CalumC

Ditto above, how did you find Gilpin Lodge. I went a few years ago for a weekday lunch, it was only a few months into Chris Meredith's time there (although ironically, he got a michelin star for his previous restaurant just as he started), but as i remember it he has one at Gilpin now too.

Could you possibly give the addresses of some of the blogs and websites etc. So far i've found ideas in food, curious cook and blog.khymos.org . Thanks

Hi all, Can someone recommend a good book for learning to use chemicals in cooking (e.g. the sodium alginate + calcium chloride technique), and other modern techniques in cooking today. I don't want to spend as much as I would on the elbulli book, so a £20 limit is preferable, but if you know something good above it, then ok. Thanks all

When gelatin sets, it is basically a jelly, or at least has that same texture. When using things like Agar, which i prefer, you get a more bitty texture, it can be peculiar at first, but has the benefit of withstanding temperatures up to around 80 degrees C or so, as i remember it. One idea is to use a combination or agar and gelatine, which is something that Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham do with one of their recipes (Langoustine jelly, goes with some langoustine tails and something else, can't remember of the top of my head). The agar allows it to be heated up to a high temperature, and gives a very agreeable mouth coating feeling with the heat. The gelatin gives the jelly like texture, which some people prefer. Basically, the gelatin will be fine at room temperature, it won't melt or anything. But you have the option of using agar instead, which would mean you can heat up the terrine, which may be a nice thing to have. Never seen it done before.

And so it should have been. He did indeed win. To be honest he deserved it, his food was creative, and in keeping with a british theme. Although i loved the idea of the earl grey custard.

Well traditional, good tapas i guess. Good catalan style food. And pretty much anything else you think is worth visiting as a foodie in Barcelona.

Hi all, My mums going to Barcelona next week, and shes looking for a few places to go for good food. Has anyone got some recommendations for her for places to visit. I think theres a place called Jamonissimo, which i think is in Barcelona, but i might be wrong. What other places might be good to visit, tapas bars etc. Cheers,

Not sure anybody has mentioned this yet, but what kind of price isbeing charged for the tasting menu which you all seemed to have been offered/chosen.

Just had a look on the MSK ingredients website, their range is awesome, and much wider than Goldfarb, but... Goldfarb has some that are not featured on MSK, some of the chemicals that you might want if you're trying to emulate things like elbulli recipes.

Will Goldfarb's shop on his website sells pretty much all the chemicals they use, and they export to the UK. I think that if you ordered the right amount, it'd come in a box around half a metre squared, you should get away without too much of a customs charge. Or you could specify they try to pack it in as small a box as possible.

Went wonderfully, the meat was lovely and rare, which gave a lovely juicy addition to the original idea. I made the risotto with spinach instead of nettles, the weather was absolutely terrible, but I would have got some otherwise. All in all, absolutely delicious. And i forgot to take a picture. Sorry!

yeah, I was a bit startled. I didn't think they'd completely flame it, but neither did i expect them to go so crazy about it, I dont think theres been another dish in this series they've gone for so much. Admittedly it looked nice, but a large banquet? Doesn't quite add up for the main course of something so grand, even if it is traditional british fayre.

Cheers, thats what I thought. I'll get some final pictures up tomorrow night for you. Out nettle picking tomorrow morning if it's not too wet.

Hi all, I'm cooking a dish out of the le champignon sauvage cookbook tomorrow, braised blade of beef with nettle risotto. However, my butcher didn't have blade, so I had to go for fillet. Basically, should I still braise, or instead just fry it, leaving it pink. I was slightly unsure about the suitability of fillet for braising. If I don't braise, then the sauce would have to be done seperate. I assume itd be pretty much ok if I put the same ingredients into a large pan, and just reduce the liquid for as long as the beef would have cooked for. Thanks for your help

I was wondering about that. Seems to suggest that whenever they recorded it, the ingredients were generally out of season ( if they had the summer time setting in mind), while those who use the autumnal ingredients are criticised because of not being summery. And britcook: I don't think we're blaming her for the poor programming, its certainly clear thats the problem, and lies at the feet of the producer/director etc. I can't stand Jennie Bond, because as you say, she's perhaps the most irritating person on television, and has absolutely no knowledge (at least thats how it seems) of food, or for that matter presenting. After all, she was a journalist, not a presenter in her royal heydays.

Anyone know who won, I missed it, and the BBC site is naff for updates.

Jenny Bond! - *smashes fist on table*. ARGH, why do they persist with the woman. Last time, i just about got it, she was royal correspondent, this time, she hasnt anything to do with it. She's got no idea how annoying she is. Rant over.

Would be interested to try, after seeing the things he does from great british menu. I remember rabbit with chocolate somewhere...

Well its funny you mention that, I did email him and he recommended the books and what might be around. I may be able to offer an exchange such as that, would be good to get into a kitchen like that, even if it is just washing up. Thanks for digging this up, good idea.

It looks very young. From my experience, we eat the wrinkled fruit, which is basically what you have, let to grow a bit more, then left on a windowsill or something similar to shrivel up a bit. Having said that, when we moved into our current house, we found one of the bushes is a passionfruit bush. We're not sure if they're edible, but the fruit looked very similar to what you have, very smooth and bright coloured as I remember it. It is a passionfruit though.

Last year these questions were quite fitting, it did seem as if HB wasn't doing anything with the menu. I think one reason perhaps that the menu hasnt changed is because so many people havnt yet visited, and experienced the roughly original menu. Having said that, from the interviews ive read, the new plans with the sweet shop and website (something about spraying the scent of a sweet that you get sent to you in an atomiser with the sweets upon booking when you get to the restaurant sounds cheekily ingenius), and hopefully a new menu. I plan on going upon my A Level results being good (fingers crossed) in a year or so's time, (AS at the mo) so it'd be nice to try both menus. And the thing about LCS earlier, it is a very different beast. It is much more about usual french fine cooking, with its excellent modern twists. I can't wait to revisit it. It is an example of a menu which evolves quite often, DEM seemingly comes up with his menu the evening and morning before, based on what he has, which seems a good way of doing things.

Try making a dressing with it, then use that over bbq'd chicken (I spatchcocked it when i did it, and started in the oven), then serve with bbq'd pineapple. Did something very similar the other day, and I imagine the dressing would only add to this.

Ha! Meh, we're going to die eventually anyway, might as well enjoy myself with the cured meats. Or of course, as you suggest, equal it out with the vin.

Thanks both, should be able to cobble together some sort of basic equipment with all that.

^ They're delicious! I bought 3 books in the end, the Mabey book, the readers digest, which have both come already, and another, edible plants pocket guide, only because it was recommended and i wanted to get an import cd at the same time.