Delicious UK May 2019

PHOTOGRAPHS: TARA FISHER, SUE LACEY PHOTOGRAPHY In one of my first jobs I worked for someone who described food as her means of staying alive, nothing more. She’d explain how she derived no pleasure from eating, as she smoked a cigarette and nibbled Hula Hoops from her fingers where she wore them as rings. In between crunches, she’d blow smoke towards anyone who came within a foot of her. I was nonplussed as I came from a family where food was central to life: all important conversations, such as they  were, happened at the table – or on cliff walks (me grumbling). But now I look back on those Hula Hoop days I realise, of course, there was probably a lot more going on. Our features this month emphasise just…

MAKES 8. HANDS-ON TIME 25 MIN Cook 125g fresh or frozen peas in boiling water for 4 minutes until just tender. Drain, run under cold water to cool, then drain again. Slice a small baguette into 8, put on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat. Grill for 2 minutes on each side, then set aside to cool. In a small bowl mash the cooled peas with the back of a fork, then mix in 50g white crabmeat, ½ tsp chopped fresh tarragon, the grated zest and juice of ½ lemon and some black pepper. Add salt, plus more pepper and lemon juice to taste. In another bowl mix 50g brown crabmeat with 4-5 tbsp crème fraîche. Spread over each toast, then top with…

Bedtime reading Ruth Reichl edited one of the most prestigious, groundbreaking food magazines in the world: Gourmet, in the US. Things came to a stark end when the magazine was closed without warning, but Reichl is an extraordinary writer with several books to her name. Now she’s written another, giving a glimpse behind the scenes of the world of yesteryearglam magazine publishing. Save Me the Plums (Random House £20.71) promises to be a fascinating read. Available only via amazon.co.uk Food (not so) glorious food This month the Victoria & Albert Museum opens its Bigger than the Plate exhibition, described as a multisensory journey through the food cycle. Expect cheese made from human bacteria (so weird it has to be seen but maybe not tried), find out what the sausage of…

SUBJECT: Inspired to avoid the chains FROM: Barbara Trevitt Katy has caused me to stop and think about the dining choices I make. My favourite local Italian bistro closed a couple of years ago. The food was fresh and the service always friendly. In its stead, I’ve taken to visiting the chain restaurant on the high street. The food is standard across all branches, as is the menu – no special of the day to look forward to. Katy’s article has inspired me to search for another independent trattoria. It may take a little effort to find, but I feel I owe it to smaller enterprises to support them and, where I find excellence, to give it my regular custom. SUBJECT: Survival of the fittest? FROM: Carol Shea Katy’s piece…

AND THE WINNERS ARE... For the first time the judging panel of the Jane Grigson Trust Award has given the prize to not one but two of the shortlisted authors: Elly McCausland and Dan Saladino. The annual Award is made to a first-time writer of a food or drink book that’s been commissioned but hasn’t yet been published. Food blogger and literature lecturer Elly’s The Botanical Kitchen, which explores our love affair with all things plant-related, will be published by Absolute Press in March 2020. Radio journalist Dan’s The Ark of Taste, which celebrates the world’s most endangered foods, is to be published by Jonathan Cape in spring 2020. The runner-up was Selina Periampillai for her book The Island Kitchen, on the cuisines of the Indian Ocean (see p129). For…

1630 Charles II was born on 29 May. Although he was known as the Merry Monarch, he invoked public anger in 1675 by banning coffee houses, a proclamation he was forced to revoke just a month after it was announced. 1876 Native Americans had long made drinks from the bark of the sassafras tree, but 10 May was the first time a commercial version was sold. Teetotaller Charles Elmer Hires thought ‘root beer’ would have more appeal than ‘tea’. 1908 Physicist Nicholas Kurti was born on 14 May. A keen cook, he became the founding father of molecular gastronomy by using a microwave to make a ‘reverse baked alaska’ in a lecture in 1969 – it was cold on the outside and hot in the middle. 2000 The late Anthony…