Daily Giro Special

Everyday throughout the Giro d’Italia, starting on the Friday 9th May until Sunday 1st June, our Italian head chef Andrea P. Rubbio will be cooking a Giro Special everyday of the race for lunch and dinner at Mare Street.

Inspired by various aspects of the tour from the regions the team cycle through, inspired by the riders, their home towns, or just simple seasonal or classic Italian dishes you enjoy as you watch the tour.

“I’m Andrea, the head chef at Look mum no hands! I was born in Siracusa and I’m half British, half Italian. My passion of food began when I was a kid, spending my childhood in my fathers restaurant kitchens. I began cooking for my friends when I was a teenager and that’s how my career started. Working for various Italian restaurants in Italy, I decided to move to an italian based family restaurant in Scotland. I ten relocated to London as the head chef for Hurwundeki, a South Korean restaurant in Hackney. After my training with the head chef from Nopi – a Ottolenghi Restaurant near Regent Street – I learnt about middle eastern cuisine and discovered my passion for twisting classic Italian with food from all over the world. I am always experimenting and inventing new dishes to surprise my customers. I sometimes surprise myself! You can look at pictures of my work and recipes on my blog.”
– Andrea P. Rubbio

On rest days our Manager and beer aficionado Christian Campbell will be showcasing important Italian beers to enjoy in the cafe.

Join us for the Italian touch at Mare Street. Watch the Giro live at one of the best cycling cafe’s in London at Old Street and Mare Street. For this first time this year, you to enjoy regional, seasonal food at the same time at our branch on Mare Street. Watch the LMNH twitter, instagram and facebook for daily updates on the specials to enjoy from midday to 8pm at night.

Italian Pop Up
To celebrate the end of the Giro Head chef Andrea P.Rubbio & his cooking partner in crime HollyF*caccia will host an Italian Dinner Pop Up on Saturday 31st May from 7pm. The menu is a surprise 4 course meal, with a traditional Italian aperitivo, nibbles and Italian cocktails (spritz, negroni, sbagliato). We’re also screening ‘Totò al giro d’Italia’ (1948), an Italian comedy about the Giro directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Totò, an Italian comedian, film and theatre actor, writer, singer and songwriter.
Find out more and RSVP via facebook or email: theitaliandinner@gmail.com

Taster recipes
Risotto & co

Leek, mushroom and rosemary risotto

Serves 4

• Cut your leek, one big white onion in slices and crush 3 garlic cloves and put it in a big pan with some butter and start to cook it on a low fire until soft.
• Slice your mushroom (i used portobello) in big slices and add it to the leek and co.
• Put 3.5 water glass of arborio rice in the pan and start to toast the rice.
• Add a glass of watery stock (i use an homemade stock made by boiling coriander, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme) or put a tbs of dry stock and add some water.
• Wait until the rice will absorb all the water, and add more stock (1 glass or one tbs) and 1 quarter (or half) of good quality white wine glass.
• Continue until the rice will be almost ready (soft but not completely) and put everything in a deep and big oven tray, sprinkle half bunch of cut rosemary and put in the oven for 20min at 160c until golden brown.
• Cool it down for 10 minutes and serve it with a delicious glass of white wine (the one you used to cook).

 

You can also use this risotto to make arancini or a speciality from Siracusa (sicily) called Baked arancini.

Baked Arancino di Siracusa

Just wait until the risotto will be completely cold and make some balls, putting in the middle some soft cheese like a mozzarella or any other kind of cheese you have in the fridge and cover it with some puff pastry that you will wash with beaten egg yolk.

Bake your arancini in puff pastry for 15 minutes in the oven at 180c.

From Reggio Emilia …Erbazzone Reggiano

I spent many years in Reggio Emilia, surrounded by great friends, relaxing atmosphere and lots of time to spend to play music, sleep and eat! Just imagine yourself,  waking up at 12pm with a bad hangover of white wine and vodka, you just want to put your head in the fridge or get out from your flat and get in the nearest “forno” (bakery) to find some delicious and fatty slice of whatever things to eat to give you a sprint …

Just too lazy right now to explain how to do it…if you really want to know just ask me or go to Reggio Emilia!

Pastry: 400 g plain flour, 200 g lard, 1 glass sparkling water, 1 egg

Filling: 400g red chard, 200g baby spinach, 300 g parmigiano Reggiano, 50g lard, 1 onion, nutmeg, cayenne pepper.

Bòun aptît

 

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49 Old Street London EC1V 9HX
CAFE 020 7253 1025
WORKSHOP 020 7490 3928

Opening hours                                   
Mon–Fri  07:30–22:00
Sat  09:00–22:00
Sun  09:30–22:00                                

125–127 Mare St London E8 3RH
CAFE 07985 200 472

Opening hours
Mon–Fri 07:30–23:00
Sat 09:00–23:00
Sun 09:30–22:00

Tour De Knit

 

Do you like cycling? Do you like knitting? You can combine the two. We want keen crafters and knitters to create miniature yarn versions of the Tour de France stage winning jerseys to display in our cafes to celebrate 101 years of the Tour de France. And for every knitted donation we’re giving away a cycling cap.

We host a drop-in Knitting SOS session by cyclist & crafter Aneeta Patel every second Sunday of the month at Mare Street. Aneeta approached us because she wants to encourage yarn lovers to make jerseys to fill the cafes during the live screening of the tour. Anyone that loves to click the needles can create yellow, green, or polka dot jerseys we will use to hang up as bunting. All you need is double knitting wool and 4mm needles.

We have a pattern you can download by here: http://tinyurl.com/LMNHKnittingpattern
Or email Alex Davis for a PDF.

If you get stuck or you’d like to knit in a friendly group drop, in to one of her sessions. We want to see Look mum no hands! full to the brim with crafty cheer this summer.

Drop or post your knitting and don’t forget to leave your name, a postal address, and we will send out a cap to you in the post (please specify which cap you would like or we’ll send a random selection).

Knits can be posted to: Alex @ 49 Old Street, London EC1V 9HX
Or dropped them off at one of our cafes. Deadline is June 2014.

Knitting SOS: http://www.knittingsos.co.uk
Every second Sunday of the month @ Mare Street, 11am – 1pm

49 Old Street London EC1V 9HX
CAFE 020 7253 1025
WORKSHOP 020 7490 3928

Opening hours
Mon–Fri  07:30–22:00
Sat  09:00–22:00
Sun  09:30–22:00

——————————————-

125–127 Mare St London E8 3RH
CAFE 07985 200 472

Opening hours
Mon–Fri 07:30–23:00
Sat 09:00–23:00
Sun 09:30–22:00

LMNH wins Best Coffee Shop for London’s cyclists

We were honoured to be awarded the Best Coffee Shop for London’s cyclists by the 2014 Coffee Stops London Awards by you, our coffee loving cycling (and non cycling) supporters.

Created by author and agency head Chris Ward of Blue Dot, the awards follow on from the global success of his trending, two-million viewed ‘Coffee Stops’ tube map, his ‘Out Of Office’ best selling book, and background running campaigns for Britain’s biggest brands and charities.

London is a caffeine-powered city and these awards celebrate the very best in coffee culture. It’s created and curated by you – the customers, owners & baristas – which makes all the awards and celebrations based on personal recommendations.

There were 10 awards, including some special one off awards… and the concept is to celebrate the fast growing coffee shop scene. Every day millions of young, urban, commuters, workers, freelancers, cyclists, tourists and London’s opinion formers, hangout, work, create and chat, while enjoying the finest coffee and cakes the world has to offer… Our award was for “the best shop you can fix your bike and get you back on the road as fast as they fix your espresso and get your body fuelled to do the same thing.”

We’d like to thank to everyone who has dropped in for a cup, brew or slice, with or without their bike, and took the time to vote for us.

The awards recognise the very best of London’s coffee shop scene. The full list of winners of the 2014 London Coffee Stops Awards are as follows:

• London’s Best Coffee Shop: White Mulberries
• London’s Best New Coffee Shop: The Wren
• London’s Coolest Coffee Shop on Social Media: Four Corners
• London’s Best Coffee Shop for Out of Office Workers: Timberyard
• London’s Best Coffee Shop for Cyclists: Look Mum No Hands
• London’s Best Coffee Blog: Cups of London Coffee – Daniel Stevens
• Best Coffee Roasted in London: Square Mile Coffee Roasters
• London’s Best Coffee Shop Chain: Harris & Hoole
• London’s Best Coffee Shop for Cakes and Bakes: Artisan
• London’s Coolest Baristas: Black Box

For more information and to send on your coffee fueled tips & comments on twitter @chrisatcoffice or facebook

Summer Fete and Great British Bunt Off this Sunday 31 July

Look Mum No Hands Summer Fete Sunday 31 July

Roll Up! Roll Up! for the first ever Look Mum No Hands Summer Fete
An afternoon of fun for everyone with old fete game favourites 
including guess the weight of the cake, find the key and bash the rat.
There will be loads of prizes up for grabs throughout the afternoon,
including goodies from Tatty Devine, Suck & Chew, Charles Lamb pub, 
Maiden, Urban Outfitters and Bobbin Bicycles.

Restless Nights  will be whipping up a storm in their very own
sweetness emporium and Blues Night will be cranking out hits from
the early twentieth century on his wind-up gramophones. 

Punters can also take part in the inaugural Great British Bunt Off 
hosted by Ruby Shoes Rocks. Get together with some friends or
colleagues or make your very own 4m string of bunting and deliver
it to the cafe before 10am on Sunday 31 July. Then come along 
to the Fete and marvel at the mind blowing bunting on display. 
The public will vote for their favourite before the bunting tours
to other UK venues. Full details here 

Prizes will be also be awarded to winners of Velo Venture, a 
revealing cycle trail of urban wildlife, that you can take 
part in throughout July. There will be a selection of beautiful 
handmade items for sale and special afternoon teas and ice cream 
available, as well as the usual cafe favourites.

The Look Mum No Hands! Summer Fete will raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Registered Charity No. 1062559 Look Mum No Hands! 49 Old Street, London EC1V 9HX Free cycle parking. Bus: 55, 76, 243, Tube: Barbican, Old St. www.lookmumnohands.com

The Great British Bunt Off

French Cycling Ads of the 1980s

We all know the French are style leaders, and the 1980s saw an evolution of aesthetics like no other. So here are my carefully scanned collection of 1980s cycling ads for your viewing pleasure. Full set here http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmelewis/sets/72157624954213280/

Personalised Brooks saddles by Skully

SKULLY STAMPS

Personalise your leather saddle with hand stamped lettering.

You can choose up to ten letters or numeric characters in the smaller 1/4″ sans-serif typeface shown, or up to 6 letter characters in the larger 3/4″ fancy open-face lettering for £25,
Each legend is hand-tooled to order, debossed into your saddle by Skully using brass leather punches. The leather is punched across the seat area of the saddle in an arch shape. Only upper-case lettering is available.

Please note the lettering is a hand-made service and that the hide of the saddle is a natural product, so small variations in the spacing, centring or curving of the line of letters is inevitable during the debossing process, though Skully will do his utmost to add the letters to your saddle as beautifully as he can. Please note that any spaces to separate words in the lettering should be counted as a character.

Skully offers a security marking on the underside of the saddle for an additional £5. Firstly this is a customisation to mark out your beautiful new Brooks saddle, and secondly a great way to improve security for your saddle by adding your postcode to a discreet spot on the underside of the hide saddle.

Please state clearly on the order the legend that you would like debossed onto the saddle, and detail the postcode that you would like adding to the underside if that is required. If the number of top characters and spaces is 6 or less, please stipulate which size type you require. If you request 7 – 10 characters and spaces, then the small 1/4″ plain type will be used.

The Small print:

On ordering lettering on your saddle you agree to accept that the style and execution of the lettering is as Skully has interpreted your order, and as such are non-returnable. Once your saddle has been stamped there’s no way that LMNH can accept returned saddles under any grounds, but please be assured that Brooks England’s own QC process is highly stringent and all saddles will be re-inspected by Skully and/or LMNH for any serious structural or cosmetic faults before the stamping is done. There may sometimes be some small marks anywhere on the saddle’s hide where the hand-tooling work can lead to tiny dents, flats and marks from the letter dies or from bumps and knocks in the process, but again Skully will do his utmost to take good care of the surface of the saddle whilst debossing the lettering.

Your artwork on Old Street

Look Mum No Hands! are looking for an eye-catching design to decorate the black internet ‘cabinet’ across the road from our place on Old Street.

Designs should be positive and reflect the creativity and diversity of the local area, special local places or cultural history. They will be painted onto the cabinet – painting materials are provided and there is a fee available if you paint it on yourself.

You can look at examples of cabinets that have already been painted here EC1 is special face book page

We think a celebration of cycling would be rather nice!

To be in with a chance to have your artwork on the cabinet simply send us your design on the template, downloadable here and email it to art@lookmumnohands.com by 6pm on Wednesday 24 November. As the cabinet has four paintable sides a front and back will need to be submitted. Please include your name and contact details in your email along with links to your website (if you have one).

We should be able to let the chosen artist/ designer know by Sunday 28 November and the cabinet needs to be painted by mid December. There are no funds available for travel so if you’re going to paint the cabinet yourself you’ll need to get yourself to Old Street. Free bike parking is of course available across the road at Look Mum No Hands!

Sadly the high demand for coffee and bicycle repairs means we won’t be able to give individual feedback on all entries but we will keep your details to hand in case other suitably creative opportunities should arise in the future.

Good Luck!