Prejudices in Stemware

I’m not sure if this is a London thing or not, but I have never witnessed it anywhere else. It is a maddening thing, and in my opinion completely unnecessary. What I am talking about is the wine glass class system.

Of course living in the UK one of the things you come to realise is the focus on class, and all the different ways of telling how much money you and your family have. The biggest one is accent, and there is also the great topic of “which school did you go to?”. Last year I went to a Valentine’s Dinner at friends house, she invited all of her posh friends and the entire meal was spent discussing the very exciting topic of, which school they went to. Not University or College, but school as in when they were young and sent off to boarding school with all the other rich kids. This can also lead to the topic of University, which can also lend some insight into how rich you and your family are. I am so relieved to be from the Canada, and I am proud to have been raised in a middle class family, and have gone to a mediocre University called Brock. Unfortunately, there are times when this British obsession with class and money somehow affects my life, and it is very frustrating, but also quite amusing.

Yesterday I met up with Almay at Borough Market, she was running a bit late so I took that time to fill my back pack with all the things I love: Beetroot, Spanish Jamon, Charentais Melon( to eat with the ham), strawberries, Monmouth Coffee, and buffalo mozzarella (expensive but so good!). Almay and I decided to try some tapas at Brindisa, which is the place I mentioned in another blog with the best chorizo in London. We were unfortunately too late for hot tapas, but decided to stick around for a drink and some Spanish meats and cheese. We went up to the bar and I ordered two glasses of wine. One glass of Verdejo from the Rueda at maybe £3.45 a glass and the other an Albarino from Riax Biaxas, which was about £5. The lovely Spanish girl behind the bar pulled out two glasses, one cheap stumpy tumbler, and one elegant stemless wineglass from Riedel. She was about to pour the wine into each glass, when I asked if we could both have one of the nice Riedel glasses (we have these glasses at Vinoteca and they are used as water glasses!). The girl was clearly annoyed, her face changed and she informed me that the nice glasses are only for the expensive wine, but because at the moment no one was drinking out of the special expensive wine glasses that this time it was ok. She slammed the Riedel glass on the counter and filled it with my cheap wine, what sacrilege!

Almay and I were in shock, but a had a good laugh over it. I have seen this wine glass business before at other places as well, Al Ricker’s restaurant XO and The Great Queen Street. I guess it is a way for other diners to recognise who in the restaurant is drinking expensive wine. I think it is ridiculous, and if two people are enjoying a glass of wine together why should one be forced to drink out of the lower class glass?

Buen Ayre, Argentine Grill – Broadway Market, London UK

R and I have been on a quest to find our ‘local’. A place we can frequent, that isn’t too expensive and keeps us going back for more. Living in East London, more particularly Mile End makes this an impossible task. Mile End is a food desert! Unless of course you are looking for fried chicken, then Mile End is your place. I would rather eat at McDonald’s than venture into the land of Mile End fried chicken.

One of the places I love to walk/jog in my neighbourhood is along Regent’s canal, it really is a nice little break away from the chaos that is East London. From Mile End if you carry on North, you will eventually come to the very trendy, yet charming Broadway Market. On many occasions I have found myself passing a busy Argentine Grill called Buen Ayre, intrigued I have studied their steak dominated menu many times and made a pact with myself that I would come for dinner. I was hopeful that maybe this would be the one, that it could it be our ‘local’.

Saturday night R and I had a table booked for 7PM, we were starving and looking very much forward to a nice big steak. We were sat at a table right in the middle of the restaurant, which was a bit awkward so R asked if we could move to cozy one in the back corner. As requested, we were moved and immdiately noticed how friendly the clientel were. We squeezed into our table, expecting annoyed glares and eye rolling. Instead we got smiles and even had the guy next to us say goodbye while he and his friends headed off for some more Saturday night fun. The atmosphere at Buen Ayre is great, very laid back and youthful. The music is loud, but fun and while sipping on a nice refreshing Argentinian beer, I couldn’t help but feel that maybe this is what Aregentina could feel like.

R had the Sirloin and I went for the Ribeye, both requested medium rare, in the meantime we had some starters.  Jamon with palm hearts, apparently from the tree, which were tasteless.  We also had some spinach and cheese Argentinian pasties, with were clearly homemade and quite nice.  And to accompany our meal we of course chose a bottle of Argentinian Malbec, 2005 Malma NQN Malbec, which was a yummy match, with bags of dark berry fruit.

Ok, so I wanted to love this place, and I did enjoy myself and leave with a smile on my face.  BUT, if steak is what you do then there should be no over cooking or under cooking of steaks going on.  R’s steak was perfectly medium rare.  Mine the 1st time came out blue (still cold in the middle), the 2nd time it was rare, then three is a charm the steak was finally medium rare, but black!  If you have ever tried to cook meat three different times, you know it is not ideal and results in a piece of meat that is ugly and not very appetising.  They also forgot our chips, so there was nothing for me munch on while waiting for my steak to be triple cooked!

Even though we were disappointed with the steaks at Buen Ayre, we left liking the place.  The concept of just doing steaks is great, and the atmosphere is fun and inviting.  The steaks just weren’t up to scratch, and our eighty quid bill was just a bit too high, so our search for our ‘local’ continues.

I HEART Squid & Chorizo

I have learned many things here in jolly old England, and one of them is that I LOVE squid.  In my Canadian youth squid did not exist, the closest I came to the heavenly squid was defried calamari, which was very much like chewing on battered bits of rubber.  I have been converted 100%, and actually would maybe even condsider myself a bit of a squid addict.  I never knew this could happen, but the Squid that I was introduced to while working at Vinoteca is soft and tender and absolutely divine!  I didn’t think it could get any better really, until a classic Spanish combination came my way. Squid and Chorizo.  Fresh, young squid is key, as well as good quality chorizo, like the stuff from Brindisa (rumoured to be the best chorizo in London).  I took a half a day off work the other day for the Radiohead concert, and for lunch treated myself to the squid and chorizo dish at Vinoteca, it was heaven on a plate.  Thank you Spain.

Cheers To Alone Time

I love people and I have fun with them all the time, but I must say being alone can be so great! Tonight all by my lonesome, I went for a run, cooked up some spaghetti bolognese and, enjoyed it with a beautiful glass of 2004 Pallazo della Torre, by Allegrini. This is a lovely wine, but there is something about enjoying it with yourself that makes it so much nicer! I would like to add that I cannot usually drink this calibre of wine on a Tuesday night, but I was lucky enough to have it left over from a wine course at work last night. If you do see the word Allegrini on a bottle of wine purchase it, even their entry level Valpolicella is great. It was formerly know as Valpolicella Classico until they gave it up the “Classico” to use screwcaps. I love screwcaps, gotta respect wineries in the Old World who are willing to push the envelope. Why do they need the “superior” label of Classico, they know their wine rocks.

3 Things I love: Beetroot, Goat’s Cheese, and Charles Melton Rose

I find the topic of rose to be quite controversial.  People seem to either love it or hate it.  It makes me laugh how the season dictates which wines people are drinking.  Like clock work, as soon as the smell of spring is in the air, and the guarantee that summer will soon follow, people start drinking rose!  I personally think rose is great, it’s refreshing, delicious, and the people are right, it’s great to quaff in the summer time.

One of my favourites, is the Rose of Virginia Charles Melton Rose from the Barossa Valley in Australia.  It is hands down my preferred New World rose, and maybe has made a bigger impression on me than any other rose out there.  Rose of Virginia divides rose drinkers themselves, some people just can’t handle the great big, beautiful, and fruity rose that it is.  This is a rose with balls, and is on the fence between a rose and a light red.  It seems to scream “I am a rose hear me roar!”.  This is why I like it, and it also gives it enough power to  be enjoyed with food.

Eversince I have lived in Europe I have discovered the world of the beetroot.  Growing up in Canada, I only remember being offered tiny pickled beets at my Grandma’s house, which I always refused.  Now, I know  better.  In the UK, beets are big and make an appearance on almost every menu.  I must admit I have become a bit of a beetroot addict, and to find a wine that complements them so beautifully was life changing!

One fine sunday afternoon R and I made a nice little goats cheese, beetroot, and rocket salad. We cracked open a bottle of Rose of Virginia, and to our amazement it was spot on!  This my friends is a perfect match, and I highly recommend  giving it a try.

Envy on my lunch break

Lunch today was pretty standard, you know a ham cheese sandwich nothing fancy, but just fine. The only trouble is, I know at this moment my boyfriend and a good friend of ours are sitting in Racine sipping on Champagne(I know this cause I was nice enough to call up and buy them a few glasses for their aperitif, just to be nice). I haven’t been to Racine, but I have heard very good things. I will get R to tell me what he thought of the meal and post it in my restaurant reviews category. I am happy that he will be having a nice boys lunch out, but I am jealous, and planning my revenge by going somewhere nice without him this Saturday night!

My first post

I have never blogged before, but I have been wanting to take a stab at it for a long time.  The theme of my blog is going to be food & wine, which are 2 of my favourite things in life.  I look forward to where this blog may lead, I hope I have enough dedication to keep writing.

I look forward to what I am going to learn from the other bloggers out there who love to eat & drink!

CF