I’ve no idea whether Jo and Stu Myers got the jitters when we booked 15 of the country’s top food writer’s into their little café, the Swine that Dines on North Street but if they did, it didn’t show in the fabulous six course tasting menu they produced.
The lunch was the culmination of a morning with the Guild of Food Writer’s, beginning with a visit to Leeds University for a talk by Eileen White, co-curator (with Peter Brears) on Cooks and their Books. Her talk accompanied a display of some of the ancient and valuable cookery books that are part of the outstanding Brotherton Special Collection.
The collection dates from the 15th century to the present day and includes a Roman recipe for flamingo tongues, a first edition of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and from the 20th century, Robert Carrier’s rather pompous ‘Great Dishes of the World’. There is still time to view the exhibition at the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery at the University of Leeds until 31 January.
The highlights of our small-plates lunch were the feather-light parsnip bhaji on top of crumbled Lancashire cheese and pickled red cabbage; a puree of Jerusalem artichoke matched with a fillet of ling. There was a light smokiness in a plate of shallot, lentils and sourdough croutons and praise for Jo Myers marmalade ice cream (accompanying a whisky tart). Praise indeed when it comes from Robin and Caroline Weir authors of ‘Ice Creams, Sorbets and Gelati: The Definitive Guide’ and Jill Norman, an expert on spices, an author in her own right and notably Elizabeth David’s editor at Penguin. Thank you Swine, we loved it.