Author: Daniel Ford

Daniel Ford is a media entrepreneur, writer, editor and publisher who specialises in launches and re-launches. He is the Publishing Director of media company Chase My Snail. He was previously Editor-in-Chief of GQ (South Africa), Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Life magazine (Independent News & Media) and CEO of the African design magazine Ogojii. He has consulted on digital media, magazines and books in England, India, the USA and South Africa, including creating a glossy print edition of the SABC's TV show Top Billing and branding for the Laureus World Sports Awards. He has written a number of books on fitness, sport and travel, which have been published all over the world, from China to Africa and from Russia to Australia. He loves carefully crafted words, digital and print publications produced with passion. And curry.

Curry quiz

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

See how you can do without Google. Answers at top of page where it says Curry quiz!

1. The Hindoostane Coffee House is widely acknowledged as Britain’s first curry house. In what year was it opened? (3pts for exact, 1 pt for within 5 years).

2. The Veeraswamy is Britain’ oldest curry house that is still open. In which famous Monopoly Street is it? (1pt)

3. Sag aloo includes which two main ingredients? (1pt if you get both)

4. Traditionally cooked with pork, what is Goa’s most famous dish? (1pt)

5. There are more than 13,000 curry houses in Britain? True or false? (1pt)

6. A Mongoose is particularly famous for fighting which snake? (1pt)

7. According to the British Curry Club what is the nation’s favorite curry? (1pt)

8. It was National Curry Week last week and they held a Poppadom Tower competition. How many poppadoms were piled high to create the record. (3pts for within 10, 1 pt for within 50).

9. The hottest curry in Britain is said to be the Rupali. In which city will you find it? (2pts)

10. Indian restaurants in Britain serve more than 2 million people every week. True or false? (1pt)

Curry Bard 2011

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

Daniel Ford, one of the founder members of the Greenwich Curry Club has been named Curry Bard 2011 by the National Curry Week following a national poetry competition. His poem about curry included some of the places he’s eaten the food…

National Curry Week

It’s early, it’s early
Very early and it’s breakfast time
The Delhi train rattles us on its way
A hawker’s fruit slice. A metal thali tray
The curry day is ready

It’s midday, it’s midday
Exactly midday and it’s lunchtime
The sun hits us sharp on the Durban sand
A bunny chow’s the order in this land
The curry day is underway

It’s afternoon, it’s afternoon
Dark wraps us up and it’s dinner time
Smart jackets here in Bermuda don’t you know
Masala’s the choice but the red is for show
The curry day is full on

It’s late, it’s late
Stars are our guides and it’s supper time
London’s partying’s all done
Closing time choices. Madras won
The curry day has ended

UK Curry Club directory

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

Pleased to reveal a  new feature on the GCC blog…

If you scroll down you will see on the right hand side http://www.curryclubs, which is the start of what will hopefully become a fairly comprehensive list of links to UK Curry Clubs. Some are business or networking clubs, while others are informal groups who get together regularly just for fun. The common thread is a love of curry (and alcohol by the look of things).

Those listed are the ones who appear to be active, but please contact me if you know any of these to be defunct or if you have links to other curry clubs. There are also likely to be many more who don’t bother with a blog or website.

Curry column

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

Check out the Greenwich Visitor (39,000 copies distributed this month) for a new monthly column on our nation’s favourite food. This month read about nominations for the Greenwich Curry Club Awards in association with the Greenwich Visitor, news on the National Curry Week, Britain’s Biggest Curry Party, a visit to The Coriander in SE3, fishy tips and info on curry nights in Richard I and The Mitre.

Read the Greenwich Visitor online

Eating on the roadside

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Great new book coming out in November called Food of the Grand Trunk Road (New Holland, £19.99) which includes recipes from along the route which stretches from Calcutta to Lucknow to Delhi then into the Punjab. Written by Hardeep Singh Kohli, recipes are from Anirudh Arora, head chef at Covent Garden’s Moti Mahal.

Watch video

Greenwich Curry Club Awards

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment

Voting for the Greenwich Curry Club Awards 2011, in association with the Greenwich Visitor, is now closed. Many thanks to everyone who voted. The results will be announced in the next issue of the Greenwich Visitor and on this blog at the end of the month.

Curry and a pint

On By Daniel FordIn Curry NewsLeave a comment
National Maritime Museum, GreenwichThese ‘curry and a pint’ Friday nights (to be held on 14 October, 28 October and 25 November) are surely too good to be missed by curry lovers…Discover the origins of the ‘Great British curry’, the story behind India Pale Ale and how the East India Company changed the eating and drinking habits of a nation. An evening of masala, manuscripts and migrations to stimulate the imagination and the taste buds. Speaking on this series of learning and dining events, will be historian Rozina Visram, Shrabani Basu, author of Curry: The Story of the Nation’s Favourite Dishand the beer writer and convivial raconteur, Peter Haydon.The evenings are held in partnership with Mogul Restaurant and Greenwich Meantime Brewery.

Booking: (Debit/credit cards):  http://www.nmm.ac.uk/tickets
Tel: 020 8312 6608

Time: 7.30pm

£25: Advance booking required (The price includes a biryani (meat, lamb or vegetarian), nibbles and a glass of India Pale Ale).

Spiced out waiting

On By Daniel FordIn 4. TakeawaysLeave a comment

Khan’s, Liverpool
(Takeaway)

In a snap survey of friends and Twitter people most people seem to think if you order an Indian to be delivered you should get it within 45 minutes. So Khan’s effort of an hour and 10 minutes to deliver four dishes just over a mile falls way short. Even if we’re understanding and realize it’s a Saturday night it’s still a long wait.

One of our party fell asleep waiting while another resorted to pacing the room like a caged animal in need of a spice fix.

Of course, when you’re hungry, no-one pays too much attention to the food quality but I can report that the Chicken Jalfriezi (£5.20) was certainly extra spicy as requested, the Chicken Pathia (£5.20) sauce was a bit watery but had that balance of sweet and sour and although the Chicken Tikka Biryani (£5.90) looked as good as any biryani I’ve ever seen the tikka taste was missing from the meat.

All in all, it filled a hole on a Saturday night but not much more sadly. I really must stop ordering from places that also sell doners and pizzas…

Delivery: free within three miles for minimum orders of £9. The food arrived 70 minutes after the order was taken.

Specials: 10% discount on delivery orders over £30 and a 10% discount for orders that are collected. Free Onion Bhaji for orders over £10 which are collected.

Khan’s, 52 Walton Vale, Liverpool L9 2BU Tel: 0151 530 4920. Open: Daily 4.30pm–late.

Khan’s snapshot

Food ① ②

Delivery service ① ②

Value ① ② ③

Service and friendliness ① ② ③

Britain’s Biggest Curry Party

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Please join Greenwich Curry Club at Britain’s Biggest Curry Party to raise money for the James Wale kidney cancer fund. Bring friends, it’s all for a good cause.

Gurkha’s Inn
Colom Street
@8pm on Thursday 20 October
£20 for a set meal, which includes a contribution to the charity and a beer from Mongoose.

Please mail greenwichcurryclub@hotmail.com to book.

http://www.britainsbiggestcurryparty.org/Events.html