IFE at Excel, London 2017

IFE at Excel , London 2017

Whenever I am invited to the IFE, International Food Exhibition, I am looking for some very new food products in any corner of the world.

Reading the introduction book, Spain, Portugal, Italian , but I have decided try  have a look South American stand and East Asia more closely because living in UK , European products are aware and I am using a lot in my cooking .

Certainly this year food trend is healthy food, with less sugar, less salt ,  organic ,  is the main theme, as for years now.

 South Korean Stands are well presenting with traditional fermented food, kimchi and bean paste , they are all very well known here, as fermented foods became symbol of healthy food.

Glad to see some ready- made spicy sauce even kimchi sauce are available here in here in UK, supermarket.  It is very convenient to make spicy freshly made baechu ( cabbage) kimchi salad or even spicy green salad.

Other just spicy sauce is very useful, any kind of spicy dish, I finished up with this sauce in my deveilled kidney

Healthy bean products were impressive, Bean smoothie  powder is a well thought idea, which just add hot water, how easy and balanced drink for busy morning meal on the go.  I was satisfied by taste and its nutrient  and it would be  interested by young 20something healthy foodies even vegan would love this. Other product , 100% soya bean liquid, to just drink or make cold bean soup noodle which Koreans love to have for lunch in the heat of Summer with ice.

Korean red ginseng is well known for its medicinal quality, specially for energy boost and general health benefit , you can find any heath shop as a tablets.

There are many forms of seaweed snacks for drinks but they can be used as sald topping, now finally all western country wake up this amazing seaweed benefit but I found all too expensive , but Koreans are much cheaper . as I do eats daily bases and make western dish more attractive using seaweed powder.

South American section has amazing natural products. From exotic dried fruit tea from Ecuador with natural sugar leaves, how cool is that? The leave is just like sugar, so sweet. So original!

Peruvian super-foods company, Alinap, stands has many natural super foods , I never heard or taste, all boasting their health benefit, all from wild Peruvian amazon. . we all know about quinoa  but I never knew such as omega 3 rich sacha inchi powder and oil.  camu- camu( putple  corn) powder , mango taste like lucuma powder, list are endless.

No wonder all chefs are keen to use these wild Peruvian ingredients.

Have to mention Ecuador’s organic dark chocolate by Pacari was surprisingly smooth and excellent flavour .  Looking forward to make my own chocolate mix  with this wonderful dark cholate.

Black garlic from UK has an interesting story, when the owner visited Jeju island in South Korea, they discovered original Jeju island black garlic and  as we say, rest is the history.  Since then they made a successful black garlic business. Top London chefs are their clients.  What a good timing as we are all love garlic and chilli by Uk’s foodies and chefs. Specially black garlic has fruity taste is not so pungent and got a health benefit . It makes a good sauce for duck and fish. I use all the time.

Even I have with porridge in the morning.( after finely chop add to the porridge )or top of avocado with toast.

Iberico Ham from Portugal( near Spain), by MUGUEL&MIGUEL was excellent, I dare say even better than some of Spanish one but not wildly known.  Loved it.

Cold press olive oil from Greece, infused with garlic or rosemary has strong flavour.  BBQed subulaki ( or any meat og vegetable),  just brushed with this would be a some tasty meal. So impressed by the standard.

First cold pressed organic extra virgin olive oil by CUSMAI family, Puglia,Italy has unforgettable amazing taste. Wow! It taste like I am eating beautiful hills of Italian country side, feel like eating Summer green grass with peppery taste linger in my mouth .

 Wow!!  I  just love this, I honestly say this olive oil was the best olive oil I have ever tasted .

GiuGiu cured ham from Sisley was so good, not salty or too dry, cured with red pepper corn, so tasty indeed.  

Tahini from Israel has many interesting flavours to add to it,

Porridge with purple corn powder and air dried bluberry

 

black garlic

 



Seaweed snack

devilled kidney

 

 

spicy thai sauce

dried fruits tea

air dried blueberry

olive oil from Puglia

Korean egg custard with black garlic

 

 Useful Tip and web:

1. Korean sauce: you can buy at Asda, Morriso, UK ( or www.ajummarepublic.co.kr)

2.Red ginseng( www. ginsenglife.co.kr)

3.Seaweed (ww.chosunkim.co.kr/eng)

4.Alinap( organic Peruvian natural Sperfood):ww.alinap.net

5.black garlic:www.blackgarlic.co.uk

6.Pacari organic chocolate : www.pacarichocolate.uk

7.Korean bean products: www.hanbifood.com

8. Ecuador dried fruit tea: Wayu: www.en.wayu.com.ec

9. Puglia Olive oil: www.masseriacusmai.com

 

The Sarsfield Family Christmas Lunch Menu ( 2016)

Oyster and Champagne

Christmas Table setting

Starter : Seafood and quail Scotch egg

Roast Goose

Baked pear, Lemon



Dessert:  ice cream  and apple pie spring roll







 

 

I love everything about Christmas festive season, specially for creating and planning our Christmas lunch menu, as soon as Autumn comes we discuss endlessly whenever we having a meal together.

I always make sure it will be a special and memorable but it is a hard work.

Even I print the Christmas lunch menu for our Festive lunch guest and family.

Well, you might think I am taking too seriously for the festive meal , of course, I do !  Why not? After all only once a year, make a good memory for my daughter, Cat and son, John. They are all looking forward to seeing my menu every year, and I really love this process very much!

This is our tradition now.

 

Main dish has not much choice, turkey, goose, duck or even chicken, or have a nice big roast, good dry aged prime rib of beef.

But as all family loves my own stuffing and homemade cranberry sauce, we all end up cooking roast goose or duck.

Finally decided goose and as our tradition, fish and seafood pasta for the Christmas eve’s dinner.

I make sure something special starter for the lunch, usually seafood, we all love something special and luxurious starter, because Christmas roast is rotating choice of roast big birds is a rather predictable dish.

 Starter: This year grilled seafood medley.

Grilled lobster tail, a few scallops with nice mini salad and simple quail egg, boiled just for 2minutes, and coat with panko bread crumbs, quick fry ( like a small Scotch egg without sausage meat).

When you cut, soft egg yellow looks so special, sprinkle with my homemade seaweed dust, just so deliciously photogenic.

I made simple cucumber drink a kind of gazpacho on 24^th leave in the fridge to be mellow and flavours all together, ( made with good sherry vinegar, green apple, salt ) this was served with seafood medley. This makes such refreshing taste with seafood. My gamble has paid off.

 

 

 

Stuffing contains brandy soaked cranberry, best sausage meats, smoked bacon ladon, chest nuts, fine nuts, onion, garlic, sage and a good sourdough bread crumb.

We like loose and buttery stuffing, not like cake.

Baked in a big oven proof dish with bay leaves and butter on the top, all family love this special stuffing so I have to cook roast bird for this.

 

Gravy : on 23^rd, in the roasting tin put onion, celery, carrot, whole a head of garlic, and goose neck, liver, gizzard , roast for 1hour until brown, put in the a big pan boil, make rich brown stock  and make gravy with red wine , red currant  jelly.  Gravy looks like dark brown,  rich  and a little sweet, just perfect for the goose. Make this a big pan and I freeze some for the other roast dinner .

Vegetable: my homemade cabbage pickle and brussel sprouts with bacon and chest nuts.

 

Roast potatoes and parsnips; Cooked with goose fat , collected from roasting tin .

 

We are not big on dessert just simple mango sorbet , vanilla ice cream with homemade raspberry cooli.

But I made an effort to adding apple, miso spring roll( mini) to give texture and salty taste.


We had a feast and a long talk and a big laugh, plenty of drink , most of all we all very mellow and happy!

 

 

The Sarsfield Family Christmas Lunch Menu (2016)

 

Starter:

Grilled lobster tail, Scallops and crispy kale and Quail egg.   Mini salad and Cold cucumber drink.

Main:

Roast Goose.   Stuffing  ( sausage meat, bacon ,brandy soaked  cranberry , sage, onion and more)

Homemade cranberry sauce

Roast Potatoes and Parsnips, bacon wrapped sausages and red wine gravy.

Vegetables: Pickled Red Cabbage, Brussels Sprout, Grilled Pear.

Dessert:

Vanilla ice cream, Mango sorbet ,  burnt Pineapple with spiced apple spring roll.

Cheese Board .

Wines:

White: Champagne, Pouilly Fume.

Red : Amarone, Rioja..

Dessert: Domaine Lasserre, Jurancon.

Port.

 

Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year !!