Tuesday 20 November 2007

For Real? Surely Not

As I find my stamina and interest for select TV viewing improving, we are branching out from Top Gear and anything to do with nature.
But really, Heston Blumenthal. Having not watched an awful lot of television since becoming ill, I seem to have missed all the fuss surrounding this molecular gastrognome (oops sorry) gastronome.
Tonight I watched, utterly incredulous, as he took what seemed like at least a week to make...a fish pie. To those already familiar with Blumenthal this probably seems completely normal. Those glasses. Are they supposed to look like chemistry goggles? Is he having us on? Or is he serious? Those who dine at his restaurant seem to take him very seriously indeed. I did find it heartening to discover that there is at least one other person out there who favours slow cooking over fast food. But his approach is slow and meticulous. Mine is more slow and confused.
He created a sand and seaspray topping for his fish pie, which included within its velvety depths langoustine tails (he researched stress levels in langoustines to find the optimum flavour) and oysters. His creation of the mash topping defied belief. And when he smoked fish in a squirrel cage using hay... well, let's just say I was left somewhat bemused by the whole spectacle.
He served his creation complete with a side dish of MP3 player housed in a sea shell, so the discerning diner can listen to the sea whilst eating said pie. This new dining experience has involved intensive research at Oxford University. I just fell about the place laughing.

In other news: I have perfected the art of suspending whole chillies in apple jelly. Oh, and I have been listening to music. Sometimes music and cooking at the same time. Blumenthal, move over.

3 comments:

Maggie said...

I hope you're going to take some photos of the whole chillis suspended in the jelly - sounds like they will be really pretty!

Anonymous said...

As a somewhat fanatical TG viewer, may I just tentatively poke my head above the parapet and wave at you in solidarity?

And on the subject of TG, did you, by any chance, discover Mr Blumenthal after watching Oz & James' Big Wine Adventure? Because that's exactly what I did. *grins*

seahorse said...

Miss V: Top Gear may have to have a post all of its own. I'm so glad we opted to watch the latest episode of TG on replay last night, rather than Heston's Baked Alaska experiments.
TG could teach him a thing or two about eggs, that's for sure.
Oz and who? Really, only just starting to branch out, plus i can't drink. Can't drive at the mo either but some viewing is just essential ;-)