Sweet Talking Mexican Mum

Week 10

If you haven't already checked out http://www.ted.com/, make sure you do it asap. It's a one stop shop for excellent 15 minute lectures from industry leaders in 'T'echnology, 'E'ntertainment and 'D'esign (i.e. just about everything)

Why do I mention it now? TED has recently granted Jamie Oliver $100,000 to enable his wish for everyone to '...help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.'

I don't agree with everything Jamie says or does but I do respect the fact that he stands up and makes things happen. And it's worth 18 minutes of your time to listen to his empassioned speech about the perils of our current eating habits.

On a lighter note, don't forget it's Mother's Day on Sunday!!!

If you're looking for a small gift that Mum will definitely like, try this week's Food of the Week!

Burnt Sugar Fudge

So this is definitely one to be eaten in moderation. I don't have an enormous sweet tooth but when I tried their crumbly stem ginger fudge I promptly consumed 50g in approximately 60 seconds (and yes that is my last piece in the photo!). The non-uniform chunks of fudge are just the perfect combination of crumbly and solid and there's been no scrimping on the stem ginger which is great for ginger fans or anyone with a cold!

If you don't like ginger, there's always crumbly chocolate fudge, crumbly fudge with sea salt and the original crumbly fudge to try.

So what's the difference?

They've just got the texture and the flavours perfectly balanced. It's exactly how fudge should be.



Unfortunately it doesn't have any particular nutritional benefits (apart from there being no artificial things in it) but is probably very good for anyone planning to run a marathon or climb a mountain (this beats Kendal Mint Cake hands down!)

Best Way to Serve

After dinner, with coffee

Where can I buy Burnt Sugar fudge and what's it going to do to my bank balance?

Price: around £2 for 105g

Burnt Sugar Fudge is available from Waitrose, Whole Foods, Borough Market, Oxfam (it uses Fair Trade sugar) and delis and farmshops across the country

Restaurant of the Week

Wahaca

This week's choice is Wahaca; a restaurant that's all about Mexican Market Food.

Wahaca chef and co-founder is Thomasina Miers, a previous winner of Masterchef who spent a year in Mexico investigating their market food. What we get in return for that year of research is a series of Mexican inspired dishes that are sourced as ethically and locally as possible. Insodoing, you'll find ingredients ranging from Devon chillies to British field mushrooms to MSC* certified herrings from off the Hastings coast

So finally we have a decent Mexican in London which makes the most of our own local ingredients!

*MSC = Marine Stewardship Council who work with partners to encourage sustainable fishing practices

www.wahaca.co.uk

Why is it good?

1) Great locations - just off Charing Cross, Westfield, Canary Wharf

2) The food is great with really fresh flavours - you can choose from lots of small plates to share to bigger more substantial ones. And the margaritas are pretty good too

3) It's quick, good value for money with excellent service in a buzzy yet comfortable environment (particularly at Westfield)

n.b. you can't reserve tables so be prepared to wait a little, particularly at the Charing Cross branch

Is Life Ever Fair?

Week 9

Finally, it's stopped raining and the world is a beautiful place.

Or is it? We're now in the middle of Fairtrade fortnight (22 Feb - 7 March) - a topic that is so important yet so often misunderstood.

Fairtrade has become the generic word for produce that 'gives back' to the producer. Or should that just be 'fairly traded'? Other certifications include Rainforest Alliance which is perceived to be about saving the rainforest (take another look at what they do!) and organic apparently means no chemicals added. So what's biodynamic? What's Soil Association? What's Red Tractor? What's Freedom Food vs Free Range?

We've all come to look at different seals as 'safe' badges without really understanding what they mean. Are they all good for the producer? Maybe. Are they all sustainable? No. Is one better than the other? Depends.

Is it better to have a Fairtrade biscuit made in Malawi than a flapjack from a small producer in Kent?
Is it better to pay a fixed premium for a product that is in little demand or to encourage farmers to diversify?

Are organic green beans from Kenya better than non-organic green beans from the farm down the road?

Ultimately, it's about knowing where your food comes from and understanding what all these certifications really mean - and no one is making it particularly easy. Exploitation isn't the answer. Neither is shipping products thousands of miles when you can get better from round the corner. And ultimately, if it's not commercially sustainable, then there's no point at all. Food for thought...

So, on a slightly different note this week's Food of the Week is...

Meat!

It's taken me a lifetime to work it out but finally I've realised that
a) good meat usually comes from a [good] butcher

b) it's better to buy hunks of meat rather than specific cuts because it's much cheaper and less likely to have been interfered with.

Ginger Pig is my favourite butcher of the moment. It's not just about pork (although that's where it all started) and you will find all meats from traditional breeds as well as charcuterie products in their shop. It's always busy so there's a big turnover of meat which assures me of its freshness (vs other butchers who have little on show and get things out the freezer). Ginger Pig's meat is tender and full of flavour and everyone notices the difference when they eat it.

So what's the difference?

Ginger Pig refuses to feed their livestock bought in artificial foods containing unnecessary proteins. Instead they grow their own barley, wheat, oats etc which is fed to the animals. Because everything is natural, the animals grow slower and are slaughtered between one and three months later than those reared on industrial farms.

Overall, Ginger Pig oversees every element of the rearing process from planting the seeds for the fodder, through to breeding, feeding, slaughtering and butchering right through to selling the product in their shops, and apparently no one else does that in the UK.

Best Way to Serve

Depends on what you're eating! Their butterfly lamb chops are beautiful, as is their beef fillet (great for a carpaccio) and their ham (pinker than any other ham I've seen!)

Where can I buy them and what's it going to do to my bank balance?

Price: tbc according to what you purchase

Ginger Pig has shops at Marylebone, Hackney, Waterloo (at Greensmiths), Borough Market and Pickering in North Yorkshire

www.thegingerpig.co.uk

Restaurant of the Week

Sacred Cafe

This week's choice is Sacred Cafe, with branches on Ganton Street and Kingly Court (near Carnaby Street), Westfield and Torrington Street.

It's actually more of a bar than a restaurant but the reasons for including it are as follows:

Why is it good?

It's possibly the best place for a decent cup of tea in London that won't cost the earth! Apparently it's Antipodean style.

As well as fresh brewed ice teas and the usual chai lattes, Sacred Cafe has a range of long leaf loose teas as this is a teabag free zone. All served in a 'so chintzy it's cool' teapot!