October 2017 Favourites List

This month’s pictures are from the Italian city of Lecce, from my trip earlier this year. In the southern region of Puglia, Lecce is a historic and beautiful place, perfect for wandering around, gawking with your camera at the ready, followed up by fabulous food and drink. 

There is a fabulous, half buried sunken amphitheatre in the town centre, dating back from the 2^nd Century AD. Other buildings were constructed on top of it, which is why you can’t see the full circle of the theatre which would have accommodated 25,000 people. 

Around the rest of the town, Baroque architecture picks up those classical influences, as the limestone columns, arches and decorative figures fill the town with style and grace. The imposing city gates would once have been guarded, keeping the people of Lecce safe, and keeping undesirables out. 

The wines of the region aren’t the most famous of Italian wines, but you will struggle to find bad wine. The seafood is spectacular (I particularly recommend Blu Notte, just by the Porta San Bagio). It’s a wonderful place to spend a few days, and unwind among the abundant culture.

Porta San Bagio

Food articles and know-how:

Foodie storytelling par excellence from Aaron. The life and times of a shipping container:  https://1-dish-4-the-road.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/smoke-salt-life-and-times-of-shipping.html

Chengdu, Sichuan, where "spice is life". Food meets travel: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/in-chengdu-a-fiery-introduction-to-szechuan-cuisine/amp

Cooking infographics for home cooks: http://thefoodexplorer.com/uncategorized/27-infographics-that-make-cooking-so-much-easier/

After the revelations that jars of supermarket pesto contain as much salt as a Big Mac, are there any other storecupboard products which appear to be healthy but might not be? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/nutrition/pesto-salad-dressing-cous-cous-unhealthiest-healthy-foods-kitchen/

Recipes:

Chilli, tomatoes, pasta. Arrabbiata sauce is a spicy Italian classic (although I have received the tip that perhaps the vinegar could be left out, for which I thank Linda Paulnott, a previous guest blog author): https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/05/how-to-cook-the-perfect-penne-allarrabbiata

 

Autumnal borlotti beans with lamb and a tangy salsa: http://boroughmarket.org.uk/recipes/lamb-rump-borlotti-beans-salsa-verde

 

I keep whole mung/moong beans at home for sprouting. But here's a dahl recipe which uses them, from Mamta's Kitchen: http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/recipe_display.php?id=10371

 

Cookwitch Lisa is exploring Autumn's produce with this Rye bread: http://cookwitch.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/more-adventures-in-bread-light-rye.html

New recipe from Food Urchin, Dan - Pearl Barley "risotto" with chard, mushroom and bacon: http://www.foodurchin.com/2017/10/pearl-barley-risotto-with-chard.html

 

Panch phoran is a Bengali spice mixed from 5 different whole spice seeds. Want to know how to use it? Here's a recipe from Romy Gill, which uses squash, which is in season right now. http://khoollect.com/eat-kitchen/recipe/panch-photon-squash-romy-gill-recipe/

 

Having been asked for uses for stale bread, I thought I would share this for you - some interesting links to other recipes at the bottom, such as a dessert, Exeter pudding: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/09/20-recipe-ideas-leftover-bread

 

Venetian sweet and sour prawns and Venetian sweet and sour sardines; if you want to make the prawn dish, substitute prawns for sardines and follow the sardine recipe.

Sardines: https://chestnutsandtruffles.com/2016/05/18/sarde-in-saor-venetian-sweet-and-sour-sardines-recipe/

Prawn: https://chestnutsandtruffles.com/2017/09/29/mazzancolle-in-saor-venetian-sweet-and-sour-prawns-recipe/

Searcy's smoked salmon fishcakes with tartar salad: http://goodthingsmagazine.com/searchs-smoked-salmon-fishcake/

 

I love dumplings of virtually every description. Pierogis are just one scrummy example! https://www.kaveyeats.com/2017/09/pierogi-ruskie-polish-dumplings-with-cheese-and-potatoes.html

My other writing:

Blog post for law students - Evidence in chief tips from former BPTC students: http://snigsclassroom.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/evidence-in-chief-tips-from-former-bptc.html

Music:

Mogwai – Every Country’s Sun

The Duke Spirit – KIN

Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness

TV: 

The Vietnam War

BBC Introducing: 10 Years of Finding The Next Big Thing

BBC 6 Music Live: Mogwai

BBC 6 Music Live: Robert Plant