Thank you thank you lovely people! I think I'll go with the loaf tin idea as I have a large loaf tin and a small one so I'm hoping that they will make a good bottle shape. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again for the help

I need help... it's my friend's birthday on Saturday and so I am planning to make her a cake in the shape of a bottle. I've bought the icing and colouring that I need but am stumped as to how I should make the bottle! Should I bake layers of cake and then cut them out to a template or should I make the main part of the bottle in a loaf tin? If anyone can help me with this one I would really appreciate it!

I had this problem with strawberry jam but in my case it was not cooking the jam long enough. I don't think its possible to go past the setting point so my advice would be to reboil the jam and then test it. You can do this by putting some hot jam on a cold saucer, leaving it a minute or so and if it 'wrinkles' when you push it its done. Good luck, and if it doesn't work then I'll have one of those spare plum sauces!

2 recommendations which serve the most fantastic traditional British food: Rules on Maiden Lane, Covent Garden and Simpsons on the Strand. Yum yum!!

I was given a beautiful hydrangea a couple of weeks ago but when I came back after 2 days away at the weekend it was totally dry, the flowers had all but disappeared and the leaves had wilted. Is there anything I can do to save it? I've watered it from the tap but am now worried that that was wrong too - can anyone help?

My stomach is rumbling at the sound of that! I knwo this sounds so miserable but I'm already looking forward to all that lovely comforting winter grub... mmm mmm!

Tried them today to great success! 12 jars for £4 - thats more like it. Thanks

Does anyone know where to buy cheap jam jars? I've been looking but have only found them for £1.50 - £2 each which seems a lot.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I found a recipe online that looked okay so with a combination of that and Rustie's suggestions I am going to experiment - I'll let you know how it turns out. Keep your fingers crossed for me :D

I am looking for a recipe for caramelised onion chutney - I have searched this site and google but have not found one. Does anyone have a recipe that they'd be prepared to share? Any help would be much appreciated!

Tastes amazing!! I didnt have any fresh spinach so substituted the same weight of frozen that I picked the bigger bits of stalk out of. Gorgeous gorgeous - I'll be making it again very soon. :D

Apparently the new series (Tamasin's West Country Weekends) is on UKFood from the 25th August. Will have to set the video!

I've tried the skittles one and Viki is right it is delicious! I have to say the best I've had is Mint aero vodka... You need a 70cl bottle of vodka, tip a bit out then break the biggest mint aero bar you can find up and add that. Looks revolting and you need to leave it for a while shaking every time you walk past so the little bits break down. Boozy minty choc in a glass.......heaven!

This has one of my favourite nostalgia foods along with macaroni cheese and fish fingers...

Put a 4lb chicken in a large saucepan with 1 onion, 2 carrots, a sprig of parsley, sprig of tarragon and s&p, cover with water and simmer gently until tender. Leave to cool then skin, bone and cut into bite size pieces.

Drain the apricots from 1 tin reserving 2 tblsp of the syrup. Cut into small pieces. Mix 8floz mayo with 2 tsp curry paste, 4 tblsp cream and the 2 tblsp of syrup. Stir in the chicken, apricots and 1 1/2oz blanched flaked almonds.

YUM!

2nd thoughts maybe I should be nice to him and make it for him too....!

Oooh, thank you from me too - I sat there drooling at the TV last night! Boyf is away till Friday now so I might just treat myself tomorrow night...x

I made a garlic mayonnaise the other day which worked really well (if a bit strong!!). 3 cloves of garlic (or more if you love garlic), 2 large egg yolks, 1 tsp dijon mustard, juice of 1/2 lemon, 200ml/7fl oz groundnut oil, salt and pepper. Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar and whisk the eggs with the mustard, lemon and salt & pepper. Drip the oil in using an electric whisk to beat - I find that if you drop the oil over the whisks you don't get a big dollop of oil in at once. The reason mayo splits is because the oil needs to be added really slowly, esp. at the beginning (basically you need to coat each drop of oil with the egg mixture) - sounds like a nightmare performance which it can be but as you get more oil incorporated you can increase the speed you drop the oil in. You can replace the garlic with herbs or whatever else you like really - I'm just not sure how adding additional lemon juice would affect the balance of the mayo - maybe it would work if you added some grated lemon rid? Good luck!

I saw it in the Tunbridge Wells Sainsburys. It was (funnily enough though I didn't click at the time) next to the bananas! I didn't buy any but I don't think it was expensive and it looked like you got a lot. I'm going shopping later so I'll have another look. Might be worth a call to your local store to see if they have it / could get it? Good luck!

Hi, I saw banana leaves in Sainsburys the other day so it might be worth asking in your local supermarket. Or if you visit [link] they mention a chinese supermarket on London road which could be worth a visit? Good luck!

Yes, you're right Rustie. They end up with a coating so they're not dry - just the way I like them... lol

Sorry - thats not really a sauce is it? Doh! Yummy anyway if you fancy trying it!

Ed Baines did a really lovely looking recipe for Chinese salt and pepper ribs thats on the site. Do a search for ribs and it should come up. Yum yum!

Has anyone ever seen a deal on a kitchen aid? I would so love to be the owner of one but they are just sooooooo expensive! I'm trying to save my pennies but patience isnt one of my virtues...

(Blimey, I dont visit the site in a few weeks and there are thousands of new messages!) Anyway, can anyone help... I'm poorly with this lurgy thats going around and have lost the use of my tastebuds :'( SO.... all I want to eat for tea is apple pie (must be the texture) - does anyone have a good recipe?

My sage is really sad. It got water logged and has only got little droopy leaves on it now. Is there anything I can do to save it? Should I bring it inside? I re-potted it but that didn't seem to help. Any ideas anyone?

I seem to spend half my life on a diet (apart from today as have just scoffed macaroni cheese - yum! - possibly why I'm always on diet!?!?)Anway, as a result of said (or should that be sad?) diets I seem to be a walking encyclopedia on fat contents. Have a look at the contents on the olive oil spreads as they tend to be lower in fat than normal margarine and butter but you can still use them for cooking which you cant with 'low-fat spreads'. Benecol from memory is also quite good but expensive.

I don't know how many you have but you could eat the fruit or add to fruit salad and then use the seeds in this fashion?

Dry 200g of loquat seeds in sun for a week. Put in a bottle with 400g spirit, a quarter of lemon rind (unwaxed and sliced) and half a vanilla bean. Keep covered in sun for 1 month, shaking it occasionally. Prepare syrup of 300g sugar and 300g water. Boil then when cool mix with spirit (try vodka), filter and bottle. Keep to season at least 2 months before drinking.

I can't find it either! :-(

You can get it from John Lewis (definitely - thats where I got mine from) or a good hardware centre should do it.

You're not wrong, that is who he is.

Who was the Irish author on GFL yesterday? I switched on just too late to hear her name but saw the interview and did exactly the same thing again this morning! Anyone know?

Try the ham in coca cola as well - absolutely fantastic! Haven't dared try the fried peanut butter and banana sandwich yet but am planning to... lol

I bought some wet walnuts from the greengrocer this morning but am not sure what to do with them. Can they be eaten as they are? Does anyone know a good recipe for them?

Nigella does deep fried bounties (heaven!) in 'How to Eat'. Whisk 175ml fizzy water into 150g self raising. Add more water if consistency is too thick - it should coat the bar easily. Fry in a deep fat fryer at max heat for about 3 minutes until the batter is puffed and golden. Drain on kitchen roll.

I bought a Ken Hom non stick wok with lid from Homebase in West Kent. Think it was about £10.

Thats mean! Here, try this one for a standard cake:
5oz butter, 10oz caster sugar, 2 medium free range eggs, 3oz sieved cocoa, 10oz self raising flour, 8fl oz sour cream, 4 fl oz water.
Icing: 2 oz butter, 4 tsp milk, 1 tsp sieved cocoa, 8oz icing sugar.
Oven: 180C, 350F, GM4
Grease and line 8" round loose bottomed cake tin
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in cocoa and 1/2 flour then sour cream. Gently stir in rest of flour and water.
Spoon into tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours until risen and firm to the touch. Loosen edges, turn out and cool on wire rack
Gently melt butter with milk in pan. Stir in cocoa and icing sugar and beat until smooth. Heat gently until spreadable then ice cake.