Savoie Fayre

Angus and Judith came for dinner on Saturday. Angus, just back from snowboarding in France, turned up with L'Pelio Morzine. According to the label it's a 'saucisson de Savoie sans colorant'. As you can see, another guest became obsessed by it.

L'Pelio Morzine was delicious, that great French saucisson taste, and this one had walnuts too.

Angus has a new iPhone, and, like all the iPhone users I've encountered, spends a great deal of time showing it off.

We started off with my latest soup, 'Rockpool'. I've been on a bit of a Japanese trip lately, without ever actually going to Japan. Eventually I hope to create a dish that really is a rock-pool. Filled with live stuff swimming among the seaweed. Until then it's a stock made from kombu and water, clams opened in sake and a sprinkling of wakame. It's seriously delicious.

Next we had sashimi: Salmon, tuna and mackerel. My cutting skills are basic, I delude myself that I'm adding "rusticity" to this fine art. Fortunately the fish, from Macallums, was wonderful.

Wine matching was less successful. Despite very helpful steers from The Winesleuth I'm still struggling to match Japanese food with wine. Suggestions welcome. This one worked best for me. From Oddbins at £5.99 a bottle. It's delicious. Limey, zesty, refreshing and with that bit of sweetness I'm increasingly convinced Japanese food needs in a wine.



There were, of course, other courses. But we were all enjoying ourselves too much and I forgot to photograph them.

Wine with sushi

Had another go at making sushi and sashimi last night. Still haven't quite mastered the "look", but it's not too bad is it? Can't quite get my rolls right, these ones all seem to have smiley faces. Suggestions welcome. On the right is squid sushi and scallop sashimi. I put the roes on sushi too, they were delicious, but pretty intense. The rest is made of salmon and tuna. 

We weren't too keen on the squid.  Fortunately someone has been staying with us this week and he loved it.  Yes, Seamus ate all the squid sushi.....bizarre.

Anyway, what to drink with it? Seamus seemed happy with his bowl of luke warm tap water, but if he'd been offered a glass of 2004 Anjou Domaine de Pierre Blanche he'd probably have taken it. Wise dog. I got it as part of a mixed case from Yapp and it worked a treat. Otherwise it's £7.50 a bottle. It's dry but honeyed with age. Has a lovely acidity and a delicious scent of slightly bruised  apples. That cut through the vinegary sweet rice and it's minerality complemented the raw fish. Not the sort of wine I can ever find in supermarkets or on the high street.   Yapp have some great wines. On the face of it they may seem a tad expensive, but all the ones I've tried have real character. Actually they maybe too tastey! It takes real self control not to pop the cork on a second bottle...... and I'm not very self controlled. 

It's not the first time I've made sushi and wanted to try some good sake but I know next to nothing about it.  If anyone reads this and can point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful.