polly

I am so jelous that you got to have Madhur Jaffrey over to dinner. I would love to meet her one day. Just from reading her books, i like her. Your dinner sounds very delicious. Did you prepare it all by youself or did you have some extra hands?

I usually make a simple raita with cucumber, mint, coriander, lemon juice and salt. It ends up being not dis-similar to middle eastern cacik or tzatziki, i suppose. I can't wait to try some of the posted recipes though, they sound gorgeous. I remember having the Pachadi when i was little, and staying in southern India. Ahh... beautiful food memories...

Fabulous stories Suvir. It seems that, whether you taste as you go or not, it is the passion and care that you give the food that makes it wonderful. I am a finger-dipper from way back. I like to know how things are going as i cook, but i also utilise smell and sight. I think i probably taste alot when cooking just because i enjoy the flavour of things so much. Marcella Hazan says that she can tell if a dish has enough salt just by smelling it.

I use coconut milk in heaps of things: curries of all sorts, indian and thai being favourites Basmati rice cooked in diluted CM with a little salt rice pudding Sauces and although i don't make them, I love drinks with CM like dau do bahn lot, or 'three colour drink. I always go for thai CM when buying cans.

Thanks for the posts Rochelle, It's amazing how well you bring back the feeling of being at school. I feel almost aprehensive and nervous when i'm reading about the classes, as if the chef is about to walk up to me... You seem to have a good head on your shoulders so i have no doubt that you will get through all this just fine. Can't wait to read all about offal day. When do you get to that?

Vietnamese chicken pho, it's one of the best things on earth. Also things like pizza and frozen pommes noisettes ( but not when they're frozen). Anything my boyfriend makes for me (It's full of love) and food with chilli.

I've never added eggs to a potato gratin, in fact i've never heard of anyone doing it. Is this maybe an American thing? By the end of cooking, the starch in the potato and the reduced cream/milk stick it all together and provide a bit of creamy moisture. I wouldn't want to have layers of custard in it.

Baker D Chirico is lovely, as is Natural Tucker on Nicholson st and Babka on brunswick st, fitzroy. There is a bakery on toorak rd called french fantasies (i think) that makes a supurb rustic baguette. That's what they call it anyway. Best thing there, chewy and crusty. If you go to Babka, make sure you have some vegetable bread and apple tarte tatin.

I think you should head for the green beans. If you go with the cauli dish you'll have tomato in 3 dishes. That's not the end of the world, but it's nice to get contrast in. How about green beans sauteed with mustard seed and desiccated coconut?

Once I was cleaning out the deep fryer and I drained the old ( hot ) oil into an oil drum.So far fine. I even made sure the ( plastic ) stop cock on the drum was closed. (do you see where we're heading?) Pack away the drum and return to cooking. They're pretty tough, those plastic cocks, but within 10 minutes the entire dry goods room was flooded with 20 litres of hot oil.