PoppySeedBagel

I agree about a good-sized goose doing 8 adults. It's so deliciously rich you don't need a lot. I have a series of recipes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, from The Indepenmdent in Novemnber 1997, [which I have never tried], involving a single goose being made into the constituents of a single meal as follows: goosey scratchings to serve with drinks; giblet -stuffed goose neck with chutney; confit of leg & wings with split pea purée; roast goose with apple sauce & trimmings I can scan & email these to anyone who sends me a PM

Mr Poppyseedbagel & I have just got back from Cheltenham, having had some absolutely wonderful food on Saturday night at LSC. We had a splendid time in Cheltenham actually - it's a good place for Christmas shopping. The nibbles were the same as everyone else upthread had, and just as lovely: our amuse-geuele was American bean soup with black lime froth [i think - the waitress had a strong accent]. It was perfectly pleasant, but to be honest tasted rather like Mr PSB's lentil soup... Mr PSB's starter was guinea fowl, ham hock and foie gras terrine with golden raisin sauce, and was perfectly balanced - the flavours just kept on coming, with the flavour of foie gras as the finale. I had the langoustine and cock's kideney dish - this time, I think, with a cream of chervil tubers under the langoustine jelly, but again I may have totally misheard the waitress! Whatever, it was gorgeous - quite how a set jelly managed to be hot I don't know, but it was a stunning dish. My main was pigeon breast with date purée & goats cheese - an excellent combination, just large enough and not too rich, yet deliciously strong in flavour. Mr PSB had golden headed bream with red wine and hibiscus sauce, and sweet potato purée. It looked wonderful, even when the plate was finished, the colours were so beautiful, but the flavours were even better. It was an amazing combination of flavours - Mr PSB said every mouthful was different yet always delicious. Mr PSB's pudding was lemon and pine nut parfait with lemon curd and pepper sorbet. I only had a little taste, as by this time I was getting a bit full, but it was excellent. My pudding was hot tart of fig with brown butter ice cream. This was the only disappointment of the meal - my tart was only luke-warm, and was a bit flabby. It was like a tarte tatin, made with puff pastry, which wasn't well-enough cooked and the figs were basically just warmed through, and a bit tasteless. The brown butter ice cream was a triumph though - absolutely the best ice cream I have ever had. I told the waitress that I hadn't liked the tart, and the reason, & she said she'd tell the chef but that was the last I heard. The pre-dessert was nice, involving cream and coffee, but was too rich - other people seemed to be getting a sorbet which I would have preferred - I'd been too greedy over my starter! We agreed with all the above comments that the wine was very well-priced. Mrs Everitt-Matthias was charming, as were all the waiting staff but we felt that we had to wait just a little too long between courses and definitely for the bill, but these are minor quibbles. Overall we had a stunning meal, technically extremely well cooked, and with a rare understanding of how well certain flavours combine. I am sure that we shall return.

Overrated - lobster Underrated - crab - especially the brown meat.

If it's closer, Villandry have very good ones - not too salty. About GBP10 for 2 cuisses...

Fatmat The Cookery School on Little Portland Street did excellent very short chocolate making courses last year - the teacher, Paul Younfg (who was very good) also now runs his own courses - here's a link: http://www.payoung.net/courses/

Oh was it? your photos don't do you justice! We were the noisy pair of women who came in at the same time as you, & whom they hid away at the back.

I'm looking for quinces - I've seen the lovely big Turkish ones in Waitrose just before Xmas in the past, but if anyone spots any in shops near central or southern London (W1 for preference), please let me know. I have an urge to make quince jam. We used to live in a house with a quince tree in the garden, but now we're renting, and I can't plant a quince until we've bought a place.

No idea I'm afraid Andy

I had lunch there on Thursday - as did Simon Hopkinson, though sadly not at my table. My friend C & I were ladies who lunch for half a day, and we both really enjoyed the lunch and the shopping afterwards. We both ate the set lunch, which was tremendous value - 3 courses for £16 or £17. We both had the celeri remoulade with Bayonne ham to start - the C R was slightly more picquant than I like, but the whole dish worked well, and the ham was lovely. I had the monkfish & mussel casserole - beutiful, fresh fish in a delicate creamy sauce. C had calves liver - very simple but delicious she said. We both had 'profiteroles praline cream' for pud. They were good - if I were being picky I'd say the pastry was a little undercooked, but the whole dish was a good combination of flavours. The food was really very good, particularly for the price. It was old-fashioned in many ways - lots of creaminess, and in fact the prix fixe menu itself leant perhaps a bit too heavily on cream, but it is actually rather nice to have that occasionally. We loved the feel of the place - although there were only about 2 other women in the place - they clearly will have to change the menu if they are to attract the true ladies who lunch. The service was fine, and nicely quirky. It didn't feel that we were in London, and we shall both definitely return, and will happily have the prix fixe menu.

For kitchen one-upmanship I think it possibly beats my SIL's £9,000 Below Zero fridge. Did anyone watch the video - 'first pour boiling water into th teapot the add you tea bag via a little dance...'

Thanks - I'd always though electric ovens were 'better' than Gas (cooked more evenly) - I'd be interested to know why you prefer gas Tony.

that is lovely - what is the advantage of the gas oven *and* the electric oven?

What he says is absolutely true. I'd like an Aga, but I'd make sure I had a really good oven, grill & gas hob first, so the Aga would be an extravagence. I cook on an Aga for a fortnight a year oin the holiday cottage - I enjoy it, but I couldn't live with just an Aga day by day. Though I have friends who do - they just adapt their cooking, and I couldn't do that.

I have to say I'm with you on that Mark, having watched all his previous series. I turned off the TV when he gestured to the busy road next too him as he swanned by on his boat, wondering why we 'were all in too much of a hurry'. Having just been in Padstow, full as it was of Stein emporia, I thought he could probably answer that himself. He's a charming, well- educated man, but I do wish he's leave off the cod-philosophising. Also, did he really not know that meat from bulls is different from beef from cows??? Possibly he's a fish out of water...

BTW - he does let children into his Seafood restaurant for lunch - and for dinner when they are >5. They do a children's menu with things like home-made fish fingers with excellent chips, and wonderful strawberry tart on - and mini-poppyseedbagel & I enjoyed sharing a plateau de fruits de mer before his fish fingers & tart about a month ago. However, the prices... I am enjoying the programme - I always do enjoy his programmes: he's so enthusiastic

I went to Rules about a year ago - and had grouse, which was beautifully cooked - not too rare. I made the mistake of declining their offer to take it off the bone. As this was a client meeting, I dealt with it too gently & probably wasted quite a bit of the meat. I liked Rules a lot - I certainly preferred it to Simpson's - it seemed more serious about the food.

Matthew have you tried asking Comptoir Gascon? They seem to import a fair number of things themselves.

You weren't on Mortimer St (W1) today were you - I heard 'O Sole Mio' played very prettily and tinkily (?), and thought an upmarket ice cream van might be outside my office

Andreew Edmonds is nice, but I agree it's not a business meeting venue. I would recommend Latium in (I think) Berners Street - the food is top-end Italian, simply cooked, and it's professionally run.

How about hokey pokey ice cream - it's made from vanilla ice with added 'hokeypokey' - ie cinder toffee. You'd have to make the cinder toffee yourself, I suspect, but that's quite fun. It's a great name, traditionally English, and having had some in Cornwall on holiday last year, can confirm that it tastes good too. HP + toasted almond might be even better. Edit - apparently it's not English but NZ - I have an old Good Housekeeping recipe, so assumed it originated here

Gary - I had a similar edperience - staying at a Michelin 1* in the Champagne region (so v. rich food) for 3 nights - on the last night for about half an hour, I just couldn't face the restaurant. Then (being a Yorkshirewoman) I picked myself up & trudged off. A bottle of champagne restrored my appetite amazingly. I find TMs often have over-large portions of puddings - that's what tips me over into feeling sick (!) - they often have 2 or 3 rich puds, when I would prefer somethings lighter and fruitier.

And he does seem to bring out the best in good people - and his staff are loyal - the Maitre d at RHR (though in my view a little slimy) has been with him when he was at Aubergine (when he was even slimier)

From what I saw of it (sound off as I was on the phone) we got to see some other bloke's bottom instead. Does the production team have no fresh ideas? I haven't seen many of these, but those I have seen involve a proprietor who knows little or nothing about the restaurant business failing to reign in his staff - is this a representative sample?

From what I saw of it (sound off as I was on the phone) we got to see some other bloke's bottom instead. Does the production team have no ideas? I haven't seen many of these, but those I have seen involve a proprietor who knows little or nothing about the restaurant business failing to reign in his staff - is this a representative sample?

My advice is not to watch more than the odd one - I almost never watch cookery programmes on the TV - they are usually playing to entertain, not inform - Mr Stein's programme's are about all I can take.