I was really lucky to be offered the chance to hang out with some real food bloggers recently, and even luckier to sample a ten-course tasting menu at Tom’s Kitchen.
Cloudy Bay hosted the evening as they wanted to find out which dishes we would pick for their Cloudy Bay Shack event hosted in July. I used to work for a wine retailers and loved tastings but I don’t really take the time to buy and taste quality wines anymore, so this evening with food bloggers for company, was a real treat. As we tried a succession of dishes the brilliant woman from Cloudy Bay guided us through some really fantastic wines. A match of heavenly proportions, the Dorset crab with chilli and ginger was teamed with a riesling and it’s a combination that will stay in my mind for a good while. The riesling was typically fruity, and I’m sure I detected a whiff of freshly unwrapped inflatable armbands which is a good thing, you’ll have to trust me!
Other standout dishes cooked up by Tom Aiken included the fried paprika with squid and lime, a brilliant snacky dish perfect for having a drink and served with a gorgeous aioli, and the spiced crab cakes. The gazpacho was a delectable sweet foam, with a nice generous tang of olive oil, but we all agreed it might be a little too delicate to serve as a boozy snack. In the end the last dish we picked was tomato & crayfish tails salad, with basil and watermelon, which provided a brilliant mix of crunchy, aromatic and meaty texture.
A final note, the Cloudy Bay Shack hits Parson’s Green on the 24th/25th July, and it’s definitely work making a trip for even if you’re a West London-phobe like me. They’re serving up the Te Koko wine, which is a Sauvignon Blanc fermented in oak barrels and if you get the chance to try it you’ll be totally impressed.
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