food, glorious slow food

I picked up a new magazine called the simple things a sister publication to Mollie Makes and its actually a really good magazine, capturing all the things I like to enjoy and bringing it to a youthful as well as diverse audience! There was a nice feature in the magazine on Slow Food which i enjoyed reading.
 The following is taken from http://www.slowfood.org.uk/

"A non-profit, member supported association, with charitable educational programmes, Slow Food was created to counter the rise of fast food and fast life.
We work to reconnect people with where their food comes from and how it is produced so they can understand the implications of the choices they make about the food they put on their plates. We encourage people to choose nutritious food, from sustainable, local sources which tastes great."

 The article highlights that we need to slow down and enjoy our foods, to take time buying them as well, by striving to remain in touch with the seasons and to ask where our food comes from. Buy local where is possible and to only buy what you need.

 It inspired me to strip food back to its basics and just enjoy the flavours for what they are in clean ways with fewer ingrediants, whilst remaining in touch with how i feel emotionally towards food and the produce I buy. I admit I'm more passionate about eating not only if i make it myself but also I know where everything comes from and taken the time to source good, local and fresh ingrediants!

 Today I felt a little down for being stuck in a rut and feeling the seasonal change as well as other things, I wanted to enjoy light comfort food that gives maximum taste but light on the stomach as we were to eat late as husband works late shifts.

 I came home with two different types of wild oyster mushrooms

 and set about making a simple mushroom pizza with a homemade pizza dough base that was easily knocked up and hand flattened and stretched into shape.

 seasonal figs were bought too, this is the first time i've ever used and eaten a fresh fig and i was excited to try and discover the new flavour journey it was about to unleash!

 The figs were scored and stuffed with creamy Gorgonzola...look at the bright innards of such wonderful, fresh fruit! Figs are a pleasure to handle!

 I took the time to enjoy the smell and textures of the produce i'm working with and was really pleased i actually managed to sourced the authentic italian gorgonzola that is still aged iin caves somewhere in italy, where it's has a PDO (protected destination of origin). It can;t be real gorgonzola unless it comes from this place...was very pleased to get it and it tastes wonderful on its own. creamy with a nicely balanced kick to it!

 The pizza base was covered in a thin sprinkling of morzarella and chedder, then the sliced mushrooms, sprinkled with rosemary and pine nuts. Finally it was dotted with a few blobs of gorgonzola for a tangy finish and the end result was a deeply flavoursome pizza that was light to stomach which was doubly pleasent!

 The next small dish was butter beans flashed fried with tuna, and flavoured with seasonings, zest of lemon and juice of a whole lemon, served with fresh buttery bread, this ent down a treat too and is lovely hot or cold! I've seen this featured in several chef's recipes book and knew from heart the recipe and after having it myself a few times in Spain, it a lovely light dish!

 And the figs? They were oven roasted for a bit and when the cheese and fruit turned to a melty goodness, they were taken out and dribbled in honey....final verdict for these babies? unbelievable!
truely yummy! and so quick too! Such a nice impressionable dish to do to impress people at dinner parties!

The great things is taking the time to actually enjoy these dishes and its simple but no less amazing flavours! I think I like the Slow Food ideal and hope to have it more in mid when i next shop and cook. I was happier eating it as the food was mostly seasonal and local!

Birdie Love!
xxx