French Friday

Friday evening is one of the best in the week. The whole weekend stretches ahead: perhaps a lie-in, or the promise of a good newspaper (and some time to read it in), and of course a superb coffee, taken at leisure.

Last Friday the balmy spring day made me yearn for Florence and a table outside our favourite enoteca - bliss! I proposed to the gent we meet for a glass of wine and he immediately suggested La Trouvaille in Soho. Please don't go. It is wonderful and I want to always get a table.

I arrived first so took a seat inside along a little wooden bench and spent my time choosing - and enjoying - a glass of Les Greilles (Domaine Causse Marines, 2008). La Trouvaille only buy from independent companies in the South of France and have good-egg policies about no pesticides and chemicals. They also seem interested in biodynamic methods of farming - about which there is quite some trendy hoo-ha at the moment - but I was more interested in drinking the honeyed deliciousness.

The gent went in for something like the Picpoul de Pinet (Domaine Coustellier, 2009) which he found 'minerally'. In a good way. We soon unwound and began to feel somewhat continental... which turned out to be only a short hop to hungry.

Not moving from our seats we took a look at the bar menu, ordered two portions of cassoulet, then had a heated debate about whether the meat should be confit or not. It was, and it was divine and filling. So we had a glass of Cahors (Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve. Le Combal, 2007) to celebrate. I haven't even looked at the restaurant menu but I would wager a glass of Picpoul that it would make for a blissful evening.

Really there is nothing like Florence - however for a spot of French atmosphere on the doorstep this is the place I will return to.

ploughmans jacket

Last weekend the gent and I built a bed, shifted furniture and generally moved forward a step in transforming space and boxes into a home. We also purchased the most beautiful saucepan ever to grace a kitchen, about which I am still thoroughly excited!

We have had coffee at Sacred and Canela: the former has free wifi and the latter, a free Portuguese custard tart (at certain times). But the real hot tip is the cheese bread in Canela - a heavenly bread-like ball that seems 90% gently molten cheese on the inside. No, don't take my word for it: go and eat. Next time I am having the chorizo version...

Recycling bags were collected from our local - fantastic - library; and a secret gig attended at the Westminster Reference Library. With tables and computers pushed to the edges of the room, and Copyright notices still on the pillars, 'British Sea Power' created a fantastic atmosphere and a brilliant sound. Walking home through Chinatown afterwards made me wonder if four meals a day might be the way to make the most of living in the heart of London...

The bare cupboards and minimal utensils mean cooking is rather low on the agenda, however a mid-week 'Ploughman's jacket' cheered us up considerably. With a table in place, and a cloth to make it look less like the workbench it is, I laid out a hastily-dressed salad, apple and walnut pickle, and a plate of ham, Stilton and tangy Emmental slices. Jacket potatoes were halved and slices of butter pushed into furrows to melt. A rough, but heavenly meal. Quite the best meal of the past week: in fact, the best meal since the farewell Allen road extravaganza. But then, it would be very hard to live up to rabit ragu on pasta, champagne and home made panna cotta -!

I look forward to planning a welcome meal for friends very soon... something worthy enough for our new, beautiful saucepan!