A recent event at the Maille Boutique on the Piccadilly highlighted delicious ways to reduce food waste compliments of Harry Lalousis – the world’s first and only mustard sommelier – and the free food sharing app OLIO.
I had a tasty time attending and learned a lot.
First thing I learned was that French mustard and vinegar maker Maille has been doing what it’s most famous for since 1747 and that this iconic global brand produces more than 50 flavours of mustard and vinegar (all of which I’m pretty sure are available for purchase at the Piccadilly boutique). Among my favourite mustards tasted during the event were Green Pepper, Cognac with White Wine, and Hazelnut with Black Chanterelles and White Wine.
I also learned that there’s even such a thing as a mustard sommelier. Lalousis may be the only one in the world but the idea dates back to Maille’s early days and a dream that its founder, Antoine-Claude Maille, of mustard sommeliers educating people across France and the world about the benefits of his condiment.
Not quite as old as Maille but founded by folks with equally big ideas is Olio. Co-Founder Saasha Celestial-One (yeah, that’s her real name) was on hand at the boutique to chat about her free to download app for iPhone and Android and to encourage people to share more and waste less food.
The Olio app was designed to help people connect with their neighbours and local shop to share surplus food. If you love food and hate waste, care about the environment and seek opportunities to make friends in your community I highly recommend downloading the app. I’ve got it on my phone. I look forward to using to share.
Taking inspiration from Olio, Lalousis shared a few treats he’d made at home with the bits from a leftover watermelon that most folks probably would have thrown out thinking there wouldn’t have been anything to do with them. His watermelon vinaigrette and pickled rinds were gorgeous – and as he explained, they’re both super easy to make. I intend to give it a try and hope to be more aware of how to reduce wastage in my own kitchen.
Maille Boutique London is located at 2 Piccadilly Arcade, SW1Y 6NH. Find out more at
maille.co.uk.
For more about Olio go to olioex.com.
