Breakfast in Bread

Yesterday, Saturday, was a day crowded with incident.

8.30am went to Morrisons in Palmers Green for shopping with the missus. Dressed like this



because the fruit & veg section is so fecking COLD. They must lose masses of money because everyone is rushing through as fast as poss grabbing stuff before they look like this



However, they do have this rather fancy way of presenting herbs. Gone are the ridiculously tiny packets of herbs, each with one frond of something in for £3.50, and now they have this



which is big bunches of herbs all covered in a misty spray. SUCKERS I hear you say. OK, guilty as charged, but you get a big bunch and they look really nice. Admittedly, they don't look so nice when you find twelve bunches of oregano rotting in the crisper next saturday


I had such plans!

Back home and then off to Islington with the missus and a friend for a viewing of some pictures by Bobby Russon, such as



and



and



They creep the bejesus out of most people, but I love them. I think they are actually quite funny. Tempted to get one, but at about £3000+ a pop, too rich for my blood.

Weather lovely, so we go for a walk along the Regents Canal



to exercise the leg. Been seizing up a bit lately. I think I abandonned the stick too early, so have it with me today.  We meet many cyclists who cheerily ring their bell as they come up behind us. I raise my stick and give them the usual greeting


Then we come across this



Which turns out to be a rather lovely cafe. It's called Ribeira. All seats by canal taken so we go inside



for a coffee, but the enthusiastic and friendly chef suggests Breakfast in Bread, which looks a bit like this



OK we say, and the three of us sit down with a cold beer and wait. Presently, two plates arrive and go straight to the couple on the table next to ours, who had come in AFTER us. 10 seconds later I hear frantic whispering by the waiter and chef ..."wrong table...well give them this one to be getting on with..." and one B in B arrives.

"Er...here's the first one..."

"You've given the other two to the wrong table haven't you?"

"Ummm...be right back"

I look over to the chef who is going batshit, but to his credit, the other two B in B's arrive within a minute, and was FANTASTIC:

A hollowed out, baked round loaf filled with spinach, mushrooms, baked tomatoes, leeks, fresh thyme, sausage, bacon, and topped with just the molten yolk of an egg.


Sorry: didn't think of taking a picture until now


I ate the whole damn thing, loaf and all which was crispy and delicious.



I suggested to the waitress that the addition of black pudding would be good. The Chef came over and enthusiastically agreed. Tells us the place is under new management and will be called The Bargehouse from now on. Then he showed me what he was going to cook tonight. Marinated pig cheeks. Looked great: I saw peppercorns, star anise, tarragon, leeks, bay leaves I think, and a few other things: smelt fantastic.