The collected private thoughts of the Hairy Technician.
Some of this is about travel and technology. Some of this is about life. Some of this is about me. Some things are fact. Some things are Fiction. Not necessarily in that order.
Ramen. In the west we get it all wrong. Even at so-called 'authentic' Japanese restraunts its not the same. Sure you can get okay ramen noodles and broth in a bowl but the experience here is different.
People revere ramen here. Every ramen place - from the cheapest machine token fast booth ramen to high end table service place - has its speciality. And in every case its executed with the same care and attention that I mentioned in my previous post.
So you don't need to spend a lot of money to have amazing Ramen. In fact its hard to spend a lot of money on ramen. usually it lands between 800 and 1300 yen per bowl, most often towards the lower end.
We tried out a new place. it was actually a location Luke and I used to visit when I lived here. Previously called XXX or, as I would refer to it 'Volcano Ramen' (the kanji of the name was a mountain and fire combined to make up the work 'Volcano'). We went there back in 2009 when it first opened and it quickly became one of our favourite spots. but since then, it has closed, reopened, changed hands, become a cow tongue restaurant (Gyutan or cow tongue is a local speciality which I've not had the opportunity to have this visit. next time!). most recently it was a family restaurant (and quite a good one apparantly)
But it just reopened as a ramen place once again, with new ownership and menu, so it was highly appropriate for my visit that we check it out. Kinda strange Deja vu for us trying this place for the first time... again!
We were not disappointed. I had a 'spicy micro shrimp' ramen with a thick broth and miso that tasted very similar to Laksa - and laksa is the king of all noodle dishes. so I was pleased as punch We also had a couple of additional 'onsen' eggs (soft/hard yolks) and some friend chicken pieces to go along with it.
Came to about 1000yen per bowl. And there it is. You just can't get ramen this good, this cheap in the west. its always more than that. and its never done this good (or this fast). So, like Sushi, another thing to treasure when I visit.
I’ve said it before (somewhere) that everything the Japanese do, they do it with care, attention, pride and most importantly of all, craft. People strive to find perfection and once found there is additional pride in executing a task perfectly. This applies to everything. From a safety check before a train driver to the way a parking attendant waves his flag, to the technique you would use to proof and knead dough at a bakery. The Japanese name for a master in this is ‘Takomi’
With that in mind Let's talk about food in Japan.
And I’d like to start with the best example olf the above statement I can think of: Toast.
Yes, toast. Plain white bread toast.
This is quite possibly the best slice of toast I’ve ever eaten.Its thick, but light and fluffy, perfectly textured and dreamy in taste. I don’t know what, exactly, they do to white bread here (although I plan to find out as I make bread at home every week).
it's not uncommon to seek out a bakery just for a specific item. I often did that when I lived here. A shop might literally make a single item. but make it perfectly (of course). Different places have different specialties - breads, pastries, rolls, buns, sandwiches.
Like this place at the bottom of the road from Luke’s house. People travel here from far and wide and they literally only make one thing - a soft white sandwich loaf.
Now we may scoff at this in the west. After all, we can buy tasteless spongey sandwich sliced loaves anywhere in the western world - even at a gas station. But this ain’t that. this is… white bread perfection.
Trust me, don’t knock it till you try it.
Of all things japanese that are presented to you has a visitor, food here is often the most different from other cultures, either visually or by taste - but often both at the same time.. Sure we are all familiar with Sushi (or at least the pitiful version we are often passed off with in our own countries) and Ramen is indeed popular around the world, but there is so much more, many of which you can’t experience easily outside of Japan.
One example of this is Soup-Curry. This is a dish that originates in the Hokkaido Region and has roots in Indian Curry in terms of flavours and spices, but is as liquidy and thin as a consume and bares little visual resemblance to the cuisine of western asia. It uses more local vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and broccoli in its base, along with mincemeat, chicken and shrimps. I should add that it can also be extremely hot. Sometimes much hotter than anything you’d be served in india and the relatively few places that specialise it often offer a heat chart ranging from 1 to 100 for you to choose your desired spice level. I’ve never gone over 50 I’d I’d out myself in the top 5 percentile in the world of being able to eat hot food (thats not a fanciful claim, I have proved it and its documented).
I first tried it on my last visit in 2016, at a small backstreet place in Yokohama. when I lived here prior to that it hadn’t really gained popularity outside of its native Hokkaido. This is a relatively new food phenomena, such that I wouldn’t even call it a craze… yet.
This time we decided to do a take out from a newish joint that has opened up in Izumi, Sendai called XXXX. We ordered online and picked up a huge array of soups and rice sides (everyone in the swan family wanted something different and at a different spice level)
I went for a chicken coriander soup, with a separate yellow rice side. When I tried it previously it was just soup (and I seem to remember that their may have been a noodle side). Heat level was only 25 as they wouldn't / couldn’t do that dish at a higher level. And trust me, there was no need. it was precisely the level of heat your want with those flavours. not to hot, but a good kick. It was fantastic.
I really hope this is a food trend that spreads beyond these lands!
Earlier that day we had more traditional sushi. We'd been to visit Luke's Parents Cabin, which he now rents out as a holiday home. On the way there and While he was prepping the place, he explained to me the impact that the 2011 Tsunami had had on that area.
This was one of the places along the Sendai coast where the Tsunami had made landfall in full force and had been totally ravaged. His parents house was up high on a cliff, but nearly everything below had been wiped out. where there were now verdant luch green fields were once densely packed streets of houses.
From the front porch you could see the newly built Tsunami wall. and beyond it some of the green area that had previously been built up and urbanised.
Standing there and realising how much had been wiped out and the power of that force of nature is quite humbling not to mention upsetting and sad.
On our way back to Sendai we stopped at a sushi restaurant. needless to say the food was amazing - Red Snapper, Tuna, Octopus, Wasabi rolls, British Columbia rolls and Fatty Salmon. I’m going to let the movies I took of the arrival of the food speak about the experience.
I was already awake when the shaking started, around 4:20am. I think a small part of my brain thought ‘large truck’ but then a different, more primal part of my brain said ‘Earthquake’ and then I was fully awake.
The shaking from a quake always feels strong if you are lying horizontally. So I sat up. it's a strange thing, especially if you live in places which don’t usually have them. The entire building - walls, floor, ceiling, furniture everything rocks from side to side. Not hard. But not gentle either. And the speed changes - soft, strong, soft, very strong - Like turbulence on a plane. Imagine trying to walk along the aisle of a speeding train, with a cup of tea in your hands.
For a few seconds I didn’t move… but then as it got stronger I headed to the door. Something in my head told me that I’m supposed to stand in a door frame. My hand was on the door handle… and it stopped. A strange quiet filled only with the mild groaning of wood and metal coming to rest, the distant sound of alarms and a barking dog. I think the whole thing lasted for about 10 or 15 seconds,
Nothing broke, nothing fell off the wall. No one was hurt. The rest of the house was quiet - I thought everyone else had slept through it but in the morning I found out that actually they had all done the exact same thing as me and were just about to start heading for the front door.
Turns out this was 5.5 magnitude, at a 64 km depth, about 60 km away from where I am. Here in Sendai, there’s still a very strong memory of the ‘Great Tohuku Earthquake’ and Tsunami of 2011. if you don’t know about it, then here’s a link.
It was one of the biggest ever recorded earthquakes on the planet - 8.9 - which, due to the epicentre being just off the coast, caused a Tsunami that did most of the destruction, rather than the quake itself. The official death toll is close to 20,000. So nobody takes even the smallest quake lightly. Because they all start out little.
I had left Japan the year before the big quake and, I’m not gonna lie, one of my motivators for leaving was the fear. People here knew it was coming. everyone did. Historically there's been a big quake here every 25-40 years and it was overdue. I say overdue but smaller quakes, like the one last night are a monthly, even weekly occurrence here. We had Earthquake drills and earthquake simulations at my place of work to ready us for the event when it came.
As a boy who grew up in central London,where large scale environmental events like earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados and such things are pretty much unheard of, the very real fear of it was a large contributing factor to not staying here in the long term. I mean, why would you?
barely slept, Jet lags a bitch but we knew that. Turns out that today was a public holiday. Respect the elders day! Japan has a lot of holidays. for all sorts of things. Alas I don’t count as an Elder yet (only another 6 years to go to hit 60 though) But everyone here is super-respectful nonetheless.
its a strange custom in japan, but on public holidays one of the widely considered holiday meals it KFC. yes, I’m talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken. So we went to the local KFC and bought a bucket and some other bits.
Came all the way from Montreal only to find out that the colonel has branched out into some Canadian food action.
I had a chicken Teriyaki Burger with soft poached egg sandwich alongside some regular chicken and rice (home made). Probably a bit too much for lunch, but I’m holiday so fuck it.
how did this become a holiday tradition in Japan? let me google that for you:
And then the thunderstorm rolled in, which kept us inside for the rest of the afternoon, apart from a brief trip to a pharmacy (still on a quest for distilled water) and a short walk to a very good Coffee Shop - Flat White Factory.
Coffee here is a huge contrast from North America. I’m not going to rant about coffee in Montreal, but even the drip coffee here is better. And in the coffee houses they do it perfectly. Amazon coffee and amazing presentation. This was the first place I ever saw Latte Art - back in 2008 - and its still some of the best I’ve seen anywhere. I didn’t take a pic. will remember to do so later.
Much to my pleasant surprise one of my favourite types of noodles has recently become popular here - Tan Tan Mein or Dan Dan Noodles - depending on where you are. They are originally a Chinese Szechan Dish, but in recent years its gained popularity across both Asia and North America. The first time (and still the best) I ever had it was actually in New York in 2018.
The kids have grown SO MUCH. thats such a grown up thing to say, but its true. last time I saw these sprogs they were all pre-teen. But a lovely little gang - Luke and Anna are very proud parents and so they should be!
Arriving at Narita felt much the same as previous times, except I knew what to expect. I think what I didn’t expect was how much has not changed in 15 years. From filling out the entry cards (its all manual here) to paying for a train ticket (cash is king, card options are limited, good luck doing anything online ) It feels strange to be in a place which is so futuristic but in many ways has not adopted the future its had a major role in creating. Many things feel oddly anachronistic.
When you step of the plane, it doesn’t take long before Japan gets weird. People wearing animal masks taking selfies on the gangway. Admittedly they were probably foreign visitors leaning into the culture a bit too hard but all the same you wouldn’t see that anywhere else in the world.
Last week I was briefly in London, England and I remember thinking, when I was waiting in line at Heathrow ,how polite everyone was (even compared to Canada where I’d travelled from). But here in Japan its next level. Polite, Clean, Orderly. And that's everywhere, not just the airport. Its very hard not to notice it immediately.
The other overwhelming thing was the heat and humidity. Beyond anything I experienced this summer in North America. And actually unusual for this time of year. it was 32c with 80% humidity in the late afternoon.
Sendai
It took another 4 hours to get to Sendai. Having not slkept on a 13.5 hour flight, needless to say I fell asleep the shinkansen but thankfully didn’t miss my stop.
Its always good to have some one meet you after a long journey. Luke & Lenny picked me up and ferried me into the deep suburbs of Sendai Takamori. When I say deep I mean this is real suburban japan, like a quiet cutaway moment in a Studio Gibli movie - quiet lanes, with chirping cicadas, small homes with rows of tiny vegetable patches along windy lanes and very tidy streets. lots of overhead phone cables and pilons. no one around. crazy humid.
On the way from the station we stopped at Co-op Miyagi to pick up a snack (end of day sushi, half price 500Y !!) there was a water chestbut roll along for the ride as well. As always I'm going to try my hardest to eat as many unknowns as possible. I thought I took a pic of this but I was mistaken. not doing well. on the media inserts really, am I?
So here I am again, in Japan. This is my first visit back here since 2016. Seven years ago I came here with a friend to spend time working on a comic book project and have fun. I also lived here from 2008 to 2010.
A lot has happened in the world in the seven years that have passed since by previous visit and it feels like a lifetime. Long enough that I’d forgotten what I knew. Forgotten even what I’d forgotten. But now I’m here… it's all coming rushing back. So I thought I'd better write some stuff down
When I first came here to live back in 2008 I wrote a diary of sorts and made copious notes. But we weren’t fully in the mobile media age yet so there weren’t really smart phones or tablets or the social media we have now (there was the original iPhone & iPod Touch but I had yet to get anything like that).
I didn’t really keep all my notes together. so its a bit tricky to go back and compare my impressions of the time. I’m going to try and do better this time. I’m only in Asia for 2 weeks and its all vocational, so no excuses for not keeping track.
I should probably make a project of digitising my earlier experience here somehow...
Yes, that’s right, I started my new job… and any idea I had about things being easy (which I actually I definitely didn’t have) were certainly laid to rest. Along with the settling in and figuring out Canada, I very suddenly had to settle in and figure out a new job. Thus, no blog write ups.
But today is Gavin’s Birthday, and I’m not working (well, it is Saturday) and we don’t have any specific plans. So while he snores gently away I thought I could get a few words in.
Firstly, Canada is still great. Montreal is turning out to be a really interesting place. I knew it would be, but its nice to have that confirmed. Its so different here from other Canadian and US cities, yet it still feels like North America. I feel like we are getting the best of three worlds. Firstly, this is one hundred percent Canada. Secondly, there is the influence of European culture here - specifically French and British. Lastly this is very much a north American city - Architecture, Street furniture, layout, Media, etc.
We’ve spent most of our time downtown, largely because that’s where we are staying, but we’ve really had a through look around. Despite the biblical weather (for another post I think), we’ve made a huge effort to look around different neighbourhoods, to help us with our home hunting. Turns out that Montreal is extremely walkable. Aside from the underground city (again, another post), the different neighbourhoods are close enough together and well connected by public transport that its really easy and quick to get from one to the other. So far we have looked around La Plateau, Little Italy, Mile End, NDG, Monkland Village and Westmount. (NOTE: Some of these areas are subsections of each other and overlap. I know this now. No need to correct me!)
We've also managed to sort out nearly all of the admin stuff - Social insurance numbers, health insurance, bank accounts, phones etc. All a lot easier than I expected. And we’ve found a place to live. More about that in yet another blog. Damn, so much to write about!
Thanks to Cate Elliot for the very handy map! Its got Quebec City on the other side too!
So we did some administration stuff yesterday. The acquisition of a SIN - Social Insurance Number. That, along with the actual work permit and RAMQ card (national health insurance) are the three official documents you need to live and work successfully here in Canada. We were told to get there early and be prepared to wait as its first come first serve but, mostly due to jet-lag, by the time we got there it was touching midday... And the whole thing took more than about 45 mins. It was probably the most pleasant visit to a government administration office I've ever had. it felt more like waiting at a fancy bank. Then, with that out of the way, we did a bit of shopping in china town. Found a very well stocked Chinese Supermarket. I can see its going to be tricky buying certain things in small quantities - I had to buy a sack of Pak Choi for instance - but I'm sure we can cope. Its also interesting to note the vast differences in prices from one place to another. Later in the afternoon, when we went out for a walk around la Plateau, we came across a grocery store where everything seemed to be both high quality and super cheap. But its hard to tell because of a) the exchange rate and b) the 15% tax that gets added on and c) the massive size of it all. We actually ended up shopping at a supermarket later again. Aside from that being a favourite sport of mine, we need to get into the swing of living here, rather than treating this as a holiday. I can already feel the money running down due to constant eating out. Saying that, I also had my first 'things are not what they seem' experience, on returning from the supermarket. little details such as buy pods of tea not teabags (pods? for a coffee machine? say whaaaat?) and what I thought was a can of chopped tomatos was a can of tomato sauce ready cooked. that's nothing to do with things being in french btw, because everything is in both languages. that's just me not paying close enough attention. So. Holiday mode off. Living mode on!
And so, what is Poutine? Well, for the sake of clarity, Poutine is: chips (fries), cheese curds and gravy, with optional toppings (such as onions, mushrooms, peppers etc.)
Of course, I knew this. Having spent the last couple of years hanging around with The gravy Train boys up in Sheffield, I've eaten a lot of Poutine and have slowly started to gain some expertise. But if you come to Quebec... well this is where it comes from originally, so its a bit like going to India after having eaten high street curries in England. No offence boys but... this is next level over here.
And if you ask anyone where the best Poutine comes from, they will tell you to go to 'La Banquise'. This restaurant has been serving Poutine since the 1980s and has a huge variety on its menu. Perhaps more remarkably, its open 24/7, 364 days of the year. So last night we went for a late evening walk across town, to get stuck in.
I went for 'La Classique' with added hot peppers and Gavin had a 'La Mart'. This is a Poutine with bacon, Mushrooms, Onions and hot dogs on it. Yup, Hot dogs. See pictures for details.
Was it good? Damn straight! it was frickin awesome. And very large. Probably twice the portion size of the one we had the night before. Accompanied with a local microbrewery beer each, the whole lot came to $55. That's about £32 in english money. So not bad all.
Or, if you like, Good Morning Montreal! I guess today was the first day of the rest of our lives (isn't that every day?). At least for now. Anyhow, we decided it would be best spent on a walk around Town so we can get a feel for where things are, distance, etc.
After a brief WhatsApp chat with Ron & Sharon (In DC), we took a tip and walked up to Beauty's Restaurant in the Jewish quarter, for a bagel brunch. Which was totally worth it. Really good food, lovely cosy little place. I suspect that this is going to be a common description of the eateries here... and there seem to be a lot of them. On the walk up to beauty's we passed many places which peaked my hungry attention. A lot of Poutine.
Found a proper supermarket, unlike last nights more expensive place. and then took a walk - a long walk - to DNeg - where we had coffee with Lee and met the HR and Immigration team.
From there, on to downtown Montreal, via the metro system (and now we have Opus cards) to find some gloves and a good coat... and yes, I did the thing i nearly always do when I buy coats and bought the most expensive one in the store. A lovely Arc-Teryx and gloves to match. Then a little wandering around and back home.
Google Fit tells me I did 20,000 steps today. Completely knackered as I sit here and write this!
Utterly smooth flight and arrival. No issues with immigration or customs. We made it.
The apartment we've been allocated is quite nice. Well appointed and very cosy one bedroom apartment, very close to Place du Arts, near downtown Montreal. The building has a fitness centre, Laundry and sits right on top of one of the many underground 'galleries' that pepper the city. And this particular 'gallerie du parc' is home to a farmers market, supermarkets and a food court which contains a Fried Chicken and Poutine place. So that was dinner sorted.
In retrospect I think the 'gallerie' places are quite pricey - supermarket and food venues alike - but it was perfect for our first meal after a tiring journey all the way from Wandsworth Town.
Sitting on 787 dreamliner at terminal 5, Waiting to take off... To Montréal, Canada. This is it. The culmination of a very frantic, slightly unexpected, four months of feverish planning, packing, clearing out and good-byes. We - Gavin and I - are about to start a new life in the great white north. Can't think of a better time to leave. The UK is falling apart it seems, and has generally become an unpleasant place to live. Nonsense politics, spiteful social atmosphere, all out biggotry and open racism. It really feels like the clock went back 46 years on Friday (when 'Brexit' finally happened). But that's all I'm going to say about that. This journal is about now and the future. Onwards, eh buddy!
Sunday Dinner today was courtesy of Shamini and included the glorious company of her Mum who's visiting the UK at the moment. We went 'western' for dinner with a Pork Roast with seasonal veg and chocolate cake for dessert. Simple but scrumptious.
Sunday Dinner with Sha & Mama Sha! London, 07 December 2014*
Too many people over-complicate Sunday dinner. It doesn't need to be fancy. Just made with Love. Shamini made a little side garnish of Creme Fraiche mixed with English Mustard, to go with Pork. It was exquisite! Definately taking that one back to the recipe bank!
And yes, the brussels sprouts mixed with Cabbage and whatever voodoo Sha added were awesome.
*I wanted to make this pic my first on Instagram, but seeing as the service only allows Square images I'm going old school and just keeping on my blog.
All of a sudden, just like that... it's the festive season. Having spent a good deal of November in the USA (where it definitely wasn't Christmas until thanksgiving is over) the transition on arriving back in London was quite dramatic. Which is how I like it. I was walking along Wandsworth Common on Sunday and happen across a Christmas market. It was a relatively small affair, but there were a couple of gems. The first being a stall run by the Dee Light Bakery full of their tasty Christmas treats. It's a local place, not far from my home in Tooting Bec and is a great example of local business done right. The little plum iced puddingy thingys were amazing. See below for an extreme close up.
Dee Light Bakery, London, 30th November 2014
Of equally tasty delight were the folks on the Honey Stall. Led by Emily Abbott, they make honey sourced from hives situated in South London. They had several types, from various parts of South London. I tried them all and as much as I wanted to love my own local area the most, it was the Bermondsey based Honey that tasted the best.
Emily and the honey people, London, 30th November 2014
Today's picture is more a representation of the weekend than the day itself. It's been a bit weird. Every time I thought I couldn't be surprised... I got surprised. Every time I bemoaned the normalcy of life... something abnormal popped up. Such was the case on Sunday Morning while I was looking for something relatively normal to take a picture of. I was trying to find some left overs from saturday night - a beer can or glass left out on the street. Perhaps an empty box of fried chicken bones. Surprisingly (for South London) I couldn't find any. And then this gentleman cycled along.
travelling in style. Wandworth Roundabout, Nov 30th 2014
I asked him where he was going... he said he was traveling the 4 corners of London - Wimbledon, Wembley, Wapping & Wandsworth. Clearly he was doing the double-u tour. I asked him why and he said 'for fun!'. And then cycled off.
The problem with holidays is that they can have a detrimental effect on your health. I gained 2kg while I was away. Whilst this isn't as bad as I expected, I'm now over 100kg, so its time to get to work on getting my weight back down to a reasonable amount. Perhaps that should be my next challenge? lose weight every day for 30 days? I need to be below 95kg. Ideal would be 92kg.
Anyway, I'm going to start by getting more walking done. Since I started my new job I've been sitting on my big butt for most of the day and not making it up in the evenings. To illustrate this, here's my step count for the day. 3000 steps short of my daily goal. And this is with me making an effort! Pathetic! Drastic action is needed!
Today was the christening of my Goddaughter - Amelie-Rose Gale. I've never been a Godfather before and I'm honoured to be chosen. The Vicar asked the Godparents to write some words of wisdom that can be referred back to in times of trouble later in life. We read them during the service, so to go with my picture, here's mine. Unfortunately my fancy camera ran out of batteries before the ceremony, so I only have a pic taken with my phone... of the church. If the parents give me permission I'll add a picture of the young lady herself.
Sunday 23rd November, 2014 London, UK
Dearest Amelie
When I was young, my dad would sit me down and teach me about the world. At the time, most of what he said to me sounded like nonsense, and I would simply nod my head with a smile and say ‘sure thing dad’…
But, as I grew older - and especially once I has started work - I began to find myself in similar situations to the ones he told me about and I could begin to understand where he was coming from. Now I look back and I’m glad he took the time to pass on his knowledge.
So this me attempting to do the same thing for you. Some of the things I’ve written here may not make sense at first, but come back to this letter from time to time and hopefully, one day, something here will help you when you are in a bind.
1. Learn to recognise ignorance in others quickly. It will save you a lot of wasted energy. 2. You can’t fix the world on your own. 3. Don’t be afraid to admit you've made a mistake. It’s not a crime to change your mind. 4. How you look and who you are not the same thing, but expect people to think that they are. With this knowledge you will be stronger than them. 5. If you can’t decide, go with your gut instinct. 6. You are more capable than you think you are. 7. Always look twice and and when you do, look for longer. Things are rarely as they seem on first glance. 8. Think for yourself. Make sure that the decisions you make are your own. 9. If you are not the smartest person in the room, make sure you know who is. 10. Be humble, be gracious, be polite and always be yourself.
I hope something here will help you one day…
Lots of Love
your Godfather,
Denis-Jose
Church of the Holy Cross, Greenford, London UK. 23rd Nov 2014
I've been a regular visitor to the Washington DC area for the last 19 years. In fact, this was my 19th visit, so I guess it's become an annual event. And so as I come to the last day of my 2 weeks holiday I find myself craving to eat phở.
On a much earlier visit - way back in 90s - I was introduced to Vietnamese phở by my friend Russ. phở is a massive bowl of beef broth soup with noodles, meat, bean shoots, chillies and other herbal adornments. It's very popular in this part of the states too, much more so than in the UK - there seems to be a phở joint at every strip mall and shopping center in Fairfax county at least. So whenever I'm here I make a point of eating phở and it always turns out to be on my last day. I guess that makes it tradition now.
Vietnamese phở, Eden Center, Falls Church, Virginia. Nov 21st 2014
This time round we went to a place in the Eden center (can not
remember the name now). The second picture is the equally amazing fried
chicken wings that I had as a starter.
Spicy Fried Chicken Wings, Eden Center, Falls Church, Virginia. Nov 21st 2014
Why hasn't this cuisine taken off in Europe to the same extent? this is the perfect lunch as far as I'm concerned...
When the apocalypse comes - as it surely will - I know where I'm heading. Straight over to Tagg's house. No one else I know is so effortlessly self-sufficient. Brewing, distilling, hunting, woodworking and other wizardry (including weather forecasting). We spent the evening over at Tagg's home, which has to be the best place for surviving anything that is likely to befall mankind. At the very least there will be an endless supply of excellently home brewed beers, liquors and spirits.
I could only ever dream of being that good at taking care of myself. I can cook, and tend a mean vegetable garden, but if it involves using power tools or getting up very early in the morning and waiting around patiently... forget it. I guess my job will be making hot sauce & ice cream. So here's to you Tagg... and my Friday morning hangover.
Tagg Tim, pouring me a glass of his home brewed Belgian style wheat beer, Nov 20th 2014
