Andy Lynes

I don't know why I bother sometimes, I really don't. I'm going to have to change tactics, I can see that. Has anybody got any ideas? Perhaps you'd like to send me a Private Message, you can do that by clicking "Your Messenger" at the top of the screen. Just send it to Andy Lynes, it'll get through. Maybe your doing something interesting this weekend, or read a good book recently. Whatever. I'm reading Carter Beats The Devil at the moment. On page 150, and really enjoying it. You should read it, really. I'm going to the circus with the family on Saturday, then on Sunday we've got to go to Ikea for a few things. Keeps you busy though doesn't it? Weathers awful for this time of year, can't believe it. Windy and cold. In May! Who'd have thought it! Did you see Big Brother tonight. Didn't like that gobby cow from South London, you know, whats her name. I'm going to vote her off. We had roast chicken tonight. Lovely. Hmm. Well. Must dash.

Jinmyo, I think one post about gingham was enough, we dont want to start a whole thread on "chefs in dresses". Hey, I just thought of an idea for a magazine!

Perhaps the finest use of mashed potatoes I have come across in any artistic endeavour is in the children's TV series "Bodger and Badger" where it forms a central thematic motif. It's presence is threaded through the narrative of each episode so that it becomes almost a character itself, just as New York architecture became an integral part of the cast of players in Woody Allen's masterpiece "Manhatten". However, to really appreciate the dramatic potential of mash, one must experience the live Bodger and Badger show which resonates with the power of early 1970's performance art. Here, one can draw comparisons to the use of mashed potato to the manner in which bodily fluids (semen, urine, vomit etc) were central to the work of Coum Transmissions. Although nominally a children's entertainment, Bodger and Badger offers a great deal to the adult viewer, using the crushed tuber as a metaphor, a cipher, a symbol if you will for the eternal struggle of life over death, truth over lies, eggs over easy. Andy Cunnigham, creator of B&B, will I'm sure be recognised for his genius one day, and for his work in putting mashed potatoes where they belong. He truly is the Van Gogh of mashed potatoes.

Many chefs do not have the courage of their convictions or confidence in their own preferences and tastes. In the UK, the nervousness is palpable : http://www.Caterer.com/archive....D=42552

I used to make a lot of ice creams until the lining of my machine cracked and I had to throw it out. I haven't replaced it as yet. The most adventerous I got was Boddingtons ice cream which was ok. I usually stuck to the classics though. Liquid glucose in the mix is very useful for preventing the development of large crystals and so improving texture. You can get it in chemists (at least in the UK). Heston Blumenthal is king of the bizarre ice cream flavours in the UK and is developing a sardines on toast flavour apparently. Here is a link to a recent Guardian column of his which you may find useful : http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/...4410118,00.html. John Campbell has a recipe for onion ice cream in his book Formula for Flavour which is served with beef.

Can you provide a picture please.

Bourdain in a gingham frock? Now you're talking.

http://search.guardian.co.uk/search97cgi/s97networkr_cgi?QueryText=nigel+slater&Action=Search&Collection=Archive&ResultTemplate=ArchiveFull.hts&SortSpec=VdkPublicationDate+Desc

IMO, anyone who bakes their own bread with success or cans their own tomatos cannot be incompetant and is certainly not lazy.

Lets not bring strokes into this........ I don't like Slater either, his articles are car crash reading for me. I usually end up reading the most stomach churning passages in his Observer articles aloud to my wife in a disbelieving sort of voice. I think I've said this elsewhere before, but a lot of his ideas seem to come directly from Simon Hopkinson. A recent example was in an article about Aubergines. He gave a recipe using cream and said something to the effect that "yes I know you should never use cream with Aubergine, so shoot me, I'm just so wild and crazy, it works, believe me, (aren't I a real rule breaker)". On referring to the Aubergine chapter of Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Sinom Hopkinson published in 1994, what did I find but no less than 2 recipes with cream in the title and with no mention of the fact that it might be an unusual or previously unheard of combination.

What we should remember about Nigella is that, as the daughter of a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, she is a well educated, middle class woman and as such be expected to be able to string a few words together in a pleasing manner and bring an intelligent approach to her chosen subject. I personally found the article over written and too deriviative of Nigel Slater, her good friend and forerunner in both books and TV of the "stop pretending to be a professional chef and talk to your guests more, real fast food in five minutes, I never reduce a sauce, lets all buy frozen food, oh look a canned thing thats good, not bad, don't you love Ben and Jerrys, you can't beat boiled asparagus in spring time, strawberries in summer, comfort food in Autum, big lovely stews in winter, aren't home baked cakes nice, lets write in first person singular present tense all the bleeding time" school of thought. Her ace in the hole is of course her looks and her slutty ways in the kitchen which are provocative to her male viewers and liberating for her female viewers. She has freed the incompetant and the lazy from the strictures of Delia-ism and taught them that greed is not only good, but essential to a proper understanding of food. As with all 6 part cookery shows, 1 series is more than enough to get the idea, and a second and third are simply there to build the brand and sell the books, videos and CDs. Nigella has conspired to reduce herself to a pair of breasts illuminated by the fridge light as she licks something white and sticky from her fingers. But thats ok by me.

He didn't have to do anything to win it. I suppose it's like a knighthood or something, you just get it if you are judged to be worthy of it for your cooking, services to the industry, the example you set etc etc. I guess it all helps but I'm sure he doesn't need it to boost his business or anything. As you know Michelin don't publish a US guide and this was a worldwide "competition" so their involvement or otherwise isn't an issue really.

As far as I am aware, the competition was purely based on the opinions of the lucky judging panel eating their way around the world. Each country had it's own team with a senior judge who then went on to judge the finalists.

I walked the length of Berwick Street yesterday and couldn't find the place, is it actually on the main road or in one of the side streets?

Thomas, I'm sure we would all be interested in your culinary experiences in Bath if you are willing to share them.

I was glad to see that La Trompette got "best local restaurant" in the Time Out Food and Drink awards. Well deserved in my opinion.

I went down to Brompton Road today to see how the restaurant was shaping up and bumped into Henry. He gave me the grand tour of what is still a building site, but very much in the final phase. The restaurant is to be called Racine, as Henry and Eric are going back to their roots! The interior of the main dining room and bar will be decked out with mocha leather banquettes and darkwood venner walls, whilst a small back room will seat around 14 on side by side banquettes (i.e. couples will sit next to each other rather than opposite) with gold painted anaglypta wall covering. The kitchen is large in proportion to the dining room which should make for a relaxed working environment which can only be good for brigade and punters alike. Henry plans to open after the June Bank Holiday. I dont think they are taking bookings just yet, but the number is 0207 584 4477.

I know we are talking about offensive things on this thread, but that is going too far!

I once had an anti-war discussion in a Portsmouth pub during the Falklands conflict. I was in all probablilty very pissed and talking nonsense, but whatever it was I said, I was followed outside by a Sailor who had done a tour of service during the conflict and was berated for daring to have the conversation within his hearing at all. I was very lucky not to have had the crap beaten out of me. But that was a "private" conversation in a public place that was overheard and caused offense, which, if it had taken place in central London may well not have at all. So getting back to jaybee's original question about not talking about subjects which may offend, time and place can play a part in that as well. I don't think we can draw any conclusions from jaybee's experience, as I think it was as jaybee says "an unusual event" unlikely to be repeated with much regularity. If something similar were to occur, one would have to deal with it as circumstances and inclination dictated.

How about Pierre Gagnaire's "Sketch" in Conduit Street if it's open by then (should be in theory)? As long as you have £125.00 per head for food of course! Not sure about Babylon, it got very negative reviews and doesn't sound special enough for a 30th to me, but I have never eaten there, any one who has? The usual suspects include Petrus and Foliage, but what about Lola's which got a 3 star review from Fay Maschler last week?

The question of whether or not your conversation was above what might usually be deemed an acceptable volume for the type of restaurant you were in can only be answered by the people there on the night. However, at the risk of sounding harsh, I think she should have dealt with it. It's a public space, the topic of conversation per sa was not offensive and it was her personal circumstances that made it upsetting to listen to, of which you had no prior knowledge.

Wilfrid, I'm afraid to say I missed your original post and didn't see it until some further responses had been posted, so nothing personal!

Don't worry, I'll go and have a look next week and report back.

This sounds really interesting. Any idea how much lunch is?

The only ones I know of, never eaten there, are The Carved Angel in Dartmouth Harbour http://www.theaa.com/restaurants/5160.html and The Horn of Plenty in Gulworthy http://www.information-britain.co.uk/showP...cfm?Place_ID=50. Both are landmark restaurants of the 60's and 70's, now owned by chef Peter Gorton. I think they are Michelin listed but whether they have stars or not I don't know.