Figilicious!

Here in Portugal, figs are coming into season and they are wonderfully delicious and very versatile. We have been out to gather a few this morning - a sticky pursuit! The sap that comes from the tree is not kind to skin and next time I hope to remember rubber gloves. Anyway, suffering the 'goo' is worth it!

Before and ....

After!

I have several recipes for figs, but this is simple and scrumptious!

Figilicious Canapes:

Cut some baguette bread on the angle and lightly toast. Slice some figs and place on top, then crumble blue cheese (I favour Roquefort). Using a kitchen blow torch, scorch the cheese lightly and drizzle with a little Balsamic vinegar. That's it - just let the contrasting flavours dance on your tongue!

A stool for my handbag!

Peter and I enjoyed an excellent meal at a restaurant located close to our home in the Western Algarve, that I'm ashamed to admit, we have only just visited. It's been our loss, but I suppose with the commitments of running my own restaurant until very recently, I have had my attentions diverted. Anyway, as the saying goes - better late than never! 

The restaurant is called Cachoa and is located remotely along an unmade road, outside the town of Lagos. It is worth the trek and was truly a serendipitous find.

After a long afternoon at the town hall (camara) deployed in the battlefield of Portuguese bureaucracy, we were in need of a treat. I just couldn't muster the energy or enthusiasm to go home and prepare an evening meal, so I suggested that we eat out - somewhere inexpensive, as we were/are embarking upon a regime of economy! Leaving the outskirts of Lagos, I spotted a publicity board for 'Restaurante Cachoa' - and suggested that we stop as it was a venue that we had wanted to try. We were there for 'early doors' and lucky enough to get a table in a covered courtyard just outside the main restaurant. We were shown to our table and seated. I placed my handbag on the ground next to the table. Normally, I would not mention such a detail - it would be like writing about paint drying! But, this time I'm going to, because a waitress appeared almost immediately with a small stool especially for me to rest my bag on. What attention to detail! This was to be indicative of the service to follow.

A stool for my bag!

Chicken Teriyaki - a feast by itself!

Salmon with Herb Crust

"Where do I start?" 

Our surroundings were cosy, inviting and convivial. The restaurant started to fill quickly - the waiting staff were efficient but discreet as they busied their way around the tables. It was altogether a very professional operation, something that should be commonplace rather than the exception. 

To start, I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki. The portion was very generous (maybe too generous) and mouthwateringly delicious, combining an array of complementary ingredients and flavours to tantalize. For my main course, I chose the Baked Salmon with Herb Crust - again very satisfying and well presented. My only criticism is that it was a bit dry and I felt would have benefitted from a sauce or more dressing. My husband's Rack of Lamb was demolished eagerly with murmurs of appreciative satisfaction. With no space left for a dessert, we paid our bill (which was most reasonable) leaving both replete and content. We plan to return this weekend to share the experience with friends. Oh heavens, I forgot the economy run. Next week!

Love Food 2 Love Life !

If you read my last blog, you will know that, probably due to my disco queen display at a party last weekend, I have a problem with my hip that has rendered me immobile. My son's embarrassment has been addressed - he now believes that there really must be a God!

Come hell or high water, I need to get off this sofa soon and my husband urgently needs me to get off the sofa as further requests for tea, water, food, books, papers, pens, cushions and top ups to my evening glass of wine (imbibed for medicinal reasons, of course!), will not be so solicitously attended to.

I am eager to get back into the kitchen now as during my incapacity, we have supported just about every take-away outlet in the area. And sitting here, I have been researching recipes and compiling new  menus. And as soon as I am able, I plan to make a Ghanaian meal. I have recently been experiencing a strong desire to return to the country of my birth and childhood. I don't know what is drawing me to make this journey, but I know that it is something I must do soon. In the meantime, the next best step is to cook Ghanaian, so watch this spot - I will report back. I can recall some of the delicious meals prepared by our cook and I would love to relive the flavours and aromas. I remember our garden full of exotic fruit trees/bushes including mango, plantain and paw-paw (papaya). I am lucky that I still remeber so much and I think all these wonderful recollections have resulted in my life long desire to visit new destinations and learn about other cultures, which in-turn developed my love of food and cooking. Conversely I had to learn to cook (as did my brother) given we were both born of a mother who can't cook / won't cook. My mother treated food as the enemy - it was a necessary evil and to be avoided if at all possible. If a tablet substitute had been invented, she would have been at the head of the queue. I think I've made my point, so I'll go no further. Suffice to say, I am the opposite. As soon as I had charge of my own kitchen, the sky was the limit. I have always been very social and love to entertain. There is nothing more satisfying than sharing food with friends and family - the bubble of conversation, wine filling glasses, laughter and relaxed 'bonhomie'. A meal around a table gives us time to talk, time to share our day or experiences. I think food should be promoted as the mortar of life - it can bond friendships and build bridges. It should be encouraged as a much more valuable tool in nurturing a cohesive family life - good communication helps understanding and understanding helps harmony and if we are harmonious in our lives with friends, family and colleagues, then the world has a better chance of living in unity. Okay, that's enough - I'm off my soapbox now! I didn't quite mean to go down that path right now, but there you have it. Its the core message of my blog. Food is fab! Growing it, choosing it, thinking about it, preparing it, cooking it, sharing it, eating it. The washing up of it, alas, is not so fab! If every cloud has a silver lining, then mine at the moment is that I can't stand at the kitchen sink. 

LOVE FOOD 2 LOVE LIFE !

A Fishy Tale of Beauty and Beasts on the Road!

Yesterday was Sunday! A Sunday in July, in the Algarve and it was hot. It still is hot, although there is a waft of a breeze today. No complaints though as we had an extraordinarily wet and cold winter this year. I like the heat but I don't like the crowds and it is high season here in Portugal now. The sky was/is gloriously blue, so after attending the early church service in Praia da Luz, Peter and I decided to take a trip north on the coast road, stopping off for coffees at some of the little bays along the way.

The west coast of Portugal has a dramatic coast line interspersed with sandy bays that attract more locals than tourists. This part of the country is largely under developed and appears, thankfully, not to appeal sufficiently to the majority of today's tourists.

The road from Sagres, in the far south-west, winds through wooded hills passing small farming villages along the way to Aljezur and beyond. For me, it is always good to be away from the madding crowds of the Algarve's southern shores hosting ugly hotel blocks, exorbitantly expensive amusement parks for thrill seekers (why pay - just hire a car and drive on the highways with the locals), stalls selling snide football gear and 'kiss me quick' hats, restaurants selling all-day English breakfasts, egg and chips, reconstituted battered fish and chips, beer and chips, and chips and more greasy chips! You may have guessed by now that I am not too keen on this part of Portugal! In search of a plus - every cloud normally has a silver lining somewhere and I have to admit, in this case, it does bring revenue to the country; and Portugal desperately needs revenue at the moment. Well, with that in mind, I'll stop ranting, so long as I've conveyed how I feel!

If you haven't visited this part of Portugal, please make a note to put it in your '100 things to do before you die' diary because it's simply ...... beautiful. The air is clean, the birds sing, goats and sheep graze contentedly together, the waves thunder and crash against the ancient cliffs that line the coast as far as the eye can see, and the scent from the eucalyptus and Mediterranean pine trees are both restful and invigorating. The journey up to the border with the Alentejo region is a pleasure. Though (expanding on my earlier reference to the local drivers) I just wish some of them would slow down a bit to enjoy the surrounding beauty. Is it necessary to over-take in the most hazardous places? Have they developed an ability to see around blind bends or an instinct to detect an on-coming motorist, and have simply failed to  tell the rest of the world about it? We have a future trip in mind - we intend to travel further along this particularly winding road, making our way slowly up to Lisbon. I'll take a sedative before!

We turned around at the border with Algarve and Alentejo and headed back in search of lunch, stopping at one of our favourite restaurants on the cliff top at Arifana. It is called Restaurante O Paulo and has the most wonderful choice of fresh sea food and fish. It is my kind of restaurant - it is about real food, the staff are friendly (and so they should be, but it's not always the case!) and the views catch your breath. The choice on the menu is almost too much and, as dining out is such a treat - there is nothing better than sitting down to savour the prospect of a delicious meal - I did not want to make a regrettable choice! Although, I think I would have found it hard to regret anything on the menu - the choice of freshly caught fish was dazzling! Peter ordered the sea-bass and I had a stone-bass steak. The stone-bass is one of my favourite fish - it is a large creature with just a central bone, so one can tuck into it quite heartily without fear of having to fish (ha,ha!) small bones out of one's mouth. Most un-lady like! If properly cooked, the meat is succulent and flakes away.

Stone-bass with garlic, olive oil and sea salt. No other words needed - simply delicious!

The veggies were tasty too!

Peter's sea-bass was cooked to perfection. They know how to cook fish at O Paulo. It's not rocket science - especially when it's your trade but it's amazing how many restaurants don't get it right!

The Restaurant Lottery!

I have found eating out to be a lottery and often there is no guarantee of quality by spending more. I am sure that I have much support is saying that there is nothing that makes the spirits sink than spending money on a disappointing eating experience. I try to take time to select the venue and am getting better at detecting those that promise much from the outside but deliver little on the inside. We recently had such an experience and I should have taken note of the warning signs. However, after a long journey we were tired, and although we traipsed a few streets to find an entising restaurant that would satisfy our hunger and mark the start of a good holiday, we were to be sorely disappointed. The restaurant in question is Bodega La Plancha in Saint Jean de Luz in South West France. To begin, the waitress who led us to our table was sullen and one could easily detect that she didn't want to be there. At the point we were shown the designated table, we should have declined but the restaurant was filling up and I didn't want to make a fuss. My son always gets embarrassed and that would have got the evening off to a sullen start. So, wedging ourselves into a corner and after apologising to the other eaters who we had to jostle around to get ourselves seated, we waited for the waitress to return. The wait was long and I had to gesticulate wildly to attract attention - further cause for embarrassment on the part of son, Jonathan! It was quite clear that, as far as the management were concerned, the sale was in the bag and the priority was just to fill all the tables. The waiting staff were well versed in the art of 'ignoring the customer', as they moved, eyes down, with rapid speed between the tightly packed tables. It was an exhausting experience from beginning to end and the food did nothing to make up for the noisy and frenetic environment. We paid the excessive bill and retreated feeling 'ripped off' and exhausted.

Conversely, in the same town an evening later, we had an excellent evening as we savoured several courses from the 'gastronomique' menu at Restaurant Zoko Moko. The environment was comfortable and there was no piped music! The gentle bubble of conversation and sounds of enjoyment were enough. And for this outstanding fayre, we didn't pay much more than the previous evening. Let photos tell the story!

Le tout Canard.

Morue de ligne facon Viscayenne, piment padrones, ail rose.

Boeuf de Pays Basque, la joue en Basquignon, le filet juste saisi, condiment bearnaise.

Washed down with a chilled Sancerre, each mouthful was tantalising and totally satisfying. Each plate displayed the chef's passion and commitment to his art.  Truly a moment in heaven!

Basque-ing in the sun!

A flash back to our recent holiday . . . . . . .

My son is the shorter one!

From our base in Ciboure at the Hoteliere Residence du Golf (highly recommended), we were able to accommodate all our diverse needs to create a perfect holiday. Ciboure neighbours St. Jean de Luz, a few kilometres along the coast from Biarritz. The region is a great favourite of ours and one that we will continue to return to. For Jonathan, it has a great choice of golf courses and golf is his passion, so he is happy. So long as he has internet and golf, all is well. This time, he had golf, internet and a friend so we were left in peace to follow our own gourmet interests. And we made the most of the opportunity by exploring the region with visits to markets, small mountain villages, rural farms producing foie gras and towns along the coast. We were extremely lucky to have fabulous weather, given the region is prone to heavy bursts of rain, which always makes exploring and appreciating any location more enjoyable - and oh, what joy - the market at St Jean de Luz - held every Friday morning - was glorious and tantalised all our senses. The sight, a feast for the eyes, was colourful, bustling with activity and the smells as we passed the various stalls stimulated hunger (greed) despite a recently devoured breakfast of freshly baked flaky croissants and crusty baguette, heaped with oodles of 'naughty' butter (Normandy butter with sea salt crystals). As my son might say - lush! Anyway, back to the market. Here are some photos to help convey my story:

Paella - Basque Style - here is a recipe that I was given at the market - (it's for eight people, but 5 of us managed to clear the dish).

1/2 chicken, 1/2 duck, 1/2 rabbit (I used pre cut portions), 24 cleaned mussels, 12 shell-on prawns, 300g smoked bacon pieces, 1 strong chorizo and 1 mild chorizo, 5 tomatoes,

2 red peppers, 4 cloves of garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, saffron, olive oil, a lemon, 500g of good quality rice. It's a personal thing, but I take the meat off the bone.

Method: cut the meat into chunks, except the chorizos, and put them in the olive oil to cook until browned. Add in the chopped peppers and the bacon pieces. Add the quartered tomatoes, the chopped garlic and parsley, salt and pepper and a few strands of saffron. Add 1 litre of water. When it's boiling, add the rice and cook for 20 minutes. During this time add anothe 1/2 litre of water, add the chorizo finely chopped, add the mussels and the prawns. Cook for a further 10 minutes and serve.

I wish I could waft the smells and sounds to you. I hope there are markets in heaven (I am assuming that I might go to Heaven!). Having purchased mountain cheeses, Bayonne cured ham (to comapare with the Spanish varieties), beautifully polished vegetables, fresh tuna (recipe to follow) and prawns, Charolais beef, sausison and stuffed peppers, we found a cafe in the market square and enjoyed delicious coffee and, as my waist line is living proof, more pastries. Oh, la la - very naughty but why not? Carpe Deum!

Armed with our treasures purchased at the market, we returned to the apartment to meet up with the boys - listened to their shot by shot account of their round of golf - and plan our feast for the evening.

A special find!

I discovered a great little bar and restaurant tucked away in a delightful location between Guia and Pera on the Algarve coast. If you are close by or visiting on holiday, it's a 'must go'! Quinta da Saudade (Farm of Well-being) in the Vale da Parra, is located on an estate of privately owned villas, is quintessentially Portuguese in its style. The barman/manager Jorge was very friendly and welcoming (and easy on the eye ladies!). The wine list was small but well put together and the prices slipped down very well. A generous glass for €2.00 ! A refreshing alternative to the multitude of touristy restaurants and 'Brit' bars that blight the coast. Good simple menu with enough choice - for a relaxed evening out, you'll not be disappointed by the quality or the price. Simply a refreshing find!

Jorge, a great host!

Guest enjoying 'bonhommie' and a relaxed evening drink.