July 2017 Favourites List

This month, I’d like to share some pictures from Alberobello in Puglia, Italy. It’s a pretty little town with ancient Trulli houses, made of stone. I posted about my weekend in nearby Matera earlier this month, and Alberobello was one of the places we explored during our trip. (The link is included below, if you would like to have a little read and maybe a gawk at my pictures.)

In Alberobello, the little streets of round houses are extremely photogenic. Some are converted into small B&Bs or holiday lets, shops and restaurants. But once, they were used as homes and barns. Each Trullo had an upstairs storage area where the harvest or hay for the animals was stored, the conical rooves of the houses having function as well as a highly individual form.

Hopefully you will all be thinking about your Summer travels. I hope you manage to get away and have a wonderful time.

Articles/Know How:

The Tallinn food scene is awesome. Here is the Guardian's pick of places to eat. I would definitely second Noa and Lieb. I would add Rataskaevu 16 to their list, for sure. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jul/06/tallinn-estonia-new-nordic-food-restaurants-leading-chefs

Some surprising and unexpected choices here - 8 "must try" dishes from Catalonia. http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/8-best-catalonian-dishes

 

Fish and chips lovers, rejoice! Cod stocks recover. Please, buy sustainable (blue MSC label on the pack). https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/19/sustainable-british-cod-on-the-menu-after-stocks-recover

Pasta myths, busted. Can we stop demonising carbs? https://www.theguardian.com/barilla-pasta/2017/jun/21/the-truth-about-pasta-10-pasta-myths-busted

Recipes:

Beetroot, the purple Marmite of the vegetable world, is in season. Here's a salad to have with simply cooked meat or fish: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/beetroot-potato-and-red-onion-salad/

Chicken pie, reimagined for Summer eating: http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/meat-and-poultry/summer-chicken-filo-pies/

Soy basted chicken with Sriracha cashews. (The cashews are going to make a great snacking dish!!) https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018763-grilled-soy-basted-chicken-thighs-with-spicy-cashews

Gary (Big Spud blog) shares his Roast pork belly with Asian slaw and lemon rice recipe: http://bigspud.co.uk/recipes/roast-pork-belly-asian-slaw-pickled-lemon-rice/

Braising the beef rather than browning mince; a Chilli con carne with a twist: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/braised-beef-chilli-con-carne/

If you visit Venice this Summer, grab a packet of Bigoli (a speciality Venetian pasta, like Spaghetti). Here's a quintessentially Venetian recipe to make with it! https://chestnutsandtruffles.com/2016/04/17/bigoli-in-salsa-venetian-anchovy-pasta-recipe/

 

Rhubarb and ginger are a fab combination. (I add a little pickled sushi ginger to my rhubarb crumble - tip I picked up from Gordon Ramsay!). Here's a jam recipe from Janice: http://farmersgirlkitchen.co.uk/2012/06/rhubarb-ginger-jam/

Turkish style chicken with walnut sauce by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/chicken-recipes/hugh-fearnley-whittingstalls-turkish-chicken-with-walnuts/

Japanese Robatayaki grilling is unmissably delicious. Here's a recipe for beef skewers: http://www.today.com/recipes/grilled-flank-steak-yakitori-sauce-recipe-t113231

Here's a prawn Robatayaki recipe, if you don't eat beef: http://www.today.com/recipes/grilled-shrimp-yuzu-butter-recipe-t113230

Lee Tiernan's spicy recipes - tofu, chicken thighs and curry chips: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jun/24/recipe-crispy-chicken-thighs-curry-chips-spicy-tofu-fried-eggs-lee-tiernan-guest-cook

What you might have missed at Snig's Kitchen:

Matera, southern Italy. A weekend among the "Sassi" (Stones): http://snigskitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/matera-italy-weekend-among-stones.html

Film:

Legend (2015)

TV:

The Book Group, Series 1

Music:

Radiohead, A Moon Shaped Pool

The xx, I See You

Kate Tempest, Let Them Eat Chaos

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.