The Hungry Cyclist - Cycle Touring & Eating The World

Eating guinea pig in South America -Times Online

Eating guinea pig in South America -Times Online .

How To Butcher and Prepare Guinea Pig in Ecuador

If anyone was thinking of starting their day with some grilled guinea pig, here is a short video from cycle touring in Ecuador that might give you a few tips. 

 

• The Hungry Cyclist Photos From The Road
• More recipes from South America 

Bacalao al Pil Pil

Although Bacalao al Pil-Pil is classic Basque food in almost every grocer and market I visited while cycle touring in North West Spain last week there were sides of salt cod waiting by the scales on the counter. Once a staple of the poor in Spain and many other European countries and The United States and Canada. These days due to overfishing cod stocks are at an all-time low and bacalao is now a delicacy. 

While cycling from town to town in Spain I was luck enough to be accompanied by Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky. This gem of a book tells the tale of a fish that has probably mattered more in human history than any other. The cod helped inspire the discovery and exploration of North America. It had a profound impact upon the economic development of New England and eastern Canada but today, however, overfishing is a constant threat. 

The Spanish love there bacaloa and the Basque people were some of the earliest fishermen brave enough to take on the waters of the Atlantic to reel in this prized fish. Reading it in Spain was a complete joy and here is a recipe I enjoyed while staying in Santander.

• 4 pieces of bacalao/salted codfish  
  
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced.
  
• a glass of good olive oil
  

Preparation

1. Soak the fish in water for 24 hours. Draining the water after 12 hours and replacing with fresh water. Remove from the water and dry the fish with a tea towel.

2. On a low heat sweat the garlic for three or four minutes in a shallow clay casserole. A deep frying pan will do.

3. Place codfish with the skin down in the oil. Cod is a gentle meat so instead of stirring rock the casserole gently with a slight swing in circular moves so the codfish releases its gelatin into the oil.

 4. Getting a the mixture of the gelatin of the codfish with the olive oil is the secret of this dish the sauce should become a smooth white sauce.

5. Serve with boiled potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley.

Cycling Route in Northern Spain

Here is a basic route of a recent cycle tour I made in North West Spain. I too the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander with Brittany Ferries.

View Cycle Touring Northern Spain in a larger map

• Photos from my trip
• Recipes from my trip

Ben Hur on Bicycles

Salute Citizens!

I have just found this great set of pics on BikeHacks.com and am now convinced Cycle Chariot racing is surley the future. As fuel prices rocket and F1 costs spiral out of control I have visions of teams of muscle- bound lycra specimins powering around Wembley stadium with Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in tow. Team Hungry Cyclist will be forming for next season and the selection process is now under way. If you are interested do get in touch. Visigoths and Hooligans need not apply.

Bernie Ecclston remeber you read it here first!

Read the full article here.

'Each horse and chariot were required to complete three turns around thespina or central spine of the circus.  Just as in antiquity, things got a little hairy on the tight turn opposite the starting line.  Ancient sources suggest that seating in that area of the circus was desirable, as one of the attractions of the chariot races were the “shipwrecks” or crashes that occurred when chariots took the tight turn at a high speed.'

The Hungry Cyclist Wants a Bike Burrito

Little Donkey, Little Donkey, on a dusty road...

Don't panic, don't panic The Hungry cyclist is not following the trend of most British high streets by flogging Christmas as soon as the Easter eggs have been sold at half price. No, today I want to tell you about Bike Burritos.

Introduced to me by my good friends at The Epicurean Cyclist this simple invention not only looks superb but is highly practical. The Bike Burrito is a  twist on the classic bike tool roll. But like no other tool roll out there The Burrito is designed to carry your bike essentials in style! Patterns include tweeds, plaids, quirky patterns, all lined with a long lasting canvas interior. Handmade in the US they are the perfect gift or must have for any fashion conscious cyclist who wants to carry those bare essentials and look good. As cycling fashion takes of here in London I have no doubt bike burritos will be shipping themselves over the pond before I finish this post and being a dedicated follower of fashion myself  I have my mind set on a rather jazzy retro version for my 1960's Pashely Tandem.

  

But before you rush off and buy your loved one a BB here is a little more about burritos. The exact translation is little donkey, but a burrito is more commonly known as the Mexican culinary classic of a flour tortilla stuff with goodness. The humble burrito came into its own in the late 19th century. With oil and gold being discovered in California and North Mexico, Mexican laborers needed a lunch that would be filling, cheap and that they could carry to work. Along came the burrito. A large flour tortilla (a corn tortilla has the wrong texture to be stretched and wrapped) that could be stuffed with left overs such as refried beans, cheese, avocado, chicken and cilantro, rolled up and taken down the mine for a hard days digging. During the 1930's and The Great Depression this cheap filling and practical meal became popular all over California with all those looking for value for money and stomach and today it is as part of American culinary culture as pizza, hot dogs and burgers. Here is a recipe should you want to make a burrito of your own that you can pack in your panniers with your bike burrito for all those short summer tours you will be making.

Great Beef Burrito Recipe

Inspired Scottish Stunt Rider Takes on The Street - Amazing Video

The daily bike commute getting you down? 

Bored of the potholes and curbs in the cycle lane? 

Well take a peep at this mind-boggeling video from our friends north of the border. Danny MacAskill and has put together this masterpiece for us all to enjoy and he is taking the web by storm. Do not try this at home!

London Cycle Courier Documentry

Ever wondered what is going through the minds of the post apocalyptic bike couriers ferrying important documents around the city like speeding bullets? Well think no further. Here is a fascinating  documentry about the lives and sadly deaths of the brave men and women who take to London's streets every day come rain or shine as cycle couriers.

'Riding my bike and getting paid for this - its fantastic'

'Im happy with what Ive got and this gives me a sense of freedom'

In ten minutes the film tells us why these people do what they do. Who knows if writing books about cycling doesnt pay off for The Hungry Cyclist I might be forced to dust off the single speed, grow my hair and tale to the streets. As they its much easier to get in than to get out...

Written In The Streets from philip diprose on Vimeo.

Fabada Asturiana - Bean Casserole

Fabada Asturiana or Asturian Bean and Sausage Casserole is a traditional dish from Asturias in North West Spian. Made with their famouse and much loved  fabes (broad beans), morcillo (black pudding) , ham (jamon) and of course chorizo. Packed with protein for tired muscles and slow release carbs it is a perfect and warming dish to stoke the engine with after a day of cycling in the Picos de Europa and while cycling there last week I lived on the stuff. Cheap and hearty it is perfect hard working food! This recipes serves four hungry cyclists...

• 500g of Asturian fabes (dry broad beans)
• 2 Asturian blood puddings/black pudding will do
• 2 or 3 threads of saffron
• 50g of ham chopped into small cubes
• 2 Asturian cooking chorizo chopped into slices 
• 200g of bacon, diced 
• a good glug of olive oil
• paprika
• salt
• parsley 

1. First you need to soak your fabes in cold water for eight hours. if you are using fresh beans you only need do this for an hour or two.

2. Drain your fabes and put in a large, shallow pot and cover with two inches of fresh water. Cook until they come to the boil making sure to skim any scum that gathers on the surface.

3. Heat your oil in a pan then add it to the pot. Add the saffron too.  Add the bacon and ham, trying to make sure that they go to the bottom, in order not to break the fabes during the cooking process. Leave them to cook for about five minutes with the lid on than skim once again.

4. Now add the chorizo and black pudding.  Boil for another five minutes still skimming any nasty scum that comes to the surface again. 

5. Now all the ingredients are in the pot you can relax.  Over a low heat with the lid on cook for about 2 or 3 hours. Have a glass of tinto and check the pot every now and then to make sure the fabes are covered with water at all times. If the sausage and black pudding poke above the surface it doesn't matter. 

6. Locals in Asturias will top up the pot with cold water, which they claim gives the beans a firmer texture. They will also shake the pot in order to avoid any sticking to the bottom. 

7. Once the beans are tender let the fabada stand for 10 minutes so the stew thickens and then serve garnished with chopped parsley and wash down with plenty of Asturain cider. 

Rediscovering Camp Fire Cooking | The Epicurean Cyclist

Rediscovering Camp Fire Cooking | The Epicurean Cyclist.

The days are getting longer, the nights are getting shorter and we are fast approaching the season when a trip out of town is not complete without stashing your tent in your back pack and heading for the hills for a spot of camping. 

In the US they know how to camp. Our American cousins have mastered the art of transplanting every comfort from home to the campsite but here in the UK we still have much to learn, so here is a superb blog post from the all new Epicurian Cyclist about rediscovering camp fire cooking.

Enjoy and carry on camping...

Chuck Wagon Diner for the best state-side camping recipes.

He Aint Heavy, He's my Brother - Jon Allen Video

Filling the airwaves of BBC Radio 2 Jon Allen's In your Light is being touted as this summers smash hit. The unshaven songsters chords and lyrics are guaranteed to rattle around in your brain box for days on end and his video isn't bad either.  Directed by none other than my little brother, Edmund, and filmed in the church hall with an old shed, it has a certain cosy charm and the lady in the picture is my dear mum. Rock n Roll!

Cycle Touring & Eating in North West Spain

Defying the best efforts of French fishermen, The Hungry cyclist sailed into Portsmouth yesterday afternoon after a very happy and gastronomic jaunt cycling in North West Spain. Here are a selection of images from the tour. Recipes, maps and travel tips to follow.