Punjab

It was a rather drab Thursday, toward the end of a rather drab week. As usual I took myself off to see my therapist, which is always uplifting and I feel unburdened of those dark thoughts provoked by these uncertain times. In a happier mood, I went off the the excellent Surrealism show at the Whitworth. Ofcourse, Freudian theory is the life blood of that movement and the gallery is full of uncanny moments and uneasy images. I imagined taking my favourite Surrealist, Rene Magritte to lunch at South Indian eatery, the Punjab, just down the road.

We lunched on Keema dosas and Cobra beer. He told me of the heady days spent making the latent manifest and how much they all hated Dali. They felt the Spaniard was as relevent to the movement as a fish and resent his place in Art History as every school kid's wet dream of a surrealist. That reminded Rene of his fav joke-'How many surrealists does it take to change a light bulb? Fish!'. The food was as excellent as the imagined company, but don't tell my therapist.

Rene had the apple for dessert.

(almost) Instant Karma

Jati, RIP,

Reincarnation, Little Fusion.

The Year of the Ox

To all our valued readers may we at 'Aroundtheworldin80dinners' Global Headquarters, Beijing, wish you a very Happy Chinese New Year and may the Year of the Ox bring you good luck and good fortune.


XIN NIAN KUAI LE

The Great Kathmandu

Is it just me or has there always been a schism between Chorlton and Didsbury? I ask only because on a recent outing to the Great Kathmandu in Didsbury I invited Vivienne to lunch as she so kindly offered to show me how to navigate my way from Chorlton to Didsbury by public transportation. A nightmare that would try the patience of Hilary and Tensing.

Which laboured pun allows me to neatly segway to the wonderful Nepalese food served up by the Great Kathmandu. We had Dal Tarka, Aloo Bringal and a fantastic Keema Karahi that was just the right side of moist, aided and abetted by 2 large bottles of Kathmandu beer.

Vivienne and I talked of our disparate histories and how we came to be in Manchester, and how it has made us welcome. And I thought of a small band of Gurkas, refugees and chefs with talent who took that treacherous trek from Nepal to Didsbury and that glutch of excellent restaurants that I have never seen anywhere else. My own hazardous trip by the 47 was but a speck of punyness in comparison

HuNan Cuisine Restaurant

After the long flight from Beijing and the heavy work load overseeing the building of 'Aroundtheworldin80dinners' Global Headquarters, I needed some R and R. I added the HuNan to my list a while ago as Hunan cuisine (Xiang) is one of the 8 recognized regional Chinese styles of cooking. Along with the long established Cantonese (Yue) and the ever expanding Szechuan (Chuan), Xiang is a welcome red dot on my map.

The food was excellent, but remember to ask for the Hunan menu and you will not be disappointed. Aided by the ever charming Ling, we had Hunan chicken in Green chilli, cabbage in vinegar and chilli, as well as 'Ants Climbing Trees', a dish of mince, bean thread noodles and yes, more chillis. Hunan cooking is hot and dry but not as 'mala' (hot and numbing) as Szechuan and very tasty. It was also the favourite of Mao Zedong, a Hunanese 'oldboy'.

Lucia was content to play 'Lady Vengeance' (see the poster for Park Chan-wook's movie) and scare the other customers, some who left without ordering! Be afraid.

Seasons Greetings from Beijing

Seasons Greetings from downtown Beijing, where I'm overseeing the building of the new 'Aroundtheworldin80dinners' global headquarters. This is in responce to the outbreak of recent challenges to the "Aroundtheworldin80.......' franchise (copyright: J. Verne). I nearly choked on my dim sum when I saw the BBC advertising an 'Aroundtheworldin80faiths' programme, hosted by some hippie knob in a cheesecloth shirt and beaded necklace. Not to mention the publication of an 'Around the world in 80 dinners' travel and cook book by another pair of knobs who did it the easy way by actually going around the world! And don't get me started on the return of the Hairy Wankers. Still, it is the season of goodwill, so may all of us at 'Aroundtheworldin80dinners Global Headquarters' wish y'all a Happy Christmas and a great 2009!

(card available exclusively from: r_hamilton54@yahoo.com)
The 'Aroundtheworldin80dinners' brand is proving to be as popular as Mao (copyright:J.Lennon) among the local population. I'm hoping that this ambitious expansion of my brand, even at a time of financial crisis, will bring the culinary wit and wisdom of "the Great Helmsman" to an even wider readership and eventual world domination.

Sheng dan kuai le!

St. John Bread and Wine, London

Some of you will have noticed that my age has changed on my profile, meaning that it was my birthday and another year older. To celebrate I met my good friend, Mel, in London for a long lunch at St. John's. It is the kind of place where you would find Tracey Emin or some such other East End hipster at the next table. And lo, there she was at the next table. Being too cool to ask for an autograph or worse, have my photo taken with her, you will have to take my word for it- or ask Mel.

We had the Mallard and red cabbage with a fine bottle of dry white, followed by freshly baked madeleines. The duck was pink, tender and moist, and the petit cakes awash with memories.

It was a memorable meal, long and slow. What better way to usher in another year. I have been asked recently if I am a father or a grandfather by pretty strangers,so I'm not sure how many more I can take. Still, to Mel and all to others who helped me mark the occasion, you made an old man very happy.