deaths, tamales and the monarchy

the last few weeks have been a little trying. two deaths in two days, one a very good friend, the other a very good step father-in-law, my birthday and a change of menu. this week we have had two funerals, one menu chnage, one poor first attempt at tamale and now, to top it all off, a cancellation because i've called the menu 'no to the monarchy'. whatever happened to a sense of humour or the ability to respect someone else's view whilst maintaining a different one. ah well

the tamales have been my headache for this menu. it's been a while since i made them and i forgot the acid test; once you've made your dough, check that a small amount will float in water. my first batch were a little heavy and, to my surprise, someone who came in on thursday, was aware of that. tamales, not being that commmon in the uk, are something that i thought that i could get away with. apparently not. i've now re-discovered my touch and will be teaching tamale today in the restaurant.

the other dish that i'll write down now is the sorbet. in fact i'll write down three of the four that we;ve done. the fourth, the coconut sorbet, i never felt was right.

green tea, kaffir lime and vanilla.

two green tea bags, half a vanilla pod and a couple of kaffir lime leaves. place in a pan with 400ml water and 300g sugar. bring to boil and then allow to simmer for five minutes. steep until cold, then sieve and place in an ice cream maker.

green apple sorbet

two green apples, one and a half peeled and the other half unpeeled, diced.
200ml of apple juice.
100g sugar and 200 ml water.

boil the water and sugar and allow to cool. add the rest of the ingredients and blend. pour into ice cream machine.

pear and lime sorbet.

one tin of pears, 30 ml lime juice, 100g sugar, 100 ml water.

boil the water and sugar and lime juice to make a syrup and allow to cool. add the tinned pears and blend. pour into an ice cream machine.

to steve and rhodri and all of the people who are struggling in this world, dieing of starvation and disease and in wars to which they have contributed nothing, and good luck to the happy couple and a system that is perpetuated and which will do nothing to bring about an end to the suffering.

cheers

wayne