Carlovski

Nothing lowly about a baked potato.... One variation I do to turn it into a full supper dish is to slowly cook leeks in copious amounts of butter, scoop out the insides of the baked potatoes and mix with the leeks and crumbled Tallegio (Or other cheese of your choice). Plenty of black pepper too, shouldn't need salt though. Put the mix back in the skins, dot with a bit more butter and some grated cheese and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. I sometimes throw some bacon into the mix as well (Smoked works well here)

Quite a few recipes for kleftiko do include cheese, though I prefer it without. I also thought that the beer drinking cows was apocryphal?

This discussion bring to mind "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote" by Jorge Luis Borges. In this short story, Pierre Menard attempts to write the true Don Quixote, and in the end produces an identical book, despite having not read the original. Maybe to produce the 'true' gastronomy we need to return to the beginning - ignorant of the french culinary tradition etc - but what is the likelyhood that we would end up with the same result? Would we end up with something similar to what Ferran Adria produces? Or something completely original?

I'm pretty sure the thing I will eat before I die will be a taste of copper... That list (And programme) was dire. Truly dire. Although the image of cows drinking stella was interesting! Splitting out about 10 variations of Aussie produce (Lovely though I'm sure it is) and then lumping together 3 of the most diverse cuisines in the world into single categories is just stupid. Where was the ortolan? The stuffed camel? The giant Panda sandwich? Couple of entries made sense, durian etc. The funniest thing I thought was the woman who finally after many years managed to eat her own crab while on holiday - oh yeah, because it's completely impossible to prepare your own isn't it? PS I would rather eat at a little chef than go to a G4 concert. (See how I kept that vaguelly on topic!).

Couscous (Or bulgar wheat)makes a good alternative - tossed with roasted vegetables (Do them the night before) and chick peas. Add cubes of feta or leftover chicken. You can take a little pot of yoghurt or a chilli sauce if it seams a little dry. Slices of spanish omlette are nice in summer.

Surprised so many people know Urmston! I'm trying to think what building it must be in - I used to walk down Flixton road to get to school! It is an odd place for a restaurant, the previous culinary highlights being the 'County Grill' and numerous indian restaurants. There used to be an OK Greek place I seem to remember. Any restaurant which serves a 'Chat Moss' salad gets thumbs up from me (Excellent soil you know!) Anyone remember the big pub 'restaurant' (Term used loosely) calle dthe Swinging Bridge - gor demolished when they buit the Trafford Centre. I used to live there. Could tell you a few things about that place.....

Has anyone been to the fairly newly opened Isinglass restaurant in Manchester? It's actually in Urmston, where I grew up, and I can't really imagine a less likely location... Thom? Anyone? I'm going back to Manchester for Christmas and thought I could take my Mum. The only review I can find was quite positive, but was also written by David Blunkett - yes that one.

I do a similar thing - a variation on the 'simmered' tomato sauce is to use a fair bit more oil (Good idea is to warm up some chiles and garlic in the oil and remove - it's going to get too hot to not burn them) and crank the heat right up. Throw in some deskinned plum tomato pieces (Tinned is fine, but not chopped or crushed - they are chopped too fine) cook until nearly all the moisure has gone and you are left with concentrated tomatoey goodness, floatng in the oil. Drain some of the oil off and use. It's not really a liquid sauce, although the tomatoes will be quite mushy by now. I mainly use this one to dress filled fresh pastas - tortellini, ravioli etc.

I can't eat Pomegranates any more. Used to love them as a kid but was ill after eating one (Almost certainly unrelated) and haven't eaten one since. I keep seeing them in the shops and am almost tempted, but haven't managed it yet. I had the same thing with Mussels for a while, but am glad to say I am back eating them now. Still don't like eating cold mussels though (Eg in a seafood salad).

I go through phases, last year I was throwing ras-el-hanout into everything (With varying results) I found it at the back of my cupboard yesterday and threw it out. Sadly it had lost all it's aroma. Marjoram. Does anyone really use Marjoram?

Spam?

Pulses and beans are your friend when on a budget. Pasta too. Pasta, tinned tomatoes, garlic, oil - costs pence. A big batch of chilli s fairly inexpensive - Make it extra hot so you have to bulk up on rice/bread etc! A good butcher will usually have some cheap cuts on hand - My local one usually has bargain 'stewing lamb' - rather 'knuckly' pieces, but great for long braises - joyfully messy to eat (Or you can pick off the bone, but where's the fun). I made a morrocanish lamb and chickpea casserole with couscous - A big pot of the stuff, for less than £3 last week.

You can get a tiny little key ring sized sample microplane grater as well - would be great for homemade crackers too. The cookware store near me has a great range of little gadgets. One of my friends always quizzes me when we go in there 'What's this for?' and 'What does that do'?

Surely the role of a sommelier is not only to advise on the wine, but also to ensure that it is served in the best possible condition. That guy was simply not doing his job. Ben the Twat sounds scarily like some people I knew at University...

Do you think the higher rankings of American butters in America could be do to freshness? If you did the same test in France, or England or Italy maybe you would find a local bias there too.

As someone who is currently rather fiscally challenged, I can appreciate this thread. I currently couldn't afford to eat at Per Se or Masa (Especially as I'd need a transatlantic flight - I'll have to substitute the most expensive UK restaurants) without saving for several months, and at the moment there are other things I need first. If I didn't need these things then I might just do it, though I probably would only do it once. It is about the only thing where your average Joe can think - No one else in the world is eating better than me right now - you'd have to be a multi millionaire to be driving the best car, wearing the best clothes and staying at the best hotels. That is definitely worth thinking about - especially when you get the bill! The issue isn't that it isn't affordable - even at the highest levels fine dining is still accessible (If you stay of the wine at least!), it is that in terms of value I think I would get more enjoyment out of several meals at a v. good restaurant (Or be able to pay for two of us for one meal).

On Saturday I had some grilled pork chops I had marinated in Evoo, herbs de provence, sherry vinegar and garlic. I had them on a bed of Butter Beans cooked with a little diced chorizo (Double pork goodsness!) and it's rendered fat. Slight variation on something I normally do with lamb - but good with pork too.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I REALLY went to the wrong college!

We managed t form a cheese society at university - most people just joined for a laugh and the drinking but we did manage to hold some events (such as the winter wonderlan of cheese!) where we managed to get a good selection for everyone to try - everyone was allocated a cheese to bring. We also organised an annual trip to the wensleydale creamery!

Actually I've noticed that a lot of 'Prize winning' chili recipes I've seen on the web (We don't really have Chili cookoffs in the uk - shame!) seem to use a LOT of proprietary and canned ingredients.

If you want to see 'interesting' use of words to describe food try reading most local paper restaurant reviews. Misuse of succulent is usually the worst offender - or descriptions of dishes as 'melt in the mouth' - e.g melt in the mouth pasta - oh so it's overcooked is it? Truly delicious food normally bypasses my usual good manners and results in descriptive and occasionally graphic swearing - which can be a problem in a nice restaurant

Really good rustic country bread, cut thickly and toasted on a griddle so it get the dark lines and a really crunchy exterior is fantastic. The scary thing is so is plastic sliced white done in a toaster - in their place. The first is for olive oil, salt garlic and maybe a ripe tomato, or maybe some white beans and chorizo. The second is for a fried egg or maybe baked beans (From a can). If I ever open a restaurant I'm going to call it toast.

Not heresy at all in my opinion, in fact I consider that the most 'Italian' thing to do - use the best produce available, rather than a pale imitation of the 'Genuine' product.

If I go to the Farmers Market (More of a spring/summer one this) My usual treat when I get back is a sort of market Garden Frittata - I get small amounts of whatever vegetables look good, and in they go with totally fresh farm eggs. If there was any interesting cheese on offer, on that goes too(But usually without).

Anyone ever opened a bottle for cooking, had a glass then thought "That's going in me, not the Stew!"? For general deglazing duties, A bottle of dry vermouth is your best friend. Keeps very well (Especially as I don't drink the stuff!)