Today we’re presenting an interview with one of our Facebook fans, Jim Lew from Cardiff, UK. He’s awesome, so read on!
Yesterday we were asking you on our Facebook Page about the topics you’d want to read here, on the blog. Jim said he’d read about food. And not just any food, but food that’s better than anything else.
We thought that was a really cool idea and asked him if he had anything in particular in mind. And boy, did he surprise us...
So we asked him if he’d allow us to interview him – We just had to know more about that kebab with lingon berries!
eDreams: Jim, to go back to the good food (hungry already!), you were saying it would be difficult for you to pick between an Elk Kebab and a “blindigly hot Swedish lady” if you had to.
Your description of the kebab covered in the “most moreish savoury sauce, a helping of sweet lingon berries & iceberg lettuce wrapped in a soft bread pita” sounds amazing!
So, what’s this kebab like and where can we get it?
Jim: “For me kebab takes three forms, skewered kebabs (that is meat on a stick), kebabs which are on a rotating spit (the UK standard doner kebab for example) & the Swedish elk kebab which I talked of earlier, which was cooked on an immense hot plate. The meat is salted then cooked in a mixture of oil & juices in the deeper centre of the hot plate.
[You can get it ] at the Town Summer Closing Party in Ljungby, Sweden. Cooked meat waiting to be served and freshly seasoned raw elk waiting to be cooked. The hot plate is also used for lightly toasting the pitas.Sweden being a nation who embrace their national identity & who are true rock lovers, I finished 2 of these kebabs off after an hour of dancing to a cover band performance of ABBA who closed with their take onMetallica, Enter Sandman. Only in Sweden! As they say in Svensk; rock och roll!”
edreams: Would you try making it at home?
Jim: “As long as the ingredients are readily available, this cooking method can be easily replicated in any kitchen by replacing the hot plate for a wok.”
edreams: Is there any place where you could find this Kebab in the UK (or something similar)?
Jim: “I have never seen any Elk Kebab in the UK. I welcome anyone who knows of any kebab shops to message me ASAP!”
edreams: The second thing you mentioned were the French patisseries 🙂 What would you recommend for breakfast?
Jim: “After a good evening of bières blondes & a few glasses of good French red, there is nothing more inviting than the smell of freshly baked french pastries (other than the satisfying taste of your first bite). On offer to soak up the remains of last night‘s enjoyment are a range to suit all savoury & sweet lovers. My favourite being fougasse, a traditional olive oil based bread seasoned with sea salt.
A few of these with some Parma ham, soft cheese and any Créme Patisserie for desert, that is a pastry baked with a soft custard filling, makes for the most perfect French breakfast NB This is always enjoyed best al fresco with plenty of sunshine, a slice of melon & a fresh cafe latte.”
eDreams: On to the Argentinian steak, don’t you need Argentinian meat for that?
Jim: “To enjoy the real mouth watering skill of the Argentinian grill, you need quality meat. For those traditionalist you may argue that it also needs to be an Argentinian cut.
However, I first experienced the Argentines’ unbelievable mastery of the grill during a month in Costa Rica, least to say it was a grilled taste sensation I have never equaled or surpassed.
There were all kinds of meats & cuts on the menu, but without doubt my favourite dish (…) was a lamb cutlet. Everything was cooked over an open grill, or a parilla, and you could literally sit & watch your food being skilfully brought to mouth watering grilled perfection. ”
eDreams: What would you eat right now if you could?
Jim: “If I could eat anything right now it would be an Elk kebab. Having only eaten 3 I feel I need more & need to explore variations on the one I so thoroughly enjoyed.”
eDreams: What’s the best dessert in the world?
Jim: “I will always choose a cheesecake. (…) A dessert which combines both sweet & savoury in the most suble context is the ideal pinnacle of any dining experience. For me when the digestive base has that perfect crunch, combined with the rich creme texture of the main cheese layer & its flavours, my mouth & taste buds begin to peak & reach a state of heightened pleasure I get from no other dessert.”
eDreams: Is there a good restaurant you’d recommend in your town?
Jim: “Bangkok Cafe, Swansea & Cardiff. By far the best in Swansea. [It] is a dining experience which is affordable and stylish without being pretentious and ultimately high quality & very satisfying. Service is without doubt one of the best for a restaurant of its kind – we were greeted with a smile & adjusting the hotness of individual dishes was no problem for the chef. Food is locally sourced where possible and expertly blended to a menu offering noodles, grills, curries, stir fry & full vegetarian options. I recommend the duck soup main, with the fried king prawn starter.”
edreams: Thank you very much, Jim!
Jim: “If you ever need anyone to hop on a plane for you to test & rate cuisine I’d be more than happy to oblige :)”
So, restaurant owners in the Cardiff area and all over the world, If you need an honest opinion from a true gourmand, you have to get in touch with Jim.
