Food News: Bompas and Parr Culinary Odyssey

For A Culinary Odyssey, KitchenAid have joined up with Bompas & Parr to prototype the dishes of the future, to explore the avenues for global food development and launch the KichenAid® 6.9L Artisan® Stand Mixer – the best performing stand mixer in its class.

The six-month research project culminates in an interactive event held at One Marylebone and the publication of a report on the ‘Future of Food and Food Preparation’ on Wednesday, 21st March 2012.


Bompas & Parr have worked with food designers, micro-nutritionists, set builders and biochemists employing cutting edge technology to create an event that provides insight into how we may eat in the future.
Food plays a significant role in science fiction as one of the clearest measures of how far we have journeyed from the present (J.P. Retzinger, 2008). Many science fiction authors and film directors invest considerable energy imagining the food of the future and their predictions offer areas for culinary speculation and innovation.


Okay, so it's effectively one giant ad for KitchenAid, but with the help of culinary event extraordinaires Sam and Harry, it should at least be a fun, albeit commercial, ride, with the menu incorporating genetic modification, entomophagy, nutraceuticals, nano-technology. Cocktails and canapes will feature our take on Burgess's terrifying Milk Plus from A Clockwork Orange as well as bio-luminescent enzymes, cooking with liquid hydrogen, sugar in the air, cooking with liquid hydrogen and the most intoxicating drink in the galaxy.

If you aren't tempted yet, The Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) are making science fiction cocktails, Rhea Thierstein is designing sets that include the entire solar system in papier-mâché and Poietic Studio are building food levitation devices and the tropism well. On the evening, Future Laboratory will launch a report on science fiction prototyping and how we'll eat in the future...

Tickets available from noon on the 8th March for £5 from www.jellymongers.co.uk

FOOD NEWS: Rumpus!

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Hey Kids!
On friday June 10th, Rumpus will be holding their first birthday party! To celebrate this occasion, there will be a big old party at Electrowerkz, Angel Tube.

The Rumpus Folk say;

"We’re going all out on this one. We’ve called in Alejandro Toledo and the Magic Tombolinos, which is about as high octane as any live band can get without setting themselves on fire. We’ve got the Cut A Shine guys for a proper Old Skool Ceilidh with dosie dos and stripping the willow and all that kinda jazz. We’ve got a Hoe Down, with a whole night of bluegrass that’ll keep you stomping. The London Digital Circus, them guys what did that thing with the Rabbits, are back.

On top of all that we’ve got the Supatronix guys coming down to give you a whole night’s worth of sublime breaks and beats. These guys have been winning awards for years for their breakbeat night, and they’re coming out to play with us this time.

And of course, we’ve got 6 rooms filled to the brim. DJs playing the best in Ska, BalaknBeats, Electroswing, DnB, Dubstep. Live acts and secret performances waiting for you to find them. Art exhibitions and the Rumpus Cinema.

And, most importantly of all, CAKE!!!

Put yer glad rags on and come join us for the Birthday Party to end all Birthday Parties. Expect Clowns, Fairy Princesses, Cowboys, Pirates, Monsters, Wild Creatures and Cuddly Creatures.

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There will indeed be cake! My sister project, Cake-Tease will be exhibiting and providing cake for the occasion (because what is a birthday party without cake..?) including chilli chocolate and popping candy cupcakes!

Please please, feel free to come by, have fun and show your support.

LouLovesFood/Cake-Tease

xxx

Tickets are available on the door, or at : http://rumpusbirthday.eventbrite.com/
Elektrowerkz, Torrenz Street, Angel Tube
10pm-6am

Food News: Bubble Tea

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From Whoopie pies to frozen yoghurt, us fickle Londoners are a sucker for fleeting food trends.
The latest to arrive on the scene is that of Bubble Tea.


Originating from Taiwan and commonly found on the streets of Xi'an, tiny shops in Shanghai and many a booth in Beijing, Bubble Tea is a cold drink made from black tea and plenty of frothed milk (hence 'bubble' tea). The exciting bit- balls of tapioca that float in the bottom of each glass, often referred to as pearls.
In America, it is referred to as Boba tea. 'Boba' originating from the Taiwanese for 'big breasts'. Naturally.

The milk tea is often mixed with fruit or fruit syrup, but my personal favourite is peanut bubble tea. Honestly- peanut milkshake- it's amazing.

I had heard rumours of bubble tea's arrival on the food fashion horizon, but this was cemented when I spotted a new little cafe in the West End selling exclusively bubble tea and oriental snacks.

For a more genuine experience, try the Jen Cafe in the heart of China Town (4-8 Newport Place). With the air scented with authentic Chinese food served up on plastic plates, the Bubble Tea menu is extensive and authentic. They also sell my favourite- peanut tea!
Alternatively you could try Baoxi Inn, within spitting distance (Aptly, for China Town...) of Jen Cafe.
Candy Cafe (3, Macclesfield Street) is another new bubble tea shop ("Live the bubbly life!); bright, breezy, student friendly and cheap.
HK Diner on Wardour Street is irresistible- it's popularity amongst ex pats is reassuring and its sesame pearl tea is tempting. If that wasn't enough to lure you into one of my favourite food districts, it also does alcoholic pearl teas.

I for one now have a massive craving for Bubble tea... so check back soon- there may well be photos and reviews !

xxx

Food News: Amelie's House

Amelie's House

Recently I stumbled across this lady when trawling the web, and her work completely puts mine to shame!
Using her skills as a textile designer, she makes the most beautiful illustrated creative cakes.
As well as serious cake eye candy, her beautifully presented blog is full of little scraps of textile design (if you pardon the pun, aha.) and seasonal baking for every holiday and festivity. I particularly like A Christmas Hooty Tale...
So if you're into super cute and aesthetic conscious baking, check her out.

xxx

Food News: Bompas and Parr Gum Factory

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Last week I was fortunate to attend the launch of the new Bompas and Parr event; The Artisanal Gum Factory.

In the 'factory', based in Whiteley's Shopping Centre, you are invited to create your own gum; picking from 400 flavour combinations and mixing, rolling and cutting the gum yourself.

If you are (like me) indecisive, choosing from over 200 flavours and 40,000 gum combinations can be a dizzying prospect. That said- some flavours are more appealing than others. To make the selection process easier, glass jars of scent cover pillar like tables in a small and dark room.

Each jar is labelled with the scent it contains- It's like a sensory Russian Roulette.

Lilac is soft and lovely, the fruits are sweet and sickly, the herbs delicate. My favourites are the 'burnt' flavours- burnt orange and burnt sugar.
Others are less lovely. Sea Urchin, for example, is 'like death in a jar'. Shrimp is equally stomach turning. (As a general rule, I would avoid any sea-based flavoured gum.)
Scents that catch the eye of the public a little more than the generic strawberry and cherry include lobster, black truffle, chilli or ale yeast.

Once you have made your selection, you take it to the next door lab, where you are guided through making your own gum, mixing the melted down latex-y gum mix with the scent, stirring vigorously with icing sugar and food dye and kneading like dough till you have stretchy gum. Roll this out, cut it up and store away in your little Bompas and Parr box.

It's true, things are more exciting when they let you do it yourself.

I left my flavour selection down to the professional expertise of Chef Andrew. Returning from the store room of flavour, I was presented with pine- and though it genuinely did taste of pine, it was surprisingly appetising. Who knew having a mouth like a new car would taste so appealing. It's a more original oral freshener than Spearmint!


LouLovesFood Combos:
Lou is now the proud owner of the Flavour Thesaurus- It couldn't have come at a better time really! Maybe I should have taken it with me, and tried some of these combinations...

Coffee and Cigarettes: I read about this flavour prior to attending the factory and was keen to try it, despite being a non smoker, and therefore dubious of whether I would actually like it. But as my sister says, you should try everything twice.
As it was, it was actually an enjoyable chew. Apparently dealing twice the caffeine fix of a traditional cup of coffee, it had more coffee flavour to it than cigarette- though it resembled one of those rich filter coffees that are so strong they actually have that slightly ashy morning-after-a-night-in-a-pool-house taste. It was rich and enjoyable.

Chilli and coconut: I'm a sucker for anything with chilli in it. The classic chilli and chocolate may be a bit obvious, but how about coconut with chilli? According to Niki Segent, coconut 'soothes the heat of chilli, whose active component capsaicin is soluble in fat, but not water.' Beats coconut and rum in my book...

Strawberry and Black Pepper: You know, like strawberries and black pepper. Sweet, with a little kick.

Coffee and Cardamom: I've long been a fan of this Turkish inspired coffee combination. I tried the cardamom and it was pretty similar to the pine- Combined with coffee, and it would be like sitting in a blue tiled Brick Lane Turkish coffee shop. My happy place in my mouth.

Beer and Curry: Don't you be turning your noses up, as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty unappealing anyway... But you know, as my sister says...

Greek Yoghurt and Honey: Not especially creative, but I think I would enjoy it.

Rose and Cucumber: One for summer- or for the girls!

What combinations would you try? I'd love to know! Go forth and masticate...

x

Food Fact of the Day...

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Chewing gum has been used since at least the Neolithic period.
5,000 year old chewing gum with tooth imprints, made of birch bark tar, has been found in Kierikki, Yli-Ii, Finland. The bark is believed to have antiseptic and medicinal properties.
The ancient Aztecs also used it as a mouth freshener.

Talking of Gum...


Bompas and Parr is building an Artisanal Chewing Gum Factory an at Whiteleys Shopping Centre opening between 25 – 31 October. People are invited to learn the secrets of chewing gum manufacture at the world’s first mirco-factory.

Each visitor will be able to choose and combine a 200 familiar and unusual flavours including iris, Hendrick’s Gin and tonic, curry and beer yeast. In total 40,000 flavour combinations are possible.

I think I will be checking this out, so if you like the sound of it, just keep hitting my blog!

x

Food News: Innocent 5 for 5

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Innocent 5 for 5

I really want to try this out, but I don't know if I have time for this amongst cooking school and baking... But if you're in London you should go and try it! Here's what Innocent have to say ...

"Things you should know about our cafe:

1. From 1st October, we’re opening our very own cafe for just seven days.

2. We’ve called it 5 for 5 because you’ll be able to pick and choose your way to 5 a day for only £5.

3. Our menu has been designed by guest chef Gizzi Erskine.

4. You’ll find our cafe in The Tramshed, next to Old Street in East London.

5. It’s bookings only. Tickets are limited so bagsy yourself a seat right now. "

What a lovely idea...

x

Eye Candy!

'Somewhere in a secret kitchen, new forms of confectionary are being brought to life. Armed with a dizzying array of edible glitters, powder pigments and a host of magical ingredients, the Curious Confectioner’s creations disregard the traditional confectionary forms in a bid to entertain new possibilities of both form and function. Employing a hand and eye for artistry, a healthy dose of humour and a desire to innovate and subvert, this Confectionery wizard is on a mission to take the artistry of sweet delights where it has never been before and to share his adventures with the world'.

When I first set up LouLovesFood, I introduced you to Cupcake Junkie, the photostream of pretty and inspired cupcake porn. After attending the Experimental Food Society, I am now a regular lurker of my new favourite food crush- The Curious Confectioner.

These cakes don't just look good enough to eat. His chocolate bird-topped creations are filled with pomegranate, violet and rose fondant filling.

Other cakes include Burger and Fries muffins and a dead rodent cake. Obviously.
(Actually, I wish I had the thought of that. It's not something you would really expect to have an obvious target audience but I'm sure it would send my sister into a paroxism of joyful squeels...)

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