Sara Miller Picnic optimism, Belgian pans, and Verdi's requiem
Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director
This week I’m going to do my level best, first, to persuade you to make your first purchase of Demeyere pans (the best pans in the world, I believe, albeit eye wateringly expensive) and secondly to introduce you to Navigate’s Sara Miller Picnic range, which is aimed at quite a different sort of culinary ambition, namely eating and drinking prettily, outdoors whilst pretending the British weather can be trusted.
But just before I do that, I found myself northbound to Blackfriars late Tuesday afternoon, having skived off work indecently early. I was on my way to meet Andrew, and old friend who had suggested going to hear Verdi’s requiem at the Royal Festival Hall. Getting on as I am, quite when I was last there I can no longer recall, probably as a child in the late 60’s, would be my guess. I love the whole South Bank Complex with its acres of bare concrete and the contrasting, gentler Modernist design of the Royal Festival hall….quite lovely.
We met at Blackfriars station and walked up the embankment to our first port of call, Brasserie Blanc, for an early dinner.
To start, I had a really good sourdough baguette with three trempettes to dip into. A saffron rouille, an olive oil & balsamic vinegar, and whipped goat’s curd & lemon. The first two were nothing short of sensational and demanded a glass of Merlot all to themselves. The goat’s curd, might have been better without the lemon, or just less of it maybe?
Either way a great start. Andrew had the escargots, which I’ve always thought was one of the less appealing French habits, along with frog’s legs and existentialism.
Cabillaud a la Grenobloise, followed. A pan-fried cod fillet, smooth mash, croutons, brown butter with lemon & capers, with fresh spring vegetables done in a buttery sauce. It was the the last word in exquisite! Demanding a second glass of Merlot, and, sadly, completely ignoring Andi’s advice from a couple of weeks ago…sorry Andi.
The concert exceeded my expectations, despite realising, as it progressed, that I didn’t really know much of the music…how could that have happened to a lad being brought up in a house where Radio 3 was on much of the time.
During the interval (the requiem not being one of your in and out affairs) we wandered up to the balcony that overlooks the Thames.
The weather was warm for late March and it was extremely pleasant standing there talking and watching life on the river below pass us by, feeling rather lucky to be exactly where I was.
It was a lovely evening and we resolved to do it again before too long.
Duruflé, Brahms or Mozart’s requiem next maybe?
To product
This week, two rather different temptations.
The first is Navigate’s Sara Miller picnic range, which is cheerful, stylish, and designed to make you believe, however briefly, that this might be the summer when you become the sort of person who picnics properly.
You know the type. A rug, a chilled bottle, proper glasses (well sort of, acrylic actually), some olives, perhaps a quiche if one is feeling dangerously middle class. The reality may, of course, involve a gusty field, a collapsing paper napkin and a Scotch egg rolling downhill. But that is no reason not to be beautifully equipped for the attempt.
Sara Miller does decorative optimism very well, and this range has all the colour, pattern and practical charm you’d want for eating outdoors, with a little more style and rather less dreariness than the average picnic kit.
And, as we are currently pricematching, there's 17% OFF the RRP
And now, from decorative sunshine… to hard Belgian reality.
Demeyere cookware is going up in price by around 15%.
As many of you will know, I think Demeyere make some of the very best pans in the world. They are beautifully engineered, gloriously efficient, and ruinously expensive in the way that only truly excellent things tend to be.
This means that a 15% price rise is not a trivial matter.
If you’ve been circling the idea of buying your first Demeyere frying pan, sauté pan or saucepan, this may be the moment to stop circling and actually do it.
Because while Demeyere has never been cheap, it has always had the decency to be worth it.
Buy now, and at least you’ll only feel mildly reckless.
Buy after the increase, and you may need a small lie-down.
In conclusion
Of course, whether you’re standing on a balcony overlooking the Thames or chasing a Scotch egg across a windy field, the essentials remain much the same.
Something good to eat, something decent to drink, and someone you’re glad to be there with.
The rest is just fluff
I trust you have a pleasant and peaceful Easter weekend.
Warm regards,
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