tony h

I recall that you live in Hoboken. In the days when I lived there I remember a very good wine shop on 1st street. They were very knowledgeable, friendly & had a fairly good selection. Ask them for advice. Also, don't rule out Beaujolais - something of a revolution has happened there in the last couple of years & they are now producing some excellent wines

Simon & Macrosan - a question I'm sure eveyone is asking - how the f**k do we become one of your clients?

or, how about meeting at St Johns? I'm sure other eGulleters may want to join in (horses couldn't drag me back to the wenlock)

Sounds interesting - tell us more. Do you have a recipe?

or spambo?

Just had lunch there again today - its very handy for work. Tried the set lunch menu. Starters - I had the rabbit rillettes (sp) - a bit fatty but mostly OK. My colleague had the poached eggs w anchovies - looked great. Mains - both had roast monkfish w artichoke, broad beans, mash & excellet red wine reduction. Very good indeed. No wine as not allowed to drink during the day. So for 12.50 pounds for 2 courses I think it was pretty good - frankly - better than the a la carte lunch from last week.

Where to start? Food - you've seen the board but if you want "british" then St Johns is possibly as good an approximation as any. Also - its not too expensive. Others, like Simon, may know of more appropriate places. Eric Chavot is possibly out cooking Ramsay just now - so head to the Captial (just around the corner from Harrods). Its expensive - but they do an excellent affordable lunch menu. For atmosphere - Moro is very good. Food is variable but again not too expensive. Not about food. Virtually all of the Museum are now free & there are some excellent shows on just now (Mastisse/Picasso at Tata Modern; Lucian Freud at Tate Britain). British Galleries at the V&A are quite wonderful as is the BM's great court.

Lets face it Tony, your no shrinking violet when it comes to description & opinions - and we all thankful for it. But I not sure that those on the receiving end, deserving or not, appreciate the critical observations that are made to help them become better people or their establishments better places. I understand if you don't/can't answer this - but has anyone taken legal exception to your wisdom, has this tempered your attitude or do you just have an excellent set of lawyers?

should be roast (but its a close run thing)

I had lunch there last thursday and a fine lunch it was too. saffron & wild garlic mousse w wild mushrooms. The mousse was impossibly light & melted on contect with your tongue. The wild mushrooms were a bit of a distraction - the texture was similar - something with a bit of bite or crunch may have been more appropriate. Road rabbit followed (the waiter pushed that). It came with perfect mash, green beans & bacon(all excellent) - the rabbit was more OK than great (a bit tastelss) . puds - liquorice ice cream. It certainly wasn't lacking in punch - made me feel a bit like I'd just had a puff on a ciggy - similar contraction to the throat. Approx 27 quid - which is a bit ott for a simple lunch with no wine (for another fiver I could have gone to Capital). There is a set lunch menu which I'll try this week & report back. (Andy - when your next slobbering over HH & cupid's all aflutter, can you suggest he tries adding some lime syrup as an accompanyment to liquorice ice cream - it will (should/may?) transform the dish into something quite stunning & other worldly - in humble opinion, of course).

5 for dinner on saturday night: Roast scallops w hot broad bean & asparagus salad Several different fish poached in chicken consome (sp?) served as a chunky soup raspberry sable w white chocolate ice cream (homemade, of course) If I say so myself, I was particularly impressed with the consome - I used egg whites to clear the stock - worked a treat.

JD - thanks for the note

I also have a Panasonic breadmaker - I use it to prove & mix the bread but find its better to bake the dough in the oven. You mentioned grapes & other exotica as a starter (pre-b'maker). Can you elaborate & perhaps supply a recipe or some guidence as I have only recently learned of such things and would appreciate learning from your experience. Thanks

been there, done that

So its true - instead of kids eGullet couples have pictures of their kitchen in their wallet

poached, boiled & fried eggs (I have been known to vomit in the presence of fried eggs). omelettes are fine for some reason - its just when the eggy bits are cooked unmixed I have a problem. I hate butter on bread & in sandwiches green peppers most spirits esp. pernod & whisky (the shame of a Scotsman) kidney I have a problem with some shellfish (the insect looking stuff) - but I am much better than before cod - I can eat it but I've never really enjoyed it ketchup bananas polenta tofu

Are there plans to show the series in the UK - or have I missed it?

I asked Shaun Hill this but he side stepped the question. What's more important - the food or the company?

The 20 course meal you lovingly described in the Cooks Tour - just how expensive was it (please don't tell me it was gratis)? Don't you think 20 courses is just a little over the top - I mean how do you stay intersted for that long - or is the food that good?

The Moro cookbook? No I don't own it, If I hadn't binned it (i.e. gave to charity shop) you could have had mine. To my mind, anyway, it contained almost no insight into spanish/moorish/n african cuisine - its was just a bunch of recipies expensively bound.

My thoughts are that the originator of the thread should steer the general direction of conversation until it dies naturally. If it begins to flag they can try to resurrect it or let someone else do so. Often a thread will fly off in a completely new direction (e.g. these posts) and the originator can try to bring it under control or let it be carried by its own momentum. I think the originator needs to be respected but once launched its the eGullet members who are in control (except when a moderator needs to step in - thankfully a rare event). If you don't want someone to contribute to one of your threads - instant message them privately. Also - if you say something someone doesn't like they can message you asking for a change which you can accept or ignore.

Early influences which helped me to think about cooking rather than just follow recipes are: Blanc Mange - Raymond Blanc Keep it Simple - Alistair Little (Lisa's already mentioned M Roux's Sauce book) Unfortunately, neither have followed up with anything worthwhile (Blanc Vite was truly awful) and RBs earlier books although wonderful can be a bit involved. I also hate to admit it but I still reach for Delia's early "Complete Course" book for basic recipes - I am not a fan of her later work. I was given a copy of French Laundry book just 2 weeks ago - I still too much in love with it to give an unbiased opinion yet but early reading indicates a classic in the making.

I had lunch at Nobu (London) yesterday & I'm sorry to say - I just didn't get it. Tuna tempura - ok - wierd texture. Yellowfin with jalepeno (sp?) - fine but nothing special, A couple of different shushi rolls - I got bored half way through eating them. Mixture of vegetable tempura - tastless. There was a couple of other dishes but I forget what they were. It came to just under 50 pounds (ouch!) plus I was hungry afterwards. And no conveyor belt.

fyi - lunch at The Square - it was packed (& v good)

Le Manior is full for lunch today. I got a table a The Square no problem (phoned this morning).