British Street Food Awards 2012

DUBAI EDITION OF ESQUIRE Dubai is the land where gold Bentleys don’t look out of place. Where you’ll see thousands of palm trees, imported from the desert, and The World – a group of 200 man-made islands laid out to resemble a map of the earth. The place has no history — and no heritage. What it offers is fantasy. And an underwater hotel. So when I picked up this food feature from the Dubai edition of Esquire magazine, I was amazed to see where they’re recommending well-heeled Dubai natives eat when they come to London. Heston at Dinner? I get it. Opulent, and lavish, and the size of the bill isn’t going to be a problem. But Broadway Market? And then down to Peckham to see Yianni? Everyone’s getting in on the British Street Food action. I see franchising opportunities in the desert, people……

Dear Tweeps — I’m a convert. I have been tweeting since Christmas and, to be honest, never really understood why I was doing it. But yesterday? Wow. I was appearing on the Jeni Barnet show (listen here) and needed street food samples to taste. With only 24 hours to go, I sent out an SOS. Eat Street retweeted (get me with my twitter lingo) and Job Done. On the Sunday morning, outside Broadcasting House, I was met by a beautifully-wrapped chorizo and halloumi sandwich from Engine Food, ribs from the Rib Man, beef tacos from Toma Mexicano and steamed pork buns from Yum Bun. Every single dish was amazing. I was touched by the fact that each of the traders had made the effort………and so was Jeni. Love twitter. Love street food.

I was delighted when young Tom Hodgkinson invited me to come along to The Idler Academy on July 27 to talk about Street Food. You see, Tom knows all about the simple path to fulfillment. He is responsible for The Freedom Manifesto: How to Free Yourself from Anxiety and The Idler – the magazine devoted to the ethos of idle living. I admire his work. Besides, Tom and I share a past.

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When drinking tequila, tradition dictates that the first toast is salud (health). The second is amor (love). The third is dinero (money). If you get to the third toast, that is. By that time, in all honesty, you will have formed your own mariachi band. And started to toast the curtains. Which is why tequila is a difficult drink to sell to a sophisticated, metropolitan crowd.

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This is one hell of a confession. And I’ve never shared it with anyone. But I find something deeply spiritual in I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack. (more…)