curlywurlyfi

make sure you go and see the caravanserai about two hours out of Tripoli, and the troglodyte dwellings (and of course Leptis Magna and Sabratha).

my dad used to live in Tripoli in the bad old days (he left about five years ago) and I do remember there wasn't much imported stuff at all, but there was excellent bread, and excellent fresh fruit in season. I'll see if he's still got some contacts there and if I can get you more specific info.

I've certainly seen enough truffle oil for one lifetime.

Tim-Tams are vile. My (Australian) boss brought some back after Christmas and they appear to be coated in chocolate-coloured candlewax. She was so proud of them, I didn't have the heart to tell her that The Grocer on Elgin Crescent is stuffed full of them.

they also have a neat trick of pricing everything per 100g. So you think 'oh, £2.20 for the carrots, that's not bad' and then realize that a kilo is in fact twenty quid. Much better, if you're at Borough, to lurch down the Walworth Road to East Street market, and getchore larvely veg there. Might not have the baby baby fennels, though.

my god, Moby - those wonderful photographs, and that crispy sea bass, and those artichokes - I am speechless. Absolutely world class. prosit, prosit. Fi PS 'Latvian squirrel'??

Neil's Yard Dairy at Borough Market in London last Saturday had some Stinking Bishop which was so ripe it was actually running off the edge of the table. Ah, happy day.

OK I have delayed posting this story until I am about to go home so won't be here to hear the screams of revulsion. I was in Italy for New Year at a charming, half-renovated mediaeval tower of some friends. No running water in the kitchen, so we had to wash everything in the shower cubicle round the corner. This photograph shows Lucy (front) and me (just visible behind) combing the chard with a torch - not much light in the kitchen either - after I realized that there were, in effect, hairballs in the saute pan. and yes, we ate it anyway. Fi

the nice lady at Run has just called me to say they are having a half price sale, ends tomorrow, so hurry hurry if you want to buy anything. Fi

Moby Pomerance - as transparent as only lightly poached orange peel can be. she seals it with paraffin wax, but don't let that put you off. I quite enjoy picking the candly bits out, it's like beeswax. only made of paraffin, obviously. Fi

oh no, slacker, that's extremely shabby behaviour. to redress the karmic balance (what??), I would be prepared to sacrifice a jar of my mum's marmalade (it would be the smallest jar, of course, I'm not entirely altruistic). are you going to be in London in the next few months?

My mum was in town this weekend and brought me three jars - THREE!! gloat, gloat. Feel like Gollum with my preciouses.

if the rye isn't too stale already, slice it, cut the crusts off, roll it flat with a rolling pin then use to line muffin tins. Brush with melted butter and bake till golden. Voila, instant mini-pie crusts. Fill with roasted vegetables; scrambled eggs + smoked salmon; sardines with onions + parsley...

there's a River Cafe recipe for potato gratin with bacon, garlic, sage + cream which is wonderful (hey, bacon AND sage, what's not to like?)

kicked off with a colossal gin + tonic and some of those wonderful Fragata brand green olives stuffed with anchovies, after hellish day at the media coalface then - omelette with steamed asparagus folded inside - okra fried in a little olive oil with tomato, cumin, garlic, splash of balsamic + a surprising amount of salt, simmered about 15 minutes till sauce nice and sticky - little Gems with oil + vinegar then a piece of lemon drizzle cake at midnight (I blame my flatmate) Fi

thank you, Jay, for making me laugh out loud. Fi

I cooked supper for a friend in return for her not complaining that I wanted to watch Gladiator - again. - chicken liver pate (secret ingredients: fino sherry and a huge glug of single cream) on toasted brown seedy bread - corn on the cob (because Lucy loves it) - whole filleted rainbow trout, cavity stuffed with parsley + lemon + drizzled with olive oil, baked - grated courgettes fried in garlic + olive oil - lemon drizzle cake (nobly restrained ourselves to one piece each) and much girlie weeping as Maximus went to meet his wife and son in the afterlife.

Bruce - am most jealous. However, my parents are in town that weekend, so unless you'd like lunch with me + two mad elderly Scottish people, I'll have to pass. Dammit! would have loved to foster the pioneering international spirit of eGullet! hope it's a corker. Fi

well, if you need a witness, I'll do the decent thing and come with you. never knowingly underopinionated, me. Fi

I am barricading myself in the house till I know it is safe to go outside again. hilarious article, though, Andy. Perhaps Ramsay will appear with his conger eel or boa constrictor or whatever it was. Perhaps he'll do a tableau of himself as Laocoon.

After much disappointing road-testing, I've come to the conclusion that the only good marmalade is homemade (see earlier comments about Ma Kirkpatrick's Seville). My parents live in Malta where the oranges quite literally grow on trees, so Mum gets her Sevilles fresh fresh fresh. Her marmalade is a legend amongst my friends. People have been known to write her thank-you letters for it in the hopes of cravenly oiling up enough for another jar next year. Fi

my friend Mark runs the Lacemarket Hotel and very delighted he would be too to see you at Merchants. They've just souped up their bar too - Saint Bar at Lace Market Hotel I will ask him if he would recommend anywhere else for your dinner, though. Might even introduce him to the joys of eGullet!! We had a really good curry last time I was up (early Feb) at the Sagaar in I think Beeston. which of course I promptly dubbed the Shergar, thus taking away everyone's appetites. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" aieeeeeeeee Fi

they breed us hard in Govan.

Also inspired by the paprika thread, I marinated some chunks of chicken breast in olive oil, paprika, lemon juice and honey. Fried up and served with - okra fried with tomato chunks, cumin + garlic, then chopped coriander over - spinach wilted in olive oil + garlic with a squeeze of lemon - plain steamed carrots The okra was (were?) a wow, but the chicken was disappointing. Got nice crusty caramelization from the honey, but just tasted like barbecue sauce.

speedy week-night supper for eating whilst lying on the sofa reading: - cod loin, dredged in flour then fried in a little olive oil, served with a squeeze of lemon, lots of chopped fresh parsley + a sprinkling of drained tiny nonpareilles capers in sherry vinegar - steamed green beans tossed in evoo, garlic and more parsley Fi