Precious Herbs...

In a land far, far away, a million years ago, that is Seaton Carew (Hartlepool) back in 1985, when fresh herbs were as rare as Marijuana, as a budding chef I searched high and low for these essential ingredients to flavour my dishes.

Parsley was not so bad because I could occasionally get it from our friendly greengrocer's Heckels and Hunter, who thought I was mad to add anything else but a pinch of salt to food. Herbs such as coriander, rosemary, sage, fennel or dill, etc... were unheard of.

I suddenly had a brainwave! A tiny ad in the Hartlepool Mail.
Fresh herbs desperately
wanted by restaurant.
Please call...

The same afternoon as the advert appeared in the paper, a reporter called and offered to help me in my quest for fresh herbs.
The following day my photo, with chef's hat and all, appeared on the front page! There mustn't have been any major crimes to report that day. A two-column story followed.
"Chef... Herbs...blah...blah...blah"

My restaurant was besieged by gardeners and housewives loaded with herbs... Parsley, Thyme, Green Sage, Purple Sage, Apple Mint, Spearmint, Lemon Mint, Rosemary... and... LOVAGE! I had no idea such a lovely herb existed.

I was overwhelmed by the response.
The next day the Mail did a follow-up story in which it passed on my thanks to those helpful people, especially the ones who who had anonymously placed bagfuls of herbs through the restaurant's letterbox. A practice that went on for months.

Nowadays, just go to any neighbourhood supermarket and you will find an amazing array of fresh herbs.
That's the Power of the Press for you...

PS:
Will the person who keeps dropping dead leaves in front of our restaurants every autumn please remove them. They are NOT herbs!

Coffee and chocolates...

Karen and I went to Krimo's for Sunday lunch.
It's not often we get the chance to eat at Krimo's. A quick pizza or pasta at Portofino or a couple tapas at Casa, yes, but Krimo's is more of a "proper" restaurant and I wouldn't dare dirty a tablecloth or waste a posh napkin.

I had Boureks and Roast Beef and Karen had Pate and Salmon. She said what she usually says after the first mouthful of pate... "You should sell it in the shops! It's so much better than any of the stuff I buy in Asda..."
Yeah, right, Karen... She also says that about my Paesano sauce, Algerian Merguez sausages and Boureks.

I finished the meal with a beautiful espresso and two mint chocolates.
Tearing the wrapper I noticed the motto that I, personally, moi, myself, created over 10 years ago.
"Krimo's... A mint of restaurant!"

Seeing Mrs. Walker and her daughter, Molly enjoying their Sunday lunch, I realised that they must agree with my motto. After all, they should know. They have been coming at least once a week for the last 23 years...

Adam's Mojitos...

Trying to fathom out how to take close-ups, I ended up snapping, among other things, a lime and a bunch of mint...
To the untrained eye, two simple green things...
Our Casa del Mar's Tom-Cruise-shake-alikes, Adam, Rob, Shelley, Lyndsay and Rachael would see the essential ingredients for my favourite Summer drink: an ice-cool, refreshing Mojito! With a touch of Havana Club or alcohol-free, Cuban Mojitos taste delicious!