bits and pieces

A little round up of what's been grabbing my attention around the internets lately, amongst the blogs and the non-blogs alike.

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First stop at a new food blog, Tea and Cookies, where a certain Ms.Tea meticulously documented her farcical –if also a little alarming- descent into food blog madness. Make sure you swallow whatever you've got chewing before you read it. I don't want to be responsible for anyone choking or anything!

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The next stop shows us a very pretty new(ish) blog, Harriet's Tomato, whose recent post touched on two of my favorite things: British farmhouse cheese and who else but the lovable Wallace himself. Come to think of it, if my TV wasn't buried somewhere in the mountain of boxes, and Neals Yard wasn't so far away, I wouldn't be typing up this post now. Instead you would find me parked in front of the tube watching the latest Wallace and Grommit adventure while munching on a good wedge of Lancashire Poacher or Stinking Bishop.

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How did I find out about these new blogs, you asked? Why, I am not such an egoïste that I technorati myself on a regular basis! What a preposterous idea!

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Not on the blog circuit, there's the piece by Rachel Cooke in the latest Observer Food Monthly that got my eyes tearing up on this drizzly morning. She reported on the miraculous recovery of Fergus Henderson, arguably the most beloved cook in Britain. Fergus was diagnosed with the debilitating Parkinson disease in 1998, and every St.John regular has been a witness to his deterioration, which had all but taken him over by the time I last saw him in London.

Watching that frail figure sitting by the bar, bits of his body frequently performing an act of revolt on him, amidst the crowd of patrons doing their best to ignore what was hardly ignorable. I know pity is not what anyone with any kind of disability needs, but what else can you feel, especially after you've finished admiring what this man has done –which despite popular belief, is not making people eat blood and gore. Instead, what he actually did was bringing back the proper respect for the truly exceptional quality of the British artisanal produce and meats, and in so doing he showed all of us the once and future of British cuisine.

Now that they've drilled a hole into his skull and fitted him with an electrode, Rachel Cooked reported him delightfully tearing into and devouring tiny langoustines, a feat that required the kind of dexterity that he'd lost long ago, and has only regained after the operation. Bravo to science and best of luck to Furgus. Tonight, we should all grab a big glass of wine and send a big round of cheers toward the general direction of London. To your continuing recovery. Cheers.

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When the first delivery of the Sunday Times arrived at our new house, I was delighted to see that the magazine's food section featured Amanda Hesser's ode to the pretty little citrus, Kumquats. I must say I am not surprised to learn that they are not all that well-known here in the US. Kamquats –and their cousins mandarinquats- are becoming less used in Thai cooking too. Traditionally we used the kumquats and mandarinquats in many types of relish and curries, cut into halves and squashed flat to add not only the deliciously sweet and sour notes to the dish, but a pleasant bitterness as well. Another reason I love the kumquats is because of the adorable name in Thai, Som Jeed, which -when pronounced with the proper rising tone- means not simply tiny citrus but, particularly, teeee-nie citrus. How cute is that?

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And on to a slightly self-serving bit, there's this, this, and this. I'm a lucky girl.

tag(s):St.John Restaurant| Fergus Henderson| Rachel Cooke| Parkinson| Kamquats| Mandarinquats| Som Jeed

Comments

[Alanna]

Hey Pim, couldn't wait to see the 'self-serving bits' but the first two lead to the (same) Times $$ articles, the third was still live but couldn't for the life of me figure out your connection. FYI, no need to let this comment post, just thought you'd like to know.

[Julie]

Dear Pim,

That was a heartwarming story about Fergus Henderson. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Julie

[GastroChick]

I'm happy to hear that Fergus is on the mend, he is a truly great and accomplished chef - I should know I eat at his great restaurant nearly every month!

[David]

Thanks for the update on Fergus. I'm eating there in a few weeks. And kudos to the other David, the one who's getting all the great press in the NY Times. It's well-deserved, truly. Eating at Manresa was such a treat.

(...and he's a lucky boy!)

A bientôt, mon chérie...

[Pim]

Alanna: I fixed the links.

Julie and Gastrochick: Thanks. It really was a great news about Fergus. I am super happy for him.

David the-other-dahling, à très bientôt et gros bisous. You are so sweet!

Pim

[Claude]

Hi Pim,

I just looked up your latest blog update and feel that you are being a little hard on Ms Tea. Sure, it is probably over self indulging to go on about your prowesses and shortfalls, but as the doyenne of food blogs, I feel that it is a little unfair, after all, the whole principle of blogging is to share your experiences and tribulations with the rest of the world, even if we can't ever hope to match the quality and depth of your knowledge and ability. It is for everyone to give it a go.

Lets hope that Ms tea finds her level with less obsession and lives a happy blogging life ever after...

By the way, I love your blog.

[Owen]

Pim,

re Fergus and Parkinsons. My father passed away from Parkinsons three years ago. He was too far gone for the electrode by the time they developed it. However - this is important to know but very sad - the electrode will NOT provide a recovery - instead it provides relief from symptoms - welcome relief - but the disease will still progress - more slowly and more free of symptoms - but there is no recovery. My father lived with it for fifteen years. Others have lived longer. But the time will come when the electrode thing doesn't work either. So get to St Johns as often as you can...and buy Fergus Henderson's book (Nose to Tail Eating) now it is available again (Pim - I'm sure you have it - this is for all your readers...)