Tamarind and Thyme

I surf the net so you don’t have to!

Not a recent post but Pim’s Pad Thai for beginners looks very promising.

I learned about Kushi-Tei through a recent review on Time Out London. Japanese food on a stick - how can it go wrong?!

Elsewhere on the Time Out London site: Cheap Eats 2007, Offbeat World Cuisines in London and a guide to Eating at the Bar.

This is what happens to me in the kitchen.

Marco Pierre White would rather eat a Big Mac than airline meals. I agree.

Last Friday, I met Adelyn for dinner as she happened to be in London, on a break from her studies in Paris.

I gave Adelyn full reign over both our choices at Canteen; she had wanted some traditional British food. First up, potted duck with piccalilli and toast (£6). The duck is nice, a little smoother than I would have liked but there are still discernible flakes of meat in there. I really like their piccalilli, chunks of pickled cauliflower, green beans and peppers in a mustard sauce.

We also split a veal and chicken pie, the pie of the day (£9). What can I say, it was good.

Not much to start with, I know, but we had to leave room for dessert! I love the desserts at Canteen - I cannot stand the usual chocolate fondant cakes and frozen slices of cheesecakes at other places. All are priced at £5 each. Adelyn was craving brownies and chose the chocolate brownie caramel sundae. It was excellent as usual and came with a generous scoop of thick cream on top.

I wanted the gingerbread with rhubarb and Jersey cream. I love all things ginger and this gingerbread was gorgeous! So soft and warm and melting…I could fall asleep in a pile of it. The rhubarb compote wasn’t too sour and the cream…um…they really like their cream here. I thought it was ice cream at first, until I tasted it. It was as thick as butter and almost as yellow and I guess it must have been clotted cream.

Their menu does change seasonally with their roasts and pies changing daily. Save room for dessert!

Canteen
2 Crispin Place
Spitalfields
London E1 6DW
And another branch is opening at the Royal Festival Hall soon.

Yesterday, despite the dark grey clouds threatening to put a damper on the day, we ventured out to New Bond Street to visit Postcard Teas. They don’t offer traditional English afternoon teas but instead offer a list of excellent teas and infusions at only £1.50 a cup. Oh, and I’ve heard that if you decide to purchase a bag of the tea you’ve just tried, that £1.50 will go towards its purchase. They have a few cakes that change each day (£1.50 a slice), chocolates and many tea accessories on offer too.

I chose Snow Jewel, a white tea from China. Here it is along with slices of lemon cake and banana cake.

Blai had a Korean green tea called Nokcha, a tea that didn’t really taste like tea. I know that’s not particularly helpful but it just tasted nice and you’re going to have to take my word for it!

When we paid, we got to choose one of their postcard business cards with images of tea-drinking from the early 1910’s-20’s. I chose a photo of a tea party with chimps!

Postcard Teas
9 Dering Street
New Bond Street
London W1S 1AG

Thank you to those of you who’ve prodded me into starting this food blog - you know who you are!