Lush Food #4

Adventures With Chillies - Part 3

It might have been a few years since I last visited this already-infrequently visited subject here at Red Parsley but my pursuit and enjoyment of spicy food has not been diminished. Quite the opposite in fact - I'm probably more watchful than ever, always hoping to find something I haven't tried before, be that a hot curry, a new chilli sauce, or actual chillies themselves, and just recently I had some luck.

I usually check the chilli section of any supermarket I find myself in, even if it an exercise in futility, more often than not. Sometimes I'm greeted by the welcome sight of Bird's Eye chillies, occasionally I'm fortunate enough to find some Scotch Bonnets, and once I even found what I was told were Naga Viper peppers (though I now doubt this), but this has been the extent of my discoveries. Until, that is, a few months ago when I saw in my local Tesco store a small packet containing some red chillies I hadn't seen before. They were apparently called 'Komodo Dragon' chillies and their packaging warned that they were hot, but was otherwise unremarkable in any way. They didn't need to twist my arm though, so I bought two packs!

Top Five Traditional Biscuits

Now that I think about it I'm really not sure how popular biscuits are in other parts of the world - I get the impression that it's mainly various kinds of cookies - but over here in the UK nearly everyone enjoys munching on tasty biscuity treats regularly, and usually one of the 'traditional' kinds too. I can scarcely imagine a day at work without having a pack handy, and preferably one of these delightful varieties:

Special Note: I personally have no interest in 'dunking' so the suitability of these biscuits for that nonsensical act has not been considered when compiling this list.

5 - Rich Tea

They have 'Round Biscuit' written on them

Top Five Citrus Fruits

Everyone knows the best kind of fruits are the citrus varieties but there are so many marginally different kinds that trips to the supermarket can be mighty confusing. Therefore, your favourite non-food-related blog is happy to simplify the matter for you. Forget lemons and limes, grapefruits are too big - look for anything orange (except pumpkins and carrots) and fill your basket accordingly:

5 - Clementine

Top Five Vegetables

Reviled during our youth and begrudgingly accepted in our adulthood, vegetables are seen by some as a necessary evil of sorts. Even today, I will accept them only as a supplement to a meal rather than as a meal themselves, but some are unquestionably nicer than others. Plus, it's always worth looking for other reasons to make them more appealing too, and here are the best ones that I've thought of so far :)

5 - Carrots

They help you see in the dark

Lush Food #3

Adventures With Chillies - Part 2

For most of my life I've been very keen on spicy food but, as recounted late last year in the first post of its type here at Red Parsley, this interest was accidentally bolstered by my discovery of some rather hot peppers. This incident has since seen a strong resurgence in my love of all things spicy, and it's a resurgence that has already yielded some fine results.

The five peppers of incredible power and mystery...

For a while I merely continued buying the recently-discovered scotch bonnets but, even though they continued to provide the scorching experience I had been unknowingly missing, I was intrigued by the apparent existence of far hotter peppers. As if in answer to my prayers, I recently changed upon an enticingly-named store: Akram's Spice Centre! This would surely be like a treasure trove to me, a Mecca for me all other spice lovers in my area! Venturing inside, I quickly gazed upon the most extensive range of chilli sauces I'd ever seen. Further browsing revealed all manner of unknown products imported from the Middle-East, Subcontinent, and Far-East. I even noticed some unusual fruits and vegetables familiar to me from my time in Brazil, including Jaca - huge spiky things which can kill you if you're unlucky enough to be beneath one falling from a tree!

Top Five Smells

Having so many different senses is wonderful but I think many of us would agree - if you had to lose one, it would probably be smell. Sight, hearing, and touch are all much more useful in everyday life and, while people who unfortunately lose one of these, or even never have it start with, do adapt to the loss (or absence), it does present a challenge. This wouldn't be the case if someone lost the ability to smell things but it would deprive them of many lovely aromas. Here are the first five splendid ones that popped into my head:

5 - Coffee Brewing

Until very recently I didn't even drink coffee - it always seemed to make me thirsty when I tried it which is the opposite of what a drink should do, surely? Regardless of whether I drank it or not though, the smell of it brewing, in one of those fancy machines, preferably, always made me want some. Hmmmm...

Lush Food #2

A Rare Treat

As those who know me will already be well aware, my favourite food of all-time is without question curry. Whilst keen on most varieties found on Indian restaurant menus, I tend to stick to hot chicken-based ones such as the Vindaloo and usually have several a week, whether home-made or preferably from a takeaway. For me to go longer than this without a curry is almost unheard of and one of the only times I do is when.... I'm on a long holiday!

The mother-in-law's fine pastels garnished with chillies!

As some of you may know, I'm currently into the fourth and final week of a trip to a far-off land (Brazil) where curries are unknown and, accordingly, times like this can be a source of great difficulty for me. However, where on the one hand the lack of many of my favourites are causing me to endure withdrawal symptoms, on the other hand I can look forward to special treats that cannot be found in the UK but which are commonplace here. Chief among these are the delightful 'pastels' I discovered on my very first trip to the country in Rio de Janeiro. Contrary to popular belief, these are not merely delicately coloured crayons but are also a mighty lush foodstuff that originated in Portugal. Subsequent research reveals that several other mostly Hispanic countries have foods that share the same name but it's definitely the Brasilian variety that appeals to me.

Lush Food #1

Adventures With Chillies - Part 1

If I may be permitted a brief diversion from the kind of subjects I typically cover here, allow me to relay a recent food-related adventure. Ever since my teens I've been very fond of spicy food. This has mostly consisted of Indian curries which are so prevalent here in the UK but apparently quite rare in other European or American countries. I was introduced to them indirectly by two friends, one of whom sadly passed away recently, who started buying Chinese curries and sharing them with me. I soon moved on to the Indian variety and proceeded to work my way up the scale of hotness, ending with the coveted chicken Phall.

Soon, I was seeking ways to make other foods I liked spicy too. One of my first stops was the pizzas I had recently started eating. Spicing these up seemed simple - buy some chillies, chop them up, and sprinkle over the top! This is exactly what I did for many years and continue to today with the kinds of chillies most readily available to me which I have recently learned are called Anaheim Peppers and Poblano Peppers. Just last week, however, I made an unexpected pizza purchase and had no chillies available. Eating it without them was not a option so I had to venture down to my local 24/7 store to see if they had any. They did, but only an unfamiliar variety called Scotch Bonnets.

Top Five Ways To Eat Potato

If you're anything like me, vegetables aren't usually the first choice when selecting a lush meal. Healthy they may be (for the most part) but they are seldom the most exciting part of any dish they may be part of. There are a few exceptions though, and potatoes are one! They are arguably the most versatile of all vegetables and can be fashioned into all manner of enjoyable snacks and meals. It's also easily possible to turn them into unhealthy (and therefore tasty) forms too. Here are my five faves:

5 - Mash

Top Five Pasta Shapes

I'm pretty sure there can't be many people out there who don't like pasta. I'm a huge fan, which could be why I have a huge waistline, and as long as it's not desecrated with disgusting cheese of any kind I'll rarely turn it down. There is, however, a great variety in the shapes that pasta comes in and this can be instrumental in its preparation and enjoyment. I expect everyone has their favourite shapes/styles. Here are mine:

5 - Spaghetti

Top Five Fizzy Drinks

Despite the fact that they gradually destroy your teeth whether you brush them or not, I'm sure we all love a nice cold fizzy drink when it's hot. Here are my favourites:

5. Lemon Tango
This one has become something of a rarity but unlike all the other flavours of Tango, this one actually is tangy! --pause-- (returns after some research)... It now transpires that Lemon Tango has been discontinued, hence it's rarity. :( I'm sure I found some about a year ago. Oh well, you'll be missed, tasty Lemon Tango, your less tangy but nearly equally splendid tasting brothers will have to suffice!

Top Five Chocolate Bars

After a brief hiatus, I have recently regained my enthusiasm for eating lush chocolate bars and have been eating far too many lately, much to the benefit of local clothes shops. To that end, however, here is my top five favourite at the moment:

5.
A long, thin, caramal flavoured bar, this isn't strictly speaking a chocolate bar, but retains its status thus on account of its size, shape, and the fact that it's sold alongside all the more traditional bars. Caramacs have become increasingly rare, at least near me, and those that have been found appear to lost the bargain price tag they once held. Nonetheless, they remain a delightfully sweet snack. I wish they'd bring back the yellow foil wrapper though...