Miku in Art Exhibition

This week's Miku Channel report has our favourite Vocaloid featured in one 'chapter' of an art exhibition at the Mori Art Museum in Japan's Roppongi Hills. While there, we also take a look at a time-limited Miku-themed café, which I believe is the Mado Lounge Spice Club.

This latter event launched on 26 April and will continue with Miku-inspired dishes and decor until 16 June. The dishes include Ievan Pollka Cocktails (complete with leek), 39 Curry, and Green Onion-Tea Soba where the 'green onion' is again a leek(!) There's even a Nekomimi Switch confection (check out the cat ears!) and, perhaps predictably, an ice cube filled drink called Melt...

I suspect that regular visitors to my 'blog have realised that these reports are being produced weekly, also perhaps that I didn't have one here last week. That was because it was a tutorial on how to apply Miku-style makeup, and I didn't think that would interest many if any who visit my corner of the blogging world...

Stand By Your Pan

Perhaps thinking of that song title might remind people not to leave cooking (especially on the hob) unattended, particularly when they are tired, such as late at night.

I never do, unlike this fellow – and there have been several such stories in this area recently, including a deep fryer in Ingle Road, not all that far from where I live. This is something like the fourth such incident of which I have read in the local news during the past few weeks, and I suspect the warmer evenings might have something to do with people sitting down and dozing off while cooking is in progress.

This is also a useful reminder to make sure we have working smoke alarms, at least one on each floor of our home, and one of them to be near (though not in) the kitchen.

Prawn Again

I've enjoyed prawn cocktail starters ever since I discovered the dish in 1975 (at the Minerva Greek/English restaurant in West Croydon, long since gone). Over the years, I've found (as one does) that different establishments each have their own way of preparing and presenting this starter, as for other dishes.

Some would serve it up in shiny metal dishes, some in glass, some on a plate. Some would include a slice of lemon, sometimes in a squeezer, others on the edge of the glass/dish. Some might have a small slice of cucumber and/or one of tomato. And so it went on...

My preferred style was with the tomato and cucmber slices, plus lemon to squeeze the juice of over the dressing, and cayenne pepper. This I found delicious, especially with slices of brown bread on the side.

My own experiments, here and at Chateau John before that, have included substituting king prawns (either standard or large) for the usual prawns, and sometimes paprika for the cayenne pepper. I also sometimes have a crusty white roll, warmed and still crisp, with butter (this is one of those occasions where no other spread works as well), and I have just done today – indeed, with all of those variations: large king prawns, a good mixed (crispy) salad, paprika, and a warmed crusty white roll with butter.

All of this was washed down with the classic (if unadventurous) Montpierre French Sauvignon Blanc, which happens to be ideal for this sort of meal.

In recent months I have also been trying a new (to me) technique of pouring out the first glass of white wine well in advance, and placing the filled glass in the 'fridge to chill, i.e. glass and all. It's actually rather good; so if I am sufficiently on the ball, I hope to make this a more regular practice.

Overall, even something as comparatively simple as a prawn cocktail can be made more interesting with a little experimentation, and I do recommend trying variations on such established themes.

Chinese Snack

I am having one of my 'funny times' where I am up during much of the night and have necessarily had lie-downs during the preceding day.

Usually, when I have to get up in the night, it is because of hunger: my insides operate on their own timetable these days. Hopefully this is just a passing phase and I shan't be like this for the rest of my life; but we shall see...

Anyway, for tonight I cooked half a pack of Chinese snacks/side items: that's two each of sesame prawn toasts, won tuns and mini spring rolls. As usual, I had these with some crispy veg-based tray salad and a generous (though not excessive) splash of sweet chilli sauce. I actually prefer the hot sauce, but it's not easy to find, and I do like the sweet variety almost as much.

The 'secret ingredient' tonight, though, was surprisingly simple: an ordinary tomato, cut into very small pieces. Each quarter of the (standard size) tomato was quartered, and then those sixteen pieces were each halved again. Thus I had 32 small pieces of tomato, each such piece just enough to have a bonus effect on each mouthful (four per won tun, four per mini spring roll, six per prawn toast), with four spare to intersperse as I went along.

It worked really well, and is something I recommend trying. Sometimes the simplest things can have a disproportionately beneficial effect...

Happy Easter 2013

...and what better way to celebrate than by making some chocolate Miku and candies...

Bert or Bort?

Or perhaps both? I today found that Bertolli spread on crackers and de Bortoli Cabernet-Merlot as wash-down both went very well with some rather nice Wensleydale cheese with cranberries in it...

I am allowed to have cranberries (though not to excess) but not cranberry juice, which causes problems with the Warfarin I have to take nowadays; but I rarely have them anyway, just to be extra safe....

Today's Selezione

Today I choose Inycon's Selezione Sangiovese-Shiraz, which is a typically full and rounded Sicilian red wine, blending the Italian classic Sangiovese grape with Sicilian-grown Shiraz (a.k.a. Syrah) to produce an outstanding red for meats and grills.

I have long been familiar with Sicilian reds, going back to the standard of the time, Corvo Rosso in the 'seventies that I could have with meals at such places as Trattoria Imperia in London's Charing Cross Road (often known as 'Gino's place', where he'd sing to his customers as well as take their orders!) – long since gone, but patronised by numerous celebrities, many of whose photos and messages were attached to the wall.

Sadly, Corvo Rosso has become just about impossible to find in recent years, so it is good that there is now a substitute that has much of the feel and flavour of that classic, and adds something of its own character to the underlying concept.

I like it very much for the occasions when a fuller red is most suitable, and as an alternative to the other 'heavy' reds that I have occasionally mentioned here (and a number I have not yet featured).

As always, though, do not fall into the trap of assuming that the same source's whites are all that good. Their offering is passable; but Italians and Sicilians continue to be relatively poor at white wine, though I have no real idea why this should be. I have tried many over the years and decades, but the situation hasn't materially improved. Therefore I recommend looking elsewhere for whites.

For a full-bodied red, though, the Selezione Sangiovese-Shiraz is perfectly able to hold its own with others in the same category.

The New Yorker

I'm not quite sure about the New Yorker sandwich I just tried (bought at Sainsbury), which comprises pastrami, Emmental cheese and gherkin mustard mayonnaise, all on malted bread – so to get in the right mood, here are the Gremlins mounting their musical number, featuring that Sinatra favourite of related name...

Nowrein Part 3

You know that expression "It doesn't get much better than this"? Well, today's meal at Nowrein Indian buffet restaurant in Chatham (close to the boundary with Rochester) reminded me of that saying.

Although the starters were a bit ordinary (an area that could be improved upon) the main dishes were again exemplary, with Tikka Masala, Dhansak, Korma, Fish Begum and two Korai dishes (lamb and chicken) among several others. The last is the word from which the word 'curry' is thought most likely to derive, after a lengthy investigation by Ismail Merchant (of Ivory-Merchant film-making fame).

Along with three rices and a half-dozen side dishes plus two Daal (lentil) additions, plus the usual mini-naan breads, the selection seemed if anything even better than before, and was truly brilliant! The word 'delicious' hardly does it justice – trust me on this! Better still, go and try it for yourself.

By the way, the coffee they serve on request afterward is excellent too, especially now they have brown sugar in (which hadn't arrived when I was in there before).

Although I turned up at half past two in the afternoon, the place was still busy-ish, with several tables occupied including an Indian family of six or so. I have seen Indian groups and families in there before, and that is a good sign too: they know what is and what isn't good, better than anyone else. It is not common to encounter their patronage at such places, so this is a significant indicator.

I notice these things...

The details again...

Nowrein Indian Buffet Restaurant, 74 High Street, Chatham, ME4 4DS. Tel: (01634) 400 450

Open noon to 11 pm every day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays

Nowrein Part 2

I am just back from a delicious (late) lunch at the newly-opened Nowrein Indian buffet restaurant I mentioned a few days ago. It really is very, very good – though I ought to mention that they can't yet take cards for payment (that facility is expected to be put in next week) so take some real money along – you won't need all that much anyway...

Especially bearing in mind that they are in competition with several long-established Indian eateries close by, and with the possible confusion of yet another such place that has also just opened this week, it is remarkable indeed that they have already served over 600 customers in just these few days. I hear that the word is getting around that this is the best in the area – something I already knew but locals probably did not, on the whole.

Their buffet varies from day to day, the owner confirmed to me in conversation today, and over a week covers the entirety of styles of main, side and starter dishes that one expects to encounter on a conventional Indian menu. Today, for example, there were four starters, plus puppadoms and chutneys, also Korma, Tikka Masala, Jalfrezi, Vindaloo and other main dishes that I don't recall offhand, along with at least five side dishes and three styles of rice.

The garlic mini-naans were a little dry for my taste, but were okay. Everything else was truly superb (and I'm a well-known fusspot!) and well up to the standard I have come to expect from this outfit.

My intention is to go there once a week if I am able and available; and at just under a fiver (from Thursday: half price meanwhile) for an eat-all-you-can buffet, it is not only affordable but, frankly, irresistible!

Nowrein Indian Buffet Restaurant, 74 High Street, Chatham, ME4 4DS. Tel: (01634) 400 450

Open noon to 11 pm every day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays

New Indian Buffet

It's very good – but then it would be, as it's part of the growing group of restaurants that includes my favourite Medway-based eaterie, Cliffe Spice. I well know the standards set there!

This one, opened today, is called Nowrein after the owner's daughter, and offers a comprehensive buffet-based deal of starters, main courses, side dishes and desserts. I was privileged to be invited to today's opening. For the opening week, the price of the buffet is at half its normal rate at just £4·95 during the daytime and £7·95 in the evening. Children are charged at a significantly lower rate in each case. This offer extends until 17 October 2012. It's an 'all you can eat' fixed price deal, too.

I remember first experiencing the delights of an Indian buffet when one near my old home in the Wimbledon area started doing Sunday lunchtime buffets. That was Zayka, and it's still there I believe, all these years later, directly opposite the Nelson Hospital where I was born(!)

Instead of the usual fare of one starter, one main dish, one type of rice and one side dish, the idea is to try a little of this and some of that, and anything else you might fancy. I had several small starter items, for example, making up a normal-sized starter combined, and a popadum with chutneys and relish.

The main dishes included meat and chicken dishes such as bhuna, dopiaza, plain curry and tikka masala, along with a choice of types of rice and side dishes such as brinjal (aubergine), sag aloo (spinach and potato) and a mixed veg' curry. It was all of the very high quality I have come to expect from this outfit, with the only (very slight) fault being too much coconut in one of the dishes. Very few people would even notice, I suspect....

The new Nowrein restaurant is open every day (including Sundays and bank holidays) from 12 noon right through to 11 pm, and can be found at 74 High Street, Chatham, Kent ME4 4DS. It has a licensed bar, and an upstairs seating area as well as (and as large as) that on the ground floor. The telephone number is (01634) 400 450.

Highly recommended – and a little different from the norm – and I intend to be back there at least once during the offer period, and no doubt ongoing whenever I can justify it. At least it isn't exactly expensive, so that should be reasonably frequent.

Chatham Buck's Fizz

I have just learned that we here in Chatham, Kent have our own (less expensive!) variant of Buck's Fizz.

The original is (apparently) two parts orange juice to one part Champagne.

The Chatham version is half a glass of Lucozade on top of which is poured half a glass of Cava. I gather it's important that it is done that way round. The result is presumably 'stirred, not shaken'.

Hmm... I don't think I'll bother with it myself – actually I don't really fancy the original either – but offer it as a way for even the chavvy folk of my home area to participate in the idea at a more readily affordable cost.

Flavour or Body?

The title might seem like an odd question, but it's a distinction one needs to be careful to make if considering buying McGuigan's 'Classic' Cabernet Sauvignon, from Australia.

McGuigan produce some very good wines, by the way, but they are too expensive for me to recommend routinely, so look out for offers – such as those at Sainsbury in recent weeks, where one or another white and a red has been marked down, in turn, to a much more affordable price (around a fiver, typically).

In the case of their Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, the label describes it as full flavoured rather than the more usual description full bodied; and in fact it is really medium bodied (and a a bit, perhaps) but certainly with lots of flavour.

I like it, especially with pizza and salad, or picnic-type items again with salad. It also goes well with Bavarian smoked cheese, though not quite as well for this as (say) Kumala Zenith red.

Don't Buy For Me from Argentina...

...The truth is, their wines are very variable.

However, one very good red is the one I won in a raffle yesterday: the Waxed Bat (I kid you not!) Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec.

This is really quite good and goes well with (for example) even medium-strength cheeses and meats such as pork (including gammon, bacon and pepperoni), lamb and venison.

Earlier years had the Petit Verdot grape* in the three-way blend instead of Cabernet Sauvignon, and that I haven't tried as yet, so for now my recommendation applies only to the version I have described. If I can get hold of the other variety, I shall give it a try and report my findings in a later post.

(*  Petit Verdot is a grape I have previously encountered only once, and that in another three-way blend, Hardy's Voyage series red.)

Dressing for Dinner

It is becoming very difficult to find decent salad dressings for my dinner these days: most of what is available in the shops is rather yucky, I find.

The really good stuff, such as Cardini's Caesar and Ranch dressings and the late Paul Newman's range, have vanished from the shops during recent years, not even appearing for the summer season let alone all year round.

At least as far as oil-based dressings are concerned, there is Maille's vinaigrette with "a touch of black olives" (as it says on the label), and this I have found to be very good with none of the sickliness of the others on the market – whether a supermarket's own brand, Kraft, Hellman's or any other I have found for sale.

I still miss the Newman's and Cardini dressings, especially the latter as the two I mentioned are creamy dressings which have their particular uses and for which I have no current alternative, but at least I now have something usable.

An excellent creamy dressing that one cannot buy separately is the chive-and-herb dressing that comes with Sainsbury's "classic" tray salad, in a sachet. Now, if only that were available in a bottle...

Luncheon 23 April 2012

This was Sainsbury's Salmon en Croute (one of their three-for-£10 offer choices, two per pack) with salad garnish and some mixed veg' on onee side, and spicy potato wedges on the other side.

The foil was simply to ensure it didn't stick to the (supposedly non-stick) baking tin. They are supposed to be cooked in the supplied packaging; but as there are two of them I have to take one out to cook, and the other is done in the packaging a few days later.

The wash-down you can see in the glass was Bonne Nouvelle non-alcoholic Chardonnay.

John Takes The Biscuit

You know the 'wrong' biscuit that's always included in a selection pack of biscuits for cheese? Yes, the semi-sweet one, described as "Wheatsheaf digestive" on the ASDA selection box.

I originally thought it was a strange inclusion, and others I have spoken to have had that view too.

However, I have found that it goes quite well with some cheeses, and I'll nowadays have it as (usually) the second to be consumed of a selection of (typically) four.

I have found it goes well with Double Gloucester, Brie, Gruyère and mature Cheddar – no spread, just the cheese and the biscuit, ideally washed down with something appropriate to the particular cheese. No doubt there are other cheeses that are OK too, though not blue cheeses, I have found.

After several years of enjoying this combination, though, I can state that it's definitely worth a try – but don't put any kind of spread on it!