MobyP

I want a critic to do everything Gill tries to make us believe he does, but doesn't. He doesn't write about food, or service, or try to represent the artisanship or lack of coming out of the kitchen - because I think he can only write about himself. I want someone who so clearly loves what they're doing, and has such an appreciation for what the kitchen is attempting, that it suffuses every sentence they write. I want rejection to be written in terms of disapointment, not bile. I want a critical appreciation of failiures, as well as successes. That doesn't mean being protected. I want generosity and intelligence and humour, even when they're disgusted. They can be angry. They can be offended. They can even have a terrible meal - they just have to travel some short distance to show me they don't view the entire process as a necessary conspiracy simply to make them - out of all the people in the universe - happy. Oh, and they can't be called Michael Winner either.

I think Gill's view is that he wants the right to be Gill - it's like Dr. Jeckyl coming through the trauma of therapy to ask us all to accept Mr. Hyde - which is what I object to. For god's sake let's revoke his liscence. Let's stop him before it's too late. Between him and the plague of the 14th Century - I choose the plague.

Pancetta is smoked (pancetta affumicata), is not smoked, is rolled around shoulder meat, is rolled around itself, is not rolled (tesa), is salted, marinated - and comes in inumerable other iterations, depending on which region of Italy you're in, and what the local specialty is. It is not not unlike bacon. It is bacon. Taken from the belly cut (in the UK called streaky, as opposed to 'back' bacon which includes the loin and is more familiar in the UK, and Denmark, and sometimes Canada). It is also more worthy of having a love affair with than any other foodstuff I know. Personally I would risk serious prison time for a good piece of pancetta - and almost did when I was stopped by US customs from smugglings in a magnificent 2 foot piece of 'Tesa' into the states. What to do? In small dice or 'matchsticks' in pastas, salads, stews, risottos, braises, fricasees, sliced thin and draped over stuffed poussin, or loin of tuna, or monkfish, or anything which doesn't run away from you too quickly (boyfriends/girlfriends included), or sliced thinner and fried along with your morning eggs, or sliced even thinner still and stapled to your tax return and sent to the Inland Revenue.

I go off for my Sunday dinner (on a Wednesday), and look what happens! Thanks to everyone for not using the howitzers. Sniff, I'm feeling a bit emotional...

Disgusted - is there a process of evaluation of restaurants that you perceive to be fair or balanced? What should the uneducated, and the educated, depend upon for critical help - i.e. for choosing where to spend there money? Or should it just be word of mouth - and isn't that the same thing?

Wine in the UK Press Richard Ehrlich Cognac is enjoying a revival thanks to help from an unlikely source. Anthony Rose Cellar notes #25: A taste of South Africa Something For The Weekend? Would you pay £34,466.88 for a bottle of Spanish wine? Super plonk Tim Atkin Ernest & Julio have finally made a drinkable wine... Joanna Simon - on the sauce Adam Edwards best of British pubs. This week, Rose Cottage Inn

Please note : some of these links may require free or paid registration to view. This week's selection comes from: The Times The Independent The Guardian The Observer The Telegraph This is London Restaurants Terry Durack - Harry Morgan's Richard Johnson The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire Marina O'Loughlin - Inc Bar & Restaurant Jan Moir - Refettorio Matthew Fort - The Gallery, Leeds Giles Coren Imperial China Jay Rayner Refettorio AA Gill: Homo of the Sapiens: Sardo Features This isn't just pâtisserie, this is art. Mastering the basic techniques of Indian cookery Learn how a Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hill picks his produce Leaving children to their own devices in the kitchen is no bad thing, says Kate Hawkings. Food Claudia Roden serves up two Turkish delights Mark Hix why not make room (and a little time) for home-baked cakes Gordon Ramsay's In praise of the potato 3 from Jill Dupleix Heston Blumenthal - low temperature cooking Wine and Spirits Richard Ehrlich Cognac is enjoying a revival thanks to help from an unlikely source. Anthony Rose Cellar notes #25: A taste of South Africa Something For The Weekend? Would you pay £34,466.88 for a bottle of Spanish wine? Super plonk Tim Atkin Ernest & Julio have finally made a drinkable wine... Joanna Simon - on the sauce Adam Edwards best of British pubs. This week, Rose Cottage Inn

I am a very big fan of several of the reviewers out there - but to discuss their purpose or meaning or other ontology is to invite the great Silverstone of 200 mile per hour circular arguments. So let us go gently into that good night with a cup of tea and a digestive.

Sorry Bapi, I've been busy with eGCI. My review of fat duck here.

Disgusted (of Inverness? Milton Keynes? Lambeth?) Welcome to egullet! I think Gill would say he represents the consumer. A A Gill. A plague of locusts. It's a matter of perspective.

Yes - at my dinner I remember cavalcades of pre-amuse and amuse. Soups, foie gras lollipops surrounded by madeira jelly (which were genius), and then I started hallucinating with pleasure and the memory fails me.

Another extremely fine meal with Jon Tseng. We went there for the 26.50 lunch deal, but we both crumbled when we saw the menu, and went for the regular shabang. The amuse was a duck cassonade with celariac velouté/foam, and poached quail's egg. I had the roasted langoustine with chicken wing and braised pigs belly with truffled maceroni, which is very much Aikens crossing over tastes on a plate. Lovely textures, and fun to eat. But only 1 langoustine. Then I had the veal - shin, sweetbreads with a caper sauce. This was serious cold weather comfort food. Lovely and unctuous. For desert, a cornucopia of pear - I lost count of how many different pear and chocolate preparations were on the very large plate - but it was delicious. I forget the predessert - the regular mignardise of different flavoured wafers, chocolates, and hot freshly baked madeleines. I was stuffed. I was very sorry I couldn't have the wines, as I think the place is suited to langorous dining. The service was excellent. We had tap water, and they refilled our glasses on a very regular basis. I look forward to returning in later Spring, and see where the menu goes, as he leaves Winter behind.

'Reasonable' being Michelin Gourmand-relative in this case...

I just had a fantastic lunch there, or would certainly request a place... Everyone I was with anticipated one or more dishes that they wouldn't be able to eat - and each time it was overcome simply by how good everything tasted. I'll spread the word.

Surely the reverse is true. Rather, he wanted to spend a year in France (that much I believed), and two ways of financing the trip became the tv progs and the cook book - i.e. starting to capitalize on his name. Equally, starting up a restaurant which you want to compete on a Michelin level must take vast amounts of capital - 1-2 million? By taking over the Carved Angel, (a) it's outside of London, so lower overall costs, plus the UK gourmandise has proven itself to be open to travel, (b) they may have a reasonable kitchen which mets JBR's needs with the minimum of short term investment requirements, and © cutlery, linen, tables, computers etc 'front-of-house' gear also requiring the minimum. After having a hotel-monkey on his back, perhaps he wants to do it on his own. It might be a very simple choice - 60,000 quid La Cornue cooker and falling out of a local fishing boat on telly, or the 700 quid refurbished catering oven?

We're planning a trip down to Cornwall to see the granny this Summer, so Basildog's is in order, and maybe the Angel also can go on the list.

Hm... I sense a lot of love for the man... Ok - other than the fact that he came across on the TV program as a horrible, disfunctional dad (which is none of my business), and a somewhat distant husband (ditto), not to mention the sort of annoying over-achiever that makes me want to go back to bed ("I'm a world renowned chef!" he kept shouting) why aren't we applauding his return? God knows this country needs all the help it can get. If this man can make foie gras dance like a chihuahua on fiesta day, or braise veal cheeks to the unctuousness of baby food, what do we care if he drowns kittens in burlap sacks on his day off, or supports Manchester United? Or is it cos it's raining, and we all feel we've been a bit too nice of late, and someone needs a good egullet kicking?

It is rumoured that John Burton Race has purchased The Carved Angel in Dartmouth. In case you don't know, its one of the original gastronomic restaurants in the UK, originaly owned by Joyce Molyneux who worked for George Perry Smith at The Hole in The Wall in Bath in the early 60's.

Scott... you're just trying to get in Andy's good books. And that's not just a euphemism.

Details please... By sous vide, you mean sealed up in plastic? What herb paste? And what is a civet of ceps? And what time is dinner? Can you take pictures?

Which airport? Heathrow is West west west and Gatwick is South south south. The former is 20 mins train from Paddington, and the latter 40 mins from Victoria.

A friend makes a huge vat of tequila marmalade every year; it's easily the best I've ever had, but the queue to get some is longer than for an NHS dentist!

Right. You talked me into it. Florence it is...

My internet is down, or there would DEFINITELY be words. Marmelade? Pinko bleedin' insurgency more like it!

That's brilliant news. Congratulations. Are you dividing and conquering? Are you training up a new generation of little Basilpuppies?