One unlikely victim of Covid-19 has been the small unripe mangoes imported by wholesale businesses mainly of Indian origin. There have been fewer flights to India, Kenya and the South American countries that produce them. But we have found nine boxes in a Western International Market wholesaler so we can restart production and get the tasty sauce back on our market stalls and into jars as a Christmas treat. Amba is eaten with falafel in Iraq, Syria and Israel, but really looks like an Indian pickle. It seems to have travelled from India to Iraq either through the Jewish communities in both countries or because both Iraq (‘Mesopatamia’) and India were under British control. Here is an Israeli view. Our version includes nigella seeds and mustard seeds and has a loyal following.
Rob Richardson, from St Modwen, David Hogg, sales director at London City Bond and Edward Kennerley, associate at Knight Frank and Rutley
This is to apologise to customer who are understandably eager to get their hands on our great-value Christmas burgundy offer. The wine is safely tucked up in London City Bond’s spanking new warehouse in Barton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire. But because this is our first attempt at importing wine we didn’t to begin with supply the correct paperwork. However it will shortly be being logged in and out again. So sorry for the wait!
Wine grower Céline Côte in her vineyards in the Tonnerrois, Northern Burgundy, ploughing with her mare Absynthe
Hoxton Beach is starting importing wine — mainly red Burgundy from the terrific 2018 vintage — direct from three growers which we will offer at unbeatable prices. Fingers crossed our first ever consignment will arrive in the UK on Thursday 4 December. Pinot Noir is the ‘heartbreak grape‘, so called because at best it makes the world’s most delicious and complex red wines but at worst is an overpaid disappointment, and perhaps for this reason most films about wine focus on the quest for great Pinot Noir. A top Burgundy isn’t cheap, but these are: nothing more than £20 and our main offering will be just £11.50 a bottle. The reason is they come from ‘wrong’ region — the area around Chablis. One of Britain’s most influential importers told me how loves the red wines of the Auxerrois such as Epineuil and Irancy, but would never bring them over for business reasons. They aren’t available in big quantities (on which a merchant can make a good profit margin) nor are they super-expensive, which again allows a margin. When they arrive in our cafés at Queens Park and HIghgate Wood we will do a public tasting. Please contact us at hoxtonbeach@googlemail.com to give us notice if you think you may be interested.
UPDATE — the wines are in the country and here are our unbeatable unrepeatable etc price ..
We’ve made what may be the last of this year’s strawberry jam. Meanwhile in the bakery Riad has made another batch of German-Danish style seasonal apple cake.
It is super-busy today at Parliament Hill Fields Lido andit is not likely we can keep up to speed with any online orders. But if you want to see how it works go to the PHF Lido page and click on Product Categories at the bottom of the page. More ordering will kick in soon
