Cooking for dummies
At a certain lunchtime spot I have frequented a few times due to freelance work I undertake, I have on occasion tried the lunch in the staff canteen (cafeteria). Each time, I have looked at the yummy offerings, filled a plate at the lunch bar then eagerly got back to my desk to chow down to then be extremely disappointed. The salad bar wasn’t cheap either and each time I paid for an overly salted, terrible meal – I swore to never go again! This has gone on for a while, so it was boycotted altogether and the predictable Prêt or Eat sandwich was then consumed in greater quantities.
I am not sure when the ball dropped but someone must’ve complained to the canteen manager (not me!) and the food has had a major overhaul since – people around me started saying mmm...and yum and the salad bar became popular again. There are now wonderful salads made with mushrooms and tofu, spinach and feta cheese salads with lentil, cold meat offerings, pasta salads, thai noodle salads and lots of freshly cut veggies that you can load onto your plate. It is almost unrecognisable as the same place that I had salt overdoses from. So, what was the secret to the food quality overhaul?
Simple cooking lessons!! A few simple cooking lessons were given to the staff. How to toast croutons with day old bread, how to make light, fresh simple salads that are filling and healthy (rice and lentils are cheap) how to taste what you make – so it is not like licking a salt shaker anymore but it is yummy and delicious.
SO for those of you who say you can’t cook – here’s proof that it can all be turned around with a few short simple lessons by an expert, or just pick up a Cooking for Dummies book, ask your mum (if she is a good cook) or just try(!) recipes that aren’t hard to follow, or even watch a YouTube video on how to make a stir-fry - it isn't that hard.
Good luck to the cooking challenged!
x
The Tapas Revolution has started & two fresh faced Spanish chefs (Omar trained at the famous El Bulli in Espagna and Danny his quiet and sweet sidekick) are at the helm of it. With a big leg of jamon serrano (cured ham) in hand; they are making their way across the UK –in the shape of a big ‘T’ with only a motorbike and a few cooking utensils. 
Before their grand departure for first stop, glamorous Liverpool, the charismatic chef and his sidekick invited a few peeps to a farewell dinner in Westbourne Grove at the lovely El Pirata Detapas for a send off. After this dinner I remembered how much I love Spanish food and how I don’t have it enough! 
The menu consisted of the loveliest foods ever. First up was my favourite of the night - Ajo Bianco, a drink made with ground almonds, milk & garlic. Divine! Then there were piquillo peppers with the tastiest and softest baccala (salted cod) served on toasted bread – I think I hogged the whole platter of this; following that, there was a lovely salad with chick peas, orange, sultanas and veg served with a thick red pepper dressing –yum. And, yes there was more, a large rice dish was carried out that had a bit of fish, sausage, rabbit and other meats and treats inside –yum again. All served with sangria that was drunk too quickly on a hot evening and on an empty stomach; the Burger warned me that there was alcohol in there (you could only taste fruity goodness!) Well, with a light head and full belly we bid the energetic chefs off and skipped off home to meet the visiting Dutch and Czech visitors. 
