Papa interviewed for www.countrycalling.co.uk

Simon MacDonnell aka Papa, chef and owner of Papadeli in Bristol, (the uber-foodie Papadeli Cafe is housed in the RWA).

I love neighbourhood restaurants – and one of my favourites is Green’s Dining Room on Zetland Road.  2 brothers and their wives run this cosy bistro – food is consistently good and there’s always a warm welcome.

On a summer’s day, the Lido in Clifton is just the place – eat brilliant food while basking the water’s reflections. This is also a superb place for a massage – the masseuse here always get it right and listening to the water lap against the pool sides just perfects the whole experience.  Finish off with a cup of Lahloo rosebud tea – just wonderful.

For a perfect for a lazy day picnic it’s got to be Tyntesfield – just on the outskirts of Bristol – a beautiful National Trust owned property, with stunning kitchen garden & grounds.

My two boys, Tomos and Sam never seem to tire of @Bristol Science Centre.  They spend hours there experimenting on the equipment, watching planetarium shows and getting excited by  scientific explosions.

Bristol’s a thriving place for innovative ideas & speakers – I always love going to the Festival of Ideas to hear interesting and inspirational speakers at St George’s – most recently I went to see Harry Belafonte – a legendary figure that I’ll never forget.

Bristol is an amazing place for theatre – we are absolutely spoilt for choice.  The Old Vic shows are great – favourite are the productions by the Knee High Theatre Company for their hilarious and thought provoking shows.  The Tobacco Factory always has something worth seeing from the sublime to the controversial.  Their children’s shows are not to be missed!

I love walking up to the University of Bristol’s Botanical Gardens near the Downs.  They moved all the plants there some 6 years ago and it’s just a beautiful place to wander around.  I particularly love the Triffid- like pitcher plants that digest whole mice! I’ve never had much time to get into gardening, but walking around here makes me want to start!

Sitting on a balcony, sipping a cold beer makes me feel like I’m abroad – the Royal Academy on The Triangle has a brilliant balcony – having a café there, I don’t get much time to sit up on the balcony – but I always send friends there as it’s the best balcony in Bristol.

I’m not a great one for shopping – my treat is to buy food, and having a deli, I’m lucky enough to be able to do that on a daily basis!  If I do need to shop I love Park Street or Gloucester Road – lots of interesting things to look at interspersed with many opportunities for a coffee break.

On a sunny day (not so numerous at the moment) we’ll drive up to the Quantocks and have a picnic.  I spent my teenage years in Churchill, North Somerset, walking the hills, so love going back there to my favourite haunts.

Panettone? Sometimes gets a bad press - lots of people have eaten the dry, tasteless, bit like shredded hay variety and been put off for life. What a shame!! Actually, artisan, hand made panettone is just delicious.  How to describe... well, it's fluffy, but moist at the same time.  Vanilla scented, moscatel soaked raisin filled, delicious, melt in the mouth.... Tempted?

We have made it our job to taste lots of different panettone, and we have selected the most lovely, pleasurable, delicious ones for the deli. 

How to eat? Tear off a hunk with a cup of tea, a glass of sweet wine (maybe vin santo?).  Turn up at a friend's house this Christmas with this lovely, original gift that you can all share. For a bit of history, we've put some on our website here.

Here's a few of the ones we have in stock - see what you think. If you're not sure about buying a whole one, come to the cafe and taste a slice.
Happy Christmas and Buon Natale!!

Dolci di Efren -  Panettone tradizionale.
Beautiful packaging, paper covered box, tied up with a string. What better way than to turn up at a Christmas lunch with this in hand.
Dolci de Efren make small batches of handmade sweets and pastries.
750g £19.95

Traditional panettone from Fiasconaro  – made with fresh orange peel and Marsala soaked raisins.  Tree generations of this Sicilian family have been involved in the making of high quality cakes and pastries. They have an excellent reputation throughout Italy and beyond.
Gorgeous festive packaging with a big Christmas ribbon.
750g £15.95

Makers of artisan panettone in Milan, Vergani was established in 1944.  Like all the panettone we sell, it is thrice risen over 7-8 hours which produces this light fluffiness of this lovely Italian Christmas cake. It takes 3 or 4 days from beginning to end and we think the care and attention is clear when you take your first bite!
750g £15.95


For quality and a contemporary look, these panettone are absolutely unique – wrapped in red tissue and finished with a large Festive pom pom.
These panettone from Vallebona, come in traditional and chocolate -both absolutely gorgeous.
500g £13.50 Chocolate   £12.50 Traditional

Please call in to the shop to purchase your panettone. For more information, please phone us on 0117 973 6569 or email info@papadeli.co.uk
We include panettone in some of our Christmas hampers – please take a look here.

October 26th Book a place at our Italian Supper!

Italian seasonal menu £35

Friday October 26th

Appetizer.
Crab arancini with creamy sweet corn and thyme dip
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Starter. 
Sautéed Chantarelles with chilli + wet garlic on rosemary focaccia with shaved aged pecorino + rocket
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Main. 
Slow roasted stuffed shoulder of venison with hazelnut gremolata, creamed beet-tops, oozy polenta and blackberry + juniper sauce
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Dessert. 
Torta di mele with orange and mace mascarpone
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Cheese 
Gorgonzola Dolce with frozen black grapes

Salsify - what on earth is it?!

Salsify is making an appearance in many veg boxes now. A strange and ugly plant - it looks a bit like a big brown hairy stick - who would dream of cooking it up and eating it?

It is a bit of a bother to peel (it can be easier to boil and peel after) but its lovely subtle flavour could win you over.  It is also known as the oyster plant - some say it has a faint oyster flavour. Whilst I am not entirely sure about that, I am sure that it is worth peeling and cooking - so, give it a chance and don't let it rot in the back of your veg rack!

In its simplets form - boiled or steamed, you can slice it up and serve with vinaigrette as an interestingly different side or salad.  It can also be mashed up or added to soups and stews.  It has a lovely texture that will stand out - so worth trying.

It can also be made into chips - and I love root vegetable chips.  Par boil, cut into chip size pieces, roll in seasoned flour and deep or shallow fry.

Nutrition wise, it is low in sodium and cholesterol (although smothering it in salt as I tend to probably negates any benefits there!).  It is also a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese. So, for an ugly vegetable, it has lots to offer!

We make these fishcakes for the counter to take away, and also mini ones when we're catering for events when our guests ask for canapes - a lovely mouthful that always goes down well!

 

   

Papadeli fishcakes with dipping sauce

This is one of the simplest and tastiest fishcake recipes we know and they always prove to be hugely popular, especially with the dipping sauce.  For a party, you can make them smaller  and serve as canapés. Delicious.

Ingredients

(for around 16 fish cakes)

5      de-seeded red chillies

1 finely chopped shallot

2 finely chopped garlic cloves

1 small piece finely chopped galangal (available from the Chinese Supermarket in Montpelier)

2 lime leaves (available at the above Chinese supermarket- they’re so much cheaper that the big supermarkets and you buy a big bag of them (instead of three stale leaves in a jar) and you can freeze them and use them in curries etc when you need them.

450g white fish fillets (it doesn’t matter which fish you use – coley, cod, haddock etc are all good)

15ml fish sauce (get it from the Chinese supermarket!!

60g green beans sliced really finely

oil to fry

Pinch of salt

Method

Use a pestle and mortar to pound the chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal, lime leaves and salt into a fragrant paste.

Finely chop or blend the fish into a mince.  Mix in the paste.  Add the green beans and fish sauce.  Knead the mixture with your hands.

Shape the mixture into small flat cakes (smaller that traditional British fishcakes).  (No more than 5-6cm in diameter and 1 cm thick)

Heat the oil (do not let it get too hot) and cook the cakes until golden brown – takes about 2-3 minutes – don’t let the oil get too hot or the cakes will cook too quickly and get tough.

Sauce

Ingredients

125ml rice vinegar

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 inch piece of cucumber with skin

1 small carrot

3 finely sliced shallots

1 medium chilli, finely sliced

1 tablespoon ground roasted peanuts

Method

Boil the sugar and vinegar together until the sugar dissolves and leaves a thin syrup.  Slice the cucumber, carrot and shallots into tiny pieces.  Add these to the syrup along with the chilli.

Add the peanuts, stir and serve with the pancakes.

 

Suitable for all levels or budding chef / cook - small classes so lots of individual attention from professional chefs.  Lovely atmosphere, sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labour at the end!

Book online here
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Thursday 28th June Early Summer in Southern Italy. £75

6.30-9.30pm

Aubergine, Sardines, Courgettes, Mozzarella, Pecorino, Fennel, Artichokes, Nectarines, Strawberries, Chard, Peas, Broad Beans and many more… …………………………………………………………………………

Thursday 26th July Tapas in Southern Spain £75

6.30-9.30pm

Serrano, Chorizo, Fish, Aubergines, Courgettes, Tomatoes, Cherries, Peaches, Artichokes, Spinach, Chard and many more… …………………………………………………………………………

Thursday 16th August £75

6.30-9.30pm

Celebrate all the best ingredients a British summer can bring. Beetroots, Courgettes, Crab, Beans, Sea bass, Globe artichokes, Marrows, Tomatoes, Chicory, Sweetcorn, Figs, Apples, Greengages, Raspberries and many more… ………………………………………………………………………… These courses include hands on cooking, demonstrations, plenty of food and wine… To book please call 0117 973 6569 or book online at www.papadeli.co.uk

Stef's Feast of tapas from Southern Spain and North Africa

29th June 7.30pm £35  Book now!

 

Book online here or phone 0117 973 6569 email info@papadeli.co.uk

Appetiser

Chilled gazpacho with crab, fennel + parsley 

The feast...

~ English broad beans & Jamon 

~ Morcilla & caramelized apple 

~ Feta chicory + orange salad

~ Pigeon with sticky figs, watercress + hazelnuts

~ Okra & nut Pilaf   

~ Mechoula- Tunisian salad of grilled vegetables & hot chillies

~ Braised globe artichokes & Jersey royals with oloroso sherry 

~ Monk fish with prawns, peppers, almonds & saffron 

  -3 dips beetroot and orange, avocado and chilli, and butternut

   squash and cinnamon served with spiced beef, fenugreek and 

   flat breads

~ Roasted wood chicken with grapes, Serrano + almonds 

Dessert

Strawberry rhubarb + rosewater fool with pistachio dust 

Cheese

Rich Montenebro goat’s cheese with orange blossom honey + fennel crackers

Papadeli Jubilee Brownies

Are you planning a Jubilee party? Did you know there is a Bristol website dedicated to all things Jubilee?
As events and parties build up, this great site features what's on along with tips on how to plan a successful Jubilee party.  As a caterer, we at Papadeli have chosen to post a Jubilee brownie recipe.
Our brownies have been called "legendary" and have quite a following - they can be found on our counter at Alma Road, in the cafe at the Royal West of England Academy cafe and at the various parties and lunches we cater for in and around Bristol.
If you can't get to us, why not follow the recipe and make them at home! The recipe can be found here on the Jubilee website.  Happy cooking!

Raffle for the 4kg egg!

Every year we hold a raffle for a ginormous Easter egg.  This year we have chosen the Rainbow Centre , which is a local Bristol Charity which helps children suffering from life threatening illness and bereavement.

The egg is quite splendid and can be seen in our Alma Road delicatessen. Tickets are also available at our cafe at the Royal Academy on Queen's Road.

The winning ticket will be drawn by Dave Rees, former England rugby international on Good Friday.

Good luck to everyone who has bought a ticket and let's hope we manage to raise lots of money for such a good cause.

We've been busy catering for parties!

Lori our baker has been very busy making cakes for all sorts of events this past week.  Our favourite was this delicious looking chocolate truffle cake.
Imagine receiving this at your special party!

There's been lots of birthday parties and a couple of corporate lunches where they've chosen our delicious cooked salads instead of sandwiches.

Roast courgette and pine nut, cherry tomato Greek salad, bulghar wheat, beetroot & goat's cheese.

A superbly healthy and delicious alternative to a sandwich platter that once tried earns a loyal following!

Cookery classes - 15th March - Provencale cooking with Simon MacDonnell

Papadeli owner, Simon MacDonnell, with over 20 years experiences cooking at some of the finest restaurants shows you how to make delicious Provencale dishes that you can make for all occasions, from a family supper to a fabulous dinner party.
This is a great opportunity to be part of a fasinating, informative and fun class.
6.30-9.30pm £75
Please book online here or email info@papadeli.co.uk

Cookery classes - Delicious vegetarian cookery.

Cookery classes:

Delicious vegetarian dishes £65 February 16th 

Book here

or email info@papadeli.co.uk

Vegetarian cookery doesn't have to be repetitive or dull.

Our head chef, Stephanie Smith, ex Jamie Oliver's Watergate Bay and Michelin trained, shows you how to make Vegetarian food delicious.
Learn tips on how to make easy suppers for a Monday night or dishes suitable for a Saturday night dinner party.

It's always so easy to reach for the meat but how much healthier is the occasional feast of vegetarian dishes? Here's the place to get some inspiration!

 Papadeli Head Chef Stephanie (ex Jame Oliver's Watergate Bay) demonstrates how to make the best of European vegetarian cookery with a special focus on health dishes using sustainable ingredients. A mastercalss in creative, seasonal cooking suitable for a Monday night supper or a Saturday night dinner party.

Our next supper evening 24th February - taste something different!

Papadeli's next supper evening (we only open up in the evening once a month!) is on the 24th of February at 7.30pm


Steff, our lovely chef, has come up with something a little bit different and we really like the sound of it - we hop you do too!

Booking is essential and places are limited. Please book online here
Or phone 0117 973 6569 email info@papadeli.co.uk
 

Menu £40

Rhubarb and prosecco cocktail

Appetizer

Cumin scented broth of celeriac, squash and blood orange

Starter

Pistachio and sumac crumbed scallops & Turkish walnut tarator sauce

Main

Honey & Za’atar char grilled poussin, mung beans with caramelized onions, nigella seeds, wild greens with tahini and tarragon sauce. 

Vegetarian Option

Crimson beetroot and chard falafel with tahini, lemon and sumac sauce

Dessert

Yoghurt and cardamom pannacotta with rhubarb and pistachio
 

We can cater for gluten free & other allergies, of course.