Red Cat, in turn, is inspired to try "blueberries, bluebells, a blue fish, blue pudding and certain cupcakes".
As John Dickie pointed out in his fascinating book, Delizia!, the four-course structure that we have come to accept as the classic Italian meal – antipasto, primo piatto (pasta or rice), secondo piatto (meat or fish), dolce (pudding) – is of relatively recent 1930s origin.
Milk can be quickly warmed and vegetables, rice, fish and puddings can be competently steamed.
Some kind of dessert followed every meal, tapioca pudding ("fish eyes and glue") or Jell-O chilled into molds with tasty canned fruit.
The crowd is young and stylish, but the food is an old-school mix of mezze, skewered meats, lamb casseroles, grilled fish, baked rice pudding and fiery raki, the anise-flavored national drink.
Many of the recipes, like fish cakes, rice pudding, kedgeree, cottage pie, angelica and gooseberry compote, and bread sauce, are English in style, as are some of the cooking times, so use your judgment when it comes to meat and fish.
Seafood, roasted meats, dim sum, stir fries, noodles, bowl pudding, fish balls, juices and a multitude of other local delicacies can be found all in one place -- what more could you want?
The hotel's restaurant is the most popular in town, serving fantastic modern European food – lots of fresh fish with great puddings.
And skyr – a national treasure of low-fat yogurt that's served with everything from fish to meat, puddings to porridge.
Ticket prices range from £32 to £36. 8 p.m. 8) SOUL OF CUBA Hankering for something beside blood pudding and fish and chips?
