Syrah

it certainly isn't pretty, is it? ← OMFG! Is there a profanity filter here? That makes me want to say disgusting things. How much do you pay for the heartattack in a bowl? ETA what's a heavy fast food user?? It sounds like a drug addict.

It's not a favourite dessert item for me, but I have made the one from the Commonsense Cookery Book with success. If you need, I can post for you. However, this one looks great. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...ing_72808.shtml

Star brand GranPesto Tigullio alla Tosca http://www.star.it/default.aspx?idPage=152 This stuff is amazing. All you do is cook pasta and toss through. It has no preservatives, and a wonderful delicate flavour. Olio di semi di girasole (36,3%), carciofi, ricotta (10%)(siero di latte, latte, panna, sale), noci (9%), patate, sciroppo di glucosio, formaggio grana padano DOP (con proteine dell'uovo), formaggio pecorino romano DOP, sale, aglio, fibra vegetale, correttore di acidità acido lattico. Sunflower oil, artichokes, ricotta, walnuts, potatoes, glucose syrup, grana padano, pecorino, salt, garlic, lactic acid. I can only find mention of it online in Italian. Trust me, if you ever see it, you must try it. I use it for nights when I cannot be faffed cooking.

I thought you meant after. During.. I can understand. I thought of you all today as I ate a "Beef and red wine" pie from a little German bakery in West Pymble/Gordon (not sure which suburb it falls under). They also have an adjoining restaurant. Some of the most delicious house wine I've ever had, and a fantastic pork knuckle for two.

I must be a cynic too. I really thought it was common knowledge. I cannot think of the last mass produced pie I've eaten and I haven't eaten McDonalds/KFC/Crappy Pizza chain in over two years. It's not snobbery, just a healthy respect for my body. I genuinely don't miss it at all. What I try to do now is enjoy "whole" food, nothing with crappy additives, and good quality ingredients. PCL, everyone knows that the only thing for after a big night is a fry up with lots of toast and tea. Pies just don't cut it there.

It's panzanella (italian bread salad)

Owen, you spoil us! I think I've been ordering the wrong thing in Ithaca, although you can hardly actually go wrong there. I wonder why I have never heard of a "Flat White" before. Is it really just Australian? Found in any other countries? Served named as such in any other cities in North America? Lonnie ← As far as I know yes. Another thing that seems to freak out Italians is that cappuccino always has cocoa sprinkled on top.

I make Delia Smith's Potato Boulangerie or a variation of. I always start it much earlier than I think I'll need, they seem to have no issue at all with extra cooking time. They may be lighter than what you want though.

Excellent pictures. Thank you. Hopefully this will give me enough courage to make my own wontons. (I have been known to cheat!)

Really? I can't think of a time when I wouldn't want a manservant... ← A mute manservant or a smart one.. both amount to the same thing. I've been eating dark chocolate and crusty white bread with butter and when I ran out of butter, mayonnaise.

It's like the skippy thing. Many people still can't handle the fact that I eat kangaroo happily. It is, like it or not, a more rational thing for me to eat than say beef or even lamb. At least kangaroos belong here and do not harm the ecological system. The other reason is that it is cheap.. seriously about a third the price of beef. It is lean, and needs to be rare, and has a different mouthfeel to beef. What does horse taste like?

I was just about to post the same thing. LOL.

What about Verdelho?

I did mean to say cut into rounds using a cutter, but I'm sure you got my meaning. Re the wedge shaped scones, as far as I can tell this is an entirely American fabrication.

Not plopped or dropped. the dough is patted into a flat round (maybe 2.5cm?) and then cut. The whole wedge scone thing is beyond foreign to me.

I agree on all counts, and please do not alter the pumpkin scones before trying them once. They are a very unusal article. Palmiers could be nice way to go. What about fruit toast with ricotta and honey.

Jason, thank you for the pictures! I was having issues understanding a cafe in a supermarket, but I can see it in my minds eye now.

Did you try the chicken salt?? I am not keen personally when it comes to fish and chips, but if I am getting just chips and gravy .. it's chicken salt all the way.

I caramalised some whole and make a balsamic vinegar type syrup. Placed on top of some french bread with melted cheese it was absolutely TDF. It was one of the Chef's recipes in an AGT (October I think)

Care to explain?

I have nothing, but am anxiously wait for answers.

But to eat dessert they would have to stop drinking beer.. that was my thinking anyway. ← now that's just not true... ← Sorry.. I was allowing my female side to creep in. Return to your scheduled prgram.

Golden syrup is what I was going to suggest also.

I break myself up into the weekend and weekday cook. Weekends (especially during winter), I am happy to cook things that require long time frames and slow seductive cooking. Most of that is inactive though, I spend that time enjoying the wafts through the house. Prep wise - I am not especially slow though.. it can sometimes mean frantically searching for a particular ingredient or furiously chopping before the oil gets too hot. I am not an especially patient person. Even though I get home relatively early, around 5 or 5.30 if I don't go to the gym, on weeknights I plan for 30 minute or less dinners. I try to plan ahead and defrost as necessary. I cannot STAND to walk in the door and start cooking straight away, I like to take my shoes off at the very least and pour a glass of wine. The time constraint means you are relying more upon simple fresh ingredients to balance each other out. I just love it when I can come up with something truly awesome. Tomorrow night's dinner I am really happy with, I made a couscous salad that required an hour chilling tonight. It took 10 minutes to throw together and yet tomorrow it will be ready to eat. Awesome. I only hope it tastes good enough to bother again.

But to eat dessert they would have to stop drinking beer.. that was my thinking anyway.