The thing is… all I can think about is the jam…
let me explain…. I have an old friend who I see perhaps twice a year (you know the way it is… love them dearly…should see more of them but you have a family, they have a family… we’ve all forgotten how to use a phone…) and on the last occasion we met, conversation got around to my food blog, as it inevitably always does, and he suddenly exclaimed that he’d been looking for the perfect person to pass on a place he had on a Guardian Masterclass, and that due to forgetting it was his own birthday and would be in Berlin, he couldn’t attend.
The masterclass was a day of food writing with Rowley Leigh and Yotam Ottolenghi…
… I’ll let that hover in the air a little bit shall I?… yes… I get to spend a day talking about food and food writing with THE Ottolenghi… you can imagine how my jaw hit the ground and how I swooped in for the kill and took the place on the course…
… and so here I am, writing to you LIVE from the masterclass, struggling to think about what to write because all I can think about is the jam we had this morning at the start of the course whilst we sat in Ottolenghi in Islington.
…and the reason?… well, it was banana jam… yes… banana… jam… and it was damn fine… sweet, a little sickly… and although I would definitely consider the banana to be very definitely a breakfast fruit, it was still such an unexpected thing to be spreading on my toast.
I hardly consider myself provincial but until this morning I had not only never eaten the stuff but I’d never heard of it either… who said you could put banana in jam?… I suppose thinking about it now it makes total sense… you’d make jam from your own plentiful and local fruit… hence we Brits make plenty of berry based jams from the summer glut and one assumes that it warmer climes they make jam from the more exotically available…. Breadfruit jam anyone?
hard at work writing…
Anyway, the best bit of this whole thing is that Yotam himself leaned over the table and told me his secret recipe and with his kind permission (I’m about to ask..) I will repeat it for you here…
… well actually this is really mean of me but you’re going to have to wait for the recipe because I want to make it and then post it but I also wanted to get this post off about my exciting day… so jam will come soon…
… part two of the writing course, tomorrow!
How ridiculously exciting – you're living MY dream! Have fun!
OMG. I know envy is a bad thing but I am so disgustingly jealous! Can't wait to see the jam recipe 🙂
The jam was extraordinary, Yotam was extraordinary and Dom, you kept us all smiling throughout a great day!
It was great to be a 'fellow traveller' on the course!
@karen… thanks for a lovely day too… was great to meet you all xx
That's so cool! Can't wait to hear about other half and see the results of his recipe.
That's so cool! Can't wait to hear about other half and see the results of his recipe.
I am very keen to hear what you learned on the course. I am waiting with baited breath.
How very cool that this opportunity should drop into your lap! I'm dying to hear all you're learning and get your tips on improving the text element of the blog … soak it up, friend!
oh guys, it was such a great day… can't wait to impart the stuff I learnt x
Delighted you're having such a good time ….. of course this means that we will be assessing all future posts (maybe even marking out of 10)!!!!!!!
Ughhh, so jealous.
Oh god BVG that pressure I don't need!!!!
You are such a tease! I was anxiously anticipating the secret, delicious banana jam recipe. Tsk, tsk;)
I am ridiculously jealous, but the one thing that is making me feel ok is that I already HAVE a recipe for banana jam and I used to make it years ago. Mwahahahahahaha!
(Still jealous though. Don't go getting all famous and too clever for us though, will you?)
You my friend are a tease!!! Sounds like and incredible day, and I'm looking forward to your recipe!
Yup, six siblings in five pregnancies, a set of twins a year after me! LOL! SHOOT ME!!! AND, she had her last child at 29! God bless her!
You're a lucky bunny!
Celia
PS Take a little holiday on La Palma (Canary Isle) and pop into the Puntagorda Market you can taste and buy banana jam and dozens more exotic jams – fab!!! I loved the passion frut & banana, prickly pear and banana is mighty fine too 😉
http://www.islalapalma.com/en/places/index.html?p=pgmarketprod:puntagorda
Of course you snapped it up; this has got to help your grand plan. Sounds fabulous. Now a little old Cornish lady from my youth (so understand would be very very old now) used to make a mixed jam with various fruit including banana and rhubarb!!!!
How fantastic! I am so jealous!
The jam sounds lovely and I love that there's a toaster in the middle of the meeting table. Something I have to ask my manager tomorrow 🙂
I really like banana jam. I used to buy a very good one in some supermarket or other many years ago. I've never tried making it,though. I'm getting my jars ready and awaiting the recipe.
Living the dream . . . sigh. I am just too envious!
Wow…now that is truly incredible! The word envy definitely comes to mind!!
Wow – a masterclass with Yotam, what a treat!
Oh you were SO in the right place at the right time! ~green with envy~
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Where is the jam recipe, is it posted already??