primowino

In a couple of weeks I will be holidaying on the Mosel, staying at Bernkastel. Does anyone have recommendations of which wineries to visit, especially within walking distance of Bernkastel !! For example do JJ Prum and /or Fritz Haag allow unannounced (or any) visitors. Recommendations for good restaurants will also be fully utilised. Thanks

Are you sure you can't grow one there? I've grown various citrus plants all over the world. You might have to take it inside in the winter, but I'll bet you could grow one. Next time you go home, take a couple of the fruits back with you. God knows they have plenty of seeds!! They're really pretty plants as you know. In the US, they're sold as "ornamental citrus," and as a houseplant in cooler climates. I was told by a nurseryman that "nobody grows them for the fruit because it's so small - the plants are popular because they're pretty and smell nice and they're easy to grow." I'd recommend you give it a try. Whacha got to lose? Calamondin Orange ← They are very hardy, in Australia they have been grown for years under the name of "Kumquats", now that true Kumquats are being sold they are marketed as "Australian Kumquats". The make superb marmalade. ← Adam, are you telling me the delicious kumquat marmalade you made me was not from real kumquats but some Australian imposter? Actually I don't like the real things and can't imagine they would make anything as good as your marmalade.

Jim, As an obvious riesling fan I'd like your opinion on a bottle I have tucked away, a 2002 ZH Clos Hauserer. It has been pretty well stored through its life I think, when would you choose to drink this wine? Thanks

Well said MaxH. Whenever I want someone to try an unoaked or lightly oaked chardonnay to contrast the stuff they don't like, I nearly always choose something from the Maconnais. I'm actually doing that tonight in a tasting with a Saint Veran.

If i'm allowed to move away from France and CA, one of the best value Viogniers I've had (several times) is Yalumba "Y" series from Australia. it is about £8 in the UK and shows all the right characteristics for viognier without the slightly bitter aftertaste that some can have.

Pinot Noir and Merlot - that is so wrong. Are there any other examples of this traversty in the US and do they ever produce something better than the sum of the parts?

Adam, interesting though these discussions are, it's about time you posted some photos of your cooking since descending to the Isle of Cricket. From a British admirer.

Adam, Glad to see you've settled in and back to your main pastime. I will continue to follow your culinary adventures till we meet again.

Craig, I've acquired a couple of bottles of a Greco di Tufo (Terre degli Angeli, Terredora 2005). Not having had one before, what can I expect and how long should I keep them. Thanks

I usually make coffee with my espresso machine, but take a moka pot on holidays and camping etc. The moka makes very good coffee and I've always been confused why because I would have thought that the water passing through the coffee would be at or very close to 100C and scald it. Do you think the water cools significantly on its way up the tube to the coffee?

I have had a Francis Francis X1 for about 3 years making espresso and lattes every day. I have nearly always used pre-ground coffee, usually Lavazza - or Illy when I'm feeling flush. I have usually been fairly pleased with the results. However the X1 is getting a bit tired and leaky and it seems a good excuse to upgrade. I may get an Isomac Giada or splash out for a Millenium. Everyone that writes about machines like these on sites like coffeegeek (a good title from the posts that are there) are grinding there own coffee fresh each time. So my questions: i) For very good quality machines do you think I will notice a big difference if I start grinding my own coffee? ii) If so are there any recommendation for where I can buy good beans in the UK? iii) Are Isomac machines the way to go? Thanks

I am holidaying down in this corner of the country in a couple of weeks and I would like to have at least one memorable restaurant experience while there. Any recommendations in the area, bearing in mind we will have our three children with us (6,10,13 years), who are interested in good food. Thanks

I'd suggest that Edinburgh's brief fad for deep frying everything was, in the main, publicity driven. Offering deep fried (insert random word here) was a very easy way to get a small business into the local paper. It's the same procedure used by all those Birmingham curry places offering the world's hottest vindaloo, or by London eateries that charge £85 for a sandwich. ← Deep frying everything is still populat in Edinburgh. Here is the menu from Edinburgh's finest. Deep fried scotch pie, that is an experience. ← Of course the Scotch Pie is called Mince Pie on the menu because that's what they're called in Scotland (no need to call them a Scotch Pie here). Now a Mince Pie sounds like something that should have mincemeat in and be eaten at Xmas, which is why these are often called Xmas Pies in Scotland. Still with me?

Well it's a radical move but at least someone has found a use for vegetarians. In the chippies in Birmingham you can get a slice of potato deep fried in batter called a scallop. Whilst this label has obvious comic potential, I've never seen it fully exploited. Possibly those Brummies who genuinely believed that Nicky the Greek was battering shimmering molluscs have died out through natural selection. Either that or they moved to South Queensferry. ← Just as a bit of regional detail. A battered slice of potato is, or at least was in my youth, called a dab in Lancashire.

Thought I would add something after my experience last night. I opened a 2003 Cotes du Rhone from a pretty good producer, Saint Cosme. I had a glass immediately on opening and it was lovely with good fruit and the perfume (the much referenced violets?) of a probable syrah rich blend. However, I went back an hour later, half of this time having had the cork back in the bottle, and it was very dull in comparison. This was a wine that I would have guessed would have benefitted from at least some breathing. The morale of the story is, you sometimes just don't know. Although I recommend doing as much research as you can to find out about any interesting bottle you are going to drink, you really need to give it a taste on opening and make a judgement and if necessary drink it immediately or quickly get the cork back in until your ready.