Simon_S

For well-rinsed basmati without the soak stage, we use just under 1.5:1 and it works well, but as said above, it very much depends on just how much rice you're cooking.

Well obviously I can barely stick the excitement of it all, but I think 2/10 was a bit ridiculous for that dish. I feel a bit sorry for Johnny really.

I'm loving this, and it's great to get an insight into how "normal" people live in Monaco (if that's not insulting?!) I got engaged there, so Monaco will always have a special place in my heart.

I might have to eat my words about Corrigan, or at the very least nibble them a bit. I'm finding him pretty entertaining so far this year.

Is it lack of awareness though, or just a rejection of the concept?

It's tempting to say all of them, since no matter where you say you're going to eat, there's always somebody to say "oh it's not as good as it was when...."

The 4 points for Colin seemed very interesting alright, especially since he himself had called it "perfectly seasoned" in the aforementioned footballer-style interview. I also wonder if the brief of pushing the boat out is at odds with some of the veterans' tastes and sensibilities.

I've every reason to believe this to be true, and that's exactly why I can't stand watching him on TV. The television persona is just so forced.

I'm enjoying the cooking very much this year, but I'm really struggling with the monotony of the format. Do we really need that "deliberation in front of the window" bit EVERY EPISODE? I'll definitely give it a miss for Corrigan week. That's just a bridge too far.

I know the brief this year lends itself to it, but I already have a pain in my posterior with constant references to "olympic" and "gold medal". You could have a very serious drinking game based on that.

A tin of "Processed peas" is one of my secret shames. I love them, even though I know I shouldn't. I can't understand why people buy pre-sliced or pre-grated cheese. To me it always tastes like plastic.

Thanks Mike. I don't remember kimchi puree and bacon (they were crispy and spicy but I can't remember specifics) but in any case I think I should just go ahead and buy the book.

I think I may have to order this book. Quick question: is the recipe for the Momofuku Ssam Bar sprouts dish included? I've been telling people about that dish since I first sampled it, and I'd love to be able to show them what I'm talking about.

This thread is a year old? Only seems like yesterday. I've recently been enjoying Glenisk goat milk yogurt. You can really taste the goat.

I'm a big fan of Green Spot, but obviously I find it a little easier to find locally! Definitely worth a taste if you can get your hands on it.

When I hear "honest" I don't generally associate it with provenance, or local and seasonal, or any of the other buzzwords that relate to ingredients. I think it's meant as the opposite of pretentious, and that's one of those things that's in the eye of the beholder. In truth, I think there's a wider backlash against the trappings of fine dining at the moment, be it starched linens and snooty waiters or uber-modern food as art. Honest seems short-hand for "great but not fancy, equally enjoyable to your average bloke as to the most discerning gastronome". Basically, it's a way for chefs to appeal to those who wouldn't normally think of themselves as into fine dining. Put another way, it helps restaurants like Noma broaden their appeal, shake off any hint of pretension, and get more bums on seats. So, not honest at all really!

If twitter is anything to go by, everyone seems to be blinded by Meades here. I have to say I don't really admire this writing. I agree with the central theme, but I think the stereotypes are lazy. I know we'd all like to think that we're SOOOO much more discerning than the average rich arsehole (it's clear that Meades thinks he is), but I don't see why that should be the case. Of course there are trophy eaters with expense accounts, but who cares?

Put us out of our collective misery, sadistick. Has the chicken been consumed by human or bin?

I'd cook and eat this without a second thought, but that's me.

I enjoyed that article (without knowing much about the Japanese diet). Thank you.

I am obese (in that my BMI is over 30, and it ain't muscle!) and speaking entirely for myself, I've learned that: 1) I lose weight when I eat better and get more exercise. 2) Compared to many of my friends and colleagues, I seem to have to try MUCH harder to keep weight off. By that I mean that for a given amount of food intake (both "good" food and "naughty" food) I'll put on weight much quicker than similarly sedentary friends. It seems clear to me that if I want to get to normal healthy weight levels, I'll have to sacrifice more than many of my peers. While others can get away with a certain amount of bad eating, drinking, whatever, I don't seem to be able to get away with it at all. This has implications for my social life, and thusfar any significant weightloss has only been achieved by saying no to virtually everything. I appreciate that this can be done, but I'm reluctant to live that way. I've spent 10 years trying to find a balance, but I haven't found it yet. So I can accept that the issue really IS simple: if I ate properly and exercised far more, I wouldn't be obese. This is "fact". But it's not easy.

1. Eat less! 2. Learn to cook some Sichuan dishes from Fuchsia Dunlop's book.

If I'm going to leave dishes to air dry I have to rinse them. If I'm going to dry them there and then I'm not so bothered about a small amount of leftover suds and I'm less likely to rinse. The dishwasher does the honours most of the time anyway.

Does nobody dry dishes after washing them any more?

I had a cracking Sunday lunch at Le Cinq back in June, easily one of my dining highlights of the last few years. As always, it depends on what you're looking for, but I found it "modern" (in the sense of not being heavy and with the occasional Asian influence for example) without going down the road of molecular at all. With the caveat that I haven't eaten in any of the Parisian 3 stars, I'd strongly recommend it.