old and new friends in a beautiful 18th house filled with history, trompe l'oeil wall paper and rumours of bats in the rafters (there was a scary cellar too). Mornings were spent shopping and arguing over recipes at the local Carrefour in preparation for elaborate nightly feasts where music played and huge amounts of wine consumed. Dinners around the huge oak table were epic and we even managed a BBQ with an enormous punchbowl of Pimms. When it finally stopped raining we walked through the trees surrounding the twists and turns of the river picking wild garlic by the bagful and scaring each other with tales of rogue wild boar. We got drunk and we laughed until we hurt (and then we had to find a way of discretely recycling the empty bottles…but that’s another story).
Cabo de Gato, Spain
After a days of scrambling over precipitous cliff tops paths to isolated pirate coves, hiking dusty plateaus in search of literary history and crossing lonely sierras in brilliant sunshine food was always going to be a high point. A rather scruffy looking bar on a back street of Las Negras delivered a very welcome plate of morcilla, chorizo and a fried egg with a heap of olive oil fried potatoes which we consumed with several cervezas under the watchful eye of a stray cat. A decadent birthday lunch in a bar in Rodalquilar, sitting in the sun, drinking local wine with a mountain of fresh fried calamares and then discovering Casa Azul, a restaurant so good that we went twice. At our final base, San Jose, we recovered from the day's walking in Bar Monsul, refuelling with cerveza and tapas. Also in San Jose, I managed to track down mojama, air dried tuna loin, definitely a dish I’ll be searching for again. Probably the best meal was also the simplest, a picnic of fruit, boiled eggs and sandwiches sitting with our backs resting on the walls of an ancient fort, surrounded by sea spray before walking up into the clouds.
A summer wedding breakfast, London
A sunny Sunday in July provided a different cultural experience, a traditional Jain wedding, a riot of colour, ritual and romance. The bride and groom were exquisite, every inch henna-ed, embroidered and bejewelled. Half way through the intricate ceremonies a dish of sweet mango kulfi arrived followed a few hours later by an exotically spiced vegetarian thali shared with family and friends. Yes, we ate everything and may have gone back for more.
North Sea Coffee Cº, Cromer
A sunny but icy winter weekend on the coast after months of rain so we were keen to drink in as much of the outside as we could before the greyness returned. Setting off early on coastal walks and desperate for good coffee we stopped here first for bloody marvellous espressos and Portuguese custard tarts. A minuscule coffee shop literally on the edge of the North Sea, its tiny interior swamped by the magnificent view of the waves. Works by local artists hang on the walls and baskets of blankets encourage you to perch on the bench outside. Fantastic coffee right on the beach, its perfect, surely that’s all you need? I'd happily sit here for days.
Wiveton Farm Café, Wiveton
Overlooking the marshes between Blakeney and Cley-next-the-Sea, this café is set on a working farm, using the best local produce. We walked here after a cloud studded few hours exploring Cley beach and managed to grab a table for lunch. The house salad seemed the sensible option for a lighter lunch (we'd eaten a fair few fish and chips the previous days). It was good, very good, so much so we came back for breakfast the next day. They also sold probably the best mince pies I’ve had this Christmas (believe me, I’ve put many hours of research into this). Deep filled with mincemeat so alcoholic you probably shouldn’t drive after consuming one (or maybe I had two).
Insects (mealworms, crickets and buffalo worms)
My culinary adventures knew no bounds in 2019 and I went into full 'I'm a Celebrity' mode to discover new tastes. Eating insects was only memorable in that I ate them but not memorable in taste. Honestly, they tasted of nothing, just dusty, not a flavour to aim for (plus the cricket legs got stuck between my teeth). Disappointing, still I've tried them but they need some serious work to become something I’ll eat again. One for zombie apocalypse preparation only I suspect.
The one that got away…
The Pulpo Food Truck, La Isleta de Moro
Sadly, this truck was only setting up as we passed through La Isleta on our trek to San Jose. It looked amazing, fresh octopus from this tiny fishing village in the Cabo de Gata, simmering in a huge dish of rice. We had miles to cover so couldn't wait around but I haven't forgotten and I may just have to go back.
So here’s a toast to more food adventures to come. Lots to do, lots to discover and some plans have already been made so watch this space. Happy New Year, I hope 2020 will be a good year for everyone.
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