It’s been a while since my last post so I thought I would put up a brief update on my nice weekend. We had the first properly warm weather of the year. It was warm enough to light the garden fire pit and have a martini outside before dinner. It’s so nice to get outside again. I took this picture because I thought the lower … Continue reading Spring weekend
These sound fancy but they were quite easy to put together and can be made in advance, so they’re easy to serve if you’re having a party. Get about one scallop per guest (or two if you want to make it a more substantial dish than just a canapé). I love scallops. My dad was a scallop diver so they’ve never been far away from … Continue reading Chilled scallop canapés with smoked paprika, seaweed-butter and lime
An Izakaya is essentially a type of Japanese pub that specialises in food to accompany drinks. It’s basically my favourite type of drinks setting. I love the post-work, instantly friendly and relaxed atmosphere, completely free of pretension. Comparable to Spanish tapas or Turkish meze, the Izakaya-way is healthier than simply guzzling down a bucket of booze before staggering off for some fish and chips or … Continue reading Martini Izakaya Dishes
This is dead easy. Asparagus is tasty and a bit of a luxury so it naturally pairs well with a martini. I love its distinctive flavour, visual appeal and most of all, its satisfying fresh and crunchy texture. My brother and I were having a martini before dinner, but after we had drunk the first one we really just wanted to have … Continue reading Asparagus skewers to accompany a martini
I had a couple of people round for a catch up (over drinks of course). I was trying to think of something quick and I easy I could feed them between martini drinking when I came across some beef mince on special offer at the supermarket. I bought a kilogram and decided to make yakitori, a type of Japanese skewer kebab, inspired by izakaya/yakitori-bar type … Continue reading Beef yakitori snacks
A London variation on the classic Mexican drink. As I’ve said before, I don’t always drink martinis. I also like beer and lager, to name but a few alternatives. I recently wrote about the Mexican drink Micheladas and here I’ve come up with another variation. In its most simple terms, a Michelada contains beer/lager, the juice of a lime, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a … Continue reading A Spicy Umami Michelada
Annyeonghaseyo. This is a really tasty, easy and even healthy vegetarian dish that you can serve as a vegetable side, a starter or, most importantly of all, as an appetiser to accompany a martini (obviously). I first ate this delicious dish in Koreatown, Manhattan. Of all the wondrous and unusual dishes I gluttonously consumed that night (my favourite being a gigantic simmered squid, still … Continue reading Korean spinach – Sigeumchi-namul
This is my Japanese variation of a classic Mexican drink – the Michelada. I have named my version after my friend from Mexico City who introduced me to the concept. It’s not a martini but hey – I can’t drink martinis ALL the time! Plus, summer is coming and this is a great summer drink. It’s very similar to a standard Mexican Michelada, which is … Continue reading The Lorena-san Michelada
The Martini Socialist 