Posts by: mervyn

I agree it's a fix.I was angry & disapointed at the Northern Ireland heats.And I have heard that one of the people featured supplies a certain Ulster Chefs resturant......

Ranner,
Just watching Stien in Japan at the moment.So different to Rhodes insults India.Watching Rick in the kitchen it's almost like he's in complete awe of the Japenese chefs,a bit like a kid in a sweet shop.
Definatly think Rick should've done India.

Hugh Fernley-Whitingstall's River Cottage Meat book is the ultimate guide to meat!!END OF!
I have read it cover to cover & now never but meat from the supermarket but from my local butchers.Far far better.
After that I have;
Gordon Ramsay-Sunday Lunch,
Rick Stein-Seafood lovers guide,
Floyd's India and Delia for reference with her 'how to' series.

Sorry,But I strongly disagree with your comment about Kieth Floyd.I have met the man himself.He is very polite,unnasuming & does'nt take himself too seriously.
(And it was'nt at a food show)

Seen that! Only thing I watched was Masterchef & Bourdain.When Rhodes came on,I went down the pub!

No suitable Indian Deserts.....Wonder why he did'nt serve up a Muller Rice then.
But I have noticed on the boards those of us who have complained about not so much the programme but the host seem to be a wide cross section of the community.From us 'Brits' who have been ashamed of G.R's lack of manners to our Indian comrades who state,quite rightly,that the is far more to Indian food than a Chicken Korma from the local take out.
Dont riday is Curry nightget me wrong,I love my British food.We have a lot of great dishes,Hot Pot,Faggots,Welsh Cawl,Stovies ect but Indian food is,in my opinion,as part of our modern heritage as those dishes.
For example,how many of us started our love of curry with a Vesta curry or even that curry sauce with sultanas & apple on your chips on the way back from the pub?I know I did.My first real curry was a Gurkha Curry in the Mess when I joined the RAF.
But how many of us curry lovers are still searching for the perfect curry?I know I am.I was hoping Rhodes would deliver.Sadly all he delivered was embarresment & scorn.
Regards,
Merv

I did'nt see the banquet as I'd stopped watching half way thru the first week.What did he cook?Was it Indian food or Rhodes interpretation of Indian food? Was the B&B pudding 'Indianised' or plain old Bread & Butter pud?
I did like Atul Kotcher's take on anglo Indian food on Great British Menu,I think Atul or Hardeep Singh Kholi (runner up on Celebrity Masterchef) would've been a better choice.

I like Boudain's way of not taking himself too seroiusly.Something Rhodes has no concept of.

I stopped watching half way thru the first week.Where I work the are a few Indian people from Kerala region.Normally,if the is a programme on about India I tell them it's on in case they did'nt know it was on.I did'nt this time.
And did anyone notice that on Great British Menu when GR & Atul were on,Rhodes was quite rude at times to Atul & blamed Atul when the Champaign for the oyster sauce exploded out the bottle & then promptly & curtly remarked to Atul simply because he was sxxxxxxing.

Quite agree Doug & Prodigal,
You just have to flick thru some of the other 'cable tv' sort of channels & see the cooking programmes they have on.One of my favorites is Planet Food.The episode with the beautiful scrummy Padma Lakshmi (Who is actually the wife of the actor who plays Daniel Jackson in the TV series Stargate) is miles better than the current "Rhodes screws India" series.
I hope UKTV Food can do better than what they are dishing up,I fear that they cannot tho.

I remember that one Tatooed Bev,
They were like little Dabs which he deep fried & had with a cold glass of Indian Beer,while watching the sunset...


Lucky bugger!

I think the Gudgeratti woman who was shortchanged by Peter in Masterchef would've been a good choice.I agree with Atol & Manju being a good choice tho.

Have noticed that the UKTV food staff are unusually quiet considering the amount of flak levelled at Gary Rhodes in his new series.

Agree 100%.I watched the NI heat of food heroes & was gobsmacked by the desicion! It all smacked of a set up to me. Anyway,did you see that one of his Soux Chef's has set up her own catering company.
Regards,
Merv

You know what I think would be good?
Mike Robinson owns a pub resturant & gets his beer from a Micro Brewery so how about him doing a programme where he travels around various small breweries sampling the beer & cooking a dish to go with the different beers.
I'm sure CAMRA would like that.
Merv

I did'nt have my Sky on for a while there due to things like work & TA deployments so I recently re-subscribed to Sky about 2 month ago.
UKTV Food was one of my favorite channels, I liked GFL & the programme with Merrilees Parker & John Christoph which,for the life of the name escapes me as well as Heavens Kitchen.
Sadly,since I resubed,I rarely watch the channel.The are far too many repeats of old shows done to death.The two new shows,Market Kitchen & Rhodes across India are bombing dreadfully.You just have to look at all the negative comments on here with regards to these two shows.
With the amount of money UKTV must fork out to show these repeats,surely they could invest in more new shows. Like say a competition show to find the best new chef in the UK & Ireland,giving 'junior' chefs the chance to shine.The is a lot of untapped talent out there working in pubs ect.
Just a thought.What are the views of the rest here?
Regards,
Merv

Many thanks prodigal2,
Will check them out tommorow,
Regards,
Merv

Many thanks for the link Prodigal2.I used to do home brew but have'nt made any for,oh around 8-10 years.Never seemed to have the time with work,TA deployments ext.
To be honest I was dissapointed with the results.The kit's were from Boots & gave very yeasty tasting beers.
Think I'll puruse that forum,dust off the bin & try again.
Thanks,
Merv

Was at Fremington last year with the Army.The is a good pub in Fremington village nearly opposite a delicious Chinese resturant on the corner that does good food.The pub opposite the Chinese,Red Lion I think,does not do food but is friendly atmosphere.
Been to Fremington 3 times with the Army & I love the area!
Regards,
Merv

My mandolin is used almost on a daily basis,my pestle & mortar for grounding my curry spiced & sea salt & black pepper & my electric steamer is used 2 or 3 times a week,same as my George Forman grill.And I agree on the Breville!
Electric bread maker,3 years old & used twice!!
Regards,
Merv

Bombay mix is,I was told a long time ago,the sweepings up from a Indian take away carpet! (Tastes like it too!)
Disgusting stuff!

Nigella Lawson done a recipie where she cooked it in Coka Cola;


[link]

Merv

Agree yadnam,
I would have liked to see Mike Robinson or even Mathew Fort instead.Mike Robinson comes across as passionate about good food without being pompous & Mathew Fort,although no being a chef,would be good from his willingness to learn.

One of the lads I work with is from Goa.His wife & family have invited myself & GF to stay as we're planning a trip to India later in the year. (makes a change from Spain/Italy ect )Looking forward to sampling the real deal,not the westernised curries we're used to.
In fact,last month when I was away with the TA at a Gurkha Barracks,I was lucky enough to try a Gurkha curry & it was THE best curry I have ever had!!Fragrent,spicy & very moorish!

A few of the blokes I work with are from Goa & Myself & the GF are off out later on in the year there.We have been invited to stay with them & their families.We are really looking forward to it & I'll bring back some good recipies.