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Spring in Canada: maple syrup, sugar shack season and a recipe for maple taffy on snow

April 7, 2016 8 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

In Canada, the second largest country in the world, much of it uninhabited, winter lasts six months. It’s brutal. In many areas of Quebec, snow is 2m high. In Montreal, to deal with temperatures of minus 30 – described by one inhabitant as ‘so cold your face is pinched by the air’ – they have a subterranean version of the town, bright with high ceilings, a subway system, with lifts to apartments and office buildings, and extensive shopping facilities and restaurants. Citizens can virtually live underground throughout winter and need never see daylight.
A maple syrup farmer told me: ‘If the weather is above zero, you’re outside in a T-shirt’. Canadians are hardy, but get desperate for sun. By February, many have had enough.
Spring is important in most cultures but has a special significance in Canada. Maple syrup season represents spring, growth, renewal and survival. 

The History

Maple syrup is a food discovered by the indigenous people, the First Nations of Canada. They taught settlers, deprived of vitamin C and suffering from scurvy after the long sea journey and the winter diet of cured meats, how to collect sap from maple trees and how to boil it down to a sugar syrup. 
There are many myths as to how maple syrup was discovered. The most popular is that a hunter shot an arrow into a tree and water poured out from the hole. The original method of tapping a tree was to slash it and use a reed to guide the water into a bucket made of bark or wood.
The native tradition of making maple syrup entailed hollowing out sections of tree trunk as a container for the water. Stones were heated up in the fire and dropped into the log to evaporate and concentrate the water. This was repeated until the water became sweet. The water only has 2% sugar when it comes out of the tree. You need 40 litres of maple water to make one litre of maple syrup.
So it is a time consuming business, and must have been even more so in those days. As Richard Berring of White Meadows farm in Ontario explained: ‘It would have taken seven days to make the same amount we now make in an hour’.
From 1536, early travellers mentioned the sugar maple tree and how the water tasted like good wine. Swedish biologist Peter Kalm, in 1756, attested to the health and energy giving properties of maple sugar. 
In 1790, anti-slavery abolitionists supported the use of maple sugar as an alternative to cane sugar grown by slaves. Maple sugar was sold in loaves rather than as syrup.

By mid-19th century, metal taps and aluminium buckets were used as opposed to wooden buckets.
Many families possessed a cast iron sugar kettle for boiling up the sap. One farm I visited had a copy of a Sears catalogue from 1902, showing the different sized kettles. These cost a considerable amount, around half a year’s wages.
Maple sugar in the early 19th century used to cost half the amount of cane sugar, gradually the prices evened out. Today maple sugar or syrup is much more expensive than cane or beet sugar.

The Tree

You can tap most trees for syrup – walnut and poplar, for instance. Birch and maple are of course the most well-known. Birch syrup is found in Alaska and Northern Europe, but one needs 120 litres of birch water to make 1 litre of birch syrup. The maple syrup forests are not planted, for red or black sugar maples grow wild in their thousands across Canada. 

You can tap a maple tree when it reaches 35 to 40 years old. A tree can take up to four taps, depending on the girth of its trunk, though more than four is not recommended as it would adversely affect the tree’s health. As with bees and honey, one must not be too greedy.
The maple syrup farmers say there is no harm done to trees that are tapped; they’ve compared tapped and untapped trees and seen no difference. 
The maple tree is emblematic of Canada; the leaf is on the flag, it’s even on the money.

The Process

The combination of cold nights and warm days, the freezing and defrosting, is ideal for maple water to form and run in the tree. Ideally the temperature is between minus 5 and minus 15 at night and plus five and plus 15 during the day. Quebec produces 75% of the world’s maple syrup.
When the leaves have died off, you can tap the tree. In the southern part of Canada, the season can start in February but in Quebec, further north, it starts in March. The season can last from 3 to 16 weeks long, although generally it is around 6 weeks. The syrup changes in quality and taste and grade from the beginning of the season to the end. Once the trees get buds, the water becomes bitter and the season is finished.

In the old days each tree was ‘tapped’ by drilling a hole, screwing in a spigot and attaching an aluminium bucket. Today tubes are linked to several trees and fed through to a central tank. This saves time because maple syrup farms contain thousands of trees, which would require a great deal of walking to collect individually from each maple. 
So the water is collected every day, and each tree produces around two litres a day. The water is boiled for hours; at small farms, they still evaporate it in a bath over a wood fire, as pictured above. Farmer André Pollender told me that when the steam is escaping from the chimney of his sugar shack, all his neighbours come and hang out for the sugaring off. This process goes on for days, accompanied by the smell of maple sugar and the crackling of the wood fire. He and his neighbours particularly love the maple water when it has approximately 40% Brix. ‘It’s very nice with a little whisky,’ he confided. 
Bigger manufacturers will use industrial means to evaporate and concentrate the water, which doesn’t use as much energy. 
Rather like jam making, you need to get to a setting point, where the maple water has thickened to the point of dripping off the ladle. 
It’s extremely important that the buckets, the baths and all the tools are extremely clean so as not to taint the flavour. 

Grades and flavours

Maple syrup has several grades and four or five flavours depending on the region it comes from. The US has just brought in a new grading system with four grades but Quebec has five. Only grade A is sold as maple syrup, while grades B and C can be used for sweets, lollipops and in baking. 
In Quebec they classify by light transmission – how transparent the syrup is. The thinking is that the paler the syrup, the fewer impurities. Another factor is the Brix scale (Brix is sugar percentage). Maple syrup must contain 66 to 68.9% Brix. 

Extra light: 100% to 75% of light transmission
Golden: pale gold
Amber: medium 
Dark: a robust taste
Very dark: a strong taste; 26.9% and under of light transmission

I do like the flavour of the darker syrups, but these are rarer. Often the really dark syrup comes just before the tree buds. The flavour is affected by the soil; an acidic soil gives a bite to the syrup whereas an alkali, limestone soil will result in a buttery, smooth syrup.
There is also maple sugar, a crystallised version of the syrup and maple butter, a creamy version of maple syrup that can be used as a spread (it’s gorgeous).
When buying maple syrup however, it’s best to do like Canadians do and buy it in a tin, not a clear glass jar. Like olive oil, it is damaged by light.

Health Benefits

Maple syrup contains 54 anti-oxidants. It has riboflavin, zinc, and a newly discovered element known as ‘quebecol’. Some studies are suggesting that it is a good sugar replacement for sufferers of Diabetes 2 as it does not spike blood sugar in the same way white cane sugar does.

The Sugar Shack

A spring tradition in Canada is for families to drive out to the countryside to a ‘cabane à sucre’ and have an old style sugar shack dinner where they gorge on the new season maple syrup.
Dishes tend to be basic, the sustenance of yesteryear, when settlers first arrived. Pea soup, omelette, ham, oreilles de criss (Christ’s ears or fried pork rinds), beans, sausages, fried potatoes, crêpes, tarte à sucre, pork and of course the maple syrup, served in jugs lined up and down the table and poured copiously on everything, sweet or savoury. It is even poured into the pea soup.
At the end everyone dons mittens, hats and coats, troops outside and has maple taffy on snow. 
While maple syrup is a breakfast food in most of Canada and North America, in Quebec the sirop d’erable is for dinner. 
I went to several sugar shack meals:

  • One just outside a snow-bound Quebec City at the farm, L’érablière Lac Beauport, of Richard Lessard, a guy who wore a dead red fox on his head while showing me his chainsaw and roadkill museum. This was a huge affair of 250 guests, with a traditional Quebec fiddler, dancing and a fantastic atmosphere if rather basic food.
  • La Buche in Quebec City, which looks like a sugar shack, all red gingham and pine interiors, is a restaurant that specialises in modern Quebecois food, with many typical maple syrup dishes given a unique twist by brilliant young chef Donovan Ouellet.
  • The second was a pop up sugar shack at a chic Montreal location, Pavillon Cartier, where they deconstructed the sugar shack tradition with a mix of modern conceptual cuisine and traditional foods. There were some interesting dishes. 
  • Lastly at the cabane à sucre Du Pic Bois (woodpecker) in Brigham, the Eastern Townships, north of Montreal. This is the farm of André Pollender. I was there with 100 guests, many of whom wore the typical red and black Lumberjack shirts. Families go year after year, it is one of the top ten sugar shacks in the region. 

Maple Taffy on Snow Recipe

Readers may remember the story from Little House on the Prairie where they make maple taffy on snow. This is a traditional finale to each sugar shack meal and is a spring treat enjoyed just as much by adults as by children. 

Ingredients:
Maple syrup
Clean Snow
Flat lollypop sticks
Washing up bowl
Candy thermometer
Jug

Boil maple syrup to 115ºC or 235ºF. (Although Monsieur Pollander said 111ºC.) It’s best to use a thermometer.
Pack clean snow into a shallow container so that it is compacted and flat on top.
With a jug, drip the maple syrup onto the snow in thick strips (an inch or 2-3cm wide and 6 inches/ 12cm long). 
Using a flat lollipop stick, press it down into the liquid maple syrup until it starts to stick, then slowly roll up into a popsicle. Hold the stick sideways as you are eating it, otherwise it’ll drip down into your sleeves.

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Comments

  1. Michael

    April 8, 2016 at 9:33 am

    I've tapped a birch tree in Kilburn, London. I borrowed it (with permission) and got scared afterwards when the plug repeatedly over several days and attempts wouldn't stop sap leaking and feared I might kill the tree. The sap itself tasted like very slightly sweet water. And the tree? It survived but is being cut down this month due to redevelopment. Brent is building a block between two existing ones on Fiveways Estate.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      April 8, 2016 at 9:54 am

      I definitely want to have a go at tapping a tree. There is a big maple next to my flat.
      I'm not sure how they stop it leaking. Interesting thought.
      When did you do it Michael? What season`?

      Reply
  2. Nim Singh

    April 8, 2016 at 11:39 am

    Enjoyed your post Kerstin, especially all the images. Its been a while since I've been sugaring off with my family . Used to go quite regularly when my nieces were little. Looks like we are due a return visit next time I am there at the right time of year. Definitely always head to the supermarket to buy a tin over one of the really expensive 'bottles' at the airport.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      April 8, 2016 at 11:25 pm

      Thanks Nim, what a fantastic trip it was. More posts to come!

      Reply
  3. Kaie

    April 8, 2016 at 12:01 pm

    My grandparents did it every year in Estonia (the climate is quite similar to Canada). We tapped birches and maple trees. We don't make maple syrup, but use it as a juice. We did it usually end of February or early in March I think, just when seasons changing. They say the temperature has to be above 0 (around +4C). My grandma tested it, when you break the small branch from the tree, the tiny drop of juice appears. I think the plug has to be quite tight fit and you hammer it in. Birch juice is full of vitamins.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      April 8, 2016 at 11:27 pm

      I would love to visit Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia. One of the First nation legends in Canada was that a god came and saw all the people lazing around drinking maple sugar water from trees, that you could snap off a branch and drink it. The god decided to make it a lot harder to get hold of the maple syrup, he made them work for it.

      Reply
    • Kaie

      April 14, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      Good story! 🙂

      Reply
  4. caramelnibbles

    April 9, 2016 at 11:19 am

    Your posts always make me want to go traveling. I've never been to Canada but I'd really like to, it looks stunning and the people seem really nice and chilled out. And now I want to do the maple taffy on snow!

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouey curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I get up later and later every day. I’m living in a twilight world- dim skies, getting nothing done. Next week it’s my birthday and every year I’m at my lowest ebb just before my birthday. Lockdown on your own is tough. My motivation, my mojo has disappeared. #lockdown3 #coronaloner #pastadinner #nofilter #january2021 #januarychallenge #selfemployedwomen #single #aquarius #0degrees
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper pesto alla genovese with trofie, small boiled salad potatoes, steamed green beans (good tip: steam the beans in a colander plopped on top of the potatoes or pasta), good quality pesto sauce ( mine from local microbakery @seansloaf ), good olive oil (@pomoragoodfood), torn fresh basil, a few pine nuts. This turns this student dish into a balanced meal of carbs, veg and a little protein.  It’s cold outside, I’ve lit the fire. Covid rages in Kilburn high road in north west london. The rate is 1 in 30 london wide but I feel it’s higher in this poor inner london area. We have a high BAME population who are particularly vulnerable. It’s a little bit anarchic on my high street: cars perched on kerbs waiting for hijabi women, braving pound shops and Aldi . We are all covered up now. In winter masks keep your face warm, but you have a choice between safety and being able to see. I’ve not managed to prevent the inevitable steaming up of my glasses when wearing a mask. Nothing works.  #january #londonwinter #pestopasta #pestoallagenovese #vegetarian #pasta #trofie #supperclub #covid_19 #lockdownlife #lockdown3 #bubblegang
Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christ Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christmas leftover cheese board. I’ve used @paxtonscheese truffled brillat-savarin and a mystery hard cheese that’s lost its label. Plus cream and topped it with samphire fried in butter. Haven’t bothered with making a roux- this is the lockdown lazy version.  #lockdownlazy #lockdown3 #supperclub #macandcheese #macaronicheese #truffledcheese #leftovers #leftovercheeseboard #londonlockdown #breakfast #coronaloner
Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is san Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is sandwiches. They use the softest, whitest, fluffiest bread. Their mayonnaise kewpie is gorgeous I don’t know why. Perhaps someone here can explain? Here I’ve used sourdough as it’s what I have; kosho which is a Yuzu citrus and green chilli condiment and the aforesaid kewpie Mayo to make an egg 🥚 sandwich.  I’m not a big egg fan but I suddenly had the urge. Also I’ve noticed when I eat eggs it satiates my hunger for hours. All that protein.  #sandwich #sandwiches #japanesesandwich #kewpiemayo #kosho #eggsandwich #sourdough #supperclub #cookingforone #solo #londonlife #lockdownlondon #recipe #snack #sundaysnack #sando
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Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair rep Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair reputation in this country. It’s so flexible and is a brilliant flavour sponge. Here I’m preparing my soft tofu for a Japanese dish: agedashi tofu. I first pressed it in a clean tea towel with a weight on top to firm it up a bit but not too much. Then I dusted it with cornflour and I will deep fry it in oil. Then I will serve it in a broth of dashi/mirin and tamari sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions and togarashi pepper from Japan. I would usually add some finely mandolined daikon radish but couldn’t find any. It’s a subtle dish of texture: soft yet crispy. After Christmas I’m desperate for light zingy fresh flavoured food. #supperclub #tofu #vegan #vegetarian #agedashitofu #newyearsday #cookingagain #lunch #asian #japanesefood
Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
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