The Rivers of Babaurum

Hello, hello and welcome to the weekend. It’s the Quality Wines newsletter. Some food for thought, some for eating. Some wines for thought and more for drinking.

This weekend has a few spots left to book, so get in touch. The last chance to eat: calves’ liver in the Venetian style, leeks vinaigrette, lamb shoulder with those potatoes & that Jerusalem artichoke, Roscoff onion, Gruyere & lamb’s lettuce salad. Everyone get maché up!

Next week, caponata the Winter edition is back. Still agrodolce, still onions, fennel & raisins but with pumpkin at it’s base. More zucca for your succour, for your supper. Purple sprouting broccoli is dressed in a pokey olive and anchovy dressing. A verdant facilitator of more decadent dishes to come. No greens means no cotechino & no cannoli!

Scottish scallops are living their best afterlife. Baked in Cafe de Paris butter which is seasoned with anchovy, Worcestershire sauce & Dijon and spiced with curry powder & Espelette pepper.

Tagliatelle comes with a fennel sausage ragu & 36 month Parmigiano Reggiano whilst squid is braised with chickpeas & paprika, big dollops of aioli abound.

Pork belly will be roasted and accompanied by lentils vinaigrette, spinach & Coombeshead cotechino. Our favourite Italian festive sausage. Born in Modena, made in the Cornish Hills.

At lunch tubetti is available with that fennel sausage ragu or a salame rose, chilli & rocket panino, in Genovese focaccia are £15 with a glass, beer or soft.

Rum babas get a second and last week. A leavened sponge cake, rum & raisins, Chantilly cream. Dessert & digestif for you and your mate.

To Frank Auerbach, to Roy Haynes, to Quincy Jones. Goodnight & good luck.

Marcos, Nick & the Team