London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Whenever Pescheria Mattiuci is mentioned, I dribble in memory of my last dinner there. Ah, their crudo, an assortment of raw fish served with orange to be juiced  and a selection of salts! This melting sensation, the freshness of it all! And their preparations, just grilled and so full of taste…

If I love to cook, fish is definitely not my strongest point. Past salmon or cod fillets, I do not quite know where to start. A bit shy, a bit scared to get it wrong, a bit lost. So when Pescheria proposed cooking workshops, I jumped on the occasion.

Some places lose their magic on the second visit. Not this one – same homely feeling. A wooden table awaits us, a hug, a smile, a glass of wine and we all cheer to the joyous evening to come. The chef them takes us to the kitchen to prepare gourmet starters. Clever and simple, easy to recreate at home: a slice of exetremely good red tuna -raw, think sashimi- olive oil, salt flakes, a few leaves of rocket, crushed walnuts. Divine! Another well worth noting: brushetta simple dressed with fiora di latte (an equivalent to mozzarella), pouttargue (or anchovies), olive oil ans slices of sundried tomatoes…

We listen in amazement to stories of his childhood, of his region in his singing voice filled with sun. Conversations borrow to Italian, French, English – an international choral! Around us, in that spotless tiny kitchen, the helpers dance around her group, master of the space (and knives).

The evening alternates between preparations and sitting down at the table to enjoy them. Far from a lecture or a lesson, this is more a passionate conversation and we end up fascinated by alliances with herbs, species, best times of the year for this or that… We learn about fishing techniques, here and there a funny anecdote… I find myself cleaning an octopus then stuffing it with prawns and brocoli. Oh, it is easy… Yes, me who only cooks salmon fillets and mussels! Just steam a minute and serve – how lovely when cut open and such a wow effect on guests… Serve with the rest of the brocoli, mixed with olives and capers (another great idea to steal).

We also discover how to prepare fish rolls, with swordfish this time. Once the flesh flattened and tendered, just add a spoonfull of pesto – bread crumbs, parsley, capers, pistachios, pinenuts, pecorino, sundried tomatoes, anchovies, olive oil and blend. The roll as you would for suhis, grill and mmmmh in delight.

A last treat -  we learn how to fillet, much faster than I expected. My cheeks are pink with pleasure. A layer of fish, olive oil, a mix of finely grated orange and lemon zest, ribbons of courgettes, pecorino, more fish, all tied with kitchen twine and tadaaaa… Once cooked, we all get absorbed by this voluptuous moment…

The Greco di Tufo wine, refreshing, crispy, adds to the total happiness. Real tangerines with such a strong perfume and delicious fresh apples for desert were just the perfect touch. Had they a hammock and a figtree, I would just move in.

Verdict? Fabulous backstage tour! When just coming for dinner, you never see through the looking glass, never get a glimpse of how skilled the team is, nor do you imagine the product before cooked. What a pleasure ( I sincerely would never have thought of saying this ever) of seeing the fish whole, of wheighing it in your hands, of touching its texture! And how lucky to see the cold room with all the varieties, including a case of red snappers! While preparing a fish, we opened its stomach to know what his last meal had been and found two smaller fishes. What an experience!

Although I may not try everythin at home, it definitely gave me confidence to experiment, mix, be more exotic in my choices and moreover go to a fishmonger rather than my supermarket. Ideas just fill my head already -  oh, and did they not mention tuna-orange and mint?

The magic comes particularly from the team -  they have made it so friendly and informal, relaxing and entertaining. We felt pretty lucky and VIP to be there after the last customers had left as if we were part of the family. I went back home smiling and walking on a little cloud… (and pretty proud of myself too!)

Each session costs £90. Expensive? Not really if you consider it includes 3 glasses of wine, 2 starters, 3 dishes, desert, the smiles and the lesson…

Pescheria Mattiuci
8 Blenheim Crescent
London W11 1NN
Each session will be different in theme. Contact Cristina to know the dates to come (I have already requested a place for March!): cristina@pescheriamattiucci.com

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