The changing scene of cuisine

By Nick Mosley

Photos: Julia Claxton

When in Rome…
Antipasti-at-VIP-Pizza2015 has seen a spate of Italian eateries opening in Brighton, including the excellent and rather funky Nuposto on West Street, and VIP Pizza on Old Steine, which sources many of its authentic ingredients from its own family farms.

The latest addition is Edendum; an Italian deli and restaurant opening on East Street. Managing director Diego Cacciolatti tells me, “At Edendum we are proud of our roots in Piedmont (North West Italy) and we are looking forward to bringing these unique recipes to England. The products in store will allow you to recreate your favourites at home”.

Tea time
Tea has been around for centuries but combining tea with food and drink is a more recent trend. Smoky lapsang being used to infuse meats and Indian Chai infused into ice cream, to name but a few usages. This summer, however, the infusion of teas into alcohol to create wonderfully fragranced bases for cocktails is à la mode.

MetrodecoThink of the perfumed aromas of Earl Grey tea with its bergamot and citrus notes infused into gin and mingling with the juniper. Or vodka gently lifted with delicate jasmine green tea to add a floral note. My advice is fourfold: always use tea quality leaves; don’t over-infuse; choose a quality spirit for a crisp, clean taste; and, finally, add some complimentary mixers.

You can experience some tea infused cocktails at the Metrodeco Swing Sussex tea dance at the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival on Hove Lawns on Sunday 30 August. Helen Taggart of Metrodeco in Kemp Town is working alongside Sarah Thompson of Blackdown Sussex Spirits on a range of liquor-infused tea cocktails. Fair enough to say that this is my favourite way to take tea!

Changing the face of beach food
Like most seaside towns, Brighton seafront is packed with eateries offering all the traditional fayre from fish and chips and pickled cockles to ice cream and doughnuts. But in recent years Brighton has also bucked the trend and offers some higher-end seafront dining with the likes of Champagne and oysters at Riddle & Finns, the recently opened Salt Room at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, The New Club burger joint and the impressive Fish and Liquor on Madeira Drive.

Kieron-James-of-Beach-BBQ---photo-Julia-ClaxtonOne place offering a unique seaside dining experience is Beach BBQ, located on the lower promenade between Brighton Pier and the Wheel. Run by an entrepreneurial Aussie, Kieron James, it’s the only sous vide BBQ offering in the UK. The signature dish on the menu is the 24-hour sous vide rib-eye steak sandwich served on a fresh toasted ciabatta smeared with Roquefort cheese porridge to add a rich blue cheese nuttiness, along with mushroom and ale ketchup to set off the umami in your mouth.

For the quality of the food and the huge amount of care taken to prepare it as well as its fantastic value, it is the perfect thing to munch on whilst sitting on the beach. Oh, and Mr James doesn’t half bang on about catching his own mackerel!

Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival
One last thing – we’re back on Hove Lawns over the August bank holiday weekend for a three-day epic Sussex & The World Weekend. All of our daytime events are completely free entry. Read more about the food festival in Title this month, but further details at www.brightonfoodfestival.com

Nick Mosley can be found tweeting @BrightonNick

About Nick Mosley
As food festivals director and awards co-ordinator Nick writes occasional columns for Title Sussex Magazine focusing on the freshest and finest cuisine from across the county. He can be found Tweeting @BrightonNick