Taste Bud Time Travels

Photo: aussiegall / everystockphoto

I've always been fascinated by history, in fact I preferred factual books to fiction when I was at school, which probably explains why I did better at my History O Level exam than I did in English Literature.
My love for the past and how it has shaped the modern world is still strong. Food throughout history is a particularly enthralling subject.


You could say that my kitchen has become a little time travel machine or maybe even the Tardis. I may not be like Doctor Who saving worlds across the universe but I have been making some new discoveries through culinary activities.

Just over a year ago I met Alan Coxon at a food and craft festival in Woburn. Some of you may remember him as the television chef who had his own show 'Coxon's Kitchen College', he also appeared on Great Food Live on UKTV Food. Alan is the food archaeologist, so for him food history is his passion. Alan Coxon is a mine of information when it comes to food, he loves facts, details. Mention an ingredient or a recipe and he will tell you where it comes from, the history and any weird and wonderful fact you care to imagine.

Photo: © childsdesign

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Alan's passion led him to create three vinegars based upon and inspired by ancient recipes. He took cues from three very different cultures – Medieval, Roman and Ancient Greek. From these, Ale-Gar, Roman Vinaigre and Ancient Greek Vinaigre were born. It wasn't a simple process or quick development to make them. From start to finish it has taken Alan 10 years to perfect the recipes as well as the bottles.

So back to my time travelling. I have been using these vinegars with abandon in my cooking. Although they are vinegars, they are not sharp and mouth puckeringly sour, so don't think of them as a malt vinegar that you splash on your fish and chips. The flavours are complex, yet subtle and soft and much more like a fine wine, in that respect.

I have used the vinegars in all manner of ways from dressings to marinade, in sauces, casseroles, stir-fries, even in sweet dishes, they really are that versatile. The Ale-Gar is based on a 15th century recipe, the vinegar being created from chocolate stout malt which has a unique flavour with a slight taste of cinnamon. I've used this in just about everything! Simmer a quantity until it has reduced to a syrupy consistency and you have a wonderful drizzle for duck.

The Roman Vinaigre is made from quality wine and distinctly herbal in character. I noticed the chamomile flavour first which is quite unusual but quickly grew on me. Try it drizzled over fresh sliced peaches with prosciutto, it is wonderful.

The Ancient Greek Vinaigre is also wine based, bitter-sweet and fresh. There is a hint of coriander which I found makes it ideal to use in Asian recipes, particularly oriental stir-fries.

These vinegars are a truly wonderful addition to the kitchen, not only do they taste good they look good too in handsome bottles. They are very nearly ousting the balsamic and rice vinegar in the cupboard, not to mention the Worcester sauce.

You can buy online from foodbyalancoxon.com

Tomato Ketchup

Thank goodness I'm never going to grow sick of tomatoes! There's still lots left that need eating promptly. Yet another method of preservation is called for and what better than homemade ketchup.

Tomato ketchup is one of those store cupboard essentials that I can never be without. Not just reserved for the dipping of chips or dolloped next to sausages, it has other culinary uses too.

This homemade version is very different to the well-known commercial brands – it's less intensely red for a start and the flavour is, well, more sophisticated, for want of a better description.

Makes about 2 pints

Ingredients

3 lb ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 lb onions, roughly chopped

4 oz sugar

3 tablespoons mustard powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 pint red wine vinegar

Method

Put all the ingredients into a pan and mix well. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

Allow the ketchup to cool slightly, then blend it to a purée in a food processor or blender. Press the purée through a sieve and return it to the rinsed-out pan.

Bring the ketchup back to boiling point, then take the pan of the heat. Transfer the ketchup to warm dry bottles and seal with airtight tops. Label and leave to cool, then store in a cool dark place. It will keep well for up to 6 months.

Cloudberry Vinegar

I'm always on the look out for some new ingredient to try, no matter how small a part it plays in a recipe. My latest find was some cloudberry vinegar which I discovered in IKEA's food section. When in flatpack furniture land, I make it my ritual to peruse the shelves for Scandinavian food, just before I leave the store.

The vinegar is genuine Swedish stuff and is made from cloudberry wine. Perhaps I should try to describe what cloudberries are as I'm not sure whether many people are familiar with them.

A relative of the blackberry bramble and the raspberry. It is a small herbaceous plant, with hairs rather than prickles on its stems and produces large white flowers that later develop into orange-coloured fruit when ripe. It's botanical name is Rubus chamaemorus and it grows primarily in the northern hemisphere.

I could go into lots of detail, but I think if you'd like to know more, then you should have a look on wikipedia.

Anyway, back to the vinegar. Unlike raspberry vinegar which is usually infused with the fruit after the vinegar has been made, this starts out as a wine made from cloudberries.

I tried a little spoonful to check on it's taste and acidity before using in a salad dressing. The vinegar has a definite wine flavour, is not too acidic and the scent of the cloudberries is evident.

The flavour isn't so overpowering as a raspberry vinegar so I can see that it would lend itself to a wider variety of uses.

I  don't think £3.75 for 200ml is too high a price to pay for something that is of high quality and so refined in flavour. A little goes a long way too.

One thing I've learnt, is to never buy cheap wine vinegar again.

To find out more about the vinegar's producers visit: grythyttanvin.se
Cloudberry image from wikipedia