Carlovski

I love making risotto. I have played with all the major italian rices, they are actually all fairly easily available in the UK. Haven't really detected huge differences, I tend to use Carnaroli, but can't really explain why. I'm fairly traditional when it comes to risotto making, no cream, no separate making of 'sauces' - just hitting it a lot with a wooden spoon, and PLENTY of butter! Favourite types Mushroom - everyones favourite - I use a mix of chesnut mushrooms and dried - occasionally wild if I can get them. Butternut squash and pancetta - Lovely this one - Some fresh sage is good here too. Nice addition is to roast the squash seeds as a crunchy garnish. Smoked haddock - bit non trad this one - I poach the haddock in milk (With some sliced onion and balck peppercorns) for a few minutes and use this poashing liqour along with some fish stock to make the risotto, stirring the flaked haddock in right at the end. No cheese for this one. I could probably live with people adding cream to this one - but I don't. Poached egg on top is good though. Sorrel - if you can get hold of sorrel (And you need quite a lot!) it makes a great light risotto. Sausage and red wine - A hearty one, use a full flavoured course italian sausage, and a good hearty red wine. Pea (And pancetta?) Probably the one I make most - either just peas (Fresh in summer sometimes, but usually frozen) or with diced pancetta. I make mine more risotto like than a traditional risi e bisi. Think I'm going to have to have one tonight now!

I sat here open mouthed at your hollandaise recipe until I got to the 'I made an Eighth of the quantity'! Oh and Gary - you are right, you want to keep your beans/tomato away from your bacon - I find the sausage makes an effective barrier - I don't mind the beans lapping onto the egg too much though. I prefer to keep them away from the mushrooms though, although this is not always possible. It's a sort of gastronomic take on the 4 colours map problem.

Soda Fountains have never really taken off in the UK. There is a latest craze for shakes though (Although you may not recongise some as such) made by blending a varied range of ingredients - The Shakeaway Chain being particularly succesful Clicky. Some nasty combinations available - but I like the fact some of them are not too sweet.

It was a big plate, and the shot was taken before the addition of baked beans and toast, so it was quite a lot of food in the end. Slowly roasted tomatoes work really well and I have successfully fried them in the pan, you just have to do it on a gentle enough heat that allows them to cook through with out burning. I agree though, much easier in the oven. ← I know some purists shun baked beans, but I'm with you on that front. Lots of toast is essential (I'm not really a fried slice man). And a mug (not a cup!) of strong slightly oversweet tea. But did you have the essential hangover?

Fairly minimalist 'Full English' there Andy - Don't think a Truck Driver would be impressed...Looked good though. You are right on the oven use - definitely the easiest way unless you have a huge range or a big griddle. You didn't have tomatoes, but the oven is the only way to go with them - I hate so called grilled tomatoes where the outside is burnt but the inside is cold and rock hard.

That would be a start - My local supermarket used to have a fish counter but it was removed - supposedly beacuse customers preferred prepackaged fish.... There is a Waitrose in Southampton with a half decent fish counter - but it involves tackling the horrors of the shopping centre.

See, another Lidl fan! A lot of the stuff is genuinely better than you can get at the supermarket, regardless of the fact it is also a lot cheaper. The Olive oil is ok (I may have repeated myself here), the chorizo quite good as are the salamis and other sausage related products. Some of the veg can be very good, the Parmesan is better than the stuff they sell in the supermarket (I think it is longer aged for a start) and the Mozarella is fine for pizzas and pasta dishes (Wouldn't use it for salad). Some of the dark chocolate isn't even too bad. It's also very entertaining going in and wondering exactly why someone is buying 96 tins of hot dogs.... (I think they were students) I'm moving house soon, away from my Lidl, but thankfully closer to butchers, greengrocers etc. Still need to track down a Fishmongers though (I live in a Port for god's sake, surely there must be a fishmongers?)

Spicy Tomato? Everyone knows the only true wheat crunchie flavour is worcester sauce.

An excellent idea. Sunday morning I think. ← Be sure to acquire a decent hangover to fully appreciate it.

Hope you'll be having the Full English at least once - educate our foreign brethren.

I'm going to be homeless at the end of the Month, current front runner in new place to live is central Southampton so looks like I will be finding out if it really is that bad. Good news is I am pretty sure there is a decent butcher nearby - all I need to do is find a fishmonger as well.

Just run the restaurant as a loss leader and coin it in from the book sales/magazine pieces......

They have. It causes anal leakage. ← I feel the same about 'Anal' and 'Leakage'

On the green salad with fruit theme, how about watercress and orange salad (Orange segments to be scrupulously de-pithed!). I also add red onion. But then again I just love onion. I also like parsley salads with lots of red onion and lemon juice - sometimes with a little mint as well.

Yep, Pizza express always a safe bet. Loch fyne at least gives the option of fairly decent seafood in a provincial town. Couple of others -there is a mini chain near me called Poppadum express http://www.poppadomexpress.co.uk/ - trendified indian, but not bad, and quite good fun. One I had hopes for is a chain called Prezzo, which is spreading frighteningly fast - they do pizzas, a few baked pasta type dishes and rotisserie chicken (which you can share). But it's shit. sorry. A good rotisserie chain would be great. Ken Hom's yellow river cafes aren't too bad - fast service, varied menu and most of the dishes are a cut above the anglicised watered down offerings you normally get.

I'm pretty sure I heard the term first used by Keith Floyd - would have been at least early nineties. Whoops - Just saw Andy beat me to that titbit of knowledge.

I work part time behind the bar. I only do two shifts a week but it is generaly expected that everyone does one of the unpopular shifts (Christmas Eve/Day and new years eve). I did New years eve this year (Was back home for Christmas) - it isn't good, normal money (Minimum wage) and we don't get tips. We do get the occasional drink bought, but most of the regulars had bought the staff a load of drinks at Christmas, which I wasn't there for. My Parents used to run a pub and I actually used to like working on Christmas day - we opened 12-4 and it was always packed, but a good atmosphere and quite good fun, we'd give everyone a free drink and was usually good for drinks/tips. New years Day was a bonus for whoever wanted to do it (First choice to those who had done the unpopular ones) - Double time and not too busy.

'Life of Pi' has quite a few food references - lots of heart felt longing for indian vegetarian food while he is stuck on the boat.

How about making dried tomatoes in a very low oven overnight? You can store them in oil - might even make a nice christmas gift!

Up until Thursday I would have been quite receptive to that idea, but the meal we had in the Harrogate Hotel du Vin was a little disappointing really. Shame really. ← That is a shame. It's odd - you could really see Harrogate having a thriving restaurant scene - the Ludlow of Yorkshire. Still don't think it's a bad idea though - Only ever heard good things from the Winchester one.

Arggh Here are the tea rooms - but no mention of the evening opening on the website, they might have stopped. I might go for a lunchtime welsh rarebit tomorrow (It's rather good) and see.

Don't think anyone could really take offence at getting rid of Southampton. Although I'm sure something more constructive and less destructive might also be possible... Just look what they did with Manchester (I know some people wouldn't agree, but nobody can argue that it is much better than say 15 years ago) I know it's not exactly the most exciting venue, and despite my general distaste for chains sticking a Hotel du Vin in every place with over a 100,000 or 2 people might not be a bad thing.

I think it is slightly more complex than that. London is still the best city for food. There are still a lot of good provincial and country based restaurants, but they are a different type of establishment. The thing that is still lacking is decent places in other Cities and large towns. Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds may be improving, but most other places are still a wasteland - Try and find somewhere in Southampton for example.

There is quite a nice little cafe/tea rooms in Winchester, who's name escapes me but does usual fare in the daytime plus a few specials but fairly recently started opening as a restaurant with a short menu in the evening. I think they originally started as an experiment for 'occasion' dining, valentines day etc but it took off. There is also a Pub (The Westgate - which did go through a 'Gastropub' phase) where the chef from a local indian place takes over in the evenings (And now lunchtimes I think). It's not bad actually, the guy won a BBC cook of the year competition years back, and still has the dish on his menu (Something to do with trout I think), and it's nice to be able to have a decent pint with it.

Bacon, eggs, mushrooms, black pudding, hash browns, fried bread, fried tomatoes, sausages, plenty of hot toast and a cup of tea Guess where I'm from!