kermie

I've just recently come across a super simple recipe from a b&b of all places and this icecream/sorbet is to die for. it was originally made with berries (but she says any fruit will do - and I am starting to experiment a bit now that i know the recipe is soo good. it tastes like a sorbet but rounder. a pound of fruit half pound of icing sugar half lemon (may need a teeny bit more if the fruit is super sweet) 250ml of double cream (although i've been using single as its easier to find in holland) heat the fruit till its soft, strain into the icingsugar and lemon - cool lightly whip the cream and add to the cooled mixture. mix well. put in a tub and thats it. you don't need to put it into a machine or anything else. it comes out of the freezer perfectly soft. i have found if you take it in and out of the freezer a lot, let it melt and put it back it starts to form ice crystals but thats the worst of it. have tried with blackberries, strawberries, raspberries so far, will try other combos next. the color is outstanding as well.

for slugs - try half a grapefruit (cleaned out more or less) turned over then at night or in the morning they all climb in there and you can just pick them up in one go and toss. for earwigs (sp?) - get a stick with an overturned little pot stuffed with straw. they climb in there and again pick and toss. am about to go check whats in the garden now.

Ha ha - I thought I was the only one. I'm not sure if my collecting is the same but I always bring back unusual liquers/spirits when I travel. As I've traveled quite a lot I have quite an unusual mix of stuff. Very fun at the end of a dinner when you ask people what they fancy. I'm also big into Halloween, so any form of alcohol that has potential to be turned into something interesting, ghoulish, or strange gets plucked from the shelves. We do have a part of the cabinet that is filled with black and green glowing bottles - very funny. It's soo much fun at that time of the year too.

oh and as far as books go - i'm pretty much the same with loads on the go. my idea of a perfect weekend is waking up with a coffee/tea and reading cookbooks at the kitchen table while looking out onto the garden. some Elizabeth David ones, French Provincial and Italian Seven hundred years of English cooking magazines whichever cookbooks strike my fancy - actually my reading list seems quite short at the mo - I better reread some recommendations and start ordering! finished 'the last chinese chef' not too long ago - very interesting (a little OTT)

Artichoke - I've done the duck with plum sauce and its great!!! I was really lucky - I got to meet her and her family (surprisingly) at her restaurant in Sydney when we were touring Australia in April. She seems exactly like her show persona. The food was excellent. I even got a signed copy of her book. the chicken liver recipe and the oxtail recipes are amazing.

i realize it wouldn't be japanese but a thought to add some coffee flavoured liquer might be nice in both/either the jelly and/or the cream. I love jellies. I love wine/champagne jellies with berries too. or just fresh fruit juice mmmm

I've been to the actual restaurant there and found it good. I've eaten in better places in france but the food was good and the service was excellent. Although I can't remember any specific dishes, I do remember their bread. I have clear visions of specific meals and dishes throughout france so that can't say too much - although overall no complaints or negative comments. Actually I really like the hotel. I haven't been there since Ramsey but I imagine it to be somewhat similar from what I've read. I can't remember the brasserie so I am just assuming he's in the restaurant. Getting old and am starting to forget - haha. He trained in france for a while under someone quite tough (can't remember his name but quite well known) and is fluent in french so I imagine he has a decent idea of modern french cuisine.

That is quite typical with those pancakes!! yum yum yum

We eat some sort of salad almost every day. of course it does depend on whats in season or in the garden but it is usually one of the following (maybe with its own daily twist) -green/red lettuces (not iceberg) or spinach leaves with wine vinegar (red or white), evoo, salt/ -or if its an asian meal then i do a dressing with miso, rice vinegar, sugar - or most commomly with fresh lemon, evoo, and s&p (yes I agree more salt than you think). -sometimes i'll do a more formal dressing as well, with garlic, mustard, vinegar/or lemon, shallots, dash of worstershire - tomato (either grape, cherry, bigger, whatever as long as its ripe) with feta, wine vinegar, evoo, red onions - sometimes lettuce if i feel like it and sometimes with cucumbers -tomato (either grape, cherry, bigger, whatever as long as its ripe) with fresh mozzarella torn in again with wine vinegar (sometimes lemon), evoo salt and some basil -i love the watermelon, feta, red onion (soaked in lime juice) and evoo salad in the depths of summer -a green salad with avocados, lime, evoo - sometimes with shrimp/prawns, or bacon and orange wedges -caesar salad - with anchovies, lots of parmesan and usually bottled dressing (but must be a good one) * this is for specific cravings when nothing else will do, esp with a good steak on the barbie

faves - keith floyd, nigella lawson (she's my fave), kylie kwong - exactly the same in person as on her shows jamie oliver - but only because of the 'jamie at home' show as well anthony warrol thompson - in a 'the grandpa i never had' kind of way - sorry anthony gordon ramsey - until he gets too competitive and insecure then he goes into the unfaves cat. unfaves/highly annoying - giada (the italian cooking show? is that her) emerelle (sp?) the british 'ready steady cook' set

I do have some mee goreng recipes but if you've got a good one I have no shame - I will gladly have it. Thanks!

for seafood i'd definitely go to 'the banana leaf' it's malaysian but definitely yummy.

oh sorry i forgot the sushi thing. we usually go to a place that is behind the shopping centre in amstelveen, near the macdonalds around the back. There are always japanese there , it's quite reasonable and you can even keep a bottle of sake there for whenever you go. Quite good for here but nothing like North America or Japan. There are a couple of smaller places in town but with parking and everything it ends up being a pain for us. One on stationweg 249 called Issa. But to be honest i've found a decent fish monger nearby and I've been making my own. For supplies go to Delicatessan Schilla in gelderlaan plein.

Hello, I'm a fellow Amsterdamer (well actually I'm Canadian but as I've been officially integrated, what the ....) A favourite restaurant of ours in Amsterdam which actually serves traditionalish dutch food is one called Dorrius which is near central station attached to the crown plaza hotel. Apart from the food which is good (as far as dutch food goes) the service is unbelievable - which is definitely not a dutch trait. We always take out of towners here. Also a fun place to go and the food was quite interesting - the supper club. You won't know what you're eating or what will happen (it is theatre and cool music and you sit on beds). Worth a try. A few other places but i can't remember the names - one french one where there is a different chef every night - and you are just served whatever they create. nice location but i'll get back to you on the name.. i'll keep thinking...

Am desperately missing real hokkien noodles and was wondering if anyone has a good recipe and how to from scratch. I live in Amsterdam at the moment and it is very hard to find certain authentic ingredients/products. Also what is your favourite way of preparing them? Personally I am looking forward to a good Singaporean mee goreng (I have always assumed those were hokkien noodles but am starting to doubt myself - so if they are something else, then those are the noodles I'd like to make from scratch - the really yellow chewyish ones if memory serves). mmmmm. I ate this mee goreng every day, practically, when I lived in Singapore and you never think to ask how to make it when you're there as they are everywhere. so sad - please help. Thanks ps this should have gone in the general Asia section but.....

I do the chinese green onion pancakes where you have to roll them into a snail shape and then flatten them. They come out very flakey. I cut them into quarters, and serve them with sambal oelek, soya sauce and sugar (although any chilli sauce would work I've found this to be the tastiest). This is such a good combo when you want something really savoury.