Hookster

So, anyway, Andy what did you think to Midsummer House? I was treated to a meal there last summer and thought it was pretty innovative although it did seem a bit of a Fat Duck copy. The food was excellent although we were far too stuffed when we crawled out 3 hours later - the wine suggestions were very good as well.

How about two half bottles? Might be a good compromise. Besides, I guess I'm just looking at it from a different angle. The wine for me is almost equally as important as the food where as Spam, for example, is seemingly not bothered by wine at all (I think). And, with regard to your comment about your meal at Putney Bridge, I think chosen wines are great but inevitably, I end up walking out completely stuffed and pretty arseholed! There must be a middle ground.

Superfluous question really Andy, but why did you choose one straight bottle of white rather than 2 or 3 glasses of wine that respectively complimented what you were eating? (Assuming they serve some decent stuff by the glass). I'm not very good with these things but would have probably opted for an iced vodka with the amuse, an Alsace Pinot Blanc with the smoked haddock or Champagne for the lobster sauce and either a glass of good Chablis/white Burgundy for the Halibut or a good Beaujolais (Morgan or Chiroubles) which would go well with both the fish and the trotter (it is a French dish after all?). And what dessert wine did you have? I always prefer Champagne with souffles and might have stuck with Champagne all the way through if I'd been confined to one bottle only. Mind you, saying that, I would've had to have a glass of light red for the main course before going back to the fizzy. Anyway, like I say, a rubbish question really; just interested to know your thoughts. Hookster

Never been, live up norf - remember! But did to Restaurant Show at Olympia, watched Georgio make fresh pasta with wild mushrooms, wild sea bass etc with, yes you guessed it, fresh white truffle. He shaved absolutely loads of the gorgeous stuff onto his creamy pasta and then invited the over-excited audience to indulge themselves. Without a second thought, I greedily stuffed as much of the yummy, otherwise ridiculously expensive dish, down my gullet (creamy buttery olive oil spilling over my face and down my neck - but I didn't give a damn) without a hint of embarrassed. It was define and cost me nowt! (He’s now my friend!) PS Thyme, Clapham Common, the night before, was also fab - from the test tube of cod mash & frothy parsley cream to the oozing matured cheese and dessert red, it was delectable. The service was also nee on perfect amazing (even if the decor was not quite Club Gascon). Are us Northerners just more easily pleased?

After tonight (and another godforsaken abortion of messed around rubbish) that's it! I've had enough! From now on I'm only going to eat produce from my doorstep as long as it is incredibly fresh, seasonal and not too expensive! Hopefully all from my, or my neighbours', gardens'/allotments.

I took great heart from Monty Don when I read about how he had cooked a meal for Nigel Slater using produce mainly from his garden and certainly no further than 10 miles away. I live in Newcastle and am fortunate enough to have an abundance of fantastic produce on my doorstep. However, the exceptions are notible: If I want seabass that is a manageable size (and cost) it is farmed in Greece or Turkey (along with a host of other fish); King prawns are from Bangladesh or Nigeria; Tuna from the Gulf; consistently sized racks of lamb are from NewZealand; high quality pork from... don't know; and good duck is from France. What's more, the guys on the veg market complain that UK fruit and veg growers don't adhere to the same quality standards of selection, grading and packing as their European counterparts. Don't get me wrong, I love the cod, haddock, halibut, crab and monkfish from the North Sea, Northumbrian (and organic) beef and lamb, excellent unpasteurised cheeses, local herbs & mushrooms, blackberries and wild garlic growing outside my door, botanically fermented drinks and so on, but for so much of the rest, I seem to have to venture further across the world. I would dearly love to only ever eat local food produce but it just seems so limiting. What do you think?

I was given a copy when it first came out and I, like you Jonathon, agree that it is almost two books in one. Despite the objective of writing a book for children (well, the family at least), there is far too much endless prose and techinical detail with few diagrams and pretty pictures - and that's what I wanted, not just what I thought would be useful for children. However, it is a good read and the sort of book that you need to read all the way through, twice! Ignoring the minor contradictions, it does present some really convincing arguements on low temperature slow cooking and has, as a consequence, completely changed the way I now cook meat. What I am really looking forward to, is a comprehensive and detailed book on molecular gastronomy with stuff like formulas to calculate exact cooking temperatures and times for any given food stuff. I'm sure we won't have to wait too long!

I tried the Newcastle branch and it was passable although they offered me the wine but then wouldn't let me send it back when I said I didn't like it! (this particular bottle would give paintstripper a bad name!) Formulaic, identical theme diners are all very well but ultimately they are stripped of all their profits right from the word go to open new restaurants or prop up failing ones. Stick to the independents!