Good food only takes 10 minutes

I have real concerns about the health of our and other western nations, largely owing to poor diet, which have been getting worse ever since post World War II and the end of rationing. Since then we seem to have been increasingly embracing eating ‘junk’ and processed food as the norm. It seems now that eating junk/processed food, and as much of it as possible has become the norm, and eating healthy, natural foods makes one a freak. I have long been an advocate of eating natural, healthy food and taking care of oneself through good nutrition. Unfortunately, throughout the last 10-15 years in doing so, I have come up against much criticism, been branded boring, obsessive or a health freak (and worse) for it. When did the general perception of ‘eating well’ become so twisted?

Whichever version of creation you subscribe to, I’m pretty sure that our creator never intended our bodies to ingest orange coloured alphabetti spaghetti or reconstituted meat products formed into animal shapes. Even at the ‘high-end’ of the processed food scale there’s no escaping a little bit of MSG, odd E number or added sugar and salt. And you know there really isn’t any excuse for reaching for processed or pre-packed meals these days. I hear cries of ‘oh I’m just too busy to cook’ … ‘I don’t know how to do it, if only someone would show me’… ‘it takes too long and is too much hassle’… it’s too expensive. Some say ‘it tastes better’!!! In which case, time to re-educate your pallet mate. What a load of old cobblers and who is this kind of bunk supposed to kid? Mostly the people whose mouths it spouts from I suspect… and all excuses for not bothering to put a little thought into what goes into ones cake hole.

For example, it takes no more 10 minutes to do any of the following:

• Grill or pan fry a piece of fish, a piece of steak, lamb or pork or some veg – no more than 2 minutes each side if you want to keep all the good stuff.
• Steam or boil some veg – most take only 3 unless you want vegetable mush of course
• Boil some rice, pasta, polenta, quinoa – 3 mins for fresh pasta in fact – and add some simple flavouring like olive oil, fresh herbs, butter and seasoning
• Chop up the ingredients for a salad
• Stir-fry veg. and sliced meat or fish

And all you need to do is add some simple flavours – oil, lemon juice, sea salt, dried chilli, pepper etc etc to make it taste nice.

With so much available on the internet today you can find out in an instant how to do stuff like this – and then log onto Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, or whoever on-line to buy and have your ingredients delivered if you need to…. at work or at home. So come on guys, for your own sake, economy’s sake and that of our future generations… you’re not stupid, and don’t be lazy. Stop with the excuses, get of yer ar*** and get back to some real good food. You might even enjoy it.

The freak, and proud to be so.

New jewel in the Cape

I've just recently returned from a trip to the southern hemisphere, the first in a while and my first to Cape Town, South Africa. I had been told by many how beautiful it is as a place and the outstanding quality of food and wine.... and I wasn't disappointed. As usual I sought out the little gems the cape had to offer - from cafes to bars and restaurants.... and struck gold (or semi-precious stone as it were) with the Opal Lounge on Kloof in Gardens, Cape Town. The restaurant and bar was re-opened in its new incarnation in November 2008, after an overhaul and from its origins as 'Manolos'.  It was luck and intuition that led us to the Opal Lounge, a chance glance at the striking logo on the canopy on the terrace and following one's nose.  A quick web search later and we found a promising review, of beautiful surroundings and original fusion cuisine. 

My fellow diner (the Guy) and I went on spec rather than make a booking; it was a Monday evening, my last in Cape Town as it was, so we thought we would go and take a look at the menu over a cocktail before committing. First impressions as we walked in were impressive. Set in a victorian double bay fronted building, the decor was sumptuous, dark (in an exotic way) and intimate. The individual rooms of the property's ground floor had been retained, each with its own 'theme' and function. The main bar and lounge area to the back offers informal seating and tables where you can sip cocktails and aperitifs as you peruse the menus. Opposite the bar is a separate smoking room - a refreshing change - even as a non-smoker I can appreciate the comfort of such a facility opposed to having to stand out on the street. And this was a particularly comfortable one, with oversized leather corner sofa to sink into - reminiscent of one of those cuban cigar lounges. My fellow diner being the smoker certainly enjoyed his panama moment in any case. So, to the dining experience. It only took a few minutes to get a feel for the service, menu and style of place and decide to stay for dinner. The mojito was spot on - not too sweet and plenty of fresh mint. The menu was exciting - a good selection, not too extensive, using locally sourced produce in innovative fusion dishes. We went all out for the seafood. The Guy went for the asian trio of toro of tuna sashimi with chilli and black caviar, prawn ceviche on salmon cake and tempura shitaki mushrooms. For main, rare seared tuna in a sesame crust, with wasabi, avocado salsa, black bean rice and a sweet chilli sauce. I opted for the pan seared scallops,  served on a chorizo puree, with soya 'bubbles', chives, pea mouse, crispy scallop roe and guava role. For main I chose a persian seafood trio of black pepper prawns with lentils stewed with preserved lemon, a mussel ravioli on sweet mustard cucumber and line fish (king clip) pan fried and served with basil cream and sweet onion marmalade.  The presentation was immaculate and flavors, although quite strong, combined beautifully. We finished with a shared Catalan custard served with white chocolate ice cream in wafer thin filo pastry, strawberry compote, pistachio paste and ripped basil - divine, as was the desert wine to accompany. All in all a fabulous experience. If you're lucky  enough to find yourself in Cape Town, put the Opal Lounge on your list of must do's. There is no website as yet, but watch this space. The Opal Lounge, 30 Kloof in Gardens, Cape Town, Tel: +27(0)21 422 4747.

when is enough, enough?

In the midst of the current sea of economic opinion and discussions I've been reflecting on both my business studies and experiences.  My reflections turned to the question of growth, economic, profit, revenue, turnover - the usual suspects in the business and financial worlds. During many years working with large, fairly mature organisations though numerous sales, flotations and growth cycles the messages were always about continuing, stable, double digit growth. However it got to a point when, I  began to wonder whether continuation of growth at this level and stage in the organisation's life-cycle was either realistic or healthy for its long-term future profitability and success. As I witnessed management teams struggling each year to achieve these growth targets to please the investors and secure bonus or buy-out payments, I also witnessed capital investment in valuable and soon to be essential, infrastructure development and update get sidelined. Whilst this enabled short term goals to be achieved, the long term effect on productivity, competitiveness and moral was obvious, at least to me; but then I wasn't blinded by a vested interest in stockholdings. The most lethal of combinations in mature organisations is a mature management team, tied into sizeable shareholdings, hanging in until the next buy-out and get-out option. Morale also suffered as ideas on how to improve the business and its offering, contributed by the people in the business were often quashed owing to cost; and how de-moralising is it to hear that, despite having made millions in profit, increasing every year, targets weren't met and its not enough.  I hold the view that there comes a point in the life-cycle of an economic entity when the vested interest has to change for the long term health and profitability of the company.  Goals need to turn to re-investment in infrastructures that will improve productivity, efficiency and innovation to keep up the market rather than getting ever bigger. 

This is true for economies at every level as well as businesses. Our economy is currently shrinking, because growth has been forced to its limits and the distribution of wealth has become distorted. I have to agree with the thought that it was inevitable and there now needs to be a period of readjustment and realignment, especially in terms of the value equation across various professions in the economy. The price tag on many jobs in the city has been grossly over-valued for some time now and its good that the millions earned by some are being called to question. How is it that someone with little education but a gift of the gab can earn six or seven figure salaries - several times the amount of those who are saving people's lives whist risking their own or educating the future of our countries (not to mention counseling, comforting and taking abuse). I hope and believe that in the coming months and years we will see true value being recognised across industries and markets and bring our expectations on growth to a realistic and sustainable level.

something for the weekend valentine?

So, here we are with our first commercialized celebration of 2009... but what better celebration than that of love?

Doubtless many are wondering how they can make an impression on their beloved this Saturday.  I've been racking my brains thinking of what the ideal venue for an intimate valentine's evening would be. Somewhat predictably, my mind drifted to places that naturally evoke romantic scenes. Paris, the epitome of romance of course immediately springs to mind. So, if I were fortunate enough to be whisked off to either, here's where my heart would be set... aptly named L'Avenue is located on the Avenue Montaigne (41), one of the cities most exclusive shopping havens (from a designer's point of view - if you ain't on it, you ain't). On the terrace and inside its doors you will find an outer circle of window tables, simply and elegantly styled with simple chairs and crisp white linen - perfect for watching the world go by and spying all the beautiful people come and go - and they do all seem to frequent this place.  The inner circle, however, hidden behind the heavy velvet drape, is all sumptuous red velvet and a low lights - perfect for a valentines evening. The food is simple, elegant and delicious and includes dishes such as asparagus, artichoke and Parmesan salad, tuna carpaccio, grilled sole and panned fried calves liver with crushed potatoes. Oh, and the most divine deserts - I tucked into the fresh raspberries with Chantilly cream - delicious but light enough not to hinder any post dinner, ehem, scrabble. L'Avenue Restaurant, 41 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, www.avenue-restaurant.com.

Something for the lady to wear? I've been meaning to write about this wonderful designer for some time, and the run up to valentines day seems most appropriate as this is the kind of place that you chaps just couldn't go wrong in. Maria Grachvogel has only one flagship store in London, on Sloane Avenue. I walked past its windows looking lovingly at the beautiful gowns in the window on several occasions. Finally, I thought I must go in and take a closer look (just coincidentally during sale week). This is the stuff of goddesses - the fabrics, fluid lines, contemporary styles expertly interpreted onto classic designs combine to make a stunning collection of dresses, trousers, knits and evening wear. The great thing is that, most of the pieces are unlikely to ever look out of place year on year, making them a worthwhile investment. My favorites are the asymmetric all in ones and palazzo style pants - a very chic take on classic seventies and eighties styling. If you do present one of these masterpieces to the lady in your life, take your smelling salts ... she may actually pass out in wonderment (and be ready to deliver a kiss of life pretty sharp-ish). www.mariagrachvogel.com.

Heavenly bakery for your daily bread

Not wishing to seem bias on the Italians, but (as far as bakeries go) this place is simply exquisite. Princi,  one of Milan's smartest bakery and deli outfits has opened is UK flagship store on Wardour St in the heart of Soho. Who would have imagined a bakery come cafe and deli could be so serene? Well, at least that is, when its not heaving at the sides full of hungry customers, slavering over the beautifully designed and stocked glass counters. Calming classical music combines with the tranquil sound of trickling water from the feature than runs the length of one side of the counter seating to create such a relaxing space to have your coffee and pastry. The interior is more akin to a swish Scandinavian hotel lobby with its sleek marble, stone and glass surfaces.  The displays at the counter taste as good as they look - everything from croissant, panetonne, apple charlotte, traditional tiramisu, breads of every kind; fruit, olive and nut in various sizes and of course pizzas and other delicious savories. Surprisingly, everything is pretty good value as well with great Italian coffee and a pastry coming in under £3.00 (you'll pay as much for your coffee in some places and it won't necessarily be good).  In addition to the bakery goods, there's also a salad and hot food counter offering traditional Italian dishes such as mozzarella, tomato and basil, Italian beef stew, lasagna, and polenta.  For someone with both a love of and rather unmentionable reactions to anything leaven, it is both a heaven and hell on earth. But when its this good I'll suffer the un-mentionables once in a while.  If you're a fan of cafe culture, especially of the bustling Italian kind, you'll love this. Princi, 135 Wardour Street, Soho. www.princi.it

new upscale brand from the brains behind ZARA

Great news for fans of the Spanish brand Zara, who have launched a new, slightly more upscale clothing and accessories line. Not yet in the UK, I checked out their new brand Uterque on a recent trip to Barcelona for the Bread and Butter street trends fair (review blog to follow). I was pleasantly surprised by the collection of well designed, reasonable quality clothes and accessories, which were priced pretty well too. Particularly impressive were the bags, ranging from totes, shoppers and day bags to natty little evening bags. The quality and dye of the leather used felt as though it should be carrying a hefty price tag, but didn't. Contemporary takes on classic seventies and forties designs lent the pieces a sense of longevity that would ensure you get good value out of your purchases. I particularly liked a small rectangular tan leather shoulder bag, great for a 'casual night out' get up - or could easily be worn with a smart safari trouser suit this spring/summer. Trying desperately to stick to my budget, I opted for the chic little midnight blue suede and gold trim tube clutch pictured, to go with a midnight blue cashmere number for an upcoming wedding. In the sale, a very reasonable €29.90; given 2007 exchange rates it would've been a steal! A black textured pencil skirt for the same price also had to come home with me - its a classic and will do me for a few winters to come. I don't know when Uterque will reach our shores, but keep a keen eye out... its definitely worth a look for value purchases. Bring it on over here!

Where to spend in times of drought

Suffering from overindulgence, on a micro-post-Christmas level and macro post-global-over-consumption level... where does one head to spend the diminished coffers on eating or drinking out? To my mind in times like these I turn to the places that offer simple things done exceptionally well, with style rather than a fashion.... the LBD (that's little black dress for you fellas) of the gastro world so to speak.  Rather than paying premiums for pretentious surroundings and service, I would recommend the quiet but confident little places that deliver quality, consistently, with charm and personality at great value. Two spring to mind; which I share with some reluctance, as I run the risk of them being overrun by marauding crowds. I reassure myself in the thought that they won't be everyone's brew, and thank goodness for diversity. The first is Negozio Classica www.negozioclassica.co.uk, on the juncture of Portobello Road and Westbourne Park Road.  This classy little joint is just so simple, chic and well stocked with delicious wines and produce that you can't go wrong any time, any day. The ambiance is relaxed but stylish with a few contemporary classic armchairs from Ercol and the like. Cool but subtle latin lounge vibes play in the background and never so loud you can't enjoy an engaging conversation. Wines are of course Italian and wonderful; available by the class or you can buy any bottle from the shelf and pay a corkage. It has one of those state of the art wine dispensers (forgive the probably incorrect expression) which means you can indulge in a glass of very good Barolo without having to fork out for the bottle. The food menu consists of classic plates such as parma, mozzarella, rocket and fresh fig drizzled with acacia honey and olive oil - the quality and flavor of which speak for themselves. For those with a sweet tooth there is usually a  cake or two of the day to indulge in with a very good Italian coffee. Try the Tuscan tomato cake with avocado and mozzarella with a glass of the rose Prosecco; you'll be back for more. My second offering has its roots in Spain; Dehesa, on the corner of Ganton Street, Kingley Street end offers both classic and contemporary tapas in a simple but stylish venue. The music and the atmosphere is always buzzing, with a really good crowd. The menu changes from time to time offering some interesting new dishes, retaining old favorites such as top quality Iberico and Serrano Hams, Manchego and Membrillo with walnuts. The size of the dishes allow you to indulge to the limits of your eyes, stomach or wallet - whichever  you prefer.... and its pretty easy going on the latter by all counts. The Cava brut is a bit of a favorite of mine... good substitute when Champagne seems a little extravagant. 

Welcome to the cognoscenti living blog... I feel excited and intrepid scribing this first entry into what I hope to be the beginning of something auspicious (at least for me), and prolific.

I've been working on the idea of providing a source of intelligence on enjoying the best life has to offer for some time... drawing on the experiences and encounters I have whilst on my travels, in London, UK and internationally. I'm a particular kind of character, very clear about things I like and look for... friends refer to my perfectionist tendencies affectionately (or so they would have me think) and often refer to me for advice on where to find certain things; whether its a particular piece of clothing, a good place to eat or hold an event, stay in or holiday in. I do have a knack for picking winners - although sadly not in the racing world (apologies for any excitement caused prior to the last qualifying statement).

So, I thought I would use this gift for the greater good! And here I am, wondering what on earth to write about first...