1796 Foods

646. Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina When my dad came to stay a...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:26:05 +0000

646. Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina

When my dad came to stay a little while back I wanted to make a nice dinner. My dad loves spinach, so I thought this Italian chicken dish would be perfect. Petti di pollo is a chicken breast, and anything alla Fiorentina (or Florentine) means with spinach, so the dish is basically chicken with spinach and cheese sauce. So as to make it into a one-pot meal, I sliced the chicken breasts thin, then pan-fried them before layering them up in a dish with the spinach and cheese sauce (which I had mixed together), and then added a layer of sliced potatoes on the top. It came out tasting great.

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646. Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina When my dad came to stay a...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:21:05 +0000

646. Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina

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644. Rice and Lentils This entry on the list was really one of...

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:40:05 +0000

644. Rice and Lentils

This entry on the list was really one of those items which can refer to a few different things - basically any dish which was a combination of rice and lentils would count. I chose to make kitchiri, which is pretty much exactly rice, lentils and not a lot else (onion and some spices). This is a dish that I used to make myself all the time at uni because not only does it taste great, it also costs practically nothing, and is made entirely out of ingredients that I have in my house at all times. It’s very easy, you just need to fry some onions and garlic, add spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, whatever you fancy), add rice and red lentils and stir them around, then just add stock gradually as if you were making a risotto.

645. Blade Mace

I haven’t added mace to this dish before, but I had some great chunks of blade mace that I bought on holiday so I thought I’d add some to give a bit of extra warmness to the spices. The flavour worked great, I just had to be careful not to eat it as it was the same colour as the rice turned out!

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Cutting Edge Knives

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:00:58 +0000

Recently I had the pleasure of trying out some fantastic knives courtesy of Cutting Edge Knives. Cutting Edge Knives is an online store dedicated to hand-picking the best Japanese and European knives around. I got to test out three of their favourites - the Masakage Kumo Santoku, the Masakage Yuki Gyuto 8in, and the Stelton Pure Black Large Chef’s Knive. They have also kindly given all my readers a fantastic 10% off when they buy anything in store - just enter the code 1796FOODS at the checkout to get your discount!

When I opened my package, a little envelope fell out containing a note and some plasters, explaining that they send them out with all orders because it’s hard not to cut yourself on your first use. I thought this was a lovely little extra which made me laugh and absolutely made for a great opening experience. (As it turns out I actually didn’t cut myself using any of these knives, though I did manage to nick myself twice with a bread knife that week so the plasters came in handy anyway!).

On first glance I was immediately drawn to the two Japanese Masakage knives. They come in elegant blue boxes, and the knives inside are protected with Japanese newsprint sleeves. That really added to the excitement of the unboxing, and gave them even more of an authentic feel.

The Kumo knife is stunningly beautiful - I would happily just hang that on my wall and look at it all day. The blade is covered in tiny ripples caused by the layering of the stainless steel cladding, and it’s topped off with an unusual octagonal handle made from rich, dark rosewood. The Yuki knife is gorgeous as well. Here the blade is covered in tiny little flecks from the hand working and the edge develops a patina, which looks a little like rust. That might put people off but it’s completely natural, and I found it totally endearing and just made me want to take even better care of it. For my own personal taste, the Stelton did not have the same instant ‘wow’ appeal, but then again I would pick something old and Japanese looking over something modern and minimalist in just about any aspect of life. If you are a fan of chic, streamlined design then this knife would fit the bill perfectly as the matt black finish is very striking, and the blade blends effortlessly into the handle.

To give the knives a decent trial, I decided to test them on some fruits and vegetables that I regularly chop, but that other knives often make a huge drama of - apples, onions, and the most messy of them all, tomatoes. Using the Japanese knives on the tomatoes were a revelation. Even with my other ‘good’ knives I find that tomatoes often end up a big pile of mush on the chopping board, and these just sliced straight through with ease, leaving not a single drop of spilled seeds. Their combination of super sharp blades and lightweight handles also made them ideal for finely chopping the onion.

The Stelton on the other hand is much heavier and wasn’t as well suited to the more delicate tasks. However it really came into its own with the apple and chopped it in half with practically no effort from me at all. For more heavy-duty jobs this knife would work great, and I feel like it might finally solve my lifelong struggle to easily cut a butternut squash!

In conclusion, I certainly preferred the Kumo and Yuki knives and I would happily buy either of these any day. Their combination of beauty and performance made them ideal additions to my kitchen and they would make a perfect present to anyone who loves to cook (or just to yourself). The Stelton was not so much for me, but for a fan of minimalist design it would work fantastically in a really modern kitchen.

To buy any of these knives, or to see the rest of Cutting Edge Knives’ fabulous range just visit their website, or you can follow their updates on Twitter. Remember to use the voucher code 1796FOODS for 10% off all of your purchases.

643. Sachertorte If someone decided they were going to make up a...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:25:05 +0000

643. Sachertorte

If someone decided they were going to make up a new cake just for me, they would probably come up with something along the lines of a sachertorte. Chocolate + either apricot or cherry (in this case apricot) is just one of the best combinations that exists in any foods, in all the world, ever. Sachertorte is also surprisingly light; the sponge is super airy and not too sweet and pairs perfectly with the thin layers of apricot jam and rich chocolate ganache. I had this in Wally’s Deli in Cardiff, which was opened years ago by an Austrian man, so their cafe is filled with lots of authentic Austrian cakes (and that country knows their cakes). I need to go back soon so I can give the linzertorte a try!

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641. Schweinebraten Schweinebraten is a German version of roast...

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:26:06 +0000

641. Schweinebraten

Schweinebraten is a German version of roast pork where you baste the meat with beer whilst it’s cooking. I love roast pork so I was really excited to give this one a try as an alternative Sunday dinner. As I knew I would be basting it I got a piece of pork without crackling and roasted it mostly covered in foil so that the beer would steam around the pork for the whole cooking time. The result was fantastic - the pork was super moist and flavourful. I cooked potatoes and onions in the same dish as the pork so these absorbed all of the sweet beer flavour too. I shall definitely do this one regularly from now on.

642. Braised Fennel

I served some braised fennel with it. I braised it in a saucepan just by frying it in a little butter, then simmering it in chicken stock until all the stock was absorbed and the fennel was barely solid any more it was so tender. The flavour was fantastic. Even Pie loved it and he usually hates fennel because of the aniseedy flavour it has. Over all this was a totally successful meal.

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640. Shortbread Since starting this blog, I have lost count of...

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:42:06 +0000

640. Shortbread

Since starting this blog, I have lost count of the number of times I have eaten shortbread and not posted it because either I forgot to take a picture, or I did take a picture but the quality was terrible, or I took a picture which then got lost in the great iPhone Lion upgrade tragedy of 2011. Anyway, this has now resulted in me posting a photo of shortbread which is both poor quality, and of bad shortbread. I didn’t really want to post this one but frankly, with the luck I’ve had so far I didn’t want to risk it!

I’m a firm believer that shortbread needs to be made with all butter. Shortbread containing any margarine or oil at all is heinous and needs to be binned immediately. All you want to taste in shortbread is butter, and sugar. That’s it. Those two things are delicious and need to be left pure and untampered with, and so when you do have good shortbread it is melt-in-your-mouth amazing.

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Not a question, but in response to the not liking parmesan... Me, too! I'm from an Italian line, but I don't like the stuff. Try pecorino romano, instead! :D

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:32:50 +0000

I’m glad I’m not the only one! Pecorino Romano is actually one of the cheeses I have still got to try for the list so I shall definitely take you up on that suggestion. I know they sell it at the deli I like in town so I’ll pick some up next time I’m there.

Where do you live that you are finding all these unusual foods?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:47:46 +0000

I life in Cardiff in Wales. Up until October of last year I was living in London which is pretty good for finding weird and different foods. Cardiff is still not bad at all though. There are a decent range of restaurants here, and there is also a great deli/grocery store called Wally’s which stocks all sorts of interesting ingredients. Plus, in the past few years UK supermarkets have started getting really good ethnic sections, especially for Indian and Polish foods.

Do you cook any of these foods or just eat them? Some of this stuff looks really delicious!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:25:29 +0000

I probably cook around 2/3 of the foods and dishes I put on here. The rest I either eat out at restaurants, get as takeout, or buy ready made from the store.

Thanks for the question :)

639. Smoked Meat You know how an entire year ago I went on...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:24:05 +0000

639. Smoked Meat

You know how an entire year ago I went on vacation to Quebec? Well, for some reason it took me this whole time to realise that I did in fact have smoked meat whilst I was there and I took a picture and I should have posted it on the blog. Quite how I managed to forget for 12 full months is beyond me; I’m a huge ditz obviously. Anyway, my smoked meat was served on top of poutine, which was probably just about the best thing ever. If anyone can tell me a better combination than chunky chips, cheese, rich gravy and piles of salty, smoky meat, then I will probably not believe them. I’ll just be over here googling flights to Canada.

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hey! i just read your bit on Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and if you ever try it again i have a tip for you! my family is 100% italian and we pretty well live off of pastas so that dish is common to us. i find it plain too so i usually sprinkle parmesan cheese all over. i like it SO much like that. also if you want to mix it up put some veggies in there, actually sometimes my mom puts bacon, and cooks it in the bacon oil, tastes amazing! love your blog, ttyl!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:22:12 +0000

Thanks for the tip!

I actually don’t like parmesan cheese all that much (I know, I’m weird), but I totally dig the idea of putting bacon in it. It’s always the best idea to add bacon to anything!

638. Sole a la Meuniere Sole a la Meuniere is a really simple...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:40:05 +0000

638. Sole a la Meuniere

Sole a la Meuniere is a really simple fish dish which involves a pan-fried sole fillet topped with a white wine, butter and parsley sauce which you very quickly whip up in the pan you cook the fish in. This meal didn’t get off to the greatest of starts as I opened up the fish which I’d bought the day before only to find it smelled really bad. I had to take it back to the store and get some new fish, by which time I was over-hungry and hated fish and didn’t even want to eat it any more. As a result, I ended up thinking it was just ok. I think if I’d cooked it without all the drama it would have tasted much better though!

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637. Soupa Avgolemono Soupa avgolemono was one of the dishes I...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:21:05 +0000

637. Soupa Avgolemono

Soupa avgolemono was one of the dishes I had down on my ‘must-try’ list when I went to Athens, but I never found anywhere that sold it. Perhaps because it was the summer they did not think anyone would really be after soup (I’ll eat soup any time; I’m weird like that). Anyway, as I couldn’t try it in Greece I decided to just make it myself at home. It’s a really easy soup to make. You just have to cook a little bit of rice in a pot of good-flavoured chicken stock, then when the rice is done you mix in lemon juice and egg yolk. The egg yolk thickens it and gives it this lovely creamy, silky texture, and the lemon juice brightens the whole flavour and gives this delicious hint of sour. As a huge fan of both soup and lemon this dish was pretty much tailor made for me, so I shall definitely be adding it to my soup repertoire!

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636. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Spaghetti aglio e olio is one of...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:40:06 +0000

636. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Spaghetti aglio e olio is one of those classic Italian dishes which I’ve often heard about but never tried before. Spaghetti with nothing but olive oil and garlic just sounded kind of dull to me, and also really heavy if you’re having all that pasta and olive oil with very little else to lighten the dish up and cut through the stodge. I decided to give it a go for my lunch though so I heated up the olive oil with a couple of cloves of sliced garlic and mixed in the spaghetti. I found that my suspicions were at least part right. Surprisingly it wasn’t too heavy, the garlic seemed to be enough to give it a kick and cut through the oil; it was dull though. The first couple of mouthfuls were lovely, the strong garlic flavour really came through, but after that I was just craving for there to be something else. Some other flavour or texture to mix it up a little. I think perhaps this would be nice as a side dish, but I wouldn’t have it as a bowl of pasta on its own again.

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635. Strata Strata is another one of the American dishes that I...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:22:05 +0000

635. Strata

Strata is another one of the American dishes that I had never heard of before starting the blog. When I saw that it was like a savoury bread pudding I got very excited. I decided to keep mine relatively simple and mixed the cubed bread with some cubed potatoes, ham and cheese before pouring over the egg mixture. I made mine for dinner rather than brunch so I made it early morning, but I think it could have done with even more time to get all soaked up and moist and squidgy so next time I shall leave it overnight.

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634. Tamarillo This was one of the foods that I thought I might...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:40:05 +0000

634. Tamarillo

This was one of the foods that I thought I might have trouble getting hold of, but then I was just wandering around my local supermarket one day and they were right there in front of me. Sometimes my local supermarket is awesome. Anyway, I read up quite a bit about tamarillos on the internet as I wasn’t sure of the best way to eat them. There seemed to be a lot of debate between people saying they were the best thing ever, and people saying they were awful. It seems like most of the people who said they were awful did not do their internet research before eating them and just bit straight into the skin (which is supposed to be bitter and gross). I decided to keep it simple and eat it raw, scooped out of the shell (like you would eat a kiwi) with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on the top. It was delicious. A little bit like a cross between a tomato and a papaya.

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633. Tangerine Like the other types of oranges I’ve eaten...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:22:05 +0000

633. Tangerine

Like the other types of oranges I’ve eaten for the blog before, tangerines are nice and sweet and tasty and tangy, but frankly I can’t really tell the difference between them and other small, orange-type fruits. They always make a good snack though.

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632. Toasted Teacake I already had hot cross buns for the list...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:40:05 +0000

632. Toasted Teacake

I already had hot cross buns for the list before, which are basically a decorated toasted teacake, so this was perhaps a pointless addition to the list. Then again, I’m never going to complain about eating a warm, toasty, crispy, sweet, spicy, butter-drenched bun. I love to have toasted teacakes for breakfast, or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I have some in my freezer now…

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631. Welsh Cawl For my dad’s birthday we went to a...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:28:05 +0000

631. Welsh Cawl

For my dad’s birthday we went to a Welsh/Italian/Spanish restaurant. They literally have three separate menus for each of the cuisines, which is weird, but actually great as you can have a total mix for your meal. For my starter I picked this cawl, which is a Welsh soup, then I had a Spanish chicken and ham dish for my main course, and an Italian tiramisu for dessert. I got told off by the waiter when I ordered this as I pronounced it like call, but you are actually supposed to say it cowl, like the type of neckline, or like Simon. It’s a lamb broth with big chunky vegetables, and it was served with a piece of caerphilly cheese on the side. I chopped my cheese up and mixed it into the soup which was awesome and I think is an idea I’m going to have to take on to all kinds of future soups I have in my life.

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