London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Taste, hint, dash, soupçon, kick, flavor, relish, tang, bite, sweetness, sample, sip, bite…

Nothing is more important to a Froggie than a gourmet moment. A visual pleasure, a charming aroma. Close one’s eyes, let  the taste dance on the taste buds… then savour the pleasure a little longer by putting it into words, making adjectives sing, revive memories, share appreciation. A delicate but tasty time.

I had been following Luiz’ foodie blog for some time. Starving in front of his way too appetising pics and descriptions, filling pages of notes on his best addressed. When I read about his London Cooking Club, it took me seconds to jump on my keyboard and email him.

The concept is pretty simple – the dinner will have a theme, usually a style of cooking or a famous recipe book. Each guest will contribute of one dish and a bottle of wine. As for restaurant underground, plenty of mystery on board – where will it be? Who will you meet?

This time, confort foods are to be honoured. Mine is a roast chicken, stuffed with shallots, garlic, lemon thyme, lime with cloves. Just add a drizzle of olive oil and Lillet (an apéritif from the Bordeaux region, which you can also find here), serve with cumin cooked carrots. Simple but nice.

And what a party this was! I still can’t believe the amount of gorgeous food on the table. Arriving in advance, I sudenly felt intimidated but was so warmly welcomed the anguish disappeared instantly. I was even kissed hello, as I would have been in France, on both cheeks. guests arrived little by little, conversations flowed as freely as the wine and cava, served in vintage Babycham glasses… Janine brought back entire plates of her elegant canapés: fresh figs with a dollo[ of soured cream mixed with soft blue cheese and topped with pancetta. Fresh and full of flavour. Needless to say, they disappeared in no time!

Time to sit down at the table. Gill brings the final touches to her soup -  so fragrant it made out mouth water: sweet potator and ginger, with crunchy croutons and a pinenut and coriander pesto. ideal winter warmer, velvety and what a wonderful play on textures!

Follows a Japanese spicy pork and seafood nabe. We all watch Luiz with curiousity as he sets a portable stove on the table, then lays a clay pot on it. In it simmers a stock made with tuna flakes as well as transparent potato pasta. On top, he has minitiously arranged  tofu, Asian mushrooms, pork, green beans, clams, bamboo shots… It takes little more than 10mn to be ready, and 10 seconds for everyone to be armed with their chopsticks. A dish to die for, everything melts in the mouth. And so interactive as the guests fish treasures with the chopstick and happily share their finds. A second serving? Oh yes, please! Luiz served it with a delicate prune wine with almond taste -  very easy to drink, very dangerous! Would love to see how this one matches with a lychee desert.

It is Razy’s turn to amaze us. A chef’s my trade, watching her dress the plates bring ballet to the mind. A gracious waltz of movements. She carved the chicken for me and was she quick, I still understand how she succeeded so fast. Her dish was a pure dose of exoticism, lamb meatballs with pistachio and apricot, served with Labhne, a yogurt sauce. And a jewel touch with some pomegranate – direct ticket to sunny paradise.

Dr Gerald also has a surprise in stock for us. Inspired by a Jamie Oliver’s recipe, he prepares layers of gorgeous prawns, cod, avocado, basil, cream and cheddar – 20mn in the oven and out comes a lovely alliance of flavour. My only regret, being French, is not having some bread: I would not have left a dollop of the sauce (with crusty cheese on top, mmmh) in my plate!

It sounds easier to follow up with a buffet version of the other main dishes -  so much more to come! Filled up? When there are still so many delicious things in front of us?

Tracey shares her South-African roots with a lamb bobotie -  made with meat, egg custard, spices and laurel, it is incredibly vibrant. I may have lived in Mauritania and Tahiti, I never encountered anything like this. Wonderful texture, both tender and melting, sweet and spiced. Feels like traveling around the world in a mouthful.

Rosanna spent 10 hours cooking her beef tajine. Shame on me, I have forgotten the long list of ingredient although I remember pausing, recognising here chickpeas, there cinnamon, oh, and coriander, and apricots… I’ll steal her idea of sprinkling it with sesame and toasted almonds.. absolutely perfect with Gerald and Luiz’ green couscous, flavoured with coriander and green onions.

Add to this Hugh’s baked beans with smoked chilly -  nothing to do with your Englsih Breakfast beans. Transports you straight away to the Far West, fire, pot cooking, starry sky…

Kavey and Pete brought a lovely twist to one of my favourite accompaniments: cauliflower cheese gratin. But instead of putting just cheddar, they added blue cheese. Much more interesting and easy to use for a modern turn on your family dinner. Loved and to-be-copied-soon. The recipe is this way. Kavey advises romanesco for the beauty of the vegetable.

( Please don’t hate me, Tracey – I love this one as it sums up the evening so well!)

It is now passed midnight and time to start on desert… Elisabeth prepared a pear and almond frangipane tart – so very French! – the ideal refreshing touch after such a fragrant meal. Soothing. Made me feel like home. She also does a rhubarb version, which I have never encountered before. Intriguing, will need to try this.

Kavey adds the last touch with lemon possets, tangy firework. What’s her secret? How many hours to get that perfect acidulated note? Very easy, almost miraculous, she says: cream, sugar, lemon juice cooked together and chilled. With lovely candied peel on top. Have a look on her blog to learn about her strawberry vodka too!

We had all brought a cheese, contributing to a huge platter of 15… But very few of us still had space left for it. Next time, we’ll diet in advance!

I wish I could charm you with the wonderful collection of wines from around the world but I lost count. Although Elisabth and Hugh brought a hydromel-like Gaillac.

In a nutshell? Gill says it best: the evening started with strangers and finished among friends. Anecdotes, travel memories, alliances of tastes, cooking tips, best addresses in london, laughs, childhood flavours, culinary discoveries were shared around. Guest changed places around the table, moved to the kitchen to help prepare, carry, clean. Had Luiz allowed we would happily have washed the dishes too.

We left at 01.30 am, after a 6 hour orgy, cheeks pinked with pleasure, inspired, ready to roll back home and blessing Luiz and gerald for their generous and ever so friendly hospitality.

Unforgettable, can’t wait to go back!

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Do read Rosanna’s lovely write-up of the evening too!

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