Home sweet... Cambridge?

So, I have been in Cambridge for 4 days now, but it feels like much longer. It also feels like I could stay here for a while, which is good, since I am staying here for a while, but it's also good in a sense that I feel comfortable and safe here which doesn't often happen in a foreign city. Having said that, I do realize that in grander scheme of things, the UK is really not that different from Canada, and that likely has a part in the way I feel. However, what really evokes these feelings are the people and the food, and the combination of the people with the food, that I have experienced in these few days. And if that is any indication as to how these next two years will progress, than I am in for a treat!

I will start by introducing you to the 3 people who have really made me feel at home, Rocio, Andres and Alex, my new housemates. Really fantastic group! I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be dropped into. They're all very friendly and sociable, they like to go out, and we've had some really great conversations already. On Friday, my first full day here, we all went out for dinner to a Japanese place called "Teri-aki", not to be confused with it's neighboring restaurant, "Aki-teri". No Joke. Those are the names. It was a very simple lively place with the staple sushi and noodle/rice bowls that you would imagine. I had yaki udon, which just means pan fried udon noodles, with seafood and vegetables, a dish that I used to order in Hamilton quite frequently. While the flavor was as good as it was in Canada, the seafood in the dish really made up for it. There was a ton, and it was all cooked to an exactness that you don't often find with a mixed seafood dish, or in something pan fried. I'm talking scallops, shrimp, calamari and different kinds of fish all at the right consistency. I was really impressed, and wish I knew how they accomplished it! The next night, we all went out to a movie together, and then met up with some of their other friends for dinner/drinks. We all went to a pub, which was quite nice. Really cool atmosphere, laid back yet fancy and calm yet vibrant at the same time. We sat next to a nice little fire place, which added to my enjoyment as I have not been the warmest I should be lately. I was really hungry when we arrived, because it was about 9:30pm, but I resisted my urge to order a full meal since it was late in the evening. Instead, I had a salad, which worked out better in the end anyway. Now, Salad and I have a love hate relationship. The love comes from the fact it's healthy and I can basically make any combination under the sun. The hate comes from the fact that there are many other more pleasurable foods out there that I'd rather be eating. So, it's not that I hate salad per se, it's that I generally wish I was eating something else. However, this was not the case on Saturday night. I didn't want my salad to end (although my bowels were likely glad that it did). When I read it on the menu, it seemed fairly standard, and something I would normally gravitate to, a) because it has goat cheese in it, and b) because it came with a balsamic reduction. The other main ingredients were roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, mixed greens and some other stuff that I forget. I forgot what else was in it because one of the above listed ingredients was so good that I could care less about what else was going on. Even the goat cheese was second to this, and if you know anything about me, goat cheese is one of my all time favorite foods. So what was it? It was the sundried tomatoes. Normally, not a big fan. I'll eat them, but I wouldn't request them. I never really found them all that appetizing. But now, I think it was just the way they were prepared, because THESE sundried tomatoes were AH-MAZING! They were those shitty little soggy slivers drenched in oil either. They were quartered small tomatoes (a bit larger than cherry tomatoes, but not a full sized tomato) and they were actually "dried" and not soggy. They had the most brilliant sweet and natural flavour that a tomato should have with a hint of simple seasoning, and they were dried right to a state of hydration that was near perfection. Combine those with goat cheese and you've basically made my night. Meanwhile, this salad was making it very difficult for me to focus on the three new people I had met and was having dinner with. Two guys from Germany, and (another) woman from Spain. Again, like the others, really great people! It's such a pleasure to be surrounded by like minded easy going people. How fortunate am I to have all of this already after only 4 days? VERY.

On Sunday I had the day to myself, not because my housemates weren't here, but because I went off exploring the city a little more. Originally I went out to purchase somethings for my room (which I succeeded in doing), but I ended up going into a health food store, and also stopping to read menus at a variety of restaurants on the street. First, the health food store was great! I went in looking for raw cacao beans, but they had none, instead, I left with an organic fair trade dark chocolate bar infused with Arabica coffee and some tamari and garlic flavoured organic rice cakes (which are less like cakes and more like square crisps). I knew the chocolate would be good, but wasn't sure about the rice cakes. They were either going to be really really good, or really really bad. They're really really good. The perfect snack I would say. They're hard to describe because I have seen anything like them, so I can't compare them to anything. They are good to eat on their own, but I think I have come up with a few other uses for them as well. Second, the restaurant menus. In one area of the street, there are 3 french restaurants in a row; Cote Brasserie, Cafe Rouge, and Brasserie Gerard. I had walked by them several times in the past few days since they are in between my house and my office, but never really paid much attention. Well, I can tell you, after I read the menu, they had my full attention. So much so, that today, when my best friend Ishna came to visit from London, we went to one of them for lunch.

Cote Brasserie. The restaurant had a very nice atmosphere, simple decor and lovely lunch time music. What was really amazing, aside from the food which I'll get to, was that they offered a 3 course lunch menu for only 11 pounds! WTF? I couldn't believe my eyes. There were 3 options in each section; the appetizer, entree and dessert. We each ordered something different from each section, except for dessert, where we both ordered creme caramel, because lets face it, why would you want to eat anything else? Except maybe creme brulee, but that wasn't on the list. Also, each got a glass of red wine.

For starters, we had crispy whitebaite with lemon and tartar sauce and cauliflower, potato and leek soup. All very delish. For the entree, I will show you what we had, and let you drool....

It was divine.

Food Euphoria

I think it's about time I start to share my thoughts on some of the food I have consumed in the last few days, because if I let it build up anymore I will never find time to write about it all.

While in London, I was taken out for dinner by 2 of my closest friends to celebrate (belatedly) my PhD defense/convocation. We went to a Moroccan restaurant by the name of Azou (www.azou.co.uk) which was awarded best North African Restaurant in "Ramsay's Best Restaurant 2010". It's very small, in a not so busy area of London, with, if I recall correctly, only ~8 tables (See photo). I was very excited because I have not had much experience with Moroccan food in the past, and there was a variety of items (and words!) on the menu which were new to me. Definitely a learning experience! For my appetizer I had king prawns in a spicy coriander sauce. First of all, praises to them for actually serving KING prawns, because although it appears on many menus, that's not often what you get. Second of all, the spicy coriander sauce was to die for. In fact, my friends were actually dipping their appetizers into my sauce and we ended up wiping the bowl clean with bread. I can't really think of how to describe it, and I'm not sure if it's because I don't know how, or it's because my entree was on a whole other level and that's all I can think about. As I write this, I can still taste it. Here is the description from the menu of what I had:

Tagine el Ain: tender lamb shank with prunes, apricots & almonds in an "intensely flavoured" sauce, garnished with sesame seeds.

I immediately got turned on after reading this, for a number of reasons. First, I didn't know what a "tagine" really was, so the unknown intrigued me. For those of you who don't know, it's an earthenware dish with a distinctive conical lid, which allows the steam to condense back into the food to enhance its' flavour. The food that is cooked in it is also called a tajine. Second, lamb shank is one of my favorite things to eat, so long as it's prepared properly. I don't often eat it because it can be hard to find and is not the leanest cut of meat in the shop, but I think I knew going into the restaurant that I wanted lamb that night. In addition, I find fruit pairs remarkably with lamb. Third, what does "intensely flavored" mean??? I had to know. And I didn't want to be told, I wanted it in my mouth. So, 15-20 minutes later it appeared in front of me with a side of couscous. When our server lifted the lid off of the tagine I was immediately engulfed by the brilliant aromas wafting around me. There is was, a nice lamb shank basking in this dark, rich and thick sauce with whole prunes and apricots and sprinkled with sliced almonds and sesame seeds. I could hardly wait. I knew it would be too hot to start eating so I just took a bit of the sauce from around the cooler edge to try it..... I now knew why intensely flavoured was written as "intensely flavoured".... because that it's basically the only way to describe it.  I can't even bring to fathom the variety or the amount of spices that went into it, but I can say that the combination was something I had never experienced before in any type of cuisine. It was a curry in a sense, but nothing close to any of the Asian or east/west/north/south Indian curries I've had in the past. It was outstanding. What I recall most was cinnamon, which is interesting in itself, and is usually not one of the dominant flavors in savory dishes. I'm definitely going to start experimenting with it more. The lamb shank itself was cooked to perfection... soft and falling away from the bone easily. By the end of the meal my eyes were not even open... it was that good. The union between the rich lamb, the sweet fruits, the intense spices of the sauce and the earthiness of the almonds and sesame seeds made for one of the best tasting and most euphoric dishes I have eaten in my life.

As a physiologist, I wish I knew what the pathway was between taste and smell sensory receptors and the state of euphoria that I was in. Whatever the connection is though, it's a strong one, and one that I think we all possess. It's just a matter of finding the foods that trigger it, much like many other mental states we experience in life. In life, where all of our senses are constantly bombarded with stimulation, we have to be able to sift through and find what suits our own bodies to be able to live life to its fullest.

Hola Mi Amigas y Amigos!

My first real post was going to be about the amazing Moroccan food I had the other night, but I'm going to save that for number two, because I have something far better to share. MY NEW LIFE!

As I sit in my new bed, in my new house, in my new city, in my new country, I'm feeling quite content and very much at home. If you couldn't tell by the title, I'm living with a couple of people from Spain, and also one from Vancouver. They are all really nice and I feel like I have connected with them already. They helped me get my stuff in the house and we sat and had tea for about 1.5 hours and talked about everything under the sun! The house is very nice and bigger than I expected... and very clean! I love my room, which is quite large (lots of room for guests... wink wink), and the kitchen, which has been recently renovated. Can't wait for my spices to arrive so I can fully test it out!!! I'm about a 20 min walk from my building on campus, and conveniently, there is a supermarket on the way!

As I sit here thinking about tomorrow I feel very confident. Confident that I made the right choice to come here, of the future and confident of myself. I'm excited to wake up tomorrow and walk into work and get my new life started! I can sense good things coming my way!

This is my time.

In the beginning...

I love food... A LOT. I love everything about it. I love the feelings associated with shopping for, preparing, cooking, sharing and eating food. I love the diversity of the flavors, the way they combine with each other to form something totally new. The possibilities are endless! But what I love the most is how it brings people together. There are few things in life that give me more pleasure than preparing a meal for my friends or family.

Through food, I have learned so much about the world around me, and I want to continue this trend as I start a post doctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge. I've never written anything before... outside of technical scientific papers, so bare with me! I have to give props to Jodie, who has not only inspired me to start this blog, but has shown me the benefits of self expression. For now, I will say that many of my posts will be about food (well, once my 2.5 kg of spices arrive from Canada and I start cooking), and the associated life lessons I undoubtedly will learn along the way while cooking and sharing food with my new friends, and old :)