Mike Hunt

Don't think it has anything to do with any dictionary definitions, everything to do with what the dish is, the classic method of preparation and your expectations. If I had been presented with the previously described 'tart tatin' the chef would be wearing it as a nice hat and worse still if he'd tried to justify his actions.

Same here. I saw "Kobe Beef" on a menu once, and I asked the waiter, "is it really Kobe Beef?" Waiter, with a trapped look on his face: "actually it's from Texas, but they make it the same way that they make Kobe Beef, but they feed it beer instead of sake, and I think it tastes better." "Then it's really (making exaggerated airquotes) Kobe-style Beef then?" "Uh, yeah." ← Bud-beef

It's got to be bruschetta. Thick slice of Italian bread toasted, rubbed with a fat garlic clove, sliced tomatoes on top with a drizzle of olive oil and some torn basil. Big flavour return on your money there.

Big tip - don't bother buying any lottery tickets, your not lucky enough to win. Seriously though, I would imagine you'd get enough advice on this site to reinstall your faith in restaurants. I would stick with it.

Why did you eat it ? Why didn't you ask to speak to the chef ? Why did you not show them the error of their ways ?

Hmmph, I'd like to see a piece of shoo-fly cake! ← Is that a close cousin to the Fly Cemetery ?

Botox is NOT a womanly wile, not unless your partner likes you looking like a trout.

8 Canned McEwan's Export, slid down a treat.

Knows nothin'. Somewhere in the future someone will remember the great cake/pie wars at the start of the 21st century. Edited to add - Ooops, added reply to wrong post. Getting weak....need pie.

Frosting is a bit like cocktails, mostly enjoyed by women and the sexually ambiguous. It's pies all the way. Hand raised uncured pork pies

Pie, fruit. NOW.

I'm not really anyone's keeper , however, this is a good starting point. www.townhousecompany.com Oh and it's a small chain, just mentioned this before all the pedants came crawling out.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Grew up during the 60/70s in an environment where food and cooking wasn't really an issue. Fresh produce was bought wherever possible and massacred by my mother who didn't care. My father could cook but was always busy with his business. I started cooking from about 12 yrs, kept pigs for about 4 years after that, which developed into a general interest in culinary matters. Was meal time important? Not really, if you were present you got fed, if you weren't you ate the leftovers later (before the pigs got them). Was cooking important? Only in terms of avoiding eating raw food (which was never always attained). What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? None (why does that matter anyway ?) Who cooked in the family? My mother inflicted some incredible mayhem on really good produce. My maternal grandmother was an excellent baker, especially fruit pies of all descriptions. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? Once a week, mostly on a Friday night or Saturday lunch. In the late 70s, just before I left home, we ate out every other night. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? No point, no guests. When did you get that first sip of wine? Around 12, had beer from 10 yrs. Went into bars with my dad from 15. Was there a pre-meal prayer? Only when my hypocritical baptist paternal grandparents were around. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? Not really, at 13 I got quite good at Sunday lunch and prepared some excellent roasts. So you could say that was rotational. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? Absolutely nothing whatsoever (thank the lord).

Some of us might have standards I'll reiterate, the Jurys hotels are crap, one step up from a Travelodge and two away from a cardboard box. There are plenty independent boutique style hotels in Edinburgh offering a high quality product for similar money.

Got a name for this ?

Do yourself a favour and stay away from this crap. These are just for people who enjoy cocktails who we all know are women or, at best, sexually ambiguous. Seriously though, these products are horrendous. If you really can't avoid the urge to impart alien flavours into vodka then do it at home.

Big tip - The Jury chain in the UK is crap. Another big tip - Don't go to Edinburgh and not visit Valvona & Crolla's deli on Elm Row.

Don't think it matters after 5 times anyway You're right, it is good. Very smooth and a bit 'lemony'. It's a bit like the nutters who think that Scotch gets better and better with age but don't realise that nothing really changes after about 15 years in the barrel. Or the real nutters who think spirits mature in the bottle (you know who you are)

Yes! Yes! What ever happened to those???? I loved them both!! ← I don't think they're in production any longer. At least, I can't locate them through my various nefarious 'sources', internet and otherwise! But, there is an Irish licorice, Oatfield Licorice Toffee, that a nice boy sent me recently . It's pretty close to the Callard & Bowser licorice of my memories. I think I'll have to take a piece of it to my local candy monger and have him research it. He's very nice, but not too able to accomodate my searches, it seems. I asked for him to get the kosher Haribo Twin Cherries gummies (solely distributed by Paskez), but he says that he isn't able to buy them . I asked him to try and find Katja DropVis for me (it's a mildly salted licorice that's dipped in sugar crystals). I'm willing to buy an entire case at a time, and I told him so. He just couldn't be bothered. I'm just one girl, so I can't actually consume enough candy for my special quirks to be worth his while, I suppose. I need to form a candy grrl gang. ← Callard & Bowser were swallowed up by the Suchard group who recently ceased toffee production for the UK market. Don't know of any alternative apart from Thorntons who make a reasonable licorice toffee but don't know if it's available in the states.

Have you tried Snow Queen ?

Is your column not classed as journalism then ? I'm passing down that way on Thursday and will pop in if you wish ? Sea Bass in a service station, what next eh ? Destination restaurants up and down the road network with appearances by all the cheffy heavy hitters ?

Ok all you vodka aficionados. Have anyone tried Snow Queen ? Produced in Kazakhstan, 5 times distilled and well worth the effort. Very 'clean' spirit with slight hint of lemon (to my tastebuds anyway). Can be purchased in the UK for £28 ($50) but I'm sure that it can be bought in the US for much less as you're not being taxed to death.

This would be far better blasted out as a 1 hour program covering all courses including the judges decision. Watching all 5 parts is a bit like 'deja vu all over again' !!

In addition to being a tip driven culture, is the practice of the discretionary charge added to the bill (normally 8-12%) prevalent in the US ? This is endemic in the UK where the charge is added and the credit slip left open for you to amend accordingly (normally upwards) so in effect you're tipping twice. Not so much of a problem now with the advent of chip & pin cards but still an insidious practice nontheless. The way forward ? Don't tip for anything.

'Is that a doughnut or a meringue ?' (In a broad Scots accent) sounds like...... 'Is that a doughnut or am I wrong ?' Having to explain the joke makes it about as funny as standing on a nail. Apologies to everyone.