Thursday 17 July 2008

Just For Kicks


Okay, I guess it won't hurt to reveal what I had for nibbles...
Teaming up with a 2002 Veuve Clicquot rosé were not one, but a whole selection of nibbles. In the front row: A mayonnaise-dip reminiscent of bearnaise (it contained tarragon), four boiled quail eggs in a custom made egg shaped jar (don't worry, I didn't pinch it), homemade potato chips with tomato powder, one deep fried onion ring and finally, the quirky bit: Caramellized popcorn. The only minus was the fact that no sooner had I had a sip of my drink, but the maitre d' said: "Don't mean to rush you, but we have six courses to get through - please follow me...". I quickly tried one of each treat, grabbed my drink and left the rest behind (notice how the appetizer still shows on the photo from my dinner table). Must admit that I don't quite get the fuss about quail eggs though. As much as I looove quails on their own, I find that their eggs are really just tiny, although very pretty, eggs. And the onion ring although very tasty was actually a bit funny. I guess the whole array was their take on popular culture, which wasn't a bad idea at all.
And on another gourmet note I'd better not even get started on black truffles. What's with the much ado about that ingredient? As far as I have tasted, it has a very delicate (meaning hardly noticeable) flavour vaguely resembling an unripe and green hazelnut fresh from the shell. By all means, that's a nice flavour and all, but for that price, I don't really think it's worth it. How about you? If you think I'm an unbearable ignoramus, please let me have it - while you are at it - let me in on the brotherhood-of-the-black-truffle secrets, please.

When Two Become One


Have you ever had that happen to you? That two parts of your life coincide and make sweet, sweet music? Well, it happened to me not so long ago. For the last couple of months I have been out doing extensive research for my upcoming traveller's guide for the rather well known line of books called "Turen går til..." by the Danish publisher Politikens Forlag. It is a book about 24 weekend trips away from Copenhagen around Denmark and a few in the southern parts of Sweden. On that occasion I have been on a trip for every single weekend for ages it seems. A great job for me, but not too good for the blogging I'm afraid. But now it's pay-back time. Because the moment this job seriously started to make sense and sweet sweet music, was when the time came for my gourmet trip to Funen, around Faaborg. This photograph was taken from my seat at the highly acclaimed countryside inn, Falsled Kro, where I ended my gourmet trip in style. I really truly enjoyed seeing what they came up with, and every single plate was a work of art (one in particular made the tepid metaphor come true - it really looked like a Miró!). Anyway, I noticed some very definite trends among the different restaurants I have tried of late, some of which were due to the seasonal ingredients:

1) Peas, peas, peas - mostly just naked and ready
2) Variations on a theme: Carrots, strawberries, malt etc.
3) Freeze-dried berries, which I really don't understand - in my world that strange flavour belongs in a müsli, not a gourmet dessert!
4) Calvisius caviar or lumpsucker roe with a dense whipped cream/creme fraiche and fresh herbs or smoked cheese (a specialty on Funen) dollop.
5) Food arranged in separate little dollops, dots, balls, twigs etc. - making the plate seem a bit flimsy, but in a good way.
6) Using edible flowers
7) The wine-guy talking really fast and mentioning all sorts of more or less interesting details about the wine-making process to the extent that you forget the name of the wine itself, which is really annoying if you want to go out and get it on your own some day
I might get back to you with a pic of the food, but I don't know if I should. Wouldn't want to reveal too much of their stuff online. But one thing I learned, and was very very sad to understand, is how you can actually get too much of a good thing. I seriously wouldn't recommend having three 4-7 course gourmet dinners within five days, and especially not accompanied by wine menus as well. It doesn't do the food or you justice at all. You want to
take this kind of food as slowly as it is produced, give it a whole evening with nothing else planned than clomping back to bed afterwards. My tight scedule nearly ruined the gourmet experience at times, but luckily the royal treatment at Falsled got me back into the game just in time. So learn from these mistakes and don't waste all that money and good food on an overstimulated palate.