Posts by: jannymac

Folks

Am new to this message board but wanted to let UKTV know that there are far, far too many repeats - Rick Stein is a perfect example, but we've also suffered the same in previous weeks with the James Martin (Digs Deep) and before that, the back to back Heaven's Kitchen saga. Viewers want variety - and UKTV Food isn't delivering that at present.

The problem could be at the UKTV Food end and their data links to the broadcasters. Sounds to me like 'packet loss' in their circuits

Smaggers, it's not Sky that we need to get irritated at. It's UKTV Food (and UKTV is a joint venture between the BBC and Flextech)who are broadcasting this programme schedule and clearly they don't want to take the opinions of their viewers into consideration.
I would be interested to see if someone from UKTV could help us understand why they persist in broadcasting this way. Or maybe, they just don't care.

Hi there

Not sure about buffet, but great food at Union Square Cafe (just off Union Square) where you can either get a table or sit at the bar (good if you're on your own as there'a always someone interesting to talk to)

Also The Royalton Hotel is good (East 44th St)

I would serve it with either a chunky salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives and mint) or with some green beans. Crusty bread too.

What about a meze to start? Hummous, tzatsiki, grilled peppers and pitta. Then your guests can pick as much as they want. You could serve the starter with drinks and then it would be more informal. I would do a sorbet to finish or something like baked fruit (pineapples, peaches etc,)with yoghurt (or cream)

Hope that this helps

It's just sieved tomatoes. You can buy passata in any supermarket - you'll get it in both bottles and cartons and you should find it in the tinned veg section alongside tinned tomatoes etc....

Hope that this helps.

You're welcome

Pitta bread with Houmous and Tzatziki or Greek Salad maybe?

Hi there

When you're making a tomato sauce try putting a pinch of suger in when you're cooking the tomatoes. You don't need a lot - a level teaspoonful is plenty, but it just takes away that tartness.
When I'm making meatballs in tomato sauce I also put a bit milk in after the sauce has cooked and just before I drop the meatballs into the pan to cook. It make the sauce smoother and creamier. Hope that this helps.

Hi graysy

Try the milk - you'll find that it makes a difference to the sauce. Not too much though - or it'll end up like Heinz Cream of Tomato!

Hi there

It's only my opinion but I wouldn't keep stroganoff for any length of time. Since it's made with fillet steak it will have disintegrated if you leave it for a while. What about boeuf bourguignon - you can do all the prep ahead of time - and do long slow cooking in the oven and you can use cheaper but tasty cuts of beef. It will also keep well in a chafing dish

Hi there

I think that it's www.JamShop.co.uk and the chap's name is Fraser Doherty

What about monkfish, wrapped in pancetta? I saw Sophie Grigson's programme yesterday and she served it with roasted vine tomatoes and I guess you could serve sauteed potatoes and a green veg too.

Alternatively, what about a good old fashioned roast chicken, stuffing etc...

Look - I've got to admit that I'm not a fan on GFL - nor Ms Barnet - as her presenting approach irritates me no end. If she's good as a presenter and 'personality' you can be sure that another broadcaster will scoop her up to front a show - even if it's a copycat of GFL.
UKTV is not interested in the viewers as individuals - it's the advertisers they need to keep sweet - and the advertisers are only interested in the right type and numbers of audience. If an advertiser thought that the ratings had dropped they would move their business and spend their money in another way. So folks, you can vote with your remote controls and go elsewhere - as long as it's not another UKTV channel. That will send the strongest message to the people at UKTV. But you know what - I bet you don't.

Amanda

Thanks for your post. However, if the curry recipe was meant to be a family secret then why on earth was is submitted into the 'people's cookbook'?

Let me guess....as a publicity piece for Helen Tse and her books...

The fact that it's now taken weeks and a number of iterations to get this right indicates that there's a problem somewhere.

So why in your post are you acting as a promoter for Helen's new book? (unless that's part of the deal)

Many people have wasted money in trying this recipe only to end up having to dump the ensuing mess. What confidence to we have in UKTV Food - or Helen Tse for that matter? Not a lot I would venture.

Joey

I would do a salad of green leaves with ripe peaches, mozzarella and parma ham followed by a big spaghetti bolognese or a veggie or meat lasagne so everyone can help themselves. I'm not really a pudding person but what about chocolate brownies to finish?

All of these are pretty straightforward which should leave you time to sit with your guests. Hope that this helps.

Hi David

Although I'm not a great fan of Jeni I do think that she'd be better replacing Gary Rhodes as the anchor presenter rather than sitting on the judging panel. Gary's delivery is so wooden and sounds so false it really doesn't work. Jeni would at least inject a bit of life into the whole set-up.

Stick to your cooking Gary - At the Table was a good series and it would be great to see more of that type of programme.

Hi David

So do you know who's being replaced - Rosemary Schrager or Oliver Rowe? BTW did you watch GFL's replacement? How did it go. Am away from home on business so don't have access this week to UKTV Food. I thought that the trailers for Market Kitchen looked quite interesting though.

jm

I seem to remember that Marks & Spencer had a couple of good books which were aimed at younger cooks.

In line with most of my fellow message boarders I felt a bit disappointed with the first programme. However, it's new and will take time to find its feet. If anyone from Market Kitchen is reviewing this board can I make the following comments and suggestions;
- there are too many components to the programme with not enough time devoted to each piece which made everything feel rushed. I was particularly irritated with the 'fish pie' pieces (both Tana's and Mark Sargeant were really disjointed), but I think Mark Tebbut interrupted too often - especially in Tana's piece.
- the master class is a great idea - but again was too short to be useful
- please get the chap in the black shirt (I am assuming he's part of the production team) who was hovering about in the background to make himself useful!
- Finally, no-one looked as if they were enjoying themselves. If it's meant to be a market kitchen you'll want more 'customers'

Any2305

What's the occasion? What type of party are you having?

Hopefully I can come up with some suggestions

jannymac

ant

What a thoughtful person you are!

riittaa's suggestion is a good one - we scots do like our cakes and sweet things. What about the following;

A poached salmon (good to do in advance and can be served hot or cold)
served with new potatoes
Drop scones (scotch pancakes) with butter
Dundee cake
Cranachan - (fresh raspberries with honey and cream and toasted oats on top)
Dumpling (a steamed pud - a bit like Christmas pud) served with cream or custard

Hope that this gives you some ideas

cheers
jan

What about pan roasted cod on a bed of minted mushy peas? Fish is good in that you have no issues if it's slightly undercooked. Or what about salmon with new potatoes served with fresh peas and a bit of hollandaise?

Alternatively, for a starter, they could do English goat's cheese with some salad leaves and a balsamic dressing, followed by coronation chicken with trifle for dessert.

Summer pudding's lovely, but it really needs a few hours to develop and you don't mention if they're limited in terms of time.

Hope that this has given you a few ideas

My pleasure!

Hope the girls have a good time and enjoy their cooking!

Does anyone know how far in advance the programmes are recorded? Given that this will be the second week of Tana and Matt I've not seen any discernable improvement in their presenting - but that could be because for them it's actually only their 2nd week in the job.
I still think that there's a good programme fighting to get out, but I don't know how long it might take to mature - hence my question about advance recording.