Chilli Honey Review

@chilliheat from the mighty  "the chilli pepper company"  have produced something I haven't seen before Chilli Honey, its 95% honey and 5% Cayenne chilli! I have met Gerald, the brains behind the chilli pepper company, at a number of festivals watching him inflict both pleasure and pain on regular customers and unsuspecting cocky people that he hands a whole fresh naga for the first time, very amusing!!

This Chilli Honey enriched with cayenne pepper adds a wonderful warmth to your breakfast. There appears to be an increasing number of products arriving on the chilli market in the forms of spreads and I welcome the warmer wake up call they provide. This jar of chili honey has been described at liquid gold and can be used not just on your toast but in a stir fry to add both sweetness and heat and also in a drink instead of sugar.

At £3.49 a jar its not priced too bad for a gourmet specialist condiment but with postage may be a little much so make sure you buy your jar as part of a larger order. If you would like to get hold of some tasty Chilli Honey you can pick up some from scorchio by clicking here.

Book Review Gordons Great Escape Southeast Asia.

South East Asian food has many links with spice and chilli as ingredients. Mainly thin green finger chillis but lots of them! Gordon's Great Escape Southeast Asia. takes you through 100 of his recipes inspired from his visit there. It is worth noting that if you are after true authentic recipes this book is close but still a westernised version. This said, on the second leg of his Great Escapes series following on from Great Escape Indian book

In the South east Asia book Gordon sets out to discover the flavours of Asia, through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam. I have travelled through most of these countries so am highly critical about the food served to me back in the UK claiming to be south east Asian. I was please to see that the dishes i had hoped to be featured like Tom Yam Goong Nam Khon, a divine hot and sour prawn soup. Ngah Poh Kai Fan a slow-cooked clay-pot chicken and Karipap the Malay answer to a Cornish pastie. Some of these of course carry Gordons touch with minor adjustments but the basic authentic concept is there.

One of my favorite snack dishes in the book can be found on page 43. coconut prawns with a sweet chili sauce I have tried other recipes for the same dish without success or that flavor I was chasing. This one left me with an empty plate very quickly.

This accompanied the TV series if you missed it don't worry as everything you need to know is in the book. there is some stunning photography travel stories combine depicting a richly-textured portrait of a continent. Age-old traditions and secrets that underpin their native dishes are discussed and taken on by Gordon in the recipes. He meets characters with fascinating lives, shares delicious meals in beautiful surroundings, and is invited to take part in the customs and rituals.

There are over 100 new recipes showcasing the very essence of these cultures and cuisines. There are unique tastes and styles from across the region, with a wealth of enticing ingredients of course including chilli peppers. Don't let unfamiliar recipe names put you off they can all be easily sourced from any Asian or Thai shop that are featured in most towns these days and Gordon sometimes suggests alternative ingredients.

If you like South East Asian food and want to give it go for yourself and spice up your homemade meals then you can pick up a copy of Gordon's Great Escape Southeast Asia from Amazon by clicking here. 

Wahaca Resturant review

@thomasinamiers and @wahaca together are a perfect match. Anyone who knows me knows that I am highly critical of Mexican food to the point of a fine line between amusement and annoyance to some of my fiends.I have long been excited about the opening of Wahacca and already own a copy of the Mexican Food Made Simple cook book available from Amazon by clicking this link.

I downloaded the menu from the very colourful website ahead of time and eagerly anticipated the different tastes that awaited me.

The tequila is a very good judge of how authentic a Mexican restaurant will be and the quality of the food you will expect. The tequila menu looked like some thought had gone into it. I noted that bloggers and facebook users had also been consulted. Next time count me in if you have space. There is tequila and there is TEQUILA. Wahacca serves the latter and my tastes were catered for with some fantastic anjeo offerings.

On arrival you get some wonderful nachos and salsa. The chill power would not wound any chili head but the flavour will definitely still impress. The on the table chilli sauce too is authentic as it should be using a habanero sauce pictures on the right. I obviously like my sauces and I always have some authentic Mexican hot sauce in my cupboard like Cholula Chipotle Sauce available from scorchio by clicking this link

For food I wanted all of it Wahaca selection particularly the pork pilbil as this dish is hard to find in the uk and not often done well. But if you can find a good one... I went for the Wahaca Selection


3 pork pibil tacos, 3 winter vegetable tacos, 1 large huitlacoche quesadilla, 2 black bean tostadas, 2 chicken taquitos with green rice and black beans for two people to share. I was notably speechless but had a large grin on my face. My search for a positive Mexican experience and great food in the us in finally over. There are other restaurants available sure but Wahaca is the new KING.

The pilbil was juicy and full of flavour, the quesadilla not just a pile of cheese but of taste, tacos prepared the authentic way with one of the supermarket style flavours fooling the public. The black beans and salsa mixed perfectly with all flavours and the whole experience is something I cant express how good it was. When you go to pay.... get this they actually give you some free chilli seeds too to spread

the chili love! basically just go there and enjoy yourself

The menu has already changed and I cant wait to try the new autumn dishes check it out here 

If you want more information on Wahacca check out their website and blog it is constantly up to date with news offers and all kinds of cool mexicana!

Finally please Thomasina look at opening a Wahacca in Brighton and I will be a regular customers

Fried Padron Peppers

These are a great quick easy snack. I have recently come back from Barcelona. Over there the food generally does not feature chilli at all so I did struggle for a week or so. However at almost every cafe and bar you can get your hands on Padrons. from a market you will pay about 1 euro for around a kilo. in the tourist traps you will pay up to 9 euro 50 for about 15 peppers!!!! so do shop around if you go.

Basically all you need is a pile of Padron chili, some oil and salt. Cold beer is also essential but optional :)

1. Wash the peppers thoroughly in cold water and pat dry.
2. Place a large frying pan over a high heat, add the olive oil and heat until smoking then place the Padrons in
3. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally using tongs to avoid the oil, until blistered and slightly charred.
4. Drain the peppers on kitchen paper, sprinkle generously with the sea salt and serve with your optional beer.

Enjoy and prepare to become addicted. I have grown Padrons this year and will soon be eating my first crop. why not have them as a starter or even in stead of popcorn with a movie.

Padron Peppers