fatmat

What is the issue with cell phones. Let's face it, people use phones - an unavoidable fact of life - it's the 21st Century. What is the difference between chatting with a friend at the table, and talking to one by phone? OK, ringing phones are annoying, but provided that they are turned onto vibrate, what's the problem??

I'd like to defend the punter a little. I feel that the job of the restaurant is to make it's customers comfortable. Customers have foibles (hell... so do restauranteurs and waiters, big style!!!). If you work in hospitality, you need to be understanding and to work around them a little. I can't stand the arrogance of restaurants (and their pompous owners) that try to inflict their often overstated and inflated opinions of what they think the 'correct' dining experience should be. Speaking as an ex waiter, I feel that the job is meet the punter's needs. Sadly, so many restaurants expect the punter to bend around them. I think it is a sad day when a restaurant/owner/waiter starts to believe that they are bigger and more important than their clients. Don't forget that these people are paying customers, and provided that they are not being outright offensive, I think that we need to live and let live a little

I'm going to share this one with the world - For me it's a kind of coming out! I think I may be the only consumer on the planet... maybe, but I urge you to try. Peanut butter, a little oil (to thin the nut butter), curry powder - all mixed with sauerkraut. I eat will an entire pound of sauerkraut in one hit this way

Deadly nightshade - It is high time the world was rid of this insidious plague!!!

I find that complaining is often met with riteous indignation - A kind of 'how dare you criticise my work?' attitude that attempts to justify the server's position whilst trying to make you the wrong doer. Complaint is rarely met with gracious apology.

It floors me when... I spend days planning and hours preparing a fantastic meal (not to mention the cost for the finest ingredients)... and my guests turn up with a single bottle of super cheapo Vin Gutrot - leaving me to provide not only the food but the wine for the evening as well!!!

There are 800+ different varieties of apple growing in the UK and we still buy flavourless French apples!!!!! It's just plain wrong

The ingenuity of Pizza delivery companies at getting more saturated fat in pizzas than ever before. I figure that the UK are probably way behind the US on the pizza front, but a few years ago the stuffed crust pizza appeared in the UK - just when you thought that they couldn't get more cheese into the pizza, they found a gap in the crust and put it there. Now Dominos have gone one better and released the double layer pizza - base/cheese/more base/toppings/cheese - This is coronary genius!!!

Hot buttered crumpets, Faggots and peas Oggies Kedgeree Clotted cream teas Rice pudding Brown sauce Cheese on toast Smoked Salmon Pea and ham soup I'm getting hungry

I have tasted, but not experimented with salt toffee. It tastes fantastic - does anyone have a recipe??

CtznCane -do you use bourbon lots in your food? how do you use it? I love to drink it. I occasionally use whisky to cook with, but not regularly.

I've never cooked professionally. I've worked behind bars and I've waitered. I've also worked as a building site labourer. From what I've seen, Chefs at all front line levels work as hard as labourers - I don't say that to sound dramatic, that's just the way it is. It's a hard job. that does not put me off - I love food, I love creating it and I love people eating and enjoying it. I hope to create good food professionally as soon as my life will allow me, but it's a lifestyle not a job I guess

I call garlic and onions flavourings (shallotts too)- If they didn't add flavour I don't think I'd use them.

I'm really enjoying looking at everyone's favourites. Thanks for taking the time to share. Just to show my ignorance, can you tell me what are:... ras-el-hanout - Squeat Mungry? Sazon - jilli42? Am I missing out on something good?

A good Maitre d' is worth his/her weight in gold. Sadly, having worked in the restaurant trade, I've found so many of them are simply sycophantic slime balls who treat their staff poorly whilst smiling sickly sweet to their customers.

In January Seville Oranges hit the shops in the UK. I was going to experiment with making 'Orancello'. Has anyone experimented with this??

Hmmmmm... never spoil a good meal by holding back on the saturated fats. I love your approach RN

'scuse my ignorance Laurie - What's Tellicherry pepper?

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good." Just to add to Susan G's quote... Gravy makes it British

British Doner Kebabs on a drunken Saturday night - Taste so right at first contact, taste so wrong the next morning when you wake up and burp beer, chilli and kebab

I must strongly defend Kinnie (even to the extent of handbag fighting at dawn!!). It's a bitter orange drink - It does taste unusual (but how wierd would cola be if you'd never tasted it before?), but I thouroughly reccommend it. It's my favourite 'ethnic' drink, although I'm not sure how kindly the Maltese would take to being called ethnics. (P.S. Great country, great people. If you ever get the chance to visit, go for it)

If you could only ever have five flavourings in your cupboard, what would they be? Just for starters mine are: Vanilla Garlic Smoked Salt Chilli Balsamic Vinegar

I live where they're made and I think so... The Badger Beers a little less so, but they can be found nationally, from town to town - That's Macro on a UK scale anyway

I love one pot cooking in a Trangia. Curry is a good staple. Fondue is fun and easy to do Pork in cider Beef in red wine ham hock in mustard and cream Cooking like this is great because you have to take your time. Chill out, read a book and drink

Sadly they don't exist. If you are looking for a malt drink without alcohol, go for Dunns River Supermalt. Tastes great and is good for you. Bets wishes for you and your little one