Reindeer Calzone – Recipe

Calzones are a great portable dish, but I prefer to eat mine while slumped in front of the TV, remote control in one hand and a cold beer in the other. I tend to save it for when I've had one of those days as there's something very comforting about the crisp, yet chewy dough, combined with the molten hot interior of tomatoes and mozzarella.

Italian tradition dictates that calzones are filled with leftover vegetables, but you can pretty much add anything you like. Here's a little Nordic twist on this classic dish that uses reindeer salami instead of the more popular pepperoni.

2011: My Ten Dishes of the Year

The year is rapidly drawing to a close and, as usual, I'm left scratching my head wondering where all the time has gone. One of my favourite things about writing a food blog is that you have a handy diary of memorable food experiences to look back on – something tangible like photos and words, something other than the ever rising numbers on the bathroom scales. Looking back at 2011 I've been lucky to have experienced some truly wonderful food, and it's good fun to look back and relive some of those memories.

Of course, what good would a year-end post be without that hackneyed favourite of work-shy journalists the world over? Yes folks, it's time for a top ten list! I did a similar post last year and really enjoyed the exercise of reminiscing over some fantastic meals, so I thought I'd repeat the process.

Young Turks at The Ten Bells, London – Restaurant Review

Let me begin this post with a little disclaimer. Way back when I was young and carefree and 5kg 10kg lighter, me and John and a couple of other friends bought a ramshackle East End boozer that was on its last legs. It was a complete and utter dive; the place was filthy with the windows coated in a seemingly impregnable patina of grime, and the rooms on the floors above the main bar were so dishevelled the place looked more like a crack house than a public house. The typical customer was some old dodgy looking bloke and evening entertainment consisted of "exotic dancers."

Le Benjamin, Oslo – Restaurant Review

Le Benjamin is one of the newer additions to the burgeoning restaurant scene in Oslo's trendy Grünerløkka neighbourhood. Opened in February 2011 by the people behind the popular Brasserie Blanche in the city's Homansbyen area, Le Benjamin comes with high expectations and strong local competition. Fortunately, it manages to deliver, and if you're looking for a casual meal of decent-enough French classics then look no further.

Maaemo, Oslo – Restaurant Review (Oct '11)

(You can read a more recent review of Maaemo from me here, here and here)

I know, I know, this is another review of Maaemo. In fact this is my fourth visit to Oslo's ground-breaking restaurant in the last eight months. I've already written over 12,000 words on Maaemo (which, worryingly, is almost as much as I did for my master's dissertation), so for more in-depth information on the restaurant see my previous reviews here, here, and here (and an interview here).

Hanami, Oslo – Restaurant Review

When you think of food in Norway today, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Pristine fillets of smoked salmon? Reindeer stew? Brown cheese? Not me. You see for me, it's sushi. Yup, Norway has enthusiastically embraced this global trend and is eating the Japanese delicacy with vigorous zeal. I'm even beginning to think that sushi has become this country's new unofficial national dish (surpassing frozen pizza and hot dogs in the process). It's particularly evident in Oslo, where it seems everywhere you look another sushi restaurant is popping up.

Norwegian Baked Cheesecake with Brunost-Pecan Caramel – Recipe

I'm a cheesecake fiend. I absolutely adore the stuff. Not those insipid excuses made with gelatine, mind; I can't abide those. No, what I usually crave is a proper Nuuu Yoik baked cheesecake, with its creamy sour tang. Nothing else will do.

Girl & the Goat, Chicago – Restaurant Review

Without doubt, one of the most enjoyable meals I had on my last trip to Chicago was at Girl & the Goat. In fact it was so good that I went there twice. Opened in Chicago's fashionable West Loop in July 2010 by former Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard, this is a restaurant that defies categorisation. The only thing I can categorically state is that it was all utterly fantastic.

Lunch at Strand Restaurant, Bærum – Restaurant Review

It's official! This year, Norway enjoyed its wettest summer since records began in 1900. Roads and railways have been washed away, houses have been flooded. The rain has been biblical, I tell you! So far, the deluge has continued into autumn and there appears to be no sign of it abating. So it seemed like no small miracle that for one sweet, glorious day last weekend the clouds retreated and out came the sun, shining warm and bright.

Another Visit to Maaemo, Oslo – Restaurant Review

(You can read more recent reviews of Maaemo here, here and here)

Well, this is becoming quite the habit. But I just can't help it. Regular readers will know that I've become totally smitten with Maaemo, the ground-breaking Oslo restaurant that has completely redefined the concept of Norwegian cuisine. My previous meals at the restaurant (see here and here) left me in no doubt that I had truly tasted some of the best cooking of my life – a bold statement, but Maaemo really is up there with the very best. Indeed, such is my fascination with the restaurant that I even interviewed some of the people behind it to learn more about what they are trying to achieve. Have a look at these links if you'd like to learn more on the background of the restaurant and the people behind it.