3471 days ago
It is another Hop-tu-naa tradition. You really do not want to know what is in Dumb cake or Soddag Valloo, to give it its Manx name. Oh, okay then.
Eggs, egg shells, flour, water, soot and salt. Yum Yum. In olden days just before going to bread on Hop-to-naa folks would divide up the cake, eat in silence (hence dumb), and walk backwards to bed. There young women would see in a dream their future husbands who would bring them a glass of water.
3837 days ago
Have a piece of Soddag Valloo on Hop-Tu-Naa before going to bed. Eat in silence (hence the English name dumb cake). Have a sip of water. Walk backwards to bed and you will dream of the person you will marry. Sounds great. But there is a drawback.
Soddag Valloo is made from eggs (yolk, white and the shells very finely crushed), salt, flour and er…a sprinkling of soot. Yes, it does not taste great.
However, Reda and I have made some anyway. We are are not going to charge for this but anyone ordering the Hop-Tu-Naa special menu will be offered a small piece on the house anyway. We will not be offended by refusal but we make the offer.The Hop-tu-naa menu goes live from noon Wednesday and lasts until closing time on Hop-Tu-Naa itself (Thursday 31st)
The full menu can be found here.
3837 days ago
Taking a brief break from the kitchen where the Manx crab and turnip creamed soup is taking shape and before Reda and I turn our attention to Soddag Valloo (dumb cake) there are a few minutes to raise the Isle of Man flag inside Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell.
Hop-tu-naa may be the Celtic New Year but it is a uniquely isle of man celebration. And so the flag goes up.
As of tomorrow it will be joined by a few other items. If you are Manx and in London on Wednesday & Thursday and wish to celebrate with us remember that we offer a 20% discount to any customer paying their bill in Manx bank notes.
The full Hop-tu-naa menu is almost ready and you can view what is on offer here.
3843 days ago
In case you had forgotten next week (the 31st) is Hop-tu-Naa. Not Halloween (All souls night) but Hop-tu-naa (the Celtic New Year). We will be celebrating at Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell on both Wednesday and Thursday.
The turnips (what the Manx call a Swede) have been ordered and will be carved out for lanterns. And the Hop-tu-Naa Special Menu has been finalised:
A Manx crab and turnip ( swede) creamed soup
Followed by
Our Hop-tu-Naa pizza – Crab, Queenies and Olives with a strip of parmesan on a fresh spinach base
Followed by
Either:
A special dark chocolate Hop-tu-Naa pizza (pictured)
or
Reda’s Fames chocolate mousse cake
With all meals a small piece of Soddag Valloo ( you don’t want to know) is on the house & Manx Spirit ( again you do not want to know) is only £2 a shot with your meal.
Two courses - £12, Three courses £15.
I cannot imagine any other restaurant in London will be celebrating Hop-tu-Naa next week so if you wish to make an early reservation please call us on 0207 242 3246
