Touring the culinary and bibulous delights of St. James's

Yesterday, I went on a rather unusual but highly informative and entertaining food and drink-themed walking tour in my very own backyard. I stumbled upon the advertisement at my local library the other day - £5 for a 2-hour tour around St. James's. I couldn't resist. There's nothing I love more than being a tourist, even in my own city. Well...there is nothing I love more than food. But, travelling and learning are a close second and third. So, a food tour is my very own holy trilogy (gosh, what a sinner I am to say such a thing!).

Perhaps you are wondering what made it so unusual? Well, I had sort of expected that we would actually get to consume some food and drink as part of this tour. Rookie mistake! My stomach was teased and taunted for 2 hours as we marched from one landmark to the next. You would never watch Chocolat without an abundance of treats on the ready, would you?! This was no different. But, it was completely worth it. My brain received a nourishing feast of knowledge and just like a Lost Boy, I derived ample satisfaction from the mere illusion of food.

I have to say that I feel like quite an ignoramus having taken this tour in the very area that I have lived in for the past 27 years. Beautiful buildings and streets with fascinating histories that I have never noticed were pointed out to me. We wandered down hidden alleyways that I never even knew existed. I found myself asking: where have I been and what have I been doing my whole life?! Walking around with my head in the clouds no doubt. It's amazing to think what great things are around us and what we might learn if we take the time to just look and find out. There's a small life lesson...and, it only cost me £5!

Anyway, that's enough self-deprecation and berating for now. I made lots of notes during the tour that sort of make sense to me as I look at them now, which I want to share with you. But, bear with me - this is going to be like holey like Swiss cheese...

'Shaken, not stirred' - these famous words by Ian Fleming were supposedly inspired by the martinis at Dukes Hotel bar, which he frequented as a local of the neighbourhood. It's very charming and quintessentially English. I'll probably never be able to afford to stay there. But, one could have Afternoon Tea for £22 or even better, take the martini masterclass for £85! That's one way to feel like a Bond girl...

Apparently, there is only one official 'American Bar' in London and it's at the back of the Stafford Hotel in what used to be the stables. There's nothing about this bar in particular that distinguishes it as American (whatever that might be). It was simply named the American Bar in order to attract Americans in the 1930s. In a land saturated with drinking establishments, I suppose it's wise to choose such an explicit name. Anyway, it's located in a very sweet courtyard in which the old stables have been converted into hotel suites that can be rented for an exorbitant amount. I also happened to see the biggest pigeon I have ever laid eyes on wandering around. I actually thought it was some sort of pheasant that had escaped a nearby kitchen (game being much-favoured by the fashionable gentleman that frequent this neighbourhood). Clearly, the pigeons eat well in this part of town.

We stopped by Boodles, one of the oldest Gentleman's Club in London. I'm not particularly interested in these clubs being excluded by virtue of my second X- rather than Y-chromosome. But, I am somewhat curious about a dessert that they are famous for called Orange Fool. Having looked up the recipe, it sounds tasty but uninspiring. A sponge soaked in citrus juices and cream. For some reason, I expected more...Nearby stands White's, the oldest Gentleman's Club in London. It started off as a coffee establishment supposedly serving bizarre blends to the fashionable men of that time, such as coffee mixed with mustard and coffee boiled with egg shells. What an experimental and eccentric lot! I wonder if that was part of some sort of juvenile initiation process. Finally, another old Gentleman's Club called Brooks's, which may have been the birthplace of the sandwich if you believe that John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, came up with the idea as a tasty snack to eat in the Brooks gaming room. Whoever wrote the piece about Montagu in Wikipedia clearly doesn't favour this story and claims 'seldom has any man held so many offices and accomplished so little'. Harsh!

Apparently, Fortnum & Masons, London's most famous grocery store, serves porridge with whiskey syrup. The very idea fills me with glee! I can't imagine a more formidable breakfast better-suited to protecting one from the bitter coldness of an English winter. I will definitely be going back there to try it out. Weetabix with whiskey syrup could become a staple breakfast in my household! They also have an ice cream parlour offering strawberry and balsamic vinegar flavour. I can't say that I'm in a rush to try it. And, I'm not sure that I fancy eating ice cream at a place that takes itself so seriously as to recommend customer's dress should 'leans towards elegance'.

Oh, another Gentleman's Club, the Reform Club, which is only of interest here because of it's sometime French chef, Alexis Soyer, who was the Jamie Oliver of his time (~1800s). He was quite the innovator, appealing for the installation of gas ovens, and a champion of the poor, inventing the soup kitchen and writing cookery books, such as A Shilling Cookery for People and Soyer's Charitable Cookery. Soyer is also known for his 'simple foundation sauces' (Soyer's sauce - soy sauce. Get it?!) and a dish called Lamb Cutlets Reform, which is still served at the Reform Club. Gosh, I could devote an entire post to this fascinating man. It's almost as if he stepped out of a Charles Dickens book.

Last but not least, we stopped by the 300-year old Berry Bros & Rudd wine store at which famous people, including Lord Byron, would weigh themselves on the large scales just for the fun of it. Wine causes people to do such silly things...so I've heard. They also have a wine cellar, which used to be the largest in London before parts of it were converted into dining areas, ironically located beneath Pickering Place, the smallest courtyard in London (as well as the last place in England a duel was fought). Wine tasting tours will set you back £46 - not bad at all if you're a wine connoisseur. Alternatively, you could enjoy a glass of their wine at the Red Lion Pub next door, which is where we ended our tour. It's a lovely old pub packed with character and history.

The tour included many more landmarks and information. I'm actually quite impressed by how much I remember. I guess that just goes to show how interesting and well-presented it was. The tours don't take place very often (maybe, once per month). But, if you have a large enough group you can hire Joanna, our guide, for a private tour. Otherwise, watch this space on her website for news of the next one.

As for myself, I am completely inspired to cook, eat, write and learn. I have been reminded of why I love living in London so much. The wealth of history and culture packed into this city is phenomenal. There is an infinite amount of exploring to be done and I want to peek into every nook and cranny. Who knows, maybe one day, I will be giving my very own food and drink-themed walking tours...