I need an extraction

Ok, so it's been a while since I last posted an update. Lots going on but not really achieving anything, if you know what I mean. My cheeky offer for the two units was rejected, so I am proceeding with just the one for now. Surprise, surprise, once I pulled out, they suddenly wanted to do a deal, but too late now.

I reached the grand old age of 40 (on Valentines Day) & survived the party & the morning after. Life begins, so they say, and they may be right - I'll let you know in due course.

Part of the conditions of my planning application was that I submit an extraction plan to the council for approval. I thought it should be pretty straightforward but asked for a meeting with Environmental Health just to be sure, and damn me if it isn't another thing that could cause a delay and will definitely cost more money. Sod it! Now I need to find a ventilation engineer who can move pretty quickly and for sensible money, but no matter how much it is, I haven't got the budget, so something else will have to give.

On a more positive note, I have got some excellent hosts lined up & have booked them through May & June, so now we have a deadline to hit - oh the pressure! Because we now have a deadline, the main website (www.just-cook.com) has gone live, even though it is not 100% ready and Junie B, the Google chick has started to work her magic. She has only been doing it 2 days and we already have our first sale! Woo Hoo!

Jules the super sparks starts work on Monday week, and if everything else falls into place, we should be ready to run some test classes during the end of April, so fingers crossed, but for some reason I am feeling very nervous. Excited, but also nervous. What a great feeling...

Bad Food Britain

I've been reading the book of the title, by a lady called Joanna Blythman, and while she confirms everything I had always suspected and underlines the importance we should place on being able to cook from scratch, it still makes for uncomfortable reading.

Let me give you a few highlights (lowlights):

• 40% of food bought in Britain is never eaten.
• Britain eats more savoury snacks and crisps than the rest of Europe combined!
• Ditto for ready meals.
• By 2020 a third of all British adults will be obese, if current trends continue.
• Only 20% of viewers are encouraged to cook by TV food programmes.

Food for thought, if you'll forgive the pun.

A Warm Feeling

I've just had an email from one of the crazy Kamarianakis brothers - they're the boys behind Artemis Olive Oil, an organic, single estate olive oil that just might be the best in the world.

For those of you who don't know, to qualify as extra virgin, an oil has to have an oleic acid level of less than 0.8% - something to do with how well the oil is made. Treat it badly and you'll crush the pits and up goes the acidity. Work too slowly and the olives will begin to ferment and up goes the acidity.

The other thing that indicates quality is the level of polyphenols, which are anti-oxidants and play a big part in the taste & smell of the oil. Anyway, the lower the acidity & the higher the polyphenols, the better the oil.

The brothers have just released the new harvest oil and it has an astonishing acidity level of <0.1% and a polyphenol count of 190 ppm (typical extra virgin has a level of 150 ppm) which means it is damn good stuff. They achieve this by being fanatical about what they are doing and only produce their oil in tiny quantities, just 1500 bottles this year. I managed to get hold of a few bottles of last years oil. It was delicious and worth every penny of the not inconsiderable amount I paid for it, but then the best things always are. The warm feeling? Oh, well it seems Tim & Chris like what I am trying to do over here and want to help out - here is the body of the email:

"Hey Tim;

Tim (my brother) & I have received so much help from friends and supporters over the past couple of years without which our venture would not have taken off. We feel very strongly about passing that kind of community spirit along where we can. We love your philosophy behind Just Cook, and would like to make a gift to your cooking school of a case of Artemis Olive Oil. We expect nothing in return for this other than the satisfaction of knowing we might have been one of many who helped you get your dream off the ground.

Kind regards

Chris"

That's one hell of a gift and I can't tell you how good it has made me feel about what I am trying to achieve. Thanks boys & keep on keeping on.

2nd February 2009

OK - I had a meeting planned in London but snow has stopped play, so I've got a bit of time to update the blog.

Where are we? Oh yes. Planning approved - an offer has been made, rejected and amended for the premises plus an additional unit next door. It is a cheeky offer, but there is a credit crunch on and I am hoping the current economic gloom may help my powers of persuasion.

Another meeting with the bank - better result this time, some money will be forthcoming. Not as much as I need, but definitely some. Haven't got it yet though, so having to curb shopaholic tendencies.

I have sent out my first bulk email - to all of 30 people, who I believe may be willing to talk to me about hosting a class or two. 5 have already responded so pretty encouraging, just hope they're good enough.

On that note, of capable hosts, there is a lady called Jenny Linford, who wrote The London Cookbook. I recently discovered that she lives locally to me, so thought she might be willing to provide her expertise. Except I didn't know how to get in touch. Anyway, I was at a networking event for the day job and I noticed that someone I knew was carrying her book around. I asked him why & he told me he knew her and wanted to get it signed. He then introduced me to Jenny's husband, who happened to be there. He & I had a chat, he gave me Jenny's contact details, I called, she answered, we meet on Wednesday. Synchronicity.

What else, what else? Oh yeah. The website for the shop has gone live with about 50 products on it - it's at http://www.just-cook.co.uk/ if you're interested in taking a look. It's not the main site for the business, that will be at just-cook.com, but for boring financial reasons (it is cheaper to use a template for the shop than to have a bespoke one designed) we have to exist with 2 domains for a while. Hope it doesn't seem too clunky.

Anyway, that is more or less what I have been up to in the last week or so - I'm off now to build a snowman!

That Was the Week that Was.

Well, what a week it has been. First off, I had to go to the planning committee meeting where, wait for it, approval granted! Yay! But, there was an objection from a neighbouring property, which I hadn't even realised was there. Had I noticed the house (hidden away, behind my property, near the railway line) I like to think I would have knocked on the door and introduced myself. As it is, they are the first people who have been in any way negative about this plan of mine, so I want to meet them anyway. A letter is on its way and hopefully I will get a different point of view. If I can counter those arguments we will be a stronger business for the experience.
I have been testing, tasting, cooking and eating all the Italian products I ordered and I now have some really nice things to put in the web shop. I have tried an awful lot of truffle products and while I do understand what all the fuss is about, there are some things that just should not be paired with that intense mushroom flavour - chocolate for one and sweet sugared almonds for another, I kid you not! You just know they're not going to make it into my shop, don't you? The rosemary and saffron flavoured almonds are nice though.

I have also got some authentic Italian Carnaroli risotto rice, that comes in the proper canvas sack, a few tomato sauces, which, while they will never be as good as home made, are close enough to find space in my cupboard for those days when I just can't be bothered or when the toms in the shops look a little pale & watery. There are a few truffle based things I like, marvellous for stirring into pasta or creamy sauces and a truffle butter which is great on pan fried steak or just with steamed asparagus. I thought it was too expensive at £7.00 or so but a quick google search turned up the same product at £19.95! And that was reduced! Seems I might have a bargain on my hands.

I have also discovered something called Caputo flour, which might not sound that exciting, but it is the same flour that all the pizzeria in Naples use so it is the real McCoy. I used it to make a pizza last night and it really was the best pizza I have ever made - the dough was light & could be rolled out thin, it crisped up nicely on the base but remained soft & chewy in the middle without getting stodgy - all in all, a triumph.

Just Cook Italian

This week I have been mostly eating Italian...

I have had some great, productive meetings with Bruno & Tony, the balsamic vinegar guys, and, when the web shop is ready, I am pleased to say I will be able to supply their Tradizionale balsamic and a few condimentos from their range. I have to say, it has been extremely enjoyable to taste and compare different vinegars and learn all about the centuries old production method. I feel like I am becoming a bit of an expert and now have a goal of visiting a proper acetaia for myself to learn more.

I have also met with Simon & Franco, the other Italians I was introduced to. They are wholesalers who stock a huge range of authentic Italian products that they supply to delis and restaurants in and around London. It's great stuff but an awful lot of it is in catering sizes that are way too big for the home cook. Happily, they also have a new range of products that are available in smaller quantities and look really delicious.

I have ordered up a whole load of samples that my testing & tasting team (hungry friends & family) will be getting our teeth into over the next few days. If everything is up to standard then I'll try and do a deal to get their products in the shop as well.

Feeling well fed and half Italian - Ciao!

News at 10

There's news. It's not good but it's not bad - it's just news. I've spoken to the planning department - they recommended approval (yay!) but a committee member wants to review it (boo).

So, off to the committee meeting next week to see how I get on.

Fingers, legs, toes etc crossed.