Adam Balic

Well obviously, it is a case of 'historical reasons' for the distictions between Alsace, Burgundy etc labeling. But, seriously I doubt that this will effect the top end very much. I can see Macon whites being labeled as "Chardonnay" (grape variety no the Macon wine tourist village), this may even be sensible if they are to complete on a world market. But I dount that Montrachet will follow suit for instance. If somebody was expecting a McLaren Vale Shiraz and bought a Hunter, they would be i for a serious shock and this would simply demostrates a poor understanding of what they were buying. More people are drinking wine down and this is always going to happen, irrespective of labelling. How many people have bought some shite £3 'Claret' from a UK supermarket expecting it to be a great Bordeaux? Many, many I imagine.

Personally not keen on crap quality industrial grade raisins. However, dried muscatels (on the stems) at christmas are very good and really nice when dosed in brandy and set alight. Eaten after the flames die out, they taste sweet, smoky and brandish.

I'm not sure that it will be that dramatic. Alsace seems to cope with the concept of terroir and some information on the grape varieties. It is even possible that some new world regions, even Australian Shiraz have some aspect of terroir in their make-up.

Yes I know what you mean. I don't like marshmallows at all so I don't touch any American cuisine.

'Sultana' and 'Thompson seedless' are the same variety of grape, the later is hormone treated (nothing to worry about) to give you bigger/longer grapes. Sultanas are made from sultana and related grapes, you get variation in the colour due to production differences. One upon a time the wax of the grapes was mechanically removed, now it is often removed with detergents, the former method gives you darker sultanas, that later the more 'golden' types. Anti-oxidents will give you give you a less dark coloured sultana. Raisins was once a general term for dried grapes, but the names now tend to reflect the type of grapes used (Sultana, currant (= Raisins of Corinth), Muscatels etc).

Sambal Cuttlefish.

Actually it could very well be an Australian spelling. Will the French 'Syrah' is thought to be derived from 'Syracuse' another semi-mythical place of origin, the earliest record of 'Shiraz' grapes in Australia was from 1832 and these where shipped in by James Busby. Busby traveled throught Spain and France and collected vine cuttings that were planted at the Sydney botanical garden site. In the 1840's the following was written about one of these vines: "Scyras" (= Syrah = Syracuse) - An excellent grape and promises to be at least equally valuable for red wine as the Verdeilho [sic] is for white. This is the sort said to be chiefly cultivated on the celebrated hill of Hermitage." It isn't difficult to see how "Scyras" becomes "Shiraz", especially with an Australian accent. It is though that Persian city name story was made to fit the name that was already being used as they sounded the same as there is no rumour of this grape being associated with this city pre-Australia.

So you only eat the original quince conserve version of 'marmalade'? How very dedicated of you. It is a bit sweet , but makes a nice change, goes well with cheddar.

- Without being to parochial, definately the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. Greatest market in a city of markets. - The Rialto fish Market in Venice. Yes, tourists, but also slithering tables of octopus, people walking about with cones of paper that rustle with jumping shrimp and baskets of tiny fish, often sole, that just screen to be deep fried. - The smaller of the both markets in Florence, I prefer the smaller of the two, but the larger has a hot tripe stall:wub:. - The food souks in the Fez's medina, walk into the covered streets, get squeezed by donkeys and you are in transported back 500 years. Green quinces, dates, gourds, olives, lemons, small boys selling sweetmeats and more donkeys. - Main market in Valencia - great fruit and seafood, especially cuttlefish. - The small market in Lyon on he river bank (is early, name escapes me). Small, but great produce and location. I love markets.

- My mother-in-laws - Keiller's from Dundee - cumquat from any school/church stalls etc - Rose's Lime

Now I know what you are all taking about, "Sea Beans" = "samphire". Very nice, steamed and served with melted butter and a couple of kilos of langoustines to garnish.

In Edinburgh, not a Burger bun, but a "Morning Roll". It can be confusing the first time you hear somebody suggesting a 'Morning roll and bacon'....

I think that organistations such are this are wonderful, but I think that to survive and be relevant (food is for eating after all), this type of produce needs to be brough back into the 'public' consumption sphere of influence. I think that an apple specific store would be very difficult to maintain, hence my suggestion for a wider range of produce types.

"Cloning" in fact. This is true of almost all plants (and animals), the great gift of sexual reproduction, the mixing of genes in every generation.

True, but how many 18th century country houses, 19th century Gothic mansions or 1960's bunkers ( ) have been saved for the nation compared to its food history? One things like these apples are gone they are gone for ever. And unlike many other forms of cultural heritage, they can be used in a contempory setting. I can appreciate that it is much easier to excite the public imagination with buildings etc, but how difficult would it be for an organisation (goverment or otherwise) to set up a store in a prominant location, that sells produce like these rare apples etc. Not as a money making exercise (although this would help) but more as an educational and promotional device. Take the British culinary heritage and give it back to the population, rather then leave it as a dying resource for a small group of foodies. Heirloom fruit and veg. varieties in season, rare breed pork produce, beef and poultry. Ditto cooked goods, cheese etc. Ah, it could be sweet. Never will happen as the current goverment is fully in support of supermarket culture. So eat your apples while you can.

God how depressing. Apples are a great symbol of British (or at least English) food culture. If only 0.1% of the people that have bought Jamie's, Nigella's or Delia's books would buy some traditional British produce, like these apples. What a pity that organisations that look after some much of British heritage, largely ignore food. There are increasing amounts of articles published on 'saving' some of the monsterous 1960's concrete buildings and one on British food. And this from a nation of newly converted 'foodies'.

Isn't a tiddy oggie simply a cornish pastie? Tiddy oggy is Cornish pasty minus beef, plus cheese. Priddy oggy is Cornish pasty minus beef, plus pork. I didn't know that there was an official recipe for CP, as it was something developed out of cheap, filling meals for miners. Priddy Oggies were an invention of a specific individual (Paul Leyton) who named them 'Priddy' after the name of the village his tavern was in. I think that they contain several types for cured pork, pork tender loin and cheddar cheese and the pastry crust contains cheese. Ah, just looked up Jane Grigson, 'tiddy' is a local cornish name for potato. Pasties are oggies, when some of the meat is replaced by potato they are tiddy oggies. I doubt that many cornish pasties lack potato (like a Scottish Bridie), so they are all mostly tiddy oggies.

Glad to that the pasta improved on the second round. Overkneading. Gluten is formed by kneading the dough, you want gluten, this gives the pasta it's structure. In bread making you can get too much gluten formation and this can result in an inferior product. But pasta isn't bread, gluten is the scaffolding that holds the starch bricks together. With out gluten formation you just have starch and water, which is wall paper paste. This is why there is all this talk about flour, different flour contains different levels of gluten. Semolina flour is very high in gluten, soft wheat flour is lower, depending on the flour it can be very low, that is why egg is added, to replace the the function of the gluten. Try kneading the dough for 10 minutes and see if this improves the dough. In the in initial putting the dough through the roller, it is best to fold the dough sheet back on it self and re-roll on the same setting (largest gap setting). Do this three times, this will give the dough strength (like making a samuri sword) and allow it to cut better (not like a samuri sword). Also when selecting flour look for flour that contians very low free sugars (non-starch carbohydrates), these sugars increase stickiness. Enjoy!

Second above suggestions, plus Iranian style koresh (sp?) stews. In medieval Europe and the near east, both the dried bark and flowerbuds of cinnamon were used. The bark was refered to as "canal" (tubes) and hence the modern Spanish for cinnamon. A rhubarb and veal koresh would be great, but also you could consider desserts. Maybe a Catalan cream type thing. I am jealous of your leaves.

Semolina flour has been used in various regions to produce pasta for a few centuries at least. Genoa (not exactly south)was/is a famous area for pasta prodcution and the pasta for export was made (mostly) from semolina flour. It has much better keeping properties then soft wheat flour, so it is ideal for export and trade. The egg story may have some element of truth, but at the end of the day semolina flour simply doesn't need egg to produce excallent pasta.

And to add to the confusion, Durum wheat flour for pasta is often refered to as 'Semolina' in Italy. I still think that it is worth refering to 'Semonlina' in the pasta context, as many people pass this product (fine grade) in the supermarket and don't relise that it can be used for making pasta.

My broom is very insulted. Pasta rack indeed I think this might be a bit different from what I've read here, and may be heresy, but my basic pasta recipe is semolina and water, with a tiny bit of olive oil. Where does semolina fit into the flour hierarchy? Jamie Userly it cause a God almighty row over the 'right type of flour to use'. For the record I use '00' Italian flour and egg and occasionally semolina flour, but this is purely because of the types of pasta dishes I make using fresh pasta. Many US all-purpose flours actually contain semolina flour (I am not in the USA so I don't use it).

Trying different flours will help too. All-purpose flour varies quite a bit in composition and some are not so great for pasta. How long to you knead the dough? If you don't knead it long enough, this can result in overly soft textured pasta. 10 minutes is a good length of time to aim for.

Nice placement of cherries.......... One of the brothels in Melbourne had a large billboard advert "Its fantasy week at the Daily Planet - are you coming". Maybe they use the same advertising people.

Don't pile the pasta together is a start. Lay them out flat or hang them. If the dough is to moist they can stick together, so you could cut back on the liquid to flour ratio and it sometimes helps to sprinkle with flour before putting them through the cutters and after they are cut. Shake off excess flour before putting them in the pot or you will make wall paper paste. But the best advise is to practice, as it really takes time to get it all to come together. If this doesn't work, then make your sister ravioli.