Posts by: Maytree Frannie

I enjoy MK - I like the presenter-rotation system. Some I like better than others but it gives variety - both in personnel and in types and quality of presentation.

I like the audience participation as well and find there's always some recipe or other that comes up to interest me.

Well, maybe I'm just easily pleased and the above just shows how naff I am, but yes, I hold my hand up and say -
I WATCH MK

Vyvian, I hope you're wrong.

Someone -
Tell me Market Kitchen is going to stay - I enjoy it and I think it improves as it goes along.

Leave us our MK!!!!!!!!

BooCooTwo - glad you enjoyed your visit to MK - I love the idea of the diners and I watch the credits at the end to hear the comments from some of them.

Ref dunpayin's message on Tom PB - I think Tom fits the job very well - true, he doesn't seem to have huge TV experience but he comes across as genuine and clearly has a true interest in food. With the other presenters, he gives a good balance; I have to say I'm always happy when I see Tom is "on" an episode.

Gobsmacked!!! Thanks for the history of baklava; wherever it came from, I'm glad it got to us - having said that, I've only tasted it twice and it was gorgeous.
I just checked in to say I love New British Kitchen so far - there's a light touch to it and a good range of recipes.
Rock on, Hardeep and Torode.

Any advice welcome about growing strawberries, please. I have a few plants in a container and they're flowering but am not sure whether I should be doing something for them.
Also, can anyone tell me whether there would be few or many strawberries on each plant? mine look like they have just two or three flowers each - would this be right?
I'd love to hear from anyone who knows anything about strawberries - thanks.

Garlic, planted in the Autumn, is growing well but the leaves have gone yellowish - can anyone tell me if I should do anything, please?

All advice appreciated.

Thanks Quinoa - I haven't been on the message boards for a while, so I only saw your post today. The links are great to both the sites. They seem very interesting and genuinely into their gardening.

Definitely worth investigating one of their calendars - I'm going back to these sites pronto.

Good on you, Wattie4 - the points you make are valid. I've read that some products grown in eco-friendly conditions have a lesser carbon footprint (even through they are transported long distances) than many grown and sold in local areas. It seems road and sea transport is better for the earth than air transport, though even with air travel the base conditions under which the produce was grown will often compensate for the carbon miles by plane.

As you rightly point out, no one seems to object to jetting abroad when it's themselves and not the veg that's getting the trip.

I'm not an expert, just a Jill Bloggs who has a go in the garden - last year I grew carrots in a bin; they were smallish and absolutely delicious. I've also grown potatoes in bins - very good. And strawberries last year, they worked out well.

My MO is to sow or plant as if they're going in the ground - good soil nutrition, i.e. well rotted manure or compost in the soil, water during dry spells and I've used liquid nettle manure during growth if I think they need a boost.

Good luck.

Can I just throw in my thruppenyworth to say YES - TPB is a nice man and I for one enjoy his type of presentation which I'd classify as 'natural' - I think he has a genuine interest in food, gives people a chance to speak without cutting in and is always ready to learn or take on board something new.

Fair credit to him to not let his name hold him back!!!

Dear John2 - at last, my dream to write a Dear John letter has come true.

Seriously, it's easy to find recipes on the site and you can refine your search for say, lamb, vegetarian etc. or find recipes from a particular chef.

Hope you find what you're looking for and enjoy.

Hi Rosti - my guess is that you're a woman and a great cook.
I feel we need you on this site to bring a more positive outlook about MK!!!

Where's Rosti?

Rosti, come back, we need you

The compost guidelines on this site cover almost everything - you mention that coal and coke ash must not be used, wood ash is OK - however, my qustion is - what about peat ash? Is that OK? Does anyone know?

I usually put it on the compost heap, now I'm not so sure. Would appreciate advice please.

HELP Please!!! I'd also like to know how to prune an old apple tree. Ours is also listing to one side. It produces some apples each year, not a huge number.

Again - I'd appreciate if someone would give some directions on pruning. Thanks.

Thanks, Skip247 - your system of using up old newspapers sounds like a great idea. How do you make the logs?

What is a CHIMENA? And what's the system of burning lava rock? Can one actually get lava rock somewhere?

I've so much to learn!

It might be worht checking up on laser treatment. I don't have personal experience but I know two women who've had it done. Both are very happy with it. One had leg hair treated and the the other had dark arm hair treated.

Your local salon will probably be able to give you advice on this.

Best of luck.

An interesting piece and one that gives us food for thought.

HOWEVER, the Gwen T-shirt: you tell us it's got 10% Lycra yet it's 100% cotton. Isn't that stretching it a bit?

Gastrosurf, I'm doing my best to raise cash - like clockwork, I do that Lotto all the time but they won't pull out the right numbers! Still, I'm a tryer you have to give me that.

Seriously, yes, I used to watch GFL and yes, I did enjoy it much of the time. But time goes on and a change is good. Let's give MK a chance, it takes time for a new programme to settle in - it took time for GFL - and I'm sure MK (which I for one enjoy) and (most of) its presenters will become as loved and as much a normal part of viewing as any of its predecessors.

I think the above sentence makes sense - hope it does.

Hi Martin02 - About that Corrie storyline: It's a SOAP OPERA Martin - it's not real life - enjoy it!!! But I agree with Cornetto that a restaurant is a good setting for playing out a plot and no doubt we'll see this one going through mixed fortunes until - hopefully - Leanne and her chef win through and the restaurant becomes a regular backdrop.

By the way, Gastrosurf, want to collaborate on writing that series?

Trawling through the message pages I spotted this post about composting newspapers.

I usually recycle but sometimes papers get dirty or wet and are then not suitable for recycling.

Can someone tell me if newspapers with coloured photos/ads can be used in compost or does the coloured ink make them a no-no?

I just noticed this topic - I've also started seeds off in toilet roll insets and I find they work every bit as good as bought seed trays with the added bonus that they can be planted directly into the ground.

The tea bag idea is new to me. I'll do that next time. Thanks.

Lads, here's the thing. 'The old order changeth' - GFL was good and had a long run. Now it's time for a change. Give MK a chance - it's still evolving and in my opinion it's doing a good job. I feel it's got an easygoing feel and has settled in over the season.

I feel some of Gastrosurf's suggestions would be a welcome addition - for example, the weekly shopping trolley and comparison of cost and cooking results for market-bought and supermarket-bought joints (and other produce).

One way MK is a big success anyway is in the number of posts it generates on the message boards.

I believe the time to harvest garlic is when the leaves die back - but my garlic are still very small and undeveloped even though the leaves have died back to almost nothing. I feel the persistent rainfall has left them washed out.

Can someone tell me if it's OK to leave the rest of the garlic in the ground even though the leaves have already died back? Will they continue to grow and develop.

It's the first time that garlic has not come up trumps for me - I always thought they were a faili-safe plant.

HELP, please.