Jump to content

Simon_S

participating member
  • Posts

    690
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Simon_S

  1. 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.

  2. Btw Simon, I met Richard Corrigan at Dabbous. He was at the next table with three of his top guys. His television persona is different to the real him. He came across as a really nice guy, fairly quiet and low key but certainly fun to be with.

    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.

  3. I remember - not fondly - tinned (canned) peas. Unfortunate off-green colour, squishy texture, taste like .. well, I could say but it would be an insult to makers of good Pinot Noir. I could never understand why anybody would buy them rather than frozen or even dried.

    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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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!

  6. 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?

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

×
×
  • Create New...