GTO

Kate - Thanks, and those dumplings look so comforting. Poacher is a Cheddar-style cheese made here in Lincolnshire. Imagine a really smooth, creamy, full smelling cheddar and you're getting there. You can get it smoked or unsmoked. Lincolnshire Poacher

Kim - You got Meltykiss! I've wanted to try those for ages! I used some local Lincolnshire Poacher today, in a totally improvised Pumpkin noodle soup.

I agree. Really beautiful. It's what Alalddin's Princess Jasmine would look like if she were a cake.

Pille- Great texture on your Sorbets. I made pastry cream for the first time today Flavoured with cinnamon and sherry, served inside a Meringue nest, with demerera nectarines.

Hmmm. I wasn't looking the wrap - I meant the darker coloured top - It looks slightly firmer, perhaps not "skin-like" but certainly fantastic.

I'm thinking of doing my brother some Vanilla Vodka. Simple and looks really cool.

Spiced Rice pudding skin! That it awesome.

Yes to Ginger cake. Yes to lemon cake, and yes to teacake. I love puffy American pancakes, plain, just warm. They have that airy pillow texture and it's even better if you get a little puff of steam from the inside.

Ah, then I'm not so sure. I've only had it warm. I suppose it'd stay more loose if you increased the milk:rice ratio to begin with?

I suppose so, if your cat ate a newspaper.

It does get pretty thick, yeah. If you want to make it ahead, just add some milk when you come to reheat it.

I made rice pudding for my Blog the other day. It was well received.

I'm sorry, I need to look again... What happened!?

Why the hell is it grey!? I understand how it could burn, or perhaps get a bit off colour, but it looks like you've got Photoshop going on in your pans - Desaturating your sauces.

Prawncrackers: Great looking chop! I can see where you've cut the fat* - Really keeps it flat, eh? * Cut the fat sounds like a really awful way of saying someone let one go.

Quite the opposite in my house, Mark. My Dad being a Fishmonger can and does, slice a roast into leaf-thin slices - Cheers, Dad, that should only take a few hours to eat then. I can imagine you peering through the window from the garden at night, eyeing the guests in a Hunchback sorta way.

Hosinmigs - Thank you! It's practice. Practice, good equipment and I'm a photography student, lol. Basic tips would be things like: Lighting - Make sure you've got plenty, natural light too if possible. Composition - Get in close, but no too close. You want to make it look as though you could reach in and grab it. Colour - The eyes love colour. Choose ones that compliment each other - Choose a nice plate and maybe have a nice mat or cloth underneath. (Link to my Blog and Flickr in signiature.)

Recipe copyrighted. Sorry.

I agree on the knives thing. When I was at home, my Mum would use my "good knife" then scrape things around with it! On top of that, she'd then wash it and put it IN THE CUTLERY DRAWER! (It stays out, away from things that may impede on it's awesomeness.)

As awesome as she is (Great cook), I was just in the kitchen with my Housemate, who offered to pour the water into my cup at the same time as hers; "Yeah, thanks." "How can you get that wrong?" I thought. She filled it about 3/4 the way up, leaving a void of...well 1/4! I just waited until she'd gone, and filled it the rest of the way. What little things do you have to do yourself, because other people "get it wrong"?

Another one for the "I hope not" camp. I don't go for that "Men overdo presentation, because they feel the need to show off" thing - That's stupid.

Mark - You know how I feel about those cakes already. (Strongly!) Mona - I haven't had apple fritters for YEARS. Absolutely gorgeous. I made Polenta Biscotti with Pistachios & Cinnamon today - Kinda going for that Autumn feel.

Perhaps the prolonged oven cooking rendered the life from them? We know that banana works well "in" things - Banana cake for example, but maybe you only get that golden colour by grilling?

I'd have thought the opposite to your bf, fanny. If you listen carefully to "Ontario", the "n" is slightly elongated. Think of it in musical terms. Hitting the Hi-hat closed, will give you the short "n" sound, opening it slightly will give you a subtle, slightly longer sound. "On" by itself is faster, because it ends after the "n", the "n" in "Ontario" takes longer, because you're adjusting your throat and tounge for the "t". All that for a bit of a word!

Tri2cook - Change your name, that is perfect! I'll bet sliding the knife through that glaze is awesome, lol.