And off we go! It's the start of the A to Z Challenge in which I am writing about reasons to be cheerful.
Inspired by Ian Dury and the Blockheads' single Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3, my choices might appear idiosyncratic, but I suppose we all have our foibles.
So my A reason to be cheerful is the anchovy. They're only small fish but they add a lot to all sorts of dishes and I love 'em.
I realise they're not to everyone's taste and if you happen to be related to an anchovy - I dunno, it might be possible - you might not like the idea of me eating one of your relatives.
Be that as it may, anchovies are eaten all around the world in various forms. Their strong taste comes from the curing process and if eaten uncured they have a much more mild flavour. Anyway, it's the smack round the tastebuds I like them for.
Anchovies appear in all sorts of dishes ranging from pizzas to beef stews. Yes, that's right, a beef stew can be made even tastier with the judicious addition of a few anchovies. No, I don't think you then need to call it beef and anchovy stew.
 |
| A PERFECT MEAL: A box of anchovies and a tomato. |
Music plays an important part in my blogging and I try to pick music that's appropriate to the subject. So, songs about anchovies? Well, actually there is one, sort of, and here it is. It's from the popular cartoon show Spongebob Squarepants and if you listen very carefully you will hear the word anchovies, but maybe only once.
I'm not going to make this entry too long, we've got a long way to go and I don't want to wear you out, but just a couple more points. I should say at this stage that not all my entries in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge will be about food, although it is a subject close to my heart. Also I'd really welcome your comments in the section below.
- Question: Do you like anchovies or do they send you heading for the restaurant door? Give me your answers and any other views in the comments section.
To find out more about the Blogging from A to Z Challenge click on the badge at the top right.
* Anchovies picture taken by Kurt Kulac and used under a Creative Commons licence.
My nephew - a brilliant cook - added anchovies to a lamb dish. At the time we all thought he was completely mad but it tasted wonderful. Since those far off days I have become much more sophisticated, as I'm sure you are aware,,, yes you are. I now realise that anchovies enhance many a meat dish.
ReplyDeleteApparently the Romans made some sort of sauce from fermented anchovies which they thought was absolutely brilliant. Mind you, they all used to go to the toilet together, too.
DeleteKali tiki with this year's A-Z Mark. As my fren the late John Diamond sa, 'Fish. You either like it or you don't.' And he was getting paid five figures to come up with stuff like that.
ReplyDeleteMe, I'm an inbetweenie on the subject of the anchovy, but they're nice in a salad.
Thank you. John Diamond was top notch, although I suspect the more newspaper managements pay the better they think whatever you do actually is. Somewhere I've a couple of his cuttings of columns he wrote shortly before his death. Brilliant and moving stuff.
DeleteI was soooo freaked out when I heard there were anchovies in Caesar Salad dressing. I still hate them, but I do love a good salad.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the 2015 A to Z Challenge!
A to Z Co-Host S. L. Hennessy
http://pensuasion.blogspot.com
Thank you, and good luck to you. Maybe one day you'll come to love anchovies. Or maybe not.
DeleteHi Mark - love anchovies .. and all things anchovy related .. they're in Worcester(shire) sauce ... and many other sauces and chef's secret additions I guess too ..
ReplyDeleteMusic I'm not so good with - but John Diamond had a ready wit and died too soon .. good luck with the Challenge - I'll be seeing you around .. food, Greece, music and literature - all fine with me!! Cheers Hilary
The more you find out about anchovies the more you think we should all love them! I like all small fish (for eating). In the summer one of my favourite lunches in a taverna is a plate of gavros, small fish that are fried very quickly. They're a bit like whitebait. Have them with a Greek salad and a cold beer. Beautiful.
DeleteI guess I'm kind of on the fence about anchovies. My first instinct is to run far, far away; but then again I love a good Caesar Salad. so, there;s that. Good to see you doing the challenge again this year; I hope to make it past the letter "I" this time around!
ReplyDeleteAnchovies do seem to polarise opinion.
DeleteI'm glad you're giving the A to Z another go. One day at a time and before you know you're at Z. Good luck.
Wednesday 1st April 2015
ReplyDeleteDear Mark,
Nice to meet you! Thank you for visiting my A is for Angels-post. Thanks also for letting me know what the word 'angel' is in Greek. Tell me, is 'angel' originally a Greek word? It came to Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia with the Christian missionaries. The local pre-Christian spirits here have different names, like skogsrå, sjörå, älvor, vättar, huldror, mara, myrling, tomtar, troll, vittrar and the like -- all them mischievous beings, not kind and generous like angels.
What fun that your theme is about FOOD!! Great choice. And I love anchovys because they are a vital ingredient in a special Swedish potato casserole, Janssons frestelse (Jansson's Temptation).
I have actually blogged about making it step by step, which is unusual for me. I almost never blog about food or share recipes. So if you are curious, go to this address:
http://annas-adornments.blogspot.se/2010/12/t-is-for-temptation-jansson-temptation.html
Or just click here:
Anna's recipe with potatoes, cream and anchovys
Best wishes,
Anna Nordeman
I won't just be blogging about food, I will be writing about all sorts of other things - and food!
DeleteMy Chambers English Dictionary says that angel does come from the Greek. Do you think that the Greeks "invented" angels?
Well, that's certainly an optimistic theme :). I have to be honest: I've never had anchovies before. I've heard both good and bad things and always been a little scared to try them.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the title of that book? Oh yes, "Feel the fear and do it anyway". So feel the fear and eat the anchovies, or at least give them a try. Good luck.
DeleteHi, Mark, visiting you from the A-Z challenge (http://comingbackintolife.blogspot.com). Truthfully, I haven't thought much about anchovies. But, I do understand that they bring a certain depth of flavor to dishes, and as a small fish they are quite nutritious! SO, I'll add them to my list of things to try - especially the uncured variety. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGo for it, but remember a few anchovies go a long way.
DeleteI LOVE anchovies. Even something old skool like on a pizza. You've made me want some now....
ReplyDeleteGive in to temptation, go on. Mmmm pizza. Enjoy!
DeleteI love anchovies. I once had them fried in Italy. They were wonderful!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Hein - Scribbling in the Storage Room
I think they would be. I presume that was uncured anchovies. I expect blue footed boobies would like anchovies.
DeleteFirst off, thank you for making me laugh this evening. I have six kids, and SpongeBob is/was a favorite show of all of them. When I scrolled down and saw you added a SpongeBob song to this, I laughed quite hard.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say I've never had an anchovy, but according to those people up there, it's in Caesar salad. I guess I have. Perhaps I do like them. :)
Maybe chefs making Caesar salads are like parents who sneak "good" food in to what their kids are eating so they try it. Glad you liked the SpongeBob song, it does get in your head after a while.
DeleteI ADORE spongebob and the anchovy song... not so much the real thing though. Too salty maybe or just too fishy... but I like other fish...dunno...not bad in a martini I had once...
ReplyDeleteDo they really put anchovies in martinis sometimes? Well, why not?
DeleteI do love anchovies, but I have never had them in a beef stew. The video is killing me. LOL Great beginning to A to Z Challenge. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteHm. I don't know what happened to my comment, so I will try again. I love anchovies, but I've never had them in beef stew. LOL The music video is killing me. Love it. Good luck with the A to Z Challenge. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what happened about your comments, but they've both come through so we know for sure you like anchovies AND SpongeBob.
DeleteNot into anchovies myself. Glad they can bring some people joy though!
ReplyDelete