Lindsey

Soaking is great and for extra burnt on stuffage lob in a few tbls of bicarb, a cleaners dream the next day!

I am no expert on alternative flours, but I have a couple of books and am going to try. What I have noticed about alot of the recipes is more than one type of flour is used. If you google 'spelt flour recipes for bread' and a lot of recipes come up. I am planning on trying this one myself - http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/honey-spelt-bread I admit I have been procrastinating on baking with alternative flours as most people seem to discuss their first attempts as doorstops. Keep on trying, it seems to be a learn as you go process. Thanks Beth, I did, however, forget to say I need the recipe to be no sugar or honey, will persevere and report back.

I am going to keep a tub of homemade hummus in my fridge, a good supply of dry black Olives and spelt pita to hand so, at least, lunch everyday will be a healthy one.

Anyone got any advice for working with spelt flour? I am trying to find a spelt pita recipe to no avail, have made the straight loaf but was very heavy, good flavour though.

http://forums.egullet.org/public/style_images/egullet/rte_icons/unordered_list.png Turnips are food for the Gods. But, a good, golden and crispy parson's nose takes a lot of beating!

I am very lucky to come from a long line of wonderful cooks who learnt to cook by taste it seems to me. I was shown at a young age the importance of layers of flavour, be it sweet or savoury. I have taught a few cooks in my lifetime and have found it almost impossible to teach this 'taste' which seems to be learned at an early age (if you are lucky enough to be in the family of a cook). I remember watching food being tasted at almost every stage, added to and tasted again and to explain this magic in words is far too hard!!!

Robert Carrier's Cookery Course gets me through most problems. Good Housekeeping is a great standby.

Hi, I have made my own Tahini from a 'bargain' buy of sesame seeds. I only lightly toasted the seeds as I am not keen on a strong taste, I must admit to using Sunflower Oil in the days before I knew better! Tasted good though. I used a powerful liquidiser, think I would have needed to add a lot more oil if using my processor. I liked the result but, honestly, would not really bother again unless I had been given the seeds. I know not why but it seemed to need more salt in finished dish than 'shop bought'.

Have a very promising crop of horseradish this year and would like some advice on how to preserve it keeping its flavour and strength.

Only had this horrid affliction in the last year or so, words fail me as to it's horror. Only thing that does anything for me is a mug of proper Cocoa at the right temperature to sort of cuddle and sip. More a comfort thing I feel.

I cannot recommend '1000 recipes' Indian Cookery enough, I am not normally a lover of this type of book but I have cherished my copy for many years and, IMHO, the egg curry recipe cannot be beaten. I am lucky enough to have an Indian Godmother and she is a great fan of this book.

Thom thank you, great info. Can I trouble you for a Thai recom? We are so starved of any good restaurants up here near Inverness that I now dither, Thai is a great love of mine. In fact DH and I are now thinking of maybe having a days outing just to eat! Any really good delis I should visit?

Thanks all thats really helpful

Could anyone help me, I promise I have read all the posts but my have missed the very thing I require. I will need to spend the day in Manchester on Monday week and, coming from an area devoid of anything Chinese and edible, would love a recommendation for a good but relatively cheap Chinese eaterie that I could get to from the town centre, preferably on foot. Never been to Manchester so am a total novice - is the airport far from the centre?

Lindsey, your words make me long for the Old Country although I've yet to go. The growing season here is around 120 days and there's plenty of fog. I got one eight ball zucchini from three plants, but the tomatoes did well in the new greenhouse. Does potted hough fit the second criterion "healthy"? Cobnut and sloe sound like winners. Rowan berries are also something with which I'd like to experiment. Hmmm . . . . jelly, cordial or brew? Oh no not potted hough, fresh stuff from the Butcher's ours is fairly lean here and truly delicious slow braised till soft and slightly sticky.

Well done indeed, looks just yumpcious. Good stick of 'dirty' celery wouldn't go amiss with that. I was puzzled by the 'grey' comment, I have never seen a proper pie with a grey middle, only mass produced ones not worth puting on the plate. Maybe I should get off my behind and do the same thing with a Scotch Mutton pie. Anyway thanks.

Oh lucky you to have all those wonderful chillies and tomatoes, I so envy you. We have too short a growing season here even courgettes are stunted wee things. To me Autumn is back to comfort food cooking, Oxtails are coming in now, fat and unctuous and lovely spirals of beef skirt for long slow braising, beef hough for 'tattie soup' and scrag end of neck of local lamb, very cheap and such a sweet meat, for hotpots topped with potatoes cooked to a gooey, almost toffee, consistency. I search out the young hazelnuts still on the tree and green for a real cobnut treat served with a good Stilton cheese and sloes for the Christmas Sloe Gin are not to be missed. Rowan berries for the jelly to go with the Christmas Goose abound now - sounds like I should get to work

Macaroni and cheese for me too but just plain boiled mac and fresh grated mature Cheddar cheese, tons of it stirred into the hot pasta, lots of black pepper and I will eat till I explode Properly made Yorkshire pudding with the Sunday roast beef gravy, the bottom of the pud MUST be crisp from the beef dripping and the gravy must be homemade not a packet mix or tub in sight. Then Eton Mess made with English strawberries and extra thick cream. OH Dear hoping the 'new' thinking on saturated fats is right and they really are the 'good' guys

Thanks everyone, I am very tempted to hide it and 'find' it again near Christmas failing that the cheesecake option sounds like a good idea.

Much against my advice (and will) one of our chefs made a huge amount of ganache he thought he could put into tart cases and serve as Chocolate Tarts. As expected it set!!! Any ideas how I can use it in a desert? Would indeed make lovely truffles but we don't need truffles sadly and he also put chopped walnuts into the mix - don't ask me why I have not the faintest idea!!!

Bear in mind I am on a different continent but sharing platters seem pretty popular over here, middle eastern with hoummous, good flat bread, olives, baba ganoush etc, seafood ones, you name it really. I am still trying to drag my customers, kicking and screaming, away from Sticky Toffee Puds and the like. Try to keep the deserts down to 3 or 4 so I can make the most of seasonal produce. Differently spiced rice puddings seem very popular right now, like Cardamon and rosewater served with rose petal shortbread. As I said I am in a different country so none of this may apply but all the best of luck anyway. What fun.

I always add finely chopped salami to a good lemony Tabouli (make mine with couscous from personal choice) just adds another dimension. Again, finely chopped, added to a decent Ratatouille is nice for lunch as is salami and a small amount of chopped fresh sage added to scones or American biscuits to serve with soup or as a topping with savoury minced beef.

Only last month had a total freezer meltdown, DH unplugged it!!! Gave me a good reason to start again from scratch and, having just returned from France, we are now the proud owners of:- 6 separate dozens of Escargots, both Burgundy and Charente 2 very large helpings of Confit of Duck plus extra duck fat in small containers 10 small Monk Fish tails 4 x 2 rib of Scottish Beef, snapped up when nearly out of date and so reduced to 1/4 their original price 2 whole legs of Scottish Lamb same deal 2 collar of bacon joints 3 Haggii, 1 of which is vegetarian with nuts and dried apricots (very good too) Huge bunch of Fenugreek 2 huge Oxtails lots of decent beef mince.

Thank you everyone, and thank you Kerry, lovely recipe will most certainly be trying that one.

Any ideas? We have a glut this year, done the pies, tarts, crumbles, charlottes etc. Am trying to come up with a different, slightly, take on the Bramley apple. Nothing too avant guard - this is Scotland!! Had thought of a toffee apple crumble topped pie but too boring. Needs to be able to be reheated or easy assemble. Sort of thinking along sticky gingerbread lines with apple in the mix and a sharp apple/cream mix over the top. Weather is turning here so fireside puds are the order of the day. All ideas very gratefully received.