Food Fact of the Day.

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At one time, the addition of chalk to bread was officially recognised as adulteration and banned by law: today, in the name of fortification, it is mandatory in almost all. Due to labelling law, customers are unable to know what additives have been used in the production of in-store bakery loaves unless they ask.

... Ew?

Fact taken from a larger article exploring the quality of Supermarket bread by the Real Food Campaign (www.sustainweb.org.uk) and is supported by online deli Natoora (www.natoora.co.uk)

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I concur.

I'm the kind of lass that will eat pretty much anything, but there are a few sites that turn even my fairly undiscerning stomach. One of these are McDonalds ads (They don't even try to make it look good, do they?) and the other is prepackaged sliced white bread.

(You just have to look at it to know that somewhere along the line, we went drastically wrong.)

There's a part of me that resents myself for this, but that is largely down to having to admit that in doing so, my parents attempts to educate me have to some degree, worked.

I remember as a child begrudging the brown whole-meal bread I found in my lunch-box, and even have a strong memory of being highly embarrassed one day at primary school when I found myself with Pita bread as an alternative (If you're reading this Maman, please feel free to go buy me Pita bread, those days are long gone).

Along with not being allowed crisps for my daily snack like the other children, it is something I may not have understood or appreciated at the time, but probably played a large part in shaping me into the healthy, well fed little lady I am today. Its a decision I now respect, and enforce upon myself now that I am unshackled by parental supervision.

My Papa in particular has always dispproved of white sliced. And for every painful school memory of craving pappy peanut butter cardboard sandwiches and buttery toast, and I have just as many (if not many more) of our Weekend Bread, from the baker.

All the cheese toasties in the world cannot compare to the smell of bakery bread- a smell that is the cornerstone of my childhood... I'm sure I'm not the only one.

So these days I always bee line straight for the whole grain bread, preferably those stuffed with seeds. I'm also a sucker for speciality breads, and pretty much anything that hasn't come out of a plastic wrapper screaming their faux homely credentials.

Knowing this, my aforementioned Father flagged up the article by Oliver Thring, below, from the Guardian Online Food blog.

The article discusses why we are eating something that resembles a 'fungus, a pappy, vaguely elastic, glutinous, gluey foam'. The appearance of white sliced is described further- "the wheaten tan of the uncrusty crust. The white, resilient sponge. The zombie-like, yeasty odour. The bleached and puffy crumb."

Harsh, but true.

Its possible that Thring does in this one article what my parents did in a school span of unappreciated packed lunches. Read on.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jul/13/consider-cheap-white-bread

Thanks Papa- and not just for the article.

Real Bruschetta...

My Italian greengrocer Nick showed me the proper way to do bruschetta and I must admit, it really made a difference. Bruschetta is not just pate on toast. To get it just perfect you need freshly toasted slices of ciabatta, super ripe tomatoes that feel 'loose' and almost on the turn, and finally a good aromatic bulb of garlic. I used new season garlic which has a softer more aromatic flavour. The wet garlic season lasts for barely a few weeks so I tend to use it as much as I can. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub it over the surface of the toasted ciabatta, then rub half of the tomato over the same area, and finally throw on some torn basil leaves which you have rubbed between your fingers to release the flavour. You'll be amazed at how perfect this simple concotion feels in the mouth. Thanks Nick!

Content donated by Aaron.

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Dinner 29.06.10

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Smoked and peppered mackerel with tomato and rocket on grilled olive oil brushed bread.


And, because I'm always too greedy just just have one- Thick slices of smoked, fresh salmon, with tomato, rocket, holloumi, cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on grilled bread.

Served, of course, with a big summer salad.

This dinner is inspired by a recent trip to Kensington. The bread was beautiful, and came from the large WholeFoods market there. The smoked salmon is M&S, and the creation is based loosely on the sourbread tartines in the High Street Kensington deli...

It is now undeniably summer, and as well as switching from rich, hot porridges, it is also time to move away from heavy, hot meals, and embrace some summer cooking!

Dinner 15.03.2010

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Tonight's uber health dinner: Green Soup.
That's not a real name, I'm just a bit lazy...

Brocolli, Spinach and Courgette soup, with celery, onion, kael, red pak choi and jagallo nero

with a whole lot of garlic and roasted seeds...

... Nom?

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