Decadent teas

I am extremely particular about patisserie. My exacting standards no doubt stem from my granny and mother’s prowess in cake-making rendering most shop-bought imitations resistible.

Pierre Hermé is another matter. I was transfixed by his utterly chic boutique in Paris (72 rue Bonaparte 75006) selling the most exquisitely and intensely fragrant macarons echelons above his nearest rivals. At this year’s Madrid Fusion gastro-conference showcasing the latest culinary thinking of some of the world’s more avant-garde chefs, Hermé demonstrated his latest savoury patisserie using mint and peas in all manner of patisserie guises including his much emulated “emotions”, multi-layered, flavoured and textured desserts in a shot glass. He gave the air of being a little bored with his sweet creations.

However, last week Hermé appeared to have regained his sweeter tooth to visit Claridge’s and demonstrate his legendary fetish patisserie haute classic collection: studies on three themes or “parfums”: “ispahan”, rose, raspberry and lychee; “satine” orange and passion: and “plenitude” dark chocolate with fleur de sel, cocoa nibs and caramel. Each was presented firstly as sweet sandwiches with fillings of intense almost perfumed fruit jellies of orange/passion fruit, raspberry/rose and a rich chocolate gianduja. I loved the scones which continued the theme and fully intend to experiment with the cocoa-nib version myself – wonderful with really good slightly salted French butter. Next up was a sublime wobbling, ethereally light passionfruit and orange cheesecake, a world apart from the usual stodgy offerings. Almost too chic to eat, the ispahan emotion with layers of lychee and raspberry jelly, fresh raspberries, compote and rose cream made for an exquisite palate cleanser. I followed instructions to delve the teaspoon all the way to the bottom for the full multi-textural experience. Of course, the legendary macarons were the piece de resistance: delicate hues of rose pink, palest tangerine and deep dark chocolate filled with a wonderful fleur de sel and chocolate ganache filling. They have a complex, yet utterly light texture that dissolves decadently on the tongue, yet is not as sweet as those found in the pale green Ladurée box more regularly invoked in London. Sadly, the macarons are only available at Hermé’s shops in Paris, which don’t have cafes of their own. Those in the know go to the neighbouring café de Maire (8 rue de Sulplice) his unofficial salon du thé. Here for the price of a coffee/tea the waiters in the upstairs salon look on indulgently as impatient foodies discreetly unwrap their precious Hermé trophies from quite the most covetable bags – like Matisse cut-out works of art in themselves. But the word is that Hermé was scouting London for possible sites for the future.
In the meantime, Claridge’s, undoubtedly the most elegant place for tea in London with its mesmerising elegant art deco details and spectacular chandelier have invited Herméback later in the year (www.claridges.co.uk)


Meanwhile, for an extreme patisserie challenge, Andrew Gravett, the highly talented head of patisserie at London’s two Michelin star Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge offers workshops on making one’s own macarons: a complex process involving Italian meringue, crème patisserie and much more. Ideally each stage is allowed to rest for a day before proceeding. It puts the prices of Hermé and other macaronniers in perspective. Fortunately Gravett’s course includes more achievable and repeatable petits fours and chocolates too. (Next dates 3 April, 5 June, 4 Sept bookings 7591 1215 www.capitalhotel.co.uk) .

Still on the tea trial, the newest, deeply glamorous place for tea is Artesian the contemporary Geisha boudoir style cocktail bar designed by David Collins within The Langham Hotel. Madonna has already held a party here. The teas were devised with the help, of former canapé Queen, now food consultant Lorna Wing and include tiny sandwiches each impeccably matching filling to specialist bread such as Wiltshire ham and wild rocket with mustard butter on light rye, tiny cheese and pancetta, triple citrus and coconut and lime muffins, teacup and saucer iced biscuits, glittery cupcakes , Ladurée macarons and mousse shots. As Artesian is also a cocktail bar, tea can be served with a rum cocktail or Laurent Perrier Rose. (Langham Hotel, Portland Place, W1 0207 636 1000 tea £25 per person (£38 with champagne/rum cocktail).

Foodie bookclubs

Belonging to a book club is almost a given, enjoying the chosen book is usually a matter of contentious dispute. My solution is to inaugurate a foodie bookclub, which friends, a little less foodie obsessed than myself have rapturously embraced – I’ve even had virtual strangers pleading to belong. The simple premise is that rather than using a book only a handful may regard as literature, we choose a cookbook. Either something new and overtly challenging like Nobu West, which requires some serious planning with visits to The Japan Centre for more esoteric ingredients (all part of the fun), hip writers with a refreshingly different approach such as Skye Gyngell’s “A Year in My Kitchen” or classics such as Claudia Roden. The beauty is that everyone arrives with tales of sleuth like shopping to track-down ingredients, conquering culinary techniques that have hitherto eluded them, some culinary tips and perhaps a few near disasters. Most importantly, a dish or two for a magnificent grazing feast and the pleasure of knowing that they’ve acquired a book which will have frequent outings from the bookshelf.

Who's heard of the M25 gastro-route?

Who’s ever heard of the M25 gastro-route?

It was only when Food & Travel magazine asked me to review a number of gastro-worthy restaurants and pubs around the M25 earlier this week that I discovered there was actually a nexus of extremely good places to eat around its junctions. All perfect meeting places for converging with food-minded friends from the furthest flung perimeters of its route.

My top 6

Drake’s Restaurant, Ripley, Surrey: junction 10
An exquisite, very proper and elegant Georgian house with beautiful walled garden. Michelin starred chef Steve Drake, a one-time Roux scholar, trained with Marc Veyrat and Tom Aitken and his extraordinarily accomplished, technically demanding and original approach to flavours is evidence of such illustrous training. Highlights include ratte potato wrapped in spinach with roasted cepes, poached sea bass with roast cumin aubergine, the finest crab risotto, grilled fennel and frothy fennel veloute, crème reversee (a French take on pannacotta) with apple sorbet and artfully arranged dried apple tuiles and mesmerizingly good and generous own-made petit fours.
The Clock House, 13 High St. Ripley 01483 224777

Chapter One, Locksbottom, Orpington: junction 4
As glamorous as the newest West End restaurant, but altogether more welcoming, chef Andrew McNeish’s menu is extremely appealing, cooked with great finesse and represents truly exceptional value for money (£28.50 for 3 courses). He may have temporarily lost his Michelin star this year, but no doubt it will shortly be restored. Dishes include Venison carpaccio with truffle and ice salad, poached and roast pigeon with fig and divine rice pudding brulee.
Farnborough Common, Kent BR6 8NF 01689 8544848

Alexander’s at Limpsfield, Surrey: junction 6
A newcomer with serious culinary aspirations and credentials. Chef Simon Attridge has worked with both Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal and their influence is apparent in stunning dishes notable for their clever contrasts of textures and flavours and his liking for high end surf n turf dishes such as pork macaroni with roasted langoustines served in a tiny copper pan, impeccable roast sea bass blissfully partnered with serrano ham, bone marrow, croutons and definitive chocolate fondant with salted caramel ice-cream Ultra-chic sympathetically restored 16c schoolroom/chapel in a bucolic village high street. The brasserie offers simpler dishes with similar attention to detail including rib-eye steak with Heston’s trademark triple-cooked chips
The Old Lodge, High St. Limpsfield, Oxtend, Surrey RH8 ODR
T 01883 714365

Jolly Farmer Emporium gastro-pub meets deli/farm shop, Buckland, Surrey: junction 8
A brilliant idea brought together with tangible commitment and enthusiasm by Jon and A lovely pub has been appealingly restored with a mix of leather sofas and proper dining, flagstones and local art and serving hugely generous portions of well-prepared food with an admirable emphasis on seasonal and local ingredients. Diver caught scallops with caperberries and raisins, local pork chop with cheese mash and roasted whole apple and sage sauce and bread and butter pudding. They’re soon to open for an ultra-low food mile breakfast using all local produce. The shop includes bread, cheese, meat, smoked fish, biscuits, jams and chutneys all produced by small local producers plus organic and gluten-free foods not found elsewhere in the neighbourhood.
Reigate Rd, Buckland, Surrey RH3 7BG 01737 221355

Colette’s at The Grove, Hertfordshire: junction 18/19
The fine dining restaurant of spectacular “groovy grand” hotel The Grove with extravagantly quirky décor and art and extremely accomplished and unaccountably under-rated cooking by Chris Harrod, whose CV includes Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons. Dishes are highly original and refreshingly light including ravishingly zingy crab with quivering lemon grass pannacotta, poached chicken with almond milk and spinach and caramelised apple with walnut biscuits and cinnamon ice-cream. Vegetarian dishes are extraordinarily enticing too.
Chandler’s Cross, Herts WD3 4TG 01923 296015