Galantine is a whole boned bird, a ballotine is the leg

You'll need ebay or a specialist butcher, due to its other uses....

Haven't been since 2002, back in January. I don't think Vinnies does lunch, try the VBG or the restaurant underneath the Art gallery (memory fading) or Harbourside - the view's fantastic. I can't oversell the trip to Waiheke - took Granny on her 80th and had a brilliant time. These are all central - Auckland's a very big (but not populous city). There are great places in Mission Bay and Ponsonby too.

Cool Chile Co sells blue masa harina

In Auckland try Vinnies, my last employers there or Harbourside for the view. Do go to Waiheke and eat in the flying saucer at a vineyard (name escapes me); in Wellington, try Te Papa in the museum of New Zealand for the view. In Hawkes Bay go wine tasting and eat at Stoney Ridge. Enjoy

Loon Fung on Gerrard sst should sort you out, I must confess I don't know what hokkien noodles are

Brie's humour notwithstanding.... If you draw the bird with a carrier bag on your hand, you can invert the bag and voila, the pluck's in a disposable unit!

Did you use a plastic bag inverted?

Same difference

Fishmongers often stock them and would probably do you a deal for a case

If you don't leave the oil in the chip pan but filter (when cold) and store in the fridge; it'll last for ages. It goes rancid more quickly because of the food particles in it so pass thru' kitchen roll and refrigerate.

We get it from commercial greengrocers. It's the most temperamental of herbs and almost always comes from Israel in the wintermonths. The wild stuff that grows by the road here is hardy but has no flavour compared to the cultivated thing.

A mixture of tarragon and flat leaf might be better; try your greengrocer.....

Yeah but no but yeah , I want that one....

Try Wiltons and the Goring Hotel, behind BP _ The Queen Mum used to go for tea from Clarence House once a week

Well done - sounds delicious - any leftovers (orders doggie bag...)!

If you eat it now the adrenelin will make it very tough. Give it at least acouple of days to relax in hot weather. There is a theory that swears freezing will help but I haven't tried it. Is it a cock or a hen? If a cock, the spurs at the back of the leg will tell you its age - if soft, under 2, if firm over. If a hen; is the lower mandible(jaw) pliable or hard? It's early doors in the season, so if they're /it's young you can roast, otherwise braise. If you really don't like it gamey, mince it and make a sauce for pasta.

HOW many baskets? Are you catering a wedding?

As anchovies are baby herrings (not scientifically, but follow the idea) they have no more salt than you or I do in our flesh. For a long time they've been salted to preserve them. Fresh anchovies are almost sweet and are delicious. They add a very savoury, as opposed to salty flavour to meat, especially lamb as well as the salt they carry with them. I bet the pasties were delicious!

Having taught and holidayed in Tuscany for many years, I can't understand your request! Even the lower grade of cheese that is Grana Padano is streets ahead of tinned 'Parmesan'..
Little and better

Kenwood rocks! I suggest you buy the mincer attachment - over a year, it'll pay for the machine. My sister has Granny's Mum still uses hers and I have a 10yr old one - bad business for the late Mr Wood but great for the consumer!

The tomatillas I'm used to are always green, I don't know a purple variety. They should be the size of a tomato ande be lightly fragrant. Just pull off the papery covering and wash with hot water to remove the sticky covering. They're widely used and make an excellent sauce for pork when stewed with onions, garlic, green chillies and coriander. They're still unusual here so good luck!

No, Rustie; it's due to a very special combination of kitchen chemistry and Sod's Law of Dating....

I suggest when you cook it, you use a couple of pkts of ink in the water. They're about 35p each but help keep the colour in the pasta rather than leaching out. If you make SI risotto don't have it on a first date as it'll stain your teeth!

Expert is 2 words - 'x' the unknown quantity and 'spurt', a drip under pressure! I lay no claim to expertise on the keyboard/net! LOL

It's called 'chin kiang' and is brewed for full flavour from grain and malt

It's called 'chin kiang' and is brewed for full flavour from grain and malt

Try Chinatown, at Loon Fung or any of the Thai shops, Tawana on Chepstow Rd, Sri Thai on Shepherd's Bush Rd or Talad Thai on Upper Richmond Rd. They tend to sell quickly but the deliveries are usually Tues/Weds. China town's your best bet.

Cheers! We got through almost 3000 covers over 10 lunches on bottled gas!

Hi, Just back from teaching in france - went straight from running the sign ature restaurant at the Southampton Boat show. Have to agree that Ennio's was a super place and you'll be very well looked after. Steer well clear of the de Vere hotel, the waiting staff and food are charming but there are seriously important training issues they need toi address. Ennio's a star and looked after my team superbly!

As they're v. astringent; I use 1 lb sloes(pricked with a fork at least once); 1lb sugar to 1 pt gin in big (widemouthed) bottles and leave a year. Good luck

My three faves are the Wolsley, Zuma and Racine. I don't go to Langans because they laughed a t me last time for tipping on top of the service charge - beware. You might also enjoy Yauuatcha and Fino

S.r Contaldo will make you feel like a star as he's such a great bloke. The Maitre d's also called Gennaro so it gets confusing but Charlotte St.'s all the better for him

Dannyboy - have consulted my McGee and you're absolutely right. Flour doesn't contain gluten but it's formed as you say. How complex this all is. Thank you for pointing out my error.

I use Wursthof dreizak but do try the balance and wet hand tests. You'll find the prices are all much the same for the same quality

Gastrovolpe is absolutely right, three good knives and a decent steel are all you need and will stand you in good stead, I still use some of my first knives bought in the heady days of the 80's. If you want a bread knife; buy cheap as the edge isn't as important. Do buy good German blades and check the balance. I'd've thought the three would be about ?130 but perhaps your college has an agreement for bulk purchase with a local supplier? Good luck.

What an extra-ordinary post! Doppo zero (00) flour is a measure of its size. Kneading flour does not develop gluten - which is a protein in the grain, the proportion of which makes it 'strong'. The open texture comes from gas (CO2) produced by the yeast

Just leave it out; the root has an earthy flavour; completely different from the seeds which are very orange in their flavour. If you can buy your coriander from Indian grocers; they'll need scraping but otherwise leave out

Or Mr Turner's gaff at the Millenium Hotel. If you want to see Ed, he's more often seen at his Fulham Rd branch

You must try Rogano's, which is in the centre of town. It was designed by the same people as did the Queen Mary and is fab!

Brill, thanks guys!

LOL
Their hygiene is perfect; that should read mince pies
Tee hee

Thnx rustie - I'm a bit rubbish at the old computer thing - what's the gr key? I've got the alt and $ ones but can't see 'gr'. Am sure it's terribly obvious!Off to bed now; a hefty week in Rome behind me. Kindest regards, Rx

laab?

Also too late; just back from Italy. The Goring's run by a mate of mine and have spent many a post Xmas mass there with mice pies! Should you have been close to S. Bush; my local pub is tucked away and does a fine Sunday lunch.
Hope it was good

For home use, a cheapy japanese version's cool; mine is commercial and was about £100. Do watch those fingers tho'.

I would question why you want global knives - they are flimsyour chopping will be so much y and tiring. There are many other brands that are more effective and less stressful. You only really need a big one and a small one and with careful care they should serve you well. When buying a knife; hold it so the heel is passed you index finger and see if it can balance. If it does, it's a cheap one which will tire you. If gravity makes the blade descend; your chopping will be so much easier.
2 good knives are worth 20 rubbish ones IMHO.

Just buy the version with whizzer and small 'capsule' for spices/pesto. The whisk doesn't work and the jug's never used. That said, they are an indispensible part of a modern kitchen

Drying would be my preferred method; then keep in akilner jar out of light and away from heat to retain flavour

"sweet' means unflavoured ie no herbs or spices; just meat. The term is also used of fresh water cf salt water. The best sweet sausages in London come from Camisa and son on old Compton st in Soho. They are often taken from the skin and used for pasta sauces and stuffings. They should be pure pork (puro suino) and unflavoured. I think there's a recipe of mine on site which is Bolognese and uses peppers and de-skinned peppers for pasta.

Most large supermarkets will sell 00 flour. I suggest you use yeast rather than selfraising as the flavour's much better. Wholemeal is healthy but any Italian would laugh you out of town!

As they're less astringent than sloes, I make my damson gin using 2/3 the sugar I'd use for sloes i.e. 3.3.2 being lbs damsons/pints gin/lbs sugar

My Mother could never make good scones; they were the first thing I made. Don't over stress and don't over work. Rather than knead them, perhaps you could use a tupperware container and once sealed, shake together. Also DON'T use self raising flour, you never know how fresh it is and it does go off. Use plain and add your (freshly purchased) BP

Good luck

I would suggest grilling field mushrooms gill side down til cooked and then sandwiching with goats' cheese, oregano and garlic and cooking again; like a hamburger. A little oil to stop sticking and serve with a tomato salad

Yum

Regattsa is good enough for spoken if not correctly spelled!! Just back from 4 days in Rome; highly recommend last night's restaurant nr. the Trevi fountain; the Quirino. Unusual but typically Roman; super pasta and great fish. I always bring back porcini stock cubes and dried porcini mushroom slices. Don't buy at the airport tho' as you'll pay at least double. The 'proper' price for Parmesan (depending on quality) is C= (how else to do a Euro sign?) 17-26

having spent years at the show (tho' prob. not going this year) I wholeheartedly recommend the Hotel de Vin in the old eye hospital. Enjoy!

Pumpkins have been cultivated for a long time in Central America, this is a 'pepian' or pumpkin seed thickened stew which I did in Capetown recently. It is originally with green tomatoes or tomatillas and quail or pheasant. The ancho chillies are important for richeness and can be bought from the Cool Chile Company on line or from Sainsburys

Linefish in pumpkin seed sauce
Serves 6
Although escabeche and seviche are definitive Mexican fish dishes, this dish takes the country to the sea. A similar sauce can be used for quail or pheasant.

6 ancho chillies
6x150g raw, pieces of linefish, the thicker the better
145g toasted pumpkin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, do.
450g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
pinch allspice
1 chicken stock cube

to serve
coriander or chopped oregano leaves and toasted pinenuts

Gently toast the ancho chillies, destem and shake out the seeds. Cover in warm water and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Toast and then grind the seeds to a powder. Blend the onions, garlic, tomatoes together. Stir in the powdered seeds and then bring to a simmer. Season with black pepper and the stock cube. Cook til thickened, around 15 minutes. Gently place the fish in the pan and spoon over the sauce. Poach til cooked, about 6 minutes. Scatter with the herbs and pinenuts.

Enjoy it, I'm off to the south of France tomorrow for a week - hurrah!!

NO!
The greater the difference between the cake tins the greater the area. This is when science comes into the kitchen. A round cake tin is a cylinder. Its volume is pi x r squared x height (can't find scientific notation, sorry). Heat, in a flat circle, will go mainly from the top and bottom, so to cook a larger cake the same thickness will take much the same time but to accurately calculate the mixture you must use this formula for a good result. For instance, a 20cm cake tin's area is 314.6cm; a 30cm tin's area is about 700 so that works but if you take a 25cm cake tin the area is about 430 so the depth will be different and hence the cooking time. Worth the effort for a good result.

Just make a double strength roux and flavour with Gouda or emmental and chervil/tarragon. When cold stir in the crevettes - they're quite strong as you know. Allow to chill in the fridge and then pipe into 2cm thick croquettes and freeze. Double crumb and deep fry. serve with lemonwedges and tartare - yumsk!!!!

Crevette gris is the French name for brown shrimps, the Dutch also translates as this. There is a great Belgian recipe for croquettes made of thses. Again, they're available in 100g vacpacs. Order them from your fishmonger

Half the fun is peeling them yourself! You can buy Dutch peeled grey shrimps from your fishmonger, they come in 100g vacpacs but aren't as good as the fresh

I have spent a lot of time in C. Durham and Northumbria but must confess when I come north I bring with... The internet must be the way forward tho', do try the punch if you can... it jolly well works,,,, (hic)

The two are very different, one is more suitable for Indian (N), the other is looser and better for Thai and Carribean food. Making it from the stoned (!) pulp isn't difficult and you get far more for your money.

BTW, the yummiest punch is as follows
1 part lime juice
1 part tamarind pulp from block
2 parts golden sugar
3 parts dark rum
4 parts (diet) lemonade
1 tsp ground mace per litre punch

Ladies!
Time for bed!

I use a mixture of beans and rice, which fills out the pastry for a more even result. Just rice is too heavy and can squash delicate pastry. The ceramic ones are money for jam. If you use good parchment you can re-use that too - how cheap amI? LOL

Had dinner at the Wolseley last night, between lucian freud, Ned Sherrin and Nigel Slater - who knows who else was there - very hot spot!

I believe the farmers market and some of the symposia are open to all. I'm there all day Wednesday - see you there!

You can buy cheap plungers in some supermarkets for £6-8. Filters are made to not taint the coffee flavour so suggest you don't skimp - they're only a few penced each

The crystalline structure of the caster as opposed to the powder of icing, is necessary to incorporate the air when creamed, the crystals 'cut' the air in

The only two spices I can think of for paella are saffron and pepper. The saffron's best infused in warm wine, you can add at the same time. There a re a number of paella dishes, depending on whether they're from the coast or up country. I suggest you google

Cheers

Cool! There's a number of us who have a boys' dining club who also meet for 'board meetings' ie meetings when we're bored! The Royal China was a fave but we agree it's slipped. Hakkasan's a bit too spenny for LBLs (long boozy lunches) and also not as much fun, far better for dinner. Shoreditch is far too far away (I can see the emails already..) but we too are looking forward to Hakkasan's little brother.

We'll definitely try the other two in coming weeks, many thanks! A very grand Chinese friend of mine often visits the Lee Ho Fok, which is known to all by a similar but slightly different name....

A little while's OK, milk works too, to draw out excess blood and 'flavour' Don't forget to remove the white cores and only just cook. I love them, they're so under-rated

Am I missing something? Paneer's not Vegan!

Any where closer in for this week Ian?

A little vege oil will work as a vector for flavour. Incidentally, making your own paneer with kids is fun but is less firm than storebought

If you must have it whole, I'd suggest marinating it as above, drain and pat dry. Brown and then pot roast on onions celery and carrots with some of the marinade. This'll keep it moister. In Italian we call this cu the 'stinco' which always amuses! I would mince though for a ragu unless you know the species and age of Bambi. Yummy tho'

Best I keep recommendations to myself - hate to raise the ire of the moderator. The only place I keep schtum about is my local - a country pub in town! Oops, said too much already....

As the shank will have done much work, it'll not be tender, even if young. The meat will also have a lot of gelatinous connective tissue so there are two options to consider, firstly to marinate and then braise in red wine, this might be a little dry. I would remove all the meat, mince and make a ragu for pasta. You'll get all the flavour without it being dry.

Hi chipotle - I filmed a series in the SW for Carlton about 5 years ago and had a great time with the friendly people in Sedona, Durango, Phoenix etc. I'm making my annual 'chipotle in adobo' batch this weekend! Sadly, most people here think of South west food as tortilla chips and gloop. Have a chicken fried steak on me!

Well done you, freshly found for me and brill! However tsk tsk for eating shark!! Will put my WWF hat on!!

Do look at the L C one, I use mine commercially for courgettes etc - worth its weight

Had lunch today with a chef friend, on the recommendation of a London reviewer in a Chinese restaurant different from our usual dim sum place. I must say it was brilliant, if in a strange place. It is called the Phoenix Palace in Glentworth St. nr Baker St but north (out of the congestion charge area). Excellent!

Le creuset do a super one just as you want - check your stockist - about £89 I think but worth every penny

Hiya, I use them in salads, I think I've seen them growing on acacia type trees in Thailand, it might've been the Singha! They're quite fibrous and brown easily. They can be found at Thai/Chinese supermarkets. Finely sliced raw asparagus is closer in taste than French bean in taste

Hi Lynne, glad you're using the recipes! It was sesame oil (I can eat peanut oil tho'), sometimes the transcribing gets a glitch. As for the venison, I'd recommend slicing it very thinly and just flash in the wok before saucing. Alternatively, if you think the venison might be less than tender, you could braise with ginger and garlic, rice wine, stock and a little Szechewan pepper, finishing with oyster sauce and spring onions for a delicious result.
PS Como looking good

LOL
Am avoiding the VAT return all to easily! Self-employment's supposed to be better than this!
I guess it's just your keys and me..
Damn, Georgie - too bad huh?!

OK, as I'm cast as a 'cad', I'll share a moment from 2 nights ago at the Restaurant Awards. Apart from James Hewitt being booed by 1000 people, my moment of the night was Lesley Phillips coming out to present an award. He walked out, stood at the podium and looked about. After a minute or so he just said Heeeeeelllooooo.
The assembled were in stitches. The man's a living God. Later he got in to the 'diiiiiiing-doooongs" but that's for another night....

Keys in the bowl boys.....

Oops, hoisted by the posting order - switch the two and get a different message.
Am a farm boy but don't plow other blokes' furrows
Calm girls; a chap'll get a swelled head..
Stop it!!!
LOL

Quite!
LOL (slippery bunch aren't you?!)
Tee Hee
Rx

You've let slip 'bout the old Man - many things but not a home wrecker.....
LOL
Rx

Love the Cotswolds; am back in June with my Mummy and step-Dad - have seen a few but up for new ones . Our itinerary's not yet in concrete so love to hear your local gen, Georgie! (PS snogs)

For glamour and celebs, you can't beat the Wolesley - last time i was there it was full of 'names' from John Mortimer to Greaham Norton It's by the Ritz
East at west is next to the Ivy and serves very classy (not hot) ASian fusion food

What a great thinbg to look forward to! Do get a gardener to point out the difference between male and female, or you'll lose your harvest.

Anchos(with guajillos and pasillas ) are important in the mole dishes of Mexico. They have little heat and much flavour, mainly wood smoke, tobacco, licquorice, coffee etc. Dodie who owns the CCC is an old friend and will help you with any queries. I'm taking a load to Sth Africa for my hands-on dems in May. A taste sensation!

Buy dried, you could serve fresh or, to save time, make a bake with oily garlic breadcrumbs (I doubt vegan cheese melts) and oven to order. You could go subtle - like a vegan veloute and artichokes or robust with a tomato, chilli, oregano oilve sauce

Good luck

Going to completely ignore the dietary conversation (as a vegetarian with meat and fish) and suggest two things. One is that soup made in your usual way (eg watercress or leek etc) with some sliced and peeled potatoes will, when blended, come out creamy

Also, the asian cuisines are by far the best at vegetarian food and they need not be chilli hot - perhaps a vegan curry?

Try this; I have done it on the show and it always goes down well, just don't rush the cooking as it's quite dense. Serve warm with h/m tom. sce.


Courgette, Mint and Pea Pie
by Ross Burden
Servings: 10
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 x 350g ready-rolled puff pastry (check for lard!)
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if necessary
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 large courgettes, halved lengthways and sliced into 0.5cm slices
250g fresh ricotta
6 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground pepper
30g fresh mint leaves
2 cups peas, defrosted or fresh and blanched
150g freshly grated Parmesan

You will need:
Rolling pin, cook's knife, chopping board, grater, loose-based 20cm flan tin, frying pan, spatula, measuring spoons, pastry brush
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

2. Line a greased, loose-based 20cm tin with the puff pastry and reserve a pastry circle to fit the top.

3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add in the onion and the garlic and fry gently until softened.

4. Add in the chopped courgette. Fry, stirring often, over a low heat to cook off any excess liquid, around 10 minutes, adding a little extra olive oil if needed. Set aside to cool.

5. Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl. Add in the beaten egg, reserving a teaspoon. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

6. Shred the mint and fold through the mixture.

7. Add the peas, the fried courgette mixture and the Parmesan, mixing well.

8. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the pastry-lined tin. Cover with the pastry circle, crimping the edges together to seal them. Cut a small slash in the centre of the pie and glaze with the reserved beaten egg.

9. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. To check that the pie is cooked through insert a skewer into the middle of the pie. Withdraw it after 20 seconds and if the skewer is hot the pie is cooked through. Serve hot or cold.

Will bow to you - the balls in your court so to speak - my reading of testify was literally swearing on one's...

Hands were invented before spoon s and, when clean, are the best utensils we have. Don't imagine how those towers happen in restaurants - it ain't with tongs and gloves. I was very lucky last year to tread the port harvest and didn't wear wellies!!

BUT, remember that vitC tablets contain, rather than are, vit C. Most of the tablets are filler, so buy the high dosage tablets and calculate how many tablets are needed

Georgie - am impressed by your Greek and knowledge of testicles! LOL! I thought orchid, from orchis-testicles, came from the bilobed pollen pouch. If you look at an orchid, it has five petals and a trumpet shaped central structure. At the top of the aperture is where the pollen forms in a scrotal form so the bee/moth will pull it onto its back as it exits after the pollen.
On GFL on Fri FYO

Da Fiori is v. posh but v. romantic, but the best is Locandaa Cipriani on Torcello; take a water taxi and enjoy the luxury - better for lunch tho'

Maldon salt comes from Essex and is stocked by most supermarkets

I agree the caesar salad sounds great, the Parmesan'll be quite fullon in flavour. A little smoked chicken or grilled prawns would make a great addition. Depends on the main I guess. Good luck

In addition to all the other excellent suggestions, I would just add that caramel is unnatural and has a desire to return to a crystalline form. If you stir the caramel or use golden sugar which still has starches, the caramel will turn to crystals. It just takes a while to get used to the right temperature between runny and sticky. The best thing is to take it slowly and you'll soon get the feeling of the right texture of the molten sugar. It's over 120C so keep the kids away, it sticks and burns skin very easily. Good luck

Couldn't agree more with Nick; I was the face of ORCA - the Ocean Recovery Campaign run by the WWF. I've worked with them for quite some time as my background is Zoologist/fishing. If we could just get used to cooking properly and be less dependent on recipes, fish like macerel (a personal favourite whilst fresh) and whiting would be used more. With the tiniest bit of experience, we can get used to using dab for plaice, whiting for cod etc. Sadly, these spp. are thrown back when dead; it'd be far healthier for the sea if these resources were more satisfactorially harnessed. It's quite a political issue but no less imortant for that. If we harvested/spoiled the land as we do the sea we'd see a great difference in policy. Beyond the conservational angle, there're loads of delicious fish which aren't stocked except for very local markets which could be enjoyed rather than imported frozen horrors. I nelieve we should support our fishermen and our seas

It's called sunset orange (can't remember the E number) suggest you use natural products which are less fluorescent

Ciao Gastrovolpe; c'e' buonno; certo (it's great, certainly - bad Italian, scusi). Great to practise my halting Italian and chat to people in Italy. I have a great passion for Italy; although known for my travels and work in Asia which has become a passion for me, I love la Bell'Italia and have been there since '88. I find it the closest in terms of life , love and the world to my native New Zealand of any of the Northern countries. Gennaro Contaldo and I have, at length, discussed this. I worked for a number of companies teaching, in Inglese, cooking in Italy; til I found La Bella Dooressa Harris (Valentina) (and blissfully work with her. Many avventure(adventures) e scerze to folow...

I teach from time to time in Italy Martino; in the Veneto, Liguria and Toscana. Was in a school near Aulla, nr La Spezia in October. I was working for La S.a Valentina Harris, but will be in France for her this year as the school is being re-furbished, go to www..villavalentina.co.uk (com?) must check! But open to offers... LOL

Ciao tutti!
Have laughed so hard over this thread! I have great friends who live outside of Siena (in St.a Columba) and for all the truffles, porcini and salumi I bring back, I take marmalade, tea and Marmite for them and the other stranieri of the area. Then the word pomeriggio made me think of the manager of the last school I worked in (vicino La Spezia) who was always last to bed and last up so was known as S.a Pomeriggio (Mrs. Afternoon)in code away from the clienti. LOL

Try verjuice, made from unripe winegrapes. You can find it in S'bury's special selection or by post. Keep it in the fridge and use in the same quantities as lemon juice. It's great in sauces etc.

Buon giorno Gastrovolpe
After many years of working and holidaying in La Bell' Italia, I've can't recollect ever seeing coriander, but would have called it cilantro, rather than coriandolo'. I would expect the traders of Liguria and the Veneto to be where it might be found, is coriandolo' Piemontese diletto?

The belly, or fatty tuna is the most prized, it has plenty of veins for pinkness. the yellow eye etc is white and the blue fin etc which are dark are the meatiest. All are good but different.

Aah, Rustie - I thought we were on "Offers page" LOL A good butcher'll source it for you Arnavaz

You can buy hoi sin sauce at the supermarket, otherwise, braise plums, honey, soy and garlic and blend. The takeaway opens a jar, I suggest you do

Sure, had pirogi, bigos (made with bison in Bielowieska(?)) and soups - I think MarkV's thinking of Patio, which is very authentic. Am gutted my Polish was erased.... I'm sure it'll come in handy again. Lovely to have you with us Fionna.

Try The Natural Casing Co; PO Box133 Farnham Surrey GU10 5HB - about £13/kg

Oops I guess I got censored in case it was rude!! The phrase meant "2 large beers please" LOL

Gosh, I chose the right nationality - huh! Where I live is close to a large Polish community in London, but all I remember in Polish is "********" or there abouts - you'll get the gist Fionna!

I first went to Czech Republic, saw Pague 10 yrs ago, bet it's changed! Drove down into Bohemia to Telc, Pilzen Cesky Krumlov which was super. The vast castle loomed over the town and looked like it came straight from the Brothers Grimm.

Then to Russia, a week in St Petersburg and a train to Moscow (got mugged). Very beautiful, esp the palaces in the countryside - lots of caviar and vodka. Stayed in the hotel Ukraine, accidentally went to the rouble restaurant for lunch instead of the dollar - like Dickens' workhouses!

Then Poland - very nice people. Krakow is splendid - Copernicus' un iversity and lots of towers - like San Gim' but with cool jazz clubs in the basements. Went to Bieveza (sp?) Nation Park to see wolves and bison and capercaille

Then Hungary - less pretty but Budapest fantastic.

Off to Latvia for easter

yes, perfectly

If cows eat just grass, doesn't that mean beef's vege?

Hi Snowy - am passionate about fish; my G/Father had a fishing fleet and I was the face of the Ocean Recovery CAmpaign for WWF. We in Britain have so much fish which is ignored, which is a great shame - if we killed all the animals in a field and left all but the lambs, we'd be bad but we can do it to the sea. Basically, if the flesh looks like cod/haddock - cook it the same. If it loooks like plaice, ditto. Good luck

Well done Mr Chris - isn't kalonji known as lovers in the mist or am I nigella'ing up the wrong bush (LOL)

Surely they're planted to grow Domestic Goddesses....

Brisket is made of very long fibres which support the stomach and is very tough. After much cooking, its delicious but not 'restrauranty'. It's great braised and shredded and used as a stuffing for spring rolls or eaten for its flavour - you're not wrong. I'm sure it was delicious

Unless you're lucky enough to find fresh tahina, before it solidifies. It will have the consistency of double cream. Tahina bread sounds wonderful and will try it

Hiya. gizzards are a pair of dense tetrahedral muscles which grind food on its way to the tummy. They are a bit like tongue in texture. They're usually served warm in a salad with a vinegary dressing eg frisee with bacon, gizzards and blueberries with a raspberry vinaigrette. they're delicious, just tell your guests what they are AFTER dinner,

The sulphurous compounds excreted are the same throughout all asp. eaters. The ability to smell them is limited to 1/3 of the world's popn. I eat asp when I can and have never had a whiff. Also recommend eatin g asp in the summer b ecause it's domestic

See you all on GFL tomorrow

(((((((((Kitty))))))))))
((((((((((Georgie))))))))))

*blush*

;-)

no to both, sadly. Go on, treat yourself

You can easily make the tartlets and cook them the day before, just keep them in an airtight container, warm slightly on the day and fill. Feta might be quite strong with s/s tho'

Tuscany was fab, I was outside La Spezia. You can see the school at www.villavalentina.com

Val and I are thinking of starting a school in the southern hemisphere, but don't tell, it's hush hush LOL

Oink!

But a terrible way to cook a grouse! They're now a bit old to roast and should be braised. I recently pot roasted a brace with re-constituted porcini and white wine (onion/garlic/thyme) and finished with a whisper of cream - Magic!

Well done for moving to lovely NZ and for choosing Auckland, you'll soon be a JAFA (ask when you get there). The restaurant scene is vibrant and kicking. You'll get more training on the job than here, so do work and study. You'll soon find that your CV is more impt that the equivilents of 706/1 and 2

It was a fantastic party but not quite on the day as the main course wasn't big enough and needed a couple of extra weeks... Not saying any more LOL