Mon 16 - Salami Encased in Cheese

As per usual I was late to work, so breakfast from the food trolley.  I work in a landmark building for a company that considers itself to be modern and progressive.  The food trolley doesn't fit in with this image.  I went for a ham and cheese croissant.  The croissants they sell are pretty decent, crispy on the outside, giving way to a soft and almost honeycomb-textured middle.  The ham and cheese filling is not of the highest quality, but is inoffensive, making for a pleasant but unhealthy start to the day.  I had a smoothie to balance out the bad.  Don't tell me it doesn't work like that.  Oh, I forgot to take the photo until I'd bitten the ends off.  This sort of thing may happen frequently.

Later I popped out from work for a quick lunchtime drink with friends.  We stopped by an Italian place in Devonshire Square called Enoteca Da Luca, which sells small plates of food to accompany their lengthy and reasonably priced wine list.  I wasn't intending to eat but something caught my eye - it looked like Italian salami, of the rectangular variety, encased in something yellow which I initially assumed was some kind of fat, but turned out to be cheese.  Both the salami and cheese coating were of decent quality, and it looked beautiful on the plate. And let's face it, there's just something awesome about the idea of salami encased with cheese.  Whoever thought of this is a good person.  The accompanying green olives were excellent, though the pitted black ones tasted like earwax.  Got a decent bottle of Sangiovese for £16.00, a minor miracle in this part of town.  I intend to go back and give Enoteca Da Luca's short menu a proper go. 

Lunch proper was a crayfish and rocket sandwich from Pret, St Mary Axe.  Like you, I've eaten too many of these in my life.  But I still go back for more, purely for reasons of convenience rather than pleasure.  This means I'll be reviewing Pret a lot so won't bollock on about it too much right now, except to say that unlike most chain food establishments I find the quality and consistency to be extremely variable.  Today, heavy on the crayfish, light on the mayo - the exact opposite to the norm, and all the better for it.  Half of one of the crusts was soggy which I find to be a regular problem, but I really couldn't be arsed to take it back.  Wonder how many people a day share this experience.  The salt and vinegar crisps taste the same as they always do - I'm a big fan of these!

Leftover Chicken part 1 - Dinner was chicken with cashew nuts, cabbage with oyster sauce and white rice.  A fairly thrifty affair, using leftover chicken and cabbage from last night.  Too many cashew nuts, funny how they become less special the more of them you add.  Otherwise it really hit the spot, the ginger and soy combining perfectly with a hint of chilli pepper, resulting in a warming dish that was perfect for a cold January evening.

All in all, a good food day for a Monday.