Pam Brunning

Very interesting John. You know why the pud was the best part don't you? I have just been doing some research on '3663', the foodservice giant, for my next article in our September issue - I am sure I recognise the peanut butter mousse as one of their desserts - I bet your puds were bought in!

I think we should have a limit of 'in a day' - no overnight stays, for this round trip to eat!

Thank you Nick Loman for asking about The Old Mill at Shipston-on-Stour. ( You're going to love this post Nick!) Now I know we are mad, 180 miles round trip for lunch! Where shall we go for lunch today? We have done most of the restaurants locally, if they are rough we don’t go back, if they are good we go back often and know the menus off by heart. Most places don’t change their menu often enough - I wanted to try something different. OK said Mr B we will try Ashley James at The Old Mill, it’s only just up the M40. An hour and a half later we were pulling into a very crowded car park in front of The Old Mill Hotel. Oh dear, we should of booked by the look of this car park. We walked in, it was very quite, reception was empty, the dining room on our left was empty, the bar on the right was empty eventually a young lady appeared. ‘A table for two for lunch?’ we asked hesitantly. Yes no problem. Where is everyone we asked commenting on all the cars outside? ‘Oh that’s a public car park not ours.’ End of mystery. We were offered the Light Menu which is served from 12pm to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday. We started with a delicious, fresh tasting, Pea Velouté with truffle cream served with homemade breads. No salt on the table - Mr James, actually it is Mr Paynton, James is his middle name - knows his stuff, the velouté was perfectly seasoned as was the rest of our meal. My rare beef salad, horseradish mousse, pickled smijis and watercress salad, with a port reduction was beautifully presented - a work of art in fact. I can only say the flavours were bright, fresh and tangy all could be tasted individually but they melded together to create a beef salad extronair. Very fine potato crisps added a texture dimension against the creamy horseradish mousse and the tender beef. Himself’s Chicken Caesar salad with parmesan foam came with crisp wafers of thin toast and crispy bacon and some top quality anchovies. Once again a good mix of flavours and textures with the creamy dressing. After this success we couldn’t resist puds. I had the Pud of the Day - a butterscotch bavorois accompanied by a cider granita and an apple doughnut. Lovely flavours and contrasting textures - delicious. Other puds on the menu were: Chocolate marquis, burnt orange syrup, with a sesame tuille. Iced banana & lime parfait, with dark chocolate sorbet. Set rhubarb and custard crumble with rhubarb sorbet - All at £5.95 or ‘Choose three from above £5.95’ - what a super idea. Mr B of course had the very generous portion of each - I did help him out in the interests of research! All were of the same standard as the rest of the meal - great. The wine list is short but well chosen and very reasonable priced with low mark-ups. Lunches are served in the bar area which has been refurbished as has the rest of The Old Mill since flooding three years ago. Ashley’s artist’s eye showed through not only in the presentation of the food but also in the décor. He has not dressed the place down in ‘olde worlde’ pub style with scrubbed tables and random odd old chairs as most would have done. One bar is decorated all white with gold and black ormolu furniture and the smaller bar is furnished in the same style. Some might say it is a bit OTT but it gives the place class. Not the sort of place you would fine the obligatory local propping up the bar. The restaurant and conservatory are in similar style with linen napery. The sort of place that might encourage some of these scruffy male diners you see about, with well dressed partners, to smarten up. We will definitely be back for dinner but will need the accommodation to be finished first. Evidently evening trade is good but there was only one other family lunching and they were foreign, obviously the locals are not into quality dining at lunch time. The photos were taken with my Kodak Easy Share Z915 - 10mpg, 10x optical zoom, with the flash on and the others diners didn’t even notice them being taken. We discussed photo taking with the French manager and he could see no problem. He says he often offers to take photos himself for customers. You boys need to get a decent camera and lighten up a bit!

We put a Valentine 5lt commercial unit in 40 years ago when we built the kitchen and it is still going strong - I wouldn't be without it. Pots of oil are messy and dangerous. You must have a commercial extraction unit as well though.

Good report David mind you I don't think I would have got as far as the food when I encountered those sticky tables - I always wonder what the conditions in the kitchen are like!! I have been getting a lot of stick from Nick Loman & Harters about flash. With a small modern digital you don't get much flash because it is so focused and I just stand with my back to the restaurant and no one notices. I would go ballistic if a profeshional was poncing about with a large flash like they do at weddings.

A restaurant near us got done for salmonella poisoning caused by leaving mayo out at room tempreature. Some strains of salmonella thrive in acid conditions.

Ah well, at least if I get a northern git swearing at me in a restaurant I will know I have at last met an e gullet member in the flesh. I am sure we will come to a compromise. There can't be more than one of you north of Watford can there?? We have a lot of northern friends and they are all charming.

John, when we review restaurants we do it anonymously so no special attention is paid to us. If anyone asks why we are taking photos, as occasionally happens, I just tell them our daughters are treating us and they want to see what the food is like. Most normal people are happy with that explanation it even seems to add to their enjoyment. But I suppose sometime we will come across some miserable northern git that moans!

You must have been lukcy with your frozen Canadian lobster David. We have tried them - not from Lidl I hasten to ad - but they have all been dried out rubbish and only suitable for lobster bisque. I avoid them these days. I only order it out these days if I know it was alive just before being cooked for me.

Interesting report David - you should have used flash I have never found a restaurant yet that has complained. I always make sure only take pics of the food and not the other diners. As for professional food photographers these days they are redundant - with good digital camera it is easy to get great food photos. For Indian why don't you try Anokaa in Salibury - see my report on - Lunching in Bournemouth and Salisbury - John Harters post.

Our September magazine has a feature on spices so I was informed, ‘we need an Indian restaurant review’. I fully admit I am prejudiced, having experienced the Curry House revolution of the 60s and 70s and the aromas wafting through the house from the microwave when our teenagers brought home an Indian take away, ugh! I honestly think I can manage without another chicken tikka masala or pork vindaloo for the rest of my life. It took several weeks of nagging before I would even consider the idea. We did drop hints to some member friends but received no volunteers for the job. Then I was made aware of Anokaa, or maybe I should say I found food guides lying around the house, open at the Salisbury page. Salisbury I hear you say, not actually the Mecca of gastronomic enlightenment. The city’s ecclesiastical ancestors may have been fond of their food but I can’t imagine the whiff of chicken korma being carried on the breeze through the hallowed cloisters. Under duress I perused the reports - ‘the most attractive Indian restaurants in the south-west’ say some - ‘still Salisbury’s best restaurant of any kind’ says the Hardens guide. Others just call it The Anokaa Revolution. Head Chef Puwan Kumarb at Anokaa is creating food that I can only term as ‘east meets west’. When we arrived at six thirty on a Tuesday evening the restaurant was over half full with a broad spectrum of diners, families with small children celebrating, down to singles enjoying one course on the way home from work. This was the pattern all evening, they were turning tables around promptly. Conversely for those of us that wished to linger there was no pressure whatsoever. The staff is so plentiful I would think it is a good thing there is a ‘Job Centre Plus’ around the corner. On this hot evening one young man constantly kept our water glasses replenished earning allusions from my partner to Gunga din. Popadums with the usual pickles and relish, that were fresh and ranged from very good cucumber and mint raita and tomato salsa to an average mango chutney. We ordered the sea food platter - black tiger prawns, chilli fried baby squid, crab cakes and salmon tikka. The marinated tiger prawns were tasty enough, chilli fried baby squid was tough and inedible, any crab flavour in the crab cakes was hidden by the spicy sauce but the cubes of salmon tikka were cooked about right. Not a great success as a course, the starters being served at other tables looked much more inspired. The main courses were where the restaurant came into its own. My tandoori seared lamb rack with sweet chillies and marjoram was cooked perfectly, crispy and spicy on the outside, pink and juicy in the middle and very tender. The accompanying marsala mashed potatoes with spicy sundried tomatoes were especially tasty but the cashew nut based sauce with mint, peppers and yogurt just didn’t seem to hang together. Others may have enjoyed it but for me it didn’t hit the spot. When the other half ordered a whole John Dory he was warned about, ‘many, many bones’. Not being one to worry about bones he was very happy with the good sized fish which was presented on a bed of lightly spiced pine nut, pepper and yogurt sauce, served with garlic spiced spinach and mango dressed rocket. The fish was cooked ‘a point’ and the sauces complimented it well. On their website Anokaa shows several enticing puddings, not a line Indian restaurants are strong on. Here their chefs have definitely taken a lean towards the west. There was only one word for my dark chocolate mille-feuille layered with cream and a soft chocolate mousse on top of a very light sponge, luscious. To stay in keeping we drank a bottle of Chenin Blanc from the Sula vineyards at Nashik. Situated 180 km northeast of Mumbai, Nashik is India's largest grape-growing region. It was a well balanced, refreshing, fruity wine that stood up well to the spices, especially when it had warmed up a little. Coffee was good and strong and concluded a very interesting evening. I think I will return sometime to try some of the other interesting sounding dishes on the menu. The bill was £78.55 and I made it up to £ 90 for the excellent service.

Sorry about that John - thanks for trying it. We went last Tuesday night - we did a bit better than you I think they must make more effort in the evenings. Report coming shortly.

This is why I like sunflower oil and whole eggs. It makes a very mild mayonnaise that does not mask the flavour of whatever you are using it with and is great as a base for all sorts of sauces. I use it to thin out pesto, add herbs and spice flavourings, there are no end of things you can do with it. I make a large batch and it lasts for 2 or 3 weeks. I don't like corn oil flavour either and, much as I love eggs, I don't like egg yolk mayonnaise because you can taste the yolks.

Very interesting David - this is on our home ground but we have avoided it like the plague as 'celeb world'! Not a breed I like dining with. Despite the fish dish the food doesn't sound or look bad. I would suggest your halibut was farmed - there is a lot about now and they are too small to have a good texture - those beasts need to be big to get good firm flesh. Get a small farmed one and overcook slightly and oh my g!

Yes I had registered it was a buffet at lunchtime which is usually disappointing but if you do go I would be interested to hear what it is like. The trouble is going for dinner means an overnight stay for us and I wonder if it is worth it.

Just put the eggs out to warm up to make a batch of our favourite mayonnaise for salads etc. Six eggs 2 litres sunflower oil wine vinegar salt and fresh ground pepper. I make it in a Robot Coupe it lasts us abour two weeks this time of year. We find olive oil much too strong for general use it overpowers a lot of flavours.

I do one with freeze dried raspberries and raspberry liqueur it is the best way to get an intense flavour with no moisture giving crystals. I am sure you can get F D strawberries with a strawberry liqueur it would work fine.

Hi Harters - If you are in Salisbury how would you like to do some reserch for me? For my next issue of Food & Wine I am majoring on spicy foods and wines to match. I have an article on Barts Spices of Bristol and an article on Lebanese food. For my restaurant review I was wondering about Anokaa in Salisbury. I am not into Indian but it sounds good acording to Hardens - 'imaginstive, superbly well flavoured food,fantastic value'. If you like Indian it might be worth a try - I would be interested in any reports on it. While around the New Forest you could try The Clos du Marquis on the A30 just outside Stockbridge. Hearty Gallic food that is consistently good with some good French wines to match - we have been several times for lunch.

Anyone know a good Lebanonese restaurant in the UK I need to do some research for my next publication.

Anyone got a good recipe for rhubarb ice cream - I like to ad liqueurs to my ice cream to make them ‘soft scoop’ from the freezer - any ideas?

We went for mid week £10 lunch last year this was my report: At last a pub worth returning to. Not since our visit to The Sportsman the other year have I had a pub experience worth repeating. I must admit due very much to ‘e gullet’ - the online food and wine blog site - where they have been raving about the great £10 lunches at The Hand & Flowers in Marlow for a while. The H&F is a Greene King, opened in 2005 by Tom and Beth Kerridge it gained a Michelin star in its first year. Divided into three eating areas which were obviously the original, public, private and snug bars it oozes old world charm with beamed ceilings and heavy oak scrubbed tables. We booked fortunately, by 1.15pm they were turning walkins away, one party of eight was most upset. It was a warm spring day so some were offered the use of the garden which they readily accepted. The only problem was that this put the kitchen under pressure to say nothing of the waiting staff who were running in and out and the service got slower and slower. We sipped a glass of Prosecco while we scanned the wine list and enjoyed an appetizer of deliciously crisp white bait with a Tabasco dip. Food was quickly ordered as there were only two courses to choose from on the £10 menu, the wine took a little longer but as usual after going through the whole list we settled for a carafe of house red - a vin de pays. If any foodie pub can’t offer a good house wine it is not worth patronising - we weren’t disappointed. Bread was freshly made, a soda bread and white rolls, served with a good quality slightly salted butter which was spreadable - halleluiah - not straight out of the fridge. My first course of west country pork pie with piccalilli was very good. The pastry was not too thick and heavy and the filling was tender and tasty with plenty of jelly and the piccalilli was not vinegary. My partners leek and chive velouté was lacking in salt but blossomed when some was added. Our Hand & Flowers Lasagne was different. Served in deep bowls the freshly made pasta encased a tasty mix of shredded beef, rather than mince, mixed with tomatoes, mushrooms and herbs. I must admit, when I thought of the shredded beef, a naughty thought went through my head ‘mechanically recovered meat’! But no, the beef was good. The dish was finished with a béchamel sauce sprinkled with nutmeg. A gratined cheese topping would have given more life to the dish. Puds were, a very dry chocolate tart with super thin pastry served with malted milk ice cream and a rum baba with coconut sorbet. I enjoyed them both but my partner was not impressed, not being a pud man it takes a lot to impress him. Mind you I ate half his rum baba but couldn’t taste the rum. Three courses were £13.50 - a good quality, reasonably priced pub lunch. I would love to try the à la carte but starters average £8 and mains £17 and by the time you add puds, coffee, drinks and service it becomes a special occasion venue. I did contact them with a view to organising a branch lunch with their £13.50 menu, yes they said they would be very willing to do it but there would be a £500 room charge for 30 people using the restaurant - no Credit Crunch here!

Old age is a terrible thing Nick I am told sometimes you can even forget where you'r going!

Yes, letting a young wine breath will help a lot but for goodness sake don’t use an aerator on a good, older wine. The trouble is most wine is drunk too young these days - even whites improve with a bit of age. When you go out and buy a bottle of wine buy two and keep the other for a while and you will see how it improves.

That Pot-Roasted Steak looks great - how long did you cook it for? I was given an octopus the other day. I have never cooked one before so decided to look on line as my books didn’t sound very inspired and I had been told they could turn out like rubber! I found several pages on them by Harold McGee - he has tried various ways of cooking but recommended blanching then putting in a casserole dry and putting in the oven for 5 hours at 200°F. As octopus are about 80% moisture it ended up floating in its own juice which when reduced made a lovely flavoursome sauce. It was beautifully tender and I lopped bits off and fried it until crispy. I will cut the body into rings and batter. It was good but I don’t think I would go out of my way to find another. Here he is

Hi Kim Your beef stew was obviously full of rich flavours. A young Argentinean Malbec would taste raw and strong on a clean palate. After a few mouthfulls of your stew the senses are anaesthetised and your wine will soften and taste soft and fruity - hopefully!