#italian etiquette wants the man of the house to sit at the end of table with the most important female guest at his side

[firecooking]

The Rodent Siblings Headcannons 🏍️🌺

Side note: I'm covering Lela and Butchy in one post Because a ton of my hc's for them have to do with each other

- Lela and Butchy's last name means Rodent [I go with Roditore cause i think they are Italian American] and they where called the Rodent kids\siblings well before there was a Rodents social Club

- They both also will tell you ant of the other Rodents are also honorary Rodent Siblings, they're Rodents anyways after all

- Butchy's soft spot for Lela is immensely deep, he'd walk to the ends of the earth for her, he even does things like pick up extra chores around the house and give her pocket change when he has any

- Lela has an equally deep soft spot for her brother, most of the time when Butchy over loads himself or needs any kind of rest she'll be right there to get him a drink and help out, or even put her foot down and make him go take a nap

- They never had their parents around as kids [both died when they where young] so they've taken to parenting eachother when needed, Butchy often puts more pressure on himself to be the mature parent of the two but Lela can and will hold her ground and tell him to go to bed or sit him down to talk

- They are Both Trans and Gay they deserve it

- the gay part took a bit for them to figure out but when they where little little they constantly would steal each other's clothes and more gendered belongings and eventually they just started going by there preferred genders and names and no one questioned it [them being silent\sandwich generation kids this would make total sense with attitudes at the time]

- Lela specifically is a Bi Trans Woman with leanings towards dating women, but she's also still VERY MUCH into looking at cute boys any day of the week

- Butchy specifically is a GayAce Trans Man who's also definitely on the Aro spectrum, he does have very strong queer platonic attraction but that one's hard to explain to other guys in the 60s

- Not a single Rodent would dare try and date Lela unless of course she was the one who took the first steps. Butchy can, will, and has gotten into fights over people looking at her too long for his own taste [he broke Lugnut's nose once over him offering her a unprompted jacket when she was cold. Everyone is surprised Tanner never turned up dead]

- Butchy has 100% given the worst dating advice you've ever heard to folks who ask, he forgets hes not Allo and it basically just turns into "Dump him\her" or "Ew wtf why do you want to do THAT" ['that' being something completely normal for allo's, like necking or second base]

- Lela and Butchy routinely skip church to see movies at the nickelodeon, they both love musicals and bad sci-fi movies

- Butchy is a Gene Kelly and Bing Crosby simp when it comes to picking movies, Lela will watch anything with Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor, they both will watch a Fred Astaire movie no questions asked

- Butchy and Lela both did etiquette classes as kids and they both hated it, they still 100% subconsciously follow some of the more drilled in things like setting a table properly or manners when it comes to dancing

- Butchy makes dinner, and breakfast, and lunch, and snacks... He picked up cooking when he was little and he just never stopped, it also helps feed his "take care of my sister" instincts

- More on home life, Butchy dropped out of highschool pretty early and got a job and help pay bills, he refuses to let Lela drop out or get bad grades [but he's also never mean about it, he's kept up on 'school' to help her with homework and know what's going on with her]

- Butchy and Lela are Catholic Twins, they where close enough in age that they held Butchy back from going to school a year and the two went together

- there is a two month span every year where Lela and Butchy are the same age and Lela bully's him about it

- Lela wants to be a singer more than anything. Butchy wants her to go to college, he's been saving for it for years. They've never once just sat down and said that to each other so Lela thinks she's going to have to work through college to please him and Butchy thinks that she's very happy to go and have the help. They are both very dumb

- I have such an indpeth family arrangement for these two in my head but the basics is they live with their grandfather who is a disabled WW1 vet, they are fairly poor but they get by, they have a couple family members who they aren't that close with who aren't really around so the three function as a happy little unit

- If Butchy was an inch shorter he wouldn't be able to ride his 1950 Harley-Davidson Panhead, he refuses to acknowledge this, he also has a attachable sidecar Incase he needs to transport things or a person since he refuses to get or be in a car

- Lela built her bike, it's a very slick chopper built out of a Kawasaki W1 and Honda CB77, it is her absolute baby not even Butchy is aloud to drive it

- Because Butchy and Lela have shared a Jack and Jill bathroom from a young age they 100% are unphased by basically everything with each other. One could be showering and the other will open the door without knocking and ask a question. Around the house with just a robe? Sure. "Hey can I borrow your toothbrush" "how did you loose a toothbrush, but sure"

- Yes they are exceedingly gross, its just siblings things™. They share drinks, hair brushes, wipe dirt onto each other's clothes, "hey this is awful, try this", share a fork. Neither of them know what personal space or boundaries are

- they get into fist fights sometimes, not cause they are actually fighting but just because they're bored and they can

- Butchy takes care of the garden, he loves it

- Lela hates gardening, she kills everything she touches, but she has to help because if Butchy has to deal with a weird bug he will cry

- Butchy cries a lot especially around Lela, he's very sensitive and in touch with how he feels, the only time he'll bottle something up is if it has to do with feeling like he's not enough to take care of the people he loves

- Lela is the one that tends to bottle up how she feels, though she's mostly very honest with Butchy, she tends to try and be a people pleaser or yes man to everyone else to the point of getting herself in trouble

- Butchy is dyslexic and wears reading glasses, it's part of why he dropped out beyond needing a job, Lela is very hyperactive and struggles in school due to it, they are both Autistic because I said so

- and finally; Butchy doesn't celebrate his birthday, it's just not something he cares about, but Lela makes him his favorite cake and they have a nice night in every year, Butchy loves it. In contrast Butchy throws Lela a party every year for hers, she love it

[suzie81blog]

On Thursday night I was invited to a special ‘Meet Marco’ event at the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Grill on Level 25 of The Cube in the Mailbox, Birmingham.

I have been to the restaurant a number of times. This, however, was slightly different: Marco himself would be there, meeting guests and signing copies of his book. I was asked if I would like the opportunity not only to try new dishes from the menu, but to sit and talk with the great chef himself.

Along with Lauren Foster from What’s On Birmingham (check out the interview in their June edition) and a small media crew filming us, what was supposed to be a short interview became an informative and, quite frankly, rather hilarious chat that lasted well over half-an-hour. He’s an incredibly charismatic and charming character and while my nerves were obvious, it was easy to relax into conversation and enjoy his company.

Marco explained his inspiration for the new items on the menu, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and dishes in rotation while being conscious of vegetarians and vegan options. He revealed his own experiences with veganism, adopting a pure vegan diet and stopping all carbs, drinking and smoking for nine months which resulted in a massive five-stone weight loss. The philosophy? Understanding and talking about vegetarian and vegan food can only be done if you’ve practised it yourself. He told us about his visit to Sri Lanka and how the spices and seasonings in Asian and indeed, Italian foods were perfectly suited to vegan and vegetarian lifestyles and the importance of a balanced diet.

I asked him about the foods that he really dislikes.

The only thing that I’ve really struggled to eat in my life is chicken’s feet… it doesn’t do it for me. I’m really into strange food, don’t get me wrong. I like eating, eating is one of my great passions in life… I go to this restaurant in Singapore… (he explains about the chef bringing a dish out to him and the fact they are fascinated that he likes tendons) and I said, “What is it?”. “It’s a surprise.”

Cue giggles from myself and a long pause while we wait in anticipation for the answer.

Cow throat. Not for me… Can you imagine eating windpipe? I said, it’s not for me, but please apologise to the chef.

Interviewing Marco

As an honorary Brummie and former teacher, I was particularly interested in the advice he would offer a working-class Brummie who wants to become a respected chef.

Firstly, the advice I would give is that when you go for a job, keep your fingers crossed and hope that you get it, and by not asking by how many hours and how much you’re going to get paid, your chances of getting the job have increased enormously… you’ll soon find out how you’re being paid, you’ll soon find out how many hours you’re going to work, and what I’ve learnt in my life is that knowledge is your passport to freedom. It really is, and my father gave me that advice as a young man. He also told me never to call in sick. You turn up for work if you’re ill, and the chef will see that you’re not well… So, I think the advice I would give, is conduct your interviews correctly, and that’s not just for chefs, that’s for everything. And what’s really important is always be punctual…

And I used to go for interviews and I would sit there with my fingers crossed and pray I get the job. I remember I went for an interview with Pierre Koffman who – we’re great friends, Pierre and I, and we have a business together… and he said “I have no position in my kitchen” and it was the first time I’d ever been turned down, and the only time. So I said (even though I could afford it) “I’ll work for nothing.” I worked for three weeks for zero money, I was really on the breadline… he called me in (Marco then explained that Koffman then employed him). Prove yourself…

I wanted to know his thoughts on the incredible food scene in Birmingham.

Well, it’s all of those cultures isn’t it? It’s a beautiful jigsaw, it’s a melting pot, and also because it’s the second city it’s brought all these businesses in which brings money, which allows people to pay… so Birmingham is one of those great gastronomic cities of Britain in my opinion.

Above all, my burning question was one that would hopefully solve the continuing argument that has raged between my friends and I for quite some time…

The big scone debate: cream or jam first? (Incidentally, he pronounced it to rhyme with ���gone.’)

Well, you’ve got to look at logic. Logic must always dictate… the reality is that it looks prettier with the cream on first and then the jam, it looks way prettier, but you try spreading jam on cream… it’s not about etiquette for me. At the end of the day I take a scone, put my jam on and then put my cream on top.

And then, there was the big northern divide: Lancashire versus Yorkshire. As a proud Boltonian, and with Marco hailing from Leeds, the northern banter began as soon as I told him where I was from. We discussed Peter Kay (he’s got a kind face) and the fact that I haven’t been able to order garlic bread in public since Peter Kay became famous, Bolton Wanderers and ‘Big Sam’ and my Yorkshireman husband. I jokingly informing him that he was from the wrong side of the Pennines, he explained that Lancastrians are referred to as ‘long necks’ (I’d never heard of it, but it was because we’re always stretching our necks over the hills to find out what’s going on – we’re nosy, apparently) and that he always tells his sons to buy white roses instead of red because of the House of York. I took advantage of this to remind him that – *cough* – we won, referring to the War of the Roses. He laughed and joked with us throughout, seemingly enjoying the chat, and openly admitted that he likes interviewing the interviewers.

My hair was in his face…

The book signing area

The whole experience went by so quickly – thirty minutes felt like more like five. Marco signed a copy of his book for us, inscribing ours as ‘Suzie and the Yorkshire Lad,’ and in one for our gastronomic friend (we were graciously given a book each), in which he signed it as being from ‘The Bird from Bolton.’ We took selfies and I added to my awkwardness by positioning myself so that I accidentally covered half of his face with my hair. I said goodbye, thanked him and shook his hand, and he told us to come and say goodbye to him after we had eaten.

We were then shown to our table, which was seated right next to the window with a a panoramic view of the city.

The menu for the evening focused solely on new dishes, with four options to choose from for each course.

The Starter options were:

Calamari

Classic French Onion Soup À La Normandie with croutons, gruyère cheese and cider.

Poached Pear, Alex James Cheese Salad with candied walnuts and merlot vinegar (Vegetarian)

Wheeler’s Crispy Calamari with tartare sauce and fresh lemon.

Mr White’s Scotch Egg with Colonel Mustard’s Sauce.

The Bloke and I both ordered the Calamari – we both love seafood but often avoid ordering squid at restaurants as it is often a dish that can easily be overcooked and rubbery. This, however, was beautiful. Fried in a thin coating of very light and crispy batter, the calamari were piping hot and perfectly tender, and the punchy tartare sauce complimented them perfectly. I also loved the fact that the accompanying lemon was wrapped in a thin muslin to allow the juice to be squeezed without the pips falling onto the plate. It was a small touch, but the attention to detail made me smile.

For the Main courses our options were:

8oz Rib Eye Steak

Honey Roast Bacon Chop with boxtree red cabbage, pommes fondant, Marco Polo glaze and honey roasting juices.

Creamy Polenta with Italian hard cheese, leaf spinach, Fricasée of woodland mushrooms and extra virgin olive oil. (Vegetarian)

8oz Rib Eye Steak with roasted vine tomatoes, triple cooked chips and béarnaise sauce.

Wheeler’s Salmon Fishcake with buttered leaf spinach, soft boiled hens egg and tartare sauce.

I ordered the steak – medium – and The Bloke had the fishcake. I often avoid ordering steak when dining out, finding the quantity of red meat a little too much for one sitting, but it seemed ridiculous not to try the dish that the restaurant is famous for. It was perfectly cooked – seared, full of flavour, juicy and beautifully pink and served with a classic Béarnaise sauce. The Bloke equally enjoyed his fish cakes – made from freshly cooked salmon and coated in a fine breadcrumb. The only slight disappointment was that I would have preferred the chips to be slightly warmer, but our main courses overall personified Marco’s notion that simplicity in cooking can produce exquisite results.

By the time dessert arrived we had experienced a beautiful sunset and the ambience of the restaurant had been enhanced by blue/purple mood lighting, in lovely contrast with the view of the lights from the buildings in the city outside.

For Dessert the options were:

70% Bitter Chocolate Mousse with hazelnut nougatine.

Mr White’s Rice Pudding with apricots and vanilla.

The Boxtree Mess.

Baked New York Cheesecake with blueberry compote.

(It’s worth noting that all of the dessert dishes were suitable for vegetarians).

I opted for the chocolate mousse (of course) and The Bloke ordered the cheesecake. I’ve commented during previous visits on the fact that the mousse was the best I have ever eaten and this was no exception. Rich and incredibly smooth, the mousse was complimented by the texture of the crunchy hazelnut nougatine and the sweet whipped cream piped on top, and was just the right amount to finish the meal before it became sickly or too filling. Click on the images for the full size…

The Chocolate Mousse

New York Cheesecake

What an evening! The Bloke seemed to enjoy himself as much as I did. As we were leaving, Marco was still signing books and I didn’t want to disturb him or interrupt another guest’s experience so I didn’t say another goodbye. However, this ‘Bird from Bolton’ thinks the Lad from Leeds well deserves his reputation as a fabulous chef – and also proved to be a lovely person…

Disclaimer: I was invited to meet Marco Pierre White and review the new menu items free-of-charge, but was given no instructions or questions to ask and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. The interview was filmed with our permission.

An Interview with Marco Pierre White On Thursday night I was invited to a special ‘Meet Marco’ event at the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Grill on Level 25 of The Cube in the Mailbox, Birmingham.