Serge the Concierge

Mackerel and Beet Nicoise, Colorful Lunch for Grey Days, from Kitchen and Co

I continue my advocacy for mackerel with this first excerpt from Kitchen and Co (Kyle Books USA, 2013) by French and Grace.

Back in 2009, Elie Grace and Rosie French started a blog named Salad Club. Its popularity led them to open a Supper Club in Ellie's apartment in Brixton. 

This underground venture became a full fledged restaurant in Brixton Village in 2011.

Here's their recipe for a colorful lunch on grey days.

Warm Mackerel and Beetroot Niçoise 

Smoked mackerel is a regular visitor to both of our fridges. Full of good fats and omega 3s to make us brainier and our eyes brighter (if you believe all that stuff), it’s wonderful whipped up into a quick pat. with some cream cheese, paprika, lemon juice and black pepper. It responds well to a light grilling too and gives a smoky and rich warmth to this remake of the classic tuna nicoise. 

Serves 4

6 small waxy potatoes

1 medium beetroot

2 handfuls of green beans

4 slices sourdough bread

Olive oil, to drizzle

4 smoked mackerel fillets

4 medium free range eggs

2 spring onions, chopped

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

Dressing

3 teaspoons creamed horseradish

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 15 minutes. Peel and grate the beetroot into a large bowl and mix all the dressing ingredients together separately.

Add the green beans to the potatoes for the last 5 minutes of their cooking time. Drizzle the sourdough with olive oil and place under a hot grill with the mackerel fillets for 5 minutes, turning the bread once browned on one side.

Crack an egg into a cup and drop into a shallow frying pan of boiling water. Repeat quickly with each egg then turn the heat off and leave for 5 minutes.

Layer all the ingredients in the bowl with the dressing, being careful not to over toss the salad and stain it too pink with the beetroot. Top with the poached egg, break the grilled bread into croutons over the top and serve.

(Recipe from Kitchen & Co. by French & Grace (Kyle Books; 2013) Photo: Laura Edwards)

Night Train from Paris to Briancon and Back for Alpine Vacation, As Low as 107 Euros in March

The city of Briancon is a good place to stay in for an Alpine vacation.

It is one of the 2013 winter vacation destinations offered by Voyages SNCF.

For example, in March you can take night train (Intercite de Nuit) from Paris Austerlitz at 9:22 pm on Tuesday the 12 and arrive next morning at 8:30 am in Briancon for 42 Euros.

Return on Monday, March 18 also by night train leaving Briancon at 8:30 pm and you will be back in Paris at 7:37 am, refreshed and in time to head for work. Fare for return trip is 65 Euros.

Total cost of trip: 107 Euros.

On both legs of the trip you get a reclyning seat in second class.

For those planning a visit in April, there are currently fares as low as 33 Euros (each way).

Briancon is a UN World Heritage site and is also known as Europe's highest town. Old town was built by Vauban.

You could then book your stay at Hotel Ibis Briancon- Serre Chevalier (Room rates start at 70 Euros, Breakfast not Included) close to the slopes.

(* Briancon logo from Tourisme Briancon Facebook Page)

 

Beyond Tartufo e Vino, Langhe, Monferrato, Roero invites us to Hazelnut Discovery

The Grandi Langhe DOGC is hosting 3 days of tastings in May in southern Piedmont giving professionals a chance to taste Barolo, Barbaresco, Diano d'Alba, Dogliani, Roero, Roero Arneis - directly in the various municipalities of origin, to meet the producers.

The area is also famous for its truffles.

Browsing the Consorzio Turistico Langhe Monferrato Roero site Tartufo e Vino, I learned that hazelnut groves are an integral part of region's heritage.

Visitors can sign up for an Hazelnut Discovery and learn about "history and secrets of the unmistakable taste of the PGI Piemonte Hazelnut" with "guided tour of a small farm in the Upper Langa, from hazelnut grove through shelling and roasting to the production of choice sweets, learning some of the secrets of so intense and lingering a flavour. A tasting rounds off the tour."

 

Tour takes 90 minutes and is offered all year round. Cost is 30 Euros per person. Booking by 10 am the previous day to your preferred date is required. It is suggest to availability.

Climb 550 Steps To Fourviere Basilica, Don't Visit on Monday, Lucy's 10 Dos and Don’t’s of Lyon

It's been a few weeks in the making and I am glad Lucy Vanel found time away from her Plum Teaching Kitchen in Lyon to offer her 10 Dos and Don’t’s on the city.

Here they are, freshly prepared.

DO's:  

• DO consider staying in the 1st, 2nd, or 5th arrondissements and consider a Bed & Breakfast or an apartment with a kitchen.  The atmosphere in these quartiers is much more interesting and accessible to the great shopping and cafes that this city is known for, and often apartment rentals by the week are better deals than hotels.  Even if you are not a huge cook, having a kitchen will mean you can buy cheeses, the great fresh and dried sausages Lyon is famous for, and have a chance to sample Lyon’s specialties on your own in small doses.

• DO keep your eye out for good things to sample in what is called a traiteur here.  As a rule, they are local delis that prepare all of their dishes in their own kitchens, and are often artisan charcutiers, where you can sample very good charcuterie products that are prepared in-house.  Some local traiteurs I recommend are Pignol, with a branch on Place Bellecour, Au Petit Vatel on rue Pierre-Corneille in the 6th arrondissement, and Charcuterie Bonnard on rue Grenette in the 2nd.

• DO choose a stair climb instead of hitting the fitness room at your hotel.  Lyon features some pretty amazing staircases, for example, one that goes from Gare St. Paul all the way up to the Fourviere cathedral, which has over 550 steps.  You can tackle it in about 20 minutes if you’re in reasonable shape, and be rewarded by the beautiful panoramic view of the city of Lyon with Mont Blanc in the distance on a clear day. The hills of the Croix Rousse in Lyon’s 1st arrondissement leading up to the plateau are teeming with mysterious and beautiful passages and stairwells to climb.  You can soak up a bit of history and get your blood pumping all through this neighborhood.

• DO visit Les Halles Paul Bocuse on Cours Lafayette.  This historic market has never been a wholesale market like les Halles in Paris, but since its inception has always been the place in Lyon dedicated to the very best of Lyon’s gastronomy, with boutiques and stands offering excellent variety and choices in food, as well as good examples of local specialties of Lyon. 

• DO explore an outdoor market.  The three best markets in my opinion are the Croix Rousse market on a Tuesday or a Saturday, the producers market on Place Carnot near Perrache station on Wednesday afternoons from 3:00-7:00 PM, and the St. Antoine market on on the Saone River banks on a Saturday or Sunday.  Lyon has over 40 outdoor markets, but the Croix Rousse market is larger by far than any of the others.  On Saturdays, a section of the market is reserved for organic vendors, and many local farmers sell their own vegetables, meats and cheeses at all three markets, which is really getting to the heart of what Lyon gastronomy is all about.

• DO spend time in Vieux Lyon, the area on the northern end of the 5th Arrondissement by the Saone in the morning, when the historic courtyards and tunnels called traboules are open to the public. They are open and accessible to the public during certain hours by law, because they are an important part of Lyon’s history. You can access them by pressing the button below the entry code pad, which will magically unlock the door between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and noon. Most of the historically significant passageways will have plaques with dates and figures of interest, or you can also pick up a guide to the traboules at most local booksellers or at the Office de Tourisme.  

• DO take a stroll in the streets just south of Place Bellecour (in Lyon’s 2nd arrondissement), near the metro stop Ampere Victor Hugo. It is a charming neighborhood full of little antique shops and art galleries, with some little tea house gems that serve old style French home baked goods to enjoy with your tea.

• DO reserve at one of Lyon’s Bouchons during one lunch or dinner of your stay. The atmosphere and interesting food will be a memorable part of your visit, even if there is much more to discover in Lyon’s amazing array of cafes, brasseries and bistros.

• DO save time for two bean-to-bar chocolate makers, that is chocolate makers that roast their own raw cocoa beans.  While the provenance of chocolate is important, roasting methods can create unique flavors in chocolate.  The two bean-to-bar chocolate makers in Lyon are Bernachon, with more than 65 different kinds of chocolates to choose from in Lyon’s 6th arrondissement, and Weiss (you can find a boutique on rue de Brest in Lyon’s 2nd arrondissement), a chocolate producer that has more than 150 years experience at what they do best.  

DON’T 

• Don’t plan a short visit to Lyon on a Monday or a Wednesday.  Timing is everything when it comes to Lyon.  On Mondays, many of the best places to shop and eat are closed, as well as the museums and local attractions.  On Monday’s Lyon’s outdoor markets don’t set up either. Even if the official hours posted say that Les Halles is open to the public on Wednesdays, at least half of the stands and boutiques at Les Halles can be shuttered down on this day.

 
• Don’t be fixated on the Bouchon Lyonnais as pinnacle of Lyonnais gastronomy. It is interesting and fun to eat in a Bouchon if not just for the atmosphere, and everyone should do it while they’re here (you can get a list from the Office de Tourisme, or look in local guide books for lists), but there is much much more to discover in the food scene here.

• Don’t try to fit too many programmed activities into your visit at once.  Part of the charm of Lyon is the city itself, and you must give yourself a chance to simply explore, spend some time tasting local wines and writing postcards, and enjoying the view.

I hope you loved Luc'ys 10 do's and don'ts of Lyon as much as I did.

( * All photos copyright Lucy Vanel 2005-2013, all rights reserved)

Farmhouse on Rolling Hills of Sini, 7 Bedrooms at Azienda Agricola Rivetto Welcome You near Alba

Places you would like to spend a few days at sometimes 'sneak up' on you without warning.

An update by Rivetto from Piedmont on awards their wines received in past year made me realize that they welcome guests at their Farmhouse in Sini (near Alba).

With 7 bedrooms, this house offers quiet and great views of the rolling hills and vineyards...and of course guided tours of Rivetto's cellars and on-site wine tastings.

On a clear day you can even see the Alps.

You can stay as little as one night and as long as your savings allow.

(* Photo borrowed from Rivetto blog)

Around the World in 80 Gardens at International Garden Show, Hamburg, April 26 to October 2013

Green thumbs, amateurs of landscapes and edible gardens will have the world at their feet with 'Around the World in 80 Gardens' at International Garden Show in Hamburg from April 26 to October 2013.

The program aims:

"Seven horticultural themed sections will present unique eco-systems as well as cultures form around the world. Visitors will also learn about green initiatives, and experience the very typical regional agricultural and horticultural landscapes with its carefully kept gardens and fruit trees."

I hear echoes of Jules Verne in the event's name.

Charlemagne in the Company of Pigeons, Paris Snapshot, September 2012

Browsing through the hundreds of photos i took while in France, i noticed not surprisingly that a good portion are linked to history.

Here's Charlemagne in the company of pigeons, Paris, September 2012

Putting a Face on 'Diversity Destroyed', Berlin Before and after 1933', 2013 Theme for Berlin

What happened after the Nazis access to power will be documented throughout the year in Berlin.

City choose Diversity Destroyed, Berlin Before and After 1933 as its theme for 2013.

In a nutshell:

"To mark the 80th anniversary of the Nazis’ accession to power on January 30, 1933, and the 75th anniversary of the November Pogroms (Reichskristallnacht) in 1938, the city of Berlin in 2013 is organizing cornerstone events to actively remember and acknowledge the painful past. From January 30 until November 9, 2013 – the actual dates of the two somber anniversaries - the city will endeavor to document the sensitive nature of these infamous events, and at the same time highlight the modern, tolerant and culturally diverse metropolis Berlin has since become."

Three major programs anchor this citywide reflection:

From January 30 until November 9, the I.M. Pei designed German Historical Museum guides through the activities and initiatives of the “Diversity Destroyed” theme, which can also be explored by walking tours of urban spaces and landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, Kurfürstendamm and Anhalter Bahnhof station. The exhibition displays the vibrant, culturally diverse city and avant-garde society of the 1920s metropolis, which was soon after destroyed by the Nazi regime.

The open-air Portrait Exhibition and Urban Memorials will specifically show the human tragedy caused by the events between 1933 and 1938. Placed at historically relevant locations throughout the city, 120 pillars will depict these events, complemented by a 40-pillar portrait exhibition that focuses on the individual life stories and fate of more than 200 Berliners who represented the city’s cultural diversity in the 1930s.

On a lighter note, if you plan to visit Berlin, you might want to check Maybachufer Market on Friday, Treptow Park on River Spree, Yaam Bar, Berlin 10 Do's and Dont's which we published while in Europe last summer.

(* Map of Urban Memorials above from Kulturprojekte Berlin site)

Bucketful or Not, Conch Salad Recipe from My Key West Kitchen

A ray of sun on grey December day can be found in the pages of My Key West Kitchen (Kyle Books, October 2012) by father and son team of Norman and Justin Van Aken.

CONCH SALAD, MAN! (P.28) 

“Hey. Hey. I’m Frank, the Conch Salad Man. I’ll sell you the world’s best conch salad!” He was holding a huge white pickle bucket brimming with his conch salad. With no more explanation than that, he reached in and gave me a paper cup full. I tipped back a mixture of finely diced conch, tomatoes, red onions, Scotch bonnets, bell peppers, celery, citrus juices and herbs. The flavors of the sea were in there, too. Living in Key West was my culinary university; I never needed more formal training. The place was filled with honest, in-your-face flavors that came from the Cuban, Bahamian and African-American residents and wanderers who passed through. I didn’t move to Key West to re-invent the cuisine—I came to find a home. In the process, I found a path to both. In this recipe, you will taste the foundation of each. 

Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 pound cleaned fresh conch, diced

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 European (hothouse) cucumber, peeled and

minced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

1/4 red onion, minced

1/2 cup diced fresh tomato

1/4 ripe Florida avocado, diced, or 1/2 ripe Haas avocado (optional) 

Combine all of the ingredients except the tomato and avocado in a large bowl. Stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

To serve, fold in the tomato and avocado. Transfer to 4 chilled glasses or serving bowls. 

Ingredient Note: Those of us who have lived in South Florida for some time may remember when conch, freshly harvested from the sea, was readily available in grocery stores and fish markets. My first recollection of conch was watching young boys pulling them up onto the pier at Higgs Beach in Key West. A few weeks later, I learned to prepare a truly authentic Bahamian-style conch chowder using giant conch, or Strombus gigas Linnaeus, a mollusk that possesses a large “foot.”

They meander around on the ocean floor like aquatic peg-leg pirates, “jumping” and rotating to get food. The Bahamians taught us many ways to use this tasty creature and you can still sample fresh conch fritters, cracked conch, conch chowder and even conch carpaccio in Key West. If conch is unavailable, you may easily substitute shrimp in this salad recipe.

(* Recipe from My Key West Kitchen -Kyle Books, October 2012- by Norman and Justin Van Aken, all rights reserved, photography by Penny De Los Santos)

Visit Snake People, Swim in Ken River, Khajuraho 10 Do's and Don' ts, Madhya Pradesh

It might not be mentioned as often as Mumbai or Delhi yet Khajuraho is one of the most popular travel destinations thanks to tantric influenced Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a Unesco World Heritage Centre.

When Ulrike Reinhard who currently resides in Khajuraho where she is working on We the School project asked me if I was interested in her take on the city, I had to say yes.

10 Do's and Don'ts in Khajuraho

DOs

Enjoy the Temples in the early morning.

Spent more than 1 or 2 nights there. It's a powerful place.

Enjoy some Sula Vineyards white wine.

Visit the snake people around Peera.

Talk a long early morning walk beyond Shivsagar Lake.

Stroll through the old village.

Go cross country with a motorbike.

Buy some fresh fish in the afternoon market and get it cooked, grilled what so ever in one of the restaurants!

Visit Raja Cafè. The cappuccino is truly Italian! 

Go inside The Lalit Templeview Hotel and have a swim in the wonderfully located pool. 

Enjoy the Treehouse (Ken River Lodge) and have a swim in the river (Ken river).

DONTS

Don't go out in big groups. Khajuraho is best when you explore it on your own!

Don't rush through Khajuraho - take your time there. 

Don't pay the prices they ask for in the first round.

Don't tease the buffalos in the streets.

Don't go there by plane, come by train.

Don't get stuck with the tourist part of Khajuraho. There is much more to explore!

Don't use the ATM right next to Raja Cafe!

Don't think Kamasutra is only about erotics.

As a woman, don't trust the men in Khajuraho

Don't forget Khajuraho is in Central India. It's rural India and decades behind cities such as Mumbai or Delhi. But that's its charme. 

Previous 10 Do's and Don'ts:

One Way Streets and Red Lights Take new Meaning, Knafeh for Breakfast , Beirut 10 Do's and Don'ts by Salma Abdelnour

(* Image of Lalit Hotel swimming pool from their Facebook page)