Remembering a Wahaca summer

It's grey in London today. Most people I know seem to have a cloud about their heads and I am on a mission to spread sunshine. I'm feeling a bit gloomy too but there's a reason to smile: Wahaca's opening down Wardour Street! That's lunch sorted for me most days then. I shall never go hungry at lunch again!

Ana & her mojito

Saying that, the last time I've actually been to Wahaca was... last May when Ana & I sampled their summer menu. Yikes. It's been ages, but that doesn't mean I love the restaurant any less. I mean it's been months but I'm still raving about the fresh ceviche tostadas and the yummy chicken mole tacos.... Oh and of course, how can you go there without their mojitos?

Al Duomo, Brighton

Cod fillet, shrimps and a mountain of potatoes

Our party of four went out for Italian in Brighton. Nothing fancy but we didn't want to go to a chain restaurant so we searched the internet for independent Italian restaurants. Al Duomo came first and seemed to be the popular choice. It's located right next to the pavilions and is 'one of Brighton's most popular longest established Italian restaurants'. Surely that must mean something right? Right.

It takes me ages to order (plus we were driving from London) so to save everyone some time, I went on the website to choose my grub and... overwhelmed is not the word! They weren't kidding when they said they offered a 'wide-ranging menu'. I also checked what (else) they had in store and that's when warning signs went a-flashing. Surely any Italian restaurant (or any restaurant) that hosts Elvis nights, cheesy hen dos and a basement club must be avoided right? Right. Or if you have to have to go, you shouldn’t really expect your grub to be as special as the barmen’s striptease right? Right. However we were going to be in Brighton after all. The holy mecca of all things flamboyant in the UK. So it's okay, right? Right. *gulp*

olive toast

Black, green or both?

Most people I know think olives are pointless but you’ll always find them in my food cart/ cupboard. They’re quite moreish but who cares as they're a healthy snacking alternative anyway (the FSA says 30 olives may count as a portion of your 5-a-day!). I can finish a whole shop-bought jar in one sitting - two if I'm hungry, three if I'm starving. I prefer them plain or in brine but I don't mind them soaked in some herby/oil & garlic infusion either. Don’t really mind which colour but if I really githad to it’s got to be black ones over green, pitted over stuffed.

food for fall: green thai curry

Sun’s out but the chill is palpable – fall's here and winter’s around the corner. Trading bikinis and skirts for scarves, boots and ear muffs. Goodbye salads and light bites; hello warm soup, hearty stews and hot curries.

Mmm. Curry - possibly the best fall/winter warmer ever (hey you can't eat cuddles can you?). I like Thai-style curries best; Chinese curry tends to go on the sweet side, Indian goes on same-ish. The Thai version, I find, is a great balance of sweet and savoury so it's more fragrant and more exciting to eat. The packed heat from the chilis is a direct invite for more spoonfuls and the aromatic fusion of galangal, lemongrass and coconut cream is just so refreshing. Yum.

Recipe under the cut

ate vangie's kare kare

I miss you.

Kare kare is a Philippine stew with a thick peanut-based sauce usually made with oxtail / beef / tripe and veggies like aubergine, green beans and pak choi. It's normally served with bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) and steamed rice.

This is probably my second favourite Philippine dish (coming close to the one and only laing).

muffin pizzas

Breakfast muffins can go a long way

Most people I know find comfort in pizza. It's the easiest thing to get when your experimental pot roast dinner goes wrong, or when the romantic steak dinner you planned on impressing a date with gets as tough as a brick.

I love me a good pizza, especially when it's homemade. I know someone who makes really good homemade pizzas. His pizza base is my idea of perfect: thin but strong enough to hold generous toppings, crispy/crunchy on the outside but still chewy enough to not give you a toothache. He also introduced me to muffin pizzas which are possibly the best snack things in the world.

hammy and ollie brown

Ham & Pesto toastie

I don't know what got into me today but I woke up with a massive, massive craving for sliced ham. This is strange as I've always hated it and I've not touched the stuff since I was in pre-school. I remember being super stroppy everytime I'd get a packed ham (or hotdog) sandwich for recess and would either refuse to eat it at all or exchange it with a ham-obsessed classmate's peanut butter loot. Ollie Brown loved his ham. He'd have it with everything and would often cry if one of his two packed lunches didn't include ham (possibly twice a week or so). I even remember exchanging sarnies under the tables with him so that our yayas won't be too suspicious. I'd give him my ham-mayo sandwiches and he'd give me whatever he has, unless of course it had ham too.

So yes, I made myself a nice ham toastie earlier which is easy enough. I mean all you have to do is toast the bread, whack the ham, some cheddar and a dollop of pesto, grill for a bit and slip in a bit of leaves. Peasey. Ollie Brown could've done it himself when we were six.

Another easy peasy hammy thing: get some nice homey bread. I like sourdough or ciabatta. But when all else fails a baguette would do. Chopped ham, spring onions, gruyere on top then grill for 2-3 minutes, 200°C. Yum. Ollie Brown would approve.

Ah... Ollie Brown. I wonder where he is these days. I wonder if still eats as much ham. I still eat a lot of peanut butter.

let the beet control your body

Diced Beetroot

Save for the fact that it stains everything, I love everything about beets. I love the texture, fibrous but silky. I love the taste, strangely reminiscent of corn except it's a root vegetable. I love that they're nutritious and that they're good for the skin. I love how they remind me of summer. I love the colours; the plant is green, purple and a deep sultry red. I love how beets seriously remind me of a few favourite things. Perhaps in my previous life trillions of years ago I was a beetroot myself. Who knows.

Beets are actually very versatile. The roots can be boiled and eaten warm or cold, shredded raw for salad, puréed as a side or made into soup. Vegans use them to make chocolate cake, some people use them to make wine. Personally, I like beetroot best plain, or when pickled in oil and vinegar. Perfect for snacking and salads.

After the jump: a recipe for a nice beetroot salad, inspired by a similar salad prepared by my Uncle. Dead easy to prepare, I kid you not.