Carlovski

I did a similar 'challenge' a number of years ago, triggered by me eating a completely tasteless, intensively farmed bit of chicken, as it was all they had at the local shop. It was a reflex buy - I felt I had to have some sort of meat to make it a 'meal'. So The idea was to lose that reflex, with the full intention of going back to meat, but seeing it as just one part of my diet, a treat that is worth spending extra on. I think I must have posted about this at the time, but can't find it now. I did it for 3 months (Timed to end at Christmas!) A week seems quite short to me, I quite often go that long without thinking about it. My rules were - No 'Meat substitutes', If I am going veggie, I will be eating vegetables! - Try to cook as much as possible, whole point was to pick up new recipes. - If I eat out, and none of the vegetarian options appeal, then that's ok (I don't eat out a lot anyway). But no eating out somewhere on purpose to get a meat fix! In the end, I never had to invoke the eating out clause, the only places I ate out were indian and middle eastern places (Oh and a pizza), so as you would expect, not a problem! The great new vegetarian indian in southampton hadn't opened at that point unfortunately, which would have been even better, Things I learned were - I really like vegetables, and most pulses. - I do not like Buckwheat. - I have no idea how I would have coped combining it with low carbs (Not that I would of course..) - The only meat I really craved was cured meats, a bit of bacon or chorizo would have been lovely. - I did miss fish. And especially Anchovies. - Indian food is your friend. - Autumn is a great time to do it. Mushrooms, Squashes etc are great, plus you actually want to eat steaming bowls of lentils etc. Farmers market was good, although the game stalls were calling me! Now, I still don't eat a lot of meat (Dispite my signature!) I don't always source it as carefully as I would like, time and cash poor at the moment, maybe I need to try again (Maybe a summer - harvest time challenge this time)

I actually like being away for work, or even just visiting somewhere alone so I have an excuse for dining alone! For some reason I would feel quite self concious doing it in my home town, or anywhere close.

The food blog has just created an even more effective technique than the complaining very loudly so everyone hears you technique. The wait does sound unacceptable, problems do happen in kitchens, but to not relay that to the diners without being prompted is poor service. The claiming to be food experts comment is a little harsh - they are obviously much more qualified than your average local newspaper reviewer, and do appear to visit a LOT of restaurants! Which may be part of the problem, it's easy to become jaded by similar sounding menus, they obviously favour the more creative and avant garde style of fine dining (Big fans of L'enclume!) which Gidleigh Park obviously isn't. I was getting slightly annoyed by the Michelin Star obsession, I can just about handle it in the mainstream media (I'm looking at you BBC) but I'd have hoped such experienced diners would know better. I do somewhat agree with the comments on the tasting menu though, it isn't really a tasting menu as I understand it. A number of restaurants are doing this, you have to have one on the menu these days, but it's basically just the a la carte menu with extra courses. I am less concerned by bad reviews than I am with the context, and also how they are dealt with (SAme with anything, Trip Advisor, Amazon reviews etc, you learn more from the bad reviews than the good) and Michael Caines appears to have dealt with it admirably.

I have no idea on the recipe, or it's authenticity but we recently had a 'pot luck' style lunchtime buffet for a joint leaving party for 2 colleagues. Someone made a similar sounding curried vegetable (potatoes, carrots, peas, onions I think) 'sausage roll' type affair, it was served sliced and still warm and it was absolutely delicious, spicy but not hot. I'm sure it was quite easy to make, if you get the spicing correct. He put out a couple of bottles of a commercial tamarind sauce to go with them, along with some pakora/bhaji type items. I must have eaten about 5/6 slices!

I'm still convinced it must be a front for some sort of money laundering operation - just seems like a bizarre concept for a chain. On saying that, I think the same about Tchibo. A shop selling coffee, but also selling a random selection of tat that changes every week. I'd have loved to be in that sales pitch.

We have them at work too and I hate them. Seems to break down quite a lot too (Although I guess it gets a lot more use than a domestic one would) Bring back the kettle! What someone needs to do is build one with a super accurate temperature gauge and controller - could multitask as a sous-vide unit!

The older Raymond Blanc books are worth a look. Cooking for Friends is a bit more middle ground, but Recipes From Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons should be suitably challenging. For something a bit more modern you could try 'Essence' by David Everitt-Matthias.

Devil's food cake?

A reasonable number of contributors to forums, both food based and others have been less interested in discussion than they are in publicising their own thoughts and experiences (Not saying there is anything wrong with that!) - and blogs/twitter have become a much more effective way of doing that. Then there is the other sort of forum, which is used mainly as a question and answer board, usually with a hardcore group of users answering most of the questions (Interestingly stack overflow have a cooking board now, where the rules are that everything must be an answerable question rather than something for discussion). Egullet hasn't ever gone that way (we get the odd one time poster asking a very specific question, then leaving, but the membership requirement keeps most of them out) The very focussed nature of eGullet probably has helped it keep going, although equally when certain measures got more rigorously enforced, we lost quite a few members too.

The worst part about my dishwasher is the fact it is me, with a cloth. Best part is that I am also multipurpose!

You could try only squeezing the lemon on a piece, just before eating it? Or another dry sour ingredient you could try is Sumac for a middle eastern fell, or Za'atar, which contains sumac.

I'm like you, I'm a savoury snacker, so cheese in the main (With an apple if I have one to hand), or picking at any cured meats I have in. Olives too, although they aren't the most filling of snacks! Last few days it has quite often been a cold boiled potato (Jersey Royals, cooked too may at the weekend) with far too much salt!

It's a little walk away, but you could try The Corner House for breakfast (or whenever you fancy!)

Kim, I've not eaten at Lainston House (been to a Wedding there - it's a lovely hotel), but I've heard good things. I know they are quite hot on local sourcing of ingredients, which always adds a bit of interest when you are somewhere new. The other place you might want to try is the Black Rat, recently awarded a Michelin star if you care about such things! If you do I recommend you go for a drink before/afterwards in the Black Boy pub around the corner (Same owner) - best pub in Winchester. You should also try and pop into the Wykeham Arms for a uniquely winchester experience. Food is good too, although I have heard reports of a decline in quality. You will probably have to ask for directions - it's a bit tricky to find!

I second the Gary Rhodes recommendation, either New British Classics or the cookery year books sound like just the thing. His TV persona is somewhat annoying, but the recipes are good. Other recommendations would be anything by Mark Hix, or possibly this one that I was having a flick through the other day Canteen:Great British Food

I thought that might be the case, I could also see more people buying the plated dish recipe volume, not being able to do anything without the other volumes and it disappearing back onto the bookshelf after writing a 1-star review. P.S Anyone else seen the rather ridiculous and somewhat tasteless 1-star review on Amazon now?

I'm getting sick of the obsession with Michelin, especially in the UK media. It's a sodding guide book, an established and (at least historically) respected one, but nothing more than that. Every up and coming chef, every wannabe cooking show entrant aim is a michelin star or two it seems. Not to cook good food, not to run a succesful business and not to have happy customers. Anyway, rant one over... So the heart of MPW's argument is, be a respected chef, then whore yourself out on TV is ok (And don't get me started on his Knorr stock cube promotional activities) but getting a break on TV while at the start of your career and then open restaurants is bad? Rubbish.

Wow - when did eGullet turn into a book shipping logistics forum Joking aside, I won't be buying it, can't afford it at the moment, but then again there are lot's of things I can't afford right now. The pricing aspect is interesting. If you asked the average man on the street if they would pay that much for a set of books, I imagine the answer is 'Hell no!' But, I imagine that a large majority of people who are buying it have spent that much (or more) on a meal, correct? I you then rephrase the question to the average man on the street 'Would you buy a set of books (explaining the research involved, the high quality printing and photography etc) for the cost of a meal out? Then the answer may well be yes (Of course it could equally be, me buy a book?) I am sure there are plenty of art and photgraphy books with a similar price tag. And not that long ago technical reference manuals definitely were (Before everything moved online). So no issue for me over the price, that being said is there any chance of these ever being sold as separate volumes (This may have been asked already). More chance of the more financially challenged of us getting involved in the fun then! Carl

Don't blame them - not much decent Chinese to be had in Winchester!

We live in a fine time for sausage fans. Most of the supermarket 'premium' own brands are pretty good to be honest these days. Brand wise, I'd second the Porkinson recommendation. Musk's are also pretty good, as are the duchy originals ones. The 'Debbie and Andrews' ones are good in things like sausage and lentil casseroles, or for skinning and cooking with - they are 97% meat. A pure or almost pure meat sausage isn't always what you want on your full english - there is a place for the british banger despite what the Europeans might say! Not very useful unless you are local (Although I believe you can mail order now) but my local butcher http://www.uptonsbutchers.co.uk/ does a fine sausage too!

Interesting comment earlier about ice cream, I imagine if people weren't exposed to ice cream (or chocolate!) at an early age, that would be the most vivid food memory,as it is, such things, luxurious as they are, and once rare are now commonplace. For me, it was the first bowl of mussels I shared with my dad, on holiday. My mum looked on horrified, sure I was going to spit them out, I probably only said I wanted one because my dad was eating them, my mum didn't like them. But I loved them, and from then on, a big part of our holidays was me and my dad going for lunch having mussels, fried sardines, calamari etc, beer for him, coke for me (until I got older!). I've love seafood to this day, and shellfish especially always feels like a treat. No kids of my own but I hope I can get my niece and nephew (Who have fairly adventeruous palates) to join in the family adventure.

Water, like bread is an emotive subject. Give people a huge bill, with a large wine spend and the first thing they will pick up on is how much the water was and he fact you charged them for bread. I'm surprised more restaurants don't pick up on this and actively advertise the fact that they are happy to serve tap watered, filtered if necessary. They can hide the cost elsewhere if necessary, or just put a realistic cost of replacing filters on the bill - but be up front about it. They could also play up the environmental aspects - I know a number of places in the UK are doing this.

Two thoughts here, firstly that this isn't he sort of place I'd imagine in Dallas, purely based upon stereotype and no personal experience! But maybe it's my turn to get my own back for years of (quite often justified!) digs at British food. Secondly - $12 sounds quite reasonable, even taking into account the fluctuating exchange rates (I can never keep track), it would be a lot more expensive in the UK. It's a bit cheaper than what you would get in a middle market chain operation (something like Hotel Chocolat or Montezumas) over here. Even if not everything is a hit, I'd be happy to pay for something that is at least a bit interesting.

That's such an eGullet answer!Someone will be along with a thermal coefficient vs yolk viscosity graph soon!

The sadly now closed Deli near my work used to do excellent roast beef sandwiches (very good horseradish sauce too). I remember one conversation with the owner (who was an ex chef) - Do you like your beef quite rare? - Yep, rarer the better for me. - Good, because I think this one might still be moving! It wasn't raw - just properly rare to a level you rarely get from commercial places. Fine quality beef too.