Brithack

Thanks, Andiesenji, for clearing up my question - in advance! - about whether you can freeze beef fat. I've had some in my freezer for a fortnight and I only put it in on the assumption that nothing happens to the fat on a frozen steak after it's defrosted, but I wasn't sure if it would be OK - had a vague feeling of worry about it. Now I am - thanks again.

I second Rowley's No Place Like Home. There are SO many seasonal cookery books out there doing a very fine job, but Rowley's is the one I return to and cook from most often.

OK so I might be being very dim here. I've got some lovely recipes for short ribs but I can't find them anywhere - even Lidgate/Ginger Pig-type places say they just don't cut them like that. But you must be able to buy them somewhere. I've never eaten them and would like to try. Am I just being stupid and not calling them by any Anglicised name they may have? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

And I agree with BOTH of you! I don't want to stuff it from a culinary point of view, but I'm worrying about leaving it empty from a festive one...!

Hope this isn't on the wrong thread, but I'm having goose on 11 December for friends (trying to loosen the tyranny of parental Christmas three-line whip). I've done goose before and, though it's a fairly big deal to drain all the fat, I'm not worried about roasting it. My question, though, is can anyone convince me that there is a stuffing that 'goes' with goose? I think any pork-based stuffing, or indeed breadcrumb-based forcemeat, far too rich. I once tried an apple/prune/onion combo with no binder, but I didn't think that worth the trouble. So at the moment I'm not stuffing the goose. Unless anyone has a good idea? Any help much appreciated, as I'm already going to be lynched by my friends for banning sprouts. I think there'd be a mass-defection if they find there's no stufing either.

Harrods told me a couple of weeks ago it's not open until 21 Nov - is it open already, then?

About the risotto cakes - if you chill the risotto, then roll it into balls around a chunk of mozzarella, then breadcrumb it, you can deep fry them. They're wonderful like that - and Marlene has top-notch deep fryer as we know from her onion-flowers.

Mincemeat! Easy and delicious just core apples, open jar, spoon in and bake. Yum.

errrrrrrrrrrrrm, OK - deep breath. this is sort of hard to admit. i've had a mouli-legumes for four years. i've used it once. i'd love to use it more often but i'm pretty sure i'm not using it right. it doesn't seem very efficient. when i turn the handles nothing very much happens. purees come out in dribs and drabs, not in a clean, easy mass. i've tried turning the handle both ways and nothing seems... well... right. any idea what i'm doing wrong?

You could do worse than The Brilliant, 72-76 Western Rd, Southall, Middx 8574 1928; brilliantrestaurant.com - huge place - seats 250. Genuine Punjabi - special award from the Good Food Guide

For Indian I agree Southall's pretty unbeatable - though also fairly hard to get to. For high-end Indian you could try Amaya, though I'm still unconvinced by posh Indians, Amaya and Benares are the best two around I think.

Bubble-and-squeak cakes. Yum.

Not my idea but might help: We've just serialised a book called Dough by a French baker called Richard Bertinet, who has very many interesting ideas about dough - as you can imagine. One of his tip-top priorities is having very wet dough and he explains wonderfully how to handle it and get it elastic without adding flour. You should maybe get the book - I don't know where in the world you are based but in England it's published by Kyle Cathie.

Dear Kim, For what it's worth: YES buy scallops with roes on - they aren't a patch without it, in my HO. At Borough: Ginger Pig sausages Northfield Farm burgers (to eat there) Label Anglaise chickens And whatever veg looks good at Tony Booths. Don't worry with the fruit unless you want niche products (which for you fellow brits means cobnuts blah blah blah)

Dear Alinka, It may be 'simple' (though the care with which it has been made - the moellet eggs; the beautifully marked toast - suggests a great deal of detailed care), but the two shots are SO magnificent that I'm drooling over this as much as I have over any more complicated meal in this thread - and that's a lot of dinners! You're very talented. Keep posting!

I'm interested as to why those of you in the know wouldn't suggest Zuni Cafe? I've never been to San Francisco so I don't know about any of the others (apart from the French Laundry, natch)...

Thanks for the invite Erica! but, sadly, i won't have time to really leave the city much... and thanks too, jon, for the suggestion.

I'm looking for an interesting, good, unusual place to have dinner in Oxford at the weekend. I don't want to go to Le Manoir, even if I had time to book. Does anyone know of a good one, or is it hopeless?

Too right!

I don't know about the online version of Time Out, but the printed one is definitely going - the current one is the last, as I understand it. I have to disagree about using newspaper reviews as a guide to the quality of an establishment, I'm afraid, having worked with and edited many restaurant critics and disagreed with almost a majority. Many are employed for their style rather than their palate, and often we have to stop them making fools of themselves in print due to lack of basic knowledge. I do think that the 'ordinary joe' reviews are far superior as a guide. Also, about Fay. She may be the doyenne but IMHO she's been doing it too long. She has 'pets' who can do no wrong, and, in order to review an establishment before anyone else, she has had chefs round to her house to COOK FOR HER IN HER OWN KITCHEN and uses that as the basis of a review. Rant over

Well...Square Meal mag has a lengthy news section in the front of every issue, so that's a good start for openings and closings. Personally, I find Harden's a waste of time. Time Out is the most reliable printed guide, though you'll need to get in quick as they aren't doing any more after this issue. London-eating is the best website, I think.

I've never heard of any such thing. Can someone tell me please if a) I'm dim and haven't noticed (all too possible) or b) this is common practice in America?

I agree with Busboy. Also, why would you cook something you don't like? When, presumably, this means you do not taste and even if you do, you don't know what you're tasting for. For instance, take a nightmare dish (mine anyway): tripe, brussels sprouts and okra. OK, this is a made-up dish BUT if it DID exist and I thought guests would like it, how on EARTH would I know if it were a good version or not? It would taste foul to me whether it was prepared with top-notch ingredients with great care by a good cook, or thrown together by an idiot. I realise this is more extreme than the real-life example you gave, but I think the principle's the same.

So I'm a bit confused about how early the market starts. I went once at 6am and had to wait in the pub opposite for two hours because nothing was open. So it certainly doesn't work as a wholesale market any more. Although the traders were drinking beer quite happily at 6am. Did I join in? Yep. Also, I doubt many on this board go to Borough for the majorly marked up fruit tarts/brownies/venison burgers - aren't they for the newbies and tourists? Without those 'made' foodstuffs, I'm quite happy to pay a premium - at least at the start of the month before the salary starts to run out...

Rococo orange and geranium thins - delicious, fragrant, dark and crisps discs, for when I want a girly mouthful. When chocolate is more of a pressing priority for my stomach, Domori 70% Porcelana, or their 100% (you CAN'T eat too much of this - the body won't take it!) or their milk and salt bar.