thefidgetyfoodie

The Singapore sojourn every foodie must make

Posted on December 22, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Bright purple aubergine

If you only have one day in Singapore (like I did on this occasion) and you want a local foodie experience (as I always do), then hightail it to Tekka Wet Market in Little India, preferably with an empty stomach.

It’s lauded as Singapore’s most culturally rich market for a reason. Ethnic communities from Mandarin and Malay to Hokkien and Tamil come here to preserve their culinary cultures.

Dragon fruit

A wet market refers to a fresh meat and produce market, differentiating it from a dry market which sells durable goods. With 284 stalls, Tekka Market is the largest wet market in Singapore and I doubt there would be anything on your shopping list that you couldn’t find here. Having been renovated in 2009 it’s also extremely organised and clean. How very Singapore.

Banana flowers

After a long stint in the northern hemisphere I was ecstatic to be presented with sky high piles of brightly coloured tropical fruits. Jackfruit, rambutans, dragon fruit, guava, starfruit, longans, mangosteens and even (hold your nose) durians.

Ginger or rojak flowers

Banana flowers and ginger flowers were stacked up next to their fruit offspring. Ginger flowers are called rojak flowers in Singapore because of their use in fruit rojak – a traditional spicy fruit and vegetable salad that also includes cucumber, pineapple, turnip, fried tofu and fritters mixed with a sweet peanut sauce.

A section of aloe vera plant

I also spotted a thick and fleshy leaf from an aloe vera plant which would have come in handy a few days before as a soothing remedy when I burnt my hand in the kitchen.

Freshly cut tuna steaks

Green-lipped mussels

Whole baby sharks

The fish section was another favourite of mine, the sea creatures seeming a tad more dramatic than what you usually see at fish markets. Giant slabs of tuna sat next to green-lipped mussels, huge Sri Lankan crabs and baby sharks. There was also a massive meat section where butchers were happy to cut and prepare the meat to order.

Coconut grating machine

I’d never come across a coconut grating machine before and unfortunately it wasn’t in action while I was there. The white floss that comes out of the machine looks like desiccated coconut but is used to create coconut milk by being soaked in warm water and sieved.

The place for prata

Next to the wet market is a big food court with a mix of Chinese, Indian, Muslim and Western food stalls. As much as I wanted to go crazy and try everything, I knew we had impending lunch plans so I struck a deal with my friend Alex and her son Callum to pick one thing and share.

Mr Zulkifli is a prata maestro

I think it was Callum who made the call to choose prata from the Prata Saga stall. Winning decision Callum. Owner and chef Mr Zulkifli from Kerala was not only super friendly, he took the time to give me the low down on how he makes his prata, a fried flour-based pancake cooked over a flat grill.

Prata making, step by step

His secrets are to make the dough the night before and once it’s cooked, to fluff up the finished product with your hands. Considering he has taught at the CIA (that’s the Culinary Institute of American not the Central Intelligence Agency) I believed every word.

Plain prata with curry sauce

There were plenty of filling options but we stuck with the classic unadorned prata, accompanied with a delicious curry sauce for dipping. The prata was crispy on the outside and airy in the middle (no doubt a result of the hand fluffing technique). Mr Zulkifli makes 400 prata a day and has been doing this for 30 years. That works out to be something like 3 million pratas!

With a flight that evening I was forced to walk away from the markets empty handed rather than with bags overflowing with fresh produce. So I’ll be back again Singapore, just you wait.

Zurich Christmas Markets

Posted on December 14, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Christmas market in Zurich old town

At this time of year, most European cities are filled with twinkling lights, roast chestnut stands and the heady scent of cinnamon and mulled wine in the air. It’s a compelling argument for a white Christmas.

Christkindlimarkt in Zurich Hauptbahnhof

Zurich really gets in on the Christmas cheer with seven markets strewn through the city. The flagship is the Christkindlimarkt in the main station or Hauptbahnhof, one of Europe’s largest indoor Christmas markets.

The cavernous space is filled with over 150 stalls, many with a distinct Germanic feel given Zurich sits in the German speaking part of Switzerland.

You’re looking at 7,000 Swarovski crystals

The highlight for most visitors is the 15 metre tall Christmas tree decorated with 7,000 sparkling Swarovski crystals. And to be fair, it is rather impressive.

Of course the highlight for me was the amazing range of food on offer, some of which is only available during the festive season.

Let’s start with the cheese. The Swiss churn out plenty of the stuff and it towered in tempting displays; giant wheels encased in vine leaves or crushed raisins, white rinds stuffed with truffle butter and topped with shaved truffle, even whisky käse. And of course there was plenty of raclette, pimped up with shaved truffle if you fancied.

One of my favourite festive treats is always the German Christmas cake, stollen. It’s a dense, buttery cake studded with dried fruit and candied citrus peel, occasionally marzipan, and topped with icing sugar.

The original Dresdner stollen

The recipe originated in Dresden in the 15^th Century and remains the most famous version. Dresdner stollen can legally be made by only 150 Dresden-based bakers and is distinguished by a special seal depicting King Augustus II.

Apple fritters with custard

Before long my local friends, Michael and Karin, steered us towards the Apfelhuis stand for some delicious apple fritters swimming in custard. Having now been to a dozen or so German Christmas markets, I can safely say that you will never find a whiff of fresh produce in one. Fried, battered, pickled and preserved is what it’s all about.

Grittibaenz are eaten on St. Nicholas Day

Swiss Germans mark St. Nicholas Day on 6 December by eating traditional sweet bread baked into the shape of a man with raisins for eyes and a chocolate ‘stick’. This fella is called Grittibaenz and represents an early form of Santa.

Lussekatt are eaten on St. Lucia Day

I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a Swedish stand offering lussekatt. These saffron tinged buns are traditionally eaten on St. Lucia Day on 13 December to celebrate the festival of light. I have happy memories of baking them with my Swedish friend Johan and they taste just like brioche with a soft yellow hue from the saffron.

Pretty lebkuchen for your loved ones

I think the most picturesque stand at any Christmas market is always the one embellished with gingerbread hearts or lebkuchen. Hanging from ribbons and displaying cute phrases, the idea is to give them to loved ones to express your feelings.

I can usually be found near the glühwein stand

The busiest stand of course, is almost always the glühwein stand. It’s usually my first port of call so I can then wander through the markets sipping a cup of intoxicating wine spiked with the flavours of cinnamon, vanilla, cloves and citrus.

Red glühwein for me please

I was pleasantly surprised to see red and white wine versions on offer but red inevitably wins my heart every time. In my eyes, the only downside of a hot Southern Hemmisphere Christmas is the impracticality of serving this aromatic concoction. Maybe I’ll look into a chilled version this year…

Do you have a favourite Christmas market find? Please do share!

The London restaurant with no chef and no kitchen

Posted on December 8, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

The new London restaurant with no chef and no kitchen

How do you feel about food in a can?

Spam, tired veggies, no thanks.

Fish in a can? I love the stuff. I’ve eaten more cans of tuna in my time than John West has ever rejected. Salmon, sardines, the oilier the better please. Add salad leaves, balsamic and a good olive oil and there’s lunch. And I know I’m not alone on that front.

But how do you feel about a restaurant serving canned fish and only canned fish? When I heard that Tincan had opened in London, I had to investigate.

Staff prepare cans at the counter

I chose a rainy Thursday night and my timing couldn’t have been better. Tincan, perched just off Golden Square in Soho, was empty. Perhaps not so good for them but excellent for me. I sat at the bar and quizzed the lovely Lithuanian and French hosts with my myriad questions.

Who came up with this random concept?

Which can is the crowd favourite?

How often does someone order the £45 can of Carelian caviar?

Food or art?

‘A six month project by AL_A sourcing the finest tinned seafood from around the world’ is noted at the top of the menu.

AL_A is a London based design and architecture firm, responsible for projects including the V&A Museum courtyard and Bangkok Central Embassy. While designing a new cultural centre in Lisbon, the directors discovered a restaurant in a former fishing tackle shop that specialised in tinned fish. They were inspired to take the concept back to London and launch their own pop up.

Sleek interiors where the can is the hero

Looking around it’s no shock that a team of architects is behind this. The décor is minimal but chic, with a Monocle-meets-Warhol aesthetic. Wherever you look, the can is clearly the hero.

The menu – all 26 types of canned fish

To see what’s on offer you can simply look around the room, or down at the menu which offers 26 varieties of canned fish, ranging from £7 – £45. There are familiar fish such as sardines, mackerel and anchovies, although you’ll be pushed to recognise a single brand. The further down the menu you go, the more interesting the offering becomes; smoked eel fillets, squid in its own ink, Portuguese-style stuffed squid, bonito belly and clams in their shell with garlic, to name a few.

Open can. Serve can. Your meal is ready.

All the hard work is done before the tins arrive at the restaurant. Much of the fish is caught by traditional methods and even hand packed into tins. The restaurant staff open the tins and serve the contents with salad leaves, fresh bread, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, chilli and shallots.

The tasting plate, perfect for indecisive diners

I wanted to order everything. Thankfully they offer a tasting plate which makes it easy for the indecisive. Priced at £12, the platter includes tastings of Icelandic cod liver, urchin caviar, slow cooked Galician octopus in olive oil, sardines in spicy olive oil, tuna in molho cru spices and spicy mackerel fillets.

The sardines, mackerel and tuna were all very pleasant but not dissimilar to good quality canned product I’ve eaten before and nothing to write home about.

The other three, however, almost deserve their own posts.

Icelandic smoked cod liver

Being both a fan of liver and having recently been to Iceland, I was surprised and a little embarrassed that I’d never actually eaten cod liver before. The French staffer told me it was a big part of her childhood and standard fare in France. It had an unctuous texture, just like liver from a cow or calf, with a slight fishy flavour and was absolutely delicious, especially with bread. I can see why this is one of the top selling cans.

Icelandic cod liver is the best selling can

The urchin caviar – mixed with onion and lemon before being served – was also a standout. It had a slightly grainy texture and mild flavour so it was a surprise to hear that it’s one of the more polarising offerings on the menu.

The Galician octopus in olive oil was my favourite. A dead ringer for the similarly tender, deliciously marinated Greek-style octopus that I don’t eat nearly as often as I’d like. The Greeks never thought to put it in a can though.

Unfortunately the platter didn’t include a tasting of the Carelian caviar, at £45 it’s the most expensive can on the menu. I’ll have to go back for that one.

The owners spent over a year trying every type of canned fish they could get their hands on, from every corner of the globe. But you wouldn’t know because the menu overwhelmingly features fish from Spain and Portugal, with the odd addition from Iceland and Finland. Apparently even French canned fish was not up to scratch.

Er Boqueron, salt water beer

I’m not one for beer but the other selling point here is the salt water beer, Er Boqueron. Tincan is the sole distributor in the UK and apparently it’s very nice.

The restaurant was a massive hit when it first opened in September (the punters were packed in… like sardines : )

It’s been a little quieter since the cold weather hit. A can of room temperature fish is probably not exactly what most people lust after when the temperature reaches zero and extremities are freezing. Perhaps the restaurant’s six month life span would have been better positioned over the summer months.

I love this concept and I think they just get away with it because of the exceptionally high quality of fish. Seems to be working because according to the website, next stop is New York…

Christmas eating at Harrods and Harvey Nichols

Posted on December 4, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Oh how I’d love to eat my way through this hamper

London does Christmas better. Better and bigger than anywhere else in my humble opinion.

Right now it feels like the entire city is illuminated. Streets are decked out with elaborate lights, stores are dressed like pantomime stars, every corner reveals an outdoor ice skating rink selling mulled wine, and the tell-tale smell of cinnamon and cloves wafts through the air.

Xmas pud yoghurt

Then there’s the food. And this is where London really shines. Even the supermarkets bring out imaginative Christmas ranges, from Heston’s hidden clementine Christmas pudding at Waitrose to xmas pud yoghurt (delicious by the way). The Christmas ad from Sainsbury’s this year stopped the nation.

But the real action is in the department stores that I usually steer clear of because I’m more Primark than Prada. And if London does it best then no one comes close to two of the big names in retail: Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

You’d think every day was Christmas at Harrods

Harrods is a retail temple that’s lit up from top to toe all year round so you can just imagine how energetically it embraces the festive season. Every inch of the four giant food halls is festified.

One entire food hall at Harrods is dedicated to chocolate

Little red cards noting special dishes are dotted through each section – a clever technique that subtly screams ‘limited edition’, ‘you need me for Christmas’ and ‘buy me immediately’.

Your Christmas table centrepiece perhaps?

Decadent kugelhopf dusted in gold leaf

The bakery section (always my favourite) is full of stunningly decorated cakes, pastries, donuts and breads. You can pick up a Christmas train cake for a cool £150, slices of marbled vanilla chocolate kugelhopf dusted in gold leaf or a gingerbread man ham and cheese puff.

The prices are, as expected, exorbitant. But when you consider the artistry and precision involved in every single item, they are somewhat justified. And in case I had any doubts about the extremely high standards set here, an exchange I witnessed set my mind (and wallet) at ease.

What fruit kugelhopf?

A suited manager asked one of the servers what on earth had happened to one of the fruit kugelhopfs on display. Admittedly the pieces looked like they’d been hacked by a five year old. The server hastily explained that it was a very difficult cake to cut and she’d really struggled with it.

‘So what is it doing on the shop floor?’ asked the manager with an arched eyebrow.

All evidence of that cake was gone in 30 seconds (I desperately hope not straight into the bin).

It took every ounce of willpower not to buy one. A whole one.

The dish I found most drool worthy was definitely this sweet potato pie, perhaps a legacy to Thanksgiving as much as Christmas. Almond pastry encloses a heady spiced sweet potato mix which is topped with pumpkin seed tuille and mascarpone. What a stunner.

Savoury patisserie at its best

And then there is the savoury patisserie. According to The Independent newspaper, “Savoury patisserie is a thing now”. Basically take your favourite pastry and replace the usual sweet flavours with savoury and presto, you have savoury patisserie.

Will that be foie gras or goats cheese in your éclair?

For Harrods this means traditional choux pastry éclairs stuffed with goats cheese. Or delicate macaroons filled with foie gras.

That’s my next birthday cake sorted

They sound exquisite but my attention was focused on the smoked salmon gateaux. Layers of smoked salmon, delicate crepes and light smoked salmon mousse are topped with avruga, salmon caviar and cream cheese ‘icing’. My next birthday cake perhaps?

Harvey Nichols gets festive

Down the road at Harvey Nichols, the food hall on level 5 is slightly more chic (sweetie darling) but equally adorned. Giant silver crackers hang from the ceiling, spilling out beautifully packaged panettones, gingerbread men and mince pies.

No dodgy paper crowns in these crackers

If those crackers are a little big for your dining table, there are smaller ones designed in black, gold and white that are filled with choice gifts and premium headware. Presumably the jokes are more high brow too.

You can never have too much glitter on your cheese

There is an impressive cheese selection and numerous ‘bombs’, including a smoked cheese bomb and whisky cheese bomb, both sheltered in thick wax and sprinkled liberally with glitter. Nothing says festive glam like glitter.

Cake or turkey?

My favourite find was the large Christmas fruit cake in the shape of a turkey. Even the vegetable accoutrements are made of fruit cake. That’s one way to get the kids to eat their vegies!

Eggnog for the uninitiated

As much as I would have loved to buy this cake (a steal at £49.95), I settled for some eggnog instead. You rarely see eggnog in Australia, probably because of the 30 degree plus temperatures around Christmas time so I’m curious to give it a whirl.

Your festive condiment needs are sorted at Harvey Nichols

Christmas is a marketers dream. Create it and they will buy. This is why you need a specific pickle for Christmas Day and then a separate chutney for Boxing Day. Using the same over both days would be uncouth.

If you only buy one thing, make it this

The alcohol department is also a favourite of mine, stacked high with bottles of Dom and Krug priced higher than a plane ticket to Sydney. My tip for the festive season is the mince pie syrup. Mix it with rum and pressed apple juice to create the perfect mince pie martini.

Between the two stores I could have easily dropped my life savings. But I’d better save a few quid for a trip to Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason…

Tasty bites from Transylvania

Posted on November 27, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Dracula’s castle (maybe) in Bran

I’ve just returned from a week in Transylvania, the largest region in Romania.

Dracula you say? Well yes, he’s their biggest drawcard. A fictional character based ever so loosely on a 15th century prince who probably never actually lived in Transylvania (at least not in his so called castle), created by a writer who never stepped foot in the country. But who cares? Everyone loves the story and at one point it was the best selling book after the Bible.

What does Dracula drink? Draquila of course

I was much more interested in the food. Of course. You don’t hear much about Romanian food and even the culture is a bit of a mystery. Due to its location, it’s always been a buffer zone of sorts, sandwiched between big powers like Russia, the Austro-Hungarians and the Ottomans.

Ciorbă – Romanian sour soup

Transylvania was part of Hungary until WW1, after which it was absorbed by Romania. This is why you see a strong Hungarian and German influence throughout the region, along with references to Turkish and Russian culture.

While everyone else chased vampires, I chased down all the traditional dishes I could find and was not disappointed. So here’s a litle overview of my favourite dishes:

Ciorbă soup with tripe

Ciorbă soup: The average temperature while I was there was 2 degrees so I was freezing most of the time. Lucky for me then that no Romanian meal is complete without a soup and their signature is the distinctive sour soup called ciorbă that is soured with vinegar, sauerkraut juice or lemon. I tried a few variations including vegetable, tripe and pork and they were all generously portioned and delicious. Many people baulk at the idea of eating stomach lining (I have no idea why) but even the doubtful would enjoy it prepared this way as it’s thinly sliced and very tender. Trust me!

Mămăligă, a meal unto itself

Mămăligă: this is the Romanian answer to polenta; boiled cornmeal that is the very cornerstone of Romanian meals. It is served plain or with butter, cheese or sour cream. I made the mistake of ordering it along with a main, thinking it would be like a side dish. What came out could have fed me for days: a veritable steaming mound that had layers of cheese melted within in. I’d gladly be a peasant to eat this every day.

Sarmale served with mămăligă, sour cream and a chilli pepper

Sarmale: I am no stranger to cabbage rolls. In Greek cooking we have lahanodolmathes which are delicous cabbage wrapped parcels of rice and meat, cooked and doused in an avgolemono (egg and lemon) sauce. So the bar for me is set very high (especially if it’s yiayia’s lahanodolmathes we’re taking about), but I’m always eager to try a variation.

Even supermarket sarmale were tasty

Sarmale are different in that they use sour cabbage rather than fresh cabbage, smoked meat, and are covered in a tomato sauce. So the end result has a completely different flavour to what I’m used to but I really enjoyed the sourness and the smoky flavours. Apart from eating this in a restaurant I also tried the supermarket version which was so good (and so cheap) it became my train snack of choice.

So many delicious baked treats at every turn

Baked treats: I am incapable of walking past a bakery or street food stand without stopping to stare, salivate and more often than not, buy something on display. If I spy something I’ve never tried before then that’s grounds for immediate purchase. Even if I’ve just eaten.

My freezing hands hold an apple filled pastry

There are hole-in-the-wall bakeries dotted all over the towns of Transylvania and each one had a slightly different offering so I tried my fair share of pastries, cakes and other doughy creations. Some were disappointing, either bland or not as fresh as I’d hoped given I could see the oven working overtime in the background.

A giant pocket of fried dough stuffed with salty cheese

A giant pocket of fried dough stuffed with cheese

My favourite was from the town of Sibiu – a giant piece of crescent shaped dough, filled with salty cheese and deep fried. At 2 lei a pop (that’s less than €0.50) it was practically a meal, albeit not a particularly healthy one.

Baklava made with chocolate and soaked in chocolate syrup

Baklava. If ever a food had an identity crisis this would have to be it. The Greeks claim to have invented it. The Turks swear it’s theirs. The Armenians perfected it. No it was the Lebanese.

Whatever. As long as I can eat it I’m happy. There’s plenty of it around in Romania and what excited me most was the not-very-traditional-but-genius chocolate version.

Chocolate baklava. Traditional? No. Delicious? Oh yes

I also spotted this years ago in Istanbul but have never seen it elsewhere. A bastardisation for sure but the combination of filo pastry, nuts and chocolate syrup was fantastic.

Papanași – Romanian doughnuts with sour cream and tart berry jam

Papanași: Every cuisine seems to have a variation on fried sweet dough (loukoumades, beignets, kleina, churros…) and I’m yet to find a variation I haven’t loved. Papanași are Romanian doughnuts made from a mixture of sweet cheese, eggs and semolina, fried and served with sour cream and fruit syrup or jam. Very heavy but very delicious. They are a popular dessert in restaurants but I would not recommend eating this in conjunction with mămăligă unless you have been fasting for three days.

Kürtőskalács from its true home in Transylvania

Kürtőskalács get an honourary mention even though they featured in their own post recently. They originate from Transylvania which was of course part of Hungary until 1918, so both the Hungarians and the Romanians lay claim to this unique pastry. After eating my weight of them in Hungary I thought it only fair to try one in its original home. It was more or less the same in looks, size and preparation. I chose walnut as I hadn’t seen this option elsewhere.

Is it just me who ends up with an uncooked inner layer in their kürtőskalács?

Why do I always end up with an uncooked inner layer in my kürtőskalács?

It was beautifully caramelised on the outside but once again had an uncooked layer on the inside. I’m beginning to wonder if this style of cooking over coals ever allows the kürtőskalács to cook through? This is keeping me up at night!

Has anyone else experienced Romanian food, either in Romania or elsewhere?

Raclette – the heart stopping cheese

Posted on November 22, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Raclette. The word drips off the palate as beautifully as the cheese melts.

I don’t need to convince anyone about the merits of melted cheese. But once you’ve discovered raclette you´ll never look at melted cheese in the same way again.

A wheel of raclette cheese

Raclette is an aromatic, semi-firm cow´s milk cheese from Switzerland, usually fashioned into 6kg wheels.

Legend has it that Swiss farmers from the Valais canton set up camp one night and some bits of cheese they’d left on rocks near the fire melted. They scraped the cheese off and discovered it was delicious. Raclette (from the French racler meaning ´to scrape´) was born.

Raclette from Borough Markets in London

Raclette is now one of Switzerland´s most cherished national dishes, vying only with distant relative fondue for cheesy supremacy.

You can smell the raclette at Borough Market from a mile away

The modern way of cooking raclette doesn´t involve any rocks. When produced on a large scale, like at Borough Market in London, half wheels of raclette are heated from above by a special machine, then scraped onto small boiled potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions and charcuterie.

Raclette slices melt in small pans under the hot plate

The electric home kits are pretty nifty too. They include small pans in which to melt individual slabs of raclette, and a hot plate for cooking bacon, sausages and anything else you fancy.

The Swiss are masters at DIY raclette

I was lucky enough to have raclette with my friends Michael and Karin in Zurich and they really pulled out all the stops. Once individual raclette slices were cooked to our liking, we simply poured the melting goodness on top of potatoes, mushrooms, marinated artichokes, sausages, bacon and other tasty accoutrements.

Melted raclette ready to be poured over the food on my plate

A crisp white wine is the perfect accompaniment to cut through the creaminess of the cheese. Kirsch, cherry flavoured brandy, is also a popular match and comes from the same region that raclette originated.

Has anyone experienced a fabulous raclette outside of Switzerland?

5 fun ways to get fit in London

Posted on November 19, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

This post isn’t technically about food. But the more I exercise the more I can eat, right?

And in fact I do occasionally take a break from eating to exercise. I´m a big fan of running, especially when I travel as it’s a great way to see more of the place you´re in and all you need is a pair of trainers.

When I´m in London though, I like to mix things up a little and it´s not hard because a new fitness craze seems to launch every other week. Here are some of the most original and fun ways I like to sweat it all out.

Learn how to move like the master

Michael Jackson dance class

You have to love a dance studio that offers classes like Cheerleading and Waacking in its timetable.

But the class I´ve always loved at the Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden is the one dedicated to the greatest pop star of our time. Run by the super taletented Anthony King , it’s an hour of pure poptastic MJ choreography to a selection of his classic tracks.

Anthony King dances like he is MJ!

The class is a combination of street, commercial pop and modern jazz… with plenty of crotch thrusting. £11 for the baddest dance workout around.

Anna the Hulagan

Hula Fit

Who would you expect to be running a hula hoop class? Why Anna the Hulagan of course! She´s been at the forefront of the hoop scene for years (that´s right, there´s a scene) and it shows. I´ve never seen such toned abs before.

Hula hooping warm up

Hula Fit classes emphasise toning and coordination and use special weighted hoops. Two kilos doesn’t feel like much to start with but your middle will be aching by the end of the one hour class (and possibly be covered in bruises like mine was).

It’s fun and fast paced, a mix of cardio routines and core abdominal work, all to a bouncing playlist. If you´ve got the hips, they´ve got the hoops…. £6 in advance or £8 drop in.

Stroll through London on your skates

The Sunday Stroll

I was innocently cycling through the back streets of Chelsea one day when suddenly a flock of roller skaters (hundreds of them!) appeared from nowhere and thundered past me, followed by a guy with a boombox playing funky tunes. What the… ??

Turns out this is a regular ritual known as The Sunday Stroll – a weekly marshalled street skate in Central London. It starts in Hyde Park at 2pm every Sunday and the route changes each week. It´s open to all skaters who can stop, turn and control their speed on hills, which unfortunately does not include me.

Even Santa gets in on the skating action

It´s free and run by volunteers and I aspire to one day give it a crack. If I´m good enough by Christmas I will definitely join the London Santa Skate (but don´t hold your breath!).

Anything goes at roller disco

Roller Disco

While my limited roller skating skills are not quite ready for the streets of London, they are good enough for my all-time favourite London activity… roller disco! You have to hand it to London for having a dedicated Roller Disco, which is tucked down an alley in Vauxhall and open Thursday to Saturday nights.

There are two inter-connected skating rooms so you can switch between funky disco tunes and deep house. The surrounding area is for drinking and lounging when you need to take a breather. It´s so retro kitsch you´ll feel like an extra in Boogie Nights.

Remember that roller disco is always best undertaken while wearing an afro and hot pants… or at least spangly tights, leg warmers and sequins. £10 -£15 which includes skate hire.

GrooveCycle

Imagine a spin class on speed. With dance music, hand weights and strobe lights.

That´s GrooveCycle, a ´dance-cycle session´ that will leave you weak at the knees. Each routine is choreographed to a specific dance track and keeps your entire body moving, all while sitting on a bike in Europe´s largest spin room (100 bikes!) at Reebok Sports Club in Canary Wharf.

A Halloween-themed GrooveCycle session

I have my dear friend Emily to thank for introducing me to this unsuspecting form of torture. Every time I go my thighs swear I´ll never return but I always go back for more. I did love the Halloween themed class though, lots of spooky tracks and witches hats to keep us distracted! £10 a class.

Do you know of any other fun ways to get fit in London or any other city for that matter?

Hungarian Kürtőskalács

Posted on November 15, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

A Hungarian kürtőskalács

Kürtőskalács

Not the easiest word to pronounce. The literal translation of ´chimney cake´ is a little easier on the palate.

These quirky cakes were created in the 15^th century by Hungarians living in the Szeklerland region. This historic area is in the centre of present day Romania and still heavily populated by Hungarians, so both countries lay claim to this unique pastry.

Freshly cooked kürtőskalács

Kürtőskalács are a popular street food snack in Hungary and a mainstay of festivals. The word is getting out and anyone from Sydney will probably be familiar with the chain Kürtősh which also sells these beauties.

Kürtőskalács Festival in Budapest

Kürtőskalács are so revered in Hungary that they get their very own festival which travels around to the major cities. I thought I was dreaming when fellow kürtőskalác aficianado Neven and I stumbled across the festival in Budapest one sunny Saturday.

Vajdahunyad Castle, Budapest

The festival was held at the stunningly beautiful City Park, in front of the Vajdahunyad Castle which was designed to look like a Transylvanian gothic castle.

Lines for a kürtőskalács stretched across the park

It was the queues I spotted first. Despite there being at least eight individual stands selling kürtőskalács, the line for each was at least 100 strong.

We were in our queue for 90 minutes! I don’t think I´ve even waited that long for a baked good.

It did give me plenty of time to observe the production process though. Each one is handmade, taking at least ten minutes from start to finish and requires dexterity and patience.

Dough is wrapped around a cylindrical wooden mould

A soft dough made from flour, milk, yeast, sugar, eggs and butter is rolled out and cut into wide strips. The strips are then wrapped around a cylindrical mould in an overlapping spiral motion. The wooden mould has been brushed with butter to keep the dough from sticking.

Kürtőskalács are spit roasted over the coal fire

The pastry is brushed with more butter, rolled in sugar and placed on a rotisserie to cook above charcoal cinders.

Pimp up your kürtőskalács with cinnamon, nuts, coconut or vanilla sugar

Each kürtőskalács takes around five minutes to cook through and achieve a glossy, caramelised crust. Once cooked to perfection, it will be finished off with your topping of choice; cinnamon, nuts, coconut or vanilla sugar. I´m always torn between cinnamon and nuts, both work beautifully with the pastry.

Was this one worth the wait? I was a little disappointed to be honest. Due to the massive queues, the staff (understandably) were rushing the cooking process so ours was perfectly crisp on the outside but doughy and verging on uncooked on the inside. I basically stripped away the uncooked inner layer to focus on the outside layer and I was happy.

The entire festival had a wonderful convivial feel and under every tree in the park was a family or group of friends devouring a kürtőskalács or two between them, tearing each one apart strip by strip.

It was also the day of the Budapest Marathon so a couple of enthusiastic runners demonstrated just how how much they love these prized local treats by dressing in kürtőskalács costumes.

Has anyone tried a kürtőskalács outside of Hungary?

7 Finnish foods that blew me away

Posted on November 12, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Open sandwich with crayfish and fish roe

I had no expectations about Finnish food before I touched down in Helsinki. I craved seafood, I had my fingers crossed for cloudberries, but that was about it.

So it was a wonderful surprise to discover that this unassuming country has plenty of culinary highlights. Jacques Chirac had no idea what he was talking about when he declared that ˝Finland (is) the country with the worst food.˝

There is a refreshing simplicity in traditional Finnish food (maybe that’s why Chirac baulked) which is due largely to the reliance on what can be found in the forest and ocean. The cuisine has also been influenced by Germany, Russia and Sweden over time, so you might recognise a dish or ingredient here and there.

Kauppatori market hall beside Helsinki harbour

The Finns have a fantastic market culture and Helsinki in particular has some brilliant market halls including Hakaniemi and the recently renovated Kauppatori, positioned right next to Helsinki’s bustling harbour.

If you find yourself in this northern neck of the woods then promise me you will try the following…

Lightly battered and fried vendance

Vendance (muikku)
These tiny fish are a traditional summertime delicacy, especially popular at markets during summer. Similar to whitebait, the fish are lightly breaded and fried, then eaten whole with garlic sauce or lemon. The mild umami flavour and crunchy texture were sensational and they were the perfect snack to enjoy on the boat over to the Suomenlinna fortress.

Yep, that’s Rudolph in a can

Reindeer (poro)
There is a long tradition of hunting in Finland, focusing on reindeer, moose and bear. Put those warm and fuzzy childhood memories of Rudolph aside right now because you will be seeing him everywhere; in kebabs, as thick steaks, cold smoked, even canned. He’ll be sitting right next to the canned bear.

Reindeer kebab anyone?

Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen…

Reindeer meat has a rich gamey flavour, very similar to venison, and is very lean. The slices of cured reindeer were very tasty but I didn’t go as far as buying reindeer in a can.

100% bear meat. Ingredients: bear meat 90%. Go figure.

I was curious about the canned bear meat, but with a price tag of €20 for a tiny can, I decided my money could be better spent elsewhere… like on these babies! Read More

The Purple Collection

Posted on November 8, 2014 by thefidgetyfoodie

Image by Pantone

It was inevitable wasn´t it? Yes, my friends are nodding. For I am obsessed with this colour.

But I do not stand alone. Pantone, the absolute authority on colour, declared the 2014 Colour of the Year to be purple. Well Radiant Orchid to be precise. Number 18-3224 if you want to be really precise.

Image by Pantone

They even whipped up this cute illustration for Halloween. Seems I˙m not the only one campaigning to rebrand all major festivals in a purple hue.

In the spirit of celebrating this fabulous colour I bring you my Purple Collection.

Purple sweet potato and chestnut tart

Purple sweet potato and chestnut tart, Hong Kong: Tell me this isn´t the most stunning little pastry that you´ve ever seen! The fact that it didn´t taste amazing was in no way a determent for me. It wasn´t sweet enough for my palate and I never have fully embraced the concept of root vegetables taking a starring role in desserts. Didn’t stop me from eating one a day though.

Aubergine, Hong Kong and London: this is an obvious addition to the list, perhaps too obvious. But the calibre of produce at the Graham Street and Borough markets respectively is top notch, and the colours so luminous they had to make the list. I found myself cradling these beauties like newborns.

Purple potatoes, inside and out

Purple potatoes, Berlin: A delightful discovery for me this year was the Turkish market in Kreuzberg where I had some of the best Turkish food I´ve ever eaten (and that includes in Turkey). Amongst the gozleme stands and fresh produce was an unassuming crate filled with purple potatoes that I almost walked straight by because their skins were not dissimilar from ordinary potatoes. But one look at the sign and a sliced up specimen spoke the truth. Unfortunately I didn’t have access to a kitchen on this occasion so didnt´t buy any and I´ve been looking in vain to find them ever since.

Purple flour! Sort of…

Flour, Stockholm. Trust the design saavy Swedes to package up something as generic as flour into a design classic. I am almost wept at the beauty of this display.

Cauliflower is back on the hot list thanks to its new shade

Cauliflower, Stockholm: Thanks to purple varieties, cauliflower is going through a renaissance. No longer languishing on crudité trays and under mounds of melted cheese and breadcrumbs, this underachieving brassica is finally having its (purple) moment in the sun.

Blackberry soup for every occasion

Blackberry soup, Stockholm: My Swedish friend Johan drinks cold blackberry soup every morning and hot blackberry soup when he is sick. He happens to be the fittest person I know so when he told me this I ran to the nearest store to track some down. A super food in super packaging, does it get any better?

You might have noticed that the last three items all came from Stockholm. So keep an eye out on the shelves of Ikea, no doubt this will be next season´s feature colour!

Does anyone have a purple food item to add to my collection?