SOUR: Gobsmackingly good

"Unenthusiastically wash the outside of the pineapple" p262; the modern day equivalent of "first catch your hare", apparently a misquotation from Georgian food writer Hannah Glasse and a phrase that should be committed to the annals of food writing folklore.

This is just one of the stand out lines in Mark Diacono's latest book, Sour;  lipsmackingly lyrical, making you wish that the pages themselves were edible, such is the saliva stimulating content thereof.
Page after page of glorious writing, luring you away from the shallow temptation of sweetness, recipes seducing you to the delights of sour.
And as well as the recipes, the pleasure of discussion ranging from the banality and addictiveness of salt and vinegar crisps; the nerdy scientist appeal of kombucha and fermentation, with the ever present promise of a potential explosion; hippy, now hipster sourdough bread and the slap of a truly mouth tingling cocktail.  

I am dipping in and out of this, learning so much, following the trails left by Mark generously leading to other authors, other authorities and planning on making so very many of the recipes.

This is writing of pure joy, an author sharing his deep love of his subject, leading you line by line through a new world of flavour and taste experiences.

Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2019 ©

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk

Cooking for a food writer

So what do you do when a Leith trained food writer comes to see you? 

1. Offer to cook them lunch.
2. Panic.
3. Lie down in a dark room, waiting for the rush of blood to pass and figure out what you are going to prepare.  Let's face it, a sandwich is not going to cut the mustard.

On Thursday, we had a visit from Xanthe Clay, to talk to us and find out more about what she described as our "famous pans".  You may already have seen some of the pictures she posted on Instagram.
As she was due to arrive, with photographer, at around noon, it would have been churlish to offer no more than a cup of tea and a biscuit, so I took the sound advice offered up by Bill Clinton in his 1992 campaign KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The weather being somewhat unpredictable at present, soup seemed like a good option; warming if the wind blew in from the North East, but full of Spring vegetables.

This is what I made and I am pleased to say everyone present had 2 helpings.  What more could I ask for?   The onion and olive focaccia was baked in a 10" Prospector pan and the photo is courtesy of Xanthe.

2 Tblsp rapeseed oil, we always use Bennett and Dunn 

1 large onion

3 carrots

1 potato

1 can cannellini beans

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

750ml water 

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 handfuls kale

1 handful wild garlic

1 tsp sugar

2tsp salt

Finely chop the onion.  Cut the carrot and potato into 5 - 10mm dice, trust me, this is the hardest part of the whole recipe.
Pour the oil into a casserole or large pan and warm gently.
Add the onion, carrot and potato and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. You do not want the vegetables to brown, just soften.
Add the drained beans, tomatoes, thyme, sugar, salt and water. Cover with a lid.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Roughly chop the kale and throw into the soup.

Cook for another 10 minutes, then add the chopped wild garlic (omit this if it is out of season, when you can substitute spinach if you wish).

Let the garlic wilt into the soup and serve immediately.

© Netherton Foundry 2017

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk