Colin, our very tall head-chef is famous for his dry humour. Just ask any of the waitresses at Krimo's and they will all go: "Arghhhh!"
He has been known to tease vegetarian staff with things like "Would you like an omelet... a ham omelet?"
I personally think he is very quick-witted. His humour seems to extend beyond the Channel.
Many moons ago Colin worked at our French friend Didier Deville's Bistro 57 as second chef. As his subordinate, he was always at the butt of his boss's pseudo-chauvinistic Rosbif jokes, especially if the French rugby team had lost to a British team.
Nowadays Colin has finally swapped positions and now he has a Frenchman under him. Gentle giant, Jimmy!
Is Colin the kind of person who would fight the Hundred Years War all over again just to get his own back? Non!
A true Englishman, Col savours his revenge cold, with a bit of horseradish instead of Mayonnaise.
L'entente cordiale...
Computer whizz...
Richard is the man who set up my first computer over fifteen years ago.
He is the computer whizz kid I call whenever there is a loose mouse in the house, a deadly virus bugging me or a simple case of forgetting to plug in something...
He doesn't just fix the problem, he also teaches me how to do it myself in case it happens again.
The fact that I got a first (yes, a FIRST, thank you very much!!) in the Web Design course I attended back in June, may not be all down to Richard but I could never ever have considered going for it had it not been for what I've learnt from him over the years.
Yersterday, Richard came to Portofino to upload my finished Krimo's website. You know, the one I've been building since I finished the course. And he was quite impressed, I think. After all, I have been a good student...
But then my server went down and we weren't able to see the new website online till this afternoon. It is not yet the finished product as I have been known to constantly tweak things but I am quite proud of it.
Please feel free to tell me what you think of it...
Sod's Law has brought down the server again, so you may not be able to admire my handywork...
Magic is back...
After over six months' absence and a triple heart bypass, Madjid is back at the stove... well, half-back as he is only working half the hours he used to put in before he was diagnosed with a cardiac problem back in December.
Madjid has always followed a sensible diet with plenty of vegetables and fish and the odd glass of red. It has been very crucial for his rapid recovery.
Welcome back, Magic!
Weather grounds air show...
Three weeks ago, torrential rain and low temperatures spoilt our Maritime Festival.
This past weekend, the Sunderland International Air Show was another victim of the English Summer weather.
Two miles from the coast, as temperatures soared to 26 degrees (!) we, along with thousands of other people left our car on a field on the outskirts of Sunderland and boarded a Park and Ride bus. Colourful shorts and Tshirts, sunglasses, picnic hampers in hand, we headed for the seafront.
As we neared Seaburn, mist put a veil over the face of the sun.
Thousands of visitors waited in vain for a glimpse of a flying machine. The tannoy announced the fly-over of a Belgian Airforce F16. We heard it but never saw it.
All waited and expected, whiling away the hours on the Twister or the beach, getting a henna tattoo here, an ice cream there...
The sky cleared up for a few minutes raising our hopes skyward only for the mist to dampen them soon after.
The only planes we saw were of the Airfix type on sale in many of the stalls along the seafront.
Two years from now, the Tall Ships come to Hartlepool.
Do we have to start praying now for good weather?
Mouth watering...
When I conceived Casa del Mar, I decided that it should be a place where diners would be transported back to whichever fantastic Mediterranean holiday they have just come home from.
The menu includes Greek salad, Spanish Paella, Algerian Sausages, etc...
The minted lamb draws from both North African and Spanish cuisines.
Just like with Pavlov's dog, smells and tastes never fail to ring a bell inside our memory.
One warm summer's evening back in the late eighties when I was still cooking at Seaton Carew, I walked across the road to my favourite seat by the paddling pool just as I always did before the evening service, to collect my thoughts and ready myself for the onslaught.
A couple of hundred yards down the sandy beach The North Sea felt peculiarly warm. Not warm enough for a late dip but it imparted a strong Mediterranean smell, a fishy smell, a smell I had only come across back in the tiny harbour where, as a youngster I went for evening walks with family and friends. A smell that conjured up many beautiful memories.
Suddenly, I was gasping for grilled sardines, simple olive oil and lemon dressing, a walk on a beach...
Whenever I see couples holding hands across a table at Casa del Mar, their eyes full of Rosé I know they are on a beach far, far away, listening to the gentle surf of a Mediterranean evening...
A short one for the weekend...
Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON:
No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
Gambas al Pil Pil
Fascinating how several Mediterranean countries serve similar dishes in many different guises.
One example is the dish of prawns with chili.
Portugal: Camarões com Piri-Piri
Spain: Gambas Pil-Pil
France: Crevettes au Piment
Italy: Gamberi al pepe
Algerian: Crevettes bil Felfel
The word Felfel is the common denominator. Arabic in origin it spread to Andalucia and the rest of Europe.
The Recipe:
10 peeled raw prawns
1 red chili
1 garlic clove, chopped
1tsp of paprika
Olive oil
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Saute the prawns for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, paprika and chilli. Cook until the prawns turn pink. Place in a hot terracotta dish and serve immediately.
Lucky Luke...
Looks like Luke enjoyed his meal!
What an artist!
The visitors' book at Portofino is well used by our younger patrons.
And they can write!!
And draw!!
Many can't even reach it. But they climb on the old wooden chair and embark on an impromptu essay.
I can never help but smile in wonder at what must make those young little brains tick.
Cat on a hot tiled roof...
Portofino is full of little nooks and crannies where, if you look carefully, you will sometimes find something unusual that will make you smile.
A few years ago, when I saw this beautiful China kitten in a local shop window it reminded me of our own sadly departed Henry.
I bought it and placed it in one of our mock windows at Portofino. I often draw the attention of our younger patrons to it. They become so fascinated by our "guard kitten" that they begin searching for and noticing many more unusual artefacts all around our Pizzeria.
I have always felt that restaurants should not be just about food. If I am hungry I open my fridge door and make myself something to eat.
If I go out, unless it is for a quick lunch, I want to be in a place where I can relax.
After all, restaurant comes from the French word "Restaurer" which means "to restore" and restore my strength and my mind -not that I lose it often- is what I need when I go out for a meal.
Loyalty...
Ever since Tesco, Asda and Morrisons introduced their loyalty card, I have wanted to have my own.
For years, I have researched many systems which would reward our customers for their loyalty and finally I found a company which provided me with exactly what I had always needed.
A loyalty card system that customers can use in our three restaurants!
I designed the card, submitted it and hey, Presto! we are up and running.
Guess who owns card No.1?
Well, I am loyal, aren't I? I arrive at work every morning before 9!!!
Gay Gordons...
Rain doesn't stop play...
The rain and cold put the dampeners on Hartlepool's Maritime Festival but didn't spoil it.
There were lots of things to do. From shopping at the French market to dancing to live reggae and salsa, watching street artists strut their stuff around the Marina, supping a beer while watching many aquatic feats, etc...
I'm not sure that a little ray of sunshine would've brought any more visitors to Hartlepool. The festival was fighting for attention with Wimbledon men's final between Federer and Nadal.
Even they had to dodge a few showers!
Let's hope that next year the weather will be much better.
Photo courtesy of BBC Sport
A rise Sir Loin....
Judging from the continuing rise in the price of diesel I have a feeling that this worrying state of affairs may well last long enough to hurt many people.
Business dictates that we should follow suit and pass on the increases. I usually leave it till we are struggling to reach our margins before augmenting our prices, and even then, very slightly as to not end up with disaffected regulars.
Over the twenty three years we have been in the restaurant business, there have been numerous times when we have had to grit our teeth and hope to ride the storm. I just hope that this time our confidence is not strained.
A Spanish Fiesta...
Two lots of Torres turned a windy Sunday evening into a Spanish Fiesta!
The first Torres, fiery Fernando helped Spain lift the Euro 2008 Cup with the only goal of the match.
And the second Torres, mesmerising Esmeralda kept us company with a few Tapas while we watched a lesson in football. We discovered her back in 1992 in a beautiful restaurant on the Balearic island of Majorca. We fell in love and, back in England we scoured the country for a supplier of this special wine, a delicate marriage Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer. One of our suppliers came up trumps and Viña Esmeralda has featured in our wine list ever since.
Both Torreses tower about the rest on a windy Sunday evening in Hartlepool...
Cooking by numbers...
In all the years that I've been cooking I have always looked at alternative cooking methods.
Just imagine a computer full of recipes, linked to a microwave... Get the idea?
Whenever you feel peckish, you just key your favourite dish into the computer, stick the ingredients inside the microwave and press the start button. Then pour yourself a glass of wine and relax.
DING....
Well, guess what... My dream may be about to come true...
The Smartchef - a partner in the kitchen for those who take pleasure in cooking, cuisine and the culture of food. Smartchef is a PC designed for chefs to use in the kitchen as they cook.
It provides hands on preparation tools to the cook along with learning, entertainment, organization and sharing functions. The device is split into two components; a stationary "smart" cutting board base and a portable tablet.
Because cooking enthusiasts get great satisfaction from hands-on contact with ingredients and their tools, the Smartchef does not automate or mechanize the tasks of food preparation. Smartchef is also not intended to reduce the owner's time in the kitchen. Instead, it is designed to extend that time and make the pursuit of the home chef’s passion more enjoyable and fruitful.
Can't wait for the next generation, can you?
Substitutes...
Since Madjid went on the sick in early December, Colin, Jimmy and the team have had to knuckle down and make sure that Krimo's quality did not suffer.
I must admit that on many occasions, especially on Saturday nights, I looked into the kitchen, said hello and just walked away. Cooking is mostly about concentration and organisation. Any outside interference can seriously hamper the flow of things.
Colin had nearly three weeks' holiday booked for June and Jimmy stepped up a gear with the help of Noel from Portofino and Kevin from Casa del Mar, who each gave a bit of their time whenever they were needed.
Jimmy also had Shaun, our reliable commis chef to count on. He turned out to be a great help.
Having been watching Euro 2008, I realise that there are often many great substitutes!
Ours are the best because they don't lose their head...
Hartlepool Maritime Festival...
What makes kids eat weird stuff?
Does he do these things to appear "macho"? To stand out from the bland crowd? I am honestly not sure.
All I know is that with every new thing he tries, he goes up a notch in my estimation.
His twelve year-old sister, Evie, on the other hand, is someone who would die of hunger rather than touch, let alone taste something like a mouthful of broccoli or a juicy prawn. By the end of the holiday she was in fact toying with the idea of becoming a vegetarian!
Do I love her any less? No way! She has always been the apple of my eye! Now she will be the green apple…
I must say that my grandson stands heads and shoulders above your everyday kid who lives on chicken goujons and chips and nothing else.
Parents, please beware! Kids who eat anything seem to have more energy than others!
Portofino celebrity wedding...
Until I checked the news and discovered that the footballer married his sweetheart, Colleen in the beautiful Italian resort of Portofino after which I named our Pizzeria back in 1997.
Photo courtesy of Mail Online
Sue me!!
A woman won $35,000 after a restaurant in New York's West Village asked her to leave the ladies toilets as they thought she was a man.
Khadijah Farmer visited the Caliente Cab Company last June. When she went into the toilet, a male bouncer ejected her and others in her party.
Read all about it in the New York Times !
Hartbeat Competition...
When did Krimo's open its doors?
The answer was on the same page of Hartbeat...
May the force... be with you! Remember?
The winner is Teresa Pinchen of Hartlepool who gets a £100 voucher to spend at Krimo's. Congratulations, Teresa!
Helping dish...
Well, since I won it for just doing something I love, "cooking", I have decided to raffle it and give the proceeds to the NSPCC.
Even if the winner can't be bothered to go to London for a slap-up meal, I'm certain that the voucher will easily fetch a couple hundred quid on Ebay.
Algerian trip...
I'm back!
I went to visit my father, my sisters and their families.
The weather ranged from boiling hot afternoons to cool evenings, dusty mornings and torrential rains.
As usual, the seasonal produce was on show. I was a few days too early for my sister's apricots but there were enough fruits to make up for them. The strawberries were delicious and the dates absolutely luscious.
A visit to one of Algiers oldest fish restaurants, Sauveur (a true Saviour!) was an evening to remember. Fish, fish and fish... Gorgeous.
Minted tea and roasted nuts, overlooking the Med from the south.
Fishermen enjoying a great sunset...
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...
What a waste of bubbly...
Who the hell started this wasteful habit? What's wrong with dousing other players with soda water -it's full of bubbles!- and THEN drinking the Champagne to celebrate?
Eh, tell me!
Photo courtesy of BBC Sport.
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!
Web design...
Since finishing the web design course at Teesside Uni, I have been playing web designer. I am thinking about taking up another course on Flash so there is a bit of movement in the website. We'll see if I have time...
May the 4th be with you...
We moved into the flat above the restaurant on April 13th and began cleaning and decorate the ground floor restaurant with the help of family and friends. Some painted, others scrubbed and we opened on Saturday 4th May at 7.30pm to a full-house (30 people). I showed poor Karen how to take TWO orders and then retreated to the kitchen to begin cooking. She had never worked in a restaurant before, so you can imagine how hard she found it.
Within about a fortnight, Saturdays were fully booked days in advance and soon there wasn't an empty seat months ahead. The rest is history...
Staff Profile: Nicole Clark
Age:18
Joined the restaurant: 10 October2005 Initial job: Meeter and Greeter
Job History: I left school and came straight here. I am studying Sports Science at the College of Further Education.
I'm now thoroughly trained on all the tasks but when I work on bar I can't go a whole shift without breaking at least one glass! Ooops!
Favourite holiday: Zante (Greece) with the girls. We go there every Summer and I love it.
Krimo says: Nicole is Joey's younger sister. Born on the same day two years later, she came to Portofino when she turned sweet 16. Within weeks she could juggle with the job, fitting in with staff and customers alike. Nicole is a perfectionist. She loves Portofino so much that she spends most of hard-earned cash dining here.
College cooking...
An initiative started nearly two years ago to bring together Hartlepool restaurants and the College of Further Education is still going strong.
This has led to a few of the local chefs working with the students to cook up a few of their dishes to a local hungry audience.
Yesterday, Steve of Al Syros restaurant prepared a delicious array of his own dishes with the help of a few of the catering students.
Many of Hartlepool's chefs and managers enjoyed a three-course meal for a mere £12.
I plumped for the pigeon, sea bass and strawberry soup, while Karen had the marinated scallops, duck magret and grilled pineapple. We shared our table with the Staincliffe Hotel's Mark and his wife, our Adam and Hayley.
A great new recipe...
You will remember that back in December our head-chef, Madjid was diagnosed with heart problems and was scheduled to have a triple heart bypass. Well, after a long and worryin wait, Madjid was finally and successfully operated on a week last Monday. I drove him home from James Cook Hospital las Saturday where he is now convalescing before he begins his rehabilitation programme. Another few weeks of gentle exercise and he hopes to be back at work.
Good and speedy recovery, Madjid!
On a lighter note, I didn't know that Muhammad Ali could cook but here is a great recipe of his. I think I definitely would like to try a plateful of this beautiful dish.
Healthy Eating Competition Winner...
A little while ago, you'll remember, Stranton School organised a healthy eating competition. Mark, the Expochef, Mr Drummond, our town mayor and I had the pleasurable task of picking the winner out of four finalists. The competition was tough! Just a fiver to produce a main-course and a dessert!
The winner was Donna who really impressed us judges with her beautiful shepherd's pie. Enough to feed half a dozen hungry schoolchildren. As a prize, I provided the school with a meal voucher and last week, Donna and her four kids came to Portofino to enjoy her winnings.
Despite the untimely loss of her husband just before Christmas, Donna found the strength to compete and win.
Click on the link to read:
Donna's story as told by the Hartlepool Mail.
An Ode to Rosemary and Thyme...
THYME flies when you're having FENNEL.
We've CINNAMON CUMIN and going.
We never got CARAWAY by our success.
No matter how CHILLI the North wind blew,
It was SAGE to CURRY on serving a good stew.
I sat making OREGANO planes with old menus,
And landed them in the waste PEPPER basket.
The mirror told me to turn a new BAY LEAF,
But, I CORIANDER piling on the beef.
To all our long SAFFRON staff,
Truly the SALT of the Earth,
Please kindly accept this BOUQUET GARNI
For GINGERLY putting up with me.
COS LETTUCE be honest, I think I have gone
PARSLEY NUTMEG, nearly as faulty as BASIL.
After eleven SEASONINGS in Sunny Seaton,
Could it be all the beef that I have eaten?
If this sounds all FENUGREEK to you,
It is MINT to be!
Says who?
SESAME, Krimo!
I wrote this daft thing in 1996 for the restaurant's 11th birthday!
Twenty minute circuit
Staff Profile: Joey Clark
Position: Head Waitress at Portofino
Age:20
Joined the restaurant: 1st September 2004
Initial job: Waitress
Job History: None. Portofino was my first job from school.
What do I like about working here? Friendly atmosphere and staff
Favourite dishes: Chicken and Pasta
Favourite holidays: Zante and Kos (Greece), Turkey, Florida, Barcelona and Costa del Sol
Places I'd like to visit: New York, Chicago, China, Australia, Italy...
Heroes: Superman and my Mam!
About me: I love working here. I will be sad to leave when I have to fly the nest ;o(
Krimo says: Joanne, Joey, Jo-babe... has been with us for the last for four years now. She is at Uni at the moment and will be leaving us in August. She is one of those easy souls who just glide effortlessly around doing a very good job of looking after customers, training new staff, always with a smile...
Jo-babe, though your sister Nicole makes better tea than you, you are one of the rare people who cheer me up with your shiny personality and cheeky smile. Especially when you say:"I need some Mula!" Glad you explained that it was the money you needed for our Saturday shopping list. If you're anything like Katie, one of your bestest friends and one of most memorable members of staff, who's back for another stint, I am sure that we will see again well after you've left us in August... Fingers crossed!
The Great British Menu...
I am hooked!
Having just discovered BBC iPlayer which definitely makes the unmissable, unmissable I watched the first heat, all five episodes of it, from start to finish, last Saturday night-Sunday morning.
The contestants, well-known and truly accomplished chefs from many regions of Great Britain, have to devise a fantastic three-course meal using any ingredients they wish to choose as long as the main one is British.
Having come back from Birmingham feeling a little sorry for myself, mainly because I had no idea what the judges were looking for, I find that this marvelous program is stirring something inside me.
Getting back into the kitchen!?!
I wonder whether this crazy idea is just a passing fad or a true calling! Back to a hot stove?
Definitely a crazy idea!
I think...
Are you sure you're closed?
A friend of mine spotted this sign somewhere in Africa but it could've been anywhere in the world.
IT IS NOT OPEN!!!
Competitive know-how...
The competition was held at Birmingham University College. The very modern kitchen where the whole thing took place cost over a million pounds! One of the cleaners proudly said that each cooker cost thirty thousand pounds.
There were five other competitors and, unlike me, they all had competed at one time or another in the past. I felt very relaxed as I had practiced the dishes quite a few times over the last two weeks.
We were all given a finish time by which we had to produce three portions, one for the official photo and the other two for the judges to taste.
I cooked my Fish Tagine and then a dish using sustainable Pacific Cod Loin.
At 2.30pm the winning chef was revealed. The other five received the Ramsay voucher.
Later the winner said he had already won another competition with the same dish. I think he is onto a winning formula.
As I travelled to Birmingham the night before the competition, I ate at the Michelin-starred Simpsons. The food and service were out of this world.
The tall ships...
...are coming to Hartlepool!
This is an amazing event which will put Hartlepool on the World map!
When they last came to the North East, Hartlepool played host to a few tall ships on their way to Newcastle. Check out the tall ships on the Tyne!
One million visitors invaded the city in August 2005 to wave the ships goodbye before they sailed on to their final destination Fredrikstad in Norway.
In August 2010, Hartlepool WILL BE the final destination, so one cannot begin to imagine the number of visitors that will flock to the town.
This year's Maritime Festival in July will serve as a dry-run to that massive event.
