Welcome to Ask Mario's April 06 Newsletter
While some people will always put price before anything else when it comes to buying food, others - and the number is growing - consider animal welfare, sustainability and traceability, as well as flavour and texture. Reading Nathan Outlaw's piece on the forced rearing of spring lambs (Lamb at Easter?) reminded me that, traditionally, chicken used to be the speciality at Easter, and that's what I'll be serving on Easter Sunday - with Chantal Coady's chocolate balsamic vinegar (A Very Chocoholic Easter). Making the vinegar's one of those easy-peasy recipes that even non-cooks can manage; believe me, once you've tried it, you will never be without a jar in the fridge. And if you're looking for something more than commercial chocolate eggs, we've included a list of what we consider to be some of the nation's best chocolate shops. Happy Easter.
Elizabeth Carter, Editor
PS. As ever, do email your requests for advice on where to eat around the country.
A Very Chocoholic Easter, sensational chocolate recipes
Chantal Coady, chocolate guru and founder of Rococo Chocolates (see our top 10 chocolate shops), features some stunning desserts, such as dark chocolate and cherry crème brûlée, and drinks (how about a chocolate martini) in her book "Real Chocolate", but for Ask Mario she takes the chocolate experience forward into an intriguing savoury dimension.
For an Easter treat, Brian Cutler, Executive Chef of Fredrick's Hotel in Berkshire, has created a luxurious chocolate dessert that will provide a special finale to any festive meal.
Try our sensational chocolate recipes by Chantal Coady and Brian Cutler
Ask Mario's top 10 places to enjoy great chocolate
As dedicated chocoholics we list our very favourite places to enjoy the dark stuff (Paul A Young's Fine Chocolates (see London) wasn't open in time to make the list, but you can bet his creations will be much sought after, too.
Ask Mario's top 10 places to enjoy great chocolate
Lamb at Easter? by Nathan Outlaw
Spring lamb may be traditional at Easter, but it's not always what it seems. One of Britain's leading young chefs, Nathan Outlaw, of St Ervan Manor in Cornwall, explains why so few lambs these days have a spring in their step.
Read Nathan Outlaw's feature on Lamb
Chocolate nirvana hits Islington (London)
Early April sees the opening in Camden Passage of Paul Young's indulgent chocolaterie. Formerly head pastry chef for Marco Pierre White, Paul recently won both a Gold and 2 Silver awards at the World Chocolate Awards. Complementing his superb chocolate collections that contain fresh fruit, spices and herbs, are patisseries including chocolate ganache cake, brownies, tarte au chocolat, French macaroons, and chocolate and lavender mille feuille, all made daily on the premises.
Paul A Young Fine Chocolates, 33 Camden Passage, London N1, tel: 020 7424 5750
www.payoung.net
Fine dining arrives in Tottenham (London)
The style's modern British with world flavours, and at this Tottenham Hale newcomer, they source only from northeast and east London suppliers. The chef and co-owner trained at some of London's best restaurants, including The Square and The Capital and he's created a menu that unfussy and very straightforward. Mains include pan-fried halibut with braised cabbage and mushy peas, caramelised pork belly with creamy leek mash, and rump of lamb with bubble and squeak. About £50 for 2, 2-course L Mon-Fri £12, 2-course Sun roast L £10.
The Lock Dining Bar, Heron House, Hale Wharf, Ferry Lane, London N17, tel: 020 8885 2829
www.thelock-diningbar.com
Curtain up on Garrick's Head revival (Bath)
The Garrick's Head pub, part of Bath's prestigious Theatre Royal, is to be taken over by Charlie and Amanda Digney. Eighteen months ago the Digneys were responsible for turning the boarded-up King William pub into one of Bath's big success stories with a disarmingly simple formula of cheerful, pared-down decor, real ales from small, independent breweries, and robust cooking based on local ingredients. Now they hope to repeat their success at the Garrick's Head, which has been closed for a year. After a complete refit it will open as a dining pub on 8th April with a menu that reflects the Digneys' passion for English food, and offering pre- and post-theatre deals, plus oysters and champagne. The pub once was the townhouse of Beau Nash, arbiter of good taste and Georgian dandy, who surely would have approved.
Garrick's Head, Sawclose, St John's Place, Bath, tel: 01225 318368
Brighton's Barcelona connection (East Sussex)
The aim of Pintxo People (pronounced pin-cho), is to create a slice of Barcelona in the heart of Brighton. Pintxos are a variation of Spanish tapas, and this concept fuses a fun and vibrant ground floor style bar and an upstairs intimate restaurant both serving modern Catalan and Basque cooking. Typical of the pintxos served are cod alioli with black olive tapenade and mango, pickled rabbit in fresh rice paper rolls with mustard ice cream and confit carrots, and foie gras bonbons with pear and frisée salad. Tapas from £3, upstairs restaurant about £50 for 2.
Pintxo People, 95-99 Western Road, Brighton, East Sussex, tel: 01273 732323
www.pintxopeople.co.uk
Comfort food on the South Downs (West Sussex)
The Forester Arms is a charming 16th-century village pub on the South Downs, and it's just been taken over by partners Serena Aykroyd and Nick Bell. Nick has worked in some of the best kitchens in the UK and abroad, but the food he offers here has a more rustic simplicity, as befits the setting. Among the starters are local game terrine with grape chutney, and crayfish tail salad with bacon, avocado and cocktail sauce, followed by shepherd's pie with buttered cabbage, or braised shin of beef in ale with pearl barley and winter vegetables. Afterwards, there's sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream or local farmhouse cheeses. Upstairs are two en suite bedrooms. About £40 for 2.
The Foresters Arms, The Street, Graffham, Nr Petworth, West Sussex,
tel: 01798 867202
www.foresters-arms.com
New chef at Lower Slaughter (Gloucestershire)
Located in a pretty Cotswold village, this peaceful Georgian manor has a new chef. David Kelman joins from Bodysgallen Hall in Llandudno, where he was sous chef to John Williams. He was an award-winning member of the Welsh national culinary team and typical of his dishes are lime-baked skate with shellfish risotto and crisp onions, and rump of Welsh lamb with fresh pea spätzle with a devilled kidney hotpot. L from £15, 3-course dinner £45 (2 course D Sun-Thu £19).
Lower Slaughter Manor, Lower Slaughter, nr Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, tel: 01451 820456
www.lowerslaughter.co.uk
A Little Italy comes to Nottingham (Nottinghamshire)
The city is apparently rather short of Italian restaurants, so this newcomer will help fill the gap. Part of a small chain based mainly around the North West, it offers a lively, fun atmosphere and a choice of mostly classic Italian dishes (with the possible exception of spaghetti Bolognese - which you won't find in Italy). The rest includes a good variety of starters (antipasti), pasta, pizzas, grilled fish and meats. The wine list has plenty of choice under £20, and it's only when it comes to the champagnes that prices rocket (£220 for a '97 Cristal). About £50 for 2.
Piccolino, 7 Weekday Cross, Nottingham, tel: 0115 947 2169 www.individualrestaurants.co.uk/piccolinos.asp
De luxe retro cooking in Twickenham (Middlesex)
One of our favourite south-west London chefs, John McClement, is constantly tweaking his small stable of local restaurants. The latest is La Brasserie, formerly McClements, and it offers essentially the same delicious traditional French cooking that is John's hallmark. At nearby Ma Cuisine you'll be treated to regional classics and comfort dishes like French onion soup, cassoulet, while at La Brasserie he has gone for more upmarket bourgeois dishes now, sadly, rarely found on UK restaurant menus: steak tartare (prepared at the table from aged Scotch beef), parmentier de pied de cochon, sauce gribiche (a little crisp cake of slow-braised chopped pigs' trotters), and poulet en vessie (for 2) a whole chicken steamed in a pig's bladder with champagne and morels. About £60 for 2.
La Brasserie Ma Cuisine Bourgeoise, 2 Whitton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex,
tel: 020 8744 9588
Roux Scholarship 2006
Now in its 23rd year and judged by a panel of famous British chefs including Michel Roux (Waterside Inn), Michel Roux (Le Gavroche), Heston Blumenthal (Fat Duck), Gary Rhodes (Rhodes Twentyfour), Brian Turner, David Nicholls (Mandarin Oriental), and Andrew Fairlie (Gleneagles) who was the first Roux Scholar back in 1984.
This year, a young Indian chef, Pravin Sharma, who works at the Courthouse Hotel Kempinski in London, is celebrating winning the UK's top prize for young chefs. Pravin, aged 28, battled with five other finalists on March 27 to carry off the title of Roux Scholar 2006. His interpretation of the classic Escoffier dish, coulibiac of salmon and sea bass, clinched the award and his success was announced by Michel Roux at a glittering awards ceremony in the presence of some 300 top luminaries in the UK hospitality industry.
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