So the following week he returned the favour and I met him at his place for lunch.
It was supposes to be an English lunch but “since you do not like sandwiches” he said (sandwiches are THE English lunch par excellence), he prepared a Mexican dish, called Vegetable curry with dark chocolate and chillies. They way he cooked the dish would frighten and terrify every single Italian even the one who has no idea how to even boil an egg. He sautéed garlic and onion with sunflower oil, cooked first the aubergines added ingredients following what seemed a quite random order, added a lot of chilli, stirred once the boiling rice (it cooked for at least 20 minutes), added the dark chocolate at the end as a final touch. The vegetable were served with insipid rice (there were enough spices and flavours in the curry), a spoonful of plain yoghurt and boiled green beans (I think he added them only to give colour to the dish).
You know what?? It was good. I did like it. I really did.
To my surprise the chocolate and chilli were well balanced and the combination of flavours&spices was unusual but very interesting.
He did not believe me when I told him I liked what he prepared.
I was expecting a dish based on the “mighty spud” (= potato) or parsnips, celeriac, butternut squash. Or some of those fampus pies, fish&chips would have been a good choice. I had instead something Mexican described with an Indian word (curry), accompanied by a glass of milk (as you would do in a good old British way).
Somehow it was a British lunch: Isnt Great Britain is a mix of cultures and flavours coming form every corner of the world?
It was supposes to be an English lunch but “since you do not like sandwiches” he said (sandwiches are THE English lunch par excellence), he prepared a Mexican dish, called Vegetable curry with dark chocolate and chillies. They way he cooked the dish would frighten and terrify every single Italian even the one who has no idea how to even boil an egg. He sautéed garlic and onion with sunflower oil, cooked first the aubergines added ingredients following what seemed a quite random order, added a lot of chilli, stirred once the boiling rice (it cooked for at least 20 minutes), added the dark chocolate at the end as a final touch. The vegetable were served with insipid rice (there were enough spices and flavours in the curry), a spoonful of plain yoghurt and boiled green beans (I think he added them only to give colour to the dish).
You know what?? It was good. I did like it. I really did.
To my surprise the chocolate and chilli were well balanced and the combination of flavours&spices was unusual but very interesting.
He did not believe me when I told him I liked what he prepared.
I was expecting a dish based on the “mighty spud” (= potato) or parsnips, celeriac, butternut squash. Or some of those fampus pies, fish&chips would have been a good choice. I had instead something Mexican described with an Indian word (curry), accompanied by a glass of milk (as you would do in a good old British way).
Somehow it was a British lunch: Isnt Great Britain is a mix of cultures and flavours coming form every corner of the world?
After lunch I had a taste of real English essence: a cup of tea with milk and no sugar.
He spent some time describing how the tea can vary its taste according to type of tea used, brewing time and quantity of boiled water taken into consideration. Even the quantity of milk poured in the cup plays a part in determining the final taste of the tea. He also said that the colour of the cup influences how you perceive the taste of the tea (according to him blue isn’t at all a good colour).
I had a first sip and openly declared that I didn’t like it (I didn’t go around it, without sugar that tea had a indescribable taste.. the thought of it brings up a wince on my face).
He accepted it without losing his composure –very British!- and started philosophising while holding the cup of tea talking about that feeling of warmth and relaxation that is sooo comfortable and sooo pleasant. He believes that that is exactly what makes a cup of tea such a must in the life of every British man or woman: it is about reassurance that comes in the gesture of holding a warm, cuddling cup of tea.“More or less like a hot water bottle!” I said. I very much doubt he appreciated my comment. With few words I wiped away all the poetry he used to describe such undeniable British tradition. Sorry! ;-P
He spent some time describing how the tea can vary its taste according to type of tea used, brewing time and quantity of boiled water taken into consideration. Even the quantity of milk poured in the cup plays a part in determining the final taste of the tea. He also said that the colour of the cup influences how you perceive the taste of the tea (according to him blue isn’t at all a good colour).
I had a first sip and openly declared that I didn’t like it (I didn’t go around it, without sugar that tea had a indescribable taste.. the thought of it brings up a wince on my face).
He accepted it without losing his composure –very British!- and started philosophising while holding the cup of tea talking about that feeling of warmth and relaxation that is sooo comfortable and sooo pleasant. He believes that that is exactly what makes a cup of tea such a must in the life of every British man or woman: it is about reassurance that comes in the gesture of holding a warm, cuddling cup of tea.“More or less like a hot water bottle!” I said. I very much doubt he appreciated my comment. With few words I wiped away all the poetry he used to describe such undeniable British tradition. Sorry! ;-P
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