Oh, snoozy: New Quay is one of my very favourite places. It's so beautiful there. Er, & still in West Wales!! I worked in The Penwig Hotel on the seafront when I was in school....many, many years ago!! I spent 2 months there & fell in love with the place. And Snowy, like Mammachef, I also want to know how the meal went last night. What did you cook & how did your guests like it?

Mmm! Perhaps Lardy Cake is more universal than I thought. The only cook books I have that contain recipes for this are my Irish ones. I live in Aberystwyth blondie. It's beautiful, especially after having been away from home for 34 years!! Spent the last 27 of them in London. Lampeter is just 30-odd miles up the road from here, & is still in West Wales snoozy. It is indeed lovely round there. And what a shame you can't get cockles Snowy, but thanks for letting me know that you baked Bara Brith using my recipe. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Lardy cake is made with lard, brown sugar, bread dough & currants. I had a slice of my Bara Brith a little earlier, gyda cwpaned o de (with a cup of tea!). D'you know, I think I may make some cockle cakes sometime this week. We have an excellent fishmongers here owned & run by my old school pal, Dean. Think I'll pop in & say hello in the next day or so.

Trudi & snoozy, you'd be very welcome! Ooo! Blondie....Lardy cake. Deelish, though it's Irish, I believe, not Welsh. One of my fave-rave cheeses is Caerphilly, but haven't been to the place in many years.

Hwyl Snowy! (Yes, I used that word to say goodbye in an earlier message today, but hwyl is also used to say hello!!???) Leek soup(Cawl Cennin) followed by Cawl? Both are lovely, but a soup & a broth on the same menu is perhaps a bit much. Plus the Cawl will have lots of leeks in anyway. Perhaps stick with Cawl as you have your lamb, & for starters maybe do something with cockles, much beloved in Wales. The easiest way is probably put prepared cockles into a thick batter & deepfry them a spoonful at a time. Serve them with a crisp mixed leaf salad p'raps, or just thick pieces of rustic crusty bread, & a wedge of lemon? For afters, how about a simple Pastai Afal (Apple Pastry).
8oz prepared shortcrust pastry
4-5 oz stewed apples, sweetened if liked
lttle milk
sugar
Oven Gas 7
divide equally the pastry & roll out on lightly floured board into 2 same-sized rounds. place stewed apples on one round(don't have them too wet) but leave the edges clear. Brush the edges with the milk & put the second round on top, sealing it well. Brush the top with milk & place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 mins or until golden. If wished, sprinkle with granulated sugar & serve with cream, custard....whatever takes your fancy.
Whatever you decide to cook, I hope you & your friends have a fabulous evening.

I use a bread maker & it stresses the use of Easy Blend, Fast Action or Easy Bake yeast. 'Do not use fresh yeast that requires preliminary fermentation' it warns. I follow the ingredients' list carefully & have had excellent results every time for basic white, basic brown, 50% & 70% wholemeal & milkloaf.

Elaine/Martino......did you get one? What do you think?

Yes, gorgeous mash. Also, cook same amount sweet potato & celeriac in 2 seperate pots. Mash, combine, beat in freshly ground nutmeg & knob of butter & transfer to oven dish. Make indents with thumb along surface & drop dots of butter in each. Bake on about Gas 5 for 20 mins. It's deelish!

I like both Debbie, but my absolute fave is Halen Mon sea salt. Harvested in Wales, it's the only salt to be certified by the Soil Association as organic. It makes a lovely table salt, just put a little into the palm of your hand & rub it over the food with your fingers. The taste is wonderful, & you also have the Crunch Factor. I know I've banged on about it before, but it really is that fabulous. Also excellent to cook with.

Yep! I have 2 Chinese supermarket-bought woks & they have lasted years. They are fabulously seasoned now with all the use they've had. I wouldn't buy a Le C. or a non stick one for that reason: you can't get them beautifully seasoned. Save yourself some dosh, not to mention aching muscles (you have to be fit to use Le Creuset, the weight of them!!), & go for the cheaper end of the market.

Nigel Slater's book 'Thirst' is a must if you have a juicer. There are 98 fabulous juicer & smoothie recipes with many excellent photographs, & it has a groovy bright yellow plastic dust jacket!! :-)

Ta Deborah. Good idea to put fresh herbs in the second half. The salt I use is Halen Mon. It's pure white sea salt harvested in Wales, & the only salt to have obtained the Soil Association seal. It's crystals & is just so delicious. I first bought it when I lived in London, so keep an eye out for it & give it a go if you find it.

Yep Rustie, the Americans call yam sweet potato, but they're quite different, & actually come from a different family of plant. Yams are so much bigger & don't taste the same: similar to a potato with a floury texture. A yam is the tuber of a tropical climbing plant, it's flesh can be white, pink or yellow. I love it just boiled, or sliced after boiling & then fried.

Thanks Gaye, I think he'll be just fine at the hospital. I worked there, though many years ago, & loved it. And you're right, of course, it doesn't really matter what the H&S bods say: if I want a salt & pepper block in my home, I can jolly well have one!! :-) (The house is full of wonderful smells as I type as I have just cooked a huge pot of Cawl. We would've eaten at about 10 tomorrow night if I'd left it til I got home from work!)

Partner Steve, who is in the trade, says Health & Safety frowns upon this type of storage block because the salt & pepper is left open & exposed. Pity, because I really fancied having one, but I suppose it makes sense to have the salt & pepper covered. Also, it can apparently make the salt damp in the hot kitchen atmosphere & is best kept in a container. Still, it seems to work for James. What do you think Deborah, as one who owns such a block?

Hi apollo1! Quality does indeed differ in Haggis, as with most other things. Supermarket ones are often no more than passable, especially those wrapped in plastic & not the traditional sheep's stomach. I'm lucky to have a Scottish friend who brings down a supply of haggis, lorn sausage, black pudding & cloutie dumpling each time she stays. Check out your local butcher to see what they may offer. Now, liver: I love it cooked plainly, simply lamb's liver dipped in seasoned flour & cooked over a medium heat, in butter, for 2-3 mins each side. I may caramelize some chopped onions to accompany it, or sweat off some whole baby shallots. I also like liver cooked in sauce: usually a rich tomatoe sauce, with lots of onions & some fresh herbs, garlic, & maybe a few sliced mushrooms. Fry off the onions first though as the liver shouldn't be cooked for long as it turns into shoe leather!! Just experiment with the mixes of herbs & veg. & make your own sauce or simply throw in a tin of tomatoes. You could sling in some kidneys too, though I also enjoy these simply gently fried. :-)

Hi Elaine & Trudi! Bought the brush in an excellent cooks' shop in Aberystwyth, but do not despair.......! I've just carried out a web-search & found www.typhooneurope.com that directs you to all the sites that sell their products. There's a fab photo of the brush you can see on that page too.

Micromark mini grinder, bought at Robert Dyas last year for, if I remember correctly, £12.99. Fabulous!

Yup! Sure is Trudi. Tempted?

Hi apollo1! How did you first taste of haggis go? Funnily enough, that's what I cooked for Steve & me tonight.....Oops! Last night now, as it's gone midnight!! I love it with bashed neeps (mashed swede), & mashed potatoes or stovies. Last night we had it with the bit of swede, the one carrot & 2 potatoes we had left, all boiled & mashed together with milk, butter & lots of freshly grated nutmeg, & baked beans with sweated off shallots & garlic, & a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Seriously yummy! I sometimes make a lovely thinnish light gravy to pour over, made with chicken or veg stock. I wrap it in tin foil, pop it into a saucepan, bring the water to the boil then simmer for at least 45 mins, depending on the size.

Forgot to mention that the silicone 'bristles', of course, don't shed. Get one....you won't regret it!

Elaine, bought a marvellous pastry brush a couple of weeks ago. It's a slinky, sleek 'n' sexy seamless stainless steel structure with silicone 'bristles'. The silicone can withstand great heat so it can also be used for basting. It really works & I am so pleased I purchased it. It cost £7.50 & is made by Typhoon.

Hi Mammachef! Yes, I have the new Panasonic SD 253. It really is excellent: not noisy when mixing the dough, easy to use & easy to clean, & produces fabulous bread. Thanks for the recipe PRR. And welcome jio, but if you put your message under a seperate posting in Recipies, you may get a better response.

Thanks Gang! Debbie, my Panasonic certainly IS a sexy bit of machinary!! ;-)

Hurrah! Have just produced my first bread maker loaf. I made a large basic white. It filled the house with warm welcoming smells while cooking. It looks fab but we can't eat it yet cos it's still very hot. Can't wait 'til tomorrow to make me sarnies for work with it! Also made my first Teisen Lap (Plate Cake) Friday. It's a traditional Welsh cake made with either buttermilk or sour cream. I chose the former & it is absolutely delicious. It also has mixed fruit in it. Took a slice each for mum & dad today, & mother pronounced it "very lovely". If mum praises something, then it MUST be good!!! I'd now like to try another old Welsh cake recipe for honey & ginger cake. My goodness, I shall be looking for the nearest Weightwatchers before long!!! :-)

Er, does anybody else but me find AWT attractive? I think he's fab: cute & very cheeky smile, sparkling & mischievous eyes, an infectious laugh, a lovely speaking voice, wicked sense of humour......All-in-all, rather sexy methinks! :-)

I've used lemon juice to good effect.

Oh! How I agree about the frozen roasties Karen. Foul stuff!! I prefer fresh veg but do always have a little store in the freezer: peas, sweetcorn, sprouts & green beans are perfectly acceptable in the absence of fresh. LOATH mixed veg with their uniform small dice.Yuk! Claire, I wonder if you could give an offer of help to your sister, suggesting you'll do the veg? If you also offer to buy it...... Bye bye prepared packet rubbish!!!!!!! :-)

Cardigan, eh Mammachef. Know it but haven't been there for many years. You must've visited one of my favouritist (!) places on earth when living there.....New Quay. So beautiful, & some scholars believe Dylan Thomas based his play Under Milk Wood on the place & its community.
Gaye, I am so pleased that you made my Bara Brith & that you enjoyed it. Yes, indeed it is very simple to make, rises beautifully, & is delicious.

I finally did it! Bought a breadmaker yesterday!! I re-read feedback here, perused several websites, read up about them, read folk's reviews (Amazon), & decided to get the Panasonic SD253. Paid £98.99 in Currys across the road. I'll have to sit down & read the book of destructions now & then give it a go! Wish me luck. ;-)

Mammachef, meant to ask you.....what on earth is BeccaNurse gooey cake?!!! Certainly sounds intriguing.

Mother knows best, Mary!!!

Mornin' Emma! When I roast parsnips, I apply the same rule as to potatoes when placing them in the roasting pan: get the oil to smoking point & have the pan over a flame to keep the temperature constant as I put them in & baste them. I never bother, though, to par-boil as with potatoes. Turn them a few times during cooking. They'll caramalize beautifully & the sweetness will come through: the outside crisp with a soft deliciously mushy inside. Fab! Oer! FROZEN parsnips?!! I don't think I knew they existed! Actually phollis, I do enjoy parsnips boiled, cut into thick sticks & then deep fried. It's also gorgeous done with swede. Yummy!

Hi Rustie! I know some recipes for Bara Brith don't call for tea, but for me it's not Bara Brith without. Yes, the method I use is very easy & fuss free. Hmmmm! Yes, now I wonder what it would be like with a few nuts in it. Trouble is, I too would choose walnuts if I did add them, but Steve won't eat them. Mind you, more for me....!!!

Aaaah! Cawl (broth). Hi Mammachef! I don't know if there's a single ultimate recipe for this. It's a bit like Irish stew: it can differ from region to region. It also depends on what veg you have, as long as you have leeks & onions though, as it is just NOT Cawl without those! A combination of any root veg is fine, at least 2 or 3 different ones. Weighing the ingredients is not necessary: it doesn't have to be exact. A basic recipe for a large panful ( approx. 8 servings: but is gorgeous reheated for the next day too, & also freezes well) is this:-

2lbs best end of neck of lamb
11/2-2lbs potatoes
2-3 ( approx. 1lb) leeks
2-3 medium onions
Combination of at least 2 or all of carrots, swede, turnip, parsnip in nice roughly chopped rustic chunks.
Seasoning
Water

Trim the meat of excess fat if necessary & brown to a good colour. Cover with cold water, adding seasoning, & bring to simmering point. Skim & simmer for around an hour. Add the vegetables & simmer for a further hour, or until they are tender.

Some add another meat to it, usually bacon in one piece, diced, or even a piece of brisket or shin of beef, also diced. This is browned & cooked at the same time with the lamb. Other flavourings? Well, I often like to add one or two bay leaves, & thyme is lovely too. I have made it with vegetable stock with excellent results, (Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon being the best if you don't have home-made, especially the vegan one).
And there you have it. If you try one or both, do let us know what you thought of the results. Which part of Wales did you live, by-the-way?

I'm sat sitting here enjoying a mug of coffee & a slice of my Bara Brith. So lovely is the slice of traditional Welsh fruit loaf, that I felt compelled to share it with all you lucky people.....whether or not you wanted me to or not!!! This recipe has been adapted from my mum's basic one, & is now famous the length & breadth of our kitchen!!

10oz mixed fruit
10oz wholemeal SR flour
5oz brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp mixed spice
3/4 pint hot tea

Gas 3/ 170c 45-55 minutes

Soak mixed fruit in tea overnight or for at least 4-5 hours. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. Strain mixed fruit, reserving liquid, & add to other ingredients. Mix. Add tea a little at a time until a 'dropping' consistency is achieved. Line a 2lb loaf tin with buttered grease proof paper & pour in the mixture. Place on middle shelf of pre-heated oven. When ready, it should be firm to the touch when gently pressed. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Best left a day before slicing, & wonderful with a generous slathering of butter.

I use (2) organic Ceylon tea bags to make the tea, but you can use the tea of your choice. Also, you could choose to use ordinary white SR flour which also gives a delicious result, & if you feel 5oz of sugar is a tad too sweet, then cut down on that. So far I have used bought mixed fruit (with citrus peel, of course), but think I will try it with a bag of vine fruit & add chopped dried apricots, figs & perhaps prunes. Grated lemon &/or orange peel would be lovely too, I think, added to my recipe.
Well, there you have it. Any other Welsh folk out there who also cook Bara Brith? How does your recipe differ from mine? :-)

Just loved Jenni, Sophie & Lesley together on the show yesterday. This should be a regular thing. And I wonder if any of them have thought about appearing in panto?!! Has GFL thought about producing one themselves, like This Morning does each year with the Nativity? Wot a fab thought! Who would you have play what in the Nativity, or what panto would you produce & who would star as who?

Ta Georgie & Gaye! I'm still here Gaye, but it's work, work, work! I'm actually missing working shifts, when I would have the morning to myself before a Late or Sleep-in shift. I could get all sorts done, plus have time to sit at the computer. Now, it's often at this time of the morning (8.00) as I drink my coffee before dashing off to work. I finish at 5, but by the time Steve & I have a couple of 'jars' (he meets me from work, bored stiff as he is because he's still seeking employment), get home, cook & eat, it's just about time to go to bed!!! I'm not even managing to see any UKFood progs at the moment. Even at week ends I'm busy. Oh, it's a hard life!!!!

Hi all! Those of you with the Panasonic bread maker: what model is it please? I take sarnies to work every day, plus Steve eats quite a lot of bread, so we are considering purchasing one. Which one though? Anything Delia recommends is good enough for me, plus the Panasonic owners seem to be very happy with them. What price range are we looking at here. Christmas is just around the corner so cost is obviously a consideration. Thanks!

D'ya know, I'd do something really simple using your namesake cake: Victoria sponge. I just love it, & it would be fab with that delicious sounding jam in the middle. It means you don't mess around with it. Like Paul's suggestions too though, esecially the wonderfully stodgy but comforting Jam Roly Poly. Yummy!

Oer! Twilight Zone territory.....When I was out & about yesterday visiting clients, I was passing a second hand shop when something caught my eye in a box outside the shop: the case of Peter Andre's CD single, 'Flava'!!! I'd forgotten about him, & was only reminded when I read this thread 2 days ago. And there he was! Spooky? Er, anyone remember the song, cos I certainly don't!! All I remember is his six pack!!!

Cos James looked fabulously fanciable with his floppy fringe!!

Hi Nick! What do you include in your 'English brekkie'? Mine would be black pudding, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms, egg & fried bread. I'm drooling now just thinking about it!!

Hmmm! Methinks I'll be popping in to Smiths soon EllieB. What a lovely idea. The book may be shop bought, but everything contained in it is done by you: the recipient will know you've taken time, effort & love to compile it. Fab! I was thinking of presenting home-made flavoured oils in beautiful bottles to some of my friends, but I'm not so sure now after reading your suggestion. Ta!

Mornin' Mrs M.! I bought a fabulous Micromark mini grinder only 9 or 10 weeks ago. Got it from Robert Dyas & I think it was £12.99. It's really compact, (a sexy little thing!), grinds a decent amount, & is easily cleaned. If you haven't a Robert Dyas near you, try one of the many on-line shops such as Lakeland. Happy hunting!

Yep! Definitely beans (next to chocolate!) for my comfort food dish: fried egg, beans & chips. The beans have to be poured over the chips so they are lovely 'n' soggy. Yum! If I'm poorly sick, then my comfort food is tomato soup, with bread ripped into pieces & floated on top.

Ooo! Yes, Trudi, my potato/veg. peeler is another can't-do-without. Mini-whisks seem to be heading the field in Can't-live-without little kitchen gadgets. I got mine free with the BBC Good Food mag. some months ago. It's just like the one Delia uses & I love the little cutie! Er, the whisk I mean, not Delia!!!

Ta Rustie, your suggestion seemed to do the trick. I'd used double quotation marks. When I used single, it worked!! Yes, I had a bit of bother with another one of my messages last week, Jill, when I 'previewed' & 'sent'. Still, this one is there now.

Three times this last week I've been in the kitchen using little gadgets that made me think, 'I couldn't do without this'. One is my pastry brush, used to paint oil onto meat or vegetables before slapping them onto the griddle pan. The second is my microplane grater, used for all manner of items like cheese, chocolate & garlic. The third can't-do-without gadget is my mini-whisk, brilliant for amalgamating small quantities like the two eggs, salt, pepper & freshly grated nutmeg I used the other day for French toast. What little kitchen gadgets can other folk not live without?

Hmm! Only part of my message was posted. Try again....... I was saying that I've three times this last week been in the kitchen using little gadgets that made me think,

Three times this last week when cooking, I have been using some little gadget & thought,

How about good old pickled onions?! No, I'm serious. I just love 'em, & if a friend gave me a jar of home-made pickled onions I'd be well pleased. Also pickled eggs.

Oer! Electric tagines?! That's interesting. I'll surf the net & see if I come up with anything. And thanks for your good wishes Gaye. Thanks to you, too, newmoon for your information. I'll check out glo-art later. Somehow, I'm almost as surprised to discover that there's a metal model made by Le Creuset as I was to read of the electric one!!!! I only think of them as being very traditional, clay pots. I found it amusing that you were left with 3 tagines as most newly married folk find themselves saddled with about 6 toasters!!! You obviously have upmarket friends newmoon?!!

Hi Gang! I have this urge to buy a tagine, especially after having browsed through a recently purchased 'The Momo Cookbook'. Any of you got one? How often do you use it? Is it easy to use? Does it really make a difference to the food? And is there a make you would recommend or particular place to purchase? Ta!

If you want a really excellent book on slow cooking, I highly recommend 'Set, Simmer, & Savour It', compiled by Anne Sheasby, published this year by Salamander. I only paid a couple of quid as I found it in Bookcase, a fab shop that sells books at ridiculously low prices. The price on the dust jacket however is £12.99. It contains over 75 recipes that are easy-to-follow, with good photographs of the finished dishes. Enjoy using your slow cooker Hong.

Sorry Ian, I don't eat junk food......& I'm certainly no hunk!! :( Over to you Yorkiepud?!! :devilish:

I hereby (Hic!) declare the Chocolate Vodka recipe a (Hic!) complete success!! I made it about half an hour ago. Very easy. I had to decant quite a hefty slug to (Hic!) make room for the chocolate, which I mixed with a tin of organic mango & orange. I also, of course, had to taste the choccie vodka....... (Big Hic!) The vodka looks absolutely, vibrantly, chocolately gorgeous!! And tastes divine. I don't know if you should mix it with anything, perhaps lemonade, but I'm drinking as is. (Hic!) Anyone coming round for a party?

I hereby (Hic!) declare the Chocolate Vodka recipe a (Hic!) complete success!! I made it about half an hour ago. Very easy. I had to decant quite a hefty slug to (Hic!) make room for the chocolate, which I mixed with a tin of organic mango & orange. I also, of course, had to taste the choccie vodka....... (Big Hic!) The vodka looks absolutely, vibrantly, chocolately gorgeous!! And tastes divine. I don't know if you should mix it with anything, perhaps lemonade, but I'm drinking as is. (Hic!) Anyone coming round for a party?

I hereby (Hic!) declare the Chocolate Vodka recipe a (Hic!) complete success!! I made it about half an hour ago. Very easy. I had to decant quite a hefty slug to (Hic!) make room for the chocolate, which I mixed with a tin of organic mango & orange. I also, of course, had to taste the choccie vodka....... (Big Hic!) The vodka looks absolutely, vibrantly, chocolately gorgeous!! And tastes divine. I don't know if you should mix it with anything, perhaps lemonade, but I'm drinking as is. (Hic!) Anyone coming round for a party?

Phew! Got there in the end!!

There was a thread concerning this topic some time ago, in fact, I started it as I didn't know what mastic was or where to find it. ( Eventually got it from the wonderful Greek supermarket about 5 minutes up the road from us!!! Also, bought the ground version in Turkey recently, but that may be a bit too far for you to go!!!) The 'girls' rallied to my rescue & came up with several sites. I haven't the time to go back through all my posts & responses to them now, but you're welcome to if you have the time. Just click on my name & search. Or carry out a search engine jobby, Google or Ask Jeeves. For spices, I use the www.thespiceshop.co.uk site. It's quite near where I live, so I pop down there too. Fab shop! Happy searching!

Oops! Too late! (Story of my life!!) While I was typing my bit, you told us what a samber is. Thank you.

Oer! just looked in Larousse Gastronomique & the closest I can find, after a quick perusal, is Sambal: a condiment (originally Indonesian) made with red chilli peppers, grated onion, lime juice, oil & vinegar. The name may also be used to describe the dish that it accompanies.
In my Concise English Dictionary, the closest I found was Sambar: Asian deerwith three-tined antlers. You'll need a blooming great big pot to cook THAT little item in Kate!!! Put me out of my misery please: just what is a samber?

Obviously, I cannot quote the woman!! She says it's a simple procedure & once you master it, it's very straightforward. If you try it KG, let us know if she's right!

Hmm! Don't know what happened to the end of my message: it was complete when I previewed it.
Anyway, Chantal says that,

Hi KG! I have the fabulous book 'Real Chocolate' by Chantal Coady. In it, she has a Masterclass section covering 'tempering, moulding & sculpting'.
The reasons Ms Coady gives for tempering are to:
Give a beautiful gloss to moulded chocolate
Help the chocolate shrink away from a mould & unmould perfectly
Give the desired hardness & crystaline texture & crisp snap when broken
Give stability to chocolate & help its keeping properties
Prevent blooming.
She says that,

Oer! Mally, have just, for some reason, re-read recipe 2 on the board & realised that, though it calls for "2 cups mashed potatoes" in the ingredients' list, they're not mentioned at all in the method!!? I've checked the book to make sure I didn't imagine seeing them there when typing it up, & there it is!! What do you do with them? Or have they just strayed onto the page from another recipe? Does your friend from Rhodes use them in her dish? And does she visit the most beautiful Greek island, Symi, just 23 miles from Rhodes? We've not long returned from there. Bye!

Oops! Just sent a reply to your last message but it doesn't seem to have gone through, so I'll send another. (The first will probably appear while I'm typing this!!!)
Mally, you're very welcome. I'm glad to have been of help. Yes, please let me know how it turns out.

Okay.....bottle of vodka & Green & Blacks dark chocolate bought. Chocolate Vodka, here I come!! I'll make it tonight or tomorrow. If I'm not too sloshed, I'll let you all know what it's like!!!

Kalispera Mally! (Good evening Mally!) Glad I solved the puzzle. I have 2 recipes for pastisio, but I feel the one I'll give you has more flavour as it uses basil & bay which the other recipe doesn't. Here goes.......
5-6 Servings
1 kilo (2lbs 4oz) thick macaroni
1/2 kilo (1lb 2oz) minced meat
2 medium-sized onions, finely diced
2-3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
2 teacups olive oil
1 bay leaf
pinch of basil
150grams (5oz) Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper

Bechamel sauce:
1 teacup flour
1 teacup refined oil
4 teacups milk
150 grams (5oz) Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Saute the onions in a teacup of oil until they turn golden. Add the minced meat & saute it with the onions stirring constantly, until the lumps of the meat are disolved. Add the tomatoes, salt & pepper,the bay leaf, the basil & some water. Let everything cook over a medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Half cook the macaroni in plenty of salted water, cool them down & drain.
In a frying pan, heat the second cup of oil & pour it over the macaroni
In the meantime, prepare the bechamel sauce as follows:
Heat the oil in a pot & add the flour stirring constantly so that it does not turn lumpy. Warm the milk & add it to the oil & flour paste beating constantly. Remove the pot from the fire & add the beaten eggs, the salt & pepper, the grated nutmeg & the cheese stirring constantly.
Lay out a layer of macaroni in a pyrex dish or pan, sprinkle it with cheese & cover with the minced meat mix you have prepared. Spread the remaining macaroni over the minced meat layer, sprinkle again with cheese & cover with the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle the sauce with grated cheese. Bake the pastisio in a strong oven, let it cool down, cut it into squares & serve immediately.
NOTE: If the sauce turns out too thick, add a small amount of milk.


Hmm! Think I'll give the other recipe also, then you can choose which one to cook, or cook an amalgamation of the two.

Pasxxxxio #2

1 kilo of macaroni
1 kilo of mince
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cups of mashed potatoes
1/2 cup of oil
1/2 cup butter (for the macaroni)
salt & pepper
10 cups of milk
1 cup of butter
1 cup of flour
8 eggs
3 cups of grated cheese

Put in frying pan the mince & the chopped onion & a minimum of water. Cook until water is absorbed, stirring once or twice. Pour in the oil & brown the mince. Add salt & pepper. Put in the tomatoes & allow the ingredients to boil on a low heat. Boil water in a large saucepan, add salt & put in the macaroni. When boiled, drain & spread half of it in a baking tin. Sprinkle with grated cheese & spread it over it an even layer of the mince mixture. Spread on the rest of the macaroni, sprinkled with cheese & pour over it half the cup of melted butter.
Prepare the bechamel sauce in the following way: Put 1 cup of butter on to heat & when it is heated, add the flour & stir with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, stirring continously to avoid lumps. A further precaution is that the milk should have been warmed beforehand. Then add the cheese (keeping aside 2 tablespoons) & a little salt. As soon as the sauce thickens, beat the eggs well & add them slowly to the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the contents of the baking tin, spreading it evenly & sprinkle it with the 2 tablespoons of cheese that has been kept back. This will make the crust of the sauce crisp. Bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes until it has browned.

Recipe #1 taken from 'The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking', purchased on Crete, 2000. I have not cooked this particular recipe,but I have tried many others & they've all turned out excellently. This one though, seems a little complex.
Recipe #2 taken from 'The Traditional Greek Cookery Book', purchased in Rhodes, 2003. I've not yet used this book, but as you can see, this recipe appears easier to follow. I think I'd follow this one, but add the herbs from the first recipe.
Anyway, I hope it helps. I'm off to the kitchen now to cook soutzoukakia. I'm going to use home-made chicken stock in the tomato sauce for the first time. I know I cooked them earlier on in the week for myself, but Steve was working & was sad he missed them. It's one of his fave-rave dishes.
Happy cooking!
Luv' Keith x

Was looking through a couple of my cook books last night & found some more recipes for vodka. In Chantal Coady's fab book, Real Chocolate, there's one for chocolate vodka:-
1 bottle (700ml) of vodka
140g real dark chocolate, grated or pulverised.

Make the chocolate vodka by melting the chocolate & pouring into the bottle (you may have to drink a little to make some room), resealing & shaking vigorously.

That's DEFINITELY one for me!! The wondrous Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has recipies for rhubarb flavoured vodka in his stunning book, The River Cottage Year: rhubarb vodkatini & rhubarb mule. Both sound delicious. If I don't post over the next few days, you know I've gone & made....& drunk.....the lot!!!! :p

Mally, is what you're looking for that fabulous Greek dish, pasxxxxio: macaroni & meat pie?

Thanks Georgie. I have no intention of disappearing from the GFL board, though I may not contribute quite so frequently. Work doesn't half get in the way of pleasure, eh?!!!

Ta Trudi!

Hi Georgie! Wales was wonderful ta. Went for a long walk one afternoon along the river in Penparcau, (village were mum & dad have lived for 48 years), to the next village, Llanbadarn. No, I don't expect you to even attempt trying to pronounce these names!!! I took my Canon Eos 300 camera & have some fabulous shots of the route. I had forgotten just how beautiful the Aberystwyth area is. It's as if I'm seeing it through new eyes: it's fantastic. I've applied for a job & I now wait as patiently as I can for the letter that, hopefully, will invite me for interview. Whatever happens, Steve & I will move in August when the house we're going to rent becomes available.

Yummy! The soutsoukakia that have just been prepared on GFL look delicious. I love cooking this dish &, in fact, had some last night. I used minced beef, but I really like them made with minced lamb too. I like to soak my bread in milk as it seems to almost give it a bit of extra richness. I don't use ground cumin, I prefer lightly crushed cumin seeds as I feel the flavour is beter & more pronounced. I generally use whatever herb I happen to have, (though not coriander as I don't think it 'goes' with this dish), & thyme works extremely well. As for the sauce, well, I blitz fresh tomatoes when in season, tinned when not. I don't use water or stock if making it with red wine, just the toms & red wine, though sometimes I sweat off a small red onion in the oil before adding the other ingredients. I do, of course use a pinch of sugar, the olive oil, salt & pepper, & ALWAYS sling in a generous knob of unsalted butter as it gives it more richness & a lovely gloss. I love it served with rice, sometimes, especially if the rissoles are made with lamb, cooked in home-made chicken stock, or with Marigold veg bouillon added to the water. They're lovely to make as I love getting my hands in the the bowl to mix all the ingredients. messy but beautifully tactile! I enjoyed the section on Greek wines on GFL too. Well done GFL: more on Greek quisine please.

Whenever I go home to Aberystwyth & am out with my friends on a Saturday night, they know that I just HAVE to pop in to The Pier Hotel Bar to savour 1 or 6 of their Jellybaby Vodkas!!! They usually have the red colour & green colour ones available. Not sure how they make 'em though. I assume you just bung the Jellybabies in & leave them, shaking every now & then. It's glorious with a dash of lemonade. When I move back home in August, I think I know where my 'local' will be!!! Hic!

Wow, Gaye! Tickets for £2.99 + Tax? How do you get those? I made a friend on holiday last year who lives in Austria, & she has several times extended an invitation to visit. It would be fab if I could go over for just £2.99!! I live in West Wales, right at the end of the train line! It's not the easiest place to reach other locations from. In fact, instead of sitting here, I should be packing as I'm off there later today!! Bye for 2 weeks! ;-)

Tom, I cheat....I simply purchase ready potted fresh herbs from my little local organic supermarket, (but you can get them in most supermarkets), keep them on the windowsill & water them each day! I have a constant supply of thyme, basil & mint. Brilliant!

Golly, so many uses: along with other herbs it can be used in tomato sauces for pasta, pizza toppings, herb butter, an ingredient in a salad dressing, & can be used instead of oregano in recipes because, am I correct here gang?, in Italy marjoram is called oregano. Of course you can also experiment with it to see what you come up with. The aroma in your garden must be heavenly.

I'm just thankful I've been buying organic for the last couple of years or so. I saw that program & it was so frightening.

If I know fish has been previously frozen, & it will state that on the pack, then I know I should never re-freeze it. Just as you should never re-freeze any food items. Also, on supermarket packs, it usually states if it's suitable for home-freezing. I've frozen all kinds of fish when, like you, I've found them on 'special' & they've cooked up perfectly when defrosted.

For those of you who get BBC Good Food mag., I must recommend this simple but oh-so-delicious recipe. Made it this evening to go with my salad & I shall certainly be making it again, & again, &..........!!! Page 97, June edition. (Hope it's okay to mention this publication here.)

Oops! Sorry, got a little confused there at the end of that message. Should read, "Good luck with the course in September. Enjoy it!"

Hi James! A truly fab book in my opinion is 'The Complete Cook', published by Hamlyn. It has:-
'400 Ingredients Explained
100 Tools & Utensils
1000 Delicious Recipes
50 Basic Techniques.'
It's beautifully laid out & easy to use with lovely colour pics & illustrations.
Another book I could never have done without, & still use regularly, is Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course. That is my culinary bible.
Good luck with course in September & good luck. Enjoy it! ;0)

Lynda, have you thought about exchanging your hubby for a new one?!! Just joking.....honest! Steve used to be a very fussy eater but I've gradually introduced him to food that he adamantly declared would NEVER pass his lips!! He liked carrots, like your man, but claimed to "hate" swede. I simply cooked & mashed the both together one night & put it in front of him without a word. He loved it!! He also said he disliked parsnips, but now loves them when mashed with potatoes. He has even graduated to eating them in stews! If I present something challenging for him, I don't make a big thing of it: don't put pressure on him to eat it. He knows that if he really doesn't like it, he can leave it & I'll not cause a fuss & argument over it. I felt he just needed re-educating as the main reason for not liking certain food he cited as his poor school dinners, & some of the cooking methods his mum employed, like boiling veg for a couple of hours!!! I've found that, when properly cooked, he'll tuck in to them quite happily. My next mission is to get him eating sprouts! I adore them but he won't contemplate a shred of one getting in to his mouth! Next winter, I'll cook him my stir-fried sprouts & see how he gets on with it. Good luck with your hubby!

I would prefer DVD format, perhaps presenting a good selection of studio guest chefs' cooking. This could be interspersed with those lovely little A-Z of food items. How about, as Extras, a Blooper section? Jennie & co MUST have made a few both on & off camera. Also, a biography on each featured chef, &, of course, on Queen Jenni! And how about an interview with a few, or all, too? Books? Great idea. I like hard back but am also fine with paperback. As well as recipes, I'd appreciate lots of behind the scenes pics & gossip/info. You produce the goods, & I'll definitely buy them!

Like Monty....LOVE Alan! Davina is FAB! Have met her & she is totally natural, very funny, had lots of time for me, (a gushing fan whom she'd never met before), & is warm & friendly. Her dad was lovely too!

How heartening, Sandra, that your son rejected smiley faced/curly-whirlied rubbish that is offered to children to 'encourage' them to eat certain food. It really annoys me that. Children should not be encouraged to eat certain foodstuffs because they have faces on them, or are animal shaped. They should be encouraged because the food tastes good! Yes, & if your little 'uns are healthy (like Georgie's), don't worry about any food fads they may have. I would only eat baked beans & peas as a child, & kinda enjoyed mashed carrots & swede. I would not touch any other veg. Now? Well, I don't think there's a single vegetable that I dislike...including sprouts!! But I didn't reach that stage by being given food that resembles something you should play with as opposed to EAT it!!

WOOF! WOOF!

Find Ainsley very irritating, but do like Ross Kelly. He's very amiable, gentle, with a nice sense of humour.....& the fact that I think he's really handsome has NOTHING to do with it!!!! ;-)

Oo-er! The thought of that cheese topped tuna & mayo baked potato is making me salivate!!

Hi Kath! How about this...........

Tuna & Olive Salad.

6 whole carrots, cooked & finely sliced
2 potatoes, boiled & diced
500g/1lb tuna in oil, drained & chopped, oil reserved
4 tablespoons black olives, pitted & halved
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
salt & pepper
4 basil leaves, to garnish

1. Put the carrots, potatoes, tuna & olives in a bowl.
2. Put the tuna oil & vinegar in a screw-top jar, season to taste with salt & pepper & shake well to combine.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix, garnish with basil leaves & serve.

Serves 4.

Very good with big chunks of crusty country bread. You can, of course, serve on a bed of leaves if you want, & halved boiled eggs work well with it also.

Hoorah! It's not just me then Jill! Ta Rustie chuck!

Ah-ha! So they did Trudi! I'll make a search for that recipe when I've done on the message board. Yummy! Toms with balsamic. Fab!

Morning Sharne! By chance, I got into conversation with a lovely Italian woman in the pub last night!! One topic of conversation I raised was my order of a pasta maker. She was extremely enthusiastic about this. She always makes her own, she said, telling me it tastes better, works out cheaper, & is very easy to do. I remembered your question about freezing it. Mara said, yes you can. Make sure you dust them with a thin layer of flour first though to prevent sticking ( sieve it over), & she recommends the use of a sturdy container & not putting them into a freezer bag. So now we know! :-)

Oooo! D'ya know, I just can't LIVE without my microplane graters! I took advantage of the 1/2 price offer in BBC Good Food mag some months ago (2 for £17.95), & then wondered how I'd managed all those years without!! As for nutmeg graters, well, I do have one. It's one of those lovely little almost-conical shaped ones with the storage compartment on top. Since the arrival of my microplane graters though, it just hangs decoratively in the kitchen! Lovely though it looks, it was a bit of an awkward thing to clean. Microplanes are far easier to clean, plus, there are so many uses for them e.g. grating cheese, garlic, ginger, carrots, chocolate & nutmeg; zesting; getting rid of the hard skin on your feet.......no, just kidding on that last one!!! What I think I'm saying Janine is, if you don't own a microplane grater, it would be an excellent investment as it would grate your nutmeg & do a myriad other jobs besides.

Oh dear, Nisbets didn't like me then cos I also clicked on search & "no matches found" came up. Ta Rustie & Trudi, when I've perused the message boards here, I'll get back in to Nisbets site.

Ah! Yes.....poach it. That also sounds fab. Okay matey: rissotto with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Nice 'n' simple! Cheers! Any other recipe ideas you'd like to share with us?

Just perused Nisbets site & couldn't find any larding needles, unless I was looking in the wrong place. I wanted to see exactly what this contraption looks like & the price. I looked under cook's utensils & didn't come up with anything. I'll try again later & take more time in my search.

Okay, now I understand what it's for. Can't it be done just by making incisions with a knife & then inserting whatever it is? I s'pose it's easier using a larding needle. Jill, why didn't I think of looking in my Larousse Gastronomique?!! Doh!

Now, Steve.....I have a pair of salmon steaks in the freezer & was wondering what to do with them! Now I know! The pan-fried vine toms I can work out, but have you a recipe for the lemon rissotto please? It sounds a deliciously light & refreshing combination. Actually, how were you thinking of cooking the salmon, also pan-fried? I think I'd slap 'em on a griddle pan to get them nicely seared.
Cheers! Keith

Okay Jill, that's What, now Why? I presume it's to keep the meat moist when cooking in the oven? I don't think I've spotted any recipes that call for this larding lark. You are very knowledgeable Jill. Thanks yet again for teaching me something new.

Jane11, or anyone, educate me please. What is a larding needle? I have a veritable myriad of utensils & gadgets in the kitchen, & I hate to think there's something I've not even heard of, yet alone don't have!!!

Oer! That means I HAVE to get it out of its box & actually USE it!! Good Jill, you have given me the incentive to put it into use when I get it!!:-)

Ho hum! Still waiting for my pasta maker, but received a letter this morning from Nisbets to say my card had been rejected. Rang them, gave my card number....& it went through!! So, on Monday, I shall be the proud owner of a pasta maker! Hooray!

Oh my goodness.....we used to also get given that coconut/jam sandwich affair. I loathed it too!! Didn't like dessicated coconut then, & I don't like it now. It was always served with custard at our school, so I just had the custard (gloriously lumpy with thick skin on top. Yum, yum!!)

Okay people! I've gone & done it. Yes, I have ordered a pasta maker machine thingy!!! Got home, read messages on board, saw Adrian's post re. Nisbets doing a special offer, logged on & ordered!! Er, I didn't remember to look for a drying rack though! Oops! There are loads of cook shops round & about, I'm sure I'll easily pick one up. Adrian, when this arrives & Steve sees yet another purchase I've made.....can I blame you this time?!!!!!! Thanks chaps & chapesses!! I'm off to the pub now to tell everybody about my latest order! Bye!

Hi Sue!Just looking back over previous topics & saw your post. Yes, I wandered into Whittard's several months ago & came out with the coffee grinder you speak of. It's made by Russell Hobbs & is absolutely brill. I love the lidded container too. Also adore the smell the kitchen fills up with when I've ground some beans. I will never return to buying instant coffee ever again after this purchase. £25 well spent!! Are you still enjoying yours?

Oh yes, a pasta drying rack. Almost forgot about that! Ta! I will try Nisbets.co.uk. Thanx everyone for your feedback. Imperia by far seems the most popular choice. I'll let you know if I take the plunge!

Bought 'em from Harrods once, tinned in cottonseed oil. Nice flavour but far too many little bones for my liking. Much prefer escargo.

Okay, Kleftiko! Here we go....!

juice of one lemon
15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
4 lamb leg steaks or chump chops with bones
30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
150ml/1/4 pint dry white wine
225g/8oz plain flour
salt & ground black pepper

SERVES 4

1. Mix together the lemon juice, oregano & salt & pepper, & brush over both sides of the lamb steaks or chops. Leave to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 160oC/325oF/Gas 3. Drain the lamb reserving the marinade, & dry the lamb with kitchen paper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or saute pan & fry the lamb over a high heat until browned on both sides.
3. Transfer the lamb to a shallow pie dish. Scatter the sliced onions & bay leaves around the lamb, then pour over the white wine & the reserved marinade.
4. Mix the flour with sufficient water to make a firm dough. Moisten the rim of the pie dish. Roll out the dough on a floured surface & use to cover the dish so that it is tightly sealed.
5. Bake for 2 hours, then break away the dough crust & serve the lamb hot with boiled potatoes.

That's it! You could, of course, use foil &/or a tight fitting lid to cover the pie dish, but Greek folk have told me they prepare it with the pie crust, & I've also seen this in a reataurant kitchen.
If you cook it, whichever recipe you choose.....ENJOY!! :-)

Hi Ally! The recipe I have is:-
6 servings

6 servings beef (1 1/2 kilos approx. or 3lbs 6oz)
1 kilo (2lbs 4oz) small onions
1 teacup olive oil
1 teacup vinegar
2-3 ripe tomatoes
Rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic
Salt
Pepper corns

Wash & strain the meat pieces. In a pot, heat the olive oil over a medium fire & brown the meat. Add the onions & allow these to saute for about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, tomatoes (finely diced), garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, bay leaf & an amount of water.Allow the ragout to boil for about two hours until it is left in its own sauce. Serve hot.

1 cup is approx. 250ml
"An amount of water" I interpret as, "just enough to cover".
I don't actually "boil" it for two hours, I simmer it on a medium heat.
I use organic vinegar (Geo organics) which has a more mellow flavour, or try half the amount of vinegar & half red wine, (or more of the latter if wished. As Lesley I'm sure would approve of!) The amount of rosemary is pretty much left up to you. I sling in a good sprig of it, 2 if small. & remove when cooking time is up.
I'll be going to Greece in a month's time so can eat it as it's meant to eaten: in a beautiful little taverna with the sound of the sea lapping against the nearby shore, traditional Greek music playing softly in the background, gloriously warm temperature so you can sit in short sleeves in the balmy evening air..........& the food cooked for you & served at table by some gorgeous swarthy waiter!! Perfect! Enjoy!

Yummy!

Perusing the various sections of the message boards, have just come across Debbie's thread 'Pasta Machines'. Read with interest. Would welcome maybe a few more comments/feedback/advice though as I'm still not entirely convinced that I need one. I'm teetering on the edge.....shall I, shan't I? Steve also knows that I can buy something & it never gets out of its box! Witness the, not one but TWO 'Smart Choppers', for instance, ordered from QVC. They've sat in the kitchen in their boxes for about 2 years now!! I WILL get one out one day & play with it!!

I have this urge to purchase a pasta maker! (Typical Aries, always have to be spending!!) However, what type, are there different sizes, any particular make better than others, are they easy to use, what price range........& will I use the blasted thing when I've got it?!!! Are the results really any better than buying dried pasta in packets? Advice please folks! Thanks.

Oh, yummy! We used to have chocolate sponge with white sauce. The sponge served up for us though was not hard at all: it was deliciously soft & gooey cake. I also used to love anything with custard, or just custard! There was always thick skin on top that no-one else wanted. It was mine, all mine! Loved it! I also loved all the milk puddings...including "frogspawn"! Looking back, our school meals were pretty good, even though when we said grace with the headmaster before eating, our mumbled version was, "For what we are about to receive, the pigs have just refused. Amen!"

Fabulous Steve! Keep on cooking. I believe it's one of the most important skills you can have. I'm glad to know that you really enjoy it. It should be fun above all else. Karen asked you what you like to cook, & I would also like to know. I hope your parents appreciate your love of cooking? Keith.

Have fun choosing Helen & let us know which one you decided on.
Keith x

Hi Claire! Just seen your post. (How do you all keep up with what you've posted, what needs replying to, where they are....?) Well, I also bought a packet of sumac, never having used that before. Then there was the bottle of Rose Flower Water for when I make Reza's Indian rice pudding. Other items: whole stuffed calamari, calamari in a salsa americana sauce, whole octopus in their own ink, all in tins. Again all in tins are: peas baked in oil, young okras in oil, baked giant beans, & grape leaves stuffed with rice. A packet of Biltong, (yes, South African I know!), bottle of Lingham's Chilli sauce, made with "100% Fresh Chillies", & 2 Greek deserts, baklava & another which has a filing like our custard slices....seriously yummy! I HAVE to go back!!
Have been to Zakynthos (Venetian, Zante) & loved it. But then, I've not been to any part of Greece that I haven't liked. Okay, going next door to the pub now to meet friends, & Steve will join us when hes finished work.
Bye! Keith x

Oer! Sounds like the wrinkly bits of a man....down there!!!! (Am I allowed to say that?!) :-]

Louise, thanks! I've just GOT to have a bash at cooking Timpana, though as well as the calf's brain I'd have to omit the chicken livers as Steve will not eat offal. This was the first thing I ate when I arrived at Malta. Found a fabulous restaurant, Ta Kolina, & had this for starters. It could have been a main course such was the size of the portion & its ability to fill you up. I loved it! Have noticed that your pages don't correspond with mine, & have just realised why: the edition I have is the newer, revised one published in 2001. Where did your parents live on the island? I explored quite a bit of it & may have been to wherever they lived. I found the people so very friendly & would not hesitate to return. A beautiful island too. You must have been?

Hi! Now, I SHOULD remember where his restaurant is, being in the heart of Gay London as it is!! And I've not QUITE caught on to this using a search engine lark to find information yet!! I should automatically think about doing that, shouldn't I. Still, up until a couple of years ago I was so scared of these computer thingies & wouldn't come anywhere near them. It was Delia Smith that helped me overcome my fear. Her website opened & I was determined to get on it. I visited it every day, & after a short while even began to leave messages on the boards. I then began to explore other sites & there's just no stopping me now!! Poor Steve practically has to book time on his computer now!! So, Goddess Delia not only taught me much about cooking, but also helped me learn about using the computer!
Thanks again girls for the info!

Trudi, no I haven't been to his restaurant. Terrible isn't it considering I live so near. It IS in Fulham isn't it? Can't remember now. Let me know & I'll make a point of going. Steve & I do like our Indian food. One of the items I purchased this afternoon in the Greek supermarket was a bottle of Rose Flower Water because I intend cooking Reza's Indian Rice Pudding in the next few days. I also bought a packet of Sumac but am not sure exactely how to use it. I'm bound to find a recipe or 6 in my cook books somewhere, but has anyone used it, & what was the recipe?

Karen, having got into the website you told me about & found out that mastic is a Greek ingredient, I went this afternoon to the Greek supermarket not far from here. There were packets of mastic for £1.50. However, so fab is the place that I didn't stop until I'd put just over £24worth of goods in my basket!!! I shall be returning! Thanks Karen. Can I blame my newest shopping sprees on you when Steve, my partner, throws his hands up in the air, rolls his eyes heaven-ward & tells me I can't afford it now I'm redundant?!!!!! I love you Karen!! :-)

Oh dear! Poor Lloyd. I really like him. Loved Master Chef but stopped viewing when Gary Rhodes took over. Adore Delia! Jeremy Clarkson I just feel like slapping any time I see him! Horrible creature! Angela Rippon I cannot abide. Those thin, arched eyebrows, condescending look & patronising voice send me into a killing rage! YUK!! And Ulrica Jonnsen (or however it's spelled!)....just get that woman OFF our screens!!

Wow! How exciting to have someone who is connected to this book ( for it is the very same!). How lovely to have your granddad mentioned. Now, I always shy away from recipes that include fresh artichokes as the preparation scares the hell out of me!! I did, however, see Valantina Harris prepare one a few weeks ago on GFL & she made it look easy. But then she's a professional! I love courgettes though & this recipe on page 135 sounds delicious, so I may be brave & give it a go!! Are there other recipes that you would particularly recommend Louise?

Hmm! Coriander seeds would be, I should think, a lovely addition to a rabbit dish. Good idea Claire, thank you.

Hi Gang! I've just watched Delhi Belly. My goodness, those delicious-looking sweets. I DO love gulab jamun. If I have any room left after my starter & main meal in an Indian restaurant, that's often what I order. Now, that market Reza took us to in Part 1: wonderful ingredients on offer, but would you buy them after scores of flies have crawled all over them? Delhi Belly indeed! I really enjoy watching Reza: camp as a row of tents & so sweet! I've seen him a couple of times rushing along Chiswick High Road & he's smaller than he appears on the telly. I'd like to see him have his own cooking programme where he shows us how to cook 4 or more dishes per prog. Anyone agree with that? And wouldn't he be a scream on 'So Graham Norton'?!!

Hi Karen! You're a gem. Thank you. :-)

Hi Helen! Just seen your post as I was browsing. Excellent choice, a Henckels, but I would be totally lost now without my Sabatier cooks knife. I think the secret is to try them in the shop: hold them, heft them. Which feels most comfortable in your hand? A heavy one, lighter? Wooden handle or metal? And, of course, price range comes into it. Take your time to decide & trust your instincts. There are many good brands of kitchen knives on the market. Narrow it down to, say, half a dozen, then make your choice. Does this help? Bye!

I have a few recipes in my Egyptian cook books that call for the use of mastic grains, usually '3 to 5'. Can anyone tell me what they are & where I can buy them? Or if they are not available here, is there an alternative I can use? Thanks.

Yes, I have a couple of recipes for chicken dishes that includes 40 cloves of garlic. This rabbit dish, however, has the cloves peeled & sweated off in the oil, taken out, reserved. The rabbit is browned in the same oil, transferred to a casserole with the red wine marinade, 2-3 bay leaves, salt, pepper & the cloves of garlic. Covered, it's gently simmered until the rabbit is tender. Peas are added in the last few minutes. In fact, I cooked it tonight, the rabbit having marinaded overnight in the wine (I used an organic Claret). I used 7 fat garlic cloves, cooked it for 1hour & 20 minutes & it was gorgeous. Very tasty indeed. Had it with mustard mash, & steamed carrots & broccoli. Delish! I think it could take a few more cloves, but Steve & I found it very palatable with the 7. In one of the other 2 Maltese cookery books I bought, the same recipe appears & includes just 6 cloves. I'll definately cook this dish again, & I have enough sauce left to add to the minced lamb I've bought for tomorrow's meal.

Hi all! As some may know, I have very recently returned from Malta (okay, I'll stop rubbing it in!). I bought 3 cookery books, & in 2 I have noticed misprints.
The first appears in a recipe for Bragioli (Beef Olives). The ingredients are listed: no problem there. Then comes 'Method'. Point 1:-
'Cut the beef into thin slices. Remove fat & FLATTER with a meat hammer'!! ("Oh, what a pretty piece of meat you are," says Meat Hammer!)
The second recipe, which I can only assume MUST contain a misprint, is for Fenek bit-tewn u bl-nbid (Garlic flavoured rabbit). Ingredients as follows:-
1 rabbit, in joints
375 ml red wine
40 cloves of garlic............
Hang on! 40 cloves of garlic?!!! Nobody will ever stand within 20 yards of you again, surely, if that amount is used! It MUST be a misprint, right?
Anyone else got any howlers in their books?
Happy Mother's Day to all the mums. Where would we be without you.

Trina, I don't remember a time without cookery programmes. My first cooking idol was good old Fanny Craddock & long suffering hubby, Johnny. There certainly weren't the plethora of cooking shows that have appeared in the last few years though.