The Hungry Cyclist - Cycle Touring & Eating The World

A Slow Boat To Santander - Cycle Touring Northern Spain

There is something wonderfuly liberating about looking at the blank pages in your diary. No meetings with journalist, no proofs to read, no work to do in for the antique dealer and no schools to talk in. Just clear empty pages with nothing but days of the week, Bank Holidays and numbers. Which means for the first time in a long time, I can get away on my bicycle and take on some real pedal powered culinary exploring. 

The last time the beats was loaded with panniers, in 2008, it was to take to the desert roads of Israel and Egypt in search of the perfect meal, but this time I am taking the slow boat to Santander. Booking a birth on a ferry from Portsmouth this afternoon, after 17 hours of pumping the bilges and rolling on the open ocean, I will  arrive on the Atalantic coast of Northern Spain, home to some of the best Spannish food you can through your Euros at. 

The turbulent waters around Cantabria provide goose barnacles, crab, clams, lobsters, crayfish and king prawns, not to mention squid of the highest quality! There is also sea bream, scorpion fish, anchovies and sardines served roasted on a simple wooden dish and washed down with red wine.

Leaving Cantabria I will cycle for the state of Asturias the farming state where shepherds and fishermen provide some of the best rural cuisine in Europe. Even today many shepherds allow the flocks of sheep to roam the hillsides and to my delight there are over two dozen varieties of cow, sheep and goat’s milk cheeses produced in Asturias. As well as cheese Cider or sidra will be on the menu insuring that I wobble through the snow covered peaks of the Picos de Europa and along the wild coastline in good spirits. My camera and paints are packed so do keep an eye on the blog for updates, recipes and pictures from my ten day ride.

Adios!

Chile en Nogada - Pork Stuffed Poblano Chile with Walnut Sauce

Cycling down the Mal towards Buckingham Palace this afternoon, after a delightful lunch with Mark Selby in his acclaimed restaurant Wahaca I was greeted by an avenue of Mexican flags and Union Jacks hung along the road side to commemorate the arrival of Mexican President Felipe Calderon. 

Britain's finest pomp and pageantry will be on display to welcome the Mexican President for a four-day state visit to the UK. The Latin American leader is arriving in London to take his place at the G20 summit later this week as well as holding separate talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and opposition leaders, no doubt including a quiet chat about how to stem the demand for cocaine in our capital, that is inadvertently causing thousands of deaths in a brutal turf war in Mexico.

The first state visit to the UK by a Mexican leader for almost 25 years, President Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala will receive a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall where the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will formally greet the Mexican couple before sitting down to a right royal feast.

I have no idea what is on the menu this evening but perhaps it might be Chile En Nogada. I doubt there are many countries that can boast a dish inspired by their national flag, but the proud, food- loving people of Mexico have Chile en Nogada. A platter incorporating the red, green and white of their flag that was created by the hard working nuns of Puebla to commemorate the victory of the Mexican Militia over the French Army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862, it is the unofficial national dish of Mexico.

I only hope there are no Union Jack inspired dished at Buckingham Palace tonight, although on second thoughts an Eton mess with blue berries does sound rather patriotic and tasty. Now there is a thought...

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 6 green chile's
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1 small onion, diced 
  
• 200 goats cheese 
• 1/4 cup raisins 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 large apple chopped 
• 1/4 cup almonds, ground
• 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon 
• Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground cumin 
• 1 pomegranate
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup fresh cut parsley
• 1/3 teaspoon granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. First thing thing you need to do is roast the chili peppers over an open gas ring until they blacken. Leave to cool and then carefully peel off the skin so the batter will stick to the outer pepper.

2. In a large pan heat up the oil over medium high heat, add the pork and brown all the way through. Once pork is done add the minced garlic, chopped onions, sliced apple, and spices, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. 

3. Once your mixture is cooked stuff your roasted peppers with it and add a hunk of cheese. 

4. Now separate the egg yolks and whites.  Beat the whites with a pinch of salt until you get stiff peaks. Now whisk in yolks. Dredge the peppers thru the egg mixture and pan fry until they are golden brown.  

5. In a food processor add the milk, cream, sugar and walnuts. Heat until simmering and then pour  over the freshly roasted peppers. Top with Pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.

The Epicurean Cyclist: EC on CBC / Food vs. Goo

Like a unstoppable bush fire, it seems the cycling and eating debate has raged on over the weekend. After Fridays' Guardians' piece Cycling Food: Eating or Refueling the posts and comments boxes on cycling and food blogs have been abuzz with talk of gears and gastronomy and here is a delicious post from one of my favorites out there The Epicurean Cyclist.

The Epicurean Cyclist: EC on CBC / Food vs. Goo.

'Some of my greatest memories of being on tour are inextricably tied to food. Having a cone of Bubblegum flavored Tillamook ice-cream for breakfast in Oregon, eating nearly a pound of fresh oysters and salmon at camp in Reedsport, drinking fresh brews at Pizza Port on the Southern California coast, eating arguably some of the best Belgian Waffles of my life at the Filling Station in Orange, having the thickest juiciest slices of bacon at Hoover's Beef Palace during the Great Western Bike Rally in Paso...the list goes on.'

This man clearly loves his grub and his disciples have also added some great comments too. One from twodeadpoets drops in some fascinating thoughts and facts about the direct links between the energy bars some of us chew on today and the role of food in war. I found this comment particularly interesting. As Napoleon said 'an army marches on its stomach' and it was indeed the French, the self anointed guardians of gastronomy that gave the world the tin can, or canister developed so Boney's army could march further on tinned supplies.

The Wanderer - What’s so great about Britain? 3: The Bicycle Culture

Well tickle me pink! The Wonderer has added bicycle culture to his hit list of things that make Britain Great. Yup, as well as country pubs and The London Underground, our love of cycling and its growing popularity have flicked The Wanderers switch.

This is fine news indeed. Normally this kind if praise is heaped upon bike loving cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen. The future is bright friends...

The Wanderer » Blog Archive » What’s so great about Britain? 3: The bicycle culture.

The city is awash with bikes. They stand chained in ranks outside Tube and railway stations, and hang in heavy locks on railings in streets of terraced houses. The roads at rush hour are filled with quiet figures, slipping past like wraiths, red LED lights blinking from under saddles, chains whirring, tyres thrumming …

Cycling food: eating or refuelling?

Well blow me down! The Hungry Cyclist - Pedalling The Americas For The Perfect Meal has been mentioned on the hallowed pages of the Word of Mouth Blog at the Guardian online. The post is putting forward the argument of food for fuel as well as asking readers what there favorite post ride grub is. If you follow my blog you will know where I stand on the food for fuel debate, but do have a read and enjoy the comments below where the debate rages on.

To read more click the link below.

Cycling food: eating or refuelling? | Life and style | guardian.co.uk .

Cycling Poems

I have just had the good fortune to stumble into a small blog dedicated to bicyclepoetry.

Scrolling down through the  rhythmical words, metaphorical verses, and perfect examples of meter, rhyme, and stanzaic structure I founds this work by Hino Hinesy  a fellow London Cyclist

The Two Wheeled Good (God?)
The Two-Wheeled Good (God?)
hardly stopped by very much
through rain snow and heat and sleet
driven home by pedalled feet
waterproof and wind resistant
long spun limbs turn on insistent
that no bus, train or car
or suited warming post-five bar
shall deviate them from their route
as dusk stalks day-glow on their shoot
With bike lights lit like Viking torches
to guide them soon-wet porches
dashing  back in one good stint
all fuelled by smugness for their
carbon foot prints

Reading the other works on the page it is clear that travel by bike lends itself perfectly to writing poetry. The methodical rhythm of pedalling combined with the arousal of ones senses as you move freely through scenes of beauty and vulgarity make for some great works. 

So do you have any cycle related poetry to share here on The Hungry Cyclist? If so do add your words below. Once I have finished my breakfast I am going to pen a little ode to the joys of stuffing your face after a long day in the saddle so watch this space. 

"The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets." 

Christopher Morley

French Beans with Chorizo Sausage

Climate change, global warming - call it what you want but in the UK this last week we have been blessed with some glorious weather. The sun has shone, the temperature been comfortable and the air crisp and fresh. It has been perfect cycling weather and also a great opportunity to get the garden in order for the summer. Firing up the mower and joining the chorus others in south London trimming their lawns, I also dug up a bed for some veg. The carrots and radishes are in as well as some peas, lettuce and for the first time french beans. I was given the seeds by the good folk at www.getgrowing.org.uk while talking at The Arcola Theatre on one of their Green Sundays.

All being well I will get a bumper crop of beans and get to treat some friends to this great summer recipe.

• 2 large shallots, finely chopped 
• 3 tbsp sherry
• 300g French beans, topped and tailed 
• 100g pine nuts 
• a healthy knob of butter 
• 2 fat chorizo halved and sliced
• a handful parsley, roughly chopped 

1. Put the shallots and sherry in a small bowl and leave to soak while steaming or simmering the beans until tender for about 4/5 minutes. Cool under a cold tap, drain and set aside on the dish you are serving them on.

2. Heat a frying pan and add the pinenuts and a knob of butter, cook, stirring until the nuts brown, salt well, and tip over your beans.

3. Now fry the chorizo until it begins to brown and give off its orange oil. Drain the oil and tip the chorizo onto the beans. 

4. Add the shallots and parsley and pepper and mix everything together.

5. If you are feeling fancy and want to serve this dish as a starter, it works very well with a poached egg on top.

David David Eccles Cycling Illustrations

If a picture paints a thousand words, David Eccles has had bestseller after bestseller and last week I was honored to see some illustrations he has done for a talk I am giving at John Murray on June 10th.  Not only is David is on of Britain's most formost cycling illustrators, but also a bike collector, hub time-trial racer and alround cycling legend. His work is witty and buetuiful and before I run out of words here are his Hungry Cyclist drawings.

Cycle Girl - A Sad Story

Cycle Girl .

This is a sad story from Kate Spicer from The Times this weekend about the tragic death of Eilidh Cairns. Eilidh was killed by truck while cycling in west London earlier last month. Eilidh's death came as a shocking reminder to all who cycle in London that much more needs to be done about cycle safety and traffic congestion in our capital.

Eilidh died at 30. Witnesses can contact the police on 020 7388 6806, or Kate Cairns on WhatHappenedOnFeb5@ymail.com

Around The World By Bike - Another Attempt

Mark Beumant did it in 194 days, while being chased by a BBC TV crew, but before we could all rest our hands from appluading his super-human feat, James Bowthorpe is now planning to take his place in the record books by circumnavigating our globe on his bicycle in a energy sapping 150 days. Leaving this weekend, James plans to ride a brave 120 miles a day!

This is huge undertaking. On a lightweight bike with a few tools under your saddle this is tough work. On a loaded touring bike weighing in at about 40 kilos it is going to be impossibly hard graft. There will be no lazy afternoons lounging in the shade of a taco stands or refreshing mornings floating in hidden lakes, and there will be little time to stop and chatter with locals, which I believe is the most rewarding and beneficial element of any travel. 

But record breaking has always been in the British psyche, and we have a long and heroic back log of dedicated record breakers in our history.  But I cant help feel a little sad for James. Although I appreciate and applaud the endeavor, determination and fund raising potential of such a trip. It will hurt, it will be lonely and James will be mentally and physically exhausted. These are all part and parcel of any long cycle tour but I fear by record breaking James might miss out on the rewards of meeting people and having a look at the world that exists between A and B that make all the suffering worth while. 

For me the joy of travel on a bicycle is the gentle pace of propulsion, and I fear it is man's hunger for speed and records in moving from A to B in faster and faster speeds that has got us into the polluted traffic-clogged mess we are in today. 

However enough of my monday blues. I wish Peter the very best in his attempt and offer him some 'stout' advice from the company that publish the book he hopes to appear in. 

 Good things come to those who wait.

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I'm angry - and I've waited 6 months to say this | Hugo Rifkind - Times Online

Here is a superb piece by Hugo Rifkind in Friday's Times. In a few paragraphs he sums up the problems London cyclists face everyday in the saddle. I now want to take Mr Rifkind out on my tandem. Hugo, if you are out there 'you can be my stoker  anytime'

I'm angry - and I've waited 6 months to say this | Hugo Rifkind - Times Online .

Hungry Cyclist Book Launch 7th May

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The Hungry Cyclist Book Launch will take place on 7th May at The Imperial Arms. Everyone is invited so do come along for an evening of readings, dance, drink and good old Latin merriment. There will be books for sale at the launch but if you cant wait that long pre-order your copy online today!

Perhaps not the form of your normal literary affair, The Hungry Cyclist book launch aims to be a celebration of bicycles, books and food. Starting at 7pm pedal-powered beats will be provided by the genius that is Punturekit, food and Latin liquor will flow before we all kick off our cleats and put on our cancing shoes for DJ Chuckles of The Correspondents.

• RSVP - tom@thehungrycyclist.com
• Buy your copy online Now!
• The Imperial Arms
• Where is The Imperial?