Coleslaw

 

Having some time on my hands, I recently spent an hour or so wandering around the basement of the newly refurbished Fortnum's. The refit, in my opinion, has been spectacular, and there are all sorts of interesting stands selling fish, game, terrines, pies and the like.  I bypassed a goose (yours for a hundred quid, Guv), and headed for the salad counter, where they were selling kedgeree (with saffron infused basmati rice) and their very own coleslaw made to a secret Fortnum & Mason recipe.

I'm a complete sucker for this sort of thing- all you have to tell me is that such-and-such was invented by a doctor so-and so, purveyor to connoisseurs and the nobility of Europe, and made to a secret family recipe handed down over ten generations, none genuine without this signature, Squire- and I'll buy it.  I'm a marketing man's dream, I'm afraid.

So, I sniffed around the coleslaw trying to work out what was in it.  I've done a bit of research into coleslaw (a "cole" by the way, was an old-fashioned word for cabbage), and have come to the conclusion, that apart from cabbage, and perhaps mayonnaise, anything goes.

I'm going to make my very own secret version coleslaw, this weekend. And what's going to go in it?   Cabbage and Mayonnaise?  Yes. Carrots?  Yup. Definitely. Cheese?  Probably. Apple?  Perhaps.  A dash of a decent cider or tarragon vinegar might be a good plan as well. I'm wondering if a red chili might be a good idea, or is that a complete no-no? I'm sure that all the ingredients need to be shredded up very, very thinly- I've had coleslaw in the past which had thickish chunks of cabbage, and it didn't seem right. This is going to be fun: I'm feeling hungry all ready.