Polpo in Parma

Dec 22

Alas, and all too soon, yesterday afternoon I stepped out of Parma’s crisp winter sunshine to join the Ryanair throng being herded into smaller and smaller spaces in the Giuseppe Verdi International Airport. After a couple of hours spent in Ryanair’s inflexible plastic seats, being pummelled with offers of overpriced newspapers and snacks and lottery tickets to win more Ryanair flights, we landed in the damp and balmy midwinter London darkness. Where in my 2+ hour train+tube journey back across town I had plenty of time to reflect upon the leisurely 10 minute taxi ride to the airport in Parma, and to meditate on my last 24 hours there, which included visits to two of my favourite restaurants in all the world.

For lunch, I went to La Croce di Malta, where there is always something imaginative to be found in the vegetable starters. This time it was a sformato di zucca – a juicy and seasonal pumpkin and potato cake, larded with mushrooms and mozzarella, and sprinkled prettily with Parmigiano-Reggiano. One bliss was followed by another: polpo (octopus) with potato mashed with celery and a pleasingly crisp and bitter little side salad freckled with salt.

 

 

 

 

 

In the evening, I made a happy return to Ristorante Mosaiko where Davide di Dio still works his magic in a cozy corner of Oltretorrente, and whose 30 or so seats are seemingly filled by boisterous diners night after night. The twist here is the chef’s integration of his Naples roots with his training in the kitchens of Australia and Japan, so he’s very strong on seafood, and it’s the only place in Parma where you can find sushi – sometimes grilled – and wasabi in and among the Italian dishes. And he does make a mean dessert.

Here we have insalata di polpo e patate alle olive con involtino di gamberi croccante e wasabi mayo (octopus salad with olives and potatoes with a crunchy prawn roll and wasabi mayo), followed by Branzino in carrozza alle olive con patate, carciofi e salsa al marsala (sea ​​bass with potatoes, olives, artichokes and Marsala sauce): in carrozza is something usually done with mozzarella, a kind of grilled cheese sandwich, but here it was so very much not that, and had a bit of ginger and sesame seasoning, and a bit of zucca (pumpkin) for sweetness and colour.

I might have been tempted by the carpione (salmo carpio) but luckily did not know enough about it to order it, and now I read that this species that had been introduced to Lake Garda is critically endangered. Italy (like anywhere?) is not the home of sustainable seafood and I suppose all I can do in my next life is always remember to take a dictionary and a seafood list with me. Anyway the dessert was not endangered although perhaps my waistline was as I ploughed through the Delizioso pralinato, as I think it was described: a chunk of chocolate surmounted by a kind of airy coffee custard and zabaione (or might it have been white chocolate?) fluff, topped with chewy praline nuggets and a drizzle of warm chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

If I had a few more stomachs I would have had the Petto d’oca arrosto al miele limone (goose in lemon honey) and the Tartare di branzino e salmone affumicato in casa con mousse allo zenzero e parmigiano e granita di mela verde (tartare of house smoked sea bass and salmon with ginger and parmigiano-reggiano and green apple granita) and not least the Astice scottato al pepe verde con riso basmati e lattuga all’arancia (seared lobster in green pepper sauce with basmati rice and lettuce-orange salad). All I can do is hope not to have to wait another four years before I return.

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Parma mi piace

Dec 20

Managed to squeeze in a little visit to Parma, to see how the place has changed in the four years since my last stop here, and check out the Christmas madness.

For madness it was when I arrived on the last Sunday before the visit of Babbo Natale. It seemed much more commercialized than it had been just five years ago. Shopping frenzy. Christmas market. Everyone out on via Farini.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been stomping the old grounds to see what’s new. As we might expect, much is the same, some things different. Sorelle Picchi where I had supper last night has gone much more upmarket, and there is less grump in the proprietorship: the tris di tortelli remains on the menu, and was good, but not as good as the semifreddo allo zabaione and the lovely glass of Passito di Pantelleria to finish.

As I’d always meant to go there, I had earlier lunched at Apriti Sesamo, Parma’s lone organic vegetarian restaurant where vegans, coeliacs and macrobioticians have been finding solace for a decade and a half. It’s tucked away behind the train station – currently undergoing a major facelift – and is small and friendly. The food is not pretty – vegan food leaves me feeling there must be something one can do to jazz up a plate of whole grains – but it’s tasty and filling and the place has a loyal following. The menu offers three courses which are served on a single plate. Mine was sformato di riso integrale (rice and whole grain cake, or square), radici al forno (roasted root vegetables) and torta di seitan (savoury gluten pie).

After lunch I went for a walk in the Giardino Ducale which was much as I remembered it, and strolled along the Torrente Parma looking for nutria, and spotted a gang of them huddling for warmth.

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Oxford weekend

Dec 17

I had a grand reunion with my London poetry workshop group last weekend, when we all travelled to Oxford for a couple of days of reading poetry and eating nice food. One night we ate at Folly’s Bridge Brasserie near the Folly, (a For Sale sign on the front of it when we passed).

Although we had a very fruitful workshop, discussing consistently interesting, challenging and inspiring poems, another highlight was in store for us, in the form of a group reading, organized by Jenny Lewis, at the Albion Beatnik Bookshop in Jericho, Oxford. An enthusiastic, attentive and book-buying audience of 55 or so squeezed into every available corner to sup on mulled wine, mince tarts and the ambrosial words of Jenny (who read poems from Fathom), Claire Crowther (reading from Mollicle and Incense), Anne Berkeley (reading from The Men From Praga), Tamar Yoseloff (reading from The City with Horns)

 

 

 

 

 

and I (reading from Sunday Dinners, The Earth’s Kitchen and Cartography) before we were treated to a slightly longer reading from Sue Rose in celebration of her new collection, From The Dark Room. We were inclined to agree with the bookshop owner who said he’d never had a better poetry evening.

The next morning we opted for an amble through Oxford, a browse of Objects of Use, and a nice coffee and sandwich at The Missing Bean before scattering to the four corners.

www.jennylewis.org.ukAlb
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Dashing around London

Dec 14

It’s a busy old place, this London. Crowded, too. Even, at times, in the spacious halls of the British Library where I spend as much time as I can. I noticed a little urban food growing going on in the forecourt, where giant planters are evidently brimming with strawberries.

Wandering round Vauxhall after a dog walk we stopped for a little breakfast at a dog-friendly pub, the Black Dog, which is a great thing to have in one’s neighbourhood. As is this venerable tea house, a building which Virginia tells me is mentioned in one of Thackeray’s novels.

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped in for a peek at the Vauxhall City Farm, which is part petting zoo and part community garden. There are horses large and small as well as rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep and a fair number of waterfowl of various shapes and sizes. In the back there’s a modest allotment which in this unseasonably warm December is still growing, unimpeded by frost.

 

 

 

And on for a look at Borough Market where there’s everything from bread to biltong.

 

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London eating

Dec 4

It’s been quiet here at the Iambic Cafe lately, but only because I’ve been so busy frequenting a few of London’s eateries and drinkeries.

Last week for example I made a joyful visit to Ottolenghi whose pastries look as beautiful as ever; the salads (shaved fennel, roasted aubergine and roasted sweet potato) were exquisite. I’d also heard that the Devonshire Arms was worth a visit, so I popped in for a bit of smoked eel and a most delicious mixed salad and will have to make a return visit soon.

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday I spent a happy evening swanning around Covent Garden with several thousand other merry-making shoppers, lapping up free drinks and hors d’oeuvres at shops participating in a seasonal shopping promotion. At the end we found ourself a cozy bench at Cantina Laredo, which promised gourmet Mexican food. The guacamole, prepared at our table, was fun, and the avocado enchiladas were wonderful – full of artichokes, rice and avocado.

 

 

 

Friday I went to the movies with Nancy and Mike and we wandered Lamb’s Conduit Street in search of nourishment. It was my second visit to La Cigala and although it was good I did sense a few standards slipping (along with a couple of plates in the kitchen). In the chickpea and chestnut stew, for example, I may have found the only rancid chestnut (Mike said the rest were fine), and Nancy – and the pair at the adjoining table – who had the goose stuffed with pork and prunes and served with roasted parsnips, found it tough. Good, but tough. Not, she remarked, what you want with a goose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was happy enough with my trio of starters: boquerones – marinated anchovies – with a nice vegetable salad on thinly sliced jerusalem artichokes; a towering tortilla; and padrone peppers. As is the custom there, we did a little celebrity spotting while desserting: meringue with prunes, a stunning orange flan, and a mountain of membrillo (poached quince) with an alcoholic dollop of cream.

 

 

 

And I had a lovely Neopolitan pagnotella – “sandwich” – at Canta Napoli – just flatbread, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

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