(no subject)

[shinytoaster]

I've been doing rather well vis-a-vis the perks in this job. In the past week I've scored both Arbutus and Quo Vadis for the first time ever. Arbutus set me up with an amazing pig cheek and apple salad, Elwy Valley lamb with sweetbreads and olives, which was probably the most succulent lamb I've ever eaten, and an apple and blackberry charlotte that was average for one Michelin star, but still worth it for the custard alone. The wine was something in a carafe that I don't remember what it was.

Today saw me on the next street over for Quo Vadis, which AA Gill wrote up a few weeks back, where I had amazing tempura courgette flowers and a sirloin steak with bearnaise and very thick cut goose fat chips. No dessert but a 2005 Bordeaux seemed to go rather well with it. I know next to nothing about wine and tend to buy brand-names if left to my own devices, so I am assuming it was a good match. Didn't have me fleeing from the restaurant gagging and clutching my throat, at any rate.

I also moved house again and am now happily installed with L in a cosy little one-bedroom hideaway just off the Upper Tooting Road. We lack for a TV aerial socket, but there's no shortage of brilliant Indian restaurants within two minutes walk, a handy sushi/bento joint, a big Sainsburys, two tube stations, speedy interwebs and a pub that appears to be staffed by cretins. If you care to update your Christmas card address lists leave me a comment with email for you.

I am also cycling to work now, which I'm very pleased about. I'm doing about twelve miles a day, six there and back, in forty minutes, although I could probably do twenty-five if I didn't mind arriving at work smelling funny or got some slick tyres to replace my knobbly MTB kit.

This is one thing I don't understand about British commuter cyclists; in places like Copenhagen or other cities with an actual cycling culture you see hordes of bikers heading into work every day in their suits and work clothes, going at a leisurely pace so as not to work up a sweat, but here everybody wears full kevlar body armour and grumbles if there aren't enough showers at work. I suspect it may have something to do with the total lack of usable segregated facilities. We have segregated facilities in the UK, but most of them are inconvenient, unsafe, or in a lot of cases utterly pointless.

At any rate I've not needed the body armour yet, although I've invested in a very tasteful reflective jacket.

Before I end up going onto any other disparate subjects I'm going to stop typing this now and end on my usual hope that I'll ever update either this LJ or my blog on a more regular basis.

Comments

[catlily.livejournal.com]

Everything sounds good!

Interesting you mention pig cheek - Jay Rayner is talking about it today on Word of Mouth - Waitrose is now selling cheeks, trotters and other more unusual cuts.

Did you like the sweetbreads? They're one of my favourite things.

[titanic-days.livejournal.com]

Well, we now have a Waitrose in Balham within striking distance so I might have to try them out. I loved the sweetbreads, I thought they were very lightly, delicately flavoured for offal (is that normal?) - none of that bloody tang you get to liver or kidneys - could be a good entry route for someone who turns their nose up at such things. They seem to be de rigeur at the minute, too; Quo Vadis had veal sweetbreads on the menu today.

[catlily.livejournal.com]

Yep, they're not called sweetbreads for nothing. The light, creaminess of them is normal, I think they're lovely. They aren't the easiest of things to prepare, though, which is probably why people don't like to cook them at home so much.

Seeing as you are into all of this stuff, if you haven't already been there, you must go to St John. Everything is really good there, but especially the bone marrow starter with the caper and parsley salad. Perfection on a plate.

[littlealex.livejournal.com]

I'd love to update my Christmas card list! I might actually send some this year, too. My email address is alexifer at gmail.com

It sounds like you're doing well, and that's good to hear! *hugs* I miss you posting but it's so hard to do, I know. :)

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Would love to get you onto my updated holiday card listie - so zap the addy to heidi @ heidi8.com

[cherrybomb07.livejournal.com]

Tooting is great! I've got into the habit of getting off the tube a couple of stops early to get some fruit and veg from the market, as it's mostly incredibly cheap.

[ias.livejournal.com]

Belatedly catching up with LJ. Would be happy to inflict another of the Gark Xmas cards on you if you wish. Prob. best to email us both as that way at least one sleep-deprived parent might not delete it by accident: both at gark.net