Why is sausage-meat stuffing different than meatloaf?

My lovely (Scottish) hubby, after enjoying cornbread stuffing twice over Thanksgiving week, said in a plaintive voice, ‘Can we have sausage-meat stuffing for Christmas?’ I think my melting pot North American ways, my experimental nature and my need to adjust all foodstuffs to keep dairy and gluten at bay occasionally frustrate the poor man who at heart likes things to be simple. My initial questions as to what exactly it was he was looking for by saying ‘sausage-meat stuffing’ didn’t’ really illuminate anything for me either.

My other problem of course is that I cannot go out and buy ‘sausage-meat’ since all sausage in the UK (almost) comes fortified with breadcrumbs or some such and is therefore not gluten free. So I have to figure out what flavourings make it not minced pork but rather ‘sausage-meat’ and then figure out how to transform this substance into something he will recognise as stuffing. In my experience, sausage stuffing is stuffing (bread-based) with some sausage in it. I could certainly make something stuffing-like from something approximating sausage-meat - but I think he’s looking for a taste from his childhood and not some multicultural or fridge-clearing delight that I’ve been inspired to throw together.

Fortunately, I’ve been saved by Sausagelinks. They’ve spelled out the ingredients for homemade sausages with an understanding of how they work together – the need for there to be enough fat, some grain item (for me probably homemade gluten free breadcrumbs or rice flour) and the appropriate herbs and spices (at its simplest salt, pepper and possibly sage). Sausagelinks seems to be a clearinghouse for information about independent sausage producers and provides a nice set of recipes as well as sausage ‘news’ with notes about new items and details of food events.

Now that I know how to put together ‘sausage-meat’, I have to work out the stuffing part. In a nutshell, it seems as if to make it ‘stuffing’ rather than a misshapen lump of sausage, it needs to be further ‘watered’ down with breadcrumbs, chestnuts or some similar substance to ‘soften’ the meat texture and then bake/roast or steam and then slice (or stuff into a bird). I have to say, as much as I like all kinds of stuffing and as much as I am sure the flavourful bird drippings add tons of flavour, my food poisoning sensitivities are too strong to cook something as dense as another wad of meat inside a bird. It just seems that either the bird would be leather or the sausage-meat would be underdone.

So, what happened when I tried it? Well, first of all, he loved it. It was essentially served as a meatloaf – sliced warm and served with a baked sweet potato and creamed corn (you can take the girl out of America…..). I did make my own gluten free breadcrumbs by toasting slices of gluten free bread in a low oven until dried and then pulsing in the food processor. I made ‘sausage-meat’ by adding salt (actually a seasoning mix called 'Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt’ which also has herbs and dried onion and garlic) and pepper as well as some dried sage and some nutmeg. There was 500g for pork mince so I added 50g of breadcrumbs. Then I looked at the next several recipes and made something up – I added another 40g of breadcrumbs, chopped chestnuts and some olive oil for some additional fat. I moulded it into the bottom of the bowl, popped it out and put it into a small roasting pan and roasted it at around 180 degrees C for about 40 minutes. I left it resting for around 15 minutes before slicing.

I was dubious about the texture of all those breadcrumbs – but it was a hit with hubby. He liked the dense texture and felt that it was nicely moist. I have some adjustments in mind for when I make this at Christmas though – I think an egg or two would help the texture and I think a couple of slices of smoked streaky bacon put through the food processor and mixed in would help. I also think that while I followed the recipe in terms of the percentage of seasoning based on weight, and at the time thought it would be far too much, I would actually add even a bit more. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Light Meals (Tiffin)

The other weekend we went for the first time to the newest member of the Balbir empire, the Tiffin Rooms on Sauchiehall Street just west of Charing Cross. We had stopped to look at the menu a number of times since it opened but when one of our friends who lives in Wales (but is from Glasgow and therefore misses local curry terribly) came up to visit we thought this was the right moment to give it a try. The food had been reported to be, as is Balbir’s trademark, on the fresh and light side of the Indian cuisine spectrum. This appealed to me as I am dairy-challenged and it was good to know that I was not getting ghee in my meal or any sneaky butter, cream or yoghurt that I wasn’t prepared for – and that I could speak up about my allergies and get a good reception from staff with proper training. (Thank you, Balbir!)

The interior is modern and spacious and even though it was fairly busy, it did not seem noisy. The menu held a list of smaller size dishes (tiffin), thali choices, platters as well as full sized curries. The items were well chosen however and you weren’t overwhelmed by endless lists of dishes. There is also a specials board above the window to the open kitchen with extra additions to the menu. We chose three starters from the list – mushroom pakora (light and crispy) and two dosas (rice and lentil pancakes) - one chicken and one lamb. They were all lovely although the star was the lamb mince dosa which was rich and spicy. Having ordered a set of appetisers, we thought we shouldn’t overdo it on the mains and we ordered platters rather than ‘full’ curries. These were reasonably priced (around £8) and provided a curry of choice, rice and Bombay potatoes (which were great). This was the perfect sized main course and we went away feeling satisfied and not overstuffed. I chose chicken achari as my curry and while it was delicious it was not very ‘pickle-y’. Personally, the more pickled bits, the better – but everyone may not agree – I may order pickles as a side dish the next time. My dining companions however were delighted with their choices of lamb saag (this was reported to be particularly nice) and chicken karahi. We enjoyed a nice, reasonably-priced Chilean Sauvignon Blanc with our meal, left for the evening only about £60 lighter (for three) and not feeling like we needed a nap before we went onto enjoy the rest of our evening.

Breakfast potatoes

I always make a potato dish when we invite people over for brunch. Partly because I just absolutely love potatoes, but also because I actually get quite a few compliments on them. Enough that I thought I would write a blog entry about them.

The important step is par-boiling. I like to use smaller potatoes, the ones where I only have to cut them into about 4 pieces each. I'm not that up on potato varieties (MBK is far more knowledgeable about that type of thing), but Sainsbury's, Roots and Fruits, and Waitrose all have several lovely varieties. Lately I've been eating anya potatoes from Sainsbury's.

After boiling them (with the skins on) for about five minutes, they're soft enough to toss into the mixture of olive oil and butter and softened chopped spring onions I've left in a frying pan on medium heat. Not terribly diet friendly I know, but I don't make these very often. After heating the potatoes a bit, I add some garlic. I like Gia garlic puree - it's the lazy girl's choice, but also it helps the potatoes get that soft fried but mushy texture that I'm going for. For flavouring, I add salt and pepper, a pinch of paprika, and chilli flakes. That's it.

Office xmas dinner hell

No, actually it was pretty good. the Grill On The Corner is just along Bothwell Street from bums-on-seats overlord Witherspoons and across the road from dismal booze palace Madness, so I'm sure we weren't the only bunch of office workers on a night out. The bill was a not-exactly-cheap £27 including service charge, not including the decent Chilean wine generously bought for us by the boss, but the food was worth it.

Not crazy about the Grill's atmosphere and ambience; the table felt a tad small, it was super busy, the chandeliers most likely didn't belong to Louis XIV, and the clattering drone of other diners and musak made most of what was said at the other end of our ten-strong table incomprehensible. Plus, I don't like having to fill out a form to get special offer emails before the waiter takes our order for food, and being asked why I'm not going to take part.

Anyway, down to the food. Starter's very nice, crab meat and a generous amount of prawns on noodles with a few leaves of herb salad. Did I mention that Chilean wine? Nice and full bodied it is, and I seem to have my own bottle at this end of the table. Hic. My steak is slightly more done than the rare I asked for but is perfectly nice and well trimmed with fried potatoes and crisp veg. Finallly, although my sample of chocolate tart is as nice as it sounds on the menu, I'm glad that I opt for the apple and summer fruit crumble instead. How long has it been since I had crumble? Why did I wait so long?

Overall a pretty good xmas meal, but it was the food which carried the night out; leaving me with a similar impression of drinking a great real ale at Witherspoons - if you can shut out the oppressive noise and marketing around you, your taste buds will find something to enjoy. As for your colleagues, well, you can catch up with them any time.

I'll have what he's having

The wife can't be bothered cooking tonight so like a 1950s patriarch I generously offer to take her out to dinner at the greatest cheap restaurant in Glasgow, Asia Style, going dutch with a couple of friends; one of whom has written a blog entry on it before.

It's busy enough for a Thursday night be we get a table at 7.00 without booking. I've figuratively dined out on the thousand year egg in porridge I once manfully ate here but I'm still trying to work my way through the place's vast menu. Tonight I've been on a long train journey, so I go for something conservative.

The next table has a succulent-looking pile of cubed duck pieces with a pile of sticky white rice, so I order the ginger duck. For starters though, we share tasty salt and pepper ribs. When the mains arrive I'm slightly disappointed that the duck is smothered in a strong, dark sauce. It mixes nicely with the coconut rice to produce a sweet gravy, and slices of chilli give it a spicy edge. As my friend warned, I have to pick the bones individually from the pieces. I get dining envy for my friend's bowl of curried chicken broth, a swirling golden concoction full of deep flavours (Masterchef was talking about deep flavours a couple of weeks back). The wife gets her usual salt and pepper beancurd, a pile of beautiful fried chunks with stinging hot chillis, along with a side dish of garlic choi san. Cheapskates beware, the sides often cost more than the main dishes.

So, not my favourite visit to Asia style, but still worth it. Next time I'll be back on the tripe porridge, I reckon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Even if this isn’t one of your personal holidays, take a moment and have a quick think about what you are thankful for in your life. It does feel good to step back and realise that despite the daily grind, there is much to be happy about and thankful for. Next, take a moment and think of your cousins across the ocean stuffing their faces with turkey and more carbs than many of us have ever seen in one place. It’s easy to lose sight of what the day might mean when you are sleepy from your big meal and your attention isn’t really held by parades and football on television. However, the camaraderie of spending the day with your extended family and all pitching in to deliver the crescendo that the great meal provides – whether your role was producing a perfect turkey or showing people where to put their coats – is something to be thankful for in itself. It’s been a very long time since I’ve spent a Thanksgiving with my family – and every year I do miss it just that little bit….

I did, however, as I mentioned last week attend a Thanksgiving-style dinner last weekend. As our hostess was a vegetarian, I brought turkey and turkey gravy as well as plates and utensils with which to serve the beast. I also brought gluten free corn bread stuffing (I volunteered for the stuffing as I could not imagine having a ‘thanksgiving’ dinner at which I could not eat stuffing) and gluten free brownies with dried cranberries and hazelnuts (ditto, comments for the stuffing). Fortunately, I’ve invested enough effort in being gluten free – and have enough memory of a time when I wasn’t – that most people don’t realise that they are eating gluten free when I am cooking (or so they are polite enough to say!).

In true North American style, it was a meal that reflected the melting pot that was our group – delicious vegetarian mole, maple roasted venison sausages, mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, green beans – all yum! We did get through a few bottles of wine as well - and while I had high hopes for the Beaujolais rose (pretty dull really – no hint of that intense gamay grapey goodness), and the assorted white wines that we tried (a couple of richer ones like chardonnay and viognier) were fine, the real standout was the Alsatian Gewurztraminer by Cave de Turckheim. It was dry and richly floral and spice scented but had the weight needed to stand up to meat and gravy as well as the rich spicy mole and enough fruitiness of flavour to complement the wide variety of foods we were eating. Highly recommended!

Carrot Surprise…

Since last week I’ve been toying with various elements of a Thanksgiving Dinner – as a transplanted American, I usually do something simple (generally making something involving gravy) to remind myself of the holiday that my relatives on the other side of the ocean are sharing together. It is, after all, one of our nicest traditions – it’s about togetherness and appreciating what we have. Okay, it’s also about food and football – but these are things that people enjoy sharing together and no matter what brings us together, it’s worth appreciating. This year, however, we decided that a more elaborate Thanksgiving meal on this side of the ocean was in order. We’ve gathered a rag tag bunch of assorted nationalities to feast the occasion and we’ve completed all the negotiations about how to make things gluten and/or dairy free (which are my issues) and just how much bird the vegetarians are happy to share the table with (there will be bird but not too much) and very importantly, which wine should we drink with our meal. I’ll happily report on the success of the wine in another post next week…

To prepare, I have spent the past couple of weekends fine-tuning some of my recipes. I’ve been working on the perfect gluten free brownies with dried cranberries, been gradually baking the gluten free cornbread that will be the basis of the stuffing, practicing my turkey gravy and practicing roasting turkey thighs. I think I’m happy with most of my efforts and roasted my final trial run turkey thigh last night. My other half has been more than happy to enjoy these experiments over the past few weeks and has been very pleased to have been the recipient of gravy numerous times. Last night, when asked about his choice of vegetable to go with sliced turkey, gravy and a baked potato – he said he wanted carrots.

Nothing exciting about this request and I didn’t think too hard about it until after they were in the pan (4 large carrots, thick sliced, bias cut), lid on, with a bit of water (2/3 cup) for a light steam (5 minutes or so). Once I lifted the lid to let the water evaporate and the carrots start to brown (adding a splash of oil), I had to make a quick decision - and then one of those amazing things happened, a little light went off in my head and we had a very delicious carrot side dish. Once the carrots started to brown and were nearly cooked through, I added a spoonful of Chinese chili-garlic sauce (comes in a jar, available from pretty much any Chinese grocery) and tossed this with the carrots along with some salt and pepper. I used about a tablespoon of chili-garlic and they were just spicy enough to not overwhelm the other flavours on the plate but still to stand out – chili heat is a very personal decision though so this ingredient is definitely to taste. I tossed these periodically for another few minutes and then added some orange juice to the plan to give a sweet glaze to the carrots, probably not more than ½ to ¾ of a cup is necessary – but again, depends on how much chili you’ve used and how sweet you like your glaze to be. It’s just so wonderful when something so simple turns out to be so delightful. I think we are having carrots again tonight!

Quinoa for Breakfast?

First of all, you may ask, what is quinoa? Or you may not as it is becoming increasingly common. For clarity’s sake however I will give you a brief intro - quinoa is actually a ‘psuedocereal’ (being neither truly grass nor grain) whose edible seed was cultivated by the Incas who considered it to be the ‘mother of all grains’ (thank you Wikipedia). More usefully, it has a high protein content, a complete set of amino acids, a range of minerals and is high in fibre as compared to other similar products such as rice – making it a valuable addition to vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets. It looks a bit like couscous but has a nice toothsome texture when cooked and a slightly nutty flavour. It requires rinsing before cooking (to remove a bitter compound called saponin) and can be cooked and flavoured much like rice (maybe use a bit less liquid). Indeed, I generally use my rice cooker to cook it.

But for breakfast, you ask? Well, yes, for breakfast. I stumbled upon a recipe in one of my favourite cookbooks (The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman) for Orange Dessert Quinoa – the key to which is cooking quinoa in orange juice - and adapted it into a portable breakfast. I can cook this on Sunday and keep it in the refrigerator and for most of the week take a tasty container of breakfast with me to work in the morning – one recipe lasts me about 4 days. I just eat it at my desk with a spoon when I get to work – no fuss, no muss, nothing to add, delicious and healthy and the short journey keeps it from being too cold to appreciate the flavours. That being said, the week I made some cashew cream was a highlight as a tablespoon of this drizzled over my bowl was very nice – other creams would be nice as well, dairy or soy for example if you are so inclined.

To give this wholesome breakfast a try: Take 1 ½ cups of quinoa and give it a good rinse in several changes of water. You will need a fairly fine strainer to keep your precious little seeds from escaping. Put the rinsed and drained quinoa in your rice cooker with 2 cups of orange juice, a pinch of salt, a generous tablespoon of agave syrup (or honey, or a sweetener of choice) and whatever else strikes your fancy. Just set your rice cooker onto a regular cycle and let it go. If you’d prefer to use a pot on the hob, this is ‘absorption method’ cooking so make sure your pot has a reasonably tight fitting lid, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer (low heat) for 15-20 minutes and then just turn the heat off and let the mixture sit in the pan with the lid on to steam for a further 10-15 minutes.

My best attempt yet included about 50g of dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons (or so) of toasted, chopped hazelnuts, a sprinkling of ground flaxseed and a good sprinkling of cinnamon. In my opinion, it was the cinnamon that was the key to my success with this last batch. I may try some mixed spice on the next batch for an even warmer flavour – although I have to admit that orange and cinnamon is one of my favourite flavour combinations.

Beer beer want more beer

To the tune of 'Hail, Hail to Piracy' ... in my inaugural post as a food blogger I hearby plug the latest special offer at JD Witherspoon's, a vastly un-edgy chain pub normally stuffed with office workers and other plebs. Not only do they do a tasty full English / Scottish breakfast for buttons (supersize it into a hard-to-finish Farmhouse version for an extra quid), steak n chips, and perfectly respectable salmon, they do excellent guest ales, and annual beer and wine festivals.

It's the chain's 30th birthday, and this ale fest is even better than usual. For the price of a 1990s pint (£1.69 at my local), you get a beautiful obscurity such as ANKER GOUDEN CAROLUS AMBRIO, a fruity Belgian ale with a reddish colour and slight head. Being dull responsible types 'Spoons only sell you it in halves (it's 8% ABV) for 85p a glass.

A European ale? With foam? Does that happen? By God, I know nothing about beer. But maybe after I've sampled the other 49 I'll be on my way. For extra middle-aged-and-lovin-it fun, rate your ale on the Witherspoons website.

www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/promotions/2009-real-ale-festival/

As a grassroots, hardcore, two fingers to the mainstream type of chap I'm pleased to note that this festival is endorsed by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Only they've been online already giving their ratings and my lovely Anker Gouden only got 2.8%. Damnit, I will not be an entry-level know-nothing! I'm going to crack this ale lark even if it costs me (reaches for calculator) a further £82.81. Just like I cracked whisky by going to that Whisky Live! fest back in September.

While I'm not a fan of seeing the same chains everywhere you go in every city of the UK, if McDonald's had a one-off Bateman's Iron Lady (based on unfluffy former Prime Minister Maggie Thatcher) on tap I'd be willing to attend their birthday party too.

Is it boring to love penne alla arrabiata?

I suppose it is, but I really really do. I use it as litmus to test how good an Italian restaurant is, the same way I used to use grilled cheese sandwiches as an indicator of how good a diner was when I still lived in New York. Arrabiata sauces can range in quality so dramatically, and you can get those thin, watery, not very spicy versions even in restaurants that are pretty good in other respects.

I love the Penne alla arrabiata at Fazzi on Cambridge Street. I don’t know if it’s my favourite, but it’s on my mind because I just had it last night for dinner. The sauce is a bit sparse but nice and rich and full of chilli and garlic. And the best part is, they add black olives! I know olives are one of those things that tend to polarise people, so if you’re looking for a good Penne alla arrabiata and the idea of black olives gives you wiggins, go to Dino’s on Sauchiehall Street.

What’s the secret ingredient in chili?

Do you make chili at home? My husband only cooks a couple of things but one of them is a giant vat of chilli that lasts for several days as well as stocks the freezer for those nights when we need a quick dinner. As an American, I am all too aware of the regional battles that rage over what should go into chili – Texans tend to think that chili is meat and chile only (meat=beef) and abhor the use of beans and tomato (but within Texas endless debate still rages on); Cincinnati chili uses spices like cinnamon and allspice as well as tomato but is as much about how it is served (over noodles with garnishes of cheese, onions, beans, crackers etc.); moving towards the south-western states chili becomes more divided between the traditional ‘bowl of red’ and ‘chili verde’ using fresh green chili peppers and more varieties of meats. I’ve even seen recipes for ‘amish’ or ‘pennsylvania dutch’ chili recipes that are based on spaghetti and canned baked beans with pork! This is of course not to forget ‘white’ chili which is mild, poultry-based, leaning more towards the ‘verde’ end and generally to be found among collections of ‘light’ recipes or the endless variety of delicious vegetarian chilis that are based on different variations of vegetables, beans and protein replacements. Whew!

Fortunately, on this side of the Atlantic we are free of these regional battles, as least as far as chili is concerned. At home, we tend to make our chili based on a) what kind of mince is on sale at the grocery store, b) what’s in the freezer at the moment, c) what vegetables need to be used up, and d) what else can we find in the pantry in terms of beans, herbs, spices and in particular chile powders. I do have favourites of course (as does my in-house chili-master), such as the tubs of the chili sauce that our favourite local take-away gives out with its kebabs (we pop in to buy these specially for chili), canned soy beans in sweet chili sauce (the sweetness adds nice balance to the flavours), cocoa power for depth of flavour (my own chili-master is especially keen on this one) and the use of soya mince to bulk out the ‘meatiness’ with something more healthful than beef or pork.

Handy hints: There’s a difference between ‘chili powder’ and ‘chile powder’. The spellings change (and tend to be frustratingly interchangeable) but one (seasoning for chili) is a blend of chile, cumin, garlic and other herbs and spices and the other is pure ground chile. Chile peppers all have different flavour profiles but you can buy a wide variety, such as generic ‘ground red chile’, varieties of cayenne pepper, hot, sweet and smoked paprika, specific varieties such as Ancho chile powder, New Mexican Chile powder, jalapeno or chipotle powder. For the best selection of chiles and chile powders, as well as a wonderland of other Tex-Mex ingredients, head to Lupe Pinto’s on Great Western Road in the West End of Glasgow (see website for other locations). If you want to know even more about American Chili rivalries, see the International Chili Society website.

I’d be very curious to know what our readers think is key to the flavour in their home-made chili – and, of course, I’d love to know your secret ingredients if you’d care to share!

Were you watching Masterchef The Professionals?

Well I was – and I thought it was fantastic. I tuned in at some point in the early elimination stages and was riveted. At the beginning, the chefs were nervous and clumsy (not that I blame them, mind you) and struggled with some of the basic tasks they were asked to complete in a nerve-grindingly short time frame and under the hard stare of the judges. Once they got past these initial lumps and bumps though, it was really wonderful. You got a chance to see quite creative minds at play – their ideas didn’t always work and their plates were not always beautiful, but you have to give them credit for trying so hard.

I’m not sure what was more fascinating – watching the precision activity and exacting standards in Michelin starred kitchens, watching these talented pros slice and dice and whatnot with speed and finesse, or watching Gregg Wallace and Michel Roux Jr. savour and comment on all these dishes. I’m not sure what my favourite plate was – there were far too many to choose from, involving too many fabulous ingredients (game and fish galore) and too many colourful garnishes. It seems that the key is the careful balance of simplicity and complexity – great food does (usually, anyway) tend to have an elegant simplicity about it without somehow actually being simple. Does that make sense – if not, I recommend you watch this series and you will understand.

I do, however, know what my favourite moment was. The contestants were asked to prepare dishes that reminded them of their personal heroes or people who were important to them. This was a great round as they all really put their heart into it and produced some of their finest plates. Steve (the eventual winner) made a complex dessert plate based around a simple banana cake that reminded him of his mother. Michel Roux Jr. took a taste of this dessert and actually giggled and said ‘yummy’. Watching this calm, elegant and seasoned professional, who is so thoroughly infused with dynastic culinary greatness, so thoroughly enjoy something, made my night. That’s what great food is about, isn’t it?

A yummy haven on Woodlands Road

Glasgow is full of those anonymous cafes and restaurants that you pass a thousand times before you notice them, if you ever do notice them at all. And it’s too bad, because at times they can offer the best surprises.

Wednesday night my husband and I decided we didn’t want to cook, but we couldn’t decide where to eat. We wanted to go somewhere inexpensive, but we were tired of our usual takeaway haunts. It’s when I was walking home from work, along Woodlands Road, that I remembered MBK telling me she quite liked Café La Padella, just up the road from the Sainsbury’s petrol station. I had always assumed it was Italian, but MBK had informed me it was Turkish, and that, while not actually a vegetarian restaurant, they do specialise in vegetarian mezze.

The food was amazing. Well, the Turkish food was. We ordered hummus and borek (flaky pastry filled with cheese) for starters. The hummus was rich, with plenty of olive oil and came with freshly made fluffy pita. The borek was tasty too, although it looked more like a plate of spring rolls when it came out. I am used to borek being wee triangles.

The main dishes were enough to fill us up and satisfy (I had a vegetarian lasagne with potatoes instead of pasta separating the layers, my husband had fried cod) but they were a bit stodgy. I’d like to go back and just get Turkish food next time – perhaps share a mezze plate and bring a bottle of wine. I don’t know if they’re fully licensed, I didn’t see a wine menu, but they do let you bring your own bottle, with a very reasonable corkage fee that seems to vary, but stays around a couple of pounds.

The staff were very nice and friendly. MBK tells me the owner says hi to her on the street, even when she hasn’t been in for a while. It’s the kind of place that deserves to be busy every night of the week because it offers real value for money, and something alittle bit different from the typical anonymous café.

What do you crave when you are sick?

Everyone it seems is sick at the moment. We were visiting friends on Friday night last week and since then, one by one, we have all fallen ill with whatever nasty cold-like bug is making the rounds. So, even more than usual, the topic of conversation in our house this week has been what to eat – what can we be bothered to make, what can we face in our weakened states and what qualifies as true comfort food? While my other half was ill, I was trying to find things to encourage him to eat and that might help. Turns out, his idea of ‘sick food’ is either (a) nothing but milky tea as he’s too worn out to try and feed himself or (b) cream of tomato soup and toast.

My soup preference would be for chicken probably but tomato is a wholesome (if slightly salty) option for those who grew up on tomato soup, who are vegetarians or who don’t mind the dairy in ‘cream of’ soups (which leaves me out). When I started to feel dodgy the other day, however, I immediately sought refuge in our favourite Indian takeaway and brought us home a spicy set meal for 2 (which since we were both sick took us two days to eat). Garlic, ginger and chilli are good for you, right? That’s my theory anyhow.

I think my ultimate sick food however has to be mashed potatoes. My mom always fed me this as a kid when I suffered with sore throats (and this was a lot). I know the traditional remedy for a child with a sore throat is ice cream but the thought of eating something so cold when I had a fever did not appeal to me in the slightest - and this is probably not the best place to start the sweet tooth vs salt tooth conversation anyway. The good thing about mashed potatoes (instant is fine in my book for these purposes) is that you can vary it based on how sick you are – bland with a bit of salt and butter if you are really in a bad way or with other flavourings such as chopped veg, canned corn, pesto, roasted garlic, sun blush tomatoes, etc. if you are needing a bit more oomph. It’s a bit like Chinese jook or congee – essentially a bland rice porridge which is fortifying and bland on its own but which can be dressed up with any number of garnishes to suit. Thousand year old eggs, anyone?

So, readers, what do you crave when you are sick?

Friday Afternoon Wine

After spending Friday sewing up the details of a project at work, I joined my colleague (you know her as ‘girl-e’) for a celebratory and much deserved glass of wine to wind down a bit. Working in the West End of Glasgow, we found ourselves at Stravaigin on Gibson Street. As they are something of an institution, I won’t take too much time to talk about the food – other than to say that they take beautiful Scottish ingredients and mix things up with fusion-y touches and you can get always get a tasty, reliable burger and chips. What I’d really rather talk about is the lovely wine that we had on this particular occasion. We treated ourselves to a Vina Chocalon, Cabernet Franc Reserva, 2006 from the Maipo Valley in Chile – a large glass to be sure (it was Friday after all). I don’t think I’d ever had a Cabernet Franc from Chile and as I’ve always been a fan of Loire Valley reds (which also tend to be Cab Franc) I though this was worth a try. Well – what a good idea!

Cab Franc tends to be a more medium-bodied wine than, say, its cousin Cabernet Sauvignon (and it is often used in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - think Bordeaux) but this one was dense and rich and perfumed. It was a gorgeous dark garnet colour with hints of purple. The flavour was quite concentrated with deep, dark cherries, a chocolate-y finish and a lush texture. Girl-e commented that the wine made her think of rich, opulent fabrics and cozy winter nights. With time in the glass, the perfume became more vanilla-scented with hints of pencil lead (a trademark of the grape). It had a nice astringency which made me think it would be lovely with food – such as the aforementioned burger, their lovely haggis or with rabbit, duck or a cheese plate.

If you want to try this wine, then head down to Stravaigin – or, buy this wine from Slurp and start accruing their ‘cork points’ now!

The Mother of Indian restaurants

If you live in Glasgow, and for some bizarre reason you haven’t yet tried Mother India, my advice to you is do it – now. I’ve only been 3 times myself, but every time was consistently yummy. The food was fresh and delicious, and anyone I know who has eaten there has had consistently good experiences.

The place is popular. The last time I was there it was a Saturday night and even though we had booked, we still had to wait in a queue of people, all with reservations. This was quickly resolved, however, when I phoned the restaurant from my mobile outside and said, ‘Hi, we have a party of 10, any chance our table is ready?’ A waitress promptly emerged and took us downstairs to our table.

One bit of advice – don’t book online. The website requires that you give credit card details, but if you phone, they don’t ask for this.

With all the Indian restaurants in Glasgow, a place has to pretty amazing to stand out. With Mother India, you won’t get any of those bright red, obviously dyed dishes with pools of oil resting on top. You’ll just get complex flavours and plenty of fresh vegetables and spice. Delicious!

You can get all the info you need on the website, including menus. Visit www.motherindiaglasgow.co.uk.

How can I choose just one favourite restaurant?

The answer, I suppose, is that I can’t. There’s far too much to choose from in our fair city – and the choice is constantly changing. That being said, one of my favourite places in Glasgow has to be Asia Style on St. Georges Road. It’s not fancy and it’s not expensive but I’ve never had anything less than a fantastic meal there. It’s a mixture of standard Chinese restaurant dishes like green pepper and black bean sauce, sweet and sour, or Chinese-style curry (all done really well) and Malay, Nyonya and Malaysian-Chinese dishes like Hainan chicken rice, soft shell chile crab, rice porridges, curries, laksas and a number of dishes that are done ‘Malaysia style’. Don’t worry about the distinctions between the different cuisines – they are all delicious. Many people who have had the pleasure of travelling in Asia have sworn to the authenticity of the flavours. All I know is that it makes me very, very happy to have a meal there!

The décor is simple and basic and we are rarely lucky enough to arrive at time when there is no line for a table. Part of the enjoyment of the meal is watching what everyone else is getting and trying to figure out what it is. Staff are very helpful with this, as are your fellow diners generally speaking – it’s definitely the kind of buzzing atmosphere that would encourage you to lean over and ask your neighbours what that wonderful thing is that they are eating. It’s one of the best ways to zero in on something new that you want to try. In fact, one of my biggest problems in Asia Style is ordering something new – and not for lack of choice. Rather I have loved the dishes that I have sampled so much that it seems heart- breaking to try something new and leave a well-loved dish un-tasted for the day.

Another joy of eating here is that the portions are generous and I almost always have leftovers for lunch the next day. Of course, my colleagues are not always thrilled when I use the communal microwave at the office to heat up something that has shrimp paste in it – a common ingredient, rather like the Mediterranean use of anchovies, which can be a bit pungent for some but adds a marvellous savoury quality to everything it touches.

So what’s not to love - this is a stellar place for a meal; it won’t break the bank; it’s a great place for a group meal or a party (book first for this though) to enjoy lots of shared plates and last but not least, you can get take away and enjoy the fabulousness in your own home. Oh – and you can join the Facebook Asia Style Appreciation group if you need to connect with others who understand once you are hooked!

Details: 185 St Georges Road, Glasgow, G36JD, 0141 332 8828

Welcome

Welcome to Food-e Glasgow – the new blog all about eating and drinking in Scotland’s largest city. We’ll be writing about our favourite restaurants, great cookbooks, pubs, supermarkets – pretty much anything that has anything to do with putting things in your mouth.

We hope you enjoy – and feel free to leave comments.