MobyP

Howard - have you tried Tom Aiken's yet?

don't bother with this overpriced, inauthentic, style-over-content, hakkasan-in-indian-clothing clone. x Yeah, but what do you really think?

I thought I'd try some unusual cooking this week. I have some long cut pig's trotters from borough market, some calf sweetbreads, and a big chunk of bone-in gammon knuckle (the pig shank) - and I'm looking for suggestions. Has anyone ever stuffed trotters before? I tried it once, following the FL Keller recipe, but the skin of the trotters fell apart before I could stuff them. Any suggestions? And is it important to blanch sweetbreads before cooking, or is that only for de-skining them? Should I cut them into small pieces before blanching, or leave whole? All suggestions appreciated.

I used to hear stories from my parents about an old woman from Bologna who ran an Italian place - this was in the 70's - in Soho. He said you could go there and, for a couple of quid, have the most amazing traditional 4 or 5-course Bologna meal. But as long as I've known it, it's always been the graveyard you describe.

Did I read that the sichuan peppercorn, being a member of the citrus family (??!!?), has been made illegal in the states for import, and their supplies are about to run out? Also, fmi, could anyone give a basic run down of the entire culinary history of China over the last 3000 years, taking into account the socio-theatrical influences of Beijing Opera, and the proliferation of well-made hats? Is the difference between Cantonese and Sichuan purely regional, or is it also class-based? Is, or was there a Royal cuisine? Excuse ignorance.

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 Richard Johnson Undershaw Restaurant & Hotel, Surrey Giles Coren - Plateau Restaurant, Bar & Grill Jan Moir - Kathy's Bistro. Matthew Fort - Manicomio, SW3. Jay Rayner - Paris, Birmingham Special Marina O'Laughlin Section! There's no stopping her. This week: Hartley Bar and Dining Rooms Seraphin. and Hamburger Union. Features Hester Lacey reveals how little brown critters preserved in butter became Morecambe Bay's caviar. Michelin honours for widow who kept chef's dream alive. Mark Palmer - Finding heaven in a half-pounder. Food Mark Hix - the hitherto unmentionable joy of pot roasting. Gordon Ramsay - Dinner a deux. 3 from Jill Dupleix Nigel Slater on eating his and having it. Wine and Spirits Super plonk - "are the bottles in all those enticing mail-order wine advertisements worth it?" Burgundy is praising its 2002 vintage Burgundy 2002 vintage to the stars. Tim Atkin joins the chorus. Anthony Rose - Is New Zealand just a one-grape wonder? Cellar notes #19: From New World to old. Richard Ehrlich - Pitting your Chilean wines against some of Europe's most desirable bottles! Andrew Catchpole - Faced with a lengthy and unfamiliar wine list, many of us play it safe.

I'm thinking of going to the Anchor and Hope at Waterloo sometime this week. What's good there? And I need to return to the Ebury, where I had a fantastic meal. But given the degree of renovation, does it still qualify? Maybe we need to set some rules. By what fingernails does it need to be holding on to still qualify as a pub? Like the Oak, can it have a separate dining room? Does it have to be in addition, or can it be exclusive? How many draft bitter taps behind the bar?

Welcome. This is the thread for every Gastro-pub in England. If you've been to one we haven't heard of, write about it here! How about a gastro-pub crawl? Who can deny that the gastro pub hasn't been towards the center of the UK food transformation? From exceptionally good-value to outrageously expensive; from the local on your corner, to a renovated bistro-bar. And the talent in the kitchen - young cooks who want or are forced to start small, to michelin-starred chefs returning to simpler life-style. Less obligations, less financial commitment (not to mention less foie gras). Is a food aesthetic being created during our time, that in fifty or an hundred years, people around the world will take for granted - like the French Bistro, or the New York Diner? Is it the simplicity of Mediterranean cooking that has allowed it to flourish, or is that too a phase? Has it benefited from the increase in pride of local produce, and methods of farming and land management? What will be on the menu in 20 or 50 years time, that's there now? And what that isn't? All of these places deserve a long over-due home, and this is it. Tell us what you know.

I think it's - essentially - a dressing made of puréed jalepenos, rice wine vinegar, and oil. Maybe the original Peruvian version has garlic and lime juice - a cousin of the cuban mojo (moyo?). Either way, worth the admission fee.

George - welcome to eGullet! Maida Vale has some interesting food around. There was a thread on Maida Vale where you might find some ideas. She'll probably enjoy the Clifton Road end - and Formosa Street also is good for browsing.

Last night I had the great pleasure of a meal here. We had the Omakase (£90 per person) menu, with the addition of the Black Cod (which a friend insisted on). I was surprised to read of the service issues above - from the time we entered, when the room was practically empty, to when we left when it was full, service was smooth, attentive, and friendly. The room is much larger than I thought it would be - but it did start to feel a little cramped as it filled up. The food was characterised by really big, fun flavours, interesting combinations, and technically very serious execution. The quality of the raw fish was the best I've had in London, and of the cooked - the black cod was immaculately done. But I don't think I can give an accurate review - so many of these elements were new to me - so I'll probably limit myself to a description. I might have to sell the car, and go back a few times before I know what I'm talking about. Balex - have you been recently? 1) KONBU MARINATED SEABASS, CAVIAR, ASPARAGUS WITH PONZU DRESSING This was served in a hollowed-out lemon - unless that was a ponzu (which is part of the citrus family, is it not?). The sea bass was immensely delicate. Between these flavours, a small pile of caviar presented itself. Very nice. 2) SEARED WAGYU WITH ERINGI MUSHROOMS INANIWA SOBA I'd never had Wagyu beef before, and had no idea what to expect. It was superb, but for some reason I was entirely surprised that it tasted exactly like steak (f---in' idiot, me) - I was expecting a new life form, possibly with ganglia, to wrap itself around my tastebuds with some as yet unknown tantric position, and start humming... But I've found this is often the case with my expectations. It just doesn't pay to have any. 3) HAMACHI SASHIMI, PAPER THIN SALAD WITH JALAPENO DRESSING When I lived in LA, I used to go to this Peruvian cafe - cheap and cheerful - called Mario's. To start, you'd share a big plate of ceviche, and then a huge mountain of fried steak and onions, and chips, and tomatoes. And over all of this, you'd squirt this incredible Peruvian green gloop. This stuff was so good, it was almost worth selling off members of your family to slave traders so you could go back for seconds. Some might consider this a high price to pay for green gloop, but I would suggest you've never eaten it. So, imagine my surprise when the hamachi sashimi came drizzled in this same green gloop of my dreams. I immediately considered calling my family to make sure they were safe - when I realised I'd sold them off years ago. Nobu wasn't gettin' nothin from me tonight. I could enjoy my green gloop in peace. It was good, too. The surprising thing is: you'd think it would completely dominate the sashimi - and you'd be right. But it tastes so good, who cares? 4) BLACK COD We asked for this in addition to the menu (I don't know what the supplement was), and it's a beautiful dish. The cod was marinated, and roasted to perfection. The outside appeared almost lacquered. I've never tasted such a large piece of fish cooked so perfectly. 5) PAN SEARED BRILL, GOBO AND CARROT SAUCE If they had brought us this before the previous two dishes, this would have been great - but as it was, it was a little workman-like. It simply couldn't compete with the larger previous flavours. 6) DUCK 3 WAYS - HARUMAKI WITH APPLE BALSAMIC - SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH UMESHU JELLY - CONFIT WITH SANCHO TERIYAKI This was a nice presentation. The foie gras and umeshu jelly (think sweet citrus) went very well together. Similar texture. The confit was wrapped in filo (sp?) pastry, and fried. 7) SUSHI - sea bass, toro (I think), salmon, and 2 pieces of a 'roll', consisting of a white fish, spicy mayonaise, asparagus. Exceptional sushi to finish off the meal. The ability to place three such different fish together, and have them match up, I always think is amazing. SOUP: CLEAR SOUP WITH SALMON AND LOBSTER DUMPLING DESSERT: CHOCOLATE SOUP WITH ALMOND GRANITE SWEET POTATO & CUMIN PUREE CHOCOLATE GANACHE GREEN TEA TUILE This meal was certainly expensive - but it was so much fun in the mouth, both the palate and the imagination, I don't resent for a second that my incredibly generous friend picked up the tab. If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing. My apologies for lack of appropriate knowledge. I will endevor to improve.

Marvellous. Who was it that described the perfect martini as: "drinking an ice cold galss of gin, while staring at a picture of the man who invented vermouth?"

If you know of any other sources for good wine journalism, post them! Wine Articles in the UK Press Super plonk - "are the bottles in all those enticing mail-order wine advertisements worth it?" Burgundy is praising its 2002 vintage Burgundy 2002 vintage to the stars. Tim Atkin joins the chorus. Anthony Rose - Is New Zealand just a one-grape wonder? Cellar notes #19: From New World to old. Richard Ehrlich - Pitting your Chilean wines against some of Europe's most desirable bottles! Andrew Catchpole - Faced with a lengthy and unfamiliar wine list, many of us play it safe.

I use Frantoia Barbera as my "house" evoo, and can attest to its quality (looks like this). Big flavor, big nose, lots of olive character. It's an unfiltered Sicilian olive oil. I get it here at Fairway for around $US14/liter (~£UK7.60?), which I consider quite cheap. It is an excellentm excellent oil, although not at the level of a top-shelf boutique Tuscan or Ligurian evoo. Yep. That's the one. It's slightly more expensive here in the UK - but I try to use it as my house oil also, when I have the chance.

The thing about olive oils in the UK is that around this time every year, we're on the cusp of worthlessness. The dead zone. The culinary flat water. Olive oil doesn't age well - especially the big, fruity, expensive tuscan ones. Those fancy 2002 River Cafe bottles in Sainsbury's that sell for 17 quid? Practically worthless at this time of year, imo. The problem is, despite the oils degrading, everyone is still trying to get rid of the prior year's supply. So - first of all - don't spend any kind of money on an olive oil unless it says 2003 on the bottle - and unfortunatley they're still less easy to find than they should be. Around March/April, when the transition becomes more accessible, there's a really good basic evoo - Sicilian, I think - called Frantoia. I first came across it the US - they sell it in Sainsbury's (small bottles around 5 quid - so it's not v. cheap). It's in the realm of big, peppery oils, rather than the lighter ones - but that's just my taste. Again, if you go there now, you'll see a pale, insipid yellow oil on display, instead of the verdant, harder greens of a new vintage. So - don't touch it until the colour changes - and it will. I'm very, very lucky on the more expensive oils. My uncle has a house in Tuscany next to a wine and oil vineyard - and he just brought me back half a case of the new 2003. For drizzling or finishing, they're exceptional. Anyway - find someone to ask, if you can. You're more likely to find a 2003 vintage at a good deli, than in a supermarket. But either way, don't pay big money for anything with 2002 on it.

It seems to me that what English chefs have really gained over the last ten years, and Heston is almost the apogee of, is freedom. Defining the rules by which they chose to deal with food, and the non-classical schools with which they associate themselves. Has there ever been a more exciting time in food in this country? The resources that we take for granted - which 20 years ago we couldn't have dreamed of - are exceptional.

I agree - the interview made the food sound a little Science Project ("And if we surgically remove your tongue, and then reattach it to your knee caps, and feed you sauteed sea-slug...it tastes like bacon!") But on the Web site, many of the main courses - as you say - don't sound odd in the slightest. Well, I'm looking forward to going there.... (I've agreed to go as Tarka's security detail).

And continuing his rise - of all odd places - Heston Blumenthal was just interviewed on Richard and Judy. He brought along a selection of chocolates - including leather, oak, and pine. And some beetroot pastilles - one of which had an increase of acid only, which gave it the flavour of blackcurrent.

Can we do the one that's for difficult people instead?

The short ribs in Chimay Ale were only OK - the ale gave it lots of caramel flavours, but for my money they weren't as interesting or complex as those produced by a good red wine (e.g. from Cahors).

I thought you might appreciate the selection of wine articles that I pull up for the UK press digest. Perhaps someone would like to do an equivalent for the US? If you know of any other sources for good wine journalism, post them! Wine Articles in the UK Press Richard Ehrlich The screwcap is winning the seal of approval from modern winemakers! Anthony Rose - the greats of Burgundy. "This year has exploded into action with the 2002 vintage wines from Burgundy. I don't recall a time when there was such excitement over the latest burgundy releases. Nor such an impressive variety of wines on offer from specialist wine merchants." (Independent) Cellar notes: The best of Burgundy 2002. Tim Atkin - Underarm tactics. "John Forrest was quoted as saying that the weather had produced wines with 'that hunter's armpit, sweaty mango, classic Marlborough intensity'." (Observer) Super plonk. This week - Sherry.

Yes - I forgot. Someone ordered the cheese, and it was both exceptionally generous, and (the vacherin I tasted) very high quality.

I just had a very nice meal there. According to my step-mother, who is something of a regular, most of the staff have changed - which is to say, a different sommelier and waiters. I haven't confirmed this, though. For my money, the food at Chez Bruce is always seriously good. Alas I was in the midst of a birthday celebration, and so couldn't pay the attention I usually would. From the menu on the website, I had the "Stuffed quail with green beans, sauce soubise and red wine." Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to ask what the stuffing was. It was delicious, skillfully prepared, if a bit mild. For my main, the "Sauté of calf’s offal and veal with celeriac purée and meat juices." It's rare that you get to order this kind of thing - veal kidneys, pink-red in the center, crispy sweetbreads, and some roast loin. Viscerally satisfying (excuse pun). Kate had a pate de campagne with a foie gras mousseline to start - this was the best pate de campagne I've had, but it's a dish that could only be itself, i.e. it wasn't 'haute' cooking. Also quite mild, though the texture of the foie was gorgeous. For her main: "Red mullet with crab and scallop lasagna, bisque sauce and chives." I only had a small taste of this, but it was delicious. The lasagne, obviously, reminiscent of a similar Square dish. For puds: the Assiette of chocolate - which was reminiscent of the Pierre-White dish in his White Heat Book. Skillfully handled; several approaches on one plate. Also the treacle tart, which was thick and unctuous (first use of that word this year - French judge awards 10 points). Sorry for a lack of detail. I was attacked by several glasses of wine, all of which got the better of me. Still, unequivocal recommendation.

I think either you haven't been paying attention to the strong, incredibly talented women chefs who idict this person for making this an accusation of sexism, or perhaps you didn't read the article. No one has said "she's imagining the hazing, assaults, and verbal abuse." Also, if you're ascribing misogynistic motives to anyone who critiques her position, that is in itself both misanthropic and misogynistic, and I would suggest you consider your position before making those kinds of comments on this board again. This is obviously an emotive issue. I thank everyone for keeping it (moderately) civil.

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 The Financial Times Restaurants Tracey MacLeod - Anchor & Hope. Terry Durack the White Swan. Nicholas Lander definitely gets The Fat Duck. Jan Moir definitely doesn't get The Fat Duck Giles Coren - Rhodes Restaurant and Green Roof Inn. Matthew Fort - Malik's, Cookham, Berkshire. Jay Rayner Pattersons. Maschler - Rivington Grill Bar Deli. Mighty Marina O'Loughlin gives a Fig. Features Mark Hix on Fondue. five intrepid chefs searched the world for desirable delicacies - and brought them home to feast on. Mangos. Food Gordon Ramsey - Flavours of Mauritius. Tamasin Day-Lewis prepares warming mustard dishes. Nigel Slater - Light suppers. Richard Ehrlich - smoked fish. Wine and Spirits Richard Ehrlich The screwcap is winning the seal of approval from modern winemakers! Anthony Rose - the greats of Burgundy. Cellar notes: The best of Burgundy 2002. Adam Edwards the best of British. Tim Atkin - Underarm tactics. Super plonk. Roger Protz Fuller's Jack Frost.