The culinary evocation of 15 Elder Street, Spitalfields

These Holiskes would make my Jewish Grandmother proud.

Really busy getting everything together for my next culinary adventure at Dan Cruickshank’s house in Spitalfields.

Today I am making the Pheasant Terrine with Calvados and sauteed Apples. It smells delicious.

here a little taster:

 

The culinary evocation of 15 Elder Street, Spitalfields
A gastrogeographical journey in 7 courses
Tonight we dine with the ghosts hidden in the layers of history.
By eating the food of this place we connect with it on the most intimate level.
We become part of it.

Roman Spitalfields
A Raw Estuary Oyster served with pickled Shallots, Ale and Pepper
Dickens’ Sam Weller remarks, ‘Poverty and oysters always seem to go together’.
Hungry Spitalfields
A Dish of Nothing
A large disaster cemetery was built at the end of the road in 1120.

Ambergris and Angelica Root incense is lit.
Monastic Spitalfields
Warm Winter Pears and Goatscurd with local Honey from Steve Benbow.
He used to sell his honey in Spitalfields Market,
where in 1197 St. Mary’s Priory is built.
Pears picked fresh from the orchard. We sit in the prior’s orchard garden.
Tudor Spitalfields
Freshly Shot Pheasant Terrine with Calvados and Apple
served with freshly baked St. John’s bread.
The Honourable Artillery Company take over much of the ground. Mind the lead shots.
Huguenot Spitalfields
Burgundy braised Beef Cheeks with Baby Leeks and Horseradish Cream
1727. The House was built. French calvanistic culture takes hold. Silk weaving is the main industry.
Unfold your napkin with drawings by Marenka Gabeler, the current female inhabitant of the house.

A Menorah is lit.
Jewish Spitalfields
Geshmack Holishkes are served
Just as the Eskimos have nurmerous words for snow so do the Jews of eastern europe for stuffed cabbage …
Interlude Vesta Tilly. The greatest male impersonator of the Music Halls.
Who is believed to be related to the former inhabitants and may have stayed here.
Blitz Spitalfields
Beetroot Cake served with German late Harvest Riesling Icewine “ frozen while still on the vine.”
The Ministry of Food’s leaflet No. 40 “use the sweetness of beetroot to make a pudding with little sugar”.
Dan’s Spitalfields
A glass of Single Malt Whisky served by Dan Cruickshank
Raise a glass to Dan Cruickshank,the current inhabitant of the house.

a little culinary history devised by Caroline Hobkinson
London, Spitalfields 30th of January 2012