Worth a mint - sage advice from the South of France

Towards the end of a recent stay in the South of France we ventured out one evening to catch an impromptu performance by a local chanteuse. Perched at the bar it wasn’t long before a Calvados was slammed down in front of me. Calvados is the traditional after dinner digestif, so it has become tradition that you are automatically served it. At the end the set the rather florid lady sitting next to me turned and asked if I had enjoyed the show. I replied positively. Then frowning down at my glass enquired as to why I wasn’t drinking my Calvados. I explained that it gave me heartburn, which is true; it is also true that I don’t care for it much but to admit this would be tantamount to treason. She said that she would see what she could do for my problem. I replied that I wasn’t sure she could do anything but thanked her profusely. Through a thick cloud of blue Gitanes smoke she informed me that she was the local doctor and to be at her office at 10am sharp. 

The following morning I dutifully reported as instructed. It seemed the local chanteuse also sunlighted as the surgery nurse. Not looking up she sighed and pointed at a half open door. I should have advised her not to give up the night job.

It appeared Madame La Doctoresse had also lost none of her bar-side manner. Once we had finally established that I was there at her behest. She puffed that it was her father that she had wanted me to see anyway. I started to become slightly concerned, why was I being referred to a specialist?

I explained to the chantenurse that I needed to make an appointment with the doctor’s father. I was told, without eye contact, that this would not be necessary as I would find him in the garden. After an ‘hilarious’, and lengthy, case of mistaken identity I left the garden with an armful of fresh mint courtesy of the doctor’s father / man in the garden and a drawing of a teapot.

The mint infusion was remarkable; a glass in the morning and a glass before and after meals and as they say ‘voila’. I have since experimented with dried mint tea from SMBS Foods on Lordship Lane, and it works equally well. 

I lightly bruise some mint leaves in one of Roullier White’s Maxwell & William’s pestle and mortar before infusing in a pot of hot water; shown here served in a Maxwell & William’s straight sided cup and saucer.

Health benefits of mint: 

Relieve symptoms of indigestion and heartburn; especially during pregnancy. Aid irritable bowel syndrome by relaxing the muscles in and around the intestine. Help with nasal allergies. Relieve congestion, head colds and headaches. Act as a mild sedative and has calming properties. Relieve minor aches and pains such as muscle cramps and sprains. Provides a cooling sensation to the skin and can help to treat itching and skin irritations. Mint tea can help clear up skin disorders such as acne. Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HU

www.roullierwhite.com

Pasta in blue cheese sauce with courgette

I don't know if this pasta sauce has a name but I always refer to it as Pasta Magnozzi; after my good friend Matthew, whose mother first made it for me when I went to visit them in the Hamptons many summers ago.
In a Roullier White pre-seasoned Lodge Logic pan lightly sauté some sliced courgettes. At the same time in a pasta pan bring to boil some pasta, remember to add a dash of olive oil to prevent it clumping and a little salt. When the pasta is almost ready, strain it and retain a little of the water in the pan. Into this water crumble a decent size piece of Roquefort and stir over a gentle heat until it has melted. Stir in your pasta and heat for a minute longer. Serve the pasta into individual dishes and spoon over the courgette.I prefer to use a larger bowl-shaped pasta for this recipe as it holds the sauce better; either a shell such as Conchiglioni or a bowl or ear-shaped such as Orecchiette, Conchiglie is easier to obtain and works just as well.

Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HU www.roullierwhite.com

Bâtard Folding Picnic Knife by Lamson & Goodnow

As author of The Best Bread Ever; Charles Van Over is expected to show everywhere up with an armful of bread. Whilst Charles enjoys breaking bread with friends; he does insist that the bread is properly sliced with a breadknife, not just ripped apart. The problem here is that bread knives are very long and with their serrated edges they are not the easiest of things to carry around.

Charles wondered why a folding bread knife could not be produced and took his idea for a pocket bread knife to Lamson & Goodnow, American manufacturers of the LamsonSharp range.

The Bâtard Folding Picnic knife is the result of this collaboration. At Roullier White we believe this may possibly be the best picnic knife ever made.

The French word bâtard – and yes it does translate how you think it does – is a shorter and thicker type of baguette. The knife, of course, will cut everything including cheese, fruit, vegetables and as you cannot have a picnic without wine it also has an integral corkscrew.

Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HU

020 8693 5150

http://www.roullierwhite.com/

Isabella Smith at Roullier White

Fans, and particularly ex-pat Danes, of Isabella Smith's wonderful mail order catalogue, magazines and TV programmes will be thrilled to learn that Roullier White has been invited to showcase a unique collection of goods from Isabella Smith Country Store in Denmark. In addition to Isabella Smith's Maison Belle, Cottage Garden and Insect Repllent Eau de Cologne ranges there are items that have been espeacially, and personally, selected by Isabella Smith from her bestselling lines in Denmark. These are exclusive to Roullier White in the UK.

Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HU

020 8693 5150

http://www.roullierwhite.com/

Sgroppino - a splash of Italian sunshine

With the sun threatening to put in an, albeit brief, appearance this weekend no doubt we shall all be on tenterhooks desperate to get outdoors. Sgroppino is a Venetian dessert but it also makes a delicious summer cocktail that can be mixed in seconds. Fill a glass a third full with Prosecco, add a dash of Vodka and spoon in a serving of very good quality lemon sorbet. Top with a few leaves of freshly torn mint. Add an ultra-elegant touch by serving Roullier White’s stemless crystal wine goblets by Riedel.

Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HU

020 8693 5150
http://www.roullierwhite.com/