PoppySeedBagel

Cider vinegar, hot water & honey is good for aching joints - I have no idea why, but it definitely works - and I like the taste too.

I'd actually rather have a Yorkshire curd tart - a genuine cheesecake, even though not called such. Here's Rick Stein's version: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...art_70382.shtml

I think that there was a recipe in my mum's old Good Housekeeping cookery book published circa 1951: I no longer have this, so suggest that you email Good Housekeeping magazine.

Mr Poppyseedbagel, Mini-Poppyseedbagel & I had lunch at Anthony’s during half term. Mini-PSB is nearly 7, but was made very welcome by all the staff, despite his protestations about only liking burgers and pizzas (he does know how to wind up his mother…). His distractions mean that I can’t always describe accurately what I ate, as I missed the waiter’s explanations – but I’ll do my best. We did like it: the quality of the cooking was clear, and so was the quality of the ingredients, and the care about doing things properly. Some of the combinations worked beautifully, some didn’t, but we enjoyed it all (well, except the foie gras & cocoa/muesli combo which was A Mistake). It is really very special. First the olives and bread and butter were excellent (I loved the toasted butter: but the parmesan and the plain were almost as good). We started with an amuse-guele of smoked sprat, with hazelnut broth/foam, and a tiny salad of raw broad beans with mustard sprouts. This was absolutely spot-on delicious, and the combination of clear flavours really sang. My starter was cured duck with avocado, and dabs of sultana, crispy duck skin, fresh pea, and sprouts of some seed that I couldn’t identify. It looked absolutely beautiful, spread over a long thin plate: the meat was very delicate in flavour, but really good. It was exquisite, and if I had not been accompanied by a small person, I would have been able to concentrate better on its delicacy: however I could have done with something gutsier in flavour, in the circumstances. Mr PSB had the onion risotto with Parmesan foam: this was more like it flavour-wise, and it was very good indeed. Mini-PSB had more of the bread, as his starter, plus some of mine. My main was John Dory with cockscomb and crispy duck skin (again). The fish, indeed everything, in the dish, was perfectly cooked, superb quality, and very fresh. However I can’t say I felt the flavours melded together into something that was greater than the sum of its parts, unlike the amuse-guele, which was really special. Mini-PSB had a starter as his main, which was described as monkfish, + foie gras, cocoa, muesli. The fish was, again, perfect, and not at all chewy, but the addition of foie gras, rolled in cocoa and muesli, was, er, a culinary bridge too far. Mr PSB had black cod with bean sprout salad and wild rice, which I forgot to try, but he said was very good. I was slightly disappointed by the choice of puddings, because they were all rather similar in texture, and idea – nothing fruity in the least, and all rather rich flavours – chocolate pot, vanilla & malt financier with ice cream and chocolate jelly, coconut parfait with liquorice and black cardamom ice cream, or pecan parfait with maple ice cream. The chocolate pot was huge and after 2 mouthfuls Mini-PSB pronounced it ‘too rich’ and stopped eating it. He had had a lot of bread, but he doesn’t normally let anything come between him and chocolate – however, I could see what he meant. I had the coconut parfait, which was good, but too clogged in flavour for my taste. I like clear tasting desserts best, so I wasn’t too excited by any of the puds on the menu, but what I had was good. Mr PSB hoovered up his financier, and described it as it excellent. All in all I thought that this was a really good restaurant, which I wish were closer to me. They are very serious about everything being right, yet it wasn’t at all pretentious I was disappointed that there were only 4 tables occupied – this was mid-week, but such a restaurant would be very busy at lunchtimes in London. [Edited - sorry we didn't make it to the Blacksmiths Gary - we did go to the pub in Sutton on the Forest that had a good write-up in the Good Pub Guide - which was rather mediocre, really, so I wish we'd driven that bit further!

Hallie have you tried Abel & Cole? We are a household of 3, and usually eat all of their mixed box plus extras such as strawberries, each week. I know some in eGullett have had bad experiences with A&C but I think they are good: they sell many food basics like bread meat fish & milk too. I'm lucky though in that they deliver to us on a Friday

I agree about Stein's - we've been going for about 15 years - it had become a tradition to go every time we went to Cornwall on holiday, and we go there a lot. However last year we decided not to go again - he won't miss us, it's so busy. The food is not as reliable as it was, and it's soooo expensive for what it is. I had some completely ruined red mullet - a combination of the fish, peas and noodles in way too much overheated olive oil. That said, I had the best pudding I've had for ages - but it was off the children's menu - a perfect, perfectly simple, strawberry tart with crème pâtissière. The puddings on the adult menu were, if I recall, pappy/ice creamy, so didn't appeal.

Konditor & Cook's orange and lavender cake with crunchy sugar topping is really wonderful, and this is definitely due in no small part to the lavender.

If you get really desperate I'm going to Israel in July! [is there anything else that I should be bringing back?]

Cheers - we're going to be close to Sutton on the Forest so it won't be far to go to the Blacksmiths, I think. Yum yum.

Thanks everyone - we're definitely going on Wednesday for lunch! The crab & cod for me and mini-PSB I think. He's heavily into shellfish.

When we visit The Far North for half term we'll be staying in York - are there any new recommendations or updates to the above posts?

Heh! He used to be an anti-suit suit too - now he's a househusband he really is allergic to them.

I've just reserved a table for lunch in half term week for me, Mr Poppysedbagel and Mini-PSB, age 6. I'm looking forward to it greatly. I've been told by Mr PSB, however, that he doesn't want to be surrounded by 'lots of accountants and solicitors in suits'. Can old Anthony's hands please reassure me on this? - or should I cancel?

How about home-made red lentil soup - with gentle spices, and home-made chicken stock [ t/a free, as many people throw away the carcass]? To the Rich Tea butterer above - have you tried them buttered then toasted? Even better... These days I also keep a packet of AMT dried mango in my bag - £1.20 of heaven, which I think is good value if not cheap. AMT are behind the (pretty good) coffee stalls at mainline London railway stations, and their dried mango is perfect - not sweetened, just strongly fruity, and not too soft.

Williamson & Magor teas are lovely - especially their Earl Grey, and Darjeeling. I think that the Earl Grey is now available from Waitrose, but here's a link to a site selling other teas that they produce: http://www.hamperbox.co.uk/index.html?lang...target=d64.html Bizarrely they don't have their own web site, so it may be easier to phone them, and ask for their mail order catalogue: 01582 813810

Oh dear! it should about double in volume, and I suspect it's your oven at fault. I don't actually think using granulated sugar makes much difference . The worst one I ever made failed because I used salt instead of caster sugar... [i was 14 at the time and Mum's labelling of produce was a bit iffy]

Helen - I don't know how you make a pound cake, but I make a Victoria Sandwich by creaming 8 oz butter & 8oz castor sugar with an electric mixer on a stand for a very long time, until they are extremely fluffy. then I beat in 4 eggs slowly, and finally fold in 8 oz sifted self-raising flour with a little milk. The mix is then split between 2 sandwich tins, and baked at 150 deg C for about 20 mins (fan oven). When cooled it is sandwiched together with red jam, and icing sugar sifted lightly over the top. Er... that's it. How does this differ, if at all, from your pound cake?

>'Do not use olive or vegetable oils, as these can become rancid' This may be an urban myth, propogated by people googling... I have never actually oiled a chopping board, and equally have had no problems. There has been no warping - I can't think of any reason why you would need to oil them, but am prepared to learn where people have had problems when they have not oiled them.

I assume you're in Australia, so I hope this is of some help - the English chef Simon Hopkinson gives his recipe for Chocolate Pithivier in his book "Roast Chicken and other stories". I've never made it, but my husband ate it when Simon was chef at Bibendum in London 10 or so years ago - and he said it was his best-ever pudding. RC&OS was recently voted one of the top 10 most useful cookery books by a (smallish!) panel of British cookery writers, and it is indeed a lovely book.

Banoffee Pie was invented by a restaurant called The Hungry Monk at Jevington in Sussex (SE England) in about 1970. It's been doing the rounds in UK ever since. It is horribly sickly, but in small quantities is delicious. One other use for the dulce de leche is chocolate caramel shortbread - as it sounds - make a batch of butter shortbread, and bake in a shallow tin. Top with your caramel, and then when that's cool, with melted chocolate. It's surprisingly nice when made with really good dark chocolate.

Greetings from England. I've just measured my loaf tins - 2 lb ones are about 4" x 8", and 1 lb about 3" x 6"

I agree about Leon - also I like Andrew Edmonds also in Soho for good, almost homely food, and very British in character (I had ham with piccalilli recently - smashing). I'd avoid their lemon tart though - bought-in and disgusting...

Congratulations Gary and best of luck! That's a very good website - it makes it look really attractive, and gives the necessary information, yet isn't too fancy, with too many Flash bits & pieces.

I agree Corinna - I use generally use a potato and onion stuffing by (I think) Simon Hopkinson, which soaks up some of the fat and gains flavour from it, but I'm not sure it needs any stuffing at all really. However stuffing always seems more festive & special somehow.

Thanks for that Ian and apologies for overlooking your post Corinna - I definitely shall try it